Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1934)

Friday, April 27, 1934 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Who? What? When? (Continued from page 6) house, the St. George, 3,000-seat house on Staten Island. A year later he passed away, making Shiftman executor of his estate in his will. In addition to the seven Staten Island units, the Brill circuit now operates the Oasis, 1,800-seat house in Brooklyn; the Park Lane, Manhattan, 2,000 seats; Strand, 1,500 seats, and the Palace, 1,000 seats, both in Lakewood, N. J.; Strand, 1,400 seats, and Ritz, 700 seats, at Port Jarvis, N. Y. The circuit owns a half interest in the Inwood, Forest Hills, a 3,000-seat house. Shortly after Brill's death in 1931, Shiftman was made president of the circuit, which still retains its original name. He is not married, but is a member of the Pine Ridge Country Club, N. Y., an Elk of Lodge No. 1, a member of the Jewish Theatrical Guild and a member of the I. T. O. A. Edward N. Rugoff, independent subsequent run exhibitor, is a native of Whitehaven, Pa., and a graduate of the Whitehaven high school. He started in the film business 18 years ago when he was associated with Harry Rapf in production. He later dropped production ideas to enter ex hibition and started by building two theatres in Brooklyn and one in Long Island. He then formed the Rugoff Becker circuit and acquired a number of houses until the total reached 11, seven of which are located in the metropolitan area. Laurence S. Bolognino, subse quent run exhibitor, was born in Tu rin, Italy, in the June of 1883. He is a graduate 'of the technical institute there and for two years was associated with his father in the restaurant business in his native city. He came to the United States in 1904 and looked around for about year before he entered the exhibition business. When his brother Andrew arrived from Italy in the fall of 1905 the Bologninos rented half a store on Second Avenue and 114th Street and turned it into a nickelodeon. Seating capacity was 40. Andrew operated the projector and Laurence acted as man ager. In 1906 the brothers opened the Big Show on Eighth Avenue and 28th Street. From this point on they ac quired other theatres on the same avenue. The Apollo on 25th Street was the next house. Then they built the Yorke at 20th Street, then took over the Amsterdam on 22nd Street and the Morningside, following up with two to three acquisitions a year until the group now totals 20. Until three years ago, the circuit was operated under the trade name of Consolidated Amusements. In 1931 the firm was incorporated with the same name. Laurence is vice-president. He does not like sports, is single and a member of the M. P. Club. He returned recently from Miami and the west coast, where he recuperated from a minor illness. Alfred E. Steers, impartial member, was born in Brooklyn on April 7. When 23, he was appointed a special policeman in Brooklyn and later became a volunteer fireman in Flatbush. He, was later elected a justice of the peace for Flatbush and when Brooklyn annexed it, Steers was named a police judge by the mayor. "U" Seeks Talent Hollywood, April 26. — Set on establishing a stock company, Universal is sending Dave Werner, casting director, on a three months' tour of the country. He will visit stock companies, universities and schools in a search for talent. Dan Kelly will sit in his place during his absence. Shortly after he was made a city magistrate and continued in this post until 1909, when he was elected president of the Borough of Brooklyn. Steers resigned as Brooklyn borough president after three and a half years to return to the bench, where he served until July, 1933, when he was pensioned by the City of New York. Grievance Board Milton S. Kusell, distributor with theatre affiliation, was born in Aurora, 111., Oct. 27, 1892. Chicago was the city of his schooling. In 1917, he became a salesman for Paramount in the Chicago office and two years later was promoted to sales manager of the same branch. In 1920, Kusell was transferred to New York as special salesman, and in 1922 opened the New Jersey exchange as manager. Three years later he was appointed branch manager of the New York branch. In 1932 he was again elevated, this time to the post of dis trict manager for New York, Brook lyn, Albany, New Jersey, and Buf falo exchanges. He is a bachelor and resides at Larchmont, N. Y. Harry H. Thomas, distributor without affiliation, hails from Boston, where he was born April 23, 1892. He also was educated in Boston. Thomas entered the film business in 1907 when he opened the Bushwick Palace in the Williamsburg section Brooklyn. Six years later he joined the Greater New York Film Co., then shifted to General Film Co., which absorbed Greater New York. Shortly after he joined Fox as special repre sentative. He organized Alexander Film Co in 1921 and later associated with I. E Chadwick, president of Merit Film exchange in New York, as vice-presi dent and general manager. In 1926 he acquired Chadwick's interest in the exchange and organized First D vision. Shortly after he acquired the Commonwealth exchange. The company has expanded ever since and now has branches in Al bany, Buffalo, PhiladelDhia, Wash ington, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pitts burgh. Detroit. Boston. Louisville and New York. Thomas is president o First Division Exchanges, Inc., which operates the branches. In association with Arthur A. Lee Thomas formed First Anglo Corp to distribute foreisn films. He mar ried Etta Gettelson in 1919, has two children. Svdelle, 7, and Jerome. 14 He is a Mason, member of the For* Green Lodee, A. F. & A. M.. No 922 : an active factor in Elks Lodere No. 22 in Brooklvn. a member of th M. P. Club and vice-president in charge of distribution for Monogram Tottn T. O'Connor, representin affiliated theatres, was born at Anna walk. N. Y.. July 10, 1896. He started in the film business 20 years ago when he joined George Kleine, who was then roadshowing "Quo Vadis" and "The Last Days of Pompeii." Afterward, he became booker of the New York exchange for the Kleine-Edison-Selig & Essanay Co. He later joined the old Pathe Co. in Newark, where he worked during 1919-1920. In 1921, he became associated with the newly formed Peerless Booking Corp., which was the film buying and booking office for Keith-Proctor & Moss. He is now chief buyer and booker for RKO Film Booking Corp., hich is an outgrowth of the Peerless Co. J. Louis Geller, independent exhibitor, started in the business in 1912 when he was prevailed upon to quit N. Y. U. upon the death of his father and take over the management of the 86th St. Garden in New York. In addition to operating this house, he today has the Palace, Jersey City, and the Park, Newark. He also has interests in a number of theatres leased to exhibitors, including the Star, Brooklyn. Geller is a graduate of DeWitt Clinton High School, a director of Consolidated Theatres, Ltd., of Canada ; chairman of the board of the Royal Industrial Bank of New York ; vice-president of the Theatre Owners Chamber of Commerce. He is married and has three children, two girls and one boy. George F. Thompson, impartial member, is a native of Saratoga Springs and attended school there and at White Hall, N. Y. At 14, his folks moved to Middleport, Niagara County where he was made justice of the peace in 1895. He held this assign ment for seven years. He then came to New York City and during 1904 and 1905 was a mem ber of the Assembly. This was at the aee of 30. In 1912 he was elected to the Senate from the 47th district of Niagara and Orleans counties. He held this job for eight years and in 1915 returned to New York as chairman of the legislative committee in vestigating public utilities. He con tinued at this until 1917. In 1918, Thompson was interested by Sydney Cohen and Charles L O'Reilly in a move to institute Sunday shows in New York. In 1919 the bill which provided for referendums in each county and city was passed Many cities at the time were showing pictures, but those which weren't had an opportunity to start them, providing the public voted favorably Thompson is for general amusements on Sundays. Since leaving the Senate, he has operated the Niagara Spraying Co. of which he still is a director. He managed this firm for seven years from 1921 to 1928. After leaving the company he began practicing law in New York. He has one son, Warner F., 30, who is a junior member in the firm of Thompson, Smith & Thomp son. Warner is in charge of the com pany's Lockport, N. Y., office. Thompson is a 32nd degree Mason an Elk, a member of the Odd Fel lows, the Athletic Club in Buffalo, the Niagara Club in Niagara Falls, the Tuscarora Club in Lockport, a mem ber of the National Republican Club the Advertising Club, the Park Golf Club in Buffalo, and the Lockport Town and Country Club. He lives at the Algonquin. Ohio ITO Protest Mailed to Johnson (Continued from page 1) Division Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt and John C. Flinn, executive secretary of Campi, the exhibitor group asserts the allocation of charges unfair to the small theatre. The letter asks that assessments on exhibitors "be revised upon the basis of some fundamental factor such as gross earnings or seatage, both of which were undoubtedly entirely ignored in setting up the schedule of charges." Relief on Protection Sought for Wichita Kansas City, Mo., April 26. — A complaint has been filed with the zoning board here by O. F. Sullivan of the West Theatre, small 15-center of Wichita, Kan., asking immediate relief on protection in that city. Prior run houses and major distributors are cited in the complaint, which petitions the board that something be done about the matter as soon as possible. It is alleged Fox Midwest, with five theatres, controls the situation against six independents. It is understood St. Joseph, Mo., subsequents are preparing a complaint against first runs there operated by Dubinsky, protesting the 130-day protection for 25-cent houses over 20cent runs. Clearance Demands Go Back for Change The first batch of requests for changes in the local clearance and zoning schedule was returned to a number of exhibitors yesterday by the New York board. At a meeting presided over by Leo Abrams of Universal the members agreed that the complaints were not according to the procedure provided for under the code. The protesting exhibitors have been asked to use the code forms. All members of the board were present, including Laurence Bolognino, who has been on the coast. The next session will be held May 3 with David Loew as chairman. Florence Abramson, secretary, also attended. Roach to Delay on Program Until June Hal Roach's short subject program for next year will not be definitely decided upon until June, Henry Ginsberg, general manager for Roach studios, stated yesterday. For the current season, Roach's program calls for two features and 42 shorts, most of which have been completed. Ginsberg returns to the coast next Tuesday. He is now consulting with M-G-M home office executives on general matters, he said. Studio Report to Flinn Hollywood, April 26. — Dick Lestrange reported today to John C. Flinn, executive secretary of Campi, on the failure of the labor and extras' code committees to function, citing cases where they failed to act on complaints. He charged Columbia reclassified workers and Paramount paid extras $3 a day. He held the basis of pay was inequitable.