The Moving picture world (July 1925-August 1925)

248 MOVING PICTURE WORLD July 18, 1925 Coming ami Going Carl Laemmle and his son and daughter sailed for Europe on July 8. Colleen Moore, First National star, paused six days in New York on her return from six weeks in Europe. She arrived from abroad on July 3. Morris Davis, an outstanding figure in Montreal exchange circles, visited New York recently, having traveled through New England after taking unto himself a wife in Montreal. Regal Films, Ltd., gave him a player piano before he left. Henry Ginsberg of the Henry Ginsberg Distributing Corporation will arrive in New York later in July from the West Coast, after visiting some of the key cities. 'ackie and Robert Coogan and Mrs. Coogan arrived in Los Angeles this week after seven weeks in New York. Jackie's next will be "Old Clothes," a sequel to "The Kag Man," and he will begin work on it shortly. E. E. Shauer, director of the foreign department of Famous Players, has sailed tor Europe. He expects to return about Septembre 1, Harry Rathner, president of Astor Distributing Corporation, left New York last week for Milwaukee, St. Louis and Los Angelen. Edgar B. Hatrick, general manager of International Newsreel and vice-president of Cosmopolitan Productions, returned this week from a six weeks' trip to Europe. Greta Garbo, Swedish player, and ManrMs Stiller, director, have arrived in New York to join Metro-Goldwyn. They will go to the West Coast in about two weeks. W. J. Morgan, sales manager of Producers' Distributing Corporation, is in Chicago and will visit other western exchange cities. Bebe Daniels, Harrison Ford and company under the direction of Frank Tuttle have gone to Bermuda to film exteriors on "Lovers in Quarantine." Charles Beahan of the Producers' Distributing Corporation scenario department has gone to the West Coast to study production. Buffalo Zone Turns Down Movie Season Members of the Buffalo Zone, M. P. T. 0., of N. Y., following the refusal of local exchanges to defray one-third of the cost of putting over the Greater Movie Season project, have turned down the plan, so that the organization will not be behind the Movie Season. At the recent meeting of the zone it was decided to get behind the plan if thedistributors will come through with a third of the costs and a communication was sent to the exchanges asking if they would be willing to do this. The exchanges refused. However most of the leading downtown exhibitors held a meeting and decided to go ahead with the campaign themselves. Al Beckerich, manager of the Loew State, was named chairman. The following are among the exhibitors and houses which signed up at the meeting : Walter Hays, Victoria ; Vincent R. McFaul, Shea's Hippodrome ; M. Slotkin and Fred M. Shafer, Lafayette Square ; Jake Rappaport, Lovejoy; William Dillemuth, Broadway Lyceum; J. H. Michael, Regent; F. Nowak, Lincoln ; Barney Pohwinkle, Oriole and N. Vassiliadis, Clinton-Strand. These exhibitors subscriho^ liberally to the fund. Qreater Movie Season Qets N. Y. Support Hays Reports Fifty thousand dollars for the New York Greater Movie Season campaign. Marcus Loew elected chairman of the executive committee, with Joseph Plunkett, managing-director of the Mark-Strand Theatre, and Charles O'Reilly, president of the Theatre Owners' Chamber of Commerce, as his principal aides. Wells Hawks appointed general manager in charge of local activities. These were the salient results of the final meeting between nationally important figures in the exhibiting field and Will H. Hays, president of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc., who inaugurated the August drive. The Fabian circuit in New Jersey stands aligned with the national plan, A. M. Fabian has informed Hays. "'Greater Movie Season is a wonderful idea," stated Fabian. "Our entire circuit will be behind the movement. We have already instructed our publicity department to lay plans for the greatest movie season New Jersey has ever known." A complete survey, according to the Hays statement, of the field shows that 73 cooperative campaigns are in active operation with 2,745 theatres cooperating. Warner Bros, Take Over Orpheum in Chicago The second official announcement concerning the theatre activities of Warner Bros., came this week in a statement that they have closed a contract for the taking over of the Orpheum, in Chicago The final arrangements were perfected between Sam E. Morris, general manager in charge of distribution for Warner Bros., and Aaron Jones, of Jones, Linick & Shaefer, owners of the theatre, when Mr. Morris was in Chicago recently. Suspension! Enforcement of the new film tax and censorship law in Connecticut, which was to have begun on July 8, has been suspended pending determination of its constitutionality, as raised by the two test cases, details of which appear elsewhere in this issue. Fitzpatrick-McElroy Qet All Mich. City, hid., Theatres Fitzpatrick & McElroy of Chicago, have purchased the controlling interest in the property, business and operation of all motion picture theatres in Michigan City, Indiana. By the deal which has just been completed with Wallerstein Brothers, Fitzpatrick & McElroy have further extended the holdings of their circuit by adding Indiana to the other three states in which they are so well represented— Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. At the same time four new theatres, are added to the chain and the total seating capacity increased 3,500. On July first this circuit took over the operation of the Tivoli, a combination vaudeville and picture house, and the Starland, Dreamland and Willard devoted to motion pictures exclusively. Associated with them in the Michigan City transaction are local banking and property interests represented by Dr. Lebetter, M. O. Cushman, and Harry Katz, brother of Sam Katz, president of the Balaban & Katz interests. BERINSTE1N APPOINTED B. N. Berinsteln of Los Angeles has been designated a member of the Executive Committee at Large of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Mr. Berinstein was for several years a member of the official family of the national organization. Famous Qets Five Rothchild Houses; West Coast Deal Off The five Market Street theatres controlled by the Herbert Rothchild Entertainment have been acquired by Famous PlayersLasky and the management will pass over to the producing organization as soon as the necessary papers can be drawn up and signed. The houses included in the deal, one of the most important of its kind ever made in San Francisco, include the California, Granada, Imperial, Strand and New Portola, a chain that has been developed from the success of the old Portola Theatre. The producing organization first attempted to secure control of West Coast Theatres, Inc., whose leading local house is Loew's Warfleld Theatre, but these negotiations were not consummated. No changes are planned at present in the management, Ed Baron remaining in direct charge of the five houses. It is expected, however, that Sam Den bow, who has been purchasing film for the chain, will be transferred to New York. The Strand Theatre property was purchased outright by the Rothchild interests some time ago and has since been transferred to the new owners. This house has been closed for remodeling and will be re-opened as the St. Francis Theatre as soon as the work is completed.