Evening star., 1926-10-17
r ONE is to consider, seriously,
the thoughts and words of Will
l. II. Hays, president of the Mo-

the thoughts and words OF VIII
- II. Hays, president of the Mo-
ton Picture Producers and Dis
tributors of America, the photoplay
is to have a glorious future. He
states that all the nations of the
world are now making pictures
with, of course. the United States
leading the procession. But it is pos
sible to quote Mr. Hays directly:
The motion picture challenges the
best in science and art in literature
and in business, in religion and in
humanities. 1t is drawing from every
corner of the world the greatest
artists and artisans to aid in its serv-
ice to the world Hollywood is an
international enterprise. In another
few years the city may very we'll be
the art center of the world
And as the picture is the uni
versal language, SO will it be written
for the universe"
There you have it-Hollywood as
the art center of the world! Queer
and strange things have happened
and maybe Will Hays knows what
he is talking about.
According to reports, "The Big
Parade" is coming back to Washing
ton this Winter. Not for production,
mind you, at the IS and 50 cent rate
but again at top-notch movie prices.
This will be another experiment
worth watching, for there is a ques
ton as to whether it can play the
return engagement with the same
sort of box-office receipts. The reg
,,lar stage attractions have returned
time and again at the same prices,
but their runs have been shorter.
The circumstances are not at all
similar.
There is general opinion that
one of the "tWo-dollar pictures -
the big feature attractions of Movie
land-is just about the easiest thing
A theater manager has to handle.
According to this opinion. the movie
comes in a tin can, it is arranged
in the projection machine, and all
that follows is the grinding.
"Ben-Hur," which is completing
its run in the Capital during the com
ing week, carries 10 persons along
with the film, aside from the or
chestra. The production equipment
requires a 60-foot baggage car, and
in this manner it is taken from town
TO town. Two prints of each picture
are carried by the company.
In arranging for special music with
the road shows 20 capable musical
directors are trained to direct the
special scores. Then comes the labor
of selecting the individual musicians
several hundred OF thenl-and they
must always be men who have mad
theater travel experience. In most
instances 20 road shows are sent
out with a film such as The Covered
Wagon" "Ben-Hur" or The Big
Parade"
Adolphe Menjou, the sophisticated
villain of the screen. says he intends
TO retire in three years. The state
ment was made when he recently
attended the opening of his new pic
ture, The Ace of Cads," in Boston.
Menjou's salary is reported to be
$4,000 week-and he may miss it
when retired in the hills around
Hollywood.
The Associated Motion Picture
Advertisers. Inc, met in New York
few days ago, and, by ballot Sc
lected the II women who had done
most for the American photoplay,
and the "immortals" are Mary Pick
ford, Norma Talmadge, June Mathis,
Gloria Swanson, Colleen Moore, Con-
stance Talmadge, Beulah Living
stone, Jeanie Mcpherson, Lillian
Gish, Corinne Griffith, Anita Loos
and Frances Marion The women
voted on were stars. featured play
ers. woman producers, press agents
and motion picture critics.
The late Rudolph Valentino did
not own enough blooded horses and
pedigreed dogs to supply the demand
in Hollywood. Since the stars death
the executor of his estate has been
having his troubles. AllSthe stars of
the motion picture colony have been
trying to purchase Valentines horses
and dogs. The favorite dog, Kaber.
has been taken back to Italy bv
Valentines brother. and the FIVE
blooded horses have been purchased
by film luminaries.
Valentines estate at the time of
his death was much below million
dollars, but it has grown to $3,0OO.0OO
through the success of showing his
pictures.