Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1911)

8o8 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD CORRESPONDENCE CLEVELAND. Of the many new theaters recently opened in this city, the Doane, at St. Clair and Bast 1.05th Streets, is the largest. With a commodious balcony, it seats over 1,200 people. On its opening night, August lit, the capacity was taxed to the limit and then some. It is owned in part by H. E. Edel, manager of the Alhambra, and is capably managed by his brother, Mr. F. Edel. Licensed service is used, shows as picked for Hie Alliambrn and Globe being offered. It is In an unusually favorable location, and its success is assured. The Cameraphone Theater, at 736 Euclid Avenue, opened to the public, to the public's gratilication, on Saturday, Aug. 26. Although it has been remodeled from a vacant store into a modern and tastefully decorated photoplay house in record time, no details in appointment have been overlooked. It seats about 300 persons and is tire first Cleveland theater to adopt the indirect lighting system. The room is brightly illuminated, hut with no harm to the picture. The system of ventilation is also worthy of especial commendation. For the past three months several thousand employees of the cloak factories of this city have have been on strike. On August 23, Max Marcus, manager of the Globe Theater, gave a benefit performance for the strikers and their families. The Globe is in a locality where a considerable number of the strikers and their friends live, and the attendance at the benefit was far above normal. The Essanay strike photo-play, "The Fight For Justice," which replaced "The Temptress" was furnished for the evening's performance and was very generously applauded at each show. The Feature and Educational Film Company has been incorporated with a capital of $10,000, and E. Mandelbaum, the prominent film renter and exhibitor of this city, is the president and general manager. Nearly a thousand reels of feature and instructive film is already on hand, and that number is being regularly added to— the most prominent recent purchases being the Great Northern "Temptations of a Great City" and "The Crusaders." The new company purposes to supply high class features to exhibitors as supplementary to the regular program. Catalogues of subjects available are now on the press, and will be supplied to all who request copies. During the recent races at Randall, what is thought to be the only motion picture record of a horse breaking a world's record, was secured by C. C. Spinks, a local motion photographer. Uhlan, owned by C. K. G. Billings, was the horse which hung up a new record before the camera. The Bronx Theater has been offering some feature reels, owned by the manager of the house, F. L. Smith, recently. Ambrosio's "MacBeth" and "Burning of Rome," Essanay's "Sensational Logging," and "The Duippe Auto Races" are some of the extra reels shown. Mr. Smith will probably go on the road with these and other subjects during the fall and winter, booking Independently and lecturing each reel. Humphrey's Elysium will be first in Cleveland to exhibit "The Crusaders." It will be shown there all the week of September 4, with exceptional musical setting, and a private exhibition for the benefit of the press and clergy is announced for Saturday, Sept. 2. Doubtless the two thousand seats In the Elysium will all be in use again this week. The new theater to seat over a thousand persons, which S. Bolasky is building on East 55th Street, near Central, is nearing completion and will open about October 1. Mr. Bolasky has advertised a prize of $20 for the best name submitted, and out of the scores of names received will select the one by which the theater will be known. He has under preparation plans for another theater, to be built at East 105th and Superior Streets, which will seat 1.S0O — the largest photoplay theater in Cleveland. R. G. DRUMMOND. SAN ERANCISCO. Perhaps the destruction by fire of a nickelodeon In Sacramento, Cal., Aug. 3rd, will be a lesson to managers who employ under-aged operators. The theater, by name, "Mikle," located in Oak Park. The fire started in the operating room, which was in charge of Lawrence Herb, a fourteen-year hoy. The blaze caused a panic, and a score of people were injured in making their escape. Not only the theater was burned, but the adjoining hotel, a saloon, an ice-cream parlor, besides damaging a furniture store considerably. The loss will reach $35,000. And then exhibitors wonder why they make stringent fire rules and laws. The California and Miles Bros, film exchanges ■ Independent) are profiting quite a bit by the popularity of the Mutt and Jeff pictures. They are charging the exhibitors $5 extra for each reel, which reminds me of how oue little theater slipped one over on another small theater across the street. The latter h:is had first run of the Mutt and Jeff films ever since their advent lure. They are released on Saturday. Last Friday, the manager of the first run bouse, as usual, advertised with posters and handbills, the latest Mutt and Jeff reel, for the next night. lie did B few acrobatic stunts, both vocally and physically, when lie saw in front of the oilier house' (also on Friday), an array of Mutt and JeS posters, past, present and future, that made a circus ad look mild ami puny in comparison. The announcement read: "Mutt and Jeff tonight." The unsuspecting public didn't dream that the picture was a month old, and that night they not only crowded but overflowed the theater many times. The "Electric," a small nickelodeon on Fillmore Street, has been closed, and marks another step in the passing of what was -formerly known as "Nickelodeon Row." Out of a dozen or more houses, only two are left and it Is hut a matter of a short time when they will go the way of their predecessors. There's nothing like jollying the audiences. The Bell (5-cent house), has adopted the old scheme to lure patrons. The manager snaps pictures of people around the neighborhood, then advertises that each day one of the snaps will be thrown on the screen, and if the original is in the audience at the time, he or she will receive a cash reward, 50 cents for the girls and boys and $1 for Hie grown-ups. It has worked like a cherm in drawing the crowds, Probably the most unusual nickelodeon in the city is donw in Chinatown. The entrance is purely Oriental, the cashier and door-keeper are both Chinamen and the majority of the patrons are Chinese. It is own?d by Benny Michaels, who also owns the Silver Palace, on Market Street. It is rumored that Miles Bros.' film exchange has formed a moving picture company and will take pictures in this vicinity. When I asked Jim Saroni, manager of the exchange, and also famous as being able to talk faster and smarter than anyone on record, about moving picture laws, pro and con, about the rumor, he looked as innocent as a babe (you ought to see him — lie looks like the naughty vilyun in the melodrama), and swore by all the Independent gods that he never had and never would have anything so thrilling as a moving picture company. Nevertheless, he's been out of town for nearly a week, and what he is doing is something of a mystery. He can keep a secret surely. The Maa-ket Street Theater is an example of what fine pictures can be projected at a great distance, when in the hands of an expert operator. W. G. Woods, in charge of the operating room at the Market, also president of the Operator's Union, throws his pictures 120 feet, probably the longest throw in San Francisco. The pictures are remarkably distinct, free from ghosts and brown corners, and the light is perfect. A Powers No. 6 machine is used. ONA OTTO. SEATTLE, WASH. The "Black Cat" Theater of this city has secured through its energetic manager, Mr. H. J. Brown, another big "scoop," the "Morris-Shreck" fight pictures. The pictures will be shown one week, at an advanced admission fee of 10 cents. The pictures are very good, showing the training quarters of both fighters and the knockout declaring Morris the winner. The Pastime Theater of this city, owned by Mr. Frank Stebbings, has closed for the want of business and heavy expenses. The Pastime was opened about six weeks ago and is one of the prettiest photoplay theaters in the State, and will no doubt be opened again this week under new management. Mr. Sara B. Cohen arrived in Seattle, August 19, after a tour throughout the Stale with the WolgastMoran fight pictures, Mr. Co'nen'will leave shortly for Spokane, Wash., to take the management of the Spokane Theater for Mr. Gene Levy, of the Levy Amusement Company. The Spokane Theater will open September 15, 1011, with vaudeville and motion pictures. The "World's" representative received a letter from Mr. H. C. Rawliugs from Bellingham, Wash., who is making a tour throughout the S ate with his celebrated pictures of the Japan-Russia War and is doing very good. Mr. Rawliugs also reports that the Hex Theater, which opened about August 1, 1911, at Mount Vernon, is playing to packed houses every night and Mr. Dunham is satisfied that the people realize that they have a good show, service being secured from the Seattle branch of the General Film Couipany. The Star Theater at Anacortes, Wash., has closed. It will be remodeled throughout and will install opera chairs and will no doubt be open in a month. The Dream Theater, of Anacortes, Wash., have changed their film service from the Pacific Film Exchange to the Western Film Company, of Seattle, Wash. Mr. Oren F. Woody, road representative of the Seattle branch of the General Film Company, has left for Spokane, Wash., and will be gone about two weeks. The fight in Tacoma, Wash., has finally come to a settlement between the Licensed and Independent exhibitors and exchanges. The agreement is two reels to the show and three changes per week, and the General Film Company to have jurisdiction on Pacific Avenue, which includes the Palace, Lyric, Coast, Shell and Scenic theaters. Mr. A. S. Kane, general manager of the Seattle office Of the General Film Company, has purchased :i Is horsepower. S-passcnger Winton louring car; also Mr. Mel Simmons, assistant manager, will soonin, and will make a visit to Lake Eskimo, situated fifty miles In the wildnerness of the big pine woods of the Grays Harbor country. Mel Is determined to shoot a bear and says he will bring the hide of a bruin back or bust. Mr. W. W. Ladd (the border king and slide maker) will on August 28, 1911, open bis new and commodious offices at 307 Majestic Building, over Hie Empress Theater, and will hereafter be known as Ladd & Co. Mr. J. S. Woody, of this city, has organized a company of prominent business men and will be known as the Rainier Valley Feature Film Company. The object of the company will be to handle State rights for all feature films. The Grand Opera House secured the first showing of Vitagraph's Monthly Bulletin, and it proved a success, showing the different events of the month and the collison between two locomotives, which was great. The Grand played to good houses all week. Mr. and Mrs. J. Q. Clemmer, of the Dream Theater of this city, has returned from his honeymoon trip, after a very pleasant trip through California. Mr. Sol. Baum, of the People's Amusement Company, of Seattle and Portland, arrived in Seattle August 15, 1911, to look after the interests of the Odeon Theater, which he has closed. The Odeon Theater, one of the oldest thea'ers in the city, dating back about four years, and one of the best locations in the city, for the want of a lease was forced to close. Mr. Baum stated: If any length of lease could have been procured, the house would have been remodeled and opened for business. The huge government dry dock at Bremerton, Wash., the Puget Sound Navy Yard, was used August 19, 1911. as a theater in which the crew of the cruiser "Colorado" entertained their friends with moving pictures of the Nelson -Moran fight. Fully 2,000 enlisted men of the navy yard and their friends enjoyed the entertainment. The picture machine, which is the property of the Colorado's crew, was placed on a platform at one side of the dock, and the spectators arranged themselves on the altars on the west side of the amphitheater. The cruiser's band furnished appropriate music for the occasion. L. L. GOLDSMITH. IS THE MISSIISSIPPI VALLEY. Noah Stivers, of Farmer City, 111., has purchased the Gem Theater at Clinton, 111., from George Myers. Miss Sarah McDowell, of Mason City, 111., Is the new piano player and singer at the Varsity Theater, Havana, 111., which has just opened for the winter season. Charles Gardner, a Cairo, Til., negro, has leased the old skating rink at 328-330 Twenty-ninth Street, Cairo, and opened a moving pictnre and vaudeville house for negroes. It has a capacity of 600 persons. This is the second attempt, it Is said, to establish an amusement place exclusively for negroes in Cairo. The first, by St. Louis negroes, was a failure. Mrs. William J. Mullen and Mrs. Horace Mnlvey, of Aurora, 111., are said to be making plans to open a moving picture theater at 21 South River Street in that city. Remodeling the building will call for an expenditure of $3,000; a new front is to be installed if the deal is made and the lighting scheme will be featured. A. C. Woodyatt, of the Lyric, Moline, I1L, has installed an electric orchestrion. % Poor children were admitted free by Hsaager Guiteau, of the Majestic, Freeport, 111., when he showed the Biograph's "The Ruling Passion." The Curts Theater. Savannah, 111., is advertising "Special Cne Music." The manager of the Olympia, Areola, HI., announces that vaudeville will he a regular feature at his theater. The Illinois State Highway Commission is planning to have moving pictures taken of the premier hard roads in the State. Joseph Westwood. of Livingston, 111., is constructing a moving picture theater at Taylor Springs, 111. The place will be conducted as an airdome for several weeks, the sides being constructed of wood and galvanized iron. Later a roof and floor will be added. Shows will be given Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights, it is announced. Gallagher Brothers, of Litchfield, 111., began work on remodeling the Picto, announcing that in its new dress it would be known as the Royal. Manager Hopper, of the Lyric, Freeport, 111., recently was the host to a bunch of "fresh air kids" who were made happy by a good program of wellselected pictures. The Qnincy, 111., Herald in a column-lo»g editorial commending the moving picture as it Is shown in Qulncy, treats of a phase commonly ignored by writers — the passing of the flicker. This speaks well for Quincy shows. Charles Vance, owner of Dreamland, Streator, 111., offered a diamond ring for the best name for Ms new theater at 322 East Main Street. F. H. M. (Continued on page 812)