The Exhibitor (1953)

NT-6 EXHIBITOR Pennsburg Allied Motion Picture Service is no longer doing the buying and booking for the Aurora. Reading Harry Friedland, manager, Majestic, Mount Penn, Pa., and the Senior Hadassah arranged a two-day benefit show. A g’ain in amusements tax receipts was announced by city authorities over September, 1952, and over August this year. The September, 1953, intake was $12,138, .slightly over the $12,049 for the same month last year. It was more than $1,000 better than the August $11,096 receipts. Owners of the city’s theatres are expected to appeal in November from the 50 per cent increase on all real estate for 1954 taxes, city, county, and school. Of the 84,000 separate real estate tracts in the city and county, the assess¬ ments on 76,000 have been increased. Scranton The Strand, through manager Tom Jones, was host to all the Catholic Sisters at a private screening of “Little Boy Lost.” Student convocation exercises of the University of Scranton were held at the Temple, at which time the new president of the university, Reverend Father Long, delivered his first address to the student body. Welcoming ceremonies by the Borough of Clarks Summit were held in the Comerford, Clarks Summit, Pa., through the courtesy of manager James Gavin, appropriately marking the return of localite WOJG Harry Wignall, for 35 months a Korean POW. Margaret McKenna, Roosevelt, re¬ ceived word of the death of her nephew. . . . Tony Howley, Comerford accounting department, spent a week in New York City. . . . Bill Salmons and his wife spent a weekend at Milton, Del. . . . Marie Barber, Comerford accounting department, vacationed. . . . Byron Linn and Tom Comerford, Comerford organi¬ zation, were in Buffalo. . . . Bill Comer¬ ford has been appointed chairman, thea Anatole Litvak recently arrived at Idlewild International Airport, New York, from Paris to confer with UA executives on release plans for his first independent production, “Act Of Love,” completed on location in France. Humphrey Bogart, accompanied by his wife, Lauren Bacall, recently arrived in New York by plane from Hollywood to join in location filming for William Wilder’s “Sabrina Fair” for Paramount. tres division, Community Chest cam¬ paign. Wayne The Anthony Wayne announced the inaugurating of the “Curtain at 8:30” art film policy every Tuesday evening. Following the first five programs, future pictures will be selected from a request list. Virginia Richmond The board of directors of the Virginia Motion Picture* Theatre Association set the dates for winter and summer meet¬ ings. The one-day winter meeting will be held on Jan. 27 at the Jefferson Hotel, and the annual summer convention is set for the Chamberlin Hotel, Old Point Comfort, from May 24-26. President Leonard Gordon and executive secretary Carlton Duffus will make a swing around the state, holding meetings in each Congressional district. Plans will be formulated at these meetings for legislation to be brought up at the up-coming state legislature and for the national tax repeal fight. The Richmond Film Society started off its new season on Oct. 2, with the first program including “Carnival in Flanders.” The series of 12 presentations is spaced about three weeks apart, shown in the auditorium of the John Marshall High School. Admission is free to members of the Virginia Museum of Leon Bamberger, drive coordinator, points to the 40 x 60 exchange display recently sent from the RKO home office in New York to Philadelphia for the drive honoring district chief Bob Folliard. TRADE SCREENINGS Philadelphia MGM — (Tower) Oct. 16, 2:30, “All The Brothers Were Valiant” (Robert Taylor, Stewart Grainger, Ann Blyth) (Technicolor) ; 26, 2:30, “Kiss Me Kate” (Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller) (AnscoColor; print by Techni¬ color) (2-D and 3-D). Warners — (230 North 13th). Oct. 28, 2:00, “Calamity Jane” (Doris Day, Howard Keel, Gene Nelson) (Techni¬ color) . Fine Arts, and a fee of $2.50 entitles anyone to see the entire series. Vergil Stewart, who received his training under Frank Morgan at the Grand, is now assistant manager, Isis, Lynchburg. . . . When the Byrd and State played “The Sword and Rose,” Bob Coulter and Stewart Tuckerarranged with Ratcliffe, the florist, to give roses to the ladies on opening day. . . . Charles Hall is an addition to the managerial staff in the Richmond area for Neighborhood Theatre, Inc. The State Corporation Commission issued a charter to Giles Theatre Corp¬ oration, Rich Creek, Giles County, to take over a partnership of the same name for the operation of motion picture houses. Leon Waterfield, State, flew to Dear¬ born, Mich., on an all-expense paid trip as a winner in the Ford Motor Com¬ pany’s national industrial arts pro¬ gram. His prize entry was a pewter cream and sugar set made in the shops at the East End Junior High School. . . . Geoige Stitzer, assistant manager, Byrd, is a proud grandpa to Peggy Ann Stitzer. Two of the Byrd staff have been re¬ cent patients at Johnson Willis Hospital, Arthur Burton and Bertha Murr. . . . Mrs. Gordon Culley, wife of the State assistant, was also a patient at Medical College Hospital. . . . Virginia Winn, Loew’s popular veteran boxoffice attend¬ ant, was the subject of an interview in The News Leader, picture and all. . . . We were sorry to hear of the passing of L. A. Flowers, well known Berkeley exhibitor. — S. T. Variety Club Tent 13, Philadelphia The club is sponsoring two perform¬ ances, matinee and evening, of “Icecapades Of 1953” at the Arena on Oct. 25. Tickets, on sale at regular boxoffice prices are available, and Variety members and friends in the industry are urged to attend since the Variety Club Camp for Handicapped Children will participate in the proceeds. The annual election dinner will be held on Oct. 19 when the Heart Fund drive will start. A highlight of this affair, of course, will be the previously an¬ nounced report by the International Chief Barker on his European junket. “99 River Street” was screened through the courtesy of UA. October U, 1953