The theatre of science; a volume of progress and achievement in the motion picture industry (1914)

302 Ci)e CSeatre One of the most interesting developments of the moving picture craze in this year of 1914, was the return to first principles of that veteran showman and pioneer, Michael B. Leavitt, who after a prolonged retirement from the amusement field, and despite that he is approaching three score and ten years of man's life allotment, has entered the film game, as he expressed it, having secured the sole right to present the m.oving pictures of "Sixty Years a Queen" in the maritime provinces. To have seen Leavitt, who is yet as spry and apparently as youthful as he was in his palmy days planning the campaign for the Canadian entourage in the offices of the Anglo-American Film Company, was about as inspiring a sight as one could behold. I can only conjecture as to what will happen if Leavitt should really undertake to become active as a film entrepreneur. The first photoplayhouse, built for the purpose in New York's Theatre zone, was dedicated on Saturday evening, April 11, 1914, when the Strand Theatre occupying the entire Broadway block from 47th to 48th streets inaugurated its policy of presenting feature films with appropriate musical accompaniment. The projectors of this, the largest theatre in New York, seating 3,500 persons comfortably, are the Mark Brothers, of Buffalo, N. Y., and Max Spiegel, prominent factors all of them in the motion picture field. The Messrs. Mark were among the first exhibitors in Western New York, and their operations have extended throughout Canada where they still have extensive interests. Mr. Spiegel has had a prosperous career as a burlesque magnate, but has erected not a few luxurious photoplay houses ; the last to be dedicated was