The Exhibitor (Aug-Nov 1948)

NT-4 THE EXHI BITOR mit construction of a community thea¬ tre by Roger Mahan, owner, Tower, Carroll, and Plaza. The petition had been virorously opposed at public hearings, and the board divided 12 to 3 to favor the proposition. One Republican mem¬ ber, Joseph A. Galasso, voted against the change. Two Democrats, Harold A. AshelyandDr. Joseph A. May, abstained. Immediately after the meeting, a group of property owners in the vicinity of the proposed theatre expressed dis¬ appointment at the board’ s decision, and announced plans to continue their opposition with a possible appeal to the courts. The threefourths majority for approval was required because owners of more than 20 per cent of the property within 200 feet of the proposed theatre site were opposed to the development. Mahan’ s plans include an off-street-parking area near the theatre, according to his wife, Marie, the petitioner. The committee which brought in a favorable report on the application consisted of majority leader Burton H. Walker, Albert 0. Loeffler, Peter J. Eard, Patrick P. Shea, and John J. Rock Massachusetts LYNN After visiting old friends in Wor¬ cester, Mass., manager Dick Owens, Capitol, with Mrs. Owens and children, Richard and Linda, were making a tour of the White Mountains. After his re¬ turn, his assistant. Miss Rose Gluck, who ran the theatre most successfully during his absence, will leave for the mountains, sani Levy, chief pro¬ jectionist, will spend two weeks at New Durham, N.H. The Capitol ladies room has been r-enovated with pink tile. A month ago, manager Harold Cummings, Warner, tried out ^ new assistant manager with no experience, now he is trying an old-timer, Julian Eaton, formdr manager, Capitol, Everett, Mass. , and the Strand, Boston, and is confident that he will make good. Manager Cummings will spend the last two weeks of August on a trip through the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, after which he will visit friends in New York state, William Morgan will make a trip to Canada. John Kingsley, Auditorium, returned after illness. .Marylyn Clancy, Audi Cot a problem? The solution may be waiting for you among the specially prepared forms and systems which are available at cost to theatres which subscribe to this paper. THE EXHIBITOR BOOKf SHOP Con(fucteii as a Service ^ Cottrtesy to Subtcribert by JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATIONS, INC. I22S Vine Street -^ ^ , Philadelphia, Pa. torium, is in New York City. ... Maurice Standard and Kenneth McElliott, Audi¬ torium, returned from vacation trips. SP Rl NGF I ELD Plans for two additional drive-ins in Springfield, Mass. , area have been revealed. The Springfield City Council held a meeting on the application of R. J. Wiatrowski and his brother, Ed¬ ward, both of Springfield, to construct a drive-in off Page Boulevard near Berkshire Avenue, Springfield. The mayor and several council members ob¬ jected to the proposal. A decision was to be announced. Plans of Vernon A. Doty, West Springfield, to proceed with construction of a drive-in on Riverdale Street, West Springfield, were held up temporarily. West Springfield property owners applied for a writ aimed at doing away with the li¬ cense for an open air theatre, granted by the west Springfield Board of Selectmen, and for a restraining order and permanent injunction forbidding Doty from starting construction. The property owners charged chairman Henry S. Johnston of the board with infiuencing the board to grant the license, and approval was declared “erroneous, void, illegal, and biased”. George E. Freeman, manager, LoewPoli, Springfield, Mass., left on va¬ cation, with Sam Schubouf, manager, Loew-Poli Lyric, Bridgeport, relieving. Rhode Island ARCT 1 C Edward Gould, summer operator, Green¬ wich and Westerly, cancelled his sche¬ dule at Westerly, and moved to the Odeon, Arctic, for the remainder of the season. Plays will continue to open in East Greenwich, but will move to the Odeon for the last half of/ each week. CR AN STON The Cranston Auto Theatre, Bald Hill Road and Oaklawn Avenue, opened with a capacity crowd on hand. Industry and dvic leaders attended, and police estimated that almost 700 cars were accommodated, and about the same num¬ ber turned away. According to Myer Stanzler, president, Columbia Amuse¬ ment Company, the theatre’ s capacity will be increased to 800 cars. The opening had been heralded for weeks with newspaper and billboard space as well as radio time. Free pony rides, performing ponies, and bottle warmers, were among opening attractions. Pre¬ sent policy calls for 50 cent weeknight admission, and kiddies and cars free. A 140-amp. Peerless projector has been installed in the combination booth and concession building, and Simplex speakers are used throughout for the 800 cars. The 35 x 40-foot combination building is trimmed with chrome marquee. The concession counter, operated by Interstate Automatic Candy Corporation, is set at an angle to in¬ crease length and an ultra-modern look has been applied throughout. Raymond Caine is manager. PROV I DENCE Included in the office mail at the RKO Albee recently were a couple of theatre stubs in an epvelo.pej^A note stated that they had been picked up on the floor of a bus between South Kensington and Oxford Circus, London, by Eddie Reed, a BBC employe in England. A check showed that they had been sold between 6 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 23 when the theatre was showing “The senator Was Indiscreet”. Odd incident? Well, Reed wrote from London that he had been born in Providence. “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House” opened at the RKO Albee with a full-sized counterpart open for public inspection in Warwick, R. I. The War¬ wick house attracted more than 1500 viewers on opening day, with the 25cent admission slated for charity. Construction men, furniture and fur¬ nishing dealers, as well as tradesmen, were in the co-op. engineered by Gen¬ eral Electric with cooperation of Bill Morton, publicity director, RKO Albee. At the house, guides explained the part each room plays in the picture as well as other humorous incidents built up around the construction. Those attending were treated with a gratis Coke by bottlers. Morton plugged the opening with a half-hour remote broad¬ cast over WHIM -and trailers describ¬ ing the Warwick house. Exactly $150 in cash prizes as well as five cases of Chiffon soap flakes and six cases of DelMonte glass jar products were promoted by Morton for giveaways in a lobby key contest which featured a miniature “Blandings’” house door. Finders of the proper key received the prizes, some of which were also distributed by Morton on his street show as a boost for the film. Also given away on the street show were pocket editions of the book. Loew’ s State boosted “The Time Of Your Life” with a full page co-op, ad in The Evening Bulletin. Joseph G. Samartano, manager, was back from va¬ cation during which time Charles Kurtzamn, division manager, and Wil¬ liam Trambukis, assistant, held the fort. ‘charles Darby, manager, Avon, tried' a novel stunt for “Furia*’. Darby ar¬ ranged for Antonio Pace, Italianlanguage radio commentator, to make wire recordings of the film sound track. Pace set the microphone on stage during screening, and recorded parts which he considered good. After editing, recordings were played back on the air, with episodes being used as commercial. Musical portions were used as a background for pace’ s spoken commercials. The Avon is receiving a new setting with the stores next door town down to make way for a professional office building. Also benefiting the Avon is the reestablishment of utility traffic through the East Side tunnel. Richard Stewart has been appointed assistant, Avon, in time for Charles Darby to plan a vacation trip to Que¬ bec. Stewart hails from Weston, Mass. Worthington Holt, East Bridgewater, Mass,, was relieving Sam Badamo, mana¬ ger, Hope, while the latter was vaca¬ tioning at Ossippee, n-H. August 11, 1948