The Exhibitor (1953)

EXHIBITOR NT-3 Earl Rooney, assistant manager, Strand, lost his mother, who died in Utica at the age of 55. . . . Joseph Saperstein, booker, Fabian Theatres, division offices, vacationed in the south. . . . Jack Gold¬ berg, MGM resident manager, and Mrs. Goldberg left for a cruise to South America. . . . D. John Phillips, executive director, Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatres Association, spent two days on Capitol Hill checking bills affecting film houses, and renewing acquaintances with legislators. The 40-year-old Colonial Playhouse will revert to the camphor-ball status on March 28 when Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Atterbury and Ellen Hardies ring down the curtain on an abbreviated season of stock. The acting-managing couple came to the reluctant conclusion that it would be wise to shear off two plays from the production schedule, and wind up six years of courageous legitimate stage production here in a blaze of glory. A certificate of consolidation of American Broadcasting Company, Inc., and United Paramount Theatres, Inc., into American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, Inc., has been filed here with the Secretary of State by R. E. Kintner, president, and Geraldine Zorbaugh, secretary, for the former, and Leonard H. Goldenson, president, and Robert H. O’Brien, secretary, for the latter. Buffalo Marian Gueth has resigned as sec¬ retary, Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York State, Inc., to join the Veterans Administration, Rehabilitation Division. However, she expects to keep her contacts with her industry friends. Miss Gueth has been associated with the trade for 29 years. Everyone wishes her the best. George Secord, Schine’s Granada, tied up a store for rental of both the Granada and Riverside for a 15-cartoon show on Lincoln’s Birthday. The store requested that each youngster purchase canned goods from them for an admission, with the canned goods given to the Red Cross. For “Flat Top,” Secord tied up with a hobbyshop for an airplane building con¬ test, with the shop donating $50 worth of prizes in modeling supplies. In connection with the recent promo¬ tional campaign for U-I’s “Girls In The Night,” Loew’s State, New York City, the company developed a special street flojat which will also be used for sub¬ sequent dates in the Greater New York area, including a series of New Jersey openings. Maurice Maurer, managing director, Astor, New York, exploited the recent showing of Paramount’s “Road to Bali” with a display of tropical fish, para¬ keets, etc., arranged through a tieup with Gimbels Department Store. Garret Voorman, manager, Fabian, Paterson, N. J., arranged this recent lobby display furnished by Wright Aero¬ nautical Corporation, in connection with UA’s "Breaking The Sound Barrier.” John Amendola, Niagara Falls, is instituting an art policy, effective on April 14. After the showing of each pro¬ gram, a forum will be held at which time the patrons will discuss the picture shown, and also recommend programs desired. He has worked arduously, and expects this to achieve good results. Milton Harris, was in town working on the Century engagement of “Hans Christian Anderson.” WEBR ran a con¬ test on “Why Do You Want to see the Picture,” WKBW a contest “guessing the tunes,” and the Polish Everbodys Daily a coloring contest for children. MPTO and RKO are working in con¬ junction with the Catholic Charities Appeal. RKO is handling the physical distribution of trailers to theatres. . . . Emerson Dickman, 20th-Fox, laid plans for his trip to Bermuda over the Easter holidays. . . . The George Gammels, Gammel Circuit, and president, MPTO of New York State, Inc., were packing their bags for a southern trek. . . . L. M. Bleackley, president, Perkins Theatre Supply, and vice-president, Perkins Electric, Montreal, was in for a confer¬ ence with Carl Bell, branch manager. Dave Leff, former United Artists branch manager here and in Cleveland, is now with IFE. . . . Mayor Joseph Mruk was enrolled for “Brotherhood Week” as he signed a proclamation calling for city¬ wide observance. Enrolling the mayor were Arthur Krolick, exhibitor chairman; Manny A. Brown, distributor chairman; Claire Taylor, winner of a savings bond in a letter-writing contest recently spon¬ sored by the Baronet, New York City, in connection with U-I’s “The Importance Of Being Earnest,” is seen receiving her prize from star Michael Redgrave. Piper Laurie, LT-I star of “The Missis¬ sippi Gambler,” recently aided the pro¬ motion of the film at Loew’s State, New York, by taking over the ticket booth, with attendant publicity. Edward F. Meade, publicity director, all members of the industry division of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and Daniel W. Streeter, senior cochairman, Buffalo Round Table of the Conference. Felicitations go to Jack Chinell, RKO branch manager, who celebrated a birth¬ day. . . . Mrs. E. K. O’Shea, wife of Paramount’s vice-president, was in. . . . Lillian Rosen, RKO contract clerk, was home from the hospital recuperating after her operation. . . . Bud McDonough, Monogram booker, is the proud father of a new baby boy. . . . Ed Suisse, MGM salesman, bought an Oldsmobile. . . . Frances Ruback, RKO head inspectress, is back after an absence for illness. . . . Sara Weil, RKO booker, and Ruth Rappeport, Warner office manager, continue to enthuse about their new grandnephew, Brian Alan, born to the Morton Siegels. William Gehring, manager, Dipsons Amherst, and booker, RKO, is happy over the birth of their new baby, Gale. So is Bill, Jr., 2, who now has a play¬ mate. . . . An impromptu party of the Columbia personnel was held to cele¬ brate the occasion of the marriage of Barbara Hartman, office manager, to Frank Quinlivan, manager, Gammel’s Columbia. The combined staff of Columbia presented the bride with a bridge set consisting of table and four chairs. . . . Margaret Crean, secretary to Manny Brown, United Artists branch manager, leaves on March 6 for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on her annual vacation. February 25, 1953