Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

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68 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD October 11, 1930 W, Good Luck, Frank CHICAGO PERSONALITIES By JLM LITTLE NEWSREEL cameras were busy last Wednesday morning, about 10 o'clock, taking pictures of the lowering of the Wabash avenue bridge for the first time. We see the bridges go up and down every day, and it really doesn't seem like an unusual circumstance when one more bridge is lowered. But when it is for the first time, that makes it news, and pretty fascinating news, at that. A whole story told in the short space of part of a newsreel. Of course, the climax only is shown, but what a climax to weeks of planning and hard work. CROWDS that stood there watching it were and getting things lined up. And, while we're spell-bound, and we'll be willing to wager that as the two ends came nearer and nearer together, that nobody spoke. Of course, you couldn't hear a pin drop, but you could sense, as it were, that everybody was holding their breaths. The ends came nearer and nearer together, seeming to balance, as if going through a little stage business before thrilling the audience, and then — click ! The job was done, a perfect fit, and Chicago has one more bridge to add to the network crossing the river. Building a bridge takes a good deal of time and labor, and the leaves must be constructed just about so, but when you think of them being lowered, and meeting exactly, although they've never been together before, well, it just makes one wonder how it can be figured out so exactly. There is no trial and error here. It's built, and it hits. That's all there is to it. And what a lot it is. Al Lichtman, vice president and general manager of distribution for United Artists, dropped into town the other day for a few hours, in between trains. Harry Goe, special representative and assistant to Al was with him. Ben Nathan, formerly owner of the Ideal theatre, has purchased the Halsted from the Taigs. * * * In last week's issue we mentioned A. S. Frank as having left the Paulina theatre, where he has been manager for the past six years for A. Gombino, who owns the house, and gave no indication of his future plans. We are very happy to announce that the "former manager" of the Paulina theatre is now owner of the Capitol theatre in Whiting, Indiana, and tint after some remodeling and improving, the house will be set to give its former patrons real entertainment. Ben Judell made a special trip to St. Louis and it is said that his rooting was responsible for the Cards' taking two straight games from the Athletics. * * * E. T. Gomersol, central division manager of Universal, is now in New York on an important circuit deal for his company. * * * Charley Loewenberg is off again, this time taking in Appleton, Beloit and Rockford. And it's still the same old story, "All Quiet on the Western Front." We wouldn't be a bit surprised to find Charley walking around the streets some day mumbling "it can't be exploited any more, it can't be exploited any more." But that's just the reason he'll probably never be doing that. Tf all the exploitation stunts have been used, he'll just get the old bean busy and nresto ! — a better stunt to intrigue the public than any before. * * * Joe Merrick, central division manager for Tiffany, is busy going around his territory on Tiffany, we might mention the fact that Henry Pendleton is now working for Tiffany out of the Chicago office, covering northeastern Illinois and Indiana. Also, "Hank" Kopald, formerly with Universal in Milwaukee, is working on country sales for this company. Elmer "Mose" Grace, branch manager for Tiffany here, is wearing a big grin these days at the success of the new monkey comedies. They are going right over the top of public opinion, and bookings are getting more frequent every day. * * * When we dropped into Bill Brumberg's office the other morning, we found him pretty busy, but it's a funny thing about busy men. It seems that, busy as they are, they always have time to say hello. And being able to do that puts a feather in a man's cap that he can be proud to wear. But as we said, Bill was busy, planning a few things with George R. Giroux, formerly with M G M out on the Coast, but now back home again, working for Bill. We later found out that George, who is extremely modest (and probably a darb of a salesman) is a Legion of Honor man. And while we were talking, in came Harry Brown, formerly with Pathe in Chicago and then with the same company in Milwaukee. And he too will work under Bill. Just as Harry came in, another Brown was announced (the town's just full of them) and this time it was Walter, and with him was Sam Gorelick and C. C. Wallace, who is now connected with the Western Electric. By this time the room was pretty nearly full, but there was room for just one more, and this time it was L. K. Rosenfeld, now connected with sales at the RKO exchange, coming here from the RKO exchange in Cincinnati. Bill's all set to go right out after them, and from the roster that he has on his desk, well — it looks as though the exchange was going to be one busy place. Jack St. Clair, who has been connected with the local Universal sales force for a number of years, has resigned, and after taking a well No-one Can Tell Who Won An endurance contest staged here by several local exhibitors this summer, to see which one could go the longest without buying 1930-31 product has ended, for with the summer closing period over (which, incidentally, looked like an epidemic for a while) and with the apparent improvement in general business, the mad rush is on — to see who will buy £rst. After having been with United Artists for so long that his name is almost synonymous with that of the company, that is, to all his friends and acquaintances in and about Chicago (the number of whom we would not dare attempt to guess) J. Frank Young, salesman par excellence, and overflowing with personality plus, is joining the sales force of the RKO exchange here, and from now on will spend all his time boosting Radio Pictures. We might congratulate Bill Brumberg, who recently took over the reins at RKO, on his perspicacity (it's in the dictionary) and good fortune in getting a chap like Frank to work with him. Some time ago we ran a biography of Frank, and while we won't quote the whole business, we might just make a reminder of one point that was apparent throughout the story. That was, that whatever this popular gentleman has undertaken to do, he has done it well, and we have no doubt, even though he has hardly gotten under way with his new affiliations, that he is already an invaluable asset to them. So, again, Good Luck, Frank. J. Frank Young deserved vacation, although a short one, he will announce his new plans. * * * George Levine, manager of the Universal exchange in Milwaukee, dropped into Chicago to see Carl Laemmle when he was going through on his way to New York. * * * Frank Ishmael's got a new trick, so be careful when you go into his office, for in all probability he'll show_ you a string on which is a coin with a hole in it. You can't find any possible way to get it off, and then Frank covers it with a handkerchief, dabbles around for a minute or so and bingo ! — the coin is off and you are still holding the string. It almost seems as though Thurston ought to know about Frank, in case he hasn't got an understudy. * # * Erwin R. Fensin, of the General Seating Company, is all "stuck up" about the company's product, called Firmastone, which is a quick setting, chemically prepared cement, which you pour into the hole in the floor where the seat bolt is supposed to go, put the bolt in, and a little while after that, say in about 10 minutes, the game is to try and pull it out. * * * It seems that Irving Mack ran up against a very determined exhibitor the other day, who insisted on having placed on his trailer, "The House from Quality." After some lengthy persuading, and a literal upheaval as regards English construction, it was at last given the final touch of "The House of Quality." * * * Freddy Martin has joined the "benedicts," we were told, for two weeks, as Mrs. Martin has gone away for a two-weeks' vacation. And speaking of Freddy leads us to make a remark about the two insufferables (that should be inseparables) — however, wherever Freddy is, Frank Young is usually somewhere in the offing. * * * A good many Row-ites said hello last week to Jimmy Ambrose, who was passing through Chicago on his way to New York.