The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR NT3 The Switovv Circuit, Louisville, Ky., closed three of its Indiana theatres, the Temple Court, Washington; Von Dee, Seymour, and Dream, Jeffersonville. . . . Angelo Chiarenza, Grand, Cambridge City, Ind., returned from an extended vacation in Italy, where he visited his relatives. A1 Blankenbaker, Pastime, Richmond, Ind., opened a penny ai-cade adjacent to his theatre. . . . Ted Mendlessohn is now doing the buying and booking for the Decatur Drive-In, Decatur, Ind. . . . Herman Morgan, salesman, U-I, and gentleman farmer, reports his garden thriving despite unfavorable weather conditions. He is the proud possessor of many blue ribbon awards for outstand¬ ing and prize winning vegetables. Peter Dawson, Rodeo, Louisville, Ky., flew to St. Louis during the week. Daw¬ son was a former manager of U-I at Memphis. . . . Thelma Smith, with U-I for 18 years in various capacities and recently branch manager’s secretary, is succeeded by Kathy Miller. Smith will be associated with Marc Wolf, Chief Barker International Variety Clubs, in a secretarial capacity. . . . Dora Blank¬ enbaker and Joan Jones, U-I office staff, were on vacation. John Schwin, Wigton, LaGrange, Ind., is making preparations for his annual outing for exchange managers, film salesmen, and exhibitor friends, at Adams Lake, on June 20. He promises all comers a good time and a royal re¬ ception. . . . Russell Brentlinger, RICO branch manager, spent several days in Louisville, Ky., with Fred Dolle, head Fourth Avenue Amusement Company. . . . Fred Franke, home office represent¬ ative, Film Classics, was checking the branch office. The Rex, Montezuma, Ind., operated by William H. Boyd, closed indefinitely. . . . Boxoffice receipts here have dropped from 80 to 40 per cent. Open-air thea¬ tres were feeling the decline in attend¬ ance, due to cold nights and a lot of rain. Film Row visitors w7ere: Katherine Fetting, Auditorium, Connersville, Ind.; Bruce Kixmiller, Colonial-lndiana, Bicknall, Ind.; Nick Paikos, Diana, Tipton, Ind.; William P. McGovern, Ritz, Loogootee, Ind.; E. E. Smith, Devon, Francesville, Ind.; J. Sloan, State, Windfall, Ind.; and Guy Hancock, Prewitt, Plainfield, Ind. Leo Ciacio is affected by a new recre¬ ation center and swimming pool recently opened in the vicinity of his Downs. Mid-week attendance is off because of the near competition, and grosses are diminishing during the middle of the week. . . . The Switow Circuit, Louis¬ ville, Ky., inaugurated a new policy in small town theatres. Children accom¬ panied by parents or adults are ad¬ mitted free, and “bank-night” and “family night” have been restored. Pittsburgh Blatt Brothers Circuit held a conven¬ tion of 27 managers at Mayville, N. Y., on Lake Chautauqua. Meetings were held Paramount’s “The Eagle and the Hawk” stars recently joined Indiana’s Governor Henry F. Schricker in Indianapolis to help in the sendoff of the Independence Savings Bond drive, and seen from left are: Kay Bryan, Aileen Stanley, Jr., John Payne, Arleen Whelan, Frank Faylen, and the governor. The drive ends July 4. in the May during the three-day session. . . . The Sykes, Sykesville, Pa., one of the Mid-States Circuit houses, closed with no reopening date announced. Poor business was given as the reason. . . . The Casino, burlesque house in season, tried a few weeks of “adult only” mov¬ ies, but they didn’t catch on, and the house closed for the summer. . . . The Dave Kimmelmans, he is the Paramount branch manager, will celebrate their 25 th anniversary on June 25 in New Orleans, where they’re going to see Mrs. Kimelman’s nephew married. . . . Harold V. Cohen, The Post Gazette movie critic and columnist reports in his column that a film salesman, in selling a picture, said it wTas a sleeper. After he played the picture, he agreed saying, “It was a sleeper all right, you could hear the people snoring out in the sreet.” . . . The Archie Finemans, McKee, are grand parents again with the arrival of a son at the Dr. Bernard Bravermans, Mc¬ Keesport, Pa. Warner Luck is the new assistant at the downtown Harris. He succeeded Fred Kunkel, resigned. . . . Marv Samuelson, Warner Theatres circuit booker, sold his home in Cleveland, and will be moving his family here soon. . . . Vince Barnett, Hollywood character actor, was in town to be with his mother, Mrs. Luke Barnett, ailing in the Mercy Hos¬ pital. . . . Mrs. Mannie Greenwald, wife of the Barry manager, opened a gift Ultra modern decor lends a smart appearance to this interior lobby follow¬ ing the recent completion of extensive remodeling at the Heights, Cleveland. shop on Forbes Street, in the Squirrel Hill section. . . . Jack Benny and his radio troupe did a brody at the Mosque. Dick Klines, Harris, Tarentum. Pa., is the father of a girl, born in the Alle¬ gheny General Hospital. . . . Alex Showe, Theatre Candy Company, is the father of a baby girl, Katherine. The same day the baby was born, he received contracts from the state of Pa., to handle the concessions at Raccoon Creek State Park and for the New Salem, Pa., Drive-In. Altogether the Showe Brothers serve 10 drive-ins. . . . Hilda Podvoric, Stanley, resigned to become Mrs. John Verlich. Charlie Barron, once MGM exploiteer here, was in to beat the drums for Eagle Lion’s “The Jackie Robinson Story.” George Atkinson was here to do the same thing for “Kill The Umpire.” . . . Jack Kahn, assistant advertising mana¬ ger, Warner Theatres, turned down an opportunity to go with the Warner dis¬ tribution department as exploitation director for five exchanges. . . . Among the new drive-ins opening were the Colonial, on route 51 eight miles from downtown; Twin Hi-Way on routes 22-30 beyond Crafton, Pa.; Comet, near Morrell, Pa.; and Moonlight, near Bedford, Pa., and Drake, Pa., near Titusville, Pa. Theodore Grance now operates the Kenmawr, route 51, near McKees Rocks, Pa. The father of George C. Davis, Wellsville, O., theatre owner passed on. . . . Harry E. Finley, Hollywood, Johnstown, Pa., was named manager, new Johnstown convention and visitors’ bureau. . . . J. Allen Figurel acquired the lease of the Heights, Crafton Heights, Pa., from Nate Tepper, who still runs the New Herron. . . . Fran Aiello, Manos, Latrobe, Pa., was transferred to the Manos, Jeanette, Pa. Don Woodward now in Jeanette, goes to Latrobe. . . . Alan Weider, former RKO exploiteer, was back to do some advance work on “Treasure Island.” Seen on film row were: Herman Lorence, 18th Street, Erie, Pa., who suffered a heart attack some months ago; Lou Lutz, Newcastle, Pa.; Ray Woodward, Franklin, Pa.; Herman Stahl, Oil City, Pa.; Milton Antonopolous, East Pitts¬ burgh, Pa.; N. A. Malanos, East McKees¬ port, Pa.; Bill Weiss, McKeesport, Pa.; Jimmy Nash, West View, Pa.; W. E. Veagley, Confluence, l’a.; and George Purcell, Onnessen Amusement Company, Greensburg, Pa. STATES Indiana Fort Wayne The Paramount, Emboyd, and Palace are offering to pay one-way bus fares for their patrons. The patron presents a regular bus transfer at the box office within the time limit on the transfer, and receives a free bus token when he buys his ticket. Kentucky Louisville The Grand, New Albany, Ind., in eoF laboration with WLRP, is presenting a June U, 1950