Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

YHANKS to Fred Strom, who arranged a swell program of entertainment, the Twin City Variety club’s last dinner meeting of the season Monday was a most enjoyable affair. Those who failed to attend missed a lot of fun. Guests included Bill Donnelly, business agent of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Jack Thoma, Columbia exploiteer, in Minneapolis in connection with the forthcoming roadshowing of “The Lost Horizon” at the Lyceum theatre, starting May 14. Bennie Ashe, Bennie Berger’s right-hand man, has announced that he immediately will go into serious training for a resumption of his handball activities. Ashe has been absenting himself from the courts for several months, but was quite adept at the game before his present lay-off. As soon as he rounds into form, Ashe says he intends to challenge Harry Dryer who has boasted that he can take the former mto camp for fun or mojiey. S. D. Kane, Twin City Variety club property master, in a bulletin just issued, headed “We Thank Our Friends,” gratefully acknowledges contributions made by four friends to the opening of the new Nicollet hotel clubrooms, considerably lessening the expenses attendant upon the remodeling and equipping of the rooms. The firms are Liebenberg & Kaplan, architects; National Theatre Supply Co., Insulation Sales Co. and the Brown Carpet Co. Out-of town exhibitors visiting Filmrow included J. C. Snyder, Williston, N. D.; S. J. Blackmer, Duluth; J. M. Rohr, Pine River, and E. A. Johnson, Olivia, Minn. National Screen has organized a social club with Robert Bran ton as president; Alice Johnson, secretary and Evelyn Wick, treasurer. Its first affair will be a wiener roast May 13. Larry Kline, RKO assistant booker, is doing his first trick of jury duty since he moved from New York to Minneapolis. Russell Abbott, poster clerk, is pinchhitting for him. J. L. Stern of Majestic and Bank Night, no sooner back from a long vacation in Hot Springs and Dallas, departed for New York on a business trip. He returned from the latter this week. V. Netzinger, RKO booker, may be getting s7iobbish. At any rate, he has moved to the exclusive Edina district. Rud Lohrenz, branch manager, headed the Warner Brothers’ delegation that departed this week for the New York sales’ convention at the Waldorf. Others were Harold B. Johnson, Earle Perkins, Myron Adcock, Louis Blumberg, Charles Jackson and Tommy Charek. Leo Adler, United Artists’ New York home office auditor, in town. Warner Brothers screened “Prince and the Pauper” for exhibitors and the bunch claim it’s “One of the year’s best.” W. A. Steffes is back from a Chicago (Continued on page 85) Nebraska Judge Rules Bank Night a Lottery IC. C. Exchanges Unionized; Elect Oliicers Kansas City — Film Exchange employes affiliated with the lATSE organization Tuesday night elected officers as follows'. Sam Martin, poster clerk at Grand National, president; Mary Womach at RKO, vicepresident; Bob Conn, 20th CeiituryFox, business representative; Charles Lewis at Republic-Midwest, treasurer; Webster Knight, Uiiiversal, financial secretary; Jeanette Lohr, Columbia, recording and corresponding secretary. Executive board of three inembers, plus president and vicepresident: Brittie Mueller, Warner Bros.; Jay Knight, United Artists; Wm. Bruegging . Paramount, guide; Mayme Wagner, United Artists; John Long, Fox, sergeant-at-arms ; George Kopf, Warner Bros., reading clerk; and three delegates to Central Labor Union — Webster Knight, Jay Knight and Bob Conn. The union had obligated 114. Officials indicated that they would start organizing front-of-the-theatre employes within the next week or two. ADOPTS DAYLIGHT SAVING Kansas City — ^Springfield is one of the few Missouri cities to put daylight saving into effect. Lincoln — Bank Night was halted in Nebraska May 3, when Judge Fred Messmore’s Beatrice, Neb. district court decision upheld Attorney General Richard C. Hunter’s ruling that its practice in the state represents a violation of the Nebraska lottery law. Judge Messmore handed down the verdict Thursday, but did not put it into action until May 3. Bank Night attorneys were instructed to tell their clients to prepare for an immediate statewide halt, pending the decision of the supreme court on the appeal which will be filed by the Bank Night distributors. The case was brought on test against the Beatrice Theatres Corp., a Foxwesco subsidiary, and Lewis B. Sponsler, the resident manager. It was filed when the Bank Nighters refused to abide by attorney general Hunter’s ruling, shortly after he came into office, that it constituted a lottery violation. “Consideration” the Question The whole case rested on whether or not consideration was paid to participate in the Bank Night drawing. Hunter granted it was not necessary to buy a ticket, but said any effort such as that needed to appear at the theatre and wait for the drawing, or to come to the theatre to register, was giving of one’s time, or a consideration of value. Assisting Hunter to bring the case to a successful conclusion for the state were Francis V. Robinson, Barlow Nye, and Paul Chaney. 40>o DISCOUNT 40% DISCOUNT AS ALWAYS Stebbins Takes the Lead in Forcing Reduced Prices for Their Many Good Friends Among the Independent Theatre Owners. GENUINE KAPLAN SUREFIT REPAIR PARTS FOR KAPLAN AND STANDARD SIMPLEX MACHINES Remember Kaplan Builds the Finest Repair Parts to be Had. Latest Rear Shutters, List $100; Your Net Price $60 Double Bearing Movements, List $85; Your Net Price $51 I You Have Always Had 20% Discount from Us — Now We Double It on Kaplan Guaranteed Parts to 40% ,, Subject to Change Without Notice. LOANERS FURNISHED I STEBBINS THEATRE EQUIPMENT COMPANY "The Independent Exhibitor's Best Friend for 38 Years." Telephone GRand 0134 Night Phone DRexel 2791 1804 WYANDOTTE ST. KANSAS CITY. MO. BOXOFFICE ;: May 8, 1937. 81