The Exhibitor (1954)

NT-4 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR In Piggott, Ark., William Smith, Dex¬ ter, Mo., is building a 300-car drive-in to be known as the Motor-Vue. In Effingham, Ill., the Effingham, which reopened for the winter, is fea¬ turing organ music from a large elec¬ tronic organ. In Arthur, Ill., the LaMar, 2(i5-seater, owned by William H. Hoffman, has been playing to nice business since it was reopened. In Assumption, Ill., a new screen has been installed in the Scenic. In Christopher, Ill., Joe Crowe, veteran projectionist, was presented with a silvei tray by Fox-Midwest on the ob¬ servance of his 25th anniversary with the circuit. In Petersburg, Ill., some 350 school children were guests at a recent free show' at the Salem. F. J. Lee, district manager. United .Artists, and D. J. Edele, St. Louis man¬ ager, w'ere in Ow'ensborom, Ky., for a sneak preview' of “Vera Cruz.” Out-of-tow'n exhibitors seen along Film Row included W. Dean Davis, West Plains, Mo.; John Giachetto, Frisina Amusement Company, Springfield, Ill.; J. F. Janssen, Findlay, Ill.; A. P. Meier, Cuba, Mo.; Herman Tanner, Vandalia and Pana, Ill.; Rani Pedrucci, Frisina Amusement Company, Springfield; Izzy Weinshienk, district manager, Publix Great States, Alton, Ill.; Tom Bloomer, Belleville, Ill.; Charley Beninati, Car¬ lyle, Ill.; and Joe Goldfarb, Alton, Ill. Jerry Bahner, Paramount office man¬ ager, back from a vacation in Des Moines. . . . Sam Gorelick, new' midwest district manager, RKO, paid St. Louis his first visit since his promotion. Mrs. Paul Montgomery, ow'ner, Horstman, Chaffee, Mo., announced plans for the construction of a drive-in near Chaf¬ fee. The project w'ill cost about $75,000 and W'ill be completed by spring. Mrs. Montgomery’s son, Morris, w'ill manage the spot. Salt Lake City Tom Bailey, Denver, w'as in town sell¬ ing “Private Hell 36” and “Martin Luther.” . . . Jack McGee, Fox Inter¬ mountain district manager and 20th-Fox treated the Denver University football team to a special screening of “The Adventures of Hajji Baba.” Ralph Pizza, Fox Intermountain booker, returned to his desk. . . . Youngsters dressed in Indian costumes W'ere admitted free to “Sitting Bull,” Lyric. Each child had more than one item of an Indian w’ardrobe to qualify for free admittance. Over 500 children attended. . . . The Studio, operated by Intermountain, reopened with CinemaScope. ICxhibitoi'S in town included H. D. Jorgensen, Main, Rigby, Utah.; Mr. and Mrs. Van Anderson, Lyric and Huish, Richfield, Utah; Alson Shiner, Main, Vernal, Utah; Standley Dewsnup, Crest, Delta, Utah; Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Lund, Kinema, Mount Pleasant, Utah; Robert H. Benton, Sero Amusement, Los Angeles; and Mrs. M. G. Price, Novelty, Paris, Idaho. Don Hallstrom, formerly of Salt Lake City and now' booker in the Allied .Artists Los Angeles branch, renewed acquaintances. He came to tow'n for the deer hunt. San Antonio Tom Summers further expanded his theatre interests when he took over the management of the Hi-Park from Gidney Talley Enterprises. Summers alT-eady is operating the Josephine, Laurel, and Woodlaw'n, indoor, and the El Capitan Drive-In. . . . After 14 years as the base photo lab chief at Kelly Air Force Base, G. W. Wooten resigned and has reopened the Sunset, closed since Febmary. Mrs. Wooten will lend him a hand. The Sunset w'ill be open seven days a week. Dan Goodw'in has taken over duties as manager, Hi-Park Drive-In, taken over by Ezell and Associates. . . . Mary Taylor has taken over duties at the boxoffice of the Empire, taken over by Trans-Texas Theatres from Interstate Circuit. . . . Among those to book w'ere J. J. Rodriguez, Panamericano, Dallas, and Jose Garcia, National, Asherton, Tex. Leon Glasscock, Glasscock Theatre Circuit, announced the installation of CinemaScope at his Leon, Pleasanton, Tex. . . . Afiout $275,000 was the re¬ ported sale price of the Lackland and Kelly Drive-In, sold by Thurman Bar¬ rett, Jr., to the Lone Star Drive-In Theatres, Dallas. Bob Vaught and Hugh Millington opened their CinemaScope-equipped Pio¬ neer Drive-In at a midw'ay point be¬ tween Cross Plains, Tex., and Rising Star, Tex. Vaught is the ow'ner. Plains, Cross Plains, and Millington ow'ns the Star, Rising Star. . . . The Parkw'ay, Iowa Park, Tex., has been reopened w'ith Vernon Murphee as manager. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Bill McGlothlin opened their new' CinemaScope equipped Elk DriveIn, w'est of Friona, Tex. . . . Fire of undetermined origin burned the Fox, Timpson, Tex., causing heavy damage. The Fox is ow'ned by S. T. Smith and operated by Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Winbery. San Francisco The theatrical committee for Gover¬ nor Knight held an important meeting in the San Francisco election head¬ quarters. L. S. Hamm, attorney and exhibitor, has been elected president. Variety Club Blind Babies Foundation. Hamm w'ill take over the office from H. Neal East, w'estern division manager. Paramount. The full board of trustees w'as reelected. Hamm is also president. Northern Cali¬ fornia Theatres Association and Westside Theatres, Inc. Robert Hazard, United Artists office manager, was called to Detroit because of the serious illness of his father. . . . Joseph Kane, formerly of U-I, and Re¬ public, has been named head booker at 2()th-Fox, replacing Blaine Dickens. . . . Lucille Negri after 17 years in the distribution office of Herbert Rosener Company, retired. Ann Katcher with a record of 19 years with the theatre de¬ partment of the Rosener company, also decided to retire. ... At Fox West Coast, Vernon Brown moved from the San Mateo, San Mateo, Cal., to manage the Crest, Vallejo, Cal., replacnig Ed¬ ward Sullivan, who went to the Crest, Sacramento, Cal., replacing manager John Phillips, w'ho has recently left the industry. The Film Colony Club members, alW'ays thinking up new ways to provide more money for the Blind Babies Foun¬ dation, are inaugurating the sale of Christmas cards which range in price from $.5 to $50 a hundred. They have made a deal whereby 50 per cent of the cost of the cards will revert to the Foundation, and are working hard to make this such an outstanding Christ¬ mas sale that it w'ill become a yearly event. Everyone w'ishing to contribute to this worthy cause and at the same time purchase Christmas cards are urged to contact President Mary Marquai'd Creighton at MGM or Paula Grubstick at Lippert. Vivian Dahl, a Blind Babies Foundation instructress, will talk be¬ fore the FCC members on what has been done for the babies as a result of this fund. Seattle The Coliseum and Blue Mouse are installing CinemaScope. At Hamrick’s Blue Mouse, Modern Theati'e Supply is handling the w'ork. National Theatre Sup¬ ply is making the installation at Ever¬ green’s Coliseum. . . . Walter Hoffman, Paramounts northw'est publicity direc¬ tor, returned from Spokane, Wash., where he was w'orking on “Sabrina.” . . . Sammy Siegel, Columbia field man, was working in Portland and southern Oregon. . . . Allen Wieder, Metro field man, returned from Spokane, Wash. . . . Lee Scott, Modern Theatre salesman, returned from Montana. . . . Sterling’s Venetian has just been equipped for CinemaScope. On the Row' looking into the possi¬ bility of installing CinemaScope w'ere Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Lyons, Onalaska, Wash., and Bing Fournier, B and B, Grayland, Wash. . . . CinemaScope opened in John Kane and Mike Barovic’s Parkland. . . . Mi-, and Mrs. E. .4. Darby, Darby, Naches, Wash., announced that they-' -are putting in CinemaScope. . . . Hamrick’s Roxy, Enumclaw', Wash., is installing new' HiLux anamorphic lenses and a new' screen and w'ill reopen on Nov. 4. Work is being done by Mod¬ ern Theatre Supply. . . . National Thea¬ tre Supply is engaged in a complete remodeling program at Dwight Spracher’s Tokay, Raymond, Wash. It w'ill reopen on Nov. 7. Congratulations go to Lome Sacrider, assistant to the general manager. Ster¬ ling Theatres, and his wife. Rose, on their becoming the parents of an eight and one-half pound baby girl, Debra Luanne. The mothei' was foimerly at the Garden. November S, 1954.