The Exhibitor (1959)

14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR August 26, 1959 The industry sponsored "Jemmy Fund" for Chi.’dren's Cancer Research Foundation recently got endorsement from Hartford, Conn., Police Chief Paul B. Beckwith, seated. From the left are seen Ray McNamara, Allyn; W. F. Murphy, Cine Webb; Lou Cohen, Loew's Poli; C. J. Lawler, Com¬ munity Theatres Circuit, Inc.; Jack Sanson, SW Strand; Assistant Chief John J. Kerrigan; and police officers Frank Druary, president, Hartford Police Athletic League, and Charles Allen, vice president, HPAL. ATLANTA Mrs. William Richardson, president, Capi¬ tal Releasing Corp., back home following surgery at a local hospital. . . . James V. Frew, division manager, Continental Dis¬ tribution Corp., has returned home after surgery at a local hospital. . . . R. J. (Hap) Barnes, president, ABC Theatrical Enter¬ prises, back after visiting his drive-in in Knoxville, Tenn. ... A program of reno¬ vation is slated for the Crescent Amusement Company’s Princess, Nashville, Tenn., ac¬ cording to Robert Hosse, vice-president in charge of theatre operation. 70mm projec¬ tion equipment will be installed, making it the only house so equipped in Nashville and Davidson County. The name of the Princess will be changed to the Crescent. . . . Atlanta’s WOMPI held its annual meeting with Jean Mullis presiding. After the gathering they went to the Battle Hill Haven for old folks and sponsored their annual Bingo Party. BOSTON Funeral services were held August 17 in New York City for Kenneth Levy, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. A1 Levy, of 20th-Fox here, who died following a diving accident in Nantasket Beach. The entire sales and booking staff of the Boston office attended the services in New York. . . . Alex Francis-Smith, manager of the Beacon Hill Theatre was forced to accept a leave of absence due to trouble with his back. Doctors have ordered him to rest at his Scituate home. Max Selver, formerly at the Capri, went into the Beacon Hill, with Lloyd Patriquin taking over the managerial duties at the Capri. Both houses are owned by the Ben Sack Theatres circuit. . . . Robert Rancatore, a booker at 20thFox for several years, has resigned to enter an Academy in Troy, N.Y. to study for the priesthood. . . . Robert Waldman, theatre owner, is a patient at Beth Israel Hospital for a week of observation. . . . The staff and projectionists at Loew’s State have been given a new contract on a two-week basis only, because of the possi¬ bility that the theatre may be sold to other interests. . . . David Mirisch, a nephew of the Mirisch brothers is working in the United Artists exchange with publicist Joe Mansfield in the exploitation and publicity department. . . . Mrs. Kenneth Dimmick, wife of the manager at the Nugget, Han¬ over, N.H., is a patient at the Mary Hitch¬ cock Hospital for major surgery. . . . The New England Baptist Hospital committee arranging the benefit preview of Sam Goldwyn’s “Porgy and Bess” at the Astor, came up with an unusual gimmick when it planned to have student nurses dressed in their crisp white uniforms usher at the benefit. The entire house was sold out with $10,000 going to the hospital fund. . . . Joseph E. Levine has formed a music pub¬ lishing company with Jimmy McHugh and Pete Rugolo. Their first musical score will be the background for Levine’s new film, “Jack The Ripper,” to be released in the fall. BUFFALO Chief Barker Fran Maxwell of Tent 7, Va¬ riety club, has called a membership meeting Aug. 24. Members will consider and vote on a resolution proposing that the club lease its present quarters at 193 Delaware avenue and set up other clubrooms. Reasons for the pro¬ posal will be detailed at the meeting. . . .Edd “Kookie” Byrnes, one of three TV stars in “Yellowstone Kelly,” WB production current at the Paramount, visited Buffalo Aug. 16. . . . . . . The sales staff has been reduced at the Columbia exchange, and Leon Herman, for¬ mer manager of the Republic exchange and later associated with Waldman Films in a sales capacity, is no longer a member of the Columbia staff. . . . Ethel Tyler, formerly office manager, National Screen, is back in the distribution end of the industry. She now is cashier at the local United Artists exchange. . . . Carl Dortic is the new sales¬ man at National Screen, succeeding Melvin Schwartz. Dortic is covering the entire Buffalo area Gerald M. Westergren, general manager, Basil Enterprises (Basil circuit), has been appointed Major for the Motion Picture Di¬ vision of the United Appeal Drive for 1959. He has appointed as his Captains in this effort, Charlie Kosco, branch manager, 20th Century-Fox for the exchanges and James Hayes, manager, Cinema, for the theatres. . . . George H. Mackenna, general manager, Basil’s Lafayette, was a guest of the Navy on a week’s cruise aboard a destroyer from Montreal to Annapolis. . . . Walter Huff, manager of Basil’s Genesee, was married August 1 to Carole Bird. . . . George Mackenna, Jr., son of the Lafayette general manager, was married recently to Elizabeth Ann Tatu. CHICAGO Gus and Louis Kerasotes, pioneer Springfield, Ill., theatre owners were honored by a special anniversary party held at Oakcrest The PINK^ Sertioji of this Aug. 26 Issue marks the end of the 1958-59 SEASON, with COMPLETE INDEXES of ALL Features, and of ALL Shorts as reviewed during the past 12 months. SAVE IT! JUST ANOTHER SUPERIOR SERVICE FROM THE HOT * TRADE PAPER! (*So our Theatre Subscribers tell us!) Country Club in observance of Gus Kera¬ sotes’ 86th birthday, and also to inaugurate the 50th anniversary celebration commemo¬ rating the opening of the Royal, Springfield, Ill., by them in 1909. Governor William G. Stratton headed the illustrious group of state, county and city officials who paid tribute to the Kerasotes’ and their theatre organization that has grown from one nickelodeon to its present growing size of 36 theatres in Illinois and Missouri. Some 250 persons were in at¬ tendance. The theatre company plans a four month “Golden Jubilee” promotional drive throughout the circuit starting on Labor Day. . . . Herschell Lewis, Mid-Continent films, is preparing to produce two or three pictures a year using only local talent and facilities. Five hundred aspirants have already appeared at the Fred Niles studios where the films will be made. About a dozen actors be¬ tween 17 and 22 will be chosen. . . . James Silvers was named to the B and K publicity, under chief Eddie Sequin. . . . National Candy Wholesales Assoc, convention elected J. L. Culpepper, president. . . . John Doerr, Alli¬ ance Amusement Company vice president, became a grand dad for the second time when his son, John McDonald announced that his v/ife had given birth to a son. ... At the re¬ quest of Mayor Daley, Jack Kirsch, Allied president, and Dave Wallerstein, B and K president, saw to the use of trailers in the theatres boosting the forthcoming Pan Amer¬ ican games. . . . Jack Armgardt, Paramount Exchange, is receiving condolences over the death of his son, James, who was killed in an automobile accident. . . Si Griever was given the booking contract for the Dunes Outdoor Gary, Indiana, bringing to 8 the number of outdoor accounts in his office. CINCINNATI An opportunity workshop for retarded children has been opened by Variety Club in nearby Covington, Ky., with James Mc¬ Donald, TOC owner and co-chairman of the club’s heart committee, attending open¬ ing ceremonies. . . . Dixie Garden DriveIn, Lookout Heights, Ky., has concluded a week-long variety film festival with nightly contests and give-a-ways in cele¬ bration of its 12th anniversary. One of the highlights was a popularity contest, won by a nine-year-old girl, whose prize was a free vacation for a week, for her and her mother