Variety (Oct 1940)

^cducsdiy, October 30, 1940 FILM REVIEWS 15 MEET THE WILDCAT XHe, ■ Jenk*lafl, Jetome Cdwai,, -.P reeled . : vrihur LUbJn, Stofy nnd ndnptatlon, c-iu era, Stunloy Cortez.^ At Rlalto. N. Y,. vJpX bet. ■.2'.', '10. Runnlnff time: ,el; tjiod...... • •••••• • V/ • ^'^P? ??"^™y . V 1 ■ V....... 4...... ;..Moi«arfit Undsaj' .> . .v.;.. .aoseph^^hlJUknjut Miv*. Allen Jenkins hi "bV ;............. i.i.iv.JeVgrao Cowan i.V?^l ..,.;........ • Robert Q. . Dnivia Chief, of Police............. j;.Frank PuKlla Sauiit....... .-..v.. I. .. . *... ...Gu/ --^iW?'- M vrro.. r . ... •i- • iHtina . Herbert -1 l ooto^ .'. ^..... .•... .Juan: ne.;Ln. Cru7,. - . : . - VI.... .\ . Reed HBdley.^ :A nun Hello lif e. J.,-. v.;..... ...IGlorlo Franklin Inndi?.4. ..y..iris Adrian- ' 'Meet the Wildpat/ whicfe belongs in the lowest .price bracket, Is a. hacktieyed: and sorriewhat, fantastic tale o£ an art thief in Mekico Gity who. conceals his identity in the .best; fictional mariner; It is .i)6pr: enter.*:, taihmerit,' produced/ in . regulation fashion by Joseph G. Sanfprd and ■ directed with equaV lack of erithlAsi- asm by Arthur lAibin. : The story is by Alex Gottlieb. liib- eriies he .takes are:legi6n and some pf the actibri is rtdo abisurd,' to be taken with any ^iehsei oi! :serioush.ess, Carelessness , in story preparation; plus ; the;. wtter disregard fOr' coh- , sistency and plausibility; sonietimes iicarly provide the: laughs :which a lack of w^eriuine .eomedy ,v .value doesn't produce; The way the girl reporter,, on the tiaii of the art thief, works is one thing; biit how she is permitted into 'a guy's, cell without • anyone oh, watch is another. ; At one ppiht*^ where shfr- trips the detKictivie susr pected'.of .beiiig the art thief, she is credited with catching, him. When the gial is ihi the cell with the man she suspects is the elusive .'wildcat.', he makes, htsr- sheid her. dr.ie^s that he^ might Effect, an escape. Imagine Ralph Bellamy trying to -get. into Margaret- Lindsay's dress! It later develops that the cops let him escape. because - he's : a ■ cop himself,' The whole thing, is still a joke .anyway. The newspaper office of the Mexico City Associated N^ws bureaii looks any thing like such, an office should be. It cbuld almost pass for a fllm- producer's isanctunl. / ■. : It seems Bellamy/a N.Y.: detective, is on the trail of the thief hilling himiself as the wildcat and that Miss, Lindsay mistakes the said Bellamy ■for' the said; Wildcat. .Joe Schild- •]<vautr .who's very, stagey, is the art dealer whom-they. nab: in the iend. There is the usual police rescue at the finish wheii things Ibpk their • Slackest/; • Bellamy and Miss Lindsay do fair- ly w6ll with poor parts. Allen . Jen- kins, • a cab driver: from the Bronx, is in for comedy relief,-:but finding thie ; laughs .are difficult. It's the poorest laiigh assigriniertt he's yet had; Lessers include Jerome Cbwan. not a good type as- a newspaper bureau's htSad, .Phd Frank :Pi'<rUa; a' ; ch ief of police who's okay. Char. THE TRAIL BLAZERS ',Repul)lic " rplrrtse; of ■ ifTarry. Qrcy produc-. finn. Stiirs Robert J>lvlng.ston, Bob Steele, • llufrt Davis;, -features .l*aullne Moore: and AVeldon • Heybiirn.. -.Directed . by Oeorpre guerilla n.- Oi<I(jlnul Btory. by K.irle Sncll, '; liased: inh char.icters: created by William .:.Colt Macbonaldr.' screeripla.v, - Barry Shlp- - man; carhert*.: William Noblo?; editor, Toiiy MaiMl(u>lll; 'music, Cy Feuer. Previewed lit Pi ojectlon Room. N. Y.. Oct.' 24, MO.. Run- hliiK time: tM MIN8. . Stony Brooke,..:i..RobertMvlnKalon: , Tucson Smith:............... .Rob !=!lee1e r..mial)y Joslln.,.... ..;..... .Rute Dayla i Mavola, , .; . :Paulino .Moore , Jeff Riradley. .. ..Weldon Ileyburn . Jim Chapman...;.iGrtrroll N'ye. • Major Kcltori;... in ....... .Toin Cbattertoh; ■ .Tim Dpntl.st.,. . ,. .; .SI Jenka .A Ilea Cliapmaii;.;;, /........... M.iry FleW Mason,....;... . . ... ...-,.... John Merton Itayholils.......... ....-.Ror Lease ■ Fo\Vle'r... .■.,...... i,...,.;.,;, . Robert Hl.a I r is the use of the bandits in Pld ariny .cavalry, garb. v. ■ Direction is uneven, it being a bit difficult .to digest the quickie shifts from heavy pathos to -outright slap- stick generated for ■ bomedy; scenes: Dialog is a studiV; in the usual Stilted western .piatter-^just now no Avestern is complete without the stern , com- tiniajid; Tan out me^ v -: : : ; : Robert .Livirigstbn. continues as the active, leader of the Mesiquiteer out- fit^ likely -because he is the ' most riigged individual pf the trio.- Bob Steele, who's .been featured solo in hiany cactiis epics,: acts.' looks and talks like a cowboy. Third liiemb.er, RUfe Davis; is .ih; there .largely for. the laughs. He is clickb with. some ilairyrix gymnastics, a hbldovei: from his vaudevillb : act.. . Pauline ..Moore makes a creditable femme romantic jiiterest. wit^i no - place to go. . Wei- don He.yburri; Tom Chaittertbn, Car- roll :Nye,: oldtimei:. Rex Liease and Mary ..Field head: the support, . Wil-' liaim • Nobles contributes sPme swell photbgraphy. . ^ ' Wear.. ; Bloitdie Playis Gupid X ■ >■ ']■'■■■' Holly wood,. Oct. 25.. -'.Cnlnmbia .r^lpase of" Robert- Spaiks,- r>ro;. ductlon. Sla'is Penny ■ .Singleibn,Arthur Lake, .'. Iwr'ry ■ .Simms.. DnlH.v. Directed by ■Frank . H. .Sirayeh'Screenplay by '.Rlcharfl' Floumor-; nnd - .Karen . 'DeVVolf;; story by Karen'.' HeVVtilt' and rhiu'lJ'.s M. Ilro.wn; eameroi,'. Henry ..Fr.oiilich:: editor,- Oene..Mfl- ford; asst; director,. Abby Hp>rUn. 'Pre- viewed nt-Pnntneea, Oct,'W, '-101 Run'nlne tlino::-.-«7 SriN.S. .. .Rlondie.':...; ,...... /.; iTenPy SlnBletoP -Pagwood.',.. -. -,-. .',.. . Arthur.. -Lake Biiby. I^mnpliiin- •. • . . Larry SJmms. T-)al.sy. '.;.,.'...; ;.:Himself •J;: i r>Uhers,........ Jonn tban Ha le. -Alvln. 'Puddle;.,.-. . .'-.■. . ..Danny. Muriirn'crt Mailman.;...,.',...;;',-;,;;. J'-.-. ..ir.vlrip -Dacoh Ciiarl'Ie.-'...-:...:. >..;:';;; .Glenn .Ford Millie;...; .. . Lunnil .Waiters TPck^r;.;.............., .,.WUJ T^'rIght -iTiicle'. Alin?r...;.-,..-. ,>'.., ...Spehfer. Charters Aunt;, Hannnh. < ......; ..:..'. ..'.•, Leona.,Robert's; Pattern of .thiis putdbpr adventure rneller has bebh employed so ofteh before that even the. switch to. diffbf- eiit: mPtivating. characters doesn't remove the sameness. ; Despite the: familiar plot, .it mieasures; up. tp others, in the Mesquiteer Series, with . Bob vsteele, Robert: Livingston and Rufe Davis overcbmiftg hokey situa-. tions la^nd lines. ^ - . - .Principal difference,.from; the -bus-; tpmary butlaw-versus-honest pjor .rieers theme is that this tiriiib.' the rgood folks out .Fort Dodge way are.' -convinced that telegraphy , will be a mean.s. of;combatting the fJistrriding .coyvboy-: banditti, . Yarn has the; prairie bandits! fighting the ,,:neW . rneahS of communicatibn because it threatens, to bring .out thb U. S. cav^ airj^; swiftly instead of: giving them : several hours' .start to make a gel- :;a\yay'-after ^^'-raid; '! :^ ':. ',- ;;<;-.'- v''. ^- .; Peculiar part abbut the cpw-coun.- t^y towrt pf Jacksphi' abbut ■which .the .action revolves, is that the fight- ing "is left to: the small, cavalry troop" a.nd-the outlaw cowboys. -The ranch owners - and their ' cowhands are noticeable by their absence, ' . , . .; As per usUaly the. ■Three Mes-' .qtiiteers.. as •■ pals oiE the pioneering telegraph expert; carry. the -fight. . right into : the enemiy camp despite .^11 odds:. Genefally the^e odds are, So. msurmiouhtable that bnly .the . tyDical westerh scenario pulls .thein through safely.v And as usual there are the series of overhead shots showing the traveling telegraph crew's train. ; . Also the standard clpseup of the emoting secondary temmie lead. A chahg^ of prbceclure :Aii the familisr r.butiries of the Bumpstead family are repeated here iri a decidedly episodic story ■■■conr structed only to -hbid together the slapstick . situations . piriad^^^ continu-. busly.: Picture will be mildly di- verting support in. the pr.pgram arid family houses and will have tp: de- pend oh the ; Blbridie. :fb.llowing vto make that;vgrad:e. -.^ ; Situatibris arid incidents in the family life of • thie Chib. .Young car- toon characters need , revamping m order that the. series survives. Little change is made' in^ the. rbiitinies of. DagwoPd and filondie frPm previous issues of the. series, and the cutehess bt Baby Dumpling and iear-elevatirtg -Pf Daisy dull through, .constarit re- peating. ^Blbndie needs some inteii.- • Siye story, hypping./,: : ."• After a .lengthy first 'half- in' the! Bumpstead hpnje, the group, goes through numerous vicissitudes: . in trying to:: reach country relatives" for a holidiiy .rest. ; Blondie essays to Help : an elbping counle,;: and firijally - succeeds. That's all there is-tP, it: ■ Frank Strayer -utilizes many bld- tiriie slapstick gags, of the Sierinettian: era to string' the' picture, .put. to necessary length. Troixble is that all of them are too familiar and lack spontaneity in presentation.-: Walt. : LGNipOrf CAN TAKfe it ■■;-' ■ .(BRITISH-MApE)/: , Wainer Bros;: Release of British Milnlstry of . Informtitlon 'produ.ctlon. Commentary NVrlUen, and. apioken by.-.QilentIri ; Reynold.'), London correspondent of: Collier's. - 'No. other -credits. . Previewed In. '\VB Projoc-' t Ion' Room, NV Y.. Oct. Z'J. "10. - Runhint tliiie: 9 MIXS. • : Variety's rule of not reviewing shbrts is abrogated in; this case in defbrerice to the job done by. the •British Ministry of ^ Irtfornriatipni ;Queritin Reynolds." arid Warrier Bros. English prppagarida .service did its bit in. concei ving the idea: pf -Loridbn Can. Take It': Reynolds did his—and rribre—by miaking it both impressive and. presentable to the : American public via his ■ exceUetttly virritten aRd spoken bbniriient&ry, arid War- ner Bros; did theirs by . rbleasing. it to theatres throughout ^the country, as rapidly as prints coiild be turned-: but.'-'' ' ■ Deal whereby WB : agreed, to hari- .dle the bnefie wias : arranged , in a jjhorie call fvprh the-Minister of tn- ;fbrrnatibn, Alfred. Duff-Cbbper, -. to" .Harty M; War.ner-T-which is PnC'way of: getting things'; done... All profits: above actual:: cost of handling are. being turned over, by WB to. the Briti.sli. War Relief. 'Take It' is .being.Sold separately from the regu- lar. : shorts,: •prbdUct. . V/ith . general rules of clearance .being ditched; in favor of a .policy . of getting' it intb as inany houses, as pos.sible: iis quick- ly as -ppssiblb.::: 15^^ of course, are getting: it first, .'liew York ...pree'm .-foiind' it. bperiipg. in; , eight fii'st-runs: at once; 600 .prints ::are -beiiig used,... }■■ '•' Purpose of the. .; filmi: is( -tO: show virhat a' drubbirig Londph is tsfcing, yet continuiag; on .withbjlt. despair, without topv. great an- Upheaval of the riorlTial conduct'of its business—^ and .'London Can-Take It': tells-that, story : elbiiueritly..; It's . skillfully edited by some unsung .and unbilled expert to irit.bi'lard ..sceries of bomb- ings, arid aip-raid shelters with those of: London going about' its . normal business. "'■ "■'-'.^- Such .shots as' that of-tne house- wife coming through an all-night air raid to find her qUart of milk at the back dbor as usua:i are even more :impressive than those of the flashings of bbmbs and anti-aircraft guns through the total blackout. ;. . , Reynolds' story is told with rib fancy verbiage, : hysterical lan- guage, but -with powerful "sirtipiicityi, Simplicity and calriiness, in. fact, have led t<* jsoirie criticism, that the picture lacks punch, that it doesn't sell the idea: strongly bnbugh to the Ameri- can, public that England needs ?|ll pPssjpole help, Whether or riot it.is strong -enough is- -open to. questiori, although it must be taken frbni, the title that,the .purpose is: to impress Pn Airierica .England's labiiity tp: abr sPrb puriishment,; rather than. 1;o be a-;plea f pr aid; Reynolds'voicejs that of a .man :tired- frorii lack bf. sleep, but who's ready to. go on forev'er for a cause he-, thinks, is .just, ."This. has-, been a <iuiet day for iis,' he says, 'but- it - wbn't be.:va: Aqtilet. riight; "We haven't had a .quiet ni^ht now for riiore: than live weeks. They'll be :oVer tpiiight. and-they'll destroy . a. few buildirigs and. kill'a few people: -^probably some- of the pepple y.ouj are watching ppW;'' . 'Some of " the : people you - areif. Watching :now': happen to be mothers with-babies waiting in line . in'iate afternoon for . air- I'aid: shelters - to. bpen. Even'-a . .Hitler 'Jmust.- ge .a twinge frbm that. /Bafckgrbunding it all is .th'e' 'Wail. of the barishee':: an- riburicing 'they're: cbming,' the drone of planes "seeri as specks in . the sky,, the .'lOrig, :White, . inquisitive firigers* ■of . the seairchlights,, the - whine of ■shells,-., the ;ruriible-.: Of , .bombs-'- arid,'' •without :R.eynolds' words, you kripw 'these are riot iHPllywbbd" sound'efs; ■fects.'^ :.'.;..;. ■;■.. -'.,■ ■'■:^.; There's : very : little blood to . be seen,*:.plenty: -of: battered bui;ldini:s, lettiriig yp.u well 'kriow,'that -London is taking it.'.,.Through:;it all, Rey- nolds-sees a. touch pf humor.: Just as' he says, 'M the center of; the city, ithe; shojis : are ' open ais- -usual,' ' a woiriain walks into a shop: via the place-.'vrhere a plate .:glasis Window should haye /beeri;' Reynolds re- marks:- ?Even riipre open; than , usual.' .: Ari.d ybU hope, that Reynolds is: "right 'wheri he says:. * A bomb, has'its limltatioris.- -It . can brily destroy buildings and kill: people; It carinbt kill the .Unconquerable spitit and courage: of : the people: of London.: Lpridon cah^take-iti' . .\ Herb:;- MERCY PLANE .producers' Pictures-'production and' riv- Ipaise: :-' nirected ■'by- Richard Tf.n:rlan.''-Striry: by . William .,Lively, .At:Cenlfal.' N, '■ Y,'. week Oct. 23,--^O, dual. : Running time: 72 MIKS. ■:-'.-■.,:-■ ■ .'»peed Leslie...' .-.-;J'arne!' Dunii .Rrenda 'Gordon.-..'. I. ;...'..Fran(>r.«; Clifford RoMh Wolf J. '.'i.: ....:..; .Matty Fain Jfm Cordon... i......... .,vv(lii/>m I'rvwley rurly:.. ^. .'.. i.... ..... ... . .;'.Ttafry Iliirvey Benson,.,. ;'.'•., .... ...-.'i. . . .l-'orbe..!, Murray ; ■ San Francisco, Oct. 29. D. J. .McNerney, .'vetet-an riiatiager of Urtited■-Artists 'exchange,, has re- signed, titit will stick around ifor irir other rnbnth ;or so before takirig;,his first vacatiOn;:in 25 years. ^ ..; :.- .: ;': .McNerney. probably will devote:his ^iine to theatre inte^'ests,- being pari-; rier with Jpe Blurijenfeld; in pprtie of the' latl^^ir's hbiises, including one. no'w buildiri]^ in. Sacrairieritb. Blumerifeld circuit ripW riumbers. about 20: situ- atibris.'. ■■: ■^■:,'','.'''- '':.■■.:' - '■ .: Re|$ignatiori cbri^es jUist as :'Un:ited. Artists '^ets riiodern quarters , under riewly rempdeled -Parambunit,' ex- charigb,: mbvirig in Nov. 2. :. ■ .--::'Dave ''Willianiis' lipped'/^ David R.- WiUiariis, imanager' of: the Embassy riewsreel theatre, on BTOad- way> has been , proh\pted to- become assistant to Mjajpr A. Gi- Riidd, pub- lic .relations head for. all Newsreel Trieattes,: Iric.V in : the - nietropolitari N. y. area. Dan Moriarity, . of the Embassy hoUse: staff, .made manager pf the Brpadway operation. branch maria^ during ab^enbei of Mack Goodman, , who was ordered to. take a: two 'riionth: rest'after heart attack. . TheitreV<31^ ' ■■, .■^^;;Regipa,.; Saskli'■ Oct.; 29.;-\ Harry A; -Bercpvichi manager Of; Regina's .Rex. (irndie), . beirig cbni-.. mentled around /Regina :fOr; his nice gesturem ^ ^cpnjunctibn ., AVith . the world preerii of 'ilorthwest: Mounted; .police,*. Iri brdeir to b.plster the :cpri~. tribUtion of: Re^ipa theatre-gobr^ • to the Candiah/ Red iCrpss, he . jpined Avith three Fariious Player. houSesr-^: the: Capitol, Griarid and .Met^iri prer seritirig. the picture;. . :His house, .with every seat sold, accounted, for $660. pf the $4,000 col- lected by the . four . theatres ; iand turried .over to, the .Red . Cross, by IVIadeleine: CarrpU. .,;. . ' ;: Only thing' about this, opus that litiigKt tickle the fancy ..of hieller ad- dicts: is its theme, and that's the hot- plane tacket.: . Hiere. the mob. lifts 'eitti with the;greatest of ease, doctors ,'ejTi in its.pwn'factPry"and sells' .'bm to. foreign nations.. The action rieVer: ^ets spectacular* the' rbniantib .tarigle is quite tepid atidr the plot hardly gets susperisefiil. : Also thei telling is ..windy, and: slow. Nevertheless, the filrii shoijld go nicely; with- the kids. Weaving through the exposition of -the hPt ipls'^e racket is; the countel*-. theme of brother, arid sister. .love. The .head mobsman loves his sister," a speed:fliet": in her own right, more than anything else in life, and - it's^ this/ aff.ectibn - that proves his un- doirig. The in animate center of .. all. the ;pother is a.' hospital ship; equipped with aill sprts of secret :contrivances, chief pf which' Is the sbipethirig :which makes the . plane capable of landing, as the filnij de- scribes it* on. a quarter. Narrative Unfolds at a flyin? bx- hibitipn where Speed Leslie- (James Dunn) finds .hiriisetf;agairi forced out: of ■ a race because of' a tampered-. .Syith engine and his chief rival, the ipretty Frances Giffbrd* again : the winner. She's the sister of .the plane racket boss (Williarh Pawley3, - Leslie later gets the job of testing the .'Mystery Plane' arid, when this is 'stolen, suspicion . centers, in Leslie and. he's grounded; The. girl induces her brother, to; give Leslie; a" place in his plarie-dpctPring. factory. As sus- picions of the shop's i-eaV operations mount, Leslie.' coricocts a kidriaping plot : involving the' sister. . Hp : files her. to: the top of one :b.f the :Sierras. wheri the brbther conies tO the res- cue -with the :hosDital shili he -:and his.' rightharid mobster . (Matty).,: cut loose,'- with, their : 'a'rtiirery . and the ship is left to.. Leslie and- the girl. I' Dunn to'sses off his usual; flip; char- I 'acteriiiitiDn,': .Miss ' • O.iffQ.rd's -. looks i riiakes -it easy to' pyerlaok the acting ' deficien.cies. arid the.. Others. ,tu'rn"'..in either stock; or \Voodon ' perforrii- ances. .' The humor ' : liri[iited. : .but welcome. ■:::.': : ■ .Odcc. . Carbliaa's New Hoiises ;. , . Spartanburg, S. C., Oct.: 29. ■ . Wilby-Kincey's .fpurth Ipcal house scheduled id start by Jari; 1,: '. New . Rex,Galax, ; Va., pearing' cbrripletibni E.; J. , Baker to.: rnanage : thef :750-seater.. ,J.. F. Norman /ha$' bpened ne-w.: Star at England, Ark. Gerii, DeQueeri, Ark;, dark: aU surri- mer, repperied.' ■ Franze Ta"ylo)l- is riianager.. ' W.' L.: Spicer riatned as- sistant manager , of Coriway: and Graridj Wynne* Ark: C. R, Hawkins plans-new Cashiers, Ni C: house; S; M.; ; DeBakey jpiaris 2,000i^seater ;at; ;ti'ake.;Charles,-La.'.'' ..-"^' . New. . South : Carolina .: houses :iri- ■ elude State, owned by F.; A.. Grebne, recently opened . at Timmorisvilie; Pix, R. E; Bryant's second Rbck Hill layout; . Thomas ; Jacobs'- Simpsbn- ville theatre,: spld ■ to : M, B. Good-; enough soon aiftef openiiig.^ . Recent Terinesseb uriits bpened in- : elude - Strand, • Millington, C. W:. Maynes, ^manager; also Savannah theatre, iSavarinah,' Tenri., has: been: :renovatedj reeqiiipped, arid. 150 seats added.:!to ; Sunset, :Khbxvilie. : Ritz', Brucetpwri; Tcriri;, is getting: 40-feet • "exterision, dUe to: better biz.:; ■ Lucas & Jenkins opened new. Ri.tz, : Brunswick, Ga. li. H; HallPway; and; assobiates,; Coxdele, Ga., aririounced; new 700-seater in Muirray Hill sec- tiori, Jacksonville,! Fla.^ for Jan.. 1' opening. --'";' . Highland Theatre, Iric.-; Lakjland, Fla., incorporated, 20 .shares, $1,000 .par value", H;.L.:Nadeau arid bthers;- , Court ; was: to .; get Hatties;burg (Miss;) Sunday motion picture ''Blue Law"^ cases Oct. 29. Four riiariagers, RPbert Sigler, Harry CasleSi H. D. Bpwers arid Thoriias: Hartman, en- tered not guilty pleas when Var- : raighed Oct; 6 on charge of violating. Sunday-.laws^""- Safe .of; Imperial,; Brinkleyi Ark.,; burglarized, arid -receipts, taken; Sat- :urday; night... . Accounting; underway.: Insured. Uoiiis' Haven, Sr., ^is man- ger;-;: .;,; .^:;''..;'.'-.: :''".. -.„'''•'-■'■.!' '-;■ ■■ : Horns^- Bad Accideht . .; , Des Moines, Oct. 29. ■ Fred Horn,, salesman With RKO, and Mrs-, Horn iri an autOmpbile ac- cident near Muscatirte, la., last week; and Horn is at Ipwa Methodist hos- : pital. in Des MbirieS. . Harvin (jodwin, RKO, returned to his job after four weeks' bout with pneumonia. Earl Kerr of the Broadway, Coun- cil Bluffs, has taken over the Rialtp, Lirieville, la. Lirieville slated as :a boom town on the rearmamerit prb- grawi;-■'-' :• :' ,. ... . '' ' ; . , . .; Central States-has taken over the; .Ciresco at Cresco, Ia;,..fbrmerly pper- ated by F. R, Puffer. Julius -Geertz, . who: operates the Uptown arid the Zenith at .;Daven- pOrt,. remo'deling the Zenith,; -which: Will be called the Sunset in the future.: .'':., ■■ '• ,-. -,: -' ,: • ■ The Strarid, Cedar Rapids,..-takeri; oyer by H;. A. Sodlni; ' . 'W : Liricoln, Neb., Oct. 29. . ' , Floyd' :W6lfej Lynch', Neb.j is the: State's only, exhib whose hp.use .does dou&le duty, vbut; stayis .'in- show, biz.: His, seats are. fasteried iri sectioris,.. biit hPf tP the floor. He moves -eni : hack, agiin^st; the wa^ once; .a week . and'hblds'.-a .diancei ■- :;;/.-''-.'■^'"^■^■•^;'. Buster McGarty, who was burned out Of Lebainori, Neb., just operied the Indian-Ola,, at Indianola, ;Neb.:: : ^Oscar JbhrisPn started but to build what he was going to call the New. Rivpli^ in Falls City, Neb., .before the recent oil strike, but he's, ribw reordeired the marqueev and it'll be named the Oil City theatre, bperiirig about Dec". 1. ",'-:; =:.'.-.. '..- ' (iharlie - .Willianis, head . rinari. of; MPTO A of Nebraska and Iowa,; now'.*73,;.-':.:' ..-■'-■-v ^' '■-'■ -:',-''-'' -- '"/X''-' Lad4 Booking itfiaial : /■:Miariai,-^Oct; 29.. ;' keririeth Ladd hag replaced, Eddie Atkirisbn as- booker fpr Paramount 'here,':/' ■ .-' --'-;/';-,':.": ~: Condon's Reacquisitlon ' La Feria, Texas, Oct. 2iSl. R. P, Coridbri-has repurchased ihii' Rialto here frorii the Hall, Iridiistrieaf which ;he sold several years ago./He plans to change, name to; *Alto*: and ' will build a house for the Spanish: talk iri g people in this area which are -: plentiful- during harvest time -aiid ~ cottpri: picking time!! . ■ . , New House; : V ^ -; : Denver, Oct; 29. Mr. and Mrs.: C; E, McLatighlln operied their;' new 400-seat Ritz, Las: Animas, Colo., ; ..' . J. J. Goodstein has . reopened his Mines theatre; atl Idahp -Springs, CJolb;:, fplibwing remiodelipg necessi- tated; by. a fire somb. time ago.: Rocky .; Mpuntairi: . Screen- G1U b fprnrially opened, its clubrobms for the; winter seaSpri; and comriiittees are . wPrkirig on parties; and other events to take place iri the next few nionths. - ■;'- '; . v;r-'. Arthur Gbuld, ;Who also- operates in Hill City, S. D , opiened new 300- .seater; in Larice Creek, .WyO. It reprbsenits a new tpwn in which to sell films,. there;: having been, no: theatre there previpus.. : .; RKQ. lVlahagers' Banquet . " Annuail;banquct for.RKQ.rrtanagets .was giveh Monday night (28> at .Toots . Shor'S; "rbstaurarit, ;:.with'; ;the . Wives: arid; Svv.eethearts .beirig: guestk 1 (if RKO at any legit show;they ;c.hosc;; I ;After. the-show,;.the-latter,-.ibinbd - the; . RKO men. at the Hurricane; . '■ ; John J^. O'Coriiiori: :RK0'&: theatre head, arid: other .execs attended.. Studio Contracts : ^ 'Hollywood, Oct; 29. : Rkb. pl<;ked . up^^ C QUiglby's •player':bption.' :'";:■•-' .- -.'';.'-.--" .'•.' ; 20th-Fox.applied fpr court approval of a minor cpntrWt with: jshcila ;Ry^^ :' Alexv. Smith .drew .. a player . con-, -tract.^ a:t :Warncrs. • - .'• '■ ■■ : -;.: ' '' ; 'Moriogram , handed a. six-picture acting ticket tb-Mantari MPreland..=^ .Metro sigried William Murphy,, Jr.; to.aplayervdeal..;,-■'-■ -:'. ■• ':.•:; James Craig ihked S pact at RKO. : No Longer a 'Surprise' y. '■: ■ Glpyetarid.^ Oct,. :29. -; Exhibs.c'bllabing. in,tossing: a' testi- mbriial dinner Nov, 30 :for.DavP Mil^ ler,:: Uriiversail's''. district rnanager here,- pri hig- Zpth .iaririiversafy. in the filrii iiusiness/ . At $6.' a plate, cpm- nriittee in charge .of it esipects Ip raise-.:.$1,000 ^,for 'surprise' gift' .for ;him, ''-'-;.; --.;'-• . Bill GlUam maide riianager Of Shea circuit's: ;riew. hPuse iri!."New Phila- delphia, 0„ named the Quaker, which - is havirig: its preeriii Nbv. 1. Gillam' also, supervising . the : Shea's Unipri, sarinie town: . Nprmari Levin, .top city salesman at United; Artists .'exchange, acting as .'..-Brown's "Berth":; Glens Falls, N. :Y.. Oct. 29.: ; Gbprge E. Brown, for sbvera!.years riianager of; the Paramount here, and fofmerly With Paranibunt in N. Y;; is now city tnanger of' the 'Westlarid Theatres, .Iqc,, a group of three, houses ' .. Pueblo, Col. : About 10 years, ago Brown. was advertising manager for^he L. L, Dent Circuit Of theatres in. Texas with headquarters in Dallj.^ft Dent bein^ president of the Westland which operates.t.h.rbugh- bot;; Coiprado,.. Nebraska • arid-.Okla- homa>' ;..' -. :^.;'...-Kinsley''io' ;.Timegi '.■Ciricy/./'.; , - Cincinnati; :bqt. 29: - Bob . Kinsley for^^^^^ assistant bt. f Keith's;.-is ' mapagbr' bf the :;Tirii.es, , f364-seat:-: /second-run - downtown I cinema which bpened. Fridb.y : (25). 1 His~.as.sistarit i.s Clarence' E. Heisiord, ; forriibr : Keith's doorman..: Lebnard Rafferty:transferred:frorii the" (Siffs to.Keith^s as assistarit nianager. All Ihre.e houses pperatbd by; Ike. Lib.son, Cincy's -leading indie exhib ..and:aLsp gebei'al. inrtaria'^Cr ' pf RK'O "Theatres iri;-DaytOn arid. this .town,- : • ; - .- - ; Timbs is.-bwned by.' the: Taift estate, j. arid , Occupies the ;old Time.SrStar :l building .site at Sixth arid Walnut, i.lts scale is 20-330. . ' ' ;j'elgliey's Alr-S.cryibe Yen - ■: . ■; "rpledb,. Oct. :"29,. - ; Howard Feigley', Jr.,: who is assp-^^ ciiited : "With his father / ..riianaiging. the Rivbli and. Palace iri' downtown Toledo, has applied for. entrance in the Canadian Air Corps, and will take'tests: in Canada; . . :' No one is being considered for- his managerial post in the; Palacp, how- ever, until it is kpbvvn whether he has officially been accepted.;.