The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR M'-l iVliWS OF THli BRANCHES Cincinnati Rumors are current hei-e tliat live shows will be moved into the downtown Shubert with termination March 1 of the five-year RKO lease. It also is re¬ ported that the next-door Cox, now a legit house, will be taken over by WLW-TV for teleshows, although no lease contract has as yet been signed with the Shubert interests, owner of the house. In a survey here by Oscar Doob, MGM, it was revealed that about 73 per cent of all girl teenagers and 51 per cent of boys in local high schools will flock to see the re-release of Greta Garbo in “Camille.” The film was first shown in 1936, before any of the present teen¬ agers were born, and the survey revealed that only four of those queried had seen any Garbo film. “They’re curious because they’ve heard so much about her,” com¬ mented a teacher. E. B. Radcliffe, the Enquirer’s movie reviewer, urged those interested in “good movies” to “lay it on the line” at any first-run downtown or suburban house. “There isn’t a movie in any one of the eight first-run theatres unworthy of a look,” he declared. . . . Many old-timers along Film Row and elsewhere here regretted the death in California of Trixie Friganza, the famed star of 37 silent movies of three or more decades ago and the lead in numerous smash stage shows. Boim here as Delia O’Callahan, she took the maiden name of her Spanish mother when she made her stage debut as a shapely chorus girl. Among those attending the Ohio Inde¬ pendent Theatre Owners convention at Columbus were Milton Gurian, Allied Artists branch manager; Philip Fox, Columbia branch manager; E. M. Booth, MGM branch manager, and the entire MGM sales force; William Bein, district manager. National Screen Service; Her¬ bert J. Gillis, Paramount branch man¬ ager, and W. A. Meier, salesman; Lloyd Krause, RKO branch manager; Jack Finberg, UA branch manager, and Mitchell Blachschleger, Columbus salesman; Murray Baker, IFE area rep; A1 Kolkmeyer, U-I city salesman, and William Blum, U-I Columbus salesman; Robert McNab, 2()th-Fox branch manager, and Sam Weiss, Columbus salesman; James McDonald; Homer B. Snook, president. Midwest Theatre Supply; and James A. Conn, manager. National Theatre Supply. Larry Leshansky, New Yoi’k, Warners rep, was in, as were exhibitors George Turlukis, Hamilton, 0.; Harry Wheelei', Galipolis, O.; John Gregory, Dayton, O.; Frank Yassenoft', Harry Schwartz, Jack Needham, and Ted Pekras, Columbus, O.; Moe Potasky, Troy, O.; Julius S'lberstein, Huntington, W. Va.; Frank Mandros. Cabin Creek, W. Va.; Harold Moore and Julia Simon, Charleston, W. Va.; Horace Adams, left, Cleveland, president. Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, is shown with Mike L. Simons, center, di¬ rector of customer relations for MGM, and Rube Shor, Cincinnati, newly-elected president. National Allied, at the ITOO convention in Columbu.s, Ohio. Harry McHaffie, Marmet, W. Va.; Char¬ les Scott, Vevay, Ind.; Charles Behlen, Lexington, Ky. ; J. B. Johnson, Nicholasville, Ky.; Raymond Young, South Shore, Ky. ; Bertha Wolf, Owenton, Ky. ; Walter Wyrick, Carlisle, Ky.; Kenneth Williams, Paintsville, Ky.; and Jack Smith, War¬ saw, Ky. Away on business were James A. Abrose, Warners branch manager, to Springfield, O., and Murray Bakei', IFE rep, to Cleveland. . . . Equipment has been, installed for lifting the big CinemaScope screen at the downtown Albee so live stage shows can be presented if and when. . . . Betty Turner, Paramount booker, is on a leave of absence, and Donald Berning, contract department, has taken over her duties, with William Robb replacing Berning in the contract department. The Variety Club of Cincinnati has issued its first number of “The Barker.” Editor in chief Jay M. Goldberg says the bulletin is being published to keep mem¬ bers informed of the club’s activities and to keep their enthusiasm high. . . . The installation of officers of Variety Club of Cincinnati took place at Netherland Plaza. Herman Hunt and Herb Gillis were co-chairmen and International Chief Barker George Hoover was guest speak¬ er. Mr. and Mrs. Abe Maius arranged for entertainment during the evening, with the event proving to be one of the highlights of the season for the local Var¬ iety Club and the local industry. Cleveland The Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio convention is over and done with but the effect of the MGM Workshop, conducted by Mike Simons, director of customer relations, lingers on. Most of the Cleveland exhibitors who attended came home full of optimism and en¬ thusiasm. One exhibitor said it was a job we'l done and accomplished it’s pui'pose of arousing them to dust off some of their promotion ideas and give them a new try. In Akron, O., Mayor Bsry proclaimed Feb. 20-26 as “Go To The Movies Week.” Helping get the proclamation over were Millard Ochs, manager. Strand, and Harry Klotz, manager, Loew’s. ... Joe Shagrin, Foster, Youngstown, O., has left the hospital and is convalescing from surgery at his home. Harold Bruce, a newcomer in the industry, has taken over the Majestic, Lima, O., and had March 10 as his opening date. The house has been closed some time. . . . Martin G. Smith, while attending the ITO convention in Colum¬ bus, was informed of the safe arrival of his second grandson named Andrew Martin Smith. . . . M. B. Horwitz, head, Washington Circuit, took first place as the first great-grandfathei' of the local film colony. The title was bestowed on him by his granddaughter, Mrs. Mercia Miller Kline, with announcement of the birth of a daughter, Susan Beth. Regardless of the temperature, the drive-in season is officially open. Jack Gardner opened his Riverside Drive-In, Rayland, 0., and George Manos opened his new Elm Lane Drive-In, Coshoc¬ ton, 0. . . . Mrs. Fred Barck, mother of Morris Barck, Park Auto Theatre, Alli¬ ance, O., and of Sam, former indoor Iheati e owner, died. She is also survived by two other sons and three daughters. Jerry Gi'oss, Universal-International booker in Cleveland, and prior to that employed in the U-I home office, has been promoted to the sales force in Detroit. His successor in Cleveland is not yet announced. . . . Oscar Edelman, National Screen Service head shipper the past 15 years and with Theatre Poster Rental Company before that, re¬ signed to go into the automobile parts business. . . . Jack Sogg, MGM branch manage]', was unable to attend Workshop .MG.M’s recent Workshop meeting at the Deshler Hilton Hotel, Columbus, O,, was literally “ci'owded to the rafters” with aiea exhibitors as seen by this photo. Mike Simons, customer relations director, and Emery Austin, MGM exploitation head, led off the group of panelists. March 16, 1955 MIDEAST