Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1918)

March 2, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1215 Longer Runs at Advanced Prices Many Dayton Exhibitors Discuss Advantages of Extended Over Short Bookings. AFTER a careful study of the situation and consulting many different Dayton exhibitors on long runs versus short, the writer finds a difference of opinion. As to admission prices for special offerings several downtown houses are asking higher rates, while suburban theaters are standing pat. The latter like to have the downtown theaters ask more, for it makes the feature in question "go" much better. Three or four of the neighborhood houses in Dayton hold a picture two or three days, but this is not general. In most of these houses the popular demand is for a daily change. With a few exceptions (mostly the smaller houses) all the downtown theaters hold an attraction at least three or four days and often for the entire week. After a picture has played the downtown house it is not rented to a suburban theater for a period of thirty days or more, frequently ninety day, and in a few cases one hundred days. "The Whip," at the Columbia recently, held over for a second week to good business, as good in fact as for the first week. This would not hold true always. In order to turn the trick a second time, one prominent exhibitor remarked, one must sandwich in several weeks of short runs and then go at it again. After a week of three and four day engagements the Columbia is to play "Intolerance." Music is to be provided by an orchestra of fifteen pieces, greater than the one used for "The Whip," and the admission prices are to be raised in proportion. After having rested for a week, literally speaking, the public will again turn out in large numbers for "Intolerance." Speaking for the rest of the picture houses I will first mention the Strand. As this is a large house engagements never are over three or four days at the most. The Strand does an excellent business, and I think this policy is successful. The Apollo here, playing first-run Metro and Fox specials, never plays a picture longer than three days except in special cases. The Apollo could well afford to hold) a feature for a week as it is a small house. Many attempts have been made in the neighborhood houses to raise admission prices and also for longer engagements. Some of these efforts have met with success, others with failure. Al Kinsler, at the Elite, frequently holds a picture for two days, sometimes three, and it seems to go over at his house with a vengeance. He remarked, however, that it would not be good as a permanent feature. The Alhambra usually does well on a second day, it being the largest suburban house in Dayton. The Mecca, which is the representative theater of the west side proper, always does well on a second day, and many times pictures are held for a three-day run. The exception to the rule is found at the World theater, managed by Alfred Espy, who states that a second day is a failure with him, and he is a firm believer in seven changes a week with the best of pictures. On the average longer runs at advanced prices are a success in Dayton. P. J. G. Brinch to Assist Hodkinson Former Sales Manager is Promoted and C. E. Shurtleff Takes His Old Place. PN. BRINCH, who has been sales manager of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation since the inception of that • organization several months ago, has been appointed assistant to the president and will take up the duties of that office immediately. Mr. Brinch has been associated with the motion picture industry since 1907 when he joined the sales forces of Pathe. He later became the traveling representative for the General Film Company and came into New York as office manager for Mutual. In 1915, he went with Triangle where he was assistant general manager. When W. W. Hodkinson became affiliated with Triangle, he made Mr. Brinch a division manager and so successful was he in this capacity, that at the forming of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, Mr. Hodkinson offered him the salesmanagership. Mr. Brinch was succeeded by C. E. Shurtleff, who is now in charge of the sales department of the W. W. Hodkinson Corporation. Mr. Shurtleff has been sales manager for Select Pictures for the past six months. Prior to his connection with the Select Pictures he was special representative for Pathe for one year. Shurtleff hails from commercial fields. He did specialty sales work for the National Biscuit Co. twelve years ago, at which time he headed an efficiency training school for the salesmen of that company, at the same time spreading the gospel of the Uneeda Biscuit. Mr. Shurtleff first came to the motion picture business as a salesman for the Vitagraph's office in Cleveland and he successfully managed the office of that company later in Detroit and Cincinnati. Mr. Shurtleff's experience and success in the sales end of the motion picture business has gained him innumerable friends among exhibitors who knew him for his scientific sales work which has always been backed up by a square deal. Alice Howell, L-Ko Comedienne SOME people are born lucky; others are bumped right into it, while a third class struggle along unrecognized until one day Old Man Good Luck suddenly stops in front of them and says, "Howdy, Stranger!" Alice Howell, who is featured in Century Comedies, belongs in the latter class. "Struggle" but mildly describes this comedienne's experience prior to the time that Old Man Good Luck found her out and caused her to be featured in her own brand of comedies. A modest sort of person, Miss Howell, along with other players, was requested by the Universal to fill out a blank describing her career. This is what she wrote : "I've been in the show business about eleven years and there isn't really much for me to tell. I came to California because the health of one of the members of my family demanded it. Pictures claimed me because I had to earn a living. I've tried my best to make good. It was a pretty hard struggle for me to get along at first. When I started with Keystone there were times when rainy weather kept my salary down to as low as six and nine dollars a week. That wasn't very much to live on, was it? Thank goodness that period is over. I'm doing pretty well and I'm paid pretty well. That's all there is for me to say." This sketchy biography of her moving picture career, however, does not tell of the fight that has caused Alice Howell to be regarded by her fellow-players out on the west coast as one of the pluckiest women they know. It makes no mention of the fact that Miss Howell was for a long time the sole bread winner of her family because it was her husband who was so seriously ill. Up to the time of her husband's illness, the couple were a popular vaudeville team and under the name of Howell and Smith toured the "big time" circuits from coast to coast in an eccentric act. A turn for the better in the Howell fortunes came with Alice Howell's engagement by the L-Ko company. The very first production in which she appeared stamped her as a find. Before many comedies had been released the comedienne had obtained a wide following. Incidentally, better times brought with them a betterment in her husband's condition and he today is well known for his work as a comedy director. When the Stern brothers decided to go into business for themselves, they promptly obtained Alice Howell's signature to a contract. "Oh, Baby!" the most recent of Miss Howell's Century Comedies, was released on February 15. Alice Howell. "THE EAGLE'S EYE" SHOWING AT BILTMORE. A special showing of the first three episodes of "The Eagle's Eye," the twenty-episode serial expose of the plotting and intrigues of the Imperial German Government in America, written by William J. Flvnn, recently retired Chief of the United States Secret Service, for representatives of patriotic societies in New York City, will be given in the Grand ball room of the Hotel Biltmore, at 2.30 o'clock the afternoon of February 22, Washington's birthday. The invitations for the event were issued this week.