The Exhibitor (Aug-Nov 1948)

[ NliWS OF THE District Of Columbia Washington The industry lost one of its out¬ standing members on Aug. 1 when John J. Payette, 55, Warner Theatres zone manager, died at his home after a long illness. He is survived by his wife, the former Dorothy Crandall, daughter of the late Harry Crandall, and four children, Mrs. Charles Kema^ Devereux, John J. , Robert C. , and Ronald C. Payette; a brother, George N. Payette, Hagerstown, Md. , and two sisters, Mrs, George A. Degnan and Mrs. William Schwalm, Services were held at his home 5126 Palisades Lane N.W. , with further services at the Sacred Heart Church. Payette first became associated with the industry in 1904 when he started at the old Academy of Music. At the age of 17, he was appointed manager, Rhode Is¬ land. Following service with the army during World War I, he was appointed assistant manager. Metropolitan. Three weeks later, he was designated as manager. In 1920, he was elevated to the assistant general managership of all the Crandall theatres, and, in 1925, became general manager. When Crandall theatres merged with the Stanley Company of America, he was appointed theatre supervisor, and when Warners purchased the theatres, he was made general zone manager of the 45 theatres in Washington, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsyl¬ vania. During World War II, he was co-chairman for the District for the War Activities Committee; was a member of the executive committee of the Civilian War Services, deputy air raid warden, and a member of the D.C. Salvage committee. The pallbearers, all former associ¬ ates of Rayette at the WB office, were George A. Crouch, Prank La Palce, Harry E, Lohmeyer, Charles V. Grimes, J. AltonPratt, and Louis F. Ribnitzki, Honorary pallbearers were: Harry Kalmine, general manager and vice-presi¬ dent, Warner Theatres; W. Stuart Mc¬ Donald, treasurer, Warner Theatres; Joseph Bernhard, president. Film Classics; Carter Barron, eastern di¬ vision manager, Loew’ s Theatres; Nel¬ son B. Bell, radio and drama critic; Rudolph Berger, division manager, Metro; W.P. Beiersdorf, manager, War¬ ners; Ralph Binns, manager. Highway Express; A. Julian Brylawski, Warner Theatres; Jay Carmody, drama editor. The Evening Star; Jake Flax, manager. Republic; Robert J. Folliard, divi¬ sion manager, RKO; J. Edward Fontaine, division manager, Selznick Releasing Organization; Sam Galanty, division manager, Columbia; Nat Glasser, dis¬ trict manager, Warner Theatres; Frank Harman, vice-president, Hamilton Na¬ tional Bank; Garfield Kass, Kass Realty Company; C.E. McGowan, Warner Theatres; Joseph P. Morgan, former THE EXHIBITOR NT-1 Seen above is John J. Payette, Warner Theatres zone manager in Washington, whose recent death caused much sorrow.. associate; I.J, Rappaport, Rappaport Theatres, Baltimore, Md.; Robert Smeltzer, division manager, Warners, andL.T. Souder, electrical centractor. A tax on amusements to bring needed revenue .,0 the District reserves was recommended during a roundtable dis¬ cussion by ranking citizens and Senate leaders. The suggestion that a tax be levied on amusements, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages was made by Paul J. Foley, D.C. Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The discussion, which was aired on WINX, had as its other participants Senator Harry Cain, Washington 1 Senator Johnston, South Carolina, and several other citizens. Foley also offered the idea of a municipal liquor monopoly similar to the state liquor systems found in many other parts of the country. An amusement tax for the District is nothing new. It comes up every now and then, but has so far been defeated. The “blow hot-blow cold” tendency of the Ezzard CharlesJimmy Bivins fight, being sponsored by the Variety Club, went into a third stage. It has been postponed again, and this time the heavyweight bout is Sept. 13. Charles reported he was ill, and not fit for the fight. The examining doc¬ tors of the District Boxing Commission reported him fit. Charles Ford, at¬ torney, Variety Club, demanded, and got conditions he laid down accepted. Charles has posted $5,000, which will be forfeited, and accrue to the Varie¬ ty Club, if the fight does not come off on Sept. 13. Also, the boxer will fight no one until the Bivins con¬ tract is fulfilled. Arnold Fine, club editor. The Wash¬ ington Daily News, conducted an in¬ formal poll of the different night spots in Washington, and reports that only 25 per cent of places which used entertainment a year ago are using it today. Amusement and entertainment people are united in the belief that the 20 per cent federal amusement tax must be repealed. The National closed its doors as a legit house after the last performance of “Oklahoma”. With this final step, Washington is left without one theatre where stage productions can be viewed. The National will open again as a movie house. Sidney Lust was credited with a “first” when live talent was presented at his Beltsville Drive-In. This was the first time flesh has been presen¬ ted at a drive-in in this section. The hillbilly entertainers also have dates to play at Lust’ s Marlboro and Cheverly. Although the National closed, there is a lot of activity around the local summer circuit. U-I: E.L. McEvoy, New York short subjects production manager, was in for a visit. ... Oron Summers and Mrs. LaDouceur from the office were enjoy¬ ing their annual holiday. FILM CLASSICS; Max Cohen returned from the Screen Guild convention in New York wi€h news about the new sea¬ son. .. Charlie Mendelson returned from a trip in the Clinch. ... Sam Wheeler, western division manager, was in town for a few days.... Film Classics ex¬ pects to move in October to the offices which Eagle Lion now occupies. Eagle Lion will move to National Screen Service. Screen Guild, which now shares offices with Film Classics, will re¬ main at their present location. AT PARAMOUNT: Booker Max Rutledge was back from vacation, and booker Luther Buchanan was off on his. Other vacationers were Rita Tobin, ledger clerk, and Norma Brown, contract de¬ partment. . . Former ledger clerk Frances Herbst has a baby girl, and both are doing just fine. ...Miss Sadie Cohen, former exhibitor, now 66, and frisky as a colt, enlivened the Paramount office with a visit. ... Travel ing auditor Bob Moretta left us for home office conferences and then a vaca¬ tion at his log cabin in the uncon¬ quered wilds at Schroon Lake, N. Y, , before going to his next assignment ....The branch has led the country's 32 Paramount branches all this year in the sale of its features. 20th CENTURY-FOX: Eileen Oliver, who underwent a major operation in Columbia Hospital, left the hospital. Hurry up and get well.... Sara Young, our contact at 20th-Fox, held a meet¬ ing of several ladies of the variety Club welfare fund. Among those present were Mrs. Frank Boucher, Mrs. Clark Davis, Mrs. Ben Lust, and Miss Ann Griffin. The ladies will hold a luncheon on Aug. 17 in the Carleton Room, Carleton Hotel.... The 20th Century-Fox Dynamos held their regular monthly meeting on Aug. 3. K-B THEATRES; Frank Boucher, mana¬ ger, K-B Theatres, and Chief Barker, Variety Club, reports keen interest in Variety welfare activities. .. .Jim Sanford, auditor, is back, tired and tan. His brother Dick “Red Silk Stock¬ ings” Sanford, has a new tune, “Men¬ tion My Name in Sheboygan”, knocking them dead in New York. ...Jake Biben, maqager, K-B Atlas, was vacationing in New York. ..The lobby of the K-B Sena¬ tor has been given a “new look”. Manager Ben Coleman reports favorable comments from the customers. LOErs: Manager Bill Riding returned from his vacation. ... Gene Ford is August 11, 1948 Washington