Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

584 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD July 27, 1918 Salford St., Philadelphia, Pa. Metro Employes Hold Outing. The event of the year took place when Manager Robert Lynch, of the Philadelphia Metro Exchange, took his entire force of employees out to Langhorne, Pa., for the annual outing. Aside from being "marooned" for about a half hour, when the "20th Century Limited" trucks In which the party went out, got stalled, the entire affair was a huge success. The baseball team of the exchange also "cleaned up" for a picked team in a baseball game. Steve McEwen Receives Promotion. Steve McEwen, who for the past few years took charge of the Metro shipping department was promoted to the position of booker, due to the resignation of Gus Krug, the former booker. Boosting Metro's Special Feature. "To Hell With the Kaiser," Metro's new Screen Classic, is to be boosted to the skies for the territory surrounding the Philadelphia office. Publicity Manager Maurice L. Meyers is instigating a special campaign in which over two hundred 24 sheets of a special nature are to be placed in Philadelphia and throughout the other states. Also five hundred special car cards are being distributed through the elevated and trolley system of Philadelphia. Advertisements of different kinds are to appear in other mediums which reach the people and the exhibitors will have no cause for complaint as to lack of advertising. Army Men at Showing of "The Unbeliever" Management of Forrest Theater Entertains Officers at Initial Presentation of George Kleine's Production in Philadelphia— Patriotic Prologue to Picture Receives High Praise. By F. V. Armato, 144 North PHILADELPHIA.— The initial presentation of "The Unbeliever," at the Forrest Theater on July 1, was marked by a most impressive attendance of military officers who greatly praised the patriotic introduction to "The Unbeliever an Edison production, played to remarkable business during the past week and the procedure of the prologues as arranged by J. Berger, manager of the Kleine Exchange, was favorably received; being as follows: First: Dim house lights — roosters, crowing effects — simultaneous with rising of curtain. Second: sentry on duty, pacing back and forth on the stage. Break of dawnlight effects used — camp scene — tents — Marines scattered about presumably asleep — one loud beat of drum effecting cannon report. Third: bugle sounds reveille— Marines rise — attention — raising of Flag. Fourth: Monk enters — walks to center of stage, rests hand on shoulder of Marine and recites "Semper Fidelis" poem — soft music, violin solo, "Lorraine" — Monk exits. Fifth: as soon as Monk disappears, orchestra commences playing vamp of song, 'Somewhere in France is the Lily" — Nurse enters, sings two verses, two choruses — nurse exits. Sixth: Marines move forward with colors, at attention; orchestra plays Semper Fidelis March, Buglers join in solo; when finished command is given for Marines to exit, during which time orchestra plays refrain of "Just Like Washington Crossed the Delaware, so will Pershing Cross the Rhine." House curtain drops — screen lowered, presentation of picture proceeds. Local No. 307 Elects. Walter J. Murray, who recently recovered from a long illness, has been elected business manager of Local No. 307 and is receiving the congratulations of all the boys. Louis Krouse who formerly occupied this office was made international organizer of the I. A. T. S. E. Knickerbocker to Open in the Fall. The Knickerbocker Theater, which enJoyed a successful season under the management of R. Anderson, has been sold to J. McReady and later transferred to B. Hamilton. The theater will remain closed for the summer and will reopen early in the fall. Stanley Company Buys the Casino. Jules E. Mastbaum, president of the Stanley Company, has purchased the Casino Theater, on Broad Street below Erie Avenue. It will be operated as one of the many houses under the direction of the Stanley Company. Freed Called to the Colors. Benjamin Freed, the popular shipping clerk of the Fox Exchange, has been called to the colors and went away with a brand new wrist watch, a gift from the employees of the above exchange. Buys State Rights on Klondike Film. William J. Hagerty, manager of the Triangle Distributing Corporation, became Interested personally in "Carmen of the Klondike" and secured the state rights for this territory. Kendrick Installs Simplex Machines. The Fairmount, one of J. Fred Zimmerman's playhouses of Pennsylvania, which is under the management of H. M. Kendrick, recently added two new Simplex machines to their equipment which were installed by Lewis M. Swaab. The Fairmount which formerly played stock and vaudeville has enjoyed a most successful season with pictures while under the management of Mr. Kendrick. Baltimore News Letter By J. M. Shellman, 1901 III Royal Ter'■, Baltimore, Md. Wonders Has Fine Record. BALTIMORE.— Someoni i L. Wonders, manager of the Wilson Theater, 418 Baltimore Street, recently, how he liked Baltimore. Mr. Wonders answered, "How can I help but like It when I have had some of the best I s of my career here." Mr. Wonders came to Baltimore about seven years ago. and took hold of the Wilson Theater when it was opened. He has successfully managed this playhouse for that length of time despite the fact that lie is in the heart of film row and has keen competition on all sides. In addition to his duties as manager of tin Wilson, he acted as exalted ruler of the Baltimore lodge of the Elks for several years, has charge of the arrangements for bringing the pictures of ten film companies before the Maryland Censor Board for censoring and is the Baltimore representative of a Philadelphia lithographing company. When he retired as exalted ruler of the Elks, they presented him with a life membership card in a neat silver case. He was the Baltimore representative to the Elks convention recently held at Atlantic City. As his most recent honor, he has been appointed a Deputy Automobile Commissioner by Automobile Commissioner Baughman of Maryland and his term will last while Governor Harrington remains in office. New Pilot for General Film. The management of the Baltimore General Film Exchange Is now In the hands of Hernon Edmonds. Mr. Edmonds has been associated with General's Baltimore office for six years in various capacities. When L. Rosenthal resigned several weeks ago he was succeeded by J. E. Flax as manager of the branch. Mr. Flax recently left Baltimore to take charge of a South ern territory and was succeeded by Mr. Edmonds. Mr. Rosenthal is now associated with the American Grocers' Association. Price Has Unique Advertising Scheme. Everybody on the street laughed. They couldn't help it when they saw Arthur B. Price, the Baltimore Metro representative, riding down the street with, "To Hell witli the Kaiser." pasted on the windshield of his automobile. Mr. Price states that he originated the idea when he" clipped the page bearing the title of the play out of the Moving Picture World, and after trimming the title, pasted It on the wind shield. "The idea is putting the phrase in the minds of the public," said Mr. Price, "so that when the play is put on in Baltimore, the title will be familiar in the minds of the people." Pinched in the Finish. The above caption might very aptly be used concerning the person who acted the part of the Kaiser to advertise Gerard's "My Four Years in Germany," which was booked by L. A. DeHoff for a return week's engagement at the Garden Theater, Lexington Street at Park Avenue, during the week of July 8. Mr. DeHoff had his "Kaiser in the Cage" being driven around the streets as usual when the following, as told by the Evening Sun, happened on Wednesday, July 10: "KaUer" Must Get Job. "The 'Kaiser,' who has been riding around town this week in an iron cage, was arrested this afternoon and transferred to a more stationary cell at the Central Police station. His 1 name is Teddy Hitzelberger, residing at 14S6 W est North Avenue. He has been acting as an advertisement for a local theater, and was arrested at the instance of George A. M.ihone (head of the compulsory work bureau of Maryland), who charged him with being an idler. He was given 30 days in which to get a job." Gerard's Film at Patriotic Fete. At a big patriotic celebration which was held on the Fourth of July by the ns of Towson, Md., which began at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and ended after nightfall, Gerard's picture, "My Four Years in Germany," was shown before a crowd of about 5,000. The picture was loaned for the occasion through the courtesy of L. A. DeHoff. Clever Feature at the Parkway. Between Bernard Depkin, Jr., the supervising manager of the Parkway Theater Company Interest and Harry Lewy who takes moving pictures for various causes, a very clever feature has been instituted at the Parkway Theater, 3-9 West North Avenue. Just after the screening of the news film, the screen remains blank for a few seconds. The audience gets Impatient. Then a slide is flashed statins that the audience is requested to wait a moment that the feature Is on the way, but has been delayed a few minutes in transit from the exchange. The screen is blank for a few more seconds then the picture made by Mr. Lewy is flashed. It shows a small boy getting the film from the exchange — he goes to street — sees man fixing watering hose — stops to look — hose bursts — all over kid and film — flash of Mr. Depkin in front of Parkway impatient — kid off with film — sees other kids fighting — gets into scrap — flash of Mr. Depkin — film out of box — tangled with boys — kid breaks away — and so on until the whole picture shows the film in the operating room being put on the projection machine and then the show in the theater resumes. DeHoff Gives Lawn Party. L. A. DeHoff, manager of the New Theater, gave a little lawn party at his home at Rognel Heights on the Fourth of July to which he Invited many of his most intimate friends. A special program of pictures was screened for the occasion.