Variety (Apr 1939)

VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, April 26, I939 Hullys 3-Hoiir Shows (But No Duals) Eating Up Flock irf Sborts Philadelphia, AprU 25. New scheme to hypo grosses by running tliree-hour shows — Vfhich, incidentally. Is working .put rather successfully in every spot which has tried it so far—is causing a severe scarcity of shoito here. Warner Bros., aa a result. Is bebig forced to run the same short In s^eral midtown houses simultaneously, first time this hais ever been done. One singte- reelcr was playing three first-runs at the same time last week, a -checkup revealed. Warners have been avoiding duals in this territory by turning to the marathon-length show policy. How this causes a scarcity of short prod- uct is evident by the fact that, the Palace, flrst-runner, is maldng up six diorts Vrlth «ach feature^ Duplication of the shorts In several houses at one time, many exhibs feel, is going to lead to ill-will from the public.' ^ey point out that while features are- advertised and can be chosen, average patron doesn't know What shorts hell see until they bob up in front of hihi. He Is, going to S4iuawk, It is feared, if he too 6ften has to sit through the same single- leeler twice or more, Three-hour' show policy is being tried out now In various WB nabes one day a week. In some of them it Is so Buocessful that the theatres are piiifHng from their regular three-a- day to continuous operation, which, under the long schedule, means four ■hows dally. Indie nabes, as a result of the new Warner overtime scheme, are in' creasingly turning to duals, which are often cheaper as well as simpler to book, advertise and play. This may mean the beginning of a Bwitch< over for PhlUy from a predominantly single-feature territory to another home for twins. Current record for a long-distance show Is held by the Douglas theatre here, which recenjtly played three features and two serials on a single bilL Nixon's Grand, which reopened ■ couple w^ks ago. Is oSerlng duals plus 9 flodc of shorts for a dime admlsh at all times. Harold Orlob, who produced 'One Third of a Nation,' will screen the legit musical, Tlain Jane' by Tom Johnstone, Plill Cook and McElbert Moore as his second indie picture to be made at Eastern Service Studio, Astoria, L, I. Distribution has not been set, biit Paramount will prob- ably release, according to Orlob wlu> has tentative agreement to deliver three pictures. Dick Morenus and Ernest Culbert- in are doing tlte script for 'Plain Jane' which will feature Jane Kean and BUly Livingston, latter the socialite escort of Btenda' Frazier. Release title will be Dancing Debs.' NDIES' B'WAY SHOWCASE LOST? Independent distributors and also majors with a big supply of so-called 'B' product 'Claim ttiat the independ- ent showcase on Broadway is vir- tually closed now, with the Criterion, under Loew management, and the Globe leaning towards Warner Bros, and United Artists features recently: What particularly irks is the in- ability to get into the Globe, long the indies' best showcase. Brandt circuit apparently is trying to make the Central a flrst-nm bouse of bet- ter draw, but most of the indies can't see it Just now. Turnstile-Wise r'sHmidi 0(1 WeD Spitahy Pays Toledo, Oh April 25. While playing a three-4ay stand •t the RivoU, FhU Spttalny showed the management how the gross can be boosted if a sharp eye is kept on : the rate the customers pour through the turnstile during the day. The fact tiiat the bandman was ready to speculate on imderwritlng the extra house expenses that an added show would entail resulted in the splitting of an additional. $600 profit between Spitalny and the house. The band act was slated to do four shows Sunday. Late In the day Spitalny urged that the house boost this to five but the management de< murred on the ground that it would cost an extra $60 for the crew, op erators, lights, etc. Spitalny high- pressured < the management into gO' ihg through with bis proposal by of■ Xering to absorb the expense. The added. performance garnered $650, making it a total of $3,700 on the day. For tour shows Friday the band drew $2,200 and for a like number the next day the take was $2,100. Joggle 8 WB Films Hollywood, April 25 Warners shifted starting dates on eight productions rolling in May and June. Reshuffle begins with 'Dead or Alive,' slated for May 1 under the new alignment Other, starting dates are: "^e Knight and the Lady,' May 8; 'Career Man' and untitled Secret Service fea ture, May 15; 'On Your Toes,' June 5; •Invisible Stripes' and 'Dead End Kids at Valley Forge,' June 12, and 'Episode,' June 26. Warners changed the lineup for fTbe Spirit of Knute Rockne' and set John Payne, Jane Bryan, Ronald Reagan and Rosemary Lane- for the top roles. Notre Dame Unlvierslty has okayed the script Orlob's Indie Fibmisicai A Man's Load HoUywood, AprU 25. Strong man of 'BoUywood for 1030-40 Is Bert GOioy at BKO. who carries a production sked of eight George O'Brien western, 24 shorts and two outside featuresL Outside of that he has nothing to do but scout his own boss opera locations. Considerable Face-lifting On; Theatre Acqu^nms and Chaises CHINESE GOES FLESH FOR TOLIES' Regina, Sask., April 25. Face lifting costing $50,000 to Cap- itol ' here getting under way with Kershaw, weaem superintendent Famous Players-Canadian, In town to award contracts. House will close May 27 and reopen June 8-A. Also calling for tender tor $8,000 changes to front, marquee and interior of Grand, second-run house. Kershaw says no other expenditures on Sas- katchewan- houses this year. Hollywood, April 25. Grauman's Chinese goes to a straight stage policy May 12 with the booking ot Clifford C. Fisher's 'Folies Bergere,' girl show now at Frisco Fair. Newsreels and other shorts will supplement the 90-min- ute flesher. Theatre is putting 17 men in pit Will do three shows dally during the week and four on Sunday. Day-date picture policy with Loew's State shifts to the ^yptlan. Fox-West Coast Is hopeful of two- month rtm to test the popularity stage shows after several years of straight pictures. Tariff may be jumped to $1 nights, TSc matinees, during 'Bergere^ run. Unit carries 65 people, girls. Deal wcis set by the office. •4«,M« Faec-Llft Springfield, O., April 25. Hie Cfaakeres companies will spend $40,000 this ^rlngtor new signs,-air conditioning, etc^ says PhU Chak- eres, prez. Approximately haU . of the improvement appropriation will be spent on the five Springfield tiie- atres eontrol^d by the corporation. Robert E. Armstrong named head of the advertising-and publicity de- partment of Regent-State Corp., partnership of Warners and Phil Chakercs, operating several local houses. ' Annstrong formerly In charge of advertising and publicity for Jensen-Von Herberg cfircult in SeatUe. mostly Morris FOX, DEmOfT, GOES TO NATL FOR 15 YRS. The Fox, Detroit which was re- ported going to the George E. Tren- dle-Par interests, will be a National Theatres (20th-Fox) operation for a total of IS years, under a lease with the reorganized company controlling the theatisi to Fox-Michigan Corp, all the stock of which Is owned by National. House Is under a guarantee and pAcentage rental A minimum rent- al of $125,000 is guaranteed against VlVt% of the gross as rent when in- take totals $1,560,000 and the stage show portion of shows Is predomi' nant while it will be 15% of gross income reaching $1,560,000 if the film part ot the &ow dominates the vaudeville. Theatre would have to gross $30,000 a week to reach the figure of $1,560,000. Aside from mortgages and other obligations, the ground rent on the Fox, Detroit is $16,666.66, taxes $55,400 and interest $9,000, to which is added $15,000 a year for amortiza tion and $2,400 a year as interest on notes. Net capitalization includes $160,000 of first mortgage bonds. Fox-Midiigan Corp. recentiy re- ceivcid an 8% distribution, with more expected, on its $2,532,780 claim Sj^iinst Fox Theatres. Tobis Most Submit To Eiamiiiation in hs Soit Vs. Chaplm-UA Federal Judge Alfred C. Coxe in N. Y. on Saturday (22) ordered Films Sonores Tobis to submit to an examination before trial through Its president Georges Lourau, on June 9. This is in connection with suit brought by Tohia against Charles Chaplin and United Artists, claiming plagiarism of their picture, 'A Nous La Liberie,' In <Modem Times.' Among questions that the plaintiff must answer and exhibits that must I>e submitted are the contracts "be- tween Rene Oair and Tobis In 1035, with regard to their picture, the press and publicity books ot their film, copies of the original negative and positive films, and all contracts relating to the sale of the picture, eiUier in the United States or abroad. Delay Rep Sales Meet San Francisco, April 25. Republic's regional sales conven- tion here has been postponed from April 27-28 to May 7-8. Company officials, busy e^ynloiting 'Man of Conquest' decided later date is more convenient Bep Nndgtng Rogers Hollywood, April 25. Roy Rogers and Rep are talking a new contract although the western singing star still has two pictures to make on bis old ticket. Next Rogers feature is "The Road to El Dorado,' to be followed by a month of per sonal appearances l>efore shooting the final picture on the present pact. U Sets 'Info' Leads Hollywood, April 25. June Lang and Dldc Foran team up as a romantic duo In Unlversal's forthcoming plctui'e, 'Inside Infor- mation,' with Harry Carey in the main supporting spot. Martin Mooney and Burnet Her- shey wrote the story, screenplayed by Robertson White. ' •Drnms^ Suit James Boyd, author, has started a N. Y. supreme court action against Alexander Korda, London Films and United Artists seeking an injunc- tion, accounting and damages arising from their fliTrj, «Drums.* Boyd claims that the picture pla- giarizes the title of his book. Joe Cooper, Pfailipson In Territorial Smnrey J. H. Cooper, Paramotmt i>artner in the midwest and southwest accom- panied by Joe Phillpson, who is in charge of his interests at the Par home office, left yesterdtqr (Tues.) for a tour of the territory, following which it is expected the long-pend- ing deal for a permanent Par-Cooper partnership wiU be signed. At present in Pennsylvania on Par realty matters, E. Paul PhiUips will follow Cooper and Phllipson west to look over properties and consider other matters. Both Cooper and Phllipson will at- tend the 'Union Pacific' premiere at Omaha Friday (28). On their return east Bert Turgen, booker at Okla- homa City, may be brought to New York for consolidation of all buying from the Par h.o. Splitting the Rule Hollywood, April 25. 'Ruler of the Seas' went into work In two sections, one on the Para- mount lot imder Frank Lloyd's di- rection, and the other on the high seas near San Miguel Island, piloted by Jim Havens. Doug Fairbanks, Jr., Will Fyfle and Margaret Lockwood head the cast DIpsob-BmD Add Three Buffalo, April 25. n'ansfer of operation of the Cen- tury, Bailey and Riviera, effective Aug. 1, from Shea -Amus. Co. to Nikatas D. Dipson of Batavia and Basil Bros, of Buffalo announced here. The Century, formerly Loew's and for many years last operated by Shea downtown first run at popular prices, and the Riviera', North Tona- wanda nabe house, were leased by Dipson and Basil from the owning corporation headed by Max Yellen. The Bailey, East Side nabe, was pur- chased outright, the. deal including theatre, stores and offices. Century seats 3,000, Bailey 1,000 and Riviera 1,400. Century lease has been on the market for some time when Shea refused to renew at an increase in rental Present deal is the fbrst in which the Dipson-Basil partnership has been openly revealed. Outfit is now stated to be operating 18 the- atres in this territory. The Liberty, east side nabe, tor- merly operated by Al Francis, taken over by Basil Bros., making 10th local house in Bssil string. Perrli* Adds t Oconto, Wis., AprU 25. Charles Perrlzo purchased the two theatres formerly operated here ly Irving Vincent They are thjs Oconto and Ciem. A. F. E. Miller now ooeratlng the Viking, Loyal, Wis., Fred Cbrlstlan- sen former operator. Rex, EvansviUe, Wis., now being conducted by Evansville Theatre, Inc. WlUlam Nordquist its former operator. Bellman Adds Another Troy, N. Y., April 25. Harry Hellman, owner ot the Royal and Paramount Albany indies, takes over the Fifth Avenue, Troy, May 1. He will close It for about two weeks to make minor re- pairs. The Fifth Avenue, owned for some time by the late Jacob Rosen- thal, pioneer Troy exhibitor, is a two-floor theatre. Since Rosen- thal's death last year it has been run by the estate, tiirough a son. Attorney Leonard L. RosenthaL The Rosenthals still will operate the State, another local spot. Meanwhile, . FraiDk McDonald vhA has hddthe lease of the Grand tor sevewl year* has started constrJS tion ot a 400-8eat house here; new Grand owners plan to gneiiH .$20,000 on remodebcg and new equipment OUa. city BMg. Oklahoma City, April 25. C. B. Warr, real estate promoter of a hew subdivision to (Sklahoma <aty, Warr Acres, has drawn -plans tor construction of a theatre therein. Julius Kirscb now manager of the Victoria here while Martin Ciooper. Smith is east on vacation. Owen D, Roberts has been named new assistant manager of the Mid- west theatre: held toe same post at the Plaza. Ewrest Swiger new num- ager of the Plaza. IVed S. Gantz, Mary L. Gantz and J. Roy nuely have been given a charter for the Star Theatre, Inc., ot Sand Springs, Okla. Lew Chatham, city manager foi the Griffith Amus. Co., at Normaii, Okla., has resigned to take an execu- tive position with Grlffith-Dlcken- son Theatres,-Inc., in Kansas City. Succeeded at Nonnan by Fred Jack- son, city manager for Griffith in Secoinole, Kenneth Blackledge, city manager at Frederick, Okla., named city man- ager ot the recently, acquired Grif- fith theatres at El Reno, Okla. Other promotions ias announwd by Grif- fith include Earle Settie. city man- ager at Okmulgee to Blackledge'i former position; Foster Lyiian, dty manager ot Griffith-Pickens theatres at Uvalde, Texas, to Jackson's for- mer post ' New managerial appointments by K. Lee Williams for his new circuit follow: Louis UtUefair named city mana^r at Nashville, Ark., coming from Stanford, Texas, where he was witii Griffltii: a C. Uoyd named city managfer at Broken Bow. Okie, comes from Roswell, N. M., and L. E. Petty named manager at Dierks, Ark., coming from Clarksville, Texas. J. A. BetHune opened new Negro theatre in McAlester, Okla. Boyd Scott formerly at New Braunfels, T^cas, nanied city man- ager for GrifBtfa-Pldcens Theatres at Uvalde, TSexas. David Dallas, formerly city man- ager tor Griffim Amus. Co. at Hol- denvllle, Okla., new city manager for Grifflth-Diekensen Theatres, Inc., at Parsons, Kan. Jaeka«Dsf Deals Lebanon, Pa., April 29. Three separate transactions were involved In the sale by Mrs. Mabel Jackson and the John Jackson es- tate of the Jackson interests to Com- eiford, it was revealed here this week. First was a deal selling the Colonial property. Second was the sale ot the leases of the Capitol and Jackson. These were followed bv a third sale, the realty of the Capitol. Lease purefaased by Comerford on the properiy continues until July K 1043, when the titie is transferred. Down payment assures this transfer. Amount involved is reported to be $80,600. BKO Columbus ShUis Columbus, April 25. Four changes in local RKO setup annoimced by C. Harry Schrelber, city manager. Lawrence D. Caplana was made assistant manager of Pal- ace, replacing Lyle C. Gann. Caplana had been assistant at the Grand, and Gann joined Fox Midwest in Kansas City. Palace treasurer Noel Baker given a boost in the Grand's assistant job. John R. Fry moved to treas- urer's job from the Majestic; his po sition was taken by Waiter Shott Jr. Koenlgsreiter's Hobse Milwaukee, April 25. Erwln Koenigsreiter leased the Greendale theatre, which opens April 29. Koenigsreiter now man- ager of the Strand, main stem Fox house, and he formerly operated the Oakland and Ogden as co-owner and tmtil recently had been manager ot the Palace, second ot three Fox main stem houses. Fred Miner transferred to the Rice Lake (Wis.) home office of tiie Miner Amus. Co., with Alfred L. Barlow succeeding hur as manager of the Falls and RivoU theatres, Chippewa Falls, Wis. Mondovl Operating Corp. has pur^ chased the buildhig and equipment of Am Grand, Mondovi, Wis., fcom stockholders and will 'take posses- sion Juty 1, following failure ot Frank Woskie, Parkway theatre, Minneapolis, and William Woskie, Colby tlieatre, Colby (Wis.), to ex- ercise their option on' the house. L.A. llieatre SblfUnc* Los Angeles, April 25. Carthay Circle theatre has switched from two-a-day to a continuous 35o run, taking over policy of the Mesa, which has been-converted into a 15c grind. Circuit reopened the RivoU as a IS-center. State, Long Beach, reopens today (Wed.) after shuttered week, caused by. a shortage ot product Closing due to three-week run of 'Castles at Pantages and RKO. Center theatre, under construcUfln by Albert A. (jalston and Jay.M- Sutton at a cost ot $85,000, slated to open May 1. Local Fox-West Coast theatres will Observe Mother's Day, May 19, by ■ admitting tree all mothers 60 years or over. KEnn NET, J218364; RAO'S 13 WKS., 327G Net profit sifter all charges showed a gain of about $22,000 in the first quarter this year for B. F. Keith Corp, while net ot Keith-Albee-Or- pheum held close to the comparable quarter in 1938. Net profit of Keito Corp. totaled $218,364 as against $196,646 in first 13 weeks, ended April 2, last year. KAO net was $327,186 for the first 13 weeks ended April 1 as compared with $336,594 in first quarter of 1938. Per share earnings on the pre- terred dipped 14c. to $5.09 as com- pared with the initial quarter last year.