Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

December 24, 1927 Pennsylvania Moving Picture World Bureau, Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec. 23. R UMORS are rife regarding the erection ■of a new film building in the 1600 block on the Allies Boulevard, Pittsburgh. A group of Chicago contractors are said to be considering a site in this neighborhood for the proposed new structure. However, nothing has been, apparently, decided as yet. Other properties in various parts of the city are also said to be under consideration. W. A. Finney has been appointed division manager for Loewis theatres in the western division, and is making his headquarters at the Penn theatre, Pittsburgh. Mr. Finney has charge of twenty theatres in the following eleven cities: Pittsburgh, Canton, Akron, Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Dayton, Indianapolis, Louisville, St. Louis and Kansas City. He has been with the Loew organization for the past sixteen years. Phil Dunas is the new manager of the Pittsburgh Universal exchange, succeeding A. L. Sugarman who has returned to his old position as city salesman for Universal in Cincinnati. Robert Mochrie, manager of the Pathe feature department at the Pittsburgh office, has been named Branch Manager of the exchange, while B. M. Moran, who has been manager of the short subject department, is the new Sales Manager in charge of sales for the entire output. The Manos Enterprises of Greensburg are contemplating the erection of a new theatre at Clay street and South Fifth street, Jeannette. Sketches of the building call for a seating capacity of approximately 1,200 persons. Recent exhibitor visitors to Pittsburgh’s Film Row included: William Gray, Monongahela ; Louis Stein, Natrona ; Harry Petz, Youngwood ; James Velas, Wheeling and Milan Salowich, Johnstown. The engagement of Herman Fineberg, manager of the Rialto theatre, Pittsburgh, has just been announced. Wedding probably next spring. Don’t know the young lady’s name, but nevertheless we offer our heartiest congratulations to the pair. Gordan Ferguson, manager of the Pathe Educational Film Department, visited the local branch the past week. “Bill” Horne, now a home office representative for Universal, and formerly assistant manager of the Standard-Federated exchange in Pittsburgh, paid the Universal exchange a business visit last week. Edward Johnson is the new owner of the Exhibitors’ Supply and Sign Exchange, having purchased the business last week from Joseph Janicks. Lou Geiger, home office representative for F B O, and assistant to division manager Cleve Adams, is spending a few weeks in the local territory. Lou was formerly manager of the First National office here. Kentucky for Sunday Louisville, Kv., Dec. 24. — ■The first Sunday picture outburst in Kentucky in some time occurred at Paducah, Ky., in the Western section of the state, on Dec. 11, v/hen two theatres, with seating capacity totalling 2,200, started operation at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, simultaneously with a meeting of protest held at the Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church. The theaters making the experiment reported full houses day and night In addition to the townspeople, many came in from adjoining counties and from Southern Illinois. Several hundred citizens also attended the mass meeting, which was announced from pulpits in the morning. MOVING PICTURE WORLD rs As a Romeo of the rodeo you can’t beat Universal ropin’, ridin’ Hoot Gibson, shown here in one of the few exigencies of cowboy life where a horse isn’t part of the scenery. “The Rawhide Kid” is his next. Ohio Moving Picture World Bureau, Cincinnati, Ohio, Dec. 23. Slipping into the box office of the Hippodrome Theatre, Ninth and Baymiller Sts., Cincinnati, a negro slugged Miss Pauline Morand, cashier, with the butt end of a revolver, and fled with a tin box containing $53.50. Miss Morand was not seriously injured. Gifts Theatre, Cincinnati, Jules Frankel, manager, had an unusually big run with the film, “Damaged Goods,” on a two weeks showing for women only. He is duplicating th£ record for a similar length of time, showing the picture for men only. The first meeting in the elaborate new Chamber of Commerce building, Cincinnati, was held by the Greater Cincinnati Motion Picture Exhibitors’ Association, in the form of a “get together” luncheon, with J. A. Ackerman presiding. 50 exhibitors from the Cincinnati territory attended. William M. James, president M. P. T. O. Ohio, and P. J. Wood, business manager of that organization, were present and addressed the group. Manager Griff Granger, of the Kapee Theatre, Mt. Gilead, Ohio, in connection with local merchants is admitting the public to his house free on Saturday afternoons. Harry V. Smoots, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, who is building the new Fayette Theatre, at Washington, C. H. Ohio, reports that work is progressing rapidly and present indications point to completion in contract time, February 1. Cincinnati Broadway Theatre, Broadway and Pearl streets, Cincinnati, was opened recently. It is owned and operated by O. P. Grischy. It will be a second-run house. John W. Weining, president of Pelee Theatre Go., and Western Hills Amusement Co., Cincinnati, passed away recently after an operation. He was owner of Lyric and Emery Theatres, Reading, Ohio : Pendrola Theatre, Lockland, Ohio and the Western Plaza, Price Hill, all suburban to Cincinnati. 37 California Moving Picture World Bureau, San Francisco, Cal., Dec. 23. M ARKOWITZ BROS., who formerly conducted the Rivoli Theatre on upper Market street, Sin Francisco, have leased the Imperial Theatre, for the past few months under the management of West Coast Theatres, Inc., and have inaugurated a full change of program on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Edward B. Baron, formerly general manager of the Herbert L. Rothchild theatre interests in San Francisco, and Carol A. Nathan, for eight years in charge of the local Universal exchange, have joined to eng-age in the theatre business and will erect a theatre at Chestnut and Fillmore streets. Early in December the Granada Theatre, San Francisco, celebrated its sixth anniversary. The event was made a noteworthy one by the presence of H B Franklin, general director of West Coast Theatres’ Inc. ; Samuel Katz, president of Publix Theatres, and Nicholas Loew, new head of the Loew theatrical interests. James R. Grainger, general sales manager for Fox was a recent visitor at the San Francisco exchange! conferring with district manager Howard Sheehan and local manager Fred W. Voight. J. R. Saul, who makes a specialty of handling theatre properties, has moved from the Golden Gate theatre Building to the Loew Building, in Market St. Oakland Oliver Kehrlein, who for years conducted moving picture theatres at Oakland and at Fresno, is wearing a broad smile these days, the sixth child having arrived to grace the family. The latest addition is a Sonora The Sonora Theatre is now being operated under the management of Odillio Restano, who has taken a lease on the house. Santa Cruz Frank R. Macauley, who has conducted a theatre foi several years at Santa Cruz, has announced plans for erecting a new house. San Jose A moving picture house is being erected in the Alameda District of San Jose, a district in which there are many line homes. The house will be conducted by.Enno Lion. North and South Dakota The popular vaudeville troupe composed of the Paul Sheak family of Watertown, S. D„ recently lost one of its members with the death of the Sheaks fiveyear-old daughter, Doris May, at Fairmont, Minn. The troupe has been playing the northwest show houses in an act which has proved very successful and Doris May was appearing with her parents in a dancing act. A store building' at Eureka, S. D., is being reconstructed for use as a theatre by Orthwein and Bender. In the latter part of November W. L. Dickson opened the new Aristo theatre at Lemmon, S. D., with Pathc’s “Wreck of the Hesperus” as the attraction. Bushnell Has New One A new theatre, operated by the K. A. Miller Circuit, was opened for business last Monday. This is a modern little theatre, well equipped, and very beautiful, for a small town. Seats, amount to 400 with balcony. It is owned and operated by K. A. Miller, local manager J. O. Vaun. Iowa Nctes The Community Theatre at Newmarket, la., is to be opened tomorrow, November 29, by W. B. Rice. B. Pierce, owner of the Atlantic and the Strand at Atlantic, la., has been ill for some weeks, and has made trips to Omaha to consult specialists.