Newspaper Page Text
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