The Exhibitor (1955)

NT-4 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR year after the original survey was made. A select group of about 20 per cent of the adult population will be reinterviewed to determine what changes have been made in the entertainment habits of the local citizens. The studies are jointly financed by the Association of Theatre Screen Advertising Companies and local theatre officials headed by Colonel H. A. Cole. Cinemascope has been installed at the Esquire, Carthage, Tex., operated by Walker and Gill. . . . Mason C. Chapman has been named manager, Belknap DriveIn, Fort Worth, Tex. He succeeds Jack Veerin, who recently resigned. . . . Wil¬ liam E. Heliums, city manager, Interstate Theatres, Austin, Tex., is a patient at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston. . . . A new 28 by 12 foot screen has been installed at the Main, Paris, Tex., which will show all wide-screen processes. . . . Extensive damage was done to the Bon¬ ham Drive-In, Bonham, Tex., as a result of a heavy wind storm. The wind leveled part of the fence, blew down a sign, and damaged the screen. Cinemascope has been installed at the Van, Van, Tex., according to Bryan Blythe. . . . Repairs and installation of Cinemascope have been started at the Texas, Denton, Tex., according to Gene Hughes, manager. Work will not interfere with the operation of the Texas. . . . Services were held at New Braunfels, Tex., for John P. Kaufmann, 72, former theatre owner and operator, New Braun¬ fels and Blanco, Tex., who died at a New Braunfels hospital after a linger¬ ing illness. . . . Burglars broke into the Civic, San Angelo, Tex., for the fifth time this year and made off with a quantity of tools and clothing. . . . Buddy Harris has announced that the Port, Port Arthur, Tex., has been equipped with Cinemascope. Ramsland Theatres, Mission, Tex., has been granted a charter listing capital stock of $10,000. Incorporators are Mary K. Ramsland, Robert G. Ramsland, and H. C. Gunter. . . . Lloyd Hutchins is now operator, 84 Drive-In, Amherst, Tex. He was former manager, Center, Kensett, Ark. He has installed wide-screen and Cinemascope. . . . The Dixie Drive-In, Moody, Tex., is operating seven days a 1— Daily BOXOFFICE STATEMENTS 2— Weekly PROGRAM SCHEDULES 3— BOOKING and REVIEWING SERVICES 4— Pocket-Size DATE BOOKS 5— Weekly PETTY-CASH SYSTEMS 6— Annual THEATRE BOOKKEEPING SETS 7— Weekly PAYROLL SYSTEMS 8— TRAINING MANUALS for NEW HELP 9— Large DATE BOOKS and for many other helpful Theatre Forms and Systems. Ask for SAMPLE SHEETS! Sold ONLY to Subscribing Theatres by EXHIBITOR BOOK SHOP 246-48 N. Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pa. Manager Bud Tapper, United Artists, San Francisco, recently drew some choice pub¬ licity breaks for his engagement of UA’s “Marty” by inviting the executive board of the local butchers’ union to an advance showing of the film. The giant standee shows Ernest Borgnine in the title role, that of a butcher. week following the shuttering of the Palace. . . . Wally Akin, manager, Para¬ mount, Abilene, Tex., has reported the loss of a $300 vase. A substantial reward is being offered for the return of the antique vase. Construction is nearing completion on the Fair, Fairfield, Tex., which is being built by a group of local businessmen. The site is the former location of the Iris, which was destroyed by fire in March, 1955. The business men banded together and purchased the property from the Harris Brothers, Dallas. When com¬ pleted, Jerry Jobe, Dallas, will manage the Fair. . . . Cinemascope has been installed at the El Rancho Drive-In, Denton, Tex., according to H. J. Robinson. . . . Fred Cannata, theatre operator, Houston, Tex., is recovering from a recent illness. Doctors have ordered complete rest and quiet. The opening of the Worth Drive-In, Olney, Tex., has been postponed because of wind damage, according to Billy Wat¬ son, manager. The main structure has had to be torn down and is being rebuilt. . . . The Ranger Drive-In has been re¬ opened for its fifth year of operation at Perryton, Tex. Virby Conley is man¬ ager. . . . Gene Haubner, manager, Uvalde Theatres, operators of the Stardust DriveIn, Uvalde, Tex., has announced the installation of Cinemascope. The screen has been enlarged from 45 to 70 feet. . . . Doyle Oliver, general manager, Frels Theatres, has announced the opening of the Rice Drive-In, El Campo, Tex. The drive-in has been completely remodeled, ramps paved and concessions improved. Bausch and Lomb lenses were installed for wide-screen and Cinemascope, and a new aluminum screen was added. Repairs have been completed on the Matador Drive-In, Matador, Tex., which was damaged in a recent sandstorm. Bob Ham, co-owner with Hazel Dirickson, announced that a new screen, almost double the size of the original, was in¬ stalled. The Midway Drive-In, between Turkey and Quitaque, Tex., was com¬ pletely demolished by the same storm. . . . The Royal, Van Alstyne, Tex., oper¬ ated by Roy Muse, has been closed due to lack of patronage. The Royal had been remodeled and new equipment installed but failed to draw customers. Muse also operates theatres at Plano and Wolfe City, Tex. . . . The Royce, Royce City, Tex., operated by Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Causey, has had Cinemascope equipment installed. A $425,000 suit was filed in U. S. District Court by D. J. McCarthy against Gidney and Anna P. Tally, Pleasanton, seeking $375,000 damages plus $50,000 attorney fees. The suit arises out of a contract dispute over distribution of the film, "Bob and Sally.” McCarthy alleges he obtained a contract from the Tallys for distribu¬ tion of the film in areas where it was not banned by censorship. He further alleges the Tallys created an organization known as Modern Film Distributors, giv¬ ing this company exclusive rights to dis¬ tribute the picture. This, McCarthy, con¬ tends, created a monopoly and left him without any means of distributing the film. McCarthy claims damages to the extent of $125,000, for which he wants three-fold compensation. Corporations named in the suit were Modern Film Distributors, Chicago; Texas Roadshow Attractions; Constellation Roadshow At¬ tractions, and Dale Attractions, all of this city. Seattle The Variety Club of the Pacific North¬ west and Alaska reports a steady gain in original memberships now being signed. At present, Variety Club includes only motion picture personnel, but plans later to be extended to TV and radio mem¬ berships. . . . Miss Hilde Peterson, Port¬ land office manager, Northwest Releasing Corporation, was in for conferences. Local manager Jack Engerman left for Los Angeles for business meetings. Hal Lar penteur, sales representative, left for eastern Washington for an inspection tour. National Theatre Supply has completed installation of complete Simplex sound equipment, projectors, etc., in the newly finished Big Bear Drive-In, Paulsbo, Wash. Owners are William Haugen and Joe Liliquist. Equipment sales and in¬ stallations were handled by John Riley. . . . Lee Scott, Modern Theatre Supply, reports supervising installations of com¬ plete Cinemascope, wide-screens, lenses, etc., in the Sunset, Miles City, Mont., for owner Jack Holmes, as well as a similar installation in the Sunset, Helena, Mont. Barney Rose, U-I manager, was due in. . . . Lee Kirby was in Virginia Mason Hospital recently for a check-up. . . . Ernie Thompson, Uptown, Port Town¬ send, Wash., recently opened his WheelIn Drive-In in that city. . . . William Daugard, John Lee Circuit, Euphrata, Wash., is in town. . . . Don Borovic left for Portland on business. . . . Joe Rosenfield, East Sprague Drive-In, Spokane, Wash., was on the Row. . . . Harry Wald was in from Lewiston, Idaho. . . . Mike Powers, eastern Washington sales repre¬ sentative, 20th-Fox, was in town. . . . E. A. Darby, Natchees and Top-Hi, Natchees and Toppenish, Wash., was in town. . . . Dave Dunkle, formerly with Republic, has gone to work for E. W. Johnson in Spokane. Wash. June 8, 1955