Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

gOL SACHS, district manager for RKO, was in Memphis this week and announced the appointment of Grover Wray as salesman for the territory formerly covered by Norman Colquohoun, who was recently transferred to Charlotte as manager. Grover returns to Memphis from Oklahoma City, where he was a salesman for Universal. He is well known in this territory as he was office manager and salesman for Paramount here for 14 years. Bill Mattingly, well known film salesman, left to assume the salesman’s job in Oklahoma City. Among exhibitors seen along the Row this week: J. J. Sharum, Walnut Ridge; John Mohrstadt, Hayti; Norman Fair, Somerville; R. R. McCormick, Senatobia; C. M. Mounger, Calhoun City; Wyatt Bedford, Hamilton; Dave Flexer, New Albany; Odis Taylor, Dresden; R. V. McGinnis, of the New at Hope, Ark.; Lyle Richmond, Senath; B. F. Jackson, Ruleville, Miss; A. M. Davidson and son, Mather, Dyer, Term.; Jack Guest of the Camden, at Camden, Ark.; Ned Greene, Mayfield; Burrus Smith, Pocahontas, and L. F. Haven, Forrest City, Marianna, Wynne and Brinkley. R. H. Hilton, district manager of the Altec Service Corp. of Chicago, was here this past week and became a member of the Variety Club. Claire Hilgers, Republic’s southern sales supervisor, spent several days in Memphis with W. M. Snelson of the local branch and B. F. Busby of Little Rock, their Arkansas franchise holder. The Crescent Amusement Co. of Nashville has announced that the Savoy in Princeton, Ky„ will be closed several weeks for extensive remodeling. Louie Gwaltney, who operates the Lyric and Lil of Mena, Ark., together with Mrs. Gwaltney and family were Filmrow visitors this past week. Louie seldom gets into Memphis, as Mena is located on the extreme western boundary of the Memphis territory . . . B. V . McDougald who operates the Amusu and Drew of Monticello, Ark., was another rare visitor. Roy Litsey, office manager for Vitagraph in Dallas, together with his wife, Kathleen, spent a few hours here, en route to Halls, Tenn., to visit Mrs. Litsey’s mother. It was like old home week seeing Litsey on the Row again as he was booker and office manager here for a number of years before being transferred to Dallas. Barrett Riesling, M-G-M’s “Goodwill Ambassador” of Hollywood arrived at the Memphis office Saturday for a few days visit. Mae Heaton, secretary to Bob Bostick of National Theatre Supply Co., has returned from several days’ vacation in St. Louis. Scott Hillam, general supervisor of Ross AIR CONDITIONING Peterson. “Freezem" Mfg. & Sales Co. 316 Southwest B1 vd. Kansas City, Mo. Federal, has left Memphis after spending several weeks with the firm’s local manager, Cliff Wallace. Vacations are very much the topic of the day along the Row. This week the following are enjoying a respite from their daily toil: Amanda Johnson, booker’s secretary at Fox; Bob Williams, ad sales manager for Fox, and Gladys Blades of Vitagraph. Both of the Warner salesmen, Tony Carruth and Al Moore, have new automobiles . . . The National Theatre Supply Co. was again broken into Saturday night and about $45.00 taken. Tom Kirk, M-G-M’s office manager, together with Mrs. Kirk and baby, are off on vacation. Their itinerary is rather incomplete at this time as they expect to stop wherever their fancy dictates, however, they do expect to spend a few days in both Dallas and Oklahoma City. There is an unconfirmed report that Tony Sudekum of the Crescent Amusement Co. will soon open a new house in Paris, Tenn., to be known as the Gem. He is now operating the Capitol Theatre there. C. O. Niblack jr„ RKO booker, was married to Miss Ruth Wright of Covington, Tenn., on Thursday, May 25, at 7:00 a. m. Immediately after the ceremony “Nib” and his bride were to leave for a wedding trip which will include points of interest in Florida, New Orleans and Havana, Cuba. Back in Operation Lorenzo, Tex. — The Queen Theatre is in operation again after a breakdown which closed the house for several weeks. Okla. Combine May Guide Allied Plans Oklahoma City — The Oklahoma buying and booking combine may become the initial step in Allied’s plans for a national cooperative organization, supported by national Allied in an expected test of legality once it is launched. This information comes to Boxoffice with details of plans for revival of the state pool supposedly dropped with the formation of the local Allied unit. The same source intimated that national Allied may hold its combine plans in abeyance until a thorough test of the Oklahoma setup has been made. The Oklahoma approach leaves the individual exhibitor freedom to select his product under the present sales distribution system. Distributor salesmen still will contact the exhibitor who will notify the combine manager when he has decided on product. That official then will negotiate contracts for the individual exhibitor at the same time contracts for other members are concluded. The contracts are to be signed by individual members, not by executives of the combine. Booking services will be offered by the organization at the request of the member, who, if he chooses, can take care of that detail himself. Refrigeration for Mission Mission, Tex. — A new refrigeration system, large enough to take care of the biggest crowd the house ever had, has been installed by R. N. Smith in the Mission Theatre, replacing a washed air system formerly used. Rebuild Denison Superba Denison, Tex. — Rebuilding of Lonnie Legg’s Superba now is in progress. Simplex Type-E Sound Systems are proving a boon to the small exhibitor. The Best Sound Can Now Be Had for a Small Price. Get the Details Now! See NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY CO. ATLANTA — DALLAS — MEMPHIS — NEW ORLEANS — CHARLOTTE OKLAHOMA CITY BOXOFFICE :: May 27, 1939 105