The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

20 NEWS OF THE TERRITORY <-‘-r V . - \f DEL-MAR-VA Hurlock EDWARD ELLIOTT, manager, Hurlock, is going to stage a jitterbug contest for the Eastern Shore championship in the theatre. Kehoboth Beach JOSEPH ENGLE, Wilmington, owner of the Black Cat, amusement hall which recently burned near Wilmington, was negotiating for the firemen’s hall here for an amusement center. Seaford Seaford business men were waiting to see which would make the first move towards building the proposed two new theatres in Seaford. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington CARTER BARRON, Loew’s district chief, and HUNTER PERRY ’squired JOHN BOLES on a trip to Reading, Pennsylvania, and other spots. "KILLARNEY” KREISLER, acting U manager, sent out a neat Saint Patrick’s Day card. HARRY HUNTER, Paramount’s Australian manager and formerly branch head here will arrive soon in the good old U. S. A. for an extended business and pleasure trip in his homeland. Hunter will confer with studio officials and get his first glimpse of forthcoming attractions. Following a short visit he proceeded to New York for a series of conferences with eastern officials. Washington will be interested to know that JOSEPH KAL1SKI, formerly branch manager for Gaumont British here and in Pittsburgh, later handling "Birth of a Baby” in the Washington exchange territory, has been named branch manager in Boston, Massachusetts, for Grand National, succeeding SIGMUND WITTMAN, who still continues as district manager. HARRY HUNTER, former Paramount head here, and now Australian chief, didn’t take the boat as everyone thought, but took a later one so won’t be in this country until a few weeks later. Glad to hear that MRS. HARRY BROWN is now home from the hospital, recuperating very nicely. SAM WHEELER’S stalwarts are now in fifth place in the 20th Century-Fox K-6 features standing. Salesmen GLENN NORRIS, JERRY MURPHY are 100 percent sold. RKO’s "Love Affair” was screened last week for the local critics, was given swell review. It opened at HARDIE MEAKIN’S RKO-Keith’s, is doing very well. HENRY HISER, manager GINGELL, Bethesda, were along the row. Wedding bells, congratulations go to HOWARD (Backie) COLLINS, assistant to ad-sales manager AL MILLER, 20th Century-Fox — It was March 18 at Fredericksburg, Virginia. The lovely bride is the former BEULA WISE. AL MILLER’S little fellow, also IRA SICHELMAN’S little fellow, grow up very rapidly, the proud parents state. CATHARINE LUSBY, 20th Century-Fox inspectress, begins her two-week vacation. The 12 girls in this department will all receive vacations in rapid order. R. L. PLANK, Lyric, Blacksburg, Virginia, was in town recently, allows as how a student, K. L. SEE, VPI, is getting all kinds of correspondence at the Lyric. It shouldn’t come to the Lyric, Plank states. SAM FLAX, Republic, went to New York. Republic plug on CONRAD NAGLE’S Silver Theatre did not go unnoticed in Washington. Standings of the hard working salesman at Universal are being displayed in the local exchange so that visiting exhibs can place the orders. BERNIE KREISLER’S men are fifth, moving along rapidly. Genial BOB SMELTZER, Warner exec, has already planted roses on his Maryland summer place. Bob says he gave up golf to become a gentleman farmer. DORIS PRICE, GN office manager, has a cold. LORRAINE MIDDLEKAUF, DORIS PRICE’S assistant, stood in line for two hours to see, hear BENNY GOODMAN at the Earle, finally gave up.. FRED SAPERSTEIN, formerly with RossFederal, is now accessory manager, Columbia. He is an expert drummer, and we don’t mean salesman. The new accessory head hails from Baltimore. VIVIAN PEARSON was appointed last week by office manager F. EARL TAYLOR, Monogram, as the new office steno, making three now for HARRY BACHMAN, branch manager. There’ll be one very soon assisting RUSS ANDERSON, we learn. Russ, you know, is handling the U. S. films, like "The River” and such. THELMA HARPER, newly appointed secretary to OSCAR BLUMENTHAL, office manager, Universal, is an experienced film secretary, having served at other offices. Salesman BARNEY FRANK, Universal, attended the other day' the opening in Martinsburg, West Virginia, of FRANK PONTON’S new house. Leaving Washington last week to attend the Norfolk Managers Theatre’s Association first annual banquet were B. B. KREISLER, Universal branch manager; BARNEY FRANK, his supersalesman. Bernie left by plane, returned same way, SID BOWDEN in tow. Col umbia’s personal achievement campaign wound up within the past fortnight and all indications were that Washington had come out on top of the list. SAM GALANTY’S local boys were holding tight awaiting the final audit, before a confirmation of the good news could be had. If it’s true, or even if the local contingent finishes well up in the money, here’s congrats to a grand bunch of boys. NAT LEVY, eastern division manager, RKO, made his second visit to the local exchange in connection with the GEORGE SCHAEFER Drive to pep the local boys. The local exchange jumped seven places in the drive in the last few weeks, are now in 10th. AL MILLER h as hurdled the quota of ad-sales for the last 1 0 out of 11 weeks. He is now leading his district. KATE HARTNETT, inspectress, SAM WHEELER’S establishment, is out ill. SOL PAUL, Film Row’s haberdashery salesman, relates he sold JAKE FLAX that pretty green tie the Repub c head wore at Saint Patrick’s Day. Incidentally Paul, who worked for a congressman (defeated last time) worked his way through college selling ties. HARRY BACHMAN, Monogram branch manager, toured the Virginia tobacco belt. Harry screened the reissue of "The Healer,” now dubbed "Little Pal,” last week. SAM WHEELER, members of his sales, office forces left March 28 for Chicago^, the annual meeting. Meeting begin March 30, ends April 1. Wheeler will be accompan ed by office manager JOE COHAN, SARA YOUNG, saesmen GLENN NORRIS, JERRY MURPHY, SAM DIAMOND, FRED KLEIN. UA’s ELMER McKINLEY had moved to his new home is planning a housewarming. Don’t invite the rowdies, Mack. Boys along the Row are still bowling, as a matter of fact four teams (Columbia, Loew’s, Metro, NSS) are in a tie for first place. JAKE FLAX, Republic, toured the famous Clinch Valley in Ole Virginnv. Jake has a host of friends among the fine people there. Tenks, Mr. BBK, for the carnation, tinted green on last Saint Pat’s Day. We understand you sent some 300 to all our friends all over the Eastern Coast of the dear old U. S. It was a swell stunt and we still are hearing about "KILLARNEY” KREISLER. Yes, we saw the plug in LOU AZREAL’S column. Now you can say you saw it in mine. So there! — we’re important, too. So there! We’ll be expecting matza soon and a turkey come Thanksgiving! (Note from Philadelphia: We all received our carnations, too, and the clever card; for all of which, thanks a lot.) Chief booker BRODERICK, Paramount Boston’s office, was in tow of VINCE DOUGHERTY at the Variety Club. Warner Brothers local officials returned last week from the New York meeting all enthused over the new product. Present at the meet were JOHN J. PAYETTE, BOB SMELTZER, FRED BEIERSDORF, FRANK LaFALCE. Meanwhile with only three weeks to go, the Sears Drive standing finds Smeltzer’s division in second place, one percentage point out of the first position. — Charles Stofberg. MARYLAND Baltimore MR. and MRS. FRANK H. DURKEE and MR. and MRS. WALTER PACY have returned from their South American tour. Due to Uncle GEORGE SCHAFER, WFBR, having had a great deal more work assigned to him at the radio station, he has been obliged to give up conducting the Kiddie Club matinee Saturday mornings at the New. Funeral of SAMUEL BACK took place Sunday, March 19. He is survived by his son, LEON, his daughter, MRS. WILLIAM K. SAXTON, wife of Loew’s city manager, Baltimore, and their son BILLY, JR. Funeral was attended by several hundred relatives and friends. We wish to express our sincere sympathy. J. LOUIS ROME has been appointed chairman of the committee arranging the dinner for the Refugee Scholarship Fund, April 1, at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, sponsored by the Yeshiva College. WILLIAM K. SAXTON, EDWARD PEROTKA are on the committee. JOE FIELDS, Baltimore exhibitor, announced last week the formation on the West Coast of Fields Brothers Enteprises to distribute electrical transcriptions for commercial radio shows. Together with his brothers — LEO, HARRY — Joe has already signed Baltimore radio station WFBR to handle the product in that city and is negotiating with a Washington station to handle the product here. At the same time, Joe announced he would install a new air-cooling system in his Rivoli as well as new chairs, new marquee for his Embassy house. — Jacques Shellman. Essex MISS THELMA JOHNSON, office manager, Cohen Brothers enterprises, has just returned from an enjoyable visit to her mother. March 29, 19)9