Exhibitor's Trade Review (May-Aug 1925)

May 30, 1925 Page 35 2 ARRESTED FOR SELLING TICKETS TO CHILDREN .BUFFALO, May 22.— Marjorie Spring, ticket seller at the Central Park Theatre, a North Buffalo community theatre, Vfas ar-" rested on a charge of \ selling tickets to minors. James Hyan, a ticket taker, was also arrested on the same charge. A year ago Carolyn Darrow, who owns the house, was fined $25 on a charge of selling tickets to children under sixteen. 100 MOTION PICTURE ENGINEERS CONVENE SCHENECTADY, May 22.— Nearly one hundred members of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers of America met here this week at a four-day convention. The convention opened at the Hotel Van Curler Monday, when Mayor William W. Campbell, of Schnectady, and Francis C. Piatt, vice-president of the General Electric Works, welcomed the delegates. Papers were read by J. R. Hertner, on "Control of Series Arc Generator Sets" ; by A. S. Hitchins, on "The Machine Development of Negative and Positive Motion Picture Films" ; by F. H. Richardson, upon "What Happened in the Beginning" ; by L. A. Jones and Lewis Townsend, on "Colored Lighting Effects for Use in Connection with the Exhibition of Motion Pictures." At the opening of the session, there was a paper by M. Breifer, on "An Improved Sensitometer Sector Wheel," followed by a talk on theatre ventilation by F. R. Still. J. A. Ball spoke on "Infra-Red Photography in Motion Picture Work." One of the features of the gathering was a theatre party at the State Theatre, where colored pictures were discussed and shown by P. D. Brewster. The General Electric Company tendered a luncheon to the delegates. * * * FINES END ROWDYISM TORONTO, Ont, May 22.— For some time the Hillcrest Theatre here had been bothered by rowdies. Manny Bergman, manager, tried various methods to deal with theproblem without resorting to the assistance of the Toronto police. All is now rosy at the theatre, however, because Manager Bergman had two men arrested, with the result that one was fined $50 and costs and the other $25 and costs, for disorderly conduct. * * * ROCHESTER, May 22— A special committee of the Rochester Parent-Teacher Association is acting as an advisory committee in reviewing the picture programs for the Eastman Saturday morning performances for boys and girls. Although these programs are first scrutinized carefully in New York by representatives, they are gone over once more before being presented in Rochester. * * * OFFERS OPERA BRIEF BUFFALO, May 22 — A grand opera presentation is announced by Vincent R. McFaul, manager, as a concert feature at Shea's Hippodrome here for the week of May 24. Five stars who have finished their season with the Metropolitan, Chicago and San Carlo companies will be heard in a condensed version of "II Pagliacci." They are Joseph Interrante-, Carmela Serena, Ludovico Tomarchio, Francesco Curci and Giorgio Cehancsky. * * * FIRE DAMAGES BOOTH FILER, Idaho, May 22.— A fire which started in the operating booth of the Gem Theatre resulted in extensive damages to the projecting and other machines, and brought the audience out of the theatre in a hurry without difficulty. D. J. Snyder is proprietor of the theatre. Showman ! Herman N. Jernberg Owes 'Leadership as Exhibitor in Canada to Showmanship Ability that Won Fortune. . OPERATOR STAVES OFF PANIC IN $100,000 FIRE SOMERSWORTH, N. J., May 22.— Panic of 150 spectators was averted by a motion picture operator at the Strand Theatre here. Film caught fire and started a blaze that burned the theatre building and two adjoining structures. Loss was estimated at $100,000. Telesphore Bourque, the operator, failing in an attempt to smother the flames, rushed out of the booth and calmly told the spectators that a fire had started, but that there was no immediate danger. THEATRE BUILDER DIES SEATTLE, May 22. — Sherman Combs, well known theatre builder of the Pacific Northwest, who built three of Seattle's leading houses — the Strand, formerly the Alaska ; the Columbia, and the Winter Garden — died at his home here. * * * INSTALL OPERA CHAIRS SEATTLE, May 22— The Columbia Theatre has been undergoing the process of reseating with upholstered spring cushion seat opera chairs, without disturbing performances. * * * BREMERTON, Wash., May 22. — The Manhattan theatre in Charleston was recently vacated, and is now being remodeled, both outside and on the interior, for a business house. * * * NEW $75,000 STRUCTURE SHELTON, Wash., May 22 — The Graham theatre, which was designed and erected by George B. Pervis, architect and builder, for E. W. Graham, owner, is now opened. It represents an investment of $75,000. The seating capacity is 730. * * * VISIT ST. LOUIS ROW ST. LOUIS, May 22.— Out of town callers seen along Film Row during; the week included Dr. C. A. Tetley, of Elvins, Mo. ; C. H. Tuttle, of DesLoge, Mo. ; J. C. Cotter and wife, of Moberly, Mo., and C. W. McCutcheon, of Sikeston, Mo. ACCEPT OPTION ON HOUSES BUFFALO, May 22.— Stockholders of the Boeder Amusement Company, meeting at Hotel Statler here, authorized the directors to accept a deposit of $5,000 from an undisclosed client who is seeking the Star, Ellen Terry and Marlowe, in their chain. DAMAGE ACTIONS OVER NEW ST. LOUIS THEATRE UNDER WAY ST. LOUIS, May 22. — Behind closed doors, newspapermen being barred, the deposition of David Sommers, president of the Metropolitan Theatres Corporation, which holds title to the site of the St. Louis theatre, Grand boulevard and Morgan street, was taken before Special Commissioner Leo S. Rassieur in William Goldman's suit for $250,000 damages against Harry Koplar, Sam Koplar, Sam Hamburg, Jr., Sommers and the theatre corporation. The hearing was held in Commissioner Rassieur's offices. It is understood that Sommers, who is president of the theatre corporation, entered a general and specific de nial of the charges made by Goldman in his suit; contending that the transactions through which title to the property passed to the theatre corporation were absolutely legal in every respect. Goldman in his suit charged that he originated the idea of erecting a theatre at Grand boulevard and Morgan; that he obtained title to the site, had plans prepared and let a construction contract for a theatre to seat 1,800 persons, but that later he was prevailed upon to change his plans, necessitating additional capital, and that in the negotiations that followed he was induced to convey title to the property to Sommers and that later he also was persuaded to release a claim to $50,000 of the preferred stock and a block of common stock in the new corporation, and to a $25,000 a year job as manager of the new house. He has placed a valuation of $250,000 on the assets he claims were obtained from him and he has asked for judgment in that amount. Harry Koplar and the Metropolitan Theatres Corporation were named joint defendants in a new suit filed by Alexander Lichtman in the St. Louis Circuit Court. Lichtman asks $49,000 damages. This new action takes the place of a similar suit filed by Lichtman several weeks ago, but which was subsequently withdrawn by his attorneys for technical reasons. In his petition Lichtman alleges that he was retained to conduct negotiations with the Orpheum Circuit to lease the St. Louis theatre in October, 1924, and that he worked on the deal for several months and eventually the Orpheum agreed to form a subsidiary and lease the theatre for a period of ten years at an annual rental of $100,000 and 50 per cent of the net profits of the house. For his services he demanded $50,000, but has only received $1,000, his petition sets forth. * * * ARDMORE, Okla., May 22. — Gilliam and Powell have opened their new Liberty theatre at Ardmore, Okla. jfc ♦ Sjc OKMULGEE, Okla., May 22. — John Feeney and E. P. (Tex) Jones have taken over the management of the Orpheum theatre. * * * NELDENV1LLE, Okla., May 22. — The Liberty theater is being remodelled. Six hundred seats will be added. * ♦ ♦ HOPE, Ark., May 22. — The new Elm Street theatre will open soon. * * * MUSKOGEE, Okla., May 22. — Earl Settle is remodelling his Palace theatre and adding extensive new equipment. HORATIO, Ark., May 22 — R. R. Gallagher and Fred Sharp have leased the Stanford theatre. OREGON HOUSE CLOSES ESTACADA, Ore., May 22. — The Liberty theatre has closed. A. J. Teyerabend was manager.