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. . . Skouras
. . Skouras
Mrs. Eckardt Ciied
By Catholic Vets
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WIS.—The Catholic
Action award has been presented by the
Catholic War Veterans of Wisconsin to
Henrietta Eckardt, operator of the Wisconsin
and Palace theatres here. She was one of
eight people in the state so honored.
The award was made to Mrs. Eclcardt "in
recognition of leadership m the advancement
of religious and civic interests" in the state
and as "an aclcnowledgment of good will in
furthering the work of this organization."
Mrs. Eckardt has made the facilities of her
Wisconsin Theatre available to the newly
organized St. Mary's parish and also has assisted
in promoting its work. The parish uses
the theatre for services and other chm-ch
activities every Sunday. Mrs. Eckardt also
donated national and organizational colors
to the Wisconsin Rapids post of the Catholic
War Veterans.
Theatres Sign for Service
By Altec Sound Men
CHICAGO—Altec Service has signed sound
servicing agreements with the following: Illinois—City
censor. 152 Theatre, Elno, Avalon,
Alvin and Hub in Chicago: New Era in
Harvey, Gaty in East St. Louis, Deerpath in
Lake Forest, Lyons in Lyons and Palace in
Cambridge. Wisconsin— Superior in Superior,
Hollywood in Wausau, Lake in Winnecomie,
Lyric in Denmark, De Pere in De Pere, State
in Waupaca, Rex in Beloit, Omro in Orm-o
and Nicolet in West E>e Pere. Indiana—Ritz
in Lowell and Hebron in Hebron.
Deer Speaks in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE—Dr. Irvin E. Deer, field representative
of the Motion Picture Ass'n of
America, spoke at a meeting of the Milwaukee
County Better Films council at the YMCA
last week. Current films that have been
rated as follows by the council's preview
committee: Family, "The Prince of Thieves,"
"The Wreck of the Hesperus," "My Dog
Rusty," "Sitting Pi-etty" and "The Big City."
Adults and young people: "Gentleman's
Agreement," "The Tender Years," "The Challenge,"
"To the Ends of the Earth," "State of
the Union," "Homecoming" and "The Search."
Mature: "The Bride Goes Wild," "B. F.'s
Daughter" and "Adventures of Silverado."
Christy Kalafat Named
LANSING, ILL.—Management of the Kalafat
Bros. Lans Theatre here has been taken
over by Christy Kalafat. For the past year
he has been assisting his father, A. C. Kalafat,
in operation of the Gala Theatre in Garret,
Ind., and attending International Business
college in Fort Wayne.
Fete Earl Mitchells
MARION. ILL.—Employes of the Orpheum
and Plaza tlieatres, m:it of the Fox Midwest
circuit, gave a farewell dinner recently at
the Castellano cafe for Mr. and Mrs. Earl
Mitchell, w'ho have moved to Christopher,
111., where Mitchell has assumed his new
duties as manager of the circuit's Globe Theatre.
He was presented a fine leather portfolio.
Prentice Hampton Opens
New Glasford, 111., Theatre
GLASFORD, ILL.—The new Glasford Theatre
has been opened here by Prentice
Hampton in a building that was made over
from a hatchery. Work of remodeling the
building has been in progress since the first
of the year. The building was almost completely
made over, having been given a new
floor, ceiling, front and one sidewall. Hampton
has set a price scale of 35 cents for
adults and 14 cents for children, the same as
prevailed at the old Glasford Theatre, which
was taken over for other purposes last fall.
SPRINGFIELD
jWlaurice N. Wolf of Boston, public relations
representative of MGM, .spoke at
a local Optimist club dinner meeting at the
Abraham Lincoln hotel April 28. Springfield
theatremen were guests of Mort Berman,
local Great States manager and president of
the Springfield Theatre Ass'n, at the meeting.
The Orpheum is getting a new vertical, the
old one has been up for 21 years and is beginning
to show its age . . . Work got under
way last week on the drive-in in Decatur.
Bad weather had been holding up the project.
R. C. Carney Sells Belle
BELLE, MO.—The Belle Theatre has been
purchased from R. C. Carney, RoUa circuit
operator, by Ony W. Wallace, a former Belle
resident who has been living on the west coast
for ten years. The Belle was built from an
old garage building seven years ago.
Hartford Theatre Opens
HARTFORD CITY, IND.—The new Hartford
Theatre opened here May 6. It is a 916-
seat theatre, accommodating 598 on the main
floor and 318 in the balcony. Opening picture
was "Red Stallion."
From the BOXOFFICE Files
« • •
(Twenty Years Ago)
lyruSICIANS employed by the St. Louis
Municipal Opera Ass'n have demanded
an increase of $10 a week on the current
$65-a-week salaries paid.
The increase would
amount to $6,000 annually. The association
cleared $2,334.57 last year.
* * *
A patron of the St. Louis Theatre filed
a suit for $25,000 damages against Tom Mix.
She claims her right eye was Injured by a
fragment of bullet while watching Mix's act
at the theatre . A stock was sold
at $41.75 recently, compared with $40 a year
ago.
* * *
Another di-ive to close the theatres in
Springfield, Mo., is under way. Paul Bennett,
singing evangelist, has filed complaints
against six local motion picture operators . . .
Mason Peters, former newspaperman, has
been named business manager of the Garden
Theatre on Olive street in St. Louis county
Bros. Enterprise in St. Louis
showed a net profit for the first quarter of
$62,000.
St. Louis Drive-ins Vie
For Family Patronage
ST. LOUIS—The Battle for the Babies being
waged by drive-in theatres in tliis area
is a clue to the ozoners' attempts at getting
family patronage in a type of theatre which
before the war didn't go out of its way for
pny particular type of clientele.
The latest move in the offensive is the unprecedented
offer of free pony rides being
advertised by the Drive-In Theatre on the
Manchester road, a 500-car layout owned by
the Midwest Drive-In Theatres Corp., controlled
by Phil Smith of Boston.
Although the drive-in advertising copy proclaims
it is the only theatre in the world with
a playground, the 66 Park-In Theatre also
claims to possess a similar facility. Its advertising
copy has so advised patrons since
Fred Wehrenberg opened the ozoner a few
weeks ago.
Local theatremen long have known the
drawing value of a theatre where their children
will receive proper and supervised care.
The drive-in theatre, with its' privacy in the
family automobile, its bottle warmers and its
pal playgrounds hold out great advantages
to parents with small children. The pony
rides are another step in this same direction.
900-Seater Will Be Built
By Flora Amusements
FLORA, ILL.—The Flora Amusement Co.,
headed by J. E., B. V. and Larry Spalding,
announced that bids will be taken at an early
date for construction here of a 900-seat theatre.
The building will be 62 feet wide and
100 feet deep and will have a front of tile and
glass blocks. Space for offices or small shops
will be provided in wings on either side of the
entrance. The company has not yet chosen
a name for the theatre, nor has it announced
the future policy for the 900-seat Florine
Theatre and the 360-seat Roxy.
Release Snakes in Atlas
MILWAUKEE—Two boys created a few
moments of excitement last week by turning
loose some live snakes in the Atlas Theatre.
It wasn't long before the entire house was
empty of patrons. Ushers with flashlights
policed the house and Manager Clarence
Hackbarth reported things under control in
short order.
Remodel Sullivan House
SULLIVAN, ILL.—The 600-seat Grand Theatre,
owned by Lee Norton, has been remodeled
and modernized. New balcony stairways
have been built on both sides of the
lobby, eliminating the necessity for balcony
patrons to pass through the main auditorium,
and rest rooms have been installed on both
sides of the lobby.
Mat Scheidler Back in Affiliated
INDIANAPOLIS—Mat Scheidler. operator
of the Hartford, Orpheum and Jefferson in
Hartford City and the Main at Dimkirk, has
returned to the fold of Affiliated Theatres
for buying and booking service. The announcement
was made by Earl Herndon of
Affiliated.
BOXOFFICE :: May 15, 1948 69