Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1939)

IL B AMY ^HARLIE STEARN, United Artists eastern district manager, and Bert Stern, midwest district manager, reported at Schine headquarters in Gloversville four days closing a product deal . . . Duke Elliot, Schine manager in Tupper Lake, promoting an automobile giveaway in cooperation with local merchants . . . Mike Boumansour, operator of Plaza, Malone, reported to have hypoed business with a giveaway policy several nights weekly. It is said that Malone theatres take Canadian money at par, despite the heavy discount . . . George Stanton, operator of Burt’s Theatre, Luzerne, was on Pilmrow for the first time in some months. A1 Grover Woodard, who books for him, is now also said to be employed by Harry La Monte, operator of theatres in four small towns. Other Pilmrow visitors: Seth F’ield, Schine date setter; Prank Williams, Benton circuit booker; Alan Jones, Conery chain booker; Pete Bournakis. Strand and Liberty, Watertown; Leonard Rosenthal, State, Troy; Ollie Mallory, Starr, Corinth; Carl Nilman, Valatie, Valatie, and Memorial, Wilmington, Vt.; Alex Papayanakos, American, Canton; Ernie G. Dodds, Palace, Lake Placid; Mrs. G. Harry Brown, Strand, Old Porge; Mr. and Mrs. Dave Rosenbaum, Elizabethtown. Jim Evans, Paramount shipper, and Betty Harris, Paramount inspectress, receiving congratulations on their marriage . . . Clayton Eastman, Paramount manager, was in New York for the weekend . . . Welden Waters, genial Paramount salesman, was introduced to rigors of the North Country when he ran into a 12-inch snowfall at Lake Placid arid vicinity. He bought buckle overshoes for the first time in his life . . . Lois Spooner, WarnerVitagraph inspectress, is ill. Howard Secor, shipper in same exchange and president of Local 51 -B, is facing an operation . . . Dave Miller, Universal district manager, was in to make calls with Branch Boss Joe Engel at various chain headquarters of the territory . . . George Tucker, RKO salesman, John Steele, United Artists representative, and several others were on a one-day hunting trip in the Adirondacks. Exhibitors like Johnny Milligan of Schuylerville, Dave Rosenbaum, of Elizabethtown, Forks, Keesville and Ausable, Frank Wieting, of Cobleskill, go out for a day’s gunning. Mrs. Jerry La Rocque, wife of operator of Pairyland, Warrensburg and sometime assistant at the theatre, suffered a broken leg in a fall from a chair . . . The engagement of Marvin Dwore, brother of Sid Dwore and associated with him in the operation of Schenectady theatres, to an Albany girl has been announced . . . Bob Rosenthal, manager of Warner’s Ritz, is back on the job after a honeymoon with the former Miss Elsie Cohn, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Isadore Cohn, New Orleans. The marriage took place in the southern city . . . Bond Bread Co. and Harmanus Bleecker Hall held a large Saturday morning party for members of the Lone Ranger Club, with three episodes of the old serial screened. Latest Republic “Lone Ranger Rides Again” serial is regularly exhibited at the Leland, also a Pabian house. A Schwalberg and R. K. Hagen, Warner ■ — Metropolitan Photo Talking It Over — Vice-president George Green of Producers Corp. of America goes over the script of ‘‘Kingdom Come” with the author of the book, Adele Rogers St. John. John Charles Thomas, who is to be starred in the film, has approved the script. While in New York, Green has been arranging a major company release. Premieres Local Interest Push "Drums" to Top Albany — The combination of spectacular world premiere exploitation, a story with its locale in the section, and an admittedly fine picture, have produced highwater mark business for “Drums Along the Mohawk” in first runs of Albany territory. The 20th Century-Pox production is reported, from different soimces, to have done about $15,000 in a week at the 3,700-seat Palace, that figure being topped at Pabian house only by “Snow White,” which is reported on Pilmrow to have grossed $16,900 in seven days. At Charles Gordon’s Olympic, Utica independent, “Drums” pulled in about $5,400 the first week. This is stated to be an all-time high in the nine years Gordon has been operating the theatre. The appearance there of Jane Withers, with seats selling for $2.50 at night, helped get “Drums” off to a flying start. Gordon, who is reputed to play pictures longer than any exhibitor in the territory, will show “Drums” for 17 days. Vitagraph home office man, were at the local exchange. Ditto Howard Crombie, district checking supervisor with headquarters in Boston, and T. W. Hammer, another c. s. . . . Exploitationist Lou Davidson’s memory for names drew comment by newspapermen and other guests at the dinner 2Qth Century-Fox gave in the De Witt Clinton Hotel the night before “Drums Along the Mohawk” premiered at the Palace. A sumptuous repast, but no speeches, not even by the four visiting Hollywood players. Ed Hinchey, assistant buyer and booker for Warner theatres, with headquarters in New York, spent a day at executive upstate zone offices in Albany . . . Sol Edwards, Grand National sales manager, was in town. pLANS are under way for the annual dinner dance set for January 27 at the Variety Club, of which Prank Durkee is chairman. Wednesday’s luncheon at the Variety club had Elmer Nolty and Pred Schmuff as Kings for a day . . . Wednesday night was Joe Grant Night at the Belvedere Hotel. Wilbur Brizendine has left the hospital and expects to be at his desk at the Rialto soon ... A fire in the boiler room of the Arcade Theatre, Sunday, was discovered by the janitor. Mr. Alexander, manager, was unable to open the house until nearly 4 o’clock . . . J. L. Rome weekended in New York . . . Sympathy goes to Mrs. Moe Cohen and family for the recent loss of her mother . . . Leon Back, Rome theatre executive, took a one-day trip to New York last Sunday . . . James (little Jacques) Merriwell Shellman IV, and Leonard McClaughlin of Maryland Theatre, are preparing interesting recollections of Baltimore’s theatrical scene which will soon grace the pages of the Variety Club’s official organ the Barker. Walter Pacy has recovered from his recent illness . . . Rome managers exploitation winners this week were Ed Wyatt, Preston; Bob Ashcroft, Apollo; Leo McGrevey, Cameo; Harold Grott, Met, and R. Marhenke, Broadway . . . Max Cluster, Cluster, is having the front of his theatre renovated. Judge Calvin Chestnut, federal district court here, granted the Durkee Westway case another postponement till December 7 . . . Several hundred crippled boys and girls were guests of Bill Saxton at Loew’s Century to see the Marx Brothers in “At the Circus” . . . Reports abound that the Showboat is doing a sell-out business and is not going to pull anchor as long as busi7iess is good . . . Jokesters sent the fire department on a wild goose chase to Harry Vogelstein’s Balto Poster Co. on a complaint. Nobody knew what the complaint was . . . Tipster Al Vogelstein is now taking pinochle lessons from Sam Ferman. Ralph Martin jr., Apollo, has been appointed relief manager of the United Theatres . . . Sam Shoubin, Pic, is negotiating on building a new theatre . . . Seen at Pimlico race track last week. Bill Hicks, Hampden; Eugene McCurdy, Columbia; Sam Holtz, and a host of others . . . Lou Cohen’s little boy was taken to St. Joseph’s with the flu . . . Eddie Kemple jr.’s son Edward Kemple III has entered the 60-pound football team at McDonald school. Mrs. Frank Durkee is on the sick list . . . Another proud papa is Sam Tabor, Universal salesman, who was presented with a nine-pou7id son last week . . . George Jacobs, Goldfield, says he was born on the eighth month and the 26th day and his locker 7iumber at the YMCA is 826 and his house number is 826 and his gas bill this m07ith is $8.26. Prank Hahn of Horlacher has moved to Oakley Village just outside of Baltimore . . . Charles Blumberg, assistant manager of the Rivoli, has joined the Jewish War Veterans, Post No. 167 . . . Lee Goldsmith is now assistant manager at the Apollo. BOXOFFICE :: November 18, 1939 E 24-A