The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

648 MOVING PICTURE W ORLD February 23, 1924 Connecticut Zukor, Laemmle to Attend School Testimonial Dinner An epoch making social event is to be given its final arrangement touches at the meeting of the Board of Managers of the M. P. T. 0. of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware to be held this Week under the direction of George P. Aaron, chairman of the Entertainment Committee appointed to arrange for the big testimonial dinner to be held on February 25 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in honor of President H. J. Schad of the local association. All the prominent members of the national association, including President Sydney S. Cohen and eminent members of the exhibitor field scattered throughout the country, as well as leading producers, have accepted invitations to be present at the gathering, which, according to present provisions, will include over 500 persons associated with the industry and friends of President Schad. Mayor Kendrick of Philadelphia will be one of the speakers. Among those who have already accepted are Adolph Zukor, Carl Laemmle and President Jules Mastbaum of the Stanley Company of America. The Stanley Company of America Beneficial Association held during the week its annual meeting at the Palace Theatre and elected the following officers to serve for the fiscal year: President, William K. Goldenbergj vice-president, George Battersbyj treasurer, Joseph Mastbaum; secretary, Kntherine Hare; board of governors, General Manager Frank \V. Buhler, Charles Shisler, each to serve two years; Edgar Wolf, Martin Wolf, Harry Smith, L,. Moore, J. Murphy and J. Stallman, each for a term of one year. The report of the officers of the association shows assets of $24,384.05 and during the year paid out in benefits $5,916.24. The association Is arranging for its third annual frolic to be held In the Stanley Theatre at a near future date. • Governor Pinchot of Pennsylvania last week appointed M. J. O'Toole of Scranton, Pa.; Jerome Casper, Pittsburgh, and H. J. Schad, Reading, as an advisory committee to cooperate with the State Board of Censors. 1 Thomas J. Labrum, who is connected with the Nixon-Nlrdlingrer theatres as manager, is recovering from injuries received a few days ago when he was struck by a bottle thrown from a window in a building on Broad street, near Spruce. Following the accident, which stunned Mr. Labrum, he was taken to the Hanneman Hospital, where five stitches were found necessary to close the gash in his head. He is now recuperating at his home, 124 Penn Boulevard, Lansdown, Pa. Jules E. Mastbaum, president of the Stanley Company of America, will leave at the end of this week for an extended trip to Palm Beach, where he will remain until the closing days of February. He will be accompanied by his wife and three daughters. He will return to Philadelphia in time for the opening of the new $5,000,000 Elrae Theatre and office building by March 1. Fire in the business section of Nanticoke, Pa., resulted In the complete destruction of the Rex Theatre and adjoining property at a loss of $25,000. Minneapolis Plans for rebuilding the Auditorium and converting it into a picture theatre and office building were announced here this week by a motion picture syndicate headed by Joseph Friedman, St. Paul, and Charles P. Meyers and J. B. Clinton of Duluth. A new picture theatre seating approximately 3,000 persons and costing $350,000 will result from the business venture of the syndicate and will mark the first real opposition for Finkelstein & Ruben theatres in Minneapolis. Work on the new theatre will start soon. The contract calls for completion of the new house by September 1. The reconstruction plans call for rebuilding the Auditorium from lobby to stage, replacing the present two balconies with one balcony that will extend from the rear twothirds of the distance to the stage. This arrangement will increase the seating capacity to 3,000. Two ballrooms are to be built in the fore part of the building on the second and third floors. The fourth floor will contain a private projection room. The remodeling operations will start In April when the lease of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra expires. The Auditorium holding company, the motion picture syndicate and the orchestra association are negotiating for a part time lease on the building for the symphony orchestra next fall. The new lease holders of the Auditorium property operate fifteen picture theatres in Minnesota cities, most of them on the Iron Range in Northern Minnesota. It Is planned to use the building for pictures and vaudeville with the added feature of dancing to be Included in one admission. A special orchestra will provide the music for the dancing on the second floor ballroom and amplifiers will carry the music to the third floor ballroom. Exhibitors of eastern Connecticut have formed a permanent organization to be known as the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Eastern Connecticut. The following officers were elected at a meeting in Willimantic on Febuary 5: President, John R. Pickett, 6f Willimantic ; secretary, J. 'F. Barnett, of Jewett City; treasurer, J. Albert, of Putnam. The following exhibitors were present : J. Zoghly and P. Isper, of Norwich; H. Fontaine, of Plainfield; W. Fournier, of Moosup ; F. Fawer and M. Pouzzner, of New London ; J. F. Barnett, of Jewett City; John R. Pickett and Louis J. Coriarty, of Willimantic; J. W. Walsh, president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Hartford, and J. Albert, of Putnam, vice president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Putnam. Abraham Davidson, owner and manager of the Broadway and Strand theatres In Norwich, announced on February 2 that a settlement had been reached with the Norwich Musicians' Union and that he would withdraw his suit for $40,000, which he had Instituted against the local last June on a charge of restraint of trade as a result of picketing operations on the part of members of the Norwich union. Mr. Davidson stated that in the settlement with the union he has been given permission to employ union musicians from anywhere he might desire. He has engaged two orchestras for his theatres. Mr. Davidson announced also that exclusive picture programs will be presented In the Broadway Theatre and that the Strand Theatre will house road shows and vaudeville and pictures. A furore was created at Yale In New Haven when announcement was made by John Dodge Hough of Chicago that Gloria Sn.iDgon would be his partner at the Junior prom. Complications nrose at the event a year ago when a student had a prominent ••Follies" girl for a partner and the faculty was called upon to straighten out a great tnngle of matters resulting from this. The Capitol Theatre Corporation of Willimantic, Inc., has been granted a certificate of organization by the office of the secretary of state. The officers are: Abraham Davidson, of Norwich; vice president, Alme J. Martineau, of Willimantic; treasurer, Charles A. Gates, of Willimantic; assistant treasurer, V. P. A, Qulnn, of Norwich; secretary, Valentine L Murphy, of Willimantic; assistant secretary, George A. Bartlett, of Willimantic. These officers with J. Francis Keon, of Willimantic, compose the board of directors of the corporation. A preliminary certificate of dissolution has been filed with the secretary of state by tbo Palace Theatre, Inc., of Bristol. All claims may be sent to Rourke and Hanrahan, 750 Main street, Hartford. The Lenox Realty Company of Hartfoid has applied for a building permit for <be erection of a building at the southeast corner of Albany avenue and Sterling street for a building to be used as a picture theatre and for store purposes. The Majestic Theatre in Hartford began a ten-day run of "The White Sister" on February 10. This followed a ten-day showing of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Maine Armand J. Moreau, formerly with F. L. P. houses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, is now managing the Bangor Opera House, Bangor, Maine. W. W. Woolfolk of New York City, formerly manager of houses in Louisville and Indianapolis, has taken charge of the Haines Theatre, Waterville, Maine, succeeding Mr. Moreau. tT n. t. Only Once a year, Astor, March 29 Connecticut M. P. T. O. Active AS a result of the personal canvas of the picture theatres of the state, recently made by Vice President C. M. Maxfield, the Connecticut association now boasts a membership of approximately 100 per cent. A great deal of valuable information regarding each theatre and its problems has also been obtained. The state has been divided into five zones, as follows: northwestern, southwestern, north central, south central and eastern, each zone having its own chairman, secretary and treasurer. On January 28 a meeting of the northwestern zone was held at the Hotel Elton in Waterbury. This meeting was attended by every exhibitor in the zone. President J. W. Walsh and Vice President Maxfield of the state organization were in attendance. Nicholas Jamele of the Lyric Theatre, Waterbury, was elected chairman and A. Pentino of the Carroll Theatre, Waterbury, was elected secretary and treasurer of the zone organization. A meeting and luncheon of the eastern zone was held at the Wauregan Hotel, Norwich, on Monday, February 4. The following officers were elected. Chairman, J. R. Pickett of Williamantic; secretary, J. F. Barnett of Jewett City, and treasurer, J. Alpert of Putnam. A meeting of the southwestern zone was held on Monday, February 11 at the Empire Theatre, Bridgeport, being largely attended. H. Cohen is chairman of this zone organization and J. Schwartz is secretary and treasurer. The north central zone will meet at the Garde Hotel, Hartford, on Monday, February 18, and the south central zone will meet at the Garde Hotel, New Haven, on Tuesday, February 19.