The Exhibitor (1950)

EXHIBITOR NT-1 NEWS OF THE BRANCHES Cincinnati Hugh Owen, Paramount’s eastern and southern division manager, and Joe Walsh, branch operations manager, were here, as well as in Cleveland and Detroit. Theatre Owners Corporation moved its office from the Keith building to 1635 Central Parkway. . . . Employees in U-I held their annual picnic at Ross, Ky. . . . Jim Grady, a student at Xavier Univer¬ sity and son of James J. Grady, Para¬ mount branch manager, became medalist in an amateur golf tournament. Bob Stein, MGM shipper, was in train¬ ing with the National Guard, Camp Atterbury, Ind. . . . Bill Borack replaced Art Levy as manager, local area office, Cooperative Theatre Service. Levy is now Realart sales manager. Raymond Russo, former Columbia salesman, joined Cooperative as booker. W. R. and M. G. Rose opened a new drive-in at Madison, W. Va. . . . Hay¬ wood Mitchusson, U-I salesman in Ken¬ tucky, underwent an appendectomy at Christ Hospital. . . . Amy Banker, Eagle Lion Classics cashier, was ill. ... Wal¬ ter Wiling, Rex, Chapmansville, W. Va., is now buying and booking through Co¬ operative. . . . Milton Gurian, Lippert branch manager, was in Columbus, O. . . . Joseph Gins, U-I branch manager, was on business in Springfield, Ohio . Edward Salzburg, Screen Classics pres¬ ident, went to Chicago. Vacationing were: Terresa Kimbrill, U-I inspectress; Clyde Kimbrill, 20thFox head shipper; Bill Stanforth, book¬ er, and Sue Lovell, contract clerk, Co¬ lumbia; Marie Donelson, office manager and booker, Screen Classics; Shirley Murphy, Loew’s billing department; Ed¬ na Tresstel, secretary, Monogram, and Betty Baker, stenographer, and Bertha Ruhsteller, inspectress, Realart. Recent visitors included: E. R. Custer and son, Jack, and Harold Moore, Charleston, W. Va.; Bill Thalheimer, Logan, W. Va.; Floyd Price, Newark, O. ; Jack Stedman, Marietta, 0.; Moe Potasky, Troy, 0.; Roy Wells, John Gregory and Fred Krimm, Dayton, O., and William Cain, Louisa, Ky. “Sunset Boulevard’’ got a great boost when Gloria Swanson spent three days on a round of press and radio appear¬ ances, cocktail parties (she drank toma¬ to juice), and other affairs. Local Paramount officials went all-out. Cleveland It was a busy week for the Ochs fam¬ ily. A second son was born to the Jack Ochses. Later, Herb and son Jack went to Jamestown, N. Y. to supervise the Frank N. Seltzer, left, producer of Co¬ lumbia’s “711 Ocean Drive,’’ recently dis¬ cussed how the underworld tried to stop production of the film, which deals with the wire-service bookie racket, with Sen¬ ator Alexander Wiley in Washington, D. C. Senator Wiley is a member of the special Senate investigating committee. opening of the new Pic-17 Drive-In in which Dave Goldstein, Buffalo, is a part¬ ner. At the same time, Mrs. Herb Ochs and another son, Jimmy, took over the opening of the new Startop Drive-In, London, Ontario. The Toledo, O., film salesmen are unanimously singing the praises of Bert and Mrs. Schoonmaker and of their sum¬ mer resort at Clark’s Lake, Mich. The Schoonmakers, who own the World, Toledo, and the Lyric, Delta, O., enter¬ tained the boys at their resort place. Among those present were: Aaron Wayne, Paramount; Box Bixler, War¬ ners; Frank Belles, RKO; Phil Harring¬ ton, MGM; Carl Scheuch, Monogram; Tom Alley, Republic; Sam Lichter, 20thFox; George Flynn, U-I, and also pres¬ ent were Nat Baraeh and Irving Marcus, NSS branch manager and salesman. At Paramount, Lou Averbach, assis¬ tant to the late central division manager, Harry Goldstein, resigned, and will an¬ nounce his future plans shortly. Esther Bender, with the company 20 years and secretary to Goldstein for the past 12, years, is taking an extended vacation. George Bressler, a 22-year Paramount veteran, also left the company. For the past several years he was office manager. S. Sylvan Simon, producer of Columbia’s “Born Yesterday,” recently took time out while the picture was shooting in Wash¬ ington to discuss the studio’s military pictures with members of the National Military Establishment. At a reception, the producer is flanked by Don Baruch, on left, and Major Claire Towne, NME. Howard Roth will combine the duties of office manager and head booker. The Cleveland Salesmen’s Club outing was such a success that plans are al¬ ready in the making for a repeat per¬ formance in August. The outing was held at 20th-Fox Sam Lichter’s place on Lake Shore Boulevard. As usual, the Toledo, O., boys played the River game a baseball game of sorts, with no score announced. The August affair is an¬ nounced as a gin rummy tournament, complete with prizes and medals. Harry Weiss was in charge of arrangements. Some 45 members, including the branch managers, checked in. Frances Kates, Warner booker, was vacationing in Canada. . . . Betty Bluffestone, Realart booker, returned to her old haunts in Washington, D. C. for her vacation. . . . “Macsay” Svegel, Repub¬ lic booker, is following Horace Greeley’s advice, and has gone west. Larry Kunz, American Seating repre¬ sentative, who remembers the equipment shortages during the World War, sug¬ gests that exhibitors would be wise if they had an engineering survey made of their present needs, and place orders for them on a future delivery basis. Three more theatres in this area closed, the Community, Sugar Creek, O.; Odeon, Ada, O., and Princess, Medina, O. The Circle, Akron, O., is reduced to a part-time schedule. Carl Moore mapped out a complete re¬ modeling plan for his Ohio, Van Wert, O. He plans to close during the altera¬ tions period. . . . Albert E. Ptak, for 28 years owner-operator, Lyceum, which he recently leased to H. McManus, Co-op¬ erative Theatres of Ohio, is a patient at Lakeside Hospital undergoing treatment for an eye ailment. Mrs. Leroy Kendis, wife of the Asso¬ ciated Theatres Circuit official was given her dismissal from Mount Sinai Hospi¬ tal following a recent operation, and is now at home. The initial lobby dancing in Loew’s State was so well received that district manager Frank Murphy is continuing it. This is the first of a series of movie-ra¬ dio showmanship campaign promotions. Two more drive-ins opened in time for the holiday, the Northfield-Star Drive-In, Northfield, O., and the Sharon Drive-In, Lima, O. Associated Theatres Circuit sold its interest in the Skyway Drive-In, Chardon, O., to R. H. Manley, an outdoor theatre circuit owner. . . . Jack Hynes, manager, Shea’s Paramount, Youngs¬ town, filled up the car tank, and took off with his family for a trip through Michigan. . . . Henry Greenberger, offi ■ ELECTR1C AND nEOM S I G M 5 ■ ■ &MARQU E ES or QUA UTY ■ July 12, 1950 MIDEAST