Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

Cleveland Barkers Dance Dec. 2 Cleveland — Cleveland Variety Club will step out in style for its annual winter ball on Saturday, December 2. “Duke" Clark, Paramount branch manager, is chairman of the entertainment committee. To date, the only definite thing in connection with the ball is the date. Detroit Tent Picks Eleven to Direct An Ohio Check Exchange — In the upper photo Eddie Cantor is collecting from Columbus’ Mayor Myron Gessaman the price of two ducats to the second annual Barn Dance of Variety Club, Tent 2. Standing, left to right around His Honor, are RKO City Manager C. Harry Schreiber, Cantor, Virgil Jackson and Johnny Murphy, Jackson-Murphy theatres. The affair will be held October 25. In the picture beneath, Cleveland’s Infantile Paralysis Fund benefits to the extent of $1,896.66, which Frank D. Drew, M-G-M branch chairman, as zone chairman for the Will Rogers Memorial Fund is presenting to Lockwood Thompson, chairman of the paralysis fund. Among those looking on are Ernest Schwartz, president of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass’n; Col. Harry E. Long, M. B. Horwitz, Jack Shulman and Meyer Fine. Variety Club Maps Second Barn Dance Columbus — For the second year the Variety Club will hold a Barn Dance and Frolic, with all profits going to the Children’s Hospital. The affair is scheduled for Wednesday, October 25, at the Columbus Auditorium. Little Jack Little and his orchestra will headline the show. In addition the extensive entertainment lineup will include the star act of last year’s party, the radio-famed Hoosier Hot Shots and Uncle Ezra of the NBC National Barn Dance. Door prizes, a jitterbug contest, side shows and an old-time barn dance will be other features of the frolic. Governor Bricker, Mayor Ge.ssaman and Chief Barker Bill Pullin are honorary chairmen. Lou Holleb is general chair man with C. Harry Schreiber, assistant. Other committee members include: Pete Wood, general secretary; Jake Luft and Max Steam, assistants; Virgil Jackson, John Murphy, Bill Pullin jr., and Clarence MacDonald, tickets; Bob Pullin and John Neblett, jitterbug contest; John Barcroft, Bill Cunningham, Harold Eckert, Kenny Tooill and Fred Oestreicher, publicity; Dan Burrows, A1 Redman, Curt Littman, Lee Hofheimer, Johnny Jones and Clint Wander, radio raffle. Jeff Goldsol, prizes; Dick Borel, Don Burrows, John Neblett and Jim Yerian, radio; Matt Reigler and John Thompson, signs and decorations; Milt Staub, loudspeaker equipment; Don Wiper, Col. Lynn Black, Chief John Dunn, Sheriff Jake Sandusky, Chief E. P. Welch and Bill Murphy, safety; Leo Haenlein, George Anagnost, Bill Pancake, Bob Nelson, Johnny Hardgrove, F. E. Gooding, Herb Vance, Bill Almons, Jim Cummings and Jack Needham, sideshows. Detroit — The Variety Club has elected 11 new members of the crew — the actual directors of club policy, who will select the year’s officers from among their own number. The new crew includes: Jack Saxe, treasurer of Monogram: David Newman, owner of the Pasadena Theatre; Bill Carlson, Carlson Studios, Louis Wisper, Wisper & Wetsman circuit; Harold C. Robinson, Film Truck Service; John Howard, branch manager of Paramount; William Flemion, president of Excellent Pictures; Barney Kilbride, circuit owner; Edgar E. Kirchner, manager of the Family Theatre; Charles C. Perry, manager of the Adams Theatre, and William Hurlbut, Monogram franchise holder. Carlson and Perry were elected as delegates to the national convention at Dallas next April, with Kirchner and Howard as alternates. Perry, retiring as chief barker, was, by precedent, elected as national canvassman for Detroit. In the committee reports, Kirchner, for the house committee, disclosed that profits from the principai source of revenue, totaied $3,069 over iast year, with a net profit of $1,038 from the bar. Huribut reported for the membership committee, Robinson for the welfare, and Carlson for the entertainment committee. Saxe, as treasurer, covered fiscal activities of the year, with the following as the highlights: AV'elfare activities, hospital fees, etc., $1,373; flowers, $219; sliows for shut-ins, $403 ; Christmas liaskets and gifts, $323; home for boys, supervised by Father Markey, $1,000. Received from dues, $3,486; total operating costs $14,000; paid off on debt to members, $1,400; the club has $1,000 cash on hand after all outstanding bills are paid. Kirchner, reporting on the $50,000 drive, reported estimated costs of this, underwritten by Variety, at $3,500. United Detroit Theatres offered to give passes to any number for the boys •w'lio will be out on the street soliciting funds on Tag Day. Reporting on membership. Secretary Newman revealed the present membership is 239. John Himmelein Takes Command of Post 313 Cleveland — John Himmelein was formally initiated into the office of commander of Variety Post 313 of the American Legion at a dinner held Friday the 13th in the Variety Club Rooms. In addition to inducting into office all of the officers who will serve the Post during the 1939-40 year, it was announced that membership in the YMCA would be given to each of the 17 boys who comprised the Post’s sponsored baseball team. The raffle that provided the funds for the boys, was handled by Past Commander Howard Roth and Col. Harry E. Long, Loew division manager. 54 BOXOrnCE ; ; October 21, 1939