Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1922)

December 30, 1922 3381 Washington Flashes Norman L. Martindale, survivor of the theatre tragedy of last winter, has asked for papers of administration of his wife’s estate so that he can bring a damage suit against the Knickerbocker company for the death of his wife. Emanuel Stutz, formerly of the Loew enterprises but soon to open the Chevy Chase theatre, has spent several days in New York lately. The equipment of the Lyric theatre on Fourteenth and Park Road has been bought by Ben Lust, equipment dealer, who says that the Lyric is to close up. Auditor Fritz Hoffman of the Crandall theatres has just returned from a wek-end business and pleasure trip to New York. Crandall’s Central theatre, one time Moore’s Garden, opens December 24. For the opening week, Allen Holubar’s Goldwyn production, “ Broken Chains,” will be the attraction. Alterations have been carried out, resulting in entirely reseating and renovating the house on balcony and orchestra floors. A new triple manual orchestral unit pipe organ and new stage settings have been put in. This will for the present be the eighth theatre iri the local group of Crandall houses. William Vernon Broyles, recently assistant manager of the Metropolitan, it is announced from the Crandall offices, has been promoted to be manager of the New Central, on Ninth. Repairs at the Central are being directed by Broyles, supervised by General Manager Joseph P. Morgan. A very successful run of “Ten Nights in a Bar Room,” released through Progress Pictures, has just finished at Sidney Lust’s Leader. Williamson’s new submarine biological pictures were shown to members of the National Press Club at their annual election gettogether last Friday night. The Arcade theatre, Hyattsville, Md., recently gave the local first run of “The Iron Trail.” “ The Headless Horseman ” is to have its local first run. at the Cosmos shortly. The Hiawatha theatre, a local colored theatre, is now under the management of Rufus G. Byars, formerly manager for Crandall’s Lincoln, now managed by J. Williams Clifford. A large picture house without an orchestra will be the novel feature of the new Central, now in the Crandall chain, which will operate with only organ music. Eastern New York Notes It is expected that a city ordinance will soon be passed in Troy which will bring some financial relief to owners of theatres in that city, who have been called upon for years past to pay for firemen stationed in the houses. Each fireman drew $21 a week from the house, and when one stops and con In Washington THE F-I-L-M Board of the Washington field is gradually beginning to function. An executive board meeting is to be held Monday, the 18th of December, at which plans for the exhibitors and exchange January get-together will be discussed and some more definite action taken. Manager Louis Reichert of the Select exchange recently returned to the city following a serious illness from which he has not fully recovered. The all-star revival this week at the Crandall Joy of Paramount and First National stars is creating some comment in the local film row. s iFilm Center EcSi So successful was Progress Pictures presentation of “Ten Nights in a Barroom ” that Manager Jerry Marks rented the film the second week to Sidney Lust of the Leader, who is also a state’s right exchange owner. Business on it must be reviving when the Leader can run a picture like that for two weeks straight. From the Vancouver exchange of Famous-Players Canadian Company Regal Films, at 553 Granville Street, comes the new Washington manager of Hodkinson Films, George A. Falkner, replacing Mr. Galanty. Mr. Falkner was at one time with the Toronto exchange of Regal Films, Ltd. Albany’s Film Row News THE Albany Film Board of Trade has just sent out a letter to exhibitors, asking them to be more punctual and ship all film on time. Some exhibitors, as well as exchanges, have been greatly inconvenienced through neglect on the part of other exhibitors to handle the films promptly, it is declared. Up to the present time theatres in Albany have encountered no difficulty in securing coal. Some of the exchanges, however, are protesting over being forced to use buckwheat coal. Goldwyn opened up offices in Albany on December 18, with Charles Walders in charge. Gilbert Becker, who was with Select, has swung over to Goldwyn. Harry Bernstein, of Buffalo, who took the place of M. A. Chase in handling Universal’s territory, was in Albany this week becoming acquainted with the city. Henry E. Wilkinson, former manager of Select’s Albany office, now closed, is to remain in Albany as a sort of resident manager for the company, although shipping is to be done from the New York and Buffalo offices. Vic Bendell, who has been associated with Goldwyn out of Albany. N. Y., for the last eight years, has transferred his affections to the F. B. O. and will cover the same territory. In Charlotte’s JU. M'CORMICK, Charlotte • manager for Select, announces the closing of the Charlotte office on December 16. Mr. McCormick, however, will remain in the Carolina territory, handling both Washington and Atlanta towns in the Carolinas, with headquarters in Charlotte. William Conn, well known film man, who has recently opened a Charlotte branch for F. B. O., has been on a junket around the territory. M. J. Sparks is packing a portfolio throughout the Carolinas in siders that some of the houses paid for two and three such men the item becomes considerable. It is now proposed to tax each house an annual fee for maintaining the firemen. Houses seating 1,500 persons or more will pay $1,000; houses seating from 50 to 1,500 will pay $500, while smaller houses will pay $200. Despite the approach of the holidays business was uniformly good in Albany, Troy and Schenectady this past week. At the Griswold in Troy last Sunday “ Clarence ” did the biggest Sunday business of the entire fall. Although Sunday movies will prevail in Ballston Spa, N. Y., following last week’s referendum vote, it is now said that the matter will go to an election again next spring Film Center the interest of the American Releasing Corporation. George V. Atkinson is conducting an intensive sales drive on Pathe’s new serial, “ Plunder,” through the Carolina territory. E. F. Dardi'ne, manager of the Charlotte Universal Exchange, was chairman of the entertainment committee for the annual ceremonial of Oasis Temple, Mystic Shrine, held in Charlotte during the past week. Dardine is “ out there ” with the entertainment stuff and always gets elected. and that it will be a paramount issue. The Graylin theatre, in Gouverneur, is being redecorated these days, and will be opened by Harry Papayanokos the forepart of January. The Castle theatre in Norwood, N. Y., was completely destroyed by fire last week, with a loss of $10,000, partially covered by insurance. The house is owned by William Greig. The Avon in Watertown had an “ old clothes matinee ” this weekin connection with “Oliver Twist.” Every child who brought a bundle of old clothes was admitted free. The clothes were turned over to the Salvation Army. Harry Filkins, of the Rialto in Ticonderoga, is making a name for himself these days in the clever way he is exploiting pictures shown at his house. C. W. Reese, of Clayton, N. Y., was fined the sum of $1 in Federal court at Utica this week after making answer to an indictment charging the falsifying of returns in theatre taxes. Mr. Reese claimed that he had simply made out the report in wrong form and had no intention of cheating the government. News of the Carolinas Influenza is abroad in the Carolinas again. The grim monster that strewed consternation and death in 1918 is manifesting himself in a virulent form in many cities at present. It is reported that both Statesville and High Point have been closed— that is, all theatres and churches — on account of the prevalence in these towns of the malady. The Academy theatre, Charlotte, N. C., burned to the ground Sunday morning, December 17, the entire building being in ruins, even the walls crumbling. The cause has not been ascertained. It was a Southern Enterprise house, playing a combination vaudeville and picture program. It has not been announced whether or not they will rebuild. Charlotte was the mecca for countless Carolina exhibitors the past week, the event being the annual ceremonial of Oasis Temple, Mystic Shrine, many of the exhibitors crossing the burning sands for the first time, while older brothers from all over the state looked on. A majority of the Carolina exhibitors are Shriners and these annual events always bring a large crowd to the film center of the Carolinas. H. H. Anderson, formerly owning a chain of theatres in North and South Carolina, has moved his residence from Hamlet to Charlotte and those with an ear to the ground declare he is planning to launch another extensive theatre circuit with headquarters in Charlotte. H. B. Varner of Lexington, secretary of the North Carolina M. P. T. O., was a Charlotte visitor the past week on business in connection with the mid-winter convention. Mr. Varner declared the membership of the state organization was greater now than ever before in its history-. Among the Carolina exhibitors in Charlotte the past week were the following: U. T. Rice, of the Piedmont Amusement Company, Winston-Salem, N. C. ; J. E. Simpson, Gastonia, N. C. ; Marsh Morrow, of the White Way, Dunn, N. C. Baltimore Brevities The Cluster theatre’s new $12,000 orchestral organ has been completed and started operation this week. Jesse Kremer will be organist at the theatre, which will make a feature of the musical portion of its programs.