The Exhibitor (1956)

28 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Woman Exhib Feted On Her Retirement St. Louis — Mrs. Bess Schulter, operator and part owner of the Columbia, who is retiring from the industry this month after a career of 31 years, was honored by the Professional and Businessmen’s Club of the suburban Hill section when a dinner was tendered her in Ruggeri’s Restaurant in recognition of her many contributions to the community. Dr. Joseph M. Grana, Club president, presided, and David G. Arthur, Variety Club chief barker, was master of ceremonies for a “This Is Your Life” portion of the program which em¬ phasized Mrs. Schulter’s industry and community activities. Mrs. Schulter and her partner, George Skouras, Skouras Theatre Corporation head, have sold the Columbia to the St. Louis Amusement Company, while she and her other business associate, Mrs. Fannie Shank, have disposed of the Avalon to the same circuit, which has been operating the house under lease for some years. Among the 250 men and women in attendance were James H. Arthur, L. J. Williams, Lester Kropp, Paul Krueger, Tom Bloomer, Tom Farrington, Myra Stroud, Grace Viviano Piccione, A. B. Megarian, James Tappella, Harry Hynes, Frank Plumlee, and many others promi¬ nent in the industry, some of whom took part in the “This Is Your Life” program. Skouras and his wife, flying from New York for the occasion, were delayed by inclement weather and were unable to offer their personal congratulations until after the dinner. Among those from whom Mrs. Shulter received messages were Spyros P. Skouras, 20th-Fox president; Herman Levy, general counsel, Theatre Owners of America; Lieutenant Governor-elect Ed V. Long, a MITO director; Clarence M. Turley; George Bowser; Sam Levin; and Howard Zulauf. Program committee chairman Carl Heneke, in the course of his remarks, said, “Bess Schulter, whom we honor this evening . . . has in every sense fulfilled and surpassed the fondest hopes of our community, by providing it with the finest type of entertainment, and the cleanest theatre in the entire city.” St. Louis The Better Films Council is sponsoring the 21st annual Christmas party for Senior Citizen in the Fox on Dec. 21. . . . Variety Club received a special award from the Child Welfare League in recognition of its activities in behalf of day care centers, the chief Heart Fund project. . . . Ralph Johnston, Grafton, Ill., has purchased the Grafton there and Brighton, Brighton, Ill., fi’om Mrs. Edith Brands. . . . Don Fithian recently assumed operation of the Star, Newton, Ill., under lease from owner C. B. Simmons. . . . Paramount special representative James S. Castle gave an illustrated talk on film advertising and publicity before the Advertising Club at a Hotel Statler meeting, . . . Universal branch manager Tom Dunn and his sales staff attended a New Orleans company sales meeting. . . . Eddie Koehr, National Screen office manager, was released from St. Anthony Hospital. Penna. Women's Group Seeks New Censor Bill PHILADELPHIA— It was learned last fortnight that the Women’s Dem¬ ocratic Club, said to number 1,000 members, was planning to campaign for the censorship of motion pictures in Pennsylvania. The Club has unanimously adopted a resolution favoring “adoption of a constitutional motion picture censor¬ ship statute for the state.” Mary A. Varallo, club president and state representative, intends to intro¬ duce the resolution at the next session of the legislature in Harrisburg. The previous board of motion picture censors was disbanded last spring after the state Supreme Court de¬ clared the law concerning exhibition of alleged obscene and immoral pic¬ tures unconstitutional. San Antonio Pat Looney has returned after an absence of two years and joined the staff of the Majestic. . . . Mrs. John Schmitt, cashier, Texas, was robbed by a lone gun¬ man of $104.95 while on duty in the cage. . . . Edna Word, cashier, State, is doubling in the downtown “Oklahoma” boxoffice during the holidays. The boxoffice is located at one of the exits of the Majestic. . . . The newly-organized San Antonio Theatre Guild has leased the Arts and will begin presenting a series of plays in Jan¬ uary. ... Ed Terhune, RKO exploiteer, was in central and south Texas recently. . . . George Bannon, Allied Artists, exploi¬ teer, was in on behalf of “Friendly Per¬ suasion.” . . . A. J. Rourke, executive of the Motion Picture Advertising Com¬ pany, and some 70 San Antonians flew to New Orleans on a good will tour spon¬ sored by MPA. . . . Two Mexican film officials were visitors to the Azteca ex¬ change, Alfonso Pulido Islas, general manager, Cimex, Mexico City, and Bias Lopez Fandos, general manager, Peliculas Nacionales, Mexico City. Vandals recently destroyed between $2,000 and $3,000 worth of equipment at the El Rancho Drive-In, Midland, Tex. Sanford Hodge, general manager, Midland Theatres, said that damage was to pro¬ jection equipment, 75 speakers, popcorn and snowcone machines, the screen tower, Pittsburgh Variety Tent Names Officers, Crew PITTSBURGH — At a recent meet¬ ing of the Crew of Tent One, Variety Club of Pittsburgh, the following officers were elected for the year 1957: Harry Kodinsky, chief barker; Harold C. Lund, first assistant; Abe Weiner, second assistant; Lou Hanna, dough guy; and David C. Silverman, prop¬ erty master. Canvassmen are James Klingensmith, George Heid, Sam Speranza, James Fallon, Jacob Soltz, and John McGreevey, as well as past chief barkers Ben Steerman, Norman Mervis, Carl Dozer, I. Elmer Ecker, and Ray E. Scott. Harold C. Lund is national dele¬ gate and James Klingensmith and James Fallon are alternates. MITO Honors Long , Missouri Lt.-Governor St. Louis — Lieutenant Governor-elect Ed V. Long, Elsberry and Troy, Mo., exhibitor, was the guest of honor last fortnight at a luncheon held in the Mel¬ bourne Hotel in connection with a meeting of officers and directors of the MissouriIllinois Theatre Owners. Long is a MITO director, and, through the years, even prior to his exhibition connections, has been a staunch friend of the industry. It was announced at the gathering that Eddie Clark, Metropolis, Ill., will be gen¬ eral chairman of the 1957 annual meeting of the organization, slated for the Kingsway Hotel here, Sept. 16-17. A. B. Megarian, East St. Louis, Ill., again will head the committee in charge of the Trade Show and Exposition held in conjunction with the meeting. The officers and direc¬ tors also reaffirmed their support of COMPO, stressing the importance of that group in fighting unfair tax legislation. President L. J. Williams, the officers and directors, and citizen guests paid tribute to Long and expressed satisfaction with his election to office. and neon signs. . . . Dorsey Howard Looney, 47, manager, Roxie, Munday, Tex., died at his home there. . . . Damage to the Bay, Baytown, Tex., caused by teen¬ agers on a Hallowe’en prank, are to be paid for by parents of the boys involved. The charges against the boys then are to be dropped by the Justice of the Peace. . . . Roy Rogers is the new vice-presi¬ dent and chairman of the board, Yellow Jacket Boat Company, Inc., Denison, Tex. Rogers said the move will not interfere with either his movie or television work. He said that he will be vice-president in charge of sales and public relations for the boat firm, but would continue to make his home on the west coast. . . . The New Depot Drive-In has been opened at McAllen, Tex., by H. C. Gunter, owner and operator. . . . Henry Oscar Jones, 82, retired theatre owner, Alva, Tex., died following a long illness. . . . Frank P. Dove has purchased the Panhandle from A. H. Harkey. Dove is county attorney, Carson County, and once operated the Groom, Groom, Tex. . . . Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Dean, owners, Nueces, Campwood, Tex., became the parents of a son. . . . T. G. Gore, TriStates Theatres manager. Winnsboro, Tex., received word from W. B. McLendon to shut the doors of the State there. The closing has left the city without a theatre for the first time in more than a quarter of a century. * Seattle The Variety Club Christmas party, an all-industry event, was set for last week in the Windsor Ballroom, New Washing¬ ton Hotel. . . . Jim Brooks, 20th Fox office manager, recuperating from his recent illness, was taking off another week before returning to work. Glen Haviland, 20th-Fox salesman, who has also been ill, is taking a rest. . . . Sympathy was extended to Mrs. Emma Ridgeway, operator of the theatre at Sedro Woolley, Wash., on the death of her husband, Dr. Ridgeway. . . . Zollie ( Continued on next page) December 19. 1956