Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

(.Continued from page 32) er of Dakota County, Neb., after serving in that office 20 years. He will remain in the theatre business. . . . Victor Schultz and Dale Juergens have bought the Molo at Moulton from Mr. and Mrs. Clay D. Smith. . . . Objections to the showing of "The Outlaw" in the Mars theatre, LaPorte, have been received by the management. . . . Response to the March of Dimes campaign by Iowa theatres has been reported as exceptionally good. . . . New seats have been installed in the Cozy theatre, Bellevue. HARTFORD Columbia's "Jolson Story" went into an eighth week at the E. M. Loew's in Hartford to continue to lead the holdover parade in Connecticut's capital city. The film, in its seventh week, broke all attendance records for the theatre's 17-year history. Other holdovers: "Song of the South," second week, at Loew's Poli-Globe, Bridgeport, and Loew's Poli-Bijou, New Haven; "Humoresque," second week, Warner Strand, Hartford; "Wicked Lady," second week, Warner Regal, Hartford, and "Nocturne," second week, Loew's Poli-Palace Hartford. . . . Warners' "Nora Prentiss" opened day and date last week at the Warner and Merritt, Bridgeport; the Roger Sherman, New Haven, and the Garde, New London. . . . PRC's New Haven exchange has moved into new quarters on the fourth floor of the Kilfeather Building on Meadow Street in New Haven. Space was formerly location of Warner exchange. Warner has a new building in New Haven now. . . . At Hartford, Stratford Theatre, Inc., Stratford, Conn., has filed a Certificate of Organization, listing amount paid in cash, $2,000; amount paid in property, $28,000; number of shares, 300 par $100; officers, president-treasurer, Albert M. Pickus; secretary, Lelia E. Pickus. INDIANAPOLIS The toast of film business here is "The Jolson Story," which clicked to the tune of $13,000 in its third week at Loew's and stayed on for a fourth. It is the first picture since the road show of "Gone With the Wind" to get that much time there. "The Time, the Place and the Girl" also did well, grossing $15,000 at the Indiana. . . . Burglars knocked the combination off the safe at the Strand and escape with $1,057. Manager Clarence Morland discovered the theft when he opened the house Monday. . . . Hudson Enterprises is remodeling the Princess at Kendallville, Ind., for an early opening. . . . The Associated Theatre Owners board of directors will meet at the Antlers, Indianapolis, Tuesday, March 4. . . . D. S. McLeod, MGM office manager, was given a pin and a party in honor of his 20th anniversary with the company Monday. . . . The Talbott was to be closed to the public Tuesday night for a trade showing of "The Yearling." KANSAS CITY A feature of motion picture exhibition in Kansas City is the prominence now being caught by subsequent run houses that are showing pictures in the "special" field. The reissue of "Rebecca" has been shown for a week at the Southtown, then for a week at the Baltis. -Fox Midwest circuit is showing "Blithe Spirit" at the Apollo, a midtown theatre, and at the same time the picture is the bill at the circuit's neighborhood theatre, the Circus. "Open City" is in its fifth week at the Kimo, a Dickinson theatre, which then will show "Brief Encounter." Newspaper space comparable with that used by first runs is employed for advertising. . . . Tom Edwards, formerly president of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Association, will move his home shortly from Eldon to Farmington, Mo., where the headquarters of the Edwards & Harris circuit are. He and Harold Harris now operate this circuit. Edward's son, Tom Edwards, Jr., now in Missouri State University, will operate the Ozark at Eldon, starting some time after his graduation. . . . Sam Sosna, for many years operating the Sosna theatre a Manhattan, Kas., has turned over his theatre to a circuit and with his family has moved to San Diego. His brother, Louis Sosna, .operates the Sosna at Moberly, Mo. ... Si Meek, operating the Anne at Maysville, Mo., took office January 1 as county clerk of DeKalb county. DR. JOHN NELSON. American Cancer Society, receives $90,000 from Arvid Kantor, retiring chief barker of the Detroit Variety Club. The occasion was the annual inaugural dinner, honoring in this instance the new chief barker, Arthur Robinson. MEMPHIS Better than average attendance reported by first runs. Warner boasts a new attendance record was set for the picture, "The Man I Love," just closed after two weeks, and just as good a start with "Bedelia." Palace announced a "sneak preview" but not the name of the picture and had a packed house. Two days later the picture, "Lady in the Lake," had a grand opening and continued steady. State reported good business with "13 Rue Madeleine." Ritz reported "Meet John Doe" was packing them in, and Malco said "Her Sister's Secret" was doing just fair. . . . David Flexer, head of Flexer Theatres, Inc., operating a circuit of 10 theatres, plans to enlarge his circuit. . . . Shelby County has introduced a bill in the State Legislature to extend Memphis film censorship into the county outside the city. . . . Fred Ford, for 13 years identified with the theatre in Memphis, has been transferred to Milwaukee by RKO. . . . W. L. Landers has closed the Landers at Batesville, Ark., for a complete remodeling. . . . Lyrin Dunn, branch manager, Kay Film Exchange, is no longer with the company. . . . R. B. Cox, owner of Eureka, Batesville, Miss., plans to install a glass-fronted, sourid-proof, "cry room" where mothers may take crying children and still watch the show. . . . Ike, Harry and Dave Katz, Atlanta, Kay Film Exchange, visited Memphis. MIAMI Mr. and Mrs. Barney Balaban celebrated their eighteenth wedding anniversary at the Brook Club February 22. . . . The world premiere of "The Sin of Harold Diddlebock" made a hit with the crowds which saw it February 18. . . . J. Victor Wilson, past manager of the Paramount theatre in Palm Beach, is now manager of the Variety theatre, Calughton circuit, Miami Beach. . . . Harold Russell, the film star who portrayed the wounded soldier in "The Best Years of Our Lives" was to launch the "kick-off" drive for the Red Cross in Miami Tuesday. . . . Carroll Lowry is the new assistant manager at the Rex theatre. OKLAHOMA CITY Griffith circuit board of directors held a meeting last week and reelected L. C. Griffith as president, Henry S. Griffing as executive vice-president, and Harry Lowenstein, Ardmore, as vice-president. This is the first time there has been a vice-president. All of the other board members were reelected. . . . "Song of the South" did top business at the State here for three weeks and is now doing holdover in Tulsa. . . . Work is being rushed to complete two drivein theatres, both just outside of Oklahoma City, being erected by separate companies. Schedules call for first screenings by April 15. . . . Suburban business has been picking up somewhat after a slight drop due to some rough winter weather. . . . M. W. Osborne, 20th-Fox branch manager, completely recovered from recent operation, back from New York. . . . Kiddy Cartoon Hours are being used successfully now by some neighborhood theatres. . . . Morris Loewenstein served as chairman of the theatre division in the American Brotherhood movement here. (Continued on page 36) 34 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH I, 1947