Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1939)

No Stripling Distribution Organization Is Metro's Detroit — Statistics, among other things, presents some factual proof that the Metro distribution staff in the territory is of veteran stuff. The years of service put in by the various filmites is here listed: 21 years — John E. Flynn, Detroit, district manager. 19 years — Frank J. Downey, Detroit manager: Saal Gottlieb, Pittsburgh, salesman. 17 years — John J. Maloney, Pittsburgh, district manager. 13 years — Edwin M. Booth, Cincinnati manager; Frank D. Drew, Cleveland manager; Burtus Bishop jr., Pittsburgh manager. 12 years — John S. Allen, Cincinnati, salesman; Jack Sogg, Cleveland, salesman; John F. Morgan, Detroit, salesman. 11 years — Edwin H. Brauer, Cleveland, salesman; Harry J. Sheeran, Cincinnati, salesman; Floyd W. Chrysler, Detroit, salesman. 10 years — Milton Brauman, Pittsburgh, salesman; J. Milton Jacobs, Cincinnati, salesman. Dan Cupid Parades Along Filmrow in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh — Filmrow’s bride, Betty Murray of the Vitagraph exchange, led Cupid’s parade in June. Following her wedding Monday to Harry Finn, Betty made a short stop in front of the exchange building before starting on her honeymoon. On Wednesday, William Probst of Universal took the vows with Ella Esselmeyer. William G. Serrao, Arnold exhibitor, and Mary E. Dentici, both of Kittanning, were married there Thursday. They are honeymooning in Canada. Announcement also is made of the engagement of Eli E. Kauffman of Independent Display Co. and Rose M. Rosenfeld. He is a brother of the Universal manager at Cleveland. Date of the wedding is August 6. West View Business Men Building a 750-Seater Pittsburgh — The Air Conditioning and Building Co. of Cleveland, Ohio, has started work on a 750-seat theatre at 444 Perrysville Ave., West View. The theatre is being erected for the Girard Real Estate Co., composed of West View business men, who have leased the structure to the Alpine Theatre Industries of Ohio. Officials of the Girard company are H. F. Redembach, president; Robert Hamburg, secretary; Charles Zinsman, treasurer, and John E. Winter, solicitor. Schaler Remodeling Covington, Ky. — The Shirley, neighborhood house owned by N. G. “Nick” Schafer, has been closed temporarily for extensive remodeling. Work, to be completed in approximately 30 days, is by the theatre division of the F&Y Building Service, Columbus. Total cost will exceed $25,000. LOUISVILLE QOL. ANNA BELLE WARD, Lexington, Ky„ partner in the Ward-Elliott enterprises, has caught a “sho nuff” big fish, and has certificates to prove it. The largest and most florid certificate is on parchment and bears a gold seal and the signature of the judges of the Fourth Annual Fishing Tournament at Miami, Fla. This is what happened: Competing in the tournament, Colonel Ward combined a bit of good luck with a certain degree of finesse and skill to hook and bring to gaff a white marlin weighing 80 M> pounds. The Orpheum, which falls into the neighborhood house division in spite of its proximity to downtown Louisville, has a new policy. Double features are just small enterprises there. Three-feature attractions have been packing them in. Yep, three features plus a couple of shorts, trailers and advertising plugs. All for 10 cents. Back on his feet again after a long illness, William L. Luckett, accompanied by the Mrs., were in town for a chat with W. E. Carrell at the Falls City Theatre Equipment place. Luckett operates theatres at Scottsburg, French Lick and Paoli, Ind. He’s remodeling and doubling the seating capacity of his Paoli house. Among other visitors seen in town were Ira B. Dyer, owner of the Uptown at Tompkinsville, Ky., and Louis Wiethe, who owns the Latonia and Derby theatres at Latonia, Ky., and the Bond Hill in Cincy. . . . W. M. Quinn, Falls City Theatre Equipment executive, is on a two-week vacation. A winning Louisville baseball team is doing the boxoffices on Filmrow no particular good. Already the attendance at the ball park — night games, too — has surpassed the total attendance for the club’s entire 1938 season. Summer opera, too, is going to add a little to the woes of the Row. Stanley Hand, New York, and Fred Dickley, Detroit, both of Altec, were here a couple of days . . . The Switows are remodeling their Indiana at Salem, Ind., enlarging the place and looking to the ventilation system. Switows’ Hi-Land, a new neighborhood house here, will be opened within the next few weeks . . . It’s wedding bells for Miss Olive Ford, ticket seller at the Grand at New Albany, Ind., just across the Ohio from Louisville. She was wed a fortnight ago to Hersch Miles, Corydon, Ind., hardware merchant. Joseph Goldberg, Louisville, KentuckyTennessee representative for Big Feature Rights, was in Indianapolis for the screening of the revived William S. Hart “ Tumbleweeds” and “Mutiny on the Elsinore,” both previewed by Indiana exhibitors at special showings in Indianapolis. New Premium Deal Cleveland — F. Arthur Simon and M. Jacobs of Lake Shore Sales Co. have acquired a new premium deal. It is a beverage set of 22 pieces and covers a maximum of 16 weeks. The set consists of two pitchers and glasses in three sizes. Campaign lor "Chips" Is Big in Cleveland Cleveland — In spite of an all-day temperature of 90 degrees and a terrific evening rainstorm, “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” opened at Loew’s State Theatre under a reserved seat policy to a capacity audience. A typical Hollywood opening was arranged by Manager Everett Steinbuck, with moving pictures of the crowds in the foyer. “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” won the acclaim of the opening audience. The following day the picture opened its regular run at Loew’s State. Charles Deardourff, M-G-M publicity man, and Everett Steinbuck, Loew State manager, together staged an elaborate publicity campaign for this preview. The campaign included two contests. The Plain Dealer offered cash prizes and tickets to the show for the best proposals of marriage submitted. The Press and Loew’s State entertained at dinner at the Statler Hotel those who submitted the best letters telling about teachers who had most influenced their lives. A ballyhoo man, entirely surrounded by a life-sized book duplicating the covers of “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” paraded the business streets. Window displays of books were all around the town. Several girls rode around town all day in street cars and buses with open copies of the book “Goodbye, Mr. Chips.” Letters and telephone calls reached a selected list. George Jennings to Helm Ol Local 38 in Detroit Detroit — Annual election of officers by Local 38, IATSE, brought in the following officers: President, George Jennings, Eastown Theatre; first vice-president, Clarence Apgar, of the Hollywood; corressponding secretary, Lester Hamilton, United Artists; secretary-treasurer, John Martin, Orchestra Hall; business agent, Ed King (reelected) ; sergeant-at-arms, John Dwyer. With the exception of King and Dwyer, all officers also serve on the board. Jennings, Hamilton and King were elected by acclamation. George Wheeler Named Salesman lor Columbia Pittsburgh — George Wheeler has joined the sales staff of Columbia, succeeding Charles Kosco, resigned. Wheeler, here formerly with Gaumont-British and Grand National, is a brother of Hymen M. Wheeler, Republic sales representative. Kosco becomes booker and buyer for the 30-odd theatres which have been merged under the management of Charles Anderson. Clark and Kramer Named To 100 Per Cent Club Los Angeles — Membership in Paramount’s 100 Per Cent Club was accorded to Vincent Kramer, Cincinnati salesman, and Robert L. Clark, Pittsburgh ad sales manager, at the annual convention here. Bonuses and special insurance policies also went to Kramer and Clark. BOXOFFICE :: June 17, 1939 G5