The Exhibitor (1966)

Billingsley Heads Dr Pepper DALLAS — The Dr Pepper Company board of directors has named H. S. Billingsley chief executive officer of the company, while he re¬ tains his title of president. W. W. Clements was elevated to executive vice-president and elected to the board. Clements was serving as vicepresident of marketing and will continue to supervise the marketing function. Billingsley said Wesby R. Parker, board chairman and chief executive officer of the company, who died recently, had built a strong management group highly capable in carrying on the functions of the business. He told the board that 1966 was the company’s most suc¬ cessful year on record, but final figures are not yet available. Sales were 13 per cent higher than in 1965. Clements, a native of Alabama, worked as a route salesman for the Dr Pepper Bottling Company of Tuscaloosa while attending the University of Alabama. In 1942 he joined Dr Pepper as a zone manager for a northwestern area. In 1949 he was elected vice-president and general sales manager of the company and became vice-president of marketing in 1957. B&K Starts Construction JOLIET, ILL. — Henry G. Plitt, president of the Balaban & Katz circuit, was first to dig-in at ground-breaking ceremonies marking the start of construction of the Hillcrest, the first new motion picture theatre in 30 years or more in this area southwest of Chicago. It is being erected at the Hillcrest Shopping Center in suburban Crest Hill and is expected to be completed by late spring, 1967. Also participating in the ceremony were Jesse Shepherd, general contractor for the project and developer of the shopping center; Bruce Thorn, president of the local merchants’ association; and Balaban & Katz executives including Nate Platt, Ray Fox, Maurice F. Glass, Arthur Goldberg and William Picha. The design and decor of the Hillcrest, Plitt said, will be modern in every detail, utilizing the most advance concepts of theatre construc¬ tion and in complete harmony with the sur¬ rounding landscape. It will be equipped for wide-screen projec¬ tion, utilizing various innovations in sound and projection systems. In a projection room conspicuous for spaciousness and neatness, Jesse Murrah, projectionist, (right) and Donnie Davidson, manager, are shown with the new Futura projection lamps, recently installed by Oklahoma Theatre Supply Company, Oklahoma City. East Texas Theatre LONGVIEW, TEX.— East Texas Theatres, Inc., announced the completion of plans to build a large, luxury-type theatre here. Con¬ struction is scheduled to begin this month. The building will have a combined seating capacity (balcony and main floor) of 1200. The new seats will be large and comfortably spaced. Floor elevation and a staggered seating arrangement will allow patrons an unob¬ structed view. In the large lobby, marble and terrazzo will be used extensively. The masonry building will contain 20,000 feet of floor space and will contain an auditorium, lobby, lounges and ticket office. A carport will also be built which can be used during inclement weather. The theatre will be erected and owned by Robert Cargill, who has signed contracts with Jefferson Amusement Company and East Texas Theatres, Inc., and after whom the theatre will be named. The auditorium will be available for morning use by conventions in Longview. East Texas officials announced that this would be an all-purpose theatre capable of handling any projection process now on the market or to become available in the foresee¬ able future. This will include closed circuit television facilities. All machinery and equip¬ ment will be new. E-K Scientists, Neighbors Announce Retirement ROCHESTER, N.Y.— Two recently retired scientists at Eastman Kodak Company share not only commendable long-service records with the company, but also the identical num¬ ber of years as neighbors on the same street. Dr. Philip T. Newsome of Kodak Research Laboratories, and Oran E. Miller of Kodak Park Works, have retired from the company after 41 and 40 years of company service re¬ spectively. Dr. Newsome began his Kodak career as a physical chemist in July, 1926, exactly one year before Miller joined the Kodak Research Laboratories in July of 1927. Dr. Newsome, a research associate in the chemistry department of Kodak Research Laboratories, moved to his present home at 488 Sagamore Dr., Irondequoit, N.Y., in 1938, the same year Miller took up residence at 501 Sagamore Dr., just across the street. Dr. Newsome became a research supervisor in the chemistry department of Kodak Re¬ search Laboratories in 1944 and four years later was named a research associate in the department. While at Kodak he did research on cellulose materials and synthetic resins. He also conducted extensive study of the physical properties of glass and the absorption spectra of sensitizing dyes. Upon joining the Kodak Research Labora¬ tories, Miller served in such fields as sensitometry, photometry, motion pictures, sound recording, color photography and optical in¬ struments. He transferred to the Hawk-Eye Division in 1942 as training supervisor of the manufacture of fire control instruments. The following year he joined Kodak’s Oak Ridge, Tennessee, staff. He returned to Rochester, N.Y., as a senior engineer and senior technical associate in the color technology division of Kodak Park Works in 1945. Pie was appointed section supervisor of the physical laboratories in the photographic technology division in 1954 and served as a special project consultant from March, 1966, until his retirement. PRESENTING THE REGAL FOR A PREMIUM PICTURE Unique for backup only Premium contrast # High light distribution (90-100%) Controlled brightness Increased image stability U Increased focus depth CORPORATION NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01060 50 YEARS OF IMAGE QUALITY Request REGAL Specification Sheet K2-90 February 15, 1967 PHYSICAL THEATRE EXTRA PROFITS DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR PE-17