Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1939)

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^HE Joe Podoloffs have adopted a ten weeks’ old baby girl and the 20th-Fox branch manager is a mighty happy daddy these days. He went to the Cradle, Evanston, 111., last week to obtain the tike. With Joe in such good humor now’s an opportune time to put through that film deal . . . Harold Johnson, Universal branch manager, back from Duluth, tells of roads that are solid sheets of ice that make motoring difficult . . . Ed. Howe, Jordan, Minn., exhibitor, treating Filmrow to bottles of beer from his town’s brewery. Out-of-toimi exhibitors visiting Filmrow included Jack Heywood, New Richmond, Wis.; L. C. Molitor, Stewart, Minn.; Mike De Fae, Milbank, S. D.; K. Jahnig, Wheaton, Minn.; Carl Sather, Annadale, Minn., and E. Sorenson, Elkton, S. D. . . . Asked if he will permit himself to be drafted for mayor, W. A. Steffes, president of Northwest Allied and Twin City Variety Club chief barker, says: “I don’t know a thing about it. I haven’t any statement to make.” The long heralded and widely acclaimed “Jesse James” goes into the State here February 3 . . . Clara Eisenberg, secretary at the Elliott Film Co. for 13 years, resigned to join Universal where she has been added to the office staff to help handle rapidly increasing business . . . Charlie Stoflet promoted from head of checking department to sales staff at M-G-M. He takes over the North Dak.ta territory formerly covered by the late Walt McKeen . . . Moe Levy, 20th-Fox district manager, visited Omaha branch briefiy. Due to illness, the likable and efficient Fred Finnegan has taken an indefinite leave of absence from his post as Universal office manager. R. H. Stahl has been transferrd here from Des Moines to pinch hit for him ... A big crowd nd much fun at the United Artists Twin City Variety Club party. Ray Wylie’s “Crazy Aucti07i” good for lots of laughs . . . Columbia giving the party at the Variety Club Saturday night, with door prizes and Bingo . . . George Granstrom, prominent Timely Arrival Des Moines — A press agent couldn’t have timed Harry Gillette’s visit to Des Moines any better. Harry, a former Des Moines newsboy and now a Hollywood extra, rolled into town to discover he was appearing on the screen at three theatres here. He worked in “Secrets of a Nurse,” playing at the Orpheum and in “Stand Up and Fight,” showing at the Des Moines and Roosevelt theatres. Gillette says he worked in 93 pictures last year and he expects to be back at it after spending three weeks with his mother, Mrs. Rose Abrams, here. He stopped in Omaha on his way in to chat with Ted Emerson about the days when Gillette was serving as master of ceremonies for amateur acts at the Casino Theatre in Des Moines. St. Paul independent exhibitor entertained friends at a cocktail party at the Variety Club. W. A. Steffes and Bennie Berger, who attended the national Allied States pact conference in Washington, didn’t remain over in New York for the Louis-Lewis fight after all. Business called them back to Minneapolis Monday. However, they were at the ringside of the Miskie-Gillespie scrap, a dandy heavyweight scrap at the Palace Theatre . . . Universal screened “Son of Fi-ankenstein” and the branch is enthusiastic. Harold Johnson, branch manager, calls attention to the “phenomenal” business it is doing elsewhere. Lew Lichtenstein, 20th-Fox home-offics special auditor, here making a final audit of the local results for the S. R. Kent drive period. He stated that the Minneapolis branch is assured of a high rating nationally. This will mean much larger cash prizes for the entire staff than previously had been anticipated . . . Bob Long, M-G-M auditor, in Rochester, Minn., going through the Mayo clinic. Morrie Abrams, special M-G-M exploiteer, accompanied him there and worked cm “Stand Up aiid Fight.” Bill Watmough, Grand National salesman, back in town after a two-week swing through the territory . . . Jack Goldhar, United Artists district manager, in town . . . Fredric Ulman jr., Pathe News executive here to supervise “shooting” of St. Paul Winter Carnival ... In 13 games to date, Minneapolis American Association professional hockey team has drawn more paid attendance than was pulled for all of last season with its 24 games. RKO has been preparing for the George Schaefer drive which continues 18 weeks. “Nickey” Goldhammer, branch manager, hopes to have his office out m the fro7it . . . Art Ableson, Devils Lake, N. D., exhibitor, brought his ill child to Minneapolis for medical attention . . . Bill Grant still in front in Warner Bros, salesmen’s race in the third annual Sears drive, but Charlie Jackson is close on his heels and Bill Shartin has come up from seventh to fifth place . . . Orpheum’ s next stage show is another Major Bowes unit February 17 . . . George Granstrom over his illness and back at work at his Grandview Theatre, St. Paul. Joe Stern, independent exchange owner, and the missus to motor to Texas next month . . . Ben Blotcky, Paramount district manager, back from St. Louis and New York business trip. In New York he witnessed the Farr-Burman fight. Says “Union Pacific” is a roadshow if there ever was one . . . Minneapolis Symphony orchestra to go out of existence after end of this season if $25,000 isn’t raised by February 1. “Blondie” smashed the Gopher boxoffice here by a considerable margin, grossing over $5,000 as against a $3,500 to $4,000 average for the new showhouse . . . Jack Flynn, M-G-M district manager, a visitor. An Iowa Angle to Johnston Jnbilee Des Moines — Monogram’s upcoming celebration of President W. Ray Johnston’s silver jubilee in motion pictures takes on special significance for F. E. Judd, who directs distribution of the company’s pictures in this state, because Johnston is a former Iowan. Johnston left his job with a Waterloo, la., mausoleum concern in 1917 and headed east vdth a new mail order suit and a position with the old Thanhouser Film Co. which was 45 minutes from Broadway in New Rochelle. Johnston found his acting left much to be desired, but found his niche behind the cameras and climbed to the presidency of a firm that has “never had a bad year.” His formula: “If a picture can make an audience cry — and not just cry from boredom— the chances are nine out of ten it’ll be a hit.” Star Phone Talks Become Standard at Lincoln Lincoln — Voices over the telephone of Hollywood’s famous are becoming no novelty in Lincoln. In the last four months, Rosemary, Priscilla Lane, Pat O’Brien and Penny Singleton-Arthur Lake have been phoned and talked to by Barney Oldfield, Sunday Journal and Star newspaper critic, from the stage of theatres here. He talked with Rosemary and Priscilla Lane for the opening of “Four Daughters,” with Pat O’Brien for “Angels With Dirty Faces,” and with the Lake-Singleton pairing on the opening of the Liberty with “Blondie.” Conversations were amplified both ways from the stage to the house, so the audience could listen in. W. Ruggles to Columbia Hollywood — Wesley Ruggles joins Columbia as a producer-director following completion of “Invitation to Happiness” at Paramount. A Word May Cost Des Moines — One lit le word may keep Jimmy Fidler’s pictm’e, “Garden of the Moon,” showing at the Orpheum here this week, from doing so well with Independent Exhibitors of Iowa and Nebraska. That one word is a sarcastic “maybe” which Fidler attached to the Motion Pictures’ Greatest Year’s first slogan, “Movies Are Your Best Entertainment,” during one of his national hookup broadcasts. At the Independent Exhibitors’ convention here last fall, feeling against Fidler, for his remark, ran high and the consensus of opinion was that since he made his living through the medium of motion pictures, he should boost rather than knock the industry’s efforts to improve. More than one theatre owner promised Fidler’s then forthcoming picture a very cool reception. 56 BOXOFFICE :j. January 28, 1939