Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1938)

T F. NORMAN, president of the Arkansas ■* ITO, en route home from the MPTOA convention at Oklahoma City last week, suffered from ptomaine poisoning and was brought to Little Rock in an ambulance from Sallisaw, Okla. He is almost recovered now. Little Rock Filmrow visitors: M. J. Hasty, New Theatre, Dar danelle ; K. H. Kinney, Hays Theatre, Hardy; G. W. Barber jr„ McCrory Theatre, McCrory; H. J. Pitman, Paradise Theatre, Cotter; JJackson Rhodes, Crittenden Theatre, West Memphis; T. C. Killebrew, Rialto, Siloam Springs. Among those who attended the MPTOA meet in Oklahoma City were: M. J. Pruniski, and daughter Betty, North Little Rock; J. F. Norman, Little Rock; Miss Amy Jones, Malco, North Little Rock; G. Carey, Paris; Orris Collins, Paragould; Cecil Cupp, Arkadelphia; M. A. Lightman jr., Hope. Franklin O' Baugh, four feet and one inch tall, of Arkadelphia, left Tuesday for Hollywood where he will join a midget troupe with which he traveled last summer and which Metro has signed for five weeks. Gene Austin, radio and screen star, made a personal appearance at the Rialto, North Little Rock, this week. With Austin are Joan Brooks and two well known comedians, “Candy” and “Coco.” W. L. Landers, owner and operator of the Landers Theatre, Batesville, was stricken with a stomach hemorrhage while playing golf last Tuesday. He was taken to a Little Rock hospital where hospital attendants said the latter part of the week that he was resting comfortably. One hundred and forty youths from the Arkansas Boys Industrial School, Pine Bluff, were guests of the management of the Saenger Theatre in that city Wednesdiy afternoon at a special showing of “Boys Town.” Each boy received a sack of popcorn from Paul Jones, manager of the theatre. Tampa House Renamed Tampa, Fla. — The Franklin Theatre has been named the Florida, Howard Jaudon, manager, announced. The change in name was to give the Sparks organization another Florida, which operates a Florida in nearly every city in which it does business. Open at Columbia Columbia, Tenn. — The New Lyric Theatre, with remodeling and the installation of new sound equipment completed, opened November 17. J. B. Barr is house manager, under A1 E. Shortley, city manager for Crescent Amusement Co. Hale to "Stand Up, Fight" Hollywood — Jonathan Hale has joined Robert Taylor, Wallace Beery and Florence Rice in the cast of M-G-M’s “Stand Up and Fight.” OKLAHOMA CITY (Continued from page 24) stood on the rostrum of the Baptist church here and apologized for staggering into the Oklahoma Women’s Christian Temperance Union convention and waving a whiskey bottle as a publicity stunt. The students were hustled off to jail when the stunt backfired. They said they thought it would be good advertising for a student play, “The Drunkard” being put on in the Warner theatre on a percentage deal with Standard Theatres. Now, both of you readers, guess who put that idea into the heads of the students? Merle and his Barnyard Boys, hillbilly band that has been piling up the mail as a result of their radio programs over the Oklahoma network through KTOK here, have been signed for 13 weeks by Standard Theatres to produce a show weekly for the Warner. A square dance contest will be held on the night Merle Salathiel and his boys do their stuff . . . Also Standard has knotted a deal with the University of Oklahoma Players to present six of their plays on the stage of the same theatre; the first being the aforementioned “Drunkard.” Death came last week to George Barrett, 53, veteran Tulsa stage hand and theatre man who died in Tucson, Ariz. Active pallbearers at his Tulsa funeral were Eddie Grimes, Joe Campbell, Mike Hauppman, Abe Carter, Sam Avey and Cady Thompson while the honorary pallbearers were Jay Prothero, Charlie Parks, Martin Moffett, O. B. Fenton, E. J. Quigley, F. B. Bunch, G. J. Fox, Rube Gresson, P. D. Dane, Charlie Hathaway, John B. Campbell, P. C. Bennett, Wynn Langley and Harry Schwartz. Public-Owned Theatre Salley, S. C. — This little town really went to town to get itself a motion picture theatre. A few months ago, it cost the theatregoers of the community time and money for gasoline to motor to larger cities to see their favorite stars. Of course, the situation had to be remedied. The result was a new auditorium, a WPA project, seating 663. It was equipped with a large, fireproof projection room, for the theatre idea had moved right along with the building plans. Tire next move was the theatre project. A group of citizens, led by H. A. Sawyer, chairman of the school board, pooled thenassets and installed the best and most modern motion picture equipment they could buy. Last June the house opened for business. The theatre is a community proposition. No one is paid salaries. The school superintendent acts as manager, and the two ticket cashiers, operators, and the ushers donate their time. Shoots an Ace San Marcus, Tex. — F. W. Zimmerman, local theatreman, golfing on the Spring Lake course here with the high school principal, shot a hole-in-one the other day. He was using a No. 6 iron on the 168-yard par 3 hole. Remodel in Baldwin Baldwin, Miss. — Claude Gentry, manager of the Lyric, announces the theatre will be redecorated and new seats installed soon. G£T pensonAL ^ With Yto Patriots. uAe... Vlf UGRAPHIC ^TRAILERS Made up to your own individual copy -with appropriate and original ideas that will appeal to your particular locality and patronage. Present Your Screen Announcements Effectively With a Dash of Local Color and Originality. 4 STAR waw SftO-PDQAito| THAT* WSUGRAPmcJ the smart WORD SMftRT EXHIBITORS SService, Price R ush Delivery OimTMiDiriG Quality/ -tin pnhrtJ* j7. • VIMJGRRPHICFILmCDRP l<*B UIRLTOn ST.,n.UI. P.O.B.3B5 W.H. Kmbbrly. Pre\. fiTLRnTR. BOXOFFICE : November 19, 1938 87