Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1947)

PITTSBURGH (Continued from preceding news page) trict manager, A. L. Friel, H. W. Prosser, E. R. Lohr and C. R. Shepard. H. W. Winkelman is awaiting delivery of a Buick. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Rankin, Bridgeville, enjoyed a vacation at Virginia Beach and a motor tour in the mideast area . . . Nellie Reinstein, former Film Classics booker w'ho operates a children’s store in Ambridge, was at the FC office to assist in straightening out a matter . . . Lou Rothenstein, Cambridge Springs, has a garden and orchard and he is keeping neighbors supplied with tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, etc. Joe Minsky and Bill Shartin, Eagle Lion executives, were visitors . . . Dick Bostwick is another substitute film critic for the Press . . . Charles Mervis of the Mervis circuit visited Moe Gould, formerly of Filmrow, at the Will Rogers Memorial hospital, Saranac, N. Y., and found him recuperating from an operation, reading BOXOFFICE. Sam Lefko, former film exchange manager here and in Philadelphia, has fully regained his health there and he will be discharged from the hospital in a month or so. Morris Kaufman, former exhibitor, and his wife are progressing with their newly opened men’s store in Etna. Morris’s brother Eli has returned to Filmrow as local manager for Affiliated Advertising Distributors, handling theatre premiums and games. 'Their late brother Joe was Universal manager here several years ago . . . Joe E. Brown will appear on the Nixon stage in “Harvey” for several weeks during the new theatrical season. September 9 is primary election day . . . Henry Schmitt, exhibitor at Imperial, has a garden at his home in the south side and another one in the community where he has nis theatre. F. Callahan jr., president of Exhibitors Service Co., and John Quinn, McKees Rocks, will be married . . . Francis Fjeishman of the Brighton has a new auto. James F. Nash, proprietor of the Rockne, Rockwood, Pa., and Pat Sturm, Cedarhurst, N. Y., will be married in New York September 27. The bridegroom-to-be is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Nash, owners of the Gerard, West View . . . Thelma Mitchell, Rockne cashier, will have charge of the theatre in Nash’s absence . . . Milton Brauman. Screen Guild manager, is much improved this week, but he will be unable to resume duties for a month or so. Franklin Anderson of the Franklin film exchange was treating poison ivy on his hands this week . . . Marie Eckerman, who resigned from 20th-Fox, has rejoined Warners . . . The Screen Guild office has acquired a large group of Universal reissues. Filmrow Bowling league’s new season will be inaugurated September 3 at the New Club alleys with 14 teams in the field. Jack Weltner, Eagle Lion, is league president, and Grace Thomas, 20th-Fox and Wahneta Gardner, MGM, are secretaries . . . Sunset DriveIn near Clarksburg, W. Va., was open this week. A novel concession stand is an old street car which also will be used as an office by Alex Silay and Steve Medve. The London showing of “Unconquered” being canceled, Pittsburgh will have the world premiere instead of the American premiere. AKRON ’Timmy Stewart, film star, was guest of honor * during the soapbox derby festivities here August 16, 17, gaining a host of friends . . . Betty French, the regular films editor of the Beacon-Journal, returned from a two-week vacation. Frances E. Murphy took over the job during her absence. Alexander Theatre Supply, RCA distributor, will equip the Sunset Beach Drive-in on U. S. 40 between Claysville and Washington, Pa. Centralized speakers wall be used and capacity will be approximately 450 automobiles, according to C. M. Ducray and Stephen Setto, owners of the swimming pool-picnic grounds. Andy Battiston worked on a seven-community newspaper campaign and a two-city radio campaign in conjunction with the gala opening of the de luxe Super 30 Drive-In, on Route 30 near Irwin, Pa., owned by Outdoor Theatre, Inc. The Super 30 will be open in ten days or two weeks. Harvey Amado is the new student booker at MGM . . . Mae Cox, secretary to George AT NO COST TO YOU 70 Pieces of the New KROMEX ALUMINUMWARE including Pressure Cookers, "Covered Chicken Fryers and Dutch Ovens . . . Worth $335.00. THEATRE Films Theatre 403 Film Bldg. Games Cleveland 14, Ohio Coulter Dinnerware OLIVER THEATRE SUPPLY CO.. INC. M. H. FRITCHLE Manager 23rd and Payne Avenue Phone: PRospect 6934 CLEVELAND E. Leonard Silverstein, known professionally as John Scott over WOR, New York, was here recently, visiting relatives . . . More than 300 magicians, musicians, lecturers, explorers. and other entertainers of the lyceum and Chautauqua field convened at Lakeside, the week of August 24, for the 45th annual convention of the International Lyceum Ass’n. Fourth Avenue Amusement Remodels Rialto Theatre LOUIS’VILLE — The Fourth Avenue Amusement Co.’s Rialto Theatre here is being remodeled at a cost estimated between $50,000 and $60,000. Included in the remodeling is a new refrigeration cooling system which is about 90 per cent finished at the present time and in operation. It was suggested to Manager Johnson Mussellman that it might be a good idea to close down during the extensive remodeling, but he replied that it was bad luck to close a theatre, and that it would be better to keep it running all the time, as he is superstitious. As a result the theatre was in constant operation during the renovating. The Strand, another first run owned by the Fourth Avenue Amusement Co., also will be completely remodeled, and like the Rialto will remain open while the work is being done. Sell Out at Charleston CHARLESTON, ’W. ’VA.— Messrs. Black and McCrum, operating the ’Village here are disposing of their interests to the Kanawha Amusement Co. Paul Hollen will do the booking and buying; and the change becomes effective September 1. CLEVELAND N. Skirball and his producer brother Jack are in England. Bill went over to look after the interests of “Birth of a Baby,” which has been a boxoffice attraction for the last nine years. Jack is conferring with Carol Bruce about starring in a new Jack Skirball production. Col. Joseph F. Goetz, traveling representative of the RKO theatre department, is pinchhitting as manager of the RKO Palace, while Max Mink does a little vacationing . . . ■William S. Shartin, EL district manager, doesn’t even mind the >ieat when he looks over the reports of the business “The Red Stallion” is doing in his territory. COLONEL GOETZ Albert Bezel and Harris Dudelson of Film Classics spent several days in town. Other visitors who braved the high 90s included George Ritzier of Lima; Max Federhar of Akron, Pete Ruffo and Paul Ellis of Warren, Bill Twigg of Youngstown; J. O. Guthrie of New London; Ed Rarnsey of Plymouth and Roger Scherer, Fort Wayne. Yarro Miller, Warners office manager, still wearing a tan, is back from a seashore vacation on the Atlantic coast. Bill Onie, Monogram franchise owner at Cincinnati, was in town part of the week . . . Dick Wright, Warner assistant zone manager, drove over to Culver Military academy to collect his young son, Jimmy, who attended the school’s summer camp . . . Frank Hensler, assistant MGM division sales manager, paid the local exchange a routine visit on his tour of the territory . . . Henry Brenner is the new manager of the Haltnorth Theatre, having joined the Washington circuit several weeks ago. Joe Leavitt of Independent screen room thanks all of his friencis for the letters they wrote during his recent illness . . . Ernest Schwartz has moved his law office to the Film Bldg, for the greater convenience of handling the affairs of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass’n, of which he is president and general manager. Yorktown Theatre, under construction a year and half, opened last Wednesday with a tradescreening of RKO’s “Magic Town.” The theatre was built by Theodore and Albert ’Vermes, who also own and operate the Eclair and Norwood. Offers Theft-Proof Cable For In-a-Car Speakers CLE'VELAND — An allegedly theft-proof cable for in-car speakers at Drive-In Theatres has been perfected by the Drive-In Theatre Equipment Co. of Cleveland. David Sandler, president, says that his new patented cable will resist any knife blade and cannot be cut by the ordinary type of pliers. The cable, he asserts, has a tensile strength of 2,500 pounds; sufficient to turn a car over before it tears loose. Drive-in operators report theft of in-car speakers as their greatest casualty. 'New Show Season' Seal PI'TTSBURGH — Harris circuit advertising has included a “New Show Season” seal, stating “Movies Are Your Best Entertainment.” 92 BOXOFFICE : : August 30, 1947