Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-07-08
They Use the ''Cutback''


In 1902 was one Of the first pictures to utilise that
very effective device, the cutback Il showed q
child In q burning house, with the brave fireman
on his way.
In 1908 Adolph zukor. Chicago furrier. arrived
In New York to collect 5000 which a friend had
borrowed 70 start a penny arcade. Il was not
prospecting. and Zukor's efforts to save his money
put the furrier Into the penny arcade business
and later led to his meeting with Marcus Loew,
another penny Rrcader BY 1905 Zukor was q full
nedged theater proprietor. Famous playersI.asky
corporation the worlds biggest movie concern. re-
suited, while Loew is head Of the Metro-Goldwin-
Mayer company. close rival.
Carl Laemme. clothing store clerk Of Oshkosh.
wis, Ia the winter OF 1905 connded TO a Chicago
advertising agent that he was tired Of the clothing
business They talked over the possibilities Of the
movies Finally he opened theatsF In 1909 A
few months later he started Aim exchange and
sold prints to other showmen. Out Of bis subse-
quent efforts to organize the independent interests
In their fight against Edison came the Universal
Pictures. Both LaemmIe and Cochrane. the adver-
Using man. made fortunes.
In 1907. the censorship pot. long simmering
boiled over Ramsaye recalls for as the Chicago
Tribune editorial THE Five Cent Theater," which
damned the nickelodeon up and down hill. At
that time Chicago had 110 such shows They
we're blamed for juvenile crime, and list OF
pictures, TO which objection was taken, waS
aroused and closed every scent show In the city.
Exhibitors protested, there was compromise and
as result the National Board OF Censorship was
formed The first state to pass a censorship law
was Pennsylvania in 1912.
Appealed 10 Rough Element"
The cinema, II seems, had been in bad odor
more OF less, from the start. It's appeal itH |
critics ASSERTED, was mainly to the rough ele-
ment." Then, top followed the theater disasters
ia which many persons lost their lives. Films
often caught fire In the crude projection machines,
and many persons feared to enter such theaters
because of the reported danger to their lives.
Everyone had heard OF the Charity Bazaar IRE In /
1897 at Paris. Nearly $50 persona among them
many French MOBILES had lost their lives when
q protector lamp exploded. Prejudicial feeling
Immediately arose to impair seriously the status
OF the screen In the minds Of the upper classes
with the establishment throughout the country
of many theaters there was created demand for
more and better films People were firing OF the
old run-and-hop variety OF subjects. Exhibitors
wanted story pictures. and the producers prob
lens began anew. The motion picture had no
then, and actors were scornful II
was necessary to seek out the hungry ones and
tactfulIy suggest work In "the pictures"
Actors who met on the movie stages Of Edison,
and Biograph in those days kept their
hlm "shame" a secret 1t was the accepted prac- /
lice of the time to impress the actors into service
rs carpenters scene painters and the like. Flor
snce Turner, an early favorite when not acting
vas mistress Of the wardrobe. But when Maurice
Costello went over TO vitagraph from Edison q
precedent was set up. Il am an actor and will
lct-but viii not build sets and paint scenery"
ae won on his dignity.
Inter Charlie and His Pants
Charles Chapman made his screen debut IN
o18. His big pants and curious gait caught the
We of Adam Kessel of the New York Motion Pic
ure company who strolled into q theater Just
a time TO see the act 90 on. Kessel offered him
rs a week to appear In the 6lms Charlie re-
used IT, as he DID q subsequent offer OF 500
veek Finally the ante was raised to $3.50 and be
ccepted His nrst picture was made at Los
angeles for keystone. II was called the kids
INTO Races" and made a hit. Other Chapman
ictures followed and the little Eneiishman be-
anne famous before hts name was known Later n
ID name was changed to Chaplin.
OF the later Developments In the industry the B
lost significant was the effort to avoid censor u
hip and regulation that might seriously interfere
ith progress In 1917 a wild party for Fatty b
rbuckle in Boston drew unfavorable attention 81
9th to the players and film officials who attended
In 1921, ArbuckIe with other movie people III
mashed into q screen scandal. The divorce Of III
AIRY PIckford from Owen Moore in Nevada was
mother cause Of scandal because Of her early NJ
arriage TO Douglas Fairbanks, an actor just
inning puDHC AAFOfs Inc pfOdhcehS ASit thhb hi
,methIng had 10 be done. They formed an HI
sociatIon Of motion picture producers and
aced at the head OF II VIII Hays. one-time chair M
AN OF the Republican national committee, and III
,stuiaster general
Hays Tackled bis Job seriously and Is now the
reen's most powerful figure when II comes 20
Gliding on Whist may be shown. He can kill any Nj
DRY and can exile any actor from the screen.
"a he has ueed this power
Mxw pareawa has brought hfe fascinating history 81
wn to the separation Of the producing depart 81
snt from the exhibiting department OF the Fa- ri
,us Players organization. BaIaban KATE Of nj
ifcago took over the theaters On June 5, 1926, III
mous Players bought them back.
This present article mentions only scattered
.anIngs from the eiahty-one chapters Of Ram AZ
yes work For one incident set down here thers
) scores Of eamaly interesting once gathered VI
the two vosumes The one thing about this Nj
tory which appeals perhaps more than any Vi
aer single quality ls the attitude Of the his "a
Ian. His face was not long and stern when be NJ
ote. He cav khs human side OF this comedy nj
ANA. he had twinkle ia bis eye TX