Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1914)

24 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS built above the theatre proper. The ceiling will be 22 feet high. It will be a brick and tile building on a site 50 oy 150 feet, and will seat more than 1,000 persons. The plans have been approved in every detail by the State Bureau of Industry and Labor, which is now prescribing very strict regulations for the construction of new motion picture houses in the state. Mr. Lenney says the officials of the Bureau have told him his ideas may be used by the State as a basis for construction of other motion picture theatres in Pennsylvania. V. H. B£RGH.\us, Jr. Trenton Operators Demand Higher Wages New Scale Calls for $18 a Week — Trouble Imminent — Feature War Breaks Out in New Jersey Capital; Reel "Chasing" Going On GOODWIN LICENSES RAW FILM SUPPLY COMPANY The Raw Film Supply Company, through an agreement recently entered into with the Goodwin Film and Camera Company, has been granted the right to buy, use and sell for selling purposes, Afga and Gevaert cinematograph films. At the same time permission wss granted to the Ambrosio American Company, permitting the same rights. After the settlement of the Goodwin-Eastman suit, the Goodwin Company made a complaint against the Raw Film Company for manufacturing and selling their film without a license. A retroactive settlement brought this case to a close, so that now the Goodwin Company cannot bring suit against any of the former customers of the Raw Film Company, as they have waived all claims for damages in consideration of the agreement. The Goodwin Company, whose sole agent is the Ansco Company, won the famous Goodwin patent case from the Eastman Kodak Company on March 10, 1914. The defendant company subsequently made a settlement and was licensed to make and sell the contested films. Special to The Motion Picture News Trenton, N. J., May 28. AS a result of the Broad Street Theatre closing out burlesque and the house entering the motion picture field, a merry war has started here which, according to several men in the business, is likely to result disastrously to some of the exhibitors. The Taylor Opera House, on South Broad street, evidently some, what alarmed at the latest opposition, combined with that of the State Street Theatre has followed the policy of the latter house of amusement and is now giving feature films in connection with vaudeville. The policy of the Taylor Opera House has been to run three commercial reels in connection with five acts of vaudeville, but the State Street Theatre has steadily been getting the lion's share of business, giving four, five and six reels. Consequently Taylor's has changed its system by introducing two, three and four-reel feature films. Broad Street Theatre, in order to gain popularity at once, has practically flooded the city with rebate tickets which really result in turning that handsome playhouse of 2,000 capacity into a nicklet. Right on top of this little war among the theatres, the operators APOLLO OPENS IN PEORIA Special to The Motion Picture News. Peoria, III, May 27. The Apollo, a handsome and thoroughly equipped motion picture house, opened in Peoria, 111., on May 18. The Apollo has a thousand dollar mirror screen, seats a thousand people, has a lady orchestra of several pieces, and all of the latest improvements in lighting, ventilation, and other devices that go to make up a modern theatre. The interior is beautifully decorated with oil paintings on the walls by a well-known artist of Chicago. The program will be made up of large features. The opening bill was "Antony and Cleopatra." D. Robinson is the general manager of the company operating the Apollo. formed a union and presented demands on the proprietors of the thirty-five motion picture houses of the city asking for increases in wages and a reduction in the number of hours. The nickelettes here have been securing crank turners as operators for as low as $8 a week, it is claimed, while the larger theatres have been playing $16. The new scale, as prepared by the men, calls for $18 a week. Owners of the smaller houses are, consequently, hard hit by this demand, and just what the outcome will be is being watched with interest. The picture situation here has reached such a pitch of rivalry that several houses have combined and are understood to be "chasing'' reels in order to get the best of the film rental man, in order to bring down the cost of operation. The heavy cost of the big features has caused the proprietors of the small theatres considerable worry as they find it necessary to play the big productions and the expense is great. The fact that this territory is disputed by Philadelphia and New York film houses, combined with the fact that the Pennsylvania men are desirous of furnishing films here, is said to make the "chasing" of films possible. Kentucky Balks at Censorship The People Are Wise to the Political Own Censors — Recent Special to The Motion Picture News Lexington, Ky., May 27. AMOTION picture censorship will never be established in Kentucky. The idea of such a move is repellent to motion picture men the state over, and to those of the public who have been asked regarding the matter is the same. The recent legislature, which has ended its sessions, liad a bill for censorship introduced, but it was promptly killed. The people throughout the state feel they are about as competent to judge a picture for themselves, as to have some board, appointed for political purposes, pass on every film they care to see. They look on that as they would filtered water — perhaps healthier but not particularly palatable. Kentucky people, as a rule, patronize only those theatres which ofifer a good lot of reels. For instance, a "nasty" ofTering will be let alone by most people, while clean reels, no Finger in the Censor Pie and Act as Bill Promptly Killed matter how sensational otherwise they may be, will draw packed houses. The theatres throughout the state have begun to realize more than ever before the great value of judicious advertising, and they are using a lot of newspaper space. And whenever there is something particularly good, especially in the country towns which do not support a daily newspaper, they put sandwich men on the streets. J.\MES M. Ross. PROBE FIRE LAW CONDITIONS Elizabeth, N. J., May 28.— Mayor Mravlag is investigating the fire protection laws as they apply to motion picture theatres. These houses, according to a state law, are under the jurisdiction of the Board of Fire Commissioners. It is understood that several minor complaints against a new Broad street motion picture house have been made by Building Inspector Brennan.