Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1948)

CINCINNATI gen Cohen, manager of the Telenews Strand here, has been transferred to his home town, Cleveland, where he will manage the downtown Telenews. He has been with Telenews Theatres five years and was assistant chief barker for the Cincinnati Variety Club in 1947. He is a board member at present and intends to continue his activities with Variety Club in Cleveland. His successor is Jack Silverthorn, who was formerly with Telenews in Detroit. Jim Ambrose, manager of Warners, was called to Pittsburgh to attend a meeting of managers and district managers . . . Bob Laws, Cincinnati and Dayton salesman for 20th-Fox, had a sick spell last week. He is back at his duties but will imdergo a thorough physical checkup to determine the source of his trouble . . . Milton Yassenoff, Columbus, will attend an Allied convention in Denver. Arthur Greenblatt, sales manager of Screen Guild Productions, spent several days in the city with Manager Ed Salzberg . . . J. G. Teeter, Cincinnati service engineer for Altec, attended a television school in New York . . . F. H. Riffle, Altec field supervisor in Louisville, who has been away from his territory, has returned to Louisville. Arnold Berger of the drive-in at Montgomery, Ohio, stopped in on his trip through the territory for Phil Smith Enterprises . . . Ralph Morley has been promoted from booker to salesman at Eagle Lions and will work in the Columbus territory. Dick Breslin will take over the booking duties . . . The new drive-in at Bowling Green, Ohio, was opened May 11. Messrs. Flowers and Palmer are operating this theatre. Equipment was furnished by Mid-West Theatre Supply Co. . . . H. B. Enook of Midwest attended a meeting in Chicago with executives of RCA Victor. Ray Stimpert, sales representative, accompanied him. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wyrick, Carlisle, Ky., will return from their vacation in Florida May 28. A new theatre is under construction in Prestonburg, Ky. A three-man corporation is backing this project . . . Midwest Theatre Supply will open its Indianapolis branch some time this month. J. Charles Clickner, formerly with Gerbar Theatre Supply, will be Indianapolis representative for Midwest. Charles Humston of Lawrenceburg. Ky., enjoyed a little respite from work at Churchill Downs, Louisville, and Paul Russell, Somerset, Ohio, took time off for some fishing at Buckeye Lake, Ohio. Harry and Fred Wheeler, Gallipolis, Ohio, closed their Gallipolis Theatre for considerable remodeling. The house will not be reopened until late in August. Crescent Refrigerates BOWLING GREEN, KY.— Refrigeration air conditioning equipment is being installed by the Crescent Amusement Co. in the Capitol Theatre here, J. P. Masters, manager, reported. He said similar equipment has been received for the Diamond Theatre, but that it will not be installed until Crescent remodels the house. The circuit is planning to make over the Diamond for first run use. More Communities Levy Ticket Taxes PITTSBURGH — First wage tax in Allegheny county has been levied by McKees Rocks school district, the rate being onehalf cent on each dollar earned. Conemaugh township school district will be the first political subdivision in Somerset county to levy a special 1 per cent income tax, the levy to become effective July 5. Erie school board has passed a one-half of 1 per cent tax on all earned income, effective July 1. North Union township school district (near Uniontown), on July 5 will impose a 10 per cent tax on admissions, one mill mercantile tax, $50 on each jukebox-pinball machine, manufacturer’s tax of two mills and one-half mill on gross sales, five cents per ton on all deep mine coal now unassessed, ten cents per ton tax on all strip mine coal, and five cents per ton on all coke production. The new levies are exclusive of the 35-mill property tax and the $5 per capita tax. PITTSBURGH — Additional work burden imposed on the city treasurer’s office as a result of the new 10 per cent admission tax calls for adding two more persons to the present staff of six auditor-investigators. The positions pay $3,000 a year and the new jobs will add $4,000 to the pay roll for the balance of the year. UNIONTOWN, PA.— Local school district has imposed two new levies — a two-cent amusement tax on each 25 cents of admission and an increase from $5 to $10 on the per capita tax — for meeting its 1948-49 proposed budget set at $1,490,213.14. MOUNT PLEASANT, PA.— The borough school board will impose the following taxes; two mills on each dollar of volume of gross receipts of business transacted by retail vendors or dealers, including places of amusement. Effective date is July 1. MOUNT UNION — The borough and school district each have approved a 1 per cent wage and profits tax, effective July 1. DORMONT, PA.— A 10 per cent admission tax is being prepared for enactment. Outgrows lOOF Building, Plans to Build Theatre WHITE CLOUD, MICH.— Construction of a 350-seat theatre here is being undertaken by Glenn W. Beach, who has been showing pictures in the Odd Fellows hall for the last five years. The new building is to be ready by September 1. Benefit Show Staged BEAVERTON, MICH.— Mr. and Mrs. James Methner, owners, turned over the Gem Theatre to the Beaverton Alumni Ass’n for a benefit show April 8. The program consisted of “Wyoming” and 20 minutes of highlights from the school’s basketball games. Proceeds will be used by the Alumni Ass’n to light its athletic field. LOUISVILLE Jn keeping with a recent trend new product was brought in to the majority of local first runs. “Sitting Pretty” opened at the Rialto and “Winter Meeting” was brought in to the Mary Anderson. Back to foreign films was the Scoop with “Shoe-Shine” and the Strand had "The Smugglers” and “The Blonde Savage.” Holdovers were ‘"The Big Clock” and “Caged Fury” at the Brown and “State of the Union” at Loew’s. The National returned to a stage show and film policy bringing in Spade Cooley and his band plus a personal appearance of Smiley Bmnett, and “Bush Pilot” on the screen. F. X. Merkley of the Rialto, Columbia, was on the Row for the first time in many months . . . Other visitors: Lyell Webb, Ritz, Burkesville; Clark Bennett, Valley, Taylorville; E. L. Ornstein, Ornstein Theatres, Marengo, Ind.; A. N. Miles, Eminence; Louis Pumphery, Sanders Theatres, Campbellsville; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Brauer, Strand, Paoli, Ind.; Bob Enoch, Elizabethtown Amusement Co.; Walter L. Campbell, Bell, Ravenna; Oscar Hopper, Arista, Lebanon; J. V. Snook, LaGrange; J. T. Kennedy, Stanton. W. E. Carrell, president of the Falls City Theatre Equipment Co., returned from an extensive sales trip through the state . . . Lew Grofsik, sales manager of the General Register Co.’s Chicago office, spent several days here demonstrating new theatre boxoffice control equipment . . . Also in town checking recent Motiograph projection and sound installations was J. E. Huckleberry, Motiograph engineer. Reports received from exhibitors throughout various sections of the city and the state, indicate a slump in boxoffice receipts. In some instances the decrease was quite noticeable . . . Delays have been encountered in the completion of Foster Lane’s new Lane Theatre, Williamsburg, Ky.; and Walter L. Campbell’s Bell Theatre, Ravenna, Ky. Opening dates on both houses will probably be pushed back another 30 days. Word comes from Pineville, Ky., that a new theatre will be built there to replace the Gaines which was destroyed by fire several years ago. Takes to Phone to Check On Effectiveness of Ads WILMINGTON — Joe R. Murphy, manager of the Murphy TTieatre here, got some page one publicity with a promotional stunt. He took to the telephone to see how many persons knew what picture was playing in his theatre. He called five Wilmington residents, offering each two passes if he could name the picture and star. Only one out of the five could do it. On the second day Murphy tried the stunt, four out of five persons called won passes. New Marquee in Oxford "^OXFORD, MICH. — Ray Forman has installed a new sign and marquee on the Oxford Theatre. He said other improvements are being planned. Armada Theatre Rising ARMADA, MICH. — Work has started on a new theatre here. The building is expected to be ready in September. 86-B BOXOFFICE :: May 15, 1948