The Exhibitor (May-Oct 1945)

THE EXHIBITOR NT-5 AMONG THOSE ATTENDING the 'kick-off' luncheon for the Albany area theatres' Seventh War Loan at the Ten Eyck Hotel, Albany, last fortnight were, left, left to right: J. P. Faughnan, Warners; Max Friedman, Warners; Leo Rosen, Strand, Albany; Joe Weinstein, Warners; H. Carlock, RKO; George Tucker, RKO, and Woodrow Campbell, Warners; right, top, left to right: A. J. Sayles, Palace, Albany; Guy A. Graves, State, Schenectady; Saul Ullman, and Joseph Shure, Fabian theatres; Larry Cowen, Proctor, Troy; George Seed, Rialto, Cohoes, and RKO's Max Westebbe; bottom, left to right: Mrs. Dorothy Finkelstein, Bennet Goldstein, Ralph Ripps, Edward Susse, Herman L. Ripps, Floyd Fitzsimmons, William Williams, and Arthur Horn, all of Loew's. Straight from the 20th Century-Fox press book for Mary O’Hara’s ‘“Thunderhead, Son of Flicka,” and chalked up as a red-hot campaign, was the suggestion of a ‘Typical Boy’ contest. The contest was successfully executed by publicity-adver¬ tising director Alex Sayles, Fabian The¬ atres, and 20th’s field representative Ralph Stitt when “Thunderhead” played the Palace. Plenty of newspaper space was obtained for the contest through a tie-up with the Alblany Knickerbocker-News. The theme of the contest was the angle that Roddy McDowall in “Thunderhead” played a typical American boy. Entrants in the competition did not need resem¬ blance to win. A prize was presented to the winning boy on the stage of the the¬ atre at a night performance. Fabian Upstate Theatres Saul J. Ullman, general manager, Fabian Upstate Theatres, at a meeting of execu¬ tives and managers in the division office at the Palace, Albany, made a stirring appeal for all managers to get behind the Seventh War Loan 100 per cent, and to be sure to write all bond business at the theatres. Among those attending the Sev¬ enth War Loan luncheon at the Ten Eyck on April 30 were Guy Graves, city man¬ ager, Schenectady; Louis Rapp, Plaza; Phil Rapp, State; Parker Sherwood, Strand, all of Schenectady; George Seed, city man¬ ager, Cohoes; Bert Lawlor, Catskill; Paul Wallin, Joe Saperstein, Grand, Albany; Commander Larry Cowen, managing direc¬ tor, Proctor’s Troy, and publicity director of Fabian’s Upstate Theatres, and Joe Shure, assistant to Ullman. The boys were getting out their ear muffs to attend the annual Albany Variety Club golf tournament and stag dinner at the Colonie Country Club on May 7. S. H. Fabian, president, Fabian Theatres; Sam Rosen, vice-president; Lou Golding, gen¬ eral manager, Fabian’s Wilmer and Vin¬ cent Circuit, and Bernie Brooks, chief, booking department, were to come from New York to attend. A Fabian prize was to be presented. Charles and Bernard Golding, privates first class, Combat Engineers, and twin sons of Lou Golding, Fabian Theatres, are now with the 15th Army in Germany. . . . Lieutenant Francis Hicks, Third Armored Division, First Army, and formerly Fabian’s assistant manager in Staten Island, is now at McGuire Army Hospital, Richmond, Va., recovering from wounds. . . . All Fabian managers have been in¬ structed by general manager Saul J. Ull¬ man to participate in the Cancer Drive under the auspices of the American Cancer Society. . . . Phil Rapp, managing director, State, Schenectady, is also stage director at Fabian’s Erie, presenting legitimate shows. Lou Golding, formerly general manager, Fabian’s Upstate Theatres, and now hold¬ ing the same position for Fabian-Wilmer and Vincent Circuit, is moving from Al¬ bany to New York after a 10 years’ resi¬ dence in the up-state city. ... A complete roof construction job is being given the Grand and Leland, Albany. . . . Joe Shure, assistant manager, Fabian’s Upstate The¬ atres, says the Oscar Levant, concert booked at the Palace for May 16 under sponsorship of the Albany Variety Club has every indication of a complete sell¬ out. . . . Irwin Ullman, assistant manager, Plaza, Schenectady, spent several days in New York taking his Navy enlistment examination. The 17-year-old recruit, is six feet, two inches tall, and weighs 232 pounds. . . . George Seed, city manager, Cohoes, has almost completed the altera¬ tion job at Fabian’s Empire. . . . Saul J. Ullman, general manager, Fabian’s Up¬ state Theatres, returned to Albany from conferences in New York with S. H. Fab¬ ian, Sam Rosen, and other top Fabian officials. Ausable Forks Ausable recently contracted for Altec Service. Buffalo A campaign in which not one promo¬ tional possibility was overlooked was the one given 20th Century-Fox’s “Thunderhead, Son of Flicka,” when it played Shea’s recently. Charles E. Taylor, di¬ rector of advertising and publicity, co¬ operated with 20th field exploitation rep¬ resentatives, Wally Allen and Julian Bowes. When Taylor launched his cam¬ paign, he lost no time in contacting one of Buffalo’s biggest department stores, with which he worked out a Roddy Mc¬ Dowall ranch fashions tieup for the boys’ department. With this as a starter, Taylor then gave the campaign more impetus by papering wide areas of the city with tackcards, hand-bills, window cards, and large posters, including a tieup with the New York Central Railroad. Moving into an¬ other tieup, this time with Quaker Oats, Messrs. Taylor, Allen, and Bowes suc¬ ceeded in hanging cards in hundreds of retail windows from one end of the city to the other. Taylor then went on a real promotional rampage, and got newsstand display with one-sheet-size posters and smaller cards, calling attention to the fact that the original story was in McCall’s as a serial. Two large restaurant chains were brought into effective tieups. Showman Taylor then obtained book window dis¬ plays in 20 stores in Buffalo, as well as tieups with local riding academies and stores selling riding equipment. The host of friends that Ralph Maw, MGM branch manager, has made down through the years since 1926, when he started with that company, were delighted to hear of his promotion to district man¬ ager, covering Des Moines, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee. He has been active on various committees, drives, and Variety Club affairs, has served on the arbitration board, is active on various civic commit¬ tees, is a member of the Buffalo Athletic Club, Rotary Club, Greater Advertising Club, and is an all-around-good-fellow. We are saddened that he leaves Buffalo, but wish him well. His family plans on remaining at their home in Deerhurst Park until fall. Jack Mundstuk, who suc¬ ceeds him as branch manager, hails from Cleveland. John Scully, Universal district manager, was in from Boston for a few days. . . . Manny Woronov, MGM Syracuse sales¬ man, and Abe Harris, Rochester repre¬ sentative, were in. . . . Max Fogel, John Myers, and Rube Cantor were spotted along the row booking. . . . Happiness reigns supreme at the Marvin Atlases, Commodore. Their first bundle from heaven arrived, a boy, and is dad proud! Chairman Ken Cooley called a meeting of all neighborhood theatres and managers in the Variety Club rooms to outline plans for the Seventh War Loan. . . . Bob Hope is coming to town on May 21 as the star of The Buffalo Evening News SmokesFor-Soldiers Fund Show. The follow¬ ing night, he will put on his network broadcast from the Sampson Naval Center. May 14 is the opening day of the Sev¬ enth War Loan, and Buffalo has been chosen as the key center. General Still¬ well and Henry Morgenthau. Secretary of the Treasury, will be present at Memorial Auditorium. FOR RENT Moving picture theatre fully equipped. 700 seats. Located at 305 Market St., Newark, N. J. Apply Owners FLEISSNER, 129 Pulaski St. Stage and Wall Drapes JOE HORNSTEIN has it! May 9, 1945