Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1940)

J^MPTO’s corn roast at Dr. C. E. Herman’s farm, Campbell’s Run Road, Carnegie, Sunday, August 18, promises to be the biggest and best of the all-industry picnics to date. This will be the eighth annual corn roast and outing, and it is a stag affair, as usual. Tickets are $1.50, you can take it from anyone who has attended any of the past picnics, that you’ve never received more for your money. Abe Rottenstein is seen around wearing one of his West Aliquippa Theatre mushball league shirts. Says he’s advertising his theatre and his mushballers . . . Several of the local area film men expect to attend the sixth annual convention of the West Virginia Managers’ Ass’n at the Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, August 27 and 28. The MPTOA members and friends who frequent this beautiful resort in the spacious upland valley of the picturesque Allegheny Mountains are boosters for the Greenbrier. Jim Slanicus, former Midland exhibitor, will erect an 850-seat theatre at Chambersburg, the cost of which will be upwards of $50,000 . . . The William R. Wheat juniors departed for their annual Canadian vacation . . . Mort England has a new Buick eight . . . Eugene L. Connelly has again been named chairman of the Variety Club’s national humanitarian award committee . . . The Floyd Benders are vacationing at Geneva-on-the-Lake for two weeks, but the Millvale exhibitor will return in time to attend the AMPTO corn roast. Homer Michael has a new Dodge club coupe . . . Art England is getting the onceover at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. . . . Bill Clark, Warner circuit short subject booker, is vacationing ... At the Warner stag picnic held at the Westmoreland Country Club, Harry Kalmine was presented with a Remington rifle, in honor of his eighth anniversary in Pittsburgh as circuit zone manager. Guests included district managers, John J. Maloney, M-G-M; Harry Goldstein, Paramount; Bert M. Steam, UA, and Dave Miller, Universal . . . George Schaeffer is scrubbing up the Casino for an early opening. Daughter to J. Wolfes Carrollton, Ky. — A daughter was born a fortnight ago to Mrs. J. Wolfe, wife of the chief operator at the Richland here. The newcomer has been named Marie, for the wife of J. G. Howe, owner of the theatre. 20th-Fox Extends Foster Hollywood — Twentieth-Fox has extended the director-writer contract of Norman Foster. 7 This Theatre Goes To the Cats Alliance, Ohio — It was “family night" in a neighborhood theatre here when a stray cat launched a family of four in the boxoffice. V. . V $230,182 Judgmenl Awarded lo Seitz Sandusky, Ohio — Judge E. H. Savord returned a finding of $162,000 plus interest in favor of the Seitz Theatre Co. of Sandusky against the General Theatre Co., New York, subsidiary of Warner Bros. The finding, including interest from Aug. 1, 1933, to Aug. 1, 1940, at six per cent, made a total of $230,182. It was based on a suit brought by the Seitz company alleging breach of a lease. The local company leased the theatre building to a predecessor of the General Theatre Co. in 1928 for a total rental of $372,000 on a lease expiring in 1943. In 1933, when the lease had more than ten years to run, the tenant was evicted by the Seitz company for failure to pay three months rent, which was eventually paid. Later, the Seitz company leased the theatre to the present local operators of the State Theatre Co. for $18,000 annually. The Seitz company maintained it had the right to retain all furnishings and equipment in the building installed by the former tenant. In the finding. Judge Savord took the balance between the old and new leases representing the Seitz company losses by the deal, and from this took $15,000 which he declared the value of the equipment. The suit had been submitted to Judge Savord some weeks ago with jury waived. Flynn, Froham, Buckingham, Py and Kruse appeared for the plaintiff. Defendant was represented by Square, Sanders and Dempsey of Cleveland and Krueger, Rosino, Moyer and Moore. John Harris Is Named Presidential Elector Pittsburgh — John H. Harris, theatre magnate and national president of the Variety Clubs of America, has been named Republican presidential elector, who with 35 others will cast Pennsylvania’s votes in the electoral college next December if Wendell L. Willkie wins the November election. Harris, who is a nephew of Allegheny County Republican Chairman Frank J. Harris, was named as an elector by Willkie on recommendation of James F. Torrance, Pennsylvania Republican chairman. Mahoninqtown Crescent Dark for Remodeling Mahoningtown, Pa. — The Crescent has closed for remodeling and modernization which will include the erection of a “V” marquee with two lines of silhouette letters and a porcelain front, both furnished by Artkraft Sign Co. Interior changes will be made, new front doors will be installed and the “step” in front of the theatre will be eliminated. Louis Perretta states that the modernization will be completed within three weeks. Renews With Altec Detroit — Alex Schreiber, president of Associated Theatres, Inc., has renewed service contracts with Altec Service Corp. 1ID> IE T R O II T (Continued from preceding page) operates the Alden, has withdrawn from the enterprise in which he was a partner. Dan Hayes, who was the prominent gentleman in topper and whiskers at the Edison premiere at Port Huron, died last week . . . Jack Conway, director of “Boom Town,” used to be a railroad brakeman in Michigan. Beryl (O’Bie) O’Bryan of the Butterfield office thinks her vacation wasn’t long enough. She needs to get that memory rested . . . Clive Waxman, Grand Rapids independent booker, in Friday lunching with Irwin Pollard of Republic and not golfing. George Smith has decided to name that new one at Lapeer the “Pix” ... A. Krikorian is revamping the Holly at Holly. Hollis Drew of the Temple, East Jordan, and Mrs. Elizabeth Moon of the Palace, Charlevoix, are neighbors in the resort area. Both are re-equipping their houses. October 1 has been set as tentative opening date for the new unnamed house at South Lansing and the completely rebuilt Bijou at Battle Creek by Ed Beatty, Butterfield president. Prolonged Illness Fatal Detroit — Henry Reynolds, 44, driver for Film Truck Service, died after a prolonged illness at Grand Rapids where his brother, Howard, operates the Family and Vogue theatres. His widow and two children survive. Interment was in Roselawn Cemetery. Go for Narcotics Film Pittsburgh — Attendance records have been shattered at the Art Cinema by “The Burning Question,” narcotics film, now in its eighth week at the Liberty Avenue house. Frank Reardon Recuperates Alliance, Ohio — Frank Reardon, business agent of the Alliance lATSE, local and stage manager of the Columbia, who has been seriously ill for several months is back on the job. To Develop Garbo Story Hollywood — Salka Viertel has joined the Metro writing staff to develop a story for Greta Garbo. h Picha in a Move lor Patriotic Music Detroit — A move for the playing of patriotic music in local theatres has been started by Thomas G. Picha, manager of the Carlton for the Schulte circuit, who plays “The Star-Spangled Banner" before opening and at the end of the final feature in addition to "God Bless America" at every intermission. VN — ^ 48 BOXOFFICE August 10, 1940