Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 29, 1949 19 REGIONAL NEWSREEL regard to taking over the Los Angeles State in Xovember. Fox West Coast has been operating. . . . Joseph M. Schenck's Egyptian Theatre is being given a $150,000 remodeling. . . . The Masque, legit theatre, has been leased by Herbert Rosener who will open it as an art house. This brings to 15 the number of such houses operating in Los Angeles. . . . Jenny Dodge, V entura exhibitor, is driving east to pick up a new car. She will be gone about two weeks. . . . Alex Weissman, local MGM salesman, has returned from a trip through the Arizona territory. Dead : Bill Martin, pioneer exhibitor of Hemet, Calif., who had been seriously ill for some time. His son will carry on the operation of the theatres at Hemet and San Jacinto. CINCINNATI The Bein circuit ha; acquired control of the 1,000-seat 20th Century Theatre here from Willis Vance and Gordon Papa and will operate both it and the 700-seat Ambassador, Oakley suburban, as first-run houses. Redecoration of the 20th Century and building of a 400-car parking lot between the two theatre is planned. . . . A deal may shortly be closed for the sale of two RKO Cincinnati theatres, with Maurice White and Robert Libson heading the list of prospective purchasers. The RKO Albee is not one of the two. Eugene Tunick. a former RKO salesman here and for Eagle Lion in New York, is in Indianapolis to assume his new post as EL manager. . . . Jay M. Goldberg, former Hollywood free-lance writer and trade paper correspondent, is now associated here with his father, Lee M. Goldburg, as a Realart executive. . . . RKO Biller Shirley Martin resigned last week, and former RKO Cashier Marie Klag has joined Midwest Theatre Supply in the same job. Al Hobt succeeds her as RKO cashier. Columbia West Virginia Salesman Jules Ziegler is the father of a new daughter, his two other children being boys. . . . Fox Booker Tony Knollman and wife are the parents of a son, their first child. . . . The Variety Club is holding its annual Hallowe'en party tonight (29) in the club rooms, w'ith square dancing, games and prizes the order of the evening. Harris Rosedale is master of ceremonies. On the arrangements committee are Jack Finberg, Morton Perlman, Bill Ramsay and Manny Trautenberg. . . . The Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen will elect officers this afternoon (29) and delegates to the organization's convention. Dead : Mother of William Ben, Fred and Gilbert Bein. All four sons are connected with the film industry. NEW HAVEN Bridgeport's new fireproof motion picture theatre, owned by the Elmwood Theatre Corp., Peter G. Perakos, president, opened to the public Oct. 26. The 1,000-seater is being managed by George Bronson. The auditorium has a blue, gray and tangerine color motif, with burgundy carpets in a yellow tulip design, and has plush "push back" seats. Summer and winter air conditioning systems have been installed. Walter Higgins of the Prudential circuit was booking on film row. . . . Mrs. Harry Rose, wife of the Majestic, Bridgeport manager, celebrated a birthday. . . . Mrs. Louis Orenstein, of Boston, sister-in-law of MGM Manager Harry Rosenblatt, is making a New Haven visit. . . . Betty Strickland, cashier of the War Wiggle Test A wiggle test to measure the reaction of a juvenile audience of 1,000 at the Saturday matinee in the Famous Players* Runnymede Theatre, Toronto, proved to be highly satisfactory in justifying the selection of feature films for such performances by the Canadian Film Library Committee, according to Mrs. J. A. Lowden, head of the local branch of the organization. The two test pictures were "Little Old New York" and Will James' "Sand." ner, Bridgeport, is back on the job after vacation. John Siroca, Waterbury exhibitor, made a tour of lilm row exchanges. . . . Abe Innegold of Loew's New York stage booking agency, was in Waterbury to check opening of vaudeville policy at Poli theatre. . . . Alexander Knox, the Hollywood film star, comes to New Haven next month to open new legit show, "The Closing Door," at the Shubert. Joel Levy, head of Loew's New York booking office, was in Bridgeport to check opening vaudeville show at Lyric, and to confer with Loew Poli New England Division Manager Harry F. Shaw. . . . Alanager George Freeman, of the Poli, Springfield, celebrated another birthday. . . . Alanager H. H. Maloney of the Poli, Worcester, is back on the job after recuperating from throat operation. . . . Ralph Pasho, independent operator, is on two week hunting trip to Maine. DENVER Did Stafford, who resigned as office manager at Universal, went next door to RKO as salesman. . . . Paramount Head Booker James Ricketts has returned to Des Moines in a similar job, which he held before coming to Denver. He is succeeded by Al Anderson, assistant booker, with Anderson's post going to William Peregrene, assistant shipper. Jack Ellender, Chicago film salesman, has joined Paramount here as salesman, and will cover Colorado, formerly covered by C. J. Duer, who left to become branch manager for Monogram. . . . The Denver Lippert Pictures exchange, owned by Tom Bailey, finished third in the sales drive. Monogram Western Sales Manager Harold Wirthwein was here installing C. J. Duer as branch m.anager, and Howard DeWeese as salesman. Duer moved over from Paramount, while DeWeese was formerly with Alonogram in the Salt Lake City area. . . . The Rocky Mountain Screen club will complete its affiliation with Variety Clubs Nov. 15, and in order to replenish its treasury before that time, is giving away an automobile. Columbia Salt Lake City Manager William Seib was in Denver on a selling trip. . . . KinegoRand, production company, moved into the National Bank building. . . . Robert Selig, executive assistant to the Fox Intermountain Theatres president, was again named in charge of public relations for the Community Chest drive. SAN FRANCISCO Hulda McGinn, public relations representative and legislative contact for California Theatre Owners Association, spoke before the Ebell Club, a social organization in Los Angeles, Oct. 19 on the topic : "The Value of the Motion Picture in 'Civic Life." . . . The sixth drive-in theatre operated by United California Theatres, Inc., the 400-car Starlite, Merced, is scheduled to open in the San Joaquin valley town Nov. 4. George M. Henson, will manage. Abe Blumenfeld, Variety Club International canvasman, and Jimmic O'Neill, Chief Barker of Tent, attended the third mid-year conference of International Variety in New York at the Hotel Astor. . . . Art Barnett, manager of the Rex Theatre in Oakland, traveled to New York to meet his sister sailing in from London, England. . . . C. H. ("Red") Granaski, formerly manager of the Tower, a T. & J., Jr. Enterprise in Marysville, was named to officiate at the company's 99-E drive-in at Stockton. Don Drew, promising new film actor who appears in "Fighting Man of the Plains" and son of Eddie Yarbrough, 20th Century-Fox publicist, visited here with his family. . . . C. V. Taylor, general manager, United California Theatres, returned to his desk after getting his limit of ducks on a hunt near Los Banos, Calif. Coleen Townsend, 20th Century-Fox starlet, met with the Young People's Sunday School Conference held on the campus of the Universty of California and spoke on "What Religion Means to Me." OMAHA Alurray Greenbaum is opening an exchange here Dec. 1 to handle state's rights and other pictures. . . . Tri-States Theatres District Manager William Miskell will again crown the king and queen of Ak-Sar-Ben this year in the big social event of the year. . . . Frank Hollingsworth, Beatrice (Neb.) exhibitor, is in Tuscon where he has a horse racing stable. . . . Heinne Saggau, Dennison (la.) exhibitor, attended the Notre Dame-Tulane game. Universal International District Manager Foster Blake, arrived from Los Angeles. . . . Columbia Auditor Alax Meyer is in town. . . . MGM Manager Bill Gaddoni went to New York for a company meeting, then stayed on for a w eek in his former home of New Rochelle. . . . G. V. Fleming sold the lease on his Page (Neb.) Theatre to Paul Singleton, but keeps his house at Lynch, Neb. . . . Mr. and Airs. Ed Larson, Oakland, Neb., returned from two weeks on the west coast. Universal-International Exploiteer Joe Lawler was in the city. ... A. Don Allen, Tri-States city manager at Sioux City, la., and Vernon Carr, Sioux City drive-in manager, were here. . . . Columbia Cashier Lienor Horwich is vacationing in Chicago. . . . Fred Schuler is replacing the front on his Humboldt (Neb.) Theatre. . . .Richard McTague, owner of the Iowa, Dennison, la., reports the birth of a seventh child, a daughter. Harold Struve, recent purchaser of the Ritz at Deshler, has reopened at a new location in a remodeled building. The old house was closed. . . . Warner Salesman Leon Mendelson attended Dad's Day at the University of Iowa. His daughter, Ruthie, attends college there. WASHINGTON When informed by Variety Club Chief Barker Jake Flax that he had been chosen bj' the Washington club as "The Personality of the j'ear" in show business, Al Jolson telegraphed : "Your wire made me more than happy : in fact, it's the biggest thrill I've had in many a day . . . and I will trj^ my best to be there Nov. 19. (Continued on Page 20)