Motion Picture Times (1931)

V. W. CRISP, Editor and Manager DALLAS, TEXAS Thousands for dobless Moraii'Isley Buy Cushing Houses Warns Shotrmen LOSES TWO PRINTS Fire in Texas Film Exchange Room Creating the most excitement that has been seen on Harwood street many a day, two new prints in the Texas Film Exchange inspection room flashed up into space as fire of undetermined origin caused a loss for A1 Wolf, the boss, of about $300. It was the quickest transaction ever made by the company. The prints had just been received from the express company and were in the process of inspection when the celluloid mysteriously caught fire. Several hundred people milled the street below as firemen entered the building and prevented further possible damage. All other prints were in the vaults, however. Wolf said. PRODUCERS VISIT Not to Carry Theatre Receipts on Person; H. C. Houston, Rush, Held Up and Beaten. There’s no law against a theatre man toting his week-end theatre receipts, or nightly receipts for that matter, but it’s a dangerous practice this season. In fact, it is even dangerous for an exhibitor to walk home after closing his show whether he is carrying the swag or not, judging from what happened to H. C. Houston, of the Astor at Rusk, Tex., a few nights ago. H. T. Covington, projectionist at the Astor, sent in the following account of the hijacking assault on the Rusk exhibitor: “H. C. Houston, owner and operator of the Astor at Rusk, was seriously beaten over the head with guns by two masked men attempting to hijack him about 1 a. m., Saturday night, November 14. Goldstcne-Horner Confer with Jack Adams Henry Goldstone, Hollywood producer and sales manager of Metropolitan Pictures, was in Dallas last week calling on Jack Adams of the Allied Exchanges. Metropolitan is putting out four serials this year. Henry Goldstone is a brother of Phil Goldstone, former Tiffany and States Rights producer. Robert L. Horner was the other producer in town last week for a conference with Adams. Horner makes westerns. He drives an especially-equipped Lincoln which he handles with ease despite his handicap of having both legs missing. “Mr. and Mrs. Houston had left i the theatre after the midnight pre j view for their home. As Houston was preparing to enter his home after putting his car in the garage, he met the men who commanded him to ‘stick ’em up,’ but before he had time to do so, the men began to hit him over the head with their guns. After knocking Houston to the ground they attempted to choke him, but fled when Mrs. Houston, who had heard the noise, ran out of the house and screamed for help. “Houston’s only loss was his billfolder containing personal papers and cards, and though confined to his bed for a few days seems well on the road to recovery.” Neal Houston, Fox salesman and (Continued on page 4) Midwest’s Purchase of Two Duncan Theatres Boosts Company’s Oklahoma’s Units to Eight. A theatre deal of some magniture was completed in Oklahoma last week with William Moran and Phil If ley, of the Midwest Theatre Operating Company at Oklahoma City taking over the Duncan and American Theatres in Cushing from Hiram Duncan. The deal boosts the Midwest chain up to eight with four in Tulsa, one in Oklahoma City, one in Frederick and two in Cushing. Griffith Amusement Company is sharing in the Cushing possibilities in their operation of the Paramount there. At one time Midwe-t operated some 15 houses, several of which were turned over to the Griffith chain which later closed them. Phil Isley is a well-known equipment and theatre man in Oklahoma City, and Moran was formcity manager of Universal. Offices of Midwest are located at 623 West Grand avenue. o HOST TO YEGGMEN Cash Prizes Attract Eyes of Cracksmen The Strand Theatre at Uvalde, Texas, in which Don Douglas of Dallas, is interested, was host to a group of yeggmen Sunday night, when a miniature safe was taken out of the theatre, holding weekend receipts, Douglas informed friends on the Row Monday. The Strand has been putting on a stunt of giving away $15 in gold weekly, and the advertising turned out to be too great a temptation for the bandits, it is believed, the safe movers evidently visioning that the Strand had stored up prizes to last a year in the small safe. Huge Grosses Realized by Southwest from Benefit Shows; Dallas, Oklahoma City Lead. The night of November 21 and the dawn of 22 was a memorable time for the unemployed of this region when theatres of key towns and smaller cities rolled up creditable grosses to be turned over in toto to local relief organizations. Elm Street theatres in Dallas took in several thousand dollars, the Majestic said to have turned in the highest figure possibly due to vaudeville pulling harder for the midnighters’ money. Fifteen theatres in Dallas ran special midnight performances, business, however, being off in the suburbs, as was expected. P. K. Johnston, chairman of the Dallas committee, and a Publix executive, said late Monday afternoon that complete returns on the shows were not yet available as in many cases lay committees had sold tickets which delayed immediate tabulations. However, it was intimated that the amount raised in Dallas was creditable to the cause. Oklahoma City Goes Over A special dispatch to MOTION PICTURE TIMES indicates that Oklahoma City may have topped relief grosses for any city its size: “Co-operating with President Hoover’s emergency committee for local unemployed relief, every theatre in Oklahoma City held special preview shows Saturday night, November 21, and the Publix Criterion and Warner Bros. Midwest put on giant stage shows for four hours’ entertainment with dancers, singers, comedians, radio stars, bands, soloists, wise-crackers, and specialists; every actor in the city taking a part. “While rainy weather prevailed, all of the theatres were well filled and a huge sum of money raised to be turned over to the unemployed. “All theatre employees and every one taking part in the performances donated their services.”