Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

Pacific Independents Will Meet October 16 Los Angeles — To clarify organizational details of the new Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners, a general meeting has been called for October 16. Membership, comprising the Independent Theatre Owners of So. Calif, and Ariz., the ITO of No. Calif, and Nevada, and the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of the Pacific Northwest, will attend. Robert Poole, executive director of the southern California ITO and temporary executive secretary of the conference, will preside. Conference was established to “create a more harmonious relationship” among independent showmen, distributors and producers, it was announced at the time of its founding. Poole plans to leave for New York on a ten-day business trip immediately following the session. MPTO of Washington Will Convention October 27 Seattle — October 27 has been selected as the date for the annual convention of the MPTO of Washington. The date precedes the Washington-Stanford football game, so exhibitor members are being urged to attend the convention and then take in the game the following day. A special committee meeting was held in the office of the executive secretary, Jim Hone, to arrange details for the gathering and also special entertainment. It was agreed a special midnight show should be held the evening of the convention at the Orpheum Theatre. Special stage attractions and a preview of a new picture will be provided. Bill Forman, general manager for Sterling, promises to supply the stage show, with Evergreen Theatres offering the screen attraction. Eddie Rivers of Evergreen, Jack Sampson of Sterling and Joe Cooper will handle publicity for the affair. L. O. Lukan, president of MPTO, and Hone are handling details for the noon luncheon and the convention proper. FWC-Blodgett Theatre Planned at San Diego San Diego, Cal. — Ending a ten-year construction lull by Pox West Coast, the circuit has announced plans to erect a 900-seat subsequent-rim house here in partnership with John Blodgett. Theatre will be the first FWC unit to be built in a decade. Plans are being drafted by Architect S. Charles Lee. Enterprise calls for an investment of approximately $100,000. The building will house two stores and have a large parking lot adjacent. Maywood House to FWC Maywood, Cal. — Fox West Coast has purchased the Maywood Theatre from Gene O’Keefe and will close it temporarily for a redecorating job. Independents Snub Jubilee; Brunt on FWC & Warner On the Other Coast — Mr. and Mrs. T. C. McElroy of the Rex Theatre at Vale, Ore., pause at the RKO Exhibitors’ lounge while on their visit to New York. Auto Giveaway Policy Extended by FWC Los Angeles — Eight new automobile giveaways, in addition to the ten already scheduled, have been set by Fox West Coast during the one-month period before Christmas. Pour cars will be given away in the San Diego and four in the Long Beach district, under the supervision of George Bowser. A Closed Discussion by Allied of Los Angeles Los Angeles — After a lengthy closed discussion, members of the local Allied unit adjourned the first important meeting of the fall season with the announcement that discussion will be resumed October 16. James C. Quinn, executive secretary, firmly refused to reveal the subject of the meeting, explaining it is “too vital” to be given premature publicity. It was understood, however, zoning ordinances in the southern California territory are being studied and that a committee of three — Lou Bard, President Seth Perkins and Quinn — has been appointed to gather data on that topic for consideration by the entire membership. Allied also is mapping plans for an extended drive for new members. Dale to Kelly Long Beach — C. W. Kelly has purchased the Dale Theatre from the Cabart circuit. Kelly formerly headed an independent circuit in Colorado. Los Angeles — Perhaps because they remember too well the industry’s ill-fated “Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment” campaign of a year ago, the vast majority of independent operators hereabouts seem loath to cooperate or even to enthuse over the “Golden Jubilee of Motion Pictures” now being observed. As a result, the lion’s share of promotional work is being done by Fox West Coast and Warner Theatre interests. Keynoted by a proclamation issued by Mayor Fletcher Bowron setting aside the period from October 8 to October 14 as “Jubilee Week,” FWC is boosting the event by: Posting facsimiles of the proclamation in the lobbies of all its houses; running special trailers; working out cooperative advertisements in metropolitan newspapers; setting up an advertising budget to purchase 500 street car cards and 100 24sheet billboards; working out lobby displays and festoons in individual FWC theatres; tying up on displays in downtown store windows, and festooning prominent street intersections. Display at Rosemary Dean Hyskell, the Fox circuit’s exploitation chief, arranged a display of old projectors and other props at the Rosemary Theatre in Venice, and obtained Charles Chaplin’s permission to revive dhe of the veteran comedian’s silent' tworeelers in the house. The United Artists, down town, staged a “preview” of William S. Hart’s last starring vehicle, “’Tumbleweeds.” Hyskell also prepared publicity stories concerning old-time pictures, including a description of the original kinetoscope invented by Thomas A. Edison in 1889, complete with photographs of Edison, now being used as advertising adjuncts by most of the circuit’s houses. Warner houses in the area are carrying lobby posters, valances and facsimiles of Mayor Bowron’s proclamation, and are using cuts of the Jubilee seal in their newspaper advertising. National Screen Service and other companies handling accessories, report sales are almost nil among independents, most of whom are not condescending even to purchase Jubilee seals, banners or other promotional paraphernalia. Neither the Independent 'Theatre Owners of So. Calif, and Ariz. nor the local chapter of Allied States has taken any steps to urge their respective memberships to support the campaign. FWC Converts San Diego House for Newsreels San Diego, Cal. — Fox West Coast has converted its Plaza Theatre into an exclusive newsreel house, first such enterprise in the city. Move closely followed similar conversions of the Rex, FWC house in Bakersfield, and the California at San Bernardino into newsreel theatres. BOXOFFICE :; October 14, 1939 H 71