Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

pOR proof spring is nearly here, the Exchange Building on Filmrow was given a new paint trim last week. It is green, In keeping with the season . . . Larry Hensler, Universal salesman, was sporting a new car, another announcement for spring, which moved in for a week but went out as suddenly with snow. Hazel Anderson, M-G-M booker, spent the weekend in Chicago visiting friends . . . George R. Giroux, field representative for Technicolor Motion Picture Corp., Hollywood, was a Filmrow visitor Monday. He was en route to Dodge City, Kan., and the world premiere of “Dodge City.” Leon Dizon, WB salesman, has become Filmrow's art critic. He won two pieces of art in the drawing of the Motion Picture Art Fund for German refugees. Eddie Roserman, UA, was another winner . . . Alice Neal is leading by a nose in the WB Sears Drive with only two weeks to go. John No ff singer at the Capitol, Madison, Neb., has been getting a good worjcout since his operator and janitor have been down with the mumps . . . Filmrow was sorry to learn of the death of the mother of M. A. Levy, 20th-Fox district manager, Minneapolis. The Omaha will present an old fashioned square dance on the stage, April 28, as an added attraction to the midnight show featuring “Stagecoach.” Don Nelson, booker at Monogram, has gone to Dubuque, la., to take a job with Interstate Power Co. . . . Mickey Larson, Majestic, Oakland, Neb., has been confined to his home due to illness . . . Paul Allison, in charge of accessories for RKO, was here Monday. The New Grand Theatre at Worthington, Minn., equipped by Western Theatre Supply Co., Omaha, will open April 2 . . . The Town Theatre here has installed new Western Electric sound equipment. The house is owned by Ralph Goldberg. Cliff Lewis, Paramount advertising executive, was in Omaha, Wednesday, going over plans and preparations for the world premiere of “Union Pacific” . . . Norman H. Moray, Vitaphone general sales manager, visited the Warner Omaha office Tuesday. Harold Smith, Carson, la., was in for a screening of “I’m From Missouri” last week . . . R. S. Ballantyne of the Ballantyne Co., returned early last week from a trip through the south where he called on dealers relative to Duo-Sound Master, Lightmaster and Magic Weather equipment. Joe Jacobs, new Columbia manager, spent the weekend in Minneapolis. He returned with early reports on Minnesota football prospects. He’ll be there at Lincoln early next fall when the Gophers and the Cornhuskers tackle. He hasn’t decided as to his allegiance yet. He has always been a loyal Minnesota fan. Bill Miskell, out tv/o weeks with the flu, returned to the Orpheum, which he manages, early last week . . . The service force at the Omaha is worrying about gate crashers, who may hide behind those hoop skirts, due in for the “Union Pacific” premiere. Lou Kozal, Tri-States ad artist, has agreed to work out a solution to the problem. Mary Francis, who keeps things in order at American Distribution Co., for brother Sol is all excited about the Monogram franchise. She looks for busy months ahead . . . An elaborate front at the Omaha for “Ice Follies of 1939” drew comments from the theatregoers. Mary Cerinda Duffy is stenoing for Ted Emerson at Tri-States advertising, as Ted attempts to keep pace with the big rush for the premiere ... A special showing of Shirley Temple in “Little Princess” was scheduled for the Orpheum for Saturday morning. Manager Bill Miskell at the Orpheum will present an orchestra on the stage during Easter Week in a special score of Easter music. Eddie Forester, Omaha manager, authored the short, short story in Liberty magazine recently. The story was about a stuck-up actor, who emptied a theatre when fire threatened by offering to sign autographs for children who would go outside orderly. Wally Kemp, manager of the Grand at Grand Island, received good response from his promotion for “Going Places.” Four wooden horses from a merry-goround were placed in the lobby with dummy figures of the film’s stars on three and Kemp on the fourth taking up tickets sitting backwards. Show Going Not a Major Interest Cedar Falls, Ia. — Iowa grade school youngsters aren’t the film fans that the average person believes them to be, according to a study by Dr. E. L. Ritter of the extension division of Iowa State Teachers college. In fact most of them (meaning children between the ages of 9 and 13) would rather stay home and play or listen to Charlie McCarthy than go to the show. Dr. Ritter’s study sought to analyze the leisure time activities of 700 Iowa boys and girls in grades four to eight. Dr. Ritter states his belief in the worth of such a study: “Some day we will see the wisdom of securing and using the child’s viewpoint in the various angles of his development and condition his experiences accordingly.” In answer to one question on the query sheet reading “Do you like going to the movies better than anything else you do in your spare time?” Fifty-seven percent of the children answered an emphatic “no” and indicated that they would rather do other things either at home or out of doors. Camera to Harttmann Kansas City — George Harttmann of North Kansas City, Mound City, and Lees Summit, Mo., has purchased a new 16 mm Bell & Howell camera for taking home town films. The machine was sold by Stebbins Theatre Equipment Co. FAIMiil as name.. HOTEL MASK TWAIN Travelers acclaim the fine food in the two modern restaurants the Steamboat Cabin Coffee Shop and the Old English Tap Room they praise the friendly atmosphere and fine service and they never forget the modern rooms and the IDEAL LOCATION of the Mark Twain. 300 ROOMS $ 2 h1 T. V. LOR AN, Mgr ST. LOUIS ONE OF THE ALBERT PICK HOTELS BOXOFFICE :: April 1, 1939 31