In their first appearance in the amuse ment field, moving pictures represented only such minor phases of action as a passing train, a scene from a cockfight, or the passing of a marching column of troops. As such they became a feature between the acts of a vaudeville show. One of the first in this country to see in the moving-picture invention the pos sibility of dramatic action was Lubin, of began to take extended series of pictures of scenes involving human emotions, such as the comedy of a fat man being pursued down a street by an ever-increasing mob. These short "one-reel comedies" proved immensely popular, and proved to be the basis for more serious and complicated dramatize.. tions. One of the first "moving-picture studios" was that established by Lubin in his back yard, in Philadelphia, where hired actors went through their "scenes" before the moving-picture camera. Gradu ally the "reels" were lengthened, and then two and three reels were utilized in portraying one continuous drama of action.
Simultaneously the Pathe Freres, in France, were developing the moving picture drama with a perfection of artistic presentation which was not at tained in this country for many years. In this country a violent prejudice on the part of the regular members of the dramatic profession proved an obstacle to the development of moving pictures from the purely dramatic point of view. In France this prejudice was not so marked, and first-class actors allowed themselves to be presented on the screen. As a consequence the finer pictures were for a long time imported into this coun try, the American productions being largely limited to the horseplay comedies.
One of the chief factors in changing this situation, and in bringing American moving pictures to the front, has been David W. Griffith, who may be said to have introduced the spectacular picture, produced at tremendous cost, the best example of which is his "Birth of a Nation," in which thousands of actors and supers are employed in creating the scenes of the play. In this remarkable production over two hundred thousand feet of film was used in reproducing the scenes portrayed by the army of actors and supers under the direction of Mr. Griffith. The great success of "The Birth of a Nation" resulted in the later pro duction of a number of similar picture dramas on a like scale of size and gran deur, among which may be mentioned country, with the result that now Ameri-' can pictures equal the best in dramatic quality, though directed by such French artists in this line as Turneur, Kappa lani, and Shotaurd. For some years past the old prejudice against "pictures" on "Intolerance" and "The Fall of Baby lon." In the artistic presentation of dra matic pictures portraying deep human emotions, however, the French producers and directors were for a long time in the lead. Within recent years Ameri
can producing firms have attracted the French directors to their employ in this the part of American actors and actresses has vanished, and now the leaders in the profession are frequently featured in the leading roles of the higher class of pic ture dramas.
Moving pictures, however, seem to de mand peculiar talents of their own on the part of the actors who perform be fore the camera. Among the most ponu lar "movie stars" are few who have first made their reputations on what is known as the "legitimate" stage. The actor trained on the stage seldom becomes a favorite on the screen. The truth seems to be that the stage limits dramatic ex pression; that a certain degree of ex aggeration in portraying emotions is necessary to carry the effect over the footlights which is immediately detected through the lens of the camera. Actors accustomed to the stimulation of an audi ence also find it difficult to work up the necessary enthusiasm for a scene with no audience but the camera man and their fellow employees in the studio. On the other hand, the key to moving picture acting seems to be "natural" action. The slightest exaggeration is immediately registered by the camera, with undesirable effect. On the regular stage the quality of the voice is one of the most important elements making toward success. In moving pictures this quality plays no part, and individuals with exceptional histrionic talents, though not possessed of "carrying" voices, find their opportunity.
Among the actors and actresses who have gained their reputations entirely within the moving-picture studio are such personalities as Mary Pickford, Pearl White, Theda Bara, Charlie Chap lin, Irving Cummings, King Baggot, and William S. Hart.
As has been the case among the actors, so it has been in the writing of the plays enacted through the medium of the cam era. The moving picture has brought about the development of a class of play wrights distinct by themselves, and far more numerous. Here clever lines, the art of expression by the written word, plays no part at all; only action is de manded. Hundreds of individuals who never before had felt the call of litera ture, or, having felt it, have failed in it, have made big successes in preparing the plots for the moving-picture plays. Most of the large studios, in fact, retain staffs of scenario writers permanently, on fixed salaries, who devote their whole time to the preparation of the "scripts," some of which are adapted from popular novels or regular plays which have been suc cessful, but many of which are original.