Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1943)

32 SHOWMEN'STRADEREVIEW October 23, 1943 ★ ★ REGIONAL NEWSREEL — Continued ★ * ren will cover western Indiana territory. K. L. Dotterer, 20th-Fox salesman, is on the sick list with a severe cold. L. B. Fuqua, manager of the Kentucky Theatre, Hartford City, Ky., who was injured in an automobile accident several weeks ago, is reported back on the job. Robert McRaven is the new addition to the Warner sales staff. He replaces William Wallace, resigned to engage in defense work. Pvt. Russell W. Hedge, an Indianapolis boy with the U. S. Army in Britain, has become an "actor." The young soldier took part in a picture titled "Heritage," which portrays a story of how Yank soldiers helped save the British harvest. Warners' "Women at War" in Technicolor was shown at a special screening in the St. Clair Theatre for the local Wac's unit to encourage enlistments. John Gentile of the Paramount booking department has been transferred to head booker at the Detroit exchange. Employes of the local exchange have planned a farewell party at the Variety Club. Ben Kalmenson, Warner vice-president and general sales manager, and Charles Rich, district manager, were visitors here last week. The IndianapoHs Variety Club, Tent No. 10, opened its social season Friday, October IS. One of the first social affairs of the season was the celebration of Milton Ettinger's fourteenth wedding anniversary. L. J. McGinley, Universal manager, is on the sick list, suffering with sinus. Earl Herndon, a member of the Affiliated Theatres, Inc., executive staff, has returned from his vacation spent in Kansas City and the Ozark Mountains. Gretchen Beddow is the new addition to the Universal booking department. Kenneth Collins, who has been absent from his office in the Circle Theatre for two weeks, has returned to his desk, and says he is thoroughly rested. Mr. Collins remained at home, the thing all patriots do during the rationing of gas and tires. Mannie Marcus and Mrs. Marcus are planning an extended trip to the West Coast. During his absence Rex Carr will be at the helm of Marcus Enterprises. A. C. Zaring, who operates the Zaring Theatre, is confined to his home by illness. Paul Meloy, Shelbyville exhibitor and a member of the local Rotary Club, was the host to Indianapolis exchange managers and showmen at the regular monthly meeting of the club on Thursday. Marc Wolf, of the Y. and W. Theatrical circuit was the toastmaster, and L. J. McGinley, manager of Universal exchange, was the guest speaker. NEW YORK More than 500 members and guests of the Paramount Pep Club danced into the small hours Friday night when the 1943 Victory Ball was held in the grand ballroom of the Hotel Astor. The gathering included home office and exchange folk, along with a number of visiting celebrities. Representing the exchange on the Entertainment Committee was Leah Peterson. The Symphony and Carlton theatres, run by the Skouras circuit, last week reverted back to the Springer estate, of which Joe Katch is general manager. Katch will also manage the theatres. Roy Olsen, N. J. booker, is leaving MGM to go with the Brandt circuit Monday. A party was given for him and his fellow departee, Connie Carpou, at the Famous Kitchen. Benny Leonard, former lightweight champion and at present a Lieutenant in the U. S. Maritime Service, visited the United Artists . exchange last week on business. He is booking films for his outfit. Benny invited the girls in the office to come to the Welfare Island Base and see one of the service shows. Phil (RKO) Hodes' daughter, Nicki, who is a successful New York designer, has gone to the coast to try her luck with the studios. A special sales meeting was called at Warners last week by Assistant General Sales Manager Arthur Saxon and Jules Lapidus, eastern division manager, to map out a sales campaign for a subsequent-run drive on "This Is the Army." Visiting the Paramount exchange this week : Irving Renner of the Renner circuit ; A. A. Adams of the Paramount, Newark, with his REUNION AT RODEO. Eastern District Sales Manager Maxwell Gillis and Helen Parrish, who appeared as leading lady in the Republic Roy Rogers production, "Sunset Serenade," visited the King of the Cowboys back stage at Madison Square Garden, where Roy is hanging up new records by drawing crowds to the World's Championship Rodeo. Army Lieutenant son; Morris Katinska, of the Beacon Theatre. S. Matchet, owner of the 74th Street Theatre, on October IS took over the Rex Theatre in the Bronx. Ed Carroll, RKO New Jersey representative, is a changed man — he's now a grandfather. The newcomer is Tom, son of Carroll's daughter, Mrs. Ronald Brown. A short distance away from Ed in the office he draws envious glances from Harry Zeitel, who is expecting to become a grandfather in November. Doc Henry Brown's Park Lane at 89th Street and First Avenue reopened on Friday after a few months of darkness. Gene Cohen, Paramount general office assistant, has been promoted to the booking department. Mrs. Rhea Cohen Ancess of Monogram became the mother of a baby girl on October 9. She was secretary to Harry W. Thomas, eastern and western division manager. Mae Petrone, assistant in the Warner contract department, is being married this Saturday to Corp. Louis Labriola, now on leave from Fort Fisher, N. C. Mary Brannigan, of the MGM contract department is in Washington to visit her brother in the Walter Reed Hospital. He is just back from Sicily. Paramount officials have chipped in to send a Christmas gift to Vic Bikel, now a tank gunner in the Italian campaign. Paramount's Morris Volk, also a gunner, now in New Mexico, has received his commission as Lieutenant. Tom Lorenzo of the New Paltz Theatre, New Paltz, N. Y., was seen along the row this week. Philip Alter, MGM cashier, is back at his desk after a seven-week leave of absence because of illness. Warner front : Dan Ponticelle, former N. J. booker, is now at the Charleston, Mass., Navy Yard, waiting to be assigned. Al Blumberg, former L. I. and upstate booker, can be found at Hoffman Island in the U. S. Maritime Service. It was announced Monday at the Bookers Club that UA's Myron Starr, now in the Army Air Corps at Orlando, Fla., will shortly be married. OMAHA Another three-day hearing of the clearance case of the Esquire Theatre of Sioux City against 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, Loew's, Inc., and Paramount Pictures Distributing Corporation before the American Arbitration Association tribunal here was continued indefinitely. Tom Sandburg, who recently acquired the Gem Theatre at Moville, la., has left for San Francisco and service in the Merchant Marine. Ann Tingle has succeeded Betty Rhodes as a secretary for MGM. When J. E. Moorhead, owner of the Granada at Oxford, Nebr., came to Omaha last week, he brought his eleven-year-old son along to meet the film-row gang. "I'm starting him in young,'' laughed Moorhead. RKO salesmen and bookers came out a thousand dollars ahead in their company's contest ; thus staged a party for the rest of the gang in their office. Central States Booker Donald West spent several days in Omaha before returning to Des Moines. Benjamin Harding, owner of the Liberty at Council Bluffs, is now at home recuperating from an eye operation. Pay increases retroactive to January 18th also have been granted Columbia and MGM employes. Clyde Cooley, business agent for film employes Local No. 47, says increases will be forthcoming for 20th Century-Fox, Universal and Republic. United Artists, Warner Brothers, and RKO received their boosts earlier. Branch Manager Harold Johnson of Universal has word after eight weeks, that his son, an Ensign in the Navy, has arrived safely overseas. Mrs. Lola Nieman. Universal inspectress, is retiring from the business. Harry Lefholtz, branch manager for Republic, is pushing his company's promotion for "In Old Oklahoma" to new heights for a Republic picture in this area. Norm Neilsen, RKO booker, is vacationing in the western part of the state. Helen Miller of Selby, la., recent graduate of the Tri-States Theatres school for women managers in Des Moines, is the new student manager at the Orpheum. Mildred Carlson, another graduate from Omaha, has taken a similar position at the Paramount, Exhibitors in Nebraska are cheered by the latest Department of Agriculture farm index. On September iSth prices received by Nebraska farmers average a 193, or five points higher than a month ago and 20 points higher than September IS, 1942. This was the highest allcommodity index for the month of September since 1920, when it stood at 199. Mr. and Mrs. George M. Jacoby have left Omaha after spending several weeks here.. Mr. Jacoby is a Universal auditor. The Universal exchange is sending Christmas boxes to all its former employes who are now in the armed services. PHILADELPHIA The 16-story Fox Theatre and office building, in central Philadelphia on Market St., was sold this week by the Girard Trust Company, trustee, to the Fox-Pennsylvania Corporation for $1,300,000. The structure cost about $2,000,000 to erect in 1923. It was the first of a proposed chain to be built by William Fox in the boom days before 1929. The building, on a site 129 by