Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1928)

71 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 17, 1928 CHICAGO PERSONALITIES By J. F. THE Pershing theatre, 1716 Roosevelt Road, was destroyed by fire early the morning of November 12. The theatre, one of the oldest picture houses in the city, was owned by Sam Halper, who owns the Irving and, with Abe Boder, the Mitchell. It is expected that Halper will rebuild. A. H. Miller, manager of the Plaisance, had a little run-in with the bad boys of gangland last Sunday night, when he was held up while in the office of the theatre. As it happened, the episode turned out more humorous than otherwise, for the receipts of Saturday and Sunday had just been removed from the theatre, and when the badmen were told thai the $40 they had taken from Miller was all he had, they gave it back to him and went away empty-handed. * * * Yes, it sounds pretty thick, but that's Miller's story and we're going to stick to it. * * * Just to reverse the usual order, A. H.'s brother. Jack, left this week (Wednesday) for New York, to sit in on the solemn proceedings of the national board of directors of the M P T O A. * * * We told you they would. And they did. All three of them, the Congress, the 20th Century and the Lexington inaugurated sound picture policies over the week-end. * * * The Row took on the aspect of old, familiar times this week, with the appearance of Cecil Maberry, now Columbia's genera! sales manager, on the scene. He returned to New York Tuesday. * * * Great States is going to try musical stock with pictures in its Bloomington house. The theatre was using vaudeville. Musical stock has been played by this circuit in Peoria and elsewhere at times, and the verdict is that the policy is good for periodic runs. * * * Great States opens with sound shows in two more towns this month — in Kankakee and Alton, and in two more next month— Galesburg and Streeter. * * * Col. H. A. Cole, head of the Texas exhibitors' association, was in town last week, and while he withheld possible asseverations concerning the M P T O A. Pete Woodhull, et cetera, he was not an idle man. He visited the offices of Musical Devices, makers of Dramaphone, and came out with the portfolio of representative for that company in his vast state. * ** Thus we arc reminded that Hill and Haverkamp have bought a non-synchronous Dramaphone for their Hollywood theatre. * * * And to make this department a gem of coherence, let us add that Henry Levey and PHOTOTONE i proving a Mound inve-tmenl for hundred* of theatre-.. Keep up-to-date and make money too. L. V. KUTTNA1 EB 845 So. Wabash Ave.. Chicago Harrison 07.17 Floyd D. Morrow, who operate the prosperous L & M circuit in Cincinnati, have become representatives of Musical Device in their town. They also have purchased a synchronous Dramaphone, the new product coming out this week, for one of their theatres and intend to install Dramaphone in others. * * * The Pathe exchange this week is celebrating the 18th anniversary of Pathe News, a name that those 18 years has made a synonym for newsreel. A big feature of the celebration is the inauguration of the sound newsreel, which was given its first public showings lasl Sunday, which was Armistice Day— — a swell day to start a war on other sound newsreels ! * * * After 18 years of service, Norman Fields will leave the position of general manager of Jones, Linick & Schaefer. A banquet will be given for him at the Covenant Club November 15. * * * Sol Goldman, Gotham's genial booker, tells us that Jack London's "Smoke Bellew" will be released December 9. The picture has a theme song called "At the End of the Trail." Conway Tearle and Barbara Bedford have the leading roles. * * * Harry Graham, former country manager at Pathe and now branch manager of the Indianapolis exchange, was presented with a handsome desk set by his former co-workers in the Chicago office, where he was so long a factor in making that exchange a delightful one to visit. * * * Here's speed for a speedy age. Fifteen minutes after the vote was conclusive that Hoover was to be the next president, Pathe News flashed upon the screens of the loop theatres, with shots of the victor. Gene Cour, editor of Pathe news in the middlewest, was in charge. * * * E. M. Saunders, western salesmanager for M G M, was a visitor at the Chicago exchange last week. * * * Frank Ishmael said the only news he could give us this week was that Hoover was elected president. Good or bad? * * * We had to sneak this item out. Dan Roach, Pathe publicity man, one of the noblest of his clan, was scheduled to attend a boy scouts' meeting this week, and the way we understand it, Dan was to be garbed in regular boy scout's apparel. Now, let your imagination do what it can. * * * Finklcstein & Ruben, Abe Blankc Circuit, Kunsky Circuit and the Butterficld Circuit have completed contract on the Pathe sound Fables. * * * The Marbro and Granada theatres, Chicago, have booked Pathc's first sound picture, "Cap "Beware of Blondes!" He Doesn't; Loses $3,000 (Special to the Herald-World) KANSAS CITY, Nov. 13.— Next time S. Bernard Joffee, manager of the Uptown theatre, £rst-run house, sees a pretty blonde woman rummaging around a private locker room in the theatre, offering the explanation that she is "looking for a telephone booth," he probably will call the police. He failed to do so one night last week, and bandits later riffed the safe and escaped with $3,000 in receipts. Police investigation revealed that a window in the locker room had been opened and a large red poster heart, used for advertising purposes, bad been placed in the window as a signal, apparently by the woman. The bandits had entered through that window. tain Swagger." The picture is made with Phototone. » * * Another theatre opened with sound last week. The Rosewood started their talking screen off with Warner Brothers' "State Street Sadie." * * * He whom they call the "Rajah of Jazz"— must we be so unnecessary as to say Paul Ash? — leaves us again this week, taking the old-fashioned railway train for Brooklyn, to open a new Publix house in the Long Island metropolis. Brooke Johns will endeavor to take his place and at least offer something "different" at Ash's Oriental — er — we mean, B & K's. Ten Industrial Firms Merge with License to Make Talking Pictures (Special to the Herald-World) NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 13.— The General Business Film Association, an organization of ten leading educational and industrial motion picture concerns throughout the United States with the first rights ever licensed to members of their business to use talking motion pictures, came officially into being November 7, with the receipt in New Orleans of final papers by A. Harrison, Jr., president of Harcol Motion Picture Industries, Inc. New Orleans will be the major link in the merger. The consolidation makes possible national production, distribution and service covering industrial and advertising motion pictures. The units will operate under a General Business Film Association trade-mark, but each division will retain its identity. "Many economies will be effected," Harrison said, "chief among them being enlarging the studio and plant facilities at New Orleans, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit and New York. These four points will increase laboratory and production facilities." New Vitaphone Branch (Special to the Herald-World) , NEW YORK, Nov. 13— Cleveland has been selected as the seventh branch distributing point for Vitaphone subjects. FOR RENT Large Movie Theatre Fully Equipped On one of Chicago's Busiest Streets All day run Communicate by letter only II. Fl.hrr. 4133 W. Madlaon St., Chicago. III.