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'ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE"
Owning && Helper
AMUSEMENT SECTION
f Address all communications to Dramatic Editor Evening Ledger,
Independence Square, Philadelphia.
THE AVERAGE NET PAID DAILY CIRCULATION OF THE EVENING
LEDGER FOE SEPTEMBER WAS 100,608.
PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1915.
Theatrical Stagnation
PHILADELPHIA ought o be getting desperate. At any rate, one dramatic
editor is. Here are two months of the season almost gone, and what have
the theatres shown? The Broad, one comedy. "Daddy Long Legs"; the For
rest, one photoplay. "The Birth of a Nation"? the Garrick, one melodrama,
-Under Cover"; the AdelphU two failures, "What Happened" and "Brother
Masons," and one William Hodge drama; the Lyric, three musical pieces, "Prin
cess Pat," "The Lilac Domino" and "Hands Up."
.
Outdistanced by the Fourth City
Boston is the fourth city in the country. Philadelphia the third. Yet
Boston has developed a theatrical life, as well as baseball teams, in the last
few years that puts us out of the running. Already this season the city of
World Champions has seen "Twin Beds," "On Trial," "Experience," "A Pair
of Silk Stockings." "The White Feather." "The Birth of a Nation." "The
Song of 'Songs!" Irvin Cobb's "Back Home." not to mention "The Follies"
and -Nobody Home." while "Trilby," "Outcast," ShaWs "Androcles and the
Lion" .and Elsie Ferguson in "Outcast" are in immediate prospect. Who
can blame the Philadelphia critic if he turns to the movies for romething
to write about?
Is Musical Comedy Dead?
To ease the Jump from drama to movies, let lis recall the day when
znnsical comedy took the place of the films as that scapegoat on which the
theatre could blame its shortcomings. And let us bury in solemn peace the
scat, which may no longer be "got." The dearth of musical comedy this
year is absolutely astounding. The Shuberts have mounted a very few new
musical pieces; the syndicate hasnt put on a single "show" outside two great
special revues at two great special entertainment palaces in New York,
-Town Topics," at the Century Music Hall, and 21ip. Hip. Hooray!" at the
Hippodrome. Aa for the road, there is "Nobody Home." "Hands Up," "Chin
Chin," "Watch Your Step," "The Follies" and the Winter Garden shows, all
last year's products and all, except the first, mastodons of amusement. What
is the world coming to? Financial disaster if the Tired Business Man Is
thus left to his fate.
Movie Doing
Meanwhile the movies go cheerfully on expanding. The newest move
la the invasion of the "one-reel" field by the feature program companies.
Paramount is getting out special, news reels, covering events like the Vincent
Astor Cbp race, .to fill in with the regular five-part releases. The Metro
has taken over the National News Weekly from the World for presumably
the -sum purpose. The Vitagraph is making a point of advertising one
reeJers for the V. L. 8. E. programs.
The Films Laagk at Thextselvea
Another novel departure of the last few weeks Is the movie burlesque.
Tfce ! movies are trying to "Weberfield" themselves. They are putting out
short photoplays burlesquing particular feature films on the market. One,
"The Mirth of a. Nation." now In process of manufacture. Is to be almost as long as
the piece It travesties. The Gaumont Company announces a series called the
Casino Star Comedies, which will be amusing and overdrawn take-offs on
the serious photoplays which they have already released. On October 14
the MinA brand released a "reel melodrammer" called "Alone in the City
-of Sighs and Tears, which spoofed the old-fashioned 10-20-34 sort of thing.
It's a. big field this, with room for mighty amusing experiment. Some day some
one will give us burlesque history.
Corralling the Best Producers
One of the best things that is happening to the photoplay today is the
advent of trained producers from the legitimate. Such men have no royal
road. They must learn a great deal that the photoplay pioneers have worked
out by hard experience. But they bring a training In "business." direction.
coaching, " Is immensely valuable.
three of the best producers that Broadway has developed George Foster
Piatt, chief stage director for the
Ames at his New York Little Theatre,
North, Piatt's able assistant at both
the "Vitagraph, and Frank Keicher, son
ably fine actor as well as a producer.
to mention Arnold Daly.
Are the Movies Going to Endow the Theatre7
What, by the way, la Daly, disciple of Shaw and the most original talent
in America, doing with the Pathe melodramas? It's just possible that he is
making the nickel audiences of the much -despised movies endow an "advanced"
theatre for him on Broadway. Or If he hasn't adopted the fleshpots of film
dom for such a purpose perhaps it is William Faversham, the man who played
"The Squaw Man" piteously through three years of one-night stands to make
the money on which he has based his brilliant career as actor-manager and
producer of Shakespeare. At any rate, here is a door open at last to the ambitious
actor who wants funds for a desperate venture. A star who has been seen hero
this fall was offered $60,000 for 15 weeks of photoplay acting. Suppose he
had taken it- What a time he might have had losing it fearlessly, gloriously
In good drama the rest of the year!
Saved!
Having gazed on the remains of "Carmen" after the censors got through,
Philadelphia rejoices in her salubrious morality and turns the back of scorn
upon the spectacle of Boston going to the demnition bow-wows as a result of
seeing-that eight seconds of the cigarette girl's fight, that five seconds of
the duel, that three seconds of Carmen's death, which our guardians are said to
have succeeded In extracting,
Bight now the State Board of Censors is making a success of Just one side
of its undertakings. It Is the most efficient advertising bureau In the city. What
a pity honest film manufacturers and exhibitors don't appreciate Its services!
On the other hand, how fortunate that the board makes itself ridiculous by
.overactivity, Instead of doing quietly and successfully the one thing that might
,eseac the vicious institution of censorship holding the club of possible action
ver the heads of the producers.
Bight now the movies are employing
New Theatre and later with Winthrop
who is now with Thanhouser; Wilfred
those playhouses, who is producing for
of Emanuel Reicher, and a remark
Watch these men and their films. Not !
CUT-BACKS
What a barren week! Not a new play
in town; not an old line to shake by the
hand again alter a year's absence. It
makes one meditate upon the past. It
makes one meditate upon the days when
Rose Stahl thrilled the audiences at "The
Chorus Lady" with that rare trine. "The
woman pays, pay, PAYS!" What a pity
George Hasael missed that when he com
plied his mock melodrama in "Hands
Up." But. anyway, he preserved for us:
"Poor little woman. How blind I have
been. I see It all now. How ahe must
hare suffered."
'K
Quick Work
Or "VARIETY" LIVES UP ITS NAME
Mae Marsh has an attack of pleurisy;
she is now under the care of a doctor.
Douglas Fairbanks l preparing to de
part for New York to start rehearsals In
his new play for the Fine A. F. Studio
Company.
Mae Marsh, fully recovered from her
sudden attack of pleurisy, has gone to
the mountains for a brief vacation.
Douglas Fairbanks has left for New
York to work at the New York studio
after signing a long-term .contract with
Griffith. , , , , ..
Coast Picture News In "Variety.
But Not in Pennsylvania
"At a movie the other day a picture
was shown, entitled:
" 'As God Made It.'
"Immediately following the projection
of the title on the screen came the flash:
" 'Approved by the Ohio Board of Cen
sors.' " Everybody's Magazine.
Movie Goose
I taw an eld woman tossed up In a basket
Nineteen times as high as the moon.
... sua th.v An ft? Yflti couldn't but ask It.
By stoiplnc the camera, double exposure and
usinc a dummy.
Two Men With But a Single Thought
Prom a Chlcaco paper of October 8.
Perhaps you heard him a Chlcagoan
of national Importance say as he left the
: "I got more real thrill
and enjoyment from those plays
in one evening than I ever had in a
theatre before. Those plays live ! They're
real !"
From a Philadelphia paper of October 8.
Perhaps you heard him a Phlladel
phlan of national Importance say as he
left the : "I got more real
thrill and enjoyment from those
plays In one evening that I ever had In
a theatre before. Those plays live!
They're real!"
LETTERS
To the Dramatic Editor;
I read -with interest the editorials on
"Drama and Movies" In October ICth's
issue. It seemed to me that the point of
view was rather passe. The editorial
would have been quite In vogue last
spring when the situation In the "spoken
stage" was indeed critical, but today it Is
very much out of date. The "worm has
turned."
Why is it, may I ask, that last summer
In Atlantic City people were turned away
from such shows as "Common Clay,"
"Princess Pat" and "Cousin Lucy"? Why
Is it that "Daddy Long Legs" gave four
matinees last week? Why Is It that
Frances Starr Is packing houses on the
road In Wilmington, Vilkes-Barre, etc.?
Why Is It that "Chin Chin" (second year
in New York) Is selling tickets for Wash
ington's Birthday? Why Is It that the
New York Hippodrome failed as a movie
house and has returned to the presenta
tion of big revues? Why is It that Charles
Dillingham Is managing five of the great
est musical shows In the world, when a
few years ago (when the "spoken stage"
was supposed to be In its prime) he only
managed the "Lady of the Slippers"?
Why is it that the Knickerbocker, Globe.
Cross Keys. Liberty, etc, have returned
to their old policy of presenting stock,
vaudeville, etc?
Simply because the public wants to see
and "bear." They are tired of the movies.
Again, why is it that while the "spoken
stage" houses are crowded the high-class
motion-picture houses are putting Im
mense advertisements In the newspapers'
and on the billboards? When some of
them are reducing their admission price
50 per cent, we can conclude that they
are not advertising because of great pros
perity, but because
It Is all very simple; the fad Is over.
But just think of the younger generation
of moTle fans who will want to see the
actors and actresses In real flesh and
blood! Very truly yours.
FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.
Philadelphia, October a.
(The answer to Mr. "Russell Is another
string of questions: What are the size
of the bouses drawn to other Philadel
phia theatres besides the Broad and tue
Forrest? How long did "Cousin Lucy"
last on Broadway? Why are there Just
as many failures in New York this season
as last? now does the reduction of In
flated movie prices disprove the belief
that the photoplay la and should be Im
mensely popular as the average wage
earner's amusement? etc, etc, etc
Dramatic Editor.)
To the Photoplay Editor:
Accept oar congratulations on the suc
cess of your new supplement to the
Saturday Evening Ledger. In your edi
torial relating to the success of the
"movies" you have struck the truth of
the matter when you say, "the nickel and
dime admission has accounted for Its
tremendous success"; for It has been the
great middle class that has made the
moving picture the financial success It Is
the class who could not spend one .or
two dollars an evening on a play even
if It would. IGNORANCE.
Philadelphia, October 20.
Questions and Answers
Ignorance "Vanity Fair" Is taken from
Thackeray's novel. "Still Jim" has not
yet been filmed, nor has "Freckles." Yes,
the "Iron Strain" was the feature re
ferred to. Duplicate pictures are printed,
from a "master negative." and they
are not taken by the camera at the time
of performance. A first release Is the
Initial showing of a film In this city.
Earl Williams and WWW Farnum are
both successful stock actors; with cer
tain people, Mr. Farnum is the more
popular. We do not know whether Mr.
Farnum wears a wig when playing, but
from his adventures in the film, we sus
pect not.
Ethel. Miss Barrymore will be seen on
the speaking stage this winter In a com
edy founded on Edna Ferbtr's short
stories about Emma MacChesney.