Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

ID) IE M V IE R pRED EISLE, manager of the Gothic Theatre, has gone to California for a vacation. Denver has lost one of its best cashiers. Madra Huskie of the Jewel Theatre has moved to California Theatre and we predict it won’t be long before she is in a boxoffice there. She certainly dresses it up. and knows her business as ivell. George Paper, who has been on sick leave for a year, has been put to work as city manager at Longmont, replacing Mark Berkheimer, who was moved into Denver by Fox. The managers of the Huffman and Fox houses in Denver were guests of Rick Ricketson and Harry Huffman at a dinner at the Denver Athletic Club. The dinner ivas in the nature of a celebration of the taking over of the Huffman houses by Fox. Ricketson, division manager: Huffman, city manager, and every manager of a house in the city, all made brief talks. Ed Maple, producer and roadshower of sex films, as well as part owner of two Denver theatres, was in Denver and made arrangements for the showing of “Ecstasy” at the Tivoli. An instance of fast selling and booking was seen ivhen George Kerer of Capital Film received a print of "Spain in Revolt" ’Wednesday, screeiied it Thursday, aiid on Friday started it in the Denver, first run. Burglars entered the Mission Theatre via a coal chute and took $24 from the boxoffice. Walter Tanner, formerly in the theatre business here, is noiv on the road selling subscriptions for News-Week. J. B. Melton, owner of the Victory, Center and Colorado theatres, has returned to Florida to spend some time on his plantation. He spent about six weeks in Denver. Robert Garland. Fox theatre booker, loent to Chicago to attend the funeral of his mother, who was killed in an auto accident. The Plaza Theatre, taken over recently by Dave Cockrill, has boosted its top evening price from a dime to 15 cents. Roland Lutz, manager of the Denver Poster exchange, has returned from a business trip to New York. Employes at the Universal exchange are having a grand time spending the extra week’s salary won in the recent Universal sales contest. The Harry McDonalds of Torrington, Wyo.. who operate theatres in that state, have moved to Denver. The Mrs. will do the booking and Harry will look after the theatres. Berlin Tanner is the new manager of the Rex at Brighton, having been advanced from assistant by Dave Davis, general manager of the Atlas theatres. Tanner succeeds DeForest Swanson, who resigned. CONDOR BUYS RIGHTS TO "NINE OLD MEN" New York — Film rights to “Nine Old Men.” the much-discussed novel about the U. S. supreme court by Drew Pearson and Robert Allen, has been bought by Condor Pictures for immediate production. Harry J. Rothman, executive member of the Condor board, signed the agreement for the rights with David Garrison Berger, New York attorney, who held the option to the picture rights. Berger will be associate producer on the picture. Amedee J. Van Beuren, chairman of the board of Condor Pictures, said the new company would make “Nine Old Men” in such fashion as to “present the supreme court question to the American people in a fair, impartial manner.” A script is in the Hays office for approval. U. S. Film Outlets Shifting Abroad New York — A dispatch to the New York Times reveals the fact that the small German-speaking countries outside the Reich are becoming a more important outlet for good American films than the 65,000,000 Germans within Germany’s borders. American distributors here have discovered that the censor shows a conscious and obvious preference for American films that are second-rate and unlikely to appeal to the public, declares the Times. It is asserted that when a group of American films is sent up to the censor the worst of the lot from the standpoint of their appeal to the public will be released and the remainder rejected. The Times reports an announcement from the Fox Film Corp. that it is synchronizing “Girls’ Dormitory” into German at the studios in Rome and other American concerns are expected to do likewise with their product. Ask Film Tax Canberra, Australia — With a favorable eye focused on the mother country, the New South Wales government has warned distributors of American films they must honor the provisions of the film quota act requiring a quota of British films. While, at present, American master prints are sent into the Australian market duty-free, Australian producers contend that each copy should pay the country’s excise film tax on the prints of 8 pence per foot, which American companies maintain would be prohibitive. The recent American threat to quit the Australian market if an exorbitant tariff is levied on American prints is not taken seriously in official circles. UNIVERSAL SIGNS BURKE. KOHNER Hollywood — Universal signed Marcella Burke and Frederick Kohner to adapt their original .story, “Mad About Music,” which Joseph Pasternak will produce. gD ATKINS, operator of the Lyric Theatre in Marysville, was in town recently with plans for a new house in the same city. Los Angeles contributed several visitors recently, among them being George Montgomery , of All-Star Features Distributors, who was seen in deep conversation with our oivn Armand Cohn. Also L. S. Sonney, up from the south to visit the local offices of his Independent Roadshoivs. It’s a boy at the Barney Greenberg’s, with congratulations being received. Phil Zenovitch, manager of Levin’s Roosevelt Theatre, is workmg up some new advertising ideas for the ace neighborhood house. M. L. Markowitz is using independent first runs to good effect at his Market Street Marion Davies Theatre. THREE-WAY HORN IS NEW SOUND DEVICE Hollyw^ood — To analyze songs in playbacks, and to aid in recording with proper balance before the flim is released. Douglas Shearer, Metro sound engineer, has devised a new three-way horn. The device strengthens the previously-designed two-way horn by a third of high frequency. The apparatus was first used on playbacks from “The Firefly.” LOS ANGELES • Continued from preceding page) manager, made his first appearance on the Row recently since he underwent a major operation at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital six weeks ago. He looked as good as ever and said that he’s all ready to gt in and make up for lost time in the Schaefer Sales Drive, which is now about half over. Work will be started May 1, at Exeter, on a new theatre, to be operated by C. E. Pease. The theatre, a 150-seater, is scheduled to be ready by August 1. Exeter is north of Porterville. Work is being rushed on Glen Harper’s new theatre at Fontana so that the spot will be ready to open June 1. New RCA sound equipment and a modern refrigeration plant will be features of the house. Harper also operates at Corona. Harry Fields, veteran distributor, has deserted the fihn field for radio ayid has authored a radio skit titled "Harlem Night Court" tvhich ivill be released over the NBC soon, starring Clarence Muse and sponsored by Sayika Coffee. The Columbia Theatre, San Bernardino, has been taken over by the Feldstein-Dietrich circuit and will be remodeled and opened in about a month. The house will operate on a subsequent run policy with one Spanish bill a week. The Columbia has been dark for about six months. 46 BOXOFFICE :: April 10, 1937.