Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

K A Y C IE IE QN April 12 Louis Sosna celebrated the first anniversary of the Sosna Theatre in Moberly, Mo., by playing a whole week of “return” pictures. In his advertisements on the occasion, Louis referred to the coronation in England, and commented that his celebration had nothing to do with the crowning of a king, but did have something to do with his, Sosna’s, not getting crowned in his first year. About 75 attended the M-G-M party at Variety Club Thursday night April 29. On the bill of fare was dancing, cards. Screeno, gifts and other indices of refined hilarity. Douglas Desch of GB and Frank Bowen managed the first Bingo party at Variety Club last Saturday. About 50 attended. Desch rounded up a three-piece orchestra and barkers and their guests danced. Variety Club officials have arranged for a Bingo affair every Saturday night, and there will be other features as time goes on. Bowen will officiate as caller again. Miss Hazel Ralph, secretary to O. K. Mason at Commonwealth, has just returned from a week’s vacation in San Antonio, Tex. Traveling auditors here: George Jacoby is at the Universal exchange for several weeks doing routine checking. Frank J. Barry is on duty at Columbia. Republic-Midwest is said to be adding another trunk line to take care of telephone calls. Members of the Williams Family, which operates the Delphus at Carthage, Mo., unlike many families, stick together through fair weather or foul. In fact, they form such a friendly, homogeneous group that it is difficult to keep their family positions separate. Last week we had George Williams the father and “Put” the brother of “Yic.” It isn’t so. I. P. “Put” is the father, George and “Yic” are the two sons. J. B. Roshong has acquired the' Bird City theatre at Bird City, Kas. Roshong also operates the St. Francis, St. Francis, Kas. He is installing RCA sound. Johnny Scott at Republic-Midwest received official notification last week from Edgar Jones, who now manages the Orpheum at Marion, 111., for Pox Midwest. There wasn’t any signature, but Johnny knew who it was from— a postcard of the cherry blossoms in Washington, with the notation: “Pox News No. 61; Universal No. 28; Metro No. 54; Paramount even, Republic No. 13.” When Jones was in K. C., the two used to groan every spring with the simultaneous appearance of the blossoms in all newsreels. Miss Ethel May Zavodsky, secretary to R. W. McEwan, Bank Night distributor here, and Kenneth O. Bratcher, formerly at the Independent Poster Exchange, were married Saturday, May 1. The couple honeymooned in the Ozarks. Mr. Bratcher is now employed by the Columbia Steel Co. If you didn’t see it, Landon Laird in the About Town column of the Kansas City Star the other day passed along to the public the real answer to the double feature question. Most of those who have had anything to say on the issue have been against multiple bills. A film fan wrote Laird that in one week he had seen 30 features and 22 shorts, spending a total of 42 hours in the process. A postscript said “I like shows.” A fire was discovered in the RepublicMidwest exchange the other 1 a. m. by Boh Withers, manager, and what might have proved a serious conflagration turned out to be just another fire. Bob was wending his way homeward from doivntown at the time, and followed his usual habit of dropping in at the office just to have a look around. His friends aren’t making fun of the long established habit any more. The Grand National staff had their pictures taken Monday a. m., but the job had to be done over again Tuesday, probably due to the tie Bill Kubitzki wore. Laura Dever Austin, who formerly was cashier several years for Republic-Midwest but who now is married and living in Windsor, Mo., visited on Filmrow this week. “One of the largest houses in Nebraska,” said Don “Hifi” Davis of RCA, “the Capitol at Grand Island, has decided to replace its present sound equipment with new RCA high fidelity deluxe sound equipment.” The Capitol is an A. H. Blank, Tri-States house. Filmrow visitors this week included Mrs. E. Nolan, Cassville and Pierce City, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Lee Porter, Glasgow, Kas.; George Nescher, Valley Falls, Kas.; Hugh Gardner and Ed Harris, Neosho, Mo.; Bob Gorham, Liberty, Horton, Kas.; Tom Wilhoit, Princess, Springfield, Mo.; Louis Griefe, Windsor, Mo.; Isadore Daynosky, Rivoli, St. Joseph; George Hayob, Marshall, Mo.; T. J. Spencer, Ritz, Trenton, Mo.; I. W. Maple, Roxy, Bethany, Mo.; Frank Anderson, Family, Kirksville, Mo.; J. D. Rankin, and Virgil Harbison, Tarkio, Tarkio, Mo.; Lee Jones, Harrisonville, Mo.; C. A. Botkins, Harper, Kas., and J. W. Grantham, Baxter Springs, Kas.; M. S. Wetmore, Arkansas City, Kas. (Continued on page 86) GUY BRADFORD GETS SALES POST WITH UA Kansas City — Guy Bradford has been named sales representative for the southern Kansas territory by W. E. Truog, branch manager for United Artists. Bradford formerly was with GB as salesman and later as branch manager. Joe Levy, who formerly covered the territory for UA, is now in the east. Renovate at Festus Pestus, Mo. — H. E. Miller, who recently opened the new Miller Theatre here is now making extensive alterations on the old Idle Hour Theatre in the same town. M’EWAN NAMES DISTRIBUTOR Kansas City — The Ben Lass Agency in St. Louis has been named official representative for Bank Roll, Hollywood and Wahoo by R. W. McEwan of Affiliated Distributors. The territory covered by Lass will be eastern Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky. • DON “High Fidelity” Says: TWO FACTORS Make Up the Cost of Your Sound System— INITIAL COST and UPKEEP. Be sure you check both before you purchase that new equipment. Regardless of whether you compare cost, performance or public preference your choice will be RCA. Don AVIS 906 Davidson Bldg — 17th & Main KANSAS CITY, MO. The World's Fastest Growing Sound Company BOXOFFICE :: May 8, 1937. 83