Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1946)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 19, 1946 3) REGIONAL NEWS REEL Nick Matsoukas, was in Chicago this week in connection with the national convention of the Greek War Relief association which will act on final plans to launch a $12,000,000 fund raising campaign. Kidney Mussman has been named county sales manager of PRC, heading a list of appointments and changes in other exchanges which include H. M. Israel, office manager for Republic; Frank Nardi, joining Republic sales staff for city sales ; Ed Skehan going to Great States as short subjects booker. Eddie Sutherland held a sneak preview of "Abie's Irish Rose" at ' the Essaness Woods last week before leaving for Hollywood. Soundies President George Allen is off to New York for business talks. The new Simplex equipment which went into the Oneida Theatre at Oneida, a Dwaine and Schieferdecker operation which opens next week, was by National Theatre Supply. The house seats 300. Martin Mortis and B. Huschen plan to open the Roanoke at Roanoke Hills by November. House seats 400. Gene Rovenstine's 400-seater Bourbon at Bourbon, Ind., is to open some time this month. Universal District Manager Ed Heiber is due for a testimonial dinner if the plans of some 50 friends work out. The National Association of Visual Educational Dealers has prepared a 10 point plan for fall and winter month activities, Executive Secretary Don White announced. Ben Sorosky has been named office manager for Monogram ; M. Rich, is now in the manager's chair at the Astor Theatre ; Bill Gaddoni, joined MGM for the country sales forces this week. Bell and Howell is moving to sponsor free shows for veterans hospitals. Tom O'Brien, general secretary of the British National Association of Theatre and Kinema Employes, attending the AFL convention in Chicago said he found the American amusement industry well organized. OKLAHOMA CITY THEATRE BUSINESS 8.55% BETTER TAX RETURNS SHOW; 31 MORE THEATRES OPERATING THIS YEAR R. Lewis Barton has opened the Kob Hill Theatre in suburban Capitol Hill featuring double bills on a second run policy. Barton owns two other suburban theatres in that area. Sam Caporal has reopened his Yale Theatre in the same spot after extensive remodeling. The Yale is the oldest suburban theatre here. Film Classics exchange here is taking over the 708 West Grand, spot formerly occupied by the National Theatre Supply Company as soon as the remodeling work now going on has been completed. National recently moved into its new building a block east. Howard Collier is getting set with plans to open the Kiowa Theatre in Kiowa, Oklahoma, a 200-seat theatre. Harold A. Soard is opening the new Moore Theatre, 225-seater, in the town of the same name just south of Oklahoma City. This is one of the communities that has been without a theatre for some time. Lew Chathan, Griffith public relations director, is in Dallas on business with C. R. Guthrie and Frank McCabe. CAMPAIGN CONFERENCE. Producer Eddie Sutherland (center) goes over the campaign for "Abie's Irish Rose" with Tom Waller (left), United Artists publicity manager, and David "Skip" Weshner, eastern representative for Ring Crosby Productions. Sutherland returned to the coast last week after previewing the picture for UA sales executives. Condition of Mrs. Claud Motley, wife of the Griffith circuit booker, who was stricken during the summer with infantile paralysis, is reported improving. Jack Oaks is the new manager at the Victoria Theatre, coming here from Milwaukee. Mrs. Pauline Johnson, head bookkeeper for the C. & R. Theatres has left for a two-weeks' vacation. Collections of the two per cent Oklahoma state sales tax from 327 theatres in the state during August, 1946 totaled $26,851.33 as com pared with $24,737.29 from 296 theatres in August, 1945, according to information just released by the Oklahoma Tax Commission which indicates that business is 8.55 per cent better this August than last and that there are 31 more theatres operating in the state during August, 1946 as compared with August, 1945 KANSAS CITY SEDALIA SHOWS STAY SHUT AS CITY TAX STAYS ON; GASTON PURCHASES FLORENCE MAYFLOWER The Snapp's Greater Shows, Inc., company, 128 Virginia Avenue, Joplin, Mo., has been incorporated by William R. and Dolly V. Snapp of Joplin with Robert D. Toutz of Webb City with $50,000 authorized capital stock "to make, install and operate mechanisms and apparatuses for amusement, recreation and exhibition." And the S. M. Taft Amusement Corporation, 643 Cleveland Ave., St. Louis, has been incorporated by S. M. and Helen Taft of Kirkwood, Mo., and John D. Hasler of Valley Park, Mo., with $75,000 authorized capital stock, "to establish and conduct a general amusement enterprise and furnish amusement programs to the public." K. H. Gaston has purchased the Mayflower Theatre at Florence, Kansas, from D. F. Urshel & Son. New salesman here for Screen Guild exchange is Jim Chapman, former theatre manager. The city of Sedalia (24,000 population) still has no motion picture shows since the three local theatres there closed down Aug. 17 when (Continued on Page 32) MAKING BOX-OFFICE HISTORY 1st Time in RKO History ^ JTSiTpoini o\ a gun IheTilorged an empire!. Two Re-Issues Play Week-end Dates Saturday Sunday Monday FAVORITE FILMS CORPORATION 630 Ninth Ave., New York, N. Y. Moc Kirman, President FRANCHISE HOLDERS EVERYWHERE