Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

(Continued from page 38) press agent for Interstate and Texas Consolidated theatres here, is the newly ' elected commander of Adkins Lenoir Theatrical Post No. 565 of the American Legion. He succeeds Lynn Krueger, managing director of the Majestic theatre. SAN FRANCISCO Concurrent with a drive on the part of local women's clubs and civic groups to "clean up" motion pictures, this week's Market Street array, offers such product as "California" at the Fox; "Till the Clouds Roll By," entering its third stanza at the Warfield; "Sinbad, the Sailor," at the Gate; "Cross My Heart," at the Paramount. . . . Action on the proposed amusement tax here is still in process of formulation. It is believed that members of the Tax Committee see merit in the theatre contention that such a tax is discriminatory. Nevertheless, the city Recreation Commission and the Coordinating Council in Tracy, California, has suggested an amusement tax to provide funds for recreation. . . . Mayor Stocking advised withholding action until other California cities, imposing such levies, complete their test cases. . . . The annual benefit Campership Show, sponsored by the San Francisco neighborhood theatres and the Parent Teachers Association and Board of Education, is being planned again this year with Irving Levin of San Francisco Theatres, as the general chairman. ... 13 neighborhood theatres will participate in a Kiddie Show, proceeds to go towards sending needy children to summer vacation camps. . . . E. I. Rubin, division manager for Interstate Popcorn Company, has located here. . . . W. C. Dolan announces that his 400-seat Quonset hut theatre in Boulder Creek will be completed soon. . . .The establishment of five new army post theatres was make known by Mike Carney, army motion picture assistant regional director. Theatres are at Camp Stoneman ; Oakland Army Base ; Camp Cook near Santa Maria, and at Two Rock Ranch, on the outskirts of Petaluma. ST LOUIS "The Jolson Story" repeating its success at Loew's State, entering its fourth week with grosses still high. . . . The picture is also doing terrific at Springfield, 111., setting a new record at the Senate there. . . . J. S. Carscallen, who resigned recently as St. Louis city salesman for United Artists, has gone to Charlotte, N. C, replaced here by Chick Scheufler. . . . Fred Wehrenberg confined to his home with a severe cold. . . . Circuit Court here viewed city income tax of one-quarter of one per cent, and there's talk that if city's appeal fails, the five per cent' admission tax, killed last spring, will be revived. . . . Mrs. Bruce Walcher, the "Peggy" of the book "They Were Expendable," has sued Loew's for $400,000 damages. . . . R. E. Allen, Perry, Mo., banker, has purchased the 300-seat Strand theatre at Perry from R. L. Bilbrey. . . . Businessmen at Woodhull, 111., are contemplating construction of a local theatre. TORONTO There was a lively business race by three Toronto first run treatres with new pro grams, with "Sister Kenny" at the Imperial, "The Secret Heart" at Loew's and "The Razor's Edge" at Shea's, and with springlike weather prevailing the grosses were well above average. . . . "Song of Scheherazade" continued a second week at the Uptown theatre and a good traffic pace was maintained while a double topped by "The Verdict" remained six more days at both the Victoria and Englinton. . . . The International Cinema brought out the British film, "Bedlam," after an extended run of "Appassionata," Swedish musical, performances being continuous. ... In Ottawa, a diplomatic stir over the banning of "Les Enfants du Paradis" by the Quebec Government continued when Count Jean de Hauteclocque, French Ambassador to Canada, turned the palatial Embassy into a theatre for the screening of the picture three nights in a row. Ontario's chief censor, O. J. Silverthorne at Toronto, did not seem inclined to approve the film, after its banning in Quebec Province. Agitation by Famous Players and affiliated circuits, Odeon Theatres of Canada and the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario became so pronounced that it begins to look that the return of the amusement tax in Ontario will not be considered by the Provincial Legislature at the current session. . . . Ontario Censor Board graded only five features as "Adult Entertainment" in January. . . . The Canadian Picture Pioneers, in annual session at Toronto, elected a board of directors which immediately named Oscar R. Hanson as the 1947 president, in succession to L. M. Devaney, and Jack Arthur of Famous Players as vice-president, with Ray Lewis, the only woman among 400 members, continuing as secretary-treasurer. . . . The Canadian Parliament was told that the National Film Board had cost the country $7,179,739 since it was organized by John Grierson in 1939. VANCOUVER Theatre business is holding fire here in spite of spring weather and Lent. All downtown spots doing better than average business, "Till the Coluds Roll By" at the Capitol and "California" at the Orpheum led the town. Both held over. . . . Construction of a new theatre by the Canadian Legion at Parksville on Vancouver Island has started. . . . Bill Jones, for the past 19 years British Columbia manager for RKO, will retire March 8. Jones was president of the Vancouver Film Board and also secretary of the Canadian Picture Pioneers here. . . . Jimmy Davie, RKO booker for the past 11 years, was promoted to branch manager for Vancouver. Bill Grant, of PRC, follows Davie as booker and in turn is succeeded at PRC by Dave Isman from Warner's advertising department. . . . Lcrne McCarney, formerly manager of the College theatre, Winnipeg, has been made assistant manager of the downtown Strand, succeeding Jack Fisher. . . . Thomas Ticehurst, cafe owner at Port Coquitlem, B. C, will build a theatre at that railroad town this spring. Harold Warren, who controls three theatres in the Alberni district of Vancouver Island, has sold his radio station, and will build a 900-seater at Port Alberni. . . . Bill Williams, who recently resigned as manager of York, Victoria, is now manager of the Grand at Sudbury, Ontario. . . . Matt Parks has sold his Audien theatre at Wetaskiwin. WASHINGTON Washington theatre business took an upward spurt after the heavy snowstorm of February 20, with the result that "It's a Wonderful Life" was held over for a fourth week at RKO Keith's. "The Jolson Story" was held over for a second week at Warner's Earle. "The Beginning Or the End" was held over for a second week at Loew's Palace. "Beast With Five Fingers" held for a second week at Warner's Metropolitan. New opening for the week was "The Perfect Marriage" at Loew's Capitol. . . . MGM's divisional sales manager, J. J. Maloney, and his assistant, Charles F. Deesen, were visitors at the local exchange where they participated in ceremonies of awarding a ten-year service pin to inspectress Grace Branan and a twenty-year pin to district sales manager John S. Allen. . . . New members of Variety Club Tent No. 11 are H. J. Martin, branch manager, Universal Pictures ; Blaine Short, branch manager, Kay Film Exchange ; Willie Biron, night club proprietor ; , Diosdado M. Yap, radio commentator, editor and publisher; Robert S. Maurer, radio producer and director for Kaufman Advertising Agency; Edward T. Sheyfitz, assistant to the president, Motion Picture Association. Confidential Reports Names Five District Managers The appointment of five district managers of Confidential Reports, Inc., has been announced by Jack H. Levin, vice-president and general manager. The five' executives to represent the home office in the field are : John J. Shine, Atlanta office, covering Charlotte, Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans and Oklahoma City; Frank S. Ingres, Chicago office, covering Des Moines, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha and St. Louis ; Otto Stradley, Cleveland office, covering Buffalo, Detroit, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh; Barry Halbert, Los Angeles office, covering Denver, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle; Arthur W. Davis, Philadelphia office, covering Albany, Boston, New Haven, New York and Washington. 40 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 8, 1947