THE SUNDAY EEE: OMAHA. AUGUST 20, 1922.
7C
Crisis in Theater Business
in Omaha This Show Season
Nine Downtown Movie and Vaudeville Houses to
Battle for Patrons Influx of Tantages and
Shubert to Create Keen Competition Dally
Seating Capacity of 1G.000 Considered
Enormous for Omaha.
By JOHN E. KENNEBEC.
SIMILAR to condition! In Kansas City, St. Louis and Min
neapolis, the coming" theatrical .n-ason In Omaha will
cither make thin city a good enow town or a flop, to uae
auilcville parlance.
Thl seanon will be crisis in theatricals In Omaha,
:heatrlcal managers cay.
The addition of the World theater, playing pictures and
Pantagis vaudeville, and the lirandeia theater, to play Shu-boj-t
vaudeville, to an already overcrowded theater row In
thia city indicate much.
r
Staring Capacity High.
Rrii-fly it mran ihtt lh public
will benefit by tlx kfcn compfii.
lion
With th f!randili.
with h it ii( and it ill cam about !
C4UM he llird undrr laddrr. Iln
girl uji iui-rlili(u and tic vum'l.
Ihr day (Urtrrl all right ana
,1. n,r,J,.... I ill BY I
Worhl and P.mj.rr.1 trying vaude. movhM mm lu k-iie n promote
ville, and tht K:lto, Strand, Sun,10 f,"1,,,lfr('
Moon, Ainu and doirn suburban i y"uu'r "" " "A""""
IwtiM-t playing puiurr. thcr.t w.ll j h,vt bw" r"!r"' n! ""ly that
l J.irge enough rtaily (ratine ra
pacity for a city of lit lrt 50O,0tJ
fn thp l! that 'ii prr rent of
ity' iiupuiii'.lon it (trady thratrr
patron,
Omaha f 200,000.
A (iirry of thratriral condition
'n Oriulia how ilut tin city will
havr rapacity of approximately
lft.000 rai for C4ch )rforrnnr
tint romiHg fcaton, or (rati
daily. l'r rate that number with
50 000 utia-ly theater gorri tnd 'twill
ttitimUtc little iiudy.
Where will it all end? ,
What will be the outcome?
Firt, 'twill he a battle for biui
neit between the vaudeville and the
movie house; then, the game will
(iinmrr don to keen competition
among theater manager.
50,000 Weekly Patron.
If all the vaudeville and movie
hoiiMf in Omaha are to proper thia
taron, it i ettiinated that 1 12,000
out of Omaha' 200.000 population
muit attend a show every week
fir.t Im.Ii.
Such make up the interest in
"Oiaiitg the Jinx," whirh is the
cinema atttation at the World the
atre tln rek.
Margaret l.andia and Edward 1 lor
ton are the featured player.
Wally Reid at Strand.
The I k battle t on at the Strand
theater llua week,
Wallace Keid, I'ararnount (tar, np
ported by I.ila Lee, trading woman;
iheodore Kodnff, Walter Lottg,
Alan Hale, Kalla Pasha and other
rreen notable, it giving the public
five delicion reeli of fun, exrlte
merit, romance and revolution in "The
iJictator," bawd on the famous play
by the late kichard Harding Davit,
in which Willie Collier cored a dti
tinrt uccri everal yrar ago.
The (tory (how how a young
American fall in love with the
pretty daughter of a South American
"liberator," follow her outh and
there hecomrt embroiled in a revolu
Cults
Hut approximately only 50,000, tion of which her father ii the in-
,rroiii in umaha
are regularly
weekly patron.
The 10,000 (eating capacity for
all theater represent the capacity
for one performance, It mut he re
membered. The Orphum and Bran
eia will play two performance a
day while the other place will fea
ture from three to five performance.
In other word, the daily (eating
caparitv of Omaha'a theater for an
entire day will be iu(t about 160.000;
therefore, if all tnee hue were
to do a capacity buine(( at all per
formanrce on a given day, the en
tertainment appetite of Omaha'
50,000 theater goer would be more
than atified for a week and the
theater would have ix day on
their hand with no customer to
patronize them.
Take the vaudeville home alone:
For earh performance, there are ap
proximately 6,600 cat. With the
World and Fmnresi playing three
performance daily and the Orpheum
and Brandei playing two, vaudeville
houe will have a daily capacity of
aimroximately 16,900 eat, or 118,
300 a week.
Therefore, condition for vaudeville
houe look much brighter than for
movie nalace in Omaha.
And yet, foregoing figure are con
ervative. It i up to the theater manager to
make Omaha a better (how town
than it ha been and to educate the
public to a new intere(t in theatrical
o that at lrat half the city' pop
nlation mav become regular tnater
fan instead of the itatisticat 25 per
cent, . .
Through all the competition, the
public wilt benefit; the theater will
present the be.'t in vaudeville and
picture, indication are.
The Orpheum i bjdding to give
it best to Omaha while Shubert,
which will play at the Brandcis, will
be new, and Tantage will begin
running its thnwi here in uniU.
To fuote Arthur Frudenfcld, man
ager of the World theater, which
play both Tantagc vaudeville and
picturer: "Omaha will become a
good shown town this season- or
bust."
tiaator. not knowing that hi own
! father, the banana king, it on the
other tide for buiineit and political
reasons. He wina the revolution, the
girl and hi father' profound respect
after a (eric of exciting adventure
which fairly brim with u(penc,
mystery, conspiracy, fighting and de
lightful humor,
"Orphan of Storm" at Rlalto.
Patron of the Rlalto theater thi
week will find all of the great "Two
Orphans" dory that used to inter
est their father and mother, hut
also a very great deal more. The
ttory it now ct amid the turnulcnt
event of the revolution in France
that marked the downfall of the
Bourbon monarchy.
1'ortunatcly, Mr. Griffith had two
wonderful French type at hand for
the embodiment of lienrictte and
I.ouite Girard, the two heroinea.
Thee two arc Mie Lillian and
Dorothy Cifch,
One of the best cast of recent
year enact the famou story, in
cluding Joseph Schildkraut, the cele
brated Roumanian actor, sometimes
called the handsomest leading man
of Europe. . who has the romantic
role of Cheavlicr de Vaudrey.
F'or those unfamiliar with the (tage
tory; Ucnriette and Louise are lit
tle Norman wayfaur in Fart. The
former is abducted by a rich noble,
while the latter, fall into a den of
thievish beggar who send her on the
treet a a charity singer. The tre
mendous interest springs from the
effort of tlje sundered orphans to be
reunited and the love of the Chevalier
for Henrictte from whom he i ep
aratcd by an almost impassable gulf
of birth and clas distinction.
In Mr. Griffith' tory these ad-
I
. 1 l Hi M .". Ill-''" JTS I II
,.i c-w "tav isrv ;
Will A.CVVf - 7 fi-liH.
' A I Vi .
- il '1.'. vSfeibMfl ft .yt
illlffTD
Marked Changes
in Sun Theater;
Opens Saturday
Sun theater wa opened to ll pube 1 1 "r is lio tin the ru,'e t.i .'.
Program Summary
World-"Cb(ing the Jinx."
Strand-Wallace Reid In "Tht
Dictator."
Kialto "Orphan of the Storm."
Moon Today until Thurtday,
"Afraid to Fight;" beginning next
1 huriday, "1 he Belle of Alanka."
Empre Today until Thursday,
"The Golden Gilt;" beginning next
Thursday, "Don't Write Letter."
Mu-Today, "Afraid to Fight;"
tomorrow and Tucuday, "The Last
1'ayment;" Wedneday and Thurs
day, "A Poor Relation;' Friday and
Saturday, "Watch Your Mep."
ventures are caried right into the
revolution. We ee Henrictte and
the Chevalier a puppet of fate in
the Reign of Terror, from which the
gigantic Danto drives to extricate
them. The climax it one of the most
thrilling ever (taged, not excepting
Mr. Griffith ice jam recue in "Way
Down East," or the ride of the Ku
Klux in "The Birth of a Nation."
Frank Mayo at Moon.
The (tory of Leet Renick Brown in
"Afraid to Fight," which opens at
the Moon theater today, conccrna
prize fighter( and gas-burned lungs,
love and cowardice. It present
Mayo in the role of a man com
pelled by n odd reason to keep up
the manner of a coward, even with
the woman he love laughing him to
(corn,
Jane Novak, featured in "The
Belle of Alaska," which opens next
Thursday at the Moon theater. She
obtains work in a cheap restaurant
where he meet "Lucky" Vail, a
gambler, who become the sclf-ap-poiutcd
protector of the deserted
wife. Planning to win the girl for
himself, Vail devise a fake attack
upon her by a degenerate named
Dugan. When attacked the girl
(hoot Dugan. Fearing she will be
prosecuted for murder hc loses her
identity by assuming the name of a
notorious dance hall character whom
the meets aboard ship which is sunk
in midoccan, Ruth remaining the
World
sole survivor. Her adventures that
follow form the basis for this great
heart and action drama of the roar
ing Yukon.
Alice Lake at Empress.
A fascinating story of treasure is
that unfolded in "The Golden Gift."
Alice Lake' latest (tarring picture,
which will be shown at the Empress
theater the first four riys of this
week. But the treasure is not that
usually associated in the public mind
with soldcn giftc it is a treasure far
more preciou, about which is woven
stirring story of love and ad
venture.
It is the story of an opera singer
who with a young child to support
find herself thrown upon her own
resource through the desertion of
tier husband.
A wholesome and thoroughly de
lightful comedy of the ambitions of
ycung man to appear hrave to a
girl whom he has never met is the
them of "Don't Write Letters," the
nevf photoplay in which Gareth
Hughes is starred. It will be shown
at tbe Empress theater beginning
ut Thursday.
Pola Negri at Mute.
Pcla Negri, European screen ce
lebrity, is the featured player in
"The Last Payment," which play
tomorrow and Tuesday at the Muse
Tbe W'orU Realty company, oi-er-
toi( of the World, Sun, Moon and
Mute theaters, announce the reopen
ing of the Sun theater next Satur
day. The Sun theater ha been c!oc4
for (even wtek(, during which time
cxtriKive improvements have been
nude. The bouse ha( brru com
pletely rrfurnidied and redecorated.
A nurble (tatnvay has been placed
from the main loer leading to the
balcony. The loge seat arrangement
in the mam auditorium have been
f'impletrly change:. The loge on the
lower floor have been removed en
tirely, leaving lowr( only on the firt
upper tier. New, romfoitable chair
have been added, the interior of the
theater b( a complete new color
scheme, done in gold and bh'.U, with
a (tight touch of orange. Hea.itiful
goM and black drapes will be hti.'a
in variou place throughout the the,
tcr. The new stage (ettiug will be in
orange and black. Patrons j. ill no
tice an improvement in the larg" and
beautiful lobby as they enter the
theater. T he tide panels, vvlrrh f 'l.
mrtly nrld picture dimU frames.
arc now done in tapestry and contain
tt'e latest in mirror, the bai kgrouud
of the mirror being black. The di co
ram t:i of tbe outer lobhy ate in a
color tchenie of old roe, gold nj
liglr blue. Improvement lias also
been Inaile in the ladies' and gentle
men's retiring rooms.
Dainty Usherettes.
New light fixtures replace the old
in the interior (oyer, whirh aids
greatly to the improvenf-nt of the
cozy spot. The Sun parlor, wlvch
Mtai always been an attractive room,
has been made more attractive than
ever under the touch of the deco
rators hands.
Usherettes will be costumed in a
novel and distinctive manner. Tie
cotumr( will be in a color scheme
of gold, black and orange. Usher
ettes will be used on the lower floor,
while young men in tuxedos will give
service in the upper portion of the
theater. The orchestra pit Ira been
enlarged and music will be one of the
featuies of the Sun programs. Louis
Schnauber, a prominent Omaha
learler, will conduct the Sim Aug
mented orchestra, wliilc Kdwin Stev
ens, who is now playing the organ at
the Moon theater, will be transferred
to the Sun theater as first org mist.
The policy of the theater will le ex
clusively photoplay( and musical pro
grams. Special super-production
will be booked for indefinite engage
ment. "The Storm," an emotional action
story laid in the great snowbound
north, will be the opening attraction
at the Sun theater. House Peters
is the star.
It is interesting to note that the
on I hnkgivmg tlav, W to. 'ij
the first theater in Omaha to be built
exclutive'y fur photoplay presenta
tions, Front that date until vtn
week til", when the theater was
closed, it h been rstinu'ed that
5.MHI.000 people have p l tliMiuli
the door of the theater, Thil tt;tn.
(nI i.e. .,! u.klv .i!t.t, .it, t'i :
ler, lluLn tht- )r!,v f.iUl tuf
Mrrks ,IMO,i0 e.i.'e.
Aiti'-mg tjie atttaiiiiiiu to be s'lown
at the Stilt fie iter t. I'andd l-ioyt
in "tiiaiulinai Boy,' "the Si.rm."
"In the Name ol l La'' and "1 he
Silent tall
CZf CONTINUOUS DAILY 1
L "
'J' II p. m. l
I
r TODAV TOMOHHOW TUESDAY 'I
I Wr.ONF.1D AY I
1 TODAY ONLY JA
Continuous 1 2i4S to S
i MOON COMEDY
"SWEET MAMA
moon "BELLE OF ilh
coming: A AoxrAft ane
THURS. ALASKA Novak
office lake,
Empress
theater. The picture tells (tory
of a woman who blazed her siren
way through the night life of Paris.
Frank Mayo is the chief attraction
at he Muse theater today in "Afraid
to Fight."
Will Rogers takes the screen at the
Muse theater next Wednesday and
Thursday in "A Poor Relation," a
story of a town character who is
both philosopher and inventor.
"Watch Your Step" is the attrac
tion at the Muse theater next Friday
and Saturday. The play features
Cullcn Landis and Patsy Ruth Mil
ler. 'Tis a delightful comedy-drama.
Bcrglura Piano School
Fait Term Open Monday, Sept. 4th
2861 Doug-la Stmt
Aucuit M. Borglum. Madams Den-glum
(Pupili of Watrer Swajrne),
Solfega-Schvart Method. Paris.
Harmony Public Performance.
Programs for This Week
"Chasing the Jinx" at World.
Most persons believe in signs and
omens to a greater or less extent.
Just what part they play in the life
of a human being is uncertain, but
Arthur Barnes, a bank teller, found
that for one day the jinx raised havoc
Omaha' DUUiirtli
Photoplay Theater
RE-OPENS
NEXT
SATURDAY
lth a ew Kerlr l
?ei Weader rtetBrM"
Everything New
Re-Furnished
Re-Decorated
Tu will Is mWatr f't i
jr ( aad l !,"
WATCH FOR
Announcement of
OPENING
ATTRACTION
Pricea
50
DAILY MAT. 35
fncluctes Tax J
VNNOS
SVSfPAYMAT.
ONLYSIX
MORE DAYS
BREAKING ALL RECORDS IN ATTENDANCE!
B.wRiFFrra&
-iiv l i I J UtLiII
K1
J!
o) n't?.
1 tn (HAWrWrVV
: r.
Love Story Supremo
LILLIAN PISH, , POROTHYOISH. MONTE BLUE, CREIOHTON MALE.
Prcscnlcd vith the original nwiaical ocorc
AUGMENTED SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA JOHNSON AT THE ORGAN
9rormanct start prompty a J J2-23-S-7auiZ St.
ST v f TODAY at 11.1.3-5-7-9
Sa. n Feature 40 Minutes Later
S7ft22 ALL WEEK
The Kind of a Picture You . " JJ''?j
Always Wanted to See Him In ' $ ''?'SX'1 '?0
Down wher th music of lov strums tb I - ' t"i
heart stringj day and night; down where I , '' ' .', f t
the moonbeams eternally spell the word T ' Jy Jm J
"romance" on the (oft languid waters; V IV, A- "-V f, jxd 'f
down where the flashing eyes and rosebud XHl''' V 31
lips of the scnoriu are an ever-present 'itlifiem i i iV
invitation to kiss that's where a mere boy J,s!l
became The Dictator of the land and found 7rymm
happines( and heart's desire. ' ' ,Z fT2TIV
- 1 !v: ' hM
IpS Caramba! ? J3&k&m
What a Picture! rJlx&i '
jr Thrill and gay romance in a lyr' f l5yLgltf jf " I
Mr , Spani,h ,,"n,l"' rpu,,Uc f ' AS x.
i
I I Tl I -'M-
s-iici kisc " i ncoQOI'C K0Sl6Wte
- c-trtdi. mil
in RICHARD HARDING DAVIS
Famous Romantic Story of Adventure,
3Ke Dicttaioi
He stirred up a revolution because
pretty girl said "please,"
Musical Scene From Spain
by Strand Orchettra
Harry SiWevmaa, Dirella(
latest New Event by Selsaik
1
111
I f
A good laugh it at good at a tonic and hert't
on of the new teaton't beat offeringt in clever
comeUiet,
VJ M fesitivelf lae .U. taaa
Moivtana
in
ALadies'Man
A t.auh-At-Lauh-Cn Cmedy
ta.
I