Moving Picture World (Dec 1917) - Learn About Movie Posters

j 836 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 22, 1917
Spokane to Have Second Producing Studio
Titan Photoplay Company Incorporated for Half a Million and Organized by Local
Men for California Capital—Will Have Plant in Spokane.
By S. Clark Patchin, E. 1811 11th Ave., Spokane, Wash.
SPOKANE. WASH. — Spokane's scenic
and climatic advantages have landed
a second motion picture producing corporation.
It is known as the Titan Feature Photoplay
Company, and is authorized to issue
capital stock to the amount of $500,000.
The company has been organized by local
men for California interests. The incorporators
are L. M. Thompson, Attorney H.
G. Twomey, B. Clements. C. L. Mayo, and
J. G. Sullivan, the latter two being stockbrokers
in the city. Since Mr. Clements
signed the organization papers he has
been called into army service, and a successor
will be chosen for his place on the
board.
"The more picture producing projects
that can be put under way in Spokane the
more attractive will the city become to
this class of business." stated Attorney
Twomey. "Our company will not be a
competitor of the Washington Motion
Picture Corporation already established
here. Both will find it mutually profitable
to use the city as headquarters for
their studios, and it may be expected that
other producers also will be attracted.
An important item favoring the city now
is the unlimited amount of power here for
the development of lighting. The Government's
orders requiring limited use of
coal for lights is likely to hit many photoplay
companies, but it never can affect
those in Spokane.
"Our company has not chosen a location
for its studios, but it is certain they will
be placed in or adjoining the city."
Beautiful New Pantages Theater Coming.
Spokane. Wash.—When it was announced
that the new Pantages theater,
a moving picture theater and vaudeville
house, would be erected on the site of the
old structure an impression was created
that it was to be nothing more than a
job of remodeling. Instead, the new building,
when completed, will be one of the
most imposing and up-to-date amusement
palaces in the West. Such is the assurance
given by B. M. Priteca, the architect,
who has designed some of the finest theater
buildings on the Pacific Coast.
Mr. Priteca treats architecture as an art,
and this is to be reflected in the Spokane
home of the Pantages shows just as it has
been in other theaters recently constructed
at the direction of Mr. Pantages.
Combined with the latest appliances for
the comfort of the audience and the actor
will be a beauty and impressiveness of
decoration and design that is the result
of artistic thought and imagination.
The exterior will be simple but impressive.
A colonade of pilasters across the
front will be the most imposing feature
of the decorations. The entire front is to
be done in terra cotta, with the exception
of the lobby, where some elaborate
glass work will heighten the effect. A
marquise extending the entire width of
the building will be an ornamental and
useful feature of the front.
The entire building will be devoted exclusively
to the theater, and in this respect
the Spokane house will enjoy a distinction
shared by but few others in the
West. The opening of the new theater
will take place early next spring.
W. L. Cutts Wins His Commission.
Spokane. Wash.— William L. Cutts, former
manager of the Liberty theater here,
was among the men at the Pr^sido. Cal.,
training camp who were successful In
qualifying for the service. He has been
assigned to the aviation section of the
signal officers reserve corps. Mr. Cutts
was in Spokane for a short time Monday,
November 25, and left for Vancouver,
Wash., to which post he has been assigned.
He was the first manager of the Liberty
theater, coming here from Butte, Mont., to
open the house. He remained about
months, returning to Butte.
Children Flock to See "Heroic France."
Spokane, Wash.—Six hundred school
children were turned away from the Auditorium
theater, Monday, November 26, and
more Tuesday, November 27. when J. W.
Allender threw open the doors for a free
school children's matinee ef "Heroic
France," the new official French Government
war picture. Long before the appointed
hour the youngsters swarmed Into
the vestibule and backed across the sidewalk
and over the street car tracks.
Interesting Trade Notes.
Spokane, Wash.—The big Metro patriotic
screen spectacle, "Draft 258," was shown
privately Monday, November 26, at 11
o'olock, at the Liberty theater. H. B.
Dodge, representative of the producers,
brought the picture to Spokane, and arranged
with Manager S. W. B. Cohn for
the trial run.
Spokane, Wash.—H. B. Perry, traveling
representative of the World Film, of
Seattle, was in the city this last week, and
reports that business is good.
Spokane, Wash.—The crowds were so
large that tried to get in the Liberty theater
to see Will S. Hart in "The Cold
Deck" that a policeman was sent for to
handle them. All through the day the
theater was crowded, but when evening
came there were many more than the.
usual Saturday evening crowd, and
pedestrians had to walk out in the middle
of the street to get by the theater.
The Cantonment Theater at Herrold Opens
Big Picture House for Soldiers Built in Twenty Days at Cost of $25,000 and Seating
1,500 Persons Is Now Operating—Opens to Full House.
By Dorothy Day, Register-Tribune, Des Moines, la.
^S MOINES, IA.—Built at a cost of Seymour, la.—Mrs. A. L. Haines has
D? $25,000 with 1,500 opera chairs and a opened the picture theater in Seymour.
$1,000 mirror screen, the Herrold theater Des Moines, la.—Frank Schragg, well-
in Herrold opened Thanksgiving Day with known Des Moines theater owner, has sold
first-run pictures. Bluebird productions his Ideal theater On East Twenty-fifth
were the choice of Walter F. Davis, the and Grand, to Frank Lindsey, for the
manager of the cantonment house, since consideration of nearly two thousand
he felt that they would best please the dollars. Mr. Schragg has quit the motion
boys in khaki. Franklyn Farnum in picture business.
"Anything Once" was the picture, with a
two-reel comedy and the- Hearst-Pathe
news to complete the program. On the News Notes from the Northwest.
opening day a lively vaudeville program
was furnished by soldiers at the canton- By Frank H. Madison, 623 S. Wabash
ment, besides stirring music by the Three
Avenue, Chicago, 111.
Hundred Thirty-nine Artillery band under Milwaukee's Strand Gets New Manager.
the direction of Bandmaster Don Letock. MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Charles C. Perry,
The theater is an example of the mirac- who acted as assistant to Theo. L.
ulous swiftness with which buildings have Hays, manager of the New Garrick. St.
been springing up since the great canton- Paul, since that playhouse passed under
ment came here. The theater was built the control of Finkelstein & Ruben in
in just twenty days by W. L. Snyder. Des August last, resigned his berth recently
Moines contractor. The theater is owned to accept a position of greater responsi-
by the Cantonment Amusement company, bility as the active manager of the Strand
which includes the following: C. F. Fraz- theater, Milwaukee.
er, treasurer; C. O. Deering, president; Mr. Perry, a direct descendant of Com-
Burt German, secretary; Alec Nelson, vicemodore Perry, was born at Lafayette, Inpresident;
W. L. Snyder, contractor. Didiana, thirty years ago. He was assistant
rectors: John Elliot, W. T. Bair, Fred treasurer at the Orpheum theater, St.
German, C. C. Deering and Alec Nelson. Paul, for several seasons and was also
The 1,500 seating capacity of the the- connected with the former Grand opera
ater was taxed all evening of Thanksgiv- house in that city. In 1913 he leased the
ing, not only soldiers but town people opera house at Sioux City, Iowa, and gave
attended, and automobiles lined the streets that city an artistic exposition of feature
on all sides of the theater. The Bluebird photoplays.
company sent out six young women to act The Strand theater, Milwaukee, over
as ushers that night. Each wore a broad which Mr. Perry now presides, is a beauti-
blue sash with the name Bluebird and ful theater of large capacity, playing
the six have the distinct honor of being high-class photo features and one of the
the first women allowed to enter the camp most successful playhouses in that city.
after evening, having obtained the per- Under Mr. Perry's direction $10,000 will be
mission of the officers of the camp. They spent in beautifying the interior.
were escorted to the car by guards after
the performance.
Wisconsin Theater Notes.
Waupaca, Wis.—Manager Charles Cohen
Two Exhibitors Form Partnership. of the Lyric theater has purchased the
Fairfield. la.—Hugh Bennett, who but building in which the Lyric has been lo-
recently took over the Fairfield theater cated, and in the course of remodeling will
in Fairfield, has formed a partnership increase the seating capacity to 400.
with P. E. Wolfe, manager of the picture Green Bay, Wis.—The Grand theater has
house in Mount Pleasant. Messrs. Wolfe been taken over by an Indiana syndicate,
and Bennett will operate their picture headed by David Werner, and will play
houses in conjunction with each other, vaudeville.
and since the two houses are not far distant
and railroad service is good they
Monroe, Wis.—W. L. Tollefson is now
will be able to arrange bookings together.
the manager of the Little theater for the
Until recently Mr. Wolfe has acted as
Co-operative Amusement Co., succeeding
salesman for the Bluebird exchange in
Mrs. Mary Gruwell who. with her hus-
Des Moines and left the management of band. Otto Rupnow, are now exhibitors at
a Grand Rapids, Wis., theater. The Weggthe
picture house to his father.
Booth orchestra will play for Sunday evening
shows.
Mauston, Wis.—H. F. Hasse. now a soldier
in the National Army at Camp Grant,
Rockford, 111., has turned over the Majestic
theater her to his cousin. L. A.
Hasse. The latter has been operating the
theater since his cousin has been called
to the colors.
Changes Among Iowa Theaters.
Lamoni, la.—A. D. Briggs has closed
down his house in Lamoni. Haskins and
France have opened the opera house in
the same town for picture purposes.
Pocahontas, la.—F. Hronek has purchased
the Princess theater in Pocahontas.