The Exhibitor (1954)

M'-2 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Florida. The first one, a wet run, was caught several weeks ago at Silver Springs by Life magazine photographers. The second, a dry run, was staged in the Marion, Ocala, Fla., with the co¬ operation of manager Peyton Bailey. The third and final premiere, which re¬ ceived the major share of publicity, occurred underwater at Silver Springs. T. P. Tidwell, 20th-Fox branch man¬ ager, returned from a divisional sales meeting held in Atlanta. Attending the gathering from the division otfice were Harry Ballace, Paul Wilson, “Mac” Mc¬ Clure, and Henry Harrell. Branch man¬ agers there wei’e Bill Bryant, New Orleans; Tom Young, Memphis; Hi Holston, Charlotte; Dan Coursey, At¬ lanta; Marion Osborne, Oklahoma City; Tidwell, Jacksonville; and Mark Sheri¬ dan and Bill Williams, both from Dallas. A January report revealed that 298 indoor and drive-in theatres in the South Georgia and Florida areas served by Jacksonville film exchanges have in¬ stalled Cinemascope equipment, with 197 of them using optical prints, 87 stereo¬ phonic, and 14 using mixers. . . . The most recent of the conversions are the Erwin Reiss’ Park, St. Petersburg, Fla.; George Stonaris’ Dreka, DeLand, Fla.; and N. N. Bernstein’s Little Rivei’, Miami, Fla. State exhibitors on Film Row wei'e James L. Cartwright, Florida State Theatres district supervisor, Daytona Beach; Jimmy Biddle, Fay Theatre, Jasper; E. C. Kaniaris, Beach Drive-In, St. Augustine; Ted Chapin, Daytona, Daytona Beach; “Red” Tedder, Howell, Palatka; Kay Porter, Temple, Perry; and Jim Partlow, Partlow Circuit, Orlando. . . . Louis J. Finske, FST vicepresident, returned from a downstate tour. . . . Bob Harris, FST confection sales manager, spent a week at west coast and central Florida theati'es. . . . The family of French Haivey, FST ad¬ vertising and publicity executive, com¬ pleted their moving from Daytona Beach, Fla., to this city. The main theatre of the Jacksonville Naval Air Station was the scene of an advance screening of “The Bridges At Toko-Ri,” with a group of several hundred naval personnel and civilian opinion makers attending as guests of Paramount. The filming was arranged by Leonard Allen, southeastern publicity man; Robert Heekin, FST district super¬ visor; and Ed Chumley, Paramount bi-anch manager. Guests of honor were Captain John S. Thach, NAS commander; Captain Warren E. Kline, NAS senior medical officer; and their wives. Memphis K. W. Kinney, Hays and Beale, Hughes, .A.rk., was in and telling some mighty interesting stories about his re¬ cent trip to Mexico and especially to Monterey and the bull fights. . . . Jack Braunagel’s many friends in the terri¬ tory were glad to learn that he is now with United Theatres and will reside in Little Rock, Ark., when he takes over his duties. Oney B. Ellis, former owner. Mason, Mason, Tenn., is now selling Mercurys and Lincolns for Corbitt Motor Compan.v here. . . . News that is no longer “news.” Dot Barker, Exhibitor’s Serv¬ ice, wins again and takes top spot among women bowlers piling up 566 in the Victory League. ... It had been several days since Donald L. Newberry, Rives, Rives, Mo., had called for his film, and the reason was revealed when the front page of The Commercial Ap¬ peal ran a picture of Newberry, his sister, and her boy friend. She had join¬ ed the WAF’s and persuaded the two boys to enlist in the air force with her. They were given the oath of office and that night boarded a train for Lackland Air Force Base at San Antonio to be¬ gin basic training. Visitors on the Row were Pinky Tipton, New, Manila, Ark.; H. D. Bowers, Pix, Kosciusko, Miss.; A. B. Ward, Gem Osceola, Ark.; Zell Jaynes, Maxie, Trumann, Ark.; J. K. Jameson, Joy Bald Knob, Ark.; G. L. Helms, Hill, Scotts Hill, Tenn.; Joe Davis, Delta, Ruleville, Miss.; Victor Webber, Cen¬ ter, Kensett, Ark.; E. B. Fritz, Wald¬ ron, Union Cit.v, Tenn.; Nate Reiss, Missouri and Gem, Campbell, Mo., and Covington, Tenn.; Valerie Gullett, Be¬ noit, Benoit, Miss.; and Finley Moss, Ackerman, Ackerman, Miss. One of the best loved area industryites was Bennie Bluestein, who died at the age of 60 of a heart attack at the club he loved so well. Variety Club, Tent 20, at Hotel Gayoso. For many years he was Vaiiety’s first assistant barker and helped promote their Home for Convalescent Children. Last Nov¬ ember, Variety created the post of hon¬ orary board member and gave it to Bennie. Very active in theatricals, he had helped promote the Mid-South Fair, had managed the Fair’s mid-south tal¬ ent search the past two years, produc¬ ed the two “School Day Review” for the Cynthia Milk Fund, helped audition talent for the Ted Mack Show, arrang¬ ed the talent for the holiday charity wrestling many times, and took an ac¬ tive interest in the Shrine Circus. Joe Simon, manager, Ritz, for the past nine years, has resigned and became executive assistant to Augustine Ciancila, owner and operator. Plaza, Luciann, and Rosemary. Jack Katz, who took over the Ritz from Flexer Theatres, Inc., will operate it himself. The Joy, Fyffe, Ala., owned by J. C. Hipp, was destroyed by fire last fort¬ night and the collapsing building fell on an adjoining furniture store doing exten¬ sive damage. There were no injuries; but Hipp estimated damage to his build¬ ing at about $50, ()()() and damage to the store was estimated at $25,000. New Orleans UA screened “Black Tuesday. . . . R. P. “Dick” Guidry, state representa¬ tive, LaFourche Parish, owner. Star, Galliano, La.; and associate owner. Jet Drive-In, Cut Off, La., accompanied Governor Robert Keunon and George Covert, dii’ector of State Highway Com¬ mission, to Washington to confer with Francis Dupont, national commissioner of state highway problems. Seem about were Fred Houck, Joy’s Theatres’, Ira Olroyd, Teche, Franklin, La.; Clinton Vucovich, Skychief, Pen¬ sacola, Fla.; Mrs. Bertha Foster, Vio¬ let, La.; E. W. Ansardi, Buras, La.; S. J. Gulino, Kenner, Kenner, La.; and William Sendy, Patio, Airline Highway; S. E. Mortimore, Lyall Shiell, and Frank Olah, Skyvue; Bill Shiell and Ed Jenner, Marrero; and E. R. and R. A. Sellers, Hub, Twin, and Laf, Lafayette, Louisiana. John Jarvis, Atlanta, IFE southeast district manager, was in town, as was Ike Katz, president, Kay Film Ex¬ changes. . . . Frank Smith, air-condi¬ tioning man, stopped over on his re¬ turn trip to his home. Bay St. Louis, Miss., from a trip in southwest Louisi¬ ana. . . . Harry Browne, Jr., Mobile, Ala., was here, as was Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Stallings, Pine Drive-In, Pineville. La.; Ernest Drake, Ideal, Ponchatoula. La.; F. G. Piat, Jr., and Har¬ old Dacey, Prat-Aucoin Theatres, Vacherie. La., and Mrs. Ruby King, Mayvel, Sandersville, Miss. Esther Chauvin, Allied Artists inspect¬ ress, recuperating at home after a major operation, hopes to be back to wmrk Feb. 1. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Harold “Babe” Cohen, Lippert Pictures of Louisiana, left on a business trip to New York. . . . O. K. Bourgeois, co-owner, Astor, Dal¬ las and Memphis, and Dixie Films, here, was in from Dallas. Frank Ziegler, who has been handling both front office and shipping department since A1 Boneno resigned as manager, has been perman¬ ently assigned the manager’s post. While on trips in the territory, Mrs. L. Fisher, booker, will take over as manager. . . . Harold Wyckoff, Para¬ mount salesman, is a grandpapa again. Daughter, Mrs. Jane Dueitt, Laurel, Miss., gave birth to a baby boy. . . . George Pabst, UA district manager, was a recent caller at the Jacksonville branch. Warners’ southern district manager, W. O. Williamson, Jr., visited with branch manager Lucas Conner. . . .Thank you, Wilhelm A. Adams, and associ¬ ates, Allied Detective Agenc.v, for your subscription to Motion Picture Exhibi¬ tor. . . . Frank deGraauw, Abbeville, La., and J. C. Keller, Jr., Eunice, La., were in buying and booking. A group of exhibitors of Mississippi Theatre Owners Association met with Governor Hugh M. White in connection with MGM’s 1955 Motion Picture Cele¬ bration, whereupon the Governor issued a proclamation designating February as the “Golden Movie Month” in Missis¬ sippi. MGM’s Home Office Publicity De¬ partment made available a one sheet poster showing Governor White signing the proclamation with T. G. “Teddy” Solomon, president; John Williams, sec¬ retary treasurer; and Louis Alford, at¬ torney, officers of MPTOA; Don Staf¬ ford, head, Dixie Theatres; and MGM’s publicit.v representative. Art Katzeii, looking on. January 26, 1955