Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

2662 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 17 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 Philadelphia League Is Reorganized and Enthusiasm of Exhibitors Promises Permanent Interest in the Association AFTER months of hibernation so deep and profound, many mistook it for real death, it is a pleasure to chronicle the reappearance of the Motion Picture Exhibitors League of Philadelphia. Twice before has such an organization been formed, both times to begin auspiciously flourish a short time and then go down to stagnation and dissolution. But at last the Quaker City contingent seem aroused to their real needs ; they are realizing that organization is essential in the picture business even more than in most others. With this idea in mind a few of the progressive exhibitors in Philadelphia, met a month ago and started the league with about thirty members representing thirtynine theatres. The election of officers resulted as follows : President, Morris Spiers of the Central and Plaza theatres ; First Vice-President, John O'Donnell, Premier theatre ; Second Vice-President, A. Fisher, Mammoth theatre; Secretary, Chas. H. Goodwin, representing eight theatres in the city and state ; Treasurers, Harry Green of Susquehanna, Aurora and Norris theatres. The board of directors are : T. Bagley, Marcus Benn, Harry Berman, W. Butler, George Naudascher, John O'Donnell, Charles Segall, M. Steifel, John Smith and the President M. Spiers. Meetings are held every Friday at noon in the auditorium of the American Photoplayer Company, Parkway Building, Broad and Cherry streets. In the short month of the league's existence the membership has increased so rapidly, that now one hundred and eight theatres are represented. The principal subject of discussion at the meetings thus far has been the necessity of raising admission prices to meet the advanced cost of everything. As a result about fifty per cent, of the five-cent theatres represented have either gone to a straight ten-cent basis or established several ten-cent nights each week. As an example, six of Mr. Goodwin's eight theatres have been raised to the dime admission. One social occasion has already been enjoyed by the league and its ladies. On Sunday evening, October 1, the Family theatre at Juniper and IMarket streets was tended by Manager Bradfield. The Clara Kimball Young, " The Common Law " was given a prelease, complimentary showing. Other interesting events added to the evening's pleasure. Among the guests were Lee Ochs, national president. The aims, ideals and hopes of the league can best be expressed in the secretary's own words printed on an attractive circular gotten out by the league containing list of officers, theatres represented, information about time and place of meetings and amount of dues. It follows. Our Message To You ! MR. EXHIBITOR! Four weeks ago, amid the scoffs and sneers of the theatre owners of Philadelphia, who had witnessed two previous failures of similar leagues, the Motion Picture Exhibitors' League of Philadelphia was organized with a list of about thirty members. Todav the membership list has grown to over ONE HUNDRED! And still they come. The league was created as a vital need to alleviate the conditions under which the local exhibitors are laboring. It is purely a beneficial organization. Its success is assured because of the following reasons : Its sole aim is to help the exhibitor. Every exhibitor is required to take an active interest in the affairs of the league. Your loyal help comes before your dues. The management of the league business is not in the hands of any indi\ idual or clique of individuals. All members have equal say. Every member is an enthusiastic booster. They all realize that a failure of the present league would be a calamity for the exhibiting business here and are determined that the league shall be a success. If you are not yet a member, come in now. Fill out the membership blank, and mail immediateh'. We need you as much as you need us ! C. H. GooDwix, Secretary, U. P. E. L. of Phila. October 1, 1916. BROTHER OF "CUBS" MANAGER RUNS THEATRE Frank ^^lurphy, brother of Charlie Murphy, manager of the Chicago Cubs, is as much interested in running a theatre, as his brother is in baseball. Frank manages the Cub theatre, at Wilmington, Ohio, where Paramount pictures are run exclusively, and it is his daily boast when talking of pictures that he has run every Paramount picture since that organization began the distribution of Famous Players, Lasky, Morosco and Pallas productions. BRADFORD. MANAGER OF THE STRAND, NASHVILLE, WILL PROVIDE BEST PICTURES Now that the Peerless Amusement Company of Nashville, which recently took over the Strand theatre, conceded to be one of the handsomest photoplay houses south of the Ohio River, representing an investment of $25,000, business from now on will be conducted on an entirely different basis as has heretofore been done. The Strand will now be under the managementship of Carson Bradford. " Nashville," said General Manager Bradford to a representative of News, " has long needed an up-to-date motion picture theatre, a theatre where one's mother, sister, and wife, likewise the little children could go and enjoy an evening of high-class photoplays of the highest type and perfection. As general manager of the Strand, it shall be the height of my ambition to give to the public of Nashville the right kind of plays. I have arrived at a conclusion, that to conduct a photoplay house on a strictly paying basis you've got to provide your patrons with the best pictures on the market— pictures that are clean and carry with them a clean moral lesson to both young and old. When you provide your patrons with such photoplays as these, you can always bank on having an S. R. O. house at each and every performance. The Strand is now enjoying an even better run of business than it has even enjoyed. As long as I remain at the helm as general manager of the Strand I shall make every effort to keep my theatre in keeping with those in the larger cities." MUST PAY IN ADVANCE FOR SERVICE IN DETROIT Under a new arrangement, effective October 15, Detroit" exhibitors doing business with the Mutual, Universal and General exchanges of Detroit must pay in advance for their service. This action was forced upon the exchanges because of the many losses which they have sustained in the past by the extension of credit. As far as the exhibitor is concerned, he must pay for the film one way or the other, so there should be no objection to paying for it in advance, is the statement made by the exchanges. "If we were absolutely certain that we would get our money for service from every exhibitor, we would gladly extend credit, but our experience in the past has shown that manj' exhibitors have no intention of paying when they take service." said one exchange manager. " Under the new arrangement our profit and loss accounts will cease to exist."