Variety (Feb 1938)

VARIETY 2f CtinceH Six^ (Continued; fi^oni page lJ . additional >20Q,ppO.; .v vvhile: , Sergei EacKinaniripff ind Misc.ha Ehxiain are thdtigfit likely to, draw $156>opO eaich^ and Grace, M^^ Li}y Pons rated ^ ^ pulling ::$70iODO -and $5Qi00&, respectively. ;. ^;, -. ,■ ' All ■ Sii.ch conbert, names• inya.fiably ' receive - iTiany .t.im n.uiriber ■ of . concert >equests than they are able to fill. : -Meeting' all - the bids f or, ap- ipearaiides Wbu be physically im- possible in all: cases..' As, .Regards the $70,QP0 ihd J^O;opO figures for Miss Moore and Miss' Poiis^ it is €Xj>lairied that both singers are pteyented by film, radio and bperaUc cpmniitn^ents^^ . irprn making more than a miriimuih , n urrib^r; of platform aijpea • Meiiuhin, .Whose tiopularity " ,- creasin.g raRidly. every season, gave his top money ■ coricert. last night C^uesday); at the Metrppbiitan'Opera House; Y. .; eapacit of the house ■' j:AprrnallyV, fig^ at 3,58P; for • opera, but it :\vaS expected thait the • huge Met stagie wo.uld itccoinxniiadate nearly.: IjOpP chairs. ; Additiprial 1 istei\ers w,ere ;t6' be seated inAthe orchestra pit and the fire law liniit of standees; .was ^certain. . Despite, ail. those. extra,' accommb^atiPns, hundreds ;6f -pbrsons^ w^ expected to bei: turiied aw.ay,'^ Top price, for the evieht was • $3.85 for ain prchestra seat; .bbxe.s going ipr $32.^ 6rpss of arouiid $12,000 .was anticipated.;^.; Almost All ilell Qat ' . ' Abiiity, b£ ybung Menuhiri to draW .unlimited; attendance, while greater than that; Pf other ' concert artists; merely ^typi^^es the business, howi* ie>^'e'r;. In virtually; all. cases; the top - concert, harries;; ; ihyairiably:. 4s-. -sured .Pt sellput; ;biz;; So; itar as. is -known,: .Metnihin>^ capacity business on ieybry one of. his concert appearances.ioi- the last few. years; He / has been sold; but hionths ifi .advance fbr every one of his seven New .York ;dates this sea-, \son;';'■■' :•'■■';■.■;.■.;■':■■ . i -: Menuhin began his season last Sep- ; tember,; . .,the;;Coast,.Twhere he: . rriakes ;his hbrne. ;. lias wbirked his; way ea.st, sardiheirig 'ern. jn 0^^ every date Pf the iour. .;He; leaves' ;spon for■ Europe; wher^ h«?. will make 26 appearances; before ^turning, tP ■ the U, S. Winds up his trek in ;May vwith a total of 7,8 .dates in;this cpun-; . try. and 94 in all. : Ti.bbeit. ' currently fllling.. his .an- ; rual season . with : .the Metropolitah Qpera Cb., N, Y ieav e a t t he eh d of March- for a tour bf. the; Antipp.des;.where. he^ll make ■ about 42: appearances, the exact last .five yeEt.rs, .and iri vieyir. pf, hii uriprecedehtediy succesrf tpijr.last-siimm'er; the 'ba^ pected; to crack b.b.: icecords ' for Down'Under; ;Tbp gros5^^ hithertb; held by. GalU .Curci, whp tpuretf:thete in 1926.; ;;. ;^^^^^^^ .- -TibbetVis tour of Europe aivd;Etig-. land last summer iiieluded '28 ap-' pearanpes;^ Mtiany - bf them; repeats.. He is; flllihg 20 concert; dates i h the ■U.; S.,- besides'-'.his 14■ weei^s . at . the Met and the 13-week radio st iht for Chesterfleidi; ■ -Tibbett's ; usual con-; cert .fee" isi; reported .to be about $2,5PP an ai)t)earance, plus a. per- centage of the gross. Most other top names rate about. the; same : figurei although Met Qpera appearances .pay only .about one-thif d' pf regular; con- cert -ffees. Gimmick; to the low-payr: ihg;Met dateis is. that theyire .figured valuable chiefly as prestige builders; ;} : Martini's f?5tf,000-$300,qo« Nino Martini,' in:. 64: appearahceis, shbuld: gross ' upwards • of $250,000 to $3p0i.0p0r besides seVen weeks at the Met-" and;;;;. \ '.;'radib ■ dates- ; ;He . is; skedded' to break' off; h tbUr to iftU a: piptuire date hext July; :eithe;r bn the. Coast or in London; ; Nelsbn Eddy, who coiiid dra.yv ait least .$5>P00 a > cbhcert singing, several cphcertS: a night; seven nights a week, is also held down.,by'-film and radio workv However, he was reported to have, grossed at least $3PO,OPO for concert singing alone last, season and will surely draw not less than $200,000 this stanza. •" ; •' ; . ■■ Other top names and the probable .number; of cPncerts this season are Heifetz, ;around 50;\ Grace Moore, about 14, (plus a 13-week radio series for Chesterfield); Lily; Pphs,. eightj and from . 30-50 each for. Kreisler, Elman and RachrnahinpfT;.; While t^ number of top grossers is limited to not more than a dozen, there are at least 20 other artists who are .strong boxofTice. Entire list bf . regular bizV getters probably includes about ;i:25 singers and instrumfe.ntaii.st^;.;Coh<;e ;dates are limited to about 400 cities: Agency fees for concert arti'sts gen- erally are : abPut :"20.7o, although they hiay ruh anywhere ab.pve tha.t^^fi^^ in special cases. Artists pay that cbmnriish on their-net fee, in addition to: which they' have tp pay for - companists, auditorium rental, adver- tising and .publicity, and transpprta- :ti6h.; in: the case of the bigAgi-bssers; the; expenses are .easily covered by the.boxPffice, but in the case of the mirior artists the profits are. largely absorbed by the overhead. v: Concert ;manageiTient ;bureaus, in similar fashion, make virtually no pro fit ori the .^ecoiid and third-line reason.:Nbw Yoi-k. concerts'arb used chiefly for prestige . buildcruppers' and the houses are usually heavily papered. . . While Menuhin is: how. fijfured the ieading concert gi-osser.^^sevoVal art- ists in; the past have coined terrific, coin at. the b.o. Late JEnricb Caru.so was; a sUrefii'e vpbw Whchev he sang in concert. John McCormick, at his prime, was good for turnaway biz always. Ignace Jan Padbrcwski was b.b. dynaniile for nearly 40 yeaj-s One V of the greatest di;aw.S,.. for; a. limited period, hbwevef,. was. Jenny Lind, whbm P. T. Barnum toured :as. the 'Swedi.sh; Nightingale.' In . connection with :Paderewski's. Ipng career as a concert great, it is predicted ;that .Tibbiett wi 11 have an unusually lengthy stay at the top Baritone has already been a big name fpr 10 years and, because of his skiil in fusing his voice,. " figured good for. at least 10 more years in the big money. Of course: Menuhin,' as an instrumentalist, may; be gpbd for anywhere from 20 to-40 years, of top: coin. ;; ■.■'■•'^•V Theatre ChaA^es "... ■' Omaha. ■■'• Leland Mishni'ck to manage . Ralph Goldberg's remodeled Dundee Feb. 1. "NeW manager, comes from Superior. Neb., where he was manager for: Bill YoUpgclaUS. . '•;; ;■ '.;; . Los Angeles. South Side Theatres,: Milton. B. Arthur indie enterprise, started cbhr struction of a neW l,pOO-seater. Out- fit ajso operates Balboa,. Manchester; and Mayfair in same, sector, Ernest Martin shifted from Fox- West Coast's Orpheum at San Diego to; cpfnpany's United.-Artists theialrc iii Lbng Beach, replacing Ed Smith, Who will be given an L. A^ berth. Rupert; Moore moved into Orpheum. from San Diego Plaz^, where he has been subbed by Oscar. Kleintbp, a neWcomer, ..; '^^ John P, Kelly installed as ,manager of the West Coast, San Bernadino, substituting for; Henry Peters, on sick leave. ' ' Freeport,' 111.: Balaban & Katz-Great States cir- cuit., lea.sed the Patio, Freeport; 111., from Franic. -Ford. Ford's . Sterling. 111.; theatre .not afTected in Patio sale. ■ .. : - York,; Pa. . Fbiir Warner theatres; here are to te given an imrnediate dressing up in the prospect of improved business it has been announced by Ed Moore, district hianager. The Rialto; Capi tol, . Ritz -and Strand all will > be equipped with new: sound' and im ployed projection equipment. Old Rialto will' probably be given the most elaborate renovation. All of the houses will be equipped; with new seats and new; carpet and; generally tedipcorated^thrciughout;; : , Selznick's Idea Departing Irbm . the .-.usual ;study guides, put but through-.arrangem'on't with tiie Hays' ofVice on school study pictures, .: Selznick International comes out. With something, different and decidely more effective. It is designed for distribution tp the 6,000 cooperating'-schools;:: It .consists ■ of eight :handsbmbl,y printed sheiit.s, each dealing. With some phase of the Selznick' 'Tom Sawyer.' included are groups showing the making of the film and scenes frbni the. .play; tp- gether with; others Showing the prominent sppts in the life of the. author. ;It Carries a ntinlmum of di- rect ^advertising nriaterial, but- for that rocis.bh Will probably prove ' :a better •advci;tisement than - had the shebts' been: loaded. : dbWn ; With; ex- tray a.!?aht'text,; It will stand bet- ter chance; of class rrtom. use,: and will create • real desire to zee the picture.;...'... \ .'..■' •;. : ; •.'. It is one of the .soundest ideas brought forward iti: sbhve time," and sTibuid serve; as a model for other similar campaigns.- Probably exhibr itbrs haying the picture booked and without the school hookup can ob- tain a.set for local use. It will prove well: worth while. .. > .-: 'A'.... Reading: on Radio . Oklahoma City. With . basketball; Wrestling, school plays,;; . etc./. cUtting V.down; theatre grosses from ' students, local' man- agers a.re chewing. their nails and jerking;' gag-a-minute out of; the old hat in an effort to build up b.p. receipts. ' ;.' •■: ■.;" ~^ . Top ;.;hpnors at present go to the Midwest, whose, latest; gag; played ;u,p cphripetish angle ambhg . three : city highschools and created interest among f- students ^.' When classmates were 'put on the air.' Tie-up was made,: with 'Ebb Tide' (Par) and ra- dio , stafibiY.;- KFXR, with , studsnts forming . teartis from . each 'school, reading 1 irie<? from script of fllmv and listeners invited: to mail in votes for schobl considered showing best talent, ; • •; ■ .. '^"■•^ ■■■■■ Winning schobl received Ibving cup and participanLs oaklics to pix. Pro- grams ran fifteen minutes two days before and opening day of film " at M'idwesl, at 5:4.S pVrh..:V ; Miss.Helen Holdcn,cxploitress bf stunt. '.,;;:- :'. . :;;:■■;■ ' ■ Helping^ Headaches , Lancaster; Pa. Doing a builder-upper for 'Love Is a Headaciie,' Lou Bblander;;manager of the; Colonial here, promoted sev- eral thousEind , sample packets of .headache; tablets frpm manufacturer, tacked them to heralds with librar-y paste, and carried, copy saying''Tvvb Way.s to cure; a' headache: take these tablets and see 'Love Is a Headache.' Both are guaranteed.' Idea . was carried out in lobby a week in adyance of play date, where V Busy Monte Blue .■;:■ :'- Indianapolis. :.; . ;.N.b:ytho.atr.jcalvf!ituation. lei-ids;itSo>lt better. to explpitatioii than: the stage': appearance .of ', a • lilin •; player, in his ' .own '.hbrne town, and Ted••'MfthylxuSi': manager of the Lyric tho'utre, mitjsed few cues in plugging the appearance of Monte Blue at his house; ;, . Preiss photographers: met Blue at., the train' Wh'en chc arrived; as did a group of girls;-frorn ; the /Knights- town's Orphans Home,: Where :Bl,Ue spent his boyhood; Girls were mcm.- bers of ah accordion quartet and aid a stage appearahc'e at theatre at fi.st show. .Blue was also snapped chat- ting with I. B. .Vanderworker, leader of the Newsboy's band, ; another childhood acquaintance. He was. given a 15-minUte interview pri radi station WFBM, while his partner ; the act, Mary Decs,. filled. like stanza on WIRE. . Blue lalso.: made personal appear- ; ahces at two of the President's; Birthday Balls - held on Saturday (29), and at the Press Club ahd Op- timist Club, : with resulting, art spreads in newspapers.; Mary Dees appeared . the mezzanine of th theatre after first shpvy on Tuesday (Feb; 1st) to persbnalty nieet public . and sign autograph books.: On same day, BlUe drove the .18: miles- to Knightstpwn to vi.sit ; With the .boys and girls ;in the Orphan's Home there. .^' ■ . .- .•. "' • Inlaid Floors" New Haven. Bob Russell at Poll's uncorked a novelty to plug;:his double bill ;pf 'I'll Take Romance.' and 'Penitentiary.' After removing se.ctioiis of rubber,- floor matting from lobby; Russell filled in the gaps with. 3x6 foot wooden signs with appropriate copyi It was a swell eye-catcher foi* out- going patrons. . -.v;-': - Ben Cbheri packed :h}s.Gbllege;theT atre with the tbwjVs: Italian clernont by using special; window cards.^ on.; 'ManHattan Merry-Gp-Rpund;' Gard.s, printed in Italian, carried a plug for Joe;:DiMaggio.: Alsb ran an. Oakley ' contest for best answerij to 'How inany ;hpme runs, etc.; did DiMaggib make ;iast season?' ' -' ; Another angle Was singing bC .song hits i'i*om film by theatre's group, of singing ushers; ..; ■ " Air Minded ; ..:;"'■.. '■..■•.•' .....■..' Rpchestcr. ; ;.John Fehyvessy, Straind. launche. air serial 'Mysteribus;;pilot' Friday. and Saturday With flying le.s,Spns oil. the side. ; .Bill\Le ' Pine; local pilot, api>ears ;on the stage after the fllin With;talk. on flying and info .on. hoW . to get lessons. , Fenyvessy, Tr-riiinded, ; launched; occasional flying .service; between Rochester and Washington, and: his brother,- Albeit,' Jr. ; projectionist ak the Strandi is a licensed pilot. • -..", booth was set up, with charmer in iYUl^se'.s■; utrifbrm, egtVipped■ to admin- i.ster for headache.s of patrons enter-: iilg .br leaving the lipusei' Demand forr remedy- was-.smallv-but comnve was heavy. ■' . . ;;;;,::•;■..' :-; . ; CHARGE IT :: ;Kansas;Ciiy, Feb. ;1.V-.;' Local; habe film .house going Into; credit biz.. ....;:...;:..;...:'.;.''.. '.'....:.../...;.;;, ' Runs :a slide announcement offer- ing ducats on credit. You can chaiga a 10c. or 15c. ticket; number depending on. bookjiig de tails. Since AustraUaVarid^New^ea^ land concert-goers have been, bidding for his, appearance for the artists, but cleaii. up ;. on: the top. mbney ■ grpup; ' Ideia' .of;'carrying: the- secondary list aloivg. is that they may .l5e2:!bi*iltjnte ^ril<nlllllUIIMIIin|t(iilHIHMl.f|IIHMiiinilHHMUIIMIIWHIM«IIHMfMI( IIIHWWKHIIIIIIII IMmillil|HmHlltlH«lMIIHIUIIBIII4ll«liM Illili'l I I'.lMintiill ..i.kn.t.ii; ni^i',. - :-—HiiiiMiiriiHwiiiimmnitMwiHmimtHtttimM iiiHi»«i»H-|iiiiiiiiniiHiiiiiMMiititM>itilMnit*«iMiM»iintr«iiiiili iiiiMiiiiiiiiiuiiiiMHiMiliiiiiiMiinHifliiiiimiiOi | ' Harrlsbufg, Pa. Work started here this week on renribdeling the old Russ Building in; Center :Squ{n:e . ■which ; is' to' be? the newest; addition to Harrisburg'.s ;film string. : New.hpUse will be called the Senate. '-; I* .,irMMIUi)l(irril|ll|lt I lll^'iHlilMillhllll)lH^llljHlmlllUl|lllOIJIIIII^IIII^UrltllrlllllllHIIIH^II|-i^Ulllllihll^i'MitllMMIln lllllillltlllllllDIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIItdlMtl. = ...fii'iiiii.,!. iiiii mil iiliH lllilMUHIIIIIIIIIlini.il liilNHilMltlllllllllliiliHIIIIIIIirilliftitlllllflliilllillillilMlillill iiiiiiillmliiliin^illlMlllllililiililiiilillilii|illillliii|llilltll. ' ; Hillsboro, O. Actual construction on new Cha-. keres theatre Will begin by March h according to Kroger Babb; zone manager of the Chakeres circuit; Site was leased early last year but con- structibh;deferred Until 1938, due tb product situations in the town. Plans call for, 800 seats, with large lobby, foyer and lounges; cost estimated at $75,000. . PARAMOUNT.;r". IIKI.U:OVKR ■■ MAE WEST VKKSON 'Every Day's A Holiday' Ti;i>.>it'NU i.o\yK BENNY GOODMAN ahd BAND tth At. * 90th 8t. R OXY IIKI.I) OVKR iJHIKIt >VKKK "HAPPY LANDING" ; — On,' the Stftffc^ R\\ HK.%THEKTO> BADIO MUSIC HALL "SNOW WHITE And the 7 DWxVRFS" .Spectacular Stags Prodiictionii " ':. Oklahoma City. A- v. . All well; formerly of San An- tonio, has replaced A. J. ; Symsbr, jr;,- as manager :of the Crown, in' Bartlesville, Okla. . E^rl • Wi Shutt has discontinued operation of the Liberty in Carter, :Okla., because P< insufTici.ient pat- ronage;; ■ ■',■■;:.■;; '■■: ..'.^-..^:■; ."■ ;:' • Jack Shiverdaiker has ::piircha.sed the Palace in Helena, Okla;/ from :S: Ni.Daiighlon. . .Name bf the. house will be changed to llclcna: 'Snow White's' Book .■; Realising that the . Disney' full length,- SiioW White,' is :jn; class by itself,. S. Barrett McCormick'-s ex-: plbifatibn department in RKO has gotten out a;:"44-page: press bPbk that gives de tailed sche mes for the h a n- dling. the cartoon .feature that Is; a cbmpendi.uni of. useful ideas. It; also lists the numerous -accessories; and trade hookups^ including four copies of the story, ranging, in price from a dime tp .$'2, the. ialter ;a Harper edi- tion. - ; ■•: ;:■::.: '- " r'.. .- ■ ■': .Nothing seems to have been left out,-, and. even ' a •;tiovice; should be able to bat out ■ campaign with all of this aid, ' - "-."■ ■ '..'■': ' ' ; St; Lou'i.s. -. Fox-MidWest Agency, Inc., .will take bids -in Febrliary on • the. recon-. Struction of their Jllitvoi.s, at Jackisonr villeAlll., :; -■;.: -■■. ■ - :. New..-Roxy,-Flora, III., op.orated by .Tohn, Spaulding, opened: its dooj.s last week, :'■; .. '■■-:-..: -; ^■; ..■.'': -•'■ Bob ,Glu:ster*s new .'/.id sealer. New Salem', .Salerh,. Ill.j ■ began , .biz' Ja'st Week. . ; ;■ ■ ' Owners of the'Eveska,. Hart.svilie. "Tehn., which was :recchUy:.destroyed by fire, plan to rebuild,: Melco "Theatres',-.:InGv, : Memphj.s.' ;Tcnn.-, . planning a.'new pic hous, at Princ^tonrKy. , Robert.'Bob' Taylor has -Kucccedcd Harry /Scott, resigned, as vice-presi- dent^and manager-: bf .the..St. -Loui.s: Monogi'am . Pictures exchange. :;, B. 'V..McDbUgalfl. Mohticello, Ark.. plannin.g '. .a ■. :$2.').0P0 ,hbu.se-. - to; ;be erected in Monticello. Went on y/heelt -- - '.-: .';■ Macon, .Ga; ::Ice skaU'ig jh the park in front of thti Crarid theatre, here brought out -crpwd.s: Sunday . afternboh- to watch this little known sport, in Georgia, Only'trouble wa.s the.'ice Was'.tbb soft arid the skatei's had tP go .on wheels.- •■.: -. -. '.•;.. ■ '.'■:. ;■ '■.. .'-': : Stunt wa.s;. exploit for :-Happy Landing:* MAKE UP TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE ? • Will fli,7!^ P'o'e*. :-Chieago...' Dark; for more than.-20 years, old Mor.se :'thcatre; ^.ori. far; north: .side;- is scheduled .to rsope'ri .Feb. 1 2.'. . Re-: named,;, the Gpcd, G5()-!Seat house. .