The Independent Film Journal (1954)

Los Angeles area exhibitors honor George A. Smith, Paramount western division manager, on his 65th birthday at the Beverly Hills Club. From left: Leo Miller, Marco Wolff, Bert Pirosh, Harry C. Arthur, Jr., who chairmaned the affair; Fred Stein, Ben Wallerstein, Smith, Hugh Bruen, Jerry Zigmond, G. Ralph Branton, and Robert L. Lippert. _ PORTLAND (cont'd.) National Park meets the Blackfeet Indian reservation. Being used for sets are ranch lands of Ted Pendergrass. . . . Special meet¬ ings have been in progress between Thornton Sargent, publicity director for National The¬ atres and Russell Brown and William Thedford of Evergreen Theatres. More than 250 theatres represented at a meeting in which Hal R. Makelim described his production-distribution deal in Seattle un¬ animously signed up for the pictures. Makelim spoke at a meeting of Theatre Owners of Washington, Northern Idaho and Alaska. A group of independent exhibitors in Salt Lake City over-subscribed the quota for that terri¬ tory also. PROVIDENCE The area’s ozoners escaped damage when a series of “flash” thunderstorms roared into town the other Saturday night right before show time. The storms, which flooded high¬ ways and caused severe damage to many structures, forced the drive-ins to keep closed on their busiest night but did no physical harm to the buildings. . . . The “Smokey Mountain Boys” put on a 30-minute stage show as an added feature at E. M. Loew’s Drive-In Theatre for three nights. The stage presentation proved very popular and may be repeated. . . . This city, passed up by live circuses for the second year, is giving a fine reception to films concerning that subject. “Ring of Fear” has been play¬ ing to good grosses at the Majestic, while the re-issue of “The Greatest Show On Earth” was a hit at the Strand. ST. LOUIS The Kay Theatre, St. Franeisville, Ill., has been re-opened by Mrs. Anna Lee Pool after several months of being closed. . . . Glen Boner, veteran theatre manager, has joined the sales staff of St. Louis Theatre Supply. . . . An RCA dyne-lite screen has been installed at the Horstman Theatre, Chaffee, Mo. . . . The Frisina Amusement Co. of Springfield, Ill., has ordered magnetic sound systems and Super Panatar lenses for the Grand Theatre, Iveokuk, la., Strand The¬ atre, St. Charles, Mo., Heart Theatre, Effing¬ ham, Ill., Arcadia, Olney, Ill., Lincoln, Robin¬ son, Ill., and Capitol Theatre, Litchfield, Ill. . . . The Killarney Drive-In near Arcadia, Mo., owned by Irwin Degonia and William Baden, had its inaugural show with a newly widened screen tower, and CinemaScope equipment. The first drive-in in this area to air-condi¬ tion its concession building was the Clark, between Pittsfield, Ill., and Louisiana, Mo. The theatre had a five-ton unit installed. . . . Julie Newmeyer, actress in M-G-M’s “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” now showing at the Loew’s State, made a big hit when she appeared in the college shops of three local stores. . . . The local Midsummer Drive-In Theatre Salute to the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital is proceeding nicely, with pledges coming in regularly to Lester Kropj) and Tom Edwards, joint chairmen. . . . The con¬ cession stand of Skyway Drive-In, Mattoon, 111., was broken into a few days ago. The burglars got only three packs of cigarettes, however. The McNair Theatre, 582-seater, is being advertised for sale by its owner Walter Thimmig. The house has been closed since the end of May. . . . The State Theatre, O’Fallon, 111., has been closed. . . . The heat ■wave has caused the temporary closing of the Lafayette Theatre, a Fanchon & Marco unit. . . . The Vita Theatre, 360-seater at Warrenton, Mo., has been temporarily shut¬ tered to permit the installation of CinemaScope equipment. . . . Another local movie house is being converted into a church. It’s the former Maryland Theatre building, which closed as a theatre 13 years ago. . . . The screen-widening program at Marlow’s DriveIn Theatre on Route 148 near Herrin, Ill., should lie finished and the screen ready for use by Aug. 15. The Stadium Theatre, 680-seater at Jerseyville, 111., now has a new wide screen twice as big as the old one. . . . The State Theatre, Cabool, Mo., has completed installation of CinemaScope and stereo sound. . . . Rowe Carney has installed SuperScope lenses in the Uptown Theatre, Rolla, Mo., and used them for the first time with a July showing of “The Robe.” . . . Plans for the annual MITO meeting this fall will be discussed Aug. 10 at a meeting of the officers and board at the Melbourne Hotel. ... A late summer series of films is being offered by the St. Louis Cinema Guild, which used “The Golem” as an oji>ener. A different film will be shown each weekend through Sept. 18. SALT LAKE CITY . Republic Pictures, Inc., has appointed Dean Wilson, former booker for Metro Goldwyn Mayer offices here, as salesmen to cover the northern section of the Intermountain territory. . . . The local 20th-Fox exchange, headed by branch manager Kenneth Lloyd, is having installed in their screening room equipment for stereophonic sound and Cine¬ maScope. This screening room is used by the entire Film Row with the exception of the Paramount exchange. . . . Booker -stenogra¬ pher Alice Wooley of the local Columbia Exchange has resigned and her place has been taken by Gae Duel. Another resignation at this exchange is that of Mable Lee, who is replaced by Diane Peterson as availabilityclerk. A new booking clerk at the Paramount exchange here is Lela Buchannan who re¬ places Ramona Anderson, upped to contract clerk. . . . Star Donna Reed was released from the local Holy Cross Hospital this week-end, recovered from an operation. . . . “The Garden of Evil” which held three ’weeks at the Centre Theatre, was at advanced prices of $1 top, rather than the usual 85C . . . ‘Miss Utah State Fair’ became personally acquainted with Jane Russell in St. George, Utah, Miss Russell was on location for RKO Radio. Therefore, the local lady will have Jane Russell’s personal beauticians assist her this week in Long Beach prior to beauty test. Suzan Ball, film star, stopped over in Salt Lake City this week after completing her first picture since her recuperation from her accident. ... A tent has been raised at the foot of Snow King Mountain at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, known as the Tent Theatre, which opened with stage presentations of note. . . . Robert Francis of “The Caine Mutiny” has been visiting this city just preceding the opening of the picture at the Lyric theatre. Manager Phil Speekart of the Tower the¬ atre is having success with the “2nd Annual Guinness Festival” of pictures, offering as an innovation two pictures starring this well known favorite, in one evening. . . . George Zschank, resident manager for the Utah Drive-In Theatres, Inc., announces that he believes the picture “We Want A Child” warrants showings in three of his houses simultaneously; namely the Gem, the Red¬ wood and the Airport. It is definitely an¬ nounced as “Adult Only” entertainment. . . . The Rialto theatre of the Jos. Lawrence chain here known as Village Theatres, Inc., is closed for extensive remodeling, according to Frank Davis, manager. Re-opening is ex¬ pected to be in the early Fall. SAN FRANCISCO Kenneth E. Ketner, former assistant, Downtown Paramount, Los Angeles, was transferred to assistant, Paramount, here, replacing Lawrence Tovar, resigned. . . . Film Booking Agency of Northern California has taken over two new accounts: The Tokay Drive-in, Lodi, and the Tioga Drive-in, Merced. . . . Robert Clark Agency is now booking and buying for Dos Palos Drive-in, Dos Palos. . . . Edward Lyons, salesman, Lippert Pictures, resigned. . . . J. J. Wright, assistant regional manager, Army and Air Force Motion Picture Service, has been transferred to the New York office and re¬ placed by George Helms in San Francisco. N. P. “Red” Jacobs, president, Favorite Films of California, Ins., will headquarter in Los Angeles from now on. He has moved his family to Southern California. . . . New biller at Paramount Exchange is Connie Grennie, also new on the row. . . . Ruth Gelber, secretary to Sales Manager Ward Pennington of Paramount, resigned. . . . L. E. Tillman, manager, Columbia, was in Los Angeles conferring with Lou Astor of New York. 34 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— August 7. 1954