Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

THE MOTION LATEST NEWS Fulton Installs Wurlitzer Orchestrion THE latest move of E. E. Fulton, the progressive Chicago dealer and jobber in motion picture theatre and projection equipment, is to install a Wurlitzer Motion Picture Orchestrion in his private exhibition-room. This room is built and equipped as a regular theatre, having a theatre-appearing front; regular opera chairs, seating 142 persons; a shadowbox around a screen, on which two pictures can be shown at one and the same time if desired; on up-to-date fireproof operating booth, built of pyrobar, asbestos and iron, in which are installed three latest motor-driven machines ; a Power, Simplex and Motiograph, various transformers, economizers and meters. The architecture of this private theatre is mission, plastic and metal construction, nicely laid out and with correct color effects, which gives one an idea for the application of the materials and supplies handled by Mr. Fulton. This theatre is used on Wednesdays by Mr. Fulton to exhibit the advance releases of the films which he represents in Chicago — Lubin and Patheplay. W. R. Rothacker — Commuter W. R. Rothacker, general manager of the Industrial Moving Picture Co., left Chicago on Sunday via the Twentieth Century for New York City. He is listed as a commuter, as it would take a daily paper to chronicle his trips fore and. back from New York City. Before the purchase of the Anti-Trust and Standard exchanges, Claude Plough and Joseph Hopp held the record for flying trips between Chicago and New York. Chicago must possess one commuter, so the title passes on to Rothacker. General Feature Increases Releases The General Feature Film Company of Chicago has made arrangements whereby it will release seven pictures a week. This progressive concern, which is guided by William Hershberg and Mr. Spencer, recently bought out the M. & F. Feature Exchange ; since that time they have added several more of the leading brands to their program and the latest announcement is that it will put out a feature a day. Heinze Takes Over South Bend Theatre George Heinze, one of Chicago's oldest and foremost exhibitors, has closed a deal whereby he will take over the Auditorium Theatre in South Bend, Ind. This theatre was formerly controlled by Klaw & Erlanger and seats 1,500 people. Mr. Heinze was the owner of several of the finest motion picture theatres that Chicago possesses, two of them being located in the aristocratic suburb of Oak Park. Bushman Campaigning Francis X. Bushman, leading man of the Essanay pictures, is busy campaigning in the various motion picture theatres of Chicago. With the co-operation of the publicity department, under the personal direction of Don Meaney, a large portion of the theatres have been visited. It is the intention of Mr. Meaney to visit the nearby cities within a radius of three hundred miles of Chicago. On these campaigns Mr. Bushman gives a short talk on the making of the picture. The exhibitors of Chicago are clamoring for Mr. Bushman at their theatres, and those theatres he has already visited claim him the biggest drawing power they have ever played. Mr. Bushman will travel out of Chicago as soon as he has visited all the theatres of the Windy City. Special posters of Mr. Bushman are being supplied, announcing his coming at the theatres. Operators' Union Secures New Quarters The Motion Picture Operators' Union of Chicago has made arrangements whereby it will occupy the quarters which for PICTURE NEWS' 19 FROM CHICAGO merly housed the White Rats. These clubrooms were at one time the headquarters of the Press Club of Chicago, and contain many conveniences for the pleasure of its members. There are pool and billiard tables, bowling-alleys, card-rooms, banquet-hall, executive-rooms and reading-rooms. These quarters occupy two floors and are ideal rooms for a big body such as the Operators' Union. Union Film Company Elects Officers After moving into its new quarters on the bank floor of the Mortimer Building, the Union Film Company elected its officers. They are: William Hopp, president; William F. Wreden, secretary; Joseph Hopp, treasurer, and Carl Harthill, general manager. This concern is now releasing a feature a day and is buying the entire output of the Exclusive Supply Company. It is said that this company is the first to book an independent feature in the Orpheum Theatre, on State street, one of Chicago's most prosperous theatres. William Hopp, who has been ill for the past month, is again on the job directing things at the Union Film Company's headquarters. Notes "Max Green, who has been conducting the Lincoln Theatre, on North Clark and Division streets, for the past few years, claims splendid business, due, he states, to the high-class manner in which he runs his theatre. Mr. Green is a progressive exhibitor and always the first to use the more modern things which are continually coming into the business. Amongst the visitors in Chicago this week are J. A. Berst and Stanly Twist on the register. Stan is on his way to Australia, but Mr. Berst does not divulge his plans. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS AT ESSANAY STUDIO Many distinguished and prominent people visited the Essanay Chicago studio during the past week Among the most noted, perhaps, was Mayor "Lew" Shank of Indianapolis. His surprise at the progress of the motion picture industry and the interesting and novel way in which the pictures are taken was genuine. John Hymes, of Hymes and Mclntyre, now playing in "When Dreams Come True," and several others who request that their names be not mentioned, also visited the plant. FILM COMPANY OF DELAWARE STARTS The Film Company of Delaware, a new concern, has purchased the plant of the New York Motor Works Company, at East Nutley, N. J., for $150,000, and expects to start operations soon. The new concern will manufacture motion picture theatre accessories and equipment. It is expected to employ 1,000 hands. The recently acquired plant is located on a plot of several hundred acres and is on a spur track of the Erie Railroad. NEW THEATRE FOR PADUCAH, KY. Paducah, Ky., is to have a new motion picture theatre of the most modern type. Rodney C. Davis, proprietor and manager of the Kozy Theatre, at 417 Broadway, will erect the new building on the site now occupied by the Kozy. Rankin Kirkland, assistant cashier of the City National Bank of Paducah, will be associated with Mr. Davis in the venture. Before building the theatre, Mr. Davis is making a tour of the Middle West and South in search of practical ideas. The present Kozy is twenty by ninety feet and seats 240. The new theatre will be twenty-six by 150 feet and seat 500. A pipe organ will be installed. The Paducah papers have been loud in their praise of the new enterprise and the men connected with it.