Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

54 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD CHICAGO PERSONALITIES By JIM LITTLE JUST a few more notes concerning the new Film Exchange, notes which arrived too late to get into last week’s “book.” It might be of interest to know that the building will he a five story, fireproof structure, designed and to be constructed in strict accordance with the rigid regulations imposed by the National Board of Fire Underwriters and the City Ordinance for buildings of this type. TT will contain office space, inspection rooms, display rooms, shipping rooms and special vaults and storage facilities which will be essential in meeting the requirements of the motion picture distributor. The exterior walls of the building will be faced with selected face brick, trimmed and ornamented with Indiana limestone. The interior construction will be of the improved fireproof type with hollow tile partition walls, metal window frames, etc. The finish on the interior will be strictly modern in character; the halls and lobbies to have marble tile floors and marble wainscoting. All public rooms will have ornamental plaster cornices. Adequate elevator facilities will be provided for by two passenger elevators and one freight elevator. The entire building will be equipped with an automatic sprinkler system. On the roof there will be a superstructure housing two complete miniature theatres for test showings. * * * Albert Dezel has bought the rights to “The Primrose Path,” Helen Foster’s first all talking picture, for the states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The deal was closed direct with Willis Kent, the producer of the film, during his recent trip to Chicago. Dezel has assigned Harold Walkins and Les Davies to roadshow the picture in this territory. Dezel also cooperated with Irving Mack in preparing the press material on “The Primrose Path,” and we must say that the press book is a mighty fine piece of work. ^ Sam Schaefer, owner of the Illinois Theatre Seat Exchange, has moved from his former location at 12 East Ninth street to his new offices at 1029 South Wabash avenue. We understand that in Evanston may be found a certain type of super-refrigerator, a marvelous contraption which has the astounding capacity of more than sixty cubes of ice. Now, sixty litle cubes of ice Frozen so evenly and so nice Will not allow anyone to stall In making a lusciously cool high — But figure it out for yourselves, gentlemen. By the time the last has been used, more will have been frozen. Pretty fair, eh what? * * * The United Artists convention, which was held at the Stevens hotel April 27, 28 and 29, was a great success, both from the standpoint of mental labor and the superiority of the entertainment, which the members were able to enjoy despite the series of meetings which lasted many hours each. By the Way, on Sunday, the group convened at 9 in the morning, _ and adjourned at 12 (midnight). The highlight of the Monday evening climax was the presentation of a Longine watch to A1 Lichtman, a beautiful affair with myriads of jewels in it, presented by the group. Haskell Masters, general Canadian manager, made the presentation speech in a very “masterly” manner. Talent galore was present, but this time it was organizational talent, and it was excellent. No one even dreamed that such inate talent could be found among a bunch of salesmen, but, exceptional salesmen evidently means exceptional talent. However, Eddie Grossman charmed the entire assembly with his piano renditions and his singing (he really is an unusual fellow, something like a surprise packet) and then Bruce Gallup gave a little song. A manager from Texas brought in a little of the old West in his lariat twirling. One act playlets, containing a wealth of humor, were put on in a most delightfully impromptu manner, and caused no end of amusement. Of course, A1 came in for some of the takeoffs. Cresson E. Smith is to be commended for arranging such a novel program. We should like to ramble on at length, but just one little page hardly carries that privilege with it. * * * Bowing to the need for more room to hold Chicago’s ever growing transient population, and possibly, if not probably, as a precursor of 1933, the old Alcazar and Rose theatres, with some score of years of film tradition behind them, are being demolished to make room for the new addition to the hotel Morrison, which when completed, will give that hostelry about 4,000 rooms in all, placing it in the category of one of the largest hotels in the world. The last picture to be shown at the Alcazar was Tiffany’s, “Marriage by Contract.” jj? ^ The wind has been wreaking havoic with all loose objects such as hats, bus signs, etc., and now and then we became more firmly convinced that anyone who could design a little lead weight to go in the hem of a flighty skirt would win the eternal thanks of the little ladies who grace the row and would perhaps save them from considerable embarrassment. * * * A new theatre is to be erected in Rochelle, 111., by a group of about 1,000 business men. Sound Pictures for Ten Cents Admission (Special to the Herald-World) CINCINNATI, May 6. — Cincinnati seems to glory in low admissions for sound pictures. One of the houses in the Libson chain, in which sound was recently installed, is showing pictures at 15 cents. A new house, known as the Rialto, will be opened shortly in the building formerly occupied by Heuck’s Opera House, where daily change sound pictures will be shown at ten and twenty cents. May 10, 1950 That is somewhat of a new angle to the II activities of business men’s organizations, and I we shall be quite interested to see how the ex I periment turns out. * * * Ben Berve, owner of the Oregon theatre in Rochelle, was defeated in the general election for the office of sheriff. Nat Bloomberg, accompanied by J. S. McCurdy, has returned from a trip to Denver, Omaha and other points in the middle west. * * * Garrett Cupp, connected with the exploitation department of Tiffany, is spending several weeks in Chicago in connection with the opening of “Journey’s End” at the Garrick theatre. * % And, speaking of the opening of “Journey’s End” at the Garrick, it was a rather notable j affair, both pictorially and socially. Official representatives of many nations were present, while the bench and those holding civil office ! were out in force. It was quite a gala event, and it is quite probable that of those who went, very few, if any, were disappointed. * * * The lure of the ring continues to linger in the attentions of various members of Chicago’s filmdom, and the other night found Dave and John Balaban interested spectators at the Tuffy Griffith fight. This fact was mentioned by Henri Ellman, so we may be l right in surmising that he was present also. * * * The Standard theatre, of which Louis Brakers is the owner, is being installed with Western Electric sound equipment. * * * By the way. The great headgear mystery of a week ago has been solved, and we have a vague idea as to how the other fellow ; looked in Frank Ishmael’s hat, but unfortunately, we didn’t see him. Some hats, of j course, look very much alike, but as far as jj can be found out, aside from an external similarity, the linings of both chapeaux (get out your French dictionary and see if that is correct) were synonymous. Therefore, when Max Schwartz arose from a more or less satisfying repast, he nonchalantly appropriated : Frank’s hat, which left only one other hat | to take, wide of brim and large of size, for f Max does wear a hat a bit too large for Frank. And so, although strange things happen in a Y. M. C. A., this was merely a case of mistaken identity. * * * Felix Mendolsohn is “wintering” at French r Lick Springs, but the day this was written, the night after the big storm, which was the j tail end of a tornado (if that was the tail j end, we are in no particular rush to see the real thing) it was such a beautiful day that we’ll wager even French Lick couldn’t boast such weather. Now perhaps we’ve said enough, for in a few days we may be wishing we were there too. * * * At the Congress hotel on May 9, one of the outstanding gatherings of the spring season, as far as the Row is concerned, takes place, and that is the annual party of the MetroGold wyn-Mayer outfit. Elaborate plans have been made, under the able supervision of Fred A. Bartow, and the affair promises to be in keeping with the bevy of pulchritude which one sees while wandering around the M G M office. It must be said that is a pleasure and a joy to enter a room in which, turn as you may, you can always see a winsome face and a pretty smile. But to get back to the party. Lawrence Tibbett, who gives a concert on the eighth, waited over so he could attend the attraction. A buffet lunch is to be served, and interspersed throughout the evening of dancing will be a number of novelties, in which the Robbins Music company and Will Harris, of B & K productions will have an arranging part. * * * Incidentally, the national M G M convention is to be held at the Drake this year, May 18-21 inclusive.