Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1922)

2048 Motion Picture News Cincinnati Paragraphs Feature pictures will be shown at the Empress theatre in the future in c< nnection with stage productions, according to an announcement by Jules Frankel, Cincinnati theatrical man, who has assumed charge of the theatre. Mr. tranicel has been in the theatrical business for more than 10 years, and in addition to his new acquisition, controls and manages a number of other theatres, including houses in Dayton and Columbus, Ohio. At the Empress theatre he will i>e assisted by Ben Roth, also of Cincinnati. Numerous changes are to be made in the new theatre, including complete renovation. New lighting effects will be installed and new scenery is being painted. 1 here will be a daily matinee at 2 o’clock and two evening shows at 7 and 9 o’clock. Saturday and Sunday of each week the performance will be continuous from 1.30 to 11 p. m. Prices, including Government tax, will be as follows: Auditorium, 55 cents ; balcony, 25 cents, and boxes, 40 cents. A special committee of the Clifton Community company has been appointed to secure subscriptions for an increase in their capital stock from $10,000 to $25,000, in order to finance the repurchase of the Clifton theatre on Ludlow avenue The company acquired the property Cor $10,000,” with the privilege of repurchase at that figure after two years. It was arranged to exercise this privilege and an agreement w'as entered into to sell the property for $21,000, to be used as a public garage. However, the residents of the community objected to the garage, and following a court fight, they were sustained. The Community company now proposes to lease the place, to be operated as a motion picture theatre. Attorney Jacob Stegler has been appointed receiver of the .vliddleWest Film Amusement company, 138 West Seventh street, as a result of a suit filed by Lawrence Bueche, Sr., President and Manager of the concern. Bueche says the company, which is an Ohio corporation, has an authorized capital of $200,000, of which $62,000 in preferred and $41,000 in common stock has been issued. He says he is surety for the company upon notes for more than $10,000, which the company is making no effort to redeem, and alleges that the company has difficulty securing funds to pay its operating expenses and to meet its other obligations. He states that the assets exceed the liabilities, but these may be dissipated unless a receiver takes charge. It is stated that Bueche has been president only about a year, and that the small amount of assets, considering the amount of stock issued, caused him to seek the receivership and an investigation. Albany Gossip Dan Keegan, whose theatre, the Regent, was partially destroyed by fire several weeks ago, announces that the house will open in the near future. The house is one of Troy’s residential theatres. George Loomis, of Frankfort, w'as in Albany the past week, visiting along Film Row. William Smalley, of Cooperstown, was in Albany the past week on his way to Danbury, Conn. Once a year Mr. Smalley goes back to his home town, where his aged mother resides. While in Albany the other day he said that he intended to bring back his mother in order that she might spend her remaining days with him in Cooperstown. Mr. Smalley has a chain of six theatres. A. J. Herman, manager of the First National Exchange in Albany, spent the week visiting Northern New York houses, and brought back a bushel of contracts. Michael Kallet, owner of houses in Oneida and Rome, spent a few hours in Albany this week on his way back from New York. “Nate” Robbins, of Utica, announced this week that he would erect a million dollar theatre and office building in Utica next year. The house will be called “ The Robbins ” and will be six stories in height, the theatre part seating 3,300. Mr. Robbins has a chain of theatres, including two in Watertown. Frederick W. Mansert, of Glens Falls dropped in at the First National exchange in Albany this week, and reported business as first rate. The Van Curler in Schenectady is now running pictures on Sunday. Mrs. Louis Buettner, of Cohoes, is recovering from an operation. Mr. Buettner is one of the officers of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York State. Gardner Hall in '1 roy, operated by Armstrong and Miller, after being closed for the entire summer, will reopen this month. H. Calvin Ford, who runs the Capitol and Majestic in Pittsfield, Mass., was in Albany this week. Bridgeport, Conn., Brevities A. A. Spitz of Providence, R. I.. and Charles H. Stedman of Cranston, R. I., operators of 26 theatres in New England, have assumed a 99-year lease of the socalled Vaughn property between Rose place and Ferry street at Norwich, Conn., from T. C. Murphy and William P. McGarry of that city, upon which they plan to build a theatre, to cost approximately $200,000 and which will seat 1,900. The deal involved more than $750,000, making it one of the largest realty deals in that citv and vicinity for many a week. The buyers are associated in business as the A. A. Spitz Amusement company, which, conducts New England motion picture houses under the name of Empire throughout New England. I he proposed Norwich theatre will be strictly what is known as a ground floor house. The main entrance is to be on Rose place and there will be a Rose place exit and exits on Ferry street, as the building will extend from street to street in a diagonal way across the lot, cutting slightly across the Vaughn office building, which fronts on Ferry street. The stage, which, it is claimed, will be the largest in any Norwich theatre, will be at the Ferry street end of the building. Fire proof construction will be used throughout. Provisions are to be made in the plans for a store of approximately 28x50 feet, entrance to which will be through the theatre foyer on Rose street. Murphy & McGarry have taken a lease on the store, but state it is not for their present clothing business on Main street. The garage of Hayes Brothers, now located on a part of the property, will continue to occupy this site, at least for a time, until progress in the theatre building makes it necessary for a change. The lessees plan to have work started at once and rushed. For the past four years the Rhode Island lessees of the property have been seeking a suitable theatre site in Norwich and have negotiated for other pieces of property at various times. So far as is known, this is the only 99year lease ever executed in Norwich and filed in the town clerk’s office. The Rialto Theatre Company has been incorporated at Norwalk, Conn., to operate a high-class qiotion picture house. Capital stock is set at $50,000, with business to start with $8,000. Incorporators are Arthur Ferris, Albert Hamilton and John J. Cuneo. The Crown theatre at Hartford, Conn., one of the Capitol City’s best known motion picture houses, partly destroyed by fire last December, was reopened this week, being credited as the “last word” in fire proof construction. Nothing from floor to ceiling of an inflammable nature has been used. This safety provision is added to by the fact that there are five exits, all readily accessible and leading directly to the street. Interior and exterior is decorated in a dignified and attractive manner. What is credited as being a somewhat unusual feature in motion picture houses is the construct on of the floor. So as to provide a direct and clear, view of the screen from all parts of the house, the floor is built on a double incline from the stage. A gradual slope to the center, as well as to the front, results in an unimpaired vision from every seat, doing away with the grotesque appearance of characters viewed on the screen from an angle. The opening feature film was “Tol’able David," featuring Richard Barthelmess, a Hartford favorite because he was once a student at Trinity college in that city. Boston Notes All departments of the huge building recently erected by Marcus Loew for the State theatre, Boston, are now functioning. Last Monday the Henry Jewett Players moved into the Fine Arts theatre on the second Moor and presented their first offering for the season. The large ballroom is also going full swing, Baron Arsenian and Miss Frances Aldrich have been engaged for exhibition dancing. All of the score or more stores facing on Massachusetts avenue have also been taken. A 1,500 seat motion picture theatre will soon be added to the long list already doing business in Somerville, Mass., its site being in the Winter Hill section between Davis and Ball squares. The theatre is being built for John E. Locatelli, whose son, Albert, is manager of the Central Amusement Company, now operating the Central theatre in that city. The sons will manage the new house. Henry J. Steinberg, Webster, Mass., who is erecting a new theatre in that town, in the Holden block, has announced that the building will be ready for the opening by Thanksgiving Day, and will operate on a straight picture policy. The Pioneer Film company, Boston, held its first anniversary during the last week, and Pres. Harry Segal achieved the signal accomplishment of moving into his own building in observance of the first milestone. He was showered with congratulations by the fraternity over beyond Park Square, and announced that he will have a monster opening in the middle of the month. Also he says the films are going to come fast. Verily, the motion picture has spread into fields that a few years past were undreamt of. The New England Bakers’ Association, holding forth at the New Ocean House, Swampscott, in solemn conclave as to what next year’s bread was go;ng to contain, closed a couple of days ago with a motion picture show depicting the raising and harvesting of raisins, though the accompanying lecture by Sec. John M. Harpley of the National Retail Baker’s Association, did not say whether they were intended for solid or liquid food. Gordon’s Central Square Olympia, Cambridge, Mass., has started a new policy, showing two feature films every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The programs will also include organ recitals and orchestra concert. Jake Lourie’s Park theatre boosted the admissions to an 85 cent top during the past week for the showing of “ Nero,” the Fox spectacle, and he had the house full for all shows, too. Last Monday all the theatres in Worcester were out of commission for nearly an hour when in the middle of the evening shows the Webster street plant of the Worcester Electric Light company staged a breakdown. Naturally^ all the rest of the city got it too, but the audiences stuck. More than 300 happy boys from the Brightside Home for Oi phans in Springfield, were guests of the management at the Fox theatre one day last week for a showing of “ Grandma’s Boy.” Between the picture and the huge sticks of candy that they were given, they enjoyed the day.