Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

CINCINNATI Ginger Rogers, star of Universal's "Magnificent Doll," made a personal appearance at Keith's theatre Thanksgiving Eve to head a benefit performance for the War Nurses' National Memorial, at which stage personalities appearing at local night clubs also participated, among which were Patsy Kelly, Bert Wheeler, Hal Le Roy and Barry Wood. Admission was only by contribution of $5, $10 or $15 to the local chapter of the Memorial. The affair also featured a preview of "Magnificent Doll," which began an engagement at Keith's Thanksgiving Day as a territorial premiere at the formal reopening of the house, which has been remodeled and leased by Universal as the second in the string of "showcase" theatres. . . . Industry members gave a testimonial dinner December 2 in the Variety Club quarters for Joseph J. Oulahan, who recently resigned as njanager of "the Paramount exchange here, to become district manager for the J. Arthur Rank organization, with headquarters at Baltimore. The committee consisted of Maurice White, chairman ; William Bien, Edwin Booth, Harry David, James J. Grady and Alan S. Moritz. Mr. Oulahan, who started his career as a page in the Capitol in Washington in 1912, entered the film industry in 1912 with the Super Film Co., at Washington The Cincinnati Variety Club, Tent No. 3, will hold its installation dinner in the club quarters, December 9, at which Irving Sochin, newly-elected chief barker and other officers for 1947 will be installed. . . . Edward Wheeler, formerly connected with Standard Film Company and Penn Film Service, covering Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois, has acquired the local franchise for Astor Pictures, and opened an office in the Film Building. . . . The Greater Cincinnati Independent Exhibitors Association will stage its annual party for film exchange personnel at the Netherland Plaza December 20. CLEVELAND Fine weather helped make fine business at the downtown first run theatres Thanksgiving Day. Results were above last year. Neighborhood houses less enthusiastic, report business only lightly in advance of last year. . . . "The Razor's Edge" will open Christmas Day for a continued run at the Allen theatre. Harry Weiss, 20th-Fox local publicity director, is staging a contest with a local modeling school, the winner to have a 20th-Fox screen test. Contest runs three months. . . . George Skouras, head of the Greek war relief, was out here this week speaking before groups in Akron, Canton and Toledo. . . . Joe Kenitz, former Universal branch manager, has been named United Artist city salesman by branch manager A. M. Goodman. . . . Robert Snyder this week celebrates the third anniversary of his opening the local Film Classics exchange with announcement that he will play 15 prints of " 'Neath Canadian Skies" day and date in Cleveland December 15. COLUMBUS Dimout, which started Thanksgiving here, had little effect on patronage during the holiday weekend, all theatres reporting high at tendance. Whether the dimout will have a long-range effect will be determined soon. After a three-day period in which theatre marquees and other illumination was on full blast, Mayor James A. Rhodes reluctantly agreed to institute the brownout after a conference with Civilian Production Administration officials. The mayor said that previous dimouts had saved little if any coal and that he believed the dimout would cause traffic accidents and encourage robberies. The mayor won his point that street lighting would not be dimmed. "Undercurrent" was the week's leader at the Ohio with "Deception" doing well at the Palace. The Grand and Broad had holdover bills — "Nocturne" at the Grand and "Two Years Before the Mast" at the Broad. . . . The Gayety, which revived burlesque here after several years' lapse, failed to start its combination policy, which was to have included feature films. Booth equipment failed to arrive in time, and date for start of the combination policy has been indefinitely delayed. Meanwhile the stage showonly policy continues to good patronage. . . . Columbus was assured a television station within the next two years when the Federal Communications Commission last week granted the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation, Cincinnati, licenses to operate a station in Cincinnati and one here. DENVER Fine weather all week aided theatres. . . . Rocky Mountain Screen Club Christmas party for children December 22. . . . Poppers Supply moves to Film Row, 2147 Broadway, with Civic Theatres moving from there to next door, 2153 Broadway, forcing Hart Theatrical Decorating and Display to move to 925 Twenty-first St. . . . Earl Bell, Warner Bros, exchange manager, feeling better and back on the job after an attack of flu. Robert Selig, assistant to president of Fox Intermountain Theatres, mentioned as candidate for annual distinguished service award of Denver Junior Chamber of Commerce. . . . Leonard S. Gruenberg, district manager RKO Radio Pictures, captain in Ned Depinet drive, leaves Denver «in company with Harry Gittleson, assistant western division sales manager, to make complete tour of exchanges in U. S., Canada and Mexico in interests of drive. To be gone about six months. . . . Merhage Bros. and Philip N. Fidel open their new El Rio, Espanola, N. M. . . . Exhibitors from out of town seen on Film Row included Fred Hall, Akron, Colo.; Earl N. Campbell, Trenton, Neb. ; George Nescher, Springfield, Colo. ; Herb Gumper, Center, Colo., and R. D. Irvin, Kremmling, Colo. PES MOINES Iowa business rang up a record volume of $1,625,000,000 in retail sales in the year ended September 30. The unprecedented flow of dollars through the cash registers of the state produced $32,516,000 in sales tax. The gain for the year was more than 28 per cent. . . . Plans for the annual Variety Club shut-in party, to be held at the Paramount theatre here December 21, were announced last week. General chairman of the affair is Harry Hiersteiner. . . . The Lime theatre, Lime Springs, la., reopened November 22 under its new management, E. L. Owend and Joe Milner. The theatre has been redecorated and remodeled. . . . Work was started recently on the remodeling of the interior of the Corn theatre, Everly, la. . . . Robert R. Gray opened his Toy theatre in Alden, Iowa, recently. The interior has been redecorated and plans for additional seating capacity are being made. . . . The Lake theatre, Clear Lake, la., has a new plan of presenting semi-classical pictures on Saturday mornings for teen agers. "The Hoosier School Boy" and "Song of the Open Road" are two films scheduled for this new program. . . . Harry Herman, owner of the Firemen's theatre, New Hampton, la., has named Raymond Klenske assistant manager. HARTFORD Among the holdovers playing in Connecticut theatres : RKO Radio's "Notorious" and MGM's "Gallant Bess." . . . Connecticut Tax Commissioner W. W. Walsh announced last week that receipts from corporation business, unincorporated business, motor bus, amusement, beverage, cigarette, excise and inheritance division taxes totaled $2,004,945 for October. Much talk has come up in this territory on the subject of a 1 P.M. Sunday opening for theatres in New Britain. A hearing has been scheduled for December 10 in that city. Last week, at the New Britain Council of Churches annual meeting, the proposal (of an earlier Sunday opening) was opposed. . . . Paul Purdy, manager of the Webb Playhouse, Wethersfield, has recovered from illness. . . . The E. M. Loew's Milford Drivein has closed, after staying open well past the usual closing time. . . . Timothy M. Crowley, 89, for many years a prominent labor figure in Connecticut, died last week in Hartford. He was president of the Theatrical Foundation of Hartford, and also was a charter member and organizer of the Hartford Musicians Union. . . . The Strand in New Haven closed down for an afternoon and evening last week to complete renovations. INDIANAPOLIS There was no great stir in local film circles last week, as "The Killers" topped the new attractions with a tepid $13,000 at the Indiana. At Loew's "Angel on My Shoulder" drew only $12,000. . . . Downtown ex (Continued on following page) 42 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 7, 1946