Moving Picture World (Mar-Dec 1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. 231 “Finally she was cornered and the chase ends in well portrayed disgust as the sports see what they have been pursuing all day. The most amusing part of this episode was that a lot of genuine sportsmen had tagged along to get a try at the brush.” (To be continued.) We interviewed the promoter of a new company, who announced the advent of a new moving picture machine shortly to be placed on the market. He claims many unique qualities for the machine, which is smaller and more simple in construction than any at present on the market. The arc light may be used, yet fine results can be obtained with high power incandescent lamps attached to the ordinary lamp socket. The principal claim is for acetylene gas; the makers have constructed an explosion proof tube, to run 240 hours at a cost of $1.00. The weight of the apparatus is approximately 10 pounds, guaranteed to be fire-proof, and will sell for $80.00 complete. * * * The American Moving Picture Company has opened an indefinite engagement at the Town Hall Theater, Saratoga Springs, N. Y. The management announces that they will give exhibitions every hour from 3.30 to 9.30 p. m. every day for the balance of the season unless the theater is occupied by larger theatrical attractions. Illustrated songs form a portion of the program and the moving pictures chosen are all new and up-to-date. * * * A new amusement enterprise, known as the Star Theater, is to be opened by W. C. Stonaker and Frank Sturges in the Armory building, Danbury, Conn. In connection with the regular moving picture attractions there will be illustrated songs and a vaudeville act. The hall is being arranged to accommodate about 500 persons, elevated seats being installed. It is the expectation of the promoters to open the new theater on Monday, June 17. * * * The Theatorium, the new moving picture theater recently so handsomely fitted up on Market street, Wilmington, N. C., opened its doors to the public last week, and from all accounts is doing well. * * * W. A. Douque, of Herkimer, has decided to open in Oneonta, N. Y., a five-cent theater in which to give moving picture exhibitions. Mr. Douque already has several of these theaters running throughout this section of the State. * * * The moving picture show owned by Messrs. Shigley and Studabaker at Columbia City, Ind., opened last week. Only high-class films will be exhibited. * * * Two more nickelodeons are to be started in Mondsville, W. Va., within a few days, one on the corner of Second street and the other on Jefferson avenue. C. R. Babcock, of New Haven, and Charles Van Zandt. of Willimantic, Conn., are changing the store on Masonic street, Northampton, Mass., into an amusement hall, where moving picture exhibitions will be given. * * * The Cohoes (N. Y.) City Hospital benefit given by Mgr. H. R. Jacobs on Wednesday, June 5, at the Cohoes Opera House when Archie L. Shepard’s high-class moving pictures were the attraction, was a great success. The entire gross receipts of the matinee performances were donated to this worthy institution. * * * The great and increasing popularity of the biograph offers unlimited inducements and opportunities for inventors to extend the scope of this interesting novelty. A New York man, recognizing also the universal demand for postcards, has devised a card embodying a miniature biograph. The card has a compartment in the center. Fitting closely in this compartment is a pack of thin cards, one edge of the cards being bound and hinged to the base card. Printed on the cards is some interesting scene, each successive card showing the next view of the moving picture. To show the scene the cards are raised, with the thumb in a position to release each card successively. There being no complicated parts in this novelty, the cost of manufacture is said to be low enough to admit of practical use. * * * From Alabama we hear that another moving picture theater will be added to Birmingham’s already large list of amusement houses in about a week. This new place will be on Third avenue. This will be about No. 13 of the moving picture theaters of Birmingham for white people, and this city will soon rank with Atlanta in the number of this kind of attractions. Competition is lively among the moving picture thea ters of this city, and all of them are constantly making improvements or adding to their bills, which is evidence that the business pays. The theaters that once gave only one picture at each performance for the price of 5 cents, now give two moving pictures and an illustrated song or some other feature, sometimes with several performers. * * * Three popular young men of Charleston, S. C., have opened a “Pictorium” in the recital hall of the Cable building, King street, with entrances on Society street, and expect to do their share towards entertaining the crowds that are now to be seen on the streets any evening. The Pictorium, as the name suggests, is a “moving picture” show. The place is comfortable, easy of access and the best of films are used, with illustrated songs and instrumental music. Charleston has a number of these pleasant and inexpensive places and the rule seems to be that the crowd visits them all in turn. * * * John P. Corrigan, chief of the bureau of licenses of New York, recommended to the mayor that the licenses of the so-called penny arcade places of amusement be revoked pending further investigation by the police. Commissioner Bingham already has received reports that children under sixteen years of age are allowed to enter such places. The police also have reported that many of the pictures shown in those places are immoral. If the mayor approves the recommendation some 70 such arcades located in the Bowery, Park row, Third avenue, 125th and other streets, will be closed by the police.