The Exhibitor (1949)

THE EXHIBITOR NT-3 “Brotherhood Week” chairmen for the Minneapolis film zone set a goal of 5, 000 new members. Art Anderson, branch manager, Warners; Harry French, president, Minnesota Amusement Compa¬ ny, and Ben Berger, predident, NCA, are co-chairmen. In the absence of Berger, in Europe, Ted Bolnick, manager, Berger circuit, is acting independent chairman. Ben Blotcky, branch manager. Para¬ mount, and William Volk, independent exhibitor, were vacationing in Florida ....Edmund Ruben, president, Welworth Circuit, will leave with his wife on Feb. 22 for a vacation in Europe. . . . Morris Steinman resigned as salesman, RKO, and was named sales manager. Film Classics. Dick Dynes, formerly aiO salesman, has been named to succeed Steinman. Frank Eisenberg has resigned as salesman. United Artists, to devote all his time to operation of the Lake, Washburn, Wis. , which he purchased recently, as well as operation of the Washburn, same city, expected to open expected to open early in March. The annual convention of North Central Allied has been set tentative¬ ly for May 23-24 at the HotelNicollet, according to an announcement by Stanley Kane.... Volk Brothers, operating several neighborhood thea¬ tres, have broken away from Theatre Associates, buying and booking com¬ bine. All exchanges have been notified that the Volks will do their own buying and booking. Oklahoma City “Show Boat” is still rolling along. A capacity house witnessed the show at the Home. ...At the State, “Kurbstone Kollege” started on the stage with lots of prizes. Troy Hoskins is the “old professor.” It's a new par¬ ticipation audience show on every Thursday night. Civic-minded Lewis Barton, owner. Redskin and several other theatres here and in Tulsa, Okla. , was named one of 14 directors of the Oklahoma City Community Chest. Mrs. Minnie Lee Shaha, 44, wife of Robert D. Shaha, manager, Griffith Amusement Company, died in St. Anthony’ s Hospital following a threeyear illness. She is survived by her husband, three daughters, her parents, four brothers, and one sister. Omaha Exhibitors of this area long will shudder when they recall January, 1949. Some towns in the northern and western parts of Nebraska were without transportation service for nearly a month. They got no film. Film ship¬ pers added new gray hairs and film transporters were hard pressed. On one Monday, the favorite day for exhibitors to visit the Omaha ex¬ changes, not one showed up. Branches either held salesman close to home, or wished they had. Some stationed salesmen out in the territory so they could make at least part of their rounds. Sol Francis, district manager, still was doubling as manager, Omaha Monogram branch ,... Pat Halloran, Paramount salesman, was on the sick list. . . . Police are seeking an eccentric who snipped hair of girl patrons at two Omaha houses. ... Herbert Jensen, Sioux City, la. , remodeled his Sun, Walthill, Neb. Film Rowers collected $600 for Jewish charities in memory of Sam Epstein, head, Epstein Circuit, who was killed in a car accident several months ago..., Meyer Stern, Hollywood, will distribute for Masterpiece..., RKO manager Jack Renfro was on the sick list. ...Rita Milnarik joined the RKO staff, and Marilyn Fritz, steno, was made contract clerk, succeeding Rita Heafey. Being a new father, Larry Caplane, RKO Brandeis manager, vacationed at home.... Sol Hankins returned to St. Louis. Four among the city’ s new tax boosts will affect exhibitors. The minimum for a theatre occupation tax was boosted from $25 to $40 a year. Pop¬ corn machines must pay a $10 tax, the first time there has been a levy on them. Pop machines are taxed at $5, cigaret machines at $10, and $2.50 a year for other vending machines. Projectionist’s license fees went from $5 to $10, and the renewal from $2 to $5. The apprentice rate for new licenses was increased from $1 to $5, and the renewal is $3 instead of $1. Variety Clubs International will spend more than $3,000,000 in charit¬ able work in 1949, Colonel William McCraw, executive director, said here at the installation of Omaha tent officers. The Omaha tent will defer plans for permanent headquarters, building the treasury, and devoting more to charities. The installation put Meyer Stern in as head of the Omaha tent. Ralph Falkinburg, Sr. , Lexington, Neb. , exhibitor, was made an admiral in the Nebraska “navy”. . . , Le e Nelson bought the Marion, Marion, S. D. , from George Billings. Portland William Shartin, district manager. Film Classics, was in to work with John McKeehan, who is taking over the booking. ... Lee McMillan is Film Classics’ new stenographer, replacing Jayne Braymen. ... Larry Doyle, SRO,was setting up his new offices with Eagle Lion, and is in charge of the Seattle, San Francisco, and Portland terri¬ tories. . . . Hildegarde Furtney, booker. Screen Guild, announced her marriage to Frank E. Peterson, former salesman. Screen Guild. Dale Hastay replaces William Scott as assistant booker, 20th CenturyFox. At a meeting of the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners board and Oregon membership. it was announced that with the election of Rotus V. Harvey as chair¬ man of the board, headquarters of the organization will be moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Son Antonio The Lone Star Theatres, Inc., Delaware, amended its charter. The group now would divide its total number of shares, 2,170 into 1,539 preferred at $100 each, and 631 shares common at $1 each. ... Windows at the Jaycee, Johnson City, Tex. , were broken by the intense heat from a nearby fire.... Mrs. Rip Collins, wife of the manager. Valley, El Paso, Tex., flew to Dallas to be with her mother, Mrs. Henry Sorenson, wife of the owner. Modern Theatre Equipment Company. Union projectionists throughout the state will receive, in most cases, a 15 per cent increase, retroactive to Sept. 1, following negotiations completed by theatre heads and union representatives. Ed J. Miller, lATSE representative Houston, Tex. , assisted Harvey Hill, Dallas local; Henry Woods, Port Worth, Tex. , and John Dennis, San Antonio, in completing arrangements. Managers of 30 Underwood and Ezzell Drive-ins held their first convention at the Gunter Hotel. The circuit owns eight houses in San Antonio. “Red River” Dave was selected as the opening stage attraction at the Stanley, Luling, Tex., opened by Leon Glasscock. According to the 1949 Texas Theatre Guide, published by Stormy Meadows, there are 1,303 theatres, compared to the 1,391 last year. The book shows there are 214 affiliated circuit houses and 457 unaffiliated, a total of 670 compared to 632 independent houses. The new 700 seat Nu-Vue, built at a cost of $100,000, has been opened by George Reed at Abernathy, Tex. He also owns and operates the Rita, which will be used for Mexican patronage ....An 800-seat house is under con¬ struction at Carthage, Tex., to be owned and operated by J. L. Hampton and H. B. Turner. P. C. McPherson, former manager. East Texas Theatres, will be manager .... The Crest, a 650-seat house, has been opened at Seagoville, Tex., by Charles Weisenberg. The J. G. Long Circuit announced start of construction on a ninth house at Houston, Tex. , to be built at a cost of $165,000, and to seat about 1,700. Project is part of a community center. The Showboat, Texas City, Tex. , operated by the Long Circuit, will be opened sometime within the next several weeks. The house was destroyed in the Texas City disaster several years ago, and com¬ pletely rebuilt. ... M. G. Barclay changed the name of the Dunlay to the Midlo at Midlothian, Tex. He recently turned over the house for a February 16, 1949