Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

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SEES BRITISH FILM HELP IN NEW QUOTA New York — The financial setup of British motion picture production will be aided by new quota provisions proposed in England, according to W. A. Bach, managing director of Western Electric Co., Ltd., of London, who is in New York for conferences with Whitford Drake, Erpi president, and other company executives. On Parliament’s contemplated revision of quota requirements, Bach said: “The sincerity of the British authorities relative to the maintenance and development of the film industry cannot be doubted and it seems evident that any re-enactment of quota legislation will contain a ‘quality’ provisions aimed at the elimination of unsatisfactory financial conditions surrounding production.” He said that plans for sound coverage of last week’s Coronation had occupied much attention in the past year and every contingency was anticipated months in advance. Bach is to survey the sound situation in Canada and the west coast studios before returning to London early in June. HOLLYWOOD UNIT HUB ERPI COAST ACTIVITY New York — All of Erpi’s west coast activities will be consolidated in the new plant under construction in Hollywood, adjacent to General Service Studios, an Erpi subsidiary, Whitford Drake, Erpi president, .said here this week. The project, consisting of three two-story buildings, will cost in excess of $250,000. In addition to present facilities, which will be removed to the new structures upon completion, there will be an expansion of plant to provide for handling field problems that arise in sound recording and reproduction on the west coast. The buildings will house a scoring stage to be used by General Service Studios, a laboratory, screening room, general offices, warehouse and garage. Drake said that “increased production activity, resulting from new business with Monogram, Grand National and other major producers, had occasioned the project,” which will be located at Seward and Romaine streets. LOS ANGELES (Continued from page 40) West Coast. The house will be a 900seater, following the circuit’s first-run theatre, the Village. Floyd St. John, Republic’s California franchise holder, is expected to arrive in town this week from his San Francisco headquarters, to remain until after the convention of National Franchise Holders, scheduled for June 1-2-3 at the Roosevelt Hotel. Following that he will return to Frisco to preside over the western division meeting for salesmen and branch managers, which opens on June 4. Jerry Safron, district manager; Abe Montague, general sales manager; Abe Schneider, treasurer, and Jack Cohn, vicepresident of Columbia pictures, all planed out this week for New York where they will work on circuit deals. Details of the coming Columbia convention will also be worked out during the trip. Enthusiastic over the success of his newly opened theatre at Blythe, Bob Dugan was in town booking, and painting in glowing phrases the many swell features of his new spot. Clayton Lynch, M-G-M manager, is expected to return this week from a business jaunt to Las Vegas. Hospital reports indicate that Lloyd Dearth, manager of the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, who underwent an emergency operation for ruptured appendix Sunday, May 16, at the Good Samaritan, has an even chance for recovery. Although first reports had him critically ill, doctors now think he will recover. John McManus, manager of Loew’s Midland Theatre in Kansas City, was a guest at M-G-M studios lohile visiting here. The La Habra Theatre, La Habra, which was recently taken over by Leo Dolbrin, has been leased by John Jenkins. The spot has 420 seats and is the first run release in that territory. Dolbrin has not announced any future plans. Bud Rogers, executive of British International Pictures, a firm affiliated with GB, is expected to arrive here this week from his New York offices, to discuss co7ivention plans loith GB officials. BIP product is released in America by the GB distributing organization. Word has been received at the local Warner exchange that Branch Manager W. E. Calloway has been promoted to western division sales manager, replacing Jack Brower, who will take over Calloway’s post. Announcement of the change was made at New York where the WB convention was in session. It was reported that Brower asked to be relieved of his strenuous duties and requested that Calloway be named to fill the spot. With only one more week to go, the local RKO office has dropped way down to eleventh place in the Jules Levy Sales Drive. Until recently the office had been in the money every week since the drive began. Fistic Hurdle Faces Returning Workers Hollywood — The return to work of 300 striking film craftsmen, members of the culinary workers and camera machinists unions, was not unattended by objections. Four laborers, on their way to the Columbia studio, had their car crowded into a curb and a free-for-all eiisued. Before police could disperse combatants one man was injured and the machine was overturned. ANNUAL BEAUTY TREK HERALDED BY COBB Hollywood — Exhibitors might do patrons a service by calling attention to the following from Irvin S. Cobb’s NANA syndicated column: “Just as soon as the weather gets warm so the contestants won’t catch anything worse than sunburn, that outbreak of annual monotony known as the beauty contest will stir the populace to heights of the utmost indifference. “When Miss Cherokee Strip or Miss Clearview has been hailed as America’s prize package of loveliness, she will, if she runs true to form, put her clothes back on and catch the next train for California with the intention of starring in the movies. “On arrival, she will be pained to note that none of the studio heads is waiting at the station to sign her up; also that practically all the starring jobs are being held by young ladies who, in addition to good looks, have that desirable little thing called personality. And next fall she’ll be dealing ’em off the arm in a Hollywood hashery, or else she’ll be back home. It would be interesting to know how many beauty contest winners are on relief.” TWO FRISCO HOUSES REPORTED IN DEAL San Francisco — Filmrow reports have it that Dan Tocchini, operator of the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma, and the Roxie in Santa Rosa, is disposing of the houses to a buyer whose name as yet is unannounced. Golden State chain has been mentioned as a possible purchaser. The Mystic seats 600 people, while the Roxie is one of the Santa Rosa district’s show places, with a capacity of 1,500. Lawrence Borg, who operates the Crystal in Salinas in association with John Peters and the President in San Francisco with Irving Ackerman, at one time was associated with Tocchini in the operation of the Roxie. Borg will soon open his new house in Napa, Calif. Colo. Sales Tax In Denver — Colorado’s service tax went into effect this week. It places a two per cent tax on all admissions, with no exemptions, and is to be collected by means of tokens of one-fifth cent value. Theatres are not permitted to absorb the assessment. Censorship Set Up in Kelso, Wash. Kelso, Wash. — Motion pictures to be shown in Kelso, Pacific Northwest lumber center, must be approved by the “League of Decency,” the city council has decided. This decision ivas made following a request from a citizen committee for creation of a board of censorship. An ordinance will be drawn by the city attorney covering the regulation of films. 42 BOXOFFICE :: May 22, 1937.