The Exhibitor (1950)

NT-4 EXHIBITOR series of weekly broadcasts direct from the stage in a local amateur talent con¬ test. According to Guy Roehm, manager, Grand, WLRP furnishes everything for the show. Roehm has been on vacation, spending a month in the Imperial Valley, El Centro, Calif. . . . H. S. Davidson, resident manager, Capitol and Shelby, was recuperating from an operation in Indianapolis. During Davidson’s absence, the theatres were under the capable direction of Sylvester Grove, one of the owners. Rapid strides are being made in the construction of the American Drive-In Theatres’ new Twin Drive-In, under con¬ struction in the southern section of Louisville. . . . The latest word from Charles H. Behlen, Lexington, Ky., indi¬ cates his Nicholas, now under construc¬ tion in Nicholasville, Ky., will be completed and ready for operation on or about July 15. When opened, the Nicholas will replace the Park as the ace house. Out-of-town exhibitors seen on the row included: Felin Ford, Veterans, Tompkinsville, Ky.; R. L. Gastrost, Vic¬ tory, Vine Grove, Ky. ; A. H. Robertson, Majestic, Springfield, Ivy.; Denzil Herbershoff, Shepherd, Shepherdsville, Ky. ; Louis Baker, Star, West Point, Ky.; C. O. Humston, Lyric, Lawrenceburg, Ivy.; Louis Chowning, Sky-Line Drive-In, Madison, Ind.; H. L. Blankenbaker, New Drive-In, Salem, Ind.; and Lyell Webb, Webb, Burkesville, Ky. The Switow Amusement Company’s East 50 Drive-In, Washington, Ind., opened. The directors of the Kentucky Associa¬ tion of Theatre Owners met, at which time a nominating committee of five members was to be appointed to select director candidates for two years. The holdover directors are: W. Freeman Smith, Andy Anderson, Jack Keiler, W. E. Horsefield, Fred J. Dollo, Kenneth Arnold, Tom Hill, Ralph E. McClanahan, Joe Isaac, A. J. Secton, Jr., and Charles R. Mitchell. Eddie Ornstein, Harold Sliter, Mrs. O. J. Minnix, Mrs. Gratia Locke, W. T. Cain, L. O. Davis, Gene “CHAIN” and “INDEPENDENT” both agree — that the practical knowledge ot Theatre Needs and Theatre Methods displayed in our forms and systems are most invaluable time saversl ASK FOR SAMPLES! THE EXHIBITOR BOOK t SHOP Coniine teil ns n Sen ice & Courtesy to Subscribers by JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATIONS, INC. 1225 Vine Street • Philadelphia, Pa. William O. Humphreys recently suc¬ ceeded Robert Halliday as office mana¬ ger-head booker, Warners, Indianapolis. He was transferred to his new post from the company’s Chicago branch office. Lutes, Van Snook, W. B. Aspley, Leon Pickle, and Ned Greene have completed their two year terms. Out-of-town exhibitors seen on The Row recently included: Louis Chowning, Sky-Line Drive-In, Madison, Ind.; Col¬ onel L. B. Fuqua, Kentucky, Eddyville, Ky.; George Lindsay, Lindsay, Browns¬ ville, Ky.; Homer Wirth, Crane, Crane, Ind.; A. R. Milby, Adair, Adairville Ky.; J. E. Elliott, Jr., Cardinal, Hodgenville, Ky.; Tex Richards, State, Croutersville, Ky.; Eric Hammel, Shelby and Bui'ley, Shelbyville, Ky.; and Fred May, Royal, Carrollton, Ky. Michigan Caro The Caro Drive-In, a 500-car theatre, opened. Manager is Jay Thomsen. Essexville Louis J. Kempa, Bay City, Mich., is sole owner of the Colonial after purchas¬ ing the interest of Alfred J. Hamlin. He had been in partnership with Hamlin since June, 1949, when he bought out Thomas Arnold. Hamlin and Arnold opened the theatre in July, 1948. Grand Rapids The Division Avenue Drive-In, has a new manager, Robert IT. Semeyn. An aerial fireworks display celebrated the opening. Kalamazoo Three area mothers made telephone calls to their sons stationed with the Air Force in Germany by trans-atlantic telephone on the stage of the State. Theatre audiences were in on the local end of the conversations, arranged in connection with “The Big Lift.” Idea for the tieup came in the fact that the film is devoted to the recent Berlin air¬ lift episode, and the sons of the mothers who made the phone calls are stationed with the air force there now. The stunt was a real click. Lansing The Lansing Drive-In on U. S. High¬ way 127 recently celebrated its second anniversary, and one of the features was the planting in The Holt Recorder, Holt, Mich., of the “Always Leave Them Laughing” contest on the Warner film of that title. Pennsylvania Punxsutawney The road north of the Starlite DriveIn, located between this town and Brookville, Pa., has been under construc¬ tion. This has adversely affected busi¬ ness at that drive-in. Ohio Columbus Judges of the Ohio Supreme Court viewed “The Devil’s Weed” at the Ohio Censor Board screening room in order to assist the body to reach a decision in the suit brought by Hallmark to compel the Ohio censors to reverse its ban on the picture. A press and television luncheon was tendered Chief Natay and his wife, Pop Chalee, here on tour in advance of “Annie Get Your Gun,” Loew’s, Ohio. The party was staged in the penthouse Suite 16 at the Deshler-Wallick. MGM representatives Elliott Forman and J. Everett Watson accompanied the Navajo couple. The delayed start of construction on the multi-million dollar Veterans’ Memorial auditorium in the downtown Civic Center is expected to start in the fall following settlement of the year¬ long court battle by one property owner. Test of the one-way street system for several downtown streets will begin with¬ in 90 days, it was predicted after it was learned that a majority of City Council favored the trial. Downtown theatremen are hopeful that it will bring a greater flow of patrons to that area. P. J. Wood, in his most recent bulletin to members of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, said that television trailers will ultimately become one of the best tools a showman can use in order to recapture lost patrons and add new ones. “The eyes of countless potential movie patrons are presently glued to the ends of television tubes. The best way to get their attention is to put a sample of your merchandise in front of them,” he said. National Screen Service is supply¬ ing the TV trailers. G-Bar-C Ranch, new entertainment park located on U. S. Route 40 just east of Reynoldsburg, 0., is scheduled for opening on June 18. An outdoor stage with an arena seating 3000 is under construction. An open air dance pavilion also is being built. “The Georgia Crack¬ ers” will be the prime attraction at the opening. West Virginia Seth Firemen who used a railroad water tank and a hole in the ground confined a fire to the Seth when a conflagration started there. Because there are no facilities for fighting fire here, the 18man Whitesville, W. Va., department came in, and used the railroad tank, let¬ ting the water run into a hole in the ground, and then pumping it out to play on the flames. June H, 1950