The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

152 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 7 November 11, 1922 Atlanta Theatres Benefit Clemmer a Fast Traveler; by Cool Fair Week Weather Hill Sells Oregon Houses The Southeastern Fair, always an interesting Southern event, brought the usual large crowds to Atlanta for the week ending October 21 and the picture theatres benefited thereby. The first two days of the fair were cold and rainy — ideal days to spend in a cozy picture theatre. The Howard Theatre enjoyed fair business with Wallace Reid fans who rallied to the support of their favorite in "The Ghost Breaker." Manager De Sales Harrison had an atmospheric lobby, featuring ghosts and hobgoblins in the shape of lobby cards and the like. The Metropolitan Theatre played to good business with Fox's "Monte Cristo," which was given a magnificent musical setting by the Metropolitan orchestra. Manager Willard Patterson also presented the \'olpi singers. The Rialto Theatre presented Lionel Barrymore in "The Face in the Fog" to excellent business. The overture, furnished by the Rialto Melody Artists, was unusually brilliant. Manager Bedell did not permit the fact that he is concentrating all his forces on preliminary plans for his week's showing of "When Knighthood Was in Flower," to interfere with his regular week-by-week business, and "The Face in the Fog" was well displayed. Manager James Jackson, of the Tudor, finds that second-runs, well chosen, properly projected, with musical scores played on the big pipe organ and an admission price of 10 cents, mean excellent business. He runs his pictures two days, interspersing his second-runs with an occasional brand new one, and enjoys excellent business. The closing of the Criterion Theatre makes the dyed-in-thewool Atlanta fan a little "blue," but Manager Willard Patterson contends that the rapid growth of commercial enterprises in the vicinity of Five Points has destroyed the theatre's usefulness as such, and the site has been leased to a chain of drug stores. The Alamo No. 1 maintains a Never Again! Lewis Isenberg, manager of the Columbia Theatre, 449 Genesee street, Buffalo, has a habit of visiting his mother and father every Thursday at 2 p. m. He has never failed in this parental duty for many years. But last week he flivvered and as a result almost threw the pater and mater into a panic. It seems that Lewis was forced to attend to some important business, with the "big chief." When he arrived at the domus familias, it was close to 4 o'clock. It was a terrible homecoming for Lewis. He promised never to do it again. policy of serials, Westerns and comedies, and Manager Sol Samuels reports good business. The Bonita's policy is a fivereel feature, a comedy and a news reel, with a good tabloid show. Fair Week found ^lanager George Kimball booked with two Paramount second-runs, a Mack Scnnett comedy and "Laughland," a well played and cleanly amusing "tab" show. The .\lamo \o. 2, on Whitehall street, is in the heart of the shopping district and enjoys the patronage of women and children to an extent to be envied by other houses in town. Manager W. T. Murray's jiolicy is two day runs of new second-run features, occasionally holding one over for three days. "Beauty's Worth" was the past week's most successful feature and did splendid business. Manager John Thomas, of the \'andette Theatre, not only enjoys the confidence and genuine liking of his house force, but the confidence and support of his patrons. His pictures are usually second-runs of the "action" variety that make an especial appeal to the masculine sex, and crowded houses are the rule of the day for the Vandette. The .Mpha Theatre, located two blocks below what has always been considered the proper part of town for a picture theatre, has proven the truth of the "old saw" al)out "the play's the thing." Manager D. T. Darley packs 'em ill with a program of two-reel first runs, a serial, a Western, a comedy and sometimes a news reel. The Strand Theatre is a firstrun house, with an occasional second that is particularly good. .Manager Phillips played "Flesh and Blood," featuring Lon Cliancy, an Atlanta favorite, with a Chinese lobby that was very effective. "Doc" Clemmer, of the Clemmer Theatre, Spokane, was on Film Row recently, but he traveled so fast that the correspondent couldn't catch up with him. Must have taken in all the exchanges, for all the boys reported him in town. chased the Tivoli from Robert Marsden, who still owns the Nob Hill and Ideal. All are suburban houses. C. F. Hill has sold his Majestic and Antlers theatres, Roseburg, Oregon, to Harrell M. McFarland, who takes possession November 1. Hill is a former exchangemen well known in the Northwest. In 1919 he opened the local Goldwyn exchange. He also handled the Triangle product here at one time. The Princess Theatre, recently renovated and renamed (it was formerly the Union) and having a large pipe organ installed, has reopened for business under the same management, the Woolley Theatre Co. It is a downtown house and will operate henceforth on a 15-cent admission, sliowing only the best of the second-run features. "One Clear Call" was the opening attraction. Manager F. B. Walton, of the American Theatre, Bellingham, had blocks of hearts working for him when he put over his four days' showing of "Human Hearts." Practically every merchant in town co-operated to the extent of showing large heart-shaped easels containing photographs of the stars. He played to capacity. Manager John Hamrick showed a novelty film, "Endurance," at his Seattle Blue Mouse Theatre the week of October 22 that is attracting much attention. It demonstrates tlie sturdiness of a certain make of motor cars and the demands put on automobiles todav. O. O. Ruth, owner of the Vernon Theatre, Mount Vernon, Wash., opened his Mission, recentlj purchased from R. K. Dunham, October 26. He has completely renovated and redecorated the house which seats 600. It has been reported that Paul Coleman has sold the Bell Theatre, Springfield, Ore., to J. L. Larson. The Rialto Amusement Company of Fall River, formed for amusement purposes with a capitalization of $100,000, has just been granted a charter by the Massachusetts secretary of state. The incorporators are Nathan Yamins, Samuel Sandler, Mycr Markell, Louis L. Yamins and Jacob Yamins, all of Fall River. R. A. Czerny, live wire exhibitor of Kent, Wash., this week puts on the opening chapter of the "Radio King," a serial. He is I)lanning some high-class exploitation which includes the giving awav of radio sets. W. E. Graeper, who operates the Union Avenue Theatre, Portland, is reported to have pur Damage estimated at $15,000 was done by fire on Friday to the Imperial Theatre, a picture house on Broadway, South Boston, Mass. There was no one in the theatre at the time. It had not been opened for the afternoon performance, and the watchman was at dinner. The theatre occupied the second and third floors of the building, a structure of brick, three stories in height, erected in 1866. The fire started in the heating plant under the stairway, broke through the flooring and then attacked the gallery. It had gained considerable headwaj before it was discovered. A Pathe Relea.it THE TWENTY-FOUR CUT-OUT WORKS WELL HERE In the narrow lobby of the Imperial Theatre, Charlotte, N. C, Manager Ray Beall made very effective use of the cut-out backed by a lattice and two threes for this Associated Exhibitors' winner. David F. Perkins, new manager of the Broadway Theatre, Chelsea, began his career there on Monday night under unusually delightful auspices, presaging a most successful future, and continuing his splendid record of accomplishment in other cities, both in the theatrical and advertising fields. He selected "Manslaughter" with which to make his official bow. and secured the presence of the principals in that production tn address the audience, which filled the house. Several hundred stood outside in the rain, unable to gain admittance. Mr. Perkins takes the place left vacant by Sol Bornstein, who has returned to New York after managing the Broadway for several months. Don't miss the story on page 145. And when you have read it, write us your opinions. It's a vital matter. Rally to the aid of your brother exhibitors.