Exhibitors Herald (1927)

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December 31, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 13 Fox Takes Over Ascher Chain Ohio Censor Won’t Eckhardt Heads Group Accept Fight Film; To Run Chicago Circuit Ask fov Mandamus New Operating Policy will be Adopted — Other Fox (Special to the Herald) Houses to Have Roxy Presentations By WILL WHITMORE Fox Film Corporation has taken over the six theatres composing the Ascher Theatrical Enterprises of Chicago, and an entirely new organization has been effected, although it will still be known under the old name. Eckhardt Elected President Clyde W. Eckhardt, branch manager of Fox’s Chicago exchange, is elected president; Walter Senne, vice president; Gus Greenbaum, secretary, and Nathan Ascher, treasurer. Theatres included in the change are the Sheridan, Terminal, Portage Park, Crown, Midwest and Commercial. COLUMBUS, O, Dec. 28.— Following the granting of an alternate writ of mandamus to the Midwest Film exchange of Akron by the Ohio Supreme Court, December 24, the same plaintiff filed a petition for mandamus on John L. Clifton, Ohio censor of films, to compel him to admit the Dempsey-Tunney fight films to censorship. This action was taken following the published statement of Clifton that he would not admit the films to censorship unless ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court. This court set January 5 as the date for hearing on the mandamus. Trouble is also being experienced in Kansas and since the censors have refused to approve the pictures, a new form of competition has sprung for exhibitors. Since William A. Smith, attorney general of Kansas, ruler that pictures shown in private homes are not subject to censorship, many people have bought the fight films and are showing them in their homes. It is feared that this practice will spread and the question is, what will happen at the box offices of theatres if such a practice increases? Pa. and W. V a. Owners Name April 22-24 Dates of Pittsburgh Confab (Special to the Herald) PITTSBURGH, Dec. 28.— The Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia announce that the organization will hold its eighth annual convention in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, April 22, 23 and 24. The meetings will take place in a prominent hotel, a decision not yet having been reached as to which hostelry will house the convention. The first day of the convention will feature a trade showing at a local theatre in the afternoon. It is also expected some social event will take place in the evening. At each succeeding convention the attendance has been greater than at its predecessor, so exhibitors are requested to make arrangements now. Canadian Exhibitors Hit Daylight Saving (Special to the Herald) OTTAWA, Dec. 28. — Daylight saving by-laws were smothered by large majorities in Winnipeg, Man., and London, Ont. In Hamilton, Ont., another large city, the voters also are opposed to summer time in 1928. In Winnipeg, the exhibitors, headed by the Motion Picture Exhibitors Association of Manitoba, and the Winnipeg Film Board of Trade, worked actively against the measure. Fox has been a minority preferred stockholder in the enterprise for almost two years with John Zanft of the Fox organization on the board of directors. Under the new organization Fox Films holds a majority of the stock. New Operating Policy “As soon as an intensive survey is completed, a new operating policy will be adopted for the theatres,” Eckhardt said, “but I do not know whether or not the ‘Roxy’ presentations will be used. Until the survey is completed the theatres will operate under the old policy.” Rumors that “Roxy” presentations are to be put into the Marbro and Granada theatres of Marks Brothers, Chicago, and that the Palace theatre is to be taken over by Fox and operated as a “Roxy” house were discounted by Eckhardt. The new Fox theatre in Detroit, which will seat more than 6,000, is entering the last stages of construction and will be completed by midsummer of 1928. Fox will have houses of similar size in operation in Dayton, St. Louis, Brooklyn, Washington, Baltimore, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Newark. Some of these are now in operation, others are building and deals for sites on others are being closed. The presentations in vogue at the Roxy theatre, New York, are to be circuited through the Fox string of theatres, according to Fox, and from this it would seem likely that the “Roxy” presentations will be used in the Sheridan theatre, Chicago, one of the houses just taken over. Form Chain in Seattle (Special to the Herald) SEATTLE, Dec. 28.— Incorporation of a new theatre chain was made in Seattle yes terday. It is' known as Sterling Theatres, with the following officers: John Danz, president and treasurer; George I. Appleby, vice president ; Ray Cooper, secretary. Armleby was formerly manager of the Pathe exchange. Seven theatres in the incorporation are the Capitol, Strand, Palace Hippodrome, State, Colonial, Star and Florence. Small-Strausberg Adds Two ( Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Dec. 28.— The SmallStrausberg circuit will add two theatres to the fast growing chain when it opens the Kew Gardens theatre, Kew Gardens, and Crescent theatre, Astoria. Producer Is Arrested on Swindling Charge (Special to the Herald) WATERTOWN, N. Y„ Dec. 28.— S. Fenimore Hoffman, who produced “A Busy Cinderella,” was arrested last week in New York on a charge of grand larceny. Police say that Hoffman obtained $250 from Mr. and Mrs. Erwin A. Crast, on the pretense that they would become part owners of Boost Your Own Town Movie Corporation, a mythical company, of which Hoffman claimed to be sole owner. Ohio to Discuss Bill ( Special to the Herald) COLUMBUS, Dec. 28.— The Board of Trustees of the Ohio M. P. T. O., which meets sometime during the week of January 9, will discuss the bill for the elimination of block, blind, and chain bookings offered by Senator Brookhart. Three Theatre Thefts Cause $3,600 Loss ; Manager Abducted to Open Safe Three theatre thefts over the holiday week end and last week netted bandits in Toronto and Chicago a total of $3,600. Walter Schepard, manager of the Jeffery, Chicago, was forced into a machine by four men as he neared his home early Tuesday morning and driven back to the theatre, where he was compelled under threats of death to deliver from the safe $2,300 in holiday receipts. A lone bandit Monday evening held up Mrs. Pearl Inch, ticket seller at the Academy, Chicago, and escaped with $300. In the Toronto theft, the Alhambra lost about $1,000 when burglars broke into the house and carried away the safe from the office of Manager W. T. McKnight. The theatre is a Famous Players suburban house. A police station is but a block away. & Jbnppu JJtto gear To the INDUSTRY