The Moving Picture World (November 1907)

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578 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. Los Angeles, CaL—Operators of moving picture machines will be required to pay a license and to-take an examination to test their ability to handle the machines with safety, by the terms of an ordinance that will be presented to the City Council. So many accidents have occurred that it is deemed best to require opera- tors- to pass examination by an examining board consisting of the City Engineer, Chief of the Fire Department and one other appointed by the City Council. [We congratulate the people of Los Angeles who are public- spirited enough to see that common sense shall prevail. We hope it will not be long ere every State enacts such a law as is here outlined.— Ed.] * * * The Star Theater, Woonsocket, R. I., another entertainment house that is to run on the plan of the other moving picture theaters of the city, opened last week on Main street. Kitty Tay- lor and Thomas Massey are the proprietors. - *• * * The East Baptist Church. Philadelphia, gave a- "penny concert" Saturday, November 2. The admission," as the name implies, . was one cent, and the concert was given primarily to draw the children from the cheap moving picture shows and "amusement palaces." A concert will be given every Saturday night . The lecture room of the church was crowded long before time for the entertainment to begin, and the audience was not composed of children only, many adults being present The performance lasted more than an hour and a half, and was a varied one. Excellent moving pictures were shown and some stereopticon views of travel. One member of the con- gregation, who has some ability as a prestidigitator, performed tricks that delighted and baffled the audience. Another member gave a short humorous monologue and some shadowgraphs were shown. In the future, it is said, if it is necessary, the church will employ professional talent to entertain the children. It does not hope to meet expenses. Its officers say that the only reason an admission fee is charged at all. is that the children do not seem to patronize the free entertainments, thinking, perhaps, that where an admission price is exacted the show must be better. The Rev. John B. Laird, pastor of the Frankford Presbyterian Church, says that the entertainments given in that church are not given for the puroose of amusing the public, but for the benefit of the Sunday School pupils. * * * "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast wrote a poet of renown," observed Attorney Eyre in Common Pleas Court October 31. "But he did not live in the days of these five-cent moving picture establishments," retorted former Attorney John C. Bell. This flash of humor enlivened the continued hearing before Judges Bregy and Kinsev recently in the injunction proceed- ings to suopress or regulate the orchestral and vocal attempts of the nickelodeons to attract patrons. Attorney Bell, who represented the merchants, directed his efforts in an attack on William G. Boogar's place, 8*s Market street, one of the few proprietors who has refused to abate the music feature partially, at least Testimony was to the effect that the constant playing of the same selections by a ladies' orchestra, and the sineing of one song, "The Holy City," subjected merchants adjoining, em- ployees and customers to a nervous torture that was unbear- able. It was further testified that crowds blockaded the streets during the concerts given from the balcony in front of the nickelodeon, and interfered with ingress and egress to stores. Testimony to the effect that business had diminished, led At- torney Eyre, for Boogar, to ask that an expert accountant ex- amine the books of merchants before and after Boogar estab- lished his place, and report to the Court. Judge Bregy said that the mere diminution in the profits would not warrant him granting the injunction, as the Court of Equity only grants preliminary or mandatory injunctions in cases of urgent public necessity. "HOLY CITY" GOT ON HER NERVES. Miss Henrietta Hyman, sister of a dentist, who has offices above the moving picture palace of Boogar. said the music had "given her nerves." and she had been unable to properly attend to her duties. She testified that since October 10 she was compelled to hear "The Holy City" sung every fifteen minutes, and the daily rendition of two pieces, their sole repertoire, by the orchestra. Testimony along the same lines was presented against Mr. Boogar's other nickelodeon at 938 Market street. William Rex- ford, a jeweler of 837 Market street not only complained of the annoyance caused him by the music, but said people com- plained of their pockets being picked by the loungers in the crowd of listeners. Max Grossman, Moses Rosenthal and Thomas H. Moore, 1 reporter, were witnesses. J. Frank Jones, chief-clerk in t!» Mayor's office, testified that Boogar had not procured license for either of his shows. * * * MOVING PICTURES IN ITALY. Milan, the center of Italy for the moving picture machin- trade, has already about forty such theaters. Every availab!! hall is being turned into -a moving picture show, while nearlj every second and third rate theater and "cafe chantant" finishes the evening's entertainment with a few cinematograph picture During the dull Summer season even the larger theaters are used Dramatic and tragic scenes, natural scenery of an interestiq nature, and comical farces are, sure to fill the hall at any tim in Italy. The Italian loves to see living scenery; for install a moving picture view of Niagara Falls was a huge sura here a short time ago. The Italian also likes to sec typii scenes of national life, such as, for instance, bull fights 1 Spain, and Winter sports on the snow and ice in Switzerlacl Railway scenery is very acceptable, as are views of Urgl towns. Pictures of the larger towns in the United States woai be a huge success in Milan. Occasionally typical scenes fro: American life have been thrown on the sheeting, such as cow boy life and train wreckers. The Italian. is disgusted, if no already surfeited, with pictures of singing an^ ^ancing women neither does he like fantastical scenery from fairy tales.—Fra Consular and Trade Reports. * * • ' Mr. Ansback, of Hillsdale, who for several months past h conducted a moving picture exhibition at "Edisonia," on low Main street, made the startling discovery that a burglar ha entered Edisonia and took away his moving picture machine as thirty films, all valued at about $6ba > The burglar pried open a window in the rear of the hall, as then found it an easy matter to remove the machine and th films. It was a quiet but successful midnight visit Mr. Ansback is a sleight-of-hand performer, and many his recent pictures showed how burglars were captured. < picture showed how the police dogs trailed robbers and csul them. Here's a fine chance for the dogs, said to be an auxiliai of the Paris police. Chief Dunn was notified of the burglary. There is no ti ing just when the robbery occurred. . * * * Another and the seventh moving -picture theater is now pn iected, this last on Monroe street Lynn, Mass. Henry Gold] berg was working -peacefully at his profession of fitting the mil culine form with gems of apparel when a stranger offered hhj $3,000 for his lease of the store. 29 Monroe street After thin! ing it over for a while the offer was refused and Mr. GoM berg has hung uo his needle and started to fit up a moviol picture show of his own. When the projects in this line unds] wav are completed the capital invested in the business will f fully $100,000. * * * About Moving Pictures.—The folks of America are no lo interested in social equalitv or bridge whist or George Bemaij Shaw. They no longer lie awake nights worrying over t! batting ayerasre of Chance or Sheckard or quotation marks the President's message. Neither do they save their ban earned wealth to place in building and loan associations, <M lay it by for an umbrella day or buy life insurance. No, titS have_ done away with all these things and are spending JhJB evenings not around the fireside circle or bar but at the movifljp picture shows. Here they tote their domestic relations IK* as children are admitted for- half price, they get along vcf | well indeed. The daily papers are read by them only ftp the advertisements, and emotional art rather than literature educating the public and spreading enlightenment broadcast or the continent It used to be at one time that only the anti-four hundn went to see the moving picture art, and they were therefcr; looked down upon as vulgar and gross. Anyone who ij heathen enough to see dramas on photographic films or " mohs in miles of negatives were considered in the same ' with anarchists and. poll tax dodgers, but through the or< of time the respectable portion of the community were educ down to it and now, the millionaire sits side by side with waif and breathes the same atmosphere, while the society societied "crowd in close to the wall so that everyone can seated." just as though they were on a parity with each otr Yes, folks get together at these places of movable art would never be seen with each other any place else. would not even think of drinking punch out of the same pn