Moving Picture World (Aug 1917)

1102 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD August 18, 1917 Washington Exchanges at Tri-State Show Many Local Distributors Engage Space at the Big Exposition at Ocean View, Aug. 30, 31 and Sept. 1 — Need of a Get-to-Gether. By Clarence L. Linz, 622 Riggs Bldg\, Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON. D. C — A large majority of the exchange managers of Washington have signed up for space for exhibits at the coming convention of the motion picture exhibitors of North and South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, at Ocean; View, Va., August 30-31-September 1. This convention, or it may be called a cgnference of exhibitors, will be held independent of any organization now existing. It is planned that a tri-state organization shall be the outcome of this convention, and here again the organization will be entirely independent of the old or new national associations. For some time past, according to the men who are backing this plan, there has been a very noticeable need of some sort of a body that would bring the men who are in business in this immediate locality Into closer co-operation one with the other for the handling of questions that are more of "local" interest. The convention will start on August 30 and run through Saturday, September 1. The meeting will be concluded with a ball that will be attended by some of the moving picture stars, Governor Stuart, of Virginia, and many notables from Old Point Comfort, Norfolk, and there will probably be plenty of gold buttons in view of the large number of officers and soldiers on duty nearby. The exhibits will be in the pavilion, and will consist of exchange displays and those of the accessory men. The men backing this project include Jake Wells, Harry Bernstein, Harry Crandall, Guy Wonders, Percy Wells, and Harry B. Varner. Capital City Vacation Notes. Washington, D. C. — Joseph P. Morgan, manager of the Savoy theater, and associated with Harry M. Crandall in his various enterprises in this city, and Maurice Davis, of the M Street theater, are taking their first vacation. They have gone to Atlantic City for a short stay, and will then journey to Paterson, N. J., the former home of Mr. Morgan, and to New York City, the former home of Mr. Davis. It is the intention of Messrs. Morgan and Davis to go to other cities where they will visit the motion picture theaters with a view to getting an idea of that which is considered most up-todate in theater management and construction. Arthur Robb, manager of the Garden theater, is away on a two weeks' vacation which will take him to Chicago and other cities in the middle west, and will Join Mrs. Robb, who is already there. During his absence George Schneider, who is looking after the Moore properties in this city, will look after Mr. Robb's work. Tom Moore, who operates a string of theaters in this city, aocompanied by Mrs. Moore, has returned from a three weeks' trip to the West coast. Linz Now Has His Hands Up. Washington, D. C. — If things keep on the way they have during the past week the city postmaster will have to put on a couple of extra mailmen, the Washington office of the Moving Picture World will have to install a telephone switchboard, and employ a half dozen or more good-looking girls, and a suite of offices will have to be rented as a temporary measure of relief of the tense situation that has resulted from the story unthoughtfully, perhaps, written by the Washington representative of this paper. It came about like this. Four or five of the Washington exchanges and others from time to time have had some little difficulty in securing a sufficient number of men to properly handel their business in this territory. Individually and collectively they poured their troubles into the willing listening ear of our correspondent— result — one perfectly good story sent broadcast over the land, bringing applications for jobs from the North, the South, the East, and even the far West, and still they are coming. To the stranger to the business it would look as if eveTy film man in the country was out of a job. If every Washington exchange manager should suddenly lose all their men they could not begin to employ all the candidates whose applications reached the Washington office of the Moving Picture World the first two days after the story started to take effect. If the recipient of all these letters should answer them individually he would have to employ a force of stenographers that would rival any one of the Government departments, and the worst of it is the stenographers are scarce, but please, if you are a stenographer, don't send your application to the Washington office, because we are flooded already. Seriously, the names of all of the men from whom applications were received have been placed before the film managers through their association, and will be kept on file for reference. It may be said that not only was the World's Washington office supplied with several mail sacks full of applications, but many of the exchanges also received anywhere from a dozen to two dozen applications in addition*. As a closing line, the writer, with his hands up, asks relief. If you are a film salesman and you want a job please wait until you see the notice appear again before writing; if you are an exchange manager in the market for help, please apply to your brother exchange managers in this or in any other territory, because if you do not, there will be no news in the Washington column in the succeeding issues. North Carolina News Letter. By D. M. Bain, Wilmington, N. C. Paul V. Phillips Now Traveling For Vitagraph. VyiLMINGTON, N. C— Paul V. Phillips, »» formerly manager of the Paris and Strand theaters at Durham, North Carolina, and vice-president of the North Carolina Motion Picture Exhibitors' League, is now calling on the theaters in this territory for Greater Vitagraph, Mr. Phillips having accepted a position with the Washington Vitagraph exchange to cover the territory formerly handled by Alan J. Bachrach, who has been called to the colors' as a member of a Washington recruited unit. Mr. Bachrach enjoyed the confidence and friendship of an undivided clientele throughout North Carolina, who were sadded to learn that he would come through no more, but in Mr. Phillips, Vitagraph has obtained another popular young man who will undoubtedly prove a worthy successor to Mr. Bachrach. Great Atlantic Feature Film in New Offices. Wilmington, N. C. — The Great Atlantic Feature Film Company, Marx S. Nathan, manager, last week moved into large and more convenient offices in the Southern building, at Front and Chestnut streets, and is now in a better position to handle its rapidly growing business throughout the Carolinas. J. B. Craver to Manage the Piedmont and Elm. Greensboro, N. C— J. Bryan Craver, formerly manager of the Broadway theater f ^yt^hb,Ure last week became manager of the Piedmont and Elm theaters here succeeding C. F. Daniels, who will shortly take a road position. Mr. Craver is succeeded at Lynchburg by Mr. T. W Ritch a well known film and theater man for £n^VePreSentative of the International Film Service in this territory. These theaters are all operated by the R. D. Craver Enterprises, of Charlotte, N. C. "Diamond Dick" Anderson Has Met , the Difficulties. Dirk"1^6' ^ C— Mana^er "Diamond Dick Anderson, of the local Pathe exchange, has been laboring under many handicaps recently. First, their shipping clerk joined the army; second, the sten ?£Tw*P S,°l married; the old cashier was t ansferred to Atlanta office; their poster clerk resigned to go in business for himself; the correspondence stenographer resigned, and the booking clerk was laid up for an operation on his ear. However by an exercise of his resourcefulness, Manager Anderson is able to announce that they have "Met the enemy and he is theirn, and that they are handling record breaking bookings on "The Fatal Ring." Lectures on Educational Side of Pictures Raleigh, N. C— An innovation recently inaugurated by the State Bureau of Community Service, whereby lectures will be delivered on the educational side of the motion picture at various county and municipal educational meetings throughout the state. The first of these lectures will be delivered at the Sampson County Educational Convention, at Clinton on August 3, and Manager R. V. Anderson of the Charlotte Pathe exchange, has ac-' cepted an invitation to deliver the initial address. New Auditorium at WinstonSalem. Winston-Salem, N. C. — Work is progressing rapidly on the new Auditorium here, which, when completed, will represent an investment of $100,000, exclusive of ground, and will be one of the biggest as well as most completely equipped and conveniently arranged theaters in the state. It will have a seating capacity of 1,800, with three balconies, and will be equipped to play both legitimate attractions and high class motion picture productions. It will be operated by the Piedmont Amusement Company, which also operates the Paramount, Pilot and Elmont theaters here. Mr. A. F. Sams, of this city, is president of the corporation, and R. D. Craver, of Charlotte, secretary. Universal Back at 307 West Trade Street. Charlotte, N. C. — Manager E. F. Dardine, of the Universal exchange, announces that the Universal and Bluebird exchanges will be back in their old quarters at 307 West Trade street before the tenth of August. The building was almost completely destroyed by fire six weeks ago, since which the exchange has been in temporary offices. The building has since been thoroughly renovated, and Manager Dardine will have even better facilities than before for handling the business of Universal. New Theaters and Changes Hereabouts. Charlotte, N. C. — A. C. Burgess, formerly owner of the Broadway theater, at Mount Airy, in the city this week announces that he has just opened his new Grand theater at Thomasville. While here he contracted with Manager Anderson for Pathe Gold Rooster Features and Hearst-Pathe News for the new house. He also purchased a large silver fibre screen from the Craver Film and Supply Company. Columbia, S. C. — The Broadway theater installed last week a $10,000 pipe organ,