Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1945)

May 5, 1945 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 31 visitor this week. Jerry Myers, former manager of the Bell Theatre, is back at the theatre after receiving his discharge from the Army. Sam Hersch of Royal Pictures in California was a visitor to the independent exchanges last week. The industry committee in charge of the activities for the Seventh War Loan for Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware dedicated its et¥orts in the drive in honor and memory of the late President Roosevelt and adopted the slogan "Carry On !" Jay King, manager of the Yorktown Theatre, Elkins Park, a Philadelphia suburb, and chairman of the War Activities Committee theatre division, Montgomery County, recently turned over to Raymond K. Mensch, treasurer of the county chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, a check for $6,570 representing SO per cent of the collections taken in the 27 theatres in the county from January 25 to 31. Benny Glatz, projectionist at MGM, celebrated a birthday last week. Joe Lutz, projectionist for the 20th CenturyFox exchange, boasts of a thriving antique business as a side-line. Bookers of the various exchanges here have gone over to Local F-7 from Local B-7. J. Howard Smith, 20th-Fox salesman, who left for the service on the 24th, was tendered a dinner by the Family Club at the Variety Club rooms. Ann Murray, head cashier at RKO, was married last week to Jimmy Munday, not connected with the industry. United Artists New York district manager Sam Lefkowitz was a visitor to the local branch last week. NEW YORK Rumors circulating on Film Row here these may weeks — to the efifect that a showdown was looming on alleged claims by distributors that many theatres had shown discrepancies in returns paid and actual grosses on percentage deals — found support this week when this department obtained confirmation that Warner Bros., had reached a settlement of additional payments to the distributor by several theatres. The houses, all of which are booked by the Brandt Theatres, included the Kisco, Mt. Kisco; Rome, Pleasantville ; Amelia, Amelia, N. Y. (all of the foregoing are operated by the Sussman estate), and the Edison, Manhattan ; Tower, Bronx, and the Music Hall, Tarrytown, N. Y. RKO has withdrawn "Dumbo" "Bambi" and "Snow White" from circulation pending the bookings and extended playing time of "The Three Caballeros." The bonus money earned by the stal¥ of 20th Century-Fox inclusive of the overage earned by 15 on the sales force as a result of the anniversary drive was converted into the purchase of $10,000 worth of bonds for the 7th War Loan. The Rex Theatre here closed April 22. The Arcade on upper Broadway was partially destroyed by fire April 19 and has been closed indefinitely. In a letter from Lewis Martin of the Majestic, Paterson, N. J., the exchanges were informed that the Independent Theatre Service had been appointed its booking agent. A report that Confidential Reports was seeking the services of former theatre manager^-and salesmen in the industry to complete their personnel was denied by Jack Levin, general manager. Levin told this department the type of men sought preferably are men who have had no previous experience in show business because he believes they are more adept for training in the type of supervision the service proposes to render. Preference will be given to ex-servicemen and men who wish to augment their incomes, the latter working special hours in special situations. The rate of pay. Levin said, is $6.75 daily, plus incidental expenses. Irving Lesser, general chairman for the New York area War Activities Committee for the TALKING IT OVER. Dick Gibson (left), general manager of Bing Crosby Pictures, Inc., and David E. "Skip" Weshner, recently appointed production representative on "The Great John L," soon to be released through United Artists, discuss the Crosby film which co-stars Linda Darnell and Barbara Britten. industry, has requested all theatremen attending the breakfast at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, May 8, to be on hand and at their tables by 9 a.m. Police Commissioner Valentine appealed to the exhibitors assembled at a luncheon of the ITOA for their contributions of $1 each as members in the Police Athletic League as a crime deterrent and prevention of juvenile delinquency. The enthusiasm by the exhibitors prompted one to ask whether he could obtain "50 memberships." Edward K. (Ted) O'Shea, MGM Eastern sales manager, will celebrate on May 10 his silver anniversary with the company. On January 3, he celebrated his silver wedding anniversary. Stanley W. Hand, publicity manager of Altec Service, and Mrs. Hand announced the birth of a son, Owen Kenneth, April 28, at the Park West Hospital. Max Wallach, New York exhibitor, while on duty as a bus boy at the Stage Door Canteen one night last week dropped his tray and made his way hurriedly to a soldier wearing the insignia of the first Army. His agitation was due to the fact that he had not heard from his son who is also with the 1st Army, in over three weeks. Questioning the soldier, Wallach received the assurance that he knew his son and reported him all right. Wallach's son was 20 years old on the day of the incident. The soldier had been sent hom to recuperate from wounds. Sam Lefkowitz, United Artists district manager, will celebrate the third anniversary of his affiliation with the company this month. PITTSBURGH The anti-trust suit brought by Norman Ball, of Philadelphia, against Paramount and seven other film distributing companies opened in Federal Court here last Monday before Judge Schoonmaker. The suit involves product for the Penn Theatre, Ambridge, Pa., now operated by Ball and until a year ago leased to A. N. Notopoulos of the Altoona Publix Theatres, Inc. The latter built and is now operating a new theatre in the town, the State, since relinquishing the Penn, and Ball's suit is based on the contention that the run should stay with the Penn regardless of ownership. Ball, therefore, seeks restoration of first-run at the Penn. A prior suit was heard last October, which was lost by the plaintiff who upon appealing was granted a new trial. The sister of Helen Torbich of the 20th Century-Fox booking department died April 30 after a long illness, and was buried last Wednesday. The Roxian Theatre, McKees Rocks, Pa., has been sold by the People-Pittsburgh Trust Company to Morris Naft, of Wheeling, W. Va., where he has been operating a newspaper agency. Sam Fleishman will remain as manager of the Roxian. Capt. Richard T. Jennings, who operated the Aladdin and Lamp Theatres in Irwin, Pa., before entering the service, has returned after 18 months overseas, and within the next few days will report for reassignment. Newton Williams, manager of the National Theatre Supply Company, is still seriously ill in the South Side Hospital from spinal meningitis. MONTREAL Canadian premiere of "Colonel Blimp" will be held in Ottawa, and not in Toronto as previously stated, on May 10 at the Elgin Theatre. Of interest is the fact that Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, co-producers of the film passed through Montreal last week. Accompanying them was E. Schofield, looking after advertising. He did the public relations work on "49th Parallel" back in '42, and is working under Jock Lawrence who is J. Arthur Rank's advertising representative in Canada and the U. S. With them also was Jim Cowan. It has been confirmed that Gerry Chernofif, who left PRC to join Alliance Films, has returned to PRC as manager of their local office. The Verdun Palace is reportedly doing well with its weekly attraction Photo Night. "Song of Bernadette," which could not be shown in Canada due to W.P.T.B. restrictions against a box-office increase was scheduled to open at Loew's here May 4. One who signs himself "Theatre-goer" wrote last week to the Montreal Standard noting that since the advent of the talkies he has not seen the "No Talking Sign" of the silent film days and suggests that it might be in order to trot it out now and again to curb what he terms the constant whispering that becomes prevalent from, time to time. ST. LOUIS Henry H. Klaverkamp and Ralph W. Baur have filed new suits in the St. Louis Circuit Court in a joint efifort to obtain $107,100 in damages from the officers and trustees of the St. Louis Theatrical Brotherhood, Local 6, an affiliate of lATSE, »n the grounds that the union has illegally assessed 10 per cent of their salaries in excess of the dues charged to other members of the organization and that they also had been blacklisted by the union. The former stage hands filed sim.ilar suits in February, 1944, which were dismissed last December when the court sustained a demurrer filed on behalf of the defendants that no cause of action had been shown. It was stated that their petitions failed to cite the actions of the union's by-laws in proof of the contentions raised that the legal assessments for membership dues was only five per cent of salary. Klaverkamp and Baur said they were members of Local B-2, an auxiliary union of No. 6, and when they obtained employment under the jurisdiction of Local No. 6, they were assessed 15 per cent of their salaries between January 4, 1935, and August 5, 1943, when they allege they were blacklisted and subsequently were unable to obtain employment as stage hands. Klaverkamp demands $52,250 in actual and punitive damages and $2,575 for money due from overpayments in union dues, while Baur seeks $50,000 actual and punitive damages and $2,575 in overpaid assessments. A Japanese regimental flag captured in the Philippine Islands by Pfc. Dimitrios James, 20, son of Tommy James, owner of the Comet, Douglas, and Strand theatres, St. Louis, has been forwarded by the young soldier to his parents together with a certificate authorizing him to keep the battle trophy. Pvt. James, before entering the Army in 1943, attended a local high school and assisted his father in the management of his theatres, and was recently awarded the Bronze Star for heroic action on Luzwn. Robert C. Cluster of Salem, III., theatre {Continued on Next Page)