Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1939)

m IE m p iiHi I ^ (Continued from page 67) American Desk Mfg. Co., has just returned from a week’s trip to Chicago. W. F. Sonneman, together with his son, who overate theatres in Fayetteville, Springdale and Bentonville, were in town this week advancing their bookings. M. H. Brandon, president of the Film Transit, Inc., and who headquarters in Charlotte, is in Memphis this week, relieving George Simpson, traffic manager, who is vacationing in New York City. Ernest A. MacKenna, general manager of the Credit Promotion Division of Ross Federal, has left Memphis for New Orleans to marry Miss Doris M. Williams. After an extended honeymoon, MacKenna will be back on the job. Bailey Prichard of Peerless Poster Exchange is back in Memphis after a business trip to Greenville, Miss. There is an unconfirmed rumor that Tony Sudekum of the Cresent Amusement Co. at Nashville, has taken over the Roxy Theatre in Union City, which was recently built by J. Dee Henry, and has been operated by Joe Wiley. Ollie Williamson, Warner branch manager, is driving a new LaSalle . . . Jack Arnold, Bank Night representative, was in Memphis this week . . . Pitt Hollis Holmes, booker at M-G-M, is back at his desk after two weeks’ vacation in Texas. Joe Jones, Monogram salesman, is in town after an extended trip into the territory. Joe says after three weeks in the territory, Memphis certainly looked good to him . . . Jimmy Prichard, Universal’s branch manager, returned from a trip to the district office in Atlanta. VARIETY CLUB NOTES: Plans for the establishment of the South’s first public Mothers Milk Station, with facilities for freezing and preserving human milk for use by premature and ailing babies, have been completed by the Memphis Variety Club. The station, similar to several now operating successfully in Chicago and New York will be located at the John Gaston Hospital and will be operated jointly by the hospital, a committee from the Variety Club and committee named by the Memphis Obstetrical and Gynecological Society. Money for the support of the station will be raised by the club, according to M. A. Lightman, chief barker, with nearly $800 pledged by club members toward the expense of $1,000 expected in connection with the campaign. Jimmy Rogers of Columbia and Ed Sapinsley of Malco were named chairmen of rival fund-raising groups, with Jimmy Prichard of Universal selected to head the out-of-town division. On Jimmy Rogers team are Bob Bostick, Herbert Kohn, Frank Willingham, Ollie Williamson, T. W. Young, B. W. Hirsch and Jack Calhoun, and on Ed Sapinsley ’s team are A1 Avery, Early Maxwell, Fred Ford, Bill Bugie and Milton Linder. The station is to be in operation by Howard, Nashville, Ark., Is Opened by Williams Oklahoma City — The new Howard Theatre at Nashville, Ark., has been opened by K. Lee Williams Theatres. Louis Littlefair, formerly with R. E. Griffith in Winters and Ballinger, Tex., has been named manager of both the Howard and Liberty theatres in Nashville. Daniel Cornish is assistant manager. The new Howard is the result of a complete remodeling of the old Gem at an approximate cost of $10,000. The Nashville News put out a special section for the opening, paying tribute to Williams in a special article captioned, “Re-United After 25 Years in the Show Business” and teUing of the origin and growth of “the new theatre firm organized by two men who started in the picture business together more than 25 years ago.” The reference was to the partnership of R. E. Griffith and K. Lee Williams. This is the first public expression that Griffith interests are connected with the Williams organization, which now has 12 theatres in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Previously, parties concerned denied rumors Williams and Griffith interests are interlinked in the new organization. Booking Service Grows Dallas — In-Dex Booking Service, operated by Forrest White for the past three years, has done a bit of expanding recently with the taking on of new accounts. The newest on White’s list is Jack Bear’s Dorothy Theatre at Henrietta. The newest account now lists 14 independent houses for which White is now booking. Beebe Firm Incorporates Little Rock — Articles of incorporation have been filed by the Beebe Amusement Co. The firm lists an authorized capital stock of 50 shares of $10 par value each, all of which has been paid in. Incorporators are T. E. Abington, agent; Alpha Brown and C. E. Abington, all of Beebe. Build in Franklin Franklin, La. — Franklin Amusement Co. is building a new 874-seater here to be known as the Royal. Officers of the firm include T. Joseph, general manager; E. A. Boudreaux, president; E. A. Darnell, vice-president, and Charles A. Ibert, treasurer. A September opening is planned for the Royal. Readies Howard Starrer Hollywood — Hans Kraly is readying the script for “The Man Who Lost Himself,” a Walter Futter production starring Leslie Howard. RKO releases. October 1, and a graduate nurse will be in charge. This surplus milk will be frozen into cake form at a temperature of 15 degrees below zero, and thus preserved, it can be kept for several years. It is understood this station will serve the entire mid-south. Maybe They're Selling Dallas — Deputy U. S. Marshal E. R. Goss, who knows many film men because of previous federal cases, told Dallas reporters he had a man-sized assignment in his attempt to serve notices on film managers in the coming suit of the United States vs. Griffiths filed at Oklahoma City. Goss playfully concluded a film manager’s life was one of continuously being out of the office either on business, out to lunch, playing golf, just plain out, or any number of other excuses when subpoenas are concerned. The officer put in two weeks carrying out orders from the attorney general’s office to serve certain notices mainly to four Dallas executives of major distributing companies. His specific comment was: “They don’t get down until about 10 a. m. — at about 11:30 they start going out to lunch and are out until about 2 p. m. About 3 o’clock they start thinking about golf or going home to supper.” He served his final paper the other day. Youngest Screen Player Miami — Because of the hunch of Tracy Barham, Paramount’s eastern district representative, a former Miami child, Carolyn Lee, is now the youngest contract player in Hollywood. Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. Warren Copp. Carolyn is now in the midst of “Are Husbands Necessary,” and is planning her route home after the picture, so she can come through Miami, her mother reports. A New Construction Brackettville, Tex. — Construction of a new building to replace the old Star Theatre, is well under way. Details about ownership and proposed operation were not mentioned in this local report. However, the theatre will have a concrete foundation, and the material will be hollow tile and brick. Chaffee Films Forms Morganton, N. C. — A charter has been granted to Chaffee Films, Inc., here to deal in motion picture films. Authorized capital is $40,000. A. C. Chaffee, J. H. Gaston and Mrs. A. C. Chaffee are incorporators. Hamm Hosts Scouts Vernon, Tex. — Scoutmaster of the local Boy Scout troop as well as an independent theatre owner here, C. C. Hamm recently loaded his entire troop into cars and drove to Camp Boulder in Oklahoma for a week of sports and fun. Transfer Joe Mills Benavides, Tex. — Van Chamberlain has transferred Joe Mills from Freer to be manager of the Rita, replacing A1 Lavender who is no longer connected with the Chamberlain theatres. BOXOFFICE :: July 1, 1939 70-C