The Exhibitor (1952)

EXHIBITOR nt-: PTKWS OF THE BRANCHES Atlanta Bill Purvis, 20th-Fox, Jacksonville, Fla., was back after illness, and Mrs. Madeline Farr was added to the office force. Trammell Leverett, city manager in Talladega, Ala., for the Martin Thea¬ tres, was conducting a contest to select a name for the new 350-car drive-in. The Roxy, St. Petersburg, Fla., changed ownership. Buyer is W. R. Parsley. This theatre was purchased from Roxart Theatres, which bought the house from Florida State Theatres. The Marshall Drive-In, Guntersville, Ala., reopened as did the HiWay DriveIn, suburban Prichard, Ala. George Krevo was appointed manager, Empire, Daytona Beach, Fla. He suc¬ ceeds H. M. Addison. . . . George J. Wilson is the new owner, Iona, Wewahitchka, Fla. Former owner is S. E. Mc¬ Daniels. . . . Jimmy Bellows, former manager, Strand, Birmingham, Ala., re¬ signed to enter the radio field, replaced temporarily by Arlie Miller. Lester M. Neely, Jr., Neely Theatres, Alabama, was a candidate for a member of the Perry County Board of Education in the May 6 primary. . . . The 260-car Morris Road Drive-In, located between Beuna Vista Road and Macon Road, is owned by R. C. Saunders, Charlotte, and J. N. Wallace, who recently moved to Columbus, Ga., to become manager. DeVry projection and sound equipment have been installed. The finishing touches were being put on the Valdosta, Ga., drive-in. . . . Capitol Amusement Company, Erwin, Tenn., will soon start work on a new 500-car drive-in near the city limits. Clifford Cato, Warners, was married recently. . . . Mrs. Betty Chataham, secretary to Arthur C. Bromberg, Monogram Southern Exchanges, was back after an illness. . . . Grady Ventry opened his new drive-in at Ponce de Leon, Fla. . . . S. E. McDaniel has taken over the drive-in at Waycross, Ga. The Gay Amusement Company, LaFollette, Tenn., has taken over the Com¬ munity Drive-In, Mascot, Tenn., from C. J. Kennedy. . . . The Lake Haines DriveIn opened in Haines City, Fla. The drive-in in Fernandiba, Fla., on the Jacksonville, Fla., Highway, was ready to open. Owner is Ed Beach. . . . The Floste Corporation, Jacksonville, Fla., has taken over the Bonnet Lake The recent convention of the MPTOOG in Atlanta was an overwhelming success, and seen here in the usual left to right, to to bottom, manner, are: Lex Benton, Mrs. Benton, Roy Martin, and Mrs. Walter Griffith; standing, Tommy Thompson, Mrs. Rory Calhoun, and Mayor Hartsfield, and, seated, Broderick Crawford, Mrs. Herman Talmadge, Nat Williams, Lizabeth Scott, starred in Paramount’s “Red Mountain,” and Governor Herman Talmadge; exhibitors registering, and a group including “Red” Barry, Broderick Crawford, Mrs. Talmadge, Thompson, William Bendix, Miss Scott, and Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun. Drive-In, Sebring, Fla., from former owners C. C. and Mary H. Sutton. . . . John Tringas opened the Twin, War¬ rington, Fla., which had been closed for several years. E. L. Goodwin, DeFuniak Springs, Fla., is the new owner, Trail Drive-In. . . . Work on the Pine Crest Drive-In started in New Smyrna, Fla. . . . W. S. Baskin, Jr., manager, Ritz, Ocala, Fla., has been transferred to the State, Gainesville, Fla. which will virtually blanket the business district, and a night sale in the resi¬ dential sections of the metropolitan area. The new drive-in under construction for Floyd Theatres, Haines City, Fla., will be equipped with RCA projection and sound. Equipment is being furnished by Southeastern Theatre Equipment, which will also supply equipment for the new Starlight, to be open this month in Wauchula, Fla., and for the Silver Mcon, Lakeland, Fla. Harlow Merryday, owner, New, Palatka, Fla., sold the theatre to R. L. Bang. Mrs. J. M. Lakeman, Haleyville, Ala., returned there after a booking trip here. . . . Lester Neely, Sr., owner, Neely Theatre Circuit, died in Marion, Ala. The second annual Old Newspaper Boy’s Day for the benefit of the Atlanta Cerebral Palsy School will be held on May 23 with more than 5,000 volunteer “salesmen” participating. Men from all walks of life, leaders in business and professions who gained their first sales experience by selling newspapers, will help raise funds. The sale, sponsored by the Variety Club, in cooperation with The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution, last year raised more than $38,000 to aid cerebral palsy children. John Fulton, Chief Barker, is heading the drive with Fred Coleman as general chairmen. The “salesmen” will sell a special edition of The Atlanta Consti¬ tution in two efforts, one downtown, J. E. Martin, Grand, Montezuna, Ga., * was in for a booking trip. . . . H. E. Williams is now with the booking department of Wallace Film Exchange. Charlotte Mr. and Mrs. J. Marion Smith, who operate the Alta Vista Drive-In, Colum¬ bia, S. C., are nearing completion of their New Alta Vista Drive-In, which will operate on property adjoining the present one. The New Alta Vista is modern in every respect, and will open on or about June 15. Saxton Theatrical Service will handle buying and booking. . . . The Elm, Greensboro, N. C., closed May 4. . . . Bill Bright joined the staff at Theatre Equipment Company. . . . The Art opened in the structure formerly occupied by the Tryon. Barney Hornstein, manager, said the building has been completely remodeled. . . . Morris Nuger, Grand, was seen after spending two weeks in the hospital. . . . W. J. “Willie” Padgeth replaced A. E. Taylor as manager, Sylvan, Rutherfordton, N. May 7, 1952 SOUTHERN