The Exhibitor (Nov 1948-Feb 1949)

THE EXHIBITOR NT-1 xliWS or inK branches ^ Atlanta Carlos Moore, former sales repre¬ sentative, Film Classics, for Florida, resigned to enter business for him¬ self. ...In the city from the River¬ side, Jacksonville, Fla., was M.C. Moore. ...Off to Jacksonville, Fla., was Nelson Towler, sales repre¬ sentative, SRO. Kate Sellers, RKO, was out due to illness last week.... In the city visiting was Jim Partlew, former branch manager, U-I, now drive-in owner in Orlando, Fla. . . . Frank Harris, former owner, Dixie Drive-in Theatres, was in. Captain Rebb, for many years a theatre owner, now 82 • years-young, was a welcome visitor. ... Walter Titus, southern district manager, and Steve Dorsey, from the home office, were in visiting Republic. Seen on the Row for some booking and visiting were C. S. Pitman, Pit¬ man, Gadsden, Ala.; B. W. Wright, Gadsden and Alabama City, Ala.; Sidney Laird and L.J. Duncah, West Point, Ga. ; Clyde Sampler, Carroll¬ ton, Ga. , and Joe Maddox, Clay’s Theatres, Georgia. The Hanger opened again. ... R. E. Hook, Theatre Circuit, with head¬ quarters in Aliceville, Ala., was on Film Row booking. . . . Jack King, formerly with EL, joined with Ralph Peckham with Real art in Jacksonville, Fla. ... Ed Stevens, president, Stevens Pictures, returned from a meeting in Bloomfield, Ind. William “Smake” Richardson, presi¬ dent, Astor Pictures, returned from a trip to Columbus, Ga. ... Chari ie Moore and Jimmy Wilson, W and M Enterprises, also returned to their offices. ... Charlie Durmeyer, presi¬ dent, Southern Automatic Candy Com¬ pany, returned from Tennessee. John Jarvis, special representative, Kay Film Exchange, left for a trip to South Georgia. ... Ike Katz, Kay ex¬ change official, left for a trip to Memphis, while Harry Katz was off to Charlotte. The Fulton County Grand Jury, after witnessing a showing of “Male and Female”, returned an indictment charg¬ ing B.E. Gore, manager. Hanger, Hapeville, Ga. , P.G. McGregor, theatre lessee, and E.R. Hundley with showing obscene films, and tending to debauch public morals. The men were arrested and the film seized in a recent raid. The Atlanta Journal columnist Ernest Rogers, former amusement editor, who is always saying “happy birthday” to all film folks and others, was him¬ self the recipient of these greetings recently. Ira Stone, office and sales manager, RKO, celebrated another birthday re¬ cently. A rootin’ tootin’ time was had in the old town recently, and downtown slickers joined in square dancing to the strains of “Ida Red”. The stage¬ coach broke down, just as it does in the western shoot-’ em-ups, but spirited horses and a hot hillbilly band gave localities a parade to remember and a square dance in front of Loew’ s Grand to usher in UA’ s “Red River”. Thousands crowded the pavement to see the shin¬ dig and to join in the dancing, called by Tommy Trent and his “Dixie Fun Barn Gang”. Judge Austin Abbot and others awarded the prizes to three couples who “sashayed” and swung their partners most expertly. All in all, this was a great thing for Ben Hill, southern publicity chief, UA. H. Laird, branch manager. Republic, Tampa, Fla. , returned after a visit to this city. ... Bob Savini, president, Astor Pictures, New York City, came down to visit his brother, N.E. , Astor. W. H. Rudisill, branch manager, Kay Film exchange, was back after a trip to Jacksonville, Fla. ...Mrs. Nora Bray, formerly with Monogram, is the latest addition to Kay. Seen on Film Row recently were: O.C. Lam, president, Lam Amusement Com¬ pany, Rome, Ga. ; Mrs. Wallace Smith, Gem, Barnesville, Ga. ; B.E. Gore, Hanger, Hapeville, Ga. ; H. T. Butler, Lakewood and Forest; Louis Hutchin¬ son, Ritz, Austell; Nat Williams, Instate Amusement Company, Thomasville, Ga. ; R.H. Dunn, Camilla, Ga. ; J.S. Tankersley, Chatsworth, Ga. ; C, H. Bishop, Bishops Theatres, Columbus, Ga. ; Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Jerrell, Ritz and Roxy, Commerce, Ga. ; R.H. Bran¬ non, Holly, Dahlonega, Ga. ; Wendel Welch, Strand, Dallas, Ga. , and J.W. Peck, Pex, Eaton ton, Ga. Charles “Quiz Night” Clark returned to his office after a trip to Jack¬ sonville, Fla. ...In visiting were: Grady Farmer, New, Sol comb, Ala.; Ed Williams, Dixie, Sebring, Fla.; L.J. Duncan and Sidney Laird, West Point Amusement Company, West Point, Ga. ; Ebb Duncan, Carroll and Strand, Car¬ rollton, Ga. , and Mrs. Ella Wright, Georgia tent showlady. In for a sales meeting with branch manager Jimmy Hobbs, Monogram Southern Exchanges, were Ben Jordan and jimmy Campbell. ... William “Snake” Richard¬ son, president, Jimmy Bello, special representative, and R.M. Savini, president, Astor, New York City, held a sales meeting. A1 Schwalberg, branch office opera¬ tions manager, visited paramount. . . . Leonard Allen, southern publicity chief. Paramount, was in for the first time in several weeks. ... Also visit ( Continued on next page) Tri-States Scores With Gala Meeting MEMPHIS The Tri-States Motion Pic¬ ture theatre owners of Arkansas Mis¬ sissippi, and Tennessee 39th two-day convention went on record last fort¬ night endorsing the 20th-Pox plan of conciliation, increasing its terri¬ tory to include members from South¬ east Missouri, and districts of Ala¬ bama and Kentucky served by Memphis exchanges, and amending its bylaws to meet the requirement of a larger organization. Endorsement of the 20thFox plan, and a speech by M.A. Lightman, Jr., "What is Television Going to do to Motion Pictures”, were two outstanding events. Lightman all but shattered the ghosts of television which has been stalking the industry the past few months by logical reasoning, and proved most of his points to the satisfaction of his listeners. Comparing television of movies to inferior pictures which are frequently run at neighborhood houses in competition with first-run good pictures in loop theatres, Lightman convincingly pointed to box office returns as proof that patrons will continue to want first class enter¬ tainment. Especially is this true, the young movie executive explained, when the inferior televi-sion picture must be charged on the telephone bill. Alfred Starr, Bijou, Nashville, Tenn. , gave an enthusiastic talk on extra profits. In fact, Starr told The Exhibitor reporter that he was in the concession business first, and theatres were a means of promoting them. "When you pay ^$1 for candy, and sell it for $1.20, you’re just kidding yourself”, he said. Citing figures to back up his extra profits as real profits, Starr said a $25 bag of popcorn, oil, and con¬ tainers should produce $125 in return, exclusive of overhead and handling. He said his net profit was a little better than 42 per cent, but he warned his listners that to be successful, display cases and fixtures must be of the most ornate and attractive on the market. He said a 10-cent sale to every patron of the theatre would be tremendous, but it would be the ideal sale. Other speakers were Max Connett, Newton, Mass. ; Claude Mundo, Little Rock, Ark. ; Andy Smith, 20th CenturyFox, New York; Dave palfreyman, Washington: Max Youngstein, vicepresident, -Eagle-Lion; Gael Sullivan TOA executive: Robert Mochrie, vicepresident RKO, and Ted Gamble. The bylaws of the Tri -State MPTO were amended to include a seven member board from each state of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and the territory was increased to include members served by the Memphis exchange. The president will rotate year by year from state to state. The new officers and board of directors elected are: W.F. Ruffin, Jr., presiden t-Covington Tenn: Arkansas vice president-W. A. Rush, Houston, Miss. Tennessee vicepresident-M. A. Lightman, Jr., Secre (Continued on page NT-4) November 10, 1948 Southern