Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Page 30 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW June 17, 1939 Dealing realistically with the booking, advertising and exploitation of the newsreel, serial and short, and emphasizing their importance. FIRST RUN SHORT PRODUCT BROADWAY, NEW YORK (Week Beginning June 17) ASTOR^Prophet Without Honor (MGM) rev. 6-17-39. CAPITOL— Bear That Couldn't Sleep (MGM) Colorful Curacao (MGM). CRITERION — Music Box (MGM) reissue; Circus Co-Ed (Para.) rev. 3-4-39. PARAMOUNT— Ghosts Is The Bunk (Para.) ; Death Valley Thrills (Para.); Popular Science No. 5 (Para.) rev. 6-3-39. RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL— Sons of Liberty (Vita.) rev. 3-25-39. RIVOLI— Guatemala (Para.) rev. 8-27-38; Goofy and Wilbur (RKO). ROXY— The Prize Guest (20th-Fox) ; Good Neighbors (20th-Fox). STRAND— For Your Convenience (Vita.) ; Hobo Gadget Band (Vita.). CHICAGO LOOP (Week Ending June 17) APOLLO— Leith Stevens & Orchestra (Vita.) ; Rural Hungary (MGM) rev. 6-17-39. GARRICK— Popular Science No. S (Para.) rev. 6-3-39; Naughty But Mice (Vita.). ROOSEVELT— Larry Clinton & Orchestra fVita.) ; Wotta Nightmare (Para.) IN THE $H€CT Columbia Edward Ullman, Del Lord and Clyde Bruckman each will prepare the screenplay for a two-reel comedy to star the Three Stooges, now making a personal appearance tour in the British Isles. The Ullman and Lord scripts will be directed by Lord and co-produced by the latter and Hugh McCollum. The Bruckman story will be directed and produced by Jules White. Three Scout Troops Take Over Theatre In March of Time Drive In his campaign for the March of Time subject centered around the activities of the Boy Scouts, Manager Louis Morenbloom of the Hippodrome Theatre, Corbin, Ky., arranged to have the three Scout troops in the town take over the house for an entire day. The first phase of the promotion was a parade at noon hour to all the public schools, headed by the Scout's own bugle corps, and announcing that Schine's Hippodrome had given them charge of the theatre. Manager Morenbloom appointed from the Scouts a manager, assistant manager and twelve ushers as well as a doorman. One troop was stationed in the lobby along with flag decorations and facts on placards about the Scout management. As soon as he completes his Stooges assignment, Edward Ullman will write an original story for Andy Clyde. To present the veteran comic as coach of a girls' swimming team, the picture will be directed by Del Lord and co-produced by Lord and Hugh McCollum. Another Clyde two-reeler, now in the preliminary writing stage, is being prepared by Ewart Adamson. Jules White will both produce and direct. Hugh McCollum, who produces the popular Community Sings, is lining up a number of intriguing themes and hit songs for the ten one-reel tunefests he is to make this year. The first of the new Sings, as announced, will feature college songs. The second will present a inedley of the worldbeloved songs of Carrie Jacobs Bond. The numbers will include Miss Bond's immortal "The End of a Perfect Day," and "I Love You Truly," and three more almost as equally well known: "Wearyin' For You," "Were I" and 'Tink Rose." Production of these first two Sings on the 1939-40 schedule is expected to begin early next month. . . NEWSREEL SYNOPSES . . (Released Saturday, June 17) PARAMOUNT (No. 91)— Roosevelt speaks to West Point graduates; Glider flight over Lake Michigan; Summer skiing at Mt. Hood, Ore. ; Norwegian royalty view scenic wonders at Glacier Park, Mont.; England and Japan at grips over China; Refugees on S. S. Flandre hope for admittance to Cuba; Cavalcade of baseball at Cooperstown, N. Y.; Byron Nelson wins national open golf crown. MOVIETONE (Vol. 21, No. 80)— Roosevelt speaks to West Point graduates: Italian troops leave Spain; Gambling ship at Santa Monica, Calif.; Factory prepares for Flag Day; Rodeo at Livermore, Calif.; Twin convention at Birmingham, Ala. ; Emperor of Amrnan visits France; Duchess of Kent appears at charity festival; President of Nicaragua visits movie studios; Lew Lehr and firemen; Cavalcade of baseball at Cooperstown, N. Y.; U. S. retains polo cup. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 10, No. 280)— Roosevelt speaks to West Point graduates; Duchess of Kent appears at charity festival; Snow-blocked road opened in Rockies; Rodeo at Livermore, Calif.; Rose festival at Portland, Ore.; Hollywood fetes Judy Garland on 16th birthday; Cavalcade of baseball at Cooperstown, N. Y.; U. S. retains polo cup. 95)— Roosevelt speaks to West Point graduates; Cavalcade of baseball at Cooperstown, N. Y.; Nation opens war on slum districts; Skeet shooting in Washington; Grand Coulee Dam rears com.pletion; Greyhound title racing in Austraha; London firefighters go on review. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 11, No. 780)— Roosevelt speaks to West Point graduates: Police demonstration at Shanghai; Italian troops leave Snain; Mexican flier buried at Mexico City; Gambling shio at Santa Monica. Calif.; Twin convention at Birmingham, Ala.; Cavalcade of baseball at Cooperstown N Y • Rodeo at Livermore, Calif.; U. S. retains polo cup; Archbishop Schrembs honored at Cleveland (Cleveland only) ; Cow statue dedicated at Minneapolis (Minneapolis only). (Released Wednesday, June 14) PARAMOUNT (No. 90)— British submarine Thetis sinks near Liverpool; Pictorial record of visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth to the United States. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 10, No. 277)— Pictorial record of visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth to the United States; Britain stunned as 99 perish in Thetis submarine disaster; 75,000 Clevelanders pay tribute to Archbishop Schrembs (Cincinnati and Cleveland only) ; Battle for U. S. open golf title most sensational in history; Diving champs in preOlympic tryouts at swanky Santa Barbara pool. MOVIETONE (Vol. 21, No. 79)— Millions cheer King George and Queen Elizabeth (pictorial scenes of their complete U. S. trip) ; 99 men die aboard British submarine Thetis in sea tragedy; National open golf meet at Philadelphia; Diving champs in pre-Olympic tryouts at swanky Santa Barbara pool. PATHE (Vol. 10, No. 94)— King and Queen hailed by New York; 99 lost as salvage of Thetis tails; Japan builds trade in Mongolia; Pilgrims honor St. Jean of Arc; Divers at Santa Barbara pool point for 1940 Olympics; National open golf meet at Philadelphia. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 11, No. 779)— King and Queen on tour of United States; Submarine death stirs Britain; Riots greet Mexican flyer's casket; 250,000 see big floral fete at Portland, Ore.; Nelson wins U. S. open golf title; Olympic divers display form at Santa B='-hsra pool. "Old Glory", All-Cartoon Patriotic Short, Completed "Old Glory," first all-cartoon patriotic short ever made, was completed last week by Leon Schlesinger, after nine weeks of rush work, compared with the usual 10 months required for cartoons of this nature. Picture is a full reel and will be released by Warner Bros, on July 4. July 10 has been set as the starting day for "The Story of Elias Howe," the first of Columbia's new "Fools Who Made History" series, with the Howe featurette to be followed immediately by one showing the epoch-making achievement of Charles Goodyear. The Goodyear story deals with the invention of the vulcanization process that first brought rubber into general use. The invention was in 1830 and he died in 1860. (Note: There is no connection with the Goodyear company. They are merely using the name). Jan Leman, who is writing the "Fools Who Made History" series, will also direct these one-reel productions. Columbia is to make six during the forthcoming season, and Hugh McCollum will supervise production. MGM Robert Benchley's latest single-reeler, tentatively titled "Bee-Sting," got under way this week with Basil Wrangel directing. E. J. Babille is assistant director. Walter Lundeen handles the camera and Dick Evans is script clerk. Jack Chertok produces. Pete Smith's new specialty started this week. Pete's short, "Here's Your Cue," deals with an explanation and exhibition of fine billiards by billiard-master Charles C. Peterson. Felix E. Feist is directing, with Sid Sidman as his assistant. Vitaphone Maxwell Everett Rosenbloom, the happy slapper of the ring, will have "Speed to Burn" as his next vehicle in the new series of featurettes built around him. His first is "Slapsie Maxie's," named after him and the night club he operates for the edification of Hollywood chuckle-collectors. RKO-Radio Completes Schedule Of Short Subjects for '38-39 The schedule of twenty-four two-reel comedies on the 1938-39 program of the shorts division of RKO Radio Pictures were completed this week by Bert Gilroy, head of the comedy production unit preparatory to clearing the stages for the company's new season's product to be announced at the International Sales Convention being held at the Westchester Country Club, New York, June 19 to 22. The entire output, according to Gilroy, was as carefully prepared and executed as were the feature films produced by the company. The L938-39 schedule just completed included six Leon Errol comedies, featuring the former star of the Ziegfeld Follies; six Edgar Kennedy "average man" pictures, featuring the popular "slow burn" funster; four singing cowboy pictures, starring Ray Whitley; four Radio Headliners and four Radio Flashes.