Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD REPORTS NET CLIMB Boston — The consolidated balance sheet of the Heywood-Wakefield Co., dated March 31, shows that profits for the first three months of the current year are nearly doubled those of a similar period in 1936. The net profit during January, February and March of this year — after all charges, including depreciation, bond interest, and provision for federal income taxes — was $101,664, as compared to $57,675 for the corresponding three months of a year ago. Bill shipments were 47 per cent ahead of those for the same quarter in 1936, according to Heywood-Wakefield Co. Orders received were 65 per cent ahead of incoming business for first quarter of 1936. Demand Retraction (Continued from page 55) except for the purpose of making repairs or to abide by the decision of a censor authority. We therefore further notify you that any such suggested misframing is in violation of the agreement which any of your members exhibiting the picture have entered into with us, will be treated by us as such and vigorous action taken by us to put a stop to any such alteration.” ‘‘Must Screen as Served” Boston — “Exhibitors are required to screen motion pictures in their entirety, as served them by 20th-Fox,” declared Edward X. Callahan, Boston manager for the distributor, to Boxoffice this week. The statement came in answer to the resolution passed by the Independent Exhibitors, Inc., advising Allied members to nullify alleged paid General Motors advertising in the first few feet of “Wake Up and Live” by not showing that portion of the WinchellBernie musical on their screens. The Independent Exhibitors, Inc., striking at alleged instances of commercialized entertainment, urged members, in the instance of the aforesaid feature in which the Time Square electric sign of General Motors occupies a prominent place in the prologue of the pix where the cast, etc., are given, to “eliminate this advertising by a slight misframe of the title.” “No Paid Advertising” “There was no paid advertising in ‘Wake Up and Live,’ to the best of my knowledge,” Callahan told Boxoffice. “The General Motors sign is shown merely because it happens to occupy a central spot in Times Square. Exhibitors are supposed to project pictures as served to them by Hollywood. No one is forced to play the film.” “Wake Up and Live” has just concluded a highly successful week at the Metropolitan. It has been booked for a second week in first-run Boston, day and date at the Paramount and the Fenway. AMERICAN SEATING REPORTS PROFIT Grand Rapids, Mich. — American Seating Co. for the quarter ended March 31 showed a net profit of $100,896, before provision for federal surtax on undistributed profits. WPA Drama Losses Show Cheap Legit Impractical Hartford Cameo Drops Stage Shows Hartford — The Cameo Theatre, pursuing a stage show and film policy for many years, has adopted a straight picture policy, with admissions reduced fo 10 and 15 cents. A. D. Goldberg, owner, and his daughter, Miss Bessie Goldberg, former assistant, will manage the house, while Larry O’Neill, former manager, is said to have new connections outside the territory. The 4,000-seaf State is now the only Hartford theatre to continue vaudeville. ]y|ATT SAUNDERS, Loew-Poli manager, went to Washington with the PostTelegram carriers and returned by plane. Manager Edgar Lynch of the Cameo, who always takes his vacation early, is sidestepping Virginia Beach for the first time in years. He plans to visit Baltimore, his home town, arid go west to Chicago. The American Seating Co. is installing seats in the new Brooklawn Theatre, Fairfield. Matt Saunders has been named supervisor for the Loew Lyric. Humphrey Doulens, Post-Telegram film critic, has joined the Ringling circus for six weeks. The Bryan Memorial Theatre, Washington Depot, has been doing increased business while the Star, New Milford, is closed for extensive remodeling . Prices at the Lyric, first-run house, have been cut from 40 cents to a quarter top. Boston — WPA drama projects, reckoned as a competitive factor by motion picture theatre operators, is given a mild drubbing in an editorial published in the Boston Post, one of the better Hub dailies. “One of the announced objects of the WPA drama project is to demonstrate the great field existing for drama at popular prices to satisfy the hunger of the masses for the stage,” the editorial reads, “The idea back of the WPA reformers is that the commercial stage is too interested in profits.” “The WPA has had a chance to try out its popular-priced scheme. It has about eight theatres going full blast in New York City. Some are dismal failures at very cheap prices. The most successful are run at enormous deficits. “The ‘New Yorker’ presents some figures of the ‘Dr. Fautus’ WPA show at the Maxine Elliott Theatre. It is usually very well patronized at prices ranging from 15 to 55 cents. Yet, playing at capacity, the show loses $1,088 a week. This in spite of the fact that 43 out of 44 in the cast receive but $23.88 a week, that no royalties are paid, that advertising expenses are only $100 a week and stage hands etc., get but a third of the union scale. “If with all these tremendous advantages over the commercial theatre the WPA, with one of its most successful shows, goes in the hole so far each week, how is it possible, save by the government paying all the expenses, to make a go of this popular theatre? And how long will the government continue to do it?” Honor Doulens Bridgeport, Conn. — Humphrey Doulens, film critic of the Post and Telegram, who left May 3 for a six weeks’ tour with the Ringling circus, was honored at testimonial dinner in the Stratfield Hotel on the eve of his departure. HEADQUARTERS FOR EXHIBITORS WHEN IN BOSTON rnVVn d 1C 455 Columbus Ave. 1 nii An V U X Boston, Mass. BETWEEN DARTMOUTH STREET <5. MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE Six minutes’ walk from film district Three minutes from all Baek Bay Stations. Elevated bus line by door. Transfers to all parts of Boston and suburbs. 150 ROOMS, ALL WITH BATH Suites for famiiies of four; parlor, two bedrooms, bath — .S4.00, $5.00, $6.00 a day. Doul>le rooms — $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, $4.00 a day Sinele rooms — $2.00, $2.50 a day SPECIAL WEEKLY RATES Garage nearby — Cars called for and delivered. Rate 50c for 24 hours. Excellent New England Food Served in the Savoy Cafe Club Breakfast 15c to 65c Also a la carte menu Luncheons 25c to 50c No iJcense Dining Room Dinners 50c, 75c, $1.00 No room service charge GEORGE E. CLARK, Manager BOXOFFICE :: May 8, 1937. 61