Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

22 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS. Omaha Social Worker Denies Censorship Threat Sturgess, Head of Social Service Board Misquoted, He Says — Woman Member of the Board Wants Every Film Scrutinized pictures, lasted but a week, while the Orpheum, which was the first of the big houses to go to pictures, closed two weeks ago. Not one of the legitimate managers made the money that they anticipated, and it is expected that the big houses 'will hereafter leave the film field alone. This sudden closing of the legitimate houses .will leave the downtown exclusively for the local exhibitor for the best part of the summer. J. W. Martin. OLD ALBANY THEATRE J CLOSES Special to The Motion Picture News Albany, N. Y., July 30. One of Albany's first motion picture houses, the Star Theatre, located on South Pearl street, is going back to its original place, that of a drygoods store. John J. Hartigan, of Troy, has purchased a long lease from Emil Deiches, who first opened a store there and later turned it into a theatre. He afterwards bought the building opposite and opened the Majestic Theatre. It was then predicted that it would only be a matter of time when he would get rid of his "first love," so the change has not been a surprise. The theatre closed its doors Saturday, August 1, showing a big special bill as a farewell. The Star has always been consid • ered one of the best picture houses in Albany, and there are patrons, who have gone there since it opened who will miss it. It was a cozy little place, having good ventilation and being absolutely fireproof. The many friends of Mr. Deiches are hoping that his Star patrons will transfer their af¥ection to the Majestic. PROPOSE COMMUNITY PROJECTION ROOM Special to The Motion Picture News Washington, D. C, July 29. It has been suggested for the purpose of preventing unnecessary expense in cancellations that the Exhibitors League branch here, or the local Screen Club, equip a projection-room in the downtown district, within easy access of all managers, where big films could be run off for the convenience of those making selections for the various motion-picture houses throughout the city. When the proposed plan became public Harry Warner, of Warner's Features, offered to pay half the cost of the projection-room. It is not known whether the offer has been considered by the members of either club, or if the suggestion to build the projection-room will be acted upon by the Screen Club or the Exhibitors League. Special to The Motion Picture News Omaha, Neb., July 29. THOMAS F. STURGESS, head of the Social Service Board — a sort of civic welfare organization in Omaha which works without pay and includes the censorship of motion picture theatres and films among its self-inflicted duties — has denied the authorship of a recent statement in which the local exhibitors were threatened with a censorship equal to that of Chicago. He said, while being questioned by a strong delegation of exhibitors, that it was a mistake made by the newspapers in quoting him. All of the papers made the .same mistake. The delegation, whose duty it was to explain matters to Mr. Sturgess if he wanted explanations, returned to the local branch of the M. P. E. L. A. to report that the "feeling between the Social Service Board and the exhibitors was never more friendly, that it was deplorable Mr. Sturgess had been misquoted, and that the outlook was that the board and the exhibitors would continue as in the past — working together in the most pleasant harmony." There is some dissatisfaction, however, because the Social Service Board holds the reins. To The Motion Picture News representative the other day a woman member of the board declared with marked vehemence: "Do you know what we would do if we had the money? We would hire a man by the day to censor every film that comes into Omaha. But we are keeping it quiet until we can get the money." What if some radical should die and leave the board a few thousand. There is a possibility of such censorship and the local exhibitors who understand the condtion are not satisfied with the present situation. True, they say, the utmost co-operation has existed between the board and the exhibitors in the past; but if such a feeling exists among the board members, there is a sword dangling over the head of the local trade all the time. The way out of the difficulty? There is only one, they say. That is to have a higher censorship authority than could be established locally, and do away with such unfair authority on the part of the board. According to their former statements in a series of interviews with The Motion Picture News man, the exhibitors believe an authorized national board would be the solution. A few more breaks like the recent one — even though Mr. Sturgess may be misquoted — will tend to strengthen that feeling almost to a determination. Guy P. Leavitt. Summer Business Brisk in Los Angeles Patronage in the Principal Houses Better Than in May or June — Capacity Every Night the Record for Downtown Theatres Special to The Motion Picture News Los Angeles, July 27. LOS ANGELES exhibitors believe the dull summer season for motion picture theatres is nearing an end, for in the past two weeks business has been on the increase, and the attendance has been far better than in June and the latter part of May. Downtown theatres were taxed nightly and "had a line out" continuously for evening performances. "The Stain," at the Woodley Broadway Theatre, attracted exceptionally large crowds, and the last night the film was on there were as many people outside the theatre waiting to get in as could be accommodated with seats within. "The Christian," shown at Clune's Auditorium, was a popular film, and while it did not cause records of the 3,500-seat house to be changed, it is very possible it will be returned at a later date for the third week. The record of the house is held by "The Spoilers." This week the Thomas H. Ince picture, "The Wrath of the Gods," is being shown at the Auditorium to good business. Miller's Theatre, with 900 seats, and located almost three blocks from the retail district, played to capacity with Mary Pickford in "As It Is in Life," Lillian Walker in "Lillian's Dilemma," and Mabel Trunnelle in "The Shadow of Disgrace." Clune'.'^ Broadway Theatre featured "The Floor Above'' from the story by E. Phillips Oppenheim, and "The Fable of Napoleon and The Bumps" to (Opacity houses nightly. This house this week added a fifteen-piece orchestra. The Lasky picture, Edmund Breese in "The Master Mind" at Tally's Broadway, received very favorable criticism from the press and was accorded capacity houses the last few nights of its run. As the "Lucille Love" series draws to a close, the attendance at the Alhambra Theatre, a five-cent house, the only downtown first-run house using the film, has exceptionally good patronage on the nights the serial picture is shown.