Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

November 7 , 1925 2133 Riesenfeld Resigns Theatre Post Sees Period of Sharp Competition Looming, With Individual Personalities Temporarily Submerged by Machine CONSIDERABLE surprise was occasioned in Broadway film circles this week by the announcement that Dr. Hugo Riesenfeld had resigned his post as managing director of the Kialto, Rivoli and Criterion theatres, the Famous Players New York first run houses. This will take effect at the end of this year, at which time he will probably take a well earned rest before determining his future plans. It is known that he is leaving the theatres on the friendliest of terms with Adolph Zukor and other Paramount officials, and the move does not constiute a "break" between Dr. Riesenfeld and Famous Players. Strongest of all, perhaps, is the fact that he has labored unceasingly for nearly ten years, with a steady growing burden of detail and routine, and, as he expresses it, wants to arrange a connection where he can find a little time to enjoy life. "Of course 1 will be back on Broadway," he said, with a smile. "My life has become so closely bound up with motion pictures that I probably could not stay away if I wanted to. Just when and where this will be, 1 am not prepared to say at the moment, but I hope that I can arrange it so thatl can devote a little more time to my family, my friends, my books — all of the things which make life worth the living, and which I have had to neglect so sadly during these busy years." Several Offers Made It is understood that within an hour of the announcement of his withdrawal from the Rialto, Rivoli and Criterion, he received offers from several of the leading theatre firms. Conjectures along Broadway were to the effect that he might follow S. L. Rothafel's example in the construction of a theatre where he could give free expression to his own ideas of presentation and management. No statement has been made which would confirm this, but Dr. Riesenfeld has expressed the ambition to have a house of vast seating capacity, in one of the poorer neighborhoods, where the best music, pictures and presentations could be brought to the real "masses" at a popular price, the large seating capacity and lower real estate value making possible the low admission price. This, however, he has merely expressed as an ideal, and it may have no bearing on his present plans. He expressed the belief, however, that New York theatre construction would have to follow the example of Chicago in the building of palatial neighborhood houses away from the present theatrical centre. The congestion of traffic, he pointed out, is becoming so great around Times Square that it handicaps a theatre located in that district. Suitable neighborhood houses, he believes, will keep people at home in their own districts, where they can reach the theatres more easily. The Martin Beck theatre, a legitimate house which opened last year, has a considerable advantage in that respect, in Dr. Riesenfeld's opinion, in that it is west of Eighth avenue and can be reached with much less annoyance and delay than those in the congested Broadway area. As a well informed and intelligent obenjoy "de movies." Dr. Hugo Riesenfeld. server of film conditions, Dr. Diesenfeld expressed some interesting views concerning the next period in the motion picture industry. Era of Competition "The coming era, as I see it," he said, "will be a period of sharp competition and struggle — one big combination against another big combination — one group of banking interests against another powerful group of banking interests — circuit against circuit — machine against machine — and for the time being, the individual will probably be more or less lost sight of. "We are living in the day of the machine. This is true not only of the picture industry but of life itself. The same thing applies in any line of business. The individual does not count greatly at the moment. "But this will all change. It cannot go on indefinitely. However powerful the machine, it is the individual mind, the exceptional personality, that counts. You cannot do without the individual, and in the end, the individual will come into his rightful place." Dr. Riesenfeld's first connection with motion pictures dates back a decade to the period when the old Triangle company engaged the Knickerbocker theatre as a Broadway first run house. Here he made important contributions to the then infant art of musical accompaniment to motion pictures. Prior to the Knickerbocker engagement, he was a composer and conductor here and in Europe, have written the score for two produced musical comedies, as well as a large number of overtures, symphonies, and other orchestral music. He has been with the three Famous Players houses since their inception, his con nection dating back some nine and a half years. He was a pioneer in the welding of the best music, the best photoplays and high class dance divertisements and vocal and instrumental specialties into a unified presentation, and he is one of the small group of men recognized as leaders in the field of artistic program building. With F. P.-L. Ten Years During his long term of service with Famous Players he has launched many of the outstanding productions which have made screen history, creating presentations for them and arranging music scores which have later played an important part in their success. His name has become virt. ally synonomous with the three Broadway houses under his direction, and news of his forthcoming plans will be awaited with interest. Seattle Loses Another First Run House Seattle, Washington, once a city of 300,000 with eight first run motion picture houses, is now a city of 400,000 with but five first run theatres to its credit. This was the situation that became effective the latter part of October, when the Heilig Theatre was suddenly bought by the Henry Duffy Stock Company of San Francisco and Los Angeles, thus eliminating what has been for the last year an active, although unsuccessful, first run picture theatre. The Duffy Players, after appearing at the Metropolitan Theatre in Seattle for the summer, have just obtained a ten year lease on the Heilig, and will reopen it as a stock house under a new name the middle of November. The seating capacity of the house will be decreased from 1,900 to 1,300, and $50,000 worth of repairs and renovations will be made before the opening. The purchase of the Heilig leaves several of the leading film producers "out in the cold" as far as their 1925-26 product is concerned. Junior Movies Approved In N. Y. State Junior movies at the Troy, New York, theatre last Saturday attracted a record breaking crowd that completely filled the theatre. The movies are being held under the auspices of the Parent-Teachers association of the city, with Boy Scouts assisting as ushers. Mrs. Wilson A. Mark has suggested that the Parent-Teacher association of Batavia, N. Y., sponsor a juvenile motion picture project. A committee has been appointed to act on the project and to report at the next meeting. The idea is to support such performances as special Saturday morning shows for the children. The Star theatre on William street, Buffalo, operated by James Cooban, is trying out five cent matinees for children on Saturdays. The proposition to date is a big success and all the kids in the neighborhood forego their ice cream cones that day and Scenes from the Warner Bros, feature comedy "The