The Exhibitor (1950)

18 EXHIBITOR Thompson Reelected Georgia President Atlanta — J. H. Thompson was re¬ elected president, Motion Picture Theatre Owners and Operators of Georgia, at the annual convention at the Biltmore Hotel. Others named to office were O. C. Lam, reelected vice-president; Nat Williams, reelected vice-president, and E. Duncan, new vice-president. Others named and elected were the fol¬ lowing regional chairmen and directors: southeastern: Ward Riggins, chairman; A1 Sheppard, Furber Mincey; southwestern: Ellison Dunn, chairman; Adolph Gortatowsky, Cecil Crummey; northwestern: J. S. Tankersley, chairman; Lam; central: W. M. Snelson, chairman; Nat Hancock, W. R. Boswell; at-large: L. A. Stein, chair¬ man; Williams, William H. Karrh; finance: E. D. Martin, chairman; Pete Brice, Dunn; legislative: Martin, Chairman; Duncan, Dunn, Snelson; public relations: Williams, chairman; R. E. Martin, Jr., Harold Spears, J. R. Hardy, W. E. Griffin, and TOA repre¬ sentative, E. D. Martin. Gloria Swanson was host to theatremen and wives at a screening of Paramount’s “Sunset Boulevard” at the Buckhead, and later gave a talk on old-time movies. Other speakers were Governor Herman Talmadge, Mayor William B. Hartsfield, Gael Sullivan, executive director, Theatre Owners of America; J. D. Jewel, president, Georgia Chamber of Commerce; R. J. O’Donnell, vice-president, Interstate The¬ atres, Inc., Leon J. Bamberger, sales di¬ rector, RKO, and Herman Levy, general counsel, TOA. Nathan L. Halpern, TOA television con¬ sultant, called for theatre TV as the solu¬ tion to the threats of home TV and Phonevision, and predicted that there will be 50 theatres with video installations at the end of the year. For the ladies there was separate en¬ tertainment at the Variety Club fashion show and tea, with prizes given to each lady by National Theatre Supply Com¬ pany. Rex Allen, Republic cowboy star, was host to all theatremen. The day closed with a cocktail party and buffet supper, hosts being Guy Brown, O. C. Lam, E. D. Martin, A. E. Chadick, Carl Marby, and Nat Williams. Second day’s activities began with ad¬ dresses by Hank Adams, national sales manager, Hallmark; Jack Thomas, general manager, Hallmark; John Evans, general manager, Greater United Theatres, Sid¬ ney, Australia; Hank Rady, Martin The¬ atres, who spoke on drive-ins, and Mike Simons, MGM’s exhibitor relation staff. Simons, assistant to H. M. Richey, who re¬ ported on some methods being used to improve attendance which have come to MGM’s attention. Following a luncheon hosted by Hall¬ mark and featuring an address by Mrs. Cleo Dawson, the afternoon session fea¬ tured addresses by Kroger Babb, presi¬ dent, Hallmark, and Fred Coleman, speak¬ ing on theatre concessions. Following election of officers and re¬ ports, the president’s banquet and instal¬ lation of officers was held. This featured a talk by Judge Camille Kelly on juvenile delinquency. President Thompson stated that “producers should be urged to make better pictures, as there is nothing that Wolf, Rembusch Honored At Indianapolis Dinner INDIANAPOLIS — The testimonial dinner being tendered jointly by the Variety Club and the Associated The¬ atre Owners of Indiana in honor of Marc J. Wolf, recently elected Chief Barker, Variety Clubs International, and Trueman Rembusch, recently elected president, Allied States Asso¬ ciation promises to be a sellout, it was announced last week. The dinner will he at Indianapolis Athletic Club on June 6. Trade Active In Bond Campaign New York — With the Independence Bond Drive in its third week, reports from territories across the country indi¬ cated last week that showmen have taken active leadership in launching local cam¬ paigns, and are coordinating activities around their theatres for the period of the drive through July 4. Perhaps the most significant single con¬ tribution in launching the campaign was the nationwide cooperation by circuits and independent theatre operators in run¬ ning the special bond trailers and the follow-up by the newsreels in featuring opening day ceremonies. Highlights of some of the campaigns reported to date include everything from special proclamations from mayors, recog¬ nizing theatre cooperation in the drive, to 24-sheets, posters, and use of ad-slugs in display advertising. Glenn Griswold Mourned New York — Funeral services were con¬ ducted last fortnight for Glenn Griswold, 63, former vice-president, Fox Film Cor¬ poration, and founder and publisher, Public Relations News. will cure a sick boxoffice as quickly as a good film.” Ginger Prince made a hit in her per¬ sonal appearance at the convention. Ex¬ hibits were held in connection with the convention for the first time, and among booths taken were those by Wilson Enter¬ prises, Jimmy Wilson, W. B. Jones, Drincolator Corporation, Hubert Mitchell In¬ dustries, H. B. Mitchell, Harvey Smith, Smith Enterprises; Dixie Theatre and Supply Company, Capital City Supply Company, Metro Products, and others. Charles Einfeld, 20th-Fox ad-publicity director, and Mrs. Einfeld were greeted last week in New York City by their daughter, Lise, upon their re¬ turn from an extensive two-month European tour. Charles Skouras Asks Showmanship Rebirth Los Angeles — The greatest revival of old-time showmanship on record will get under way soon throughout the National Theatres Circuit, it was announced by Charles P. Skouras, president, last week. The campaign, designed to stimulate the public’s interest in motion pictures, will be instituted simultaneously in the 550 theatres of the circuit, and executed on the local theatre level throughout the company’s divisional areas, Fox West Coast, Fox Midwest, Fox Inter-Mountain, Fox Wisconsin, Fox Evergreen, Fox Mich¬ igan, and Fox Philadelphia corporations. Making the announcement at a tradepress luncheon conference, Skouras un¬ veiled for the first time an elaborate 70page manual covering all phases of the campaign in detail. Copies of the manual, entitled “Let’s Prove Movies Are Better Than Ever,” were sent to every manager, district manager, booker, publicist, and executive of the National Theatres organ¬ ization. Skouras called for door-to-door sell¬ ing by all managers of National Theatres houses, with a quota of 10 personal con¬ tacts every day. They will be equipped with self-addressed post cards listing principal coming attractions. Interviewees will be asked to check the films they would like to see, with the theatre then advising by mail or phone when the en¬ gagement is set. The campaign includes a series of largesize promotional and cooperative ads, radio and television time, extensive news¬ paper publicity and cooperative tieups, person-to-person and word-of-mouth sell¬ ing, direct mail, trailers, posters, chil¬ dren’s approaches, and stage talks by managers. Attending the conference were, in addi¬ tion to Skouras: Thornton Sargent, Na¬ tional Theatres; Elmer Rhoden and Senn Lawler, Fox Midwest; George Bowser, Dick Dickson, Spencer Leve, Fay Reeder, and Seymour Peiser, Fox West Coast; Frank Newman and Vic Gauntlett, Ever¬ green Theatres; Rick Ricketson and Fred Reed, Fox Inter-mountain, and H. J. Fitzgerald, Fox Wisconsin. Cerebral Palsy Aid Grows New York — Numerous theatres pre¬ vented by other activities from partici¬ pating in the current industry campaign for the United Cerebral Palsy Associations are scheduling fund-raising activities for next month instead, it was learned last week. Fox West Coast Theatres will launch a UCPA fund drive on June 1, as will more than 100 theatres in Iowa and Ne¬ braska, spearheaded by the Tri-States and Pioneer Theatres’ circuits. Thalheimer’s and Fabian Theatres in Virginia will lead a large group of theatres in that state in campaign activities starting on June 15. Florida Theatres, among others prevented from starting earlier, began a UCPA cam¬ paign drive this week. Ralph Abbett Dies Seattle — Ralph W. Abbett, 63, Mono¬ gram branch manager, died last fortnight. A native of Indiana, he was a veteran of 35 years in distribution. May 31, 1950