Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1939)

ALLEN, owner of the suburban Lincoln Park Theatre, is getting ready to move to his summer home near Leamington, Ont. L. R. Bennett of Bennett & Straight, Detroit architects, is on a business trip to New York, returning in about a week. Meantime his new home in the Dearborn Golf section is being readied for occupancy. Contract for the marquee on the new Shafer Theatre, west side house, has been let to the Long Sign Co. Fred MacMurray, film star, was officially “adopted” by the town of Kaleva, Mich., following the role he played in “Car 39,” based on a robbery which actually occurred in Kaleva . . . Richard Watson, manager of Butterfield’s Regent Theatre at Battle Creek, is on a vacation upstate. Jack Berkowitz, local franchise holder for Republic, bows out of the picture because of other business interests in the current Republic reorganization, and Sam Seplowin remains as branch manager here. „ Emil Beck says there wasn’t any conspiracy; just somebody got a phone call mixed and called him in Ray Moon’s office instead — shows how friendly the opposition can be these days . . . Pearl M. Sprott, Allied office manager, was off to Grand Rapids for the regional meeting. Lou Wisper is going out to watch them pour the floor at his new Harper, to open about October 15 . . . Louis B. Goodman, manager of W&W’s Piccadilly and Fenkell, is off on vacation, for parts unknown. John W. Todd, manager of the Sun Booking Office, is back from a trip to Springfield, Ohio . . . Butterfield circuit and the Carley Amusement Co. were hosts to friends in the trade for the openmg of the remodeled Regent at Allegan. Earl Hoffman, booker at the Butterfield office, is vacationing in Minnesota. Ethel Hale, secretary to J. Ollie Brooks, and Beryl <Obie) O’Bryan, Butterfield’s girl with the miracle memory for voices, go to northern Michigan for theirs, on July 1. Sol Krim has a lobby display of William B. Chatman’s Movie Com Club at the Lasky, may start it in the fall; Eddie Pascoe of Campau is expected to do likewise . . . Bill Schuttenhelm of the Globe and Anthony Dubiel of the Graystone have had new drapes installed by Robert J. Mork’s company. Ashman Bros, at Caro are going ahead with plans for construction on their new theatre, the structure of which was practically destroyed by fire a couple of months ago. Mrs. Custer Carland is putting new stage drapes in the Garden at Frankfort, while Butterfield circuit is doing the same in the Capitol at Lansing . . . H. D. Van Sweringen of the Harry S. Nichols office, reports several bids now in for acoustical jobs in Detroit and Lansing. Joseph F. Bruzy, manager of the Times Square, doubles as a certified public accountant, running his office business days and his show at nights . . . Plans are all completed for the new theatre which Max Allen of the Lincoln Park will build in the same block with his present house. Manager William Richmond informs. Equipment of the Chandler Theatre, east side house, has been transferred from the Chandler Theatre Corp. to the Mellon Theatre Co.; Joseph Mellon is the circuit operator . . . John Tabor, manager of the Charidler, is looking forward to new competition when the big Harper opens, a block away, this fall. Agnes McDermont of Coulter Premiums, is away on a long vacation . . . Clark C. Coulter expects to introduce a new premium deal in the early fall. Saul Sloan, builder of the Alpine and other theatres, has formed the United Motion Theatres Co. Headquarters are listed at 18025 Wildemere Avenue . . . E.V . Smith has been appointed sales representative for RCA Photophone in the Michigan area. Herb Brown, M-G-M booker, became the father of an eight pound baby girl on June 22 . . . Sixth floor of the Film Building is being remodeled. It might be for the new changes at Sam Seplowin’s Republic Pictures, but an official statement is not available . . . Jack Ross is closing the Garden Theatre at Lansing for complete' remodeling. Pete Simon hasn’t won a radio for the past month. What’s wrong? . . . Joseph Ellul, busy changing the cast at his Empress, is installing air conditioning and premiums at the Regal. Mike Victor, popular owner of the Astor, is a staunch advocate of the great open spaces. Fred Johnson and Sam Mitchell are convalescing, the former from an operation . . . Theatrical Post, American Legion, will hold no more meetings till September, Commander Max Kolin says. The Jack Douglas Agency is rapidly being organized. Bill Carlson is tying up his poster line with Douglas . . . Fred J. Ireland, who used to produce shows at Charles Muiiz’s Grand Riviera, and is father-in-law of Booking Agent Lionel Kaye, died June 22. Chuck Stubbs, Detroit youngster who was “Bob” in “Boys Town,” is back here Variety Sponsors 17 Teams Cleveland — The Variety Post of Cleveland is doing its bit to make life happier for the boys of Cleveland by sponsoring 17 sandlot baseball teams. The Post furnishes each team with playing equipment, as well as with sweaters and caps. Commander Howard Roth is kept busy commuting from one gome to the other. for a visit with his mother . . . Eddie Jacobson, manager of the Rainbow, had his big Belle Isle party Monday for 300 boys, with Mayor Reading greeting them at the City Hall. Leslie G. Larkin, theatrical architect, is preparing plans for a new 1,000-seaf house in Lincoln Park for Max Allen, to be started in the fall. Allen has just signed a new \%-year lease on the Lincoln Park, in the same block. Variety clubrooms were the central gathering place of local fight fans Wednesday night for broadcasts of the LouisGalento event . . . Bob Posher should have some new fight films now. Ed Kirchner leaves off his vest in hot weather — and leaves all his notes at home as the result . . . Irving Belinsky is recovering from pleurisy. Bernard Brooks has booked “Softball” — Pete Simon’s own production for his President. Picture was screened at nearby Mack Ball Park, and the sponsor, Briggs Bodies, is passing out handbills and devoting special advertising to the run. Nat Levy, James Sharkey and Milton Cohen of the RKO office, were among the New York conventioneers . . . Herb Griffin, president of International Projector Corp., has been visiting with W. J. Turnbull, National Theatre Supply manager . . . Max Blumenthal, after riding a bicycle, disappeared for two days to convalesce. Fishing season opened Sunday, and, among those going up to the Au Sable, were Frank Wetsman, W. J. Turnbull, Clarence Williamson, and Hal Burriss ... Jacob Boodman of Film Cleaning Service, is back after four weeks’ illness with sinus in Dearborn Veterans’ Hospital . . . Bill Flemion is back, after a business trip to Saginaw and Bay City. j Lloyd Hammond has returned to “the old days,” producing a short a week now . . . Walter Goryl, RKO booker, denies those reports that he is contemplating matrimony . . . Ben Zimmer is new assistant booker at United Artists, coming from a house manager’s post with Associated Theatres . . . Harlan Starr, Jack j Susami and Sam Merson took in the I Tigers’ night game at Cleveland. [ Max Bluegrind of Film Drugs, sprained [| his left wrist in a fall from a horse ... ; A1 Champaign, 20th-Fox booker, is trout fishing up north . . . Art Knapp was reported quite ill with a cold. Film Exchange ball team won two games two days in a row over Burroughs j Adding Machines, 8-3, and over Bengal Athletic Club, 8-1. Syd Bowman, UA booker, was umpire for the second. Dave \ Kaplan pitched both games. Earl England \ of M-G-M was star, playing third ... An i Old Timers’ Team is being organized to play the youngsters sometime next month. Ambrose Fitzgerald, supervisor of checkers for M-G-M, has returned from two weeks’ fishing upstate, and is off upstate on business again. 52 BOXOFFICE :: July 1. 1939