The Exhibitor (Jun-Oct 1939)

NEWS OF THE TERRITORY Hudson Residents in the vicinity of the Elm, closed for nearly 10 years, appeared before meeting of the selectmen, claiming the theatre was a fire hazard and had caused sharp increase in their insurance rates. Board agreed to have committee of three investigate. Lawrence Proprietors JOE, GENE CAMPOPIANO, Capi¬ tol, sponsored a contest in Eagle-Tribune and awarded passes for "The Story of Alexander Gra¬ ham Bell.” A page and a half of cooperative newspaper advertising was used. WALTER COSTELLO, CHARLES ANNAN, JOSEPH BELL, WILLIAM WALSH, FRED DEMARA, Local 2 5 6, have been elected delegates to Lawrence Central Labor Union. For "Broadway Serenade,” CHRIS McHALE, manager, had a full page of advertising in a local Sunday paper. Cooperative advertising with about a dozen local merchants was used; 24 free passes were offered. Methuen has "Stick-A-Toons” as a feature for Saturday afternoons. Among the passers-by: MAX MELINCOFF, Warner district manager, in town. "Spain in Arms” was shown here in the Sacred Heart parochial school hall. Lowell NAT SILVER, Strand manager, went to Bos¬ ton with NEL LEGRAND, close friend, to greet the Paramount stars who came in on the woodburning "Union Pacific” streamliner. Nat met JIMMIE O’DONNELL, Waterville theatre man¬ ager, whom he hadn’t seen in 15 years. Later, ED CUDDY, M. & P.; "SKIP” DUNN, Lynn Olympia manager, and representatives of the Lowell press dined at the Parker House, before going to Ritz-Carlton’s French room for the re¬ ception to the stars. Silver is the chairman for the annual Immaculate Conception parish’s an¬ nual May festival, to be held at the Lowell Me¬ morial auditorium, and has secured Ethel Barry¬ more Colt as the outstanding attraction for the affair. Crown, IRVING DUNN, manager, is calling its weekly radio stage show, "The Middlesex House Party,” after the street on which the thea¬ tre is located. Co-operating are a number of merchants on the same street. Tower, ED SOKOLOWSKY, manager, was closed May 8, 9, did considerable repairing. ED STODDARD, district M. & P. manager, visited local theatres. Lynn JAMES DAVIS, assistant manager, Olympia, was the hero of a two alarm fire which threatened the Loraine apartments. He was sitting in his den in his home on the fourth floor, when his wife, noticing smoke, asked him if he was smok¬ ing. He replied no and then went out in the back hall to investigate. He found plenty of smoke and realizing that the house was on fire, called the fire department and warned other occupants to flee. Davis had a personal loss of $5 00 to fur¬ nishings of his home. IRVING L. DODGE, 54, for 15 years, op¬ erator, Warner, died May 3 at his home from a heart attack. Milford Station WTAG, Worcester, conducted auditions here, with all winners competing on stage of Plymouth, Worcester, in amateur talent quest. Milford Daily News works an unusual gag, giving away two tickets to ARTHUR MABEY'S State to all those who find their names misspelled in the daily. Rockland Manager RODENHEISER, Strand, reports nice success with amateur acts. Acts are sponsored by Flair, South Shore magazine. Salem Meanest of all sneak thieves stole a Kiwanis club milk bottle from the Paramount lobby dur¬ ing one of the crowd rushes. CLINTON POLLOCK, assistant manager, Paramount, gets up every morning at 6.3 0 and goes for a canter on his new horse. PHILIP BLOOMBERG, president, Naumkeag Amusement Company, and general manager, Sa¬ lem theatres, spoke before the local school board last week. AL SWETT, manager, closed Empire, will do relief managerial duty at Paramount, Plaza dur¬ ing the summer. Rialto is featuring Polish pictures frequently. Men’s rooms at Paramount have all been re¬ tiled, equipped with fluorescent lights. MISS ALICE P. DUFFEE, dancing teacher, has leased Paramount hall for a year, starting in August. Wives of state Knights of Columbus delegates, meeting at the annual state convention in Salem, were guests of the Paramount management dur¬ ing the two-day conclave. All theatres were gayly decorated for the 104th Infantry convention here. JAMES BOSWELL, assistant manager. Empire, is filling in on vacation schedules at Paramount which started May 7. Paramount parking space has a new entrance on Church Street. This space accommodates 100 cars and has three attendants. A long canopy runs from the space to the rear entrance for the convenience of patrons during stormy weather. PHIL BLOOMBERG’S Empire closed. Springfield Theatre managers are eyeing anxiously, but without much hope of being able to do anything about it, the apparent decision of the Crescent Kennel club, just across the Connecticut River, to lease its property for summer entertainment use. A comprehensive program of big-name dancing, boxing and wrestling and midget auto¬ mobile racing will be staged, it is understood. Last year, before Hampden county gave a decisive 2 to 1 veto to dog racing, the Kennel club cut heavily into Springfield theatres’ sum¬ mer grosses. Plaint of VINCENT B. H. ("HARRY”) SMITH, district manager, Western Massachusetts Theatre, Inc., and manager GEORGE E. FREE¬ MAN, Loew’s Poli, that leasing the municipal auditorium (capacity 4000 seats, with a good dance floor capable of accommodating 1000 persons) to a profit-anxious promoter for a single night’s dance engagement by a band was unfair competition was sympathetically heard by the city property committee. By a vote of 2 to 1, the committee vetoed a leasing request. Vote was taken after a protracted argument, with alderman FRED E. BARKER, and council¬ man VINCENT A. CURTO voting no, and councilman DANIEL B. BRUNTON fighting for the engagement. Date was to be contested further, however. Council has the power to over¬ ride the decision of the property committee. ROY E. HEFFNER has filed suit in Superior Court against JOE RAPALUS in which the plaintiff claims $910 in connection with the plan known as "Bank Night.” Plaintiff charges that the claim in question, assigned to him by Affiliated Enterprises Inc., was for use of an advertising plan of that name in the Bijou in this city. Suit is for use of accessories delivered to the defendant doing business under the title of the Bijou Theatre Company, and for other fees in connection with the plan. Holyoke is 10 miles up the Connecticut River, north of Springfield, but manager GEORGE LABY, Victory, got in on the big publicity splurge 21 when “Union Pacific,” was given its premiere at the Paramount, May 4. Holyoke Transcript-Tele¬ gram sent a staff writer and a photographer down to Springfield to meet the first "Union Pacific” train. Mayor WILLIAM P. YOERG, Holyoke, and Mayor ANTHONY J. STONINA, Chicopee, were among the guests at a breakfast given the movie visitors at the Hotel Charles. DAVE WHALEN, advance and promotion man for Republic is in town, working on "Man of Conquest” build up. Picture is booked for the Bijou. AL ANDERS, Bijou manager and owner, is quietly pleased with the results of his "Blind Alley” world premiere. Anders, is well aware of the merits and dangers of high-pressure build-upping, has gauged Springfield reaction long enough to know where to draw the line. Consequently, he gave "Blind Alley” a good ride, but failed to try and boost it from its real merit-position to a best-of-the-year spot. GEORGE E. FREEMAN, Loew’s Poli mana¬ ger, and MRS. FREEMAN motored to New Haven to catch an advance screening, and to dine and visit with district manager and MRS. HARRY SHAW. Earlier by several days, Harry had paid Freeman a visit. Next month George celebrates his 5 th anniversary at the Loew’s Poli, the longest term of managership remem¬ bered since the days of "DOC” RAWHIDE, long before the ’29 crash. DR. PALUMBO, bigwig in the Crescent Kennel club organization, reports that the deal for leasing of the West Springfield kennel track plant for a comprehensive program of summer entertainment has not jelled, despite reports to the contrary. Manager HARRY STORIN, Paramount, has been tickled to death to hear the jingle in the box office during the week of "Union Pacific.” Picture got off to splendid start with the personal appearance of the promotion-train troupe. No less pleased was BILL POWELL, Western Massachusetts Theatres, Inc., pressman, who was caught with a cat-that-swallowed-the-canary look, as he stood near the box office listening to the counters click. Reports are that NATHAN and SAMUEL GOLDSTEIN, to say nothing of VINCENT B. H. ("HARRY”) SMITH, Western Massachusetts’ topflight executives, were tickled with the manner in which Paramonut plugged a grand picture. Stoughton Manager JOHN A. MURPHY, State, was host to 101 honor students of the graduating class of the high school. Assistant manager ERNEST R. FITZGERALD, State, was appointed manager, Community, Osterville, Massachusetts. Fitzgerald leaves Stough¬ ton after 10 years with State. Valley Falls Roosevelt changed hands — C. TOBEY to H. SPERLING. Ware BERNARD J. SATZ, manager, Casino, was on reception committee for benefit ball of Ware Elks. Winchendon JOE MATTHEWS is a golf enthusiast, wdl be seen on the Toy Town links presently. EXPERTS . . . in every field of theatre design and maintenance will be found listed in the BETTER MANAGEMENT SECTION May 17, 19)9 N. E,