The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 news or mi: Chicago On the occasion of the opening of the Variety Club’s beautiful new quarters, Chief Barker Jack Kirsch received a con¬ gratulatory telegram from Marc J. Wolf, International Chief Barker. . . . Morris S. Silver, 66, showman for 50 years, passed on. . . . Rud Lohrenz bought the Prince, Princeville, Ill., from H. Bouton. Charles Cooper, exhibitor and conces¬ sionaire, bought the Plaza. . . . Morrie Salkin, of the theatre family, enjoyed a walk around Film Row after 10 weeks in the hospital. . . . Irving Mack issued a sparkling number as editor, Variety Tattler, Variety Club house organ. . . . Fred M. Lohner, 44, former Piccadilly manager, passed on. The Esquire’s art exhibit is receiving national publicity. . . . The Cerebral Palsy Drive was largely aided through a marathon conducted in front of the State-Lake. . . . R. C. McMullen, Granada manager, entertained children of Angel Guardian orphanage through sponsor¬ ship of a neighborhood restaurant owner. . . . Harold Costello is again directing the Oriental as he did a few years back. . . . Trudy Gross was named receptionist, Henri Elman Enterprises offices. Nine youths, caught stealing drive-in loudspeakers, were each fined $50 and costs by Judge Philip Locke, in DuPage County. . . . Elmer Upton, B and K execu¬ tive, became a granddad when a son was presented to Elmer Upton, Jr. . . . The engagement of Danny Kirsch, son of Jack Kirsch, to Lorry Hillman was announced. . . . Y and W Management Corporation started on a 600-car outdoor at Muncie, Ind. . . . Book reviews by Jerry Schmal, preceding the picture at Friday matinees, are popular at the Lido, Maywood, Ill. John Semedalus, Nilda owner, spent a month in Florida. ... In a membership drive headed by Harold Loeb, Variety Club initiation fees have been waived until July 1. . . . George Booth, son of Jim Booth, theatre owner, was married. The Road anti-trust case brought against major corporations was settled out of court, and dismissed by Judge Campbell. . . . Aaron Cushman resigned as Oriental publicity chief. A. J. “Happy” Meininger, veteran 13 and K manager, resigned from the Belpark to conduct a Fond du Lac, Wis., theatre. . . . Martin King, Essaness, was better after hospitalization. . . . Bob Kennedy was named Highland manager. ... A suit seeking completion of a thea¬ tre building at Summitt, Ill., was filed in Circuit Court. The plaintiffs, Alexander M. and Mary A. Assin, Chicago, and Mr. and Mrs. John Muro, Argo, 111., named as defendants, James and Louis Gleatis, Summitt, and the Summitt Theatre Company. The defendants are asked to pay into the corporation, owned by them and the plaintiffs, sufficient money to secure an RFC loan, and complete the building. The money involved totals $45,000. Ted Duvall, Gateway assistant, was promoted by B and K to the Luna man¬ agership. Hones Swan, previously at the Luna, was given the Biltmore post. Carl Russell was promoted from Gateway manager to TV booking, replaced by Ralph MacFarlane, former Southtown assistant. Ralph Ermilio was named Biltmore manager, replacing A. J. Mein¬ inger. . . . Dave Kimmel was made an RKO salesman. . . . Jack Barry was ap¬ pointed Film Classics salesman. Harry Seed, Warners’ district mana¬ ger, was recovering from a heart attack, after hospitalization. . . . Harry Lessman, Film Row cigar store owner, is better after a recent illness. John Balaban, B and K president, is working with “Big Ten” athletic direc¬ tors to secure television broadcasts in certain theatres of one football game on Saturdays. . . . When the building which housed Maurie Lipp, Midwest Poster, and Harry Blumenthal, Ad Art, was destroyed by fire, exhibitors came to their aid with offers of financial assistance and new quarters. . . . Variety Club’s annual golf outing has been set for July 21 at Sportsmen’s Golf Course and Country Club. Jack Rose is chairman. An ordinance which would ban driveins in Evanston, Ill., home of North¬ western University, was before City Council, with the prediction that it will be enacted. The act provides that no out¬ door can be constructed within 2,000 feet from the boundary of any district zoned for residential use. A similar ordinance was recently passed by the Chicago city council. Evanston residents and univer¬ sity students will not be particularly affected since the city is within com¬ paratively short driving distance to large, well established large outdoors. Theatre attendance is expected to be aided through a large advertising cam¬ paign being conducted by the Chicago Transit Authority. . . . Richard Hoffman was named Pantheon assistant manager. . . . Seymour F. Simon, theatre attorney, moved to larger office space in the Board of Trade building. “Hain’t It Awful,” directed by Rick Williams for Tele-Movie Pictures, was shown at the Julian, Embassy, Davis, Byrd, Michigan, and Irving. It is the first of a series of juvenile comedies being made in Chicago with Chicago boys and girls. The subject runs 12 minutes. Dallas In Beaumont, Tex., the New South Park Drive-In opened, located on the Port Arthur, Tex., Highway, and the second in the city limits. The openairer will accommodate 600 cars. Jeffer¬ son Amusement Company operates. . . . In Ropesville, Tex., ground was broken for the new Ropes Plainsman, due to be finished in 120 days. ... In El Campo, Tex., local movies were taken, to be shown later at Floyd’s, B. N. Alsbrook, manager. The film will run 20 minutes when completed. ... In El Paso, Tex., the State was robbed, with the alleged burglar boasting of it as his “first job.” . . . Eight Interstate houses held “Fun Festivals” matinees, celebrating the school vacation. The Spindletop Drive-In, located on the west side of Port Arthur Highway, one mile south of Lamar College, Beau¬ mont, Tex., will be opened soon, accord¬ ing to Jim Woodall, manager. The new spot is directly across the highway from the South Park Drive-In, owned by Jef¬ ferson Amusement Company. The Spin¬ dletop is owned by two Wichita Falls businessmen, Dr. G. F. Swarts and Garnett Parker, who possess a con¬ trolling interest in the Tower Theatres, Inc. The new drive-in will have a capac¬ ity of 516 with in-car speakers, play¬ ground facilities, mosquito control equip¬ ment, and a patio enabling patrons to view the screen from outside their cars. Woodall comes here from Paris, where he was assistant city manager for Inter¬ state Theatres. Dave Smason, Karnes, Karnes City, Tex., has been elected Chamber of Com¬ merce president, and is leading a drive to increase membership for the purpose of maintaining a paid executive secre¬ tary. He is also Business Men’s Luncheon Club president. This is an independent organization, operating successfully for 18 years. Denver Mrs. Milos Hurley, owner of theatres in Tucumcari, N. M., was in St. An¬ thony’s Hospital, Amarillo, Tex., for several weeks, recovering from a serious illness. . . . Rose Agren, office manager and manager’s secretary, Monogram, re¬ signed because of ill health. The post of manager’s secretary has been taken by Virginia Willman. . . . M. J. Mc¬ Dermott, U-I auditor, was in. . . . Part of the changes to be made because of the merging of Eagle Lion and Film Classics are: M. R. Austin, Eagle Lion branch manager, will be branch man¬ ager, Eagle Lion Classics; L. E. Hobson, Film Classics branch manager, moves to the new branch as salesman, succeeding Paul Snoddy, let out as a result of the merger, and Mike Stewart, office man¬ ager and booker, Film Classics, moves to the new exchange in the same capac¬ ity. The new exchange will use the former Eagle Lion offices. . . . George “Scotty” Allan, National Theatre Supply salesman, suffered cuts and bruises when another car collided with his. Norman Bayes, 32, adopted son of Nora Bayes, former vaudeville star, died at a veterans’ hospital in Ohio. He is survived by a brother, Peter Bayes, Denver, ELC publicity man, who was one of three boys adopted by Miss Bayes, and a sister, Miss Lea-Nora Bayes, Virginia. . . . The opening of the new Lakewood, being built at Lakewood, Colo., has been indefinitely postponed. Des Moines A crackdown on curfew laws at Sioux City, la., has been started by Superin¬ tendent of Public Safety N. P. O’Millinuk, who announced that the curfew June 21, 1950 MIDWEST-WESTERN