The Independent Film Journal (1954)

ST. LOUIS (cont'd.) , smaller version of the Holiday in St. L. County, which J-Iv recently opened. Sound and projection equipment, speakers and in i car heaters will be supplied by National Theatre Supply’s local branch. . . . Fox Theatre here was the scene of the crowning of Sharon F. Knickmeyer as “Miss Mis¬ souri of 1955,” who will represent the state in the “Miss America” contest at Atlantic City in Sept. . . . Stuart and Doro¬ thy Tomber have acquired all the stock of Rio Syrup Co. from Ray Kuenz and Fred Blase, who are retiring. . . . Contract for a 350-seat theatre for Blytheville Air Force Base at Blytheville, Ark. has been awarded to L&M Construction Co. for $86,066. SALT LAKE CITY World Playhouse will be operated ex¬ clusively by Irving Gillman in the future. The art house has a new mgr., Richard Birell, who was formerly associated with Gillman in his other theatres. Tower Theatre will be operated by George Hatch and Sid Cohen upon severence of their connection with the World. Gillman is also interested in the Motorina at Boulder, Colo., Queens at Bountiful, Colony in Salt Lake City. . . . Jack McGee, dist. mgr., for Fox Intermoun¬ tain, returned from Billings, Mont., where he attended opening of the Babcock Theatre, which had been closed for extensive renova¬ tion and remodeling. “Wuthering Heights” is being re-released by Dimension Piets, here and drawing very good business, according to branch mgr. Hal Fuller. . . . Fireproof walls at the Ely Theatre, Ely, Nev., prevented the $500,000 fire which started in the Capitol Club there from doing more wide-spread damage to the business district. . . . Paramount branch mgr. Frank H. Smith recovering from a serious attack of pneumonia. Jack Swanson of Swanson Bros. Circuit (. Continued from page 6) 15,000 ballots mailed out only 2,100 have been returned thus far. Another area meeting was held in Boston, sparked by COMPO special counsel Robert W. Coyne. Full support of the poll was pledged for their theatres by Sam Pinanski, Martin Mullin and Edward Lider. Sugges¬ tions for local tie-ins with radio stations and newspapers were discussed, as were other promotional ideas. Pat McGee of Cooper Foundation Thea¬ tres addressed a meeting of Mississippi The¬ atre Owners Assn., in Gulfport, and stressed the great possibilities of the poll, empha¬ sizing there was no conflict between the Academy Awards and the new poll. Rather, they complement each other, he said. Now the industry can have two potent publicity events each year instead of one, said McGee. A meeting of Connecticut exhibitors to perfect plans for the campaign has been set for July 11. San Francisco is scheduled for July 14; Charlotte for July 25; and July 26 (tentative) for Milwaukee. Robert W. Coyne urged that exhibitors get their ballots into the mail at once. Those who have not received or have mislaid their opened his River-Yu Drive-In at Green River, Utah, and the new ozoners at Blanding, Utah and Dillon, Mont. . . . The 20thFox offices here are being remodeled to pro¬ vide several offices for the salesmen. . . . Paul Hendry returned to the Capitol Theatre as asst. mgr. to Marvin George, after having ben ill for some time with a heart condi¬ tion. . . . Mr. & Mrs. Van Anderson of the Huish and Rich Drive-In theatres at Rich¬ field, Utah, are listed among recent visitors to this city. . . . “Land of the Pharoahs” will have its Intermountain premiere at the Bow Theatre, Butte, Mont., July 21, according to mgr. Gordon. SEATTLE L. H. Weskil, operator of the Cordova Theatre in Pullman, has taken over owner¬ ship of the Audian Theatre there. Weskil also operates the Rose in Coffax, the Panida, the Lake and the Motor Movie in Sandpoint, Idaho. . . . Edgar Lamb, Seattle branch mgr. for RKO for over 35 years and active in philanthropic and community affairs, passed away. He was founder of the Northwest Film Club, a charitable organization. . . . Liberty Theatre of Seattle will be dismantled and turned into a parking garage. . . . “To Paris With Love” was in its 10th week at the Varsity Theatre in the University district here. Mountain Vue Drive-In at Cashmere opened for business under direction of Ben Slowe. . . . Variety Club of the Pacific North¬ west and Alaska will hold its Charter Day on Aug. 18. Location of the celebration will be announced late by Bud Saffle. . . . Harry Plunkett, local mgr. for National Theatre Supply, off to the company’s Los Angeles headquarters for conferences. . . . Glen Haviland of 20th-Fox suffered a heart attack recently. He is pres, of the Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesman’s Union. . . . Chris Poulson, operator of the Denali Theatre at Anchorage, Alaska, was in on a buying and booking trip. brochures or ballots may obtain additional copies from the regional offices of National Screen Service or from COMPO. The July 11 deadline, Coyne reminded, “refers to the date on which the nominating ballots must be in the hands of Price Waterhouse & Co. in New York and not to the date by which they must be mailed.” Attendance Group Set For Allied Confab The National Allied Convention for 1955 will be held at the Morrison Hotel in Chicago Nov. ( through Nov. 9. Heading committee to insure a record turnout are : Connecticut: Maxwell A. Alderman, Norman Bialek; Gulp States: Abe Berenson, F. G. Prat, Jr.; Indiana: William Carroll, Roy Kalver ; Illinois : Abner I. Klein, Van Nomikos; Iowa-Nebraska : El¬ mer B. Huhnke, A1 C. Mvrick; KansasMissouri: Beverlv Miller, Jay Wooten; Kentucky: Robert T. Enoch, E. L. Ornstein; Maryland: Stanley Baker, C. Elmer Nolte, Jr.; Michigan: Ernest T. Conlon, Alden Smith; Mid-Central: A. B. (Jeff) Jefferies, Paul E. Stehman; Mid-South: Dwight F. Blissard, J. A. West; New Eng¬ land: Norman Glassman, Edward W. Lider; New Jersey: Irving Dollinger, Wilbur Snaper; North Central: Benj. N. Berger, E. L. Peaslee; Ohio: Horace Adams, L. F. Eick; Oklahoma: Bernard J. McKenna, Jr., Earl Snyder; Eastern Pennsylvania: Ben Fertel, Sidney E. Samuelson; Western Pennsylvania: Harry B. Hendel, Morris M. Finkel; Rocky Mountain: Joe Ashby, Neil Beezley; Texas: Col. H. A. Cole, Phil Isley; West Virginia: H. J. Gilbert, Don Schultz; Wisconsin: Sig Goldberg, Angelo Provinzano. Colosseum Signs New Employment Agreement A new employment agreement has been negotiated between the Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen of America and the major film distributors, according to a joint an¬ nouncement made this week. Agreement, to run two years, calls for a $5.50 per week across-the-board increase, an increase in daily car allowance for city salesmen to $5 a day and for country salesmen to $10.50 per day. Minimum starting salary for salesmen em¬ ployed in the industry in that capacity for one year has been increased to $85. Martin Appoints Three E. D. Martin, TOA president, appointed three Co-Chairmen to direct the National Convention in Los Angeles on Oct. 6-9, 1955. Representing the East and the South is Earnest G. Stellings, head of the Stewart and Everett Theatres; midwest, Lester R. Kropp, president of the Missouri-Ulinois TOA; and west, Joseph J. Rosenfield TOA vice president. Bob Coyne of COMPO explains the workings of the Audience Awards Poll to a large group of New England exhibitors and distributors. Shown (1 to r) Samuel Pinanski, pres., American Theatres Corp.; Charles Kurzman, Loew's New England div. mgr.; Edward Lider, pres.. Independent Exhibitors of New England; Coyne; Martin J. Mullin, pres.. New England Theatres, Inc. Regional Meetings Hail COMPO National Audience Awards Poll THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— July 9, 1955 29