The Exhibitor (1951)

NT.4 EXHIBITOR Among those who attended the recent Washington screenings of WB’s “Look For¬ ward” features were, in the usual left to right, top to bottom, order: George Crouch, WB’s Pete DeFazio, and Lou Garman; Lloyd Wineland, DeFazio, and Jerry Wagner; John Broumos, Curtis Hildebrand, Mike Leventhal, and George Wheeler, and Leon Bach, DeFazio, Jack Fruchtman, and Harry Bachman, all of whom were impressed. TRADE SCREENINGS Philadelphia RKO (250 North 13th). July 11, 10:30, “His Kind of Woman” (Robert Mitchuni, Jane Russell); 17, 2:30, “Fly¬ ing Leathernecks” (John Wayne, Rob¬ ert Ryan, Don Taylor) (Technicolor) ; 30, 2:30, “Happy Go Lovely” (David Niven, Vera Ellen, Cesar Romero) (English-made) (Technicolor). completion of the first week’s tour on the itinerary of giant “Goliath” on behalf of Darryl F. Zanuck’s “David and Bathsheba” has proved successful. A total of six cities in the Pennsylvania area was covered during the first week, starting in Philadelphia, and carrying through to Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Reading, and Har¬ risburg. Activities included TV and radio appearances, department store tie-ins. Community Chest promotions, and motorcades through the various towns. Pottsville Edward J. Flanagan, “Mr. Theatre,” died in Good Samaritan Hospital after several weeks’ illness. Beginning as an extra stage hand at the old Academy of Music back in the late ’80’s, and working later in the Slater, he eventu¬ ally became stage manager. Hippo¬ drome. He stayed at the Hip until it closed in the spring of 1950, serving that house for 37 years. He was active until his retirement in Pottsville local, lATSE. Reading Theatres here staged midnight shows the night before July 4. . . . “Goliath,” the seven-foot four-inch giant in 20th Century-Fox’s “David and Bathsheba,” made personal appearances in the lobby of the Embassy, Paul E. Glase, man¬ ager, and also on the grounds at the Reading Drive-In and the Mt. Penn Drive-In. Manager Birk Binnard, Warner, staged a “dog obedience” test along with the showing of “Lassie” in “The Painted Hills.” The stage demonstra¬ tion was arranged by Binnard with the Berks County Dog Training Club, which brought a number of champion collie dogs to the theatre. Manager M. A. Sargent, Atlantic DriveIn, Pleasantville, N. J., recently had two of his field men costumed as Bill Maudlin’s famed “Willie” and “Joe” to tour the resort area in his campaign to promote U-I’s comedy, “Up Front.” Television companies, stringing cables over the mountains of Schuylkill Coun¬ ty, some extending into Berks County, are becoming more active in the Schuyl¬ kill coal region area. Recently, Ham¬ burg Borough Council, in Berks, ap¬ proved a request by a Schuylkill company for permission to set up a mast and a community TV cable in the borough, subject to the company’s get¬ ting a lease with a private property owner for a tower site. In Schuylkill Haven, Borough Council granted a similar permit to the Brockton Tele¬ vision Company to erect a mast and to string community cables, subject to the granting of approval by borough engi¬ neers, as the borough owns its electric plant. Summit Hill Borough Council re¬ cently passed an ordinance imposing a tax on the television tower and the com¬ munity cable of the Panther Valley Television Company. The Panther Val¬ ley company has gone into equity court, asking for a writ of injunction, and declaring that the tax is illegal and the ordinance unconstitutional. York One of the largest parking lots in the downtown mercantile area, site of the former Orpheum and the Old York Opera House, was sold. . . . The 'Rialto, up for sale, instituted a Saturday and Sunday policy. Joseph Bergin, S-W district manager, is now managing the Strand. . . . Paul Harvey, with StanleyWarner 23 con¬ secutive years and last manager, Capi¬ tol, resigned to become manager. South¬ ern, owned by Charles MacDonald. . . . Nathan F. Watkins, recently trans¬ ferred to the Ritz, is back at the Capi¬ tol. A new manager for the Ritz was to be named. A world premiere of “The Whistle at Eaton Falls” is being planned here next month at the Southern, with plenty of hoopla and ballyhoo. Virginia Richmond Lou Golding and Herman Nowitsky were in for the initial exclusive theatre television at the National. The event was given much publicity by Floyd Stawls. Admission price was ?1, in¬ cluding tax, and the regular feature was also shown. The theatre will tele¬ vise the next exclusive theatre TV fight tomorrow night (July 12). Pat Leary and Tripple Caldwell, pro¬ jectionists, spent their vacations in North Carolina fishing. . . . Addie Stewart, Colonial, sprained his ankle a week before vacation time, and ex¬ pects to stay at his cottage down on the river for several weeks. . . . Sympathy goes to Charles Jackson, State service staff, who recently lost his sister, Mrs. Cora Norment. . . . Bernice Alley, State, spent the weekend at Buckroe Beach. . . . Layton Ives, Park manager, vaca¬ tioned at home while Frank Silver! took over. . . Thelma Hayward is new at the Grand. . . . The wife of Otis Bugg, National, was in the hospital for a slight operation. — S. T. Claire Phillips, whose war experiences are told in Allied Artists’ “I Was An American Spy,” is pictured at the re¬ cent Philadelphia opening at the S-W Stanton with manager A1 Plough. Julj/ 11, mi