Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD Lynch and Howard Interests Merged Big Combine Is ^Effected in Atlanta, Ga.— Company to Run Five Houses ATLANTA, Ga.— Deals have been closed through which four motion picture theatres in Atlanta recently acquired by the S. A. Lynch interests will be merged with the new Howard Theatre which is now in the course of construction in Peachtree street and will be operated by a company now being formed with $1,000,000 capital stock, according to an announcement made Saturday night at the Lynch offices. Change Construction Plans Plans of construction of the new Howard Theatre will be changed and when finished under the new plans this theatre will be the finest theatre south of Washington. Final details of the transaction were closed between Mr. Lynch and Troup Howard, old Atlanta man, who will return to this city for his permanent residence. Under the new arrangement the Lynch interests will continue to operate the Strand, Vaudette, Rialto and Forsyth theatres until the new Howard Theatre is finished. After the theatre is built the operation under the new corporation will begin. The new theatre will be constructed jointly by the Lynch and Howard interests and it will be even more elaborate and pretentious than first anticipated by reason of this consolidation. New Corporation Formed • It was announced that only the Lynch motion picture theatres in Atlanta are involved in the deal and that it does not affect the Lynch interests outside of Atlanta nor will it affect the vaudeville and legitimate shows in Atlanta. The Howard Theatre in Macon and other cities outside of Atlanta are not included in the deal. The new corporation to operate the merged interests is being formed by ■King and Spalding of Atlanta, lawyers for the Lynch interests, and Gen. Walter A. Harris of Macon for the Howard interests. The corporation will be organized under the laws of Georgia. Saenger Company Buys Meridian, Miss., Houses MERIDIAN, MISS.— The motion picture theatres of Meridian, the beautiful Strand and Princess, the Alamo operated for colored people, and the lease to the old Elite will pass into the hands of new owners, December 1. Walter G. Hodges of Meridian and F. J. Hughes of Electric Mills have sold their properties to the Saenger Amusement company of New Orleans. The consideration is said to have been approximately $100,000. | New Neighborhood House COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.— The old Hoffman building, 2509 West Colorado avenue, has been leased by R. R. Chamberlain of Leoti, Kan., and will be converted into a motion picture theatre. It is the first neighborhood house in the west end. Harrison Adopts "$10,000 License'1 Theatre Ordinance HARRISON, N. J.— Any hopes that residents here have held over the prospects of having a motion picture theatre in this borough have been hopelessly buried. The town council adopted on its final reading an ordinance providing that a license of $10,000 would have to be paid by anyone who contemplated erecting a play house. The town no doubt will continue to hold its record of being without a place of amusement. The ordinance, when introduced a few weeks ago, attracted nation wide attention and was the subject of editorials, news stories and jokes throughout the country. Explosive Inspector Will Become Censor COLUMBUS, OHIO— C. G. Williams. Republican member of the state board of motion picture censors, whose term has expired, is slated for appointment as special counsel in the attorney general's office, succeeding Charles Bell, who has resigned to enter the practice of law at Cleveland. Williams was appointed on the censor board under the administration of former Governor Willis. J. S. Kinslow, United States explosive inspector, with offices in the Federal building, a Democrat, is expected to be named as Williams' successor on the censor board. The appointment is made by the state industrial commission. There are two other members of the censor board, Mrs. Maude Murray Miller and Maurice Hague. 3,000-Seat Theatre For Louisville, Ky. LOUISVILLE, KY.— A new motion picture theatre which will have a seating capacity of 3,000 will be erected on the site of the Majestic theatre and adjoining property. It will retain the name Majestic and will be one of the most beautiful theatres in the South. The Majestic Theatre company has secured a fifty year lease on the property and will take possession January 1. The play house will be modeled after the New Capitol, New York. Max Goldberg Sells His Joliet Holdings JOLIET, TEL.— Max Goldberg has disposed of all of his Joliet property holdings and in the spring will move to Chicago to take active management of the Harper theatre, 53rd street and Harper avenue, and the Beach theatre, Hyde Park boulevard and Harper avenue. The Chicago theatres owned by Mr. Goldberg are now under the management of his eldest son. Lew M. Goldberg, who has been in the theatrical booking business in Chicago for the last eight years. Fox to Build Big Theatre in Bronx Million Dollar Playhouse to Be Added to Chain of Picture Houses NEW YORK.— William Fox, president of Fox Film Corporation, has purchased from the estate of Charles W. Tarbox the plot of ground on the south side of Tremont avenue between Washington and Park avenues, the Bronx, and will build on it the largest theatre that borough of greater New York — which means also the largest theatre in Bronx County. The transaction represents an expenditure of almost $1,000,000. Work on the new playhouse will be started at once. Details were worked out by A. S. Kempner, real estate representative of the Fox Theatrical Enterprises. Will Seat 3,500 This new addition to the Fox theatres, which now form a chain throughout the country, is to be one of the most elaborate structures in which motion pictures are shown. Every known convenience for the comfort of the public is to be installed. The seating capacity will be 3,500. There will be lounging rooms, smoking rooms, special comfort rooms for women patrons, rooms in which persons having appointments to meet and attend performances may wait for one another, and a creche, where babies will be cared for by licensed nurses while their parents are enjoying the show. The creche suggested itself to Mr. Fox from the fact that the Bronx now boasts of having more babies than any other borough of New York not even excepting Brooklyn. The new $1,000,000 theatre will be Grecian in its architectural design, and will contain one balcony. The plans call for a sufficient number of exits to make it possible to empty the structure within three minutes if necessary. Carlson and Wiseman are the architects. Directly across the street from the site of the new playhouse is the Crotona Theatre, at Tremont and Park avenues, which is owned and operated by the Fox Theatrical Enterprises. ^unitiiiniiiiniiniiuiiimiiiininaiiuuuuujiiniiiiiiiiituiiuujiiuianniuiinuiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiii iiiimuniig I THANKS | 1 To EXHIBITORS HERALD: | | We have just noticed your j | issue of November 15, and | 3 desire to compliment you on | | this splendid publication. We j | believe that you are on the | | right track. With best wishes for your | | continued success, we beg to | | remain, Very truly yours, | METRO PICTURES CORPORATION. | (Signed) B. F. Rosenburg, Branch Manager. § Salt Lake City. tniiinnniimiiniM 54