Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1939)

Thursday, July 27, 1939 Motion Picture Daily 7 Theatre, Personnel Notes Time' Leaps To Big $6,000 InLosAngeles Los Angeles, July 26. — "On Borrowed Time" proved a big draw at the 4 Star here, taking $6,000 in six days .against a house average of $3,200 for — a period. -"At the Hillstreet, "I Stole a Million" dualled with "Blondie Takes a Vacation" was strong at $7,500, the combination dropping to $5,500 at the Pantages. Estimated takings for the week ending July 26 : "Second Fiddle" (20th-Fox) "It Could Happen to You" (20th-Fox) CHINESE — (2,500) (30c-$1.00) 7 days. Gross: $13,200. (Average, $12,500) "On Borrowed Time" (M-G-M) 4 STAR— (900) (40c -50c) 6 days. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $3,250) "I Stole a Million " (Univ.) "Blondie Takes a Vacation" (Col.) HILLSTREET— (2,700) (30c -65c) 6 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $6,500) "Second Fiddle" (20th-Fox) "It Could Happen to You" (20th-Fox) LOEWS STATE— (2,500) (30c-$1.00) 7 days. Gross: $12,800. (Average, $14,000) "I Stole a Million" (Univ.) "Blondie Takes a Vacation" (Col.) PANTAGES— (3,000) (30c-65c) 6 days. Gross: $5,500. (Average, $7,000) "Man About Town" (Para.) PARAMOUNT — (3,595) (30c-65c) 7 days. 2nd week. Stage: "Rochester" and F. & M. revue. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $18,000) "Daughters Courageous" (W. B.) "Sweepstakes Winner" (W. B.) WARNER BROS. (Hollywood)— (3,000) (30c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $12,200. (Average, $14,000) "Daughters Courageous" (W. B.) "Sweepstakes Winner" (W. B.) WARNER BROS. (Downtown)— (3,400) (30c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $11,800. (Average, $12,000) U A to Ask for Folly Trust Suit Dismissal Dismissal of the $250,000 triple damage anti-trust suit brought by Folly Amusement Holding Corp. against the major companies, Republic, Monogram and Randforce Amusement Co. will be sought Tuesday by United Artists before Federal Judge Murray Hulbert. U. A. contends that no cause of action is stated, and will ask in the alternative of a dismissal, that portions of the complaint be stricken out and a bill of particulars granted. Plaintiff contends that it was forced to abandon operation of the Folly, Brooklyn, because of an alleged conspiracy in restraint of trade. Early AGV A Ballot On Secretary Seen Executive secretary of the new American Guild of Variety Artists will be chosen within the next week or ten days, it was learned yesterday. A.G.V.A. offices were opened yesterday and the staff was busily engaged all day in sorting and classifying 1,500 applications which are now on hand. Approximately nine-tenths of the applications are from former American Federation of Actors members, officials disclosed. Florence Marston, Eastern representative of Screen Actors Guild, is acting as temporary executive secretary, but will positively not continue permanently in that post, it was stated. Candidates for the permanent post are being interviewed, but no disclosure was made of the persons being considered. Manages Negro Houses Cincinnati, July 26. — J. F. Goldman, who operates the Roosevelt and Lincoln, has taken over the Beecher. These are the only local houses catering exclusively to Negro patronage. Manages Colorado Theatre Denver, July 26. — Leo McNamara has gone to Manzanola, Colo., to manage the Manzanola theatre there for Mrs. Pearl Gayton, owner. Theatres Open Part Time Denver, July 26. — Fox has reopened the Rialto at Walsenburg, Colo., for two days a week ; the Del Rio, at Las Vegas, N. M., for three days a week; and the Coronado, also at Las Vegas, for six days a week. The Kit Carson, La Junta, Colo., is closed for a time. New Theatre at Dam Denver, July 26. — The WEM Amusement company is opening a new theatre, the Green Mountain, at the Green Mountain dam, a government project in Colorado. Cocalis Reopens Dale Cocalis circuit has reopened the Dale, Bronx. Art Stolte Lands Big One Des Moines, July 26. — Art Stolte, district manager of TriStates Theatres Corp., has joined the big fishcatching class. For three years he has been vacationing at the Lake of the Woods with a muskellunge as his objective. This year he made it. The "musky" arrived in Des Moines as proof. Thirty members of the TriStates force joined in the fish banquet at Hotel Kirkwood July 24. Des Moines 'Swank' Screening Des Moines, July 26. — Civic leaders of Des Moines attended an exclusive showing of the Bob Burns picture, "Our Leading Citizen," at the Paramount projection room Wednesday. Remodeled Theatre Reopens Carthage, 111., July 26. — Kenneth Bowersock, new owner of the Auditorium theatre here, reopened the house last week after extensive repairs and remodeling. New Brooklyn House A 600-seat house is under construction at Coney Island Ave. and Ave. H, Brooklyn. It is scheduled to be completed by September. Two Summer Closings New Brunswick, N. J., July 26. — RKO State has been closed for alterations. The Europa has been closed for the Summer. Herman Takes Over Hawthorne Hawthorne, N. J., July 26. — William C. Herman has again taken over operation of the Hawthorne. Theatre Gets Neon Lights Plant City, Fla., July 26. — This city's business section was lighted up as never before when the new neon lights on the State were turned on this week. Interior decorations have been added and other work looking toward complete modernization of the house. The State was erected by the Sparks interests who also own and operate the Capitol here. Grantham Buys Kansas House Kansas City, July 26. — J. W. Grantham has bought the Ritz at Baxter Springs, Kan., from Homer Garber and has closed the house for the summer. He is continuing operation of the new Baxter. Opens New Wichita House Wichita, Kan., July 26.— T. H. Slowother this week opened the new Sandra Theatre here. Venus Closes Doors Venus, Brooklyn (Gus Stamatus), is closed. French Films Show Strong Canada Gain Toronto, July 26. — French motion pictures imported from France for theatrical use continue to hold their own in Canada, according to the annual statistics of the Customs and Excise Division of the Dominion Government for the fiscal year ending March 31. French motion pictures took a sudden jump in Canada in the 1937-38 year and have continued to enjoy an extensive demand. Total positive film imports reported by the Canadian Government for the past fiscal year were 4,797,640 feet with a value of $384,633, as compared with 5,416,459 feet and $432,687 for the previous 12 months. The United States led the way as an exporting nation with a total of 3,231,520 feet of positive film, valued at $258,878, sold to the Dominion, compared with 3,348,732 feet and $266,968 for the preceding period. France stood second in the trade with Canada with 1,206,534 feet, valued at $96,424, for the past year, against 1,482,822 and $119,104 for the 1937-38 year. The decrease in prints from France is comparable with that for film imports from the States but the drop in positive films from Great Britain was somewhat more marked During the latest fiscal year, 332,276 feet of film, valued at $26,705, were brought from the United Kingdom by Canadian importers, against 562,367 feet, valued at $44,761, for the preceding period. No educational films were imported from France, according to the Customs' records, and the United States headed the list in this respect with prints valued at $6,336 out of a total $8,086. The total for the previous year was $6,791, of which $5,493 was the value of instructional films from the U. S. Imports from England in the past year were valued at $1,310, against $1,015 for the previous, year. Await Review Dates Albany, July 26. — No definite date has been set for Appellate Division reviews of "Human Wreckage" and "Animated Diagrams of the Human Body." "Human Wreckage" was rejected by Irwin Esmond and failed in its appeal to the Board of Regents, while "Animated Diagrams," a government made picture in the World War era, was withdrawn from exhibition after having been screened at intermittent intervals from 1921. Republic in India Deal Morris Goodman, Republic foreign distribution chief, has closed a deal with Keshaval D. Mody & Co. of Bombay, India, for the distribution of a group of features and serials in India, Burma and Ceylon. This is the onlx American product handled by the company. B. Jani handled the deal here for the company. 330,000 Hear Pons Chicago, July 26. — -Lily Pons and Andrew Kostelanetz Sunday night drew 330,000 persons to Grant Park for the free concert. It was the largest gathering ever held here. 1 QUIGLEY PUBLICATIONS REGISTRATION BUREAU For World's Fair Visitors Rockefeller Center, New York, Telephone Circle 7-3100 Name Affiliation Home Address Arrive Depart. New York Address. New York Phone . . . Members of Party.. Clip the Coupon and Mail to World's Fair Bureau. Quigley Publishing Company, 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York