The Exhibitor (1959)

18 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR March 4, 1959 MEMPHIS Howard A. Nicholson, manager, Paramount Film Distribution Corporation, and Eli H. Arkin, manager, Warner Theatre, Memphis, addressed a meeting of the Better Films Council. . . . Booth, Hollandale, Miss., and Tate, Coldwater, Miss., have closed. . . . Big Four Drive-In, Benton, Ark., will reopen around March 20, and Glenwood Drive-In, Glenwood, Ark., and Skylark Drive-In, New¬ port, Ark., is to reopen in early March. . . . Lindy, Linden, Tenn., will reopen March 10. . . . Missouri, Hayti, Mo., has closed until further notice, as has Starlite Drive-In, Hen¬ derson, Ky. Dixie Drive-In, Search, Ark., is closed until spring. . . . Variety Club Chil¬ dren’s Heart Institute, H. M. Brandon, board chairman, announces Howard A. Nicholson, manager, Paramount Film Distribution Cor¬ poration, as a new board member. He fills the vacancy left by the death of M. A. Lightman Sr. Nicholson has served as sec¬ retary of Memphis Tent four terms. MINNEAPOLIS The Downtown Council of Minneapolis has reserved March 10 for a repeat performance of its “Dinner and Theatre Night Downtown” for working women. Career gals will get a free two-part ticket from their employers. One part gets them into one of six down¬ town theatres for 50 cents. The other brings special prices or additions to the dinner menu at some two dozen eating spots. . . . Jack Cohan, branch manager, 20th-Fox, is recuperating following an operation on his nose. . . . Josephine Menke, cashier at 20thFox, was hospitalized after being hit by a car. . . . Lois Lundberg is the new branch manager’s secretary. Rank Film Distributors. Replacing her at United Artists as a stenog¬ rapher is Sharon Robbs. . . . Carol Ann O’Donnell is the new booking stenographer, Paramount. . . . United Artists exchange placed first in the Arthur Krim sales drive for sales and bookings in its district. NEW ORLEANS Henry G. Plitt, president, Paramount Gulf Theatres, Inc., for the past few years, was named president of ABC Films, Inc., with offices in New York City. . . . Hiram S. Skaggs has taken over the operation of the Mixon Drive-In, Amite, La., and it has re¬ opened. . . . The Joy, Gueydan, La., is now open on week-ends. . . . Mrs. Lorena Mar¬ shall has reopened the Joy, Vinton, La., which was dark for several months. . . . George Pabst, UA branch manager, and sales staffers attended the company’s sales conference in Miami, Fla. , . . The world premiere of 20th-Fox’s “The Sound and The Fury” is set for Paramount Gulf’s Para¬ mount, Jackson, Miss., on March 4. . . . J. H. Naquin closed the Cecilia, Cecilia, La., per¬ manently. He will reopen the rebuilt Car¬ men, Breau Bridge, La., which he has re¬ christened the Laine. . . . Helen Bila, Paramount Gulf executive secretary, has been named chairman of the local chapter of WOMPI public relations committee. . . . Three teen-age youths confessed starting a $75,000 fire that practically demolished the United Theatres’ Rivoli, which had been closed since July, 1957. . . . Charles Achee, Sr., parts mechanic, National Theatre Supply Company, was gifted in honor of his 30 years service with the company. . . . Stanley Graham is to reopen the U Drive-In, Bayou La Batre, Ala. ... W. Wise is set to reopen Pop’s Drive-In, Jena, La. . . . The new owner of the Delta, Oakdale, La., is Alec Ashy. He has appointed J. Ricketts as manager. Rick¬ etts several years back operated the Lobe, Long Beach, Miss. . . . Robert Wiegand, presi¬ dent, Commerce Pictures, was recently named president of the Dad’s Club of St. Martin’s Episcopal School. PHILADELPHIA Columbia was getting new exchange quar¬ ters ready on the fourth floor of 1225 Vine Street. The shipping room duties will be taken over by Clark Film . . . National Screen Ser¬ vice’s office manager Moe Koppleman was in Hahnemann Hospital for observation . . . Pub¬ licist Irv Blumberg is handling Disney’s “The Sleeping Beauty” here and in Richmond, Va. . . . Joe Conway, Wayne Avenue Playhouse, died after a confinement in St. Joseph’s Hos¬ pital . . . Clark Film gave up its Vine Street office with Tom Lark moving out to 29th Street . . . Arlene Treegoob, UA secretary, is leaving for the UA New York home office where she will be secretary to Sid Cooper, division manager . . . Herman Margies is back from a five months round the world trip and is living in New York City . . . John Bristol, projectionist, Laurel, Bridgeton, N. J., ran amok in the theatre causing patrons to flee and doing about $2500 property damage be¬ fore being cornered by three patrolmen. . . . The Milgram Buying and Booking Service an¬ nounces that it is now handling the Diamond, Selbyville, Del. ST. LOUIS Harvard O’Laughlin, business representa¬ tive, IATSE Local 143, revealed that a new four-year contract with the 11 drive-ins in St. Louis and St. Louis County effec¬ tive March 15 will continue two-man shifts in the drive-in projection booths. ... A bill to make it an illegal act for any film pro¬ ducer or distributor to engage in the prac¬ tice of checking theatre attendance in Mis¬ souri was introduced in the Missouri Senate by Senator Frank X. Reller, owner, Ameri¬ can, Wentzville, Mo. and the Pal, Palmyra, Mo. . . . Universal held a sales meeting at the Coronado Hotel with F. J. A. McCarthy, assistant general sales manager, and Charles Simonelli, manager of advertising and pub¬ licity, in attendance. . . . Rank closed its St. Louis exchange. . . . UA district manager Mike Lee, new branch manager Eddie Stevens, the salesmen, and booker Ralph Hacker attended the company’s national sales gathering in Los Angeles. . . . UA salesman Tony Beninati had his car stolen. . . . An unsuccessful attempt was made to break into a safe at the Shop City Drive-In, East St. Louis, Ill. . . . Bud Edele, former UA man¬ ager here and recently promoted to a similar post in New York City, was tendered a fare¬ well luncheon at the Sheraton Hotel. ... It is reported that the Kentucky and Palmer, Paducah, Ky., will be razed. David E. BRODSKY Associates THEATRICAL INTERIOR DECORATORS 242 N. 13th St. LO 4-1188—89 Phila. 7, Pa. PAINTING • DRAPERIES • MURALS STAGE SETTINGS • WALL COVERINGS PROGRESSIVE ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION CO., INC. 240 N. 13th STREET • PHILADELPHIA 7, PA. • Theatre Installations and Maintenance Help Us Serve You , Mr. Theatre Manager ! And you can do this by checking your shows no later than 10:00 A.M. on Saturdays, Sun days and holidays. As you know, the exchange closes at noon on these days. s’ shipping room Don't wait until it's too lateany missouts! — help us prevent CLARK TRANSI FER, INC. 829 North 29th St. 1638 Third St. N.E. Phila. 30, Pa. Washington, D.C. LOcust 4-3450 DUpont 7-7200 Formerly Highway Express Lines , Inc.