Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1939)

BROADWAY (Continued from page 32-A) is scoring “Back Door to Heaven” which he made with Atlas money for Paramount release . . . Dudley Murphy, who directed . . one third of a nation” with the same moneybags, has been sneaking the picture around New York, but not in it . . . McKay, another who is looking toward Miami and warm weather . . . Bill Powers and George Dembow strolling down Fifth Ave. . . . Herb Kline, who made a documentary in Czechoslovakia, is back and is now busy with editing. Joe Hornstein has returned from Jacksonville where he combined business with a two-week pleasure trip . . . J. Real Neth, Columbus exhibitor, has been in town for a few days . . . Artie Stebbins is visiting these parts . . . Flavia Soraci, secretary to Larry Schneider of Columbia’s foreign publicity department on Monday joins Steve Hannagan’s office . . . Harry Sherman came on to New York after attending the Paramount mid-winter sales sessions in St. Louis . . . Joe Basson and Eddie Rugoff got together the other day at the Astor Hunting Room to discuss the operator situation. Max A. Cohen leaves January 21 for the coast with the missus, and from there heads for a Honolulu vacation . . . Abe Leff, the exhibitor, plans to get into the swim of things at Miami the end of the month . . . Walter Reade got back from the coast Tuesday and says he made a clean sweep at Santa Anita . . . Sol Kravitz, who has been booking for local exchanges these past 15 years, is anxious to get connected with one of the major outfits . . . Harold Hurley arrived from the coast earlier in the week on a social visit . . . Walter Huston was tendered a luncheon over the weekend by the Federation of Jewish Charities . . . Walter Abel, who appeal’s in “PGng of the Turf,” is rehearsing for “Tire Birds Stop Singing,” a new Broadway play venture soon to make its debut. Max Baer, under tow of Harry Blair, warmed the cockles of the Ampa assemblage with his obviously facetious observation that “I hope to pull Grand NatiO’nal out — ” with the instantaneous laughter checking any further amplification. Max is looking forward to two fights, the second of which will be for the world’s heavyweight champio?iship . “If I win, and 1 will, it will help my standing in pictures. At least, on the screen, they won’t be able to boo me. But if they hiss, I won’t be able to hiss back. Well, anyhow, pictures are easier. At least, you can remember your name.” Douglas Fairbanks jr., briefly, said he had only time to say “thank you,” and asked pei’mission to make a gesture. No one stopped him, and he paid his respects to George Stevens, “as an artist.” Gordon D. Ellis of Greater Union Theatres of Australia made a plea for more film “successes” which, he said, are always successful “down under” if they are here. Ralph Rolan, president, made an open bet of $4.50 that no film luncheon group had New Use Found For Sound New York — Forewarned is forearmed is an accepted defensive measure. Here is how a couple of lads in a projection booth adopted this strategy by giving the boss the hot foot without his knowing it. It seems everytime the boss showed up on on unscheduled visit, he would find both men actively engaged in their respective tasks. He became suspicious and started investigating. Everytime he put his foot on the bottom step leading to the booth, he would ring the buzzer in the booth. The boys just wired the steps for sound. ever met a ladies’ hosiery salesman. No one disputed him, so he introduced Willy de Mond, who designs “style stockings for film personalities,” thereby getting “a run for his money” . . . George Stevens, producer-director of “Gunga Din,” took a bow. As did Hazel Flynn, Lucille Marsh and Joel Sayre. About 50 attended. Street scene: Katharine Hepburn, in limousine licensed N. Y. H-91, hatless and up frojit with the chauffeur, waiting for traffic and eyeing the World marquee . . . Ed Kuykendall’s offspring. Sonny, presented his dad with a fine leather wallet, but it now contains $18 less than it did before Ed dropped it in the washroom. Someo7ie got the cash but left the wallet . . . RKO-Pathe’s camera crew, consisting of Joe Walsh, Harry Smith, Clarence Ellis and Dick Hertel leave for St. Paul in a few days to make a winter sports short, and then to Hawaii for four tropical subjects . . . John Manhehner , his wife, and son, Seymour, are stopping at Maurice Fleischmann’s Essex House in Miami Beach . . . Vincent McFaul of Buffalo and E. J. Ludwig and John Friedl of Minnesota were visiting Paramount theatre partners . . . Hortense Schorr dropped her Columbia duties for a few days to take care of a cold. Jack Cohn dismissed about 25 employes on the tenth floor for a few days to allow fumigators to go to work when a grippe epidemic began to spread . . . Jim Boyle of Rutgers Neilson’s staff celebrated his fifth year with RKO, and his tenth in the business . . . Gertrude Selig, Mort Blumenstock’s secretary, got in the way of a cold and took the count for a few days . . . Monroe Greenthal and Myer Beck have some very amusing observations anent that “big noise” that enveloped Brooklyn the other night, and which, according to newspapers, faintly resembled a publicity stunt for “Trade Winds” . . . Jack Level can’t wait until the golf season officially opens. He hit the links on a balmy Sunday recently and already is $1.60 to the good . . . The Columbian Club’s annual formal dinnerdance takes place Febi’uary 25 at the Waldorf-Astoria. Leonard Picker is chairman of the entertainment committee. Marvin Schenck on January 27 leaves for a Havana vacation . . . Gene Picker leaves for Miami, February 10, and will meet Schenck on his way back from Cuba . . . Sidney Samuelson has been down with a bad cold . . . Kenneth Bernard Umbreit of the RKO legal staff is the author of “Our 11 Chief Justices,” now in its third printing by Harpers & Brothers . . . Jack Cohen, new division manager for National Screen, is on a three-week tour of his offices . . . Hugh Williams is in town after finishing a role in “Wuthering Heights.” Charlie Skouras has with him on his trip abroad a scroll signed by Victor Sturdivant and his FWC managers bidding him bon voyage. He also has a miniature Philco radio set given him by George Dembow . . . Eddie Cantor has gone to the coast to start work on “The Plying Yorkshireman” for RKO . . . Sam Fox is back from Miami and is looking forward to a trip abroad soon . . . Janet Gaynor is a visitor. Richard Batcheller, son of the late George R. Batcheller, is now working in the Monogram contract department while his brother, George jr., is with Republic . . . Grade Fields, 20th-Fox’s English star, is back from the coast and continuing her vacation here . . . Lou Diamond is making his headquarters for the present at the Paramount studios on the coast where he is viewing product of independent producers of short subjects . . . Frank Donovan, RKO Pathe director, is in Canada. Film Shift to Florida Seen by Executive Miami — “The moving picture industry would like nothing better than to move immediately to Florida — if for no other reason than to avoid what has been termed ‘confiscatory taxaiton’ in California, but this change can only be made gradually.” That is the conviction of Herbert Jaediker, art director for United Artists who is now vacationing on Miami Beach with his wife and daughter. The Jaedikers plan a Cuban jaunt before they return to New York. A1 Selig Will Distribute Marcel Heilman Feature New York — A1 Selig has closed with Marcel Heilman for the American distribution of “Double Crime in the Maginot Line,” produced in France. Four others are being considered for similar handling. Temporary offices have been set up by Selig in the Godfrey Building. Nearly $80,000 Raised For JWF in Chicago Chicago — Nearly $80,000 of the industry’s quota of $100,000 in the $2,000,000 Chicago campaign for the Jewish Welfare Fund has been raised thus far. The drive has two and a half weeks to go yet. 32-F BOXOFFICE :: January 14, 1939