Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1924)

March 1, 1924 1001 Regional News From Correspondents THE two big events of the week were a dinner and dance given to the film people of this district by William Shirley, managing-director of the Farash theatres, of Schenectady, on Thursday night, and the dinner-dance given by the employees of the First National exchange in Albany on Friday night at the Hotel Kenmore. Mr. Shirley entertained in the lobby of the State theatre, following the 11 o'clock show, the affair lasting until 3 o'clock in the morning. About 100 were present. An orchestra played for the dancing, while Harry Seed, manager of the F. B. O. office in Albany. Miss Renee Craven, of the First National exchange and others, entertained with individual acts, Miss Craven contributing a dance. The First National dinner-dance was attended by about 25, including all the employees of the exchange and a few outsiders, these being Jacob Rosenthal, owner of the Rose theatre in Troy ; Tack Krause, manager of the Bond Photoplay exchange, and John Toomey, an insurance man well known by the film people. The dinner-dance was preceded by a screening of one of First National's latest releases. Thomas Martelli, who books pictures for the U. S. army posts, has been spending a few days in Albany, visiting various exchanges. The past week has been one the quietest along Film Row in many a month : very few exhibitors were in town, the managers of the exchanges, finding that the exhibitors were not seeking them out leaving their desks and going after business throughout the territorv. Tack Bellman, eastern division manager for Renown, paid a flving visit to Albany during the week. There is a new manager at the Pearl theatre in Albany, the change having occurred during the past week. David Lew, a well known salesman for the Universal exchang" he^e. was suddenly called to New York city during the past week, on account of his wife's illness. Miss Jane Halloran, connected with the Selznick exchange here, spent the week end with friends in New York. William LaFountaine, a shipper at the Selznick exchange here, is recovering from a recent operation for appendicitis. Sol Manheimer, business manager for the Robbins theatres in Watertown, left for New York last Wednesday, following a telegram to the effect that his father was dangerously ill. It is expected that the Universal exchange in Albany, will become a buying office about April 1, making three in New York state, the others being in New York and Buffalo. Nathan Robbins, of Utica, owner of a chain of theatres in central New York, is said to be contemplating the erection of a theatre in Syracuse on the site of the Manhattan hotel, which was recently badly damaged by fire. There was plenty of fun among the employees of the Mark Strand theatre in Albany on Valentine's Day when every one at the theatre presented everyone else with a valentine. A big box received the valentines, unsigned, during the day. Manager Herman Yineburg opened the box in the evening and handed out the addressed valentines. F. T. Smith, eastern district manager for F. B. O.. was in Albany for three days during the past week. Some of the theatres in this section are planning to run split weeks throughout Lent, while other managers, believing that if the proner pictures are shown, that they will stand a week's run. have ruled against split weeks during the forty days. At the Lincoln, in Troy, Manager Symansky is planning to put one or two Irish pictures on during the Lenten season. Apparently Proctors Fourth Street theatre in Troy, which plays vaudeville and pictures, realizes the drawing power of pictures and is heavily advertising this feature of their weekly program. In order to protect themselves from some of the cheaper houses, the Lincoln and Troy theatres are now carrying a line in their newspaper advertising to the effect thai pictures they are running will not be shown in Troy at any other theatre within thirty days. When Al Bothner manages a theatre, he is manager in every sense of the word, this being demonstrated beyond any question of doubt the other night, when Mr. Bothner forcibly ejected a patron who was creating a disturbance down front. Mr. Bothner had quietly asked the disturber to keep quiet. The noise continued, however, forcing Mr. Bothner to ask the man to leave. The objectionable patron showed no disposition to comply but failed to reckon with Mr. Bothner's muscular right arm, and found himself suddenly ejected into the street, a sadder but wiser man. The Lincoln, in Troy, has a nice little system of checking packages for its patrons. The checking room is right off the lobby and on a Saturday night, it is not uncommon to sae all sorts of packages ranging from a chicken for a Sunday's dinner to a ham being handled and checked by the doorman. A force of carpenters is now at work repairing the Strand theatre in Troy, damaged several weeks ago by fire. The house will be reopened in about five weeks and will retain its old name. No doubt Al Bothner will continue as its manager. Walter Roberts, manager of the Troy theatre, has recovered from the effects of a badly infected finger, and is once more bowling his old style game. There is a rumor that Jake Rosenthal, present owner of the Rose in Troy, has been taking a look at the neighboring Astor theatre, with the possibility of opening it at least on Saturday and Sunday. The Griswold in Troy is going over big these days, and is easily the talk of the city. In connection with double features last week, an eight piece jazz orchestra scored such a hit that the musicians each night were obliged to respond to encore after encore. The Fisher Kids, which scored heavilv at Harmanus Bleecker Hall in Albany, two weeks ago with pictures, are to be brought back there for two days this week. The Capitol, in Troy, attracted a big crowd last Sunday night, when the North End orchestra was featured. Pictures and burlesque at Harmanus-Bleecker Hall in Albany will nrobablv be replaced by stock after May 1. There was a peculiar incident at the Troy theatre the other night, when a man came to Manager Walter Roberts and said that he had lost a diamond ring, adding further that he had heard it roll after it struck the floor. After the show was over, Mr. Roberts and his assistant-manager, Ben Stern, equipped with flashlights, went over every inch of the floor, turning over programs and taking row after row. but without success, working until long after midnight. The strange part of the whole thing is that the man who professed to have lost the ring, never called back during the days that followed to inquire if it had been found. WEEK in and week out. the moving picture theatres of Ottawa are still doing their bit for disabled soldiers of the Great War who continue to receive treatment at the local Government hospitals and institutions. Special tickets are used to permit the war cripples to enjoy matinee performances at any of the local moving picture theatres. These are issued by and signed by officers in charge of the Tiospital work. Quite a few are accepted by each of the theatres every ■week. Those co-operating include Harry Brouse of the Imperial, Capt. Frank Goodale of Loew's, Oral D. Cloakey of the Regent, Don Stapleton of the Centre, Joe Franklin of the Franklin and others. The first of Canadian Educational's English feature releases, ""Out to Win", played the Centre Theatre. Ottawa, for a week start ing Saturday, February 16. This picture is an ideal production, Canadian Educational having secured the Ideal attractions for distribution in Canada. Manager Don Stapleton of the Centre was well pleased with the fast-moving British production. The Kenora Theatre at Kenora. Northern Ontario, the proprietor of which was Joe Derry, was destroyed by fire on February 13 with a loss of $65,000, partially insured. The cause of the fire was unknown. Mr. Derry occupied apartments above the theatre. Miller Stewart, manager of the Metropolitan Theatre, Winnipeg, for the past three years, has resigned and has been succeeded by J. A. Reich, who was a theatre manager in Minneapolis until recently. Following the resignation of Mr. Stewart, the whole house staff of the Metropolitan Theatre was dismissed. It is understood that Mr. Stewart will shortly join the Gordon Amusement Company at Boston, Mass., of which Charles G. Branham, formerly director of theatres for the Famous Players Canadian Corp., is now general manager. Mr. Reich had his own theatre at Estevan, Saslc, some years ago, and later was manager of theatres at Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. F. G. Spencer, owner of several picture theatres in the Maritime Provinces, has been elected an active member of the Rotary Gub of St. John, N. B., holding the classification of moving picture theatre exhibitor. Two theatres of the Atlantic Coast section of Canada have permanently returned to exclusive picture policies. One is the Majestic Theatre at Halifax, N. S.. which had a long season of dramatic stock presentations, and the other is the Queen's Square Theatre at St. John. N. B., which had been plaving stock musical comedv. Pronounced as it is sp?lled C-Y-T-H-E-R-E-A