Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

July 27, 1918 East Seattle Short Items. George Kleine's personal representative, D. H. Bergh, is visiting the Seattle office this week. C. D. Beale arrived in Seattle this week from the Salt Lake Kleine office to take charge of the booking in ! the Seattle office. Miss Dorothy Jaquish, who became manager of the Dreamland theater, i Ontario, Oregon, on the death of her father two months ago, is spending her vacation in Seattle. W. A. Greaper, manager of the Union ; Avenue theater, one of Portland's representative suburban houses, visited Seattle this week and booked "The Eagle's Eye." This is the first time Mr. Greaper has ever booked a serial. He expects to "keep them coming" during the summer with this one. Mrs. C. E. McKee is managing the Orpheum theater at Everett during the l> absence of Mr. McKee, at the convention (of Rotary Clubs in Kansas City. J. D. Rice, manager of the Dream theater, Chehalis, is now alone in the town, the last competitor having given up this it week. Visitors in Town. Among the out-of-town exhibitors visiting film row this week were: Ben Abbott, Princess and Dream, Sedro Wooley; Messrs. Hastie and Hastie, Coupeville; Fred B. Walton, American, Bellingham; ,fW. G. Ripley, Western Amusement Co., I Aberdeen; Fred Mercy, Mercy Amusement Co., Yakima; Mme. Stella B. Paul, Shelton theater, Shelton; E. D. Stuller, Glendale; H. T. Moore, Colonial, Tacoma. THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 533 Aliens Open Theater in Cobourg, Ontario Concern Operating Many Motion Picture Houses in the Dominion Builds 500-Seat Structure in Town on Shore of Lake Ontario— Is Modern in Every Way. By W. M. Gladish, 33 Wineva Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. TORONTO.— The Aliens, operating a large number of moving picture theaters in Canada, opened a picture Cleveland News Letter || By M. A. Malaney, 607 Belmont Bldg., Cleveland, Ohio. Alhambra Theater Being Remodeled. CLEVELAND, O.— The Alhambra theater, one of the big first run houses of Cleveland, will be remodeled this I summer, reopening about the middle of August. The principal improvement will be a balcony to seat 400. The work was started July 15, and in four weeks' time | the management hopes to have the house : open again. Grabe and Sweek Home on Furlough. Two Cleveland boys in the service of ; Uncle Sam were home for short furloughs j the week of July 8. They were William , J. Grabe, formerly of Pathe, who is now in the transport service between Washington and Philadelphia, and Joe Sweek, 1 formerly of Kleine's, who is now in the Marines. Tom Colby Promoted to Sergeant. Word was also received from Tom Colby, formerly with the Universal exchange, who is in Co. B, 6th Ammunition Train, A. E. F. He stated he was leaving soon for "somewhere," and sent his regards to all the boys. Tom has been promoted to a sergeant. Shows the Spirit of Victory. The war should bring 6very man able to work out of retirement, says Mark Greenbaum, of Cleveland, who when his son went to Camp Sherman with the national army, came forward and took his son's place as manager of the Alhambra theater. "While I really hadn't quit work entirely, I was taking things easy," said Mr. Greenbaum. "So when Jack said he was going to war, I said I would take his place. There are thousand of men all over the country who have retired, and could be used to fill the places of our young boys who are now in the big fight. "I propose to these men that they show their patriotism by getting back into the harness. "The funny part of it was that while I was taking it easy I got rheumatism. Since I have been working hard again, that malady has not bothered me." house in Cobourg, Ontario, on Thursday evening, June 27, with appropriate ceremony. The new theater, which will be called the Allen theater, has a seating capacity for 550 and is a model in every respect. Attending the opening were Ben Cronk, supervisor of theaters for the Allen interests, and Luigi Romanelli, director of the concert orchestra at the Allen theater, Toronto. An incident of the opening was a serenade in front of the theater by a Cobourg band. The manager of the Allen theater, Cobourg, is Arthur Cauley, one of Cobourg's own sons. Cobourg is a prosperous town on the shore of Lake Ontario and is widely known as a summer resort for many Pittsburgh people, a number of whom have built handsome residences there. The place is not a summer resort exclusively, however, general activity being in evidence during both the winter and summer. The new theater started off with a great rush of business. The Aliens have new theaters in course of construction in various cities of Canada, including Toronto and Edmonton. Allen Employes Get Instruction Book. Ben Cronk, general supervisor of theaters for Jules and J. J. Allen, the Toronto moving picture theatrical magnates and exchange proprietors, has issued a book of instructions for the guidance of all employees of the Allen Theaters in •• the Dominion. In various ways the book is a remarkable document. Mr. Cronk has a message, more or less personal, for each employee of a moving picture theater. He speaks to the cashier, the doorman, the chief usher, the usher and the maid. He places himself in their positions and his instructions are pointedly given. The title of the booklet is "Service." Fire Film for Firemen's Benefit. The members of the Montreal Fire Department have had a photoplay taken for presentation at the annual Firemen's Benefit performance at the Francais Theater. The picture, which is entitled "The Scorching Flame," replaced the amateur speaking play that was invariably presented in previous years. The feature was directed by Armand Robi who was also the writer of the scenario and the cameraman was Bert Mason who is associated with the Specialty Film Import, Limited. The firemen were assisted by players from the local French theaters, the National Francais and the Canadien Francais, while the sub-titles are in both English and French. The translations for the latter were arranged by Albert Beaulne, secretary of the Montreal Exhibitors' Association. Scenes were "shot" at different parks around the city including Pare Lafontaine, Longue Pointe and Dominion Park where the firemen went through various thrilling stunts which were later woven into the thread of the story. Judge Denton Dismisses Ryan Suit. Judge Denton dismissed the suit brought against the directors of the defunct Canadian National Features, Limited, by Sadie Weston Ryan for $375 which she claimed was due for salary under a contract by which she was to receive $75 per week for a year to appear in pictures. The Canadian National Features built a studio at Trenton, Ontario, and almost completed two five-reel features before it went into bankruptcy. Buys Rights on 54 Comedy Pictures. Superfeatures, Limited, Canadian distributors of many special productions, with offices in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and St. John, have purchased the Canadian rights for a number of comedy re-Issues. The assortment Includes twenty-nine one and two reel Charlie Chaplin releases and twenty-five MackSennett and Keystone Comedies, the latter being two-reel releases. Specialty to Make Recruit Picture. The Specialty Film Import, Limited, Montreal, Canadian distributors of Pathe releases, have been engaged to produce a military recruit picture for the Canadian Government. Cameramen will go from camp to camp in Canada for the purpose of taking views and the various scenes will be linked with a story. The work is being done under the immediate supervision of the Director of Public Information. Opening of Allen's Theater Delayed. Judging by present indications the opening of Allen's Bloor Street Theater, Toronto, will be delayed several weeks. The work of constructing the new house has been held up through shortages of both men and materials. It is expected that the theater will open some time in September at the latest. Canadian Short Items. Manager Beattie of the Empress Theater, Gaspe Harbor, Quebec, has closed his theater for a temporary period. Tom Byerle, star roadman of the Canadian Universal, recently went to El Paso, Texas, to bring Mrs. Byerle back to Toronto along with Baby Byerle, the youngest star of the family who was born a few weeks ago. Miss Harriet Winegarden, formerly secretary to Mr. Soskin of the Famous Players Film Service, Limited, Toronto, recently married Mr. E. W. Greff at Brantford, Ontario. F. J. Enright is now manager of Griffin's Theater at Thorold, Ontario. He was formerly manager of the Hippodrome at St. Catharines, Ontario. The Victoria Theater, Mount Royal Avenue, Montreal, owned by Messrs. Heller and Rosenberg, has been closed for the summer months. Joe Block, manager of the Globe Theater, Montreal, has taken over the management of the Canada Theater in succession to Manager Brady who has enlisted in the Canadian Army. Mr. Block is giving stock drama at the Globe Theater in addition to pictures. The Lyceum Theater, Gravenhurst, Ontario, has been taken over by Mr. Cuff, in succession to Manager Purdy who has retired on account of ill-health. Watts of Palace Called to Colors. Manager Harry Watts of the Palace theater, Des Moines, la., has been called to the colors and will report for service soon. He will return to Omaha, where he resided prior to taking charge of the local theater. During the week it developed that A. H. Blank and his associates of the General Amusement Company, owners of the Garden theater here, had purchased the Palace theater, one of the largest and finest of the local houses, from the group of capitalists who took the house over from J. Miloslowsky several weeks ago. Before the opening of the fall season Mr. Blank will make needed improvements in one house. He now controls eight of the finest theaters in the middle west, three at Davenport, one at Marshalltown, two in Des Moines and two in Omaha.