Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

TEXAS ALMOST FREE OF CASH GIHS Dallas Exchanges on Five-Dag Week Dallas — With M-G-M leading the way, closing down its exchange all day on Saturdays during the summer, other companies are following suit with United Artists and Warner Bros, also going to a five-day week. The 20th Century-Fox exchange is letting half its personnel off every other Saturday and may close entirely that day provided the other distributors fall in line. Exhibitors are warned to govern their needs from the above companies accordingly, at least as far as requiring Saturday service is concerned. It was said, however, these companies will remain prepared to handle any Saturday emergency, but not routine business. ROBBER GETS $1,500 AT DALLAS THEATRE Dallas — A lone high-jacker held up, bound employes and walked away with $1,500 cash at the White Theatre in broad morning daylight. The amount represented receipts from the White, Forest and Dal-Sec, three Interstate south side theatres. Detectives indicated they had a clue during the week. The bandit approached H. T. Long, manager; a porter; Jack Bishop, Frank Green, and Allen Sweatt, before escaping. Service Record Atlanta — C. D. Beeland, president of Strickland Industrial Film Co., set a new record for service recently in the processing and sound recording in five days of a six-reel feature film made by Historical Record Films, Inc., for the city of Miami. Received on Monday, the 14,000 feet of film was edited and cut to 6,000 feet, sound recorded and completed by Friday. Triples at Bargain New Hypo San Antonio — Triple features were presented at the National and Zaragosa theatres, West Side houses, last week, at two-for-one for 20 cents admission and a dime for childreyi. This is a new inducement here since Bank Nights and other giveaways have been banned. The Obrero Theatre, Mexican house on West Houston St., is offering double programs daily for 10 cents, and a nickel for kids. FORMAL OPENING BY MONO. EXCHANGE Memphis — Formal opening of the new Monogram Pictures Exchange here will be held Monday, June 28, John W. Mangham, president of Monogram in the Southeast, announced during a visit to the office this week. The exchange opened last Monday, but the ceremonies will take place next week. M. E. Wiman, formerly with the North Carolina Theatres in Charlotte, is the new Memphis manager; Glenn Calvert, formerly with Paramount and the old Fox exchanges, office manager and booker; and Miss Iris Beavers, Birmingham, office secretary. Honors to RKOites Los Angeles — J. B. Cummings was promoted from booker to salesman at the Dallas office of RKO. Notice of the promotion came at the RKO sales convention held here last week. Salesmen whose past year’s record entitled them to membership in the 100 per cent club included W. J. Collins, Atlanta; W. V. Adwell, Dallas; R. F. Brannon, Charlotte; P. Harrison, Jacksonville, and N. J. Colquhoun, Memphis. Not Over 25 Theatres in the State Holding Drawings Since Court Ruling Dallas — Film companies this year are out after increased film rentals for the new season and exhibitors in the majority are squawking over their loss of Bank Night. Probably not more than 25 theatres in Texas held drawings this week. All the major circuits quit entirely following a lottery verdict of the court of criminal appeals. Two or three neighborhood theatres in Dallas who planned to continue their drawings last week were promptly notified by the district attorneys office to desist — which they did. The few remaining drawings now going on over the state are believed to be only temporary. Bargain Days and Double Bills At least one bargain day has been substituted in most theatres which relied on drawing altogether heretofore. In other instances there are now two bargain days a week to take up the slack which drawings formerly accomplished On the Row Wednesday a well-known exhibitor said he had been using seven pictures a week in his theatre and now would be forced to cut down to probably four. Drawings have been utilized by most exhibitors to consume their sluff films or to diminish their overbuys. To those who have realized extra profits from money night arises anticipation on how increased film rentals and more rigid contracts are going to be watched. In Archer City the pot was up to $100. The Royal believed the money belonged to the people and held a series of drawings of $10 each one night until the amount had been distributed and discontinued the practice. Lottery Case in Sherman Many other theatres over the state are holding up their awards definitely until the Bank Night situation is clarified, if and when. Charges of operating a lottery were filed (Continued on page 147) SOUTHERN EDITION Is One of the Seven Sectional Editions in Which BOXOFFICE Is Published Weekly. The Other Six Editions Are; NEW ENGLAND, MIDEAST, CENTRAL, MIDWEST, WESTERN, EASTERN. V. W. crisp. Southwestern Editor, 210 S. Harwood St.. Dallas, Tex. NELL BENEDIC, Southeastern Editor, 148 H Walton St., N. W., Atlanta, Ga. J. W. LEIGH, 1509 Bodenger Blvd., New Orleans. LES KETNER, South Texas Editor, 531 N. St., San Antonio, Tex,