Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1948)

(Continued from opposite page) Lick ; Don Steinkamp, French Lick ; Elmer Hoehn, New Washington; Robert Enoch, Elizabethtown ; E. L. Ornstein, Marengo; James Howe, Carrollton ; Paul Sanders, Campbellsville ; M. H. Sparks, Edmonton; Louis Chowning, New Washington ; Lewis Baker, West Point; Oscar Hopper, Lebanon. . . . Vaughn Monroe's stage show, which played recently at the Louisville Memorial Auditorium, set a new admissions record for two shows. . . . "Henry V" has been booked for a return to the Scoop. . . . "Voice of the Turtle" opened at the Mary Anderson. Loew's brought in "Cass Timberlane." The Rialto had "Magic Town." The Strand showed "So Well Remembered." MEMPHIS A week of warm, clear weather has proven a shot in the arm for the theatre business in Memphis. First run attendance was the best in five weeks. Scores of theatres in the Memphis trade territory reopened after being closed two and three weeks because of the severe weather and bad roads. Midsouth exhibitors came to Memphis to book for the first time in weeks. . . . Good attendance was reported by all Memphis first runs. Loew's State showed "You Were Meant for Me." Loew's Palace had "Cass Timberlane." Malco showed "Relentless." Warner had "My Girl Tisa." Ritz and Strand showed double features. . . . Louise Mask, Bolivar, Tenn., exhibitor, was in Memphis with news that her theatre, the Luez, would open at Bolivar March 3. . . . Other midsouth exhibitors visiting on Film Row: C. W. Tipton, Manila ; Bruce Young, Hayti ; Burris Smith, Pocahontas; H. W. Pickens, Carlisle; N. B. Fair, Somerville ; Mrs. J. C. Noble, Leland; G. H. Goff, Parsons; Roy Cochran, North Little Rock; K. H. Kinney, Hughes; J. K. Jameson, Bald Knob; Gordon Hutchins, Corning; Al J. Denning, Bemis; John Staples, Piggott; J. F. Adams, Coldwater ; J. C. Fisher, Hoxie ; J. W. Wofford, Eupora; R. R. Clemmons, Adamsville; C. H. McAllister, Grand Junction ; and Merle Goodart, Hickory Ridge. MIAMI The Olympia has its anniversary show next week with Connee Boswell on stage. . . . "Dick Tracy's Dilemma" is a first showing at the State. . . . The Paramount's midnight show was "The Voice of the Turtle." "The Paradine Case" is showing at the Cameo at advanced admissions, and "Arch of Triumph" is at the Colony at advanced admissions. . . . The Sheridan, Paramount and Beach theatres are playing "Treasure of Sierra Madre." "The Elephant Boy" has returned to the Embassy and Variety theatres. . . . Hot weather continues, with patrons flocking to downtown theatres. MINNEAPOLIS Business picked up somewhat as the weather warmed up, but none of the Loop theatre offerings could claim standout grosses. "The Senator Was Indiscreet" had a good second week, and "Albuquerque" was strong enough to rate a holdover. . . . Visitors to Minneapolis film exchanges during the week included S. R. Holman, Buffalo, Minn. ; Don Buckley, Redwood Falls ; Tony Paulsen, Amery, Wis. ; A. A. Bulleyment, Ulen, Minn., and Melvin Ehlers, Arlington, Minn. . . . Oscar M. Williams, veteran projectionist at the neighborhood house, died at the age of 67. . . . Roy Secrest, operator of the neighborhood Princess, was turned down in his application for a permit to open a new theatre in the auditorium of an abandoned high school. . . . Mike Guttman, Maco city manager at Aberdeen, has been named South Dakota chairman of the exhibitor committee for National Brotherhood week. NEW ORLEANS John L. Caldwell, owner and manager of the Strand, Farmersville, has completed redecoration of his house. . . . Roland Hoffman, Paramount Richards Theatres, has been on the sick list for several days. . . . The Hut theatre, Marrero, recently destroyed by fire, has been rebuilt and will reopen next week. . . . Film Row visitors: A. L. Randall, Centerville and Woodville; A. L. Royal, Meridian, and Ed Solomon, Columbia and Tylertown. . . . Business' was off during the past week because of Lent. "You Were Meant for Me" was at the Saenger. "Three Daring Daughters" was the Loew's feature. The Joy celebrated its first birthday with a special anniversary show, playing "Fabulous Joe." "Golden Earrings" completed its downtown run at the Globe, while the Tudor showed "The Tender Years." . . . The Liberty theatre, Walnut Grove, has been reopened. OKLAHOMA CITY Ed Carpenter and LeRoy Ramsey, GI operators of a theatre at Will Rogers, veterans' center here, won a 60 per cent rent reduction from the city council last week by showing the business has slowed down. The two operators were granted a contract for the city building on their bid of $125 month ly rental several months ago. . . . Jack L. Warner, Jr., was in the city last week to study the local distribution, scene. ... A new stadium-type theatre has been completed and opened by Fanchon & Marco in Granite City, on the Illinois side of Greater St. Louis. The new house, the City theatre, seats 700. OMAHA "Louisiana" on the screen, and the Hoosier Hot Shots on the stage gave the Orpheum better than $23,000. Box office grosses thawed at all first runs as temperatures here rose from zero to the 60's. . . . Norman Nielsen, RKO office manager, is being upped to salesman. . . . Raymond Johnson, former exhibitor at Republican City, Neb., is new manager of the Island, Grand Island, Neb. . . . Glen Van Wey has reopened the Sun theatre, Gothenburg, Neb., following complete remodeling. . . . The Epstein Circuit announces two new managers here : Dewey Hert, at the Roseland, and Dave Katz, at the Benson. . . . Fox Intermountain has purchased land at Sidney, Neb., for a new theatre. . . . Fred Teller is the new assistant manager at the Orpheum theatre. PHILADELPHIA A break in the weather and a number of new openings gave some lift to the box office at the downtown houses with "Gentleman's Agreement" at the Fox getting off to a big start. ... Si Perlsweig, formerly with U-I, is now selling for Republic. . . . Fred Leopold returned to his post, after a long illness, as manager of Warners' Ambler, with Hilton Francis, who had been filling in, returning to the Arcadia, Wilmington, Del. . . . Edmond Gaziwsky is now operating his 280-seat Community in Morgantown, Pa., two days a week. ... A new marquee has been erected at the Ritz, Croydon, Pa. . . . Merrill Young was elected president of the Motion Picture Operators' Association, Local 661, in Reading, Pa. . . . Dr. H. J. Schad, head of Schad Theatres, Inc., Reading, Pa., was reappointed trustee of the Reading Police Pension Fund. . . . Samuel Frank, owner of the Rivoli in Hammonton, N. J., purchased new projection machinery in time to reopen the theatre for the Sunday matinee following a fire in the projection booth the night before. . . . Oscar Neufeld, Clark Film manager, was discharged from Jewish Hospital. . . . Frank Henry, general manager of the Hildinger Circuit, Trenton, N. J., was a patient in University Hospital here last week. PITTSBURGH "The Bishop's Wife" has set a new record here. Playing to queue lines in the Fulton, it's the first film in almost two decades to gross more on its second week than its first. It opened with $13,500 for seven days and then soared to more than $16,000 for its second week. The management of the Fulton plans to close the house in the summer to (Continued on following page) WHAT EVERY EXHIBITOR KNOWS — GOOD PICTURES ARE ADVERTISED; THE OTHERS ARE SNEAKED OUT MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 28, 1948 31