Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

June 2 , /p.'j 2679 Albany Notes and Eastern New York Briefs npHERE was a big time in Troy last Friday night for the exhibitors and their friends in that city. C. R. Halligan, manager of the Universal exchange in Albany, brought over the recent fight pictures and screened them at the American. Ben Apple, owner of the house, was on hand, and helped act the part of the host. All of the newspaper men were present, as well as one or two state senators. The pictures are scoring a hit in this section of the state and Mr. Halligan and his office force are working overtime in booking the same. A matinee for the benefit of the Girl Scouts in Albany was given Saturday at the Mark Strand in that city through the courtesy of Uly S. Hill, manager of the house. The proceeds will send several Girl Scouts to the new camp at Lawson's Lake. The Scouts were helpful during the Junior Movie season, when they acted as ushers. Bert Gibbons, local manager for Vitagraph, is spending the week in New York City. And, speaking of Bert Gibbons, he was the guest of Harry Lux, owner of the Alhambra of Utica, on Fourth Lake, last Sunday, and returned to Albany with a particularly attractive string of trout. Some fifty or sixty employees of the Albany film exchanges were handsomely entertained last Thursday night at the LaSalle Orphanage with a program which included numbers by the institution band. At the conclusion there were short talks by C. R. Halligan, local manager for Universal, and Bert Gibbons, of Vitagraph. Daylight saving isn't costing the theatres in this section as much as many of the owners predicted. The second show of the evening has braced up wonderfully of late and the receipts of the day are probably not over 5 per cent under what would have prevailed had not daylight saving existed. Oscar Perrin, manager of the Leland and the Clinton Square theatres in Albany, was per sonally responsible for turning a nice little trick last week, which resulted in former Governor Glynn, owner of one of the Albany papers, giving him a whole page in Saturday's issue in place of the magazine section and devoted to " Down to the Sea in Ships," which Mr. Perrin has booked for a week. For the first time in a year, Mrs. Francis McGraw, owner of the Gem in Little Falls, was along Film Row last week. She explained things by saying that her house has been doing such a good business that it was impossible to get away. Sam Goldstein, who runs a number of houses in Massachusetts and also has the Park in Utica, was in town this past week and is said to be dickering for the big State, in Schenectady. The Lincoln, in Troy, has reduced its admission prices, matinees being at 20 cents, while evening performances are 25 cents, a reduction of 10 cents. George F. Leo, who runs the Town Hall in Staatsburg, was in town last week and visited several of the exchanges. Alec Herman, manager of the First National exchange in Albany, is wearing a bigger smile than ever. Only a short time ago he won first prize in a sales contest and now he is again in the lead in a contest opened to the managers of the New York, Buffalo and Albany exchanges and which runs to July 31. Frank Asher, of the Star in Rhinebeck, was in town last week. Louis Buettner will close his Cohoes house in June for improvements and a general renovation. It is rumored that the Star, in Rome, owned by Mike and Joe Kallet, will close for the summer. Harry Symansky, son of the owner of the Lincoln, in Troy, is making a name for himself these days, as he is learning the business under the direction of H. E. Wilkinson, manager of the popular Troy theatre. C. R. Halligan was presented with one of the handsomest collie puppies in all Albany one day last week. The presentation came from Joe Firlik, night man at the Universal exchange. The daughter of C. R. Halligan, manager of the Universal exchange in Albanv, is ill at her home in Green Island with an attack of diphtheria. " Hoppe, " whose full name is F. S. Hopkins, salesman out of the Universal exchange in Albany, was one of the first men in the city to spring a new straw lid this season. Somewhat chesty, and with good reason, George Roberts, Jr., who handles the Palace, in Troy, is now riding about town in a Buick roadster, and, incidentally, visiting every exchange and not forgetting for a single moment to call the manager's attention to the car out in front. C. R. Halligan was in Buffalo over Sunday for an important conference in connection with the distribution of the fight pictures. A huge silver loving cup stands on the desk in the F. B. O. exchange in Albany these days, greeting exhibitors and testifying to Vic Bendell's salesmanship. It was won in a recent contract drive. Mr. Bendell visited the home office in New York last Friday. Frank Bruner, manager of the Pathe exchange, was in Bennington, Vt, one day last week. Walter T. Roberts, who has managed the Mark Strand in Albany, N. Y., since its opening, has just been transferred to the Troy, in Troy, N. Y., where he will act as business manager. The transfer is in the nature of an advance for Mr. Roberts, and bespeaks of the excellent manner in which he has handled the affairs of the Albany theatre. Mr. Roberts came originally from Louisville, Ky., but before coming to Albany he served for some time in theatres in Buffalo, N. Y. Trade Jottings from Central Pennsylvania THE motion picture theatres of Harrisburg, Pa., took a conspicuous part in the observance of Music Week, May 13 to 19, which was made a big occasion by the city generally. The managers of practically all the theatres were members of the general committee for the city's observance, and special musical numbers were provided in the theatres to augment the regular film shows. One of the main features in the theatres was. the production by local talent of the musical comedy, " Tut-Tut," all week, under the direction of Harrisburg Post, No. 27, of the American Legion, in the Colonial theatre, Third and Market streets, one of the Wilmer & Vincent chain of motion picture houses. Poleo's nine-piece orchestra featured the performances at the New Regent, 408 and 410 Market street, of which picture house Peter Magaro is owner. The orchestra played a fine program of jazz as. well as several semi-classical numbers, twice each evening during the week. There was community singing each night, conducted by song leaders provided by the Chamber of Commerce, at the Majestic Orpheum, Victoria and other theatres. Special musical numbers were played on the big pipe organ in the Victoria. Rudolph Valentino appeared in person in the Chestnut Street Auditorium, Harrisburg, on the afternoon of May 19, and danced the tango with Miss Alice Maison, of the Palais Royale, before an audience that filled the big hall. Mrs. Valentino, the former Winifred Hudnut, was unable to be present, the management announcing that she was ill. Valentino's Argentine Orchestra played for the dancing. A tango contest in which eight local couples competed was won by Miss Laenchen Bucher and Francis Ritchie, of Harrisburg, who were awarded a silver cup. Second honors, went to Mr. and Mrs. Simeon R. Greer, of Hershey. Mrs. Ruth Funkhouser, _ of Harrisburg, won the beauty contest, receiving a silver cup. She will be permitted to compete in a national beauty contest to be held in New York City among winners of contests in the various other cities. The winner of the New York contest, it was announced, will be chosen to play an important part in the next screen play filmed for Valentino. From Harrisburg, Valentino went to Reading for another exhibition. An innovation in the form of a midnight exhibition of motion pictures for the entertainment of the night shift of workmen employed at the Masland Carpet Mills, Carlisle, was introduced on May 17. The show was given during the lunch hour of the men, sixty of whom attended. The event was arranged by C. W. Sayres, secretary of the Carlisle Y. M. C. A., who put on several firs.t-class films. Mae Murray's " double " has been discovered in Bethlehem, Pa. Miss Louise d'Anglas Eckert, daughter of A. S. Eckert, publisher of the Bethlehem Sun, surprised a big audience at the Colonial theatre, Allentown, which is but a few miles from Bethlehem, when she was introduced by Manager Johnny Newkirk, who, by the way, is a former Harrisburg boy, still in his teens, and is declared to be the youngest theatre manager in Pennsylvania. It was Newkirk who discovered the great resemblance between Miss Murray and Miss Eckert, of which the audience was quick to take note. Miss Eckert js a musical artist and a skilful violinist, having appeared in several recitals. She will shortly appear on the concert stage. A testimonial dinner was recently given in honor of G. Harold Bonne, by the members of the Pennsylvania State Board of Censors. Mr. Bonne was for several years chief clerk of the board but has resigned to' become affiliated with Dave Starkman in the Standard Film Attractions. His associates presented Mr. Bonne with a leather brief case. John Freil, a field inspector of the board, made the presentation. The dinner committee consisted of Felix O'Hara and Ed Lynn. Governor Pinchot, of Pennsylvania, who is an ardent film fan, frequently attending picture theatres in Harrisburg for an hour or two by way of recreation at the close of his day's official duties, has requested a second showing in Harrisburg of the Metro film, "Trailing Wild Animals in Africa with Mr. and Mrs. Martin Johnson." George J. Higgins, who conducts the Majestic theatre in Shamokin, has purchased a property on a plot 50 by 150 feet, at Broad and Pine streets, in the heart of the city of Tarnaqua, for $40,200, on which he proposes to erect a modern motion picture theatre. Building operations will start as soon as six families now occupying the premises can vacate to permit the present buildings to be razed. Higgins has been station agent for the Philadelphia & Reading Railway in Shamokin for thirty-three years. The Chamberlain Amusement Enterprises, Inc., have purchased the Danville Opera House Block, the largest business block in that city. It is intimated the opera house will be added to the company's chain of motion picture theatres.