The Pensacola journal., December 09, 1919, Page 5, Image 5

About The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985

Image provided by: University of Florida

                
kBsssassBsssBSssssss:
a
estbeUerToKTellsHisExD
eriences in. tti Mo
tionHcture Game-ReKareatinHkiselfinHctiorv-'The
Luck of ihelrishai
Bv Harold. Ma.cGra.th.
, .An Interview tor
ffaroldMacGmth
.:. If II
The movies are rapidly finding !
themselves. A trend of picture mak
ing has begun which, from all I can
rather, will lift photoplays to a high
level of art. It seems only yesterday
that a surfeit of "Mysteries of the
Box Car" and other atrocious things
reeled off in the studios made us de
spair of the movies ever doing any
thing worth while. Today one can
see pictures that give keen enjoy
ment. I have seen many, pictures
that made me wish for nothing in
their portrayal smprising, I suppose
this will seem to you, for I under
stand it is quite fashionable in liter
ary circles to scoff at the movies.
Not that I htink the movies per
fect oh, a long, long way from it.
For one thing, too many of them
underestimate the intelligence of
their audience; too many deal in
the obvious. Too many atrocities
are still being committed on the
screen. And then I recall with feel
ing having gone to see a production
of one of my books, the picture
rights to which I had sold to one
of the big companies. The story
was The Puppet Crown, a story I
was particularly fond of, for I liked
the heroine of it-about as well as
any character I ever drew. She
was a strong character. Imagine my
feelings then, when I sat in the thea
tre and watched my story on the
screen. I could not recognize it.
Back in the studio they had put it
into a chopper and ground out hash.
That is one thing I have against the
movies mayhem of , my favorite
heroine.
Yes, and The Voice In The
Fog. That was another high crime.
Donald Brian plaved the picture ver
sion of that one of my novels.. It
was his first and his last picture,
Later I saw him and he said: - .
"I'm through. Never again! They
made me look foolish.
"Shake," I acrreed. "They made me
look foolish, too. Nobody who ever
read The . Voice In The Fog would
have recognized it on the screen." -
The too frequent "thing had hap
pened. The director "had not begun
to realize the possibilities of the
tale. Did you ever notice how often,
when the movies present the drawing-room
of " a wealthy man, they
have it filled with teakwood furni
ture? As soon as a man becomes
rich, does he buy teakwood ?
We hear much about the educa
tional value of the movies. That is
true, very . true. The scenery, cus
toms and all of foreign countries
have been brought right into-' our
theatres. Were. a -college, to use mo
tion pictures, it could educate in the
modes and forms of life quicker
than by any other way. But there is
still a great educational work that
the movies have left undone. In the
studios, if they, would only teach
some of the stars and graduated
show girls who -fill ia as guests at
"reception s," if they would only
teach them the correct use of the
knife and fork! In close-ups!.. Why,
the educational possibilities of the
movies are boundless.
MY FIRST MOVIE ; ,
I have watched the movies pretty
closely. "So many of my books have
been produced that I'm ever trailing
the picture theatres in the hope of
chancing upon one. I suppose it's a
kind of morbid curtosity, a desire to
see whether murder or merely as
sault and battery has been com
mitted upon the story. Back in 1903,
I saw the first movie version of one
of my stories. It was a short story
called Rajah's Vacation. Since then,
I have . seen . many versions of my
stories, although, of course, the titles
were not always the same, nor was
I always down as the author j nor
had-1 always sold my picture rights.
Tfiey tell me they nave scenario
writers in California who can swipe
any plot, and tinker with it so an
author will not recognize It, Un
fortunately for my piece of mind. I
seem to have a nose for plagiarism
of my work.
-When I went to see a production
of my The Goose Girl, I got a shock.
It was wonderful. The photoplay
had realized everything I bad ever
dreamed of in the story. That
2uickened my interest in movies.
ne thoughts "If they can do a
thing so beautifully once, why can't
they do it every time?" It snowed
me that the movies are capable of
conveying to an audience all the ro
mantic charm that comes to the
reader of a romantic novel. But as
I watched one play after another, it
emphasized that, such good produc
tions were all too infrequent.
. The thing obsessed me; it was like
unraveling a crime. The evidence
piled up to show that the guilt was
double. That fearful thing which is
called the "requirements of our star"
was distorting; good stories; and the
Movie Magnate, one of those persons
who used to press pants and who now
cables England to ask Charles Dickens
or Thackeray to write scenarios for him
exclusively, that person was to blame,
too. He, eager to buy more limousines
and country places with Japanese gar
dens filled with Ohio statuary, .- was
making his studios turn out pictures
too quickly. I wondered when they
would ever get on the right track. :
$25,000 for a book!
The motion picture rights to most
of my books had been ' sold by last
winter, but there were a few left. And
when I , think what some of those
books went for, a cold chill creeps
over me. You remember The Carpet
From Bagdad? Seven years-' ago a
movie company bought the rights to
ew. ut tnr what? Five, ten thou-
fykofsrsock stars
9 l&&s
is)
-In
IT
is
sand dollars? Oh, no, for one hundred
dollars! When the publishers told me
they had sold the rights for that price,
I had a stroke. When I heard that
over my neaa tney had not con
fined themselves to this one act of
charity, but sold four more for the
same price, I almost became a paralytic,
Twenty-five thousand dollars is the
price today for the movie rights to
all my future work. -
So many of my books have been
done in pictures that I have been
asked if I wrote them with one eye
to selling the picture rights. Emphat
ically, no. I never wrote a story for
the movies in my life. I think it is
because I like clean romance and action
that my stories have found the way
to the screen. For after all the movies
are far more democratic than are
books. And in my writing I always
seek to entertain the great ninety per
cent, holding that high privilege. Let
writers who can do it better than I
care for the needs of our highbrows.
Nine out of every ten writers won!
like to have their books done
pictures no matter what they tell you.
Of course, the war did away whh
much of the froth and frivol in Ameri
can writing and undoubtedly forced
many authors to put red blood and
punch in their stories. That will help
the movies, add something to the story
supply which seems to show signs of
being quickly bought up. There are
many good books that would make
good pictures that the movie people
have passed by. . ' It is easy to under
stand. They cry for good stories and
most of them would not know a good
story if it bit them. Did you know
that one of the essential qualifications
of the average scenario editor is that
if a he he shall know nothincr about
u
3
ft Jfc-- o
Jl
i
story construction and that if a she
she shall be able to say: . "Oh, how
utterly lovely."
"WHY TUX GUY'S A PLUMBER I"
I have in mind two books of my
own A Splendid Hazard and The
Luck Of The Irish. One company
said that A Splendid Hazard had no
motive. The motive that urged on the
man in the story was only to try and
restore the monarchy in r ranee and
olace himself upon the throne: but. of
course, to the average movie maker's
eye zero. And about my The Luck
Of The Irish, another company said:
"The hero isn't a swell. Our star likes
to wear evening .dress. Why the guy
in t:-ie story s a plumber. I thought
it h-'-uer" to wait a few years before
trvir g to dispose of the picture rights
to these books. An undying faith in
the movies told me that intelligence
was bound, to come in.
Then to my astonishment from Cali
fornia last spring came word that a
director wanted The Luck Of The
Irish. Incredible with the hero a
plumber!- Who was the director?
They told me his name was Allan
Dwan. and I remembered a recent pic
ture I had seen of, his. At the time
it. had impressed me that here was a
man who bad been given a poor story
and asked to make a picture of it; and
in some miraculous way, he had done it,
creating a thing of beauty, the scene in
the African desert and its north coast
strut rlnJncr if all in fjUfnrrla I Mv
interest - picked
up. They told me
that Allan Dwan
had just formed
his own produc
ing company and
that an organiza-
I'ii tion cauea me
j$ Mayflower Photo
plays, . a new
comer, naa put
almost unlimited funds behind him
with the understanding that he
make pictures for . them alone,
just a few each year, spending as
much time as he liked, engaging whom
ever he liked and choosing himself
whatever stories he liked. That sound
ed like common sense. When next they
told me Dwan was a University grad
uate, that in his college days he had
specialized in literature, that he had
been graduated as a civil engineer and
had worked at his profession in remote
places before taking up pictures, it
seemed to me that here was a man of
rough and ready action and of culture,
who had somehow acquired a surpris
ing mastery of motion picture art
for I had seen his African' picture.
And when they told me that Allan
Dwan had made some of the best
known stars but that he felt the star
system was wrong and that the story,
the author should be the star, plus the
director's conception of his story, I
said : "Here is one man who is on the
right track."
SECRETS OF "BEST SELI-ERS"
He is busv now out in California
making my The Luck Of The Irish
and I am eager to see it. Here is
where I 'fess up something. Some
authors write introspectively. I did
it but once, mat was ine j-uck vji
The Irish. The young plumber in
that story is a drawing of myself as I
am and aa I should like to be. Of
course, he is my favorite character and
naturally I am more than interested ttf
see how Dwan will conceive him.
Where do writers get their ideas for
stories? One day some years ago I
was in a cinema theatre in Paris. The
movie I watched was entirely unusual
and French. All of the characters that
one', saw was their feet baby shoes,
jewelled slippers, pumps, brogans,
riding boots, high heeled shoes. From
the positions arfd movements of their
feet it was conveyed what their owners
were doing. The audience played the
picture with its imagination. Front
that I got the idea of a young Irish
American, a pumber, working in a shop
below the level of the sidewalk. Every
day above his workbench he saw hun
dreds of 'passing feet and one day he
fell in love with a very neat and very
sensible . looking pair of feet. Then,
inheriting a fortune from an out
rageously wealthy relative, he bought
himself an around-the-world trip ticket.
and met those feet, he loved, on the
steamer, and you know. You see, a
new years before I had made a trip
around the world ; hence that idea.
Easy, isn't it. to get a "best seller"
plot? Try it romance, lovable charac
ters, color, action. Sometimes they
ask me : "Why don't you write realis
tic novels?" What for? The ninety.
per cent, go to the movie theatres and '
would rather see stirring, clean ro
mance than "problems" and smut. An
other point where Dwan and k agree
on is that and on the "happy ending."
There is no particular art in having a
man blow out his brains at the close
of a story or in having a deserted wife
reading a love letter from her husband
written during their betrothal. Amer
icans are happy and healthy minded.
And by the way the most romantic
character today is not the Irishman
nor the Frenchman. He is the young
American. His possibilities from a
writing viewpoint are enormous. He
is the quintessence of romance today.
PARADE FIDS
REPORT MADE
REPORT OF RECEIPTS AND DIS-:
BURSEMENTS FOR ARMISTICE
DAY PARADE MADE TO MARS
TON POST.
The Frank Marston Post of the
American Legion has received the fol
lowing report of receipts and disburse
ments of funds collected for the Arm
istice Day Parade, report made by John
JIassey, chairman finance committee: .
Receipts.
Boston Shoe Store ..........
Cary & Co.
John White Store ,
Crystal Pharmacy
E. Silverman
Economy Store
$25,00
25.00
10.00
5.00
5.00
10.00
Frank Reilly Cigar Store 10.00
Harvey Hotel Co., San Carlos
M. & O. Clothing Co
McMillan Auction Co.
L. Bear Co. ....
B. P. Edmundson
Dave Levy ................
C E. Lloyd & Co
J. A. Merritt & Co. .......
E. E. Saunders & Co. ......
H. Randolph
V. Cole, Marine Gro. Co.
Stagno Bros
Gas Engine & Supply. Co. ..
Alex Zeliuz, Jr
B. J. Trobok
MeKenzie Oerting- &. Co. . . .
HaX Vlofr.
uAiemberte 5.00
A. Henry White & Bro. ........ . 5.00
Knowles Bros 250
Jr"- W. Malon'e" 1.00
Clutter iiusic House 2.50
eoash Jewelry Co
arston & Quina ............
Gentry-Strickland Co.
Citizens &- Ponnloc Xri1 T-anV
DIDN'T HAVE A
WELL DAY IN FIVE
"YEARS, SHE SAYS
Mrs. Crawford Is Restored
to Health by Tanlac After
. ' Everything Else Failed.
10.00
10.00
5.00
25.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
10.00
10.00
1.00
2.00'
2.00
1.00
2.00
2.00
5.00
5.00
2.50
5.00
5.00
10.00
5.00
5.00
The Leader Store 500
iace Cafe .......
Hamilton phbbaii
uppenheimer 2.50
Roalty Corporation 10.00
V Weiland 2.00
tode 5.00
port Fuel & Ice Co. .......... 10.00
;ks Club I...-..: ..10.00
ayes Ptg. Co. 5.00
SeiUy-Hatton Co. .............. 2.00
llarche . . ....... .-. 3.00
ortsman's Supply Co. ... 2.50
''son-Biggs Co. 1.. 2.50
et-ropolitan Cafe .............. 2.50
fIneram 1.00
'we & White .........
n. C T;r
ann?.h
Pharmacy
'
5.00
2.50
2.50
2.50
5.00
Woolworth Co. 5.00
"Watson Agency
A. Ray Hardware Co.
:fca3" To
Wear .5.00
DISSOLVES WRIT
IN MANDAMUS CASE
Judge Campbell Holds That Section 43
of City Charter is Repealed.
"I -have been under treatment for
about five years and have taken many
different kinds of medicines, but Tan
lac is the only thing that has done me
any good at all," .saM Mrs. B. Craw
ford, who lives at 3122 North Madi
son street, Peoria, I1L, the other day.
"It .would be impossible," .continued
Mrs. Crawford "for me to describe the
suffering I, underwent and I, didn't
have a well day in five years. Every
thing I ate .-disagreed with me and I
would have bad spells of indigestion
after every meal. .1 was very ner
vous, too, and I never got a good
night's sleep. Sometimes I would get so-
dizzy that I was hardly able to stand
on myfeet. These troubles just kept
getting worse all the time, and I finally
got so weak and run down that I was
not able to do any of my housework.
"I was " a long time making up my
mind to take Tanlac, but after -reading
the statements from so many good
people right here in Peoria, that I de
cided to see if it would do me any
good. By the time Ihad finished my
first bottleI was feeling like-a differ
ent person. I have taken four bottles
so far and now I am as well and
strong as I ever was in my life. My
stomach troubles have been completely
overcome and I can eat Just anything
I want now and I never suffer after
wards.. My nerves are in fine condi
tion and I sleep like a child every
night. I am telling everybody I meet
-out Tanlac and have Induced a good
many of my friends to take it."
All druggists' sell Tanlac Adv. -
L. E. Nobles & Co 2.50
Alex Poss. 2-50
Hughey's Restaurant 250
Joe Coleman 2.00
Walter H. White 2.50
The Heinberg Co. ............. . 5.00
Meyer Shoe Co. 2.50 t
Sol Cahn & Co. . . . . i . . . i . . . 2.50
Central Pharmacy , 5.00
Imperial Cigar Store ............ 5.00
H. E. Root .......?..... v. 5.00
Pensacola Journal .............. 10.00 .
L. Hilton-Green ............... 15.00
Holding that section 40 of the Pen
sacola city charter of 1913 was repeal
ed by the home rule charter act of
1915, Judge Campbell in the circuit
court has dissolved the writ of man
damus ordering the city commissioners
to call an. election to change the form
of city government.
John B. Jones and John S. Beard ap
peared for the city and Judge Maxwell
and J. J. Sullivan, Sr., for the peti
tioner. The -proponents of aldermanic form
of government can now either drop
their fight or carry an appeal to the
supreme court for a final decision.
Grocers who have their customers
best interests in mind sell Blue Ribbon
Vanilla and Lemon. Distictlve. delic
ious flavor. 2 oz. bottle, full measure,
"Best and takes less." Adv.
$423.00
-.Disbursements.
Barbecue. . v
B. S. Hancock total expenses ..$250.00
Parade. . - -
A. -A. Wrighton painting flag ..18.00
Barrancas Band ................ 100.00
B. & B. supper for band ....... 13.00
-Amusements.
R. E. McCune paid Roy McDon
ald and Carl Walter for prize -bouts:
-20.00
Balance, check herewith ....... 20.69
The All Purpose
Shoe
This neat, long; vamp lace
boot is equally suitable for
traveling, shopping or general
wearthe type of shoe which
must be included in every
wardrobe no matter what else
is there.
Shown in black kid, brown
kid, brown calf.
$9.00 to $14.50 ;
MEYER SHOE CO.
i
ew Issue
THE NUNN ALLY COMPANY
' y (POUNDED 1885)
r- CAPITALIZATION
160,000 SHARES (no par value)
COMMON STOCK
No Bonds, Notes or Preferred Stock -Transfer
Agents s Bertram:
Bankers Trust Co., New York, 2T. Y. Chase National Bank, New York, IT. T.
Citizens & Southern Bank, Atlanta, Ga. Trust Company of Georgia, Atlanta, Qa.
BUSINESS ," " V
. , The Nunnally Company, manufacturers of high-grade candies, is being incorporated under the laws of
Delaware as a reorganization of the Nunnally Company (of Georgia). The business was founded in 1885 in
Atlanta and since its formation has shown continuous and substantial growth. The Company is the largest
manufacturer of high-grade candies in the Southern States, with a distribution national in character. James
H. Nunnally, the founder of the business, will remain in active management of the Company's affairs as
Chairman of the Board of Directors.
PURPOSE OF REORGANIZATION
The purpose of this reorganization is to enable the Company to increase the national distribution of
Nunnally products, and to expand its facilities for carrying on business. The increased capitalization will
result in a number of additions to the Company's plant, located in Atlanta, as well as an increase, in the
(number of retail stores in operation throughout the country.
PLANT FACILITIES AND STORES
The Company's candy manufactnrin& plants are modern and completely equipped in every respect.
About five million pounds of hi&h-rade candies are turned out annually and with the augmented facilities
this output will be greatly increased. Nine retail stores, advantageously located in various cities, are being
operated at the present time. A further expansion along this line is contemplated. There are approximately
one thousand employees on the Company's pay roll. " .
SALES AND EARNINGS
The remarkable progress made by "tha ITunnally Company is indicated by the steady and consistent annual In
crease in the volume of sales since the foundation of the Company, thirty-five years ' agro. In the 1917 fiscal year,
net sales stood at 81,436,715.00. In 1918, net sales crossed the $2,000,000.00 mark, -while in 1919 tb.e total la placed
at $3,326,000.00 (two months estimated). Sales for the 1920 fiscal year are conservatively estimated at $4,500,000.00.
.Tor the current fiscal year (two months estimated) , the Company will show net earnings, before Federal taxes equlva
lent to $4.00 per share on the new issue of stock, while in 1920 it is estimated that earnings, before taxes, will
; amount to'at least $4.50 per share on the common stock now being offered at $23.00.
The Company has regularly paid dividends from its inception. In view of the consistent growth, in the past and
the excellent prospects for the future, and considering the conservatively estimated increased earnings for 1920, in
our opinion $2.00 per share can be paid annually on this stock, accruing from January 1, 1920. We look forward to
. the same steady growth and feel reasonably sure that conservative increases in the dividend rate will be made from
time to time. At the offering price of $23.00 per share, an annual dividend of $2.00 will yield ft return of 8.60,
and an annual dividend of $2.50 will yield 10.85.
PROSPERITY OF CANDY INDUSTRY
The constant and increasing demand for confectionery is well in excess of production. The stability and con
tinued growth of the industry i3 assured. Prohibition and the increasing consumption of sweets in the United
States have brought the candy business to a position of permanent prosperity. The old and well established candy
(manufacturers, with wide experience and progressive management, are in the best position to take advantage of this
'increasing demand.
i The Nunnally Company, with Its reputation for a high-grade product, and the wide distribution for its output;
lis in an unusually strong position to profit by this situation. '
' - Legal details pertaining to this issue have "been passed upon and approved by 2-fess-rs. Brown, Randolph & Parker of Atlanta, Ga
Messrs. Anderson, Rountree & Crenshaw of Atlanta, Ga., and Messrs. Merman, Carr & Baiter of New York, 27. Y,; audita by Haskins
! & Sells; appraisals by American Appraisal Co. ,
; We offer these shares for subscription, subject to allotment, when,, as and if issued and wsesived by ns." We re
serve the right to reject any and all subscriptions or to allot a smaller number of shares tkan subscribed fer.
Application wiZZ be made in due course to'list these shares on the Hew York Stock Exchange. -
. PRICE, S23 PER SHARE
SECURITIES SALES COMPANY
SBMINOl.EHOTKI.BUII.DINa ,
GRANT BUIUDINO
. ATLANTA, OA.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
8XS GRAV1ER STREET
NEW ORLEANS. LA.
. IELWYN HOTEL. UILMNI
CHARLOTTE, M. C.
The above information, while not guaranteed is obtained from sources we consider reliable, and we have depended upon the same im
XntrchasuiA this mtrwk.
t ess Co. ,V 5.00
7ktm Drug Co. I...?.: 5.00
Dle Shoe Store 5.00
$423.00