Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

November 21, 19 2 5 24.39 75 In Finkelstein and Rubin Chain Minnesota Deal Just Consummated Increases Holdings by Six; Many Other Transactions are Concluded M. L. Finkelstein. WITH the consumption of a deal in Minneapolis between Finkelstein & Rubin, the Rochester Amusement Company and the Winona Theatres Company, the F. & R. chain now comprises 75 theatres. The organization will have control of four houses in Rochester and two in Winona, two important key points in Southern Minnesota. The 75 theatres are located in Minnesota, North and South Dakota. Included in the latest deal are the Lawler, Metropolitan, Opera House and Strand in Rochester, and the Colonial and Opera House in Winona. Many other changes have been noted in theatre chains and individual houses during the past week. The Mudd and Colley Amusement Company, it is reported, will take over the operation of the Lyric, the Keith ho-jse in Birmingham. Dr. A. H. Giannini, of the Bank of Italy, San Francisco, is financing a new $3,000,000 theatre within one block of the new Pantages Theatre in San Francisco. Negotiations are said to be on with Fox for a twenty-five vear lease involving a total rental of $5,700,000. The Fabian, newest and fourteenth of the Fabian chain will open in Paterson, New Jersey late in November. It is located at Church near Market street, adjoining the Alexander Hamilton Hotel. Charles L. Dooley will be managing director. Four more theatres in the hard coal mining regions, according to reports, have come under the control of the Comerford Amusement Company, of Scranton. They are the Grand, in Hazelton, formerly controlled by Chris Webber, and the Hudson theatre, in Lasky Issues Call For Red Cross JESSE L. LASKY, chairman of the Motion Picture Division for the ninth annual Roll Call of the American Red Cross has issued a call to every one in the picture industry to enroll as a member of the organization. The campaign opened Armistice Day. His appeal follows : "The motion picture industry has always been at the forefront in every movement for the relief of suffering or the assistance of mankind. Just because we are at peace with the world, we must not forget that the Red Cross is going on day by day, giving help to thousands of disabled war veterans, organizing nurses for disaster relief, conducting classes, rolling bandages, and is ready to serve you and aid you in any emergency at a moment's notice. "As chairman of the motion picture group in the 9th Annual Roll Call of the American Red Cross, I sincerely hope that everybody connected with the motion picture industry will do his best to see that the Red Cross achieves its objective. Wilson-Wetherald Now Pinellas Films AT a meeting of the stockholders of Wilson-Wetherald, Inc., a resolution was passed to change the name of the corporation to Pinellas Films, Inc. The officers of the corporation are: Harry P. Carver, President; James T. Wetherald, Vice President; Royal W. Wetherald, Treasurer; James F. Sayles, Secretary. The Pinellas Films, Inc., has acquired many of the productions of Sering D. Wilson & Co., Inc. Negotiations have been closed between the Pinellas Films, Inc., and Hal Hodes for national distribution through the Short Film Syndicate and the Hal Hodes Short Film Exchange of New York, of 26 Color Comics, consisting of single reel comedies in color, cartoon form, 12 Wonder Books, a Magazine series in color, and 12 Adventure subjects. Hudson; the Lincoln, in Plains, and the Strand, in Soweyersville, which were operated by M. Machetas. A large modern motion picture theatre is to be constructed on North Elm Street, Greensboro, N. C, by the National Amusement Corporation, it has been announced. Definite plans for the house have not yet been decided upon, but its cost will be between $250,000 and $400,000. It is to be ready for occupancy by next Fall. The A. H. Blank Amusement Enterprises announced an expansion program in Iowa including the acquisition of eight more motion picture houses and the construction of a $125,000 stage at the Capitol theatre in Davenport. Blank who returned yesterday from New York where he is acting president of the First National pictures during the absence of President Lieber, stated .that the program included plans for more pretentious attractions for Des Moines; Davenport, Omaha, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Blank also denied reports that he had disposed of some of his theatres to Famous Players and pointed out the purchase of a Fort Dodge theatre and a nearly completed deal for taking over four houses in Waterloo and three in Cedar Rapids as evidence that he was not abandoning any of his properties. More than 100 California theatres combined Oct. 28th under the banner of the North American Theatres, Inc., a $100,000,000 syndicate, as the result of consolidation negotiations just completed in Los Angeles, according to announcement by E. H. Emmick and R. A. McNeil of the Golden State Theatre & Realty Corporation, who returned from the south recently. Among the theatres involved in the mer I. H. Rubin. ger are the 36 houses of the Far West Theatres, Inc., of Los Angeles; the 33 Northern California theatres of the Golden State Corporation, together with 11 new houses under construction by this organization and 21 others in the group controlled by the T. & D. Junior Enterprises. Among the San Francisco houses involved are the Wigwaum, Excelsior, Palmer, Sunset, Broadway, Washington Square, Verdi, the New Sunset, Golden State and another being built on Haight Street near Fillmore. It is reported from Quincy 111., that the Balaban & Katz interests have opened negotiations with a view of purchasing three of the local houses. The houses mentioned in connection with the rumors are the Washington Square, Belasco and Orpheum. Danish Interests Combine For Production Among the recent developments within the Danish film industry, says Commercial Attache Harry Sorensen of Copenhagen in a report to the Department of Commerce, a recent agreement, closed between the Danish Nordisk Films Kompagni A/S., and the French Olivier & Pascel is the most interesting. The agreement provides for the formation of a company under the name NordisqueFrancaise, which through a combination of the interests and facilities of the two above named companies will endeavor during the coming year to produce a series of films with which it is hoped to conquer the French and Scandinavian markets. Daylight Saving Measure Loses In Ithaca By a vote of 2,790 to 1,922, the residents of the city of Ithaca, N. Y., defeated a proposal advanced some time ago, for an extra hour for daylight saving next summer. The propositon was one of the main issues decided in that city on November 3, and attracted great interest prior to the election. The owners of motion picture theatres in Ithaca, fought the proposition from start to finish, and may be said to have brought about its defeat. New Large Chain Hinted for St. Louis RUMORS are reported current in St. Louis that that city is to have another large chain of neighborhood houses to work in conjunction with a first run house. A financier and a builder are reported to have arrived there from New York during the week to look over the situation. The interests they represent are said to be ready to buy or build 25 or 35 theatres in St. Louis and vicinity. The rumors credit the two visitors with being advance agents for a prominent producer and distributor who has not now a desirable first run outlet in St. Louis.