The Exhibitor (1954)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR NT-3 biller, Paramount, is back after being out with the flu. Seen on Film Row this week were Mrs. L. H. Goerke, Grand, Canton, Okla., V. A. Wilkinson, Ritz-Joy, Comanche, Okla., Bill Cleverdon, Ritz, Eldorado, Okla., Mrs. Truman Ellerd, Ritz, Blanchard, Okla., Don C. Cole, Bison, Buffalo, Okla.; Mr. and Mrs. Earl Rains, Rialto, Fort Cobb, Okla., C. T. Kenedy, Eakly, Eakly, Ok’a., Volney Hamm, Mt. Scott DriveIn, Lawton, Okla., Ed Crew, EmpressRoyal, Waurika, Okla., Mrs. Izah Adams, Ritz, Sulphur, Okla., J. Rudolph Smith, Royal, Mt. View, Okla., Bill Wilson, Mooreland, Mooreland, Okla., Don Aber¬ nathy, 89’er, Kingfisher, Okla., and Mrs. Opal Gray, Esquire, Chickasha, Okla. Sf. Louis In Marion, Ill., plans for another new 500-car drive-in have been announced by Robert L. Holbrook, a local attorney. He said the drive-in would be constructed at a cost of $100,000 and that the equip¬ ment in addition to in-a-car speakers for 500 automobilles would also include a wide-screen. He said that actual con¬ struction would be started shortly, with the drive-in scheduled to open for bus¬ iness early next spring. In the mean¬ time, Marion Castellano, a local con¬ tractor and builder, has started construc¬ tion on his 500-car drive-in north of Marion. In Griggsville, Ill., the Ford, formerly known as the Pike, has been playing to nice business since it was opened by Mr. and Mrs. Wendall Stead. The thea¬ tre had been completely remodeled, while the interior was redecorated in attractive colors, new comfortable seats and a new heating plant automatically controlled were installed, along with new rest rooms and a new brightly lighted marquee outside. The Pike had been operated for many years by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wade. In Granite City, Ill., the City, which had been dark for about two years, was reopened on Christmas day by the St. Louis Amusement Company, under Fanchon and Marco Service Company oper¬ ation, with only one union projectionist in the booth. Arrangement for the re¬ duction from two to one projectionist was reached with the East St. Louis, Ill., local union. The Fanchon and Marco-St. Louis Amusement Company, on Christmas day, reopened the LaCosa, which had been dark since Dec. 12, when Hugh Graham gave up his sublease on the theatre. The LaCosa is being managed by Marvin Stiver, who had been managing the 4-Screen Drive-In. Under the Fanchon and Marco-St. Louis Amusement Com¬ pany, the LaCosa will employ a union projectionist. Graham had been operating the theatre non-union. In Ramsey, Ill., the Roxy, owned and operated by Woody Proffer, has recently installed complete new projection equip¬ ment including sound facilities, new high intensity lamps, dual channel Hi Fi 60-watt amplifiers, and a new wide pan¬ oramic silver screen has been ordered and will be installed shortly. In Bridgepor-t, Ill., Ross Scaggs, man¬ ager, Capitol, recently announced a new policy. A free admission will be given to each person whose name appears in the “Happy Birthday” column of The Bridgeport Leader, on the night of their birthday. All such persons will be ad¬ mitted to the Capitol as courtesy by manager Scaggs and the owner, Frisina Amusement Company, Springfield, Ill. David Arthur, head booker, Fanchon and Marco-St. Louis Amusement Com¬ pany, recently elected chief bai-ker, Variet.v Club, Tent 4, will also serve as the national canvassman. His brother, Edward B. Arthur, general manager of the circuit, who has just completed two years as chief barker, has been named delegate for the local Variety Club to the annual meeting of the Variety Clubs International in Los Angeles. Harris Dudelson, Chicago, is the new district manager in this sector for Buena Vista. His predecessor, Bernard Mc¬ Carthy, introduced him to folks along the Row. Johnny Dugan, formerly with 20th-Fox, is the local salesman for Buena Vista. Recently Dudelson had been dis¬ trict manager for Albert Dezel, Inc., working out of Chicago. The local projection rooms have re¬ cently improved their fire protection facilities. In addition to fireproofing the drapes and installing new exit signs, some new' fii'e stops and fire doors have been provided. The city fire marshal has given his approval to these im¬ provements. Eugene H. Abeln, assistant manager, St. Louis, Fanchon and Marco-St. Louis Amusement Company Circuit, had a real advance gift from Santa Claus, a fine son, Michael. . . . Ray Conner, manager. Ambassador, had to spend the holidays bedded down at the Deaconess Hospital. He w'as struck by a speeding automobile. His injuries included a fractured leg. Jack Harris, Exploitation Pictures, Philadelphia, and Harry Mandell, general sales manager, Filmakei's, New York City, were recent visitors to Realart, owned jointly by George Phillips and Herman Gorelick. ... In the St. Louis Court of Appeals in the case of Hugh Graham, former operator, as sub-lessee, LaCosa, St. Ann, Mo., against Tony Blust, president. Local 143, Moving Pic¬ ture Operators Union, and other officers and members of that union, that grew out of efforts to obtain the employment of two union projectionists at the thea¬ tre, through a stipulation of the par¬ ties to the legal controversy, by counsel, the court has extended the time for the filing of the thranscript in the Circuit Court trial of the case earlier in 1954. Bob Goddard, Globe-Democrat column¬ ist, has added to his “Look-Alikes” Wil¬ liam Powell, screen star, and Harry C. Swan, manager, Wshington, Granite City, Ill. The Amythis has been reopened by Marvin Bank, who at one time operated the old King Bee. He is a nephew of Barney Diamond, owner of the theatre building, who closed the house on Dec. 12 after operating it on his own. The theatre caters to Negro trade. In Alton, Ill., the State, which had been dark since April 2 , was reopened by H. Beck, Alton, and Charley Goldman, here. ... In Shelbyville, Ill., the patrons of the Roxy, unit of the Frisina Amuse¬ ment Company Circuit, Springfield, Ill., had their first view of CinemaScope. Coy Blythe is manager. In Troy, Ill., the Lions, 500-seater, owned and operated by Frank Mann, presented its new wide-screen and Cin¬ emaScope equipment to its patrons. In Beardstown, Ill., Harry Hopkins, sales staff, MGM, gave an interesting talk on the motion picture industry at a meeting of the Beardstown Women’s Club. Arrangements were made by Paul Woods, manager. Princess, in coopera¬ tion with Myra Stroud, managing sec¬ retary, Missouri-Illinois Theatre Owners, and Tom Bailey, St. Louis branch manager, MGM. San Anfonio Parties of 2,0 or more children were being admitted for half price to “Hansel and Gretel” at the Texas, when accom¬ panied by an adult. Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Mohme and their son John, president, Clasa-Mohme, stopped off at the local exchange en route to Los Angeles following a trip to Mexico. ... A Spanish language policy is to be instituted on Thursday and Friday nights at the Sunset, re¬ cently reopened by G. W. Wooten. Among the out-of-town exhibitors to visit the local film exchanges were C. E. Walters, Axtec, Odessa, Tex.; Man¬ uel Solis, Ranch Drive-In, Alice, Tex.; Camen Lopez, Encanto, Galveston Tex.; T. L. Jackson, Robstown and Kingsville, Tex.; H. Katz, Alpine, Tex.; and Mike Benitez, Weslaco, Tex. First-run Spanish movies from Mexico, Cuba, and the Argentine will be shown on television station KCOR when it takes to the air here as the first all Spanish language TV station in April. Station will operate on Channel 41. S. T. Donnell, manager, LeRoy, Lam¬ pasas, Tex., has reported the completion of the installation of CinemaScope equipment and anamorphic lens. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Bell have purchased an interest in the Taylor, Big Lake, Tex., and have taken over management. Mrs. Bell will take care of the conces¬ sions while Bell will handle the other parts of the operation. He was formerly manager. Ford, Rankin, Tex. . . . San¬ ford Hodge, owner and operator, H and H Drive-In, Stamford, Tex., installed CinemaScope equipment. . . . The Azteca, which has been closed at Wichita Falls, Tex., was reopened by Charles Osborne. CinemaScope equipment has been in¬ stalled at the Granada, Plainview, Tex., managed by C. E. McSwain. . . . The State, Gainesville, Tex., is being com¬ pletely remodeled, according to Louis Littlefair, manager. Frontier Theatres, Dallas, a'vl R. E. Griffith Realty Com Jannary 12, 1955