Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

{Continued from page 34) first runs. . . . More than 7,000 children, about half of them residents of orphans' homes, attended the six Fox Midwest theatres of Greater Kansas City last Saturday morning for the Greek Orphan Relief benefit performances. LOUISVILLE Louis Hudson has replaced Herb Nadel as manager of the Hill Top, Louisville. The Hill Top is owned by the Hill Top Amusements, Inc. ... In addition to his theatre interests Gilbert May of Corydon has just completed a new store building which has been leased to the A. & P. . . . The Shelbyville Road Drive-In is scheduled to open for the summer season on April 11. The theatre is managed by Floyd Morrow, who will also have charge of the Eighteenth Street Road Drive-in when completed. . . . Recent visitors to Louisville included : G. N. May, Dream, Corydon; Luther Knifley, Art Knifley; William P. McGovern, Ritz, Loogootee; Morris Smith & B. Bennett, New Ace, Taylorsville ; W. Clausen, Bonnieville, Ky. ; R. L. Harned, Empire, Sellersburg; E. L. Ornstein, Ornstein Theatres, Marengo. . . . "13 Rue Madeleine" coupled with "The Pilgrim Lady" after completing a week run at the Rialto, was moved to the Brown for a second week. MEMPHIS First run attendance was off in Memphis during the week. Loew's State, showing "San Quentin,'' showed surprisingly good attendance. Loew's Palace showing "Carnival in Costa Rica"; Malco with "Ladies Man"; Warner with "That Way With Women"; and Ritz with "Home Sweet Homicide,'' reported a slump from previous weeks. . . . Two Missouri exhibitors, Lyle Richmond, Missouri and Richmond, Senath, and Roy Dillard, Dillard, Wardell, were on the Row visiting and booking. . . . John Goodenough, new branch manager, Kay Film Exchange, took over his new duties. . . . Strand theatre is being remodeled for a road show presentation of "The Best Years of Our Lives," beginning April 26. . . . Mrs. Carrington Jones was elected president of the Better Films Council. MIAMI Claughton theatres sent "The Beot Years of Our Lives" to the Pratt General Hospital before it opened at the Royal. Approximately 100 women of the State Federation of Women's Clubs will be on hand at the first show at the Royal. . . . The Colony theatre closed its run of "The Best Years" after its 11th week, the longest run of any theatre in Miami. . . . The Spring Festival is underway in Miami. . . . The Miami Shores theatres opens "Calendar Girl" April 8. . . . The Variety Club was to hold its annual dinner April 1 at the Park Plaza Hotel. MINNEAPOLIS Loop theatres held up well during the week. Vaughn Monroe's orchestra and "Beat the Band" at the RKO Orpheum were tops with "The Razor's Edge" well above average in its first week and "The Best Years of Our Lives" having a big second week. "The Jolson Story'' still running strong in its seventh week at the World. ... V. H. and A. V. Stevens have incor porated the Family Theatres in St. Paul. They owned the Gem and recently bought the 'Bluebird from Ted Mann. . . . Mrs. Christy Obrecht, former northwest theatre operator, died in Minneapolis. . . . Independent operators have agreed not to use first runs from the Orpheum, Radio City and State on double bills. ... A 20 per cent amusement tax to provide a veterans' aid fund was proposed in the Minnesota legislature. . . . Twin Cities independent operators are organizing opposition to "drive-in" theatres. NEW ORLEANS "The Jolson Story" is setting a New Orleans precedent with its sixth downtown week at the Joy. "Razor's Edge" is at Loew's State; "Pursued'' at the Saenger; "California" at the Tudor, and "Cross My Heart" at the Globe. "Johnny O'Clock" is at the Orpheum and Liberty. . . . Joy N. Houck of the Joy theatres has purchased the Star theatre and will turn it into a Negro theatre. . . . The New Orleans Better Films club is organizing three new chapters in its program of showing free films to children and invalids in various institutions in the city. . . . Clare Hilges, formerly branch manager of Film Classics, has been appointed division sales manager for Eagle-Lion. . . . The Dossett brothers, owners of the Star, Hattiesburg, and Petal, Petal, Miss., are building a theatre for colored patrons in Natchez, Miss. . . . Joseph Dicharry has purchased the Camp Plauche theatre and renamed it the Todd. . . . Seen on Film Row : Alex Fontenot and L. V. Guillory, Platte theatre, Ville Platte. OMAHA Box office receipts were weak. . . F. T. Murray, Universal maintenance supervisor, was here to check plans for the new exchange building. . . . New at 20th-Fox are Joyce Ingwerson and Adeline Tovias. . . . Bill Miskell, Tri-States district chief, who is a member of the State Safety Committee, has been named to the executive board. . . . Carl Reese, United Artists salesman, is in a local hospital. . . . Omaha's Variety Club will sponsor Tuesday afternoon children's matinees April 22 and 29 through the terri tory. The club hopes to better the $14,000 raised in 1944 for the Children's Memorial Hospital. This time the money will go for hospital equipment. M. S. Stern is drive chairman. PHILADELPHIA Box office figures at the center-city houses holding up despite the Lenten season, with good weather conditions and lack of competing theatrical factors making for better than average grosses. . . . Moe Verbin will manage the Pix for Samuel Goldwyn during the engagement of "The Best Years of Our Lives" with John Morenz, managing the house for Sam Cummins, remaining as the house manager. At the Arcadia, where the picture will play simultaneously, the house staff goes with the deal for the theatre. . . . A. J. Vanni, district manager for the Warner circuit, critically ill at the Germantown Hospital. . . . Stanley Kospitsky, Columbia salesman, resigned from that company to join PRC-Eagle-Lion in the same capacity. . . . Harry Berman, former Columbia salesman, also joins PRC-Eagle-Lion in a similar capacity. . . . Manny Youngerrnan is a new student salesman at the local RKO branch. . . . Branch managers Charles Zagrans, RKO; William Mansell, Warners; Lou Formata, MGM; and Mort Magill, U. A., all journeyed to Williamsport, Pa., to participate in the anniversary party of Bill Wilson at the Rialto theatre there, celebrating his 25th year in the business. ... I. Hirst, head of Hirst Enterprises, left John Hopkins Hospital and returned to Florida to recuperate from an illness. . . . The subur.ban Lansdale at Lansdale, Pa., closed for repairs. . . . Morris Oppenheimer will reopen the Capitol in Shenandoah, Pa., shortly. The Virginia, Warner theatre in Atlantic City, N. J., reopened for the season with Hilton G. Francis as manager. PITTSBURGH There isn't any question that "The Best Years of Our Lives" will set a box office record here that is sure to stand for many years. The picture already has dwarfed the figures piled up by "The Jolson Story," "Wonder Man," and also "The Razor's [Continued on page 38) THE HIT HOUSE — hit by a 60-mile-an-hour gale, March 24. in Indianapolis. The marquee sank to within five feet of the sidewalk. 36 MOTJON PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 5, 1947