Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

MllEW YORK Phillij Independents Hit at Distribntor "Drives" ^HE Press Photographers, who ought to know, speak their piece: The hardest persons to photograph: Greta Garbo and J. P. Morgan. The most fascinating woman: Hildegarde, radio and screen star. The best dressed woman: Irene Rich. The most photographed child: Shirley Temple, with the Dionne Quints running a close second. The easiest person to photograph: Mayor La Guardia. All of this was disclosed in a poll of the press lensers in New York. Norton V. Ritchey, general manager of Monogram’s export department, has returned from a Florida vacation . . . Myron Battler, Paramount branch manager for the metropolitan territory, is off for fun in Havana . . . Arthur A. Lee is booked to sail for Europe on the Normandie April 28 . . . Joe Weil, director of exploitation for Universal, is back from Canadian conferences anent openings of “Top of the Town” . . . Joseph I. Breen, production code administrator for the Hays office, is due from England next week. Gordon White, John C. Plinn and Marvin Kirsch will be in charge of entertainment for the forthcoming Ampa dinnerdance at the Hotel New Yorker May 1. If you have any novel ideas, shoot ’em to the boys . . . E. C. Grainger, brown as the proverbial berry from three weeks of Florida . . . A1 Santell is in town looking at lots of shows . . . Ernst Lubitsch is posting $50 for the best advertising catchline for the campaign on “Angel.” The contest is open to all Paramount publicity employes. Miriam Hopkins is understood to have a piece of “Miss Quis,” current Broadway attraction . . . Lawrence Tibbett has been re-elected president of the American Guild of Musical Artists. James Melton remains a member of the board . . . Charles E. and Mrs. McCarthy have returned from a Caribbean cruise . . . Jake Lubin is getting along nicely after an operation at the Hospital for Joint Diseases . . . Hal Hode, public relations representative for Columbia, will address groups at the Hotels Astor and Roosevelt, April 20 and 23, respectively , on what “Lost Horizon” should mean to them. When Samuel Goldwyn put Linton Wells in charge of his eastern publicity and advertising department, he acquired the kind of talent that promises to put NEWS in motion picture publicity. Linton’s background includes newspaper coverage of wars and insurrections in all parts of the world since the Chinese revolution of 1911. He reported the Italo-Ethiopian conflict for the New York Herald-Tribune and was roving reporter in Europe for International News Service, later becoming chief of INS and Universal Service bureaus in Moscow from 1932 to 1934. He has been Hollywood correspondent for the HeraldTribune, Chicago Tribune and Associated Press. Tony Barg is designing the murals for the newsreel theatre opening next month in the Grand Central Terminal . . . Fun (Continued on next page) Shenandoah Showmen Face Gouge Philadelphia — Theatre owners in Bhenandoah, Pa., are facing a battle for their existence in a bill pending before the borough council there. The bill proposes to raise the license fee to $3.00 a day and $25 for Bunday which would raise the present $100 license fee to $2,236, for a theatre running all year around. The situation looks serious after the bill received the approval of the Bhenandoah Labor Board, which charged that Bhenandoah theatres charged higher entrance fees than surrounding towns. Only five members of the \b-man borough council have thus far expressed opposition to the proposed ordinance, it was reported. School Film Study Move Wide-Spread New York — “More than 5,000 progressive schools and colleges are teaching photoplay appreciation today” in contrast to a decade ago when the power of schools to influence film trends lay dormant, according to William Lewin, chairman of the motion picture committee. Department of Secondary Education, National Education Assn., speaking before students of the New York University School of Education Thursday night. Study guides on the better photoplays are issued periodically, basic text books in the photoplay appreciation field are now available and methods of the movement are being taught in normal schools and teachers’ colleges. All this is of benefit to the exhibitor in that it creates potential audiences, Lewin said, expressing the opinion that “one of the most effective methods of using a motion picture appreciation course is to correlate it with whatever films are currently being seen by pupils in neighborhood theatres. Lewin has long opposed the practice of major motion picture companies of sending out study guides to theatre managers and exchanges in advance of release date. This policy, Lewin maintains, definitely dates the guides and they often never reach the classes for which they are intended. A more effective method of distributing these pamphlets, Lewin declared, is to have them issued from the Educational and Recreational Guides headquarters. Philadelphia — Opposition to “drives” and sales campaigns put on by local exchanges was voiced at a meeting of the board of managers of the UMPTO of E. Pa., So. N. J., and Del. held last Friday. The organization called upon exhibitors to refrain from participating in such campaigns which were termed “injurious to the industry” and “not in the best interest of the exhibitor.” Slaps Columbia The UMPTO also passed a resolution condemning Columbia Pictures Inc., for allegedly setting up a non-theatrical situation in Bridgeport, Pa., in “retaliation” against an exhibitor for not buying Columbia product for the 1936-37 season. The distributor is accused of selling pictures to churches and halls in competition to the Bridgeport exhibitor, Members of the organization were also urged to delay entering into any contracts with distributors for the forthcoming season until they are duly advised by the officers of the UMPTO. Restate Shorts Pay Stand The UMPTO restated its opposition to the weekly payment plan for shorts. It called upon all its members to sign pledges to refrain from signing contracts which provide for the weekly payment plan. N. Y. SCHOOL BOARD PRODUCES A FILM New York — The department of education of the city of New York this week entered the field of motion picture production with work started on a full-length feature on safety education. About 30 prints will be put in circulation among the schools in the metropolitan area. The feature will be supervised by professional photographers from the WPA adult education project. It will be designed to dramatize the dangers that children face going to and from school and will emphasize how to cross streets properly and other phases of safety. About 200 children at a Bronx school will enact roles. Will Aid Campaign New York — William Scully, zone chairman of the New York committee of the Will Rogers Memorial Drive, and Joe Lee, committee member, discussed the campaign beginning April 30 with members of Allied Theatre Owners Assn, at a meeting at the Hotel Lincoln Tuesday. The organization voted to support the campaign. In the absence of President Lee Newbury, the meeting was conducted by Sidney Samuelson, member of the board. BOXOFFICE :: April 10. 1937, 25