Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1948)

INDIANAPOLIS George Landis, manager at 20th-Fox, attended the division managers meeting in Pittsburgh March 26. Howard Minsky, division manager, presided . . . L. B. Goulden has acquired the Regent here . . . Jim Keefe, exploiteer at 20th-Fox, spent the week here on “Gentleman’s Agreement” . . . The Monroe in Monroe City, formerly operated by Robert L. Berry, has been taken over by Verne Jenkins . . . Dr. Hamond, part owner of the English in English, is confined to the Baptist hospital in Louisville . . . Don LeBrun, operator of the Kent in South Whitney, has fully recovered from a fall in his theatre. He was confined at home for 30 days. Wayne Goodwin, operator of the Butler in Butler, has recovered from an attack of undulant fever and is back at his post . . . Robert Marshall, Columbian, Columbia, Ky., has gone to the west coast . . . Bob Harned, who operates the Theatre-Air on Highway 31 north of Jeffersonville, reports added accommodations for motorists. Food and refreshments also have been added. Harry Komblum, operator of the Rosedale in Evansville who has been ill for several weeks, had to cancel his trip to Florida because of illness . . . Mrs. Ruth Strickler, bookkeeper at Republic, has resigned to care for her invalid mother . . . Frank F. Hanley 68, sales clerk at U-I, died March 20 at his home. He was one of the pioneer employes here in the motion picture industry, having served most of his 30 years with Universal. In answer to a plea by the Electric League of Indianapolis to clear up a lot of “premature and bad publicity on television,” the Better Business Bureau of Indianapolis reported as unjustified the claims of receiving set salesmen of two organizations, who have been telling prospects here they would be able to get television programs from station WLW-TV in Cincinnati “in a few weeks.” Officials of the Cincinnati station admitted they hope to be in operation within two to four weeks but said their range will not exceed 40 miles at its present stage of development. All local radio stations have applied for television licenses but none hope to be in operation before Christmas or “early in 1949.” Drive-In theatres in central Indiana have announced opening dates as follows: Lafayette Drive-In, Lafayette, operated by Ed Campbell of Open-Air Theatres, Inc., May 1; The Theatre, Greenwood, also operated by Campbell, April 10; Drive-In, Muncie, operated by Herbert Ochs, April 10; Fort Wayne Open-Air Theatre, also operated by Ochs, April 17, and Open-Air Theatre, Terre Haute, a third Ochs situation. May 1. Jack Van Borrsun, operated of the Savoy and West theatres in Terre Haute, was confined to his home by an attack of influenza . . . Mrs. M. A. Wood, operator of the Best Theatre, Terre Haute, is planning a threeweek vacation in Florida . . . J. B. Stine, operator of the Garfield, Terre Haute, has returned from a southern jaunt and is back at his post. Mrs. Lillie Wilson has assumed duties as booker’s stenographer at U-I . . . Helen Sheets, Republic cashier, is vacationing in Cleveland . . . Damon Frank, operator of the Photoplay Theatre, Clay City, Ind., met with an accident while on his way to Rockport, Ind., but no one was injm’ed. The car he was driving turned over in a ditch when hit by a truck. It was revealed the truck driver was fast asleep and the truck gradually forced the car off the road and wrecked it. Thieves Get $147 WATSEKA, ILL. — Thieves broke into the Sheldon Theatre by entering a rear window and escaped with $147 in cash. Manager John Morehouse reported to the sheriff’s office. Starlight to Open May 1 ELKHART, IND.— The 900-car Starlight Drive-In Theatre, now under construction on Highway 20, a few miles west of Elkhart, is expected to be open for business by May 1. Fox Wisconsin Remodels Laurium, Mich„ People's LAURIUM, MICH.— Completely renovated the People’s Theatre operated here by the Fox Wisconsin circuit reopened February 29. The remodeling work had been going on since last summer. The lobby was enlarged and enclosed: the boxoffice moved to one side; new carpeting placed in the lobby and ladies’ room, which also was remodeled; the men’s room was enlarged; a new name sign erected, and new plumbing and a boiler were installed. The theatre was completely redecorated. It is managed by Martin Moyle. To Open New Glasford GLASFORD, ILL. — Work is moving ahead on the new Glasford Theatre, which is being developed from an old commercial building. It will be operated by Pi’entice Hampton. .IS HllPING EXHIBITORS BUIID ‘‘BOX OFFICE” In the display room of your theatre supply dealer... in the projection booths of many of the world’s finer theatres ... and in a daily increasing number of model drive-ins you can see DeVry "12000 Series’’ projectors and amplifiers, and De’Vry in-car speakers, in action. FOR THE PERFECT SHOW Indoors or Out DeVry CHICAGO 5, ILLINOIS Academy Theatre Supply Co. 1312 S. Michigan Avenue Telephone; Webster 7268 CHICAGO 14, ILLINOIS DeVry Corporation 1111 Armitage Avenue Telephone: Lincoln 5200 EVANSVILLE 11, INDIANA Evansville Theatre Supply 1738 E. Delaware Street Telephone: 3-7534 or 3-7092 IN THE LARGER METROPOLITAN THEATRES IN SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD Pictured (left) is the palatial Mexican Tealro Juarez, one of the world's finer theatres using DeVry '12000 Series” theatre equipment to faithfully present the producer’s finest. THEATRES DeVrys are building audience satisfaction in theatres like the popular New Era at Harvey, 111. Study this sturdy projector pair pictured in the New Era Theatre's tidy booth. Then realize that whether you are a metropolitan exhibitor or a neighborhood operator, you can now afford perfection in projection with DeVry’s "12000 Series” theatre equipment. BOXOFFICE :: April 3, 1948 63