Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Albany “War and Peace” has done surprising business in some small towns, which leads to the expectation that city subsequentrun dates will also draw well. The latter proved so in the adjoining Buffalo district. . . . Transfer of Ernie Ziegler to Detroit left Universal with one local salesman, Gene Lowe. Universal followed the trend in the cutdown: all other distributors, with the exception of 20th-Fox, have a single salesman. . . . Jim Fisher conducts the Hollywood drive-in, Overill Park, which is equipped with in-car heaters for winter operation. . . . Long lines outside the Stanley Warner Strand during the first week of a “Giant” fortnight gave film business a psychological shot in the arm, aside from attracting record patronage. Manager Alfred G. Swett and assistant William O’Brien were busy men. . . . Visitors included: Joe Gins, Universal district manager; Albert Glaubinger, new Buffalo manager for United Artists; Stanley Kositsky, Glaubinger’s predecessor and now Philadelphia branch boss. . . . The Colonial, Albany uptown subsequent-run, which reopened last Christmas, after a two-year shutdown, closed again. Atlanta Col. T. E. Orr, former owner of Amusement Enterprises, has returned to his home in Atalla, Ala., after a stay at the Ponce de Leon Hospital, Atlanta. He feels much better. . . . Mrs. Mary Bridges, Martin’s Atlanta booker, is recuperating after a surgery at the Georgia Baptist Hospital here. She is not expected back at her desk until after Christmas. . . . Mitchell Little, formerly in Charlotte, was appointed sales representative for Kay Exchange by president Ike Katz. . . . Mrs. Frances Raegan, who formerly operated the Roxy theatre, Selma, Ala., with her late husband, was a visitor in Atlanta with Mrs. Juanita Elwell, booker for Bailey Theatres. . . . The Piedmont drive-in, Piedmont, Ala., will only run for the winter on weekends. . . . Bill Kelly, U-I manager, and booker Ernest Cremer are back after a business trip to Nashville, Tenn. . . . Louise Bramlett, Wil-Kin Theatre Supply Co., is back at her desk after a trip to Charlotte, N. C. . . . The daughter of Mrs. Opal Tate, also of Wil-Kin Theatre Co., was married to Stephen Greene. Boston Ray Feeley Associates have signed a long term lease and will reopen the dark State theatre, East Milton, Mass., with an art policy in midJanuary. . . . Loew’s State and Orpheum theatres, Boston, Christmas gift books will have coupons redeemable at the candy stand in 5 and 10 cent denominations. . . . Nathan Yamins, national delegate from this area; Henry Gaudet and W. Leslie Bendslev, attended the Allied convention in Dallas. . . . Daytz Theatre Enterprises is now handling the buying and booking for two theatres in Woonsocket, R. I., owned and operated by Arthur Darman. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Louis Richmond, wife of the Kenmore theatre owner, is a patient at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. . . . The annual Christmas parties among exchange personnel has been set for December 17 at Blinstrub’s Restaurant, Boston. . . . Edward Sokolowski, Royal theatre, Lowell, has applied for membership in Independent Exhibitors of New England. . . . A crude home made bomb was exploded in the State theatre, Saugus, Mass., Nov. 25. No one was in the theatre and damage was negligible. This was the second bomb incident within eight months at the theatre. . . . Miss Alize Tanzman, copartner at Wholesome Film Co., a 16mm exchange, died recently. . . . Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England will hold a regional luncheon meeting at the Narragansett Hotel, Providence, December 12 for all R. I. exhibitors. Buffalo The Variety Club of Buffalo, for the first time in its history, will honor its departed barkers Dec. 9 at 3 P.M. with memorial services in the club’s Delaware Avenue headquarters. Dr. Broughton, Rabbi Fink and Fathers Mahoney and Pallas, the four chaplains of Tent 7, will participate. Harold Bennett, manager of the Buffalo office of National Screen Service, is chairman of the event. . . . William Brereton, director of advertising and publicity for the Basil circuit, is recovering in a local hospital from an operation for an intestinal obstruction. . . . Elmer F. Lux, chief barker, Tent 7, was master of ceremonies at the fourth annual banquet of the Buffalo Chapter, National Conference of Christians and Jews, the other evening in Hotel Statler. Charlotte Mrs. Everett Olsen, wife of Everett Olsen, owner of the Windy Hill drive-in and promoter of the Lucky game in the Carolinas, was a guest at the theatre owners convention. It was her first trip here in some time. Mrs. Olsen formerly lived here. . . . Mike Simons, MGM exhibitor relations manager, was a visitor to the convention. ... It was announced that Norris Hadaway, former manager of the Carolina in Greensboro and now an executive in Birmingham, is being promoted to a new post in Wilby-Kincey headquarters in Atlanta. . . . Andy Griffith, North Carolina boy who starred in “No Time for Sergeants” and later went to Hollywood to star in motion pictures, went to Mantee for a brief vacation. He was scheduled to attend the theatre owners convention, but changed his plans. . . . Harry Balance, 20th-Fox division manager in Atlanta, was among the company executives who came here for the convention. . . . Don Yarborough, 20th exploitation man, came here on business. Chicago Convention visitors helped to keep thetres busy, although the crop of new films which arrived in Loop houses around Thanksgiving Day resulted in a much brighter outlook at the box offices. . . . Two of these openers were outstanding. “The Teahouse of the August Moon” grossed $58,000 in a single week at the Woods, while weekly receipts for “Love Me Tender” at the Oriental climbed to $55,000. ... It was announced here this week that more than 8,500 Greyhound terminals and agents throughout the United Statets will become box offices for the 21 Cinerama theatres from coast to coast. . . . The theatre and amusements division reached 106 per cent of the quota assigned to it by the Community Fund of Chicago. Jack Kirsch, president of Allied Theatres of Illinois, and this year’s chairman, reported the the amusement industry raised over $10,000. . . . Charles Teitel, recently named president of Teitel Film Corp., announced his company soon will launch a series of new art product from four New York importers. Cleveland The 27-day newspaper blackout ended November 27 when the last of seven crafts signed new contracts. Newspaper Guild members were the first to come to an agreement with the publishers. Last to sign were the photoengravers. Theatres claim they were not too badly affected by the strike. Downtown theatres had the benefit of radio and TV advertising. Neighborhood houses report that movie minded patrons phoned directly to theatres to find out what was playing. With resumption of publication business, it is said, has not improved in the subruns houses. . . . Two engagements of interest to the industry were announced this week. Ruth Frieda Greenberger, daughter of Leo Greenberger, executive of Community Circuit, and Harvey Alan Lester, of Youngstown, both students at Western Reserve University, will be married in the summer. Sondra Bruckner, daughter of former Columbia salesman, Jack Bruckner, is planning a winter wedding to Sidney Fleck of this city. Columbus “Giant” was held for a third week at RKO Palace, postponing the scheduled showing of the Elvis Presley feature, “Love Me Tender.” . . . One of the surprise hits of the season is the strong showing of Walt Disney’s reissued “Fantasia,” which went into a third week at the Drex( Continued on following page) MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 8, 1956 35