The Exhibitor (1954)

NT-4 EXHIBITOR After many weeks of work, Tony Basilicato, Loew-Poli College projection¬ ist, finally won the cooperation of the New Haven theatres and the distribu¬ tors in the joint sponsorship of a new industry Boy Scout troop. The appli¬ cation has been made with the Quinnipiac Council for a charter for the new troop, which will be made up of 10, 12, or more handicapped boys, who will be given Boy Scouts’ training and help. This move may suggest what can be done in a joint sponsorship in other com¬ munities. “The Living Desert” was screened for teachers, principals, and other staff members at the Crown. Meadow Street Jimmy Lavena is the new head shipper at U-I, taking the place vacated by Sam Zipkin. He formerly worked under Zipkin several years back and is a veteran, having seen service in Germany. Those wanting to write Zipkin, who is now working in New Jersey, may address him at 163 Lewis Street, Perth Amboy, N. J. . . . The Pike Drive-In is reported to be one of the first outdoor theatres planning to reopen. . . . The East Haven Capitol had a CinemaScope screen in¬ stalled. . . . Andrew McDonald, Ridge¬ way, Stamford, visited Meadow Street for the first time in months. . . . Morris Alderman, former 20th-Fox employee, is now employed in the Miami Beach, Fla., area. . . . Mrs. Belle Shiffrin Hoffman, 20th-Fox, was home recuperating from an injury. . . . Russ Ordway, former Lockwood-Gordon district manager and now in the children’s clothing business with his wife in Wethersfield, may man¬ age an outdoor theatre this summer. The Princess, Rockville, is reported due to change management from George Taylor to M. Perkins, Hartford. . . . Joe De Francesco, Cheshire exhibitor, has been busy remodelling the stores near his theatre for the new town post office. . . . Barney Pitkin, RKO branch man¬ ager, was expected to fly to Florida for a vacation period. . . . Jack Byrne, MGM executive, stopped off. . . . Eileen Snow, MGM, announced her engagement. Ralph Pasho, Naugatuck exhibitor, is a member of the Naugatuck Lodge of Elks “Newspaper Night” program com¬ mittee. . . . The Stamford School of Music gave away two guitars at a kid¬ die matinee at the State, Springdale. . . . The 27th annual police concert at the State, Manchester, was a success. A “Pinocchio” coloring contest was set in connection with the showing at the Empress, Norwalk. . . . Hartford policeman Matthew Skahill captured the bandit who held up an aide at the Prin¬ cess, Hartford. The bandit also confessed the $38 holdup of the Strand, Hartford. Joe Amoruso, Princess, chased the ban¬ dit, but lost him after holding him for awhile. Then Skahill gave chase in a commandeered car and stopped the ban¬ dit at gunpoint. Circuits Loew Poll The MGM 30th anniversary has been given plenty of publicity in all Loew Poli houses. Variety Club Tent 31, New Haven The Polack Brothers Circus will be presented in the Arena on March 20-21 under the auspices of the Vai’iety Club, Tent 31. Arrangements for the benefit show are being made by a committee headed by Mayor Richard C. Lee, hon¬ orary general chairman; Harry Shaw, general chairman; and Henry Germaine, chief barker. Others on the committee are Louis Brown, publicity chairman; Rudy Frank, publicity committee; John Pavone, second assistant chief barker; Charles T. McQueeney, managing editor, The Register, honorary co-chairman; Israel J. Levine, first assistant chief barker; and Samuel Germaine, dough guy. Proceeds of the two-day program will go toward charitable causes sup¬ ported by the tent. Connecticut Hartford Jack A. Sanson, Strand, arranged with Decca Records to co-sponsor a special Avery Memorial screening of “The Glenn Miller Story” for press and radio representatives. John McGrail, U-I exploitation staff, worked with Sanson. Sanson also set up a Boston-to-Hartford phone interview with Guy Madison, star of Warners’ “The Command,” for columnists. Harry Hoff, house electrician, Strand, motored to Boston to visit ailing Jim McCarthy, district manager, Stanley Warner, at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. Bernie Menschell and John Calvocoressci, Community Amusement Corporation, had a juke box playing “The Joe Louis Story” tunes in the Star lobby. . . . Ray McNamara, Allyn, attended a “Riot In Cell Block 11” screening in New Haven. William Horgan, formerly on the staff at the Paramount, Springfield, Mass., is the new assistant manager, Strand, replacing Jean Du Barry, promoted to managership, Art, Springfield. Pat Bucheri, Art, welcomed Richie Andrusco, star, “Little Fugitive.” Charlie Baron, UA exploitation man, worked with the Palace staff on “Go, Man, Go.” . . . Fred R. Greenway, LoewPoli Palace manager, is back after ill¬ ness. . . . Frank Dzikot, Rivoli, resumed Saturday matinee amateur shows. Newington Paul W. Amadeo, general manager, Turnpike Theatre Corporation, and Mrs. Amadeo, returned from a six-week stay in Miami Beach Fla. Norwalk Leonard Sampson, Bob Spodick, and Norman Bialek arranged for a Norwalk Armory lobby display in conjunction with Paramount’s “Cease Fire!” at the Empress. Massachusetts Brockton The property at Ward and Main Streets, which includes the historic City, long shuttered, reverted to the owner¬ ship of the Massachusetts Universalist Society and the American Universalist Fund, Everett E. Crosier, local repre¬ sentative of the owners, revealed. Crosier said that several prospective buyers are in view but just what use the old building will be put to has not been determined. Springfield Employees of Western Massachusetts Theatres, Inc., have been given the opportunity to purchase stock in a new corporation called Theatre Managers, Inc., Samuel Goldstein announced. The new corporation will lease and operate 18 houses from the Western Massa¬ chusetts Circuit. The parent group will retain ownership of real estate and thea¬ tres, with Theatre Managers, Inc., to operate the theatres. All stockholders will share in the dividends and bonuses of the new corporation, in addition to receiving regular salaries from Western Massachusetts Theatres, Inc. Goldstein, elected president, Theatre Managers Inc., has stated that, if all goes well, at the end of 1954 he may relinquish all control of Theatre Managers, Inc. Other officers are Arthur Preston, vice-pi’esident; William J. Althaus, ti’easurer; and Rose Orbach, clerk, employed in the State Sti'eet headquarters of Westexm Massa¬ chusetts Theati-es, Inc. In addition to the officers, other directors of Theatre Managers, Inc., are attorney A. J. Anderson; Francis Faille, manager, Pai’amount, North Adams; Neil O’Brien, manager, Victory, Holyoke; John Gla¬ zier, Pai'amount office, Boston; and Geoige Coleman, manager, Calvin, Northampton. Ten thousand shares of stock have been issued by Theatre Man¬ agers, Inc., formed as of Jan. 1. What has not been allotted to employees will be retained in the office for futux-e dis¬ position, Goldstein said. Western Massa¬ chusetts Theatres, Inc., will finance the new group. Goldstein explained that in the event any employee terminates his connection with the corporation, the Charter stipulates he will receive at least par value for his stock. This means stockholders are sure of getting their money back. In effect, Western Massa¬ chusetts Theatres, Inc. will be the land¬ lord and Theatre Managers, Inc., the tenants operating the theaties. Employ¬ ees can purchase their stock through salary deduction or a variety of other means, Goldstein said. One of the first steps of the new corporation will be the installation of CinemaScope screens in all theati’es in the circuit not already so equipped. Western Massachusetts Theatres, Inc. will be controlled by five directors, Goldstein, Mrs. Linda Gold¬ stein, William Kennedy, Joseph Cowett, and Eimest Wheeler. Mrs. Goldstein, Kennedy, and Wheeler ai-e trustees for Cadet Ronald I. Goldstein. The industiy is eyeing this with intei-est. New Hampshire Hanover Kenneth C. Dimick has been appointed manager, Nugget, by the Hanover Improvement Society. Dimick has been employed since 1929 by a men’s clothing store. He was president, Chamber of Commerce, in 1947 and 1948. February 2J*, 195 4