The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Nov-Dec 1922)

December 9, 1922. TRADE. THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. 45 IN THE MIDLANDS. (By our Birmingham Correspondent.) The C.E.,A. Experiment—Kinena Hospital Sunday = A Gilbertian Position—Only Half the Truth— K.R.S. Changes—The Marconiphone—Welcome—A Nottingham Note—Among the Renters. HE Birmingham C.E.A. decision to supply official reports | of their monthly gatherings instead of inviting the trade Press came too late for inclusion in my last notes. Inquiries show, however, that the main policy is more or less in the nature of an experiment, and that the sitting behind closed doors is, in reality, an effort to induce local exhibitors to take a keener interest in the work of the branch. In short, it is thought that more representative meetings will result, and that members will express their opinions more frankly if they know the pressmen are not recording them. While disagreeiny with the decision, it is gratifying to know that it is not the outcome of any personal antagonism on the part of members, or of any complaints regarding reports of past mestings of the branch. Kinema Hospital Sunday. The recent Kinema Hospital Sunday brought the trade’s contribution to local institutions up to £7,004 since November, 1919. Exhibitors and patrons alike are to be heartily conyratulated upon their efforts. That, however, docs not include all their contributions for charity, for in recent years the local kinemas have also responded nobly to the various appeals hy the Lord Mayor and the promoters of the ‘* Daily Mail” Christmas Tree Fund for the poor. Last Month’s Effort. Last month’s effort produced the handsome tctal of £1,545. 9s. 9d. for the Birmingham, Smethwick, and West Bromwich hospitals, us compared with £1,373 in 1921. Exhibitors in the two Black Country Boroughs joined hands with the city trade for the first time this year, and they brought in £135. The 45 special entertainments produced £1,490 8s., while donations and collections from eight other halls amounted to £54 odd. Chief Contributors. The list was headed by the Futurist Theatre with £77 15s., the Scala being second with £70 17s., and the Grange Kinema, Small Heath, third with £60. Other large contributions were the Coronet Cinema, £56 16s. 3d., Coliseum Theatre, Saltley, £54 6s. 3d.; New Street Picture House, £54 5s. 2d.; Villa Croxs Picture House, £50 6s.; Metropole Theatre, £48 9s. 6d.; King’s Norton Palace of Varieties, £43 14s.; Newtown Palace, £43 2s.; Winson Green Picture House, £40 3s. 4d.; Elite Picture House, Handsworth, £36 18s. 9d.; Springfield Picture Playhouse, £35 12s. 6d.; Lyric Picture Blashoube; £32 9s. 4d.; Green Lane Picture House, £32 6s.; Grand Picture House, Handsworth, £32 2s.; Heath Picture House, £31 5s. 9d.; West’s Picture House, .Erdington, £30 5s. 1d. The Rink, Smethwick, £30 Os. 6d. . A. Gilbertian Position. “It ie difficult to comment on the Gilbertian position ehlek has arisen in regard’ to the Baker Strect Picture House, Handsworth, but. Mr. Tom Leach can rest assured that his fellow exhibitors deeply sympathise with him in his trouble. Apparently he is anxious to replace the existing building by an up to-date house, but, although he has purchased the surrounding houses, he cannot. secure possession because they are occupied by Corporation firemen. The justices declined to renew the licence on the ground that the hall was structurally unfit, but ‘Mr. Leach has setured ‘a rule nisi in the King’s Bench under which the justices will have to satisfy the court that they were justified in refusing to renew the licence. oogle are also inquiring keenly concerning ‘t The Prodigal Son’ Only Half the Truth. A Handsworth domestic’s strange conduct in inventing a bogus burglar story was said to be due to witnessing sensational films. That was her mistress’s version of the affair, but, according to the statement made by a detective inspector she merely followed the example of another domestic in the district _and was not led away by the pictures. K.R.S. Changes. Resignations have caused a revision of the committee of the Birmingham Centre of the K.R.S.. At its last meeting the committee were called upon to fill the places of Messrs. C. W. Ilutchin (Walturdaw’s) and W. H. Wilson (Pathé Fréres), and the selected were Messrs. J. I. Norfolk (F.B.0.) and J..Jacobs (Stoll's). These gentlemen will, therefore, serve until the annual meeting of the Centre in January. The Marconiphone. Midland exhibitors now have the opportunity of taking advantaye of demonstrations of broad-casting on the Marconiphone. The sales room at the Walturdaw depot in John Bright Street has been converted into a listening parlour, a marconiphone set having been installed under the direction of Mr. J. Grant. The first demonstration was given on Thursday last, and Mr. R. Eisler, who is conducting that side of the business will welcome inquiries and visits from exhibitors. Upwards of a dozen contracts for Marconiphones have been booked for Birmingham and District halls, one of the first exhibitors to book a broad-casting set being Mr. E. Hewitson, of Smethwick. ‘Welcome. Mr. Frank Morcton has been Sipointed Midland manager for General Kinema Films, Ltd., and until he can secure suitable office accommodation he will work from his home address, 40, Headingley Road, Handsworth. He held his first trade show at the Theatre de Luxe, Birmingham, on Sunday last, when he screened “ Heritage,"”’ featuring Matty Roubert. On the last day of the old year he will invite exhibitors to the screening of ‘“The Sport of Fate,’’ which features the. Russian actor, M. Mosjoukine. Mr. Moreton was with the General Company in London some. years ago, but, subsequently, saw service with ‘both Pathé Fréres and the Stoll Co. A Nottingham Note. T had a very cheerful note from my friend, Claude Solomon, of Stoll’s Nottingham. He reports a steady improvement in business in that Midland area, with both ‘‘ Dick Turpin’s Ride to York "’ and the new Sherlock Holmes scries. Local exhibitors * and other Stoll features. Among the Renters. Mr. W. G. Thompson, of Gaument’s, states that Rainbow Comedies are rapidly becoming popular in the Midlands. His next big offering will he ‘‘ Silent Evidence,’’ which will await exhibitors at the Scala Theatre on Sunday, the 17th. Items of Interest. Mr. Ralph Solomon’s latest First National offerings include two Richard Barthelmess features, ‘‘ The Bond Boy ’’ and ‘* Sonny.” Mr. W. H. Wilson, of Pathé’s, hopes to have some good news for exhibitors when he returns from the London conference this week-end. His next offerings will be Jackie Coogan in ‘““Trouble,”’ and ‘' Love,”’ starring Louise Glaum.