Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Los Angeles Art Gordon, Southside Theatres booker, has resigned his post to enter another field. He will be succeeded by Bob Wolfe . . . Elaborate plans are being made for the Los Angeles Motion Picture Salesmen’s annual dinner dance at the Ambassador Hotel on October 27, with actress Jane Powell reigning as Lamps Queen . . . The RKO exchange has discontinued its inspection and shipping rooms and will henceforth be serviced in these departments by Gilboy Co. . . . Bill Walsh, U.A. head booker, resigned to go into business for himself . . . U.A. salesman Jack Findley has been transferred from the San Francisco branch to the Los Angeles office . . . Judy Poynter, head of Film Booking Service, flew to New York on business and also to attend the Theatre Owners of America convention . . . Ben Goldberg, of the Film Transport Co., is head of the committee of the Westwood Shrine Club which is planning a four-day conference for 250 Shriners at Murietta Hot Springs . . . Off on a vacation was Harry Novak, RKO head booker . . . After vacationing in San Francisco, Lloyd Katz of the Nevada Theatre Corp. in Las Vegas, was buying and booking on Film Row. Memphis The Northgate theatre, a new $165,000 building in the Northgate Shopping Center, with 1,000 seats and 1,200 parking spaces, was opened to the public by Augustine Cianciolo, who operates the Plaza, Rosemary, Luciann and Rosewood theatres in Memphis. Cianciolo is now planning to build another theatre, the Plaza, in the new Whitehaven Shopping Center . . . C. E. Sumner, salesman, National Theatre Supply Co., underwent surgery at Atlanta. The operation was a success . . . W. P. Cates, National refrigeration engineer, is seriously ill at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Memphis . . . W. F. Ruffin, Jr., Ruffin Amusements Co., Covington, Tenn., and H. G. Walden, Bay theatre, Red Bay, Ala., were in Memphis on business . . . Leon Roundtree, Holly Springs, Miss., exhibitor, and Charles Eudy, president of Tri-States Theatre Owners, TOA affiliate, were holding committee meetings this week to plan the 47th annual Tri-States convention at Hotel Gayoso in Memphis Oct. 22-23. Miami Van Myers, confections head of Wometco, brought back a touch of virus from the TOA convention in New York. Van returned a day earlier than planned but did address the PCA as scheduled. . . . Van Praag Productions, which makes television commercials for General Motors, Ballantines, Bulova, Westinghouse and others, has leased quarters in Coral Gables. Harry Walsh will be director of photography for the firm. . . . Tom Rayfield, manager of the Carib, was justifiably proud of the compliment of the Carerras of Havana, who said of the six-year-old theatre, “We’ve never seen a theatre better maintained.” The senior and junior Carerras, who own a theatre chain In Havana, were studying the Carib for possible construction of a similar house in Cuba. . . . Earl Potter, of the Tivoli, reports the theatre has again returned to daily matinees after a summer respite. . . . Martin Caplan, manager of the Roosevelt on Miami Beach, was off to Mexico on a honeymoon with his recent bride, the former Beverly Lynne Brenner. Milwaukee Eddie Vollendorf, formerly with Theatre Service here, has returned to Milwaukee from Florida to see his doctor and to sell his home. His doctor reports he is in good health, so as soon as the home is sold the family will move to Florida permanently . . . In a letter to its members, Wisconsin Allied stated that the forthcoming session of the State Legislature, will be the toughest year for theatre legislation in the history of their business. It was noted that there is a possibility of four bills that will be objectionable to theatre operation if they are brought up . . . Mayor Zeidler does not favor any major change in the present Motion Picture Commission here with the exception of an “adult only” classification for certain films. Only the standard of obscenity would be considered in approving a film restricted to adults. Adults would be permitted to see movies which have presently been banned to the community at large only because of their effect on youth. The recommendations are to go to the Commission for consideration on October 9. Minneapolis The Berger circuit has taken over operation of the loop Aster, which until recently was operated by Minnesota Amusement Co. House temporarily will continue on its present late-run policy, but $50,000$75,000 will be spent to remodel the theatre, according to Lowell Kaplan, buyerbooker for the circuit. It then may be used as a moveover house . . . “Fantasia” has been set for a re-release run at the World theatres in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, according to Avron Rosen, sales representative of Buena Vista here. Another Buena Vista release, “Secrets of Life,” also has been set for both Worlds with a November opening . . . Eddie Stoller, United Artists city salesman, is recuperating from a recent operation . . . M. A. Levy, 20th-Fox midwest district manager, is on a twoweek trip through his division. Harold Lundquist, assistant to Levy, was in Kansas City and Omaha . . . Mathias Sembauer, former operator of the Monty theatre, Montgomery, Minn., died at University hospital, Minneapolis, following surgery ... A suit brought by Minnesota Amusement Co. to. regain possession of the Towne, Fargo, N. D., from a corporation headed by Gordon S. Aamoth, has been settled out of court . . . Bob Berger, son of Ben Berger, president of Berger Amusement Co., Minneapolis, was married to Jacqueline McGinnis in Chicago. They will reside in Los Angeles . . . S. B. Rahn, former manager of the Grand, Mankato, Minn., has been named manager of the Chief, Welworth circuit house, at Red Wing. Minn. New Orleans B. J. Marcantel closed the Pat, Lafayette, La. . . . McElroy Theatres, Shreveport, La., closed the sub Centenary in that city . . . Maurice M. Barr, executive vicepresident, Paramount Gulf Theatres, and chairman of the motion picture committee of the Greater New Orleans United Fund Drive, said that motion picture exhibitors of Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes are showing United Fund campaign trailers featuring Raymond Massey. . . . John Waterall closed the Citronelle, Citronelle, Ala. . . . Actress Terry Moore will arrive in town on October 15 to plug her latest picture “Between Heaven and Hell” . . . Carolyn Kearney, native Orleanian who started her stage career here with Circle theatre, is the girl friend of a hot rodder in “Hot Rod,” now showing at the RKO Orpheum. . . . Billy Fox Johnson closed the Fox drive-in, Bunkie, La. . . . J. M. Alford, McComb, Miss., purchased the Park theatre, Raymond, Miss., from Willard Kaminer. . . . The Dixie, Ruston, La., a unit of Slidell Theatre Corp., headed by John Richards, was reopened recently after extensive renovations. Oklahoma City John V. Summers, has been named manager of the Redskin theatre here. . . . Mr. and Mrs. R. Lewis Barton and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Combs, and sons Hal and Kent, attended the football game at Dallas last weekend. Mr. Combs is head of the concessions department of Barton Theatres. . . . Mrs. Coxie, manager of the Skytrain theatre, returned from a visit with her son in Denver. . . . Kathryn Grant, Hollywood starlet, was in Oklahoma City this week for advance promotion of “Reprisal” in which she stars. Before she returns to Hollywood she will also visit Tulsa, Bartlesville and Enid. . . . The Lakeside, suburban theatre, has gift drawing each Thursday night. . . . Burglars battered open a safe at the Rialto theatre, Tulsa, Okla., Sept. 23, but got less than $200 in small change from the safe and the theatre’s concession stand. ... A new policy of the Warner theatre, is a children’s Saturday morning and school-holiday showing of “This Is Cinerama” at reduced prices. Philadelphia A special benefit premiere for the Artists Equity Fund, Inc., recently formed guild of artists, marked the opening of “Lust for Life” at the Studio Oct. 3, with the proceeds going into a fund to assist artists in emergencies. . . . William Goldman, who heads the William Goldman Theatres, announced that his suburban Bryn Mawr has been sublet to Stephen Stiefel, who operates the nearby Narberth in suburban Narberth, Pa. The policy of the house has been changed to feature art and foreign films. . . . The Ida Kapner estate sold its Park, one of the first theatres in the city to incorporate sound movies, to Major Theatres, Inc., for $150,000. Built by the Kapner family about the time silent films were replaced by talkies, the key neighborhood house has a capacity of more than 1,500. David Milgram, who heads the independent Milgram Theatres, is head of the newly-formed Major Theatres corporation. . . . Harold Brason, manager of the Fox, became the father of a girl born last week at the Lankenau Hospital. . . . The Plaza, Reading, Pa., once home of burlesque and later of stock and film shows, is being advertised for rent for the coming season. . . . (Continued on following page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 6, 1956 35