Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1925)

24 Frisco Looks to 1925 for Its Record Theatre Building Boom The past year has been a very successful one for San Francisco theatre interests and the tremendous growth in population during this period has led to the planning of a number of fine houses for the downtown district, suggesting that 1925 will witness the greatest boom in theatre building in the history of the city. The Herbert L. Rothchild Entertainment, Inc., which operates the California, Granada and Imperial Theatres, has purchased property almost a block in extent further out Market street, and plans to erect one of the finest picture theatres in the world, with a seating capacity of 5,000. The preliminarj plans call for a house along Assyrian and Moresque lines, giving opportunities for the polychrome treatment of decorations. Elevators and escalators 1st Nat* — Educational Big Deal In Canada Is Made Official Official announcement has been made regarding the important change in Canada whereby the Associated First National has taken over the physical distribution throughout the Dominion of all releases handled by the Canadian Educational Films, Ltd. According to the new arrangement, the sales organization for Educational remains intact with O. R. Hanson, of Toronto, continuing as Canadian general manager for Educational. Associated First National will also take care of the physical handling of F. B. O. pictures, which was formerly done by Educational in the Dominion, but the F. B. O. sales force will carry on as before, according to a statement from P. C. Taylor, Canadian representative, Toronto. This means that First National, in addition to handling its own pictures, will now carry out the physical distribution of Canadian Educational and F. B. O. releases — also handling the British Ideal reels, for which Educational is the distributor in Canada. Several changes have taken place in the First National offices, however, according to an explanation issued by Louis Bache, Canadian District manager. The Toronto office of First National has been moved to 277 Victoria street with B. D. Murphy in charge as manager. The Vancouver, B. C., branch of First National is to be found in the LeighSpencer Building at 553 Granville street and the Vancouver office is under the direction of Manager W. H. Mitchell. In Calgary, Alberta, First National is taking the quarters occupied by the Educational exchange. Winnipeg, Montreal and St. John, N. B., offices are remaining as at present, although new offices are promised for St. John. DUHEM COMPANY MOVES INTO NEW QUARTERS The Duhem Motion Picture Manufacturing Company, which makes a specialty of making moving pictures to order, has moved into a new laboratory at 135 Hayes street, San Francisco, Cal. A projection room has been fitted up and a fireproof vault installed for the storage of film. MOVING PICTURE WORLD will carry patrons to the upper floors and the floor of the stage pit will be constructed on an elevator, permitting the raising of the orchestra to the stage level for concerts. Ackerman & Harris purchased a large lot at Market and Twelfth streets some time ago and plan the erection of a theatre, but no definite time has been set for the commencement of work on this. The management of the Orpheum Theatre is seeking a site for a larger house in the downtown district and the old site of the Tivoli Theatre at Eddy and Mason street is under consideration. The lease of Alexander Pantages on the site occupied by Pantages Theatre will expire within a year and a new house is planned, owing to the high prices demanded for a renewal of the present lease. The management of the Francesca Theatre is considering the erection of a theatre across the street, to be operated along the same lines as this house, and a small theatre is now in course of construction on Market street, near the Civic Center. Of late, several downtown houses which have been dark for a long time have been re-opened. The old Tivoli Theatre, operated for years as a part of the Turner & Dahnken chain of houses, has been remodeled and redecorated at a cost of more than $100,000 and has been reopened as the Columbia Theatre. The old Columbia Theatre on Geary street has passed into the possession of Thomas Wilkes and will be reopened on January 12 as the Wilkes Theatre. The old Casino Theatre, which has had such a checkered career, is now in successful operation as Beatty’s Casino, offering vaudeville and moving pictures. The Capitol Theatre on Ellis street, which has also been dark for months, has been reopened by Frank Egan, of Los Angeles. SUde Rights Sales .\rrow announces the following: Advance Film Exchange, Minneapolis, Blinn., has bought 12 Great Westerns, starring Dick Hatton; 3 Wild West Prodnctions, starring Dick Hatton; 7 Edmund Cobb Westerns, 4 Pinto Petes, 4 Xeva Gerber Features, 5 Muriel Ostriche Comedies, 9 Speed Comedies, S XLXT Comedies, 5 Cruelywed Comedies and “Xight Life in Hollywood” for Minnesota and Xorth and South Dakota. Fontenelle Feature Film Company, Omaha, Xeb., has bought “California in ’49” for Iowa and Xebraska. Rex Film Company, Detroit, Mich., has bought “Xight Life in Hollywood,” “Hidden Light” and “High Speed Lee” for Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Frank E. Beecher, Detroit, .Mich., has bought 26 Great Westerns, 4 Pinto Petes, 9 Speed Comedies, 7 XLXT Comedies and 5 Cruelywed Comedies for Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Columbia Pictures Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., has bought 13 Broadway Comedies and 13 Mirthquake Comedies for Eastern -Missouri and .Southern Illinois. Standard Film.s Kansas City, Mo., have bought “The Fightiug Skipper*’ for Western Missouri and Kansas. Western Film Company, Kansas City, Mo., has bought 10 Edmund Cobb Westerns and 12 Great Westerns, starring Dick Hatton, for Western Missouri and Kansas, Sam Grand, Federated Film, Boston, Mass., has bought “The Lost Chord,” the Whitman Bennett special, for Xew England. January 3, 1925 ANDREW J. COBE Cobe Succumbs to Heart Attack at Home Andrew J. Cobe, well-known theatrical real estate broker and managing director of Broadway successes, died at his home, 76 West 86th street. New York City, early Thursdaj' morning, December 11, after a heart attack. He was 59 years of age. Introduced Many Novelties Mr. Cobe introduced many novelties to the theatrical field, and was a pioneer in the motion picture industry. Not only did Mr. Cobe have a fine understanding of what the public enjoyed in theatricals, but he had an unusual ability of presenting his entertainment. Mr. Cobe was one of the first showmen on Broadway to introduce into legitimate theatres prologues in premiere photo plays. He also gave special attention to the music scores in these presentations. Mr. Cobe had leased and managed many theatres on Broadway, including the Astor, the Central, the Cohan, and recently the Lyric. He had also been prominent in theatrical circles in Xew England. Active in Real Estate Through his real estate activities he completed a number of transactions for new theatres in New York City, among them the new theatre to be located at -16th street and Broadway, and only a few weeks ago negotiated a deal which will bring two new theatres to the White Light District, plots being sold for that purpose on 47th street. Among his early real estate enterprises was the development of Plandome Par’x, L. I. Mr. Cobe purchased the last Dykeman Mansion at 222nd street, Harlem Ship Canal, some 18 years ago, and occupied it as his residence for a few years. Mr. Cobe was born in Boston, where he was educated in the public schools. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Winifred Houghton Cobe, three children by a former marriage, Edith E. Cobe, Mrs. Madelon Kosch, and Harry Cobe. SON TO COOGANS The stork beat Santa Claus to the Coogan home in Hollywood, when a baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Coogan, Sr.