Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

September 30, 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 81 J CHICAGO PERSONALITIES i ' » THERE is something in the air. What it is is a matter of speculation. Both the city and state executive boards of the M. P. T. O. met last week and members of the two bodies are convening again this week. Two meetings of the bodies within two weeks is unusual and this leads to the belief that something of importance is to be announced shortly. Think it over. * * * Al Hoffman of the local F. B. O. branch is having more trouble with that Ford of his than most fathers and mothers have with twelve children. First he got it all banged up when it refused to track. Now he finds that it has developed almost human proclivities. He left it at the curb in front of a North Side hotel one night last week, but in the morning he found it standing on the sidewalk. You can't keep a good thing in the gutter, Al. And another thing, it's hard to tell what's going to happen next on the North Side. * * * Louis Frank's got a glorious grin on his face these days in contemplation of that New York trip he plans in a couple of weeks. Although we're jealous, we're for him. * * % Joe Koppfx has resigned from the F. B. O. sales staff to return to the exhibition field. Joe will have complete charge of the new Astor theatre in Clark street. Joe ought to put this beautiful little house on the Chicago theatrical map in bright colors. Our best wishes, Joe, for a successful season. * # .* Jeff Lazarus, the hustling young First National exploitation person, wishes us to retract what we said about Springfield, 111. We referred to it as the "sticks." Now Jeff is afraid to go back there until we make the correction. So we "take it all back." * * * John Kempton, manager of the Linden, the E. A. R. and the Englewood theatres, of the E. Thomas Beatty Enterprises, has returned from his honeymoon sojourn in the East. He visited Mr. Beatty's estate at New Rochelle, N. Y., where he and his bride posed for 500 feet of film to be known as "A Life Contract." They also visited Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Washington and other Eastern towns. * * * Milton M. Stern has deserted the fillums. He's now selling all kinds of insurance for the Travelers Ins. Company. * * * Didja notice the new Universal 24sheets, etc., etc. In line with its recently announced policy of enlarged exploitation aids to exhibitors, Universal has entered upon an expanded posting campaign. This is part of the reorganized service. * * * Jones, Linick & Schaefer has established a production department in the Capitol building, formerly known as the Masonic Temple. It is here Aaron Jones presides over conferences with S. Barret McCormick, H. Leopold Spitalny and Mr. Zimmerer over proposed McVickers theatre presentation. * * * J. J. Collins, who recently sold the Apollo theatre, Ottawa, 111., has purchased the Marquette, La Salle, 111., and renamed it the Peck. Mr. and Mrs. Collins visited the Universal exchange last week and purchased several features for the Peck. * * * Joe Klein, the manager of Film Book ing Offices, now sports a Cadillac car, which runs, burns gas, 'n everything. * * * Louis Kramer, F. B. O.'s exploitation man, spent some time in Elkhart and South Bend last week putting on "In the Name of the Law." Mrs. Harris, of the Orpheum theatre, is playing it in the former town and the Blackstone will play it in South Bend. * * * Sept. 13 was an unlucky day for Max Levine, the Fox projectionist. Max was served with a summons for parking his car in the middle of the street, and had to say "good morning judge" with his lawyer John Tower McGinus, in the municipal court at Desplaines street station. * * * Johnny Mednikow is in the market for a new car. If you have a favorite automobile salesman refer him to the Celebrated Players salesman. Another smasjiup and Johnny's present "boat" won't navigate. All you automobile salesmen form to the right. * * * Frank Ishmael has an itchy feeling on the bottom of his feet. An itchy feeling in the palm of the hand means money, on the bottom of the feet the wanderlust. We wonder if the Metro sales ace is planning to bid farewell to the Row? We sure would miss you, Frank. Think twice before you jump. * * * Frank J. Sheppard is a new one in our midst. Frank came out from New York with Joe Klein, manager of the local F. B. O. branch, as special representative to cover the key cities in this state. They say F. J. likes the women and because of the difficulty of meeting the fair ones in a strange city he has devised a scheme all his own. Knowing the feminine ingenuity in needlecraft, Frank tears a button from his shirt and calls for aid from a beauty next door. The plan has worked admirably well, he says. * * * Who asked how "Nanook of the North" is going at Orchestra Hall? Just ask Managers Gullick and Martin at the local Pathe exchange. They'll tell you in superlatives. * * * Will somebody please bring on a few good days out at John Silha's houses. John wants that vacation that everybody has been enjoying during the past few months. The exhibitor allows as how he needs a few good days of business for carfare and board and room at the other end. If anyone chances to be in a philanthropic mood they might relieve the agony for John is such a worrying sort. Haven't you noticed how thin he is getting? * * * Has anybody here seen Dubin, Dave Dubin, that's him. Dave seems to have slunk out of sight the past few days. He must be Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson. How about it Dave? Show your face once in a while. Have you seen that beautiful over-stuffed jaw that George Weinberg of Celebrated Players is sporting these days. O, Boy! is it a hummer. We can't get the story quite clear in our mind, but we understand that the lopsided jaw is the result of a melee at the Friar's Inn. * * Edward Grossman has just returned from Indianapolis and announces that he has arranged for a first run showing on "Rich Men's Wives," the Al Lichtman special which J. L. Friedman is handling in this territory. * * * J. Weinshank, prominent publisher of Havana, Cuba, who is extensively interested in motion picture theatres in Latin American countries, was a visitor along film row last week. * * * Tom McDermott, who sells "Topics of the Day," is out in the "double I" territory this week, knocking 'em dead. * * * "Chub" Florine, erstwhile film salesman, has obtained a lease on a store on Broadway and will open up an up-to-date cigar store about October 1. * * * District Manager Here R. S. Schrader, Pathe district manager, spent two days in Chicago, September 18-19. "Manslaughter" (Concluded from page 44) this subject should command an unusual amount of attention. Displayed in a sporting goods window they would hold a crowd all day. If a local athletic club could be sold on the proposition, a fight between two female "pugs" would crack the newspapers wide open. Get the newspaper to run the prize-fight still and stir up an essay contest on the ethics of woman in pugilism. One of the stills suggests a novel ballyhoo for the lobby. It shows the experts working with toy automobiles and motorcycles to show exactly how the accident happened in preparation of evidence for a trial. A display of a toy automobile chased by a toy motorcycle would be easy and inexpensive. It would require an electric motor, a round wood drum which you could build if necessary, and simple fake scenery. You could also put a table in the lobby with the top covered with a flat drawing of a road and an intersection. Have the toy vehicles handy and see how many people can demonstrate just how the accident happened. This would keep a crowd in your lobby and show your prosperity. * * * Another still suggests a patronage building ballyhoo. Get a Bertillon expert and have him take thumb prints in the lobby. The police might lend you one of theirs. It can be advertised that the thumb print most nearly resembling Leatrice Joy's will bring the owner a season's pass to the theatre. Only one or two passes need be given out. Quite in keeping with the theme of the picture would be a prologue of a bacchanale, rendered by a ballet. Strauss' music from his opera "Salome," Richard Hadley's bacchanale from "Cleopatra's Night," are among the musical selections available. A simple and highly effective prologue could be arranged with little or no trouble or expense. Simply insert a corner of a jury box on a darkened stage. Have a baby spot play upon a speaker who is to represent the district attorney. He will then recite the plea to the jury which convicted Lydia Thorne in the picture. This speech can be found in Miss Miller's novel "Manslaughter." They stress the importance of enforcing the law against a rich, somewhat profligate young woman who was selfishly indifferent to the safety of others.