Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1261 February 25, 1922 i If £ TV AND £F'£TV7,£( / TV YTTe FILM CENTRES With “News” Correspondents 1 ITEMS OF THE EXCHANGES AND THEATRES, WESTERN NEW YORK Lodowick Jones, former Buffalo attorney and reformer, created a real sensation when he appeared last week and claimed ownership of the Academy theatre, which Samuel Carver was preparing to open as a picture house. Jones entered the theatre, but was obliged to leave under protest. Cater he obtained a show cause order, answer to which will be made February 21 before Federal Judge Hazel. The defendants, the Amalgamated Burlesque Company of New York, will then argue that the local federal court has no jurisdiction in the case as both the defendant and plaintiff are not residents of this federal district. Jones claims that he purchased the property some IS years ago and was later tricked out of it. It is said that state courts have previously decided against him. The Academy was opened as per schedule Saturday, February 11, with Mayor Schwat making the welcoming address. I. H. Herk is the “big boss ” of the Academy. Almost 10,000 persons saw “ Molly O ” in two days at the Cataract theatre, Niagara Falls, according, to Manager Howard Carroll, who put on a big newspaper campaign in connection with the presentation last week. The precautions against fire and ease of exit in Buffalo theatres are the best in the country, according to Fire Chief Edward P. Murphy, who has completed a survey of houses, following complaints on overcrowding received by Mayor Frank X. Schwab. The Mayor and the managers held _ a conference last week.. | No standing will be allowed in the rear of theatres hereafter. The fire chief said that Buffalo need have no fear of a disaster such as occurred at the Knickerbocker, Washington. Organ solos will be a feature at the Elmwood theatre, Buffalo, in the future. Joseph A. Raszeja, concert organist, will play numbers suggested by patrons. Buffalo’s delegation of exhibitors at the Albany convention the past week included Walter Hays, E. O. Weinberg, Bruce Fowler, Harold B. Franklin, Howard J. Smith, J. H. Michael, Harry Harry Marsey, Harry Green, Charlie Hayman of Niagara Falls and Judge John W. Schatt of Gowanda. Miriam Battista entertained some S,000 newsboys at the party last Saturday arranged by Manager A1 Beckerich and the “ Evening News ” in the new Loew State theatre. The little star of “ Humoresque ” received a great welcome and the boys had the time of their lives. “ At the Stage Door ” was the feature. The State got a lot of good publicity through the party. SAN DIEGO Manager H. H. Homer, of the Colonial, has reduced his schedule of admission prices and is now charging for matinees 35 cents for entire main floor and 25 cents for entire balcony, with night prices at 50 and 35 cents, respectively, these figures including war tax. The Colonial did a good business with the week’s showing of the Chaplin feature, “ The Idle Class.” In view of the large number of service men on duty here Manager Homer has issued a strip ticket, good for four admissions to 50 cents seats, which he is selling to them for $1.50. The management of the Rialto theatre has changed recently, J. S. Stout, formerly in the amusement business in Los Angeles, and Leslie W. Weir taking over the house, succeeding Jack Wahl and Harry Payne. Bert Lytell in “ Alias Ladyfingers ” proved a good attraction for the week ending February 4. There was a local interest in the showing of “ The Last Trail,” a Fox feature, at the Plaza theatre as many of the scenes were taken at the Barrett Dam site, where a new unit of this city’s water system is under construction. Manager Rogers extended a special invitation to view the picture to H. N. Savage, the hydraulic engineer in charge of the work, who was the host for the Fox company when working at the dam. INDIANAPOLIS Charles M. Reed, local scene painter, purchased the Gaiety theatre for $1,585, and Peter Brown, restaurant proprietor, bought the Lenwood for $1,692.15 at a receiver’s sale last week. The properties were among the four houses owned by the Lenwood Amusement Company, thrown into receivership a month ago. The Broadway and Rialto, completing the Lenwood chain, are to be disposed of later. Loew’s State is showing the public through the house of mornings this week as part of its observation of its first anniversary. The theatre is one of the most beautiful in Indiana and was erected at a cost reported to be near a million dollars. Herb Jennings, formerly of the publicity force of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, recently succeeded Walter David as manager. Pictures indorsed by the Indiana Board of Photoplay Indorsers during January are as follows: For the Family—" Molly O,” “ Little Lord Fauntleroy,” “ The Little Minister,” Three Live Ghosts,” “ Enchantment,” “ Duke of Chimney Butte,” “The Fox,” “ Our Mutual Friends,” “ The Sight of the Rose,” “ R. S. V. P.,” “ Miss Lulu Bett ” and “ Sky High.” For Adults — “ Thunderclap,” “ Why Girls Leave Home,” “ At the Stage Door,” “ Tropical Love,” “ Love’s Redemption,” “ The Blot,” “ The Lane That Has No Turning,” “ Steelheart,” “ Peacock Alley,” “ Foolish Matrons,” “ The Law and the Woman,” “ A Girl from God’s Country,” “ Back Pay,” “ Boomerang Bill.” Comedies — “ A Sailor Made Man,” “ Just Drop In,” “ Torchy’s Frame-Up,” Saving Sister Susie,” “ No Parking,” “ A Barn Yard Cavalier,” “ The Star Boarder ” and “ The Strap Hanger.” Five out of forty pictures were not indorsed. J. W. Ertmann, of Cleveland, special representative of Associated Producers, and Floyd Brown, of the First National Exchange, spoke at the January meeting of the indorsers. In co-operation with the Department of Visual Education of the Indianapolis public schools, the Indiana Board of Photoplay Indorsers will present at neighborhood houses a series of educational films. “ The Highest Law ” and “ The Land of Opportunity ” were the first subjects to be presented at the Stratford, Orpheum, Blair and Tacoma theatres last week. The stunt is getting favorable publicity. Mr. and Mrs. Booth Tarkington saw “ Penrod,” the screen adaptation of the author’s short stories, for the first time in the Circle screening room as the guest of Manager Ralph Lieber last week. Claude Cline, Verne J. Cline and Robert Cline incorporated the Idle Hour, Inc., of Huntington, last week. Stone City Opera House Company, of Bedford, filed preliminary certificate of dissolution with the Secretary of State. BALTIMORE Motion Picture Row is in the process of changing about, due to the city claiming sites for the erection of the Municipal War Memorial Building. George A. McDermit and Martin J. Porter, formerly of Loew’s Hippodrome, have joined with the Whitehurst interests. McDermit takes a supervising position over the several theatres, including the New, Garden and Parkway, and Porter becomes publicity man for New and Parkway. ALBANY, N. Y Chairman George W. Cobb, of the State Motion Picture Commission, expresses the opinion that the demand for censorship is growing stronger in New York State. Mr. Cobb says that while there was some opposition to censorship in the beginning, it is fast disappearing. Opposition against Sunday motion-picture shows has arisen in Beacon, N. Y. Members of the various churches in that city appeared before the City Council on February 6 and made an unsuccessful plea for the repeal of the ordinance permitting Sunday shows. A bill recently introduced by Senator Alvah W. Burlingam in the New York State Legislature would require that all master builders should possess certificates of qualification. The introduction of this bill follows the recent Knickerbocker disaster in Washington. OKLAHOMA CITY Prices have been lowered at the American theatre at Bingham, Texas. They are now 5 and 10 cents in the galery and 25 cents normally on the lower floor. Tom Donnell, manager of the Majestic theatre at Stephensville, Texas, who has been quite sick, is recovering. Oscar Oldknow has been promoted to branch manager of the Consolidated Film and Supply Company at Atlanta, Ga. Olive Belle Hamon, daughter of the late Colonel Jake Hamon, is reported as going to enter the movie screen star field in the near future. Miss Hamon is only twelve years of age. Announcement that theatre managers would be prosecuted for violation of the child labor law if they allowed children under fourteen years of age to appear on the stage in Oklahoma City theatres was made by County Attorney Forest L. Hughes on February 4. An act alleged to have appeared on the stage of the Orpheum theatre and reported by the Labor Commissioner is said to have caused the announcement. CANADA A big event in moving picture activities in Canada was the first Canadian presentation of “ Cameron of the Royal Mounted ” at the Imperial theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, on February 10, under the auspices of the Canadian Authors' Association before a notable gathering of 1,000 invited people, representing government circles, clubs and many important organizations. It is interesting to note that the squadron of the Royal Mounted stationed at Ottawa attended the special screening and many of the Mounties present actually took part in the action of the picture. There were outbursts of cheers when these men were seen on the screen. “ Cameron of the Royal Mounted ” is released by Hodkinson in Canada through the Famous Players Film Service, Ltd. The premier engagement of the feature in the Dominion was the showing at the Imperial theatre, Ottawa, during the week of February 13. Selznick Pictures Corporation, Ltd., recently organized in Canada with headquarters at Toronto, has officially announced that all Selznick and Select pictures will be released throughout the Dominion through Regal Films, Limited, Toronto and other cities. Phil Kauffman, a prominent exchange man in Canada, has been appointed general manager of the Selznick Pictures Corporatoin, Limited. W. J. Drummond has resigned as general manager of the Associated First National Pictures, Eastern Canada, Limited, after occupying that post for two years, in order to organize a new exchange company to handle independent productions in Canada. Mr. Drummond formerly had charge of First National offices at Toronto, Montreal and St. John. TSJ P ’ Cosmopolitan Pictures, Limited, Toronto, has been organized by Harry Kauffman for the distribution of independent releases throughout Canada. The headquarters of the new company have been established at 12 Queen Street £ast, Toronto. The first release to be handled by Cosmopolitan Pictures is Ten Nights in a Barroom,” which was recently shown for two weeks at the Toronto Strand wtih much success. The incorporation of Cosmopolitan Pictures, Limited, under a Canadian charter, with a capitalization of $50,000, was announced by the Canadian Government on February 11. Harry Kauffman was formerly sales manager of Regal Films, Limited. The Canadian Government announced the organization of Laval Photoplays, Limited, of Montreal, as a chartered company on February 11, the authorized capitalization being $300,000. The new company will distribute pictures in Canada and will also engage in production, it is stated. Century Productions, Limited, has also been organized at Toronto, Ontario, with a capital of $100,000, under Ontario charter to engage in the moving picture business. CINCINNATI I. W. McMahan, of McMahan & Jackson, theatre owners, was elected commander of the Minute Men of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce at the recent election. Eight Cincinnatians have been named by Mrs. Evelyn Frances Snow, head of the Division of Films, State Department of Education, to aid in a movement having for its purpose the uplift of motion pictures. The members of this committee will act in the capacity of inspectors to view exhibitions in Cincinnati theatres and keep tab upon any violations of the censor laws. Those named to serve in this capacity are Rev. Dr. David McKinney, Rev. John Hergert, Rev. H. Pierce Atkins, Mrs. Wilmer Crawford. Mrs. Lowell Hobart, Miss Marie Costello, Miss Lulu Aler and Mrs. Frederick Ungenholt.