Exhibitors Herald (1926)

April 10, 1926 EXHIBITORS HERALD 17 AFTER THE STORM IN CHICAGO! Left is shown the front of the Academy theatre, Halsted street, which is owned bv Mrs. Caroline Kohl and managed by Joe Pilgrim. Center is a view looking North on Michj^gan Boulevard frorn Van Buren street. Right is shown front of Empire theatre. West Madison street, managed by J. Paley. (Herald photos.) TTieatre Business Booms After Storm Lands Blow Loss of $4,000,000 Averted Only by Fact Blizzard Came in Holy Week, When Business Is Normally Light — Mississippi Valley Especially Hard Hit Motion picture business is booming again after being hard hit by a storm of almost nationwide proportions that struck at box office receipts from Coast to Coast and inflicted its heaviest damage in the Mississippi Valley. Loss Estin^ated $1,000,000 Only the fact that the storm, which intensified into a blizzard in the Chicago territory, came during the week immediately preceding Easter Day, which is normally a light week in the theatre field, prevented a loss of $4, 000, (XX) in business, according to estimates. Even under those comparatively fortunate conditions the storm is reported to have cost theatre owners in the neighbor Margaret Livingston waded through the storm in Chicago to change trains on her route to Sunny Hollywood. She is a Fox star. (Herald photo.) Ray Rockett Is to Produce for First National (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, April 6.— Ray Rockett, who for the last few months has been manager of First National’s Eastern studios, has been made a First National producer, according to announcement just made. His first picture will be "Paradise,” adapted from the story of the same name written by Cosmo Hamilton. Milton Sills will be starred. Production will begin about May 1. Lie&er, Greiver and Servaas in Film Deal; Midwest Films Formed (Special to Exhibitors Herald) INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 6.— Robert Lieber who is president of First National and John Servaas, general manager of H. Lieber Company, last week figured in a transaction with Si B. Greiver of Greiver Productions whereby the interests of the film division of the H. Lieber Company and the Indiana interests of Greiver’s company were taken over by Midwest Film Company, a new organization in Indiana. Servaas is in active charge of sales. Greiver is president of the new company. hood of $1,000,000. In the Chicago area there was a succession of blizzards, that stalled interstate trains, forced hundreds of autoists to abandon their cars and made city streets impassable, with a consequent blow to theatre business. Business 35 Per Cent Normal William Sweeney of the Illinois exhibitors’ organization declared the losses to theatre owners of the state in the week reached 65 per cent of the usual business. Clyde W. Eckhardt, chief of the (Jhicago district for Fox Film Corporation, said the storm was a great handicap, but The Pathe boys got out early and dag the Chicago exchange out of the snow. It was a worse job than it looks. Len Ullrich, second from right, took a severe cold the next day. (Herald photo.) Fox had succeeded in continuing service to exhibitors. "Every exhibitor in Cook county felt the effects of the week’s snows,” according to James T. GilHck, Chicago Pathe manager. "From general reports it was a box office disaster. The only consolation was that it came with the last week of Lent.” General Shutdown Averted If the storm had lasted another week "exhibitors would have closed their doors in such numbers that only 60 per cent of the state’s theatres would have been operating,” said David Dubin, Educational manager in Chicago. "I have never known weather to have a more serious effect on the show business of the country,” declared William Brumberg, branch manager of Universa* in Chicago. * , . i Even the wind of a blizzard blow? somebody some good, however. Newsreel cameramen had a busy and profitable week, obtaining shots of the ravages of the storm as well as of the scenic freaks and beauties resulting from the heavy snowfall. Newsreels carrying these features were released April 4. Two Robberies; $1,200 Stolen from Theatres (Special to Exhibitors Herald) DENISON, TEX., April 6.— Robbers stole $1,000 here from the safe of the Rialto theatre, a few days ago. Ihe Dorbandt theatre at Jacksonville, Tex., was robbed of $200 when yeggman blew the safe.