Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

Lakewood manager, plans to run a series of special concert matinees on Wednesday afternoons throughout July and August. Extensive alterations are being made to work is expected to be completed for a June 23 opening. The theatre is being managed this year by Miss Enrica Clay Dillon. In addition to the summer legits exhibitors throughout the State are having to contend with innumerable summer dance and dine places that seem to spring up the Deertrees Theatre at Harrison. The overnight as soon as tourist season opens. Howard Duffy seems to have the right answer to the problem. He combines the attraction of movies and dancing at his Old Orchard Pier theatre and dance salon' adjoining. To capture the holiday trade and late-stayer-uppers he staged a Dawn Dance from 12 to 4 a. m. May 30. A streamline train from Old Orchard Beach' to Portland at 1:28 a. m. boosts his summer business considerably. The State Theatre management is making plans for a candid camera contest to he conducted during the summer. Circus days are here again . . . Walter Dyer spent May 30 in Conway, N. H. . . . Lester Hughes is doing Bar Harbor territory this week . . . Louis M. Gordon of Boston who operates the State Theatre at Farmington and Waterville, dropped in at the Exchange this week . . . Other visitors to Pilmrow: “One Shot” Ross, now with GN out of Boston, who is thinking of making Portland his home base, and Mr. and Mrs. Bill Benjamin, NS. A. J. Moreau, district manager for M. & P. Theatres, is summering at Piney Shores. MANY PARTICIPATE IN HUB FRIARS TOURNEY Boston — One hundred and twenty members and friends attended the Friars Club spring golf tournament held June 8 at the South Shore Country Club. Seventy-five golfers participated in the tourney, in which William Canning, manager for Nathan Yamins, won first guest’s prize with a low gross of 81. First member’s prize went for an 82 made by Joe Cohen and consecutive prizes were won by Maurice Green and A. C. Kilpatrick who turned in an 88; Nathan Yamins, 91; and Jack Meyers, 92. The honor of being the best dressed non-golfer went to Sam Hass. Victory in the salesmen’s section went to Morey Goldstein with an 88. To Tom Duane went the prize for the longest drive — 260 yards. Ross Cropper, Harry Kirchgessner, and Maurice Wolf placed in the order listed for prizes in the managers’ section. In the other sports provided A1 Swerdlove and William Mancuso emerged the horseshoe champs, Louis Boas and Joe Levenson first casino winners with Nat Purst and George Solomon second. About 30 blind bogey prizes were provided. SPERLING AIR-CONDITIONS IN MANVILLE Boston — -Henry Sperling, operator of the’ Central in Manville, has installed air conditioning equipment. H. Rifkin Organizes New Stock Company Boston — Herman Rifkin of Republic who deserted the sewing machine business to become a Boston film exchange owner because he preferred the whir of film reels to the clicking of Singers, has become a triple threat. Rifkin went into the theatre business two years ago. He has now organized a stock company. The Academy Theatre in the college town of Northampton, usually closed during the warm months, will operate three days a week until further notice as a stage stand. “Accent on Youth” was to have inaugurated the new policy June 10 at $1.10 top and 40 cent minimum. Northampton will see the Rifkin legit on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The unit becomes a roadshow on other days, playing at John Cooneys theatre in Pittsfield on Tuesday, and at Shea’s Park in Westfield on Wednesday. Julian Rifkin Will Manage Julian Rifkin, executive in the Rifkin setup, has become manager of the film veteran’s venture behind the footlights. He acted for three years in college dramatic clubs, and managed the group for a year. Frank Shaughnessey, manager of the Academy and one of the leaders of the project, is a vaudeville veteran. The pair journeyed to New York a few days ago, where they interviewed some 150 applicants for contracts with the company. Helen Kingsley, Kirk Brown jr., Josephine Duval, and Henry Arthur were finally engaged. J. J. Edwards, professor at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, was retained as director. Blanche and Edward Morey, son and daughter of Republic Pictures’ sales manager in Boston, will play bits in the productions. Julian Rifkin has also offered to take a part or two if he is needed. ]^ATT L. SAUNDERS has been named general chairman of the first annual outing of the New England Loew managers to be held July 14 at the Pine Brook Country Club. Ted Holt of the Loew staff is back in town after wintering in Worcester and Springfield. He expects to he in the city until September. A rock garden with a fountain in the orchestra pit will be an innovation at the Loew Poll Theatre. Some of the staff has been busy in spare time chopping down birch trees which are being used to decorate the lobby. Louise Latimer, visiting in Easton, dropped in at the Lyric to catch her picture, “California Straight Ahead.” Three downtown openings felt the Tom Mix circus. Ringling follows on June 14. Norwalk managers have no circus worries this year. Three traveling outfits seeking dates there have been forced to exclude the tovjn because of the lack of a lot. gUSINESS considerably off at all firstrun houses again this week, with Loew’s State only one to go above the 100 per cent mark. It’s circus time in Rhode Island, with Downie Brothers outfit playing Newport June 7, another circus troupe starring Art Mix in Warwick June 8; Walter L. Main show playing Wickford, R. I. on June 13; and Ringling -Barnum and Bailey due in Providence on the 18th. The section is also being visited by its first tent “opry” in years this month too. The show is Billroy’s Comedians, boasting a “cast of 80 people, mostly girls.” The Troupe is booked into Attleboro, Mass, on June 8 for a one night stand and will probably invade Little Rhody before leaving this territory. Bates Theatre, Attleboro, Mass., has adopted a new summer policy, changing programs Sunday, Wednesday and Friday and starting its evening shows at 7:45, with complete show scheduled at 8:15. Employes of the Strand, Providence, are planning their annual “Sunshine Party” to take place June 19. Place not yet announced. Rumors that Empire Theatre will put in dramatic stock in place of its present subsequent run film policy about Jmie 1. Associated Theatre Inc. officials announced inteiitions of making this change months ago, though little further on the subject has been given out since. GOSNELL PREPARES TO LEAVE LOEW CIRCUIT Boston — Stanley Gosnell has resigned from Loew’s Theatre circuit to join the Aetna Cleaning Co. as representative in Baltimore, Md. Gosnell is the second from the local Loew managerial list to go out with the theatre cleaning outfit, within recent years. Ernest Gaw, formerly assistant to Manager Vic Morris at Loew’s Orpheum, left the film business some time ago to join Aetna. Stanley Gosnell and Mrs. Gosnell are both natives of Baltimore. They are returning about the twentieth, or as soon as the relief manager is forthcoming. Fred Greenway, manager of the Century in Baltimore, comes north to replace the retiring Loew executive. Joanna Burke Rites Boston — Joanna Burke, 84-year-old mother of James Burke, was buried Saturday from St. Pauls’ Church. Representatives of motion picture concerns and organizations were prominent at the funeral. The Boston representative of both the local projectionists and Af’L unions lost his father early this year. LYDON QUIPS OF RE-EQUIPPING Boston — Asked for the quip of the week, Frank Lydon, Allied vice-president in New England and the accredited leading wit in the territory, replied, “You might say that I am seriously considering re-equipping my theatre.” BOXOFFICE :: June 12, 1937. 59