Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1915)

January 16, 1915 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD faatiire for his free show to orphan children in I>afayette the matinee before Christmas. Mr. Maurice provided special car service for the children to and 'from the Orphan Home, and each child was given candy and a present. L. C. Moses, manager of the New Era theater, Columbus, Ind., has been chai-ged with desertion and embezzlement by his wife. He has left Columbus, and " Mrs. Moses believes that he is in Lima, Ohio, or Evansville, Ind., in both of which towns he formerly owned theaters. Moving pictures dealing with Bible history were the principle feature of a big boys' meeting in the Y. M. C. A. in Indianapolis. A picture machine is to be made part of the equipment at the Y. M. C. A. The Renfax musical pictures are being shown at the Manhattan theater, Indianapolis. It is the initial appearance of the pictures in Indianapolis. Editor Scares Censors Takes Exception to Bl.ie Stocking Ideas of What Is Wholesome in Censoring Pictures—Argues for Spectators of Mere Normal Tastes— Says Exhibitor Has to Pay the Freight. By Prank H. Madison, Special Correspondent of Moving Picture World The editor of the Evanston, Illinois, Index thinks that a league formed by the women of that city to secure "wholesome motion pictures will not attain desired results. Illinois exhibitors who"" have played to slim houses while endeavoring to co-operate in the "wholesome picture" plan will agree with him on many points. "That which will be termed 'wholesome' by women of maturity of Judgment and some degree of good taste in literature," he says, "will be most certainly called 'dull' by the other and far larger class who frequent the 'movies' habitually. Here it will be necessary to perform that most difficult mental feat, see a matter of great personal interest from the point of view of another individual whose ideals, likes and dislikes are diametrically opposed to one's own. The second difficulty is that of regulating for others what neither they themselves nor their children patronize." By way of illustration he recalls the attempt made in Evanston last spring to "increase the wholesomeness of the Saturday picture shows. Mrs. Brown's children, who know and like the thrillers, thought the 'wholesome' pictures tiresome and stupid, and for once in their lives didn't want to go. Mrs. Smith's children, unaccustorned to attendance and unattracted by the promise of edifying pictures, elected to do some of those other things which are always available for the amusement of children in their walks of life." The obliging exhibitor "pays the freight." MAY CENSOR FOR MOLINE. Newspapers in Moline talk of "a movement on foot" to bar white slave films and to have the Chicago board do the censoring for Moline. Information as to any persons or organizations connected with the "movement" is lacking. A reprint of an item from a recent issue of The Moving Picture World telling of the Joliet lid on problem plays seems to be the basis of an "early-copy" story. OTHER ILLINOIS NOTES. The Christmas spirit was evident in manj Illinois picture houses. Santa Claus had a present for all patrons at the Globe in Tuscola on Christmas Eve. For several days prior to the holiday he drew upon a supply of 10,000 boxes of candy for youngsters visiting the Grand in Joliet. Manager W. W. Watts of the Vaudette, at Springfield, gave a special noon-day show for the poor children of tlie capital city. Manager .Scott put on three free shows at Jacksonville and delighted more than a thousand kiddies. Judge Harry Higbee took over the Knights of Pythias Opera House at Pittsfleld and gave a Christmas matinee of "The Princess of Bagdad" to all the children of the community. Johnson Brothers have opened their new family theater on Fourteenth avenue in Rockford. Bert Johnson is in charge. The house seats 245 persons. Mrs. Zelia Zah. who purchased the east side picture show at Mt. Pulaski has renamed it "The Idlehour." The house has been remodeled. which IS now under the management of W, E. Childs, has been remodeled Miss Ahcen Tiede is the pianist. A man with a camera picked off prominent citizens in Lacon and drew many new patrons Lyric-ward. The Gem theatre, at Sullivan, has been sold again— this time to a man from East St. Louis. The Crystal theatre, at Glastord, gives away a prize every show night. The Maine theatre, at Carmi, had as its Christmas Vitagraph feature "Uncle Bill " starring Anita Stewart and Billy Quirk Carmi favorites. A new moving picture show has been opened in the Just Building at Libertvville. An attractive mission style storm front has been added to the Elite theatre at Galesburg. Chris Taylor had a Bushman-Bayne New "i ear's Day at Dreamland theatre in Kewanee. "Every Inch a King" was booked tor the Kewanee lovers of Essanay romance. The Young Men's Club of Joliet is giving a lyeeum course in moving pictures at the Auditorium to secure funds for equipping the club rooms. Judge Willis Brown is lecturing the films, wliich include "The Boy and the Law," "The Girl and the Law," "The Child and the Beast," "Better Than a Millstone," "The Tramp," "A City of Boys," "Tom and the Raggedy Girl," "The Wizard of the Hills," "A Color Line" and "How Jimmy Substitued." Saunders' picture show at Harvard exhibited the Holeproof Hosiery industrialog for a local clothier for three days. "The Majestic theatre, at Bowen, has acquired the opera house as a winter home. A six-weeks contest for the selection of a child to be made happy with an electriclighted, bicycle-propelled automobile, has been started by the Princess theater at Areola. "The Shadow of the Cross," a mystery painting — a portrait of Christ visiijle in the darkness as well as in the light — supplemented the regular moving picture show at the Family theatre in Rock Island. Dreamland theatre, at Nebo, is now under the management of Unglaub & Main. Shows will be given Wednesday and Saturday nights. The Order of the Eastern Star had charge of a recent show at the Alamo theatre, in Plainfield. In order to get the children out of the way for the night crowds, the Eagle theatre, at Princeton, let them see the Chicago Tribune war pictures until 6 o'clock for 10 cents. This bill was made double alluring by adding the films of the dairy sho^v at Chicago. Matinee business at the Playhouse theater in Staunton is being boosted by publishing five-cent rebate coupons. Manager John H. Wilburn, of the Lyric theatre, at Ashland, bought a big supply of Red Cross seals and gave one with each ticket to "The Master Key." Wednesday, Dec. 23, -was Red Cross benefit day at the Royal theatre, in Sandwich. Ed Fellis, proprietor of the Opera House at Hillsboro, has installed stoves to 409 The New Majestic theatre at East St. Louis had the very appropriate Pathe, "The Life of Our Savior," for Christmas, and the days before and after. Patrons of the Oak Park theatre, at Oak Park, anxious to be assured seats, are responsible for that house's plan of reserving all seats at the first shows on holiday nights. Fear of a disease epidemic having passed, moving picture houses in Benton have been allowed to reopen. Fire destroyed the Grand Opera House at Charleston, causing loss of ?35,000. F. W. Jirock, of La Grange, has purchased the Park theater, on Lake, near Austin avenue, in Oak Park, from H. E. Krauth. Production of films at the much exploited and little used Zoo Park, north of Springfield, is the announced intention of the recently incorpor»ted Illinois Film Company of Springfield. Plans call for the transformation of the Arcade at the park into a studio. The grounds possess some attractive scenery. Earl J. Karm, former, manager of the Majestic theatre, in Springfield, has returned to the city and will be active in the work. H. V. Johnson, of Mobile. Ala., an experienced motion picture man, will have charge of the technical work. Local interest is big in the Thanhouser serial "Zudora." The author of the story, Daniel Carson Goodman, is a former Springfield boy, and his father still resides here. The Capitol theatre, on East Washington street, is enjoying a run on the mystery film. The films made at the recent Illinois State Fair "were run in connection with a regular show at the Princess theatre. Fifth street and Capitol avenue. George S. Riordan, formerly manager of the Majestic theater here, but now in charge of Butterfield's Bijou, at Flint, Mich., has been spending the holidays at home. Jack Yee, road manager for the Butterfield syndicate, was at Flint in his absence. "No clieap or reckless producer should be allo-wed to lay his hands upon the great master-pieces," declared Rev. L. G. Carpenter, pastor of the Universalist Church at Peoria, 111., in a sermon on "The Morals of the Movies." "When it comes to a consideration of the morals of the movies w^e may say that even as they are they constitute a very fair and respectable sort of entertainment," he said. As corrections in bettering the morals he suggested: "There Is too much use of liquor and tobacco. ... I would eliminate all 'problem plays,' such as 'The House of Bondage' and 'The White Slave.' " MICHIGAN ITEMS. By Frank H. Madison, Special Correspondent of Moving Picture World. Morris Frank has installed a new machine at Frank's opera house in Wayland. The Kozy theater at Ludington has installed a new aluminum mirror screen. Holiday matinee patrons at the Marion theater in Iron Mountain caught the first installment of "The Master Key," which was not started until that date. The Big Brothers of Grand Rapids had a Christmas morning picture show at the Empress theater for 2,000 children of that city. The Postum Cereal Company of Battle Creek has 1,000 feet of film, picturing the making of breakfast foods which is being run in theaters throughout the middle west. The Third Regiment band of Saginaw gave a concert in connection with the presentation of "The Spy" at the Auditorium in Saginaw. The Idle Hour theatre, at Hinckley, supplement his steam-heating equipment. ERROR IN MONTREAL COLUMN. Through an error in our Montreal News column last week the Noted Players Film Pnmpanv was credited with controlling "The Bells of Reims," whereas this picture is being handled by the Famous Players Film Service Limited.