Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1938)

Published Every Saturday by ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS Editorial Offices: 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City. J. H. Gallagher, General Manager. Wm. Ornstein, Eastern editor. Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. Cable address: “Boxoffice, New York.” Western Offices: 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywoed, Calif. Ivan Spear, Manager. Telephone G’adstone 1186. Publication Offices: 4704 E. 9th St., Kansas City, Mo. Telephone Chestnut 7777. Other Associated Publications: Boxoffice BAROMETER, published annually; Boxoffice PICTURE GUIDE; THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as a section of Boxoffice. ALBANY — City Savings Bank Bg., B. G. Herman. ATLANTA — 148 ^ Walton St., N. W., Lee Fuhrman, Southeastern editor, Telephone Walnut 7171. BOSTON — 14 P.edmont St., Brad Angier, New England editor. Telephone Liberty 9305. BLTFFALO — The Courier-Express, W. E. J. Martin. CHARLOTTE — The Observer, Mary B. Parham. CHICAGO — 332 S. Michigan Ave., Eugene D. Rich, Central editor. Telephone Wabash 4575. CINCINNATI — 127 Tremont St., Ft. Thomas, Ky., Clara Hyde. Telephone Highland 1657. CLEVELAND — 12805 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, Elsie Loeb. Telephone Fairmount 0046. DALLAS — 210 S. Harwood, V. W. Crisp, Southwestern editor. Telephone 7-3553. DENVER — 1620 Clarkson St., J. A. Rose. DES MOINES — Register-Tribune. Kenneth Clayton. DETROIT — 424 Book Bldg., H. F. Reves. Telephone Cadillac 9085. HOLLYWOOD — 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Ivan Spear, Western editor. Telephone GLadstone 1186. INDIANAPOLIS — Route 5, Box 271, Howard N. Rudeaux. Telephone Drexel 3339. KANSAS CITY — 4704 East Ninth St., Jesse Shlyen, M dwest editor. Telephone CHestnut 7777. LITTLE ROCK — P. O. Box 253, Lynn Hubbard. Telephone 3-0156. MEMPHIS — Commercial Appeal, Annie Mae Day. MILWAUKEE — 210 East Michigan St., H. C. Brunner. Telephone Kilbourn 6670-J. MINNEAPOLIS — 507 Essex Bldg., Maurice Wolff. NEW HAVEN — 42 Church St., Suite 915, Gertrude Pearson. Telephone 6-4149. NEW ORLEANS— 1509 Bodenger Blvd., J. W. Leigh. Telephone Algiers 1495. NEW YORK CITY — 9 Rockefeller Plaza, William Ornstein, Eastern editor. Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. OKLAHOMA CITY — P. O. Box 4547, E. W. Fair. Telephone 7-1038. OMAHA — 4677 Marcy St., Monte Davis. PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Record, Broad & Wood Sts., Si Shaltz. PITTSBURGH — 1701 Blvd. of the Allies. R. F. Kin gen smith. Telephone Atlantic 4858. PORTLAND, ORE. — The News-Telegram, D. W. Polivka. ST. LOUIS — 5149 Rosa Ave., David F. Barrett. Telephone Flanders 3727. SALT LAKE CITY— 605 Utah Savings & Trust Bldg., Viola B. Hutton. Telephone Hyland 4359. SAN FRANCISCO — 201 Golden Gate Bldg., 25 Taylor St., Phil Stone. SEATTLE — 2417 Second Ave., Joe Cooper. Telephone Elliott 8678. WASHINGTON — 1426 G. St., Earle A. Dyer. IN CANADA CALGARY. ALBERTA — The Albertan, William Campbell. EDMONTON, ALBERTA — The Bulletin, W. A. DeGraves. HAMILTON, ONTARIO — 20 Holton Ave., North, Hugh Millar. LONDON, ONTARIO — London Free Press, Charles E. Carruthers. MONTREAL, QUEBEC — 4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G., Roy Carmichael. Telephone Walnut 5519. OTTAWA, ONTARIO— 1146 Bank St., William Gladish. REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN— The Star, Andy McDermott. ST. JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK — 34 Cranston Ave., Stuart Trueman. TORONTO, ONTARIO— 16 Buller Ave., Walter G. Fessey. Telephone Howard 0158. VANCOUVER, B. C.— 615 Hastings St., C. P. Rutty. VICTORIA, B. C.— -350 Robertson St., Tom Merriman. WINNIPEG, MANITOBA— 709 Selkirk Ave., Ben Lepkin. IF "Alexander's Ragtime Band" continues its pace at the Roxy which is giving New York the world premiere of this outstanding musical-romance-melodrama, its performance there stands an excellent chance of stiffening the morale of an entire industry. That sounds a deal like a four-star, screwball sort of statement, usually identified with Hollywood, but let's see if we cannot make it valid. Grosses began to slide after Labor Day. They kept on sliding, always barring the exceptional circumstances as represented by a "Snow White" which, of course, established a precedent rather than constituted one. The great concern of circuit operators, worried as they obviously were over declining grosses, was approached from another angle, however. Recognizing the times and a failure on the part of the studios to kick in with a sustained flow of attractions that mattered, the shrinkage was tough enough to take. Yet, far and away the primary worry was the complete lack of any indication that theatres finally were bumping along the bottom. To put it another way: Circuit men felt that, if only they could, in some way, learn how far the toboggan was carrying them, they then would be in a position to make their readjustments in consonance with conditions. This, they discovered, was not to be. Exactly as they figured the dregs had been quaffed, another picture in another week dipped even further into the bitter cup. In a word, they did not, because they could not, learn where they and their business stood. How "Alexander" fits into the pattern is in reverse procedure. If the bottom apparently was not to be sounded, there comes comfort in learning all over again that the top is seemingly limitless as well. Naturally, the attraction has to have what it takes to approximate anything as stratosphered as all of this. The Roxy, and all of those lucky first runs — and the avalanche of houses to follow, as well — which get "Alexander" stand a gradeA chance of experiencing the thrill. If these two eyes ever saw a film that rated roadshow handling, it is "Alexander" — and it ought to be (Continued on page 14) LETTERS FROM OUR READERS EVERYBODY’S HAPPY Plattsburg, Mo. — Here’s one for the book. We were playing “Holiday” the other night and just about everyone in town came to see it. Among our patrons was one who didn’t have the 25c. He was anxious to attend and instead of his quarter he left his Ingersoll watch and I gave it to our operator, “Flea” Trice — and, believe it or not, the watch works perfectly. My operator is happy, the watch “leaver” is happy, I’m happy — and I hope Columbia is happy. — Thomas E. Wilhoit, Lyric Theatre. o — DOGGY FRONT AND GIVEAWAY Tilbury, Ontario — Complete renovation of the front of the Plaza Theatre has been completed, with a new red and green front of the most striking modernistic style. I am giving away a pedigreed Spaniel pup each week at the Plaza which is getting favorable results. (Mr. Rankin is a great deg fancier.) Have also installed modern air conditioning equipment capable of changing the air every six minutes. — H. Rankin, Plaza Theatre. o DISAPPOINTED Lincoln, Neb. — Today I was disappointed! I suppose you wonder why. Every Monday I look forward to receiving Boxoffice and this week I did not receive my copy, could you tell me why? If it is not too late I would appreciate it if you would send me a copy of July 23 issue. Kindest regards. — A. N. Beezley, Orpheum Theatre. Ed. Note — We can’t tell you why you didn’t get your copy of Boxoffice last Monday. Maybe somebody around the theatre picked it up, the address imprint may have been unclear to the postman, or maybe the mailing department is at fault. Anyway, a duplicate copy is on the way to you. Hope the Monday arrivals of the paper are regular hereafter. The Editors welcome letters from readers on picture reports or other trade topics. All letters must be signed. Identity withheld on request. G BOXOFFICE :: August 13, 1938