Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1947)

ALBANY The Palace had 20th Century-Fox's "The Homestretch" for Decoration Day week, with "Back Lash" as second feature. The Strand booked "The Two Mrs. Carrolls," which enjoyed a successful one-night preview, two weeks before, under the auspices of the business and professional group of Hadassah. Warners singled their film, Desie Arnez's Orchestra being the chief short. The Rita played the Loew-Lewin release, "The Private Affairs of • Bel Ami," and "Sarge Goes to College." . . . The Grand is advertising "Duel in the Sun" as a coming attraction. That Fabian house recently played "The Best Years of Our Lives" for two weeks, at $1.20 evening price. . . . Alex Sayles, manager of the Palace, staged a "Bubble Gum Derby" for children on Saturday morning. Prizes amounted to $100. Admission to the Derby, "Homestretch" and cartoons was 25 cents. It was the first morning kiddie show at the Palace in some time. The Strand recently concluded such a series. Stanley Yentes is new office manager and head booker' for 20th Century-Fox, taking the place of Tom Barry, resigned. . . . Lorand De Cri is studying operating policies and techniques at the Metro branch, as part of a course leading to overseas service with MGM. He is the second man assigned to the Albany office for this purpose within the last eight months. Joseph Blair, a John Hopkins graduate and ex-Navy officer, was the first. ATLANTA The following changes have been made in the Womecto circuit at Miami: Gordon Spradley, manager of the Capital; William Coller to the Grove ; Claude Wood, appointed assistant manager at the Capital ; Jack Kernell, relief manager; George West, relief manager for the downtown theatres. . . . Marvin Warren, former house manager Paramount theatre, Montgomery, Ala., has been appointed Wilby-Kincey city manager Elizabeth ton, Tenn. ... A new drive-in theatre will soon be ready in Winter Haven, Fla. ; Waters theatre circuit Birmingham, Ala., will add a new suburban theatre to their string of 17 theatres, to be built by J. C. White and Mrs. Ethel White and under lease to Waters for 15 years and to cost $75,000. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Durmeyer, president of Southern Automatic Candy Company, has returned from a business trip to Florida. . . . R. J. Ingram, Columbia southern district manager, has appointed Gregory Voja office manager in Atlanta. BALTIMORE Long holiday period plus beautiful weather cut into grosses but despite this the average night business held up. Keith's held over "The Egg and I," while the Little held "Ivan the Terrible," and the Mayfair held "Ramrod." Six new pictures were offered at the other first runs including "High Barbaree," good at the Century; "The Corpse Came C.O.D." good at the Hippodrome with George M. Cohen Jr., show unit; "Moss Rose," fairly good at the New theatre ; "The Two Mrs. Carrolls," very well at the Stanley; "Honeymoon," good at the Town and at the Times and Rosyln, "The Brute Man," with "Return of Frank James," fairly well. In New Essex, Md., Cohen Brothers have closed their Alert theatre for remodeling but are keeping their New Essex open. Changes in the I. M. Rappaport circuit of first runs include Cliff Jarrett, assistant at Town resigned, succeeded by Brice Ruark and James Dixon, formerly with Loew's, succeeding Mr. Ruark as assistant to Bert Claster, Hippodrome. Waters Edge Theatre Company formed with E. F. Perotka, president; Mrs. Ila B. Perotka, vice president; Morten Rosen, treasurer and Morris Oletsky, secretary, will build a theatre at Waters Edge, Md., costing about $100,000, to seat 600. . . . Cocktail party given in honor of Henry D. Matcher on his 30th anniversary as manager of Rivoli. . CHARLOTTE A. E. Miller of Lincolnton, N. C, reports work well under way on his new drive-in theatre of 500-car capacity on the MaidenLincolnton. Mr. Miller also states that plans are completed for new theatre buildings at Maiden, Stanley and Cherryville. . . . MGM has eliminated the publicity department of the Charlotte branch, and Al Burke, who has been with MGM for a number of years in this department is not with them any more. The branch office gave him a going-away party last Friday evening. . . . Seen On Charlotte Film Row: Finn Lee of Warsaw, N. C; T. L. Little of Camden, S. C; Hal Justice of Cliffside, N. C. ; Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Anderson of Taber City, N. C. ; Jody Holland of Lyman, S. C, and Harry Cook of Mt. Olive, N. C The Charlotte branch WHEN AND WHERE June 23-25: Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana convention at Lake Wawasee, Ind. June 24-26: Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey annual convention at the Ambassador Hotel, Atlantic City. June 30: Film industry testimonial dinner to Jack Flynn, retiring midwestern sales manager for Loew's, at the Continental Hotel, Chicago. July 13-16: Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio annual convention at the Breakers Hotel, Cedar Point, Ohio. of 20th Century-Fox was host to about 50 theatre owners and executives and their wives May 27 at a party at the Mecklenburg Hotel in Charlotte. The party preceded a special showing of "Miracle of 34th Street" at the Plaza theatre. Hi Holston, manager of the Charlotte branch, was host of the occasion. . . . Union Theatres, Inc., of Charlotte, N. C, was granted a charter. The authorized capital stock is $100,000, subscribed by R. F. Pinson and John Hewitt of Charlotte. The concern will operate the Morris Field theatre of Charlotte and the Waxhaw theatre which is located in Waxhaw, N. C. CHICAGO Business has taken a tumble. A partial explanation may be found in the fact that Chicagoans have seen rain 118 days out of the past 143. "The Best Years of Our Lives," moving into its final days at the Woods, still manages to hold up, but "The Egg and I," which replaced "The Farmer's Daughter" at the Palace and Grand, hasn't drawn as expected. "Duel in the Sun" is at the State-Lake, but playing to only fair-sized audiences, while "Dishonored Lady," at the Oriental, and the Garrick's "Calcutta," are also facing empty seats. However, "The Sea of Grass," a United Artists theatre offering, and "The Two Mrs. Carrolls," playing at the Roosevelt, seem to be holding fairly steady. . . . The J. Arthur Rank challenge to Hollywood, "Stairway to Heaven," is scheduled to open here at the Apollo on June 14. Sam Krimstein, former manager of the Logan theatre for 14 years, is now affiliated with the Irving-Davis Company in an executive capacity. Irving-Davis Co., is one of Chicago's large concessionaire organizations. . . . Irving Mack, president of Filmack Trailer Company, returned from Los Angeles last weekend. ... A Spring Film Festival, sponsored by the Chicago Film Council in collaboration with 20 other organizations of various backgrounds, will be presented here June 2-7. CINCINNATI Irving Sochin, formerly general manager of Theatre Owners Corporation, a buying and booking organization for independent exhibitors, who has been appointed branch manager for Universal-International,, succeeding William J. Carmichael, transferred to the St. Louis exchange. . . . Edward Salzberg, of the Film Classics branch, has been named special sales representative for Selznick Releasing Organization, and has established offices in the Keith Theatre Building. . . . Business in theatres was not only big for the picture houses here during the winter, but legitimate theatres report the biggest season in many years. There were 23 attractions presented during the season, two more than in the preceding year, and, with one or two exceptions, grosses were considerably above the house averages. . . . The Gayety, playing a burlesque and picture policy, has closed the stage attractions for the season, and is showing double features. Morris Zaidens remains as manager. CLEVELAND Significant sign of a drop in business is added effort by exhibitors to bolster attendance by increased advertising and publicity, {Continued on page 34) 30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 7, 1947