Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 29, 1949 23 REGIONAL NEWSREEL 'Frisco Vaude Fox West Coast is reportedly considering the use of vaudeville in the 4,651seat Fox at San Francisco shortly, featuring big-name acts. The move probably follows the surrender of the Warfield to Loew's which has already taken over the 2,600-seater, closed it for repairs to reopen in November with "Battleground." FWC reportedly has planned a vaude policy of seven acts at its Orpheum in Oakland. Al Weiblinger ; directors : Carl Dozer, I. Elmer Ecker, Joe Hiller, Perry Nathan, Tom Troy and William Zeilor. Harry Feinstein and J. T. McGreevey were named delegates to the 1950 national convention. DES MOINES Shirley Temple has cancelled her scheduled appearance at the midwestem premiere of the film, "A Kiss for iCorliss," scheduled for the Des Moines and Roosevelt theatres here on Nov. 17. Producer Colin Miller and Author F. Hugh Herbert will come to Des Moines for the event. J. M. Cappel, owner of the New Jesup at Jesup, la., ordered seats for his new house but they became lost in transit. Rather than delay the opening he installed planks placed on cement blocks. Until the seats arrive the shows are strictly on the house. . . . Tri-States Theatre Corp is having a Challenge drive which will run until Dec. 31, with District Manager William Miskell of Omaha challenging District Managers Herb Grove of Davenport and Bill Carr of Des Moines. Miskell has -won the last two Tri-States campaigns. J. M. and D. P. Ennis, brothers of Quincy, 111., have purchased the Forest, Des Moines, from Earl Manbeck, Jr. George Robison, manager of the house for the past six years, will continue in that position. . . . Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Cunningham of Des Moines have purchased the Paton, Grand Junction, Iowa, from Val Gorham. . . . Richard McTague, owner of the Iowa, Denison, la., is the father of a new baby girl — his seventh child. . . . The Vern at Luverne, la., has been leased to Paul J. iMetzger, publisher of the Luverne Tribune. CLEVELAND Wedding bells will ring early in the new year for Millie Rosenberg, daughter of A. M. Rosenberg of Pittsburgh and Leonard Wechsler, son of Jerome Wechsler, local W arner Bros, branch manager. P. E. Essick spent the week as a St. Vincent's Charity Hospital patient. . . . Frank Gross, another independent circuit owner, received his Mt. Sinai Hospital discharge following a successful operation. . . . Three members of the Zegiob family of Lorain — Mrs. Nazera Zegiob, son Elias and daughter Terese — all are on the mend from recent illness Simon Fine, 92, father of Associated Circuit president Myer Fine, suffered a broken hip and a leg fracture when he was hit by an automobile as he was crossing the street in front of his home. 'He is reported on the mend. . . . P. L. Tanner of Transit Film Company suffered broken ribs and bruises when he recently jammed into another truck near Findley. Realart Franchise Owner E. J. Stutz, is attending the company convention in New York. . . . Milton A. Mooney of Co-operative Theatres of Ohio and Mrs. Mooney are in New York for the midseason Variety Club session. . . . Warner Club celebrated Hallowe'en with a dinner party on Oct. 28 at the Tasty Shop. KANSAS CITY Vaudeville has been' set for a second local theatre, Loew's Midland, which plays the Selznick stage unit for a week beginning Nov. 9. RKO Theatres Chief of Maintenance Frank Smith, dropped in to look over the situation at the recently opened Missouri Theatre. At the same time, Division Manager of Theatres Jerry Shinbach, was down from Chicago. Ted Wynn, assistant manager, is handling the house during the West Coast vacation of Lawrence Lehman, manager. -Harold D. "-Buss" Carroll, 42, manager of the Esquire for the Fox Midwest circuit, died Oct. 20, after a heart attack which he suffered Oct. 8. He began in show business as a doorman at the Jayhawk, Topeka, Kans. Other stations included theatres in Chanute, Kans., Carthage, iMo., and Topeka and Atchison, Kans. Coming to Kansas City about five years ago, he was manager of the first-run Fairway for several months, and then switched to the Esquire. He was a native of Sedalia, Mo., where he was buried Oct. 22. He is survived by his widow Margaret, and a brother, Glenn, also a theatre manager in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The Carrolls would have observed their first wedding anniversary Oct. 21. CHICAGO The Chicago Variety Club, soon to move into its new quarters, has started a drive for funds, offering, among other prizes, a sedan and a television set. . . . The Actors Club of Chicago will present its Laurel award to Balaban and Katz Executive John Balaban for his pioneering in New Theatres Taylor, Tex. — A. Bland and Lester True, a drive-in here for next year. Milledgeville, Ga. — Martin Theatre Co., an underskyer here. Fairhaven, Mass. — Matthew Goulet and others apply for drive-in permit. Gallup, N. M. — William Nagle and Theatre Enterprises, a 350-car ozoner near here to start in the spring. Washington, D. C. — Valley Enterprises (Sam Roth, pres.), a new theatre, the Embassy, at Columbia Road and Mozart Place, near 16th Street. Burlingame, Calif. — Westland Theatres, a 1,400seater to be named the Palo at East Palo Alto. Lebanon, Ore. — Tad Nelson, and Max Henry, theatre operators in Jerome, Idaho, a 450-car under-skyer half a mile south of Lebanon, Ore., on Highway 20. Seattle — Oak Theatre Company, an outdoor theatre on the east side of Lake Washington. Woodward, Okla. — Vance and Ben Terry, a drive-in here at Cherry and 22nd Street. Indianapolis — James Kramer of Martinsville, a 300car ozoner at EUetsville. Hartford, Conn. — Nathan Yamins, a 600-seat theatre at Fall River, Mass. Milwaukee — E. Lipson, an outdoor theatre in Menominee, Waukesha County, on Highways K and YY; Gran Enterprises, a new theatre to cost $50,000 at Genoa in southern Wisconsin: George Panka, a new theatre on the site of the burned Metro at Prairie du Chien. Philadelphia — W. W. and C. V. Smith and Sablosky interests, a drive-in on Route 309, Bethlehem Pike in Montgomery County. Cleveland — Horace Abraras outdoor circuit, a 500carrer on Route 23 near Marion, O. St. Louis — Harry R. Jones, a 500 to 750-car underskyer on U. S. 40 east of Effingham, 111.; Herbert W. Necomb and R. E. Stanley, a 500-car ozoner on U. S. 45, between Carmi and Crossville, 111. Name Navy Veferan William E. Parker, formerly of Norfolk, Va., has been appointed assistant manager of the State Theatre at Newton, N. C, according to announcement by Cecil Farr, manager of three Newton theatres, who also states that Parker will assist at the Newton Theatre. The State has been recently redecorated. Parker is a Navy veteran with four years' service. In Newton he is residing at the Wade Martin home. television and his leadership in civic and amusement afTairs. . . . President Tom Burke of the theatre janitors union recently told members that, owing to uncertainty in the theatre situation, he had not been able to obtain a wage advance for them and that the pension plan was out for this season. W. McEvilly is the new assistant manager at the North Shore ; L. Eastman, assistant manager at the Valencia, Evanston and Fred Fischer, manager of the Cornet, Evanston. . . . The Manta-Rose circuit starts a first-run policy at its l,900-s,eat Lido in west side suburban Maywood, in competition with the Essaness Oak Park. . . . Bell and Howell declared a 121/2cent dividend on the common and $1.08^4 on the preferred, payable Dec. 1. The honor of collecting the largest amount in any Chicago area theatre for the polio fund went to the Adelphi Theatre and its manager, Ludwig Sussman. The Adelphi will give its annual free kiddies' party for the children of Rogers Park on Oct. 29. L. H. Naum, W. Jaeger and S. W. Pozgay of General Electric's Electronics Park, Syracuse, N. Y., attended the television convention here last week. . . . Adelphi Owner Ludwig Sussman and his wife plan to spend the winter in California. . . . Frank Consago expects to open 600-seater at Wauconda, 111., for the holidays. Dead : Sam Newberger, veteran operator, at San Alto, Calif. SALT LAKE CITY Monogram Booker Harriet Rich has been promote secretary to Manager Don Tibbs, and Dorothy Taylor is the new secretary to Universal Office Manager George Berryman. . . . Colleen Hamel is new contract clerk and Betty Ollis new biller at Universal Manager C. R. Wade's office. . . . Charles Cordell is new head booker at the RKO exchange, and Ron Mullem, former shipper, is now a booker. . . . Delbert Lessor, for some time assistant to Manager Charles Pincus of the Utah Theatre, has been promoted to house manager of the Studio Theatre by Intermountain Vice-President and General Manager Tracy Barham, with Herbert Schoenhardt transferred from the Capitol, succeeding Lessor at the Utah. . . . Lou Sorenson, who has been managing the Studio for some time, has been made manager of the Uintah at Provo, Utah. . . . Film Classics Booker Al Maby has joined Republic as booker and has been succeeded at PC by G. W. Bowles. President C. H. Hansen of the Service Theatre Supply is on a sales trip into Southern Utah, and Film Classics Manager Dave McElhinney is calling on Idaho exhibitors. . . . Universal Office Manager George Berryman has returned from his vacation trip to Canada, Montana and Yellowstone Park. . . . The deer-hunting season postponed for a week, the meeting of back-office members of Local B IS. L\TSE.