Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1914)

28 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS BUILDING WAVE HITS CLEVELAND Nine Theatres Are Under Way in the First Era of Theatrical Construction in That City Since 191 1 — Standard Opens at Once as All-Day House with Features — Other Photoplay Houses in Various Districts special to The Motion Picture News. Cleveland, O., June 11. CLEVELAND is having another boom in motion picture theatre building. There are now under way nine houses all of modern construction and large capacity. The activities in this line have had a lull for three years, following the erection of about twenty houses in 1911. Those engaged in the business say there is no room for more houses and consider the business already overdone, while investors in this class of building are well satisfied with returns upon their ventures. The most important of the new theatres is the Standard, which is r.ow nearly completed. It is located in the Standard Drug Company's Prospect Avenue Building and has been leased for a term of years to Joseph Grossman, formerly owner of the Delmar, Central avenue. Mr. Grosman expects to open the Standard on June 12. The house is reached through a spacious foyer opening on Prospect avenue, at the corner of East Eighth street. The theatre seats 750 persons. It will show photoplays exclusively with first-class music. It is the first exclusive motion picture theatre built in the downtown section of the city. Although Cleveland has a number of important downtown picture houses, all have been remodeled from store spaces or are theatres showing vaudeville in connection with films. The Standard, it is believed by Manager Grossman, will fill a want that has been felt here for some time, and provides a place where the films of highest grade may be shown at a profit. He has contracted to use Mutual service, including the Continental features. He will also book outside features. It is to be an all-day house. In its construction every comfort of the patron has been considered. IN the same section there is being built the Palace, occupying the McMillan Building on East Ninth street, near Prospect. The Hausheer Construction Company arc the owners of this house, and it is being constructed at a cost of about $25,000*. It will have 400 seats and its entertainment will consist of photoplays exclusively. The Doan Square Realty Company, the directors of which are practically the same as those in the Gordon Square Company, owners of the Gordon Square Theatre, are erecting a $75,000 theatre and commercial building at Superior avenue and East 103rd street. This house will have a capacity of 1,600, on two floors. While equipped for any kind of a theatrical performance, it will be opened with pictures and vaudeville. Another downtown house is being erected by the Fireproof Theatre Company, on Prospect avenue, just east of East Ninth street. This is to be an exclusive theatre building with an auditorium seating about 750 persons. EDWARD KOHL, the builder of several of the larger suburban theatres in the city, is erecting a large house on East 105th street, between St. Clair avenue and Superior. It has been leased for a term of years to S. E. Morris and L. H. Wilk, both of whom now own theatres in that section. The Home Theatre, conducted by Mr. Morris, is soon to be discontinued to make room for a large commercial building, it is stated, and yir. Morris will give his personal attention to the new house. It will be ready for use in about two months. Other houses are being erected on Si. Clair avenue at East 105th street and two on Detroit avenue, in Lakewood, one of the city's important suburbs. Paul C. Mooney. First Montana Convention in July Scheduled for the 7th and 8th in Butte— The Ball Started by Philip Levy, of the Ansonia— League Only Formed Last Year. Special to The Motion Picture News. Butte, Mont., June 2. MONTANA exhibitors are watching with unusual interest the approach of the first annual convention of the Montana Theatrical and Exhibitors League, which will convene in the city of Butte for two days, July 7 and 8. The league was formed last year and it was then decided that the first annual convention would be called in Butte. The place of the second convention will be fixed at the coming meeting. The growth of the motion picture business in Montana, a virgin state practically as far as this industry is concerned, will invest the approaching gathering of the managers with a public interest which the formation meeting did not obtain. However, the good work started on that occasion has taken root, and when the managers from all parts of Montana gather in Butte two days of real business and the right sort of fun will be handed to the visitors. The story of the Montana league, as has been said, is a comparatively recent one. In September of last year Philip Levy, manager of the Ansonia Theatre, sent circulars to all the managers of theatres in the state explaining his plan of forming an exhibitors league for the purpose of, as set forth in the adopted constitution, "protecting the interests and welfare of all owners or persons engaged in the management of 'opera' or 'combination' houses, vaudeville, stock. burlesque, or motion picture theatres or other places of theatrical amusement in the State of Montana." There were other objects and they are set forth at large in the articles of the constitution. For the present, it is only necessary to know that the meeting was a great success. All the managers were enthusiastic. They had a fine time at the meeting and the gathering proved distinctlj' profitable to everyone concerned. They discussed the business in all its branches and elected the following set of officers to serve for the first term: President, Philip Levy, Ansonia Theatre, Butte; vice-president, A. Heinecke, Bijou Theatre, Lewistown; secretarytreasurer, William Cutts, Montana Amusement Company, Butte; directors-at-large. Frank N. Jones, Star Theatre, Billings; E. P. White, Alcazar Theatre, Livingston; H. E. Rehfield. Miles Theatre, Miles City; H. O. Clark, Alcazar Theatre, Great Falls. The charter members with the theatres which they are represented are as follows: A. Mandoli, Reel Theatre, Anaconda; Frank N. Jones, Star Theatre, Billings; F. A. Boedecker, Lyric Theatre, Bozeman; William Cutts, Montana Amusement Company, Butte; C. \V. Eckhardt, Lyric Theatre, Butte; Philip Levy, -Ansonia Theatre, Butte; George Boedecker, Orpheum Theatre, Deer Ixidge; H. T. Ashlock, Pastime Theatre, Dillon; H. O. Clark, .'\lcazar Theatre, Great Falls; Lewis E. Freeman, Gem Theatre, Great Falls; George H. Reeves, Gem Theatre, Havre; W. H. Hartwig, .\ntlers Theatre, Helena; E. P. White, -Mcazar Theatre, Lewistown; A. Heinecke, Bijou Theatre, Livingston; H. E. Rehfield, Miles Theatre, Miles City; Fred C. Quinby, Empress Theatre, Missoula: T. D. Prior, Ruby Theatre, Ruby; E. W. Waddell, Three Forks, and L. T. .Sissel, Orpheum Theatre, Whitefish. James Cummins.