The Exhibitor (1952)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 rows OF TMB ’ Chicago, ^ The Muncie|Theatre Realty Corpora¬ tion, MVjnci^TEhd., obtained a permit to build a' $22i00Q drive-in near that city. . . . Danny Newman is preparing to re¬ seat his all-night Astor. James Murnan was named Lydia manager, Ann Arbor, Mich. . . . Bob Lubliner, Clark coowner, recuperated in Miami, Fla., from his recent illness. Ansel Winston was placed in charge of the Palace. . . . The Lyric, Casey, Ill., was reopened after modernization. . . , Rube Levine returned from Florida to arrange for the reopening of his Kankakee, Ill, Drive-In. Five masked expert safecrackers used acetylene torches to reach the cashbox in the Avalon safe from which they took $4,500 in weekend receipts. Hearing in the government’s case against drive-in owners for allegedly fixing prices was set by Judge John Barnes for April 24. A petition to dis¬ miss has been filed by defense attorneys. The festival at the Clark, with doubles of top pictures of the past, was a success. T. I. Wagner, Bel-Air Drive-In manaager, while the theatre is closed for the winter, rents the attraction sign at the entrance to an auto dealer. Henry Smith was appointed Oakley manager. . . . Jerry Gamero was named assistant manager, Vic and the Irving. . . . Loton Todd is planning a 500-car drive-in at Lexington, Neb. Charles Marcellis was appointed Embassy manager. . . . Bob Griffith, former Ken manger and now operator of the Chip-A-Flo lodge near Hayward, Wis., is assisting at the theatre during the winter season. W. B. Sherwood was awarded the $4,000 auto put up by the Variety Club in a benefit drive. The Variety Club entertained more than 200 members and guests at a Valentine party. . . . Minnie Buettner, for many years assistant to the late Ludwig Sussman, Adelphi owner, is carrying on at the theatre. Moviegoers opened their hearts and purses at audience collections in the Variety Club’s drive for the La Rabida Sanitarium. The goal of $50,000 was more than raised. Rollin Stonebrook, Northcenter man¬ ager, is a member of the board of direc¬ tors of the Ravenswood Kiwanis Club. . . . Mort Berman, Orpheum, Springfield, Ill., and his family vacationed in California. Dallas Thieves who probably stayed in the building when the Delman closed made a yain attempt to crack the safe. They I neter succeeded in opening the box, Jaqk Crow, manager, told police. >* The “Blackstone” unit in Interstate Theatres was booked by Abe Feinberg. "In Snyder, Tex., Joe Love, Love Thea¬ tres, operating six houses, sold them to J. L. Fife and D. F. Nichols, Oklahoma. The new owners have formed Snyder Theatres, with Fife as president and Nichols as vice-president. The theatres are the Ritz, Palace, Texas, Aztec, Starlite, and Trail. Wallace Walthall, Texas COMPO Speakers Bureau, drove to Graham, Tex., for the luncheon meeting of the Lions Club, arranged and sponsored by Del Jordan, who recently came fi’om Roswell, N. M., to manage the Leon for Theatre Enterprise. Neale Gordon, former manager. Big D Drive-In, was on Film Row, just back from Colorado Springs, Colo. He is hoping to make another connection in exhibition around Dallas. Jimmy Stewart was in to publicize two pictures from different studios, “Bend of the River,” for Universal-Interna¬ tional, and Paramount’s “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Charles E. Carden, Interstate subur¬ ban city manager, reported a gala birth¬ day spirit prevaded the lobby of the Tower, Fort Worth, Tex., and manager Howard Hildreth thoroughly enjoyed presenting a rose to each lady on the occasion observing the lOth birthday of the Tower. Kyle Rorex, executive director, Texas COMPO Showmen, received copies of several letters to Guy C. Moses, man¬ ager, Pecos, Fort Stockton, Tex., indicat¬ ing enthusiastic response and worthwhile results from an address given before the Lions Club by Harley Sadler for Texas COMPO. Denver W. W. “Woody” Williams, 39, Plains, Eads, Colo., owner, died. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, and two sons and one daughter. Funeral services and burial were at Eads. Joe LeVee, Warner salesman, under¬ went major surgery at the General Rose Memorial Hospital. . . . Ward Penning¬ ton, branch manager. Paramount, re¬ signed and bought the Crest Drive-In, Beatrice, Neb. Glen Ferguson, manager, Babcock, Billings, Mont., is the father of a new daughter, Debra. . . . Joe Jacques, man¬ ager, National Theatre Calendar Com¬ pany, was seriously ill at Veterans’ Hospital. . . . David Meaux, formerly with Fox Intermountain, is now assist¬ ant manager, Orpheum, succeeding William Peregrine, resigned. Des Moines Marc J. Wolf, International Chief Barker, Variety Clubs, was in to induct new officers of Tent 15, Variety Club. Wolf reiterated the Creed of Variety, Lamed Exhibitor Marking 50th Year Earned, Kans. — When May rolls around, it will be the signal for a celebration in honor of the 50 years in show business of John Schnack, owner. Electric, since 1912. He has been in exhibition since 1902, when, after seeing a roadshow marking the first appear¬ ance of motion pictures, he and the late R. T. Webb formed the Edison Exhibi¬ tion Company, and started on the road with a show of their own. In 1906, Schnack moved into the Lamed Opera House to give this town its first per¬ manent house. Six years later, the Electric was opened. John Schnack In 1904, R. R. Smith replaced Webb in the partnership, and the two men toured the north central states, using an Edison Kinetoscope with calcium lime¬ light, presenting their shows as “experts” from the Edison factory at Orange, N. J. Their program consisted of approximately 2,000 feet of 50 and 200 foot films. Admission was 10 and 25 cents. To arouse interest Schnack and his partner offered a sample free show on the street. Schnack was one of the first to show “The Great Train Robbery.” Later, he opened his first permanent theatre on the second floor of the Lamed Opera house, moving it to the first floor, with seating capacity of 150. In 1912, he moved into his present location, aci'oss the street from the old Opera House. After nearly half a century, Schnack still thinks exhibition is a fascinating business. and urged all barkers to take an active part in the charity efforts of the club. William S. Beardsley, governor of Iowa, thanked the group in person for his honorary membership, and pledged active support to the group in its charity drives. Nate Sandler, the granddaddy of the club, was awarded a plaque in recogni¬ tion of his untiring efforts in making Tent 15 what it is today. Final speaker of the evening was Bill McCraw. Jim Gray, seven years manager. Sac City, la., theatres, has been named to manager the Pioneer Circuit houses at Jefferson, la. Carl Schwanebeck, assist¬ ant, Perry, la., will take over Gray’s duties. . . . Fox Midwest Amusement March 5, 1952 MIDWEST-WESTERN