The Independent Film Journal (1954)

REGIONEWS ALBANY Plans are moving ahead for a double promotion, co-sponsored by the local Varie¬ ty Club and Albany Times-Union, to in¬ clude a luncheon for Wm. Randolph Hearst, Jr. on March 21 and a dinner-dance honor¬ ing Kirk Douglas, star of “Man Without a Star” which opens the next day at the Strand, Albany, and the Troy, Troy. Chief barker George H. Schenck, Leo Rosenow and Harld Gabrilove are on the executive committee for the luncheon at the Sheraton Ten Eyck, with proceeds earmarked for Camp Thacher and the Albany Boys Club. City Court Judge Myers was named toast¬ master for the dinner. Visiting here to spearhead the industry’s attack on bill validating collection of major breakage on the 5% admissions tax by New York City, Binghamton and Elmira were Charles A. Smakwitz, S-W zone mgr. in Newark, D. J. Phillips of MMPTA, Joseph M. Geoghan of Century Theatres and Mort Sunshine of 1TOA. . . . The sensational business drawn by “Battle Cry” during a fortnight run at the Strand, and the sur¬ prising patronage it pulled in a two-week moveover to the Ritz was the talk of Filmrow. The picture also did smash trade at the Troy, Troy. . . . Harvey English, 55, owner of the Capitol Theatre in Hancock and operator of five other houses in N. Y. and Pa. communities, passed away. He was Mayor of Hancock for several terms. ATLANTA A serious threat to drive-in operations in Tenn. was lifted when }>roposed legislation, which would have forced transfer of screen towers to other locations wherever pictures were visible to passing motorists. Measure now applies to ozoners built after April 1, 1955. A committee of exhibitors, led by Stacy Wilhite, pres, of Tenn. Theatre Own¬ ers Assn., protested the original bill. . . . The city committee turned down application of J. R. Wilson of Wilson Realty Co., ask¬ ing that a Simpson St. tract be rezoned to allow for construction of Atlanta’s first drive-in for Negroes, to cost around $100,000. . . . Abe Brown, owner of K&B Soda Co., is on the mend. . . . B. B. Benton, pres, of Benton Bros. Film Express, back on the job after hospitalization. Lucas Theatre, Savannah, was assigned the Ga. premiere of “Long Gray Line” be¬ cause of the city’s large Irish population, and opened St. Parick’s Day amid great fanfare. . . . Merchants of Dyer, Tenn. are studying a plan to reopen the Dver Thea¬ tre, closed by Wilfred Bonds because of poor business. . . . Talgar’s Ritz, Talla¬ hassee, Fla., reopened under mgr. Tommy Hyde. . . . Air conditioning being installed in Martin’s Ritz and Palace, Valdosta, Ga. . . . A new 600-car project, under construc¬ tion in Albany, Ga., is being equipped by Dixie Drive-In Service of Albany. . . . The Linco Theatre, Lincolnton, Ga., completely destroyed by fire. Walter McDonald, UA booker in Atlanta, transferred to the Jacksonville office as head booker. ... II. J. Cleveland, Sr., owner of Skyline Drive-In, Tuscaloosa, Ala., has leased the WJRD Auditorium Theatre, closed since 1953. Name will be changed to Roxy and Tom Jones Booking Service will buy and book. . . . P. J. Nichols is new owner of the #1 Drive-In at Apalachicola, Fla. . . . The first annual ‘ ‘ Laura Kenny Award,” will be presented to Atlanta’s “WOMPI of the Year” on April 1 at a dance sponsored by that organization. Mrs. Kenny was first pres, of the local unit. A bill, now in both houses of the Tenn. Legislature and unopposed, would authorize county courts to legalize Sunday movies at drive-ins outside incorporated towns or cities. . . . Jimmie Jerrell is opening a new, deluxe ozoner in Commerce, Ga. equipped with CinemaScope. . . . MCM Circuit, head¬ quartered in Leesburg, Fla., is preparing to build a 599-car drive-in there on a 35acre tract. . . . Martin’s Vance Theatre at Chipley, Fla., is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Joe F. Davis of Ariton, Ala. . . . Joseph Cohen, formerly with theatres in Boston, Mass., is mgr. of the Albany Thea¬ tre, Albany, Ga. . . . Pete Brice of Pal Amuse, reports work soon to start on the Pal Theatre, Louisville, Ga., which was] destroyed by fire. It will seat 600. James W. Blackwell, originally from Sum-] ter, S. C., appointed mgr. of the Hardee] Theatre, Wauchula, Fla., replacing Mar-1 celino Melendreas, who resigned. . . . Edgar I F. Smith appointed city mgr. of Florida State theatres in Lakeland. . . . John M. Jones, III, recently out of the Army, took over the Cloud Theatre in St. Cloud, Fla. from R. E. Beck and will install CinemaScope. His father joins him in the enter¬ prise. . . . A1 Rook’s buying outfit is servic¬ ing the 85 Drive-In at Kingsport, Tenn., owned by Doc Fincher. . . . Recent CinemaScope installations : Magnolia Theatre, Titusville, Fla., owned by Andrew Cutter; Lyric Theatre, Pell City, Ala., James Cagle; Park Theatre, Hahira, Ga., C. T. Nelson; Sanford Drive-In, Sanford, Fla., mgr. C. B. Schirard. BOSTON Ray Feeley, exec. dir. of Independent Ex¬ hibitors, has leased the Lexington Theatre,] Lexington, and plans to open it March 27 after redecoration, remodeling of the front and installation of CinemaScope with full] stereophonic sound. The house, operated by I the late Wm. Viano, has been closed more than a year. Feeley will try out an art] policy the first two or three days of each week. . . . Joseph Levine, pres, of Embassy Piets, which distributes “Gangbusters,’ ’ is back from a trip to Texas in its behalf. With Barnet Yanofsky, he has taken over| the Hadley Dirve-In at Hadley. . . . First' ozoners to open in Greater Boston were the Meadow Glen, Revere, Neponset and Natick, I which started out with good mid-week busi-J ness. . . . Irving and A1 Cohen, operators of] the Ritz, Lewiston, Me., visited Boston’s] film row on their way back from a Florida I vacation. Joe Mansfield, LTA publicist, aroused un-l usual interest at a press luncheon for Win Min Than, Burmese co-star with Gregory, Peek in “The Purple Plain.” The dainty star fascinated women interviewers with her hair-do, red and gold sarong and san¬ dalled bare feet. . . . Phil Engel, 20th-Fox publicist, and Jack Saef of the Metropolitan I Theatre arranged tie-ups with travel agents, art museums and galleries containing Afri¬ can material in the promotion for “ Un \ tamed.” Engel has also been working with National Council of Churches represents] tives to set up a Council-sponsored theatre screening of ‘ ‘ A Man Called Peter. ” . . . Peggy Finneran. secy, to Columbia branch mgr. Tom O’Brien, will marry Wm. Kinch on June 4. . . . C. J. Russell, Sr., operator of the Bijou in Bangor, Me., entered the hospital for a major operation. Albert B. Lourie, new secy, of Independ < ent Exhibitors, is opening a new 250-car parking space back of his Adams Theatre, 1 Dorchester. Parkers will be asked to buy , tickets to the show, whether they intend to use them or not, as space was acquired with understanding that no direct parking j An all-celebrity world premiere audience paid $50 a ticket for the N. Y. Astor Theatre opening of "East of Eden," Elia Kazan's Warner Bros. CinemaScope production of the John Steinbeck best¬ seller, given for benefit of the Actors Studio. At left, is Margaret Truman, who with other volunteer celebrities acted as usherettes, with Raymond Massey (left) and Elia Kazan, and at right are Mrs. and Mr. Max Fellerman, gen. mgr. of City Entertainment Corp., and John Cusack, managing director of the Astor Theatre. 34 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— March 19. 1955