Boxoffice-June.19.1948

^^
Filming of Mardi Gras
Nears Completion
NEW ORLEANS—A little bit of Hollywood
has come to New Orleans and as a result
200 local resident-weary "extras" who
worked into the wee small hours of the morning
are not so anxious to break into motion
pictures. The picture is "This Is the Mardi
Gras," written, directed and produced by
Tony Patton, a former New Orleanian.
There is nothing synthetic about the locale
of this film. It will be filmed right on the
spot.
Original shots for Patton's film were made
during the Mardi Gras carnival of 1946, and
the scenes now being made are the final
ones for the picture.
The cast includes Cindy Walker, a ranch
gal from Corsicana, who plays the part of a
Texas girl who comes to New Orleans for
the Mardi Gras: Robert Kellard, star of Tex
Granger Western serials, who enacts the role
of a Louisiana senator who falls in love with
Cindy, and Jo Jordan, a Birmingham girl,
holder of the 1941 title of Miss Alabama.
Among the local persons appearing in the
cast are Josie Almerico and Ray Schorling,
and a well-known dancing team, Cy and Ori
Prosperie, whose stage billing is Tony and
Ray. Final scenes of the production are being
shot in the courtyard of the Patio Royal
restaurant on Royal street.
Roy Starling Is Elected
Grand Prairie Leader
GRAND PRAIRIE. TEX.—Roy V.
Starling,
manager of the Texas and Wings theatres,
was elected president of the local Chamber
of Commerce. He built the Wings during
the war and made a joint operation deal with
Underwood & Ezell of Dallas, who own the
Texas. This town is only 12 minutes west of
Dallas.
Starling and his family live here in the
home he purchased from Oskar Korn, another
theatre circuit owner, about 5 years ago.
Twenty years ago he was a salesman for the
Adams exchange. Later he sold for the Underwood
& Ezell film interests, who then
operated film exchanges.
Starling owned and operated the Star in
Forney for a time. He then built the 800-seat
Grove outside of Dallas on the Kaufman
road. Film and theatre men thought he had
made a grave mistake but the venture proved
highly successful and the house was enlarged
to 1,000. He later sold the Grove and moved
to Grand Pairie.
On the chamber's board of directors that
elected Starling was A. M. "Buck" Morgan,
former theatre operator who now is building
and selling new homes in this area. He
has interests in the Morgan Theatre in Fort
Worth and the Texas in Brady.
Barton Approached
For School Position
OKLAHOMA CITY—R. Lewis Barton,
Capitol Hill exhibitor who also operates
houses in Pryor and Midwest City, said that
he had been approached by a committee of
the citizens committee on public schools in
regard to a school board post.
Barton indicated that he would accept the
Ward 4 post if school board members elected
him. He would succeed Ed Hisel who resigned
recently to run for county commissioner.
a's R°epubuc lhi:r^^
DALLAS—John J. Houlihan arrived here
Monday to take over as new branch manager
JOHN J. HOULIHAN
for Republic. He was Cleveland manager for
Republic and succeeds Tom S. Kirk here,
who resigned to operate the New Theatre he
recently purchased in Tuckerman, Ark. Kirk
left at the weekend with his family for their
new home.
Houlihan has been with Republic three
years and previously was an FBI agent. He
is a graduate of St. Louis university. He
was manager in St. Louis soon after joining
the company, then was transferred to Cleveland.
His wife and thi-ee small children will
join him here soon. Walter L. Titus jr.,
eastern division sales manager in New York,
was here to install Houlihan.
Directs "Scout' Art
Art director on Edward Sm'ill's "Indian
Scout" for United Artists will be Rudolph
Sternad.
New Thealre Slated
In Oak Clifi Section
WHY PAY MORE
When You Can Get
THE BEST FOR LESS
DALLAS—The Robb & Rowley circuit has
erected a sign at the corner of Dawes and
Fall streets announcing construction will
start soon on the new Heights Theatre. The
site is near the western city limits in the
Oak Cliff section, about a mile south of the
Fort Worth pike. Hundreds of new homes in
the lower and medium price brackets have
been and are being con.structed in the area.
A petition was circulated by the circuit among
property owners for their approval of the
project.
Robb & Rowley owns seven theatres west
of the Trinity river in Oak Cliff: the Texas,
Rosewin, Midway, Avenue, Bison, Stevens and
Beverly. The Bison is being demolished for
construction of a new 1,200-seat theatre on
that site. There are ten other independent
theatres in this big section of the city, estimated
to comprise at least 150,000 persons.
M. S. White.. Walter Armbruster
Open New Lagow in Dallas
DALLAS—M. S. White and Walter Armbruster
have opened their new Lagow Theatre
on Second avenue near the southeastern
city limits. The house is of brick and
steel construction designed by architect Raymond
F. Smith. It seats about 800 and is air
conditioned.
11lHanteu 6
Supreme Hybrid
302 S. Harwood St.
Eol>
White formerly operated three theatres in
southern Dallas which he sold several years
ago to Interstate circuit. The time limit on
his refraining from operating here has expired
and he chose the same vinlcity farther
out and thickly settled by the lower income
groups. Before his entry into theatre business,
he was a film distributor and later
operated this territory's first used poster exchange
from which he amassed a small
fortune.
Armbruster was with Universal many years
and served as first lieutenant in the army.
He previously owned and operated the old
Maple Theatre here. He now heads the U-I
booking department.
Wcarner
< Divisional Manager)
Popcorn
Dallas, Texas Prospect 7-1G85
BOXOFFICE :: June 19, 1948
SW 87