Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24
The Moving Picture
By Robert Z. Sherwood

THE recent activities of Adolph
L Zukor, Marcus Loew and other
prominent magnateS in collecting
lengthy chains Of picture theaters
have effected some radical alterations
in the style of entertainment offered
to the film fans. These changes
have not. as Yet, been apparent in
the pictures themselves. but in the
surrounding programs, or 'presenta-
tons"
The problem of the program has
ALWAYS been a troublesome one. and
different exhibitors have solved II in
various ways. Some exhibitors have
gone in heavily for vaudeville acts.
dance numbers or musical interludes:
others have filled their bills with
short films-ComedieS, animated car
tuons. travel pictures. SCENES. news
reels. etc.
ii is impossible 10 say which variety
has found most favor with the public
at large. for individual exhibitors
seem to have nodded the tastes of
their own special audiences.
The feature picture, however. has
always been the prime attraction:
the surrounding program. until very
recently. has been purely incidental.
Now. in many theaters. the feature
picture appears as the least impor-
some extraordinary act. borrowed
| from vaudeville or the musical
comedy stage, and a partic ularly
noisy jazz band, which will occupy
! first place in the display advertising
and in the electric signs. The six
reel production, which is supposed to
! provide the backbone Of the evening s
| entertainment, is mentioned almost
| apoiogetically in small type.
he a
/ the control of vast numbers of thea
terS has passed into the hands of the
/ producing companies. For instance:
! Famous Players can afford to engag
such high-priced performers as Gilda
! Gray or Will Rogers or Paul White
mans orchestra to make tour of
| their 800 theaterS, whereas the indi-
vidual exhibitors, by themselves. could
never confront such a staggering ex-
| penSe.
Last year Miss Gray travelled about
the country, playing only in movie the
| aterS, and receiving for her services
approximately SIC. 900 week. No play
err in the history of the theater has
| ever established such a record-not
| Duse or Bernhard or Sir Henry Irv-
| ing or Mansfield or any of the Barry
mores. Miss Gray's act consisted of a
| South Sea shimmy a Charleston or
| Al l..
She was we'll exploited and the audi
ences f1ocked to see her
Wherever Miss Gray went business
! in the movie theaters boomed-regard-
! less of the quality of the actual pic
| lures on view.
| At present Famous Players and
Netro-Goldwyn are booking dancers,
! jazz orcheStras, singers and comedi-
ans galore to appear in person in
| their theaters. The former company
Is even producing entire musical re-
vueS, which travel about. scenery and
all, from one theater to another. The
stages in the film parlors are being
| enlarged and extra mechanical equip
ment is being installed to handle the
heavy productions that come in each
| week.
| This would indicate that the NOV
ing picture theaters are drifting away
from moving pictures, creating a sit
uation that, from every conceivable
point of view, is economically false.
1t has been proved that the public
wants to see Gilda Gray dance and
to hear Vincent Lopez play and to
| hear the Duncan Sisters sing. At
the same time it has been proved
! even more conclusively that the pub.
! lie wants to see good pictures, and
| Will pay to see them.
| The movie magnateS should not
forget that. Whenever a man starts
to eat piece of bread, he should be
careful to note which side 1t is but.
tered on.
| Just about one month ago, in this
column. | commented on the. an
! nouncement that Harold Cred