Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

26 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 21, 1925 THEATRE M AN AGERS — Left to right: Rose Gilluly, Ella Fabrique and Dora Smith. Just Read This! Women Now Managing Detroit Chain Feminine Executives Have Supplanted Men in Three Theatres W^hich Are Operated By Cohen Brothers in Michigan Metropolis (Special to Exhibitors Herald) Detroit, MICH., March lO. — “The world, dear Agnes, is a strange affair !” To this astute remark of an ancient philosopher, moderns must agree, for one by one the old time traditions fade, shoved into oblivion by the advance of women in realms of business, art and industry. ONE of these venerable theories has been wrecked in Detroit, where Ben and Lou Cohen, operating a string of motion picture theatres, have decided to employ women as house managers. The woman manager is no mere experiment, according to the Cohen Brothers. They have three now on the payroll, two of them having served for several years. They say they will replace the men managers in other theatres when conditions warrant. Results have proven that the woman manager is a great bet. Comprising the group of theatres owned by the Cohens are two downtown houses, the Colonial (a first run) and Globe, and three neighborhood theatres, the Coliseum in Hamilton avenue, the Rex, in Fort street and the Grand Victory in Grand River avenue. All of them are among the largest and most profitable theatres in the city. ^ * It took considerable courage to blaze this new trail, according to the Cohens, for few owners have been sold on the idea that a woman can properly attend to the hundred and one tragic little details that go with managing an outskirt theatre. In this movement, however, the Cohens are pioneers. Under the old regime there was so much trouble that some radical change became necessary. “Out at the Rex,” said Ben Cohen, “there is always some kind of a row. This theatre located near Fort Wayne and River Rouge drew its patronage from a district composed mostly of men who reveled in a good fight. Business was fair, but not what it should have been, and there was trouble nightly. Men didn’t seem able to cope with the conditions successfully. There simply had to be a change. “Miss Ella Fabrique had been with us for several years. She had proven dependable, efficient and energetic. As an experiment, and with faith in her ability, I put her out there to manage the Rex, and its patrons. It was a tough job I handed her, hut she undertook it and mastered it. “That was 10 years ago. She is still there. During the years she has been in charge the business has tripled, trouble has been practically unknown, and the help, which at first rebelled at having a woman ‘boss’ have learned to trust and respect her. One man has been there nine j’ears and there has never been any misunderstandings.” ♦ * * Every detail of the theatre management is given over to the women who are placed in charge, except the selection of pictures. But here, too, according to Mr. Cohen, they wield an influence, for if a film is not suited to her particular patrons, the manager will have none of it. They can tell exactly what is wrong and why it will not do to run it. “In matters of discipline,” continued Mr. Cohen, “they far outclass the men. They hire their own help and rarely have any trouble in managing their crews. They select their own advertising according to their patrons’ tastes. Their theatres are always well kept, well ventilated and orderly. “Women take their work seriously. The>’ study the whims of their communities and often handle a thousand or more milling youngsters with perfect ease. Rowdxism is never permitted and the spooners on the back seats find it difficult to escape the eagle eye of the woman manager. Men will go back to the cashier’s box and smoke a cigar and let things drift along. Not so the woman. She gets busy before trouble starts — consequently she rarely has any.” The Grand Victory, largest of the three houses, is managed by Miss Rose Gilluly, who is the latest of the trio to take up the work. The Coliseum is under the supervision of Dora Smith, blond and energetic and with a ready smile that is a splendid argument for peace. T raffle Cop Buys Show (Special to Exhibitors Herald) DELAWARE, O., March 10.— A. A. Grill took possession last week of the theatre in Prospect which he purchased two weeks ago. from Helen Fleak. He was formerly a traffic officer here. Theatres Hurt Only by Scare that Patrons Got from Earthquake (.special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. \ ., March 10. — Theatre owners in New York state are slowly recovering from effects of last week’s earthquake. Panic was averted at the Colonial theatre here through the presence of mind of George Roberts, veteran showman, who managed to hold the crowds in check as they ran from the theatre into the street. The yell of fire caused additional alarm. At the State theatre in Schnectady, seating about 2,500 persons, the orderly crowds filed out within three minutes. William Smalley, of Cooperstown, owner of fourteen theatres in the state, who sat in his office above the theatre had been having trouble with water seeping into the basement, and he thought the theatre was collapsing. At the American theatre in Schnectady, Kitty Meinhold, the pianist, kept playing as the house shook beneath her and the crowds ran out. Her playing partly calmed the frightened men and women. Examination of theatre walls in many instances by authorities revealed no material damage. Soldier Ushers Keep All in Seats MONTREAL, Que., March 10. — A resume of the earthquake scare in Eastern Canada shows that little or no damage was done to any theatre and that little outside of “excitement” occurred in any theatre. George Rostky, manager of the Palace theatre, Montreal, reported that his ushers, all returned soldiers, patrolled the aisles and assured people nothing serious was happening. Manager Abbie Wright at the Princess theatre, called to the orchestra to keep on playing and thereby averted trouble. Seeks to T est Lent with Fairbanks Film (Special to Exhibitors Herald) ALBANY, N. Y., March 10. — William Smalley, of Cooperstown, is playing some of the biggest pictures he has booked for the year, during Lenten season in order to ascertain if the pictures have sufficient drawing power to overcome the slump that naturally comes at this time. During this month, Mr. Smalley is playing “The Thief of Bagdad” for three days in all but one of his houses. A fivepiece orchestra, which Mr. Smalley organized, is accompanying the picture from place to place. Alien-Char ette Plans to Remodel 2 Houses (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEY^ BEDFORD, MASS., March 10. — Contract bids will soon be received for the enlargement of the stage of the Capitol theatre, one of the chain of houses operated by Allen-Charette Inc., George W. Allen, Jr., president, and John W. Hawkins, general manager. When the alterations are completed, the Capitol will present ^ audeville and pictures. Its former policy was pictures exclusively. Plans also are being drawn for remodeling the front of the company’s Allen theatre. E. G. Bullard. New Bedford, is the architect on l)Oth jobs. Speaks on Little Theatres SYRACUSE, N. Y. — Lynde Denig, manager of the publicity division of First National Pictures, Inc., talked before the College Women's Club of Syracuse on *‘The Little Theatre Movement in Motion Pictures."