Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1938)

CJINCERE sympathy to Hugh Maguire, RKO booker, who lost his father, Hugh A. Maguire, 58, Old Age Assistance Director of New Haven, just two weeks after the death of his mother . . . New Britain’s second theatre opening is due to take place this week, Massachusetts Theatres opening the modernized and redecorated New Rialto, formerly operated by Michael Daly, and closed for the past several months. Wide-oven Bingo, Bango, etc., are expected in Savin Rock with the turn the election took . . . Representative-elect Jack Lynch is expected to champion such a bill . . . Pickurick, Greenwich, is rumored instituting suit against film companies, complaint setting forth alleged unfair protection of Stamford and Port Chester. With the finish of its china giveaway, the Park institutes one 10-cent bargain night weekly and one glass night . . . With the roof already on the new Casioli Forest Theatre, the house is expected to be completed on schedule in January . . . Adolph Johnson is handling “Marihuana” in this territory for Roy Heffner of Boston . . . Hamilton, Waterbury, has booked the picture for a week of midnight shows at 25 cents, beginning November 27 . . . Crown Theatre, Hartford, has just completed a busy week with the show. Seen about town: Harry Shaw “lighting” and “setting” the Poli stage for “The Great Waltz” contest finals, right at home in every detail of the business, even to showing the musicians how it should be done . . . Michael Tomasino stealing away from the White Way to see two acts of a Yale University Drama School presentation in which his son, Angelo, acted creditably . . . “The Citadel” is the latest in the long line of holdovers on the Loew-Poli circuit . . . “The Great Waltz” breaks the line . . . Carlyle Barrett, Warner district manager, has recuperated from his recent illness and confinement in the hospital and is back at his desk . . . Ditto for Chris Joyce, manager of the Plymouth, Mass, who spent some time at New Haven Hospital recently. Erie Wright, just-resigned Loew-Poli publicity director, had been in charge of ads for the 15 houses in Connecticut and Massachusetts for five years . . . Erie was associated with the Shuberts in New York for some 20 years, after which he worked in Philadelphia and Kansas City in various angles of the show business. He has not yet announced his new plans . . . Lou Schaefer placed study guides and special historical flying illustrations in the schools in connection with “Men With Wings” . . . Stores, travel bureaus and Western Union were also tied in, the latter displaying jumbo Fred MacMurray telegrams. Walter Lloyd, manager of the Allyn, Hartford, is serving on the publicity committee for the President’s Ball here . . . Sam Badamo put over the first New England showing of “Dark Rapture” in grand, style, with Leila Roosevelt and Armand Denis arriving by special trailer plane, and escorted to the theatre along with Roy C. Phelps, photographer . Luncheon and reception were held at the Taft . . . Denis and Phelps spoke from the stage on opening night. The lobby displayed a native grass hut, and other native Belgian Congo articles loaned for the occasion. Arthur Menard, former manager of the Rialto, New Britain, under Michael Daly and later in New York, is back with the Daly circuit at the Capitol, Lowell, replacing Eddie Sokolowsky . . . “Lucky” is still with us — at the Strand, Thompsonville, it is sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Strand, Winsted, also runs the game, while the Capitol, East Haven, continues with “Honey” . . . Report that a Bridgeport exhibitor is. negotiating with Michael Joyce for the Town Hall Theatres, Unionville and Collinsville, while Joe Faith plans to build in both these spots. Hymie Levine all in a dither in expectancy of the visit of his daughter, Mrs. Harry Botwick (wife of the State, Portland, manager) , and his granddaughter, Lennye Barbara . . . Adolph Johnson of the Strand, Hamden, will have his newlybuilt home on Rochford Ave., Hamden, completed by December 15 ... N. C. Wrisley has signed the White Way for an 89week Golden Pheasant china giveaway beginning this Saturday. The new Dixwell Playhouse is using 75-piece Progressive dinnerware weekly, and Wrisley’s 46-piece Duchess crystal twice . . . Roger Sherman Thanksgiving show will be “Angels With Dirty Faces” . . . Eddie Albert of the “Brother Rat” film cast, opened in “The Boys From Syracuse” at the Shubert recently . . . Sunday afternoon stage-radio shows at the College will be sponsored for the first six weeks by Spector’s Jewelry stores . . . Sam Badamo, manager of the theatre, has had plenty of experience with stage presentations in Bridgeport nighteries, parks and theatres. With legalized betting on horse racing at Agawam outlawed by vote of Hampden county residents last week, the Saturday afternoon crowd will have to shift to Suffolk Downs for the horses and Wonderland Park, Revere, for the dogs . . . The Sam Rosens and the various Hoffmans were among the visitors to the YalePrinceton game. " Shanghaied " for A Fare Boston — Julian Riflrin, manager of the Rifkin circuit, journeyed to Providence last week after being caught aboard a train to which he had escorted his grandmother. Despite Rifkin's arguments he was an unwilling passenger, the conductor demanded fare. Rifkin returned by bus. Film Contingent Heads For Harvard-Yale Game Boston — A special contingent was scheduled to attend the Harvard-Yale game. The Boston Friars Club was to have scheduled private Pullmans for transportation to New Haven. Special bus accommodations were to have been available to the Yale bowl. Charge for tickets and, in fact, everything but meals, was set at $16.20. Herman Rifkin, Republic Pictures of New England head, headed the committee in charge. Gerwing Named Regional Federal Theatre Director Boston — George C. Gerwing has been appointed regional director of the Federal Theatre Project in New England and in New York state, exclusive of New York City. He will headquarter in the latter locality. Gerwing was formerly in charge of WPA theatre work in southern California. His duties will include supervision of the present run of plays at the Copley in Boston. Lieberman Adds a Single Feature to Newsreel Unit Boston — Frederick E. Lieberman, following the Trans Lux experiment in New York, has added a single feature to the policy of his local Newsreel Theatre. “Mayerling,” distributed locally by Sam Davidson of Cameo Screen Attractions, will inaugurate the policy. It has been rebooked several times at Lieberman ’s Tremont Theatre. Employment Increases Hartford — The state labor department has reported an increase in number of persons returning to jobs in private industry and corresponding decrease in amount paid out in unemployment compensation. Labor Commissioner Joseph M. Tone stated October was the best month in the history of the state employment service. Transport Fare Up Boston — Five-cent fares on surface cars and buses on the Boston elevated system in metropolitan Boston have been raised to ten cents flat. The change affects some 200,000 prospective patrons of downtown theatres. Just how much this shift tends to shunt theatre business to neighborhood houses remains problematical. Rifkin Initiated Boston — Herman Rifkin, Republic distributor in New England, was initiated last week into the Shriners. Ceremonies were conducted at Aleppo Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Masonry. 78 BOXOFFICE .: November 19, 1938