The Exhibitor (1952)

EXHIBITOR NT-3 Theatres formerly served by Dallas exchanges which have been transferred to Oklahoma City branches include the Lamb, Amherst, Tex., and the Palace, Zana, Tex. In Tulsa, Okla., Lew Chattum, south¬ west showmen, closed his private docu¬ mentary movie production business at Claremore, Okla., and accepted an execu¬ tive job with Hallmark Productions, Inc. Chattum will become supervisor of franchise holders office operations for Hallmark. He will spend the next several months supervising installations of new Hallmark distribution offices, and will then be located in Hallmark’s new home offices in Hollywood. R. E. Wilder, Sr., 81, Tulsa, Okla., who owned and operated the Lyric and another house in Collinsville, Okla., back in 1915, died. Omaha The Variety Club’s housing com¬ mittee met with Ed Schimmel to plan arrangements for the tent’s new quar¬ ters. . . . Mrs. Ray Brown, Harlan, la., was taken to an Omaha hospital for observation. . . . Fred Fejfar, MGM salesman, was released from the hospital after treatment for a virus infection. The Grand Island, Neb., IATSE held a 25th anniversary party at the Country Club with honor guests Dick Walsh, I A president from New York, and Felix Snow, IA vice-president from Kansas City. . . . Keenan Wynn scored a hit as banquet speaker at the IowaNebraska Allied Theatre Owners con¬ vention. Registered at the Variety Clubs Inter¬ national convention at Las Vegas, Nev., were: Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Rips, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Shafton, Mr. and Mrs. Meyer L. Stern, Esther L. Green, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Stern, Mrs. Anne Schreiber, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rochman, Georgia 0. Rasley, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Nicholas H. Wegner, and Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Sokolof. Phoenix Harry L. Nace and Fred Crockett re¬ opened the recently closed Twin Screen Drive-In as the Acres of Fun Drive-In, under management of Otto Silvester. The Phoenix outdoorer was formerly operated by Nace and McCormack. . . . The Sombrero Playhouse, showcase for legitimate drama during the winter season, has been taken over as an art film house by Louis Leithold, former assistant manager, Gramercy, New York. Leithold has leased the 492-seater until the early part of January, 1953. The Superior Drive-In has been opened in Superior, Ariz., by Long Enterprises, under management of Chuck Roberts. . . . The El Rancho Drive-In, situated on the Nogales, Ariz.-Tucson, Ariz., Highway, five miles from the Mexican border, has been opened by the Diamos interests, who operate two theatres in Nogales, the Roxy and the Nogales. The Show-Low, 420-seater, opened in Show Low, Ariz., as a Rawlings-Nace enterprise, House, a $50,000 operation, is managed by Jerry Rawlings. Claude Cline is the new manager, Studio, Prescott, Ariz., replacing Ralph Crocker, resigned, who held the job for nine years. Cline continues on as man¬ ager, Elks, assisted by Denford Pitts. . . . New supervisor of the Tri-Delta Amusement Company in Douglas, Ariz., is Tony Bustamante, who will be in charge of the company’s theatres there and also the new Fort Cochise Drive-In, Highway 80. Bustamante was for many years associated with the Tri-Delta organization in Tucson, Ariz. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Joe H. Woods opened a new drive-in, the Mustang, just north of Chandler, Ariz. Joe H. Woods, Jr., is manager. The Woods also operate the Rowena and the Parkway, downtown Chandler. Portland In Columbia Falls, Mont., a location for an outdoor theatre was purchased by E. A. Massman and Walter Thomp¬ son, owner, Park, Columbia Falls, and Orpheum and Lake, Whitefish, Mont. The site is three miles west of Columbia Falls, near the Flathead County airport. In Astoria, Ore., J. J. Parker Theatres is contemplating construction of a drivein. Options have been made on a site in the Youngs Bay area. The largest apartment transaction in the city’s history took place when the Park Plaza was sold to Mr. and Mrs. William E. Clavier, who recently sold theatre interests in Montana. The price was estimated at $1,600,000. The Claviers retain two theatres at Dallas, Ore. St. Louis The floods hadn’t closed a single thea¬ tre in the St. Louis film exchange area. Arthur H. Baebler, district manager, Alexander Film Company, was killed in an accident near Lebanon, Ill. In Thayer, Mo., Mr. and Mrs. John A. Beck, Jr., who operate the Beck, started construction of a 300-car drive-in adjacent to the baseball park on the outskirts of the city. In Harrisburg, Ill., Turner-Farrar Theatres, let the contracts for the equipment to be used by the drive-in. The circuit is building close to Eldorado, Ill. In Ellington, Mo., Larkin and Davis, owners, Strand, started construction on a drive-in on Route 21. ... In Marsh¬ field, Mo., Lloyd Schmidt, Niangua, Mo., opened his new Skyline Drive-In on Route 66. In Paris, Mo., construction is pro¬ gressing at the Major Drive-In, to accommodate some 200 cars. Mrs. Edith Major also operates the Main Street. . . . In Salem, Ky., Harold Schaer closed a deal to purchase the Warner from J. C. Davenport. In Lebanon, Ill., the Alamo closed for an indefinite period. The house had been operated under a lease by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schroeder. In Benton, Ill., Circuit Judge Caswell J. Crebs sustained a motion on behalf of the city to dismiss the complaint filed by Virgil H. Center, Robert J. Strauss, and Darrel J. Sullivan, operators, Mid¬ way Drive-In, against the leasing of city land at the Lake Benton Water Works Park for a drive-in to be operated by Sam Stuart Marshall, Tamaroa, Ill. In Edwardsville, Ill., Frank Carter, an employee of the Wildey for 15 years, has been advanced to manager by the Publix Great States Circuit to succeed Stanley C. Boryska, who filled the vacancy created when manager Frank Staley was called back to military ser¬ vice. Boryska will manage the East St. Louis Drive-In. In Taylorville, Ill., the Frisina Amuse¬ ment Company announced plans for closing the 620-seat Ritz in accordance with the policy to close one of its houses in communities served by one of its drive-in theatres during the summer. Ruby Renco, owner, Art, was con¬ fined by illness. . . . Frank Wagner, Columbia, is a grandfather again. The Frisina Amusement Company’s Star, Hannibal, Mo., currently is being used as a third run house. . . . Herb Bennin, MGM manager, was given a sur¬ prise party by the personnel of the exchange. Out-of-town exhibitors seen along Film Row included: Rani Pedrucci, fea¬ ture booker, and Johnny Giachetto, short subjects booker, Frisina Amuse¬ ment Company, Springfield, Ill.; Frank X. Reller, Wentzville, Mo.; Bill Williams, Union, Mo.; Ed Fellis, Hillsboro; Leon Jarodsky and Mrs. Jarodsky, Paris, Ill.; Herman Ferguson, Malden, Mo.; Bernie Palmer, Columbia Amusement Company, Paducah, Ky.; Izzy Wiensheink, Alton, Ill., district manager, Publix Great States; Joe Goldfarb, Upper Alton, Ill.; Gus Boemlar, Altwood Drive-In, Woodriver, Ill.; Bill Collins, DeSoto, Mo.; Martin Operle, St. Genevieve, Mo.; Bud Mercier, Fredericktown, Mo., and Charley Beninati, Carlyle, Ill. In Paris, Mo., Mrs. Edith Major, owner, Main Street, has broken ground for a 200-car drive-in on Highway 24, to be known as the Major Drive-In. In Pittsfield, Ill., Russell Armentrout, Armentrout Circuit, Louisiana, Mo., contemplates the early construction of a 500-car drive-in adjacent to Route 54. In Festus, Mo., Miller Theatres, Inc., filed a petition seeking an injunction against Local 833 and seven union officials in the Jefferson County Circuit Court, Hillsboro, Mo. The company also asks that the defendants be compelled to pay it $15,000 actual and $50,000 puni¬ tive damages for picketing theatres of the firm in Festus and Crystal City, Mo. May 7, 1952