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

You must know music to interview Rothapfel — you need this bar to read the interview.

by William A. Johnston

“Hello, S. L.!”

Hello, W. A.!”

“How do you feel, S. L.?”

Mr. Rothapfel [S. L. Rothafel] grabbed a desk ruler and waved it like a baton.

“Ta-dee-dee-da. Ta-da-ta-da-de-dum!” (Bar of music)

“Which means —?”

“That I never felt better —”

“But if you feel better —”

“Te rum bum!” responded Mr. Rothapfel. “Ta-da-da-dum! dum bum!” (Bar of music).

“Meaning —?”

“Meaning ‘I simply couldn’t stand it.’”

“Don’t you think, S. L., that we better Dr. Reisenfeld [Hugo Riesenfeld] up to act as interpreter.”

“No! No! Now look, W. A., let’s cut out all the nonsense and be serious. Let’s begin right now —”

Mr. Rothapfel regarded me solemnly for a few minutes. Then he spoke.

“W. A.,” said he, “I concede that you are the greatest editor in the world; now what do you think of me?”

We, also, looked solemn.

“Of course,” said Mr. Rothapfel as we remained solemn and silent — “of course, if you don’t think it’s policy to say it — in view of your many exhibitor readers — why, you don’t have to.”

“No,” said we after a bit. “We’re a fearless paper, we concede it.”

“Concede what?” asked Mr. Rothapfel, carelessly.

“That you are the world’s greatest exhibitor. That you are the Belasco of the screen.”

“Ha!” said Mr. Rothapfel. “But why did you hesitate?”

“Why concede it at all,” we argued, “when everybody does?”

Mr. Rothapfel brightened all over like lights, the lights of his theatre over a sunrise scene on the screen.

“Ta-de-da-da-da-da!”

“Star Spangled Banner,” we interpreted as Mr. Rothapfel suddenly grabbed a telephone.

“Don’t let me be disturbed,” he ordered the operator.

“Understand? Keep ‘em all out. No, I don’t want to talk to anybody. How’s the house running? Packed, eh? Line blocking traffic on the sidewalk? Well, get the Captain of Police. Tell him I can’t help it. Understand? Tell him it’s not my fault.”

Mr. Rothapfel winked and played a few happy bars on his desk blotter, interpretative of struggling, pushing-crowds, etc., etc. “Isn’t it wonderful? Then — “how did you like the Rivoli opening?”

“Great!” we replied. “Wizardry!”

“What’s that?”

“Wizardry,” we repeated.

“Yes,” argued S. L. “But, honestly, W. A., I’ve got the greatest plans! Draw up your chair and I’ll tell you. No, I can’t either,” he added sorrowfully. “I don’t dare. But they’re great! Revolutionary, why, I’m going to — no, I mustn’t give it away.”

“Well, what can we talk about, S. L?”

“Let’s talk about ourselves,” suggested Mr. Rothapfel.

—

What Others Say

• “He believes completely in himself, as do all men who are doing big things. But he’s so boyishly and ingeniously happy over his success that you enjoy it with him.”
• “He stands alone. Others try to study his principles of screencraft. But he’s doing new things while the students are busy.”
• “His work is spontaneous.”
• “He is indefatigable.”
• “He intuitively knows his audience — any kind of audience.”
• “He loves his work; he never tires.”
• “He’s a genius.”
• “Works harder than any exhibitor I ever knew — is the only exhibitor I ever knew who isn’t a perpetual grouch.”
• “No! I never even heard him hint that he’d like to be a producer.”
• “Can out-hurrah George M. Cohan in his shows, but does it with a knack that takes the shoddy out and makes you like it.”

—

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

Collection: Motion Picture News, January 1918