Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

ALBANY IHHIHHHHHH CHICAGO Dramas held the spotlight on Albany screens as theatres move into the pre-Christmas slump. The Strand presented "Road House" and "Night Wind," while the Palace dualed "The Luck of the Irish" with "Cry of the City." The Ritz played "Live Today for Tomorrow" and a Charlie Chan release, "The Golden Eye." The Grand ^ played "Moonrise" and "Angel in Exile." The Colonial had "The Magic Bow." The Grand played a midnight performance of "Madhouse of Mystery" and "Cat Man of Paris." . . . The Empire, Glens Falls, is now being managed by Donald Sleight, former assistant manager of Schine's Rialto in that city. Schine did not renew its lease on that house. . . . George Reiff is a new salesman at U-I, transferred here from New Haven to succeed John Rubach, resigned. . . . Neil Hellman will build a recreation hall at the Variety-Albany Boys Club summer camp in memory of his father, Harry Hellman. . . . Exhibitors on Film Row : Robert Lockhardt, Corinth; Clarence Dopp, Johnstown; Phil Baroudi, North Creek and Warrensburg ; Walter Wertime, Chestertown; John Gardner, Sidney Dwore, Jack Gross, Isadore Diecher and Julius Perlmutter, Schenectady; Charles Wilson, Troy. . . . Samuel E. Rosenblatt closed the Lake, Lake George, for the winter. . . . The local exchange district has sent almost $8,300 to New York as its gift to the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital campaign. ATLANTA Richard Beck has begun work in Jacksonville on his new Outdoor Twin theatre. It will accommodate 1,700 cars and be ready for opening January 1. . . . Martin Theatres, Columbus, Ga., has announced it will lease its new drive-in in Columbus to Georgia Theatres, Inc., Atlanta. Georgia Theatres has also started work on its drive-in near x\thens. . . . J. C. Powell and Ralph Sims have opened the Park drive-in in Crestview, Fla. . . . The Martin Theatres will start construction of their new open-air theatre in Marietta, Ga. It will cost about $75,000 and accommodate 400 cars. John M. Miller and George Vine have opened a drivein at Jasper, accommodating 500 cars. . . . Film Row visitors : Hap Barnes, Montgomery; John Morfitt, Montgomery; Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Smith, Barnesville ; Mrs. J. M. Lakeman, Haylesville; Mack Jackson, Alexander City; Mr. and Mrs. John Carter, Brookhaven; Mrs. Cleo Shingler, Buena Vista, and Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Weis, Savannah and Macon. . . . Mrs. Dorothy Ford is new at Eagle Lion. . . . R. E. Tatman has taken over the Gem in Baldwin, Fla., from Taylor and Vaugh. ture bill with two reissues, including "Frontier Girl" and "Canyon Passage." The Stanley brought back "Angels with Dirtv Faces." . . . The Baltimore Variety Club, Tent. No. 19, through its chief barker elect for 1949, and Spalding Albert, treasurer, have signed a contract with the Colts football team, through Barker R. C. Embry, president of the Colts for a three-year term, during which time they will play a game each year in the Baltimore Stadium for the benefit of the Police Boys Clubs of Baltimore. Arrangements were made for 250 members of the Boys Clubs to attend the Colts game December 12. . . . Mrs. Helen C. Tingley, chairman of the Maryland Censor Board, scheduled to speak on Christmas customs at two dinners by two organizations. CHARLOTTE Dick Pitts' series, "What's Right With Hollywood," which appeared some time ago , in the Charlotte Observer, of which Pitts is the motion picture editor, has been published in pamphlet form by the Motion Picture Association of America. The Pitts series defends Hollywood against recent criticism. . . . Al Burks has resigned as exploitation manager from Meiselman Theatres. . . . Walter Bond of Bond's Auto drivein at Bennetsville, S. C, is installing individual speakers of his own construction. . . . Otto Dance, operator of the Cego theatre at Gerro Gordo, N. C, has sold his theatre to Jack Goebels of Chadbourn, N. C. . . . Lincoln Whiteville, operator of the theatre at Stanley, N. C, has sold the house. . . . The first annual meeting of the Drive-In Theatre Owners' Association, Inc., of the two Carolinas, was held December 7 at the Selwyn Hotel here. BALTIMORE Seven new pictures offered at eight first runs, starting with cold weather December 9, and fair and moderate over the weekend. "The Mill on the Floss" doing very well at the Little. "No Minor Vices" good at the Century. "Smart Girls Don't Talk," with vaudeville, good at the Hippodrome. "Unfaithfully Yours" fairly good at the New theatre. "Angel of the Amazon" pretty good at the Mayfair. "Let's Live a Little" okay at the Town. "Sons of Adventure," plus "Western Union," fair at the Times and Roslyn. Keith's offered a double fea WHEN AND WHERE January 26-28: Meeting of Motion Picture Asssociation of America executive board and studio officials in Hollywood. January 28-29: Allied States Association board of directors meeting in Washington. January 28-29: Theatre Owners of America officers and directors meeting at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C. The pre-Christmas slump is showing an effect on Loop theatres, with grosses in most cases off from previous weeks. Among holdovers, "Snake Pit," in a fifth week, is very steady. "An Innocent Affair," with Jerry Colonna in person, was only fair with $45,000. "Hamlet" did an okay $19,000 in a second week, while third week of "When My Baby Smiles at Me" was nice with $42,000. "Red River" replaces "A Song Is Born" on the 22nd. Newcomers are "The Girl from Manhattan," with a stage show; "The Decision of Christopher Blake," and "Live Today for Tomorrow." . . . Frank Williams of Warner Theatre Circuit is in the St. Joseph Hospital. ... At the annual election of officers for the local Variety Club, Tent No. 26, Henry Elman was elected chief barker ; Irving Mandel, first assistant ; Nat Nathanson, second assistant ; James Booth, property master; Van Nomikos, sergeant-at-arms ; and Walter Immerman, international canvassman. . . . Arthur Patzlaff, former Warner office manager, has joined 20th-Fox in the same capacity, while Harold Beecroft has been made assistant to Jack Lorentz, 20th-Fox division manager. . . . Herbert Scheftel and Alfred G. Burger, heads of the Telenews theatre circuit, have purchased the new Carlton Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. CINCINNATI The traditional pre-Christmas slump, theatrewise, appears to currently be following the usual pattern, with grosses marked down considerably from previous weeks, with a few isolated exceptions. . . . The Cincinnati Variety Club again will hold its annual Christmas party for some 1,500 orphans who are wards of local institutions. As in previous years, the affair, in charge of Harry Wessel and Nat Kaplan, will be given at the suburban RKO Orpheum theatre, with transportation provided for the guests. . . . The club will hold a New Year's Eve dance. . . . Robert E. Dunville, vice-president of the local Crosley Broadcasting Co., announces that the company's new television station, WLWC, now under construction at Columbus, Ohio, will open around February 1. . . . The new Home theatre, at nearby Harrison, Ohio, was formally opened in late November. . . . Jack Crouthers, for the past several years general manager for Hollywood Productions, at Wilmington, Ohio, has resigned to join the Chakeres Theatres circuit, at Springfield, Ohio. . . . The Altec Service Corporation is occupying new and enlarged quarters in the Keith theatre building in Cincinnati. CLEVELAND Local fans with highly selective tastes will have a field day here when, for the first time in local film history, two screen roadshows will be available. "Hamlet" is now in its seventh week at Loew's Ohio, and "Red Shoes" opens Christmas Day at the Esquire. . . . Dorsey Brown, MGM office manager, this week moved up as salesman, with head booker George Bailey succeeding as office manager. . . . Variety Club's annual Needy Children's Christmas party will be held in the clubrooms December 20. Affair is under general chairman Robert Snyder, Realart {Continued on page 28) 26 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 18, 1948