Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1945)

28 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW February 17, 1945 REGIONAL Continued their St. Louis exchanges was $308,025. The total sold by the Wehrenberg Circuit was $2,147,225. The Uoll Theatre, formerly known as The Time, Jonesboro, 111., has reopened under the new ownership of W. E. Waring of Cobden, 111. He purchased the property from Bob Neely and changed the name in compliment to his twoyear-old daughter. John X. Quinn, former manager of Loew's here, has sold his home in Kirkwood, St. Louis County, and intends making his future residence in Florida. Ethan A. Shepley, an attorney and a member of the local AAA panel of arbiters, is a colonel in the First Regiment of Missouri. Oscar C. Lehr, who some years back was interested in a number of the South Broadway theatres, is now the president of a downtown finance company here. A certificate of incorporation was issued to the Toppenish Amusement Corp., of Chicago, 111. Incorporators are Julian H. Levi, Jack A. Diamond and William Roger, who also incorporated the Walla Amusement Corporation. Francis S. Harmon, coordinator of the WAC, Carl Leserman, United Artists general sales manager, and Martin C. Smith, secretary-treasurer of the Smith & Belder Circuit, Toledo, O., will be among the out-of-town speakers at the Red Cross campaign luncheon meeting scheduled at the Coronado Hotel Feb. 23. Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Arthur, Jr., departed for California accompanied by Lt. and Mrs. Harry C. Arthur, III. Lt. Arthur, who has been in the Central Pacific theatre of action for some 18 months, is reporting for reassignment to the Marine Corps base at El Centro, Calif. His father plans to spend about two months on the West Coast on business interests in that section of the country. Eastern Missouri returns for the March of Dimes drive which are still coming in have been showing gains of 30 to 50 per cent over last year, Harry C. Arthur, Jr., territory chairman for the WAC, revealed. The Fox Theatre which last year took in $8000 showed a total of $10,500 this year, while other Fanchon & Marco first-run houses showed $17,500 this year vs. $13,000 one year ago. NEW YORK As previously reported in this department, the only obstacle between action and inaction by the Independent Theatre Service, Inc., was the problem of selecting a buyer, who, in the estimation of a committee appointed to make the choice would be capable of making direct deals that would be advantageous to the newly formed organization. One of the advantages hoped for is a rendition of percentage deals for "special" and "must" pictures as a result of the combined purchasing power as against terms which obtain for theatres individually or within a circuit. The candidate most ardently backed by the ITS has been Ray Moon, 20th-Fox branch manager here, and although he had been reported in these columns as having refused the offer, apparently the subject did not conclude there, for the post was held open until last Monday for his further consideration and final answer. Apparently even the persuasiveness of Irving DoUinger, ITS vice-president, who had a conference with him last week, failed to influence Moon from his determination despite the _ fact that the salary offered was said to be considerably higher than he is now receiving. These conclusions are drawn from the fact that the committee began examining an alternative to Moon last Tuesday. He is Sol Edwards, buyer for E. M. Loew's chain in Massachusetts. The identities of theatre owners and circuits with which the ITS is amalgamated include the following : The Associated Theatres of New Jersey, comprising 18 theatres ; David Snaper, 4 ; Raritan Theatres, 5; Lee Newbury, 11; Hilinger Enterprises, 8; DoUinger, 2; Dr. Henry Brown, 3; Harry Hecht, 4; and the State Theatre, Boonton ; Denville Theatre, Denville ; Dunellen Theatre, Dunellen, and Rivoli, New,ark, N. J. In the years in which the Motion Picture Associates has inscribed itself in the hearts of industry members and non-members whom it has. tided over periods of economic distress, it has never asked for gratitude, nor has it sought return from anyone who benefitted through its coffers. Recently, however, the rare exception of an elderly man grateful enough to hand back part of the money advanced to him occurred under these unusual circumstances : The man needed hospitalization. Although the MPA has as yet no hospitalization under its plan, it arranged with the French Hospital through a special fund to care for him. After six weeks in the hospital the MPA advanced him $20 weekly for six months, and subsequently secured a position for him. After several months the man, now steadily employed, returned $100 of his savings to the MPA who refused to accept the money. But the elderly man was adamant and could not be swerved from what he declared constituted a debt of honor. This left no alternative for the MPA but to reluctantly accept the money. The betting in film circles here is even money that the case of the majors against the Endicott Circuit for $180,000 in damages will not reach the stages of a trial, but will be set AT DEDICATION. Paramount executives at the formal opening of new Naval Aid Auxiliary Hotel for service Women in the Paramount Building, San Francisco. The hotel has accommodations for 200 service wcmen .guests, for which two floors were made available with the compliments of Paramount Pictures. Left to right above: Rear Admiral Carlton H. Wright; Claude Lee, Paramount director of public relations; Charles M. Reagan, vice-president in charge of Paramount distribution; Major General Julian C. Smith. tied out of court. The criterion for it is based on a previous settlement by one circuit for virtually the same charges by the majors for $25,000 and with one theatre in Long Island for $30,000. After a long illness, Herman Kram, pioneer in the industry, died at the New York Hospital last week. The industry was well represented at the funeral services. The Empire Theatre in the Bronx under the joint ownership of Max Cohen and Leo Brecher closed last Thursday. • Three new faces appeared in the WB exchange personnel last week. They are Rhoda Udell and Yetta Prestansky, in the booking office, and Arlene Goldfarb, cashier's office. Harold Weisenthal, executive of the Laffmovie theatres, passed his physical last week and is awaiting orders for induction. CHICAGO Personnel director of theatre circuits here have been notified by Dean William Spencer, War Manpower Commissioner, that non-essential businesses employing 10 or more workers must complete 10 per cent reduction in their staff by March 1, instead of March 15, as originally ordered. The Censor Board reported it had inspected 70 films in the month of January with no rejections and ordered only four cuts. Loop theatre attendance was not affected by the brownout, but residential theatres felt its sting with the cold weather adding to the drop in patronage. Capt. Tom Gillian, Jr., son of Tom Gillian, 20th Century-Fox manager here, has been awarded the Silver Star at the hospital in England where he is a patient for injuries sustained in battle. He also has been awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for previous exploits. With his recovery the senior Gillian expects his son back home on a long furlough. Mrs. Bob Hope and Mrs. Jerry Colonna have departed for the East where they will meet the Hope radio troupe. The U. S. Navy, in cooperation with 20thFox, held the press premiere of "The Fighting Lady," aboard the carrier. Sable, with the commanding officer host to the press at dinner aboard ship. The arbitration case of the Genessee Theatre has been postponed for a week for entry of the consent award by Arbitrator Leo T. Norville. Jack Flynn, MGM, has returned from the Detroit Variety Club meeting. DES MOINES Holding that interstate commerce does not end until the films reach the hands of the exhibitors. Federal Judge Charles A. Dewey granted an overtime award of $1645 to Francis Kappler, former booker for Republic Pictures Corp. Kappler, who is now located in Kansas City, had filed suit against Republic for the overtime pay for extra hours worked from February, 1941, to June, 1943. Kappler brought the suit for time and a half overtime under the fair labor standards act. At the hearing, the company contended he was not engaged in interstate commerce, that the company did not consent to his working overtime and that his court action was barred by the Iowa statute of limitations. The theatre fire regulation bill, HFI47, was described as a "vicious piece of legislation" introduced by organized labor according to a bulletin sent out by the Allied-Independent theatre owners of Iowa and Nebraska. The bulletin stated the bill was being pushed by the projectionists' union and if enacted into law would force more than half of the theatres in the state to close down. The Allied group was ac