Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

K AY € IE IE JOHN McMANUS, manager of the Mid^ land, who was held up and robbed the other night by two bandits, lost just $10 more than he might have lost. The evening before he asked John Hardgrove, his assistant, who “banks” for him, for a ten spot. Hardgrove had three ones and a twenty, but no ten. McManus took the twenty. Police Saturday charged Fred Martin of Kansas City, Kas., with first degree robbery in connection with the Midland theft. Martin was arraigned before Justice Louis J. Mazuch and, pending preliminary hearing May 4, was released on $3,000 bond. Kenward Ward, Midland usher, positively identified Martin as one of the two stickup artists. J. J. Kametz, who operated the show at Bunceton, Mo., has moved it to Wellsville. Beverly Miller, former National Screen Service manager here, and now Coolaire Distributing Co. manager, left Houston, Tex., the other day by air, stopping for brief appointments at Dallas, Oklahoma City, Wichita, Kansas City and St. Louis. He went on to Indianapolis to spend a week at the factory, and stopped in on Pilmrow Saturday for a few hours before returning to Houston. He’s following warm weather north and will reopen offices at 113 West 18th street in about three weeks. R. C. LiBeau, district manager for Paramount, held a business conference of branch managers here April 23. Attending were Morris Schweitzer, St. Louis; A. Mendenhall, Omaha; Ray Copeland, Des Moines, and Joe Manfre, Kansas City. When Mary Leith Miskell arrived at the home of William Miskell, manager of the Orpheum, Omaha, and Mary Miskell, three or four weeks ago, the newspapers had the information on the street before Papa Miskell knew. It sounds like a publicity man’s idea of a good stunt — and was. Ted Emerson, Orpheum publicity man, arranged for the nurse at the hospital to call the newspapers before calling Mr. Miskell. Mary Leith already is receiving gifts from men, which is pretty rapid development even for a daughter of William Miskell. W. P. Bernfield, UA exploiteer, wrote the Miskells the other day, “Glad to learn of your first boxoffice attraction, now showing at home,” and enclosed a ring for the young lady. Don Davis and Harry Somerville of RCA will leave Kansas City May 12 for Indianapolis and the RCA convention there, which opens May 13. A smallpox and scarlet fever epidemic has closed the Virgil, R. H. Morey’s house at Virgil, Kas. H. Hanson and Elmer Kunz were scheduled to open the Royal at Burlingame, Kas., May 1. C. E. “Doc” Cook of Maryville, Mo., is getting the basement dug for his new house at Savannah, Mo. Ulric "Yic” Williams of the Delphus, Carthage, Mo., was on Filmrow this week to report that his father, George Williams, was defeated in the election for councilman from his ward by 50 votes early in April. Mrs. Delphus Williams, after whom the theatre was named, has been ill with the flu. I. P. “Put” Williams, a brother of “Yic,” also is associated in the operation of the house. Senn Lawler, director of publicity and advertising for Fox Midwest, went to Wichita the other day and came back convinced that prosperity had returned to Kansas. “One good crop can wipe out ten years of errors by politicians,” Lawler was told by one wheat farmer. For the first time in the history of Kansas City, although it is riot new in other spots, two first run houses showed the same picture simultaneously this week. The Fox Tower and Fox Uptown both had “Wake Up and Live,” Twentieth Century-Fox picture. Mike Roth, Columbia exploiteer, has been busy like a beaver in his cubby-hole office in the Orpheum Theatre for the roadshow engagement of “Lost Horizon.” He has effected numerous tieups. A replica of the fantastic city of Shangri-La set is on display at Rothschild’s. Metro Premiums has moved from the KMTA office to 113 West IZth St., sharing space with the Standard Film Co. Nat Schnitzer, general sales manager, headquartering in Boston, is here this week conferring with I. Weinstein, local manager. W. L. Norris, Paul Humston and Les Durland of the local Monogram office will auto it to Chicago for Monogram’s national convention slated for May 7-8. Miss Leona Lindsey, formerly of the Independent Poster Co., has replaced Virga Wilkins in the booking department at Universal. Miss Wilkins is now with National Screen Service. Among the exhibitors seen on Filmrow this week were Louis Sosna, Moberly, Mo.; M. B Pressley, Savannah, Mo.; J. E. Pennington, Topeka, Kas.; F. L. “Doc” Lowe, Sterling and Hays, Kas.; Roy Dunnock, Atchison, Kas.; O. L. Christian, Parker, Kas.; Glen Newbold, Yates Center, Kas.; Prank Dodson, Ellsworth, Kas.; Frank Meade, Kingman, Kas.; Jim Russell, Lancaster, Mo.; J. W. Spielman, Baldwin, Kas.; Joe Ghosen, Sedalia; A. J. Simmons, Lamar, Mo.; W. C. Slinker, Strand, Greenfield, Mo.; Wm. Waers, Plattsburg, Mo.; Elmer Bills, Lyric, Salisbury, Mo.; Warren L. Weber, Ellinwood, Kas. Juveniles to Coast Kansas City — Five juvenile members from the original Broadway stage play, “Dead End,” were met Tuesday morning at the union station by W. P. Bernfield, UA exploiteer, and two Boxoffice representatives. The quintet, all boys, were en route to Hollywood to work in the film being produced by Samuel Goldwyn. The leading roles will be played by Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrea and Humphrey Bogart. Fredonia House to Oxford Fredonia, Kas. — Perris Oxford, projectionist at the Novelty, Wichita, is opening the second house here, formerly operated by Art Pugh, who will continue with the local No. 1 house. Oxford will continue his duties at Wichita. • DON “High Fidelity” Says: ''The Mas'ic Voice of the Screen Has Taken the Country by Storm. Investigate Our Low Prices, Low Payments and High Quality. Nothing Else Comes Near Our Proposition (Turn to Page 69 for More Details) Don AVIS 906 Davidson Bldg — 17th & Main KANSAS CITY. MO. The World's Fastest Growing Sound Company BOXOFFICE :: May 1, 1937 125