Exhibitors Herald (1927)

March 26, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 17 Collins Resigns; Seider Calls Meet to Select Successor Will Retire ROBERT LIEBER ( special to the Herald ) NEW YORK, March 22. — Robert Lieber will retire from the presidency of First National at the annual meeting next month, and will be succeeded by John McGuirk, who is also president of the Stanley Company of America. No official announcement of the above has been made, and none will be made until after the meeting. The date of the session has not been definitely set as yet, but it is expected it will be held at Atlantic City April 19, and it is generally understood in the best informed First National and Stanley circles that the change in the presidency will be one of the important actions of the board of directors. Mr. Lieber has given much of his time for the past several years to First National affairs, but is said to have reached the conclusion that his growing business interests in Indianapolis require all of his attention. Just before he departed for Europe last week a deal was completed whereby Publix Theatres obtains a 25 per cent interest in the new Indianapolis theatre now under construction for Mr. Lieber. Donahey Will Address M.P.T.O.A.at Columbus Neil House Named Official Headquarters for National Convention May 17-19 (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, March 22. — Eli Whitney Collins has resigned from the presidency of the M. P. T. O. A. The Administrative Committee, of which Joseph M. Seider is chairman, hats been called together for tomorrow to elect a successor to Collins. The meeting will be in New York at National Headquarters and the entire membership, except Harry Davis of Pittsburgh, who is ill, is expected to attend. The other members are Mike Comerford, Nathan Yamins and J. J. Harwood. Collins leased his theatres to Universal recently and since has not been active as an exhibitor, devoting most of his time to the insurance business. COLUMBUS, OHIO, March 22. — Governor A. Vic Donahey of Ohio will headline the speaking" program at the convention banquet of the M. P. T. O. A. May 18. Governor Donahey, who has proved his friendship for exhibitors on many occasions, has an important message to give to the theatre owners. Neil House Convention Headquarters The Neil House has been chosen as headquarters for the eight annual convention which opens May 17th and closes on the 19th. All business sessions will be at the Neil House and the banquet and ball will be held there, in the grand ballroom. Arrangements are being effected to procure a special round trip rate of fare and one-half from the railroads. J. J. Harwood of Cleveland, chairman of the General Conventions Committee, has arranged with the Conventions Bureau of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce for a general reservation of rooms at the leading Columbus hotels beginning Monday, May 16. Chairinan Harwood urges all exhibitors who expect to attend the convention to mail in their reservations at an early date. The leading Columbus hotels with their locations are: Neil House, S. High, opposite State Capitol. Single rooms from $2.50 to $6. Double rooms from $4.50 to $8. All rooms with bath. Hotel Deshler, Broad and High streets. One square from Convention headquarters. Single rooms without bath $2.50 and $3. Double rooms without bath $5. Single rooms with bath $3 to $7. Double rooms with bath $5 to $10. Hotel Chittenden, corner Spring and High streets. Four squares North of Convention headquarters. Single rooms (Continued on page 19) Jake Wells Takes His Own Life; Failing Health Blamed; Once Leading Exhibitor (Special to the Herald) HENDERSONVILLE, N. C., March 22.— Jake Wells is dead. The former theatre owner, one of the best known and inHuential men in the industry, took his own life last week due, it is believed, to failing health. Isolated Town Asks for Films, Then Food (Special to the Herald) DENVER, March 22. — Send us motion pictures first ! That was the appeal brought by mushers from Silverton, Col., when snow practically isolated the town for a month and barred all other transportation means. The mushers tried to supply the tovm with fresh food but the miners favored sacrificing other things rather than motion pictures. New films were brought in almost daily. Mr. Wells entered the motion picture field in 1902 and developed a theatre chain that extended throughout the South. Every theatre in Atlanta except one was under his control at one time. With the expansion of his interests his theatre organization spread to many cities, among which were Birmingham, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, Montgomery, Mobile, Lynchburg, Roanoke and Petersburg, V a.. New Orleans, Evansville, Ind., and Columbia, S. C. Mr. Wells retired from active participation in the exhibition field two years ago. His Richmond theatres, for example, were sold to Wilmer & Vincent, who had been his associates for years. He was at one time a leader in M. P. T. O. affairs and an important figure at conventions. Jake Wells