Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

November 2 8 , 19 2 5 257/ ew York and New J ersey A GINSBERG, a prominent • architect and builder of Passaic has completed the plans and specifications of a three thousand seat theatre to be built on a down town site on the Main street in Passaic, N. J. It is further reported that a couple of the larger Jersey theatre circuits are already negotiating with Mr. Ginsberg in the matter of taking over the house on its completion. Several new theatres in this zone are due to open within the next month or so — Bratter and Pollack's Ambassador at East Orange, is scheduled for December 15th, Roth Bros. Summit, at Summit, N. J. is almost complete and is expected to be ready about the first of December. Harry M. Schwartz, of the Village theatre, has a new house under construction on White Plains Avenue and its opening is slated for January 1st. Hy Gainsboro's new 2500 seat house in Flushing, L. I., is nearing completion while Sam Ronheimer, of the Globe and Ronley, Brooklyn, plans to open his new theatre on Broadway, Yonkers, at an early date. Charlie Goldreyer's new theatre on 204th Street at Webster Avenue, New York City, is scheduled for its opening on December 15th. Matthew Chrystmos, of the Chrystmos and Roth Enterprises, held quite a celebration a few nights ago and the event was a christening for his little daughter. About two hundred guests, including the Mayor of the city, gathered at one of Yonkers' most popular restaurants to partake of Matthew's hospitality. Sam Roth was the toastmaster. In addition to having proved himself a go-getting salesman for Howell's, Dave Solomon is also making a reputation for himself as a politician. In connection with a protest against the French mandate in Damascus, Syria, (Dave's former country) he has recently sent telegrams to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, all the U. S. Senators and the League of Nations. The Fifth Annual Dinner and Dance given by the Motion Picture Salesmen of the Metropolitan District will be held, at the Hotel Commodore on December 5th. Last year the affair was held in conjunction with the F.I.L.M. Club but this time it will be run independently. The past dinner and dances given by the Association have always been successful and everything in connection with the December event has been carefully planned. A well known local orchestra will furnish the dance music and a corps of popular entertainers will also be on hand to add to the amusement of the guests. Officers of the Motion Picture Salesman's Club are, Joseph Weinberg, president, Harry Furst, vicepresident, Gus Solomon, second vice-president, Morris Marcowitz, secretary, S. Trauner, treasurer and Ben Rappoport, financial secretary. Dave Gross, sales manager of the New York Fox exchange is in South Fallsburg, N. Y. for a weeks recuperation. Before Dave left the First National exchange he took part in two strenuous sales drives and the recent one at the Fox offices, left him a bit weak. All his friends wish him a speedy recovery. Milton Kitay held a successful opening of his Rivoli theatre at Paterson last week and many prominent guests were present. Among them was Nathan Barnette, the well known philanthropist of Paterson. The Rivoli was formerly the Strand and has been rebuilt by Mr. Kitay at a large expenditure. The seating capacity is about 1500. It is reported that Harry Buxbaum and a number of the Fox employees received some handsome returns on an investment that they made in Fox Theatrical stock. The stock was recently offered at 25 and soon afterwards jumped to 28->6. A call at George Cohen's office brings the news that his new Plaza theatre at Newburgh, N. Y., is about 90% complete. Visitors this week at the local exchanges include George Jacobs of the Rialto in Passaic who complained of having a bad cold, Milton Kitay of Paterson, Pete Adams of Paterson and Newark and Moe Kridel of Newark. Prominent exhibitors and M.P. T.O. executives observed heading for Joe Seider's office on Tuesday were Julian Brylawski of Washington, Harry Davis of Pittsburg and Pete Woodhull of New Jersey. Jack Sockaloff, buyer for the A. H. Schwartz theatre circuit, was a busy man around the exchanges this week. Milton Kronacher, who covers a large portion of New York City on Pathe product, is again handling the two reel comedies in addition to the general line. In other words Milt is on the same status as a month or so back. Eddie O'Donnell, a recent addition to the staff of the New York Associated exchange and who is making his headquarters at 1600 Broadway, will have charge of all out of town circuit bookings. Charlie Stombaugh, of the New Jersey Division of Pathe has been out on a trip through the state looking over Jersey theatres and getting a line on general theatre conditions in that section. It is reported that Chas. Rosensweig, the live wire manager of the F.B.O. exchange, recently made some advantageous investments in Florida and Long Island real estate. While on the subject of real estate, we hear that Arthur Abies, former well known manager of Metro and Pathe exchanges, has opened up a real estate brokerage office in this city. Al Sautelle, of the Pathe NonTheatrical Department has at last succeeded in getting his name placed on his office door. The Sylvia theatre, 50th St. and 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, has reopened under new management. J. Greene, formerly of the Paris Court theatre, Brooklyn, and lately the manager of Goldreyer and Fleischman's Manor at Ave. K and Coney Island Ave., is now in charge of Somer's Gold theatre, Sand St., Brooklyn. The Miller theatre, 351 Saratoga Ave., Brooklyn, recently under the control of J. Wolff, has been sold to Max Bein. Up at the Fox exchange where that big foot ball player — J. J. Lee — holds the reins over the Jersey sales, there seems to be an influx of "J J's." Recent additions to Joe Lee's staff include J. J. Heagney and J. J. Duffy. These men will both cover a portion of Jersey. Al Mendelson, the former Famous-Player booker who is now under the Fox banner is also finding plenty to do these days. Moe Kridel, one of the pioneer exhibitors in this section and who is now operating the Congress and Grove theatres at Newark, N. J., was a caller along exchange row on Tuesday. Mr. Kridel has recently been laid up with a bad cold but has entirely recovered. WILLIAM TRACY of the sales force of Producers Distributing Corporation in Wisconsin, has been transferred from the southern bloc of counties to the Fox River Valley, according to announcement by Charles Lundgren, manager of the Milwaukee branch. Earl Rice, who formerly operated the Rice Circuit of neighborhood oicture houses in Milwaukee, and has been traveling back and forth from California and points between since selling out to the Silliman Enterprises, has returned to Milwaukee. It is probable that he will take charge of one or more outlying houses in the very near future, although no definite announcement has been made as yet. Gerald T. Gallagher, exploitation manager of the Milwaukee branch of the Fox Film Corporation, has left for Beloit, Janesville and Oshkosh, after spend ing several weeks in Milwaukee directing the exploitation of first run attractions. Lou Holtz, formerly manager of the Lorraine theatre and generally known as one of the most resourceful outlying exhibitors in this vicinity, has been placed in charge of box office checking for Pathe in Milwaukee. More than 100 exhibitors from various parts of the state gathered at the Garden theatre, Milwaukee, last week to attend the most successful pre-view screening in the historv of the Milwaukee branch of the Producers Distributing Corporation, engineered bv Charlie Lundgren, branch manager through the courtesy of O. J. Wooden, house manager of the Garden. Stanlev Brown, manager of Saxe's Strand theatre, is in very food spirits right now, for the Strand just completed its most successful eek in four months. Frank Steffens, manager of the new Rex theatre at Racine, Wis., brought a contented smile to Milwaukee's film row this week. The cause of the becoming hilarity was the successful opening of the Rex after many months of remodeling, during which it was converted into a mighty fine picture house. Hayden O. Duke, home office representative of the Producers Distributors Corporation, drooped in at the Milwaukee branch in company with Cecil Mavberry, district manager, to spend Thursdav in conference with the local staff. Mark Morgan, booker for the Milwaukee branch of P. D. C, will be listed as among those present at the district bookers' meeting to be held in Chicago, Nov. 21. Howard Waugh, energetic manager of Universal's Alhambra theatre, is back on the job again after being confined to his home for several days by a severe cold which threatened to turn into pneumonia. With Howard's hand on the throttle once more the Alhambra is again hitting on all six. J. P. Gruwell, manager of the Ideal theatre. Wisconsin Rapids, came to Milwaukee a few days ago to arrange booking dates for his prosperous up-state house. L. Oasis, manager of the Grand theatre, Racine, Wis., was another out-of-town figure to be seen on Film Row during the past week. Roland Waterson, immaculate house manager of Saxe's Wisconsin theatre, Milwaukee, took time out Saturday afternoon to be an ordent fan at a Whitefish Bay football game. George Levine who has just added the supervision of Universal theatres in the Northwest to his duties as manager of the Milwaukee branch of Universal, is developing a reputation as one of the best dressers in local film circles.