The Exhibitor (1951)

EXHIBITOR NT-l KKWS OF TUB Chicago A packed house of 3800 turned out to witness the special benefit premiere at the Chicago of “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” proceeds of which went to the Saint Jude Hospital Fund. Danny Thomas fulfilled a longtime pledge to St. Jude, his patron saint, with the premiere. Dave Wallerstein, general manager, Balaban and Katz, said, “This is the greatest and most gratifying success of the Chicago.” • When Balaban and Katz decides a neighborhood house needs a pickup, it assigns Milton Officer to the task, and Officer succeeds. He was winner of B and K’s last contest in this area for the best all-around managerial performance, taking the $1,000 top prize. Assigned recently to the Nortown, he enlisted the aid of mothers’ clubs, parent teacher groups, and Boy Scout troops, with children’s matinees on the theory that when the children come, the parents will follow. Officer sends letters to the mothers’ clubs and to the parent-teachers associations, which have such an appeal that the latter post his programs in the schools. His letters cite entertainment “specially selected for the young theatregoer entirely different from cur¬ rent attractions. This is an unusual innovation in theatre operation and stems from my desire to cooperate with you in providing suitable entertainment for the boys and girls of the Nortown district.” Officer’s letters come right out and say: “Another of our aims is to I'educe to a minumum the amount of disturbances caused by the natural restless nature of youth. Our first cor¬ rective step is through providing enter¬ tainment the children can enjoy. Our second approach must be through the parent. We seek that cooperation now in our effort to help both the youngster and adult to enjoy the full entertainment quality of our programs. Your personal interest in this venture is solicited.” Officer concludes: “Mine is a sincere desire to establish this theatre as a com¬ munity center, and your cooperation and suggestions will certainly be most wel¬ come.” Taking the stage between inter¬ missions, Officer compliments the audience on having seen a good picture, and suggests that friends be told about it. Oscar Brotman, Avalon manager, called police w'hen young rowdies started throwing missiles at the screen. . . . N. Fitzjarrald, Mars owner, Martinsville, Ill., took a hospital checkup. A syndicate from Carbondale, Ilk, bought the Starview, opened last year near Blytheville, Ark., by Warren Moxley. . . . T. D. Beninati, Pinckneyville. Ill., purchased the Gem, Marissa, Ill. Tom Gilliam, 20th-Fox exchange chief, is better after surgery. . . . William K. Hollander, B and K ad head, now has a namesake. A grandchild arrived at the home of the Marshall Hollanders. Joe Berenson, new Chief Barker, Variety Club, will reinstall a bar in the clubrooms. . . . Edward B. Arthur, president, St. Louis Amusement Com¬ pany, and assistant general manager, Fanchon and Marco, is fund raising for Principa College, Elsah, Ill. Robert Witte was made manager, Bailey Enterprises houses, Morrison, Ill. . . . Harold Heyer installed a soda bar and complete candy shop in his Moroko, Morocco, Ill. C. W. Carter, Toulon, Ilk, was named manager. Stark, Princeton, Ilk, by Bailey Enterprises. Snow and ice accumulations crashed the marquee of the Eighth Street to the sidewalk. . . . W. A. Smith bought the Burch, Rives, Mo., from A. Burch, and renamed it the Rives. . . . Mack Enter¬ prises leased an office building at Centralia, Ilk From now on the State-Lake will sell reserved seats for boxing matches on the TV screen. The Astor had a close escape when fire broke out in an upper story. . . . Harry E. Miller, Festus, Mo., bought the Hiway and Roxy, Crystal, Mo., from Tilden Dickson. . . . Paul Musser is improving the front of his Lyric, Casey, Ilk Michael K. Irwin, Irving and Monte Goodman, bondholders, Walco Building Corporation, which houses the Oriental, filed a bankruptcy suit against the cor¬ poration, which they claim is insolvent. They charge they failed to receive interest payments last November. The plaintiffs ask that the corporation be permitted to proceed as a going business pending financial reorganization. Dallas The Tower was reopened on Christ¬ mas Day after having been closed for eight months. Seen along Film Row were these state theatremen: A. E. Chewning-, Detroit, Detroit; R. S. Starling, Twilight DriveIn, San Angelo; Bill Morrow, Colonial Drive-In, Longview; Donald J. Camp¬ bell, Rio, Clyde; Mrs. C. W. Matson, Dixie, Rockdale; Jack Laird, Plaza, Odessa; Mrs. George Franklin, Colonial Drive-In, Denton; Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Easterling, Mexia, Mexia; Gerard J. Ebeier, King Drive-In, San Marcos; Fort Keith, Palace, Granbury; Gidney Talley, Hi-Ho, San Antonio; H. H. Stroud, Strand, Hamilton; H. A. Daniels, Palace, Seguin, R. M. Shaw, Star DriveIn, Turnertown; Jewel Archer, Wes-Mer Drive-In, Mercedes; F. R, Jones, Texas, Palestine; Jack Lilly, Palace, Commerce; John W. Crain, Madisonville, and R. L. Osborne, Edgewood, Edgewood. Claude J. Musselman, owner of six west Texas theatres including the Lamar, Paris, Tex., passed away in Paris, Tex. Musselman came to Paris in 1906. Film Exchange Employees Union, Local F-53, elected the following officers : President, Walter Hansen, 20th-Fox; vice-president, Roy Smith, U-I; business agent, LeRoy Whitington, Metro; record¬ ing secretary, Mary Bitting, Columbia; financial secretary, Ruth Marlow, RKO, and sergeant-at-arms, Louis Fulenwider, Republic. Eight theatres in Tyler, Tex., col¬ laborated in “Go to the Movies Day,” enthusiastically supported by the local papers. The day was planned by R. D. Leatherman, Interstate city manager; Jimmy Neinast, Liberty manager; Fred McHam, Arcadia manager; Victor Fry, representing the Joy; E. J. Sedlack, Starlite Drive-In manager, and Howard Arthur, coowner. Rose Garden Drive-In. Patrons could get their wife or girl friend in free at the Rose Garden DriveIn, if they told the cashier that their wife or girl friend was rich, young and pretty, the name of the picture being “Rich, Young and Pretty.” Be¬ tween 6 and 7 p.m. at the newly opened Majestic, free admission awaited the spectator who could identify the director of “Stromboli.” At the Crest Drive-In, prizes were awarded to children who could name the most characters in “Alice in Wonderland.” All day suckers were given to children at the Starlite DriveIn. At 6:30 p.m., at the Tyler, the annual Tyler Junior College pep rally was held with movies of two TJC games. “Tembo,” Liberty, featured Howard Hill on the stage. Out-of-state visitors along Film Row were: Lloyd Franklin, Sunshine, Clovis, N. M., and Harold Gibbons, Pike DriveIn Amusement Company, Salina, Kans. Another two-way move was affected when Lippert moved from the second fioor at 308 South Harwood to increased space in the former Republic exchange space at 2011 Jackson Street. Charles E. Darden Company increased space by moving across the hall into the space occupied by Lippert. The club rooms of the Variety Club were filled to capacity for the “Bingo” party and the 1951 awards. Ed Gall and his committee were given credit by John Rowley for having done a great job. C. A. “Pappy” Dolsen was close by to supervise the awards. The first name, for the Cadillac, was that of Joel Nackeson, and the second name was that of Maljle Garonzik, for the Ford, Nate Brown sold the most tickets, and won the television set. Over 200 friends visited the Variety Club Boys’ Ranch for a delicious turkey dinner, and joined in the spirit as Louis Charninsky, as Santa Claus, gave presents to the boys. At the head table were members of the Boys’ Ranch com¬ mittee, A1 Reynolds, Charles E. Darden, Booger Marshall, Bert Graetz, Harold January 9, 1952 MIDWEST-WESTERN