Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

LEE GOLDBERG, prexy of the Big Features Exchanges, and Mrs. Goldberg announced the engagement of their daughter, Thelma, to Mitchell Blachschlaeger, RKO booker. Alberta Zieverinck of UA also disclosed her impending marriage June 22, adding another notch to cupid's arrow. Jack Tierney, assistant manager at the Paramount Theatre, Ashland, is recovering from his serious auto accident. Don Duff, BF booker and sales representative, is in the Jewish Hospital where he miderwent an emergency appendix operation. Air conditioning is in the air, and wideawake showmen are falling in line with contracts. Glenn Flehman, who is conducting a contest to name his new theatre at Caldwell, Ohio, is conditioning the house. Lashinsky Bros, are also equipping their Caldwell house. Fred Gross is equipping the Majestic at Crooksville with a cooling system, new lamps and screen. Chris Davies is completely equipping his Corning Theatre, at Corning, Ohio, with seats, lamps and a cooling system, and Elwin Briner is installing a cooling system in his Cliftonia, at Circleville. The Liberty at Lancaster has also been equipped with refrigeration. Fred Wheeler's new Colony Theatre at Gallipolis is being held up temporarily by lack of steel. Wheeler's house will be completely equipped by National Theatre Supply, and also air conditioned. Stanley Jacques of RKO reports the localities broke all records in the number of contracts sold in the Jules Levy drive, just completed. Moss Hodges' theatre at Greenberg has been completely equipped with new sound equipment. Refrigeration has also been installed in L. B. Wilson's Liberty, at Covington. Ky. Bill Chesbrough has taken over the Champion, Columbus, from Larry Burns. The Mora at McComas and the Dixie at Maybury, W. Va., have been closed and report has it that both houses will be acquired by the Freeman-Newbold circuit. Lou Wiethe and Andy Hettisheimer took in the convention at Milwaukee. Eddie Dietz is leaving Metro to travel Kentucky for Grand National. Dietz is succeeded by Mike Berger, 10 years in the accounting department at Metro, who now steps up in the ranks. Jack Kendall has joined the sales staff for BF, succeeding J. M. Johnson. Johnson resigned to extend his theatre interests. Charles Furnas, former exhibitor of West Melton, Ohio, is an unsung hero. Furnas, once widely-known in the industry, is now in the Dayton Soldier’s Home, and only recently a visit to the home by Orville Wright, of Wright Bros, fame, and a famous French general brought to light (Continued on page 64) Mideast Turns Out for Allied Parley Milwaukee — Four states in the mideast territory were represented by registrants at the Allied national convention held here May 26-28. Fourteen attended from Michigan, 30 from Ohio; 13 from Pennsylvania and one from Kentucky. The delegates included the following: From Kentucky; Louis W. Wiethe, Latonia, Latonia. From Michigan: Sam Ackerman, Last Side Theatre, Detroit; Kay Branch, Strand and Barry Theatres. Hastings; Fred DeLodder, Del-the Theatre, l>etroit; A. Eiseman, Michigan Theatre, Flint; Wm. C. Guensche, Lakewood, Detroit; Barney Killnide, AlhamJira. Detroit; Fred E. Pennell, Cozy, Decatur; H. M. Richey, Allied Theatres of Michigan, Detroit; P. C. Schram. Orpheum. Kalamazoo; Jerry Schneider, Strafford, Detroit; Alex Schreiber, Associated Theatres, l)etroit; Wm. II. Steffes, DeLuxe Theatre, Detroit; E. A. Wedemeier. Ideal Seating, Grand Rapids; Frank Wetsman, Wisper W'etsman Theatres, Detroit. From Ohio; L. G. Baldwin, Almyra Theatre, Cleveland; Morris Berkowitz, Kitz, Cleveland; W. C. Carpenter, Field Kep. Ohio, Columbus; Leo E. Dwyer, Celina Amusement, Celina; G. W. Erdmann. Secy. Cleveland Motion Picture Assn., Cleveland; Ben Fain. Cleveland; Charles Gottlob. Cleveland; Jlenry Greenberger, Commodore, Cleveland; Roy Gloss, Grand, Cleveland; Sam Gross, Cedai Theatre, (’leveland; J. Ij. Hatcher, C>hio. Xenia; H. E. Horwitz, Olympia, Cleveland; Moe B, llorwilz, Wa.sliington. (.'leveland; Frank W. Hiiss, A.ssoiiated Theatres. Cincinnati; John D. Kaiser, Royal, ( ’hillii'Othe; R, E. and R. L. Myers Majestic. ( 'hilli<-othe: C. G. Ollinger, Natl. Carbon Co., Cleveland; J. II. Schulman, Utopia, Cleveland; A. G. Schwartz. Lexington, Cleveland; Ernest Schwaitz, attorney, Cleveland; Martin Smith. Park. Toledo; E. L. Staup, C'apitol and Star, Peli>hos; Max Stoarn, Southern, Columbus. J, Steele, Apollo, Oberon ; Oscar Stotter. Ambassador. Clevelaml; I'rcd Streif. Beecher, Cincinnati; Jos. W. Trunk, State. Youngstown; J. M. Urbansky, Associated Theatres, Cleveland; Itay AVallace, Try-Theatres, Im-.. Alliance. From Pennsylvania: Andrew Battiston, Roscoe Theatre. Itoscoe; E. T. Beedle, Alhambra, Canonburg; p»art Dattola, Pailiment. New Kensington; .\r<hie Fineman. T'aramount, Thaddock. Harry I'dei.schman, Brighton. Pittsburgh; C. E. Herman. New C'arnegie, Carnegie; Fred J. Herrington. MI»1'(.) Inc.. Pittsbui’gh; R. V. McCalmont, Rialto, Pittsburgh; N. A. Malanos. Frederick. East Idlt.sburgh; M. A. Rosenberg. Rialto. Pittsburgh; M. Serventi. Lincoln. Rymesburg; M. N, Shapiro. Hazelwood. Pittsburgh; William It. Wheat jr.., Sowicl<le\', Sewickley. REPUBLIC RADIOBAR TO GEORGE SALLOWS Pittsburgh — George Sallows, operator of the Metropolitan and Morgan theatres, Morgantown, W. Va., was the winner of a fine Philco Radiobar at a drawing in the office of James H. Alexander, manager of Republic Pictures, last Friday afternoon. Many exhibitors were present when Walter Framer, popular radio commentator on movie subjects, drew the winning ticket. Coupons deposited in a seal box represented receipts for collections by the exchange, and it is believed that this is the only film sales drive on record where the exhibitor was given an opportunity to win a prize. Republic’s Radiobar was initiated by many exhibitors who visited the office during the afternoon where a party was staged with Jack Judd acting as bartender. Alexander and members of the Republic staff received many congratulations and accepted dozens of new bookings from visiting exhibitors. ^WO weddings are scheduled for Sunday, June 20, which are of interest to the Filmrow crowd. Abraham Rottenstein, young West Aliquippa exhibitor, and Miss Pearl Gordon will be married that evening at Webster Hall where a reception will be held following the ceremony. June 20 also is the date selected by Miss Mariam Alderman, daughter of Peter Alderman, former city exhibitor, for her marriage to Ed. Paskoff. Miss Alderman has been employed at a local Warner theatre as cashier. Harold Lund, former local manager for Ross Federal Service who is now a home office executive for this company, visited here over Decoration Day. Walt Framer, local radio Hollywood Show Shopper, and Mrs. Framer (Nan Grayson to radio fans), will depart for a month’s Hollywood vacation on June 26. Helene, Jeannette, Evelyn and Mae Mungello, who served as hostesses at the recent opening of the new Mary Ann Theatre, Burgettstown, Pa., sisters of Anthony Mungello, operator, are regularly engaged in service at this house and at their PemiSlovan Theatre, Slovan, Pa. Brother Donald, also connected with the theatres, is completing his scholastic career at Washington and Jefferson College. J. A. Numero, president of the Air-Loc Seat Industries, Inc., visited here the other day with A. and S. Steinberg, local Air-Loc distributors. Bob Senft, of the Fultori Theatre staff, again takes a leave of absence this summer to operate the Buckeye Lake ballroom near Columbus, O. Mayer Silverman, veteran showman here, is manufacturing a new type theatre chair which has been named Lifetime Seats. Headquarters are at 1010 Forbes St. Silverman’s shop upholsters and repairs all types of theatre seats. E. William Interrante, son of Austin Interrante, local 20th-Fox sales representative, operator of the Rowland Theatre, Phillipsburg , Pa., has discontinued his theatre activities for the present, having entered Tri-State College, Angola, Ind. Richard Wilson is manager of the Phillipsburg house for Interrante who at present writing is in Los Angeles attending the 20th-Fox convention. Harry Brown, veteran manager of the Nixon Theatre, was in New York last week attending the first national convention of the legitimate theatre, under auspices of the American Theatre Council. New “road” season is being set and Brown is looking forward to a greater year than 1936-37, which was the Nixon’s best in many years. House is being extensively renovated and reseated. S. Tilden (Sam) Stern, local artist for Warner Bros, theatres until recently, has landed an associate art director’s post at the New Universal studios. Viewing 20th-Pox’s “This Is My Affair,” (Continued on page 64) 60 BOXOFFICE :: June 5. 1937.