Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1941)

Page 8 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW November 1, 1941 AT GALA PREMIERE Darryl F. Zanuck, producer, and John Wright, managing director of the Rivoli Theatre, New York, which was the scene of a gala world premiere of "How Green Was My Valley." Presence of the producer and some of the film's stars, plus the socially prominent made the event notable. ITPA Members to Get A. I. P. Data Samuelson and Myers to Address Wis. -Mich. Exhibs Milwaukee — Members of the Independent Theatres Protective Association of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan will receive information concerning AID at the organizations convention to be held here Nov. 4-5 at the Schroeder Hotel. Sidney Samuelson, business manager of Allied Theatres of Eastern Pennsylvania, will address the delegates on the subject. Other convention speakers and guests include Abram F. Myers, Allied general counsel and board chairman ; Charles M. Reagan, Paramount's assistant general sales manager ; J. E. Flynn, MGM's Chicago district manager ; Jack Kirsch, president of Allied Theatres of Illinois, Inc. ; Steve Broidy of Monogram Pictures and William A. Scully, Universal's general sales manager. It is expected that much discussion will be devoted to buying and contracts, inasmuch as considerable major company product is reported unsold in this territory. ITOA Plans N.Y. All-Exhibitor Meet With all unaffiliated exhibitor organizations and the heads of two national associations having been canvassed by ITOA for their reactions to a proposal whereby a general meeting of exhibitors would be held in New York late in November, replies to date have been favorable and several outright acceptances have been received. The ITOA plan, it is said, is different from Allied action in only one respect: whereas Allied seeks an all-industry harmony program, ITOA hopes to promote an all-exhibitor program. Messenger Boy For Schencks Says Bioff; Absolves Browne Admits Collecting Funds But Gave All Money to Joseph Schenck; Lied in 1937 But Tells Truth Now, He Says William Bioff, on trial for racketeering law, admitted this $1,000,000 from film executives, it all over to Joseph M Schenck under orders from Nicholas M. Schenck, for whom he was only acting as a messenger boy. Bioff claimed he was introduced to Nicholas Schenck in 1935 by Charles C. Moskowitz with whom he negotiated a dispute involving Local 306. Schenck, on the other hand, testified that he never met Bioff until 1936 and that the demand for $2,000,000 was made at the first meeting. Bioff claimed that Schenck asked him to aid in transferring money to his brother Joseph, on the Coast, saying that he would be very useful to the industry if he would do so. "He told me that the industry was being sandbagged in different parts of the country through legislation and that they used to be able to handle their affairs differently, but they now have to use cash money and they can't show it on their books," declared Bioff. Bioff also claimed that George E. Browne, his co-defendant in the present case, was unaware of the fact that he had collected any money. The indictment charges them both with collecting the money and then turning it over to their own uses. Bioff admitted that, while he had claimed Joseph Schenck as a close friend, he had nevertheless blamed Schenck for his prosecution two years ago on the charge of pandering for which he was jailed in Chicago. Bioff also admitted a series of misstatements regarding the IATSE while testifying before the California Legislative Committee on Capital and Labor in 1937, including the fact that he had been a member of the alliance for 14 years, when in fact he had never been a member at all. Judge John C. Knox asked why he made these misstatements. Replied Bioff : "For the benefit of a bunch of Communists." However, he insisted that he was telling the truth violation of the Federal antiweek that he had received over but asserted that he had turned 4 Speakers Set For Texas Meet Kelly, Richey, Dembow & Wood to Address ATO National Plans Three More Drive-In Houses Cleveland — Plans for the construction of three new Drive-In theatres in Rochester, N. Y., Dayton and Columbus, O., have been made by National Drive-in Theatres, Inc. of this city, which now owns and operates a Drive-In Theatre near Buffalo and another in the suburbs of Cleveland. As an added innovation, according to President Paul Winters, Drive-In night clubs are planned which will enable patrons leaving the theatre to drive immediately next door, be served drinks and refreshments, then leave their cars to dance on a specially constructed open-air water-prfcof dance floor on which a floor sh«v will also be presented. Dallas — Allied Theatre Owners of Texas will open its twenty-second annual convention next Tuesday at the Adolphus Hotel here. Besides a discussion of current problems, delegates will be addressed by Arthur W. Kelly, H. M. Richey, George Dembow and Pete J. Wood. Topics up for consideration include film buying, the consent decree, industry unity and tax problems. On Wednesday the election of officers will take place, and the convention will be climaxed by the .r.inual banquet. Fitzgibbons, Lasky Speak at AMPA Luncheon Jesse L. Lasky, J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players Canadian Corp., and Douglas Cole, head of the Canadian Trade Commission, were principal speakers at the AMPA luncheon held this week. Fitzgibbons was introduced by Austin Keough, Paramount general counsel, and Lasky was introduced by Mort Blumenstock, Warner Bros.' Eastern advertising manager. Thompson Named Prexy Of MPTO of Georgia Atlanta, Ga. — The MPTO _ of Georgia, at an organization meetingheld here at the Henry Grady Hotel, elected as its president J. H. Thompson, of Hawkinsville, a member of Marvin & Thompson Theatres. Ed Thomaston, of the Thomaston Theatres, was designated as first vicepresident ; Mrs. Willingham Wood, of the Wood Theatres, Washington, secretary, and Hobson Johnson of the Brice Theatres, Vidalia, treasurer. Thirty-four directors were also chosen. Rosenfield Named Ad Copy Chief at Twentieth-Fox Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., engaged by 20th Century-Fox as advertising copy chief, assumed his duties this week, it has been announced by A. M. Botsford, director of advertising and publicity. Rosenfield replaces Frank Moneyhun, who last week was promoted to the post of executive assistant to Botsford. He has lately been associated with Donahue & Coe, advertising agency. BAKER WINS WATCH Charles W. Koerner, general manager of RKO Theatres, presents Manager Jerome Baker of the RKO Capitol Theatre, Union City, N. J., with a gold watch, first prize in the recent contest for the best campaign in the Metropolitan area on "Frank Buck's Jungle Cavalcade." Sees Ohio Exhibs Accepting Policy Wood Believes Rodgers of MGM Will 'Make Good' Columbus, O. — Despite their belief that MGM's new sales policy was "put into effect more for the benefit of MGM than the exhibitors," Ohio exhibitors will sign up for the 194142 MGM product, in the opinion of Pete J. Wood, secretary of the ITO of Ohio. In a bulletin issued this week, Wood informed exhibitors it was his belief that William F. Rodgers "will make good 100 per cent" his promise to adjust any inequitable or unprofitable deals not satisfactorily corrected by exchange managers. Luncheon Send-Off For Lester Isaac Lester B. Isaac, head of projection of Loew's Theatres, this week began a tour during which he will visit theatres in South America. Isaac was tendered a luncheon at LaGuardia Airport restaurant Tuesday before taking off for Miami on the first leg of his trip. Present at the luncheon were : Mrs. Isaac, Ken Behr, Bert Sanford, Mrs. H. Glassberg, Virginia Bank, M. D. O'Brien, W. Boettcher, D. Eberson, E. Hartley, W. Smith and P. A. McGuire. Smith & Beidler, Skirballs Pool Toledo Theatres Toledo — Smith, Beidler and Kumler, theatre operators of this city, and Skirball Brothers of Cleveland, have pooled their interests in the Pantheon and Palace theatres, respectively, into a new corporation of which Skirball Brothers will have complete management. Smith and Beidler operate four Toledo neighborhood theatres and a downtown subsequent run, while Skirball Brothers, besides operating three houses in Toledo, also control a theatre in Mansfield and another in Pittsburgh, Pa. William N. Skirball is active head of the chain.