The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

676 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 19, 1925 Chicago IS/iovie Men Aid Welfare Drive IX the big drive by the Jewish Welfare Fund for the various charities of the organization, more than $2,000,000 was raised the first day. Among the prominent contributors were Lubliner & Trinz with $20,000, Balaban & Katz with $10,000 and the Ascher circuit with $1,200. Waterson Rothacker has bought the twostory building in which the manufacturing: building of the Rothacker Film Company is located on Diversey Parkway for $100,000. George R. Hogan, Henry T. Price and Henry N. Miller have organized the Mcintosh Company to handle all kinds of films and mcahines, with ofRces at 30 East Randolph street. Andrew J. Foehrkalb has been made manager of the Wildley Theatre at Edwardsville, 111., succeeding the late O. H. Geise. E. M Simons has been made managing director of the Liberty and Bijou Theatres at Benton Harbor and the Caldwell at St. Dayton Exhibitor Has Novel Xmas Plan MILLARD M. BLAETTMAR, manager of the Colonial Theatre, Dayton, Ohio, is another exhibitor who will bring Christmas cheer to the children. Blaettmar recently conducted a "Christmas party," during Saturday morning. An admission ticket was given each child in exchange for a toy, new or old, whole or broken, deposited in the barrels arranged in the lobby of the theatre. Thus were the kiddies afforded an opportunity of seeing the picture, "That Royle Girl," and at the same time assisting in a charitable act, for Blaettmar, after having the broken toys repaired by the prisoners at the Dayton workhouse, will personally play Santa Claus to the sick and needy children of the city on Christmas morning. The city director of welfare helped promote the movement. Staid and conservative Cincinnatians, who have many times heard rumors of new theatres without always seeing the houses actually erected, are now assured that the Riallo Theatre, long promised at the corner of Fifth and Vine streets, will really materialize. Contracts have been let to raze the buildings now occupying the site, immediately following which actual operations will be started on the new building. It will be a model of theatre architecture and appointments, seating 3.500. I. Libson," controling all the first-run houses in the downtown district of Greater Cincinnati, is interested. Kred Coddiug'toiL, -n-ho has been manasln^ I/Oew's Mall Theatre. Cleveland, bai« been appointed manager of the CaMino, the ninth Itoew house to be opened in that city.. Coddineton has been succeeded at the Mall by J. E. Murdock, who conies to Cleveland from Washin^on, D. Ct where he %vas connected with the Crandall enterprises. Harold K. Stebbins and I. Amann have taken a lease on the Opera House, Bucyrus, and will inaugurate a policy of vaudeville and pictures with an occasional road show date. It has now been determined that fire which recently destroyed the Pastime Theatre, Martin's Ferry, entailing a lots of $80,000, was the result of a gas explosion in a nearby building. Four firemen were injured during the blaze. Reports from the Stillman Theatre, Cleveland, show that "The Merry Widow" broke the season's box office record thus far, hanging up $15,000 on the opening week and duplicating the record on the second and fhird weeks. .Joseph, succeeding J. C. Wodetsky, who has gone over to the Fitzpatrick & McElroy as manager of their houses at Muncie. When the thieves blew open the safe of the Park Theatre on West Lake street and escaped with the contents. Manager George .VUller hauled the safe out in the lobby and let the patrons of the house see what the robbers did to the strong box. The many fMends of James B. Dibelka, former secretary of the Illinois Theatre Owners Association, will be sorry to hear of his death last month after a Ionic illness. He was the owner of the Parkway Theatre for several years. Frank Schaefer and Mrs. Schaefer of th© Crystal Theatre are escaping the cold weather this month by vacationing at Asheville, N. C. The Lyric Theatre at Kankakee, 111., has been reopened under the management of Paul Bernler. The M. and H. Theatres Corporation has made Harry C. Miller the managing director of the new Ambassador on the Far West Side. Presentations and feature photoplays will be the policy under the new manager, who is well known to the trade. The McVlckers Theatre Company, of which M. M. Murphy is president and R. G. Merle Clark secretary, has called for redemption at 102 and accrued interest of all the outstanding 7 per cent, first leasehold mortgage bonds of the theatre company. M.ichigan Suggests ^^Shorts" As an aid to exhibitor bookings, the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan has collected a list of all the short subjects appropriate for holiday showings and has mailed them to its membership, thus simplifying holiday film shopping for the exhibitor. Fitzpatrick & McElroy announce that their new theatre at Alpena, Mich., is ready to be opened. It will be called the new Maltz, taking the same name as its predecessor, which was burned to the ground about one year ago. The Majestic Theatre, Detroit, now owned by the Famous Players-Laskey Corporation, will have another change of policy, with M. W. McGee, the lessee, bringing in musical .stock as the next attraction. Ever since Its erection as a picture theatre ten years ago the Majestic has been unable to work out a definite policy. Nate Ascher of the Ascher circuit reports the business of the Ascher chain as ahead of last year by a good margin, and the outlook for the coming year is very optimistic. The Ascher circuit will open several new houses next year, and with the new Fox capital In the organization the outlook Is rosy for 1926. On Christmas day the new Terminal Theatre at Lawrence and Spauldlng avenue will be opened to the public. Albany Park merchants will co-operate with the theatre management in the opening. Edward Nlkodem will be managing director. Balaban & Katz reports more than 8,000 cheer books of admissions to the various houses of the circuit have been sold to date to the patrons of the theatres for use as Christmas gifts. Chouteau to Build New St. Louis Theatre THE Band Box, a first-run theatre to be used by a national distributor not now represented in the St. Louis first-run field, will be erected by Henri Chouteau, owner of the Liberty Music Hall, on a lot adjoining that theatre on Delmar boulevard just west of Grand boulevard. It will cost $150,000. The new house will seat but 864 on one floor. On the second floor will be a Chinese restaurant. The architectural designs will follow the lines of the famed Forbidden Palace on the outskirts of Peking, China. Plans are in charge of H. W. Kirschner. International Life Building. The Logan, 111., theatre is open again. The Marshall, Maplewood, Mo., had Its opening on December 5. Callers of the week included: Walter Thimmig, Duquoin, 111.; Oscar Wesley, Gillespie, 111.; J. W. Schuckert, Chester, 111., and W. L. Muhlenbeck, West p^ankfort. 111. John Marlowe, Herri n. 111., exhibitor, went to ChicKno to attend a convention of amnacment park owners, December 1 to 6. While there he made arrangrements for aeveral new concessions for his l>iK summer park near Herrin and also booked a number of vaudeviile acts. Harry Koplar, vice-president of the St. Louis Amusement Company, Is on a business trip to Chicago. Oscar Turner, Harrlsburg, 111., theatre owner, had his automobile wrecked when It collided with a wagon loaded with corn. The entire side of Turner's car . was ripped ctt. He escaped serious injuries. COBB MAY REMAIN CENSOR Judging from talk around the State Capitol at Albany, N. Y., there appears a likelihood that George H. Cobb will remain as chairman of the New York State Motion Picture Commission even though his term of office expires on December 31. There is a general belief that the cencorship commission will be abolished later on due to the consolidation of state departments. Mr. Cobb's five years of experience on the board makes him a valuable man and it is not believed that Governor Smith will disturb him owing to the fact that the commission will not be long in existence. E. H. BUSKEY DIES Edward H. Buskey, 47 years of age and an employe of the State Theatre in Utica, N. Y., was stricken with heart trouble at the theatre last week and died shortly after his removal to his home. Mr. Buskey was secretary and treasurer of the Musicians' Union in Utica, as well as manager of two of the bands in that city.