Show World (May 1909)

THE SHOW WORLD FACTS AND FIGURES. The following interesting bulletin of statistics has bee’n issued by the Motion Picture Patents Company: Did You Ever Know That two hundred and fifty thous¬ and (250,000) people visit motion pic¬ ture theaters in New York City every week day? That five hundred thousand (500,* 000) people visit motion picture the¬ aters every Sunday? That there are now only half as many motion picture theaters in New York City as there were last Decem¬ ber? That there are six thousand (6,000) licensed motion picture theaters in the United States and only two thous¬ and (2,000) unlicensed? That there are now almost a thous¬ and more licensed theaters in the United States than there were three months ago? That Chicago spends forty thousand dollars ($40,000) a day in motion pic¬ ture theaters? That Chicago will have, at the pres¬ ent rate of increase, five hundred (500) motion picture theaters before the end of the present year? That the motion picture business in the United States represents invested capital of over fifty million dollars ($50,000,000)? That close to four million dollars ($4,000,000) is taken in daily by the motion picture theaters of the United States? That Mexico, Central and South America, and Panama Canal Zone and Canada also have numerous and pros¬ perous motion picture theaters? That the Board of Censorship has examined almost fifty (50) miles of film in the exhibition rooms of the Motion Picture Patents Co.? That when you look at one reel of average length you see about four¬ teen (14) separate pictures every sec¬ ond, and about seventeen thousand (17,000) pictures all told? That by a simple arrangement mo¬ tion picture theaters may be kept brightly lighted without in the least degree damaging the pictures on the That the light theater is one of the most desirable changes that can be made toward the elevation of the mo¬ tion picture business? That a light theater ^almost wipes out the chances of panic, and is the surest possible check to rowdyism. That fire and accident insurance can now be procured for any and all li¬ censed motion picture theaters? Do you know all of these interest- Logansport Film Mad. Logansport, Jnd., May 14. Logansport is getting to be a real moving picture town. We now have the Nelson with moving pictures, the Broadway and the Ark. The Lvric moving picture house, formerly the Crystal, has been purchased by Mr. Crockett and is being remodeled and fitted up in modern style. In ad¬ dition to these moving picture houses another has been added. Messrs. Krotz and Rife have just completed finishing a room here for moving pic¬ tures to be known as the Grand. They have all the conveniences of a modern picture theater, and opened yesterday to packed houses. All are giving change of pictures nightly and Logansport is catching on to the moving picture business. As an added feature to his vaudeville show last week, Earl Sipe of the Broadway the¬ ater, gave a double set of films. Mr. Sipe says the more picture houses the merrier. All are doing a thriving business.—WARD. Police Want Manager. Winnipeg, Man., May 16. The local police are out on the hunt for Harold Knowland, ex-man- ager of the Crescent theater at Port¬ age la Prairie, who is alleged to have left his theater behind together with a big stack of unpaid bills.—MATHER. INDEPENDENTS CLAIM BIG SOUTHERN TRADE More Than One Hundred Houses Being Supplied by One Exchange of New Orleans and Exhibitors Have Big Increase. New Orleans, La., May 19. That the independent moving pic¬ ture service is a tremendous success in the South is shown by even the most casual glance over this territory. All of the independents’ forces in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Ala¬ bama, Arkansas, Tennessee and other southern states report phenomenal business with an outlook for an un¬ precedented prosperous summer. moving picture center of the South and conditions here reflect those pre¬ vailing elsewhere. However, the re¬ ports on file at Herman Fichtenberg’s Dixie Film Compan»’s offices in the Maison Blanche building gives a first¬ hand idea ef how independent pictures have won the southern country. “The independent pictures have been extra¬ ordinarily successful,” said Mr. Fich- tenberg, who in addition to being the head of the Dixie Film Company, HAVE YOU VOTED YET ? The loving cup to be presented by the Actor’s Society of America to the theater receiving the greatest number of votes for having the cleanest stage and the best dressing rooms. If you have not yet voted, do it now. The Actors’ Society of Amer¬ ica is offering a handsome loving cup to the theater in the United States and Canada which receives the greatest number of votes for having the cleanest stage and finest dressing rooms. The contest will close June 26, 1909 at 6 p. m., and the cup will be awarded as soon thereafter as possible. If you have not voted sign the attached coupon and forward it at once. Any reader of the SHOW WORLD is entitled to a vote. (Date) . SANITATION COMMITTEE, Actors’ Society of America, 133 West 45th street, New York City. In my opinion the (name of theater) . at (name of city and state) . which is managed by (name of manager) . has the cleanest stage and the finest dressing rooms of any theater in the United States or Canada. (Signed) . (Address) . THE SHOW WORLD C mpon. . owns and operates the Alamnj jffl l World and Wonderland, three of thi most palatial moving picture how in the country. Business Increases. “As a matter of fact,” continued" Mr. Fichtenberg. “We are now fur¬ nishing independent films to motH .1 than 100 theaters in all parts of ft," South. We have made it a point to keep in touch with the managements in regard to the way their patrons ' have received the pictures. I have in i my desk here reports which tell me ' that nearly all of our customers have enjoyed thirty-five to forty per cent l increase since they began taking the ; independent films. “I know that I have had the same l: experience with my own houses here, i: For instance those two great pictures, |: The Charge of the Italian Cavalry and The Last Days of Pompeii, which I placed at the Alamo, filled that house to capacity for nine straight . days. My books will show that dur¬ ing the history of the house—it was | opened seven months ago—no other film of any other service ever ran for |. more than three days. That will give | some idea of the reception that has been accorded the independents. ... .A “I have the correspondence^ show that three of the largest moving pic-1 ture houses were almost bankrupt when they began to take the inde¬ pendent service from me. One op these houses is up in Tennessee. j They were not making any money be-! r ' 1 fart that tVipir npvt-' cause of the fact that their next- door neighbor was showing precisely, the same pictures as they were. The public would see one picture and when it read the announcement that the same picture would be flashed in the other theater it would pass that theater by. “But the houses having the inde¬ pendent service has a variety and above all, something different. Thai is one of the greatest secrets of the success of the houses that have lined up with the independents. H Received New Impetus. “Of course the moving picture i permanent amusement feature, has come to stay. But the fact mains that it was very fortunate scores of houses, in the South,that the independents invaded southern ^ tory when they did. It was well for the houses and for their patrons also, “I have noticed that the clientele of moving picture houses is very criti¬ cal and is very quick to realize what is going on in that particular division of the amusement world. A certain that they know that pendents have begun to cater to their wants. “Every day I receive letters from pleased customers congratulating and thanking me for my part in itnpiwflnji the class of entertainment offered at houses where a moderate price of admission is charged. j J “I felt all along that the ents would succeed in the South. 1, would not have gone into the move-, ment had I not been certain. And | my fondest expectations have been Hayman Satisfied at Outlook. Syracuse, N. Y, May 14. A. C. Hayman, president and gen¬ eral manager of the Moving Picture Service company, which was recently granted the first license by the Pat¬ ents company, since its consolidation, has announced that his firm will be lo¬ cated at 427 S. Salina street, occupy¬ ing the entire second floor. Mr. Hayman stated to a SHOW WORLD representative: conferred with the Mullin Film hx- change, the independent opposition jjj this city, and feel satisfied that we w) not be at each other’s throats, but wi 11 1 rather work in the best of harmony. I The exhibitors in the territory can-, vassed by me seemed very «■ pleased at the prospect of ijgHIL 1 licensed exchange near at hand. We intend to carry a large stock of ' chines, accessories and supplies- | have been offered the sales agency many specialties in the business an | will have a number of surprises spring on the moving picture- trade" ,