Exhibitors Herald (1927)

November 12, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 13 Eastern Floods Close Scores of Theatres, Blockade Films Federal Agents Railways Demoralized; Seeking Trust Roads Made Impassable LatV Violators Theatres Made Shelters for Homeless — Some Play houses Inundated — Light Plants Out of Commission (Special to the Herald) BOSTON, Nov. 8. — Floods sweeping down on New England with unexpected suddenness have swept through Vermont, Central Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and temporarily closed scores of theatres, demoralized the handling of films from exchanges to exhibitors, rendered many roads impassable and tied up railroad transportation. Many Others Can’t Get Film Besides the scores of theatres forced to close, many houses in other sections are affected because of inability to obtain films. (Washington Bureau of the Herald) WASHINGTON, Nov. 2. — It was learned today that agents of the Department of Justice are making a field study of the film situation to determine if there have been violations of the anti-trust laws by various factors in the motion picture business. The investigation is the result of complaints, received from throughout the country alleging violations. Although nothing definite has been decided, it is understood that information of sufficient importance has been unearthed to make continuance of the investigation worthwhile. Rules Mechanical Music In Public Illegal Unless Publisher Gives Right (Special to the Herald) KNOXVILLE, TENN., Nov. 8.— Public performance without the publishers permission of copyrighted music on an automatic instrument is illegal, according to a decision given by Judge Xenophen Hicks in United District Court here. The opinion came as a result of a suit entered by M. Witmark & Sons, New York publishers, against R. M. Calloway, proprietor of the Grand theatre at Lenoir City, Tenn., in which the plaintiffs charged that “Smilin Through” had been illegally played on the theatre’s player-piano. Judgement was entered against Calloway for $250, exclusive of attorney fees of the same amount. Proposed Booking Circuit in England Starts Controversy (Special to the Herald) LONDON, Nov. 8. — The proposed formation of an independent exhibitors’ booking circuit in England likely to involve 1,000 theatres has thrown the trade into a big controversy and a tremendous fight is likely to ensue. The plan was discussed Friday by CEA, and the reasons given for the proposed circuit are to obtain films at economic prices, to preserve existing capital and to take advantage of future developments. Will Evans, managing director of PTC, the bigest cinema circuit in Great Britain, has eclared that if the scheme is adopted, his company will sell an interest to Americans. Exit Quietly from House Three hundred patrons quietly left the Casino theatre, Chicago, when smoke brought in through the ventilators, filled the auditorium. Firemen quickly extinguished a blaze in a basement next door from which the smoke had come. Caddo Elects Quarberg (Special to the Herald) HOLLYWOOD, Nov. 8. — Lincoln Quarberg has been appointed director of publicity for Caddo Company producing “Hell’s Angels” at Metropolitan studios. In some sections to which it has been impossible to ship film, an exchange of prints has been effected with theatres located nearby, so that the houses could temporarily operate. Cities in Vermont and a section of New Hampshire between the White Mountains and Vermont have been virtually cut off from the rest of the world, both as regards transportation and any sort of telegraphic and telephone communication. Theatres Shelter Homeless Most of the theatres in affected districts have been located on high ground so that several have remained in operation, but in most of the cities so much attention was required to care for flood conditions that the theatres immediately were closed. Through Vermont a number of theatres were thrown open to those whose homes had been washed away. Most of the rivers of New England rise in Vermont and New Hampshire. Two days of continual rain, heavier in volume than any before in the history of New England, so swelled the rivers that they swept down, carrying mill dams and reservoir dams before them and flooding the area to the south. New England Exchanges Hit Every Boston and New Haven exchange was seriously affected by the sudden stoppage in the movement of films — the first occasion of its kind since the film exchanges were established. Many shipments of film to Western Massachusetts were transferred to the Albany exchanges for temporary handling. Among theatres in cities where the flood cost loss of life and heavy damage were the following: Milo, Me., Chic theatre, (L. F. Henderson); Pemaquid Point, Me., Pavillion theatre, (Mrs. C. F. Lewis); Lawrence, Mass., Strand; Millbury, Mass., Town Hall; Springfield, Mass., Capitol, Union Square theatre, (Frederick L. Graves); Worcester, Mass., Strand, (C. E. Robins); Berlin, N. H., Albert and Princess theatres; Concord, N. H., Capitol and Star theatres ; Manchester, N. H., Crown, Eagle, Empire, Granite Square, Lyric, Palace, Star, (A. L. Couture); Nashua, N. H., Star, (H. Farrell); Lebanon, N. H., Park; Bellows Falls, Vt., Dreamland, (R. A. Kiniry); Newport, Vt., Bums; W. Rutland. Vt., Town Hall, (Patrick Cain); Waterbury, Vt., Opera House. Theatres Inundated; Entire Cities in Dark ( Special to the Herald) ALBANY, Nov. 8. — The worst flood since 1913 swept the Eastern border of New York state as well as sections of Massachusetts and Vermont, on Friday and Saturday of last week, and motion picture theatres lost thousands of dollars in patronage. Many theatres were inundated. Million Dollar Theatre at Hammond Wrecked by Bomb A nitroglycerine bomb early Tuesday morning wrecked beyond repair the million and a half dollar State theatre at Hammond, Ind. The blast, occurring at 3 a. m., shortly after 1,000 persons had left a dance hall in the same building, hurled two walls of the theatre outward and pulled down the roof and balcony. Traffic on the adjoining streets was blocked for hours, and every window in the nearby buildings was broken. The State, a split week house presenting pictures and stagehand shows, was operated by William Kleihege under the terms of a lease with Lubliner & Trinz of Chicago. The latter concern had leased the house, which was only two years old, from the Gregory interests. Police are of the opinion that a maniac may have placed the bomb. They lean to this opinion in view of Kleihege’s statements that he had no trouble with labor or other organizations. The damage is estimated at $700,000, although the owners stated that it probably would be necessary to rebuild the entire structure