Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

OMAHA Theatre business is running about average, weather fairly mild. . . . RKO employes will have a recreation room after the remodeling of an old poster room. . . . Vernon Monjar, a GI who formerly had a theatre in the Cincinnati territory, has purchased the Mound at Ocheydan, la., from Raymond Van Gelder. . . . Mayor Charles Leeman reveals that Tri-States Theatres officials have told him they are willing to spend up to $1,000,000 on an amusement park for Omaha. . . . Milt Overman, former Omaha exhibitor, was back in town representing EagleLion. . . . The local baseball situation is arousing interest in the film industry. Pro ball is back this year in the form of a Western League team. PHILADELPHIA The heavy snows of last week hurt the city and neighborhood houses alike and got the week off to a slow start. . . . Three important theatre buys were reported this week in the territory. The Bijou, originally the first vaudeville and the first motion picture theatre in the city, was purchased by the present independent operating company for $139,700, including the theatre building. In Atlantic City, N. J., the Waxman Circuit has taken over the Embassy, and after renovations, will change the name of the theatre to the Shore. And in Middleburg, Pa., H. B. Cover and R. E. Etzler have taken over the Sky, formerly run by G. D. Weiser. . . . Columbia salesman Harry Berman resigned and was replaced by Herman Hirschorn, who left Monogram to take the post. . . . Maxie Bronow resigned as booker at Universal-International to take a sales post with PRC-Eagle-Lion. . . . The Motion Picture Associates membership dinner will be held March 3 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. . . . Charles Gasparon, formerly manager of Warners' Egyptian, has been transferred to the Ritz in Wilmington, Del., and replaced by William Bedell, a rotating manager. . . . Eastern Allied's board of directors will hold an all-day meeting on March 18. . . . Dwight Van Meeter, formerly manager of theatres in Reading and Pottstown, Pa., before entering the Marines, has joined the public relations department of N. W. Ayer, Philadelphia advertising agency. . . . The local Variety Club plans to add a wing to a local hospital after a fund-raising campaign. . . . Andy Mayo, MGM representative, is coming back from the West Coast to join the local theatrical agency of his brother, William de Mayo. . . . KYW, local NBC station, has scheduled a daily program for theatre chatter and news. PITTSBURGH Heavy snow slowed up practically the entire town during the past week, but had little adverse effect on "The Jolson Story," at the J. P. Harris. Although admissions are lower and fewer performances are being shown, the musical is running close to the house record set by "Leave Her to Heaven." One record was established when last Monday's attendance went over the 8,000 customer mark. . . . Mentioning records, "The Razor's Edge," after doing good business downtown, cracked the week's top gross for the Liberty theatre in East Liberty. . . . George Harrison, Harris circuit treasurer, is ailing. . . . Norbert Stern, owner of the drive-in theatre in South Park, and Sam Greenberger, of Cleveland, will build an open-air theatre on Route 7, ju t outside Youngstown, O. . . . Deaths last week included that of A. E. (Tommy ) Andrews, Emporium, Pa., exhibitor and show business veteran of 35 years. . . . Marcia Cohen, of the PRC exchange, is recuperating in Montefiore Hospital after an operation recently performed. SAN FRANCISCO Speculation here waxes hot and heavy re the newly introduced admission tax bill at the California state legislature. The rolling ball of admission taxes which is gathering THE TEETOTALER who was guest of honor — of a cocktail party: William E. Troog, 67, for the past 19 years United Artists' branch manager in Kansas City where, Monday, his friends and associates tendered him a party. Mr. Troog started in films in 1917 as branch manager tor the World Film Company; in 7920 he went to the Goldwyn Company as district manager, in 1924 to Universal in the same capacity and then joined United Artists. Mr. Troog, op to Monday — and we still haven't heard the latest reports — hadn't had a drink. But he always liked to attend cocktail parties, and Kansas City's Film Row decided it was about time for Bill to be the goest of honor. momentum throughout the country is yet to establish itself firmly in California. . . . Local theatremen will endeavor to squash admission tax measures for San Francisco and it is expected the state measure will go down in defeat. When the legislature reconvenes in March, theatremen will face a Daylight Saving bill, together with a host of other menacing taxation and labor problems. . . . Big surprise was the enormous box office click of "Till the Clouds Roll By," which rolled up a fancy gross for the Warfield. . . . Other spots holding their own, especially Tivoli and Esquire, which put forth a strong exploitation job for "Wicked Lady." . . . $20,000 has already been promoted toward the Variety Club, to be located on the second floor of the Tivoli theatre building. . . . Al Dunn, of the Orpheum theatre, has booked a series of 13 Western thrillers in the Red Ryder series to be offered in a season of Saturday morning junior matinees. . . . Dave Crown, San Jose, plans the establishment of a Labor theatre under the auspices of the local labor councils. House will call for a combination 16mm motion picture theatre, plus a little theatre. . . . Harry Ettling, stage manager for the Gate, ill again in the hospital. . . . Vista theatre, Bella Vista, reopened by E. T. Pool. . . . Danville theatre, Danville, made its debut with Lloyd Lamothe and Jack Domingue as ownermanagers. ST. LOUIS "The Jolson Story" leading a terrific pace here, grossing almost as much in the second week at Loew's State as it did in the first week. . . . "Henry V" winding up six-week engagement at Shady Oak, with a reported good gross. . . . Jimmy Gately reelected business agent for Film Exchange Employes Union, Local F-l. Other officers are William Thomas of 20th Century-Fox, vicepresident; Fanny Krause, Loew's, corresponding secretary; Marcella Devinney, Republic, recording secretary, and Margaret Duggan, Monogram, treasurer. . . . Sol Hankin, veteran salesman, has resigned as city salesman for Universal. . . . Eddie Stevens, formerly a booker with Universal, has been named head booker for Eagle-Lion and PRC here. . . . Universal to move into its new exchange here April 1. . . . Mrs. Alda Connors, assistant booker at Warner Brothers, in Deaconess Hospital following serious operation. . . . B. O. Clark of Kirkwood, Mo., has announced plans for a 400-seat theatre to be located in a Quonset-type building. . . . M. L. Bone and J. K. Hardv have opened the Ace theatre at Pineville, Mo. . . . Lou Ratz, former apprentice booker with Paramount, has been named a full-fledged booker with RKO Radio. . . Midwest premiere of "Tke Best Years of Our Lives" scheduled for St. Louis theatre March 23. . . . Screen Guild Productions has moved into new offices which are now located at 3326 Olive street. TORONTO Loew's Uptown in Toronto had a new picture that proved big in "Song of Scheherazade" with a premiere campaign that brought mobs in unfavorable weather. . . . There was only one other new program, a dual topped by "The Verdict," at the Vic (Continued on page 38) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH I, 1947