The Moving picture world (May 1925-June 1925)

May 2, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 55 News of Chicago Territory F. A. Flader, manager of theatres for Universal, was in Chicago last week looking over the Orpheum Theatre of the group and congratulated Managing Director McCurdy and his assistant, Al Bachman, on their efficient management of the house. Carl Laemmle was here at the same time, coming from the West Coast, and stopped for a couple of days before continuing on his way to the East. The ninny friends of Verne W. Langford of the Apollo and Lyceum theatres, Chicago, will be sorry to hear of his death after an extended illness. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery. Many from the trade attended the funeral and sent floral pieces. The Exhibitors Association of Chicago will move to larger quarters on May 1 in the Seeberger building on South Wabash avenue. Jack Miller, the business manager, will fix up the offices so as to make the film folks feel at home when they pay headquarters a visit. V. C. Seaver, Jr., has been made house manager of the New Jeffrey Theatre at Seventyfirst and Jeffrey avenue, Chicago. Jacques Baucaire is the new musical director of the house, which seats 2000 and was opened last month. Five acts of vaudeville have been added to the Sunday program and a tieup with the radio stars of KYW and WEBH pulled big business during the past week. Charley Lamb of the Palace, Rockford, 111., put over a style show last week and by using twenty girls for models from the Rockford College, packed the house for the week. Prank Gazolla, owner of the Studebaker Theatre, Chicago, and interested in other theatres, is back from his vacation at Florida resorts. Dan Sykes has been named manager of the Auditorium, Chicago, and Peter Manello is assistant house manager. The Erie Theatre, 641 North Clark street, Chicago, owned by Morris and David Wellman, w'hich was damaged by Are recently, was re-opened Saturday night. Lawrence G. Traeser, Helmer E. Brandel and W. E. Shirr have organized the Austin Theatres Corporation with a capital of 160 shares of no par value. The offices are located at 910 South Michigan avenue, Chicago, and the new firm will build a new picture theatre, according to the records. Friends of the Ascher Circuit are glad to hear that owing to the good business the organization has been enjoying since the recent re-adjustment of the management and the return to the old organization, $300,000 of the loan of $750,000 has already been paid off several months ahead of time and the entire loan no doubt will be liquidated before it conies due. Andrew Karzas, owner of the Woodlawn and the Trianon, Chicago, has been given the call letter WMBB for his new radio station atop the Trianon. The station went into active operation last week, using a wave length of 250 meters with a power of 500 watts. Station WTAY, which has been using the same wave length, was silent for the opening night of the new station and in the future will divide broadcasting time with the new Karzas station. David Wine, who bought the southeast corner of Sixty-Third and Green street, on the South Side, Chicago, from Hartman Company for a reported $210,000, may tear down the two-story building and build a huge picture theatre. In addition to the Hartman property Wine also acquired the adjoining lot 50 by 125 feet, which will give him enough room for a large theatre. W. L Pracht, manager of the Idle Hour Theatre at St. Charles recently purchased by the Norris interests which are erecting $250,000 theatre In St. Charles, has been engaged as manager of the new house. C. M. Wasson, Frank Jamison and Edward Qualkinbush head the syndicate which will erect a 2,500-seat picture theatre at the northwest corner of Kedzie avenue and FiftyNinth street, Chicago. The design for the building, which is expected to cost approximately $840,000, has been drawn by Lowenberg & Lowenberg, architects. The lot fronts 175 feet on Kedzie avenue and 125 feet on Fifty-Ninth street. It will be a Spanish type of building. Ben Huff, owner of the Empress Theatre, Galesburg, 111., is receiving congratulations from his friends in the trade on his recent marriage. In addition to his duties as theatre owner, Ben is the city clerk at Galesburg and is some politician when it comes to getting the votes. E. T. Peterson has taken over the management of the Lincoln at Fulton, 111. The Petite Theatre at Monmouth, 111., Is under the management of M. Ranney and the house will be operated for pictures in the future. H'. P. Arrowsmith, in addition to being the owner of the Lyric at Gibson City, 111., has been elected mayor. His many friends in the trade are extending their congratulations. Jules J. Rubens of Aurora, 111., a member of the Balaban & Katz Midwest Circuit, will call for bids in about two weeks on the new picture theatre he is to build at Springfield, 111. The house will be erected by the Lincoln Square Building Corporation and will seat 3,000, making it the largest house in Central Illinois. Eddie Trinz has been made manager of the Pantheon Theatre, Chicago, the big Lubliner & Trinz house on Sheridan Road, succeeding Martin Sacks, who is now in charge of the Covent Garden Theatre of the circuit. Harry Lustgarden has been made manager of the Windsor and Louis 'Natelson is manager at the Crawford, succeeding Manager Rowley who goes to the Wilson. The Lyric at Lathan, 111., has been purchased by Elmer Jerome from Miss E. M. Smith. Paul Rutishauser opened his Mid-City Theatre on West Madison street, Chicago, last month. Many film folk turned out to congratulate, him upon his fine little 300-seat house. Verne Hicks of Spring Valley Theatre and Charley Tuchan of the Capital Theatre at Canton were in Chicago last week and report business as holding its own in their territory. Ludwig Segal of the Prairie and Sidney Selig of the Gem and Cozy theatres, Chicago, have returned from a sojourn at West Baden, where they cleaned up on the golf championship contests. Greenebaum Sons are offering $7,500,000, 6 per cent, gold bonds on the Eitel Central Block, Chicago, w'hich is to include the new Palace Theatre for the Orpheum circuit, seating 2,500. Work has started on the project. Spring in Chicago In the Spring a showman's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of During the week of April 19 to 26: The McVickers, Chicago, is putting over Flower Show Week. The Capitol is using sixty people in Golden Fete Week. The Tivoli has a big bill for Spring Festival Week. The Riveria is staging Military Week. The Chicago is breaking records with Festival Week. -weeks. Los Angeles Another new theatre to cost in excess of $700,000 will be erected in Hollywood by the Hollywood Improvement Association on Hollywood Boulevard. The building will be a class A structure of reinforced concrete. It will be six stories high and cover a space of 123 by 179 feet. The capacity will be 1600. Terra cotta facing will be used. Bids are being received. The new Strand Theatre at Avalon, Catalina island, had its opening this week with all the islanders out in "Soup and Fish" for the event. Harold Horn of the Criterion acted as host to all the newspaper men and their families at a special performance of "Quo Vadis." If the heads of the families were unable to come, Horn took good care of the mothers and kiddies. J. L. Bard gave a benefit performance of "The Rag Man" and turned the entire receipts over to the Lakewood Parent Teachers' Association. Theatre owners of Southern California have appointed Glen Harper, Ben Bernstein, Bud Lollier, Dave Bershon and W. J. Quinn as delegates to the national convention in Milwaukee on May 12, 13 and 14. The delegation is going to do everything possible to bring the 1926 convention to Los Angeles. Maine R. G. Craerin. who managed the Jefferson Theatre in Portland, has returned to New York as the house is to be closed. Universalist church services are being conducted in the Bijou Theatre, Pittsfield. Now Booking Georcre Meiford production Weber & Fields Produced by Edward BelaiCO Productions In Producers nisirlhulinq