Boxoffice - Feb. 17, 2014

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. . . . . . . The . . . Ralph . . "Of . . The . . ^ j J ;' 'ill ,, S' IFIKAMCM^CO f^HINATOWN'S celebrations of their New Year combined -with the worst Ash Wednesday business in over a decade made Bill Coovert celebrated his first anniversary as manager of the El Camino in San Bruno with the biggest birthday party the peninsula has seen. Every patron to enter his house on the night of the anniversary was given a piece of the huge cake set in the lobby. One thousand pieces were eked out of the mammoth bit of pastry and it was a gala evening indeed. Also, we have it direct from the stork that the Cooverts will be passing out cigars in April. Congratulations, Bill. A new record in local newsreel reporting occurred when Telenews Tlieatre filmed the controversy over the local traffic problem and had the short on the screen within 24 hours after the bombshell hit the papers. Fifty thousand San Pi-ancisco motorists face actual arrest as a result of Judge Ames' decision to issue warrants to traffic offenders who have failed to appear after receiving tickets. The Telenews short had Ames present his side along with Judge Kaufman, who opposes the movement as useless. Chief of Police Quinn and the Examiners' traffic expert, Dick Pearce. to Warner, where he will be the city salesman. Bud Macdonald moves up from . . . Warner's city to out-of-tovon salesman annual dinner-dance will be held at the Bal Tabarin on the llth . . . Wm. V. Oliver, president of the French Saxon China Co., has been in town visiting Pacific Premium, the west coast (and the largest) distributor of his blue plates. The seven downtown first-run houses signed an agreement with the APL this week giving doormen and cashiers a five cent per hour boost in salary. The old agreement was terminated last November and conferences have been held frequently since then. The new pact runs for two years . . . Jack Erickson and Floyd Bernard, 20th-Fox salesmen, have left town for a three-week swing . . Ballyhoo . has been started for "Grapes of Wrath," which goes into the Fox on the 29th . Ed Golden, Monogram sales manager on a tour of the nation, drops into our town on the 29th for a three-day stay . Paramount has been entertaining Charles Reagan, western district manager, and George Smith, divisional sales manager Egyptian is enjoying good crowds with its exclusive showing of "The Living Dead," the pre-Hitler German picture handled by Coast Pictures. for women only. Gordon, mental vnzard, answers all questions from the audience . . . "Port of Shadows" ended a three- as . . . the past week a sorry one with regard to Da7i McLean, always drumming up new the cinema boxoffice. The Chinese started ideas to sell seats at his Embassy, has drawing crowds around Wednesday and had "Gordon the Great" on the stage swung into high on the weekend with three for a two-a-day, with a special matinee full days of program designated as the second annual Rice Bowl Party. Thousands deserted the theatres to wander about Chinatown, touring the streets, shops, week run at the Clay and moved out in temples, tongs, and bazaars. Over $50,000 favor of "Harvest" . Diamond was gathered in to aid the Chinese civilian and Rivoli. East Bay houses of the Golden State chain, began Book Nights this week refugees. an experiment Two Hollywood favorites, Ray Noble and Garwood Van, brought their orchestras to town for hotel engagements. Noble occupies the bandstand at the Palace and Van is ensconced at the St. Francis . Mice and Men" concluded a three-week stay at the United Artists and "The Lion Has Wiiigs" moved in . . . Ed Beck, M-G-M exploiteer, has been absent from his desk for the past three weeks. He is really gone with the ivind. . Rene Poirier is building a house in Brisbane and will open in about 60 days Abbott of the Jamison-Handy Corp., has been in town spotting his Jam- Handy shorts to local exhibitors Visitors on the Row have been scare this week, but we did manage to see Mr. and Mrs. George Page, Ritz. Calistoga; Charlie Muehlman, Roxie, Sacramento, and Robert Cuzan, Crystal, Salinas. FWC Chain to Single Bill "Grapes" and "Passage" Los Angeles—Both "The Grapes of Ramblings on the Row: Ty Winkle has Wrath" and "Northwest Passage" are to taken over the Piedmont in Piedmont from be single-billed throughout the entire Fox Charlie Michaels, who will devote all of West Coast circuit, executives have decided. his time to the Powell Leo Abrams, Both films will be allotted heavier . . . Universal short subject salesman, is in town advertising budgets for newspaper, radio in Benecia The Majestic and billboard exploitation. . for a visit . . reopens March 1. The house was damaged "Noi-thwest Passage" will be the ninth by fire late in December. James picture in three years to be single-billed in Lemos still occupies the manager's office its day-date run at FWC's State and Chi- . . . Al Oxtoby has svntched from Universal nese theatres, beginning February 21. "The Grapes of Wrath" moves into the two houses the following week. Rates for Students Los Angeles—To stimulate student interest, Bruce Fowler, manager of the Four Star, set aside three days of the roadshow run of "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" as "Abe Lincoln Days." One day students of Los Angeles High School viewed the film at special rates, with similar showings on following days for John Burroughs and Fairfax High School students. Buy Cliff Odets Play Hollywood — Loew-Lewin Productions, recently formed independent company, has purchased "Night Music," new play by Cliff Odets. Gurney Opens Own Agency Hollywood—Noel Gurney, with the Myron Selznick Agency for 12 years, has resigned to open his own agency. SAIILT ILAKIIE CAM GARDNER, M-G-M branch manager, is planning another trip into Montana after recently having completed a very successful sales tour in that region. Bill Seib and his sales staff booker returned from the San Francisco regional convention recently, all enthused for the new season and its activities. The management of the Utah has received a beautiful "Seeburg Symphanola" music machine for display in the lobby through the courtesy of distributors. Also a modernistic metal desk has been put in the lobby to publicize "Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President." Miss Naomi Fowler, charming 11-yearold senior of the Salt Lake City West High School, ivas voted as the Salt Lake Exchange Club's choice to represent Utah at the HollyuMod premiere showing of "Seventeen," based on the Booth Tarkington novel. She will be chaperoned by Miss Becky Almond, the only woman member of the local Exchange Club. Wayne Morris and Jeffrey Lyrm, War- , ner stars, passed through Salt Lake City, 'I . making brief stopovers en route to New ; York City. H. C. Fuller, RKO branch manager, is on an extended trip into Montana after having returned from Idaho. He is traveling with Art Baron, salesman . . . Giff Davison is working in Idaho and Al Mabey has returned from southern Utah and will leave for Nevada immediately. O IE M V IE K HL HOFFMAN, United Artists salesman, is one of the four such in the United States that has sold his prospects 100 per cent, and is now spending his time helping out the other salesmen in the ' Denver territory. ; . "Gone With the Wind" closed a strong third week at the Orpheum. but had dipped some under the first two, which were about equal. The film stays a fourth stanza. a7id according to all claims, has broken all existing records here both as to money and as to number of people seeing a film at one house. "Of Mice and Men" \ finished a strong first tveek as roadshow \ at the Broadway and is staying for a see- j ond. All first runs were above average. ^ The local Monogram exchange is on top ' in the March for Playdates drive being i conducted over the nation. Lon T. Hdler | is hoping he can keep up the fine re- f suits until the close, and thus cop his ! share of the money. C. F. Rose, salesman, left on a sales trip through Montana. Another Major Bowes unit is playing the Denver this week, and is doing its share toumrd boosting the gross. Prints of the Louis-Godoy fight are boosting the take at the Victory and other spots through the territory. 28 BOXOFFICE : : February 17, 1940
. . Out-of-town . . H. Scoff at One-Sided IlLOg AWC.1IE1IL1IE1§ Sales Impost Cost Santa Fe, N. M.—Exhibitors here scoff it the idea that a state sales tax on film •entals can apply solely to distributors, rhey view the statement to that effect )y G. S. Carter, state sales tax direcor. as a "smoke screen" to confuse the ssue. Just returned from conferences in loUywood, Carter indicated that New lexico's reach for new revenue probably ,-ould include a film footage impost. "Inevitably, any tax applied to distribitors will be passed on to exhibitors," a 3cal theatre man declared. "And we ould find it difficult to pass this, in turn, 3 the public." He challenged Carter's tatement that a two per cent sales tax on entals would yield "important money," antending that the small number of thetres in the state and the total annual Um rentals would not produce any more lan enough to defray the expense of colaction and extra clerical work. êrry Sells Granada to llhambra Amusement Alhambra. Cal.—C. A. Perry has sold is Granada to the Alhambra Amusement 0., subsidiary of Principal Pictures, which 1 turn is affiliated with Fox West Coast, he Granada is a 544-seat house. Bromfield Story to Metro Hollywood—M-G-M has acquired moan picture rights to Louis Bromfield's I Night in Bombay," published serially Cosmopolitan under the title .ights." CLASHES REVIEW KN FROM DAKOTA, THE (M-G-M)—Civil vai melodrama which should prove wel- :ome entertainment for Wallace Beery fans md those who are satisfied with suspenseul actions without being too analytical of tory consistencies, acting and direction. Idward Chodorov produced; Leslie Fenton irected. S/ENTEEN (Para)—From seven to 70, all ges and all audiences probably will aclaim this one of the warmest, most oignantly human comedies of the season, ooth Tarkington's famous story of adolesence has been skilfully modernized, relining withal the irresistible appeal that as made it virtually a modem classic, ickie Cooper wins new laurels in the title >le. Stuart Walker produced: Louis King lirected. COMPLETE REVIEWS on the above pictures icill appear in an early issue of BOXOFFICE. JJARRY ARTHUR has returned to his St. Louis headquarters after conferring here with his brother. Milt, head of Cabart Theatres , . . Mrs. Jenne Dodge came in from Ventura to arrange details of her plan to build a new theatre there. She already operates the Mission in that city. John Ash. Metro's traveling auditor, checked in on one of his periodic visits to the local exchange . . . Also using the Metro office as a parking station is Rose Klein, of the company's homeoffice, here on her first trip to California. Monday Sonday, operator of the Kiva, finally snagged himself a lucky day—his horse. Brother Nibs, galloped in to win a race at Santa Anita the other day. It was the nag's first win. Ed Blumenthal, Monogram franchise holder in Dallas, has returned to his headquarters after spending some time here and in San Francisco talking things over with the Monogram personnel . . . Max Carlin and Irving Sinker will open a bowling alley next week, located close to their Alvarado Theatre. Charles Reagan, Paramount's western division sales head, has checked in to begin a tour of the company's western exchanges . . . Art Bailey, Warner booker, has been pruned from the staff after 13 years of service with the local branch. Tommy Charack, formerly a Warner exchangeman in Minneapolis, succeeds him. Ariz., in on business . . . Harry Dodge of Altec Service, is now a grandfather. His first grandchild was bom on Lincoln's birthday. C. A. Ferri has sold his Granada in Alhambra to the Jimmy Edwards circuit . . . Al Painter, former mariager of the Hollywood Roller-Bowl, visiting Filmrow acquaintances . . . Suit for divorce has been filed by Bill Kohler, of Astor Pictures, against Betty Kohler . . . H. M. Bessey, Altec's secretary -treasurer, is expected in from Seattle around February 25. He'll spend a week here, then head for New York, with stopovers at the St. Louis and Chicago brariches. Marco Wolfe has trained out for St. Louis headquarters after parleying for a week here with Milt Arthur, head of Cabart Theatres . visitors include Carl Buermele, Detroit showman, and Morgan Walsh, San Francisco exhibitor. Frances Ramirez, secretary at Azteca Pictures, is bedded with the flu and has deserted her post for a feio days . . . Majestic Pictures has booked "The Eagle," Rudolph Valentino's last starring picture, into the Cinema . . . Mike Neimnan, Columbia exploiteer, is doing some ballyhooing dovm San Diego way. Bill Smith has booked "Stella del Mare," Italian musical which his Jewel Productions is distributing, into the Grand for a minimum run of one week, opening March 29. Smith pulls out March 1 for Chicago and New York to handle openings of the picture in those cities. Booking deals have already been set . . . Fine Arts has opened temporary exchange headquarters at 1908 S. Vermont with W. C. Riter in charge. Riter has been a familiar figure along the Row for 18 years. Harry Stern, coast sales manager for Film Alliance Distributors, has closed a deal wherein the Drive-In Theatre chain, headed by Seth Perkins and Chet Black, will book his product in their houses. Stern also reports that "Topedoed," a Film Alliance release, is being held over eral weeks . . . Fox West Coast's San Diego and Long in Sam Nathanson of Beach theatres . . . Coast Pictures has planed to New York. He loill be in the east on business for sev- Salesmen, bookers and secretaries at M-G-M have precipitated a boom market in liniments. They held an ice-skating party at Pan-Pacific AucCltorium, February 16. Harold Robb and Ed Rowley, heads of the Robb-Rowley circuit of Dallas, have Clayton Lynch of M-G-M has been appointed zone chairman for the annual pulled in for a look at current and forthcoming product. Planning to stay about Will Rogers Memorial Fund drive, to be ten days, they are headquartering at the staged during the week of April 19. Lynch Ambassador Hotel . . . Spyros Skouras, held a preliminary "pep" meeting attended president of National Theatres, is spending by Jack Dillon of 20th Century-Fox; W. several days at Arrowhead Springs in E. Calloway, Warner; Carroll Peacock, company with his brother Charles, head Fox West Paramount; Eddie Cooke, Universal; E. A. of NT's ivestern subsidiary. MacLean, United Artists; Red Jacobs, Coast. The NT chieftain returns to New RKO Radio; Wayne Ball. Columbia, and York shortly. Francis Bateman, Republic. National W. J. Heineman, Universal's western Screen Service has volunteered to prepare sales manager, has planed to San Francisco an all-star short subject for free distribution to exhibitors Fred Siegel, operator . . . after spending a few days at the of the Palomar in Oceanside, is hav- local office Frank Plumlee, booker . . . for the R. E. Griffith circuit of Safford, ing the house reseated by the National Theatre Supply Co. Theatre is a 640- seater. Frank Shindler. RKO Radio office manager, and his bride, the former Leslie Mahana of Beverly Hills, are honeyinooning in San Francisco following their marriage here. Sam Clark, Warner's new western district exploiteer, has reported from his old headquarters in Chicago. He takes over the berth previously held by the late Ned Holmes . W. Cook came in from Death Valley for bookings. He operates theatres in Beatty, Nevada; Death Valley Junction and Furnace Creek. After holding a series of meetings with the local staff, Leo Abrams, short subjects sales manager for Universal, has trained out for Saji Francisco . . . Bookers included Irving Carlin, Carlin-Sinker circuit, and Harold Glass of the Gordon Theatre. BCOFHCE :; February 17, 1940 29
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Page 3 and 4: PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY ASSOCIA
Page 5 and 6: 1 "Pinocchio" ; admission i over I
Page 7 and 8: SHOWMANSHIP CE A ZOLA . . \nship Br
Page 9 and 10: When CHARLES LAUGHTON sings it! . .
Page 11 and 12: i beck's Predicts Cycle of Films Wi
Page 13 and 14: êry bit €g fine as we had its pr
Page 15 and 16: ! the I from : tions ' strengthenin
Page 17 and 18: ; the Coated Paper Award Goes to UA
Page 19 and 20: I Complaint I 1 1—The ' 2—The I
Page 21 and 22: I I . . George . . William . . Edwa
Page 23 and 24: , discussed ; ecutives . Warners, i
Page 25 and 26: i Twentieth-Fox . . Claude . . Sam
Page 27 and 28: The never-ending struggle between l
Page 29 and 30: I ' Metro's ANNOUNCEMENT of the nom
Page 31 and 32: I I I Continued Metro Paces Upswing
Page 33 and 34: I Paul ' The to Death Valley for th
Page 35: I i Joe : February . . Ben . . Sylv
Page 39 and 40: : February 16MM COMPETITION INTO DI
Page 41 and 42: f Catcalls as Costello Confiscates
Page 43 and 44: I Miller, I I £71 ! Jack . vice-pr
Page 45 and 46: I The Indiana Employment Continues
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Page 49 and 50: I ICansas . . . Doug Kansas City Ba
Page 51 and 52: j ling. He was transferred here fro
Page 53 and 54: ' Kansas ' . . Frank • Continued
Page 55 and 56: , tion j Wood I "I ! "I Pot 0' Gold
Page 57 and 58: : tetroit; iayer Philosophizes U De
Page 59 and 60: . . Mrs. TGG) , . "Jim : Febmary .
Page 61 and 62: . . Bob . . Due ..C.J. . . . W. . .
Page 63 and 64: ' I Time : February Industry in Bos
Page 65 and 66: I ' David . . Charles . . Ditto . .
Page 67 and 68: . . The . . Dave . . Aaron : Februa
Page 69 and 70: ' i Boston—The High-Speed Picture
Page 71 and 72: ' moral Independent Staffs SaysNeel
Page 73 and 74: WAS GODOY ROBBED? 50 Hard-Boiled Th
Page 75 and 76: ! Had ' the ' play Dixie D o in s B
Page 77 and 78: ',
Page 79 and 80: 1 (Continued '. Evidently . . . W.
Page 81 and 82: 1' holdovers : February IHIOU^TOM g
Page 83 and 84: Sask. MPEA Averts Hike in Licenses
Page 85 and 86: According to gossip. Wells. B. C, i
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"WIND" SCORES SURGING SUMS ACROSS N
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I I Hidden ! Melodrama. : Ing I I I
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' . when , Comedy. ' tivlty ' Allen
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(. now—pay ' I : February 52 ^san
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Boxoffice - Feb. 17, 2014

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