A WIZARD OF THE FILM.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14727, 4 August 1921, Page 6

A WIZARD OF THE FILM.

ART OF PRODUCING.

(By Sewell Collins).

America is either the land of opportunity or the land of young men who mane opportunity. For your encouragement, young men, and for your edifiction, respected elders, allow me to introduce Mr Walter Wanger, the general production manager of the Famous Players-Lasky Film Corporation. Although millions of us are daily seeing the results of his genius, we hay not heard his name before.

When a billion dollar super-super film is flashed on the screen, » the action is preceded by an ornate list of its sponsors.

But never yet have we seen the name of the man behind all the other men behind the job; it ia as if the batttle of the Marne were advertised as having been won by a list of poilus and non-coms., with no mention of Papa Joffre. Yet, the commanding general of approximately five thousand people responsible for the "production" end of the famous American film organisation is Mr Walter Wanger. And he is twentysix years of age! I,spent an hour with him the other day, trying with my best diplomacy togprise out of him something about himself. He seemed such a boy at first that I wanted to call him "Walter" and asked him if his mother knew he was far away in the great city of London alone. When I left him I called him "Mister" and made a curtesy. ,1 BUSINESS—AND IDEALS. Mr Walter Wanger is, strange to relate, a successful business man with ideals. Seven years ago he was an undergraduate at Dartmouth College, in New Hampshire, with aspirations toward a final polishing off at Oxford. He was an ardent Reader of H. G. Wells and Bryce, and had theories of his own regarding education, sociology, and economics. At Dartmouht, young Mr Wanger became entangled in college theatricals, producing good plays artistically. His success attracted the attention of our own Granville Barker, who gave the college impresario a professional chance. He made good. So he decided to be a theatrical producer on his own—still with his ideals. Nothing less than the Great War deterred' his immediate action, and Walter Wanger, with his lofty aspirations, joined up as a flying man. Appropriately.

In France and in Italy he recognised a lack of organisation f in the propaganda department of the American Army. He noted the superiority of the British machine; and, with the help of his übiquitous ideals, he eventually succeeded in organising plans which compelled the interest of President Wilson, Colonel House, and lesser men in authority. He was a private then, which'shows how large a bushel it takes to hide the light of an earnest young man with perseverance. FUTURE OF THE CINEMA. Demobbed, he return to America with his ideals, and took up his theatrical plans where he had left them. He produced "John Ferguson," by St. John Ervine, a "high-brow" play that made money. He then took under his management the talented Nazimova, now famous the world over as a film star, and proved again that a commercial success' may have artistic attirbutes —another triumph for ideals properly business managed.

But his rising cinema fever had burned into his bones, and, still with his ideals, he asked Lasky for a job. He got it, and still has it, although the job has grown and he with it; but he says his ideals are just beginning to sprout. ' Not once during our chat did this successful young man mention dollars,' although he has authority over the handling of millions; he spoke only of his ideals. And, from his experience,^l gather that, even in these cynical days, they must pay pretty well after all. "Walter Wanger is an dbject-lesson to elderly grousers.

An item that has attracted attention in the public accounts for the June quarter is the railway expendi. ture.' The cost of running the railways during the quarter is set down at £1,978,600, as against £931,000 for the corresponding period of last year The revenue for the quarter Avas '£1,609,937, as against £1,419,855 inAhe June quarter N last year. The aparent increase of ov«r £1,000,000 in the railway expenditure is startling, but the position is not really as bad as the figures suggest it to be. A substantial part of the extra expenditure is due to heavy purchases of coal at high prices. The Railway Department's stocks ot coal have been built up lately, and they are now large than they have been for several years previously. The coal has to be paid for immediately, but very much of it will be carried forward.

That there may be a more serious aspect to the visit of a team of footballers from another country was shown by the remarks of Mr. H. C. Bennett, manager of the South Africans, at a reception given to them by the Mayor and-citizens of "Wellington recently. "We * feel," he said, "that it is not on account of football alone fthat you wteLcome 1 us, but because you recognise that this inter-change of visits will do a great deal of good. We have come, not only to see your game, but to see your study your methods of Government, agriculture and other things. "We hope to go back with many lessons that we can ap. ply in our own country. New Zealand can teach us a great deal, and I have not the slightest doubt our members will receive considerable benefit from their visit." THE BANE OP COLD WEATHER. Few persons are so fortunate as to escape having a cold at some time during the winter. Children are not so careful as adults, and are especially liable to take cold.[ The right way is to lay in a supply of Chamberlain's Cough Remedy now, so as to be prepared to treat this disease as soon as the first symptoms appear. Tou will look a long while before you find a better preparation or one that is more pleasant or safe to take. —Sold by all Chemists and Storekeepers. i