Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1948)

Convention Faces and Sidelights Sidelights • • • ATLANTA — Sidelights on the convention; Mack Jackson celebrated his 30 th anniversary as an exhibitor. For the past 28 years Jackson has been located in Alexander City. More recently he has been identified for his forceful opposition to the consent decree with the Confederacy of the Southern Ass’ns. * * » Ted Gamble, president of the TOA, did one of his usual splendid public relations pitch over radio station WBGE. ❖ ❖ ❖ Loew’s Pox, Paramount, Roxy and Tower theatres admitted the convention guests with Boyd Frye, James Denham, Sam George, James Scott and Harvey Smith acting as hosts. * * * J. H. Thompson, re-elected president of the MPTOOG, was congratulated from all directions for one of the best management jobs at a convention in many years. Thompson passed the credit on to W. M. Snelson, chairman of the arrangements committee, and the publicity comlmittee, consisting of Harvey Smith, Emery Austin and Leonard Allen, The arrangements committee drew high praise for the entertaining program set up for the wives of the conventioneers. The women had a grand time, thanks to the skillful planning of Mrs. W. M. Snelson. ^ ^ ^ Mrs. Addie Addison qualified as one of the busiest girls in town, steering the out-oftown visitors on shopping sprees, while Addie was helping to make the local and out-oftown press comfortable. H« * John Cunningham walked off with the poker-playing decision over some of Georgia’s most talented drawers to an inside straight. Seen at the convention of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners and Operators of Georgia, top panel, left to right, Roy Richards of Carrolton; Cooper Welsh, Atlanta; Charles King, Atlanta; Ellison Dunn, Donaldson vUle; Branson James, Royston; Jim Jarrell, Commerce; Nat Hancock, Jefferson, and, Charles Karr of Martin circuit, Columbus. In the bottom panel are Winfred Snelson, TOA regional chairman; W. P. Riggins of Jesup; Mack Jackson, president of Southeastern Theatre Owners Ass’n; Ed Duncan; J. H. Thompson, MPTOOG president; Clyde Sampler, booker for Carrolton circuit; Adolph Gortatowsky, Albany, Ga.; Rufus Davis, Dotham, Ala., and J. E. Martin, Montezuma. Oscar Lam easily defeated the local gin players. Mrs. Fred Weis was acclaimed as one of the most charitable contributors to Variety. For three nights she bucked the odds to hit a jackpot. Bijou Amusement Buys Melody in Savannah NASHVILLE — Purchase of the Melody Theatre in Savannah, Ga., from the East Broad Investment Co. was annoimced at circuit headquarters here by Evans Sprott, head of the Bijou Amusement Co. The purchase included the real estate, Sprott said. The Melody, a 9'00-seater for Negro patronage, was built in 1946. The Bijou circuit also operates the Dunbar and East Side theatres in Savannah. Narrates 67th Short Ken Carpenter will narrate his 67th Unusual Occupations short, “Midget Planes,’’ for Paramount release. Conventioneers Hail Reversal on Bidding ATLANTA — A leading topic of conversation at the annual meeting of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners and Operators of Georgia here Monday and Tuesday was the announcement of the supreme court decision on the appeal of the government’s motion picture antitrust case. Those heard following the Monday announcement voiced particular satisfaction with the elimination of competitive bidding. "It looks good to me,’’ said L. J. Duncan, president Al-Dun Amusement Co., West Point, Ga. “E. D. Martin, president of the Martin Theatres, Columbus, and I are for the decision 100 per cent.”— J. H. Thompson, president and general manager, Martin & Thompson Theatres, Hawkinsville, Ga. “I never was in favor of competitive bidding, but there are points yet that look bad.” — O. C. Lam, Lam Amusement Co., Rome, Ga. “I think it great . . . never did like the competitive bidding.” — J. E. Smith, Beacon Theatre. Alma, Ga. “I think this is something that our lawyers should handle. Let them look after this and let us get on with our theatres.” — R. B. Wilby, president of Wilby-Kinsey Theatres. “I love it. It looks good to me and will help me in business.” — R. H. Brannon, Roswell, Ga. “It will help me in getting some good pictures.”— Wallace Smith, Gem Theatre, Barnesville, Ga. “I have not looked over the decision, it looks good on paper and will help all theatres.”— Fred Coleman, East Point Amusement Co. BOXOFFICE :: May 8, 1948 SE 111