The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR NT-1 Niiws OF rnf: Chicago Twenty-three films, almost a fourth of the 107 examined by the Chicago Police Censor Board in January, were from abroad. Total footage was 488,000 feet. Eight cuts were made but there were no rejections and none labled adult. . . . The Apollo, Princeton, Ill., managed by Robert Alger, installed a wide screen. Peter Heller presented his dad, film financier Walter Heller, with a new grandchild, Terrel Lynn. . . . Benjamin M. Montee bought the interest of Howaid F. Busey in the El Fran Theatres, Inc., which operated the Times, Jack¬ sonville, Ill. Montee is owner of the Plaza and the Star, Marion, Ill. . . . The Cosmo, Ray and Sun have been converted into balli-ooms. The constant increase in movie at¬ tendance over the past two years was again shown in the city tax collections for January. The take for the month was $91,451 as compared with $89,489 for that period a year ago. Similarly, total amusement taxes reached $160,836 in Januai'y as against $148,507 in 1954. . . . Bloomer circuit installed large screens in the Starlight Drive-In, Alton, 111., and Skyview Drive-In, Belleville, Ill. . . . Eugene Wrobel, 28, screen room lirojectionist at WGN, died. His parents and a brother survive. . . . Richard J. Bregenzer completed his army stint and returned to the B. and K. staff. . . . Burtus Bishop, Jr., MGM midwest man¬ ager, visited the exchanges in his territory. An additional innovation by Chief Barker Jack Kirsch to increase attend¬ ance at Variety Clubrooms in the Con¬ gress hotel are Wednesday stag nights to which members may invite their friends. Drawing cards are fight broad¬ casts and free refreshments. . . . Stan¬ ford Kohlberg, recent purchaser of the Starlite Drive-In, found the ice-skatingrink he installed made such a hit that he doubled its size. ... New wide screen installations include the Clark, Barry, 111., and the Esquire, East St. Louis, Ill. The latter was completely refur¬ bished. . . . Eddie Seguin, B. and K. publicist, is handling publicity for the Society of Motion Picture and Television convention to be held at Drake hotel in April. William G. Thick, owner, Bogar and Garden, Marshall, Mich., passed on. . . . .4be Platt, B. and K. division manager, is taking his usual West Indies winter ciuise. . . . George Shupert, ABC films president, came for sales conferences. . . . Through agreement by attorneys, federal judge Campbell postponed the $30 million Essaness suit against B. and K., Winston Theatre Company and ma¬ jors to S<*i)t. 12. It had been previously set for March 1. . . . Nate Platt, B. and K. stage star hunter, is .sojourning at Palm Beach, Fla. Objective: tan, uot talent. Walter E. Heller, film financier, re¬ ported his company had record business volume and earnings of $2,413,997 in 1954, a gain of 16 per cent over 1953. Per share profit based on the number of outstanding shares was $3.57 in 1954 as against $3.17 the year before. . . . Bill Balaban, son of the local movie theatre magnate, has been placed in charge of a new “closed circuit” division of ABC-TV. He’ll cooperate with theatre TV efforts. George Sidney, MGM’s top director came with his wife, drama coach Lil¬ lian Burns, for a visit with her family here. Sidney also scouted Chicago lo¬ cations for an upcoming movie. . . . Illinois theatremen visiting in St. Louis were Edwin Morgan, Temple, Staunton, Ill.; Lous Odorizzi, Mount Olive, Ill., and Woody Proffer, Ramsey, Ill. . . . John Balaban, B. and K. chieftan, and his wife are enjoying the winter in Havana. Dallas An 18-year-old theatre usher has ad¬ mitted starting the four attempts to set off major fires in two of the down¬ town theatres. He was also questioned regai'ding the $40,000 fire at the Air¬ way. The usher has signed a statement admitting setting the fires in the Capitol and Rialto. His explanation of doing so was “he got a thrill out of seeing the flames shoot up.” The youth was ar¬ rested shortly after he had helped to put out one of the fires he had just started. The fire investigators had sus¬ pected arson since first hearing of the fires. . . . Harry K. McWilliams, form¬ erly advertising director. Palace, Melba, Old Mill and Arcadia, has been appoint¬ ed assistant advertising, publicity and exploitation director for Magna Theatre Corporation in New York, world-wide distributors of Rogers and Hammerstein's production of “Oklahoma,” filmed in Todd-AO. . . . William W. Lewis, has taken over as managing director of the Cinei-ama Theatre at the Melba. Paul Swater, Lewis’ predecessor at the Melba, was transferred to the soon-to-open Cinerama Theatre, Buffalo, New York. . . . Frank Nelson, Grand and Circus, McCamey, was seen on the Row. Denver The Paramount will be used as the local outlet for the CARE benefit closed circuit television on March 28. Denver is the only city in the region that will see the show and one of 40 in the nation. The committee hopes to raise about $4,500 locally by the effort. Katy Jurado was here for the opening of “The Racers” at the Denver. She also worked for the Heart Fund drive while here. She was met at the aiiport by 60 racing and foreign cars and they es¬ corted her downtown. . . . P’rank H. Ricketson, Jr., Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres president, went to Los Angeles to attend the National Theatres board meeting-, and then flew to Missoula, Mont., to attend the world premiere of “Timberjack” at the Fox. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Knox, Service Theatre Supply, went south on vacation, going as far as Jaurez, Mexico. . . . Jim Parsons, National Screen Service branch manager, flew to Miami, Fla., to attend one of the series of manager meetings being held there by Herman Robbins, company president. . . . Cy Lee has closed out his Poppers Supply, selling the stock and equipment to Na¬ tional Theatre Supply. Lee is moving to Colorado Springs, Colo., and will en¬ ter other business. Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Johnson, Fairview, Mont., theatre owners, passed through on their way to a California vacation. . . . lATSE Local 230 is still picketing the Evans Drive-In because of the theatre’s refusal to use a union man in the booth. The union had a contract with the ozoner until Nov. 1, when they were notified their man would not be used further. Hal Fuller, Dimension Pictures own¬ er, in from his Salt Lake City head¬ quarters, was looking after matters at his exchange. . . . Tommy McMahon, salesman for Beuna Vista in Salt Lake City, was in conferring with Marvin Goldfarb, district supervisor, prior to the latter’s departure to Kansas City on a sales trip. M. R. Austin, United Artists branch manager, was in New Mexico two weeks on a sales trip with Herb Buschmann, salesman, who headquarters in Albu¬ querque. While there, they met and conferred with Ralph Smith, western di¬ vision manager. . . . Richard Ivy, form¬ er salesman. Paramount, is now assist¬ ant booker, Columbia, San Francisco. Edward Remig, Film Distributors Audit Company, was in checking some of the independent exchanges. . . . Jack Felix, branch manager. Allied Artists, and Harold Wirthwein, division man¬ ager, made a sales trip to Albuquerque, N. M. . . . Neal Beezley, Burlington, Colo., president. Allied Rocky Mountain Independent Theatres, flew to St. Louis to attend the Allied board meeting and the drive-in convention. Seen on Film Row were Llyod Greve, Eagle, Colo.; J. K. Powell, Wray, Colo.; Ray Davis, Cheyenne, Wyo. ; Larry Starsmore, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Teno Roncalio, Rock Springs, Wyo.; Wayne Bauer, Mancos, Colo.; Mr. and Mrs. Don Monson, Rifle, Colo.; George and Harold McCormick, Canon City, Colo.; Neal Beezley, Burlington, Colo.; and Lionel Semon, Pueblo, Colo. William T. Hastings, manager, Orpheum, reported to police that he re¬ turned to his home from the theatre and discovered someone had thrown a brick through his front window. An¬ other window covering a flower bed was damaged also. Hastings did not estimate the loss, but told police he had to eject a <iozen hoys from the February 16, 1U55 MIUWEST-WESTEKN