The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

562 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 24, 1920 Keeping in Personal Touch HOPP HADLEY'S new idea of a stage and picture combination called "movical comedy," entitled "The Wizard of Oz," according to Manager Brown of the Strand Theatre, White Plains, N. Y., is a box office attraction. At his matinees he doubled his business. Manager Bryant of Long Branch and Asbury Park, N J., credits it with 1,600 for the day at the Savoy. Hopp has secured the services of Frank F. Moore, of Morton and Moore, who played in the stage production and screen, to take part in his "movical." Mr. Moore will have full charge of the "revue" and will introduce all his original scarecrow business in the combination. The company opened with Frank Moore at the Trent Theatre, Trenton, N. J., on January 12. Hopp says Broadway will number it among the bright lights in the near future. * * * Jack Levy, eastern division manager of the United Picture Theatres, spent several days in Buffalo last week, breaking in the new exchange manager of Buffalo, James B. Kelly. Mr. Levy's headquarters are in New York. • * * * A. Rosenthal, of Rosenthal and Saperstein, 1302 Consumers Building, Chicago, is in New York. He is in the city purchasing for their state rights interests, which are quite extensive. Rosenthal and Saperstein are opening an exchange in Buffalo. * * * Edwin A. Sherwood and William F. Ballinger have associated themselves in the ownership of the Variety Pictures Corporation, located at 12 East Baltimore street, Baltimore, with Miltoti Chaplin. Mr. Sherwood was formerly with Pathe and Paramount. Mr. Ballinger was formerly with Select. * >i< * M. Meyers, publicity director for Sol Lesser Enterprises, was confined to his home with the grip last week. Mr. Meyer has been working over time on an ornate brochure, which will be issued to exploit the Sol Lesser pictures. * * * A G. Hettesheimer, a pioneer exhibitor of the Walnut Hill section of Cincinnati, was elected to the local board of trade. Mr. Hettesheimer is a member of the board of directors of the United Picture Theatres. F. Steule of the Broadway Amusement Company, Louisville, was elected chairman of the board. Mr. Hettesheimer, with D. M. Thomas, a United division manager, of the southwestern territory, spent several days in New York last week in a conference with the head officials. * * ♦ L. T. Lester, of Columbia, S. C, owner of the Rialto, Rivoli and Royal Lincoln theatres, is figuring on building one more colored house to seat about 1,300 and costing about $85,000. A new house for whites is contemplated, to seat 2,300. Mr. Lester is said to be the youngest showman in the state. * * * Lester Park and Edward Whiteside will soon offer for state rights their first feature production, "Empty Arms." The theme is opposed to birth control and on the dignity of maternity. It is intensely dramatic and presents a story of thrilling interest that is convincing and entertaining. It was directed by Frank Reicher, formerly with Lasky and Metro. The story was written by Willard King Bradley. Gail Kane has the lead, supported by Thurston Hall, now starring at the Morosco Theatre, New York, and Herbert Frank. It will be ready for release about February 1. * * * E. C. Ecoles and S. L Barnhard of the Capitol Film Company are in New York buying state rights pictures. Mr. Barnhard is stopping at the Hotel Hermitage. m * * H. E. Coffey, of the Empire Film Distributing Company, Washington, D. C, was in New York last week. Incidentally, he took in the automobile show, but primarily he was looking for state rights leads. * * * George J. Schade, of the Schade Theatre, Sandusky, and Harry Hall of the Strand, Troy, N. Y., were in New York last week for an executive meeting of United Theatres. * * * Dan Dolan, formerly with the Sherry Features, is now the Connecticut representative for the Hodkinson pictures. * * * Richard C. Hallawell has reopened the Star Theatre at Meriden, Conn. He had it closed for a few months for alterations and repairs. * * * J. Rescher, cameraman for Wiliamson Brothers, left for Havana on January 15 with Ernest Williamson, to start producing another sensational undersea feature. * 4< * Mathias Radin, of the Tyrad Company, left for the Coast Saturday, January 10. if ^ 4 Thornton Fisher, former "Crank Grinder" and cartoonist of the Moving Picture World, was on his way Saturday, January 10 to the Mineola aviation field to make a flight with the aviator Bertraud. Mr. Fisher was accompanied by his wife and daughter, Milred, who also expected to take a flight. * * * Joe Brady, formerly associated with the Robertson-Cole publicity department, is now affiliated with the Pathe publicity forces. * * ♦ Louis Rosenblum, executive of the New York exchange for Fox, will open his new headquarters, occupying the entire tenth floor of 140 West Thirtysi.xth street, on February 10 with a house-warming A jazz band and all that goes with it will furnish the pep. It means open house to all exhibitors and their friends. * * * John McCarthy of the McCarthy Producing Company, Los Angeles, is in New York stopping at the Hotel Belmont. We understand he brought one of his recent productions with him. T. Hayes, formerly connected with the Park and Circle theatres at South Manchester, has opened up the Strand at Wallingford. Conn. * * * David Lustig, former manager of the Empire Theatre, Bridgeport, Conn., is now sales representative for Realart in Connecticut. * * * Edgar O. Brooks, serial sales manager of Pathe, has just returned from Buffalo and Boston presenting the many Pathe serial propositions. He reports the exhibitors in high spirits over present business conditions. They are all eager for the Jack Dempsey serial, "Dare Devil Jack." * * * The Rialto Theatre of New Haven will be reopened this month with Paramount features as a basic program. * * * R. L. McLean, formerly with Paramount exchange at Atlanta, is about to assume his new duties as manager for the Southeastern Pictures Corporation. * * * Ken E. Finlay is the assistant general manager of publicity for the Craver Amusement Enterprises of Charlotte, N. C. * * * C. F. Senning, manager of the Richmond exchange of the First National, while making a booking record in the South, always has a wideawake interest in all things pertaining to the industry. He says: "I see indications in Virginia of another censorship battle." * * * Peter Schaefer and wife, also Nate Ascher and wife, all from Chicago, were in New York last week to attend the Loew-Zukor nuptials. * ♦ * J. U. McCormick, branch manager at Washington, D. C, for Selznick and Select pictures, is at present covering his southern itinerary through the Virginias and the Carolinas. He is a very popular man in that section of the country. * « * The hotel and office buildings, occupying the square between Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth street, fronting on Broadway, is now placarded with announcements of removal to make way for the new Loew theatre to be built on that site. * * * J. M. Franklin, of the Strand Theatre, Halifax, N. S., and the Opera House, St. John, N. B., was in New York the week of January 12. He reports general prosperity in the Maritime Provinces. He was in New York booking his programs for spring showing. * • * Marrick R. Nutting, former editor of the Canadian Digest, is general agent of the Columbia Bazaar Company of Pottstown, Pa. The bazaar is a sort of indoor winter carnival, booked in the smaller cities. * * * Archie MacArthur, Jr., advertising manager of Moving Picture World, has returned from his Lo* Angeles visit