Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1166 Motion Picture News Battery of Motiograph De Luxe projectors, finished in blue enamel, installed in the Capitol theatre, Detroit, Mich. ( Continued from page 1164) cold. There’ll be no colds or drafts in the Capitol. Under each aisle seat is a vent through which fresh air is thrown into the aisles. The vent on one side throws a current which meets the current from the other side mid-aisle and the collision of currents forces the air upward and all through the theatre. The used air is taken out through those grills high up above the stage. There is no perceptible draft or aircurrent from any direction. At the same time there is almost perfect distribution of fresh air throughout the theatre.” The auditorium is so big it has the atmosphere of a cathedral. Far up in the lofty ceiling is a great dome. Around it and reaching down to the proscenium in front and sloping down to the balcony in the rear is a vast and massive tracery of gold over a background of blue. It suggests the sky at night. The same idea — golden tracery over blue — is carried out in a series of great placques extending up the sides and across the proscenium arch. On both sides of the stage are great arches, their faces decorated with the same tracery which is also around the face of the balcony. The curtain and the great draperies falling from the arches on either side of the stage are of the same old Italian rose seen in the fittings of the foyer. The stage curtain is another example of the art that can be put into draperies. The curtain is of damask, the color scheme being old Italian rose. The curtain is 55 feet wide and hangs more than 50 feet from the arch to the footlights. In the lighting scheme of the auditorium are contained 1,000 lamps while the foyer covers each carry 400 lamps and the foyer fixtures 300 lamps. The great stage border lights, each 50 feet long, contain 500 lamps, while the double row footlights, some 53 feet long, contain 200 lamps. In the illuminated glass ceiling over the main foyer of the playhouse better than 1,000 lamps are used. Situated within the Capitol building are 24 motors, used for one purpose or another in connection with the theatre and ranging anywhere from one-half to 40 horsepower. A complete electric clock system, fire alarm, usher’s signal system indicating the number of vacant seats in any section of the house, and a local telephone system with switchboard, represent some of the independent sendees which the Capitol theatre contains. The stage setting of the new Capitol, based on a background showing the Bay of Naples, is capable of an almost infinite number of variations, depending on the arrangement, and to a large extent on the lighting used. It is one of the finest in the world. There are some beautiful paintings in some of the panels in the foyer, which are the personal property of Mr. Kunskv, and represent a collection that have been many years in the gathering and in which Mr. Kunskv takes great pride. Among the many features is the huge switchboard back stage. It is one of the largest in the country and towers some 12 feet above that section of the stage flooring to which it is attached. The projection room is equipped with a batten,' of Motiograph De Luxe Projectors with high intensity arc lamps. Each projector is equipped with a Baush and Lamb Cinephor objective lens, speed indicator, footage meters, pilot lamp in both mechanism and lamp house. The projectors are of blue enamel finish. The installation is complete in every respect. The picture, 21 by 16 feet is thrown a distance of 144 feet on a Raven half tone screen. Ira D. Jackson, Motiograph representative, received many compliments on his work in supendsing this installation. On the opening night magnificent floral pieces of all sizes and descriptions were banked, in the lobby, the foyer, the stairs to the mezzanine and on the stage, so numerous they were from friends of Mr. Kunsky and Mr. Trendle, from all parts of the world. The staff of the new Capitol will be: John H. Kunsky, president: George W. Trendle, general manager and secretary'; Thomas D. j Moule, theatre manager in charge of bookings and general supervision; Howard O. Pierce, in | charge of advertising, exploitation and presentation; William Fishwick, organist; Ray Johnson, chief electrician, and Eduard Werner, orchestra leader. The success of John H. Kunsky reads like a fairy' tale. He started 15 years ago and operated the first motion picture house in Detroit, seating 200, on Monroe avenue. From that he gradually increased his holdings until he has today over a dozen Detroit theatres. The “ man* behind ” has been George W. Trendle, associated with Mr. Kunsky*. He started with Mr. Kunsky' as a bookkeeper but went to the Detroit College { of Law at night. When he had finished school he opened a law office and as a side line handled the legal work for Mr. Kunsky'. Realiz-, ing his broad knowledge of the amusement business, Mr. Kunsky persuaded Mr. Trendle to devote his entire time to the Kunsky* Enterprises and became the active manager. Today1 Mr. Trendle not only* devotes his entire attention to the interests under his charge but he has become financially interested to a great extent in the various Kunsky ventures. Simplex Steps Out in NonTheatrical Field During the past few months, the Precision Machine Company, Inc., manufacturers of the Simplex Projector, have made wonderful progress in the non-theatrical field. Many projectors being installed in private homes, community clubs, schools and churches. These installations mean much to the industry’ in general for they are bound to increase the demand for film and equipment which is neces-. sary in the presentation of motion pictures, such as carbons, incandescent lamps, film cement, etc,! wherever a projector is installed. While space will not permit a listing of the activities of the entire Simplex organization we are enumerating below a number of the installa-# tions to show how thoroughly' this field is being covered by the Simplex distributors. In California, the Los Angeles branch of the Argus Enterprises, Inc., have installed Simplex Projectors in the homes of W. R. Hearst, San Luis Obispo, Cal., Mme. Nazimova, Hollywood, Cal. and also in the home of William de Mille, the well-known director. The Arlington School, Arlington, Cal., was also Simplex, equipped by Argus. Mr. E. C. Anthony’, Pacific coast representative for the Packard Motor Car Company, had Simplex Projectors installed in his home at Burlingame, Cal., by the Western Theatre Supply Company of San Francisco, Cal., as did Dr. Harry L. Tevis, Alma, Cal. The McKinley Park School, Reno, New, and the St. Jarlath Church, Fruitvale, Cal., were also recently supplied with Simplex Projectors by the above company. The report of the Western Theatre Equipment Company, Seattle, Wash., also shows good results, having recently installed Simplex Projectors in the Methodist Church and Elks Club at Seattle, Wash. The High School, Olympic, Wash., and the Normal School, Cheney, Wash, have also just been Simplex equipped. Through the Middlewest the following installations of Simplex Projectors been made: Consolidated School, Medford, Minn., by’ the Teco Products Mfg. Company, Minneapolis, Minn. ; M. E. Church, Denison. Iowa, by the Des Moines office of the Argus Enterprises, Inc.; Madison Vocational School, Madison, V is., by the Milwaukee office of the Exhibitors Supply Co.. Junior High School, Oklahoma City, Okla, ( Continued on page 1172)