Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

544 Motion Picture News The Regent theatre shows the same distinction in the projection room as throughout the entire house England’s Finest Is Simplex Equipped /. Frank Brockliss, Ltd., 167 Wardour St., London, W. I. England, exclusive distributors of Simplex Projectors for England, Ireland and Scotland advise that the new $2,000,000 Regent Theatre, Brighton, England, which was reviewed in these columns in the issue dated December 31st, is equipped with three of the latest type “S” Simplex Projectors which project a 21 ft. 6 inch wide picture at a distance of one hundred and thirty feet. Mr. Brockliss also calls our attention to the fact that Brighton is the nearest seaside resort to London, being but a distance of fifty miles away and connected by a one-hour express train service. It is called “ London-by-the-Sea ” and many London business men live there. “ I should be inclined to call it the English Atlantic City,” quotes Mr. Brockliss in his letter. Interior view of the $500,000 Tuxedo theatre J. Frank Brockliss, Ltd., have for many years been distributors of Simplex Projectors and during that time have installed many hundreds of Simplex Projectors in various theatres throughout the United Kingdom. The installation of Simplex Projectors in England's finest theatre in face of the heavy competition of the many types of projectors offered to the English exhibitors speaks volumes for J. Frank Brockliss, Ltd. and the Simplex Projectors. The seating capacity of the Regent Theatre is 2,500 Open Tuxedo Theatre Detroit The new Tuxedo theatre, situated on the border line between the cities of Detroit, Mich., and Highland Park and one of the largest and finest vaudeville and motion picture theatres in that section, was opened to the public recently, with Thomas H. Ealand in charge as general manager for J. M. Leasia. Harry Silverman is the owner and builder of the theatre, Maurice T. Finckel, architect and engineer and Max Goldberg the decorator. The building, work upon which started early in the spring of 1921, is of brick with terra cotta trimmings and is of concrete and steel construction throughout. The lobby entrance, which is on Plamilton Boulevard, is 18 feet wide and 40 feet long, emptying into a foyer about 20 feet wide across the back. The exits are by way of Tuxedo avenue, Hamilton Boulevard and through a court and an alley. The size of the auditorium is 80 by 100 feet, with ceilings 50 feet high. There are four aisles and three rows of seats. The seating capacity of the lower floor is 1,800 and the balcony 600. The auditorium has an incline of about 10 feet from front to back. The stage is 20 feet deep, with an opening of 26 feet ; 40 feet wide and 70 feet high, to permit the handling of all size drops. The dressing rooms are all on one side and off the stage. They are 10 in number and will permit the handling of large legitimate productions. Three tiers of boxes are found on each side [" of the stage, with grill work above on each side to permit escape of organ sound. The theatre building itself is separate from the store and apartment building, being divided by a court 20 feet wide. A lobby connects the two buildings. The outside dimensions of the theatre are 80 by 120 feet, with a height of 50 feet, graduating to the stage height of 70 feet. All interior woodwork is in mahogany fin j ish and all ornnamental work in plaster. The color scheme and general design is carried out in Italian Rennaisance period effect, with old rose drapes and ivory gray panels. There are drinking fountains on the first floor and mezzanine. The ticket office is situated in the center of 1 the lobby, with two windows. The manager’s ] office is off the foyer. There are no posts found in the auditorium. Stairways on both sides of the rear lead to the mezzanine, where is located lounging rooms, i The entrance to the balcony is through the mez I zanine. The balcony is divided, with the front | for mezzanine seats. The lighting system is indirect. The theatre and building cost $500,000. Besides the theatre there is a 21 apartment building and seven stores. Max Goldberg handled the decorations; Heywood brothers the seats; the J. L. Hudson Co., < the carpets and draperies, the Russell Ventilat j ing Co., the washed air ventilating system and steam heat; the Michigan Motion Picture Supply Co., installed the projection equipment, two Simplex machines; Max Rubin is the projection engineer; Howell and Sewell the lighting effects and Detroit Structural Steel Co., the steel work. Blue Mouse Opens in Portland Taking over an old-fashioned second-run theatre and within the short space of one month j transforming it into one of the prettiest theatres ; in Portland, Oregon, is by no means an easy task, yet that is what John Hamrick, well-known theatrical man of the Northwest did in Port j land recently when he took over the Globe theatre at Eleventh and Washington stree1 and! opened it up recently as the Blue Mouse. Mr. 1 Hamrick is also owner of the Blue Mouse Theatre in Seattle. Mr. Hamrick and the workmen with whom he surrounded himself has so transformed the old Globe Theatre that barely a trace of it remains. They have applied the artistic touch and have] achieved thereby a comfortable, cozy and | charmingly beautiful motion picture theatre. Records were broken by the Western Theatre , Equipment Company of Seattle in order to get1 the theatre opened on time. From all parts of: the East, chairs, carpets, machines and screens, were rushed in order to have the doors of Hamricks new theatre thrown open to the public on • November 28th. One of the pretty novel effects that is used in( the new Blue Mouse Theatre in Portland is 3^ sunken garden effect on the stage which is made up of pretty painted sets, gilded artificial flowers,1 with colored border lights and numerous spot lights. It is used in the overture with the Blue Mouse Symphonic orchestra, with the lights changing and creating a different color scheme during the course of the overture. If your theatre has steps in any part, it will be found beneficial to apply some of the many safety treads on the market, so people will not fall when descending or ascending. j