Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

IL€» ANGELES PRESIDENT CHARLES P. SKOURAS of Pox West Coast and his aide, Andy Krappman, will return next week from a two-week visit in New York where they huddled with National Theatres executives . . . Jack Partington, president of Fanchon & Marco, Inc., spent several days here conferring with Marco Wolf, manager of the Paramount, an F&M enterprise. M-G-M is starting the new year right by remodeling its exchange . . . Harvey Levinson, operator of the Cozy, is installing a new marquee . . . Mike Levinson, independently distributing “White Zombie,” pulled out for San Francisco on business . . . Lou Rutstein is back at his desk at Producers Releasing Corp. after a quick business trip to New York . . . Art Greenfield, Universal booker, has been transferred to San Francisco. He is replaced locally by Tommy Dunphy ... In for bookings: Tommy Huntington, Seville Theatre, Chula Vista; Joe Sloate, operator of the Maynard. A1 O’Keefe, Universal’s western district manager, is touring the company’s coast offices . . . Sam Milner and Lon Hoss, Universal salesmen, are back on the job after taking a few days off for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays . . . The flu bug bit Chet Black, operator of the Pico Drive-In, with the result he has been in bed for the past several days . . . Leonard Adamick, assistant manager of the Union, came in to do some booking . . . California weather has gained another booster. George Carrington, Altec Service vice-president, has decided to remain here until spring, and is house hunting with his family . . . Henry Preciado of the New Rex, Madera, in booking. Herb MacIntyre, RKO western district manager, has returned from a business trip to Salt Lake . . . Ben Mohi will open his new Picfair, an 800 -seat house, January 17, with a 25-cent admission scale. Mohi formerly operated the Princess in partnership with his brother, Saul . . . Remodeling has been completed by Erwin Kanowitz on his Union Theatre. House got a face-lifting, new marquee and other improvements. C. A. B. Emanuel and his daughter, Bess, have returned from a short vacation spent at Boulder Dam. They operate the Foreign Films exchange . . . Bill Martin came in to book for his Hemet in Hemet . . . Ditto George Nassau of the Nassau Bros, circuit . . . Foster Blake is back on the job as Universal salesman after spending the holidays in Portland, Ore. . . . Rather than see the Rose Bowl grid classic in the newsreels in the comfort of his own Roxie, Joe Blumenfeld came all the way from Oakland to catch the New Year’s Day game in the flesh . . . Ida Schreiber of the ITO is back on the job after a bout with flu. Harry Meyer Dead Butte — Harry Meyer, former secretary of the Film Board of Trade and wellknown in this area, is dead at 44. Comedy Lead in a Canova Hollywood — Charlie Butterworth will play the comedy lead in “Sis Hopkins,” Judy Canova starrer for Republic. New Year Week Rockets Los Angeles Grosses Los Angeles — Special New Year’s Eve performances rocketed grosses in almost every first-run house to near-record proportions, with business generally reported as holding up well after the holidays. Top hits were Paramount’s “Love Thy Neighbor” at the Paramount, which was a sellout New Year’s Eve, on a reserved seat basis, coupled with a stage show, and “Philadelphia Story,” which opened simultaneously at the Carthay Circle, Loew’s State and Grauman’s Chinese. Poorest showing was made by Warner’s “Flight From Destiny,” which carded less than normal in its first stanza at the Four Star. Detail of the week ended January 2: (Average is 100) Carthay Circle — Philadelphia Story ( M-G-M )... 175 Chinese — Philadelphia Story (M-G-M) 200 Downtown — Santa Fe Trail (FN) 160 Four Star — Flight From Destiny (WB) 90 HUlstreet — No, No, Nanette (RKO); The Saint in Palm Springs (RKO) 160 Hollywood — Santa Fe Trail (FN) 150 Pantages — No, No, Nanette (RKO); Saint in Palm Springs (RKO) 150 Paramount — Love Thy Neighbor (Para’t), plus stage show 200 State — Philadelphia Story (M-G-M) 200 Detail for week ended December 26: Chinese — Thief of Bagdad (UA); Murder Over New York (20th-Fox) 125 Downtown — Four Mothers (WB); South of Sue* (WB), 2nd wk 100 Four Star — Bseape (M-G-M), 4th wk 60 Hillstreet — Arizona (Col); Where Did You Get That Girl? (Univ) 125 Hollywood — Four Mothers (WB); South of Sue/. (WB), 2nd wk 100 Pantages — Arizona (Col); Where Did You Get That Girl? (XJniv) 125 Paramount — Second Chorus (Para't); Alice in Wonderland (Para’t), matinees only; plus stage show 140 State — Thief of Bagdad (UA); Murder Over New York (20th-Fox) 150 ' Arizona ' and 'Santa Fe' Set Pace in Salt Lake Salt Lake City — Old Man Winter’s icy breath ushering in the dawn of 1941, did not retard the merry-makers from holding forth at local theatres. “Arizona” and “Santa Fe Trail” were good drawing cards at the Utah and Studio, “Santa Fe” being transferred from the Centre for the second week at the Studio. “Love Thy Neighbor” at the Centre did especially well, also. Detail for week ended January 2: (Average is 100) Capitol — Murder Over New York (20th-Fox); Lucky Devils (Univ) 105 Centre — Love Thy Neighbor (Para’t) 115 Paramount — Second Chorus (Para’t) 100 Rialto— Kitty Foyle (RKO) 115 Studio — Santa Fe Trail (FN), 2nd wk 110 Utah — Arizona (Col) 115 Victory — Margie (Univ) ; San Francisco Docks (Univ) 105 " Love Thy Neighbor'' Ace Denver Attraction Denver — “Love Thy Neighbor,” in its second week, was strong at the Denham, while “Thief of Bagdad” ran to 150 per cent at the Denver. Detail for the week ended January 1: (Average is 100) Aladdin — Hired Wife (Univ) ; Ellery Queen, Master Detective (Col), after wk. at the Denver 120 Broadway — Go West (M-G-M); Gallant Sons (M-G-M), 2nd wk. here after a wk. at the Orpheum 100 Denham — Love Thy Neighbor (Para’t), 2nd wk 230 Denver — Thief of Bagdad (UA) 150 Orpheum — No, No, Nanette (RKO); Hullabaloo (M-G-M) 90 Paramount — Trail of the Vigilantes (Univ) ; Where Did You Get That Girl (Univ) 140 Rialto — Seven Sinners (Univ) ; Next Time We Love (Univ), reissue, after a wk. at each the Denver and Aladdin 100 Big Seattle New Year's ; Cold Kills Other Nights Seattle — All houses worked on an even keel this week with no theatre doing outstanding business. Big night for all was New Year’s Eve, but cold nights and undecided weather left the boxoffices’ flat other evenings. Detail for week ending January 4: (Average is 100) Blue Mouse — Comrade X (M-G-M); Dr. Kildare’s Crisis (M-G-M), 3rd wk 90 Fifth Avenue — Flight Command (M-G-M); Keeping Company (M-G-M) 90 Liberty — Arizona (Col), 3rd wk 90 Music Box — Little Nellie Kelly (M-G-M); Gallant Sons (M-G-M), 2nd wk 90 Orpheum — Santa Fe Trail (FN); Meet the Wildcat (Univ) 100 Palomar — One Night in the Tropics (Univ).... 90 Paramount — Chad Hanna (20th-Fox); Charter Pilot ( 20th-Fox) 90 A Bill Would Repeal Stale Service Tax Denver — A bill to repeal the state service tax has been introduced in the state legislature. This law now covers the two per cent tax on theatre tickets over five cents, and, according to information from the state house, the bill faces a tough battle. The bill was introduced by Democrats, and already Republicans are threatening to introduce a new income tax bill that would greatly reduce the exemptions. The Republicans claim the income tax boost will be necessary to replace the loss of revenue occasioned if the service tax is repealed. A bill also has been introduced that would do away with tax tokens. If this passes and the service tax is retained, the tax would be dropped from tickets up to 15 cents, one cent on tickets from 15 to 65 cents, and two cents on tickets from 65 cents to $1.15. B. F. SHEARER COMPANY “Theatre Equipment Specialists” Heywood-Wakefield Seats Wagner Silhouette Letters Motiograph Projectors 1964 So. Vermont RO. 1145 LOS ANGELES H BOXOFFICE :: January 11, 1941 34-A