The Philadelphia Exhibitor (1935)

28 Jan 1 ' 35 THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITOR FLASHES FROM COAL FIELDS By PHIDU Harold Leasius has taken over the Magnet Theatre, Minoka. He also operates Bulls Head, Scranton, and Crystal Theatre, Miners Mills. Name of new house be¬ comes the Minoka. Matt O’Keefe, Ritz Theatre, Scranton, did a nice job with Babes in Toyland. Theatrical bowlers still want to play Vine Street. Majestic Theatre, Carbondale, is being re¬ altered. Harry Spiegel still selling them aplenty. No news from the Connellys, Macks or Janoskis, Nanticoke. Jerome Engel, Family Theatre, still getting compliments. Jack Jones, formerly Garden Theatre, West Pittston, doing nicely with his Pittston coal business. Joe Elecker, Strand Theatre, Scranton, still plenty on the job. J. N. Harry, Strand Theatre, Berwick, had a grand opening. Joe Reed, Stanley Theatre, Larkesville, do¬ ing a fine job of it. “Little Men” breaking soon, which calls at¬ tention to Doc Spiegel, A1 Spiegel and Johnny Gibbons. Jake Moore, the bowling king, waiting to topple Vine Street over. Harry Richards, Lincoln Theatre, Plains, is another smart showman. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hopper, Peoples The¬ atre, Shickshiny, attended Strand, Ber¬ wick, opening. So did C. Elmer Dietrich, new' congressman. Likewise, Ed Con¬ nelly, Stanley Mack, Stanley Janoski, Earl Courtright. Has Tommy Killean, Ritz, any relations in Forest City? John Bank, Neutral Theatre, Simpson, says one day of operation a week is still enough. Heard In ' C ROSSTOWN Celebs Come To Town Abe Waxman, Gaumont British ad and pub¬ licity chief, hopped into town to arrange for the opening of "My Heart is Calling.” George Weeks, sales manager, and Arthur Lee, executive, were also in town. Sid Stanley, Fay’s impressario, beamed when one of his operators married during the holidays and went to New York for his honeymoon. Moe Verbin, Europa Theatre, was expecting a lot with "Man of Aran.” He did well with Lenin. Charlie Shisler still the p. a. for the Lyric, burlesk. Grange Theatre, Broad and Grange, opened Xmas Day, without special ceremonies. BRIGHT EYES. Edgar Moss, Fox dis¬ trict manager, poses at the bar of his suburban home. He extends a blanket invitation to all in the trade to come and partake of his imported stock. Logan, State, Circle and Kent (S-W), sched¬ uled to run vaudeville Saturdays. State (S-W) may go to split week. Stanley, Camden (S-W), has added Sunday vaude¬ ville. Harry Biben books the houses. James Clark, the Horlacher executive, went to New York, attended the AMPA lunch¬ eon, didn’t win the prize. Stanley-Warner district managers and heads of departments gave zone manager Leon¬ ard Schlesinger a furniture layout, with glasses and silverware of all sorts. Names were engraved on the glasses, indicating who gave what. Schles was quite thrilled. James F. “Jimmy” Fraser, formerly with the Trans Lux Theatre, New York City, is now managing the Unique Theatre, here, for Joe Schwartz. He has a lot of friends here who wish him well in his new post. Political gossip has S. Davis Wilson, City Controller, expected to make a fight for legislation allowing equal option on Sun¬ day movies. Motion Picture Forum held a December meeting at the Warwick. Albert Howson, scenario department, Warners, addressed the body. New seats are going into the Belmont The¬ atre. American Seating has the job. Catholic churches throughout the city are still showing features for admission, re¬ ports indicate. Drury Theatre, now a night club, may turn back into a theatre, it is reported. John Guerk, Stanley-Warner booking aide, was taken home with pneumonia. Stanley-Warner neighborhood houses will be listed in the new “Evening Ledger” direc¬ tory, beginning this week. The rate has been reduced for the new feature. Laemmle Optimistic Carl Laemmle, in a letter to exhibi¬ tors, is extremely optimistic. He says that Universal is making “Princess O’Hara,” “The Great Ziegfeld,” “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and other big numbers, in addition to “The Good Fairy.” Warner Exchange Seeks Exhib’s Aid in New Drive Local Body Wants to Bring Home Bacon Headed by William Mansell, exchange chief, the local Warner Brothers ex¬ change is seeking new laurels and prize cash in a new drive. Big push extends from January 1-March 2, with cash prizes to all employees. The 9-week campaign will be an achievement for the local office if exhibitors co-operate, and it is expected that they will help the boys hit their quotas. Salesmen John Bachman, Charles Beilan, Roger Mahan; bookers Oliver Guilfoyle, Leo Hanna, Dave Cooper and Tom Noble; office manager William J. Quinlivan and Miss Irene Goenner, speaking for the front office, ask ex¬ hibitors to make Philadelphia the No. 1 War¬ ner office. Kuykendall on Leases Ed Kuykendall, president, MPTOA, on leaving for his home in Mississippi for the holidays state: “A fair and equitable method of clearance and zon¬ ing must be secured for the theatre own¬ ers of this country to bring some sem¬ blance of orderly procedure out of the present chaotic condition and to pre¬ serve the code, much of which is based on this. “It is also our firm opinion the clause covering interference with leases must be retained even though it may not be enforceable as it now reads. It has been restrictive and we must find a way to put teeth in it for the protection of all. It is necessary to fair trade practices. I speak not only as president of the MPTOA but based on observations as a member of the Code Authority.” I AM A THIEF. Ricardo Cortez, Mary Astor and troupe are included in the Warner pro duction.