The Exhibitor (1951)

NT.4 Louis de Rochemont, producer, Colum¬ bia’s forthcoming, “The Whistle At Eaton Falls,” in New York recently re¬ ceived the Parent’s magazine Award of Special Merit from editor Philip Wilcox. the Lexington Park area. Bulldozers are already clearing the land and it is hoped that the spot will be ready in about six to eight weeks. Associated with Fruchtman in the venture are Meverell Dean, Hollywood, and Bob Wigginton, Leonardtown. The spot will accommodate ap¬ proximately 400 cars. . . . Philip E. Gray, Lexington Park, who is building the sec¬ ond theatre there, announced he has leased it to Fred W. Biersdorf, Washing¬ ton, D.C., and that it is scheduled for an August 1 opening. New Jersey Port Norris The Colonial, erroneously included on a list of closed area houses, is still in operation. Trenton All games of chance that call for no skill on the part of the player were de¬ clared illegal in the state by order of Attorney General Theodore Parsons. This includes “Bingo” and other like games. Parsons specifically said that games of chance at seashore resorts were to be banned. He refused to comment on “Bingo” games played at churches and private affairs. We Need Managers A Progressive Independent Circuit operating in the Eastern Pennsylvania territory needs a few good managers, men who can deliver the goods, and who will be well paid for their efforts. Our vacancies are spots where the proper exploitation and management ideas can show results. If you feel that you can meet this challenge, write BOX 91 EXHIBITOR, 246-48 N. Clarion St., Phila. 7, Pa. EXHIBITOR Pennsylvania Hoitboro “Hatboro Night,” a free performance at the 309 Drive-In, sponsored jointly by the management and the Hatboro Cham¬ ber of Commerce, is still paying divi¬ dends in patronage and goodwill. In addition to the free show, the driver of each car was given a gallon of gas, all the kiddies got lollipops, and the first 300 ladies received roses. Prizes were offered to the longest-married couple, the driver of the oldest car, the car with the most children under 12, the youngest baby boy and girl, the most recently-married couple, and the driver with the most mileage on his speedometer. Those prizes, plus valuable door prizes, were promoted from Hatboro merchants. Cer¬ tainly one of the most elaborate theatre giveaways in the area’s history, “Hat¬ boro Night” drew a wealth of praise from patrons and business men. Only residents of Hatboro were admitted free through tickets distributed by the Hat¬ boro merchants. Other patrons paid the regular admissions, and business actual¬ ly was up during the night of the show. Pottsville In a bid to annex as regular patrons the professional people of the area, the Pottsville Drive-In sent letters to more than 80 physicians, giving them a “code number,” whereby they could be paged anonymously when attending. This was followed by a novel “prescription form” from the office of Charlie Poorman, M.D. (Manager, Drive-In) advising them to “take the treatment’’ for mental and physical relaxation by visiting the ozoner. Psychology of the approach is that doctors are potential patronage builders through many people they con¬ tact each day. An attraction not on the regular pro¬ gram was booked at the Pottsville DriveIn, a big white seagull, not at all shy, living on handouts of hot dogs, popcorn, and candy thrown to it by moviegoers. Seagulls are rarely seen so far inland. Redding Municipal revenue from the city amusement tax dropped sharply this year. City Treasurer John L. Hcch an¬ nounced. Receipts from the 10 per cent amusement tax for the first five months of this year total $61,876, compared with $84,607 for the same period last year. The 1951 municipal budget estimated the amusement tax for the year at $150,000. In May, the city received $10,272 in amusement taxes. This com¬ pares with $15,539 in May of last year. Hoch pointed out that the greatest de¬ cline was in the tax on theatre admis¬ sions. For the first five months of 1951, the admissions tax from theatres totaled $48,793 in comparison with $67,336 for the same period in 1950. Virginia Richmond Final plans for the summer meeting of the Virginia MPTA have been completed, according to Carlton Duffus, executive secretary. The meetings will be held in the Jefferson Hotel on June 18 and 19, A1 Plough, manager, S-W Stanton, Phila¬ delphia, poses with Mrs. Norma B. Carson, center, chief, women’s division, Philadelphia police, and several mem¬ bers of her staff as they attended the recent opening of Columbia’s drama “M.” with other events on June 20. Guest speakers include Arthur Mayer, execu¬ tive vice-president COMPO, who will speak on his organization; Edith Lindeman, amumsement editor. The TimesDispatch; George Murphy, MGM star; Max Youngstein, United Artists; Abram Myers, Allied States Association, and Martin Bennett, RCA eastern division sales manager. Also on the agenda are reports by President W. F. Crockett and counsel Robert T. Barton, a closed meet¬ ing on film practices, drive-in discussion, business meeting for election of board and officers, and a sightseeing tour for wives of exhibitors. A cocktail party will be sponsored by Frank Wolfe, Jr. The group will see a screening of “Showboat” at the Westover. The Westover and all drive-ins in the vicinity will be open for tours. Equipment and concession booths will be open during the three days on the hotel mezzanine. A dinner-dance will also be a highlight. Variety Club Tent 13, Philadelphia A general membership meeting will be held at the clubrooms on June 18. Dinner will be served. A full report on the re¬ cent Variety Clubs International conven¬ tion, to which the local tent was host, will be given. A kinescope of the Ken Murray TV show televised from the hotel during the convention and news¬ reel shots of the affair will be shown, and there will be special entertainment through the courtesy of Bob Adleman. In a recent tieup with a laundry diaper service for MGM’s “Father’s Little Divi¬ dend,” Loew’s Colonial, Reading, Pa., had motor trucks bannered with ad. copy. June 13, 1951