The Exhibitor (1959)

34 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR October 7, 1959 ALBANY The first drive-in among the Hudson Valley group to close for the season was the Sunset, Kingston. Walter Reade, Jr., who leased the 750-car spot last spring from Lamont inter¬ ests, continued his 9-W in operation there. . . . Another former Lamont-operated spot, the Riverview, Rotterdam Junction, which Fabian purchased, went on week-end sched¬ ule. . . . Anthony Corelli, father of Dominick Corelli, owner, Hudson River Drive-In, and a cashier shouted away a masked man who threatened him and demanded receipts. Corelli, about 70, also spotted the robber’s license number, which led to his arrest by State Police. . . . C. G. Pantages, 20th-Fox branch manager, visited the Schine offices in Gloversville and with the Kallet managers in Utica, to arrange promotions on coming releases. . . . Martin Moskowitz, 20th-Fox sales executive, visited the local exchange. . . . George Thornton, who had fine business at Windham, Windham, and fair business in Tannersville this summer, switched both Catskill Mountain situations to week-ends only. . . . Manager Richard Murphy, Proctor’s, Fabian first-run in Troy, tied into publicity for the Hudson-Champlain celebration by arranging the crowing of “Miss Troy” by the Mayor on stage. . . . Folklore Research Films, Inc., has been authorized to conduct business in New York, with capital stock of 200 shares, no par value. ATLANTA William J. Coury and Milton Newsome, both experienced managers of Wilby-Kincey Theatres, have traded responsibilities. Coury, who has been manager of the Bradley, Columbus, Ga., has moved to Knoxville, Tenn., to become city manager of the Bijou and Park, and Newsome goes to Columbus as manager of the Bradley. . . . Mrs. Billy Hester, formerly with Capital Releasing Corporation, has joined Martin Theatres booking office as secretary to Johnnie Harrell. BOSTON Samuel Pinanski president of American Theatres Corp., called a Fall Showmanship Session for his 25 managers, district managers, and home office personnel for pep talks on the forthcoming top quality Hollywood pictures. He also invited the local branch managers and their publicists, who gave brief announce¬ ments of their films and told of the campaign material. Besides the ATC staff, those attend¬ ing were Ben Abrams, AA; Ben Bebchick and Ed Gallner, MGM; Stan Davis, Continental Films; E. Myer Feltman, U-I; Dan Houlihan and Arnold Van Leer, Paramount; Ellis Gordon, A1 Levy and Phil Engel, 20th-Fox; Joe Mansfield, UA; Tom O’Brien and John Markle, Columbia; Mel Safner, Ruff Films; Joe Wolf, Joe Levine, and George Kraska, Embassy Pictures. . . . There will be no Beano in Massachusetts for at least another year, but it was by a margin of only five votes that the House reversed itself and kill¬ ed a bill to revive the game after a 15 year ban. . . . Jack Roy is the new manager, Capri, for Sack Theatres. . . . The office staff of Embassy Pictures tendered a “surprise” birthday party for Joseph E. Levine. . . . Phil Bloomberg is a patient at Salem Hospital with a serious stomach ailment. . . . After 42 years of conducting his printing business at 210 Stuart Street, Chester Grenier was forced to find new quarters when the own¬ ers decided to tear down the building. After Oct. 1, the Grenier Printing Company will be located at 137 Columbus Avenue. A contract for the showing at the Gary of Michael Todd, Jr.'s, “Scent Of Mystery," filmed in Smell-O-Vision, was signed recently by Boston's Benjamin Sack. Seen, left to right, are Morris Lefko, vice-president in charge of sales for Todd; Todd; and Sack. BUFFALO The annual drive of Tent 7, Variety Club of Buffalo, is under way under the chairman¬ ship of Marvin Jacobs, who has opened offices in Room 605 in the Lafayette theatre building, the same being offered rent free by Gus and Basil J. Basil, heads of the Basil Circuit. The Tent 7 drive is for the benefit of the Children’s Rehabilitation Center of Buffalo, which is sponsored by the Variety Club, the Crippled Children’s Guild, and the Children’s Hospi¬ tal. The club is seeking over $40,000. ... A distinguished selection of feature and art films will be shown this season in the an¬ nual series sponsored by the Junior Group of the Albright Art Gallery. Each program will be shown once a month on two consecu¬ tive evenings. ... In connection with the showing of “That Kind of Woman” at the Paramount, manager Edward Miller ar¬ ranged a contest broadcast by radio station WEBR through which a $25 U. S. Savings Bond was offered as the first prize. It was entitled The Sophia Loren Look Alike Con¬ test. There was a large number of photos sent in and guest tickets to see the picture want to 25 runners-up. . . . John Rossi, owner, Paramount, Schroon Lake, N. Y., has taken over the Essex at Port Henry former¬ ly a Kallet Circuit, Oneida, N. Y., operation. . . . William E. McKnight has been appointed manager, Riverside, a Schine community operation. He succeeds Martin Willover, as¬ sistant manager, Schine Granada. . . . Will¬ iam Abrams, business agent (and booker at Columbia), presided at the first fall meeting of Local CE-9, exchange employes. Edward L. Hyman, vice-president, American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres; his assist¬ ant, Bernard Levy; and A1 J. Sicignano, home office booking head, were in for con¬ ferences with district manager Arthur Krolick and local AB-PT theatre managers. . . . The Glen, Williamsville, which adopted a new art policy last season and then closed after a few months, has reopened under the man¬ agement of Robert Dykstra, son of Menno Dykstra, one of western New York’s veteran exhibitors. . . . Elmer F. Lux, well known in exhibition and distribution, is one of the co-chairmen of the Buffalo chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, which is planning its seventh annual Brother¬ hood Citation Banquet for Dec. 1 in the Statler-Hilton. CHICAGO During the first six months of 1959, 49 of the 99 films reviewed were classified as suitable for families and their children. . . . Burton E. Robbins, vice-president in charge of sales, National Screen Service, was in. . . . B & K are giving up operation of the Lakeside on Oct. 31 after 20 years. The house may continue to operate by a realty firm, the owner, with whom B & J failed to make a satisfactory arrangement. . . . Paul Mentsen, Surf assistant manager, has been hospitalized for months due to injuries received when an auto struck him. . . . Chuck Schmids, Palace, Tillman, Ill., is the father of a third son. . . . Rebane Productions, Inc., was organized here to handle distribu¬ tion of Cinetarium screen and equipment. . . . Behrendt Cine Corporation took over the Cine Equipment Company. Steven Welch has been named service manager. . . . Mrs. Will Saunders is reopening the California. CINCINNATI The local Golden Age Movie Club will continue to function until at least April 1, 1960, the more than 25,000 members have been informed. Open to those 60 years or older, the club provides for reduced admission of 35 cents for afternoon and 50 cents for evening, Sunday, and holiday screenings at the downtown Albee, Palace, Grand, and Keith. . . . Personnel in the local Warners exchange are participating actively in the company’s “Operation Christmas Tree” through next Jan. 16. . . . TOC Booking Agency has moved from the street level to the second floor at 1635 Central Parkway. . . . Audiences at the Palace, Huntington, W. Va., John Goodno, owner, contributed recently to the Will Rogers Hospital Fund. . . . Harry Dieckhaus is now booking and buying for his Rossville in Hamilton, O. . . . A former Para¬ mount employee, Nora Davis, has returned 'as booker’s clerk, replacing Joan Weise, a Uni¬ versity of Cincinnati student. . . . Joyce Scholl 20th-Fox's well attended sales and promotion meeting in Boston saw present, left to right, Gerry Govan, New England head buyer of film; Ed Linder, general manager, Linder Theatres; Arthur Lockwood, president, Lockwood-Gordon theatre circuit; Max Fein, general manager, E. M. Loew's Theatres; A| Levy; and Al Lowrie, president, newly formed Lourie Theatres of New England.