The Exhibitor (1956)

22 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Exhib Found Guilty In Underreporting Suit Chicago — Superior Court Judge Richard Austin entered two judgments against the Melbro Amusement Corporation, operator, Rockne. In one case, the judgment was in favor of RKO for $1,677 and, in the other, in favor of Universal for $2,223. In each case, RKO and Universal had charged Melbro with breach of contract and fraud in connection with alleged underreporting of film rental percentages. A total of $5,590, plus punitive damages, had been demanded by the two distrib¬ utors. Saul Meltzer and Bene Stein had been named as individual defendants in the fraud charge. All of the defendants agreed to the entry of the judgment against the corporation. Funeral services for Mrs. Adolph Smith, 81, New York, were held in the River¬ side Chapel here. She was the mother of Philip Smith, president, Smith Man¬ agement Company, and the grandmother of Richard A. Smith, vice-president. . . . Gina Lollobrigida was slated to make a personal appearance in the Keith Me¬ morial last week on the opening day of 20th-Fox’s “Beautiful But Dangerous.” The world premiere was to give proceeds to the Hungarian Relief Fund. . . . Irving Lashin, Bridgeport, Conn., has taken over the Community, Mechanics Falls, with the opening date set for around Christ¬ mas. The theatre has been closed about seven months. . . . A1 Randall, who owns the property housing the Bethel, Bethel, Vt., is set to operate the theatre after Jan. 1, with Harry Hudson as manager. The house, closed for a year and a half, at one time was operated by Jack Cham¬ plain. . . . Ray Little and his wife, who own the Colonial, Milbridge, Maine, are spending the winter touring as a cowboy singing act. They have left the operation of the theatre in the hands of Mrs. Little’s mother. Ray Feeley Associates signed a long term lease on the State, East Milton, Mass., with the owner, Amory Theatres, Inc. Feeley is changing the name to the Milton Art, with a new policy of art pictures for evening performances only and a special children’s matinee on Sat¬ urday. . . . Kenneth Forkey, Park, Wor¬ cester, Mass., is recovering from surgery at his Laconia, N. H., home, but is re¬ turning to Peter Bent Brigham Hospital after the first of the year for further surgery. . . . Edward Sokolowski, Royal, Lowell, Mass., has been accepted for mem¬ bership in Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England. . . . Mrs. Louis Richmond, wife of the owner, Kenmore, was a patient in Peter Bent Brigham Hospital for surgery. . . . Daytz Theatre Enterprizes is now handling the buying and booking for two theatres in Woonsocket, R. I., owned and operated by Arthur Darman, with Ben Greenberg manager. . . . Harry Kirchgessner, who retired recently from National Screen Service after 28 years with the company, now is residing at 2506 South Milmar Drive, Sarasota, Fla. Howard Rutherford, manager, Loew's, Indian¬ apolis, recently had this street bally enacted for Columbia's "You Can't Run Away From It." What with all the topcoats in evidence it must have been some trick just to get the girl to work in that outfit. PROVIDENCE, R. I., NEWS— Nelson Wright, manager, Avon Cinema, is leav¬ ing theatre business to enter private in¬ dustry. . . . Sergeant George Blessing, amusement inspector and film censor for the City of Providence, was recently pro¬ moted to lieutenant. ... In conjunction with the promotion of his gift books of theatre tickets, Phil Nemirov, RKO Albee manager, is giving cuff-link and tie-clasp sets to male purchasers, and earrings and brooch sets to the feminine patrons. . . . Bill Trambukis, Loew’s State manager, is another local operator to feature gift bocks of tickets as Christmas gift sugges¬ tions. ... It is reported that the Stanley Warner interests will take over the reins at the Majestic. No information about per¬ sonnel changes was available. Buffalo Richard S. Levy, president of the new Channel 59 television station, WNYT, stated that the station intends to offer top-flight feature films, many of which have never been shown in this a^ea, in prime evening slots, 8: 30 or nine o’clock. . . . William Brereton, Basil circuit direc¬ tor of advertising and publicity, was to be confined to the hospital for two to three weeks following surgery. . . . Variety Club chief barker Elmer F. Lux was master of ceremonies for the fourth annual banquet of the local chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews in the Hotel Staffer . Area exhibitors were lauded by Paul B. Hollihan, radio-TV-film director, 1956 Com¬ munity Chest-Red Cross Appeal, for their cooperation in the recent drive. Charlotte A charter of incorporation has been granted Stan-Max, Inc., to produce, rent, sell, and display motion pictures. Author¬ ized capital stock is $100,000, with three dollars stock subscribed by Elmer Rouzer, Emily Ducey, and Carlton Fleming, all of Charlotte. . . . Iredell Hutton, manager, National, Greensboror, N. C., has been promoted by North Carolina Theatres to city manager, Burlington, N. C., succeed¬ ing A. A. Alston, who resigned to enter another business. Richmond B. Gage replaces Hutton at the Greensboro post. . . . Sam L. Irvin, secretary and treas¬ urer, Plaza, Asheville, N. C., was nomi¬ nated for election to the board of direc¬ tors, Asheville Chamber of Commerce. . . . Business Aid Ideas Welcomed In Texas Dallas — Bob Meyers and Norman Feinberg, idealistic young men recently off the campus of New York University, were here recently on assignment for Co¬ lumbia. They were given carte blanche by the studio and members of the Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Association to scrutinize theatre operations, with an eye toward improving existing conditions. “We hope to analyze the situation locally and make certain general recom¬ mendations which can be projected on a national level,” Meyer said. “Business can be improved and we hope to discover how that can be accomplished.” Feinberg said he received “splendid” cooperation from Dallas drive-in owners and “we are mak¬ ing headway.” Abe Montague, Columbia vice-presi¬ dent and general sales manager, organized the tour for Meyers and Feinberg and they will report back to him. “This is the first time a distributor has taken an active part in improving business for an ex¬ hibitor,” Meyers noted. “We feel this will lead to closer relations between the two, and that in itself should help business conditions tremendously.” Charles H. Lewis, manager, Center, Dur¬ ham, N. C., recently presented the the¬ atre’s annual trophies to the best plavers on the Duke University and Durham High School football teams. . . . The Variety Club’s new chief barker is Charlie Trexler; Ray Ervi is first assistant, H. H. Holston second assistant, Bob Simril prop¬ erty master, and John Vickers, Sr., is dough guy. Chicago More than 5,000 Howard and Norshore admission tickets have been purchased by the Howard Chamber of Commerce for distribution by menchants as Christ¬ mas gifts. . . . The Gem, Beardstown, Ill., reopened after several months’ closing. . . . William Hollander, veteran publicity and public relations chief, Balaban and Katz, relinquished his duties to Eddie Seguin, who has been in the department for 20 years. Hollander and his wife are set for an Australian sojourn following a visit with a son in Los Angeles. . . . Fred Bunkelman joined the Universal staff as salesman. . . . Tom Dowd, Ziegfeld, was called to New York by the illness cf his father. Spiro Pappas, executive vice-president, Alliance Amusement Company, became the father of a son, Gregory, named after the Alliance president. . . . The Indian¬ apolis Co-op Theatres, headed by Pete Fortune, moved its offices to the Cinema, which it took over from Ernie Miller. . . The McVickers shortened “The Ten Com¬ mandments” intermission from 10 to five minutes. . . . The 66 Drive-In installed incar heaters and will remain open all winter. . . . Jack Kirsch, president, Allied Theatres of Illinois, attended the National Allied meeting in Dallas. . . . French Miller, Universal salesman, was treated at a Herrin, Ill., hospital for a mild heart attack. . . . The Manor reopened after refurbishing. Downstate reopenings include the Gem, Mascouta, managed by George Dee, Jr.; December 12, 1956