Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 25 COOL WEATHER REVIVES CINCINNATI THEATRES Optimism Now Discernible in Exchanges and Theatres and Increased Business is Once More the Rule — McMahan and Jackson Win Decision Which Union Operators Claim as Their Victory Young Woman Exhibitor Takes Unique Method of Advertising Her Theatre special to The Motion Picture News Cincinnati, Sept. 3. SINCE the evening temperature has fallen to a normal degree of coolness the motion picture business in and about Cincinnati has shown a corresponding stimulation. This activity has been reflected as well in the local film exchanges and a decided optimistic spirit, as the result, has replaced the sourness and complaints of a month ago. Many theatres in the outlying districts which depended upon small neighborhoods for patronage and were forced to close down during the heated term, have been newly clothed at the hands of painters and decorators internally and externally, and now present smiling and attractive fronts, ready, with open arms, to again receive the prodigal "movie" fan. Increased business during the past several weeks has been the rule in the downtown districts. A number of the legitimate houses which, for a time during the summer, were showing motion pictures, are now actively engaged in presenting their regular programs. This fact only serves to reduce competition, but the real reason for the boom in business is the weather. "Neptune's Daughter" Remains The Annette Kellermann photoplay "Neptune's Daughter"' has been playing to capacity houses at Keith's during the past week, so that it will play another week's engagement. The Lyric will close its motion picture season this week with Lyman H. Howe's motion pictures of the Panama Canal. W. R. Sheehan, of New York, representing the William Fox motion picture interests was in Cincinnati recently. He made tentative arrangements to open a branch of the Box Office Attraction Company here to cover southern Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky with its film exchange. I\Ir. Sheehan while here gave out an interesting interview regarding European war films. Expectations of exhibitors and patrons of motion picture theatres that animated pictures of the war scenes may soon be seen in this country will probably not be realized for some time, he said. Owing to the strict censorship which has covered all news of activities in the war zone, he says, motion pictures, if any are obtained, will probably not be shown in Amer ica until after peace has been established. The military censors are blocking the camera men at every step and where the educational advantages of actual scenes from the front cannot be overestimated, such films will be held, if only for their educational and historical value, but will not be shown to the public until the censors put their O. K. on them. The Paramount Pictures program will be seen in Cincinnati shortly at the Lubin and the Nordland Plaza theatres. Ask for New Warner Program Many inquiries have been received by A. Muller, manager of the Warner's Features Company, regarding the new weekly program of twentyone reels. The business of this company in West Virginia has increased to such an extent during the past several weeks that the establishment of a branch exchange office at Charleston is being considered. If this office is opened, H. S. Peed, of the local office, will be placed in charge. The firm of McMahan & Jackson, operators of the Independent Features Company, of this city, was awarded a judgment of ^99 in the Municipal Court, Friday, against A. Niedenthal, of Evanston. The firm claimed to have had a contract with Niedenthal calling for 15 cents a foot for feature films and that while a three-real feature was being run off the first reel caught fire and damaged all three reels. It was claimed that Niedenthal's operator was a non-union man and that he had been refused a license several days before the fire occurred. McMahan and Jackson sued for $300, but this amount was halved by the Court. The case was decided on the basis that two of the reels which were in the booth should not have been there. The Court awarded $45 for each of the two films. Only $9 was allowed on the first film, which was slightly damaged, and, in a measure, caused the fire. Union Operators Jubilant Union operators in Cincinnati consider the winning of the case by McMahan & Jackson a vindication of the union cause. Exhibitors in the future, they declare, will be more careful about employing non-union operators. The Pastime Theatre, a motion pic ture house of Maysville, Ky., was given an unusual amount of free advertising the past week, when the fair proprietress, Miss Anna Belle Ward, a miss of eighteen summers, appeared here, following a woman's championship swimming race of three miles on the Ohio River and challenged the winner to race her any distance between three and five miles. Miss Ward was an entrant m the race, but a sudden attack of illness prevented her from being a contestant. As soon as the winner completed the course the young Maysville exhibitor was ready, and from her skiff in which she had followed the progress of the race, she issued her challenge. More publicity for Miss Ward and her theatre will follow this new championship race, which is now being arranged. Immediately after the challenge was issued. Miss Ward's pictures were taken, and she was interviewed by the reporters. The young exhibitor then returned home to look after the evening performance at the Pastime. A Believer in Publicity "I believe in publicity," she said. "I found out very early in my career that it does not do for one to hide one's light under a bushel, even if she does happen to be a woman and as such is constitutionally shy. My swimming is one of the very best advertising assets I have." "LIVE-WIRING" THE WAR Special to The Motion Picture News Milwaukee, Sept. 2. The European war and the public's thirst for war news has been put to good use by Manager Harry Graham, of the Butterfly Theatre. Finding that his patrons were flocking to the bulletin boards for the latest flashes from the front, Mr. Graham made arrangements with one of the local papers to keep him supplied with bulletins, in return for which he ran a slide announcing that he was getting his bulletins from this paper and to watch for their extras for the latest war news. As it is impossible to buy the privilege of running advertising slides at the Butterfly, the paper was very glad for the exchange of courtesies. The bulletins Mr. Graham posted in a conspicuous place in his lobby with the result that the war fans were attracted away from the bulletins where they had been congregating and a great majority of them went into the Butterfly to see the pictures.