The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR NT-3 Patricia Pattison has been added as a stenographer at Buena Vista, succeeding Marlyn Bennett, who left to go into radio and television. . . . Atlas Theatres a’e do¬ ing an extensive remodeling at the Unique, Gunnison, Colo. Among other improve¬ ments, they are adding Cinemascope and stereophonic sound. . . . Tillie Chalk, Para¬ mount office manager, was in a local hos¬ pital a few days for a checkup. Des Moines Charles F. Carpentier, Secretary cf State for Illinois, addressed the Des Mcines Variety Club at a banquet held in con¬ nection with its annual field day. . . . The Nashua, which has been in operation for many years, has been closed at Nashua, Iowa, and will not reopen again. The Charles City theatre has purchased the seats and other equipment, and the build¬ ing is for sale. . . . Frank Kuruska, 60, projectionist, State, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died at his home following a cerebral hemorrhage. Fred Osterhage, Mason City, Iowa, has purchased the Fox, Nora Springs, Iowa, from Mrs. Earl Stanton. Mrs. Stanton has been operating the house since her hus¬ band’s death last October. . . . I. R. Glesne and Mrs. Lily Johnson have reopened the Swan, Mediapolis, Iowa. . . . The Lakota, Kaota, I wa, has been reopened by Andri Springis and Allen Smith and will operate on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Los Angeles Ed Harris has sold his interest to his partner, Paul Mart, in the Arrow and Fontana, Fontana, Cal. Harris has moved to Glendale to manage the United Artists Capitol. . . . Margaret Scott, Warners PBX operator, took off for an eastern vacation. . . Bernie Cobb, RKO salesman, has resigned. ... A life-time pass and his first retirement check were presented to George Bowser, former Fox West Coast general manager, at a farewell reception in the penthouse of the company’s homeoffice here. Bowser, who started in show business 40 years ago with the Skouras Brothers in St. Louis, will leave shortly for a vacation tour of the European con¬ tinent. Honeymooners are Jack Lowenbein, owner, Rio, San Diego, Cal., and the former Francene Anne Bailys, who were married in Las Vegas. . . . Hospitalized with a back injury was Allan Banks, hus¬ band of Jeanette Banks, secretary to Morris Sudman, 20th-Fox branch manager. . . . Harold Wirthwein, AA western division chief, is a grandfather. His daughter, Mrs. Lois Riddell, gave birth to a seven pound, four ounce son, Jed Steven. . . . George Hickey, MGM’s Pacific Coast sales chief, headed to Salt Lake City for c; nlerences. Milwaukee At the Wisconsin Variety Club meeting, Sam Kaufman gave a report on the national convention in Los Angeles. Variety Club announces that it will hold its Heart Fund collection in July. . . . Dave Gold¬ man, Stanley Warner Theatre Circuit, is taking a short vacation. . . . Fox-Wisconsin is having a face lifting of the front, which is being repainted. James Micheletti, southern Colorado MGM salesman, recent’y presented a check for first prize in the “Julius Cae ar” campaign to George McCormack, owner, Skylne, Canon City, Colo., as Frank Jenkins, MGM field press representative, looked on. Fox-Wisconsin’s St’rand is again opened for the summer season. . . . The losing of Fox’s Fox leaves Stevens Point, Wis., with¬ out a theatre. The city is 17,000 population. . . . Irving Mirisch and associates have formed Federated Enterprises, Milwaukee, to distribute independent product. . . . Ollie Trampe, Allied Artists and Film Service, Inc., was named to the beard of the National Film Carriers at a New York meeting. Gem, Gillette, Wis., has re-opened after three months. . . . Plum City, Wis., businessmen are keeping the local theatre open under a sponsorsh'p with the man¬ agement. . . . B b Hoffman, manager, Royal, has taken over the managing of Jefferson, Jefferson, Wis. F. J. McWilliams and son, Mac, pioneer exhibitor in Wisconsin, paid a visit to the exchanges regarding their theatres in Portage, Wis. . . . Ea1 Fischer is now managing the A'amo, owned by the Fischer family and operated for the past several years by Angelo Provinzano. . . . An American Legion resolution lauding the memory of the late Charles P. Skouras was recently presented at the annual Americanism dinner co-sponsored by Allied Post 302 and Fox West Coast Theatres in honor of 250 outstanding Los Angeles area high school ROTC cadets. Participating in the program held at the Ambassador Hotel were, left to right, Rev. Thomas Grice, past National Legon chaplain; Charles P. Skouras, Jr., who received resolution honoring his father; California Deputy Attorney General William V. O’Connor, chairman of the event; Los Angeles Municipal Judge Roger A. Pfaff, Allied Post commander, and Edwin F. Zabel, general manager, Fox West Coast Theatres. Henry Cludius, theatre electrician, Fox’s Wisconsin, died of a heart attack. . . . Floyd Albert, Strand, Mount Horeb. Wis., was a visitor at the film exchanges. Minneapolis Bonnie Lynch, formerly branch man¬ ager’s secretary, Paramount, has been named a booker. Replacing her as branch manager’s secretary will be Ila Klossner, formerly of Northwest Theatre Service. . . . Hal Perlman, U-I exploiteer, was in for “This Island Earth,” Riviera, St. Paul, and Lyric, Minneapolis. . . . Marlene Hickerson, secretary to Don Swartz. Independent-Lippert, is engaged to Bill Gibbs. . . . The Roxy, Clarkfield, Minn., and its equipment was auctioned off by Mrs. Franceil Kereby, owner. Ralph Maw, branch manager, MGM, vacationed at home. . . . Mary Kel y, MGM office manager’s secretary, also vacationed at home. . . . George Deutz, box office statement clerk, MGM, vacationed in Canada. . . . 20th-Fox had a picnic at Bass Lake. . . . Joan Rosendahl is the new biller, 20th-Fox. . . . Ben Marcus, Columbia midwest district manager, was in. . . . E. A. Schwidt held an open house at his Loraine, Armour, S. D., in honor of the theatre’s 25th anniversary. Several new drive-ins were announced for the territory. Gordon Sties, Menomonie, Wis., is working on one at Wacouta, Minn., to accommodate 400 cars. . . . Drive-In Theatre Company, Sioux Falls, S. D„ announced plans for a 650-car drive-in at Faribault, Minn. The company operates two drive-ins in Minnesota and two in South Dakota. John Watters, Fair¬ mont, Minn., will manage the project. . . . Work also has been started on Leo Aved’s new drive-in, Coon Rapids, Minn. . . . The Welworth Circuit, Minneapolis, has opened new drive-ins at Montevideo and New Ulm, Minn., where the circuit also operates conventional theatres. Work also is being pushed on Welworth’s new outdoor stand at Devils Lake. N. D. RKO’s “Son of Sinbad,” forced out of a downtown first run in the Twin Cities when a Legion of Decency “C” rating br^ugh about cancellation of all RKO Theatres bookings, got its upper midwest premiere at the opening of A1 Aved’s new Lucky Twin Drive-In south of Minneapolis. Fay Dressell, branch manager, RKO, said that Aved has been granted an exclusive first-run on the p’eture. Dressell also said that the area has other non-circuit dates for the film, but declined to name them. Minneapolis police are hunting a former employee of Sol Fisher of the Campus and Varsity theatres fol’owing the theft of $4,678 from the two neighborhood houses. Loss at the Campus, an art house, was $3,000.50 and at the Varsity, $1,677.50. . . . Cloquet Theatre Company sold its Lcb, Cloquet, Minn., to Arthur Carter, a Cloquet businessman. . . . Mel Davis, former owner, State, Red Lake Falls, Minn., pur¬ chased the drive-in at Hibbing, Minn. . . . Boulevard, Minneapolis house, has been redecorated, and new seats and carpeting have been installed. (Continued on next page) June 15, IV 5 5