Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

2576 Motion Picture News Nee? England J J. McHEXRY, booker for the past five years for the Allen Circuit in New Bedford, Mass., has resigned and is planning to make a new connection. Work is rapidly progressing on the new marquee and large vertical sign on Gordon's Washington Street Olympia Theatre, Boston, which will materially increase the attractiveness and modernize the front of this popular playhouse. Arthur Friend, former treasurer of the Famous Players, who left to enter the exhibiting branch of the business and has met with great success in that line, is to have charge of the new theatre being erected in New Haven on the site of the old Rialto opposite the Hotel Taft. It is probable that the playhouse will be called the State Theatre. Phil Fox, formerly booker with the Merit Film Company in Boston, has joined the staff of the Independent Films, Inc., in Boston as booker. Moe Silver, who is the representative in New England of the Moe Marks interests, has the best wishes of hosts of friends for his speedy recovery at the New Eng land Baptist Hospital, where he was taken for an operation for appendicitis. His room at the hospital has been fairly banked with flowers from his legion of friends. The Strand Theatre, Dorchester district of Boston, is no longer under the Gray Circuit office but has been purchased by Phillips & Stoneman. It has a seating capacity of about 1200. Ralph Cross, who was manager of the theatre when it was under the Gordon direction, is now managing director of the playhouse. J. J. Scully, manager of the New England offices of Educational at Boston and C. L. Devizia of the sales force have returned from an extensive trip through Maine. L. A. Hermann, who has been Boston salesman for Producers Distributing Corporation with headquarters in Boston, has been selected to take charge of the New Haven offices of the same company which have reopened. The New Haven offices will be at their former location at 128 Meadow street. Harry Olson, who was in charge at New Haven before the general closing of the distributing offices there early in the season, is now salesman at the New York offices covering Long Island. Keith's Theatre at Campbello, Mass., is now open and under the management of Benjamin and Al Laurie. The latter is the son, and the former is nephew of Jake Laurie, the well known Boston theatre proprietor. Two of Jake Laurie's Boston playhouses will reopen within a short time. It is expected that the Jamaica will be reopened about Thanksgiving and the Roslindale Theatre will open soon afterwards. A large delegation of New England distributors have been spending considerable time in New Haven during the past few days in connection with the reopening of the exchanges there. Some of the New York managers have also been visitors to the scene. In the remodelling of the St. James Theatre on Huntington avenue, Boston, a former stock house, the Keith-Albee interests are sparing no expense in providing the very best in the projection room and several innovations are promised. It is expected that the theatre will reopen early in December. The dressing rooms will also be equipped in the lavish manner of the Keith-Albee houses. The St. James will provide a program of pictures and vaudeville similar to those in the Kei|th-Albee New Boston Theatre. Mrs. M. S. Ayer, owner of the Exeter Street Theatre, Boston, turned her theatre over to a benefit performance for |the Convalescent Home of the Children's Hospital, Boston on Saturday morning, November 28. Al Locatelli, whose Capitol Theatre is nearing completion in Arlington, Mass., has formed a separate corporation to operate the new house, known as Locatelli's Capitol Theatre, Inc., with capital of $10,000. Albert J. Locatelli will be treasurer of the new corporation. Other incorporators are John E. Locatelli, father of Al, and Felix Forte. It is expected the playhouse will be ready for opening the first of Ithe month. The schoolhouse department of Boston is installing motion picture equipment in several of the larger schools and has asked for bids for the equipment. FINKELSTEIN & RUBEN is suffering an epidemic of attempted robberies. An attempt to break into the safe at the Loring was followed by attempts on the Grand and the Unique, all in Minneapolis, within a week. No money was taken. Arthur Ziehl is remodeling the building in which he will invade Austin, Minn., with competition for Finkelstein & Ruben. He recently bought the equipment of the Rose in the Minneapolis gateway district H. M. Swam, owner, and Miss Alice Skrukrud, cashier, of the Maynard Pavillian, Maynard, Minn., are back from their honeymoon trip to the coast. Frank Wewerka, Osage, la., is to open a new Itheatre at Milbank, S. D. Work on the building will start soon. Present competition in Milbank is between a municipally owned theatre and the BentleyGrand owned by Joe Nelson. John Piller has opened his new Piller theatre in Valley City, N. D. Armistice day exercises were held in connection with the opening and the mayor presided. The house cosf about $100,000. Edward Conklin, 58, of the Johnston Comedy company, died at Brooten, Minn., while waiting in the Opera House to rehearse a group of boys in his act. Minneapolis representatives of Film Booking offices have forwarded congratulations to J. I. Schnitzer, vice president, on the birth of a daughter. The new theatre at Whitcomb, Wis., is operated by Harry Soper and Kenneth Gore. Max Mazur, Mejtro Goldwyn representative in Minneapolis, lost his mother last week. The Lyric at Brewster, Minn., has been bought by George Golda. The Opera House at Lone Rock, Wis., will be operated Saturday and Sunday each week this winter by Fred Smith. The Grand theatre, Wimbledon, N. D., has been reopened by Supreme Amusement company, a McCarthy Brothers organization. Joseph Milnar of the Amuzu at Spring Valley, Minn., has taken the Opera House at Stewartville as well. Wendell Gilbertson has been named manager of the Du Glada at Starbuck, Minn., recently bought by George Bromley of Alexandria. Minneapolis Pathe offices report visits from F. C. Aiken, district manager, and A. J. Pincus, special serial representative. Joseph Steinke is running the Opera House at Watkins, Minn. He has been at the Eden in Eden Valley. Sebeka, Minn., which lost its Opera House by fire several months ago will have a new Community theatre run by Ernest Sharratt next month. John G. Keller continues as manager of the Met theatre, Tripp, S. D., which he has just sold to William Keller of Highmore. Motley, Minn., will have a new theatre this month with L. Janssen in charge. Lease of the Arcade theatre, St. Paul, has been taken from Hesse Brothers by Jensen Brothers who operate the Ray. R. G. Risch has lost his Scenic theatre, Appleton, Minn., by fire. E. G. Taylor, a fireman, suffered a broken arm fighting the flames. A newspaper plant and adjoining building were destroyed with the theatre. Balti imore SAMUEL BACH, manager of the Rialto Theatre, left Baltimore Friday, November 6, for a two weeks trip to Florida where he owns some waterfront property. L. D. Ruben, manager of the Brodie Theatre, 1118 Light street, goes to Philadelphia each week now to book special acts for that playhouse given each Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Harold Paresky, piano player in the orchestra at the Century Theatre, is a proud and happy father now as he has just been presented with a bouncing baby boy by his wife, formerly Hazel Keck, an employe at the Century. A brick theatre building will be built on Main street of Troy, N. C, if the plans of J. C. Hurley go through. Drawings are under way for the proposed structure. Loew's Vendome Theatre, Nashville, Tenn., is to be redecorated and refurnished at a cost of about $50,000 by the Marcus Loew Theatrical Interests, of New York, it is reported. David Beehler, special representative of Warner Brothers, Inc., working out of the New York office under G. H. Dumond, was in Baltimore during the past week. Navy Week was celebrated at the Garden Theatre, of the Whitehurst Chain, managed by W illiam E. Stumpf, during the week beginning Monday, October 26. An entertainment was given at the Garden Theatre on Saturday morning at 11:15 o'clock for the sub-carriers and members of the Evening Sun Service Club. COSTUMES FOR HIRE PRODUCTIONS EXPLOITATIONS PRESENTATIONS BROOKS 1437 Broadway T«L 5580 Pm.