Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

ALBANY The Palace booked "The Beginning or the End" which had unusual local appeal because prominently shown in the picture is Major General Thomas F. Farrell of Albany, deputy chief of the Manhattan Project. The Strand played "Magnificent Doll" and "Michigan Kid". The Grand returned to a holdover policy with "It's a Wonderful Life". The Ritz ran two first run features, "Temptation" and "The Devil's Playground". . . . The Colonial has a new manager, Horace Robinson, formerly managing theatres in Philadelphia and New Jersey. . . . Doormen, ushers, cashiers, janitors and other organized theatre workers are expected to ask for a general moderate pay increase soon. . . . Malcolm Atterbury will remodel the Capitol as a legitimate stage house. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Louis R. Golding visited Albany for the Charles A. Smakwitz testimonial dinner given by the Variety Club. He is general manager for Fabian of the Wilmer and Vincent theatres in Pennsylvania and Virginia. . . . The Variety Club honored Bucky Harris, now RKO exploiteer in New Haven, at a dinner Monday night. ATLANTA M. C. Moore, Riverside theatre, Jacksonville, Florida; Lukie Stein and Carl Floyd, Stein and Floyd theatre circuit, Fla., were visitors in the city. . . . Jimmy Hobbs, formerly with Universal Pictures in Charlotte and Oklahoma City, has been appointed local branch manager of Republic Pictures, replacing Sid Reams who resigned last week. . . . Patsy Maher appointed as head of the accounting department of Film Classic. . . . Ellis Rose, Parrish, Ala., will open his new theatre in Oklaman, Ala., just as soon as permission is granted by CPA. . . . R. P. Higginbotham has closed his theatre in Lincoln, Ala., for a few months. . . . G. A. Johnson, Center, Ala., has opened his new 800-seat house there. . . . WBGE, Atlanta's newest radio station, went on the air March 1. Mike Benton is president and Maurice Coleman is general manager. "The Jolson Story" has opened its 11th week at the Rialto and with weather good, business in all theatres is good. ... A strongly-worded resolution against Sunday shows, recently begun in Calhoun, Ga., has asked the American Legion, which is sponsoring the shows, and the City Council to reconsider and halt the Sunday showings. . . . Allen Cowart is the new manager of the New Houston theatre in Dothan, Ala. . . . The funeral service of Adolph Mandell, 61 years old, treasurer of the St. John's theatre, was held in Jacksonville, Florida. BALTIMORE Box offices back to normal for week of March 6. Keith's held "California" for third week. Stanley had big second week opening with "Nora Prentiss" and Town did fine on second week opening with "Sinbad the Sailor." Century had a big special premiere opening Wednesday night for "Beginning or the End." New theatre opened with "Boomerang." Hippodrome did well with opening of "Dead Reckoning" ; Little went into second week with "Brief Encounter." Mayfair opened well with "Calen dar Girl." Times and Roslyn had good opening with "Flight to Nowhere," plus "Abbott and Costello in Hollywood." Valencia brought back "King Kong." . . . Daylight saving for Baltimore county approved by House at Annapolis, Md. . . . Arthur B. Price, head of the Price Amusement Enterprises, including Aurora theatre, returned from Florida to file his name in Democratic primary for President of City Council, then returned to Florida. . . . Gene Duncan has become assistant to Charles McCleary at Loew's Parkway. . . . About 105 ladies, including wives of members and friends, attended luncheon at Variety Club March 1. . . . F. C. Schanberger, Jr., chief barker, Baltimore Variety, is recovering at Bon Secours Hospital. BOSTON John McConville, manager of the Watertown Square theatre in a suburb of Boston has been winning much attention in local newspapers for unusually clever promotion WHEN AND WHERE March 20: Balaban & Katz "alumni" luncheon in honor of William Hollander, in Hollywood, Calif. March 25-26: Rocky Mountain area exhibitors meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, to discuss affiliation with national Allied. March 26: Motion Picture Association of America annual meeting in New York. April 21: Independent Exhibitors of Rhode Island, affiliated with Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England, testimonial dinner to Edward M. Fay, circuit executive, at the Sheraton Biltmore Hotel, Providence, R. I. April 23: Associated Motion Picture Advertisers' 30th anniversary salute to industry leaders, Hotel Astor, New York. May 13-17: Eleventh annual Variety Club International convention in Los Angeles. July 13-16 — Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio annual convention at the Dashler Wallick Hotel, Columbus, Ohio. stunts. . . . Cort Hincken has been named general manager and executive secretary of the Franklin Fair Association, Franklin, Mass. He is one of the veteran theatre men of the East. . . . Plans are taking shape for the testimonial dinner to be tendered Ed Fay, Providence veteran exhibitor, May 5 at the Sheraton-Biltmore hotel in Providence. This dinner is being given to celebrate Fay's golden anniversary. . . . UA has moved into its new office building. A housewarming party is being planned for exhibitors and friends as soon as the furniture arrives. CHARLOTTE Glen Allvine of the Motion Picture Association was in Charlotte last week and while here called a meeting of all branch managers, booking service owners and circuit owners to discuss shows for children. Mr. Allvine stated that there are too many theatres running the wrong type of features for children on the weekends. Roxy Brannon, branch manager of RKO, was appointed to report to MPA each month all features used in "kiddie" shows in this area. . . . Jack Sims, manager of the Midway theatre, at Midway Park, N. C, has resigned. . . . The Manor, newest theatre for Charlotte, will open between April 6 and April 20. . . . H. B. Meiselman will operate it. . . . Among theatre men seen on Charlotte Film Row last weekend: Sam Bogo, Batesburg, S. C. ; Bill Webb, Shelby and Kings Mountain, N. C. ; Jay Workman, Woodruff, S. C. ; Johnnie Kime, Roseboro, N. C. ; W. O. Dickens and Mrs. Dickens of Nashville, N. C. ; Carey Caudell, Wallace, N. C. ; Tom Gibson of Laurinburg-, N. C. ; Kit McGowan, Spring Hope, N. C. . . . The Badin theatre at Badin, N. C, is closing March 29. . . . Roosevelt theatre opened March 8 at Kinston, N. C. . . . McSwain Brothers are opening the Rose theatre at Hamlet, N. C. . . . Irving Beck of the MGM office in Milwaukee has been sent to Charlotte to work in MGM's booking department. CHICAGO Despite the Lenten season, business is holding up steadily at the loop boxoffices. The top grossers are all holdovers. They are : "The Best Years of Our Lives," "The Jolson Story," and "The Yearling." . . . Jules Levey, United Artists producer, here during the regional sales conclave, said that because of increasing Hollywood costs, he planned to make one of his next films in New York City. Levey also disclosed he . may make a film in Italy this summer. . . . The Chicago Tub Thumpers, Chicago organization of Film Row publicity men, will hold a screening and a buffet dinner at Gamero's Restaurant on March 17. Maury Rotman is chief Tub Thumper. . . . Captain Bill Eddy, director of the B&K television station, WBKB, is conducting a survey among television set owners in the Chicago area to determine their program preference. CINCINNATI A procedure, believed to be without precedent in legal circles involving the picture (Continued on page 39) 34 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 15, 1947