The Billboard 1923-09-29: Vol 35 Iss 5 (1923-09-29)

6 Ntie wilde aA ee hat + rei AO lm Am 6a a : ¢ 4 ‘ } \ " . ¥ & h } | a a “7 Uj R ? ‘ SEPTEMBER 29, 1923 EXHIBITORS WATCHING FOR EFFECTS OF PRICE BOOSTING Big Houses on Broadway and Elsewhere Make Small Advances With No Ill Effects—Small Exhibitors Need Higher Prices, But Are Afraid of Risk 22.—The ie the most New York, Sept. on of raising sdmirtion prices roesing subject with exhibitors just now. The theaters in New York end in many otber places thruout the country which have raised their prices slightly Guring the part two weeks watched closely to ge a line on the res The exhibitors are almost entirely agreed that they are in a tick ish potition, with film rentale and operating costs higher than ever before and attendance plainly not on the increase. The Broadwey picture palaces and many big theaters in other cities heve edvanced their admission prices slightly. The orchestra sezts i but the bal have not been ad: cony seats cost more in the afternoons anced in price, five cents and ten cents more at night. All the Broadway bouses have done this, the Czepitol, Strand, Rialto and Ri» In Cincinnatl the Capitol Thester hae advanced ite evening prices from twenty-five and forty cents to thirty and fifty cents. The Loew theaters In New York and nearby have ulmost all raised their prices from two to ten cents a seat. As a genera] rule the small picture theaters bere refrained from admission advancing, nervous about the donger of scaring off patronage. In Hackensack, N. J., however, the exhibitors have al] decided to add five cents to the ticket prices. In « few otber small communities this plan hes elec been adopted, either by a few or all the theaters, In Allentown Pa., the advancing of picture theater admission prices created considerable Y censure. The matter even reached the newrpaper columns, one paper stating that the raise was necessitated by the advance in film and operating costs. York exhibitor, operating two thea ter aa this One New week that the admission price question had him worried. “We are between the devil and the deep blue sea,’ he said. ‘‘It costs us more to operate our houses, with wage advances having been granted to the musicians and operators, and picture rentals are higher. Yet attendance is not increasing, and we have got to see licht some way. If we raise our prices we small theater*exhibitors will have to get more than a five or ten-cent advance; that’s all right for the great big theaters seating 2,000 NEW TITLE FOR COMEDY “His Darker Self’ has been selected as the title of the feature comedy starring Lioyd Hamilton, which has just been completed at the D. W. Griffith Studio at Mamaroneck, N. ¥., under direction of Jack Noble and Hugh Fay. The picture has been variously called “Black and White’’, ‘‘“Mammy’s Boy” and “‘Be Yourself’, but the latter title was discarded of a conflict in titles with a picture just released by Arrow. The picture will run five reels and will be ready for fall release thrn one of the larger distributing organizations, probably United Artists or First Nationat. It will not be released as a Griffitheproduction, as Mr. Griffith had nothing to do with the direction of the picture, SAYS ITALY LAGS BEHIND Washington, D. C., Sept. 20.—George Fitzmaurice, who recently returned from Italy, where he filmed scenes for Hall Caine’s “‘The Eternal City’, said that he entirely disregarded the old adage of “when in Rome do as Romans 4o."" The reason he gives is that the Italians are not up to the American standards of motion picture production because “Aitho one of the first countries to attempt the making of pictures on a really large scale, Italy has lacged behind during the last few years and at the present time there is little activity,’’ he says NEW ANGLE ON PICTURE COMPETITION IN SPOKANE Wash., Sept. in local moving picture Spokane, 20.—For the first time circles the first-run contracted to show the entire That is, the houses are each output of the Clemmer will run Paramounts, the Liberty has contracted for the entire Metro program, as well as Universal and Goldwyns, and the Hiphas the Warner Brothers’ entire program. It will be a new angle on the picture competition this winter. Previously producers scattered their products generally about the city. leading producers. or more, but to the little fellow the small advance doesn’t mean much.’ Theaters playing to transient trade, exhibitors say, ere in a better position to get more admission money than the neighborhood houses. Heads of exhibitor organizations advise their members to tread carefully, and not advance their prices until it is seen that the public will stand for it. NEW METRO EXCHANGE IN OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma City, Sept. 20.—Metro Pictures Corporation has opened a branch at 125 South Hudson street here. Following is the personne! of the office: Jack Elwell, manager; Max Holstein, booker; J. L. Williams, cashier; H. G. Allen, billing clerk; H. C. Bishop, salesman; Frances Winkler, stenographer; H. A. York, shipping clerk; E. 8. Oldsmith, salesman; H. H. Allen, statistical clerk; Mrs. Miller, chief inspector; Evelyn Fletcher, inepector. C. E. Kesenich, Soutbern division manager, was at the opening and will have the exchange under his eupervision. * BILLY WEST COMEDIES New York, Sept. 22—Billy West will make a series of thirteen comedies which Arrow Film Corporation will distribute. The first two are “One Exciting Evening" and “Be Yourself’. REVIEWS (Continued from page 59) way, is an impoverished nobleman gone sour on the law—to a cafe whose patrons are all tough eggs. She disguises herself as a Spanish woman. She flirts with a bullfighter, and incites a duel between her bandit-model and the toreador. The bandit is victorious, Then the place Is raided by the police, but In the melee the two escape. The wife realizes her dangerous position and dismisses the bandit. But he won't be dismissed. He is determined to have her, even if he has to take her by force. Then hubby arrives home. The bandit makes one more visit to the woman’s home and makes impassioned love to her, all witnessed by her husband, but she tells him she loves only her husband. After an emotional scene the bandit sees the uselessness of his sult and leaves. Then husband comes out of cover, having realized that he had better be nice or he might lose his wife and proposes that they leave on a second honeymoon trip. Not a top-notch picture by any means, “‘A Wife's Romance’® is good program material just the same. Produced by Harry Garson. tribution. State-rights dis SHORT SUBJECTS “NO NOISE” A Pathe-Roach Comedy Every one of these ‘Our Gang” better than the ones preceding. absolute riot. Ke it had the « the gang's exp! comedies is This one {is an viewed at the Strand Theater nee screaming. This one shows spital, where “Freckles” Mickey Daniel having his tonsils removed. Farina, Snowball, Fatty and the rest get all messed up with chloroform, an ex-ray machine and some skeletons, Thie two-recler proves beyond a doubt that the “Our Gang” comedies are the best bet on the short eubject market. “THE COVERED SCHOONER” A Grand-Asher Comedy The title of this two-reel comedy has nothing to do with the story, but, nevertheless, the laugh quantity is rather better than most short comedies, It is slapstick, but good, live, funny slapstick, The gags are built around a mere skeleton of a plot, but just the same it has @ story. It's about a love-sick swain (Monty tanks), who finally wins his one-and-only after being almost tricked into committing suicide and kidnaped for a sea voyage by his rival. “THE SLEEPWALKER” A Grand-Asher Comedy This one is merely two reels of gags strong together with no attempt at a story. There is no plot, unless the final scene of the comedy hero, Joe Rock, hugging the wealthy heiress, can be called that. Characters leave their clothes in one room and come out of another with the same clothes on, with no regard for reality; policemen appear by magic high up in a hotel, merely by whistling for them; the whole thing is vague. The sleep-walking sequence, showing Rock in a nightie climbing in and ont of windows, followed or preceded by various other characters, is badly done. “THE LIMIT” An Educational-Cameo Comedy all right. It worse than any other This one-reeler is the limit is hopelessly unfunny; Cameo I have yet seen. Reviewed at the Rivoll Theater, before an audience ripe for laughs, it didn't get a rumble. It’s about hunting. The girl tells her two admirers she will marry the one who bags the limit of game. Needless to say they can’t hit what they shoot at, fall in pools of water and mud and so on, Cliff Bowes featured. TOM MIX IN CHICAGO Chicago, Sept. 21.—Tom Mix dropped in and showed up at the Monroe Theater, the Fox house, this week. He blocked all traffic in Monroe street, near Billboard Corner, when he appeared in a taxi. The mounted police finally cleared the way so the taxi and Tom could move on. JOPLIN HOUSES RAISE PRICES Joplin, Mo., Sept. 21.—The Electric and Hippodrome theaters here have increased their prices, the new scale going into effect last Sunday night. Admission prices to all night 7==—=THE ARCUS TICKET CO. Printers of AMUSEMENT TICKETS. 27 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SERVICE. 354 N. Ashland Avenue, CHICAGO, ILL. ROLL (*cttcx’) FOLDED FOOTBALL TICKETS carnivar “DIAGRAM AND ADVANCE SALE RACKS Best for the lesst money. Quickest delivery. Correctness guaranteed. Se anteed. ments. Cash with Twenty-Five Thousand, Fifty Thousand, One Hundred Thousanil, THE BIG TICKET AT THE SMALL PRICE Your own Special Ticket, amy color, accurately numbered. every roll guar Coupon Tickets for Prize Drawings, 5,000, orde Get the samples Seat Coupon Tickets. tickets must conform to Government regulations and bear established price of admission and tax paid. NATIONAL TICKET CO., . SPECIAL PRINTED ROLL TICKETS Five Thousand, Ww || Ten Thousand, 5} Fifteen Thousand, a a Nomadic 00 .00 -50 00 12.50 18.00 $6.00. Prompt ehipSend diagram for Keserved te how many sets desired, serial or dated. All Shamokin, Pa. MOTION PICTURE CAMERAS New end Rebullit Standard Cameras from $60.00 up. Bess Velues are known the world over. Al! makes, Willlamsons, De Franne, Wilart, Pathe, De Brie aid Universal—all guaranteed. BIG CATALOG FREE Write or wire. New Camera en4 Projector List, Supplies, Used Cameras. List sent free, BASS CAMERA COMPANY Dearborn and Washington, Chieage, itl. wm ide MOVING PICTURE BUSINESS Eaen tay NO EXPERIENCE. Professional Machine and Complete Outfit on Easy Payments. Monarch Theatre Supply Co. Wabesh Ave. Chicago, Itt. CATALOG FREE WARES HERE IT IS! Rebullt, Guaranteed Powers 6-B Machine Motor drive and complete, ready to operate. ONLY $310.00 CASH. Bupplies and Equipment of All Kinds MONARCH THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 228 Union Avenve, Memphis, Tena. Picture Theatre Equipment FOR SALE Twe Simpler Machines, used one and cee-half years, new Goulle 50 Hurwer Tranererter gold fibre Screens. 10x1i, Side and Celitng Lights, Exhaust Faas, ebout 425 used Seats, veneered type, metal and wood wall Cases, wired for electric; lot of Condult etc Bwyerything t good condition except seata. which are fair. Wil secrifice, as am BO longer ip the business H F. PAZIK, 3129 Lisbon Ave, Milwaukes, Wie BECOME A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER EARNING 635 TO 6123 A WEER Three to eiz month’ ocvurse. Metion Picture, Commercial, Pertraiture. Practical itmeructica. a nt pment. ak fo N. Y. INSTITUTE. of "PHOTOGRAPHY NEW YORE. KLIN, 1h Ww. Se RL OBOR Walaa Ave, 508 Sale Be. Snow and fet er share. We eo everything. Write today. Atlas Moving Picture Co. 37 535 S. Dearbore f ., Chicage ST. LOUIS CALCIUM LIGHT CO. CALCIUM LIGHT furni shed in tanks for Stereoptiess and Moving Picture Machines. Orders to any part of United States filled promptly. Calcium Burners, Bubber Tubing, Condensing Lenses, Lime Pencils, Gelatin Colors, Rol! Te forensic 5/6 Elm St.. St. Louis. Me, TWO-REEL HARTS, erie ,chaplins, $20.00; onmereel Christi All splendid sbapa Five-reel Feat ures, $50. ; ‘each. Send for list, E. & H. Film Dist. Corp., Box 565, Birmingham, Ala, performances and holiday, Saturday and Sunday matinees are 30 cents for adults; childrea 10 cents, except Sundays and holidays, when the price is 15 cents. Both of these theaters will have two acts of vaudeville, the change being made last Sunday. TO HEAR APPEAL OCTOBER 1 Chillicothe, Mo., Sept. 21.—The appeal of W. P. Cuff, of Chillicothe, in the Cireult Court of Livingston County, will be heard October 1, when the regular term is reconvene’, Cuff appealing from q decision in the police court of Chillicothe, where he was fined $200 as a member of the Motion Picture Study Club on @ charge of conducting a picture show on Sunday. Other officers and directors of the club also were arrested, but Cuff was the only one tried. He is proprietor of a local theater. The members of the club conducted shows in a private piace, and for that reason asserted that the city bad no right to interfere. No shows have been held since the first arrest, pending Gnal disposition of the cases in the courts. CENTRALIA MANAGER FINED Centralia, Mo., Sept. 21.—H. L. Pruett, proprietor of Prue’ t’s Theater here, was fined $25 and costs for running his house in violation of the quarantine order that was in effect last week. Pruett was unaware that the ruling was in effect, be told law officials, and opened his show, be'ieving that the quarantine had been lifted. The quarantine was the result of a dipththerla scare among the school children of the town. | oe ot ~~ ip on om