The Independent Film Journal (1954)

NEW YORK (cont'd.) Realtors Berk & Krumgold consummated a long-term lease on the 1000-car Hollowbrook Drive-In, located in Peekskill, N.Y., and built in 1950, for the Phil Smith in¬ terests of Boston. . . . Ernie Emerling, Loew’s ad-pub head, and Mrs. Emerling flew to Rome and Athens for a European vacation. . . . Mary Kirkwood, was upped from asst, mgr. of Loew’s in Jersey City to acting mgr. of Loew’s 83rd St. in Manhattan; Leonard Edwards, asst, at Loew’s State, Newark, to mgr. of Loew’s Rio, 160th St. & B’way, N.Y.C. Allie Bernstein, mgr. of the Rio and a veteran in the Loew ranks, will shortly retire. OKLAHOMA CITY Pat McGee of Denver, Colo, attended a meeting of United Theatre Owners of Okla. to explain the workings of COMPO ’s Audi¬ ence Award Plan. Local co-ordinators are Henry Gifting and Don Tullius of Okla. City, and Ralph Drewiy and Earl Snyder of Tulsa. All segments of the industry were well represented. ... Ed Crews sold his Empress Theatre, Waurika, Okla. to his son, Ernest, who will manage and operate it. . . . Beaty Chronister, wTio is moving to Mt. Shasta, Calif., sold his Washita Thea¬ tre in Hammon, Okla. to Howard Dow. . . . New wide screen was installed at the Forgan Theatre, Forgan, Okla. Edna Still closed the Tuttle Theatre, Tuttle, Okla., and does not anticipate re¬ opening. . . . Kyle Kingery took over the Grand Theatre, Happy, Tex., and reopened it July 3. . . . After many difficulties, Lewis Long finally completed installation of CinemaScope equipment in his “54” Drive-In, Guymon, Okla. . . . Cortez Theatre, Wanette, Okla., was closed. . . . Bill Wilson and Wilson Dunn assumed ownership of the Lyn Theatre, Thomas, Okla. . . . Vance Terry of the Woodward Theatre, Wood¬ ward, Okla. was the first chairman to report 100% contributions to the State Mental Health Drive. Den Theatre, Verden, Okla. is being dis¬ mantled and building will be converted into a store. . . . There are no immediate plans for reopening the Avon Theatre, McCloud, Okla., which was recently destroyed by fire. . . . Mr. & Mrs. R. H. Duckett reopened their Taloga Theatre, Taloga. ... A kick¬ off meeting was held at the Variety Club on the “Oil Well Give-Away.’’ . . . During recent storm, tower of the Broncho DriveIn, Wellington, Tex., was destroyed. Video Ind. Theas. owners of the theatre, expect to reopen around July 15. PHILADELPHIA Michael Zsisseri is building a 1000-car ozoner on Route 206 between Fort Dix and Bordentown, N. J. . . . Irving Rossheim started an anti-trust suit on behalf of his Midway Theatre in Allentown against other exhibitors in the area and major distribu¬ tors. His theatre was recently damaged by fire to the extent of $100,000. . . . Eddie Gabriel, Capital Films, reported that “The Green Scarf,” which he is distributing in this area, went into its 17th week at the Green Hill. . . . Amusement tax receipts for the first five months of 1955 were $79,943 less than for same period last year. W est Allegheny Theatre has been sold to Joseph B. Simon Co. for $33,500 and will become a service station. . . . Screen Guild is now distributing “Wuthering Heights’’ L to R: Ernest Emerling, Loew's national ad-pubexploi. director; Si Seadler, M-G-M ad director, and Oscar A. Doob, M-G-M executive, examine giant caravan of floats, models, music and fan¬ fare in front of Loew's State Theatre on Times Square. The floats, which kicked off Loew's Summer Movie Festival, are now touring the circuit's theatres in the metropolitan area. as a release in this area. . . . Jack Flynn, formerly dist. mgr. for StanleyWarner, took over Bill Yurasco’s chores as out of town booker. Yurasco succeeds Harry Kapowitz, who was transferred to New Haven. . . . Franklin O. Pease is no longer mgr. at the Park Theatre. . . . Roy Sullender was appointed local sales representative for Hallmark. A. M. Ellis Theatres expect to open the 1400-seat Ellis, formerly the Forum Thea¬ tre, in the Frankford section, and the Ellis Drive-In near Wilmington, Del., formerly known as the Brandywine. Bill Israel is now gen. mgr. of the circuit. . . . The S-W Lindley, which has been playing German pictures, closed for the summer. . . . Martin Spinelli purchased the former Berwyn The¬ atre in Berwyn for $20,000 from Albert M. Greenfield, broker, acting for Marie A. Wilmot and Chrissie H. Hill. . . . Win. Hendley, former mgr. of the Paramount in Atlanta, Ga. and other cities, joined Stanley-Wamer as mgr. of the Majestic in Gettysburg, Pa. PHOENIX Westside Theatres, Inc., a new corpora¬ tion headed by Harry Nace Jr., plans to build five new drive-ins in Arizona during the next four months, to be located in Goodyear, Litchfield, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Kingman. Already finished are driveins in Holbrook, Show Low, and two in Mesa. With parking facilities for approxi¬ mately 800 cars, the new ozoners will be built at a cost ranging from $75,000 to $125,000 each, depending upon location. In addition to Nace, other stockholders in Westside include Vince Murphy, gen. mgr. of the Nace circuit; Jack Van Leer, film buyer and booker, and John Wood, head of construction. Nace has also formed a partnership with Malcolm White (Valley Theatres, Inc.) for construction of a 1200 car drive-in in surburban Scottsdale, with plans calling for the theatre to be com¬ pleted within 60 days. PORTLAND Charles Birchard is the new salesman at Columbia exchange. . . . National Screen representative Harry Lewis has taken over operation of the Victory Theatre, Milwaukie, Ore., formerly operated by Tom Moyer. . . . Back from Calif, vacations — Mose Mesher, mgr. of the Portland Paramount, and Ike and Mrs. Geller, operators of the Walnut Park, Portland. . . . Charles Power, local 20th-Fox exchange mgr., is back at his desk for a few hours daily. Oregon City Theatres Inc. has been or¬ ganized by Helen M. Foster, Alex L. Parks and John U. Yerkovich, all of Oswego, Ore. . . . Richard Colber, former salesman for U-I in San Francisco, has been named Port¬ land branch mgr., replacing Ernest J. Piro, resigned. . . . Tom Walsh, J. J. Parker Theas. exec., Herb Royster, mgr. of the Broadway, and Charles Schram of the Lib¬ erty in Astoria, attended the M-G-M Work¬ shop in Seattle. ST. LOUIS Edward B. Arthur, Jeff Jeffries and Tom Edwrards were appointed exhibitor co-chair¬ men for COMPO ’s Audience Award Poll in this area ; Tom Williamson is distributor chairman. . . . Dwight Cantrell of Niangua, Mo. took over operation of the 250-car Sky¬ line Drive-In, Marshfield, which he bought from Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd B. Schmidt. . . . Pete Martin, mgr. of the Richmond Thea¬ tre here, made Bob Goddard’s “Snappy Dressers in Our Town” list in the GlobeDemocrat. ... A plaque in recognition of his efforts in producing and directing the Jewish War Veterans 1954 variety show at Kiel Auditorium was presented to Dion Peluso, mgr. of F&M’s Fox Theatre. Mrs. Bess Schulter is to be gen. chair¬ man for the Nov. 21-22 annual meeting of MITO, with Bill Williams, Jos. Ansell and John Meinardi acting as co-chairmen. State Senator Edward Long, who owns the Tro¬ jan Theatre in Troy, Mo. and the Orpheum at Elsberry, has been set to discuss legisla¬ tion and related matters. . . . Following recent auto accident, Republic salesman Henry Zack is back on the job with a cane and collecting autographs on the cast of his left leg. . . . Dickinson’s Glen Theatre at Quincy, Ill., which had been closed since June 10 because of shortage of top films, was damaged by fire. . . . Charley Allen of National Theatre Supply was married to Katherine Allen at Alton, Ill. . . . The 175-car Cuba Drive-In on Route 19 west of Cuba, Mo. was opened by Adolph P. Meier, who also owns the 255-seat Cuba Theatre there. . . . Harry Wald was win¬ ner and Ben Mandel runner-up in Variety’s first annual gin rummy tournament. . . . The new 500-car ozoner near Marion, Ill., owned and operated by Stewart Cluster, opened for business. It has a 40-ft. cafe¬ teria-style concessions bar. ... Joe W. Newsham of St. L. Theatre Supply wel¬ comed a baby daugher, named Barbara Jean. Bill Emas of the U-I staff reported arrival of Jill Paul. ... A net of $687 was realized in benefit for the Amusement Em¬ ployees Welfare Fund of St. L., with Geo. Ware, retired 20th-Fox salesman, as chair¬ man. The fund makes emergency loans to persons in the amusement business. . . . F&M dropped its art policy at the HiPointe Theatre and returned to subsequent runs. Art films are being continued at the Shady Oak, Richmond and Pageant. . . . H. F. Wall closed his 290-seat Ace at Pleasant Hill, Ill., maybe permanently. The Shop City Drive-In, being built in E. St. L., Ill. for Jablonow-Komm, is sched¬ uled for completion in Sept. It will be a 28 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— July 9. 1955