The Exhibitor (Aug-Nov 1948)

NT-4 THE EXHIBITOR event was “on the house” for the kids. Accompanying adults paid 4O cents. The formal opening was later. The Variety is now sailing under a, new skipper with Jim Hahn the new manager . The gay, appreciative Saturday night crowds at the Variety Club’ s Alcazar roof clubrooms were treated to an impromptu show by Guy Kibbee and the entire stage show from the Olympia. Tent 33, on Saturday, nights, is getting to be a “must” on the list of places to go. Colonel Mitchell Wolfson, coowner, Wometco Theatres, is back at the old stand, refreshed after a stimulating trip through South America with his family. The group was wined and dined throughout the trip, and must certainly be gourmets after sampling the spec¬ ialities of each of the Latin coun¬ tries. in Lima, they enjoyed food in the company of U-I’ s Peruvian chief booker, Pablo Diaz, Alex Undurraga, manager, and Eric Steinberg, RKO mana¬ ger, but the colonel agrees with most of the other travellers that the best part of going away is coming home. ORLANDO Jim Bartlow, former branch manager, U-I, Atlanta, opened his drive-in near here. ST. AUGUSTINE The new manager of the Mantanzos and Jefferson is Phil Lentz, Hickory, N.C. Carrol Lord, Daytona Beach, Fla. , has been appointed house manager, Jefferson. L. Crumley will be .city manager. TARPON SPRINGS Charles Richelieu, owner. Tarpon, announced he would soon start exten¬ sive improvements on the theatre. TALLAHASSEE The County Commission refused a per¬ mit to Targar Theatres for construc¬ tion of a drive-in. TAVARES Charles Stevens has been appointed manager, Tavares, by Hugh Martin, jr. Georgia CALHOUN The new 400-car drive-in will operate year-round. The spot is being run by W.W. Fincher, jr. , and Dr. R.H. Brad¬ ley, Chatsworth, Ga. CL ARK STON Fred Bailey. Thompson, retired cir¬ cus tub-thumper, reports that he has sold the rights of his book, “Under The Big Top”, to a film company. CORDELE Duncan and Richards, with head¬ quarters in Carrollton, Ga. , announced that their new theatre would open on Sept. 15. DOHLONEGA R.H. Brannon opened his new 600seat Holly. EASTMAN Pat McGriff, formerly with Martin Speaking from personal experience, Hank Hearn, veteran North Carolina exhibitor, recently addressed the luncheon in New YorkCity which launched the area drive for funds for the Will Rogers Memorial Home. Hearn was at one time a patient at the home where he was completely cured. and Thompson, Hawkinsville, Ga. , was transferred here as manager. Dodge, replacing Bill Kinney, who goes over to the peach. Ft. Valley, Ga. NORCRO SS Ray Ziebell has taken over the Swan from Bill Aiken. SAVANN AH Fred Weis revealed plans for the rebuilding of the Savannah, said to be the oldest theatre in the U-S. Weis has run the theatre since 1920, but it has been in the family since 1880, V I DALI A The pal was being refitted with new seats. WAYC ROSS A Sunday evening movie program at the Lyric and Ritz was inaugurated, with a percentage of the proceeds go¬ ing to the Waycross Booster club for the promotion of youth activities. John Harrison is manager. North Carolina ASHEVILLE U-I’s “Tap Roots’’ received an edi¬ torial recenly in The Asheville Times titled, “Our Mountain Top Roots Blossom In The Movies’’, and claiming that what “Gone With The Wind’’ was to Atlanta, “Tap Roots’’ is to Asheville. The editorial concludes: “Seriously though, “Tap Roots” conclusively de¬ monstrates what the colorful settings and glorious scenery of Western North Carolina can do for the movie produ¬ cers. The tap roots of our mountains have now reached out to blossom in Hollywood, and entertain the whole nation. They can, and will, do moremuch, much more! Tennessee CHATTANOOGA Emmett R. Rogers, resident manager for Eastern Theatres, Inc. , Tivoli, State, and Rialto, and Mrs. Rogers returned from a vacation trip to Day¬ tona Beach. Fla. More than 3,500 persons inspected “Mr. Blandings’ Dream House” during the first two days it was open. By the end of the first week approximately 8,000 Chattanoogans paid admission to see the house and boost the Univer¬ sity of Chattanooga Scholarship Fund. It was constructed by Creed Maynard, realtor-builder. In Chattanooga, the public showing was sponsored by the Quarterback Club to aid the UC Scholar¬ ship fund. Milton Newsome, house manager, Tivoli, was spending his vacation in Birmingham, Ala. The Tivoli is one of three theatres operated here by Eastern Theatres, Inc. The Tivoli was evacuated promptly and in good order early last fort¬ night when a small fire broke out in a basement storage room, filling the lobby with smoke. Only 30 minutes elapsed from the time Wallace Tillery, an artist at the theatre, went on the stage to ask the patrons to file out quietly through the side exits until the showing of “Key Largo” was resumed. The smoke was discovered at 2:05 p.m., and Miss Marion T. Shepard, acting assistant manager, sent Tillery to the stage while notifying the fire department. Emmett Rogers, resident manager. Eastern Theatres, Inc. , oper¬ ators of the Tivoli, State and Rialto, was out of the city, as was Milton Newsome, house manager, on vacation. Aides at the exits handled the crowd, and kept down any tendency to panic. The theatre was cleared without inci¬ dent. State Fire Marshal Max Kimbrough said the theatre was emptied in an orderly manner through the fire exits, and praised the theatre management. HUNTSV I LLE Younger Ellis, who recently opened his first rural house at Hazel Green, Tenn. , announced that he is going to build a 200-seat rural theatre to be located at intersecting rural roads. He is holding. up start of construc¬ tion pending the results of his first theatre, which is currently running on a schedule of two or three shows weekly with no matinees. If this first venture works out. Younger said, he will construct and operate other rural houses in the same manner. Each thea¬ tre will have a small stage that can be used for variety programs, and will afford auditorium space to the com¬ munity when the theatre is not in use. KNOXV I LLE The Joy will close on Sept. 28, the operators having lost their lease. NASHVILLE Crescent Amusement Company opened Davidson County’s first drive-in, with room for 750 cars. Chester Morris has been named manager, with Louis Rubenstein in charge of concessions. ✓ R.E. Baulch, president. Crescent Amusement Company, had a new ex¬ perience as a theatre owner recently when two women patrons of his new drive-in, Murfreesboro, Tenn. , asked him to change a flat tire for them. As there were no other theatre em¬ ployees around, it was up to him to do the job, and he did it with a smile, like he does everything else. September 8, 1948