The Exhibitor (1953)

EXHIBITOR NT-3 placing Barker Osigian, who started his own concession business, distributing Sno-Ball equipment. Shoffer came here from the Memphis territory, where he worked with Malco Theatres. W. C. Cutter, Wonder Company rep¬ resentative, manufacturers of soft drink “Toddy” and its dispensers, visited with distributor Tom Neely and staff, National Theatre Supply, regional dis¬ tributors. A. L. Royal and his assistant, Hank Hackson, announced the Mississippi Theatre Owners annual convention, slated to be held at the Edgewater Gulf Hotel, Biloxi, June 28-29-30. G. Y. Harrell, Jr., manager, Manley, Inc., returned from a road trip in Mississippi, Florida and Georgia. Warner manager Lucas Conner was out in the territory in the interest of “House Of Wax,” 3-D feature. Clinton Vucovich assumed full interest in the Skychief, Pensacola, Fla., by the acquisition of his associate, Ed Ortte’s shares. Vucovich will do his own buying and booking, formerly handled by Theatres Service Company. Steven Pictures personnel include Edward Constantine, manager; Frances Hein, and Julien Stevens, field repre¬ sentatives; Gloria Marchand, booker; Rosemary Cardarella, secretary; Roy Phillips, shipper, and Ella La Biche and Gloria Broussard, inspectresses. Out-of-town exhibitors seen around before and after Allied Gulf’s board meeting were Sammy Jackson, Flomaton, Ala.; Mr. and Mrs. Claude Darce, New Opera House, Morgan City, La.; E. R. Sellers, Yam Drive-In, Opelousas, La.; Jack O’Quinn, Kaplan, La., and Teddy Solomon, McComb, Miss. George “Singing Sam” Nunngesser, Monogram southern salesman, was guest speaker at a large gathering of Caliopeans, a ladies organization in Columbia, Miss. The meeting took place in W. J. Ilsley’s Ritz. Mississippi exhibitors calling were A. L. Royal and Hank Jackson, Meridian; A. W. Vowell, Liberty and Lakeview Drive-In, Taylorsville; Ed Corbin, Royal, Winona, and Jack Downing, Haven, Brookhaven. Henry Glover, manager, Monogram southern, was a Florida business caller, as was William Murphy, Jr., south¬ eastern manager. Ed Constantine, manager, Steven Pictures, was in Mississippi drumming up business. . . . Ernest Delahaye, Gwen, Miaringouin, La., and O. Gaude, Magic, Port Allen, La., were in. Mrs. Ruth Taubman, secretary, South¬ eastern Theatre Equipment, is driving a new car. . . . Abe Berenson, prexy, Allied Theatre Owners of Gulf States, reported on their recent board meet. Jill Jackson, left, New Orleans’ versatile femcee now rounding out her 12th year in radio, with “Jill’s Hollywood Show” and “Let’s Join Jill,” is seen on the stage of the Orpheum with visiting film stars Tony Curtis and Jan Sterling. Miss Sterling’s latest is Paramount’s “Pony Express.” Pineer exhibitor, Lawrence Lampo, Avalon and Boulevard, Jeanerette, La., called on his buying and booking agency, Theatres Service Company. Mrs. Violet Muse, Denham Springs, La., sprung a surprise on many of her Film Row friends when she introduced her new hubby, Donald J. Clark. . . . Nerry Comeaux, St. Martinsville, La., visited with his booker, J. G. Broggi. . . . Leonard Allen, manager, Rebel Drive-In, Baton Rouge, La., visited, as did Ann Molzon, Labadieville, La., and Mike Ripps and Ed Fessler, Do Drive-In, Mobile, Ala. Lincoln, Palmers Crossing, Miss., re¬ opened after several months, as did the Ritz Drive-In, Forest, Miss. . . . James Watts, Palace, Rodessa, La.; Joseph Barcelona, Regina, Baton Rouge, La., and Mayor Lew Langlois, New Roads, La., were in. Checking bookings with his repre¬ sentative, Russell Callen, was J. P. Guitreau, Gonzales Drive-In, Gonzales, La. . . . Jack O’Quinn, Kaplan, La., was in to book and visit. . . . Herb Paul checked in after two weeks in Mississippi, where he has booked “Bring On The Girls” pretty solid. Milton Dureau, president and general manager, Masterpiece Pictures, an¬ nounced the release of Jack Broder’s 3-D “The Moonlighter.” . . . Richard Crowds circled the block for the recent opening of Warners’ 3-D feature, “House of Wax,” at the Saenger, New Orleans. Roddy, Hymel, 16mm. theatre, Prairieville, La., was a caller at Stevens. Mrs. Bertha Foster, Violet, Port Sulphur, La., said “Bwana Devil” went over big in both of her theatres. . . . Ed Stewart, United Theatres’ electrician, who underwent surgery at the eye, ear, nose and Lhroat hospital for the removal of cataracts, is resting comfortably. City and suburban exhibitors around were John A. Parker, Gem and Gordon, Westwrego, La.; Sidney Otis, Algiers Drive-In, Algiers, La.; S. E. Mortimore and Lyle Shiell, Skyvue Drive-In; Paul Brunet, Dixie; Rene Brunet, Imperial; F. G. Prat, Jr., Vacherie, La., and L. J. “Jack” Downing, Haven, Brookhaven, Miss. Florida Jacksonville Bob Melton, former night club enter¬ tainer, has finished a training period at the Florida and is now George Krevo’s assistant manager at the Palace. . . . Hard on the heels of the first run of “Salome” at the Five Points, three independents, the Lake Forest and Pinecrest Drive-Ins and the Murray Hill indoor, played the re-release of “Salome, Where She Danced” day and date. . . . Horace Denning, owner operator, Atlantic Drive-In, distributed tropical orchids to lady patrons as Mother’s Day gifts. . . . Robert Heekin, Florida State Theatres city manager, is planning a publicity campaign on “Young Bess” to tie-in with the coronation of Britain’s queen. Maurice Shaaber, Florida maintenance supervisor, Wil-Kin Theatre Supply Company, has returned from Tampa and St. Petersburg, where he has been adapt¬ ing projection rooms to 3-D runs of “House Of Wax.” Mildred Elliott, Paramount office, is ill in a local hospital. . . . Tommy Harper, MGM publicity man for Florida, returned from an Atlanta planning con¬ ference. . . . IATSE members in the area have scheduled May 30 as the date of an all-day barbecue and party at Lee’s Lake, Keystone Heights. . . . Bill Dock, Miami motion picture publicist, was here to plan campaigns with Howard Pettengill, FST chief of exploitation. A district conference of Florida State Theatres house and city managers was scheduled at the Sheraton-Plaza Hotel in Daytona Beach, under the leadership of Jim Cartwright, district supervisor, and home office executives from Jacksonville. Expected at the meeing were Ed Roberts and Lynn Goodyear, Florida, and Fred Minor, State, Gainesville; Mark A. DuPre, Daytona, and Joe E. Gatrell, Empire, Daytona Beach ; French Harvey, Howell, Palatka; Ted Chapin, Marion, Ocala; W. B. Small, Victoria, New Smyrna Beach; Joe H. Fleishel, Athens, DeLand; Bob Harris, Ritz, Sanford; and Bill Duggan, Matanzas, St. Augustine. This Is Cerebral Palsy National Cam¬ paign Month — Run the Joan Crawford Appeal Trailer! May 20, 1953