The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Jan-Feb 1923)

peta ‘do THE FILM’ RENTER: & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. January 13, 1924. Liverpool “Movie” Brera scenes were witnessed in St. George’s Hall, r% Liverpool, on Tuesday night (the 2nd inst.), on the occasion of the secdnd ‘annual ‘‘ Movie ’’ Carnival held under the auspices of the local Kinema Exchange, Ltd., Bold St. The spacious hall -had been lavishly decorated with streamers and flags of various nations and a typical carnival air was lent -tothe proceedings by the novel and tasteful fancy dresses in which many: ofthe dancers—especially the ladies—appeared. The daneing was run on ‘‘ non-stop ’’ lines, and to that end the services of two musical combinations had been requisitioned, viz., a band supplied by Mr. Arthur Davies (who was not able to appear in person as he has. now. been appointed to the con -ductorship of the-Tower Orchestra, Blackpool) and the Original “Harmonic Syncopated Five, presented by Mr. Rex Pace. The program comprised twenty dances, but, when the encores so insistently demanded are taken into account, there must actually have been nearly double that number. ‘The function lasted from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 3 a.m. Wednesday. ; : The primary object of the promoters was to free the Kinema Exchange from the debt with which it has bean encumbered ever since its inception, and, whether that aim is completely agcomplished or not, certainly the Exchange should benefit materially-as a result of the carnival. It was computed that the dancers numbered between five and six hundred, and in addition the commodious galleries of the main hall were utilised for the accommadation of about seven hundred spectators who paid _& reduced fee for the privilege of witnessing the proceedings. . Zhe Committee was one thoroughly representative of the kinema industry on the Merseyside. The president was popular _ J. Leslie Greene (of the Metropole, Bootle, and aleo associated with many kinema enterprises in the district), chairman and ‘hon. treasurer, Mr. Arthur Russell (Weisker Brothers), to whom From Our Own Correspondent. Carnival and the hon. secretary, Frank Chisnall (Vitagraph), special thanks are due for the untiring efforts they had put forward for several weeks past with a view to making the event an unqualified success; and Committee: Messrs. Mott Cowan, Austin Durrans (Victory Picture House, Walton), S. Eaton, A. J. Fearnett, Wm. H. Green, W. J. Hughes and J. G. Wellings. The duties of the M.C.s were efficiently discharged by Messrs. H. Mac and A. Colley. A special feature of the function was the opportunity afforded the guests of being introduced to Miss Jose Kavanagh and Miss Betty McKnight, the two young ladies who were chosen as Liverpaol’s representatiyes to meet the Misses Norma and Constance Talmadge on the occasion of the visit those popular screen artistes recently paid to the city. Mr. Harry Weldon and Miss Hilda Glyder, who are the bright, particular stars of the production at present being staged at the Olympia, Liverpool, ** Round in Fifty," honoured the carnival with a visit and also acted as judges in awardjng the prizes which had been given by the Committee, Messrs. D. Watson and Co., Messrs. J. L. Greene, F. I. Weisker, Councillor Edwin Haigh, the Kinema Exchange and F. W. Locke. The prizes were awarded as follows : ‘ ' Ladies: Fancy dress, Miss Turner (‘‘ Wedding Cake "); character dress, Miss McKnight (‘‘ America); prettiest dress, Miss Deane (‘‘ Round in Fifty ’’); consolation prizes, Miss Iva Powell and Miss May Harrigan. Gentlemen: Fancy dress, J. Roberts (*‘ Gaby Deslys *’); character dress, J. Simpson (‘* Star of the Garter”); original dress, C. P. Meads (‘‘ Mr. Wu s consolation prize, Mr, Arnold, ; The golden ballot prizes were respectively won by (1) Mr. J. Gillick, (2) Mr, J. H. Simpson, and (8) Miss F. Peters. SCOTTISH. JOTTINGS. | (From our Glasgow Correspondent.) OLLOWING upon the Christmas and New Year holiday. making spell things: have become very much quieter at ~ ' the different Scottish kinemas here, there and everywhere, but this, of course, is the inevitable ‘‘ calm’’ which ‘follows the festive ‘‘ storm.’’ On the whole, the patronage bestowed upon our kinemas both during the Christmas and New Year weeks was exceedingly satisfactory, and the ‘‘ House Full ” “notice wus in very frequent requisition. Prizes and Surprises. I notice that in quite a goodly number of cases Scottish kinema proprietors hit upon the happy idea of having a distribu ’ “tion ‘of toys from a Christmas tree for the benefit of the tiny *tots. This led to matinees being well packed with children (all wondering whether they would be among the prize-winners) when the results were announced, and the different gifts were distributed, usually by the manager attired as Santa Claus, to the lucky voungsters amid much enthusiasm. ISA MOTHER TO BLAME? Too Many Old Films! : In a recent issue I referred to the serious complaint which many kinema lovers in Glasgow and the West of Scotland have against even well-known houses which will persist in running far too many old films, and I am not surprised to find that this subject is now being ventilated through the medium of indignant letters to the editors in some of our newspapers, I attended one well-known city picture house this week where T am quite safe in saying that the program from beginning to end consisted entirely of old and well-worn films, and I wonder if it did not occur to the management that a very obvious clue was given the audience by several passing direot or indirect references to events which occurred during the Great War. At It Again! At @ recently held meeting the Scottish Sabbath Protection Association decided to protest against kinema. shows in Glasgow on the Seventh Day, and it seems that this organisation even goes the length of suggesting that such shows sre not even justified if the proceeds are for the benefit of the unemployed ! Fortunately, however, nobody takes the §.S.P.A. very seriously , and its members are certainly up against a stone wall; in municipal phraseology, their communications are usually allowed to ‘‘ lie on the table.” ; Tickets, Please! | I learn that tickets for the Scottish Kinema Trade Fancy Dress Bali—to be held in the St, Andrew’s Halls, Gldsgow, on February 9—are now on sale and are already having quite a ready run. ; :