The Moving picture world (September 1925-October 1925)

MOVING PICTURE WORLD September 26, 1925 Chicago The big new theatre circuit that has been formed by Balaban & Katz and Rubens interests, known as the Great States Theatres, Inc., with offices in the Butler Building at 162 North State street, have made several changes in managers and the following men are in charge of the various houses under the new management : E. B. Lewis, manager of the Rialto at Aurora, 111., becomes general manager of the houses in that city, with Ruby Berman as manager of the Fox Theatre and Mortimer Berman manager of the Strand Theatre, both under the direction of Mr. Lewis, who also continues in charge of the Rialto. At Galesburg. 111., William Olson, for many years in charge of the Orpheum there, has sold his interest in the house, retiring from the business, and is succeeded by Edward Toerpe. At Bloomington, 111., J. R. Spicer is in charge of the Majestic at Joliet. M. M. Rubens is general manager of the Crystal, Princess and Orpheum, with Roy Rogan assistant manager. At Rockford Charles Lamb is in active charge of the Midway, the largest house in that city. At Elgin Will Newman has been made general manager of the Rialto, the Crocker with Frank Omick as house manager and the Grove with M. Leo as house manager. Another big movie house is projected for Cicero, the home of the live wires on the West Side. A new theatre to cost over $50O,©0© is projected for the northeast corner of 25th and 53rd avenue. The house will be three stories in height, with a brick and terra cotta exterior. S. J. Geogory of the Gpogory circuit will build the house and R. Le vine and E. P. Rupert are the architects. Samuel Klein is the structural engineer. With nearby suburbs voting against Sunday movies the new house at Cicero should be a big boom for that city. Louis Laemmle, well known exhibitor and brother of Carl Laemmle of Universal, has returned from an extended European trip and is very enthusiastic over the showing of American films abroad. The Monroe Theatre Building at 55-59 West Monroe street, in which Fox's New Monroe; Theatre is located, has been sold by the Adsit Estate for $1,000,000 to a client of the Chicago Title and Trust Company. It is expected that when the leases on the property run out a huge office building will be erected on the site. Morris G. Leonard, E. Shapiro and L. P. Gevirtz have organized the Rubens Enterprises with offices at 111 West Washington street, to build, operate and maintain theatres in this territory. The new Rlveria Theatre of the Orpheum Circuit, featuring pictures and vaudeville at popular prices, opened last Sunday to capacity business that overflowed and jammed the sidewalks. Marcus Heiman, president; Mort Singer, vice-president, and other officials were on hand for the opening. Sam Katz, head of Balaban & Katz, has returned from a business trip to New York. Max Balaban is back from a visit to relatives in Wisconsin. The Midwest Theatres Circuit has added a presentation and vaudeville department under the direction of Al Sobler, publicity director. He is assisted by Miss Hazel Brown, in charge of the vaudeville bookings. Hippler and Peake will remodel the Pastime at Maquoketa. The house is closed. They will reopen the Orpheum to show pictures exclusively. The Columbia at Fort Madison has been improved during the summer and will reopen as an exclusive picture house this month. Piroosky Brothers and Kozmannoff are going to build a new movie house in Gary to Pittsburgh On Labor Day Charles Truran reopened his entirely remodeled, redecorated and rejuvenated Academy Theatre at Meadville after an expenditure of upwards of $35,000 in improvements during a closed season of thirteen weeks. Among the improvements were included concealed lights under the balconies, operated with the dimmer effect ; over the door leading from the lobby of the house there has been painted a beautiful Dutch harbor scene ; over the proscenium there is a mural painting; the floors have been fitted with Imperial flooring, which is waterproof and silent ; the walls and ceiling are beautifully frescoed in a motif of brown and buff. Truran's opening attraction was "The Ten Commandments," and he played to turnaway business. David Victor, for years manager of the Victor Theatre, McKeesport, will be married on October 18 to Miss Sarah Broder, an employe of the local First National exchange. Immediately after the ceremony the young couple will leave for a two months' vacation trip to California, and upon their return will make their home in McKeesport. Among out-of-town exhibitor visitors the past few days were: Messrs. Simon and Salowieh, Johnstown; David Greenblatt, Sharon; C. E. Gable, Sharpsville; Wm. Lamproplos, Latrobe; Wister M. Elliott, Vandergrift; William Anas, Weirton; James Velas, Wheeling; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kinney, Franklin; Mike Rosenbloom, Charleroi; Mike Manos, Greensburg; Jack Maple, Point Marion; B. J. Redfoot, Windber, and George Bieber, Connellsvllle. Oklahoma The following Oklahoma theatre managers were recently seen on Film Row, Oklahoma City: C. D. Hughes, Victor Theatre, Poteau; C. D. Jackson, Camera, Stillwater; Dudley Tucker, Annex, Perry; Mr. Via, Princess, Blackwell; J. S. Greenwood, Orpheum, Weleetka; C. F. McQuilkin, Rialto and Royal. ICnid; A. . Trott, Morgan, Henryetta; George Vail, Garden, Depew; Mr. Enlee, Criterion. El Reno; Mr. Davidson, Cherokee; D. A. White, W'etumka. Tom Boland, genial manager of the Empress Theatre at Oklahoma City, has returned from Battle Creek. Mich., where he went to meet Mrs. Boland, who has been vacationing there. W. H. Clover has purchased the Liberty at Wirt, Okla. The Rex Theatre Company will erect a 600seat theatre at Wewoka, Okla., in the near future. J. W. Shipley and Robert Humphries opened the Cozy Theatre at Okmulgee, Okla., last week. C. H. Harttman will erect a new theatre building at Carnegie, Okla., soon. be located on Broadway near Twenty-fifth avenue. William Mueller of Lynch Theatre, Inc., has returned from his world tour. He is looking after the Milford Theatre while Charley Ryan is away on his vacation. The Central Theatre of Balaban & Katz has put on a Charleston contest each Thursday that is bringing the young dancers in by the houseful. On Tuesday night Manager Turner has a Frolic Night. Alexander Frank has taken over the Majestic at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The house will be remodeled and a fine new organ installed. Fred Byers has been named manager of the Waterloo, Crystal and Palace Theatres at Waterloo. Iowa. More than $25,000 will be spent on improvements in these three houses of the Blank Circuit. 315 Ohio The new Capitol Theatre, Stubenville, Ohio, erected by the Tri-State Amusement Company, of which J. K. Papulias is president and A. G. Constant vice-president and general manager, was formally dedicated Labor Day with five acts of Keith-Albee vaudeville and feature pictures. The new house, which has been completed at a cost of $700,000, is conceded to be among the finest in architectural design and beauty in the Ohio Valley. The building in which the theatre is located covers an area of 27,000 square feet. Forrest C. Templin, who was formerly connected with the Rembusch chain of houses in Indiana and the Gray interests in New England, is managing the house, having left the Smith Amusement Company at Warren Ohio, to accept his present position. Morris Straus, representing a mortgage company of Cincinnati, purchased the Majestic Theatre, Sidney, Ohio, at receiver's sale a short time ago. Straus announced that the house would be thoroughly remodeled and would reopen at an early date. After having been in active charge of the Orpheum Theatre, "Voungstown, Ohio, for eight years, Max Shagrin has left that house. The Orpheum is to be converted into a lobby of the new State Theatre, now under construction immediately adjoining the Orpheum. Shagrin will look after the Park Theatre, in which he is interested. The Overlook Theatre, being erected in one of the Cincinnati suburbs, will be formally opened early in November, according to nreq. ent indications. As an added attraction at the Circle, Cleveland, Manager Printz is featuring Austin Wiley and his Golden Pheasant orchestra, who play but one number during the evening. The Odessa Theatre, Malvern, Ohio, which has been operated by H. S. Vogt, has been purchased by Park C. Beatty, who also owns a house at Carrolton, Ohio. Canada While 2,500 people were enjoying the presentation at B. F. Keith's Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, Friday evening, September 11, a chapter of sorrow was being unfolded within the theatre walls, Manager J. M. Franklin having received a telegram from Detroit, Mich., to the effect that his mother, 70 years of age, had just died. Mr. Franklin hastened to the railway station where he managed to catch the night train for Detroit. It was only two weeks before that Mr. Franklin had visited his mother. During his absence the Keith house was under the charge of Roy McDonald, assistant manager, formerly of Halifax. John Hazza, manager of the big Capitol Theatre, Calgary, Alberta, has cancelled all bookings of Pantages vaudeville for his theatre, the house reverting to its original status of an exclusive picture hall on September 7. Harvey Williams, manager of the Beach Theatre, Toronto, has been creating quite a stir because a team, the Sapitols, which he entered in the local Softball league, not only won the league honors but also triumphed in a recent post-season series with a team of selected local stars. The Army and Navy Veterans Band of Winnipeg, Manitoba, which captured a $1,000 prize at the Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, in a band competition, was featured as a special attraction at the Capitol Theatre, Winnipeg, by Manager H. M. Thomas recently. The band, which has 35 pieces, has won the Manitoba Music Festival three years in succession.