Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1923)

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December 29, 1923 3065 JS. JOSSEY, president of Prog• ress Pictures, left Cleveland on Tuesday headed for his home town, Forsyth, Georgia, where he will spend the holidays. George Jacobs, of Progress Pictures, is spending the yuletide season with his parents in New York city. Jay A. Gove, head of the First National sales promotion division, has been in Cleveland during the past week. Grove came to conduct a special sales meeting held in the local First National offices on Saturday. It was just one of the preliminaries leading to the big sales rally that starts January 1st. E. A. Eschman, of First National, was here on Saturday. He said he came to wish everybody a Merry Christmas, but the real object of his visit was to sit in on the Saturday sales meeting. C. W. Scheuck, booker for First National, has resigned to join the sales force of the local Hodkinson organization. Richard Weil, in charge of publicity for Progress Pictures, and Mrs. Weil, left Cleveland December 22nd to spend Christmas in New York. Hal Smith, formerly connected with the Shea booking offices, ha? joined the sales force of the local Fox exchange. J. J. Murray, former owner of the Opera House and Hippodrome at Warren, has started on his wray to the sunny South in search of his health. Latest reports stated that Mr. and Mrs. Murray are to spend the winter in the Bermudas. W. C. Bachmeyer, central division manager for Metro, dropped into Cleveland the other day to visit local Metro Exchange Manager C. E. Almy. Then they went to Chicago together. C. E. Penrod, F.B.O. eastern central division manager, spent the week-end in Cleveland. There was a fire in the Mall theatre, Cleveland, on Friday. The fire was confined to the projection booth. The Mall is a double-deck theatre. The lower Mall is on the Superior avenue level. The upper Mall is on the Euclid avenue level. When the fire broke out in the lower Mall, patrons were asked to go upstairs into the upper Mall, where they continued to see the show. Ray Gould is no longer connected with the Temple theatre, Lorain. His lease on the house has expired. He did not renew the lease. The Ohio theatre, Lorain, which has been closed all summer is to reopen December 25th under the management of Mrs. Rose Bialorucki. R. B. Powers has sold the Exhibitor theatre at Ashley to E. C. Carter. The Strand theatre at Grover Hill, O., changed hands last week when W. C. Shenk sold it to George Hipp. Fillmore Rosen no longer controls the Weber and Revod theatres in Dover. He sold both houses last week to George Christ, who has been an exhibitor for a good many years. The McKinley theatre at Niles is once again in the limelight. A few weeks ago L. G. Brady leased it. This was the first time the theatre was opened to the public although it had been completed almost a year, failure to secure a lessee for the house caused it to stand idle all that time. Brady then took over the house but could not create enough local interest in it to make it a financial success. So he has abandoned it. Another exhibitor is now dickering for the house, so possibly it will soon be listed among the active Ohio picture theatres. J. J. Machnics, manager of the Angela and Miles Square theatres, Cleveland, is very well satisfied with this season, although most exhibitors are kicking. The reason Machnics hasn't a kick coming is because December brought him a fine bouncing daughter. Tommy Carroll, whom everybody knows, is traveling around the state with a specialty act, since severing his connections with the State theatre, Lorain, so we have been given to understand. It is a mind-reading act, and is said to be a hit in both vaudeville and picture houses. Van C. Lee has turned over the keys of the Opera House, Ravenna, to the new owner, Harry Rosenthal. This change of ownership was consummated late last week. John Royal, manager of Keith's Palace theatre, Cleveland, has arranged to show the Plain Dealer Screen Magazine, beginning Monday, December 17. This local news reel has been shown at Reade's Hippodrome, heretofore. "Tickets for two" were presented to every fireman and to every policeman in Cleveland last Friday, as holiday greetings from two of Cleveland's leading motion picture theatres. The Allen theatre will honor all tickets presented by policemen during the engagement of "Big Brother." The State theatre will acknowledge all tickets presented by firemen during the engagement of "Wild Bill Hickock." This is happy advertising because it works for everybody's pleasure and benefit. Mrs. O. J. Gurwell has resigned as president of the Cleveland Cinema Club. Mrs. Gurwell's work with the American Motion Picture Corporation has been too absorbing to permit of divided interests. Mrs. Fayette U. Smith, 514 Eddy road, Cleveland, vice-president under the regime of Mrs. Gurwell, has been appointed president of the organization. Buffalo THE Film Board of Trade of Buffalo will hold an elaborate ball in the main ball-room of the new Hotel Statler on the evening of January 19. There will be a buffet luncheon and the entertainment committee, is arranging for the appearance of acts from the local theatres. Henry W. Kahn, Howard F. Brink and Sydney Samson are members of the entertainment committee. Members of the Film Boards of Albany, Cleveland and Toronto will be invited. Tickets have been distributed. Mrs. C. B. Darrow has leased the Central Park theatre from James Wallingford for a period of years. Mrs. Darrow took possession December 10. This house is located at Main street and Fillmore avenue and of late has been enjoying excellent business. Mrs. Darrow is one of Buffalo's few women exhibitors. Mr. Wallingford is now confining his efforts to the Allendale. James Cardina, who recently opened the new Varsity theatre on Bailey avenue, is planning to completely remodel his Kensington theatre the coming year. He wilj close the house during June, July and August during which time a new stage, new heating plant, new Marr & Colton organ and other modern equipment will be installed. Jim has a fine house in his Varsity which is attracting more patrons each week. William L. Sherry, one of the founders of the Famous PlayersLasky corporation and for many years connected with the local office in an executive capacity, is now back in town as special representative for Universal He is in charge of " The Hunchback " for New York State and will make his headquarters in Buffalo at the "U" office. Howard Riehl has resigned from the sales staff of the local Dependable exchange. Manager James Speer is sure setting in a big batch of pictures these days in the key cities. Mrs. Mitchell H. Mark and Walter Hays will be the hosts to the employes of the Victoria theatre on the stage of that popular community theatre on the afternoon of December 29 when a banquet will be served. Manager Arthur L. Skinner reports several of the ushers already going on a diet so as to be in good condition to attack the viands, white meat, etc. Howard Waugh, who formerly managed the new Palace and other houses in Jamestown, is now manager of the Palace theatre in Memphis, Tenn., the Paramount demonstration house in those parts. Howard writes that he is glad to be back in the land of corn bread, red potatoes and fried chicken and we wish he wouldn't write like that. He makes us hungry right away. Howard is already putting over some of his famous brand of exploitation, starting in on " Big Brother." He'll sure make those folks down below the Mason-Dixon line sit up and take notice. Howard was sent to Memphis by Harold B. Franklin, head of the Paramount theatre department. N. Dipson has reduced his prices at the Grand theatre in Batavia, N. Y., where he has just opened the new Family. The drop is from 33 to 25 for adults and from 17 to 10 for children. The new prices include the war tax, which we all hope will soon be eliminated. Basil Brady, manager of the Pathe exchange, put on a big screening party in Shea's Hippodrome Saturday morning, December 16, when he showed " Columbus " to prominent exhibitors, city officials, members of the press and invited guests. Mayor Schwab attended and later indorsed the picture. The same pictures were shown at the Star, Rochester, at a private screening on Wednesday, December 19. Robert Cassell, representative of Topics of the Day and Aesop's Fables, was in town last week, conferring with Mr. Brady. Exhibitors who enter the First National exchange to book pictures are greeted by Miss Bertha C. Kemp, who has been promoted to the position of booker, succeeding Ed Walsh. Miss Kemp has been associated with F. X. for several years and the promotion is well merited. By the way, Joe Miller of Renown was motoring toward Buffalo last Thursday but when he reached Manchester, N. Y., the rear end of his Rolls Royce fell out and Joe was forced to stay in Manchester all night. How's that for hard luck? Looks like Al Beckerich, manager of Loew's State, is going to play Santa Claus soon. We saw him sneaking home with a big Christmas tree tied on his auto one day last week. AI ought to make a swell Kris Kringle. William F. VanDyne, assistant manager of the Lafayette Square theatre, is looking forward to a swell Christmas. He is going to have his tonsils removed. Henry E. Wilkinson, former manager of the Dependable exchange, is back in town, but has not as yet announced his connection with any company. HetjSotJUan