The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 news or tiu: Boston Crosstown Decision was reserved by the Circuit Court of Appeals on the appeal of Grabose Brothers, Athol, Mass., from a final judgment of U. S. District Court Judge Wyzanski on one count against George Giles Company and Trimount Theatres. Judge Wyzanski’s findings were based on the promise that the Garboses, having submitted to arbitration, were bound by the decision of the arbitrator. Hope Emerson was in for newspaper and radio interviews in connection with Warners “Caged.” The picture opened at the Paramount and Fenway. A bill filed in the legislature to pro¬ hibit drive-ins in Dorchester, Mass., within 2,000 feet of a hospital, church, or school was received by the House Rules Committee. State Labor Commissioner John Del Monte issued an order placing in effect immediately the new 65-cent-an-hour minimum wage for office workers. An increase from 60 cents to 65 cents an hour for experienced office workers was approved by the Minimum Wage Com¬ mission earlier. The wage for inexperi¬ enced office workers was raised at the same time from 55 cents to 60 cents an hour. Ordinarily, wage orders are effec¬ tive after 90 days. Del Monte said he ordered it in immediate effect because the increase was “so slight,” and because last year the legislature passed a mini¬ mum wage law which declared wages of 65 cents an hour to be “oppressive and unreasonable.” The new clerical order includes cashiers in theatres. A tiein by manager Ray Daugaweet, manager, Laff-Movie, proved most suc¬ cessful. Tying in with The Boston Herald-Traveler, currently sponsoring a “Hopalong Cassidy” contest, with two Welsh ponies to be awarded to the winners, Daugaweet arranged for the two prize ponies to be displayed in two specially constructed stalls in the thea¬ tre lobby. The Laff movie ran a “Hop¬ along” feature to coincide with the ponies’ exhibition. In addition, the thea¬ tre also exhibited complete “Hopalong Cassidy” outfits and cowboy equipment, items to be awarded to the 420 runnerup prize-winners. When the ponies made their first appearance, boys and girls had been waiting for hours to get a glimpse of the contest prizes. Daugaweet reports that this tiein was a valuable attendance booster. Film District Arnold Van Leer, Paramount exploiteer, was given a check for $200 at the coast meeting in appreciation of the extra effort given by him to company product. According to Samuel Horenstein, New England franchise holder, Manley’s Inc., Manley’s popcorn machines are fast taking hold in drive-ins throughout New England. Installations recently completed for the E. M. Loew Circuit include: Hartford Drive-In, Newington, Conn.; Miami Drive-In, Miami, Fla.; Riverdale Drive-In, Springfield, Mass.; Norwich Drive-In, New London, Conn.; Governor Ritchie Drive-In, Maryland; Lynn Drive-In, Lynn, Mass.; BangorBrewer Drive-In, Bangor, Me., and Augusta Drive-In, Manchester, Me. Other spots include: Quintree, Brain¬ tree, Mass.; Somerset Drive-In, Somer¬ set, Mass.; Safner Circuit, Claremont, Claremont, N. H., and the Mohawk Drive-In, Gardner, Mass., for Bob Zerinsky; Derby Port, Derby, Vt. ; Starway Drive-In, Somersworth, N. H.; Sanford Drive-In, Sanford, Me., and Kennebunk Drive-In, Kennebunk, Me.; the Sunset Drive-In, Rochester, N. H., and the Theatrical Enterprises Drive-In, Bruns¬ wick, Me. Horenstein further advised that another ball park, Pynchon Park, the home of the Springfield, Mass., Cubs installed a Manley machine. . . . Con¬ struction of a new dollar shopping cen¬ ter in West Cambridge, Mass., was announced by John B. Atkinson, Cam¬ bridge city manager, and Joseph S. White, Sr., developer. The development, to be known as White Village, will con¬ tain a diversified group of modern retail stores fronting on the Alewife Brook Parkway. There will be a parking space for 400 cars in the daytime, which will be operated as an open air theatre at night. The new ozoner will be under the management of Stanley Sumner, veteran manager, University, Cam¬ bridge, Mass. Sumner has been associ¬ ated with the University since the theatre’s opening more than 25 years ago. It is expected that this new center will be completed in late summer or fall. In the interest of the forthcoming “Jimmy Fund” drive, to be held early in September, a luncheon-meeting for members of the industry was scheduled at the Bradford Roof. Exhibitor will, as in the past, carry complete details on the progress of the drive. ATC’s Park, Taunton, Mass., mana¬ ger, Johnny Corbett, came up with a simple gimmick which resulted in a full page ad on “Mother Didn’t Tell Me” in return for only 25 passes, plus a big follow-up news story. With the aid of eight merchants, Corbett con¬ ducted a very successful contest. His ad was centered on the page and sur¬ rounded by eight blocks, white space except for a merchant’s telephone num¬ ber and slogan. The object of the con¬ test was for the contestants to fit the merchant’s name to his phone number by looking in the phone book or con¬ sulting other ads in the paper. Guest tickets to the Park were awarded. Ralph Tully, manager, State, Port¬ land, Me., has been rewarded some profitable publicity after capitalizing on the current popularity of pictures of children with descriptive captions. Tully suggested to The Portland Telegram that a photographer at one of his kiddie shows might come up with some inter¬ esting pictures. This resulted in an amusing study of youthful moods for Telegram readers and a publicity spread for the State. Congratulations of the district go to Constance Overman, booker-secretary to Charles Wilson, head booker, Mono¬ gram, on the announcement of her en¬ gagement to Arthur Goldman. The marriage is planned for June, 1951, when Goldman will graduate from Har¬ vard Medical. Ranking officers of the Boston police department, state and city dignitaries, and many industry members were among those attending funeral services on June 15 in St. William’s Church, Dorchester, Mass., for Detective William E. “Buck” Jennings, 46. Burial was in Saint Joseph’s Cemetery, West Roxbury, Mass. Jennings, many years back, was with Pathe, and was a member of a well-known industry family. The late Jack Jennings, former Republic sales¬ man, and Tom Jennings, formerly of 20th-Fox, were both brothers of the deceased, and he was an uncle of Bill Jennings, Eagle Lion Classics booker. Loretta Madell, switchboard operator, Eagle Lion, has resigned. . . . 20th-Fox field press representative Phil Engel and publicist A1 Margolian, Astor, flagship of the B and Q Circuit were setting¬ up the advance campaign for “Panic In The Street,” scheduled to world premiere at the Astor on July 3. . . . Catherine Breen, secretary to branch manager James Connolly, 20th-Fox, returned to her Bellows Falls, Vt., home town for her high school reunion. The Redstone Circuit announced that its Boston office will handle the booking and buying for its drive-ins in this area. . . . Herbert Drake, publicist. Lippert, was in from New York working with Jack Saef, New England Theatres publicist, on “Rocketship XM,” Para¬ mount and Fenway. Affiliated Theatres Notes: The Safner-Rosenblatt Family Drive-In, Somer¬ set, Mass., opened, booking thru Affiliated. Open house was held for the industry. . . . Eve Krasney, Affiliated bookkeeper, was vacationing. . . . Seen booking at Affiliated was Dr. L. G. Tewksbury, owner, Opera House, Stonington, Me., who took advantage of the nice weather. . . . Tom Walker, owneroperator, Prospect, Whitinsville, Mass., and the Pastime, Northbridge, Mass., seen discussing matters with head booker, Joe Hochberg, Affiliated. The last board meeting of the current season for Local B-3 was scheduled at union headquarters. Sam Paul, presi¬ dent, said various matters of impor¬ tance will be discussed, including the new contract. Joseph G. Cohen, former booker, Nathan Yamins Circuit, is now booking for the Center, Fall River, Mass., a former Yamins theatre. June 28, 1950 NEW ENGLAND