The Exhibitor (1954)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR NT-3 Bei'nie Menschell and John Calvocoressci, Manchester Drive-In Theatre Cor¬ poration, are working on improvements at the Bolton Notch Drive-In, including increasing car capacity from 750 to 1,000. . . . Milt LeRoy, Blue Hills Drive-In Theatre Corporation, heads to Miami, FLa., in February on a brief vacation. Ray McNamara, Allyn, had an usher paging Bing Crosby in downtown hotel lobbies in conjunction with opening night for Paramount’s “White Christmas.” For “Three-Ring Circus,” McNamara used a similar gag, with an aide this time walking through same lobbies, paging Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. On his back, of course, appeared a film poster. Norm Levinson, assistant manager, Loew’s Poli, goes to Minneapolis as newly-appointed MGM press represent¬ ative for that exchange territory. He has been with the Poli interests in Con¬ necticut since 1940. Manchester Jack Sanson, Strand, Hartford, Conn., manager, who recently checked out of Manchester Memorial Hospital following illness, has returned to his office. He is a Manchester resident. . . . Jean DuBarry, manager. Art, Springfield, Conn., was relief manager. Rockville The Interstate Theatres’ Palace, man¬ aged by Arthur P. Poirier, has installed what is believed to be the first recorded announcements of current attractions outside of metiopolitan New York. The equipment, connected to the theatre phone, was installed by the Southern New England Telephone Company, and answers incoming calls automatically and tells patrons what pictures are playing and when the next pei-formance staits. Southington P. J. DiFazio, New Britain, Conn., businessman, has started construction of this town’s first drive-in a 750-car ca¬ pacity project. Opening is planned for the spring. A commendable long-range public re¬ lations idea was launched by Arthur Alperin, Colonial, Southington, Conn., when he decided to assist BristolSouthington Cinerama enthusiasts in arranging a show train trip to “This Is Cinerama” at the RKO Boston, Boston, in February. Persons making the trip will be guests at a subsequent date of Alperin at the Colonial. Wethersfield Doug Amos, district manager. Lockwood and Gordon Theatres, visited Bill Daugherty, Webb Playhouse, prioi' to leaving on a three-week vacation in Puerto Rico. Winsted Mrs. Hazel Florian, Lockwood and Gordon Strand, believes in promoting post-shopping hour trade. On evenings when downtown stores are open late, the Strand new.si)aper ad carides this line, “Tonight, oui' featui'e film will be shown at (5:30 and again at 9:30 lo The highlight of a recent meeting of Sentry Lodge B’nai B’rith, was a pre¬ sentation by George Roberts, president, of a 21 -inch television set to the West Roxbury, Mass,, Veterans Hospital. Roberts, treasurer, Rifkin Theatres, is seen presenting the gift certificate for the set to Cy Rosenthal, former Boston Red Sox outfielder, who is president. New England Paralyzed Veterans Associ¬ ation, while other paraplegics and members of the W’omen’s Division of Sentry Lodge look on. accommodate those who wish to see the show after the stores have closed.” Massachusetts Shelburne Falls Carl H. Nilman, owner of several mo¬ tion picture enterprises, has purchased the Briggs property on North Street, Dalton, Mass., including the former drive-in, and plans to reopeon it in the spring. The Briggs Drive-In, first in the area, was operated through 1951. Nilman operated motion pictures in the Dalton Town Hall for 15 years until the opening of the drive-in in 1947. He also owns a drive-in in Shelburne Falls and one in Northfield, Mass. New Hampshire Franklin Regal gave away two Christinas baskets in a pi-e-holiday show recentl.v, Keene Scenic, in connection with a showing of “Hansel and Gretel,” helped erect a Hansel and Gretel cookie house in the Francis J. Gooch, manager. New Eng¬ land Theatres, Inc., Houlton, Houlton, Maine, recently received an award of merit “for constructive contribution in furthering the American Way of Life by the Lydia Putnam Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. DAR Regent .Mrs. Isabelle Hess .Miller, Houlton. .Maine, made the presentation to Gooch. window of a local business. . . . The Scenic also sponsored its annual free Christmas show for children. Meredith A Christmas party for children was held at the Key here. Only admission re¬ quired was canned goods for Christmas stockings. The party was sponsored by the American Legion, a local pharmacy, and the theatre. Nashua The Daniel Webster offered free coffee and donuts to women shoppers during the Yule season every day. The manage¬ ment also gave a Christmas party for youngsters, with a big screen show, while Santa Claus had gifts for the kiddies. . . . Park recently held a grand opening under new management. The theatre, newly decorated, features CinemaScope, and advertises the lowest prices in Nashua. Newport Ersley A. Blanchard, manager, Coniston, received a full column in the local paper after attending the MGM “TicketSeling Workshop” in Boston. The story in the local Newport-Lake Sunapee Times, which carried a picture of Blan¬ chard, pz-aised his “alert showmanship” in bringing the latest films to Newpoi't. Plymouth Interstate played host to more than 500 youngsters in a special Christmas party. Sponsored by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and theatre man¬ ager Sherburne Graves, the party fea¬ tured free candy and ice cream, plus a free movie. Rochester Scenic sponsored a free all-cartoon show for the kiddies recently, with tickets obtainable from three local markets. Rhode Island Providence Frank M. Gookin, veteran theatre service engineer for RCA in New Eng¬ land, has received a well-deserved pro¬ motion. With headquarters at Andrews Air Base, Washington, Gookin will serve in RCA’s government operations division as liaison executive between his company and the Air Corps. ... In reply to good natured criticism aimed at his advertising policies by another theatre operator, Joseph Jarvis, ownermanager, Gilbert Stuart, published a paid newspaper advertisment, stating in part, “. . . we admit our ads are not just a little coi-ny, but all corny. . . . but, truthful salesmanship, and we will go right on telling people all about our little theatre regardless of whether we get new carpets, stage curtain, or a new furnace. . . . right now, it’s Cin¬ emaScope.” Jarvis is outstanding in this area for the type of advertising he runs in local newspapers. He invariably runs a short synopsis of the pictures in his ads, and comments on their value. Dave Levin, RKO .4lbee manager, in eonjunetion with the forthcoming scieening of “Hansel And (Jretel,” staged January 12, 1955