Exhibitors Herald (Mar-Apr 1924)

84 March 29, 1924 OFF WITH A BANG! Just underway. But the flood of business from the boys in Chicago, Milwaukee and Indianapolis absolutely assures the success of the ZAMBRENO March 16 April 26 Throughout the territory exhibitors have shown the keenest interest in the product of Progress Pictures'. These specials: "Little Red Schoolhouse" "Rip Tide" "Broken Violin" "Jacqueline" "None So Blind" "Streets of New York" are piling up a formidable list of bookings. Our Comedies, Westerns and Serials, the Kenneth McDonalds and Richard Talmadges have also scored heavily. THANKS! It's the only way we can express our gratitude to you exhibitors who have cooperated so heartily. We can only repay you with the best service humanly possible. And we'll do that. THE SALES AND OFFICE STAFF OF PROGRESS PICTURES COMPANY CHICAGO 808 So. Wabash MILWAUKEE 713 Wells St. INDIANAPOLIS, 144 W. Vernon St. CHICAGO PERSONALITIES j By J. R. M. { SAM E. MORRIS, executive of Warner Bros., was in Chicago on Friday conferring with Edward Silverman, local exchange manager. * * * The Milwaukee Film Hoard of Trade visited the Chicago Board last week and sat in at its weekly session. Secretary J. D. Abramson entertained the Board after the meeting. * * * Otto Polka, who recently sold the New Maywood theatre, Maywood, 111., left on Monday for a two months' sojourn in Europe. * * * E. A. Sipe, manager of the Reelcraft Pictures exchange, Indianapolis, was conferring with Morris Hellman, president of Reelcraft last week. * * * Mr. Hellman, incidentally, made a flying trip through the Southwest territory and came back with a nice hunch of contracts. * * * Messrs. Pinckelman and Cory, who operate the Savoy, Gem and Princess theatres, Quincy, 111., have another house under construction at Quincy. It will seat 500 and they expect to open in June. Rube Levine is the architect. * * * Work has been started on a new 1,800 seat theatre at Waukegan, which will be operated by Edward Trinz, who now has the Elite theatre at Waukegan. The building will house 46 apartments and 22 stores besides the theatre. * * * Al Kohn, who has a state right film exchange at Kansas City, was in town last week. * * * T. Maynard Schwartz, manager Educational P'xchange, has augmented his sales staff by adding salesmen for the Illinois territory. Maurice Godshall and Kirshbaum are now selling Educational Comedies in southern and northern Illinois. The new "Plastigrams" are proving a novelty down state and Messrs. Hartman, Kirshbaum and Godshall are bringing in the orders. * * * Earl W. Hammonds, president of Educational Exchanges, was a local caller last week. Mr. Hammonds is making a tour of the exchanges on his way to California. * * * Dave Dubin is hack from a couple of weeks' sojourn at Hot Springs, Ark., much improved in health. * * * The popularity of Jacobseh's restaurant at 10th and Michigan is attested by the many filmmen who eat there daily. It is the meeting place for most of the executives along film row as well as the salesmen and the 60 cent luncheons served — like the well known brand of cigarettes — satisfy. * * * Twenty theatres of the city were warned by the Board of Health that unless they improved sanitary conditions they would be closed. Immediately steps were taken by the managers to improve conditions and trouble was averted. Managers of Chicago theatres were confronted with the organization of a Doorman's union last week, which is giving them more cause for worry. J. Charles Davis, 2nd, assistant to presiident. Arrow f ilm Corporation, was in town conferring with Frank Zambreno last week. Hiram Abrams of United Artists passed through town last week en route to New York. Mr. Abrams has been on the West Coast. * * * J. G. Bach-man, vice-president and treasurer of Preferred Pictures, called on J. L. Friedman, local representative of Preferred, last Thursday. He left the same day for New York. Henry Ginsberg of the same concern was also in the city on Tuesday, and Jack Grauman of Milwaukee. * * * Mort Hennoch, former salesman for J. L. Friedman, has resigned, and joined the sales staff of Harry Willard, manager for Selznick Distributing Corporation. * * * Roy Pearson is now on the road selling for Pathe. * * $ Fred Aiken, manager of Pathe Exchange, Chicago, returned from a business trip to New York last Thursday. * * * I. Leserman, manager of the Circle theatre, Forest Park, has returned from Florida, where he avoided the snow and blizzards of February. * * * Tack Hellman, formerly with Paramount, is now with Universal exploiting "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Mr. Hellman is an old newspaper man, having been sporting editor of Kansas City PostJournal for a number of years. * * * "Bob" Gary, formerly with Hodkinson, is now with Universal at Indianapolis, having been transferred from Milwaukee last week. * * * Most of the Universal salesmen were in off the road to attend the Al Lichtman sales meeting on Monday. * * * Jack Hays, working out of the Chicago office, put over a big campaign for "The Hunchback" at Rockford, where it played the Opera House, and at Champaign, 111., at the Virginia theatre. * * * Otto J. Trilich has sold his lease in the Bonita theatre, 6435 South Halsted street, and the house will be dismantled and remodeled into a store. Mr. Trulich is looking for another theatre. Progress Salesmen Report Flying Start In Zambreno Drive Enthusiastic reports are being received at the local headquarters of Progress Pictures Company from Milwaukee and Indianapolis on the bookings being piled up in connection with "Frank Zambreno Drive" inaugurated by Progress salesmen last week. The campaign extends to April 26. Each office is bending every effort to outdo the other in honoring the Progress bead with play dates. With the variety of product offered and the great headway already made it is the opinion of the Progress force that the next six weeks are going to be epochal in the history of the company. "I am indeed pleased over the results already at hand" said Mr. Zambreno. "Not only is the fine spirit displayed by the Progress men something to be proud of but the hearty cooperation of the exhibitors in this territory is a source of keen gratification."