Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1952)

(Continued from preceding page) fathered the idea feeling that a competitor’s wares were good for the industry. . . . Twenty-three theatres in Pittsburgli and the suburbs were very successful in simultaneously showing “Boots Malone” and the “Magic Carpet” for a three-day run. ... It marked the second time that the idea had been tried here and it was successful from a box-office standpoint. . . . “My Son John” was shown at special showings to many groups in the Warner screening room and its success was assured when the chairmen of the many women’s clubs film committee placed a stamp of approval on the film. . . . The Warner is bringing back “The River” at regular prices. It previously had a long run in the Art Cinema at advanced prices. . . . This city is in the throes of holdovers. “Viva Zapata” in the Fulton, “With a Song in My Heart” in the Harris, and “Macao” in the Warner all played second weeks. PORTLAND Walter Hoffman, Paramount field man in town for a few days to talk with exhibitors about some top product from his studio. The 20th Century News theatre, operated by Marty Foster and Frank Breal opened to huge crowds the first week. Spot has received loads of letters from citizens thanking the owners for bringing a newsreel house back to town. TV pics are featured. . . . Robinson-Graziano fight was held Wednesday eve in the east and was on the screen here Friday A. M. Keith Petzold, manager of the J. J. Parker Broadway theatre, held the district No. 9 Jr. Rose Festival selections on the stage supplemented by a short vaude show by Ed Cheney and his school of the dance. Oscar Nyberg, congenial manager of the huge Paramount theatre, is loaded with promotion ideas and never misses an opportunity to tie in with something to plug his pics. Evergreen’s Orpheum theatre has had a complete facelifting job. PROVIDENCE The Pike drive-in theatre, on the Hartford Pike, in Johnston, opened for the season. Sam Badamo, former Hope theatre manager, will manage the Pike. . . . A1 Clarke, Majestic manager, arranged a smashing cooperative tie-up with Cladding’s, this city’s finest fashion store, in conjunction with the local screening of “With a Song in My Heart.” Exploitation included a half-page spread in the Proindence Bulletin. . . . Walt Disney’s “Snow White” continues to pack ’em in around this territory. The Hope is the most recent house to present this alwayspopular film. ... In conjunction with the latter screening, John J. Rogers, house manager, and Charles R. Darby, district manager for Lockwood & Gordon, operators of The Hope, have come up with a most unusual promotion. Several French-type telephones have been set up in the lobby, on a counter just high enough for the young fry to reach. When the receiver is lifted from the hook, an attachment turns on a record, and the youngster hears the story and songs from “Snow White.” . . . Charles R. Darby, Lockwood and Gordon district manager, is planning improvements and promotions to step up patronage at The Castle, neighborhood house, recently taken over. SAN FRANCISCO Theatres changing hands are : The Maribel at Weott, formerly owned by Roy Chev erton, now property of Fred Fisher, and the Isleton at Isleton sold to Edgar P. Weiss, Jr., by E. Stefani. . . . Gamble & O’Keefe have changed the name of the Kinema, Eresno, to Rivoli. . . . The Mission drive-in, now operated by National Drive-in Theatres, is enlarging to a ca])acity of 900 cars. An RCA installation. Western Theatrical, is doing the work. James Howell and Barney Warrick, executives of National, were in town during the preliminary work. . . . Western Theatrical will install a Synchro screen at Ken Wright’s Manor in Sacramento. . . . Elmer Hanks, Eox West Coast Theatres, is supervising remodeling of the Crest, Richmond. . . . G. E. Turner, who owns the Sunset, Riverdale, will manage and book for the new Hill’s drive-in, there. . . . Out of the city: L. S. Hamm, president of the California Theatres Association, and Rotus Harvey, president WTO, were in New York for the arbitration meeting April 22; and Roy Cheverton is on an extended trip throughout the East. SEATTLE Charlie Code of Nome, Alaska, was here, booking and buying for his theatre. . . . Lippert Pictures trade screened “Valley of the Eagles,” which will open soon at an Evergreen theatre. . . . Paramount field representative Walter Hoffman, was in Spokane arranging the campaign for “The Greatest Show on Earth.” . . . Police reported that the RKO film exchange offices and the B. E. Shearer Co. offices were broken into but nothing was stolen. . . . Loren Wahl’s mother died in Bellingham Easter week. He is owner of the Grand theatre. . . . On the Row were Edwin Suchoski, Grand theatre, Ferndale; Miriam Goodrich of the Vista theatre in Emerson ; the Stalcup brothers, Community theatre, Tacoma, and Hazel O’Connell of the Diamond theatre. Black Diamond. . . . “The African Queen” opened at the Orpheum and by the looks of the box office receipts, it will stay for many weeks. . . . With the announcement that the television freeze has been lifted, four radio stations applied for licenses. ST. LOUIS A1 Schwartz of Rolla, Mo., has announced plans for construction of a 300-car drive-in theatre in Rolla. . . . The Lyn theatre, 1,800 seats, re-opened under the management of Harold Koplar who owns the building and several of the large hotels in St. Louis. Policy is to be “art” type with prices of 78 cents and 90 cents. . . . Easter Sunday church services were held by the Christian Endeavor Union of St. Louis in the Shenandoah theatre, a unit of the St. Louis Amusement Co. circuit. . . . George Jessel, author and motion picture producer, was to be the guest of honor and principal speaker at a dinner launching the 1952 Jewish Welfare Campaign in this city to raise $2,500,000 at the Chase Hotel. . . . Dave Arthur, head booker for Eanchon and Marco, St. Louis Amusement Co. in Chicago on business. . . . Harry Haas, Paramount manager, off to Earmington. Mo. TORONTO Martin Simpson of the Downtown is spending a week in New York. . . . Nat Taylor, president. Twentieth Century Theatres, Limited, has returned to the city after a vacation in Florida. . . . Murray Briskin, New York, has been appointed assistant to the president of Audio Pictures, Ltd., and Film Laboratories of Canada, Ltd. President Arthur Gottlieb in making the announcement indicated expansion of Audio interests necessitated the move. . . . Abe Case of Columbia was elected president of the Toronto Film Board of Trade, succeeding 1. Coval of Warner Bros. Russ Simpson of Paramount Film Service was elected vice-president. . . . Mike King who is to be manager of the Village, Toronto, looking after things for Mark Hirsch, Eglington, Toronto, while the latter visits in the south. Malcolm McCammon of the Bloor overseeing the Village in the interim. . . . Jack Shaw, Bloor, member of the 25 Year Club of Eamous Players, died following a coronary thrombosis. He had been in the business for some 30 years. . . . Harry Dunk, assistant manager, Odeon, Peterborough, has been named manager of the Trent, Trenton, Out. . . . D. P. Saevage has been appointed manager of the Capitol, Listowel, Ont., by owner H. C. D. Main. VANCOUVER Eamous Players staged another extensive and effective promotional drive in their B. C. houses for gift books of admission tickets for the Easter Season. Sales were reported brisk. . . . The following managerial changes in the Vancouver area for Eamous Players were announced by Erank Gow, district manager : Barry Ereeman, former assistant at the Capitol, promoted to manager of the Kitsilano Vancouver, replacing Walter Hopp, who moves to the Starlite drive-in at Nanaimo, Vancouver Island. Edward Sturn, former doorman, succeeds Mr. Ereeman at the Capitol as assistant to manager Charles Doctor. . . . The 450-seat Roxy theatre, dark for the past five months, has reopened under the new management of Ernest Fairleigh. . . . Robert Joiner, youngest son of Maynard Joiner, EPCC supervisor, was married to Joyce Kennedy. . . . Mickey Goldin, president of Canadian Picture Pioneers, and manager of the Studio theatre, was in Seattle on a business trip. . . . The Easter holiday week-end boosted grosses in local houses. “With a Song In My Heart” is doing smash business at the Orpheum. . . . Moira Shearer, British ballet dancer and star of “Red Shoes” and “Tales of Hoffman,” is spending a holiday with her husband at Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island. WASHINGTON C. Glenn Norris, Twentieth Century-Fox Atlantic Division manager, will be one of the nine division sales managers to be honored during the week of May 11-17. . . . Milton Schneiderman, Universal, is now with the U-I office in Japan. ... On the sick list: Sam Bendheim, Jr., vice-president of Neighborhood Theatres, Inc., Richmond, Va. ; Fred Klein, K-W Theatres, Chestertown, Md.; Ben Young, husband of Twentieth Century-Fox booker Sara S. Young. . . . Fred Rippingale, MGM salesman, after more than 20 years in the film business, has resigned. . . . Myron Mills, vice-president of Equity Eilm Exchanges, spent his vacation in Bermuda. . . . The Variety Club of Washington will have an additional 5yi-ton airconditioning unit installed in the club rooms. . . . K-B’s Ontario theatre will play three first-run top product : Paramount’s “My Son John,” “Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick” and “Something to Live For.” 40 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 26. 1952