Variety (Aug 1940)

Wednesday, Augiist 28, 1946 PICTURES 21 Kiansas City, Aug. 27. Ot'pheufii has reopened after bei(ig closed isirica early in June. Housei was opened briefly June 28 for a rcadshowing ol 'AU Tliis, and ileaven -Too.' - Lawrence Lehjnan {•eturns as mariiger following,an ill- fiess y/hich kept him Ironi the thea- re last spring; Bob Haley handled it while Ijehmah was .under physi- Ciaii'3 care. John Thorpe is assistant "to Lehnian;■ ■• :■ -A" House is 1,500-seater, owned and operated by RKO, under: Torn Gorr itian, divisional mahagei: in Chicago: ■Opening brings, to six number of .flrst-run situatidns in town,. ,'Ram- parts We Watch' first screen chore. Variety club held its annuial golf and picnic outing at-the Ivanhoe Country Gltib Monday (26). Soine 100 film rowites turneid out. , • Ja.y Means, barker, had cOmmitteei in charge with Charles Gregory as general chairman, Bob;.Withers hand- ling; goll!; Dick Bieichele on tui'tlc' iaces,;' Bev^erly Miller . the Forty - niner; Jerry Zigmohd for ehtertain- mettt and publicity, and- Sam Abend .the picnic provisions; ■ : . ■ ; Harry- Wheeler lis hew. salesman .out of the Paramount exchange hierie Oil territory- formerly, .handled; by Paul. Hannan, who- resigned to take jover operation, of- the . Lyric, Pla.tlsf^ burg,. Mo. Waltei: :Cliark. moves oiit of shipping into the booking depart- -ment. aiid Hugh Wilkersbh frpin adr vertising accessory department, goes in as assistant shipper. : . Changes were announced last Week by Ralph .LiBeau; divisional man- ■ager.: ■;:-.;^ v ^ ■■. ^ UA, S.F., Rell8:hts Friday (30) : .. ' Sah Francisco; Aug. 27. ; .Urti ted.rArtists jgettihg Coat of paint, house darkening Mohdiay; (26) to. re- light Friday . (30) with 'South: of Pago Pago' (tJA)i.ShoWshop's owner, Herman Cohen, now vacationing in Alaska; accampariied by spouse- : Allan Warshaiieri Paramount (F- WC) manager/ oh mend, after itiys- terious illness hospitalized him un- expectedly. Showed first symptoms of recovery when he grabbed.phone to find bvnt'how.biz was.^ ; Although claiming prior permish to . use name-Esquire-on. one of his houses here, Herbert Rosener: has bowed to Joe Blumenfeld, who xs'ill /Usia handle oh his recently , acquired Da vies. Roiserier already , has Esr quij-es in Hollywood and northwest, .with Blumenfeld .operating, similarly. . tagged situatioris in Oakland and -Sacramento/,' (Tues.) . at the ;: Beverly-Wilshire hotel, with Spyros Skouras presid-. ing<, ..He will set the date for open- ing, the fourth;Spyros Skouras; show-: manship .drive fbr sOrhe- time ii> September and. .pass? 'put the prizie' .moriey, ttx-winnerg in 4he third con- test.' which 'jiist ended.'. iSkburas arrived here I^riday, ac-' compainied by Charles - Skouras; FtWC prexy; They have been on a ipur of National. Theatres bperating' divisions/ They, hiiddled -with F-WC district riiahagers yesterday <Mbn.)/ Brothers go lb Seattle late, this week for the -rn'eietirig of Pacific Northwest managevs. ^ ."•-New -'iVallack's' ■. The old Wallack. N.Y., which is being, rebuilt by Max • A.. (^phen, president of Allied Theatre: Owners of. New Ybi k,. will be given a .liew name, not, yet decided. , House, seat- ing 600, .will be ■.readying for open-, jiig, the end'of Octobfir... / : ,to. remodel center-city Palace, which he owns and leases to RKO, and will erect two new community houses, one ini eastern section of city and tiie oth^r in southern. V O'Kelly Upped by Slchine . , Amsterdam, N, Y.^ Aug. 27. .. F. K; o'Keliy, manager of Schitie's Rialto . theatre -at. Amsterdam, . has been promoted lb district .manager of the Schine Circuit, Inc. / : / /b'Kelly'k hew post ■vvill include coiiitinuation of his. diities as man- iagev of the Rialtb, plus being- in charge of ScHihe/hoiises from CJleris, Falli, to Oneohtai • , . . - • : Sdles Ijdg .Cbntinged froiii. pagre -T, FWe Opeiis New House (?8) '. ; ■-San' liiegO. Aug; 27>- ■ /;Fb>f-West ..Coast unve State' .theatr.s herie:;Aug. 28. : House,. :de luxe .operation .with., 1,014 seats, - is second new one lo.be opened by the circuit ■ Sbutherh California dur.- ing the year. / ■ / \ ; ■ Other ■ AcaderiVy, Ingle wood. ; Milwaukee-Variety's Charity ! Milwaukee, Aiig. 27.. Variety club has done many hhe things of a charitable nature, but its newest gesture, is generally regarded as tops. . It is. spon-sbririg: art eye clinic 4or underprivileged children, arid the idea has won the approval of city bl A'cials to such an .extent that every possible municipal effort TVill b.e put forth in cooperation. The Variety club will not only pro- vide glas.ses fbr youngsters who need* tiiem..but can't afford them, but will also; provide complete treatment/ in- cluding operations if necessary. V Sask. Sees War Upbeat : Saskatoon, Sask.. Aug. 27. .; : Complotion of. the large, military airport: at/Saskatoon and consequent influx bf hundreds of ridechahics' and permanent staff officers and' their wives and families is expected to, boost business at Saskatoon's thea- tres this winter... Schenectady Palace Resumes Schenectady, N. Y., Aug. 27. ; T« Palace reopens Aug. 30; J. -B. Peischler and Isidore Bernstein, new proprietors, leasing from Sid hey pwbre. Who ..runs the . Cameo arid Lincoln. Most of Schenectady Indie houses have been closed part time this feummer.. Several suspended opera- tions until September. Despite .the • many war and other-type orders re- <;eived by. General Electric (city's largest source of employment) busiT ness with most of the independents la said to have been off for - more than a yeax". Wilmlngrtoner Reopens Wilmington, Aug. 27. The Arcadia, dark for the pa.st three years, will reopen Saturday on a secb.nd-run policy* A. J. Vanni, : Warner 'Bros., district manager, an^ nounces. Arcadia, formerly top Warner theatre here, will take Over the Queen's policy. Queen, in turn, drops second-runs for westerns - and action films. The Grand, former home., of horse opera, will feature Comedies and shorts. Other Warner theatres here keep old policies, the de luxe Warner with first runs; Al- dirie. taking the leavings, and the Savoy, grind house, for 'return enr . gagements.' - -¥oung: Rieopenln; . Cleveland, Aug. 27, / George. Young reopened Roxy, shuttered three months, with sec- ond-runners and burley flavored with vaude. JeiikintownV Pa.. Reopens :: Philadelphia, Aug. 27., . Stanley-Warner Hi-Way, Jen kin- town, reopens next Week after com- plete refurbishing. . Thursday night marked the un- . sifutteringof Norman Lewis' :conv^ pletely renovated Girard ""' North PhilLv. James P. Clark, prexy of Hor- lachers Delivery, appointed chair-: hnari of the City - Deriiocratic Cam- paign Committee. Atlantic Theatres, . Inc.. .tinshijt- jrid its new, Grove,. Pennsgroye, r. J., last. ..week. • Ditto • the : new ^arksville, Larksville, Pa., by Joe ilashbwski. , . A new house being planned for Florence, N. J. ' Bkourases Address F-WC Beverly Hills, Aug. 27, Annual summer convention of Fox-West Coast theatre managers and bookers got under way today Showmen Pilots Atlanta,. Aug. 27. ' William K. Jenkins, treasurer Of Lucai? &' Jenkins/ Inc;,' operators of .50-theatr^^ • chaiti in •. Georgia, has bought himself a hew Piper Cub plane. Jenkins, a licensed pilot, flits hither and:you in his ship;on both fausiiies.srarid pleasure. ' '". Harry Ballance. .sOiithern divi.sion manager of 20th-Fbx, is "another aviation enthusiast in Atlanta pic circles^nd owns his oWn ship. Benefit showsr Sponsored by At- lanta Tent Nb. 21. Variety Clubs of America, have netted Red Cross $8,398.-56: latest figures, issued by Arthur Lucas, Atlanta Variety chair- man, reveal. Benefit at Lucas & Jenkins. Inc., Fox theatre . here, netted $2,675. Wilby Circuit benefits totalled $3,751.16, other' L.. &. J. hou.ses $1.8.'j8. Lam Circuit $114,40;: All proceeds frorn. these, shows went to charity. • ■ '" v'-. ./..//- . ' Charles Szewczyk Adds ■ Pittsburgh, Aug. 27. . . Charles Szewcyzk has taken over Vernon theatre in BosweU, Pa. House, .was built several years ago by Ed Morrison and operated there .for some time by V, F. Scott interests, Morrison, exhib since 1915. died several months ago fol- lowing a stroke. Transfer of spot to Szewczyk gives him two theatres in, Boswell. He/ also owns arid .rnari- ages the Marry Lee. , ' •, S. H, Griffith, of Nixon,. in Ru.<!-. sellton. Pa., winner of first prize in booking contest staged by Jim Alex- ander's Rep exchange, here. It was. a cabinet combo raidio/ and phono- graph. , Winners of- travelling bags were William Eyans/ Osage. W. ,Va;; N. W. Fredericks. Lock Haven, Pa.; and Warner Brothers for the. Wilson theatre in Tyrone, Pa, : . / ^ Veteran Houtzdale iPa.) exhibitor Carl M. Sherkel plans to retire from active operation early this- fall, he has just announced. His house in that town: the Sherkel. transferred to the V./F/Scott circuit intere.sts. Briefie-s: John E. Stahl expects to have his new Homestead house ready by Nov, 1.. .Harold Banks' asst.'ma^nager of WB'.s Rowland, ele- vated to rank of sergeant in 176th Field Artillery/. Pennsylvania Na- t ion a I Guard..Mary Roriey. of Col exchange, /spendirig a three-month leave iiv Caiitbrnia,'and Richard Mil- ler is subbing fOr her ;. .Bud Thoma.s named booker ..for Louis Krieger's di.iitributing setup hfece...Norman ,FleishiTian,' v wedding date is Sept. 15. Bartletts Air-Minded i Titonka. la.. Aug. 27. . Bartlett. Bros.;. w.k.- .lowa. ..exliib-. itors. have built a hangar on their farm hear Tilbrika and are. engineer- ihg a landing field' in preparation for the arrival of the new plane they have order-ed.. ■ They .plain to .fly to pes ■ Mbin.es to do their .bopking. .. Trenton's Activity : ' . Trenton, Aug. 27. : Trenton's most ambitious theatre building program in past decade will bring, a. neW. l.OOQ-scat house to the downtown area/: coniplete' recon- struction and enlargement; of the RKO Trent on North Warren street (Lihcblri Highway) and: two new". tonimunity houses. New theatre, located at Front arid Chancery Lane, is a bus: terminal. CJoritrolling :iri.r- terest reportedly: held by Frank P. Henry, also a.sspeiated with Stacy and Strand theatres here. Meanwhile, Walter Read* plans Albee, Prpy., Reopening Providence, Aug, 27. RKO Albee will reOpen Aug. 29 after the usual summer shutdown. George E. French .again heads hbuse. / Gamble's Personal House . Portland,'Ore., Aug:-27. . Ted Gamble, city rriariager of J. J. Parker Theatres in Portland, Astoria' and Pendleton, .ha.s personally takeiv over operation of the Capitol theatre in, Portland/ House; is a subsequent run vaudfilm grind/ Gamble wjll continue to manage the Parker theatres iii additiori to this personal enterpirise, V. / Bill Hastings' Moveover ' .- :.. . Cincinnati, Aug. 27. Bill Hastings ha.s been appoirited manager of the' RKO Grand, new dowritown de" luxer. Tran.Sfers from the RKO Lyric, w'here Lake. Jones is how. manager. Latter was assist- ant mariager of RKO Albee. Vintage Pi* in lndpls. ./Iridiairiapblis, Aug. 27. . . ApOllo, 1.100-seat downtown hbuse owried by .Charles M; Olson, operaitor of' the Lyric,, will reopen Thursday (29) with i-eshowings of vintage single features and neWsreels. , Clif- ford C. Wallace, former Pararirtount booker here, ■ -leasing the house from Olson. . / . Apollo recently prompted Olson to sue every downtown.theatre in town, and all/producing companies, charg- ing collusion'to keep house from get-; ting A picture, coritracts," and a.sking $800,000 damages. Suit is pending in courts. ' -. - ., ,V" film, stalling pJi dating, so that they in turn could stall the distributors further on the new. 1940-41 deals or use the undated film bargaining factor. ;■: /.' ,;.. One of the -roubles for the djstrib- utor when new seaspri's. pictures are available fpr dating and the exhib hasn't closed a product deal is that such pictures are. delayed in getting to their market.^/;. A film ori: a new: year's program might be ready for booking now but be forced to lay in the vaults for a month because the account iri. .'a ■ given situation has beeii taking his..time signing lip, .Or has been: lighting, for adjustments under tiie old Contract, while discuss- ing terms to govern under a newal. : All runs behirid such an ,ac.- co.unt must/wait,- of course^^ . . . Iri the effort to -move bid. (19391^^ film, the distribs. have bbeh .putting, exhibs . under plenty of pressure, sticking up '^stbp pictures' on them now arid then in /^rder. to force bookings on v product of - lesser .im- portance. This .has burned some of: the tougher operatbrs. bne of the! largest declaring tha if he has not exercised^ his full percentage .pr-ivi- lege, he'd cancel out any. 'stop pic- ture,' arid thus show 'em how tough he.bbuld be. - \ One. of the ma.iors sought tb get its accounts tb- pay for three pictures in. advance, of release in, rreturri .for getting . availability on . hit film %hic.h;-suddently "came along. Ac- .cordirig to accourits on the books:^6t this conipany, tlie "distrib tried to withhold; the big picture :if. .three .designated, we.akies .weren't paid.^^f^ Several weeks in advance./ Presump- tibn v^ras. that tlw exhibs .wisuldn't play the trio in que.stibn at all when they became; available for religase, henee the effort to use the; hit as a means .of Clearing the others., Plus getting the money in early. ; Excellent Takes On PRC V Detroit, Aug: 27. Oldest established independent ex- change. Excellent Pictures here, has become the local Outlet for Produ- cers Releasing Corp. under a new setup. The deal was made by Wil- liam - Flemiori and Anne O'Donnell with Bill Kemp added to the staflt.to haridle the sales throughout the state. Flemiori , continues as branch man- ager arid ail Excellent contracts will be liquidated through ; PRC. The company also has secured Mohawk Film Corp. group of 19 features for this territory. / McCormick's ITnlon Spot Seattle, Aug. 27.; •Frarik . McCormick, who resigned as asisistant nrtgr, at Coliseum to run for business agent of 'theatre em- ployees local union, against George Hood. Wbn out. Alhambra, CaL, Aug, 27. A'hambra-Arinex, world's first and;; only single-double; ' bill theatre, opened (23) under the direction oC . James Edwards, Jr.i partner with;: Principal Theatres. • House is imique ;jn that it;' i-s only:' theatre .- extant- whei'e a: patron may; move from ; auditbrium;tQ .anplheiv to witriess;'a mdividual :picture virithout having to sit thrbtigh'' other portions' of , the, program. ''-]■■■'■'_ ".'//-■:' ' ; Erected, at a cost ;b.C arourid ..$45.-.; 000, Annex immediately adjoins tlia ,, Alhambra, Structure consists of two •,. separate .auditoriums; , u rider on main entrance. "This .permits ;tu o feature films ; to be - run; simul- ;. tancously in the brie theatre build- ing. , - "^ ' ./-,. ; /■. ■[ -"• ,. ; ;Dual Operatibri and' eqtupmeiiit. ables, pictures to be alternated fr , screen of bne aUditQriuri:i; tb the other as sboh as Completed, and patron is directed by means Of neon; signs to. the particular picture he may fancy : seeing. Patron wishing; to the: completip;; dbuble; -program. ;enteir^ either iauditorium arid rernains ,seiled until show- is ;cornpleted. ; Several years ago . Edwards went back to sinjtle; feature programs/' his San Gabriel yalley.rhouscs, ..byt cbrnplairits /frorii .persons wishing to. see duals butniimbered those / with/ the single; bill preference, so doubles were • resumed. The Annex .is. his ■ :ariswer; \viili .;.thbse wi.shiri^. to; ■. only single features;able;to do so in the unique; house; just opened. : TITLE CHANGES .;• - : : ,. Hollywood, Aug., 27, :'A Latin ' from Marihattan* was switched to 'They Met " Rio' at 20th-Fox. . \ ./-'-.- Par am bunt's second Henry Aid- rich feature, hitherto untitled, be^ came 'Henry ;and/l5i2zy,' ■" 20th-Fox ;whittled 'Hudson's Bay Company* doWri to 'Hudson's Bay.' . Paramount's 'New Yorkers* is now 'Christmas in July,' .'fiiiiiiniiliiHiiiiiitiurniiiiuMiiiiilHniiMliiUliHiuiiiiiiiilMiiiiiHiiitiriiiMiltiuiriiuiiniiiiiiirH mi i ummhh |^IIIHMIMIMnil|ltlinilllll|lHMnilllMIMMIIIIimtlMlllUit|llllUUI» Is 11 a : i! ■• Ei ; : ■■. - -■ • - •. -• .. •■ .•■ : ■ ■ i c3 . . - -. f. -".iiiMMriiihliMniniilMurifiiiniiiiiliiiiriilniMitiiiiiiliillti(iiiiiMiiirniiitiiuitinitiiiiiiiMiiiii([ititniiiriniriiiiliiiiriiifi iii(fitllnliir(illlliiiiiiifllliMiliifiiriiMiiiiiiiitniitirtiitii)itiiiiiniMitiii(.~ .itiiiiii^iMiiiiiiiiiiii)M)iiiiiiitiiiiMMiiiiii(iiii'iiiHiiiiMhiifiuMiriiHiiiuiiilniiiiiiiiiHiiiMiiiriluiiiiiiiiliiiuiiiiiiliiiiiiMliininliHinUliMiiifiliHiMnhiii THERE'S A BETTER SHOW AT THE mi WITH Tim Evans' Own House Des Moirifes, Aug; 27. Tim Evaris. booker at RKO ex change here more than li6 years., re- >igiiBd to manage the Parkside thea- tre, which he recently .pi)rchased in Lyons; la. .. . ; RKO Prbmoiions ; -; . Charles Zagrari, RKO office mari:- ag.er of the Philadelphia exchange, moves up to become its mariager, succeeding F. L. McNamce,:who:has been with the RKO organization and formerly Pathe.for 18; years. /Mc- Namce .is going . irito. b.usiness for himself,' to be announced when plans ,are more definitely set. Za- gran, who succeeds him, was/for- merly in theatre operation in PhilaT delphia. ' •- . ■ ■ /- Another RKO ii>romQtion is that of Adolph F. Braeunigi Cleveland of- fice mariagei-, bfought into the h.o, to act as special sales rep covering the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsbyrgh and Indianapolis offices; : In this post he succeeds John Dov/riihg. Ayho- was recently: transferred to. Boston, L, E. Blumenfeld takes Braeimig's job in Cleveland*. : ; ... Charles Weiner, recently in charge of the Monogram' exchange Minr neapolis. has purchased an interest in the Elliott Film exchange' in that key. It handles the Astor product, together with that of other iride- penderit producers. ;, , <T W.T' W w.lll not lis nli'own rti-ept . at a'Wiincfr)'prir«i. nt leiiit untll''41 : For -ReierMtiant Call CI $,-4S42 Alr-CondltlMid ASTOR »s;f ALL SCATS RESEIIVEi* TwiM Dailr 2:1S. 8:IS p. aik (imti} s** Lait ttmti Wed. . V(H*!N THE IdAMONS JtQTlJO , In PerHon Henry Arint'l ta' IWtUr HattOQ . CIrto Klmiir . Starts Thur.t Aui 2B ] .- Jeanne tte MacnQNAIJD ••>KW MOON*' In rerwo JlarveHt; Mfton Winner* Held Over 4th Week ERROL FLYNN In the ' *SEA HAWK' A NKW WARNliR BHOS. TRlCkrH In Person , PHIL SPITALNY AND HIS AUL GIRL ORCHESTkA Air- , OTDAkin Broaaway Conditioned ^ IK AMU * 47(h St, ?.r,'" MUSIC HALL HKLli OVJBK 4'ril WKKK "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" Spectacular Stag* Production* HKI.D OV«B Srd Biff Wttit William . p o w.*i t ti Alr-CandltUntdi ftaaiinf 1 MM I -Myrna J J OX I LOVE YOU AGAIK'' A M«tro»(;oIdwyn-Mayer'Plctnr« Dr. I. Q. In parsan every M«n. ni|ht RKO Guns Toyle* ■ ' Holly wood, Aug- 27. . .. RKO rolled ^Kitty Fpyle' yesterday (Mon.), with Giriger Rogers starred arid Dennis Morgan, borrowed from Warners^ playing opposite* . David Hempstead: produces; **, his first-RKO. chore. Saitt Wood directs, PARAMOUNT BInff CROSBY "Bhytiim on the lUver ' , A PartiTnount . 'Pictuir .. In -Fercmn -. Ken ML BRA V Will BKAUIyV;V and Hif) Ibiurt iMiiali HUOiti; I ■ Kxtra TITO <iVlX\K Mlilpite Screen . {tlipw* Alff«d Hitchcoici<'«;Production of .11 Gorrespondenf* UNITED PIVOl.T Brqadw»v ARTISTS VH at 49th St. Dew* Open.»:30 A.M. , MtDNITE SHOWS