The Moving picture world (November 1923-December 1923)

December 8, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 547 Woods Theatre, Chicago, Sold to Jones, Linick & Schaefer The Woods Theatre Building was purchased by Jones, Linick & Schaefer for $1,100,000 from the A. H. Woods Theatre Company last week. The theatre will hereafter be exclusively devoted to the highest class of motion pictures, it was stated. The property is under a ninety-nine year lease, with ninety-two years yet to run. "Our firm," said Aaron Jones, "will take over the operation of the new theatre as an exclusive high-class motion picture house." The Woods Theatre seats 1,200 people, having an eighty-foot frontage on Randolph street and 180 feet on Dearborn. Mr. Jones announced that no eastern capital was concerned in the deal, which was consummated without the bid of brokers or realty operators. Lou Houseman, western representative for A. H. Woods, has sent out a statement again that the property has not been sold and that the price quoted is "ridiculous." Mr. Jones, as quoted above, says the sale has been made. the construction of a movie house in that city early next year and Jack Green, well known showman, will have charge of the house when it is finished. Gerald Scully, Margaret "Voss and William L. Voss, Jr., have organized the Garden Theatre Corporation at Harvey, 111., with a capital of $20,000, to own and lease theatres. The office of the company is at 15411 Center avenue, Harvey, 111. T. M. Bliss, Jr., has bought the interest of Harry Grnmpp, well known exhibitor of Rockford, III., in the Orpheum Pictures Company, which operates a chain of theatres In this state with headquarters at Rockford. Bliss is well known to the trade. The Garden Theatre at 15411 Center, Harvey, has been leased by Gerald Scully and Mrs. W. L Voss to the Garden Theatre Corporation for ten years at a term rental of 160,000. An eighteen-story office building and theatre to cost $2,000,000 will be built on Randolph street, between Michigan and Wabash avenues, after January 1, it is reported. The theatre will accommodate 1,750. James Gillett and Elmer Clayton have reopened the Avonia Theatre at Avon, 111., after being closed since last spring. The new managers are using high-class picture programs. The Midwest Theatres Corporation has added another house. The latest is the DeKalb Theatre at DeKalb, 111. Dale A. Llefheit will remain as manager. Harry Miller, well known manager of the National Theatre on South Halsted street, ha.« resigned and accepted the position of manager of the new Fltzpatrlck and McElroy theatre that has just opened at Traverse City, Mich. This Is the last word In theatre 'construction and will play a first run policy. The Grand Theatre at Alton, 111., has been taken over by a stock company directed by John Karzan, John Pano and John Jianokopolis. Karzan has three other movie houses In St. Louis. George Koehn has sold the New Empress Theatre at Springfield, 111., to E. R. Ship, who will make some improvements. Tony Serara has opened his new movie theatre at Pawnee, 111., in the coal country, and has one of the niftiest houses in that part of the state. Will Peaseman, manager of the Colonial Theatre at Danville, 111., was a Film Row visitor and reported that business is good In his part of the state. Leland Eastman, Frank Cotey and Cornelius Cooney have organized the American Theatres Corporation, with offices at 7941 and 7947 South Halsted, to erect and conduct a picture and vaudeville theatre for that neighborhood. The Bijou Theatre at Mt. demons, that has been dark for almost a year, opened early this month and is doing a good business. The first anniversary of the New Tiffin Theatre at North and Karlov avenue was celebrated by the management and the employes with a get-together dinner held in the hail over the theatre. With plenty to eat and drink and a good orchestra, the boys all voted it a fine evening. John Dromey opened his cosy little 400seat movie house in North Chicago last week and is playing to capacity business. He is featuring plenty of good music with his picture programs and the outlook is for banner business during the winter months. The Keystone Theatre at 3912 Sheridan Road, near Broadway, is being overhauled by the management and redecorated for the winter season. Business is good on the North Shore and the house is playing good movie bills with plenty of music to go with them. Louis St. Pierre, well known to Film Row here, has been made general manager of the Midwest Circuit Theatres in Rockford, Belolt and Decatur, succeeding Harry Grammp, who resigned recently. Wiley McConnell, part owner of the Orpheum Theatre at Quincy, with Jack Hoeffler, has incorporated the Empress Amusement Company at Decatur, 111., to handle the management of the Empress Theatre of that city, which is also under his direction this season, playing both vaudeville and pictures. Aaron Jones has signed up "The Extra Girl," with Mabel Normand, to follow the extended run of "Rosita" at the New Orpheum Theatre on State street. This will be followed by "A Woman of Paris" early in January. Adolph Linick of Jones, Linick & Schaefer has gone to the West Coast on his usual winter pilgrimage and won't be back until the birds come north again in the spring. •South Chicago has another picture house, as Richard, and Leo Salkin have opened the Bowen Theatre there. P. A. Alleman of the Strand and Family theatres of Clinton was a business visitor along Film Row last week and says that business is good out in his part of the country. C. L Foster has been placed in charge of the poster department of the Rialto Theatre and Manager Rosenblum now has some nifty publicity to attract the passing crowds. The Wabash Theatre at 1838 South Wabash avenue, under the management of Van Nomikos, is being remodeled and fixed up, so that when the job is done Van will almost have a new movie house for his customers along Wabash avenue. Frank Delander of Geneseo, III., will start A. L. Rittenberg, William R. Swissler and Abraham Greenspahn have organized the Loop Theatre Building Corporation, with offices at 1003 North Clark street and with a capital of $300,000, to erect a large movie house. A VIVID PERSONALITY Ex-County Judge J. A. Sommerlatte, theatre owner and political boss of Lavaca County, Texas, has gained the title of "The Miracle Man." According to The Houston Press, here is what often happens in -ourt : "A tall, lean, sunburned farmer walks up to the judge and whispers a few words. The judge nods understandingly and says, 'Give me a more thorough description of the ani>.ial.' There is more low-pitched talk. Then the judge says, 'All right, your horse will be well in three days.' The farmer shakes hands and goes out. In three days the horse is well. "If you ask how he does it, the young judge — he's 35 years old, weighs 240 pounds, is black-haired, blue-eyed and upstanding — smiles a kindly smile and tells you without any bluff, boast or bombast that he has a wit of healing. He heals both human beings and dumb brutes. He travels in the deaf of night to give relief. Hundreds of Lacava County citizens are ready to make affidavit that he has cured them. Merchants, bankers, contractors and big farmers and stockmen unite in testifying to this peculiar power the young judge possesses." Tom Hickey, who wrote this new-paper story, quotes the judge as saying that "We would all be healers even of our own bodily ills if we had the faith that Christ had when he cured the blind, cleansed the leper and caused the crippled to walk. I am fortunate in possessing an abounding, joyous faith. In no other way can I account fo' the success I have had. I have never studied medicine. I know but little of physiology or anatomy. I only know I can cure." Judge Sommerlatte's heme is m Hallettsville, Texas. Robinson in Hospital Dee Robinson of Peoria, 111., who has been critically ill for some weeks has been brought to Chicago and placed in the Presbyterian Hospital where he will have to undergo a major operation. Mr. Robinson is one of the prominent exhibitors in the Middle West, and also one of the most popular theatre men in that community. As head of the Madison Theatres Company he has control of all the picture and vaudeville houses in Peoria and also operates the Irvin Theatre at Bloomington, III.