Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Albany Confidence in the expanding future of drive-ins was expressed by Sylvan Leff via the start of construction on an 800-car drive-in at Pittsfield, Mass. He already operates the Black River drive-in, near Watertown; the Town in Watertown; Highland and the Rialto in Utica — and he also sells independent product. . . . An Adirondack Mt. landmark, the Capitol theatre in Elizabethtown, operated by Dave Rosenbaum, was victim of a destructive fire. Another North Country theatre, the Lyceum at Champlain, was reactivated by Bill Kennedy on a four-day schedule. . . . Adam Mlinarik, Columbia head shipper, and Wayne Carignan, his counterpart at 20th-Fox, were the co-chairmen of a dinner for James Fleming, State Film Delivery Service driver, who retired after 15 years and moved to Florida. Fifty-five industry people, including Art Lane, of New York, State’s president, George Thornton, Saugerties exhibitor, and Clayton Pantages, Fox branch manager, attended. .. . Clark Film Service will occupy 10,000 square feet of floor space in a building under construction on Shaker Rd., three blocks from its present location. Atlanta The Amusement Company of Ripley, Miss., has been granted a charter to operate theatres and other amusements. Capital stock is listed at $12,000. . . . Lightning set fire to the screen and did serious damage to the Skyview Drive in, Springfield, Ga. . . . The Highway 90 drive-in, Pensacola, Fla., has closed because of bad business. ... Ed Boyd, manager of the Ritz theatre, Sarasota, Fla., has installed 500 new seats in the theatre. . . . John Cole, new owner of the Cole-Clinton drive-in, Clinton, Tennessee, also owns the Dan Dee drive-in, Columbia, Tenn. . . . C. L. Patrick, general manager of Martin Theatres headquarters in Columbus, Ga., was in Atlanta visiting the local booking office. . . . Exhibitors Booking and Buying Service has taken over the bookings of the Neil theatre, Lithonia, Ga. . . . The Crescent Amusement Co., Nashville, has put the Cameo theatre, Madisonville, Ky., on a weekend only policy. . . . Gene Skinner, general manager of the Dixie drive-in theatre, is back at his Atlanta office after a trip to their Florida theatres. Boston Local showmen Harry “Zippie” Goldman and Sam Haase will celebrate wedding anniversaries in November. It will be Goldman’s 38th, Haase’s 35th. . . . “One Summer of Happiness” completed a 13week run at the Beacon Hill. It has been replaced by “Fantasie,” with “Rififi” to follow. . . . Bill Kumins, Warner’s branch manager, and his staff arranged a screening of “Toward the Unknown” for the wives of exhibitors in conjunction with the company’s Roy Haines Drive. . . . Harry Segal and A1 Glaubinger of UA returned from a week-long division and branch managers meeting in Philadelphia where new product and selling angles were discussed in full. . . . Martin J. Mullin, Hy Fine, Bob Sternberg and Chester Stoddard of New England Theatres spent last week in New York attending the ABParamount Theatres convention. . . . Opening party of the 1956-57 season of the Advertising Club of Boston was held at New England Mutual Hall with a buffet supper and a screening of MGM’s “Tea and Sympathy.” 350 members attended. . . . “Ten Commandments” will be shown at the Astor beginning November 20 on a reserved seat, two-a-day basis. . . . The Boston theatre has been having a special student rate daily in its balcony for out of towners coming in groups to see “Seven Wonders of the World.” . . . Abram F. Myers, general counsel of Allied States, will make the keynote address Monday afternoon, October 15, at the IENE convention. Buffalo One of downtown Buffalo’s celebrated landmarks that once housed the Strand theatre (where Harold Edel, once manager of the Strand in New York was manager and where Edward L. Hyman, now vice president of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, was an assistant manager) will be razed shortly to make way for a new $150,000 retail store. The Strand was the center of the three buildings to be razed. . . . X-rays reveal that Jack McLean sustained no fractures when he was injured while riding in a taxi. An avalanche of flowers and get-well messages have been speeding his recovery in Kenmore Mercy Hospital. . . . “Oklahoma!” was picked as the top favorite of patrons who attended the Melody Fair “musicals-inthe-round” tent show the past summer in Wurlitzer Park, Tonawanda. . . . Safe crackers battered open a small safe in the office of Basil’s Broadway theatre, early the other morning. Harold C. Murphy, manager, said about $50 was stolen. Charlotte Bob Peterson, Columbia Pictures exploiteer. came here to plan promotion for “Solid Gold Cadillac” opening at the Manor Oct. 12. . . . Jim Frew, southern district manager for Universal-International Pictures, was a visitor here conferring with Charlotte U-I branch manager Jimmy Greenleaf and others. . . . Ernest Stellings, president of Stewart-Everett Theatres and newly-elected president of Theatre Owners of America, was given a big welcome by his office staff on return here. . . . Members of the Charlotte WOMPI Club, back from the national convention at Atlanta, report a very successful trip. The Charlotte club won the service trophy at the convention. . . . Emery Wister, Charlotte News film editor, was invited to the world premiere of “Giant” in New York. Chicago Adolph Linick, one of the founders of Jones, Linick & Schaefer, arrived here from California to attend a luncheon given in his honor by Aaron J. Jones, Jr., and Johnny J. Jones. The event was occasioned by his 87th birthday, which falls on October 22, and the 51st anniversary of the show business firm. . . . Another event of a social nature was a surprise testimonial dinner held in Filmack Trailer Company’s new live motion picture studios to honor Vi Dane, secretary and assistant to Irving Mack, the company’s president. The party was in celebration of her 20 years of service with Filmack. . . . John Balaban, head of Balaban & Katz, accompanied by David Wallerstein, B&K vice-president, expects to go to Hollywood shortly to launch production of Mr. Balaban’s first movie, “Saint Christopher.” This marks his first venture into producing, although he has been a theatre operator for 40 years. . . . Elaine Elasky, secretary to UA publicist Wally Heim, was married October 6 to William McAlister. The couple left for a honeymoon in New Orleans. . . . Mun Delano has announced he will retire after 27 years as a booker with Columbia Pictures. He has no plans. Cleveland Cleveland becomes the 19th city to present Cinerama on November 14, date announced for the presentation of “This Is Cinerama” at the Palace theatre. Built some 30 years ago as a monument to the late B. F. Keith, it has been under RKO operation continuously, playing vaudeville, the vaudefilms and in more recent years, straight pictures. Max Mink, who has been local manager for more than 10 years, remains as manager under the new regime. . . . Sam Shia, a seasonal theatre owner, opens his hardtop Old Trail theatre in St. Clairsville Oct. 12 and closes his Shia drive-in Oct. 14. . . . Funeral services were held this week for Mrs. Gussie Schumann, widow of Dave Schumann, once an active member of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors League and an executive of the extinct Ohio Amusement Co. . . . Palace theatre, Continental, recently acquired by Tom Simon, reopened this weekend. . . . Ernest Augsten remains as manager of the Palace theatre, Akron, recently acquired by Phil Smith of Boston from Ted Gamble and associates. . . . Gerald Anderson is now operating his Union theatre, Richwood, and Rialto, Plain City, on weekends only. . . . Leonard Jefferson, who opened the Strand, Fremont, last month, has closed it again. . . . Arlyn Schultz of Allied Artists is a Mount Sinai Hospital patient. . . . Sam Fritz, manager of the Hilliard Square theatre, and his wife celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary on Oct. 5. On Oct. 7 he celebrated his birthday. He recovered from an emergency appendectomy just in time to be with his family for both events. (Continued on following page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 1996 25