Boxoffice - Feb. 17, 2014

: tetroit;
iayer Philosophizes
U Detroit Fete
Detroit—-A declaration that the motion
licture industry was one of the most
Ufficult for the banking fraternity to
perate, and a reaffirmation of faith in
he staff of M-G-M as the industry's toplOtchers,
was voiced by Louis B. Mayer
[n the occasion of a luncheon tendered
lim and many of this city's leading inustrialists
at the Book Cadillac Hotel here
he day preceding the premiere of "Yoimg
'cm Edison" at Port Huron.
Beside the Metro production chief's adress.
a few words of tribute to the Metroes
was paid by Edsel Ford, and a word
f greeting to the assembled exhibitors
•as voiced by the general sales manager,
7Uliam P. Rodgers.
At the speakers' table were Father Flangan
of Boys Town; Harry Kelly, secreiry
of state; John Smith, president of the
Woit city council; K. T. Keller, president
f the Chrysler Motor Co.; Lawrence
isher, vice-president of General Motors;
ouis Weil, publisher of the Port Huron
imes-Herald; B. F. Morris and Arthur
'alsh, vice-president. Thomas A. Edison,
orp.; Rev. Harold Markey, who gave the
vocation; Alfred O. Tate, former secreiry
to Edison; Charles Sorensen and Fred
lack. Ford Motor Co.; Ed Beatty and
dmund Shields, Butterfield Theatres; E.
:. Saunders, Howard Dietz, 'William R.
erguson, John W. Considine jr., and
rank Downey of M-G-M. Jack Flynn,
etro's district manager, was toastmaster.
Among those attending the luncheon
tere:
Ray Branch, Allied Theatres; Al and
im Ackerman; 'W. H. Anderson; Emil
lack. Cooperative; Hyman Bloom, United
G. W. Berger, Butterfield; Anew
Bzovi; James Busic, United Detroit;
;im Barrett, Cooperative; Harold Brown,
lited Detroit; Howard Beck, Cooperative;
Dbert Bernstein, M-G-M; Herb Brown;
L. Becker, W. G. Bishop, Floyd W.
irysler. Harold Sandelman, Warren
.•;e, John Dembeck, John Morgan, Har-
'i Marshall. Louis Orlove, J. E. Watson,
),)ward Strickling, Barrett Kiesling, all of
;-G-M; Jack Hurford, Fox Theatre; Ben
Dhn. Senate Theatre; Claude A. Dock,
:)x Theatre; Don Dunn. Earl Hudson,
lark Field. Gil Green, L. H. Gardner, Don
.ihn, Fi-ank Perry, Prank Upton, N. Dow
'lompson, Robert Salter, R. H. Shepherd,
(issins Smith, Asher Shaw, United Detroit
'.leatres; Jeff Williams, East Detroit;
];nry Zapp. A. L. Dowzer, Frank Howard,
1 of Cooperative Theatres; Robert Misch,
i, W. Koskie, Butterfield Theatres; Al
liittenberg, Al Ruppert; Art Robinson,
lidison; R. G. Peltier, Mount Clemens;
(larles Perry, Adams; E. J. Purcell, Dave
Jwman, Prank Orsatti, operators' union:
'm Moule, Jam Handy; Harry Lush, I.
Milton and Julius London; Dan Lewis
£d Frank Wetsman, Wisper and Wetsman
•".leatres; Charles Snyder, police film cen-
B'; Alex Slendak; Walter R. Stebbins,
l5d Sturgess; Alex Schreiber; Walter
Safer, Wayne; Jack Saxe, Monogram;
Jmes Stoia; John Howard, Paramount;
Mliam Kimmel; Ed Kirchner, Family;
Jieph KoUar, police censor; Harry Holt
h: Tom Ealand, and various civic and
i 'ustrial representatives.
BXOFTICE :: February 17, 1940
When "Edison" Returned to Port Huron—
Above, a scene of the crowd at the Port Huron, Mich., station to greet
the ancient train as it pulled in from Detroit with stage aiid civic dignitaries
for the premiere of "Young Tom Edison." Below. Edsel Ford. left.
Mickey Rooney, Henry Ford, Louis B. Mayer and J. E. Flynn at Greenfield
Village, Dearborn, Mich., where the automobile magnate enacted the role of
host.
Leo Roars at Port Huron Premiere
By GENE RICH
Port Huron. Mich.—Michigan industrialists,
and many from across the Canadian
border, too, had a lot of praise for the film
industry after seeing the thousands that
M-G-M's publicity department drew here
and all along the line of the special train
from Detroit for the world premiere of
"Young Tom Edison."
Barrett Kiesling, M-G-M's goodwill ambassador
from the studios most of the year
to the newspaper critics, was in charge of
all plans for the premiere here. Helping
him was Warren Slee, Detroit exploiteer;
Bill Bishop, Chicago and formerly Detroit
exploiteer; Harold Marshall. Indianapolis:
J. E. Watson, Cincinnati, and Louis Orlove,
Milwaukee. Norman Kaphan of the
New York office did all the official photography,
and he took in all several hundred
pictures. The whole crew did credit to itself
for the excellent job done.
The three Butterfield houses where the
film premiered—the Desmond, Family and
Majestic—seated about 3,600 persons, and
every seat was taken . . . Ollie Brooks, Butterfield
Theatres executive, didn't shave
for two days while here, but couldn't keep
it up. However, Jim Helsdon, city manager
for Butterfield, had a swell crop of
sideburns and mustache.
John Cassin, former operator in the
booth of the Family and who still holds his
union card, is mayor of Port Huron now.
He was pretty busy during the two-day
"Edison Days' Celebration" welcoming all
the visiting dignitaries.
The Metro group, especially Rooney and
Mayer, completely won over the two Fords,
Henry and Edsel. Ford opened Clinton
Inn, an historic tavern at Greenfield 'Village,
especially to serve luncheon for the
Metroites. It was set for noon, but so
fascinated by Rooney was Henry Ford, that
it didn't start till 2 o'clock.
After the exhibitor luncheon in Detroit,
Friday, Mayer was corralled by a doting
mother who had him audition her tenyear-old
son, Frederick Musser.
We'll bet that the barber shops of Port
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