The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 NEWS OF THE Atlanta In visiting were; Walter Morris, Pike, Knoxville, Tenn; Ed Duncan and Clyde Sampler, Duncan Theatres, Carrollton, Ga; Jay Soloman, Chattanoog-a, Tenn.; Marshall Maddox, Senoia, Senoia, Ga., and G. E. Duffy, Georgia, Fayetteville, Ga. W. R. Boswell announced that work on his new 400-car drive-in in Greens¬ boro, Ga., started, with opening date set for August. . . . Herbert Lyons, former branch manager, RKO, was in. . . . Frank Harris, former president, DixieDrive-In Theatres, returned to the city from Miami, Fla., where he attended the opening of George Wilby’s new drive-in there. . . . Roy Avey, president, Com¬ munity Theatres, was in. . . . Ben Jordan and Jimmy Campbell, sales representa¬ tive, Monogram, was in for a sales meet¬ ing. . . . Charlie Moore, manager, WilKin Theatre Supply, said that his com¬ pany has been appointed sales represen¬ tative for Hollywood Servemaster, Inc., manufacturer of popcorn warmers. . . . Rockwood Theatres, Nashville, Tenn., announced that Allen Smith, former as¬ sistant manager, Warner, Memphis, re¬ signed, and is now with Rockwood. . . . Nelson Towler, former manager, Eagle Lion, Memphis, is now with the same company here as sales representative. Atlanta showmen have carefully pro¬ vided spacious drive-in entrances to avoid any traffic jam on highways. Fred Coleman’s Starlight will accommodate 100 cars on the ramp-way. The old love bug hit the Row again, Era Albertson, Wilby-Kincey Theatres, and Doyla Carlan were married re¬ cently. . . . Mr. and Mrs. N. E. Savini, his special representative, Astor, New York, were back from Columbus, Miss. Tower Officials branded a union demand for extra projectionists a “feather-bedding” attempt, and added that a union accusation the Tower had “locked out” union members was un¬ true. Lionel Nash, Tower manager, said he has attempted to cooperate with the picketing members of the projectionists union, Local 225, for almost a year. Bert Ram, Lakeview, Augusta, Ga., was booking. . . . Betty Howell, Screen Guild, was on vacation in Florida. The Fred T. McLendon Circuit, with headquarters in Union Springs, Ala., opened a new $40,000 drive-in, the Joy, near Langdale, Ala. L. W. Bevel, director of publicity and personnel, Oak Ridge Theatres, in the home office, Huntington, W. Va., has been appointed general manager for the company, succeeding Milton R. Kress. Bevel has been in show business for 28 years with most of the time with the Crescent Amusement Nashville, Tenn., as operator-manager. Mrs. Queenino Hannah, mother of an 18-year-old Negro youth, filed a suit to¬ taling $15,000 against Bijou Amusement Company, Nashville, Tenn. who was al¬ legedly injured by falling plaster in the Bijou in May, 1950. ... In another suit in Tampa, Fla., Miss Rae Jones is seek¬ ing a judgement in Circuit Court against Ellin N. and Nan Creek, who, she charges, gave her a chattel mortgage on the Westtown and Broadway in 1948 in return for a loan of $5,500. Now the Creeks have been adjudged bankrupt, and Miss Jones charges that the Creeks did not own the theatres at the time they gave her the mortgage. The Shades Mountain Drive-In, Waters Theatre unit, Birmingham, Ala., lost between $1,800 and $2,220 to a ban¬ dit recently. . . . Bert Ram, Lakeview, Augusta, Ga., was booking . . . Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Weis, Savannah and Ma¬ con, Ga., said that the Savannah will be ready to open in August. . . . Martin Theatres opened two more drive-ins. One is the Eagle, East Brewton, Ala., for 315 cars with Howard Schasis as manager. The other is the Camellia Drive-In, Greensville, Ala., with space for 300 cars with Sam Carr as city manager. . . . The new drive-in Atmore, Ga., is The Palm. Howard Wallace, president, Wallace, checked in after a trip. ... In booking were: J. H. Thompson, Hawkinsville, Ga.; E. D. Martin, Martin Theatres, Columbus, Ga.; R. H. Dunn, Camilla, Camilla, Ga.; P. J. Gaston, Griffin, Ga. ; Joe Maddox, Clay Theatres, Ga.; J. S. Tankersley, Fort Chatsworth, Ga.; Roy Mitchell and wife, Stone Mountain, Ga., and Mrs. V. M. Edwards, Lithonia, Ga. Back after attending the Mississippi Theatre Owners meeting was John B. Dumestre, Southeastern Theatre Equip¬ ment. . . . Johnny Harrell, Martin Thea¬ tres, Columbus, Ga., was in. . . . Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Rudisill, his branch manager, Kay, were off on a vacation to Miami, Fla., to attend the wedding of their son, William H. Rudisill, Jr., New Orleans Ed Brooks, in his column, “On The Square,” in The Times Picayune, has this to say about popcorn. “If they keep on developing popcorn kernels with ever increasing size, popcorn will be selling for a dime a popped kernel, and you can eat a kernel like an apple. Whether or not this will draw people fx-om free video at home to movie boxoffices has not been determined.” A report by the Texas Research Foundation, Dallas, said that popcorn was developed that will pop to 37 times its original size, and leave no unpopped kernels. A. L. Royal, owner of theatres in Mississippi, reported recently that he sold his Royal, Laurel, to C. H. Crossley, Max Connett, and J. S. Mayfield. His circuit now comprises the Royal, Star¬ dust, Ritz, and Royal Drive-In, Merid¬ ian; Royal and Pi’incess, Waynesboro; Ritz and Royal, Hattiesburg, and his affiliation in Royal, Winona; Ritz and Grand, Jackson; Gay, Heidelburg; Joy, Laurel, and Dome, Hattiesburg, which he represents as buying and booking agent. Several changes of ownership occurred recently, among which was the Hauber, Pineville, La., purchased by Charles P. Morrell, who renamed it the Star. Billy Fox Johnson sold his Fox, Pollack, La., to Jack Baker, and the Joy, Laurel, Miss., was leased by P. A. Christian to Henry Jackson and R. L. Johnson. The Air Base Theatre, Jackson, Miss., was destroyed by fire. . . . Betty Clade, after a week’s vacation, was back at her desk with National Theatre Supply. . . . Mamie Lass, former office manager for Film Classics, is now with National Theatre Supply in the clerical de¬ partment. Three exhibitors who had their wives with them on the Row were: E. W. Clin¬ ton, Monticello, Miss.; J. P. Wills, Montgomery, La., and A. M. Riley, Logansport, La. Accompanied by their sons were A. L. Royal, with Lloyd, Jr., and O. G. Jones, Homer, La., with son, Jerry. Also in the company of A. L. Royal was Bob Sigler, an associate from Hattiesburg, Miss., and P. C. Simpson with the Joneses, coowner, Star. Those who soloed the trip were Charles Levy, Ritz, Hammond, La.; M. A. Versen, CWall, Morgan City, La.; W. N. Clark, Lion Drive-In, Winnsboro, La.; Tom McElroy, Shreveport, La., and Orin Roberston, Village, Bonita, La. C. J. Goodwin’s drive-in near Bastrop, La., is nearing completion. ... Joe Fabaeher, salesman, Monogram South¬ ern, resumed his trek after a rest at home. . . . Harold “Babe” Cohen didn’t tarry long in Chicago after Lippert’s general meeting. Nevertheless, his en¬ thusiasm skyrocketed. . . . Clyde Le Blanc decided that the sparse summer boxoffice was the opportune time for remodeling, which he got underway in his Star, Crowley, La. . . . Bob Roberts is playing the many drive-ins with his hillbilly shows. He reports good business. Gaston Dureau, Jr., vice-president, Paramount-Gulf Theatres, Inc., and Mrs. Dureau, who, in the past years, practically covered the United States, Canada, Mexico, and islands in the Caribbean on their vacation tours, have chosen the midwest and west coast this year. They left for Kansas City, Den¬ ver, Colorado Springs, Colo., Salt Lake City, Utah, San Francisco, and Holly¬ wood. Raymond Gi*emillion, Southeastern Theatre Equipment serviceman, checked in after a visit with Jimmy Tringas in Fort Walton and Shalmar, Fla. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Gaston Dureau flew to Leland, Miss., to attend the funeral of their daughter’s father-in-law. . . . The port of New Oideans is getting a TV publicizing. Monogram’s shipping and inspection personnel doing a swell job ai’e Tony Tortorich, shipping clerk; Effie Carlaisle, head inspectress, and Thelma France, June 28, 1950 SOUTHERN