Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1927)

October 14, 1U 27 1195 Salt Lake City A DAZZLING premier spectacle is to be witnessed this week at the Capitol Theatre which will have its formal opening the evening of September 29th. A new theatrical company has been incorporated in this city within the past week, by the operators of the American Theatre here. P. O. Silvagni, who recently took over the lease of the American, is president of this Theatres Operating Company ; Eddie Dimond, vicepresident, and Dave Schayer, secretary. Diamond is manager of the American and Schayer is publicity manager of this house. Warner Brothers Western Coast Sales Manager Harry Lustig left the Salt Lake office for Los Angeles a few days ago. Local Branch Manager Dave Farquhar is expected to return soon from an extended trip into Montana. Capacity business is being enjoyed at the Paramount of Provo, Utah, since the inauguration of the new policy which took place recently with Ackerman Harris vaudeville being shown in addition to the picture program. It is stated here that upon leaving the Victory Theatre, where he was manager for several years, Carl A. Porter was presented with a beautiful cocktail set from the boys of the Victory orchestra, with each of the nine silver cups en graved with one of the names of the members of this orchestra which is known as "The Victorians." Porter is now managing the Paramount Empress in this city. The other employes of the Victory presented him with a very line tuxedo set. All of the houses of the Louis Marcus Enterprise in this territory broadcast the returns of the big fight. O. J. Hazen, sales representative of the National Theatre Supply Company in this city, is making a trip of several weeks' duration into Idaho. Hal Elias, exploitation manager for Metro-GoldwynMayer, is making the nearby towns in Utah. Local Branch Manager L. C. Wingham is enroute back to the office here, after having been in Denver for a brief visit. J. A. Epperson, former manager of the Pathe Short Subject in this city, has been transferred to take up the management of the Denver office for this organization. A special sales conference is to be held at the Fox office of this city within a few days upon the arrival of Ben F. Rosenberg, special Fox representative, who is enroute to this city from Denver. Salesmen J. L. Tidwell, Harry Levey and Mell Mosher will be in from their respective territories to Philadelphia HENRY P. LEWIS, manager of the Philadelphia branch of Pathe Pictures, has been elected president of the Film Board of Trade, succeeding William J. Heenan. manager of First National. S. Wittman. branch manager for Universal, was elected vice-president; William J. Heenan, treasurer, and Jack Greenberg, is now serving his sixth successive year as secretary. The executive committee subsequently elected by the president included Percy A. Bloch, of Paramount ; S. Wittman, of Universal ; and Oscar Neufeld, of De Luxe, who for five years was president of the Film Board of Trade. The Arbitration Committee for the forthcoming three months consists of Mr. S. Wittman, Robert Lynch, of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Harrv Weiner, of Columbia Pictures. Al Blofson, of Tiffany Pictures, and Jerry Safron, of F B O, will serve as alternates on this committee. The Membership Committee includes in its personnel W. J. Heenan ; Gene Marcus, of Twentieth Century; and J. Von Tilzer, of United Artists. The Credit Committee consists of Edgar Moss, of Fox ; Charles Goodman, of Educational Pictures ; and W. G. Humphreys, feature manager for Pathe. The Transportation Committee includes Tony Lucchese, of Li berty ; Ben Amsterdam, of Masterpiece Mxchange ; and Joseph Hebrew, of United Artists. Eddie Gobel, booker in the Capitol Exchange, is receiving congratulations of the motion picture fraternity on the birth of a son. Two Vine Street exchange members who have been laid up for a considerable time with illness have resumed their duties. Percy A. Bloch, of Paramount, is now daily at his desk after a protracted illness and Al Blofson, manager for Tiffany products, has recovered from a recent operation for appendicitis. After an expenditure of more than $60,000 for interior and exterior renovations, Keith's Chestnut Street Theatre had reopened with a slight change in policy, the top now being $1.00 where heretofore it had been $1.65. Joseph C. Dougherty, who has been a theatre manager in Philadelphia for the past twenty-seven years, and who has been in charge of the Grand Opera House for almost a decade, has been made resident manager by E. F. Albee, succeeding George Young, general Keith representative in this city. Mr. Dougherty has been succeeded at the Grand Opera House by C. A. Lewis. The change in policy at Keith's includes the running of three shows on Saturday and the house since its renovation has been playing to capacity business. attend this conference, according to Manager Charles Walker. Thomas Berta of the Rialto Theatre at Rock Springs, Wyoming, is in Salt Lake conferring with the various exchange managers, and making arrangements for his picture productions for the coming year as well as for Pantages vaudeville. Berta reports that conditions at Rock Springs are greatly improved. Manager Clyde H. Messenger is spending about ten days in Southern Utah. Adolph Wursten and Cyrus Ward of the Isis and Oak theatres at Preston, Idaho, spent several days in this city recently. The local United Artists branch manager, I larry Stern, returned a few days ago from Idaho. Harry H. Milstein, newly appointed manager for Universal, has returned from his initial trip into the territory. George Lindsay of the Star theatres at Eureka, Payson and Springvill, Utah, was among exhibitor visitors here last week, as is Steve Deal of Springvill, Utah. J. D. Johnson, owner of the Lyric Theatre of Richfield, Utah, made a flying trip into Salt Lake last week. M. J. Weisfeldt, district manager for F. B. O., left the Salt Lake office a few days ago for Minneapolis. The Gem Theatre, owned by W. E. Shipley, had its reopening last week after having been extensively redecorated and remodeled. The Italian design has been followed this fall with a beautiful new front having been arranged. The lobby has been enlarged and new carpets and draperies of a very rich character and hue installed. New and artistic lighting effects have also been arranged. This house makes a very striking appearance and is exceptionally comfortably arranged. The pipe organ has been enlarged and is now a three manual, twelve unit organ. Manager Lawrence J. McGinley of the Paramount Famous-Lasky Corporation exchange here, is working in the Montana section for a few days, it is reported. Salesman J. A. English of this organization just left the local office for his Montana territory. The local Universal sales representatives, Tony Hartford and James R. Keitz of the Southern Utah and Idaho territories respectively, are both in for the purpose of attending a sales convention which is to be held by Manager W. J. Heincman this week. Joe Goss, well known exhibitor of Ogden, Utah, is now devoting most of his attention to his theatre interests again, since the closing of most of the A. & W. Root Beer concessions for the winter. NATIONAL SCREEN SERVICED Distributed throughout: the United States pom CHICAGO NEW YORK LOS ANGELES 845 S.Wabash Ave. * l4r3-130 W.4ff* St • 1922 S.Vfermont Ave