Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1939)

Wednesday, July 26, 1939 Motion Picture Daily 5 'Chips' Leads Minneapolis In 2nd Week Minneapolis, July 25. — "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" again led the box-office procession in Minneapolis, ringing up a splendid $8,200 in its second week at the State and then moving to the -Jntury. Interest here is concen"rrated on the reopening of the 4,200seat Minnesota, whose first show is a stage presentation headed by Jack Larue and "Streets of New York." In St. Paul, the best business getter was "Daughters Courageous" which was good for $5,600 at the Paramount. Estimated takings for the week ending July 20: Minneapolis : "Big Town Czar" (Univ.) "House of Fear" (Univ.) ASTER— (900) (15c-25c) 5 days. Gross: $1,300. (Average, $1,500) "Captain Fury" (U. A.) CENTURY— (1,600) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $3,250. (Average, $4,000) "Sorority House" (RKO) GOPHER— (990) (25c) 7 days. Gross: $3,100. (Average, $2,500) "Daughters Courageous" (W. B.) ORPHEUM— (2,900) (25c-40c) 7 days, following 4 days in previous week. Gross: $7,100. (Average, $4,800) "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (M-G-M) STATE— (2,300) (25c-40c) 7 days, second week. Gross: $8,200. (Average, $4,400) St. Paul: "Tarzan Finds a Son" (M-G-M) ORPHEUM— (2,000) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $3,900. (Average, $3,200) "Daughters Courageous" (W. B.) PARAMOUNT— (2,500) (25c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $5,600. (Average, $4,000) "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (M-G-M) RIVIERA— (1,000) (25c-40c) 7 days. Following week at Paramount. Gross: $3,200. (Average, $1,800) "It Could Happen To You" (ZOth-Fox) "Code of the Secret Service" (F. N.) TOWER— (1,000) (25c) 7 days. Gross: $2,500. (Average, $1,500) "American Gangbusters" WORLD— (400) (25c-35c) 7 days, second week. Gross: $700. (Average, $700) 'Fiddle' and 'Happen' Lead Indianapolis Indianapolis, July 25. — "Second Fiddle" and "It Could Happen to You" teamed up for a smash hit at the Circle, with a take of $10,500, extraordinarily good mid-summer business. They were held. Weather was cool. Estimated takings for the week ending July 21 : "Man About Town" (Para.) "Undercover Doctor" (Para.) APOLLO— (1,100) (25c-40c), 7 days. 3d week. Gross: $2,100. (Average, $2,500) "Second Fiddle" (20th-Fox) "It Could Happen to You" (ZOth-Fox) CIRCLE— (2,800) (25c-40c), 7 days. Gross: $10,500. (Average, $5,500) "Captain Fury" (U. A.) "Parents on Trial" (Col.) LOEW'S — (2,800) (25c-40c), 7 days. Gross: $6,800. (Average, $7,000) Warners Bill Trade Shows in 32 Cities Warners will hold trade showings of six features in 32 key cities early in September, according to plans being made by Gradwell L. Sears, general sales manager. The films include "The Old Maid," "The Roaring Twenties," "A Child Is Born," "The Lady and the Kinght," "Dust Be My Destiny" and "Gantry the Great." Trade Notes From Mexico City Mexico City, July 25. — Hard work and kicks is about all of their lot, according to a comback to rafts of criticism made by the four men, three serving for the Federal Government, the other for the local civic administration, who censor pictures in Mexico. Say the censors : They work six hours a day, six days a week and average 30 reels daily; their daily stipend is $1.05 for the chairman of the board and 90 cents for the others. They are required to be conversant with English, French, German and Italian and even to know something of Latin, besides being highly proficient in straight and idomatic Spanish, Mexico's official language. Furthermore, they must possess a "college culture and broad and ample understanding." Most newsreels are viewed on overtime, the censors aver. They do not mention extra pay for this work. The statement contains the interesting information that censorship has been eased considerably during the past two years on religious sequences. Picture producing cooperatism, a new one for Mexico, is doomed to die if the national cinematographic studio workers' union has its way, which is that those who join such societies automatically lose their union tickets. This, asserts the union, is in strict accordance with the Federal Cooperative Societies law. The union says the societies are unfair competition. Loss of union tickets virtually deprives cooperative members of all standing. Unless there is private financing, a very rare thing, the picture cooperatives will not be able to live. The government has done nothing as yet about taking these societies under its wing, as it has done with those in the mining and other industries. Three children were trampled to death in a panic ensuing when an unidentified patron still at large gave a false alarm of fire in the Cine Victoria, an important cinema of Aguascalientes City, during a performance. A barter of Mexican made and German made films is being urged by producers here. J. W. Dalhaus, local agent for German producers and supply houses, has been requested to return to Germany to arrange the deals. Government is also said to favor a plan for the barter of petroleum for cinematographic equipment, including sound and laboratory apparatus, negative color film and cameras. Eduardo Chavez Garcia has been named president of the Mexican exhibitors union of the Federal District. Luis Marquez has started production of a fashion short in color. It will be released about Sept. 1. Rene Cardona, film juvenile, has organized a production company, Producciones Rene Cardona. Skunk Odor! Cincinnati, July 25. — "We've had to refund patrons' admissions in our various houses for many different reasons," says Mike Spanagel, assistant to Maurice White, head of a number of circuits, "but report from the Rand, at Greenfield, O., is tops to date. The manager's notation of a patron's complaint is: 'Man carrying skunk odor'." All Circuits Watch TMAT's Test Case (Continued from page 1) Austin Garden, Kew Gardens. Only witness yesterday was Albert L. Greene, manager of the Oceana, and supervisor of the Tuxedo, Sheepshead and Surf. Greene was questioned by Gustave A. Gerber, T. M. A. T. attorney, and cross-examined by Mitchll Klupt, of Hovell, Clarkson & Klupt. He testified that his present employer is Triad Operating Corp. and not Rugoff & Becker. Gerber sought to establish that orders were given by the circuit heads. Greene maintained that he had no knowledge of the ownership or operation of the 13 houses allegedly in the Rugoff & Becker circuit except through hearsay. Most of yesterday's hearing was consumed by arguments of counsel on the question of the board's jurisdiction over the corporations operating the various houses. Petitions for certification have been filed by T. M. A. T. against Raybern Theatres, 9 houses ; Prudential Playhouse, 30 houses ; Five Boro, 7 ; Kaybern, 3 ; Landon, 1 ; Jewel, 1 ; Dartmouth, 1 ; Costello, 2 ; Windsor, 3 ; Times Square, 2; Brancon Park, 1; Helsel, 1 ; Helgus, 1 ; Rosenberg, 3 ; Nelson & Renner, 16; Sharbu, 1; Fabian, 2 ; and R. & N., 1. These cases are not expected to be assigned for formal hearing until after completion of the Rugoff & Becker case. The hearing will continue today. $30,000 Fund Voted By 3 for AGVA Aid Organization fund of $30,000 for American Guild of Variety Artists was voted yesterday by Actors Equity, Chorus Equity and Screen Actors Guild. Each group is contributing $10,000. A.G.V.A. was recently chartered by Associated Actors and Artistes of America after the charter of American Federation of Actors was suspended. A.G.V.A. will open offices at 11 A.M. today at 11 W. 42nd St. The offices will be next door to the eastern office of S.A.G. Florence Marston, S.A.G. Eastern representative, will act as executive secretary of A.G.V.A. until permanent officers are named. Ralph Whitehead, executive secretary of A.F.A., stated yesterday that he is awaiting a reply from George Browne, president of I.A.T.S.E., on his application for affiliation. The $30,000 fund voted for A.G.V.A. is in the form of a loan which will be made available to the new union as it requires the funds and which it will be expected to repay when its treasury is sufficiently established. Theatre, Personnel Notes Would Build Open Air House Middletown, Conn., July 25. — Hearing on petition of Salvatore Adorno for a permit to operate a 300-seat airdrome in the rear of the Middlesex Theatre, has again been continued, and is now set for next Friday before the Superintendent of State Police at Hartford. Adorno, formerly interested in the three Middletown houses now operated by Morris Pouzzner of Boston, attempted to construct a 1,000-seat open-air theatre, but was stopped by injunction granted on basis of violation of a city ordinance regarding fronting on a city street. Fox Promotes Morehead Kansas City, July 25. — Harry A. McClure, district manager of Fox Midwest Theatres, announced this week the transfer of Charles Morehead, manager at Beatrice, Neb., to Ft. Collins, Colo., where he will manage Fox Rocky Mountain Theatres. B. M. Montee, Chanute, Kan., goes to Beatrice to take over there ; C. P. Forbes of Ft. Scott, Kan., goes to Chanute, and H. D. Carrol, Carthage, Mo., goes to Ft. Scott. $150,000 Michigan City House Michigan City, Ind., July 25. — Work on a' new $150,000 theatre will be started here September 1, according to Maurice Rubin, president of the Dune Lake corporation. The new theatre will be called the Lido and will be located on Franklin St. between Eighth and Ninth Sts. William L. Pereira of Pereira & Pereira in Chicago is the designer of the theatre which will be one of the most unusual in the country. Manages Little Rock Houses . Little Rck, Ark., July 25. — James F. Gholson, formerly of Corpus Christi, is the new house manager of the Capitol and Royal theatres here. He was with the Robb Rowley Theatres, Inc., for a year and a half as manager of the Tower in Corpus Christi. Booking for Bergen Brandt circuit is now booking for the Bergen, Jersey City, N. J. East Capital Backs New Bronston Firm Los Angeles, July 25. — Samuel Bronston today announced the formation of Samuel Bronston Productions, Inc., which, after taking over the assets of the recently-formed Commodore Pictures, Inc., which he also heads, will produce pictures for major release. • Reportedly backed by $2,000,000 of Eastern capital, Bronston's first film will be "Martin Eden" from Jack London's book of the same title. The company has taken options on all London stories not filmed. Associated with -Bronston in the new venture are J. F. T. O'Connor, A. Ronald Button and John J. Bergen, the latter representing Eastern financiers. Headquarters will be at the General Service Studios.