The Independent Film Journal (1954)

CHARLOTTE (cont'd.) A. C. Chasteen is mgr. . . . Jerry Helms, Par¬ amount booker, and Eltanor Kessler, secy, tied the knot. . . . Janie Crooke, Allied Art¬ ists, was married to Frank Conder. ... Jay Schrader, Charlotte Poster Co., is recuperat¬ ing at home after hospitalization. . . . Mrs. Ben Nation, owner of the Friendly Drive-In, Lincolnton, N.C., is taking treatment at Mayo Clinic. CHICAGO Circuit Court Judge Bartley, Joliet, granted distributors inspection of the rec¬ ords for past six years in percentage fraud case against Codo Theatre and denied Codo’s request to stay proceedings until Codo Thea¬ tre anti-trust suit filed in federal courts is determined. . . . Surf Theatre building, hous¬ ing TI&E Balaban’s Surf Theatre and offices, sold to Beulah Skinner thru Arthur Rubloff, relators. . . . Cinerama, at Eitel’s Palace Theatre, ends first year on July 29 with at¬ tendance expected to reach one million. Plans are underway for anniversary celebration. . . . Francis David will close his State Theatre, Hamilton, Ill. at end of month. Diana Theatre, Noblesville, and Tipton at Tipton, Ind. installing CinemaScope and stereophonic sound equipment. . . . Marshall Bottom sold his interest in the Oakland City, Ind. drive-in to Siegel Thurman and Ida B. Clifford. . . . Frisina Circuit closed the Elks Theatre, Olney; State Lawrenceville ; Kincaid, Kincaid, for the summer and installed wide screen and other improvements in the Arcadia, Olney, managed by French Gallagher. . . . Ray Bell, operator of the Pix in Blue Mounds, reopened the Roxy in Stonington, Ill. . . . B&K’s United Artist Theatre in the loop plan longer runs for important films with opening of “Magnificent Obses¬ sion” instead of two-week policy with twin bills. Apollo Theatre management opened the Alexander Park Outdoor Theatre near Princeton, Ill. . . . Clifford Orr opened an ozoner south of Gibson City, Ill., where he also owns the Edna Theatre. . . . Capital Theatre, McLeansboro, under Dickinson man¬ agement, installed an RCA Dynalite wide screen and will show CinemaScope films. . . . M. Traynor took over the Eureka and Minonk, Ill. thatres from Bailey Circuit and will equip both houses for CinemaScope. . . . Sid Kraus named mgr. of Schoenstadt’s Shakespeare Theatre. . . . Merchants Theatre, Kansas, Ill., managed by James Cook, has been closed for the summer. Family Drive-In, Urbana, installed Cine¬ maScope equipment under direction of mgr. Marshall Pinckard. ... New World Weekly, official organ of the Catholic diocese of Chi¬ cago and Joliet, urges the public to attend films that are approved by the League of Decency. . . . Zion Theatre, Zion, managed by Ronald Bridges was closed for repairs when a wind storm tore off the xmof of the 1,000-seat house. . .. Ted Tokarz reopened the Lake Theatre, Round Lake, after quick repairs from severe wind damages. June amusement tax collections amounted to $103,520 as against $85,921 for same pe¬ riod last year. First six months this year totaled $573,520 as against $518,857 last year. . . . Roger Singer named asst. mgr. B&K’s Riviera Theatre. . . Jack Cooney re¬ opened the Holly Theatre on Fullerton Ave. . . . Chicago American advanced amusement ad line rates. . . . B&K’s Roosevelt Theatre is receiving a single track CinemaScope in¬ stallation. CINCINNATI Frank Yassenoff added to his chain of ozoners the Mo-Tour-In at Milford, 0., which he acquired from Milford Amuse. Co., headed by Vern H. Williams. . . . Moe Potasky re¬ ports good results with a mixer used in the showing of “The Robe” at his Troy Dixie Drive-In, Troy, 0. . . . F. W. Huss, Jr. of Associated Theas. installed a wide screen in his Park Theatre in addition to a paint job, new curtain and improvements in the con¬ cession stand. . . . Highway Drive-In at Mt. Sterling, Ivy. and the Reda Drive-In, Rich¬ mond, Ky., were forced to close for repairs when screen towers were blown down in a recent heavy windstorm. National Theatre Supply is furnishing complete equipment for the ozoner being built in Victor, W. Va. by Lee Massey, who expects to have it ready for opening around Sept. 1. ... A new drive-in is being con¬ structed at Irvine, Ky. by Russell McClanahan, who operates a conventional theatre there. . . . Mid-West Theatre Supply reports CinemaScope installations in the Grand, Ronceverte, W. Va., owned by James Shanklin; Gauley at Gauley Bridge, W. Va.; Bell Watch These Dates! Aug. 9-14: Cincinnati — I.A.T.S.E. 42nd Convention — Music Hall. Aug. 23-24: White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. — Allied Board Meet — Grenbrier Hotel. Aug. 24-25: White Sulphur Springs — West Virginia Allied annual convention — Greenbrier Hotel. Sept. 21-23: Kiamesha Lake, N. Y. — Allied Theatre Owners of N. J. convention — Concord Hotel. Oct. 10-11 : Milwaukee — Allied States Assn, fall board meeting — Schroeder Hotel. Oct. 12-14: Milwaukee — Allied States Assn, annual convention — Municipal Audi¬ torium. Oct. 30-Nov. 4: Chicago — Theatre Owners of America convention — Hilton Hotel. Oct. 31-Nov. 4: Chicago — TESMA Trade Show — Conrad Hilton Hotel. Nov. 7-8: St. Louis-Missouri-Illinois Thea¬ tre Owners convention — Chase Hotel. Nov. 14-16: Charlotte — Theatre Owners of N. and S. Carolina — Hotel Charlotte. Nov. 16-17 : Indianapolis — Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana fall convention — Marott Hotel. Nov. 21-23: Jacksonville— Motion Picture Exhibitors of Florida convention — Roose¬ velt Hotel. Dec. 5-7: Oklahoma City — Theatre Owners of Oklahoma convention. at Pineville, Ky. ; Cruise In Drive-In, Lan¬ caster, O., owned by Carlos Crum; and new ozoner at Henderson, Ky. . . . John Hewitt installed CinemaScope in his Midway Thea¬ tre, Bethel, O. . . . Eli Kalisch, Ky. salesman for M-G-M, has been transferred to the com¬ pany’s home office in N.Y. . . . Warner branch mgr. James S. Abrose announced the engagement of his daughter. Joan Sheila, to James R. Kerr. . . . Clara Wright, M-G-M inspectress, has retired after 24 years with the company. DALLAS Sterling Sales & Service, Inc. of Dallas has been appointed to handle products of Lorraine Carbons, Inc. of Boonton, N.J. in this area. . . . Two New York drama figures are reported interested in converting the Up¬ town or the Kirby Theatre, Houston, for a 40-week season of legit shows. . . . Fire swept the Astor Pictures Co. premises in Dallas and caused an estimaed $6,650 damage. DENVER Westland Theas. will build a 600-car ozoner at the eastern city limits of Colorado Springs, to include CinemaScope and to open next spring. ... In appreciation of his efforts in behalf of the industry, theatre and film men in 17 states gave Pat McGee, Cooper Foundation Theas. gen. mgr., a new automo¬ bile. . . Harold Wirthwein, Allied Artists western div. mgr., was in while Jack Felix, former branch mgr. at Portland, Ore., took over as branch mgr. Felix succeeds the late C. J. Duer. . . . The 550-car Evans Drive-In, being built in southwest Denver, plans to open about Aug 1. . . . Authorities at Basin, While in Washington on tour for "Hell Below Zero," A. H. "Cubby" Broccoli, co-producer of Colum¬ bia's Warwick releases, met with the Stanley-Warner circuit group. L. to R.: Harry Lohmeyer, Broccoli, Louis Ribnitzki, Frank LaFalce, George Crouch and Charles Grimes. 24 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— July 24. 1954