The Moving Picture Weekly (1917-1919)

-THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY MANAGERS AND $ W CANADIAN NOTES. By RAYMOND S. PECK •pORONTO, Ont.— "Come Through," the great crook melodrama, starring Herbert Rawlinson, played at Shea's Hippodrome Theatre the entire week of Sept. 24th. This film was one of the best drawing-cards that this theatre has played in many a day and the S. R. 0. sign had to be displayed. An added feature that made the film go across good was the fact that Herbert Rawlinson was a former Ontario boy, having lived in St. Mary's, Ont. This fact was widely advertised and no doubt helped make the film a success in this theatre. "Come through" has received some splendid bookings throughout Ontario and should go bigger in Canada on account of the star being a Canadian. J. R. McKenny, manager of the Bluebird Department for the Toronto office, was in Hamilton this week on business connected with his department, and came back with some splendid contracts. Mr. Jerry Ruck, one of the bestknown film salesmen of Ontario, who has been with Universal for a good number of years, is now confining his efforts to Butterfly Pictures throughout Western Ontario and will no doubt establish an enviable sales record. Mr. Ruck is the enterprising young man who carried away the prize of a gold watch in the last Sales Contest, inaugurated by the Canadian Universal Film Co., Ltd., among their sales force on the Screen Magazine. Alice Howell Comedies have made a decided hit in Canada, judging from reports received at the State Rights Features head office at Toronto. Two of the best theatres in Ontario, the Strand and Loew's, Yonge Street, Toronto, have booked these comedies for an early showing. Many of the smaller exhibitors have also made arrangements to show these comedies in their houses at an early date. Butterfly Picture, "Straight Shooting," will be seen at Shea's Hippodrome, Toronto, week of Oct. 1st. Manager McArdle of this theatre is anticipating a splendid business on this Western picture. The Imperial Theatre, under the management of Mr. William Sturgess, who is a staunch Universalite, having shown Universal pictures for a number of years with splendid business-getting results is making considerable improvements in his theatre in Toronto. He has just lately installed an electrical sign, which is said to be one of the finest show signs DEPARTMENT -27 in this city, and has also made arrangements to inaugurate vaudeville in connection with his pictures. Raymond S. Peck, publicity manager for Canadian Universal Film Co., Ltd., was in Detroit last week, conferring with Mr. W. A. Bach, who was formerly in charge of the Canadian publicity for Universal. Mr. Bach is on a trip to the various Universal Exchanges throughout the United States, and while in Detroit, Mr. Peck took this opportunity of seeing him and discussing various publicity plans in connection with the Universal in Canada. Some very elaborate plans are now under way by the Moving Picture Distribution Committee, the new organization which has been appointed by the Dominion government to work in conjunction with the food controller, Mr. Hanna. The committee is to have charge of distribution throughout Canada of all films dealing with the conservation of food and allied interests, and the first film to be made and which is to be presented to the people by the food conservation committee is called "Everybody's Business." This film will be shown at the Regent Theatre, Shea's and Loew's, Toronto, the entire week of Oct. 1st. "Everybody's Business" is an English film and approximately 1,500 feet, and delivers a powerful message along war lines. A feature of the film is the thrilling submarine scenes. It is a vivid, snappy story, and has the sanction of both British and Canadian government authorities. Immediately following "Everybody's Business," other films dealing with the food conservation and "Win the War" messages will be shown to the Canadian people through the committee. During the week of Sept. 24th, a special film was shown at the Regent Theatre, Toronto, in which the Hon. J. W. Hanna tells the people something about conserving white bread, bacon, and other food products. This film was well received. 3 CHICAGO NOTES By IRVING MACK. JVjR. E. D. GURNEY, auditor of Universal and Bluebird exchanges, has been drafted into the National army with orders to go to camp next Wednesday. Mr. Gurney was married last week, and announced his coming marriage while in Chicago several weeks ago on his annual trip around the circuit of Bluebird and Universal exchanges. In a letter, which the writer received from Mr. Gurney last week, he said: "I may see you before I leave for the front, but if not, I will try to be a credit to the U. S. A., and be ready to go 'over the top' when the time comes." The Bijou Dream Theatre, on State Street will show all next week Jewel's latest feature, "Sirens of the Sea," direct from the Playhouse Theatre. Sigmund Faller, the manager of the Bijou Dream Theatre, has placed a special order for tickets, as he expects to do a "hold-out" business during the entire week. The Bijou Dream is one of the two theatres in Chicago that is now operating under the "week run" policy. Mr. Edwin Silverman, Chicago manager of the Butterfly Pictures, has just returned from New York, where he spent a week on pleasure bent. The Playhouse Theatre is another Chicago theatre that will forsake movies Oct. 1st. The Playhouse, since last April, has been playing Bluebird and Jewel features and did wonders toward establishing Bluebirds and Jewel pictures in this territory. The last picture to play at the Playhouse was "Sirens of the Sea," which enjoyed a three weeks' run of capacity houses, and would probably have stayed at that theatre until the snow began to fall, but was forced to leave for other quarters as the Jewel lease expired Oct. 1st. Mr. E. Van Ronkel, manager of Jewel productions, reports that "Come Through" was the first picture to make a successful week's run at the Casino at Madison near Dearborn Streets. With the closing of the Playhouse Theatre, Oct. 1st, it leaves only two movie theatres operating under the full week policy, and those are the Ziegfield and Bijou-Dream. At one time last summer, there were ten theatres in the loop showing pictures for a week or more.