Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

yfiJORD from W. B. Kelly, “the Kentucky Colonel” and former RKO salesman in this territory, that he intends to enter the motion picture business in Louisville . . . John Danz, president of Sterling theatres, attended the Allied convention in Minneapolis, June 13-15 . . . The regular meetipg of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Washington has been postponed. Members will gather when Danz returns to hear the results of the Minneapolis affair . . . Frank Alonzo, manager of the Rialto, was stabbed in the arm by a patron who was irate at the show. The dagger severed an artery and Frank is still in the hospital. Charlotte von Herberg, daughter of J. G. of the Jensen-von Herberg circuit, writes she is doubling for Alice Faye in the riding scenes for “Hollywood Cavalcade ” . . . After 18 years of photographing the scenic beauties of the world, Jack Kuhne, cameraman for Fox Movietone News, is in a mood to quit. Jack was up 16,000 feet in a plane shooting 4,000 feet of infra-red film. “Beautiful stuff," he called it. Then came a telephone call from Hollywood telling him the Mount Rainier film accidentally had been ruined in developing , which means Jack will have to go do it all over again. A change on Filmrow finds Floyd Heninger in as booker for RKO. Louis Goldsmith will stay on the road permanently along with Jack Burk. Change was caused by the resignation of Jack Nelson, salesman east of the mountains . . . Tire Paramount made a nice tieup with local dairies for “East Side of Heaven.” Basis of the tie was “Sandy,” the baby star who, they claim, is “bottle fed.” A special night was set aside for the dairy workers and their families. Plenty of newspaper art was given the tieup, most of the pictures showing usherettes sampling milk. Once again Seattle is getting ready for its annual Around-Lake WashingtonHike. Every year the daily Star sponsors the event which starts at midnight mid winds up around 7 or 8 o'clock in the morning. The start and finish line is generally at one of the local theatres with winners making their appearance on the stage of the theatre in the evening. For many years the Orpheum ivas the spot, but this year the theatre has yet to be selected. The hike is about sixty miles . . . Popcorn Smith has left his trade-mark in Tacoma. The Roxy and Music Box are featuring a Burch machine in their lobby with a pretty costumed girl doing the serving. Bill Forman, general manager for the Danz Sterling chain, announces he has signed several name bands for the Palomar. This week Sterling Young is featured. Others to appear include Skinnay Ennis and Eddie Peabody. Forman also is dickering for screen names . . . Visiting here is Maj. Phillip Kieffer, formerly a dramatic actor in these parts. Phil is now in Hollywood, directing army and war scenes in films. Mrs. Kieffer, who is also here, will be remembered as the former Ruth Albright, the actress. The couple are guests of Rosie Smith, well known character comedienne. Mrs. J. T . Sheffield and daughters margaret and Mary are steaming towards Honolulu where they will vacation for six or seven weeks. They will return via San Francisco and take a gander at the Fair. The three comprise the family of J. T. Sheffield, president of Republic Pictures in the Northwest . . . The Rialto here is closing for an indefinite period because of financial difficulties . . . Naomi Mackay, secretary to Guy Navarre, is about to become a mother. Her spot has been taken over by Isabel Ryer. The Pearl brothers’ theatre in Prosser, Wash., is nothing but ashes following a fire. Acel Marley and Dick Laws, the operators, were badly burned. The fire started in the booth. Damage is estimated at $5,000. Warner lost a print of “Blackwell’s Island” and Paramount lost a newsreel. The house will be rebuilt . . . Berger and Maxine Gustafson, who handle the books for various theatres in this territory, are so swamped they have added Ida Holm to their staff. A very attractive addition, Gus . . . A1 Rosenberg and Kenny Schultz are back from Spokane where they went with Irving Berry, from National Theatres’ New York office. Heaton Randall was also in the party. Jerry Milner and son Martin have left for Los Angeles to join her hubby, Sam, who has joined the sales force of Universal there . . . A. H. and Mrs. McMillan, back from their California vacation and telling of the wonders of the Fair. Mac is manager of the Northwest Film Club here . . . The Bill Formans celebrated their anniversary with a dinner attended by many guests . . . L. O. Lukan and his wife Eva went to Portland to celebrate their 33 rd wedding anniversary with their son-in-law and daughter, Bill and Margot Cunningham, who celebrated their eighth anniversary the same date. ^AILT LAKE QEORGE A. HICKEY, M-G-M district manager, left for San Francisco after conducting a two-day sales meeting here . . . Back from Idaho and Montana after several weeks is James R. Keitz, Mercury head . . . E. W. Wilson, Grand National manager, plans a ten-day trek into Idaho . . .Orrin J. Hazen is on an extended trip in the northern territory for Service Theatre Supply Co. C. F. Rose has been added to the Monogram sales force and will go into the Denver territory. Rose was formerly manager for GB here and until lately was handling roadshow attractions. He will cover eastern Utah en route to the Colorado territory. The Studio Theatre, which was gutted by flames said to have been caused from a lighted cigaret, is expected to be ready for reopening during the next month. Manager Price of the Intermountain circuit house is acting as foreman during the reconstruction period. John W. Trewhela, now associated with the Intermountain Theatres, is at the Utah Theatre with Manager Norman Sprowl acting as assistant manager for two weeks, after which he will go to Preston, Ida., and other towns to act as relief manager during vacations. Trewhela comes here from Billings, Mont., where he was associated with Fox West Coast. Color Game Premieres — “Lucky Colors,” new boxoffice stimulant copyrighted and being marketed under the supervision of Shattuck and Ettinger, advertising agency, is given a test “preview” on the stage of Bard’s Colorado Theatre, Pasadena, Calif., by Manager Dick Simms. The young lady at the right has just spun the “Lucky Color” wheel three times, to select three of the 36 hues upon it. Individual members of the audience who believe they are wearing three articles of clothing matching the colors selected then come forward to claim their awards. Directly behind the wheel is George Montgomery , who made a personal appearance with the stunt as “The Lone Ranger.” Awards included popcorn, “Lone Ranger” pistols and similar merchandise. 40 BOXOFFICE :: June 17, 1939