Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

(.Continued from preceding page) films shown here, and put into the J. P. Harris as a replacement for "The Swordsmen," which started out with a swell $12,000 for seven days despite very bad weather. . . . "Road to Rio" in the Stanley, and "Captain from Castile" were held for a second week and also turned in good grosses. . . . Two pictures that fell off badly were "If Winter Comes" and "Sleep, My Love." PORTLAND In spite of the increased downtown admission prices, business has held to normal and above, with holdovers almost the rule. This is due both to continued fine weather and to steadily increasing population in all Pacific Northwest key cities. ... A third big week for "Captain from Castile" at the Orpheum; a third downtown week for "Irish Eyes" at Playhouse; "Secret Life of Walter Mitty" moved to Music Box for third downtown week; a second week for "Swordsman" at Paramount; "Always Together" at Parker's United Artists; "Killer McCoy" at Broadway; "Roosevelt Story" at Gamble's Century, arid a return of "Henry V" at Parker's Guild at roadshow prices. . . . Construction has begun at Baker, Ore., on a new theatre building on the site of the former Orpheum theatre. G. P. Lilley is building and the theatre will be leased to Ted Gamble Theatre Enterprises for equipping and operation. SAN FRANCISCO Completion of a survey on the educational aspects of motion pictures and their influence on young people is reported by Mrs. Ruth B. Hedges, editor of National Parent -Teacher film review sheet. Her survey stressed the need for improvement in theatre programs, with community interest and activity to encourage theatremen. . . . Eddie Baron, theatre owner, remains on the Board of Permit Appeals. He was re-appointed by the new mayor, Elmer Robinson. . . . Hulda McGinn, legislative director for the California Theatres Association, has been appointed by Governor Warren to his Youth Welfare Committee which was to meet in Sacramento this week. . . . Ted Gamble, president of TOA, planed into town for a special meeting of theatremen. Gamble spoke before membership of the California Theatres Association and then immediately left for the East. . . . Blumenfeld Theatre circuit, which acquired the Guild theatre three weeks ago from Robert L. Lippert, has returned the Market Street house to Lippert. Theatre seats 300 and has pursued a policy of reissues of classics. SEATTLE Two fourth-week holdovers led the city's box office parade as "Good News," first MGM film ever to be shown at the Roosevelt, went into its fifth week there, and "It Had to Be You" finished week number four at the Palomar, which announced that this film would be replaced by "Killer McCoy" soon. The roadshow engagement of "Unconquered" prepared to end after three successful weeks, to be replaced by "Relentless." . . . The Music. Hall and Egyptian theatres held Saturday morning birthday parties to augment their showings of "Donald Duck's Birthday Party." All children attending the shows were given candy bars. ... A new film club is being sponsored by the University of Washington. . . . Sterling Theatres has inagurated a new competition for houses in its circuit. ST. LOUIS Something new will be added to exhibitors' interests when Motion Picture Theatre Owners of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois holds its first regional meeting at Hannibal, Mo., January 29. Up for full discussion is an agenda including the subjects of taxes — local, state and federal — road show films, Ascap demands, local checkers, percentage pictures, preferred playing times and selective buying. Fred Wehrenberg, chairman of the TOA executive committee, will attend. ... A holdup man took $125 from the Circle theatre January 24. . . . Personnel changes : Sam Garber is resigning from the Warner sales staff to enter the grocery business. Republic Pictures, according to word here, has officially named John Houlihan to manage its Cleveland, O., office where he has been acting manager. Nat Steinberg will take on Houlihan's old duties as St. Louis manager. . . . George Phillips and Herman Gorelick are leaving Eagle Lion to take over Andy Dietz' interest in Screen Guild Productions of St. Louis, Inc. Dietz will devote his entire time to Cooperative Theatres and his duties as MPTO field man. TORONTO Cold' weather, with the temperature below zero, cut deeply into Toronto first run receipts just when seven theatres were introducing new programs after lengthy holdovers. The margin above average business accordingly was narrow in all such cases. The Imperial had an adult picture in "Nightmare Alley," while Shea's theatre broke out with "Daisy Kenyon" after three weeks of "Road to Rio" and a British feature, "While the Sun Shines," went into the Tivoli and Eglinton after a four-week run of "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer." Loew's theatre held "Green Dolphin Street" for a fourth week, and Loew's Uptown kept "Sleep My Love" for a second week. The Capitol and Victoria had the only double bill, which was topped by "Riff Raff." . . . The Royal Alexandra, playing stage shows mostly, announced the coming two-week engagement of RKO's "Mourning Becomes Electra" at $1.80 top, the highest for any of the film roadshows thus far. . . . President J. J. Fitzgibbons, vice-president R. W. Bolstad, and James R. Nairn, of Famous Players, were in Vancouver, B. C, January 26 for the final of three regional dinners in observance of the fourth birthday of the company's 25 Year Club. . . . Charles Dentelbeck, theatremaintenance supervisor at Famous Players' headoffice; Jack Laver, manager of Famous Players' Alhambra theatre, Toronto, and Howard Elliott, manager of the Odeon Fairlawn, have been hospital cases. VANCOUVER Doug Calladine of the Rex theatre was elected president of Projectionists Local 348, IATSE, succeeding Bert Pollock, resigned. Local B-72, covering British Columbia doormen, cashiers, ushers and cleaning staffs, has been chartered by IATSE. . . . First run theatre business was tops the past week, after the fogs left town. Local patrons went big for "Road to Rio" in its three-week run at Capitol. Receipts were at an all time high at the Capitol's present admission prices. "Red Stallion," at Orpheum, also good, and a revival of "The Great Waltz," at Strand, is playing to capacity and holds over. "Mark of Zorro" and "Drums Along the Mohawk" gave the International Cinema an excellent week's business. "Upturned Glass," at Vogue, on its second week was very good. . . . The Canadian issue of Warners' newsreel is being released in Vancouver in two downtown Famous Player theatres, the International Cinema and Dominion. . . . Vancouver visitors: Dave Griesdorf, president and general manager of International Film Distributors; Harold Warren, Port Alberni ; Myron McLeod, Powell River, and Sherla Bejay, manager of Hymie Singer's Rio theatre at Victoria. WASHINGTON Business was mild, with the only holdovers in town being in the "art" houses. The Little and the Hippodrome both reported fifth week holdovers for "Great Mr. Handel" and "I Know Where I'm Going," respectively. New openings included "Treasure of Sierra Madre," at the Warner; "Slight Case of Murder," at the Metropolitan; "Road to Rio," at the Palace; "Secret Beyond the Door," at the Capitol, and "Out of the Past," at RKO Keith's. Carryover for the week was "Good News," at the Columbia. . . . The K-B Apex theatre booked "Brief Encounter" for a two-day play. . . . The Variety Club's 1948 committees have been meeting to map out plans for the year. Among meetings held have been Wade Pearson's entertainment committee; W. Vincent Lougherty's women's committee; Fred Kogod's welfare committee ; Robert Denton's luncheons, speakers and distinguished guests committee ; and Nathan D. Golden's executive Committee. . . . The Variety Club will hold open house on January 31. . . . The Washington Daily News on January 21 had an entire column on the local Variety Club Tent. n MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 31, 1948