Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1945)

32 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW April 14, 1945 REGIONAL Conti iiued representative, were hosts at the regular Saturday night froHc at the Variety Club last week. Thomas W. Young, 20th-Fox branch manager; Thomas M. O'Ryan of National Transitads Inc., and Henry W. Slavick, general manager of station WMC, have been added to the Mothers' Milk Bank Committee of the Variety Club, whose chairman is Herbert Kohn of Malco Theatres, Inc. The committee has voted to open support of the Milk Bank to the general public and will accept memorial gifts for the fund. The Variety Club has received national commendatfon for its financial support of the Bank. Among exhibitors booking in Memphis this last week were C. J. Collier of Drew, Ruleville and Shaw, Miss. ; Clyde Browning, Ecru, Miss. ; W. R. Wringer, Letchville, Ark.; Cliff Peck, Covington, Tenn., and Henley .Smith, Pocahontas, Ark. Hilman Pinegar, Army combat photographer who helped film the invasion of Leyte for the Army Signal Corps, is on 30-day leave in Memphis visiting friends along Film Row and those at the Press-Scimitar where he was employed. Following his leave, he will report to an Army rest camp. Pinegar, who made the Leyte invasion with first line troops, declares it is hard to describe the feeling one has on seeing the Japanese charge toward you when you are armed only with a camera. Arkansas circuit operators in Memphis this last week included Robert Kessler of the Kessler Circuit and Eugene Boggs of the Boggs Circuit. John Osborn, checking supervisor and former salesman, has resigned from Loew's and joined Warner Bros. C. W. Tipton, Jr., Manila, Ark., exhibitor, has been ordered to report for medical examination for the Army on April 18, at Camp Robinson, Ark. The theatre at Tuckerman, Ark., which was damaged severely by fire several months ago, has been remodeled and will reopen soon under the direction of M. D. Livingston, Tuckerman druggist and mayor. Paramount salesmen Bill Kroeger, Richard .Settoon and Joe Young with branch manager L. W. McClintock held a two-day sales conference last week and trade-screened the Paramount fifth block of pictures for local exhibitors. Arthur Groom, with Loew's State here for about IS years, has been transferred to Loew's Victory at Evansville, Ind. Bill Kemp, Loew relief manager, replaces Groom in Memphis until a new manager is selected for the State. VANCOUVER Paul Nathanson, president of the Odeon Circuit, speaking at a district managers' meeting here disclosed that the circuit's postwar plans call for 100 new movie theatres to be constructed throughout the Dominion, 50 of which are expected to be completed two years after the war at a cost of $7 million. The Odeon building program, he added, would include the latest technological developments in use in English theatres which are closely associated with the J. Arthur Rank interests. Nathanson also announced that Howard Boothe, formerly district supervisor, will succeed Dave Griesdorf, who resigned ; and Earl Hayter, present district booker and theatre manager has been promoted to supervisor of Vancouver suburban theatres. Frank Soltice, manager of the Circle Theatre, will become district booker. "Thunderhead, Son of Flicka," proved its worth at the Orpheum Theatre last week where it broke a 14-year record. All theatres did excellent business over Easter. J. J. Baldwin of Carberry, Man., has bought the Grand Theatre, Melfort, Sask., from Mrs. A. Assally. S. T. Baldwin, a brother, is operating the house on which alterations and improvements are planned after the war. Frank Vaughn, former Universal manager CRO'WD WELCOMES HERO. A record-breaking crowd of Paris, Ark., citizens were on hand at the K. Lee Williams Logan Theatre recently to welcome home their hero, Marine Cpl. Dennis Rainwater, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Rainwater. Cpl Rainwater was one of over 500 prisoners of war liberated from a Japanese prison camp in the Philippines. The Logan's manager, "Vic" Farrar, is shown here extending greetings to the young Leatherneck. here and who has been in the RCAF for the past four years, has been appointed assistant general manager for Empire-Universal in Canada. The Bayview, a new theatre at Boundary Bay, B. C, opened this week under the auspices of the RCAF Canteen Fund and seats 550. New releases are being supplied by local exchanges. "Universities at War," a short produced by the National Film Board is attracting wide appeal in local theatres. Louis Finstein who has the Roxy Theatre here under lease bought the building last week for $20,800. Harry Black, formerly with the Capitol, Penticton, passed through Vancouver with his family en route to Prince Rupert where he will take charge of the Capitol Theatre. Eddie Zorn, Prairie district manager for Famous Players was bedded with the flu in Calgary while on his way East from Vancouver and is reported having fully recovered. OMAHA Harold E. Lombard has been named branch manager of Confidential Reports here. Field supervisors include George Northouse, Jr., and W. H. Hoffman ; Mrs. Ruth Spaulding, secretary, Mrs. Gail Coulter, accountant. William Miskell, Tri-States district manager, will be in charge of theatre activities here in connection with the United National Clothing Collection. Benjamin Hahn is the new student manager at the Brandeis Theatre. He comes from the RKO house at Davenport, la. Mrs. Mildred Williams, 20th-Fox office manager, has returned from a visit to Mason City, la. Morris Safier, PRC Western sales manager, spent a week in the territory. Don V. McLucas, WAC chairman, has appealed to exhibitors in this area to get their Red Cross pledges in immediately to William Miskell, care of the Orpheum Theatre here. Jack Connor, MGM exploiteer, will leave April 17 for a conference in New York with W. R. Ferguson, head of the exploitation department. B. C. Marcus, Columbia, Kansas City district manager, was a visitor last week. Elmer Dunas, Columbia salesman for the past eight years has resigned due to poor health. Lt. H. B. Johnson, Jr., son of Harold Johnson, Universal branch manager, returned here on a 30-day furlough after a long period of service in the Mediterranean. Libby Fishberg, with the WB exchange, was married to Irving Lincoln, a veteran of this war, April 12. Robert Ballantyne, theatre equipment company owner here, was among the members of the family who recently observed the 92nd birthday of their father, J. A. Ballantyne, Sr., in Norfolk, Va. The name of the Brandeis Theatre will henceforth be known officially as the RKO Brandeis, meaning it is now in complete possession of RKO-Radio^ Pictures Corporation. Joe Jacobs, Columbia branch manager, has received a heavy metal ash tray from T/Sgt. Harold Garber, former accessory manager now stationed in the Pacific theatre. Made entirely of shell casings, it has a model plane, as an ornament, on top. E. G. Gannon, Schuyler exhibitor, has remodeled his Avon Theatre and reopened for business. LOS ANGELES National Theatre Supply had a fire (April 3) of undetermined origin. Although the damage has not been estimated, it is believed it will reach the $25,000 figure. Alex Cooperman, booker at Exhibitors' Service, has entered the real estate brokerage field, but will continue his duties with the firm. The Pico Theatre, operated by Mrs. Goldman, has been reported sold. Film Row visitors included : Lou Kolvin, of the Unique, L.A. ; Bob Dunnigan, Rio Theatre, Blythe; Mr. and Mrs. Lemucchi, Bakersfield; Lester Perkins, Mesa Theatre, Victorville; Marino Pierucci, Buttonwillow, Buttonwillow, Ariz. ; Ernie and Glen Harper, Corona Theatre, Corona; Mrs. Foster Jackson, Elsinore Theatre, Elsinore; Mr. and Mrs. J. Menard, Norwalk Theatre, Norwalk. Harry Rackin, president of Exhibitor Service, Inc., left for a 10-day business and pleasure trip to Phoenix, Ariza. He was accompanied by Jim Loomis, of the Grand Theatre, Douglas, Ariz. Mr. and Mrs. Pete Simos, Virginia Theatre, Bakersfield, have announced the engagement of their daughter, Joy, to L. Nielson, not of the trade. N. A. McTaggart, the new booker for Columbia, formerly was booker for the Vinnicof Circuit. Foster Blake, Universal branch manager left for a vacation in Seattle. J. Stillwell has sold his Grizzly Theatre at Big Bear Lake to Earle Streebe, who has theatre interests in Las Vegas and Lake Arrowhead. George Hickey, MGM Western division manager, has purchased 960 acres of land near Palm Springs with an eye to future subdivision. T. Carr, who is building a theatre at Lamont, Calif., was observed on Film Row buying product. CLEVELAND The Easter Parade here led straight to the downtown theatres. The weather was clear until evening when showers dampened the streets but not the public's appetite for screen entertainment. All first-run houses reported overflowing attendance. RKO district manager Bernard Kranze beamed with pride when his son, Don, came home on leave wearing newly acquired wings and his insignia as Flight Officer. Sgt. Salvatore Gerace, former manager of the Rialto Theatre here has been reported a prisoner {Continued on Page 35)