The Bioscope (Oct-Dec 1931)

December 16, 1931 THE BIOSCOPE 49 News From “The Manchester and Liverpool (Representative: Fred Gronback, 18, Coningsby Road. Anfield, Liverpool. Telephone: Anfield 1289> Jay for London Chiefs of the Liverpool film renting staffs and a number of exhibitors on Friday, December 18th, will bid farewell to another of their colleagues, W. W. Jay, Liverpool manager for Radio Pictures, who is to take up the position at head office of assistant general sales manager. He will be the guest of honour at a luncheon to be served at Bears Paw Restaurant, Lord Street, Liverpool, and will receive a presentation. M. Mott-Cowan, Liverpool branch manager, W. & F., is responsible for organising the function. G.B. Circuit Chiefs It is a compliment to the North, Liverpool and Manchester especially, that in the last few weeks several members of the trade have been appointed to fill important executive positions in London. The latest promotion, on the exhibiting side, is the appointment of C. H. Russ, who has been area inspector for the north-western area of the Gaumont-British circuit, to the position of area inspector for the South of England and Birmingham section. His headquarters will be London. During his two years in Liverpool Mr. Russ has enjoyed the confidence and goodwill of the managers and staff that constitute his team — and a splendid team they are. When Gaumont-British was formed, he was the general manager of New Century Pictures, Ltd., and being a competent technician, was excellently qualified to fill the responsible G.B. appointment in this territory, when it was offered him. Three G.B. super cinemas have been completed during his regime — the Palladium, Southport ; the Gaumont Palace, Chester ; and the Gaumont Palace, Liverpool, which opens on December 21st. To the many congratulations which have been offered Mr. Russ, may I modestly add mine and wish him the same quality of success in the south as he has achieved in the north. J. H. Cannon, who for the last two years has been circuit manager in Liverpool, succeeds Mr. Russ as area inspector. Before holding his present position Mr. Cannon was manager of the Trocadero, Liverpool, for P.C.T. No Sunday Cinemas for Manchester Manchester Watch Committee has refused the application from the Manchester Branch of the C.E.A. for permission to open cinemas on Sundays during February next on behalf of charities. In a report submitted to the Committee, the Chief Constable states that however deserving the object may be “ the position of the Watch Committee in this city is in no way altered, owing to the fact that in no single instance was any cinema in Manchester opened and used for cinematograph entertainments on Sunday during the twelve months prior to the passing of the Sunday Performances Act.” Manchester Projectionists Further progress has been made in the establishment of the Manchester Court of the Guild of British Projectionists. Already 43 fully paid members are enrolled, and there are in hand applications from seventeen other projectionists. At a meeting of the committee, held at the offices of the Walturdaw Cinema Supply Company, Manchester, it was decided to hotel the inaugural meeting of the Court on January 10th, subject to the approval of headquarters. The chief officers of the Manchester Court are : Chairman, E. Edwards (Grosvenor, Oldham) ; organiser, Dennis Brown (Devonshire Picture House, Broughton) ; joint treasurers, R. Thompson (Regal, Manchester) and — Hilditch (Grosvenor, Oldham) ; hon. secretary, J. T. Moore (Scala, Withington). At the present time, Manchester members of the Guild are attached to the Liverpool Court. Presentation Before leaving the Bedford Cinema, Walton, Liverpool, to take over the management of the new Gaumont Palace, Liverpool, which opens on December 21st, C. E. Brown was presented with a dining-room clock by the staff. from the Territories Bioscope’s ” Special Representatives Compliment to Morecambe Managers Stating that the entertainment houses were assets to any seaside town, the chairman of the Morecambe Watch Committee on Friday congratulated the local managers and licensees on the way the premises were conducted. All the licences were renewed. In H. D. Moorhouse Circuit Empire Theatre, Preston, which twelve months ago was leased to Federated Estates, Ltd., has reverted to the control of The Empire (Preston), Ltd., but it will be operated in association with the Manachester Palace of the H. D. Moorhouse circuit, Manchester. Sidney E. Sayers will continue as manager. £10.900 for Blackburn Cinema New Central Hall, Blackburn, whose average gross annual profits for the last six years were £3,000, was sold last week to Proprietary Theatres, Ltd., Rochdale (the owners of the Blackburn Rialto), for £10,900. Bidding started at £5,000, was carried in stages of £1,000 to £7,000, in bids of £500 to £9,000, and then by smaller amounts to the price mentioned. The theatre, which seats 1,381 persons, is equipped with Western Electric apparatus Proprietary Theatres, Ltd., own eleven other theatres in Lancashire towns. Four Northern Counties (Representative : Thos. F. Burgess, 242, Wingrove Avenue, Newcastle-on-Tyne) Christmas Day Hours Extension When application was made to the Wallsend Magistrates last week for permission to open on Christmas Day on behalf of the Borough Theatre, Tyne, and Queen’s Cinemas, Wallsend, J. McHarg asked for the hours to be extended from 6.30 p.m. to 10.45 p.m., instead of 10.30 p.m. as heretofore, as since the introduction of “ talkies ” the programme could not be speeded up or slowed down, and it was a very difficult matter to obtain a programme that would fit in without the usual times. The magistrates agreed to grant the licences and also the extension. Cinema Changes Hands The Kino Cinema, Newsham, which has been controlled by John Ritson for some time past, has been taken over by C. & T. Cinemas, of 52, Sowell Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Children and Films Newcastle Education Committee has issued a leaflet to all elementary school pupils to take to their parents or guardians. The leaflet advised parents that “ A ” category films were for adults only, and urged them to see that their children only attended cinemas when “ U ” films were exhibited. It was pointed out on the leaflet that it had been decided to issue, same as the outcome of a conference which had been summoned by the Education Committee at the request of the Juvenile Organisation Council and other bodies. The leaflet also gave particulars of the Home Office regulations in respect to “ A ” and “ U ” films and pointed out that cinemas in Newcastle exhibited outside the premises a category board indicating the titles of the films showing, time of showing and the category. Sunday Films Permission for Charity Concert Newcastle magistrates last week granted permission for a cinema show to take place in the Stoll Theatre, Newcastle-on-Tyne, on Sunday next, the 20th inst., from 7 p.m. to 10.30 p.m., in aid of the Newcastle Police Aid Mutual Association, subject to the consent of the licensing authority. Wha’ a Day On December 31st, the Picture House, Eyemouth, which is controlled by Hughes Bros., will re-open with B.T.-H. “ talkie ” equipment, which is being installed. The date fixed for the opening with “ talkies” should prove extremely popular as New Year’s Eve is usually the Scotsman’s great day. Northern Exhibitors’ Annual Dinner A large number of Northern exhibitors attended the annual dinner of the South Shields Cinema Proprietors’ and Managers’ Association, which was held in the Golden Lion Hotel, South Shields, last Sunday'. John McColl, of the Moss Empire circuit, occupied the chair. The principal guests included the Deputy' Mayor of South Shields, the Chief Constable, J. C. Bell (chairman of the Northern Branch, C.E.A.), W. Carr (vice-chairman), Alfred Smith (secretary), W. H. Lindon Travers represented the renters. All arrangements in connection with the dinner were ably carried out by J. Johnson, of the Queen’s Cinema, South Shields. Leeds and District (Representative: H. S. Pitts, " Yorkshire Evening Rost,” Leeds, or Leyburn Grove, Bingley) Chief Constable’s Report According to the report of the Leeds Chief Constable, presented at the annual meeting of the licensing justices, there are now 70 cinema licences in the city, two held by music-halls, six by premises where cinema entertainments are occasionally held, and 62 by regular picture houses which have actual seating capacity of 54,605, or one seat for every eight of the population. A Cinema Ball ? The question of running a Cinema Ball in Leeds has been raised again, and a meeting is to be called shortly. The ball is usually held in February so the matter will have to be tackled very shortly. The Bradford Cinema Ball is to be held in the New Victoria Cinema ballroom on January' 29th. A Popular Figure The Yorkshire trade will shortly' lose a very popular personality on the renting side in Edgar Isaacs, the I.eeds manager of F.B.O., who, in the New Year, will take up an appointment at the London headquarters of United Artists. Mr. Isaacs has been on the Yorkshire territory since the war, coming to Sheffield first for Fox Films, then to I.eeds for Goldwyn, and latterly' for F.B.O. in Leeds. Fire at a Cinema A small fire broke out in the generating chamber, beneath the operating room, of the Capitol, Meanwood, last Thursday' afternoon, as a result, it was stated, of a local fault in one of the electricity' sub-stations supply'ing the district. The outbreak was soon found and soon subdued by the fire brigade, but the evening performance has to be cancelled. The cinema was reopened on Friday’. A Fine Enterprise Harry Hopkins, of the People’s Palace, is making something of a transformation at his theatre, which has been closed down for two or three weeks. The hall has been cleared almost to a shell, and what with a new entrance, a new proscenium, a new ceiling, new decorations, new seating, new screen, and the latest B.T.-H. set, will, when reopened for Christmas, be one of the smartest and most modern and up-to-date halls on the south side of the river. The theatre will in future be known as the Palace. Birmingham and Midlands (Representative: O. Ford-Jones, " Winona," Hugh Road, Smethwick, Birmingham. Telephone: Smethwick 289> Presentation to L. Mangan Exhibitors and renters in the Midlands assembled on Friday evening to make a presentation to L. Mangan, popular manager of First National’s Birmingham Branch, in connection with his recent marriage. The presentation took the form of a 37-piece English cut glass set. As certain subscribers were not able to be present, I have been requested by Mr. Mangan to express through Thf. Bioscope his “ very many' thanks.” Aid for Benevolent Fund A special Sunday evening entertainment at the Coliseum Cinema, Saltley, during the past