The Exhibitor (1959)

September 30, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 21 Fort Chaffee, Ark., is closed. . . . Mrs. Lera W. Rearick reopened Westwood Drive-In, Aberdeen, Miss. . . . A. J. Cole, owner, Cassidy, Webb, Miss., suffered a heart at¬ tack, and the house is closed indefinitely. . . . NEW HAVEN Sperie Perakos, general manager, Perakos Theatre Associates, New Britain, Conn., cir¬ cuit, was to preside, as temporary chairman, at the organizational meeting of the Connect¬ icut Drive-in Theatres Assn, on Sept. 22 at the Colonial House, Hamden, Conn. . . . Two long-shuttered Hartford theatres — the 800-seat Art, operated by Community Theatres, Inc., and the 3800-seat State, operated by the Harris Brothers (Ted, Sam and Martin) — have resumed operations. The Art relighted with a first-run foreign film policy, and the State began another season of name vaudeville motion picture programs on weekends only. Both theatres had been closed since early spring. . . . Norman Nadel, theatre editor, Columbus (Ohio) Citizen, is to address the Springfield (Mass.) 1959 Businesswomen’s Forum Series on Nov. 4. . . . Harry Feinstein, Stanley Warner zone manager, reports start of Early-Bird Bargain Matinee policy at three first-runs — the Cameo, Bristol; Warner, Torrington; and Capitol, Willimantic, all in Con¬ necticut. Under the plan, the matinee price (55 cents) is in effect from 4:45 to 6 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. At the same time, the circuit has adopted the 50-cents adult admission plan, in effect from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, at the firstrun Strand, Hartford, for another key city outlet and the Majestic, Providence. A similar policy has long been in effect at the Allyn, Hartford, operated by New England Theatres, Inc., the AB-PT regional affiliate. NEW ORLEANS New 20th-Fox front office staffers are Janice Vicknair, booking clerk; Erma Lynch, branch manager’s secretary; and Phyllis Johnson, assistant secretary. . . . Film In¬ spection Service managers and staffers held their annual picnic at Abita Springs, La. . . . Bill Cobb, president, Exhibitors Poster Exchange and theatre owner, and his wife hosted a “quail” dinner for exhibitors and distributors of the area at Gentilich. . . . The Citronelle Drive-In, Citronelle, Ala., is now closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. . . . Gulf State Theatres has closed the Rex, Shreve¬ port, La., indefinitely. . . . William R. Tate has taken over the operation of the Regal, Gulfport, Miss. . . . The Jackson, Jackson, Ala., was completely destroyed by fire when lightning struck the adjacent building with the blaze enveloping the theatre structure. . . . A1 Guidry is now operating the Bijou, Delcambre, La. . . . The Palace, Mt. Olive, Miss., closed. . . . Pittman Theatres’ Fox, Sulphur, La., resumed full time operation. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Willis Houck have moved to Kaplan, La., where Houck has taken over management of the Joy. For many years he was with Joy’s Theatres here handling buy¬ ing and booking. . . . Charles Bazzell re¬ opened the Varsity, Baton Rouge, La. . . . Mrs. H. T. Ashford reopened the Hill Top, Clinton, Miss. . . . The Bob, Abbeville, La., closed for renovations. . . . It’s a baby boy for Josephine and Alex Benz. He is assistant to manager Asa Booksh, RKO Orpheum. . . . Dot Caillouette is the new secretary to the UA office manager, taking over for Dorothy Rome, who is anticipating a visit from the stork. . . . The Wisner, Wisner, La., is now closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Faia became proud parents for the third time. Faia is Hodges Theatre Supply counter clerk. . . . The Liberty, In¬ dependence, La., closed again. . . . Mrs. and Mrs. James Lowery became the parents of a baby girl. Lowery is manager of Gulf States’ Jim, Monroe, La. PHILADELPHIA Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lynch leave Sept. 27 for a trip starting at Mauch Chunk and Shickshinny, the Old Trading Post, and will visit London, Paris, Cannes, Lisbon, Vienna, Spain and Casablanca before returning home with a special report to MOTION PICTURE EX¬ HIBITOR. Lynch is the old MGM boss in this territory. . . . Colonel Joe Kennedy, the Clark Transfer old timer, is an infallible weather prevaricator, whose predictions are eagerly sought by area drive-ins. . . . Mike Badami, formerly at the Carman, is now managing the recently reopened Riviera. . . . Attorney Ed Saretsky has taken the Cedar, 60th and Cedar Ave., and after refurbishing, reopened as the Abbe Art with an art house policy. . . . Condolences to Maxwell Gillis, branch manager, Allied Artists, upon the death last week of his wife, Laura, who had suffered a lengthy illness. . . . Milgram Buy¬ ing and Booking Service is now handling the Bristol, Bristol, Pa. . . . The Park, Reading, Pa., was reported reopening on Oct. 5. . . . George Beattie, William Goldman Theatres’ executive, was reported with William Heineman and James Velde, United Artists vice presidents, on a shooting expedition in Mon¬ tana. PITTSBURGH Bob Dorfman, Buena Vista exploitation di¬ rector, was in for conferences with Stanley Warner’s Henry Burgera and staff on “The Big Fisherman,” due at Warner on Oct. 8 on hard-ticket policy. Regis Bryson, formerly Cinerama group sales director, has been ap¬ pointed to a similar position for “The Big Fisherman.” Appointed group sales secre¬ tary was Mrs. Audrey Hill, formerly cashier at the Harris. . . . Robert Mitchum, star and co-producer of UA’s “Wonderful Country,” appeared in Pittsburgh for press, radio, and TV interviews on behalf of the film, due for early October release. . . . Bernard Arndt, student assistant manager, Warner, is home from Montefiore Hospital following an emer¬ gency appendectomy. . . . Pittsburgh friends of local boy Jimmy Carey, now manager, Loew’s Normandy, Jacksonville, Fla., learn he is now on the radio three times weekly with commentary on movies and the theatre. The Normandy is said to be the world’s largest drive-in, with an area of 35 acres. . . . Field man John Johns departed from MGM after seven years service. He plans a Florida vacation. . . . Bert Stearn and Lou Hanna, Co-operative Theatre Service, made a trip to New York to call on distribution executives at film company home offices. . . . Manos Circuit took over the Harris, Tarentum, Pa., from Stanley Warner. . . . Three threatres have dropped out of Co-operative Theatre Service, Jack Mervis’ Embassy, Aspinwall; Peter Lasciavo’s Aliquippa, Aliquippa; and Jack Maple’s Barney’s, Point Marion. PORTLAND Louis Armstrong drew a “three quarters” house at the Paramount. . . . Warren Slee, 20th Century-Fox, staged a special preview of “Blue Denim” at the Star Film Exchange. Guests included members of the press, tele¬ vision, radio, and juvenile courts here. A discussion of the picture was held following 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 exchanges’ shipping room closes at noon on these days. Don’t wait until it’s too late — help us prevent any missouts! CLARK TRANSFER. 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.