The Moving picture world (November 1926-December 1926)

156 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 20. 1926 Live ISIews from Coast to Coast NOTES ABOUT WIDE-AWAKE EXHIBITORS AND EXCHANGE MEN FROM ALL POINTS St. Louis, Mo* Moving Picture World Bureau. St. Louis, Mo., Xo-.\ 10. THE St. Louis Amusement Company, controlled by Skouras Brothers and Harry Koplar, has added the Mikado Theatre, 5955 Easton avenue, to its chain that now includes twenty-nine houses with a total of about 36,500 seats. Under the new arrangement Maurice Stahl and R. Laventhal retain stock in the Mikado Amusement Company. Stahl is manager of the house. It has 1600 seats. Nat E. Steinberg of the Premier Pictures Corporation, 3314 Lindell boulevard, has been very busy and has landed some nice contracts. Jack Weil, independent distributor, has gone to New York City on business connected with his exchange. Hop«, Ark. It is reported the Saenger Theatre Company will erect a modern theatre on the site of the old Alice Theatre. Hope. Ark. The new house will cost about" $150,000. The architects are Witt, Seibert & Halsey, 807 Texarkana National Bank Building, Texarkana. Ark. Jacksonville, III. The Majestic Theatre, Jacksonville. III., has been remodeled and decorated at a cost of several thousand dollars. E. St. Loui«, 111. A new theatre is being erected at 1.501 State street, East St. Louis, III., by Fienstein & Koplitz. The house will be one story, 47 by 122 feet and of brick and cinder block construction. It will cost $2.5,000. Springfield, III. The theatre and apartment-store building to be erected at Sixth and Washington avenue, Springfield, III., by the Kerasotas Bros., will be three story and basement. 47 by 80 feet and cost $75,000. Bids have been taken from contractors. Canada Moving Picture World Bureau, Ottawa, Can., Nov. 10 r\ TTAWA. Onta rio, exhibitors were blessed with two holidays within eight days and business showed a resultant boost. The first fell on Monday, November 1, which was All Saints Day, this being observed as a Government holiday. The second was Monday, November 8, the Canadian Thanksgiving Day. The orchestra of the Capitol Theatre. Ottawa. Ontarit). hasi been making a number of special appearances at luncheons of the service clubs of the city and the theatre, which was re-opened same weeks ago with James T. Moxley as manager, has been securing much prominence. J. M. Fianklin. manager of B. P. Keith's Theatre, Ottawa. Ontario, has been appointed chairman of the local Rotary Club committee to make arrangements for the trip of Rotarians to the International convention at Ostend, Belgium, next June. Mr. Franklin himself is already preparing for the trip. Gang Guns Add Pep to Shooting in Film Sales Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 11. — Bang! Bang. Deadly battle, with armored, high-power automobiles, machine guns, quick firing rifles and sixty gangsters of the Berger and Shelton gangs in deadly conflict, raging through southern Illinois. Makes it nice for the film salesmen in that territory! Film has to be sold, so the boys are trying to figure whether to tunnel from the exchanges to their various theatre pro pects or to travel in Dodge cars. Ohio Moving Picture World Bureau, Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov, 10. A SATISFACTORY adjustment between managerial heads of theatres and unions has been reached at Columbus, Ohio, which has resulted in projectionists and others returning to their posts at the scales of wages now in eflfect.* The men in these houses have been on a strike since September 27. All attendance records for Cincinnati have been broken during the four weeks showing of "Ben Hur" at the Grand Opera House, Manager Milford Unger announcing that the picture grossed better than $75,000 for the run. The Grand, which is devoted to Erlanger legitimate attractions, resumed its regular policy after tlie picture closed, but a return showing has been booked for week of November 21. and possibly longer. Hamilton John A. Schwalm, president of the Jewel Photoplay Co., and manager of the Rialto Theatre, Hamilton, Ohio, returned last week from an extended trip to New York during Which he contracted for a very elal>orate new organ for the Rialto. Schwalm, who is on the executive board of the M. P. T. O.. Ohio, is taking an active part at the convention in Columbus this week. Mansfield M. W. Korach. who has been manager of the Majestic Theatre, as also the Opera House, Mansfield, Ohio, since these houses were taken over by the Silverman Ohio Theatres Co., has been made general manager of the Silverman organization, and will have the Strand. Akron, Alhambra, Canton, and the two MansHeld houses under his jurisdiction. Harry Brown, Jr., of Pittsburgh. Pa., has been made Korach's successor. Dayton Lee A. McCally, formerly associated with the Grand Theatre Amusement Co., Dayton, Ohio, has quit the picture game, and gone into the life insurance business. Paul Witte Celebrates Decatur, 111.. Nov. 8. — Twenty years manager for A. Sigfriend, owner of the Bijou Theatre, Mr. Paul Witte celebrated the anniversary recently by giving a party to the employees of the Bijou, which he now manages, and to friends. The theatre arranged a special bill in honor of Mr. Witte and his long connection with ore enterprise. Minnesota Movins Picture World Bureau, Minneafalis, .Minn. JVov. 9. THKATRK owners in Minneapolis today await either a rush of business or a falling off following the denunciation of motion pictures and the stage by Dr. Earle V. Pierce, Minneapolis pastor. Dr. Pierce said that "stage and screen poured forth intoxicating and deadly ideals, depraving life and causing degeneracy of ideals on which the home could not rest soundly." Princeton Mr. and Mr.s. Max Kruschke are rushing to completion their new theatre at Princeton. Minn., which is expected to open before heavy winter weather begins. They are the veteran owners of the Strand. Two Harbors The State Theatre at Two Harbors, Minn., will add vaudeville to the week-end picture program, Harold Youngren, manager, announces. North DakoU Joe Maitland of Mandan N. D., has left the theatre business and has taken over the Lewis and Clarke Hotel in Mandan. He was the veteran manager of the Palace Theatre. ISIebraska .Moving Picture World Bureau, Omaha. Neb.. Xov. 11. IT IS learned that Harry Watts, manager of the Rialto Theatre at Omaha, is now improving at the local hospital after being confined there for some time with a nervous breakdown. The new Orpheum at Omaha is now going forward. Excavation has been completed, and pouring of concrete abutments and foundations is in progress. The Strand and Rialto Theatres in Omaha were the first to come to a settlement with the striking musicians who were out recently with some new demands. Other theatres settled shortly thereafter. Dresel to Manage Louisville, Ky., Nov. 5. — .Announcement has been made of the appointment of William Dresel, prominent in fraternal and retail business circles, as manager of the new Towers Theatre, at Fourth and Oak streets, now nearing completion. The new theatre is under control of the interests which operate the Broadway, Fourth avenue, Walnilt and Strand Amusement interests, controlling a chain of about twenty local theatres. Fred Dolle, Charles Koch, Henry Reiss, D. H. Long, Joseph and Louis Steuerle are interested. Kquipment was supplied by Charles Koch, of the Rex Theatre, and .American Motion Pictures Co., who is also associated with the same interests. .Affording good parking for autos, fed by four car lines, the theatre will seat 1,200.