Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

54 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 28, 1928 LIVE NEWS FROM COAST TO COAST New England NEW ENGLAND.— Practically the entire estate of the late William P. Gray, head of the Paramount interests in New England and in charge of 150 New England theatres, is left to charity. The estate is estimated at between $500,000 and $700,000. It is believed the circuit offices will he moved to Boston. . . . Elxhibitors and distributors will unite to tender a dinner in Boston January 31 to Maurice N. Wolf, new district manager of M.-G.-M. . . , F. J. Hartwick of the Strand, Taunton, Mass., will erect a new theatre there. ... At Hyannis, Mass., Al Johnson is to erect a theatre seating 1,000. . . . The Bijou at Newport, R. I., and the Town Hall at North Vassalboro, Vt, have both closed. . . . The new Hollywood in Charlestown, Mass., E. M. Loew circuit, has been opened. The Town Hall at Rowley, Mass., has been sold to William Caddoo by Gallant & Todd, and the Lincoln theatre at Quincy, Mass., has been sold by William J. Bigley to Phil Markel and Kenneth Forkey of Boston. . . . For the first time since the Vermont floods shipping returned to normal last week. . . . Walter L Locke, former treasurer of the Keith-Albee companies in Boston and Portland, Me., is dead. San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO.— Work is under way day and night on the new Fox theatre and the foundation will be in place at an early date. . . . The Temple theatre is installing additional exits and a fireproof backing to the screen. . . . The Consolidated Pictures corporation of California has been incorporated with a capital stock of $1,000,000 by Henry J. Amigo and Robert A. Peabody. . . .James Woods has completed the redecorating of the Redding. . . . Harry Seipel, well-known exhibitor of Oroville, is recovering from an attack of influenza. . . . The opening of the Setab at Portola a short time ago has led to the closing of the old Portola theatre, formerly conducted by J. D. Austin. . . . Mr. and Mrs. J. D Seiter have taken over the Selma. . . . The State, suburban theatre conducted by T. & D. Jr., has installed the Vitaphone. . . . Plans are being perfected by Norman Coulter, San Francisco architect, for a $150,000 theatre to be erected by Fred Stamm in Antioch. . . . West Coast has taken over the Opal at HoUister. . . . The National at Marysville is to be remodeled, as well as the T. & D. theatre building at Salinas. Pacific Northwest PORTLAND.— Bert Levey, manager of the Columbia, sprung a nice little surprise for his many friends, when he emulated New York and put on Charlie Chaplin in "The Circus" at 12:15 a. m. Tuesday. Among the guests were the entire cast of The Duffy Players, stock company, together with their mascot, a large St. Bernard. . . . There was an unexpected turn in the middle of the scene where Charlie is flirting with the lion in his cage. When the lion sprang for Charlie, the big St. Bernard also sprang up and with loud barking made a dive for the screen. For the next few seconds all eyes centered on the dog. St. Louis ST. LOUIS. — Motion pictures of big game hunting in Africa will be made by Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Steedman, who leave February 1 for the African jungles with their daughter, Miss Almira Steedman. . . . F. J. (Barney) Fegan has been appointed advertising manager for "Patent Might," a new weekly magazine. . . . What is claimed to be the world's largest pipe organ is to be installed by the WurHtzer company in the William Fox theater. . . . Ben Reingold has been named manager of the Fox exchange. . . . Jimmy Shea is the new manager of F B O's branch. . . . Loew's State has obtained exclusive first-run rights to United Artists productions. . . . Joe Owen is to open a new theatre at Clarksville and has transferred the Owen to D. Middleton. Other transfers are : Opera House at lUmo from John Dohogne to J. P. Lightner, Majestic at St. Louis from Popular Amusement Company to A. T. Pappas. Kansas City KANSAS CITY.— Memberships have been coming in at a pleasing rate under the sales arrangement with the exchanges, says President R. R. Biechele of the M. P. T. U. . . . M. B. Shanberg has taken up his duties as head of the Sears-Harding Circuit. . . . Latest victims of bandits are the Broadmour, managed by J. E. Jordan, Jr., robbed of $111, and the Gillham, where Mrs. E. T. Kelley, ticket seller, was robbed of $150. . . . Control of the $250,000 Gillioz theatre at Springfield, Mo., has passed from Universal to Midland. . . . The Palace at Altamont, Kan., has been closed, while the Vista at Alta Vista, Kan., has been rented by J. H. Kincheloe, superintendent of schools, from Mrs. H. Dunlop. . . .H. Bradley Fish has resigned as Fox's branch manager. . . . Ed Alperson, former Warner Brothers district manager, has been promoted to assistant southern and western division manager. Milwaukee MILWAUKEE.— The only atmospheric de luxe theatre on the South Side has opened under the management of W. Van Norman. George Fischer is managing director of the new $1,000,000 National. Martin Pflug presides over the $50,000 Barton organ, while Albert A. Ambelang directs the orchestra. A novel feature is a soundproof, glass encased "cry room" where mothers may take their children and still see the photoplay. The room is between the main floor and the balcony. . . . Johnny Perkins, on the Wisconsin theatre stage presentation last week, was master of ceremonies at the Saturday opening of Midwesco Theatres' new $1,000,000 Capitol theatre. . . . The Alhambra theatre, managed by Fred S. Meyer, invited all whose birthday fell on January 17 to see the show free of charge. This is in honor of Carl Laemmle, whose birthday is on that day. . . . Wauwatosa has been promised its first theatre this year by the Wauwatosa Development Company, including I. V. Brossell, Samuel Pokrass and Jacob Ulevich. . . . Jackie "Hoo" Ray of "Our Gang," in co-operation with the Wisconsin Neius, will film a picture this week in Milwaukee with only children in the cast. . . . Atlanta ATLANTA. — That further expansion of Pantages in the South is in contemplation was indicated by a visit here of Alexander Pantages, who spent Sunday with Willard C. Patterson, southern manager of Universal theatres. . . . Colonel Fred Levy is becoming one of the biggest realty men in Louisville. He recently purchased two of the largest office buildings in the city — the Speek and the Marion E. Taylor; and last week he headed a new company which bought the Elks building and hotel. Leo Goldberg is interested with Colonel Levy in the latter enterprise. . . . Billy Rendon, manager of the Hippodrome, has been appointed colonel on the staff of the newly-elected Governor Sampson of Kentucky. . . . Ralph Morrow, district manager in the south for Pathe, has resigned. Other changes announced by Dan Michalove were appointment of Ernest Leeves as Dallas branch manager, succeeding J. L. McKinney, who became short features sales manager. Oklahoma City OKLAHOMA CITY.— Otto Rohde is now Warner manager here. . . . W. Z. Spearman is reported to have taken over the Barton and the Kozy at Stroud. Theatre openings include the following: Rex at Waurika by Simpson & Ellison; Rialto at Claude, Texas, by Snodgrass & Mitchell; Galvan at Corpus Christie, Texas, by Rafel Galvan. . . . Purchases include that of the Boulevard at Houston, Texas, by the Port Houston Investment Company; New at Paris, Ark., by Robert Pearson and Ray Gaston; Joyland (now Dixie) at Booneville, Ark., by T. W. Moore. . . . Among those planning to build new theatres are Ross Dorbandt at Jacksonville, Texas ; Mrs. Ruf us Hobbs, $40,000 house at Alice, Texas; F. W. Curry at San Angelo, Texas, and Lloyd Strait at Carmen, Okla. . . . The Tri-State Theatres, Inc., operating in Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, has the Star at Marked Tree and the Fitten & Blum house at Searcy, Ark., as its latest acquisitions. . . . Remodelings include the Strand at Drumright, Okla., C. H. Hanson's Grand at Wewoka, Okla., and the Capitol at Newport, Ark. Salt Lake City SALT LAKE CITY.— The Warner exchange has been moved to 210 East First South street. . . . An Andre Debrie high-speed camera is being installed at the University of Utah of this city for scientific investigations. The new camera made expressly for scientific purposes in Paris, will make pictures at a rate varying from 16 to 240 exposures a second and time exposures as desired to one-five-hundredths of a second, it is announced. . . . Neil Shettler is to direct the new orchestra at the Victory theatre. Sell Heaps, organist, left for the Pantages, and Mrs. Jones, former pianist at the Pantages, is to be relief organist at the Victory, according to George E. Carpenter, secretary of the Louis Marcus enterprises and manager of the Capitol. ... A newl producing company has been formed here to be known as the Pioneer Film company. Edward Lewis of this organization has returned from the coast. Two new United Artists salesmen are Maurice Geiger and Ben T. Ritchie.