Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

PI IE PI P IHI III ^ p X. WILLIAMS Jr. visited the Row this week to invite Memphis film men and exhibitors to attend the annual convention of the Mississippi Theatre Owners at Biloxi, Miss., on July 11-12. Bob is not only an officer in the Tri-States MPTO, but he is also president of the Mississippi group. He operates the Lyric at Oxford, site of the University of Mississippi. H. H. Baker, exhibitor at Waldo, Ark., plans to open theatres at Springhill and Stephens, La., within the next few weeks. Baker, a former teacher at Emmerson, has been dickering with Memphis film exchanges for bookings . . . Incidentally , the rumor about the new $25,000 theatre for Selmer, Tenn., has become a reality. R. B. Gooch, Selmer undertaker and holder of large real estate interests, let the contract for the building this week, and plans to open a modernly -equipped theatre next September, Addys Brown, formerly of Stamps, Ark., is remodeling a 400-seat house at Prescott, Ark., in opposition to R. B. Hardy. The theatre is expected to open within a few weeks . . . W. M. Snelson, Republic manager. and his booker, Lloyd Miller, will attend the southern division meeting of the company in New Orleans, June 11 and 12. R. Claude Gentry, of the Lyric at Baldwyn, Miss., came to Memphis this week, he said, to inform Mr. Snelson he was holding out his “Hit Parade” percentage until he comes down to go fishing with him. Mr. Gentry said fish “that long” are biting swell. Mrs. W. R. Pattie of the Temple, Leland, Miss., this week bids Filmrow goodbye until next September. She leaves the latter part of this week to spend the summer at her cottage in Sheboygan, Mich. . . . T. B. Kirk, M-G-M booker, leaves Saturday to spend his vacation on his farm at Lawrenceburg in Middle Tennessee. Other exhibitors seen on the Row this week included Mrs. Oscar Street of the Dixie, Ripley, Miss.; Tom Ford. Rector, Ark.; R. B. Hardy, Prescott and Nashville, Ark.; Orris Collins, Capitol, Paragould, Ark.; J. W. Wade, Holly Springs, Miss, (who says he plans to open movie houses at Potts Camp and Byhalia, Miss., soon) ; J. D. Henry and Joe Wiley of Hickman, Ky. FOUR STATES SEND SIX TO ALLIED MEET Milwaukee, Wis. — Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas sent a contingent of six registrants to the Allied national convention held here May 26-28. The delegates were as follows: From Georgia: M. G. Lee, Lee Theatre, Cuthbert. From Oklahoma: A. B. Momand, Odeon, Shawnee. From Tennessee: J. L. Levine, Independent Theatres, Chattanooga. From Texas: H. A. Cole, Rialto, Greenville; R. Glass. Knox Loan & Fair, Dallas; H. S. Leon, Texas Haskell, Haskell. EQUIPMENT SALES BY NATIONAL SUPPLY CO. Emenheiser Heading Dallas — Equipment sales are reported by National Theatre Supply to the following: L. M. Threet, Texan, at Lufkin, changeover devices; W. J. Chesher, Texan at Sudan, lenses, transverter panel; H. H. Hoke, Howard Theatre at Taylor, stereoptican ; Bruce Collins, R. & R. Theatres, Corpus Christi, screen; R. W. Simpson, J. A. Nelson and J. G. Deakins for the Olympic Theatre, projectors complete with magazines, pedestals, lamps, reflectors, rectifiers, lenses, screen, frames and cooling system; Mitchell Lewis, Park, Houston, fan and film splicer; Tommie Wales, Cascade Theatre at Boerne, lenses; Mrs. A. Farias, Empress, Benavides, screen; Jack Laird, for Griffith’s New Lyric, Odessa, motor. INDUSTRY WATCHING MOVE BY PICKENS Dallas — As unconfirmed reports reach Dallas as to progress being made by Jack Pickens, Fred Hansen and associates, in their intention to put competitive theatres in six or more towns of Hall Industries in south Texas, the industry in Texas increases its interest in the move. Pickens plans theatres for Kenedy, Beeville, San Marcos, Kingsville, Alice and possibly other towns of the Hall circuit. He has purchased enough product to back the venture, it is understood. Those in close contact say this expansion will prove to be a real battle. VAN ALSTYNE RITZ IS SOLD TO HOLCOMB Dallas — Here Monday on his weekly visit to Filmrow, W. R. Holcomb, owner of the Aztec at Van Alstyne, said he had purchased the Jlitz, an opposition theatre, which has been operated for some time by Richard McClure. Holcomb said prospects for Van Alstyne are brighter than they have been in a number of years. Hosts to Graduates Atlanta— John Ezell, Atlanta branch manager of Universal Pictures, and C. D. Beeland, president of the Strickland Film Co., were hosts this week to the “9-High-2” graduating class of Bass Junior High School, in a personally conducted tour of their respective offices. FT. WORTH OPENING JULY 1 Ft. Worth — Construction of a new Interstate theatre is expected to be started by July 1, according to P. C. Levy, city manager of the circuit. Negotiations are being made for a site downtown between Ninth and Tenth streets on Main. Opening is slated early in October. Policy will be second run. UA Charlotte Branch Atlanta — Jack Emenheiser, former UA salesman, has resigned to accept the position of Charlotte branch manager of Monogram Southern Film Exchanges, effective June 1, according to announcement made by John Mangham, president. Emenheiser is well known in the Charlotte territory, having spent about four years there as branch manager of the UA office before coming to Atlanta. He has had an interesting and varied career in the film business. He entered the business via the Universal Film Co. of Oklahoma City, as salesman for Texas and Okla., but the oil boom looked mighty inviting, and he resigned to build a theatre and hotel in the little oil town. Blue Ridge, Texas, which flourished until the oil wells started pumping salt water, so he boarded up the doors, and trekked to California. There he and his brother organized the National Theatres, Inc. in Los Angeles, which comprised a circuit of 32 theatres of which Jack was vice-president and buyer. Then he began hearing tales of the Florida boom and he was off again, this time to venture into real estate which proved disastrous, so he came back to his first love, the film business, and as he says, “has been peddling films ever since.” GEORGIA CLOSES FOR SUMMER Atlanta — The Georgia Theatre, a L. & J. house, has closed its door for the summer season. Automatically you turn to an Electric switch when you want light. Automatically smart theatre operators think of King when they want remodeling and decorating. King does the job right. Satisfied customers our best endorsement. Just completed. Strand Theatre, Jefferson, Tex. Rialto Theatre, Browniield> Tex. PLANS FREE ON REMODELING JOBS KING SCENIC CO. — Since 1910 — 312V2 S. Harwood DALLAS DUFPALC COOLING EOlJIPMENT 315 S. HARWOOD BUFFALO ENGINEERING CO., INC. DALLAS, TEXAS 88 BOXOFFICE :; June 5, 1937.