Variety (Dec 1936)

F I C f ■ R e s W^ed^^edaay* lieifeilib 1936 'Iteonion' Gags St. Louis. lantiiTg of speiial ;serializatipn of *Rcuniori' toy Adela Rogers St. Johns in Star-Time, afternoon rag, visis one 0f highlights of ciairipaigri executed by Mgr. Robert Hicks' and p.g. Francis Gurley, of Eanchoh:'& Marco's 5,000 siat^r Fox," wh0?c '4uin' pix is current Iii addition story rag also, used quarter-page s»ds, week in advance bl showirtgj and in which theatre and. play date wa^ roihirtehtly. mentioned. ^brt pages idso yiielded lQt§ «f ftee- space on Vfeature stories about Pete Palangio, star player of St Loiiis nyers, pro hockey team, as Peite, during off sieasoh, operates a bus line in ahd out of Collander. Hicks and Curley also garnered more friee space when papers iised stoiy of management inviting Mrs, ISizabeth Lyons^ mother of America's only kniown qins in Kentucky in IIIW tift come heri and see pix. All ift ly&s. Ijrons' biabies (died within two weeks of birth. . - A contest involving .give-aways of five large ^ quintuplet dolls, theatte tickets was conducts by Show W«rld Maga2ine, published . by Charles E. Kurtzmah, in interOst of Fanchon iSE Marco's theatres here. Magazine; has a bona-fldie circulation: bl 25)000 per weekjfttd larger pofr. . tioh . is distributed iby iftail. ;^ V Hicks alrid Gurley «>Jd tl«i'^ e*rria>j iiott MUk Co. idea of distributiiig 90,€i0b 'heralds through independent igtOcery stores, in town and each hiurald gave theatre plenty of , space. Miik Cov also . disttibuted windbw snijpes oil |<|0 store yriodows in which theatre Teceived benefit of play date, etc,; 3,M0 ispecial heralds were, dis- ttibiiied in towns within 50 mile radius^^of St .Louis by ^local iractibrt obmpany; thus completioe a ihbr- . buch^^ campaign that is Ijeing rev fleeted by flhe b^b. activity at Fox tlbirittmBt in Kewpprt Harry Brown. Jr., Is all set for Christinoiia ,at the Paramounf, New-^ 0ii^rt; 1^0;week8 ahclUl.heiwiUliavc 9 maili Ji»x, in the lobby, in chiari^ bt 4t man :dreased in iMstal tanifonn. Kids fire provided With : iitiper^ and ..i)ene^ .:.to '■ write their letters, -Hkii |<»^;:|i(iv¥^' t^^ and .ad« dressetii . Each iMl^t letters witt be' sent to the i^ehis wltb Ir note .from th«^t^^eatrev;^>^^^ day the theatric. tWW>niBintain ai free cfe«ckiin« «emce where liatrons can ^dispose of their liundles while they /jQle show,: Will be lully adver- ! 1j]|ed iii advance. There will be a lijftted tree. in. the lobby with 10 piissehts displayed, which will be ■ iifXven '-.ai the regular meeting, of the -Joidir club, Greeting cards will be ^ent all bh the mailing list' some . ■ ;*br the da^^ Christmas the hbuae : will: stage a show with ' the kiddle revue from WJAR. and for .Ithree days before the holiday will stafie its own kid revue with the aid of a local daricitig teacher. At the.meeting of the'kiddie club there Willrbe a Punch and: Judy show:i^d the Lions yt'iW give, a show for the , pbbr children.. The house will sun- . :oly the auditorium an(4 some .shoct<3 and the Lions will look after the tree and the presents. ^eeehtly Brown worked two oldies, ■but hew to the town. One' was the bill iti. the bottom, of the barrel, with 10 barrels: strung along the street. Last week he. staged a tin can m?iti-> nee for the Salvation-Ariny'sThanks- ^;ivinfl dinner to the poor. He? got a Dceelamation f rom« the Mayor on that .-.one,. Coin jhroin ibe Clondi Literally throwibg money aWay is, a theatre explbiting-stuht now under consideration by the Paraimount, N. Y., in connection with -Pennies from: lieaveii,^ a Columbia picture, which opens today (Wed.) -for ,a probable two weeks' run.: ■ Whether c»- hot the theatre will go through with the idea will depend on how much money :the -maiiafement 'will be permitted to toss to. the Svinds and to what extent, if any; Coluinbiai wiU i>articipate... Stunt embraces a plap under which 10,000 or more. pennies (in cash) would >e raineJ 4>h Times Square frOm Offic^ buildings,: hotel Sveiybody There . Charlotte^ N.. C.-^ The Charlotte Exchange club and the Broadway Theatre again" this year, staged their Thanksgiving mbriiing perforniance when i)aid ad- missions in 'kind,' with coin .bf the. realm entirely tabooed,. Each boy and girl attending . .s admitted with the tendering -of an item of food or a .can of iruit or vegetaibles;: T?ie ensuing aggregate was distributed by club members llianic^iving ' morning . to needy families of the city.v > . , Manager ,Heil ^fcGill, of . the Imperial, gave ♦Pigskin Parade', a boost by having members: Of the tl J title, of the picture.' Idea is to put a penny into a'Very . small en- velope WhicH^ would carry ad copy or..-. the iiicture and its .engacement at the Par. . A part of the pnigiosal; is ; to include 100 or more: passes, which wbuld mean that bf the 10,000 penny envelopes, - 10% would' he luckier picks. ■ ' One of Col's ac^e^riOs ;on. the picture , wasy a- stiCK«i^~vbn whfich ;an American penny Md' heen nept<6- diiiced;"; :The ^Separbnent of Justice.- mfbrmed Cbl this, wculd have to "bt\ cu^ but. hecaiis^ M-FedC^ reprfi!dH<ltibff--^.oi'^u^^ '" '" iibh of the team's victory over bury.- Coach Bob Allen, varsity players, the substitutes^ the water boy, and everybody connected with the iquad attended the party and, incidentally, an xmcouhted number Of high school- ers and supporters of the team fol- lowed along—and bought tickets. Sideliml Dave idzal and GeOrge Mitchelt bf the Fox, Detroit, spotted an inter- view with. Victor McLt^ien in the Woman's Home Companion. So they , . vAviarge jvhad cards printed lip tying the type iamb]pi of:-iQlie^e-s^^ I to -'The•Majgnificent .Brute,'^:ii{ot post- **'*^'*■' -Were-;^^^ hot ers on the news -deHvery fleet and ~ " * * ciards on all the stands. . Helped magazine sales,,too. : ancl: Were .^Mljing. -^ like: hot ci^liief! ;.in ■ the^vCbl' exchanges .when the> hiBid m'be'elimiitoted. > : • The; Par:^iBt€mi'bii the rbal i>ennies of^e^Ath^ire-iutd Itek Kaufman of ;Ccluinl)iS^;?•'^'^:;^.>■^^^-- ■■■ - ' Mniter ;dieeri All through Dicfe Wright's Cleve- land zone Of Warner theatres his local managers . have been booming away at gbod-will stuff for the hQl»- days^ They call themselves the Muster Cheers :ahd &tage food maits, toy. mats ^and ^ whatever else will work in with the: town's ideas. All gets ' mto the newspapers, and it all in .most spofc.lihey aie; also J^lug- ^ing benefit ticl(^ sales for brwn- izatl<m« which desire to raise ai little Christmas money for their own ob- jectiviBS. Helps'business .at ai time when ticket'sales aire nOne too hot Wright belieV'^ , keeping , thiaes jgein£ and working bsirdest when times are dullest finning In Harvey Crooks^ of the Str#nd, Akron, has 'Gold : Diggers' a Christnias eve shbyeoff, so de-: ci4ed to cut in on the diggers' visit to' Cfevelahd. Chartering a plane, he t(M>k the Mayor;^ and some news- paper, mbn to the lake spot anfl had them auddl their welcome to'that of Cleveland, .at the: same - time prb- curini^: some' pibtures . that will he used as advance for his local .shb^^v- ing.-.-'.'"'r' Probably «bt more out; Of it than he : Would have done had the plane paused at Akron. Olitiitmaf' Idg^tii^ Alrei^dsT! fome : of .the bve wire mianageirs'viwil^ ^hbuiseiB in the ^de,. . centers^liaVe jrtiairtedj: or at least have Lmcpln;, coopei*tlW;^«Stlit;ttad^5neh^ to b^ .„ „ . ehristma«iiiu9^%jf j ouFwith a cam- , Roxy^ Mounds. BL. recently; trai^ l«»«#M*>a«*^1&'^^ ^jrtra Meired to He^^^^^ by W. li^ftt.-^\Jnvo^ instant ■ for ex-1 C. Milwai Bunker St Xiouis. Hill, ni., rcr to put: the^kt ;have agreed blod^:^. and sfvjt^ ■^Doii^: the|§aj^^^ dOwntoiwl^ wi^.lamps as against ***'thi8 will, be bum _ jig^paidfor by th* combine., f^ur ijlit lamps each,will .each of the eight! shopping district With mines resuming Operaition, Royal, Rbyaltont 111., has been uh- padlocked;.. Gem, C^iro,\Jll.v shutter,ed. I^tfaian, Latham, 111., has reopened iinder management of R. Buckles. Coliseum, Marseilles,' HI., ^aric Town Hall, Hanover, Hi., receiWy ^%iU. be illuminaiedtiwas transferred' by Karl Fritzmeier ^jhv^d. :pto' Virorked well in Vtims brou^t crowds , , .tl» evenings; many' of whonitl^oj^^ih 'at thi theatoe for «: rest- ji|te)r3hfe ilio^^^ Butvit' is'.^imf'the suburban trade ft. Collier. OriOhi Orion, 111.; reopened^ iUbro, Uirbana, 111;, blosed. ;6arden; Canton, IlL,. again iJ10(. ■ . ' 0Mster Reid is new owner ibf the Vialta, formerlyy, operated" by A «ectiohji that ^Ipecial^ Efforts hri>^C hB{^^ ^re CImstmal : Lynchburg. Christmas Shows with emphasis on the" eharity end have always bieen a loifig -^uit with Lyhchbiiri; theatreSi - biit the .Paramount is figuring On do ;. ing the job lip browner than ever . ' this year. Tying up with the kiwanis Club <bf ;Which he is. a member, Manager Willis. Grist, Jr. ^xpects to send otit . ^000 invitatibnL ' J needy ;kids to iat . tend a tree party. Christmais morn ing. A Santa Claus will be on. the stage beside a gigantib tree to parcel out; the presents-rand there'll be n ',:'.5tibcking and :jpackage of cand> and y*3iutS:/ for every child, Carols, hu ^ itibtQUii talks, etc. will top Off the prbgfiBni. addition to the . annual 'ishoppers' show* the Para ■mount puts on* a few days before: Christinas. for the benefit of mothers who want to iget Junior out Of the vway during the- lastrminute • talks with Saint Nick. Admittance to this . s;how will 'bc via a grift of food which :%vin be turned Over to the Salvation better rbsults cpa th<;' 'Shop, in your' neigh)iorhOod' lOeiai Oil« four^^block section in .Brooklyn last: 3^ear raised the. pre-Christmas receipts more ttian $60,000 above the take for the year; before. All who dealt'in gifts cooperated with the theatre In light- ing the streets, with prizes based on the fauxest valtie in sales sHpis in the tworweek period;, . The prize paybtf was airound f1,500. - The theatre tbok -charge of the campaign and got out all the adver- tising^ distributing a four-pa^er twice a week; with change of eiapy for each issue. To hold interest in this sheet numerous spaces carried the nanie of some localite who was invited to be the guest of the the- atre. House, hot only.' did a.:good business but gained imrneasurably in merchant gbod will that: -Will be cashed in in window displays through the year. Clocking Biz Regina, Manager Walter vF; Davis of the Capitol theatre here gained co-op eration of Eilers*; . jewelry firm, to cash in on novelty docks based on popular appeal ice hockey Opera House, formerly, known as the ^Jgrie, ' Erie; 111;, now und<er niansigement of T. O. Sklenkerat. - IPrincess, Hoopeston, HL, shuttered' Wilmington, WiUniiigton, 111., pad locked. >:"■ Trenton, managed by Alex (Red) liiompsbn, is. putting on a Christmas toiy show early this year (5), so that the broken playthim^s can be mended fn time for XmaS distribution. City firemen will repair the toys which ^ l:ids ."Will donate to see Lloyd in ^flilfay Way. ittsburgh. Charlie Eagle, recently made manager of Warners' Ehright in East Libierty to succeed Harry Kendrick^ has been prbnloted to the nianingerial spbt/^^at the Stanley;, downtown de- luxer^ He replaces Bill &:ott, who resigned a month ago «n' account Ot ill health. John McCurdy, who {guided ^bld Cameo theatre here years- ago, |>ut since has been at Brooklyn Paraniount and with Major' BoWes ais a.unit manager, :has been ap-; Pointed to Eagle's post at Enright Temporary appointment of Jules Green, from Schenley, to assistan manager's spot at Stanley, succeedef resigned Bill Beck, has been made permanent. ; . Edward Auld, floor maii at Stan-< ley, moves out to Schenley to take over Green's post. Another WB appointment is Harry Walters to the managership of .the! Prince in Al- has in l bridge,:Pa.; He was formerly assist this counti^. ■ Clocks Were mOuntedj ant at the Kenyoii between two full hockey sticks or mini£it\ires a foothigh.and placed inl .. Lincbln. restaurants^ Placards en them cred- .'^ A $10,000 fire, almost .comiiletely ited the time to Filers' iand invited: wrecked the Rialto, Beatrice, Neb., 'Eat here then ehipy show at the early this week; Covered by insur- London, Can. . LMnard N. Bishop; recenttiyr of the CapitoU Halifax, in London as nianager: of the Ci^apitol Theatre (F.P»): replacing; his brother Harold Bishop, who. went to the Capitcd.. Winnipeg. Since arriving in Lon don, IMrs. Leonard Bishop . passed aWay in a . Hamilton, Ontario,■-hospi- tal, foUbwing a.lengthly illness. Revival Ni^ts being' revived here at Capitoi and -Palace^ HjanjsOn llieatre : Corp. announces new. theatre fbjT Tirhmins, Ont. ' London's newest entertainment house, the Centre, opened its: doOrs Nov, Actingv Mayor E. C. Kil lingswor^i snipped the ribbon across the sbre^ and ^ofllcially opened . the 4ik^;ifle. :Miahy civic Off.were in. the opening night aUdience... * ;: Charlotte, N/C. Construction b£ a new theatee neiir the heart of biusihes^ in Raleigh will begin - Jan. - .at the same Ibciatibn occupied for years by the Grand; old-tinie vdudeville lioiise, and the Gktiety, one lof the city's first motion picture houses. Shelby's new $78,000 theatre-^the Rogerfr—will open Monday. Owned, by R.. H. Rogers, automobile 4e^ter. To be managed by. Bill .Webb, pres- ent manager of the Webb there^ Gradwell. L. Sears; vice-president, and general sales manager of War- jner Brother's,' accompanied by Fred M. Jack> southern. division, manager, was. in Charlotte Tuesday visiting Ralph McCoy, who has charge. Of film :distribution for the company in the Carolinas. They spent the latter part of the week duck, hunting at Mattanmuskeet, on the North Caro-; lina coast Capitol.' Donald Vice Mickey " . iRochester. . . Manager: lister Pbllb6]k LbeW'.s RochesteTis putting, on a fbUr-'Weeks l buildup with screen trailers, lobby displays, and newspaper Cand radio ?lij^S: for Dbnald Duck' Christmas 1 'arty, all-cartobn show : morning of'{ Dec. 26. ShoW^ sells for i 25 bents. Mickey Mouse Birthday Party T(irith similar bUilidup piicked uiis . 3.500- seat house and turned aWay 800.: Old Un But Good' '\ Washington. Proximity of Bowie race track gave local WB explbiteers a natural .for 'Three Men . on Horse' hally. Boys prohiOted. tie--up Under which fifth race on opening day was run as Three Meii on a Horse H^ihdicap. Loving cup,, at cost Of $15, was db' nated by theatre and was on display .at track -all iaf ternoon. Telecast car- ried: running bf race by name. Rac- ing Form and other riace sheets also listed it as such*: ance. Palace, Clearwater,' Neb;, is. back in the hands of; Henry Vinker. • He' recently spld it to A. Phillips. Sunday pi have::£nally :Come into Ed'^ar. Neb. Grand Island, Neb., will have the new Grand ready by -Christinas, ac^ cording to the supply houses. Spartanburg.- , ick Wairren, formerly' of (^Iriterion here,named manager of new Sipe house at Gaffne'y, S. C. J. Wi: Griffin will repair Holly- wood theatre, York, S. C, recently seriously damaged by fire. Mannirigtbn; Wi'Va. NeW Mannlhgton opened .21st, Owned: by C. 'P.. iChurch,- who. has been bperatingv the Burt • theatre since the death of Arch Burt several years ago. Lynchburg. Recently built Lee Theatre at South Boston, Va., .was destroyed by fire Nov> (24) with a loss of approx- imately $60,^00. Salt Lake .City. Work has begun on a ^185,000 modern store and theatre building, covering the largest corner in Salt Lake City, being built by Herbert S. Auerbach, seating l;4O0; .all seats on main floor. Site, formerly :occupied by Khutsford .hotel, was later remod- eled, to' house Auerbach department storie..: .Firm since then moved to more, spacious Store, leaving a vacant lot, utilized for parking cars. ..■■■:'Denver;. ■•■ Dave Cbckrill, president of the Denham Theatre, Inc., and manager of the house, has organized another company, with ;£. S, Kassler, Jr.; to build or acquire theatres in various cities in the Denver territbty. The .firm . coiiteinplates activity in Denver. Brooklyn,, Spectacular exploitation and ad- vertising campaigns were employed by Teddy Trust and Joe Lee at Fabian's Brooklyn Strand in celling Columbiia^s 'Legion of Terror' pic. Three, days .prior to opening £iO;000 tab ' circulars ^were. distributed in especially ..designated district;, tabs showed Sbents: vof hooded legion activities. 'One' week ' advance, bouse used speelt!^frailer on end of: .productiOR t)n^r with: horror angle GOjpy. Two siHieiM three-sheet easels :were pi^t on disiday in lobby with tear sheets of newspapers containing streamers aind cuts of recent Black Legion expose in Michigan. Also, a week before pic arrived* a show case with first aid. eqpuipment was' placed in lobby. Sign said it was for patrons who wbiild faint at picr ture. A .luiifb^rmed nurse was in at«. tendance. '% Tieup was with local drug chouse and 250.fl0P . samples of new drugs «^re distrihuted, special built-up lobby front and under niarqube was Brooklyn pedestrians were greeted with the sight of .four hooded riders on horseback during shO'vvinff of picture. Territory assigned them was business and de^ partnbnt store. sections. During . week!s istay two men.Jn, black hoods wtJked through business sections, rode subways. Wandered in and out of department stores, and restaurants distributing cards Whibh read 'Meet» ing Tbnlght^'Legion of Terror'-^ St»md Theatre/ All told. City of Churches hadn't witnessed such stuff in many seasons. Result;' B; O. biz tipped considerably. SUck TeiEtin With 'Wintbrset' for the highbrows and 'Daniel Boone' fbr the other end of ttie I. Q,, William Brown; of the RKO Albee, Providence, went edu- cational in a larfce way. The public library and its branches disposed of 10,000 bookmaiicers and had 30x40 inch display cards,: with stills at each information: desk.: A distribution of . ISO group di$cui§tsion, guideiB got the high school i^cni^ ttnd another 50 eopies were'>^nt out through the head of/the state nbiTOal'school. One sheets mA glides ijf)^bre «ent to other h^ scnbols-.at^ 'Academies, while tiie .grade teach«rs were interested in .Bobne-^for- ^lieir classes. Dr* Crbisby,, of Brown university. lectured :his dnuhatic department on 'Winter^/ setVan^ tiib headquaf^tors of the Boy Scouts had a display" of the Boone stills to sho\v. the difference in living :-conditions. . . . A large^rug store made a window display and. for their lunch bar had a 'Winterset' sUndae and a 'Daniel fibbne'-sandwich, both featured oh the menu c^ds, the, store finding that a hew naihe. Kelps to sell.There, was also a 30x40 card iii. the Jewish Conuhunity Center, and plenty i Uie newspapers,. Good foir Co-ops Come and Get It' seenis to be; a natural for co-op pages. ': Loew's Rochester is one of the flrst in with nine merchant ads. each set into a cut from the press, book, all alike, but diflerently notched to permit the compositibn. All however, show the pines on either side bf the circular space. One. for a 'dress store.; had a woman's figure, drawn in: on one side* It made a sightly space, with the theatre ad and :a scene, cut in the center. All spates used the title. Lbs Angeles. Harry Ziedell has' bberi liamed manager of the Mayfair, and Milt Arthur of the Cabart Ziedell for merly was with Fox-West Coast and mbre recently operated the Ameri- can jh San Jose for Cabart Columbus, O. Bert Williams, 44, manager of the Bexley, , Bexley, was robbed of a money bag contai irig $400 by three rtien who drove his car several blocks and left him bound to the steering wheel. Detroit Tenth nabe, the Westown; opened by ■ Frank Wetsman and Lew Wis- per, ; Managed byVictbr Dodge, Follows Brooklyn RKO Temple, which has gone in for male appeal with the 'Bang, Bang' type of films, adds basketball on me sU^e Friday night£i begi ing Dec, 4. Manager Charlie Fre^an has tied upi •with Johnny Murphy's Centrals, which will play pro teams in Eastern area. Figures to increase::the b.o..: take enough, to make it interesting for the team a^ v/ell as getting exv tra .publicity in the. sports pages of the dailies. Good on Two ViTinnipeg. Two .runs with hb errors is the score fbr Manajger Frank. Willis of the Metropolitan here after playing 'Dbdsworth' and 'Charge of the Light Brigade.' •DodsWorth' exploitatibn took the form of the travel idea and worked in with a couple ;0f the local steaiii- shipi .and telegraph companies on a SQ-SO basis. Angle used for the steaniiships was the fict that Dods- worth traveled around Europe, why not the customers? Ail it cost Wilr • lis was a few stills and a couple bf signs which the boys in the shop slapped: together- : In return he got two large windoWs .in the Canadian National Telegraphs and: Railways office, on the busiest corner in town., Other tie-in was with the local of- fice of the Cuniard line. In return XContinued on page 31),