Motography (Jan-Mar 1916)

January 1, 1916 MOTOGRAPHY 45 Brevities of the Business PACIFIC COAST NEWS By "Capt. Jack" Poland An extraordinary welcome is planned for Billie Burke by Thos. H. Ince the famous New York Motion Picture producer when this talented star arrives in Los Angeles from New York to be present personally at the first night's performance of the $100,000 de luxe photoplay production "Peggy," in which Miss Burke is starred. Billie Burke is known as America's most fascinating star. In this new and delightful comedy character creation by C. Gardner Sullivan, produced under the personal direction of Thos. H. Ince, to be incepted at the Majestic Theater, the new Broadway picture house secured for Triangle pictures, Billie Burke will appear Monday night. The advance sale of seats indicates a record breaking house for the initial appearance in motion pictures of the famed star. It will be a social event in which many celebrities will appear to do honor to Billie Burke and Thos. H. Ince. The new screen star will be ably supported in "Peggy" by such notables as William H. Thompson, the veteran actor, who will also be seen for the first time in photoplays, William Desmond, Nena Thomas, Gertrude Claire, Charles Ray, and Joseph Dowling, with a strong supporting cast. Commencing Monday, November 20, the Majestic Theater, one of the largest houses on Broadway, Los Angeles, will be taken over by the Triangle Film Corporation for the exclusive showing of Triangle pictures. This program has been showing since its inception at Clune's Auditorium theater, but now that Mr. Clune is producing high class features by his own organization for his theater beautiful, the change is to be made. During the first week in addition to Billie Burke in "Peggy," Mack Sennett introduces an all star Keystone comedy featuring Roscoe Arbuckle in "Fatty and the Broadway Stars," with Willie Collier, Weber and Fields, Sam Bernard, Joe Jackson and Mr. Sennett in the cast. This opens the house under the Triangle regime in an auspicious manner. Charlie Murray, the Keystone comedian, seems to be one of the most popular moving picture actors and comedians on the Pacific Coast. Not only is this so in pictures but personally. No social or semi-charitable event of the holidays has been held in which Murray was not a prominent figure. But he bears up well and plans more good things for the profession and himself for 1916. Samuel Goldfish, treasurer and general manager of the Jesse L. Lasky Feature , Play company, arrived in the western film producing metropolis this week to spend the holidays. While here he is making a thorough inspection of the local studios, planning with his associates for more improvements as well as for the most elaborate feature productions for 1916. Francis Ford, Universal director, has begun the picturization of a new fivereel feature, "The Palace of a Thousand Fears," written by W. Graham. Dorothy Davenport is playing the leads. This promises to be another Ford achievement. The popularity of Henry Walthall, the Essanay star, is best evidenced in Los Angeles this week by his appearance in pictures at four well known Broadway photoplay theaters. At each house good crowds demonstrate that Walthall is in demand. PHILADELPHIA NOTES By P. J. Cropper Stanley Mastbaum has taken over the Tulpehocken, in ( iermantown. One of the finest houses in the city, it has hitherto been a Failure. Renamed the Rialto, and under enterprising management, it bids fair to be a success. Eley and Rorey, from Pittsburg, have leased the Wyalusing on North Fiftysecond. By giving high class features they are hoping to change the luck of the house. The policy of the American Theater, owned by Soblosky Bros, is to change from pictures and vaudeville to stock. Earl Metcalf is reported to have bought an interest in the house, and among the artists booked to appear arc Nance O'Niel, Billy Reeves and Raymond Hitchcock. The Fox Film corporation have reverted to their original policy of booking to the exhibitor direct only. This cancels their arrangement with the Stanley Booking Company. Bill Anderson runs the smallest house in town, the Electric with 196 seats on South Eighth street. Twenty-five years ago it was an Italian theater. Despite its size it can give some of the 500 seaters a start and lick 'em. Marcus A. Benn, proprietor of the Benn and Paschall theaters on Woodland avenue, reports his returns keep up despite the competition of a new house in close proximity. Urbanity still counts. Miss 'Beishlag, manageress of the Broad street Casino, can give many a "mere" man lessons in booking. The Casino is always in front; while its real estate value has doubled since its erection. the regular films, programs of an educational nature will be run daily. Texas. At a sheriff's sale held at Gainesville. Texas, December 7, C. C. Marshall bought the Gainesville Opera House for $3,500. The sale was to pay off a mortgage. Permit lo do business in Texas was granted to the Mutual Film Corporation of Memphis, Tenn. Capital stock $10, 000. Texas headquarters at Dallas, Texas. Oklahoma. The new $75,000 theater recently built on Robinson street, Oklahoma City, Okla., will be open soon and will be named the Liberty. The name was selected by popular vote. CHICAGO GOSSIP J. E. Willis is resting al his home recovering from a severe attack of ptomaine poisoning. It is expected he will MIDDLE WEST NEWS By William Noble Oklahoma. The question of appointing censors of moving pictures is now before the city council and the Mayor of Oklahoma City, Okla. Mayor Overhelser says that he will settle the matter one way or the other soon. Colorado. At a meeting of the city council of Denver, Colo., held December 13, the council voted to prohibit the exhibition of the Birth of a Nation film picture in Denver, upon the protest of a delegation of negroes. Missouri. The Ritz Theater, 208-210 North Sixth street, St. Louis, Mo., was opened by the St. Louis Amusement Co. In addition to Film Market Quotations and Financial Gossip Supplied by R. D. Small of A. E. Butler * C*., Chicago. Bid Asked American Film Co., Inc.... 95 99 Biograph Company 41 54 Colonial Motion Picture Corp. 1 *zy2 Famous Players Film Co.... 95 120 General Film Corp., pref 40 45 Mutual Film Corp., pref 46 49 Mutual Film Corp., com 45 47i/2 N. American Film Corp., pref. 71 N. American Film Corp., com. 67 72 N. Y. Motion Picture Corp... 51 56 Thanhouser Film Corp 3 *3% Triangle Film Corp 6'/8 *6% Universal Film Mfg. Co 190 Vogue Films, Inc 125 World Film Corp 4 *4^ * Par, $5. American Film Company, Inc.: Continues to increase in output and the stock is the steadiest and strongest of all film stocks. Triangle Film Corporation: A. Kessel, Jr., first vice-president of the Triangle Film Corporation, has made the following statement regarding the company's earnings: "We have on our books today 364 oneyear contracts for supplying films to be shown in theaters all over the country, from Portland, Me., to Portland, Ore., and from Chicago to New Orleans. These contracts represent a total yearly rental income of about $5,250,000 and this income from rentals is being augmented each week from new contracts at the rate of about $250,000 per annum." World Film Corporation is now being traded in on a very narrow and restricted market. Vogue Films, Inc.: Has been in demand around 130 and higher, with no stock offered. North American Film Corporation: Preferred is wanted at around 72.