What Kind of a Fellow Is — Rowland? (1917) 🇺🇸

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

by William A. Johnston

“Mr. Rowland,” I began, “I have been commissioned by Motion Picture News to interview you; I —”

Mr. Rowland raised a detaining hand. He swiveled his chair, cocked his hat, and deposited two nattily leathered feet upon his desk. His socks were of purplish hue, matching purplish stripes in his shirt.

“Easy,” he counseled. “Easy. You mean you commissioned yourself. Let’s cut out the bull, now, and begin right. Shoot!”

“Fine! Mr. Rowland,” I replied. “Fine! I’ll put down your exact words. That’s just what I want — an intimate view of your natural self.”

“More bull,” said Mr. Rowland tersely. “If you took down my exact words you couldn’t print them. You know that.”

“Very well. Very well. Suppose then we try something conventional. For instance — do you know, Mr. Rowland, why you were chosen to head this series of interviews?”

“Certainly. You and I agreed to it, didn’t we?”

“Yes — yes, I know. But we can’t say that. We ought to —”

Mr. Rowland laughed sardonically. “Say, why did you pick on me, anyway? Zukor’s [Adolph Zukor] out of town, isn’t he?” he asked suddenly.

“Yes, he’s on the West Coast.”

“I thought so.” Mr. Rowland looked bored. “Say, honestly,” he began, “I don’t want any of this publicity stuff. Why don’t you hand it to our stars? Say.” Mr. Rowland grew suddenly interested. “There’s an idea! Open up with me — you know — just mention my name and then give a bunch of stuff to each star.” Mr. Rowland grew serious and earnest. “Can’t you help me out on that? You know — just a little rot about each one. We’ve got to hand it to them, you know. Be a good fellow.” Here Mr. Rowland grew genially playful and leaning over confidentially flicked his cigarette ashes in the interviewer’s vest pocket.

“Sorry,” I said. “Sorry, Mr. Rowland. But this is on you. Now, why can’t we say that you were chosen first because you stand out as a remarkable combination of all branches of the industry. You are an exhibitor, a distributor, a producer.”

“Producer?” queried Mr. Rowland. “Well, maybe. I might admit it to you — confidentially. But if I say so it will make some of the boys sore —” Mr. Rowland looked at his watch. “That reminds me. I’m due in the projection room right away now —”

“But, Mr. Rowland, you haven’t told me about yourself.”

“See Joe Engel,” said Mr. Rowland absently. “I refuse to be quoted.”

“But Mr. Engel referred me to you.”

Mr. Rowland yawned. “You’ll have to excuse me,” he said. “I’ve got to go in and swear at a picture.”

—

Here are a few things said offhand about Mr. Rowland [Richard A. Rowland] by his co-workers and other acquaintances:

• “He is essentially and truly democratic.”
• “He never worries.”
• “He shakes trouble easily and is a sort of human buttercup.”
• “He hates unfairness.”
• “He will not tolerate a man in his organization who plays selfishly.”
• “He sticks up for his friends.”
• “He genuinely enjoys the film game.”
• “He puts organization first in his business world.”
• “He is open-handed with ideas — anybody can have them who wants them.”
• “His clothes are like his attitude toward life — snappy and colorful.”
• “He believes in efficiency, but not efficiency in art.”
• “He computes figures as fast as an insurance actuary. He can figure in a twinkling the minimum and maximum receipts on a picture.”
• “He believes that honesty and fair play in business are of more value than capital.”
• “He cannot tolerate people who are slow — he wants always an instant answer.”
• “He detests self-conceit.”
• “He believes that an employee should never be so busy that his head is not above his job.”
• “He says that the idea never counts — it’s the man who puts it over.”
• “He is human and eminently sensible.”

[This is the first of a series of under-the-skin studies of big men of the picture game, illustrated by Harry Palmer. Watch for coming issues.]

— Next Week — Adolph Zukor

—

Collection: Motion Picture News, November 1917