Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1916)

January 29, 1916. MOTION PICTURE NEWS L S09' GILMORE AND HENRY MADE BRANCH MANAGERS FOR GENERAL The appointment of two more branch managers was announced from the executive offices of the General Film Company, 200 Fifth avenue, New York, this week. The appointees are W. J. Gilmore, who takes charge of the Twenty-third street branch, New York, and T. Y. Henry, who heads the Salt Lake City organization. A number of years ago, Mr. Gilmore, who was then the successful manager of a number of moving picture theatres, decided to go into the business of side films. He entered the Twenty-third street branch in a very unimportant capacity in the distributing room. Gradually he worked his way upward until he became assistant manager. Opportunity to give Mr. Gilmore advancement came as the result of the promotion from branch manager to division manager for the East of V. H. Hodupp. T. Y. Henry, who became manager of the General Film Company branch in Salt Lake City, knows his territory thoroughly and has held important executive positions in exchanges throughout the West. Prior to taking charge of the General Film Company in Salt Lake City, Mr. Henry was manager of the World's Film Exchange in Kansas City. Al Christie Heads Stars Who Stay at "U" City Among the Other Acquisitions Are George F. Hernandez with Stanton Company, John R. Hope and Harry Depp with the Turner Studio ALTHOUGH there has been a great deal of wonder expressed at President Carl Laemmle's quick trip to Universal City, a night letter received at the home office of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company in which Mr. Laemmle told of the signing of thirty-five stars for the western studios, accounts to a certain extent for his mysterious visit to the coast. Al Christie and the Nestor company have renewed their contract with the Universal. King Baggot, Ben Wilson, Paul Panzer, Matt Moore and Harry Benham will continue to be the male stars attached to the eastern studios, while Mary Fuller, Jane Gail, Dorothy Phillips, Florence Lawrence, Violet Mersereau and Edna Hunter will be featured as the star actresses of the Imp. studios. At Universal City a very recent addition to the list of stars is none other than Stafford Pemberton, late of Ned Weyburn's Town Topics. Robert Leonard, Eddie Lyons, Douglas Gerrard, William Worthington, Hobart Bosworth, Phillips Smalley, Hobart Henley, Francis Ford, Victor Potel, Leading Theatres Circuit, Inc., Finally Organized Michell H. Marks, of the Strand, New York; John Kunsky, of Detroit; Nathan H. Gordon, of Boston, and William Sievers, of St. Louis, Are Officers of the Exhibitor Body BY the formation of the Leading Theatres Circuit, Inc., during the past week, the bringing together into a body the foremost exhibitors from almost every important city in the United Staes, has been accomplished. Among the members are listed owners of the majority of the most prominent motion picture theatres of the United States. The following list of the officers and directors reads like "Who's Who" in the motion picture exhibiting business. Mitchell H. Mark of New York, who is the head of the New York Strand theatre, is president. John H. Kunsky, the head of the Kunsky chain of theatres in Detroit, is vice-president. Nathan H. Gordon, of the Gordon chain of theatres throughout New England, is treasurer. William Sievers, of the New Grand Central Theatre Company of St. Louis, Missouri, is secretary. The other directors are : Stanley Mastbaum of Philadelphia; John P. Harris of Pittsburgh ; Aaron Jones, the head of the Jones, Linick and Schaefer Company of Chicago; Emancl Mandelbaum of Cleveland; Louis J. Dittmar of Louisville; Thomas Saxe of the Saxe Enterprises of Milwaukee; Thomas Furniss of Duluth, Minnesota. It is hoped by the members of the Leading Theatre Circuit, Inc., that by the formation of this company producers of meritorious productions will come into more direct contact with the exhibitor. It is intended by the organization to further the artistic and commercial possibilities for motion pictures, and to acquire for its members the exhibition rights for any exceptional productions that may be produced from time to time. It is principally for this plan of co-operation between exhibitors and producers that the Leading Theatres Circuit, Inc., was formed. Harry D. Carey, Paul Bourgeois, Arthur Shireley, Herbert Kelsey, Herbert Rawlinson, Sydney Ayres, Rupert Julian, ' Lee Moran, Sherman Bainbridge, Murdock MacQuarrie and Billie Ritchie continue with the company. The actresses who have helped to make history for the western Universal studios and who have signed for the 1916 banner year include Lois Weber, Geo Madison, Mme. Bourgeois, Edna Maison, Agnes Vernon, Marie Walcamp, Billie Rhodes, Edith Sterling, Adele Farrington, Gale Henry, Effie Shannon, Grace Cunard and Myrtle Gonzalez. The Universal Film Manufacturing Company's Red Feather Features will take the place of the Broadway Universal Feature January 31. The first three releases under the Red Feather Features will be Violet Mesereau in "The Path to Happiness" with Harry Benham, followed by Harry D. Carey in "A Knight of the Range," Herbert Kelcey and Effie Shannon in "The Sphinx" and a George Loans Tucker film, "The Sons of Satan" being a sequel to this producer's recent photoplay "Traffic in Souls." Besides the foregoing re-engagements. General Manager Joe Brandt of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company announces the acquisition of the following players at Universal City. George F. Hernandez with Stanton company; John R. Hope and Harry Depp with Turner company ; Don Meany, production department and Charles W. Dorian assigned to general stock. Among the discontinuances of services of the personnel of the Universal City studios announced by Mr. Brandt arc, Max Asher of Curtis company ; Beulah Lewis, Harry Weil and M. K. Wilson of general stock ; D. A. McCIish of Turner company; Dorothy Clark, Mrs. Ethel Clark. Golda Colwell and William Carlock of the Carleton company. "BIG JIM GARRITY" WILL BE PICTURIZF.I) BY PATHE The Pathe Gold Rooster play, "New York," having been finished, George Fitzmaurice, the producer, has started work on "Big Jim Garrity," another A. H. Woods theatrical production. Robert Edeson will appear as the star in this picture.