Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1948)

NEWHAMPSHIRE falter Young, owner of the Strand in Farmington and a summer theatre at Alton Bay, staged a free dance for vacationists at the resort . . . Lebanon children under 12 were treated to a free motion picture show at the Opera House there recently by the Lebanon Improvement society. The show, held in the morning with Girl Scouts as ushers, featured cartoons, travelogs and educational short subjects. John F. Cane, 78, retired theatrical stage manager, died recently in Alton and burial was in St. Mary’s cemetery in Lynn, Mass. ... A new stage has been constructed and other improvements made at the Town Hall in Rindge. Arthur Chickering of Hancock, member of a Unitarian work camp crew in France, has written home that American films are having a powerful influence in forming opinions in France. French women who see a wide variety of electrical appliances in American features, he said, inquire whether women in this country have any hard work to do . . . Tribute was paid to Nathaniel Hawthorne, a frequent visitor in Concord a century ago, when the film version of his “The House of the Seven Gables’’ was shown in the Senior high school auditorium there by the Community Chest. In addition, “Red Feather Newsreel,” showing Community Chest activities, was screened. It was filmed by two Concord men, Michael Filides and Whitman Levensaler . . . Firemen went to the loka in Exeter recently when an employe noticed smoke in the theatre and telephoned an alarm. The blaze proved to be in a large electric fan and was attributed to a short circuit. Melvin Morrison, manager of the Strand in Dover, cooperated in Dover’s proposed juvenile delinquency conference by presenting a film showing causes and result of delinquency and methods of combatting it. The show was open to the public and written invitations were sent to veteran, service, civic, fraternal and church organizations ... A kiddy show at which 15 cartoons were shown was held at the Strand in Manchester, September 11. Peter Latchis Is Building Theatre in Newport, N. H. HAR'TFORD — Peter Latchis, operator of several film houses in northern New England, has started construction of a new theatre in Newport, N. H., according to word reaching here. Business Block Built By Shulman Circuit . HARTFORD — The Perakos circuit has completed extensive lobby renovations at the Strand, Thompsonville. A vacant store in the building was used to expand the lobby and include the candy concession and soft drink bar. Tom Grogan is manager. New restrooms have been built at the Lyric, a Hartford circuit house. The rooms, formerly located on the main floor, were moved to the balcony. Joe Ruggerio is manager. The Princess, Rockville, has been extensively redecorated. Russ Ordway, formerly with M&P Theatres and Lockwood & Gordon in Hartford, now operates the 300-seat independent spot. The Shulman circuit of Hartford has erected a two-story business block next door to its local Rivoli. The circuit office, formerly in the theatre building, has been moved to the addition at 1731 Park St. Max, Albert, Maurice and Joe Shulman are owners of the concern. They purchased the Rivoli in 1925 and later constructed the Webster at Barry square. The Shulman interests have a number of real estate locations in the Hartford area where they plan to construct additional theatres, starting next year if building costs permit. J. L. Shanahan Succeeds Joseph DiPesa at Boston BOSTON — The appointment of James L. Shanahan as advertising and publicity director for Loew’s State and Orpheum Theatres here was announced by Charles E. Kurtzman, division manager for Loew’s, Inc. Shanahan had been assistant to the late Joseph A. DiPesa, who he succeeds. Shanahan is a native of Boston, having worked for the Boston Globe and the LawJames L. Shanahan rence advertising agency. He is a Northeastern university graduate and a World War II veteran. He has been generous with his time and efforts in the furtherance of various civic and charitable causes which associated with DiPesa and Kurtzman in recent years. Middletown Palace Opens MIDDLETOWN, CONN.— Salvatore Adorno has reopened the Palace Theatre here after a ten-year shutdown. He renovated the entire building, including a new marquee and lobby. Adult Films Out of Matinee HAR'TFORD — Doug Amos, manager of the Webb, Wethersfield, Conn., inaugurated a new Saturday matinee policy by omitting adult films during matinee showing. In place of the omitted product, Amos substitutes two hours of cartoons and comedy shorts. Gabby Hayes in 'El Paso' A top supporting role in “El Paso,” a Paramount picture, has been assigned to George “Gabby” Hayes. HARTFORD Tames Tuffy, manager of the Crown, is look* ing for an apartment in the Hartford area. He has a wife, a daughter and three sons . . . John Murphy, in charge of Loew’s out-oftown theatres, was in Hartford, Springfield, Meriden and Norwich on business . . . Joe Spivack of the Connecticut Theatre Candy Co. was here. He formerly managed the Music Box Theatre in New Britain . . . Robert DeBrito has joined the staff at the Palace . . . New ushers at the Poll are John O’Donnell and Harold Simpson. Arthur Price of the Allied Artists exploitation staff was here . . . Henry Lord of the Strand was home from a vacation trip through Canada . , . Maurice Shulman of the Shulman Theatres and family spent last weekend at a Connecticut shoreline resort . . . Lois Nolan, formerly on the E. M. Loew’s staff, is the new candy girl at the Strand . . . Jim McCarthy, Strand manager, has installed new Venetian blinds on his office windows . . . Dorothy Scully is the Poli’s new candy girl. Bernie Levy and Lew Ginsburg of Amalgamated Booking were Hartford visitors . . . Steve Kurpen and Howard Harris, partners at the Astor, East Hartford, have redecorated their theatre’s marquee . . . Fred Raimo, manager of the Warner Circle, Manchester, retmned from a vacation through eastern Massachusetts . . . Joe Faith, who operates houses in Bristol, Terryville, Unionville and Collinsville, was reported much improved following a long illness. New faces: Henrietta Budaj, cashier; Ada Grenier, candy girl, and Irene Kitus, cashier, all at the Crown ... A new blue glass front and new advertising display frames have been installed at the Crown, and the marquee and candy stand have been renovated, according to Jim ’Tuffy, manager . . . Morris Keppner of the Glastonbury, Glastonbury, visited a Connecticut country resort last weekend with his wife . . . Vincent O’Brien, formerly manager of E. M. Loew’s Hartford Drive-In, is now managing the Center ’Theatre in Pawtucket, R. I. New New Haven Company Handles Foreign Films NEW HAVEN — Continental Films, Inc., 185 Church St. here, has been organized to distribute foreign films in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Officers are Norton M. Levine, president, David S. Korn, secretary-treasurer and Allan Stewart, sales manager. Stewart emphasized that all films will be “family entertainment,” and that Continental “will make a special effort to introduce its product into locations which have not booked such pictures previously.” He pointed out the satisfactory record of these foreign films with theatres and circuits which had never before booked foreign product. Home From Vacation HAR'TFORD — George E. Landers, Hartford division manager for E. M. Loew’s Theatres, and his son Richard returned home from a vacation trip to the west coast and Canada. George Marshall Megs 'Bonanza' The megging assignment on the S. Sylvan Simon production, “Bonannza,” a Columbia film, has been handed to George Marshall. 106 BOXOFFICE :: September 18, 1948