The Exhibitor (1957)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 13 NEWS OF THE TERRITORIES . . . Donations Mount For V. C. Camp Fund ALBANY — A donation of $450 from the Albany County Restaurant and Liquor Deal¬ ers Association, coupled with other donations received by the Times Union, ran the total for Variety Club’s Save Camp Thacher Cam¬ paign to $3,456, in advance of the benefit dance which was to be held for the project last week at the Shaker Ridge Country Club. Jules Perlmutter headed the dance commit¬ tee. The Knickerbocker News also gave space to the Camp Thacher drive and front-paged an announcement that it would serialize “Cindy and I,” the author of which, comedian Joey Adams, was to appear at the Variety dance. Frank Corenti, president of the Albany County group, presented the $450 draft to Variety chief barker A1 Kellert, together with a portable television set for use at the outdoor retreat for needy children. The As¬ sociation has supported Tent Nine for six years in its money raising efforts. ALBANY James Stewart was scheduled to be here this week on behalf of Universal’s “Night Passage.” Exploiteer Bob Ungerfield was here in advance of the visit, working with Strand manager A1 Swett and Universal branch manager Norman Weitman. . . . Film Row heard talk of a possible price war between Morris and Raphael Klein’s suburban Jericho Drive-In and other nearby ozoners over the former’s dollar a carload price, adapted be¬ cause of circumstances peculiar to the Jericho operation. . . . Mrs. Edward J. Wall, wife of the Paramount upstate advertising and pub¬ licity director, is the group sales promoter for “Around the World in 80 Days,” which was slated to open in the Todd-AO equipped Stanley Warner Ritz today (July 24). ATLANTA Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy McMahon are the new owners, Kissimmee, Kissimmee, Fla., from Mr. and Mrs. Neal Nesbitt. . . . Mildred Castleberry, Martin Theatres booker, was hospitalized for surgery. . . . Arnold Gray has taken over operation of the West End, Birmingham, Ala. The former owner, Grover Wise, has taken over a radio station at Mont¬ gomery, Ala. . . . J. L. Hutchinson, owner, Ritz, Austell, Ga., died at his home in Haralson, Ga., after a long illness. . . . Buying and booking for the Skyline Drive-In, John¬ son City, Tenn., is being handled by the Exhibitor Service Company. . . . The MidTenn, Tullahoma, Tenn., closed. . . . The Plaza Drive-In has closed. . . . Faye Autry has joined the Martin Theatres booking de¬ partment. . . . The Dixie, Metter, Ga., is closed until November for extensive renova¬ tions. Robert Carr is the new manager, Sevon Drive-In, transferred from Deland, Fla., where he managed the Floyd circuit’s Boule¬ vard Drive-In. . . . R. C. Cobb has taken over Woody’s Drive-in, Huntsville, Ala. . . . Bill Douglas is the new owner, Ritz, Austell, Ga., formerly owned by the late J. L. Hutchinson. The house will be known hence¬ forth as the Austell. . . . Mrs. Myrtle Norvell, Universal bookkeeper, died after a long ill William J. Heineman, second from left. United Artists' vice-president in charge of distribu¬ tion, is seen with Ben Sack, owner, newly remodeled Gary, who obtained the Boston premiere of "The Pride And The Passion." James R. Velde, right, UA general sales man¬ ager and Milton E. Cohen, eastern and south¬ ern division manager, look on. ness. . . . Roger Wood is the new office man¬ ager and head booker, Capital Films, re¬ placing Richard Hobson, who resigned to join Kay Film Exchange. . . . Jean Clark, formerly with Allied Artists, now is with Capital, replacing Billie Hester, resigned. BOSTON The largest cash advance for any film play¬ ing in New England was handed over to United Artists by Benjamin Sack for the Stanley Kramer spectacle “Pride and Pas¬ sion,” which will open the newly-remodeled Gary the first week in August. Sack and his general manager, Sam Richmond, entertained the press at a luncheon in the Hotel Statler to announce the opening of the Gary, for¬ merly the Shubert-owned Plymouth. . . . Births among industryites included twin sons, born in Frankfurt, Germany, to the Robert Saefs, making Jack Saef, publicist, New England Theatres, a grandfather for the first time. Twin daughters were born to the wife of Stewart Walker, treasurer, Saxon; a son was born to the wife of Joe O’Brien, Warners booker, while a daughter was born to the wife of Arthur Farensi, also a Warners booker. A daughter was born to the Mack Pauls; he is a partner in Major Thea¬ tre Equipment Company and she is the former secretary to Carl Goldman, Indepen¬ dent Exhibitors. . . . George Kraska, head of publicity and advertising, Embassy Pictures, suffered a heart attack in the office and was taken to Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, where Former Chief Barker, Buffalo Tent, Mourned BUFFALO — Murray Whiteman, 70, past chief barker of the Variety Club of Buf¬ falo, died last week at his summer home at Bay Beach, Ontario. He had suffered from a heart ailment for some time. Whiteman, the owner of a music store on Main Street, was a familiar figure in the industry for nearly half a century and was a vaudeville performer for many years. He served as a director and presi¬ dent of the Greater Buffalo Advertising Club in 1951. Survivors include his widow, the former Mildred Johnson, and three sons. Drive-In Cooperation Pledged For Hospital ALBANY — Special attention will be paid to drive-ins for the combined audience collection-Christmas Salute drive on behalf of the Will Rogers Hospital during the week of Aug. 7, it was decided recently at an organi¬ zational meeting held in the 20th-Fox Screening Room. Paramount branch manager D. R. Houlihan, as distributor chairman, and Fabian division manager Elias Schlenger, as exhibitor chairman, presided. Closer cooperation from the management of ozoners is sought because there are ap¬ proximately 60 outdoor situations operating in the territory' and returns from a number of them, particularly the smaller ones, were dis¬ appointing last year. This will be the first time that the Christmas Salute will be rolling while the drive-ins are open. Techniques of collection at drive-ins was carefully analyzed and Irwin Ullman, super¬ visor of area Fabian ozoners, answered a number of questions. Houlihan pleaded for radio and television stations to pull a stronger oar in the donations race. he is resting. His condition was said to be improving each day. Exhibitors who have recently been made members of Independent Exhibitors, Inc., and Drive-In Theatre Associates of New England include William Deitch, Cranston, R. I., Drive-In; Maurice Lipson, Majestic, West Springfield, Mass.; Harry McKernsky, Mohawk Drive-In, Gardner, Mass.; Harry and Zeke Minasian, Newport, R. I., Family DriveIn; Edward Sokolowski, Royal, Lowell, Mass.; and Joseph Stanzler, Boro Drive-In, North Attleboro, Mass. . . . The Elmwood, Provi¬ dence, R. I., operated by the Ralph Snider circuit, is the third theatre in New England to be completely equipped with Todd-AO projection and sound for the showing of “Around The World In 80 Days.” This 1,000 seat house was built about six years ago and is situated about two miles from downtown Providence. BUFFALO Munzio Pantilla, who recently took over operation of the Auditorium, Perry, N. Y., died. It was understood that his widow would carry on the operation. . . . Edward J. Wall, Paramount field representative, was in Ba¬ tavia, N. Y., to assist John Oberle with the opening of “The Ten Commandments” in the Batavia there. He later gave a hand to Ben Bordanaro in Olean, N. Y., for the same pic¬ ture to open in the Olean there. . . . George H. Mackenna, general manager, Basil’s Lafay¬ ette, and Arthur T. Krolick, American Broad¬ casting-Paramount Theatres district man¬ ager, are co-chairmen in the area for the Will Rogers Hospital combined audience col¬ lections and Christmas Salute. CHARLOTTE J. L. Hyatt, owner and operator, Midway, Lancaster, S. C., sustained a heart attack and was confined to the Greer Hospital. . . . In¬ dustry veteran Otis Brannon died recently. With his brothers, he operated an indepen¬ dent film exchange here for a number of years. . . . Directors of Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina held their regular monthly meeting here in the association’s office. A metting of the convention committee followed. . . . Gene Dyer, former Allied July 24, 1957