The Exhibitor (1953)

NT-4 EXHIBITOR Louisville According to the report of state revenue compiled by the Department of Finance and the Department of Revenue, tax revenue on amusement for January, 1953, was $101,379.93, compared to $122,742.71 for January, 1952, indicating a de¬ crease of $21,362.78 for 1953 over 1952. Tax revenue for July through January 1952, 1953, was $964,796.26, compared to $994,532.46 for July through January 195152, a decrease of $29,736.20 for 195253 over the same period in 1951-52. The dates for the annual convention of the Kentucky Association of Theatre Owners were changed from March 24 and 25 to April 14 and 15. The convention location has also been changed from the Brown Hotel to the Seelbach Hotel. Con¬ vention chairman is W. E. Carrell, Falls City Theatre Equipment Company. J. E. Elliott, Jr., who formerly owned and operated the Cardinal, Hodgenville, Ky., is now at the Post Exchange, Fort Knox, Ky. John Nolan, Parkway Drive-In, has been on an extended vacation in Cali¬ fornia. . . . The Veteran’s, Tompkinsville, Ky., closed, and all equipment was to be sold at a public auction. . . . The Scoop is being remodeled to include ground floor store locations, with the upper part being converted to a conven¬ tion hall as part of the accommodations of the Kentucky Hotel. Out-of-town exhibitors seen included: George Lindsay, Lindsay, Brownville, Ky.; George Williamson, Griffith, LaGrange, Ky.; E. L. Ornstein, Ornstein Theatres, Marengo, Ind.; Alton Rush, Lost River Drive-In, Bowling Green, Ky.; J. E. Thompson, Riverside Drive-In, Bowl¬ ing Green, Ky.; Bob Enoch, State and Grand, Elizabethtown, Ky.; R. L. Gatrost, Victory, Vine Grove, Ky., and Russell Phillips, Franklin, Greensburg, Ky. Ohio Akron Gerald Shea, president, Shea Theatrical Enterprises, announced that remodeling of the front of the Colonial has started already. Columbus The Ohio censor board, which does not have equipment for the proper showing of three-dimensional films, censors 3-D films by watching only one of the two strips of film used in the new depth process. James E. Hoff, commander, Franklin County Council of the American Legion, said in a letter printed in local news papers that Legionaires have not asked that “Limelight” be banned by anybody or any group. Walter Kessler, manager, Loew’s Ohio, is looking for a Central Ohio couple married in March, 1928, to be king and queen of the Ohio’s silver anniversary to be celebrated on March 17. The Ohio State Journal is cooperating in the search for the royal pair. Problems of equipment and installation for third-dimension films will be dis¬ cussed by Ralph H. Heacock, product manager, RCA theatre equipment section, at the 18th annual convention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio at the Deshler-Wallick Hotel on April 7 and 8. William Carroll, secretary, Indiana Allied, will conduct the small¬ town clinic, and T. L. Mendelssohn will conduct the drive-in clinic. Film prices and policies will be discussed. The perennial ham and eggs breakfast for members of the Ohio General Assembly will be held on April 8. The breakfast will be free to all registrants, and will give theatremen an opportunity to renew acquaintance with their Representatives and Senators. Robert W. Greer, president, Columbus Federation of Labor, and former presi¬ dent, Local 386, has been appointed American Federation of Labor liaison representative on the staff of the Frank¬ lin County Community Chest. Safety Director Donald Cook said that the city will immediately appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court in an attempt to reverse the decision of the Second Dis¬ trict Court of Appeals which held that operators of charity “bingo” games are exempt from police prosecution. The RKO Grand building is not for sale, said Edwin S. Burdell, president, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science. The Franklin County Council, American Legion, took credit for the shortened run of “Limelight” at RKO Palace. Harry Schreiber, manager, Palace, said the picture was pulled be¬ cause of lack of business. Mrs. Virginia Trannett, press repre¬ sentative, Hartman, is back after re¬ covering from injuries. North Baltimore Ernest H. Walter, owner, Virginia, requested the village council to repeal the three per cent amusement tax, in effect for the past five years. Walter told councilmen that his theatre has paid 90 per cent of the total tax collected, while all other places of amusement have paid 10 per cent. Mayor R. R. Foley agreed that the tax was discriminatory, and that Council will take action at its next meeting. Piqua Lee Willis, manager, Piqua, is running a radio contest for children each Saturday afternoon at the theatre, with two mer¬ chants acting as sponsors and supplying the prizes. The theatre receives free plugs each week, and, during the program, a rundown on coming features is given. Toledo Danny Thomas’ home town went all out to make the engagement of “The Jazz Singer” a gala occasion. The film, at the Paramount, was saluted by a celebration. Some 200 Toledoans, including Mayor Arnold V. Finch, members of the Chamber V of Commerce, members of service organi¬ zations, and others paid tribute at a special luncheon and screening. Numerous tieups were completed with RCA Victor and Decca Record dealers, promoting the pictm-e and record sales. Autolite, Willys Overland, and Champion Spark Plug are among the major industrial plants using huge quantities of full-color heralds for distribution among employees. Blake McVeigh, assistant to Harry Goldstein, Allied Artists’ eastern public¬ ity representative, was in setting up an advertising and exploitation campaign in conjunction with the saturation booking in the area of “Flat Top.” Pennsylvania Ambridqe William Albright, manager, Warner Circuit, in the army reserve, was recalled. Assistant ' Gladys Barry is actingmanager. Beaver William Sheetz, for many years associ¬ ated with the late George Davis, and more recently manager, Beaver, left town to make his home in Ravenna, O. He will join the Vogel Circuit, which operates drive-ins. Carnegie The new drive-in being built near here is expected to open about April 1. Principals are Mrs. Louisa Herman, William Walker, Jr., and William Fox. It has been reliably reported that Mrs. Louisa Herman, widow of the late Dr. C. E. Herman, has leased the Louisa, which was badly damaged in a fire, and will relinquish her lease on the Grand. Grove City Chester De Marsh, owner, Larkfield Drive-In, is back from a Florida vaca¬ tion, and plans to open during Holy Week. Newcastle A1 Tate and John Favorite, who run the Blue Sky Drive-In, Elwood City, Pa., and Route 51, Beaver Falls, Pa., are planning to bid for first-run product. Oil City Herman Stahl, Drake, left for New York on business. West Virginia Bluefield Seven pending percentage actions in the federal court in West Virginia against the Newbold Circuit have been terminated with the filing of a stipula¬ tion in the court by the attorneys for both sides to the effect that the matters in difference between the parties have been settled. The seven actions were by Paramount, Loew’s, Warners, RKO, United Artists, U-I, and Columbia against the Newbold Circuit, operating theatres in West Virginia and Kentucky. Paxton and Seasongood, Cincinnati, and A. J. Lubliner, Bluefield, W. Va., repre¬ sented the distributors with Sargoy and Stein, New York, of counsel. March 11, 1953