The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

298 MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 26, 1924 Wilmington, N. C, No Longer a Peaceful Theatrical Town The injection into theatrical circles of Wilmington, N. C. of Jack Marcus, who took over by lease the Victoria and Royal theatres from the Howard-Wells Amusement Company on January I, has been the direct cause of converting this city, for many years with no opposition, into a town with threeway opposition. Mr. Marcus is making an intensive campaign for business for his Victoria and Royal theatres through the presentation of expensive special attractions and vaudeville features as added attractions, and also is conducting a ticket-selling campaign with two valuable automobiles as capital prizes. D. M. Bain, formerly in charge of bookings and exploitation for all the HowardWells theatres, now is concentrating on the Bijou, owned individually by Messrs. Howard and Wells, and also is conducting an intensive exploitation campaign. George W. Bailey, formerly manager of the • HowardWells legitimate theatre, since the change has gone with a Mr. Kermon conducting the old Academy of Music, all of which adds to the interest of things generally and is keeping all managements on their toes every minute. Sig Samuel* and VYillnrd Patterson of the Metropolitan. Atlanta, announee that they have rejoined the franchise family of Associated Kirst National Pictures after buying on the open market for a year. Manager Jack Marcus announces that the Victoria. Wilmington, N. C, will present "Scaramouche" the last three days in January, this being one of the earliest Carolina runs, following its Southern premiere in Atlanta January 7, and showings in the larger "%tt £oi jian Pauline Frederick' lou tellegen J. STUART BLACKTON PRODUCTION cities of the South immediately following that date. A "Baby Peggy Contest" was engineered by Willard Patterson, of the Metropolitan, Atlanta, recently with very gratifying results, more than 100 kiddies qualifying for a run for the big capital prizes. The theatre, too, was filled to capacity all day, which is the item of chief Interest. ^ John Crovo. of the Lyric, Atlanta, recently landed the entire back page of the rotogravure section of the Atlanta "Constitution" for a flash of stills from "The Ten Commandments," soon to play Atlanta as a road attraction. The Pensacola Apartment and Theatre Company, Pensacola, Fla., has been formed by a group of local business men to erect an apartment house and theatre at a cost of $800,000. The llijou Theatre, Wilmington, IV. C, probably stands unique among American theatres in the fact that it is now the old< -.1 continuously operated theatre In the South, having been established in l!MC and operated continuously from that date. D. M. Hain, who is conducting bookings nnd ex* ploitation for the house, claims that it uses more short length subjects than any other theatre in America, being devoted exclusively to a short subject program six days a week, using no feature length pictures. Exploitation is given the short subjects on just as intensive a scale us the average feature house puts behind Its headllners. It is, too, a strictly 10-cent house, its slogan being "The greatest dime's worth of entertainment in America." Harry Hardy, formerly with the Rialto, Atlanta, more recently with the Imperial, Anderson, S. C, has been transferred to Greenwood, S. C, a Southern Enterprise town, .to manage the Liberty and Pastime. W. A. Byers, formerly in Greenwood, goes to the Imperial, Anderson, with temporary supervision over Greenwood until Mr. Hardy becomes acclimated. G. G. Mitchell, who operates theatres in it *• GAMBLING WITH LOVE THE STAKES AT MONTE CARLO Carmel Myers and Kenneth Harlan in "Poisoned Paradise," B. P. Schulberg's picture from the Robert W. Service novel. Directed by Gasnier North Wilkesboro, N. C, and Elkin, N. C, has taken over the Grand, Newton, N. C. S. S. Stevenson, of Henderson, N. C, who is promoting a chain of 10-cent theatres in the Carolinas, opened the latest addition to his chain, the Capitol, at Raleigh, N. C, during the past week. The Crescent Theatre, Oxford, N. C, was burned recently, being a total loss. A. C. Reynolds has taken over the Star Theatre, Parish, Ala., from Johnson Bros., who. however, will continue to operate their shows at Jasper and Dora, Ala. H. H. Kirk has taken over the Grand, Eastman, Ga., formerly operated by W. B. Haines. Doings In and About Chicago (Continued from previous page) Oliver C. Hammond, well known manager here has bought the Gordon apartments at Oglesby and 70th street for a reported 1375 000. subject to $261,000 mortgage. Business must be good, for several exhibitors have gone into the realty market recently with surplus funds. Harry Hoag, well known along Film Row has bought a site on the Dixie Highway In Momence, 111., and will build a movie house to seat 650. The house will be the last word in small theatre construction and work will begin at an early date. Will Hollander, publicity manager for Balaban & Katz, is back on the Job after an illness of a few days. The many friends of Walter Nealand, well known along Film Row here, will be glad to know that he is making good as general manager of the Parkway, Madison and Majestic theatres at Madison. Wis. The Empress Theatre in the Englewood district will book its vaudeville acts In the future through the Keith circuit. Business for the past few months has been Improving. Theatre construction on the North Shore is on the Increase this year with Marks Ilrothers going abend with their plana for a mammoth house on Sheridan Road near Loyola avenue. A new house Is projected for Howard avenue at Kidge, which Is the boundary between the city and Evanston. Several other projects are afoot for tke Howard avenue district, but aa yet they have not advanced beyond the plan stage. The will of Dee Robinson, well know manager of theatres at Peoria, 111., left an estate of $50,000 to his widow, who is executrix of the estate. His will bequests twenty shares in the theatre company to his brother and sister and ten shares each to two nieces. John J. Jones, vice-president of Jones, Linick & Schaefer, now is in charge of the local office of the Marcus Loew Western Booking Agency, but he will retain his Interest in the big theatre circuit. Another new movie house has been opened in the southern coal mining district. The latest is the Valley Theatre at Spring Valley, James Lawson and John Rammes have formed a company to operate the Grand Theatre at Mt. Olive, 111. The theatre has recently been completed and is one of the niftiest houses in that district. Pinkleman & Cory report that the work on the new Washington Square Theatre they are building at Quincy, 111., Is progressing rapidly and they hope to open by June. This will be the first house ever erected for exclusive picture purposes in the Gem City. The Central Park Theatre Corporation haa transferred the property on Roosevetl road to Balaban & Katz's new organization for an indicated $366,000. This is the pioneer house of the present B. and K. organization.