The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

24 saying he missed the Albany film boys. . . . Laura Denneau, Fabian circuit, home office in New York, was a week-end visitor at Lake Placid. ... A movement to attract winter sports visitors to Tupper Lake is being sponsored by Charlie Girard, Lyric, Faust, Tupper Lake Junction, and Duke Elliot, manager, Schine’s Palace, Tupper Lake. . . . Ralph Pielow Anniversay Month is breaking all January records at the Metro exchange. Pielow is planning a summer vacation of four weeks featuring a trip to Alaska. C. A. Smakwitz, Warner theatres district manager, was on the committee of the Albany Chamber of Commerce’s annual formal dinner addressed by Governor Herbert Lehman. Buffalo branch of Fine Arts pictures will handle distribution in the local area, it was announced last week. Marmon and Playford are advertising their Delmar, Delmar, and Bright Spot, Rennselaer, in the Albany papers. . . . Frank Kuras, Rialto, Massena, drove down to Albany for some booking, and had the worst trip in 20 years. He got stuck at Amsterdam and had to spend the night there. . . . Frank Dean has taken over the Arlington, East Arlington, Vermont, from John Bird. . . . And has re-opened the house after having closed it for remodelling. . . . Leon Herman, RKO salesman, is the row’s most improved handball player. . . . C. A. Smakwitz, Warner theatres district manager, is the latest convert to the game, having joined at the Y.M.C.A. . . . Ernie Wolfe, Avalon, Lowville, is mourning the passing of his mother-in-law. He travelled to Ottowa, Canada, for the funeral. . . . Bill Clarke. Fort Covington and Waddington, paid the row one of his rare visits. Sam Rosenblatt, who recently took over the Palace, Schenectady, from Sid Dwore, is also helping his brother Fred in promoting fights in Albany, as well as selling automobiles. . . . Davis is dusting off that SRO sign for February 4, when a big ski meet will draw winter sports enthusiasts from all over the state. . . . Monroe Greenthal, United Artists exploitation director, made a trip to Albany, his first in years, to discuss Hal Roach’s “Of Mice and Men” with Warner zone manager M. A. Silver, district manager C. A. Smakwitz and advertising manager Jules Curley. . . . With Greenthal were Bert Stern and Charlie Stern, United Artists. . . . George Tucker, RKO salesman, is driving a new car. . . . Paul Krummenacker, Warner branch manager, was full of enthusiasm over the gross of “Brother Rat And A Baby” at the Strand. . . . George Thornton, Saugerties, is expecting a newcomer in his family around the first of the month. . . . Ruth Millberg, secretary to Warners’ C. A. Smakwitz and Jules Curley, celebrated her first anniversary by taking a trip to New York. . . . Winnie Allen, 20th Century-Fox cashier, spent a few days in the big city during the course of her two week vacation. . . . Elmer Sichel, assitant booker, same exchange, back from his Florida vacation, is singing the praises of sunshine and oranges. . . . Scott Lester, 20th Century-Fox advertising salesman, is making plans for his vacation. ... Ed Hinchey, Warner theatres home office booking department, was in town to confer with M. A. Silver, Max Friedman and Metro branch manager Ralph Pielow, regarding “Gone With the Wind” engagements in Troy and Utica. . . . Vic Burns, Casino, Waterford, was on the sick list. Bill Joyce, manager, James Spadaro’s THE EXHIBITOR Shadowland, Ellenville and Spadaro’s sonin-law, expects an addition to the family soon. . . . Schine circuit’s Palace, Watertown, now operates part-time only; same goes for Pete Venakos’ Strand, Watertown. New pari-mutual legislation, designed to overcome the many and varied objections to the Dunnigan-Penny bill, will be introduced by Republican Senator William F. Condon of Yonkers. Condon is preparing three amendments to the bill he has already introduced — and which closely parallel the Dunnigan measure. Condon’s amendments to his bill (1) require approval of the Board of Supervisors to any new track in a county; (this has the support of several upstate counties opposed to racing). (2) eliminate the controversial seating and parking amendments and (3) increase the membership of the State Racing Commission from three to five members. Nat Beier, United Artists, was a visitor accompanied by salesman Larry Brown, who operates out of New York. . . . Monte Steele, area representative for UA, resigned, with no successor announced. . . . Joe Engel, Universal, is eagerly waiting prints of “My Little Chickadee” and “Green Hell,” both of which he expects to ring the bell. . . . Tony Ryan, Universal, reported a temperature of 18 below at Cherry Valley. . . . Bill Benton, Benton-Schine circuit, threw a farewell party for Nicholas Schermerhorn, manager, Community, Saratoga Springs, on the eve of his transfer to Morristown, New Jersey for Walter Reade. . . . About 50 people attended, including Walter Reade, Jr. ... C. A. Smakwitz attended the Elks Club “Meet the Manager” dinner. . . . Discovering that George Torporcer and James Cagney were schoolmates, Strand, supplied programs for the dinner, carrying a plug for “The Fighting 69th.” A more intensive drive for industries and increased tourist trade is scheduled for 1940 by the Albany Chamber of Commerce. . . . Times-Union critic Edgar S. Van Olinda suggests a colossal double-bill — “Gone With the Wind” and “Abe Lincoln in Illinois.” . . . and now he’s busy ducking Ralph Pielow and Moe Grassgreen. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Ben Hobbs, Dannemora, both sing in the Plattsburg Methodist church choir. . . . Jim Leonard, Newton Falls, spent several days in Albany. . . . Harry Berkson, Monogram franchise-holder, breezed in. Batavia Herman Gabriel, Frank Snyder, Joe Florio, New Family, as top bowlers enjoyed a steak dinner at the expense of the losers, Jerry Henderson, Nick Tunda, Don Smith. (As soon as the scouts report that Dean Emley has reached 100, he will be given a try-out on the bowling team.) . . . Ralph Booth, Family, expects to give away an automobile during Lent. . . . One-day revivals are being tried weekly by Booth. Binghamton Bud Shelton, manager, Enjoy, has recovered from the grippe. . . . Tommy Hanifan, manager, Strand, was hard at work for “Gone With the Wind.” . . . Buddy Kornblite, Suburban, was named committee chairman for Junior Chamber of Commerce banquet. ... A bedspread and bathroom set was presented by the Capitol employees to Frances Parmley Rolls, Capitol usherette, who was recently married. . . . Ralph Maw, Metro, and Sid Samson, 20th Century, were recent visitors of Tom Walsh, booker. . . . Jerry Burke, manager, Star, went to town on “South of the Border.” . . . General manager, Ned Kornblite, will soon depart for the Southlands. ... A mobile Cathedral was ballyhooed on the streets for the “Hunchback of Notre Dame” at the Capitol. . . . Archie Cayaffa, Star doorman, has recovered from his recent illness and expects to be back at work real soon. ... A jitterbug contest was recently held at the Lyric, Endicott and Enjoy, Johnson City. . . . Cecily Reynolds and Marie Lake, Strand cashiers, are being kept busy with the advance ticket sale on “Gone With the Wind.” Doormen’s bowling team took over the managers recently, 2 to 1. . . . Johnny Tighe, Strand doorman, and Eddie Charlier, Capitol doorman, were the high scorers. Managers finally won one game when Symphony manager, Harry Balin, decided to coach the doormen. . . . Marie Davis, Capitol usherette, has inherited $1500. — F. D. R Buffalo Lou Blumenfeld, who for the past 12 years has been office manager and head booker at 20th Century-Fox, resigned January 13. Lou has been with the company since 1923 and came to Buffalo from Kansas City when John Nolan was branch manager. He is going into the steel supply business. He was at one time traveling booker, and left for New York, where he will take up his duties immediately. Mrs. Blumenfeld and the children will not move down to New York until March 1. . . . Boys and girls gave him a small farewell luncheon. Irving Altshuler, auditor, Columbia, finished up here. . . . John J. Scully, branch manager, Universal, is sporting a brand new deluxe sedan. . . . Sayings along film row: One harrassed exchange employee heaved a sigh the other day and said “Oh, well, just so we are ready when the wagon comes.” . . . Nick and Barbara Basil, who have been living in an apartment in town since early Fall, are planning on moving back to their Sheridan Drive home February 1. . . . Jake Lavene’s many friends are glad to know he is recuperating and will soon be back on the job. . . . Reuben Farber, Commodore, postcarded from California that he is enjoying the best of health. . . . Due to the terrific snowstorm, Temple, Pulaski, was forced to close down one day. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Lehman, United Artists, are busy planning their itinery for their forthcoming vacation. . . . Murl Morse, former Shea’s Bailey cashier, has replaced Bernice Maloney as cashier, Shea’s Kensington. Bernice is now working at the Buffalo office. . . . Ed Frank, superintendent of buildings, Shea theatres, reports real progress in the two new Shea houses, the Lackawanna, Niagara. Congratulations go to George Mackenna, manager, and Dick Walsh, publicity manager, Lafayette, whose entry in the “Only Angels Have Wings” advertising contest was awarded a prize of $300. . . . Jack Bellman, branch manager, Republic, announces their private screening room has been put in condition, their sound repaired and there will be frequent screenings. . . . Chief Barker Bob Murphy called a general meeting of the Variety Club Barkers January 22. . . . Imagine booker Bill Allbach’s surprise when he was screening one of Republic’s new serials, “Zorro’s Fighting Legion” to recognize the leading character, Reed (Herring) Hadley, who is a Buffalo boy and was a classmate of Bill’s. . . . Mr. and Mrs. January 24, 1940