Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW. February 1, 1947 27 REGIONAL NEWSREEL which will reach as high as 10 per cent. Repeal was introduced in the state legislature by Representative Marshall of Franklin County and is known as H. B. No. 15. Al Sunshine with offices in the Film Building, has been named distributor for Filmack Trailers in the Cleveland exchange area. Sunshine is national distributor of Advanads and Dater Strips. Ralph Noltemeyer has been added to the Cooperative booking staff taking the place of Sidney Cohen who resigned recently to join InterMountain Theatres in Salt Lake City. Frank Masek. National Theatre Supply branch manager, attended the 26th annual convention of the AMPTO of Western Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. Bob Munn has resigned from the Warner sales force to join Republic in a like capacity. Robert Bixler succeeds him at Warners. Wade M. Carr, district sales representative for Manley Inc., last week installed Manley popcorn machines in the new Belmont Theatre, Dayton and also in the State Theatre, Shelby. A daughter named Ellen Joy was born last week to Leonard Greenberger, manager of the Fairmount Theatre, and Mrs. Greenberger. Pare Lorenz, producer and now film and theatre chief of the orientation branch, civil affairs, War Department, was in town to attend the third annual conference of the UAWClO educational department. The producer of "The Plow That Broke the Plains" and "The River," came to Cleveland specifically to see the UAW-CIO reel, "The Brotherhood of Man." He spoke before the gathering on the need of supporting the army and all agencies trying to re-educate the former enemy peoples. Wedding bells rang out last week for Irene Shilling, MGM receptionist, and Walter Hurless. Ben L. Ogron, head of Ohio Theatre Supply Company, closed a deal with the Community circuit to install complete Motiograph booth equipment in the Cedar Lee Theatre. This includes Motiograph projectors, Mirrophonic sound system with Voice of the Theatre speakers, bases and magazines. Ogron has also received his first model AA postwar Motiograph projector which is on display in the Film Building offices. KANSAS CITY "Henry V" closed its run at the Kimo Theatre Jan. 23 after three weeks with a total gross of $17,000. The 533-seat neighborhood theatre was leased from Dickinson, Inc., by the Theatre Guild which showed the picture on a two-a-day schedule. The price scale of $1.20, $1.80 and $2.40 was the highest ever asked for a motion picture in Kansas City. The theatre has returned to its regular policy of subsequentruns. Klmer Rhoden, president of the Fox Midwest Amusement Corporation, is currently spending some time in California looking after his ranch and other interests there. Managers of the Kansas City, Kansas, movie theatres are watching with great concern the downtown stores' policy of staying open Monday nights, a recent switch from former Saturday night openings. Thus far managers believe the Saturday night closings have helped theatre attendance both Saturdays and Sundays, and do not seem to have affected the Monday night attendance. The change was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce with the provision that open Saturday nights would be resumed in M. P. Bookers Install The Tavern on the Green in Central Park resounded with honest revelry Monday night when the Motion Picture Bookers Association of New York intalled its officers in a burst of good fellowship which was arranged by MGM's Eddie Richter and Brandt Theatres' Lou Wolff on the arrangements committee. Officers installed were: President, Oscar Lager; Vice-Presidents, Harry Margolis and Lou Wolff; Secretary, Lucille Tannenbaum; Financial Secretary, Jean Slade; Treasurer, Henry Krassner; Trustees, Jack Birnbaum, Jack Perley; and the following directors; Alex Arnswalder, Archie Barisch, Edward Seider and George Trilling. Sergeant-at-arms Max Fried, also installed, didn't have to keep order. Associated with Richter and Wolfe in arrangements was Irving Kaplan of Randforce. Max Cohen of Cinema circuit was toastmaster and the speakers included Arthur Levy of Universal, Arthur Greenblatt of Monogram, Jean Picker of Loew's and Sam Rintzler of Randforce. In appreciation of the many years of association and hard work, gifts of a gold choker were presented Lillian Seidman of the Harris circuit, and silverware to Etta Segal, Monogram, and Lee Herbst, Jolson circuit. the spring if the open stores on Monday nights did not prove profitable to merchants. Sy Freedman, 20th-Fox exploitation man for the St. Louis and Kansas City exchanges, has returned to town from the St. Louis exhibitors' meeting where he worked with Lew Lehr. He is now lining up campaigns on "Shocking Miss Pilgrim" and "13 Rue Madeleine," soon to break in the territory. Something of a record has been chalked up by "Blue Skies" at the Newman Theatre and "It's a Wonderful Life" at the Orpheum Theatre as the two films close identical five-week runs. A five-week run of any picture is most unusual in Kansas City, but when opposing houses pull the stunt with concurrent runs it's film history. "Blue Skies" rolled up something like $75,000 in its five weeks, the most money any film ever garnered in the house. "It's a Wonderful Life" got off to a slow start, but bettered $60,000 in its extended run, showing iftiusual staying power. ST. LOUIS Motion picture theatre interests here are viewing with some alarm a number of moves to increase state taxes. Among the proposals are a 35-cent increase in the public school tax, effective for four years ; a $10,000,000 local school building bond issue, to be voted on primary day, March 7 ; a proposal to impose a two per cent property tax in the state to finance an $80,000,000 state bonus for former service men and women ; another bill calling for submission of a $100,000,000 bond issue amendment for soldiers' bonus pay; and a third bonus bill (the first one introduced in the legislature) providing that veterans receive credits up to $500 on state taxes and bonuses. The Edinburg Theatre in Edinburg, 111., has been sold by Haldon Gordon to Carl Pehlman at an undisclosed price. Gordon took over the house several months ago. Funeral rites for Mrs. Harvey O'Loughlin, wife of the president of the Motion Picture and Projection Machine Operators Union, Local 143, was held here Jan. 22, with interment in Zion Cemetery. For many years Mrs. O'Loughlin had been active in the Ladies Auxiliary Motion Picture Operators Local 143 and in other organizations. The 200-seat Crest Theatre in Cerro Gordo, III., has been reopened by Walter Gill after having been closed for remodeling and redecoration. Rev. William P. Arndt of the Concordia Seminary, Clayton, St. Louis, will head an expedition to Palestine to take motion pictures of the Holy Land. The party, which sails from New York on Feb. 5 on the S.S. Saturnia, will include the Rev. Erich Kiehl, associate member of Church-Craft Pictures of St. Louis which is sponsoring the expedition, and Mrs. Kiehl who is to act as secretary. Rupert Leach, cameraman of Portland, Ore. will join the expedition at Alexandria, Egypt. Three weeks will be spent in Jerusalem ; also in Bethlehem and in the Jordan Valley. New RCA Photophone sound system has been installed in the State Theatre at Somonauk, 111. House will soon get a new silver screen. H. E. Stevens, manager of the Avalon Theatre, TOLEDO BARKERS GATHER. The newly formed Variety Club of Toledo (Tent No. 30) has hit a rapid stride as to growth and activity. New Club quarters have been set up at the Willard Hotel. Above, a recent luncheon gathering of Barkers of the tent at which Magician Harry Blackstone was honored guest. Those present who are seen in the photo above were: (standing) Paul Spor, Giles Robb, Milt Tarloff, Paul Heuter, John Sabrey; (seated) Jack Lykes, Bert Schoonmaker, Blackstone, Jack — O'Connell, Walter Gibson.