The Exhibitor (1953)

NT-2 EXHIBITOR honor of the occasion. Guest of honor Dorothy Lamour was introduced by R. J. O’Donnell, and Miss Loia Cheaney acted as mistress of ceremonies. Karl Hoblitzelle was at the head table with Miss Lamour and O’Donnell as was Father McCrea, St. John’s Episcopal Church, who gave the invocation; Bill Howard, Miss Lamour’s husband; Presi¬ dent Verlin Osborne and A. M. Kane, Paramount, and hostesses and em¬ ployers, as follows: Sue Benningfield and Kyle Rorex, Texas COMPO; Lola Cheaney and Van Alen Hollomon and John Q. Adams, Interstate; Mildred Freeman and Ed Rowley, Rowley United, and Clara Sawyer and E. K. Dolton, RICO. First of the club’s activities other than social was participation by 20 of the members at WRR during the radiothon in behalf of the benefit drive sponsored by theatres for Waco, Tex., and San Angelo, Tex., tornado relief. The girls volunteered their time and effort, and took shifts answering tele¬ phones, writing ticket reservations, and listing auction bids on merchandise donated by local concerns. Several in¬ quiries from women in other towns have been received by Verlin Osborne, presi¬ dent, about eligibility for membership. It has been decided that associate member¬ ships will be accepted, making the club a state-wide organization. Colonel H. A. Cole, who originally started the club a year ago, returned from Washington, E>. C., in time to attend the anniversary party. At least 50 Dallasites attended the 17th annual Variety Clubs International convention in Mexico City. In San Antonio, Tex., the Dallas group was met at the train by Eph Charninsky, and were entertained with singing and dancing by senoritas. “Run For The Hills” was a first-run in seven drive-ins with a reissue. Partici¬ pating drive-ins were the Chalk Hill, Denton Road, Hampton Road, Kaufman Pike, Samuell Boulevard, South Loop and Garland Road, all sponsors of the “Hot From Hollywood” KRLD-TV show, produced by George O’Bannan. Kyle Rorex, Texas COMPO executive director, was in Greenville, Tex., to be with his mother, Mrs. W. H. Rorex, during her recent operation. “Triplet” closed the season for the Dallas Little Theatre. The night’s pro¬ ceeds were turned over to the tornado-, damaged towns of Waco, Tex., and San Angelo, Tex. Van Heflin’s stage appearance at the Majestic was an added attraction when Paramount’s “Shane” made its south¬ western premiere. Heflin left to make another appearance in Fort Worth, Tex., where he crowned Fort Worth Junior Chamber of Commerce’s “Miss Fort Worth.” Tent 17, Variety Club, held its regular June 1 general meeting in the clubrooms at the Hotel Adolphus. A report on the convention at Mexico City was given to the members. Denver R. H. Zimmerman, western district manager, American Seating Company, was in conferring with Joe Stone, NTS branch manager. . . . Robert Hill, Columbia branch manager, went to Albuquerque, N. M. . . . Don Davis, division manager, was in from his Kansas City headquarters. . . . Harry Simons, Metro auditor, was in giving the books the onceover. Pauline Hall, manager’s secretary, Paramount, who has been on leave of absence, is back on the job. Mary Mosley, formerly in a similar job at U-I, was filling in. Miss Mosley is taking a temporary position with a law firm, after which she will visit her family in Illinois, and from there she hopes to get back into the film business. Earl Jameson, Sr., owner, Denver Shipping and Inspection Bureau, was in from his Kansas City headquarters for conferences with Lynn Fetz, branch manager. ... Joe Dekker, partner in Civic Theatres, has taken off on a vaca¬ tion. . . . James Ricketts, Paramount branch manager, and Pete Bayes, pub¬ licity man, went to Chicago to attend the Paramount sales meeting. Television Theatres is planning to build its first drive-in at the Centennial race track, Littleton, Colo., just south of Denver. . . . James Velde, western sales manager, United Artists, and Ralph Clark, western district manager, were in for conferences with M. R. Austin, branch manager. . . . Pete Meyers is building a new drive-in at Lusk, Wyo., and hopes to have it open next month. ■ A $200,000 drive-in is planned for con¬ struction on land adjacent to the Centennial Turf Club’s horse race track west of Littleton, Colo., by Lippert Pictures and Television Theatres of Colorado. Henry M. McLaren, 49, president, Western Service and Supply, died at St. Luke’s Hospital. Prior to organizing the supply firm, McLaren was purchasing agent for Fox Intermountain Theatres. He was also active in the Roundup Riders of the Rockies. He is survived by his wife, Winifred; two daughters, Diana and Marsha; his father, two brothers, and a sister. Des Moines In Waterloo, la., Paul Picerni, in “House Of Wax,” wound up his cross¬ country tour in behalf of the picture with personal appearances. Picerni signed autographs in the lobby of the Waterloo. The Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Iowa and Nebraska will hold a summer meeting at the Iowa Great Lakes during July. A1 Myrick, president, will be in charge of arrangements. Ex¬ hibitors attending the recent convention here indicated they were strongly in favor of the Lakes meeting. IowaNebraska Allied will also hold its 1955 convention in Des Moines. The 1954 con¬ vention previously had been set for Omaha. Charles Jones, Elma, la., sec¬ retary, Iowa-Nebraska Allied, has been named as chairman, Caravan committee. Others on the committee include Elmer Huhnke, Omaha; A. B. Jefferis, Pied¬ mont, Mo.; Jim Watts, Osage, la., and Robert Hutte, Osceola, la. Jones is also chairman of the publicity committee, which includes Huhnke and President Myrick. Leo Wolcott, Eldora, la., board chairman, is chairman of the budget committee, which includes Myrick and Huhnke. Earl Manbeck, local exhibitor, re¬ turned after a trip to Hollywood, and announced a new wide-screen plan of his own. He is working with A. C. Schuyler, formerly with National Thea¬ tre Supply Company, and now with NTS in Hollywood. Manbeck said the two men have applied for a patent on the process, which will probably be called “Pan¬ oramic.” The screen will be twice as wide as high but will require only one projector, and will use films already made. A member of the Ottumwa, la., police force found out the hard way that he cculd not watch the movies while on duty. He was suspended for 30 daysi for being in a theatre when he was supposed to be walking a beat. . . . Mrs. Myron Blank, wife of the Central 'States Thea¬ tre Corporation head, is recuperating from an operation. Kansas City Deepest sympanthy goes to Jean Calvert, U-I, whose mother was killed in a traffic accident. . . . Commonwealth Circuit has opened the new Arcada, Holton, Kans. The old Arcada was com¬ pletely destroyed by fire. The Wichita, Kans., Film Society and Wichita University held the first annual film festival in Commons Auditorium at Wichita University. The Film Society made awards for the best film and the best short subject. Films from Italy, France, England, Denmark, and the United States were screened. A bomb explosion damaged the front of the Exhibitors Film Delivery and Service building, and broke windows in adjacent buildings. Samuel Abend, vicepresident of the company, said he knew of no reason for the blast. Two other companies, the Friendly Theatres Com¬ pany and the Central Shipping and Inspection Bureau, occupy the building. Damage was estimated at $1,500. Warners and RKO exchanges suffered minor damage. Ralph Clites has sold the Cozy, Geneseo, Kans., to Chester Norman. . . . Chuck Brenner, RKO sales represent¬ ative, was at Wichita, Kans., Hospital. . . . Dave Kahu, RKO publicity, was in. Harry Hamberg, Paramount branch manager, is back after an operation at St. Mary’s Hospital. . . . G. R. Crocker sold the Rialto, Lyndon, Kans., to R. W. Bradford. . . . The many friends Howard Ross made when he was here as booker for Monogram wish him June 3, 1953