Boxoffice - Feb. 17, 2014

. . . And
. . Lew
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. . Helen
JOHN VALUSKA is the new owner of the
Auditorium Theatre at Mingo Junction.
He bought the house from the estate of
Ken Boothman who succumbed last week
to a heart attack. He did not, however,
take over Boothman's West Virginia theatre
interests . . . WUIard L. Hart of the
Rialto, Aki-on, is ill with pneumonia at the
Akron City Hospital.
Ben Elkins is now operating the Clark
here. Former operator was R. C. Wahl .
Ralph Rose closed the Penn Square last
week. The Penn Square was the only local
house devoted entirely to foreign pictures.
Inability to secure a steady flow of acceptable
fare is given as the reason for the
closing.
Manny Pearlstein, head of the local
Warner theatre advertising and publicity
department, and Mrs. Pearlstein are
planning a California vacation in March
Jane Meisel, Pearlstein's secretary,
anticipating his departure, took time
out last week to divorce herself from her
appendix and is now resting at St. Luke's
Hospital.
Nat Charnas, Toledo exhibitor, was
around the film exchanges during the past
week . Pollock's Universal press
book, which was sent to every exhibitor in
the land, created something of a furore
here. The manner in which it presents pictures
completed, released, and in production
elicited praise by the boys who are
looki7ig for helpful press books.
F. J. Sipher, president of the Whitehouse
Amusement Co., is again operating the
Empress at Whitehouse. This is the theatre
formerly operated by Fred Schram .
The Grand Central, Cleveland, closed last
week. M. Fazio was the last lessee . . . The
Arion, recently opened by Eldred B.
Cooper, also is closed.
A. M. Goodman. UA branch manager, is
chairman of the Variety Post Benefit midnight
show, which will take place at the
Circle Theatre, March 15 to raise money to
send underprivileged boys to summer
camp. Assisting Goodman are Howard
Roth, Dick Deutsch and LeRoy Kendis.
Tickets at 50 cents each may be had from
any member of the Variety Post.
New faces in the local National Theatre
Supply Company's office are Miss Julia
Frank, secretary to Manager L. H. Walters,
and Miss Grace Postle, cashier . . . Jack
Greenbaum, local sales representative for
Hollywood Amusement, has placed the
game, "Lucky," in the Knickerbocker,
Jewel and Rialto of this city within the
past two weeks.
Frank Porozynski, owner of the Garfield
and New Victory, left last Monday and by
this time knoivs just what damage the
cold spell did to his grapefruit farm . . .
T. B. KLAffiAN
Motion Picture Screen Resurfacing Co.
White and Silver Screens
Guaranteed Workmanship—Reasonable Prices
Satisfied Customers for Twelve Years
604 WARD AVE., GIRARD, OHIO
Phone: Glrard, Ohio, 361-J
i
Berlo Vending Machine Company has
moved its offices into 203 Film Bldg.
Irving Shenker, son of Max Shenker,
local representative for Berlo Vending Machine,
and associated with his father, has
announced his engagement to Miss Annette
Newman of this city. The wedding
wUl take place some time in June . . . Another
engagement of interest to local film
folks involves Sidney Garfinkle, sales
representative for Quality Premiums, and
Miss Evalyn Goldstein, cashier at the Mt.
Pleasant theatre. They plan to do something
about it early in May.
Two weddings took place in local film
circles recently. Sam Gerace, manager of
the Rialto, was married last Monday to
Miss Julia Gibac of this city. And the
previous week. Miss Thelma Hirsch of the
Associated Theatres secretarial force, was
married to David Lasher.
Joe Kauffman, local Universal branch
manager, says—and has the contracts to
prove it—that his office has sold better
than 90 per cent of all possibilities this
season, for which he attributes due credit
to Joe Krenitz, George Rosenbaum and
Jim Frew, all three of whom are officially
listed among Universal's Ten Best salesmen
in the country.
Out-of-towners during the past week
xoere few, due to inclement weather, but
among those spotted along the Row were
Ray Wallace of Alliance; Harry Reinhart
of Canton; John Huebner of Marion; Leo
Jones of Upper Sandusky; Ernest Lefton
of Akron; J. O. Guthrie of New London.
George Kendis and John Himmelein
have secured for Ohio and Kentucky distribution
"The Mystic Circle Murder," produced
by Mrs. Harry Houdini and directed
by Panchon Royer . . . Jack Lawi-ence has
resigned from the RKO sales force. His
successor is Joe Lefko . . . Lee Chapman
and Big Feature Rights have parted company.
Chapman is considering the independent
distribution field as his next venture.
Arnold Nathanson has been added to the
Warner theatre publicity staff where he is
assista7it to Dave Bachner, who, in turn,
is assista7it to Manny Pearlstein . . .
Nathanson was promoted from the ad sales
department tohere he is succeeded by Tony
Laurie.
John W. Mattey of the Ritz Theatre,
Huron, one of the town's most eligible
bachelors, was married last Saturday . . .
John Rundell, manager of the Kaufman
and Paramount theatres in Montpelier, is
on the sick list.
Jack Lawrence has resigned as RKO
salesman. Brarich Manager George Lefko
has appointed Joe Lefko (no relation) as
his successor .
Katzell of the
Columbia typing force, is back after a
two-week absence . . . Lee Chapman is no
longer with Big Feature Rights Exchanges.
Inc. He is flirting with the idea of becoming
an independent distributor on his
own.
Gene Autry Western Sets
New Records in Cleveland
Cleveland — Nat L. Lefton, Republic
franchise owner, reports that Gene Autry
in "South of the Border" established alltime
records at four local theatres last
week. The theatres which reported SRC
business during the engagement are the
Lyceum, Olympia, Garden and Lorain-
Fulton, all first-rim subsequent houses.
At the Olympia, Jimmy Shrake exploited
the picture with a singing troubadour, who
in cowboy clothes and a sombrero walked
up and down the aisles singing "South of
the Border." A P. A. system on the marquee
played Autry records. Also 2,500
Gene Autry fan photos were distributed.
A. E. Ptak, owner of the Lyceum, put
out on the street a cowboy riding a horse,
who visited all the neighborhood schools
before each school session, with the result
that he had the biggest Sunday in the
history of the house.
Harry Henderson gave out 2,000 Gene
Autry fan photos at the Lorain-Fulton
and planted "South of the Border" cocktails
at all neighborhood bars in addition
to
window cards and heralds.
All four houses boosted their regular advertising
newspaper space and secured,
from Republic, special lobby displays.
Louis Krieger Offering
Two New Feature Films
Pittsburgh—Louis Krieger, who has presented
"Dead Men Tell No Tales" and
"North Sea Patrol" in this area, is offering
"Black Limelight," starring Raymond
Massey, and "Just Like a Woman," featui'ing
Gertrude Michael and John Lodge.
Both are Alliance films and were directed
by Paul L. Stein.
Krieger has set a number of deals for
two short subjects, "The Warning," a
documentary subject, and "The Birth of
the Movies." Also available is the French
production "Harvest," voted by the New
York critics as the best foreign film of
1939.
Republic Leases Pitt
Grand National Space
Pittsburgh—Republic has signed a longterm
lease for the quarters formerly occupied
by Grand National and will utilize
the space for storage, inspection and shipping
departments, says James H. Alexander,
Republic manager. This action will
remove the last film shipping quarters
from Forbes St., Pittsburgh's Filmrow until
a decade ago.
Republic's sales and booking office will
not be moved.
Work Progresses on NTS
Quarters in Cleveland
Cleveland—Work is progressing on the
new National Theatre Supply building at
2114 Payne Ave. The new NTS home will
occupy 50 feet by 130 feet. The added
space will provide room for the increased
permanent stock of sound and general
theatre equipment to be maintained.
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BOXOFFICE : : February 17, 1940