The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

88 THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. March 17, 1923. \ ITH the prospect of a trade revival in the near future, exhibitors are apparently ~ prepared ‘to do more business, with the result that the majority of the ‘renting houses in the city are doing better at present than they have done for some time past. Another factor that may be taken into consideration is that the showmen have been holding back unless there wag something exceptionally good in order to get the c:ntracts on their books reduced. Then there is also the tendency to release the films earlier. Good Friday Shows. The Gateshead Borough Magistrates have given permission for the opening of the theatres and kinemas in the borough on Good Friday. At South Shields kinemas aré to be open on Good Friday from 5-45 to 10 p.m., on condition that the programs should he submitted to the Chief Constable for his appfoval. Sunday Shows. : | In Gateshead there are a uumiber of:-exbibitors desirous of having shows on Sunday evenings, and at the adjourned Brewster Sessions for the borough an application was to have been made for permission to open on Sundays between the hours of 8 and 10 p.m., but the applicants decided to leave the matter over until the adjourned mecting. on April 11. High Spen Hall. The Gateshead County Justices have granted a kinematograph licence to Mr. William Clifton, of Westgate Road, Newcastle, in respect of the Blaydon Co-operative Society, Ltd.’s, hall at High Spen. Improvements and renovations have taken place at this hall recently. Resignations. : I learn that during the past week some of the kinema managers in the area have tendered their resignations, among them being Mr. J. Oliver, of the Empire Theatre, Chester-le Notes from Newcastle Area. _ By our Own Correspondent. Street; Mr. J. Tait, of the Empire Theatre, Jarrow; and Mr. F, W. D. Tentman, Electric Kinema, Dawdon, Seaham Harbour. A Forthcoming Stunt. The first of the three big Ideal pictures, ‘‘ Through Fire and Water,’’ has been booked to the New Pavilion, Newcastle, for the first run in the city, and will be screened to the public on April 2. There is to be an exploitation of this film, and a big ‘stunt is being arranged. by Mr. B. Rose, the local manager of Ideal Films, and Mr. Charles Hutchins, the manager of the New Pavilion. The details, however, are being kept secret, and the showmen can look for a surprise being sprung upon them in connection with this film. Innumerable Inquiries. | ‘‘* The Prodigal Son’ is going big,’’ declared Mr. R. Tapply, territorial manager for the Stoll Film Co., and he added that he was also in receipt of innumerable inquiries for the two big Matheson Lang pictures, ‘‘ The Wandering Jew "’ and ‘‘ Guy Fawkes.’’ ‘‘ The Sign of Four’’ is also claiming much attention. Mr. F. Wynbergen, the territorial manager for F.B.O., finds a-good demand for ‘‘ Orphans of the Storm,’’.which has played to crowded houses at the Newcastle Picture House, where it was fitst screened in the city. Another film that has a good following is ‘‘ Pagsion.”’ s High Level Business. The feature of the business at the offices of High Level lixclusives is the demand that is being made for the second of the series of twelve two-reel Nick Carter detective dramas. ‘The Film and the Flirt’’ and ‘‘ Dumb Genius,’’ recently screened to the trade, have met with good receptions. FAMOUS STARS IN TWO-REEL SUBJECTS. Interesting Series of Special Features. —~ HOWMEN who know the value of a big star to their theatre, even if appearing in a short subject, will be interested in the new ‘‘ Three Star ’’ series of two-reelers which the Pioneer Film Agency, of London, are putting out in association witn well-known provincial renting concerns. Each of these pictures features the name of at least one of the three famous film artistes, Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, and Wallace Reid. In more than one instance two stars are bracketed together in one picture, and the drawing power of their names at the box-office certainly cannot be overlooked. Dorothy Gish appears in a boy and girl story, ‘‘ The Mountaia Girl,’”’ and in ‘‘ The Sisters,”’ in which she co-stars with Lillian Gish, who will also be seen in ‘‘ The Tear That Burns ”* and ‘“The Angel of Contention.” Wallace Reid, whose handsome features and boyish charm have endeared his memory to thousands of picture-goers, is the bright particular star in ‘‘ The Three Brothers’? and ‘‘ Arms and the Gringo,’’ in which Dorothy Gish also appears. Laneashire rights in these films are controlled by the Frederick White Co., Yorkshire by the Wellington Film Service, SHORT PRODUCT REPRESENTATIVE. New European Appointment. M“* C. H. BUCKLAND, who has been appointed Short Product representative for South London to European ~ Motion Picture Co., Ltd., has had a considerable experience of the film trade, which he entered as a member of the advertising staff of the ‘‘ Kinematograph Weekly,’’ with which he remained for four years. He then acted as business manager to the G.TC. Film Producing Co., followed by an appointment as general manager to the Southern Film Service. He afterwards joined the Gaumont Co. in 1916, and remained with them until 1920, when he joined Granger’s Exclusives, Ltd., as London representative. The exploitation of short product is one of the principal ambitions of the Eurcpean Motion Picture Co., Ltd., and the appointment of Mr. C. H. Buckland to this department is & further addition to the strong staff appointed by European. : South Wales by Douglas Thomas, Midlands by the Greta Film Service, Scottish rights by Robertson’s Film Service, the rights for London and the South remaining under the control of Pioneer. 7 |