The Exhibitor (May-Aug 1948)

THE EXH I Bl TOR NT-i IfEWS OF THK CRO SSTOWN Boston’ s Esplanade concerts are at¬ tracting thousands at their evening performances. These concerts, coupled with night ball games and very humid weather, have played havoc with the theatres. Mickey Redstone, Latin quarter and Mayfair owner, will open a drive-in in Dedham, Mass., next month and another in Revere, Mass. , shortly. . . . The Giles’ Uptown, Jed Prouty, manager, sneak -previewed “Mickey” to a partially selected audience composed of State House and City Hall employees, radio personnel, librarians, youth organi¬ zations, and teen age clubs. The audi¬ ence reaction was very good. Harry Hall, in charge of the Giles theatres in Gardner, Mass., went on his vacation. . . . Warners “Romance On The High Seas” was well publicized for its Metropolitan opening. A tieup was made with a feature story on Doris Day in Motion Picture magazine. Trucks were decorated profusely, and, in addition, Art Moger, Warners’ director of advertising and publicity in New England, was guest of Polly Cochran, Hollywood commentator for WBOM. and Connie Staekpole, WEEI. FILM DISTRICT Summer hit the district with tem¬ peratures in the 90’ s, accompanied by high humidities. Most of the inhabi¬ tants of the street spent the days mopping their brows. Mr. and Mrs. John McCloskey, owners, Town Hall, Howland, Me., and the Cameo, Mattawamkeag, Me., visited. ... The M and P outing scheduled for this month was cancelled. ... Sorry to hear that Sam Horenstein, the Manley Popcorn Man, was confined to his home because of a virus infection. Everyone hoped that he would be around the district soon. At U-Int: Toby Tebachnick, contract clerk, was spending two weeks in the environs of Nantaskett. . . . Si lvia Steiman, secretary to the branch mana¬ ger, was touring Maine for two weeks ....Agnes Rau was spending her two weeks on the Cape.... Mrs. Florence Slater, head booker, was vacationing at Falmouth Forside, Me. Kenny Meyer has a cottage at York Beach, Me. , where he spends his week¬ ends, and rumor has it that Jud Parker has acquired a new house in Sharon. Both of these boys draw their pay checks from Universal International. While on the subject of vacations, here are a few from 20th Century-Fox, Margie Coyne, secretary; Lillian Cohen, contract department; Sam Berg, head booker; A1 Cohan, he^id shipper, and Frances Coppola, inspection room. The whereabouts of these people can be obtained by writing A1 Fowler. Joseph E. Levine, president, Dis¬ covery Picture Corporation, announced that Film Classics has signed a con¬ tract with United World Films to dis¬ tribute both in 16mm. and in television Levine’s “Discovery.” Eddie Siegal, Warner booker, took his two weeks, while Betty Doherty, secretary to Bill Horan, branch mana¬ ger, returned from a week in Maine. Martha Ferris, now Mrs. A1 Kenney, returned from a five-week vacation honeymoon. California was one of the spots touched during the motor trip. Mrs. Martha Kenney is with the Film Board of Trade. Visitors: Arch Lade, Jr. , Westford, Mass. , was seen around the street recently. His wife was visiting his theatre in Kingsfield, Me. He has the Riverside, Kingsfield, Me., and the Phillips, Phillips, Me. ..Joe Mathieu, Mathieu Circuit, was in recently from his home in Winchendon, Mass. , to pay a visit. ... Teddy Rosenblat, Grand, Taunton, Mass. , and the Community, Centerdale, R. I. , called, accompanied by his brother-in-law, Ted Lewis.... Ned Wisner, owner, Cameo, Uxbridge, Mass. , was a visitor. Erving Schapiro and Lee Fields are very busy these days with their new concession at the Rayham Dog Tracks ....Harold E. Stoneman, head, Inter¬ state Theatres, and wife were observed down on the Cape at Craigville Beach, combining business with pleasure.... The new two-drink dispensers which made such a hit at the recent Inde¬ pendent Exhibitors meeting arrived, and have been installed in many New England theatres. Tony Vitrie, former film salesman and until just recently an operator of a theatre in Lowell, Mass., entered the hospital for an eye operation. He is very well-known in the district, and all his friends wish him the best. 20th Century-Fox’ s A1 Fowler, New England publicity representative, journeyed to Augusta, Me., recently for a private showing of “Deep Waters” for Governor Horace A. Hildreth, his When Joly Hofsted, Olympia, Wash., recently visited the "'Outlaw Valley" set at RKO' s coast studios, he received a big thrill when Tim Holt, star of the film, looked over the first copy of the Tim Holt Western Adventures ma.g. council, other state officials, and newspapermen. Following the screening, a lobster luncheon was given by the governor to those attending. Arrange¬ ments for this affair were made possible by the cooperation of the Maine Development. Commission. Employees of the Boston exchange of 20th Century-Fox are enjoying a threeweek bonus as a result of their standing in the spring sales drive. John Di Maldo was promoted from the 20th-Fox shipping room to replace David Skvirsky as booker. The latter is on leave of absence in England. Eagle-Lioning: There was a trade screening of “Canon City” for the press and heads of juvenile and adult correctional centers in Boston and vicinity. ... Tom Donaldson, New England district manager, was in New Haven for a sales conference with the staff. Over *300 -d istributors and aides assembled at the Statler Hotel to plan the Will Rogers Memorial Fund Drive. MGM branch manager Ben Rosenwald, chairman, introduced H.D. Hearn, cir¬ cuit owner, Charlotte, and formerly apatientat the hospital, who described the fine work of the hospital, and pointed out that anyone connected with the industry was elibible for treat¬ ment of tuberculosis. A1 Kane, Parament division manager, also spoke, and said that the distributors were assuming the responsibility of running the sanitarium. He said that costs The recent opening of the "^landings Dream House" in Bridgeport, Conn., by Governor James C. Shannon, as part of the nationwide campaign on SRO' s “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House", w’as marked by gala ceremonies. Present at the event, were left to right: J.M. and C. Snyder, "Dream House" builders; Ted Baldwin, SRO national promotion and exploitation manager; Harry Shaw, New England division manager, Loew Poli Theatres; Governor Shannon; Matt Saunders, manager, Loew Poli, Bridgeport, and Sargeant Eaton and George Parks, businessmen. July 21, 1948 New England