Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1939)

about PEOPLE of the THEATRE NEWS OF THEIR ACTIVITIES REPORTED FROM ALL SECTIONS AND BRIEFLY TOLD Theatre interests represented by Peter H. Markowitz have purchased the Casino theatre at San Francisco, from a family group headed by G.M. (Bronco Billy) Anderson of early film fame. The new owners contemplate renovation of the structure. Approximately $14,000 will be spent in Maquoteta, la., to double the seating capacity of the Pastime theatre, according to S. R. Peake, manager. The job is expected to be completed in about 60 days. Total seating of the house then will be near 800. The Lockwood-Gordon Windsor theatre in Windsor, Conn., which was acquired from Nathan Lampert last summer and subsequently completely renovated, has been opened. Fox Midwest, which recently acquired the Savoy in Watertown, Wis., has opened the house on a part time schedule with Edward Kuenzi as manager. Oscar Baumann, manager of the circuit's Classic in the same town, is managing director of the Savoy. The seventh theatre to be operated in Houston, Tex., by the Interstate Circuit, the Alabama, has been opened. At the formal opening were Oscar F. Holcombe, mayor of Houston, and County Judge Roy Hofheinz. R. G. O'Donnell, vice president and general manager of Interstate, represented the company at the ceremonies. Ellis Ford has been named manager of the new house. The People's Theatre Company has been incorporated at San Francisco, with a capital of 1,000 shares of no par value, by David B. and Edith Levin, and Manuel Snyder. Lawrence Bucholz has completed exterior and interior remodeling of his Rialto in Nekossa, Wis. The house has been equipped with a new marquee and porcelain enamel front, and a new heating and ventilating system. Emmet F. Roche of Shelby, Mich., has completed extensive remodeling of his Shelby theatre. Egon Friedlander and Henry C. Heriman have purchased the equipment of the Lincoln in Oakland, Calif., from Steve Chorak. Edward M. Starkey, operator of the Rex theatre at Berlin, Wis., has taken over the Chilton at Chilton, Wis., from Mr. and Mrs. John Steenport. E. H. Nitzke has been named manager of the house. Dave Williams has opened the Grand, formerly the Valley theatre, at St. Joseph, Mo. The house has been dark for several years. Thomas Shimmens has opened a new theatre in Newberry, Mich., on a part-time basis. The house, which seats 400, will have a screen-vaudeville policy. Mr. Shimmens also operates the Newberry and State theatres. The Rio has been opened at Rodeo, Calif., by Cecil E. Pace, following alterations. The remodeled Amuse-U theatre in Fordyce, Ark., has been opened under the name of the Dallas, according to K. Lee Williams, president of the operating company. Gerry Doig has been placed in charge of the Dallas, and A. E. Crowder, Jr., formerly assistant manager of the old Amuse-U, has been retained in the same capacity at the Dallas. A theatre being erected in Santa Monica, Calif., by Donald W. Douglas, is to be operated by Aero Theatres, Inc. Wlliam Hitchock succeeds H. Kubiac as manager of the Roxy in Coleraine, Minn. L. J. Frana of Calmar, la., is installing "Bodiform" American Seating Company chairs in his Olympic theatre there. New lighting equipment is also being installed. E. J. Calvi and A. J. O'Keefe have purchased the Lomita theatre, Lomita, Calif., from Charles and Reba G. Swartzburg. Norman C. Glassman of Lowell, Mass., has purchased the Rialto Theatre building in that city from E. M. Lowe of Boston. Mr. Glassman, who also owns the Gates in Lowell, recently leased that theatre to Sam Sternberg of the same city. After twelve years, Ossian, la., will have a motion picture theatre. Paul Swanson will operate the house, to be called the Ossian, which seats 300. RCA sound equipment is being installed. The Walker Theatre Corporation has been incorporated at San Francisco, Calif., with a capital stock of $25,000, by William R. McNair, Patrick M. Walker and Nathan Smith. A new theatre to seat approximately 1,200 is under construction at Carbondale 111. The I. W. Rodgers circuit of Cairo, Here's how the Fox Wisconsin theatre in Milwaukee turned celebration of the 50th anniversary of motion pictures into exploitation of its modern facilities for the presentation of films. A complete Simplex projector is displayed alonq with a mounted RCA Photophone soundhead, and also other parts of the sound system, and contrasted with this modern equipment are two early projection mechanisms. 14 A Section of Motion Picture Herald