Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1948)

PHILADELPHIA ^he Quaker city should be well set up in * the foreign film division by the end of this month. The Locust in West Philadelphia has been carrying on its foreign film policy ever since its reopening some months ago. The Princess, which cut foreign films during the summer, goes back to them in a week or so. Jack Jaslow, the Artkino man, has leased the Poplar again this year and plans to star 6 soon with a policy of foreign films similar to that of last year. The Pix has had a straight second run policy on Hollywood product but, so far as we can discover, that is not permanent and that theatre may soon go back to foreign films. Charley Goldfine is the man-of-the-week. The Variety Club official will pay the costs of clipping a little mongrel dog from now on. He picked up the pup outside his Vine street office recently and fed it. Then he discovered that the pup’s hair had grown so long over its eyes that it couldn’t see. So he cut its hair, washed it, and set out to find the owner. The pup led him to a restaurant and dashed up to a woman. “Your dog,’’ asked Charley. When she said yes, he suggested that she take better care of the pup. Then Charley discovered the lady was blind. Lou Colantuono, manager of the Lane, really stresses service to the patron. Other day, Lou dashed out of the theatre with a fire extinguisher in his hand to subdue a blaze in a patron’s car . . . Producer Fred Brisson, husband of Rosalind Russell, was here to see the stage show “Where’s Charley?” (he owns a slice of the Ray Bolger show) and to check up on the opening September 22 of “The Velvet Touch,” slated for the Boyd . . . The 15th Air Force society has landed a beauty for its second annual ball at the Warwick November 19. Madeleine Carroll will reign as cjueen. Since Mrs. Beatrice Z. Miller has been named to fill a vacant post on the state censorship board, and has been named secretary of the board, folks have been checking up on her motion picture habits. Favorite stars, Rosalind Russell, Gregory Peck and Gary Cooper. She used to go to a show every week or so, but not to westerns. In her first stint as a censor, she saw 189 reels of celluloid. Enjoyed it, too, she said. New York Loew Managers Shifted to New Posts NEW YORK — Several managerial shifts have been made by Eugene Picker, in charge of Loew’s New York theatre operations. William Carroll goes from the Avenue B. Theatre to the Borland, Buddy Neustein from the Brevoort to the Bedford, John O’Connor from the Bedford to the Woodside and Joseph Stica from the Woodside to the Avenue B. Larry Stark, acting manager of the Borland, becomes manager of the Brevoort, A number of assistant managers also have been reassigned. CLASS DISTRIBUnON FOR THE ENTIRE SOUTH — thru J(IOHN) Q (O. K.) ENKINS & JDOURGEOIS ASTOR PICTURES COMPANY lUBWOOD & lACKSON STS.. DAliAS L TEX. NEW EL LIAISON— Fred Stein, special representative for the roadshowing of J. Arthur Rank’s “The Red Shoes” and other Rank productions, is greeted by Eagle Lion’s William J. Heineman, vicepresident in charge of distribution. Stein will work under the supervision of Heineman and L. Jack Schlaifer, effective immediately. Marcus Heiman Is Charged With Capitol Stage Ban WASHINGTON — Marcus Heiman, head of the United Booking Office of New York, which books legitimate plays on the road, has been charged with blocking the establishment of a legitimate theatre for stage plays here. Heiman is lessee of the National Theatre, Washington’s only legitimate theatre for the past several years, which is being converted into a motion picture house as a result of a boycott by Actors Equity for its refusal to admit Negroes. Arthur Katims, who is associated with Theodore Granik in a plan to build a new legitimate theatre here, spoke on a radio program over KINX here, charging Heiman with refusing to grant his group a franchise. Katims said that Heiman’s agency books 90 per cent of the Broadway plays and it would be impossible to operate a road theatre without a franchise from his booking office. Richard L. Coe, drama editor of the Washington Post, and Wallace M. Cohen, who have been trying to lease the old Belasco Theatre from the government, also charged Heiman with refusing to cooperate. Meanwhile, the nearest legitimate theatre to Washington is in Baltimore. Selznick Division Heads In Home Office Meeting NEW YORK — Selznick home office executives and division managers got together last ’Thursday (16) to discuss present selling plans on “The Paradine Case” and “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House,” and future releasing plans on “Portrait of Jennie.” Milton S. Kusell, vice-president in charge of domestic and Canadian sales, presided. Those attending were: Sidney Deneau, assistant general sales manager; Leonard R. Case, treasurer; John T. Howard, western division manager; J. E. Fontaine, eastern division manager: Henry G. Krumm, southern division manager; Sam Horowitz, midwestern division manager, Robert M. Gillham, eastern advertising and publicity director, and Joseph Marks, Canadian, N. J. Allied Adopts Conciliation Plan NEW YORK — The board of directors of Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey September 14 unanimously adopted the Smith conciliation plan and will put it into practice as soon as members have been notified of the procedure to be taken under the plan. Confidence was expressed that the plan will work out successfully and aid in solving any problems involving the organization and 20th Century-Fox. Action was taken after Andy W. Smith Jr., general sales manager of 20th-Fox, recently supplied Allied representatives with details of the plan as it has been operating in Minneapolis since July 1. William L. Ainsworth, president of Allied, had endorsed it at the June convention of Allied of New Jersey, as did most othsr eastern regional units. It will come up for discussion at the forthcoming TOA convention in Chicago. A three-man New Jersey Allied committee consisting of Irving Bollinger, Lou Gold and Wilbur Snaper met with Smith and it was their report that received approval of the board of directors. The September 14 meeting also discussed details of next year’s convention and arranged for the regular eastern meeting to be held in Baltimore October 7. Bollinger presided. John Kane New Salesman For Para in Scranton NEW YORK — John E. Kane, Philadelphia office manager in training for Paramount, has been named salesman of the ScrantonWilkes Barre territory by Earle W. Swegert, mideastern division sales manager. Kane will serve under Ulric F. Smith, Philadelphia branch manager. Kane, who is 31 and lives in Camden, N. J., served in the marine corps during wartime. He joined Paramount in Philadelphia as assistant shipper in 1946, later becoming shipper. T.J. VERMES— Partner, Yale, Norwood and Y orktown Theatres, Cleveland, Ohio — says: “RCA Service has meant uninterrupted shows for at least 15 years. I wouldn’t be without it.” To get the benefits of RCA Service —write: RCA SERVICE COMPANY, INC., Radio Corporation of America, Camden, New Jersey. Adv. BOXOFFICE ;: September 18, 1948 57