Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

Vaudeville Oul at Three S-W Houses Philadelphia — Three of the five S-W neighborhood houses that op>ened with vaudeville last month have suddenly dropped the policy. The reason given by insiders was that flesh shows have not drawn enough to justify their expense. This development renewed speculation about when the S-W circuit will institute double features, which Warner officials said they intended doing in “highly competitive spots.” In an apparent attempt to head off this move, members of the local Allied unit are trying to get together in eliminating doubles as far as possible. A closed meeting last week found most of them in favor of discontinuing the practice of doubling A pictures, and of cutting out duals altogether wherever possible. This attempt to stabilize the competitive relationship between the S-W circuit and the independents was strengthened by a meeting between Allied representatives and Warner officials to discuss clearance problems. Gradwell Sears, WB sales chief attended, and reports are that some grievances were satisfied. The S-W houses that dropped flesh shows are the Alhambra, Prankford and Kent. Vaudeville remains in the Oxford and Allegheny, and in the central-city Earle. Emergency Seal Abolition Holds in Philadelphia Philadelphia — Exchange managers have failed to get any help from political higherups in reversing the censor board’s ruling abolishing the “emergency seal,” which formerly was granted for a nominal fee of 25 cents. The practical effect of the ruling will be that exhibitors in many cases will suffer an extra delay in getting their films. Formerly if an exhibitor wanted a film that was tied up, the exchange could borrow a copy from the home office for a week or so, and pay 25 cents instead of the regular censor’s fee of $2 per reel. 'The new ruling will make such temporary borrowing prohibitive, and the exhibitor therefore will have to wait until a film is available locally. The “emergency seal” practice is not required by law, but it has been in force for about 20 years in this territory, until the board appointed this year by Gov. Arthur H. James rescinded it. Rambeau Promoted Philadelphia — L. D. Rambeau, who has been advance manager for group selling shows, in which motion pictures are used, has been promoted to the executive contact staff for the Jam Handy organization. Rambeau will work out of the Philadelphia office. Jack C. Coffey, who has been handling special assignments for Jam Handy in Philadelphia and Wilmington, will head the executive contact staff in New England with headquarters in Boston. DICK MAYERS, Studio, was lucky enough to get the German Navy to work up an exploitation stunt for “Torpedoed.” The picture shows a mock torpedoeing of the British battleship “Royal Oak” — and an obliging U-boat came around when the picture was ready for release, and sank the ship! . . . Mort Magill, United Artists, got a letter from Jeff Davis, who used to work here, and is now in Atlanta, Ga. Davis is making out well, having a perfect name for a southern film salesman . . . The Holme, former S-W house, opens October 21 under Fox-Sablosky management. “Take a bow, Everett Callow, for your fine exploitation campaign,” reads a broadside sent all over the country by the M-G-M exploitation office. Callow is being praised for his stunts for “The Women,” which included a fashion show that made all the society pages, beauty shop ads, department store window displays, radio broadcasts, newspaper serialization, flower distribution for men in the center of town, and other ideas . . . Bill Kanefsky, one of Callow’s smart young men in the S-W publicity office, is putting out a fine short subject review for circuit managers. Lee Kline, Orpheum, is doing a swell job of getting the ladies together in a “Saturday Morning Community Movie Club.” Idea is to have them sponsor shows for the kiddies . . . Sam Phillippe, Plaza, got $50 in the mail as first prize in the “Ballerina” exploitation contest . . . Lewen Pizor has become a father-in-law (daughter’s marriage) a few weeks after being presented with a new baby of his own . . . And A1 Zimbalist, S-W idea man, became an uncle twice within a month, as his sister and sister-in-law both contributed to the country’s vital statistics. Moe Verben is getting groggy conducting the Showmens Club’s new membership drive. Among the celebrities he has just signed up are Sam Blatt, Quality Premiums; Eli Ginsburg, Preferred; Michael Katz, Hollywood; Joseph Stokvis, National Screen; Matty Presby, Warner; Sam Palan, Roxy Theatre Corp. Files Suit to Abate Taxes New York — The Roxy Theatre Corp., has filed a writ of certiorari in the supreme court seeking a reduction of $975,000 in tax assessments for 1939-40. The suit is filed against members of the tax commission of New York City, who were ordered to stand trial on November 6 by Justice Julius Miller. It is asserted the figure of $4,100,000 which the theatre was taxed is excessive. The amount was made up by assessing the land $1,550,000 and the building $2,550,000. The theatre appealed the assessment which was made February 1 and on May 4 the board turned down the appeal on the ground the theatre was appealing its 1938 assessment. The Roxy claims the present tax is $775,000 over the 1937 figure and that, as a theatre’s value depreciates as it gets older, the assessment is much too high. Monogram; Ralph Jordan, Natiojial Penn; Robert Greek, Towne; I. Gewertz, Regis; Nat Abelove, Ritz, and others too tedious to mention . . . Film Exchange Employes Union members are busy lining up votes for their favorites in the coming election. Leo Posel’s Tyson will soon open . . . Jay Emanuel is the Variety Club’s new chief barker. He’ll carry the burdens of office with the help of Skip Weshner, Warner, first assistant; Dave Supowitz, second assistant; John Monroe, Forpaugh’s, secretary, and Ben Amsterdam, Atlantic Theatres, treasurer ... A respectable number of barkers will attend the banquet of Tent No. 1, in Pittsburgh, October 27. 'Tliey are Bill Clark, Earle Sweigert, A1 Fischer, Sam Stiefel, Eddie Sherman, Jack Beresin and Hillary Brown. John Schaeffer will represent International Pictures in this territory . . . Dave Seaman, Forum, is getting free space in the Frankford Weekly in the form of a film column . . . And Stan Benford, Palace, is having his miniature film magazines delivered by Parkway Baking Company drivers together with the morning’s rolls. Joe Nevinson, Grange, wants credit given to Jack Singer, usher; John Slavin, doorman, and Sandra Altman, cashier, for service suggestions that are giving the house a lift in patronage . . . Jack Minsky, Frankford, got his Louis-Pastor fight film too late to attract much attention. So he coupled it with a film of the LouisSchmeling battle, and ballyhooed it as a fight program. Al Reh, Stanley, turned his lobby into a circus for the opening of the Marx Brothers looney show, “At the Circus.” He had trick mirrors, clowns, animal cutouts, and a zany impersonating Harpo . . . Lage Brien, Prince, Ambridge, celebrated the first anniversary of his kiddie club with a free Saturday matinee attended by 2,100 kids. The club members themselves put on a stage show. Ads in the paper were signed by P. J. Caul, burgess of Ambridge, “elected Daddy of the Kiddie Club.” Pact Breach Suit Against Paramount Is Revealed New York — Suit for $250,000 against Paramount Pictures and Paramount Pictures Distributing Corp. by Benjamin Roman is revealed in supreme court by a request on the part of Roman to examine Neil F. Agnew, Joseph Unger, Milton Kusell, and Myron Sattler before trial. Suit claims breach of a year’s contract entered into November 18, 1938, whereby Paramount granted Roman the exclusive re-issue rights to “The Spoilers” and “Morocco” in New York and northern New Jersey. The plaintiff was to give Paramount $15 for each day’s exhibition at an “A” house; $12.50 at a “B” house, and $10 at a “C” house and keep any sum above that for himself. It is claimed Paramount breached the agreement in February, 1939. Paramount has entered a general denial. BOXOFFICE :: October 21, 1939 24-G