Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1929)

1160 Motion Picture News Regional News From Correspondents Fox Theatre, St. Louis Changes Policy Ox l'>iday, September 20, the Fox, St. Louis' largest motion picture house will again change its policy. As Skouras Brothers Ambassador has been doing for many months the Fox will start its show (in Fridays instead of Saturdays as has been' the rule since it opened last January. The Fanchon and Marco traveling stage show are to be augmented by sixteen local chorus girls. Lynn Cowan is now master of ceremonies at the Fox. The orchestra pit which was covered over some months ago to bring vaudeville performers closer to the audience will be reopened and Hill Parsons and his musicians will be back in their old seats. There will also be a stage band. Leo Leblanc an executive of the Fanchon and Marco organization has been in St. Louis for a month selecting dancing and specialty girls for the Fox Theatre under the new policy which will be started on September 20. X'isitors of recent weeks included C. E. Bradv, Cape Girardeau ; Mrs. J. W. Rodgers, Cairo, ill.; Paul Musser of Casey, 111. ; Henry Lowrv of Highland, III; and G. F. Barber, Tuscola, 111. More than 100 orphans from various asylums and homes in St. Louis, Mo., were guests of the St. Louis Town Topics magazine at a special performance at Loew's State at 10 a.m. September 14. Magazine plans to entertain 100 children each month. Work will start at once on the addition to the Grand in Macon, Mo., oi)eratcd by S. E. Pirtle of Jerseyville, 111. The contract has been awarded to the C. J. Tiernan Company of Macon. The addition will be 2-story with basement and 20 bv 40 feet. It will cost about $15,000. Wobber Fetes Param't Frisco Office Force Ax annual picnic was given recently by Herman Wobber at his lovely home in Woodside for the employees of the San Francisco Paramount office. As on previous occasions, nothing was overlooked that would provide pleasure and entertainment for his guests. .■\ program of fifteen acts was given by the Paramount office force, which goes to prove that all the talent in this line is not confined to Hollywood alone. Special praise was given Florence Schwartz of the Ad Sales Department for the writing and directing of the act given by her department. Jim Donahue, acting as spokesman fur the Paramount office force, presented Mr. Wobber with a copl)er plate expressing their esteem and regard and their appreciation. Bess Watt has been promoted to the position of Secretary to Mr. Parsons in the M-(i-M h"-xchange. Mrs. White of Scbastopol was seen on I-'ilm Row last week, dating up pictures for her theatre. C. li. Rosenwald, I'niversal's District Manager, has returned from his vacation feeling like a "million." Helen D eLacey of Educational Exchange is spending her vacation at Lake Arrowhead and Los Angeles. Lyla Nackford is now employed in the Educational Film Exchange in the capacity of biller. Joe Rosenberg, of Principal Theatres Corp. and Everett Howell, of Porterville, were recent visitors to Film Row. Murray Phillips of Western Poster fame, is spending his vacation in Seattle and Vancouver. Nolan Replaces Sound Equipment THE latest type of Western Electric mechanism is being installed in the Rex Theatre, Ottawa, by P. J. Nolan, proprietor, as a replacement. D. G. Borland, widely known. Canadian exhibitor, has been appointed manager of the Metropolitan Theatre, Regina, Sask., by H. M. Thomas, Western Division manager of Fainous Players. The first Palestine relief performance in Ottawa, Ontario, staged by Manager Joe Franklin at B. F. Keith's Theatre, was a big success, and a second is being presented at the Regent by Manager Ray Tubman. Mr. Franklin is also busy as a director of the Ottawa Humane Society in arrangements for a financial drive. Ottawa exhibitors are also showing their community spirit by providing facilities for midnight shows in aid of the Kiwanis club fund, these being P. J. Nolan of the Avalon and Ray Tubman of the Regent. L. B. Brauer New U Mgr. At Des Moines LB. BRAUER is the new man1 ager of thte office of Universal in Des Moines, coming from the Universal office in Dallas, Texas to take charge of the branch here this week. Harry Taylor, assistant sales manager from the New York office stopped in Des Moines both to and from Denver to see Mr. Brauer installed. J. C. Osserman, branch manager for Universal here for the past two years, was transferred to management of office at Cleveland. Kokeisl and Thotsky, who come from Chicago, have bought the Olympic at Cedar Rapids. House has been closed for short time and is reopening with policy which is new in this territory. Paramount entertained long list of callers last week including J. H. Feldham of the Princess at Odebolt, F. R. Bandy of the Princess at Britt, W. H. Eddy of the Empress at Indianola, Jake Cohen of the Strand at Ottumwa, E. W. Hagerman of the Grand at Independence. Glen T. Wilson who comes from St. Paul is a new salesman for the staff of Educational. He succeeds Joe Smitli who now plans to go into another line of work. RKO was host to a number of exhibitors in to book pictures last week including G. W. Morgan of the Grand at Greenfield ; Mr. Nelson of the Star at Gowrie ; John Anderson of the Princess at Boone, Mr. and Mrs. Smith of the F"amily at Earlham; F. E. Robertson of the Princess at Dexter. The M-G-M Club blew themselves to a party, a dinner dance at the W'ayside Inn. The committee in charge were Miss Goldie Sparr, Don West and Lucille Bliss. A surprise to friends along Film Row was that of the wedding of Richard Bruce, assistant booker for Universal, who on August 31 met Miss Jones in Rolfe, Iowa, and made her Mrs. Bruce. The event has been kept a secret for almost a month. First National entertained some callers along Film Row last week including George Hake of the Lyric at Belmond, one of the few e.xhibitors who has not been talking about sound. Bob Riddle is a new salesman for the office of RKO. He comes from office of First National in Omaha. Leo Moore, sound instructor from New York office of M-G-M, was in Des Moines last week. He has a name double in Leo Moore, exhibitor at Centerville, Iowa. All Tampa Houses, But 2, Wired For Talkies ALL houses in Tampa that aro now in operation have been wired for sound, with the exception of two, the Rialto, straight musical comedy house, and the Italian in Ybor City, which uses tab shows in connection with silents. B. H. Tnnnbull, manager Palace, St. Petersburg, returned this week from vacation in Xew Hampshire, and is giving his theatre a thorough overhaulipg. He opens Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27th and 28th, with special show and then on Saturday, Oct. 8th opens for the season. The Franklin, Tampa, has been wired for sound and will start the talkie policy on Sunday, Sept. 22nd. This is the last of the five Publix houses here to be wired. House will continue the policy of second runs. Weisfeldt To Detroit For Publix ED. J. WEISFELDT, for many years production manager of the Fox Midwesco Theatres, Milwaukee, has gone to Detroit to become production director for Publix Theatres. He was given a testimonial dinner at the Hotel Schroeder last week by his friends. O. Mc Kivette, manager of the V'enetian Theatre, Racme, Wis.. was in Milwaukee one day last week. L. Orlove, well known Milwaukee theatre manager, is the new manager of the Uptown, Alilwaukee, Fox Alidwesco Theatre. He has been with the Midwesco and Saxe circuits for more than 11 years. He was formerly manager of the Mirth and Tivoli Theatres, Milwaukee, Wis. Wallace James, manager of the Wisconsin Theatre, Milwaukee, who has invented a new precision tone arm for sound equipment reports that several workmg models have been produced and tested the past few weeks. Thieves broke open the door of the Orpheum Theatre, Burlington, Wis., last week and stole more than §100 which was in a cashbox in a desk drawer. Hal Olson, publicity and exploitation manager for Community Theatres, Inc., Milwaukee, has resigned his position. Bert Jordan, manager of the Majestic Theatre, Rhinelander, Wis., has resigned his position. He is uncertain as to his future. Community Theatres, Inc., which conducted a contest at West Bend„ Wis., for the naming of its newtheatre soon to open there, have named the theatre, "West Bend." Joseph Pruscha, a Milwaukee theatre man, was injured in an automobile accident last week, but is improving nicely at this time. Schlank, U Portland Mgr., Convalescing I SCHLANK, manager of Uni. versal in Portland, is convalescing from a serious operation at St. Vincent's Hospital. The B. F. Shearer Co.. theatre decorating specialists, report an extra bus\ August-September, having handled the New Alder, Duffwin and Rialto theatre interiors. The Fanchon & Marco Ideas are again showing two days a week at the Elsinore in Salem, and to good business after a barrage of publicity engineered by Sam H. Cohen, p.a. Messrs. Roy and Leverette have opened tthe State Theatre at Grants Pass, Ore. EMPIRE FILM VAULTS INC. MODERATE PRICE FILM STORAGE I to 1 0 Containers $ .75 Over 1 00 Containers $ .38 I I to 50 " 50 Cases per month, 20 to 2S re»U 1.00 51 to 100 " 40 723 Seventh Avenue, N. Y. Bryant 2180-2181-2182