The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

23 DEL-MAR-VA Bishopville HARRY R. RINGLER, operator, Ringler houses in Milton, Bethany Beach, Delaware, with MRS. RINGLER was the center of a jolly wedding celebration at the home of his mother, MRS. LIDA RINGER in observance of his 25th wedding anniversary. Twenty-eight guests attended the dinner. Dover GEORGE SCHWARTZ, manager, owner, Capitol, got nice local paper publicity for the appearance of CAROLA GOYA. Federalsburg HAROLD KOREN, Cleveland, Ohio, has been made manager, Schine’s Federal, succeeding THOMAS O’BRIEN. Koren comes from a house in Lexington, Kentucky. Seaford TOM E. AYERS, Palace, and the SCHINE circuit have each announced new houses for the town, with DuPont building a $10,000,000 plant here. Theatres will be opposite each other and will bring the total to three for the place. Milford New Plaza, being reconditioned since having been taken over by the Schine circuit, is expected to be ready for reopening about Easter. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA W ashington One of the busiest F-Streeters recently was RAY BELL, who had his hands full of the pleasant business of preparing for the special premiere at Loew’s Palace March 1 of "Pygmalion.” The regular engagement opened the next day. "Dark Rapture” played a fourth week at the Belasco. Then in came MAURICE CHEVALIER’S "With a Smile.” Columbia’s SAM GALANTY is urging exhibitors to re-book "You Can’t Take It With You” on the strength of the Academy Award. Warner theatres’ JOHN J. PAYETTE took the hint, set the FRANK CAPRA opera into the Metropolitan. While Vitagraph’s BOB SMELTZER had similar ideas, general zone manager Payette ditto’d, inked in BETTE DAVIS’ "Jezebel.” WAYNE MORRIS and bride, the former "BUBBLES” SCHINASI, stopped off en route to Florida to say hello to EDDIE DUCHIN at the Earle. MORTON DOWNEY, PHIL REGAN were visitors to the same spot. Alumni of the Culver Military Institute, officers of the Army and Navy, officials of the American Legion were the guests of HARDIE MEAKIN’S RKO-Keith’s for the premiere of "Spirit of Culver.” JOHN J. PAYETTE, general zone manager, Warner theatres, while paying KAY KYSER and orchestra $12,000 for a week at the Earle, reserved the right to select that week’s cinematographic attraction. Kyser wanted to select the picture. Howard, operated by the A. E. LICHTMAN theatres, will close March 9 for three weeks. A dearth of colored entertainers is given as the reason. March 31 the house will re-open with CHICK WEBB and band. Sixty-one Washingtonians gobbled up $1,600 in cash prizes for their Movie Quiz answers. Leading winner was CARL R. GREIMEL, a patron of the Earle, who received his award of $500 from popular EDDY DUCHIN, appearing at the theatre with his band. EDWARD ARTHUR McGREEVY, a patron of the Capitol, received a prize of $2 50 and was presented the check by Repnsentative JACK NICHOLS (Democrat, Oklahoma). One-hundred-dollar-prize winners were ELIZABETH MAY SINGE, Fairfax, Virginia; VIRGINIA SHERMAN, office of the doorkeeper, Capitol, I. M. CRAMER, ALICE C. HUNT. Things we like to see: Dutiful CURTIS HILDEBRAND presenting gardenias to his lovely bride of two months, just because they have been wedded that long. And in return, wife ALICE presenting Curtis with a great big kiss. A well known film exchange executive giving a helping hand to a little steno, who is new in the service, wants to learn. CARTER BARRON addressing a large meeting like the recent convention here of the MPTO of Virginia. While we’re on the subject we would like to see another convention here. LORRAINE MIDDLEKAUF doing the jitterbug with BEN PITTS. Date set for the wedding bells for M. D., W. P. All the local exchanges come out on top of their respective company’s drive. SAM WHEELER without a cigar. Bigger, better stories along Film Row and with exhibs. Incidentally, did you know that JOE WALDERMAN, who recently gave up his Fremont, is looking for a house in Baltimore. Once he said he might reopen the Booker T. We also like to see good weather so that the local and nearby showmen can get a break. Yes, HARDIE MEAKIN, who has charge of the affairs of all things RKO-Keith’s, we like to see him as king-for-a-day at any of Variety’s functions. Did you know his employees call him "Pop”? Then, there’s SOL SORKIN, HARDIE’S assistant. Have you ever seen this lad at work as soon as he gets into his office? There are four telephones. Talking on three of them, barking out orders to his boys, talking with this correspondent, writing a letter to the home office, all at the same time. I’d like to see HARRY BROWN, GN branch manager, on the golf links. Understand he’s great guns. All pictures as good as "Gunga Din,” which did great business at RKO-Keith’s. And did I tell you about the lady who requested her money returned because she found the goings "too exciting”? Florida vacations for everybody. Finally, we’d like to kill columnists who fill space with gibbership like the preceding stuff. Hurry up, get well BETTY DEMPSEY (Metro employee) . FRANK SCULLY, New England’s Scully’s, ace' salesman at RUDY BERGER’S exchange, has returned from that part of the union. Also returned from Florida vacations are MR., MRS. BERGER, BUDDY HALL, HARRY BACHMAN, wife PHILOMENA, BEN LUST, LOUIS BERNHEIMER, JAKE FLAX, SAM GALANTY. Thanks, Buddy, for the pecans from Georgia. I tasted some you sent to the office. JACK GOLDBERG, who returned some time ago from the hot sands of the south, is still wearing his tan. Glad to see MRS. MURPHY back at her job at Metro. Metro’s contest closed March 4. Boys at the exchange are anxiously awaiting the results. Attending the dinner party in honor of MR., MRS. JERRY PRICE (Warner salesman) held recently, sponsored by SAM GOLDBERG, Brunswick, Maryland, exhibitor were MR., MRS. JACK GOLDBERG; MR., MRS. VINCENT DOUGHERTY; MR., MRS. CHICK WINGFIELD; MR., MRS. DICK DOYLE; EDDIE SHERWOOD; MR., MRS. AL FOLLIARD; RAY BELL; MR., MRS. DAVID SADEL; GORDON CONTEE. Visiting Washington for a spot of booking was ELMER QUADE, Hughesville, Maryland. NATE SAUBER returned for a day to his office at Universal, looking fine, feeling better. MISS SCHWARTZ, secretary to Universal’s branch manager here, has wedded, will return to her home in New York. AL RYDZEWSKI, Aldine, Baltimore, was in to book. Welcome, BARBARA MASSINGALE, to Film Row. She is at Universal. MARY LAYTON has joined the office personnel at NSS. HAZEL MANN, who was promoted to booking clerk for the Virginia territory, is doing a swell job. LAVELLE FORRESTER has been assigned the secretariat to the branch manager, Universal. ART JACOBSON, branch manager, NSS, announces the entire A. E. LICHTMAN circuit has renewed for the prevue services. GEORGE NATHAN, territory representative, NSS, spent two weeks recently touring the Clinch Valley region to bring home the contracts. From their number, he did a swell job. DORIS SHAPIRO has succeeded MARTHA LEEDS as secretary to NSS’ ART JACOBSON. Happy birthdays to ESTELLE TABB, Clark Film; PETER PRINCE, JACK GOLDBERG, Metro. ART JACOBSON made a brief trip to Baltimore last week to talk business. HARRY BROWN, GN, announces two releases for this month: “Six Shooting Rhythm,” "Exile Express.” LORRAINE MIDDLEKAUF, pretty GN steno, found it too much to continue in school with the night students. CAFE SOCIETY. Fred MacMurray and Madeleine Carroll are current in the Paramount show, in which New York’s "400” columnist Lucius Beebe has a small rote. Beebe is credited with having coined the titular phrase. March 8, 1919 NAT