The Moving picture world (November 1921)

568 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 3, 1921 San Francisco Harry Savior, for some time connected with Universal, has given up his position here and returned to his old home at Honolulu. * * * A. Rosenberg, secretary-treasurer of the De Luxe Film Company, of Seattle, Wash., was a recent visitor on San Francisco's Film Row. * * * Manager W. A. Crank, of the local branch of Wid Gunning, Inc., which has succeeded the F. B. Warren Corporation, is preparing to move this exchange to new quarters on Turk street, near Leavenworth. The change will be made about the first of the month. Good bookings are being secured on the subjects now at hand and the outlook is considered very bright in this territory. * * * The management of the Strand Theatre has secured the services of Eddie Sellen as organist. Mr. Sellen has played at the Strand Theatre, New York, and the Stanley and Regent Theatres, Philadelphia. * * * The Educational Film Corporation will move its local branch to a new building on Turk street, near Leavenworth, about the middle of December. * * * Herman Wobber, Pacific Coast manager of the Famous PlayersLasky Corp., is attending the meeting of district managers at New York. * * * R. A. White, general salesmanager of the Fox Film Corporation, was a visitor in town this week and left for Los Angeles after looking over the local exchange and placing his stamp of approval upon the live manner in which it is going after business. * * * The W. W. Hodkinson Corporation has formally opened a branch exchange at 985 Market street, under the management of Meehan & Vogel, the opening being a part of the observance of the company's fourth anniversary. This concern has taken a lease on a film exchange building to be erected at Turk and Leavenworth streets and it is expected that it will be possible to move to this location in about four months. In the meantime it will remain on Market street, although the Pathe Exchange, with which it is sharing quarters, will move to Turk street before the end of the month. * * * Walter Preddey has sold a Simplex machine for installation in a large school at Newark, Cal. * * * J. Slipper, well-known theatre supply man of Los Angeles, visited the local trade during the week. * * * A moving picture house has been opened at Biola, Cal., by E. L. Bowen. * * * The Orchard City Theatre at Campbell, Cal., in the Santa Clara Valley, has been taken over by Mr. Lyons, formerly of Sunnyvale, and has been reopened by him. * * * M. L. Markowitz is preparing to open his new Strand Theatre at Gilroy, Cal., about November 26, the opening attraction to be "Camille," with Nazimova. He has also taken over the Bijou Theatre at Fresno, Cal., and has added it to his chain of moving picture houses. * * * W. H. Bradshaw and F. F. Blackstone, moying picture producers, sailed for the Orient during the week to produce a series of pictures. * * * S. H. Levin, manager of the Coliseum Theatre, one of San Francisco's largest district houses, is planning to put into effect a new policy which will give the patrons of this theatre a more diversified entertainment. Added attractions of a high order will be offered, but it is not intended that these will savor of the usual vaudeville type. Special attention • is now being given to music, with Eddie Horton at the organ and W. H. McKinney, formerly of the California and Strand Theatres, leading the orchestra. Mr. Levin has some very decided opinions concerning the use of prologues and believes that these have no place on the program of a moving picture house. He contracts for his film offerings, he says, on the assumption that they are finished productions and the work of skilled artists and feels that they do not need any embellishments. * * * The American Photo Player Company has sold an instrument for installation in the Victory Theatre, L'kiah, Cal. * * * J. H. Knowles, well-known exhibitor of Sonora, Cal., came to the city the middle of the month to arrange bookings. * * * The first anniversary of Loew's Theatre, Oakland, Cal., was observed during the week of November 13 and Manager Eugene L. Perry offered the patrons of this house some exceptional entertainment. The setting for the orchestra represented the lawn of the White House at Washington and national celebrities, such as President Harding, General Pershing, Chief Justice Taft, and others, appeared as attending the musical treat. Autographed photographs of Paul Ash, the musical director, were presented to the ladies attending the matinee performances. * * * The Berkeley Motion Picture Committee, composed of delegates fiom the Parent Teachers' Association and various clubs, has arranged for a mass meeting in the interests of better moving pictures, the gathering to be held in the High School Auditorium, Berkeley, Cal., November 28. * * * C. Jerome Wilson, who directed the making of moving pictures in the Edison lalwratories twenty-three years ago, has arrived at San Francisco, ready to go to work on films to be produced here. He declares that many southern California Producers are turning their eyes to this city, reali/ins that the northern part of the State has scenic and climatic advantages that far surpass those of the southland. Pittsburgh The F. I. L. M. Club, of Pittsburgh, staged quite an elaborate dinner and dance at the Fort Pitt Hotel Saturday evening, November 12 The guests included only the wives, managers and assistant managers of the exchanges which are members of the club. About seventy persons were present, and according to reports they all had one grand time. Mrs. Mary Carr, star of Fox's "Over the Hill," who was in the city as a guest of the Rowland and Clark Theatres, was an honored guest. The star's daughter and Vivian Moses, publicity director for Fox, were also present. The F. I. L. M. Club has elected the following officers for the ensuing year : James Hummel, Realart, president; Nat Barach, Goldwyn, vice president ; Howard Gross, S. & S., treasurer. * * * Work is being rushed on the new Janicks film building at 1028-1030 Forbes street and from present indications it will be ready for occupancy the latter part of December. The building will cover a space 25 by 105 feet and will be so arranged that it will accommodate four tenants. There will be two floors with film vaults as large as the city will allow, two vaults on each floor. A third floor will also be added to the building, although there will be no vaults in this floor. * * * Charleston, W. Va., is to have a new theatre, operated in connection with a social center. The building, now under construction, is to be located on Seventh avenue opposite the Indian mound, and is to cost $30,000, including the equipment. The enterprise, it is said, is financed by Quincey Jones, president of the First National Bank of South Charleston, and the management will be in the hands of R. A. Schutte, who has operated a number of such enterprises in the coal fields. The theatre will be equipped for both pictures and road attractions. It will seat 600 and will be supplied with an organ, full-sized stage and complete outfit of scenery. The building will be of brick, entirely fireproof and modern in every particular. It will be 50 by 120 feet in size. * * * Robert Smeltzer, Eastern division manager for Pathe, is at the Pittsburgh branch to select a new manager here, to succeed H. O. Martin, who has been transferred to the Chicago branch. * * * Harry Brown, Jr., is now on the road for the United Artists' Exchange here. His dad, Harry Brown, Sr., is manager of the Nixon Theatre here, and his brother, Ray, is general manager for the Felt Brothers, controlling the Duquesne Theatre here, and another brother, Richard, is resident manager of that theatre. * * * Charleston, W. Va. — Announcement has been made by Harris P. Wolfberg, general manager of the new Capitol Theatre, which will open in December, that John E. Frinkoess, former director of the Palatial Rialto Theatre at Louisville, Ky., has been secured as resident iranager of the local theatre. * * * William J. Naismith is the new manager of the local branch of the Wid Gunning organization, succeeding Mo Glanz. * * + Since the sudden demise of John Condolcon, manager of the Lyceum Theatre, Kittanning, Pr., John Volk, formerly orchestra leader of this house, has assumed charge of affairs. * * * . C. W. Brown is no longer connected with the Dean Theatre at Williamsburg, Pa., as the Dean's have taken it over again. Miss Ruth Dean is the booker and house manager. * * * J. E. Brown, of the Columbia Theatre, Kittanning, Pa., severed his connection with the Brown Amusement Company. Mr. Hepinger, of Clarion, Pa., will assume charge. Mr.' Brown has purchased a new touring car, and he and his wife are journeying to California to locate. The Brown's have a son in that State. * * * Burgettstown, Pa., is quarantined with diphtheria. Both the Grand and Auditorium Theatres are closed completely. It is uncertain just when they will be able to resume operations. * * * Clarksburg, W. Va. — Mrs. George A. Murray has purchased the Odeon Theatre at Clarksburg on West Pike street from the Fuel City Amusement Company. Mr. Murray will manager the house, which is being given a complete overhauling. Tabloid musical comedies and picture shows will be given. * * * Harry C. Simeral, well-known Pittsburgh film man. and Joe Lefko, manager of the local Federated branch, were painfully injured in an auto accident November 16, near Bridgeville, Pa., while on their way to Wheeling, W. Va. Mr. Simeral was driving, and while rounding a sharp curve, the car skidded, crashed into a pole and threw the occupants to the ground, rendering them unconscious. Mr. Lefko suffered a dislocated shoulder, broken nose and severe cuts on the head and face. Mr. Simeral was badly cut on the fact and neck and both ears were almost severed. The former is still at the Mercy Hospital, while the latter has been taken home. * * * Elliott Foreman has been sent to the Pittsburgh Metro branch by the Four Horsemen Exhibiting Corporation of New York, to work in this territory as a special advance man on "The Four Horsemen." * * ♦ James Thorpe, better known as "Jimmie," one of Pittsburgh's popular film lads, is now doing the booking at the Realart Exchange. * * * I. T. Sweeney and J. J. Maloney have just been added to the road force of the Pittsburgh Educational branch. The former handles the West Virginia section, while the latter works in Northern Pennsylvania. * * * John Hando, of the Grand Theatre, Monngahela, Pa., expects to make a trip to Europe next month to visit his parents. * * * Ed Morton and Harry Smith, of the Hollis. Smith, Morton Company, accompanied by their wives, made a trip to Wheeling, W. Va.. last Sunday in Ed's new car. They made the return trip the same day, and as a result Ed is more enthused than ever over that car