Boxoffice-June.19.1948

Torrance, Calif., Theatre Is Planned
To Feature Sports Tele on Screen
SAN FRANCISCO—An ultra modern 1,000-
seat theatre, designed to feature television
reception on the screen, is one of the new
theatre projects being launched in California.
The new modern house will be built at
Torrance, Calif, by Harry Milstein and Albert
Mellinkoff. The owners of the new house
say the television reception will be used in
such instances as the Rose Bowl games so
that patrons may see the events as they take
place.
Other theatres under construction or being
plarmed include:
Pico—Bruen Theatre, to be built by the
Bruen circuit at a cost of $95,000.
Los Angeles—1,500-seat house constructed
by William L. Pereira, at Vermont Ave. and
Imperial Highway.
$300,000 HOUSE AT SAN JOSE
Los Altos—Suburban house to be built by
L. S. Whaley Co. as part of a business and
residential development program.
Boyer Springs—New house to be built by
Granville McPherson near the plaza. Contractors
are Moll and Lobenger.
San Jose—New suburban 1,200-seat house
to be built in the Willow Glen district by
the Willow Glen Theatre Corp. at a cost of
$300,000. Contractors are Salih Bros., San
Francisco.
Escalon—Spanish-type house, 600 seats, to
be built by Manteca Corp. at a cost of $85,-
000. Contractors are the Mariposa Construction
Co. of San Francisco.
Pasadena—Lamanda Theatre, 750 seats,
to be built in east Pasadena by Westates Theatres
Inc.
Watsonville—New 600-seat house to built
by the New Salinas Theatre Corp. at a cost
of $100,000. Contractor is T. H. Rosewall.
Sharp Park— Sharp Park Theatre construction
will get under way after long material
shortage delay.
Fontana—Arrow Theatre to be built by I. H.
Harris at a cost of $120,000. Contractors are
Roy E. Dowd & Son.
Inglewood—Granada, destroyed by fire in
1945, will be replaced by a new $250,000 house
to be built by the Venice Investment Co., an
affiliate of the Fox West Coast Theatre Co.
Barstow—New 750-seat house to built by
W. E. Cox Circuit at a cost of $100,000. The
Bear Valley Construction Co., has the building
contract.
ACTIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE
Palmdale—Palm Theatre, 500 seats, to be
built by Frank Smith will be ready for opening
in July. G. W. Jumps is the contractor.
Soquel—Sequel Theatre, 500-seat, stadiumtype,
to be built by Charles Ide a South San
Francisco theatre operator at a cost of $60,000.
Port Jones—A new theatre to open in July,
set up by Don Avery in the Town Hall.
ALBUQUERQUE, N. M.—Several new theatre
projects have been launched in New
Mexico, at Albuquerque, Lovington, Santa Fe
and Ruidoso.
The theatre at Albuquerque will be constructed
by the Albuquerque Theatres, Inc.,
and will be located at the site of the old Mesa.
Construction already has begun on the new
Lea Theatre in Lovington.
The new Apache Theatre has been completed
at Ruidoso.
A new theatre will be built at Santa Pe
by Don Beers. The total cost is estimated at
$40,000.
TACOMA, WASH. — Three new theatre
projects have been launched in Washington
cities. Projects include:
Stanfield—New 480-seat house to be built
by H. T. Hansen.
Tacoma—New 500-seat theatre to be built
by A. G. Pecchia as part of a suburban shopping
center. Total cost approximately $40,000.
Contractors are the Construction Engineers
and Contractors.
Lebanon—New 500-seat house to be built
by a group of local business men at a total
cost of $135,000. The house will be located
at Park and Sherman streets.
& D. Enterprises
SUSANVILLE, NEV.—T.
have announced the proposed construction of
a new 600-seat theatre here. The new house,
tentatively named the Pine Theatre, will be
built on the site of the old Orpheum.
PHOENIX—Malcolm White's new Bar T
Bar Theatre, which opened last week in
Scottsdale, features a cry room and a
smoking room. Situated in the rear of the
house, the cry room is encased by soundproof
glass paneling, permitting parents to watch
the screen in comfort while junior is generally
cutting up or furnishing his own sound.
The room also has a separate sound system.
SMOKING ROOM CUTS HAZARDS
The smoking room is similar in setup to
the cry room. The room also cuts down on
fire hazards, and since Scottsdale is minus
a fire department, the theatre is forced to
maintain its own hoses and portable extinguishers.
The T Bar T is a 500-seater and is completely
western in architecture and decorations.
The front is faced with knotty pine,
with a rustic porch supported by cedar poles.
The metal marquee is also painted in knotty
pine fashion.
The theme of the old west will also be followed
in the new house that White is building
at 4201 South Central Ave. in South
Phoenix. This house will have 800 seats and
also will have a cry room and smoking room.
Construction of the theatre was started two
weeks ago. Opening date has been set for
October 1. The house, which hasn't been
named as yet, will show first run films.
NOGALES, ARIZ.—The grand opening
of
the Star here will feature a stage show
headed by Buddy Rich and his band. Completion
date of the house was advanced several
weeks to July 12 when an additional
construction crew was placed on a night
shift.
Belmont Building Leased
LONG BEACH, CALIF.—The West Coast
Long Beach Theatre Corp. has been granted
a 99-year lease on the Belmont Theatre
building here, according to owner L. J.
Heedwohl. Heedwohl said the lease Included
a theatre, store and apartment building. The
owner also revealed plans to rebuild the Belmont.
It has been closed since engineers
declared the structure unsafe. The rehabilitation
project, Heedwohl said, will involve
a $90,000 expenditure.
Frisco Circuit Helps
Victims of Floods
SAN FRANCISCO—Moving promptly to aid
victims of the flood-stricken northwest area,
San Francisco Theatres, Inc., a circuit of six
neighborhood houses launched a campaign
to raise funds for homeless families.
Irving M. Levin, divisional director, whipped
the drive into shape by placing 40x60 posters
in lobbies with collection jars, running special
appeal trailers, and taking extra advertisement
space in local papers.
"The public responded with generosity to
our appeal," Levin said. "It further proved
that the theatre may well be utilized as an
instrument of philanthropic goodwill and
charity as well as a place of entertainment."
Last year during the Texas City disaster,
more than $900 was collected by the circuit
in a similar drive for funds.
The donations are being transferred to the
local Variety Club who will undertake the
distribution of funds to victims in flood areas.
Flood Relief Benefit
Is Held at Ridgemont
SEATTLE—Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Benton,
owners of the Ridgemont, a suburban house,
held a special program to raise funds for
northwest flood relief. Two matinees were
shown of a feature donated by 20th-Fox,
plus short subjects and newsreels from other
exchanges. The show was sponsored by the
Veterans of Foreign Wars who handled ticket
sales and distribution of funds. The feature
shown was "State Fair."
Vanport Flood Victims
Given Passes by ITO
PORTLAND—A donation of 5,700 theatre
passes a week to Vanport, Ore., flood refugees
is being underwritten by the Independent
Theatre Owners of Oregon and all theatre
operators in Portland.
Distribution of the free ducats is being
imdertaken by the Red Cross, according to
William Graeper, ITOO executive secretary.
Hcmirick-Evergreen Make
Managerial Changes
PORTLAND—The Portland district
offices
of Hamrick-Evergreen Theatres have announced
the appointment of Archie Zarewskl
as house manager of their ace first run
Oriental Theatre. The moveup was made
when Paul Stevens, ex-Oriental manager announced
his retiremeni from showbusiness.
William Katzky, a H-E nine year veteran,
replaces Zarewski at the Music Box and
Robert Butts jr. will take over the Playhouse
was named housemanager of the H-E Kiggens
Theatre in Vancouver, Wash., to replace
vacated by Katzky in his moveup.
Bert Gamble, nephew to Ted R. Gamble,
Wayne Griffin Is Speaker
GRAND CANYON, ARIZ.—Wayne Griffin,
Universal producer who is making "Family
Honeymoon" here, addressed the Rotary club
last week. After the speech, a question-andanswer
period followed, during which Griffin
answered innumerable queries about film
stars' salaries and the place of television in
the entertainment world. Griffin predicted
it will be at least four years before television
covers the United States.
58B BOXOFFICE :
: June 19, 1948