Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 24, 1949 25 Show Business COAST TO COAST: The Annual Christmas Party for the residents of institutions for the aged in St. Louis — an event of some years' standing at the Fanchon and Marco Missouri — tool<; place Dec. 16 this year under the auspices of the Better Films Council. Everyone, from exchanges to projectionists and ushers, donated services or product. . . . . . . Bridgeport, 111., Police Chief Claude Gray is enforcing the 9:30 P.M. curfew for all under 16 and those to whom it applies have to be off the streets by that time or have a parent or a guardian along. . . . The RKO Palace, Chicago, was held up Sunday night for $5,000; same operation at the Essaness Irving netted $2,900 where one of two thugs slugged Assistant Manager Roy Eldred to get the cash. . . . Norman W. Elson is resigning as vice-president of Trans-Lux Theatres, New York, and will announce future connections shortly. Free candy has been added to the Saturday morning Mickey Mouse Comic Clubber shows run by Charles Pincus at the Salt Lake City, Utah. . . . Leon Jarodsky, who runs the Lincoln and Paris, at Paris, 111., celebrated 40 years in the business early this month. The Epstein Theatres in Omaha are going under a face lifting with new fronts finished at the Bensohn and Corby and new ones due at the Berkley and the Circle. New sound is also included. . . . The World, San Francisco, which went from burlesque to "art" films, is now trying out Chinese pictures. . . . Harry Sack, who recently managed the San Francisco Haight, is taking a leave of absence from show business. . . . Gov. Warren of Florida this week made lieutenant colonels out of such box-office majors as 0. C. Lam. president of Lam Amusement, Rome, Ga., and Bill Alig of Floyd Theatres in Florida. . . . George B. Barber is making extensive improvements in the Strand at Tuscola, 111., which will now have a cry-room. ... A new 750-car drive-in is planned for Carlinville, 111., by Frisina Amusement in association with Mrs. Frieda Paul and her son, Norman, who will continue to manage their 750-seat Marvel. . . . Louis Davis is leaving his managerial job at Southern Enterprises' New Vernon, St. Louis, to enter the home office. . . . Loew's Waterbury Poll Manager Paul 0. Klinger is in the hospital. . . . Cleveland Telenews Projectionist Frank DeNoU is recuperating from a heart attack. * * * MANAGEMENT: Chicago Salesman Mike Ford resigned to take over management of the Ford, Sterling, 111. . . . Bob Shephard is the new assistant manager of Walworth circuit's Video and Hollywood, Montevideo, Minn. . . . Dusty Laurens is new owner of the Rex, Littlefork, Minn. . . . Floyd Pitt bought the Gem, Balaton, Minn., from Sherman Brown. . . . San Francisco Theatres moved Les DeWitt from assistant at the Daly City to assistant at its Alexandria, both in San Francisco. . . . Ray Knight has sold the Laurel, San Carlos, Calif.; also his stock in the Crest, Colma, Calif., to David B. Albin, and is quitting show business. . . . Yamins Theatres has moved up William S. Canning, its Fall River theatre supervisor, to be its public relations manager. Manager James W. McNamara of the Capitol, same city, is new area supervisor, and Empire Assistant John J. McAvoy is moved up to Empire manager. . . . Franklin B. Ramsey, former manager of Warner theatres in Hartford, Conn., is now managing Fox West Coast's Ravenna, Los Angeles. PARADE OF PROGRESS DISPLAY. Some S3,000 worth of prizes were displayed in the lobby of the Strand Theatre, Lakewood, N. J., for the 10-day Parade of Progress which the resort community staged recently. The Strand Theatre did a bang-up job in landing its full facilities during the event, according to Herbert ?.. Mandell, director of publicity for the Township of Lakewood, Department of Advertising and Civic Display. For details of the observance, see story below. Straiid^s Lakewood Boosting Redounds to Its Own Benefit Participation of the Strand Theatre was an important factor in the success of the 10-day Parade of Progress with which the winter resort season of Lakewood, N. J., was opened this year. The theatre's cooperation in the campaign, redounded aiso to its own benefit, through both the immediate publicity and the goodwill engendered among merchants and town officials. The activities at the theatre were numerous. In the lobby some $3,000 worth of prizes were displayed throughout the period. They bore famous brand names, being the products of members of Brand Names Foundation, Inc. That group, the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce and the Lakewood Hotel Association were cosponsors of the Parade of Progress. Some of the prizes were for winners of essay and golf contests, but most were to go to a Brand Names Quiz Queen and her runners-up. She was chosen after five 2U-minute preliminary run-ofifs as part of the evening shows at the Strand. Mornings, too, found the theatre busy, with a series of fashion and homemaker shows and a baby contest drawing full houses. The theatre was performing a role in a drama that was town-wide. Participation under these circumstances meant all the publicity as New Theatres Kewanee, 111. — Rud Lorenz (Wanee Theatre Co.). a 400-carrer to be called the Wanee Drive-In Theatre costing $70,000, a mile south of Kewanee. Richmond. Ky. — Cumberland View. Inc.. a drive-in four miles south of Richmond near Madison on U. S. 25 to be named the Lake View. Harrisburg, Pa. — K Theatre Corp., a 1,000-car under-skyer, on Route 22 in Lower Paxton Township. Buffalo — Ryan Brothers Theatres, an 800-carrer in Township of Athens to serve the Waverly, Sayre and Athens area: Seneca Drive-In Theatre Corp.. a 750car ozoner to cost $100,000. on Waterloo Road three miles from Geneva, N. Y. Seattle — B, F. Shearer, a 750-car open-air theatre, the Motor-View, to cost around $200,000, on Highway 99 between Seattle and Everett. Wash. Charleston, S. C. — Consolidated Theatres Corp. of Charlotte, a 600-carrer, with accommodation for 200 spectators in the patio, to cost $100,000 on Highway 17, three miles south of Charleston. Dallas, Tex. — Interstate Theatres, a 1,500-seater to be named the Preston, at Antony Plaza, with parking space for 800 cars. South Huntington. L. I. — A 1.000-car drive-in is planned in this vicinity depending on a zoning change. Atlantic City — Walter Reade Theatres. a"l.l50-car drive-in and community recreation center, eight miles from here and two miles from Pleasantville. Omaha — Central Amusement Co.. a 300-carrer at Beatrice, Neb. sistance that could be mustered by the three powerful sponsoring groups and the many individual cooperating merchants. It meant space in local publications, of which Lakewood has man\ for its size. It meant mention in all the stores where quiz contest entry blanks were distributed. It meant personal contact with the theatre for patrons previously unfamiliar with its facilities — especially important in a resort town. Not to be underestimated is the goodwill. "A bang-up job," say public officials, "the community is paying high praise." Loew's, Brooklyn Eagle Give Party for Orphans With the cooperation of the Brooklyn Eagle, Loew's Theatres gave a Christmas party on Friday morning (23) for 2,000 youngsters and supervisors of Brooklyn institutions for orphans. The event took place at the Kings Theatre. In addition to the screen show, every child received a toy and a bag of Christmas candy. GET READY FOR 1950$ FIRST BIG eXPLOITATION DATE! NOW SPECIALIZING] IN REFRESHMENT SERVICE FOR DRIVE-IN THEATRESy SPORTSERVICE Corp. jacoss bros. 703 MAIN ST. ■ BUFFALO, N. Y. • WA, 250S