Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

September 30, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 2013 With the Exhibitor This Department is designed to include all news of exhibitor organization and welfare, national, state and local; news items of exhibitor activities; and letters from exhibitors, constructively critical and dealing with any important trade problem. We invite correspondence PITTSBURGH THEATRES RAISE ADMISSION PRICES Special to Motion Picture News. Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept. 16. IV/lANY of the theatres in this part of ^ the city are boosting the price of admission, so that there are few of the fivecent theatres left. That Pittsburgh is one of the cheapest theatre towns in motion picures has been proved to be a fact, and many of the owners of the theatres are afraid to boost their prices for fear that all of the theatres in this section will not do the same. As a result of this back pulling of the managers the prices have been held down to the extent that many of the theatres are not doing much more than breaking even on the investment. As a result of a conference several of the managers of East Liberty theatres have boosted their prices, and are now on a ten-cent basis. The Rex theatre in Penn avenue. East Liberty, has gone to ten cents, as has the Penn theatre at Penn avenue and Butler street. These two sections are important ones in this city, and should have been playing to higher prices long ago, but the managers could not get together on the price, and as a result the price was held at five cents until this latest move. It is said that there are a number of other theatres in that section which will soon raise their prices as a result of the higher rental prices for films and greatly increased overhead expenses. HOUSE MANAGERS AND ASSISTANTS IN PHILADELPIilA ORGANIZE SOCIAL BODY The Motion Picture Employees' Association is a new organization which has just been formed in Philadelphia. It is composed primarily of house managers and assistants. The society meets twice a month at 2131 S. Fifth street. At the first meeting the election of officers resultd as follows : President, Samuel Kaplan, assistant manager of the Regent ; vice president and secretary, David Lodge, of the Ruby; treasurer, Joseph Baker, of Trenton, N. J. The association has for its objects, sociability amongst its members. Already plans are underway for the first big entertainment, which will take the form of a masquerade ball to be given Halloween night at Eagle's Hall, Broad and Spring Garden streets. Part of the proceeds of the ball will be given to charity. Many surprises are being planned by the management. It is hoped to have some of the prominent screen stars present and novel sonvenirs are promised the guests. Cleveland League Holds Meeting and Hears Wage Report; Committee Appointed to Take Charge of Pay Demand exhibitors, threatening strike and boycott if their demands were »ot met. After an THE Motion Picture Exhibitors League exceedingly dull summer, the exhibitor had hplH it<; rppiilar mpptinc on Tuesdav. little inclination for upholding a plan that Special to Motion Picture News. Cleveland, O., Sept. 16. HE Motion Picture Exhibitors League held its regular meeting on Tuesday. The most important business was the reading of the report of the committee of five appointed to take charge of the increased wage demanded by the operators. The operators won their fight for a $3.25 weekly increase, thus bringing the minimum wage scale up to $20.75 a week. The committee reported that it held three meetings with the operators' union ; one at the Union headquarters : one with Mr. Owen, secretary of the Federation of Labor, and a third with the grievance committee of the operators' union. The result of the discussions at these meetings failed to convince the operators of the injustice of their demand. But failing to make the League committee come to their terms, they approached individual might close his theatre at this season, so he agreed to the increase but at the same time, no longer recognizing the closed shop. The early part of August, the League appointed a committee consisting of D.' S. Schumann, S. Simpson, Sam Bullock, W. J. Slimm, and George Heinbach to determine on some plan for organization on the political progress of the League. This committee drafted a plan which it sent to the national headquarters for approval and assistance. As no answer has as yet been received from the national headquarters, a motion was made and carried that a letter be written urging this matter to be brought to the attention of the national association and tended to at its next meeting. Massachusetts Exhibitors Will Join National League; Members Unanimously Vote for Association Merger special to Motion Picture News. Boston, Sept. 16. AVERY spirited meeting of the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of Massachusetts was held on Thursday, September 7, at Beacon theatre building, Tremont street, Boston. It was unanimously passed that the directors legalize the vote passed at the last meeting, that the organization join the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of America. This local organization is to be called the Massachusetts branch. It was voted that the present members in good standing, be registered as members of the new organization. The following officers were temporarily elected : E. H. Horstmann, president ; R. W. Drown, 1st vice president ; P. F. Lydon, second vice president; H. A. Gilman, treasurer ; H. I. Wasserman, secretary. The following Board of Directors were appointed : E. H. Horstmann, F. J. Howard, R. W. Drown, Jacob Laurie, P. M. Lydon, G. , M. Clark, H. A. Gilman, and H. I. Wasserman. A committee of two, H. I. Wasserman and Jacob Laurie, were appointed to seek suitable quarters in the vicinity of the film district. Other important matters were taken up, such as appointing a committee to see the Mayor, Honorable James M. Curley, with the view of reducing the Sunday licenses. A committee was also appointed to see Chief Plunkett with the view of modifying the strict censorship on Sunday pictures, and other hardships imposed on the exhibitors. Later, the above committee reported that a favorable conference was held, and certain modifications were made in the stringent laws." NOVEMBER 6 IS DATE SET FOR FOURTH BRONX BALL The fourth annual entertainment and ball of the Cinema Exhibitors Association, Bronx Local No. 2, M. P. E. L. of A. will be held on Monday, November 6 (Election Eve), 8 p. m. at Hunt's Point Palace, 163rd street and Southern Boulevard, Bronx. Bronx subway to Simpson street station. There will be a grand march of photoplay stars led by Madame Olga Petrova and all the photoplay artists will positively attend. This affair promises to eclipse all previous entertainments of the association and the following committee is hard at work : Henry Cole, chairman ; J. Bolte, H. Pollak, A. Levy, N. Scheinberg, and President J. J. Whitman, ex-officio. At the last annual ball more than 4,000 were present and the coming affair will be bigger than any of the pervious entertainments held by the association, as the committee has been assured of the co-operation of : manufacturers and photoplayers.