Leaders All — Henry M. Hobart, Practical Artist (1924) 🇺🇸
Leaders All — Henry M. Hobart
Because although born a New Yorker he early acquired and always retained his sympathy for the small town spirit; because to the motion picture he brought a knowledge of the practical side of advertising and still better an intimate acquaintance with fiction that appeals to the mass; because he has the courage to back his judgment in the creation of stories that are intended to be and are not only artistic success but financially profitable as well.
When a man makes his debut as a motion picture executive with a picture like Humoresque he may be said to be on his way. That was the record of Henry Morgan Hobart, following his installation at the studio of International, now Cosmopolitan, as vice president in charge of production.
The picture was made at the Harlem River Park Casino, just after that property had been taken over and remodeled for studio purposes by the new regime. The work of the director was prosecuted under difficulties, much of the staging being in the cellar where there was but a fourteen-foot clearance.
When the picture was put on for a trade showing it made a stir. Perhaps a substantial evidence of the impression created was the offer on the part of one of the large distributing companies, made the morning following the showing, for a half million dollars outright.
While the offer was under consideration Adolph Zukor returned from a trip, saw the picture, was impressed by its possibilities and suggested it be put into the Criterion. After a long run in that house the picture was started on its way.
In bookings Humoresque was one of the most successful pictures ever made, its record approaching a million and three-quarter dollars.
Although Mr. Hobart was born and raised in New York there always has been on his part a strong leaning for small town communities. Several factors have contributed to make this so.
In the first place he was educated at Dartmouth, situated in a New Hampshire town. Then while attending college he earned his way by conducting the orchestra and by singing.
Mr. Hobart’s first theatrical experience was in 1920, when as the head of the college orchestra he received a telegram from Brattleboro, Vt., that a theatrical man there required the services of an emergency orchestra.
For three weeks the young director traveled small towns covering practically all of Northern New England.
As the orchestra was the only organization of its kind within a considerable radius it frequently happened the members of that body and the quartet which accompanied it were obliged to spend nights at homes of farmers or local merchants in the villages.
This contact with the small town spirit was fortified later on in life in the course of Mr. Hobart’s business career.
The first experience in the world at large following graduation was in music. It was not long afterward, however, that Mr. Hobart entered the employ of the Western Electric Company, taking charge of a factory on the east side of New York. Here he secured his first opportunity to acquire knowledge in the handling of men.
Then in the publishing business Mr. Hobart remained for ten years, as advertising manager of the Woman’s World, a magazine circulated exclusively in small towns. This work brought Mr. Hobart to the attention of William R. Hearst, and he went to the International Magazine Company as publisher of Hearst’s Magazine.
Shortly after that change it was decided to institute a new policy in the conduct of the International Film Company and Mr. Hobart was selected to put it into effect.
In the year the new film executive remained at the Hearst studio he improved every opportunity to acquire knowledge of picture making. He worked all hours, “slept on the set,” and tried his hand at cutting and continuity.
Mr. Hobart resigned in 1921, and was told by Arthur S. Friend, then treasurer of Famous Players, that if the former would organize a company with him he would retire the first of the year.
The association was consummated and Distinctive was formed.
Some time previously Mr. Hobart had seen The Devil, featuring George Arliss, and was deeply impressed by the quality of the star’s playing. He engaged him to play Disraeli.
Mr. Hobart’s friends shook their heads when they learned of the intention of the company to produce a life of the great Englishman, and the skepticism even pervaded the organization.
The doubters, however, had overlooked one point — two of them, in fact. Mr. Hobart had been an advertising man and knew advertising values. More than that, he had been trained in the selection of fiction during his magazine years, and he knew stories that would appeal to the mass.
Disraeli was made and returned a profit. So, too, did the three succeeding Arliss subjects.
Unquestionably these pictures were out of the ordinary — in theme and in treatment. The result or one result of their production was the bringing to Distinctive of prestige among exhibitors and exchangemen, too.
It may be interesting to know that all of the Arliss pictures with one exception were photographed in six weeks.
While Distinctive’s plans for the coming year are not complete it is probable the company will produce four specials and seven or eight subjects on a less pretentious scale.
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Collection: Exhibitors Trade Review, 3 May 1924
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