Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

ID) IE T IR €> III T J^ARTY MENTHO, formerly operator of the Wolverine Theatre, is now managing and booking the Sun Theatre on Grand River, which has been operated by the Krim brothers. Sam Ackerman will close his Eastside Theatre early in July for extensive remodeling of the front and erecting of a marquee. Ann O’Donnell spent the Decoration Day holiday in Connersville, Ind., visiting relatives. Harry Berman, Republic exploiteer, has gone to Buffalo to work on several pictures out of that exchange for some time. W. P. Dawson, who has resigned from National Theatre Supply, has returned to Amusement Supply, and will take over sales and service for Ralph Ruben. Dawson has been in the industry for more than 25 years. Earl Hudson, United Detroit chief, had an unusual “hole-in-two” the other day at Maple Lane Country Club, when he had a lOQ-yard drive and a 200-yard putt. With him were Cliff Geisman and Bob Corbin. The Variety Club will hold a regular meeting at 8 o’clock Monday night at the Book Cadillac. There will be no noonday luncheons this summer. Ben Cohn of the Senate Theatre is sponsoring another baseball team in Class B this summer in the Detroit Baseball Federation. Johnny Pival of the Kramer Theatre made his photo-taking hobby pay last week when the Detroit Times used an unusual picture he snapped at the Detroit Zoo. Detective John Hicks has been named assistant to Sergt. Joseph Kollar, new police theatre censor. Jack Bell of United Bill Posting took a holiday vacation drive to Pittsburgh and back. Bill Mattingly was over glad-handing everybody at the Allied convention for Al Dezel, especially on “Slaves in Bondage,” and “The Vice Racket.” Glad tidings to all his friends is the welcome news that Marvin Townsend is at home recuperating now after his lengthy stay at Herman Keifer Hospital. We know Marvin will be glad to see anyone who has time to stop by at his home to say “hello.” He is at 5075 Hillsboro, just off Grand River near Joy Road. Bob Corbin is spending his vacation at Saulte Ste. Marie. The United Detroit executive believes in “short cuts,” so he drove there by way of Brookings, South Dakota. Hoot Gibson’s Circus is due to play here this next week. A tip to you wise showmen: How about capitalizing with running one of those old Hoot Gibson Western to draw the kids. P. S.: We don’t even know who distributes the films, so its not advertising. SILVERMANS STARTING ALTOONA HOUSE SOON Altoona, Pa. — Construction of a new theatre here for Silverman Brothers, owners and operators of the Strand Theatre, will be under way immediately. New modern house will have a seating capacity of 900. Victor A. Rigaumont of Pittsburgh is the architect. Seating capacity of the new theatre planned by the Silverman Brothers at Hollidaysburg has not been disclosed, but it will be a large size house for that town. Rigaumont states that construction will be started in the very near future. Jake Silverman recently returned from a long vacation spent in the southwest and California and he has again assumed an active interest in the management of the local Strand, and his brother Ike has turned his attention to the real estate department. ALLIED CONVENTION SIDELIGHTS=== By GENE RICH Robert glass and H. a. Cole of Dallas and H. S. Leon of Haskell, Tex., were in a hurry to get to Milwaukee. They flew up in Glass’ Beachcraft five-passenger plane, leaving Dallas Tuesday morning and getting here a mere five hours later. Colonel Cole 'is Allied’s Southern mainstay, while Glass and Leon operate three theatres each in the Lone Star state. AVe discovered a double for Lionel Stander's voice. Pete Wood, the dynamic conventi<m arrangements chairman from Columbus, could easily double for the Columbia feature player with that bass voice of his, Richard T. Turner of New York, of the theatrephone department of the Dictograph Co. gave an illuminating discussion before the convention Wednesday on how exhibitors can include deaf persons among their patrons with the use of the Acoustican theatrephone. Someone suggested that Nate Yamins and Dave Palfreyman of the Hays office hearlline the wrestling card at the Monte Carlo celebration We<lnes<lay night. Dave, however, said he preferred Abram Myers, but that the Allied chief uould have to make Dave^s weight. The result of the wrestling was that "Nate Vamins" won a hard-fought tussel from "Ed Kuykendall," "Al Steffes" bested "Adolph Zukor." and the two old war-horses, "Bill Hays" and "Abram My^rs" "rassled" 15 minutes to a draw. A. Rosenberg, Andy Battiston and Dr. C. K. Herman of the Pittsburgh contingent, drove to the convention with ea.stem Pennsylvania^ dynamo, Fred Herington. After the "needling" the boys gave Fred on the long ride, they agree he <‘an take it. George West. Screeno’s New York state distributor, was up and about shaking hands with "the 90 per cent" of the exhibitors "I know all over the country." A line-or-two more on the IMttsburgh conventioneers: Doc Herman, of Carnegie, Penn., c<mibined business a-nd pleasure. He attende<l a patient while here. Fred Herington and Eddie Beedle, uho "didn’t like the beer." only downe<l 11 glasses. Bart Dattola of New Kensington almost broke the "bank at Monte Carlo." Archie Fineman and Mike Shapiro renewe<l old muiiiaintances at several lengtliy a-fter-biisiness sessions. Aaron Saperstein, Allied’s Chicago boss, was much in evidence but didn’t have much to say. "Just looking on and taking it all in," was his answer. George Dembow of National Screen Service was a genial host throughout the three-day confab, (ieorge even held an inf«>rmal press party, enjo.ved b.v all, on Wednesday night. Typical of the exclamations at the Monte Carlo celebration. Quoting Sam Ackerman. Detroit: "Whew, I just made a thousand bucks." A few minutes later: "Well, I’m broke again." It’s a good thing, for many, that it was only stage money. ♦Jack Rose and Alex Manta of Chicago, operators of the northern Indiana circuit, were walk (Continued on next page) p E. ESSICK of the Scoville, Essick and Reif circuit, and Mrs. Essick are vacationing at Atlantic City. From there they will go to Philadelphia to attend the graduating exercises at the University of Pennsylvania from which their son Jack will be graduated . . . Ted Teschner, assistant manager at Loew’s State Theatre, has gone to Providence, R. I., to join his wife for a short vacation. Miss Ruth Finger is the new member of the Warner Theatre department’s secretarial staff. She succeeds Dorothy Goodman, who was married last Sunday to Mort Goodman, also of the Warner staff until his recent resignation to join the West Coast advertising department. Saul Bragin, head booker of Warner Theatre department, spent the holiday weekend in Chicago, his former home . . . H. Makison’s new theatre in Barberton was started last week . . . Mrs. Georgia Moffett was guest speaker recently before the East End Chamber of Commerce at a meeting held to celebrate the tenth birthday anniversary of Warner’s Uptown Theatre. The Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass’n plans to hold a general meeting about the middle of the month to tell its members what happened at the national Allied convention in Milwaukee. Tommy Felice, Warner ad sales manager, invites the members of the industry to come in and meet his new assistant, Alfonso Bellanca. Back from Hollywood conventions are the Universal and Grand National representatives. That makes four doion (M-G-M, GN, Universal and Monogram) and six still go (20th-Fox, Paramount, UA, Columbia, RKO and Republic). URGED TO REQUEST FEDERAL TAX HEARING Columbus, Ohio— Under date of June 1, P. J. Wood, secretary of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, appealed to state showmen to write Chairman Robert L. Doughton of the house ways and means committee in Washington and request a hearing on the house joint resolution to extend the federal admission tax as is until June 30, 1939. Wood points out that unless exhibitors can prevent passage of the resolution, the present minimum exemption will remain at 40 cents. His organization is requesting the ways and means committee to raise the exemption to 50 cents in reporting on the resolution. April Admissions Jump Washington — Revenue from theatre admissions increased by $323,257.14 for the month of April over the same period last year, according to government figures. The internal revenue bureau lists total admissions for April of this year at $1,589,682.52. BOXOFFICE :: June 5, 1937. 63