Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1923)

December 29, 1923 3063 ^f^f^Central Penn. SEVERAL truckloads of toys for distribution among the poor of the city of Harrisburg in the Christmas season, by the " Harrisburg Toy Mission," were collected at the Victoria and Majestic theatres on Saturday, December 15, when C. Floyd Hopkins, Harrisburg representative of the Wilmer & Vincent interests which control both theatres, announced that all children would be admitted at either house if they presented a toy at the box office. This announcement applied all day at the Victoria, which is a strictly picture house, and to the afternoon matinee at the Majestic, which is devoted partly to pictures and partly to vaudeville. The Toy Mission is conducted each year in Harrisburg by a group of society girls, under the direction of Miss Elizabeth Brandt, a recent debutante. Toys, to be accepted at the theatres, had to be in good condition though they, of course, could be second hand. O. B. Feldser, manager of the Broad Street theatre, Harrisburg, has made public the letter of commendation recently sent to him by the Dauphin County Women's Christian Temperance Union, after he had voluntarily discontinued the holding of so-called " Sunday midnight motion picture shows," against which the W. C. T. U. and other organizations had protested. The letter, from Mrs. Carrie T. Ronemus, president of the W. C. T. U., read as follows : " Believing it is the duty we owe to humanity to speak words of commendation as well as words of condemnation, I feel that it is my duty in behalf of our Christian organization, to commend and thank you for your noble decision in the matter of refraining from opening your theatre for Sunday night shows." The shows, so long as they lasted, were not actually held on Sundays, but began at 12:01 A. M. on Mondays. Vaudeville musical features are being introduced as " added attrac tions " at the motion picture shows in the Colonial theatre, a Carr & Schad, Inc., house, in Reading. Harry Stimmel is manager of the house. Extensive interior and exterior decorations and improvements are being made to the Columbia theatre, Bloomsburg, which recently was taken over by the Sterling Theatre Company, of Wilkes-Barre, said to be controlled by the M. E. Comerford Amusement Company, of Scranton. The house in addition to sf"">"jine the photoplays used on the Comerford circuit, will be equipped to stage road shows and vaudeville bookings. Michael Comerford, Sr., George Morris, W. A. Cadoret, and M. E. Comerford, of the Comerford home office organization, recently announced these plans during a trip to Bloomsburg made for the purpose of inspecting the property. In an auto crash near Summit Hill recently Arthur Hyman, repre sentative of. the Masterpiece Film Company in an up-state territory, was hurled through the windshield of his car and was badly cut and bruised. He had a close call but escaped permanent injury. John D. Golden, formerly of Landsford, has accepted a position as organist in the Victoria theatre, Bloomsburg. Announcement is made that the American theatre, Pottsville, which has been undergoing extensive improvements, will be ready for reopening in January. Ground has been broken in Tamaqua for the new $500,000 Majestic theatre and hotel building, to be erected there by the Higgins Hotel Corporation. The theatre will seat 1,400 persons and the hotel will have 120 rooms, according to an announcement made by the architect, W. H. Lea, of Philadelphia. The building will be on a plot 54 by 150 feet, in the business center of the city. Around Oklah oma Film Trade Circles ROY BETTIS has taken over the management of the Hippodrome theatre at Okaulgee, Oklahoma. Manager Mayberry will open his new Criterion theatre at Enid, Okla., about January 1st. The theatre will be strictly modern and up to date. Manager J. E. Hufford of the Princess theatre at Collinsville, Texas, has taken over the Ace theatre at Whitesboro, and will operate both theatres. P. R. Isley of the Midwest Film exchange of Oklahoma City has opened a branch at Dallas, Texas, 1816J/2 Main Street, with John Jackson as resident manager. President Underwood of Specialty Film Co., of Dallas, is in New York City. Col. Bill Yoder, district manager of Pathe, at Kansas City, Mo., was a Dallas visitor last week. True Thompson of the True Film exchange at Dallas was an Oklahoma City visitor last week. President William K. Jenkins of the Enterprise Distributing Corporation at Dallas, is visiting in New York City. District Manager H. C. Rosenbaum, and Resident Manager J. B. Dugger of the Famous Laskv Players, were on a trip to Houston and San Antonio, looking the field over. " ART TITLES LOUIS MEYER Craftsmen Film Laboratories 251 West 19th Street Watkins 7620-7461 On Thanksgiving Day in Piano, Texas, Miss Lorena Rawlings and Fred A. Cullimore, both of Dallas Goldwyn office, were married at the home of the brides parents. Both the bride and groom have been employed by Goldwyn for some years and are popular younger representatives of the business personnel. Mr. and Mrs. Cullimore are at home to their friends in the Sanger Apartments, Dallas, Texas. The Dixie theatre at Cushing, Okla., is being remodelled. Echoes of a theatre crash of Hominy, Okla., last Independence Day sounded in District Court at Pawhuska, Okla., when four damage suits totalling $100,000, were filed against Charles Pettit, Hominy theatre man, and the Stewart Construction Co. The suits were an outgrowth of an accident at the Hominy theatre July 4, 1923, when a section of the balcony crashed upon the heads of patrons on the lower floor. Each of the plaintiffs ask $25,000 damages plus suit costs. Assurance of a paving program guarantees the construction of a new theatre by E. C. Robertson at Fayetteville, Ark., to cost $45,000. I am seriously considering the production end, and will consider sacrificing two theatres in upper New York State. These theatres are actual gold mines for a consideration of $400,000. Here is a rare opportunity if you could handle it. Don't waste your time unless you have money. Box 440, Motion Picture News, New York City. EMPIRE LABORATORIES, Inc. PRINTS 723 SEVENTH AVENUE BRYANT 5437 5736 DEVELOPING AND PRINTING MOTION NEW YORK PICTURE PRINTS FILM