The Exhibitor (Nov 1948-Feb 1949)

THE EXH I Bl TO R NT-1 NKWS OF THF New CROSSTOWN Maurice Grad, Columbia short subjects sales manager, announced last week that like “Superman”, the new Columbia serial, “Conge Bill”, is featured in Action Comic magazine, and is backed by National Comics Publications for high-geared, nationwide exploitation. Walter Wanger, producer of “Joan of Arc” for Sierra Pictures, addressed the Associ¬ ated Motion Picture Advertisers on Nov. 5. Cinema Stamp Collectors News Reel made its bow last week. This latest club publi¬ cation for the members of Cinema Stamp Collectors will be issued monthly. Its edi¬ tor is Allyn H. Wright. Pred J. Schwartz was introduced as chair¬ man of this year’s amusements division of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies at a luncheon held in the Hotel Astor last fortnight. Over 40 industry leaders attended the meeting, which started the drive for $16,500,000, of which the industry is ex¬ pected to raise $400,000. Last year, the entertainment field under chairman S.H. Fabian raised $285,000. On the dais were Fabian, Schwartz, Ben Fielding, Leonard Goldenson, Malcolm Kingsberg, Ralph Sam¬ uel, and Jules Simon. The executive com¬ mittee consists of Barney Balaban, Harry Brandt, Jack Cohn, Si Fabian, Matty Fox, Leopold Friedman, Arthur Loew, C.C. Hoskowitz, Herman Robbins, Samuel Schneider, Major Albert Warner, and Abe Schneider. Spyros P. Skouras is chairman, corporate gifts committee; Kingsberg, special gifts; Edward Rugoff, exhibitors; Leo Brecher and Walter Reade, Jr., co-chairmen exhi¬ bitors; Leonard Satz, venders; Emil Friedlander, legitimate theatres; William German, laboratories; Harry Mandei, publicity, and Henry Jaffe and Manny Sacks, music pub¬ lishing. Through a special arrangement with the Lighthouse of the New York Association for the blind, an exhibit and sale of articles made by the sightless began last week at the Warner Club room in the Warner home office. The Warner Club and the Lighthouse are conducting the exhibit at this time so as to afford an opportunity for purchase of Christmas gifts. Century’s $25 awards for being neither late nor absent went to Miss Carolyn Adams and Jack Robinson, accounting department, it was revealed last week. The cpmpariy intends to maintain the same plan during the forthcoming year. It was revealed last week that Century Theatres ’ department heads have been meet¬ ing with district managers and managers for the purpose of gathering comprehensive information regarding the responsibilities of theatre managers in the various phases of theatre operation. Century intends to have results of these meetings incorporated in the Manager’s Manual of Instructions, now supplied to each manager. Department heads attending the meetings are: Joseph Geoghan, real estate and insurance; Robert Ulman, personnel; Irving Risenstat, Ac¬ counting; Leonard Satz, purchasing and maintenance; Harold Newman, merchandis¬ ing; Ralph Lager and Ben Gladstone, book¬ ing, and Myron Siegel, Advertising and Pub¬ licity. Ulster 6-4000 is not the name of a pic¬ ture, but the phone number of Century’s new phone service for Brooklyn moviegoers, it was revealed last week. This had to be ex¬ plained by Helene Beckerman, supervisor of the phone service, when a patron wanted to know the name of the cast of Ulster 64000. It seems they had the number tagged with “Call Northside 777”. A. Pam Blumenthal, chairman of the board of Cinecolor, returned last week to the west coast after an extended visit here. The Banco, Brooklyn, opened last week. Owned by the K and M Amusement Cor¬ poration, the house seats 550. ...Howard Dietz, MGM vice-president and director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation, returned from the coast last week. Herman Ripps, field assistant to John P. Byrne, MGM eastern sales manager, came in from Albany last week for a home office visit. ...Sam Marx, MGM production execu¬ tive, left for Washington last week en route to the coast. Rouben Mamoulian, noted stage and screen director, was guest of honor and speaker last week at the weekly luncheon of the Art Director’s Club of New York.... Century’s Patio, Brooklyn, is currently undergoing extensive alterations, which include a new front, lobby, and auditorium decorations, and new “living room” com¬ fort seats. The theatre is operating as usual during renovations. Century’s Brooklyn Theatres recently held a jingle contest in conjunction with the showing of “Sum^mer Holiday”. Win¬ ners are given a weekend at Grossinger’s. Doctor George Gallup, director. Audience Research Institute, will be a principal speaker at the ninth annual dinner of the Motion Picture Pioneers in the WaldorfAstoria on Nov. 17, it was announced last Vv’eek by Jack Cohn, president. Motion Pic¬ ture Pioneers and executive vice-presi¬ dent, Columbia. Edward L. Walton, Republic assistant This lobby display was recently put into Century’s Bellerose, Bellerose, L.I., by Murray Libman and Raymond Marshall, manager and assistant, to aid Fire Preven¬ tion Week activity in the surrounding area. These four co-eds recently cooperated with Harold Mortin, manager, Loew’s State, Syracuse, in a tie-in for United Artists’ romantic c6medy, “An Innocent Affair”. general sales manager, returned last weekfollowing a stay at the company's Phila¬ delphia branch..,. Walter L. Titus, Jr., Republic division manager returned last week following visits to the company’s Atlanta and Charlotte branches. Warner star Dorothy Malone was select¬ ed last week as “Coronation Queen” for the Latin American Consular Association Ball held at the Eiltmore Hotel, and cro^j'ned “Miss Pan America” at the affair from among a total of 20 Latin and American beauties representing Latin American re¬ publics. Joseph H. Hazen, president, Hal Wal¬ lis Productions, returned last week after a 12-day stay in Hollywood. ..Howard Dietz, MGM vice-president and director of ad¬ vertising, publicity, and exploitation, re¬ turned last week from the coast. ...Charles Bell, MGM field auditor, and his wife. Rose Klein, home office, are vacationing in Miami.... Irving Helfont, MGM home office assistant to field sales managers George A. Hickey and Burtus Bishop, Jr., returned last week from vacation. Richard Harper, MGM home office sales department, has accepted a commission with the U.S. Navy and is now lieutenant commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve.... Hal Elias, assistant to Fred C. Quimby, head, MGM short subjects production, was on vacation. Sid Goldstein, MGM’s publicity depart¬ ment, was OB the vacation list last week ....Maurice A. Bergman, U-I eastern ad¬ vertising and publicity director, returned last week from Chicago, accompanied by Robert Ungerfeld, U-I “Hamlet” theatre representative. ...Al Horwits, U-I eastern publicity manager, returned last week from Cincinnati following completion of a 10-day tour with Burt Lancaster and Harold Hecht on behalf of “Kiss The Blood Off My Hands”. ...James R. Grainger, Republic executive vice-president in charge of sales and distribution, visited Toronto and Mont¬ real last week. Jeff Livingston, U-I “Hamlet” contact, returned last week from San Francisco and Los Angeles. ...Joseph Bernhard, president Film Classics and Cinecolor Corporation, left last week for Hollywood. ...Bill Berns is conducting a “Recipe For Happiness” contest on his “Morning Watch” radio WOR program tied up witji the world pre¬ miere of U-I’s “You Gotta Stay Happy”, Radio City Musif Hall. New York