The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 23 Ted Lirfibris had been filling in at this spot, but the arrival of Canty allowed Limbris to return to the Bangor-Brewer Drive-In, Brewer, Maine, for the season. There has been so much opposition by Back Bay real estate owners and residents to the proposed underground garage to be built underneath the Boston Common that it now seems a certainty that the much needed parking space will not be built during the administration of Mayor Hynes, who is now turning his attention to find¬ ing other parking facilities in the down¬ town sector. NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS — At the formal opening of buildings at Ports¬ mouth Air Force Base June 30, a con¬ tinuous showing of films will be held at the base theatre, one of two 1000-seat houses which will be provided for service personnel. . . . The industry mourned the passing of Walter E. Young, 68, veteran exhibitor who succumbed to a heart attack. He operated the Strand, Farmington, and also the Oak Birch Inn, Alton, where movies were shown during the summer. Previously, he had operated motion picture houses in Somersworth, Pittsfield, New Durham, Gilmantown, and Milton. . . . Walter Dyer, Republic repre¬ sentative, reached the Sky-Hi Drive-In, Boscawen, just in time to help put out a brush fire. Buffalo The Tivoli, Toronto, was advertising “Oklahoma!” in local papers as “worth a trip to Toronto.” The Todd-AO produc¬ tion had not opened yet in Buffalo. . . . Alexander Eisemann, Jr., was appointed sales and advertising manager, Dynacolor Corporation, Brockport, N. Y. . . . The Haven, Palace, and Olean, Olean, N. Y., have an arrangement with the Olean Times-Herald through which, in return for a two column display ad, they give passes to motorists whose license plate numbers are published in the ad. . . . Buena Vista branch manager Arthur A. Rose screened “The Great Locomotive Chase” in the Motion Picture Operators Screening Room . Barbara Thomas is a new biller, MGM. . . . The Paramount attracted attention to RKO’s “The Bold And The Brave” with a U. S. Army tank manned by uniformed soldiers, placed in front of the theatre for bally through arrangements made by manager Ed Miller. . . . Sheldon Reynolds, producer of United Children admire the pony recently awarded to the winner of a coloring contest in connection with the engagement of 20th-Fox's "Mohawk," Loew's Broad, Columbus, Ohio. Artists’ “Foreign Intrigue,” was in for interviews. . . . Robert T. Murphy, gen¬ eral manager, Century, invited former members of the First and Fourth Infantry Divisions and the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions to a screening of 20th-Fox’s “D-Day The Sixth Of June,” as guests of the Buffalo Evening News. . . . Special Variety Club awards for good selling jobs of the auto chance books went to Marvin Jacobs, Evelyn Kraft, Julie Paepke, Mur¬ ray Whiteman, and Audrey Wagner. Charlotte Bob Ingram, Columbia district manager, Atlanta, was a visitor. . . . Sam Sanders, former Paramount booker, joined Allied Artists as salesman. . . . J. K. Whitley, general manager, Towel City Theatres, presented a special show in the Gem, Kannapolis, N. C., for the Safety Patrol students. . . . Jack D. Fuller, president, Theatre Owners of North and South Caro¬ lina, spoke at the monthly Rotary Club luncheon in Manning, S. C., recently on the theatre’s role in a city’s economic life. . . . Attending the joint annual convention of Alabama Theatres Association and Motion Picture Theatre Operators of Georgia in Atlanta were Jack D. Fuller, Robert E. Bryant, and John M. Kime of the Carolinas exhibitor association. . . . The South Fork Baptist Pastors Confer¬ ence at Lincolnton, N. C., went on record as opposed to Sunday movies there. . . . The Carolina, Rocky Mount, N. C., was closed by Linmar Theatres because of poor business, according to Cecil Win B-K Head Explains Why House Goes Dark Chicago — An aftermath of president John Balaban’s decision to demolish the B and K Paradise, built 30 years ago at a ccst of $1,500,000, was his comment that it is not good business to try to operate a large secondary house. The Marbro, another B and K palace, is three blocks from the one being torn down. Double feature, first outlying runs are shown in the Marbro. “There are many other theatres in Chicago, which are not ours, which should be closed and razed,” said Balaban, “be¬ cause they can’t be operated successfully under industry economics as they are today.” He added, “Hollywood is now produc¬ ing around 200 major pictures a year and with the Marbro playing 104 of them there was practically nothing left for the Paradise. The films available to secondar¬ ies are presented on television, with re¬ sulting lesser boxoffice.” An optimistic note by Balaban was that moviegoers will be greatly impressed by the forthcoming product he has seen. stead, manager. . . . Operation of the Bon Air Drive-In, Burlington, N. C., has been taken over by John W. Giddens, Jr., who renamed the situation the Circle G Drive-In. . . . Theatre Booking Service, which leased the Skyland Drive-In, Skyland, N. C., for several years, returned operation of the ozoner to owner Henry P. Campbell. Chicago Cecil B. De Mille’s “The Ten Com¬ mandments” is scheduled to open in the McVickers in September, following the closing of “Oklahoma!” . . . D. L. Sim¬ mons, Vincennes, Ind., reopened the Idaho, Sumner, Ill., after complete re¬ furbishment. . . . Recent Variety Club visitors were John J. Dervin, New York; Perry Walders, Washington; Don Getty, New York; T. O. McCleaster, Cleveland; Jerry Esbin, New York; and Jack Sharp, Dayton, O. . . . Alfred L. Baher, first theatre owner of Vandalia, Ill., died in Detroit of a heart attack, following 14 weeks’ illness. . . . William Klein, man¬ ager, United Films Studio, became the father of a son. . . . The Hillcrest Drive-In, Canton, Ill., installed a wide screen with¬ out interrupting programs. . . . The Erlanger is receiving a face lifting. . . . Mrs. Alice Alexander, 67, co-manager, Lakes, Monticello, Ind., died. A. room in La Rabida Sanitarium, Variety Club’s principal charity, was dedi¬ cated to the Lest We Forget group of A’-w, several high .schools, which raised $17,500 for the institution in the past three years. The Father’s Day party to be held in Variety clubrooms June 16 is being sponsored by the Women’s Variety Club of Illinois. A full course dinner will be served, starting at 6:30 p.m., preceded by free cocktails. Two gin rummy tournaments, one for the men and one for the ladies, will be held. Variety clubrooms will be open during June, July, and August, although pro¬ gram activities will be suspended. . . . Nathan Blank, Indiana-Illinois Theatres district manager, died at Michigan City, Ind. Allied Artists' "Screaming Eagles" was given a gala world premiere recently at the Colony, Fayetteville, N. C. On the left are seen the crowds attending the opening, while on the right, Major General Thomas L. Sherburne, Commanding Genera! of the 101st Airborne Division, addresses the audience. Seated, left to right, are Miss Pat Gibson, selected "Sweetheart Of The Screaming Eagles" in a city¬ wide contest; Major General Paul D. Adams, Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps; Leon Gibson, manager, Broadway, who acted as master of ceremonies; Mayor George B, Herndon, Fayetteville; and Wilbur Clark, president, Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, June 13, 1956