The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR M'-l BTKWS OF THF BRANCHES Atlanta Atlanta will be one of cities to receive an all-star closed circuit thea¬ tre telecast on March 28. The mammoth two-hour show will be presented at an Atlanta theatre not yet designated, be¬ ginning at 9:15 p. m. Proceeds will go to CARE, European relief agency. A 13man committee has been named to push plans for the benefit presentation. Com¬ mittee includes Mayor William B. Hartsfield, honorary chairman; Dean Phil Narmore, chairman; and Harrison Jones, co-chairman. Members are Carling Dink¬ ier, Sr., Daniel J. Houghton, Frank Ma¬ lone, Mrs. Spann W. Miller, Samuel Rothberg, Mrs. Louis Regenstein, Jr., Mrs. T. E. Schneider, J. C. Shelor, Rob¬ ert E. Snodgrass, and John Staton. J. E. McLeory, Charlotte representa¬ tive, Allied Artists Southern Exchanges, has returned there after a visit with his family here. . . . On the Row for a visit were O. C. Lam and son, Lam Amusement Company, Rome, Ga. ; Sidney Laird and L. J. Duncan, Al-Dun Amuse¬ ment Company, West Point, Ga.; W. Welch, Dallas, Dallas, Ga. ; Abe Soloman, Independent Theatres, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Ebb Duncan, theatres in Georgia. Jimmy Campbell and Ben Jordan, Allied Artists Southern Exchanges, were in for a sales meeting with branch man¬ ager Jimmie Hobbs. . . . Billy Welch, son of Mrs. Grace Hammond, Allied .\rtists Southern Exchanges, left for a trip to New York. . . . Oscar Howell, president. Capital City Supply Company, was back after a trip from the city. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Toddy, owners, Tod¬ dy Pictures, were back at their office after a visit in Florida. . . . Mrs. Rose Lancaster, Strickland Film Company, was back at her desk after a spell of illness. George J. Schaefer announces that his company, Selected Pictures Corporation, has acquired the distribution rights to “Gangbusters” for the territory served by Atlanta, Jacksonville, Charlotte, New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, and Oklahoma City. Schaefer has also concluded ar¬ rangements with Jack Schlaifer, who re¬ cently resigned from United Artists, to take complete charge of sales and dis¬ tribution on this pictui-e. Schlaifer is due in Miami and Jacksonville to super¬ vise saturation bookings of the film in Florida. The exploitation and advertis¬ ing of all saturation openings in each of the above territories is being handled by Terry Turner for the producer. Visual Drama, Inc. In Nashville, Tenn., a serious threat to di'ive-in operations has been lifted b.v a change of application of proposed state legislation which would have forced the lemoval of screen towers to other locations on drive-in property whenever pictures reflected on the screen ai’e also visible as to distract passing motorists. Instead of appl.ving to existing driveins, an identical measure is expected to be enacted which would apply to drive-ins built after April 1, 1955. A committee of exhibitors, led by Stacy Wilhite, Cooksville, Tenn., president, Tennessee Theatre Owners Association, pointed out to the special Governor’s Emergency Traffic Committee sponsor¬ ing the bill that application of such law would cause undue hardship to exist¬ ing drive-ins and would require large expenditures for moving screen towers and changing field operation. The com¬ mittee agreed to change the bill to mean outdoor theatres constructed after the expected April 1 enactment date. New owners of the drive-in at Apalacicola, Fla., are P. J., N. J., and J. J. Nicholas. . . . Jimmy Gaylard, owner, Troy, Troy, Ala., is the new owner, Cecil Drive-In, from owners, Wade Amuse¬ ment Company, and will change the name to Coffee County Drive-In. Mack Clark was appointed as manager. . . . Jack Hunt and his son-in-law, Ray Carsky, are new owners. Trail Drive-In, Sarasoto, Fla., from Hugh Thomas, Jr., and will call it the Airport Drive-In. Hunt came from Chicago and for five years was general manager, Barger Theatre Circuit. Carsky was former merchandising and concessions manager, Balaban and Katz. The 41 Drive-In, Okolona, Miss., with Bob Cowsert, manager, has installed Cinemascope. . . . Bill Wolfson, city manager, Wilby-Kincey Theatres Mont¬ gomery, Ala., has returned to his office after being hospitalized for an eye opertion in Fort Worth, Tex. He has been unable to see for the past six weeks. Scott Lett and the Mrs., Guild Screen manager, Charlotte, has returned after a tour of South America. . . . Happy to I'eport that George Ebersole, 20th-Fox special sales representative, Charlotte, is back on the job after a spell of illness. On the Row were Frank Pierce and son. Barber Drive-In, Louisville, Ga.; A1 Morgan, McLendon Theatre Circuit, Alabama; Ward Bennett, Bennett DriveIn, Abbeville, Ala.; Ralph Johnson, Zebulon, Cairo, Ga. ; and Dick Kennedy, theatre owner in Alabama and Tenn¬ essee. Vivian Miller, new booker, MGM, re¬ places Dot Stephens. . . . Betty Goolsby, MGM’s payroll clerk, was back after a spell of illness. . . . Eileen Watson, MGM, was back after a vacation spent in Jack¬ sonville. . . . George M. Jones, U-I sales manager, is much better. Mrs. Mar.v Dale, accounting depart¬ ment, Allied Artist Southern Exchanges, was host to the office force at her home. . . . Mrs. Elizabeth Lee was added to the Strickland foi'ce as secretary. Capfain James A. Rebb, 87, pioneer exhibitor here, died at a private hospital. Rebb owned and operated the old Superba for a number of years during the days of silent pictures. He was also owner of the old Fairview before his retire¬ ment in 1942. Surviving are his wife, two sons, and several grandchildren. J. E. McLeroy, Allied Artists Southern Exchanges, Charlotte, was in for a visit with his family. . . . WOMIT participated in a fashion show at Rich’s in conjunc¬ tion with other Atlanta Clubs, for the purpose of building up their treasury. Shirley Smoak has been chosen as the WOMPI model for the occasion. At the February luncheon meeting of WOMPI, Mrs. Margaret Turner, club editor, Atlanta Journal, made a talk, her subject, “What Makes News.” Mrs. Turner came up with an interesting and little known fact, that Atlanta has more women’s club per capita than any city in the world. There are 3,500 clubs here. In booking and buying were Jack Biggart, Motor In, Lancaster, S. C.; Mrs. R. Barrington, Marlboro, Clio, S. C.; Jodie Holland, Lyman, Lyman, S. C.; Leighton Parker, Parkhill and 301 DriveIn, Manning, S. C. ; R. L. Wilburn, Union Drive-In, Union, S. C.; Octave Martin, Cowpens, Cowpens, S. C.; Wellie Ham¬ rick, Co-Ed, Boiling Springs, N. C.; Louis Whitley, drive-ins, Laurenburg, N. C.; Fairmont, N. C.; Rockingham, N. C.; Tom Britt, Starlite Drive-In, Laurel Hill, N. C. ; Buford Grigg, Dianne 29 Drive-In, Gastonia, N. C., and Friend¬ ly Drive-In, Lincolnton, N. C.; Jesse Booth, Palmetto, Walnut Cove, N. C.; Morris Abrams, Palace and Strand, Georgetown, S. C.; Dick Eason, O. and E. Circuit, Salisbury, N. C.; Jim Geddie, Carolina, McColl, S. C.; Joe Gibson, Har¬ lem, Greenville, S. C.; J. W. Griffin, Jr., Griffin, Forest City, N. C.; and Jodie Holland, Lyman, Lyman, S. C. Charlotte The Anderson Family, Anderson Cir¬ cuit, Mullins, S. C., are making plans to visit Hawaii. Howard Anderson and his helpers will manage the business angle while they are away. ... A. F. Sams, Statesville Theatre Corporation, will soon have a son-in-law. Joe Johnston, feature booker, WilbyKincey, is the proud papa of another son. . . . Jack Griffith, U-I salesman, has a, baby daughter, named Betty Anne. Jack is the son of Mrs. Walter Griffith, secretary. Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina. Howard Burnett, former employee. Paramount, has just returned from the armed seiwices to his position as third shipper with Paramount. He was station¬ ed in Korea. . . . Weber Howell, former office manager. Paramount, has returned to his position after having served in the armed forces in Alaska. . . . Seen along Film Row booking and buying were W. G. Fussell, Wonet, Bladenboro, N. C.; R. D. McGowan, Joyce, Spring Hope, N. C.; and Cary Caudell, Danca, Wallace, N. C. . . . The following visited Para¬ mount foi buying and booking; Jimmy .Austin, Clinton, Clinton, N. C.; O. K. March 16, 1955 SOUTHERN