The Film Daily (1930)

Milwaukee — Jimmy Devine, Inc., is a new Wisconsin corporation formed to operate and manage theaters, dance halls, etc. Signers of the articles are J. T. Devine, P. Devine and W. Devine. Santa Fe, N. M— Nathan Salmon is starting construction of a combination 1,200-seat theater and amusement building to cost about $300,000. Opens March 1, 1931. Pueblo, Colo.— Everett Cole of Alamosa, has reopened the Broadway here. Yoakum, Tex. — Work has been started on the new Grand, which will be the second sound house here. Pittsburgh— Bert (Shorty) Stern, former local United Artists exchange manager, is now connected with the company's Buffalo branch. Shawnee, O. — The New Linda has been leased by Elias Hatem, who is installing RCA Photophone and will re-open the house soon. Middletown, Conn. — John F. Callahan, manager of the Capitol here for the last two years, is now handling the several neighborhood houses recently acquired by Warner Bros., in Hartford. Irving Dunn, of Boston, has taken over the Capitol post. Whitewright, Tex. — Frank Simpson, of Sherman, has opened the Palace here. It will operate on Fridays and Saturdays for the present, and probably go on full time later. Richmond, Ky. — J. B. Elliott, operator of the Strand and Ben in Lexington, is building an 800-seat house here. TEN YEARS AGO TO-DAY IN :the lilt MUMMIk Of HIMDQM Watterson Rothacker sails for London to establish laboratory there. * * * Northwest exhibitors form Independent Exhibitors' Circuit through which 123 theaters will be booked. * * * Gladys Walton and Eva Novak new Universal stars. * * * S. A. Lynch of Atlanta working on a new booking organization for Southern exhibitors. Cambridge, O. — Ray Hickman, operator of the Auditorium in Marietta, is opening two houses here, the Ohio, formerly known as the Lyric, and the Cort, at present under construction. The latter will be run as a first-run de luxe theater. Mt. Vernon, N. Y. — Ben Knobel, former independent circuit owner who sold out to Fox Metropolitan Playhouses, has taken over the Embassy. Neenah, Wis. — With the closing of the Embassy, due to poor business, this city is without theater fare. The house, operated by L. K. Brin and reported to have been acquired by Warner Bros. It has been reported that Warners will take over both the Embassy and the Brin at Menasha. Cleveland — Herbert Kaufman, Columbia branch manager, recently married Erma Wiener here. Syracuse, N. Y. — After two years as publicity man for Warners in Albany, Leo Rosen has been made manager of the local Strand, W. B. house. He succeeds Franz Westfall. Hartford, Conn. — Francis S. Morin, formerly of Westfield, Mass., is manager of the new Warner Bros, theater here. Tonawanda, Pa. — Publix has purchased the interest of W. L. Woodin in the Keystone. Amount involved is said to be $150,000. Waltham, Mass. — Harold Gordon is back in this city as district manager for Publix. He has the Central Square and the Embassy. Maysville, Ky. — A picture house, scheduled for completion in September, is being built here by Col. Russell, who also will reopen the Washington in October. Cleveland — W. H. John, formerly assistant manager at Loew's Granada, has been made assistant manager at the Stillman. Denver— The new $500,000 PublixAmusement, seating 2,500, largest in Denver, is scheduled to open Aug. 15. Minot, N. D. — After remodeling and sound installation, the Strand has been reopened. Cedar Falls, la. — The Regent, rebuilt following its recent fire, has been reopened by the Iowa Theater Co. Buffalo Center, la.— N. H. Sutton and H. M. Aistrup, of Sioux Falls, S. D., have taken over the New Iowa here. Kansas City — With the transfer of Dwight Mills, assistant Vitaphone booker, to a higher post as branch Vitaphone booker in the Warner exchange in Minneapolis, Carl Bane Hoodenpyle has been placed in Mills' former position here, while George Galbreath takes over Hoodenpyle's work and W. Parkhurst succeeds to Galbreath's old position. Al Lake has been placed in charge of the poster department, formerly handled by Parkhurst. St. Cloud, Minn. — George D. Irwin is now manager of the Publix Sherman, succeeding J. Newton Treece, who will manage the Grand. Perry Long, who was at the Grand, has been transferred to Watertown, S. D. Irwin formerly was at the Paramount, Brainerd, now handled by R. F. Emig, previously in Omaha. Batavia, N. Y. — John R. Osborne has been appointed zone manager for Warner Bros. here. Quincy, 111. — Herman Nelson has sold the Star to John Miller, of the Colonial. San Juan, Tex. — Lemen & Kruse has turned over the operation of the San Juan to G. A. Hudson. The building is owned by Louis Gerlitz, of McAllen, who owns the Palace there. Pottsville, Pa. — Scale of admission at the Hollywood has been cut to 25 cents and 10 cents for adults and children, respectively, at all times. Hornell, N. Y.— James J. Kelly has succeeded Andrew Gibson at the Warners local house. El Campo, Tex. — E. L. Schubeck has sold the Palace to Rubin Frels, who recently disposed of the Normana in Cuero to Hall Industries, Inc. The latter firm has agreed to not enter Victoria, where Frels has two houses. Norma Frels, who has managed the Normana, will handle the Palace here. Dallas — S. L. Pilkinton has succeeded Fred Horn on road work for the RKO exchange here, it is announced by L. E. Harrington, branch manager. Horn, who was transferred here from Des Moines, has resigned. Kansas City — -Paul Milberger, who formerly managed his father's house, the Rainbow, i$ now assistant advertising accessory manager of the RKO exchange here. Lancaster, O. — Judge Ruth has bought the Hippodrome from the Hocking Valley Amusement Co. and the Lyric from E. Mithoff. Aurora, 111.— A $1,000,000 house i planned on the site of the forme Temple of Music. The Little Accident ( Universal— A 11 Talker) Plenty Good (Reviewed by Walter R. Griene) THERE is no question of the box-offici potentialities of "The Little Accident.' It has been capably transferred to the screer to provide a wealth of genuine entertainmen and plenty of laughs^ Hitting a fast tempo a' the very start, the picture maintains the pac< right through to the finish — with comedy line." and sequences nicely spotted to get just abou' everything possible out of .the iarce. "The Little Accident" rates attention fron the largest de luxe week run houses for openings in the key cities. Subsequent split weeki will take care of themselves through word-ofmouth advertising. It's just one of those whole some laugh pictures with chances of holdinf over for two or three weeks in the extendec runs. Story opens with Fairbanks, Jr., preparing for his wedding day. A mysterious letter ar rives, asking him to come to a maternity hospital in Chicago. Doug then remembers i previous love affair and marriage which vat annulled immediately after. Arriving at th» hospital, the youth is subjected to a physicat examination without knowing what it's al about. Then he is told the former wife has a boy> and the youngster will be given out for legar adoption. Doug wants to see the baby, am is assigned to a chair in the reception room There he finds Slim Summerville, a nervous and expectant father ; and Henry Armetta, whi is waiting to take his wife and child home The situation of Summerville waiting for hii first child, in contrast to the matter-of-fac1 father of six, Armetta— develops round afte round of laughs. Finally Fairbanks sees his own youngsterfour weeks old — and decides it is wrong to at low the kid to be given out for adoption. Thek he meets Anita Page as she is leaving the hospital, and tells her the youngster needs thetrr She remains firm, and finally departs. Through a ruse, the young father is able to kidnap hii own child from the hospital, and secures a: apartment to take care of it himself. Za» Pitt? does her best to housekeep and assist witi the child's care. They get into trouble in trying to figure ou the baby's diet, and Zasu calls the hospita asking for. advice and giving Fairbanks' nam and phone number. Then ne is downcastthey will take the child away from him as h has no wife. Then Zasu offers to marry hin and he agrees that's the only way out. Soon Anita Page arrives in a rage to r* gain her child. Argument between the youni father and mother starts, with both obstinatt Then Sally Blane, Doug's intended bride, come in to complicate matters. Doug finds himsd with three women on his hand — but Zasu leav< in disappointment. Then Sally Blane depart announcing to Fairbanks her engagement 1 Roscoe Karns. Albert Gran, Doug's fathe puts in an appearance and gives his son an Anita the parental blessing. Finale brings tt two together with resolve to start over agai with the baby as the bond of affection. Deft handling of the story itself' and tf various comedy situations, in both treatmei and direction, has resulted in one of the ou standing farce comedies Of the season. Dou| las Fairbanks, Jr., carries the major burdf of the picture on his own shoulders, and tun in a remarkable characterization. Next in lit are Slim Summerville and Henry Armett both of whom score heavily in the hospit sequences. Roscoe Karns is capable and goc for many laughs as the best man "fixer" f< | the young husband, while Anita Page and Sal Lj( Blane are acceptable in rather limited par)™ Musical shorts and cartoons would fit um herefrom, UR New, July ii,'930 [ in it ce IV( k ICC It lor * ADVERTISEMENT