Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

2200 Motion Picture News Central Perm MANAGERS of seventeen theatres of Allentown and vicinity have just formed the Allentown Managers' Protective Association for business and social purposes. Dr. Benjamin H. Stuckert. manager of the Strand was elected president, and the other officers are : vice president, D. E. Knorr, Pergola; treasurer, Frank D. Mickley, Earle ; secretary, Robert M. Ferenbaugh, Colonial. The board of directors consists of : Walter J. Hurley, State, chairman and Harry Gammett, Lyric, in addition to the officers. C. Floyd Hopkins, of Harrisburg, district director of the Wilmer & Vincent theatres in that city and Reading, who has been chosen "Admiral" for the annual fourday "cruise" which the members of the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce will take to Toronto and return, in September, left Harrisburg on June 22 at the head of the committee of arrangements to make a preliminary tour of the cities to be visited. The purpose was to complete all details of entertainment for the cruise in September. After the final show on May 30, the Arcadia theatre, Reading, closed for all time, the site to be used for the new million-dollar Astor theatre, construction of which has been going on for a number of months. Three other theatres had previously occupied the same location. The Arcadia was opened in 1916 by the Carr & Schad circuit, and later came into control of the Franklin Theatre Company which is erecting the Astor. The latter theatre, which, will seat 3,000, will be opened on Labor Day if present plans carry. William D. Ascough, former head of the Victoria theatre, Mahanoy City, and more recently manager of a theatre in New York City, has just been made managing director of the Jack Linder Vaudeville Agency, 1576 Broadwav, New York City. Edward J. Melniker, former manager of Loew's Regent theatre, Harrisburgh, was a recent visitor here. Mr. Melniker is now manager of the new Loew-United Artists theatre in Columbus, Ohio. Mathias P. Moller, veteran head of the Moller Organ Company, manufacturer of pipe organs, in Hagerstown, Md., was host on June 18 to a group of thirty members of the Harrisburgh Organists' Association, who motored to the plant. The association includes many organists employed in theatres in Harrisburgh and vicinity. While it is established that the Comerford chain, of Scranton, which recently bought the Strand theatre, Carlisle, from Robert A. Steele, has been negotiating for the purchase of a second Carlisle theatre — the Orpheum, owned by David S. Cooper — both M. E. Comerford, head of the Scranton concern, and Mr. Cooper stated on June 20 that at that time they had not agreed as to terms. Miss Fay Wray, motion picture star who, among other roles, played as the Salvation Army heroine opposite Emil Jannings in "The Street of Sin," was married on June 15 in Easton, Md., to John Monk Saunders, author and former husband of Avis Hughes, daughter of Rupert Hughes. M. H. Goodman, formerly with the Feeley theatres in Hazleton and more recently with the Com erford circuit in Scranton, has been appointed publicity director for Green & Altman's Equity circuit, of which he becomes an assistant general manager. He was for six months associated with the East Theatre Managers' Association, in New York. Charles H. Newbaker, recently elected Sheriff of Dauphin county, owner of the Strand and Standard theatres, Steelton, has been elected a member of the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce, as announced in the June bulletin of the Chamber. Improvements costing $50,000 are being made to the Opera House, Girardville, operated by Frank Hollister. The seating capacity will be increased to 1,000. More than 500 children witnessed the second annual free motion picture show for youngsters at the Victoria Theatre, Danville, June 14, under the auspices of the Danville Boys' Life Committee. There were three especially selected films and a feature of the program was a recital by Miss Inez Hughes, the house organist. Cleveland OVERSEATING in neighborhood locations is given as the reason for combining two local competitive motion picture theatres, and operating them as one unit. The houses are the Plaza, East 152nd St. near St. Clair Ave., which belonged to the Washington circuit, and the Five Points, St. Clair Ave. at East 152nd St., which belonged to the Ohio Amusement Company. Phil Gleichman of the Ohio Amusement Company, and M. B. Horwitz of the Washington circuit, have formed the United Theatres Corporation to onerate these two theatres in an effort to put them on a paying basis. They claim that business has fallen off due to overseating in the neighborhood. Two theatres have been built in the vicinity of the Five Points and the Plaza within the past year, and a third is now under construction. Operating in opposition to one other resulted in financial loss to both. Operating under the same banner, they can be made profitable, say Gleichman and Horwitz, by closing one of the houses for five days a week, diverting all the business during the week to one house and cutting down overhead. It is stated that other neighborhoods suffering likewise from overseating, will be similarly treated. Joseph Leon of Timely Films, New York, spent a few days in and around Cleveland last week. Mr. Leon was busy interesting exhibitors in exploiting the Grantland Rice Sport lights. He also stressed the short subjects, Aesop's Fables, Topics of the Day, the Smittig comedies, all released through Pathe, and Curiosities, -released through F B O. The Cleveland Film Golf Tournament did not take place on June 22nd as scheduled. Continuous rains had dampened the ardor of the film golf enthusiasts. Also, many exchange managers had to be out of town. Another date for the tournament will be announced later. Carl Hohage has joined the Ohio Amusement Company. He will book for some of the theatres in the circuit. Hohage was formerly Paramount booker. John F. Royal, recently advanced from manager of the Keith Palace; theatre, Cleveland to be general manager of all the Keith houses in the eastern division, left last week to make his headquarters in New York. Frank R. Hines now occupies the sanctum sanctorum of house manager. The Southern theatre, one of the Ohio Amusement Company's houses, is operating Saturday and Sunday only during the summer. The Lincoln, another of the company's theatres, has opened a short revival season with Vitaphone. "The Jazz Singer" was the first picture to be shown. Harry Lande, former independent Cleveland distributor, has opened an exchange in Pittsburgh at 1030 Forbes St. Lande will distribute the new Buck Jones westerns in Pennsylvania. He has also closed for the western Pennsylvania distribution rights to Hanaphone, new talking movie device. Earl Setron of Smith and Setron Printon company has returned from a two weeks' automobile trip to New York. Portland, Ore, THE majority of the film distributors along the row agree with one of the popular editorial writers that nowadays it is perpetual adaptability to changing conditions and keeping everlastingly at it as being the only way to secure their share of the business. The Kelso Amusement Company which owns both the Vogue and Liberty theatres, has disposed of the Blue Mouse theatre in the adjoining town of Kalama to H. F. Paul and Alex McPherson, who also own the theatre at Westport, Ore., and at Cathlamet, Wash. Mr. McPherson will have charge at the Kalama Theatre. Work is being speeded up on the new Capitol Theatre, and it has been decided by the owners that H. L. Aikens will be manager of the new house. A number of exhibitors from Willamette Valley points and also from other parts of Oregon, dropped in for the Rose Festival parades. Other theatre changes reported on the row include the sale of the Senate Theatre in the suburbs to P. A. Carlin and E. Butler. The Pioneer Theatre at Powers, Ore., has been sold by George Stewart to Henry Morgan. Tom Walsh, F B O salesman is hitting the high spots of Montana. H. Mendez, Fox representative is now making a survey of conditions in the entire country as relates to the moving picture business with the idea of making a detailed report.