The Exhibitor (1950)

NT-2 Indianapolis Ken Collins, Indiana, has been named TOA co-chairman for “Brotherhood Week.” “Monogram Week” is progressing very well, and nearing the 100 per cent goal, with about another month to go. W. K. Embleton, manager, is well pleased with exhibitor cooperation. . . . Bernard Brager, new Republic manager, and his family spent the Christmas holiday in Dallas, with relatives. . . . Otto Ebert, RKO salesman, who has been affected with illness for several weeks, is now on the mend. The day following Christmas day found exchanges suffering from the lack of sufficient heat. . . . Mrs. Irving Dreeben, wife of the salesman. Eagle Lion Classics, was visiting her husband during the holidays. She resides in New York City. . . . Vernon Souviner, salesman, Ger-Bar Theatre Equipment Company, spent Christmas in Cincinnati. The wife of Earl Bell, who operates the Bell, passed away after a lingering illness. . . . Neil Wylde, former U-I booker, succeeds Ray Thomas as head booker, and William Sherman, Jr., for¬ mer student booker, has been promoted to booker. . . . Tom Goodman, Goodman Circuit, Corydon, Ind., slipped on the ice, and suffered a broken arm. . . . Mrs. Helen Bohn, secretary, Realart, who has been absent for several weeks on account of illness, returned to her desk. Jane Crenshaw, Princess, Newburg, Ind., fell in front of her home, and suffered two broken front teeth and a badly bruised chin. . . . Howard Cury, Palace, Elkton, Ky., was confined to the Vanderbilt Hospital, Nashville, Tenn. . . . Martha Price, U-I booking depart¬ ment, was slightly injured by a fall in her apartment. Variety Club Notes — Scouts of Troop 83 were feted by the Variety Club, with a Christmas hike to McCormick’s Creek canyon. The Red Building shelter house was reserved for the troop and logs were available for fires. The scouts were asked to bring their own blankets, extra clothes, and towels. The troop gathered at head¬ quarters, and went as one unit. Pittsburgh Film Row was elated to learn that Peter Dana, once branch manger for Universal International and later district manager, was appointed eastern sales manager for the company. Dana, who resides in Pittsburgh, will probably make his headquarters in New York. At one time, Fred Myers held this position. Dana was recently elected Chief Barker of Variety Club, Tent 1, but it is ex¬ pected he will be unable to accept the assignment, which will make John Walsh, manager, Fulton, Pittsburgh, now First Assistant, new Chief Barker. RKO and Republic held their Christ¬ mas parties at the Webster Hall Hotel the same night without being aware of the coincidence, but after the festivities started the parties united. . . . 20th Century Fox hosted the Variety Club EXHIBITOR on the Friday night before Christmas. A big crowd was expected at the New Year’s Eve party. Jake Silverman, pioneer Altoona, Pa., exhibitor, is spending his vacation in Florida. . . . The Erie, Pa., district, headed by James Totman, won the Warner Theatres annual showmanship contest. Showmen who saw “The MGM Story” at special screenings were enthusiastic about the film and plan to show it in their theatres when the film is available for theatres. . . . Nick D ’Aurora, who owns the Lyric, puchased Herman Lorence’s 18th Street, Erie, Pa. Lorence, ill, plans to retire, and will spend the winter in California. Phil Brozier is offering the Brozier, Avella, Pa., for sale, and plans to retire. . . . . The Starlight Drive-In, Uniontown, Pa., one of the few drive-ins to remain open all year, is having a tough time because of the heavy snows. Ted Laskey closed for two weeks because of the big snows around Thanksgiving and reopened on Dec. 8. The ozoner remained open all last year. With New Year’s Eve falling on a Sunday this year, and many public spots unable to serve liquor because of the Sunday law in Pennsylvania, many pri¬ vate parties were planned. The Variety Club expected to turn away members after the 150 capacity of the rooms was reached. Film Row workers planned a party of their own in the basement of the Columbia exchange, set up as a rec¬ reation room. Jules Green, an executive in the James Saphier Agency, was in from Hollywood. He is a former Warner Theatres booker. Ted Shuttleworth is no longer con¬ nected with the Superior Motion Picture Supply Company. The Variety Club and John H. Harris took the annual show to the Western Penitentiary for Christmas. The local unions cooperated. . . . A1 Levy, and the 20th Century-Fox gang were Friday night hosts at the Variety Club. They originally were scheduled to be hosts the week of the big snow. . . . Charlie Baron, one time MGM exploiteer, is back for ELC to exploit “Prehistoric Women.” . . . Joe Feldman, Warner Theatres executive, is chairman of the committee of the United Jewish Fund bringing the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to Pitts¬ burgh, and reports the house is more than half sold with more than a month to go before the concert. . . . Warners gave the premiere showing of “Storm Warning” in the Warner for the benefit of The Pittsburgh Press Newsboys Fund. M. A. Silver, Warner Theatres, has been named TOA co-chairman for “Brotherhood Week.” Doug Beck, RKO exploiteer in this area, has been transferred to Chicago. Alan Weider, former RKO exploiteer, transferred from Pittsburgh to Cleve¬ land some time ago, has again been moved, this time to Portland. Downtown Pittsburgh theatres, except¬ ing Loew’s Penn, raised all admission prices five cents starting with the Christ¬ mas weekend. The evening price, includ¬ ing all taxes, now becomes 85 cents at the downtown houses. F. Elmer Hasley, Terrace, East Pitts¬ burgh, Pa., had his summer home dam¬ aged by flood waters from French Creek, near Conneaut Lake Park, Pa. President Morris Finkel named a nom¬ inating committee to submit candidates for new officers and the board of direc¬ tors for the Allied Motion Picture Thea¬ tre Owners of Western Pennsylvania. Charles Blatt was named chairman, with Fred Beedle, M. A. Rosenberg, Barnard Bucchei, and Joseph Gelman serving. F. Elmer Hasley was named first alter¬ nate, and Harry Rachielle, second altern a t e . The committee must name candidates, and present them in writing to the membership at least 10 days before the election on Jan. 17. Nominations will remain open, however, until the election. Downtown houses reported better than expected business over the Christmas weekend but neighborhood and suburban houses did not fare as well. Several stated their Christmas Day business was the worst in many years. All are looking for upped business from now on until Lent. Trueman Rembusch, president. Na¬ tional Allied, and Abram Myers, chair¬ man of the board and general counsel, have advised they will attend the West¬ ern Pennsylvania Allied convention on Jan. 16-17. Norman Mervise, convention chairman, scheduled film clinics for both days. No social functions have been planned as the convention is one for business only. The father of William Mack, National Screen Service salesman, passed on at his home in Syracuse, N. Y., just before the holidays. John Zomnir reported to work at Monogram as salesman after resigning a similar spot for ELC in San Francisco. He reports seeing several ex-Pittsburgh Film Rowites, including Max Cransfield, Buck Stoner, and Ed Levin. Joe Murdoch, formerly in Uniontown, Pa., is now managing the Senate, Harris¬ burg, Pa. Kentucky Louisville Out-of-town exhibitors seen recently included: Colonel L. B. Fuqua, Kentucky, Eddyville, Ky. ; Phil Thompson, Strand, Edmonton, Ky. ; A. N. Miles, Eminence, Eminence, Ky. ; Don G. Steinkamp, French Lick Amusement Company, French Lick, Ind.; Willard L. Wildrick, New Washington, New Washington, Ind.; Lewis Baker, Star, West Point, Ky. ; E. L. Ornstein, Ornstein Theatres, Marengo, Ind., and L. M. Denton, Shep¬ herd, Shepherdsville, Ky. January 3, 1951