Evening star., 1938-10-27
Boys Town. Box Office Hit,
4 Flop to Orphapoge Head
Father Flanagan Hoped
Film to Be Bonanza
for His Home.

OMAHA, Nebr., Oct 27-As far as
Father Flanagan is concerned Boys
Town" didn't turn out quite the way
1t was expected to.
Like everybody else, Father Flana-
gan thought the picture would be a
bonanza for his home. 1t hasn't been
On. the contrary. donations have
dropped off since the picture appeared
The reason?
Well, Father Flanagan isn't quite
sure himself. He thinks there are
probably two reasons. First, most
people, seeing the picture, rather take
1t for granted that an orphanage
sufficiently famed TO be the subject of
a movie is a thoroughly established
, institution. Second the picture gave
the impression Father Flanagan was
a sort of financial wizard who could
always pick a few hundred thousand
out of the air This has been more
or less true in the past, but, para
doXically, the picture seems to have
stymied Father Flanagan for the
present.
Boosts Boy Applicants.
The picture has had one definite re-
suit: 1t has boosted the number of
boys who want to get into the home
tremendously. There are about twice
AS many as usual In one day 10
bays came to the home wanting to get
in. All but one were turned away
The tenth boy, a cripple, had come
all the way from Louisville. Ky. and
Father Flanagan didn't have the heart
to turn him down.
When M-G-M representatives first
came to Megr. Flanagan they offered
him $4,000 for whatever film rights he
might have to his name and home
Father Flanagan jumped at the chance
He would have been glad to have had
the picture made With no payment to
the home, so confident was he that the
publicity would be big help.
In private, Father Flanagan thought
the producers were taking an awful
chance. A movie without any love in
terest, with no women in the cast?
Well, he thought the movie people
are old enough to know what they're
doing
Producers Surprised
The movie people, too, were appar-
emily pretty uncertain as to how thev
were going to make out Il was
pioneer venture. They started out, as
near as Father Flanagan can figure it.
to make trun-ol-the-mine picture
Then they gradually got more and
more interested and finally sank about
million dollars in an A picture. They
apparently were as astonished as
Father Flanagan when the picture
turned out to be a box Office WOW.
One Omaha friend of Father F. ana
gan wrote President Louis Mayer of
M-G-M suggesting that in view Of the
pictures success the $4,000 fee might
be hoisted bit. Mayer replied; that
he'd have to take it up with the COR
poration and that hc'd b. glad to make
a personal donation.
Msgr. FLANAGAN definitely Goes not
believe M-G-M owes him anything.
Dreams of New Buildings.
The picture told OF Father Flanagan's
plans for new buldinee. That part
was true. For almost two years Father
Flanagan has got out the plans every
few Gays to go over them lovingly.
They call for building program that
will cost around 81 100000 The plans
include four apartments" each to
hold 130 boys, with 26-bov units under
a proctor; a dining room and kitchen,
and chapel. With these buildings,
the capacity Of the home 600 boys,
would be nearly trlpled.
There is one f2w in the plan-no
money.
Receipts so far have run about $1,000
less than for last year. And though
the home has no debt. It also has no
money. except for about $4,000 in
trust fund from which only the in
come can be used.
Father Flanagan had an idea the
picture might bring shower of gold
that would let him get started on his
building program. He feels he must
have half the money required for any
project before he can start it. The
rest he can'borrow from Omaha banks,
which have always found him a good
risk
One more movie, he fears. and he
Won't be making operating expenses.