The Exhibitor (1955)

Nr-2 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Hogan, St. Paul, St. Paul, N. C.; I. W. Holliday, Vance, Vanceboro, N. C.; Charlie Holliday, Pines, Pinetops, N. C.; Roy Champion, various theatres, Wilson, N. C. ; and Howard Anderson, Anderson Theatres, Mullins, S. C., for his circuit of theatres. C. A. Dandelake, president, Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina, Colonial, Tarboro, N. C., has returned after a check-up at Johns Hopkins Hospi¬ tal, Baltimore, Md. . . . MGM has chang¬ ed the date of its workshop. It will be held here on April 4. Theatre owners of North and South Carolina changed the date of the general meeting. It will be held on April 5, at the Hotel Char¬ lotte. Highlights will be toll-TV and film rentals. Several members of the WOMPI club in Atlanta, one of which is a member of the national extension committee, were in to assist in organizing a local WOMPI club, at which time the charter was drawn up and the officers nominated and elected. The meeting was in the form of a Dutch luncheon at the Oriental Restaurant. The planning committee in¬ cludes Myrtle Parker, Paramount; Mil¬ dred Hoover, Paramount; Rebecca Miller, National Screen Service; Thelma Culp, Warners; Gladys Hawkins, Wilby-Kincey; Rose Hutton, Columbia; Rose McIlroy, MGM; and Mildred Warren, 20th-Fox. Paramount recently remodeled their office with a complete paint job and general house cleaning. The effort cer¬ tainly brightened the place. Jacksonville Attending a luncheon held here in honor of Mr. and Mrs. James Cagney were Leon D. Netter, president, Florida State Theatres, and Mrs. Netter; Louis J. Finske and LaMar Sarra, FST vicepresidents; FST executives Joe J. Deitch, Mark DuPree, and Bob Harris; Ed Chumley, Paramount branch manager; and Bender Cawthon, Florida projectionist. Host was A. C. Lyles, Paramount publi¬ city man from the west coast, who got his start in the industry as an usher at the local Florida. A day prior to the luncheon, Cagney had received an honor¬ ary Doctor of Humanities degree from Rollins College, Winter Park, Fla., in recognition of his outstanding role in the motion picture industry for the past 83 years. He recently completed his 5()th picture, “Run For Cover,” a Para¬ mount release. “A Man Called Peter,” 2Uth-Fox’s Easter picture, is to have advance screen¬ ings here, in St. Petersburg, and in Miami for clergymen of the state, ac¬ cording to Tom Tidwell, 2()th-Fox branch manager. He said that the picture is to be released on Good Friday, April 8, in key cities of the state. . . . Walter Powell, formerly a film salesman in Charlotte, has joined the sales staff of the local 20th-Fox branch. . . . Walter McDonald, new head booker. United Artists, came here from a booking job in Atlanta. . . . Linda Fleming has re¬ turned to work as a 20th-Fox billeiafter recovering from an operation. Warners’ “Battle Cry” was the film selected for the recent reopening of the famous Miami, Fla., showplace, ()lympia. Seen, left to right, are Harry Botwick, managing director, Florida State Thea¬ tres in the Miami area; Major Albert Warner; Colonel R. C. Mangrum, ILSMC; Bill Burns, WQAiM; and Mayor Abe Aronovitz. Bill Beck, manager, first-run Five Points, had a gala north Florida pre¬ miere for “Yellowneck,” produced by Empire Studios of Orlando and distribut¬ ed by Republic. Stars Rex Allen and Marie Windsor were here for public appearances on the Five Points stage at the opening. Bob Skaggs, manager, Florida, said that the Army’s WAC band, of 60 pieces, would be in the pit of the theatre for the first-run opening night of “The Long Gray Line.” . . . He also revealed that the Florida has been selected as the only north Florida outlet for the March 28 closed circuit live TV variety show to originate on a New York stage for nationwide showings to benefit CARE. . . . Patrons of the Florida were being supplied with ballots listing all the cur¬ rent Academy Award nominations. Per¬ sons guessing closest to the actual awards of Oscars on March 30 are to receive long-term passes to the theatre. Edith Smith secured the cooperation of the Jacksonville Art Museum mem¬ bership in giving advance support to the selling of tickets for an art motion picture, “Flamenco,” to be presented at the San Marco on April 9 and 10. She said that a sidewalk art exhibit is scheduled for both nights on the side¬ walk in front of the theatre. . . . State exhibitors in were A. J. Kaniaris, Beach Drive-In, St. Augustine; William Lee, Starke; Jim Raulerson, MacClenny; Courtney Muter, Orange Lake; and Adeline Gawthrop, Linda Drive-In, Palatka, back from an extensive South American tour. . . . Visiting Roy Smith at his candy and popcorn concern were Mr. and Mrs. Lew Phelps, Grinnell, Iowa, who were covering the state on a sellingtrip for the Miracle Equipment Com¬ pany, makers of drive-in playgi'ound equipment. . . . Mrs. Belle Dow, owner. No. 1 Drive-In, Daytona Beach, Fla., was a, visitor from New York. . . . New Yorkers George J. Schaefer, Selected Pictures Corporation, and Tei-ry Turner were here to schedule booking and ex¬ ploitation programs for their “Gangbusters.” . . . Other New Yorkers in were Ben Newman, candy specialist, and Paul Little, Pepsi-Cola representative. Memphis Local Boy Scouts saw free movies at five big movie parties. Theatres showing foi the Scouts were the Plaza, Rilz, Joy, Strand, Millington, Tenn., a.id the Park, here. A giant Council-wide movie party was held at the Malco, downtown, and enoyed by the boys. WOMPI is one year old in Memphis, and a birthday dinnei was held at the Variety Club. It was “Bosses Night,” and by the wonderful turnout of bosses, WOMPI has no need to fear whether they are with them or not, as only three of the branch manager were unable to attend. Guest speaker was naturally the number one movie man, a man whom everyone knows thinks first of movies and anything pertaining to them, M. A. Lightman, Malco Theatres. He spoke to the group briefly of the thing next dear¬ est to his heart. The Children’s Con¬ valescent Home, and asked the coopera¬ tion of all WOMPI members in helpingput the Hospital over for Variety; there is no doubt of the cooperation he will leceive, as WOMPI has already shown their interest in the Hospital, havingdonated a blackboard recently. It was a successful dinner and all members are planning on the “Sadie Hawkins Day Dance” on April 16. There will be sev¬ eral surprise acts of talent heretofore unknown, and figures will be revealed that might land a movie contract for some unknown. A. J. Cianciola announces that the Plaza has its sights set to being one of the major firstrun theatres in Mem¬ phis. As proof, three topnotch films are booked there for first local showings. New Orleans Harry Carey, Jr., who plays the half¬ back named “Ike” in Columbia’s “The Long Gray Line,” is in town boosting the movie, scheduled for an early showing at RKO Orpheum. . . . Earl Perry has taken over the buying and booking for the Park, Houma, La., formerly handled by J. G. Broggi. . . . Jack “Joe Friday” Webb is in town to supervise the filming of background scenes for his forthcoming movie, “Pete Kelly’s Blues.” With him is Bill Gutheri, Warners unit manager. Six lucky contestants will receive a set of flippers and goggles like those worn by Jane Russell and Richard Egan in the RKO Technicolor film, “Underwater,” for the best description in the completion of the sentence “I would like to swim underwater like the stars in RKO’s ‘Underwater’ because ” The contest is sponsored by the Voit Company and The New Orleans Item. . . . Warren Sal¬ les informed the exchanges that he plans to reopen his Park Drive-In, Cov¬ ington, La., sooner than in previous years. Mrs. Bill Castay, Arrow, and LaPlace Drive-In, LaPlace, La., made the rounds, as did Mrs. 0. J. Barre, Barre’s Thea¬ tres, Tuling, La.; Mrs. Bertha Foster, Violet, Port Sulphur, La.; and Miss Anna Molzon, Royal, Labadieville, La. . . . Chailes A. Pabst replaced “Chink” Sherwood, who resigned as UA field March 16, 1955