Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

NEW YORK OFFICE. 729 Seventh Avenue Hiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiini; CHICAGO REPRESENTATIVE, 220 So. State Street Weiss Covers 100 Towns in Eighteen Days in Automobile HARRY WIESS, the energetic manager of the Central Film Exchange, Chicago, has just returned after eighteen days' hard work and hard driving. Mr. Wiess made his entire trip by automobile and says that never in the history of the Motion Picture business has the outlook been as good as it is today, in all the towns he visited. Houses that last spring were yelling calamity, are this season playing to capacity business at bigger prices than ever charged before. They are making most of their money on War pictures. The same managers last spring would not book a War picture at any price. There is no more bunk in the small towns about all the men having to go the front and leaving the theatres without patrons. The women, elderly people, and children are more in evidence than ever. The exhibitors in the small towns are glad of the daylight saving order, glad of the war-tax, which they at first feared, and are now well pleased with all present regulations. "Salome'' Runs Close Second to "Cleopatra" " SALOME," the Fox super-production, featuring Theda Bara, at Clune's Auditorium, during its first week's run gave promise of eclipsing "Cleopatra" in the matter of attendance, yet the run the second week indicated that it must play second position to "Cleopatra" in the matter of popularity, according to the theatre management. "It is not because the picture does not measure up to the standard set by ' Cleopatra,' " it was explained, " but it is not being shown under the same favorable conditions that greeted the showing of ' Cleopatra.' But in the main we are well satisfied and the picture will run at least three weeks, and possibly four." "Hearts of the World" Plays Elgin CROWDS greater than in months stormed the Grand theatre, Elgin, 111., for " Hearts of the World." This war picture was shown there for three days — Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, September 23, 24 and 25. Monday matinee was impossible on account of shortage of time between arrival of the show in the morning, so the premiere showing was to packed house Monday evening. Matinee performances on the other two days and evening shows crowded the house to capacity. Zambreno Buys Illinois Rights to "Vigilantes" FRANK ZAMBRENO, the head of the Unity Photo Play Co., has again shown himself to be one of Chicago's live wires as a state rights buyer. Mr. Zambreno has closed a deal with Messrs. Lewis J. Hampton and C. Sanford Harrison of the Bear State Film Company, which gives him the Illinois rights to the " Vigilantes," the seven-reel production that has just closed a successful three weeks run at the Playhouse Chicago. As the picture pleased many hundreds of exhibitors during its run, there is no question but what the booking of it will keep Mr. Zambreno's organization busy for some time to come. C. Sanford Harrison, business manager of the Bear State Film Co., will make his headquarters for the next sixty days at Mr. Zambreno's office in the College Bldg., 207 Wabash Ave. Mr. Lewis J. Hampton, president of the company, is leaving for Minneapolis where he will arrange for an opening of the picture in the very near future at one of the leading theatres of that city. As soon as the " Vigilantes " is properly launched in this district, Mr. Harrison and Mr. Hampton will return to their studios in California to prepare for another big production, the name of which they are not ready to announce". Fond du Lac Orpheum Pleases Crowds THE ORPHEUM THEATRE in Fond du Lac, Wis., laid the foundation for a record business on D. W. Griffith's new picture, "The Great Love," on Monday, Tuesday, Wendesday and Thursday, September 23, 24, 25 and 26. This was followed on Friday and Saturday, September 27 and 28, by Bryant Washburn in "Kidder & Co." The Orpheum has booked Norma Talmadge in "The Safety Curtain" for October 14, 15 and 16. William Russell, in "Up Romance Road," will cbnstitute the program for the balance of the week, October 17, 18 and 19. Dubuque Orchestra Gains Popularity THE GRAND ORCHESTRA at Dubuque, Iowa, is becoming more and more popular. The theatre's patrons are no longer satisfied when the orchestra plays only during the picture — they demand a piece or two during the intermission. On Sunday, September 22nd, " Smiles," with variations, was played, and it won such approval that it was encored time and again. ARE YOU DOING YOUR BIT? iiiniiH WISCONSIN ILLINOIS MICHIGAN INDIANA IOWA i:. -n:..:! .-'i.i,;, .::i .:;.i,:r;in mi:,,; :r ■■iiiii:; .ill ■■ui;!i:!iii:i :.ni!i;j..|ii.-.:;.!::i.::ii::' ' 'ii:. .i u.. . ;i ;i mi.: -: :' i " ,, : . :.: ., :'i , .;. ■.