AMUiSEMENT SECTION Ettening meiupr C PHOTOPLAY THEATRES' DANCING MUSIC ( fatfY THE MOVIES ARE NO LUJNUISK MAYING PROGRESS Tft Head 01 a vrrcat v.umpany uiames Stagnation on a oingic in fiuence -the Authors By JESSE L. LASKY ' i the most rapid advance, tho most L.rMlous progress nnd quick development !t( achieved In a new nrt or a now Indus Iff tho producers of motion pictures have ffidenly found themselves at a standstill, Si)j Is a truth which few will deny, and, c-Ati bo I tiersonauy nnio to voice it. It a truth that must be recognized. fo disarm criticism at tho very start, I 'in gflmit mat una siuieinem is general. j. .-, individual producers nre. making oro- 1!:. I jircdlct that Griffith's' "Mother and lll rni,o. hie lllrth - XT.. ii." tnen shows marked advancement In l "Civilization" over his former 'produc tions. Three months after his "Carmen," tlnWterplece, was produced De.MUto sur- Mised It with "Tho Cheat." A very fow jldsrly. It Is true, the art Is advancing, t. sinl. when ono 'considers that thero nro Icbroxlmntcly 25 five-reel features released irt America every week, .the majority of " .. ,, ... ,.J tHhA k. them noi ivuiuij- ui una uuiue, wo ro fcAil to the conclusion that tho wonderful i"l4v.ncement that .marked ..the earlier do- wlopniens oi uiu muuuu jmuiuiu hub stoweu Vn'io i large degree, bo that I am forced to urste my flrst assertion, viz., tho art of potion-picture produclng'ls not advancing, tot IS almost ui n. nuuiuauu, nrh-n wn think of tho vast nnnnlhlllttn sof motion drama this fact Is tho moro to v. ,..l...i1 ri.ficv Vatlin tint, Ita Annnv. Dfl UeiHv'-1- -...WW w.w ,, no iuuouiii tit us see If we can And tho rennon for hs lack of progress In.the newest, art. 'Our actors. Including, as they do, the i jijrvlvors of the old mbvlo school and tho ;Mivcomors irom me icsiurnaio singo, ara the best in tno worm, ins oiaer scnooi oi movie artists nro thoso who, although they lckd' stage or dramatic experience, devel oped a technique of their own. Tho Glsh listers, Uiancne owt-ui., iuiiu .Miirmi uro ijk unples of this type. Tho newcomer, the legitimate actor, chosen from tho very best (ha recalling stage afforded, such artists as 'tj'rone Power, Theodore Roberts, Bessie Barrlscale, aro now, -with the other, or icreen artists, tno ranic anu me tnat cora tose tho stock companies of tho motion picture studios.. With the best, tho fore most, the' greatest stars In tho world do totlne themselves exclusively to tho screen i,jrima, we can -eliminate tho actor either as I direct or indirect causa or tno recent lack of progress. Our; camera men, many of them fa mous old stilt photographers, all of them nterans In the newer art quiet, deter mined, thoughtful, studious, daring, always Uched to them Rather must wo say, "Well ''.jone, oh I camera, man. Tho great art owes jnucH'tO'you. It Is a fact trjjit In tho last rear (notion-picture photography has ad- Ownced marvolously well. New and won fierrul .lighting, perfect double and trlplo ex- 'posure, a uozon wonacriui enccts, navo marked the constant progress of motion plc- Eure photography. The camera man Is pro- -.gounceu wun mm uuuviutiuu ,ul tsuuiy. ind tha modern new laboratories have kept pica with tho photographer. Clean dims, inter scratches and blemishes, splendid (latlne and toning tho laboratories are ffitace with the times 5"i Our scenic artist's" havo progressed. The g tccnes and settings of motion pictures havo Splendid modern Interiors, In perfect good Uste, marvelous settings of all periods. J-''defr the crltlnlflmn of thft mnnt nrltlrjil. Jf''Tber can bo no question on thlB point .The'art director and scenic artist are ellm- S! tnafil Alan ttrA ii n Aymrt avntn tnttr tntt er, the property builder and the property man, Using at all times the real, tho genuine, In placo of the Imitation, skilfully IduMcatlog the .rarest art treasures of tho t Ola world--surely he, too, deserves word of praise ratner than censurp. Ana now, most Important of all, tho director. The old school men, the pioneers, ;experlenced In picture producing from Its Tery Inception, striving,' studying, invent us, Progressing, thov are dolntr their con scientious beat and they are not standing f'lUlL Reinforced bv the ablest men from jtjie ranks of thedramatic or stage direct ors, wno, hrlnglng new Ideas and tireless energy,, with a world of dramatic training Md einerlence. cave tho motion drama a real push forward surely tho directors of Mth Classes enn hfl MnmtrniM T wUh. T iiad the time and spaco to telrof the heart- lreKing toll of many of the motion-picture .directors; of their 12 to 18 hours a day, of. tnelr seven days, a week, of their sacrific ing their social ambitions, their famllv tie's. tcMng their very llfo, their heart's blood. M ineir tavorlte art. No, tho directors are doing their full share, and at least Bare attempting In every way they know tow io aavanco the moving drama. But In Wite Of their efforts. thi rnmnm mnn'.q f. I'wti, the art director's, the scenic artist's. property man's efforts, the "new labora- Etorles and the unnumbered thousands epent .wesmjr Dy tne too numerous producing ;arm. I reiterate, for the third time, the notion-picture drama Is not progressing any annreclabla decree nt tho nresent jaoment Nov, If all the above are doing so nwchg PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 27, !916. THE CAMERA MAN CATCHES A FEW GLIMPSES OF STAGE AND MOVIE STARS MAKING AMUSEMENT NEWS An Opera Glass for the Movies That Straightens Angles I, Continued on Hate Tno ilEEE VV jrmjjmmmifKV'flViy Thero have been alt manner of sclentlfla improvements made upon tho motldn-plc-turo process within the decade, moro rapid projecting machines, gold-fibre screens and various other Innovations; but the actual comfort of tho theatre patron has been virtually confined to form-fitting seats, floor lights to find his way In and out, and lantern slides to bid tho lady In front to remove Lher hat It has remained for the Triangle Film Corporation to Invent a special opera glass .for uso In watching the motion pic tures, Resigned not to better the picture isclf, but to correct adverse conditions un der which pictures aro very' often exhibited. . Tho best pictures ever made, says Tri angle, would appear 41sadvantogeously to a spectator badly seated through no fault of tho. director or camera man, and any simple Instrument that will rectify this point of viow would bo welcomed as filling a long felt want Tho salient featuro of "the now glass, which In appearance resembles tho ordinary binocular, to that It reduces the Image Instead of magnifying It It Is In tended primarily for thoso who aro seated too close to the screen, throwing tho Imago off to tho proper distance and also modify ing the blue and ultra-violet rays that are so harmful to the retina of tho oye at Bhort range A small vertical wheel between the bar rels adjusts the focus In the ordinary man ner; butthere' Is anothor adjustment which, Is peculiar to the instrument Tnat is a black T-shaped piece at the large end. This Bhlfts from left to right, producing tho ef fect of what Is known In photography as the wide-angle lens. It is for, convenience of thoso persons who are not only seated far front, but far to ono side. Tho wide angle arrangement corrects the viewpoint and gives tho user an approximately proper range. In tho matter of perspective, there Is really but one correct viewpoint for every photograph ; that Is tho point of the camera that took It, and In tho theatre the eye of the projecting machine. But as the spec tator cannot sit In front of the projecting machine, he must compromise somewhat in his notions of perspective, and sit elsewhere. Tho Triangle binocular gives the spectator very nearly the viewpoint of tho camera, although It Is recommended only for thoso tuhn Bit too Close. " x The proper distance to alt from a picture tfas established by painters long before the cinematograph was Invented. In calculat ing the proper distance to stand from a canvas in order to comprehend all upon it, It was agreed that the spectator should take his stand from tho picture at a distance equal' to a diagonal and a half, the Im aginary diagonal being drawn from ono upper corner of tho canvas to the lower corner on tha other side. THE WHY OP PHOTOGRAPHY N.jt ' ' ''jfo5J - H'-4 ' TUT f ShiIIHHB AjSSS D. W. Griffith conferring with his U iiTilk KTfc W$&& ' 'A -fVf i V, , .SI ;if MMH -' sl cameraman, George Bitzer, over fA T WT -? ' 1 CaU & ' 1 If BH f '4M some of tho artistic details of m . JLgfHB i . a, -W cj vnyCJW i ' ' ,lE&&?i MWhml&BKBKm-tt ,i fiS The Mother and tho Law,- hi. . t !. 'fKtr f- 'Lr - " -&&iMfcl tw&6nmamr?8 L :M now rival of "Tho, Birth of a . 'W rll!l.llpM . ferf , TO KfflMM ,mHHH 4 fWrMK ' fisMhVr &?& Tyrone Power, actor, nnd Tamaki " JSa li83Hfc . , jlft1VrJL Miura, Japanese opera singer, iffllk'iFillWSi! HlMMtvM ,Sfe'QJiV- chatting while the Universal star .ggasMSJIMfc, ? R2 W 'SBKyC rest3 between scenes. SJM& gaPL tlfe-WCVl(53 E THE ACTKESS-MANAGER ON DUTY Grace George, who brings her repertory company to the Adelphi Monday in "Tho New York. Idea," is here caught waiting behind o "wing" for her entrance cue- Producing Verdi's "Aida" in the Open Air at U. of P. s He L PPinnv nvr.ATjn la "Thf JSnslish Aim Ktnr- who will be 11 tQe Stanley Jtondsy in fe.PaMuaswit swdttctJoB. Hal the Censor's Mind Revealed The following storv QUI' fictional, . with the exception of the quoted leaden' Thev are ffenulfia, sous for the names: gCene A Motlon-PIctura Censor's office. Tho room Is unadorned, unless one con siders a placard: "Farce, burlesque or drama which Is actuated by levity or any other serious purposes will be discouraged bv the Board." The Censor's Assistants are busy snipping film at a table. Enter James Schneider, the Censor. speaks: 'Well, boys, any moro crime today? I see the crime drawer Is nearly full, so i you must have been fairly weljoccupled. We 11 have to get somejiew farce flies, I fear. And, dearie me, the levity envelope Is as full as tho moon. "What's this picture? 'Bertha's Vindlo tlveness." Ha, hum. Ixwks bad. Too many babies, In It Let tab see; If I took out the third and seventh reels, It might be fit for Innocent eyes. Still, there would ba far too much Jocosity left for people who have reverence for the sancity of the He'reads on. Suddenly Illuminated by A Thought he lifts his hands skyward and e,"I havo ltl wW go to the trouble of cutting, the nlm when, with a new story inserted In the leaders. It could be. turned Into a sucking dove? I'll remove the scor. plon's fangs." -Wrltine: hastily: t- powsabella goes, secretly, to meet her husband.' xnavs proper ana pretty, far more so than lover. Now let's see: the leader says she confides her love, affair to her friend. 111 substitute 'I hav lost my marriage certificate. I do not even recall the name of the pastor In the small village where we were married.' rrhey al. ways said I had a literary bent) "Well, well! Dowsabella gets worser and worser. I'll Just snip out all the rest of the leaders and put In my own. Here goes: 'Wo nnd Dowsabella courted by Deacon wunL v Dowsabella having mar- , rld the deacon oaf never told him ot her "Now Ifa all read?. What? ypu don't think ta story's clear? Mr tsoy, that's feaeaus you nvr studied tha eteMlw. w JlnUh is wad oa yoa Only a limited number of events In tho musical history of Philadelphia have aroused the interest that has been created by the coming open-air performance of "Alda" under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field Tuesday evening, June 6, It seema as If the opera will be witnessed by at leant 25.000 persons. To take, care of this vast audience so that all may see and hear with comfort there has been perfected an Ideal arrangement of the stage with relation to tha seats on Franklin Field. Tho stage la being built- directly In the centre of the Held, making the, distance between it and the most distant auditor half what It was at tho open-air performance at the Harvard stadium last year. This bringing the'stage half way up the field will render useless all of the seats to the rear, cutting down the seating capac ity one-half. The seats lost however, will be made up by placing comfortable chairs on the playing surface of the field, making the whole like one vast auditorium seating about 25,000. The whole arrangement" of stage and seats has been under the super vision of M. Bracale. who aueessfully staged the big open-air performance of "Alda" at tho Egyptian pyramids a few years ago, which was witnessed by 80,000 persons. Tha University of Pennsylvania perform ance will. It la hoped, excel the pyramid per formance in every detail except the number of people accommodated. The splendid cast whlcli has been gathered from every great opera house In the world, including the "KEYSTONE STUFF" Just a bit of "zoo thrill" p,ut over by tho Triangle's funmakers. Metropolitan and -Boston operas, will in clude Mme. Marie Rappold, who was se lected to sing most of the Metropolitan Opera performances of "Alda" durlngtha season just past; iimo. aiargarete aiatze nauer, the leading contralto of the Metro politan Opera Company; Leone Zlnovleff, the great Russian tenor, who sang the role of Rhadames In the pyramid production; Oluseppe Campanarl, until a few years ago the leading baritone of the Metropolitan who has been Induced to come out of his re tirement for this one performance: Jose Mardones, leading basso of tha Boston Opera Company; Leon Rothler, leading by)Bo of the Metropolitan; Giovanni Porro, leading tenor of the Constanzl In Home, and Juanlta Prewttt, from Covent Garden, Lon don. The great chorus of 500 will Include the entire Metropolitan, Boston and Chicago Opera choruses. Tho big orchestra of 105 will be recruited from the same three opera companies, as well as the grand corps de ballet of 50. Giorgio Polacco, chief con ductor of the Metroplltan, will conduct the performance, which will be staged by M. Bracale and M, Spalta, who staged the pyramid performance. The chorus master will be M. Settl, who la chorus master of the Metropolitan. The ballet master will be 6L Alberttere, of the Metropolitan and Man hattan Opera Companies. The total cost ot this one performance will be approx imately 190,000, making it what is said to be the most expensive single performance of any kind this country has ever known. Tha enormous stage will be 300 feet wide and 120 feet deep, occupying almost aa much space as an entire city block. When Carolina White Was a Curbstone Star Letters to the Editor To the Dramatla Editor: Slr In reply to F. W. Farren's letter In the Evekino LsnoEn of May 13, Solomon Smith Russell appeared as Bob Asres In Sheridan's 'The Rivals" at tho Walnut Street Theatre In February. 183. giving two performances of the old comedy; the rest of the engagement was devoted to "Mr, Valentine's Christmas," a one-act play, from a story by J. L. Mitchell in Life; followed by "An Everyday Man," a three act comedy by Marguerite Merlngton. In Mr. Russell's company at that time were George Woodward, Mrs. Fanny Addison PJtt and Miss BIJou Fernandez. Philadelphia, May 18 II. L. W. To the PMoilau Editor: Sir There Is something which has puz zled me greatly for the past few weeks and I am writing to ask your kind assistance to straighten the matter out. Are Arthur Hoops and Eugene Ormonde the same person? I have seen Eugene Or monde as Doctor Isaacsson In "Bella Don na" (with Pauline Frederick) and have also seen Arthur Hoops as the husband Vane with Olga Perova In "Playing with Fire." The two characters were taken by the same man, but why the different names? J, F. K. Philadelphia. May SB, 1918, . Eugene Ormonde and Arthur Hoops are, so far as tha Photoplay Editor can deter mine, entirely distinct personalities. EVENING LEDGER'S SCENARIO LESSONS AND PRIZE PHOTOPLAY SCRIPT CONTEST THROUGH a series of lessonB in scenario writing and a prize competition for a Philadelphia scenario to be produced in Philadelphia with Philadelphians in the cast, the Photoplay Department of the 'Evening Ledger intends to devote the summer to the development of screen talent both literary and histrionic among its readers. ! Beginning in the next issue of the Amus'ement Section, Saturday, June 8, the Evening Ledger will publish daily for four weeks a seri'es of articles on scenario-writing by the scenario teditor of one of the great feature film producing companies. They will form a concrete and com !prehensive course of instruction, covering every angle of the writing and marketing of a successful iseuario, They will close with a reproduction o!f a model "script" which has been accepted and Mimed, ' That the readers of the Evening Ledger m'ay test in a practical way the knowledge gained 'inthjs series of lessons, the Photoplay Department will institute in July at tha end of the course 'a scenario competition for a "script" dealing with Philadelphia localities and people. The competi tion will be open to all Philadelphians and an expert and impartail hoard of judges wil select the prize winner. In addition to a cash prize, this film will receive production under a competent director with a local cast. Watch for further and more complete announcements, and read in next Saturday's Evening Ledger the first of the scenario lessons. Not long ago, one of tho high priestesses of New York's inner social circle was en tertaining a party of friends at dinner. This dinner party included Miss Carolina White, former prima donna of "tho Chicago and Philadelphia Opera Company, who comes to B. F. Keith's Theatre next week. Natu rally, music becamo the subject ot discus sion. The hostess asserted, and rightly, that the "horseshoe" made .Grand Opera pos sible In America ; or, In other words, with out the patronage of the wealthy, it would bo Impossible for such companies to ex'ist' here. This was generaly conceded "to be a fact, but Miss White maintained that, despite the patronage of society In opera, a greater appreciation of music existed In lower social circles. -The discussion that followed rapidly waxed Into a heated argu ment, and necessitated that Miss White adopt some' particular way of cllnehlnyher argument. She assumed a form of a wagor which was quickly accepted. It was that Miss White was to sing In front of Sherry's, where all the "00" con gregatethen to go immediately to a cer tain location on the Hast Side and repeat ...w vj,.u, una Lisuiicu mat ner voice would attract quicker attention at the latter place than ut the former. The next day, garbed In her simplest attire, she took her station beforo the fash ionable restaurant, and sang In her btst voice the aria from "Trovatore." Th few gorgeously gowned women who passed in and out of tho famous hostelry hesitated, one or two complimentary remarks were pawed, and several small coins were ten dered the singer, but nothing roor im portant happened. On the fast Side where the aria was re peated, tho streets quickly became Jammed. ,. ,u, owns mo, vast auaunca stood as if spellbound, When Miss White's voice had nnally died away, the crowd burst Into enthusiastic cheers, and not only showered tha singer with money, In many cases being all the money the donors pos-t sessed, but actually endeavored to raise her upon their shoulders and carry her trium phantly through the streets ; and to cap the climax, a manager of a small Bowery mov ing picture theatre worked his way through tha crowd and actually offered Miss White 150 a week if she would sing at his theatre, little dreaming that the diva In grand opera received ilOOO a night The Screen Isthe Same as the Stage By William Gillette It Is natural fo an actor to assume that playing for pictures requires that something moro than stags portayals must be supplisd to offset the loss of the voice. But ' am convinced that this U net so, and that In acUng "Sherlock Holme" in the am man ner as I -would on the stage Is enUrely sum. dent. Every act and expression la recorded, so sharply In pictures that. I assume, the' spectator can carry tha thread of the plot without missing the slightest detail, On tha stag words forestall the chance that the audience may neglect an Important point In pictures the actor Is brought closer and the minor moves and expressions, frequently unnoticed wbeji on the ettffe, are fully apparent to the spectAtore, After famUlartxlar myself with picture work, I am tatieaed that "Sherlock Holme' can b$ exceptionally well ajapted to, what Is com. GRACE GJSORGE'S ',' ADVENTURE AS A . M , THEATRE MANAGER K How tho Star, of "The New Yoclt Idea" Founded a Repertory The atre of Comedy in New York . i, t Those -who appreciate intelligence in M , theatre have been following with keen ti teresf Grace Oeorjre"a establishment of a roportory company at the Playhouse, la New York. Miss George in rears past ap peared generally In plays above the Average, and she attracted a following of theatre- , goers above the average. Now .she haa stepped forward n long way, and she "has; not only taken her following with ltervt)ut won many new friends. Miss Oeorjre hat succeeded In K most ambitious undertaking-, the formation ot a notablo .repertory company; nnd she has made Uiat organi zation, the Playhouse Company, stand out distinctively, presenting only plays of a high standard. She provides not only decent but brilliant entertainment. And what Is of most lively Interest just .now Is that at the' end of her long New York season, fihe brings her Playhouse company to Phila delphia, for n special two weeks' -engage' ment ot tha Adelphi, beginning Monday. Her flrst offering here Is "Tha New York Idea,' by Xangdon Mitchell. t Philadel- phlan. It -was with "Tho New York Idea" -that Miss Georgo established her company1 In New; York last fall. She assumed the dk . rectlon of tho Playhouse In Seotember. an. nounclng that sho would give s. series ot plays that she thought -worth -wh(Ie, not pocuc i toman irgeaiM or anyunng oi mat kind, but plays that afforded real enter tainment for Intelligent theatregoers, who nro not always considered by the regular producers. Plays of that sort were ;not abundant Miss George concluded to put on "The New York Idea,-' which Mrs. Flske had produced once, but which Brrad way had never appreciated. Here was nn opportunity to lift a good play, a, brilliant play, of the kind written all too seldom, off the shelf. Miss Georgo chose actors and actresses that she though were above the average, so as to catch the spirit ot this . comedy satire. Sho oriened with "Th Nw 'York Idea" In September, and Instantly won buccoss. -Hero was a personal triumph , Buch as sho had never" won before in her various years of stardom. And her com pany, her whole enterprise. 'New York took' to Us heart The occasion was notable In the" history of our American theatre. Mlslf George continued to present "The NowJTork Idea" on Into November, mean time rehearsing another play, andthen sha presented this other play. rrhe Liars," gen erally considered the best of tho comedies by Henry Arthur Jones. Tho reception of this was also most favorable, and Miss George continued,, on her -way. presenting both of theso comedies. Meantime reports of what she. was doing had traveled even into 'England, and Bernard Shaw, -who had refused year after year to allow any Amer ican producer to put on "Major Barbara." released the rights in this country to Mies George for her to play the title role. She produced '"Major Barbara" at The' Playhouse n December, and with this won 3 the attention of a still larger public. The Shaw play, -which deals with the ethics ot war munition manufacture and with th Salvation Army, actually, to uso a Broad way phrase, "went over." In other words. It caught the public fancy In a -way to mokei It very profitable commercially. Success-'''" was. In tho air, as it' Is occasionally on Broadway, for some unaccountable reason. Before the eurtalnCwent up on "Major Bar bara" thero was an advance sale of thou sands of dollars, which meant that the flrst night was" sold out, and next morning. In the first hour after the boxofftce opened. tiro thousand dollars more slid along the glass plate Into the Playhouse box ofOce. That was only' the beginning. The play draw capacity audiences on through th holidays into 'the new year. An arrange ment had been, made, to protect Mr. Shaw, that "Major Barbara" should be given toe fifty consecutive performances without h terruptlon from other plays In tho reper tory, and Miss George gave It not only these nfty but many more. Tho great danger now had become that . the popular success of one play would waro her whole scheme of a series of plays. To avert this. Miss George, after trying out esveral more plays In' rehearsal, put on "The Earth." by James Bernard Pagan: This Is a drama of newspaper influence in England, and, while exceptionally well written, its appeal Is limited,' and by itself. It never -would win a hearing. Aa a. matter of fact It had been refused by several New York producers. But Miss George thought it 'worth doing, and she gave it Jn Pesi ruary. Circumstances then demonstrated that through the months she had been building up a clientele which now came to see tha new play, even though It had none of the prestige of a first American production, like that of "Major Barbara." Consequently "The Earth" got its .hearing, and in gen eral, the comment was that It had bees , worth doing. One of the New York critics praised it as the best written play that blA come out of England In recent years. But MIbs George continued on with ber series, and In March she gave her next pro duction, "Captain .Brassbound'e. Conver sion," also by Mr. Shaw. This had been presented in New Yorl$ by Ellen Terry, but under unfortunate circumstances, and It ran at tho Empire Theatre for only a few performances. Then Gertrude Kingston gave It one Sunday night down on Henry street, at the "Neighborhood Theatre, but this served no more than the other to i j "a n v.; ?;i Pentlaoed on Fats Tire Bi 1 sH SBBsisFh'''rBsisBfl MM Is 191 : BBssM jPSIbBiH CAROLINA WHWP The 4$tingolafefd I ftjjewt nftw