Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

pORMER State Senator Frank J. Harris, president of the Harris Amusement companies, will be named as chairman of the Republican committee of Allegheny county in the near future, the present leader having announced his determination to resign. No sign of any organized opposition has appeared. Another exhibitor friend made the “Believe It or Not” Bob Ripley strip last Saturday when the likeness of W. B. Hines of White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., and reproductions of his auto license plates for 24 years, all numbered “3” were featured. Hines operates the village theatre at White Sulphur Springs and also the theatre in the de luxe Greenbrier Hotel there. The Greenbrier auditorium is where the West Virginia Managers’ Association meet each summer for a convention. Manuel Greenwald, manager of the downtown Barry Theatre, took the marital vows last week. Nat M. Cherkosly's application to act as a common carrier in delivering films in McKeesport and other east boroughs has been granted. J. R. Kauffman, New Universal branch manager, was back on the job Monday following a weekend spent in Toronto, Can. Vincent Scatena, local decorator, ivas busy this iveek m,odernizing the Lincoln Theatre. Rimersburg. Pa., for Mike Serventi. Scatena Studio will redecorate the Lincoln Theatre, Neiv Martinsville, W. Va., for Dr. Koontz, starting in a few weeks. Dr. Koontz plans the erection of another theatre at New Martinsville. Ann Simon, WB biller, reported back at the exchange this week after an illness of ten days. Grover Taylor of Greenbank, W. Va., operator of the theatre at Durbin, teas involved m a traffic violation Monday noon when he attempted to drive his car from the Blvd. of the Allies, making a left-hand turn into Van Braam street. Another car inbound smashed into and broke the corner street pole in front of the M-G-M exchange, damaging the auto, but no one was injured, although Pete Alderman and Marty Turner had to make a few athletic jumps to avoid being run doivn. Exhibitor Taylor was here to purchase equipment for a neiv theatre which he has under construction at Valley Head, W. Va., which is scheduled for an early opening. Hagenbeck-Wallace circus, here May 8, 10 and 11, opens the outdoor season, with the Cole Bros, circus, featuring Clyde Beatty and Ken Maynard, following on May 21 and 22. Sam Fineberg of the Republic exchange reports an ill son, following the recent illness of his wife, and last Saturday a gas explosion badly damaged his mother’s home and she suffered shock. Bill Finkel, south side exhibitor, departed this week for California where he will vacation for a few weeks. Mr. and Mrs. (Continued on page 70) C1IL1IEV1IE1ILAM» Freeze Put on Nudies in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh — Newspapers on Monday announced that Safety Director George E. A. Fairley would send a representative to the Casino, local burlesque house, to judge whether the shows were degrading to public morals. The task was assigned to John O’Connor, city detective, who attended a performance at the Casino arid found that the freeze had been put on the strip-teasers. He reported that “outside of a couple of jokes which should have gone to the laundry, the shoiv might be viewed without nervous breakdown by the entire board of directors of the Society for the Suppression of Vice and Stuff.” George Jaffe, operator of the Casino, announced that he would ivelcome any suggestion made by the department of public safety. CONVENTIONS SLOW FILMROW ACTIVITY Cleveland — With all of the distributors either at conventions or making plans to attend, things have slowed down almost to a stop along Filmrow. The M-G-M-ers are on the coast. Frank Drew, branch manager, all the salesmen, the office manager and head booker attended. Monogram holds its first convention at the Drake Hotel. Chicago, on May 6. Nate Schultz, northern Ohio franchise owner, will be the local representative at the gathering. Warner Bros, convention in New York, May 10-13, will take Branch Manager Milton A. Mooney east. Harry H. Goldstein, Paramount district manager, and John Himmelein, branch manager, will leave shortly for the Paramount get-together in Hollywood. Twentieth Century-Fox men attending their convention in Hollywood starting May 26 will include District Manager George Roberts, Branch Manager I. J. Schmertz, all the salesmen and the bookers. Universal’s gathering on May 13 in Hollywood will include from Cleveland Branch Manager Dave Miller, and the entire sales force, namely Joe Krenitz, Harry Young, Jack Withers and Jack Lefton. Date for the RKO convention has not been set. Levys Name Baby Pittsburgh — Mr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Levy, proud parents of a son, born last week at West Penn Hospital, have named the heir Jules Abraham, after their fathers. Local Columbia Pictures managers and past chief barker of the Variety Club has been passing the cigars and receiving many congratulations. Mrs. Levy is the former Miss Bess Lefkowitz, formerly associated with the local Warner Bros, exchange. "Good Earth" Record Detroit — Off to a flying start, M-G-M’s “The Good Earth,” should enjoy a profitable, long run as a roadshow at the Cass Theatre. The first week’s gross was the biggest of any roadshow ever shown here. Q,EORGE DELIS, district manager of the A. G. Constant circuit, hobbled up from Canton last week on crutches. He is recovering from a broken leg sustained in an automobile accident . . . Frank Porozinski of the New Victory is back from Florida, wearing that contented look because his orange grove gave the largest yield in the past five years. Max Lefkowich played “Broken Blossoms,” Imperial picture, at the Circle last week under its original title instead of under the substitute title of “Limehouse Murder,” which has proven popular in some territories. Holbrook C. Bissell, president of Imperial Pictures of northern Ohio, while in New York last week was elected to the company’s board of directors. Bissell and his associate, Cornelius Linehan, have signed a five-year contract with Imperial for northern Ohio distribution. Original contract was for three years. Ray Allison held a seven-day first birthday anniversary of the Shaker Theatre last week, with special added features daily. Roses for the ladies on opening day, surprise gift packages for all patrons on two specified evenings, ice cream for the children on Saturday, a special hand writing expert, Lester Chafetz by name, on days when there were no gifts, and top-notch pictures for all three program changes. The Shaker is owned and operated by the Associated Theatres circuit. Out-of-town visitors of the week included: Martin G. Smith of Toledo, and president of the ITOO; Ray Frisz of Bellefontaine, booker for the Schine circuit; W. J. Powell of the Lo-Net, Wellington, who has just returned from a vacation trip to Hot Springs: Floyd Heigel, theatre owner of Ottawa and Leipsic; Louise Stoll, with theatres in Bellevue, Clyde, Shelby and Tiffin: M. C. Berryman, Globe, Columbiana; George Fleischmann, State and World theatres, Toledo, and George Planck of the Palace Theatre, Marion. John Huebner of the Ohio, formerly the Grand Theatre, Marion, was up for the openmg baseball game, all dressed up in light spring togs in the most approved “Oscar Bergman” manner. C. M. Kahn, who recently sold his Alan and Rex theatres, Toledo, to J. Diller, plans to move out west . . . A. G. Constant has bought the Epilogue series of 52 single reelers, released through Imperial exchange for all of his theatres, including those in East Liverpool, Portsmouth and Canton. Other Epilogue contracts have been signed for the Shaker and Loraine-Fulton theatres, Cleveland. William Weiss has sold the Rialto Theatre to Associated Theatres. This gives Associated a circuit o/ 21 houses with a total seating capacity of 22,879 seats. Myer Fine, vice-president of Associated Theatres, buys product for the entire circuit. Philip Kendis, president of Exhibitors Poster Rental Co., and the Missus are back from Miami, Havana and points south, where they have been since the first of the year. 68 BOXOFFICE :: May 8, 1937.