Motography (Apr-Dec 1911)

November, 1911. MOTOGRAPHY 247 Among the Picture Theaters PERSONAL NOTES. Richard R. Nehls, long and favorably known to the motion picture industry, has joined the forces of the American Film Manufacturing Company, Chicago. He takes the place made vacant by the resignation of A. M. Kennedy. The American is to be congratulated upon the addition of so valuable a man to its staff. Mr. Nehls has enjoyed a large and varied experience in the motion picture trade. His first acquaintance with motion pictures dates back some twelve years when the business was still in its infancy. At that time he had charge of the motion picture mail-order business of Montgomery Ward & Company, when that company did an extensive business in equipping ruralities and farmers with projecting films and machines. Pioneers in the field will remember when this form of exploitation was much in vogue; the exhibitors going from town to town wherever an audience could be obtained. Mr. Nehls was also for some years head of the importing department of the Kleine Optical Company, where his duties as film critic afforded an extraordinary opportunity to acquire an enviable knowledge of the trade. Mr. Nehls is a native Chicagoan, having been born in that city in 1875. He was given every opportunity in the way of an education, receiving his early training from private instructors. He spent three years in Concordia College, Milwaukee, Wis., and possesses an excellent training in business management and can qualify as electrical engineer. He was for some years the executive head of a prosperous business of his own. Friends of Mr. Nehls will be glad to hear of his new connection. His wide knowledge of the business, his large circle of friends, coupled with his natural aggressiveness and keen business insight, promise more and better things for the American. Samuel S. Hutchinson, president of the American Film Manufacturing Company, Chicago, has purchased of Edward Hines, the millionaire lumber magnate, an exceptionally fine piece of Chicago property on which the genial president of the American expects to erect a magnificent home. Chicago daily papers, commenting on the big deal, have called it one of the really big purchases of the year. Mr. Hutchinson, it is said, will erect a residence costing in excess of $50,000 and which is expected to be one of the show places of the famous Chicago lake shore. The property has a wesc frontage and a ground area of 50 by 250 feet to the lake. E. N. Weart & Company, Chicago, were the brokers who negotiated the deal. George D. Mclntyre, well known for his long association with the Actors' Society, has resigned from the management of the Grace George company and assumed the general management of the Independent Motion Picture Distributing and Sales Company, headquarters 111 East Fourteenth street, New York. William H. Bell, the popular manager of the Spoor branch, General Film Company, Chicago, has accepted a place on the staff of the Greater J. D. Williams' Amusement Company of Australia and will sail from Vancouver November 29. Mrs. Bell will accompany her husband. Motion picture men in Spokane and Chicago will miss these pleasant people. Leaving Chicago they will visit in Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Spokane and Portland before sailing. ROLL OF THE STATES. ALABAMA. The Iris, a popular moving picture theater of Greenville, formerly operated by P. L. Lane and Sam Morris, has been taken over by the latter who will continue to operate the same while Mr. Lane will open a moving picture house at Andalusia. ARKANSAS. A moving picture theater will be opened at Prairie Grove by J. W. Cohea and others. CALIFORNIA. The Columbia theater of Santa Rosa is now open every evening as a motion picture house. The "Photo" is the name of a Fresno moving picture house taken over by Messrs. Turner and Dahnken, who operate a number of other theaters on the coast, all of which are high grade and the same excellent features will be found in this new house. Especial attention is paid to the music in all these houses, the Photo Player having been developed by this firm and artists trained to manipulate the instrument. A. B. Clark of Pacific Grove writes us that he has purchased D's theater in that city, known also as the Bon Bon, and is conducting it under the name of the Colonial. The civic center committee, composed of ten representative men and women of Berkeley, is planning for a municipally-owned moving picture theater in that city. It is proposed to purchase a machine and install it in the high school auditorium, where the best educational pictures will be shown periodically. The Broadway theater of Oakland has discontinued vaudeville and is now devoted to high grade pictures exclusively. Plans have been prepared for a moving picture theater to be erected at Pico and Albany streets, Los Angeles, for Mrs. Carey. Articles of incorporation have been filed for the Bear Motion Picture Film Manufacturing company at Los Angeles; capital stock, $75,000. The incorporators are Dr. C. William Bachman, Edwin K. Alpaugh, Joseph Rittigstein, Charles K. French, Gertrude M. Bachman. The Grand theater at San Diego will present moving pictures under the management of F. W. Ruhnow, manager of the Union moving picture theater in that city. The Ammex Motion Picture Company recently incorporated with F. W. Randolph as general manager, will open a plant at National City for the manufacture of motion pictures. Western pictures and Spanish scenes will be the principal productions in the beginning. The offices of the company will be at San Diego. Paul Biel, who operatees the theater at 2604 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, will build an addition to his house at an expenditure of $3,000. COLORADO. Messrs. Ryan and Show of Manitou will conduct a moving picture theater at 410 Colorado avenue, Colorado Springs. A. Kohn, proprietor of the Idle Hour theater at Colorado Springs, will erect another vaudeville and moving picture house in that city, which will have a seating capacity of about 400 and the stage will accommodate stock company. It will probably be completed by January 1. CONNECTICUT. A new moving picture theater has been opened in the Congress Square building, Church street and Congress avenue, New Havej. Nothing has been spared to make this one of the best in any New England city. The Orpheum, recently opened at Putnam, is one of the handsomest moving, picture" nouses in the state. DELAWARE. The Majestic is the name of a handsome new moving picture theater opened at Seventh and Market streets, Wilmington, by the Wilmington Stores company of which Charles Topkis is president. The exterior of the structure is iron and brick, the interior is handsomely decorated and the ventilation is as complete as can be devised. The lighting system is also unique. The house will be under the management of Henry E. Jodoin, who has wide experience. GEORGIA. The Montgomery Amusement company, which operatees moving picture houses in Atlanta and Jacksonville, and is one of the greatest concerns of its kind in the South, has secured the Lyric theater in Valdosta and will spend about $10,000 in transforming it into one of the best equipped theaters in that section. This will make two picture houses for the place, the Grand being the other. The Interstate Amusement company of Rome has increased its capital stock to $9,000 for the purpose of taking