Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

gURIAL at Forest Lawn was held Wednesday for J. O. Van De Bergh, 72, veteran exhibitor, who died at Inglewood Hospital of a heart attack. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son, Guy, who until recently operated the Forum in Ontario. The elder Van De Bergh operated the Victoria here from 1919 to 1928 . . . Ruben A. Calderon, manager of the Azteca exchange, checked out for Lower California on a business trip. Altec Service Corp. has closed contracts with the Selma Theatre in Selma; the Casino, San Diego; the Piedmont, Oakland; the Esquire, San Francisco, and the Picfair, local showcase . . . B. Aranda, Eureka Theatre, Brawley, a?id Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Araiza, Iris, Carlsbad, came in on bookmg expeditions . . . Katherine Johnson has replaced Virginia Divver in the billing department at M-G-M. Katherine was a temporary relief worker. Virginia left to accept a position in the personnel department of the Lockheed Aircraft Co. in Burbank. Stanley M. Pariseau, Altec Service branch manager, left for Salt Lake City on a business trip ... In for bookings: Phil Greenbaum, Castle and Mecca theatres; Mrs. Foster Jackson, in from Elsinore; Ben Peskay, Banner and Palms; Jack Goldberg, booker for the Ben Bronstein circuit. Fully recovered from the nervous breakdown which sent him to the Burbank Hospital for two months, Al Minor, Burbank exhibitor, was a Filmrow visitor . . . Jack Allender has been appointed Film Alliance represe?itative for Seattle and Portland, according to word received here. In for conferences with his brother, Milt Arthur, is Harry, president of Fanchon & Marco with headquarters in St. Louis. They are huddling on matters concerning local theatre properties . . . Isaac Victor, operator of the Victor in Long Beach, came in to book . . . Universal booked “Buck Privates” into the Paramount downtown for its first run. The RKO Hillstreet and Pantages theatres, regular outlets for U’s product, are booked up so far in advance that another outlet must occasionally be sought for some pictures. Back on the fob after a three-day siege with the flu is Howard Perretz, M-G-M booker. He and Ralph Carmichael, office manager, have resumed their noon-hour boxing sessions . . . Booking: Frank Ullman, Broadway Theatre, El Centro; Art Brick, operator of the Palace in Las Vegas; Harvey Levinson of the Cozy. Funeral services, followed by burial at Holy Cross Cemetery, were held Monday for John J. “Jack” Sullivan, 56, vicepresident of Fox West Coast and for 13 years a film buyer for the circuit. Sullivan came to this territory 25 years ago and was branch manager of the old Fox Films exchange for 12 years. Ill for the past two years, he is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters . . . Howard Stubbins, Pacific Coast franchise holder for Monogram, is in from a two-week tour of his exchanges. Louis Rutstein, Producers Releasing Corp. executive, planed to New York on business . . . Mike Newman, Columbia exploiteer, checked out for San Diego to handle the advance campaign on “This Thing Called Love” . . . Kathleen Gannon, M-G-M secretary, is now the bride of Frank Gaskall following a wedding ceremony performed February 20. They are honeymooning for a week. Fox West Coast has booked “Her First Romance,” Monogram release starring Edith Fellows, into houses in Santa Barbara, Long Beach, North Hollywood, San Diego, Riverside and other spots . . . The Hitching Post, theatre devoted exclusively to western films, has booked Monogram’s “Trail of the Silver Spurs” for February 28, and Monogram’s “Ridin’ the Cherokee Trail,” March 14. Lincoln’s birthday found most exchanges closing alo7ig the Row for a half-holiday ■ .. A. J. O’Keefe, Universal’s western district manager, has returned from Chicago where he attended the company’s recent annual sales convention ... A. Montague, Columbia’s general sales manager, who has been huddling here with studio executives, stopped in at the local exchange for a visit . . . Lane Nicholas, M-G-M office clerk, has joined Uncle Sam’s draft army. Lew Marin, United Artists exploiteer, has returned from a junket to San Diego and Phoenix . . . Dick Pritchard, manager of the Ambassador Hotel Theatre, is resting comfortably at the Methodist Hospital after a major abdominal operation and appendectomy . . . Salesman Bert Lentz of Columbia is in from a periodic tour of the San Diego territory . . . L. W. Conrow, president of Altec Service, checked in from New York on the S. S. America’s maiden voyage as a unit in the U. S. merchant marine. He is headquartering at the Ambassador Hotel while here. £ARL BALTAZAR has added another hundred seats in the auditorium of his Rainier Theatre. E. A. Doyle of RCA made a trip recently to Elkton and overhauled the booth equipment for Mrs. Harriet Edwards. The sprbig salmon run has begun in earnest and fishing at Astoria has been excellent. The horde is rapidly pushing up the river and filmites are polishing their tackle in anticipation of many juicy salmon fries. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Bradt gave a Valentine party for their employes at their home . . . Universal screened “Buck Privates” for the trade last week. Maxine Harder is resting easily at the Good Samaritan Hospital following an operation . . . Carl Adams returned to the Row for a visit . . . Republic welcomed J. R. Grainger, president of the company, and J. T. Sheffield to the Portland office last week. SMir LAKE gUSINESS in Salt Lake City, as of February 1, stood at four per cent above normal representing a gain of four per cent during January. Tax collections from July 1, 1940, through January 31, were 5.92 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of 1939 . . . City Judge Joseph Jeppson was elected president of the Utah Amateur Movie club. The local Fox district finished the Spyros Skouras National Drive in 12 th place. There were 27 districts in the contest. The local Fox unit will receive a prize of $400, which will be distributed to Fox managers in the Salt Lake area, according to Joyce Tiano, secretary to Herschel Stewart of Fox West Coast here. Bill Steege, Great Falls city manager, has returned to Great Falls after a tenday vacation at Salt Lake, Denver, and Rock Springs, Wyoming . . . Lloyd Boreing, manager of the Babcock Theatre, Billings, Mont., underwent an appendectomy at the L. D. S. Hospital in Idaho Falls, a few days ago. He is convalescing and will be back on duty within another week. Hall Baetz, district manager; Herschel Stuart a7id Dan Driscoll, bookers, are back from Fox Theatres’ regiorial meeting at Idaho Falls . . . Fox mil return “Go7ie With the Wi7id” at the Marlow Theatre, Helena, Morit., March 5. It will play in the remaining 11 Fox situations during the mo7ith of March. M-G-M Branch Manager Sam Gardner states that “Gone With the Wind” will open at the Paramount in Salt Lake, February 26, for an indefinite period . . . Joh7i P. Byrne, division sales manager for M-G-M, is coming to this city for a few days to co7ifer with Manager Gard7ier. M. S. Gowthorpe, president of Intermountain Theatres, Inc., is here from New York City for several days, on his way to the Pacific Coast, conferring with Harry David, vice-president and general manager. Ma7iager Bill Seib of Columbia is in workmg nearby siluatioris for a few days. Bob Hill, district supervisor for Columbia, was in this city for a few days a7id has returned to his Denver headquarters . . . J. S. Abrose, United Artists official from headquarters, left here after several days’ visit a7ie7it the Arthur W. Kelly Sales Drive. Abrose is in charge of operations of Salt Lake, Denver and Omaha. Frank H. Smith, Paramount exchange manager here, is back from Idaho, and expects big things from the new Paramount Technicolor picture, “Virginia,” which opens at the local Centre within a few days. J. T. Sheffield of Sheffield Republic excha7ige, spent several days here before leavuig for Seattle. He also visited the Butte and Denver exchanges this trip. Republic Branch Manager G. S. Pinnell is due in from the territory shortly . . . Manager H. C. Fuller of RKO is heading into the territory . . . “The Trial of Mary Duga7i,” M-G-M, was screened for the trade here this week. 36-D BOXOFFICE :: February 22, 1941