Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1925)

1250d Motion P ic tur e News House Peters is featured in "Raffles," a new Universal Production. These stills are taken from the picture. Gala Premiere For "Phantom" Universal Makes Elaborate Plans for Presentation in New York Sunday Next UNIVERSAL has completed elaborate plans for the gala premiere which "The Phantom of the Opera," spectacular screen production of Gaston Leroux's famous mystery romance, will be given at the Astor Theatre, New York, on Sunday, September 6th. The Sunday night presentation will be surrounded by all the color and brilliance which a wide exploitation campaign and special invitations can accomplish for a first night. Celebrities of the stage and screen as well as prominent New Yorkers have accepted invitations to attend the affair, which will also be open to the public, Universal reporting a lively demand for tickets at the box office. The Universal company has attempted to duplicate the lavishness of the production in the presentation that has been arranged for "The Phantom of the Opera." One of the main features of the presentation will be the musical accompaniment. A score based mainly on the opera "Faust" has been written for the picture and will be rendered by an orchestra under the direction of Eugene Conte, composer of the musical setting. Another highlight in Universal's presentation plans will be flic staging by Thurston, the famous magician, of the appearance of a "phantom" during the prologue. Universal offered a large cash prize to the person who would cause the appearance of a "spirit" during the premiere showing. Thurston took up the challenge. A further interesting phase of Universal's presentation plan is a ballet which has been staged by Albertina Rasch, internationally noted ballerina. $200,000 Theatre to Be Built in Santa Ana, Cal. Santa Ana, California is to have a $200,000 theatre building in accordance with plans that are being drawn by Eugene Durfee, architect, with offices in Anaheim and Los Angeles, to be erected on the northeast corner of Fourth and Bush streets, and to cost approximately $200,000. The site is 100 by 165 feet, and the seating capacity of the new theatre will be 2,000. In addition to 1 lie theatre there will be a number of shops, store room and studio. Tennessee Theatre Suffers Fire Damage The Bonita Theatre, Copper Hill, Term., was badly damaged by fire recently when several other buildings were caught also in a blaze that resulted in a loss of about $500,000. Krafft Writing Titles for "The Pace That Thrills" John W. Krafft, comedy title writer, is writing the titles for "The Pace That Thrills," the First National production COfeaturing Ben Lyon and .Mary Astor. The picture will be ready for release soon. Meyer to Build New Theatre in Miami, Fla. The Wolfson Meyer Theatre Enterprises corporation of Miami have announced plans to construct a new theatre on North Miami avenue there, to be named the Capitol, which will be a first-run theatre and modern in every respect. The company also own and operate the Lyric theatre, a colored house, in Miami. Mr. Meyer has been in the motion picture industry for a great many years, and was formerly connected with Fox Film corporation in a sales capacity. Arrested for Sunday Show in Test Case 0. W. McCutchin, owner of the motion picture house at Sikeston, Mo., has been arrested on a charge of operating his house on Sunday. McCutchin announced in advance that he would give the Sunday show on August 23 so that he could be arrested and test the state law against employing labor on Sundays. West Virginia Theatre is Destroyed by Fire The Strand Theatre building Parkersburg, W. Va., was practically demolished by fire recently at 422 Market street. The estimated loss was about $50,000. Wanda Wiley in "Just in Time," a new Century comedy released by Universal.