The Exhibitor (1954)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR NT-3 Walter Bibo, Excelsior Pictures, re¬ turned to his New York headquarters after huddling with Nat Tanchuck on western territory distribution plans for his nudist-colony film, “Gaiden Of Eden.” Milwaukee M iner Amusement Company has sold the Lake, Chetek, Wis., to John Mowry, recent owner of the theatre at River Falls, Wis. Mowry was also formerly located at Minneapolis. . . . Eph Rosen, formerly MGM branch manager, and recently assistant branch manager, Minneapolis, has been transferred to the Des Moines branch for a month on special assignment. The following theatres in Wisconsin have installed CinemaScope, Augusta, .Augusta; Rex, Beloit; Warren, South Wayne; and the Salem, West Salem. . . . Ben Brown, pioneer theatie owner, Viroqua, Wis., has left for his annual vaca¬ tion to Glendale, Cal. . . . Harry Sleter, owner, Mondovi, Mondovi, Wis., has ap¬ pointed Hjalmar Terland as manager, as Sleter is moving to Columbus, O., as a representative for a film ad company. C. C. Noecker’s Durand, Durand, Wis., is just completing an extensive remodel¬ ing program of his theatre. . . . Rudolph Poeske has closed the Marathon, Mara¬ thon, Wis., owing to poor business. . . . Johnny Mednikow, manager, National Screen Service, has postponed his hospi¬ tal operation due to a special invitation from Herman Robbins for Johnny and wife to spend a week of business and pleasure on Robbin’s yacht, the Ambler, docked in Miami, Fla. . . . Chuck Schmidt, former booker, Warners, is now booking at 2()th-Fox. Lenore Pestashnick, former recep¬ tionist, is now contract clerk, 20th-Fox, replacing Arline Matter, who resigned to move to Califoi-nia. Both Ed White, cashier, and Erma Momesen, contract clerk, observed birthdays. White also observed his wedding anniversary. . . . The Royal is featuring wrestling matches every Wednesday at popular prices. Dave Goldman, Standard Theatres, is vacationing in Florida. . . . Irene Preston, former secretary, Wisconsin Allied, was on jury duty. . . . Gordon Hewitt, general manager, Fox-Wisconsin Amusement Corporation, was appointed state chair¬ man, March Of Dimes theatre collections. L. F. Gran Enterprises advises that they anticipate opening the recently ac¬ quired Century on about Feb. 1. Henry Rozga has been elected presi¬ dent, Milwaukee Motion Pictuie Com¬ mission, succeeding Valentine J. Wells, who served as president for eight years. Wells was chosen executive secretary; Robert P. Druecker, treasurer; and Erwin Nickel, vice-president. The com¬ mission appointed 18 aides to assist in screening pictures. Minneapolis John Arthur is the new' assistant in the advertising department of Minnesota Amusement Company. . . . Harry Weiss, RKO Theatres district manager, visited situations in Omaha, Dos Moines, and Waterloo, Iowa. . . . Sam Goi'elick, RKO Recognizing officially MGM’s 1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration for Green Bay, Wis., Mayor Dominic Olejniczak re¬ cently proclaimed January as “There’s More Fun At The Movies Month.” Sur¬ rounding the Mayor from left to right are Russell Leddy, manager, Orpheum, Green Bay; Harold Klika, manager. Bay; and E. R. Brennan, district manager, .Standard Theatres, operators of the Bay, Time, and West, Green Bay. district manager, and Ben Marcus, Columbia midwest district manager, were in. . . . Also in was Ivan Fuldauer, MGM midw’est press representative. Reelfellows Club, organization of film salesmen, will have its annual dinnerdance and variety show on April 23 at the Nicollet Hotel. Don Halloran, 20thFox salesman, is in charge of arrange¬ ments. . . . Madeline Dunn, bookkeeper, 20th-Fox, for 34 years, retired. . . . Clara Ferguson, 20th-Fox stenographer, resigned to move to Los Angeles. . . . B. A. Bengtsson plans to sell his Saturn, Pierpont, S. D. Variety Club of the Northwest had its annual induction of new officers and board members Jan. 10 at its club I'ooms in the Nicollet Hotel. . . . Muriel Olson is the new clerk, 20th-Fox. . . . Chick Evans, 20th-Fox exploiteer, was in for “Prince of Players,” State, Minneapolis, and Paramount, St. Paul. . . . 20th-Fox salesmen accompanied branch manager Sol Malisow and district manager M. A. Levy to Kansas City for a sales meeting. “Reaching From Heaven,” w'hich Northwest Theatre Service is distributing in this area, had its area opening at the Town, Fargo, N. D. Five more openings have been set, according to Bill Soper, Northwest Theatre Service. . . . Recent out-of-towm exhibitors on the Row were E. Schw'eigerdt, Miller, S. D.; B. A. Bengtsson, Pierpont, S. D.; J. W. Thies, Bow'bells, N. D.; Mrs. Van Tassel, Watertowm, Minn.; Lawrence Wiesner, Cannon Falls, Minn.; and A1 Smith, Rochester and Winona, Minn. Plans for expansion of television facil¬ ities into Grand Forks and Bismarck, N. D., w'ere announced by John W. Boler, president and general manager. North Dakota Broadcasting Company. . . . Opposing counsel in the $57fi,00() federal anti-trust action brought by William and Sidney Volk against eight major film companies and tw'o theatre circuits are preparing summation briefs for submis¬ sion to Judge Gunnar H. Nordbye in Federal District Court. The ti'ial ended after more than two w'eeks of testimony, and lh(“ court set .an .A[)i'il 15 date fer l)riefs in the case. North Central Allied has changed the date of its annual convention from May 9-10 to May 2-3, it w’as announced by Stanley D. Kane, NCA executive counsel. The convention wall be at the Nicollet Hotel. . . . Miner Amusement Company has sold its Lake, Chetek, Wis., to John Mow’iy, formerly operator. Falls, River F'alls, Wis. . . . Cal Nygaard, general manager. Home Theatres Circuit, has taken over the film buying and booking. Burt and Fieeman Parsons w’ho operated theatres in Springfield and Sauk Centre, Minn., on a partnership basis, have divided the two properties with Burt taking over the Springfield house and Freeman becoming sole owner of the Sauk Centre property. A third house at St. Cloud, Minn., will be continued on a partnership basis. Oklahoma City Governor Raymond Gary of Oklahoma issued a proclamation declaring Feb¬ ruary “Go To The Movies Month.” The official state recognition of the industry’s efforts to stimulate attendance at the theatres was read to approximately 150 managers of Video Theatres in session here. Copies of the proclamation were immediately photostated and given to all delegates attending the Video meet¬ ing. In addition, Mike Simons, MGM customer relations director, who came on from New York especially to talk to the theatre men, is having additional copies made up and sent to every thea¬ tre in the state for display in lobbies, boxoffices, or in frames outside theatres. Simons also discussed the new array of MGM product and announced that he would hold a Ticket Selling Workshop in this city at the Biltmore Hotel, March 30. St. Louis Funeral services for Sol J. Hankin. veteran theatreman, film salesman, and independent ex'change owner, were con¬ ducted at the Rindskopf Chapel. Hankin, who was 72, retired about two years ago because of ill health. He is survived by a brother. Lester R. Kropp, president, MissouriIllinois Theatre Owners, an affiliate of the TOA, has announced the membership of the 1955 permanent committee that will function for MITO. Kropp is co¬ general manager, Fred Wehrenberg Circuit. The committees are legislative, Phil Nanos, chairman, and Senator Edward V. Long, Arnold Gould, and Harold Farmer; annual convention and trade show, Bess Schulter, chairman, and John Meinardi, A. D. Magarian, Louis A.nsell, and L. J. (Bill) Williams; Lake of Ozarks joint meeting with Kansas Missouri Theatre Association, Tom Bloomer, chairman, and Tommy James, William Kaimann, Harry Miller, Tom Edwards, Jr., and A. D. Magarian; membership, Paul Krueger, chaiimian, and Edward B. Arthur, Charles Gold¬ man, Pete Medley, Pete Gloriod, Kenneth Hirth, Eddie Clark, Clyde Metcalfe, and Robert E. Johnson; board meetings ar¬ rangements, L. J. (Bill) Williams, chairman, and Russell Armentrout, Frank Plumlee, Louis Jablonow, Bill Grifliii, Loren Cluster, Wariam Pirtle, I'dank Henson, and Howard Zulauf, Januar\f 26, 1955