Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

382 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XIX, No. 8 Turn Theaters Over for Worship Indiana Exhibitors Show Patriotism by Permitting Services to Be Held So Churches Can Close and Save Coal THEATER OWNERS OF INDIANA not only have complied with all orders of the various fuel administrations without a murmur, but in some instances threw open their houses for divine worship so the churches could save coal. At Goshen, where the Jefferson theater was used for union services, it was estimated that more persons were present than ordinarily would have attended their respective churches. So far as is known the closing orders worked very little havoc with general revenues, for where some empty seats might have been evident at performances before the fuel orders applied, every big theater now is full to the brim on nights they are allowed to remain open. Many houses were in dire need of fuel during the recent cold wave. It practically was impossible to obtain any large supplies of fuel during those days and unless a big stock was on hand the theaters were forced to close. Many houses in the small towns hurriedly obtained supplies of wood to use as a substitute for coal. Most of the larger theaters in Indianapolis were successful in obtaining coal. In some instances, however, the theaters were cold. The coming of warmer weather relieved the situation. Large stocks of coal will be laid in by all the theaters this spring and summer, the managers say, as they realize that if the war continues another year, it will be up to them to obtain all the coal they need for next winter before the winter sets in. dent; John J. Huebner, Jr., second vicepresident; Otto Luedeking, treasurer; William H. Wilson, sergeant-at-arms. The league will meet in the near future and elect its officers from these candidates. Fight for Sunday Shows The Sunday closing question has been re-opened in Birmingham, Ala., and the fight threatens to surpass those of former days. A year ago a campaign was started in that city by a group of radicals who wished to close the theaters on Sunday, but permission was granted the managers to continue Sunday shows until it was decided whether their influence was good or bad. Nothing further was done until February 5, when a committee from the Birmingham Pastors' Union and laymen of the various churches appeared before the city commission and asked that body to discontinue the operation of Sunday theaters. Exhibitors see a hot fight before them. Runs Film Three Weeks A telegram received at the New York headquarters of the Famous PlayersLasky Corporation announces that Clune's Auditorium in Los Angeles has just started on its third week's run of the new Douglas Fairbanks-Artcraft picture, "A Modern Musketeer," which was produced under the direction of Allan Dwan several months ago in the Grand Canyon. It is stated that the business on this picture has been so tremendous that the Auditorium will perhaps hold the feature over for four weeks. Two Tickets in Election At a meeting of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, the nominating committee made the following report: Red Ticket — F. L. Emmert, president; A. G. Hettesheimer, first vice-president; J. A. Ackerman, second vice-president; John J. Huss, treasurer; Frank Willenborg, sergeant-at-arms. Blue Ticket — I. W. McMahan, president; Otto Dieckmann, first vice-presi May Hold Sunday Shows Exhibitors in New London, Conn., may be granted the right to hold Sunday shows as a war-time measure, with a view to meeting the recreation needs of the many soldiers and sailors in the neighborhood of that city, according to Orrin G Cocks, advisory secretary of the Motion Picture Board of Review, who has completed a tour of eastern cities near training camps. Mutual-Chaplins Popular Keith's Theater at Buffalo has hit a high mark with the series of twelve Mutual-Chaplin comedies. The entire series has been repeated eight times, a total of 96 runs from twelve releases. Gets Big Crowds by Using Telephone Oregon Exhibitor Invites Every One in Town to See "Man Without a Country" and the Majority Respond Clara Kimball Young as she appears in the new Select picture, "The House of Glass." AH. McDONALD, owner of the • Rex Theater, Eugene, Ore., does not believe in sitting around and waiting for business to come to him. Having been in the moving picture field for a number of years, he insists that while it may have been the practical thing back in the prophet Elijah's time to wait for the ravens to feed you, you've got to go after business with both fists a'swinging if you want to start things coming your way. The other day McDonald ran the Jewel production, "The Man Without a Country," to a capacity business. This, in spite of the tales of woe concerning poor industrial conditions that others in his section of the country were relating. The reason for his success was due to a spirit of aggressiveness plus a telephone. McDonald pays a fixed monthly rental for his phone. Realizing that he had booked an attraction possessing more than ordinary interest, he promptly took steps to tell all the folks owning phones in his town about the picture. They were interested. They thanked him for his thoughtfulness and1 promised to be on hand when the feature was shown. What was more important, the majority did come. Of course it was a trifle hard on the telephone girls. Some of them have threatened to quit the next time McDonald decides to use his phone as a first aid to business. But the Oregonian exhibitor proposes to make use of this novel medium just as often as he has a picture that is worth boosting. 1