Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1940)

pHIL FISCHER of the Hollywood Amusement Co., Chicago, visited the Warner and Paramount studios as highlights of his current vacation here . . . Sam Gardner, resident manager of Metro’s Salt Lake City exchange, passed the time of day with his old friends at the local Metro branch, where he once was a salesman. Gardner is spending two weeks here. Booking visitors: Ben Mohi, Century and Princess; D. Acosta, in from the Azteca, in San Bernardino ; Ben Peskay, Banner and Palms; Boris Posner of the Arlington . . . Republic has booked ‘‘Dark Command,” starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne, day-date in the Warner Hollywood and Downtown, opening April 25. A1 O’Keefe, Universal’s western district manager, has checked in from a short business jaunt to San Francisco . . . Booking visitors included Earl Sinks, Vogue; Bill Knotts, Covina, Covina; Chick Sturdivant, Orpheum, Yuma; Murray Hawkins, general manager of the Swan circuit. RKO Radio’s local staff already is laying plans for attending the company’s national sales convention, which will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York May 27-30 . . . The Los Angeles Motion Picture Club, of which Ken McKaig, United Artists salesman, is president, planned a deep-sea fishing trip for this weekend, for which a boat was to be chartered. This will be followed a little later by a dinnerdance and a Filmrow picnic. Mike Newman, Columbia’s western division exploiteer, pulled out for San Francisco to handle campaigns there . . . H. W. Dodge, district manager for Altec Service, planed in from San Francisco, where he spent about ten days on business. Kathleen Gannon has joined the M-G-M office staff as a clerk. She comes from the Des Moines exchange, where she was secretary to the manager, and replaces Pearl Gogel, who resigned to go to Chicago . . . Bjorn Foss, Majestic salesman, is breathing a bit easier since receiving a cable from his parents in Oslo, Norway, informing him “all is well.” He had been on pins and needles since the Nazi invasion. Majestic has acquired distribution rights to “Laughing at Life,” starring Victor McLaglen, for this territory . . . Nat Wachsberger, Film Alliance Production executive, is in from New York conferring with Harry Stern, FA’s Pacific Coast franchise holder. Charles Feldman, Universal’s branch manager, will head the local “U” delegation to the company’s western district sales convention in Chicago, May 18-20 . . . The Fox West Coast home office has organized a bowling team comprising O. A. Collins, George Simpson, Howard Dudley, Bob Heck and Gale Pressor . . . Sam Clark, Warner district exploiteer, is recuperating at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital from a serious illness. Peter Sullivan has joined the Universal staff as a booker. He comes from New York . . . Lena Bernider, head film inspectress at Universal, off on her annual vacation . . . Booking visitors: Harvey Perrizo, Dreamland Theatre; Jenne Dodge, Mission, Ventura; Irwin Kanowitz of the Union. In from Seattle, where he is division operator for the Evergreen circuit, is Frank Newman. He’ll stay for a week, studying operating conditions in the Fox West Coast circuit. Newman was accompanied by Frank Christie, chief booker for the northwestern theatres, and Roy Brown, booker in the Portland area . . . Foster Blake and Sam Milner, Universal salesmen, have checked in from selling trips through their respective territories. Revamp Exchange Soon Portland — Remodeling of the 20th Century-Fox exchange will get under way as soon as the company’s real estate and construction department renews the lease. Rector Opens Lenox Lenox, Cal. — The new Lenox, a 700seat house, has been opened here by Dave Rector, who also operates the Ebell in Long Beach. Gets “Modern Monte Cristo" Hollywood — Marshall Grant will produce “Modern Monte Cristo” for Universal, from a script by Edmund Hartmann and Stanley Rubin. Welcomed on Tour — Tex Ritter, Monogram singing cowboy star, is welcomed by J . J . Greene, manager of the Raymond in Pasadena, as a crowd storms the theatre for the personal appearance of Ritter with his picture, “Westbound Stage.” ITO Pledges Support To PCCITO Meet Los Angeles — That members of the Independent Theatre Owners of So. Calif, and Ariz. will cooperate 100 per cent in the forthcoming convention of the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners was assured when pledges to that effect were made at the ITO’s first general membership meeting to discuss plans for the conclave. The parley was held April 22 with R. H. Poole, ITO secretary, presiding. George “Daddy” Hines, chairman of the membership committee, promised that every member of his group would personally contact at least 15 exhibitors and urge them to attend the gathering, which is slated to be held at the Ambassador Hotel, May 8-9-10. The convention program was explained in detail by Poole and Jack Y. Berman, PCCITO trustee, while the program lined up for wives of attending exhibitors was outlined by Mrs. Ida Schreiber, secretary to Poole. Bulletins have been sent to every independent operator in the territory urging attendance. Added to the entertainment is a demonstration to be given by Jack Dawn, head of the M-G-M studio makeup department, at the convention May 9. Dawn will lead the “personality parade” event, while gowns created by Adrian, Metro designer, will also be on display. Personnel and Executive Confabs Bring Dembow Los Angeles — To confer with studio and distribution executives, and for huddles with the personnel of the local office, George Dembow, new vice-president in charge of sales for National Screen Service, arrived here from New York. He plans to remain for about a week. Dembow was accompanied by William B. Brenner, vice-president in charge of NSS operations. Canadian Theatre Gain In First Half of '39 Toronto— A preliminary survey of theatres throughout Canada reveals 1,251 were in operation at the close of 1939, comparing with 1,224 at the previous year end or an increase of 27. The increase traces, almost in its entirety, to new theatres in the first half of the year. When war broke out in September, the building push came to an abrupt halt. See Vaudeville Upsurge Detroit — Reports filtering through booking offices here indicate an upsurge of vaudeville, long quiescent in this territory, throughout southern Michigan, northern Ohio and Indiana. 14 Weeks and Still Going Chicago — “Gone With the Wind,” playing concurrently at the Oriental and Woods, is in its 14th week with no close of the run in sight. B. F. SHEARER COMPANY “Theatre Equipment Specialists” Heywood-Wakefield Seats Wagner Silhouette Letters Motiograph Projectors 1964 So. Vermont RO. 1145 LOS ANGELES 96 BOXOFFICE :: April 27, 1940