The Independent Film Journal (1952)

* \ ') ) [ ■r 1 ) t s 1, r r s I, t. It r •i IS I 'I >! it f, V li )! il «? >1 of i lit HI’ I DES MOINES (cont'd.) J. M. Beatty and Wm. J. Cun-y. . . . The Fix in Woodbine has been leased by A1 Gatdner and is being remodeled and redec¬ orated. . . . TuliiD Theatre in Orange City has gone on a 3-night weekly schedule, according to mgr. Bob Vander Brake. . . . Less than two weeks after a $5,000 fire gutted the interior, the Princess in Odebolt was reopened by owner AY. J. Horstman. A. H. Blank, pres, of Tri-States, was welcomed home from a six-week Mediter¬ ranean cruise and presented a special citation by leaders of the industry in connection with the Look Magazine award naming him “Mo¬ tion Picture Exhibitor of the Year.” . . . Ralph Olson resigned as salesman for Uni¬ versal after 25 years to accept management of the Decorah Theatres, owned by “Hod” Enbrechtson. They are the Lyric, Grand and the Drive-In. . . . Howard Ross is new branch ingT. for Allied Artists, replacing Bill Johnson. Also leaving is booker Dick Shields, who resigned to manage the Town Drive-In, Des Moines. . . . Clarence A. Neylan was named to succeed John R. Sny¬ der as mgr. of the Hardacre Theatre in Tipton. Snyder was associated with Iowa United Theas. since 1938. DETROIT Jim Olson, circuit operator, has awarded booking and buying for his drive-ins at Rose¬ bush, Houghton Lake and Gaylor to Bill Clark. . . . Mr. & Mrs. A1 Kaftan and Mr. & Mrs. Sherman Porvin have reopened the Temple Theatre, with Tony Witkowski as house mgr . Harry and Elmer Balaban were scheduled for a Detroit visit to look over the Adams Theatre operation, manag'ed by Norman Meyers. . . . Irving Teicher closed the Palmer Park Theatre in Highland Park. . . . Joseph Ellul, owner of the Empress, so¬ journing at Hollywood, Fla. for the past six months, is planning to return here for a long visit. . . . Art Cooper, mgr. of the Mt. Clemens Drive-In, puts in his winter seasons as a veterinarian. Turns his animal hospital over to another doctor for the summer. . . . Lloyd Desy, who runs the Chief Theatre at Mackinaw City, is building a new gift shop. David M. Idzal, managing director of the Fox, booked a special presentation of Fox’s CinemaScope for the trade and press in the screening room. . . . Ed Johnson, owner of the Washington at Bay City, is overhaul¬ ing his yacht preparatory to taking all film salesmen of the area on a Saginaw Bay cruise. . . . Salesmen of western Mich, par¬ ticipated widely in the special street sale of newspapers for charity, sponsored by Grand Rapids Variety Club. . . . Butterfield's Old State Theatre at Flint is being changed into a store structure. . . . Razing of the old Butteiheld-operated AA^hitney at Ann Arbor has been ordered by the State Fire Marshal. . . . Jack Broder’s Seville Theatre was emptied suddenly when fire seriously damaged ad¬ joining buildings. . . . Ed Miller was ap¬ pointed supervisor of projection for the Music Hall, which is doing well with Cine¬ rama. INDIANAPOLIS Alliance Circuit opened its ninth drive-in at Frankfort, Ind. No. 10 will be opened at Rochester, Ind. this month and plans are underway for another at Syracuse. . . . Marc Wolf of Indiana Auto Theatres, reports pur¬ chase of 10 acres near Plymouth, Ind. for construction of a 550-car ozoner to cost around $75,000. . . . George Feller, operator of the Monroe at Monroeville, assisted by local merchants, started a celebration for children having birthdays during the week, which has stimulated attendance. There is a theatre party, free gifts, luncheon and other entertainment. . . . M. H. Stucky opened his Lakeland Drive-In last week-end. Rex Carr, former Indianapolis theatre mgr., has acquired the Zaring and Ritz thea¬ tres from Marcus Ents. Marcus will con¬ tinue to oiierate the Alamo and Ambassador here as well as houses in Ft. AA'ayne and Dayton, 0., besides drive-in interests at Plymouth, Terre Haute and New Castle. He is a partner in the new children’s playground to be opened at Little America this season. . . . Abe Kaufman acquired the Fountain Theatre in Terre Haute. . . . AALdter AA^eil is closing his Riley Theatre in Greenfield for modernization. He will keep his AA^eil Thea¬ tre open during this iieriod. KANSAS CITY Dates for the Allied ITO of Kansas-Mo. convention at the Phillips Hotel have been changed from April 28-29 to May 13-14. . . . Kansas-Mo. Theatre Assn, has set May 5-6 for a joint meeting with MPTO of St. Louis and S. Ill. at Kirkwood Lodge, 0.sage Beach, Lake of the Ozarks. First business session will center around 3-D and a square dance will be part of the enteilainment. The Assn, has scheduled its 35th annual convention for Oct. 6-7 at the President Hotel. . . . Para¬ mount’s offices have been redecorated. . . . A new ozoner is going up at Leawood, a K.C. suburb. . . . Elmer C. Rhoden, vp of National Theas., purchased 1,500 shares of common stock in March to increase his in¬ direct holdings to 3,525. . . . “The HaiJi3y Time” has been held for four weeks at the Kimo. Commonwealth has drive-ins under con¬ struction at Creston, la. ; Springdale, Ark. ; Trenton, AVashington, AYaynesville and Warrensburg. Mo., and has purcha.sed the Spa Drive-In at Excelsior Springs, Mo. and the Meade drive-in and indoor theatre in Kingman, Kans. Bill Head will manage the indoor business at Kingman and Kenneth Quinn the drive-in. Ed Jordan is mgr. of Commonwealth’s ozoner at Monett, Mo. The firm’s annual convention will be held June 2-3 at the President Hotel. . . . L. E. Bloch, Jr., J. R. Jensen and I. E. Oberzan are associates in Vita Enterprise, I’ecently char¬ tered to own, lease and operate theatres in Mo. . . . The Roxy Theatre, recently fire damaged, reopened April 15. LOS ANGELES Maurice Muzquiz has assumed operation of the San Fernando Theatre, San Fernando. . . . Eddie Ashkins, veteran RKO salesman, resigned his post to ent(‘r exhibition. . . . Tom Muchmore, operator of the Canoga Theatre, Canoga Park, is modernizing tlie house, plus adding a new marquee. . . . Max Katz, UA booker, was awarded a gold wrist-watch for having secured the greatest amount of bookings in the AA^. J. Heinenian drive. . . . HaiTy Henderson assumed opera¬ tion of the Arroyo Theatre, which had been shuttered for some time. . . . Nick Syanos, and Edward and Dick Grossman, new own¬ ers of the Bay, Pacific Palisades, had a gala reopening, with comedian Jerry Lewis, hon¬ orary mayor of Pacific Palisades, on hand to take tickets. Cecil Vinnicoff, son of the pres, of Vinnicoft' Theatres, has entered the metal window field and converted the long-closed Green Meadows Theatre into offices and warehouse. . . . Edwards Circuit reopened the State, Azusa. House suffered considerable damage from a fire some months ago. . . . Ray How¬ ard, owner of the Burbank Theatre, Bur¬ bank, is remodeling the long-dark house into storerooms. ... A county zoning board field a negative recommendation in connection with proposed construction of a $500,000 ozoner and restaurant in Bellflower. Resi¬ dents raised a strong protest against the development. MEMPHIS The 64 Drive-In at Russellville, Ark. has been purchased by Mr. & Mrs. J . Henley Smith. . . . The new 325-car drive-in at Tren¬ ton, Tenn., owned by Andy Jones and Utra Burton, has opened. . . . Jack Marshall, mgr. of the Dyersburg Theatre, Dyersburg, Tenn., has been elected pres, of the local Rotary Club. MILWAUKEE Variety International has awarded a trip to the International Convention in Mexico City, May 18-21, to Larry Lawrence, editor of "the Milwaukee Journal Green Sheet, be¬ cause of a story he wrote about a local woman cured of a serious heart ailment at the Heart Clinic sponsored by Milwaukee Tent No. 14. . . . The Milwaukee Ass’n of Commerce urged its members to protest to congressional representatives against repeal of the excise theatre admission tax as discriminatoi’y to other segments of business RKO's Nat Levy, Eastern div. mgr., and Dave Cantor, home office exploitation mgr., hold a confab with exhibitors and branch personnel in Indianapolis. L to R: (seated) Robert Jones, Affiliated Theas.; Dale McFarland, mgr., Indianapolis Amuse. Co.; Morris Lefko, RKO dist. mgr.; Levy; Cantor; Herman Black, salesman; H. Sullivan, Alliance Circuit; (standing) Russ Brentlinger, RKO branch mgr.; Peter J. Fortune, Indianapolis Cooperative Theas.; Marc Wolf and A1 Blocher of Y & W Circuit. THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— MAY 2. 1953 29