The Moving picture world (November 1922-December 1922)

I December 23, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 111 Lyric Company Incorporates in Texas-Oklahoma Territory Of interest to theatre men in the Texas-Oklahoma territory is (he incorporation in Tulsa of the J.yric Theatre Amusement Company, with a capital stock of $10,UOO. The incorporators are John Brown, J. C. Scully and Elizabeth Hrown, of Tulsa. The Popular Amusement Company, members of which are building a magnificent new theatre in Dallas, recently increased its capital stock from $50,000 to $125,(HIO. G. M. Sells, J. O. Sims and H. L. Brown have incorporated the Orange Recreational Company at Orange, Texas. The capital stock, at the start, is shown by papers to be $37,500. Karl Hoblitzelle, president of (he Interstate Amusement Company, controlling a string of Mapstic theatres over the Southwest, has announced that the new Majestic Theatre in Houston, Texas, will be opened during the iirst week in January. It was iiriginally contemplated to open (he theatre on Christmas Day, but Ihe work of interior decorating < ould not be finished by that time. The Interstate adopted a new policy in Dallas and other cities this season, in cutting of? about one act off regular bills and substituting instead first-run pictures. This policy apparantly has taken in Dallas. In addition to the new theatre huilding at Houston, announcement was made on November 25 that the Interstate interests would at once begin the erection of an office building on a site adjoining I lie Majestic, to be from si.x to ten stories in height. Ministers of Henryetta, Okla., have circulated a petition to close theatres on Sunday. The exhibitors and other proprietors of places of amusement are fightings this Blue Law agitation as a unit. A First National attraction will be the opening feature of the new theatre in San Antonio being erected, says Louis Santikos, long a veteran independent exhibitor in the Southwest. The new theatie cost $400,000, seats 2,500, and has an orchestra of 23 pieces. Mr. Santikos announces the house v>'ill open soon after January 1. Among recent visitors on the Dallas mart were H. T. Hodge, of the Gem, Abilene; H. C. Houston, Gem, Sherman; J. Goodfriend, of Caddo, who is opening a new house at Moran, Texas ; Boston Campbell, new manager of the Judia, Cisco, Texas, and W. P. Gibson, new manager at the Lilly Theatre, Grand Saline, Texas. Among recent theatre changes in the Dallas field are the following: Andrews Brothers have taken over the Queen at Richland, Texas; Mrs. W. H. Heifer has returned to the management of the Itasca Theatre at Alice, Texas; Messrs. Gunn and Walker have leased the Crystal at Loraine, Texas. An important deal in the Southwest was that whereby the Musselman interests took over the Palace Theatre in Corsicana, Texas, from the Southern Enterprises, Inc., giving the Musselman firm two houses m Corsicana, the other being the Grand. W. W. Grist, former manager of the Palace, will be transferred to Dallas, while Mr. W. Hays, the Musselman managtr, will manage both houses. The deal was announced by Johnny Paxton, for years Mr. Musselman's right hand man. With a capital stock of $25,000, the Ardmore Parn Amusement Company of Ardmore, O.vla., has been organized, with U. S. joines, W. R. jbimight and A. Eddieman, all of Ardmore, as incorporators. Losses estimated at $70,000 were entailed at El Dorado, Ar,<ansas, recently, when an entire bloci< on the west side of Washington avenue, between Locust and Cedar streets, was fire-swept oy a blaze which originated near the operating room of the Rex Theatre, one of the buildings destroyed, Its loss being $12,0UU. The Rex Theatre was recently ovo;hauled and a $15,000 pipe organ had been installed. Manager M. C. McCord barely escaped wiih his life. Several large independent exhibitors— yes, that creature still exists in the Southwest — met in Dallas recently with the formation of a booking circuit in mind. While spasmodic attempts toward an independent circuit have been made in the Dallas area, somebody invariably has jostled the Bostonian product, with the result that the circuit went to where second-hand one-sheets go. I'hat there is a definite and growing movement at present, however, cannot be denied. Associates of A. D. Saenger, member of the powerful Saenger Amusement Company, and one of the best known picture men in the South, have extended condolences to him and his wife on the death of A. D. Saenger, Jr., their year-old son, who died last Friday at Los Angeles. Mr. Saenger is also head of the drug Exhibitor Loses A decision to the general effect that film exchanges are not liable for failure to deliver films to destinations was handed down by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in a case affecting Vitagraph and other exchanges, instituted by W. S. Billings, exhibitor of Enid, Okla. "Over the Top," the Vitagraph special, had been booked for July 4, 1921. Advertising had been placed over Enid, but the picture failed to arrive. The exchange had valid reasons why the picture failed to arrive on scheduled date. G. T. Trammell, the lease of Southern Enterprises, Inc., having expired and not being renewed. In a recent notation concerning the Dallas Anmsement Company, which has been incorporated with $50,000 capital stock by John T. interests in Shreveport, La., bear Jones, millionaire Houston lumbering his name. man, W. O. Huggins and others, it should have been mentioned that the company was organized to operate the Melba Theatre, Dallas, which now is under the active management of P. G. Cameron. The Palace Theatre, Marshall, Texas, in the Elk's Building, previously under the management of Norman & Cole, on December 1 went under the management of Reopening of the Liberty Theatre, Ranger, Texas, was announced recently by J. M. Palmer, in association with M. H. Hagaman. The Liberty was one of the first opened during the boom days of Ranger, when the town grew from 400 population almost overnight to 20,000, due to discovery of oil at the very door of the village. The Liberty seats 7C0. When matters settled at Ranger, as they invariably do after the first flush of oil fever goes, Mr. Palmer, through business acjmen and a fine sense of showmanship, gradually bought out all other competitors, and now practically controls the amusement situation there. Seattle Enjoys Distinction of Three Hold-overs in Week Three holdovers this week of December 3, all playing to excellent business, is a record for Seattle. "Knighthood" at the Strand was reported, in its third and final week, to be drawing good houses. "Tess" at the Blue Mouse broke every house record during its first week, and entered the second playing to capacity. At the Liberty, "The Young Rajah," which has been widely heralded as Valentino's last for a long, long time, is drawing to the close of a splendid ten days' run. Seattle is one of the few large cities that is not over-seated, which probably largely accounts for the fact that good patronage is enjoyed by all. M. A. Atwood will open his newly remodeled and redecorated American Theatre in Kir,<land, December 17, with "Black Beauty." He has booked the entire season's product from Vitagraph, and is promising his patrons some fine programs. Kirkland is a short ferry run across Lake Washington from Seattle. Miss Dorothy Jentof¥, cashier at the Columbia Theatre, was recently the inspiration of Heinricli Roth, famous artist, connected with a leading newspaper, in his contention that the most beautiful women in America live on Puget Sound. Artist Roth has been portraying types of young women who work for their living. Articles of incorporation were filed at Olympia, VVash., November 29, for "Seattle's Blue Mouse Theatre — J Hamrick, L. O. Lukan, C. E. Gates, SO years, Seattle, $250,000." Mr. Alsace is to open his Art Craft Theatre, which is the recreated Lee, Saturday, December 8. The house seats about 300, and is in the Meridian district of Seattle. A Paramount Release REAL AUTUMN LEAVES FOR "VALLEY OF SILENT MEN" A. C. Cowles made his overlong lobby an asset when he played this Curwood story. Paper snow was used to heighten the effect at selling times, being dropped in back of the leaves. Charles H. Code, brother of W. F. Code, and himself an Alaska picture man, has joined the Hodkinson sales staff, working out of the Seattle office.