Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

.1/ ./ V \'>-<3 Harry Weinberg to Start New 'I'heatre (^hain in Iowa IT HAS Ix'i'M rtiniorcd at scM-ral times that llarr> W liiibtrv: was to start a lu-w Ihoalre chain in Iowa. This news was aiit hetit irated last wei'k when Mr. \Veinl)er)i aniioiinced that he owns and operates nine Iowa theatres and one in Omaha. These theatres are part of a chain which he |)lans (o place second only to that of A. 11. IMank's in Iowa. The most recent additions to the strinii of theatres are three at .Vmes, formerly owned by Joe IJenjamin (Jerhracht. The houses are the Princess and the Twin Star, which are located downtown, and the .Ames which is near the Iowa state college campus. .Mr. U'einherj; announced that Mr. (ierbracht would continue to operate the houses, .\nother theatre is |)lanned for .\mes hy the new company which, with headquarters in the Commonwealth Buildinu in Des Moines, is known as the Commonwealth Theatres. The newAmes Theatre will be a 1,200-seat house costinji approximately $150,000, and will be started early in 1928. On the present Ames Theatre close to $28,000 will be spent in remodelling and redecorating. In and Out of Town I PaPTAIN jack ROBERTSON, hunter ^-^' and adventurer who photographed "Alaskan Adventures," the Pathe feature, recently arrived in New York to attend the shownng at the Roxy Theatre of his picture. He is making his headquarters at the Hotel Manger. Al.F^IUvT CiRE^V. in charge of Paramount rciad .^how.s, left this week for Chicago to make preparations for the opening at the Auditorum in that city of "The Routh Riders." CB. Pordcn. managing director of the • ll'cllyn Garden and Had field Theatres, London, r.ngland, and a member of the executive board of the British Exhibitor Association, is in Neiv Vok. He li'ill return to England shortly. SAM E. RORK, after spending several weeks in New York where he signed a contract with Richard A. Rowland, general and production manager of First National, has returned to the West Coast to make a production starring Will Rogers from Charles Hoy's old farce, "A Texas Steer." Guy P. Morgan, general manager of B. and H. Enterprises, left this week lor Hollywowl where he will confer with C C. Burr and Johnny Hines on future productions for release through First National, as well as participate actively in the International Sales Convention of First National. Mr. Morgan will remain on the West Coast for about a month. H. C. Witicer. novelist and humorist xvho wrote "The Beauty Parlor" series now in production at the F. B. O. studio in Hollyivood. has arrived in A^civ York for an indefinite slay. Mr. Witzver is stayriig at the Roosevelt. Texas M. P. T. O. Meets in Galveston, June 7-8 June 7 and S arc the dates named foithe M. P. T. 0. of Texas to meet in convention at the Galvez Hotel, G-alveston. Texas. Penn. Theatre Merger Involves 29 Houses (^onsolidatiou Brinies Together hour ('huins Coast Deal Swinj^s Seven I heatres /uist OXK of tlic most important inde])emlent merjj^ers in the history of the indu.stry in I'hiladelphia has just l)een efYectcd, involving twenty-nine independent theatres and representinfj assets in the iieiE^hborhood of ten million dollars. Tlie liouses inchide foiirteon theatres controlled by the Franklin Amusement Co., -t\(Mi liouses operat(>d hy Green & Altnian, tour houses operated by Will Cohen and lour by ^lorris Wax. The new company will lie known as the Equity Theatres Corporation and will operate as a joint organization, witli holdinfis based on the values of the tlieatres which the various interests coiitributed toward the whole. Plans oj' the corporation provide for a rapid expansion in this and adjoiiiinf^ territories, with the expectation of btiilding, accpiiring or leasing thirty additional theatres within the next calendar year. The real estate activities of the coqxjratioii will 1)1' larg-ely in the hands of Lewis Korson, of Masterpiece Excliang-e. Will Cohen Avill serve as president of the oriranization, ^[or ris Wax as secretary and treasurer, with JTarry Cireen and Abe Altman handling the finances. The activities of the new coi-p<)ration arc not directed against llie Stanley Company. The merger was brought about very largely to effect certain economies and to j)rovide greater buying power as well as to protect the various interests. With the purchase of the fifty per cent interest held by (Jene Marcus in the Eastern States Theatres Company, East Coast Theatres now has control of the seven theatres that were formerly otjerated under tlie Eastern States banner. With the acquisition of the other fifty per cent interest of the organization, East Coast will surrender the Eastern States Theatres Company charter and operate under the head of its own corporation. The theatres involved in the transaction are the Karlton and the Palace, Quakertown; the Park and Colonial, Palmerton; the Spielmont and Globe, Marcus Hook; and the Colonial, Trumbauersville. The transaction became efifective as of :\rav f), 1927. Chicago Exhibs Celebrate Theatre Men Hold First Antial Rail and Movie Frolic; Will Be Annual Event in Windy City Jack Miller and Ludwig Siegel Tlffi most brilliant and successful movie affair in the history of Chicago, was the verdict of the twentyfive hundred theatre owners, film stars, WTiters, musical celebrities and movie goers who thronged the magnificent ball room and lobbies of the new Stevens Hotel on Wednesday night of this week for the First Annual Grand Ball and Movie Frolic of the Exhibitors Association of Chicago. From the time the doors of the ball room were opened, at 7:30 P. M., until "Home. Sweet Home" was played in the early morning hours, there was not a dull moment, a continuous array of feature acts alternating with the snappy dance music by orchestras which were at their best under the batons of such leaders as Paul Ash, Husk O'Hare and the veteran, John Phillip Sousa, and kept the crowd on their toes. Through the co-operation of several im portant film companies, a number of representative screen stars were on hand, and their tables on the balcony, where the guests of honor were seated, were the cynosure of all eyes. During the evening President Miller introduced to the crowd Miss Jetta Goudal, Avho was the official hostess of the evening, ^lilton Sills, Virginia Valli. George O'Brien, Victor MacLaglen, King Vidor, Eleanor Boardman, Frances Lee, 1927 Wampas Baby Star, Billy Dooley, James T. ^Iiirray, and Snookums, all of whom were accorded an enthusiastic welcome. While the united support of Chicago's motion picture theatre owners, both large and small, made the ball possible, the hard work of the ball committee, comprising Ludwig Siegel, chairman, Jack Miller, Joe Pastor, Joe Koppel, Charlie Kamp, Fred Gilford, Aaron Saperstein. Edward Grossman and Miss T. M. Heraty, secretary of the Exhibitors, who for weeks devoted themselves night and day laboring for its success, deserves credit. The entertainment features of the evening were staged under the supervision of Harry Beaumont, of As<?her Brothers, with the able assistance of Joe Pastor, and Ai Sobler was in charge of the publicity campaign, which preceded the ball.