Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

FILM TAX STOCKTON-FWC DEAL IS CONSUMMATED Los Angeles — Negotiations have been completed between Jean Wilhoit and Fox West Coast executives calling for the circuit to take over the operation of the former’s theatre at Stockton, on a 25-year lease. Final papers are expected to be signed this week. The new theatre will be ready for occupancy about September 1. The deal is understood to have involved about $250,000. Hawaii Chain Profit San Francisco — Consolidated Amusements Co., Ltd., operating 14 theatres and a film exchange in Hawaii, this week reported a net income for 1936 of $315,351, equal to $2.10 each on 150,000 shares of preferred stock. This compares with a net of $243,745 in 1935 and $220,500 for 1934. The company’s peak year was in 1930 when earnings were $405,462, equal to $2.70 a share. W. E. Calloway Wed Los Angeles — The wedding of W. E. Calloway, Warner Brothers exchange manager, to Mrs. Gladys Levi, widow of Newt Levi, Calloway’s predecessor, was performed Sunday, April 4, with L. J. McCarthy acting as best man, and N. H. Brower giving the bride away. The pair are on a short honeymoon and will return to Los Angeles late this week. "Republicans" Visit Los Angeles — Grover Parsons, western sales manager, and Floyd St. John, California franchise holder for Republic, with headquarters in San Francisco, were in town this week, looking things over at the studio and holding several sales meetings anent plans for the summer selling season. New All-Star List Los Angeles — Distribution of Fanchon Royer product in the Los Angeles and San Francisco territories will be handled through the All Star Exchanges, as the result of deal between the producers and George Armand, All Star franchise holder. ’’EARTH" IN DENVER APRIL 17 Denver — “The Good Earth,’’ Metro’s film version of Pearl Buck’s novel, will open in Denver on April 17 for a week’s roadshow engagement at the Broadway Theatre. There will be two shows daily after the opening night. NEW SOUND AT PORTLAND Portland, Ore. — New RCA sound has been installed at the Bob White Theatre. MEASURE Ray Olmstead, left, and Howard W. Stuhhins, Monogram franchise holders, pose with Miss Dud Forry, booker, in front of the new Monogram office m Los Angeles. SEATTLE (Continued from preceding page) son, Dick, is booker of short subjects for the Danz Sterling chain. C. B. Gustafson and his wife, Maxine, will be missing from Filmrow for about three weeks. The pair leaves for Chicago where they will visit with the folks of Gus. This will be Maxine’s first trip east. The Gustafson’s handle the books for most of the theatres and film exchanges in town, and the vacation will be in the nature of a rest after their working on everyone’s income tax statements. J. T. Sheffield is back at his desk. Sheff has been in Denver for the past nine months building a couple of exchanges, one for 20th Century-Fox. and the other noiv occupied by SheffieldRepublic and Grand National. Speaking of buildings, the new Metro exchange here is near completion and will be ready for occupancy about April 15. Elmer Sedin. auditor from the home office of RKO. is doing his stuff around the northwest visiting the Seattle and Portland offices. L. J. McGinley is off the sick list and back at his desk . . . Tom and Jerry Shearer, back to Portland . . . Junior Mercy, hosting at the film club . . . Art Huot, film salesman, has resigned from United Artists in Denver and is back in Seattle . . . Roy Peacock, Herndon Edmonds and Pete Higgins, making a special tour to Port Angeles . . . Ned Clarke, traveling auditor for RKO, writing from Holland . . . A1 and Evelyn Oxtoby spent Easter in Yakima as guests of Senior Mercy . . . Andy Hervey of the M-G-M publicity staff, in town. IS KILLED Proposed Bill Sought Levy of 1-16 Cent on Each Foot of Film San Francisco — An annual tax burden of many thousands of dollars was saved the industry by the action Thursday of the Sacramento revenue committee of the state assembly in killing the Turner film tax bill. A unanimous vote was registered against the proposal to tax all of the film manufactured in or imported into the state one-sixteenth of a cent per foot. Other assembly bills affecting the industry now are under consideration by various committees, but the general feeling is that the legislature will be sympathetic to the problems of the industry. HORSES, DOGS WIN IN COLORADO HOUSE Denver — The Colorado state house of representatives by a vote of 33 to 30 passed favorably on the third and final reading of the bill legalizing pari-mutuel betting on horse and dog races. Proponents of the bill succeeded in the last minute in mustering the votes necessary for passage. The emergency clause, which would have made the bill a law immediately if it passes the senate and is signed by the governor, was defeated. It is felt that the bill itself will meet with defeat in the state senate. Radio-Theatres Deal Los Angeles — The Paramount and Orpheum theatres, here, have made a deal with radio station KNX for a swap of advertising plugs. The station furnishes the Paramount United Press news dispatches to be read from the stage in return for daily air flashes on the current program. The deal with the Orpheum is on the basis of swapping screen space for air plugs on the Major Bowes units, which are featured at the theatre. Denver Competition Denver — Arnold Gurtler has left Denver for New York to secure players and plays for the 1937 season of his Elitch Gardens stock theatre here. This means that beginning June 12, which is the date scheduled for the theatre’s opening, local motion picture houses can expect strong competition, if one judges by record attendances of past years. Doing "Havana" Hollywood — Paramount has “Havana,” an original story, on the shooting schedule with Dorothy Lamour and Leif Erikson in the featured spots. No director has been assigned. BOXOFFICE :: April 10, 1937. 43