MILLIONS IN MOVIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1164, 28 October 1913, Page 4

MILLIONS IN MOVIES.

A writer in the Review of Reviews (October 6d) gives some particulars of the immense cost of producing special moving picture films and the great fortunes made out oi them :

Six years ago the total number of employees in cinematograph theatres in Great Britain was about 500. They now exceed 125.000. Their weekly wage bill probably runs into or more, or per annum. The number of people visiting the ciuemas. per week must be well over tight millions —416 million people a year! There are about 160,000 picture theatres in America, patronised by more than six million people a day—about 2,000,000,000 a year. Nearly 30 million pounds a year are spent in admission money.

Lawrence Griffith, of the American Biograph Company, draw's considerably over £6,000 a year for his services, iu addition to a royalty ou films ; whilst Sidney llcott, who produced Kalem’s VFrom Manger to Cross” picture in the Holy Laud, was retained at per annum. Sir Herbert Tree was paid ,£I,OOO by Messrs Barker for filming “Henry VIII.,” and ou the day that the transaction was completed the company sold the Australian rights of the film for /1000! Thus before a single picture was shown £2, c00 had changed hands.