Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

(Continued from page 34) it is announced, is "an experiment to discover what type of pictures appeal to audiences interested in pictures not normally shown in neighborhood houses." The March of Time is being shown in addition to commercial films. . . . Daniel Grisso, who recently was discharged from military service, has resumed his former position as manager of Chakeres Princess theatre in Springfield, Ohio, succeeding Harry Elliott, who will be given another house in the circuit. CLEVELAND Leonard Mishkind has been appointed Cleveland sales representative for Selznick Releasing Organization. A former Republic sales representative, he will open offices at 530 Film Bldg. Physical distribution and inspection will be handled by L. C. Gross and E. S. Johnson of Central Shipping room. . . . Oscar Kantor has been named president of the Salesmen's Club of Cleveland. Other elected officers are: first vicepresident, Frank Belles, RKO ; second vicepresident, Aaron Wayne, Paramount; secretary, Justin Spiegel, PRC, and treasurer, Edwin R. Bergman, PRC. . . . National Theatre Supply Company will hold the first of a series of district meetings at the Statler Hotel, Cleveland, starting April 25. Product availabilities will be chief discussion topic. . . . Meyer Fine of Associated Circuit, heads the Fenway Hall Corp., which purchased the 12-story, 240-suite Fenway Hall residential hotel for $1,500,000. Jerome M. Friedlander of Benesch, Friedlander and Morris represented the buyer. Fine and associates have also bought the Caxton Bldg., downtown office building. COLUMBUS Local theatres, after several weeks of mediocre box office figures, rebounded to something like old time high grosses with Easter week attractions. The Palace had "The Angel and the Badman," the Ohio featured its single feature showing of the Hope-Lamour starrer, "My Favorite Brunette," the Broad ran a repeat engagement of "Daniel Boone" and the Grand split the week between a moveover run of "Pursued" and a first run of "Trail Street." Manager Carl Rogers at the Broad capitalized on Easter Monday vacation with a two-hour cartoon matinee. . . . Total of 20,700 seats would be added to the downtown area if preliminary plans for two huge new Civic Center structures are realized. . . . Architects revealed in a "preview" of the $4,500,000 Veterans Memorial group that there would be at least three auditoriums— one with 8,100 permanent seats plus 3,000 temporary seats, a music hall with 3,000 capacity and a recital hall seating 800. A proposed Temple of Goodwill, sponsored by Protestant organizations, would include one large auditorium seating 3,000, with two chapels seating nearly 1,000 and large dining halls convertible to entertainment areas. DENVER About 60 attended the annual spring convention of Fox Intermountain Theatres. In attendance were managers and Denver headquarters personnel, including Charles Skouras, president National Theatres: begun at Dension by Leo V. McTague. . . . The Sharon, New Sharon, closed 10 days because of a flu epidemic, has reopened. . . . At a March 24 meeting of the Des Moines Variety Club it was decided that the organization would subsidize a free bed in three local hospitals for one year and that it would send a group of about 50 underprivileged boys to the YMCA summer camp at Boone, Iowa. RAY A. HIODON is now film buyer for Griffith Consolidated Theatres, Inc., with headquarters in Oklahoma City. Mr. Higdon, of Dallas, had been buying tor the circuit for two months before being named officially. He has had a career in distribution, including exchange managership in Oklahoma City for Twentieth Century-Fox, Harry Cox, treasurer, National Theatres ; George Bowser, general manager, Fox West Coast Agency Corp., and Frank H. Ricketson, president, Fox Intermountain Theatres. . . . Maier Theatre Co. buys the Summit, Harrison, Neb., from Joe Stallman. . . . Herman Wobber, division manager, 20th-Fox, in town a few days conferring with James Dugan, local manager. . . . Mamley Popper Company got Film Row headquarters at 2161 Broadway. Arlie Beery in charge. . . . Edward J. Mapel, Gem owner, running for reelection as councilman. . . . Black Hills Amusement Co. redecorating all 10 of their theatres, the contract going to Hart Theatrical Decorating and Display. . . . Two young holdups got $100 from Mrs. Lena Moser, Broadway cashier. . . . Vogue tying in with University of Denver in showing series of unusual films for two days a week for five weeks. Opening was "Grand Illusion" and "In Which We Serve," with demand for tickets so great films ran overtime. DES MOINES Plans for a $150,000 expansion to Raymond Blank Memorial Hospital have been announced by A. H. Blank, president of Tri-States and Central States Theatre Corporations, and Mrs. Blank. The original $300,000 children's hospital was donated by the Blanks in memory of their son, Raymond. . . . The Iowa House has passed a resolution which is designed ultimately to eliminate drinking scenes in films shown in the state. It approved by voice vote, a resolution by C. S. Van Eaton (Rep., Sioux City) which urges the next legislature to pass a law banning drinking scenes in films shown in Iowa the next two years. The resolution has yet to be voted upon in the Senate. . . . The gift-matinee has been revived by Cliff Freeman, owner of the Iris at Riceville. Town merchants are heartily backing the program. . . . The Paton at Paton has been leased by V. E. Gorham. . . . Construction of the new McTague has HARTFORD Installation of newly elected officers of Variety Club of Connecticut, Tent 31, will take place at a dinner on April 14. Officers: chief barker, Barney Pitkin; assistant chief barker, Dr. Jack Fishman; second assistant chief barker, Rudy Frank; dough guy, George Wilkinson; property man, Arthur Greenfield; and canvasmen, John Pavona, Henry Germaine, Carl Goe, Lou Brown, and Harry F. Shaw. . . . Connecticut's Legislative Judiciary Committee, at State Capitol, here, has voted favorably on House Bill 170. Measure sets up statutory daylight saving in Connecticut, starting last Sundav in April, and concluding last Sunday in September each year. KANSAS CITY Bad weather hurt business in the week before Easter. . . . Mark Raymon, with RKO for 15 years and who opened the Eagle-Lion offices here a few months ago, has resigned from E-L. . . . The five midwestern PRC offices are carrying on a "warm-up" drive of their own, preparatory to the opening of the Harry Thomas drive on April 16. . . . Clifford Johnson has reopened his DeLuxe theatre in Bucklin, Kans., after adding 400 seats and installing new equipment. . . . E. H. Munson is remodeling a building in Lakin, Kans., to use as a theatre. . . . The Electric, 1,500-seat downtown theatre, having completed extensive interior improvements, has begun installation of new seats The theatre operates evenings, suspending only matinees. LOS ANGELES Exhibitor concensus along Film Row this week is that business is down from 15 to 20 per cent in the first runs and from 20 to 25 per cent in the subsequents, throughout the area. Explanations vary, some citing quality of product, others the flow of reissues, but few view the immediate future with optimism. . . . Peter Gray has been installed as Paramount booker. . . . Steve Justus, formerly of the Columbia sales staff, is in Cedars of Lebanon Hospital for a checkup. . . . Francis Bateman, Screen Guild Productions sales manager, is in Oklahoma City to conduct a sales conference. . . . Kelly Norwood and his associates, who are building the 900-seat Norwood theatre in La Habra, say the house will be ready for opening on May 15th. ... J. A. Van Gilar, who is building a 320-seat house at Lemon Grove, will call it the New Grove. . . . Selig Pitt has replaced J. Zimmermansky as manager of the Uclan theatre. . . . Sam L. Sosna, of the Sosna theatre, Manhattan, Kans., was in town to visit friends along the Row. ... Bill Cox, of the Forum theatre, Barstow, is laid up for a period, after breaking both ankles. . . . Al Hullman, (Continued on page 38) 3fc MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 12, 1947