The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

24 NEW YORK STATE Albany Harold Tyler, Chittenango, is planning a trip to California. . . . M. A. Silver, Warner theatres’ zone manager, visited New York. . . . Irene Goldsmith, former secretary to Warners’ C. A. Smakwitz and Jules Curley, was a visitor. . . . Lieutenant-Commander Larry Cowan, Grand, has resumed presentation of the popular Grand amateur program, which has been responsible for the discovery of seveial talented entertainers in the past two years. Instead of having a commercial sponsor, as in the past, program is fostered this season by the four Fabian theatres in Albany, the Palace, Harmanus-Bleecker Hall, Leland, Grand. Oscar Perrin, Hall manager, is again acting as emcee. . . . Arthur Horne, Metro salesman, paid a visit to Boston, where his son is a student at Harvard. . . . Bill Smalley held the regular semi-annual meeting of managers and executives of his circuit, with discussions of policy, improvements and other operating problems. . . . Ralph Pielow reports that business is up so markedly in the local Metro office that it has been necessary to add another employee to the accounting department, Alice Fontanillas, who had previously been transferred to the New York exchange, and now returns. If the increase in business continues it will necessitate the building of a new and larger building to house the Metro forces, according to Pielow, who avers that never in the history of the exchange has the volume of business approached the present level. . . . Lou Golding, Fabian division manager, and Alec Sayles, Palace manager, arranged a special press showing of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” attended by the publishers, editors and critics of both Albany papers, A. J. MacDonald, B. J. Lewis and C. R. “Tip” Roseberry, Knickerbocker News, and Fred Archibald, George Williams and Edgar S. Van Olinda, Times-Union, as well as other representatives of the fourth estate and the radio. . . . Jim Faughnan, Warners, was laid up. . . . Sunday movies were a campaign issue in the mayoralty campaign in Rennselaer, with the defeat of incumbent William T. Wright attributed by many to this issue. The new mayor, Orville Rose, is pledged to support an open Sunday bill. Only theatre in the village is the Brightspot, recently taken over by Playford and Marmon, at present operated two days a week. Film folk will be making merry the night of Saturday, December 9, date of the Albany-Troy Warner Club’s annual Banquet and Movie Ball. Traditionally the outstanding event of the local theatrical social season. Affair is expected to draw 500 or more club members and their friends in the industry. Hendrik Hudson Hotel, Troy, is to be the scene of the festivities. Negotiations are in progress for a topnotch name band. Committee members are hard at work planning entertainment and various details, and much enthusiasm is evident. Leo Rosen, Troy, Troy, is head of the entertainment committee, with Jim Faughnan chairman of the ticket committee, and that on publicity headed by Andy Roy, Strand. Reservations are already piling in rapidly, according to Faughnan, with many having come in from Buffalo, New York City, and various area points. Distributors, exhibitors and circuit officials from outside Albany will evidently be well represented, as well as local film and theatre people. Bill Haynes manager, Warners’ Stanley, Utica, rented the theatre to an organiza THE EXHIBITOR tion sponsoring a lecture by Lowell Thomas. . . . Bob Rosenthal is authority for an odd incident that occurred during the showing of “The Cat and the Canary at the Ritz. Just at one of the spookiest moments of the Paramount film, a bell started ringing right in the audience ... and it turned out that a patron was taking home a package containing an alarm clock. . . Chateaugay Ore and Iron Company, a branch of Republic Steel, is operating full blast at Lion Mountain, with three shifts a day working. Company shows pictures once a week in a hall. . . . Clayt Eastman, Paramount, took the missus down to New York for a week-end visit and a look at some legit shows. . . Herman Wobber, general sales manager, 20th Century Fox, presided over a drive meeting held with Moe Grassgreen’s local office crew. Other New York officials attending were drive leader Morton Levy, and northeastern district manager Tom Bailey . . . “Drums Along the Mohawk,” 20th Century-Fox historical opus laid in New York State, and this particular vicinity, is reported to be doing phenomenal business everywhere. . . . A1 Kellert, special representative WOKO, WABY, is still limping as the result of an accident. Grand National exchange in Albany has been discontinued with branch manager Paul Rickrath and booker Bill Murray transferred to like posts in the Buffalo office, which will henceforth serve this territory. Home office executive Sol Edwards was in town arranging the changes. . . . Bill Barney, Grand, Watervliet, is getting ready to put up his yacht. . . .Salesmen reported a foot of snow at Lake Placid and Saranac. . . . Snow storms turned Mike Boumasour’s thoughts toward Florida. He has decided to trek southward about the middle of December for a six-weeks’ stay. Boumasour owns and operates the Plaza, Malone. . . . Weldon Waters, Paramount, is panning Albany drivers — not two weeks after getting his new car he had a pair of dented fenders. . . . Culminating a romance of long standing, Jim Evans, Paramount shipper, was married to Betty Harris, same firm’s inspection department. . . . Thomas Alferi, Milbrook, has been having trouble of late with his imported car. . . . A1 Schwalberg, supervisor of Warner exchange operations, accompanied by R. P. Hagen, head, playdate and checking bureau, visited the Vitagraph exchange, conferred with branch manager Paul Krummenacker and office manager Ray Powers. With them was Ted Hamar, who becomes checking superviser for Albany and Buffalo, Howard Crombie, who formerly handled Boston and Albany, now confining his activities to Boston. . . . Moe Grassgreen, 20th Century-Fox, passes along the information that “Drums” was doing just as heavy a gross in its second week at the Olympic, Utica, as it did the first week. Arnold Stoltz, new manager, Warners’ Avon, Utica, is writing a theatrical column in the afternoon paper. . . . Bernie Mills, B. and M. Pictures, was off to New York for a week’s visit in connection with firm’s “Ten Nights in a Barroom.” . . . Lou Gilding, Fabian circuit division manager, booked the “Dead End” Kids into Palace for a week’s engagement — first flesh in circuit’s flagship in some time. . . . Ralph Pielow, Metro, finally feasted on partridge. A north country huntsman bagged some birds and presented R. P. with a brace. . . . Jack Walsh, Metro exploiteer extraordinary, is rapidly becoming the row’s Beau Brummell. . . . Larry Milk, owner-operator, Calicoon, was re-elected town superviser. . . . “Stanley Goldberg Date Drive” is on in full swing at the Columbia office, with exhibitor friends out to set up some new records. . . . Myron, son of Bernie Mills, suffered an injured nose while playing in a Union College football game. . . According to report, passage of pari-mutuel referendum will result in building of two tracks near Buffalo, one at Cheektowaga. . . . Sid Kallett was another who took in that Army-Notre Dame massacre. Jim Faugnan, Warner contact manager, week-ended in New York, taking his young son Jimmy, Junior, along. . . . Mayor Thacher announced no tax increase was planned in Albany. . . . Oscar Perrin, manager, Fabian Harmanus-Bleecker Hall, booked University of Pennsylvania Mask and Wig show in for December 29. . . . Lavere Winne, newspaper publisher and theatre operator of Cherry Valley, is dickering for the sale of his theatre. . . . Bill Smalley, head, circuit bearing his name, is getting ready for his annual visit to Florida’s shores. . . . Alec Papyanakos, Canton and Gouverneur was a surprise visitor to the row. Others seen included Clarence Dopp, Johnstown; Mr and Mrs. Dave Rosenbaum, Elizabethtown; Frank Weitung, Cobleskill; Mrs. G. Harry Brown, Old Forge; Mrs. L. Klein, Hunter, Walter Wertime, Chestertown. . . . Mike Kallet, Kallet circuit, threw a housewarming party at his Oneida home — and got four stars from guests. . . . George Goldberg, Warner salesman, is bemoaning damage to a fender on his new car. . . . Sid Stockton, new office manager, Leo’s local works, will head for New York December 2, on a belated vacation. . . . Harry Berkson, Monogram franchise-holder, is dizzy from his flying trips from Buffalo to Albany, to New York and back again. . . . Duke Elliot, Schine’s Palace, Tupper Lake, has been busy trying to promote a car for a December giveaway. . . . Ted Richman, formerly a Fabian circuit manager in Schenectady, and recently doing publicity on the coast, is reported associated with Eddie Alperson, in handling of “Tillie’s Punctured Romance,” being le-issued in four-reel form. . . . Bob Rosenthal, Ritz, is wondering how his bride, a New Orleans girl, is going to take the Albany climate. Myron Mills (son of Bernie Mills) and Kurt Forkal, students at Union College, Schenectady, are writing and presenting a weekly program of movie reviews and comments “College Youth Looks at the Movies” over General Electric’s Schenectady shortwave station WGEA and WGEO. Program beamed on England and South America. . . . Dave Miller, Universal district manager, was a visitor, trekking to Gloversville with branch manager Joe Engel. . . . An early storm, part snow, part rain, struck a severe blow at box-office grosses on the first Sunday of the month, in Albany and throughout the area. . . Sid and Laura Denneau, Fabian circuit home office, will be in Albany for the Thanksgiving week-end as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Artie Newman. . . . Max Friedman, Warner theatres’ booker, shuffled off to Buffalo to set up December bookings with district manager Ralph Crabill. . . . Mary Hawkins, Republic booker, and Winnie Allen, 20th Century-Fox cashier, were enthusiastic and happy rooters at the Notre Dame-Army game. Fred Duffy, Republic salesman, was greatly disappointed at not being able to make the trip. . . . Frank Weitung, Cobleskill, went on a hunting trip. ... A new periodical made its appearance in Albany, a weekly shoppers’ guide, “Value.” Jack Connors, former advertising manager, Knickerbocker News, and recently holding the same post with the Times-Union, is the publisher. November 22 1939