Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

Columbia's Western Regional Underway Visiting in California — Visiting Southern California, Harold Chesler, short subjects booker for the Intermountain Theatres, of Salt Lake City, and Mrs. Chesler pause to chat with Bonita Granville (left) on the set at the Warner studio in Burbank. Los Angeles — Columbia, one of the two remaining companies to select Hollywood as the locale for a sales convention this season, has its western regional meeting underway at the Ambassador Hotel for a three-day session winding up May 22. Managers, bookers and salesmen from the six western exchanges are in attendance, with Abe Montague, general sales manager, in charge of affairs. The 1939-40 product lineup of 56 features, listed in full in the May 13 issue of Boxoffice as announced at Columbia’s Atlantic City convention, was explained in detail to the western territory delegates by Montague. Sales policies for the new season are also under discussion. Montague is being aided by Rube Jackter, assistant sales chief, and Jerome Safron, western division sales head, who is in charge of the Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles exchanges attending the parley. Also in attendance is Mike Newman, company exploiteer, who headquarters in Los Angeles. Final convention on the west coast this season will be that of Paramount, June 810. The affair is set to be held at the Ambassador Hotel, with President Barney Balaban heading an influx of eastern executives which will include Robert M. Gillham, publicity-advertising-exploitation chief; Neil Agnew, in charge of distribution; and Russell Holman, New York production contact. Details of entertainment for the visitors are currently being mapped out by Terry DeLapp, studio publicity head, and Cliff Lewis, in charge of studio advertising. The recent United Artists convention formally became history with the departure of Murray Silverstone, in charge of world-wide operations for UA, for New York, and the subsequent exodus of Mary Pickford; Edward Raftery, UA attorney; Charles Schwartz, Charles Chaplin’s legal representative; E. T. Carr, managing director of UA’s English operations; and Jack Schlaifer and Harry Gold, who were appointed UA vice-presidents at the sales gathering. Silverstone’s final official act here was the signaturing of the UA-Selznick International distribution contract concerning which he had expressed regret in his convention address because it is for a short term only. Possibility that RKO Radio might hold a regional meeting here in addition to its New York convention in mid-June died out when studio attaches revealed that discussions of the plan had resulted in its being dropped. "Nevsky" Coast Premiere Los Angeles — Sponsored by the Motion Picture Guild, “Alexander Nevsky,” Russian-made film produced by Sergei Eisenstein, was to be given its west coast premiere May 19 at the Esquire Theatre. Assign Cliff Reid Hollywood— RKO has assigned Cliff Reid to produce “Headline Holiday.” Awail Action in N. Y. On Practice Draft Los Angeles — Contending further constructive action on the exhibitor-distributor trade practice agreement is now entirely up to the New York committee, the ITO of Southern California and Arizona is sitting back awaiting new developments in connection therewith, according to Robert Poole, general secretary of the ITO, who discloses the board of directors has completed its task of drafting “minor changes” in the agreement and has forwarded them to New York. The directorate spent several weeks revising certain portions of the code with which it went on record as not being in complete agreement at the time the pact was submitted to it for approval. Later, the entire ITO membership approved of the code but concurred in the minor exceptions registered by the board. Six Weeks of Singles at Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles — With “Dark Victory” opening a twoweek engagement at the Warner Hollywood and Downtown theatres as a solo offering, the two first-run daydate houses are set to chalk up a solid six-week stretch of single feature bookings. “Dodge City” did two weeks in the houses, single-billed, followed by a twoweek run for “Confessions of a Nazi Spy.” “Dark Victory” will be followed by a dual, the policy then reverting to singles again for “Juarez,” opening June 8. Metro Considers 30-Day Clearance on "Chips" Los Angeles — Metro is considering a 30day clearance into the subsequent rims for “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” following completion of its first-run at the Four Star Theatre. The 30-day clearance was observed when “The Citadel” and “Pygmalion” were booked at the theatre. There is also a possibility “Chips” will be released through the territory as a single feature. Set Aside Proposal On Admission Tax Sacramento, Cal. — Acceding to pressure brought to bear by W. H. Lollier, real estate and tax manager for Fox West Coast, the state assembly’s revenue and taxation committee has pigeonholed a bill introduced by Assemblyman Rodney Turner of Delano, calling for the drafting of an amusement admission tax of one cent for each penny of admission above 50 cents. Lollier, here more than a week in connection with the Turner bill, pleaded its passage would be ruinous not only to his circuit and independent operators, but also to all legitimate stage presentations in the state. With but two weeks more to go before the session is adjourned, the assembly has fully a score of bills pertaining to legislation of film exhibition on the calendar for consideration. Lollier and representatives of other leading independent showmen believe, however, that the majority of them will be tabled in favor of other more pressing matters concerning state economics and welfare. The FWC executive returns to his Los Angeles headquarters next week. 250 Attend Testimonial Feting Guy Gunderson Los Angeles — Commemorating his 25 years of participation in local film sales activities, 250 exchangemen, exhibitors and other friends of Guy Gunderson, United Artists salesman, honored him at a testimonial dinner at the Elk’s Club. Speakers included Charles Skouras, president of Fox West Coast; Jack Brower, of Warner, representing major film exchanges; A1 Galston, president of the ITO of Southern California and Arizona; and Frank Whitbeck of the Metro studio advertising department, who functioned as master of ceremonies. Affair was arranged by a committee headed by Jack Dillon, 20th Century-Fox exchange manager. El Rey Admission Drops Alhambra, Cal. — The El Rey Theatre, of the Principal Theatres circuit, has cut its admission prices from 25 to 15 cents. BOXOFFICE :: May 20, 1939 H 35