The Exhibitor (1951)

NT-4 EXHIBITOR were Gus Vaveris, Johnstown; the Notopolous boys, Altoona; Tommy Bello, representing the Blatt Circuit; Ray Allison, Sr., and Bud and Leonard Alli¬ son; Adclph Farkus, Johnstown exhibi¬ tor, and M. McClelland, Ideal Amuse¬ ment Company. Many branch managers and salesmen also were there. Over 60 persons attended. Mark Silver, fromer United Artists district manager, was in on a special assignment with Columbia for “The Whistle At Eaton Falls.” Paul M. Pamaley’s Maple Drive-In, on Route 18, four miles from Albion, Pa., at Springsboro, Pa., opened. . . . George Saittus, Temple, Sheraden, Pa., was named president, new Kiwanis Club. It was the first new Kiwanis Club of 1951 in the Pennsylvania district. Wally Allen, Allied of Western Penn¬ sylvania business manager and a mem¬ ber of the National Allied convention committee, was in Chicago attending a meeting of the convention committee. Plans for the National Allied conven¬ tion, set for the Biltmore Hotel, New York, starting on Oct. 30 were discussed. Bob Finkel, son of William Finkel, Arcade and Colonial, and a TV director on the west coast, went back after a vacation. He left his wife and daughter here for a few extra weeks’ visit. Four drive-ins booked “Fantasia” for a day-and-date run. . . . Monogram has released all its attractions to a group of drive-ins for first-run Pittsburgh. Such attractions as “I Was An Ameri¬ can Spy” and “Cavalry Scout” play six or seven drive-ins instead of a down¬ town house. Super advertising cam¬ paigns costing around $1500 are given each attraction. The Lyceum, Kittanning, Pa., re¬ opened for three days. A state regula¬ tion requires that theatres be in use every 90 days to retain their permits. William J. O’Connell, real estate-in¬ surance agent, passed on in Jeanette, Pa. He was part-owner of six drive-ins in the Greater Pittsburgh district. . . . The Pittsburgh Poster Company’s new headquarters were broken into recently. . . . Dinty Moore, WB district manager, is a grandfather once more. The F. D. Mcore, Jrs., became parents of a boy. They also have a 15-month-old daughter. Francis X. Bushman was in expoliting “David and Bathsheba.” He made the usual rounds of lunches and radio interviews. Sterling Silliphant, 20thFox executive, was in also. Plans are tentatively set for a giant kick-off meeting for the area campaign sponsored by COMPO. August 27 was picked as the date, with Bob O’Donnell expected to attend. . . . Phil Brozier, Brozier. Avella, Pa., sold the house to Frank Babich, who renamed the theatre the Avella. . . . Anna Sanilihak sued the Monessen Amusement Company for $5,161.50 covering injuries allegedly sustained in a fall on the sidewalk in front of the Monessen. Frances Staboulis, manager, Manos, Uniontown, Pa., announced her engage¬ ment to Lou Chacunas, Pittsburgh. Harold Cohen, The Post Gazette drama critic, devoted two columns to his trip to Bing Crosby’s ranch in Elko, Nev. He stated there was 24-hour gambling, and, to quote him, he evi¬ dently lest money as he put a sign on his desk, “Was this trip necessary?” On his TV show, he stated that he was up so late and often that he fell asleep during the showing of “Here Comes The Groom.” Kathryn Tice, daughter of George Tice, Columbia branch manager, was married to Donald Knaell, Chaleroi, Pa. She manages the Park, Homestead, Pa. The bridegroom is a soldier-instruc¬ tor at Fort Monmouth, N. J. Isreal Roth, former theatre owner and now in the wholesale electric busi¬ ness in Miami, Fla., was a Film Row visitor. . . . Any Battison has taken on the distribution of the Australian-made film, “Pituri.” . . . John D. Walsh, man¬ ager, Fulton, is back from a vacation in Newport, R. I., and his assistant, Forney Bowers, left for Ohio and some fishing. Natalie Julius, assistant secretary, Allied Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania, returned from a vacation in the Catskills, N. Y. Indiana Terre Haute Kroger Babb, president, Hallmark Productions, Inc., was given the key to the city by Mayor Ralph Tucker when the young showman arrived for a test date of “Secrets of Beauty.” C. D. Hen¬ ley, manager, Orpheum, joined the City Hall staff for the ceremonies. Ohio Columbus Frank Marzetti, formerly with the Miles Circuit, is now a private with the USAF, 202 Tow Target, New Castle, Del., Airport. He is also a part-time projectionist there, and keeps his inter¬ est in the industry. Harry Simons, RKO Grand manager, returned from a three-week vacation in Maine. . . . Irving Tombach, WB central states district publicity representative, Cincinnati, was blowing the horn for “Captain Horatio Hornblower,” Toledo ITO of Ohio President Martin Smith announced the appointments of Maury White and Meyer Fine as exhibitor chairmen in Cincinnati and Cleveland, respectively, for COMPO’s “Movie Time, U.S.A.” campaign. Meetings were sched¬ uled in both cities to outline plans for the state’s participation. Kentucky Louisville A. V. Luttrell, owner-general man¬ ager, Star, Russell Springs, Ky., re¬ ceived 'a bit of unexpected, but most appreciative, publicity from the editor of the local newspaper. At a recent meeting of the directors and officers of the Kentucky Association of Theatre Owners, it was agreed that immediately after the August primary a series of district meetings should be held at some convenient location in each Congressional district so that KATO members in the district would then have an opportunity to meet with KATO officers, and develop programs. The first of these meetings comprising the First Congressional District was held at the Hall Hotel, Mayfield, Ky. Meetings for districts, seven, eight, and nine have been scheduled for later in August, while district meetings for two, three, four, five, and six are to be held in September. Out-of-town visitors seen included: Roy Hahn, Gypsy Drive-In, Bardstown, Ky. ; Tom Maxedon, Shelby and Burley, Shelbyville, Ky. ; Gene Lutes, Chakeres district manager, Frankfort, Ky. ; Ed¬ win St. Clair, St. Clair, Lebanon Junc¬ tion, Ky. ; R. L. Gastroat, Victory, Vine Grove, Ky.; Hugh Kessler, Pal, Palmy¬ ra, Ind. ; Jay Burton, Rex, West Lib¬ erty, Ky., and Lewis Baker, Star, West Point, Ky. A report of state revenue, compiled by the department of Finance and the Department of Revenue, shows tax reve¬ nue on amusement for June was $35,709.50 more than for a correspond¬ ing month in 1950. Tax revenue for 1950-51 was $49,615.78 less than for the fiscal year, 1949-50. A record crowd of approximately 25,000 persons from Carroll County and neighboring communities gathered at the Riverview Drive-In, Carrollton, Ky., recently for the 26th annual fireworks display given by R. M. Barker and the free movie shown by the management of the theatre. Pennsylvania Erie Marion Marshall, who plays a fea¬ tured role in Hal Wallis’ “That’s My Boy,” Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis comedy for Paramount release, was a guest of honor at the Centennial Celebration of Erie, and the film has been selected as official Centennial picture. “That’s My Boy” is being shown at Dipson’s Plaza. The Erie Centennial, Aug. 11-18, is a gala festival in honor of the city’s hun¬ dredth anniversary, and features weeklong celebrations. Miss Marshall, who arrived in New York from the coast, was in for two days to participate in the Centennial activities. She returned to New York to begin an intensive round of press, radio, and magazine interviews. August 15, 1951