Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

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(Continued from preceding page) a month's supply of fruit cocktail, one case of canned meats, and a supply of crackers and cookies. . . . Joanna Barton, daughter of Lewis R. Barton, owner of the Lewis R. Barton Theatres, Inc., a chain in Oklahoma, is in Las Vegas, Nevada, making a film to be shown on the television screen. . . . Among building permits issued in October was one for the Strand theatre at Camden, Ark., to remodel. OMAHA William Miskell, Tri-States Theatres district manager, was appointed by Mayor Cunningham and unanimously approved by the City Council as their representative on the three-member Omaha Police Civil Service Commission. Mr. Miskell, an amateur police work enthusiast, is a friend of the Mayor and worked for him in the campaign. He often rides with police in their cruiser cars as chairman of the Law Enforcement Committee of the Omaha Safety council. . . . E. G. Gannon was to open the new Sky Theatre at Schuyler, Neb., November 11. It replaces the old Avalon. . . . Horace Heidt's $20,179 for one evening at Ak-Sar-Ben was the third highest gate in Omaha history. Top was Enrico Caruso with $24,000, years ago. PHILADELPHIA The first-run Fox theatre marked its 25th anniversary with a sneak preview of "When My Baby Smiles at Me," along with a 200pound cake in the lobby, cutting pieces for the customers as long as it lasted. . . . Richard Laning, coining here from Cleveland, is Jack Goldman's new assistant manager at Warners' Center. . . . Earle W. Sweigert, resuming his post as district manager over the Philadelphia and Washington, D. C, area for Paramount, a post he left open three years ago when he became mideastern division manager, moves his office back to Philadelphia. As chairman of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital Drive, Mr. Sweigert announced that a total of $37,000 has been collected already, and it is expected that the net total will reach $40,000 by the end of the campaign late this month. PITTSBURGH Warner Brothers have opened a new modernistic house in suburban Dormont, seating 1,500, and under the managerial guidance of the veteran theatre man, Harry Koch. The premiere, with "Rope" on the screen was attended by civic officials, and M. A. Silver, zone manager for Warners. . . . With excellent weather continuing, a couple of newcomers got away to a good start this week. "Red River" grossed a little better than $23,500 in Loew's Penn, and "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands," in the much smaller J. P. Harris, brought $14,500 into the box office. Both were held for a second week. . . . Marty Burnett, who served as manager of the Penn prior to his promotion by Loew's, was here for the premiere of "Hamlet" at the Ritz. The British classic got off to a good start at road prices. . . . Ken Grimes, manager of the Warner at Erie, has been recalled by the Army at his former lieutenant-colonel status. He has been replaced by Bob Bowman of nearby Oil City. . . . "Johnny Belinda" surprised patrons by staying four weeks in the down 30 town district. . . . "Die Fledermaus" opened in the Art Cinema, but the critics didn't like the German-made film, because mostly all of its charming Johann Strauss melodies have been eliminated. SAN FRANCISCO Now that the Portola Festival and the national elections, with their radio speeches and political meetings, are over, theatre business is normalizing itself. . . . Exhibitors anticipate a solid box-office week with a strong list of pictures on Market Street. . . . San Francisco theatre owners are still holding meetings with the Janitors' Union on wage and hour disputes. . . . Acting as mediator is the local Employers Council. . . . Mel Hulling leaves for Los Angeles to attend a Monogram franchise holders' caucus. . . . The new offices of North Coast and Prin-Cor United in the Golden Gate Theatre building are currently being decorated. . . . Cliff .Geisseman, district manager, has installed a teletype machine with direct wires to the Los Angeles office. SAN ANTONIO Seen along Congress Avenue in Austin Saturday were Lester Ketner, Douglas Largen and Katherine Meredith Largen of the Alamo City. . . . San Antone show bills : "An Innocent Affair" played the Aztec ; "A Song Is Born" showed at the Majestic; "Four Faces West" and "Give My Regards to Broadway" split the week at the Texas, and "So Well Remembered" went into the Josephine theatre. . . . The Empire revived "Tobacco Road" and "Blood and Sand" by popular demand. . . . Dutch Willard, who was at the Varsity, Austin, has been made assistant to manager Mary Grimes at the Prince, a southern theatre. SEATTLE "Apartment for Peggy," in its fourth week at the Blue Mouse, was the city's big boxoffice draw. "One Touch of Venus," in its third week at the Music Box, and "Julia Misbehaves," in week number two at the Fifth Avenue, led the other holdovers. . . . N. P. Jacobs, of San Francisco, purchased the interest of Harry Price in Favorite Films of California, Inc. Mr. Price has retired from the company, according to the announcement made by Jack Kloepper, Northwest district manager. . . . L. L. Barnett announced that the new Grayland, Wash., theatre will be formally opened November 12. . . . John Danz has returned from New York. ST. LOUIS A $450,000 anti-trust suit has been filed against the Frisina Amusement Company, Springfield, 111., and the eight major distributors by Louis Sosna, Moberly, Mo. The petition alleged violations of the Sherman and Clayton act during the plaintiff's operation of the Sosna theatre in Mexico, Mo. . . . Any St. Louisan who guessed the exact weight of a Texas steer which was trundled around the city, and wrote a letter beginning " 'Red River' is a great picture because. ..." won the steer. The tie-in was arranged by Loew's State and the Will Docter Meat Company and, with current meat prices what they are, made the newspaper picture pages. TORONTO In the face of the power-shortage crisis, with its numerous blackouts for the con ( servation of current, "The Best Years of Our Lives" continued for a third week at ■ the Odeon-Toronto theatre on a regularprice scale. Another feature of the week was the opening at normal prices of "Mourning Becomes Electra" at the Famous Players' Tivoli and Eglinton theatres after it had played a sole engagement as a road show in its complete form at Toronto's Roy <■ al Alexandra last season. Loew's theatre played "Julia Misbehaves" for a second week, but holdovers were otherwise scarce, I and a sign of the times was the presentation of double bills at four first-run houses. Best grossers of the week were "Rope" at the Imperial, and "June Bride" at Shea's theatre. VANCOUVER Corkum and Sterling will open the Moody theatre at Port Moody, B. C, in December. The house will seat 324 and operate 4 days weekly. . . . Downtown business was spotty this week. Best showings were made by "Tap Roots" at Vogue, "A Date With : Judy" at Capitol, and the second week of "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" at Strand. "Broken Journey," a British picture, was fair at Plaza. ... A ban on thep further showings of Artkino Russian film, "Diary of a Nazi," has been made by British Columbia censors because not only is the' film "cruel and sadistic," but it is "purely Russian propaganda" and gives the greatest comfort and encouragement to the Communistic organizations," Jack Hughes, chief censor said. The picture played a midnight show at the State theatre here when thei film was seized. It was advertised for a sixday showing, and had previously been shown in Western Canada as a 16 mm film distributed during the war years. . . . Forty features and 57 short subjects were destroyed in an explosion and fire which destroyed three barges on Great Slave Lake in the far north. Films were en route to the ^ Rex and Capitol theatres at Yellowknife Y-T to beat the freezeup, and were the property of four distributors in the Calgary, Alberta, territory. WASHINGTON Business was only fair in most of the downtown houses this week. "Red River', was the only holdover, at regular admission prices. It went into a second week at Loew's Palace. "Hamlet" at the Little and Playhouse, and "Red Shoes" at the National continue their runs. New openings for the, week included: "Sealed Verdict" at thi Warner, "Larceny" at Loew's Capitol, ahcj "Race Street" at RKO Keith's. Loew's Co' lumbia brought back a double feature fofive days starting November 6: "Sahara'* and "Destroyer," and Warner's Metropoli,, tan booked "Johnny Belinda" as a carryove, from the Warner, making the third down town week for the picture. . . . Maurice N Wolf, of Boston, who spoke at the Adver tising Club's luncheon on Tuesday, Novem ber 2, is attached to the public relations deji partment of MGM. He told the Washing) ton advertising men that the motion pictureindustry is the third largest advertiser i the country, with $52,000,000 spent annuall] in the newspapers alone. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 13, 194