Frank Crane — A Comet Director (1911) 🇺🇸

Frank Crane, who became one of the best known of Independent leading men in the course of his year and a half connection with the Thanhouser Company, has joined the Comet forces as director.

Crane’s [Frank Hall Crane] face was perhaps more familiar to theater-goers during his long term with the Thanhouser Company than any other Independent actor, as he appeared in the New Rochelle pictures from their very first issue, and was the first Independent leading man to lecture on the pictures he appeared in.

Directing is not a new business to Mr. Crane, who has prepared many vaudeville and stage productions and acted as temporary director for Thanhouser last summer. But he becomes a permanent director with the Comet, and most of this brand of film will be from his hands. The first is The Late Mrs. Early, released December 1st, and the second, Just in Time for Dinner.

Mr. Crane has conceived some new ideas relative to producing of The-Picture-As-It-Ought-to-Be, and his Comet work is being watched with interest by his many admirers amongst the Independent theater men.

Crane distinguished himself in the leading roles of such of the Thanhouser “classics” as Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Ten Nights in a Bar Room, Rip Van Winkle, John Halifax, Gentleman, Old Curiosity Shop, and Silas Marner.

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Kansas City, Mo — George B. Hanson will erect a moving picture theater at a cost of $4,000.

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Slandering the Picture

It seems to be quite the popular thing in these times to say all sorts of things about the picture whether they are true or not. Perhaps it is a fact that they are bad enough. Almost everything is, and it would be strange if motion pictures escaped. They are made by men, and men being human, are likely to err, or even to produce something which may not be quite up to the best standard, with intention. But, however that may be, a surprisingly small portion of that phase of human endeavor has crept into motion pictures. As a whole they are produced upon a high plane and the manufacturers have maintained a high standard of morality in all their output.

Maybe there is reason for the criticism of the subjects. All cowboys and Indians in pictures are undesirable, yet there seems to be a disposition on the part of some producers to offer little else. Indeed, so great is the output of Western matter now that it is difficult to escape its presence. Another equally dangerous subject is following close after it — the sleuth. A few of each would add piquancy to any program, but to have so many of them presented is a mistake and will sooner or later lead to a more or less well-developed case of disgust upon the part of the public.

But that wasn’t exactly what this article started out to say. The thing that was to be mentioned was this everlasting attempt upon the part of busybodies, many of whom never saw the interior of a motion picture show, to defame the character of the picture and the theater in which it is shown by declaring that it is a place where the vilest occurrences constantly menace the morals of young people.

It is quite easy to say such things. It would not be so easy to prove the case. It is about time that exhibitors banded together and forced some of these slanderers to prove their assertions. It is about time that this talk ceased unless there is some ground for the declarations, and everyone who ever goes to motion picture shows knows quite well that the moving picture theater is not a panderer to vice.

Exhibitors have been silent too long under such unjust strictures. The time has passed when anybody who ever saw a motion picture will believe what is said, yet there is a certain degree of injury which results from such reckless and altogether untrue statements. Frequently irresponsible women and equally irresponsible men break out in a mass of vituperation which has no basis in fact and is as injurious as it is untrue. Such abuse from short-haired women and long-haired men should cease. They have no knowledge of their subjects and their criticisms are so wild and unreasonable that no one will believe them.

The motion picture has become an institution which must be reckoned with, but it must be done in a reasonable way. When it is bad there are ways to improve it. When it is good, as it is most of the time, the producers should be encouraged instead of criticised. Make your declarations reasonable and those who have the interest of the young people in view will listen to you and will add their influence to yours in the effort to improve whatever appeals to young people. That effort is right and just. To condemn motion pictures in one fell swoop is an outrage — an injury to a legitimate business which should be tested in some court. Make the detractors prove their case. After that they will be more careful what they say. It is one thing to make a general assertion. It is quite another to offer the proof in specific cases such as would be required in a court of law.

Collection: Moving Picture News, December 1911