Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

December 5 , 1925 2645 Theatre Expansion Goes On Throughout Country {Continued from page 2638) Henry S. Koppin of the Woodward Theatre Company will take over the Norwood theatre at Woodward and Grand boulevard, Detroit, on December first, which makes the fifteenth theatre they have acquired in one year's time. This house formerly belonged to Frank Mellon who lias retired. From Hillsdale, Mich., comes word that Jim Pappas has sold his Dawn theatre to the Butterfield circuit, and he has turned right around and purchased Tiffetts Opera House at Cold Water, Mich. A theatre deal of more than usual importance was the taking over by the Butterfield Circuit of the Wuerth theatres in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. General Manager, Mr. E. C. Beatty, announces that the deal was consummated the past week, and that a long term lease was taken by the Bijou Theatrical Enterprise-; Company on the Orpheum and Wuerth in Ann Arbor, and the Wuerth theatre in Ypsilanti. Possession of same was taken on November 22nd. O'Reilly Looking Over Chicago Houses Charles L. O'Reilly, president of the Theatre Owners' Chamber of Commerce, New York, was in Chicago, last week, looking over some of the new theatres in that city and conferring with R. Levine & Company, on the new theatre he will erect in New York City. While there O'Reilly was the guest of Eddie Grossman, former film man, who is now special representative for R. Levine & Company. Grossman states that last week, three large theatres, designed by R. Levine & Company, were opened. They are Fischer's Fondulae Theatre, Fondulae, Wisconsin, with a seating capacity of 2.100: the Midwest Theatre, Archer Avenue and Leavitt Street, seating 2,200 ; and the Milo Theatre, 18th Place and Loomis Street, Chicago, with a capacity of 1,200 seats. Alvin Neitz Will Direct Aileen Sedgwick H. T. Henderson has engaged Alvin J. Neitz to direct Aileen Sedgwick in four pictures to be released 'through Chesterfield Motion Pictures Corporation. Hodes Made President of Short Films HAL HODES, identified with the motion picture industry since 1904, has been elected to the presidency of Short Films Syndicate, whose program for the current season offers 26 Mutt and Jeff comedies, 26 Colored Wonderbooks, 26 Colored Comics, 26 Adventures and 26 Novelties. In addition there will be available within the next month a series of single reel dramas. The company confines its efforts exclusively to the State right market. Hodes, the new president has had wide experience in many branches of the industry. His first connection was with the old Vitagraph Company in 1904 as operator. Since then he has held executive posts with the Kalem Company, Universal and Cosmopolitan. Anita Stewart. £UIBIllllllllllllltlIllllltlUUUH||IIIIUiUIIIllllllll IllllllinillUUIUIIIIII IllltllUlllllllllll MlUlllillllllUn lllllllllllllllll IIIIII^ I Anita Stewart Cast for Sebastian Production AH. SEBASTIAN has signed Anita Stewart to appear in a •.production of the "Prince ol 1 Pilsen" to be made at Metropolitan S t u d io s for release through | Producers D i s triluting Corpo | ration. According § to the terms of | the contract she is to appear in a | minimum of two | pictures, with an 1 optional contract | fortwoaddi | tional productions. Miss Stewart is said to have been j | given the new contract largely upon [ 1 the strength of her work in "Never i § the Twain Shall Meet." Just who will j I play the leading male role in "The | j Prince o" Pilsen" has not yet been de § | termined, but Sebastian says the pic j 1 ture will be lavishly produced with an | | exceptionally strong cast. Many of | | the exteriors are to be filmed in Cin | | cinnati. piiiiiiiiiiiuiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiniif Film Industry Contributed $33,808 to Walker Drive Albany, Nov. 24. — A statement filed by the motion picture division of the James J. Walker Mayoralty Committee with the secretary of state's office at Albany, reveals that the film industry contributed the sum of $33,808.18 toward bringing about Mr. Walker's victory on November 3. This statement shows many large contributions at various times, including one of $800 from New York State M. P. T. O., of which William Dillon, of Ithaca, is president; one of $3,000 from R. Cohen ; one for $2,000 from W. Small ; and one of $1,000 from H. Rachmil and one of an equal amount from B. Rubin, while H. A. Warner contributed $2,000. The statement shows a contribution of $100 from Thomas Meighan ; one of $200 from H. Brandt; one of $500 from Sam Zierler; a $600 contribution from L. and W. Brecher, while Harold Franklin, $100; Sidney Kent. $100; YV. V. Johnson, $.'50; Leo Feist, $100; Harry Buxbaum, $100; Jules Brulatour, $200; W. Shallenberger, $150; Leo Ochs, $100; James Grainger, $100 and P. A. Powers, $250. The entire amount was turned over to the campaign manager for Mr. Walker. Strict Picture Censorship for The Hague A bill, states Philip E. McKennev. Assistant Trade Commissioner at the Hagup, has recently been passed by the Second Chamber of the Ditch Parliament providing that henceforth no picture shows will he permitted in the Nethei lands unless the films have previously been approved by a Central Commission to be instituted by the Government. The municipal authorities, moreover, may prohibit the showing of any film within their jurisdiction even if such film has been approved by the Government Commission. The expense connected with the examination of the films will be covered by a tax on motion-picture theatres. Fitzpatrick, McElroy Get Additional Houses Fitzpatrick & McElroy, who entered the Indiana theatre field a few months ago with the purchase of four theatres in Michigan City, have recently acquired the Columbia, Star and Lyric Theatres in Muncie, Indiana, which were purchased outright from C. Ray Andrews and Forest E. Andrews. The Andrews brothers are leaving the motion picture field to devote all their time to their Florida interests. W. C. Wodjesky, who has been managing Fitzpatrick & McElroy's Benton Harbor theatres, has been transferred to Muncie, lo look after the new houses. It is understood that there are several other important Indiana deals pending whereby Fitzpatrick & McElroy will acquire several more houses in the Hoosier State. Seattle Arbitration Board Is Completed Election of the three exhibitor members of the Seattle Film Board of Arbitration was held in Seattle last week by the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Washington. The newly-chosen members are Joe Bradt, owner of several neighborhood theatres in Seattle; L. A. Drinkwine, Tacoma exhibitor and president of the M. P. T. O. W., elected two weeks ago; and F. W. Graham, exhibitor of Shelton, Washington. These new members will act with a committee of three, representing the film exchanges of the Northwest, in the settlement of differences between exhibitors and distributing companies that are brought up at the regular monthly meetings of the Arbitration Hoard. Veteran Exhibitor Dead In Cincinnati Friends of John J. Huss, and member's of the film business in general will regret to hear of his death on Friday, November 6th, after a short illness. He is survived by his widow and one son. John J. Huss was one of the pioneers in the picture game in Cincinnati. His was one of the three first picture theatres to be built in this city and when the Royal on Vine Street was built with a seating capacity of about two hundred it was considered the largest picture house in town and also the prettiest. At the time of his death he was interested in several downtown Cincinnati second run houses. Bruce Gallup Joins Fox Advertising Staff VIVIAN M. MOSES, director of publicity and advertising of Fox Film Corporation, announces that Bruce Gallup has taken charge of trade paper advertising and will assist in carrying out plans for merchandising the big Fox production program for the new season. Mr. Gallup has had many years of advertising experience, entering the motion picture business about six years ago through the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation. He left there in 1923 to take charge of trade paper advertising for First National, where he remained until the present time. The addition of Mr. Gallup further strengthens the Fox Films exploitation staff.