Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD January 10, 1925 Everything All Set for Annual Dinner and Ball at Astor Brandt Predicts It Will Be Biggest Event in History of Chamber of Commerce — Only 2,500 Tickets Available By JOHN S. SPARGO \0RK, December 30. — If the Annual Dinner and Ball of the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce, which takes place in the Gold Room of the Hotel Astor on Saturday, January 17, is not the biggest event yet given by that organization, it will not be the fault of the committee having it in charge. This committee is headed by William Brandt, the foimder of the organization and to whose efforts is due the fact that the T. O. C, C. annual event has become probably the greatest social fixture of the film world. WILLIAM BRANDT TWT R. BRANDT, speaking for the committee, has announced that 2,500 tickets only will be printed and when that stock is exhausted all those who have not availed themselves of the opportunity to purchase will find themselves on the outside looking in. This number is strictly within the limits of the entertainment capacity. Mr. Brandt says that judging from reservations already made nearly ten thousand tickets could be disposed of. Vincent Lopez and his famous Pennsylvania Hotel orchestra have been engaged for the occasion and in addition twenty noted soloists will render appropriate dance music. The popularity contest to elect a king and queen of the movies was started on New Year’s Day by the T. O. C. C. in conjunction with the New York Evening Journal. One of the big events of the ball will be the crowning of the king and queen. Rudolph Valentino and Marion Davies were chosen respectively king and queen at the ball a year ago and already a great deal of expectancy is indicated as to who will capture the coveted honors this year. The ball committee, which is composed of Sam Rothafel, Dr. Hugo Riesenfeld, Joseph Plunkett, Eddie Cantor, Harry Reichenbach, Clark Robinson and Lee Ochs, have planned a number of most unusual surprises in art effects, etc. All told, Saturday, January 17, looks like one great night in the industry. Dover, N. J., was the mecca for many in the film industry last week when R. F. (Pete) Woodhull formally opened his new theatre, which he has named the Baker theatre, in honor of his energetic partner. Every available bit of space was filled and congratulations literally deluged Mr. Woodhull and his energetic partner, Mr. Baker, on the spacious character of the house, its wonderful appointments, ornamentation and homey effect generally. It is a fine theatre, seats about 1,800, has a big stage and is combination in character, showing vaudeville and pictures. Mr. Woodhull and Mr. Baker are proud of their achievement and the people of Dover and all their friends are proud of them. The Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America was represented at the opening by National President M. J. O’Toole and Chairman of the Administrative Committee Sydney S. Cohen. Mr. Woodhull is chairman of the board of directors. Mayor William Hoskins of Dover presided at a short series of congratulatory addresses and Mayor Frederick Breidenback of Newark, Superintendent of Schools Bowlby and others spoke. * * * Many motion picture people who formerly were newspaper men attended the Old 'Timers’ party at the Newspaper Club. Winfield R. Sheehan of Fox Film Corporation ; John C. Flinn of Producers Distributing; Paul Mooney of the same organization ; Jerome Beatty and Paul Gulick of Universal ; Jack Meador and Howard Dietz of Metro Goldwyn ; J. E. McCarthy of Famous Players ; John S. Spargo of Exhibitors Herald; Jim Loughborough of Principal Pictures, were a few of those on hand. The well known welkin began ringing in the club’s quarters at 133 West 41st Street early in the evening. Governor A1 Smith attended, as did Will Rogers, William C. Fields and others of prominence. The Old Timers got together and swapped stories. Hamilton Peltz of the Times, recalled the days when he was a war correspondent; George Boothby of the World, harked back to how he and Father Duffy helped win the war; Joe Jordan of the Evening Post, was on hand with his usual crop of good stories; Martin Green was there and refused to make a speech until he was lifted to the top of a table. The evening’s proceedings were broadcasted with Christie Bohnsack, New York City’s official radio program manager, acting as announcer. This was through station WNYC, hooked up with Pittsburgh, Chicago and Hastings, Nebraska. * * * Miss Mildred S. Rosenfeld, who is well known in the industry for her activities in the state-right and foreign distribution field, was married on Sunday, December 21, to Manasseh Kaplan. Miss Rosenfield has been for several years actively associated with the Sol Lesser exchanges and has established a reputation for invaluable services to state right exchanges, through her New York representation. Mr. Kaplan is not identified with the film industry. The couple has departed for an extended honeymoon to Florida and Cuba. ♦ * * Richard Rowland, general manager of First National, and Colleen Moore will act as Godfather and Godmother, respectively, at the christening of John Francis Dillon, Jr., whom the stork recently presented to Mr. and Mrs. John Francis Dillon. Mr. Dillon is now producing “One Way Street” at the Biograph Studios, New York City. * * * Billy Brandt is the busy young man these days. He says that being chairman of the committee having charge of the Alotion Picture Theatre Owners Annual Supper and Ball carries with it as about much work as running a whole chain of motion picture theatres. The Annual Supper and Ball, which is the fifth in the history of the organization, will be held in the Gold Room of the Astor Hotel on January 17. * * * S. L. Rothafel, the first of the picture people to take up in a big way the broadcasting of programs, has become so thoroughly identified with radio that sometimes people lose sight of the fact that he is still managing director of the Capitol theatre. Evidence of this is in several of the New York papers last week which referred in headlines to “Roxy of Radio Fame.” ^ * Dave Ch.atkin, sales manager of Educational Pictures, is willing to back with real money his statement that Roberta, his girl baby, born on Thanksgiving Day, is the most precocious child in or out of the industry. Chatkin asserts and doesn’t smile when he says it, that every night before being put in her little bed Roberta asks to hear the bedtime stories over the radio. * * * Larry Weingarten, who frequently gets his picture taken with Jackie Coogan (Larry being the taller one), writes me as follows anent the advent of Jackie’s little brother: “Since the advent of Robert Anthony Coogan, on December 13, everybody has been running in circles. He’s a great kid for one only ten days old and the minute he opened his eyes you could see he was looking for a million dollar contract.” * * * Michael L. Simmons walks the gangplank of the S. S. America on January 3, bound for Rome, where he will learn how to dodge the ubiquitous odor of garlic and tip-takers from the initiated members of the Ben Hur company. Guide Placed on Fifth Avenue Occasioned by Move of Hays Offices (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 30.— In spite of the fact that notices were sent out to almost everyone who might have occasion to know that the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association had moved from 522 Fifth avenue to 469 Fifth avenue, it has been found necessary to station a man at the old office to direct visitors to the new ones. The Hays organization now occupies the old Goldwyn offices, the rapid growth of the organization making necessary the use of almost double the space that the old office afforded. In addition to this, the new offices have an excellent projection room which enables Will H. Hays and his staff to see what pictures they desire screened without leaving their new quarters. Heretofore, an outside projection room had been rented for this purpose. Patrons in Panic as Nearby Building Burns (Special to Exhibitors Herald) HOBART, OKLA., Dec. 30. — Fire on Christmas evening in a local jewelry store, located between two motion picture theatres, threw patrons of the houses into a mild panic. The blaze undoubtedly would have caused no commotion had the people not been unnerved by the Christmas Day fire at Babb Switch Rural school near here, which killed more than a score of children and older persons.