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Story of the Year.
I?
efficient series of motor connections, the supply of pictures to kinemas throughout the country was carried out with hardly a let down from start to finish,
It was a remarkable achievement, and the organisers, F. A. Enders, managing director of F.B.O., and Frank Hill, secretary of the K.R.S., were publicly thanked at a luncheon over which S. Rowson, the chairman of the K.R.S. presided.
The actual supply of films was, of course, not the only trouble that the trade had to surmount. On the first day of the hold-up. the President of the C.E.A., W. N. Blake, with the Secretary. W. R. Fuller, and Captain J. W. Barber, after much searchingof various Government Departments, secured the attention of the Minister of Mines, and proved to him that to close the kinemas (as was suggested) would be an unwise act. They obtained permission to carry on as best they could, and although a few halls in the mining areas were obliged to close down, the effect on the industry as a whole was wonderfully small.
In one or two districts the action of over-cautious Coal Controllers led to curtailment of hours, and Bristol exhibitors in particular had a hard struggle before they were allowed to return to the normal, but the trade can pride itself on having weathered a storm of unexampled fierceness with remarkable success.
Theatre Developments.
Towards the end of the 3^ear the announcement was made that a big financial house had acquired the Biocolor circuit. The purchasing syndicate included Ostrer Bros., a city firm previously interested in the film business.
Much more excitement was caused throughout the trade when an announcement was made, just before Christmas, by Sol Levy, that his two Birmingham halls, the Futurist and the Scala, had been bought by Famous Players-Lasky.
. Local exhibitors quickly took up arms, and great indignation was expressed. Vigorously expressed protests were sent . to the C.E.A. headquarters, and there was much talk of boycotting the pictures of any firm entering into competition with the exhibitor by running kinemas. C.E.A. branches in other areas beside the one affected showed active sympathy, but the outcome will be a matter for the future. Enough to say that when the year 1926 lay dying, it died with a kick.