The Exhibitor (1951)

EXHIBITOR NT3 Minneapolis Central Minnesota exhibitors meeting at Perham, Minn., voted approval and support of North Central Allied’s news¬ paper clinic to be held in Minneapolis in the fall. About 20 exhibitors and their families attended. Lowell Smoots, Little Falls, Minn., exhibitor, presided, and Stanley Kane, NCA executive coun¬ sel, outlined NCA’s public relations plan for the clinic. Kane also told the group of other plans. G. Ralph Branton and Consolidated Agencies, Clarence A. Schultz, pooled their interests at Marshalltown, la., with Consolidated to operate Branton’s recently-acquired Odeon and Casino and CA’s Strand. Neal Houtz has been named city manager, Odeon, Casino, and Strand, by Schultz. The Pan has been reseated. . . . New loge seats have been installed in the Orpheum. . . . Milt Toroehler, manager, Orpheum, Davenport, la., vacationed at Park Rapids, Minn. . . . Raymond Langfitt, manager, Orpheum, Dubuque, la., vacationed in Paynesville, Minn. . . . Joe Mlinar closed the Roxy, SpringValley, Minn., for a complete remodel¬ ing, and plans to reopen the house in August. Meanwhile, he’s opei*ating a drive-in. Art Ableson, 56, associated with E. R. Ruben in the operation of theatres at Devils Lake, N. D., died. A brother, Robert, is on the Paramount sales staff at Los Angeles. . . . J. S. Erickson closed the Rex, Kingsford, Mich., and will convert the property to commercial use. . . . A1 Aved, 100-Twin Drive-In, has taken over operation of the Corral, outdoor stand, Moline, Ill. Delays in deliveries of construction material held up the opening of Urban Stolpman’s new drive-in at Big Stone City, S. D. . . . Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Johannsen recently celebrated their 25th year in show business at Paullina, la. They opened the Wonderland on June 27, 1926. . . . Irving Stahlke sold the Time, Kenyon, Minn., to L. L. Garnant, owner, LeRoy, LeRoy, Minn. . . . Wil¬ liam C. Gretmocker is the new owner, Park, Bellingham, Minn. Alice Kuhlmann, WB cashier, vaca¬ tioned in northern Minnesota. . . . New at WB are Elizabeth Horbal, typist, and Adrienne Petroff, stenographer. . . . Shirley Tuberman, biller, WB, left to be married. . . . Recent out-of-town ex¬ hibitors in were: Dan Peterson, Brook¬ ings, S. D.; 0. J. Roscoe, Lake Benton, Minn.; Al Buchholtz, Durand, Wis.; William Danielz, Elmore, Minn., and Harvey Thorpe, Crosby, Minn. Oklahoma City George Harold Dunford, 79, one of the city’s pioneer theatre owners, died. He had been ill for 15 years. He was permanently injured in an automobile accident in 1935. The world premiere of Warners’ “Jim Thorpe, All-American” is schedduled for Aug. 23 in Muskogee’s Broad¬ way, Charles Parker, manager, an¬ nounced. Parker invited Theatre Owners of Oklahoma, Inc., board members to attend the premiere festivities. Film star Burt Lancaster, Jim Thorpe, and many Indians are expected to attend. Omaha The passing of Mrs. C. C. Klotz, WB inspectress, was mourned. A. Sorenson, Vogue, Beresford, S. D., was prominent in the town’s recent “Horse and Buggy Days” celebration. Portland In Astoria, Ore., fromer Seattleite Kenneth “Bud” Anderson, city man¬ ager, J. J. Pai'ker Theatres, has put real showmanship ideas into effect. For “711 Ocean Drive,” he had a squad of off-duty patrolmen escort the print of the picture directly to the projection booth. On “Kansas Raiders,” he swung a very practical dummy by the neck from a hangman’s noose thrown over the top of the marquee. For “Up Front,” he utilized the fife and drum corps of Clatsop County Post, American Legion. In Billings, Mont., there was a mon¬ ster celebration in conjunction with the world premiere of “Warpath.” Archie Holt, ace salesman for U-I, is again covering south Oregon and par¬ ticularly Coos Bay. Quincy, Ore., a fast-growing ai'ea, is scheduled to have its first theati-e this year, according to conti-actors Ewert and Butler. Work has started on a block-square structure on First Avenue. Western Theatre Equipment Com¬ pany, which has supplied equipment to many Oregon and Washing-ton theatres, has been liquidated. The concern has been succeeded by Inter-State Theatre Equipment Company, Joseph Becker, owner-manager. St. Louis Mr. and Mrs. Paul Krueger, son Ronnie, and Mrs. Fred Wehrenberg are vacationing in the Krueger’s lodge at Vergas, Minn. Arnold Berger, general manager, Mid-West Drive-In Theatres and other theatres controlled by Phil Smith, Bos¬ ton, was visiting. . . . The Strand, Ridgway, Ill., obesrevd the fifth anni¬ versary of its operation. Clyde Miner, owner-manager, was a gracious host. In Taylorville, Ill., William Grant, resident manager, Frisina Amusement Company, announced that an extensive clean up and redecoration program is to be carried out at the 620-seat Ritz. In Lawrenceville, Ill., a complete newsound system has been installed at the State, H. E. Stevens, manager. Sol Mankins, Monogram-Allied Art¬ ists salesman, is recovering from ill¬ ness. . . . Bob Woodley, MGM booker for the past 30 months, recently was promoted to office manager, succeeding Harry Hopkins, traevling the Northern Illinois and Northern Missouri territory for the St. Louis branch. Installation started on the television projection and theatre-screen TV for the New Shenandoah, Sam Komm The-" atres. It is planned to give TV pro¬ grams there in about 45 days, being dovetailed into the regular shows of the theatre. The St. Louis branch of Joe Hornstein, Inc., sold the equipment, and is to provide the necessary engi¬ neering services. The Motion Picture Theatre Owners of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri, and Southern Illinois will hold its 1951 an¬ nual meeting in St. Louis on Nov. 5 and 6, it was decided. President Tom Ed¬ wards, Farmington, Mo., who presided, appointed a special committee, Martin Davis, St. Louis, chairman; Tom Bloom¬ er, Belleville, Ill., and Mrs. Bess Schulter, Louis K. Ansell, and Lester Kropp, all of St. Louis, to have charge of the general plans. The meeting also dis¬ cussed the forthcoming TOA convention and a report on the recent activities of the public relations committee in con¬ junction with the Kiwanis International convention in St. Louis and Bill Powell’s address to a meeting of the Fairfield, Ill., Rotary Club. It was voted to recom¬ mend to members of the MPTO that they protest to their Senators and Rep¬ resentatives against enactment of Sec¬ tion 1701-A of the proposed amendment to the Internal Revenue Laws. Out-of-town exhibitors in included: Herman Tanner, Vandalia, Ill.; Homer Hulsey, St. Clair, Mo.; Pete Medley, Sikeston, Mo.; Harry Pitner, Fairfield, Ill.; Charles Beninati, Carlyle, Ill.; Tom Bloomer, Belleville, Ill.; A. B. Mag‘arian, East St. Louis, Ill.; Tom Ed¬ wards, Farmington, Mo.; W. E. War¬ ing, Jr., Cobden, Ill.; Eddie Clark, Metropolis, Ill.; Bob Marahbank, Wash¬ ington, Mo.; Bill Williams, Union, Mo.; Joe Goldfarb, North Alton, Ill., and Marc Steinberg, East Alton, Ill. Tommy James, owner, Strand, New Comet, and Douglass, became a grand¬ pa when the stork delivered a baby girl to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Demitris James, at the Missouri Baptist Hospital. Salt Lake City John Dei-ek, star of “Mask of the Avenger,” arrived to make personal ap¬ pearances in connection with the open¬ ing at the Capitol. He was accompanied by Jody Lawrence. Salt Lake City’s annual celebration of “Pioneer Week” served as back¬ ground for the w'estern premiere of Paramount’s “That’s My Boy.” Two the¬ atres, the Center and the Utah, were designated as kick-off points for the Hal Wallis comedy to help usher in the State of Utah’s yearly festival dedicated to the early settlers. Cast members and other stars took part in the “Pioneer Week” celebration, and appeai’ed on the stage of the two theatres. Juli/ 25, 1951