The New York State Exhibitor (1933)

THE NEW YORK STATE EXHIBITOR Janl0’33 21 Heard In L B A Darrow in Xmas Spirit n y Town and By Bill BENNIE DARROW, MGM exploitation man, came to town just before Christmas to exploit “Flesh” and “Strange Interlude” at C. H. Buckley’s Harmanus Bleecker Hall. . . . And to cover pictures in nearby towns. Bennie brought his bride on from Cleveland, Ohio, to spend New Year’s Eve with Ralph Pielow and Mrs. Pielow and other friends. . . . All first-run theatre schedules were upset between Christmas and New Year’s. . . . Buckley and RKO Theatres all started their Christmas pictures on Christmas Sunday. . . . Warner’s Ritz stuck to its Friday opening before Christmas, but the Warner Strand shifted from Friday to Saturday. . . . Buckley houses opened New Year’s Sunday after a New Year’s Eve midnight show, and the Warner houses closed their week’s features Saturday, December 31, at 6 o’clock, open¬ ing their new features at 7 and permitting patrons who arrived before 6 to remain for both features. RKO PALACE THEATRE played “A Farewell to Arms” for a week’s run between Christmas and New Year’s without vaude¬ ville, which had been pulled out three weeks earlier. ... It went back to its Saturday opening, December 31, with “The Animal Kingdom” and a split week, when five acts of vaudeville were also restored. . . . C. H. Buckley, Harmanus Bleecker Hall and Leland Theatres went in for elaborate lobby decorations for Christmas. Heard In L M 1 R A Vaude Okay To All Lobby Stands By Jay VAUDEVILLE, together with good pic¬ tures, is drawing large business to the Colonial. . . . Ten acts were shown at a New Year’s Eve performance. . . . Amateur nights are helping business at the Capitol. . . . All houses enjoyed good business New Year’s. A “FIRST HOUR” PRICE for Sundays only has been established at the Regent. . . . Strand has reduced its price for the balcony to 25 cents, any time. . . . William Benedict, formerly connected with local theatres, died in Syracuse, recently. . . . Three Warner Brothers theatres here are giving away highgrade fountain pens to lucky ticket holders. . . . Keeney orchestra, forced out when that house went exclusively pictures, has been signed for the Colonial. . . . New lobby stands at all Warner houses are winning comment. Basils Add Another Basil Brothers have taken over the Em¬ blem Theatre, Buffalo, closing its doors for a period of two weeks, during which time they will re-decorate, treat the house accoustically, adding new drapery and new signs. They expect to reopen the house the second week in January, renaming it the Jef¬ ferson. This makes the sixth link in the Basil chain. “ Tired Feet ” and “Boy, O Boy ” Harry Langdon presents a new short for Educational, while Andy Clyde’s presence high lights the Educational second short mentioned. Hess Victory Upheld Appellate Division, New York County, has upheld victory of Ga¬ briel Hess in case against The Church¬ man Company. Supreme Court had decided that various portions of the defense submitted by the Churchman Company be stricken out in his libel action against them. Hess has a similar action against Pete Harrison, with the decision un¬ doubtedly affecting his case there too. Heard In y R A C U S E Degnan Here; Miller Comes, Too By I. S. GEORGE H. DEGNAN, formerly with George White Scandals as publicity man, head the De Mille campaign for “The Sign of the Cross” at Paramount. . . . Antonia Rossi, formerly with Skouras headquarters here, has been transferred to the New York office, where she is serving as secretary to George Skouras. Warner Utica Frolic Holidays brought a big frolic to more than 50 staff members of the various Warner Brothers theatres in Utica, their families and friends. The affair was held in the Warner Club rooms over the Stanley Theatre. Charles Smackowitz, Albany, and Bert Leighton, resident manager, represented the corpora¬ tion. Members of the club use the lounge room over the Stanley during their relief hours. Mrs. Coughlin Passes Mrs. Harriet Shattuck Cole Jacobs Cough¬ lin, 74, owner Shattuck Theatre, Hornell, died after two weeks’ illness of pneumonia. Theatre, built in 1872, operated continuously until three years ago, when it was leased and closed by Warner Bros. House was built by Mrs. Coughlin’s father, a physician who had a secret formula for mixing sand, cement and other materials. LEO MILLER, formerly with the Central New York Theatres Corporation and also with Publix, has joined the local staff as booker. . . . Charley Wilkes is again show¬ ing a letter from the West Coast, whence, ever since the Loew engagement of the plat¬ inum blonde Jean, Charley has been in re¬ ceipt of communications. “Hard To Handle ” James Cagney returns to the films in this Warner show, with Mary Brian in support.