t

! hlttee,
fHenry Greenberger
J I ger
Re-ElecledbylenlG
CLEVELAND Hciiiy Orci-iibfinfr wii.s
unanimously ro-clcctpcl to serve u secotul
term ns chief burker
of the Variety Club,
Jack Silverlhoriie. Hlp-
|X)(lrome munnRer, was
named first lusslstant
burker a n cl Jerome
Warner
Wcchsler.
matwiKer. becomes second
assistant. Also reelected
were I. J.
Schmertz. 20lh - Pox
nianaRer, as doughguy
and Leonard Greenberas
property guy.
|i Henry Greenberger The new board of
f
llrectors Is made up of the above officers with
.he addition of Irwin Pollard, Republic nian-
»gpr; Milton Grant, Silk Screen Process Co.;
Irwin Shenker, Berlo Vending Co.: M. B.
tlorwitz, head of the Washington circuit; Sanford
Leavitt, Washington circuit: Abe
Cramer, Associated circuit: Marshall Fine,
\ssoclated circuit; Nat Barach. National
Screen Service manager; Oscar Ruby. Coumbia
manager, and Max Mink, RKO Palft
ice manager.
t Under the leadership of Greenberger, the
V Variety Club launched its most ambitious
liarity program of its history. It has underaken
to sponsor the operating costs of the
Cleveland Cerebral Palsy Foundation School.
1 project estimated to cost in the neighborlood
of $50,000 annually. Initial project to
alse money was the recent midnight benefit
'
how at the Hippodrome with tickets sold
it I
$1 and $5. While all of the returns are
( lot yet assembled, it is estimated that the
( how will net about S3,000.
Next Tent 6 calendar event will be the
i
jJew Years Eve ball to be held in the HoUeni
jen hotel. Silverthorne, still in his 1952 capa-
Ity as chairman of the entertainment comis
in charge of arrangements.
ees Telesession a Milestone
CLEVELANE*—Great interest was centered
ere by members of the film industry on the
ees & Sons Carpet Co. telesession in the
lippodrome Theatre last week i8> from 11
m, to noon. It was attended by 250 to 300
ales representatives from retail stores in
le northern Ohio area. Tlie .sound was clear
nd distinct, continuity was uninterrupted
nly a few times, but the picture was
Im at times. A full sample display in the
Uppodrome lobby compensated for the lack
f color on the .screen. The sales promotion
jilks by Lees officials was effective. Repre-
Imting the company from the Cleveland
Ifflce were Arthur Summers and Martin
mall 'Carmen' Crowd in Toledo
TOLEDO—Manager Howard Fcigley reorted
that his Rivoli Theatre was only about
le-third full for the large screen telecast
the opera "Carmen," December 11. Scaled
; $1.50 to $3.60. the hou.se drew mail orders
om a 50-mile radius. Feigley said he would
3t hestitate to have another similar event
I'levised. The seasonal factor was blamed
I'r the disappointing turnout.
11952 is the 26th year of operotion of omusc-
IjBt industry's WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL HOS-
Roxy at Detroit Switches
To Second Run Policy
DKIKoir Ihi- -Allch 1)1 ih.- Uoxy. 1. -
.sent downtown Wowlwurd uvriiiir hoiuw. to
n .second run policy, Li brWiK miuir by Drtroll
Theatre Enterprl.se.s. followitiK withdrawal of
the circuit from Cooix-rutlve Theulrtrs of
Michigan, No .stntemenl.t on rc-a.-voai for the
withdrawal have ben made by prllidpaU of
either the circuit or the booklns Kroup, although
a wild flood of contradictory and uiiaiithorlt4itlve
rumorn hai rolled along Ptlmrow.
Tlie Roxy ha.s long been operated aa a key
or third run theatre, with an all-night policy.
It Is the first time in many years that a
house on the fringe of the downtown district
has seriously Invaded the .second run field,
u.sually pre-empted by one major downtown
hou.se and several well-.scattered suburban
theatres.
Booking for the DTE circuit has been taken
over by Milton Herman, whQ has been acting
as supervisor and explolteer.
Hollywood Display
Is Set for Light Co.
COLUMBUS— Robert Wile, secretary of the
Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio. Is cooperating
with Cinncinnati exhibitors and the
Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. In a Hollywood
display to be placed in the downtown main
office of the company March 16-Aprll 9.
The company plans to make the display
one of its major promotions of the year. The
following Cincinnati exhibitors already have
pledged the cooperation of their theatres:
F. W. Huss Jr., RKO; Rube Shor, Herman
Hunt, N. G. Shafer, Louis Wiethe and William
Bein. Others are expected to Join soon, said
Wile.
The company will run a contest through a
newspaper and will furnish all prizes. The
company also will take 2,000-line ads to tell
about the display. Wile said the tieup
originated through the success of the Hollywood
at the Fair exhibit at Ohio state fair
last August. Wile is soliciting major film
companies for displays of props, costumes
and other displays.
The Gas & Electric co. proposes to provide
a theatre on its main floor with the exhibit.
Film clips from forthcoming pictures would
be shown to whet the public's appetite for
these pictures.
Two Distribution Deals
Completed by Al Dezel
DETROIT—Two new distribution deals
have been negotiated by Albert Dezel. who
recently acquired the Lippert franchise in
Detroit and Chicago areas. Sixteen former
Film Cla.ssics features, as well as the special
combination of "Good Time Girl" and "Not
Wanted." will be handled in the Chicago.
Indianapolis and Detroit territories. The deal
was negotiated with Oliver A. Unger and Herbert
Bregstein of Beverly Pictures.
In a separate deal made with David Dietz
of Dietz & Home. Dezel will take over the
distribution of the exploitation unit. "Watusi"
and "Cajun" for the middle west. The unit Is
currently playing the Great States circuit
in Chicago, and Is booked for a holiday playdate
in the Alhambra at Milwaukee.
Marines Greet Debra,
Star of Sousa Film
CLKVKLA.ND I!.. ::.a;.;.. ".< 25
xtrons, in full uniform and wr -rm
and combat ribbon*, lined up .>.. .... ^..rveland
airport Turwiay >9> tvion to greet 20th-
Pox xtar Debra Paset and her mother, tirt.
Prank Henry Orlffln. on their arrival to attend
a prrM-rndlo-marlnc luncheon tn Ihe
Carter hotel b.s part of the promotion arranged
by 20ih-Pox explolteer Sol Oordon for
"Stars and Stripes Forever " The picture will
open New Year's eve at the RKO Palace.
Shoring MpotUght luncheon honors with the
iitar of "Stan and Strlpea Porever" was
Augu-st Caputo. wcU-known local musician,
and onetime member of the (amoui SotiM
band. In an after-luncheon speech be pointed
an Intimate picture of the band king. teUlng
the gue-stH how he came by the name Soum.
Of Spanish origin, his name wan Juan So.
When he Joined the marine.s he added USA to
hLs last name, thus becoming John Philip
Sou.sa.
Miss Paget's mother, whone stage name is
Margaret Gibson, has had a long career on
the variety stage and brought up her five
children backstage. Of her three daughters.
Debra has already "arrived." Another, astng
the name Tela Lorlng, Is with Paramount and
the third, Lezll Gae, Is currently being tested
at Universal. One of her .sons. Russell Shajme.
Is making a .screen test for 20th-Fox.
"There are no pictures in immediate proBpect,"
Debra told her luncheon guests, "but
there are .some loncouts in the offing."
Besides starring at the 20th -Fox luncheon
at which Jack Silverthorne. Hippodrome manager,
was master of ceremony, and 20th-Fox
Manager I. J. Schmertz was host. Miss Paget
took part in the induction of new marine recruits
and held several radio Interviews. Prom
Cleveland the star and her mother went to
New York, then Boston and then home to
Hollywood for Christmas.
Manager Schmertz .screened "Stars and
Stripes Forever" in the 20th-Fox screening
room on Wednesday for the local marines.
In addition to representatives of the Cleveland
newspapers and radio stations, present
at the luncheon were Art CuUison. critic of
the Akron Beacon Journal; Fred Childress,
critic of the Youngstown Vindicator: Jack
Hynes. manager of the Paramount Theatre.
Youngstown; Jack Armstrong of Toledo, general
manager of the Schwyn circuit, and several
of his managers. W. N. SklrbaU. head of
the Skirball Bros, circuit, and a few local
industry members.
Lancaster. Ohio, Theatres
Seek City Tax Relief
LANC.'\SrEK. OHIO AfciMU-vs for local
theatres have asked city council to repeal
the municipal 3 per cent adml.'Sion tax. in
force for the last four years, "because of declining
revenues." One theatre here has
closed and two of the four remaining houses
barely will break even this year, the attorneys
told council.
According to the city auditor, revenue from
the admission tax is only a little more than
half of the amount yielded when the tax
was inaugurated. Council was told that 12
Ohio cities have repealed amusement taxes
and that in the last two years 159 Ohio
theatres have closed.
JXCFTICE December 20. 1952
ME
91