Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1940)

6 Motion Picture daily Friday, September 6, 1940 'Divorcement9 Gets $23,000 Frisco Lead San Francisco, Sept. 5. — "Bill of Divorcement" zoomed to $23,000 with the personal appearance of Dorothy Lamour at the Golden Gate, for one of the best grosses of the Summer. "He Stayed for Breakfast" paired with "The Secret Seven" for $14,500 at the Orpheum. Estimated takings for the week ending Aug. 27-30: "Bill of Divorcement" (RKO) GOLDEN GATE— (2,850) (40c-50c-5Sc) 7 days. Stage: vaudeville. Gross: $23,000. (Average, $15,000) "He Stayed for Breakfast" (Col.) "The Secret Seven" (Col.) ORPHEUM — (2,440) (15c-35c-40c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $14,500. (Average, $8,000) "Return of Frank James" (20th-Fox) "Girl from Avenue A" (20th-Fox) FOX— (5,000) (15c-35c-40c-50c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $16,000) "Golden Fleecing" (M-G-M) "Young People" (20th-Fox) PARAMOUNT— (2,740) (15c-35c-40c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $11,500) "Pastor Hall" (U. A.) UNITED' ARTISTS— (1,200) (15c-35c-40c55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $8,000) _ ., % "All This, and Heaven Too" (WJ.) ST. FRANCIS— (1,400) (15c-35c-40c-50c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $6,200. (Average. $6,000) "I Love You Again" (M-G-M) "Mystery Sea Raider" (Para.) WARFIELD— (2,680) (15c-35c-40c-50c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $9,000. (Average. $12,000) "The Baker's Wife" (Foreign) CLAY— (400) (15c-39c-44c-55c) 7 days, 10th week. Gross: $1,200. (Average, $1,000) 'Hall' and 'Hawk' Philadelphia Best Philadelphia, Sept. 5. — Cool evenings and rainy days helped the boxoffice at the Aldine. "The Sea Hawk" took $17,000 at the Boyd, and "Pastor Hall" drew $12,000 at the Aldine. The Earle and Stanley, playing "He Stayed for Breakfast" simultaneously, accounted for $27,500 collectively. The Aldine reopened with "Pastor Hall" and did well with $12,000. Estimated takings for the week ending Aug. 28-31 : "Pastor Hall" (U.A.) ALDINE— (1,400) (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c) 7 days. Gross: $12,000. (Average, $9,000) "Pride and Prejudice" (M-G-M) ARCADIA — (600) (35c-46c-57c) 7 days, 2nd run. Gross: $4,200. (Average, $2,600) "The Sea Hawk" (W.B.) BOYD — (2,400) (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c) 7 days 2nd week. Gross: $17,000. (Average, $13,000) "He Stayed for Breakfast" (Col.) EARLE — (4,000) (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c) 7 days. Gross: $12,500. (Average, $14,000) "Flowing Gold" (W.B.) FOX— (3.000) (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c) 7 days. Gross: $14,500. (Average. $13,000) "I Love You Again" (M-G-M) KARLTON— (1,000) (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c) 7 days, 2nd run. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $3,000) "Boys From Syracuse" (Univ.) KEITH'S— (2,200) (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c) 7 days, 2nd run. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $4 500) "He Stayed For Breakfast" (Col.) STANLEY— (3.700) (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c) 7 days. Gross: $15,000. (Average, $14,000) "Golden Fleecing" (MGM) STANTON— (1,700) (35c-46c-57c) 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $4,500) Blumenstock on Opening M'ort Blumenstock, in charge of Warner publicity and advertising in the East, leaves for South Bend today in preparation for the opening of "Knute Rockne — All American," Oct. 4 in that city. Off the Antenna Lf LECTION NOTES: Looking forward to the evening of Nov. 5, VVNEW has made arrangements for special wires and four teletype machines with Associated Press. New Jersey and New York election results will be covered in addition to the national balloting. . . . Adopting the "battle page" used by newspapers, WHN will star a new show, "On With the Argument," Monday. It will be heard weekly at 9 P. M. with Maurice C. Dreicer as arbiter. Representatives of both presidential candidates will be given free time to air their views. . . . The Bronx Willkie-for President Club nas purchased spot announcements over WMCA to promote Willkie's candidacy. • a • Program News: WABC has full sponsorship of its 6 P.M. news periods with the sale of the Tuesday and Thursday spots to Vanti Pa-Pi-A. . . . Miles Laboratories has renewed "National Barn Dame" over 57 NBC-Red stations. . . . Procter & Gamble will sponsor "This Small Town" over NBC beginning Sept. 30, Mondays through Fridays at 10 A.M. P. & G. will drop "Mid-Strea>m" from the network on Sept. 21 ... . Ted Husing will start the CBS Saturday football series on Sept. 28 with the Minnesota-Washington game. . . . The Wth consecutive series of Sunday afternoon concerts by the New York Philharmonic over CBS will start Oct. 13. . . . Alfred W. McCann, Jr., will start the \Sth year of the "Pure Food Hour" over WOR this Monday. • • • Julius J. Colby, formerly dramatic and film critic for the Ridder papers, has been named dramatic editor of WMCA, effective Sept. 16. Colby will report first night films and plays immediately after an opening and will coordinate all film and dramatic material used on the station. His reviews will be confined to audience reaction — Colby will not attempt criticism. He was associated with D. W. Griffith as assistant advertising manager in 1911 and resigned several years later to become film editor for the New York American and Evening Journal. For the past 19 years he was with the Journal of Commerce and the Stoats Zeitnng, local Ridder papers. • • • Purely Personal: Bing Crosby made a guest appearance on the Golf magazine's program over WHN last night. . . . Floyd Buckley, Ethel Morrison, Gretchen Davidson and Roger de Koven have joined the cast of "My Son and I." . . . Mary Astor, 20th Century-Fox star, will be heard on the Kate Smith hour in a dramatization of the film "Brigham Young" over CBS. . . . Mark Warnow has been signed to lead the orchestra and Harry Von Zell to do the announcing on the "Helen Hayes Theatre" over CBS which starts Sunday, Sept. 29 at 8 P. M. W. B. Managers Hold Zone Meet in Albany Albany, Sept. 5.— Eastern New York theatre managers and Warner Circuit zone officials held an all-day meeting here yesterday at the call of M. A. Silver, zone manager. Silver, calling for alert salesmanship and showmanship, discussed Fall policies and urged the managers to get the most out of the product. The need for closely scrutinizing expense items was also stressed. Present besides Silver were : Charles A. Smakwitz, district manager ; Max Friedman, booker ; Joseph Weinstein, short subject booker; James Faughnan, contact manager ; Jules Curley, advertising ; James Wotton, maintenance and repairs ; Leo Drexler, assistant contact manager. Managers included : Andrew Roy, Strand ; Mel Conheim, Ritz ; Edward Selette, Albany, and Al LaFlamme, Madison, all Albany ; Jack Swartout, American ; Sid Sommer, Lincoln ; Leo Rosen, Troy, in Troy ; William Haines, Stanley ; Arnold Stoltz, Avon, and Jack Breslin, Utica, in Utica. Silver will address Western New York managers at Elmira next week. 'Dictator9 Policy Talks to Continue Hollywood, Sept. 5. — Murray Silverstone, U. A. head of world wide operations, said today that discussions regarding the premiere date and sales policy for "The Great Dictator" were still in progress and that no details had been set yet. Silverstone will return to New York Monday or Tuesday. 'Syracuse* Draws $5,700, Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Sept. 5. — "The Boys From Syracuse" drew $5,700 and a second week at the Fulton, while "I Love You Again," in its second week, took $14,900 at the Stanley. Estimated takings for the week ending Aug. 29 : "Young People" (20th-Fox) ALVIN— (1,800) (28c-39c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $4,500. (Average, $6,000) "The Boys From Syracuse" (Univ.) FULTON— (1,700) (25c-44c) 7 days. Gross: $5,700. (Average, $4,500) "Lucky Partners" (RKO) LOEWS PENN— (3,400) (29c-39c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $13,000) "River's End" (W. B.) "Millionaires in Prison" (RKO) RITZ— (800) (28c-44c) 7 days. Gross: $2,200. (Average, $4,000) "I Love You Again" (M-G-M) STANLEY— (3,600) (28c-39c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $14,900. (Average. $13,000) "Queen of Destiny" (RKO) "Ladies Must Live" (W. B.) WARNER— (2,000) (28c-44c) 7 days. Gross: $3,200. (Average, $5,000) Petrillo Injunction Plea Off to Sept. 17 N. Y. Supreme Court Justice Carroll G. Walter yesterday adjourned to Sept. 17 the application of the American Guild of Musical Artists for a temporary injunction against James C. Petrillo, president of the American Federation of Musicians, to restrain the latter from banning prominent instrumentalists as members of A.G.M.A. from the screen, stage and air. The adjournment was ordered on agreement of both parties. Justice Aaron Steuer _ will hear the application for an injunction on the adjourned date. F.C.C. Grants Westinghouse New Licenses Washington, Sept. 5. — The Federal Communications Commission today canceled its proposed Oct. 7 hearing on the contractual relations bo-y tween Westinghouse and Nation!.; ' Broadcasting Co. and granted renewaf of license to the four Westinghouse stations, but gave warning that its action was not a precedent for further approval of broadcast licensees disposing of their rights and privileges through contracts. The commission last January ordered a hearing on the contractual relations between the two organizations. It canceled the hearing on a showing by Westinghouse that it had abrogated its agreement with NBC under plans made before the hearing was ordered and that its stations, WBZ and WBZA, Boston; KYW, Philadelphia, and KDKA, Pittsburgh, are now operating independently and have only the regular affiliation contract with the chain. Operation of the stations had been in the hands of NBC since November, 1932, the commission alleging they had signed away their operating rights without its consent. SAG Moves to Get 4-A's Out of AFL Hollywood, Sept. 5. — Undercover moves are being made by certain Screen Actors Guild leaders to withdraw the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, parent body of all actor unions, from the American Federation of Labor, it was learned today. For the second time within a year, the S.A.G. withdrew last night from the Central Labor Council, and this is regarded here as the first step. The reason for the withdrawal move is understood to be the current jurisdictional dispute between the American Guild of Musical Artists, a 4-A affiliate, and the American Federation of Musicians. The dispute is almost certain to be aired at the forthcoming A.F.L. convention and it is believed that the A.F.M. can muster sufficient support to win on the convention floor. Opposition within the 4-A to a withdrawal move is expected to come from Actors Equity and American Guild of Variety Artists, as those organizations cooperate closely with other A.F.L. unions. No reason was given last night for the withdrawal from the Council. The first withdrawal was based on the support given by Council executives to William Bioff, I.A.T.S.E. representative, when the latter fought extradition to Chicago. Asks Creditor Plan Petition for a creditor arrangement has been filed in the Federal court by the U. S. Record Corp., manufacturers of Royale and Varsity Records. The petition lists liabilities of $93,147 at Aug. 31 and assets of $165,000. The company claims it sold 2,000,000 records in the past year.