Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1944)

May 27. 1944 S H O E X ' S TRADE REVIEW 31 ★ ★ REGIONAL NE WSREEL — Co«f/««^</ ★ * men there. Will Holden, director of the Chicago Theatre, has returned from Washington, where — among other things — he attended the Fifth War Loan committee meeting. Jack Butler has been named manager of the new Victory Theatre in Danville, 111. C. J. Doty has obtained approval from the Government for the construction of the Woodbine Theatre, Carthage, 111., to replace the house burned down last November. Edward Payne of Galesburg is the architect. Louis Phillips, Paramount attorney, is expected here this week from Xew York headquarters. New members of the Chicago Variety Club, Tent No. 26 : Walter E. Branson, RKO division manager ; Richard Scheimbaum, Paramount exchange ; John Manta. theatre owner ; Jack Barnett and Emile Montemurro, Movietone News ; Melvin G. Barber, the Chicago Times; and James J. Plodua, Palace Theatre. Sidney Spiegel and Eddie Silverman, Essaness circuit executives, have returned from New York conferences. Earl Rockabrand. Paramount film salesman, is back on the job after recovering from an auto accident. James Douglas, service emploj-e of the Chicago W arner exchange, is dead after a long illness. W. J. Rodell has reopened the Colonial Theatre at Athens, 111. Manson Couch and Gu}' Flick are rebuilding the Home Theatre and have managed to get an option on equipment. The Chicago DriveIn Theatre has opened for the season with "This Is the Army." It has a single feature policy and is under Barger management. The other Chicago drive-ins will not open this season. Work has started on the new Sterling Theatre. Sterling, 111., to replace the house destroyed by 'i fire last fall. I The film trade is extending sympathy to ' Claude Morris, UA publicity director, on the ii news received of the death of his father in I Oklahoma. E. A. Busch, E. Segal and L. Price have organized the National Television Corporation, with offices at 139 North Street. CINCINNATI According to Arthur Frudenfeld, Cincinnati theatre chairman, the W ac recruiting drive has been raost gratifying in this district. Enlistments were made at all theatres and at the Wac recruiting station in the Hotel Gibson. Harris Dudelson, United Artists branch manager, was host to Jane Powell, star of "Song of the Open Road," at a luncheon in the Netherlands Plaza Pavilion Caprice last Tuesday. Reduced summer admission prices went into eft'ect at the Albee beginning Friday. The prices for the summer season will range from 44 to 85 cents, with children's tickets 30 cents at all times. RKO is inaugurating a radio program. "Hollywood Show Time," on Mav 29 over station WSAI. Donald Hill, who was temporarily blinded when lightning struck as he was changing a sign on the marquee of the Broadway Theatre, Covington, Kentucky, regained his sight after a day or so. The Shubert featured a dual revival last week, showing "Penny Serenade" and "Too Alany Husbands." Visitors at Film Row last week were Carl Leeder, Ray Frisz, Betha Wolf. Owenton. Kentucky ; Mrs. Fon Sexton. Ashland, Kentucky : Lou Wetzel. Sam Marshall and Bob Hunt, Grand Theatre, Huntington, West Virginia. Warner's distnict manager Charles Rich visited the local office this week. Paramount's Harry Goldstein was here from Cleveland. Milt Levine, chairman of the 5th War Loan Drive in West Virginia, is holding a meeting for exhibitors on May 24 at the Daniel Boone Hotel, Charleston, West Virginia. Don Reda, former theatre owner at Vicco, Kentuck}', and now in the service in England, met the young nephew of Warner's booker, Eleanor Inkrot. Pam Hehman, secretary to Leavit Bugie, 20th-Fox, is vacationing in Detroit. Bernie Krauze, RKO district manager, was in town for several days. RKO's Dorothy Thackcr is back at her desk after a throat operation. RKO's Wilbur Hetherington has been assigned to the Signal Corps and is stationed at Camp Crowder, Alissouri. Lillian Aherne, secretary to Joe Oulahan, Paramount's branch manager, is back at her desk after a fl3"ing visit over the week-end to see her husband at his camp in Michigan. Betty Gabbard resigned from ^letro to join her husband, who is in service in California. Ruth Rudin, receptionist at Universal, has been transferred to Universal's California office. Ada Cornelius is taking" Aliss Rudin's place. CLEVELAND Jane Powell, new United Artist singing star, was guest of honor at an industry luncheon at the Statler Hotel last Friday. Morrison Orr, United Artist branch manager who hosted the part}', arranged for her to sing in the Statler ballroom where the ■ Cleveland Federation of Women's Clubs was in session. Miss Powell sang for the disabled veterans at Crile General Hospital after the luncheon. Alarjorie McCord, of W'arners Theatre department, and secretar)' to assistant zone manager Dick W'right, is stepping off into the sea of matrimony on Juh^ 15. Her fiance is John Streib of this city. Without anj" formal engagement announcement by way of preparation. Ruth Blostein. United Artist assistant booker, was married last week to Pvt. Sid Tait who was home on furlough between assignments. "Memphis Belle" is proving to be a valuable piece of box office property to exhibitors in this area. Almost all exhibitors are giving it equal billing with the feature and audience reaction is enthusiastic everywhere. The Warner theatre zone managers' regular monthly meeting, scheduled to be held last Monday, was called off because of lack of hotel accommodations. Nat L. Lefton, PRC franchise owner, has acquired the first Hopalong Cassidy pictures I)roduced for re-release through his Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati offices. The pictures have been out of circulation for the past six years. "BLACK MARIA." Charles Edison iright), son of Thomas A. Edison and president of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., and John Coakley, advertising manager, inspect a true replica of "Black Maria," first motion picture studio, now on display at the company offices in com.Tiemoration of the 50th Anniversary of motion pictures. Word has been received that Warren Canter, former usher at Warners' LaRoy Theatre in Portsmouth, liasn't been heard of since April 13 when he made a forced landing during a raid over Schweinfurt, Germany. Tony Stearn, Warner Theatre booking manager, was called to Pittsburgh by his induction board to see whether his 4F status still stands. Rudy Norton has resigned from PRC to join Paramount, also in a sales capacity. Hazel Mack of National Screen Service was the star of an office birthday party one day last week. Staff Sgt. Jimmy Stecker, son of Associated Circuit's Sam Stecker, has been transferred from the west coast to Camp Francis Warren at Chej'enne, Wyo. Oscar Price of Price Premiums was in town during the week. And Leonard Greenberger, former manager of the Fairmount Theatre, has been assigned to Camp Custer, Michigan. Max Weisfeldt of Columbia's short subject department was a local Columbia exchange visitor last week. George Erdmann, secretary of the Cleveland Motion Picture Exhibitors Association, took a bow for his management of the W'ar Activities luncheon at the Statler Hotel last Tuesday, attended by approximately 250 exhibitors and distributors from Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburg territories. The caravan whipped up a lot of enthusiasm for the Fifth Bond Drive. Aleyer Fine of Associated Circuit has been appointed permanent exhibitor-chairman of the WAC for the northern Ohio territorj'. He succeeds W'illiam N. Skirball, who has held the post during the past two years. Distributor chairman is Morrison Orr, United Artists branch manager. Gilbert Lefton of the Coast Guard, former head of Academy Film Service, serving nontheatrical accounts, spent the week-end in town. Another Coast Guardsman, Bud Barach, son of NSS manager Nat Barach. came in from North Carolina for the week-end. Dave ililler, Universal district manager, and Mrs. Miller checked in from a vacation at Atlantic City and points east. DENVER R. J. (Bob) O'Donnell, national chairman of the motion picture industrj for the Fifth War Loan Drive, met with regional theatre owners and film distributors here Tuesday to outline a campaign and rally their support. O'Donnell was accompanied by Richard Kennedy, John J. Friedl. Ray Beall. Major Allen V. ilartini. Claude F. Lee and Jack Flynn, all members of t'.ie Drive junket. A welcoming committee of 100 headed by Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., state industn, chairman for the drive, met the part} at the train, with greetings being extended b}' Ricketson, Samuel Gillette and Tracy Barham of Utah, E. J. Schulte and Tom Berta of Wyoming, J. A. English of Montana, and Xe\nn McCord of Idaho, exhibitor chairmen of their various states. Other officials greeting die party included Len Gruenberg, district chairman for the Salt Lake and Salt Lake City area, and his assistants, Tom Bailey of the Denver area and GifT Davidson of the Salt Lake City area ; and Helen Garrit}-, W^illiam Gordon. Sam Gardner, Carol Trowbridge and George Smitli of L^tah, representing distributors. At noon O'Donnell spoke at a Isncheon at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. O'Donnell told of the success of the industry in the previous drives and urged both exhibitors and distributors to put forth every effort to bring even greater recognition to the business. The part\ left Tuesday night far San Francisco. {Continued on Page 32)