The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR NT-1 iVliWS or inii: Chicago Harry Rouda, Frolic manager, whose wife had been ill, took her to Los Angeles for six weeks of convalescence . . . Sid Shapiro resigned his post at Con¬ fection Cabinet Company and was suc¬ ceeded by Pat Gardner, Milwaukee . . . T’hilip C. Newman was appointed Delavan manager, Delavan, Wis. Film censorship was discussed at the monthly luncheon meeting of the Chicago Film Council. Participating were Police Lieutenant Ignatius Sheehan of the censor board; William F. Kruse, former United World Films vice-president, w'ho represented the industry; and attorney Abner Mikva, American Civil Liberties Union. When Otto Peska, 65, veteran pro¬ jectionist, Frolic, reached home, he suffered a stroke from which he died a few days later. His wdfe survives. . . . Charlie Laughton, visiting here, went to the Art Institute to see a rare collection of Japanese prints. He revealed to friends that he intends to give up acting in pictures to become a director. He said it’s more exciting to be behind the scenes than before the cameras. U-I midwestern bookers sessioned at the Drake Hotel. Among those attending were F. F. Murray, head of booking operations here; G. J. Malafronte, assis¬ tant to Murray; Roy Mason, assistant sales manager; and representatives from Kansas City, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Minneapolis. . . . Dick Ramond, Peoria, Ill., theatre music director, died, leaving his wife, a son, and a daughter. President S. J. Gregory, Alliance Amusement Company, took a business and pleasure trip to the west coast. . . . Renee Meriaux, publicist, whose usual habitat is now Madrid, Ill., came again for a look at Chicago. . . . Dave Wallerstein, B and K general manager, and his wife chose the West Indies for a vacation, B and K transferred assistant man¬ agers Roger Singer from the Riviera to the Century and Bill Doonan from the Century to United Artists. . . . Bill Passen, Crescent, Jasonville, Ill., announced installation of a wide-screen. . . . Alliance Amusement Company is conducting an annual drive ending April 10. . . . Sam Abrams resiged from the Twin DriveIn and is now assistant manager, Riviera. Elroy Hirsch, football star, who took up acting, came in on behalf of his “Unchained.” . . . Nathan Cummings, food products tycoon who has done con¬ siderable film financing, is considering a plan to join with his cousin, producer Jack Cummings, in forming an indepen¬ dent picture company. . . . Arthur Is¬ rael, Paramount labor representative, came for meetings with film salesmen. The anti-trust case of the Codo, Joliet, HI., was postponed by Federal Judge Samuel Perry until April 4. . . . Dick Pitts, Filma{!k advertising manager, was confined to his home with a virus at¬ tack. . . . The Riverside, Milwaukee, started a stage policy. Irving Mack is taking time out from Filmack for a vacation with his wife in Florida. . . . Flora Dick, secretary to F. G. Dickley, division manager, Altec Service Corporation, died. Formerly with the Detroit office, she had been with the company since 1943. . . . Jerry Fields, Buena Vista press agent, is wearing a brace after an injury to his back. The FBI seized an 18-yeai--old usher at the Bel-Park on a charge of sending extortion letters to four families, threat¬ ening to kill their children. Chief agent Donald S. Hostetter said the boy had made a full confession. The families w^ere instructed in the threatening letters, signed “The Count,” to leave money, $500 in some instances and $1,000 in others, with the ticket taker and to place claim checks behind a no-smoking sign in the lobby. Mothers who had no¬ tified the FBI, followed instructions and left envelopes, stuffed with paper, as directed. When the youth relieved the cashier on night schedule, and took the envelopes, he was apprehended by FBI agents who w'ere post throughout the theatre. He was turned over to the marshal. The accused is a six-footer and weighs 190 pounds. The FBI said he knew the children and that his threats upon them were “strangling, shooting, and hit-run car.” His attorney termed the deed as a “boyish prank.” The fight to show “The Miracle” which was banned by the Chicago Police Cen¬ sor Board on grounds of obscenity, reached the U. S. Supreme Court. The Illinois Supreme Court upheld the police action. Lifting of the ban was asked by the American Civil Liberties Union and Charles Liebman. . . . Allied Thea¬ tres of Illinois is continuing its strong membership advance. President Jack Kirsch announced new joiners are the Bryn Mawu-, Commercial, Esquire, Mil¬ ford, Surf, and Windsor; Des Plaines, Des Plaines, Ill.; and Melrose, Melrose Park, Ill. Producer William Perlberg tarried on his way to Washington to consult the Marine Corps and the Red Cross about “The Magnificent Bastards,” he and his partner, George Seaton are planning. While here he sang praises for “The Country Girl.” . . . Becomingly bronzed, Abe Platt, B and K northside super¬ visor, returned from a West Indies cruise. That members of Allied Theatres of Illinois seriously view the problem of subscription television and intend to give their fullest financial support to the joint committee on toll-TV is indicated in a resolution unanimously adopted by its board. . . . The Illinois Allied board, according to Jack Kirsch, president, also endorsed the American Brotherhood Week campaign and the American Red Cross fund campaign. Dallas R. J. O’Donnell, Jimmy Gdlespie, 2()th-Fox, and Julius Schepps will ar¬ range a gigantic banquet in the Grand Ballroom of the Adolphus Hotel, April 1, in which Variety Club of Dallas, Tent 17, will honor the champion New York Giants and Cleveland Indians and at the same time honor Ed Brannick, secretary of the Giants, on the celebrating of his golden anniversary with that team. The Giants and the Indians will be rushed to Dallas by chartered planes arranged for by Clyde Rembert, member of the Variety Club, from Houston, where they will play an exhibition game in the afternoon. Next day, the clubs play at Burnett Field, Dallas, in a nationally televised game. The idea for the banquet originated with Jimmy Gillespie, south¬ ern public relations director for 20thFox. Having grown up with Brannick in the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York, Jimmy decided to see what R. J. O’Don¬ nell thought of the idea. Since O’Donnell has been a life-long friend of Brannick, he saw immediately that it wms a won¬ derful opportunity to honor two great ball clubs and a veteran in the sports field. Julius Schepps, past chief barker. Variety Club, was called in to lend a hand in making the necessary arrangements for the banquet. Texans who have been in the film in¬ dustry 25 years, or more, will be honored March 24, 1955, with a banquet given by the Dallas WOMPI chapter, said President Mrs. Maxine Adams. Those qualifying, who wish to attend, may send requests for reservations to Miss Sue Benningfield, Texas COMPO, 2008 A Jackson Street. Tickets will be $3.50. The banquet will be held in the Terrace Room of the Baker Hotel. Guest speaker will be nationally known film executive Ned Depinet, himself a pioneer in the Texas motion picture field. Program chairman. Miss Verlin Osborne, Para¬ mount, promises a gala occasion with early-in-the-century photographs of Tex¬ as film folk, silent film star stills, pressbooks from the ’20s, early hand-grinder picture machines, and other relics of younger days of the industry for the pioneers to become nostalgic over. WOMPI members will be dressed in var¬ ious fashion styles of the decades of motion picture history. Invitations have been sent to Dallas WOMPI charter members Mary Pickford, Joan Crawford, Dorothy Lamour, and Edith Head, them¬ selves all distinguished pioneers of the film industry. Other committee mem¬ bers are Mrs. Blanche Boyle, Frontier Theatres, in charge of seating arrange¬ ments, and hostesses Mrs. Orlean Hart, Interstate Theatres, in charge of invi¬ tations, and the decorations committee. Miss Susie Coleman, assisted by Mrs. Grace Folsom, both of Interstate. It is urged that reservations be sent early, for a full house is expected. Harold Schwarz’ organization, ToweiPictures Company, has added Memphis exchange area to its distribution fran¬ chise of Hallmark’s “Karamoja” and “Half Way To Hell” package and will assign manpower to the area im¬ mediately. March 16, 1955 MIDWESTWESTERN