Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

60 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 12. No. 4. BACHRACH JOINS WORLD FIELD FORCES HENRY E. FRIEDMAN has been assigned to the North Carolina territory by the Washington, D. C, office, for it is believed that by having one man in so large a territory better results can be obtained. For this same reason Alan J. Bachrach has been given the State of Virginia, and F. B. Spurrier, assistant manager for this territory, will give special attention to the Maryland business. Mr. Bachrach is the latest addition to the field forces of the World Film Corporation, for he made his initial visit to the Virginia exhibitors last week. Heretofore he has been engaged in the exhibition rather than the placing of motion picture films. During the past six years he has served as a manager for the Brylawski interests. He started in the film business in July, 1909, when he gave up the photographic studio he was then conducting at 1331 F street, northwest, to assume the management of the Pastime theatre on Pennsylvania avenue, near Sixth street. In September, 1912, he was transferred to the Casino theatre, at Seventh and F streets, where he remained until last April, when, upon the expiration of the lease, the house was vacated by his employers. He then became manager of the organization holding the District of Columbia license for the Spiegell slides, remaining in that capacity until associating himself with the World Film Corporation. Mr. Bachrach is a native of Baltimore, Md., and was born in that city November 18, 1881. He is a graduate of the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, class of 1898, and is well known and extremely popular in both cities. LANDE OF PITTSBURGH WILL HANDLE STANDARD PITTSBURGH, western Pennsylvania A and West Virginia territory for the Standard program has just been acquired by H. A. Lande. A pioneer in motion picture affairs, Mr. Lande has made an enviable reputation as an exchange expert and successful student of film conditions. Mr. Lande was associated with Albert and H. M. Warner for several years in the exchange business in Pittsburgh. Three thriving exchanges, all in Pittsburgh, are the outcome of their methods. One is now owned by the General Film Company, one by the Mutual Film Corporation. The third is under the proprietorship of Mr. Lande and will again share in the activities of Albert and H. M. Warner, who are prominent in the affairs of the Standard program. GOFF WILL SUPERVISE WESTERN V L S-E BRANCHES ANNOUNCEMENT is made by the V-L-S-E of several important changes in its field organization affecting the Cleveland and the San Francisco branches, and the entire western territory. A. W. Goff, who has done brilliant work as manager of the Big Four branch in Cleveland, has been sent to the coast as division manager of the western territory. In his new position he will supervise the work of all the far western branches and sub-offices. The place made vacant by Mr. Goff's promotion will be occupied by Sidney E. Abel, who has been prominently identified with the film business for a number of years. Mr. Abel has made arrangements to take immediate charge of the Cleveland branch, and direct the sales force connected with that office. A change in the management of the San Francisco branch is also reported by the V-L-S-E. R. B. Quive, well known in western film circles, will become branch manager in place of C. B. Price. Under Mr. Quive's management, great things are looked for from this far western V-L-S-E branch office. BIG FOX SIGN IS ATTRACTION IN SAN FRANCISCO '"THE Tivoli Opera House, San Fran* Cisco's largest motion picture theatre, and one of the finest houses devoted to photoplays in the country, has a management that believes it pays to advertise, as exemplified by the immense sign, the largest in San Francisco, erected by WILLIAM FOX new THEDA BflRA home: wjllIAM FARNUM °F NANCE ONEIL, THE TIVOLI THEATRE'S SIGN, MARKET STREET, SAN FRANCISCO them on Market street, the exposition city's main thoroughfare. The Tivoli runs William Fox attractions for not less than seven days, at twenty and twenty-five cents. Recently "A Fool There Was" with Theda Bara, played at this house for three weeks solid, with capacity business. W. J. Citron, the San Francisco Manager of the Fox Film Corporation, reports the same success with all William Fox productions. PAT HE OPENS OFFICE IN COLUMBUS THE Pathe exchange in Cincinnati has opened an office in Columbus with R. E. Brown, Columbus representative in charge, as an advertising branch of the Cincinnati office. The new office is equipped to give exhibitors in the Columbus territory a complete lay-out of all Pathe subjects. ENTHUSIASM OVER BUSINESS IN BOSTON RESTS ON SOLID BASIS YOU can't find a manager of a film exchange in Boston just at this time who will tell you that the picture outlook in New England is anything but the rosiest ever. It's their business to be optimistic, of course, but in this case the optimism seems to rest upon a foundation somewhat more solid than enthusiasm. For the New England theater-going public is crowding into the picture house regardless of the fact that old-time custom would keep them on the back piazza with a fan in one hand and a Y. M. C. A. cocktail in the other. Recently the film business was tided over part of what usually is the hot season by a lot of cold rainy weather. Now the hot weather is coming along more steadily, but the crowds keep coming to the film shows. For instance, in Boston "The Birth of a Nation" continues to play to good business. Special advertising stunts around through the country districts are waking the people up and loading them into special trains now and then for a trip to see the Griffith film. The other theatres in Boston are not lacking in attendance, while reports from the smaller places throughout the district are most encouraging. Gradually the exhibitor is beginning to feel his oats on the subject of advertising, and all in all there bids to be a merry little time of it next fall and winter. SURPRISE BANQUET TENDERED YARR IN MILWAUKEE A SURPRISE banquet was tendered to A. E. Yarr, retiring manager of the Milwaukee office of the Casino Feature Film Company of Detroit, on the evening of July 14, in the Badger room of the Hotel Wisconsin. Plates were set for fifteen. The table was headed by E. H. Hoyt of the Metro Film Service, Minneapolis, as toastmaster, and he called upon J. Gallagher of the MidWest Feature Company, Minneapolis, who responded by giving an interesting talk of conditions in his territory. Louis B. Goulden, president of the Goulden Film Corporation, had the table in roars of laughter by his clever imitations of two local film characters. Sam Norville, of the Milwaukee Feature Film Company, responded with his original poem, "Remorse." Walter A. Baier, of the Jacobs Film Booking Offices, responded with an interesting talk on film conditions in Wisconsin and Minnesota. • Mr. Yarr tried to respond but was overcome with emotion, but nevertheless managed to thank those present for their good will. Best wishes were extended to B. C. Smith, who succeeds Mr. Yarr as manager of the local office of the Casino Company. Others present were S. J. Smith, Princess theatre, Sioux Falls, S. D. ; S. R. Clingan and W. Loranger of the Casino Company, Detroit; Max Wiesner, World Film, Chicago; W. Brimmer, M. Kann and V. De Lorenzo of the local Universal office, and Frank T. De Lorenzo of the Badger Poster Mounting Company.