Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

58 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 1, 1927 Chicago Theatre Work Rushed for Opening Moving Picture World Bureau, Chicago, III., Dec. 28. FOR the new year, the Chicago movie patrons will have several fine new theatres to select from for their evening’s amusement. The first house to be opened will be the Ascher circuit's Sheridan Theatre at Sheridan road and Irving Park boulevard, seating 3,500; the next slated for opening is the Schoenstadt circuit's Piccadilly Theatre in the Hj-de Park section ; then the Marks Bros, circuit wall rush their 5,000-seat Marbro Theatre opening. The Cooney circuit is rushing work on their 2,000-seat Avalon Theatre on the far south side, this circuit also is building the Paradise Theatre on the west side. Harry J. Ridings, for several years president of the Managers’ Club of Chicago, who recently resigned as manager of the Grand Theatre, when the Shubert management took the house over, will become Chicago manager for Mrs. Henry B. Harris the first of the year. The Kedvale Theatre, at 404S Armitage avenue, was robbed on Sunday night of receipts by a lone bandit, who made his escape with the loot. Frank Omick has been named as manager at Elgin, 111., for the Great States circuit and Vernier Hicks will have charge of the Majestic Theatre at LaSalle, 111., recently taken over by the circuit. A new organ and other improvements will be put into the house. At Joliet, 111., the Joliet Theatre of the chain is bringing out the ladies by serving afternoon tea at the matinees and midnight shows will be put on New Year’s Eve at all the principal theatres of the circuit. R. M. Krebs, M. E. Rieck, Raymond D. Kendall and Edward Benson have organized a new company under the name of Andrew Karzas, Inc., with a capital stock of 750 shares of non par value. They will book the features and acts for the Karzas circuit of theatres and dance halls. Divisional Manager Clyde Eckhardt, of Fox Films Corporation, is proudly displaying the cup awarded him in the National Fire Prevention Contest, as the exchange executive having the organization best trained in fire drills. The employees of the Fox Chicago exchange recently vacated the building in twelve seconds after receiving the fire alarm. James Best, who operates the Francis and New Home Theatres, has purchased the Blaine Theatre, 3743 Southport avenue from Sol Best Will Koehn has been named as manager of the Wilson theatre of the Lubliner and Trinz circuit succeeding M. Meininger who has taken up other duties. Minnesota Moving Picture World Bureau, Minneapolis , Minn Dec. 27. WORK on a new stage which, when completed, will be one of the largest of any motion picture house in the United States, has been started at the State Theatre in Minneapolis. Finkelstein & Rubin announced this fact to 'the public last week in full page ads carried in the Minneapolis newspapers. The stage will be able to accommodate pretentious revues. Entertainers from some of the Finkelstein & Rubin theatres in Minneapolis took part in the program Which featured a dinner given by the Good Will Club of Minneapolis to business and professional men of St. Paul. About 900 men attended this banquet, which was held at the Nicoll Hotel. William Warville Nelson’s State Theatre Concert Orchestra contributed selections, as did Bob Brose and his entertainers from the Lagoon Theatre. Brunhilde Brothers have taken over the Parkside Theatre at 1550 N. Clark street, from Harry Lasker. Rube Leventhal, who has been managing Brunhilde’s Temple Theatre, has taken charge at the Parkside and Harry A. Brunhilde will be manager at the Temple. Pete Dnazdowski has sold his Clybourn Theatre, at 1608 Clybourn avenue, to I. Brotman, who operates the Maplewood Theatre. James J. Plodna’s Harper Theatre, at 53rd and Harper, has become one of Coston’s Circuit houses and will be booked by that organization. I. Siskin, of Nathan & Siskin, who operate the Ideal, Orchard and Janet Theatres, is reported improving after undergoing a serious operation in a local hospital. Extreme sub-zero weather, which smashed December records for 25 years in many parts of the Northwest, proved a rather severe setback for the theatrical business. During the week which saw the mercury sink to 20 below zero and more, many theatres suffered a deficit. A number of theatres have closed down because of poor business brought on, to some extent, by this inclement weather. Art Seibel, First National salesman, and Les Davis, assistant manager of the First National branch in Minneapolis, had a narrow escape from death recently when the former’s car went off the road which leads between Brookings and Flandreau, S. D. The car went over an embankment and rolled over three times, but the men suffered only minor injuries. Jasper The Happy Hour Theatre at Jasper, Minn., entertained children of that town at a free Christmas program given December 23. Elk Point, S. D. Charles Bovee, owner of the Florence Theatre at Elk Point, S. D„ has been ordered by a federal judge to pay $250 to the American Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers for use of their music. The case was the result of a campaign conducted by this society in the Northwest to collect the ‘‘music tax” whiqh is due them for numbers which are played in motion picture houses. Aneta, S. D. The Bijou Theatre at Aneta, N. D„ showed “Irene” recently and drew a good crowd with the help of a chorus of girls dressed in Alice Blue gowns. San Francisco Moving Picture World Bureau, Berkeley, Cal., Dec. 27. TWICE each year Loew’s Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, sets aside a day on which admission to matinee performances is given on the presentation of a book. In the past the books have gone to the library of San Quentin Penitentiary, but the books gathered at a book matinee held in December were sent to Alcatraz Island, to the prisoners of the army. The St. Francis Theatre, San Francisco, has reopened as a long run house along the same lines that have been found successful at the Imperial Theatre, also conducted by Publix Theatres. Charles Kurtzman and his staff have been transferred from the Imperial to the St. Francis and Horton Kahn has gone to the Imperial as manager. The headquarters of the Allied Amusement Industries of Northern California, the San Francisco Film Board of Trade and Thomas D. Van Osten, for years located at 100 Golden Gate avenue, will be moved shortly to the Golden Gate Theatre Building. Joseph Johnson and Larus Erlanson have arranged to erect a moving picture theatre on Taraval street, near Nineteenth avenue, San Francisco, the 'house to be operated by the Golden State Theatre and Realty Co. Irving C. Ackerman, of the amusement firm of Ackerman & Harris, San Francisco, and head of the Allied Amusement Industries of Northern California, plans an eastern trip in February. Louis R. Reichert, manager of the Pan Francisco branch of Tiffany Productions, had a wonderful Christmas gift in the arrival of Mrs. Reichert from the ast. Mrs. Reichert was unable to come West with him when he returned to San Francisco and after his departure underwent a capital operation. Recent visitors on San Francisco’s Film Row have included T. V. Damon, of the Granada Theatre, Yerrington, Nev. ; Walter Lawhoff, North Sacramento, Cal.; Henry Heber, of the Majestic Theatre, Sacramento, and Max Weiss, of the Lyric Theatre, ‘‘the Jack Partington of Saeramento.” Camino Lester Smith, of Marysville, Cal., has opene'd a moving picture theatre at Camino, where shows will be offered once a week. Lincoln Don C. Moore, formerly an exhibitor of San Diego, and at one time in the film exchange business at Los Angeles, has purchased the Lincoln Theatre at Lincoln, Cal., from Jack Ryan and associates and is remodeling and refurnishing the house, closing down two weeks for this Work. Stockton Ben Giroux has resigned as manager of the State Theatre, Stockton, to become associated with the road presentation of “Ben Hur.” Nick Turner has been made manager of both the State and California Theatres at Stockton, with Harry Hunsacker as assistant. Santa Maria R. E. Durban, who recently secured an option on property on South Broadway, has announced his intention of commencing work at once on the erection of a 1,400-seat moving picture theatre. A fire broke out in the headquarters of the E. L. C. Film Company, 298 Turk street, San Francisco, on the morning of December 15, destroying fifteen reels of film. No damage was done to the building, other than by smoke.