Variety (December 1943)

Wednesday, December 6, 1913 xETy PICTURES 23 RKO Plans Turning Back Number Of Houses to Indies; Other Theatre Bnefs IH«D is planning to turn back to independent theatre operations.and ownership some 10 to IS houses in various parts of'the-.'U. S. which the chain has held on lease but has not been operating. Offers from the individual oper- ators ot these houses arc under con- sideration by RKO toppers. At the moment there appears to be a. strong likelihood' that the theatres under discussion will be sold to independ- ent operators. Understood that thea- tire's involved included a number ct those leased during the over-expan-. siou era, .-■'Since".I< is not operating, com- pany execs arc reportedly in favor <>l .-ollinu 'Iho-.houses. . Dctuxer Stalled Minneapolis, Dec. 7. clays in obtaining/- necessary Horns' for readying the 4.000-scat Mimic-oln theatre is causing a rcvi- sinn of.the' P'.ir'a'rnoiint circuit's plan Roxy. Crystal City. Mo., is visiting wife and son in Arizona where the son is seeking a health cure! Managerial Switches Indianapolis. Dec. 7. Moe Essei nian., formerly- manager of. Circle, succeeded Pete Bathory, resigned, as manager of the Lyric, in one of several changes announced tin's week by Ken Collins, city man- a*n' Mr. the Katz-Dolle theatres, Essoiman is succeeded at the Circle by Earl Kutledge. former- assistant at the-Indiana, while George Papas, imported from Youngstown. O.. takes 1 Rullcdgc's nlacn at the Indiana. 1 L. ,T. McGinley. Universal branch 1 nianager.. elected chief barker ot the IndianaDOlis Variety Club. Loew s usii>': its stage' for the. first lime in deeaflo. with Ipr. I. Q..pre-' senliii'4 his radio show on Monday niahts for. sjx weeks. Keith's, open for a vautlo-film pol- icy Thursday through Sunday each All of Which Makes Good Trailer for Warners' Pic St. Louis, Dec, 7. In-.'Injun JiniV cave at Hannibal. Mo., near here, where Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, Mark Twain's immortal characters, had their hair- raising experiences, a motion picture of SamueL L. '.Clemens was shown i last .week.' A group of 24 school; kiddies, costumed as the characters | of Mark Twain,' saw the famous | author as he. had appeared' in 1909.'! a year prior to ii.is death. | The pix were made by the late; Thomas A. Edison at 'Hartford. | Conn/, and the showing was a fea-] ture-of the 108th anniyci-s'ary .or the I humorist's birthday at Florida; Mo..' a short --distance' from Hannibal where he spent his early life. ; Philadelphia, Dec. 6. You can't gel the janitor.-, and cleaning women at the mabes in Philiy sore about meat rationing. In fact some of ihcm are hoping that th scarcity of the stuff will last:forever. Before the war the bane in the.-existence of the cleanup squad were the ham bones, hunks of pork and salami which were left under the seats—remains of the lunch that mamma packed for Junior when he hiked down to the. Lyric for a Saturday matinee. Today it's heaven. Noihjng but candy wrappers; other debris which is easy 'o dispose of. Theatre's Facelift Snringlicld. Mass.. Dec. 7. The Canilbl. WB downtowner, closed./pr facelifting. Manager Andy Selie will reopen Dec. 24 with 'His Boiler's Sister.' Removal of stage has just adt'ed 74. seats. Current 'project entails painting, inside and out. and redecoration of rest rooms. Theatre Damaged hy Fire Graham.. Texas.. Dec. 7. . The. Liberty, owned and operated here by W. X Wilkie; severely dam- aged last week by lire. The back of the house was gulled but no dam- age was. no lo the main section of .the; theatre. House is being tcmpo- rarilv closed pending plans ot re- building It. reopen the shuttered $2.000.0001 week, will till in the first half with; showhouse Christmas, or New Year's j » n»a<lrsho\v.- Maid of. the Ozarks.' ( week. The reopening time now is! cc._ l-Wo.-. "vei v iiHlel'milc.' according to John J. I • ' ~" I-'riedl, president of the circuit. . | -Heads .Houston Tent , When the house does reopen il ■ ■ Houston. Dec; 7. | will have a straight film policy.-.'The • . h.C Baxl.-y. owner and operator i Ci-htury will be used for extended - or Pla.'.a. elected prez of local' Va- -. runs and the Lyric, how the'-hold-! rielv Club. Al Morlensen again given ! over theatre, will revert to its previ- ] Posl of properly master, a post he : . dus loop second run policy. There has. hold since the club was organ will be a total of six cfownlown | U6A here three years ago. houses for lirst-runs in addition to the holdover Century. If the consent decree requires.a dissolution of the present Paramount , circuit—Mo.rt H. Singer pooj. .cover- ing all loop lirsl-run theatres except-' jug; Ihe World—it's anticipated that the lone Singer house. Ihe Orpheuni. wit) have to depend more on stage shows lo keep in Ihe boxoffice run- ning. As far as film product is con- cerned.' it is likely to be al a big disadvantage in competition with the many Paramount chain-theatre's. Hartman's ktookines '• v.. Kansas City, Dec. 6. ■ ErI Harlman. formerly with the Poller Thealre circuit, has organized an agency which now is booking more than a'half-dozen-'local nabc houses. •Sunn Lawler given more duties at Fox-Midwest, subbing for H. A. Mcr i Clurc. district manager in eastern i Kansas, recently granted n leave of absence. .lack Grinstead. formerly of Wyoming, now managing the Roan- oke theatre for Dickinson. Lexington, St. I.oo, Sold St. Louis, Dec.'7. Second iridic nabc to change own- ership recently is the Lexington, a 700-sealer in North.St.. Louis.-pur- chased last week by same interests, thai recently bought the Palm, a 0'un-seater in the same part of town '■from Victor B. Thien. Barney Rosenthal, manager of ihe SI. Louis-branch for Monogram Pio lures, has closed a deal with Harry Miller, owner of the Miller, Feslus. Mo., for tin 4 showing of- Monogram's entire '1943-44 product. Rosenthal recently closed a similar deal with C. H. Weeks, Dcxler. Mo... exhib who owns houses in Dexter and Bernic. Mo. '.Julius Levenlhal.. co-partner with Charles Goldman in the Downtown Lyric and Senate, sidelined by a se- vere cold. Tilden Oick.«oii; part owner of the ' Skouras Division Mftrs. San Francisco. Dee. 7. Charles - P. Skouras. president of Fox-Wesl Coast, announced while here last week thai B. V. Slur.divant and George Bowser have , been ele- vated to the positions of division managers of the Northern California and. Southern California territories, respectively. Both have been serv- ing since June 01 1942 as district su- pervisors.- Sturdivanl in San- Fran- cisoo and Bowser in Los Angeles. ■ Bowser will continue to operate with Los -Angeles as his headquar- ters, while Slurdivanl will maintain his '.office in Sah Francisco. Cut in Lithos, Posters, Not Worrying Pix Biz Since Use Is Curtailed ■ Allhough no official nol:fica!ion lias been -received-.by'eastern poster and accessories coin panics, informa- tion -the- Goveinivi::;n will severely restrict J ills hd posters at the turn of the new' year is not causing much worry among execu- tives in this field. They piiinl nut thai oiitdoor.sheet- ing. from one's up to 2-l-sheels are .-virtually extinct nOw and tjuit not as much lithograph materia! is. used hi lobbies anymore. : Outdoor ; adver- tising for pictures has gone by the boards largely as result of'restricted car travel and djmoiits or brownouts which have minimized the value of this type of merchandising. Under the -new 'restrictions, the use of lithos and outdoor posters come first for the U. S. government, with banks second and -'essential in- dustries third, while if there's any- thing lcfl the pix industry, among others, is'welcome to it. Where outdoor advertising is de- sired by picture companies, a painted rather than a pasted board can be used, no paper being required, wilh no hardship so far as paint is con- cerned, there being plenty of this article available. Film actors who have left Ihe Warners lot lo join the.armed forces, ar* gelling more fan mail now than Ihey ever got when they were parading in front of a camera. Biggest increase is mailed lo Ronald Reagan, nbw - wcarihg two bars in the Army. . Second in postal speed-up goes to Gig Young since he . launched i Ihe Coast Guard. Other fan acceleration has-been registered by '-Jeffrey-' Lynn. Wayne Morris. Herbert Anderson. George Campeau, Keith Douglas, Charles Drake. Ross Foul. John Forsylhe. Arthur Kennedy, Harry Lewi and Ray Montgomery-..now .in uniform and far from the cameras. ..Current' issue of Liberty, nvog -Carries a special arlicle aboul Howard Dielz tilled. 'He Makes the Stars Shine./ Wiiftcn by Edward -Hulehings, Jr., arlicle cditoi for Liberty, it gives, background of Dietz' • as p.a. for Goldwyn and later MOM. Arlicle hints Diet/.;'as coiner ol phrases.-was instigator of famous G wyiiisms such as incident when the producer ordered his "office staff to throw out a -tremendous tile olmovieann,-but'suggested they keep a carbon of e\ erything. . about film stars who plan lo go overseas to entertain lh» . is causing a lol ol annoyance in Army circles. On more than one occasion' the AVar. Dept. has cancelled overseas trips because of over- zealous press agentry. The Army doesn't care how much the flacks broadcast about visits to training camps in Ihe U. S. A., but when they publicize-impending trips abroad il means a sudden clamp-down by the "Army. , ■><«' _' An indication of how far exchange bosses are reaching in order lo fdl vacancies caused by war/is pointed up in Ihe hiring of a golf chanij for.a booking department job in the Paramounl branch at Albany* N. . Y. Par has signed up Tom Crcavy, golf pro at the Albany Country club, lo try his. Hand at drives and pilches' from a booker's desk. Creavy .wpn the 'National PC.A. Championship in. 1931, but recently -ivas forced to retire from the links as result of an illness. Hew York Theatres Rogers Vs. Anlry Hypos Bit Princess. T°ledo. cashed in on an all-western bill via a western star contesl. asking pairons to vote for Roy Rogers or Gene Autry. House used' Rogers'-latest starrer for Re- public. "Man from Music Mountain.' and reissue of Autry's "Ride. Tender- foot. Ride." another Republic film. Tor the dualer. Theatre h.illyhoocd contest and double hill via four-column ad in the Toledo^ lade, with ballots going to every person attending show. Rogers won the vole. WILBY-KINCEY INTO THE POSTER BIZ ALSO Robert B.' Wilby and Harold F. Kincey, w-ho hoad-the''AVilby-Kincey circuit of 150 theatres in Ihe south ;ind southeast, together wilh J. H. Harrison, a W-B operating official at Atlanta headquarters^ have gone into the poster business on the side. They have formed the Rebel Poster , Exchange. Inc.. at -Atlanta. . | Paramounl is a partner of the i Wilby-Kincey circuit, with a varying interest in the numerous subsidiary ' companies making ii|> the chain ROXY 1 4» LOCWt State . Tlinr.. I»i" : . » I m .Si-roi-n ^Ti'<'lilil( , "l'"' "1'HINTIHI iff tiik <>rj-:n.v Mlnrrllir i NKI.SON I-;IM>V Kilfii! •Ini-.v A HAMS 22 nd ' PHriHiimirirh "FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS" '. <'iinlliiiiiiii<* lVrfornmnrrn frt»ni 111:^11 n.m. RIVOLI B'way & 49thSt "The Kid told the old man that VVhcati.es wouid help start the day off with a bang-but he ain't leaving liothin' to chance. The precocious delinquent wlio thanks to Wlioaties.Jic eats hreak- leads.;his life along- guerrilla lines fast w-illingrly. lie flow-ns his ; often jrives his punch-drunk -par-." Whoa tics 'blissfully, icfrularly, and ents this one consolation: at least, in aiipalling; abundance. Gillette's Financial Analysis for Barron's Don Carle Gillette. Warner Bros.' honicon'.ice trade press rep. has j branched out as a financial scribe by dpin;: a comprehensive tome on, 'Movies Profiling from Revivals' in' Barron's, national business-linancial | weekly. Cillctlr's arlicle took top ' position .up-rroiit in the Nov. 29 is- sue. ' ' Gillette, highlighicd- the fact thai Ihe film business has evolved betler methods- of doing business. as a re- j suit of wartime reslViclions, b»lh as to disliib 'market and- 'quantity' of picture' product. • Tie-cited that- old' films have been reissued to mdke ndcii.tibir.il inoney lor (list ributors and the promotion methods have im- proved'. U Expands Quarters i Universal is ncariiig completion oh ils homcoftire ad-pu.blicily quarter.--': revamping and enlargement pro- gram.' Office s are .in- the 'A building'. ■s being rcnovaled.jn make, room for addili'iiuil i-xploitalioi: quarters aiul 'to. .en'larai- 'he ollice ' Matiriec-' Bf'r^hiai 1 . e-r.- tci i: ad-pr|V)licity chief. "Gttd . Ia' IIm whil* faMlly.'- —Nicnolt. Timtl. 50c, $1 & $1.50 7,x Sit. Nillill Only. SOt. It 12.j« rlut Tti S.i(|ll llriri.- .V Arilt'll M Witl/ l-ir.CI.I SECOND EDITION STARS ON ICE CENTER THEATRE. RockefrJlrr CenUr CO. i'j*7A. Evi*. B:<0; Sun. H:I3. M»t.. Wed,, Sal. 3:40; Sun. ■ J. No M»nd«y Prrt. MAIL OROERS FtLLEO THE NEW VICTORIA . S'WAT & 46'h — Oo'It, ' 3:45. 8 41 M<m-Uic«»< Sari Sufii., Holt.) Jit, . tl.10 E»*»..l) H> t?-?0 Cairo ihoWi ion . Suai.. RKO PALACE t w> • .4 I'll. Conl.nuo.i e«r 1-^rpionC*! 9eoy Id, e»n«d 3nl WKKK ERROL FLYNN In tVHrnrr llrlM. Nrw IIH "NORTHERN PURSUIT" In IvrMin GLEN GRAY Ami III. (ji'.il l.-nm Orrli . KllTH WILLIE HOWARD THE BERRY BROS. B'way & 47th St. STBAND Chliuli-Ur 4'iiIIhtI • f.rwl Jliirllnrmy. "NO TIME FOR LOVE" ,\ I'll i:j.ii| III I*,' I Hi-'" l\ I",i:iim»s Woody HERMAN and Band PARAMOUNT Times Square HI V MOKIv anil .M<HIK \V.\1I itll.MI". K Mill) t ITV MUSIC HALL "WHAT A ; WOMAN" Spectacular Stage' Production* John WAYNE ★ Martha SCOTT ALBERT OEKKER Rs.nl nn Thfim'.fii Burl:.' ;w.-- ol Ih. -WiM«*u' .v i:i |'l -.a.li' I'll Ti ::l. G L O B E—B. way & 46th St. NAVAL L0C OF VICTORY LATEST ■- MARCH OF TIME KMllll I'lTV MISK .; TIME-LIFE'S SPLURGES Life ''liu'iM ha- selecfeil. 'Ma'lunic ' C(U':e : as il: 'Pirtei e-'if-tlie-Week; unci iv c;iriyin': >i\ pact's, on the film in the Dec. II! is'iie. Ti' e mas i'ive< its eoyui - In Greer GiO'-on on Di-c ill. I UliOM'. CapVtov IWDHf I At M«(f 1^ HAYHO.'IO SCOTT | | i„,iy i.aki.nsi^ *uea^!wain' .. M l!-M • ', JACKIE MILES _. .. - >. • AL DEXTER "Girl Crazy i c-piiut Pickm' 1 Mimi'l ■ MICH \l:L TODD j»res<-ills' """'""'"-.o-BOYS COU PORTfR SONGS »I.VIN. W«f S*l< Si/ *««». <ti*4. « S»l