Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1939)

’ IIFE^AMCISCO Denver Group Raps Neely Bill; Urges Deathknell in House Denver — Declaring that the Neely antiblock booking bill due to come before the House next session would work “unsurmountable hardships” on individual theatre owners, the sixth annual meeting of the Gibralter Enterprises, Inc., directors and managers here urged that the industry measure be killed. Appearance of screen stars on radio programs and derogatory activities of certain radio commentators were decried. The directors will present their protests to producers and distributors. Holding its convention shortly before the department of justice condemned the trade practice code, the 39-theatre organization representatives agreed a selfregulating plan was necessary, but declared that only fair rules governing arbitration would ever be accepted by the strictly independent theatre owners. Film companies were urged to have extra proofs of mats printed apart from pressbooks on the ground it would be economy for the theatres, contending many houses could thereby get along with fewer pressbooks. Officers elected for the year include the re-election of Charles R. Gilmour. Denver, as president; E. John Greer, Santa Fe, N. M., chairman of the board and treasurer; Everett Cole, Alamosa, Colo., secretary. E. J. Schulte, Casper, Wyo., E. W. Ward, Silver City, N. M.; T. F. Murphy, Raton, N. M.; and W. H. Ostenberg, Scottsbluff, Neb., as vice-president. The only member of the company not gUSIEST man in Portland the first day of the Oregon motion picture golf tournament at the Portland Golf Club was Ted Gamble who ran himself ragged hunting up talent for the floor show the second day of the affair . . . Condemnation of “Golgotha,” film of the story of the life of Christ, was protested to the city council in an appeal taken from the municipal censor board by Screen Addettes, Inc., through George A. Bronaugh, secretary. Henry Pincus, brother of Charles Pincus, manager of the Paramount Theatre in the days when that house was known as the Portland and at present in Salt Lake City still a theatre manager, has taken over the managerial job of Herb Rosener’s Esquire Theatre. M. D. “Doc” Howe has gone to Seattle to manage Rosener’s Metropolitan and to organize a branch exchange for Washington and Alaska for foreign films of his firm. Pincus has been in Portland before, coming here with “The Drunkard” company at the Paramount Theatre several years back. His most recent theatre management was in Cleveland, Ohio, where he went a year ago after four years work in Los Angeles and two in San Francisco. present was Nathan Salmon, Santa Fe, N. M. The meeting of the managers was unique in that the entire meeting of the managers at which were discussed fundamentals of theatre operation, product and all things to do with patron comfort and satisfaction, were discussed by the managers themselves, the executive directors attending only one meeting for a very short time. Having the managers conduct their own meeting was in the nature of an experiment. After the meetings were over a resume was handed the directors and the managers were praised for the efficiency and thoroughness with which they handled the problems. The committee having charge of the meetings, and their subjects, were C. H. Childley, Casper, Wyo., T. W. Tliompson, Loveland, Colo., “Fundamentals of Theatre Management”; W. C. Boston, Scottsbluff, Neb., “Advertising and Publicity”; and Fred Knill, Denver, head booker, who discussed the coming product. At the first meeting in 1934 there were but 13 managers present. The 39 this year is an indication of how this company has grown in six years. Organized by Charles Gilmour, former WB-FN exchange manager in Denver, the other members are the officers and directors named above, all well-known and longtime theatre operators of the Denver exchange area. Plans were also discussed for the Greater Show Season, to start October 1. Jack K. Sampson of John Danz’ Sterling theatres in Seattle, was a Portland visitor making arrangements for the opening of the Orpheum . . . Universal took over the State Theatre for a preview of “The Under-Pup” . . . George Roy and son had a big opening of their State Theatre in Eugene after a complete remodeling. It marked their tenth anniversary in the show business. Change in the ordinance governing the motion picture censor board to permit the board to designate the place at which films must be viewed has been proposed to the city council by Mayor Joseph K. Carson jr. Pictures generally have been viewed at one exchange, but the question recently was raised as to the board’s right to insist on his. The board held it could not afford the time to run around from place to place to see pictures. The amendment proposed by the mayor allows the board 24 hours instead of 12 in which to view a picture after an exhibitor has asked for the viewing. Lathrops Assisting Wilkens Oakdale, Cal. — Maurice and John Lathrop have been employed by Alfred Wilkens to assist him in the operation of his recently acquired Oakdale Theatre. '^ALLY FEAHAN of the Sonney-Maple Attractions is in Klamath Falls and northern territories with the picture “Slaves in Bondage” . . . J. P. Saul will take a short vacation soon . . . Herbert Roesner is back in town after a trip north . . . Douglas Hardy of the Harvey Theatres in Menlo Park and Mayfield was shifted to McCloud. Rowland Lloyd of the Roesner Vogue Theatre in Kansas City, made a hurried trip to Portland, Ore. He is now back at the Vogue . . . Henry Pincus will replace Doc Howe in the Portland Esquire Theatre, also operated by Roesner . . . Joe Blumenfeld, Sam C. Levin, John Gilboy, George Nasser, and Frank Martinelli, all embarked on Gilboy’s yacht for a trip to Ensanada for a bit of fishing. All are local theatre men with the exception of Martinelli and Gilboy. Martinelli is connected with the Bal Tavern, a local niterie here, and Gilboy is head of the Gilboy Transportation Service. A number of Aaron Goldberg’s crew soon will be in vacationland. Among those who will embark soon are Paul Jenners, manager of the Silver Palace; Maxine Pons of the Peerless and Ruth Washer, “Goldberg’s Gal Friday,” who will entrain for Oregon . . . Red Gallagher of the Madera Theatre in Madera, Cal., was here on the Row . . . Ditto Bill Del Monte of the Bayshore Theatre here . . . John Di Staccio is here vacationing . . . Joan Mills of Harvey Amusement’s San Francisco office, has just returned from a trip to Honolulu after a three-month stay there. Joan at one time resided in Honolulu. Birthday greetings to: Dot Gottfred, Tommy Broxholm, Betty Beasley, and Maude Harvey, all of the Harvey Circuit ... Ed Coffey of Santa Clara will take his crew on a picnic . . . The Harveys are planning a Hallowe’en party for their employes . . . Harvey Udell of the Lux Theatre on Treasure Island is to become a proud papa soon. San Francisco Street Scene: Dick Pollock of the Playhouse Theatre in Calistoga, in town with the missus ... A. McPherson of Yearington, Nev., also visiting along the Row . . . Dan Nunan of 'Turlock also was seen around the exchanges . . . Harry Oastler of Winnamucka, Nev., was here on one of his scarce visits and succeeded in seeing his friends on the Row . . . Bill Heineman and A1 O’Keefe of Universal looking in on their domain. Warner is celebrating Bookers Month . . . L. Reese of Lakeport, also was here telling of building homes in addition to running his theatre . . . Happy De Martini, Republic secretary, is vacationing in Oregon . . . Seems as if Oregon was vacationing here and localites were vacationing in Oregon . . . California and Oregon must have fine publicists . . . Nell Warner of Republic, says that the password with Rose Smith of Republic, is “What about the cow?” . . . J. Leslie Jacobs vacationing . . . Ditto I. Feder, manager of the Golden Gate building . . . J. Muraki of the Mission Theatre in Sacramento, was here visiting the Western Poster Supply Co. IIP^ORTIILAMID) 60 BOXOFFICE :: August 26, 1939