Exhibitors Herald (Jun-Sep 1918)

9§Sg, l^/T CHICAGO TRADE EVENTS Jones, Linick & Schaefer to Build Big Theatre in Loop for Pictures Will Be Constructed Few Doors East of the Colonial and Ready About Oct. 1 2,600Seat House for North Side Chicago is to have a motion picture theatre in the Loop comparable to the Rialto, Rivoli and Strand of New York within a couple of months. Jones, Linick & Schaefer announce that they have obtained a long-term lease on the building at 14-16 West Randolph street, a few doors east of their Colonial Theatre, and will remodel it into a modern house for the showing of the highest grade of motion pictures. Although Jones, Linick & Schaefer are not the first to make arrangements for a hig motion picture theatre in the Loop, they will be the first to have such a house in operation, as the new theatre is to be ready about Oct. 1, according to the present plans. Aschers Also Have Site Ascher Brothers several months ago came into possession of the old Inter Ocean building on Monroe street, near Dearborn, intending to rebuild it for a motion picture -theatre, but the labor shortage and the inability to get steel, it is understood, will prevent that house from being ready for some time. Consequently Jones, Linick & Schaefer win first honors. Work has already started on the new Jones, Linick & Schaefer Theatre according to plans prepared by Henry L. Newhouse. The theatre will seat approximately 1,000 persons — possibly 900, possibly 1,100. It will be designed in the Louis XVI style, with ivory, gold and old rose forming the color scheme. The lobby will be lined with Italian marble. It will be large, so as to accommodate waiting crowds. The theatre will be known as the Randolph. The building is practically new, as the present structure was only put up last year. At that time foundations were laid that would support a ten-story structure, but the owners ran short of money, it is understood, and only two stories were built. It is the intention of Jones, Linick & Schaefer to erect a five-story building, probably adapting part of the space to offices, as in the A. H. Woods Theatre building. The El Mar cafeteria has been occupying the location. After Site Long Jones, Linick & Schaefer have been striving for a long time to get a big Loop theatre for the exclusive presentation of high-class pictures. Rut because of building conditions it was practically an impossibility to build one at the present, so the only solution was to acquire a building. Many were available, but Jones, I.inick & Schaefer preferred to wait until thev could get a location exactly to their liking and with the one just acquired they express themselves as being entirely satisfied. At the same time the Loop will be getting a big motion picture theatre the North Side will be better off by a big Balaban & Katz house. These exhibitors have acquired a vaudeville theatre in the course of construction at Broadway and Lawrence avenue and expect to have it in operation late in September or early in October. It will be known as the Riviera. Will Seat 2,600 The new theatre will seat 2,600 persons, it is reported, and will have a balcony and 22 boxes and loges. The architecture will be the Louis XIV period. There will be a stage 42 feel wide by 33 feet deep to accommodate specialties used to augment the pictures. An orchestra of forty musicians is planned. Balaban & Katz are the owners of the Central Park Theatre, which is considered one of the two finest motion picture theatres in the city, the other being the Woodlawn. The Central Park is located at Twelfth and Central Park avenue, and though far out on the West Side, is so attractive that it draws patronage from all over the city and the suburbs. The Woodlawn is located on Sixty-third street. Si Greiver Withdraws From Local Exchange; Company Reorganizes Reorganization of the Greiver and Herz Film Exchange, in the Consumers' Building, was effected last week when S. B. Greiver, president of the concern, withdrew and disposed of his stock to Lee Herz, junior member of the firm. Mr. Greiver has been associated with the film exchange since its inception two years ago, and has as yet made no definite plans for the future. It is not known whether he will again engage in the film business or take up some other line of endeavor. Mr. Herz has succeeded the retiringpresident, and has announced that there will be no change in the policy which has governed the activities of the company. In accordance with the arrangements which resulted in the withdrawal of Mr. Greiver, the film exchange will hereafter be known under its corporate name — The Silee Film Exchange. Mr. Herz states that he will in the near future have a number of important announcements to make concerning new features, soon to be purchased by the company and also concerning the policy of expansion begun under the old firm of Greiver & Herz. Aschers Spread Out; Get Rockford House Ascher Brothers are extending their interests outside of Chicago and promise to give the Stanley chain in the east a run for second place in size of circuits. H. E. Ascher has just returned from Rockford, where he arranged for the opening of the Midway theatre there. The house is located in East State street and will be one of the city's finest. Rockford is a boom town now because of the fact that Camp Grant is located only five miles away and attracts the patronage of 30,000 soldiers, besides housing many of the soldiers' families. Leon Schlesinger Here To Exploit "Manx-Man" Leon Schlesinger, special representative of the Manx Man Company, Inc., which is distributing the Hall Caine Photoplay through the Goldwyn exchanges, arrived in Chicago this week for a stay of three or four weeks during which time he will make a canvass of the territory in the interests of the film. Mr. Schlesinger carries with him a 500foot version of the production which he hopes to show to every exhibitor in the district. It is complete enough, he says, to give a good idea of the eight-reel production and the exploitation possibilities. PERSONALS "By George" W. L. Hill, the well known dispenser of information to exhibitors for the Paramount company, besides doing a hek of a lot of other things, is taking a vacation. W. L. has been a lot of help to the feller responsible for this column and we'll be glad to see him back as soon as he can come without cutting the sojourn short. Messrs. Auger and Goff of the Vitagraph company were visitors at the local office last week and we hung around until Manager Chatburn introduced us. Hope the gentlemen from the east were as pleased over the meeting as we were. Ralph O. Proctor of Chicago, Minnapohs permitting, dropped in for a full day last week and when we asked him if the train service of the Twin Cities was tied up he allowed it was durn funny that he had to apologize every time he came home. With the return of I. Von Ronkel to the film game via the Goldwyn management, "Daddy" Von Ronkel is again visible to the eye. He's looking hale and hearty as ever and apparently glad to be back. Kind o' missed us, eh, Dad? 61