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

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

by William A. Johnston

Editorial Note. — The mere fact that Mr. Zukor is now in Los Angeles for an extended sojourn could not be permitted to interrupt this series of interviews. Motion Picture I News, with its usual spirit of progressiveness sent in seventeen telephone calls to points on the West coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco, finally locating Mr. Zukor at the Hollywood Studios of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. This long distance interview follows at the rate of a dollar a word (adv. note — to be made up for in Paramount advertising).

“Good afternoon, Mr. Zukor?”

“Good morning, who is it?”

“This is Motion Picture News, Mr. Zukor, we want an interview.”

Silence over the ‘phone; then Mr. Zukor’s voice in an undertone: (“It’s a trade paper. Get a publicity man.”) Mr. Zukor, resuming: “I’ll send you a statement.”

“That won’t do, Mr. Zukor. We’re going to press, and can’t wait.”

Mr. Zukor, politely: “Would you like to speak to Mr. Schulberg [B. P. Schulberg]?”

“No, Mr. Zukor” (firmly), “we must have a word from you. We’re going to press.”

“You trade papers always are,” snapped Mr. Zukor.

“What’s the matter, now?”

“We are asked, Mr. Zukor, to put a question to you. When will the stars’ salaries be reduced?”

Silence. Mr. Zukor’s voice again audible in a side whisper. (“Get Mrs. Pickford out of the room.”)

Resuming. “What did you say?”

“Salaries — stars’ salaries! we’d like to know whether —”

“The weather?” said Mr. Zukor, quickly. “The weather’s fine. Sunshine every day. Making fine pictures— all of them best, but some are better than others.”

“No, no, Mr. Zukor. Not the weather. Salaries, stars’ salaries. When will they come back?”

“I’ll be back in five weeks,” promised Mr. Zukor.

“Salaries, Mr. Zukor, stars’ salaries.”

“I can’t hear you at all,” said Mr. Zukor.

“Well, Mr. Zukor, haven’t you some message to give to the exhibitors?”

“Yes,” said Mr. Zukor, firmly. “Tell them to think big!”

“Dig deep?”

“No no, no — not dig deep. Think big. Say, what’s the matter? Can’t you hear me? I can hear you plainly enough — now.”

“Well, Mr. Zukor, we would like then to ask a final question which will take a long answer. How much of the industry do you now own?”

Click! Silence. Then the pleasant, well modulated tones of Ben Schulberg over the wire.

“Say, Bill honestly, you’ll have to cut out the rough stuff. The Boss is getting sore. Now, look Bill. Have you got a pencil handy? Just take this down.” “Adolph Zukor, president, Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, upon being interviewed by Motion Picture News, stated that big developments are being inaugurated within its great West Coast Studios, the details of which will shortly be announced in Motion Picture News. High quality production upon an unprecedented scale is under way. In his estimation the latest Mary Pickford picture, Stella Maris, is the greatest of all Pickford pictures. The million-dollar Paramount-Artcraft advertising campaign is crowding the American public into Paramount-Artcraft theatres —”

“Is that enough, Bill?”

“Yes, that’s enough,”

“All right, Bill, I’ll say good-by to Mr. Zukor for you.”

“All right, good-by!”

—

These spontaneous expressions were gathered from people who have known and watched Mr. Zukor [Adolph Zukor] since he entered the picture industry.

Included are a banker, a competitor and a lawyer (not Mr. Zukor’s).

• “He’s a keen and quick analyst.”
• “His desk is always clean.”
• “He thinks and has others execute.”

— Next Week — William A. Brady

—

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

Collection: Motion Picture News, December 1917