Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

\Norciiihrr 25, 1939 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 5 TWO HOLIDAYS] Strike Averted As Union SEEN BIZ AID Grants Time To Consider Exhibs Look Forward to Extra Grosses Aided bv two Thanksgivings, F.D.R.'s on Nov. 23 and the Pilgrims' on Nov 30, theatre managers throughout the country are looking forward to better than average grosses at least for the next fortnight or so. In New York possibilities of the coin changer working overtime seemed a foregone conclusion. Already highly acclaimed by the trade press, "Another Thin Man" (MGM) got off to a strong start at the Capitol, while "The Cat and the Canary" (Para.) plus Tony Alartin, Jan Savitt and others on the stage had them lining up in front of the Paramount on opening day, Wednesday. After a terrific first week, "Ninotchka" (MGAI) came through again with smash grosses in its second stanza at the Music Hall, and went into a third session. "First Love" (Univ.) has been getting satisfactory grosses at the Rivoli, and is scheduled to be replaced Nov. 29 with "Destry Rides Again" (Univ.) During its 3-week run, "Drums Along the Mohawk" (20th-Fox) pulled in plenty of coin at the Roxy, and prospects for a batting average as high over the Thanksgiving holidays were in view with the opening last Thursday of "Day-time wife" (20th-Fox). "The Roaring Twenties" and Bob Crosby, setting a strong pace at the Strand in its first two weeks, entered a third, Friday. "Elizabeth and Essex" (WB) is scheduled to open there Dec. 1. Dallas NSS Branch Personnel Honored The entire personnel of the National Screen Service, Dallas Branch Office, will be honored bv The Variety Club Tent No. 17 at luncheon ne.xt Alonday. R. J. O'Donnell will preside and the speakers for the day will be Wm. jXIcCraw, former Attorney General of Texas, and Alexander Woolcott, celebrated humorist. LONDON Observations by Jock MacGregor In these days of blackout, there are no cinema fronts lit . . neon is taboo at any hour . . . and lobbies are dimmed with blue lighting . . . Phosphorescent paints are coming into their own while several dimmed electric display accessories for interior advertising have appeared on the market . . . ABPC's publicist ROBERT WEAIT looks pretty good in his uniform as a part-time fireman . . . confidentially he has yet to be called to a blaze ... A gunnery officer on a battleship tells us a story which had it come from any other source would have stunk of publicity . . . 'pears while he was compiling his day's records "somewhere on the high seas' he heard aeroplanes diving down on the ship . . . He rushed to his action post only to find that "Only Angels Have Wings" was being unreeled for the benefit of the ship's company . . . Cinema shows are held on all the bigger ships and provide a well-earned respite for the officers and men ... A change from 1914. Demand For 10% Increase to Be Talked Over Further; No New Deadline Set A serious studio strike was averted last weelv-end when union representatvies agreed to grant the producers' request for more time to consider the union demands. In doing so the unions did not set a new deadline. Joseph Schenck, representing the producers, and Meyer Lewis, western representative of the American Federation of Labor both expressed their belief that the controversy could be settled satisfactorily to both sides. A meeting was held last week end following the unions' demand for a 10% increase for studio union workers. Those who attended were William Bioff, chairman of the Conference of AFL studio unions, J. W. Buzzell, executive secretary of the Los Angeles Central Labor Council, Walter Redmond, international representative of the plasterers' union, Meyer Lewis, J. M. Schenck, Y. Frank Freeman, M. B. Silverberg and Walter Wanger. Another meeting was scheduled for this Friday at which the same union representatives and studio chiefs will confer again. PRODUCER, STAR SIGN WITH RKO Pommer, Laughton Suspend Their Own Organization Due to war conditions abroad, Charles Laughton and Eric Pommer ha\'e temporarily suspended all activity connected with their organization, Mayflower Pictures Corp., and have individually signed major contracts with RKO-Radio. Under his new contract, Laughton will have as his first assignment the stellar role in a story to be produced and directed by Leo McCare}'. This will be followed by a Laughton-starring film which Eric Pommer will produce for RKO. Pommer will make his debut as an RKO producer with a picture starring Afaureen O'Hara, currently at work with Laughton in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." VOGEL IS NAMED TO LOEW BOARD He Fills Vacancy Caused by Isidor Frey's Death At a meeting of the board last week, Joseph R. Vogel, in charge of Loew's out-of-town theatres, was elected as a director of Loew's, Inc., thus filling the vacancy on the board left by the death of Isidor Frey. Vogel was recently named director and vice-president of the Loew Theatre and Realty Co., a subsidiary corporation. First an usher in Loew's Yorkville Theatre while still in high Important Dates Nov. 29 : Motion Picture Associates dinner-dance. Hotel Astor. Dec. 3-4: Theatre Owners Association of North and South Carolina winter convention, Charlotte. Dec. 5 : New Haven exchange employes' Movie Ball, Baybrook Inn. Dec. 20 : Chicago Night of Stars. Jan. 18: MPTO of Virginia convention, John Marshall Hotel, Richmond. Jan. 28 : Actors Fund of America benefit, Winter Garden. school, it took only four years for Vogel to rise to treasurer of Loew's 7th Avenue theatre. Following more promotions, he had the honor of being the first manager of the new Loew's State Theatre in 1921. Later he succeeded Col. Ed. Schiller in the post he now holds. He has had a 30-year career with Loew's. Meyers to Hollywood Fred Meyers, RKO's chief film booker, left for Hollywood this week to look over newly finished pictures and see others in the course of production. On his return, he will visit RKO Theatres in San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Cleveland. Here for Conferences Sol Lesser, United Artists producer, is in New York for conferences with Thornton Wilder, author of the successful stage play, "Our Town." ^^^^^^^ Quiz Para Execs In Roman Case Executives of Paramount will appear in court next Alonday with books and records for an examination before trail in the case of Ben Roman, who is suing the company for $250,000. Roman claims that Paramount sold him the rights to reissue "Morocco" and "The Spoilers" in the New York territory and then refused to go through with the contract. J. J. Unger, eastern division sales manager, Alilton Kusell, eastern district manager and Myron Sattler, New York branch manager have been summoned to appear.