Variety (Oct 1947)

24 PICTURES Wednesday, October 29, 1947 Shreiber and Mann Groups Spark Hotter Product Bidding in Mpk Minneapolis. The Minn. Amus. Co. and RKO Theatres, which have been in vir- tual control of the downtown first- tun situation here, face increasing competition for pictures. Rivalry will come as-the Alex Shreiber in- terest of Detroit, which has the legitimate roadshow Lyceum the- atre in Minneapolis, and Ted Mann, head of another group, enter the lo- cal film field more actively. Both announce they'll bid competitively for product. Shreiber wants to utilize the Ly- ceum for pictures between road- shows. He far outbid the Minn. Amus. Co. and others to land "Gone With the Wind," now set into the Lyceum for a month run at 85c top. It's reported his bid was $17,500 with a guarantee and percentage split Setting in "Gone With the Wind," however, cost the house "Annie Get Your Gun" this month. The musical was offered after the picture had been set. A promise has been made that it will be booked here later in the season. , "Gone With the Wind" will, continue until the legit "Spring- time for Henry" arrives in mid-No- vember. "Gone" is doing smash business. The Mann group bought the sure- aeater World and the Alvin, down- town houses,'from the estate of the late W. A. Steffes. The Minnesota lease on the. Alvin, a 1,400-seater, ex- pires in six months, and Mann says he's going to operate the house him- self with pictures. It had been sub- let by the MAC for burlesque. The World, a 350-seater, now playing firstruns, moveovers and reissues, will be devoted mainly to foreign films, he asserts. One difficulty in connection with a "sideline" picture policy at the Ly- ceum, Shreiber admits, is the fact that the United Booking Office oc- casionally has last-minute touring productions to shove in and wants the house available for them. Also, picture runs must be halted for roadshow bookings. Shreiber and his" associates have picture theatres in Detroit and other Michigan cities. Rechetnlk's New Duties Sid Kcchetnik appointed exhibitor and- trade press representative for Warner Bros., replacing Don Carle Gillette, granted a leave of . absence. In addition, according to pub-ad chief Mart Blumenstock, Rechetnik" American Legion Post No. t>b», com will be in charge of publicity for Warner Pathe News and short sub- jects. He's been editor of the com- pany's house organ and press book manager for past several years. Managers Reelect Motion Picture Theatre Operating Managers & Assistant Managers Guild, indie union of house staffs in N. Y. and Westchester area, held its annual election Sunday (26) at the Hotel Empire, N. Y. Entire slate of officers reelected for another year, also six trustees and delegates-at- large. George Dunn is prexy; Leon Kel- mer, veepee; George Baldwin, re- cording secretary; Maxwell Levine, secretary-treasurer; Joseph Aber- nethy. sergt.-at-arms. Trustees: Har- old Daly, John Thompson. Fred Smith. Joe Tully, Harold Heller and Jerome Baker. Max Roth Resigns EL Max Roth, Eagle Lion's district manager for the Chicago-Indianapo- lis-Milwaukee-Minneapolis territory, has resigned. His replacement has yet to be named. Roth served in his now vacated spot since the in- ception of the company last year. Herbert Kaufman to Selxnick Seattle. Herbert Kaufman, former local branch manager for •' Paramount, has been named branch manager for Selznick Releasing Organization 'in this territory. • Marcus Exits Nat'l Screen Walter Marcus, assistant to Don Velde, National Screen Service ac- New York Theatres IlHE WITH FATHER IRENE POWELL DUNNE ELIZABETH TAYLOR EDMUND GWENN.ZASU PITTS WARNER THEATRE • SAAY oh: :Fc>i »W : ' 5:45 tATE MIDNIGHT f IM • CONTINUOUS PALACE James Sitohkt* JaneWhian » ROBERT SISKIN'S MAGIC TOWN Dlntty at kit kattl"—Hlrrw COLOR BY TECHNICOLOR Di«trlbut«d by RKO Radlt Pletorn 'RADIO CITY MUSIC HAH' Kockefcller Center Katharine HEPBURN Paul • HENREID In M-G-M'h Robert - walker: "SONG OF LOVE" SPECTACULAR STAGE PRESENTATION WAKNKR BBOS. PBK8KNT8 Ronald REAGAN • Shirley TEMPLE "THAT HAGEN GIRL" with HORY CALHOUN , In Person * . - " TED WBEMS and His Orchestra Special Attraction MOBEY AMSTERDAM Extra Added Attraction GORDON MAO KAB BROADWAY WARNER BROS. AT 47TH STREET STRAND cessory chiel in New York, has re- signed, effective this week, Hell take a month's vacation. O. B, Thomas to Mayo Clinlo San Antonio. Lawrence Bernard has been named temporary manager of the State theatre, an Interstate house, while Oliver B. Thomas, regular manager, is undergoing treatment at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Bill Williams is the new treasurer at the State. ., ... Clarence H. Moss, aide of the local city manager for Interstate Theatres, has been elected com- mander of the local Adkins Lenoir / . SAMUEL GOLDWYN prueaM ! DANNY KAYE • VIRGINIA MAYO j orA *. GoMwy/i Girl, in rn RENE CLAIR'S Bi 0ot/ 45ih st - wes> i of 6 wiy ■ it * M CWtTOUS ON SCREEN iThurs., Oct. 30 IBING CROSBY Barry Flbaerald Joan Caulfteld 'WELCOME STRANGER' IN PERSON SLATE BROS. Extra! YVETTE Plus OTHKKS COOPER • GODDARD ftlVOU ~" A PARAMOUNT flCtlM, posed of veterans from local thea- tres and radio stations. He succeeds Jack Chalman, publicity head for local Interstate Theatres. . Gene Kenyon, formerly with the Sadler theatre, Kileen has been named manager of the Village theatre, Port Arthur, owned and operated by Charles Brent. He suc- ceeds Jim Hewitt, resigned. M A Gallia is the new owner and operator of the Dawn theatre, Natalia, Texas, formerly operated by J 'aI' D?°Hicks and M. L. Feldman have purchased the Dale theatre, Springtown, Texas, from J. L. Eat- mon, and have renames jt the Springtown. r. n. Smith has purchased the Lantex theatre, Llano, Texas, from Carl Garner. , W. M. Hinson is owner and oper- ator of the new Lorene theatre, Lorene, Texas. Gene Rich Quits Metro, Omaha : Omaha. Gene Rich, M-G-M exploiter for this area, is quitting to open a theat- rical print shop and promotion bust- nGss* - Allan Kohan is resigning his ad- vertising and exploitation job with Ralph Goldberg theatres. He'll go into business in South Omaha. Court Order Vs. Ohio- Drive-In Columbus, O. Temporary restraining order was granted Oct. 25 to halt construction of an " outdoor theatre on Morse Road, near Columbus. Order was requested by property owners against Frank Yassenoff, Harold J. Schwartz and Virginia' B. Coe. Householders claimed the construc- tion of the drive-in would impair the value of their property. City Council of Salem, O., has de- cided against enacting an amuse- ment tax, which was abandoned Oct 1 by the state. Joe. Burns, Gloversville, N. Y., has become manager of Van Wert Schine's theatre, Van Wert, O., re- placing John Makemson, who has gone to Spencerville, O., where he will manage the Ohio theatre he re- cently bought. Fox Midwest Shuffle* Msrs. — . Kansas City. Shift of managers in several Fox Midwest theatres 'in the'downstate territory has just been completed by Ed Haas, district manager. New city manager for Carthage, Mo., handling the Tiger and Crane thea- tres, is Charles Mohler, from the Peoples theatre, Chanute, Kans. He is succeeded by Richard Fryer, from Joplin, Mo. Harold Foster, formerly of the Fox, Joplin, moved in to re- place Fryer at the Paramount in the same town. Darrell Ray replaces Foster, and Robert Rothrock takes Ray's old stand at the Orpheum, Joplin. Rothrock had been assistant manager at the Midland, Pittsburg, Kans. The step-ups stemmed from the resignation of William Laughlin, as Carthage city manager, to enter the insurance business. Commonwealth circuit has named Glen Deeter manager of the Up- town theatre, Columbia, Mo. He was manager of the Gillioz, Monet, Mo., for the circuit. Cozy theatre, Girard, Kans., was acquired by Jesse Musgrave from Max Shelton, and the Strand, Mt. Vernon, Mo., was purchased "by Meyers & Peyton from Mrs. Thelma Richardson. J. M. Wooten is the new assistant manager of the Electric theatre, Kansas City, Kans., succeeding Dwight Borin, who resigned to man- age the new Go~-Sho theatre now being completed by the J. T. Ghosen circuit in Clinton, Mo. Ghosen operates theatres in Sedalia, Waynes- ville, Tipton and Versailles, Mo. Adelman-Magill Get A. C. House Philadelphia. Stanley Adelman and Mort Magill have acquired the Palace, Atlantic City. Magill is local branch mana- ger Film Classics and former UA boss here. He will not be active in operating the house. Eli Ginsberg has been elected president of the Coliseum of Motion Picture Salesmen. Sam Palan is the new treasurer and Joseph Schaeffer secretary. Baldridge Quits Flexer, Memphis Memphis. Thomas Baldridge has left Flexer Theatres exploitation post after a year, with the outfit's abandonment of prestige picture policy at its nabe flagship here, the Ritz. He trained Sunday night (26) to Louisville on three-week exploitation stint for UA on "Body and Soul." Expects to open own office here soon.- Picture Grosses MINNEAPOLIS (Continued from page 12)~ opposition, delivering fairly well. Trim $4,000. Last week, "Dillinger" (Mono) and "Mutiny (Big House" (Mono) (reissue), f3,500. Lyceum (Murray) (1,700; 60-85)— "Gone With Wind" (M-G) (reissue). Plenty of interest in this oldie. Price scale slightly higher than at regular A Loop .houses. Soaring to wow $20,- 000. Last week, not a plx house oper- ation. Lyrlo (Par) (1,000; 76-$1.20)— "Forever Amber" (20th). Also at Century. Sock $13,000 in sight. Last week, "Kiss of Death" (20th) (2d wk), mild $5,000. Pix (Corwin) (300; 50-70)—"Burn- ing Cross" (SG). Fair $1,800. Last week, "Duel in Sun" (SRO) (75c- $1.20) (4th run), good $3,500, Radio City' (Par) (4,400; 50-85)— "Merton of Movies"-(M-G) and Desi Arnaz orch, Marion Hutton, Pat Hen- hing, others, on stage. Fine stagebiU helping this to lively; $27,000. Last week, ^'Unsuspected" (WB) (50-70c), light $11,000. - RKO-Orpheam (RKO) (2,800; 50- 70)—"Dark Passage" (WB). Big $13,000Jn 8 days. Last week, "Down to Earth" (Col), solid $13,000. RKO-Pan (RKO) (1,600; 50-70)— "Down to Earth" (Col) (m o.). Still strong at $7,000. Last week, "Fun, Fancy Free" (RKO) (2d wk). okay $6,500. State (Par) (2,300; 50-70)—"Car- negie Hall" (UA). Robust at $11,000; Last week, "Deep Valley" (WB), $9,- 500. Uptown(Par) (2,300: 50-70)— "Who's Kissing Her" (20th). First nabe showing. Good $4,000. Last week. "Desert Fury" (Par), $3,800. World (Mann) (350; . 75-$1.20)— "Best Years" (RKO) (3d run). Still some life left in this. $4,500. Last week, "Adventuress" (EL) (2d.wk), okay $2,000. * BUFF. LED BY 'AMBER' GREAT 27G, 'KISS' 16G Buffalo, Oct. 28. Big news in current session is sock trade being done by "Forever Am- ber" at the Hipp, 2,100-seat house. "Kiss of Death" looks okay and "Foxes of Harrow" is big in .its second frame. Estimates for This Week Buffalo (Shea) (3,500; 40-70)— "Kiss of Death" (20th) and "Adven- tures Don Coyote" (UA). Nice $16,000. Last week, "Merton of Movies" (M-G) and "The Women" (M-G) (reissues), $13,000. Great Lakes (Shea) (3,400; 40-70) —"Foxes of Harrow" (20th) (2d wk). Big $15,000, Last week, strotig $19,500. Hipp (Shea.) (2,100; 74-$1.20)— "Forever Amber" (20th). Terrific $27,000. Last week, "Dark Passage" <WB) (m.o.), fine $9,000 at 40-70c scale.' Teck (Shea) (1,400; 40-70)—"Mer- ton of Movies" (M-G) and "The Women" (M-G) (reissue), (m.o.). Oke $4,500. Last week, "Grapes of Wrath" (20th) and "Tobacco Road" (20th) (reissues), solid $5,500. Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 40-70)— "Widow of Wagon Gap" (U) and "Bulldog Drummond Strikes" (Col) (2d wk). Neat $15,000. Last week, sock $19,000, „ 20th Century (20th Cent.) (3,000; 40-70)—"Lured" (UA) and "Knock- out" (Mono). Trim $11,000. Last week, "Crossfire" (RKO) and "Mag- nificent Rogue" (Mono) (2d wk), fancy $10,800. Esther Williams' PA Ups Tor Keeps'Sturdy 24G,Prov.; < Copa'12G Providence, Oct. 28. "This Time for Keeps," at Loew's State, is hefty hereabouts, and got an additional shot via Esther Wil- liams' personal appearance one day. Also hefty is Majestic's "Unsuspect- ed." "Copacabana," with vaude, is giving the Met a fairly good stanza. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (2,200; 44-65)— "Singapore" (U) and "Sarge Goes to College" (Mono) (2d wk). Fairly nice $12,000. First week was nifty $16,000.. Carlton (Fay-Loew) (1,400; 44-65) —"Each Dawn I Die" (WB) and "Bad Men Missouri" (WB) (reissues). Steady. $4,000. Last week, "Mark of Zorro" (20th) and "Drums Along Mohawk" (20th) (reissues) (2d wk), good $3,500. Fay'a (Fay) (1,400; 44-65)—"No- torious" (RKO) (reissue) and vaude on stage. Steady $6,500. Last week, "Spiral Staircase" (RKO) (reissue) and vaude, $7,000. Majestic (Fay) (2.200; 44-65)—"Un- suspected" (WB) and "Invisible Wall" (20th). Hefty $18,000. Last week, "Foxes of Harrow" (20th) (2d wk). groovy $15,000. Metropolitan (Snider) (3,100; 65) —"Copacabana" (UA) and vaude on stage. Fairly good at $12,000. Last week, "Repeat Performance" (EL) and vaude; $11,000. State (Loew) (3,200; 44-65)—"This Time for Keeps" (M-G) and "Key Witness" (MrG). One-day personal by Esther Williams, star of film, helped to lift this to sturdy $24,000. Last week, "Song of Love" (M-G), $21,000. Strand (Silverman) (2,200; 44-65) —"Welcome Stranger" (Par) (4th wk). Started Monday (27). Third sesh slowed up for fairish $10,000 while second was happy $14,000, PORTLAND (Continued on page 13) "Carnegie Hall" (UA) and "Cry Wolf" (WB), $3,600. Oriental (H-E) (2,000; 40-80)— "Welcome Stranger" (Par) (3d wk), day-date with Paramount. Holding up to $5,000 or near. Last week, strong $6,300. Orpheum' (H-E) (1,750; 40-80)— "Kiss of .Death" (20th) and "Too Many Winners" (Mono) (8 days); Lofty $9,500. Last week, "Dark Passage" (WB) .and "Kilroy Was Here" (Mono) (2d wk), okay $7,600. Paramount (H-E> (3,400; 40-80)— "Welcome Stranger" (Par) (3d wk), also at Oriental. Solid $9,000. Last week, staunch $11,000. United . Artists (Parker) (895; 40-80)—"Unfinished Dance" (M-G) (2d wk). Fair $6,500. Last week, nice $9,000. Rep. Activity Slows Hollywood, Oct. 28. Completion of "Old Los Angeles" and "Dangers of the Canadian Mounted" leaves only two pictures in production on the Republic lot this week. Films are "Madonna of the Des- ert," produced by Stephen Auer, and "Under California Stars," a Roy Rogers starrer with Edward J. White producing. RICHARD HE'S MUSICAL ABRACADABRA A SMASH HIT! (See Page 35)