Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

January 8, 1927 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 133 Canada Moving Picture World Bureau, Ottawa, Canada, Jan. 6. A HAPPY NEW YEAR celebration was that which was held back-stage at B. F. Keith’s Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, with Manager J. M. Franklin as host-extraordinary. Following the regular evening performance there was a cabaret and amateur show and after this again there was dancing and eats — until dawn. Many friends of Mr. Franklin, as well as all employees of the theatre, representatives of other theatres, vaudeville artists, orchestras to the number of two or three, civic officials and yet others enjoyed the function. There were no speeches — just fun. The Capital Theatre, a downtown house of Ottawa, Ontario, owned for many years by the late Harry Brouse, has again passed into new control. Harry C. Lewis of New York has now taken over the direction of the theatre, which had been under the management of James T. Moxley, manager of the Imperial Theatre, Ottawa, since last summer. Aylmer, Que. The town council of Aylmer, Quebec, has approved the application for a permit for the construction of a new moving picture theatre in Aylmer to replace the Family Theatre which .was destroyed by fire of unknown origin recently. The new house will be of fireproof construction, the materials to be brick and stucco. The frontage is 30 feet and the depth 100 feet. The application was made by E. and U. Lavigne, sons of Mrs. Lavigne, who owned the previous theatre. Building operations are to start immediately. Winnipeg Six men have been arrested following the recent destruction of the Winnipeg Theatre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, with the loss of four lives and property damage running to 1125,000. Investigation showed that a beer party had been held in one of the dressing rooms just previous to the fire and one of those placed under arrest was the caretaker, who was the only one who was supposed to have access to the building, the theatre havingbeen dark for several weeks. Weston President J. A. Morrison of the Weston Theatre Company, Limited, Weston, Ontario, has announced that his company will erect a theatre in Mount Dennis, a suburb, with a seating capacity of 1,000. It was only a little over a year ago that the company opened its handsome theatre in Weston. The site of the new house is at Bartonville avenue and Weston road in Mount Dennis. St. John Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Golding of St. John, N. B., recently celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and among those who honored the couple were the employes of the Imperial Theatre, of which Mr. Golding has been manager for years. The Imperial is owned by E. F. Albee of New York, along with the Imperial Theatre, Montreal; the Albee Building, Montreal, and other properties. Hamilton The Lyric Theatre of Hamilton, Ontario, which has had man'y ups and downs during a period of years, was recently sold at public auction under the .order of the mortgagee. The Lyric seats about 1,800 and practically every policy has been tried with varying success. Red Deer Messrs. Beatty and Johnston have opened the new Cresoent Theatre at Red Deer, Alberta, the first attraction being “The Quarterback.” Mayor Johns presided at the formal opening and there was a banquet after the first performance for friends and employes. New York Moving Picture World Bureau, Albany, N. Y ., Jan. 6. HARRY HELLMAN, owner of the Royal Theatre in Albany, became a college boy last week when he appeared with a brand new coonskin overcoat, a Christmas present from Mrs. Heilman. Mrs. Heilman also gave her son a similar coat and when father and son walked along the streets of Albany last week, they looked like a couple of bears, the coats being worn no matter how warm the day. The Mark Strand in Albany appears to be making money with presentation acts, something new for the house, but which will be continued along with the pictures throughout the winter. Employees at the Universal exchange in Albany, certainly set the pace along Film Row at Christmas time, being the only exchange to be decorated and also holding a Christmas party. Santa Claus dropped many a present along Film Row, for instance, leaving H. C. Bissell a smoking set; C. R. Halligan, a cigarette lighter; Edward Hayes a twenty-dollar gold piece; and John Bulwinkel a pen and pencil set and a cigarette lighter. Over in Troy Jake Rosenthal received a handsome traveling bag, and Walter Roberts breathed a sigh of relief in getting but two neckties. Mr. Roberts, however, did receive a beautiful mantel clock and a fountain pen. There is no question but that women like to shop, and perhaps this accounts for the fact that Margaret Stillivan, who does the booking for the San Souci in Watervliet, has the reputation of being one of the shrewdest buyers that comes to Film Row. She makes a trip to Albany two or three times a week, takes her time, just as though she were buying a new coat or a hat. Of course during the holidays, Miss Sullivan in her shopping was doubly busy. Birds of passage will soon be Pat Quinlan, owner of the Ideal in Chateaugay, who will leave on a three months’ trip for the West Coast, and Dave Seymour, who resigned the management of the Pontia, in Saranac Lake, and who will spend the winter in West Palm Beach. Both men are past middle age and are eagerly looking forward to coming weeks in a milder clime. Jake Golden, manager of the Griswold in Troy, is able to draw his breath without panting these days, having finished his work of publicity in connection with the opening of Proctor’s new theatre in Schenectady. For two weeks or more, Mr. Golden dashed back and forth between Troy and Schenectady, endeavoring to keep both ends going at the same time. Schenectady George Dwore, who with his father runs the Cameo and Capitol Theatres in Schenectady, has been having quite a siege of illness, but fortunately is on the road to recovery. Kingston Harry Lazarus, of Kingston, was in town last week and could talk of nothing ether than his new theatre, in course of construction, and which, according to Harry, will be the most beautiful motion picture bouse be * tween New York and Albany. Harry is also protecting himself, that no cheap building be erected on a vacant lot adjoining, to detract from the appearance of the theatre, which will be in shape to open curing the early spring. Saranac Lake In Saranac Lake, there is the possibility that the theatre owned and operated by L. N. Sanschagrin may be considerably increased in the near future. Although Mr. Sanschagrin is practically a newcomer in the business, he has been so successful that he plans to double the seating capacity of his house. Michigan Moving Picture World Bureau , Detroit, Mich., Jan . 6. NEW YEAR’S EVE shows were given by five first run theatres in Detroit with excellent box office results, and managers report that more people than ever before seemed interested in celebrating the arrival of the new year from a theatre seat. About fifteen community theatres also reported excellent returns from midnight shows. Eddie Guest, Detroit poet, was guest of honor at banquet tendered him by the American Cinema Association, for whom he is writing a special series of poems which are to be placed in scenario form for production on the screen. Alfred J. Moeller, president, and other officials of the A. C. A. organization were present, as well as many prominent Detroit city officials. Russell Chapman, for several years manager of the Capitol Theatre for John H. Kunsky, has been transferred to the State, while Rex Minkley, manager of that house, goes to Chicago to become manager of one of the Balaban and Katz theatres there. Walter -Stebbins, lessee of the new Film Building, announces that a grand opening party will be held in the building on January 15 to celebrate its completion. The party will start at sundow'n and will continue all night. Executives of producing and distributing organizations are to be invited. Detroit had a banner week in the first run theatres, five of the attractions approaching box office records and being held over for extended runs. Herbert Rawlinson arrived Saturday to be master of ceremonies at the Capitol stage presentations for two weeks. Several other prominent screen players are to be brought to the Capitol to act in a similar capacity during the remainder of the season, the Kunsky management announces. Elw'yn Simons, manager of the CaldweP Theatre, at St. Joseph, Mich., is rapidly recovering from his attack of peritonitis, which set in following an operation for appendicitis several weeks ago. Edward C. Beatty, general manager of the Butterfield Circuit and Mrs. Beatty have returned after spending the Christmas holidays with Mrs. Beatty’s parents at Urban, 111. L. & T. To Make Movie Chicago, 111., Jan. 6. — Lubliner and Trinz will participate in the making of a motion picture acted by Chicagoans, dealing with the life of the city, starting early in January. It will be filmed in full view of audiences upon the stages of L. & T. theatres by a Hollywood producing unit of the first calibre. Importing Concern Opens Headquarters San Francisco, Cal., Jan. 6. — The Imported Pictures Corporation, headed by Walter W. Kofeldt, has established its American headquarters at 261-263 Golden Gate avenue, San Francisco, Cal-, where a one-story building, erected for film exchange purposes, has been taken over. Mr. Kofeldt recently returned from an eastern business trip on which many connections were made for the distribution of the company's foreign films, and he has since made a flying trip to the Pacific Northwest. Exhibitors Hop Into K. C. Among the out-of-town exhibitors in the Kansas City market this week were: Ensley Barbour, Electric, Springfield, Mo.; W. E. Wallace. Orpheum. Leavenworth. Kas. ; Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Jenkins, Lees Summit, Mo.; J. M. Welty, Midway Theatre, Hill City, Kas.; W. D. Bearce, People’s Theatre, Hume, Mo.; G. L. Hooper, Orpheum, Topeka, Kas.