The Moving picture world (November 1921)

688 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 10, 1921 San Francisco William J. Citron, manager of the New Fillmore Theatre, and Joseph Bauer, well-known Mission District exhibitor, have been made members of the advertising committee of the Mission -Street Merchant's Association. * * * F. H. Butler, formerly manager for Fox at the local exchange, but now connected with Hodkinson, has returned from an extended stay in the Northwest. He is now putting on the "country store" stunt in a number of east-bay suburban houses, including the aVrsity and the Claremont. * * * Claude L. Langley, of the Turner & Dahnken & Langley Circuit, of Los Angeles, was a recent visitor here to confer with other members of the organization. With two exceptions the houses of this circuit, which now number ten, are in Southern California. * * * Work on the remodeling of the old Venus Theatre at 2249 Market street, is nearing completion and this house will be opened by its owner, Mrs. Williamson, at an early date. The equipment has been installed by G. A. Metcalfe. * * * F. B. Warren, well known in film distributing circles, was a recent business visitor. * * * Paul Rassler has disposed of the Alta Theatre, San Francisco, to Nasser Bros, and has purchased the Playhouse Theatre at Calistoga, Cal., from A. W. Tescher. * * * H. J. Werner, president of the American Photo Player Company, has left on a two months' business trip to leading Eastern trade centers. * * * Extensive improvements are being made in the Metro exchange under the direction of manager Fred W. Voight, additional office space being needed. * * * E. O. Child, special representative of Mach Sennett Productions, is here in the interests of "Molly O," which will open at the Imperial Theatre Christmas Week for at least a two weeks' engagement. He has made arrangements to sail for the Orient in the interests of Mack Sennett on December 5 to be away for an indefinite period. * * ♦ Five hundred pupils of the Sherman School were entertained at the Portola Theatre during Thanksgiving week through the courtesy of Van B. Clement, the manager. A special morning matinee was arranged at which a Burton Holmes travelogue was featured, showing scenes in Egypt. The city co-operated in the affair by furnishing special cars to take the youngsters to the theatre. * * * A banquet was tendered to Marcus Loew at Tait's at the Beach, on the evening of November 21 by members of the local moving picture industry, the attendance being large and representative. Eugene H. Roth, was the toastmaster and among those who made addresses were Judge I. M. Golden, Jack Brehaney. C. C. Griffin. Marcus Loew, F. B. Warren and IrvinT C. Arkprman MV. Loew declared that moving pictures made in the future would be much less costly than those made in' the past, although the quality would be as good, or better, than that of present day productions. Much lower salaries would be paid stars, he said, and there would be economics made in other directions. * * * The Maze Theatre at Stockton, Cal., which is being enlarged, will be known as the Rialto in its new form. * * * Extensive changes have been made in the Nippon Theatre at Sacramento, Cal., and two hundred and fifty new opera chairs have been installed. * * * The Druid's Tx>dge at Bolinas, Cal., has purchased a projection machine from G. A. Metcalfe and is now operating a moving picture show at intervals. * * * The California Theatre at Pittsburgh, Cal., has installed a new diamond screen and made other improvements. * * * W. S. Webster is planning the erection of a moving picture house at Vacaville, Cal. Work is progressing rapidly on the house he is building at Woodland. * * * The new theatre of L. G. McCabe at Coalinga, Cal., has been in practically a completed form for some time, but this exhibitor has delayed opening it until the effects of the recent strike of oil workers has worn off. * * * The Kehrlein interests, which have long conducted the Kinema Theatre at Fresno, Cal., have purchased the control of the Liberty and Strand Theatres of that city from James Beatty. * * * The new Strand Theatre of M. L. Markowitz at Gilroy, Cal., will be opened on December 3 under the management of William Voss, former owner of the Star Theatre at Modesto. * * * M. J. Maderos, who operates the Loring Theatre at Crockett, Cal., will open a house at Rodeo on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. The new theatre will be opened on December 4. * * * During the recent visit of Marcus Loew he announced that it has been decided to name his new house nearing completion in this city, "Loew's Warfield." * * * James Kenna is now operating the Maxwell Theatre at Maxwell, Cal. St. Louis Sol J. Hankin. president and general manager of the Fine Art Pictures Corporation, has disposed of his interests to other stockholders and withdrawn from the company. He contemplates a trip to Germany to visit a brother, and while abroad may consider the purchase of American rights on some of the foreign productions. Should he decide not to go to Europe he will leave within the next few days for New York to study offerings of the independent picture market. Eventually he in tends to open an independent exchange in St. Louis. He probably will be succeeded as president by Dr. A. A. Campbell. Walter Thimmig, secretary of the company, is acting general manager. * * * Eddie Dustin, of W. W. Hodkinson Corporation, has C. O. Roberts, former manager of the Elks Theatre, Olney, 111., and C. Jamieson, recent manager of the Broadway Oden, Columbia, Mo., as road salesmen. * * * Charles E. (Eddie) Carrier and his brother Jimmy have joined the Robertson-Cole selling organization and will direct the special exploitation and sales promotion work throughout the country. Eddie will have the territory east of St. Louis, while Jimmy will put over the big stuff from the Mississippi to the Pacific Coast. * * * Manager C. W. Ryder, of the St. Louis Exhibitors' Supply Company, has just returned from an extensive trip throughout Southern Illinois, visiting New Athens, Pinckneyville, West Frankfort, Benton and other towns in that vicinity. Ryder is a student of industrial conditions. He states that there is a preceptible improvement in general conditions in the districts he visited and that the swing is steadily better. He expects that by January 1 near-normalcy will prevail throughout Southern Illinois. * * * R. E. Kilgore has taken over the management ef the Elks Theatre. Olney, 111., formerly owned by C. O. Roberts. * * * D. E. Boswell, of Independent Producers, is back from a tour of Southeast Missouri. * * * Will iam K. Jenkins, who has succeeded J. E. Fair as division manager for Enterprise Distributing Corporation, passed through St. Louis last week. Buffalo Charlie Ray, accompanied by Mrs. Ray. Richard Willis, general manager, and Albert A. Kidder, Jr., general manager and assistant general manager, respectively, of the Charles Ray Productions, Inc., George Rizard, Ray's chief cameraman, and Arthur S. Kane, stopped off in Buffalo last Tuesday. The party arrived in town late Monday night. On Tuesday noon, Walter Hayes, Harold B. Franklin, E. O. Weinberg and E. J. Hayes gave a dinner at the Hotel Lafayette for the party. In the afternoon the "gang" visited Niagara Falls, returning to Buffalo for an inspection of the leading theatres in the evening. The party left for New York at 10 p. m. * * * Franklyn Farnum was also in Buffalo last Sunday and Monday, appearing at the Premier and Rialto Theatres Sunday evening and the Plaza on Monday night. Mr. Farnum is being taken on a tour of Western New York houses by Col. Bill Fickeisen. who is presenting the star in connection with the showing of "The Fighting Stranger." * * * E. J. Hayes, Buffalo First National manager, is busy preparing for the state convention and get-together of franchise holders in Syracuse, November 29 and 30. The meeting is a result of the big confab in Chicago recently. Headquarters will be at the Hotel Onondaga. Mr. Hayes has signed up "Molly O" for first run in Buffalo at Shea's Hippodrome, Court Street and North Park day and date. E. C. Markens, a member of the Metro sales staff for four years, has been engaged by Mr. Hayes as city salesman. Business has grown so big that Mr. Hayes finds that he is forced to be out in the territory most all the time, thus finding it impossible to follow up local business. Mr. Markens will fill the void, as it were. * * * Fred M. Zimmerman, president and general manager of Nu-Art Pictures Corporation is in Albany, in connection with the earlv opening of a new local office. Mr. Zimmerman is announcing his new lineup for 1922 and it's some list of releases. * * * H. F. Thurston, manager of the Temple Theatre, Lockport, is mourning the death of his baby. His sorrow is shared by a host of friends in Buffalo and Western New York. * * » Bruce Fowler, manager of the Elmwood Theatre, Buffalo, is introducing musical features as an "added attraction." For Sunday, November 27, he announces the Sterling Saxaphone Four. Sousa's band may be next. Maybe ! * * * Max Levine, owner of the Elk Theatre, has taken over the Abbott in Buffalo. He reopened the house Thanksgiving Day. * * * All plans are completed for the big F. I. L. M. Club dinner in the Hotel Iroquois, Saturday, December 3. Salesmen connected with the exchanges will attend. There will be a vaudeville program. Allan S. Moritz, president, will preside. * * * John Kimberly, manager of the Vitagraph exchange, has engaged J. P. Brophy as a membw of the Buffalo sales staff. He will cover the city. * * * Harold P. Dygert, owner of sevaral houses in East Rochester and Fairport. N. Y., has taken over the Granite Theatre in Newark, N. Y. * * * Edward Allen, one of the big stockholders in the Elmwood Theatre, Buffalo, is dead. He was buried in Titusville, Pa. * * * The Western New York unit of the M. P. T. O. A. held a meeting in the Palace, Buffalo, November 21, to discuss business conditions. * * * The week of November 28 to December 3 will be Disabled Soldiers' Week in about fifteen Buffalo theatres. The former service men are selling tickets at 30 cents each, which will be honored at the houses. The entire amount received from the sale of tickets will go to the soldiers. About 5,000 tickets are out. The theatres, while helping the wounded veterans, will also act a lot of new business through the stunt.