Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1945)

August 11. 1945 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 23 exchange on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Capt. Richard D. Marks, son of Jack Marks, the pioneer Clarksburg, W. Va., showman, became ill aboard ship while returning from Europe for redeployment in the Pacific and was returned to France. He has been overseas more than three years and has been in the African, Italian, French and German campaigns. M. A. Silver, zone manager for Warner Theatres, and his wife are vacationing this week in Maine, while Harry and Mrs. Feinstein (he is chief buyer and booker for the same organization), have just returned from their vacation in the Poconos. HARRISBURG Robert "Rube" Perlman, Bronx, N. Y., district sales manager for Columbia, and Bernard H. Musselman, 61, Harrisburg, who were seriously injured in an auto accident recently along the Susquehanna Trail near Liverpool, are reported in satisfactory condition at the Harrisburg Hospital, where they are patients. Perlman suffered possible fractures of the skull, ribs and wrist, and Musselman fractures of the left knee and nose, lacerations, and possible cerebral concussion. Harvey Miller, assistant manager of the State, returned from vacation in time to take over when Gerry Wollaston, manager, left for two weeks in his home town, St. Mary's. Meanwhile Jack O'Rear, Colonial; Francis Deverter, Rio, and Ed Rosenbaum, Columbia, will assist in managing the State, largest Fabian house here. Other vacationers are Alex Barket, assistant manager. Senate; Mark Rubinsky, owner of the Capitol, his wife and children, who spent some time in Atlantic City ; Ida Rubinsky, office manager, Capitol ; Charles Poornian, road manager, in New York ; Clair Seidenstricker, manager, Lyric, Dallastown, in Atlantic City. Mrs. Lynn Creason, daughter of Walter Yost, owner of the Yost Circuit, and an outstanding golfer of the area, is entered in the Colonial Club Championship Tournament. WASHINGTON As part of the United States Marine Corps celebration of the anniversary of Guadalcanal on Aug. 7, Warners had an exclusive showing for First Division Marines of "Pride of the Marines," at the Interior Department Auditorium. In addition to the picture, there was a 30 minute Guadalcanal commemorative broadcast over station WMAL in which Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal, Lt. General Alexander Vandergrift, Sergeant Al Schmid and other personalities participated. Blanche "Buddy" Hall, MGM Southern Division Manager Rudy Berger's New Orleans organizer, has returned to the local MGM office as John Allen's secretary. Warnerites who attended the Humanitarian Award Dinner for Sir Alexander Fleming were George Crouch, Frank La Fake, Harry Lohmeyer, and Charles McGowan. Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Sothern, formerly State, Clarksville, Va., operators, with the new State owners, Mr. and Mrs. D. F. Chandler, were Washington luncheon guests of MGM Salesman Tony Fursee. Local theatres are participating in the "Miss Washington 1945" beauty contest to represent the Capital at the annual Atlantic City event. Semi-finals were held at the Atlas, August 7 and scheduled at the Apex, August 15. The finals will take place in front of the District Building, .\ugust 1^. MGM District Manager John S. Allen has returned from a conference with home office executives. Mary Davis, Warner booking dept., recently celebrated 18 years with the company. Varjety Club held its gala dinner dance and golf tournamciU at the Manor Club. George TALKING IT OVER. James R. Grainger (lower right), president of Republic Pictures Corp. and worldwide sales head, discusses matters with two recent appointees, Richard W. Altschuler, foreign sales manager, and James Vincent O'Gara, assistant foreign sales manager. Crouch and Sam Wheeler were in cliarge of tickets. Sol Sorkin, RKO Keith's, invited drama critics and their wives to a luncheon at the Variety Club in honor of Brig. Gen, Carlos P. Romulo, Resident Commissioner of the Philippines, in connection with Keith's run of "Back to Bataan." W. C. Parker of Mecca, Chase City and Chris Geoghan, Colonial, South Hill, were in for a session with MGM Sales Manager Jack Goldberg and Salesman Tony Fursee. Harry Kahn, RKO salesman, is in New York for the sales convention. Theresa Stone, assistant to H. .VI. Richey, MGM exhibitor relations head, has returned to New York after attending a series of meetings here. She was guest of honor at a Hotel Washington luncheon sponsored by the visual education representatives of all U. S. Government departments. Mrs. J. S. .\llen of the local exchange also attended and Rear Admiral H. B. Miller told of the importance of training films in battle. PHILADELPHIA Rube Jackter, assistant sales manager for Columbia, came to the Harrisburg Hospital with Harry Weiner to see Rube Pearlman, Columbia salesman, who had been seriously hurt in an automobile accident. ( See Harrisburg in column at left.) Sam Milberg, former PRC salesman in Albany, has joined Division Manager Harry Weiner's Columbia sales force, to handle the Wilkes-Barre, Scranton territory. Warners went all out on the world premiere of "Pride of the Marines" at the Mastbaum. Coincident with the U. S. Marine Corps observance of Guadalcanal Day and the reunion of 400 First Marine Division Vets in Philadelphia, the picture was first screened for the fighting heroes and then shown publicly next day. .^t eleven o'clock on Tuesday, 25 First Division Marines were welcomed at the Alayor's office at which time several of them received decorations. Al Schmid, the blinded hero, acted as host with the Mayor. At 1 :30 p.m. the Northeast Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion Post 211 of Frankford arranged a huge outdoor celebration at the busiest intersection of Frankford. .\ cocktail party was held prior to the banquet itself. On hand was Secretary of Navv lames Forrestal, Gen. .\. A. Vandergrift, USMC, Brig. Gen. G. Thomas, USMC, Governor Marti. 1 of Pennsylvania and many others. The ballroom for the banquet was decorated to look exactly like the First Marine Division patch, which is a kite shaped quadangle witli the figure one, surrounded by the four stars which are in the constellation of the .Southern Crosb. A half hour broadcast was arranged coast to coast, with the broadcast going to Okinawa, and Okinawa talking back. The broadcast tied in with a number of banquets in other cities with groups of First Marine Division vets. Back from vacation is Joe Flood, Columbia booker. Bill Israel, back from vacation, was right up to his neck in work again at the Earle with Abbott and Costello making a personal appearance and jamming them into the theatre. A neat publicity stunt was arranged the opening morning, when Abbott and Costello, armed with hatchets went out on the Parkway and posed burying the hatchets. Newsreels and newspapers covered the stunt for a lot of spacegrabbing. Frank Hammeerman, PRC branch manager, went to Chicago for a company sales meeting. Robert Glatz, son of Ben Glatz, MGM exchange projectionist, has been promoted to water tender third class. Bob is in the Navy and saw action at Okinawa. Cpl. Thorpe Mayes, formerly projectionist at the Fern Rock, has been discharged from service. He was overseas 18 months. Jerry Logue, former Universal booker here, is booking for a theatre circuit in Los Angeles. Captain Arthur E. Stern, son of Ben Stern of National Screen Service, is now acting mayor of Germundin, Falkenberg Province, Germany. Sam Lefko, RKO salesman here, hospitalized since March, could not attend the sales convention in New York. He was lauded there for iiaving sold 100 per cent of his accounts on the "This Is America" series. Buck Harris of the RKO field exploitation staff attended the company's New York sales meeting 30 pounds lighter than last year. Charles Zagrans, branch manager, also attended and was termed the youngest grandfather in RKO's employ. INDIANAPOLIS Mrs. Leota King, head inspectress at the RKO exchange, suffered injuries Wednesday when she toppled from her chair while at work. She suffered a deep gash in her ankle and falling directly on her head, caused a slight cerebral concussion. Wilma Feaster, of the 20th-Fox office staff, has returned after a slight illness. W. .\. Michel, 20th-Fox cashier, has returned from his vacation spent with his parents. Ward Scott, 20th-Fox district manager, Kansas City, Mo., arrived here Monday and was an honored guest at the exchange employes picnic at Kernel's Lake, August 6. Sam Giltner is the manager at the new Indiana Theatre, Washington. A. W. Plues, one of the pioneers on Film Row, and widely known in motion picture circles, is now a member of the sales staff of National Theatre Supply Company. He will call on the trade in Indiana and Kentucky. Joseph Bohn, PRC franchise holder in Indiana, attended a sales meeting of the company at the Blackstone Hotel, Chicago. Film Row visitors : H. G. Reckley, Chateau. Greencastle ; J. B. Sconce, Pixy, Edinburg ; Harry VanNoy, Paramount, Anderson; J. M. .A.llison, Dana, Dana ; Joe Schilling of the Auditorium, Vaudette and Lyric, Connersville. The State, Greenfield, is scheduled to re-open under the management of Charles Jackson. Albert Blankenbaker, head booker at Warners' exchange, is vacationing at home. The shipping and inspection departments at Warners' exchange were entertained at a chicken dinner with all the trimmings on Thursday night at the Madison House, just south of Indianapolis. About seventeen persons attended the celebration. Theresa Toffiilo, cashier at Warners" exchange, has resigned her position. Her successor has not lieen appointed. Some areas in the state ;ire concerned over {Cdiifiiiiird nil I'agc 24)