Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

April 28, 1928 US') Des Moines I1 HE week of April 7 was the biggest in the history of the Des Moines exchange of Universal and the oflice staff and salesmen have certainly been on their toes. Leone Mathews, secretary of the Des Moines Film Board of Trade, will start for the convention of Film Board secretaries in California on May 16. Harold Cohen, formerly of the Kansas City office of Metro-GoldwynMayer, is the new cashier at the Des Moines office of M-G-M. W. H. Davis, who has been cashier at the Des Moines exchange for years, is leaving the office here and it is probable that he will go into some other line of business. Chris Nelson, who suffered fire damage at his theatre several weeks ago, is doing some redecorating. His theatre, the Alamo, was damaged by water. » Joe and Meyer Stern, who supervise the Des Moines Exhibitors Poster Exchange from the Omaha office, were over last week to look over affairs here. The office in Des Moines is in charge of Arthur Minhoff, who came from the Omaha office to take charge of the work here. John Anderson of the Princess theatre at Boone, Iowa, bought two new lobby display boards last week. The Sunday show fight is not expected to be much of a battle at Ames, Iowa, where, it is thought that the people will give a big majority to the lifting of the ban against the Sunday entertainment. However, Joe Benjamin Gerbarcht, manager of the three houses at Ames, is working right along to insure success for the measure and 1 tarry Weinberg, head of the Commonwealth Theatres organization of which the theatres at Ames are a part, went up for several days to help Joe in the campaign. The measure will come up for vote on April 30. Rube Wagle, booker of the office of Education, suffered a loss last week with the death of his father. Barnie Brotman, who is one of the old standbys in the film trade, having been an exhibitor at Moline, 111., over a period of years, was a visitor in Des Moines last week. He has the Plaza, the Mirror and the Avoy at Moline. Visitors in film row were Floyd Perry of Eldon, F. G. Sterns of Corydon, William Treloar of Og den, C. E. Carragher of Clear Lake, Jake Cohen of Ottumwa, all oi whom called at the Paramount office. Also George Stephens of Stephens and Puffer of the Orpheum at Webster City, F. P. Hageman of Waverly, W. P. Grossman of Nevada, who called at the office of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Mr. Grossman, who has been an exhibitor at Nevada over a period of years and who recently secured the vote for Sunday movies there, says that he does not believe that the deal for the building of the $60,000 Circle theatre, which has been reported as to be constructed for opening in the fall by the Circle Amusement Company, will go through. Anyway, he says, he's not worried about competition. R. S. Ballentyne, who is now manager of the Pathe office at Omaha, was formerly manager for several years in Iowa territory. At Bloomfield, Iowa, Sunday movies were voted down with an unusually large majority. The Blue Laws won by 240 vote majority. The board of directors of the Iowa M. P. T. O. A. has been set for April 16. The meeting will be held in Des Moines probably at the offices of E. P. Smith, president of the association. The drive for membership has been very successful. Suburban and second run houses are carrying a listing of pictures in the newspapers now. The Princess theatre, playing stock with the Ballamy Players, has closed this week atter a successful season. The Garrick theatre, which has been under the management of Omar Kenyon, one of the most experienced showmen of Des Moines, also concluded for the season. The Garrick lias been playing Mutual burlesque on Sundays only. The Cozy theatre at Dyersville, Iowa, will be opened soon. New equipment has been bought and the theatre has been remodeled. "Stage and Screen" is the name of a small magazine which is being put out for the theatre patrons in Des Moines, on hand in the theatre lobby or mailed free each week. Willard Moore, director of the Des Moines theatre orchestra; Jimmy Ellard, personality man at the Capitol theatre, and Dixie Longely of the Capitol staff, all had signed articles in the magazine last week. Canada WHAT might have been a disaster was turned into a demonstration of cool efficiency Which rebounded to the credit of the theatre and its staff when fire visited the Metropolitan Theatre, Winnipeg, one of the largest Famous Players houses in Western Canada, during a matinee performance on April 19. The outbreak of flames occurred in the projection room and Manager Walter V. Davis immediately proceeded to the orchestra pit where he calmly asked the people to leave. Patrons filed out so orderly that each person was given a "pass out" check at the door. In the meantime the fire department arrived on the scene and the fire was subdued. Work has been started on the construction of the General Brock Hotel, a 26-story structure, on the site of the Grand Theatre, Toronto. Aid. William Somerville, proprietor of the Prince of Wales and Eastwood Theatres, Toronto, has joined forces with Famous Players Canadian Corp., and these fine new houses are now operating under the auspices of Famous Players. William O'Connor is manager of the Eastwood while William Somerville, Jr., has charge of the Prince of Wales. Aid. Somerville was formerly one of the staunch independent exhibitors of Toronto, having been vicepresident of the Ontario Division of the M. P. T. O. Mr. O'Connor was also an officer of that organization. Exhibitors of Winnipeg, Manitoba, combined for the presentation of a splendid concert at the Capitol Theatre in aid of the Winnipeg Firemen's Benefit Fund, the proceeds amounting to $2,4S8. Admission to the concert was by invitation. The committee in charge was H. Jernberg of the Province Theatre ; E. A. Retallick. Capitol ; George Law, Lyceum, and Walter F. Davis, Metropolitan. R. J. Harrison, manager of the Capitol Theatre, St. Catharines, Ontario, is directly identified with sport activities of his town in a way that has reflected considerable credit on the theatre. Mr. Harrison is manager of the Athletic Lacrosse Club, one of the famous lacrosse organizations of the Dominion. The walls of the Dominion Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, destroyed by fire some time ago were razed during the week of April 16 by the owners, Messrs Dymcnt and Davidson. No announcement has been made regarding constructional plans yet. The Dominion was for years a popular combination house. L. J. Ladner, member for South Vancouver in the Canadian Parliament at Ottawa, withdrew his amendment to the Canadian Copyright Act on April 20. His resolution provided for changes which would have enabled the Performing Rights Society to function in Canada, it is stated. Manager Nolan of the Rex Theatre, a smart neighborhood house in Ottawa, Ontario, has installed equipment for a number 'of stage effects for use on appropriate occasions with the film presentations. Vaudeville has been added to the Saturday performances. Mr. Nolan, who has the Rex and Columbia Theatres, has started the actual construction of the Globe Theatre at Bank Street and Second Avenue in Ottawa. The plans for this house call for badminton courts and a roof garden. Tenants of the seven stores on Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario, forming part of the site of FamousPlayers' huge theatre to cost $1.200.000 are moving to other premises to enable a start to be made on the project. The Russell Theatre at Ottawa, which with the Russell Hotel was recently expropriated by the Canadian Government for $1,250,000 for park purposes, had a spectacular demise when a fire of unknown origin destroyed the hotel property on the night that the theatre closed its doors for keeps. The fire broke out about one hour after the final performance. The Wonderland Theatre, Winnipeg. Manitoba, was visited by fire, caused by defective wiring, late at night while the theatre was empty, causing damage to the extent of $400 to the stage and screen. F. R. Hyde is the owner of the theatre and Henry Morton is the lessee. The theatre was temporarily closed. Henry Morton has added the Arlington Theatre to his chain of houses in Winnipeg, Manitoba, comprising the Ga.ety, Crescent, Carleton and Wonderland. Harry Horwitz, nephew of Mr Morton, has become the proprietor of the Park Theatre, Winnipej, L. C. Si raw, formerly manager of the Colonial Theatre, Port Arthur, Ontario, has been appointed manager of the Capitol Theatre, Winnipeg. Manitoba, one of the big houses of Famous Players Canadian Corp., in succession to E. A. Retallick, a former Winnipeg newspaperman. Mr. Straw also had charge of the Lyceum Theatre in Port Arthur. His place at the two theatres has been taken by A. G. Graburn who has been with theatres in Regina and Moose Jaw, being manager of the Strand and Regent Theatres in Calgary, Alberta, for the past two years. Spyros Megalacakis, partner of A. Capadrites, proprietor of the Cameo theatre, Montreal, died at his home at the Saybrooke apartments, Montreal, April 16th, of pneumonia, after a brief illness of one week. The funeral was held last Wednesday at his home and interment was made at Mount Royal cemetery.