Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

(Continued from preceding page) still draws big grosses. Last week the RKO Palace had a near-record week with the first stage show since early December. But the second week of stage show opened only to fair business. . . . Variety Club, newly revitalized with Harry Schreiber, RKO theatre division manager, as chief barker, has taken over the sponsorship of a boys' camp called Pleasant Valley Camp, near Strongville. . . . I. J. Schmertz, 20th-Fox branch manager, is chairman of the National Distribution Committee in the Cleveland exchange area. Members of his committee are all local branch managers. Exhibitor committee is made up of John D. Kalafat, Milton A. Mooney, Meyer Fine and Martin G. Smith. . . . Remodeled, and renamed, the Liberty (formerly Ohio) theatre, Cambridge, reopened last week under the ownership of Louis J. Velas. . . . Leo T. Jones added the Upper theatre, Upper Sandusky, to his theatre holdings which include the Star, Upper Sandusky ; Star, Deshler ; Carey, Carey ; and Forest, Forest. . . . Louis W. Schine presided at a meeting of managers of Schine Theatres in the Ohio zone held last Thursday at the Statler Hotel. Other home office officials attending were Syd Denceau, Bill Kraemer, Seymour Morris, E. D. Leishman and Gus Lampe. COLUMBUS Business continues somewhat spotty, with "California" doing better than average at the Ohio. "Never Say Goodbye" did fair business at the Palace with "The Return of Monte Cristo" registering fairly well at the Broad. "13 Rue Madeleine," shifted to the Grand for four additional days after a week at the Palace, showed considerable box office pull. . . . Manager Larry Caplane at the Grand has installed the first popcorn stand in downtown first runs. . . . Judiciary committee of the Ohio Senate voted 7 to 2 to postpone indefinitely any action on the Shurtz bill to outlaw charity bingo games. ... A similar measure was defeated by the rules committee two years ago. . . . "Henry V" will play a two-weeks roadshow engagement at $2.50 top at the Hartman starting April 6. . . . Leo and Milton Yassenoff, of the Academy circuit, have turned over the Beechwold theatre on Sunday mornings to a congregation of Lutherans in the neighborhood. . . . Film Deliveries, Inc., received approval of the Office of Temporary Controls for the erection of a new $15,000 terminal here. . . . University theatre will hold open house March 24 and start regular programs the following day. DENVER ver. . . . Chet Bell, Paramount branch manager, to Los Angeles, April 14. PES MOINES Albert C. Dunkel, 62, known to a generation of Iowans in his capacity as Iowa City showman, died in Pasadena, Cal., last week. Dunkel was owner and operator of the Pastime (now the Capitol) theatre in Iowa City for 20 years. . . . The Strand theatre building, Marshalltown, has been sold by the F. L. Meeker estate to the Stevens Realty Co., Des Moines. . . . Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Fisher, Pleasantville, have bought the State at Clarence. . . . The new $40,000 Shelby theatre, Shelby, was opened last week. It was built by the Shelby Legion post. . . . Lake Amusement Co., Minneapolis, has purchased the Lime at Lime Springs. . . . The Garwin at Garwin was sold by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Comfort to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jenner and Dale Johnson of St. Lawrence, S. D. . . . Richard M. Phillips, manager of the Arrow, Cherokee, has resigned to join the public relations staff of Standard Oil. . . . W. J. Newcomb of Williamsburg has announced plans to construct a theatre at Farlville. . . . Norman D. Hundling, Newton Theatre operator, has been reelected president of the Newton Y. M. C. A. . . . Jack Gibson, NSS salesman, has joined the PRC staff. HARTFORD Columbia's "Dead Reckoning" and Paramount's "California" held here for three weeks at the E. M. Loew's and M&P Allyn, respectively. . . . Joe Borenstein, Warner Strand, New Britain, Conn., manager, representing New Britain theatre men, has written a letter to that city's Common Council Salaries and Ordinance Committee, requesting withdrawal of a request from the theatre men for a change in theatre opening hours on Sundays from 2 to 1 P.M. There has been much opposition from New Britain clergymen on the change. In New Haven, recently, approval was given for a change in Sunday theatre opening hours from 2 to 1 P.M. In Hartford there has been no official action on the proposal introduced several months ago into the Common Council that theatres there be allowed to change Sunday opening from 2 to 1 P.M. . . . Hartford visitors : Harry Shaw, Morris Mendelsohn, Loew's-Poli New England Theatres; Harry Green, Alexander Film Co. ; Martin Lewis and Max Zipperman, Continental Circuit, Inc., New York. INDIANAPOLIS A mild flu epidemic has combined with Lent to depress grosses at local first runs. A sub-standard $13,000 for "Humoresque" at the Indiana was the best mark in town last week. "Nocturne'' at the Circle and "The Chase" at Loew's were checked at $10,000 each. ... A film shortage is pinching the neighborhood exhibitors. Oscar Kushner's Hollywood now is playing acts three nights a week. . . . The Indianapolis Photoplay Endorsers is sponsoring a movement for children's matinees as the result of a visit last week from Duke Hickey, of the community relations division of the Motion Picture Association. . . . Officers of the Wawasee Auto Drive-In Theatre, Inc., opening on State Road, include Sol Greenberg of Indianapolis, president; John Ferris of Syracuse, treasurer, George Bryan of Syracuse, vice-president, and Carl Niesse of Indianapolis, secretary and general manager. The theatre will have a 600-car capacity. . . . Visitors on the Row this week included E. L. Ornstein, Marengo; Kenneth Ball, Brownstown; William Pell, Rushville; Bill Passen, Jasonville and William McNabb, Mooresville. KANSAS CITY The "mild form" of influenza, and so-called "ordinary" bad colds, which, as doctors and others describe the recent "wave" of illnesses, have played havoc with theatre business. . . . Neil Houtz, who "grew up" under the tutelage of Eddie Mansfield, city manager in Greater Kansas City for Common (Continued on page 36) Money prizes were won by four in the "Goodwill Contest" (one prize in each district) put on by the Fox Intermountain Theatres. $100 each went to Tom Brennan, city manager, Laramie. Wyo., and Virgil Odell, city manager, Nampa, Idaho; while $50 each was won by Jack Kramer, city manager, Durango, Colo., and John Denman, manager Mayan, Denver. . . . Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., president, Fox Intermountain Theatres, flew to California from Hawaii, where he and Mrs. Ricketson had been vacationing, went to Phoenix, Ariz., to meet his family. . . . Albert L. Kolitz, RKO district manager, back to Cleveland, where he was branch manager, to break in new manager, then to New York before returning to Den AT THE MEETING of the Kansas Missouri Theatres Association regional unit, Dodge City, Kan., March 12: left to right, Ralph Lamed, Jay Pennington, Nick Carter, Homer Strowig, president; Elmer Bills, Earl Jameyson and B. F. Adcock. 34 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 22, 1947