Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

Live News from Coast to Notes About Wide-Awake Exhibitors and Exchange Men from all December 17, 1027 Coast points New York Moving Picture World Bureau , Albany , N. Y.t Dec. 15. 7"HILE some motion picture theatres in central and northern New York are closing for the winter, others are reopening. C. E. Taylor opened the Gateway theatre in Antwerp last week, the building having been renovated and the seating capacity increased. The entrance has also been remodeled making it one of the most cozy houses in northern New York. Arthur Fontana has closed his theatre in Livingston Manor for the winter. Seeley and Miller have reopened the Orpheum in Kingston and are running a combination of vaudeville and pictures. Keene and Lord have closed their theatre for the winter in Phoenicia. Troy A little idea on the part of Jake Rosenthal, owner of the Rose theatre in Troy, resulted in many families in that city enjoying: turkey rather than chicken on Thanksgiving Day. Each year Mr. Rosenthal gives away several turkeys each night for a week or so before Thanksgiving Day, to patrons of the house who are lucky enough to hold winning coupons. Of course Mr. Rosenthal reserved a turkey for his own family table. Ticonderoga A1 Barton, well known exhibitor in Ticonderoga, is spending three weeks at Asheville, N. C. Mrs. Barton accompanied her husband on the trip which was made by automobile. Morris Silverman, of Schenec tady, was called to New York a few days ago on account of the illness of a relative. George Ferguson of the Pathe Exchange in Buffalo, was in town. Vic Bendell, of Albany, has gone to Florida, to represent the Kauffman Mat Service. John J. Curry and F. X. Shay, of Schenectady, were in New York city recently. Utica Despite hard work on the part of exhibitors in Utica, taxpayers in that city have voted for a five month daylight saving period, running from the first Sunday in April until the last Sunday in September, and the mayor has now approved of the -ordinance. It will cost the exhibitors of that city thousands of dollars in lost patronage. There have been some important changes in the territory during the past week, chief of which was the resignation of Max Milder, director of buying and booking for the Schine circuit of over 130 theatres. Mr. Milder has been making his headquarters in Gloversville, but will return to his former home in Philadelphia. For the time being, at least, his work will be carried on by George Lynch. Lee Langdon, one of the old time bookers in ^Ibany, and who has been associated for the past year or two with Warner Brother’s exchange, resigned during the week and has leased the Central theatre in Albany. He has been succeeded by James Rose, who served as booker for Pathe for five years and later as salesman. Abe VanDusen, booker at the Fox exchange, resigned last week and has accepted a similar position with the F. B. O. exchange. Nate Robbins, of Utica, expects to open his beautiful residential theatre in that city on or about December 15, marking his re-entry in the exhibitors field, following the sale of his theatres about a year ago in Watertown and Syracuse. There will be a new theatre opened in Binghamton in January, known as “The Sun” and with J. Kocak at the helm. The Eagle in Albany reopened this week under the direction of Abe Stone Miller and Sherry will reopen the Orpheum in Kingston in the near future. The house has been remodeled . The Albany in Schenectady has been closed for the winter. Stanley and Fabian are erecting a 2,500 seat house in Nyack. St. Louis, Mo Moving Picture World Bunau , St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 15. ] /"V NE of the most important deals involving an independent motion picture exchange ever consummated in the St. Louis territory was the purchase of a one-third interest in the Premier Pictures Corporation, 3308 Olive street, by Claude W. McKean, former manager of the St. Louis Fox exchange. Nat E. Steinberg and Thomas C. Tcbin each hold one third interest in the exchange, making it an exclusive St. Louis organization. The stock purchased by Mr. McKean was held by New York interests. McKean, Steinberg and Tobin are all ycung men and obtained their film training in the St. Louis territory. Thayer H. C. Simmons has sold the Royal Theatre, Thayer, Mo., to Dean W. Davis. The Liberty Theatre, 4066 Easton avenue, St. Louis, Mo., seating 379 persons, has been so.'d by S. J. Endler and W. W. Bruggeman to Ivaehn & Friedlander, Salem The Lyric Theatre, Salem, Mo., has been taken over by W. A. Donaldson. J. L. Bangertwas formerly the owner. Hammond, La. A. Higginbotham has awarded the contract for the new theatre he is building in Hammond, La. The general contractor is G. L. Whitaker of Tylertown. Miss. The plans call for a theatre costing about $100,000. Among the out-of-town exhibitors in Kansas City market this week were: G. L. Rugg, Hiawatha, Kas., C. M. Pattee, Pattee theatre, Lawrence, Kas. ; G. L. Hooper, Orpheum, Topeka, Kas. : Walter Wallace, Orpheum, Leavenworth, Kas. R. L. McLean, district representative for PatheDeMille ; J. C. Jossey, Vice-president of Enterprise, and J. R. Wilson, general sales manager for Educational were Kansas City visitors this week. James Foland, branch manager of Artic-Nu-Air, returned to Kansas City after a motor trip through Iowa, Minnesota,'Wisconsin and Michigan. R. O. Pearson, short subject manager for the Pathe branch ; Bill Warner of First National : “Red” Jones of Tiffany and E. C. Rhoden of the Mid-West Film Exchange, Inc., were hustling for more business in the territory this week. A. C. Nathan has been transferred from the Southern Kansas territory to city sales for the Warner Bros., branch. Plates at the Film Board of Trade luncheon Saturday revealed that there are eighty-nine film salesmen traveling out of Kansas City. Grove Will Build Louisville, Ky., Dec. IS — Sylvester Grove, manager of the Preston Theatre, at Preston and Ormsby streets, which boasts a large summer airdome and a winter theatre with equal seating capacity, has plans for a new theatre at Preston street, near Eastern Parkway, to be known as the Parkway Theatre. Rose Theatre Enlarged Dublin, Ga., Deo. 14. — Work was commenced recently to enlarge the Rose Theatre. Mr. T. C. Fountain was given the contract by Manager Yeomans to build an additional thirty feet for seating capacity, and also to erect a stage. This will include the seating capacity of the Rose to 750. Contract was also given for one of the latest heating systems. I OUNGSTOWN, O., Dec. 16. — C. W. Deibel is not only well known as a theatre man: his golf has placed him in quite as prominent a position in the public eye. And just to prove that he is as successful in his golfing as he has been in his theatrical ventures, here is a showing of his golf trophies, won during fifteen years of play. But it must not be thought that Mr. Deibel is so much a slave to his trophy gathering that he has no time for his theatres. While winning the trophies he has built four theatres, the latest being the Liberty in Youngstown. The theatre itself is a tribute to a real showman’s skill in planning for public good will and real entertainment. Ohio A significant merger, believed to be one of the largest in this section of the country, was effected here recently when Variety Amusement Co., Inc., the recently-formed organization of which Jacob Silberman is president, completed final negotiations for purchase of Dr. B. I. Brody’s controlling interests in the U-B Theatrical Enterprises, Inc., and simultaneously announced a 50-50 affiliation with Universal to become effective immediately. The deal, which is said to involve upwards of $500,000, includes the following Cleveland theaters in the U-B Theatrical chain : East Ninth : Homestead : Detroit ; Hilliard Square ; Broadway : Cedar-Lee : Imperial and Kinsman, and also includes lease and all interests in the new Moreland Theatre now nearing completion. The Variety Amusement Company theatres included in the merger are the Shaw Hayden, the Union Square, Lucier and Wind-a-Meer. Mrs. Ziegler Appointed In accordance with the new sales plan instituted by A1 Lichtman, United Artists’ domestic sales head, Mrs. Alice S. Ziegler has been appointed office manager of the Pittsburgh branch of United Artists Corporation. Mrs. Ziegler takes up her new duties immediately.