Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

April 7, 192s 1679 NEWSY BRIEFS FROM CENTRAL FILM BELT Chicago and the Mid-West L. H. MASON, REPRESENTATIVE, 725 S. WABASH AVE. Among the Exchanges ASSISTANT General Sales Manager Herman Stern, of Universal, spent the week in New York, in conference with general officials of the company. Mr. Stern's birthday occurred during his absence and previous to his departure the staff gave him a surprise party Saturday night, presenting him with a handsome and fully equipped traveling bag. The presentation speech was made by Ted Schlanger, who read a poem in honor of the occasion, which was written by Salesman W. Tracy, Universal' s poet laureate. F. B. Swanson is again a member of Film Booking Offices' sales staff and has been assigned to Northern Illinois territory. Carroll S. Trowbridge, of United Artists, is making his headquarters in Chicago for the next three or four weeks, getting in touch with the local situation and intends to make short trips to other exchange centers of the Central West Mr. Trowbridge has recently returned from London, where he had been general manager of Allied Artists Corporation, Ltd., the British branch of United. E. C. Jensen, assistant general manager of F. B. O., was in Chicago this week for a short visit and then left for Omaha, St. Louis and Minneapolis. He expects to stop over in this city for a brief stay on his way back to New York. George Beban spent Holy Week in Chicago, making his headquarters with Manager Manske, of American Releasing Corporation. Mr. Beban and his company are booked to make a personal appearance at Lubliner & Trintz's Senate theatre the week starting April 8th. Jack Sampson's thoughts turned to baseball with the first signs of spring and he considered organizing a film row league, but figured it that so many sore arms and charley horses would develop that it would cripple the sales forces along the row, so has compromised on an indoor baseball league, which will play its games noon hours in nearby Grant Park. The F. B. O. team is open for challenges from any other exchange's team. The Chicago Film Board of Trade have accepted the invitation of the Illinois Motion Picture Theatre Owners to attend the get-together dinner, under the auspices of the latter body, which will be held on the first night of the exhibitor's state convention, April 18th, at the Sherman Hotel. Dan Roche, Famous PlayersLasky's exploitation manager in Chicago, has returned from Pittsburgh, where he has been engaged in a campaign to put over " The Covered Wagon," in collaboration with A. Mike Vogel, of the Pittsburgh exchange. Plans for the Chicago premier of this screen epic will be announced at an early date. Another demonstration of the practicability and desirability of motion pictures on transcontinental trains was carried out by Universal last week, the Olympian Limited, of the C. M. & St. P. being the demonstration train. Picture entertainment was given each of the four evenings during the trip from Seattle to Chicago, in the dining car, immediately following the serving of dinner, the tables being removed to make room for the picture audiences. The programs were printed in the form of railroad tickets, and the feature pictures used were " Driven," " The Prisoner," and " The Gentleman From America." Current news reels, comedy reels, etc., were also made a part of each day's program. The traveling audiences gave an enthusiastic reception to each picture shown, and a large amount of publicity was obtained in the press of Spokane, St. Paul, and intermediate points. Railroad officials were much interested in the try-out, which was held to be a complete success. Negotiations are understood to be under way with several railroads, to make the showing of pictures part of their regular service to the traveling public. W. D. Russell, of Russell Productions, is in California, conferring with Berney Russell, in charge of their West Coast studios, on coming productions, and it is understood that an ambitious program is being mapped out. Mr. Russell, Sr., will return to Chicago next week. The marriage of Exploiteer Danziger, of Paramount, to Miss Peggy Whitmore, of La Porte, Indiana, which occurred at South Bend last week, comes as a surprise to the many friends of this popular publicity expert and brings to life a whirlwind romance, which started when Mr. Danziger and Miss Whitmore met at La Porte about three months ago when he was there handling a publicity campaign on "The Old Homestead." Mr. Danziger soon talked Miss Whitmore into moving to a new " homestead " in the form of a Chicago love nest. Around the Trade THE Midway theatre, at Rockford, 111., will be taken over on April 1st by the newly-organized Rockford Theatres Company, of which W. D. Burford is president, and Charles Lamb, sec retary-treasurer. The Rubens Brothers, Frank Thielan, and other prominent exhibitors are interested in the new company, which is incorporated under the laws of Illinois. A policy of high-class motion picture entertainment will be put in force at the Midway, and the first feature to be shown under the new management will be " The Hottentot." It is the intention of the Rockford Theatres Company to redecorate and remodel the house some time during the summer. . . " One Exciting Night," D. W. Griffith's mystery film drama, will have its first Chicago showing in a motion picture theatre at the Roosevelt, where it is scheduled to open for an extended run April 2nd. " Bella Donna," starring Pola Negri, will have its Chicago premier at McVicker's theatre next week, and exhibitors throughout the territory will watch the reception accorded this celebrated foreign star in her American-made picture, with interest. J. J. Rubens, who is acting as Chicago representative for the promoters of the Motion Pictures Palace of Progress at the Colliseum, which will be held during the week of the national convention of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America, reports interest is growing in this event, and that a considerable amount of space has already been contracted for. Mr. Rubens has opened exposition headquarters in the Sherman Hotel. Musical Director H. Leopold Spitalny, of McVicker's theatre, has been in New York gathering ideas for spring presentations at this theatre, and last week the orchestra was under the direction of Pietro Cavallo. Cavallo is best known to Chicagoans as the conductor of grand opera of Ravinia Park and for the big Morris Guest productions at the Auditorium. He is concert master this season for McVicker's Symphony Orchestra. Hoopestown, 111., will have an opportunity of voting on whether or not the city is going to have Sunday shows at the election to be held on April 17th. The placing of this question on the ballot followed the presentation of a petition, signed by/ several hundred citizens, to the City Council. At Litchfield, local ministers are agitating to have all amusement places closed on Sunday, and the Ministers' Association and several of the official boards of churches of the city, have presented a petition to the City Council asking that theatres be closed on that day. The Ordinance Committee of the Council has been instructed to draw up an ordinance covering the matter and present it at the next meeting of the Council. Gus Trulich is again active in the motion picture business, having assumed the managership of the Orchard theatre. Another exhibitor, who is back on the job after vacationing in a warmer climate, is Mrs. R. G. Jordan, of the Hinsdale theatre, Hinsdale, 111., who has just returned from several weeks spent in California. In the recent reorganization of the Home Theatre Company at Danville, 111., Tom Ronan was chosen general manager, and already has assumed his new duties. S. J. Gregory, well-known Hammond, Ind., exhibitor, is back home after a sojourn of ten weeks in the Sunny South. James Creiton,. manager of the Parthenon theatre, Hammond, has left for San Francisco, to visit his family, and, after a short stay, will bring them back with him. John J. Jones, eldest son of Aaron J. Jones, in charge of bookings for Jones, Linick & Schaefer, was to forsake bachelorhood this week. Plans were for a quiet ceremony, attended only by the families concerned, at which he will wed Miss Agatha Connett. The honeymoon will be spent along Broadway and at Atlantic City. The Avenue theatre, at 3108 Indiana Avenue, which was recently purchased by W. Bedell, and thoroughly remodernized and redecorated, was opened to the public on March 26th. A large crowd attended the event at which an ex cellent program of pictures with orchestral accompaniment was presented. Salesman Stover, of Universal, who has just returned from a trip through Northern Illinois, reports Warren Wendell, owner of the Gaiety theatre, Middletown, 111., has just closed a deal whereby his old house will be closed and a new Gaiety opened in its place, giving the people of his community a most acceptable change for the better. Maurice Rubens is back on the job, having practically recovered from the injuries which confined him to his bed for several weeks. Douglas Rothacker and Director of Publicity P. P. Parker, of the Rothacker Film Manufacturing Company, have gone back to St. Louis, where they are working on "The Spirit of St. Louis," a production which will exploit the progress of that city.