Exhibitors Herald (1925)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 31 April 4, 1925 Harry Crandall Goes on Air; Radio Has Rowland Approval First National Olficial Says That Cooperation Between the Broadcasting Stations and the Theatres Will Be Beneficial to All — Much to Gain, He Says Harry M. Crandall, owner of fifteen theatres in Washington, h). C., and vicinity, is the second of the big circuit owners to go on the air within the last few days. The Herald announced recently that Balaban & Katz, the big Chicago organization, had inaugurated a special radio department following several months’ experiment which apparently proved to the satisfaction of the company that cooperation with the radio was an asset to them. The Crandall artists v\jill go on the air every Saturday night from WRC. Latest developments in the radio situation follow : WE might as well get the theatre stuff off our chest right at the start. B. & K. of course has its Midwest holdings. Al Steffes is putting pep into the situation by forming Allied Theatres in the Northwest with, so he claims, 200 theatres. And now comes the report that Lee Ochs, whom you all know, is going to have the biggest combine in the country. At least Oscar Runiore tells us so. Oscar’s been hitting the nail on the head recently. * * * Just had a message from Ray Murray of the Herald staff who is now manager of our Coast office. Ray mailed the letter somewhere in Kansas where the wind blows. We know you will enjoy what he says : t • • i “Two thirds of the firm of Jones, Linick & Schafer are on this train with me en route to L. A. — Aaron Jones and Adolph Linick with their wives. Peter J. Schaefer is still in Europe. Due back in May, they say. Myrtle Stedman and her pal-son, Lincoln Stedman, are also fellow passengers. And Alice Joyce. All going to work on the Coast. Talk about wind ! All day long we’ve been traveling the state of sas with a 70 mile gale blowing outside.” All right, Ray, we hope you and Myrtle and Lincoln and Alice and Aaron and Adolph enjoyed every minute of the long grind. ^ ^ Larry Weingarten (no, Larry has no stock in this column) came to town again last week to boast about Jackie Coogan’s new picture and to take Eddie Clifford and ourself out to lunch. (Notice to Artie Bernstein: Did you get that, Artie?) Larry says the new picture is knocking ’em cold. Also in the luncheon party was our good friend, Ralph Kettering. Hi Lou Kramer, a member of the firm of Craner & Kramer, publicists, has sent out a pledge to all newspapers. Lou (and we know his word is as good as gold) is telling the world that Craner & Kramer will send out nothing for publication but “truthful, dependable knowledge and informadon.” We’re going to frame that pledge, Lou, so beware of what you send through. — SHRECK. Two More Hostettler Houses Sold in Iowa (Special to Exhibitors Herald) OMAHA, NEB., March 24.— The Hostettler Amusement Company, the Omaha corporation owning a large string of theatres in the middle west, which recently sold all its Lincoln, Neb., houses, has just sold the Strand and the Atlantic theatres at Atlantic, la., to Swan and Pierce of Knox\dlle, la. The sale of these two houses of the Hostettler people has created renewed interest in what the sale of a number of their houses really means. A rumor that they were planning to sell most of their remaining houses to one big producer was denied. ' Paramount’s G. M. Back from Tour NEW YORK. — Charles Eyton, general manaager of the Paramount Hollywood studio, accompanied by Kathlyn Williams, his wife, has returned from a tour of the world with many interesting impressions of the motion picture industry in Europe and the Orient. • Crandall Broadcasts From Washington (Special to Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C, March 24.— Harry M. Crandall, owner of fifteen theatres in Washington, D. C., and vicinity, has taken the air ! Crandall’s Saturday nighters will take the air every Saturday night from 10:30 to midnight through WRC. The programs will be given by members of the musical organization supplying melody to the various Crandall houses, augmented by such specially engaged vocalists, instrumentalists, speakers or comedians as the occasion may warrant. Famous film stars also will speak from the Radio Corporation’s WJZ station in New York through WRC in Washington. The first star to join the Crandall Saturday Nighters will be Milton Sills. The programs are under the direction of Joseph P. Morgan, general manager of Crandall Theatres, Mr. Breeskin and Nelson B. Bell, in charge of the Crandall publicity department. Mr. Crandall is highly elated over the success of the first informal gambol of his Saturday Nighters and foresees national popularity for them. Rowland Urges Theatre Cooperation (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, March 24. — When film and stage producers exhaust their maledictions against radio and begin calmly to ponder the matter, they will find that properly devised cooperation will result in a mutual benefit for all. That opinion is expressed by Richard A. Rowland, general manager of First National. “The theatre industry,” he says, “including screen and stage, has more to gain by supporting radio broadcasting, along lines that do not infringe on its own interests, than by antagonizing it. “Radio is now an integral part of modern civilization. By acting in concert, stage and screen producers can at the same time aid its development and turn it to their own advantage. “One way that suggests itself is to give radio programs all the big stars they want, but restrict their renditions to hours that do not conflict with theatre hours. The public wants good entertainment. Let the stage and screen combine to furnish this to fans during the hours preceding theatre time. They will be less inclined to stay home in the hours that follow to listen to amateur talent. The contrast will react to the benefit of the theatre.” U. A. Salesman Is Jailed in Canada on Theft Charge George A. Margetts, formerly sales manager of the United Artists Corporation branch office at Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment on charges of theft and statuatory forgery in misappropriating funds of the United Artists in connection with sales of that corporation’s pictures. Auditors are said to have placed the shortage at $1,900. At the trial, it developed that Margetts made many sales he did not report to the hom.e office and forged the corporation’s indorsements to checks from exhibitors in payment for film rentals. Musician Held on Fraud Charge Howard M. Williams is under arrest at Vancouver, B. C., charged with obtaining money under false pretenses. It is alleged that he represented himself as being commissioned by the United Artists Corporation to organize an orchestra to tour with “Isn’t Life Wonderful.” United Artists assisted Vancouver authorities in causing his arrest. Williams is said to have confessed to the police. Steffes Says Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin Theatres Will Be in Combine MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., March 23. — On the eve of the convention of Motion Picture Theatre Owners of the Northwest, Al Steffes, president, announces the formation of Allied Theatres, Inc., a combine which, he says, will include 200 theatres in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Michigan and Wisconsin. Steffes has been named president of the combine with Tom Burke, well known exchange man, as assistant to the president. This is a sequel to the booking combine announcement made several days ago. Steffes intimates that the plan will be carried to other states. Of importance in this connection is the meeting of the Allied States Organization which is scheduled to follow the Northwest convention which opens tomorrow.