Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

(.Continued from page 42) ceeded this' season. . . . William Keyes, operating the Victory, downtown Dayton, Ohio, theatre, has returned from a trip to Washington. . . . Nearby Hamilton, Ohio, | the first city in the nation to experience a I complete city-wide blackout due to the coal I strike, found the hearers quick (^o coope; |i The Paramount, Palace and Rialto, unit the Northio Theatre circuit, immediately I discontinued all matinees, except for Satur| days and Sundays, and operated only in the evenings through the week, when light and power ware used to the minimum extent in order to conserve power. . . . Attendance has been adversely affected by the enforced blackout, with police department suggestions for citizens to remain at home after dark. CLEVELAND Weather has been too fine and Christmas shopping too extensive to help theatre attendance, which is reported to be 25 per cent under pre-holiday business for the past two years. Anticipation of lay-offs in this highly industrialized area is a contributing factor, although to date, the lay-offs have not been alarming. Long continued freight em. bargoes, however, will directly affect the local employment situation. Harry Schreiber announces "Song of the South" as his Christmas attraction at the RKO Palace Bob Snyder, Film Classics branch manager, announces first run openings of "The Westerner" at the RKO Palace, Cleveland, December 19, and at Loew's Akron December 17. . . . Bill Shartin, newly appointed Eagle-Lion district sales representative back from a company meeting in New York leaves for Detroit to attend a banquet for Jack Keegan who takes over as a Northio booking manager in Cincinnati. . . . John C. Wein was elected president of Local B-5 IATSE to serve his sixth consecutive term. He will also serve his fifth term as the union's business agent. Harold Raives, Schine district manager, has moved his Belpik Theatre Corp. offices into the Film Bldg. . . . Wade M. Carr, district manager for Manley Popcorn machines, covering Ohio and western Penn., has appointed Warren Miller in charge of the Cincinnati office and Charles V. Byers in charge of the Pittsburgh office. COLUMBUS Christmas shopping, aided by mild weather, is at its peak so box office figures show a slump from the generally high marks registered on the Thanksgiving weekend . . . the dimout isn't helping with many preferring to remain at their firesides these long winter evenings. Feeling the falling-off were "Three Little Girls in Blue," "The Dark Mirror" and second week runs of "Deception" and "Undercurrent" . . . Blackstone's magic show at the Hartman also provided considerable opposition, bringing in many who normally patronize films. Charles Stadtfeldt, recently of the Fox theatre, Indianapolis, has been installed as house manager of the Gayety. . . . The Russell, South Side house, last week ran an allHungarian bill one night only. . . . For the first time in several seasons, the Palace is running a week of stage shows with Claude Thornhill and his orchestra splitting a week with Mickey Roonev. . . . Walter Kessler, Loew's Ohio manager, is recover ing from illness which hospitalized him several days. . . . Joe Sloan has been Ohio relief manager. . . . Neth's Clinton is being given a thorough $10,000 renovation, including reseating, recarpeting, new marquee and repainting . . . managers of Loew's Western division will be guests of Division Manager Allen Sparrow at a Christmas party to be held here next week. PALLAS The opposition attraction of Christmas shopping took its toll in patronage here with downtown grosses slighly below par and suburban attendance below average. The Majestic had a fairly good week because of the Crosby-Astaire film, "Blue Skies" but it was definitely not up to expectations. The Thanksgiving boom didn't last long with "Margie" at the Palace, and it was not held over, the Tower preferring a third week with "Notorious." . . . Francisco de P. Cabera, prominent Mexican film producer, spent a few days here. . . . Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager for Warners, spent two days here holding a sales meeting for the Warner Exchange force. . . . R. J. O'Donnell, chief barker of the Variety Clubs of America, has returned from Los Angeles, where he spent several days here holding a sales meeting for the Warner Exchange force. . . . R. J. O'Donnell, chief barker of the Variety Clubs of America, has returned from Los Angeles, where he spent several days with Charles Skouras, L. A. Variety Club chief barker, planning the national convention to be held there in May. DENVER P. G. Dikeou, wholesale candy and tobacco merchant, buys second site on which he intends building theatre. Location is at 18th and Welton, cost of site $100,000. Other site, bought some time ago, between 16th and 17th, also on Welton. Says he will build both as soon as materials are avialable. . . . Confection Cabinet Co., after serving theatres in various ways with candy for many years, are pulling out of Denver territory with exception of concession at Orpheum. Putting in $4,000 counter there embodying latest in popcorn warmers. Vincent S. Heinlv. Confection district manager, remaining in Denver. Boosting nickel bars to six cents. Christmas parties are the order of the day, with Warners exchange having theirs this week in a dinner dance at the Park Hill Country Club ; RKO is planning theirs for December 19 at the Rocky Mountain Screen Club ; and Metro will hold theirs the afternoon of December 24 at the exchange. . . . Helen Parke, New York Paramount exploitation office, here doing advance work on showing of "Blue Sky" at the Denham. . . . Ray Moore, Altex service engineer, moved to Denver from Pueblo. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Jack Klopper spent a few days here. He is franchise owner for several independent producers. . . . Earl Campbell buys interest of brother, Max, in Trenton, Trenton, Neb. . . . Ben Fish, representing Sam Goldwyn, here on businesss. . . . Paramount exchange to get a complete redecorating job together with some remodeling. . . . Theatre folks from out of town seen on the row included C. E. McLaughlin, Las Animas, Colo. ; Sam Rosenthal, Buffalo, Wyo. ; Marie Goodhand, Kimball, Neb.; Claude Graves, Albuquerque, N. M. ; Tom Knight, Riverton, Wyo.; Mrs. Ray Lounsbury, Monte Vista, Colo.; P. N. Fidel, Espanola, N. M., and Chuck Flower, Bayard, Neb. PES MOINES The stream of freely flowing cash that crossed Des Moines and Polk County ticket windows, night clubs and tavern bars during the war years has slowed down. Commenting that film business has slackened and that night club business has gone into a "tailspin" in recent weeks, about a dozen managers and operators agreed that "the honeymoon is over" as far as spending is concerned. . . . The Lime Springs theatre, Lime Springs, Iowa, opened last weekend with the picture "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes." . . . K. V. Woodward, a veteran of 25 years in the management of motion picture, musical comedy and vaudeville theatres, last week was named city manager for the four Ames, Iowa, theatres, it was announced by Joe V. Gerbrach, general manager of the Ames Theatre Corporation. . . . M..R. Blair, manager of the Regent theatre, Cedar Falls, Iowa, spent several days in Chicago purchasing new sound reproduction equipment for his house. C. E. Hendrickson, owner of the Croft theatre, Bancroft, la., injured his hand while cleaning the machines at his theatre. . . . New Salesman for Screen Guild Productions is Kenneth Robinson. HARTFORP MGM's "Undercurrent," "Paramount's "Two Years Before the Mast," Columbia's "Return of Monte Cristo," and Warners' "Deception" were among the holdovers at Connecticut's film theatres during the past week. Theatres throughout Connecticut are getting set for Christmas and New Year's Eve bookings. Ed Fitzpatrick, manager of Loew's Poli, Waterbury, was a Waterbury hospital patient last week. . . . Charlie Repass, manager of the Crown theatre, Hartford, is noting his 37th year in the industry. ... At request of the pastor of the First Methodist Church, Hartford, Mayor Moylan has requested the Hartford Common Council to postpone action on the proposed change in Sunday hours for Hartford motion picture theatres, until the Council of Churches of Hartford "has opportunity to study the suggestion." (Continued on following page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 14, 1946 47