The Moving picture world (May 1920-June 1920)

1458 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD June 12, 1920 Baltimore Briefs Attractions Knding' June 5. Garden. — "The Courage of Marge O'Doone." Blue Mouse. — "Youthful Polly." Picture Garden. — "The Third Woman." New Theatre. — "The Fortune Teller." Parkway. — "Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come." Hippodrome. — "The Notorious Mrs. Sands." Strand. — "The Walk-Offs." New Wizard. — "The Sea Wolf." Ford's. — "The Virgin of Stamboul." Schanberger on Commission. P REDERICK C. SCHANBERGER, manager of the Maryland Theatre, has been appointed the Democratic member of the Maryland State Athletic Commission by Governor Ritchie. He will serve four years. Two other members were appointed and all will serve without pay. The commission took ofRce on June 1, and was created under the Burns bill passed at the last session of the Legislature. Licensing and regulating boxing and wrestling contests throughout the state will be the duty of the commission. Benefit at Garden Tlieatre. To raise funds for the support of the hospital which has just been opened by the Volunteers of America on West Lexington street, a benefit performance was given at the Garden Theatre night of May 30. Moving pictures were shown and music was furnished by St. Mary's Industrial School Band. Ballinser in Conrt. W. F. Ballinger, Baltimore representative of Select Pictures Corporation, was arraigned before Justice Rohleder in the Northeastern Police Court May 25 on a charge against him by Marie W. Presstman, a member of the Maryland State Board of Motion Picture Censors. Mr. Ballinger was charged with releasing a film to a theatre from which parts condemned by the censors had not been eliminated. Mr. Ballinger did not plead guilty, and exp'ained why ho should not, but he was fined $25 and costs. Depkin Stion-ing Specials. Bernard Depkin, Jr., who manages the New Wizard, Strand and four other moving picture theatres in Baltimore, is handling the presentation of feature films at Ford's Opera House, where films are to be shown during the next few weeks. Ford's has just closed its regular season for road shows and on May 31 the first of the feature plays to be offered the public was Priscilla Dean, in "The Virgin of Stamboul." The prices are: Matinees, 25 cents; evenings, 25, 50 and 75 cents. Patterson Tlieatre Sold. The Patterson Theatre, which has been operated by Julius Goodman for some time, has been sold to M. Rodman. The price of the property was $11,600 and the price of the equipment was $1,400. The seating capacity of the Patterson is 320. Mr. Rodman is also interested in the Commodore Film Company. Baltimore Film Personals. Ira H. Cohn. assistant feature sales manager of the Pathe New York office, spent May 21 in Baltimore and was entertained by Jack Whittle and Simon Feldstein, of the Baltimore Pathe office. Benjamin Cluster, proprietor of the Cluster and Liberty theatres, on South Broadway, has been laid up with a fracture ankle, which he sustained when he fell from a ladder at his Forest Park home. He is now on the road to recovery. * The Colonial Theatre, which was recently opened by J. McLaughlin, is being booked by R. Levy, manager of the New Gem. Ziegfeld & Tate, motion picture producers of Baltimore, are now completing the "Safety First" film for the Automobile Commission of Maryland. "Toothpicks will now be served In the ballroom" was a title which a member of the Maryland Censor Board ordered Jack Whittle, of the Baltimore Pathe office, to cut out of one of his pictures. George C. Eichelberger, who operates the Ideal Theatre In Union Bridge, Md., recently visited the Baltimore Film Exchauee. Among Busy Exchangemen (Continued from Page 1455.) tures Corporation, Limited. A few days previously Vancouver was visited by L. E. Ouimet, of Montreal, president and general manager of the Specialty Film Import, Limited, Canadian distributers of Pathe and British Mastercraft productions. The .Amalgamated Exhibitors' Circuit, Limited, an exhibitor organization, with offices in Montreal, Toronto and St. John, has secured the booking rights for "Screaming Shadow," the fifteen-episode serial. Rogers Gets Pine Position. George A. Rogers. Toronto manager of the Perkins Electric Company, of Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg, has been appointed assistant general maager of the company, with future headquarters at the main office in Montreal. J. A. Kerrin has been appointed manager of the Toronto branch to succeed Mr. Rogers, while R. C. Buckley, who is widely known in Canadian film circles, will be assistant Toronto manager. Jack Allan a Benedict. Jack Allan, manager of the Montreal branch of the Canadian Exhibitors' Exchange, was married on May 20 to Miss Kavanaugh, of Cardinal, the marriage taking place at Prescott. Canadian Now In BnfTalo. James E. Finch, formerly with the Canadian Universal Film Company and well known in Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg and other cities, Is now located in Buffalo, N. Y., where he Is egaged In the film exchange business. Trro Film Men Promoted. J. R. Kaufman has been appointed sales manager for Eastern Canada of the Select Pictures Corporation, Limited, with headquarters at Toronto. Ambrose Theurer, previously head booker at the Toronto office, has been appointed to the position of assistant manager of the Toronto branch cf the Select Pictures Corporation, Limited. Cleveland First National BlaneH Trail. The First National Exchange, Cleveland, blazed the way "uptown" June 1, when it moved to Its new quarters at 3648 Euclid avenue. This Is near the new film building which is going up at Payne avenue and East Twenty-second street. The First National's new location is In an old mansion where a Cleveland millionaire used to live. It Is only temporary, however, until the new film building is completed. Erdmann Witli Selznlck Group. George Erdmann, who resigned recently as manager of the Cleveland branch of Famous Players-Lasky, entered upon his new duties June 1 as manager of the combined Selznick-Select, National-Republic exchange in the Belmont Building. At the same time H. E. Elder succeeded him at the Famous Players headquarters. Mr. Erdmann was manager of the Famous Players for several years and his change was quite a surprise to the exhibitors. Mr. Elder formerly was local Pathe manager, but more recently he was located in Pittsburgh. Bar the Leaping Dominoes. The Universal salesmen have organized a ball team in Cleveland and have issued a challenge to any other exchange in the city. M. J. Glick Is the manager. The challenge also Invites side bets from sprocket holes to canceled contracts, and states that the jumping Ivories should be left at home when there is a game. Detroit J. O. Brooks Elams Promotion. J. O. Brooks, former features salesman at the Detroit Pathe exchange, has been promoted to feature sales manager at the local exchange and will spend most of his time directing affairs from the office. Hallmark's Xew ^Innager. George W. Thompson, recently of New York City, has been appointed manager of the Hallmark exchange in Detroit. He succeeds Harlan Starr. Another appointment Is tiiat of Frank Howard to assistant manager. He was former booker. Detroit Doings Attractions Ending June 5. Madison. — "Courage of Marge O'Doone." .\dams. — "Polly of the Storm Country." Broadway-Strand. — "Paris Green." Majestic. — "Sinners." Babylon Falls at 30 to 1.50. THE FALL OF BABYLON," owned for Michigan by the Minter-United Company, opened at the Orchestra Hall May 23 to very big business, prices ranging from 50 cents to $1.50. The engagement, now in its second week, was backed by a tremendous advertising campaign. A Millionaire and a Half at 2«l. A. J. Kleist, Jr., will have two more houses in Pontiac, Mich., each seating over 1,200 people. One has already started and another is to start before fall. It will give Mr. Kleist seven houses in Pontiac — in fact, absolute control of the Pontiac theatrical situation. Mr. Kleist is still a young man — around twenty-six years old — and his total investment in theatres when the new houses are built will be around $1,500,000. George H. Wilbur is managing director of the Kleist theatres and looks after the bookings and house managements. For Rlalto's Sister, RIvoll. J. C. Ritter, of the Rialto Theatre, Detroit, is having plans prepared for another theatre, to be known as the Rivola, at the corner of Cadillac and Warren. It will seat 1,200 and be exclusively for motion pictures. Going Where Films Come From. George Harrison, owner of the Jefferson Theatre, Detroit, who has sold it, will leave early in June for Los Angeles, where he plans to embark in another line of business. Florida Flora For Bathing Girl Two-HeeierM, WD. M'ADOO and associates, wealthy operators of St. Petersburg, have formed a company for the manufacture of one and two-reel comedies, largely of the bathing girl variety, and are building a new bathing pavilion and studio. They plan to enlarge the proposition rapidly. Key West to Hqve Key Theatre. Key West is soon to have a modern moving picture theatre which will cost $35,000. It is being erected by Karl Thompson, a leading citizen, who will operate it. The plans agreed upon call for a beautiful structure. Since the storm, something over a year ago. there have been no large movie theatres in Key West, as they were destroyed. Work is already under way and it is hoped to complete It within eighty days. Florida Film Exploits Piracy. The next picture to be produced by the Character Pictures Company will be. typically Floridian in nature, and the script has been especially prepared by a Florida author, Mrs. Roy Johnston, of the staff of the Tampa Daily Times. The plot Is founded on the daring exploits of Jose Gasparilla, a bloodthirsty pirate who roamed the Florida coasts about 100 years ago and who was a friend of Jean Lafitte, the famous New Orleans pirate. The splendid scenery at Anna Maria Key. where the picture will be taken, will make a fine background for this picture, in which Paul Gilmore will be starred. A number of actors are arriving from New York to take part in the production, and advertisements have been inserted for a large number of "extra" men and women. ''Isle of Destiny" All Ready. "The Isle of Destiny," the first picture to be made by the Character Pictures Company, has been completed and sent to New York. The film was finished in three weeks, as against the usual six or seven weeks required In other localities. The reason for the quickness in completion was th6 splendid weather, which permitted work until 7 p. m. nearly every day. Director Tamar Lane is high In bis praise of Florida.