The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

19 NEW YORK CITY Crosstotvn Selznick office’s Doris Orr became Mrs. William Doig over the week end and for good. . . . Music Hall treasurer Gus Eyssell is driving through the south with his mother. . . . Radio film commentator Radie Harris’ sister, Patricia Harris, is playing a supporting role in the new Burgess Meredith-Ingrid Bergman legit, “Liliom.” Charles Clement Jahrblum, French Cinema Center, announced that Arthur Honegger’s musical score for “Harvest,” the picture that won the latest Film Critics’ award, will have its world radio premiere on April 5. Event will take place over WOR under the baton of Alfred Wallenstein. Bert Gold, and not Bob Kohn (as was reported in the March 13 issue) , is manager of the 55th Street Playhouse. Kohn is general manager of that and two other theatres. The exotic “Beachcomber” night club was the scene of a still more exotic display of garments last week when United Artists, in association with Pacific Mills, presented a spring preview of Thief of Bagdad fashions. Inspired by Alexander Korda’s Technicolor production, soon to be released through United Artists, these fashions embraced almost every type of women’s and children’s ready-to-wear. Ace, Metro and Vogue, three Bronx houses opened some months ago by Max Felder and Sig Wittman, closed simultaneously last week. Talk on the street has Interboro circuit taking over the theatres. Pete Harrison, major domo, Harrison’s Reports, is vacationing in Palm Beach. . . . Herman Pett, Saint George Playhouse, is still shooting all over town in his new convertible. . . . Republic studio chief M. J. Seigel and Herbert Yates are in town from the coast. . . . Attorney Louis Nizer is recouping from the grippe. Conferences between the American Guild of Variety Artists and the representatives of the local vaudeville presentation houses began last week regarding terms, etc. . . . Scheduled to open April 14 is “The Gay Lothario,” a revised version of the 1930 Tiffany picture, “The Medicine Man,” with Jack Benny. A twoa-day policy is planned. . . . ITOA held its annual ball here March 23 at the Astor. Dave Weinstock was general chairman. . . . Max A. Cohen, who took over the Savoy, 34th Street, is back from Florida. March 27, 1940 To promote better understanding between students of this country and France, and in an effort to supplement the classroom work and introduce French as more than just academic study, the newly organized Cinema Guild of the French American Students League, in co-operation with the Board of Education and the Ascot, Bronx, announces first annual French film appreciation contest, open to all Junior and Senior High School students in the Bronx, with cash scholarships awards totaling $250. . . . Lawrence A. Wilkins, director, and Dr. Theodore Huebener, assistant director of foreign languages, Board of Education, have co-operated with the French American Students League in formulating the form of the project and the educational outline. Arrangements have been made to show six leading French films during the spring term at the Ascot. Contest will be directly based upon these films, with cue work and synopsis material worked out in the classrooms by 200 French teachers in the borough. Walter Wanger’s “House Across the Bay,” playing its first run at Loew’s State, promised to break every house record with the exception of a Cantor personal several years ago. Brooklyn Ben Tendler, who operated the Weequahic, Newark, and was last in Washington, is back in town after some four or five years. He’s principal of the Rend Amusement Corporation, operating the Grove. CIRCUITS Brandt San Bran Operating Company, Inc., supervised by Brandt, opened the Elton, New Utrecht Avenue March 23. . . . Garden, another New Utrecht Avenue house, was recently closed by the circuit and has been taken over by A. Lochs. Century A. H. Hovell winter season drive ended its 12-week engagement over the circuit. . . . The “Win a Live Man” stunt which Jack Weinstein put over so successfully at the Avalon a short while ago upped the grosses at the Mayfair where manager MacEhern has chalked up some terrific business during the run of the gag. Loeiv’s Home office exec Sam H. Meinhold is in a local hospital recovering from a minor operation. . . . Publicist Jerry Sager is in Florida where co-incidence may find him meeting up with his Brooklyn lady friend. . . . Manager Phyllis Paige, Sheridan, recently underwent an operation at the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. It is the latest of a series of hospital sieges resulting from an automobile smash-up some time ago. . . . Dick E>ann, publicity department, has resigned. His future plans are unknown. . . . Marvin Schenck is back from Hot Springs. Advance sale of tickets for night shows of “Gone With the Wind” in Loew neighborhood theatres reached the total of nearly $175,000, according to tabulations just made public by Loew auditors. THE EXHIBITOR RKO Second of the Holy Week Lenten services sponsored by the Brooklyn Church and Mission Federation, was held before a huge gathering at the Albee, Brooklyn. HOME OFFICES Alliance Budd Rogers, vice-president and general manager, left for the Coast accompanied by Maxwell Setton. Rogers and Setton plan a series of conferences with Erich Pommer and Charles Laughton with v/hom Setton was associated in England. Columbia Maurice Bergman, ad chief, went to the Coast for conferences. Metro Metro basketball team will play National Screen Service for the championship of the motion picture industry March 30. In addition to the game, a dance, sponsored by the Metro quintet, will be held to encourage the good will among companies of the movie industry. Sam Forgoston, Metro advertising department, became the father of a boy last week. The seven and three-quarterpound boy made his debut at Jewish Memorial Hospital where mother and baby Forgoston were also doing very well at this writing. Monogram W. Ray Johnston, prexy, is back at his desk after a six-weeks’ visit in Hollywood where he went over plans with Scott R, Dunlap, production chief, for the company's forthcoming high budget picture, “Son of the Navy.” . . . He came in two days after Eddie Golden, genial general sales manager, who is proudly displaying new picture of his granddaughter whom he saw for the first time on his trip to the film capital. . . . Johnny Harrington, accessory manager, is catching up on sleep which he missed on all the overnight jumps which he has been making visiting exchanges throughout the country. . . . Carol Dorsa, daughter of Charlie Dorsa, eastern art director, had a party to celebrate her fifth birthday. . . . National League teams are challenging the American League for heavy cash prizes in Monogram’s “Spirit of Independence” playdate drive. Natlie Cooper, bookkeeping department, has been home ill with the grippe. . . . Joseph G. Linett has joined Monogram’s bookkeeping department, having come over to the home office from the exchange. . . . Monogram’s entrance foyer has been handsomely decorated in honor of the “Spirit of Independence” playdate drive, with banners, etc. . . . Ask Ray Johnston’s secretary, Madeleine White, how to join the D.T. club. According to reports, its membership is very exclusive. Ross-Federal B. E. Jolley, formerly research production manager, has been made director of research planning and production. His new position will afford him more direct supervision over all research production throughout Ross Federal’s nation-wide organization. John Holzapfel succeeds to the position of research production manager. NYS.