The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

September 22, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 333 Albany Business on Upgrade; Alberts Leaves Schenectady Lots of activity has characterized picture circles in this section of New York State during the past week. Paul Alberts, long an operator of the Albany Theatre in Schenectady, retires and will go to New York City to associate himself with an importing firm. His house, taken over by the Farash Theatre Company, will be given over to vaudeville with a twice a week change, six acts to the program. The Grand, at Scotia, N. Y., owned by A. E. Center of Schenectady, has • reopened for the fall. Business has been so good that several houses, heretofore operating but one night a week, will remain open two evenings and possibly more. Such houses include the Star, in Salem, owned by Jack Gillies, and the theatre owned by L. L. Connors, at Cambridge. George Leo has sold his theatre in Staatsburg, and will leave on November 15 for Miami. George Cohen has reopened his house in Newburgh, and with "Circus Days" as the attraction played to the biggest matinee in the history of the house. The Rivoli, also owned by Mr. Cohen, will reopen soon. Abe Devore's new house in Schenectady is scheduled to open October 15. Stores on the first floor will partially meet the overhead. With "Hollywood" as a counter attraction at the Mark Strand, the Leland Theatre in Albany. N. T., played to the biggest week with "Merry-Go-Round" since a record was established some months ago by "Knighthood." Theatre owners in Schenectady, Albany and Troy, as well as throughout this section of the " state, are n unit in any movement launched to flght the admission tax. While the exhibitors in Albany are the only ones that are organized, there is talk of asking all exhibitors in the section to join and perfect a body which will have for its purpose the opposing of the present tax nuisance. Stephen Boisclair, organist at the Leland Theatre in Albany, received a visit from the stork the past week. Mr. Boisclair found expression in his instrument, and according to patrons fortunate enough to visit the theatre on the day that Boisclair Junior arrived, there was never such a musical program rendered. Walter Hayes, of the Mark Strand group of houses, made a short stop over in Albany last Friday on his way from New York to Buffalo. He reported business as being consistently good in all houses. There's a little novelty adorning the front of William Smalley's theatre in Cooperstown. In gold letters, the words "Let's Go" appear on the front of the house. The idea has scored a big hit and is the talk of the town. Miss Alice Kelly will remain as relief organist at the Leland Theatre in Albany, following a recent transference from the console of the Clinton Square in the same city. A painter has been at work during the last few days touching up certain places in the Mark Strand in Albany. Under the direction of Manager Vineburg, the house is so immaculate that it deserves a place upon the main street of Spotless Town. William Smalley, preferring to see exactly what two well known pictures were doing in Albany from a box office standpoint, visit, d the Capital City last week and dropped In at "Hollywood" at the Mark Strand and "Merry-Go-Round" at the Leland. Mr. Smalley has a chain of a dozen houses. The weather man will determine whether or not the village of Berlin will see motion pictures this winter. Mr. Tefft. who oper ates the Odd Fellows Hall there, has announced that the theatre will close in November unless there is an open winter. Last year's snows were almost too much for the house to weather. Robert Landry, of Ogdensburg, took over title to the Star Theatre in that city the past week, and added another house to his chain. William Shirley, now managing director of the Farash Theatre Company of Schenectady, N. Y., made a hurried trip to New York yesterday. William Smalley and a representative from Metro were before the Albany F. I. L. M. Board the past week, attempting to iron out matters. Albany's Film Row received a visit the past week from that veteran, Judge Charles A. McCarthy, of Hoosick Falls. Mr. McCarthy, who is better known as "Judge," was accompanied by one of the priests of that section. The exhibitors have a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde in Nathan Vinegrad, manager of the Academy of Music in IN'ewburgh. .At least, the film salesmen so declare. It appears that illr. Vinegrnd is a tough proposition to sell, but out of business hours is an entirely different person. Missing a nail, "Al" Elliott owner of the Playhouse in Hudson, N. Y.i smashed his finger with a hammer last week and is suffering from a case of blood poisoning. There is one exhibitor in Schenectady who is downright mad these days. He is Maurice Silverman, owner of the Happy Hour and the Pearl Theatres. It seems that a certain well known film man in Albany, who is somewhat of a musical composer, recently dedicated one of his efforts to Mr. Silverman and named it the "Cry Baby Blues." According to Joe Braff, who has just taken over the lease of the Hudson in Watervliet and will reopen the house a week hence, conditions today are such that the exhibitor must have more than one house to do business successfully. Following somewhat in the steps of "Pop" Linton of Utica, who sold his houses and now is retailing automobiles, Fred Elliott, recent owner of the Clinton Square Theatre in Albany, will shortly become the representative in the Capital City for a well known motor accessory. Down in Hudson, V V., "Al" Elliott, of the Playhouse, owns some of the best police dogs in this part of the state. When he recently played "Strongheart," Mr. Elliott, going to the county clerk's oflice, secured the names of all dog owners in the county and then proceeded to mail each a personal invitation to see the film attraction. The idea caught on and business jumped. With the old bloom in his cheeks, Maurice Sullivan, owner of the Sans Souci in Watervliet, is back with his associates and rapidly regaining his health. Mr. Sullivan attributes it to the almost daily work-outs he has been taking at the Y. M. C. A. Acting on the suggestion, as well as request of many of the exhibitors and exchangemen of this part of the state, Elmer Crowninshield, owner of the Bijou in Troy, has opened a shop where he will repair projection machines. Al Bothner, veteran showman and manager of the Strand, Colonial and Capitol theatres in Troy, N. Y., is no longer speaking to Jake Rosenthal, his one time associate and now owner of the Rose theatre in that city. The whole trouble came about in a dispute over money matters, and which has been carried into the courts with charges and counter charges. Expect Compromise There is a strong likelihood that threatened trouble between the owners and managers of the picture theatres in Albany, N. Y., and the projectionists will be adjusted within a few days. Exhibitors have offered a 20 per cent, increase in wages, working conditions to remain unchanged, and to become effective last Labor Day. In their first demand, projectionists asked an increase of about 40 per cent. They now are receiving $35 a week in Albany. In addition to asking an increase in wages, they also demanded two licensed men to the booth. In the last conference between the two factions, George Roberts and Joseph Wallace acted as spokesmen for the exhibitors and Alphonso Lafountain spoke for the projectionists. Cincinnati "The Covered Wagon," which is being shown at the Grand Opera House for an extended run as the initial attraction of the legitimate season, continues to draw capacity audiences at each screening. In fact, Manager Milford Unger has found it necessary to install an additional box office to take care of the crowds. The picture promises to break the attendance record for Cincinnati, which was established by "The Birth of a Nation." Jules Frankel, manager of Gifts Theatre, has inaugurated a new policy for the current season. Frankel has been showing "just pictures" during the summer, but will hereafter book the big ones, starting with "The White Rose" on September 15. Manager I. Libson of the Walnut is showing "Down to the Sea in Ships" during the current week, at popular prices. The picture was shown here at one of the larger houses several months ago at top prices. The Palace Theatre, devoted to vaudeville and pictures, has revised its admission prices upward for Sunday, holiday and evening shows. The previous scale of 25 and 40 cents will prevail for afternoon performances, with 30 and 50 cent admissions for special periods named above. A similar change was recently made at the Capitol Theatre, both houses being controlled by I. Libson. Paramount Week was faithfully observed in Cincinnati, each of the first run downtown houses showing productions bearingthe Paramount trade mark, the only exception being the Walnut, where Jack Stewart, manager of the local Goldwyn office, obtained the booking of "Three Wise Fools," thus preventing Paramount from registering 100 per cent. The Apollo and Ideal theatres, two Main street houses at Dayton, Ohio, have announced a reduction in admission prices from 17 to 10 cents, according to report from Homer V. Guy, representing the company controlling these houses. Officials of the company several months ago issued permanent passes to veterans of all wars who are stationed at the National Military Home in Dayton. The Grand Theatre, New Castle, Ind., which has been dark for a month to permit renovation, has reopened for the regular season. The Rialto Theatre, Hamilton, Ohio, is celebrating its third birthday this month. Manager Schwalm says he has a lively youngster.