Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1948)

Theatre in Insurance Co. Center WASHINGTON To Be Ready for Century in 1949 NEW YORK — Century Theatres will probably be able to begin operating the 2,000-seat Meadows Theatre, Queen, during the spring of 1949. The theatre will be built by the New York Life Insurance Co. as part of its F^esh Meadows housing project for 3,000 apartments. Century has taken a 21-year lease on the theatre. The deal was worked out for the circuit by A. A. Hovell, president. The project is being constructed on the site of the old Fresh Meadows golf course near Flushing. Work on the apartments has already started. Excavation for the theatre will begin soon. The final budget for the theatre is still being worked out by the architects— Vorhees, Walker & Smith. The completed theatre will contain the latest developments in seating, sound, projection and facilities for patron comfort. To date, no innovations have been planned. Loew's, Inc„ 28Week Net Is Way Below Last Year NEW YORK — For the 28 weeks ending March 11, 1948, Loew’s, Inc., had a net profit after all charges of $3,886,745. Last year for the same period the net was $8,596,779. The figures are subject to audit. For the 28-week period of this year the rate of profit was 75 cents per share, compared with $1.67 for the same period in 1947. For the 16 weeks ending March 11, 1948, gross sales and operating revenues were estimated at $59,127,000, compared with $56,655,000 for the same period last year. 'Showtime' Debut in May NEW YORK — “Showtime,” British picture released by English Films, Inc., will open at the Park Avenue Theatre early in May. The picture stars Ann Todd and Richard Greene. George King produced and directed. AIo44A ! OUR NEW CATALOGUE of STOCK DATE STRIPS and ANNOUNCEMENT TRAILERS Send, for Your Free Copy Today! Attention! Drive-In Theatre Operators! Get our special trailer ideas ior drive-in theatres! Write • Wire • Phone morion PICTURE SERVICE CO. ihewnmuhlp Trallert 12S HYDE fT.:,-San FrancTicod) Calif. J. Arthur Rank Honors Rickenbacker in N.Y. NEW YORK — J. Arthur Rank, chairman of the British administrative committee of the World Council of Christian Education, presented a scroll to Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker for his outstanding service to the organization at a luncheon at the Biltmore hotel April 20. Rank received a similar award last year. In introducing Captain Rickenbacker, Rank praised him for “lending the wide and effective influence of his name to the continuing work of the council in spreading the story of Christ.” Rank, who was introduced by Dr. James Kelly, general secretary of the World Council, as a “Sunday school teacher for the past 40 years,” said he has completed “The Wedding Feast” and “The Story of Ruth” as the first of two Bible films for nontheatrical showings. He said it was an inspiring sight to see the thousands of children, six to 14 years of age, attending the Saturday morning meetings of the Odeon Boys and Girls club in various towns in England. Others on the dais were: Mrs. J. Arthur Rank, Francis S. Harmon, vice-president of the MPAA and the MPEA; Judge Lewis L. Fawcett, former justice of the supreme court and chairman of the North American administrative committee of the World Council. FEATURES SERIALS WESTERNS * * * KAY FILM EXCHANGES 912 Third St., N. W. Washington, D. C, "Voice of Theatre Speakers" JOE HORNSTEIN has them! gid,ney Lust was host to Filmrow and civic leaders Monday at the opening baseball game. A buffet luncheon was served in his offices before the game. Mrs. Lust was hostess and was assisted by Alberta McConnell, Mrs. Bernard Lust, Mrs. Bea Parliament and Mrs. Tom Mudd. A gay and exciting event was the Variety’s Club’s Saturday night racing derby, staged under the direction of Wade Pearson, assisted by Gene Ford and Herman Paris . . . Charles Walker held a meeting of his Fight committee last week . . . Dr. Sylvan Danzansky and Harry Coonin are co-chairmen for the Mothers’ day luncheon to be given by Variety associate members. May 5 in the Shoreham hotel ... New members of Tent 11 are George KeUy, salesman at Paramount; Jack Howe, booking manager at Paramount; and Robert L. Cunningham, office manager at Paramount . . . Variety Club ladies have discontinued their “Wednesday afternoons” at the Variety Club until fall. Warner Theatres notes: Louis Ribnitzki of the booking department marked his 17th anniversary as a Warner employe April 18 . . . Anita Rossett, secretary to George Dorsey of Warner-Pathe News, announced her engagement to David Schlaifer. No date has been set for the wedding . . . Whatever illness is circulating in the contact department is definitely contagious for both Peggy Andrews and Virginia Fenner are out temporarily . . . Jane Zink of advertising and publicity received a card from Pete Dickerson, formerly of the same department, who is now in Chicago. Andy Smith jr. and Howard Minsky visited the Washington 20th-Pox exchange and held a series of sales meetings . . . Bill Michalson, 20th-Fox exploiteer, went to Norfolk to set his advertising campaign for “The Iron Curtain” and “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” . . . Bill Hoyle has returned to his desk in the publicity department at District Theatres after fighting a siege of pneumonia for several weeks . . . Harry Valentine has joined the Hal Lyons Enterprises as general manager with headquarters in Portsmouth, Va. He will manage the Elco and Delta theatres in Portsmouth and will have charge of exploitation for the entire Lyons circuit. Lyons visited the Washington exchanges this week. The fUm industry was saddened this week by the death of Prank Falls of the FallsCraver circuit Tuesday in the Maryland General hospital, Baltimore. The funeral service was held Thursday afternoon in Lynchburg, Va. Palls had been ill for several years with a heart condition. Sidney Bowden, general manager of the Wilder Theatres, was married on Friday evening, April 23 to Frances Murrell Rickards in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Norfolk, Va. . . . Universal District Manager John Scully visited the Washington exchange last week . . . Local F13 held a monthly executive board meeting Thursday evening . . . lATSE representative Joseph Basson came in from New York last week to confer with the B13 executive board . . . Anne Griffin and Sara Young spent the weekend in New York visiting friends. 54 BOXOFFICE : : April 24, 1948