Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1474 Motion Picture News Motiograph Reports Brisk Business During the first two months of 1923, exhibitors have shown a healthy interest in better projection as a business builder in their houses, according to General Manager 0. F. Spahr, of the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Company, who states that as a result of this interest, Motiograph distributors throughout the country have been kept busy. The Art Film Studios, Cleveland, Ohio, Motiograph dealers for Cleveland and surrounding territory, have made a number of installations in that district, the most recent being the Liberty theatre, Youngstown, Ohio, in which theatre they installed two Motiograph De Luxe projectors equipped witli H-I lamps. The Amusement Supply Company of Chicago, Motiograph distributors for Illinois and Indiana, also report a number of Motiograph sales for 1923, among which were the following Chicago installations: Pershing theatre, Knickerbocker theatre, Wilson Avenue theatre, Logan Square theatre and Madison Square theatre. New Aubert Theatre, a fine addition to St. Louis' motion picture houses Behind the Scenes With E. L. Hyman (Continued from preceding page) These lights must always fit the occasion, and not used merely to get a light on the singer, dancer or tableau. Maybe a singer has been singing for years in a spotlight only, but if she or he is fortunate to get a booking into the Brooklyn Mark Strand the chances are that their effectiveness will he improved greatly through the staging, costuming and lighting devised by Hyman. No " acts " are used. A very effective novelty used recently at the Brooklyn Mark Strand was called " Call Me by Radio," a duet by Everett Clark and Edna Burhans. For this a drop was used painted deep blue to get night effect, and with landscape barely visible. At the upper left was a transparent window in a cottage, and at the lower right was a transparent opening behind which was a music room set. Between the two openings intermittent flashings gave a suggestion of radio. The front lighting on this curtain was blue. Two magenta entrance spots and two medium green were focused on the ceiling. The cove lights were blue. The whole suggested a soft, hazy night scene, with the wireless sparks adding a touch of the mechanical. The orchestra played the introductions, and then lights were turned up on the lower right transparency, revealing Everett Clark talking to a man seated at the piano. This man was the accompanist for the number, as the orchestra stopped after the introduction. Clark then sang the opening verse of " Call Me by Radio" into a broadcasting horn, which, for this occasion, was attached to Callophone loud speakers. The radio effect was perfect. At the close of the chorus the lights were turned up on the upper left transparency (the window) revealing the girl seated in her drawing room. She has evidently picked up the radio message and in answer sings the second verse direct to the audience. At the chorus both man and woman sing. The lyrics for " Call Me by Radio " were made to order for this number by the writer in collaboration with Hyman and Clark, and were set to the tune of " My Buddy," a very popular melody particularly suited to the number. In view of the timeliness of such a specialty, this offers many ideas for theatres in all sections of the country. Select a tuneful number, preferably, and if possible use the man and woman, as a love melody will take better usually than a solo by one or the other. If the solo is used it is suggested the singer keep up the radio illusion by " singing to " some one, this " some one " being shown in tableau or not at all, if preferred. News from Oklahoma and Texas THE Idle Hour theatre, costing $30,000 was opened by Rob Snodgrass and Chester, owners, at Drumright, Okla., March 1, 1923, to pleased capacity business. The theatre is >trietly modern, fireproof and up to date in every particular. The seating capacitv is about 1,500. The old Idle Hour theatre has been abandoned as a picture house and will be torn down to make way for business houses which will be erected on the site. Plans for erection of a theatre at Birmingham, Ala., to cost approximately $1,000,000 by the Interstate Amusement Company of Dallas, Texas, was announced February 24th. The Dallas Company, of which Karl Sabitzella is president, expects to build the Birmingham theatre on the lines of the company's house in Houston. Dallas and Wichita, Kansas, it was stated. St. Louis Has Addition of Charming Moderate Sized House THE Aubert theatre, 4949 Easton avenue, St. Louis, Mo., is a recent addition to first run theatres in St. Louis and one of the prettiest little theatres in the Middle West devoted to motion pictures. The cost to complete is in the neighborhood of $250,000, and will seat upward of 2,000, and has been over six months in the building. The Aubert represents a solid structure, the roof being tied to the foundation by steel columns, with the roof trusses reinforced two ways to eliminate wind vibration. The throw is 140 feet to a plaster paris screen. Caldine No. 3 High Tex Range brick was used on all four sides. A beautiful marquee canopy 20 feet long projects 12 feet to outside. The trusses are so constructed they will stand twice the weight of the roof, and the building is absolutely fireproof (concrete), with a monolithic roof. An 8-foot dead air space between ceiling and roof affords an even temperature, giving uniform warmth in winter and a cooling freshness in summer. The heating design is unique, with two-unit furnaces (hot air blast) distributing by sixfoot fans drawing cold air out of house at floor and forcing heated air into house nine feet above floor level, thereby aiding circulation and giving a uniform temperature at all levels of the auditorium. Another six-foot fan operating in conjunction with first fan during warm weather insures complete change of air every three minutes, eliminating necessity for wall fans. An innovation in the projection booth for the airdome (seating 2,000) is part of the building, same made of fireproof brick and concrete, where Powers 6-E machines will be used. The seats are strong and sturdy, furnished by HeywoodWakefield. The Aubert theatre people are the first ones in St. Louis to install the Robert-Morton orchestral organ. The theatre is controlled by the Kingsberton Amusement Company, and will be under the management of Samuel D. Bromley, who also operates the Broadway and Chippewa theatres. The Aubert will be operated as a popular price house, for which there is a demand in St. Louis. A chain of houses to be operated on this policy, it is claimed, will be acquired or built later on by the same people.