Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

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Motion Picture News New York & New Jersey ACCORDING to the New York Herald-Tribune, "E. Alan Meyer, theatre manager and justice of the peace, failed to carry out his threat to make this sleepy town even sleepier last week by enforcing to the letter the ancient blue law which prohibits "traveling, worldly employment, shooting, fishing, sporting, dancing, singing, fiddling, or the playing of football, quoits, fives, nine-pins, or long bullets," on the Sabbath. The directors of Meyer's theatre decided it might anger the weekday customers if Meyer arrested them for traveling, or fiddling, or playing long bullets or something like that on Sunday — and that, angry, they might not go to Meyer's theatre on week-days in the future. After what happened last Sunday Westwood, N. J., prepared for trouble. Eight volunteer firemen were made deputies and equipped with police whistles and were ready to aid the five city policemen. Photographers and newspaper men lounged about the theatre entrance throughout the morning. In the early afternoon Mr. Meyer arrived and the reporters followed him into a cigar store, where he bought a package of cigarettes. He would not discuss his previous an nouncement that he "would close up Westwood as tight as anything." Mr. Meyer had intended to stop railroad trains, buses, pleasure cars and horses and wagons. The Erie Railroad took no chances with this threat and had special police on most of its trains passing through Westwood, and declared its purpose of prosecuting any one who attempted to stop them. Clergymen at Peekskill, N. Y., are urging that theatres should be closed on Sundays, although an ordinance permitting Sunday film shows was passed three years ago after long agitation. Members of the village board, such as Fred W. Otte, village president, and others, have given no answer to the petition, but promised to take up the question at the next full board session on June 28th. E. W. Gould, manager of the Morningside theatre and Roof Garden at Eighth Avenue and 116th Street, New York City, leaves June 18th for his annual vacation. F. G. Wilson has shut down his Endicott theatre, located at 70th Street and 13th Avenue, Brooklyn. Harry Nestler, has resigned his post as manager of the Fortway theatre, Fort Hamilton Avenue and 68th Street, Brooklyn. Leon Rosenblatt, sailed last Friday for a six weeks' vacation in Paris. Mr. Rosenblatt is part owner of the Lyceum and Plaza theatres in Bayonne, New Jersey, and the Star theatre, New Brighton, Staten Island. John Benas is handling the business, while Rosenblatt is away. Anthony Zappa, owner of the New United theatre, Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, which has been closed for some time, has reopened the house. Billy Maure, who was formerly connected with the Plaza in Brooklyn, will do the managing. M. Weinberg seems to have severed his association with the New Albany theatre in Brooklyn, as the owner of the house is now handling the management. Joseph Kennedy is back again at the manager's desk of Loew's Warwick theatre, after a two weeks' vacation. Local theatres that have recently purchased new equipment from Joe Hornstein of National Theatre Supply Company are : the Park Plaza, 2 Peerless low-high intensity lamps ; Park West, 1 Allentown Curtain control motor; Bleitheim, complete backstage! equipment, and the Liberty thea tre, Staten Island, a new Simplex generating machine and one goldfibre screen. Also purchased from National Theatre Supply, was a number of the latest type Simplex projection machines for experimental purposes on talking pictures by the Radio Corporation of America. George Hoffman, manager of the Pioneer theatre, Pioneer Street. Brooklyn is at present vacationing in Canada. The Rex theatre, East Rutherford, New Jersey, will be opened about July 1st, by Louis Schmuckler. The A. H. Schwartz office has transferred S. Wormser from the Rialto theatre, Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, to the Mayfair theatre. Coney Island Avenue. Robert Wyatt, formerly at the Mayfair is now at the Rialto. Consolidated Amusement Company has closed the Willis theatre, Willis Avenue, the Bronx for the summer months. This circuit is also closing the Arena theatre, 40th Street and 8th Avenue on June 24th. The Arena is to undergo alterations, and will be reopened some time in the early fall. The Hill theatre, Newark, New Jersey, owned by Mr. Harris is now running tabloid and pictures. Canada A SHAKE-UP in the policies of a number of big theatres is taking place in Montreal, Quebec. When the Imperial Theatre reopens in July under the management of Howard W. Conover, it will have a two-a-day Keith vaudeville policy. Previous to closing a month ago, the Imperial had been giving continuous shows. The Palace Theatre, operated by Famous Players with George Rotsky as manager, is to close shortly to permit the construction of a full stage and other alterations, after which it will offer Pantages vaudeville and moving pictures. Loew's Theatre, under the management of James Adams, will continue as before, but the Princess Theatre, with Ed. Charlton at the helm, will specialize in musical road shows. The St. Denis Theatre, managed by Joseph Cardinal, is featuring pictures with stock musical attractions of a high order. F. W. Robertson, formerly identified with retail business activities in Almonte, Ontario, has acquired the Fern Theatre, Ottawa, a handsome and popular neighborhood house. Herbert C. Benson operated the Fern Theatre for a number of years. The Fern is one of the oldest amusement centers in Ottawa, but it has been consistently successful year in and year out. Mr. Robertson has made a num ber of structural improvements in the Fern and the building has been redecorated. He is also booking a better line of pictures. The people of Vancouver, B. C, bid farewell to Calvin Winter and his Capitolian Orchestra at the Capitol Theatre during the week of June 11, the musical organization of this theatre having now made their departure on a concert tour which is taking them around the world. During their absence, Sidney Kelland, principal organist, is playing the accompaniment to the pictures. Charles G. Hehn, of New YorkCity, representing the architectural firm of Thomas Lamb, has been spending some time in Ottawa, Ontario, for the purpose of supervising the construction of the new million-dollar Capitol Theatre for Famous Players Canadian Corp. The big house is to be ready by next January. During a visit to Western Canada, H. M. Thomas, Toronto, Western Division manager of Famous Players Canadian Corporation, announced that this compativ was building a $275,000 theatre in Saskatoon, Sask., which is to be completed next December. Early in July, Mr. Thomas will direct a meeting of Western managers of the company at Banff Springs, one of Canada's National Parks. William Stewart, a veteran thea tre manager of Toronto, Ontario, has leased the Rivoli Theatre, on Queen Street and Spadina Avenue, Toronto. When the Brant Theatre, Brantford, Ontario, closed for the summer, Manager Ernie Moule switched bookings to his other hpi—e, t'->e Temple, Brantford. The 10-year lease of the Capitol Theatre, Cobourg, Ontario, by the Famous Players Canadian Corp., corporation officials at Toronto is expiring, it is reported, and the have selected a site on King Street, Cobourg, for the erection of a moving picture and vaudeville theatre. A. E. Cauley has been manager of the Capitol for some time. This theatre was originally owned by the Aliens of Toronto, but with the downfall of the big Allen circuit in the Dominion, the Cobourg Theatre was one of many to pass into the control of Famous Players. Manager W. H. Smith, of the Trent Theatre. Trenton, Ontario, sprang a real surprise on the community by introducing both his organist and cashier as soloist for the last Music Lovers' Night of the season, these having been Wednesday night features for the past 24 weeks. Lillian Franklin, lovely daughter of J. M. Franklin, manager of B. F. Keith's Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, appeared in the role of guest artist at an important musicale in the Canadian capital on June 15th. Miss Franklin is one of the finest violinists in Eastern Canada. | Kansas City THE Ashland theatre, Wellington, Kas., recently purchased by the Miller interests of Wichita, Kas., will be completely remodeled, according to O. K. Mason, who is to manage the theatre. The Warwick theatre, suburban house of Kansas City, will be remodeled, the seating capacity being increased from 1,100 to 1,300, the remodeling to cost about $75,000. The M. P. T. O. Kansas-Missouri membership drive, conducted by sales representatives of various exchanges in Kansas City, has ended. The prizes will be awarded salesmen obtaining the most new members at the M. P. T. O. K-M convention in Wichita, June 26 and 27. Lawrence Bruenninger, Orphcum theatre, Topeka, Kas.; "Doc" Miller, Miller theatre, Wichita, Kas. ; O. T. Kapplemann, High School theatre, White City, Kas. ; Barney Rosenthal, president of Columbia Pictures Corp., of St. Louis, and Lee Marcus, general sales manager of F B O were Kansas City visitors recently.