The Exhibitor (1949)

NT-4 THE E X H I B I TO R were disappointed in not finding the O' Tooles. Ed Lord, Lord, Norwich, was married recently _ The Barkhamsted Drive-In is reported opening soon. ... Walter Silverman, Columbia branch manager, went up to Bo ston. . . . Tom Grasso, Colony, Soundview, was around getting ready for his theatre opening. .. .Mrs. Earl Wright, wife of the Columbia salesman, has a pretty flower garden again this year. The recent dog act at the Howard, Rivoli, andDixwell resulted in a good turnout of youngsters. .. .Jim Darby, Paramount, wound up his children* s talent show.. ..At the Poll, manager Morris Rosenthal and his assistant, Tony Masella, turned in a nice bally¬ hoo campaign for "Little Women”. Condolences were in order to Mar¬ garet Bigio, Poli, on the recent death of her grandmother. . . Morris Rosenthal , Loew’ s poli, had a new glass screen installed recently. ... Florence Nutcher. Bijou, celebrated her birthday recently _ Sid Kleper, College mana¬ ger, was back on the job after an ill period. Connecticut EAST HARTFORD Manufacturing of small tools by the Green Machine Company, Manchester, started in temporary facilities in East Hartford. The firm’ s Manchester plant was the victim of an $80,000 blaze. Bill Gilwech, projectionist, Loew-Poli, Hartford, is a director, secretary, and part-time in the company. GREENWICH Application to construct a $150,000 outdoor theatre was filed with the State Police Commissioner by Samuel T. Orson, Yonkers, N. Y, , theatre owner. The open air theatre would have capacity for 400 cars. HARTFORD Harry Rosenblatt, MGM; Lou Cohen, Loew-Poli; Fred R. Greenway, LoewPoli Palace, and Maurice W. Shulman, Shulman Theatre Circuit, hosted 25 area exhibitors, Connecticut and Hartford officials, and educators at a special “MGM Comes to Hartford program’’ at the Shulman’ s Webster. On the program was a luncheon and screening of two films. “The Eiichanted Garden’’ and “The Stratton Story.’’ The State Legislative Roads, Bridges and Rivers Committee has not reported favorably or unfavorably as yet on House Bill 1163, which would prohibit the erection of open air theatres along heavily travelled Connecticut highways. The Committee held a public hearing on the bill. William T. Powell, formerly with Western Massachusetts Theatres Circuit and the Rifkin Circuit, has been named manager. Parkway Open Air, Springfield, Mass. During the past year, Powell was connected with Curtiss Mitchell, former advertising manager. Paramount, in free lance di stribu Lion of phonograph records through theatres. The Parkway in owned by David J. Willig and associates. Philip W. Maher, Bloomfield, has been given a temporary five-year permit by the town’ s Zoning Board of Appeals to build an open air theatre on Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield. The Peoples Forest Drive-In, Bark¬ hamsted, reopened for the season. Vincent Youmatz is manager. WATERBU RY Steve and John Panoras, owners. Palace, Stafford Springs, announced the sale of the theatre to Theodore and Joseph Markoff, Colchester. The Markoff brothers, natives of Stafford Springs, operate theatres in Col¬ chester, Willimantic, Moodus, and East Hampton. They took posession on April 24. The Panoras brothers owned the house since 1931. They will con¬ tinue to operate the 20th Century, New Milford. John Panoras is presi¬ dent of a New York shipping concern. He and his brother told THE EXHIBITOR correspondent they sold the house to devote more time to their other business interests. The sale price was not announced, but was estimated at over $125, 000. Maine AUGUSTA Arthur Tiffin, Augusta, representing the Maine-New Hampshire Theatre Company, opposed legislation author¬ izing cities and towns to levy a tax of five per cent on amusement ad¬ mission fees, exclusive of federal taxes, at a recent meeting. Leigh Webber, Maine Municipal Association, favored the bill, stating that as a tax on amusements people could go or not as they wished. PORTLAND Nat Silver, formerly of the Strand, Lowell, Mass., has taken over manage¬ ment of the Strand, replacing Samuel Feldman. The new manager was with M and P Theatres 22 years until the recent splitup into two separate units. In show business 28 years, he was an exploitation man for Fox, and came to Portland occasionally in that capacity. Feldman had worked with the Ralph Snider Theatrical Ekiterprises 15 months. Silver, married, is the father of four son^ and two daughters. Massachusetts FALL Rl VER The Dartmouth Auto Theatre, operated by Nathan Yamins on the Fall RiverNew Bedford Highway, Dartmouth, Mass., reopened for the season. Ray Allard, Center manager, also directs the drive-in. NEWBURYPORT Opening of the 1250-seat Warner Port on April 16 was marked by a cap'acity house. Manager James J. O’Loughlin, recently of the Strand, Clinton, Mass., introduced Mayor John M. Kelleher to extend the city’ s greeting. On hand were Maxwell Mellincoff, district manager, and Joseph P. Liss, Warners Newark, N. J. booking office, formerly manager of houses in Newburyport, Amesbury, Mass. , and Lawrence, Mass. The voice of Doris Day, starred in WB’ s “My Dream Is Yours,’’ was brought to the audience by transcription. The house, will change shows twice weekly. Advent of the Port, returning Warners to Newburyport after a two-year lapse, gives this city of 14,000 three houses. The Strand and Premier are operated by the R and W Theatre Corporation, Boston. SPRINGFI ELD The Parkway Drive-In,, owned by David J. Willig and associates, opened for the season. WORCESTER Robert Portle, manager, Poli Elm Street, reported both orchestra rest rooms entirely done over. Portle con¬ ducted an annual ceremony on April 19 when he placed a wreath on the building commemorating George Wash¬ ington’ s overnight stay on April 19, 1776. For “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” three members of the staff were outfitted in olden day baseball uniforms, and were paraded around. A cooperative ad was run by the Peacock Beauty Salon and the house, tying in with Esther Williams hair-do. Thomas Kivlan is the new manager. Royal. He was formerly assistant manager, Plymouth. ... Geo rge Rock, oldest projectionist in the city, was on vacation. ... Murray Howard is the newly appointed Warner manager. He is from Springfield, Mass., where he recently managed the Art. Murray owns a large collection of autographed pictures of show business stars. John Mathews, former manager, is recuperating from a recent operation. Paul Shea and Paul Chagnon have been added to the staff. Max Melincoff, district manager, Warner Theatres, sails for Europe in May accompanied by his wife.... The Olympia is being repainted, reported Irwin Asher, m anager. . . . Stanl ey Goldberg, assistant manager. Family, is one of the youngest assistants in the city. He started with the house in 1946 when only 21. Rhode Island PROV I DENCE A bill which would compel theatre owners to keep two projectionists in a projection booth at all times was introduced in the legislature by Representative Thomas P. McHugh, Providence Democrat, chairman. House labor committee, and an AFL man. The proposed legislation, which was re¬ ferred to the House Judiciary Com¬ mittee, would accomplish its purpose by requiring the attendance of two projectionists while “pickup” and “changeovers” are made. Variety Club TENT 30, NEW HAVEN The Maintenance Fund Drive for Underprivileged Children is progress¬ ing and the highlight will be on May 14th. April 27, 1949