The Exhibitor (1953)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 On the dais at the recent send-off member¬ ship luncheon of the New York Variety Club, Tent 35, were, left to right, Edward L. Fabian, First Assistant Chief Barker; Rabbi Abraham Burstein, chaplain; Edward Lachman, Chief Barker; Ira Meinhardt, Property Master; Harold J. Klein, Dough Guy, and Martin Levine, Second Assistant Chief Barker. JfKWS OF THE New York City Crosstown The three-dimensional natural vision “Bwana Devil” will have its Brooklyn premiere at Fabian’s Brooklyn Fox on Feb. 18, coincident with its opening at Loew’s State. . . . Jose Ferrer returned from Paris to be on hand for the Capitol premiere of UA’s “Moulin Rouge.” James Mason, star of “Face To Face,” Trans Lux 52nd Street, arrived from Hollywood to participate in a number of press, radio, and television interviews on behalf of the picture which RKO is releasing. David E. Rose, producer of “Sea Devils,” forthcoming RKO release, returned from London, where he approved the final cut version. Dan S. Terrell, MGM publicityexploitation manager, planed to the coast for a visit at the Culver City studios. A baby girl, Linda Joan, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Herbert R. Pogoda. The mother is the daughter of Max Blackman, Warner’s home office executive. William F. Rodgers returned to Florida after interrupting his vacation for several days for MGM home office meet¬ ings. Ben Kalmenson, Warner vice-presi¬ dent in charge of distribution, and Mort Blumenstock, advertising and publicity vice-president, who headquarters at the company’s studios in Burbank, Cal., arrived. Kalmenson has been at the west coast for huddles with Harry M. and Jack L. Warner and Blumenstock on forthcoming product. While here, Blumen¬ stock will set up advertising and pro¬ motion plans for forthcoming Warner product. The trade mourned the death of Robert J. Ellsworth, 58, MGM salesman, who died at Physicians Hospital, Jackson Heights, after suffering from heart trouble for several years. He was recently hospitalized to undergo a reducing diet, and had returned to work only to become ill. He was hospitalized again, and it was discovered that he had contracted pneumonia. He joined MGM as a booker on Dec. 12, 1919. He was married to Irene Ungefehr in 1922, and is survived by a son Robert, Jr., two daughters, Irene, and Dolores, and three grandchildren. (Tiarles B. Moss, executive director, Criterion, left for the west coast to look over new product, and to finalize production plans for the Mickey Spillane series aimed for television exhibition. Edward Finney came in from the west coast for the interment of his mother, Mrs. Clarity Finney, who died in Holly¬ wood, and who was brought east for burial at the Church of the Madonna Cemetery, Fort Lee, N. J. Over 1,400 Catholics of the local indus¬ try received Communion in a body on Feb. 1 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Break¬ fast in the Waldorf Astoria followed immediately after the nine o’clock Mass at the Cathedral. A three-year extension for the dis¬ position of RKO Theatres’ stock interest in Metropolitan Playhouses, Inc., was re¬ quested by George Alger, trustee of the stock, in his report to the New York Statutory Court. The report cited the difficulties in disposing of Metropolitan Playhouses stock as required by the provisions of the RKO Theatres consent decree. It said the best interests of the parties involved would be served by granting a three-year extension. Fred J. Schwartz, chairman, Organi¬ zation of the Motion Picture Industry of the City of New York, paid tribute to the Hearst newspapers for stimulating theatre attendance. The occasion was the reception tendered by OMPI to the 14 winners of The New York JournalAmerican motion picture contest, held at the Stork Club. Jim O’Connor, The Journal-American drama editor, thanked the industry for its cooperation. Leading exhibitors and circuit execu¬ tives of the metropolitan area and trade press editors met with Rosemary Clooney at a luncheon in her honor which Paramount gave in the Hotel Astor. Prior to the luncheon, the showmen attended a special screening at the Bijou of “The Stars are Singing.” The New York meeting with exhibitors and trade paper editors was one of several such luncheon get-togethers with showmen and the press which Paramount arranged in various eastern seaboard cities. The recent premiere of MGM’s “Above And Beyond,” Mayfair, New York City, brought out many celebrities, and the event was captured by both newsreel and TV cameras. A feature was the appearance of the Mitchell Field Air Force units marching up Broadway led by their 62-piece band. Seen, left to right, top to bottom, are Eleanor Parker, co-star of the film, receiving a citation from Mrs. Marietta Miller, president, Ladies Auxiliary of the Air Force Association, as General Leon W. Johnson, commanding general, Continental Air Command, looks on; Bert Friedlob, husband of Miss Parker; Melvin Frank, Miss Parker, Norman Panama, Louella Parsons, and MGM’s Si Seadler; Mrs. Nicholas M. Schenck, wife of the Loew-MGM president, chatting with Tex and Jinx McCrary, who handled the TV part of the preliminary activities, and Elaine Stewart, currently in MGM’s “The Bad and The Beautiful;” and Howard Dietz, vice-president and director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation for MGM; Miss Stewart, and Frank and Panama, the producer-writer-director team who made “Above And Beyond.” February 11, 1953 NKW YORK