Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

28 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Norciiibcr 25. 1944 REGIONAL Continued is recovering from an illness which prevented her attendance at the November luncheon meet Jack Austin, city manager for the WilbyKincey theatres, addressed the Charlotte Motion Picture Council last week on the subject, "Movies at War." Mr. Austin has been active in five national bond drives, and in every other cause for which industry help has been asked. In the present loan he has been made publicity chairman for Charlotte and Mecklenburg county in raising $12,471,000. Fred Jack, district manager for United Artists, located at Dallas, Texas, was a recent visitor in Charlotte. A sound picture has been made of the Red Cross surgical dressings work being done at the Lee A. Folger Building. Mr. Folger, a General Motors dealer, has made his showroom available to the Red Cross. Interesting phases of the work done here will be filmed and shown in other General Motors organizations, it was stated by an official of the company. A film an hour was the lending record of the Charlotte public library for last month, it has been reported by Hoyt R. Galvin, director. It is estimated that 22,986 people viewed motion pictures — silent, sound, color, and black and white, educational, inspirational, juvenile, industrial, and historical — circulated free by the library during the month. An article about this library's use of films appeared recently in the American Library Journal. INDIANAPOLIS Indiana exhibitors gathered Thursday in the Indianapolis Athletic Club for their 18th annual convention. While the attendance was fairly good, it was far from what it should have been, due to shortage of help and transportation. Roy Harrold, president, presided. Pete Wood of the Independent Theatre Operators of Ohio, opened the meeting with a discussion of the growing and increasing use of 16mm. machines now in circulation. All officers were re-elected as follows : Roy Harrold, president, Rushville, Ind. ; Herbert H. Johnson, vice-president, Madison ; Marc Wolf, treasurer, Indianapolis ; Don Rossitter, executive secretary, Indianapolis ; and Christene Kirk, secretary, Indianapolis. The usual banquet and dinner dance was held in the ballrom with entertainment and specialties. Visitors at 20th-Fox's exchange during the week were Philip Williams, of the Aiarch of Time, William Clark, short subject sales manager from the home office and Ward Scott, Kansas City district manager, who spent Tuesday and Wednesday here on their regular routine office visit. George Landis, 20th-Fox exchange manager will attend the district and branch managers meeting Dec. 2-4 at the Astor Hotel, New York. Max Page, 20th-Fox head booker and office manager, has resigned his post. His successor has not , been named. Jack Eward, RKO assistant shipper, has resigned and has been named head shipper at the Paramount exchange. Dick Norris of the Paramount booking department is confined to his home by an injury received while in the service. Margery Bruce is the new addition to Paramount's booking department, and Patricia Gentry is the new switch-board operator. Harry Stevens, for many years head shipper at MGM has resigned. Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Nickbarg have acquired the Lincoln Theatre. The redecorated house has been equipped with a new screen and new seats. Trueman Rembusch, Indiana circuit operator, now residing in Colorado because of Mrs. Rembusch's health, was a visitor last week. National Screen Service has announced the exclusive distribution of trailers in the Indianapolis exchange area which includes all of Indiana and parts of Kentucky. Ted Liebtag, local NSS manager, was host at a cocktail party Monday in the new company quarters, marking the inauguration of the complete trailer and accessory service. Indianapolis exhibitors and out-of-town showmen were his guests. Lois Lee, service manager for Ross Federal Service, Inc,, and Cpl. John W. Meade, Baltimore, Md., were married Nov. 17th in St. Paul's Methodist Church here. Flight Officer, Earl R. Huehls, formerly employed at the RCA plant here is reported missing over Holland since Sept. 19. PITTSBURGH M. A. Rosenberg, who is retiring as president of the AMPTO of Western Pennsylvania, which position he has held since the organization was formed with the exception of one year, has been elected chairman of the board of directors and Western Pennsylvania's representative on the Allied national board. Rosenberg has been ailing for some time, which is the reason for his retiring as head of the local AMPTO. The local Variety Club will hold its annual election of officers on Monday, November 27. Among members of Tent No. 1 (Pittsburgh) who planned to attend the national convention of Variety Clubs in Washington on November 23-24-25 were John H. Harris, founder of Variety Clubs ; Harry Feinstein, present chief barker ; Joe Hiller and William Finkel. Corporal Anthony Delisi, son of the veteran Saltsburg, Pa., exhibitor, Joseph Delisi, has received an honorable discharge from the Marines and has resumed management of the Liberty Theatre in Saltsburg, owned by his father. After a serious abdominal operation, John D. Hoover, who had operated the Long Theatre, Summerhill, Pa., for a number of years, passed away recently. The family of Pvt. Roy Algeo, Jr., shipper for Republic Pictures here before entering the service, has been notified that he was killed in action in Saipan several months ago. It is reported that Clay V. Hake, until recently branch manager for 20th-Fox here and before that connected with the foreign department for more than 15 years, has joined Paramount-International and is at present stationed in New York City. Gus Davis, booker for the Warner Theatre Circuit in this territory until he entered military service about a year ago, is home on leave and was a visitor on Film Row this week. The distributing companies went "over the top" in the recent United War Fund drive, every exchange contributing 100 per cent so far as personnel was concerned and most of them doubling or tripling their last year's contributions. HARRISBURG Thanksgiving Eve was celebrated locally by midnight shows in the principal downtown houses, where these pictures played : Loew's Regent, "Mrs. Parkington" ; Senate, "The Princess and the Pirate" ; State, "And Now Tomorrow." Record crowds were reported at the special show and Thanksgiving day and night performances. A change in opening date, from Wednesday to Tuesday, brought "The Adventures of Mark Twain" to an earlier close, and "Something for the Boys" to the Colonial this week. A special screening for a group of friends of Mark Rubinsky, Capitol manager, gave Harrisburgers a glimpse of "And Now Tomorrow."' Rubinsky gave the private showing for his friends, managers of his other theatres, and local managers and their wives, to show the newlyredecorated Capitol. The renovation, supervised by Charlie Poorman, Rubinsky circuit road manager, was completed with the installation of the large carpet. Jerry Wollaston, Rio manager, received a letter from Sgt. Ed Smith, former Juniortown emcee at the Rio, now touring the country as special service man for the Army with the allsoldier show "Guillible's Travels," which he directed. Staff Sgt. Jack Born, former Rio employe, and Seaman Spike Todorov, former Colonial assistant manager, just missed each other by three hours in France, where Born was with t'ne Quartermaster Corps of the Army, and Todorov's ship docked for a day or so. Charlie Spivak and his orchestra while here donated their services last week to launch the 6th War Loan, by playing an hour's program atop the WAC Hut in front of the old Courthouse. Samuel Gilman, manager of Loew's Regent, who is bond drive chairman, and E. Girard Wollaston, special events chairman for the Harrisburg WAC arranged the opening event. Next on the schedule are several war bond premieres. The first is Dec. 6th at the State, while Loew's Regent and the Senate will follow NEWSREEL SYNOPSES . (Released Saturday, Noz'eiiiher 25) NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 16, No. 222)— President launches 6th War Loan ; Movies take lead in nationwide drive; Latest battle films from Philippines; Germans on Walcheren surrender to British; Churchill visits DeGauUe; Stilwell home from China; Football: Army vs. Penn — Ohio vs. Illinois. PARAMOUNT (No. 25)— Football : Ohio State vs. Illinois; FDR starts 6th War Loan; Paris hails Churchill; Stilwell home from China; Victory in Leyte. MOVIETONE (Vol. 27, No. 24)— MacArthur's forces close in on Japs in Leyte; B29s attack Jap Formosa base; Churchill greeted by DeGaulle in Paris; Football: Navy vs. Purdue — Army vs. Penn; 6th War Loan opened by FDR. RKO PATHE (Vol. 16, No. 27)— Churchill and DeGaulle meet in Paris; Navy battles Jap planes in Leyte; Rooievelt opens 6th War Loan Drive; British win flooded Walcheren; Poles wipe out Germans; Football: Navy vs. Purdue. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 17, No. 348)— 6th War Loan underway ; Land and sea victory on Leyte ; Floods rout Nazis from Walcheren; Poles wipe out Nazis; Churchill visits Paris; Football: Ohio vs. Illinois. (Released IVednesday, November 22) MOVIETONE (Vol. 27, No. 23)— Doolittle honors ace bombing group in England; Finale in Aachen; Mud slows advance on Siegfried Line; RAF free French patriots; Fliers saved at sea; Exhibitor gets medal for war bond sales; GI dream fashions; OPA checks toy prices; English war brides arrive in U. S. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 16, No. 221)— Yanks battle mud on German front; Nazi prisoners rounded up in Aachen; Doolittle lauds American airmen; 81st Infantry takes over Angaur Island in Palaus; Movie theatres launch Sixth War Loan campaign ; British brides of Yanks arrive in U. S. ; OPA helps Santa. PARAMOUNT (No. 24) — RAF frees French patriots; America's cigaret mystery; Movie bond champ; Angaur Island in Palaus taken by 81st U. S. Infantry. RKO PATHE (Vol. 16, No. 26) — Battle won on Angaur Island; Ruined Aachen surrenders last members of German garrison ; British bombers release French patriots; Captured films show U. S. prisoners in Naziheld Paris; 200-mission bomb group honored; Exhibitor wins bond sales award. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 17, No. 347)— Yanks take Angaur Island after bitter fight; Doolittle honors fliers; Mud slows advance on Reich; Exhibitor honored for bond record; OPA checks toy prices; GI brides arrive in U. S.; Let the icy winds blow; Prison broncho busters. ALL-AMERICAN (Vol. 3, No. 109)— First Negroowned air line opened; Nation celebrates Armistice Day; New York school children cited; Football; Navy vs. Cornell — Michigan vs. Illini; Negro troops disembark in France.