The Bioscope (Nov-Dec 1930)

20 THE BIOSCOPE November 12, 1930 Speaking Personally P. H. Alexander has succeeded Eric Finlason as manager of the Grand, Hyson Green, Nottingham, one of the big GaumontBritish houses. He has been at the Angel, Islington. Leslie Jeffreys, Who Will be musical director of the mammoth Trocadero Cinema, Elephant and Castle, S.E., which is to open in December, is quite a newcomer to the trade. He has for a long time, however, been a very prominent figure in musical circles and is well known as a concert performer and orchestra conductor. Many of his compositions have been published and have been exceptionally Well received. E. V. Collingridge is to be in charge of the Forum, Kensington, which is to open before Christmas, and Will continue his long association with H. A. Yapp, the proprietor. With this theatre he will have had probably a unique experience in opening three houses for the same chief, his former appointments being at the Putney Palace and Royalty, North Kensington. Cecil R. Hedge, the well-known Neath, Glam., exhibitor, Was successful in contesting the North Ward of the town in the recent municipal elections. There Were two seats contested and Mr. Hedge and the retiring member Were returned with big majorities over two Socialist opponents. Cecil Barnett, who has interests on the exhibiting side of the business, was returned to the Bradford City Council, representing the Eccleshill Ward, at the municipal elections. W. E. Holland, who has been taking temporary charge of the Silver Cinema, Worcester, has been appointed to the assistant management of the Odeon Cinema, Perry Barr, Birmingham. He will be remembered as the manager of the Princes Hall, Smethwick, prior to its closing down for rebuilding earlier in the year. Kenneth Jones, previously associated with Ralph Solomon as an independent renter, and later in the booking department of Associated British Cinemas, has been appointed assistant manager at the West End Cinema, Birmingham. W. L. Meredith Starmer has been appointed assistant manager of the West End Cinema, Birmingham, in succession to R. Knights, who has left to take up duties at the New Gallery, London. E. L. Jennings, w'ho for the last three years has been branch manager for the Gaumont Company, at Liverpool, now fills a similar position at the Manchester branch of the company. He succeeds J. Edwards, W’ho resumes his former position as Liverpool branch manager. Mr. Jennings, Who joined the Gaumont Company in 1916, w'as in 1921 traveller from Manchester branch. L. Hardcastle, formerly manager of the Royal Picture House, Bolton, has taken over the management of the York Cinema, Hulme, Manchester. Mr. Hardcastle has been engaged in the cinema trade for about 28 years, his first position being with Levers & Bennetts Animated Pictures at Blackpool. Before he left the Royal, Bolton, the staff presented him with a beautiful oxidised silver ink stand and calendar. E. Linsdell, who has been manager of the York Cinema, Hulme, Manchester, has transferred to the new West End Cinema, Whalley Range, which is due to open early next month. Mr. Linsdell, who has been manager of the theatres of T. Royle for many years, will, it is understood, be general manager of the two theatres which are controlled by his principal. P. Alexander, who has for some time past been house manager of the Angel Cinemr, Islington, N., has just been appointed manager at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham. Mr. Alexander, in addition to his experience in the trade. Was for many years a very Well known figure in West End theatrical circles. He played many notable parts in West End productions, and also served as actormanager at the Haymarket Theatrte, the Apollo and the Criterion. After distinguished war service in which he attained the rank of major, he for some time was engaged on his own cocoa estate in the West Indies. Vic. Hornblow has been appointed South Coast representative of Universal. This appointment follows twelve years’ successful experience of the exhibiting side, principally with the Maida Vale Picture House, the Scala, Wolverhampton, and in Birmingham. Hornblow’s Wide knowledge of the renting side Was gained as Birmingham branch manager for Wardour and British. Screen Productions and Midland representative for First National. G. Dickson has now been appointed North London representative of Universal. Previously he acted as circuit manager and London manager for P.D.C. C. H. Bell has been appointed chief operator at the Edgbaston Cinema, in succession to H. Cross. For some time he has been in charge of the operating at the Elite Theatre, Bordesley Green, prior to which he was in the projection department of the Summer Hill Palace. Before leaving the Elite, he was presented with a case by the management and staff. N. Hamill has succeeded C. H. Bell as chief projectionist at the Elite Cinema, Bordesley Green, Birmingham. He Was previously on the staff of the Astoria Cinema, Aston Cross, Birmingham. Cyril King and Miss May Saunders, both of the laboratory staff of the British Lion Film Corporation, were married recently at the Fulham Registry Office. They are spending their honeymoon touring. A presentation of a handsome clock was made on Friday by A. W. Osborne, studio manager, on behalf of the staff of the British Lion Film Corporation. The good wishes of the trade will be with them both. Howard Morgan, Edibell’s chief engineer for Ireland, has been obtaining good publicity for his company during the past few weeks. A. number of public address demonstrations were given at the corner of O’Connell’s Bridge, Dublin’s busiest thoroughfare, during the run of the Dublin Radio and Gramophone Exhibition. The slogan " Edibell is sound ” was convincingly presented to the public. Mr. Morgan was one of the pioneers in the British talking pictures. H. Swinburne Carr, operator at the Hippodrome, North Seaton, has been spending his leisure time by carving an elaborate memorial reredos for the Unitarian Church at Choppington. Mr. Carr is also the church organist, and, following the Sunday evening service, he hurries to the cinema to carry out his duties at the 8 o’clock performance ! Leslie C. Holdemess, supervisor of Paramount theatres, Wishes to thank the members of the trade for their messages of condolence upon the death of his sister, Mrs. Symmons, Who was killed in a motor car accident at Braham Cross-roads between York and Leeds. Mrs. Symmons was the wife of E. F. Symmons, of Debenham & Company, of York. Reginald Baker, F.C.A., of the firm of Baker, Todman & Company, chartered accountants, has joined the board of Associated Talking Pictures, Ltd., where his wide experience of the financial side of film production will doubtless prove very valuable. Fred G. Bennett, who will be remembered as musical director of the Summer Hill Palace, Birmingham, an appointment he held for seven years, has now joined the staff of the Edgbaston Cinemas as organist, in addition to Which he is Records Librarian for the A.B.C. cinemas in the Birmingham district. He is the composer of two musical plays, under the titles of “ Clementina ” and “ The World’s Sweetheart.” Harold Cross has been appointed chief projectionist at the Forum Cinema, New Street, Birmingham. Prior to this appointment he Was chief operator at the Edgbaston Cinema, and before coming to the Midlands held offices in London and Bolton. F. Giles, who was reported in these columns recently to be leaving the Plaza, West Bromwich, to become chief projectionist at the Odeon, Perry Bar, states that he is not now leaving the Plaza. Sydney Gustard, organist at the Trocadero, Liverpool, gave a lecture-recital on “ Recording, of the Cinema Organ ” at a meeting held under the auspices of the Liverpool and District Gramophone Society, on Monday, November 10th. Mr. Gustard has made several organ records on the Trocadero Wurlitzer for some of the principal gramophone companies. W. C, Scott, managing director of the Gainsborough Picture House, Bootle, and director of Audible Filmcraft, Ltd., successfully contested the Linacre Ward of Bootle in the municipal elections. Mr. Scott was a member of the Bootle Council for the six years 1920-1926, and has been a member of the Higher Education Committee for ten years. J. Edwards, after having been manager of the Manchester branch of the Gaumont Company for the past three years, has returned to Liverpool to supervise the affairs of the local office. Mr. Edwards was Liverpool branch manager before going to Manchester.