Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

ALBANY The Palace offered "'The Velvet Touch" and "Race Street." The Strand, after two profitable weeks with "Johnny Belinda," changed to "June Bride" and "Disaster." The Ritz made an impressive start with "Kiss the Blood Off My Hands." "Million Dollar Weekend" was the companion film. The Grand presented "Walk a Crooked Mile" and "Sword of the Avenger." The Leland played "The Best Years of Our Lives." . . . The Variety Club crew for 1949 includes the following: Jack Bullwinkle, Columbia ; Nate Dickman, Monogram ; Ed Ruff, Paramount ; Ray Smith, Warners ; Fred Sliter, 20th-Fox; Joe Saperstein, Fabian ; Edward J. Wall, Paramount ; Jerry Atkin, Warner; Leo Rosen, WROW; Sylvan Leff, Realart, and Nate Winig. . . . Myer Schine, head of the Schine circuit, flew to Los Angeles for a conference on the redecoration of the Cocoanut Grove in the Schine Ambassador Hotel. ATLANTA On Film Row buying and booking : O. C. Lam, Rome ; Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, Barnesville ; H. T. Butler, Lakewood and Forest Park; Louis Hutchinson, Austell; Nat Williams, Thomasville ; J. S. Tankersly, Elljay, and C. H. Bishop and P. L. Taylor, Columbus. ... A new drive-in will be built near Blackshear, Ga., by Bill Raulerson, who hopes to open by the latter part of February. . . . Lee Goldsmith, office manager for Universal-International, has been transferred to the Detroit office. . . . The Lam Amusement Co., Rome, has announced its new theatres at La Grange and Rome will open early in the spring. . . . Martha Gunnel has returned to the Kay Exchange after a month's illness. . . . George Bell has returned to his office at Monogram after a spell of illness. . . . R. H. Robinson has reopened his theatre in Jackson, Ga. BALTIMORE Business shows upgrade trend with six new productions at seven first runs. "Julia Misbehaves" big at the Century. "Northwest Stampede," with vaudeville, good at the Hippodrome. "Isn't It Romantic" good at Keith's. "June Bride" very good at the Stanley. "Jungle Patrol" fair at the Mayfair. "Open Secret," with "Mutiny on the Blackhawk," good at the Times and Roslyn. "A Song Is Born" went into a second week at the Town, as did "Road House," at the New theatre. "Henry V" still pulling strong at the Little at advanced prices, in its fourth week. Joseph C. Grant, head of companies operating the Dunbar, Rio and New Nemo, is now located in new offices with his brother at 1632 O'Sullivan Building. CHARLOTTE To provide free screenings for shutins, the Variety Club of Charlotte will sponsor on December 5 the second annual Carol inas all-star college football game at Legion Memorial stadium here. Proceeds from the game will go to the tent's Heart Fund. . . . Sam Schwartz has resigned as booker for MGM and returned to Boston. He is succeeded by Aubrey Dale. . . . The drive-in at Smithfield, N. C, formerly owned by Marsh Funderberg, has been acquired by the En terprises theatre building company. . . . Seen on Film Row : Roy Chapman, Weldon ; A. P. Lassiter, Conway; Howard Anderson, Mullins, and L. Overton, Enfield. . . . The Carolinas Christmas Festival opened Wednesday to run for three days. . . . C. G. Lawnig has taken over as city salesman and office manager for the Kay Film exchange here. . . . Thieves failed in their efforts to get into the cash box of the safe in the Gem theatre, Kannpolis, N. C. They succeeded in opening the safe, but not the box. CHICAGO "The Snake Pit" is doing capacity business at the Garrick, where it is set for an eight-week run. House has eliminated the 65-cent afternoon price, charging 98 cents after 1 p.m. . . . Surprise business was chalked up by "Roadhouse," with Ink Spots and Peter Lorre on the stage, which garnered a smash $62,000. "Johnny Belinda" beat first week's gross, taking a hefty $29,000, and continues for another two weeks. "She" and "Last Days of Pompei" continues with a solid $16,000 for second week. "A Song Is Born" is only fair. Ditto for "Let's Live a Little." "Hamlet" opens with a reserved seat policy at the Apollo November 24. . . . Nomination for new officers and directors for the Variety Club, Tent No. 26, will be held November 23 at the Sheraton Hotel. . . . Paramount held a two-day central division sales meeting at the Drake Monday and Tuesday. . . . Eddie Safir rejoined Republic as a country salesman. . . . M. M. Gottlieb, U-I district manager, is WHEN AND WHERE November 27-December I: Allied States Association annual convention at the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, La. December 6-7: Theatre Owners of Oklahoma annual convention at the Skirvin Hotel, Oklahoma City. December 7: Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Kansas and Missouri membership meeting in Kansas City. January 28-29: Theatre Owners of America officers and directors meeting at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C. home ill. . . . Herb Crane was promoted to manager of the Essaness Southern theatre in Oak Park from assistant manager of the LaMar theatre. . . . The Piccadilly theatre, operated by the Schoenstadt circuit, in playing "Rope" and "Tenth Avenue Angel" on one bill, will permit children to see only the latter film and will add four cartoons Saturdays and Sundays for the kiddies. CINCINNATI Going counter to the current .. trend of diminishing grosses, "Red River" gave Keith's theatre the biggest figure in a longtime on its opening week, registering approximately 150 per cent over the established house average. . . . Allan S. Moritz, Columbia branch manager, was chosen chief barker of the Cincinnati Variety Club, Tent No. 3, at a meeting of the recently elected board of canvassmen. Mr. Moritz, who succeeds Irving Sochin, Universal-International branch manager, held the same post several years ago. Arthur Manheimer was elected first assistant, and Jack Frisch, second assistant chief barkers. Manny Trautenberg was named dough guy, and Saul Greenberg was reelected as property master. . . . Thomas McMahon, booker at the MGM exchange, died suddenly at his home here on November 10 of a heart attack. He was 29. His widow and mother survive. . . . The suburban Imperial theatre, closed for several months for extensive remodeling, has reopened. . . . W. H. Hahn and J. P. Burnette have opened a new drive-in theatre at Bardstown, Ky. . .. . The new Wood theatre, at Durbar, W. Va., is scheduled to open in mid-December under management of Gordon M. Eastwood. . . . Ravenna, Ky., was deprived of its only theatre recently when the new Bell, remodeled from the old Family theatre was destroyed by fire. The house was opened only last June by Walter L. Campbell. . . . The Capitol theatre, in Wheeling, W. Va., recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. CLEVELAND William Levy, who came here two months ago as temporary United Artist branch manager, left this week to return to the foreign field, where most of his industry -career has been spent. He is succeeded by Sidney Cooper, promoted from the Detroit sales field. . . . Arthur Ayres, 50, long the projectionist at the Embassy theatre, died suddenly, leaving his wife and three daughters. ... I. J. Schmertz, chairman; Harry Goldstein and Meyer S. Fine held industry meetings last week in Akron, Youngstpwn, Toledo, Marion and Steubenville, where they got cooperation of the exhibitors in the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital Drive. . . . Lou Averbach, former assistant to Earl Sweigert, Paramount division manager, has been assigned to the Cleveland branch as assistant to district manager Harry H. Goldstein. . . . Al Schwalberg, in charge of Paramount exchange operations, was one of the week's visitors. ... All of the Essicks, of the Essick and Reif circuit — Perc, Ray and Jack, with their wives — will check in at the National Allied New Orleans convention the end of the month. ... Work on the new $250,000 Berea theatre, Berea, Ohio, ninth link in the Essick and Reif circuit, was started this week. Announced (Continued on page 32) 30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 20, 1948