Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

August 24, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1129 Out in the Byways of Picturedom By Sam Spedon How the Motion Picture Houses in the Country Towns are Supplying Entertainment the Summer Season IF you look at the map you will see that. an automobile trip of 350 miles from Ossining to Albany, N. Y., east as far as Connecticut and the Berkshires, and west along the Hudson River from Albany to Newburgh, brings you in contact with about fifty towns of 800 to 2,000 inhabitants. About 25 per cent, of them maintain motion picture theatres, which are open two or three days a week and most of them have surprisingly good programs and well managed houses. The seating capacities range from 125 to 300, with prices of admission from 20 to 35 cents, and occasionally 50 cents, according to the character of the attractions. The average attendance each day is from capacity to capacity and a half. From this we can tell just about how much the manager realizes above his overhead. Rental prices paid for features range from $15 to $30 a day and sometimes $75, when run for two days in succession. Of course, rentals depend upon the drawing and advertising value of the picture. It must not be assumed that these small towns are satisfied with any kind of "junk." They want standard productions at the graduated and equitable system of distribution in vogue by all well regulated exchanges. They draw their patronage from adjacent smaller communities and the surrounding farming districts. The shows run all summer and we heard only a few complaints which we shall mention later. The managers were apparently not aware of a convention in Boston nor seriously disturbed by war taxation or pending legislation. They were just paying attention to business and meeting conditions as best they could. At Katonah we were disappointed to find the manager of the Katonah theatre, G. H. Packard, employed during the day by a large concern in New York City, his wife being in charge of the afternoon performances. This theatre represented an investment of seven or eight thousand dollars in a town of about 1,000 inhabitants. The seating capacity was 200. Murphy Goes Out and Hires the Town Hall. At Pleasantville, another small town of less than 2,000, we met our genial friend, George R. Murphy, manager of the Bedford, the only theatre in the place. He told us he was going to quit, because the landlord had raised his rent to a prohibitive figure and he understood Mr. Landlord was going to run the place himself. He has informed us since that the townspeople had requested him to fit up the town hall, pledging him their support and patronage. He has consented to do so in acknowledgment of the compliment paid to him and motion pictures. At Saugerties we met Syd Hoffman, whom we knew when he was in the film business at 729 Seventh avenue, New York. He is manager of the motion picture theatre, seating 350, and the opera house. The latter he uses for stock company performances and special attractions. In addition to his theatres he is just at present running a stone quarry. We drove out to the quarry and found him in overalls, blasting rock. He very obligingly drove back to town to show us around. We stopped to see J. McNulty at Carmel, who has the King theatre. He was busily engaged at his garage, but not too busy to give us the glad hand, tell us he was a reader of the World and talk over the film industry in general. He is doing a good business. We did hope to see A. Lawrence Chase at Pawling, but he was out of town and his theatre was not running on the day of our visit. We also missed Bill O'Neill at Brewster and Mr. Bernstein at Mount Kisco. Jeremiah Brooks at Athens runs the Playhouse, seating 300, opening only twice a week. It is purely local and does not warrant more extended showings. The Empire at Philmont seats 428, and altogether is a very attractive little place, although the town was not designated on our map. Clarence Hoctor is the manager of the Empire and a right clever chap he is, too. Sells the Right Dope in Two Places. Valatie is a manufacturing town and supports the Valatie theatre, seating 428. It has an attractive front and a com fortable, well appointed interior. H. C. McNamara is the manager, and runs the village drug store. He is one of the most alert managers we have ever met and our cordial reception made our hour's visit all too short. One of the most thriving little towns visited was Millerton. It is a farming centre and draws from the surrounding territory. Frederick Adams, who is in the garage and automobile business here, runs the theatre and runs it right. He has the confidence and support of the citizens, who appreciate his efforts to keep them entertained and enlightened through the screen. At Redhook, George Auger manages the Lyceum. This is run under the auspices of the village band, of which Mr. Auger is a member and the secretary. He is engaged regularly with a large manufacturing concern and manages the two or three showings each week at the Lyceum, which seats about 350. Among some of the larger places we stopped at was Catskill, where C. R. Lansing presides over the destiny of the Irving, 480 seats. This is a regular theatre, running three days. We found Mr. Lansing a wideawake business man who is doing a business commensurate with his possibilities, and no complaint about patronage. At Hudson we called at The Playhouse to see A. G. Elliott, the manager. You all know about the Playhouse. It is one of the most talked of and best managed houses this side of Albany. We stopped at Kingston for dinner and afterward visited a little while with G. C. Gildersleeve, manager of the Opera House, seating 1,000, showing twice daily to excellent attendance. Kingston is some happy town, full of life. Todd Has a Most Up-to-Date House. In passing we put up for the night at Poughkeepsie, where we called on Brother Todd, who keeps his managerial eye on the Stradford, one of the most perfect and modern show houses in this country or any other, for that matter. It seats 1,400 and we understand is capitalized and patronized by members of the faculty of Vassar College and the elite of Poughkeepsie. Mr. Todd is the right man in the right place. We did not forget to call on the affable G. Cohen, manager of the Dutchess and a couple of smaller houses in Poughkeepsie. Judging from the attendance we saw at the evening performance, he has every reason to be happy. As we are more or less interested in the welfare of the Moving Picture World, we were gratified to find that 75 per cent, of the managers we met subscribed for this publication. Carnivals are a great counter-attraction to motion picture theatres in these small towns. They usually remain in town a week, and during their stay almost deplete the town of small change and monopolize public attention. From all of the smaller towns, as well as the larger the army and navy have taken their quota of recruits, which in addition to a falling off of summer visitors makes an appreciable difference in patronage. Fox Installs $12,000 Organ in Liberty Renovated St. Louis Theatre, Seating 2,000, to Open September 29, With Theda Bara in "Salome." ANEW $12,000 pipe organ, one of the finest theatre instru,ments m the country, is being installed in the new William Fox Liberty Theatre in St. Louis, which will open late in September. John Zanft, managing director of the Fox Circuit of theatres, who is in charge of all arrangements for the new house, declares the installation is only one of numerous improvements being made in the house. The interior has been completely renovated and the lobby is being redecorated and made larger. Mr. Zanft aims to make the Liberty the most palatial motion picture home in the Middle West The Liberty Theatre is located at Delmar and Grand avenues, in the heart of the theatre section of St. Louis. The house has 2,000 seats. In addition to the organ there will be an orchestra of thirty-five pieces. It is Mr. Fox's intention to maintain a high-class picture policy, with Fox productions being given an exclusive first run. « Tlie fiti,st Production to be shown in the Liberty will be "Salome," Theda Bara's drama of the siren who cost the life of John the Baptist. The theatre will open for the public Sunday, September 29. Salome" will be shown for an indefinite run.