The Exhibitor (1951)

EXHIBITOR NT3 Library, shoe store, and music shop win¬ dow displays were also set up by Bregoff on “The Red Shoes.” . . . Saul Laub, assistant manager, St. Geoi-ge, left for the army. New Jersey Freehold A “King of the Cowboys” contest has been set up at the Strand, a Walter Reade theatre, by M. A. Sargent, man¬ ager, as a stimulant to Saturday matinee business. Each Saturday for the next two months, Sargent will show a special western feature at the matinee, and give away a photo of the cowboy to all chil¬ dren attending. The youngsters will also be invited to ballot for their favorite, with the winner being declared “King” of the western stars, and the children who guess his identity receiving cow¬ boy gear donated by local merchants. Sargent has also set up a “gun bar” in the theatre, where the “young pardners” can check their “shooting irons” during the show. Perth Amboy Six youths who enlisted in the marine corps were given a sendoff from the stage of the Majestic, a Walter Reade theatre, as part of a tiein set up by Herbert Gordon, city manager, to exploit “Halls of Montezuma.” New York State Albany A bill introduced in the Senate by Thomas C. Desmond would require new theatres in the state with a floor space of 7,500 square feet or more to provide off-street parking space for automobiles. The measure would apply to hotels, apartment houses, and business buildings as well. Charles A. Smakwitz, Warner The¬ atres’ zone manager, is one of three incorporators of the Heart Association of Albany County; a group formed to study the causes and cures of heart disease. Smakwitz also serves as presi¬ dent of the organization, which is affili¬ ated with the American Heart Associa¬ tion. . . . Larry Lamont, Lamont Circuit, returned from a sojourn in Florida. . . . Johnny Capano, State, Troy, played “Abie’s Irish Rose” for a first-run. . . . Donna Howard, 20th CenturyFox sten¬ ographer, was married to Dayton Staf¬ ford on Feb. 3. . . . Irene Smith, secretary to Charles A. Smakwitz, Warner The¬ atres’ zone manager, spent a vacation in New York. . . . Helen Dravick, 20th Century-Fox biller, announced her en¬ gagement to Rocco Damico. . . . Donald P. Longale, Ritz, resigned to become as¬ sistant to “Pat” Patterson, manager, Fabians Leland. . . . Gerry Atkin, Warner Theatres’ publicity director, was confined to his home with a virus attack. . . . Clarence Politis closed his Library Hall, Westport. Lawrence Lapidus, Warner Theatres, became the father of a seven and a half pound baby birl born at Albany Hospital. She has been named Sandra Marcia. Grandfather is Jules Lapidus, Warners’ eastern and Canadian division sales manager. Pipe manufacturer Robert Marx shows a tied-in display for UA’s “The Second Woman” in a tobacco shop window to Montague Salmon, managing director, Rivoli, New York City, prior to the recent engagement of the picture at the Rivoli. Buffalo Sterling Silliphant, publicity director, 20th Century-Fox, was in to lay out plans with Eddie Meade, Shea publicity director, on “I’d Climb The Highest Mountain” and “Bird of Paradise.” . . . Charles Kosco, 20th Century-Fox branch manager, held a special showing of “I’d Climb The Highest Mountain” at Shea’s Elmwood. Kosco addressed the gatheringfollowing the screening. One of the first local exhibitions of a television screen for theatres took place in the Amherst. The public was invited to watch the Jake LaMotta-Ray Robin¬ son middleweight title bout. It was shown on a regular TV theatre screen. Alex Storpelli has taken over the Star, Middleport, formerly operated by Albert L. Griffith. . . . Lloyd Wiliams has taken over the Rivoli, Rochester, previously operated by Don R. Stevenson. Blatt Brothers reopened their May, Mayville, operated by Blatt Brothers Mercer County Theatres, Inc. Jim Barone is the new manager, Cin¬ ema, operated by Morris Slotnick and P. Cohen. He succeeds Peter Becker. Gene Pleshette, manager, Brooklyn Para¬ mount, recently was honored as the “Theatreman of the Year” in the annual list of Brooklyn’s 10 outstanding citizens. The laurels won by Pleshette are an out¬ cropping of the recent “blueprint for action” urged by Robert M. Weitman, United Paramount Theatres vice-presi¬ dent, who urged his staff and the in¬ dustry as a whole to “return to the fundamentals of showmanship,” includ¬ ing positive community relationship. . . . The Empire, Syracuse, has been renamed the Astor. It was formerly owned by SKE Operating Company, Ltd., and is now operating under the City Entertainment Corporation. Robert Carbone is the new owner, Rexy, Rochester, formerly owned and operated by Carol Fenyvessy under the corporation name of Fen-Rex Corpora¬ tion. . . . M. P. Slotnick and Rube Can¬ ter changed the corporation name of their seven theatres to Slotnick and Canter Circuit; Palace, Baidwinsville ; East, East Syracuse; Strand, Marcellus; Colonial, Skaneateles; Sodus, Sodus, Globe, Syracuse, and Ridge, Webster. James H. Eshelman, Paramount execu¬ tive, presented a check for $2,606.99 to Mark N. Turner, president, Cerebral Palsy Association, the proceeds from a benefit show at Paramount’s Center. . . . Mrs. Peter Bifarella is recuperating after her stay at the Buffalo General Hospital. She is the wife of Pete Bifa¬ rella, Joylan, Springville. . . . Film Row was sorry to learn of the sudden passing of Mrs. Simon, mother of Mike Simon, former local Paramount branch manager. . . . Irving Shiffman is the new Albany salesman for EEC. — M. G. Rochester Anthony Rosato, manager, Regent, Geneva, and previously with Schine houses in Gloversville, Amsterdam, Ilion, Cortland, and Oswego, was appointed manager, Waring, by Charles Martina, president, Martina Theatres Corporation, Albion. Rosato succeeds Anthony Delelato. The Rochester Musicians Union ousted Leonard Campbell after a 20-year reign as president-business agent. Thomas R. McCarthy, University of Rochester grad¬ uate and air force veteran, replaced him, and other officers are Theodore Stenzel, vice-president; Charles L. Van Haute, secretary; Frank E. Carmody, treas¬ urer; Carl Artz, Carl Dengler, Howard Sickler, and Herbert Zahn, new directors, and John Sc-hwalb and Wallace Oakley, trustees. The local has nearly 1,200 members. “The March of Dimes” collections totaled $7,159, down considerably from last year as the county drive also fell short, amounting to $96,161 as compared with $132,369 in 1950. Gradon Hodges, Empire Drive-In, postcarded that they had motored 1,400 miles in Mexico, seen a “terrific” bull¬ fight and a volcano in action, and ex¬ pected to be back by early March. — D. R. Syracuse “Jack Carson Day’’ marked the world premiere of Universal-International’s “The Groom Wore Spurs” at the Para WANTED: Ex perienced man to manage thea¬ tre in Albany. $75 weekly, plus commission. Experienced man to manage drive-in theatre in Philadelphia. Starting salary $125 weekly, plus commission. Apply NEIL HELLMAN Paramount Theatre, 378 Clinton Ave., Albany, N. Y. February 28, 1951