The Exhibitor (1949)

NT2 THE EXHIBITOR Among those scheduled to attend the Variety Clubs convention in San Fran¬ cisco this week from the local area were; Bob O’Donnell, William O’Don¬ nell, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Schepps, Mr. and Mrs. Claude C. Ezell, Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Parks, Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Lutzer, Mr. and Mrs. Fred P. Hoenscheidt, Buddy Harris, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Darden, P.A. Warner, Mr. and Mrs.'^John L. Franconi, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph W. Thornily, M.J. Mclnaney, and J. Don Alexander. Among those scheduled to attend the Variety Clubs convention in San Fran¬ cisco from the Houston, Tex., area were: Conrad Brady, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond M. Hay, Mr. and Mrs. L. Cecil Gill, and Mr. and Mrs. John Paul Goodwin. Denver Gilda Gray, retired dancer, living on her ranch in Colorado, filed two suits, one in U.S. District Court ir Denver, the other under a New York law, each suit asking for $250,000 actual and $250,000 exemplary damages from Columbia. She claims her privacy was invaded by its making “Gilda” in 1946. The Black Hills Trading Post, owners of the building, reopened the Post, Igloo, S.D., with George Pace managing the theatre. . . . The Broadway, Plaza, and three drive-ins, all Wolfberg theatres, are participating in a weekly “Bank Night”, starting at $1,000, whenever drawn, and adding $500 each week when not claimed. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lind, Ute, Rifle, Colo. , owners, returned home after spending two months in California,... F. A. Mailer bought the Isis, Metetsie, Wyo. , from Albert Tripl ett. . . . Ben Wright sold the Pine, Buena Vista, Colo., to Ray De Castro, ... Robert Adams opened his 640-car drive-in, Casper, Wyo.... The Grand Jury asked City Council to prohibit smoking in theatres. It is now allowed in the balconies. Jack Schlaifer, general sales mana¬ ger, Eagle Lion, was in Denver for a meeting with John Leo, his assistant in the western division, and m.R. Austin, branch manager. The Gothic has been closed for a $100,000 remodeling job. . . . Wolfberg Theatres is making the Plaza into a western type theatre, renaming it the Roundup, and putting the help in cowboy togs. Mr. and Mrs. Glen Wittstruck, owners, Rio, Meeker, Colo. , returned from an extended California vacation. Des Moines The Iowa legislature completed its work, giving theatremen relief after several anti-theatre bills were intro¬ duced during the session, and killed off in committee. Bills defeated in¬ cluded proposals to make “Bank Night” illegal, and to license theatres with a $1,000 distributor fee and a $i reel tax. Representative Harry Ward, Dem. , Davenport, sponsor of the anti“Bank Night” bill, attempted to have the house override the adverse com¬ mittee report on the measure, but was voted down, and his attempt to have the state make an investigation of "Bank Night” operations also failed. The engagement of Nancy Janet Branton, daughter of G. Ralph Branton, general manager, Tri-States Theatre Corporation and Robert Newgard, Milwaukee, was announced. Newgard is associated with Theatres Candy Com¬ pany. Miss Branton will be graduated in June from St. Mary’s College, South Bend, Ind. . . . Wendall Hagerman, Council Bluffs, la. , purchased the Farragut, la., theatre from Walter Blizzard, also of Council Bluf fs. ... Curtis Bigley, Leon, la. , purchased the Riada, Adair, la., from A.O. Ludwig. John Harry Blanchard, 65, first manager of both the old Columbia and Capitol, Davenport, la., died recently at St. Louis. ... Harry Sheldon Earll, 88, pioneer Davenport, la. , theatre operator, died at Monrovia, Cal. Earll formerly operated the old Crystal and Star, Davenport. ... B. B. Holdridge, owner. State, Shenandoah, la. , re¬ turned home from a Council Bluffs, la., hospital after suffering two broken arms in an automobile accident ....John Glynn, formerly of Leaven¬ worth, Kan. , has been named manager. State, Fort Madison, la., succeeding Herman Gouldl, transferred to Lincoln, Neb. Among those scheduled to attend the Variety Clubs convention in San Fran¬ cisco this week from the local area were: Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Sandler, Mr. and Mrs. Lou Levy, and Mr. and Mrs. Archie Arkin. Kansas City Harold Mirisch, L. E. Goldhammer, and Julian Lesser, Monogram, spent a few days visiting the exchange. . . . Ruby Pasley, Republic, left for a vacation in California, Ed Hartman, owner. Motion picture Booking Agency, moved to 116 West 18th Street .... R. R. Thompson, SRO district manager, returned from a business trip to Des Moines. W. E. Green, president. National Theatre Supply, is shown on a recent visit to the company’ s newest branch and show room in Omaha, Neb. Julian King, King Enterprise, was a visitor. ... Senn Lawler, Pox Midwest Theatres, and Mrs. Lawler announced the engagement of their daughter on Easter Sunday. The marriage will take place this summer. Visitors included; Homer' Strowig, Abilene, Kans. ; Ward Spielman, Bald¬ win, Kans. : Sol Prank, Coldwater, Kans.; Lloyd Metcalf, Ash Grove, Mo.; Harry Till, Hamilton, Mo., and J.E. Pennington, Topeka, Kans. Los Angeles At a cost of $200,000, Pox West Coast Theatres completely remodeled and renovated the Belmont Theatre, Second and Saint Joseph Streets, Belmont Shore, Cal. , and will open the new showcase with a gala Hollywood premiere on May 19. This announcement was made by the company’ s general manager, George Bowser, and Stan Brown, Long Beach, Cal. , district manager. The Belmont will seat 808. Forrest Justus, who has been with the circuit since 1933, is being trans¬ ferred from the Egyptian, Long Beach, to manage the Belmont. Married, he is a World War II veteran, having served overseas with the 80th Division. Among those scheduled to attend the Variety Clubs convention in San Fran¬ cisco this week from the local area were: Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Turpie, Mr. and Mrs. Dave Bershon, George R. Giroux, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd C. Ownbey, Steve Broidy, Mr. and Mrs. William A. London, Francis A. Bateman, Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Shearer, Mr. and Mrs. Colin Dexter, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Handley, Mr. and Mrs. H. Griffin, Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill C. Corwin, Oscar S. Oldknow, Gregory Duffy, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Shone, and Miss Louise Shone. Joan Crawford, Warners star, has been chosen "Mother of the Year” by the Helping Hand of Los Angeles. The title will be conferred upon her at the annual .Mothers Day luncheon of the organization to be held on May 6 in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Minneapolis Two Twin Cities suburban drive-ins, the Bloomington and the Rose, opened for the season. Two additional drive-ins are slated to open soon, the Starlite, between Robbinsdale, Minn., and Osseo, Minn., and the Coral near South St. Paul, Minn. All are operated by Minnesota Entertain¬ ment Enterprises, an organization of independent Twin Cities exhibitors, Harold Field, president. Field said that a children’ s playground will be added soon to facilities of the Bloomington theatre, and a minature railroad is planned for the Starlite. Grass roots members of North Central Allied have started a move to throw out the conciliation plan of 20th-Pox in retaliation for the establishment by the distributor of a new selling formula aimed at “equalizing” the the split of the boxoffice receipts. Out-state exhibitors are urging that May 4 , 1940