Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1914)

268 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD Toronto Exposition Closes While the Exhibitors Held No Meetings, Many Attended the Show — Some Catne from Out of Town. By George Blaisdell. THE first trade exposition under the auspices of the exhibitors of Toronto was not the success its sponsors had hoped for. Unquestionaljly the experience gained this year will enable the promoters so to haildle affairs in the future that the public will be brought to the show and arrangements made to entertain them; and, of course, what is of more importance to the trade, the exhibitors of Canada will be assured that the showing of motion picture appliances will be so extensive they cannot afford to miss it. The exposition was held in the great Arena, and was opened on June 20. It closed on June 27. In the World of last week was given the names of the booth-holders. It had been announced that the third convention of the exhibitors would be held in the same building during the week. Up to Thursday evening there had been no meeting, and the prospect was that none would be held. Quite a number of exhibitors dropped in at the hall from time to time, most of , them on Thursday, on which day the Universal Exchange was in charge of the entertainment for the public. It was the first tangible recognition of the exposition by the public, and it turned out to see Annette Kellermann in the sevenTeel production of "Neptune's Daughter." The picture was sent up from New York especially for the showing, and made a pronounced hit. It had never been seen in Canada hefore. The censors passed it on Wednesday. No alterations were made, on the understanding that it be exhibited ■only in the Arena, but Chairman Armstrong said it was possible there would be one or two minor eliminations in case the picture should be shown in a Toronto theatre. The Universal Exchange also distributed many hundred pinks as well as fans carrying the photographs of players. It was a lively day and evening. Henry Fischer, the manager for Toronto of Warner's Features, was much in evidence during the week. His booth was near the door, and no exhibitor got by without being nailed. He is a real entertainer, and he had some expert associates, among them Dave Warner. The Universal crew also was on the job, and so, too, were the Power and Simplex men and the Wyanoak bunch. The Wurlitzer organ was one of the big attractions. R. H. Cockburn, of the Sturgeon Falls Opera House, came ■down from the Cobalt district to see the show and incidentally buy an automobile. He says there is fine fishing up in his country — and Cockburn looks the real host. Incidentally he tells us there is a strong picture community in Sturgeon Falls. Mr. Mannist, who controls the Gayety, Princess and Lyceum in Port Arthur, 900 miles northwest of Ontario, came to town to look over the show. Also he wanted to examine the plans of the Arena; Mr. Mannist is going to put up a structure 100 by 350, which will, in many respects, duplicate the exposition hall. It will contain a ballroom^ skating rink and last, but not least, a picture theatre. Asked as to how he found the picture business, he replied tersely: "If you get the stuff you get the money." When he took hold of the first of his houses in Port Arthur he started right in to build up business. As a beginner he brought on from Chicago a Hungarian orchestra, for which he paid $225 a vi'eek. And he says he got the business fast and plenty. George Magie, the confidential representative of the exexecutive officers of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, dropped in on the show on Wednesday night. Mrj Magie got the glad hand at the World booth. It was a familiar face from old N. Y., and it looked, if possible, better than usual. The well-known film man covers in his travels for the Universal a wide range of country — from St. John, N. B., to Vancouver in Canada alone. He has recently taken over for his company the seven Canadian exchanges of Allen Brothers. In six of these he has installed new managers. He instituted new methods of control, put in a large number of new pictures, and reports that everything is running very smoothly. He says that under the new regime business has markedly increased. It is Mr. Magie, by the way, that the exhibitors and people of Toronto have to thank for the showing of "Neptune's Daughter." Gordon L. Smith, of the Victoria Theater, Montreal, representing also the Perkins Electric Company, 1 imited, was present during the week. C. M. Burroughs, of the Princess Theater, Sudbury, was accompanied by his manager, W. B. Walker. John Powell, of the Grand Opera House, Barrie, was in attendance at the show during the middle of the week. W. I. Kemp, of the Classic Theatre, Stratford, as pleasant to meet as he is big in frame, was a caller at the World booth. Mr. Kemp says that while he subscribes for the Moving Picture World he often has difficulty in keeping track of his copy. His five children are always on the watch for the arrival of the paper, and Mr. Kemp says that only after the children and Mrs. Kemp have each devoured its contents does he get a look-in. He considers this an unusual tribute to a trade publication. The Classic seats 625 persons, and shows straight pictures. Speaking about the popularity of certain kinds of pictures, Mr. Kemp says that while he has a fine patronage, he notices that his receipts do not show very strong on days he runs a historical or a scenic subject. He says a scenic may get by sometimes. It has been his experience that criticism of pictures comes mainly from those who so far as he can learn never attend picture shows. Mr. Kemp's progressiveness is indicated by the care he plainly gives to the selection of his subjects and to the scrutiny which he personally gives them before putting them before his patrons. Mr. Schierholtz, who runs the Gem Theater in Aylmer, looked over the exhibits. So also did Jack Cairns, traveling Canadian representative for the World Film Corporation. Mr. Cairns is an old-time exhibitor, one of the pioneers in Canada. He says business is good throughout Canada with the possible exception of Toronto. There, he says, there are too many theatres — the big houses are eating up the little ones. Vaudeville business he reports in a bad way. The Griffin Circuit has cut out vaudeville in most of its big houses. Mr. Cairns says the elimination of vaudeville has had a disastrous effect on the personal fortunes of the men and women engaged in this branch of entertainment. George O. Philip, of the Star Theatre, Berlin, dropped in at the World booth. For five years, he says, he has been a subscriber to the World — "How do you suppose a man can do business without it?" is the way he puts it. Mr. Philip has in his time controlled six houses, which he has built up and disposed of to his profit. He was in evidence duringthe evenings, and among his other activities kept things moving in the hall devoted to dancing. Bert M. Moran, representing in Canada "The Million Dollar Mystery," reported this new feature going strong. It opened at the Toronto Strand on June 22 to big business. John De Gruchy, one of the pioneer motion picture exhibitors in Scotland, was a caller at the World booth. Mr. De Gruchy's son, Edward, is the manager of Queen's Hall, Laistergate, Bradford, England. Our visitor told of the days wlien he showed pictures on a 4 by 6 screen and was obliged to use water condensers to keep his lamphouse from "burning up." At the Glasgow Exposition in 1901 Mr. De Gruchy took forty night pictures which he showed afterward on slides. He believes he was one of the first to do this sort of work. He referred to the days when a hundred-foot subject was considered really big. Mr. Till, of the Conness-Till Film Company, Limited, of Toronto, was a visitor at the show on Thursday evening. He said his studio was nearly completed, the floor having been laid on that day. It is his intention to begin production in about si.x weeks. It is intended to make regulation dramatic and comedy subjects. Already he has under engagement two directors with experience in the larger companies in the States, and a third one, a man of whom Mr. Till expects great things, will join the company at the conclusion of his present engagement. The executive office of the company at 1 Adelaide Street East. W. A. Campbell and Samuel Bailee, of the United Features, were present on Wednesday evening. (And there's another story.) Mr. Campbell said that up to a short time ago there were thirteen exchanges licensed to do business in the Province of Ontario, most of them right in the city. Several new ones had been opened recently. He said he thought the exchange business was being overdone, and that it looked to him like a case of the survival of the fittest. "Exhibitors tell me that three or four representatives of exchanges visit them every night, trying to drum up business," he said. "Some of the showmen are getting so they will not talk with exchangemen any more — they are tired of seeing them." Among the Toronto film men seen were E. G. Noble, traveling representative of the Consolidated; Charles Laidlaw, of the Savoy; J. D. Thompson, of the Laretta; W. R. Westcott, of the Arena and the King; Art. Larente, formerly with the General Film Company, but now Toronto manager of the Mutual Film Corporation; H. T. Dobson, of the King; J. Aber, of the Duchess; M. Gebirtig, of the Savoy and the Bluebell; Ralph Reesor, of the \'aughan; Louis Fiegehen, of the Eclipse; Charles Allen, of Allen & Ryan, of the Wytchwood, and M. A. Aziz, of the Comique. The Rev. W. R. Armitage, of Wycliflfe College, was one of