Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

February 5, 1927 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 435 Live News from Coast to Coast NOTES ABOUT WIDE-AWAKE EXHIBITORS AND EXCHANGE MEN FROM ALL POINTS New York Moving Picture World Bureau, Albany , N. Y ., Feb. 4. THERE is no question, apparently, as to the ability of James Ruane, one time connected with the Famous Players Exchange in Albany, as a house manager. When Mr. Ruane went to the Empire in North Adams, Mass., nearly four years ago, he was given a two weeks' trial, with the understanding that if he failed to measure up, out he would go. Instead of serving for two weeks, Mr. Ruane has served over 200 weeks and is still going strong. Harry Heilman, one of the pioneer exhibitors in Albany who has made a good sized fortune in the operation of the Royal Theatre, will build a new house this coming spring near the corner of Clinton avenue and Northern boulevard, a semi-business section. Mr. Heilman purchased a site last week. T'he house will have a seating capacity of about 1,000 persons, and according to Mr. Heilman it will be a model of its kind. Mr. Heilman has a son who is learning the business and after the new house is opened, he will probably be given the management of the Royal. C. H. Buckley, owner of the Leland in Albany, presented a stand of colors to the local Marine Post, one night last week, Mayor John Boyd Thacher making the presentation speech on the stage of the theatre. A color guard was on hand for the occasion. Members of the Marine post acted as ushers. H. C. Bissell, who recently resigned as manager of the local Universal exchange, left town during the week to become special representative for Tiffany, visiting key points only throughout the entire United States. The appointment of Mr. Bissell followed a visit to Albany by E. J. Smith, general manager, and S. F. Juergens, treasurer of Tiffany. While Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hochstim will be obliged to supply the food, the knives, forks and spoons constituting a chest of silver came to them last week upon their return from their honeymoon, in the shape of a present from the employees of the First National exchange. The newlyweds are now snugly esconced in an Albany apartment. Two well-known exhibitors are recuperating in hospitals these days. A1 Barton, who is the partner of Lew Fischer, at the Playhouse in Ticonderoga, was operated on last week at a hospital in that village, and is on his way to recovery. Mrs. Henry Sequin of Rouses Point is still at a hospital in Plattsburg, and several of the film boys out of Albany have dropped in during the past week for a brief chat and a word oT cheer. Glovers ville Gloversville may lose the headquarters of the Schine Enterprises and with the change will go thirty employees to Syracuse. Since the Schine brothers have been acquiring theatres in central and western New York, including one in Syracuse, it has been figured that a more central location than Gloversville, would be desirable. The two brothers now have seventy-seven theatres in New York S'tate, or at least they had that number a few days ago. Utica Nate Robbins, of Utica, who recently sold his chain of houses to the Schine Brothers, heads a new corporation that has purchased the Colonial Theatre in Utica. It is said that the Colonial’s purchase price is around Sunday Shut-Up Depends On Part of Town He’s In Schenectady, N. Y., Feb. 4. — If you want to run your theatre on Sunday in Schenectady you had better build it in the down-town section. All of the down-town theatres there run on Sunday; but in the residential section it depends on the break you get. Morris Silverman, owner of three theatres is up against this situation and may have to close his new theatre on Sunday. Ministers oppose its operation on Sunday in their residential section. One of the zealots threatens to denounce Mr. Silverman from the pulpit if he persists in a decision to run on Sunday. Mr. Silverman has three choices — he can shut up the house and shut off the denunciation, he can keep open and wear an asbestos suit, or he can move the theatre into the section of the same city in which it is O. K. to have it going without incurring pulpit pannings. $330,000. Among Mr. Robbins’ associates in the new company are Barney Lumberg and Homer P. Snyder, the latter being the wellknown Congressman. Watertown Sol Manheimer, of Watertown, announces not only a reduction of admission price in one of the theatres which he manages, but also a change in policy at the Avon. During the first four days of each week, there will be a straight picture program and for the last half of the week, vaudeville will hold the boards. Mr. Manheimer is a great believer in newspaper advertising. Schenectady Bill Shirley, sporting a ten-quart derby, arrived back in Schenectady last week, after a rather prolonged stay in New York City. Since selling his theatres in Schenectady, Mr. Shirley has been taking life easy. Glens Falls In Glens Falls, Fred Mausert is busily engaged in the erection of a business block in front of his theatre which stands a considerable distance back from the street. A handsome marble arcade will provide an entrance to the theatre while the business block itself will bring an additional revenue running into thousands of dollars each year. Indiana Moving Picture World Bureau , Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 4. PAGES of the Indiana Legislature were the guests of Ace Berry, manager of the Circle Theatre, one afternoon this week at the showing of “The Overland Stage.” Athletics have invaded the realm of ttfe moving picture houses. The Garrick Theatre and the Uptown Theatre, neighborhood houses, each have a basketball team which is willing to take on the best of net-tossers any other theatre can get together. Hadley Hull, eight-year-old son of Herman H. Hull was drowned in Fall Creek a short time ago when his sled broke through the ice. Mr. Hull is manager of the Film Booking Offices of America, Inc. Pennsylvania Moving Picture World Bureau, Pittsburgh, Pa., Jan. 26. THE employees at the Pittsburgh First National exchange get a real breathing spell each day. Promptly at 3 p. m., every window in the office is opened for what is known as a “five-minute ventilation period.” These cold days, when furnace heat is necessary, the air in the office naturally gets heavy, and the few minutes airing enables the workers to return to their tasks with renewed energy. Recent visitors were: Paul N. Lazarus, general sales manager for United Artists, as well as Charles F. Schwerin, special sales representative for the same company. W. H. Jones, traveling auditor for Pathe, is also in town. Exhibitor visitors on. Film Row recently included Walter Silverberg, Greenville; Carl Becker, Butler; George Panagatocas, Johnstown; M-r. Miller, Waynesburg; C. H. Macgo Wan, Blairsville; Edward Beadle, Canonsburg; C. C. McKnight, Lock Haven, and Messrs. Bacharach and Bolmer, Franklin. Lock Haven C. C. MoKnight’s lease on the State Theatre, Lock Haven, has expired, and the house is again being conducted "by its former owner, George Huff, who is also owner of the theatre building. Mr. Huff is giving the house back its original name — -the Dreamland. Mr. McKnight is undecided as to his future plans, but doubtlessly will take over some other theatre proposition in the local territory before long. Kitanning Anthony Jim has leased the auditorium in the Moose Hall in Kitanning, in which town he also conducts the Columbia Theatre. It is rumored that Jim will also take over the Lyceum Theatre there in the near future, when the lease of the present owner, “Andy” C'ondoleon, expires. Local film and theatre folk are congratulating “Bert” M. Moran, who is just entering his sixth year as manager of the local Pathe branch. ‘‘Bert's” regime here has been a long and very successful one. Theo. Davis is now manager of the Cameo Theatre, in downtown Pittsburgh, succeeding William O’Brien, who will serve as assistant to Mr. Davis. Mr. Davis has been with the Universal chain (owners of the Cameo) for the past year and a half in the Kansas City territory, prior to which he owned theatres in the state of Kansas, as well as at El Paso, Texas. Mr. O’Brien, during the past few weeks, has become quite popular with Cameo audiences as a tenor soloist, and he will continue to entertain in this manner indefinitely. Arthur J. Simon, a veteran in the picture theatre business, though absent from the game the past year, is back again with his old employers, and is now managing the Strand Theatre in the Oakland district, succeedingEdward F. Wick who resigned a week ago. Mr. Simon joined the R. & C. forces more than ten years ago as operator at their Oakland theatre. Through untiring service he soon displayed managerial ability, and was made manager of the Schenley theatre (then owned by R. & C.) and later assumed a similar post at the Strand to which he is now returning. “Si,” as he is best known to countless friends here, first entered the business as assistant manager of the Olympic Theatre in downtown Pittsburg-h in 1905.