Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

2? S H O W U EN'S TRADE R E V I E W October 7, 1944 * * REGIONAL NEWSREEL Continued ★ ★ was one of the neatest bits seen here in many a day, and the local press commented at length 111)011 the promotion and its results. The Theatrical Post of the American Legion recently opened a "Cigarets for Hospitalized Service Men" drive, and at the end of the first week had collected a large amount from the various exchanges. The RKO offices in Boston are receiving a fresh coat of paint, and although it may not smell so good right now, it really looks wonderful. The color theme is sky blue and cream. Frank O'Mahoney has resigned from Universal to enter the exhibition field as manager for Arthur Viaiio's Regent, Arlington, Mass. Pvt. I-^wrence Herman, formerly booker for RKO, is recovering from wounds suffered in action in Italy. Publicist Phil Eiigel is out of town on business. Ed Morey of New York is in Boston. He has business to attend to at the Monogram office. Harry Rogoviii, branch manager of Columbia, is back in town after attending a meeting in Chicago. Vacationing in New York recently was Al Wheeler, \'ermont salesman for MGM. James Winn, United Artists district manager, is back in the office after a trip to Buflfalo and New York City. CHICAGO As the convention starts: while members of the Theatre Equipment Dealers Protective Association were gathering earlier in the week, representatives of the various companies were identified. From Mohawk Carpet Mills came N. J. Anderson. R. E. Smiley was on hand to do the honors for Continental Electric Company. Other early arrivals were Stuart Barlow of Thomas Leedom Company, G. H. Silverstein of General Scientific, Harold Abbott and E. J. Peterson of Abbott Theatre Equipment, W. F. Scranton of Ampro, Clyde Tompkins and W. L. Laib of Reynolds Electric, Tom Flannery and Dick Weil of Whiteway Electric, and Alvin Levine of Stanley Theatre Equipment. The Great States Theatre circuit has advised all managers that theatres will be kept open on V-Day unless local authorities order closing. Plans have been made to drape all fronts with flags and special posters. With more than 360,000 Negroes in the Chicago area, the majority working in war plants, and with 2000 businesses controlled by them, entertainment for these people has become a real problem. Ten theatres at present cater to this trade, headed by the Regal Theatre of the B & K circuit and the Metropolitan of the Warner chain. Lt. Herb Schlosberg of the USMC Fourth Division Photographic Unit writes from the South Pacific that they are completing films of tb" Saipan engagement and American audiences will soon see the complete edited version. Schlosberg was formerly with the Capitol Film Exchange here. The Stanley Theatre Equipment Company reports the installation of a Ballantyne Sound Master system in the Amo Theatre, owne'l bv Sol Best. The DeVry Corporation established convention headquarters at the Bismark Hotel where President William C. DeVry extended invitations to all convention visitors to inspect the company's recently remodeled main plant on the North Side. Robert Hilton, general manager of Altec ; R. C. Gray; service supervisor ; and O. W. Maxwell,^ Alinneapolis. will hfead West for the company's national conference in Los Angeles starting October 16. A few other faces to be seen at the conven COMPLETE AGREEMENT. W. R. Ferguson, MGM explcitation director, and Louis W. Schine of Schine Theatres are apparently in complete agreement that it's time for all "to go back to pre-war showmanship." The camera caught them shaking hands in front of the printed slogan at the meeting held recently in Gioversville, N. Y., for Schine home office and field executives. tion : G. L. Carrington, Altec president ; H. S. Morris, Bert Sanford, and Robert Hilton, also of Altec ; President H. A. Mcllvaine of Continental Electric ; Ed Wolk and Ira Autok of the Wolk Company; Joe Hornstein. The United Builders organization, which is headed by Stanley Levine, has plans under way for the construction of several theatres after the war. Charles H. Ryan was made president of the Chicago Warner Club at the annual election held last week. Others elected were : Herbert Wheeler, vice-president ; Margaret Rosenberger, treasurer ; Astrid Woehler, secretary ; and on the board were placed James E. Coston, H. A. Turrell, and L. S. Stein. Members of the Chicago Operators' Union have subscribed $150,000 for an ambulance plane to be presented to the Army Air Forces, according to President James Gorman. Frank Ford and C. J. Kontos opened their new lOOO-seat Sterling Theatre in Sterling, 111., last week. All Chicago exchanges and equipment companies were personally represented at the opening. A. J. Meininger was recently welcomed back to the Balaban and Katz managerial staf¥. "Happy," as he is known to theatremen, was once a circus executive. Louis Meyer has been transferred from the Palace Theatre, Cleveland, to manage the Palace here. Norman Wrobel succeeds him at Cleveland. Walter Ahrens has been named manager of the Orpheum, Des Moines. W. F. Kruse of Bell and Howell and Bertram Willoughby of Ideal Film Service have been appointed to the 16mm film board in connection with the Sixth War Loan Drive. Bette Gleason, formerly of the Chicago Sun, has joined the Paramount publicity stafT at the Chicago exchange. DES MOINES A Christmas party in September with a real live Santa Claus, tree and everything took place here, with Tri-States Theatre Corp. and Central States Corp. holding the afifair for some 250 members of the two circuits now in the armed forces. A. H. Blank, head of both organizations, served as the Santa Claus and helped wrap some of the packages which were mailed to the soldiers and sailors and others in the various services. Several men from the maintenance department had a little trouble getting a Christmas tree, but they brought one in somewhere from the country. A total of $100,000 was raised by G. Ralph Branton, general manager of Tri-States Thea tres from Des Moines business firms and men for a $625,000 nurses' home for Mercy Hospital. The Federal works agency has allotted $125,000 in a grant to match the Des Moines fund. Branton served as chairman of a voluntary committee to raise the funds. A record in the film industry was set in Des Moines when four of the Tri-States theatres showed the same film. It was the first time four houses showed the same picture at the same time. The picture, "Going My Way," was booked at the Strand, Ingersoll, Uptown and Hiland. Business meetings with salesmen and circuit managers were held last week at Warner Bros, exchange in Des Moines, with R. H. Haines, Western sales manager, and Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, both of New York ; Hall Walsh, district manager of St. Louis, and Frank Hannon, Omaha branch manager, in attendance. Bert Thomas at the Columbia exchange is looking for another booker since Dale Hartin resigned. Lorraine Wynn is the new biller at 20th Century-Fox, replacing Pat Hatton, who resigned. Nate Rosenthal of Waterloo, who came to Des Moines to confer with some film folks, found out what the hotel situation was like. Arriving in town about midnight, he found no vacancies at any hotel. The clerks assured him there would be some early the next morning, so Nate walked the streets until 5 a.m. when he obtained a room. Bill Dippert, former Universal booker, visited friends along Film Row in Des Moines recently and disclosed he has been transferred to the office of strategic service in Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON John S. Allen, MGM branch manager, and Carter Barron, of Loew's, were "Kings For The Day," at the October Variety Club luncheon. Presentation of the Headliners Newsreel Awards were made to the military services. John O'Leary, manager of the 20th CenturyFox office, celebrated his birthday, September 29. Universal's inspection department is having new electric machines installed. It's the first office on Film Row to use them. Moe Silver, United Artists, has been in New York on business. Birthdays of MGM's office manager, Joseph Kronman, and Cashier's Assistant Dot Pfluger, were remembered by the office staff with birthday presents. Bob Folliard, RKO district manager, was in town visiting circuit accounts. C. E. Peppiatt. 20th Century-Fox, visited exhibitors in Charlotte, N. C, last week. Max Cohen, of LTniversal, was out ill with flu. John Connellee, New Theatre, Aberdeen, and New Theatre. Elkton, Md., and T. D. V. Fields, of Bluefield and Keen Mountains, Va., were visitors at MGM exchange. Corp. Ted Lohmeyer. son of Harry Lohmeyer, Warner district manager, and former manager of the Avalon Theatre, visited industry friends while on furlough in Washington. Ted is stationed in Kansas. Jack Whittle, Avenue Theatre, Baltimore, is recovering from a recent heart attack. New faces at RKO are Helen Webb and Mary Murray. MGM Pep Club president, Booker Catherine Murphy, has returned from her vacation. S. E. Applegate, Universal Philadelphia district manager, was in town visiting the local exchange. MGM vacation notes : Gertrude Kerner back after sojourn in Florida to be near her sailor husband. Ann Bullinger vacationing at New {Confimied on Page 24)