Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1939)

E. M. and Ira Loew Will Inspect Circuit Links Miami — Meeting his brother, E. M., in New Orleans mid-July, Ira Loew, director of the local E. M. Loew interests, will spend several days inspecting the new Drive-In being built there, which will have space for 1,500 cars. The E. M. Loew circuit now includes five Drive-Ins and 60 regular theatres. From New Orleans, the brothers will visit in Baltimore and Virginia. Harp Opens Harlem Donaldsonville, La. — The Harlem (colored) Theatre, seating 267, has been opened here by Sydney Harp. JT IS now “Colonel” Tony Sudekum, high mogul of the Crescent Amusement Co., Nashville, owners and operators of 50 middle Tennessee theatres. Tennessee’s Gov. Prentice Cooper has named Sudekum an honorary member of his staff. Chas. H. Amos, manager of the Paramount, Nashville, severely injured by a fall early in the year and at home convalescing for the past two months, is about ready to desert a wheel chair and crutches. He is expected back at the Paramount for active duty around July 15. Newport is having a “straw ballot” and a bitter fight by local opposition while the city council has up an ordinance to permit Simday shows. The ordinance passed first reading and a majority of the councUmen are said to favor it. First prize in an increased attendance contest for the month of May among Crescent Amusement Co. houses went to William Greer, New Court Theatre, Huntingdon. A patron’s fall on the balcony steps of the Tivoli, Chattanooga, last October cost the management $3,500 in a circuit court damage suit. The theatre hasn’t decided whether the decision will be appealed. Mat B. Bates, manager of the Gem, Etowah, was recently married to Miss Floyd Love Schoolfield. Robert Hampton, of Kingsport, recently succeeded Ralph Bachus as manager of the Capitol, Brownsville. W. A. (Sandy) McPherson, manager of the Elite, Second Ave. South, Nashville, since its opening, is rated as one of the best managers in the city. His twelve years’ experience with the advertising department of Ringling Bros, and Barnum Bailey Circus was good training for selling seats in a theatre. Sam Hershfield, promotional director of Independent Theatres, Inc., Chattanooga, has an idea that is clicking. He visits Erlanger Hospital and gives free passes to patients in the hospital to be used when they have recovered. His gifts include anxious fathers awaiting the arrival of the stork. gREAKING all standing boxoffice records for a juvenile matinee, the Strand’s model airplane show climaxed a series of 15 weekly buildups in which the Flying G-Men model airplane contest was run in cooperation with the Miami Daily News. The contest coincided with the showing of the serial “Flying G-Men.” The 85 entries, on display in Floyd Stubblefield’s theatre lobby for the past several weeks, have ranged from miniature reproductions of every type of flying craft from giant boomers to pick-a-backs. Herman Berlin jr., assistant manager at the Strand, has been beaming for weeks in anticipation of his vacation to the old home town, Montgomery. Bud Watson, an usher at this same house, is just back from his vacation during which he almost caught up with his favorite sport, fishing. Charlie and Martha Whitacre are plenty excited, too, these days. They’re packing their Lars and Penates (radio and back copies of Boxoffice to you, Joe) in readiness for the trek to the new home they’ve built up on 49th street. Following the return this weekend of Rollin K. Stonebrook, Paramount manager, where Charlie has been on relief duty, he will go over to the main offices to Eddie Atkinson’s desk while the Paramount booker is away on his vacation. An interesting example of the strategy used in selecting staff members for the Miami Drive-In theatre is seen in the person of Flora Soar, this huge open air house’s cashier. Miss Soar, herself well known throughout the community in which the Drive-In is located, is the daughter of a Miami pioneer, F. M. Soar. The new employes’ cafeteria at the Fleischer studios has been put into service. The cartoonists’ dining room has a capacity of 250. Its manager formerly directed the University of Miami cafeteria. Jack Woehrle, assistant to George Hoover at the Cinema, is entitled to a close runnerup position (to Charlie Whiteacre) as the Paramount jumping jack, his present being his third post since the holidays. Good business is being reported in the rather unusual booking being given the current revival of “San Francisco” at local Paramount houses. It is being shown only as a weekend feature, for a three-day (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) run. For its first two weeks it played the two beach houses, last week came over to the Olympia and this weekend will be seen at the adjacent Flagler street house, the Rex. The Hialeah and the Flagler theatres are runiiing only on a weekend schedule for the balance of the summer. When Manager J. Hal Luter advertised free admissions to “Lucky Night” in exchange for the presentation of a four-leaf clover at the boxoffice of his theatre, the Rex, he secured extra publicity from a minimum giveaway — for clovers are virtually as scarce as dark days down here. He didn’t specify what kind of clover, though, so three ladies qualified for Annie Oakleys by presenting pressed specimens, brought with them from the north. Gordon Spradley, manager of the Biltmore, continues to hold a rank in the upper bracket of competitors in the annual Metropolitan Miami medal play at the Flagler Country Club. G€T PCRSonfiL ^ WIT4I YDUR P«TRDnS,«4^... VlfUCMPHIC ^TRAILERS Made up to your own individual copy with appropriate and original ideas that will appeal to your particular locality and patronage. Present Your Screen Announcements Effectively With a Dash of Local Color and Orifirinality. Service, [^rice R USH IZIeLIVERV C3uTiTRnDinc Qurlitv/ <^t^ihiPahcule1x}mm^ THATlr Vf$||6AAPHlC,1 Tue SMART WOaiT ^ $««RT£M«8IT0RS VISUGRRPHIC^FILm^CDRP I^B UIFlLTOn ST.,n.UI. P.O.B.Ses WM. KtnBeRLv, Prei. QTunnTR. BOXOFFICE :: July 1, 1939 S 70-A