The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 45 Two From Drive-In Receive Sunday Fines At the recent opening of 2Cth-Fox's "The Revolt Of Mamie Stover," Capitol, New York, Richard Egan, who stars in the film, autographed photos for fans in the lobby. Standing behind Egan are three contestants in the "Jane Russell LookAlike" contest held in connection with the film's opening. Hartford, Conn., News ( Continued from page 38) Fund. . . . William E. Kennedy, who had served as treasurer of Western Massachusetts Theatres, Inc., Springfield, for the past 30 years, died after a long illness. . . . Joe and Eva Spivack have closed down the 900-seat State, New Britain, attributing the move to lack of modern facilities, including air-condition¬ ing; inroads made by TV; and general decline in revenue. New Orleans Variety Club crewman returned from the New York convention ready to pre¬ pare for the 1957 International conclave to be held here. Among those who went to New York were chief barker Page M. Baker, Dan Brandon, Carl Mabry, Teddy Solomon, Arthur Lehman, and Joel Blusstone. . . . Valerie Benson, former South¬ ern Theatre Service secretary, is now sec¬ retary to Roy Nicaud, DCA branch man¬ ager. . . . L. C. Downing’s Haven and Rex and Dixie Theatres’ Dixie, Brookhaven, Miss., have been merged under the management of Downing for the Pike Amusement Company, McComb, Miss., which acquired the Dixie together with other Dixie circuit units. . . . The State, Jackson, Miss., owned by John Williams, is shuttered. . . . June 2 was set for the Variety Club midnight supper party. . . . Rcy Varnado, Warners booker, resigned. Joe Sacco replaced him. . . . Manley southern district manager John F. Saun¬ ders was in from Memphis. Manley office manager Lyn Barker has been transferred to Atlanta. . . . The WOMPI will hold an all-day picnic on June 2, in honor of the retiring officers, on Harry K. Oliphant’s ranch at Denham Springs, La. . . . Dominic Guidry advised Transway that he planned to terminate operation of the Reo, Duson, La., this week. Another May closing was Neal Robinson’s Niceville, Niceville, Fla. New York Sol C. Siegel arrived from the west coast with the initial print of MGM’s “High Society.” . . . Melvin B. Danheiser was named RKO assistant foreign sales manager. . . . Henry Klinger, 20th-Fox story editor, spoke at the New School for Social Research on the topic, “Writing the Hollywood Film.” . . . Rita Hayworth Reading, Pa. — Two of the three persons arrested in the second legal attack on the Sunday operation of the nearby Sinking Spring Drive-In were fined and the third was discharged for lack of evidence. Man¬ ager Carleton E. Degenhart and cashier Janice Mountz were assessed $78.50 each, including costs. Last fall, the original manager of the new ozoner was fined $50 and costs and several employees were discharged following similar arrests be¬ cause the township had not held an elec¬ tion to legalize Sunday exhibition. South Heidelberg Township school authorities, receiving substantial tax revenue from the theatre, were opposed to the prosecution and now are threatening to raise the real estate tax rate to make up for the loss. Four non-residents of the township were the principals in the case, arrived from Paris for a brief visit before departing for Trinidad and the screening of Columbia’s “Fire Down Below.” . . . Dore Schary, MGM studio vice-president, returned to the west coast. . . . 20th-Fox International head Murray Silverstone re¬ turned from an extended European trip. . . . Jerry Fellman, Stanley Warner New¬ ark, N. J., booker, became the father of a boy. . . . Arnold Michelson, Stanley Warner Jersey zone booker, was hos¬ pitalized. . . . The annual luncheon of the Motion Picture Department, International Federation of Catholic Alumni, was held in the Hampshire House. Production Code Administrator Geoffrey Shurlock ad¬ dressed the group. Philadelphia Branch managers and representatives of first runs attended a meeting in the Vine Street Screening Room for the kickoff of the Will Rogers Hospital Collection Drive, to take place the week of July 16. Charles Zagrans, RKO branch manager and dis¬ tributor chairman, and Lester Krieger, SW, exhibitor chairman, outlined methods to be used in getting pledges. The Henry 16mm. Showings Hurt Reading Theatre Business READING, PA. — Theatres in the area are facing growing competition because of an increase in the number of places showing free 16mm. films. Schools, churches, saloons, play¬ grounds, and other buyers or renters of such films are finding it easy to acquire projectors, rent product, and get fast service. Judging by news¬ paper advertising alone, 16mm. exhi¬ bition is becoming a big business here, and one that is harmful, of course, to conventional and outdoor theatres alike. The motion pictures for 16mm. showing include features of every kind, short subjects, sports, educa¬ tional subjects, travelogues, religious films, and other lines, for low rentals. It has been suggested that theatre men, who conform to fire and other safety regulations, should demand that city and rural authorities check safety conditions in the public halls, clubs, bars, and everywhere else that the 16mm. product is shown, often to scores, and even hundreds of people, at a time. with the result that it was charged by some that political angles are involved. Two of the principals, Philadelphia detectives, claimed they were assigned to the case by their firm, the Globe Detec¬ tive System, and George J. Menge, nom¬ inal prosecutor, claimed that he did not pay for the detectives nor for the prose¬ cution lawyer, Henry M. Koch, who was district attorney at the time of the first suit. It was conceded that the bail set following the arrests, $500 for each de¬ fendant, was unusually high. Degenhart stated that he would confer with the circuit operating the drive-in before resuming Sunday operation. The defense attorney, John E. Ruth, said he will try to appeal the hearing, which was held before Justice of the Peace Elizabeth Rutter, to the county court. Plan to attend the DEBORAH SANATORIUM HUMANITARIAN DINNER on June 10th at the Beilevue-Stratford Hotel ☆ Hon. Richardson Dilworth will receive the Deborah Humanitarian award ☆ NEW JERSEY MESSENRER SERVICE 302 N. 12th STREET PHILADELPHIA LOmbard 3-3944, 3-3945 MEMBER NATIONAL FILM CARRIERS, INC. May 30, 1956