Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1948)

Jack Wralher to Lens Oil Story at Tyler TYLER, TEX. — Jack Wrather, Hollywood producer and former Tyler resident, will start shooting his new picture, “Strike It Rich,” in this area about May 17. It is a story of the East Texas oil fields, which the producer’s father helped develop. Bonita Granville, Wrather’s wife, is the star. The male lead is Don Castle, a classmate of the producer at the University of Texas. Director Herbert Leeds, assistant Rex Bailey, art director Lev/is Creber, and J. T. Price jr., Wrather’s representative, arrived here several days ago to make arrangements for the project. The film will have to do with such places as the Clay lease, where an ocean of black gold was discovered, and the towns of Arp and Lindale in Smith county, in and around which most of the shooting will be done. Tyler will be the base of operations. Lindale will be used to show a typical eastern Texas town before the oil boom. Kilgore, with its steel-derrick skyline, will be shown as a tjT)ical posttaoom town. Hollywood talent will be flown in as needed. Local people will be used as much as possible as character atmosphere. Howard Bland Will Build 400-Seater at Taylor TAYLOR, TEX. — Howard Bland, principal owner of the Howard and Ritz theatres here, is building a third house. It will be a 400seater. Bland’s other theatres are the 800-seat Howard, w:hich was recently remodeled and air conditioned, and the 700-seat Rita, which also was improved recently. Robb & Rowley circuit has an interest in both houses. Bland has been an e^ibitor in Taylor for almost 30 years. The original exhibitor here was Howard Hoke. He set up his enterprise in 1917 and a few years later was joined toy Bland. Hoke still lives here. He has been in ill health for the last few years but has been doing rather nicely in recent months. He Is retired from the business. Short Subiects Hold Over, New Feature Brought In DALLAS — The Warner color cartoon, “I Taw a Putty Tat,” broke precedent by showing a second week in the Majestic Theatre. The feature was shifted to another house but the short remained to team up with a new full length film. Manager Forrest Thompson said the short holdover was a first in his experience on theatre row. Risque Film a Fraud DALLAS — Prank Potter, U.S. district attorney, and federal officer procured a film projector to screen a print that had been marked “obscene” by a postal inspector. A large ■crowd of willing reviewers abo-ut the postoffice gathered to see the risque film. All were disaippointed. A federal agent said the film was so tame the owner should be faced with fraud charges. Buys Protection Theatre PROTECTION, KAS. — Merle Long has bought the Midway Theatre here from H. D. McCloughan. CAMPAIGNING — Buddy Harris, owner of the Buddy Harris circuit and one of the most popular exhibitors on the Dallas Filmrow, was a leading campaigner for the Shrine ring recently. Because he is such a tiny mite (weighing close to 300 pounds) and being afraid that nobody would notice him in a crowd, Buddy dressed in the colorful garb of a handsome Caballero, mounted the back of a jeep and rode through the crowd greeting everyone with a hearty handshake. Mrs. Lucille DeShazo Dies; Veteran Nowata Exhibitor NOWATA, OKLA. — A leading citizen of Nowata and a veteran exhibitor, Mrs. LuciUe DeShazo, was buried Friday (7), following services in the Nowata Baptist church. Mrs. DeShazo died two days earlier in a Tulsa hospital after a five-week illness. In 1920 Mrs. DeShazo and her late husband moved to Nowata, where they purchased the Rex Theatre. She has operated the house by herself since her husband’s death in November 1945. He was killed in an auto accident. Both Mr. and Mrs. DeShazo were civic and social leaders in Nowata. They were particularly active in civic fund drives and bond sales and have been recognized for their work with citation awards. Mrs. DeShazo also was active in golfing circles. Survivors include four brothers and five sisters. Mexicans Not Fooled By Dubbed U.S, Voices Dallas — Arthur J. Jerome of Mexico City, one of Mexico’s few independent exhibitors, told a local reporter that Mexico’s natives will not see Hollywood films that have been dubbed with Spanish dialog. “They know darn well Mickey Rooney can’t speak Spanish,” he said. But they like Hollywood pictures with Spanish subtitles, he explained. Hollywood is now making them that way. Mexican theatregoers also like films produced in their own country, but they will go to see only certain Mexican stars. The favored luminaries are Victor Remis, Arturo de Cordova, Maria Felix and Pedro Armendariz. Other Mexican stars are just wasting their time, Jerome said. Hoblitzelle Invites 750 To Foundation Party DALLAS — Karl Hoblitzelle, president of the Interstate Circuit, has sent invitations to 750 guests for a barbecue to be held May 26 at the Texas Research foundation laboratories a few miles north of the city. Hoblitzelle, who set up the foundation with a gift of hundreds of thousands of dollars, will hold open house at the laboratories a day before the barbecue. He is president of the foundation and has been instrumental in getting other civic and business leaders to donate great sums of money for its work. Forty scientists and employes are at work at the research laboratories, studying ways to improve the productivity of Texas farmlands. Another foundation created by Hoblitzelle is the Southwest Medical foundation, which carries on a study of new medicines and techniques in medicine. Hoblitzelle has given the two foundations more than a million dollars in recent years. Capacity House Hears Jose Iturbi in Dallas DALLAS — Jose Iturbi, screen star and world-famous pianist, demonstrated again last week his tremendous drawing power in Dallas. He gave a one-night concert at Pair Park auditorium and, as usual, the house was sold out even before the boxoffice opened. On succeeding nights he played to full houses in Amarillo, Witchita Palls, Waco and Fort Worth. D. A. Hulcy, president of the Dallas Chamber of Comimerce, presented Itxrrbi with a letter of welcome in which he said, “The people of Dallas have long admired your artistic triumiphs as brought to us through the motion pictttre, radio and phonograph records.” Week of Reissues Does Big Business in Dallas DALLAS — The Forrest Theatre, one of the smaller Interstate neighborhood houses, ran seven repeat films in one week and billed the program as All-Star week. Increased business resulted from the booking. The pictures were “Princess and the Pirate,” “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Cowboy and the Lady,” “The Yearling,” “Call of the Wild,” “Tarzan and the Amazons” and “Annie Oakley.” All but “The Yearling” were reissues. A House in Cameron, Tex., Is Wiped Out by Fire CAMERON, TEX. — The Milam Theatre, Stanley Swift’s A house, was gutted by fire May 7. A quarter of the business block was damaged. The theatre was a total loss. Damage may approach $75,000. The Cameron Theatre, a smaller house, remains intact. Swift operates his two theatres in affiliation with the Robb & Rowley-United circuit. Drive-In Opened OKLAHOMA CITY — The Bee-Gee Auto Theatre has opened three miles east of Eastern on SE 20th street. “Welcome Stranger” was the opening attraction and free ice cream was given out. Admission prices are 40 cents for adults and children under 12, free. BOXOFFICE :: May 15, 1948 sw 91