The Exhibitor (1951)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 BRANCHES Atlanta Heralded by a parade, exhibitors from Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama, together with distribution employees and their families, met at the Fox for “Movietime, U. S. A.” All of the city’s downtown theatres were decorated for the event, and a parade of exchange employees and their families, consist¬ ing of several cars and seven buses, was lead by a police escort and a band play¬ ing “No Business Like Show Business.” Highlight was a speech by George C. Biggers, president, Atlanta Newspapers, Inc., owners, The Atlanta Constitution and The Atlanta Journal, who said he was instructing the editors of his com¬ pany’s papers to accord every possible cooperation to insure the success of the campaign. Robert J. O’Donnell gave de¬ tails of the plans drawn up for the campaign, which in the south will be known as “Movietime Down South, U. S. A.” Arthur L. Mayer, executive vice-president, COMPO, paid a tribute to O’Donnell and Sam J. Briskin, Holly¬ wood campaign coordinator. Mayor Hartsfield, welcomed the visiting show¬ men, and the speakers were introduced by Nat Williams, Georgia exhibitor. A. B. Padgett, Wilby-Kincey Theatres, acted as master of ceremonies. Leading the parade were Williams, E. D. Mar¬ tin, C. L. Patrick, Martin Theatres, Columbus, Ga.; Mack Jackson, presi¬ dent, Alabama TOA, Alexander City, Ala.; Tommy Thompson, Columbus, pres¬ ident, Georgia TOA; Jay Solomon, Ten¬ nessee TOA, Bob Moscow, Atlanta, Mayer, and O’Donnell. The press was represented by local papers, The Chatta¬ nooga, Tenn., News-Free Press, and correspondents from other newspapers. The exhibitors committee consists of E. D. Martin, Columbus, Ga.; A. B. Padgett, Wilby Paramount; J. H. Thompson, Martin and Thompson; Jay Solomon, and Mack Jackson, Alexander City, Ala.; Emil Bernstecker, and R. M. Kennedy. The distributors’ committee in¬ cludes Paul Wilson, 20th-Fox; C. E. Kessnich, MGM; Dave Prince, RKO; Ollie Williamson, Warners, and James Frew, U-I. Publicity is in charge of Emory Austin, Leonard Allen, J. D Woodard, and Russ Morgan. Visiting Charlie Duymeyer, Southern Automatic Candy Company, were these theatre owners from Ozark, Ala., Mrs. Walter Brackin and Mr. and Mrs. Movak. . . . Dr. W. S. Kusnitz, owner, Alamo, Alamo, Ga., was on vacation. Mrs. Kate Wright, Astor, was back after a vacation. . . . Kermit Stengel, Jr., son of the executive vice-president, Crescent Amusement Company, Nash¬ ville, Tenn., reports for duty in the navy as an ensign on Oct. 1. He will join the circuit upon completion of his navy stint. W. H. Karr, owner, Pal Amusement Company, was enjoying a vacation in South America. . . . J. F. Carter, Jr., opened his new Carver, Abbeville, Ala. . . . Mrs. Martha Sillay resigned from Realart. Booking were: Paul Engler, Famous, Birmingham, Ala.; Frank Merrill, Acme Theatres, Birmingham, Ala.; G. A. Johnson, Center and Cherokee, Center, Ala.; D. L. Buzbee, Ritz, Dadeville, Ala.; Mrs. Walter Brackin, Ozark, Ozark, Ala.; John Gaither, Heflin, Hef¬ lin, Ala.; Earnest Ingram, Lineville, Lineville, Ala.; C. S. Dunn, Gibson, Chattahoochee, Fla.; M. C. Moore, Riverside, Jacksonville, Fla.; R. E. Can¬ non, Live Oak and Lake City, Fla.; R. H. Dunn, Camilla, Camilla, Ga.; W. M. Snelson, Co-At-Co Theatres, Toccoa, Ga.; Wendel Welch, Dallas, Dal¬ las, Ga. ; J. S. Tankersley, Ellijay, Ellijay, Ga., and W. R. Boswell, Greenland, Greensboro, Ga. Memphis Exhibitors and employes from as far west as Little Rock, Ark., and east to Chattanooga, Tenn., were in to attend the meeting at the Malco to make plans to back the “Movietime, U. S. A.” cam¬ paign. Robert J. O’Donnell, national chairman, outlined the plan. At an ex¬ ecutive meeting at thev Variety Club following the Malco meeting, officers of the Tri-State Theatre Owners, members of TOA, and the Independent Allied Theatre Owners of the Mid-South an¬ nounced that the two organizations would hold the first joint convention on Oct. 16-17 at The Gayoso Hotel. One of the big features will be a parade in which Hollywood stars will take part. It was also decided to have a theme which would include “Movietime” and the south. The committee on arrange¬ ment included Jim West, Bill Ruffin, Jr., and Nathan Flexer, for Tennessee; Sam Kirby and Roy Cochran, for Arkansas; Pat Williams and Max Connett, for Mississippi; Robert Bostick, manager, National Theatre Supply, for equipment dealers, and Frank Carter, branch manager, Warners, for film dis¬ tributors. Out-of-town exhibitors at¬ tending were: John Jenkins, Dallas; Leon Rountree, Holly Spring, Miss.; James S. Carberry, Little Rock, Ark.; T. E. Williams, Clarksdale, Miss.; Jay Solomon, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Earl Vandiveer, Kenneth, Mo.; G. S. Pratt, Fulton, Miss.; K. K. King, Searcy, Ark.; Mrs. Burris Smith, Pocahontas, Ark.; Douglas Pierce, Jackson, Tenn.; Henley Smith, Pocahontas, Ark.; H. A. Brownlee, Dyersburg, Tenn.; C. P. Thompson, Clarksdale, Miss.; Mrs. Richard Reed, Ruleville, Miss.; G. Y. Harrell, New Orleans; J. V. Chapman, Newark, Ark. ; Clark Shivley, Clarks¬ dale, Miss.; Charles R. Johnson, Savan¬ nah, Tenn.; Earl Young, Jonesboro, Ark.; Sam Herndon, Little Rock, Ark.; Don S. Story, Ruleville, Miss.; W. E. Elkin, Aberdeen, Miss.; O. W. Miller, Drew, Miss.; Irving Hawkins, Drew; Mrs. Joe Howe, Hot Springs, Ark.; Robert Bradley, Marked Tree, Ark. ; Walter Gray, Rutherford, Tenn.; L. F. Haven, Forrest City, Ark.; Doyle Bransoum, Harrison, Ark.; M. B. Fair, Somerville, Tenn.; R. Lebrovitz, Chatta¬ nooga, Tenn.; John L. Anderson, Hel¬ ena, Ark.; Carl Burton, Fort Smith, Ark.; C. J. Collier, Shaw, Miss.; Mrs. Dewey Mitchell, Dumas, Ark.; S. D. McRee, Coffeeville, Miss.; Lyle Rich¬ mond, Senath, Mo.; Jim Singleton, Marked Tree; D. F. Blissard, Oklona, Miss.; R. T. Barnett, Pocahontas, Miss.; Gene Higginbotham, Leachville, Ark.; Bartus Gray, Jacksonville, Ark.; Steve Stein, Jackson, Tenn.; Mrs. Jack Wil¬ banks, Walnut, Miss.; John Mohrstadt, Hayti, Mo.; Hoss Noble, Leland, Miss.; Terry Auxley, England, Ark.; Guy Amis, Lexington, Tenn.; J. C. Bonds, Hernando, Miss.; Mrs. Ed Story, Cleve¬ land, Miss.; T. M. Jourdan, Iuka, Miss.; Mrs. H. A. Fitch, Erwin, Tenn.; G. L. Helms, Scott Hill, Tenn.; John Crab¬ tree, Clarendon, Ark.; Gordon Hutchins, Corning, Ark.; Robert Gooch, Selma, Tenn.; E. W. Savage, Booneville, Miss., and Orris Collins, Paragould, Ark. N. A. Cook will open a 700-car, $100,000 drive-in for Negroes in South Memphis. Approximately 7'5 leading business and professional men and women, rep¬ resenting Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, and Rogers met at Rogers, Ark., to discuss a proposal to finance a newly organized motion picture con¬ cern considering the location of a studio in northeast Arkansas. Dr. C. A. Pierce, member of the Chamber of Commerce, was chairman, and explained that a company incorporated by Viva Auth Liles, native of Russellville, Ark., and said to have been connected with the industry for several years, is offering stock for sale, and that money raised through this sale will be used for pro¬ duction of a feature-length film which will be ready to go into production in a short time. Earnings from the picture will be used for building a permanent studio to be located on a site of not less than 600 acres. Columbia — Miss Ruth Jarvis is the new receptionist. . . . Miss Katheryn Layhew has joined the staff as secretary to branch manager. She succeeds Miss Mary Carper, promoted to cashier. MGM — Visiting exhibitors included Lawrence Landers, Batesville, Ark. ; W. C. Kroeger, Portagesville, Mo., and Woodrow Cotham, who bought the Lobelville, Lobelville, Tenn. 20th-Fox — • Miss Loraine Burris, booker-stenographer, was vacationing in North Carolina. ... In calling were Leon Rountree, Water Valley, Miss.; Eugene Higginbotham, Leachville, Ark.; Walter Leeper, DeQueen, Ark.; Dr. W. L. Lowery, Blue Mountain, Miss.; John Staple, Piggott, Ark.; E. C. Men¬ ard, Mountain Time, Ark.; J. W. Wof¬ ford, Europa, Miss., and Miss Louise Mask, Bolivar, Tenn. Warners — Frank Carter, branch manage!’, attended a meeting in New Orleans. New Orleans It was learned that Norman L. Car¬ ter, resigning as president, Paramount September 5, 1951 SOUTHERN