Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

June 2 3 , 19 28 2127 Alban AFTER an association for the past fifteen years with the Universal exchange in Albany, C. K. Halligan, known to hundreds of exhibitors in central and northern New York, resigned recently to become local representative for Columbia pictures. During the past year or two. Mr. Halligan has acted as booker in the Universal exchange. There is a rumor to the effect that Louis Buettner. of Cohoes, may sell his two theatres in that city as well as the one in Hudson Falls, to a New York syndicate. Mr. Buettner has been in poor health of late, and if the sale goes through it is his intention to spend a portion of each year in the south. Frank Sardino. who has been operating the Crescent Theatre in Syracuse for a number of years, and which is now being torn down to make way for a department store, has leased another theatre for a period of twenty years. The house has a seating capacity of J. 100, and it is Mr. Sardino' s intention to run a daily change of vaudeville and pictures. Pete Dana, local manager for Tiffany for several months, was in Buffalo the fore part of last week, and, according to all reports, will take over the Buffalo exchange. Mr. Dana was associated for a number of years with the Schine circuit. These are the days that appeal to Nate Robbins, owner of the Uptown Theatre in Utica, allowing him a portion of each week in whipping the trout streams in and around Old Forge, where he maintains a camp. Walter Roberts, manager of the Troy Theatre, is on his vacation this week, and in his absence the house is being looked after by Uly S. Hill, general manager of the Stanley houses in this section, and Donald Ives, who is Mr. Roberts' assistant. Moe Mark, vice-president of the Stanley chain, was in town last week inspecting the company's theatres in Albany and Troy, and then going on to Utica, where a new Stanley house is in course of construction and which will open the latter part of August. Salley O Neil, the film star, was slightly injured one day last week in filming "The Girl on the Barge" at Whitehall. The young woman was pushed through a window and was cut by the broken glass. William O'Brien, of the Strand Theatre in Carthage, has secured Ralph C. Yale, assistant organist at Loew's State Theatre in Syracuse, as feature organist at the Carthage house. The Rex Theatre, in Middleburg, owned and operated by Myron Van Buren, is closed at the present time on account of a quarantine for scarlet fever that exists in the village. Mildred Coon, connected with the Pathe exchange in Albany, was quite badly injured one day last week at Salem, N. Y., where she is spending her vacation with her parents. The young woman went into the pasture and picked up a small calf, only to be knocked down a moment later by the mother. The new Empire Theatre in Syracuse has been reopened by Al Kaufman, former division manager for the Schines, and is now playing to capacity business. Al Herman, formerly a film exchange manager in Albany, and now handling the territory between Syracuse and Buffalo for First National, was in town the fore part of last week. Tom Mix, in Albany the other night, presented Governor Alfred E. Smith with a ten gallon hat. The presentation was made at the depot just before the Governor left for Niagara Falls. Visitors along Albany's film row (luring the past week included Sam Hochstim, of Hudson ; Len Garvey, of New Hartford; and H. B. Davidson, of the Casino, in Waterford. Howard Looney, connected with the Albany TimesUnion for twenty-one years, is now the manager of the Clinton Square Theatre, in Albany, succeeding John Garry, who has become secretary to C. H. Buckley, owner of this theatre as well as the Leland. Uly S. Hill, managing director of the Stanley houses in Albany and Troy, was honored last week by the Rotary Club in being named on important committees for the coming year. The American Theatre, in Troy, closed last Saturday night and will not reopen until the latter part of August. Louis Saperstein will continue as manager. Two and one-half hours after Catherine Smith, daughter of Governor and Mrs. Alfred E. Smith, was married last week, motion pictures of the wedding were shown at Proctor's Grand Theatre in Albany. Frank X. Shay, one of the owners of the Happy Hour Theatre in Schenectady, is planning to leave next week on a motor trip to Montreal. There was a large attendance last Monday morning at a meeting of all exchange managers, salesmen and bookers in Albany. The meeting was held at the rooms of the Albany Film Board of Trade, and was presided over by Howard Morgan, who explained the various phases of the new contract. On Monday afternoon there were meetings of the Film Board of Trade and also the Arbitration Board. James Rose has resigned as booker at Warner Brothers exchange in Albany, in order to accept a position on the sales staff of the Pathe exchange. Eva Goldstein will do the booking at the Warner Brothers exchange. Rhea Carmody*, of the Pathe forces in Albany, is spending her vacation at Astoria, L. I. Ely Rosenbaum, manager of the Hippodrome in Ogdensburg, was in Ithaca, last week, where his son graduated from Cornell University. Daylight saving was defeated in Whitehall, last week, at a village election by a vote of 494 to 247. This is the second time the proposition has been defeated. The fight against daylight saving was led by the theatres and the railroad men. Baltimore A ONE story theatre building to seat about 1400 persons is to be built in Martinsburg, W. Va., by New York and Philadelphia interests according to F. Vernon Aler, who is said to represent those interests in that city. The cost is to be about $350,000 it is said and the building will measure 52 by 152 feet. A Marr-Colton organ costing about $25,000 will be one of the principal features. Norman Clark. Jr., son of Norman Clark, dramatic and movie editor and critic of the Baltimore News, has just graduated from Fishburn Military Academy. Staunton, Va. The boy has won a number of honors and medals and was third in a large class. He will go to Johns Hopkins University in the fall. Arrangements have been made by Louis and Nathan Macfiat, of the Motion Picture Guild, Inc., to have the Little Theatre here, remain open during the entire summer. A large exhaust fan has been installed in the playhouse, and side fans have been installed also. Bill Busch, for a long time con nected with the film activities of Baltimore, has become connected with Gotham Productions as salesman for this territory. Roger Kemp, manager of the Garden Roof dance pavilion, over the New Garden theatre here, has left Baltimore for a vacation in Europe. Lawrence Schanberger, manager of the Keith-Albee New Garden, has introduced a new service into his playhouse, of serving ice water to his patrons during the summer. The new service started June 6. Ushers go down the aisles with trays of glasses at intervals throughout the day. All the houses in Baltimore have had their seats covered with summer linen coats and at all the first run houses open, the ushers and doormen have appeared in their new Spring suits. A three story apartment, store and theatre building is planned for Marion, Va., by C. S. Wassum, to cost about $100,000. The seating capacity of the theatre will be about 1200 persons. It was designed by Eubank and Caldwell, architects, Roanoke, Va. George Jacobs, manager of the Goldfield Theatre here, operated by the Associated Theatres Company, has returned from the West, where lie has been on account of ill health. The Maryland Theatre here, a legitimate house, was rented out during the past week for exhibition dances by members of two dancing academies and to a show from New York. Due to a delay in arrangements for his work in Toledo, Ohio, with a theatre company there, W. J. McGowan. assistant manager at Keith's Hippodrome here, has remained here for two weeks longer. Billy Goodman, son of Julius Goodman, proprietor iff the Ideal Theatre, Hampden, Baltimore, Md., has gone to Camp Airy in the Blue Ridge Mountains for the summer. J. S. Grecnbcrger. publicity representative of the United Artists Corporation of the New York office, arrived in Baltimore recentlv. Arrangements have been made by Louis and Nathan Machat. of the Motion Picture Guild, Inc.. to have the Little Theatre here, remain open during the entire summer. EMPIRE LABORATORIES INC. 723 Seventh Ave., N. Y. Quality Bryant 5437-5736-2180 DEVELOPING AMD PRINTING MOTION PICTURE FILM