What Kind of a Fellow Is — Brulatour? (1918) 🇺🇸

Being a glance at the real human side of the big men of the picture game caught in action

by William A. Johnston

Ladeez — and — gentulmen! Step up this way. Right up close. A little nearer, please — that’s it! Fine!

Now — we beg to introduce — Filmland’s Man of Mystery!

None other than — J. E. Brulatour.

It’s a magic name — Ladeez and Gentulmen. Every producer within German-gun range of Times Square is going to shudder at the mention. Mr. Producer can almost feel the draught as his office door opens — he can almost hear the cashier’s hoarse voice —

“There isn’t a foot of raw stock in the plant, and Mr. Brulatour says he’ll have to have a certified check before he’ll fill our new order. What about it?”

There’s only one thing about it. If Mr. Producer hasn’t the certified check — or the cash — he may as well shut up shop and throw the key in the river.

For three studios, eighteen directors, and two hundred players — “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men” — couldn’t produce a motion picture without film. And on this slice of the globe’s surface film comes from J. E. Brulatour, Most High Sales Agent Extraordinary and Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the Motion Picture Business for the Eastman Kodak Company.

And J. E. Brulatour, Poo Bah and Grand Panjandrum, won’t deliver the film unless you deliver the coin — or so we have been told by men who should know.

Which may be one of the reasons — there are others — why we chose to embark in the publishing end of this business rather than the producing.

Several producers have asked us why we didn’t run Mr. Brulatour earlier in the series. They wanted the opportunity to flatter him, to tell him that the artist didn’t do him justice, that we didn’t say enough nice things about him.

They wanted — we fear — to stretch their credit.

Not that we wouldn’t have liked to publish Mr. Brulatour’s picture earlier. So also — to forestall argument — let us say that we would have liked to have publish many weeks ago some of the other big men who are still to come in this series. But we are getting away from our introduction. We called Mr. Brulatour “Filmland’s Man of Mystery.” Here’s why —

If the motion picture — as we have heard somewhere or other — is still in its infancy, then J. E. Brulatour stumbled upon it about the time it was filling out its birth certificate.

Through the long years of its infancy — how old is an “infant,” any way? — J. E. Brulatour has been with the motion picture.

And in all those years we have yet to find in our mail a typewritten sheet telling — via a press agent — what kind of a fellow J. E. Brulatour is, or his opinions on the future of the screen, or — any or the usual flubdub.

Why we haven’t even been told whether “J. E.” stands for “J. Eastman Brulatour” or “Just Energy Brulatour.” It could well be either.

So we’ll have to let a man who has come in business contact with Mr. Brulatour over many years tell you the secret of the mystery.

“J. E. Brulatour,” he said to us, “is the gentleman of the picture business. In appearance a combination Beau Brummel and Captain of Industry, in manner, suave, diplomatic, and — and — polished — that’s the word. He’s the most polished man in the business.

“But he doesn’t pose. He’s all business and all man at the same time. He may have only met you once or twice but you’ll never find him failing to greet you with a cheery ‘Hullo’ as you pass on the street.

“He won’t talk much about himself — but I’ve heard that he has often been a friend in need to men and propositions in which he had faith — and when he has faith you can bank on it, for he’s one of the shrewdest of the shrewd.

“He talks so little about himself that there’s only one other man who can tell you any more about him. That man counts J. E. Brulatour one of his best friends. That’s the man you’d better see? That’s —

“The income tax collector!”

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Outing–Chester Scenics Shown to Trade

The first six releases of the Outing–Chester Travel Scenics which are offered on the open market by Jesse J. Goldburg, were shown privately at Wurtlitzer Hall, last week, to prominent producers and exhibitors and representatives of Geographical Societies.

The subjects shown were “Kaieteur the Perfect Cataract,” and “A Jungle Joy Ride” taken in British Guiana, “A Mountaineering Memory” taken in British Columbia, “A Coorial on the Orinoco” taken in Venezuela, “An Ex-Cannibal Carnival” taken in the Fiji Islands, and “Pines Up and Palms Down” taken in the Florida Everglades and Northwestern Quebec.

The Outing Publication Company, publishers of “Outing,” outdoor and sporting life magazine of America are co-operating in the taking and editing of the series. The editorial board of the magazine, under the direction of Albert Brett, the editor in chief in association with C. L. Chester, the producer, have placed the entire series of releases for the year 1918, the first thirteen of which in addition to the six shown, are ready. These future releases embrace scenes never heretofore touched by a motion picture camera, and call for explorations far removed from the beaten paths of civilization. It is expected that these productions will be released by way of the independent market.

Mr. Goldburg states that bookings for first and second run will be accepted direct from theatres situated in territories that are not disposed of before April 15 to independent exchanges. Advertising matter will be issued befitting a feature production. This is unusual in connection with a one-reel subject, hut it is the opinion of Mr. Goldburg that these releases are not to be played as “filler-ins” but as an added attraction to the feature play.

Managing Director Harold E. Edel of The Strand theatre, New York, has signed a contract booking the entire series of the “Outing–Chester” travel-scenics, commencing April 21, 1918.

In connection with these single reel travel-scenics, there will be distributed to the audience, picture post-card folders containing interesting views from each release. These post-card folders being made similar to those that are sold containing interesting views of cities in the United States and are adapted to mailing.

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Freuler Relinquishes Lone Star Management

The affairs of the Lone Star Corporation now nearing a termination, John R. Freuler, who conceived and organized the project for the making and selling of Charles Chaplin comedies, has passed the management to other hands.

The new officers of the corporation are: Paul H. Davis, president and treasurer; John F. Cuneo, vice-president; Dr. George Hall, secretary.

The Lone Star’s last Chaplin picture was released several months ago, and with manufacturing and distribution work all done, the winding up of the concern’s affairs only remains to be handled.

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Strand Benefit Nets Big Sum for French

Under the auspices of Miss Anne Morgan and the Committee for Devastated France a benefit performance was given at the Strand theatre, New York, on Thursday, March 28, and $20,000 in cash was turned over to the committee for the fund for rebuilding the ruined French villages. Every seat was occupied and standing room was sold to over 500, while a thousand or more were turned away disappointed. Miss Morgan was present and James M. Beck presided.

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Richmond, of General, to Be an Aviator

H. E. Richmond, an employee in the department of W. M. Gulick, auditor of General Film Company, has resigned to enlist in the aviation service of the army at Fort Slocum. He expects to be transferred to a Texas aviation training station within a short time. Mr. Richmond is the fourth General Film headquarters employee to enter the service of the government. L. M. Cooper enlisted in the navy, and Cyrus R. Cooper and Allan Adams entered the army some months ago.

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Big Productions to Release “Sunset Princess”

Big Productions Film Corporation, with executive office in the Candler building, New York, announce the early release of its special independent production, The Sunset Princess, featuring Marjorie Daw, who will be remembered for her work opposite Douglas Fairbanks [Douglas Fairbanks Sr.] in one of his more recent pictures. In the supporting cast are seen C. M. Griffin [C. M. Giffen], Wallace Coburn [Wallace G. Coburn], Barbara Gordon, Pat Carson, Madge Carson, Perry Taylor, Frank Owens, Jim Fulton, A. Stuart and Mae Evelynne.

The Sunset Princess is an adaptation from Wallace Coburn’s poem, The Daughter of Yellowstone Pete, found in the author’s book of poems, Rhymes of a Round-Up Camp. The scenes of the play are laid in the heart of the Rockies on the Circle C ranch in Montana. More than five hundred head of cattle are seen in the round-up scene. Big Productions Film Corporation will offer territorial rights for the entire world. Announcement of release date will be made soon.

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Distinct Novelties Promised in “His Daughter Pays”

What are said to be some wonderfully effective scenes of double exposure work are shown in the Piedmont production of His Daughter Pays, a special production, to be released soon. A novelty which the producers promise is a scene showing the inner workings of a large secret vault used by a government agent in his work. This is a steel lined room fitted with trap doors and blind passageways that permits of the staging of thrillers it is said.

Another rather startling scene occurs in the fourth reel of His Daughter Pays. This is where the younger sister of a notorious dancer, who had been kidnapped, meets her older sister face to face. The events leading up to this scene and the scene itself are said to be tensely dramatic. The roles of the two sisters are presented by Gertrude McCoy and Pauline Curley and the Piedmont people assert that these two actresses have carried their parts with telling effect.

His Daughter Pays is now being cut and assembled. The method of release together with dates and other details, will be announced within the next few days. Immediately after this has been determined Piedmont will begin work on another feature dealing with the world war, the scenes of which are laid in Italy. The story tells of the treatment of the Italians at the hands of their enemy neighbors.

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W. H. Productions Starts Summer Campaign

W. H. Productions Company, having disposed of the entire world rights to the Wm. S. Hart [William S. Hart] features, and ninety per cent of the territory on the twenty-eight Mack Sennett Keystone two-reel comedies are now launching a campaign for the summer months, which is expected to put these productions “over the top” in first-class shape. Last week the following was announced.

“It is a well known fact,” said one of W. H. Productions Company officials, “that there is a slump in the distribution of independent productions during the summer months. Nevertheless the exhibitors require good features, but cannot afford to pay big rental prices, because of the parallel dropping off of their patronage.

“Independent distributors usually hold over their special feature productions until the fall in order to secure better prices. The overhead expense of the independent exchange man is just as great in the summer as it is during the rest of the year, and, therefore, ‘it is just as essential that he secure good features during these months.

“We have foreseen this condition and are releasing a series of five Bessie Barriscale re-issues and the series of eighteen Shorty Hamilton two-reel comedies at this time at prices that insure a profit during the summer months for the independent exchanges handling this product, and good big special pictures at summer prices for the exhibitor.”

Illustration by: Harry Palmer (Harry Samuel Palmer) (1882–1955)

Collection: Motion Picture News, April 1918