Exhibitors Herald (1927)

September 24, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 27 Films Almost Jumped from Room in Old Days, Says Milwaukee Veteran ( Continued from page 25) showed scenic effects from the back of a train. The chase pictures were next and they did not have much sense to them, simply showing somebody chasing somebody else. Then there were a number of train pictures showing trains in motion and involving all kinds of scenes of trains; these, in all cases, were taken from the ground showing the train in motion. “The really first big production was made by Selig in 1902,” Mr. Jones said. “This film was 12 reels long and revolved about the adventures of Christopher Columbus. Selig was the big producer at that time in this country while the Warwick company was at the head in England. The English company filmed a great many Christmas scenes, since these rehearsals were going on most of the time in certain parts of England, and whenever a rehearsal was called a photographer was on hand to take shots.” M.r. Jones came back to Milwaukee 22 years ago as a projectionist, when the town boasted of 12 theatres, and he received $8 a week for his services. He recalled the first time he came to Milwaukee a number of years before this with the Lester & Kent Entertainers and played at the Academy of Music in Milwaukee. “We did not give any kind of a complete show by any means,” Mr. Jones said. “But we showed two minutes of motion picture between the stock company acts.” Mr. Jones has followed the motion picture business from the time of its origin to the present day. He can remember when it was almost impossible to get film of any kind, because of the scarcity of celluloid. The early pictures, he said, were the kind taken by a common snapshot camera, and the film was no longer than that in the camera, he said. Even though the industry has reached its present height he still believes there is plenty of room for good men in the industry. U.A.W ill H ave T wenty Theatres in Operation By End of Period Set (Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Sept. 20. — A year ago United Artists announced that in a year’s time the company would have 20 prerelease theatres in construction. Completed organization and actual operation of the theatres was announced last week by Lou Anger, vice president and general manager of United Artists theatre Circuit, Inc. Anger said that there are now 17 United Artists theatres in the country and that he will soon announce the three additional theatres, which will complete the originally outlined circuit. The 17 theatres are: Rivoli, New York; Rialto, New York; Egyptian, Hollywood, Valencia, Baltimore ; Apollo, Chicago ; United Artists, Detroit ; Century, Baltimore ; Majestic, Portland, Ore.; Ohio, Columbus, O. ; Coliseum, Seattle; Chinese, Hollywood; Penn, Pittsburgh ; Broad, Columbus, O. ; Liberty, Seattle ; Parkway, Baltimore ; and the Broadway, Columbus, O. “Passion” Packs House (Special to the Herald) DALLAS, Sept. 20. — Capacity houses packed the Capitol theatre last week with revival of the UFA product, “Passion,” starring Pola Negri and Emil Jannings. Remember the Maine Exhibitors! “ W here you find Nichols, you find dollars ” Top ( L. to R.): P. H. Tarbell, leading merchant at Smyrna Mills, has remodeled the New theatre. B. M. Sylvester manages the Savoy at Ft. Kent and Don Robbins the Pastime (Graphic Circuit) at Norteast Harbor. The photo of Guy M. Means, owner of the Eureka Pavilion at Sedgwick, doesn’t do him justice. Really, girls, he's good looking. Below (left): This chap is a live showman, managing the Lincoln at Lincoln. He’s Harry Morgan. Finally we have J. E. McMennamin and son, J. L., owners of the Scenic, Limestone. Top (L. to R. ) : N. C. Martin runs the Martin’s theatre, Oakfield. C. W. Benjamin manages the Park, Ft. Fairfield. C. J. Rush, owner of the Opera House, Millinocket, is the hermit of Mt. Katahdin. Maine’s only Rockies. Below: J. A. Thompson, who runs the K of P Hall, W. Enfield, was snapped at the paper and bag plant. He’s foreman. Meet T. A. Maddocks, Opera House, Serman Mills, and J. A. Fincken, superintendent of the Advance Bag & Paper Co. and booker for the Town Hall, Howland. (All Photos by H. E. N.)