Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

fjati on ci IS, mo Albany “A New Year’s resolution for a drastic cutback on talk by some leaders and many lower echeloners about ‘poor business’ would be a wonderful thing,” commented a veteran here. He said the “poor business” chant not only has an adverse psychological effect within the industry, but, equally, or more important, upon the public and through it on theatres. . . . Variety Club planned a dinner honoring Jack Goldberg, retiring MGM manager and chairman of the house committee. He is one of the few remaining barkers of the original Tent 9, which functioned during the 1920s-30s and his days as an area salesman. His successor, Edward Susse, booker, office manager and salesman in Albany prior to a transfer to Buffalo, is also a Variety member. . . . Washington Christmas week vacationers: Richard Young, 20th-Fox, and Virgil Jones, Warner salesman. . . . Final shuttering of Erie, Schenectady, left Fabian with three theatres, Plaza, Proctor’s and State, there. Erie, owned principally by Farley Estate of Albany will be torn down for a parking lot. . . . The four-week runs for “Giant” in this city and in Utica, as well as extended engagements elsewhere, demonstrate that the public strongly supports top pictures, Warner branch manager Raymond Smith pointed out. Atlanta Sheldon Mandell closed the first run St. Johns theatre, Jacksonville, Fla. for updating of the entire property with $45,000 earmarked for the job. A grand opening ceremony is planned for Jan. 21. . . . The Monteagle theatre has reopened under the management of Zelma and Alvin Pirtle. The theatre had been closed for the past several months. . . . John O’Rourke, office manager for U.A. in Minneapolis, and his wi-fe, passed through Atlanta on their way to Miami, Fla. for a vacation. . . . R. M. Kennedy, theatre owner in Alabama and president Alabama Theatre Owners, has moved his office to 10 Office Park Circle, Mountain Brook. . . . W. C. Haines, branch manager at U.A., checked in at his office after a business trip to Tennessee. . . . H. P. Rhodes, drive-in owner in Georgia and Alabama, is back in Atlanta after visiting his father in Greensville, S. C. . . . Russell Holder, an executive of Crescent Amusement Co., Nashville, Tenn., is back there after a fishing trip in Florida. . . . The Desoto drive-in, near Brownsville, Fla., has been sold to John Jackson, by Mr. and Mrs. George West. Boston Ray Feeley will open the new Milton Art theatre, Milton, Mass., a suburban art house, that will play first run and sub-run art films, January 10. Opening night will be a benefit performance for the Milton area, Junior League of Boston. Proceeds will benefit the Milton Visiting Nurses, and the Milton Hospital Gift Cart. First showing will be “Vitelloni.” Policy is two performances each evening at 7:15 and 9:15 P.M. . . . Roxy, Island Point, Vt., is reopening Jan. 4 on a trial basis by Eugene Major, who owns the property. . . . Carroll Rowell, owner, Idle Hour, Hardwick, Vt., has returned from a visit to the west coast. . . . Harry Hudson, owner, Randall theatre, Bethel, Vt., is recovering from recent surgery. . . . Mrs. Mary L. (Condon) Lydecker, 68, president and treasurer of Film Exchange Transfer Co., largest film carrier service in New England, died recently. She was the widow of the founder. . . . Sympathy to John Sherwin owner of the Colonial Theatre, Bristol, Vt., whose daughter-in-law died suddenly. . . . A1 Fecke, U.A. salesman, and his wife, off to Cheshire, Conn., for the holidays. . . . Two salesmen from the N.E. district office, Boston, of Manley, Inc., won top honors in the Manley, Inc. national salesmen’s contest. Irving Dunn led all Manley salesmen for the second year in a row and has been appointed assistant sales manager to Lyman O. Seley. John Stone was second to Dunn. . . . The Benjamin Sacks off to Miami Beach for the holidays, and the Louis Gordons to Cuba. Buffalo The Christmas party on Dec. 21 at the MGM exchange also took on the shape of a farewell party for Ed Suess, a member of the local sales staff for many years, who has departed for Albany to take over the management of the MGM branch there. . . . The moving Christmas-time story of a Buffalo Navy airman who met death around this time last year and his mother’s immediate reflections were retold to the world by Armed Services and network radio and locally by WBEN’s Washington correspondent last Saturday (22) afternoon. The Buffalo Navy man was Michael Shea Giffoniello, 21, and son of Mrs. Emile Giffoniello. only child of the late immortal Buffalo showman, Michael Shea. . . . Robert T. Murphy, general manager, Century theatre, enthusiastic over the advance reserved seat sale and the reception given “The Ten Commandments.” CharRon Heston, who has the role of Moses in the film, was in Buffalo a few days in advance of the opening to aid in the promotion of the picture. Heston is going from city to city as the picture opens in various localities. ... A capacity house of kids attended Lester Pollock’s big pre-Xmas Cartoon Show Saturday morning, Dec. 22, and for which he promoted some $600 worth of prizes from Noah’s Ark in Kodak Town. ... In January, the Erie County Chapter of the American Cancer Society will sponsor the showing of the motion picture, “Breast Self-Examination,” in more than 20 theatres in Buffalo and Erie County. The showings, open to women only, will be free. The first showing will be in Shea’s Buffalo on Jan. 10 and will continue in other theatres the weeks of Jan. 14 and 21. . . . Bob McAuliffe, WBUF-TV sales man passing around the Corona Coronas. It’s a bouncing baby boy and Bob is getting along quite well, thank you. . . . WKBW, local independent radio station, has begun broadcasting NBC programs and a complete change will start January 1, according to A1 Anscombe, station manager. . . . Chez Ami, restaurant and supper club on Delaware Avenue which has been closed for a year or so, has re-opened under the management of Jack Grood, a popular member of the Buffalo Variety Club. Charlotte Ben Hill, Universal-International exploitation man, came here to set up plans for the “Written on the Wind” which will open at the Manor. . . . With the co-operation of the Charlotte News, Hill arranged a contest in which prizes valued at $50 were given away. . . . Christmas parties were held by a number of exchanges. Paramount held its Dec. 14, while MGM and Howco had theirs the night of the 17th. . . . Award of the permit to operate a new television station here was made to radio station WSOC. The station expects to be on the air April 1. . . . Roy Smart, North Carolina Theatres executive, and Mrs. Smart have returned from a business-pleasure trip to Atlanta. . . . Rumors continue to be heard about construction of a new indoor theatre here. Reports place the number of seats at anywhere between 1,000 and 2,400. . . . T. A. Little, head of Consolidated Theatres, has told friends that if the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Zoning Commission turns down his request for rezoning property on Independence Drive for a drive-in, he will obtain land further out of town. Chicago Exhibitors feel optimistic about postChristmas business. Several new pictures, representing a varied type of film entertainment, arrived in time for Christmas, and it is expected that people will look upon the theatre as a welcome change after the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. . . . Meanwhile, Christmas parties made big news on Film Row. Theatres, too. continued to run special shows which were sponsored by neighborhood business houses for children. . . . The Kedzie, in cooperation with the MadisonKedzie Business Men’s Organization had a Christmas party for children December 12. ... A free show for Christmas was also held at the Lake Shore, with Nelson Chevrolet Company playing Santa Claus to the kiddies in the neighborhood. . . . The Acadia theatre reopened Christmas Day under new management. The theatre, closed for several weeks, has been redecorated. Arthur Gould, a veteran in the theatre business, is managing the house. The Palace theatre reported advance sales in the amount of $100,000 for “Seven Wonders of the World.” The production opened here December 11. ( Continued on page 26) 24 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 29. 1956