MPAA

. . . Mr.
»;
. . Republic
. . Jerry
. .
ALBANY
Barbara Hellman, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs.
Neil Hellman, is one of five cum laude
students in this year's graduating class at
St. Agnes school. She is president of the
senior class . . . Carol Conery. daughter of
the late Mitchell Conery of Conery theatres
in Ravena, is also graduating with the class.
She acted as "governor" in the recent Youth
day program here and was photographed
with Gov. Thomas E. Dewey n his chair in
the executive chamber. Carol will become a
student in the 1949 class at St. Peter's hospital
school of nursing.
Audience reaction to "Prejudice" is reported
to vary. It attracts some persons who are
not regular patrons, but it causes less scholarly
fans to complain that the film is not
entertainment. Cliff Bradt Knickerbocker
critic, expressed the latter opinion, although
he praised the purpose.
Harry Savett of Newton Falls, Archie Conley
of Sherburne, Cecil Patten of Adams and
Woolsey Ackerman of New Berlin were
among exhibitors at the recent Friendship
luncheon and tradescreenng held by MGM
in Utica as part of the company's 25th
anniversary celebration. The preview of two
pictures was at Kallet's Oneida Square, managed
by Bill Keener. Floyd Fitzsimmons,
MGM area exploiteer, and Ralph Ripps,
MGM salesman, arranged the affair in, cooperation
with Albany Manager Jack Goldberg.
Fabian theatres' 35th anniversary was the
topic under discussion by Fabian managers
at a recent meeting in the Palace. Saul J
Ullman, upstate general manager, presided,
ass'sted by Eddie Fabian, son of Si H. Fabian,
and Larry Cowen, upstate publicity director.
Cowen reported on two New 'Vork confer-,
ences which have been held on the celebration.
A press book will be issued on the anniversary
next month. The Fabian operations
began in Patterson, N. J. Fabian managers
were present from Albany, Troy,
Schenectady and Cohoes.
Warner Zone Manager A. S. Makwitz is
walking around with a crippled foot as the
result of an infection which set in following
a bad case of sunburn. Makwitz did a little
sunbathing while attending the national Variety
convention in San Francisco and one
foot got an overdose. Makwitz reports he
saw Murray Lafayette, former Troy Theatre
manager, now with National Screen, and
Benny Goffstein, onetime Times-Union circulation
manager. Goffstein is credited with
suggesting the idea of a local "denial day"
for the Variety Club's summer boys camp.
All Warner houses are now equipped with
washable green plastic price signs which
give the theatre name and identify it as a
circuit house, as well as the admission price.
Removable numbers Jtre provided to allow for
price changes on the basis of times and days.
. .
. . .
Paul Wallen and Fabian General Manager
Saul J. Ullman made a trip to New Haven
to inspect the remodeling of the fire-damaged
Leland Theatre, which 'Wallen manages.
Eddie Fabian, assistant to Ullman, was
there for the inspection Jim Dufty has
resigned as assistant
.
manager of the Strand
Weekend business was strong at the
Ritz with the Warner double reissue bill,
"Casablanca" and "G-Men," drawing standees
much of the time on Sunday. Manager
Oscar Perrin sa'd audience reaction
was generally favorable.
E. K. O'Shea, Paramount sales executive,
was awarded the Chevrolet sedan in the donation
drive conducted by the Variety Club.
Ben Smith, Screen Guild salesman, sold
O'Shea the lucky $10 coupon when Ted came
to Albany with A. W. Schwalberg, Paramount
sales manager, for the George Lynch testimonial
dinner. O'Shea now is in Callifornia
and Mrs. Neil Hellman will fly to
Florida June 7 to spend a week in Miami
Beach where they spent some time last waiter.
Assistant general manager of the Fabian-
Hellman Drive-In circuit will be in charge
during Hellman's absence.
Columbia Manager Jack Bullwinkle accompanied
Charley Dortic, Columbia salesman,
on a trip to Elizabethtown and other cities
in the Adirondacks . Manager
Arthui' Newman visited the Schine offices
in Gloversville during a trip through the
north of the state . . . Herman L. Ripps, assistant
MGM eastern division manager, visited
the Variety clubrooms . Segal
is now in charge of the Saratoga E>rive-In
for Fabian-Hellman. He has been with the
Walter Reade circuit and has managed the
Congress in Saratoga, the Strand in Perth
Amboy, N. J., and the Lyric and Paramount
in Asbury Park, N. J.
BUI Konefsky, who worked for the Goldman
circuit in Philadelphia, is now managing
the Mohawk Drive-In on the Albany to
Schenectady road. Bill Powell, who started
the season as manager of this Fabian-Hellman
ozoner, is now running a drive-in for
Dave Will:g near Springfield, Mass. .
Exhibitors on Filmrow Monday included
George Thornton of Saugerties, Neil Hellman
of Albany, Sam Rosenblatt of Watervliet
and Lake George, Sam Davis of Phoenicia
and Woodstock, Jules Perlmutter of Schenectady
and Sylvan Leff of Utica.
Smakwitz Will Represent
Four Variety Chapters
ALBANY—Charles A. Smakwitz, Warner
Theatres Albany zone manager, has been
named international
^'"•"
:
representative of Variety
Club tents in
Boston, New Haven,
Buffalo and Albany by
R. J. O'Donnell, international
chief barker.
Smakwitz succeeds
Murray Weiss, who
was elected property
master recently.
Smakwitz has been
chief barker of the
Charles A. Smakwitz Albany tent twice and
recently represented
the local tent at the national convention. He
also has served as national canvasman and
at present is chairman of the Albany Tent's
Heart fund.
'Cleveland Story' Renamed
"The Cleveland Story," George Brent
starrer," was retagged "Pride of the Indians"
by Republic.
The Great State of Texas
Adopts Adolph Zukor
DALLAS—Adolph Zukor, chairman
of the board of Paramount Pictures,
and William Demarest, Paramount
actor, received special honors at the
company's sales meeting held here last
week. Zukor was made an honorary
citizen of Texas by Gov. Beauford Jester,
the highest honor the best can bestow.
In the accompanying photo,
Zukor is shown receiving the citation
from W. O. Reed, speaker of the house.
The Dallas Paramoimt contingent also
presented the film veteran with gold
spurs.
Demarest was presented with honorary
membership in the Paramount 100
Per Cent club for his efforts in behalf
of the promotion of the company's
product over a period of years. Demarest
annually makes a tour of exchange
cities to address sales forces on current
Paramount pictures.
Indian Ladder Drive-In
Is Opened Near Albany
ALBANY—Delayed 24 hours by heavy rains
which made regrading necessary, the Indian
Ladder Drive-In built by Don Hallenbeck on
Route 85 about eight miles from here was
opened last Tuesday night (24). The 300-car
open air theatre, which can be expanded to
accommodate 600 cars, was erected at a cost
of about $40,000.
The in-car speakers used in the new drivein
were made by Hallenbeck, a former
technical sergeant in the army air corps. He
once worked for the International Projector
Corp. He assembled the speakers, which required
more than 14,000 soldered connections.
Hallenbeck is managing the new drive-in.
He has been a dealer in home motion picture
equipment here about 11 years. Plans for a
restaurant adjoining the new open air theatre
were abandoned by him.
Sunday Ban Is Lifted
ULSTER, N. Y.—Ulster township has repealed
an old ordinance banning Sunday motion
pictures after a hearing by the town
board. The blue law was brought to attention
by the sheriff's office and the state police on
the first Sunday that Harry Lamont's new
Sunset Drive-In was to open.
40 BOXOFFICE :: May 28, 1949