Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Los Angeles Francis A. Bateman, who resigned as western division sales manager of Republic, with whom he was associated for 17 years, was tendered a testimonial dinner December 11 at Storey’s Restaurant. ... . J. J. O’Loughlin, former United Artists branch manager, who is now with TV sales, was a visitor to the Row. . . . Frank Fouce, Mexican producer and theatre operator, came in from Mexico for a few days stay before taking off for Havana. . . . Having disposed of the Cinema Park drive-in in Phoenix, Ted Karetz and his wife plan to leave on a trip around the world. . . . George Bowser was back from a rest in Palm Springs. . . . Charles Kranz was appointed vice-president in charge of exchange operations for Filmakers Releasing Organization and Filmakers Productions, Inc. . . . Milton Frankel, vice-president of the Film Row Club, announced that one of the door prizes to be awarded at the Film Row Club Dance at the Ambassador Hotel Dec 22, will be a roundtrip flight to Las Vegas via Western Airlines, with a two-day stay at the Riviera Hotel. . . . While here from Manhattan to attend U-I’s national sales-meetings, general sales-manager Charles Feldman, accompanied by Foster Blake, western district manager, conferred with Abe Schwerdlow, branch manager. Memphis “Giant” (Warner Bros.), which has broken all records at Warner theatre in Memphis, did 175 per cent of average business in its fourth week and is being shown for a fifth. . . . The Lincoln theatre at Gould, Ark., a Wren theatre, will close and be dismantled the first of year. . . . The engagement of Miss Elizabeth Bach, daughter of C. C. Bach, manager of National Theatre Supply, to Stanley Miscki has been announced. The wedding will be in June. . . . Memphis Variety Club entertained the children of members with a Christmas party Dec. 22 at the club. . . . Jimmy Gillespie of Dallas, 20th-Fox southwestern district exploitation man, was in Memphis in connection with the opening of “Oklahoma!” -this weekend. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Dick Logan of the McCutcheon theatre at Charleston, Mo., were Film Row visitors as was J. B. Harper of the Missouri at Campbell, Mo. Norman Fair of the Fair at Somerville. Tenn., was also in town and J. W. Wofford of the Union at Union visited the exchanges. Miami “Oklahoma” in Todd-AO finally closed at the Sheridan theatre here after a very successful 10 month engagement. Dec. 21 was the opening date for “Around the World in Eighty Days” at the same theatre. . . . Current first run attractions include “The Ten Commandments” which opened Dec. 14 at the Beach and Olympia theatres on a two-a-day reserved seat basis; “Baby Doll,” at the Paramount, Gables and Lincoln theatres. . . . This area last week was the scene of much television activity as a result of NBC’s annual meeting of affiliates at the new Americana Hotel here. Many of the leading NBC network programs were originated from here during the Convention. . . . Joe Fink is the skipper at the New Hollywood theatre. He formerly managed the first run Royal in downtown Miami. . . . Nate Yamins, well-known New England Circuit operator, is spending the winter at his Palm Beach home. . . . Paul Swater is the managing director for “This is Cinerama.” He formerly managed theatres in San Francisco. Milwaukee As of December 8, the Milwaukee Film Center took over the shipping and inspecting department of Republic Pictures here. . . . Pearl Nadolny, head inspectress for Republic, is leaving her job to take care of her parents. She has been with Republic since 1931. Pearl and her sister Hattie, who is head inspectress at Columbia, are the two oldest in point of service here as inspectors. . . . Newcomer to Film Row is Tom Szelenyi, new booker at Warners. He comes directly from the home office in New York City. . . . Oliver and Ray Trampe again were hosts to their many friends along Film Row and in the industry at an annual Christmas party at their Allied Artists exchange. A buffet supper was served. . . . WTMJ-TV, the Milwaukee Journal television station, has purchased a group of Warner Brothers pictures. Minneapolis Ted Mann, operator of the World theatres in Minneapolis and St. Paul as well as several neighborhood and suburban theatres in the Twin Cities, will be in California with his family until after the first of the year. . . . Harry Weiss, RKO Theatres district manager, is back from a routine check of his Iowa situations as well as the Champaign, 111., Virginia theatre. . . . Virginia Wendt is the new receptionist at Columbia, replacing Joan Hemmingson, resigned. . . . Barbara Bosch, receptionist at MGM, will spend Christmas in New York. . . . MGM and Northwest Orient Airlines were co-hosts at a sukiyaki party for the press and other invited guests in advance of the opening of “Tea House of the August Moon.” After the dinner guests went to Film Row for a showing of the film. . . . John Anderson, former exhibitor at Plankinton and White Lake, S. D., died at his home in Mitchell, S. D. His son-in-law, Bud Carroll, has been operating the houses in Plankinton and White Lake for the past year. . . . Walt Raschick has resigned as executive secretary of Variety Club of the Northwest to become executive secretary of United Cerebral Palsy in Minneapolis. New Orleans Robert R. O’Donnell, branch manager, and Herman R. Beiersdorf, sales manager, Lippert Exchange, Dallas, were here to confer with Harold F. Cohen of Harold F. Cohen Enterprises. . . . Edna Blanks is the new secretary at Joy’s Theatres, Inc. . . . Columbia Pictures’ branch manager “Duke” Duval announced that Jeff Kinerd, who has been with the company since 1940 with the exception of a few years’ Army service, as head shipper, has been promoted to office manager, succeeding the late John R. Grainger. Shipper August Stierwald stepped up to the post of head shipper and Reece Mayet to shipper. . . . Alex Maillho, U.A. manager, checked in after a week’s trip in northern Louisiana. . . . R. L. Johnson, of Johnson Theatre Service, handled the sale and installation of projection, sound and accessories equipment in the rebuilt Melroy, Taylorsville, Miss., owned and operated by L. R. McIntosh, Mize, Miss. . . . Former Woolner Bros, secretary Marvel Sherman departed for Dallas to join her husband Phil who is a salesman for Universal in that exchange area. Betty Ann Loup is the new secretary. Oklahoma City A plan that would place the movie production of “Oklahoma!” in every CinemaScope-equipped theatre in Oklahoma as the state opens its semi-centennial year in January, is being studied by Twentieth Century-Fox, it is reported. Gov. Gary of Oklahoma has requested that the company consider the action. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Bob Barton spent the last week here on business. Mr. Barton is booker for Barton Theatres. . . . Mr. and Mrs. R. Lewis Barton and Mrs. Harold Combs, and sons, spent some time in Texas looking over drive-in theatres Mr. Combs is concession manager for Barton Theatres. Mrs. Lydia Thomas, manager of N.E. 66th drive-in, accompanied the group to Texas. . . . Ethel Adams has been named manager of the Del City theatre. . . . Mrs. Corrine Tomey has been named manager of the Redskin theatre. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Barton and daughter, of Washington, D. C. plan to spend their Christmas vacation in Oklahoma City. . . . The Circle drive-in is closed for the winter except for weekend operation. . . . Cecil Leland Wills, 62, one of the last charter members of the Oklahoma City local of the Motion Picture Projectionists Union, died Dec 6. Philadelphia Morris Wolf, prominent local attorney representing the motion picture companies and a member of the Board of the Stanley Warner Theatres for many years, was named one of the senior chairmen for the 1957 campaign of the Philadelphia Allied Jewish Appeal. . . . The newly-built Tacony-Palmyra Bridge drive-in, across the river in Palmyra, N. J., will open with the new year instead of waiting for the warmer weather, with in-car heaters to attract patronage. . . . Sieg Horowitz, film salesman last with DCA, has joined the staff of Jack Harris’ Screen Guild. . . . Sam Gross, a projectionist, has taken over the operation of William Greenfield’s Ambassador, local neighborhood house, on a lease. . . . Milgram Booking Service announced it is now handling the Starlite drive-in, Muncy, Pa.; Lycoming drive-in, Williamsport, Pa.; Halifax drive-in, Halifax, Pa., and the Sauconia, Hellertown, Pa. . . . DCA will set up a local exchange branch at 1313 Vine Street, along Film Row, with Hy Bettinger, last with 20th Century-Fox, as the new branch manager handling the Washington, D. C., area as well as the local territory. Pittsburgh “Westward Ho! The Wagons,” the Harris Christmas feature is the first Disney production to play this house. . . .“Power and the Prize” got a four day booking in the Penn with “Teahouse of the August (Continued on following page ) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 22, 1956 27