Movie Age (1927)

PAGE 18 MO VI E AGE T)ES MOINES] FILM MARKET] L _ — 1 i=i[=3C=if=ir==ir=3t=i[=3r=tr==ji=i[=H^j Dorothy Day Opens Publicity Service Office for Herself Dorothy Day who has been handling the publicity for A. H. Blank’s theatres for eight years is now going into busi¬ ness on her own while still retaining a place on the staff which handles Mr. Blank’s independent theatres. She has offices at 410 Iowa Building. Included on the staff is Roland Gillette who does all the art work for A. H. Blank. He was formerly on the staff of the Capitol newspaper. He will do the art work for Miss Day. It is her plan to furnish publicity service to independ¬ ent exhibitors, giving first hand infor¬ mation on pictures reviewed and the possibilities of playing them up from different angles, and laying out cam¬ paigns for special pictures which can show the best results from extra pub¬ licity. Miss Day remains on the staff of the Blank organization in reviewing pictures shown at the exchanges and the Capitol Theatre screening room for the DesMoines theatre men. She also acts per¬ sonally for Mr. Blank in the publicity for the theatres for his independent chain of houses since the larger houses are affili¬ ated with Publix. “Big Parade” Goes Big At Isis, Des Moines Harry F. Crinklaw of the Isis Theatre, Des Moines, tells of phenomenal success of “The Big Parade” in the following wire which he sent to Metro-GoldwynMayer following the opening of the big war special at his theatre: “Opened yesterday ‘Big Parade’ hot¬ test weather this year had an endless line waiting until the last night in spite of ‘Beau Geste’ for opposition. The out¬ look for a record breaking ten days is very good, plenty of inquiries on ‘Ben Hur’ make me feel it will do as good or better.” Picture Breaks Record. Chas. H. Gurney of the Grand Theatre, Estherville, Iowa, also tells of a great success by the big M-G-M war special which broke the house record for a sin¬ gle day’s business at his theatre. Publix Officials Hold a Convention in Des Moines Publix officials held a convention at the Hotel Fort Des Moines on September 22, which was attended by the managers of the A. H. Blank-Publix chain houses in Iowa and Nebraska. The members of the theatre management department of the Publix Shows came from the east to confer with the managers on all branches of the business and to discuss the new program of pictures and stage shows which are planned for the coming season. L. E. Schneider and Robert Crabill rep¬ resented the theatre management heads while A. G. Stolte, manager of the Ri¬ viera at Omaha and Nate Frudenfeld and Mr. Korach of the staff there came from Omaha. August Hermann, manager of theatre at Council Bluffs, L. E. David¬ son, manager at Sioux City, Everett Cummings from Rock Island, R. E. Schrempf of Davenport, F. O. Slenker of Davenport and G. P. Hundling of New¬ ton were managers from over the state who were here for the all day business session and luncheon. Des Moines thea¬ tre managers present were Herb Grove, manager of the Des Moines Theatre; Harry Watts, manager of the Capitol Theatre; Jess Day, manager of the Strand Theatre and Mr. Shroedt, mana¬ ger of the Garden and the Palace. The inclination of the general meeting was to feel most enthusiastic about the business prospects for the coming season. Who Is Oldest Exhibitor In Iowa? Someone says that Iowa’s oldest ex¬ hibitor comes from Red Oak. Does any¬ one know who he is ? Herbie Lee Koch, organist at the Capi¬ tol Theatre, Des Moines had an opera¬ tion for appendicitis recently. He has just returned from a short vacation which he spent at Lake Okiboji and in a visit to Chicago. The theatre at Adair has been closed for some months and Mr. Briggs is just re-opening the house. He has not def¬ initely set his opening date. The Adair is a 300 seat house. I BRIGHT BITS and I i NEWSY NOTES I The Uptown Theatre at Clear Lake, Iowa, of which R. J. Relf is the mana¬ ger is changing from a seven to a two day schedule for the week. He H« Hs O. H. Garland, salesman for Pathe in the southern territory travelled the northen half this week. * * * Belle Miller, stenographer at the First National office, returned last week from Chicago where she underwent an opera¬ tion for appendicitis while on her vaca¬ tion. She is feeling quite fit again. * * * L. Senelson, auditor for the First Na¬ tional home office is now visiting the DesMoines exchange. * * * The district manager of short subjects of the Pathe office, Charles Stombaugh, was here last week, and R. L. McLean, district representative was here last week for one day. * * * Mr. Morris of the Princess Theatre at Eagle Grove has bought a Peerless lamp which he is adding to his booth equip¬ ment. sfs ifc H* Youngclass and Latta who bought the Grand Theatre at Perry, Iowa, the op¬ position to their new Rex Theatre there, will not make their alterations in the theatre until spring when the house will be completely remodelled. The Grand was formerly owned by G. L. West. * * * Herbert Chadkin, assistant manager of the Capitol Theatre, Des Moines is now on a vacation trip to his home in New York City. Mr. Chadkin came to the Capitol from the Publix managers’ in the east. Mrs. Chadkin will probably return with Mr. Chadkin to make her home in Des Moines. * * * Tom Arthur of the Cecil Theatre at Mason City has bought a 50 ampere Brenkart spotlight for his house. It is just been installed.