Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

2530 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 16 it,.. AMONG THE EXCHANGES Pay in Advance Plan Put Into Operation by All Leading Exchanges in North Western Canada The Vancouver head office of the Dominion Exclusives, Limited, handling the distribution of the Fox features throughout Western Canada, has been moved from the Leigh Spencer Building to the Orpheum Theatre Building, which is fast becoming the film center of the city. Manager E. R. Fauser's new quarters are on the fifth floor of the building. E. A. Auger, general superintendent of branches in the United States and Canada for the Mutual Film Corporation, and known to a wide circle of friends as " Tiny," on account of his extreme bulk, recently spent a few days with manager C. R. Dippie of the local office, in the course of a trip of inspection covering the West. Mr. Auger was one of the pioneers in the film business in British Columbia, having acted as the first representative of the General Film Compam in this territory. The film exchanges of British Columbia, all of which are situated in Vancouver, have just put into effect the pay-in-advance plan, and this system will hereafter apply to all exhibitors in the province. The exchanges decided that in the face of the poor collections in some quarters, there was no other course to be pursued, and although there was considerable objection to the plan on the part of exhibitors, it is pointed out by the exchange managers that the responsible exhibitor, who pays his bills, really reaps an advantage by having his less responsible competitor forced to pay up or go out of business. On September 25, following the lead of British Columbia, the same rule was put in effect by all exchanges located in Calgary, Alberta, and serving not only all theatres in that province, but also a number in western Saskatchewan and a few towns in eastern British Columbia. Thus almost the entire Dominion is now under the pay-inadvance system, .And exchange managers are united in declaring that there will be no return to the old method. New Theatre for Moose Jaw The Allen theatre at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, has just been added to the fast growing number of exceptional moving picture houses which are gradually replacing the old-time store shows in Western Canada. The ownership and operation of the Allen are vested in the Allen Theatre Company, Limited, which also controls the Allen theatre in Calgary, Alberta, and the Rex in Regina, Sask. The officers of the company, which is capitalized at $225,000 are : B. Allen, of Winnipeg, president ; Jule Allen, of Toronto, vice-president ; and Jay J. Allen, of Toronto, secretary. A. J. McKelvie is manager of the new house, under the supervision of H. L. Gage of Regina, who has just been appointed general manager of the Allen houses in Saskatchewan. President B. Allen went to Moose Jaw for the opening, and many leading people of the city attended, admission being confined exclusively on the opening night to those holding invitation cards. The general color scheme of the theatre is terra cotta and blue, with a tapestry effect in gray extending from a wainscoting composed of large tiles. There are several hundred lights on the front of the house, and the lobbj doors have been so arranged that this space can be kept warm and comfortable during the winter months, so that waiting patrons will not be subjected to the severity of the weather. The rest rooms for ladies will be open at all times, regardless of whether or not a performance is in progress. The foyer occupies the entire space under the balcony, so that none of the seats are located under a low ceiling, the last row of orchestra seats being placed even with the edge of the balcony. Seats downstairs are of leather, while those in the balcony are upholstered in plush. Although there is no thought at the present time of presenting an\-thing but motion pictures in the house, provision has been made for the future by the installation of a large stage and scenic equipment, so that if desired vaudeville or legitimate attractions may be played. Sixth Des Moines Exchange Will Soon Be in Operation— Li Bieu Believes in Stunts THE sixth exchange to distribute film out of Des Moines will soon be in operation. It is that of the recently organized Mid-West Photo Play Corporation, of which A. H. Blank, of Des Moines, is president. Although the main exchange of this compan}' will be in Kansas Cit)% the executive offices and a branch exchange will be maintained there. This is the company which bought the State rights in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri for the new Clara Kimball Young pictures. The second and third floors of the Garden Theatre Building are being converted into inspection and shipping rooms. The exchange will also release pictures of the Garden Feature Film Company. Air. Blank was in Des Moines for two days last week. He got here on a Sunday morning after a trip to New York and Kansas City. He returned to New York the following Monday night. On his return he promised to announce developments that would be very important to exhibitors of Iowa. Mr. Blank, in addition to being president of the Mid-West Photo Play Corporation, will act as manager of the exchange. " Nothing new here," said C. E. Smith, manager of the Metro Exchange, " except that we recently installed a new film renovator." John Shipley, publicity agent for the Riverview Park management in Des Moines, has accepted a position with the " Birth of a Nation " Company, operating out of Minneapolis. A recent visitor to the Des Moines exchanges was A. N. Blakley, special representative of the Enterprise Optical Company, of Chicago. Nat Barach, who was recently made manager of the World Exchange, at Dallas, Te.xas, will be remembered by exchange men and exhibitors of Iowa. Mr. Barach was for some time a traveler in this State for the Metro Film Service. Nothing has yet been done about reviving the Des Moines Screen Club. This organization, once a very promising body, has practically ceased existence and will probably be in this condition for some time. The exchange men of Des Moines are a very cordial and aggressive bunch, and it seems rather peculiar that they would allow such a progressive movement as this to die without any effort to keep it alive. It was thought that the winter season would see a few social functions put on by the Screen Club, but unless something is started soon this will not occur. Word has been received in Des Moines of the marriage of J. A. Conant, formerly road man in Iowa for the Metro. Mr. Conant, who is now with the V-L-S-E in Cleveland, chose as his wife. Miss Gladys Lossing, of Bowling Green, Ohio. R. C. Li Beau, manager of the Des Moines Film and Supply Company, Paramount distributors, is one executive who believes strongly in pulling oft "freak" stunts to introduce pictures to the public Whenever he talks to his exhbitors, he always puts in a good word about doing outof-the-ordinary things to attract attention. And when he does get hold of this t\-pe of an exhibitor he immediately gets a complete review of the stunt and forwards it to Paramount headquarters in New York; sends a copy to Lee D. Balsley, manager of the publicity department of the Kansas City Feature Film Company, of which the Des Moines firm is a branch, for use in the house organ ; and he gives a copy to MoTiox Picture News representative. " Nothing like boosting the exhibitors in your own territorj," sajs Mr. Li Beau.