Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1919)

288 (Equipment Service) M u I i u n Picture News The Boston Motion Picture Supply Company THE Boston Motion Picture Supply Company is located at No. 54 Broadway, which street runs directly through the center of the film district of this City of beans and culture. Mr. Harry Asher, one of the oldest and best known New England film executives, is the President of the Boston Motion Picture Supply Company which holds the exclusive Simplex distributing rights in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Branch offices of this widely known concern are also located in the Strand Theatre Building, Providence, R. I., while the Connecticut Moving Picture Supply Company of New Haven, Conn., represent the Boston Company in the nutmeg State. Miss Rose Asher is the nominal head of the Boston office. It is from this office that the bulk of the supply business is transacted and it is also here that the majority of New England exhibitors come to replenish their theatre supplies. Mr. Joseph Cifre, former President of the Boston Motion Picture Operators Union who has but recently returned from war duties in France, has again picked up the reins of business which the war had caused him to drop and now greets his old customers once more as head of the sales force, while Mr. Carl Berry rounds up Simplex prospects on the outside. The thoroughly equipped repair shop maintained at the Boston office is under the capable supervision of Mr. Dan Dalziel, New England's well known repair and installation expert. Besides carrying a complete stock of modern and up-to-date theatre equipment of all descriptions on hand, the BostorT office boasts also of a beautiful screening room handsomely furnished which meets with the popular approval of the film men in the district who gather here daily. The sales of Simplex Projectors in this territory have been exceedingly heavy and through the creditable work of the Boston distributors it is said that with but two exceptions Washington street, the Broadway of the Hub, is 100% Simplex, while the majority of larger houses in the industrial cities throughout this territory are using Simplex sold through the Boston office. With but one exception everyone of the nineteen film exchanges in the film district of Boston have been equipped with Simplex through the efTorts of the Boston distributors. Erker Brothers Optical Company LOCATED on Olive street which is the leading thoroughfare of St. Louis is the House of Erker which for years has been known as the most prominent optical concern of this enterprising Mid Western city. The Erker Brothers Optical Company of which A. P. Erker, Esq., is president was chosen as distributors of Simplex Projectors in this district owing to their standing in the supply business, and the activities of this concern in behalf of the Simplex has more than substantiated the good judgment in the making of this appointment. The headquarters of the Erkers Bros., Optical Company are located at 608 Olive street which location is familiar to even the pioneers of the industry. Mr. H. G. Lihou is in charge of the Sales Department of the House of Erker and is likewise known to the trade on account of his long and intimate connections with the supply business. The Erker Bros., Optical Company represent Simplex in Eastern Missouri, Northeastern Arkansas as well as the counties of Monroe, Madison and St. Clair in Illinois. Among the beautiful theatres which have been equipped by the Erker Bros., Optical Company are the following: St. Louis Down-Town Houses: Columbia, Strand, Broadway, Grand Opera Roust Royal, Lyric, Orpheum, Central, Rainbow and Variety, and many others. Some miscellaneous users of Simplex Projectors in St. Louis: Engineers Club, Cleveland High School, Central High School, Union M. E. Church, Holy Trinity Church, Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor. B, F. Porter BF. PORTER, known to thousands of film • supply men throughout not only New York but the amusement world generally as the "Tiffany of the Trade," is the Simplex Distributor for greater New York city, northern New Jersey while Dutchess, Putnam, Orange, Suffolk and Rockland counties in New York state are also included in the Simplex territory covered by this energetic and hustling supply man. For a long time Mr. B. F. Porter's show windows in Times Square showed two specially finished and illuminated Simplex Projectors and held the attention of thousands of home-coming and after-the-show New Yorkers while since Mr. Porter's removal into the Godfrey Building the big changeable electric sign atop this structure spells out illuminated messages upon the black background of the midnight sky to thousands and can be read at great distances telling of the achievement of "Porter on the Square." Mr. Porter is now located on the 7th Avenue side of the New York City quarters of the International Cinequipment center occupying the entire second floor of the Godfrey building which building by day and night resembles nothing more closely than a veritable beehive of motion picture activities. Here is located the famous model projection room which contains four types of Simplex Projectors of various models as well as a wiring system that includes voltages ranging from thirty to two hundred and twenty volts both alternating and direct current. Here too may be found the very latest appliances used in the modern projection rooms, which Mr. Porter invariably includes in high class installations. Hardly a large theatre in or around New York City has been constructed or opened within the past half-dozen years that Mr. B. F. Porter has not had something to do with in the matter of equipment, while the road shows of Griffith, Ince and other nationally known makers of film whose productions have been taken on the road have had their equipment furnished them through the House of Porter. The Rialto, Rivoli, Strand — Brooklyn, as well as the latest New York City masterpiece of theatre building — the Capitol have also had their projection rooms equipped under B. F. Porter's personal supervision. In the Lead and Going Strong WHEN a business, started by young men without any partcular " pull, " forges right ahead and takes a leading place in the commercial world, it is fair to admit that there was a need for such a business. And yet, if the men who started the Exhibitors Supply Company in July of 1915 had not been keen, clear-cut, and inherently honest, their business could not have shown the remarkable growth indicated by the following facts : July, 1915 — Started in business in Chicago in a small office — 300 square feet of floor space. May, 1916 — Moved to larger quarters — 600 squar feet of flor space. January, 1917— Again doubled their floor space — taking 1,200 square feet. July, 1917 — Established a branch at 157 N. Illinois street, Indianapolis, with R. E. Gumm in charge. February, 1918 — Opened another branch at 133 Second street, Milwaukee, with C. E. Buncc in charge. April, 1919 — Again moved to larger quarters, this time taking ,he entire second floor of the Famous players-Lasky Building, 845 Sc. Wabash avenue. Chicago, where they are now located. Floor space 4,000 square feet. Here they combined general offices, a sales room, stock and shipping room. August, 1919— Opened a branch at 3,308 Olive .street, St. Louis, under the management of A. B. Lombard. We are informed that plans are well under way for the establishment of still another branch, which will be accomplished within the next 30 days. Messrs. Dutlon, Douglas, and Lincoln, who are responsible for this progress, are not given to boasting, but we happen to know that their business has practically doubled every year since they started — even in 1918 when the " flu " epidemic caused the closing of practically all theatres, the country over, for weeks. And there is no indication of anything less than a 100% increase for the current year. J. Slipper & Co, T SLIPPER & CO., 728 So. Olive street, Los J . Angeles, California, have been dealers of me Smipiex machines for over four years. Their place of business is in the center of " Film Row," and they have one of the largest motion picture supply houses in the West, carrying a full line of all theatre equipment. Theirs was the first supply house in the United States to establih a projection room open to the general public for the previewing of pictures. They employ two operators the year round, and manufacture articles for the trade. Mollis, Smith, Morton Co, ^ HOMAS PARKER HOLLIS, president of the 1 company, spent twenty-seven years with the Anchor Nail & Tack Co., 19th S. S. Pgh., is a mechanic of ability, this being quite necessary to make and grind tools in the making of tacks. He also carried a stationary engineer's license, was foreman of the shop. The experience thus gained was a big asset in taking up the repair of motion picture machines. Mr. Hollis was first introduced to the motion picture industry in 1909, his first job inspecting film for the old Pennsylvania Film Exchange, 125 Fourth avenue, shortly after they moved from the Lewis Block at Smithfield and Sixth avenue. He remained in this capacity till some time after the General Film Company purchased the entire holding of Rowland & Clark, and Warner & Landie, involving the Pittsburgh Calcium Light and Film Company. Pgh. Calcium Light & Film Co., Penna Film Exchange, and the Duquesne Film Co., with offices and warerooms at 119 Fourth avenue, and 436 Fourth avenue. Mr. Hollis, went to 436 Fourth avenue, George building, with H. B. Miller as manager. Shortly after this merger, Mr. Hollis took charge of the repair and supply department, in which he labored till the spring of 1915, when he rented an upper room at 434 Fourth avenue, doing repair work and selling supplies. On July 10th, H. J. Smith allied himself with Mr. Hollis, under the firm of Hollis & Smith. This firm outgrew its quarters and signed a lease for its present location, long before the building was completed, moved to its present location in November, 1917, Harvey C. Hollis, treasurer of the company, as his brother was a tackmaker, and an expert mechanic, having served many years making tacks and nails, accepted a position as repairman with the Feature Film & Calcium Light Co., in 1912. Edward B. Alorton, secretary of the company, for nine years prior to his entering the motion picture machine and supply business was affiliated with the Standard Sanitarj Mfg. Company, in the capacity of designer and draughtsman, is quite an architect and a valuable man to all exhibitors who contemplate changes in their theatre. Henry J. Smith, vice-president and general manager, spent twelve years jn the wholesale grocery business, in the packing room for W. K. Gillespie, and Gillespie, Curee Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. (By the way, James B. Clark, of Rowland & Clark, was the bookkeeper, and James Steel, formerly vice-president of the Famous Players Film Company and Paramount Film Corporation, but now owner of a chain of theatres, was the shipping clerk). He was the first mechanic to rebuild Edison 2-pin machines to 1-pin in Pittsburgh, doing the work as perfect as the Edison Company, and saving transportation charges and from ten days to two weeks time in delivery. At that time, Edison 2-pin, Kineloscope, Lubin machine, Powers 5 and Motiograph Universal Machines were the stand-bys. Edison 1-pin exhibition model was just coming on the market. About 1910 or 1911, a Simplex was brought to Pittsburgh, Pa., by Mr. E. M. Porter, demonstrations were given. Machine was installed in the Cameraphone, down town, but was not looked on with much favor. Smith himself could not be persuaded at the time and passed it up. Some time after this, the General Film Company was organized; ht months after this a corporation was formed by Clark, Rowland. Davis & Miller; Ben Jones as manager, and Smith still repairman. James Steele was then brought from Cincinnati, O., to take charge. Shortly after Steel, with other interests, organized the Famous Players Film Co., and Smith became manager of the Feature Film & Calcium Light Co.. and remained in same position until he affiliated himself with T. P. Hollis at 434 Fourth avenue, as Hollis & Smith, and thus till the present day.