Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 15, 1949 21 Regional Newsreel News of Events and Personalities Reported by Correspondents Throughout the Nation BUFFALO Phil Fox The Buffalo film industry helped Columbia Manager Phil Fox observe his tenth anniversary as the company's manager here and his twentyfifth with Columbia. He was honored at a luncheon at the Westbrook Hotel, attended by a large number of exhibitors and exchange employes. Fox started with Columbia in 1924 as a booker in Boston and was promoted, successively, to New England salesman, Boston sales manager, Albany manager, then Buffalo manager. Owner Operator Max M. Yellen of the 20th Century Theatre, is now a member of the Jewish Center's board of directors. . . . Paramount Inspectress Doris Clarke flew to Chicago to visit her father who is ill. . . . Also in Chicago was Charlie Kosco for the 20th-Fox sales meeting. . . . Mike Simon planed to New York for a Paramount sales meeting. . . . Center Manager Eddie Miller and Shea Advertising Director Eddie Meade weekended in Allegheny State Park. Manager Robert B. Corris of the Rochester Auditorium is running for councilman on the Democratic ticket. . . . Robert Worder is the new assistant manager of the Syracuse Paramount. . . . Manager Lester Pollock of Loew's in Rochester was entertainment chairman for the annual firemen's benefit show. . . . Bill Brett and Bill Rosenow will close their Skyway drivein Oct. 31. . . . Republic's Michael A. Jusko and bride, the former Janice Schuchert, are on a motor honeymoon to Montreal and the New England states. Manager Richard T. Kemper of the Erlanger has been named a member of the Buffalo Athletic Club sports night committee. . . . Robert Demming, who at one time managed a number of Buffalo theatres, has bought a home near East Aurora. Dead: Beatrice Mabel Mansfield, 73, who played character roles in the early movies 50 years ago, in Binghamton. . . . Projectionist William H. Wheeler, 59, of the Cataract Theatre, Niagara Falls, and business agent for Local 21, lATSE. MINNEAPOLIS Although retail sales in South Dakota are down nine per cent this year according to a bankers' survey, Minnesota Amusement Co. reports that receipts for its theatres in the area are "dollar for dollar" with last year. . . . Harry Chapman, who recently left the Paramount sales staff over the company's car fleet policy, has rejoined the staff on special assignment. . . . William Levy, owner of the Heights in suburban Columbia Heights, has recovered from a siege of pneumonia. A fight for product is seen at Valley City, N. D., as the city's third theatre nears completion. The new Valley City stand is being built by a local wealthy contractor and is being REGIONAL NEWS INDEX Albany 24 Atlanta 26 Boston 23 Buffalo 21 Charlotte 22 Chicago 25 Cleveland 21 Dallas 24 Denver 25 Harrisburg 21 Hartford 26 Indianapolis 26 Kansas City 23 Los Angeles 22 Louisville 23 Milwaukee 26 Minneapolis 21 New Haven 22 New Orleans 21 New York 26 Oklahoma City 25 Omaha 25 Philadelphia 22 Pittsburgh 23 Portland 24 Salt Lake City 24 San Francisco 22 Toronto 24 Vancouver 25 Washington 23 backed by John Redmond and associates of Chicago, builders of Penney stores throughout the country. Sim Heller and associates own and operate the Filler and Rex, present theatres in the city. Deaths : H. O. Mugridge, about 65, pioneer exhibitor in the northwest and later a distributor, at Evanston, 111., following an illness of several years. He was an exhibitor at Bismarck, N. D., Crookston and Thief River Falls, Minn., before taking over distribution of Mascot product in that territory. . . . Art Briggs, owner of the Bisbee, Bisbee, N. D., recently in Superior, Wis. NEW ORLEANS Republic Office Manager Frank J. Barry became a father for the second-time last week when another boy, Frank J. Barry, Jr., was born to his wife. . . . Universal Office Manager Eddy Stevens is on a two weeks' vacation. Lake Charles, La., will have two new firstrun theatres in the near future. Scheduled to open Oct. 14 was the Pitt owned by T. A. Pittman, who is also owner of several other theatres in the state including the Fox in Sulphur, La., the Rex in Baton Rouge and the Pitt in New Orleans. The second house to open in Lake Charles soon is the Lyric, owned by Mrs. W. L. Paternostro, who also owns the Delta in Lake Charles. On With the Dance Morris Rosenthal, manager of Poli, New Haven, sold local auto concern idea of sponsoring Square Dance contest on stage every Thursday night for three weeks. Cash prizes will go to wrinning teams. HARRISBURG Mark Rubinsky business. He began in 1929, then was Newest theatre in President Mark Rubinsky's circuit is the $175,000, 700-seat, one-story brick Uptown at Fourth and Schuylkill Streets which was opened last week. It is the first new theatre built in Harrisburg in 12 years ; it is also the first to provide a parking lot for patrons in the rear of the house with space for 50 cars. Offices of the Rubinsky circuit will be moved from the Capitol to the new Uptown. Milan N. Torodov, traveling circuit manager for Rubinsky theatres, is celebrating his twentyfirst anniversary in show here with Loew's Regent with the State, then to Allentown for the J. B. Rossheim theatres, returning here in 1947 when he joined Rubinsky. . . . Manager Ed Warner of the Dallas in Dallastown was here last week distributing a cooperative program through city merchants. The Rubinsky Lyric at Willaimstown has installed 200 new seats. . . . Dr. Samuel Goldstein of the Paxtang, Ira L. Schiffman of the Rialto and National and Walter Yost of the Yost circuit left for Philadelphia on business and pleasure in the new car of AJGM Salesman Frank Jelenko. . . . Paramount's Harry Dressier was a recent visitor here. . . . Florence Steigleman, Colonial cashier, is relieving at both the State and Rio in addition to her regular job. Loew's Assistant Manager Ken Steckline is back on the job after a vacation at home "getting acquainted with his new son." . . . Marie Neidig is new at Loew's where she replaces Dorothy Yaun. CLEVELAND Associated Circuit President ^Myer Fine has donated use of his Heights Theatre for the Genevieve Akers Alemorial Fund preview to be held Nov. 1 at 8 :30 P.AI. Miss Akers, secretary to 20th-Fox branch manager I. J. Schmertz and her sister lost their lives in the Noronic steamship fire in Toronto Harbor. . . . Warner Salesman Dave Kaufman and his wife became grandparents recently for the first time when a son was born to their daughter, Mrs. Stafford Barr of Hewlett, N. J. ... A daughter was born this past week at Mercy Hospital, Toledo to Herbert Hoglan, owner of the Genoan Theatre, Genoa, Ohio, and Mrs. Hoglan. Warner Ohio Assistant Zone Manager Dick Wright last week celebrated liis 20th aniversary with Warner Bros. He started with the circuit on Oct. 6, 1929 as manager of the Pittsburgh Olympic. Frank Gross, pioneer independent exhibitor, is a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital where he was operated on last Thursday for a lung ailment. . . . Jack Gertz, president of Theatrical Enterprises has acquired the Theatre Poster Inc. franchise for the areas ser\-ed by the Cleve(Continued on Page 22)