Moving Picture World (July-Dec 1909)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 38i from the fact that it proves that the novice may succeed against all odds, provided he is adapted to the business, as Mr. Swartz certainly was and is. Recently the gentleman has organized a company known as the Erie Amusement Company, which proposes to erect a string of houses, seating from 500 to 1,000, in various parts of the city. The first house is under the North Chicago landmark, Brand's Hall, North Clark and Erie streets. The cost of the new house is $11,000 and it will seat 550. The bill will be moving pictures and vaudeville. Admission ten cents. * * * The new office of the George K. Spoor Company is a beauty and no mistake. It is an immense room, probably 40x50 feet, with an 18-foot ceiling. The room is tastefully decorated and it is safe to say that no company in all Chicago has a more thoroughly excellent office room. * * * Incidentally it must be noted that there has been phenomenal improvement in the Essanay films within the past few weeks. Some of the subjects they are now putting out are simply magnificent in photography. No one could imagine a more beautiful and in every way excellent piece of photography than the S. & A. film, "The Wonders of Nature," recently released. * * * An operator writes us that he is running film from an independent exchange just now and notes that fully fourfifths of it is old subjects by so-called "trust-' manufacturers which have for the most part been "refinished." Unfortunately the refinishing does not eliminate the patches nor does it replace the chunks cut out in making them. * ^ * The Standard Film Exchange reports heavy increase in sales of the "American" machine. The Standard now averages fifteen sales per month of this machine, mostly, however, without the automatic rewinding attachment. * * * WILL MAKE PICTURES IN MEXICO. G. M. Anderson, of the Essanay Company, to Obtain More Stirring Western Subjects. With a stock company of eight people, camera men and assistants, G. M. Anderson, of the firm of Essanay, left this week for the West and old Mexico to obtain another series of stirring Western talcs. A nderson's trip to the West last year netted him enviable reputation among the moving picture men and established firmly the reputation of the Essanay firm. "The Indian Trailer," "A Ts!e of the West," "A Mexican's Gratitude" and other subjects, depicting the romance of the West, were greatly applauded by the pictureloving public. There is promise of even better records in this newly planned trip, as the party will be better equipped in every way and will cover more territory. The party left Chicago for Denver, Colo., Wednesday, September 8. The company will spend a few weeks in this vicinity and will then continue further west. Stops will be made in Montana and Wyoming and the company will arrivein Portland, Ore., the first of October. Turning south and following the coast, the company will visit San Francisco, Los Angeles and other California cities. They will arrive in old Mexico about the first of November, where the serious business of making some big Western dramas will begin. "We have some good stories to put on out there," said Mr. Anderson, "stories written by authors whose Western stories are standard and of the best. Capable talent has been employed to interpret the stories and a score or more of real live cowboys are going to assist. We are going to take everything for production purposes with us and all interiors will be made in the West where we are operating. This will mean that our subjects will be released not later than two weeks after they arrive at our factory in Chicago. Some interesting scenic pictures will be issued from time to time, also a number of educational subjects showing in an interesting way the great Western industries, mining, cattle-raising, etc. Views in Yosemite Valley and other beauty spots of the West will also be made. The great success of our subject, 'Wonders of Nature,' leads us to believe that American scenic pictures meet with the approval of the nickel theatergoer and that he wants more subjects of this nature." Jesse Robbins, the photographer, whose artistic treatment of the subject "Wonders of Nature" won so rhuch applause, will accompany Anderson. TRADE NOTES. MR. G. M. ANDERSON. Sidney Wire has taken the management of the White City, Toledo, for the remainder of the season, the former manager, Sam H. Pickens, having resigned to take the management of a theatrical company. Danbury, Conn. — The Lyceum Moving Picture Theater is to be reopened. Manager A. J. Rothstein is now engaged in renovating the interior of the theater, making what few repairs are needed and brightening up the appearance of the place generally. Somerville, N. J. — Chas. F. Weldon and W. W. Tillyer, who are now running the open-air moving pictures, have leased the building at 145 West Main street and will open a cosy little playhouse with moving pictures. It is the intention to offer the people of Somerville an elegant little playhouse with the best of everything. Sutton, Neb. — C. J. Bauer has bought out the interests of Soule & Patterson in the Lyric Theater and is conducting a show that outclasses many of those in the large cities. A traveling man reports that he saw the film "With Taft in Panama" in one of the large city theaters in the week of its release and thought it a very poor film, the pictures being very dim and fading away at the corners. He happened to see the same subject again in the Lyric and says that the picture was so clear that he could see the white of Mr. Taft's eye and the small bolts in the steam shovels. The service in the Lyric is 220 volts D. C., with a 50-foot throw and we can tell how the Suttonites appreciated the show when we are informed that the receipts for July eclipsed any month since January. We would hear less of hard times if every manager would do like Mr. Bauer and give their patrons the very best show that can be produced — it does not cost much more. Toledo, Ohio. — All of the Toledo parks have closed excepting one. Business at the local outdoor resorts has been phenomenally bad this season, and all of the parks have lost money. The only remaining park open in Toledo is White City, which has discontinued all free acts and has substituted a mammoth free moving picture show in the grounds. An enormous screen is hung from the large trees and hundreds of benches are distributed around the bandstand. There are band concerts twice daily and free picture shows. This appears to draw the crowds and the park has been able to hold its own. The amusement concessions have done practically nothing, but the dance hall and swimming pool have brought in sufficient revenue to enable the management to keep the park open until the 18th of this month. The park is under the management of Sydney Wife, who was formerly assistant manager and press i epresentativc at Lake Erie Park here. Sydney is an energetic and hustling young showman and has created quite an interest in White City since he took the place in hand. During the pa^t few weeks he has instituted' baby shows, drill contests, swimming races and the free openair pictures, and is now arranging a big week of athletic sports, with an interesting Marathon race for the championship of the State. The picture show at the park has been one of the most successful of the side shows and has been under the management of R. Calkins, who was formerly with the Superior Film Exchange of this city.