The Exhibitor (1952)

NT-2 Thomas Grady, MGM traveling master booker, was here. . . . “Uncle Bob” Molzon, Norco, La., was seen pow-wowing with the sidewalk gang. . . . George Pabst, UA district manager, was off on a round of southern exchange visits. Columbia employees on a pleasure jaunt were Nick Herhs, assistant ship¬ ping clerk, and Ruth Hamilton, film inspectress. . . . Bill Lighter, head, Southeastern Theatres, was here buying and booking. . . . F. G. Pratt, Jr., timely as an eight-day clock, made the rounds of exchanges, and had yours truly enroll him on Exhibitor’s subscribing list. . . . Abe Berenson, president, Allied Gulf, and G. Y. Harrell, Jr., Manley, Inc., had their subscriptions extended. Recent weekend guests at the Gaston J. Dureaus cozy summer domicile on the Gulf Coast were Mr. and Mrs. William Richardson, Atlanta, and New Orlean¬ ians Mr. and Mrs. F. F. Goodrow and Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Howell. . . . Ike Katz, president, Kay, was here. Mrs. Ruth Bohne, secretary to J. T. Howell, buying and booking executive, Paramount-Gulf Theatres, checked in after a split vacation. . . . Fred Mc¬ Lendon’s Rex, Bay Minette, Ala., has a new lobby and redecorated rest rooms. Opp, Ala., boasts of two new drive-ins. George Owen’s 350-car open airer is scheduled for a June 15 opening. Bill Ward, Don Page, and Charles Gautney’s Dixieland is already in operation. The new manager at the Lake DriveIn, Pascagoula, Miss., is Robert H. Oswald. . . . The Wateralls Drive-In, near Silas, Ala., is well underway. Joy Theatres employees Connie Aufdemorte, Pat Wagner, and Goldie Foerster were among the volunteer Red Cross workers operating three Canal Street cookie and coffee bars for men and women in uniform who participated in the parades and other activities which climaxed the week’s observance of “Armed Forces Day.” Abe Berenson, prexy, ATOGS, and national director of Allied, returned from Colorado Springs, Col., with a brief case bulging with notes on the important work set into action by the board of direcors of Allied States Association which he relayed to his local organization in a news letter. Last but not least was the announcement of the selection of New Orleans for the national board of directors 1953 confer¬ ence some time in January. A. L. Royal announced that he has named Hank Jackson, former pilot of Royal’s theatres in Waynesboro and Hattiesburg, Miss., general manager of the circuit. Royal also disclosed the dates and place of the Mississippi Theatre Owners annual convention as June 22-23-24 at the Buena Vista Hotel, Biloxi, Miss. Royal is secretary-treasurer of the organization. William M. Richardson and the missus, now of Atlanta, returned for a visit and EXHIBITOR a leisurely look at the Deep South. . . . Here on their weekly booking excur¬ sion with their associates, S. E. Morti¬ mer and Lyle Shiell, Skyvue Airer, were Frank Olah and son, Albany, La. City and suburban exhibitors around were; Frank Ruffino, Gaiety; Joel Bluestone, film exporter; J. A. Parker, Westwego; Abe Berenson, Gretna, La.; Sam Corte, Laurel; Mrs. Bertha Foster, Violet, La.; Clarence Thomasie, Harvey, La.; Mrs. T. Lopo, Lakeview; William Sendy, Patio; D. J. Olister, Abalon, Algiers, La.; Paul Brunet, Dixie; William Shiell, Marrero Drive-In, and S. E. Mortimore and Lyle Shiell, Sky¬ vue Drive-In. The E. A. MacKennas, Joy, joined City Commissioner Vic Schiro and the missus along with dozens of other civic leaders to help Captain Frank Leamy and his Coast Guard Officers “christen” the new officers lounge for the Port Security Unit. . . . Gloria Kiefer, UA office clerk, figured that vacation time was the best time to have a tonsillectomy. . . . Film Row’s half dozen or so air flying enthusiasts kept Cy Bridges, MGM city salesman, on edge and in jitters with quips on air travel before his departure for the MGM meet in Washington, D. C. It was his second flying trip. Just before leaving for the airport, they presented him with bottles of aromatic spirits, a box of chewing gum, and a message, “Happy LandingSlim.” . . . L. J. Brun, Apex, Lumberton, Miss., visited buyer and booker, Russell Callen, Associated Theatres. Joy N. Houck, Freddie Houck, and Bill Cobb, were noted huddled over a cup of coffee at Gentillich. . . . Out-of-town exhibitors calling were: A1 Randall, Woodville, Centerville, Miss.; Alex Rosenthal, Alexandria, La.; E. D’Amores, Churchpoint, La.; Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Romero, Gil and McComb, La¬ fayette, La.; C. C. Meyers, Meyers, Biloxi, Miss.; Arthur Lehman, Booker T and Alamo, Jackson, Miss.; Ernest Clinton Monticello, Miss.; C. H. Crossley, Ritz, Royal and Starlite Drive-In, Laurel, Miss.; Reuben DeGreuie, man¬ ager, Strand, Arabian, and Jean, Laurel, Miss.; E. Jenner, Drive-In, Laurel, Miss., and associate owner, Marrero Drive-In, Marrero, La., and Midway Drive-In, West Lake Charles, La., and R. L. Osborne, Harlem, Belzoni, Miss. Florida Miami A survey shows that the state has a total of 515 theatres, of which 125 are drive-ins. Georgia Savannah General offices of Lucas and Avon Theatres were moved from the Avon to the Lucas. This includes the office of Earle M. Holden, city manager, Lucas, Avon, Victory, Bijou, and State. The suite of offices over the Avon lobby, formerly occupied, will be leased. Roy E. Williams has been named new manager, Weis, succeeding Spencer Steinhurst, who resigned to join RKO as a field representative in Atlanta. In addition to his duties as Weis manager, Williams will also handle publicity and promotion activities for the Savannah, Weis, and Roxy. Williams comes to Savannah from the Cinema, Miami Beach, Fla. Louisiana Shreveport Doyle Maynard, general manager, Don Theatres, was seriously injured when the horse on which he was riding fell on him while participating in a balloon race in which there were 16 contestants. Maynard was taken to a local hospital, where he stayed for several days, and was then removed to his home. He has recovered sufficiently to be back at his office. Frank F. Fuller, former manager, Village, Bonita, La., has been made manager, Majestic. He succeeds William Ellzey, who has accepted a position with the Delta Air Lines. Fuller was con¬ nected with the Sterling Theatres, Seattle, for four years, before joining the Paramount Gulf Theatres, Inc. Mississippi Biloxi The annual convention of Mississippi Theatre Owners will be held in the Buena Vista Hotel on June 22-24. This year will be an occasion for a special celebration as the new reduced rates on the Missis¬ sippi amusement tax go into effect the following week of the convention. North Carolina Greensboro Garland W. Hayworth, manager, Carolina, Asheboro, N. C., has been transferred here as manager, National. He succeeds James A. Burrell, who has been transferred to Lexington, N. C., to serve as manager, Carolina. Canton Canton Theatres, Inc., has obtained a certificate of incorporation from the North Carolina Secretary of State to operate theatres with authorized capital stock of $100,000. Incorporators are Jonas Chandler and Anne Chandler, both of Canton, and Jeanne Bradley, Ai-den, N. C. Wilmington The North 17 Drive-In, located at the intersection of Market Street Road and U. S. Highway 17, just outside the city limits held its formal opening. South Carolina Crescent Beach James J. Thompson, Wilmington, N. C., who formerly was in the theatre business in Georgia, resigned a position wth the city water department at Wil¬ mington to begin operation of a drivein here. May 28, 1952