Boxoffice-August.28.1948

Giveaways in Theatre
Under State Ban, Too
MINNEAPOLIS—A state curb on theatre
giveaways has been called to the attention
of exhibitors by the Minnesota bureau of research
and development. The statute bars
giveaways "if they are harmful to competition,"
and it was dug up after the bureau
received a complaint against giveaways of
permanent wave kits by two Minnesota
Amusement Co. theatres—the State here and
the Paramount in St. Paul.
When the bureau brought the matter to
the attention of Joseph Finley, counsel for
the Minnesota Amusement Co., the theatre.s
discontinued the giveaways without contesting
the law's interpretation of fighting the
order in the courts.
Alice Moodie Carr, a local beauty parlor
owner, lodged the complaint. She saw the
giveaways advertised on billboards and acted
for a group of other beauticians. The State
here was giving away 100 kits and the St.
Paul Paramount 50 daily to the first feminine
patrons buying tickets.
Mrs. Carr pointed out that the permanent
wave kits are harmful to the beauty parlor
business and she claimed the giveaways and
the advertising of such added fuel to the fire.
The bureau decided the statute applied to the
theatres as well as to other lines of trade.
Rites for William H. Blair,
Exhibitor, at Osborne, Kas.
OSBORNE, KAS.—Funeral services for
William H. Blair, 40, Blair Theatre operator
who died August 18 at Neodesha, Kas., where
he had gone with his two sons for an American
Legion junior baseball tournament, were
held here last Satm-day (21). Burial was in
the Osborne cemetery.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. William Thomas
Blair, the late theatre operator was born August
20, 1907, at Pateau, Okla. He was married
November 15, 1930, to Miss Mildred Estelle
Bulock. They moved to Osborne in 1938,
During World War II. Blair was a radar
operator in the navy. He was a member and
past commander of Osborne Post No. 49,
American Legion. Active in civic affairs, he
was a member of the Osborne school board,
the Rotary club, the Chamber of Commerce
and other organizations.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, WiUiam
Hanley Blair jr. and Thomas Richard Blair,
and a daughter Jane.
Fox Midwest Managers
To Meet September 8,
KANSAS CITY—The annual convention of
managers of Fox Midwest theatres will be in
session September 8, 9 at the Meuhlebach
hotel here, circuit officials have annomiced.
Plans for the 2-day gathering of house
managers have not yet been completed, according
to Senn Lawler, director of publicity
for the Fox Midwest circuit.
P. G. Held, 70, Dies
GRISWOLD, IOWA—P. G. Held, 70, retired
theatre operator, died here recently. Born
in Leigh, Neb., he came here 20 years ago and
operated a motion picture theatre. He retired
several years ago.
wife and five children.
He is survived by his
Will Singer, Retiring After 55 Years,
Recalls Barrymore, Howard Careers
OMAHA—Will Singer. Omaha's last active
contact with the Joe Howard-John Barrv-
WILL SINGER
more era of show business, has retii'ed as
manager of the RKO-Brandeis Theatre here
despite protests of his business associates.
For the past five years Singer has announced
periodically that he would retire but
each time he was convinced that he should
remain. Now, however, he has put down the
foot that won so many battles in the old days
of show business.
Singer is half of the combine which helped
such stars as John Barrymore and Joe Howard
up the ladder of success in the days of
vaudeville and the legitimate theatre.
CAREER STARTED IN 1892
For 55 years Singer worked in show business
as usher, property man, advance man,
manager, cashier, treasurer and, even in
some cases, janitor. His career began in 1892
in Milwaukee with odd jobs around the theatres.
By 1897 he had been named treasurer
of the Alhambra, a legitimate house. Soon
he was named manager.
Singer and his brother, the late Mort H.
Singer, realized the popular trend was burlesque
in those days so they went into that
field managing houses in Milwaukee, then
Minneapolis and St. Paul and finally Chicago.
It was in Chicago in 1905 that Mort and
Will took over the La Salle Theatre, a small
musical comedy house. Their first production
was "The Umpire" and the first Singer
star was its result. He was F:-ed Mace.
In 1908 the Singers and their business associate
Herman Fehr of Milwaukee, built the
Princess Theatre in Chicago and starred John
Barrymore in "A Stubborn Cinderella."
It was during this production that Barrymore
took a weekend trip to Benton Harbor,
Mich., where he was virtually marooned
when the sputtering automobile in which he
and his friends were traveling failed to start
on the return trip.
BarrjTnore telephoned Singer and explained
that he'd be there for the evening show.
Singer held up the show as long as he could
and finally started it with Allen Brooks, the
understudy. There was a rush of patrons
to the boxoffice for refunds when Barrymore
burst in the front door with a man in
uniform.
"Who is this?" asked Singer.
"This," said Barrymore, "is the conductor
of the special Pere Marquette train that
brought me. Hand him S182.50, please. I
came C.O.D."
Barrymore explained that he asked for a
train engine to return him to Chicago but
the railroad wouldn't let him ride in the cab
so they included a coach and a conductor for
their one pas.senger.
PAYS WHOLE BILL
When payday came around, Singer asked
the actor:
'Well, Jack, how are we going to split this
railroad expense bill?"
"No split at all," Barrymore said. "It was
my fault and I'm paying the w-hole bill. I'm
just glad that the show^ went on that night
even if it was held until past nine."
Shortly after the Barrymore .show, the
Singers introduced Joseph E. Howad's first
great hit tune, "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her
Now" in the "Prince of Tonight." Then came
a string of sensationally successful shows
with music by Howard and lyrics by Will
Hough and Frank R. Adams.
In Howard the Singers had a combination
of temperament and procrastination and occasionally
the brothers found it necessary to
lock the musician in a room in order to
force him to complete a song he had promised.
HaiTj' Pilcer, who rose to fame as the
dancing partner of Gaby Deslys was another
Singer player as were Cecil Lean. Florence
Holbrook and Blanche Deyo.
In 1920 the Shuberts bought the Princess
and from then until 1931 Will managed the
State-Lake in Chicago. During the gangland
era Singer was mysteriously set upon
and badly beaten for some unknown reason.
He then went to Milwaukee to manage the
Riverside Theatre and in 1932 managed the
Orpheum and Majestic theatres in Springfield,
111.
TO OMAHA IN 1933
In September 1933 Singer came to Omaha
under a deal for the Brandeis which proved
to be the only one in that theatre's history
that kept it open steadily. He came here
originally to reonen the house and he remained
for 15 years.
He put a motion picture policy into effect
on Oct. 6, 1933 and the Brandeis prosperity
began. Upon the death of Mort Singer
four years ago RKO Theatres Corp. purchased
the Brandeis but Will continued as
manager until his retirement.
His successor already has been named.
He is LawTence Caplane of RKO Theatres in
Columbus, Ohio.
Two Stars in 'Tale of Two Cities'
Bet.sy Di-ake and Gregory Peck will co-,';tar
in the David O. Selznick-Alexander Korda
production, "A Tale of Two Cities," to be
filmed in England.
BOXOFFICE : : August 28, 1948 MW 59