Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

CHICAGO (Continued from page 101) that Hainline, Red Johnson and House are building a new theatre in Monmouth, 111. to replace the present Rivoli there. Work will start in June on the 900 seat house and it is expected to be finished about October 1. On August 1 the present Rivoli will be dismantled and made into a store building. That picture “Ecstasy” gets to he like the brook — it goes on and on. After 13 weeks in the loop it opened at the Essaness Julian, where it still goes on, and now Manney Lewis, its distributor here, tells us that it will open simultaneously in 15 more Chicago theatres the week of June 6. How time does fly. It doesn’t seem so, but it was actually four years ago that we chronicled herein that young Alexander Nepo and ditto Joseph Mack, sons respectively of Harry Nepo of the Lindy Theatre and Irving Mack of Pilmack, had enrolled at the Roosevelt Military Academy at Aledo, 111. And now the boys are graduating after taking a complete four-year high school course in addition to the military training the school affords. The graduating exercises will be held on Sunday, June 6, when both boys will receive their diplomas with honors. Henri Elmayi, back from a trip to New York, says that he will definitely have distribution in Illinois of the films of the Braddock-Louis fight, scheduled for June 22. Don Woods did a bit of tattling on two charming ladies. He claims that he, Joe Hartman of Chicago, Mrs. Kaufman from Balaban and Katz exchanges and Ann Rosenthal, legal wizard of the home office — on their way to the convention, refused to go to bed one night until the supply of champagne in the diner was exhausted. They’ll have to sell a lot of pictures to make up this deficit. Jack Armgardt, formerly of GB Pictures, has joined the Chicago United Artists sales staff in the country, both in Illinois and northern Indiana. Saul (the irrepressible) Goldman is loose again, this time with his annual “PlayDate Round-Up.” Saul’s got his lariat and everything all ready to go out and get ’em, and since he’s not such a bad little guy, maybe a boost for him might be okay. R. Levine has taken a 25 years lease on the new theatre to be built at lllth and Longwood Blvd. for A. S. Dee. Walter Alschlager is the architect for the 1,200seat house, on which construction will start in about two weeks. The Paramount conventioneers will leave Chicago for the coast on Sunday, June 6. The convention this year is for executives and sales managers only, and from Chicago will go Allen Usher, Jim Donohue and Harry Hamburg. The convention out there will be held from June 10 to 13, and will be followed later by a regional meeting for all salesmen and bookers. M. J. Liff has now completely established his Chicago Poster Exchange in its new quarters at 1257 So. Wabash Ave. Balaban Circuit Has Lease in Libertyville Chicago — Balaban Theatres, Inc., circuit organization recently formed by A. J. Balaban and associates, have taken a tenyear lease on the theatre now being built in Libertyville, 111. by Fred W. Dobe of that town. For some time there has been a “feud” between Dobe, who has long been contemplating the theatre building, and V. F. Mikesell, who operated the present theatre in the town, and it has been generally thought that Mikesell would be the leaseholder when the new house is finished. The lease to Balaban, however, clears the matter entirely. ALPERSON APPROVES GN UNIT PRODUCTION New York — In announcing that Grand National would continue the unit system of production, Edward L. Alperson, president, said that this method provided a greater variety of pictures and helped prevent repetition of a cut-and-dried formula, which he believes sometimes prevails under other systems. Alperson, who returned here Monday after three months on the west coast, further said; “Examination of current trade paper advertising reveals that the producer of each feature is given extensive credit for its degree of success. A year ago the same advertising seldom mentioned producers’ names.” Edward J. Peskay, vice-president in charge of distribution, also returned Monday from the convention in Los Angeles, as did Sol Edwards and James Winn, eastern and western division managers, respectively, and Saul Ki’ugman, Stanley W. Hatch and Eddie Ugast, home office executives. W. J. Neary, the company’s comptroller, and Edward Finney, advertising and publicity director, who remained at the studio, are scheduled to return to New York early in June. New Corporation Ft. Wayne, Ind. — The Suburban Theatres, Inc., has been organized by Douglas M. Haney, Robert J. Schmidt, E. Mae Haney and Fred W. Schmidt. Capital stock is 1.000 shares with no par value. The company will operate motion picture theatres. Charles E. Dare, Standard Bldg., is the resident agent. INDIANA NOTES Jasonville — The Crescent Theatre has installed a blower system. North Vernon — The Ritz has newly rebuilt box-spring seats. Rushville — The Castle Theatre has new box-spring chairs. South Whitley — The Alni Theatre has installed lamps and rectifiers. Terre Haute — The Lyceum Theatre has been recarpeted. jyjANAGER GEO. LANDIS and his 20th Century-Fox sales force, including bookers, left Thursday for the company’s convention in Hollywood. S. J. Gregory, Chicago, head of the Gregory circuit, and his booking manager, John Doerr, were prominent figures along Filmrow last week. Trueman Rembusch, Hoosier circuit operator, is the proud father of a baby girl. J. B. Sconce, Edinburg operator, has returned home after several weeks in the hospital and a successful appendix operation. Dorothy Dillard has replaced Merit Hurar on the booking desk. Merit has been transferred to the ad sales department at the Warner exchange. The local RKO branch has established an all-time record for the season just closing. Ralph Saylor, contract clerk at the Warner branch, is confined to his home with a throat infection. The Gregory circuit and Publix Great States Theatres, Inc., Marion, Ind., have closed pooling arrangements for the Indiana, Lyric and Paramount theatres in Marion. James Greer, operator of the Starett Theatre, Newcastle, has completed remodeling the entire front of his theatre. Abe Kaufman, Big Feature Rights Corp., is spending the week in Cincinnati, at the home office of the company, attending a special meeting. Eldean Thompson, secretary to Warner Bros.’ branch manager, is confined to the hospital with appendicitis. PHOTOPHONE’S Magic Voice Sound Systems 1. ORIGINAL ROTARY SOUND HEADS 2. CELLULAR HI & LOW FREQUENCY HORNS 3. PUSH PULL ATTACHMENTS FOR THE NEWEST PUSH PULL RECORDINGS Prices You Can Afford to Pay Sold Outright — Not Leased • Now Being Built and Shipped From Our New Modem Plant in Indianapolis, Ind. For Information Call or Write Your Nearest Office RCA MFG. A. E. KLEIN 589 E Illinois St. CHICAGO Delaware 4300 CO., Inc. I. F. O'BRIEN Mich. & LaSalle INDIANAPOLIS Cherry 4800 lOG BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1937.