The Exhibitor (1951)

NT-2 EXHIBITOR New Haven Crosstown Paul Klinger is on the job as new man¬ ager, Loew-Poli Bijou. . . . Jim Darby, Paramount, continues to get the nice bally plugs on the “Sidewalk Interview” radio show thrice weekly over WNHC. . . . Morris Rosenthal, Loew’s Poli, was due back after a hospital stay. . . . H. Cohn, Dixwell was working on a new “Radio Movie Quiz” to be held for four weeks. Dick Barry was to emcee the show, which was to be put on transcrip¬ tion. The Rivoli, West Haven, was also set for this deal. . . . The Fairmount giveaway deal is to start on March 17, with prizes being radios and bicycle for kiddies. . . . Sam Hadelman, Grand, was away on a short trip. Meadow Street The RKO branch office is newly deco¬ rated, with Metro to get a paint job next. . . . Drive-Ins are getting ready to re¬ open. . . . With the pleasant weather, some of the boys in the exchanges have been using their Sundays with some golf. Leon Jakubson, Metro office man¬ ager, was seen out batting the golf balls around. . . . Mollie Smith, Metroite, was a vacationist. . . . John Hesse, Warner district manager, was back after a hos¬ pital stay. . . . The closed Gem, Nauga¬ tuck, was the center of controversy. It has been used by the youngsters for basketball, and there have been com¬ plaints of no heat, broken windows, etc. . . . The Lord, Norwich, continues to run teaser ads about the opening of “Lord’s Plainfield indoor and outdoor theatre.” . . . The Palace, Norwich, has “Talent Night” on Tuesday. . . . Stamford Elks Lodge 899 presented “A Night of Stars” at the Palace for the benefit of the “Heart Fund.” . . . Sympathy is in order for Michael Jacobson, Mayfair, Bridge¬ port, on the death of his sister, Mrs. Sarah Levin, treasurer, Strand Amuse¬ ment Company. . . . Arthur Fensmore has been subbing as projectionist, Poli, Bridgeport, for his dad, James, who has been ill. Connecticut Glastonbury Mrs. Frances Lampert, manager, Glastonbury, had five of her musical compositions played by a Middletown night club orchestra. . . . Everett Sweetland, projectionist in area theatres for 15 years, is the new boothman at the Glastonbury. Hartford Governor John Davis Lodge and his staff were guests at a special screening of MGM’s “Father’s Little Dividend,” with Loew-Poli executives in attendance including Harry F. Shaw, division man¬ ager; Lou Cohen, Loew-Poli, and Fred R. Greenway, Loew’s Poli Palace. Hy Fine, former district manager, M and P Theatres, now an executive with New England Theatres Corpora¬ tion, Boston, will serve as toastmaster at the May 9 dinner for Local 84. The event, which will mark Local 84’s 50th anniversary, will have an attendance of at least several hundred theatrical people representing all parts of the country, Rube K. Lewis, Loew-Poli Palace stage manager, and Local 84 business agent, announced. Lewis and Charles Obert, stage manager, Allyn, and Local 84 president, are in charge of ticket reservations. Police authorities stopped the mid¬ night showings of “Everybody’s Girl” at the Star. Bernie Menschell and John Calvocoressci, circuit partners; Mike Masselli, house manager, and Jack Kearns, projectionist, were arrested by the police on charges involving indecent or immoral exhibitions. The four men posted bonds, and had their cases con¬ tinued until March 2. The men were arrested when members of the Vice Squad, acting on orders from Chief of Police M. J. Godfrey, attended a per¬ formance of “Everybody’s Girl.” The theatremen were arrested, and the film taken to police headquarters. Masselli said he could not understand the police action inasmuch as the motion picture had been on the screen for a week prior to the action. As a stunt for “Three Guys Named Mike,” Loew-Poli manager Lou Cohen and his aide, Norm Levinson, admitted free the first three men named “Mike” identifying themselves at the theatre opening day. Meriden Amateur shows ai-e to be launched on the Palace stage beginning in April. . . . On the infanticipation list are the Tony Masellas. He’s the Palace manager. Maine Portland Ministers, women’s club members, teachers, PTA members, radio and news¬ paper personnel, and exhibitors attended a recent preview of “I’d Climb The Highest Mountain” at the Civic followed by a luncheon in the Eastland Hotel. J. M. Connolly, 20th-Fox branch mana¬ ger, and Stanley Young, Maine sales representative, were on hand for the pre¬ view, and spoke briefly at the luncheon. Anther Maine screening was held in Bangor. Mrs. Hazel M. Counsins, man¬ ager, arranged the party. Massachusetts Fall River James Knight, 57, relief manager, Nathan Yamins Theatres, was painfully injured in a recent automobile accident. . . . Theatre personnel were represented at the recent funeral of John F. Sullivan, formerly manager of seven theatres operated in this city by Nathan Yamins. Lynn Chief Petty Officer Irving McLeod, navy recruiting station, and assistants were guests of manager Eddie Myerson, Capitol, during the showing of “The Flying Missile.’’ . . . Korean veterans from the Chelsea Naval Hospital were guests at the Capitol on the openingnight of “A Yank in Korea.” Manager Eddie Myerson, Capitol, and newspaper men attended a Boston press luncheon tendered Lon McAllister. . . . Elliott Oshry and Joseph Comeau, Capitol, will join the army. . . . Manager Eddie Myerson, Capitol, and manager Royce Beckman, Warner, took turns writing Tom McGovern’s column in The Lynn Telegram while he was on a vacation. . . . Manager Royce Beckman, Warner, received a letter from Gloria M. Auger, publicity director, Lynn chapter. Ameri¬ can Red Cross, thanking him for the display space in the Warner lobby dur¬ ing the bloodmobile drive. Springfield The personal appearance of Anthony Dexter at the Bijou helped the eastern premiere of Columbia’s “Valentino.” (In the Feb. 21 issue of Exhibitor, a photograph of touring MGM stars in Springfield, Mass., was erroneously identified as a shot taken during their visit to New Haven, and George Free¬ man, manager, Loew’s Poli, was thereby mistakenly listed as a New Haven manager. — Ed.) New Hampshire Concord Following a heated debate on the pro¬ posed motion picture projectionists’ license, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported that the measure is “inexpedi¬ ent to legislate.” Representative Ansel N. Sanborn, ex¬ hibitor from Wakefield, has been ap¬ pointed as jury commissioner of the federal court. Rhode Island Providence Police Captain George W. Cowan, amusement inspector, banned showing of “The Blue Angel” last fortnight, 20 years after he had allowed it to play the Parmount, now the Strand. The ban was announced after Cowan and Lieutenant McTernan, his assistant, had viewed the reissue at a screening arranged by Clas¬ sic Productions, Inc., the censor gave no reason for his ban, stating merely that it “is not approved for public exhibition in Providence.” Police Chief Higgins said he had received Cowan’s report a week earlier saying the film is “unfit to be shown” because of material in the script. Edward O’Connell, manager, Palace, plans to schedule films more suitable for youngsters for Saturday matinees, he told a gathering of church and parentteacher groups recently. O’Connell ap¬ peared by invitation at a meeting of four Parent-Teacher Association units and four churches in the Broad Street School. Vermont Brattleboro The Latchis gave a Sunday benefit performance, sponsored by the Elks, for Brattleboro Hospital Fund. Middletown When “You Can Beat the A-Bomb” was shown at the Capitol, admitted free of charge were all members of the auxil¬ iary police and fire groups. March 7, 1951