The Exhibitor (1950)

NT-4 EXHIBITOR Lew Herb Still Covers Cincinnati (Lew Herb continues with the report of his travels in the Cincinnati area. —Ed.) Our next call found us in the First National Bank building, where we took the elevator to room 911, where the office of the Northio Circuit, owned and operated by Paramount Theatres, is located. We sat down with Jack Kee¬ gan, vice-president and general man¬ ager, who came here from Detroit in 1947 to handle the theatres. Another veteran, he got his start in the big town with a trade magazine, from which he graduated to the post of director of publicity for Warners, after which he allied himself with Paramount, where he was located at Detroit for a number of years. Each of the theatres in the Nor¬ thio Circuit either has been, or is, in the process of being completely reno¬ vated and remodeled. The Colonial, Middletown, 0., one of the first under the renovation program, opened up again recently, and is new from front to back. Keegan reported that a recent test-campaign using television as a medium has been very effective. For “Caged,” in Middletown, the campaign plugged the picture on television from both Cincinnati and Dayton, 0., and it proved very effective. Our further calls took us to the offices of Associated Theatres, headed by Frank W. Huss, with headquarters in the Dixie. Huss was on vacation, so we droppe'd in next at the Roosevelt for a chat with Jack F. Goldman, who oper¬ ates several colored houses around town. In the business for the past 15 years, Goldman is also interested in several Cleveland theatres, and reports that his business locally has been fair, but he looks for a little upswing. He has a different problem than many other exhibitors, and, as a result, has to give a good deal more attention to the type of program he runs in his theatres. Continuing, we dropped in at the St. Paul building where William Onie, Val¬ ley Amusement Company, makes his office, in the suite formerly occupied by the Galley Theatres, which Onie took over. Prior to entering exhibition, Onie operated Monogram for 12 years when he sold the local franchise. He had had some previous experience in exhibition in Cleveland about 20 years ago, so he is not a newcomer to this phase. He, too, is optimistic about the future of the industry. Back in Film Row, we dropped in at States Film Service to say “hello” to Bud Wissell, and met L. J. and Harry Bugie. These men, brothers, are both veterans in the industry although in different fields. L. J., or “Lev,” as he is called by his friends, formerly was bran((h manager for Film Classics until the merger with Eagle Lion, but is now connected with the Logan Theatres Company, operated by the Thalheimer interests, Logan. W. Va. He is now their Cincinnati representative, and handles all of the buying and booking. His brother, Harry, is still in the distribution field, handling free reels available to exhibitors today. Wissell operates the film delivery service found¬ ed by his dad back in 1913, and since 1947 has been doing the inspection and storage for many of the independents. He operates seven trucks, and hauls film to Dayton and Columbus daily, as well as doing the bulk of the local de¬ liveries. In addition to the several in¬ dependent exchanges he serves, he just took over the physical handling of United Artists. While here, we ran into Lloyd Rogers, president. West Virginia Theatre Managers Association, in town doing his booking chores, and conferring with Rube Shor, secretary-treasurer, regarding the annual convention at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. Louisville (Continued from preceding page) nence. Eminence, Ky. ; Bob Enoch, State and Grand, Elizabethtown, Ky. ; A. O. Perkins, Lynn, Woodbine, Ky.; Gene Lutes, Capitol, Frankfort, Ky., and E. L. Ornstein, Rialto, Marengo, Ind. Mrs. Robert T. Enoch wife of Bob Enoch, Elizabethtown Amusement Com¬ pany, Elizabethtown, Ky., was confined to St. Joseph’s Infirmary. . . . Formal opening of the new Bel Vista Drive-In, Springfield, Ky., was held. Tom Wheatley is one of the owners, and others are listed as J. A. Ball and Kathleen Nalley Wheatley. It’s a boy for Mr. and Mrs. George Lindsay, Lindsay, Brownsville, Ky. George William Lindsay II was born at the City Hospital, Bowling Green, Ky. . . . The Marian, Auburn, Ky., is under¬ going a complete remodeling. W. E. Carrell, Sr., Falls City Theatre Equipment, is making preparations for attending the joint TESMA-TEDA con¬ vention to be held at the Hotel Stevens, Chicago. . . . Owners of Kentucky’s nearly 300 theatres have been asked the use of their theatre lobbies to obtain signatures on “C^’usade. for Freedom” scrolls. The Strand, managed by Harry New¬ ton, announced plans to bring back the organ and the soloist. ... A meeting of the convention committee of the Ken¬ tucky Association of Theatre Owners was held. In attendance were; Cliff Bueschel, chairman; Katie Overstreet, Nell Bordon, Clarence Taylor, W. E. Carrell, and visitor Dale Fullenwider, Hallmark, Inc. George Murphy, Metro, will be on hand for the convention festivities. Guthrie Crowe, president, Kentucky Association of Theatre Owners, in addi¬ tion to heading the KATO Association with a convention in October, is also Commissioner of State Police, and main¬ tains an office in Frankfort, Ky. He also has assumed additional duties, the state chairmanship of the “Crusade for Free¬ dom” in Kentucky. Michigan Lansing Funeral services were held recently for Frank H. Butterfield, who died un¬ expectedly of a heart attack. He is sur¬ vived by his wife, Edna, one son, and one daughter. All Butterfield Theatres in the city remained closed until after the funeral. Several high officials of the Butterfield organization attended services along with other exhibitors. Ohio Akron The East Drive-In, located on Route 91 in Tallmadge, O., opened. Manager Bob Postma claims the theatre’s screen is one of the largest in the area. Postma, who also manages the Rialto and Norka, arranged for a fireworks display to augment the inauguration program. Columbus Charlotte Hanker, model who appears in “A Life of Her Own,” was here ac¬ companied by J. Everett Watson, Metro exploiteer. . . . City Council was ex¬ pected to give an answer to the petition of members of the Association of Colum¬ bus Owned Theatres for a lifting of the three per cent admissions tax. Downtown theatre owners are hopeful that traffic conditions will be eased fol¬ lowing announcement by Lieutenant George Scholer of the police traffic divi¬ sion that double and illegal parking would be eliminated. . . . Bernard Ginley, manager. Southern, and his wife returned from a vacation. . . . Mrs. Lelia Steam, owner. Southern, held a backto-school Saturday cartoon matinee for children. Elyria “Bank Nights’’ in Lorain County are being eliminated though action by Pros¬ ecutor Paul Mikus and Sheriff Carl R. Finegan. Several county theatres have been holding “Bank Nights,” which Prosecutor Mikus said were lotteries, and illegal. A citation was issued to John Tender, manager, Carlisle DriveIn. near Elyria, after an alleged $400 jackpot was given there. Pennsylvania Beaver The new Tusca Drive-In was expected to be opened by Dr. Urling and his associates. Bradford Look for Mark “Fat” Saunders to re¬ sume his post as manager of the Dipson house following a long rest incident to a severe heart attack. Ronnie Conrad, acting manager, will be sent to another Dipson operation in an important post. . . . Shea’s resumed its regular policy of motion pictures after eight weeks of summer stock. Newcastle Julius and M. A. Markley expected to reopen their remodeled State. The front has been completely changed and nar¬ rowed to make room for two rest rooms, a beautiful marquee, and new seats. . . . The Vogue started to remodel the front, and install a new marquee. September 13, 10-50