Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

2280 Motion Picture News NEfFSY BRIEFS FROM CENTRAL FILM BELT Chicago and the Mid-West L. H, MASON, REP RESENT ATIFE, 910 S. MICHIGAN AVE, Reclcraft's Chicago exchange has secured the rights for " The Adventures of Tarzan," the Numa Picture Corporation's serial, featuring Elmo Lincoln, for the states of Illinois, W isconsin and Indiana. Manager Harthill is enthusiastic over both the serial and the paper which goes with it, and believes it will be one of the hits of the season. Salesnianager E. J. Eichenlaub, of Associated First National, is back from a two weeks' tour of Illinois and reports exhibitors' business is showing a steady gain in all parts of the state, and that show men are confident that the winter will prove a profitable one. C. H. Stewart, who was connected with Pathe's St. Louis Exchange for four and one-half years, has been added to Mr. Eichenlaub's staff of salesmen and will cover Southern Illinois for First National. The National theatre, of Ladd, Illinois, was recently destroyed by fire and John Pini, the owner, has already made plans for building a new house to replace it. The National was a three hundred seat theatre and one of the best and most Chicago Musical Service Prospering THE Chicago M u s i c al Service Bureau, a concern that specializes in furnishing competent organists and pianists for motion picture theatre work, recently was organized in Chicago, and already is meeting with great success, filling as it does a valuable place in the industry as the demand for skilled musicians of this class is constantly growing. C. B. Ball, for many years head of The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company's educational department, which has trained and supplied hundreds of musicians to theatres, is behind the Musical Service Bureau and his son, C. J. Ball, is manager. The Chicago Musical Service Bureau makes no charge to theatre men for furnishing them with the best musical talent to properly accompany the pictures, excepting the usual cost of telegraming, long distance phone calls, or postage, and now has a list of experienced organists and pianists on hand. The Bureau is now installed in its new offices at 20 E. Jackson Boulevard. attractive of the smaller houses in the state. The Rock River Conference of the Methodist Church, at their annual session held in Chicago last week, endorsed the report of the committee on public policy, the first section of which praised the movies as a great recreational and educational factor, but urged that a new conscience should be developed in the industry. The resolutions also declared it was the state's right and duty to censor motion pictures Moving picture stars are popular with the patrons of Jones, Linick & Schaefer's houses and personal appearances have proved such good business getters that Aaron Jones has arranged for the appearance of some more screen personalities at the McVickers and Rialto theatres, following the engagements of Ben Turpin, Lillian VValker, Lew Cody and Ben Alexander. Baby Marie Osborne is appearing at the Rialto this week and Ruth Stonehouse. well known to Chicagoans, principally through her connection with Essanay, will top the variety bills at the two Jones, Linick & Schaefer houses in the near future. George Walsh also is booked to appear at these houses early in November. Watterson R. Rothacker has returned to his Chicago headquarters after two weeks in the east and is scheduled to leave the latter part of October for the coast where he will visit the new Aller-Rothacker Studios. Rothacker's Chicago laboratory continues to be a center of interest for visiting film celebrities, among those having called at the plant within the past few days being Anita Stewart, Rudy Cameron and Carter De Haven, en route back to the coast. The merger of the Fulco Sales Company and S. E. Schaffer & Company has been consummated within the last week, and the combined firm is operating under the name of the Fulco-Schaifer Sales Company. The officers of the newconcern are Carl Fulton, president; Sam SchafTcr, vice-president ; T. Jarmin, secretary-treasurer, and R. H. Fulton, general manager. The Fulco-Schaffer Sales Co. will occupy the sales rooms and projection rooins formerly the headquarters of the S. E. Schaffer Company, at 24 E. Eighth Street. It is the intention of Messrs. Fulton and Schaffer to open an office in St. Louis at an early date, and representation in Indianapolis already has been taken over by the Indianapolis Calcium Light CompanyResides handling the Power's Projectors in this territory, the firm will handle the G-E Fort Wayne Generator sets, the Velvet Gold Fibre Screen and a complete line of supplies. Carl Fulton and R. H. Fulton, his brother, will continue their active connection with the E. E. Fulton Company, which, however, is in no way connected with the Fulco-SchafTer Sales Company. The popularity and wide acquaintance among film men of the officers of the Fulco-Schaffer Sales Company would seem to assure a prosperous business in this territory. Manager Seery, of First National, spent last week in New York in conference with the officials of Associated First National's home office. The First National Chicago exchange has just purchased " Burn 'Em Up Barnes " for Illinois, and the picture is reported going over strong with exhibitors. Fire Prevention Week is being observed in practically all Chicago motion picture theatres, which are running the films furnished by the Chicago Safety Council. The trailers show accidents and methods of preventing them, as well as fire hazards and fire prevention devices. Pat Campbell, well-known publicity man, has arrived from New York to handle the exploitation and publicity on United Artists' productions, and will make his headquarters at the Chicago exchange of this organization. Universal's District Manager H. .Stern :s back at his desk in ihe Chicago headquarters after a trip to Oklahoma City, St. Louis, Kansas City, and other western points. Me rcp'.-rts business is on the increase and that exhibitors are showing a more (iplimistic feeling. Roderick Ross, who has been vacationing for some time at his summer home in Ludington, Michigan, has returned to Chicago and it is rumored may again take an active part in the film industry. Gus Cook, of the Crj'stal theatre, Dundee, Illinois, is planning to leave for a two months' trip to .\laska about October 15th. The New Home theatre, at Rantoul, will be opened within the next week, according to Manager Walter Codington, of that house. W. D. Burford and John Silha, who have returned from Jackson, Michigan, where they attended the meeting of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan, report the convention was highly successful and that Michigan has an organization which for efficiency and enthusiasm would be hard to beat. W. D. Russell and Bernie Russell are in New York this week stopping at the Astor. They took Russell's Production's new sevenreel feature, " Shadows of Conscience," east with them and while in New York will give a showing of this excellent picture to the trade. The Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Chicago have arranged for the distribution of license certificates showing exhibitors have the right to collect ticket tax, to Chicago members of that organization, who may receive same by calling at the offices of the association, room 207, 910 S. Michigan avenue. Department heads and salesmen of Chicago's Famous PlayersLasky Exchange tendered a farewell dinner to Milton Kusell at the Sherman Hotel, Friday night. Mr. Kusell has been called to the New York office of Paramount, after having been connected with ihe Chicago exchange for the past four years. Otto Bolle has been named salesmanager to succeed Mr. Ru^ell and Neal Agnev/ Lccomes assistant salesmanager. Rilly Wendell, widely known to local exhibitors as cit\' booker, has been promoted to the Paramount sales force and will cover country territory hitherto looked after by Joe Wolf, who is appointed city salesman to take place of Ralph Bradford, whose resignation was announced in this column last week. Fitzpatrick & McElroy, Kinema and Empire, are now located at 808^ S. Wabash avenue, sharing quarters with Irving Mack, the hustling publicity and exploitation expert. Howard Kingsmore has been appointed exploitation representative of Paramount with headquarters at Milwaukee. Mr. Kingsmore comes from New York where he has had newspaper experience, which will be of great value to him in his newposition. Ad Powell and Hermie Applebaum are now operating the Bell theatre on Milwaukee avenue Griever Productions has secured the distribution for Illinois and Indiana of the entire Clark-Cornelius Corporation output. " The Eternal Two," starring Corliss Palmer, will be the first releases and will be followed by a number of important features which range in t>-pe from westerns to society drama.