Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

sas City, Mo., where the picture grossed $9,000, the first week. This is double average business. Henry P. Krecke, in his executive capacity in the Loew foreign department, receives many letters and requests but none so unusual as the one from Rev. Paul W. Hallock of Springfield, Mass. He’s sure it’s all a mistake. The contents: “No doubt you have heard of me and my great work in the cause of temperance. For several years I have been traveling about the country appearing on the lecture platform. Perhaps you are familiar with some of my better known talks, such as ‘Down With the Drink Evil,’ ‘Rum and Rebellion’ and ‘There Is No Booze in Christianity.’ “For the past three years, I have had as my constant companion a true and faithful friend, one Herman Fortescue who used to sit on the platform with me and I would point him out as an example of the ravages of drink. “Unfortunately during the summer, poor dear Herman passed away. A mutual friend has given me your name and I wonder if you would consent to accompany me on my spring tour to take poor Herman’s place. “Expectantly yours, etc., etc.” Tidbits: Sol Kravitz, who has been booking at local exchanges for many years, now is Joe Felder’s assistant at Monogram . . . Florence Hume is now business agent for Arthur Dreifuss Productions which recently finished shooting the first Music Hall Variety for Columbia at Eastern Service Studios, Astoria. The second goes into work Wednesday . . . Back from a vacation in the West Indies, Alfred Hitchcock has reported at the Selznick International studios to direct “Rebecca” . . . Merle Oberon delayed her arrival from the coast two days but made the Normandie sailing Saturday just the same . . . Murray Silverstone is back from the coast and by this time has had a glimpse of the new heir in his brother’s family. Jack Cohn is back from Miami with the latest in tans . . . Arche Mayers and Irwin Shapiro of World Pictures have acquired “Marseillaise,” another French picture produced by Jean Renoir, who directed “Grand Illusion” . . . Bill Rodgers has gone back to cigarettes, but only as a diet between cigars . . . Carl Krueger of Paramount has gone to the coast on “Union Pacific" . . . J. Cheever Cowdin is on the coast looking over Universal sites . . . Halsey Raines of M-G-M’s publicity vanguard hot-footed over to the Daily News the other day for a session with Kate Cameron and Dorothy Masters . . . Eddie Schnitzer would like to get away for a vacation, but just can’t seem to find the time . . . Howard Dietz is in Bermuda. Quentin Reynolds, the Collier’s scripter, returned from a quick visit to the Warner lot with his summer haircut on preview . . . Harry G. Kosch flew to Havana and back on a business trip . . . Tom Connors, on the same day he returned from Chicago and the M-G-M convention, ran into Artie Rapf, local exhibitor brother of Harry, a producer on the M-G-M lot. Said Tom to Artie: “Our product is so good you won’t be numbed; you’ll be rapt.” Alter the Film Was Over— r Monogram men meet at the Tavern after looking at “Streets of New York” and plotting its campaign. Left to right and standing: Charles Panzer, Leon Fromkess, George Burroughs, William Moses, Edward Van Pelt, Sam Rosen, Edward Golden, Norton Ritchey, John Harrington. Left to right and seated: Joe Felder, Ben Schwartz, Lou Lifton, Harry Bachman, Sidney Kulick, Mark Goldman, Ben Welansky, Steve Broidy, Lloyd Lind, Jerome Brandt, George West and Harry Berkson. Take it or leave it, it’s Connor’s gag . . . Ed Hatrick says Cosmopolitan will have four on the 20th-Fox schedule, but whether these will be listed in one or two years he doesn’t know. Incidentally, he couldn’t make the 20th-Fox confab in Chicago . . . Will Fyffe, Scottish star, sails April 8 on the Aqwitania for New York and the Paramount lot for a role in “Rulers of the Sea” . . . Noel Coward returned from the coast the other day and nary a soul recognized him as he emerged from the 20th Century. He’s back in London now. Grace Moore sails May 14 on the Normandie on a three-month tour of London, Paris and Belgium. She is planning to make another picture in France and is negotiating with Columbia and UA for distribution. Three other picture deals are reported on the fire . . . Bob Wolff, local branch manager for RKO, has jumped to third place in the George J. Schaefer drive. J. Sharkey of Detroit retains the lead, while Barney Pitkin of New Haven continues in second place . . . Josef Zimanich, musical director for National Screen in the east, is in Hollywood for a short vacation, his first trip there in 15 years. Ben Kalmenson, Warner western sales manager, left over the weekend on a vacation . . . Harry Rapf, M-G-M producer, left for the coast Monday with Nicholas M. Schenck and A1 Lichtman. He was to have gone the Friday before, but decided to spend the weekend with his son who is attending Harvard University . . . Aaron Schusterman, New Jersey exhibitor, didn’t go to Miami this year, but took his to Lakewood and Atlantic City on six different weekends . . . Norman Moray, Warner short subject sales manager, is touring the country and plans to wind up at the Burbank studios for conferences with Jack L. Warner . . . Joan Crawford fooled many of her fans by arriving on a Sunday instead of the usual Monday . . . Mitchell Azerier of the local Republic exchange poster department is fathering a ninepound boy, just arrived. Mrs. Betty Azerier, up to the time of her marriage, worked with Precision Lab. Charlie Stern, eastern district manager for UA, is back from a couple of weeks at the Dempsey -Vanderbilt at Miami Beach. Between his naturally dark complexion and acquired tan, his sidekicks at the home office may have trouble recognizing the stranger in their midst . . . Max Gordon, who produces plays and now will produce “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” and “The American Way” in association with Harry M. Goetz for RKO, says television is something significant to watch. “Remember my words,” is the way he puts it . . . Jack L. Warner, head production man for the company the name of which he bears, reports this serious piece of information: “La Unicas — smokers know what that means — are losing their popularity among studio executives in Hollywood.” Before the La Unica, the Pancho Nrango seemed to be the favorite. Walter J. Hutchinson, general foreign sales manager for 20th Century-Fox, has a swell collection of water colors decorating his office walls. Then there is Mort Spring, assistant to Arthur M. Loew in the foreign department at M-G-M, who has his walls decorated with art objects typical of various countries. He collected them on different trips to far-off places . . . Tyree Dillard, of M-G-M’s legal department, prizes two original hunting prints which he acquired from an estate in England . . . Dave Blum, who handles M-G-M’s foreign publicity and also runs a farm over in New Jersey, says the sale of eggs is developing into a brisker business. Mystery note: He has one bachelor customer who ordered 48 dozen in one week . . . And other sidelines include Andy Smith, former general sales manager of UA, who is in the zipper business, and Sam E. Morris, vice-president in charge (Continued on page 32-G) BOXOFFICE :: April 1, 1939 32-C