The Exhibitor (Nov 1948-Feb 1949)

NKWS OF THK Philadelphia Crosstown Henry Friedman announced last week that the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals had turned down the appeal of the de¬ fendants in the Harry Ball Penn, Ambridge, Pa., vs. Paramount et al case, and the matter had reverted to the U. S. Dis¬ trict Court for the setting of damages, etc. The Film Society of the Philadelphia Museum of Art begins its 1948-49 season on Nov. 22 with a showing of “The Louis¬ iana Story.” Five other monthly showings of unusual, artistic films are scheduled, with memberships going for $10 each. A very clever birth announcement last week heralded the arrival of the “new Biben child.” This made Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Biben the parents of a boy weigh¬ ing seven pounds, born in Women’s Hos¬ pital on Oct. 22, and named Eugene Joel, and makes Mr. and Mrs. Harry Biben grandparents. 20th Century-Fox’s “When My Baby Smiles At Me” was given a sneak prevue at the Fox last week. Vine Street Joseph Farrow, formerly at MGM, is the new office manager at RKO, succeeding Addie Gottschalk, who has been promoted to city salesman. . . . Jack Forscher, 20th Century-Fox booker, returned from his Florida vacation. Bernice Bitterfield, 20th Century-Fox biller, announced her engagement by flashing around a 24 karat ring, more or less. . . . Condolences are extended to Mary Green, head inspectress, 20th Cen¬ tury-Fox, whose mother passed away. Most of the exchanges closed early on Election Day to permit employes to exer¬ cise their voting privileges. . . . The U-I “Unity Drive” opened last week with the slogan being “U and I working together; we’ll put it over.” Branch manager George Schwartz was all enthused. . . . District manager J. J. Scully, Sr., was in at U-I branch last week. . . . Norman Gaskill, Columbia booker, returned from a vaca¬ tion spent in the wilds of New Jersey, while Jerry Levy, Columbia contract clerk, was back from a New York vacation. THE EXHIBITOR Alterations have been made in Clark Film, and supervisor Dave Rosen now has a semi-private office. . . . Sylvia Seidenberg. Felt Theatres’ secretary, was mar¬ ried to Max Weiss on Nov. 7. She received a lovely wrist watch for a wedding pres¬ ent from the groom. The happy couple are honeymooning in the mountains and in New York City. . . . Republic branch has been prettied up with a new paint job and new lighting fixtures. . . . Max Bronow, Eagle Lion booker, was happy over a visit from his parents, who came up from Atlantic City. William J. Clark, executive vice-presi¬ dent, National Film Service, Inc., left last week to make a tour of several of western physical handling centers. His trip includes Chicago, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, Butte, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee. Jack Kraker, head. Jack Kraker Asso¬ ciates, at Doctor’s Hospital with a back injury, was scheduled to go to Atlantic City to recuperate after his discharge. The trade was .'^orry to hear of the ill¬ ness of two prominent industryites last week. Lou Berger was confined to Mt. Sinai Hospital with an ailment, while Lewen Pizor was taken suddenly to Temple Hospital for an appendectomy. The trade hopes for their early recovery. The trade mourned the passing of Joe Stiles, 68, following a heart attack last week. He was one of the real old-timers in the business, 45 years ago managing the Bijou Dream, Market Street. He had suffered a stroke 12 years ago, and had checked for Confidential Reports until July, 1947, when he underwent an opera¬ tion. At one time he worked for Pathe and First National. He leaves a son and daughter. Funeral services were held in Haddon Heights, N. J. Bob Lynch, MGM, was in New York for home office conferences last fortnight. . . . Mo Wax became the proud father of a baby boy born on Nov. 1. Morry Schwarz has opened his own film business, Variety Film Exchange, at 1225 Vine Street. He has over a three years’ supply of reissues to start off. . . . Upon Norman Silverman taking over his post as branch manager, Edward L. Wal¬ ton, Republic assistant general sales man¬ ager, returned last week to New York following a stay here. Sam Katz, Y and Y accountant, and wife were expecting the arrival of the stork last week. . . . Dave Yaffe, Y and Y Pop NT-1 Abe Samuels, president, Automatic Devices Company, Allentown, recently has been attracting much atten¬ tion by his computations of football scores. He has devised a system almost mathematically accurate. corn, is not growing a mustache despite the appearance of his upper lip. Benny (American) Harris announces he has some new reissues coming in soon. Circuits Stanley-Warner Jimmy McHugh, Boyd manager, is now the father of his second baby girl. They were campaigning for a boy this time, too, but the little girl was born on Election Day. Eddie Rosenbaum is now in Indianapolis working on the world premiere of “The Return Of October” for Columbia, with Terry Moore, in person. . . . “Tiny” Gold¬ smith, Commodore manager, tells that Charley Cohen, Cross Keys, was disap¬ pointed to find machines instead of paper ballots at the polls last week. It seems he had been practicing his X’s in preparation for the big day. Sid Mesibov, Paramount’s exploitation director. New York, was certainly a happy man when he came into the publicity office the day after election. On his way over, he heard the news that Dewey conceded the election, so he stopped in Trenton, N. J., to send wires to his friends with whom he had made bets at 15 to 1 that Truman would win. Incidentally, he nearly fright¬ ened the whole department when the alarm clock wrist watch he wears went off at lunch time. Bob Anderson, manager. Grange, is only at the theatre since September, but he has been doing a bang-up job. In conjunction with “My Father’s House,” Anderson con¬ tacted a number of Jewish organizations in the neighborhood, and, as a result, did the largest mid-week gross in a couple of years. During his stay in Philadelphia recently to publicize U-Ts ''Kiss The Blood Off My Hands", Burt Lancaster attended a cocktail oarty given at the Ritz>Carlton Hotel. Among others present, v/ere, left to right, George Nonamaker, Paul J. Greenhaigh, and Herbert M. Miller, alt of THE EXHIBITOR, and Herman Levine, Stanley-Warner Theatres; center, Ted Schlangcr, S-W zone manager, Lancaster, George Schwartz, U-I Philadelphia branch manager, and Lester Kreiger, assistant zone manager, S-W Theatres, and right, Al Horwits, U-I, New York, Lancaster, Schlanger, and S-W's Everett C. Callow, all of whom enjoyed the proceedings. November 10, 1948 PKtLA.