The Exhibitor (1950)

NT-2 EXHIBITOR near Akron, 0. . . . Herbert Horstemeier, Eagle Lion office managerbooker, joined Tony Stearn and Lou Ratener’s buying-booking organization, Ohio Theatre Service Corporation, as booker. . . . Jerry Steel resumed his own buying and booking for the Apollo, Oberlin, 0. . . . Leah Goldman, United Artists’ cashier, announced her engage¬ ment to Harry Hochhauser; Shirley Teklin, secretary to U-A office manager Lester Dowdell, on August 13 will marry Murray Beckenstein, New York, whom she met during her recent vaca¬ tion, and at RKO, Shirley Silverman will walk down the aisle with Mark Frankel on Oct. 8. The third annual Film Festival of the Cleveland Film Council, held in Cleveland College, was a big success, with some 200 people interested in edu¬ cation witnessing 63 films in nine classi¬ fications. The best in each of these classifications, as determined by audi¬ ence vote, received an “Oscar” presented at the Festival dinner by Arthur Spaeth, photoplay editor, The News. A special “Oscar” was presented to Elizabeth Hunaday, Festival chairman, in recog¬ nition of her efforts to make the event a success. Detroit Albert Dezel concluded a contract with Distinguished Films to distribute for¬ eign films here as well as in Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. For several weeks, Ross Mulholland, disc jockey on WXYZ, has been trying to persuade Dick Jones, president, WJBK, to advertise his station on the high board fence of Mulholland’s Sky-Vue Drive-In, Hubbard Lake, Mich. Finally, Jones broke down, said o.k., and they talked of the price. The copy for the ad reached Mulholland’s desk the next day, and he promptly turned it down. Here is what the ad said: “What are you doing here? You are missing some good programs over WJBK-TV.” The Legion Theatrical Post donated new projection equipment to the Veter¬ ans Hospital, suburban Dearbon. . . . William Flemion, former branch man¬ ager, Lippert, is leaving for Traverse City, Mich., for the summer. . . . Dennis Lenahan, salesman, Eagle Lion Classics, is back from his honeymoon in Georgia. . . . William Schulte, independent circuit operator, is planning to rebuild his Hud¬ son, which burned down recently. . . . Art Trombley, Columbia booker, is vaca¬ tioning in Des Moines. . . . The Midwest Circuit closed the Garden for the sum¬ mer. . . . Ralph Haskins, Theatre Pre¬ miums, Inc., is remodeling his offices. . . . Alex Schreiber is staying in Los Angeles for a month. In the lobby of the Palms was an ex¬ hibit for “Caged.” Theatre manager Rufus Shepherd set up a lady behind bars, a dummy figure with hair clipped to match the actress in the film. Shep¬ herd took out of the cage 28 pennies and two candy bars, tossed there apparently by sympathetic customers. Judges Ellen Green, Charles Dickausen, and Shirley Wagner pick a winner in the cake-baking contest recently staged by manager E. L. Merkley at the Temple, Saginaw, Mich., in connection with Para¬ mount’s “Riding High.” Prizes were a $25 U. S. Savings Bond, and some cash. Comments of local newspaper critics were placed in large letters on the mar¬ quee of the Michigan. Gil Green, man¬ ager, thought it a good idea to publicize “Father Was a Bride” by having critics’ comments reach the people by means other than newspapers. John Vosnoski’s hobby was blown up figuratively before it could blow up liter¬ ally. The Detroit Fire Department con¬ fiscated from his basement some 535 reels of nitrate movie film. Each reel contained 1,000 feet, a total of more than 100 miles. Vosnoski collected the film as a hobby. He pleaded guilty before Ordi¬ nance Judge George T. Murphy to a charge of storing highly inflammable material. The problem now is what to do with the film. When it was confiscated, it was taken to the Film Exchange build¬ ing, and stored in the vaults. But Film Exchange doesn’t want it. It is up to Lambert to get rid of it somehow. A spectacular oil fire at Ford and Wyoming, Dearbon, Mich., gave Dear¬ born fire officials a chance to say, “I told you so.” Firemen said the fire started in fuel oil which had seeped into a pond at the rear of a brick company. Many thought tanks containing more than 4,000,000 gallons of gasoline, were on fire. Had the blaze occurred at night, it might have caused a disaster in the adjoining Ford-Wyoming Drive-In Thea Pete Smith, producer of MGM’s “Wrong Way Butch,” recently received an award for the industrial safety short from Secretary of Labor Maurice Tobin, left, at the President’s Council on Industrial Safety, in Washington, D. C., ceremonies. tre, according to George W. Lewis, Dear¬ born fire marshal. The blaze swept with¬ in a few feet of the theatre’s boundary fence. Lewis said his department had fought the erection of a theatre at that location. “It’s only 90 feet from the gas¬ oline tanks,” he said. “Any kind of a blaze around here at night would start a stampede.” Indianapolis The Shadeland Outdoor Theatre opened. As an added attraction for the opening of this 25-acre theatre plot, the owners, Cantor Amusements, Inc., pre¬ sented Captain Speedy Phoenix, aerialist, who made two swan dives from a 140-foot ladder into a net. Additional features include the large recreation concession and rest room building, in¬ direct lighting, a kiddies playground, two boxoffices with a four car lane, inthe-car speakers, picnic tables, and free admission to children under 12. Mrs. Charles Clickner, secretary, MidWest Theatre Supply, entered the Methodist Hospital for an operation. . . . Howard W. Rutherford, manager, Loew’s, was on vacation. Zeva Yoran, Loew’s, St. Louis, substituted. . . . Meyer Adelman, States Film Service, was a business visitor. . . . Joseph Bohn, Realart, was in Cincinnati. . . . Joe Neger, former office manager, 20thFox, was confined to St. Luke’s Hospi¬ tal, Kansas City, after a serious operation. The Variety Club, Tent 10, will hold its annual golf tournament on Aug. 27 at the Indianapolis Country Club. Claude McKean is the tournament com¬ mittee chairman. “Heart Fund” commit¬ tee chairman is A1 R. Blocher. Prizes offered include a 1950 Cadillac car and a mink coat. Thomas Speer, Monroe, Monroe City, Ind., is now doing his own buying and booking. . . . Kenneth Barnard, Oxford, Oxford, Ind., acquired the Coronet, Otterbein, Ind. . . . Fletcher Brewer, State, Lafayette, Ind., was confined by a virus infection. . . . The Lyceum, Terre Haute, Ind., operated by Joseph McKinley closed as of June 19. . . . Mary Baker acquired the Rex, Monte¬ zuma, Ind., formerly operated by H. W. Boyd. Lee Goldberg, Realart franchise holder, Indianapolis territory, announced the appointment of Sam Abrams as sales manager, Indianapolis office. Joe Bohn continues as branch manager. Until re¬ cently Abrams was branch manager, Film Classics office. Abrams at one time was associated with Lee Goldberg as branch manager in Indianapolis for PRC. Rush Williams, former assistant man¬ ager, Circle, is the new assistant booker, Republic, succeeding Meri Whallon, transferred to the contract desk. . . . Sara Gastineau, boxoffice clerk, RKO, was vacationing. . . . William Carroll, executive secretary, ATOI, and family went to Euporia, Miss., to spend their vacation. . . . Bernice Wyatt, Warners, was spending her vacation at Niagara June 28, 1950