Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW. March 1, 1947 33 REGIONAL NEWSREEL CENTURY VISUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM BEGINS. Century Circuit's new Visual Education Program, a collaborative venture between the circuit and the Board of Education to determine whether commercial motion pictures shown in commercial theatres can abet classroom studies, gets under way at the circuit's Rialto Theatre in Brooklyn as more than 1,000 seventh and eighth-grade students attend a showing of the Mark Twain classic, "Tom Sawyer." Present for the initial experiment, above, are (1-r) : Nathaniel Kaplin, secretary of the Board of Education; Commissioner Maximilian Moss of the Board of Education; Fred J. Schwartz, Century Theatres vice-president, and Joseph R. Springer, general theatre manager of the circuit. has been in North Dakota with salesman Charles Stoflet. Minnesota Amusement Co. has decided to drop its trade name Mindako Theatres. Failure of the name to catch on in the trade was given as the reason by a company official. North Central Allied has moved from its office in the Pence building to 253 Loeb Arcade, Minneapolis. Sheldon Greng's New Hollywood at Eau Claire, Wis., a 900-seater, is scheduled to open Easter Sunday. This will be the first time Minnesota Amusement Co., which operates four houses there, will have any competition. Walter Boettcher has purchased the Concord. West Concord, Minn., from Donald Rasmusson. Victor Dahl is the new owner of the Fayette, Fayette, Iowa. Tremann circuit. Minneapolis, has leased the Astor, Brooklyn-Hibbing, Minn. Albert Charbonneau has purchased the Star, Drayton, N. D., from Axel Nordstrom. CHARLOTTE The local Paramount branch held a weiner roast at the Sharon Golf Club commemorating the office's work in the 34th and greatest year of the company. During the contest the office was divided into two teams headed by Mrs. Mildred McWaters, cashier, and Blake Gryder, head shipper. Gryder's side won and Mrs. McWater's side had to furnish the refreshments. Harry Haas, branch manager, who was neutral during the contest, went on the side of the losing team at the end in order to help with the financial end of the party. Joe Cutrell, booker, was in charge of arrangements. It was announced in the Concord, N. C. papers recently that a new Negro theatre would soon be constructed in that town. WinstonSalem, N. C, which has heretofore been without Sunday shows, has just passed an ordinance permitting Sunday shows in the town, and the theatres will commence opening for three shows on Sunday at two, four, and nine. The Post Theatre at Cherry Point, N. C, has just commenced charging 10 cents admission, something entirely revolutionary to Naval and Marine Corps base theatres. INDIANAPOLIS Hudson Enterprises, Inc., operator of the Strand at Kendallville, Ind., is remodeling the Princess that city. It will be opened at an early date. Two out-of-state men are being held in Marion count}' jail on vagrancy charges pending investigation of the $1057 burglary of the Strand Theatre, 1332 East Washington Street, early Sunday, (16). Both men have served long jail terms in Illinois and California, police reported. "Jolson Story" — which smashed all records at Loew's Theatre by having a total of 103,110 up to Sunday night, (16) was held over a fourth week, according to Boyd Sparrow, manager. Only one other film has been held for four weeks at the theatre, "Gone With the Wind." George T. Landis, branch manager 20th-Fox, returned after a week's absence attending a business meeting in New York City. Abe Gelman, Columbia salesman, attended the opening of Clyde Marshall's Columbian Theatre, Columbia, Ky., where they showed a Columbia picture "Gilda." Norma Taylor, booker's secretary for 20thFox, is suffering with an infected throat. Phyllis Bryton, cashier's secretary at the exchange, is on the sick list. Associated Theatre Owners of Indiana, will hold its regular monthly meeting March 4 in the Hotel Antlers. Pete Mailers, of the Mailers Circuit, Ft. Wayne, is vacationing in Florida. The Princess Theatre, Kendalville, operated by the Hudson Enterprises, Richmond, is being remodeled and renovated. Film row visitors included, Grant Henley, Community, Carthage ; J. B. Stine, Garfield, Terre Haute ; Walter Weil, Weil, Greenfield ; E. H. Austin, Austin, Versailles ; J. B. Sconce, Sconce Circuit, Edinburg; William Studebaker, Logan, Logansport; Bruce Kixmiller, IndianaColonial, Bicknell ; E. E. Smith, Devon, Francesville ; Robert Hudson, Jr., Hudson Circuit, Richmond; and Roger Scherer, Mailers Circuit, Ft. Wayne. • COLUMBUS Tent No. 2, Variety Club, recently purchased a 16-mm. projection and sound equipment for its service in entertaining shut-ins and at charity and welfare institutions which do not have the available equipment. Its forthcoming activities will include a benefit for its $5,000 Heart Fund in July. Rogers Garrett, who has been named manager of the new University Theatre of the Academy Theatres, now set for March opening, will also play a Hammond organ. He was recently named a member of the University City Business Men's Association. Walter A. Pfeifer, son of John "Dad" Pfeifer, has succeeded his father as president of the Pfeifer Show Print Company. Interrupted stage show policy of the Palace Theatre, managed by Jerry Shinbach, will be resumed on March 3 with the King Cole Trio. Future stage attractions will include Lionel Hampton, Guy Lombardo, Carmen. Cavallaro, Louis Prima, Charles Spivak, Sammy Kaye and Louis Jordan. Maria Manton, daughter of Marlene Dietrich, here as an understudy in Eugene O'Neill's new play, "Moon of the Misbegotten," stated she was giving up the stage and expects to start teaching drama at Fordham University, New York, in June. She gave as her reason the overshadowing pressure of her mother's fame. Rozella Pierson has been named office assistant at Loew's Broad Theatre. In an effort to combat juvenile delinquency, the Clintonville Community Council has okayed the purchase of barracks-type building for $2,500 to be used as a youth center. Complaints about dualing "blood and thunder" pictures with films of special appeal for children are being investigated in all Hilltop theatres, the managers having told the Llilltop Community Council, which is surveying all attractions at both West Side and Hilltop theatres, that they would gladly talk over the matter. George Perkras, owner of the Ritz and Rivoli, and John Hardgrove, representing Academy Theatres' West Mont, conferred with the civic group. KANSAS CITY The Apollo and Circus Theatres, heretofore Fox Midwest subsequent-runs, are currently in the first-run picture with "Blithe Spirit" showing day-and-date in both houses. If the film clicks other foreign and English pictures will get showings in these houses, according to Leon Robertson, city manager. Clarence Schultz, president of Commonwealth Theatres, Inc., is taking it easy at home for a few days while he recuperates from a sinus operation. Earl Herndon, general manager of Affiliated Theatres, Inc., of Indianapolis, spending a few days of vacation in town, dropped in at the {Continued on Page 34) New Mirrophonic Sound JOE HORNSTEIN has it!