The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

322 MOVING PICTURE WORLD November 25, 1922 Posters Get Baltimore Men in Trouble With the Censor Benjamin and Milton Caplan, who operate the Clover Theatre, 414 East Baltimore street, and Anthony Moralto of New York, were arrested on warrants sworn out by Miss Marie Presstman, of the Maryland censor board, on October 31. They were charged with having displayed improper posters at a picture theatre. The case came up before Magistrate Tohn H. Stanford in the Central Police Court. Milton Caplan was dismissed, but Benjamin Caplan and Moralto each were fined $50 and costs. week beginning Monday, November 6, when "Forget-Me-Not" was the attraction there. Eugene N. Daly, manager of the New Theatre, went to New York OP. November 7 to attend to some special work. -A benefit picture performance was given at the Garden Theatre, Baltimore, on Sunday night, November 5. for the benefit of the Volunteers of America. The playhouse was loaned by William M. Whitehurst, manager. Nixon's Victoria Theatre, 415 East Baltimore street, will reopen to the public on November 20 under the management of A. M. Seligman, who managed it before it was badly damaged by fire. The theatre has practically been remodeled at great expense. It is now being operated by the Nixon-Nirdlinger Interests and the Stanley Company of America. ing but feature pictures, straight week runs, from Sunday to Saturday, and when occasion arises increases his prices of admission. And what is more, Mr. Shirley's house is doing a whopping good business these days. For "Orphans of the Storm" admission prices went from 35 to 50 cents, with 65 cents for the loges. Coming attractions at the Strand include "Oliver Twist," "Tess of the Storm Country," "Peg O' My Heart" and "One Exciting Night." Incidentally, it might be stated that "Quincy Adams Sawyer" will have its premiere at the Strand. Strand chain. Before leaving, they took a swing over to Troy and inspected the house which is being built there and which will open some time in January. Max Spiegel, Walter Hayes, Eugene Falk and Moe Mark, were in town this week, looking over the State Theatre, the latest in the The Strand believes in good music. One of the leading conductors in the musical world is now directing the twelve-piece orchestra at the Strand. He is Professor Phil Pelz, leader of the band at the San Francisco Exposition in 1915, one time director of the Russian Court orchestra, and a musician known the world over. With him is George Bosliko, a Russian celloist, who also came from the West Coast. There is probably not another city the size of Schenectady in the country, which can boast of an orchestra equaling the Strand's. Religious meetings were held at the Parkway and New Theatres on Sunday, November 5, through the courtesy of Howard S. Jefferson, manager of the former, and "Louis A. DeHofT, for the latter. The opening of the New Metropolitan Theatre, North and Pennsylvania avenues, is scheduled to take place on Thanksgiving Day. This house is being built by the Metropolitan Amusement Company ot which Frederick W. Schanze is president. San Francisco Exhibitors to Oppose Music Union Demands Through arrangements made by The Echo Theatre, which is opLouis A. DeHoff. booking agent for erated by J. Zimmerman and booked the Whitehurst Theatrical Interests, by Walter Pacey, manager of Pacey's all orphans in Baltimore were enter Garden, reopened to the public on tained at the New Theatre during the November 6. The Sound of Smacking Lips Is Now Heard in Schenectady Employes of the Barcli Theatre are already beginning to smack their lips in anticipation of the annual dinner which J. J. Walker, owner of the theatre, gives on Thanksgiving Eve to those on his payroll. The house was opened by Mr. Walker two years ago Thanksgiving. Last year, without saying anything to his employes, Mr. Walker went ahead and planned a fine Thanksgiving Eve repast, with turkey and all the fixings, and then invited those associated with him. The whole affair came as a complete surprise. This year, Mr. Walker has already announced that the afifair of a year ago will be an annual one, and to look forward to the biggest kind of a dinner two weeks hence. Joseph L. Gale, who is known as "Max Spiegel's Man Friday," is spending his time in Schenectady looking after the construction and opening details of "The State." The demands of the Musicians' Union for "swing" orchestras and for seven days' pay for six days' work, as well as the payment of the salaries of the "swing" men, will not be granted by San Francisco theatre owners, according to representative members of the industry. The first indication of resistance to the demands is seen in the sudden ending of the Sunday morning concerts of the California Theatre and the reduction of the orchestra of this house by ten men. Other theatres are cutting down the size of their orchestras, and going back to the use of organ music exclusively, and if no agreement is reached with the musicians before the end of the year, when the present wage agreement expires, a lively fight may be expected. room built on the ground floor, and will be opened on November 24 with the world premiere of the thrilling Snow production, "Hunting Big Game in Africa With Gun and Camera," controlled by Eugene H. Roth. The Portola Theatre, one of San Francisco's pioneer houses, is to be closed at an early date, foU lowing a showing of the scientific production illustrating the transplanting of glands. About $75,000 will be spent in alterations and redecorations and the house will be reopened the middle of December as the New Portola, with an extended run of "Dr. Jack." The Pompeiian treatment is to be followed out in the new decorative scheme and a theatre of exceptional beauty is promised. Miss Janet Moon, only woman manager of a theatre in Schenectady, and who has been handling the Crescent with success for seven years past, is in New York buying film. "If you have got the pictures, you will do the business," remarked William Shirley, manager of the Strand, to the representative of Moving Picture World this week, when asked as to business conditions in the Electric City. Mr. Shirley is running noth The world's premiere showing of "The Forgotten Law," a picture made in San Francisco by the Graf Productions, Inc., and distributed by Metro, was made at Loew's Warfield Theatre on November 4, and crowded houses at once became the rule. Bargain prices in admissions are being offered by the management of the Francesca Theatre on upper Market street, San Francisco. The regular price of admission is 10 cents for any seat any time but books of twelve tickets are to be had for a dollar. The Century Theatre on Ellis street, which has been idle for several weeks, will shortly be added to the list of San Francisco's down-town picture houses. It is being remodeled, a projection William Shirley, manager of the local Strand, is overjoyed because his house will be allowed to retain the name under which it has gone for several years, and which Mr. Shirley believes to be one of its best assets. For a time there was a contention bttween Mr. Shirley and Max Spiegel, as to who had the legal right tc: the name "Strand" for their respective Schenectady houses. Double features are being played up strong in some of the Schenectady houses these days in securing additional patronage. At the Barcli double features prevail with every other bill and the Albany has also swung into double features. Both houses have been watching Fred Elliott's house in Albany, and the ef fects of double features. At the Barcli this past week, "The Moth" and "The Referee" were coupled up. The Strand Theatre, San Francisco, is installing a $40,000 Robert-Morton organ and is making use of a Fotoplayer temporarily. Charles Pincus, of the California Theatre, announces the engagement of Harry Thorn as first organist. Thorn recently was with the Liberty Theatre at Portland, Ore. C. O. Davies, of the Wigrwam Theatre, Reno, Nev., was a visitor on San Francisco's Film Row early in November on one of his rather infrequent buying trips. The boys on the avenue would like to see C. O. D. more frequently. A fire broke out recently on the upper floor of a film exchange building at 292 Turk street but the blaze was confined to two small rooms and the loss was light. 4 Fjrs:t Xntioiial Retra.fr NUMBER SIX OF THE SEVENTEEN WINDOWS That's what Jackie Coogan, in "Oliver Twist," got when he played the New York Strand on pre-release. Some of the largest stores on the biggest street were glad to get these appealing paintings. Eugene H. Roth, managing di rector of the California, Imperial, Granada and Portola theatres, in conjunction with Jack Partington has moved his offices to thi Granada Theatre building.