Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

I ALBANY The Palace headlined "I've Always Loved You" with "The Return of Monte Cristo." The Strand offered two revivals, "The Sea Hawk" and "The Sea Wolf." The Grand had two first runs: "Ladies' Man" and "Step by Step." The Ritz also had two fresh pictures : "Swell Guy" and "Three on a Ticket." . . . James Frangooles, formerly with the Basil Circuit and Paramount Pictures in Buffalo, is now booker in the Paramount exchange, succeeding Howard Goldstein, now head booker at RKO. Jack Mohan occupies the head booker's slot at Paramount. . . . Harold Royster and Harold Greenberg, district executives for Public Theatres in Poughkeepsie, and Elmer Hollander, PRC, are new members of the Albany Variety Club. . . . Recent snow and wind storms played havoc with film deliveries in communities of the northern and western parts of the Albany exchange district. . . . The Fabian-Hellman drive-ins in the Albany area will reopen the Saturday before Easter. .... The Variety Club gave a $100 check to the head of a family of seven children whose home was destroyed by fire. C. J. Latta, chairman of the Heart Fund, made the presentation at a farewell dinner for Bucky Harris, RKO, being transferred from Albany to New Haven. ATLANTA Don Reid added to Columbia Picture's sales force. . . . James Hobbs recently appointed local branch manager for Republic, replacing Sid Reams, resigned. . . . Steve Nolen, owner of the new Emore theatre, Electic, Ala., here on a buying trip. Also in town: Nat Williams, the south Georgia circuit owner. . . . E. C. White, Addison theatre, Addison, Ala., opened his new 320-seat house March 12. . . . Jack Price, formerly with Paramount in New Orleans, appointed sales manager for Warners in Atlanta. . . . The Birmingham, Birmingham, Ala., has switched from film-vaudeville programs to a straight picture policy. . . . J. T. Titmore has opened his new theatre at Moundville, Ala., to run only three days a week. . . . Knoxville, Tenn., reports Sunday shows, recently instituted, are SRO. . . . Philip Lentz has been transferred from the Grand, Winter Haven, Fla., to the Lyric, Stuart, Fla. . . . "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" will soon open at the Wometco theatre circuit in Miami. . . . C. Baker has disposed of his interests in the Howard and Leach theatres in Lake City and LaFollette, Term., to W. H. Parrott. BALTIMORE Box office totals down for week beginning March 13. Hippodrome held "Dead Reckoning" for second week as did New theatre with "Boomerang." Both pulling fine. Little held "Brief Encounter" and Town held "Sinbad the Sailor" for weeks. Century opened fair with "Love Laughs at Andy Hardy." Keith's had good opening with "Smash Up." Stanley had big opening with "My Favorite Brunette." Roslyn and Times pleased their trade with "Mr. Hex'' and "The Great John L." . . . Town theatre is plugging March 20 opening of "The Best Years of Our Lives," with price range from 90 cents to $1.80. . . . Fred C. Schanberger, Jr., chief barker Baltimore Variety, back from hospital. . . . Check for $5,000 pre sented by Baltimore Variety Club, through L. C. Graman and other members, to Cylburn-Shelter Home for Children. . . . The Met theatre, in Schwaber Circuit, managed by Maurice Freuhlinger, reopened two days earlier than expected, Friday, March 14, after having been entirely remodeled with new seats, new drapes and new carpets. BOSTON Aurella Abramoski, formerly with Warner Brothers, has joined PRC and EagleLion Films. . . . Herbert Lyons has joined the billing department of Warners. . . . Reports are current that a new theatre seating 1,500 will be built soon at Milford. . . . The Tub Thumpers will hold a dinner March 26 at the Hotel Vendome. . . . Lawrence Danforth, manager of the Lisbon Playhouse, Lisbon, Maine, was a visitor to the local exchanges last week. . . . Irving Conn has resigned as manager of the Kenmore theatre to join the Lavery circuit as district manager. George Kraska, formerly with the Fine Arts theatre, has succeeded him. . . . Walter E. Mitchell, who recently retired as president of Independent Exhibitors, Inc., WHEN AND WHERE 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. was presented with a fishing kit by members of the organization. Presentation was made by his successor, Leonard Goldburg. CHARLOTTE "The Strange Woman" held over at the Broadway. "Love Laughs at Andy Hardy" played a week at the Imperial to above average business. . . . The Wilby-Kincey circuit has been outbid recently on a number of pictures offered for auction. The B. & L. Enterprises outbid them for "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim," as did the H. B. Meiselman theatrical interests and Ed Curts, owner and operator of the Ritz in Greenville, S. C. Sold away from W-K was the Goldwyn picture, "The Best Years of Our Lives," bid in by Tom Little for his Charlotte suburban theatre, the Visualite. . . . United Artists now accepting bids in many situations here. CHICAGO John Balaban has been appointed to the Chicago Citizens' Committee of the Greek War Relief Association. Lester Armour is chairman. . . . Mrs. William Hernon reports that the next meeting of the Better Films Council of Chicagoland will take place at the club rooms of the Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs March 28. . . . Eight students of Aurora will discuss "Movies as Seen by the High School Student." . . . Bert Flachis has resigned from Columbia to become a salesman for Monogram. . . . Bob Griffith, manager of the Ken theatre, is conducting a straw poll for Chicago's mayoralty candidates by having patrons "vote" by placing a penny in either of two glasses with the candidate's name on each. Proceeds will be given to the Red Cross. . . . M. J. Leonard, legal counsel for B & K, will take up discussions with the local operators' union regarding discontinuance of matinee showings at two B & K houses, when he returns from his Cuba vacation next week. CINCINNATI Ignoring pro and con testimony of civic and fraternal leaders and prominent clergymen, mostly from Cincinnati, the Senate Judiciary Committee, in Columbus, March 11, killed the anti-bingo bill which would repeal the amendment to the Ohio gambling law legalizing bingo when conducted for religious, charitable or educational purposes. . . . The game, which, under the latest legislative action, will continue as heretofore, is a source of serious theatre competition here, particularly for the neighborhood houses. The "take" here on bingo averaged $10,000,000 during a five-year period. . . . This city had the privilege of comparing Shakespeare on the stage and screen when "Henry V" was shown at the Taft theatre, during which engagement Maurice Evans appeared in person in "Hamlet" at the Cox theatre. . . . Following the "Henry V" showing, the RKO Capitol opened with "The Best Years of Our Lives," giving Cincinnati two roadshow pictures in succession. CLEVELAND Exhibitors here are of the opinion that the lush days of the theatre are a thing of the past. Many are noting a drop in business, but on the other hand, a popular attraction (Continued on following page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 22, 1947 33