Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

82 EXHIBITORS HERALD February 14, 1925 THEATRE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT Large Theatre for Kansas City, Plan of E. W. Werner Construction of Kansas City’s largest suburban theatre, a 2,500-seat theatre and office building combined, to cost $25,000.00 will begin a few weeks, it was announced Monday. E. W. Werner, who now operates the Warwick theatre, large suburban house, has obtained a 25-year lease on the new theatre, which will be located at Broadway and Valentine road and which will be named after Mr. Werner. The building will be twelve stories in height. The theatre entrance will be on Broadway in the center of the building. It will have a 40-foot street frontage and the lobby of that width will extend through the depth of the building. Exits will be on Valentine road, preventing any confusion between incoming and outcoming crowds. Robert E. Gornall, of Kansas City, is the architect. Mr. Werner will have the privilege of a 25-year extension on the lease. “I intend to make the new Werner theatre the most elaborately equipped theatre in Kansas City,” Mr. Werner said. “Of course I will continue to operate the Warwick theatre. We will have a stage nearly forty feet square, enabling us to stage prologues and novelty numbers. Our policy will be first run and first suburban run pictures. The theatre will contain a balcony with boxes above the main floor level and below the balcony. Promenades will be on both the balcony and main floor levees, as well as lounging rooms. A pipe organ, the type of which I will select later, costing $75,000, will be installed. A large canopy at the theatre entrance, as well as elaborate bronze grill work above the entrance, will be among the features.” E. T. Willett is erecting the building, which will be named for Mr. Werner, as well as the theatre. Marr & Colton Organs to Be Featured in Three New Houses Organ music will be featured at three new theatres in the middle west when the New Euclid and the West Park are opened in Cleveland by Max Lefkowich, owner of the Gaiety. Both theatres will have a seating capacity of 1,500. Mr. Lefkowich has ordered, through Sherman S. Webster, central division manager of Marr & Colton, two organs costing $30,000 each. O. J. Lambiotte, who will open his new theatre at Mishawaka, Ind., with a seating capacity of 1,500 in March has placed an order for a Marr & Colton organ costing $22,000. Shearer Firm to Erect Its Own Building Business has increased so rapidly in the last year for B. E. Shearer, Inc., that the firm will soon erect a modern building for its own use, incorporating into it its various departments, including equipment, furnishing and decorating. The company recently absorbed the A. M. Larsen Company, owned by F. B. Shearer and A. M. Larsen, which had been the decorating and drapery department of the firm. In addition to offices, warehouse and storerooms, the new Shearer building will contain an attractive model theatre with a seating capacity of about 100, equipped with all the appurtenances of a modern theatre, for use as an auditorium for sales demonstrations, or for such special occasions as trade screenings and presentations. Now Owns Five Theatres WINNIPEG, MAN. — Henry Morton, wellknown motion picture theatre owner of Western Canada, has secured two more theatres, making five in all which he possesses in Winnipeg, Man. He has acquired the Wonderland and Crescent Theatres of Winnipeg, which were formerly under the control of F. R. Hyde. Chicago Personalities {Continued from page 81) Arthur Todd, who has been in Chicago for several days shooting scenes for “Just a Woman” a First National production, returned to the United Studios, Los Angeles on Thursday. ^ ^ John A. Freese, director at Rothacker studios, put over a fast one on his friends recently when he quietly slipped away and got married in New York on New Year’s day. The staff has just found it out and are showering him with congratulations. * William O’Connell, manager of the Vernon theatre, is confined to his home with double pneumonia. * * John Miller of the Princess theatre, Woodstock, paid Film Row a visit last Thursday. Likewdse Walter Spoor, of the Academy, W'aukegan. * jK * New Theatre Opens Messrs. Seever & Goldberg threw open the doors of their beautiful new Jeffrey Theatre, at Jeffrey Blvd. and 71st street, last Thursday night, with “The Tornado” as an attraction. The house seats 2,000 and is modern in every respect being equipped with the latest in seats, projection machines, screen, and a Barton organ. Many film folk attended the opening and the Film Board sent a beautiful bouquet. ^ ^ ^ Eddie Grossman gave special screenings of “Sacrifice” at the Castle theatre on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week. * ❖ Wins Fourth Case A judge and jury looked at “The Birth of a Nation” in the Universal projection room last Thursday, and fifteen minutes after the trial closed rendered an acquittal verdict. This is the fourth trial resulting from the Auditorium showing of this United Artists picture and each one has resulted in a verdict for the picture distributors. * Jit * Picture Music Miss Mildred Fitzpatrick, organist at the Pantheon theatre, representing the Chicago Society of Organists, gave a demonstration of picture playing at the meeting of the National Association of Organists at Orchestra Hall, on Feb. 2. Clarence Dickinson played his Storm King symphony with the symphony orchestra. Prof. Edwin Stanley Seder gave several solo numbers and Robert R, Birch played Guilmant’s first cantata with the orchestra. * * * On Wednesday night, Feb. 4, Andrew Karsas, of the Woodlawn theatre, will give each patron of his Trianon dance hall a $5 certificate of deposit on the Washington Park National bank, to further the Thrift Week plan.