Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1956)

(Continued from preceding page) wliich was dropped from the Squirrel Hill chart, was nabbed immediately by the Studio theatre to follow “The Return of Don Camillo.” The new art house also hopes to nab “Marty” March 16 to cash in on its Oscar potentialities. . . . M. A. Silver, Stanley Warner zone manager and Ernest Stern, head of Associated Drive-In Theatres. apxpointed local co-chairmen of the local “Brotherhood Week” drive. James Hendel, E'nited Artists, serves as distributor chairman. PORTLAND Guild Theatre manager Foster off on another business trip to San Francisco. Assistant manager Nancy Welch continues to handle remodeling of the 400-seat art house. . . . Preston Foster was due in town as guest speaker for the Oregon Ad Club. . . . John Waddingham, top artist for the Oregon Journal, was pleasantly surprised to see the quality of the art done for “The Man With The Golden Arm” campaign. He relates that “this is the first time a top flight designer, not connected with the movies, was hired to come up with something different and to be done in the artist’s own way.” . . . A1 Forman, boss of United Theatres, was in the East on business. PROVIDENCE William J. Trambukis, Loew's State manager, already recipient of many showmanship awards, recently romped off with first prize in another nation-wide exploitation contest. Bill is proudly displaying his $100 check to other local theatremen who have been dropping in to congratulate him. . . . Paul Tighe, Majestic manager, has been temporarily absent from the local scene, being in Scranton, Pa., on a business trip. . . . The Rhode Island premiere of “The Sheep Has Five Legs” took place at the Avon Cinema. . . . “Guys and Dolls” was a holdover at the RKO Albee. . . . Following a protracted spell of rain, snow, sleet, ice and bitter cold weather, clearing skies and rising temperatures were optimistically viewed by local exhibitors who are pretty well fed up on the vagaries of mid-winter weather. The respite from the extremely rough weather gradually brought out more moviegoers. . . . R. I. showmen are seriously eyeing the recent announcement of the local transit company that Saturday and Sunday service would be curtailed. Lack of riders, is blamed by transit officials for the decision ; but theatremen, and businessmen alike, claim the present service is inadequate. and fares too high, especially from suburban areas. SAN FRANCISCO Invitations to attend the third annual Communion Breakfast, February 19, at the Whitcomb Hotel following the Mass at St. Patrick’s Church, San Francisco, were sent to all Catholics in the Film Industry in the Bay Area, Charles J. Maestri, general manager, Lippert Theatres, chairman of the sponsoring committee reports. . . . The Todd-AO “Oklahoma” was to open Feb. 17, at the Coronet theatre leased from the United California Theatres. . . . Post flood re-openings include the River theatre, Guerneville, Feb. 10, and the Yuba City drive-in, Yuba City, March 1. Dave Wil liams is the owner of the River theatre, and Yuba City is in the Redwood theatres circuit. . . . Bill Beshears is the new owner of the Melody theatre. Highway City, as of Feb. 5. . . . Ward Pennington and Howard Ross, Paramount salesmen, escaped injury when their car plowed into a snow plow in snowy Nevada. . . . Oona Sherman, WB cashier, has a baby boy, Johnny, and Ginger Levy, Columbia booker, a son, Mike. . . . Y’ayne Glasgow is managing the Cinema theatre. SAN FRANCISCO “The Man Who Never Was” was to have its world premiere at the Fox, Feb. 14. . . . John Klee, district manager. Fox West Coast, and Earl W. Long, district manager. Paramount Pictures Theatre Corp., are the representatives of the Northern California Theatre Association on the organizing committee for a motion picture council of high school students. Dr. Morris Williams, co-ordinator of secondary education activities is the chairman. . . . James Velde, western division manager. United Artists, has been promoted to general sales manager. Ralph Clark, district manager, is visiting the San Francisco office. . . . The Reverend Monsignor McCarthy was to be the speaker at the third Communion Breakfast, Feb. 19, at the Whitcomb Hotel. Bob Clark was to be the master of ceremonies. . . . H. C. Kaufman, Columbia exchange manager, is here. . . . The Cerito theatre, El Cerito, Blumenfeld theatres has reopened, and tlie Sequoia theatre, Sacramento closed. ST. LOUIS The Belasco, Washington and State theatres in Quincy, 111., are running a theatre clock in the newspapers of that city giving the starting hours of shows. . . . The Community Arts theatre of Champaign, 111., has secured a building in that city and is remodeling it into a theatre for its use. . . . Charles Francis "Bat” Nelson, a former theatre manager at East St. Louis, 111., was killed at Memphis, Tenn., recently when a fire and an explosion leveled the home of his daughter. . . . Ralph Amacher, branch manager of United Artists, was elected president of the Motion Picture Association of Greater Kansas City, Mo., at a meeting held at the Hotel Muehlebach. Otliers elected were: vice-presidents, William Gaddoni and Harry Gaffrey: secretary, M. B. Smith; treasurer, Ed Hartman. . . . The Star theatre at Vandalia. Mo., has been reopened after being closed since the first part of September, C. E. Deppe, the manager, has announced. . . . Tom Edwards, theatre manager at Eldon, Mo., has been elected president of the Eldon Cliamber of Commerce for 1956. TORONTO With this city now the headquarters of the Canadian Film Awards, it is likely tlie next award ceremonies will be held in Stratfoial during tlie coming Shakespearean Festival there this summer. . . . TV is providing the National Film Board with newer and bigger audiences than ever before. In its annual report, the NFB reports that one of its films, “Corral” was seen by an estimated 15,000.000 persons on a network show. The NFB produced 122 original films, plus 113 film translations ami adaptations to enable films to be shown through different distribution media. . . . First social event of the year arranged by the Lady Barkers of Toronto Variety Tent No. 28 was a Monte Carlo Night in which $340 for Variety Village was raised. . . . George Davie, manager of the Palace, Toronto, staged a benefit for the fund drive of the Toronto East General Hospital. . . . David Griesdorf, formerly general manager of the Odeon circuit in Canada until his termination with that company, has acquired a substantial interest in International Film Distributors and is now its executive vice-president. He returns to the company after a six years’ absence with Odeon. . . . Ralph Ellis, New York sales representative of the National Film Board for the past couple of years, resigned to go to Toronto as representative for a new TVfilm sales company. The company will be owned by Sterling Television and Fremantle Overseas Radio & Television, Inc. ... A new policy of booking two top pictures simultaneously in four houses is being introduced in Winnipeg by Western Theatres Ltd., March 15th. VANCOUVER The 50-year old Star theatre on Vancouver’s East side was torn down to make way for a new police building. . . . Frank J. Reiss, director of Photographic Services for the government of Saskatchewan, has resigned and will take a position in private industry. In his two years with the Provincial Government, Mr. Reiss was instrumental in creating a comprehensive still photo and motion picture production organization employing a staff of 10 persons. . . . A strike of over 100 projectionists looms closer as their union reports wage talks have stalled again. The members of B. C. projectionists Union 348 (AFL) have called in their International vice-president. Orin M. Jacobson of Tacoma, in an effort to break the deadlock with Famous Players and Odeon Theatres. . . . “Guys and Dolls,” after a smashing eight-week run, bowed out of the OdeonVogue. . . . Jimmy Davie, who resigned as manager of RKO after 27 years to go into the real estate business, is back on Film Row, replacing Henry Heck as office manager at International Film Distributers. Heck moved over to EmpireUniversal in the same capacity. . . . Roy Dederer is building an 850-seat theatre at Medicine Flat, Alberta. . . . J. F. Hawk of Edmonton is constructing a 485-seat house at Edgerton, in the Edmonton area of Alberta. WASHINGTON Rudolph Berger, MGIM southern sales division manager, was in North Carolina. . . . Attending home office sales meetings in New York was Warner district manager Robert Smeltzer. ... Ed Lachman. of the \^ariety Club of New York, was a Washington visitor, and attended the local tent board of governors meeting February 6 to talk about the international convention to be held in New York May 9-12 at the WaldorfAstoria. . . . The Lone Ranger was an “in person” visitor at the Metropolitan theatre for one day, and also at the day and date Aml)assador. uptown, where a special advance preview of “The Lone Ranger” plus “Target Zero,” were shown. . . . Jack Benson, of Film Row Booking Service, has joined the firm of Independent Theatres Inc., as vice-president. Harley Davidson is president of the firm. . . . Sid Eckman. assistant branch manager of Metro, lost his father. 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, FEBRUARY 18, 1956