Variety (Aug 1939)

Wednesday, August 30, 1939 PICTURES VARIETY 23 W.S.Skirba]lsNewNabeDuo;Othar Theatre-Exchange Personnel Moves Canton, Aug. 29. ^f^. S, SkirbaU Co., Cleveland, awarded contracts to the Guy Johnston Construction Co., Steuben- ville, loi new 750-scat houses at nearby Massillon and at Bryan, O. Openings scheduled for early fall. Plans for a new Shea house in New Philadelphia, O., completed. John Pekras ' acquired the Ritz, Columbus, at receiver's sale for $•10,000. His son, Ted, had operated for many years. Since la-st Novem- ber George Pekras, brother of John, has been supervising operation for C. G. Lane, receiver. The Oakland, Marion, is the latest addition to the Bowman circuit. H. C. Patterson, of Blanchester, head of the chain, bought the house from L. J. Flautt of Columbus. Reopening is' scheduled for Sept. 1. Strand, FoUansbee, across the river from Steubcnville, O., extensively, modernized by Joe Huszar and Glen Floyd. State Representative W. B. Bixler, author of the bill io abolish censor- ship on ncwsreels last session, is Democratic nominee for mayor of Akron. Paul bietjen, son of the late John G. Dietjen, will carry on the manage- ment and operation of the Royal, Akron nabe, for many years operated by his father. The East Columbus, nabe, shuttered lor installation of new sound equip- • ment and seats, reopened under management of Harry Rothstein. The new Crest, built by R; T, Kemper, opened. R. T, Crest in charge. More Albany Sales Clianees Albany, Aug. 29 First change in ranks of Albany film salesmen since new selling sea son opened is the resignation of Don^ aid Remcr, 20th-Fox, and the shift from Chicago of Fred Sliter, father of Harold Sliter, executive assistant to the Schine brothers. Six companies made changes in local sales staffs during or after the convention period. Warner and Co- lumbia were the two who did not. However, the latter switched man- agers, Phil Fox going to Buffalo and Joe Miller coming to Albany. Harmanus Blcecker Hall, for years one of the country's ace legit tryout houses, and in recent seasons mainly a picture theatre, clo'sed for time being. Fabian manaeement makinf repairs. House, seating 2,400 anc situated midway between downtown business district and west end resi' dcntial area, had been screening second runs and reissues during sum mer. schorn, which was delayed for about two months because of inability to contract for picture supply, has finally been effected. The erstwhile legit house has been completely re- vamped. It will provide opposish for the locally owned Capitol. R. A. Foster, previously attached to Frank- lin & Herschorn houses. Family an^. Community, Halifax, is manager Seating capacity 500. Quimby's 3d in Ft. Wayne Ft. Wayne, Ind., Aug. 29 Leased for a long term by Quimby Theatres, the Paramount here will be operated under a first-run policy when it reopens the middle of Sep tember. This gives Quimby three first-run houses, the Palace and Em boyd being the others. Crystal Goes RKO Minneapolis, Aug. 29. William Crystal has resigned as Grand National branch manager to become North Dakota salesman for RKO, succeeding Edward Stengel, transferred to Omaha. F. & H. Open Another St. Johns, N. B., Aug. 29 Opening of the Community, Yar mouth, N. S., by Franklin & Her- 14-Room Water Front Residence, Boathouse and Garage on Long Island Sound 157 Riverside Drive Beecliliurst, Long Island HOME or HARRY RICHMAN to be sold at AUCTION Saturday, Sept. 9,3 P.M. on Premises, rain or shine Tnspectlon of property, prior to sale, by appointment only. Write for booklet to Fred Berger Company Mobile's Latest Mobile, Ala., Aug. 29. The Azalea Theatre is a new house which opened in Mobile, 750 seats. New 500-Seater Oshkosh, Wis., Aug. 29. The Mode, new 500-seater, opened la.st week by the K. & N. Amus Co., principals of which are Albert Kuehn and Dr. H. J. Haubrick. Rebuilt House Opens Sept. 1 Mercer, Pa., Aug. 29. Opening of the new Liberty sched- uled for Sept. 1, according to Blatt Bros., owners. The former Liberty theatre was destroyed by fire last winter. .Capacity upped from 500 to 750. Montana Cbanees Greet Falls,. Mont, Aug. 29. Earl Peterson shifted from man agement of Fox Rltz to new Town theatre there. Don Beck moved in as manager of Ritz. Pratt Sells Out Deep River, Conn., Aug. 29. Pratt here was nurchased by Essex Square Theatre, Inc., operators of two Connecticut nabe houses. House seats 497 and was owned by Louis E. P^att. Paul L. Sampsell, Morton S. Tilcy and Leno J. Malcarne, new owners. Latter sec. and manager House will reopen Oct. 1. Sommers to RKO, CIncy Akron, O., Aug. 29 Henry ('Bud') Sommers, manager of the Palace, vaudfilmer, here for several years, resigned and succeeded by Tom Long, former publicity direc- tor of the Palace, Youngstown. Re- ported Sommers joining Cincinnati RKO organization. NIoholls Shifts- Jackson Heights, L. I., Aug. 29. Ralph NichoUs, former manager of the Skouras' Valley Stream (L. I.) theatre, transferred to newly-reno- vated Jackson theatre here. Nicholls, with the Skourases 19 years, started in the chain's St. Louis house as pro- ducer of stage shows at the Missouri and Grand Central. He replaces Thomas R. Robinson, who leaves the Jackson after eight years to take over the Forest Hills theatre. Major Adolfo Caruso moves from Forest Hills to Corona, Corona, succeeding Mike Weshner, transferred to New Jersey division. Aactloiieer 70 Pine Street New York City WHitehall 3-0Q79 Just a Busy Guy Hamilton, O., Aug. 29. John A. Schwalm, manager Rialto, Northio unit, who also is a member of city council, owner of the Union Bus 'Terminal, director of a building and loan association and the Hotel Anthony Wayne, head of a political organization and owner of a summer hotel in Vermont, is candidate for re-elcclion to city council. Atlanta's Variety Club Atlanta, Aug. 29 Board of directors of Variety Club, Tent No. 21, have set Sept. 14 as date for formal presentation of charter to club. OHicers and direc tors of club constitute committee in charge of event, skedded to be an elaborate affair with national big- wigs here for presentation. Club started with 154 charter sig natories and now has membership over 200. Atlanta theatre, legit house and former home of WPA theatre, leased for one year, to be operated by John H. Carter, Brookhaven (nabe) the atre operator, and Fred Gelssler, It's being remodeled and refur bished and skedded to light up Sept. 4. iiovae had no equipment for showing films previously. Ken Butterfleld's Duo Marianette, Wis., Aug. 29. Ken Butterfleld named manager of Fox's Myers and Beverly here, suc- ceeding Russell Leddy, who will manage the circuit's Orpheum, Green Bay. Colonial, Wheeling, Transferred East Liverpool, O., Aug. 29 The Colonial, Wheeling, W. Va. formerly operated by Sam M. Reich blum, has been transferred to Theo dore J. Laskey and George N. Harris. New operators have already assumed charge. Laskey was formerly an exhibitor at Brownsville, Pa,, and Harris is a Pittsburgh florist. '39-40 Selling Up Continued from page 3 much about minor headaches at this time. "Two big deals, on the fire for some time, will be signed by the end of the week. These are a three-year deal with Warner Bros, circuit and a two-year contract with Fox-West (joast circuit. The Metro-Fox Wesco has not been closed yet although Edward M. Saunders and William Powers are pushing negotiations through rapidly toward signaturing. William F. Rod- gers, Metro sales chief, closed two new circuit deals last week in Chi- cago with the Butterfield and Coston circuits. Latter arrangement is for 40 situations in Milwaukee and Chi- cago. Paramount reports that its thea- tre partners have been slow in clos- ing buying deals with distributors, but that negotiations are proceeding on all . fronts and should come through in normal course of events. Warners reports that 78% of en- tire circuit possibilities have been closed to date. Major portion of this selling was completed by April 1 last, due to unusually early start, follow- ing company's convention in March. Hundreds of new deals have been received in the past week, according to Sears, with only a few deals re- maining to be closed before maxi- mum possibilities in exhibition ac- counts have been attained. Warner sales heads have not re- ported any large deals in the past week, but are looking for a rush of contracts as result of the company's new sales policy, already announced. In the New York section Warners has closed with RICO theatres. Season May Change One distribution head has again revived the oft-discussed proposition that all distributors would stand a better chance of getting off the sell- ing season to a better start if sales conventions were moved back from the May-June periods, in which they usually occur, to July and August and even September. His argument is that the way things are now constituted sales or- ganizations are required to start ne- gotiating for new product during the summer, which is the worst time of the year to try and do business with theatre owners. Salesmen usually run into such adverse conditions as the weather; outdoor attractions run- ning counter to theatres; ebbtide, box offl'ce'returns; upset prospects, and a general disinterest in buying, with exhibitors wanting to wait and see how business in other lines is going to be in the fall. With selling shifted to the early fall, theatre owners would know bet- ter how much they can afford to pay for product, and distributors would find them in a more receptive frame of mind. Twelve sales executives, territorial franchise men and theatre operators sat in on the closing of a Republic product deal last week. Headed by J. R. Grainger, president of Repub- lic, a contract for the entire Rep lineup to play the Schine cir- cuit, operating 122 theatres in the east, was signed in Glovcrsville, N. Y. J. Myer Schine, Louis Schine, George Lynch and Lou Goldstein represented .he circuit in the nego tiations. Circuit deals for Monogram prod- uct closed by George W. Weeks, general sales manager, during the past week included the Pal Amuse- ment Co. of Georgia; Interstate Cir- cuit of New England, and the O.K. Circuit, Dallas. the independent exhibitor through this method.' The ITPA has been persistent in warnings to its members to be cer- tain they understand all contracts before signing them. Emphasis in this direction was contained in a re- cent bulletin which paraphrased a Metro ad by declaring that 'a foun- tain pen can be as dangerous as a snake!' " Maertz reports few contracts in this territory signed, 'primarily be- cause of the high rentals being asked.'. Biz for the state exhibs this summer, he says, has been tougher than last. Particularly painful has been competition from spots showing IG mm.' films. To date, efforts to combat this type of show have proved unsuccessful. Too Technical? Montreal, Aug. 29. Reported here that sonic ot the major film exchanges are enforcing contract stipulations on new sea- son's product 100%, which makes it difficult to sell. Exhibs in various parts of this province having been accustomed to making deals with film salesmen, getting slight con- cessions and closing books quicldy. One of the major exchanges here is reported nixing every 'deal' made by its salesmen which deviates in the slightest from strict contract specifications. Result is that product of another major has been walking into spots and picking up biz for time left wide open through can- cellation of salesmen's 'deals' by op- position head office. One of the grievances commonly aired by exhibs is percentage ar- rangement whereby a checker is sent into towns by exchanges to keep tab on grosses. The checker often finds a deficiency of trifling sum which just about covers his salary and expenses. Exhibs want ex- changes to take their word for it and save cost of checkers, but no dice. 20th Directors Meet Directors of 20th-Fox are sched- uled to meet on dividends tomorrow (Thurs.), with likelihood that there will be no change from recent divvy actions. Usual 37 Vic. on the .preferred and 50c. on the common is in prospect for the next quarterly declaration. SAG and CIO .Continued from page 4_ and Mendel B. Silberberg for the producers. The CIO is one of the big ques- tion marks in peace negotiations in progress here between the actors and s'i.agchands. SAG leaders have been questioned as to whether their or- ganization gave any financial sup- port to the USTG. The latter claims to be independent, but is securing financial aid from Bridges and CIO. Peace conference was arran.^ed by J. W. Buzzell, executive secretary of the Central Labor Council, and C. J. Haggerty, secretary of Building Trades Council and president ot the State Federation of Labor. Ralph Morgan, prexy, and Kenneth Thom- son, executive secretary, are rep- presenting the SAG and A.ssociatcd Actors & Artistes of America. John F. Gatelee and Frank Stickling, In- ternational representatives, are sit- ting in for the lATSE. Actors wore reported ready to re- instate Sophie Tucker, president of American Federation of Actors, and Harry Richman, but want no part ot Ralph Whitehead, AFA executive secretary. Buzzell and Haggerty are said to be urging that the actors ac- cept the recommendation ot the AFL, reinstate the AFA with its entire personnel and then proceed to clean house of any undesirables without revoking the charter. The American Society of Cinema- togi-aphers will not be represented in the studio election. The ASC withdrew its petition for certifica- tion with the understanding that di- rectors of cinematography would not ballot. It also was understood that the jurisdiction dispute with the lATSE would be sidetracked and handled separately from the election. George E. Brown, prexy of lATSE, is still insisting that producers termi- nate the ASC contract, stating he will not permit dual unionism in the camera departments. Duffy a 20th Producer Hollywood, Aug. 29. Henry Duffy, former legit pro- ducer, joined Darryl Zanuck's pro- duction staff at 20th-Fox, to await assignment. Recently he was head of a dra- matic school. New York Theatres BETTE DAVIS MIRIAM HOPKINS ^ ^ BRENT ^ M jfxomif nan* onuiND IN rillON OZZIE NELSON Anil Hlfl OKl'llEHTKA Alr-Condltloned StcSut^ Rep In Great States Chicago, Aug. 29. Republic will go into 75 theatres o£ the Publix-Great States Circuit in Indiana and Illinois. Contracts were signed in Chicago by J. R. Grainger and J. J. Rubens. Wis. Exhibs Irked By Alleged Upped Rentals Milwaukee, Aug. 29. Wisconsin exhibs. in some spots, irked by requests for increased film rentals from producers, have threat- ened to close their houses rather than pay the price demanded. According to Edward F. Maertz, prexy of the Independent Theatres' Protective Ass'n of Wisconsin and Upper Michi- gan, reports coming into his office indicate all distribs are asking large increases in film rentals. Some ac- complish this by more pictures in top allocations, others by straight In- creases, he said. Some exhibs are inquiring, Maertz declares, to see if the ITPA has any information of 'a plan to eliminate Tort.iv on Scrocn .MAN I.N THU IRON MASK" On StQKO Bunny Berigin and Orth, Al Trahan Mixtno SuMlvin Tliursday Cury ('f>oi>«r •'IlKAI. OeSYU" On Sloue Kil Hulllvitn Ilurvt'Ht .MuuD Alr-Condltlonoa Ifeia Over M-a-H'H Teclinl- color Triumph "WIZARD OF OZ" ^ Oust of 9200 Gmih Broftd»*r m (Ut 3l/eat In Person .luil.v (iAKI.AM Itert I.AHU Kiiy ItOl.dKIt il illiowi )>ii!ly YEAR of HITS Alr-Con(1Itlnno(| Conllniiout from 10 a.m. Pop. Ericas. 25b to I p.m. fl-wty »n4 4ttii ft Show 11:30 pm N lflhll> I Robert Donat in M-C-M'sl GOODBYE MR. CHIPS ivIUl Grrcr (Inriion • 4lll MON'TIl] Hardy Family Grows Hollywood, Aug. 29. 'Judge Hardy and Son,' next in the Mickey Rooney series at Metro, rolls Sept. 1 with Bonita Granville added to the family cast. George Seitz, who directed the early Har4y pictures, returns to the job, replacing W. S. Van Dyke, who piloted. 'Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever.' c.i?"> MUSIC HALL IIEI,D OVEK "FIFTH AVENUE GIRL" Spectacular Stage Productions BING CROSBY In Fiiramount's "STABMAKER" IN rjKRHoy LARRY CLINTON AND lll.S OKCIIIv.-jTILl P**ARAMOUNT TI.MKS "WHEN TOMORROW COMES" with Clf.tni.KS nOYKIi—lUKNK Dl'NNE BTVOTI l«roii(hvn» rMTKI> .\H'I'IST.H Doori Open 0:30 A.M. MIDNLT.E SHOWS