Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

ALBANY The Strand held over "My Wild Irish Rose" for a second week, the first time this policy had been adopted in recent months. The musical did smashing business. It also caused a rush on the ticket machines at the Troy theatre in Troy. The Palace played "The Unfinished Dance" and "Merton of the Movies," while the Grand began a two weeks' run of "Unconquered" at road show prices. The De Mille feature will likewise be exhibited at Proctor's in Troy and the State in Schenectady, at advanced prices. The Ritz booked "Heaven Only Knows" and "The Adventures of Don Coyote." The Eagle presented "Open City." . . . Snow and consequent traffic congestion led the police to issue an order banning parking on North Broadway and North Pearl Streets in the vicinity of Film Row. The tieup was described as the worst in the city's history. . . . Harold Sliter is reported to have been given an assignment as zone manager for the Schine Circuit in northern New York. ATLANTA Solicitor General Ed Wohlwender, Jr., of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Court, said he would have to close down "everything that is not a necessity of life" if he halted Sunday shows as requested by the Columbus-Phenix City Ministerial Alliance. W. C Pease, Jr., president of the Consolidated Community Chest, reported that the Sunday shows in Columbus-Phenix City have netted the Chest $6,298.80 for Sunday showing. . . . Al Santo, Conger and Santo film tent show ; Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Smith, Gem theatre, Barnesville, Ga. ; J. R. Johnson, Gay theatre, Greensboro, Fla. ; R. L. Lovvon, Palace, Bowdon, Ga., and L. J. Duncan, Al Dun Amusement Co., West Point, all were visitors in the city. . . . The 36th annual convention of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina, will be held at the Hotel Charlotte, Charlotte, N. C, February 1-3. . . . Gilbert Thornhill has been added to the office force of Wil-Kin Theatre Supply Co. ... In the city for the first time in about 20 years was George Parr, owner of theatres in Lancaster, S. C. . . . R. B. Wilby, president, Wilby-Kincey theatres, had all his managers in for his birthday dinner held at the Piedmont Driving Club, January 8. . . . Changes on Film Row : Merrit Davis, former district manager, Republic Pictures, now local branch manager; Jimmy Hobbs, former branch manager, now sales manager. BALTIMORE Business fair for week beginning January 8, with only two new pictures offered at first runs. "Pirates of Monterey," good at the Century. "High Conquest," plus "Tight Shoes," offered at the Roslyn and Times to very good business. Those held for third week included: "Road to Rio," at Keith's; "Captain from Castile," at New theatre ; "I Know Where I'm Going," at the Little. Those holding for second week included "The Swordsman," with vaudeville, at the Hippodrome; "My Wild Irish Rose," at the Stanley; "Monsieur Verdoux," at the Mayfair ; "Tycoon," at the Town. . . . Baltimore Operators' Union Local 181, AFL, has Louis P. Seiber chairman board of trustees, with Charles J. Grauling and Russell G. Claggett Frederick Mercy PICTURE PIONEER FREDERICK MERCY has had 41 years of running theatres, and thinks it's enough. The Yakima, Washington, circuit owner is retiring from active work and, with his wife, will loaf a while, leaving operation of his properties to his eldest son, Fred, Jr., and two other sons, Edgar and Paul. Mr. Mercy was not always in Yakima. Not always so comfortable. H i s first house, in San Francisco's Washington Street, was opened in 1907, and had as a necessary adjunct a Chinese interpreter. Mr. Mercy sold out shortly and in 1908 tried his luck in Georgetown, near Seattle. There he remained till 1912, when he again sold out, and moved to Yakima. He began there with the Majestic, a 25-foot "store-room show." He doubled its size, remodeled it; it was then the second largest. There occurred then a gradual growth. In 1915, he acquired the Empire; in 1916, the Yakima, and also the Yakima Valley Poster Service; in 1917, the Avenue, and in 1920, he opened the Mercy theatre. He expanded to Walla Walla acquiring the Kaylor-Grand and American. His intimates predict that retirement plans notwithstanding, his enterprises will see him peeking in wistfully, and probably actively from time to time. as members. Samuel Isaacson, president, and Charles J. Grauling are delegates to the Baltimore Federation of Labor. Various committees of the Baltimore Variety Club, Tent No. 19, O. D. Weems, 'chief barker, have seen selected for the ensuing year. Chairmen include : house, William G. Myers and Al Vogelstein ; entertainment, Mark N. Silver; special events, Sam Tabor; finance, W. Spalding Albert; associate membership, J. C. Grant; resident membership, Barry Goldman and F. G. Schmuff ; welfare, Rodney Collier ; publicity, Barry Goldman ; ways and means, F. H. Durkee. BOSTON Business continued good in the Hub despite the bad cold-weather session over the weekend. Best of the holdover business was done by "Captain from Castile" which went into a third week at the Boston. Second at the box office in the holdover sweepstakes was "Road to Rio" at the Metropolitan which went into its second week with good grosses. . . . Word has it that Albert R. Daytz of the Boston sales department , of Warners has joined Affiliated Theatres as an equal .partner to Arthur Howard. Affiliated has added other new staff members to take care of the increased business which has snowed under the present staff. . . . Joe Di Pesa, press representative for Loew's State and Orpheum here, acting as director of public relations for Suffolk County on the March of Dimes Drive again this year. . . . The monthly meeting of Independent Exhibitors, held at the Bradford Hotel January 6 revealed that 71 theatres out of a 75 total had voted in favor of the Myles Plan. CHARLOTTE Erwin Beck, chief booker at Charlotte's MGM branch, has resigned as of February 1 and will go to work for Ed Haley, who operates a circuit of theatres in the two Carolinas. . . . Walter Powell, who has been salesman for Charlotte branch of Twentieth Century-Fox, is now working as salesman for Screen Guild T. A. Little and S. W. Craver, who operate a circuit of theatres, are now building a structure in Charlotte that will house a new supermarket. . . . Miss Alice Young has been added to the Charlotte branch of Columbia. CINCINNATI Announcement was made late last week of the sale of the RKO Orpheum theatre and building to Stanley M. Cooper, local real estate broker. The structure, which houses the 1,200-seat theatre, located in suburban Walnut Hills, was built 30 years ago by the late I. M. Martin. The theatre is under lease to RKO until 1950. The property was owned by the Orpheum Theatre Co., controlled by the sons of the builder. . . . The Majestic theatre, in Georgetown, Ohio, will pass out of existence through the sale by Carrigan Brothers to Charles Febt, who plans to remodel the house into elaborate bowling alleys. . . . The New Oxford theatre in Oxford, Ohio, dark for several months, has reopened, according to announcement by Virgil Hill, manager. "Henry V" is booked into the house this week, . . . William M. Widmer expects to reopen his Pioneer theatre, at Pioneer, Ohio, late this month, upon completion of extensive remodeling. ... A new 400-seat theatre, to cost an estimated $80,000, is being built at Genoa, Ohio, by Herbert Hoaglan, which will be the first theatre in that town. It is scheduled for opening in earl)' spring. CLEVELAND Harold Hendee, RKO research director, was to be guest speaker at the January 15 meeting of the Motion Picture Council of Greater Cleveland meeting in the Higbee Auditorium. . . . Milton Mooney, recently elected Variety Club chief barker, has thrown open the regular monthly meetings of the executive board to the general membership to permit them to voice their ideas on policies. . . . Alan Shaw has been promoted by Screen Guild manager Edwin R. Bergman from head booker to salesman with Mary Drews moving up from assistant booker. . . . Marty Seed has resigned from Eagle Lion to become an associate of Bob Snyder and E. J. Stutz in Realart Pictures. . . . "Captain from Castile" held three weeks at the RKO Palace and "Tycoon" held three weeks at the RKO Allen. . . . Anesto Alles,sio, building contractor in Akron, is report(Continued on opposite page) 30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 17, 1948