 His first notable contribution to the cinema was when he served as the projectionist for "The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays" (1908).Although he could not have the control that writers such as William K. Everson, Yuri Tsivian and others have claimed that early cinema projectionists had, due to the presence of the filmmakers in the room each night, it was a foray into the cinema that would pave the way for things to come.He also worked briefly for his father's publisher, Reilly & Britton, worked in advertising in Chicago.