The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

17 NEW YORK CITY Crosstotvn Suit of L. Abelson and Son against Bobby Breen Productions, Inc., was settled last fortnight in New York Supreme Court. . . . Board of directors of the Roxy Theatre, Inc. declared a 371/2 cent quarterly dividend on the outstanding preferred payable December 1 to stockholders of record at close of business November 17. . . . Isabella Austin, secreary to Homer Harmon, Roxy publicity head, vacationed in Atlantic City. . . . Joseph I. Breen, code head on the Cost, was a visitor in town. . . . “Gulliver’s Travels” opens at the Paramount December 20. It’s the Max Fleischer cartoon feature in Technicolor. Election and Armistice Days hit the same week, with some of the home offices knocking off early, and theatres getting two holiday admission scales. . . . Actors Equity, Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Radio Artists will meet soon to settle the problem of television jurisdiction. Marquee of the Radio City Music Hall was cleaned last fortnight. . . . Arthur Alvarez, of Mytho-Legend Pictures and Arthuro Alvarez Productions, announced last week that he was working on a horror picture of Mytho-Legend dragons with a 30-foot cyclops with one eye. He states that he and co-authors James Souland, George Ferrer and Don Luis Gomez have been active on it for some time and that it will be called “Cyclops Valley”, taking eight months to complete. Newsreel department of the World’s Fair gave a reception and buffet supper at the Hotel New Yorker last week for all of the newsreel personnel, with over 100 present. Certificates of merit were handed out. . . . A suit by Select Theatres Corporation in New York Supreme Court against Universal popped up last week. Plaintiff asks that the company be restrained from using “First Love,” and for accounting and damages. Select also asks for temporary injunction, pending trial. Plaintiff claims it produced a play under that title in June, 1926, and charges the defendant with infringement. Paramount house manager Ben Griefer and Elaine Conhein have announced their engagement. . . . Screen writer Hershey Burnet was one of the main speakers at the Advertising Club’s Armistice Day Luncheon. . . . Some of the wags are wondering what kind of an apartment is that triplex penthouse into which Oscar Homolka is movng. . . . Oldtimer Raffaele November 15, 1939 Odierno is located in Astoria where he’s conducting a “make your own record and hear your own voice” business. Marc Connelly is back at his office in the Sardi Building after completing cinematic chores on the coast. . . . Concord’s Rasputin, according to the management of the 55th Street Palyhouse, spurted in business after the Legion of Decency condemned it. Distributors claim the film has passed the censor board of each state to which it was submitted. . . . “Hap” Hadley was feted at Lindy’s by lots of film folk after it became known that he recently became a benedict. . . . Cine Roma is showing Italian film week ends only. History and Latin teachers in local schools and colleges have expressed great interest in Cinecitta’s presentation of “Scipio Africanus,” and the management has arranged a number of special showings for them. . . . Elisabeth Shumann, the famous singer, was a guest at the opening performance of “First Film Concert” at Martin Lewis’ Fifth Avenue Playhouse. Miss Shumann is featured in the picture. . . . A weird-looking exploitation truck featuring a frog in the front and a huge papier mache face being shaved in the rear, was seen traveling the streets advertising the horror dual, “Return of the Frog,” and “Barber of Fleet Street.” . . . Saint George Playhouse’s Herman Pett is looking romantic again. . . . National Screen had a special trade showing of its holiday trailers. 44th Street REPUBLIC: A salesman’s Date Drive for weekly cash prizes is creating excitement aplenty. Awards are based upon total number of playdates obtained rather than the amount of $$$$ involved. Bookers are having their own personal drive. They are getting commissions for all reissues booked. . . • Venetian blinds are giving the office an appearance of home office class.” . . . Sometime get Morris Epstein to relate the tale behind his new specs. It seems as if he didn’t trust his own optometrist. And therein lies the story . . . Gene Picker played host to a trio of cowboys and their covered wagon. MERIT Jerry Thomas has applied for membership in the Motion Picture Associates. Jerry’s new position, by the way, is that of assistant service manager. . . Etta Segall informs us that she s booking “Adventures of Chico,” holiday fare. 20TH CENTURY-FOX: Harrv Buxbaum Jr., football-playing son of branch manager Harry, is now working with his dad. JOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATES: rgest attendance in the Motion Picture sociates’ history marked the luncheon etinP at Moore’s last week when Joan mdell and Dick Powell were the guests honor. President Jack Ellis introduced film players who made short talks ring sunport of the charitable organizm. Ellis asked the members to get ;y selling more tickets to the annual nerdance as well as more advertising ce in the souvenir program. Jerry Wil, and. Moe Fraum were appointed to the mbership committee. It was announced publicist Dave Kent that Ben Boyar, Max Gordon office, who handles the :ght of Stars,” will again provide the ertainment for the annual affair. Dr. lms, a riot in dialect, handled the comr chores of the meeting and brought vn the house with a story of the exitor who “had with what but not with THE EXHIBITOR Brooklyn New Kent, a 590-seater, opened November 11 by Justin Realty Corporation, Irving Sockol, Melvin Miller, and Sam Sockol are the principals. Nat Steinberg is managing. House employs Western Electric Sound. Staten Island Fabian managers feted Charlie Bruns, well-known local band leader, at the swank Blue Room of the Atlantic Rotis serie where Bruns and his orchestra are now holding forth. Bruns was honored for the co-operation he gave Fabian managers during the recent Island-wide jitterbug contest. In appreciation, Harry Black, general manager, Fabian theatres, presented him with an engraved watch. A watch was also presented to Eileen Wall, local dancing teacher, who was instrumental in rounding up many of the jitterbug contestants. Highlight of the evening designated as Fabian Night at the Rotii serie, was the managers taking over the bandstand and playing several numbers while Charlie Bruns and his orchestra sat at the tables and had a drink on the Fabian personnel. Among those present were Harry Black, general manager; Edgar Goth, director of publicity; George Evans, manager Saint George A1 De Fazio, assistant manager, John Firnkoess, Bill Keeley, manager and assistant manager, respectively, Paramount Elihu Glass and Mike Garzetta, Liberty; George Trilling, manager, Ritz, and his assistant, Francis Hicks; Art Lane, Strand; Roy Sherkey, Stadium; John Solimando, district office. Art Lane, manager Fabian Strand, is having a jam session every Wednesday night on the stage. . . . Fabian managers were successful in promoting over 200 turkeys to be given away prior to Thanksgiving. . . . Francis Hicks, assistant manager, Fabian Ritz, and Glenna Traeger, radio warbler, are a twosome. . . . Fabian managers report a flood of registrations for their giant Talent Quest. . . . Three members of the Paramount usher staff discovered a demolished automobile and injured occupants strewn on the road while driving home the other night. They rushed accident victims to the hospital in their car. ... At Tottenville's Fabian Night, Sig Kasse’s mimic stole the show. . . . John Firnkoess loves that trip to New Rochelle each day — he says (?) ... Some of the Fabian theatres plan to have special candy matinees for the kids Saturday before Christmas. Roy Sherkey broke a house record with his Anniversary Week. . . . Moses theatres plan a jitterbug contest for the end of November, finals to be held at the Palace. . . . Art Lane makes sure to crash the local Gazette. He hires one of leading columnists as doorman. . . . Messrs Lane and Trilling are set with special cartoon matinees to lure Santa mad kids District manager Harry Black is working overtime doing speeches and acting as m.c. here and there. CIRCUITS Brandt National Theatre Supply has installed complete projection equipment and lamps in the new Pix. Alden, New Rochelle, has changed its corporation name to Alden Rochelle, Inc., with George Goldson and Morris Elson as principals. House remains