Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

1226 Motion Picture News Detroit LOX CHANEY, star of the " Hunchback of Notre Dame," stopped off in the city last Tuesday while en route to New York. Sam Carver, Universal publicist, had arranged a big reception for Chaney at the Michigan Central Depot; band, mayor pro tern, and all the extra doin's, but Chaney avoided the crowd and an hour or so later quietly appeared at the local Universal offices. At noon, Chaney was entertained at Luncheon at the Army and Navy Club where he met members of the American Legion and the Chamber of Commerce. Later in the day he left for Toledo, Ohio. Harry Hondorf for the past four years with Pathe first as booker, then office manager and during the past two years salesman covering the east side of the city, has been appointed special representative of the new sales department created to adequately handle the greatly enlarged two-reel comedy output which Pathe will release during the coming season. Fred Strubank, formerly with Selznick and the American Releasing Co., has been appointed city salesman on the east side for Pathe, succeeding H. Hondorf. At Bangor, Michigan, Lyn Overton is building a new theatre, to be completed by Oct. 1. It will be called the Regent. The Bijou Theatrical Enterprises have leased the Globe Theatre on North Saginaw Street, Flint, Mich, for a term of years. This announcement was made by W. S. Butterfield, head of the concern. The Butterfield interests now control four theatres in Flint, the Globe, Palace, Garden and Regent. The Ray J. Branch Feature Productions has moved from the second to the first floor of the Film Building in the same offices as the Favorite Film Co. This latter concern will handle the physical distribution while Mr. Branch and his salesmen will devote their entire time to securing contracts. W. E. Wilkinson, manager of the F. I. L. M. Club has recently announced an interesting program for the coming season, which is unusual and will go far towards interesting and introducing mutually the film men and others engaged in various lines of business. It has long been Mr. Wilkinson's opinion that those in the picture business kept too much to themselves, thus not broadening out and therefore business men in other lines were unacquainted w:ith the scope and vigor of the picture industry. Arrangements have been made for a series of business luncheons to be held through the coming season, beginning in September at the Detroit Union League Club, between members of the F. I. L. M. Club and officials of the city and men prominent in the business and civic affairs of the city. The following speakers have thus far been engaged, Mayor Frank E. Doremus, John C. Lodge, President of the Common Council and President Staley of the Peoples State Bank. To facilitate shipping of film, data has been compiled by W. E. Wilkinson of the towns and their populations, theatres in towns and their seating capacity and shipping routes. This data is now complete and off the press. As the business just closed by the Metro forces indicate that the coming season will be a hummer, Manager Nugent intends that the local office shall have a share of the general prosperity, therefore the new spic and span decorations. Several important members of the Kunsky Enterprises are vacationing. George W. Trendle, general manager, with his wife and children, sister-in-law and several other relatives left Friday for Atlantic City for a two weeks vacation. Also Howard Pierce, director of publicity, with Mrs. Pierce left on 'the same day for a motor trip through the White Mountains. Walter Leibman, manager of Associated Exhibitors and his father have returned from their vacation spent at the Bayview Hotel at White Rock. This hotel is owned by Tom and Maurice Lynch, who with brother Dick operate the Catherine theatre. Jess Fishman of the Standard Film Service, who has recently been appointed vice-president of the company, was presented with a fitted leather traveling case by the employees, before he left for Cleveland. Fishman will also be banquetted by members of the F. L L. M. Club next Monday evening at Doerr's Inn, a popular road house. About Cincinnati Photoplay Trade Circles CINCINNATI exhibitors are especially elated over the cool spell that has been prevailing for quite some time and which they hope will continue. In fact, so great has been the increase in attendance at the local houses that most of the exhibitors are open with their remarks that they will begin their fall program at a much earlier date than originally intended. Coupled with the cool weather for drawing the crowds into the theatres is the Cincinnati Fall Festival which opens on the 25th of August and which will continue for fourteen days. This will bring thousands of visitors to the city manv of whom will undoubtedly patronize the movies. Following the Festival the Odd Fellows will have their convention in the Queen City, and they promise to bring more delegates to town than any other convention has ever done in the past. This has caused unusual activities around the Broadway Film Building and the other film distributing centers in the city. As a consequence many managers who have already closed with exhibitors are on the road getting rid of their products in the territory. Salesmen also report that the coolness has had a marked effect upon their sales and everyone in the business is much elated over the prospect of a very successful start for the new season. Activities around the Film Board of Trade have recently taken on a new aspect. There seems to be a greater degree of harmony existing between the exchange men and the exhibitors in the Cincinnati territory than ever before. This perhaps is due to a great extent to the efforts of W. A. Kaiser who as head of the board has brought the right kind of feeling between the two factions, the consequence being a united effort between the two which is bound to be beneficial to both parties in question as well as to the general movie attending public. Among the out of town visitors to the Film Buildings during the last week were, Fred Dolle of The Broadway Amusement Co., Louisvills, Ky., and Fred Myers and Harry Silvers of The Palace theatre, Hamilton, Ohio. All three are also looking forward to a very prosperous season, so much so that someone who ought to know intimated to the extent that there was very little squabbling as to prices for pictures between these three gentlemen and the exchange managers. Warner Bros, have opened up an exchange office in the Broadway Film Building. The office is under the management of Clay Brehm, well known in the film industry around Cincinnati and other parts of the country. Brehm is very optimistic as to the outlook and promises some big things in the line of pictures. William (Billy) Bein, or "Little Billy as he is mostly called by his friends, has been put in charge of the local United Artists exchange, which was recently opened in the Broadway Film Building. Ace Berry, former publicity manager for the Circle theatre, Indianapolis, and recently appointed manager for the theatre, has made extensive preparations for the celebration of the seventh anniversary of the house on August 26. What is to be regarded as an advent in Cincinnati screen history is the opening of " The Covered Wagon " at the Grand Opera House on September second. This will be the premier showing of this picture in Cincinnati and manager Milford Unger of the Grand Opera House, is leaving no stone unturned to make the local showing one of the most auspicious of any on the circuit on which " The Covered Wagon " is to travel. In this he has the assistance of all of the press representatives of the city as well as Bob Irvin, advance man, who has been in town for several days attending to the numerous details. The Grand Opera House. w hich has been recently repainted on the outside, is undergoing numerous changes on the interior as well, such as recovering the seats and renovating and changing the draperies throughout this famous amusement house. Quite a celebration indulged in by the members of the Cincinnati branch of the Universal Film Exchanges, Inc., at Steve's Roadhouse last Saturday night. The roadhouse is one of the fashionable resorts on the Dixie Highway of Northern Kentucky and afforded a picturesque background for the festivities. The occasion was the winning of the Eastern Division March and April contest for the GOGETTERS of more business. Maurice Strauss, manager of the Cincinnati exchange, acted as representative of the managers and salesmen of the Eastern Division, presented H. M. Herbel, assistant general sales manager, with a beautiful chest of silver, as a wedding gift, Herbel having recently married the charming Universal star, Gladys Walton. Richard C. Fox, summer manager of the Grand Opera House, Cincinnati, will leave for New York some time during the week to assume his duties there with the Universal Film Co. While in Cincinnati he represented the Universal company who w:ere the summer lessees of the Opera House and where they presented their Jewel productions with more than ordinary success. While in Cincinnati Fox made numerous friends all of whom wish him well in his new undertaking. J. C. Wodetzsky, manager of the Murray and Murrette theatres, Richmond, Ind., has been awarded a prize of one hundred dollars by the Consolidated Realty and Theatres Corporation for making the greatest increase in July business on the circuit. Manager Wodetzsky increased the receipts of the Murrette one hundred per cent over June.