Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

C H I C A Cl €> Barney and John Balaban Draw Subpoenas in Contempt Suit TOE GOLDBERG has denied to Boxoffice reports that he is connected with the Excel Mfg. Co., manufacturers of theatre hardware, sand urns and film cabinets. The WPA’s production of the swing “Mikado,” which flopped as a commercial venture on Broadway , reopens as a Federal Theatre offering July 4 at the Great Northern Theatre. The B&K Employes’ Club dramatic department participated in the Chicago regional conference on Industrial Recreation this week at the Sherman Hotel. The run of Dr. I. Q. at the Chicago Theatre on Monday nights has now been extended to August 21. Local newspapers reported that Lawrence Stern, Chicago banker and formerly connected with several Chicago theatre ventures, had received a kidnap threat against his eight-year-old daughter, Susan, who is now being guarded by secret service agents. Wally Bennin, booker, and Helen Pliml, of M-G-M, are honeymooning in northern Wisconsin after their marrige Saturday at the Blackstone Hotel. Charlie Ryan, Harry Turrell and Herb Wheeler of the Chicago office, and Jack Keegan of the Milwaukee office, were in New York attending a Warner managers’ meeting. Henry Herbel, Warner district head, was among those at the Allied convention in Minneapolis . . . Most of the eastern contingent stopped off here en route, some going up Monday afternoon, and the rest on Tuesday . . . Al Simon also attended the convention. Kurt Laemmle, operator of the theatre in Lowell, Ind„ who also has two houses in California, is here for a few weeks . . . Dennis Cooney’s “Royale Frolics” opened at the Palace. The special train to the RKO convention in New York was to leave here Saturday afternoon, with managers and salesmen from the west converging in the Windy City. Stops were to be made by the New York Central special in Toledo and Cleveland, where additional RKO-ites were scheduled to be picked up. A quiz session will feature the joint session of the Bookers’ Club and Women’s Film Industry Club next Tuesday night, June 20. Dick Sachsel will conduct the session, with ten picked members from each organization participating. Numerous new star stills are up in Jack Kirsch’s office in the Allied of Illinois’ offices. Lionel S. Fedotin of Trailer-Made Service is honeymooning this week with the former Miss Lillian Roberta Margolis. They were married Saturday at the Midwest Athletic Club. Among those attending was the uncle of the groom, George West of New York City. The Government May Spring "Aces' Chicago — The government reportedly has a couple of "aces" it may spring shortly in connection with the criminal contempt case against Barney Balaban. B<£K and major companies (with the exception of Columbia) before hearings get under way June 22 before Special Master Edgar Eldredge. Working on the case out of Attorney General Murphy's offices in Washington are Robert Wright and Seymour Simon. Both have been busy interviewing various local independent exhibitors and exchange heads and would not comment on what the "surprises." if any, are. Bunny Barr has resigned as shipping clerk at Monogram to go to Los Angeles. Elmer Fleming, 50 years old, personnel head of Warner Theatres in the Chicago zone, who died last week, had been with the company seven years. He was survived by his wife, one daughter, and one son, Jack Fleming, who is chief of service at the Avalon Theatre. Herman Marks has been added to the local sales staff of Alexander Prevue Co. Goodman & Harrison plan to close their Rosette Theatre; ditto for the Standard Theatre, operated by Louis Brecka . . . Indiana-Illinois Theatres will close the Lexington Theatre, which they recently acquired from Warner for six weeks, for a complete renovation job. H. M. Warner, passing through the WEEKLY TRAILER SERVICE COMPLETE WEEKLY SERVICE Animated — Full Length Trailers on All Pictures — Inquire Now Lowest Weekly Cost TRAILER-MADE SERVICE OF ILL., INC. Johnny Mednikow, President 1300 So. Wabash — Chicago — CALumet 5900 SIGNS MARQUEES AND MAINTENANCE Whiteway Electric Sign <S Maintenance Co. Tom Flannery, President 315-17 W. Walton Street Phone DELaware 9111 Chicago — Barney and John Balaban are among those subpoenaed by the department of justice to appear at the opening of hearings in the criminal contempt case starting Thursday, June 22, before Special Master Edgar Eldredge, who is hearing the case for Federal Judge Charles Woodward. All Chicago branch managers were subpoenaed, including Jack Osserman, RKO; James Donohue, Paramount; Clyde Eckhardt, 20th Century-Fox; Mannie Gottlieb, Universal; Irving Schlank, United Artists; Tom Gilliam, Warner Bros, and John Kemptgen, M-G-M office manager. Exhibitors Subpoenaed Eddie Silverman of Essaness; Aaron Jones sr„ Aaron Jones jr„ and John Jones of Jones, Linick & Schaefer, and Elmer Upton, comptroller of Balaban & Katz, are the exhibitors subpoenaed. Other subpoenaes issued were for R. O. Farrell, interested in the Oriental Theatre building; I. B. Perlman and William J. Friedman, attorneys, and F. L. Arnholt of the Chicago board of education, who was reportedly interested in the McVickers transaction between B&K and J-L-S. Preliminary arguments and presentation of facts are expected to consume the better part of a month. other day, stopped off to visit and chat with Jimmy Coston . . . Marlene Dietrich came in on the Santa Fe Super-Chief on Sunday, en route to New York, from where she left this week for a European trip. M-G-M held a screening of “Goodbye Mr. Chips,” last Saturday at the Esquire Theatre for women’s club leaders and school principals. THEATRICAL PRINTING A. B. C. PRINTERS, INC. WE PRINT EVERYTHING THEATRICAL 1225 South Wabash — Chicago For lowest prices Call — VIC 3458 TRADE DIRECTORY , — A HANDY GUIDE FOR THE EXHIBITOR ; CHICAGO BOXOFFICE ;: June 17, 1939 45