The Film Daily (1945)

mday, September 10, 1945 OX Midwest Will Spend $2,500,000 on Theaters ehrenberg, Ansell and isina Circuits Planning Construct New Houses j Variety Clubs Forming I In Mexico and Canada (Continued from Page 1) ^ment and air conditioning ^s, a survey reveals. ilost of the exhibitors have decided their own minds what is to be le to their houses, but all have not luced these plans to blue print ge or the further advanced stage asking for bids from contractors 1 equipment dealers. j F & M to Build 10 Perhaps the most comprehensive nning of circuits served out of Louis is that of Fanchon & Mar;St. Louis Amusement Co. Prots include three new out-lying t-run houses designed to play '■-and-date with the Grand and wntown first-runs, each to seat )ut 2,000 persons and cost upwards $250,000. Seven new suburban ises, to seat from 1,200 to 1,500, scheduled to average $150,000 in n addition circuit is taking bids some $905,500 of modernization k and new equipment for the bert, Manchester, Florissant, Laette, Gi'avois and Lindell Theain St. Louis; Manchester, Mawood; Tivoli, University City, I the Rialto and Washington Thea, Granite City. Bids will be taksoon on similar work at the iw. South St. Louis and Shady i, Clayton, Mo. Leo F. Abrams architect for F & M theater reveling. mprovement program also inies $200,000 in work at the Fox; 0,000 at the Missouri and $100,at the St. Louis, while the Shut Theater, operated by members he Arthur family and associates, edules $125,000 worth of work, ontemplated outlying first-runs ude the theater to be erected on npton Ave., between Bancroft Sutherland Aves. Plans were pared by A. F. and A. Stauder and eral contract has been awarded Stamm Construction Co. House be operated by the Missouri usement Co. Second first-run will built in the Baden district of th St. Louis and the third in ler Clayton or University City, bably from plans by John and w Eberson, New York architects, laters will be operated by Fann & Marco Service Corp. Work planning the seven other new ,ses probably will be divided been the Eberson firm, Abrams and Stauders. $2,500,000 via Fox Midwest i'ox Midwest, headquartering in isas City, has announced a $2,1,000 construction and improve|it plan and it is understood that pnsiderable portion of the budgwill be expended on St. Louis (Continued from Page 1) at the week-end. Addition of several new chapters abroad is expected to result in changing the name to International Variety Clubs. Organization of new tents in the remaining U. S. exchange centers is part of the post-war expansion plan discussed at the Washington meeting last December and advocated by Bob O'Donnell and other national officers. State Department Control For Raw Film Stock Sale? (Continued from Page 1) talked about only," with no moves taken, but the Department is definitely worried about the FEA intention to relinquish control over exports at the end of this month. Ability to purchase film freely here will remove one of the strongest bargaining points the Department has in its attempt to force these countries to give American film exporters a better deal. Lt. Max Conn KUled Chicago — Lt. Max W. Conn, former manager of the Empire here, was killed in action in Germany, the War Dept. has advised his widow. Bidell Moves to Columbia West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Sidney Bidell, for the past three years executive assistant to Cecil B. DeMille, moves to Columbia Oct. 1 as a producer. territory houses. There is a possibility that a new house may be erected in Springfield to replace the Lincoln, a Midwest property. Among houses scheduled for improvements are the Grand and Illinois, Centralia; Broadway, Cape Girardeau; Illinois, Jacksonville; Orpheum, Marion, Plaza and Royal, Mount Vernon; State, West Frankfort, and Illinois and Lincoln, Belleville. Plans have not been worked out for each house as the circuit is said to be awaiting latest developments in materials. Circuit, like F & M, has kept its projection and sound equipment up-to-date throughout the war so does not contemplate much work along those lines. But, like practically every other exhibitor, it will be in the mai-ket for carpet, seats and drapes, and plans to modernize many theater lobbies and fronts. Fred Wehrenberg Circuit will soon take bids on a new $150,000 house to be erected at Grand Blvd. and Eichelberger St., South St. Louis, from plans prepared by A. F. & A. Stauder. Circuit has also purchased sites for several other theaters and will erect a new house when opposition builds against one of its houses. In addition upwards of $100,000 will be expended on improvements to existing theaters. New Ansell Projects Louis and Joe Ansell and associates have retained L. F. Abrams to prepare plans for a $200,000 theater to be erected by Hampton Realty Co. on Hampton Ave. near Tholozan Ave. Bond Realty Co., controlled by the Ansells, some time ago announced plans for a 2,000-seat $800,000 theater, apartment building and parking garage project for Delmar Blvd., University City. In addition modernization work is planned for other Ansell Circuit houses. Frisina Amusement Co. contemplates the construction of several new theaters including two outlying theaters in East St. Louis, one in the Lansdowne-Rosedale section and the other in the Edgemont district. A $200,000 house is planned for Keokuk, la. and a $150,000 theater in Springfield. Sam Pirtle plans a 700-seat house in Abingdon, an 800-seater in Bushnell, another 800-seater in McLeansboro and one or two other new houses. He will also remodel, renovate and improve his present theaters. Publix Great States, headquartering in Chicago, is understood to contemplate extensive improvements for units of its circuit, including new equipment for the Majestic, East St. Louis. Oher Building Plans Other construction projects announced for the area include: Fiorino Bros.' plans for a new house at Du Quoin; awarding of contracts for a modern house in East St. Louis to replace Dr. G. J. Hobbs' theater, destroyed by fire recently and a $150,000 theater in Quincy, announced by L. Moncton and associates. At Elmhurst, the DuPage Theater Corp., has purchased a site for a 1,600-seat theater to cost upwards of $150,000. Dr. Harold Holmes heads a committee that is raising funds for a new theater in Chadwick, 111. and G. Metcalf has interested the Lions Club of Troy, in a new theater for that city. C. J. Pappas plans another house for Woodstock, and the Anderson Theater Circuit plans a $150,000 theater in DeKalb. NLRB Snarled in Decision On Coast Strikers' Votes (Continued from Page 1) Rep. Gordon McDonough, Los Angeles Republican, reported Friday after a lengthy conversation with Chairman Paul Herzog. McDonough said Herzog told him each ballot had to be checked carefully, and that there is already a record extending over 2,500 pages. Herzog said he cannot predict when a decision will be readied. Halifax-Keynes Talks Seen Affecting Films (Continued from Page 1) diate objective, but if the sessions are to succeed they will have to point the way to some permanent solution to the British problem. There is an apparently well-founded fear here that unless the British are given substantial aid by this country they will tighten Empire preferences in their imports, to the serious detriment of our pix exporters, and will intensify their discriminatory practices against us in those countries which now have blocked sterling balances in Britain. There is a widespread skepticism here about the intention of the British to co-operate with us in the world trade race. This skepticism was to be seen before the recent change in the British Government. There is a growing sentiment against going out of the way to help them unless they offer strong assurances that they will co-operate in the fight against discrimination of U. S. products throughout the Empire. Most hopeful view of the conferences is that they might result in a new overall trade agreement. Only in the event of an overall agreement is a new pact on films to be expected, since the British film industry — better financed than ever before and with a small reconversion problem compared with other industries — is considered one of the strongest of British industries engaged in international ti-ade. Sen. George Promises Tax Reduction Bill by Xmas Washington Bureau of THE FILM 'DAILY Washington — • Senator Walter F. George, chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, promised Friday that a tax reduction bill will be through Congress by Christmas. Commenting upon President Truman's message of Thursday, George said he is in accord with the President's call for swift reductions of a temporary nature, with an overhauling of the entire tax structure to come later. George has clearly stated his hope for a widespread tax reduction, with corporate taxes to receive special" relief treatment. B. D. Stoner to Manage 20th-Fox Frisco Branch Assignment of Bryan D. Stoner as manager of the 2()th-Fox branch in San Francisco was announced on Friday by William J. Kupper, general sales manager of the company. Stoner recently joined the company after heading a Pittsburgh film-buying combine. i ii IB