The Exhibitor (1949)

NT-2 THE EXHIBITOR also in, and gave the boys a good pep talk to get behind the showing of "Bad Boy” in key spots. Mr. and Mrs. John Carter, Brookhaven, Ga. , were seen on Film Row. Carter said he would start work on his new theatre there shortly. Ralph peckham, branch manager. Screen Guild, Jacksonville, Fla., was in for a meeting with President John W. Mangham. Charlotte One 01 the most serious problems facing the business today is tele¬ vision, according to Arthur H. Lockwood, president. Theatre Owners Of America, when interviewed upon his arrival to attend the threeday con¬ vention of the Theatre Owners Of North And South Carolina. Already in the larger cities, like New York and Washington, houses are noticing a decline in boxoffice receipts at¬ tributable directly to television, Lockwood pointed out, and naturally such competition is causing mounting concern. Lockwood recalled the scare radio gave the motion picture industry some years ago, and how radio eventu¬ ally became a compliment to the in¬ dustry rather than a serious com¬ petitor, But, he explained, television is not a parallel, because television offers visual as well as aural en¬ tertainment. Television’s chief problem is programing, he said, and films naturally are the answer. Tlierefore, exhibitors are discouraging producers from selling their old films to television because such sales cause inroads on the exhibitors’ boxoffice, and eventually cuts down returns on the producers’ current and future product. Most potential threat of television, Lockwood said, is phonovision, which is now in an experimental stage. Phonovision means that the television set owner can call his telephone company, and order whatever motion picture is available. The telephone company enters a charge for the service, and makes it possible for the set owner to see the picture in the privacy and comfort of his own home. New-Con Drive-In Theatre obtained a certificate of incorporation from the North Carolina Secretary Of State to operate theatres with authorized capital stock of $100,000. Incorpora¬ tors are Fred Hasty, Elmer' Rouzer, and Bennie Alexander. Mrs. M. Goodman sold her Locust Drive-In, Locust Level, N. C. , to R. W. Barber. Booking is done by the Queen City Booking Agency. In cooperation with the Charlotte theatres and the Red Cross blood center, which has been facing a con¬ tinued emergency due to lack of donors, WBT station breaks have been reading as follows: "This is WBT fand WBT-FM) in Charlotte, reminding you that the Red Cross Blood Center needs your donations now.” Vjie Variety Club, Tent 24, last fortnight announced committees for 1949. They are: House: T.E. Bailey, chairman; F.H. Beddingf ield , Clyde Lee Clem, Jr. , Edward G. Chumley, Paul H. Cockrill, A. B. Craver, J. H. Dillon, A.H. Duren, F. E. Dyer, J. B. Erskine, Ray Ervin, Robert Finlayson, Robert K. Footman, M.E. Funderburk, Don Graham, L.R. Gilland, Jr., Walter Griffith, H. D. Hearn, Thomas B. Humble, Dean House, Sr., Fred Hull, Jr., Ralph lannuzzi, Hal Keeter, William H. Lawrence, C. G. Lawing, T.A. Little, Olin Mock, Carroll Ogburn, Barney Ross, R. C. Saunders, Jay Schrader, E. G. Stellings, Worth Stewart, Jack Webb, Jake Houston. Heart: J. F. White, Jr., chairman; J. E. Holston, Earl Mulwee, W. L. Parker, S. W. Craver. Clinic: John H. Vickers, chairman; R. F. Branon, Byron Adams, R. L. Simpson, Harry Hardy. Variety members of Clinic Board: Vickers, Adams. Finance: Mulwee, chairman; Little, Hearn, Paul Young, Frank Harris, Stellings. Craver. Mobile; Saunders, chairman; Ellis Blumenthal, Roy Bradley, Joe Cutrell, Wade Drake, Charles Freeman, R.H. Jackson, Charles Leonard, Frank Lowry, Carl Patterson, Graham, Schrader, Webb, R. M. Simril, Hugh Sykes, Norman Jackter. R. D. Williamson. Membership: Holston, chairman; W. P. White, Hearn, Dillon, Simril. Outside entertainment: lannuzzi, chairman; Adams, W.S. Alexander, Bob Allen, J.W. Bishop, W. G. Boling, Cockrill, Craver, E.C. DeBerry, Edward J. DeGray, Dyer, Robert L. names. Max Holder, Harry Kerr, D.B. Kizziah, Cecil McCommons, R. F. Pin¬ son, Herbert Robinson, Jr., B.A. Slaughter. A.L. Stout. Dave Whisnant. Ways and means: Dillon, chairman; T. B. Autrey, R. F. Branon, W.G. Driver, Harry Hardy, Harry Jones, Robert C. McArtan, Perry Reavis, Frank St. Claire, Jules Williamson, Lawing, Walter Griffith, lannuzzi, Bailey, Earl Crawford, Pryde W. Basinger, L.L. Theimer, Allen, Harris. Publicity: Griffith, chairman; Keith S. Byerly, A.L. Burks, Clem, Jr., Francis Fitzgerald, T.D. Kemp, C.A. Matthews, Everett Olsen, Jack ReVille, J.G. Ward, Dick Pitts, Thomas L. Robinson, P.H. Batte, Emery Wi.ster. Houston. Harry Hardy, E. Cole. Project: Vickers, chairman; H. H. Everett. H. F. Kincey. Civic affairs: Roy L. Smart, chair¬ man; Robinson, Batte, Sims, Jr., Keith S. Byerly, Francis Fitzgerald, Bomar Lowrance, Craver. Special events: Harris, chairman; Roy Bradley, Ed Carroll, K. M. Clontz Cole, Duren, George Ebersole, Erskine, Francis Fitzgerald, Walter Griffith, Paul Hargette, Hearn, Hal Jordan, Hal Keeter, Lawing, Lowrance, Earl Mulwee, W. L. Parker, Carl Patterson, Ross, Simril, Strange, L.L. Theimer, Dave Whisnant, W. P. White. Public relations: R. L. Jeffress, chairman; R. T. Good, Charles Gregory, J.W. Greenleaf, Sam Hinson, Charles Hunsuck, Jack London, J. Harry Long, R.H. Masterman, Morris Nuger, W.H. Porcher, R. W. Ransey, Max Reinhardt, Murray Starr, Sam Trincher, R. D. Turnbull, John Ward, Williamson, R.L. Simpson. Corporate: Sims, Jr. , chairman; T.W. Varnon. Memphis The New, Peach Orchard, Ark. , made another change. It was formerly owned by Day and Reynolds. Then Mrs. Day sold her interest to Cloyce Stacy. On Jan. 15, Stacy sold out to Raymond Cleveland. The new partnership stands now as Cleveland and Reynolds. In addition to the big Mid-South meeting of Allied Independent Thea¬ tre Owners Of The Mid-South, today (Feb. 9), the organization held a regional meeting in Little Rock, Ark., on Jan. 27. Edward 0. Cull ins, temporary presi¬ dent, Allied Independent Theatre Owners of the Mid-South. Inc., an¬ nounced the following speakers for the meeting to be held at the Chisca Hotel, today (Feb. 9): William L. Ains¬ worth, national president. Allied States Association; Trueman J. Rembusch, national treasurer. Allied, Indianapolis,* Morris M. Fink el, president. Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania, Pitts¬ burgh; Colonel H.A. Cole, chairman of the board of Allied Of Texas, Dallas; Maurice J. Artigues, general manager. Allied Theatre Owners of Gulf States, New Orleans; W.A. Prewitt, Jr. president, ATO Of Gulf States Inc,, New Orleans, and John W. Wolfberg, president. Allied Rocky Mountain In¬ dependent Theatres, Denver. The Mid-South group, organized on Dec. 20 with a temporary board of directors headed by Cullins, has had offices in the Chisca Hotel. A full time mana¬ ger will be appointed shortly, and offices set up on Film Row. Film Transit will entertain the exhibitors and organization with a dinner. Heavy rainfall throughout Northeast Arkansas has brought a threat of flood waters. Some railway lines have tem¬ porarily upset schedules due tfo washed-out tracks in low lands, but Film Transit was still going through to all points with deliveries. The Commercial Appeal, in a second editorial on the result of banning ‘‘Curley”, which provoked a suit by Hal Roach and United Artists sug¬ gested to Memphis’ new mayor, Watkins Overton, that in starting his ‘‘house cleaning” process that he began with the Censor Board, and put that part of the municipal house in order. Jack Lustig, salesman. National Screen Service, is recovering at his home from a broken leg. Lustig was investigating a new home he contem¬ plated buying, just after Christmas, when he fell, breaking his leg. Visiting the Row were; C. J. Collier, L.N. Haines, Bay and Nettleton, Ark.; Gordon Hutchins, Corning, Ark. ; Carl Burton, Ft. Smith, Ark.; B. B. McDougald, Monticello, Ark. ; John Staoles, Piggott, Ark.; Orris Collins, Paragould. Ark. , and Herold Jimerson, North Little Rock, Ark. February 9, 1949