The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 NEWS or THE BRANCHES Atlanta H. T. Spears, general manager, Bailey Theatres, announced that the company has taken over the Princess, Lagrange, Ga., owned by Fred Jablex. . . . Jimmy Wilson opened the Dixie Booking Office, 163 Walton Street. . . . Sam George, manager, Paramount, is back after a va¬ cation trip to Florida. . . . Mel Brown, local Peachtree Art and Montgomery Drive-In, Savannah, Ga., was on the Row. . . . Pete Howell, Monogram’s head shipper, was on vacation in Florida. . . . Fay Fuller was added to the office force at Columbia. The old love bug has another one on the Row, Robert N. Shreve, son of Z. C. Shreve, manager, Manley Popcorn Com¬ pany. . . . Ed McCloskey, Dania DriveIn, Dania, Fla., was in from Chicago on his way back home. . . . New owner of the Center, Banner Elk, N. C., is B. E. Burleson. . . . L. J. Whitley has taken over the Park-In Drive-In, Laurinburg, N. C., from Tom Britt. . . . John Holt reopened his drive-in at Nichols, S. C. . . . W. D. Sears, former theatre owner in Taylorsville, N. C., has taken over the Casino, Jacksonville, Fla. In Cleveland, Tenn., three theatres were charged with showing movies on Sunday. The men were arrested on war¬ rants sworn by the Cleveland Ministerial Association. G. B. Odium, Cleveland Drive-In; Charles R. McGhee, manager, Princess, and Woodrow Hawk, manager, Bohemia, were those involved. Visiting were: J. H. Thompson, presi¬ dent, Martin and Thompson Theatres, Hawkinsville, Ga. ; J. A. Solomon, Chat¬ tanooga, Tenn.; Bob Howell, former head shipping department, Astor, now in Montgomery, Ala.; John Tomlinson, booker, F-orida State Theatres, Jack¬ sonville, Fla., and Ernie Sands, War¬ ners, Jacksonville, Fla. Wayne Spiering was appointed man¬ ager, State, Plant City, Fla. . . . James L. Beach is manager, Beach, Jackson¬ ville Beach, Fla., and John A. Futch is the new manager, Beach Drive-In, Jack¬ sonville Beach, Fla. G. R. Gardner opened his new 350-car drive-in in Quitman, Ga., with all equip¬ ment by Dixie Service and Supply Com¬ pany, Albany, Ga. . . . Mrs. Neil Robern, accounting department, Republic, was back at her post after a vacation at Monroe, Ga., with her parents. The Temple, damaged by fire a few months ago, is again open. Mrs. Emily S. Chapman, who purchased the play¬ house from Solomon Miller, announced that it has been completely remodeled and redecorated. During his recent visit to Hollywood, Morris L. Lit man, veteran exhibitor of Rutherfordton, N. C., met Alan Ladd on the set of Paramount’s “Branded.” Ted Toddy, president, Toddy, returned to New York. . . . Mrs. Mildred Burden, Monogram, is at her post after a vaca¬ tion with her husband. . . . Sam George, Paramount manager, enjoyed a vacation with his family in Florida. In booking were: Hugh Martin, Martin Theatres, Florida; L. Taylor, Dixie, Columbus, Ga. ; J. S. Tanksley, Ellijay, Ellijay, Ga.; J. H. Thompson, Hawkins¬ ville, Ga.; John Thompson, drive-in Gainesville, Ga. ; Clyde Sampler, Duncan Theatres, Carrollton, Ga., and other Georgia theatres, and Sidney Laird and L. J. Duncan, West Point, Ga. In Leesburg, Fla., the Martin drive-in is operating with the mosquito control division of the county health department to help keep insects away. The new Crest Drive-In covers an area of about six acres with room for 320 cars. S. L. Cason is manager, and Mrs. C. E. Han¬ son handles the concessions. In Ashville, N. C., the new Galax, owned by 0. F. Summer, was recently opened to the public with 412 seats. . . . Operation of the Carolina, Sumter, S. C., has been taken over by the Iris Amuse¬ ment Corporation; I. Lawrence Gold¬ smith, Ben E. Ness, and Isidore Denemark. A. M. Kane, assistant division mana¬ ger, Boston office, Paramount, returned there after paying a visit. After a sales meeting, W. G. Bradley and Irma Rogers, New Orleans, returned there. The old love bug hit again. This time it is Jean Bowles, secretary to general manager J. A. Nesbitt, East Point Amusement Company, married recently to Hugh T. Crawford. Mrs. Crawford has been with the company for the past six years. . . . C. L. Patrick, general mana¬ ger, Martin Theatres, Columbus, Ga., returned there after a business trip to New York. Mrs. E. D. Martin is better after a spell in the hospital in Atlanta. . . . Another marriage in show business is Ronnie Otwell, manager, Breman, Breman, Ga., to Illna Coalson. . . . Martin Theatres, Columbus, Ga., started work on the new drive-in at Marietta, Ga. Don Hassler, office manager, Astor, with the family, returned after a vaca¬ tion in Florida. . . . New owner of the Victory, Lexley, Ala., is H. A. Childress, taken from former owners, the McLyndon interests. . . . L. E. Downing, Brookhaven, Miss., said that his new 800-seat modern theatre will be ready for open¬ ing about Aug. 15. E. E. McMillan took over the Ott, Kentwood, La., from former owner A. O. Ott. Seen on the Row were: R. H. Brannon, Roswell, Roswell, Ga.; L. O. Webb, Lukes, Hilliard, Fla.; A. Zibell, Swan, Norcross, Ga. ; and Charles F. Garmon, Rose, Flowery Branch, Ga. Branch manager Eddie Brauer, Republic, checked in after a visit to Tennessee. . . . Johnnie Bach¬ man, United Artists branch manager, was back from a Tennessee trip. . . . Back from a vacation at Republic was booker Marie Pinkston. . . . Carrol Clark, booker, Columbia, was on the job after a fishing trip. . . . Bertie Ginn, head in¬ spector, Republic, was off for a trip through the west. The old love bug went out to the Stewart Drive-In. W. D. Smith, assistant manager, was married. All on the Row say to both the best in everything. . . . Herman “Dusty” Rhodes, general mana¬ ger, Dixie Drive-In Theatres, announced new playground equipment in all driveins in its towns. ... A new drive-in at Cleveland, Tenn., opened for 350 cars. Seen at the recent world premiere of LT-I’s “Curtain Call at Cactus Creek,” Paramount, Atlanta, is the Hollywood troupe taking part in the territorial openings, with U-I executives and Georgia Theatre Amusement Company representatives. From left, are star Donald O’Connor, pianist Tommy Chambers, starlet Peggy Castle, actor John Russell, Georgia Theatre ad-publicity director Tom Read, U-I Atlanta branch manager J. V. Frew, starlet Lois Andrews, U-I director manager P. F. Rosian, Paramount manager Sam George, and C. Simonelli, U-I executive in charge of exploitation. July 12, 195G SOUTHERN