Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

32 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS $50,000 THEATRE FOR WILKESBARRE THERE has been decided activity in motion picture circles in the Wyoming Valley, Pa., during the last week. Wilkes-Barre is to have a brand new theatre in the central section of the city ; another legitimate house goes into the hands of a motion picture amusement company, and several new houses are to be built in nearbj^ towns. The most important announcement of the week was that of Jacob Theis, an insurance man of this city. Mr. Theis has never been connected with the motion picture industry, other than owning buildings which he rented to exhibitors. He owns the building formerly occupied by the Uno Theatre, South Main street. He has announced that he will erect a $50,000 structure on the site. The new building will be up-to-date in every respect and will be devoted to films. When interviewed by a Motion Picture News correspondent, Mr. Theis said that architect Henry Maier had completed plans for the theatre. The seating capacity will be one thousand. The building will be sixty feet in depth and thirty-four in width. One of the features of the structure is that there will not be one step in the entire arrangement.^ The curtain will be 20x16 feet. The service to be used has not been agreed upon as yet. Joseph Stiles, formerly manager of a local film exchange, will probably be named as manager. 1,400-SEAT HOUSE PROMISED IN ILLINOIS CITY THE Finn & Heiman Amusement Company, of Chicago, will erect a $150,000 vaudeville and motion picture theatre in Decatur, 111., during 1915, according to announcement just made. The theatre will seat between 1,200 and 1,400 persons and will be the largest motion picture theatre in Illinois outside Chicago. The decision to erect the new playhouse was made at a meeting in Decatur which was attended by Marcus Heiman, general manager of the F. & H. circuit; Sam Kahl, general booking manager ; Sam Harris, special representative of the F. & H. company, and James J. Moran, of Decatur. BUILDS SECOND THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES S STERN, owner of Victoria Theatre • at 2570 Pico street, and Starland, 2700 North Broadway, Los Angeles, is now building an eight hundred-seat house at Twentieth street and Central avenue, which will be ready for use about October 1. While he has not fully decided upon the policy of this new theatre, he is of the opinion pictures and one or two acts of vaudeville will be shown for a ten cents admission fee. The new theatre will cost about $25,000. Alterations and Improvements The Theatre Fresno, Fresno, Ca!., is being remodelea, and will be opened as a motion picture house in September under the management of Fred Voight. The Royal Theatre, 1715 Carson street. South Side, Pittsburgh, is closed to permit the laying of a new concrete floor. Twelve men were kept constantly at work. The setting of the chairs on the concrete floor was no easy task, but under the direction of Manager J. A. Bonheyr the work was completed in fast time. The Homewood Theatre, 820 Homewood avenue, Pittsburgh, is being enlarged and improved. The rear part of the building has been torn out and the structure extended back forty feet, which will permit of the installation of sixty additional seats. The big pipe-organ being installed at the Olympic Theatre in Fifth avenue, Pittsburgh, is being rushed to completion as fast as possible, and three shifts of workmen are being used so as to have the organ ready for work in the shortest possible time. The organ that is now working in the theatre will be shipped to the Olympic Theatre at Monessen, Pa. The Pier Theatre, at Venice, Cal., owned and managed by J. O. Keiser, has just been re-decorated and refurnished throughout, which included the installation of a new motor-driven Simplex projecting machine by D. S. Markowitz, of the Los Angeles agency. The Varsity Theatre, on San Pablo avenue, Berkeley, Cal., has been enlarged by adding to the rear of the house, and space has been provided for about two hundred and seventy additional seats, making the total seating capacity about seven hundred and fifty. This theatre is conducted by C. L. Mehrten, treasurer of the California Motion Picture Exhibitors' League, and enjoys a good patronage. The Dixon Theatre, in Tarentum, Pa., which was closed for some time in order that repairs and improvements of a wid'e character could be made, has been opened again. It is a model motion picture house in every respec*, and has a number of features not found in some of the larger theatres in Pittsburgh. Messrs. Stubbs & Paddock, of the Savoy Theatre, San Barnardino, Cal., are having extensive repairs made on their theatre. A new lobby is now being built, and new seats and decorations will be added. When the house is reopened a five-piece orchestra will be used. The prices will be five and ten cents for the regular program, with fifteen and twenty cents admission when features are shown. The Euclid Theatre, at Ontario, Cal., owned and managed by H. E. Milling, is now in the new building, recently completed. Here there is a seating capacity of 450 seats, all new, new Powers 6-A machines, and an excellent ventilating system. Big feature pictures will be shown two nights each week, the music will be furnished by a four-piece orchestra, and the prices of admission have been permanently fixed at ten and twenty cents. The Broadway Theatre, on East Main street, Waterbury, Conn., has been closed in order that it may be remodeled. The long lobby has been shortened in order to increase the seating capacity. The interior is also being given a "housecleaning," and the latest improvements are being installed. The Broadway was one of the first picture houses to be ooened in Waterbury, and it is as popular to day as it was the opening week. This is because the management has kept abreast of the time and traveled on the car of progress. The theatre is a feature house. It uses posters exclusively. Sales and Leases K. H. Grantham has sold the Academy Theatre at Forty-eighth street and Normandy avenue, Los Angeles, to B. Haun, who recently disposed of his theatre in Montana and went to that . city. Mr. Grantham is owner of the Olympus at 2014 East First street. George K. Robinson, a showman of thirty years' experience, has leased the Lyric motion picture theatre, Fitchburg, Mass., from Cornelius Ouinlan, and intends to open with a matinee performance Labor Dav. The Pitt Theatre, Pittsburgh, was sold by the receiver appointed by Judge Thomas T. Ford at public sale on August .31. The sale was requested by J. Frank McHenery, who was named receiver. After taking the theatre over and conducting it for two weeks he stated to the court he deemed it unadvisable to continue it longer, and stated it should be sold. He operated the theatre with feature films and was unable to make any money. This is one of the best theatres for motion pictures in Pittsburgh, and should make money. The Imperial Theatre, in Beaver avenue. North Side, Pittsburgh, has changed hands, the new lessee being A. R. Robinson, of the Robinson Realty Company. The old manager, T. R. Eichholtz, continues in his position. Vaudeville will be added to the motion picture program at the theatre when the fall season opens. Mr. Barton, formerly of the Rex Theatre at Washington, Pa., has sold that theatre and has purchased the Opera House at Monessen, Pa. His new house is a well-equipped theatre of G50 capacity, and will be run as a vaudeville and motion picture house during the coming fall and winter. The Acropolis Theatre, at 4829 Second avenue, Pittsburgh, has changed hands. Mr. Sexauer having sold the house to Max Steinberger, a business man of Hazelwood, Pa. The new proprietor took charge of the house and will shortly make a number of improvements in the place. The Lyric Theatre, at Sentinel, Okla., has been purchased by F. C. Rogers and will be rechristened the Nusho. S. J. Richards, formerly of Albia, la., will open a new house in Ottumwa, Kan., soon. It will be known as the Starlight. C. E. Hoover has leased a building at 112 East Ohio street. North Side, Pittsburgh, and will shortly begin turning the first floor of the building into a motion picture theatre. Two large lights are to be erected in front of the theatre he owns at New Castle. Pa. He has been given permission by the city fathers and" Mr. Ray states he will have the most brilliantly lighted spot in New Castle. Walter Pruyn and his son, Ferrel, have purchased from Clarence Nuckles the motion picture house which he owned at Marshall, 111. Mr. Ferrel Pruyn will manage the picture show and plans, besides a number of improvements, to show a first-class run of films. The Melbourne Theatre, Seattle, Wash., formerly owned by The Melbourne Amusement Company, of which Eugene Levy is the main stockholder, has just been sold to J. S. Shortley, who has been operating theatres in Oregon and Idaho. Mr. Shortley has closed the house for two weeks in order to thoroughly remodel and refit it, changing the ventilating plant and installing a very fine and ornamental marquis and electric sign in the front. The Melbourne has a seating capacity of 650, a large mirror screen, a $5,000 organ, and is located in the busiest district in the city. The alterations completed, the Melbourne will be operated as a ten-cent house with a first-run program, using one big feature every two weeks. C. W. Joehrendt, of Thomas, Okla., has purchased the Globe motion picture theatre at Monticello. 111., from Frank F. Miner, and has assumed management of it. Mr. Joehrendt is an experienced motion picture exhibitor and plans a number of improvements in the Monticello house. I. Bernstein has purchased the Alhambra Theatre on North _ Main street, Waterbury, Conn. Mr. Bernstein is young in years, but not in moving picture experience, and plans "big things" for his house. He uses the Mutual program and has contracted to exhibit "The Trey o' Hearts," the opening reels of which will be shown the first week of September. The Alhambra seats about 600 in orchestra and gallery. It has a _ "fibre" screen and a Powers projecting machine. The lobby is one of the finest in the city, and the advertising display second to none hereabouts. Harry G. Houghton, who for twelve years has been connected with the Amsterdam. N. Y., office of the New York Telephone Company, in the capacity of salesman, has leased the Star Theatre, in Mechanicsburg, Pa., and will embark in the moving picture business. The Lyric Theatre, at 134 Main street. Rahway, N. J., which has been under the management of the Messrs. Beers for some time past, has been bought by L. E. Van Dorn, Jr., of New Brunswick, who has a theatre in that city and also one in Hackensack, N. J. It is the intention of the new management to give the public some of the finest things in the way of moving pictures. Plans are being made for the opening of a new motion picture theatre at Jackson, Kv. It is said that the management of the old Lyric Theatre at Winchester is back of the project. If the new theatre is opened at Jackson it will be the second house devoted to motion pictures in that town. The Bijou Theatre on North Main street, Kewanee, 111., which has been closed for some time, has been re-opened by N. M. and W. A. McLatighlin who came to Kewanee from Rio. The new proprietors are showing Mutual films. The Orpheum Theatre of Omaha has started again this season to follow the plan of giving a news picture at the close of its daily vaudeville program.