The Independent Film Journal (1952)

MILWAUKEE (cont'dJ also burdened by this tax. ... A Home sew¬ ing machine was won by Elroy Luedke, city mgr. for Delft theatres at Marquette, Mich, for his exploitation on “Plymouth Adven¬ ture.” . . . Wisconsin Allied Theatre Ownei-s’ board meeting will be held here on May 15. . . .' Unity Theatres took over two thea¬ tres in Oconomowoc — the LaBelle from Wm. Ainsworth and the Strand from H. Huebner. The LaBelle was conq)letely rebuilt. . . . Big benefit show at the Eox-Wisconsin garnered $13,000 for the Cancer fund. Under a bill filed in the Wisconsin Legis¬ lature, cars leaving a drive-in would be for¬ bidden to cross a traffic lane. The measure would also prohibit construction of new ozoners within a quarter mile of a state or countiT highway and require those built after July 1 to have an exit road entering into a town road or a city village street. . . . The David White Co., manufacturers of the Stereo-Realist camera, had an eight page supplement in the local paper telling of the company’s dedication of its new plant, to¬ gether with articles about the stars from Hollywood who came here to attend the mid¬ west premiere of “House of Wax” at the Warner Theatre. The picture did an SRO business. . . . Harvey C. Hartwig of Milwau¬ kee has become associated with attorney Thomas McConnell in the Viking Theatre auti-trust case. MINNEAPOLIS Ben Berger, pres, of North Central Allied; E. L. Peaslee, v.p. and Stanley Kane, exec, counsel, were in Washington to testify before the Senate subcommittee on small business regarding industry trade practices which allegedly are harmful to independent ex¬ hibitors. . . . The Wing, Wing, N.D., has installed a new aceoustical tile ceiling. . . . Redecoration of the Drayton, Drayton, N.D., has been completed. . . . The Chateau, Milbank, S.D., reopened after a winter shut¬ down. . . . The Roxy, Owatonna, Minn., was closed for the summer. . . . The Monte, Montezuma, la., has reopened following a fii-e. . . . Minn. Amu.se. Co. will shutter and dismantle the Park, St. Paul nabe. . . . Ernest A. Phillips, 62, retired theatre oiierator, died at Rochester, Minn., of a heart attack. . . . J. E. Johnson, owner of the Lyceum, Deer River, Minn., was elected pres, of the Deer River Assn, of Commerce. Charles Rubenstein and Abe Kaplan plan W. D. Washburn (left), owner of the Park Theatre in Wautoma, Wis., and Bernard M. Okun, pres, of Biltmore Theatres, Ltd., Toronto, are greeted by singing star Teresa Brewer on the Pine-Thomas set of "Those Sisters From Seattle," Paramount's second 3-D Technicolor production. to reopen their nabe Granada next month, probably as an art house. . . . KCJB-TV at Minot, N.D. is the first TV station in the territory outside the Twin Cities to begin operation. The ECC has also granted permits to Fargo, N.D.; Rochester, Austin, St. Cloud and Duluth, Minn. ; and Sioux Falls, S.D., for construction and operation of TV sta¬ tions. . . . Theatre at Williston, N.D. makes juvenile patrons check their water pistols before entering the house. . . . Leo Peterson and Bert Johnson plan to open their new 820-seat State at Pierre, S.D., early in May. House replaces one destroyed by fire and will be equipped for 3-D and large-screen TV. . . . Stanley Smith is building a 300car ozoner on the edge of Sisseton, S.D., where he aiso operates the conventional Sisseton. . . . Howard Clemens is new asst, mgr. of the loop Gopher, replacing Alfred Chance, resigned. . . . Ben Berger sold the 1700-seat Palace to Jack Beugen, who will convert the property to a parking lot. NEW HAVEN The local Film Exchange Bldg., also known as Kilfeather Bldg., has been pur¬ chased by the Hofwal Realty Corp. from Harry B. Frank and Henry Bium, for $385,000. Numerous exchanges, including M-G-M and RKO, are among tenants. No changes are planned. . . . Frank Lynch, formerly with M-G-M exchange here, has been named mgr. of the Meriden Theatre, Meriden, by Nick Kournaris and Paul Tolls. Lynch re¬ places Wm. Pilot, resigned. . . . Matthew Moriarty, Manchester businessman, an¬ nounced purchase of the University of Conn, business block for $500,000, which has land available for a theatre, bank and postoffiee. . . . The Plainfield, Plainfield, had first east¬ ern Conn, showing of “Bwana Devil.” . . . Blue Hills Drive-In, Bloomfield, has installed a TV set in its concession building. Paul Sul¬ livan was named mgT. of the Blue Hills. . . . Michael Masselli, mgr. of the Plainfield Thea¬ tre, Plainfield, was married to June Cleary of Hartford. . . . Peter LeRoy of Blue Hills Drive-In Theatre Corp., Bloomfield, is recovei’ing from surgery. Dick Darby resigned as dist. mgr. for Lockwood & Gordon to become mgr. of the Post Drive-In, East Haven, Conn. He is replaced at L&G by Russell Ordway, former mgr. of their Webb Theatre, Wethersfield. . . . Eric A. Johnston, pres., M.P.A., and Harry F. Shaw, Loew’s Poli-New Eng. div. mgr., were on the committee of 45 national execs, in charge of the May 4 testimonial for Francis S. Murphy, retiring editor and publisher of the Hartford Times. . . . Morris Keppner, Burnside Theatre Corp., and Louis Liprnan. Hartford auto dealer, disclosed plans for construction of an ozoner in South Coventry, Conn. ... At a cost of $100 per week, the Blue Plills, East Windsor, Pike, Farmington and Hartford drive-ins are using 40 spot announcements over Radio Station WCCC, Hartford, and also receiving nu¬ merous time schedule jjlugs. NEW ORLEANS The St. Bernard Drive-In on St. Claude Ave. was the first to bring 3-D to its patrons with opening of “Bwana Devil.” George E. Wilt.se, owner, reports that he has succe.ssfully adapted this type of film to his outdoor theatre and that many exhibitors from Texas, La., Miss., Ala. and Fla. witnessed the presentation and are pleased with the proc¬ ess. . . . The Orpheum Theatre and Radio Station WSMB, in a contest tieup, are of RKO prexy James R. Grainger and Roy O. Disney, pres, of Walt Disney Productions, sign the new contract whereby RKO will distribute three forth i coming Disney pictures — "The Sword and the Rose," "Prowlers of the Everglades" and "Melody." 1 fering prizes to the lucky girl who measures up to a modern Salome. ... A new theatre is announced for Iota, La. The Derby Thea¬ tre will have 300 seats. . . . M. J. Sotile closed his Sorrento Theatre, Sorrento, La., on April 30 for good. . . . M. Sims closed the Belmont, Pensacola, Fla., and Charles , Waterall closed his Bolinger Theatre. L. W. Stevens opened the American Legion Drive-In at Coushatta, La., to ac¬ commodate 92 cars. ... In Sulphur, La., Percy Duplissey opened the 400-car Frontier ' Theatre. . . . J. Stout opened the Livonia Theatre, Livonia, La. . . . Name of the Sun I Down Drive-In at McKenzie, Ala. has been changed to Star-vue. . . . Baton Rouge got ^ its first TV station April 20, when WAFBTV went on the air. . . ATO of the Gulf States will hold its next board meeting on May 5th at the Jung Hotel. NEW YORK All records for long runs in the 34-year history of the Capitol Theatre toppled on May 1, when “Moulin Rouge” began its 12th i week, to continue indefinitely. The manage¬ ment celebrated the event by inviting many great stars who had appeared on the Capitol stag’e to make personal appearances. . . . Milton Hornstein has taken over the Maj^fair Theatre, Flushing, from Mrs. G. Rhonheimer. . . . John Huntington, mgr. of the Spa Summer Theatre in Saratoga Springs, has joined the Walter Reade organization to ■ operate the cii'cuit’s Savoy Theatre in Asbury Park, N. J. as a legit playhouse. . . . John J. “Jack” Bowen, veteran member of the M-G-M sales staff, succumbed to a heart ' attack. U-I will introduce its first feature with i stereophonic directional sound at Loew’s State on May 20, when “Thunder Bay” in i Technicolor has its pre-release world pre¬ miere there. ... Si Fabian and Sam Rosen i of Fabian and Stanley-AVarner Theati\?s, will I be honored at a luncheon of the amusements ■ industry for United Jewish Appeal on May 26 at the Plaza Hotel. Adolph O. Schimel, , U-I exec., was named chairman of the in¬ dustry’s drive. . . . Trade paper j)ublishers ■ and representatives attended a luncheon at the Variety Club in the Hotel Piccadilly as = guests of chief barker Edward Lachman to ■ judge entries submitted for the stoiy and I photo contest staged by Variety Interna¬ tional. 30 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— MAY 2, 19531