The Exhibitor (1953)

NT-4 EXHIBITOR Burton E. Robbins, National Screen Service executive, was recently elected president, New York’s Cinema Lodge, B’nai B’rith, succeeding Martin Levine, Brandt Theatres executive. . . . George Gammel, president, Motion Picture Theatre Owners of New York State, Inc., called a board meeting. — M. G. Corning Toby Ross made arrangements with a local dairy for an Easter kiddie show rental at both the Fox and the Palace on April 7. Lockport Harry Goldsmith, manager, Palace, took advantage of the appearance of Dale Robertson, 20th-Fox star, in Buffalo on behalf of “Niagara,” to publicize the pre¬ miere at his theatre. Traveling to Buffalo, he presented Robertson with a special Lockport card table. He promoted a full page from merchants, and got good news¬ paper breaks. Oneonta Norm Prager, Schine’s Oneonta, set a “Miss Valehtine” contest with the high school with the cooperation of a news¬ paper and 14 merchants. Selection of the winner was by ballots printed in each of the sponsors’ newspaper ads, with the winner announced at the theatre with her “court of honor” on Valentine’s Day. Prizes were promoted from the cooperat¬ ing merchants, and presented to the winning contestants. Oswego Harry Wiener, manager, Oswego, in¬ cluded in his publicity campaign for Fri¬ day the 13th admitting free the first 13 persons sending proof of a Friday the 13th birthday. This meant 14 free spots on the radio for the theatre. Disc jockeys collaborated, and the newspaper ran a contest based on superstition, with the winners receiving free theatre tickets. Couples presenting proof of a Friday the 13th marriage were also admitted free. The lobby was decorated with black cats, an open umbrella, and other debunkers of superstition. Syracuse Beginning on Feb. 12, Loew’s State celebrated its 25th anniversary. To com¬ memorate the occasion, manager Sam Gilman promoted an appropriate anni¬ versary campaign. A huge birthday cake received much attention. Disc jockeys helped to play 1928 vintage song hits. The display in the lobby also listed all i:yi;evg rni: New York — Officers of the Motion Picture Bookers Club were officially in¬ stalled in the Hotel Taft. Brandt’s Lou Wolff is president; San Einhorn and Lou Solkoff assist as vice-presidents, and Myron Starr holds the purse strings as treasurer. Warners — Night shipper Harry Cohen welcomed his son-in-law back after a hitch with the army in Korea. . . . Julia Rodrigues, contract department, said her “I do.” She and her husband Arthur will postpone their honeymoon to await the warmer weather. Paramount — • The industry’s only lady shipper, Rose McConnell, celebrated her birthday. . . . Inspectress Lorretta Bachman was back after illness. . . . Marylin Haas has the date set for June 6. . . . Essie Epstein, cashier’s depart¬ ment, was having her vacation fun at Grossingers. 20th-Fox — Inspectress Margaret had a birthday cake for her husband. . . . Martin Moskowitz’s secretary, Frances Singer, has the embossed invitations ready for the wedding of her daughter, Marny, to Harry Schiffman on Feb. 28. . . . Lilian Gordon, office manager’s secretary, was ill. . . . New faces include: typist Ethel Flisser and Mildred Guiet, bookkeeping machine operator. . . . Roberta Zuckerman left. . . .Sales man¬ ager Alex Arnswalder added another year. . . . News booker Henry Unger was on the sick list. MGM — Office manager Sidney Stockton was recovering. . . . Inspector Kitty Schwartz was grieved by the loss of her brother, Tom Rickert. . . . Shipper Barney Mannion, out of the hospital, was resting at home. . . . Bookkeeping machine oper¬ ator Mary Mayham was back after being ill. . . . Flu made inroads with night shipper Vince Delgaudio, inspector Fay Reiss, and inspector Moe Burke, ill. Columbia — Vacationing were Dave Jacobs, booker and Moe Fraum, salesman. . . . Contract clerk Mattia Lynch, return¬ ing after illness, thanked the office club for that book. . . . Wedding bells are ringing in the ears of typist Gloria Goodwin. RKO — Sonia Robbins, boxoffice clerk, was lounging at Triple Lake Dude Ranch. . . . Ann Levy, secretary to the district manager, and Angie Mazzei, cashier’s department, were recovering. . . . Con¬ tract clerk Philis Friedman and statis¬ tician Bud Giles were returnees after illness. Realart — A cruise to Nassau in the offing for Frances Kingsley, bookkeeper. . . . A1 Broder was polishing up on his skiing. . . . Dave Burkan and Ben Levine expressed their thanks to exhibitors for help in the booking drive. . . . Boston franchise owner Joe Levine was in. . . . Republic’s Buffalo branch manager, Leon Herman, was in too. United Artist — After illness, Janet Moses was back billing. . . . The booking department is busy on the “Bemie Kranzl Drive.” . . . Frances Harris, secretary to the district manager, recovered. . . . Saddened by the loss of her aunt was Joyce Gallione, secretary to the branch manager. . . . Telephone operator Merle McKinna was sick. Bonded — Shipper Johnny Hogan had a cake with two candles to celebrate son John’s birthday. . . . On the sick list were night examiner Johnny Buvalik, inspec¬ tress Mae McGee, and night examiner Lou Jacobs. . . . Shipper Johnny Hogan was well enough to return to work. . . . Projectionist Sid Prager was in the hospital for a minor operation. Favorite — With the film room moved down the hall, exchange offices were en¬ larged and remodeled. . . . Lenore Cohen, formerly with Prudential Playhouses, took up her new duties as secretary. . . . Vacationing was President Moe Kerman. . . . “Hellgate” was set for the RKO Circuit. . . . Irving Wernick helped daughter Arlene blow out the seven candles on her birthday cake. Ramblin’ ’Round — If you’re a typist or an office boy, apply to U-I. . . . Harvey Reinstein, U-I booker, skied away at Manchester, Vt. . . . People at Republic were waiting anxiously for the Oscar returns on “The Quiet Man.” . . . Ethel Israel, secretary to Etta Segall, Mono¬ gram, was back after illness. . . . United Artist booker Tony Agoglia became a year older. . . . Last call for the Motion Picture Bookers Club’s theatre party of “Hazel Flagg.” Contact any exchange booker. . . . Bell acquired “Dancing With Crime” and “Daughters of Darkness’’ for the Buffalo and Albany territory. . . . Mrs. Fritz Sonnenfeld, Sun Films, Israel, left after a visit. — J. A. D. big pictures brought to Syracuse since that year, and coffee and doughnuts were distributed to all patrons on anniversary day. During the anniversary week, cigars and perfume were given to the first 25 men and women each morning, while the first 25 women coming to the boxoffice each morning were admitted free. The only member of the original staff on the payroll since Feb. 18, 1928, is George Steves, business agent, stagehands, and an electrician. When “Bwana Devil” played at Keith’s Mayor Thomas Corcoran proclaimed third-dimensional week. . . . Agnes Archambo, Sam Gilman’s secretary at Loew’s State, found a new apartment. Her hobby, incidentally, is collecting china angels. She has 50 or 60 in all. . . . Gene Melnicki, assistant manager, Loew’s State, spends all his spare time at the movies. . . . Margie Ranalli replaced Beatrice Delnario at Loew’s State. . . . Barry Ghezzi, former assistant manager, Schine’s Eckel, last stationed at Indiantown Gap, Pa., sounded a clarion call for correspondence from his buddies. . . . Dick LaFountain, assistant manager, Schine’s Eckel, reports that his three-year old son hit his head against a chair, and received three stitches. February 25, 1953