The Moving Picture World (November 1907)

THE MOVINQ PICTURE WORLD 629 The First NecKelodeon In The States It was our privilege when in Pittsburg to-call on the larry Davis Film Exchange, and we gleaned the infor- nation that Mr. Harris, the manager, opened the first mown five-cent theater. We give herewith exterior and nterior views of the same. • We learnt that this concern has fifteen places situate n Pittsburg (and if all the others compare with those risked here, they are indeed magnificent palaces of enter- ainment), Philadelphia, Dayton, O., Cleveland, Roches- er, Buffalo and Allegheny. We learnt that there are from twenty to twenty-five mployees in each house, that an average of 15^ hours omprises the time they are open. The employees are ivided ( into two shifts of approximately eight hours ach. ' • Etch employee is furnished with a tasteful uniform, nade in the firm's own tailoring establishment in Pitts- urg. Harry Davis well knows how to cater to the public, nd also how to treat and retain employees. A local newspaper says: '.'In 1905, Harry Davis acquired a 99- ar lease on the entire block on Smithfield street, from Fifth renue to Diamond, Pittsburg, Pa. There was one store is the lock, the annual rental of which was placed at $10,000. In June, K, Mr. Davis and bis general manager, John P. Harris, startled k gossips by opening in that store the first theater in America noted to moving pictures exclusively. The first show was in k nature of an experiment, without music, song or other ac- ssories, and tbe presentation consisted of only 500 feet of film. lie people of Pittsburg came and saw, and capitulated. An lea of the success met with can be gleaned from the fact that ithin two months a new front was put in at a cost of $7,000. his was really the origin of the movement which has spread to I comers of the civilized globe. Mr. Davis elaborated his show, id then gobbled up choice locations in Pittsburg and other cities * the launching of similar enterprises. He has four in Phila- slphia. In Rochester, N. Y., he has one which is considered the oest in America, and another in Buffalo, at the corner of Main jd Niagara streets. He is also represented in Toledo, and in beland has a most elaborate one adjoining the Euclid Avenue pera House. It is hardly to be presumed, however, that Mr. avis himself realized what a momentous branch of the amuse- «t industry he-had launched. It is said that he is paying in" j* neighborhood of $70,000 per year for the three stores in Madelphia, converted into moving picture places. From Pittsburg we learn that daily matinees with motion pic- tures will be a feature of a ten days' evangelistic campaign, be- ginning on Saturday, November 30, to be held in No. 1 head- quarters of the Salvation Army, Penn avenue and Seventh street. All arrangements for the meetings are under the direction of Staff Captain William Trevitt and Major William Andrews. It was decided to hold the meetings in the afternoon owing to the fact that there were more people on the streets at that time of day, and more people will be attracted. These short campaigns have become very popular during the last year and were inau- gurated by the Salvation Army. ♦ * * Deals now pending which will be closed within the next day or two will assure to Springfield, Mass., a new high-class amuse- ment enterprise. O. T. Crawford, the Western amusement man- ager, with headquarters in St. Louis, has completed a lease for a building on South Sixth street, occupied by the Orpheum Thea- ter. The place will be re-named the Lyceum. The style of en- tertainment will be changed entirely and the departure will be a radical one. It is called by Mr. Crawford, "Dramas on Canvas." The house has been given a thorough going over and the opening date has been set for November 30. Efforts have been made be- fore to interest Mr. Crawford in Springfield amusements, but hitherto without success. The Lyceum will be operated in con- junction with a chain of fifty similar places reaching from Chi- cago to El Paso, Texas, under the same management. "The style of entertainment which we shall give at the new Lyceum will make a hit in Springfield," said A. S. Kane, Mr. Crawford's representative. "All we ask is a hearing or a seeing. We are not fearful of the verdict when the public sees what we have to offer. The Lyceum will be conducted on a high plane, appealing to the most refined. Nothing offensive in performance or conduct in the place will be permitted." Chief Kohler, Cleveland, Ohio, has issued orders that may result in the closing of ail moving picture shows on Sunday. The managers of several of the large theaters and over fifty smaller ones were notified that the police department would not permit special acts of any kind in connection with Sunday mov- ing.pictures. Kohler bitterly scored the "sensational" and "sug- gestive" pictures that he says have been shown in order to attract audiences. "Hundreds of children have witnessed crimes performed through the medium of moving pictures placed on exhibition by mercenary managers," declared Kohler. "Pictures dealing with home life have also been shown that were a menace to public INT^BIOR OP FIRST NICKELODEON IN THB STATES.