Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

30 SHOWMEN'S TRAM REVIEW, February 1, 1947 REGIONAL NEWSREEL (Continued from Page 28) eral days in Chicago the past week calling on circuit managers. Mrs. Eileen Wacker, and Miss Elaine Berry, have been added to the PRC office personnel, to handle the detail work in connection with Fagle-Lion product. The Pastime Theatre, Richmond, Ind., has been taken over by Al. Blankenbaker, formerly a booker at Warner Bros, and more recently a member of the United Artists' sales organization. The house was formerly operated by Guy Alexander. Guy Craig, Columbia Pictures branch manager, was a Chicago business visitor the past week. Andrew Anderson, Photoplay Theatres circuit, Hartford, Ky., has been admitted to the Leahy Clinic, Boston, Mass., where he will undergo a major operation. F. J. A. McCarthy, Universal southern sales manager, Peter Rosian, district manager, and Ted Mendelssohn, branch manager, visited Terre Haute, Ind., to look over the situation there. Frank C. Hensler, MGM district manager, Detroit, was a business visitor at the local branch of the company Wednesday and Thursday. Peggy Denny, biller at MGM, and Bee Stassi of the office personnel announced their engagements during the week. June Dinkues, MGM booker's stenographer, has announced her engagement to William Quinlan. Uthra Ricketts and Mae Pierce have acquired the Elnora Theatre, Elnora, Ind., and have completely re-decorated and renovated the house which has been dark for a long time. Mrs. Verne Gorrell, who operates the Isis Theatre, Winamac, Ind., is recuperating after a siege of influenza. President Trueman Rembusch, William A. Carroll, executive secretary of the Allied Iheatre Owners of Indiana, Inc., and Joseph P. Finneran, Columbus, Ind., are attending the National Allied board of directors' meeting in Washington, D. C, Jan. 30 to Feb. 1. Carroll will stop over at Philadelphia, P'a., on his return to Indianapolis, to confer with Sidney Samuelson of Allied of Eastern Pennsylvania. A former employe, Mrs. Grace McNeely, of the 20th-Fox cashier's department was tendered a stork i shower by the ladies of the exchange. The shower was preceded by a dinner at Hollyhock Hill. PHILADELPHIA Dave Barrist, Quality Premiums, arrived from Florida at the same time Charlie Goodwin left for the southland. Fred Davis, former usher at the S-W Kent Theatre, has returned to work after his session with the armed services. Friends of Lou Fortunato, Paramount booker, gave him quite a send-off at his wedding last week in Philadelphia. Frank McNamee, regional War Assets Administration head, was the principal speaker at the luncheon in honor of Ely Epstein, sales manager of RKO. Al Davis, branch manager for Monogram Pictures has returned from St. Louis for the company's sales conference. Fverett Callow, advertising and publicity head for S-W Theatres in Philadelphia, spent two days in New York this week attending a special advertising meeting. Jack Kraker has severed his relations with Jack Kraker Associates, but K. M. Zonies and Bob Black will continue the business as before. The firm is credited with having been the originator of the housekeeping and employe questionnaire used by many theatres throughout the east. Mark N. Silver has been appointed district manager for the United Artists organization in the Philadelphia, Washington and Pittsburgh territories. Hank Howard, RKO exploitation man in the Philadelphia territory for the past few years, has been promoted to a much higher position by Terry Turner, field head. Howard By JOCK MacGREGOR The Cinema Exhibitors Association, thanks to President Fred Prior and Secretary W. R. Fuller, put their recommendations on the Quota Act to the Board of Trade clearly before the press and with creditable showmanship. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^ ^ " ^ ^ ^ fti^iti MacGregor They maintain that most people like to deal with certain firms whether it is for groceries or hardware or anything. The independents rely on American firms for the bulk of their programs and want them to supply their quota needs. As casual customers of British distributors they do not anticipate the best terms. They also want selectivity, for no picture is box-office everywhere, and point out that in locations where the three circuits operate the independent has a raw time when only some forty British pictures were turned out as in 1946. While the Exhibitors appreciate the necessity for fostering the home industry, they know their debt to Hollywood. Fuller went out of his way to stress the fact that the U. S. movie capital supplies large numbers with the type of entertainment they like and are willing to pay for. The Independents are sick of the attacks on Hollywood that have gone unchecked. Unfortunately now, a Hollywood picture is viewed with suspicion and, re-reading Sir Henry French's excellent quota report which the producers sent to the BOT, one regrets the inclusion of "for a large proportion of the imported pictures, by general consent, do not provide entertainment for Brtish audiences equal to British productions." will work directly with Turner and his position in Philadelphia is being filled by A. Beck, wellknown in the district. Dot Isrow, former cashier at the S-W State Theatre, left three years ago for a vacation in Florida. She liked it so much she just returned to the city of brotherly love and took up her duties at the Earle Theatre. Bob Bein, exploiteer, will spend the next seven or eight weeks doing some tub-thumping for the forthcoming Sportsmen's Show which will be held at Convention Hall. Miss Katherine Howard, an employee of the Hollywood Theatre in Atlantic City, has been given the January courtesy award of the Atlantic City Hotel Greeters Association for her exceptional courtesy toward both visitors and If this is the case, there seems little need for a new Act, for showmen will always book box-office propositions without obligation. * * * Certain producers are lobbying for a change at the British Board of Film Censors. They feel the principles should be revised. * * * I have criticized certain British producers for lack of publicity mindedness. British Na'tional's Lou Jackson is an exception. Visiting him with Press Representative Susan Storer, I came across an exceptional example of cooperation. She had arranged for some Birmingham beauty contest winners to visit the studio in the afternoon and told Lou. He figured that since a bit player had not turned up, the prize winner might do it if it would help her. Since the local papers had sent reporters, a routine story became front-page news and the film "No Nightingales" garnered a nice boost. Lou did not stop there. The girl had not finished when her coach left so he sent her back in his car with the reporters. Some 120 miles. Some studios will not even provide transportation for correspondents to visit them. As Michael Balcon sat down at J. Arthur Rank's dinner for his executives he remarked "To think they are all on one payroll." It was a perfect summing up. for few top producers were missing. The speeches have been fully reported and the evening was an unqualified success. There is no question that Rank is getting well dug in to the European and Empire markets. A highlight of the evening was the fine tribute which he paid Mickey Balcon, now celebrating his 25th year in production. * * * Visiting the "Uncle Silas" set at Denham, I found Prop Man Lane in exceptional form. His pet ferret had just replaced Rank's in the film, as the latter was too big "for the part! LONDON OBSERVATIONS CER, Desiring to Retain Renters' Quota, Cites As Reason Reliance on Hollywood for Bulk of Product