The Exhibitor (1950)

NT-4 EXHIBITOR St Louis The Maryland, owned by the Carroll Realty Company, closed until repairs were completed to the front wall, which was damaged when the marquee col¬ lapsed, and crashed to the sidewalk. In Murray, Ky., the 95, a 250-car drive-in, owned and managed by Enido Nucci, was opened on Highway 95, about four miles from this city. Nucci came to Murray from Hardburly, Ky. Mrs. Nucci handles the sale of tickets, while the projectionist is Frankie Fazi. In West Plains, Mo., J. R. Luckey, Wheatland, Mo., who had resided in California for the past five years, re¬ cently purchased the equipment of the 350-seat Butler at a public auction for $6,500. ... In West Alton, Mo., a port¬ able drive-in with a removable screen is being operated at the baseball park. Out-of-town exhibitors seen along Film Row included: J. Ogden Sears, Bluffs, Ill.; Tom Edwards and Frank Plumlee, Edwards and Plumlee Circuit, Farm¬ ington Mo.; Bill Williams, Union, Mo.; Loren Cluster, Salem, Ill.; Sam Ham¬ burg, Avenue, East St. Louis, Ill.; W. E. Waring, Jr., Cobden, Ill.; Charles Weeks, Jr., Dexter, Mo.; Howard Bates, Cape Drive-In, Cape Girardeau, Mo.; Irwin Degonia and William Basden, Killarney Drive-In, Arcadia, Mo.; Joe Goldfarb, Upper Alton, Ill., and Tom Bloom¬ er, Belleville, Ill. The merger of Eagle Lion and Film Classics brought some changes, with D. J. Edele, former manager, Film Classics, a salesman for Eagle Lion-Classics under manager F. J. Lee. Ruth O’Reilly, Film Classics cashier, is assistant cashier for the merged branch, while Hank Steffen, Film Classics booker, has been named booker-office manager, Eagle Lion-Clas¬ sics. Pandy Berns, formerly Eagle Lion booker, resigned. Eddie Stevens, former¬ ly an Eagle Lion salesman, plans to en¬ ter business. Cliff Mantle former sales¬ man for Film Classics, plans to take a vacation. The Armo Skydome reopened. This year the owners are booking through Andy Dietz, Cooperative Theatres. . . . George Phillips and Herman Gorelick, Screen Guild, were in Chicago. . . . Mike Nash, who opened a Nickelodeon on Franklin Avenue about 1906, dropped in¬ to the West End to meet Gloria Swanson. John Dugan, member of the bookers’ staff of 20th-Century-Fox, was promoted to the sales force to fill the vacancy caused by the recent resignation of Eu¬ gene Fitzgibbon, who went to Winsdor, Canada, to manage a theatre for the Canadian Famous Players Corporation. . . . 20th-Century-Fox held a regional sales convention at the Park Plaza Hotel. In Shelbyville, Ill., The Kay Drive-In was opened by Merle D. Stewardson, in the lumber business. The 500-car theatre was equipped by National Theatre Sup¬ ply Company, including projection and sound equipment, in-a-car speakers, etc. Stewardson’s brother, Glenn Stewardson is associated with him. The Ambassador closed following a breakdown of its air-conditioning system. Edward B. Arthur, general manager, said that the theatre would remain closed for at least six weeks, and possi¬ bly for the remainder of the summer. In the emergency, the Missouri was re¬ opened, with the Ambassador’s program. Saif Lake Cify Merging Eagle Lion and Film Clas¬ sics brought about changes as follows: A1 Mabey, Film Classics salesman, and A1 Sturgess, FC booker, moved to Eagle Lion Classics, replacing Montana sales¬ man for Eagle Lion Nelson Soulke in the salesman’s position and Fred Polasky in the booker’s position. Soulke has been appointed branch manager for Lippert, and Polasky has been ap¬ pointed booker for Lippert. New directors of the Utah-Southern Idaho unit, PCCITO, are Roger Menden¬ hall, Boise; Max Lloyd, Twin Falls; Sam Gillette, Tooele, and Ralph Trathen and J. A. Christensen, Salt Lake City. A resolution was passed at a re¬ cent meeting to send open letters to the trade papers asking that the Motion Picture Foundation give an accounting of funds collected, and asking that the Foundation notify the Salt Lake City group as to the disposition of money col¬ lected in this area. . . . Henry F. Ungerleider, Chief Barker, Tent 38, Variety Clubs International, accepted the charter last fortnight in ceremonies in which leading Variety Clubs International offi¬ cers were present. San Antonio Theatres are cooperating in making patrons aware of the slogan, “Movies Are Better Than Ever.” . . . The “Texas Top Hands” appeared on the stage of the Fredericksburg Drive-In to start a series of stage shows. Out-of-town exhibitors in for bookings at Latin-American exchanges included: Humbert Gonzales, Ideal, Pearsall, Tex.; Edward Reyna, Frels Circuit, Victoria, Tex., and Harry A. Britten, Espana, Pharr, Tex. Robert Cummings and Constance Moore were visitors at Wichita Falls, Tex., in conjunction with the opening of the nation’s wheat harvest with a festi¬ val. . . . L. S. Ducote reopened the North Palestine Drive-In, Palestine, Tex., which he recently purchased from Bert Morrow. . . . Organization of a Cinema Guild has been completed at Lufkin, Tex., with W. R. Beaumier being named temporary president. A. M. Gaines and R. W. Hailey an¬ nounced that construction has been started on a new drive-in two miles south of Sinton, Tex., on Highway 77. The drive-in will have a 400-car capac¬ ity, and will cost an estimated $75,000. Gaines is owner-operator, Bronco DriveIn, Beeville, Tex., while Hailey owns and operates the Lott, Lott, Tex. . . . George Caldwell, manager, Circle Drive-In, Beaumont, Tex., ill recently, was on a vacation. San Francisco With the sale of “Gift Books” of ad¬ mission tickets, the San Francisco Theatres, Inc. sweetened the deal by providing a free box of quality candies with each purchase of a $5 book. . . . The Roxy Theatre Company, San Rosa, Cal., purchased a 40-acre tract in the Northern California town to develop a 600-car drive-in and amusement park. John Peters is president. At mid-point in the extensive “District Manager’s Drive” being conducted by the United California Circuit, the Merced district, managed by J. L. Pilegard, is leading the campaign. . . . “Fame Is The Spur,” Vogue, launched with a strong campaign by Stephen Moore, manager, brought numerous British organizations to the showing. . . . Special preview showing of “Our Very Own” was held at the Alhambra, with numerous civic, social, and religious groups attending. . . . John Owens, former student assis¬ tant, Alexandria, was promoted to the rank of assistant-manager, Harding, with R. E. Wheeler, manager, Harding. Plans for the annual Northern Cali¬ fornia Variety Club picnic are being made by the organization’s officials. It is slated for Aug. 23 at the Adobe Creek Lodge. . . . Sherrill C. Corwin, president; Harold Citron, general manager, and Norman Newman, film buyer, North Coast Theatres, Inc. recently flew here for consultations. The Geneva Drive-In, located on the site of the old Baden dog track in the San Francisco suburbs, opened. It ac¬ commodates 800 automobiles. . . . Jack Foley and Jack Frasier, Fox West Coast booking department, returned from va¬ cation stays. Seattle Following the Eagle Lion Film Clas¬ sics merger, Bill Shartin, branch mana¬ ger, Eagle Lion Classics, moved his office from the former Film Classics spot to Eagle Lion. Butch Leonard came from Portland to join the sales staff. . . . Edna Elizabeth Thedford and son, William, flew out for Dallas to visit relatives. Two new drive-ins are underway, one by the Everett Motor Theatre, Inc., north of Seattle, and the other by Mike Barovic and William Forman between Fife and Tacoma, Wash. The Everett theatre will occupy a 15-acre plot, and will accommodate 721 cars. . . . GeneMarion Sobottka, daughter of Herbert Sobottka, general manager, Hamrick Theatres, left by plane for California to vacation at Apple Valley. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Sam Freedman, Los Angeles, arrived for a visit with their son-in-law and daughter, Sam and Mrs. Davis. State Northwest exhibitors on The Row included: Junior Mercy and Martin Brown, Yakima; George Borden, Jr., Blaine; Andy Walyer, Seelah; Corbin Ball, Ephrata; Russell Miller, Manson; August Aubert, Connell; Curtis Dawley, Redmond; Ben Slowe, Cashmere; Peter Barnes, Chelan, and L. A. Gil¬ lespie, Okanogan. July 5, 1950