The Exhibitor (1951)

EXHIBITOR NT-3 Edmund J. “Scotty” Hinds, member of the Minneapolis projectionists’ union, died in Rochester, Minn., where he had been confined nearly three years. He was 61. . . . Don O’Neill, Minnesota Amusement Company booker, and Chet Levoir, Republic salesman, both knocked off first prize in their respective flights at the Birchmont invitational golf tour¬ nament, Bemidji, Minn. Oklahoma City The NPA appeals board gave the Thompson Theatre Company, Oklahoma City, permission to build a drive-in at Atoka, Okla. Omaha A meeting of independent exhibitors and wives, under Allied sponsorship, was held at the Castle Hotel. The Hipp, Gregory, S. D., opened, Roy Metzger operating. Phoenix Suit has been filed in Superior Court by property owners in the vicinty of the Silver Dollar Drive-In, who claim the open-airer is disturbing their peace. Complainants are asking that the the¬ atre be closed as a public nuisance. . . . Following a consent degree order, the Phoenix Drive-In Theatre Corporation and the Harry L. Nace organization divided their interests in three driveins built and operated by the corpora¬ tion. These include the Phoenix Drive-In, the Indian Drive-In, and the Pioneer Drive-In. Arizona Paramount Theatres will assume operation of the Indian Drive-In, with the Nace outfit taking over the other two theatres. Portland Exhibitors meeting at the Benson Hotel pledged their support of the COMPO jubilee drive scheduled for October and November. The pledge of support was given after an exposition of the drive’s plans by Arthur L. Mayer, COMPO’s executive vice-president, mak¬ ing a tour of Far West exchange cen¬ ters in behalf of the campaign. St Louis In Beardstown, Ill., a swell public relations job for the industry was done by Martin Davis, HiWay, St. Louis, in an address before some 40 members of the Beardstown Rotary Club. Arrange¬ ments for the appearance of Davis were made by Paul Woods, resident manager, Pirtle Amusement Company, Jersey ville, Ill., which operates the Princess and Gem. In Centralia, Ill., Elbert W. and Homer Butler, coowners and managers, Centralia Drive-In, who lost out in Clinton County Circuit Court in their efforts to obtain a permanent injunction to restrain members of the projection¬ ists’ union from picketing the drive-in, planned to continue to operate the the¬ atre’s machines themselves. In Avon, Ill., the Avalon, operated by Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Long, has been closed. ... In Carmi, Ill., the 460 DriveIn, forced to close temporarily when a recent windstorm blew down the screen tower, reopened. In Quincy, Ill., funeral services were held for Tom Roby, 57, for many years assistant manager, Washington and Orpheum, Publix Great States Circuit. In Clayton, Ill., the Bijou, owned by Ralph E. Graham, is closed while Mr. and Mrs. Graham enjoy a vacation visit with relatives in Georgia. In Moweaqua, Ill., Joseph Coffman, 65, for some 30 years a silent partner with his brother, Verne Coffman, in the ownership and operation of the Lyric, died. In Areola, Ill., the Ritz, owned and operated by Hugh McGregor, recently installed new equipment through Na¬ tional Theatre Supply. In Sullivan, Mo., Bill Wandell, owner-manager, Meramec, announced plans for the remodeling of the conces¬ sions stand and ice cream bar. In East St. Louis, Ill., final details of the sale of the Roxy to the East St. Louis Carpenters’ Union, Local 169, were completed. The union plans to use the front of the Roxy building as offices for the union officials while the audi¬ torium is to be the scene of future union meetings and other gatherings. In Salem, Ill., daily matinees were inaugurated at the Salem. In Columbia, Mo., plans for makingtemporary repairs to the old Columbia building were announced by officials of the Commonwealth Amusement Com¬ pany but a final decision hasn’t been made, apparently, as to whether the theatre shall be completely renovated to provide the city with another motion picture house. In Pittsfield, Ill., the largest home economics show ever held in Pike Coun¬ ty was staged at the Clark. In Benton, Ill., “Miss Sweetheart” of Franklin County, Illinois, selected at the final competition staged at the Fox Midwest’s Capitol, reigned over the Franklin County Fair. Bill Earle, manager, National Theatre Supply, reported the following addi¬ tional sales of Walker Hi-Intensity screens: Comet, St. Louis; Cuba, Cuba, Mo.; Joy, Lovejoy, Ill., and Sharon, Bunker Hill, Ill. Harry Hynes, Jr., U-I southeastern Missouri salesman, started his vacation. . . . Mrs. Eva Murphy, mother of Sadie Johnson, booker, St. Louis Amusement Company, died. . . . Jim Rust, shippingclerk, National Theatre Supply, is con¬ valescing from illness. Sol Hankin recovered from his illness sufficiently to visit Monogram-Allied office to chat with manager Maurice Schweitzer and others. A1 Boos, former manager, Electric, St. Joseph, Mo., is now city manager there for Durwood Theatres, succeeding Robert Hynes. Business at the Delora, in the Brook¬ lyn area, adjacent to East St. Louis, has picked up so the owner contemplates adding a Sunday show to his present Friday-Saturday bookings. Film exchange managers invited to act as judges of the contestants for the title of “Miss Radio Appreciation Day” at Sportsmen’s Park included: Lester Bona, Warners; Herb Bennin, Loew’s; Harry Haas, Paramount; Ray Nolan, RKO, and Gordon Halloran, 20th-Fox. Tom Edwards, Farmington, Mo., president, Motion Picture Theatre Own¬ ers of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri, and Southern Illinois, planed in from Califoimia after attending the big COMPO powwow. Bob Woodley, office manager, MGM, accompanied by Mrs. Woodley, went to New Orleans on the first leg of his vacation. ... A son was born to Mrs. Spero Karides, wife of the manager of the Ivanhoe, at the St. Louis Maternity Hospital. Arch Hosier, owner-manager, St. Louis Theatre Supply, recently returned from a business trip to Camden, N. J., where he spent some time with RCA officials. . . . Ethel Somborn is the man¬ ager, St. Charles Drive-In, St. Charles, Mo. National Theatre Supply is installing a concessions department to handle pop¬ corn, syrups, popcorn boxes, paper cups, paper napkins, etc. F. J. Lee, manager, United Artists, presided at a sales meeting attended by Tom Pedesco, Memphis; salesman Fred Lawrence, Little Rock, Ark., and St. Louis salesmen Jack Kane and Herb Buschmann. Salt Lake City The Apollo has been acquired by Har¬ old Chesler. Arthur L. Mayer, COMPO executive vice-president, told almost 100 film men of the possibilities of “Movietime U.S.A.,” following which Ralph L. Trathen was named general chairman in this area. On the committee to handle the campaign are R. M. Hendry, Inter¬ mountain Theatres; S. L. Gillette, RKO branch manager Giff Davison, Variety Clufy Chief Barker D. V. Tibbs, and Howard Pearson. Burglars struck twice. The Capitol was relieved of $75 when the bandit held up Miss Charlene Angell, 19, and ordered her to empty the till, and not push the buzzer. Miss Angell was held up once before, but thwarted the wouldbe gunman by buzzing the manager’s office. Bill Ellis, assistant manager, wit¬ nessed the burglar escape. A gunman forced Miss Joan Youngberg, 18, to give him $150 from the Center’s till, warn August 15, 1951