Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1943)

October 2, 1943 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 53 ★ ★ REGIONAL NEWSREEL — Continued ★ ★ — Sgts. Harry Benan and Stonewall Marcely, and Pvt. Walter Lynch— and the Republic film stars Mary Lee and George Bryon. Also in Isley's show were the Duffield Sisters, formerly of Pawhuska, who were on a vacation from the MGM studio to visit their father, Luke Duffield. Dick Owens, district representative of 20th Century-Fox, conferred here this week with Ralph Talbot of Talbot Theatres, Inc. regarding the possibility of holding the world premiere of "The Song of Bernadette" in Tulsa. The tie-up with Tulsa lies in the fact that the star of the picture, Jennifer Jones, was born here and received her early education at the Monte Cassino Catholic School for Girls. Ralph Talbot, who has just completed his part of the intensive War Bond campaign in Tulsa by raising more than $8,000,000 with the premiere of Paramount's "Let's Face It," now is "up to his neck" in work again as chairman of the plans committee of the forthcoming War Chest drive in Tulsa. Talbot, an inveterate civic worker, is known as a quiet but tireless campaigner in affairs of public welfare. VANCOUVER The Royal Victoria Theatre has been granted a permit Dy the Price Control Board to spend $25,000 for renovation and new equipment, as a place of entertainment for the armed forces. This is an old-t^me road show house of the F.P. unit and was not wired for sound. Famous Players Canadian Corp. is reported proceeding with its action in Toronto against Odeon 'Itieatres of Canada and associates, involving a number of theatres claimed by F.P., with damages and costs being asked. Writs were issued a year ago, but hearing was delayed because of tiie illness of N. L. Nathanson, who died three months ago. The action will be before the courts for trial tftis Fall. Nat Taylor and theatre associates of Toronto have purchased Producers Releasing Corp. Ltd., and have acquired the Canadian franchise of PRC, it was reported last week. Harry Allen will continue as general manager of the company and will also be a partner in the organization, it IS understood. Taylor is general manager of Twentieth Century Theatres, which is an affiliate of the F.P. circuit, and also operates the Exhibitors Booking Association in Ontario. Possibility of Canadian audiences seeing Paramount's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" before the war is over are remote unless the Price Control Board lifts its ban on the raising of admission scales for roadshowing of films in Canada. The him company is currently negotiating with the board, following the Government's recent turn-down of the proposal because of the precedent involved. It is held that there is little likelihood for approval of the proposal. Canadian army camp theatres relying on 16 mm. are using MGM product for the first time this week. Hanson 16 mm., who also handle the Paramount small size stuff, will distribute. They have distributing offices in all exchange centres across the Dominion. Win Barron, Paramount's Canadian publicity man, is now commentator for the Canadian part of that company's reel. Paramount has been using an increasing number of Canadian subjects and theatres are boosting the reel through lobby and newspaper ads. This was caused by the invasion of the Dominion of the British Pioneer newsreel brought in by Oscar Hanson. Vernon, B. C, will have a new theatre in the near future. Local parties have taken over the old Empress ball room and will convert it into a motion picture theatre. Vernon at present has one house, part of the F.P. unit, and the theatre has been playing to capacity for the past two years. A large army camp is close to Vernon. WASHINGTON Busiest gal on the row these days is Sara Young, who until the arrival a few days ago of traveling booker Nat Brosen from New York, was sole booker for the busy Twentieth-Fox exchange. Ira Sichelman had dejjarted some time ago to sell for PRC, and Mrs. Madeline Taylor left last week. New appointments to the department, which Sara has headed for years, are on the way, but haven't yet come through. Some of the best stories on the row are those being told currently by Jack DeWaal, RKO home office rep. Jack had a visit last week from a close friend in briefly from convoy duty as a captain in the Medical Corps. He had plenty of interesting stories to relate. Off to Boston's Leahy Clinic is Charley Mendelson of Twentieth-Fox. Richmond welcomed Paramount Manager Ed Fontaine, Sales Manager Ed Benson, and RKO Manager Joe Brecheen and Salesman Olmsted Knox last week. The latter two also visited accounts in Norfolk. Universal's Mac Cohen and Monogram's Harry Brown went in opposite directions. Max to Baltimore and Harry to Cumberland, Md. The sick list grows, with Margarita Sparks, Lillian Duke and Regiiia Bolac, all of RKO, laid up. The rest of the office, says Charley Hurley, is in good spirits because of the mounting grosses on "Behind the Rising Sun," which had its territorial break just last week. Over at Paramount Mrs. Mel Nau has taken over a bookers' chair. She was formerly at RKO, having come to Paramount about a year ago. Along with her are Bertha Boyd and Emiyn Benser, leaving Office Manager Bob Grace, who is also head booker, as the only male member of the department. Mary diGia como has just gone into the booking department as a secretary. She replaces Jennie Auchoin, who left to join her husband in Indiana. Fifty-three MGM Washington employes, at an average of $161.32, bought $8,550 in War Bonds during the Third War Loan Drive. All hail to Lillian Lee, Paramount cashier. Not a second's hesitation about telling us which birthday it was this week. She doesn't look it. Several new faces at Universal — Gloria Kimball now secretary to Head Booker Maynard Madden, Mary Nicholson now a biller, Eunice Lebman a stenographer, and George Nash, who used to book in the Denver exchange, replacing Jerry Shapiro, who's bound for the West Coast. Ginny McDougal, Gloria Kimball's predecessor, is now home in Athens, Tex. One more face on hand this week is that of Jim Miller, down from the home office to rout old prints out for salvage. Harry Anger's office at Warners' Earle — Washington's glamor center — is turning into a glamor school. Celo Karley, Harry's secretary, was guest of honor the other night at a Fort Washington dance. The servicemen were expressing their appreciation for her aid in arranging for free tickets at the booth operated by the local WAC. Max Herschmann, now with Cinema-Craft and formerly with National Screen, stopped in at the Warner's office last week to greet Frank La Fake and Bill Ewing of the advertising and publicity department. A new slate of officers was elected at the annual meeting of the Washington MGM Pep Club. The meeting was held at the exchange office following office hours, September 24. Officers elected were : Catherine Murphey, 4th booker, president ; Anna Ridgely, cashier, vicepresident ; Alice Reighly, cashier department, secretary ; Betty B. Shaw, district manager's office and treasurer ; sergeant at arms, 3rd Booker Henry Ajello. ^ — « HOWARD PHIILIPS FuS I ^MADISON^es^tSfONE m^ta^mmf ■ ■■■^ zi/ue&d sm bischqff ;piCTU»t.S// mm BOOK IT TODAY— Atlanta — Astor Boston — Astor Buffalo— Pam-0 Chicago — Elman Charlotte — J. Schrader Cleveland — Imperial Dallas — Asfor Denver — Commercial Detroit— Aflied Indianapolis — P.R.C. Los Angeles — Majestic Minnesota — P.R.C. Milwaukee — Astor New Haven — J. Levine New Orleans — Astor New York — Astor Philadelphia — Hollywood Pittsburgh — Crown San Francisco — Astor St. Louis — Astor Washington — Astor