The Exhibitor (Aug-Nov 1948)

THE EXHIBITOR NT-3 banquet. This one will be in honor of Morris fc. “Moe” Lefko, former branch manager for RKO, who was recently pro¬ moted to central division manager for this company, succeeding Milton Cohen, resigned. Chairman in charge of ar¬ rangements for this testimonial is Dave Silverman, the new branch mana¬ ger for RKO, and his associate chair¬ men are Johnny Harris, Harris Amuse¬ ment Company: Sam Pineberg, Chief Barker, Variety Club Tent 1, and a member of Alexander Theatre Supply Company. Assisting them is Mo Silver, general manager, Warner Theatres. Fur¬ ther details regarding sale of tickets and other pertinent information will be given later. The dinner is expected to begin at 7 p. m. , and all who attend will gather in the club rooms of Variety previous to the dinner hour. Bill Mack, veteran National Screen Service salesman, is back on the job hale, hearty, and well-tanned follow¬ ing a very restful vacation, which he spent with his wife on the Island of Nantucket, 30 miles off the coast of Maine. The daughter of Mrs. Marian Willett, booker, RKO, was married on July 20 in the Mary S. Brown Memorial Church, Beechwood Boulevard, Squirrel Hill. The groom was William Petronio, Squir¬ rel Hill. At the formal afternoon wedding, the bride, Louise Nolan, was attended by a maid of honor and three bridesmaids, and looked very lovely in her white satin wedding gown trimmed with lace. A reception for the two families was held at Mrs. Willett’s home following the ceremony, and that evening a reception for all the friends of both families was held at the Hungarian Hall, Hazelwood. The young, couple departed soon afterwards for a honeymoon at Conneaut Lake, Pa., and they will make their home in Squirrel Hill on their return. William A. Bein, central district manager. National Screen Service,conducted a sales conference in the local of f ice .... Victor Herbert’s “Babes In Toyland” was the eighth and final attraction of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Company’ s 1948 season at Pitt Stadium, and many city ex¬ hibitors will breathe a sigh of re¬ lief, and hope that some of the busi¬ ness which they have not been having during the past two months will once more return to their houses. They are optimistic despite the fact that this year’ s outdoor operetta season played to just a little more than 50 per cent of last year’ s attendance. The Pitts¬ burgh Police Force Widows’ Pension Fund Circus finished a six-day run at Forbes Field on July 31, and this attraction played to nearly a full house all week. The Jack Kahns, Warner Theatres publicity department, are expecting a visit from the stork next winter. . . . Cliff Daniels, head man, WCAE, and 1947 Chief Barker, Variety Club, Tent 1, recuperated from his attack of virus pneumonia at the Magee Hospital, and is back on the job again. He was seen on his first public appearance taking it easy in the chair onthe porch of the Highland Country Club watching the boys in the Variety Club golf tournament. An award for the benefit of the Motion Picture Salesmen Welfare Fund was postponed until Aug. 28 by action of the committee. This is a very fine cause, and all exhibitors who have not done so are urged to obtain tickets from any of the salesmen. In addition to helping in fund-raising efforts, everyone has an excellent chance of winning one of the various prizes. Leo Isaacs, Erie, Pa., territory salesman for Columbia, recently re¬ signed following a bout with pneu¬ monia. Up to the present time, no new salesman had been named for that position. Ed Levin, National Screen Service* salesman, recently reported that he enjoyed a nice visit with his old buddy. Lew Lefton, when he passed through Albuquerque, N.M. , while on his recent motor trip to Hollywood. He also reports that Lew, Jenny, and their son, Seymour, all seemed very happy, thriving in the dry, excellent climate in that part of the country. They both instructed him to wish their thousands of friends in the Pitts¬ burgh film territory the best of luck, and to sav “hello.” Tom Troy, William Penn Hotel mana¬ ger and ardent Variety Club member, will depart soon for Cape Cod for a visit with his family, spending the summer there. Troy will drive his new Oldsmobile convertible. Frank Pud is is the new manager, Ike Browarsky’ s Hippodrome, North Side. Pudis succeeded Joe Browarsky, a nephew, who moved to Los Angeles, and is now engaged in the manufacture of furniture. Altec signed sound servicing deals with the following theatres in the state: Temple, State, Strand, Aliquippe; State, Ambridge, and Capitol, and Pennsylvania, Butler. A luncheon was held recently at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, Phila¬ delphia, to form plans for “Pennsyl¬ vania Week”. All industries are co¬ operating, but the motion picture industry is doing its own job as last year. Mrs. Edna R. Carroll, chairman, .Censor Board, is chairman, motion picture division. A trailer narrated by David 0. Selznick will be ready for distribution to theatres shortly, and all theatres are urged to cooper¬ ate in showing it. Ample coverage has also been promised by the newsreels. Among those present at the luncheon were Ted Schlanger, Stanley Goldberg, Sidney Samuelson, Edward Emanuel, Lewen Pizor, Bob Lynch, J.J. O’Leary, and Gebrge Beattie, who represented William Goldman. The state motion picture division has been divided into six divisions headed by Victor Weschler, Colonial, Erie, norths western: M.A. Silver, Pittsburgh, southwestern: Larry Woodin, Arcadia, Wellsboro, north central: Robert Sidman. Senate, Harrisburg, southcentral: O’Leary, Comerford-Publix, Scranton, northeastern, and Sidney Samuelson, Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Eastern Pennsylvania, Phi ladf^lphia southeastern. The general committee . consists ofWilliatn H. Bishop, Pressly H. McCance, Edgar Z. Wal lower, Searle von Storch, andEdwin M. Clark, Others working on the motion picture di¬ vision are William J. Blatt, Pitts¬ burgh: James P. Clark, Highway Express, Philadelphia: Jay Emanuel, publisher, THE EXHIBITOR, Philadelphia: Joseph Feldman, Pittsburgh, Morris M. Finkel, Pittsburgh, John H. Harris, Pitts¬ burgh: Fred J. Herrington, Pittsburgh: John J. Maloney, Pittsburgh: Perry S. Nathan, ‘Pittsburgh: M.A. Rosenberg, McKees Rocks: Bert M. Steam, Pitts¬ burgh, and Earle W. Sweigert, Phila¬ delphia. Kentucky BONN lEVI LLE Homer Jaeggers, co-owner and mana¬ ger, Bonn, was confined to his home due to illness. CENTERFI ELD The funeral of David Wark Griffith, world-famed producer, was held at Mount Tabor Cemetery on July 29. Grif¬ fith was a native of LaGrange, Ky. He was buried beside his father and other members of his family. GLASGOW From the slow progress being made on the construction of Bruce Aspley’ s new drive-in, it looks as though it will not be completed this year. LEXINGTON Harold Si iter, Watertown, New York, has been sent here as zone manager for Schine Theatres. He replaces Lew Hensler, who resigned to enter another field in Daytona Beach, Fla, Bob Cox, city manager and acting zone manager, will retain his post of city manager. Cox will also maintain his status of director in KATO. LOU I SV I LLE Seen on Film Row recently were: W.H. Hahn and J.F. Burnette, New Drive-In, Bardstown, Ky.: Louis Chowning. New Washington, New Washington, Ind. : Don Steinkamp, French Lick Amuse¬ ment Company, French Lick, Ind.: R.L. Harned, Empire, Sellersburg, Ind.: Oscar Hopper, Arista, Lebanon, Ky. : Clark Bennett, Valley, Taylorsville, Ky. : M. H. Sparks, Strand, Edmonton, Ky. : G.D, Saylor, Wallins, Wallins Creek, Ky. : Lewis Baker, "star. West Point, Ky. , and Rodger Davis, Grand, Lancaster, Ky. In joining the Theatre Owners of America in showing the public that theatres are desirous of rendering service to the community, KATO con¬ tacted each member to get in touch with the mayor or other public spirited citizens, and also to contact ex¬ changes to arrange for showings of “Report For Action”, prepared for TOA to help combat juvenile delinquency. Russell Morga, Shelby, Ky. , is back following a vacation trip to. Benton Harbor, Mich. ...Free movies were run at the State Fairgrounds during the August 11, 1948