Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1937)

Tuesday, January 5, 1937 MOTION PICTURfc DAILY 27 McClure Top Man in Fox Midwest Contest Kansas City, Jan. 4. — Harry McClure, manager of District No. 2 for Fox Midwest, was top man in the 17week contest ending Dec. 26 conducted by the circuit. Fred Souttar, manager of District No. 4 at St. Louis, placed second. These two district managers and 21 house managers participated in the prize money awarded. "McClure Week" in Topeka, Kan., key town of McClure's district, won for him, McClure said. During this promotion the mayor of Topeka issued a proclamation urging Topekans to aid McClure and Topeka units of the Fox circuit in winning top prize money by attending Fox shows during the period; the newspapers plugged the idea with plenty of free publicity, and the theatres built all their advertising around the theme. McClure's district is made up of 28 houses in 14 towns, most of them in Eastern Kansas, three in Missouri and one in Nebraska. Lewis Sponsler, manager at Beatrice, Neb., placed first among McClure's managers, with Tom Steele, Coffeyville, Kan., second. District Managers Edward Shanberg (outstate Missouri), H. E. Jameson (Wichita and that part of Kansas), and Martin Finklestein (Kansas City houses) placed in that order. K. C. Tower Boosts Scale; Shifts Show Kansas City, Jan. 4. — Coincident with an increase in admission from straight 25 cents to 25-35 cents, the Tower, William Reinke-Fox Midwest first run, has shifted its policy. Bigger names will appear in the stage shows and the dance ensemble has been increased from 10 to 12. Ruth Wynn, formerly with F. & M., recently at the Paramount, Los Angeles, becomes dance director with Ernie Rayburn. Ted Cook has ben engaged as m.c. for an indefinite period. He has just completed 65 weeks at B. & K.'s. Oriental, Chicago. The house will begin reseating the lower floor (1,260 seats) immediately and within the next several weeks will reseat the entire theatre. Fox Midwest Theatres, Inc., today increase admissions in approximately 25 to 30 theatres throughout the circuit. There will be no increase in Kansas City units other than the Tower. The increase will be five cents in each instance. Cut Price in Omaha Omaha, Jan. 4. — After experimenting with its first attempt in this territory to return to a single feature, 55-cent top policy, Tri-States has cut admission for the recently reopened 2,900-seat de luxe Paramount to 25 cents to 6 P. M. and 40 cents evenings. The single feature policy is retained, however. Tip Baltimore Ad Rates Baltimore, Jan. 4. — Starting Jan. 1, the Sunday Sun and Hearst's Sunday American here will raise the film rate 10 cents per agate line, making the rate 45 cents and the Evening Sun will raise its amusement rate 10 cents per agate line to 60 cents, thus conforming with the News-Post rate. Out Hollywood Way Hollywood, Jan. 4. — Hal Horne left by plane today for New York following completion of a conference with Walter Wanger yesterday. Final shooting scripts on four Grand National features to start in January are completed. They are : "23%S Hours Leave," "Gold," "Texas Terror" and "Two Shall Meet" (tentative title). Milton Bren, former agent, has been installed at the Hal Roach Studio as an assistant producer in charge of directors and writers . . . Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby signed by Hal Roach to write one song during 1937 with an option for one in 1938 . . . Felix Feist spending two weeks at the M-G-M studio before returning to New York to start a Robert Benchley short, "Romance of Indigestion." Production halted on "Robber Barons," Radio, because of illness of Alexander Hall, director . . . Warners halt "Marked Woman" because of Lloyd Bacon's illness . . . Charles R. Rogers and Harry Rapf at Yosemite for winter sports. Terry Walker borrowed by Douglas MacLean from Paramount for feminine lead in "23^2 Hours Leave" . . . Omar Kiam back from New York . . . Brandon Tynan spending New Year's in New York with family .. . Ronald Colman to report to Selznick International Feb. 1 for "The Prisoner of Zenda." + Casting — Raymond Walburn and Vesy O'Davern in "Weather or No," Columbia . . . Kitty Gallian in "Stepping Toes," Radio . . . Paramount castings include Francis Sayden in "Souls at Sea," Roscoe Karns replacing Ray Milland in "Murder Goes to College," Charles Judels in "Swing High, Swing Low," and Nick Lukats and Terry Ray in "Internes Can't Take Money." Arthur Lake in "23%! Hours Leave," Douglas MacLean . . . Franklin Pangborn and Bob Murphy in "Dangerous Number," Betty Furness, Ted Healey and William Henry in "The Old Soak," and Skeets Gallagher, Ann Rutherford and Margaret Marquis in "Epionage," M-G-M . . . Joan Blondell assigned to feminine lead in "Marry the Girl," Warners. + Writers — Frank Kohner on adaptation of "Of Lena Geyer," Columbia .. . Carl Harburgh to collaborate with George Waggoner on "Three Legionnaires," General Pictures . . . A. D. Otvos and Paul Perez given term contracts by Universal. + Story Buy — Universal acquires "Immortal Love," an original by John Rich. + Title Change — Robert Benchley's "How to Eat" retitled "Romance of Indigestion." Reopen Northwest Club Seattle, Jan. 4. — The newly-remodeled quarters of the Northwest Film Club will be opened this week with an elaborate pre-holiday open house. During the past two weeks the barroom has been entirely redecorated and refurnished, and the social quarters remodeled and enlarged. B. Marcus Priteca, theatre architect, planned and supervised the alterations. Cinema Club to Meet Boston, Jan. 4. — The Cinema Club, industry organization, is scheduled to hold a business meeting Jan. 20. A charity dance is being planned, according to William Cuddv Nat Wolf to Run Ball Cleveland, Jan. 4. — Col. Nat Wolf, Warner zone manager, has been appointed chairman of the committee on arrangements for the President's Ball to be held Jan. 30. On the Weekend Air (Continued from page 26) fell flat. The first consisted of a burlesque on Shirley Temple playing opposite Leslie Howard in a mythical picture, "The Eternal Triangle." If Ray doesn't receive a barrage of protests from Shirley Temple lovers because of this we'll be badly mistaken. The second was a burlesque of the perennial "Uncle Tom's Cabin." 'Nough said. Anne Lester, a hot rhythm singer, offered several numbers, as did Charles Bolton. Average is the category in which their voices must fall. The "1937 Radio Show" will have to improve considerably if it expects to rank as a "big-time" unit. The series is sponsored by National Health Products, makers of Feenamint. The KNX-KSFO Salute All dedicatory programs are alike. A lot of big name stars, plenty of speech making and self-praise and routines that are warmed over from previous offerings on other programs. The CBS salute to its latest additions, KNX and KSFO (Saturday, 10:30 P.M. to 12:30 A.M., E.S.T.), was no different from its predecessors. The program was divided in two equal parts, the first hour coming from New York, the second from Hollywood. Interspersed between the New York and Hollywood point-of-origin switches were the speeches of William S. Paley, president of CBS, and Donald W. Thornburgh, each of whom extended felicitations to the incoming stations. Headed by Major Bowes as "em cee," the strong cast offered Milton Berle, Benny Fields, Pick and Pat, Phil Baker, Nino Martini, Rubinoff, Burns and Allen, East and Dumpke and Al Pearce. From Hollywood came offerings from Eddie Cantor and Al Jolson in a duet, Joe Penner, Cecil B. DeMille, Jack Oakie, Gertrude Niesen, Bobby Breen, Deanna Durbin, Martha Raye and Sid Silvers. Banner Predicts Best N. E. Business in 8 Years (Continued from page 1 ) trade, 10-15 per cent in industrial activity and 15 per cent in earnings. The increase in new automobile sales for 1936 in New England was computed at 32 per cent, building at 60, and department store and other retail sales at 10 per cent. Reports Trade Brisk Omaha, Jan. 4. — E. R. Cummings, district manager for Tri-States, reports the best holiday business in his district since he has been connected with the industry. Houses in Sioux City and Omaha suffered but little from the usual Christmas slump, but the business in smaller out-state towns was of recordbreaking proportions during the holiday season. Jobs Gain in Wisconsin Madison, Wis., Jan. 4. — Private employers absorbed over 40 per cent more workers placed on jobs by the Wisconsin state employment serving during November than they did during that month last year, according to a report by E. R. Davis, manager of the agency. Theatre Men Enthusiastic Chicago, Jan. 4. — New England's theatre business is definitely on the upgrade, Samuel Pinanski and M. J. Mullins, largest operators of theatres in that section, declared on their arrival in Chicago from Boston en route to the coast to attend the Adolph Zukor jubilee celebration. Sue Insurance Firm Bucyrus, O., Jan. 4. — Otto and Eva Vollrath, owners of the Vollrath Opera House, which burned a year ago, have brought suit in Common Pleas Court against the Richland County Insurance Co., seeking to collect $5,000, claimed to be due as insurance on the building. Wall Street Most Off; "U" 2 Points Net High Low Close Change Columbia 34% 34% 34% — % Columbia, pfd. ... 43 42 43 + % Consolidated SA 5 5% — % Consolidated, pfd.. 17 16% 17 Gen. T. Equip. . . 30 29% 2954 — % Loew's, Inc 65 64% 64% — % Paramount 24% 2}l/z 2AA, Paramount 1 pfd.. 170 166 170 — % Paramount 2 pfd.. 22 21% 22 + % Pathe Film 10% 9% 9% 4 % RKO 8% 7% 8% + % 20th Century -Fox. 34% 34J4 34% — A 20th Century, pfd.. 43 43 43 — % Universal, pfd. ...102 100 100 —2 Warner Bros. . . . 17% 17 17% — % Warner, pfd 67% 67% 67% + % Curb Has Small Losses Net High Low Close Change Grand National . . 3V& HA 3% — % Sonotone 2 2 2 + % Technicolor 21 20% 20% — % Trans-Lux 4% 4% 4% — A Bonds Rise Slightly Net High Low Close Change Keith B. F. 6s '46 98% 98 98 — % Loew's 3%s '46...101!4 101 101% + % Paramount Pict. 6s "55 100% 100J4 100% RKO 6s '41 116 116 116 4 % Warner Bros. 6s '39 wd 99% 99 99% 4 % (Quotations at close of Jan. 4)