The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 25 discussed were ideas to build up a supply of blood for the Flm Row Club Blood Bank. . . . Mike Rosenberg, president. Principal Theatres, is resting at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital after a heart attack. New Haven Branch managers had a “tee off” meet¬ ing at the 20th-Fox screening room for the Will Rogers Hospital Christmas Salute. Shep Bloom is distributor chairman. Jim Tottman represented Harry Feinstein, exhibitor chairman. . . . Folks in the area were glad to hear that Sid Cooper, former UA New Haven branch manager, has been upped to district manager. United Artists central section. . . . Another former New Haven branch manager, A1 Kane, Para¬ mount, was shifted to the Washington branch manager’s post vacated when Cooper was promoted. . . . Dick Carroll and Frank Manzi, Paramount bookers, are looking forward to the co-operation of Connecticut exhibitors during the Paramount bookers’ drive in December. . . . Chester Pickman, Paramount sales¬ man, was feted at a special bachelor’s luncheon at Kaysey’s Restaurant last week. He’ll be married this month. . . . Congratulations were in order to Lou Cohen, Poli, Hartford, Conn., on his 35th wedding anniversary. . . . Demolition of the Loew Poli Bijou has started to make room for parking facilities for the First National Bank. Sal Nifosa is the new operator. Music Box, New Britain, Conn. . . . Student salesman at 20th-Fox is Paul Tison. . . . The Whalley had benefit show for the National Council of Jewish Women. . . . The Ville, Waterville, Conn., had U. S. Army Recruiting Station Color Guard in new green uniforms on stage for “To Hell And Back.” . . . Nicholas DiAntico, man¬ ager and projectionist, Guilford, Guilford, Conn., died following a heart attack. Frederick Dandio, White Way, is one of his survivors. . . . The West End, Bridge¬ port, Conn., started a new china deal. HARTFORD, CONN., NEWS — Lord’s Circuit, taking over the 1,400-seat Poli, Norwich, Conn., on sub-lease from Loew’s Theatres, Inc., changed the name to Lord’s Midtown. The new manager is Joseph Comrack, formerly manager. Lord’s Nor¬ wich, with Comrack’s assistant, Mrs. Lil¬ lian Coughlin, becoming manager of the latter situation. Ed Lord, circuit president, has put the house on continuous perform¬ ance policy on Saturday and Sunday, with weekday matinees at 1:30, and eve¬ ning performances at 6: 15. . . . Perakos Theatre Associates reopened the longdark Arch Street Theatre, New Britain, Conn., owned by the Glackin and LeWitt interests. Peter G. Perakos, president, and Sperie Perakos, general manager, hosted a sizable trade delegation at a reopening program. . . . Joe Carroll, formerly with the Saddle River Playhouse, New Jersey, is now managing the concession building at the Meadows Drive-In. . . . Attorneys for the Frederick Petremont estate, Shel¬ ton, Conn., disclosed a group of persons were negotiating for a drive-in site on River Road, Shelton, with construction contingent upon proposed zoning code changes. East Hartford Family Drive-In, South Windsor, Conn., operated by the Bronstein interests, has closed for the season. Seen is the late William C. Smalley, founder, Smalley Theatres, Inc., Cooperstown, N. Y., which celebrates its 42nd anniversary beginning Thanks¬ giving Day, with Mrs. Hazel S. Smalley currently at the helm. The theatre is first of metropolitan Hart¬ ford’s ozoners to shut down until spring, although a number of suburban spots have adopted weekend policy for re¬ mainder of the season. Joe Bronstein, general manager, Bronstein Drive-In En¬ terprises, attributed the immediate start of remodeling to the sudden closing. . . . Loew’s Poli and Palace have tied-up with Elm Street parking lot for reduced rates for patrons, both in afternoon and eve¬ ning. . . .Joe Longo, RKO exploiteer, was here ahead of the regional premiere of “Treasure Of Pancho Villa.” New Orleans Transway was asked recently to sus¬ pend transportation service to the Gay, Heidelberg, Miss., for the time being due to the death of owner Otto Gadin. . . . Alec Guinness, on a pleasure tour of the south, visited with Civic manager Johnny Roberts, where all his films are shown. . . . C. O. Fairbanks closed the Island, Sicily Island, La. . . . Jack Downing, owner. Haven, Brookhaven, Miss., is back at home after a week’s stay in the hos¬ pital. . . . Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Taylor, Laurel, Miss., theatre owners, spent a week here while their daughter, Evelyn, was cavorting in James Melton’s “Words and Music” on stage at the Civic. Miss Taylor is featured as a ballerina and as a comic mime in “Flicker Frolics,” a burleque on old-time movie stars. . . . Sam Ewing, Jr., Mississippi theatre owner, pur¬ chased the Trace, Port Gibson, Miss., from Mrs. Jake Abraham. Associated with his mother, he also operates the Fay, Fayette, and the Auto Vue Drive-In, Lorman. Liberace is scheduled to be here soon in connection with the opening of Warners’ “Sincerely Yours.” He will be accompanied by his brother George. . . . Joe Pentard was planning on an Oct. 15 reopening of the Star, Lafayette, La., which was closed for several months for extensive remodeling and the installation of wide-screen and CinemaScope equip¬ ment. J. G. Broggi office will continue to do the buying and booking. . . . H. H. Moreau closed the Tiger Drive-In, Marksville. La., for the season. . . . N. Solomon Theatre Company, McComb, Miss., ac¬ quired the Jim, Monroe, La., by purchase from McElroy Theatres, Shreveport, La. . . . Ralph Mann, manager. Hub Drive-In, Monroeville, Ala., asked Transway to suspend transportation due to closing for the season, and at the same time asked Crowds Attend Bow Of New UA Office New Orleans — A crowd of more than two hundred, including theatre owners, circuit executives, field representatives, representatives of various exchanges, in¬ dependent film buyers and bookers, sup¬ ply dealers, and a good number of WOMPI members were on hand for the opening ceremonies of United Artists’ new office building at 210 South Liberty Street last fortnight. Participating in the dedication werehome office executives B. G. Kranze, gen¬ eral sales manager; Milton E. Cohen, east¬ ern and southern division manager; Jules K. Chapman, supervisor, branch opera¬ tions; Duke Clark, Dallas branch man¬ ager; and Byron Adams, Atlanta branch manager, as well as George Pabst, south¬ ern district manager. City Commissioner Victor Schiro, in behalf of Mayor deLesseps Moi’rison, in a welcome address saluted United Artists for their judgment in helping to modernize the city’s office and business structures, praised the com¬ pany for fine motion picture entertain¬ ment and its commanding position in the industry. He then presented the execu¬ tives with keys to the city and certificates of honorary citizenship. The new building, solely occupied by United Artists, will serve as the main office for the Gulf states area and head¬ quarters for Pabst. Alex Maillho, branch manager, Elizabeth Bacon, office manager, and salesmen M. J. Artigues, Claude Bourgeois, and Charles Pabst assisted Pabst and the home office executives as hosts. A buffet luncheon was served. them to resume the service to the re¬ opened Frisco, Frisco City, Ala., which was closed for remodeling. New York The second annual art exhibit of the 20th-Fox Family Club, including photog¬ raphy for the first time, is being held in the third floor reception room of the home office. The display will run through Dec. 16. The chairman of the exhibit com¬ mittee is Donald A. Henderson, treasurer and secretary of the film company. Other members of the committee are Larry Ayers, Bernie Bozzone, Edward Mack, Alan Silverbach, Harold Van Riel, and Harry Winikoff. . . . Tempoi'ary offices of the newly organized Trans-Lux Distri¬ buting Corporation will be in the Para¬ mount Building, 1501 Broadway, it was announced by George Roth, vice-presi¬ dent. . . . The five Goldwyn Girls arrived to appear in person at the world premiere of “Guys And Dolls” at the Capitol. Jean Simmons also was in town for the event. . . . IFE Releasing Corporation president Dr. Renato Gaulino and his wife arrived from Rome for a two-week stay to confer with IFE officials here. Cinema Lodge of B’nai B’rith held its first informal membership luncheon ses¬ sion last week at Toots Shor’s, climaxing the Lodge’s principal fund raising activity of the year on behalf of the B’nai B’rith agencies, involving the sale of 500 con¬ tribution share certificates for $25 each, with one of the purchasers being awarded a Cadillac. President Max E. Younstein presided. . . . Charles Smakwitz, Newark November 2, 1955