The Exhibitor (1959)

July 8, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 25 HOUSTON A1 Lever, city manager for the Interstate Theatre Circuit tried a midnight screening of “Say One for Me” for local press and music store owners. Members of the working press find this more convenient than the regular 9 a.m. screenings presented here previously. . . . Homer McCallon, manager, Loew’s State, is running a contest in con¬ junction with the Houston Press “Career Girl” column, written by Marge Crumbaker, to promote “Ask Any Girl.” A booth has been set up outside the theatre to interview career women passing by with such ques¬ tions as “What Do You Think of Your Ca¬ reer” and “Should Marriage and A Career Be Combined ”... The Interstate Theatre Cir¬ cuit has inaugurated a mosquito and bug control spraying program. At the South Main Drive In, two policemen had to be hired to direct traffic entering and leaving the drive in due to the large numbers of patrons com¬ ing after the spraying program had been started. JACKSONVILLE Thomas P. Tidwell, 20th-Fox manager, booked 12 prints of “South Pacific” into second-run situations throughout the area, with the local run going to the Town and Country after “Around the World in 80 Days”. . . . Jack Rigg has moved his booking service staff into larger quarters in the Lynch Building due to the addition of many new accounts. . . . Sam A. Newton, who operates the local Dixie, has closed his Florida in St. Augustine. . . . Arnold Haynes, Naples thea¬ tre owner and president of the Motion Picture Exhibitors of Florida, presided over a special session of MPEOF officers and directors to receive a report from LaMar Sarra, MPEOF legislative chairman, on the recent 60-day session of the Florida Legislature. . . . Ike Hoig, formerly of the Penn-Paramount circuit in Pennsylvania, is publicist for Weeki Wachee Springs, the major tourist attraction on the state’s west coast which is now being operated as a unit of the Florida State Thea¬ tres chain. . . . Local delegates attending the Southeastern IATSE convention in Birming¬ ham, Ala., were Mitch Yeager, Roy Harding and R. M. Sligh. . . . Newest additions to the WOMPI roster are Laverne Spell, FST home office, and Juanita Gannon, Metro office. . . . Johnny Tomlinson, Warner branch man¬ ager, ’phoned from Hollywood the good news that the Jacksonville branch had taken second place in the worldwide Warner “Wel¬ come Back, Jack” drive. MILWAUKEE The Oriental and Tower theatre buildings will be offered for sale at a public auction on July 31 by the U.S. Marshal. Federal Judge Kenneth P. Grubb recently granted a foreclosure judgment against Kent Theatres Inc., which operates the theatres, for default¬ ing on mortgage payments. The action was brought by Delmar Securities Corporation, Dover, Del., holders of a second mortgage on the buildings. . . . H. C. Prange Company, Sheboygan, which operates a store in Appleton, Wis., purchased the Rio in downtown Appleton from Stanley Warner Management Corporation. The price was not disclosed. The Rio will be used in some phase of the store operation. NEW HAVEN Not concerned with drive-in theatre season, Mrs. Hazel Florian, manager of the Lockwood & Gordon four-wall Strand, Winsted, Conn., James Cagney, starred in United Artists' "The Gallant Hours," now before the cameras in Hollywood, recently accepted a special tribute from the City of Los Angeles honoring his 30th anniversary in motion pictures. Los Angeles Councilman John Gibson made the presenta¬ tion of the scroll. recently advertised: “No Mosquitos! Com¬ fortably Cool!” . . . Bob Tyrol, Lockwood & Gordon’s East Windsor Drive-In, East Wind¬ sor, Conn., is providing free pony rides on Friday nights, termed “Family Night”. . . . Ray McNamara, Allyn, planned a news¬ paper contest, seeking “the greatest numbeo r fa ct sowhorh av wmcyhpefs shrdlum ber of actors who have appeared in the Tarzan role over the years,” in conjunction with Paramount release, “Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure.” The first 25 lengthiest lists en¬ titled entrants to pairs of guest tickets. . . . William Howard of the Lockwood & Gordon Danbury Drive-In, Danbury, Conn., has re¬ vived his Bumper Club, issuing automobile bumper strips to members. In return, drivers of such vehicles are admitted free one night a week. Rest of passengers in same car, of course, are charged regular admission. . . . Lou Cohen, Loew’s Poli, in conjunction with M-G-M’s “The Mysterians,” planned a Hartford Times contest, offering $25 Savings Bond to top winner (and pairs of guest tick¬ ets to 24 runners-up), for best 25-word com¬ ment on question, “If you were the only woman left in the world, what would you do?” NEW ORLEANS A one-day holiday outing at Holiday Haven, Slidell, La., was enjoyed by 20th-Fox staffers. . . . Raymond Garcia, for many years head of U-I’s shipping department, and now manager of the in-town Avenue, was a patient at Mercy Hospital. His wife, Sophia, is a Columbia exchange staffer. ... A son, Terry Charles, was born to Mrs. Charles A. Achee, Jr. The proud father is National Theatre Supply field representative. . . . George Hoover, International Executive Di¬ rector, and Robert Bostick, International Representative, Variety International, met with the general membership of local Tent 45 and discussed plans for “Variety Week” to be held from Feb. 8-14. . . . Frank Lais, Jr., associated with Sammy Wright, Jr., in own¬ ership and management of local theatres, was elected chief barker of Variety Tent 45 suc¬ ceeding Irving Paley, who has moved to New York City. . . . Shuttering were H. M. Jordan’s Lucedale, Lucedale, Miss.; and the Ga-Ana, Georgiana, Ala., a unit of Fred T. McLendon’s theatres. . . . The Lark Drive-In, Ville Platte, La., was also closed. PHILADELPHIA The Fulton Art, Lancaster, Pa., has gone straw hat legit for the summer . . . The Roosevelt Drive-In and the Levittown Theatre Company, were dismissed as defen¬ dants in the Lincoln Drive-In vs Paramount et al suit in Federal Court . . . Gary P. Romisher, son-in-law of William Spiegel, New Lyric, Philadelphia, was graduated from Jefferson Medical College and is now interning at Philadelphia General Hospital . . . Iz Segal plans moving his theatre service business to Vine Street in the near future . . . John Golder’s nephew, Frank Golder, was married to Barbara Harris at the War¬ wick Hotel last week . . . Melvin J. Fox has been named a member of the committee on membership and finance for the Philadelphia Fellowship Commission. He had been head of the industry division for the annual mem¬ bership enrollments of the Commission. ST. LOUIS The Balco, La Center, Ky., owned and operated for many years by James Holland has closed for an indefinite period. . . . Wreckers began work on the Missouri. The theatre auditorium portion of the building is to be entirely eliminated to make way for a large parking lot to serve tenants of the office building section of the structure. . . . The Charleston Drive-in, Charleston, Mo., has been reopened under the management of Jesse H. Bizzell, Jr., of Dongola, Ill. . . . “Haunted House” had 2000 cash customers in the first hour of its run at the Fox, while at the Quincy Drive-in, West Quincy, Mo., it grossed more on a Sunday than that drivein had been taking in for an entire week. The Quincy Drive-in is a Kerasotes theatre. The Fox is an Arthur Enterprises deluxer seating 5200. . . . The Plaza, Marion, Ill., which has been closed for about three years is being converted into an office building. . . . Danny Thomas spoke here to help raise funds for the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., which treats children suffering from leukemia. . . . Bob Hope, Randolph Scott and Phil Harris will stage a golf exhibition here, June 28, to benefit the program for free care at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. COMING TO NEW YORK? Stay at this modern 25-story hotel. Large, beautifully furnished private bath, from 'i 1, $7.00 daily, double | from $10.25. 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