Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1948)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 13, 1948 25 REGIONAL NEWSREEL PORTLAND Ideal fall weather, plus high-type features continued extra good business for both Portland's first-runs and suburbans. N. P. ("Red") Jacobs, of San Francisco, has purchased the interest of Harry Price in Favorite Films of California, Inc. Price has retired. Burch Shelton, manager of the Portland Film Club, and his wife weekended on Puget Sound. Roy Wolford of Portland has been given the title of film row photographer. L. L. Barnett, announced that the new Grayland, (Wash.) Theatre would be opened on Nov. 12. Glen Haviland, Eastern Washington salesman for Warner's in Inland Empire territory is back in Seattle for conference. Clarence Haviland, Glenn's brother from Michigan, will join the staff of National Screen Service in Seattle. The Jimmy O'Connells are parents of a baby son. O'Connell is city manager for Evergreen Theatres in Spokane. Favorite Films moved into new quarters at 2323 Second Avenue, Seattle. Film and theatre rows in both Portland and Spokane were saddened at news of the death of Mrs. Kenneth Ames at Dishman, Wash. A question that is receiving much attention from various exhibitors and censors in the area is the banning of Warner Bros.' "Rope" in Tacoma, Seattle, Spokane and Bellingham, Wash., but which is open to both adults and children at the Parker's Broadway in Portland. Will it be banned elsewhere in Washington and Oregon? The annual Portland Shrine. "Show of Shows," for which plans were made by Oregon exhibitors and distributors, was held at Portland's Mayfair Theatre. John Carroll and Vince Barnett and Portland exhibitors Ray Grombacher and Claude Jensen assisted in the show. SAN FRANCISCO The San Francisco Board of Supervisors' proposal that Congress repeal the 20 per cent amusement tax is finding enthusiastic support by local managers who state, that while the 85-cent admission is high, 17 cents of that amount goes to the government as tax. With Frank Albert, new quarterback for San Francisco's unbeaten professional football team, the leading player in "Spirit of Stanford," football picture released in 1942, local managers are booking the oldie for kiddie matinees. Golden State District Manager William Coovert has named Worthington C. McGrath manager of the suburban Daly City Theatre, replacing Les Immerman, who quit to launch a theatrical enterprise in a new Peninsular development. Local film row's basketball team, sponsored by Paramount, was undefeated in the city's Industrial League tournament. Stanley Lefcourt scored honors in each game. Alice Eglestone has quit as secretary in Fox West Coast's purchasing department to become secre tary to Screen Guild President Robert Lippert. The Blumenfeld Eneean, Pittsburgh, Calif., closes this month for extensive remodeling. Mr. and Mrs. George Stamm open the new 1,000-seat Stamm, Antioch, Calif., Nov. 17. Emilia Bertini, secretary in the Blumenfeld buying department, was married here recently. University of California's 95-voice Glee Club presented a collegiate concert at the Orpheum, managed by Al Dunn, just before the traditional big football game. Organist Don Anderson participated in the program. OKLAHOMA CITY The Criterion, Tower, and Capitol theatres, Oklahoma City, featured the Presidential election returns by special wire. The IGA food stores of Oklahoma are sponsoring half-hour radio shows on the stage of the Criterion, Oklahoma City, featuring cowboy music. Every Wednesday "Lady IGA" is picked from the audience and is awarded a round trip to New York City or Hollywood, a diamond ring, a bouquet of orchids, and many other prizes. Joanna Barton, daughter of Lewis R. Barton, owner of the Lewis R. Barton Theatre chain in Oklahoma, is in Las Vegas, Nevada, making a film to be shown on the television screen. Barton presented his daughter with a 1949 Mercury on his trip to the west coast to see her recently. The Strand, Camden, Ark., has been issued a permit to remodel. TORONTO Evening blackouts of 45 minutes' duration went into effect on Toronto on Nov. 8 at 7 P.M., and Mayor H. E. McCallum increased the gloom by stating that the blackouts may be extended to three hours if the Ontario power crisis grows worse. Only exceptions to the blackouts are hospitals and other institutions and the street car system. There's a possibility that enforcement may continue throughout the winter. Daytime switchoffs to conserve electricity are still in effect. President H, C. D. Main of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario, on behalf of exhibitors, has protested, asserting the new power cut-off would probably put a number of the 60-odd local neighborhood houses out of business as many of them operate only in the evenings and would be able to give but a single show. Large Toronto theatres are installing auxiliary lighting plants which are far too expensive for the smaller theatres. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has refused the application of Famous Players Canadian for television rights under government license, the plan apparently being to make television a public monopoly. Famous Players was preparing to inaugurate television programs in several Toronto theatres. The first restaurant in a Canadian theatre, the cafe in the new Odeon showcase in Toronto, was opened Nov. 7, when invited guests wit(Continued on Page 26) * * ★ released by FILM RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL LTD. • 1600 BROADWAY, NEW YORK 19, N. Y. * ★ * Astor — Atlanta; Bay State — Boston; Pam-o — Buffalo; Astar— Charlotte; Capital — Chicago; Screen Guild — Cincinnati; Imperial — Cleveland; Astor — Dallas; Selected — Denver; Allied — Detroit; Selected — Kansas City; Astor — Los Angeles; Astor — Mll«uk«s; Independent — Minneapolis; Connecticut Films — New Haven; Dixie Film — New Orleans; Bell Pictures — N. Y. C; Capital — Philadelphia; Astor — San Francisco; Crown — Pittsburgh; Special Attractions — Seattle; Screen Guild — St. Louis; Equity — Washington. D. C. ; Peerless Film Canada — Toronto — WinnipegMontreal.