Motion Picture Herald (1954)

( Continued from page 30) Allied Jewish Appeal. . . . Lou Kellman, who operates a film studio here for commercial and television films, joined with Jack Harris and Michael Freedman to form Exploitation Films to produce and distribute American and foreign art films. . . . The opening night performance on Oct. 24 of “Ice Capades of 1955” at the Philadelphia Arena was staged for the benefit of the Camp for Handicapped Children sponsored by the local Variety Club, Tent No. 13. . . . Dan Cudone, manager of the Edgemoor, Edgemoor, Del., announced the completion of CinemaScope installation — and that the same price scale would continue at 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. . . . The Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia asked the local Zoning Board of Adjustment to refuse to vary the zoning on a plot of land on the Roosevelt Boulevard to permit construction of a drive-in movie as contemplated by the A. M. Ellis Theatres. . . . William Goldman, head of the William Goldman Theatres, was commissioned by Mayor Joseph S. Clark, Jr., to serve as a representative of the city in a round-theworld goodwill mission on which he left this week. . . . Edward Eisenberg, associated with his father in the operation of theatres in Millerton, N. Y., was married in Scranton, Pa., to Diane Savitz. PITTSBURGH “The Little Kidnappers” has been set to follow “The Vanishing Prairie” in the Squirrel Hill. Incidentally, the Disney film was reviewed in the “Sun-Telegraph” by assistant managing editor, J. Alex Zehner instead of the regular critics, with an accompanying commentary and plug by Mrs. Clarence E. Armstrong, motion picture chairman of the State Federation of Women’s Clubs. . . . Sam Gould has returned to Greensburg from New Castle as district manager for four of the eight Pennsylvania theatres, the Harold S. Eskin Enterprises recently acquired from Warners. They are the Strand in Greenburg, the State in State College, the Liberty in Sharon and the Columbia in Warren. PROVIDENCE With Columbus Day a full holiday in Rhode Island, local houses chalked up good business. A parade, road races and other outdoor events failed to cut into the downtown first-run’s respective box offices. . . . Dave Levin, RKO Albee manager, “cashed in” on the holiday, opening at 10:30 A.M. performance with Randolph Scott in “The Bounty Hunter.” Other holiday offerings, which drew better-than-average patronage, included “On The Waterfront” at Loew’s State ; “About Mrs. Leslie” at the Strand ; and “Woman’s World” at the Majestic. . . . The recently re-opened Strand signed up for a tie-in with the popular Nixon Dixon “Breakfast at the Sheraton” live audienceparticipation program, televised week-days over WJAR-TV. A1 Siner’s house comes AVAILABLE-INTERESTING POSITION Equipment manufacturer has opening for 3 crpable livewire district managers who know supply dealers, circuits, etc. Territories: Eastern Seaboard, South and Mid-Central. Guaranteed income plus incentive bonus and all benefits. Write in detail. RADIANT MFG. CORP. 2627 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, III. in for some mighty good “plugs” as the free guest-tickets he gives are used as “bonus prizes for the quiz and stunt portion of the telecast. . . . Work is propressing rapidly on the installation of CinemaScope at the Gilbert Stuart, in nearby Riverside. ST. LOUIS The Illinois theatre at nearby Belleville, 111., observed the Fox Midwest 25th anniversary with a bargain night at which special features were shown. . . . The 61 drivein theatre at Festus, Mo., has installed a new panoramic screen. . . . Installation of the latest in CinemaScope equipment has just been completed at the Frisina Lincoln theatre, Robinson, 111. . . . The Orpheum theatre, Marion, 111., was among the houses in that state that observed the 25th anniversary of the Fox Midwest Corporation. . . . The Kimanis Club of nearby Bellleville, 111., gave a free film for all youngsters of Belleville at the Lincoln theatre in its sixth annual observance of “Kids’ day.” TORONTO Louis Rosenfeld. head of Columbia Pictures of Canada, was bereaved by the death of his wife, Blanche. She also left a daughter, Mrs. John Mirsky of Ottawa, and a son, Gurston, who is associated with his father. ... A Sunday night benefit show was held in the city by 18 Allied theatres with proceeds in aid of the Ontario Hurricane Relief Fund. Each of the theatres played two features, with staff, film and piojectionists’ services donated free of charge. . . In addition to the name act presented each week at the Casino, Fred Fink who operates Gay and Astor theatres, also has amateur vaudeville at those two houses as a Saturday night feature. ... A gift of appreciation was made to Mary Daze on the stage of the O’Brien, Arnprior. She has been cashier there for the past 36 years and has sold tickets to three generations of Arnprior people. . . . Theatre business was hit hard when Hurricane Hazel came visiting the Toronto area. VANCOUVER Frank Markey, supervisor of Western Canada for Audio Pictures, formerly working out of Winnipeg, will make his headquarters in Vancouver. . . . Wally Hopp, International Cinema manager, is happy with the business being racked up by “Sins of Rome.” . . . A1 Shackleford, Famous Player partner in four Lethbridge (southern Alberta) theatres, was re-elected mayor of Lethbridge City. Mr. Shackleford is also president of the Alberta Exhibitors Association. . . . The Odeon-Kingsway, closed for renovations, reopened Oct. 21. . . . Jeanne Bell, of Odeon district office, will marry David Douglas of Vancouver Nov. 15. . . . Maynard Joiner, FPCC supervisor, was called back from a California holiday to attend the funeral of his grandchild. Drivein operators in the B.C. area are going slow on the fancier sound and are not showing much interest in the wider screens, although next season conditions may change. . . . The Odeon theatre, at Duncan on Vancouver Island, recently closed for enlargement from 449 seats to 800 seats and complete renovation, will re-open Nov. 1. . . . The New Paramount, a 1000-seater at Kamloops, will have its grand opening by the first of 1955. WASHINGTON The following men have been approved for membership in the Variety Club: Robert J. D. Johnson, Donald M. Cole, Jack Jackter, and Walter R. Saunders. . . . Norman Weitman, Universal sales manager, has been promoted to branch manager of the Albany exchange. Ike Ehrlichman, salesman, has been moved up to sales manager of the local exchange. . . . Sam Galanty, Columbia mideast division manager, was in Cleveland, taking over for ailing branch manager, Oscar Ruby. Lil Levy, head biller at Columbia, celebrated 25 years with the company. N. Y. Court Gets Two Suits Seeking $98 1 ,500 Total Two anti-trust suits totaling $4,981,500 in damages were filed in New York Federal Court last week. One of the cases, a joint suit by the Sompru Theatre Company and the Brookpru Theatre Company, asked $639,000 and $592,000, respectively, on behalf of the Court theatre, Sommerville, N. J. Eight major companies, Walter Reade Theatres, Plainfield Operating Company, Trenton-New Brunswick Theatres, Inc., and the Broadway and 47th Street Corporation were named as defendants. It was charged that they favored the houses of the defendant exhibitors in granting runs and clearances. In the second suit, the Golden Lane Theatre Corporation filed an action for $3,750,000 damages against the same distributor defendants plus Republic Pictures. It was claimed that the theatres of the Loew’s, Warner Brothers and RKO circuits were given preferences in runs and clearances over the Temple theatre Union City, N. J. RCA's Nine-Month Net Rises to $27,557,000 Earnings before taxes of Radio Corporation of America and subsidiaries for the first nine months of 1954 were $56,423,000, compared with $53,651,000 for the corresponding period last year, Brig. General David Sarnoff, chairman of the board, announced in New York this week. Net profits after taxes for the three 1954 quarters were $27,557,000, compared with $25,152,000, an increase of 9.6 per cent. General Sarnoff said the corporation’s sales of products and services in the 1954 period attained an alltime record volume of $660,345,000, an increase of 8.4 per cent over the 1953 ninemonth total of $609,428,000. N. J. Allied Lunch Nov. 17 Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey will hold a membership luncheon November 17 at the Ritz Restaurant in Passaic, N. J The industry beefsteak dinner will follow. Stanley Warner Dividend At a meeting last week of the board of directors of Stanley Warner corporation, a dividend of 25 cents per share was declared on the common stock of the corporation, payable November 24, 1954, to stockholders of record November 3. 34 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 30, 1954