Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1939)

Indian Juvenile Appears On Bridgeport Stage Bridgeport, Conn. — Through the cooperation of Police Sergeant John Moran, a member of the supreme board of directors of the Police Anchor Clubs of America, the Loew-Poli Theatre was able to bring Martin Good Rider to this city for the opening of “Susannah of the Mounties.” Martin, a full-blooded Blackfeet Indian lad who plays opposite Miss Temple in the film, made the trip from the west coast with the Rev. Bernard Cullen, director general of the Marquette League of Catholic Indian Missions and did a half hour of songs and dances, aided by another Indian boy, Archie Big Wind, on the stage. City officials and members of the Police Anchor club attended the performances and later were guests of Manager Matt L. Saunders at a reception and dinner at Hotel Stratfield. Barrett Kiesling Tours Loew-Poli Circuit New Haven — Barrett Kiesling, Metro’s “ambassador of goodwill,” has started his annual tour of the Loew-Poli circuit, meeting with managers and members of the press on exploitation and advertising ideas and advance news of the new product. Harry P. Shaw, Loew-Poli division manager, and Thomas Donaldson, Metro exchange manager here, arranged a first meeting and informal party at the Hotel Taft. Bert MacKenzie, New England exploitation man from Boston, also attended and spoke. Meriden was included in the New Haven meet. Subsequent meetings were arranged in Bridgeport, to include Waterbury, Hartford, Springfield and Worcester. BOSTON (Continued from page 57) for M-G-M, was in town on a tour of New England key cities, accompanied by Lou Brown of the Boston Loew’s Theatres publicity office. Alice Dervin, niece of Eddie Mannix, general manager of M-G-M studios, back in town after two years in Culver City. Alice hopes to crash radio here. Joe DiPesa, publicity chief for Loew’s Theatres here, back at his desk after an extended leave of absence, will be assisted by Joe Longo for a few weeks. Longo, incidentally, is going after Bill Cunningham, columnist on the Boston Post, to write a special commentary on “Winter Carnival,” now being produced by Walter Wanger. Background of the film is Dartmouth College of which both Wanger and Cunningham are alumni. Harry Asher, veteran of the local film district, is hooking “Uncivilized” through the New England territory. Novelty Distributing Co. is booking the Galento-Louis fight pictures in this area, with FourStar Program Co. producing the heralds and programs. Colonial Theatre, Manchester Depot, Vt., played the northeastern New England premiere of “Captain Fury,” June 27, and for the first time this house went to a reserved seat policy. Film exchanges in Boston will have only skeleton crews on duty July 3 and 4. Trans-Lux, Boston, has changed policy from first runs to revivals. “Mutiny on the Bounty” and “Cavalcade,” played single feature, were the lead-off programs, accompanied by shorts and newsreel digest. New prices are 15 cents matinees and 25 cents evenings. Jack Markle, manager of the Coolidge Corner, Brookline, Mass., promoted “Old Timers” Night in his town, featuring a ball game starring veterans of the diamond. Sanford Hall Theatre in Medway, Mass., has been reseated. Henry J. Chapman is manager. Arts Cinema in Bar Harbor, Me., opens July 2 with “Juarez.” Paul Anglim is manager. Opening night scale will be 50 cents and $1. Summer house will play Warner “A” pictures and foreign films. We spent 15 minutes with Ben Domingo, number-one man at RKO Keith Memorial and Boston Theatres, and his telephone rang 12 times. First, there were requests for ducats; then there came a call from one of the acts at RKO Boston, complaining about their spotting. So Ben had to leave and cross the street to settle the difficulties. He joined Keith's Memorial 12 years ago when the house was first opened. Working his way up in the true Horatio Alger manner, Ben became city manager for RKO two years ago. He books pictures into the Boston Theatre which is, by the way, the only big chain house booked locally instead of from New York. If anyone thinks that the job of managing a big house is a cinch, then he should stick around Ben Domingo. Although Ben has already made remarkable progress through his ability and hard work, we feel that he is bound to go even higher. Our next exhibitor is as much of a landmark in Worcester, Mass., as that city's City Hall tower clock. Robert R. Portle is his name. Bob manages Loew's Plaza, keeping his weather eye open for exploitation pictures. During the last few years, he has been booking four pictures a week. Naturally, this means that Bob had to visit Boston three and four times a week and sometimes every day to pick up special ads, mats, stills and posters for these films. This chap pioneered the amusement business in Worcester and has remained there ever since. ★ ★ * The third picture in the popular Mr. Wong series starring Boris Karloff will be released in two weeks. “Mr. Wong in Chinatown" is the sort of action thriller you need to help bolster summer business. For a well-produced and well-acted mystery, book this film and take advantage of Mr. Wong's popularity as created in Collier's magazine, and Boris Karloff's popularity built up by his previous work in this series for Monogram. Sieve Broidy Monogram Pictures, inc. 39 CHURCH STREET BOSTON BOXOFFICE :: July 1, 1939 59