The Moving picture world (November 1924-December 1924)

December 20, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 747 Milwaukee Experiences Week of Hot Theatre Competition Gilda Gray. That name, blazoned forth in her home town for the first time since she became America's shimmy queen, proved so great an attraction at the Alhambra, downtown Milwaukee movie house, that every record established at the theatre in the last twenty years was shattered and the services of a cordon of half a dozen policemen were required at virtually every performance during the week beginning November 29. She has been retained for a second week. Business estimated at $20,000 was the total for the week, in the face of tht strongest competition of the season, including Baby Peggy in person and numerous outside attractions, but the only reason the Alhambra figure didn't reach $30,000 or even better is because the capacity of the house was too limited to hold the throngs that clamored for admission. For the first time In the history of the shonhou.se — and its history is one of the oldest In the city — money was refunded to patrons unable to gain entrance. This occurred not once but every day upon which the shimmy queen appeared with her Petite Revue of six in conjunction with the showing of the film, "The Narrow Street." Seeking a chance to view the Milwaukee girl on her triumphal return to the city where she had danced a few years before as an obscure cabaret entertainer, hundreds rushed to the house as early as 5 p. m. each day, delaying their supper in an effort to get a seat before the greatest rush later in the evening. Overflow crowds, disappointed at being unable to see Gilda, swarmed to other theatres and the result was the greatest week In downtown houses of the present season. Anticipating Gilda's arrival, every downtown manager had fortified himself with the highest type of show obtainable. The combination of wonderful attractions at their own houses and inability to accommodate the unusual throngs at the Alhambra resulted in above average business generally instead of the slump that other exhibitors had feared. Without a doubt the greatest competitor for Leo Landau's Alhambra was Baby Peggy, appearing in person in conjunction with her film, "Captain January,'' at Saxe's Strand. The Strand, managed by Stan Brown, is considerably smaller than the Alhambra, having approximately 1,200 seats as compared to an estimated 3,000 at the latter, but it did wonders during the entire week, the crowds being jammed to the doors for every evening show and filling the house during matinees in excellent fashion. Gilda's success at the Alhambra resulted In that theatre taking the lead for the city for the first time since March, when the $2,000,000 Wisconsin was completed for the Saxe interests. The Wisconsin, itself boasting a super bill in Barbara LaMarr's "Sandra" and its usual high-class stage presentation, drew well but broke no records like its next door neighbor, the Strand, or the Alhambra. However, the Wisconsin, with its 3,500 seats, is the largest house In the city and to break records there is not so easily accomplished after some of the wonderful weeks it has experienced. As for the Palace Orpheum, attendance on the first two days of the week, Saturday and Sunday, was up to the usual high standard, but a slight drop was noted Monday, especially at the matinee. The headliners there were Marjorle Rambeau and Leo Carillo. Competition during the week was not limited to permanent shows. On the second night of Gilda Gray's engagement J. Warren Kerrigan appeared at the Arcadia ballroom, while on other nights of the week Karsavlna, famous Russian dancer, and Moriz Rosenthal, noted pianist, appeared at the Pabst. Karsavina pulled only a fair house, however. The Garden, Landau's other downtown house, featured "The Snob" and did fairly well, while Ascher's Merrill drew fair crowds with Mary Philbin in "The Rose of Paris." John Freuler's Butterfly, second-run downtown house, took advantage of the general boom to show Harold Lloyd In "Girl Shy," which hung up an enviable mark in its first appearance at the Wisconsin. Milwaukee's extreme north side bonsts a new 1,000-seat picture house as a result of the opening on Thanksgiving Day of the $150,000 Hollywood, a theatre which brings to the outskirts the comforts and equipment of the downtown showhouses. The theatre, housed in a two-story building which also contains stores and apartments, is being operated by the Keystone Investment Company, in which Sam R. Pylet, O. L. Gellerop and A. I :. Maas are interested. Mr. Pylet, a veteran in the motion picture business, Is In active charge of the house as managing director. Probably the most outstanding features of the theatre are the heating, ventilating and lighting systems. It is one of the few houses in this part of the country which is heated by the oil burner system, this innovation making for uniform distribution of heat and elimination of soot. The ventilating system, installed at a cost of more than $3,000, Is of the washed air type, pure air being blown into the auditorium by huge fans as the loul air is drawn off by means of a suction fan. Not a single light in the auditorium or on the stage is exposed to view, all of the 650 lamps being in coves. There is one large cove in the center of the ceiling, while the rest of the lights are distributed along the walls. The entire system on the stage and In the auditorium Is operated by a series of buttons in the projection booth, by means of which changeable colors are obtained. The exterior of the theatre Is of red brick and of a modest design, with a well lighted canopy but no other electric sign. All of the scats in the auditorium are on one floor and are sectioned off by three aisles. They are equipped with leather cushions. The projection room, installed under the direction of L. P. Langford of the Wisconsin Theatre Supply Company, boasts two Motiograph De Luxe projection machines of the latest type, equipped with Morelite Reflector Arc lamps. There also is one Brenkert spotlight, as well as a Gilmore film cabinet. The room is 20 feet long and 11 feet wide. Its height is 8 feet. The stage, while not exceptionally large, is equipped for presentations, a feature which Mr. Pylet has announced he will go in for as heavily as most downtown houses. The screen is of Gardiner velvet gold fibre. Theatre men in the city, many of whom attended a pre-opening program at the house on Thanksgiving eve, are watching the theatre with keen interest in view of its peculiar location. Situated on the very edge of the city, it is at present in a sparsely settled LOIS WILSON In Paramount's "North of 36." neighborhood, but indications are that a few years will transform it into o.ne of the busiest outskirt thoroughfares. To offset the disadvantage which may result from the fact that the neighborhood is not congested, theatre men point out that the house is the only one providing entertainment over a wide area and its patronage undoubtedly will draw heavily from Shorewood, exclusive Milwaukee suburb, which has no theatre of its own. Repeated efforts have been made by exhibitors to invade Shorewood with a theatre, but these have been blocked because of an ordinance passed by the village. The Hollywood, however, is just a few minutes' ride by automobile from the fashionable suburb. In addition to Shorewood patronage, the theatre also is expected to draw well from North Milwaukee, another of the city's heavily populated suburbs. The policy of the house calls for a change of program Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Admission charges are 10 and 20 cents. In addition to high-class feature pictures, a diversified program will be presented consisting of selections by a six-piece orchestra, stage novelties and a short subject. For the opening the screen attraction was "The Silent Watcher." Other pictures booked for early showing include "Welcome Stranger," "The Lone Wolf," "Pagan Passions," "Madonna of the Streets," "Husbands and Lovers" and "Captain Blood." The Keystone Investment Company during the early days of the motion picture controlled the Columbia Theatre at Walnut and Eleventh streets. Later it at one time had control of the Astor, the Murray and the Strand. Prints in All Exchanges — Now Booking I PRODUCERS DISTRIBUTING CORPORATION esBsassgsBgssa RECKLESS ROMANCE <^AL CHRISTIE FEATURE •A (_Jldapted from the great $ 'Broadway success $ WHATS your wife doing? Directed by SCOTT SIDNEY Harry Myer$ Wanda Hawley Tully Marshall Sylvia B reamer Lincoln Phimer Jack Duffy Morgan Wallace Mitchell Lewis T.Roy Barnes NO 2 Season 19241925— Thirty First -Ran Pictures