The Exhibitor (May-Aug 1948)

NT-2 All salesmen received ballots to vote on whether or not to be represented by the Salesmen’s Coliseum. . . . Lewis Stein, Drive-In, Parsons, Kans., was in to set up bookings. . . . Bill Flynn advised he would open the Drive-In, Great Bend, Kans. . . . Louise Hildebrand, U-I, was on vacation. . . . H. ‘Ole’ Ohlson, U-I, was transferring to the Denver territory to work out of Albuquerque, N. M. . . . Visitors on the Row were: Frank Meyers, Civic, Brookfield, Mo.; A. E. Jarboe, Ritz, Cameron, Mo.; Homer Strowig, Plaza, Abilene, Kans.; H. B. Doering, Peoples, Garnett, Kans., and Ed May, Lyric and Uptown, Cottonwood Falls and StrongCity, Kans. Excitement reigned when a hit-andrun driver side -swiped a parked car belonging to Norris Cresswell, Selected. The license number was secured, and a pick-up order issued so that the culprit was located, and Cresswell will get his rear fender repaired. . . . Every¬ one who has had trouble crossing Wyan¬ dotte since that street was widened will be happy to know that the city is install¬ ing traffic lights at the corner of 18th and Wyandotte. LOS ANGELES Screen Guild was elated over word from Matt Freed, city manager, Robert L. Lippert Theatres, Melford, Ore., that the world premiere of “The Prairie” was one of the biggest openings in the history of the Criterion. Bowing to the opinion of exhibitors, Harold Hecht ordered the change of title for “Kiss The Blood Off My Hands.” Only two of 600 exhibitors polled wanted to retain this title. New monicker is “The Unafraid”. The Griffith Circuit had Monte Hale on a p. a. tour with “California Fire¬ brand”. . . . Nate and Jack Blumenfeld will open the Tahoe Biltmore Hotel about June 22. The Stockton Motor Movies finally opened. It holds 712 cars, and is man¬ aged by S. R. Claggett, who formerly managed the Vermont Drive-In. The Tower, Sacramento, Cal., which burned on March 21, reopened May 26 with a new screen, new seats, carpets, and a new face-lifting, according to Blumenfeld Enterprises. It also opened the Marin Motor Movies, Harry King in charge. Boyce Nemec, executive secretary, SMPE, was honeymooning with his bride. Pacific Drive-In Theatre Company, headed by C. A. Caballero, started build¬ ing on a new 800-car film house at Gage Avenue near Huntington Park, the first of four that are to be built in Los Angeles County. Economy measures were the crux of the sessions George Bowser was having with the Evergreen Circuit in the north¬ west, according to reports. He was ac¬ companied by John Hodges, Paul Scherer, and John Healy. The Pan Pacific Photo Fair will have Edward Nassour exclusively showing the only live action motion picture exhibit on display. Bill Parker, former branch manager for U-I up north, was here in regard to national distribution for Crusade Pro¬ ductions to visit exchanges. The city’s new film censorship ordin¬ ance put through in San Diego, Cal., was subjected to a Superior Court suit by the owners of nine independent theatres, charging it as being unreasonable in many of the provisions and arbitrary, THE EXHIBITOR asking that the court rule that the “director of social welfare has no right to supervise private enterprise, no right of free access to theatres, and no right to suspend licenses.” Walter Rathbun, who operates the Lobero, Santa Barbara, Cal., was mar¬ ried to Coco Young, former French model. MILWAUKEE Arthur Stanisch, Wisconsin manager, resigned and left for the west coast, where he plans developing a new con¬ nection. Stanisch was with Fox Wiscon¬ sin for several years. While here, he developed many outstanding exploitational projects. . . . Jules Serkowitz, Columbia exploiteer, was exploiting “The Lady From Shanghai.” . . . Two Minneapolis exhibitors, Teddy Bolnick and Bob Berger, son of Benny Berger, were visitors. . . . Edward Solomon, 20thFox field exploiteer, was in on “The Iron Curtain.” Robert Grady, Strand manager, played a few rounds of early morning golf before the house opened. Ben Poblocki, another showman golfer, has been getting a few rounds in at Tuckaway Country Club. Floyd Albert, Strand, Mount Horeb, Wis., was in. . . . Harry Olshan, Columbia manager, was in on a short vacation. Harold J. Fitzgerald, head, Fox Wis¬ consin, was in the east. . . . Tom Corn¬ field, Palace manager, conducted ad¬ vance exploitation on “Scudda-Hoo! Scudda-Hay!” by arranging a bathing beauty contest. Cornfield had girls in bathing suits touring the theatre and adjacent public amusement spots. Geoi’ge Panka, Metro, Prairie Du Chein, Wis., was in. . . . The MGM exchange building has been repainted and completely redecorated. William Benjamin, Screen Guild manager, was in the Upper Michigan area. . . . W. De Lorenzo, Independent Film Exchange, spent some time in Chicago. . . . John Schuyler, Delft circuit, Marquette, Mich., was in. . . . Harold Hamley, Victor, Hartland, Wis., was another visitor. . . . John Yeo, Plaza, Burlington, Wis., was named an alternate delegate from his area to the Republican National Con¬ vention. . . . John P. Adler, Marshfield, Wis., is constructing a 500-seat theatre at Waupaca, Wis. . . . Edward Vollendorf, Theatre Service executive, returned from Florida. . . . S. Winokur purchased the Opera House, Oshkosh, Wis., and changed the name to the Civic. . . . H. H. Otto sold the Clinton, Clinton, Wis., to Jack Currl. . . . Ray Trampe, Russ McNamee and Charles Trampe, Monogram representatives, were in New York. Harold J. Fitzgerald, president, Fox Wisconsin Amusement Corporation, was chairman, welcoming and farewell com¬ mittee, Wisconsin Centennial Friend¬ ship’s Fleet. Fitzgerald was in full charge of the ceremonies held at the departure of the ship, Ormefjell for Norway on May 27 as well as the reception upon the ship’s return with immigrant families in August. Local firemen controlled a small electrical fire on the second floor of the Palace. There was no Are in the Palace proper. W. De Lorenzo, operator of Indepen¬ dent Film Exchange and a branch of Quality Premiums, announces that declining theatre business is resulting in a move by exhibitors toward giveaways of merchandise to stimulate the business. . . . Bernard Sherman Douglas, Racine, Wis., was in. Several Altec installations have been made in Wisconsin. Theatres reporting such improvements are Superior, Superi¬ or; Hollywood, Wausau; Lake, Winneconne; Omro, Omro; Nicolet, West De Pere; Lyric, Denmark; De Pere, De Pere, and State, Waupaca. Formal opening ceremonies of the new, modern exchange building just completed for Universal-International, were held on June 1. . . . Otto C. Albright, 60, stage hand at the Wisconsin for many years, died here. . . . Nick Michael who recently sold the Main Street, Racine, Wis., to Standard Theatres, was in. Michael is planning on purchasing another house. . . . James Gallagher, president, Gallagher Films, Green Bay, Wis., and Milwaukee, was in town. The Gallagher concern specializes in install¬ ing and merchandising 16mm equipment. . . . John G. Kemptgen, MGM resident manager, spent some time conferring with exhibitors in the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan territory. MINNEAPOLIS Construction is beginning on the new Falls, 42nd Avenue S. and 38th Street, Minneapolis, by Volk Brothers, who operate several neighborhood and suburban theatres. The first new house to be built in this city for over 12 years, it will replace the old Falls, a mile away. The new theatre will seat about 500, and will cost an estimated $12,000. The circuit is also preparing to build a new 1,000-seat house in Robbinsdale, Minne¬ apolis suburb, which will cost around $200,000. Plans have been completed for Nate Shapiro’s and Ben Berger’s new 700-seat theatre to be erected in the Seven Corners district of Minneapolis at a cost of about $150,000. Ben Berger, president. North Central Allied, expressed disappointment at the U. S. Supreme Court action in ordering the lower courts to reconsider divorce¬ ment, and said that he will continue to push the issue until complete divorce¬ ment is obtained. The village board of Minnetonka township, suburban Minneapolis, has voted down a move to rezone property west of the city limits to pave way for construction of a drive-in. The drivein project was a promotion of Minnesota Entertainment Enterprises, composed of a group of independent exhibitors in the Twin Cities, which organized to keep out “outside” invasion in the local drivein field. . . . Four corporation of the Mandan -Bismarck, N. D., theatres group have been dissolved, and reorganized into a partnership. John Fritchie resigned as office mana¬ ger, United Artists, to devote his time to managing his resort near Big Fork, Minn. . . . The mother of Joe Loeffler, Republic branch manager, died in Buffalo, at the age of 62. . . . Betty Steinman, 13-year old daughter of Morrie Steinman, Monogram branch manager, is convalescing after an attack of pneu¬ monia. . . . Harold Mirisch, Allied Artists vice-president, and Sol Francis, AAMonogram midwest district manager, joined Morrie Steinman in discussing “Smart Woman” and “Pandhandle” with the buying combines and Minnesota Amusement Company. Joseph A. Cremisino and H. E. Clark were negotiating to erect a drive-in at St. Cloud, Minn. If and when the project is approved by the Minnesota state highway department, work will begin immediately. Both men are experi June 9, 1948