Exhibitors Herald (Sep-Dec 1918)

C^N^DWN^WFILM NEWS Ontario Exhibitors Cooperate to Save Fuel and Aid Loan Theatre Men Using Oil to Heat Houses and Displaying Propaganda Slides The Motion Picture Exhibitors' Protective Association of Ontario, Ltd., rinds itself in the pleasant position at the present time of being able to co-operate with a number of Canadian government departments in presenting the wishes and advice of the authorities to the people. Secretary Thomas Scott of the Ontario organization points out that the body is acting on a co-operative basis with the Canadian minister of finance, the dominion Juel controller, the Victory Loan Committee and the Military Hospitals Commission. The members of the association are showing slides for the fuel controller and have arranged to screen the special loan pictures for the minister of finance and the Victory Loan Committee. The theatres are also showing the official serial of five chapters, showing what the dominion is doing for wounded soldiers. Secretary Scott points out in a circular letter to the exhibitors of Ontario that the moving picture business is establishing the fact that it is essential from the government viewpoint and that the business has a right to be recognized. Exhibitors Save Coal Incidentally, at an executive meeting of the association held in Toronto on Sept. 24, it was brought out that a number of exhibitors have devised plans to save hard coal in order to protect themselves for the coming winter. Manager Crang of the Oakwood Theatre announced that his house would be heated by oil fuel. Manager Sexton of the Family Theatre, Toronto, also declared that an oilburning furnace was being installed in his theatre. Dr. Richardson, representing the Crown Theatre, Toronto, stated that wood only would be burned to heat his theatre until such a practice was no longer practical or effective. It was decided at this meeting to urge upon all exhibitors to do everything possible to save hard coal for the use of the householders. If thev are burning wood, soft coal or oil thev are to be urged to display screen slides giving this in formation. Operators Organize There is a movement on foot to organize a local of the moving picture projection machine operators in Montreal, Quebec, where the working conditions are said to be about the poorest of any city in Canada. Wages are said to range from $9 to $20 per week. Officers of the Toronto local have asked for the names and addresses of all Toronto operators now serving with the Canadian army in France, so that tobacco and other comforts may be shipped to the men. LEAH BAIRD, Featured in "Wolves of Kultur," a Fifteen Episode Serial Distributed by PaUie. CANADIAN BRIEFS F. G. Spencer of Halifax, N. S., who owns or controls a large string of theatres in the maritime provinces, has made several purchases recently. One is the Strand Theatre in Truro, N. S., and another is the site of the Unique Theatre, St. John, N. B., and adjacent land. A new theatre will be erected on this property, it is said. An event of unusual interest in Woodstock, Ont., was the taking of a motion picture entitled "The New Teacher," under the auspices of the local chapter of the Imperial Daughters of the Empire, with the employment of an amateur cast. After presentation at the Princess Theatre, Woodstock, before big crowds, the print was sent overseas to be shown to Woodstock boys in the Canadian army. Charles Stephenson, general manager of the Exhibitors' Distributing Company, Toronto, has been visiting Winnipeg, Manitoba, for the purpose of arranging details in connection with the opening of the company's new branch in that city under the management of Bert Hill, a former theatre manager of Winnipeg. S. Fine, formerly salesman with the Fox Film Company at Toronto, and manager of the Northern Star Theatre at Iroquois Falls, Ontario, has secured the Dundas Playhouse, 1585 Dundas street West, Toronto, from N. J. Morgan. The Dundas Playhouse seats about 550 persons. No change in the policy of the theatre will be made for the present. Admission prices will be 15c and 10c. The management of the Dominion Theatre, Montreal, has announced an increase in admission prices, following 53 Fight Over Prices Brings Big Business To Strand, Montreal Manager George Ganetakos of the Strand Theatre, Montreal, and President J. J. Unger of the Metro Film Service, Ltd., worked up a big argument over the question of admission prices for a run of "My Four Years in Germany" for four days starting Sunday, Sept. 22. Manager Ganetakos advertised that the special feature would be shown at the Strand for the first time at popular prices and that the regular prices of the theatre would be charged. Mr. Unger got all heated up when he saw this announcement in the newspapers and forthwith notified the publishers that Ganetakos was all wrong, the contract for the booking calling for admission prices ranging from 25 cents to $1. Mr. Unger also declared in his letters that his company would take steps to prevent the showing of the feature at any but these prices. By way of reply Mr. Ganetakos advertised that possession was nine-tenths of the law, or words to that effect, and that, as he had the film safely in his theatre he was going to stand by his advertised promises and his regular admission prices. He also declared that he would accept any responsibility that might occur from such action. Mr. Ganetakos advertised that, starting Sunday, injunction or no injunction, he would show Ambassador Gerard's "My Four Years in Germany" at regular admission prices. The natural result of the controversy and the threatened legal action was that most everybody in Montreal pricked up his ears and looked for trouble. Incidentally, there was a big rush to see a ten-reel feature over which there could be so much fight regarding admission prices. The theatre got some of the best publicity for a picture in months. the decision of a number of other Montreal exhibitors to raise their prices. Night prices will be 10 cents for a balcony seat and 15 cents, including war tax, for orchestra floor seats. Owing to an accident to the employe of a local express company the Pantages Theatre, Edmonton, Alberta, could not present the twentieth and final episode of "The House of Hate" on Monday, Sept. 16. The film was not delivered to the theatre until twenty-four hours after the scheduled time. The management announced that patrons of the theatre at the two Monday performances could see a special free presentation of Mie episode immediately after the regular matinee performance at the theatre on Saturday. Large space was used in the local newspapers to apologize for the confusion and incidentally to announce the start of the latest serial of the Vitagraph company starring William Duncan and Edith Johnson.