Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

CHICAGO TRADE EVENTS Subway Plan Would Benefit Film Rialto Wabash Avenue Being Urged As Logical Route for Proposed System Wabash avenue, which recently became the Film Rialto of Chicago, is being urged as the logical route for the new subway, which it is proposed to build to relieve the loop district of some of its congested traffic. Money Is Collected Over $30,000,000 has been collected from the straphangers to construct a subway and efforts are being made to have the work commenced at once, which would have a two-fold benefit by relieving the unemployment situation and give better facilities for reaching the various exchanges. Transportation Inadequate At present hundreds of exhibitors who daily have business between Seventh and Ninth uvenues on Wabash avenue have to use the trolley cars from the loop, or walk, as there is no elevated station near the film district. A subway, with a station at either Eighth or Ninth avenue, would be a boon to the district. Musicians Union Head Stabbed; Indicted by Grand Jury in Chicago Joseph S. Winkler, president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians, was badly wounded last week when he was stabbed in the face and head during a meeting of the board of directors at the organization's headquarters at 175 West Washington street. Winkler was indicted last week by the grand jury on a charge of attempting to extort $225 from Burt Earl, head of a troupe of saxaphone players. Whether or not the stabbing was a result of the indictment is not known. J. E.WILLIS TuM CRAFT TRAILERS ONLY -ORIGINAL-FILM-TRAILERS DONT BE FOOLED BY CHEAP IMITATORS. QUICK SERVICE OUR MOTTO — "WE MAKE 'EM WHILE YOU WAIT— ON EVERY PICTURE RELEASED. WRITE -WIRE -OR RHONE. TELEPHONE HARRISON 2278 34 EAST EIGHTH ST. CHICAGO J. L. FRIEDMAN of Celebrated Players Film Corporation and president of Federated Film Exchanges of America, has been in New York attending the annual convention of the co-operative distributing organization. It is expected that President Friedman will have a number of important announcements to make on his return. Twenty Additional Prints Of International News to Be Circulated in District R. V. Anderson, sales manager of International News Reel Corporation, has arrived in Chicago, where he will place twenty more news reel prints* than at present are being circulated. Mr. Anderson will cover the territory embracing Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Cleveland, while here, but will make his headquarters in the Universal exchange, Chicago. "The news reel," Mr. Anderson stated, "is the most expensive film of all to make because of its short life. Three or four weeks at the most is the limit of its usefulness and where one theatre runs a news reel for a week that particular film has very little circulation after that, although it is practically new and in very good condition. We scrap thousands upon thousands of feet of film every week — discarded news reels — that are practically unscratched and look as though they had never been run." Daylight'Saving Cut Will Aid Exhibitors Action Taken by City Council Meets With Approval of Theatre Men Chicago exhibitors this year will not be compelled to contend with daylight saving after every other city in the country has reverted to standard time. An ordinance has been adopted by the city council decreeing that daylight saving shall be inaugurated on April 30, and terminate on September 24, two months shorter than last year. Approved by Exhibitors This action by the city lawmakers has met with the approval of all Chicago theatre owners, who, during 1921, suffered from the protracted daylight saving. The ordinance as passed by the council reads that daylight saving shall begin on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in September. Plans No Further Action Efforts are being made in a number of cities to have daylight saving abolished. Now that the time has been shortened it is not probable that any such action will be taken here. Steve Bennis Will Build New Theatre at Lincoln During a visit to the Universal exchange last week Steve Bennis of the Lincoln theatre, Lincoln, 111., announced that he was planning to begin erection of a new house in March. He plans a seating capacity of 1,160 in the new theatre. Mr. Bennis also told the force at Universal that "Winners of the West" is going over fine. Mr. Bennis started in the picture show business some years ago. While devoting his time to the confectionery business one of the big film corporations, whose service was abandoned by the theatres of Lincoln, obtained Mr. Bennis' services in an effort that corporation made to recreate a demand for its pictures in Lincoln by having certain hours of the day when he would exhibit in his refreshment parlor a short production of this company. After creating this demand he stepped aside, leaving to the local exhibitors to show the pictures in conjunction with their program. He found that this generous spirit had won for him many friends in Lincoln and his re-entry in the picture field followed. Feist Passes Through Felix Feist was a Chicago visitor for a few hours on Friday, February :s. He left Friday evening for Los Angeles. Clarence McClish Acquires Theotorium at Ashley, 111 Salesman Funk of the local Universal exchange reports that Clarence McClish has taken over the Theotorium at Ashley, 111.