The Moving picture world (November 1925-December 1925)

790 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 26, 1925 All-Canadian^^ Program in Montreal Requires Editing How several pictures were changed to suit the "All-Canadian Week" program which was presented at the Palace Theatre, Montreal, Quebec, has been described by Manager George Rotsky. The feature was First National's "The Knockout," starring Milton Sills, but this required no change as it had been produced in Northern Quebec. A Felix comedy had a new introduction with the cat making a bow to the audience and expressing his pleasure at being in Montreal for the Canadian Week. An "Our Gang" comedy was revised so that the scenes in Arizona became Saskatchewan and an American city became Toronto, Ontario, in one of the subtitles. The news weekly had nothing but Canadian scenes, several scenic bits being added to pictures of current events. Following the presentation of "The Phantom of the Opera" at the Regent Theatre. Ottawa, Ontario, for two weeks. Manager Lieonard Bishop decided upon a reduction in admission prices. The orchestra floor seats were reduced from 50 cents to 40 cents. The Regent oflfers picture programs exclusively and is a downtown house. The Savoy Theatre, Hamilton, Ontario, will have a swell New Year's Eve performance, judg-ing by the splendid prog^ram arranged by Manager H. E. Wilton. The show will start at 11:15 p. m. with a couple of comedies, after which vaudeville specialties will be presented. Then comes a New Tear's pantomime and, just before midnig-ht, Father Thne is to appear to herald the change of years. The orchestra will play "Auld Lang Syne" and the audience will make use of horns, rattles and other noisemaking devices. Manager Peter Kehayes of the Capital Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, abolished vaudeville from the bill at this house starting with the week of December 7 and provided special picture attractions instead, the feature being "The Pony Express," followed by a double feature program during the week of December 14 comprising "The Limited Mail" and "Simon the Jester." This was one instance where five acts of vaudeville did not pan out as expected. Manager Walter H. Golding of the Imperial Theatre, St. John, N. B., has added to the attractiveness of that well known theatre by the installation of a large Wurlitzer pipe organ at a cost of $25,000. The Imperial orchestra has been retained. Every orphan in Ottawa, Ontario, is having a special treat on Saturday morning, December 19, when a special Christmas performance is held at B. F. Keith's Theatre through the kindness of Manager J. M. Franklin, who is an officer of the Ottawa Rotary Club. Mr. Franklin arranged to have every child in local institutions, both Protestant and Catholic, attend the extra show under the auspices of the Rotary Club, and transportation to and from the theatre was provided by the Ottawa Electric Railway and automobiles provided by Rotarlans. Texas Theatre News The Palace at Littlefield, Texas, was opened a few days ago with "The Gold Rush" and cost $30,000. Seating capacity, 750. Robb & Rowley will erect a new $100,000 theatre building at Corpus Christi, Texas, in the near future. W. R. Hurst has opened his theatre at Clarksville, Texas, seating capacity 500. C. R. McHenry has remodelled his Rosewin Theatre at Dallas Cincinnajti Theatres Are Reopening LICENSES have been obtained by the Pekin Theatre on West Fifth street, Cincinnati, and the Dolly Varden Theatre on Central avenue granting them authority to reopen, both houses having been closed recently upon orders from the city auditor's office on account of the management not complying with certain of the city's requirements, it is claimed. Harold Stevens, manager of the Dolly Varden, was fined $5 in police court for having operated his house without a license, according to reports. The Ashtabula Palace Theatre, Ashtabula, Ohio, has been Incorporated, as has also the Westway Theatres Co., Toledo, Ohio. The Aloma Company, Cleveland, Ohio, expects to erect a new house on Pearl road, at an estimated cost of $200,000. Proof of the fact that exhibitors as well as other mortals can be versatile is found In the fact that Kermie Frecka, who has the Easton and Grand Theatres, at Ironton, Ohio, is halfback on one of the local football teams. Incidentally, Frecka is the cat's whiskers when it comes to chasing the plgrskin across the grid. He possesses every requisite but red hair. Congratulations are being showered upon Peter Smith, head of the Sylvia and Avonel Theatres, Bellevue, Ky., just across the river from Cincinnati. Mrs. Smith, too, is sharing the felicitations. Smith says the new boy may be one of the country's foremost exhibitors some day. Richey^s Michigan Tour Ending HM. RICHEV, general manager of the • Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Michigan, has about completed his ten weeks' sojourn among exhibitor members of his organization in the State. Richey mapped out an itinerary during the summer and then carried out his plan of visiting every exhibitor possible in the low-er peninsula. Each exhibitor was advised by postal card of the date of tjie manager's arrival. Richey's conferences with exhibitors were devoted to matters pertaining to exhibitor organization that might not have been clear to some of the members. He will issue a report on his trip within the next two weeks. Walter Fritchie, 22 years old, former head usher at the Grand Riviera Theatre, will not be prosecuted for theft, according to announcement by the Munz Theatrical Enterprises, from whom Fritchie stole receipts amounting to $10,000 a few weeks ago, the police say. Fritchie's parents made restitution of half the amount and the owners agreed not to prosecute. Otto W. Bolle, Robert Rowan and Frank E. Stuart are exchange managers who have been n;imed to represent the exchanges on the local board of arbitration. The exhibitor committee still consists of Edgar E. Kirchner, James C. Ritter and Harlan T. Hall. George Wilbur, general manager of the A. J. Kleist Enterprises. Pontiac, spent several days in New York last week on business. MORE SUNDAY TROUBLE The Federation of Churches in Waltham. Mass., has started a campaign against the exhibition of motion pictures in Waltham on Sundays. The committee on public morals, recently appointed by the federation, contends that Sunday film shows are illegal. Efforts are being made by those opposed to the shows to persuade Mayor Henry F. Beal to conduct a public hearing on the matter.