The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-01-14
MOTION PICTURES
AND EXPLORATIONS
SUBJECT OF TALKS
Dave Wells and Oliver Eielson
Are Speakers at Rotary
Club Luncheon

Problems confronting the operators
Of motion picture houses and the
practical benefits Of polar explora-
tons were explained to members OF
the Bismarck Rotary club at their
luncheon meeting Wednesday.
Dave Wells. manager OF the Para
mount Theater, told about the NOV
les while Oliver Eielson. Hatton,
brother Of Carl Ben Eie1son. dis
cussed exploration.
Phil Meyer was program chair
man. In addition to the speakers,
Eleanor Partain, a tot from the fed
eral Indian school, sang a solo and
participated in a song and dance
number with Victoria Twiggs. also
from the Indian school. They were
accompanied on the piano by Miss
Belle Menus.
Wells said the public, and particu-
larly the feminine public, is the real
boss in the motion picture business,
since public opinion makes or breaks
the success Of a picture or organiza-
ton.
Motion picture executives do not
care much for the judgment of any,
one except those persons who buy
tickets, Wells said. The comments
Of the customers are carefully noted
and reported and it is these chance
remarks, taken as a whole, which
plots the course for the industry.
Selecting Pictures Difficult
Selecting pictures for local show
ing, Wells said, Is a difficult and
hazardous business, since the con-
tracts usually are made before the
pictures are completed. The manag-
er has some idea as to what the pic
ture will be but has not seen it when
he buys it for his house. In addi-
ton, he has to take pictures In
blocks, rather than individually and
this prevents him from selecting only
pictures with big stars.
The producing firms, he said,
schedule production Of both feature
pictures and standard productions.
Sometimes the features fail to draw
well and prove a poor buy. This Is
offset, however, by the fact that an
occasional non-feature picture be-
comes a sensation and packs the
house.
When sound pictures first came in,
musical comedy vas all the rage,
Wells said. Now the demand Is for
outdoor and comedy pictures. These
are made possible by improvement in
technique.
In addition to gambling on the pic
lures he buys, Wells said, the theater
on~ur%1s ~n~ohfnr ~ the ~,aa{hoN YYo
may schedule a feature picture which
cost considerable money and which
drew well elsewhere but If the wealth.
er is unfavorable he loses on it.
Oliver Eielson, In discussing the
practical value Of aerial exploration,
said the romantic and daring angles
of the work have been overstressed.
The hope of Sir Hubert wilkins. with
whom his brother was associated,
Eielson said, Is to establish weather
stations from north to south just as
they now r established from east
to west. Wilkins, he said, feels that
the weather for any part of the globe
could be forecast well in advance If
this were done.
These trips also have helped the
cause of aerial navigation, he said,
and gave it as his opinion that the
science of aviation still is in its in
fancy.
Discusses wilkins Plan
Commenting on wilkins proposed
trip under the ice from Spitzbergen
to Point Barrow, Eelson said the
purpose is to make soundings and &C
quire other data which will be val
liable for weather forecasting. The
submarine will travel 3 miles an hour
and Wilkins expects the trip to take
80 days, Eielson said. He added that
he has been invited to make the
journey but has not yet decided to
accept.
Guests at the luncheon were Henry
Field, Wahpeton; Russell Freeman, j.
P. Cain, Dickinson; Frank Ployhar,
Valley City: w. S. Whitman, Grand
Forks: Walter Bond, Minot: H. K.
Jensen, Mandan; Elroy Schroeder,
Grand Forks; M. o. Glorvick. Aber-
deem, S. D.; William A. De Puy,
jamestown: S. D. Adams, Lisbon; E.
M. Gillig, Fargo; c. J. Murphy, Grand
Forks and Maurice Willow, New York