Motion Picture Herald (1954)

MILWAUKEE H. Olshan, branch manager of the Columbia exchange, is distributor area chairman for the Will Rogers Memorial Fund. Gordon Hewitt is exhibitor chairman. Mr. Olshan announced at a meeting last week that salesmen have been assigned their territories and the scrolls are out. He also stated that all checks are to be made out to the Will Rogers Memorial Fund and given to him, Mr. Olshan. . . . The Parkway theatre in Madison, operated by Dean Fitzgerald, closed last week. This makes the Strand theatre there, also operated by Dean Fitzgerald, the first run house. . . . Depending upon the courts approval of the sale, the Gran Enterprises will take over the operation of the Century theatre. The theatre closed August 8 and a bankruptcy petition was filed in the Federal court. MINNEAPOLIS Joe Floyd, operator of conventional and drive-in theatres in Sioux Falls, S. D., in association with Eddie Ruben, Minneapolis, president of the Welworth circuit, announced that he, Ruben and Ruben’s sonin-law, Larry Bentson, have dropped plans to build a television station in Rapid City, S. D. Inability to get a radio station outlet in Rapid City was given as their reason. . . . Don Quincer has started preliminary grading work on his drive-in at Wadena, Minn. Eleven miles away at Verndale, Minn., Jimmy Rangaard, operator of the Staples theatre, Staples, is putting up another drive-in. . . . CinemaScope equipment has been installed in the State at Spring Valley, Minn., State at Springfield, Minn., and Harbor at Two Harbors, Minn. . . . Dick Rolling is the new booker at Columbia. At one time he was a booker for 20th-Fox. . . . Marvin Engler, representing the Engler family properties, will rebuild the Star at suburban Hopkins, which was destroyed by fire recently. Loss was estimated to ■ be $50,000. NEW ORLEANS Frank H. Gillis has taken over the Wakea, Waldo, Ark. Joel Bluestone will handle the buying and booking. . . . After several years closing, Tony Marullo reopened the Rendezvous, Grand Isle, La. . . . Swarms of people gathered at the Joy for the world premiere of “The Human Jungle” which opened in a blaze of fanfare complete with klieg lights, music by Phil Zito’s Dixieland band, radio-TV coverage and the stars, Gary Merrill and Jan Sterling, along with New Orleans own Emile Meyer, who plays an important role in the film. . . . R. S. Starling has opened a new drive-in, which he christened the Pines at Pineville, La. It is equipped with the lates techniques in sound, projection and large screen furnished by National Theatre Supply. . . . B. J. Keyhan, Gretna Greens drive-in theatre owner, Gretna, La. has been appointed chairman of the beard of the Optimist Club of the West Bank. OKLAHOMA CITY “Duel in the Jungle” was playing at three neighborhood theatres last week. In cooperation with the “Advertiser,” free tickets to the Criterion or Harber theatres are given to those persons whose name appears in the classified columns of the “Advertiser.”. . . The Coed theatre, neighborhood house in Topeka, Kas., reopened Sept. 24. Mrs. Sarah Galitzki, owner of the theatre, said the theatre has been redecorated and is now equipped to play CinemaScope and other wide-screen films. A new sound system has also been installed. Mrs. Galitzki will actively manage the Coed, which has been closed for a several weeks. . . . Riverside drive-in, Little Rock, Ark., has changed hands, and will be operated by Arkansas Amusement Company. The drive-in was bought from Tom Burton, a Fort Smith operator, and Jack Corgan, Dallas architect. . . . Local 249 of the motion picture machine operators union, sued the Wheatley theatre, Dallas, Texas, for alleged breach of contract that provided the theatre should employ union operators at a wage of $59.40 a week. OMAHA Don McLucas, United Artists branch manager, was wreathed in smiles last week. Guests at his home were Maj. Robert Elliott and his wife Betty, who is Mr. McLucas’ daughter, and their three children, back from two years in the Philippines. The major will be stationed at Lowry Field, Denver. . . . Louise Cotter, publicist for the Ralph Goldberg Circuit, left with her two sisters for a visit at Washington, New York and their home town of Boston. . . . Warren Hall, exhibitor at Burwell where he has a part in producing the town’s big rodeo every year, brought some horses to Omaha for the annual Ak-Sar-Ben Rodeo. . . . Jack Andrews, ex-Paramount salesman, has joined the Columbia staff and will take the position vacated by Jack Susman, who is moving the Albany, N. Y., sales department. PHILADELPHIA Managerial changes at the Stanley Warner Theatres here finds John Roach, manager of the Boyd, which houses Cinerama, moving to the first-run Stanley. Elmer Pickard, manager of the Stanley, goes to the Orpheum. In addition, Jack Goldman is no longer handling the Center to direct his full time to his photographic enterprise. . . . Bill Manning resigned as general manager of Sley’s Viking and Locust. . . . The New Penn here has closed. . . . Mickey Greenwald, Republic booker, is nursing a hand injury. . . . DeLuxe Buying and Booking Service is now handling the Hi-Way, Ickesburg, Pa. . . . William Youts named manager of the suburban Ambler, succeeding Chuch Weiner, who filled the position temporarily and now returns to the suburban Lansdowne. . . . The Palm was sold at auction. . . . The former Montgomery was sold for use as a used car showroom. . . . Harry Chertoc, owner of the Skv-Vue drive-in near Harrisburg, Pa., announced that a new drive-in will be built and opened in the spring on the Harrisburg Pike. PITTSBURGH Bill Elder drove back to San Francisco to manage the Warfield there after cleaning up his duties at the local Penn. . . . “Pickwick Papers” replaced “High and Dry” in the Squirrel Hill with “The Vanishing Prairie” also set for this art house. . . . The “Sun-Telegraph” will serialize Lillian Roth’s “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” daily starting Oct. 24. . . . The Warner screening room completed its CinemaScope installation last week in the Clark Building. . . . The J. P. Harris expects to televise the Notre Dame-Michigan State gridiron tilt on its wide screen Oct. 16 at a $1.50 top. . . . Ralph Pielow of the local MGM staff, is chairman of the local drive for the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital. . . . Dick Purvis, who was transferred from local Ritz to Cleveland has again been transferred by Loew’s, this time to the Midland in Kansas City. PORTLAND Mrs. Kenneth W. Cockerline is installing CinemaScope and stereophonic sound equipment in her suburban Moreland theatre. . . . Veteran showman Ike Geller has just completed installation at his Walnut Park house. . . . Paramount theatre doorman Otto Neff has just returned to work after a two week hunting trip. . . . Fox theatre manager Oscar Nyberg is off to Seattle for a couple of days to visit Evergreen’s home office. . . . Hamrick city manager Marvin Fox’s secretary, Katherine Marshall, has returned to her desk after a two week vacation to California. . . . Don Hassod, assistant manager of Evergreen’s Fox theatre, has resigned and will become associated with U. S. Color Co. Hassod will be assistant to boss Dean Child. PROVIDENCE For the first time in several years, E. M. Loew’s drive-in, at the Providence-Pawtucket city line, held over a picture beyond the scheduled days planned. “The Caine Mutiny” which, incidentally, was playing at nine neighborhood houses and drive-ins, played several additional days at the North Main street open-airer, so great was the demand to see it. E. M. Loew’s also offered a one-night stage presentation of Gil Blasi’s “The Four Melody Notes.” . . . The R. I. Auditorium has announced the personal presentation of Liberace for a one-night stand around the middle of November. . . . Willard Mathews held “The Egyptian’ for a third week at the Majestic. . . . The Strand re-opened, completely redecorated and refurbished throughout, with "Read Window. Manager A1 Siner, and his assistant Chet MacLean, have been working around their clock in their efforts to get their house backin business. SAN FRANCISCO John Parsons, district manager, Telenews Theatres, is reported to have joined partnership with Robert Kronenberg of Los Angeles in buying the 450-seat Four Star theatre from a corporation headed by D. E. Levin for the purpose of showing classic motion pictures. . . . George Gutekunst, new ( Continued on following page) DEAL DIRECT AND SAVE #on Quality Theatre Equipment Factory-to-you Values on the BEST for Driveins and Indoor Houses. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. Write for complete catalog and valuable portfolio FREE. first ‘American pWucfa.mo. 1717 Wyandotte St., Kansas City 8, Mo. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 16, 1954 33