Variety (Jan 1941)

EXPLOITATION W^dnesda^, Jahiiary 1,- 1941 J^iricolrt,- Deic.:3tV beterhiinatioiti.,of the qbUnty at- torney's .ottice'here to\rid tincoln ol giveaway stunts In- theatres, foqnd him d}siir)isslng; one action: against the Neijraska; city , managfef ■ R, • W. Huffmati, and houisc: maitagcr'Gene Shahahan: ptte'Xday last week; and filing a new one. ; . His target; is> XYie. theater^ 'Abner Askit' groctei-y giveaWay gag, played with answers. to . questions 'on card like bingb, first, to/gc.t- fpjur; rows ot 4wcries answered takihg the.prize. V First;,action failed, according, to Muny jiidge Fishet'^ because it "could i only be • filed under the . state's. ahtl- lottery statute; .and .was not. So. the first acUbn- . was fbided by vthe. d.a., and the'second'set of papers' vwient on the "docket- immediately. Cas^ will come tb trial Jan. 10, sirtd both man- agers have posted ,$^Pp bond for ap- pearance. Nebraska Is nb longer-Sponsoi:ing the gift, show..'",which' 'rah every. Thursday'might'fob two. m^^^ fore legal action was^ initiated. : \ 'Prosperity clubs' . Asking for action oh pleadings in the case against the Omaha . Mbtiori, Picture Exhibitors assbciati<5n, Atty.-. Gen; Walter Johnson ^ filed: a ihotion vcith supreme, court this week asking judgment .rendered for continijed op- eratibn • of .the gift. stmit. OMPEA's 'Prosperity Clubs', Johrison claims it's bank. night in principle, fancied Vup to evade the ' lottery lawi. Bariko waff slapped down Jiine- 26, 1937, and Joliinson .wants piinishment handed OMPEA for at- temt)ting to dodge the lottery issue. Nebraska lottery provisions call for the presence of prize, chance and consideration. OMPEA 'adniits the first two, but since: agreeing to piiy off to registrations oil ; the day . of drawing whether a ticket . Is bought or not, Jjelieves there is no element of consideration. Johnson says , the mei-e turning Into, k theatre lobby and sighing a name Is giving of a person's time, and time is worth something—thereforie, ; consideration Is present. OMP^A. offers $500 each AVedhes: day night, the assessment ot 26 Oinaha theatres. If undrawn, it goies to $750, then to $liOOO; $l;Ooa is the . most which can be given away each week. There are some 40,000 registra; tibhs now on tab for the; stunt. All the gambling :elements and urges are present in this idea;, accord- ing to Johnson, and. he! paints a pic- ture of the theatres preying, on the individual who is enliced>. to' risk small money to get big. Ohio still Uncertain " Colunibus, iDic.-Sl Status of hank night in Ohio; after the. Supreme Co\irt refused to rule on, its legality, still remains status quo: maybe yes, maiybe no. After nearly two years of court action, the case of Attenweiler vs. Troy Amiise merit Co. reached .the highest state court, but the bench, while refusing to ^rant an injunction preventing Troy police from interfering. with bank night: at the i^ayflowcr theatre there, declined to^ rule ori legality of the game; Court explained stand, in asmiich as they could not make a. decision oh criminal statutes in iri junotlori proceedings, by pointing out that- an arrest on lottery charges; with appeals, \yould hnhg a- .solution , INSPIRATION? illt on . the Head, Theatre Man Writes Best Ad Campaign ; San; Firanciscoi bec....31. ' "Whvle everyliody gave him credit ior flu, secans (hat C.hai:liBy,.Schalifei:. of : the' TJnited Arti.st* here spent two weeks .on . hi?/back .actually on ..ac- count bf. a concussion. .Stboped;pyer in. his own kitchen ,and banjged his noggin 01) .an- open., cupboard door a's' he came up. pidri't' notice any;- (hing. until several hoiiris later when he suffered a hear ■; collapse,,doc or^; ; deririg- him tO;- b.?d pronto. whfre hie ,stSye'di. - ^^ ■!■,. : Odd sidelight/is that this cafinpaigh for 'Thief of. Bagdad' which he pre-- pared while flat pn his biaclc furhcd out best of any in recent months. After glimpsing .first day's biz, Schal- ifer's, boss' has' 9ugBcsted he ' get ■ at least ohe ■concu.'aiort peir .jiidhth. : :. *-Pd be a hero if . I'd. got / koriked ■in a. car,* wails. Charies,/'but because it happened .ih my own house, every- body, just laiighs;' ••' ■ ' "\ Ycb^ Let . Boston, Dec . 31.^ : George .Raft Is- playing \ the RkO Boston on a persbhali ap- pearance. ^z; The Trahslux, jacross the street, is offering him in a reissue of 'Scarfacc,' with ah English co-; feature tabbed 'Let ;Gebrge Do. CUFF LEWIS MAY GO RKOONSCHAMROK Cliff Lcy^'is, adveirtising-publiclty head of the Parampunt studio who was succeeded in . that post recently by George Brbwn,, may join RKO in-' stead of coining east to go into an exploitation: spot with Paramount ait the h.o. Understood RKO is inter- ested; in him, on the recommendation of George J. Schaeferj who was for ■years with Par, w^en Lewis was on h.o; advertising. . Arcli Reeve,' lately with 20th-Fox and now on the Coast, was uiider consideration for the Lewis spot at the t'ar studio before Brown wais set. . ReeVe . is no\y ill Ayith gastric ulcers whicli caused serious hem- morhage complicatibn.s., : HyDaab Joins: Par Flacks Fly tbe Coop .Hollywood, Dec. 31. i Hy "Daab,; veteran 'fflm - publicist and onetime 'advertising manager of yAuiEty, has checked in at Paramount to take charge of .special campaigns, ishift; is one of :the results; of. the ^general shakeiip ; fOllQwing the ap- ppihtmeht .of •George. Brown as. stu^ ::diO's publitity chief.. . , ; ■ Five taembers of the, flackery; Bert Holloway, Bill Hebert, Arthur. Pow- ell,: Bob Burkhardt and Bob Blewitt have checked . off the • Iptv .Hollo- way's. . post asi head .of :thie; ;unit rbbm was taken-over biy Murphy .Mcr Henry, who moyed over:' frpni .Ed- ward ^iriall Productions, iwhere he Was; in charge of publicity and.adverr tiisihg for two years. Other vacan- cies will be filled later. . Daab. graduated frbni the ne.\yspa-? per ; field to . become: /advertisihg- publicity boss of Ihe old Cole-Rob- er'tsbn outfit, which turned'into .FBO aiiid latei: into RKO; In 1933 he took charge of Columbia's.' ad-publicity staff in. New York; ;find. joined ■Varietj in 1938. . . 7: -Starting shbrtlyi Leonard .Go.lden< soii. Paramount .home office theatre executivje working idirectiy. lindej: Barney' Bialabah, . will .make: an ex- haiustiVe tpiir of seveiial piairts Of the cQuritry to personally cbnfer ^yith field operators, house managers and, to look, over theatre 'properties- he ;hasn't .seen;-'.''' He iwiU cover the entire south, the •Texas territory, tittle- Rock, i arid New England ainipng ixthers. Dur- ing the pa^t year Goldehson; in cpni- pany" with,;.Sam: Dernibow, Jr., has covered every northern i theatre iln the Par Jlpld.: At present recuper- ating at his Cedar i Island (Larch- mont, iN. Y.).home from an auto acr Pident, Deinbpw will not be able to resume ttny tiraveiing top Par ifor "it least a month. PHIIIy Goes for Ganies . Philadeljphia; Dec. 3.I.- .-;MOte.-th.an 70'Philly nabe.s are;h.biti:' ping on. the gam.es t«indvvagbh as . resuit of the recent ruling .of - Judge Howard. A. Davis in/cbmmon ¥leas Court '4eplaring;- ,that.- 'Zihgo* ■. .aiiid ' 'Gash :Quiz'_ were, legal. 'Cash .Quiz,' distrilputeci here;by P^vid: Malsm'ah, vgoes into - abPiit 35~ - houses, starting 4his week. TbiE- ganie consists of flashing qucgtiOnS on the screen and punching,; of ■ correct an-' svvers ;pn cards held. by, patiphs." Cash prizes are .given to winners. . 'Tlingp.' owne.d /and' distributed by David MOlliveri local iindie: exhibi goes into :a like hujriber of theatres pn Jan; 6. In: thk game a . play .is en- acted from -the screen witji' isoimd^ ef;; fedts ehianaiting from the sound track. P'layers ■at* aiskeii to identify- the sounds; . .,■• Aldridge Vici? Rogers . : Hollywoodi Dec. 31. .Katharine Aidridge^:WJis. assigned to .-fill the role left Vacant by the ill- ness ot Jean Rogeris.BS femme lead in 'bead Men-TellVat 2qth-Fox,, V $hift was made beifore Miss Rbgers appeared in - the picturie, lo no rty takes, are necessary;. Tantasia^ Into^^^ 'Fantasia' will have its first three ■openings outside of New •York late in, January. They wiH be iii Boston, Philadelphia and Lps Angeles, with only Boston fully set ' It will be Jan. 23 at the Majestic; Dates in Phiily and L.a; will, be within a couple days of Boston. ' Houses have riot been chosen. Hub home Of the Dishey miisical is a l,400-seat;shubert house which has recently been dark. Broadway, at which the pic is playing in New York, is also a Shubert holding, although there is said to be np sig- nificance in the coincidence.: Policy in Boston, will be exactly the i same two-a-day, reserved seat as in. Man- hattan. Milton Chamberlain, who formerly operated . the Little Car- negie and pther class .houses in N; Y., will bp manager. Jack-Gold- stein, Bbstoii legit p.a., will handle ■press,.. \:" ■■''^ - yy: -■'.'■: pick' CbndOni: Disney puiiliciity chief, who has beehvpii an advance •tOur,', was; called back to his desk in New York last .week aS result of thb .jiani-up cau.'fed by qiiick-pfder open- ings, Frank . Braden,; whib: w^s iac- cbmpanying hiiri: during the winter layoff . of Rlngli'ng Bros..; circus. Which he regulafly , publicizes, ^ will handle'this. Philly"preein." :L.A; ii'ri- ■veiiing' will be tinder^ auspices pf studib- prpss departnieht.^ ■ ; / ^ .Hal iHorne, :Pisnoy pastern rep, Avill'gp. tb Chicago arid Detrbit this Week. ;tp. make a selection from ai riurnber,: of houses ■giyen pn okay by Di.sney engiricers. Chi; Dettoit arid iWashingtori will be the; second .trio of flijeningS,^ ;'..'■' DISC COSTS STYMIES FILMS'S. A, BALLY IDEA Plan to use ian industry radio pro- ram, via discs - spotted, on local. Latin- Americari stations, has struck a shag. Heavy expense entailed by such an alignment has ;caused sevr eral maj br, company foreign piublicr ity chiefs to oppose the idea, orig- inally outlined by Metro. Itiwas the cost item which was one, of the prin- cipal objections raised against the Latin-American sriortwaVe proposal of iNatibhal Broadcasting CP. : Despite the objections '. .. cost, final check has not been Completed and until it is made no vote of major companies on: the discs' plan will be riiade. . However, alniost upaninious vote will be necessary if the Latin- American idea becomes an industry affair. Dixie Very Active . Spartanburg, S. C, Dec. '31. , New Year looms ps one of busiest pn record for Dixie theatre :constr'uc- tioh and -reriiodeling.'. :New.Palmetto job startis iri January here.' .Ground broken for- or. E.M. Mc'Dairiiel's new Martinsville; "Va., iinit. W; F; Garna- ham, operating' theatres at Beatty^. ville and Morehead, .Ib^., Will build new Sandy Gap, Kjr. theatre to re- place phe burned.' Gresent^ Amus, Co. . buildinjg : new Decatur, Ala., housie, slated for January, opening. New I'Mecck; opened at Tullahoma, Tenn., by Cumberland Amus. Go. Eugene Russell, transferred from Princess, Nashville, :is: manager, Dr. Mi D. Garred purchased the Ash■^ land tKy.) Capitol arid will.rennodcl.. Fairfax (Ala.) theatre being re- modeled. Rialto,. KiiigspOrt, Tenn., Will be reniodeled by 'Charles Burns, adding 140 seats. Crescent, Little Rock, Ark,, also Slated for remodeling job. Ellison Dunn building new Ashford, Ala., liriit. Cameo opened . In ; Orlando, Fla- House is .412-sedter, Work be- ^un on house- at Starke, Fla,, for W. N. Carnasion; Will seat 700, C. T. Chapirir managerj Dixie and Riti. announces liOOO-seater to start soon in Ocala, Fla. Sparks chain ready- ing plans ior theatre at Fort'Meyers, Fla. House Will seat 800. Pewitt & Roysil are building new Meridian, Miss,, unit. Dayton, Ky., gets hew 800-seater to be built by A.. Bressler, operating the Libei-ty.: Majestic, Green Forest; Ky., instailled new stage, screen and heating. New Clark opened iat Win-: Chester, Ky., by Meyer if Schwartz. Fiske-Carter Construction Co.; Spartanburg, arid Jones Construction Co., Charlotte, .N. C, will build three theatres on 20,000 army reser- vation at Spartanburg. Hbusei for '16,500 men :due' tb start training March 15. Specki 'Va.' Preeiii For Brit War Relief The Canadian Maple , Leaf Fund, Canadian-sponsored organization in this country ifor British war. relief, has arranged to take over the en- tire orchestra floor of the Para- mount; N.: Y-, Jan. 28, for a special premiere that night of 'Virginia.' The Fund plans selling the , seats itself at advanced prices, with the proceeds to go . Intp the Piind's treasufy. In addition to; the Glerin. Miller band and the.^ regular Par show ,;to play Avith ^Virginia,' , there Will ibP personal appearances of starsr frorii screen, stage arid ra^lo on the preem Which w'ill be Bt ;8:30:p.m; iro 'Scattprgbpd Baihes,' firist pi-oduc-. tiOri made byi Pyramid-for. RKO re: lease; is gettirig a never KbOst. this monthvon the radio ;show of .the- same title; .sponsored by Wrigley. Progranls will concjsri) theinselves with the film version of 'Soattergobd Raines,' many of sctlpts • being framed: around the picture and pos- sible production locations. : • Film now is set for release on Feb. 21.. Ouy Kibbee has title role. Hollywbbdy . Dec. 31.. - : David pi Selzhick engaged 'VTictbr t/l. Shapiro to handle special publicity for twb- picture?,; indicating- that the producer., of 'Gone .With the Wind' is about to make ' ah. early ■ start: on the'two flliris he oWes United Artists Shapiro's pontract is -with tlhc-new Payid:©. Selznick Productions, sue ceSsor tp Seiznick-international. He will yemain with, the ripw piitfit .un- til late spring, '\yheh hei mbves out to fijlfill a previous commitment. PUXOT JOINS TJA STAFF Leb Pillot, who had been doing Qc casional wbrk fpr the United Artists exploitation department, .was added permanently -to. the' publicity staff last week. He will handle trade pa pers. ■ -' Arthur Jeffrey Will contlniife to service dailies and syndicates and Butt Chsiiripion -will handle, general duties, specializing In radio. ; Schlne's .Closed /town . Mt. Vernon; O., Dec. 31. Belpik Corp., Schine subsidiary, has been given .a five-year Ibase on the theatre: in the Knox County Mem- orial Bldg. in Mt. Vernoni O. The lease gives Schine control of all three houses here. Maler's Shift Buffalo, Dec. 31. William Maier, formerly with 20th- Fox here, becomes manager of the Behling's Ellen Terry replacing O. W. Klinck; Annual exodus to Florida this month includes the A. G. Haynians, Lafayette, the A. C. Behlings, .Ellen Terry, the Frank Smiths, Eggcrts- ville; George Biehler, Palace, Harti- burg. - Jack Reed, Hollywood, Gowanda, elected : sec-treas of Eastern Tan- neries/ ■■ - . • - iiewly announced remOdelings in- clude George Phillips' Schiller Park, Syracuse, and Dick: TeTota's Gene- see, Mt. Morris. • Vern Kelly, .M-G. cljecker, died suddenly of a heaft attack in iSyra- cuse. ■; .■■ ■' , Sidney S. Ktilick, state sales- miah- ager PDC, touring western - and southern N. Y. : Gertrude Lutzi (Ricbotta), for many years soprano with Shea's Buffalb orchestra, mother of baby girl. . • ■.:;.: ..■ ' . - ■;■' . Clara; Johes, Shea's Buffalb staff, remains. at:. the City hospital where she has been a patient over a year; Several Syracuse nabes, following ineeting held by the Syracuse exhib grbupi^, . increaising admissions from 15c to 20c.arid will .abolish.children' 5-lOc matinees. .^ . ; Hayes Garbaririo.-riewly appointed manager of Dipson's. Franklin, Lack awanha, was robbed in. broad day- light in front of the theatre' on his way to. bank with the preceding day's receipts. , Two men slugged him with a lead pipe Iriflicting fractures of the skull arid right arrii. • : . Talley Heada Pitt Union . Pittsburgh, Dec. .31: Ted Tolleyvof Metro has been re elected president of Filmrpw Ex change Employes Union, B-11, and Alfred Kutan, WB, was nanied toithe buslaess agent'c post. Othet <jitticefs are 'Sarah ■ Kells, IRKO, v.p;;. John. Navpriey, Par, treasurer, and Mary Carroll, RKO, secretary. Cbnlihu- irig as members of executive board are Jack Fontaine, Par; Harold Tirikei', RKO; Mary Hughes. WBj Orlando Boyle, Col; Henty Sliver- man, NSS, and Eva Reiff, Col. Tirustees fOr 1941: will be Jack Welt- ner, MG; Joe Pemberton, U, and Harry Reiff, Cpl. ; New theatre Will be Opened within few weeks in Nanty Gib, .Pa-, by Philip LaMantia, who operates the Dodge auto; agency . in that; town.- LaMantia, however, isn't a new- comer to the exhibitor field, haVin^ been fomer partner of- Joe Delisi, who pwns; the Capitol and New Family in Nanty Glo. Briefies: It's a second daughter for the Johnny Mayers. He's the Pisnn artist.;. ..The Jake Smiths (Barhes-i boro exhib) have left for a vacatiori in. Florida.;. .Roxy, Martinsburg, Pa,, been acquired by Blatt Bros; . Joe Bugala named manager of the Marios theatre, in Ell wood City, Pa.,, succeeding Hariy G. BondUrant, . re- signed. Appoiritmerit ■was made by Bernard; Bucheit, district manager for Manos Pircuiti who transferred Bugala frorii chain's Latrobe house, the Olympic. ' Robert Jacob:;, 22, son of ISld Ja- cobs, district manager fbr WB un- der Harry Kalmine, has beeri called up: for active duty in U; S. Army. Young Jacobs, a second lieutenant in the reserve corps, reports at Nara-' gansett Bay Jan. 2. . < Sam Bianco, Of the State, ,Clyriier, died last week In the Johris Hopkint Hospital; Baltimore, after brief ill- riess. One- of his sons, Johri -Bianco,- has managed thp house for some time. ■ ;■ Phila. Showmen Elect . Philadelphia, Dec. 31: •' Shbwmen's Club held elections, for officers for 1941; at their hew .quar- ters on Vine street last week with the. following chosen: A. B.. Blbfsori, 'star'; Charles Goldfirie,- 'stand-in'; Myer Adelman, 'ye.s-man'; . Isadora Gewertz,, 'script man'; Wilson Turner,, 'financial script man'; Samuet Rosen, 'banker'; David W. .Yaffe, 'coupr sellor'; and George Sobei; David Stai'kman, CharleS^ Stiefel, and Maiir. rice H. Verbin, 'members of the board of producers.' Charles Goldflne, operator of the Aldan, has been selected chairman ; of the film industi'y'^s committee for the Salvation Army piampaign. Frank McNamee, former RKO ex- change boss'; will head the Infantile. Paralysis drive as busine.ss manager.. James P. Clark Ls general chairman. Members of the picture, committed for the campaign are Earle Sweigert, Sam Gross, Charles Zagrans, Sarii Stiefel. and Oscar Neufeld. More than 400 employes of the Af- filiated Theatre circuit and their families were guests of prexy Dave Milgrain at a dinner party at the Hotel Majestic Sunday night (29). Enriployes of the Stanley-Warner circuit got a week's pay as" a Yule- tide bonus at a party at the . Warner. Club on Tuesday. In return they gave zone' boss Ted iSchlangcx » radio-victrola combination.; Local filmites are planning tb throw a testiriionial dinner to Mike Lessey and Bill Butler, veteran ex- hibs who have retired. Lessey sold his Diamorid to the S-W circuit a couple of weeks agb; Butler sold his Clearfield three years ago. Besides. I^ational Screen Service; two indie poster houses, opened with- in the past two weeks. One is the Keystone Poster Exchange, fun by John Schaeffer and Jack-Weiss;, the other, Indppenderit :Poster: Excliange. Bowjers'' Acquisitlong. . . , Llncbln^^^^^ Harold G. Bowers, -who has . the Chiifef in Weeping Water, Neb.,; formed a new corporation last week .—^the Hialtb Bldg; .Co.. . in Beatrice, Neb., arid, bought the Rialto in Bea- trice from Dean Randall/ of Eugene,: Ore, ■■ ■ "■ '.v.- .. . Estimated damage to the Broad- way, Council Bluffs, la., after the recerit fire, was put at $30,000 mostly iriterjbr stuffi: It will take more than a ■ month to get it' back in business" order, according . tb manager,: Earl Kerr;';-.\•'•■:.;' ■: *' ,' Nace Ties In SOth AnmWitli In- connection With the theatre drive In tribute to Barney Balaban on his fifth year as president of,Par* amourit, Harry t. Nace, operator of the PUblix-Rickards-^Nace circuit » the far southwest. Is carrying otit » 30th anniversary celebration over \nt chain. Making headquarters iat PhoenuCi theiP.R-N circuit operates 22 hQU»es" in Arizona. Nace is general ffwi' ager.:.