The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

536 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 12, 1925 Douglas Flattery Dies Suddenly on Boston Street MAURICE DOUGLAS FLATTERY, managing director of the Marcus Loew theatres in Boston and long one of the most prominent residents of the city, dropped dead on Wednesday morning, November 25, on Boylston street, near Park square, and for several hours his body, tagged "unidentified," lay upon a marble slab at the Northern mortuary. In addition to his activities in the theatrical realm he was a scientist, doctor, lawyer, professor, philanthropist, author and financier, and a figure whose deeds are recorded in half a column in "Who's Who." Mr. Flattery was stricken while on his way from his home on Stuart street to his office in the Orpheum Theatre on Washington street. He was seen to suddenly stagger and then fall. At Haymarket Relief Hospital it was found death had been caused by heart disease. His body later was removed to the mortuary. It was not until nearly 6 p. m. that his secretary, John H. Devlin, mystified by his absence from his office throughout the day, identified the body. M. Douglas Flattery was born at Dungarven. Ireland, in 1870. He came to the United States in 1893 and studied at Centre College in Kentucky. He was professor of physiology at the University of Nebraska in 1894 and at Centre College in 1895-1896. He married Georgina A. Mackie of London in 1897. Upon his return to America he entered Harvard Medical and Law Schools and won his degree from both. Mr. Flattery built the Copley Theatre and later the present Loew's Orpheum. He also was at the head of the project that com THE Ontario Motion Picture Theatre Owners once more honored J. C. Brady of Toronto, proprietor of the Madison Theatre, with the presidency of the Ontario association at its annual general convention which was held in the King Edward Hotel. Toronto. November 27. Mr. Brady has become the presidential perennial of the independent exhibitors in Ontario, hav ing been their leader for many years. He had opposition, three members being nominated for the presidency, but his majority was quite decisive. The Ontario M.P.T.O. chose Roy O'Connor, manager of the Prince of Wales Theatre, Toronto, as the 1926 vice-president. It is interesting to note that Mr. O'Connor succeeded Aid. W. A. Summerville of Toronto, who is the owner of the theatre of which Mr. O'Connor is manager. The treasurership again went to Joseph C. Cohen, proprietor of the Classic Theatre, Toronto, while Ray Lewis of Toronto was re-elected secretary. It was decided that the new Board of Directors would elect the 1926 Grievance and Arbitration Committee from its own membership. The members of this committee prised the building of Loew's State Theatre Building. He was managing director of Loew's Theatres, Inc., State Theatre Company, Globe Vaudeville Company and Columbia Amusement Company. Mr. Flattery endowed a radium clinic and laboratory at Carney Hospital. In 1919 he established the Douglas Flattery Foundation at the University of Lyons, France, for research work in preventive medicine. The Flattery medal and $500 yearly prize, donated to Harvard for the most important disease prevention in any section of the world, is eagerly sought. In 1920 he reported to President Harding a plan for organized research work at university centers. He was chairman of the Boston Conservation Board and was advisory chairman of the Boston University Vocational Board. His writings include "Wife or Maid," "A Pair of Knaves," "Annie Laurie" and other works. He also had composed an opera. Besides his wife Mr. Flattery is survived by one daughter. Funeral services were conducted on Saturday, November 28, at 11 A. M. The remains were cremated at Forest Hills Crematory. The esteem in which Mr. Flattery was held among his fellow-stockholders of Loew's Boston Theatres Company was expressed in a resolution adopted at the regular annual meeting of the stockholders on November 27. Mr. Flattery had been vice-president and a director of the company for a number of years. Out of respect to the memory of Mr. Flattery the Loew theatres in Boston did not open Saturday until 11:15 A. M. are to take turns, in sequence, in handling each case for arbitration. The association is also to open headquarters in Toronto for both fraternal and business purposes. The Board of Directors was elected as follows; H. Alexander, Harry Ginsler, Sam Bloom, George Lester, S. Lent, C. Rottenberg, .\. Pollakoff, S. Fine and S. Major. By a standing vote H. Alexander was unanimously elected chairman of the Board of Directors for 1926. One new member was elected to the roll, this being V. Saxe of Mount Forest, Ontario. About 150 people sat down to the annual banquet of the Ontario M.P.T.O. at the King Edward Hotel, the vaudeville specialties for which were supplied by the Gus Sun Booking Offices. Among the Toronto members present were President J. C. Brady, Vice-President R. O'Connor, Treasurer Joe Cohen, Secretary Ray Lewis, Aid. W. A. Summerville, Chairman Harry Alexander, H. King, H. Ginsler, S. Ulster, S. Bloom, H. Lester, S. Fine, M. J. Mentel, A. Applebaum, George Lester, A. PolakofT, S. Major, J. Smith, N. Rittenberg, J. Gertzbein, S. Krestall, A. Baillie, Sam Lent, C. Rottenberg, A. Rottenberg and Mrs. Bloom. Fox Alters Studio (Continued from preceding page) equipped with the very latest type projection apparatus and everything else providing for perfect screening. The new wardrobe building to be erected on the East Lot will be 36 by 110 feet in dimension, which probably will make it the largest wardrobe building in Hollywood. Aside from housing perhaps the largest assortment of wardrobes in the motion picture industry, ther^ will be accommodations for costumers and assistants, special fitting rooms and one floor entirely for the use of extras. An innovation in connection with this warddrobe building will be the installation of a large well between the first and second floors. This well will provide for the preservation of valuable rugs and drapes for the reason that they may be draped over the railings instead of being rolled and folded after being in use. Costumes, rugs and drapes kept in this building will be of almost inestimable value. The ever increasing growth of motion picture production activities makes this new wardroble building necessary. The new still photograph portrait studio has already been installed and is now in operation. It is believed to be the most completely equipped studio of its kind in existence. An expert photographer and staff of assistants is busy from morning until night making portraits of artists under contract to Fox. For some considerable time since Fox acquired the Fox Hills property, building operations have been going on. Numerous buildings have been erected for permanent use, and a number of streets have been laid out for production purposes. These include a Western street, a New England street, a Spanish street, an old English street, a French ruin street, two haciendas and detached farm houses. In addition to these, operation has been begun upon the construction of a reproduction of the city of Johnstown, Penn., as it appeared in 1889 when the great flood swept it from the valley. This facsimile of Johnstown will be used in connection with "The Johnstown Flood," which is now being produced. Other building operations at Fox Hills include the erection of a cyclorama, a treadmill, skyline, the largest individual motion picture stage in the world, it is said, a new permanent portable stage and new elecrtic generator sets. FILM MEN AIDED WALKER Financial contributions to the Walker Campaign Committee in New York City from the motion picture interests amounted to $33,808.10, according to a statement filed with the Secretary of State's office at Albany during the past week. While the statement as filed gives no addresses of the contributors, the list contains contributions from William Dillon of Ithaca, president of the New York State M. P. T. O., of $800; R. Cohen, $3,000; Thomas Meighan, $100; H. Brandt, $200; Sam Zierler, $500; L. and W. Brecher, $600; Harold Franklin, $100; Sidney Kent, $100; W. A. Johnson, $250; Leo Feist, $100; B. Rubin, $1,000; W. Small, $2,000 Harry Buxbaum, $100; Jules Brulatour, $200; W. Shallenberger, $150; J. Shapiro, $250; S. Spring, $500; Lee Ochs. $100; H. Rachmil, $1,000; James Grainger, $100; H. A. Warner, $2,000; P. A. Powers, $250 and A. Suchman, $500. Ontario Theatre Owners Again Elect J. C. Brady President