Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1923)

3064 Motion Picture News Wash SALESMAN DRAWBAUGH of the Southern Motion Picture Company of Washington resigned to follow the portable projection star of the Acme concern, now handled in Washington by Owens, Ellwood and Millen of Kentucky and D. C. H. F. Ellwood is local manager while Drawbaugh who has long sold Acme projection for several years is keeping up the sales volume. His old chief, Claflin, is expected to announce a successor to Drawbaugh shortly. R. T. Hamner, manager of the Academy of Music in Lynchburg was in town early last week, and told the Motion Picture News representative that his lease although declared by the court to be good only until June, 1924, carried a clause approved by the court which gives the option of renewal for three to five years unless an amicable agreement is made for his abandoning the property. Of course were Hamner forced out later, he would take up the opposition property he has in view and give keen competition. Following the run of " The Silent Command," Manager Jack Garrison of the President theatre, Washington, has declared that with the exception of some amateur offering the house will be dark until near the first of the new year. During the partial shut down a complete renovation is to take place, and when the President opens, with its next picture it will be entirely touched up from pit to dome. The oft-repeated rumors as to the plan to lease the old 9th and E property on which Harry M. Crandall's pioneer downtown theatre is located to interests allied with the Childs' chain restaurant system, have been repudiated by Crandall executives. So that the rumor may be permanently buried they point out that the report was based on Crandall's action in opening the Central, three or four doors below the Crandall. The idea of leasing to Childs was thought of, but final decision resulted in keeping both. Manager Johnny Bachmann of Educational Pictures announces that since Whaley has resigned from the ranks of Educational in the local field, that Louis A. DeHoff, popular with the trade for years as one of the lientenants to C. A. Whitehurst and Tony Soriero, who severed his connection with the circuit recently, has agreed to represent the Washington exchange of Educational in the Baltimore zone. Meanwhile the Beau Brummel of the Educational force asserts that while in TideWater, Virginia, last week he saw Manager Harris of the Petersburgh and Hopewell theatres who plans to visit Washington exchanges soon. H. C. Everhart of the Nansemond theatre, at Suffolk, Va., has opened his new colored theatre there. The Addicks theatre, a colored theatre, long dark, is being reopened in Norfolk, by a man formerly active in the film trade. Dr. Roots, exhibitor of Buffalo and a constituent of Judge Clarence MacGregor, Representative from Buffalo, has been staying at the New Willard the past week-end. Before leaving for a holiday rest in Indianapolis, Mark Gates, manager at the Columbia, former associate of Root, visited the Buffalo showman and spent a few hours showing the up-state New Yorker around Then on Saturday morn ing, Gates who has batched it ever since Mrs. Gates and the infant went to visit with relatives in the Hoosier metropolis took the Congressional westbound. It is reported that Eugene Wilson is to enter the sales force of F. L. McNamee of F. B. O. here. The infant son of Lawrence Beattus got his juvenile start as a space grabber on Sunday, December 9th, when the rotograph section of the Star, featured him as " Future manager of the Columbia." And maybe Larry didn't beam all over after that. The Columbia has held Pola Negri in " The Spanish Dancer " over for a second week, while Christmas week the Paramount picture "His Children's Children" will be billed. Billy Bandler, shipper in F. B. O., is functioning after hours as a local sport-promoter in semi-pro and amateur fight circles. Paramount is again up front with the monthly Cupid handicap. Herbert Thompson having announced his matrimonial plans recently made K. C. Johnson do some thinking before the ink grew cold on the previous announcement. K. C. is engaged, it is said, to Miss Ethel Powell of Washington. Fred White of the Leader is making a bid for the 9th Street crowds in the pre-holiday season by revival of old screen successes. Ray Hart, saxophone soloist, is featured in the music program at the Rialto the week before Christmas. William C. Ewing, staff artist attached to the publicity department of the Crandall theatres under the direction of Nelson B. Bell, underwent a serious operation on his throat at Providence Hospital. Mr. Ewing had been confined to his home for ten days prior to the operation but is now on the high road to speedy and complete recovery. A. N. Waters, manager of Crandall's theatre at Ninth and E streets, has had his hands full during the last fortnight supervising the conduct of Crandall's Central theatre in addition to his own. Mr. Waters' assumption of the doubleduty was brought about by the resignation of Eugene Way from the managership of the Central. The close proximity of the two Ninth Street houses makes it possible for Mr. Waters to lend his personal attention to both. A musical novelty will be presented to patrons of Crandall's Central theatre the first four days of this week when W. E. Thompson, the concert pipe organist, introduces his original " Tuneful Tour." The audience will be taken on a transcontinental trip, musically speaking, during which stops will be made in all states about which popular songs have been written, the tour ending in New York in time to catch the latest jazz hit. Mr. Thompson has also written a rhymed lyric that accompanies the melodies and is extremely clever. The first of -the Crandall solo artists, who will comprise a fixed program feature for the WRC broadcasting station of the Radio Corporation of America each Wednesday night, to play into the air was Senor Jose De La Huarte, Spanish violin virtuoso of the symphony orchestra at Crandall's Metropolitan theatre, Daniel Breeskin, conductor. Senor Huarte last Wednesday night played La Jota Aragones a," by Sarazate ; " Romance " by Svendson, and " Mazurka " by Wieniaski. INC. 220 WEST 42 STREET NEW YORK PHONE CHICKERINC ALLAN A.LOWNES 2937 PRES. HetilotiWan & #erj> Jlerrp Cfjrtsrtmag anU a ^rossperoug anb ^apPP Jleto §ear to FROM LIBMAN-SPANJER CORPORATION Builders of THEATRICAL LOBBY DISPLAYS 1600 BROADWAY Telephone, Bryant 7392 NEW YORK CITY