The Exhibitor (1959)

operated by Albert Zarzana and Ray Beriski, who also operate the Venus and the Galena. I . . . Gerald M. Hogan of Coral Gables, Fla., has been named assistant manager of Loew’s State, succeeding Phil Brockstein. . . . The Post Oak Drive-In has closed at its old loca' tion and has started moving the equipment : to a new 20 acre site. The new location will have space for more than 1,000 cars. The new drive-in will cost approximately $800,000. . . . Managers of Bordertown, as well as top executives and stockholders had a two day meeting in Galveston, Tex. They discussed all phases and problems of drive-in theatre business and heard key men in each branch ot the circuit’s operations give the main talks in their fields. Claude Ezell, president, headed the home office group attending from Dallas. Tex. Others in the party included A1 Reynolds, vice-president in charge of thea¬ tre operations, Brandon Doak, booker, Dowlan Russell, executive vice-president, and W. E. Finch, general purchasing agent. Rey¬ nolds coordinated the planned program and forum on drive-in theatre operation aspects of public relations, business administration, showmanship, merchandising and mainte¬ nance. Doak presented clips from films cur¬ rently being released or processed and dis¬ cussed future product. JACKSONVILLE The Floyd Theatres booking office, man¬ aged by Jim Kirby, has been moved into larger quarters at the Lynch Building. . . . Mary Hart, WOMPI president, reported that the group’s Christmas holiday dance in the Roosevelt’s grand ballroom was a solid fi¬ nancial success as well as an outstanding social event for local industryites. . . . Elec¬ ted as 1960 directors of the Motion Picture Exhibitors of Florida for the Jacksonville area are Louis J. Finske, president of Florida State Theatres; Fred Kent, head of Kent Theatres; and Arv Rothschild, National Thea¬ tre Enterprises. . . . Harold Laird, formerly in distribution, is now with Wil-Kin Theatre Supply working out of Atlanta. . . . FST’s big Florida has new manager Walt Meier at the helm. Florida State’s other first-run downtown house, the Imperial, also has a new manager in the person of Art E. Castner, formerly of the Schine circuit in New York. . . . Wanda Hale, noted motion pic¬ ture critic of the N.Y. Daily News, arrived here on Christmas Eve to spend the year-end holidays at the home of her son, Ed Hale, 20th-Fox publicist for Florida, and his fam¬ ily. . . . Fay O’Neil has joined Marty Kutner’s staff at Columbia. . . . Fred Mathis, Para¬ mount manager, returned from New York for a gathering here with Gordon Bradley, the firm's district manager in Atlanta, and E. C. DeBerry, company executive from New York. . . . Bob Bowers, Jr., son of the local Allied Artists manager, took marriage vows on Christmas Eve with Betty Ruth Higgin¬ botham at the Southside Baptist Church. . . . Claude Browning, formerly with Warners, is now working with Jim Kirby on the Floyd Theatres booking staff. . . . Ernie McCulley, veteran head shipper for Warner, resigned his post to become a farmer. . . . Sam Davis has established a new foreign and domestic film distribution office, Independent Films, Miami. MIAMI, FLA., NEWS— “Porgy and Bess” was presented at a special showing for the Miami Herald’s “Lend A Hand” Fund, through arrangements with Florida State Theatres at the Sheridan, Miami Beach. . . . Sam Badamo has been assigned to the Tower as manager. Richard Ungerbuehler has been assigned to Wometco as days-off relief manager. . . . The Carib, Miami Beach, inaugurated an Early Bird matinee for adults with an admission price of 55<f until 2:00, weekdays only. . , . Alfred E. Gold, cameraman with Fox Movie¬ tone for more than 40 years, died here . . . Mitchell Wolfson, owner, Wometco Enter¬ prises, Inc., operating 22 theatres in South Florida, announced purchase of the Great Southern Vending Company, Jacksonville, Fla., which will now be known as the Duval Automatic Vending Corporation and be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wometco. It was also reported unofficially that Wometco was negotiating to buy the Miami Seaquarium in an exchange stock deal. LOS ANGELES The new Beverly Hills Music Hall opened on Christmas Day with the Columbia comedy, “The Mouse That Roared.” There was a pre¬ opening house warming for the press, in¬ dustry and civic leaders, and city, state, and Government officials. A special preview of an Academy Award entry, “Montauk,” pic¬ torial color subject, was shown with the feature to demonstrate the new stereophonic sound and projection equipment. . . . Sydney Linden, general manager, Rosener Theatre Circuit, has named Milt Gross as house man¬ ager of the luxurious new Beverly Hills Music Hall. Gross is rejoining the Rosener organization, having previously managed their Esquire and Laurel Theatres. Gross also has been employed locally by Metro¬ politan Theatres and the Phil Isley Com¬ pany, and is a former Balaban and Katz manager in Chicago. NEW HAVEN Francis Malloy has been named assistant manager, Cline Webb, Wethersfield, replacing Gerald Clark. . . . Harry DePathe, 72, retired Loew’s Palace electrician, is dead. . . . Mrs. Marian Dunn has been named office manager at Outdoor Theatre Corporation, replacing Mi's. Esther Ogens. . . . Carroll J. Lawler, formerly general manager of the Hartford Theatre Circuit, has rejoined the Raymond Pugh Company, real estate concern. . . . The Outdoor Theatre Corporation, a newlyformed Connecticut outfit, has registered with the Secretary of State’s office, listing Bernard Menschell, president of the Manchester Drive-In Theatre Corporation, as president; Theodore Poland, treasurer; and Si Menschell as secretary. O.T.C. will operate the Pike Drive-In, Newington. . . . Robert Tyminski has been named assistant to Charles Gaudino, manager of Loew’s Poli, Springfield. . . . Extensive remodeling is anticipated for Loew’s College, sole remaining Poli theatre in New Haven. . . . Michael Alperin, Con¬ necticut industry pioneer, reopened the longshuttered Rialto, Windsor Locks, and Colo¬ nial, Southington. . . . Rivoli Theatre Inc., a new Connecticut corporation, has filed a certificate of incorporation with the Secre¬ tary of State’s office at State Capitol. Incor¬ porators are George A. Christ, Marina Prakas, and Olympia Christ, all of Bridgeport. . . . Sam Bailey of the Westville, New Haven, became the grandfather of a boy named James Douglas. . . . The Connecticut film industry will honor TOA president Albert M. Pinckus, owner of the Stratford, at a testimonial dinner. NEW ORLEANS Jim deNeve, Gulf States supervisor of theatre operation, was confined to his home with the flu . . . Gus Stierwald, Columbia, was reelected president, Local B-57 IATSE back room film exchange employees union. Others reelected were Gladys Villars, MGM, financial secretary; Marie Saucier, MGM, re¬ cording secretary; Anthony Tortorich, AA, sergeant at arms; and Joseph Williams, NSS, business agent. Newly elected was Walter Des Forges, 20th-Fox, vice-president . . . Roy Gallagher, manager, Film Inspection Serv¬ ice, is recovering from a recent major opera¬ tion . . . Stella Stevens was in to bally Para¬ mount’s “Li’l Abner”, Saenger . . . Steven Bosustow was in in connection with Colum¬ bia’s “1001 Arabian Nights”, RKO . . . The Fern Drive-In, Woodville, Miss., is now on week-end operation . . . Gulf States Theatres reopened the Dixie, Brookhaven, Miss . . . Patsy Lynch left her booker’s post at Colum¬ bia to await the arrival of a baby . . . Recent area drive-in closings for the winter are the Parkway, Winfield, La.; El Rancho, Deridder, La.; Tiger, Shreveport, La., and Midway, Opp, Ala. . . . Mrs. Ralph Patterson reassumed operation of the Ritz, Shreveport, La. It had been leased to Bijou Amusement, Nashville, Tenn., but it was closed for the greater part of the time . . . The Palace, Vicksburg, Miss., closed . . . Other closings were the Booker T, Lafayette, La.; the theatre at Decatur, Miss., owned by Ross Smith; the U Drive-In, Bayou LaBatre, Ala.; and the Village, Bonita, La. . . . The Avalon, Pass Christian, a unit of Slidell Theatres, closed . . . The HiWay Drive-In, Bay St. Louis, Miss., is now a week-end operation . . . The Palace, Vicks¬ burg, Miss., shuttered . . . The Alamo, St. Francisville, La., closed . . . Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Romero have departed from show business by leasing the last of three theatres, the Gil, Lafayette, La., to Vincent Thebeaux . . . Benjamin Tisdale, former managing di¬ rector, has leased Fred T. McLendon’s Rex, Bay Minette, Ala.; Foley, Foley, Ala.; the in¬ door Fairhope and Hub Drive-In, Fairhope, Ala. The McLendon Circuit is now reduced to three situations in this area. PHILADELPHIA United Artists’ “Solomon and Sheba” did close to $40,000 in its first three days at Milgram’s Fox, the biggest business in the thea¬ tre’s history. The house has been tastefully renovated for the 70mm. process. . . . National Screen Service’s manager Stanley Goldberg was in University Hospital for observation. . . . Moe Koppleman, National Screen Service office manager, was reported in a New York City hospital with pneumonia. . . . The SW Stanley had the world premiere of Warners’ “Cash McCall” heralded by a big ad-publicity campaign directed by Roy Robbins. . . . Albert M. Pickus, Theatre Owners of America, presi¬ dent, named Norman Silverman a member of TOA’s organization and membership com¬ mittee. ... Ted Vanett, Goldman Theatres ad¬ vertising director, underwent surgery last week. . . . Attorney Sylvan M. Cohen has been added to the H. L. Green Company variety store board. PITTSBURGH Variety Club’s annual New Year’s Eve party for members and guests was chairmanned by Lou Hanna. . . . Fulton manager Bernie Hickey and Johnny Harris have been trail1** NEED A GOOD TRAILER FAST? . . CALL ON FILMACK. YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID! CHICAGO 1 3 2 7 So. Wabash FILMACK NEW YORK 630 Ninth Avenue January 6, I960 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 29