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LISTEN
INDUSTRY!
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earlicrP'
THIS IS
IT!

CLIMAXING 25 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT
Last week the M-G-M Studios rushed a work print of "Battleground" to
New York and within a few hours the picture was put on the screen for
Preview without preliminary notice at Loew's 72nd Street Theatre, a typical
neighborhood house.
Motion picture history is
in the making! The audience response, identical with
earlier Previews in California, set a new high. The Motion Picture Research
Bureau in an audience survey recorded the top mark of enthusiasm of all
the
many Big M-G-M attractions previewed at this
theatre.
It is a happy circumstance that in our Anniversary Year, a period when good
product is sorely needed, M-G-M's remarkable succession of hits is now topped
by "Battleground." This mighty attraction, aptly called "The Big Parade of
World War 11" will have its World Premiere in November. We wanted the
industry to know the good news now, that the BIGGEST movie of many
years is on the way!
M-G-M presents "BATTLEGROUND" starring VAN JOHNSON .JOHN HODIAK
RICARDO MONTALBAN . GEORGE MURPHY with Marshall Thompson •Jerome
Courtland • Don Taylor • Bruce Cowling -James Whitmore • Douglas Fowley • Leon
Ames • Guy Anderson « Thomas E. Breen • Denise Darcel • Richard Jaeckel -Jim Arness
Scotty Beckett
• Brett King • Story and Screenplay by Robert Pirosh, Associate
Producer • Directed by WILLIAM A. WELLMAN • Produced by DORE SCHARY
A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture

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fusic by Juie Styne • Lyrics by Samrny Cahn
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DAVID BUTLER '
• Musical Direction b> Ray Heindcrf • Musical Number Staged a'-.d D
ALEX GOWl^B

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
PDBLISHEP IN NINE SECTIONAL EDITIONS
BEN SHLYEN
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
JAMES M. JERAULD Editor
NATHAN COHEN Associate Editor
JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor
IVAN SPEAR Western Editor
FLOYD M. MIX Equipment Editor
RAYMOND LEVY General Manager
Published Every Saturday by
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS
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N. Y. Raymond Levy, General Manager; James M.
Jerauld, Editor; Chester Friedman, Editor Showmandiser
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use.
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Managing Editor; Morris Schlozman, Business Manager.
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and Service. Telephone CHestnut 7777-78.
Other Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETER, published
in November as a section of BOXOFFICE;
THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as a
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Telephones; WOodward 2-1100; Night, UN-4-0219.
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lllh and Stark.
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IN CANADA
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Walnut 5519.
ST. JOHN- 116 Prince Edward St., Wm. J. McNulty.
TORONTO—R. R. No. 1, York Mills, Milton Galbraith
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Member Audit Bureau of Circulations
Entered as Second Class matter at Post Office, Kansas City, IMo.
Sectional Edition, $3.00 per year; National Edition, $7.50
OXOFFICE
CYCLE-LOGIC
*. J PEAKING of cycles as we did two weeks agl
there is a current trend to overdo the super western type
production. About two dozen such films are in current releai
and the effect of their drawing power is greatly reduced,
only does this cockeyed releasing judgment affect
the attrc|
tion values of films of this type at present, but it tends to destr
public taste therefor in the future.
This may not be noticeable in small tovtms that have oi
two or three theatres and where western fare enjoys a greal
popularity than in the bigger cities, hi the latter, especiaj
in the metropolitan centers with St) or more houses, the efii
comes into startling evidence when one sees on the amusem

,
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I
/hen
"(Sdlwoweeb
"Po western tjp
'"sinninaitiel
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(
REPORT WARNERS. LOEWS. FOX
READY TO ACCEPT DIVESTITURE
Remaining Defendants
Said to Be Favoring
Consent Decrees
NEW YORK — There were indications
this week that 20th Century-Fox, Loew's,
Inc., and Warner Bros, are ready to drop
their fight against divorcement, on the
basis of the clearcut opinion of the statutory
court on divestiture.
This shift in strategy was indicated in
conferences held at the Department of Justice
In Washington and on the west coast,
and by the top echelon of home office legal
representatives. The past week has been a
week of steady conferences between lawyers
for the defendants, as the court expressed
a hope that the government and companies
get together on the question of which
theatres to divest.
THE WEEK'S DEVELOPMENTS
The thinking here this week has been along
the lines of possible consent decrees such
as Paramount and RKO Radio Pictures negotiated
with the government.
Here are some of the other developments
on the antitrust suit:
Ted Gamble, circuit owner and TOA
board chairman, in a New York address,
warned that the quality of product may
be imperiled as a result of the divorcement
ord«r of the court. Divestiture, he
also said, can usher in a period of cutthroat
competition that can prove disastrous
to a large segment of the industry.
Lawyers and home office theatre officials
were re-evaluating the Paramount
and RKO decrees, in the hopes of developing
some pattern of settlement which
would leave them with as many theatres,
proportionately, as was retained by the
two antitrust defendants who have settled.
On the west coast, there was an aura
of uncertainty and indecision as to the
effect of the divorcement ordsr in that
section of the country. None of the exhibition
executives would permit themselves
to be quoted, but one Fox West
Coast executive expressed the prevailing
opinion that divorcement is a long
way from realization and that the situation
may well be subject to radical
new developments in the event an appeal
is taken.
CONJECTURE ON HOLDINGS
There was considerable conjecture in the
industry as to the number of theatres Warners,
Loew's and 20th-Fox might be able to
retain, in the event of a consent decree.
Paramount, luider Its agreement with the
government, is required to sell only 69 of its
449 wholly-owned theatres and RKO has
been permitted to hold about 79 theatres.
As the count now stands, Loew's has 126
theatres, of which eight are in partnership
with the United Artists Theatre Circuit. Of
the eight, the company can keep half, leaving
Loew's with a potential of 122 houses. The
Gamble Sees Production
Hurt by Divorcement
NEW YORK—A warning that divorcement
can endanger quality of productions was
sounded by Ted R. Gamble, chairman of the
board of TOA, at the closing session of the
meeting of theatre publicists at the 20th
Century-Fox home office.
"General economic conditions alone do not
set the pace for our activity," he said. "We
must deal other factors
into our thinking.
Par-reaching changes
in our business, largely
through antitrust
litigation, mean that
we will have to scrap
much of our traditional
thinking.
"The divorcement of
affiliated theatres is
a certainty. Divorcement—never
an answer
to industry ills
Ted Gamble
in my judgment—can
endanger the quality of product, a danger
indeed to us who must keep theatres open.
Divorcement can usher in an era of cutthroat
competition that can prove disastrous
to many of us. The evolution of the theory
of clearances can make necessary a complete
re-evaluation of our methods of selling entertainment
to the public. In this latter category
your group will have to call the signals."
Gamble's warning followed an optimistic
outlook on economic conditions.
"I see so many economists in sharp disagreement,"
he said, "that I feel I have to
venture a few of my own interpretations.
From my few studies I am convinced that
the present state of bearish public thinking
is largely fear-inspired. I do not call it a
'newspaper recession,' but I do feel that the
current lack of confidence is largely artifically
induced.
"We have seen an increase in unemployment,
to be sure, and yet by the record, presently
employed approach the staggering figure
of 60,000,000. National income remains
above 200 billions. Personal savings and
liquid assets border on an all-time high.
20th-Fox holdings include 630 theatres and
379 of these are owned entirely by the company.
On the basis of a division of assets
with partners, the company and the Department
of Justice some time ago reached an
agreement on theatres to be held and to be
disposed of—and Fox could conceivably wind
up with 504 theatres.
Warner owns 510 theatres, with 26 of them
partnerships. Of the latter, the company may
There are variations in retail sales but in this
sensitive field, price and quality changes,
greater availability of goods and other factors
must be discounted.
"I feel we are in neither a 'buyer's' nor a
seller's' market. I feel we are in a truly
competitive market and I cannot view it as
unhealthy. Competition in all lines, even in
the field of labor, is responsible for development
and growth, and should not frighten us.
"I conclude, therefore, that there is nothing
in the economic climate that should deter
us from moving ahead aggressively in the
confidence that a long stretch of good business
lies ahead. I find, for example, that
in a circuit of theatres I am interested in, we
played to 3,091,500 persons in the first 28
weeks of this year as against 3,043,700 persons
for a similar period in 1948. If my profit
picture does not reflect similar constancy, I
feel that may be attributed to my own management
and not to general conditions."
Gamble said the "continuing problem of
improving public relations" must command
attention and must be solved. The industry
must not "persist in delays in this field"
when "we have the capacity and the manpower
to put together a plan that can offer
a lasting cure." He added that suggestions
for a Film Festival should be taken seriously.
"Bright aspects," apcording to Gamble, are
an industry determination to adopt new
methods of selUng pictures and theatre qualities
and comforts, to use large-screen television
for program development and exploitation,
to show the all-industry shorts and
to view the all-industry public relations organization
as an "important milestone in our
development."
"The impending Arkansas campaign,
•What's Right With the Movies?'" he said,
"may set a new note in positive thinking for
many of us. Here we have an example of a
small group of exhibitors in a very small state
who are planning an all-out campaign to
condition public thinking to recognition of
the many good things about our industry, and
emphasis from the comparatively
thus divert
few defects."
keep 11, leaving 495 wholly-owned properties.
This would give the three companies a
total ownership of 1,120 theatres. If the consent
decrees follow the line of the Paramount
and RKO settlements, these theatres
will go into the control of exhibition companies
separate from the production-distribution
companies—and the 1,120 theatres
would be the number of which negotiations
for divestiture would be carried.
»(J
8 BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949

\
Decision
FATE OF FILM FESTIVAL GOES
TO PUBLIC RELATIONS CONFAB
on Sullivan Plan
To Be Made at Industry
Meeting in Chicago
NEW YORK — When the
all-industry
public relations discussion gets under way
in Chicago August 30 those present will be
asked to take up for early action a proposal
that a film festival be held this year
probably in November—as a practical way
of stimulating interest in current releases
pending development of an overall public
relations program.
A decision to recommend this action was
taken Monday (1) at the Hotel Aster at a
luncheon called by Ted R. Gamble for discussion
of the plan suggested by Gael Sullivan,
Theatre Owners of America executive
director, in a memo to 600 industry
executives.
CLEARANCE STILL A PROBLEM
Sullivan suggested at that time that a film
festival be held during the month of October
with all the larger companies releasing 20
top films with double the usual number of
prints for saturation bookings. This would
disregard the usual clearances for the period.
It was this disturbance of the clearance
situation, the shortness of the time for planning,
and the fear that those planning
the all-industry public relations program
might take offense that caused those present
to decide to submit the proposal to the Chicago
meeting for quick consideration.
Forty-nine industry executives, leading theatre
men and representatives of the trade
press attended. The gathering was a luncheon
called by Gamble. He began the discussion
by saying that the Sullivan proposal was not
a TOA project, but that his mind was open
about it and he said he hoped the minds of
those present also were open. He also said
the TOA would not support it unless it could
be developed into an industry-wide project.
"About a year ago we started an industrywide
public relations program," he said, "and
we have spent $115,000 on industry public
relations. The burden is too great. This
could be made part of an all-industry program
if the program were all set and ready
to go. Next year might be too late in starting
it. Now is the time to get people into
the theatres."
BUSINESS PICKUP SEEN
Sullivan, who was called upon for comment
on his plan said that he felt that the
recession had hit bottom and that economists
agree that '49 is not '29, and that there
would be a pickup in the next six months.
"This plan is my personal idea," he said;
"it involves no expense to the TOA. It is
not an inflexible plan. If the basic idea is
good, we can spotlight the high quality of
films and bring about a national appreciation
of what our industry is doing."
Ned E. Depinet, RKO president, began his
discussion of the proposal by saying he was
there to listen, but later he entered into the
discussion. His remarks were listened to attentively,
because he is chairman of the community-exhibitor
relations committee of the
FILM FESTIVAL OF HIS OWN—C.
A. Matthews of the Alliance Theatre
Corp., Vincennes, Ind., decided to let his
townsfolk know that good pictures are
on his schedule and took this S-column,
16-inch add to do an institutional job
for his theatres and for the film industry.
Exhibitors, more and more, are starting
to use this type of material in addition
to direct selling of current attractions.
Motion Picture Ass'n of America, and has
taken an active part at meetings in various
sections designed to get the industry public
relations program into shape for active work.
Later Depinet inquired from Gamble
whether the TOA had officially accepted the
Sullivan plan, and Gamble said it had been
put up to the board of directors.
Depinet's objection to the Sullivan proposal
was on the ground that it would be
unwise to "fool with clearances."
"When you fool with clearances," he said,
"somebody loses money. We have just had
400 saturation dates on 'The Mighty Joe
Young' in New England and we are about to
have 300 to 400 more in the midwest on August
17. We have pictures lined up for fast
release that we can't postpone untU October."
Abe Montague, general sales manager for
Columbia, gave qualified approval, but said
he wanted to know what kind of a plan had
been worked out.
William A. Scully, vice-president and general
sales manager for Universal-International,
said he thought saturation bookings
had been very successful and were important,
but pointed out that disturbing clearance
was an important matter for big exhibitors.
The print situation Is not much of a problem,
he said.
Max E. Youngstein, director of advertising,
publicity and exploitation for Paramount,
said that his thinking on the subject was
"colored by the fact that an industry council
is being formed."
At this point Gamble interjected the remark
that public relations had been under
discussion for 14 months, and said he could
see no point in waiting until a complete study
has been made.
"We had comments from 2,200 newspapers
on the program we set out to do. The allindustry
program is still in process of formation
after the first year and it may be
next year before it will begin to function.
We have the manpower to put a program
over. Shall we wait?"
Al Lichtman, vice-president of 20th Century-Fox,
said he thought the practicality of
the Sullivan plan was a problem to be studied.
"We want to stimulate business," he stated,
"but the details should be worked out by a
distributor-exhibitor committee."
CITES JOE BREEN'S LETTER
Later during the discussion Lichtman
pointed out that in 1912 and 1913 expositions
were held by the industry in Chicago and
New York for one week each and both were
successful. He referred to a letter from Joseph
Breen listing an unusual number of
outstanding pictures from all companies and
said that he thought each company should
launch each in a "showmanlike way."
"A festival in August," he continued, "will
not have sufficient time for proper organization.
Distributors have their programs all
set up to as far as Thanksgiving. It will take
a year of solid planning to convince people
pictures are better than ever."
Harry Brandt heartily endorsed the plan
by saying "we need some shock treatment."
"If we wait," he said, "we will give other
attractions a chance to make further inroads,
and I think a committee could settle the
clearance problem for a temporary period,
if we take our hats off and go to work."
Edward L. Hyman of the Paramount theatre
department said he was "enthusiastic
about any plan that would stimulate the
boxoffice," but he qualified this by critical
comment later.
"I think there should be a grassroots approach
to this problem," he continued. "We
supported the TOA program a year ago and
loaned Earl Hudson for the effort. The TOA
files will show the results. We applaud a
festival. It should be on an annual basis
like an automobile show. There is need
for continuing effort. John Balaban suggested
the exposition idea years ago. It was
a good one. I think this clearance question
will have to be settled on a local basis."
AUSTIN KEOUGH SPEAKS
Austin Keough, Paramount general counsel,
warned that disturbing clearances could
lead to unexpected results by saying that
where clearances are dropped it might prove
difficult to restore them.
"Go forward in an orderly way," he urged.
"The idea is splendid, but some people not
represented here today might be offended.
No program can be successful unless we all
work together. Let's get the habit of work-
(Continued on next
pagei
lUvJ BOXOFHCE :: August 6, 1949

When Decree Violations Are Alleged:
Court Holds Distributors
Must Prove Innocence
PHILADELPHIA—The United States circuit
court of appeals this week established
several precedential procedures by which
antitrust decrees must be observed, including
an order which provides that when an exhibitor-plaintiff
contends that he has. not been
dealt with fairly in competing for pictures
he may ask the court to require the distributor
to prove that the award was made fairly.
The opinion was handed down in the suit
of the Penn Theatre, Ambridge. Pa., against
four major distributors and a Paramount
partner.
What it means, in effect, is -that a distributor
will have to prove that the accusation
is wrong, or stand in contempt of court.
IN COURT FIVE YEARS
The Ambridge case has been in the courts
for five years. The Penn Theatre is now
operated by Harry Friedman and Norman
Ball, trustee. The first decision went against
the exhibitors. It was appealed and the court
of appeals remanded the case to the lower
court, and a decree for the plaintiff was
handed down. Both the Penn Theatre and
the defendants appealed and this week's opinion
came as a result of these actions. Defendants
are RKO, 20th Century-Fox, Loew's,
Paramount and the Paramount affihate,
Pennware circuit, operated by A. N. Notopoulos.
The latest opinion of the court of appeals
is aimed to protect the Penn Theatre right
to product. It was this fight for product
which first brought the matter into the
courts. The Notopoulos circuit constructed a
new theatre in Ambridge and obtained Paramount
product which previously had been
going to the Penn Theatre. In addition, it
was charged that Warner Bros, which has
two theatres in the town divided product with
the new theatre and left nothing for the
Penn screen. The distributor-defense was
that it preferred to play in Notopoulos theatres
because of the circuit's established reputation,
that the circuit was an established
customer and the theatre could produce
greater revenues.
PROVISION IS SPECIFIC
The court now has ordered this specific
injunctive provision in the decree: "From
impairing, reducing or changing the playing
position of the Penn Tlieatre as of April 30.
1944, until the further order of the court."
This is now being interpreted to mean that
the position of the Penn Theatre as to product
and clearance prior to the entry of the
new theatre in town will be returned.
In placing the burden of pi-oof upon the
distributors, the court remarked: "This is
strenuously opposed by the appellees who
maintain that the mere entry of the decree
assures appellant of the relief to which he
is entitled. While there may be considerable
to that argument, we are interested primarily
in seeing to it that the decree really works
out in practical fashion as intended. Subject
to appeal on the merits, the issue here has
been determined and we are desirous of
'Junior' Admission Prices
For All
NT Situations
LOS ANGELES—National Theatres
executives, gathered here for a semiannual
meeting August 1 and 2, took steps
to combat dwindling theatre attendance
by approving plans to install so-called
"junior" admission prices in all situations
where that price bracket is not
now in effect. The "jun'or" ticket scale
•
is lower than the full rate but somewhat
higher than prices for children.
NT's "Talent Quest" contest for amateur
entertainers, staged early this year
on a nationwide basis, will not be repeated
on the same scale in 1950, it was
decided, but will be presented regionally
by the various NT subs diaries. Decision
not to hold the contest nationally was
influenced by the high costs of promotion
and exploitation.
eliminating as far as possible any excuse for
unnecessary, harassing litigatioff by either
side."
The coiu-t then went on to say that having
the distributors establish compliance with
the decree would work no hardship and will
be of substantial help in eliminating litigation.
"Indeed," said the court, "it can be
far more easily and satisfactorily accomplished
by them than by the appellant.
Within their organization, nationwide statistics
are readily available concernins filr^
rentals and other comparative picture and
theatre data. Most of such special knowledge
would be difficult if not impossible for
appellant to obtain."
The court ponted to the Supreme Court's
opinion in the big antitrust suit placing the
burden of proof on distributors in disputes
over clearance.
The circuit court also upheld the contention
of the Penn Theatre that the decree as
handed down by the district court merely
gave them an equal opportunity "to inspect
and negotiate" for pictures without provision
that it have the same "equal opportunity"
to actually obtain the pictures. The
court ordered that this clause be modified to
read so that the distributors are enjoined
from licensing their features for first run
performances in Ambridge to any of the defendants
without giving the plaintiffs an
"opportunity to inspect, negotiate for and
obtain said pictures equal to and in all
respects the same as the opportunity afforded
any other exh-bitor."
Hakim-UA Film Retitled
NEW YORK—"Without Honor" is the new
title for the Robert and Raymond Hakim
production for United Artists which was tentatively
known as "Twilight." Laraine Day,
Dane Clark and Franchot Tone are starred.
Film Festival Meeting
(Continued from page 9)
ing together. I don't think we will have to
wait until next year.
"Let's see if we can't tell the Chicago public
relations meeting that we want to get this
started. We will have something for them
to work on. If there had not been an allindustry
public relations effort, I would not
hesitate.
"What we need most is to sell all our entertainment.
If you draw up a list of special
pictures, you will be in a desperate plight
later."
PUBLISHER PRESENTS VIEWS
Ben Shlyen, publisher of BOXOPFICE,
said he thought the plan had great value.
"I don't think we should dilly-dally," said
Shlyen. "We already have put off for too
long the concerted effort needed to recapture
public enthusiasm and patronage. If we wait
much longer, we might miss the boat. As for
clearances, this should not be a difficult problem
to solve without resorting to any precedent
or tradition-breaking schemes," he continued.
"Inasmuch as various of the distributing
companies already are making use of
saturation booking on a regional basis, it
should be comparatively simple to extend
this on a nationwide scale. By rotating the
playing territories for each of, say 12, or more
big pictures to be released during the festival
period, all features would be made available
quickly to all exhibitors through regular
channels of release. The impact of this
simultaneous, coordinated effort would be
readily felt. The advertising that is normally
done in saturation bookings would have a
cumulative effect, with benefits accruing to
all of the industry."
Si Seadler, advertising manager for MGM,
pointed out that his company is now engaged
in an anniversary celebration with
heavy emphasis on public relations angles
and he thought the festival ought to be put
back to November. Oscar Doob, Loew's theatre
executive, agreed with him on this.
Charles M. Reagftfi, new sales executive at
MGM, agreed witrt them in a general way,
but said he could not discuss the program
because he had joined the company so recently.
SUGGESTS COMMITTEE SURVEY
Mort Blumenstock, director of advertising,]
publicity and exploitation for Warner Bros.,!
said he felt a committee of a special type!
should be organized to find out what can!
be done to supplement the "feeble" efforts!
now being made.
William J. Heineman, vice-president In I
charge of distribution for Eagle Lion, saidi
he felt the clearance shift idea was full of|
complications.
Robert Mochrie, vice-president of RKO in I
charge of distribution: Abel Green, Variety I
editor, and Leo Brecher of the Metropolitan!
Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass'n, also spoke.|
Those present were:
Ted Gamble, Gael Ijullivan. Robert W. Coyne.
Stanley W. Prenosil, Louis A. Novins, Austin C L
Keouah, Ned E. Depinel. Edward L. Hyman, Robert!
W Weitman, Robert H, O'Brien, Abe Montague. Wil-I
liam I. Heineman, Charles M. Reagan, Robertl
Mochrie, Mort Blumenstock, Maurice A. Bergman, ST
Rarret McCormick. Edward L. Wolton, Sidney C I
Deneau. William A, Scullv. Silas F Seadler, Ulricl
Bell. Max E. Youngstein, Walter Reade ir., D. Johnl
Phillips. Al Lichtman, Tack Alicoale, Chester B. Bohn.l
Abel Green, James M. Jerauld, Ben Shlyen. Mell
Konecol^ Morton Sunshine, Mo Wax. Al Picoult.f
Arthur Sachson, Robert T. Rubin, Sidney Schreiber.L
'eo Brecher, Charles E. Lawis, S. H. Fabian, Marlinl
Quiglev ir., Herman M. Levy. David Abrams, If
Fdward Shuarue, Edward L. Fabicm, Oscar A. Doob |
Taylor M. Mills and Harry Brandt.
10
BOXOmCE :: August 6, 1949

THE INDUSTRY'S
LEADER
^
trcK-ji'tti--
.. at the box-office
ftmieWhen the whole industry was
calling for the return of solid showmanship.
Here's LEADERSHIP harnessed to top-i
product with "BUILT-IN" box-office values..
Here's the kind of LEADERSHIP that
i
makes the industry say.
^
A
NOW
>*e

Iki KSROm^4k^i^^H/^^ ^r^ still
the outstanding grosses rolled
talking ^bout
up by
THE LADY GAMBLES/' "TAKE ONE FALSE STEP'
LIFE OF RILEY/' "RED CANYON/' "MA & PA KETTLE/'
"CITY ACROSS THE RIVER/' "FAMILY HONEYMOON/'
"ILLEGAL ENTRY/' "CALAMITY JANE & SAM BASS".
every one a fine box-office picture
backed by intensive territorial and
national promotional campaigns
that proved themselves by results.
^M«°^y and Screenplay 'ay
_,
b, o,C...l[^^
by OSm BRODNFV
7^
!JUCMIS
CAL
|\NTHOm
m CURTIS
NIOORE
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Produced bvWRONROSF'.B.RC te^- %r^
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with
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Screenplay by ROBERT CARSON
m
O'^eced by ROBERT MONTGOMERY
"°^'''°THiEST BARTON
^"^^'^MvSSbS ARTHUR
Produced by RUtstiM ^
Produced by
JOAN H/lRRISOfV
A NEPTUNE PRODUCTION
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S'ory and Scrppnni,,, WLEMM ...
BOWERS "uffciri
fd and OSCAR BRODNEy
Directed by
NOEL PURCELL
CYRIL m/\CK
ROBERT ARTHUR ^\
//
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JAMES HAYTER
:::!±i^NK LAUNDER • AN INDIES PlS
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ON OUR ST
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'siilK-
UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL presents
^o/na
^MIKE...hardboiled American skipper
oi the blockade-running refugee ship.
He'd do anything for a fast buck.
Timely,
Exciting
Dramatic;
Absorbing . •
TOREN
^ SABRA... woman in
a man's world
and worth 20 men in any fight. Worth
$10,000 to the enemy, dead or olive.
StepkeK
McNALLY
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Broidy
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jointed
I
m
MONO-AA GUNS '50 PROGRAM
AIMING AT RECORD 48 FILMS
^

m?AA Will Petition FCC
For TV Channel Hearing
By SUMNER SMITH
NEW YORK—Theatre television developments
within the industry came thick
and fast during the week.
In New York, the Motion Picture Ass'n
of America decided to petition the Federal
Communications commission to hold hearings
at which it would be represented for
the purpose of reserving and allocating
channels. MPAA said that individual applications
for hearings also would be made
by some of its producer-disti'ibutor companies.
The Theatre Owners of America felt that
the move was wrong and that requests to
should be on an all-industry basis.
FX::C
In Washington, 20th Century-Fox told the
FCC it wUl reply to commission requests for
information on the present status of theatre
television and its commercial future.
In New York Si H. Fabian, head of Fabian
Theatres, was considering installation of RCA
television projectors in perhaps a dozen houses
in his chain. He had previously signed up
RCA for his Brooklyn Fox Theatre.
The MPAA decision was reached at an
August 2 meeting of the board of directors.
The Society of Motion Picture Engineers
had previously met with MPAA and had furnished
information on the course to be taken
in making aplication to FCC. SIitPE also
had furnished member-company presidents
with a special memo outlining its stand.
At the MPAA meeting a special subcommittee
of its television committee was named
to prepare the application for filing and to
formulate whatever briefs may be necessary
for presentation at FCC hearings.
The necessity for careful preparation of
applications was pointed up by the special
memo prepared by SMPE for the company
presidents. It said that more than two-
Theatre Video Hookup
For FWC Confirmed
LOS ANGELES—Long reported but
never before officially confirmed, the expected
entry of National Theatres into a
theatre television hookup on the Pacific
coast through its western subsidiary, Fox
West Coast, was one of the major subjects
under discussion at a two-day semiannual
meeting here of NT divisional
presidents and film buyers. The parleys
were held August 1 and 2.
Details of the proposed video hookup
were outlined by R. H. McCullough, director
of construction and television for
FWC. He reported the circuit is preparing
an application for a theatre television
frequency, which probably will be filed
with the Federal Communications commission
next month. Thereafter, and providing
FCC approval is granted, a 23-
theatre video network will be launched
in southern California, with programs to
originate from the stage of the Chinese
Theatre in Hollywood and beamed to
other FWC showcases in the territory.
thirds of the frequencies considered suitable
for theatre television have already been assigned
for government use and are therefore
not available.
The MPAA petition and those of individual
member companies will have to be filed by
September 2, the date fixed by the FCC for
receipt of responses to the questions it sent
SMPE, Paramount and 20th-FOx.
to
The members of the special subcommittee
named are Edward T. Cheyfitz, chairman;
Frank Cahill, Warner Bros., and Theodore
Black, Republic, with Jack Cohn, Columbia,
and Sidney Schreiber, MPAA, named as exofficio
members.
The plan of MPAA to make its own application
to the FCC runs counter to the
views of TOA, which are that the approach
should be an all-industry proposition. The
exhibitor organization also feels that the FCC
wants to know what the public would gain
through allocation of channels to the industry,
and that the MPAA request is more
likely to stress technical aspects rather than
public service. TOA, through Gael Sullivan,
its executive director and others, has been
in touch with FCC and is confident it knows
what the commission wants in the way of
information.
Regarding extension of large-screen television
programs to more Fabian theatres, he
is known to be interested mostly in sporting
events and current events, at least at present.
A tieup is possible with the National
Broadcasting Co. Charles R. Denny jr., executive
vice-president, has already told TOA
that the company is in the business of selling
programs and will do so to anybody paying
the price. There are pitfalls such as sponsor
agreement and copyrighted music but it is
believed that these can be ironed out.
So far as exhibitor use of television is concerned,
possibilities other than theatre presentation
of regular television programs loom.
If Fabian, for instance, could obtain a channel,
he could presumably originate his own
programs, send them over a closed circuit to
his own theatres or beam them by microwave
to his theatres. He could also make his own
arrangements with sponsors, and sell service
to other chains.
The RCA projector which Fabian will definitely
install in the Brooklyn Pox Theatre
will cost $25,000, exclusive of the costs of
installation.
The 20th-Pox request to FCC will contain
a formal request for channels. The report
said that the company has invested heavily
in television research in the expectation that
the FCC would let it state its case, and it
asked for an extension of the present FCC
deadline for filing.
Memphis Censor Approves
'Home of the Brave'
NEW YORK—"Home of the Brave," the
film on anti-Negro prejudice released by
United Artists, has been passed for exhibition
in Memphis by Lloyd Binford, censor,
according to Gradwell L. Sears, UA president.
The picture will open at the Malco Theatre
August 11 and will play the entire M. A.
Lightman circuit in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Zenith Seeks FCC Okay
On Phonevision Test
WASHINGTON—Use of first run film
features and current stage plays on subscription
television is projected in an
application received Thursday by the
FCC for a three-month trial of Phonevision
in the Chicago area. Zenith Radio
asked for an okay to equip 300 Chicago
homes to receive a series of special programs
which would come in in scrambled
form only on television sets not equipped
for the Zenith programs. Any home receiver
could be equipped.
No regular charge is set for the proposed
experimental run, although the 300
trial subscribers will be asked to contribute
an amount equivalent to what
might be regular rates for a commercial
service of this nature. The contributions
will be to indicate interest in the idea
of selected programs on a fee , basis,
Zenith explained.
Allied States Readies
Its '49 Convention
MINNEAPOLIS—In a statement for the
1949 Allied Year Book, Abram F. Myers, national
Allied States' executive counsel, calls
attention to the comilng national convention
here October 24-26 and pays a tribute to the
late W. A. Steffes, former exhibitor of this
city.
"For most Allied exhibitors, certainly for
the old timers, the journey to Minneapolis
will be a pilgrimage," wrote Myers. "Minneapolis
was the home of Al Steffes and the
scene of his great accomplishments. Remembrance
of Al is a tie that binds all true
Allied men together. Bringing the convention
to Minneapolis for the second time is a<
delayed tribute to the immortal Al."
At the same time that Myers issued his
statement, President Bennle Berger of North]
Central ' Allied announced the complete
of national convention committee chairmei
and members:
Henry Greene jr. and Martin Lebedoff, conven
tion chairmen; E. L. Peaslee and Berger, committei
chairmen, and members Harold Field, Ted MonnJ
Paul Mans, George Gronstrom, W. A. Prewitt jr.!
W. L. Ainsworth, Ray Branch, Col. H. A. Cole, M. Ml
Finkel, Lauritz Gorman, Rube Shor, Edward Lacb-I
man, A. F. Myers, T. T. Rembusch, S. E. SamuelsonI
M. G. Smith, O. F. Sullivan, J. M. Wollberg, NathaJ
Ycfmins, M. A. Alderman, Charles Niles, Henry Hal-^
loway and E. O. Collins.
Other committees are; Advisory^M. G. Smithp
T. T. Rembusch, W. L. Ainsworth and Abe Berenson,'
Yearbook and Advertising—Bill Volk, chairman, A
Lee, Ted Bolnick, P. R. Isley, Edward Lachman ancj
Bob Berger. Publicity—Sol Fisher and Al PicoultJ
Reservations—Harold Kaplan, chairman, Charlef
Rubenstein and Fred Holzaplel. Ladies—Mrs. Dolore^
Lundquist, chairman, and Mrs. B. Berger, co-chodrJ
man, Mesdames M. Lebedoff, Emma Stern, S. D|
Kane and L. I. Shields.
National Attendance committee; Connecticut— DrJ
J. B. Fishman and M. I. Bailey. Gulf States—M. Jl
Artiques and J. V. O'Quinn. IHinois—^Van NomikoJ
and Robert Lubliner. Indiana—T. T. Rembusch ana
W. A. Carroll. Iowa-Nebraska—A. C. Mvrick (Dttdj
Charles Niles. Kansas-Missouri—Don Phillips an(l
Frank Meyers. Maryland— Lauritz Gorman and Wl
C. Allen. Mid-Central—Henry Halloway and A. Bl
lefferis. Michioan—Ray Branch and Harry Hobolthl
Mid-South—I. "C. Mohrstadt and J. A. West. Neml
England States—D. I. Murphy and Ray Feeley. Nevii
Jersey—Edward Lachman and Irving DoUinger. Nortll
Central—Jack Wriaht and Sim Hell?r, Ohio—F. W
Huss jr. and L. T, Jones. Eastern Pennsylvania-
Mrs. D. A. Samuelson and Percy Friedman. Westl
ern Pennsylvania—F. A Beedle and N. B. MervisI
Rocky Mountain—I. M. Key and E. K. Menaghf
Texrrs—C. D. Leon and Rubin Freis. West Virginian
F. R. Custer and L. E. Rogers. Wisconsin—H. P|
Pearson and Harry Perlewitz.
S. D. Kane, North Central Allied executive counsel)!
is general chairman for the convention.
5,
16 BOXOrnCE - August 6, 194S|

"* *ai oi fig
i
lONOGRAM'S ALL-TIME BIGGEST
KOGRAM IS HEADING YOUR WAY!
ooR.
-:.
to 1
PR.OVBNSpD,irO,
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intion
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ik| Mdiml coniti:
HWttribgttitl
hw Bhlbiur c
*!*««f*|meck the great titles and surefire properties! .... You'll KNOW
jnoq to Mumn;
einiS ?!^°* Monogram's biggest schedule is primed with the kind of
,*y'bst-moving, colorful entertainment that exhibitors MUST have to
'^m Jtay in business! The BOXOFFICE BACKBONE of your date book!
KiMItllil."
t Hat MItis issued
SaaiteerofS ^^' ^^
wdtlie
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a^ tke tc^winif!^' %mdYruM...M

MONOGRAM ACROSS THE BOA^
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Over 63 Million Readers Follow Their Hilarious Capers Daily!
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NE\N TRAILS IN MERCHANDISING
BLAZED AT 20TH-FOX MEETIN
NEW YORK—The top industi-y publicists
who met July 28-29 with 20th Centui-y-Pox
officials at the home office are
now back in the field with a fresh outlook
on the job of increasing boxoffice returns
as the result of a free
exchange of views at
the New York meeting.
Al Lichtman,
20th-Fox vice-president:
Charles Einfeld,
vice - president in
charge of advertising,
publicity and exploitations,
and Andy W.
Smith jr., vice-president
in charge of sales,
are combing through
records of the meetings
that supplied
SENN LAWLEH them With highly val-
Fox Midwest-Kansas City uable first hand information
on what sort of cooperation is
wanted from them by theatre publicists.
Both groups felt that the get-together
would result in blazing new trails in the
merchandising of pictures. They felt, also,
that personal relationships had been renewed
and enriched by face-to-face discussions.
Much time was devoted to examination
by the publicists of individual 20th-Fox advertisements
of forthcoming features
"Come to the Stable," "Everybody Does It,"
"I Was a Male War Bride" and "Prince of
Foxes." These were tentative, rough
sketches. Einfeld sought and received a
number of valuable suggestions for changes
to suit certain specific territories, and
adopted them with thanks.
Einfeld stressed that hereafter 20th-Pox
will not be satisfied with just publicizing the
stars in its pictures, but will also make exceptional
efforts to give the public a clear
idea of the story content of a picture, and
he asked the field publicists to do the same
in their adaptation of any 20th-Fox advertising
copy supplied them.
Lichtman was responsible for a number of
comments that aroused considerable interest.
One was that a study by him of recent boxoffice
receipts has shown that big pictures
open slowly and sometimes do not become
hits until they reach the smaller runs. That
meant to him, he said, that further study is
called for to discover if a system of national
release should not be abandoned in favor of
territorial release, with emphasis on saturation.
Another Lichtman comment was: "Something
is wrong if the industry can sell only
30,000,000 out of a potential audience of 110,-
000,000 in this country." As for the 20th-Fox
attitude toward getting results, he said that
"hard work and the proper kind of thinking"
by company personnel has brought about a
weekly increase in business of $100,000 over
last year.
Discussing television trailers, Einfeld said
there are "pitfalls."
"We are not always sure of our audience
and the number of the audience," he said.
"Servicing may be difficult as we must produce
television shows that are interesting
visually and vocally. We must consider the
costs of this method of bringing customers
into our theatres and what the return from
television is likely to be.
"Television, of course, is stronger in some
areas than others. In some it is very weak.
We must also consider the time of day when
television shows would help us most, and
whether there would be any conflict with th^
shows in our theatres. We are very anxlou
to use any medium that will help.'
Comments from the floor concerned thi
situations in Chicago
Detroit, Syracuse anc
Seattle. In Chicag(
the approach is "carej
ful." A survey Tau
shown that many per.
sons do see the trail
ers whether in thel
homes or in stor
k
'^S^B^^^I
windows, but the tes
^ ^^^^H^B ^^ ^^^ *'^"^^ ^^^ repor
HL onlj
./^^^^^l ^^^ made was
^^t. i-bal
,^|^^^^^^| two one
^^^ ^^^^^^^^H weeks Expense
^B'i^^fJl^HIHH^H were met out of |
SONNY SHEPHERD
Wometco Circuit-Miami
special fund.
In Detroit, televiao:
has been tried o
three pictures and the test produced "goo
circulation," which, it was felt, is fairly cei
tain in large cities. In Syracuse, word-ol
mouth results were good and costs were les
than those charged by radio. In SeattU
television is highly popular among th
younger element and the drive-ins also ai
supplying competition with the regular thf
atres for juvenile patronage. The chief sul!
ferers are the big dovratown theatres. Thi
suggestion was made that television trallei;
be showed on or after television shows f

I
'
'Motion Pictures Are the Biggest
Entertainment Buy in America'
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The popular "I Am a Movie Fan" feature
which BOXOFFICE introduced recently
is still being- used by exhibitors
throughout the United States, Canada
and England as a public
relations piece.
Above is a reproduction of the tribute
which appeared in the Bethany and Albany,
Mo., weekly newspapers as an advertisement.
F. F. Chenoweth, district
manager for Albany -Bethany Theatres,
placed 3 colunm-lO-incb advertisements
in both papers.
State-Wide Distribution
Of 'Fan' in Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY—Theatre Owners of
Oklahoma is going to make a statewide
distribution of "I Am a Movie Fan," the
widely heralded cover feature published by
BOXOFFICE recently. The association is
making mats for newspaper use available to
its members, and is urging exhibitors to use
the movie tribute on postcard mailings to
be tied in with a free invitation ticket for a
limited redemption period. A patron would
merely be asked to pay the federal tax.
The Griffith circuit is to use the postcard
plan, according to Claude Motley, Griffith
executive, and will make widespread mailings
in October about the time the national
Film Festival is held. Griffith has offered
to promote the newspaper and postcard program
on a cooperative basis in towns where
it has competition.
Colosseum Board Protests
Film Buying Combines
MILWAUKEE—The executive board of the
Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen this
week sent a telegram to the chairman of the
house judiciary committee investigating monopolies
charging that "the buying combines
which are mushrooming throughout the country
threaten the very existence of the motion
picture industry."
Ben Shlyen, publisher of Boxoffice, in
speaking to the 20th Century-Fox merchandising
meeting for top exhibitor advertising
and publicity chiefs, used the
widely -heralded I Am A Movie Fan as the
basis for pointing up the fact that the motion
picture industry in selling its product
has forgotten to sell itself as an important
factor in the pattern of good American
living. Excerpts from the talk follow:
What is so well summed up in the brevity
of "I Am a Movie Fan" is something that all
of us at one time or another have thought
to ourselves. But in oui- workaday efforts
with the motion picture we are prone to
take for granted those attractions which are
more readily noticeable to a patron—an outsider,
if you please. Too often we look upon
the motion picture as just a piece of film
which, though it contains wondrous adventure,
entertainment, relaxation and pleasure
amid surroundings of comfort and even luxury,
is to us just merchandise and we proceed
in our selling of it along more or less
routinized lines with, perhaps, an excessive
use of superlatives which are used so
often as to render them ineffective.
Those things that we take for granted, our
patrons, fortunately, do not. But, in our desires
to reawaken interest on the part of
derelict patrons and of developing new ones,
we need to take stock of ourselves—of our
product and of the surroundings in which
we present it—and keep constantly reminding
the public that motion pictures are the
biggest entertainment buy in America—and
the best.
Let's
make a few comparisons.
The average good books—those from which
fine motion pictures are made—sell for $3.00
and more. The average stage attraction may
be seen for $4.40 or more. Baseball, football,
basketball, boxing and other sports cost about
$3.00 per admission. The average price for a
movie is 47 cents—and the same films, top
hits and medium hits, may be seen in many
theatres for less—including state and federal
taxes. Plus cooling comfort in summer and
warming comfort in winter. Plus all else
that the institution of the motion picture puts
at the disposal of its patrons absolutely free.
Even at roadshow prices in their limited
engagements, there is nothing to compare
with the contents of the motion picture in
itself. The scenic splendors of great outdoors
stories—filmed in their actual locales.
The thrills of the big cities of New York, of
Paris and everywhere in the world—whether
actual or staged—are not afforded the public
by any other medium. And for such little
cost. The music in musicals, the musical
backgrounds for all other types, the color,
the visions of beauty in many forms. All this
and more is an every-day excursion for one
who goes to the movies—whether it be big
city palace or village show shop.
But how many of us think of selling these
attributes, these exceptional and virtually
exclusive values as something in addition to
what may be considered the specific entertainment
qualities of a film? Frankly, I am
afraid we don't do that altogether as well as
we might. For, otherwise, such adjectives
as "super-colossal," "magnificent," "tremendous,"
"greatest," "terrific," etc., would long
since have been discarded.
How many of us consider that to see a film
using the locale of one of our great national
parks, or some seaside resort or in the Rocky
Mountains is as close as many millions of
people can ever come to actually being at
those places? How many of us consider th£tt
for an average price of 47 cents people can be
taken on excursions that cost into the hundreds
of dollars? That might seem to be
stretching the comparisons somewhat—but
it wasn't to the person who wrote "I Am a
Movie Fan." He had been there!
The motion pictui-e is a magic carpet that
can take us anywhere we want to go. And
it can provide us with entertainment of any
level or type that we may seek. The so-called
intelligentsia, their manifestations of high
taste and claims that the screen does not afford
them the fare in keeping therewith, to
the contrary notwithstanding, are all wrong.
And so are those critics who stir up these
erroneous conceptions. We have everything
to offer every taste; and the critics who look
down their noses at our offerings are in
themselves proof that they point them out.
The discriminating, as they call themselves,
have many self-appointed selectors for their
whims or entertainment desires. And, while
they can blame no one but themselves when
they misguess, so to speak, in a selection they
view as "inferior," those of us in this industry
must take some of the blame as well. For
what have we done, specifically, to attract
the custom of this purportedly large audience?
There are exceptions, to be sure. And
the limited flurry of the so-called art houses
has supplied a partial answer. But that does
not furnish the regular house with the means
or the method that will serve as a patronage
stimulator on films that are classed as
suited for the select set.
* * *
But there are other tastes and other types
of patrons to which appeals must be directed.
The generalization in most instances
neither reaches nor influences these
prospective patrons. Something specific,
some individualization for reaching them and
for drawing their attentions to particiUar
films seems to be in order.
Perhaps an "experimental" theatre—a laboratory,
so to speak—is feasible within each
of the circuits where campaigns or advertisements
and ideas can be tested and developed
for adaptation by other theatres. Perhaps
through an interchange of such experimental
data, the industry can achieve a great part
of its desires—and needs—to develop new and
greater patronage. I leave this thought with
you.
What have we done; what are we doing to
sell the motion picture as an institution?
That's all a part of doing our jobs thoroughly.
There have been some outstanding examples
in the past, which would be good to
revive today. But the newer competitions and
other conditions of the times dictate the need
for newer methods.
A#"
> BOXOFFICE August 6, 1949 21

• Novel
Great! And The Industry Is
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Alan Ladd • Betty Field • Macdonald Carey
• Ruth Hussey
• Barry Sullivan • Howard
in "THE GREAT GATSBY" witti Shelley Winters -Produced by Richard
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(1 by Elliott Nugent
• Screenplay by Cyril Hume and Richard
by F Scott FitrRerald and the play by Owen Davis

'
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More Consent Decrees?
n FTER recovering from their first shock
upon reading the latest antitrust decision
some lawyers interpreted it as a
flat warning that 20th Century-Fox,
Loew's, Inc., and Warner Bros, should
proceed to negotiate consent decrees by
agreeing with the Department of Justice on
what theatres should be given up. The court
indicated that it expected negotiations
rather than long-drawn-out additional
theatre-by-theatre evidence proving monopolistic
intent in their acquisition and enjoyment
of the "fruits of monopoly."
The decision leaves the case with three
defendants. The Little Three won one
point—the privilege of having roadshows,
if no attempt is made to force admission
charges. How this can be done has been
demonstrated by "Henry V" and "Hamlet."
The court made it plain that no franchises
or favoring of old customers would be permitted.
Lawyers for United Artists, Columbia
and Universal are chary about making
statements on their probable courses,
but off-the-record comment indicates they
are disposed to let the matter rest.
The court made it plain that it will insist
upon theatre companies for the remaining
three majors along the lines of
the RKO and Paramount settlements.
Closed towns and controlled situations
were barred in the two consent decrees,
and it is plain that the Department of
Justice intends to continue battling for
these.
If the remaining majors elect to do so,
they probably could drag the case out for
another year or two and might even take
it back to the Supreme Court.
Arbitration Prospects
PECAUSE it has been slowly dawning on
exhibitors during the past two years
that every court action adds something to
the cost of renting pictures the outlook for
arbitration has been improved. What form
it will take may not be known for some
time, because much compromising and
changes in mental attitudes will be required.
After studying the latest antitrust decision
in which Judge Augustus N. Hand
says the new arbitration system, if started,
will need court approval, some lawyers
have begun to lean to the idea that an
industry conference should be called in
the fall.
Judge Hand referred to an appeals board
and the American Arbitration Ass'n, but
this doesn't mean that a new system would
be an exact duplicate of the present system.
There is still a division of opinion on
whether the arbitrators should be men familiar
with the industry or outsiders.
There are many who contend the present
system is too expensive and could be modified
to fit in with the overall AAA setup.
Among the distributors there are several
companies determined to avoid the
expense of supporting any system.
How to get the thing going under competent
leadership is the problem of the
moment.
•%i JAMES M. JERAULD
Tax Cut Hopes Dim
JJOPES for a cut in the ticket tax this
year rise and fall like the humidity.
Vice-president Barkley's statement in Chicago
before the National Ass'n of Credit
Jewelers last week probably came as close
to be as authoritative as any recent outgiving
from Capitol Hill.
Barkley said: "Everyone in the government
from President Truman down is
anxious to reduce taxes, but world conditions
and the country's obligations preclude
any tax relief at the present session
of Congress."
No Anglo-U.S. Meet
THE MPAA has got around to confirming
Ellis Arnall's statement that there
will be no August meeting of the Anglo-
American Film Council. British treasury
officials will come to this country in September
to discuss with our government
further developments in the so-called dollar
shortage.
Rhn remittances are only a part of the
problem insofar as the British are concerned,
and any discussion of details affecting
this industry alone probably would
be just conversation without conclusions.
Chuckle of the Week
COME wag requested the Screen Publicists'
pickets at the premiere of "Come to the
Stable" to wear evening clothes, because
the invitations had been marked "formal."
The pickets did not comply. What with
a 90-degree temperature and the additional
heat generated by a 50,000-watt bulb
atop the marquee, even the boys with open
collar shirts were uncomfortable. The
Rivoli cooling system had a workout at top
speed to keep the starched shirts from
wilting. Wonder how some of the guests
looked on television?
John P. Carroll Dies
PROVIDENCE, R. I.—John P. Carroll, for
35 years advertising director for C&F Theatres,
Providence, died suddenly August 3
while on vacation.
EXTRA COPIES
OF DECISION
A limited quantity of reprints of the full
text of the antitrust decision which appeared
in BOXOFFICE for July 30 is
available on request. Exhibitor organizations
requiring copies for their board and
member meetings, distributors and others
desiring copies may obtain them without
cost by writing or wiring:
BOXOFFICE,
825 Van Brunt Blvd.,
Kansas City 1, Mo.
Requests will be filled in order of receipt
as long as the supply lasts.
Skouras, Rank Weigh
Canadian Odeon Deal
LONDON—Purchase by 20th Century-Pox
of a 50 per cent interest in the Canadian
Odeon chain and 100 per cent ownership of
the Odeon Theatre on Leicester Square here
became a possibility as Spyros P. Skouras,
20th-Fox president, met during the week with
J. Arthur Rank, British film magnate.
Figuring in the discussion with Skouras
was Otto E. Koegel, head of the 20th-Fox
legal department, who recently sailed for
London. Skouras came from the continent.
John H. Davis, managing director of the J.
Arthui- Rank Organization and joint managing
director of Odeon Theatres and associated
companies, and G. I. Woodham- Smith,
Rank lawyer, joined in the conferences.
The late N. L. Nathanson formed the
Canadian chain. After Rank became a partner
with him, Nathanson sold out to Rank,
giving the British film man complete control
which he has since held.
That a 20th-Fox offer for the circuit would
be made became known some time ago when
informal discussions were initiated.
Paramount Salesmen to Aid
Exhibitors on Campaigns
NEW YORK—Acting on the theory that
Paramount salesmen can be important factors
in helping to put pictures over, A. W.
Schwalberg, vice-president and general sales
manager, has started a new system for keeping
the field staff informed on showmanship
problems.
The plan was decided upon at a home office
conference of division managers. Special bulletins,
advance proofs of advertising campaigns,
tear sheets on publicity breaks wliich
can be applied locally and other material Is
being prepared for regular mailing to branch
managers, salesmen and bookers.
The first mailings will cover "The Heiress,"
"Samson and Delilah," "My Friend Irma,"
"Rope otSand," "Top O' the Morning," "Song
of Surrender" an(f>"Red, Hot and Blue."
Eagle Lion Names Arnold
Advertising Manager
NEW YORK—As announced last week in
BOXOFFICE, Jonas Arnold has been named
Eagle Lion advertising
manager by
Leon
Brandt, national director
of advertising, publicity
and exploitation.
Arnold has been EL
assistant advertising
manager and pressbook
editor since January
1947. He entered the
industry in 1929 as a
member of the staff of
Publix Opinion, Paramount-Publix
house
organ. Later he became
Jonas Arnold
managing editor of Showmen's Trade
Review.
In 1936 Arnold joined the Paramount pressbook
department, and he was subsequently
promoted to the post of pressbook editor.
In 1947 he resigned from Paramount to become
national exploitation director for the
March of Dimes campaign of the National
Infantile Paralysis fimd. At its conclusion he
joined EL.
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A. H. Blank, at 70,
Feted by Hometown
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DES MOINES—Two hundred friends and associates of A. H,
Blanlc honored him at a banquet this week for his business acumen,
his civic leadership and his philantliropies. Blank, president of Tri-
States and Central States Theatre corporations, was 70 on July 27.
The testimonial banquet was arranged by his friends in and out
of the industry to commemorate his half-century in show business.
A dozen prominent men paid the theatre pioneer tribute in speeches
at the affair, held July 31 at the Standard club here.
A plaque bearing the likeness of Mr. and Mrs. Blank was presented
by Blank's long-time friend and spiritual advisor. Rabbiemeritus
Eugene Mannheimer.
Presiding at the celebration was Joe Rosenfield, chairman of the
board of Younker Brothers, Iowa's largest department store. In addition
to Mannheimer and Rosenfield, the following spoke:
Gov. William Beardsley; Leonard Goldenson, president of Paramount
United Theatres Corp.; Herbert Horton, president of the lowa-
Des Moines National Bank; Ralph Jester, prominent real estate man;
Bob Wilby of the Wilby-Klncey circuit of Atlanta, Ga.; Dr. Walter
Bierring, who helped Blank plan Blank hospital; and Col. William
McCraw, executive director of Variety International. Telegrams were
read from: Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan; Frank Freeman, vicepresident
of Paramount Pictures, Bishop Edward Daly of the Des
Moines Catholic diocese; Joe Brody, Des
Moines manufacturer, and Barney Balaban,
president of Paramount Pictures.
A check for $250 was presented Blank hospital
by the Omaha Variety Club. The check
was given in honor of Blank by M. L. Stern
of Hollywood Pictures, Omaha, chief barker.
Governor Beardsley extended greetings and
expressed the community's appreciation of
Raymond Blank hospital. The governor
praised Blank's outstanding business success
and expressed appreciation for his contribution
to the "city, state and nation."
Goldenson, who spoke with his arms on
Blank's shoulders, praised him for his youthful
outlook, imagination, energy and foresight.
He spoke fondly of Blank as his
"Uncle Abe."
Jester, a member of Iowa Methodist hospital's
board of directors, called Blank hospital
"a living and working monument." He
reviewed the hospital's activities since its
start. Jester said 14,000 children have been
treated there and that the average number
of patients per month so far this year has
been 384.
Blank, in accepting the plaque and acknowledging
the remarks of the speakers, said he
was "overwhelmed with joy and pride." He
added that the motion picture business had
kept him young. "Thank God I am living a
useful life," he concluded.
Blank was born in Galatz, Romania, and
was brought to this country when he was
eight years old. His father had preceded the
family to Council Bluffs and Blank, his three
sisters and his mother arrived there two
years later.
Blank recalled the other day how, even at
the age of eight, he had heard America was
truly the land of opportunity and that her
streets abounded with $100 bills. One of his
first acts upon reaching Council Bluffs was
to find a $5 gold piece. Blank said with a
smile, adding that he didn't wait for the
$100—being content to start sooner with a
smaller stake.
As a youth. Blank attended public school
at Council Bluffs and worked parttime in a
bottling works. Later he came to Des Moines
to work in a bottling works operated by a
brother. During this time, Blank says, his
ambition was to be a wrestler. Although he
weighed but 150 pounds, he was husky from
constant work and exercise. He recalls tliat
he worked 10 or 11 hours a day and still
found time to wrestle and work on the horizontal
bars. "I just craved exercise," he said.
In addition to his wrestling ambitions, young
Blank began, when he was 18, to look upon
another field with a favorable eye. He became
correspondent for the Dramatic Mirror
for which he received free admission to the
theatre. In this way he met actors and
managers and began to learn their ways and
understand their problems. At about this
time the Ti-ans-Mississippi Exposition opened
in Omaha and Blank found himself a place
on the Midway selling toy balloons and bird
whistles. It was here. Blank said, that he
started learning the theory of entertaining.
He followed this with a novelty concession
at the Iowa fair, but he went into the real
estate business and remained in that game
until 1911 when he built the Casino Theatre.
It was his first venture in exhibition. Two
years later, he sold the Casino, and built the
Garden which at that time was one of the
finest theatres in the midwest. The same
year he opened a theatre in Davenport, and
in 1915 started to distribute film in four
midwest exchange centers. He was on the
executive committee of First National when
it was founded. By 1926 when he had interests
in theatres in more than 25 Iowa cities,
in Illinois and Nebraska and he began thinking
of retiring—and he was not yet 50. He
quit distribution, sold some of his interests
to Famous Players Theatre Corp. and in 1929
had an interest in only 15 theatres which, he
said, he kept for the benefit of his employes.
But Blank just couldn't take retirement
and he organized the Ti-i-States Theatre
Corp. On top of that, Paramount-Publix
went into bankruptcy, and Blank became receiver
for his former properties. In 1937, he
went into partnership with Paramount.
At the age of 70, Blank is at his desk more
than eight hours a day. He seldom takes
time to eat lunch. He says his only hobbies
A. H. Blank and his son, Myron, associates in business.
are his business and an occasional game of
bridge.
Blank's son, Myron, is associated with him
in the business. Myron is secretary of Tri-
States and general manager of Central States.
Another son, Raymond, who also had worked
with his father in the Paramount building
office here, died in 1943 at the age of 33.
Blank gave the city of Des Moines a halfmillion
dollar hospital in 1944. He called
this the Raymond Blank Memorial Hospital
for Children in memory of Raymond. A year
later, the Des Moines Ti-ibune awarded Blank
its community award for outstanding service
to the city of Des Moines. In making the
award, the committee which selected him
said the hospital donation was but one of
"a series of unselfish acts performed by Mi-.
Blank for the benefit of the city and state."
He was cited for his record of service during
the war years when he headed the war
activities committee of the Iowa-Nebraska
territory and headed the group's work in publicizing
every one of the war loan campaigns.
Blank has been active in the B'nai B'rith
and is one of the major supporters and contributors
to the Jewish Home for the Aged
and the Jewish Welfare fund. He has long
been a supporter of the Boy Scouts and is a
member of the board of Iowa Methodist hospital.
This year he donated $50,000 for a
lodge at Camp Mitigwa near Boone, Iowa
a Boy Scout camp. The lodge is called Raymond
Blank Memorial lodge in memory of
his son, who at 13 was the youngest Eagle
Scout in the nation.
A. H. Blank (R) at the dinner in his
honor, with Governor Beardsley of Iowa,
and Rabbi Eugene Mannheimer.
(Boxoffice photosi
BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949

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By
IVAN SPEAR
Republic Tops Last Year
In Production Output
In a productional era which, has been describing
a downward curve, to the dismay of
the thousands of persons whose livelihood
depends on a healthy and prosperous industry,
it is heartening to report any development
which even remotely resembles a
boom.
Such is the case out Republic way, where,
with the launching of "Bells of Coronado," a
new Roy Rogers western, a total of 33 pictures
have gone before the cameras during
the first seven months of 1949—one-third
more than had hit the starting line during
the same period last year.
During the entire year of 1948 Republic
produced only 33 pictures, a mark that has
already been reached this year, with five
more months remaining. Moreover, the
schedule for the next two months, with 11
pictures slated to roll, indicates this peak
productional pace will continue throughout
the balance of the year. Studio statisticians
estimate that at year's end an estimated 50
features will have been completed.
Seven Stories Purchased;
MGM. WB Get Pair Each
Two major studios accounted for a pair
of story acquisitions each during the period,
contributing substantially to a total sale of
seven subjects. MGM bought "The Big Apple,"
by Ladislas Podor, as a co-starring
property for Lana Turner, Robert Taylor and
Van Johnson, and "The Big Hangover," an
original screenplay by Norman Krasna, who
will also direct. Johnson is set to co-star
in this one with Elizabeth Taylor . . The
.
two Warner purchases were "Bimini Run,"
a novel by Howard Hunt, which will be produced
by Howard Hunt, and "Fallen Star,"
upcoming Margaret Gruen novel . . . Independent
units accounted for the other acquisitions.
Fidelity Pictures (Howard Welsch-
Robert Peters"! went for "The Man on the
Run," an American Magazine serial by Sylvia
Norma Productions (Harold Hecht-
Tate . . .
Burt Lancaster) acquired "St. Columba and
the River," a story by Theodore Dreiser . . .
Kildine Productions (Frank Sunderstrom-
Forrest Judd) picked up "Children of
Vienna," a novel by Robert Neumann.
Epstein Brothers Signed
For Goldwyn Drama
Julius J.
and Philip G. Epstein—the twinbrother
scenarists—have been signed by Samuel
Goldwyn to co-write and co-direct "Folly
and Farewell," romantic drama to co-star
Dana Andrews, Farley Granger and Joan
Evans . . . Henry Blanke's next productional
assignment at Warners is "Man Without
Friends" . . . Universal-International ticketed
Alfred E. Green to meg "Sierra" . . . Lana
Turner's next starrer for MGM, "A Life of
Her Own," will be directed by Vincente Minnelli
. . . Richard Fleischer draws the megging
assignment on "Gravesend Bay" at RKO
Radio . . . "Detective Story," film version of
the Broadway play by Sidney Kingsley, will
be produced and directed for Paramount by
William Wyler .
Zinneman has been
signed to direct "The Italian Story," John
Garfield's next starring vehicle for R. B.
Roberts Productions.
Studios Forced to Bar
Visitors on the Sets
Even though the west coast has heard
rumbles of a financial recession—Hollywood's
curtailed production schedules
and preoccupation with picture-making
economies are evidences thereof—the
1949 summer crop of studio visitors is on
a par with filmdom's lushest years.
Therefore—and because they are doing
everything possible to adhere to their
stringent economy programs—the studios
are being forced to hang out the most
formidable "No Visitors!" signs in industry
history. From the standpoint of studio
manpower expended, loss of production
time and paper work, playing host
to visiting firemen has long been regarded
by film moguls as one of the most
expensive by-products of their craft.
Latest to issue an order emphatically
closing all sets to visitors is Universal-
International, which said the step was
taken because of the "necessity for curbing
time lost as a result of visitors."
Earlier 20th Century-Pox had thrown
up the bars around its studio in Westwood
when plant executives decided
that hosting some 1,300 visitors in a
three-week period was the last straw.
Although to date the other lots have not
followed the examples set by 20th-Fox
and U-I, the southland's banner harvest
of tourists renders it a virtual certainty
that most, if not all, of them will be
forced to cancel out that form of hospitality.
W. T. Lackey Joins Staff
Of Republic Producers
. . .
. . .
First producer to be signed to a term contract
by Republic in several years, William
T. Lackey has joined the studio staff in a
production capacity. Formerly a producer at
Monogram and Paramount, and during the
war a member of Byron Price's war censorship
board. Lackey has not been handed an
assignment The same studio boosted
Harry Keller, a film editor there for seven
years, to the rank of director, with "The
Blonde Bandit" as his first megging chore
Joseph Sawyer, the veteran character
actor, will take a whirl at production, having
been ticketed by Robert L. Lippert Productions
to turn out his original, "Operation
Haylift" ... It was hoist-the-option day for
Director George Sidney at MGM and Writer-
Director Richard Sale at 20th Century-Pox.
At the latter studio, however. Fashion Designer
Rene Hubert wound up his seven-year
ticket and left for New York to open his own
business.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Margaret Herrick,
executive secretary of the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is
celebrating her 18th year with the organization.
She beg:an as a librarian and
has been in the executive secretarial post
since 1943, serving with such Academy
presidents as Walter Wanger, Jean Hersholt
and the current topper, Charles
Braciiett.
Pine and Thomas Sign Stars
For 'Eagle and the Hawk'
Producers WUliam Pine and William
Thomas booked John Payne, Rhonda Fleming
and Dennis O'Keefe to co-star in their
next picture for Paramount, "The Eagle and
the Hawk" . . . Audie Murphy and his wife,
Wanda Hendrix, will appear on the screen
together for the first time as the co-stars of
U-I's "Sierra" . . . Robert Alda and Vanessa
Brown have been signed by Producer Sol
Lesser for "Tarzan and the Slave Girl," next
in the jungle serie? for RKO release . . .
Willard Parker will portray a professional
wrestler In "Stranglehold" at Columbia . . .
Robert L. Lippert Productions booked Tom
Neal and Alan Curtis for the top spots in
"Apache Chief" . . . Kathryn Grayson and
Robert Walker will be teamed in the MGM
comedy, "Ground for Marriage" . . . Co-starring
spots in Warners' "Painting the Clouds
With Sunshine" go to Doris Day and Zachary
Scott.
Emmet P. Ward Succeeds
A. H. McCausland at U-I
Head of the Universal-International studio
personnel department for many years, A. H.
McCausland has resigned. He is succeeded
by Emmet P. Ward, who combines his present
position as head of the labor relations
department with the berth vacated by Mc-
Causland. The latter, now embarking on an
extended vacation, will announce a new Industry
affiliation when he returns . . . John
Beck has bowed out of his association with
Edward Small, under which they were to
have teamed on the making of "Loma
Doone." Beck's decision was occasioned by
the fact that "Doone" will not be made this
year and therefore would conflict with Beck's
plans to produce the screen version of "Harvey"
for Universal -International.
28 BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949

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RKO RADIO PICTURES, inc.
TRADE SHOWINGS OF
SAMUEL GOLDWYN'S
presentation of
ROSEANNA MtCOY
ALBANY, Fox Screening .
Thurs., August 18, 8:00 P.M.
Room, 1052 Broadway,
ATLANTA, RKO Screening Room, 195 Luckie St.,
N.W., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
BOSTON, RKO Screening Room, 1 22-28 Arlington
St., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
BUFFALO, Mo. Pic. Operators Screening Room,
498 Pearl St., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
CHARLOTTE, Fox Screening Room, 308 S. Church
St., Thurs., August 18, 2:00 P.M.
CHICAGO, RKO Screening Room, 1300 So.
Wabash Ave., Thurs., August 1 8, 1 1 :00 A.M.
CINCINNATI, RKO Screening Room, 12 East
Sixth St., Tues., August 23, 8:00 P.M.
CLEVELAND, Fox Screening Room, 2219 Payne
Ave., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
DALLAS, Paramount Screening Room, 412 South
Horv/ood St., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
DENVER, Paramount Screening
St., Thurs., August 18, 2:00 P.M.
Room, 2100 Stout
DES MOINES, Fox Screening Room, 1300 High
St., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
DETROIT, Blumenthal's Screening Room, 2310
Cass Ave., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
INDIANAPOLIS, Universal Screening Room, 517
N. Illinois St., Tues., August 23, 1:00 P.M.
KANSAS CITY, Paramount Screening Room, 1 800
Wyondotte St., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
LOS ANGELES, RKO Screening Room, 1980 So.
Vermont Ave., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
MEMPHIS, Fox Screening Room, 151 Vance
Ave., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
MILWAUKEE, Warner Screening Room, 212 W.
Wisconsin Ave., Thurs., Aug. 18, 10:30 A.M.
MINNEAPOLIS, Fox Screening Room, 1 01 5 Currie
Ave., Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
NEW HAVEN, Fox Screening Room, 40 Whiting
St., Thurs., August 18, 2:00 P.M.
NEW ORLEANS, Fox Screening Room, 200 S.
Liberty St., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
NEW YORK, Normondie Theatre, 53rd St. &
Pork Ave., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Fox Screening Room, 10
North Lee St., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
OMAHA, Fox Screening Room, 1502 Davenport
St., Thurs., August 18, 1:00 P.M.
PHILADELPHIA, RKO Screening Room, 250 N.
13th St., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
PITTSBURGH, RKO Screening Room, 1809-13
Blvd., of Allies, Thurs., August 18, 2:30 P.M.
PORTLAND, Star Screening Room, 925 N.W.
19th Ave., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
ST. LOUIS, RKO Screening Room, 3143 Olive
St., Thurs., August 18, 11:30 A.M.
SALT LAKE CITY, Fox Screening Room, 216 E.
First South St., Thurs., August 18, 1:00 P. M.
SAN FRANCISCO, RKO Screening Room, 251
Hyde St., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
SEATTLE, Jewel Box Screening Room, 2318
Second Ave., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
SIOUX FALLS, Hollywood Theatre, 212 North
Phillips Ave., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
WASHINGTON, Fox Screening Room, 932 New
Jersey Ave., Thurs., August 18, 10:30 A.M.
Breen Reports Rush
Of Fine Pictures
WASHINGTON — Joseph I. Breen, vicepresident
of the Motion Picture Ass'n of
America, has written to Eric Johnston that
in the last three or four months from 70 to
80 pictures have passed through his office
which compare favorably with the best Hollywood
has produced in years, judged on the
basis of their entertainment quality.
"For sheer artistry, for variety of subject
matter, I doubt if in many years we have
had so fine a collection of pictures," he
stated. "It would appear that the accent is
on farce or farce-comedy. There seems to
be a larger percentage of this type of picture
than has been the case since the termination
of the war."
Some of the top films named by Breen
are
Farce-Comedy—Comedy
"Happy Times" (WB), "It's Only Money"
(RKO). "Tell It to the Judge" (RKO), "I
Was a Male War Bride" (20th-Fox), "Father
Was a Fullback" (20th-Fox), "My Friend
Irma" (Para), "Come Be My Love" (U-I),
"Miss Grant Takes Richmond" (Col), "Everybody
Does It" (20th-Fox), "Dear Wife"
(Para), "Curtain Call at Cactus Creek" (U-I),
"Love Is Big Business" (RKO), "Oh, You
Beautiful Doll" (20th-Fox), "That Midnight
Kiss" (MGM), "Jolson Sings Again" (Col),
"Come to the Stable" (20th-Fox), "Adventure
of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (Disney-
RKO), "Baby Makes Three" (Col), "The
Great Lover" (Para).
Drama
"Forsyte Saga" (MGM), "Madame Bovary"
(MGM), "Sword in the Desert" (U-I), "The
Common Touch" (MGM), "Samson and Delilah"
(Para), "Black Magic" (UA), "Pinky"
(20th-Fox), "Battleground" (MGM), "Death
in a Doll's House" (MGM), "Intruder in the
Dust" (MGM), "Red Danube" (MGM), "I
Married a Communist" (RKO), "All the
King's Men" (Col).
Adventure—Romance
"Roseanna McCoy" (Goldwyn-RKO), "The
Prince of Foxes" (20th-Fox), "She Wore a
Yellow Ribbon" (Argosy-RKO), "The Hasty
Heart" (WB), "Operation Malaya" (MGM),
"Under Capricorn" (WB), "The Fighting
Kentuckian" (Rep)
Action Pictures with Novel Themes
"Slattery's Hurricane" (20th-Fox), "Task
Force" (WB), "The Story of Sea Biscuit"
(WB), "The Mighty Joe Young" (RKO).
Four 20th-Fox Theatres
To Be Built in Israel
NEW YORK—The 20th Century-Fox Near
East manager has been instructed to build
theatres in Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem and
Nathania, according to a cablegram from
Spyros P. Skouras, president, to the home
office. It added that "we will be the first
ones to create the commercial interest of
every American industry in Israel" and that
"we're also planning definitely to build a
theatre in Alexandria."
Skouras characterized his recent visit to
Israel as a highly inspiring experience. He
said Israel is destined to become "one of the
greatest industrial nations of the Middle
East" and that it will render a great service
to all the peoples of the Near and Middle
East. The cablegram closed with an expression
of his love for America and its citizens,
who "are the privileged people of the earth."
'^^^w^^mmmfMi^^mm^m
RKO RADIO PICTURES, inc.
TRADE SHOWINGS OF
WALT DISNEY'S
"THE ADVENTURES OF
ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD''
Color by TECHNICOLOR
ALBANY, Fox Screening Room, 1052 Broodv/ay,
Mon., August 22, 8:00 P.M.
ATLANTA, RKO Screening Room, 195 Luckie St.,
N.W., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
BOSTON, RKO Screening Room, 122-28 Arlington
St., Mon., August 22, 10:30 A.M.
BUFFALO, Mo. Pic. Operators Screening Room,
498 Pearl St., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
CHARLOTTE, Fox Screening Room, 308 So. Church
St., Mon., August 22, 2:00 P.M.
CHICAGO, RKO Screening Room, 1300 So.
Wabash Ave., Mon., August 22, 11:00 A.M.
CINCINNATI, RKO Screening Room, 12 tasi
Sixth St., Mon., August 22, 8:00 P.M.
CLEVELAND, Fox Screening Room, 2219 Payne
Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
DALLAS, Paromount Screening Room, 412 South
Harv/ood St., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
DENVER, Paramount Screening Room, 2100 Stout
St., Mon., August 22, 2:00 P.M.
DES MOINES, Fox Screening Room, 1300 High
St., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
DETROIT, Blumenthal's Screening Room, 2310
Cass Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
INDIANAPOLIS, Universal Screening Room, 517
N. Illinois St., Mon., August 22, 1:00 P.M.
KANSAS CITY, Paramount Screening Room, 1 80C
V/yondotte St., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
LOS ANGELES, RKO Screening Room, 1980 S.
Vermont Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
MEMPHIS, Fox Screening Room, 151 Vance
Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
MILWAUKEE, Warner Screening Room, 212 W.
Wisconsin Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
MINNEAPOLIS, Fox Screening Room, 1015 Currie
Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
NEW HAVEN, Fox Screening Room, 40 Whiting
St., Mon., August 22, 2:00 P.M.
NEW ORLEANS, Fox Screening Room, 200 S.
Liberty St., Mon., August 22, 10:30 A.M.
NEW YORK, Normondie Theatre, 53rd St. 8.
Park Ave., Mon., August 22, 10:30 A.M.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Fox Screening Room, 10
North Lee St., Mon., August 22, 10:30 A.M.
OMAHA, Fox Screening Room, 1502 Davenport
St., Mon., August 22, 1:00 P.M.
PHILADELPHIA, RKO Screening Room, 250 N.
13th St., Mon., August 22, 10:30 A.M.
PITTSBURGH, RKO Screening Room, 1809-13
Blvd. of Allies, Mon., August 22, 1:30 P.M.
PORTLAND, Star Screening Room, 925 N.W.
19th Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
ST. LOUIS, RKO Screening Room, 3143 Olive
St., Tues., August 23, 11:30 A.M.
SALT LAKE CITY, Fox Screening Room, 216 East
First South St., Mon., August 22, 1:30 P. M.
SAN FRANCISCO, RKO Screening Room, 251
Hyde St., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
SEATTLE, Jewel Box Screening Room, 2318
Second Ave., Mon., August 22, 2:30 P.M.
SIOUX FAILS, Hollywood Theatre, 212 North
Phillips Ave., Mon., August 22, 9:30 A.M.
WASHINGTON, Fox Screening Room, 932 New
Jersey Ave., Mon., August 22, 10:30 A.M.
iBOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949 31
*!.«

$3.19 Air Express cost helped this
wildcatter strike it
rich
When a pump valve goes while drilling for oO, it's costly. Idle men and equipment
make profits evaporate. It happened to a wildcatter at 4 P.M. Phoned 800
miles away for parts—delivered 11 P.M. that night by Air Express. 12 lbs. cost
only $."{.19. {Regular use of Air Express keeps any business moving.)
$3.19 was complete cost. Air Express
charges include speedy pick-up and delivery
service. Receipt for shipment,
too. Makes the world's fastest shipping
service exceptionally convenient.
Air Express goes on all Scheduled
Airline flights. Frequent schedules —
coast-to-coast overnight deliveries.
Direct by air to 1300 cities, fastest
air-rail to 22,000 oflF-airline offices.
Facts on low Air Express rates
Special dies (28 lbs.) go 300 miles for S4..S0.
6-lb. carton of vacuum tubes goes 900 miles for $2.10.
{Same day delivery if you ship early.)
Only Air Express gives you all these advantages: Special pick-up
and delivery at no extra cost. You get a receipt for every shipment and
delivery is proved by signature of consignee. One-carrier responsibility.
Assured protection, too—valuation coverage up to $50 without extra
charge. Practically no limitation on size or weight. For fast shipping
action, phone Air Express Division, Railway Express Agency. And
apecify "Air Express delivery" on orders.
AIR EXPRESS, A SERVICE OF RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY AND THE
SCHEDULED AIRLINES OF THE U.S.
Theatre
Construction,
Openings and Sales
CONSTRUCTION:
Berea Lake, Ohi( -Berea Theatre under construe- '
tion.
_
Brewster. Mich.—Caribou Theatre under way lor|
Sterling Monroe and Jerry B. Davis.
Brookhaven, Miss.—300-car drive-in under construetion,
-
Bryson City, N. C. New theatre under way for 1
Gomer H. Martin. I
Chicago Heights, 111.—New 600-car drive-in planned I
for Harry Shiff. i
Cleveland, Ohio—Madison Theatre under construe-
1
tion.
_
Concordia. Kas.—350-car drive-in under way tor|
Atex Schniderman.
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Unnamed theatre under |
construction,
Dallas. Tex. — Construction started on 840-car |
drive-in for L. N. Childress.
Detroit, Mich.—Fort Drive-In to get under way I
soon lor Nicholas George. I
Douglas, Ga.—Construction started on drive-in tol
John Y, Brown and Alma B. McLendon. 1
Eslelline, S. D.— 300-seat theatre started for L^J
Fond Du Lac, Wis.—402-car drive-in, $150.000,l|
planned by Satn Costars.
Greenville, Tex.—Work started on 500-car Hunt]
Drive-In for M. E, and O. C. Hamm.
Harvey, La.—600-car drive-in to be built by Edward
Jenner.
Hermiston, Ore.—Work begun on 500-car drive-in.1
Independence, Ohio—Independence Theatre underl
construction. ]
Lewisville, Tex.— Construction started on 650-seat|
theatre for M. A. Sisk.
Maple Heights, Ohio—Mapletown Theatre under!
way. 1
McMirmville, Tenn.—New drive-in under way lorf
Mid-Tennessee Amusement Co.
Middleburg, Ohio—Mercury Theatre under way.
Montreal, Quebec—Mount Royal Theatre betng|
renovated by United Amusement Co.
Morrisville, Vt,—New ISO-car drive-in under wayj
for Arnold McNally.
Mount Pleasant, Tex.—Work begun on 400-oa
dnve-in for Ray and Shelton Gerhard.
OPENINGS:
Ames, Iowa—750-car Ranch Drive-In opened byj
Joe Gerbroch.
Brunswick, Ga.—Roxy Theatre opened by Georgia
Theatre Co. .,
Bucklin, Mo.—Theatre sold to Virgil Anderson oljj
Ossian, Iowa.
Catskill, N, Y.—600-seat theatre opened by Sa
Rosenblatt.
Chico, Calil.—650-car Starlite Drive-In opened.
Dallas, Tex.— ,400-seat Forrest Theatre open^
for Interstate circuit.
Downe?, Calil, M«ralta Theatre opened by Everti
Fairmont, Drive-In opened.
Geneva, Ind.—Limberlost Drive-ln to open soon.
Gilroy, Calif.—400-car drive-in opened.
Grayville, 111.—$100,000, 420-seat Wabash openedj
Cummins.
W. Va.—Fairview
^
by Turner-Farrar circuit.
Hartford, Conn. — Beverly Theatre, 1,000 seotsJ
opened by Perakos circuit.
Hugoton, Kas.—New Rusada Theatre opened.
Hyde Park, N. Y.—600-seat Roosevelt Theain
opened by Faye Emerson Roaeevelt, Phil Eisenberg,]
Sidney Cohen and Elliott Roosevelt.
J
Indianapolis, Ind.—Arlington Theatre to open soonJ
Kelowna, B, C—Boyd Drive-In opened by BUM
Boyd, ,
T
Kentland, Ind.—369-seat Brook Theatre opened tf]\
H. I. Hermansen. L
Keyes, Calif.-550-car Starlite Drive-In opened bjl
Lippert-Mcmn.
T
Lebanon, Ore.—Park Theatre opened by C. HI
Sagert, G. N. Gillenwater, Clarence Shimanek anoj
Clay Nichols.
SALES:
Atlanta, Ga.—Cameo Theatre sold to Bob Moscowl
by Sol Miller,
, .u I
Calmar, Iowa—Dr. John C. Eichorn purchased tWJ
Calmar Theaire from John LaDue. f
Divemon, III,—200-seat Divernon Theatre recentllj
purchased from Earl Anderson by Ida Rose ha
been returned to Anderson.
^,,1.1
Emory, Tex.—Rains Theatre to Harry Clark bv
I W
Cole. ^ 1
Estill Springs, Tenn.—400-car drive-in purchaseq
by Mid-Tennessee Amusement Co., Inc. L
Ironton, Minn.— Ironton Theatre to Rudy St. An-I
thonv and Henry Mulder by Wayne Marx, I
Kenlwood, La.—A. O. Ott purchased the PatS5j
Theatre from lack Weem.s.
J
Memphis, Tenn.—I. Fred Brown has purchased tnn
Bristol Theatre from E. A. Gillelt. L
New Orleans, La. Rio Theatre sold to Don Kajl
by Paul Giangrosso.
,
Oblong, 111.—250-seaf Home Thecrtre sold by 1. Jl
Price to Mr. and Mrs. Lee Bunch. 1
Schenectady, N. Y. Rivoli Theatre sold to Eddji
Bros, by Jules Perlmutter.
, , n. if
32
BOXOFTICE August 6, 194£|

I
Last
i
; and
I
! sionary
r
'
The
j
ration for everyone who was privii
leged
)
thank
I
and
'°"stryctioo,
S ales
*W -.,:..
!
1
CHESTER FRIEDMAN
EDITOR
HUGH E. FRAZE
Associate Editor
umm
SECTION
PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR SELLING SEATS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN
•-Oaajj ,
ulAionuru
PROMOTION POINTERS:
Iff iiiM tjids: (fQi
:
I,
jrei
Ileain «P'-
JffKJ
,. :: tea:
H01S1 t.!l
}
week almost two score of
exhibitor representatives, advertising
publicity showmen from principal
circuits which blanket the nation
attended a merchandising conference
at the New York headquarters
of 20th Century-Fox.
Sitting in at the meetings, we
were impressed by the amount of
ground covered in the two-day session
which can be traced to the thorough
preparations, the concise program
prepared, and the skillful administration
of Charles Einfeld, vicepresident
in charge of advertising,
publicity and exploitation.
It would be difficult to determine
who is to reap the most bountiful
benefit from this first 20th Century-
Fox merchandising meeting. Judging
from the open discussions, the
guests were stimulated to new
heights of constructive thinking including
a wide range of industry
problems.
The new 20th-Fox plan fo;- selling
the story plot ahead of star
values and other conventional sales
angles was brought home to the men
who mold local selling ideas to reduce
patron sales resistance. That
thought alone, being worthy of videvelopment,
will undoubt-
)
edly affect the campaigns for all dis-
! tributors' product.
meeting was surely an inspi-
to attend. We should like to
Charles Einfeld, publicly, for
giving us the opportunity to be present
and to express the hope that
this initial experiment in collective
]
coordination on merchandising of
motion pictures will be continued
developed—by the other film
companies.
We greeted many old and new acquaintances
at the 20th-Fox conference
with whom we have enjoyed
correspondience for many years.
Among them was Emil Bemstecker,
representing the Wilby-Kincey Theatr«ls,
who at one time was our
managing director at the Metropolitan
in Houston.
Just two months and 20 years ago
we bade "goodby" to Bernstecker as
we boarded the train for Des Moines
and further education in the doctrines
of Publix Theatres operation.
QUeiiefi ^>ued*Ha*t
The
Back-to-School Party
A symposium of
ideas on plcaining,
promoting a vacation-end giveaway.
• Line up a sponsor or a group of sponsors to underwrite the cost of your giveaway.
Merchants who are most likely to be open for this type of cooperative
promotion are those retailing children's clothing, shoes, stationery supplies, dairy
concerns, department stores and the five-and-dime stores. Other likely prospects
will be found among wholesale dealers in fuel and coal, banks or newly
opened establishments in the community.
• Where local newspapers run a daily or weekly column for youngsters, enlist the
aid of the section editor in helping to sponsor your Back-to-School Party in
order to gain wider publicity. Where merchant-sponsors of the Party are regular
newspaper advertisers, this fact frequently is a sales point in getting your newspaper's
cooperation.
• The screen show for the Party should include a feature suitable for children, plus
cartoons and short subjects. The Party date is also an ideal spot to start a new
serial to attract regular attendance on Saturday matinees.
• The giveaway should include gifts for every child who attends. These gifts could
be note-books, pen and pencil .sets, blotters, rulers (witli theatre institutional imprint,
For extra prizes to lucky ticket holders, there should be a selection of
i
fountain pen sets, school bags, brief cases, and might include one or more desk sets.
• Your ad campaign for publicizing the Back-to-School Party should include displays
and announcements in sponsors' store windows; cooperative newspaper
advertisements plus special slugs in each sponsor's regular display ads; heralds
for distribution at playgrounds, local beaches, etc., a trailer, lobby display of
gifts and prizes to be given away, and a street ballyhoo consisting of a sandwich
man wearing a dunce cap. Catch copy in all announcements should emphasize,
"Free School Supplies to Every Boy and Girl."
• Promotional costs should be figured to include all possible expenses covering
school supplies, special prizes and advertising, and should be pro-rated among
the sponsors who are given free reciprocal advertising in the theatre and in all
ads, heralds, displays, etc.
• Where seating capacity is limited, the Party can be extended over two or more
days just prior to the opening of the school term.
• The Back-to-School Party is an opportune time for the exhibitor to acquire a
list of names and addresses of the small-fry patrons. It also provides a timely
opportunity to start a Birthday Club by obtaining names, addresses and birthdates
for various goodwill ideas throughout the year.
• Where a sufficiently large sum of money is derived from the merchant sponsors,
it is possible to spread the benefit of this tieup over a two-week period providing
note-books to every youngster who attends the first week, and pencils,
pens, etc., to those coming the second week.
— 245 — 33

the
Screen and Streef Bally Exploit
'Barkleys' Opening in Baltimore
A screening of "The Barkleys of Broadway"
arranged by Jack. Sidney, publicist for
the Century Theatre, Baltimore, helped
launch the local campaign for this picture.
The showing was attended by newspaper
critics, disk jockeys, heads of music departments
and record stores, and resulted in
many special counter and window displays.
The Baltimore News-Post, the Sunday
American Pictorial and the Sunday Sun all
used advance art breaks in addition to reviews,
and advance and current readers. Sidney
also planted art and news stories in the
Home News, the Jewish Times and the Baltimore
Beacon.
Supplementing paid spot announcements,
radio station WBMD used free plugs daily on
Dog Contests Exploit
'Lassie' in England
To exploit "Master of Lassie," E. N. Blaker,
manager of the Plaza at Worthing, England,
devised a sketching contest for children. A
live "Lassie" was obtained and placed in the
lobby where school children were asked to
make pencil sketches of the dog during the
week prior to playdates. Awards were given
for sketches judged best.
During the run of the picture, the dog
was paraded through the busiest streets by
the "Master of Lassie," who was a member
of the theatre staff appropriately dressed
and carrying a bag on which was painted:
"Dr. Plaza, Master of Lassie, will be at the
Plaza at 2;20, 5:30 and 8:45." The dog wore
a coat bearing advertising for the film.
Through the advertising pages of the
Worthing Herald, patrons of the theatre
were asked to submit pictures of their dogs.
Judging of the pictures was conducted by the
editor of the paper and his assistants. Cash
prizes were awarded to the winners. Other
awards were made for the largest, smallest,
most noble appearing and most miserable
appearing animals. Tieups were arranged
with local pet shops.
34
the Happy Johnny show, while WBAL gave
away theatre tickets on a five-night-a-week
quiz show, with three gratis announcements
during each program. Sidney also arranged
for free announcements on the High's ice
cream show heard every Sunday over WITH,
through an offer of free tickets to persons
identifying a Mystery Tune.
Prior to the opening of the picture and
during the current engagement, a boy and
girl dressed in Scotch costumes toured the
downtown section with signs plugging the
theatre dates. Teaser trailers stimulated advance
interest in the engagement two weeks
•
before opening, replaced by regular
trailer a week later. Current displays and
colorful outdoor posters also helped.
Stresses 'Colorado' Action
For "The Man From Colorado" at the Embassy,
Reading, Pa., Manager Paul Glase
mailed heralds to local and rural householders,
stressing the pronounced action element
in the film. Store windows throughout the
community were dressed with displays, and
rad:o promotion was set over three Reading
stations.
Pedestrians Given Kisses
Harold Heller, manager of the Dyker Theatre,
Brooklyn, promoted 5,000 Hershey
chocolate kisses which were used as a sidewalk
giveaway for "Kiss in the Dark." Penney
stores donated the candy, plus 5,000 envelopes
imprinted with theatre copy and the sponsor's
plug.
Stills at Panama City
A large display board filled with stills of
"Command Decision" attracted attention to
the playdates for T. A. MacDougald, manager
of the Ritz, Panama City, Fla. Augmented
by six-sheet cutouts, the display was
moved outside for the run.
— 246 —
Thrill Letters Vie
For Free Trips on
'Johnny Allegro'
Nate Wise, publicity director for RKO Theatres
in Cincinnati, promoted two all-expense
trips to New York and back for newspaper
readers who wrote in, giving details of their
most dramatic moment experienced in Cincinnati.
The stunt was insipred by the exciting
moments experienced by George Raft
in "Johnny Allegro," which played the Palace
Theatre. The Cincinnati Times-Star
sponsored the contest. Hundreds of entries
poured in, according to Wise.
A "Johnny Allegro" race was featured cA
Riverdowns racetrack and reaped publicity
stories on the sports pages. The stunt cost
only a blanket, presented to the owner ol
the winning horse.
Sports fans attending the Riverdowns
track received direct announcements several
days in advance, while Wise arranged with
WKRC-TV to televise the race and the presentation
ceremonies following.
Numerous windows were promoted, and a
florist donated 100 "Johnny Allegro" carnations
to be given away to women attending
the opening day matinee. Lobby displays
and a special front did theii- share in creating
additional interest.
Baseball Team as Guests
Bally 'Stratton Story'
A stunt which garnered generous space on
local sports pages and resulted in much
goodwill was used by Dave Dallas, TEI city
m
f^i//f"-
manager in Manhattan, Kas., to bally "The
Stratton Story" when it played at the Sosna
Theatre there.
Members of the Manhattan team in the
regional league, along with the manager,
coach and trainer, were invited to be guests
of the management at the initial showing
of the 'film. Dallas greeted them in the
lobby and served soft drinks to them. Later
he .ntroduced each player and official from
the stage. The Manhattan team, incidentally,
now is leading the ABLA league. i.
The theatre was decorated with pictures
of big league stars, baseball banners and
other pieces carrying out the baseball motif.
The doorman wore a baseball uniform, while
cashiers, ushers and other staff members
wore baseball caps.
Bathing Cutie in Packard
Aids 'Neptune's Daughter' ¥'
Keith Southard, assistant at Loew's, Indianapolis,
was responsible for an arresting
street ballyhoo, tying in 'Neptune's Daughter"
with the Packard car golden anniversary
celebration.
A pretty girl in a bathing suit drove around
town in a new 1949 Packard, stopping at public
swimming pools, local beaches and recreation
parks, to distribute the "Tips on
Swimming" booklet prepared by the Loew
circuit. The flashy car, bannered with picture
credits, attracted plenty of attention,
which was enhanced when the girl, in a glamorous
swim suit, stepped out of the car and
walked around handing out the booklets.
The stunt landed a two-column cut of the
bathing beauty in the Indianapolis Star.

"aiiotbet
'ripsmi
-•HSOT.
Accent on the Picture Thetne
Last week, 20th Century-Fox invited 40 top theatre publicity
and advertising managers to a merchandising meeting
in Nevif York. They heard Charles Einfeld, vice-president
in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation,
outline a new policy for point-of-sales advertising campaigns,
which in the future will emphasize the story plot
rather than star values, etc.
The out-of-towners were shown the successful ad campaign
used in connection with the world premiere of "Come
to the Stable" at the New York Rivoli. Illustrated are seme
of these ads to show how effectively the religious overtones
of the picture were subordinated to represent the film
for what it is—a down-to-earth entertaining motion picture.
Shown here also are rough sketches of ad campaigns
which are being prepared. In the copy reproduced here,
the new policy of making story and entertainment values
the dominant factor is dramatically in evidence.

I Ohio
'
Pel 'n'
Pup Parade
Is Annual Affair
At Norwalk, Ohio
The annual Pet 'n' Pup parade staged by
George Cameron, manager of the Norwalk
theatre, is the largest and best ever
I
promoted by the Schine circuit manager,
and received national publicity.
Cameron started the ball rolling by getting
60 merchants to donate $20 each to offset
costs. The Philadelphia concern which manufactures
giant balloons for use in New
York's Thanksgiving day parade provided 15
balloons for the pet parade which climaxed
a three-day celebration. The merchants ran
a three-day special sale, bannering their
windows and store fronts. The city council
gave perm.ssion to banner all lampposts with
four-foot banners, and arrangements were
made for the radio station in Sandusky to
plug the parade in noonday spots a week in
advance, in exchange for the right to broadcast
the event.
Life and Look magazines took pictures
for future issues. Newsreel coverage was another
feature of the over-all tieup. An Akron
concern filmed the entire spectacle in 16mm
color film. These pictures will be shown at
the Norwalk and in theatres in neaiby towns.
Newspaper cooperation was little short of
sensational, with World Wide Service covering
the various activities.
The Pet 'n' Pup parade was led by last
year's queen seated in a new Ford, followed
by the mayor and city officials. One hundred
students who comprise the Norwalk
High school band followed, then came the
balloons and the contestants with their pets.
The North Fairfield High school band, the
Pleasant school band and the VFW band
also participated.
All traffic leading into town was rerouted
by the highway police, with all traffic
throughout the city coming to a complete
halt for the two hours the parade was in
progress.
Following the judging of a pet 'n' pup contest
on the high school campus, the kids were
treated to a free show at the Norwalk Theatre,
with admissions paid by the Eagles
and the VFW.
Special Issue Signalizes
New Opelika, Ala., Theatre
A special edition of the Opelika Eagle
helped to commemorate the opening of the
new Ritz Theatre, latest addition to the Martin
circuit, at Opelika, Ala. The issue was
dedicated to newspaper feature publicity and
congratulatory advertisements by local contractors,
business firms and radio station
WJHO. More than SO per cent of the special
issue was devoted to the Ritz opening, stories
of the circuit and its officials and was promoted
by Duke Stalcup who will manage
the house and be in charge of the circuit's
other local operations.
Thursday Kid Shows
Paul Purdy. manager of the Newlngton
(Conn.) Theatre, switched his usual weekly
kiddy matinee from Saturday to Thursday
for the summer vacation period. He offered
free ice cream to every child attending the
first of the Thursday matinees.
36
Maybe the Husbands
Didn't Go Hogwild
Emery Creekbaum, owner-manager of
the American Theatre, Ladoga, Ind.,
struck pay dirt when he screened "I'm
From Arkansas." Part of the picture's
plot revealed a group of women trying to
caH an old sow. His immediate reaction
was to stage hog-oops, a husbandcalling
contest. He advertised the contest
on cards placed in windows, by underlines
in his newspaper ads, and announced
it to the audience during his
weekly cash night giveaway. Creekbaum
had no difficulty in getting contestants,
with most of the women in his audience
eager and willing to test their lung-power
calling their mates. Widows were ineligible
for obvious reasons. The payoff for
Creekbaum came in the form of word-ofmouth
advertising which pushed the theatre's
two-day gross over a normal threeday
booking.
Daily Joins Gas Firm
On Cooking School
Jim Barnes, manager of the Huntington
Park I Calif.) Theatre, recently promoted a
summer cooking school sponsored by the
Huntington Park Daily Signal and the local
gas company. Ten merchants donated prizes
which were awarded during the three-day
cooking session. The grand prize was an automatic
gas range.
The promotion was advertised in large
newspaper advertisements, partially paid for
by the gas company, partially donated by the
Daily Signal. The newspaper devoted columns
of space, including special layouts, to
build up advance interest.
The gas company contributed thie services
of Maxine Howe, director of the kitchen
crews of the School of Gas Cookery. For almost
two weeks in advance, the Signal ran
special features and tips by Miss Howe on
food recipes.
Barnes provided an attractive lobby display
and an exhibit of the prizes. He used
a screen trailer for two weeks and a lobby
40x60 to stimulate further interest.
Bob Hope Attends Fete
With Print of 'Jones'
The big annual affair in Winchester, 'Va.,
each year is the Shenandoah Apple Blossom
festival. Lamar Keen, manager of the Capitol
Theatre, is a local exhibitor playing Paramount
product and is also in charge of press
and newsreel coverage. He decided to cash
in on a little extra publicity in connection
with Bob Hope's appearance in Winchester
for the festival parade marshal.
Keen arranged with the Paramount exchange
in Washington to have Hope bring a
print of his latest release, "Sorrowful Jones,"
for presentation on his arrival at the airport.
Keen and the lieutenant governor of the state
met Hope as he stepped off the plane, the
resulting picture breaking in papers throughout
the area.
Keen later screened "Sorrowful Jones" for
members of Queen Shenandoah's court consisting
of 38 girls from schools and colleges
in
Vii-ginia.
— 248 —
Sweei Sixieens Try
For Savings Bonds
In Theatre Event
The second annual Sweet Sixteen contest
promoted by Mildred FitzGibbons, manager
of the Roosevelt Theatre, Flushing, N. Y.,
was sponsored by the Lievendag Motor Co.
Prizes were based on "cuteness" for girls and
personality" for boys. Winners received
$100 savings bonds, with $25 bond going to
runnersup.
Entrants submitted photographs taken
without charge by a neighborhood studio.
Two hundred and fifty young persons registered
for the contest. The photos were
mounted on large stands in the theatre
lobby which attracted crowds of visitors to
the theatre throughout the four weeks of the
contest.
The competition was advertised through
newspaper ads, circulars, the lobby display
and screen trailers.
Prior to the judging, a party was held for
all contestants with dancing, refreshments
and entertainment. A large birthday cake
donated by a pastry shop was cut up by the
youngsters. The awards were made at a gala
evening performance, and special door prizes
for the occasion were supplied by the Broadway
Flushing Businessmen's Ass'n.
Queen Majorette Picked
At Loew's State, Boston
Jim Tibbetts, publicist for Loew's State in
Boston, promoted a citywide contest for a;
Queen Majorette, tied in with Loew's Big
Show Season campaign. The contest wa?
staged on the stage and was open to all]
drum majorettes in the area. The winner
was crowned queen at the final compe' tition
and earned the opportunity to pose as the
poster girl during Loew's Big Show Season,
Tibbetts promoted a 2-column, 14-incW
newspaper co-op*,ad from a local reducingj
salon which featured a large cut of Esther:
Williams and a no-cost plug for "Neptune'Si
Daughter."
Parade of Austins Starts
Loew's Big Show Season
To kick off the Loew circuit Big Show,
Season in Waterbury, Conn., Bob Carney;
manager of the Poll Theatre, staged a paradf
with the cooperation of the local distribtt
tor of Austin cars. Five new models participated
in the parade, each bannered wltl
front signs announcing the Big Show Seasoa
On the rear of the cars, signs called atten
tion to some of the hits scheduled for forth
coming runs. A quartet of drum majorette
headed the parade.
Public School Matinees
Bolster 'Secret Land'
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O. H. Stoeber, owner-manager of the Fen| "•
ton (Iowa) Theatre, played "The Secre^ 'fe i
Land" and "That Hagen Girl" on a three
day booking, supported by tieups whift
brought him his best weekend gross att
profit during the last 18 months.
One hundred mailing cards were sent to
selected list of women in the Fenton are£
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : :
August
6, 194
'V- '
IdiTict

'
, ; [gambling
:
jtures
,
Haver
L
y
f^ci
NUGGETS
Regulation size calling cards announcing,
"Be Warned! No Deals With Beal!" were
utilized by Herb Gordon, manager of the
St. James Theatre, Asbury Park. N. J., in his
promotion of "Alias Nick Beal." The cards,
bearing title, theatre name and playdate,
were handed out to patrons entering the theatre,
and distributed by ushers in Asbury
Park and nearby communities.
* twds 01 visitor
I nhotiseii ita
giuilhel
I disij
i 1
pirv las Mo
; taoit. rtlresto
A lii?(
Wilav
lUf n; cat up b;
i-tjieejiadeatii
:. ai s^: door p::
! sjfiW by the Be
)rette Picked
late, Boston
I* "'"'>'
lenry Juroe, exploiteer for the Paramount Theatre
in San Francisco, located this Indian couile
and had them set up light-housekeeping
[in the lobby in advance of "Geronimo."
Julia' Gross Is Lifted
By 21 Fine Windows
H. Clayton-Nutt, manager of the Broadway
Cinema, Eccles, Lan., England, obtained
21 excellent window displays on "Julia Misoehaves"
through a tieup with the distributor
of Tespa washing powder, who offered
prizes to all retail shops for outstanding
windows tied in with the picture. As the result,
the Broadway manager reports that
ousiness surpassed all expectations.
To exploit "This Time for Keeps," 1,000
i.iandbills were distributed as package stuffers
)Dy laundries, bakeries and other retail shops.
The recent Woodcock vs. Mills fight pic-
;
MS-
were exploited by stickers printed in
S ud ttis open t«
[two colors and pasted on store windows, poles
'Jie irtt. Tie k and other prominent places. A four-foot
r'Jie
:utout was displayed in front of the theatre.
>.ri)ii!y to posf '1 IS
j,((; Big Stow Sejif
Prizes Given to Guessers
4 (MB » local Mli|
In 'Lady Gambles' Stunt
d I Ijtje cut ol l4
Mel Haver,
4it f~ '• f
manager of the Miracle in
''"ticoral Gables, Fla., tied up with a luggage
I (shop for a novel window guessing contest on
TThe Lady Gambles." The store exhibited
'
devices and a bowl containing a
IS
llarge number of coins. They put up a piece
'°^ luggage for the person coming closest
IhetV SeQSOn
JlJUn u
I I !to .to the correct number nt of mins coins in the nnn- conitainer.
Runnersup received passes. Posters
!r»i cwia: Bi?Ei and signs calling attention to the picture
jand playdates were prominently displayed
tin the window.
persuaded George Campbell, radio
|announcer on WTTT, to interview Stephen
|McNally, co-star of "The Lady Gambles," via
^^,m
|transcription.
ijFeather Contest Tickles
'Every Sunday' Guessers
A novel guessing contest promoted special
interest in "Chicken Every Sunday" for Leser
Persall, manager of the Priest Theatre,
High Springs, Fla. Persall tied up with a
:afe which offered chicken dinners to persons
who guessed nearest to the correct numaer
of feathers displayed in a cellophane
sag. The sponsor also worked with Persall
n the mailing of 500 printed post cards announcing
the contest, with a plug for the picure
playdates.
IBOXOFFICE Showmandiser :
: August
6, 1949
Vincent Youmatz, manager of the Peoples^
Forest Drive-In, Pleasant Valley, Conn., uses
daily radio time on station WLCR in nearby
Torrington, to announce programs and starting
times. He also distributes regularly
small guide cards, listing forthcoming attractions.
A 24-sheet cutout showing four riders in
action poses on horseback was placed atop
the theatre marquee by Lester Fagg, manager
of the Roxy, Tacoma, Wash., prior to
and during the current engagement of "The
Younger Brothers." Fagg also has been using
cutouts on the marquee attraction sign to
give special emphasis to star values in current
screen offerings.
John Balmer, manager of the Paramount
Theatre, Long Branch N. J., had his doorman
dressed in college cap and gown five
days prior to the opening of "Mr. Belvedere
Goes to College." An usher dressed in similar
costume and vrearing a sign directing
patrons to the Paramount toured the downtown
business section, in advance and currently.
The cashiers wore "beanie" caps imprinted
with playdates.
Contest Offers Hens
For 'Chicken Sunday'
•Burt Huntoon, manager of the Arcade,
Williston, Fla., promoted a pair of fat hens
as a giveaway for "Chicken Every Sunday."
The donor of the hens displayed a large glass
jar containing a quantity of eggs in his main
store window. The townspeople were asked
to guess the exact number of eggs in the jar,
and on opening night of "Chicken Every
Sunday," the prizes were awarded to those
coming closest to the correct answer.
Huntoon reports that this type of guessing
contest is popular because people feel
they have an equal chance of winning a
prize.
Free Show Cues Safe
And Sane Fourth
A special morning show aimed at helping
local youngsters observe a safe and
sane Fourth of July drew favorable comment
editorially In the Evening Leader
for Ed Purcell, manager of the Strand
Theatre, Staunton. Va. The theatre
opened at 9:30 in the morning with a special
program consisting of a western picture,
a comedy, and several cartoons, designed
to keep the youngsters from engaging
in injurious pastimes.
The two-hour show, free to the youngsters,
is an annual goodwill promotion
instituted by Purcell four years ago.
— 249 —
Ed Schwartzbart. manager of the Linden in
Brooklyn, devised this cutout shoe which
added a humorous touch to his display for
"Family Honeymoon." Doll figures were animated
by shadow box lights hooked to a
flasher.
Civic Competition
Has Beauty Quest
Exploitation for "On an Island With You"
promoted by S. Tenser, manager of the
Central Cinema, Cambridge, England, included
a tieup with the events committee of
the boroMgh's annual "gala," a series of
sports competitions for juveniles between
the ages of 10 and 18 years. The committee,
which had arranged a comedy circus in
conjunction with the gala, agreed to stage
a bathing beauty contest tied in directly with
the Central presentation of "On an Island
With You."
The contest and the picture playdates received
full billing in 40 three-sheets, 500
window cards and several seven-inch by twocolumn
newspaper advertisements. The addition
of a bathing beauty contest to the
popular annual event merited editorial comment
in the daily newspapers.
More than 3,000 people who attended the
gala received a direct announcement of the
picture and playdates.
Tenser received the thanks of the entertainment
committee for helping to make the
gala an exceptionally outstanding success.
YOUR THEATRE
Needs This
^Good Will'
Producing ^
Picture )
—
with its
^^>-
Money-Makinff ^
Campaign
If.
•
^^« Sawten Story
Th'PRINCE' PEACE
The Life of JESUS in glorious color
BOOK IT NOW! WHITE WmE PHONE
HALLMARK PRODUCTIONS
HALLMARK BLDG., WILMINGTON, OHrO
^^
37

Beauty Pageant Held
In Citywide Tieup
For 'Neptune's'
In conjunction with "Neptune's Daughter"
at the Miller, Augusta, Ga., City Manager
P. E. McCoy tied up with the Junior Chamber
of Commerce, the Merchants Ass'n, four
radio stations and two local dailies sponsoring
an Esther Williams beauty pageant to
select Miss Greater Augusta of 1949. The local
winner was offered an opportunity to
compete for the state title of Miss Georgia
to represent the state in the annual Miss
America contest.
Work on the beauty pageant got under way
several weeks prior to the booking with radio
and press announcements calling for girls
to appear in preliminaries and finals. Seven
prominent citizens were selected as the judges'
committee. The theatre stage was set in a
nautical atmosphere and a band from the
local army post supplied the music.
Members of the Jaycees provided a humorous
touch to the proceedings by appearing
on the stage in female bathing costumes, as
a prelude to the regular contest.
Radio stations plugged the event two weeks
in advance with numerous spot announcements
and they provided free air time for
interviews with contestants and preliminary
winners. The local newspapers, the Chronicle
and the Herald, carried columns of pictorial
art on the contest.
'Joan' in New Britain Aided
By Schools and Libraries
Joe Borenstein, manager of the Strand in
New Britain, Conn., set up "Joan of Arc" displays
in schools and public libraries for two
weeks prior to opening. He also contacted
history instructors to direct plugs in classrooms
on the picture's playdates.
Borenstein tied in with the city's cancer
fimd campaign by inviting officials to use
the theatre for a drawing on a new Chevrolet
car. This offer created goodwill for the theatre
and attracted many people during the
showing of "Joan of Arc."
Makes 'Tulsa
Tieup
Ralph Lanterman, manager of the Community
Theatre, Morristown, N. J., tied up
with a local gasoline station in his campaign
for "Tulsa." The oil dealer furnished miniature
drilling equipment which was displayed
in front of the theatre.
DRIVE-IN EXHIBITORS with
CENTRAL SOUND or POST SPEAKERS!
CONVERT to IN-CAR SPEAKERS
Now at economical prices before the seasonal rush.
Order immediately to assure prompt delivery.
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729 Baltimore (Phone HA. 8007) Kansas City. Mo.
38
till See Out Ad in Modem Tbealie Section
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ERECTED ON YOUR LOT. FffST
AT A PRICE YOU CAN AFFORD
MALEY CONSTRUCTION CO.
Wayne Theatre
BIdg.
Wayne, Micb.
Broadcasts From Theatre
Help Miami Beach Trade
A 15-minute electric organ program broadcast
nightly over radio station WINZ, with
Eddie May at the console, is being used by
the Lincoln Theatre at Miami Beach, Fla., to
bally current and coming attractions. The
program originates in the theatre lounge,
and patrons are invited to remain after the
the last feature for the event. Candy, coffee
and cigarets are served without charge.
In addition to organ numbers, programs
include community singing and a title guessing
contest for radio listeners and for patrons
in the lounge. Birthday and wedding
anniversary requests frequently are played.
Announcements plug pictures to be shown at
the Lincoln and also at the Miami and Miracle
theatres, all operated by the Wometco
circuit.
The broadcasts are being presented under
the terms of a 13-week contract with the
radio station, but they are so successful that
they probably will be continued indefinitely.
FOR SALE
IN DETROIT
2 DRIVE-INS
GRAND RIVER
DRIVE-IN
GRATIOT
DRIVE-IN
ON GRAND RIVER ON GRATIOT
1000 CAR CAPACITY 1000 CAR CAPACITY
PLUS
THE LOOP—Downtown Grind House
24 HOUR POLICY-550 SEATS
PLUS
2 HAND-PICKED THEATRE SITES
MOVING TO CALIFORNIA
Disposing of my Detroit Interests
FOR SALE SINGLY OR ALL TOGETHER
ALEX SCHREIBER
ASSOCIATED THEATRES
1325 DIME BLDG., DETROIT 26
woodward 3-1520
HYGIENIC PRODUCTIONS M
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. . . Henry
. . Bernie
. . Herbert
. . Edward
'
BROADWAY
Jules Levey, film producer, with Mrs. Levey;
' EI;a Kazan, director of "Gentleman's
Agreement" and other screen and stage hits,
with Mrs. Kazan and their little daughter:
Everett Crosby, who manages all screen and
radio activities for his brother Bing, with
his wife. Florence George, concert singer:
Arthur Miller, author of the Broadway hit.
"Death of a Salesman," with Mrs. Miller,
and Mrs. Henry Fonda, whose husband still
is playing on Broadway in "Mr. Roberts,"
were among the large entertainment world
list of passengers who arrived August 3 on
the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth.
Just as imposing a list sailed on the Queen
Elizabeth for England August 4 at midnight.
They included Beatrice Lillie, who just completed
a long run in "Inside U.S.A."; Charles
Starrett. Columbia western star; George
Burns and Gracie Allen, radio and screen
comedy team; Joseph Calleia, screen villain
bound for picture-making in Italy; Rudolph
Friml, famous composer, and Dorothy Stewart,
noted lyricist . . . Michel de Roussy de
Sales, director of France Film Co., Montreal.
and Countess de Sales, and John Wildberg,
stage and screen producer, sailed for France
on the De Grasse.
. . Henry
Jacques Kopfstein, executive vice-president
of Astor Pictures, returned from Chicago
where he attended the NAVED convention
of 16mm distributors . . . Joe Kaufman,
associate producer of the Roy Del Ruth production,
"Red Light," is in New York for
conferences on the picture's early fall release
by United Artists. He will leave shortly
for Europe for a honeymoon-vacation trip
Stern, recently named sales head
of the special features division of Azteca
Films, is in New York to set circuit and art
theatre dates on the Mexican feature "Don
Quixote," which recently played the Belmont
Theatre here . . . David D. Home, Film
Classics foreign sales manager, left August 1
for London to discuss distribution of FC
product in the United Kingdom .
40
L. Nathanson, president of MGM Films of
Canada, and Ted Gould, general Canadian
sales manager, arrived August 4 from
Toronto.
Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride, who
will star in "Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town"
for Universal-International, and Leonard
Goldstein, producer, and Charles Lamont, director,
arrived early in the week to shoot
scenes in New York. Meg Randall and Richard
Long, romantic leads in the same film,
got in August 5 . . . Sessue Hayakawa, Japanese
film star of the silent days, who recently
made a comeback in two Hollywood
pictures, is here for a visit.
Vera-EUen is here to help publicize "Love
.
.
Happy," in which she appears with the Marx
Marie Wilson, blond comedienne
Bros. . . .
who recently completed the title role in Paramount's
"My Friend Irma," will arrive in
New York August 10 and is scheduled for a
dozen major radio programs in the next few
weeks Rubin, head of Imperial
Pictures Co., franchise holder of Astor Pictures
in Cleveland, is in Manhattan for conferences
with Bob Savini J.
Yates, Republic president, is also here from
the coast.
Rutgers Neilson, RKO publicity manager,
has returned from an Atlantic City vacation
and Harry Blair, trade press contact, made
his first
. . . Rita
trip to the west coast on a combined
Bernard Mazur,
vacation-business trip . . .
publicity man for the MPEA, is also on vacation
. . . Jessie Hill, secretary to Phil Gerard,
eastern publicity manager for U-I, is another
who is vacationing in Hollywood
Rubin, formerly secretary to Larry Beller at
MPAA, has joined Screen Associates, Inc.,
as executive secretary.
Michael Pericleus, honorary president and
one of the organizers of the Triangle Movie
Club, was given a sm'prise testimonial dinner
at Toffenetti's restaurant. The club will
DOLL OF NEW ORLEANS WINNER—Patty McQueen, winner of the Doll of New
Orleans contest staged at the Joy Theatre in New Orleans in connection with the
"Reign of Terror" premiere there, is pictured here upon a recent ^^sit to New York.
In the photo are, left to right: Lige Brien, director of exploitation for Eagle Lion;
Charles Hacker of Radio City Music Hall; Sally Walton, BOXOFFICE; Miss McQueen,
and Chester Friedman, editor of the BOXOFFICE Showmandiser section.
hold an outing at Mohansic State Park August
30 . . . Jim Alexander, assistant manager
of U-I in Mexico, is the proud father of an
eight-pound boy bom August 1 . . . Joe Hornstein,
supply dealer, is grandfather of a boy,
born in Miami to his son, Hal, and Mrs.
Hornstein . Sargoy, of Sargoy &
Stein, and Mrs. Sargoy have anounced the
engagement of their daughter, Janice Ellin,
to Richard Harvey Rosenberg of Riverdale,
N. Y.
Latest RCA TV Unit ]
At TOA Convention
NEW YORK—RCA will demonstrate its
latest model theatre television projector during
the national TOA convention to be held
September 12-15, according to R. H. McCuIlough,
head of the convention television committee.
The company now is publicizing its largescreen
television equipment. A statement
that the first permanent installation will be
at the Fabian Fox in Brooklyn already has
been issued. Installations of large-screen
units in 25 houses operated by the Pox West
Coast circuit also are being planned.
About three feet in diameter and three
feet in length, the model to be displayed during
the TOA convention is of barrel-type
construction. It will project a 12xl6-foot
picture with a throw of 33 feet, a 15x20-foot
image with a throw of 40 feet, and an 18x24-
foot picture with a throw of 80 feet.
The projector can be mounted in front of
a theatre balcony or suspended from the ceiling.
The control cabinet can be located in
the projection booth or in any other part of
the theatre. Alternating 60-cycle current
is used in operating the imit.
Fractional Share Method
Continued by 20th-Fox
NEW YORK—Twentieth Century-Fox hasj
notified stockholders that holders of frac
tional shares of dl^ss A common stock may!
continue to dispose of them, or buy additional
fractions, through Hayden, Stone & Co., as
in the past. Sales and purchases will be at]
the price on the day instructions are received]
and there will be no brokerage charge. In
the case of a sale, the firm will remit the proceeds
after deducting for transfer tax stamps.
Levey Reticent on Trip
NEW YORK — Jules Levey, independent
producer, reported on his return from Europe
August 3 that he had discussed distribution
and production with film men in Germany
and France, but was not ready to go into details.
He expects to go to Hollywood in about
two weeks.
Seymour Mayer Married
NEW YORK—Seymour Mayer of MGM was
\
married July 28 to Miss Mary Magee of
Scarsdale, who is a sister of Mrs. Walter
Winchell. Mayer is assistant to Morton A.
Spring, first vice-president of Loew's International
Corp. He has been with MGM since;,
1926.
Werner Heymann will write the muslcall
score for United Artists' production, "A KissJ
for Corliss."
BOXOFTICE :: August 6. 1949J
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and Major Albert Warner again have a bcK
in the clubhouse at the Saratoga racetrack.
Attendees from Albany at the premiere included
Charles A. Smakwitz, Warner Theatres
zone manager; Lieut. Gov. Joe R. Hanley,
and Postmaster John P. Hays. Attendance
surpassed the 1948 total by 1,098—14,442
compared with 13,364—but the amount of
money bet dropped $10,000.
WITH THE TRUEX FAMILY—Dayton C.
LaPointe, veteran exhibitor and owner
of the Crandell Theatre in Chatham, N. Y., is shown here with stage and screen
star Ernest Truex and family, who appeared at the Crandell, recently converted summer
legitimate house. Truex appeared in the role he created on Broadway in the proi?jction
of "George Washington Slept Here." Left to right: Truex's son Barry,
his wife Sylvia, Truex and LaPointe.
ALBANY
pioyd Fitzsimmons, MGM exploiteer, went
. .
to Amsterdam to work with Dick Brill
of Brandt Theatres on "The Wizard of Oz"
at the new Tryon. He then went to Syracuse
to set up a campaign for "In the Good
Old Summertime" at Loew's State. He reported
that the thermometer registered 108
degrees in Syracuse . Charlie Spitz is managing
the Tryon in Amsterdam. Reports
along Pilmrow say that the 1,000-seater has
been drawing good business since its opening
this spring. House competes with Schine's
Rialto and Mohawk.
Al La Flamme, Strand manager, left with
his wife for a two-week vacation on the
coast of Maine. He has been visiting this spot
for a number of years . . . Oscar J. Perrin, Ritz
manager, returned from a fortnight's vacation.
John Brousseau, his assistant, had
charge of the first run during Perrin's absence.
Brousseau and his wife recently celebrated
their 25th wedding anniversary with
a garden party at their home.
Mrs. Joseph Jarvis, widow of the former
operator of the Delmar in Delmar, announced
the wedding of her daughter Mary
Isabelle to Wilfred J. Wachter at Worcester,
Mass. The bride graduated in June from
Albany College of Pharmacy and is on the
staff of the Hahneman hospital in Worcester,
where her husband is doing graduate study
for a doctorate at Polytechnic, Institute.
. . .
The Delmar, Delmar, advertised that it
would close August 2 and reopen August 7
The Colonial has been following its summer
policy of last year in playing American
pictures. "The Macomber Affair" and "Fun
on a Weekend" followed "Strange Woman"
and "The Fabulous Dorseys" at the local finearter.
"The Mighty Joe Young" had 49 playdates
in the Albany district during the fortnight
after the four-state prem'ere. One of the
spots holding the picture over Sunday and
Monday was the Van Buren, Cairo, operated
by Don Violetti. A moveover was effected
by the Schine circuit in Watertown, where
the picture is said to have run up a fine
gross. A number of Schine situations, including
the Glove, Gloversville, booked the
RKO release in the first two weeks. Four
Kallet summer situations also presented it.
The picture also played the three big Fabian
houses in Albany, Troy and Schenectady.
Mrs. Jim Frangooles, wife of the RKO head
fcooker-office manager, and the two small
Frangooles children left for a two-month
visit to her home town, Seattle, Wash. . . .
Wilhelmina Wenzel, RKO cashier, has been
vacationing around Toronto, while Mrs. Helen
Doolittle, manager's secretary, has been doing
the same on Cape Cod
Buckley, assistant booker,
. . .
retm-ned
Mai-garet
Monday
from a stay at Lake Placid.
. . . Mrs. Catherine Bain,
Carl Bovee, manager of Warners' Delaware,
had an old car with painted signs
roving the streets for two nights before the
opening of "Mr. Belvedere Goes to College."
A 1930 Oldsmobile, owned by a friend of
Bovee's, was used
Delaware cashier, returned from a vacation
at Lake George. Mrs. Bain worked at the
Madison for some time. Joan Shanahan,
substitute Delaware cashier, sold tickets during
Mrs. Bain's absence.
. .
.
Harry Hayner, assistant manager of the
Strand, was reported to have suffered injuries
in an automobile accident at Watervliet
... Ed Foley, Strand doorman, is back after
a vacation . Oscar Perrin, manager of the
Ritz, is another vacation returnee
Lamont, one-time assistant
. .
manager of
Jack
the
Ritz and later manager of the Delaware, is
working in Walgreen's drugstore in the Ten
Eyck hotel building.
. . .
Phil Baroudi is reported to have broken a
house record at the Fairyland, Warrensburg,
with "The Mighty Joe Young" while "Look
for the Silver Lining" pulled strong business
to the Strand, here. The Warner house ran
five shows Saturday Harry M. Warner
Arthur Newman, Republic manager, arranged
a preview screening of "The Redl
Menace" at Fabian's Grand a week before
the picture was scheduled to open at the
theatre. Manager Milt Shosberg and Assist
ant Manager Frank Cunningham worked with
him . Atkin, Warner zone director
of publicity and advertising, handled many
of the details in connection with the per
sonal appearance here of Virginia Mayo and
Michael O'Shea.
. i
Honor Fabian Circuit
In Troy, Schenectady
J--"
Jll! tiff
£111
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TROY—Mayor John J. Ahem has issued
a proclamation designating August aS
'W '
^;!«1 ::vf
Fabian Theatres Jubilee month. Mayoii
Ahem's proclamation praised the circuit as
"having achieved great civic status in Its
desire to cooperate with and help all community
activities."
B:fr>:
IE iii iD
"The corporation is a representative company
in Troy, providing the city with revenue;
and jobs for its citizens," the mayor said.
IfeoriDgSt
In Schenectady, the
\
Union-Star, reviewinil ODlaxRete
the history of the circuit, revealed that Fabiar IUH&'Grc\-v.
Theatres started as a single unit in Pater-( IBJIIIi;
son, N. J., in 1914 and grew to include 60 iDltifof!^; :-
theatres in four states. New 'york. New Jer-j si.ifi;';a :!.'..
sey, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The paper reports that the anniversary isj K K ;
being observed in Schenectady with a seriefj
of special events including programs for i ;.if
youngsters and stage shows as well as event!
that reach out into other fields.
"The Fabian anniversary is much more tc
Schenectady thap an observance by a blfi 3s-, :
organization. TTie enterprise has spent t
lot of money here. It built the Plaza abouf
Bii*-
20 years ago. Its managerial personnel anc
employes, from General Manager Guy Grave;
down, are part of the community. The man^
agement has shown a fine commimity spirit.'^iasi
the Times-Union editorial read.
The editorial cited the use of F>roctor's eacl; SE
Holy week for religious services, the meet^
ings held at the Erie and the support of al'
"philanthropic and humanitarian under) ngThetakings."
Fabian operates Proctor's, Plaza, State
IiSlopPoli:
Erie and Strand in Schnectady.
Joe Miller Adds Theatre
At Utica to Holdings
UTICA, N. Y.—Joe Miller has added an,
other operation to his extensive busines!
holdings, the Family Theatre here. He tooj
over the house from Larry Carkey Augus,
1. Miller formerly was manager for Colum,
bia here, later PRC manager and then
Classics salesman for the Albany and Bi
falo territories. He bought an interest li
winter in the Menands Drive-In for his
Sandy. He also began buying and booking foj
new drive-ins at Stillwater and Loch Shell
drake. Several weeks ago, he was appoints
by Principal Pictures as distributor for S|
U-I releases.
"•%,
IWT Ti
42
BOXOFnCE :
: August 6. 19

•
'
1
. , !
consider
'
I lant
WASHINGTON—The
'
UDT
I
the
I trol,
! troit
i
submitted
'
appellant's
. . New
. . Margaret
. . Telephone
. . Booker
. . Salesman
. . Rina
. . Debbie
. . Seen
«cl
ilianCircui 'CUlf
lec:
.-,. ;
f
iCourts Uphold Rights
To Consider Monopoly
right of the FCC to
the antitrust records of film companies
or other applicants for television licenses
was strengthened this week by the
court of appeals.
Repulsing an attempt by Paramounfs
United Detroit Theatres to block completion
of a television station by WXYZ. Detroit, the
court held that the UDT grounds for appeal
were faulty. In its opinion it added that
UDT arguments that the Paramount consent
-'': decree opens the door to a grant are by no
'ft
I
%r
,
1 1 Kjireiaitatin
bitkdQfitliif:
I
1 j
vision
means clear.
contention is that it is cleansed on
antitrust issue and freed also on the
Paramount-DuMont multiple ownership tangle.
Because the FCC believes Paramount
to control DuMont and because Paramount
and DuMont between them hold five telestations—the
maximum for single conthe
commission had rejected the De-
'
.; ,
application.
Even though the UDT application was first
',
[ ci-
Ar."
five years ago, the court wrote.
"we think the delay in the disposition of
application was amply justified
by these other problems with which the com-
.
...Vi
1
'mission was struggling and in which appeVwas
an interested participant."
k' the im;oi .-:
' III tljoii-siar, »::
matRttaled'JulFi
I di|k imii in F:
M < pn !o mic
Mttl K(i York, fe
I
111 ViRiaii.
rt in tlx mitrx:
s SboRadt lith a s
ti
bUn; proerani
Ik ote Selds.
fglOKJ
is ffiicll H
« iiotWTUK by
It alB^
n B
Ills !f^
bunt 'ie fI!!
1*
IgnlKimgerQiiyGx
(J, COBB* Then
a, On cop**
l^llKWOfPMto'Si
,f^
seniKi
the ifi
(teiolibe
^ inujuuiiu IK
Adds Theatre
Holdings
it naif
diitnWi"
'U' Nearing Settlement
On Tax Refund Claim
WASHINGTON—Negotiations were said to
be under way here this week for the settlement
of Universal's multi-million dollar excess
profits tax refund claim against the federal
government. On the ground that the
base period against which its earnings during
excess profits years were figured was not
typical, the company has asked for a refund
said to be from 10 to 12 million dollars.
The matter is now in hearing before the
excess profits tax adjustment committee of
the Bureau of Internal Revenue. At the same
time it is reported discussions have been
held with a view toward settling the refund
at from two to three million dollars.
No confirmation of these rumors was to be
had from officials of the bureau, since it is
a penal offense to discuss the tax affairs of
individuals or corporations with unauthorized
persons.
Closing Theatres Fails
To Stop Polio Incidence
ALBANY—The state department of health
reiterated this week that closing motion picture
theatres to children would not reduce
the incidence of poliomyelitis in the current
outbreak which finds more than 300 cases
reported in the state.
The department says that it has "no reliable
evidence" that closing theatres would
cut down the incidence of the disease. "It's
been tried time and again in other communities
and it's done no good."
INEXPENSIVE!
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METRO PREMIUM CO.
334 W. 44th St. COLumbus 5-1952 New York
257 No. 13th St. RITenhouse 6-7994 PhilaJeiphia, Pa.
WASHINGTON
Jlcceptances are pouring in for the Variety
Variety Club ladies' luncheon in the Terrace
room at the Shoreham hotel Tuesday
(9). Club Secretary Dorothy Kolinsky is
doing a "bang-up" job" in keeping the records
straight and ladies' committee Chairman
Sara S. Young expects a record attendance.
In the meantime, co-chairmen Tacie
Davis, Lorene Boucher, Freddie DeLaViez
and Clara Lust are laying plans for a great
campaign.
Metro Items: Inspector Grace Brannan
spent a week of her vacation at Newport
News and Williamsburg, Va., resting and
Contract clerk Vivian
seeing the sights . . .
Kelly spent four days of her vacation fishing
at Deal, Va., and, believe it or not, she
really caught some fish . . . Office Manager
Joe Kronman fell overboard while fishing
at Herring Bay. No injuries . . . New members
of the Metro family include Ida Thoma,
Julia Lodowski, Margaret Goulet. Elisa Janetis,
Gloria Grady and Judy Solomon . . . Catherine
Murphy, Rudy Berger's girl Friday, is
holding down the fort while Berger is attending
the ITO convention in Los Angeles.
.
From United Artists we hear that TiUie
Brazis, Jerry Price's secretary, will become
Mrs. William Cassidy August 27 . .
Lois
.
Menne, Mark Silver's secretary, is engaged
to marry Robert Dailey Stant,
office manager, has returned from her vacation
Booker Jane Harrell was to leave
. . . on her vacation, which she will spend in
New York . girls in the office are
Marylin Slagle, Sandra Pipkin and Florence
Forrestall ... In the Warner Theatre department,
Anne DeMello and Bill Ewing are
among vacationists and Publicists Frank La-
Falce promises more news when vacations
are over.
Eag-le Lion cashier Rose Damelin is vacationing
out west . . . Jack Kohler has resigned
from Film Classics . . Sympathy
.
to Sam Wheeler and his family in the untimely
death of his brother Eddie in an automob
le accident. Edward was employed
by Monogram in Pittsburgh as a salesman
and was returning home for the weekend
when the accident occurred. He was well
known in Baltimore, where he operated a
printing and advertising business for many
years.
. .
Playhouse impresario Vic Orsinger is tak-
William Kurtz, National
'ng a vacation . . .
Theatre head is in New York on a business
trip, but he prefers the Green mountains
of Vermont Joe Walsh has added the
.
Hi-Way Movies, a new auto-theatre, to his
chain. This new outdoor theatre expects to
open August 13. It is owned by E. B. Mullins.
who owns several theatres in the Clinch
valley. Walsh has also taken over buying
and booking for the Arlington Theatre, Hopewell,
Va.
At 20th Century-Fox, Manager Glenn Nornis
and salesman Ira Sichelman flew to
Roanoke to visit exhibitors . . . Biller Vera
Atkins was in an automobile accident. Her
car was pretty w-ell smashed but she and her
husband escaped w-ithout injuries . . . Assistant
cashier Mary Myers is vacationing
. . . Ditto Doris Curran . girl
Mary Lou Erickson was ill for several days.
Universal Office Manager Stanley Taylor
.
returned from his vacation .
Burke
is still nursing a broken shoulder bone . .
Kay Film's Ann Hanower is enterta ning
Mr. and Mrs. Irving Groumet from New
York and her cousui Sadie Grossman from
Cincinnati .
Samson Pike is visiting
e.xhibitors in Roanoke.
. . Cashier
RKO's Charley Hurley has returned from
Nantasket Beach, Mass., w.th a wonderful
tan . Don Bransfield has returned
from trip to New York . . . Biller Margaret
a
Pryor visited her folks in Alabama .
Agnes Turner was seen poring over some
books with a worried look. She said she
was working on her houshold budget and
couldn't make it balance.
Curt Hildebrand and his family are vacat
oning in Ocean City, Md. . on Filmrow
were John Fernicola. Harry Silver, Henry
Sauber. Henry Hornstein, Mrs. Evans,
John Caldwell and his two young sons, Harry
Vogelstein, Eddie Kimpel, Frank Boucher,
Henry Hiser. Ray Gingell, Jules Girden, Jack
Frutchman, Eleanor Weiner. Julius Levine,
Lloyd Wineland and Tom Mudd.
. . . The
.
Shipper Claude Ringer is quite the poultry
farmer. He just bought 100 new chicks . . .
Local F-13 executive board held a regular
monthly meeting ... At RKO, inspector Rose
Thompson is a great grandmother
new Paradise Drive-In, outside of Oakland,
Md., probably will open about August 1 . . .
Alex Ravdin, Neighborhood Theatres, is assisting
Ivan Rosenbaub with the feature
booking, in preparation of operation of the
Paramount theatres which Neighborhood will
take over soon Cursi, Dominion
Theatres, wrote from Buffalo that her mother
is progressing nicely after an eye operation.
Technical advisor for Universal's "Buccaneer's
G rl" will be naval architect and historian,
Lieut. Com. K. D. Iain Murray, R.N.
(Ret).
TRY
AND
SEE!
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DALLAS: Jenkins & Bourgeois, Astor
(1) Harwood

^
'
SAM ROSEN
Fabian Theatres
Secretary-Treasurer,
Iiie'*
JACOB FABIAN
Founder, Fabian Theatres
SIMON H.
FABIAN
Fabian Theatres Celebrating
Circuit's 30th Anniversary
As head of the extensive eastern chain of theatres,
S. H. Fabian has made his mark as a top U. S. exhibitor
By WALTER WALDMAN
NEW YORK—Nearly 35 years ago S. H.
Fabian—Si to nearly everyone who knows
him, and who doesn't?—started as an usher
in his father's theatres during summer vacations
and developed a consuming ambition
to go places in the film business. He still
has it, and the field of his ambitions is widening.
Some day—if he should have a quiet moment—he
may look back on 1949 as the year
he passed his 50th birthday, celebrated the
35th anniversary of Fabian Theatres, and
started a new production financing company
to be controlled by the country's leading exhibitors.
He carries over 200 pounds of weight on a
six-foot frame as lightly as an athlete and
sets a pace for his associates that makes
them dizzy at times.
If Arthur Mayer had not referred to it
often during the bond drives and other enterprises
of the War Activities Committee,
which Fabian headed, few people would
know today that he has a Harvard degree.
Mayer, himself a Harvard man, used to enjoy
explaining where Fabian acquired the
elegant diction he used in many of his
speeches. He couldn't split an infinitive
without feeling pain.
Fabian, incidentally, is one of four Harvard
men who have achieved prominence in
this industry. The others along with Mayer
are Walter Littlefield of Boston and Nathan
Yamins of Fall River.
Fabian came out of the Cambridge halls
of learning in 1919 with a course in business
administration among his other scholastic
accomplishments and went to work as a shipping
clerk for First National. His father.
Jacob Fabian, was one of the founders of
that enterprise.
Si began mixing theory with practice.
Then he began mixing practice with theory
and came to the conclusion that opportimism
and a talent for -getting along with other
men could be superimposed on a Harvard
background.
Fabian is a native of Paterson, N. J., a city
founded by Alexander Hamilton on the great
falls of the Passaic River, where silk mills
are the chief industry. Si's father was an
important business man there and in Newark
long before the theatre business attracted
his attention. By the time he had
reached high school age he had chosen his
career.
Fabian sr. had decided bigger and better
theatres would make the film bus ness bigger
and better and on Aug. 24, 1914, he opened
the 2,400-seat Regent in Paterson, It was
one of the two de luxe theatres in the country.
The other was the Strand on Broadway.
Fabian sr. was soon looking far beyond the
hills of North Jersey. He and 25 other exhibitors
were the founders of the First National
Exhibitors Circuit, Inc., which evolved
from a cooperative buying group into First
National Pictures and distributed films to
about 4,000 franchise holders.
This may be the inspiration for Si's latest
spectacular move, the formation of National
Exhibitors Film Co., announced the last week
in June.
After months of preparing for his circuit
anniversary, of discussion of an industry public
relations program, of trying to buy United
Artists or Eagle Lion, and of discussion of
the new exhibitor organization plans, Fabian
found himself facing a solid phalanx of independent
producers with their hands out. so he
decided to go to Canada for a week's rest—
a very rare thing in the Fabian curriculum.
Right in the midst of this whirlwind of
activity he had negotiated for installation
of RCA television equipment at the Fox Theatre,
Brooklyn, and had shown the Walcott-
Charles fight to a packed house. It may
^%IOIOtil8IW
" ""0 tij
im
have been another milestone in the exhibition
'sitlitPiiictTtK
business.
Let's turn back to a little history. When 'h Hi

'
iQtai
Zone Managers and an Advertising Chief
Here is a quintet of reg:ional executives in the Fabian circuit. Harold Blumenthal
is the New Jersey zone manager; Harold Fisher is zone manager for Brooklyn,
Staten Island and Port Jarvis; L. R. Golding is general manager for the Wilmer
and Vincent division of Fabian Theatres; Louis Goldberg is zone manager for
Brooklyn, Staten Island and Port Jarvis with Hal Fisher; while Edgar Goth is advertising
and publicity director for the Wilmer- Vincent division who worked out
the anniversary ad program.
Harold Blumenthal Harold Fisher L. R. Golding Lou Goldberg Edg:ar Goth
':t ;ilk C
''* ns
^ mo in
icquired the Montauk, Passaic; Mosque and
Sfi
Jranford, Newark; Stanley, Jersey City; Relent
and Rltz, Elizabeth, and the Fabian atres fell
Jiisiness i
'M \\ is
•
# W md Oritani, Hoboken.
oe tlioM i
He kept right on going and opened theitres
in Hackensack, Ridgewood, Montclair,
iW liRB and ba:
• Ik Ota te IK Jnion City, South Orange and Irvingtan,
kits
*« K lecame a vice-president of First National to New Jersey.
1911 he ope
a md took over the New Jersey exchange of
hiffiOD. It n
ilbdDes io t!ie K
,hat outfit. It was this last acquisition that
nkSnalosBn saused Si to become a shipping clerk. In
923 he was named branch manager.
MtD{!a.'l)fTO[ii'i
About that time the Stanley Co. of Amerca
was spreading its holdings from the
ij H( lad B oto a
Men of !lie Fira \
Philadelphia area to South Jersey. It worked ton Lakes area.
Ml IBc. Tbicti erolK
ts
piop into K
way northward and took in the Fabian
nterests. Si became a vice-president in
1 mibgldl lilK
jharge of film buying and stage booking in
.926.
with headquarters in Passaic.
The following year his brother, Abe, was
n^lniloii for Si's Iii
at tUttinc of Natio
ilected president of First National, but he
.larainl the list (
lied shortly afterwards.
Sound came along and started a mad
gqHm; tOf Ills
scramble by major companies for theatres.
di(
Warner Bros, absorbed First National and the antitrust decree came along.
IKSgdllilllillStlTPlt
Ki(B]1iiioliu;
;he Stanley -Fabian theatres in 1928. There
n. v^ of ta
ffere 250 of them.
gpiWiK pl^< ^^^
Jacob Fabian retired. He was then 61,
li(Upliilmoiii>ii
md he died in 1941 at the age of 74. Si went
J^ilililiiiiilsout.
;o work for Warner Bros. When Spyros P.
ygji Ik I teets v&
Skouras became general manager of Warner
f^htUBCIIITitlllK
^
;heatres in 1928, Si was named as his assistant.
He was 30 at the time.
(lUllTUi =
g( this
iMMittd Working for others cramped his style. The
tot iiis'^''''''
oUowing year he organ-zed a building com-
Dany. RKO was one of his first customers.
He built the Palace Theatre, Albany, and the
t lad
, HfM lioiise. It «
estiit
jB lie
rjWW Plaza, Schenectady. Both are now operated
Dy Fabian. His flair for picking theatre loations
is said to be as infallible as the hom-
Hiili"?.
I attk
tt
w""
jflinl be ing instinct of a carrier pigeon.
chairman of that organization.
j^foidWit.biii When the impact of the depression put He WPS leader in so
;0Bi "-'"*"
lift
the old Fox Film Corp. and its theatre subsidiaries
into banlcruptcy Fabian started a
MANAGERS FOR VIRGINIA-PENNSYLVANIA:
Earle Westbrook. Norfolk; James Moyer and Paul
riass, Reading; Robert Ozmer, Norfolk.
new phase of his career—that of doctor for
ailing film houses. Fox Metropolitan The-
apart and Fabian was named head
of a noteholders' committee with the approval
of the U.S. district court, but he didn't
wait around for the wheels of court procedure
to start grinding slowly; he went back
Mrs. Fabian had theatre interests, too, and
these were not doing well. She was Anna
Ettelson before she was married to Fabian
in 1918. Her father was the Ettelson of
Ettelson-Blumenthal, operators of five
houses just north of Paterson in the Pomp-
Si put the theatres back on
a paying basis and took over management
in 1932. They are now operated by Consolidated
Theatres, Inc., a Fabian subsidiary
In 1934 Fabian started expanding in a big
way by acquiring the Fox Theatre, Brooklyn,
and the Brooklyn Strand from Warners, and
the Brooklyn Paramount from Paramount.
These houses were operated in a pool until
The following
year he took over the RKO houses in
Albany, Schenectady and Troy, and in 1939
he added a number of scattered theatres in
New Jersey and upstate New York.
In 1939 Fabian took over seven houses in
Staten Island from the Brill interests, and
in 1944 he acquired the Wilmer & Vincent
group of 20 houses in Pennsylvania and Virginia.
He opened his first drive-in in 1946
at Albany and now has six of these.
During the war period his golf suffered.
As early as 1940 he was one of the organizers
of the Motion Picture Committee Cooperating
on National Defense, which developed
into the War Activities Committee. He was
Nat Lapkin, maintenance
head; Sam Rosen, sec'y-treas.;
Mary Becker, secretary.
Elaborate Campaign
For Anniversary
many bond and other
drives that Pi-esident Roosevelt sent him
an autographed picture and President Tru-
NEW YORK—Fabian Theatres is celebrating
its 25th anniversary with a month-long
series of events, which began August 1. It was
actually Aug. 24, 1914, that the Fabian name
became part of the industry when Jacob
Fabian opened the 2,400-seat Regent Theatre,
Paterson.
Jacob, father of Simon H. Fabian, president
of the existing circuit of 57 theatres
and drive-ins in New York, New Jersey, Virginia
and Pennsylvania, celebrated the first
anniversary of his circuit Aug. 23 to 28, 1915,
with a series of features including "Marriage
of Kitty," with Fanny Ward, a Jesse
L. Lasky presentation; Charles Chaplin in
"The Bank," and "Helene of the North,"
with Marguerite Clark.
This year the celebration will be much
more elaborate. Edgar Goth, director of
advertising and publicity for the Wilmer &
Vincent division of the Fabian Theatres, has
worked out a circuit program.
Fabian managers will receive $3,275 in cash
prizes for the best anniversary campaigns.
There will be a circuit prize of $700. plus the
following awards for each of the four divisions;
$350. first prize: $175, second, and
$100, third. There will be an extra fourth
place prize for the Wilmer & Vincent division
of $75. This is the largest Fabian division.
The managers received a preliminary briefing
July 6 at a home office meeting with
Fabian and Sam Rosen, secretary and treasurer,
presiding.
man awarded him a civilian certificate of
merit.
When talk of a substitute for the War
Activities Committee developed into the
American Theatres Ass'n and later into the
TOA he was out front as usual. He is now
a member of the TOA executive committee
and regional vice-president.
He was chairman of the Jewish Federation
drive of the Motion Picture Industry in 1947.
and chairman of the UJA drive in 1948. He
has received a citation from Cinema Lodge
of B'nai B'rith, the Beacon award from
M. P. Associates, and the Humanitarian
Award from the McCosker-Hershfield Cardiac
Home.
He is a member of the SMPE. the Masons,
Variety Club Tent 9 of Albany and the board
of directors of the Wi'l Rogers Memorial
hospital.
He has four children Edward, 29, now
with the circuit; Robert, 23, a music student
at Juilliard; Norma. 21. a student at Mount
Holyoke College, and Abe, 18, a student at
Lafayette.
L. TO R.: Lou Levy, manager, Fox, Brooklyn;
Edward Fabian, roving zone manager; Johnny
Burke, publicity manager, Brooklyn.

^
INSPECTS BRANCH'S FORT KNOX*—Hugh Owen, Paramounfs eastern and
southern division manager, inspects the New York branch's private "Fort Knox." where
the treasures of "The Gold Rush of '49" are stored. Owen attended a Gold Rush
meeting held at the branch recently and heard the enthusiastic Paramounteers
pledge their fuU effort in bringing top contest honors to the division. Left to right.
Owen; Henry Randel, New York district manager; Lou Wechsler, assistant to Owen,
and Myron Sattler, New York branch manager.
U.S. Treasury Rules
On Drive-In Taxes
NEW YORK — The Bureau of Internal
Revenue, U. S. Treasury department, has officially
ruled on taxation of multiple admissions
on one ticket at drive-ins. The ruling
is contained in a letter to Gael Sullivan, Theatre
Owners of America executive director,
who asked for information in a July 12 letter
to the commissioner of internal revenue. R. .J
Bopp, acting deputy commissioner, has replied:
"If on a particular occasion, a drive-in theatre
does not have an established price for
a single admission, but does have a set charge
for the admission of a group of persons occupying
one car, regardless of the number of
persons in the group, the set price made for
the admission of the group is the established
price of admission to the theatre on that
occasion. Under such circumstances, the admission
of a group of persons in a car constitutes
one admission regardless of the number
of persons in the group, and the tax is
based on the established price of admission
for the group.
"Where a drive-in theatre does not have
an established price for a single admission
on a certain night of each week and it charges
$1, including tax, for each car admitted regardless
of the number of occupants, the
established price of admission to the theatre
is 83 cents, and the total federal admissions
tax due thereon is 17 cents. The group of
persons in each car may be admitted on one
ticket."
NEW MIRROPHONIC SOUND
lOE
HORNSTEIN, Inc.
630 Ninth At.., N.w York City
RAMP-EXIT.
ENTRANCE
FLOODLIGHTS
DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFG. CO.
729 Baltimore
K. C, Mo.
Show at Skouras Astoria
Opens Fresh Air Drive
NEW YORK—American Way Month, so
proclaimed by Mayor William O'Dwyer to
help the Herald-Tribune fresh air fund provide
summer vacations in the country for
underprivileged Children, was launched at the
Skouras Astoria Theatre where an all-star
stage show was scheduled for Saturday (6).
This is the first in a series of four to be held
during the Skouras Theatres' $50,000 drive for
the benefit of the fresh air fund.
A parade, headed by Frank Luther, radio
entertainer and leader of WNBC's Saturday
morning parade of children's programs,
marched through the main streets of Astoria
starting at 9:30 a. m. The stage show began
at 11 a. m.
A special short, "This Is the American
Way," produced by Nick John Matsoukas of
Skouras Theatres and narrated by Celeste
Holm, will be shown in all Skouras houses
during August in connection with the drive.
INCORPORATIONS
— Albany —
Progressive Film & Television Corp.: To
conduct business in motion pictures and films:
capital stock. 200 shares, no par.
New Garden Theatres, Inc.: To do business
in Kings county; capital stock, 200 shares,
no par.
Telescreen Corp. of Delaware: Surrendered
authority to carry on business in New York
state.
Official Television: 400 38th St., Union
City, N. J., recorded papers that its New
York offices to produce and deal in silent
and sound motion pictures, television, recordings,
etc., is at 25 W. 45th St.. Aaron
Katz, president; capital stock, $125,000.00.
$100 par.
Association Films of New York: reduced
capital stock from 5,500 to 2,000 shaves, no
par.
Televid: to produce telev'sion, musical and
dramatic works: capital stock, 200 shares,
no par. Incorporators: Maxwell R. Rafkin,
887 Asylum St., Hartford, Conn.: WiUiam
D. Greene, 161 7 Blvd., W. Hartford, Conn.;
Ivan Obolensky, 530 W. 86th St., New York.
Warners Report Drop
In 9-Monlh Period
NEW YORK—Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
and subsidiary companies report a net profil
of $7,363,000 for the nine months ending May
28, 1949. This was after provision of $4,900
000 for federal income taxes. This is at thj
rate of $1 per share on the 7,295,000 shares ot
common.
For the nine months ending at the sam(
time in 1948 the net was $10,321,000 after pro
vision of $7,400,000 for federal income taxes
Prior to Aug. 31, 1948, the close of the las
fiscal year, the film rentals, etc., and cost:
and expenses of the principal subsidiary com-'
panics operating in foreign territories wen
included in the consolidated profit and loss
but the equity in undistributed earnings oj
these companies was deducted in arriving a
the net profit of the combined companies
Thereafter only the American companies^
share of the foreign film rentals which waj
remittable in dollars has been included in th*
consolidated income account.
Film rentals, theatre admissions, sales, etc,
after eliminating inter-company transaction
for the nine months ending May 28, 194S
amounted to $104,242,000.
The board of directors of Warner Broi
Pictures, Inc., has declared a dividend of 2
cents per share, payable Oct. 5, 1949, to stock
holders of record September 9.
Technicolor 6-Month Net
Ahead o^ 1948 Figure
NEW YORK—The consolidated net profi'
of Technicolor, Inc., for the six montl-.(;
ended June 30, 1949, is estimated to be $1.,
147,720, after taxes on income and otheji
charges, as compared to $880,832 for the coij
responding six months of 1948, according fc
Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president and genj
eral manager. The 1949 figure is equivalei
to $1.25 per share, compared to 96 cents p^|
share for the saipe period in 1948.
j
The consolidated net profit for the quarttl
ended June 30, 1949, is estimated to be $483j
970, after taxes on income and other charge]
This is equivalent to 53 cents per share.
RCA Net Decreased
NEW YORK—Radio Corporation of Ame
ica had a net income of $10,122,049 for tlj
first six months of 1949 after taxes and aj
charges. This compared with $10,850,288 f(f
the same period in 1948, a decrease of $728j
239. After payment of preferred dividen(ff
net earnings applicable to the common ston
for the fii-st six months were 61.6 cents p^
share, compared with 66.8 cents per share *
the first half of 1948.
TOA Officials Will Meet
Again on Convention
NEW YORK—TOA officials will meet agal
in a few days to reach further decisions r^
garding the agenda of the September 12-
national convention at Los Angeles. Ga
Sullivan, executive secretary, said after
all-day meeting August 4. Tentative pla
made at the meeting were wired to Charlj
Skouras, chairman, and other members
the convention committee.
ll
46
BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 19l

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PHILADELPHIA
•Two sneak preiiews kept Philadelphia filmdom
on its toes. Paramount played "My
Friend Irma" at the Tower Theatre in Upper
Darby, Pa. The Fox Theatre played "Come
to the Stable" in a sneak preview. Siegfreid
Horowitz, 20th-Fox manager, and Howard
Minsky, business manager, went to New York
to see the premiere of the Loretta Young
and Celeste Holm featiu-e.
The Stanton Theatre ran the premiere of
RKO's Technicolor film, "Savage Splendor."
The picture received publicity through a
tieup with the Philadelphia Daily News. The
film was also tied in with the Philadelphia
zoo's 75th anniversai-y. The show ran as a
double bill with Walt Disney's "Seal Island."
On opening night Ai'mand Denis, co-producer
of "Savage Splendor" and noted W'orld traveler
and explorer, made a personal appearance.
Another guest was Pandora, a little
chimp from the Philadelphia zoo.
Many Philadelphians are heaping bouquets
on film man Melvin Fox for improving the
parking arrangements and the usher situation
at Fairmount park's Dell where the
Philadelphia Symphony orchestra plays . . .
Altoona, Pa., celebrates its 100th anniversary
August 7-14. Among the celebrities expected
to appear at the week-long fiesta are such
famed Altoona and Blair county natives as
Fred "Waring and Janet Blair.
. .
Ferd Fortunate, head booker at U-I, came
back from his vacation at Sea Isle, N. J.,
with a sore foot . . . Jean Goodwin, Eagle
Lion cashier, is on vacation . Ethel Pasternack,
cashier-stenographer at Film Classics,
is on vacation in New York . Berman's
secretary, Jean Coyle, is back from her
vacation to Maine . Magill of Principal
Films has acquired the rights to the
Italian picture, "Outci-y." He has also acquired
rights to "Pygmalion" and "Major
Barbara."
Jack Harris, publicity director at American
Film Co., is sporting his silver first lieutenant
bars while he is serving a two-week stretch
with the army reserve corps in summer training
American Film Co. is proud of its
. . . "Murder in Reverse." This sleeper, made in
England at National studios by Four Continents
Films, is getting excellent reviews and
is pulUng a good boxoffice gate. It ran in
the Stanton Theatre for ten days under a
money-back guarantee. No customers asked
for rain checks.
The American Film Co. also calls attention
to the fact that the Capitol Theatre broke
a three and one-half-year policy of showing
double features by running "Frenzy" on a
first run. This show pulled as good as a
double bill although the hot weather reduced
gate receipts throughout town . . . David
Brodsky is doing the redecorating work for
ENTRANCE
AND EXIT
FLOODLIGHTS
DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFG. CO.
^k'c'.'mT"
Gulistan Wilton Theatre Carpet
JOE HORNSTEIN has it!
Humphries Enterprises' Palm at Palmerton,
Pa., Colonial at Palmerton and Arcadia at
Palmerton. Brodsky is also handling the remodel.
ng work for Daniel Katlin's Music
Hall in Lansdale, Pa.
. . .
The former MoUie Mickman came back
recently to visit her old boss, Eddie Gabriel,
at Capitol Film exchange Meryle Conover,
assistant cashier at 20th-Fox, will be
Ann Kreall,
married on September 17 . . .
20th-Fox's biller, is vacation.ng at Wildwood
for two weeks . . . Hattie Fox, 20th-Fox contract
clerk, is also on vacation . . . Gloria
Newman, telephone operator at 20th-Fox, is
in Long Beach, N. Y., on her vacation.
Rosalie Shisler, booker-stenographer at
20th-Pox, is spending her vacation in Atlantic
City, N. J., with her husband . Dunn,
20th-Fox cashier, is also taking it easy on
her vacation . . . Seven hundred patrons filed
out from the Southern Theatre in an orderly
manner after Manager Robert Chrapaty informed
them that there was a fire next door.
Ted Vanett, advertising manager of the
William Goldman Theatres, Inc., returned
from his vacation . Gable, district
manager for Stanley-Warner Theatres, is on
a three-week vacation.
. . . 20th Century-Fox's Ethel Hyman,
Milt Young, Coliunbia's publicity director,
is absorbing the sun's rays on his annual
vacation
contract clerk, is away on her honey-
moon . . . On vacation from 20th Centui'y-
Fox are Harry Fox, contract clerk, and Ann
Jim Reimel, Eagle Lion
Max
Kreall, biller . . .
booker, is back from his vacation . . .
Bronow, Eagle Lion booker and office manager,
is going on vacation to the Laurel
Max
Country club in Monticello, N. Y.
Miller, who does publicity work
. . .
for Eagle
Lion, is working in Buffalo on "Tulsa" and
"Reign of Terror."
"Springtime," an independent picture produced
by Four Continents and released
through the American Film Co., had its first
run day-and-date at six local houses . . .
The Patterson school here was the winner
of first place in an accident prevention contest
sponsored by Roy Rogers, western film
star. A silver trophy will be awarded to
school officials in October.
Joan Jenkins was appointed secretary at
the Capitol Film Exchange . . . Rose Shapiro,
biller, and Marlene Levin, telephone operator
at the Eagle Lion branch, were on vacation
. . . Sidney Weiss of the Philadelphia
Popcorn Co. reported that business had increased
about 20 per cent since Life magazine
published its recent popcorn feature.
Plans for building of a $1,500,000 shopping
center in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia
were disclosed by Samuel Shapiro, who
erected the Midway, Uptown, Ogontz and
Felton theatres . Goff opened
his new 850-car drive-in theatre at Dallas,
Pa. David Moliver, owner of Principal Films,
and his associates were preparing to market
a new game combining the features of bingo
and bank night but ruled legal.
'Lucasta' for Capitol
NEW YORK—Columbia's "Anna Lucasta"
will go into the Capitol Theatre August 11.
Paulette Goddard, Broderick Crawford, William
Bishop, John Ireland and Oscar Homolka
are starred.
BALTIMORE
. . The'
pd Rosenbaum, United Artists exploiteer,
was in town working with Jack Sidney,
Loew publicist, on a campaign for "Blacki
Magic" . . . Lauritz Garman of the Uptown:
staff was vacationing at Cape Cod .
mother of Joe Young, United Artists salesman,
died . . . Margaret Stant, United Artits
office manager, returned from a vacation,
. . . Norman
. . . Oscars
Lorraine Hurley is the new assistant to
Irving Maginnis at the World
Baer of the Walbrook was back from a vaca'
tion in New York . Rose of United
Artists celebrated his birthday
Coblentz of the Alpha and Westway theatres
was named to the MPTO of Maryland public
relations campaign committee . . . Mr. andi
Mrs. Morris Flake left for a vacation to be
spent in Atlantic City . . Dorothy Roberts,
.
"Valencia cashier, returned from a vacation
trip.
Renovation and Building
Jobs on Seven Theatres
PHILADELPHIA — The Paramotmt Decorating
Co. is in the midst of several projec.ts
and reports that construction and remodelii
operations are continuing at a good rate.
Mark Rubinsky is constructing a new thea^
tre, the Uptown, in Harrisburg. This house
is scheduled to open by October 1. Rubinsky
also is redecorating the Lyric in WilliamS'
town.
H. J. Fekas is building a new house th.,
Basie in Greensboro, N. C, L. R. Carson jr. isj
redecorating the Lee Theatre in Crisfield,
Md., and A. W. HUl is putting a new face
on the Hill Theatre in Paulsboro, N. J. Ray
Allison is redecorating the Hollywood in
Johnstown, Pa., and Bristow & Muire is put-i
ting up a new house known as the Rap'
panna in Urbanna, "Va.
Norman Siegel Comes East!
For Youngstein Talks
NEW YORK—Noi-man Siegel, Paramount;
studio director of publicity and advertising!
arrived in New York over the weekend for
conferences with Max E. Youngstein, direct
tor of national advertising, publicity
exploitation.
While here, Siegel will familiarize himsellj
with the operation of Youngstein's depart-)
ment since its recent reorganization. Th«;
two will also discuss campaigns for Ceci
B. DeMille's "Samson and Delilah" ancj
William Wyler's "The Heiress."
'Sword in Desert' Opens
New Criterion Policy
NEW YORK—With the invitational pre
miere of U-I's "Sword in the Desert" Augusi
23, the Criterion Theatre will start a nev
policy of presenting major first run releases
The Criterion, one of the newer Broadwaj
houses, seats 1,600. It will be redecorated anc
a new screen will be installed for the star
of the new policy.
"Sword in the Desert" deals with effort!
to run immigrants through the British blockade
of Palestine. It stars Dana Andrews
Marta Toren and Stephen McNally.
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4wait Drastic Moves
LONDON—What will happen to the Britih
film industry as a result of the Lord
'ortal commission report expected within a
ew weeks and what will happen to the quota
if there is any further decline in producion
are the current topics of speculation
lere.
J. Arthur Rank is dickering for the sale
f theatre assets from his far-flung holdings
or the purpose of raising cash to take care
production deficits.
if
Some observers have even suggested the
lossibility that the Lord Portal report may
ecommend divorcement of exhibition from
iroduction.
2,000,000 PARA. FUND
In the face of the uncertainties banks and
upon pay-
nsurance companies are insisting
ments of advances already made before going
in deeper, and there is a well founded exliectation
that the financing offered by the
overnment will not only not pay off, but
aay stir up criticism in parliament.
The reported negotiations for purchase of
lalf the Canadian Odeon circuit by 20th
Jentury-Fox are understood to be a result
f Rank's need for cash. In this deal, if it
:oes through, 20th-Fox also is expected to
ake over the Leicester Square Theatre.
Paul Raibourn, Paramount vice-president,
las arrived here, and Barney Balaban, presient,
is within easy calling range on the
'rench Riviera. They are trying to figure
vays of investing Paramount's large total
if unremittable funds, said to total about
:;2,000,000.
There is a general uncertainty. Because
Iritish production has not only bogged down
[in quantity but also on quality there is a
^rowing belief that the quota may bounce
)ack to its 25 per cent status.
About 20 pictures are being made by Ameri-
;an companies on this side of the Atlantic,
)Ut they are scattered all over Europe. Some
)f the American films scheduled or being
nade here are quota pictures intended for
ise in the world market.
BRITISH FILMS
iJEARLY 60
The British producers, in their efforts to
nake enough pictures to fiU the product gap
laused by the quota, have made nearly 60
Urns averaging about 7,000 feet in length.
mt exhibitors claim some of them are not
worth top billing and some distributors admit
nost of them will not get far in the export
narket. Th's is the reason for the financial
depsf|irought and the current nervousness
«( TimffiSteiii's
A well known bank is said to have seized
110
e negatives of one important producer.
Attempts to cut production costs have
ched the point where salaries of execuives.
noHunion employes and others not
iOlding contracts are being cut by the British
'ilm Producers Ass'n.
Opens Desert'
Desert
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Circuit Court Upholds
ason-Rose Decision
NEW YORK—The circuit court of appeals
has upheld the decision of the district court.
which ruled last year that a one-picture con
•ract between James Mason and David Rose,
onner Paramount official in England, was
nvalid. Rose had appealed the verdict.
'^HtlieBn'-i*
""^"^t binding
The case originally was filed by Mason who
ilaimed that the pact made in England was
Saratoga Celebrates
Monty Woolley Day
SARATOGA—Film men lent their talents
to the successful promotion of Monty Woolley
day, staged under the auspices of the local
chamber of commerce and honoring the stage
and screen star for the publicity and goodwill
he has won for the resort.
Charles A. Smakwitz, Warner Theatres
zone manager, emceed a noontime program
on the porch of the Grand Union hotel.
Smakwitz played an active part in the publicity
campaign and helped arrange the
banquet which climaxed the day. Charles
W. Brackett. native of Saratoga and a close
friend of Woolley, was instrumental in starting
the celebration. William E. Benton, head
of Benton Theatres, served as a member of
the executive committee.
The Benton circuit's Grand Union Theatre
revived for Monday-Tuesday "Molly and Me,"
starring Woolley and Gracie Fields. The
marquee heralded "Welcome to Saratoga's
Own Monty Woolley" and the front with a
blownup pictui-e of him.
WOOLLEY PRESENTS TROPHIES
Woolley presented trophies at races named
in his honor at the flat track and at the
half-mile Saratoga raceway and rode in a
surrey in a Gay Nineties parade. At the dinner
he made a plea for the preservation of
Saratoga as a city noted for its "healing
waters, its magnificent horses and its great
beauty." He called for a "recapture of the
Saratoga of the past, in some different form."
The bearded actor evoked nostalgic memories
among oldtimers at the dinner with a description
of the Spa and the Grand Union
(which his father operated! in his boyhood
days. He recalled days when Victor Herbert
led a 53-piece symphony orchestra in daily
concerts, on the hotel piazza. Woolley revealed
that he made his first appearance
as an entertainer on a platform in the hotel
garden, doing a sailor's hornpipe.
Pi-esent at the dinner given for Woolley
by Benton were Mrs. Benton, their sons William
jr. and James and daughter Fern;
Frank Williams, Benton booker, and his wife;
Manager and Mrs. Harry Burke of the Community
and Saratoga; James P. Malone, a
Benton manager; Grace Moslin, and Kate
Stowe.
Those present from Albany were Dan Houlihan,
20th -Fox manager, and his wife; Gerry
Atkin. Warner zone director of publicity and
advertising; George O. WiUiam-s, managing
editor of the Times-Union and active 'Variety
Club member; A. J. McDonald, general manager
of the Knickerbocker News; Gerald
Salisbui-y, Knickerbocker managing editor;
Edgar Olinda, Times-Union film critic; Howard
Maschmeier, WPTR program manager,
and Al Kellert, WOKO sales manager.
RKO Pathe Will Produce
Feature in New York City
NEW YORK—RKO Pathe will
produce a
feature film in this city to be released through
RKO Pictures. Shooting will begin this
month from an original script by Phil Reisman
jr. Edward Montagne will direct. The
title and cast are still being selected. Both
Reisman and Montagne have a long list of
RKO Pathe shorts to their credit.
"Voice of Theatre Speakers"
JOE HORNSTEIN has them!
NEFC Picks Committee
To Approve Charter
NEW YORK—The National Exhibitors Film
Co. has named an executive committee of 11
exhibitor members to approve the charter and
bylaws for the new production financing organization.
Final revisions in the corporate
papers were made at an all-day meeting of
executive members at the Waldorf Astoria
hotel August 2 and the charter is expected
to be ready for filing in Delaware in mid-
August. The members of the committee are:
Si H. Fabian, president; Sam Pinanski, chairman
of the board; Ted R. Gamble, M. A.
Lightman sr., George P. Skouras. Edwin Silverman,
Fred Schwartz, Harry Arthur, Meyer
Schine, Sherrill Corwin and J. J. O'Leary.
The organization has tentatively set September
12 as the date for the stockholders
to meet and elect directors and for the latter
to elect officers. Fabian, who is acting head
of the NEFC, will probably be elected president.
Ted R. Gamble, member of the executive
comimttee, left for Portland, Ore., August
3. He expects to return east in Septemer
and plans to make New York the headquarters
of his theatre enterprises.
Laboratory Strike Off,
Continue Wage Talks
NEW YORK—With the temporary postponement
of the threatened strike of 1,800
film technicians, originally set for midnighi.
July 31, wage negotiations are continuing between
Local 702 and representatives of the
19 film processing laboratories in the New
York area, according to Jacob R. Mandelbaum,
assistant regional director of the Federal
Mediation and Conciliation Service.
The postponement came at the last-minute
request of Richard F. Walsh, international
president of lATSE, who telephoned John J.
Francavilla, president of Local 702, asking
for further negotiations with company heads
to break the month-long deadlock. The strike
would have prevented theatres throughout the
country from showing newsreels almost immediately
and would eventually have affected
feature showings.
Francavilla said the union is demanding a
reduction in the work week from 40 to 32
hours without reduction in pay, a management-financed
welfare plan, increased vacations,
11 holidays instead of eight, increased
night differential for the midnight shift and
severance pay. The present contract expired
June 19, and Walsh said the companies have
promised retroactive pay on any new agreement.
The representative council of Screen Publiscists
Guild has unanimously recommended
calling a strike vote at the next membership
meeting in mid-August. The Federal Conciliation
Service has been meeting with both
sides on a new wage contract but negotiations
have now reached an impasse, according to
SPG.
RKO Holds Four Screenings
NEW YORK—RKO will hold four tradescreenings
in all exchange centers. These
include the following: "I Married a Communist"
and "The Mysterious Desperado" Tuesday,
August 16; "Savage Splendor" Wednesday,
August 17, and "Follow Me Quietly"
Thm-sday, August 18. except New York, where
it has already been shown.
lOXOFHCE :: August 6, 1949
46-C

Foreign Audiences Flock
To See American Films
NEW YORK—American films continue to
do a big business around the world, reports
the Motion Picture Export Ass'n. In evidence,
it points out that some Czechoslovakians
make a pretty good living just by selling
their places in theatre lines, Yugoslav patrons
are fighting outside theatres to see American
films again and Austrians are still buying
tickets despite an increasing cost of living.
"Boomerang" (20th-Fox), which opened
SRO at Vienna's Imperial, continued that
way through its first week. Equal drawing
power is being shown by "Flame of the Barbary
Coast" (Rep) at the Schaeffer and
Kreuz. "Foxes of Harrow" (20th-Fox) is in
its fourth Viennese week at the Gartenbau
and second week at the Triumph, Innsbruck.
Recent Vienna openings included "The Amazing
Mrs. HoUiday" (U-I) and "Destination
Tokyo" (WB). The longest current run Is
credited to "Buffalo Bill" (20th-Fox) which
has lasted seven weeks and looked good for
another two. "Love Letters" (Para) was another
doing a good business in the capital.
"State Fair" (20th-Fox) got off to a good
start at the Union in Graz.
In Prague, "Arabian Nights" (U-I), simultaneously
running at the Blanik and Metro,
reached its seventh big week. "The Adventiu'es
of Robin Hood" (WB) was ending its
sixth big week day-and-date at the Sevastopal
and Svetozar. In the provinces, "Robin
Hood" was going strong.
"His Butler's Sister" (Col) set a new record
in Warsaw by completing its seventh week
and was in its tenth week. It had practically
equaled the grosses of "National Velvet"
(MGM) when that film ran some months
ago. Amazing business was being done in
Poznan by "Gulliver's Travels" (Para) and
in Wroclaw by "The Hunchback of Notre
Dame" (RKO). In subsequent run houses,
excellent time is an average total of 10 to 14
days. "The Lost Weekend" (Para) had just
finished a two-week run. "Music for Millions"
(MGM) and "Dragonwyck" (20th-
Fox) were successes in Krakow. "Between Us
Girls" (U-I), "Second Fiddle" (20th-Fox)
and "Ziegfeld Girl" (MGM) were doing well
at the second runs at Katowice.
Raibourn Plans Overseas
Television in Theatres
NEW YORK—Paul Raibourn, Paramount
vice-president and television expert, will leave
for Europe late this month to try to get the
authorities in England and France to agree
to the use of large-screen television in Paramount
theatres in London and Paris.
The same type of film-from-tube equipment
now in successful use at the Paramount
Theatre in New York would be installed.
Emphasis would be on Paramount
picking up its own shows.
DeRochemont Gets Award
NEW YORK—The Protestant Motion Picture
Council has chosen Louis DeRochemont's
"Lost Boundaries" as the September picture
of the month. The award in the form of
a bronze plaque has been presented to De-
Rochemont and Film Classics by Mrs. Jesse
M. Badger, national chairman.
MPEA that "Watch on
Prague reported to
the Rhine" (WB) and "Tarzan's Secret Treasure"
(MGM), the first two features released
under the Eric Johnston-Marshall Tito pact.
were doing about maximum business. "Tarzan"
was grossing records in the other key
cities. Other successful films were "Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington" (Col), "Madame
Curie" (MGM) and "A Night in Casablanca"'
(UA).
The opening of "The Life of Emile Zola"
(WB), set for July 4, was delayed by the
sudden death of Prime Minister Dimitrov,
when all theatres closed. A number of MPEA
releases have recently been screened by Bulgarska
Kinematographia, and MPEA reports
the outlook is favorable.
Charles Core, MPEA managing director in
Indonesia, reported that MPEA billings for
the week ending June 18 topped all previous
records and that this year should show a
substantial improvement over 1948. "The
Yearling" (MGM) did fabulous business during
a three-week run in Batavia, and
"Tycoon" (RKO) was pulling strongly dayand-date
at two leading houses. "State Fair,"
"Song of Bernadette" (20th-Fox) and "Road
to Zanzibar" (Para) were doing well second
run. In Soerabaya, the top films were "Naked
City" (U-I), "Mr. Bug Goes to Town" (Para)
and "Tycoon," and in Bandoeng they were
"The Green Years" (MGM) and "Tangier"
(U-I).
Japan still prefers American films. After
a fine four-week road showing of "The Treasure
of Sierra Madre" (WB), "Secret Heart"
(MGM) became the current hit. It was playing
at the Hibiya. "The Yearling" was doing
top business at the Subaru-Za and a record
run was expected. Other successful films were
"The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer" (RKO),
"I'll Be Yours" (U-I), "Song of Bernadette"
(20th-Fox), "A Song to Remember" (Col),
"Call Northside 777" (20th-Pox), "Green
Dolphin Street" (MGM, "Who Done It?"
(U-I), "The Thin Man" (MGM), "Experiment
Perilous" (RKO), "Affairs of Susan"
(Para), and "The Exile" and "A Double
Life" (U-I).
Small Leaves for Coast;
EL Deal Is in Abeyance
NEW YORK—Edward Small left for the
west coast August 4 following a four-week visit
during which he discussed the deal to take
over direction of Eagle Lion with Robert R.
Young, head of Pabhe Industries, EL parent
company. The conclusion of the deal now depends
upon EL securing the financing for a
two-year production program of 40 pictures.
Gamble, Schlaifer Sign
NEW YORK—Charles Schlaifer & Co. has
been named as advertising agency and public
relations consultant for Ted Gamble Enterprises,
which operates in Coos Bay, Hood
River, North Bend and Portland, Ore.; Akron
and Steubenville, Ohio, and New Castle, Pa.,
and the Greater Indianapolis Amusement
Co., operators of first run and neighborhood
houses.
MPEA Representation
For Nine in Austria
NEW YORK — Nine of the ten member
companies of the Motion Picture Export Ass'n
have approved continuance of MPEA distribution
in Austria until Aug. 31, 1950. The
original three-year licensing agreement was
due to end the last of this month. United
Artists will sell independently in Austria.
The signers of the new contract are Allied
Artists, Columbia, MGM, Paramount, Republic,
RKO, 20th Century-Fox, Universal-International
and Warner Bros.
Earlier this year, the MPEA board of directors
voted to extend licenses in Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania,
USSR and Yugoslavia until the 1950 date.
The board has also agreed to continue the
present MPEA operation in Germany and
Indonesia until the end of this year.
Afterwards,
the member companies plan to sell
individually in these two territories, using
the facilities of an MPEA service organization.
Future inclusion of Japan and Korea withldi
the MPEA sphere of activity is still in doubt,
but Japan probably will be included because
of the deal just negotiated with the U.S.
army which will allow MPEA to take $1,600,-
000 instead of $200,000 out of Japan during
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1950. The
Korean negotiations are still continuing with
government officials in Washington.
Austria Cuts Production
WASHINGTON—Only 12 features wil be
produced in Austria this year, compared with
22 last year, the Commerce department reports.
Tighter bank credit has caused the cutback
in production, the report said.
MPEA Members Talk Over
New German Sales Setup
NEW ^YORK—Operational, personnel and
physical problems Involved In the taking over
by individual members of the Motion Picture
Export Ass'n of independent selling in Germany
Jan. 1, 1945, and establishment of a
MPEA service organization there were discussed
August 2 by the board of directors.
United Artists, whish had not previously
signed an agreement for extension of distribution
there by MPEA, authorized the organization
to continue distribution of its released
product in Germany for the balance
of the year.
Irving Maas, vice-president and general
manager, reported on the outcome of finail'
cial negotiations with the department of the
army over increased dollar remittances from
Japan. He emphasized that the deal is not
yet in the final stage.
Charles Mayer, MPEA managing director
for Japan and Korea, attended and reported
on those countries.
Ad Agencies Make Tieup
NEW YORK—Donahue & Coe and William
Kester & Co., advertising agencies, have
completed an arrangement whereby the contact
departments of both firms and the fa^
duties of both the New York and Los Angeles
offices will be jointly available to independ
ent motion picture and commercial accounts^
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: August 6, 19

•
'
''
I
BOXOFFICE
NEWS AND VIEWS OF THE PRODUCTION CEINTER
(Hollywood Oijice — Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd.: Ivan Spear, Western Manager)
* 'iMpri^ year, fi
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(i: roductions,
headed by Producer-Director Arthur
Dreifuss, to make a series of six westerns.
The initialer, "Osage," is slated to roll late
.this month on location in Oklahoma with
Edward Norris and Noel Neill in the toplines.
Bob Gilbert producing and Oliver Drake
as the director.
Independent Producers
Named to Council Jobs
HOLLYWOOD—Members of the Society
of Independent Motion Picture Producers
have been appointed to key committee positions
within the Motion Picture Industry
Council, rounding out the recent acceptance
of the SIMPP into council ranks.
Gunther R. Lessing, chairman of the
SIMPP's executive committee, wiU serve on
the organization and procedures committee
and the MPIC executive committee. Other
appointments include George L. Bagnall,
agreements and program committee; James
Nasser, finance; Roy Disney, liaison; and
Marvin L. Faris, public relations.
August 17 Premiere
Slated for 'Morning'
HOLLYWOOD — "Top O' the Morning,"
Paramount's new Bing Crosby starrer, will
be given its world premiere August 17 in
Bridgeport, Conn. Plans are now being formulated
to send a contingent of studio players
east for personal appearances.
• » *
Special showing of a new MGM Tom and
Jerry cartoon, "Saturday Evening Puss," was
held Wednesday by Fred Quimby, head of
the studio cartoon department, for disk
jockeys and recording company representatives.
The cartoon deals with the trials and
tribulations of platter-spinners.
* * *
Republic's "The Fighting Kentuckian,"
starring John Wayne and Vera Ralston,
PhUip Dorn and Oliver Hardy, will have its
world premiere at the Saenger Theatre in
New Orleans September 10. Following the
premiere, the picture is set to open at the
Majestic theatres of the Interstate circuit in
Dallas, San Antonio and Houston on September
15, and at the Worth in Fort Worth a
week later.
Marta Toren and Jeff Chandler will plane
to New York early next week for advance
promotion and personal appearances at the
world premiere of U-I's "Sword in the
Desert." Picture will open at the Criterion
Theatre August 23.
Aid Navy Relief Fund
HOLLYWOOD—Headed by Jane Russell
and Billy DeWolfe, a contingent of -screen
personalities participated in a fund-raising
program for the navy relief society, eleventh
district, in San Diego July 29. The group
also included Paul Lees, Paramount player
and the most decorated marine of World
War II, and Mary Hatcher.
Goldwyn Studio Sale
Is Ordered by Court
HOLLYWOOD—Bringing, to a close a
lengthy legal dispute over control of the
property, immediate sale of the 18-acre
studio site now occupied by Samuel Goldwyn
has been ordered by Superior Judge
Paul Nourse, who set a minimum price of
$1,500,000 on the studio and ruled that the
proceeds are to be divided among the owners.
The ruling immediately posed the question
as to where Goldwyn may make his production
headquarters in the future, since there
is the admitted possibility that the studio
may be sold out from under him to a purchaser
who may wish to utilize its facilities
himself. In this i-egard the producer limited
himself to a brief "no statement to make
at this time."
It was pointed out by a Goldwyn spokesman,
however, that it is entirely within the
realm of possibility that Goldwyn himself
might enter an acceptable bid to purchase
the site.
Goldwyn initiated the court action nearly
a year ago in an effort to untangle nearly
30 years of leasehold complications, and
naming Mary Pickford as the defendant.
Miss Pickford, Goldwyn and the latter's
Formosa Corp. are the three present owners.
Judge Nourse had previously ruled that
Goldwyn, who had leased the property, was
entitled to remove a sound stage, several
smaller buildings and some $300,000 worth of
fixtures which he installed during his tenancy.
The referees have been instructed to
sell the studio as a whole rather than to
divide it into real estate, as had been requested
by Miss Pickford.
Academy Slates Tribute
To Ethel Barrymore
HOLLYWOOD—The Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences will sponsor a national
radio tribute to Ethel Barrymore on
August 15, the occasion of her 70th birthday
and in honor of her 50 years on the stage and
screen. The program will be carried over
the American Broadcasting Co., which is
contributing the time.
Richard Powers Quits MGM
HOLLYWOOD—Richard Powers has resigned
as head of the MGM music department,
effective August 1. He plans to form
an independent production company to turn
out a string of musical features. Prior to
his five-year tenure with the Culver City
studio. Powers was west coast head for
Ascap.
Asast'
:
: August 6, 1949
47

u
STUDIO PERSONNELITIES
Barnstormers
Metro
Actress MARCIA VAN DYKE appeared at San
Francisco's Warlield Theatre in connection with the
"
screening of "The Good Old Summertime, in which
she is featured with Judy Garland and Van Johnson.
20th Century-Fox
ANNE BAXTER and GEORGE JESSEL, star and producer
of "You're My Everything," planed out for
personal appearances at the Milwaukee and Chicago
openings ol the film.
Briefies
Metro
Fourth in the Pete Smith Have You Ever Wondered
series is "In Case You're Curious," to be_directed
by David Barclay and scripted by James Uruen.
RKO Radio
"Groan and Grunt," two-reeler featuring Gil Lamb,
has gone into production with Hal Yates dil-ecting
and George Bilson producing. Doron Cox is assistant
direcitor.
Cleifers
Columbia
Signed for sequences in "Cargo to Capetown"
were the DEVI DJA troupe of Javanese dancers and
musicians.
Monogram
Producer Barney Gerard set EDDIE KAY to score
"Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters."
Screen Guild
Assigned to compose, orchestrale and conduct the
score for Producer Leonard Picker's "Apache Chief"
was ALBERT GLASSER.
United Artists
Producer Colin Miller inked WERNER HEYMANN
to write the musical score for "A Kiss for Corliss."
PAUL SA'WTELL will conduct.
Warners
M. K. JEROME and JACK SCROLL, song-writing
and composing team, have been signed to prepare
a complete musical score for "The Daughter of
Rosie O'Grady."
Lognouts
Universal-International
WANDA HENDRIX, on loan from Poramourit, will
star with husband Audie Murphy in "Sierra," to be
produced by Michel Kraike.
Meggers
Columbia
LLOYD BACON was set to meg "The Fuller Brush
Girl," Lucille Ball starrer to be produced by Nat
Perrin.
Metro
Director GEORGE SIDNEY was handed a new term
contract.
VINCENTE MINNELLI was assigned to direct the
Lana Turner vehicle, "A Life of Her Own," for
Producer Voldemar Vetluguin.
Monogram
OSCAR BOETTICHER was signed to meg^ "Wolf
Hunters," second in Producer Lindsley Parsons' series
of James Oliver Curwood stories starring Kirby
Grant.
Producer Lindsley Parsons inked WILLIAM BEAU-
DINE to direct the next Jimmie Davis starrer.
"Square Dance Kdty."
20th Century-Fox
Reoptioned for another year was Writer-Director
RICHARD SALE.
Universal-International
ALFRED GREEN was signed for the megging
chore on "Sierra," Audie Murphy-Wonda Hendrix
starrer to be produced by Leonard Goldstein.
Warners
Assigned for production by LOUIS F. EDELMAN
were "Bureau of Missing Persons" and "The Loan
Shdrk Racket."
Handed the production reins on "Man Without
Friends" was HENRY BLANKE.
Options
Columbia
MARY JANE SAUNDERS will play the moppet role
m S. Sylvan Simon's production, "A Mother for
May."
Femme lead opposite Willard Parker in "Stranglehold"
will be LOLA ALBRIGHT. Seymour Friedman
directs the Rudolph Flothow production. Signed as
the femme heavy in "Stranglehold" wds HILLARY
BROOKE.
ADELE JERGENS will play the feminine heavy in
the Joan Davis starrer, "The Traveling Saleswoman.
Chuck Reisner directs for Producer Tony Owen.
Independent
Mid-Continent Pictures signed Broadway actress
PEGGY BENNION to play featured roles in two pictures
starring Michael O'Shea, based on the U.S.
security patrol.
Metro
Set to join Joel McCrea in the cast of "Outriders"
were ARLENE DAHL and BARRY SULLIVAN Roy
Rowland directs for Producer Richard Goldstone.
Signed for a featured role was RAMON NAVARRO.
WALTER SLEZAK draws a top featured role in
Producer Richard Goldstone's Red Skelton starrer,
"The Yellow Cab Man," to be directed by Jack
Donahue.
RICHARD RICHONNE and ELEONORA MENDELS-
SOHN make initial screen appearances in 'The
Knife," Gene Kelly starrer to be directed by Richard
Thorpe and produced bv William 'H. Wright. MARC
LA'WnENCE. JIMMY LAGANO and professional football
star TONY DANTE also join the cast.
FLORENCE LAKE joins Robert Taylor, John Hodiak
and Arlene Dahl in the cast of Producer Armand
Deutsch's "Ambush," under the direction of Sam
Wood.
Inked for a prominent role in Vol Lewton's production,
"Please Believe Me," was CAROL SAV-
AGE. Norman Taurog directs the Deborah Kerr-
Mark Stevens-Peter Lawford-Robert Walker starring
picture.
Assigned the feminine lead opposite Robert Taylor
in "Devil's Doorwrfy" was PAULA RAYMOND.
Nicholas Nayfack will produce and Anthony Mann
direct.
Monogram
STEVE CLARK. TERRY FROST. BUD OSBORNE,
BEATRICE MAUDE and CARL CURTIS were cast in
the Jimmy Wakely starrer, "Lcfwless Code."
RENO BROWNE was signed for the femme lead
opposite Whip Wilson in "Riders of the Dusk."
RICHARD LANE, television announcer, was cast
as a singing policeman in "There's a Girl in My
Heart."
Paramount
Signed for the cast of the Alan Ladd-Phvllis Calvert
starrer, "Postal Inspector," was FRANK HAG-
NEY. MURRAY ALPER also has on important role.
Lewis Allen directs for Producer Robert Fellows.
Vaudevillian FRED SWEENEY was inked for the
cast of "Where Men Are Men," Bob Hope vehicle
to be directed by George MarshctU for Producer
Robert Welch.
SHEPPARD STRUD'WTCK was signed for a role in
the Fred Astaire-Betty Button vehicle, "Let's Dance."
Norman McLeod directs for Producer Robert Fellows.
Producers Pine and Thomas booked JOHN PAYNE
and RHONDA FLEMING to star with Dennis O'Keefe
in "The Eagle and the Hawk," to be directed by
Lewis R. Foster. FRED CLARK will play a featured
role.
Broadway star LYLE BETTGER was signed to a
long-term contract after his initial screen performance
in the Barbara Stanwyck-John Lund topliner,
'"The Lie."
RKO Radio
Vanguard Films-Selznick studio exercised its option
on the services of actor GUY MADISON.
Signed for a key role in the cast headed bv Glenn
Ford and Valli for "The White Tower" was CLAUDE
RAINS.
'Producer Sol Lesser selected VANESSA BROWN
as the new Jane in his Tarzan series, with her
first appearance in the role to be "Tdrzan and the
Slave Girl." Lex Barker plays the title role and
ROBERT ALDA has a role. Lee Sholem directs.
Added to the cast of the Tim Holt western, "Range
War," were EDWARD CASSIDY and RICHARD KEAN.
Lesley Selander directs for Producer Herman
Schlom.
TIM HARTMAN, 7-year-oId son of Don Hartman,
who produces and directs the Robert Mitchum starrer.
"Christmas Gift," makes his screen detut in
that film.
Republic
Assigned a top fealured role in the Roy Rogers
vehicle, "Bells of Co'ronado," was GRANT 'WITH-
ERS. Other castings in the film, which WiUiam
Witney directs for Producer Edward T. White, include
CLIFTON YOUNG STUART RANDALL and
ROBERT BICE. DALE EVANS. PAT BRADY, FOY WIL-
LING and the
RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE were
signed for featured roles
FRANK FENTON. GEORGE MEEKER, ROY BAR-
CROFT, NEYLE MORROW and ARTHUR WALSH are
additions to the cast of Producer Mel Tucker's
Monte Hale starrer, "Ranger of Cherokee Strip."
Also in the cast are DOUGLAS KENNEDY and ALICE
TALTON. PAUL HURST is set to provide the comedy
relief.
Screen Guild
Producer Leonard Picker signed ALAN CURTIS
to share top billing with Carol Thurston in "Apache
Chief," to be directed by Frank McDonald. TOM I
NEAL stars with Curtis. Assigned a featured rolej
was HAZEL NIELSON.
United Artists
Benedict Bogedus inked WAYNE MORRIS for oneji
of the leads in "Johnny One-Eye," to be directed by
j
Robert Florey.
Universal-International
Signed to play a police captain in "The Story ol
Molly X" was CHARLES McGRAW. Crane Wilbur]
directs the June Havoc starrer for Producer Aaron;
Rosenberg. Radio actor Elliott Lewis was signed forj
a top feature role. Assigned to star with Miss
Havoc was JOHN RUSSELL, replacing Scott "Brady,,
who had to withdraw because of conflicting production
schedules.
PEDRO DECORDOBA and RICK VALLIN were
inked for the cast of "The Bowie Story."
TAYLOR HOLMES and JOHN LITEL were signed
for featured roles in the Ida Lupino vehicle, "Fugitive
From Terror," to be directed by Michael Gordon
for Producer Michel Krcfike.
JEFF CHANDLER will play his hrst starring role in
"Death on a Side Street," to be produced by Leonard
Goldstein.
VERNA FELTON, HARRY RAYMOND and PETER
VIRGO were signed for supporting roles in Producer
Robert Arthur's Yvonne DeCarlo starrer, "Buccaneer's
Girl," under the direction of Frederick De
Cordova^
Signed for "East of Java," to be directed by H-
Bruce Humberstone for Producer Michel Kraike, were
TONY WARD. PETER LEEDS,
FRANK HAGNE? andA
CARL SKLOVER.
MEG RANDALL and RICHARD LONG will play
the romantic leads in "Ma and Pa Kettle Go to
Town."
Warners
Signed for the Milton Berle vehicle, "Always
Leave Them Laughing," was lULIUS TANNEN. Roy
Del Ruth directs the Jerrv Wald production. Also
signed were IRIS ADRIAN, for a feature role, and
JEROME COWAN.
Irish-born actor SEAN McCLORY was signed to a
seven-year contract and given an important _role
with June Haver and Gordon MacRae in "The
Dcmahter of Rosie O'Grady." David Butler directs
and William Jacobs produces. MARCIA MAE JONES
will play June Haver's sister.
LYNN SHERMAN, daughter of Harry "Pop" Sher
man, one-time producer of the Hopalong Cdssidy
series, makes her screen debut as one of the
prison inmates in "The Cage," to be directed by
John Cromwell for Producer Jerry Wald.
NESTOR PAIVA draws a featured role with KIRK
DOUGLAS in "Young Man With a Horn," being
directed by Michael Curtiz for Producer Jerry Wald
Set for ct featured role was JEROME COWAN. .
DORIS DAY and ZACHARY SCOTT will star ir
"Painting the Clouds With Sunshine," to be produced
by Harry Kurnitz.
Scripters
Columbia
Assigned to write the screenplay for their original
"The Naked Eye," were GITA LE'WIS and HENRI-
ETTE MARTIN. Richard Berger will produce.
Universal-International
MILTON GUNZBURG was inked to do a polish jot
on "Sierra," Audie Murphy-Wanda Hendrix starrer
to be produced by Michel Kraike.
Signed to screenplay his own original story
"Death On a Side Street," was LAWRENCE KIMBLE
Leonard Goldstein will produce.
Story Buys
Independent
Kildine Productions, headed by actor Frank Sund
Strom, has purchased rights to Robert Neumann :
novel, "Children of Vienna."
"The Man on the Run," American magazine seria
bv Svlvia Tate, was purchased bv, the ..Howar(
Welsch-Robert Peters company. Fidelity Pictures.
Norma Productions hds purchased film rights 1c
the Theodore Dreiser story, "St. Columba and th'
River." Harold Hecht and Burt Lancaster will pro
duce the film, which will star Lancaster.
RKO Radio
Purchased was "Eye Witness to a Murder," docu
mentary by Tom Gwynne, to be directed by Alfrei
Werker and produced by Jack Gross. Carl Laml
is working on the screenplay.
Republic
"Powder River," original screenplay by Richan
Wormser, was purchased and assigned to Gordol
Kay for production as the initial film on the studio
1949-50 program of Allan "Rocky" Lane sdgebrushers
United Artists
James Nasser and Monte Proser have acquirei
48
BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 194S

,
August
'
"Two a Day," life story of Schenck, the
vaudeville comedians, which
Van
was
&
originally being
prepared for production by Not Goidsione^ Tony
Marun, Nat Pernn and Danny Dare.
Warners
Film rights were acquired to "Fallen Star," forthcoming
novel by Margaret Gruen, with the author
set to do the screenplay.
Technically
Independent
Assigned to photograpn Niven Busch's "Daybreak"
was LDWARD CRONJAGER.
Metro
Assignments on "The Big Hcmgover" include BILL
KAPLAN, unit manager; MAR\UN STUART, assistant
to Director Norman Krasna; PAUL GROESSL, art
director, and JOE RUTTENBLRG, cameraman.
Named unit manager and art director, respectively,
on "Yellow Cdb Man." were CHARLIE LhVlN ana
EDDIE IMAZU.
JAY MARCHANT was assigned as unit manager
and LEO VASIAN as art director on Nicholas Naytack's
production, "Devil's Doorway."
ARGYLE NELSON, unit manager; JACK GERTSMAN.
assistant director; PRESTON AMES, art director, and
CHARLES SCHOENBAUM, cameraman, were assigned
to Richard Goldstone's production, "Outriders."
JOHN DEPALMA, Los Angeles publicity man, was
named as technical adviser on "ihe Knite" because
of his experience with extortion gangs, with which
the Gene Kelly starrer deals. Crew assignments
include GABRlEL SCOGNAMILLO, art director;
IrtVlNE WARBURTON, film editor, and JOHN TRUWh,.
makeup.
Cinematographer ROBERT SURTEES was assigned
to "King Solomon's Mines," to be lilmed in Africa.
Paramount
MARY KAY DODSON was assigned to design the
wardrobe for PhiUis Calvert in 'Postal Inspector."
Assigned as art director on the Robert Fellows'
WuzMn
production was ALBERT NOZAKI. Lewis Allen
directs.
BILLY DANIELS was signed to stage the musical
numbers tor Producer Robert Welch's Bob Hope
starrer, "Where Men Are Men.
HOWARD PINE will serve as assistant to Director
Lewis R. Foster on Pine and Thomas' "The Eagle
and the Hawk."
20th Century-Fox
SOL HALPRIN has been held for another year
as head of the camera department and laboratory.
Universal-Intemational
cm 3Ku: :j Cue u ^ Ueut. Com. K. D. IAIN MURRAY, R. N. (Ret.),
% Co^e' % b< diredejii naval architect and historian, was signed cJs technical
adviser for "Buccaneer's Girl."
N«r Itq M.
• ¥r T*. : Ha," Wl
Warners
Named art director for "The Glass Menagerie" was
ROBERT HAAS.
Designer BILL TRAVILLA was assigned to do the
I Ic jouu.
wardrobe for the Gordon MacRae-June Haver starrer,
"The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady."
Title Changes
RKO Radio
EASY LIVING was chosen as the release title for
„, r* irns otJ HIV.
Producer Robert Sparks story ot protessional iootball,
filmed as "Interference."
Republic
-:tion(iI
ALIAS THE CHAMP is the new tag on Producer
Stephen Auer's comedy-mystery,
"Pardon My Toehold."
formerly entitled
Universal-International
Producer Leonard Goldstein's Donald O'Connor
starrer. "Half a Buccaneer," was refilled DOUBLE
CROSS BONES.
Universal-International
"Ma and Pa Kettle in New York," Marjorie Main-
Percy Kilbride starrer, has had a' title
MA AND PA KETTLE GO TO TOWN.
switch to
; ..:'*, .Hoi*: Actors Guild Cancels
r.-iii'PidllW-
Agreement With SPG
HOLLYWOOD—Because the Screen Publicists
'""
Guild currently is not affiliated with
a national labor organization, the Screen Actors
TO S3
Guild has canceled the collective bar-
gaining contract between the two organizations
covering the employment of publicists
by the SAG. The SAG notification of this
jipiibGc
action stated that its contract, originally
signed in 1945, had been with the SGP as an
AFL organization and that when the SPG
laES
withdrew recently from the AFL, the contract
was canceled automatically.
BOXOFFICE August 6, 1949
[OFTICS
k
THERE are a
few faint indications that,
at long last, the motion picture industry's
public relations may move out
of their long-occupied position as a counterpart
of Mark Twain's weather, about which
everyone talked and no one did anything.
Coming up in Chicago is an all-industry
gathering, which will understake to prepare
the blueprints for a concentrated and coordinated
drive to boost filmdom, its personalities
and its product, in the esteem of
the general public. At the session, slated to
be held in the Windy City in the latter days
of August, ways and means of achieving that
goal will be discussed by a committee comprising
representatives of six participating
industry groups, to wit, the MPAA, Theatre
Owners of America, Allied States, Society of
Independent Motion Picture Producers, and
Pacific Coast Conference of Independent
Theatre Owners.
The gathering will be under
the chairmanship of Francis Harmon, MPAA
vice-president and sparkplug of that organization's
committee en exhibitor and public
relations, of which group Ned E. Depinet,
RKO Radio president, is chairman.
More arresting, and so far more effective
at least from a Hollywood perspective—is
the recent action of the Motion Picture Industry
Council, that all-Hollywood group
set up many months ago for the aimounced
purpose of improving the overall public relations
of Cinemania. After a considerable
period of floundering—during which its
planned program was thrown for several
Mitchum and the assorted
losses by I'affaire
vagaries of others of filmdom's pampered
darlings—MPIC found something into which
its teeth could be sunk. The tooth-sinking
was a cheering and unusual manifestation
of fortitude which augurs well for the future
work of the organization.
The series of articles, luridly titled
"Hollywood:
Fame or Shame," appearing in the
tabloid Los Angeles Mirror, and which silly
stretch for sensationalism was recently discussed
in this space, was the object of MPIC's
initial demonstration that Hollywood finally
is prepared to fight back at its unreasonable
hecklers.
Pulling no punches, the MPIC notified Mirror
Publisher VirgO Pinkley that it considered
the "Fame or Shame" articles "a journalistic
distortion for purposes of pure sensationalism"
and further informed that the
writings were "so reckless, unworthy and irresponsible"
that they defeated "any constructive
purpose to which they might have
been dedicated."
The communication to Pinkley, signed by
MPIC Chairman Cecil B. DeMille and other
council leaders representing some 35,000 industry
workers, belabored the Mirror for "so
improperly and unfairly" giving "free rein
to the highly discolored statements of unfortunates
whose counterparts could be found
in any large-size American city," and added
that, while the MPIC does not regard the
industry and its people as being "above criticism
when that criticism is honest, sincere and
justified," none of. those vn-tues of criticism
"can be applied to the content of these
articles."
While the letter of protest to Publisher
Pinkley bore the support and signatures of
Hollywood's top brass, including DeMille,
Ronald Reagan, Roy M. Brewer and Dore
Schary, there are two behind-the-scenes
workers who rate bows, having brought the
action to a head. They are Art Arthur,
executive secretary of MPIC, and Arch Reeve,
secretary of the studio publicity directors'
committee.
In precipitating the strong protest against
the obvious and unfair exaggerations contained
in the Mirror's "expose" articles,
Arthur and Reeve were fighting more than the
strictly local and fortunately limited harm
done by the highly-colored blasts. Reportedly,
an effort was being made by the Mirror's
management to syndicate the "Fame
or Shame" series to metropolitan newspapers
throughout the country. If given wider circulation—most
especially in the hinterlands,
where the public is always aU too eager to
hear about and believe the worst of Hollywood
and its citizens—the Mirror's murky
meanderings could have become really serious.
At this writing, indications are that the
industry's concerted action in protesting
them has blocked the syndication plans. And
whether it has or hasn't, Arthur, Reeve, et al,
rate a big "A" for effort.
The current and ever-increasing craze for
square-dancing might prove the solution of
the problem posed by the alarming number
of unemployed Hollywood publicists. Their
past experience and proficiency in doubletalk
should qualify them to become expert
square-callers.
Intelligence from Alex Evelove's Burbank
blurbery reveals that the Warner studio obtained
"a special sound-track of bird sounds
and other wild-life noises, recorded in Australia"
for use in Alfred Hitchcock's Transatlantic
Pictures' "Under Capricorn."
A recorder planted in Anxious Alex's office
for five minutes could have accomplished the
same purpose—and much cheaper.
Norman Siegel's Paramount praisery broadcasts,
"Melville Cooper, veteran New York
character actor who launched a successful
motion picture career 18 months ago, has
Paramount's Tech-
been importantly cast in
nicolor musical, 'Let's Dance.'
A look at the record reveals that Actor
Cooper made his first picture in Hollywood
in 1936 and has been appearing in films
on and off—ever since.
The rate of speed at which things move
in Siegel's sanctum possibly makes 13 years
seem like 18 months—or vice versa.
49

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Six New Bills in Los Angeles
Boost Grosses Above Average
LOS ANGELES—Six new bills
graced local
fii'st run marquees and, despite warm weather
that sent thousands scurry. ng to beaches and
mountain resorts, the general boxoffice average
was well above normal. Strongest among
the new contenders, carding a 140 per cent
rating, was "Look for the Silver Lining,"
while two other newcomers, "Not Wanted"
and "The Blue Lagoon," were right on its
heels with a 130 per cent estimate.
(Average Is 100)
Belmont, Culver, El Rey, Guild, Iris, Crpheum
Not Wanted (FC); The Lovable Cheat (FC) 130
Chinese, Stele, Uptown, Loyola You're My Everything
(20th-Fox); Temptation Harbor (Mono),
2nd wk no
Fine Arts—The Red Shoes (EL), 31st wk 70
Rilz, Studio City, United Artists, Vogue—The Blue
Lagoon (U-1); Hold That Baby (Mono) 130
Downtown, Hollywood Paramounts The Great
Gatsby (Para), Ringside (SG)- 10b
EgyotiCTn, Los Angeles, Wilshire Any Number
Can Play (MOM), 2nd wk 120
Four Music Halls—Too Late lor Tears (UA) 90
Four Star—Edward. My Son (MGM), 5th wk 110
Pontages, Hillstreel—Mr. Soft Touch (Col):
Barbary Pirate (Col) 105
Warners Hollywood, Downtown, Wiltern — Look
ior the Silver Lining (WB) 140
Reissue of 'Wizard of Oz'
Leads Frisco With 190
SAN FRANCISCO—Whizzing way up in
front and out of reach was the reissue opening
of "The Wizard of Oz" at the St. Francis
Theatre with a loud 190 per cent. Second spot
honors were split between the opening of "Not
Wanted" at the Golden Gate and "The Lady
Gambles" at the Orpheum, both with 150
per cent.
Esquire The Lost Tribe (Col); Omoo, Omoo, the
Shark God (SG) 125
Fox—House ot Strangers (20th-Fox); Forbidden
Street (20lh-Fox) -^ 140
Golden Gate Not Vvanted (FC); Mississippi
Rhythm (Mono) 150
Orpheum The Lady Gambles (U-I); One Woman's
Story (U-1) 150
Paramount—The Stratton Story (MGM); Daughter
of the West (FC), 3rd wk 100
St. Francis-The Wizard of Oz (MGM), reissue. 190
State ^Sorrowful Jones (Para); Amazon Quest
(FC). 5th wk 7b
United Artists Africa Screams (UA); Prairie
Pirates (U-I short), 3rd wk 110
United Na'tons Reign of Terror (EL); Sleeping
Car to Trieste (EL), Znd d. t. wk 90
Warlield—In the Good Old Summertime (MGM);
Temptation Harbor (Mono) 140
'Any Number' Opens With 140
To Place Second in Seattle
SEATTLE—Wet weather during most of the
SCREENO
The Original Screen Game Is Again
Packing Them In!
Call Gordon Allen Collect
Lucerne 2-0210
1074 Medford, Hayward, Californio
NEO-SEAL BURIAL WIRE
FOR IMMEDIATE DEUVEHY
DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFG. CO.
''^HfZ'"
week helped hold grosses up to above average
in most cases. "Any Number Can Play"
(MGM) had a very satisfactory opening at
140. Warners' "Girl From Jones Beach" and
UA's "Home of the Brave" split top honors
in their second weeks, grossing 150 each.
Blue Mouse—The Big Steal (RKO); Stagecoach
Kid (RKO), 2nd d t wk 90
Coliseum Calamity Jane and Sam Bass (U-I);
Thunder in the Pines (SG) 120
Filth Avenue Any Number Can Play (MGM);
Arctic Manhunt (U-I) 140
Liberty—The Stratton Story (MGM). 3rd wk 12b
Music Box Sorrowful Jonej (i^ara); Jigsaw (UA),
5th d. t. wk 130
Music Hall—Home of the Bravo (UA); Cover-Up
(UA), 2nd wk 150
Orpheum The Girl From Jones Beach (WB); The
Daring Caballero (UA), 2nd wk 150
Paramount House of Strangers (20th-Fox); Hold
That Baby (Mono) "5
Lining' Leads Trade
'Silver
At First Runs in Denver
DENVER—Grosses at first run theatres
here were steady. "Look for the Silver Lining"
at the Broadway chalked up a bright
160 per cent to set the pace for newcomers.
"Great Mr. Handel" at the Vogue was next
best with a lively 125 per cent. "The Fountainhead,"
in a fifth week with "Daughter
of the West" at the Rialto, continued to
draw average trade.
Aladdin City Across the River (U-1); Search for
Danger (FC), 3rd d t, wk 95
Broadway Look for the Silver Lining (WB) 160
Denham Manhandled (Para); Special Agent
(Para) 70
Denver, Esauire, Webber Calamity Jane and Sam
Bass (U-f); Streets of San Francisco (Rep) 100
Orpheum—Edward, My Son (MGM); Valiant
Hombre (UA) 90
Paramount—The Big Cat (EL); Shamrock Hill
(EL)
Rialto—The Fountainhead (WB); Daughter of the
West (FC), 5th d. t. wk 100
Vogue—Great Mr. Handel (SR) ! 125
'Fountainhead' Scores 185
To Lead Portland Trade
PORTLAND—"The Fountainhead," dualed
with "One Last Fling," scored 185 per cent
at the Broadway to pace downtown houses.
In the number two slot, the Paramount
carded 165 per cent with "The Girl From
Jones Beach" and "Clay Pigeon."
Broadway — The Fountainhead (WB); One Last
Fling (WB) 185
Mayfair Africa Screams (UA); Jigsaw (UA), 2nd
d. t. wk 125
Music Box Sorrowful Jones (Para); Hold That
Baby (Mono), 4th d. t. wk 120
Oriental and Orpheum Geronimo (Para); Trail
of the Lonsome Pine (Para), reissues 150
Paramount—The Girl From Jones Beoch (WB);
Clay Pigeon (RKO) 165
Playhouse House of Strangers (20th-Fox); Forbidden
Street (20th-Fox). 2nd d. t. wk 115
United Artists—The Stratton Story (MGM), 3rd
d. t. wk ISO
Plan TOA Convention
LOS ANGELES—Plans for its active participation
in the upcoming Theatre Owners
of America national convention, to be held
here September 12-15, were discussed by the
board of directors of the Southern California
Theatre Owners Ass'n at a business session
August 4, Gus A. Metzger, board chairman,
presided.
Geo. Dowden Is Manager
NEWHALL, CALIF.—George Douden has
replaced Sam Hyman as manager of the
American Theatre here. Douden has been an
exhibitor for 20 years, operating houses in
San Diego and Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.
ICO
Uncertainty Hovers
Over Divorcement
LOS ANGELES—An aura of tmcertaint
and indecision hovered over affected seg
ments of the southland's exhibition scene a
the top brass of major circuits bent thei
efforts toward analyzing the ramification
of the recent U.S. district court ruling order
ing complete divorcement of production an
distribution from theatre holdings of War
ners, Loew's, Inc., and 20th Century-Fox alon
the lines previously ordered, via consent de^.
crees, for Paramount and RKO.
to be quoted, but their general attitude we
summed up by one executive of Fox We;
Coast, who limited his comment to a brief:
"We just don't know what is going t
happen."
FWC is, of course, a unit in Nations
Theatres, a wholly-owned 20th Century-Fc
subsidiary. It operates 166 theatres in soutl'
ern California and is a partner in the opera
tion of numerous other houses, including sorr
60 situations held jointly by FWC and
United Artists subsidiary, United West Coa:
Theatres, Dissolution of this partnership a
ready has been ordered via a partial conser
decree entered into by 20th-Fox with tl"
Department of Justice last December,
Also affected are the Warner showcases-!
three first runs here as well as locations i
Beverly Hills, Huntington Park, Sal
Bernardino, San Pedro and Santa Barbara.
Recently, in compUance with a governmei|
edict forbidding pooling arrangements, RK'
purchased the Pantages Theatre in Hollj|
wood from Rodney Pantages and is operatil
it as a day-date first run with its HillstreJ
in the downtown area.
The two local first run outlets for Pan
mount product are Fanchon & Marco opert
tions.
In general, the feeling hereabouts seeme
to embrace the thought that divorcement
a long way from realization and that tt
situation may ve^y well be subject to radio;
new developments in the event the "B
Three" decide to appeal the district covi
ruling.
California Theatre Ass'n
Re-Elects All Officers
SAN FRANCISCO—Officers to the Cal
fornia Theatres Ass'n and Affiliated Indu,
tries, Inc., were re-elected to office for tl
new term. They were President Roy Coope
Vice-President Ben Levin, Vice-Presidei
Jerry Zigmond: Treasurer Harry P. Frankli
Legal Counsel and Secretary L. S. Hami
Hulda McGinn was renamed public relatioi
director and legislature representativ
Charles Thall was reappointed executive mal
ager for the association.
Lackey Joins Republic
HOLLYWOOD—William T, Lackey, formi
producer at Monogram and Paramount, ar
during the war a member of Byron Price
war censorship board, has been signed to
contract as an associate producer by Ri
public. Lackey more recently was associa
producer of the Jack Benny production fi
United Artists, "The Lucky Stiff." He hi
no current assignment at Republic but is no
looking for story properties.
52
BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 19^
'^CE:

'
'
. Daryll
i'ttr::'
^
L OS ANGELES Heart Award to Tent 25
rnbiiiitsseeB
IJerb Turpie, Manley Popcorn's western division
manager, headed for San Francisco
to survey the northern corn situation . . .
Mr. and Mrs. Izzy Herman of the Eastland
circuit have reached New Glasgow, Nova
Scotia, on their vacation . . . Shopping on
the Row was Wade Loudermilk, of Buckeye,
Ariz.
Saul Lebedoff, of the Washington Theatre
here, checked out on a four-week trip to
look after his Minneapolis theatre interests
Johnson of the Strand Theatre
in Ocean Beach has invested $30,000 in a
complete overhaul, with the house now sporting
new seats, marquee and a thorough redecoration.
For Work on Boys Club
''li
.-.eatres
Ndii
Centutj-ft
in soiii
-Kintlieops
itcliiiiiiisa
'1 rec anil
'.-'.d West Ck
.ijarinersliipt
-tcenioer,
."(r skowca*
'-il as tatioffi!
:::s Put St
: SjiU BaibM
'.jiasovenmc
:a!eMiils,BI
::fi:t in Holt-
: L-'ipfiaE
,„ ;• HSsa I
:3;;eis (or Pia-
Howard Stubbins, Monogram franchise
owner, and M. J. E. McCarthy, branch manager,
pulled out for Chicago to attend company
sales conferences . . . On the expecting
list is Alex Cooperman, Eagle Lion office
manager.
Calculated to step up junior patronage,
Jack Case, Joe Piatt and Bill Roberts, managers
of Fox West Coast's Belmont, Studio
City and Wilshire theatres, are planning Vacation
Shows for the moppet trade. Shows
will be sponsored.
Paramount staged the London premiere of
the Hal Wallis production, "Rope of Sand,"
at its Plaza Theatre August 4, a day after
it world-premiered at the New York Paramount.
Roy Reed, Astor Pictures manager, is all
set for the company's Bob Savini 45th Anniversary
sales drive, geared for August 1
through September 30 and honoring the
Astor president.
: t Marco opiil-
,: divorcemeni: I
: M that 4
jiKi to rain
- rie.i; lit "1
.-t disinct MI
J Theatre Ass'n'
All Officers
[3«M)((;«IS 10 Ilif ^"
^isj
mid
.ffiliaied
&
;'^-riio office to *i
Painted Registers Please
GREAT FALLS, MONT. — Old-fashioned
hot registers were conspicuous eye-sores in
the newly remodeled Town Theatre in Great
Falls until the decorator decided to paint
them into the color scheme. Now, in pastel
blues and pinks, they not only fit into the
background but bring forth many complimentary
remarks from patrons.
YOUR POPCORN WARMER
!;.„.« H..iy
P. f"*
Republic
"'.••iff'

. . . Amateur
. . Permit
. . Tony
.
SAN FRANCISCO
•The county planning commission okayed
construction of a drive-in in the Gait area
and residents appealed to the board of supervisors.
This was the third application out
of foui- in various unincorporated areas near
Sacramento to rouse protests. Traffic conditions
induced the board to turn down one
in the Arcade district and another in the
Fruitridge region for construction
.
of the $70,000 Palm Theatre in San Mateo
was issued by the city's building inspector.
The theatre will seat 700 persons and off
street parking facilities will be provided.
Owner is John M. Sullivan.
James G. Edwards is the manager of the
Millbrae Theatre, recently completed at a
cost cI $400,000 Stockton will have a nice
$258,125 golf
. . .
course by the summer of 1951.
The course will be paid for from the revenue
of the city's two cent admiss ons tax, recently
upheld by the courts as legal.
The Pacific Amusement Co. of San Francisco
purchased 14 acres of property behind
the Town and Country shopping center in
WatsonviUe to construct a drive-in. The
theatre will be 1,400 feet from the highway
safecrackers forced open the
safe in the Gsh Road Drive-In in San Jose
Complete
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flexibility! The Soundmaster
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The marquee
and departed with $575 . . .
of the new Ritz Theatre in Hayward is being
installed, but, according to Walter Deininger,
manager, it will be many weeks before the
interior work is completed and before the
management can begin to make plans for an
opening.
Steel framing for walls and columns was
being erected for the new $250,000 theatre
for Beverly Amusement Co. in San Jose. It
. . Steel brothers,
is expected to be about eight months before
the building is complete .
owners of the Colusa Theatre, collaborated
writh the Colusa recreation commission in
sponsoring motion picture programs on Saturday
mornings. All children in the community
of grammar school age or under were
invited to attend.
Thornton Ellis, 44, manager of the Sequoia
Theatre in Redwood City died in the Palo
Alto hospital, where he had been confined
earlier due to a heart attack. Ellis had been
associated with management of Fox West
Coast Theatres for the last four years and,
before the war, had been owner and operator
of the Dix Theatre in Dixon, Calif.
Jimmy O'Neal, chief barker of Variety
Club, and Bob Kritz, Elwood Theatre in
Berkeley, each bought a new car from Tony
Mistland, who was formerly with RKO and
now is auto salesman for Metro Motors . . .
Ralph Brambles resigned as salesman from
Eagle Lion. Brambles has no definite plans
. . . Imogene Witticke, the victim of a motor
boat accident at Lake Tahoe, was recipient
of a benefit sponsored by General Theatrical
circuit at the new Roseville Theatre in Roseville.
There was no admission charge and a
collection of over $1,000 was made up by
the girl's hometown folks.
Harry Franklin, Goldberg Theatres, was
home on the sick list . . . Cliff Gisseman,
north coast city manager, returned following
Carl Scott, Columbia
a few days' rest . . .
city salesman, was on the sick list. He will
have to remain in bed for a few months . . •
Martha Schaffer is the new gal at Columbia,
coming from the Paramount office in New
York.
KCBS held three broadcasts and KFRC's
newsreel covered the big Mac's It products
kiddy show at the Orpheum where $2,000 was
given away in prizes and everything was free.
The party was a big success and it looks like
it will be a pretty big thing .
Rodriquiz,
assistant manager at the Paramount,
returned from his vacation and was transferred
to the St. Francis as assistant.
The North Coast Theatre circuit's intertheatre
bowling tournament is terrific. At
present, the top notch team finds the projectionists
at the UA, the doorman at the UA
and an usherette from the Orpheum in first
place. The second spot team is composed of
Cliff Giesseman, bossman of North Coast:
Al Dunn, manager of the Orpheum, and Jack
Miller of UA . . . Congratulations to the
Orpheum for grosses running ahead of last
year. Business being what it is, that makes
the Orpheum something unusual. Al Dimn
manages the house.
PHOENIX
Johnny Stool Pigeon," which was filmed la
spring in Tucson and Nogales, has an imi
pressive lineup of Arizona engagements fo|
August. The picture will be screened ii
40 theatres, covering virtually the entire state
In addition to the impetus of having beei
filmed locally, the theme of the picture tie
in with recent Phoenix news of narcoti
smuggling. A four-column ad in Sunday'
Arizona Republic plugged the U-I narcotic
story as "The Story Behind Phoenix Raii
Headlines." The paper also accorded pub
licity to Producer Aaron Rosenberg, whos
recent bride is a member of a prominent loca
family.
S. J. Brown has resigned as manager c
the Benson Theatre, Benson. His replace
ment, Boyle Stark, has been associated wit
the Long Theatres of Ai-izona for about
,
year, and served as assistant manager of
Portales, N. M., theatre for three years befor
coming to Ai'izona. He's been connecte,
with the theatre business since 1939.
Mrs. Julieta Purcell, manager of the Mar
tin Theatre, Chfton, played hostess to stal
members on an all-day outing at Guthrii
Top item on the menu was fried chicken
District Court Upholds
$600,000 Antitrust Suit
ALBUQUERQUE — Motions ,to dismiss c
alter the antitrust suit brought against G
braltar Enterprises, Inc., have been denie
by U.S. District Judge Carl A. Hatch. TU
suit was brought by John A. Greve of Eagl
Colo., against the Denver theatre chai
Greve is asking $600,000 as triple damagi
for an alleged conspiracy and unfair ar
monopolistic practices of the corporation.
Greve charged in his suit that the theati
chain tried to prevent him from enterir^
the theatre business at Craig, Colo., and th^
forced, him out of business there by causir
film distributors to withhold the type
films he wished to book.
Melody Damaged by Fire
HIGHWAY CITY, CALIF.—The rear ws
of the Melody Theatre on Shaw avenue, net
the Golden State highway, caught fire fro
an oily mop recently, and damage to tl
structure was estimated by the North Centr
fire department at $500. The theatre w;
opened in November of last year by t!l
present owners and operators, Herbert Ta;
lor and Ralph Dostal.
ATTRACTIVE POPCORN BOXES
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54
Theatre Launched
Pico, Calif.,
PICO, CALIF.—The Pico Theatre is open
here. The theatre is in the Pico Palace and
operates six days a week.
Ramp Identification Lights
SAVES TIME — ELIMINATES CONFUSION
DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFG. CO.
'VcX'
BOXOFFICE August 6, 1

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BOUNTIFUL, UTAH — Climaxing more
than 18 months of fruitless negotiations,
talks between Julian N. Bills, Bountiful theatre
operator, and lATSE Local 250, ended
in an impasse, and union pickets appeared
in front of Bills' drive-in and theatre.
Efforts had been made by lATSE to conclude
a contract with Bills designating lA
as exclusive bargaining agent for projectionists
at the Bountiful Motor-Vu and the
Bountiful Theatre. Bills has been employing
Bountiful residents and sometimes running
the equipment himself.
Stan Worthem, business agent for the
local, said picketing is the last resort. He
said he and his client sat down with Bills
on several occasions, but were unable to reach
any agreement.
Peter W. Billings, counsel for Bills, said
the lATSE has made wage and hour demands
the theatre cannot afford. He said
they had sought pay comparable to that
given operators in Salt Lake houses. Billings
also said Bills believes he should be allowed
to operate the projection machines in his own
theatres without joining the lATSE, which,
according to BUlings, is one of the requests
the imion.
of
Denver Union Executives
Hold Summer Meeting
DENVER—With Richard Walsh president,
in the chair, the executive committee of the
lATSE held their summer meeting in Denver.
Taking up most of the week were about 60
appeals. Other topics discussed were television,
the Taft-Hartley act and Hollywood
unemployment. It was decided to continue
organization of television personnel.
Also under discussion was whether the
money being sent to Europe is having its effect
on unemployment in Hollywood, but no
conclusion was reached on this.
The board were guests of the local imions
in a day-long mountain trip, and in the evening
were entertained by Frank H. Ricketson
jr., president of Fox Intermountain Theatres,
at a dinner at the Albany hotel. On Sunday
night the crowd went to the Western league
ball game, and Thursday night the local
unions held an open meeting to get acquainted
with the international officers. A
buffet Ituich was served. The ladies were
entertained at two lunches, attended the
matinee performance at Elitch stock theatre,
and went on the mountain trip. After the
meeting Walsh went on to Hollywood, with
the rest of the board returning to New York
or their homes.
Buys Dayton
Paul Ratclif i
DAYTON, OREGON—Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Ratcliff have purchased the Dayton Theatre
Irom Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Willert. The theatre
is to be renamed the Daytona.
Film Stars at Helena Celebration
Help Out in
HELENA—Among honored guests here for
the big Golden Canyon celebration were
Gary Cooper and his mother, Dinah Shore
and her husband George Montgomery.
The celebration commemorated the first
gold strike in Last Chance Gulch, now Helena,
and the building of the Canyon Ferry
dam.
Gary Cooper acted as honorary governor
and George Montgomery as honorary mayor
during their visit. A governor's reception
was given for the Coopers, and Helena citizens
in oldtime costumes, formed a long
archway in the center of Main street. George
Montgomery was presented with the key to
the city during a mock session representing
Helena's first city council meeting back in
1881.
The stars were introduced at the Vigilante
stadium during the performance of the
Golden Canyon days historical pageant.
Queen Alvina Hartman, who presided over
the celebration, received her crown from
Gary Cooper during the coronation ceremony.
On the second night of the pageant, the
queen was given her crown by George Montgomery.
His wife Dinah Short thanked thfc
audience for the warm reception and said
that although her husband was a native son
of Montana, She felt like an adopted daughter.
Gary was presented with the gavel used by
his father Judge Cooper during a reception
at the state capitol.
To prove that he still is a farmer at heart,
George Montgomery demonstrated his ability
at milking a cow before hundreds of onlookers.
Dinah treated the audience at the
stadium with the rendition of several popular
songs. Her husband, not to be outdone,
offered a selection on his harmonica.
All of the visiting stars took part in the
mammoth parade featuring everything from
early-day Chinese laundrymen to can-can
girls. Cowboy days were re-enacted for
Cooper and Montgomery as they jumped
aboard saddle horses provided for them.
Montgomery was a bit worried when he discovered
that his mount wouldn't neck rein.
"I'm sure going to look foolish riding down
the street holding the rein in both hands,"
Montgomery remarked. "I won't look like a
cowboy doing that."
Safety Commissioner Hugh K. Potter and
Cooper told Montgomery to stay between
them and they would see that the Montgomery
horse stayed in line. Thus, Montgomery
was able to hold the reins cowboy
ONLY ONE IS
FIRST
Parade, Festivities
Gary Cooper, native of Helena, Mont.,
is pictured in the top photo walldng in
the Golden Canyon parade at the celebration
in his hometown. With him is
Montana. Gov. John Bonner. In the
lower photo, Dinah Shore, center, waves
to the crowd as she rides "up front" with
friends during the parade.
style while his pal and the safety commissioner
kept his mount in line.
Cooper spent a great part of his time here
reminiscing. He saw many old school friends
and kept recalling his childhood days.
T R Y
AND
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W. H. TURPIE
Western Division Manager
1914 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles 7, Calii.
For Quick Results in Sale of Your Theatre \
BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949

. . Ken
SALT LAKE CITY
prank Jenkins, former field representative
for 20th-Fox in this area, has taken over
duties as booker and buyer for the Auditorium.
Salt Lake drive-in operated by C.
Earl Alsop . Friedman, salesman for
Fred F. Wemar at NSS for the last few
months, will move up to acting manager
when Fred opens his General Theatre Service
Co. August 13. The new company will buy
and book pictures and aid in hypoing boxoffice
receipts. Friedman said the local NSS
staff win be retained.
Russ Deuterman's new drive-in at Montpelier,
Ida., opened August 5 . . Another
.
drive-in is scheduled to open soon in Rock
The new ozoner west of
Springs, Wyo. . . .
Blackfoot, Ida., has been sold by Robert
Bodenhamer of Twin Falls to Mayor Merrill
C. Boyle. The drive-in is expected to open
within three weeks. Bodenhamer said illness
made it impossible for him to operate the
ozoner.
Annual Covered Wagon days, wtoich cut
into boxoffice receipts somewhat, ended with
the take at the rodeo and summer festival
lower than last year. However, Jose and
Amparo Itui-bi made one appearance in the
University of Utah stadium, which attracted
a record summer crowd of 7,200. Hot weather
hurt theatre boxoffice as much as the celebration,
and with its ending, the heat continued
to record highs, with corresponding
declining theatre takes.
The Capitol Theatre, which was damaged
by fire July 4, is scheduled to open the last
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54-B
Of August or the first of September, according
to Tracy Barham, vice-president and
general manager of Intermountain Theatres,
Inc.
Don Tibbs, manager for Monogram, was
in Chicago attending a company sales meeting
. . . Janet Olsen is relieving Colleen
Temple at Monogram while the latter is on
vacation . . Helen Garrity has retiurned to
.
Salt Lake from New York, where she attended
the three-day meeting of 20th-Fox officials
with advertising representatives from
Lew Maren of United Artists
the circuits . . .
was in Salt Lake to make arrangements
lor showing "Black Magic" at the Uptown
. . . "High Button Shoes," with the Broadway
cast, is scheduled for August 11-13 in the
Uptown.
SEATTLE
XXr A. Slater and Paul Grenwald of Northwest
Film Service have formed the W. A.
Slater Co. for the distribution of candy and
other concession supplies. E. W. Grubb, formerly
with Northwest Automatic Candy Co.,
is sales manager. They begin operations
September 1 . . . Frank L. Newman sr.. Evergreen
president; William H. Thedford, his
assistant, and Frank X. Christie, film buyer,
are in Los Angeles for a meeting.
. . Walter
Bill Evans, who has been manager of the
St. John theatres in Chehalis and Centralia,
now is managing the Avon Theatre in Bothell
for Eldon Pollock jr. and Lee Kirby . . .
W. E. Galloway, western district sales m.anager
for UA, has been having sessions with
A. J. Sullivan, branch manager .
Coy, White Center exhibitor, and Walter
Graham, Shelton, are sailing their cruisers
in British Columbia's Princess Louise inlet
. . . Paul Garst, contract manager for Alexander
Carpet Co., was here conferring with
Bert Mosley, local representative, and Oscar
Chiniquy, manager of National Theatre Sup-
ply-
Frank L. Newman sr., with a sparkling 78,
was the winner of Northwest Film club's annual
golf tournament. Some 60 players participated
in the event which was followed by
a dinner. E. A. Lamb, RKO manager, was
chairman of arrangements . . . Visitors to
Filmrow during the week included Walter
Stierwalt, McCleary; Keith and Don Beckwith.
North Bend; Art and Ed Zabel, Olympia;
Jimmy Hoffman, Tacoma; Bob Goodfried,
Eagle Lion exploiteer, and Ben Fish,
Samuel Goldwyn representative.
Leon Marsh to Rosemead
ROSEMEAD, CALIF. — Leon W. Marsh,
foiTnerly of New Orleans, is the new manager
of the Rosemead Theatre. He has been
in the managerial business for the past 16
years. This is his first assignment with
Edwards Theatres.
Compton Drive-In Still in Question
COMPTON, CALIF.—The city council has
taken no action on plans presented by the
Rector Theatre Corp. for a proposed drive-in
at Rosecrans and Gibson. This is a revise of
the company's first request but a petition
of 404 nearby residents has been sent to the
council in an effort to block the construction.
PORTLAND
pert Gamble, assistant manager of Hamrick
Evergreen's Paramount Theatre, left t
begin his vacation. He planned to visit rela
tives in Seattle . . . Dick Fink, manager c
the Orpheum Theatre, returned from a vaca
tion on the Oregon coast ... Ed Crue:
branch manager for Monogram, left for
. . Merle Dunla]
sales meeting in Chicago .
manager of J. J. Parker's Liberty Theatre i
Astoria and buyer for several J. J. Parkf
houses in that area, started his vacation.
Gail Sawyer, assistant cashier for MGl
left for her vacation . . . Frank Pratt, mar
ager of the Paramount Theatre, dreamed u
a cool one for "Anna Lucasta." Pratt ha
cutout of Paulette Goddard place
a life-size
in front of the theatre with a cake of i<
beside it. Caption on the cutout read: "Wt
Anna Lucasta or Kir
will melt this ice first,
Sol?" . . . Harold Lake, controller for J.
Parker Theatres, attended the America
Legion convention at Salem during his vaci
tion. Lake is commander of the Gresha;
post . . . Earl Keate is the new manager ' Jicjcf ;
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A. K. McCreadie, Embassy Pictures,
Asks Support of Australian Films
By WILLIAM BEECHAM,
Australian Bureau BOXOFPICE
PERTH, W. A.—A. K. McCreadie, managing
director of Embassy Pictures, Ltd., said
recently that because it makes and saves
dollars, the Australian film industry could
become of immense importance to the country's
national economy.
"Eighty-five per cent of screening time in
Australia is taken up by American films," he
"and British films occupy 14 per cent
states,
of the time, leaving only 1 per cent for films
produced elsewhere in the world, including
Australia. Films now being made in Australia
have three important aims—to portray
the Australian characters, the Australian way
of life and Australian scenery. Climatically,
Australia is ideally situated for making films
because, by shifting locations, production can
continue for 12 months of the year. But one
of the chief obstacles in the way of the ad-
the
vancement of the industry in Australia is
attitude of the Australian himself. He is
inclined to believe that because a film is
Australian it cannot be good. He has to
be taught that, if it is Australian, it is good.
The Australian film industry, now in its infancy,
relies for its existence on the sympathetic
encouragement of the people."
* * *
While there is a deal of truth in Mr. Mc-
Creadie's remarks, and while one must sympathize
with his aims, it is well to remember
that one outstanding Austrahan film "The
Overlanders," needed no special selling to the
Australian public. As for "being good because
it is Australian," even an Australian is
forced to admit that there have been some
very pwor Australian films produced from
time to time.
* * *
Recently, the Embassy Pictures feature
"Into the Straight" was given its world premiere
in Perth at the Theatre Royal. This
feature, starring Muriel Steinbeck, George
Randall and Nonnie Peifer, is a story of
horse breeding and racing in Australia.
« * *
The coal strike hit the film industry in
South Australia where 21 suburban cinemas
and one city cinema were forced to close. In
New South Wales a number of houses also
had to close, but there the Hoyts organization
kept 58 of its 1 theatres running. In
Western Australia, where electricity cuts

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Lead Belt Theatres
Close in Polio Surge
PARMINGTON, MO.—A number of theatres
of the Lead Belt Amusement Co., controlled
by Edwards cfe Plumlee Theatres, were
closed temporarily due to the spread of polio
in southeastern Missouri. Tom Edwards,
who is president of the Motion Picture Theatre
Owners of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri
and Southern Illinois, and his partner T.
Plumlee, cooperated with county and state
health authorities to checkmate the spread
of infantile paralysis.
They operate the Ritz in Farmington and
the Roseland in Flat River, which were
among the houses closed for three days. It
was hoped that conditions would warrant all
of the houses reopening over the weekend.
The circuit's Corral Drive-In between
Farmington and Flat River is not being
closed, because patrons can avoid contact
with others by remaining in their automobiles.
The State at Ironton, Mo., also was
not affected.
,Polio Epidemic Strikes
Grosses in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS—More than 200 cases of
polio are reported in Indiana, with 12 deaths.
In Dunkirk and Portland, Ind., theatres have
refused children admission due to the epidemic
and grosses have been affected seriously.
Children are not attending Sunday
school or church services in Jay county. In
Hartford City, members of the American
Legion dusted with DDT and applied oil to
pools of stagnant water.
R. S. Weilert Wins Permit
For Alexandria Theatre
ALEXANDRIA, IND.—R. S. Weilert won
the first round in his fight to construct a
theatre in the 400 block on North Harrison
street when members of the city council set
aside the city zoning ordinance until January
1950. Bowing to the wishes of the citizens
of Alexandria, as expressed in a petition
bearing 612 signatures, the council decided
to make further amendments to the ordinance
before presenting it for adoption on
"^,7,1; that date.
Work on the theatre, to be called the Alex,
had been halted by two restraining orders
which charged no building permit had been
issued and also that the building survey extended
in the east alley. The action of the
council removed the first of the obstacles.
Contractor Leo Underwood then told the
council the blueprints for the lot show it to
be 50x128 feet but the city attorney. In defense
of the city's action, declared the lot is
not of sufficient depth to accommodate a
128-foot building and that the footing trench,
already excavated, extends into the alley.
Times Marquee Repaired
SAVANNAH, ILL.—The marquee of the
Times Theatre has been repaired and repainted.
Neon lights and 750 amber-orange
and white i;ght bulta.s have been added. The
work was done by a Dubuque, Iowa, firm.
Build Lovington, 111., Drive-In
LOVINGTON, ILL.—Hector Randol has
Jl Started construction of a new drive-in on the
Lowell Hettinger land west of this city.
New Drive-In Activity
Tops Territory News
HAMMOND, IND.—The LeJeune Auto
Theatre, located at LeJeune and N. W. 12th
in the heart of the city, will be ready for
opening about November 1. Building contract
for the drive-in has been let by Bernstein
Theatres, owners, to the Maley Construction
Co. of New York and Wayne, Mich.
Grading, ramp paving, etc., are being handled
locally by Troup Bros., Inc. Features
of the drive-in will include an imitation ship
deck to serve as the concessions building,
large Australian pines planted around the
area to serve as a fence.
Irving Mandel, president of Monogram in
Chicago, Is associated with the Bernsteins in
the LeJeune.
Another deal has been consummated for a
large business tract in Miami on West 36th
Street and Hialeah, the principal artery to
the airport and both Hialeah and Miami.
Thirty stores and a drive-ln for approximately
500 cars will be built in the Florida city.
The concessions building will be located beneath
the screen tower and will serve all day
on the outside and both inside and outside
at night.
Drive-In Zoning Rehearing
Reset for September 15
INDIANAPOLIS—A rehearing by the Marion
county plarming commission of a zoning
petition involving a drive-in at U.S. 52 and
Geoi-getown road has been moved from August
4 to September 15. Judge Walter Pi'itchard
issued the order after Joe Cantor, Indianapolis
theatre operator, attacked the
legality of the propo.^ed meeting in a suit filed
in superior court.
Cantor claimed the planning commission
and the county commissioners had no authority
to revoke their original approval to
rezone the 30-acre tract where construction
of the theatre is under way. Residents of
the area asked for the rehearing, claiming
they were misled into believing a shopping
center was to be bu It.
Labor Day Opening
FOND DU LAC. WIS.—Lakeside Outdoor
Theatre Corp. has been formed at Fond du
Lac, Wis., to operate a drive-in near that city.
A capital stock of 1,500 shares of common
at $100 per share par value has been authorized
by the state. There is a minimum
capital to be $50,000. Incorporators are Samuel
G. and Feme Costas and Loula Beckman.
The drive-m is to cost about $150,000 and
completion is scheduled for Labor day, Sept.
5. The site is about 480x900 and a feature
will be the installation of 200 to 300 seats in
front of the screen for those who come to the
grounds on foot or by bus. In preparing the
grounds for the theatre, about 25,000 yards
of gravel are said to have been hauled to the
site for filling.
Rolla Airer to Cosi $100,000
ROLLA, MO.—Rowe Carney, head of the
R. E. Carney Theatres and former Mayor of
Rolla, plans to spend $100,000 on the 500-
car drive-in which he is constructing on
Menomonie Residents
Object to
Drive-In
MENOMONIE, WIS.—At a meeting of residents
of the area it was decided to block
construction of a drive-in being planned by
E. J. Lipson of Milwaukee. An attorney for
the protesting citizens reported that inasmuch
as the town had no zoning ordinances,
the matter of keeping out an outdoor theatre
might have to go to the courts for settlement.
The residents held that outdoor
theatres "are a source of juvenile delinquency
as well as a traffic hazard."
A petition circulated in the area and signed
by 370 residents, protested the drive-in after
Lipson had purchased the site on Highways
YY and K at a cost of $20,000.
The prospective theatre owner told the
meeting he expected to invest about $250,000
in the venture. He said he had attempted
a similar project on Capitol drive near Bookfield
but was stopped because the main highway
was not wide enough for outgoing cars.
Lipson was accompanied by A. H. Christmas,
a farmer, who stated he would like to
attend more films but didn't because he
worked late and didn't have time to clean
up and get into town. Hugo Schranz, a former
inspector for the Milwaukee police department,
also spoke in Lipson's behalf,
testifying the outdoor theatre would not be
a moral hazard.
Lipson told the meeting the drive-in would
have wide approaches in order to avoid congestion
and would have an entrance on Highway
K and an exit on Highway YY. Individual
car speakers would eliminate noise and
hard surfacing would reduce dust to a minimum,
Lipson said.
Highway 66. This is the second drive-in for
the Rolla section. Clifford and Ralph Hough
of Lebanon, Mo., are building a 300-car situation
not far from the city limits.
Drive-In Opens in Manitowoc
MANITOWOC, WIS. — The Lake-VuB
Drive-In was opened here by the Triple R
Amusement Corp., of which Rogert Reinert,
a former Manitowoc resident is president.
The screen tower is 70 feet high and has
50x50-foot screen. The 600-car drive-in covers
14 acres about a mile from the city. Concessions
are held by the Sportservice Corp.
Beloit Builds in Jonesville
JANESVILLE, WIS.—A 1.000-car diive-in
theatre is under way for this area by Beloit
Theatres Co., managed by L. F. Gran with
John Falco, Beloit, as district manager. It
will be called Mid-City, due to its location
between Janesville and Beloit. on Highway 51.
The cost is expected to be about $200,000.
Opening is scheduled for the end of August.
A'i:0'
f:)!! BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949 55
L

eissues
CHICAGO
'Sorrowful' Faces
Chicago With 130
rjaniel O'Shea, pres dent Vanguard Films, shows a day on weekdays, eight on Saturday
. . . Ben Katz, U-I midwest publicity
with his family came in from the west
CHICAGO—Heavy tourist trade and many
coast for a weekend visit . . . Eddie Solomon, boss, is acting as one of the judges to select
convention visitors helping business at Loop,
20th-Fox adman, accompanied by Norman Miss Chicago in the contests being staged
houses despite heat wave which chased city
Kassel, Essaness director of publicity, are in at the Oriental Theatre.
dwellers to beaches, parks and outdoor amusements.
Two outstanding new entries, "Sor-'
New York attending the 20th-Fox merchandising
confab . • • Motion pictures soon will
••Jolson Sings Again" will bow here at the
Woods Theatre, August 18. Al Jolson is expected
to be here for the opening, which will the Andrews sisters, bowed in strong at the
rowful Jones," plus a stage show headed by.
be used by the nation's banks to explain
the various phases of their business to high
be a benefit for a worthy charity. Many Chicago, and the Oriental had a fine week
school students. The first film, "Pay to the
years ago Jolson came here from Frisco, with with "We Were Strangers" and a stage show'
Order Of," has been produced by the American
Bankers Ass'n advertising department
Primrose and Dockstaders Minstrels, and headed by Peggy Singleton and Lassie, plus'
made his f rst local appearance at the Dearborn
Theatre . . . Milt Ebins, New York
(Average Is 100)
the Miss Chicago bathing beauty contests.
for classroom use.
Chicago Sorrowlul Jones (Para), plus stage
Dennis Day, now at the B&K Chicago Theatre,
would like nothing better than to top in town for a day huddling with B&K's ad-
Gcrrnck—Big Jack (MGl^); Red Stallion in the
booker and manage" for Billy Eckstine, was
'-^^
show
Rockies (EL), 2nd wk
the boxoffice record held by his CBS boss lad Ed Seguin on the campaign for the great
„„ v ^- v , j v ^0
Grand—House ol Strangers (20th-Fox), 3rd wk. 95
Jack Benny, and while he may threaten Mr. E at the Chicago August 12.
Oriental—We Were Strangers (Col), plus stage
it,
:ii5t
show
it will be hard to equal. Benny did seven
Palace Sand (20th-F'ox); The Forbidden Street
Bing Crosby's "Top O' the Morning" is due
95i
(20th-Fox) -,- -
, ,
for fast release. It's set for the Chicago Theatre
August 26 . . . George Burns and Gracie Way (UA), 2nd wk
Rialtc^Wild Weed (Cummings), 2nd wk
_ 90|
Roosevelt—Alias Nick Beat (Para); The Crooked Ij
, ?44
Allen, along with Joseph Cotten, were taking Selwyn—The Red Shoes (EL), roadshow
. "9j;|I
in the sights with their Hollywood dark
State-Lake—The Fountainhead (WB) 951
Surf—Operetta (Inter-Film) IK
! ! INSULATE ! !
'
glasses as a fan mystifier . . . Joe Breen, Studio Incorrigible (Franklin) - • *
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY
vice-president of the Motion Picture Ass'n United Artists Trail of the Lonesome Pine (Para);
Geronimo (Para) 91
,
Save up to 40% on fuel, 30% of the of Hollywood, also was a windy city visitor Woods—Champion (UA), 2nd wk ^ .14C
. . .
cost of electricity for Cooling system
Al Dezel, Dezel Productions, came in from World Playhouse—La Traviata (Col); One Night o»
Love (Col), 2nd run m
Detroit for a huddle with Manager Sam Kaplan
on new season's product . . . Ernest L.
MANY THEATRES INSULATED
WITH TOP-SUCCESS
Schimmel, vice-president of Bell & Howell 'Dan Patch' Leads First Run
BY
and manager of the company's international Grosses in Indianapolis
division, has returned from a two-month INDIANAPOLIS—Ti-ade at local first rur
BRENTON CO., INSULATION-ROOFING
tour of western Europe.
theatres was only fair. "The Great Dar
6525 S. Harvard Ave., Chicago 21. HI.
Patch," showing with "The Lucky Stiff" al
Tom Flannery of the Whiteway Electric
Free estimate, phone WENlworth 6-4277
Loew's. registered average business. All othe
Sign Service is planning production of television
equipment. Oscar Holmes is in the
downtown houses were below par.
Circle—Bride oi Vengeance (Para); Alias Nick
°"
east on the tryout of the equipment . . .
Beal (Para) ^ -,
; ,
Dave Arlen of B&K publicity department Indiana—Streets ol Laredo (Para): Special Agent
is vacationing in Hollywood . . . Looks like Keiths—The JBeautiiul Blonde From Bashful Bend
the good old days with the newspapers and (2Gth-Fox); The Forbidden Street (2ath-Fox),
2nd d. t, wk -" - -- '
NO CONTRACT TO SIGN billboards flashing ads of Harold Lloyd in Loews—The Great Dan Patch (UA); The Lucky
Service for Your Booth Equipment "Movie Crazy," at the Garrick, and W. C. Stiff (UA) ^^
Lyric—IllegarEnlry(U-i); Arctic Manhunt (U-I).... 9
Fields in "The Bank Dick," plus Fields with
on Merits Only.
Mae West in "My Little Chickadee," doing
Air Conditioning Installed
SOUND AND PROJECTION
swell business at the World Playhouse.
TELL CITY, IND.—The Ohio Theatre be
A service any theatre can afford, and
came the first house in Perry county to hav(
assurance that your equipment is at its
air conditioning when a 30-ton unit was in
Lebanon, 111., Alamo Leased
Best]
stalled recently. .
LEBANON, ILL.—Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Schroeder, who formerly operated the V&H
-:• Look to ADVANCE for Perfection •:•
Recreation in Breese, 111., have leased the
350-seat Alamo Theatre here from Bernard
Write for Particulars
Temborius and have taken over actual management
of the house. Temborius had operated
the Alamo for the last 17 years. He
Advance
is a brother-in-law of Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder.
Theatre Sound Service
Temborius also ovras the 375-seat Avon in
1511 Starr St. Peoria, HI.
Breese, 111.
Emergency Airplane Service
Phones 3-2577 — 48283
Parking for Waiting Cars
GREEN BAY, WIS.—Due to the number
of cars which wait for entrance to the Starlite
Drive-In here, a parking area for 250
waiting cars is being provided. Additional
cashiers are also being provided to speed up
NEED A SCREEN?
the movement near the entrance to the theatre.
The county authorities have provided
call JOE HORNSTEIN Inc.
two policemen to keep the cars moving. These
3146 Olive LUcas 2710 St. Louis changes were decided upon at a meeting
between Highway Commissioner Francis Brunette,
Police Chief Clarence Grognet and
the theatre management.
ENTRANCE
Cartoons Resumed at Miller
AND EXIT FLOODLIGHTS WOODSTOCK, ILL.—The special cartoon
shows which were a feature of Saturday
DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFG. CO. ''k'.c'."mT"
matinees at the Miller Theatre until recently,
have been resumed by popular request.
56

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BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949

. . Also
. . Harry
ST.
LOUIS
The engagement of Betty Halden, daughter
. .
.
of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Halden of St.
Louis to Gene Steinberg, son of Nat Steinberg,
St. Louis manager for Republic, was
announced at a barbecue at the Steinberg
home . Theodore Coleman, Mount Carmel,
111., exhibitor, has returned from a vacation
in the northwest returned from a
two-week vacation in Miami, with his wife
and son Bob, is Berm E. Mariner, manager
for United Artists.
Sam Pirtle continued to make steady progress
in his convalescence after an operation
at the Missouri Baptist hospital . . Exhibitors
.
seen along Filmr-ow included W. Herschel
Eichhorn, Mounds; Forrest Pirtle, Jerseyville;
Theodore Coleman, Mount Carmel; Izzy
Wiensheink, Alton, district manager for Publix
Great States; Tom Bloomer, Belleville;
Eddie Clarke, Metropolis, back from a recent
vacation trip to Chicago, and Everett Maxfield,
Summersville, Mo.
Word comes from East St. Louis that the
Prisina St. Clair Theatres Corp. will have
its new Colony Theatre at 40th street and
Waverly avenue ready for opening early in
September. It is being erected on the site of
the old 40th Street Theatre, destroyed by fire
a couple of years ago.
K. D. Von Engeln, local Manley Popcorn
Co. representative, is due back from his Michigan
vacation ... A number of local exchange
managers out in the territory included C. D.
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For Drive-ln Theatre Equipment
See
JOE HORNSTEIN INC.
3146 Olive LUcas 2710 St. Louis
Hill, Columbia; Gordon F. Halloran, 20th
Cencury-Fox, and H. J. Bennin, Loew's . . .
Tommy Thompson, Selznick district manager,
was here from Kansas City.
. . .
Tom Guinan, home office representative for
Eagle Lion, spent most of the week m St.
Louis. He goes to Buffalo, N. Y., from here
"Lost Boundaries" is due for first runs
in St. Louis and Springfield, 111., about the
middle of August . . . Leo McCarthy, wellknown
producer and distributor, was another
visitor to the Row.
Mrs. Edis Brown, RKO booker-stenographer,
has resigned to devote her time to
domestic duties. She is the wife of a St.
Louis policeman . A. Hopkins, office
manager for Loew's, Inc., and his wife are
back from a vacation trip to the western
states. The journey first took them to Viola,
Wis., where they stopped at the home of Mrs.
Hopkins' parents, Mr. and Mrs. Warren Barclay,
where their son Ronald will spend the
summer. Then they headed west and took
in the Black Hills, the Badlands, Yellowstone
Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Springs, Pike's Peak and Salt Lake City.
Local civic honors continue to be showered
upon Frank X. Reller, owner of the American
Theatre in WentzvlUe, Mo. At the city
election last April Fi-ank was voted city
judge. A few days ago the members of the
Wentzville Rotary club selected ReUer as
president for the coming year.
A Sign Frozen in Ice
Hit 'Neptune' Song
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — John Kerasotes,
manager of the Senate Theatre here, conducted
a bathing beauty contest in conjunction
with the Illinois State Register during
the run of "Neptune's Daughter." Prizes
were given daily for the best amateur photograph
of local "Neptune's Daughter." The
contest ran for a week with a daily publication
of local prize bathing beauty photos.
The Camera club helped select the winners.
A tieup also was effected with O. J.'s Jukebox
Serenade on radio station WTAX to
plug the tune, "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
This phrase was tm-ned aroimd to read,
"Baby, It's Cool Inside" painted on a board
and frozen in a cake of ice for sidewalk display
during the
heat wave.
Trojan Theatre Leased
To Senator E. V. Long
TROY, MO.—The 300-seat Trojan Theatre
was to go under the control of the Long Theatre
Co., headed by State Senator Edward V.
Long of Bowling Green, Mo., August 1 under
the terms of lease recently signed by Charles
B. Rudolph, owner of the building and theatre.
Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph plan to devote
most of their time to the operation of their
new resort properties in Canada. Senator
Long is a newcomer to the motion picture
business.
Will Owen Carter Dies
INDIANAPOLIS—Will Owen Carter, 72,
long identified with the motion picture business,
died at his home here. From 1927 to
1945, he was employed as export manager by
Republic. From then until his retirement
in 1947, he was employed at the Rodeo Theatre
here. Fimeral services were held in
Moore Mortuaries peace chapel and burial
was in Riverview cemetery, Seymour, Ind.
From fhe BOXOFFICE Tiles1
• • •
(Twenty Years Ago)
piNAL negotiations are completed for the
purchase of the St. Louis Theatre, Grand
and Delmar boulevards, by the RKO ciixuit
for approximately $2,000,000. Harry Koplar,
vice-president of the Metropolitan Theatres
Corp., owner of the theatre, w.U sign the
contract this week. The theatre adjoins the
Grand Central Theatre and seats 4,080 persons.
More than half the seats are on the
first floor. When built, it was the largest in
the Mississippi valley but has since been suT'
passed by the Fox in St. Louis.
Reuben Josephson of Kansas City,
and as-T
sociates, plan to build a new theatre in
Trenton, Mo., to cost $100,000 and seat 90C
... A lone robber held up the Coronadc
Theatre in Rockford, 111., and escaped with^
$3,000. The place was held up in May b;
three robbers, who .secured $1,000.
The Egyptian Theatre Co., Milwaukee
operators of the Egyptian Theatre, neigh-j
borhood house, has incorporated with 5(
shares of common stock at $100 each. Signer;
are L. Sauer, M. Lewis, L. Goodsett. Ear
Rice is manager of the house ... At Racine,
the AUen Theatre Co. has been incorporated
with 500 shares of common stocl
of no par value. Tlie organization plans tc
operate theatres and places of amusement
Signers are C. Bandy, C. Hoffmeier and F
Braun ... At Madison, the Eastwood Thfr
atre Corp. has incorporated with 500 share;
at no par value. Signers are J. Wegenei
A. Desormeaux and M. E. Desormeaux
You Asked for It
So—here they are!
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$3.75 per 1,000, case lots oi 4,000
$3.95 per 1,000, smaller lots
Have you seen a sample yet? They
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Write to
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Producers oi famous RUSH HOUB Popcorn
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PetsoQalized Service
St. Louis Theatre Supply Company
Arch Hosier
3310 Olive Street, St. Louis 3, Mo.
Telephone JEfferson 7974
1
' I.:
DLlVJCi:;-
Ife-
58 BOXOFFICE :: August 6, IM

.
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tan Ca bis been j} i
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Be (quatm plii! i [
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idM. tbe EastTood 'nnapnted
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l
Ripon, Wis., Organizes
Better Films Council
RIPON, WIS.—A Better Films Council has
been organized here for the purpose of furnishing
better films for children of the area.
One representative from each civic group of
the city is on the council. Mrs. Clemens
Lueck is chainnan of the group, whose aim
will be to "impart a better understanding
of the audio-visual cinematic art thi-ough
more variety, with increased emphasis on the
educational possibilities of the films, and a
program to promote 'movie manners' of the
children so that they may be better able to
take their places with an adult audience."
Announcements of good films are to be
posted in the city's grade schools and a PTA
meeting is to be held this fall so that a film
plan can be agreed upon. Ben Marcus, local
theatre owner, and Jack Heineman, manager
of the Ripon and Campus theatres, were
y a May i
praised for their cooperation.
In discussing the project, Marcus said, "We
have found that a special children's matinee
^^oBt Co, Milwiid in a city of this size (about 5,000) provides
iDPttii Itieilte, itiji
very desirable effects. Films are as important
H inqionteil litb ) (
as any other form of educational activity for
MitimOeaiiSpil a child. We will continue to provide these
Lm L GwdseR. Ec special matinees on Saturdays as long as we
I
receive the cooperation of parents and children."
Marcus explained that, when films are put
on for single performances, costs are higher,
but admission charges for children have not
been raised in his theatres. The children's
matinees are a nonprofit accommodation,
Marcus said.
Early in August, Heineman is scheduled to
appear at a meeting of the group to
present
certain films of the kind that will be selected
for the children's matinees.
'Johnny Holiday' Crews
Film Indiana Scenes
INDIANAPOLIS—Gov. Henry F. Schricker
made his debut as a film actor on a recent
sweltering afternoon before the cameras at
the Indiana Boys School at Plainfield. Filming
was under way on "Johnny Holiday,"
being produced here by Ronnie Alcorn, a
former Indiana boy.
Willis Goldbeck, director of the film, said,
after five hours of work, that the governor
was a "natural" and didn't muff a line."
The summer heat was made even worse by
klleg lights trained on the governor for the
scene, which probably will last about ten
minutes in the finished film.
The scene in which the governor participated
was that of an annual parade, with
the governor on a reviewing stand from
which he gave a speech. On the stand with
him was William Bendix, star of the film;
Arthur Campbell, the governor's secretary;
Dr. C. M. Dill, state welfare director, and
others.
Harry Watts Stricken
KNIGHTSTOWN, IND.—Harry Watts, 52,
operator of the Alhambra Theatre, died at
his home here. He had been in poor health
for about one year. It is reported that his
wife and daughter will continue to operate
the
theatre.
Richard Lane, television aimouncer, has
been cast as a singing policeman in "There's
a Girl in My Heart" for Monogram.
MILWAUKEE
r^ecil B. DeMille, of film fame, will be in
Milwaukee to join Ringling Brothers'
circus to get local color for a new
film which is in prospect. He expects
to be with the circus en route for
about three weeks and then go to Sarasota,
Fla., in the winter when show days are over
for this year ... A new theatre is to be built
at Genoa City, Wis., near the Illinois state
line, for Joe Baisch, formerly of Standard
Theatres, Milwaukee. Jensen & Johnson of
Elkhorn, Wis., are the architects. It is to be
called the Prospect,
Among those on vacation now are Esther
Melina and E. L. Piems of Eagle Lion; Howard
Krueger, shipper, Irene DePugh, head
bookkeeper, Irene Roller and Dick Katz, all
of National Screen Service . . . Gil Nathan,
booker for the St. Cloud Amusement Corp.
in Minneapolis, was here on a booking trip
for the Oriental and Tower theatres here.
The two houses, as well as the Zenith, are
operated by subsidiaries of St. Cloud .
Ralph Green of Badger Outdoor Theatre
Corp. of Minneapolis was seen along Filmrow
on a booking trip.
George J. Gonis, new salesman for Screen
Guild Pi'oductions, has returned from a trip
around the territory . . . Carl Michel of C&M
Sales has secured the franchise for Wisconsin
and upper Micliigan for the "Jingle
Jamboree Contest," sponsored by Project Promotions,
Inc., of Chicago. Michel is well
known in show business, having been with
20th-Fo.x for 14 years in the Milwaukee territory
Harry Aiken, Waukesha, Wis.,
. . . distributor of "Birth of a Nation," was a visitor
along Filmrow.
George Hansen & Son, Inc., has been
formed at Kewaskum, Wis., to lease and operate
motion picture theatres. A capital stock
of 100 shares of common at $100 per share par
value has been authorized; minimum capital
to be $5,000. Incorporators are George L. and
Floyd N. Hanson and Walter J. Stenman .
A building permit has been issued to the
Miner Amusement Co. for the construction of
a theatre at Cumberland, Wis., to be known
as the Isle. Perry Crosier is the architect . . .
35mm pictures are being shown in and neartrailer
camps in Milwaukee county by Edward
Beyler. He also shows outdoor films at Sportsmen's
park. West Milwaukee, as that village
does not have a theatre ... A picnic was held
by Paramount employes at Kletzsch park on
the shore of Lake Michigan.
Ted Gamble and associates have taken over
the Standard Theatres management holdings
here. L. P. Gran is continuing as general
manager. Standard Theatres operates more
than 30 theatres in the area, including the
Riverside, one of the largest in the state . . .
J. Erickson of the Rex Theatre in Kingsford,
Mich., was here on a booking tour, visiting
several exchanges.
Manager Clumb of the Towne in downtown
Milwaukee reports the largest opening gross
in the history of the house on the opening
day of "The Barkleys of Broadway" . . . Matty
Asenbauer, purchasing agent for Warner
Theatres, has returned from a vacation with
his family at Poygan Lake, Wis.
Lawrence Kimble to Screen 'Death'
Lawrence Kimble will screenplay his own
original story, "Death on a Side Street" for
Universal.
'Expendable' Lawsuit
On September Docket
ST. LOUIS—The new trial of Mrs. Beulah
Greenwalt Walcher's suit for $150,000 actual
and $225,000 punitive damages against
Loew's, Inc., on the grounds that the motion
picture "They Were Expendable" was an invasion
of her privacy probably will be docketed
during the September term of district
court here.
Federal Judge George H. Moore set aside
a jury verdict of last December awarding
Mrs. Walcher $65,000 actual and $225,000
punitive damages. She was the army nurse
in the Philippines who became famous as
Peggy in the book upon which the motion
picture was based. She alleged she was made,
without her consent, the "so-called love interest"
in the motion picture.
She charged that the motion picture
showed her having a romance with navy
Lieut. Robert B. Kelly during the last days
before the fall of Corregidor. Judge Moore
is sustaining a motion by the defense for
a new trial, said: "The award of $65,000 actual
damages and the award of $225,000 punitive
damages in an action of this sort are so
excessive as to be necessarily the result of
passion, prejudice and sympathy." He also
pointed out that in no Missouri state or federal
court had any other verdict awarding
so large an amount as $290,000 in total damages
ever been retm-ned, much less sustained,
in any case involving the right of privacy,
libel, slander or personal injury.
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The Always-Popular
MODERN
THEATRE
MONTHLY EQUIPMENT SECTION
LET
the new Modern Theatre section
of BOXOFFICE open new vistas for
you—new ways to better profits and real
satisfaction from being an exhibitor!
4'
illustrations .
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features .
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more ideas on building, decoration,
lighting, refreshment service — as well
as protection, maintenance, etc.
The Modern Theatre is the outstanding
leader in the increasingly important field
of theatre betterment — a vital subject in
these days of higher and higher costs.
Let it serve you.
BOXOFFICE
Always in the Lead — Over 23,000 Subscribers
62 BOXOFFICE :: August 6, W

I
'Judge/ Vaudeville
200 in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS—With "The Judge Steps
Out" on the screen and eig^t acts of vaudeville
on the stage, the RKO Orpheum paced
the city with a rating of 200 per cent. "The
Stratton Story" at the Radio City registered
a lusty 140 per cent, while "Outpost in Morocco"
at the State chalked up a lively 125
per cent. In a third round at the Century,
"Sorrowful Jones" continued to draw heavily.
(Average Is 100)
Aster Bombay Clipper (Realart); Mutiny in the
Arctic (Realart), reissues 90
Century Sorrowiul Jones (Para), 3rd wlc 125
Gopher—Caught (MGM); C-Mon (FC) 100
Lyric—The Great Dan Patch (UA), 2nd wk 100
Fix—City Across the River (U-I). 3rd wlc 100
Radio City—The Stratton Story (MGM) 140
RKO Orpheum—The Judge Steps Out (RKO), plus
vaudeville 200
RKO Pan—Cover Girl (Col); You Were Never
Lovelier (Col), reissues 95
State Outpost in Morocco (UA) 12b
World—Dulcimer Street (U-I) 90
Grosses Continue Steady
At Kansas City Houses
KANSAS CITY—Trade at first run house.s
here continued at a fairly steady pace. The
RKO Missouri, former Mainstreet which was
reopened July 26 following rebuilding, continued
to draw heavily with "She Wore a
Yellow Ribbon." Second weeks of "Any Number
Can Play" at the Midland and "Look for
the Silver Lining" at the Paramount were
average. "The Red Shoes" was to round out
a record-breaking 15-week run at the outlying
Kimo still drawing nicely.
Esquire Bad Boy (Mono); Incident (Mono) 90
Kimo The Red Shoes (EL), advanced prices,
15th wk 135
Midland—Any Number Can Play (MGM); The
Secret of St. Ives (Col). 2nd wk 100
Paramount Look ior the Silver Lining (WB), 2nd
wk 100
RKO Missouri—She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (RKO),
2nd wk
Roxy—It Ain't Hay (U-I); Behind the Eight Ball
(U-I), reissues 75
Tower, Uptown, Fairway Calamity Jane and Sam
Bass (U-I) 75
'Canadian Pacific' Sets Pace
In Omaha With 115 Rating
OMAHA—Trade at local first runs showed
improvement as breaks developed in the extreme
heat which has crimped grosses for
several weeks. "Canadian Pacific" at the
Paramount rang up a husky 115 per cent to
pace downtown theatres.
Omaha Red Stallion in the Rockies (EL); Behind
Locked Doors (EL) 90
Orpheum Outpost in Morocco (UA); No Minor
Vices (MGM) 105
Paramount-Canadian Pacific (20th-Fox) 115
RKO Brandeis Johnny Allegro (Col); Rusty Saves
'-
o Life (Col) 100
Stat^-Take One False Step (U-I) 105
Town—Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (RKO);
House of Shame (SR), plus stdge show 110
Virgil Harbison Purchases
Shenandoah, Iowa, House
KANSAS CITY—Virgil Harbison, operator
of the Tarkio at Tarkio, Mo., has purchased
the Mayfair at Shenandoah, Iowa, from Mrs.
C. V. Stewart, who has managed the house
since the death of her husband several years
ago, according to information received here.
The theatre, now closed for redecoration,
will be reopened by Harbison about September
1. Mrs. Stewart and her daughter Connie
will leave soon for California to visit another
daughter Mrs. Langdon Procter, known
In the film world as Kay Stewart. Harbison
is a member of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre
Ass'n board of directors.
BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949
I
Johnston Accepts Bid
To Address KMTA
KANSAS CITY — Eric Johnston, MPAA
president, tentatively has accepted an invitation
to speak at the banquet which will
climax the annual two-day convention of the
Kansas-Missouri Theatre Ass'n here September
20, 21 at the Muehlebach hotel, according
to Senn Lawler, general chairman for the
conclave.
Details of the tentative program for the
convention were discussed at a meeting Tuesday
(2) attended by Elmer Bills, Salisbury,
Mo., KMTA pres.dent; J. A. Becker, Independence,
Mo., secretary of the two-state
organization, and Lawler.
A tentative acceptance also has been received
from Johnston of an invitation to
speak at a special Motion Pictures on Parade
luncheon to be sponsored by the Chamber
of Commerce of Kansas City on Wednesday,
September 21, when special attention
will be focused on film world activities here
and their contribution to the general welfare
of the community.
One of the principal subjects which will be
discussed during the convention will be new
season product, and exhibitors present will
be invited to give their opinions on the best
ways to sell it. Another subject which is
expected to be of special interest will be television.
Arthur Lockwood, president; Ted Gamble,
chairman of the board; Herman Levy, general
counsel, and other TOA officials returning
from the national convention of the organization
in Los Angeles are expected to
talk on proceedings there during sessions of
the local conclave.
Remodeling of Farris
Started at Richmond
RICHMOND, MO. — The Farris Theatre
here, owned by F. G. Weary, is being remodeled.
The show will remain open with work
expected to be completed late in August.
Boiler and Lusky, architects of Kansas City,
drew up the plans.
Among the improvements will be a new
marquee, large poster cases on either side of
the doors, modern drinking fountains, rubber
tile floor and cove lighting in the lobby, and
extensive changes in the concession stands.
Anniversary for
Clarion
CLARION, IOWA—The Clarion Theatre,
called the finest in north Iowa when it was
built and still rated among the best, observed
its eleventh birthday July 28. Doors
of the building first were opened to the
public July 28, 1938. In connection with
the observance. Manager Larry Day conducted
a birthday contest open to citizens of
the community. A prize was awarded the
person who most accurately guessed the
number of miles of films shown at the
Clarion since it opened. The Clarion is operated
by the Central States Theatre Corp.
Rowe Carney Opens Theatre
ST. JAMES, MO—The new Rowe Theatre,
600 seats, is open. Rowe Carney, owner, also
operates the Lyric Theatre here.
MW
ERIC
JOHNSTON
Appointments made by Lawler to
committees
which will complete details of the KMTA
convention include the following: Ticket and
reservations—Sam Abend, Earl Jameson and
Finton Jones; Chamber of Commerce luncheon—Elmer
C. Rhoden, Senn Lawler, Howard
Burkhardt, Barney Joffee, M. D. Cohn and
Jay Means; Golf tournament—Robert Shelton,
and Banquet—Barney Joffee, George
Baker and R. R. Biechele.
Minneapolis Bank Report
Cheers Industry Outlook
MINNEAPOLIS—Film industry in this territory
is finding food for good cheer in the
current Minneapolis Federal Reserve bank report
showing that there are signs that the
business activity decline is leveling off and
some recovery has already been made. One
indication cited was the increase of $9,000,000
during June and the first two July weeks of
commercial, industrial and agricultural loans
in city banks, partly offsetting the previous
two months' sharp decline. Another good
sign was the gain of $8,000,000 in country
banks' total loans. The increases of $17,-
000,000 and $4,000,000, respectively, in demand
deposits in city and country banks was favorable.
Most noteworthy, however, was the fact
that department store sales, measured in
physical rather than dollar volume, during
the first half of 1949, were close to their
1948 level.
One adverse factor in the picture is the
fact that upper midwest farmers, faced with
the lowest small grain production since 1940
and falling farm prices, will have their income
substantially slashed this year. This
cash farm income has already dropped 17 per
cent from last year. Prices received by farmers
are down approximately 5 per cent since
January 1. The income, however, is likely
to be considerably above normal and very
substantial.
63

. . Merle
. . The
KANSAS
pimer C. Rhoden, Fox Midwest Theatres
Albert Dezel,
head, left for California . . .
Detroit, president of Albert Dezel Productions,
was here to complete a transaction by
which his interests in the local exchange were
purchased by Walt Lambader . . . Edwin W.
Aaron, 20th-Fox midwest division manager,
was in Wisconsin and Iowa territory . . .
T. R. Thompson, Monogram branch manager,
left for Chicago to attend a sales meeting.
. . .
D. L. Hartley, film editor of the Kansas
City Star, was convalescing after an Ulness
Don Davis. RCA-Victor distr.ct manager,
left with his family for a vacation to be
spent in Tennessee and Louisiana
Durwood, Durwood circuit
. . . Stan
vice-president in
charge of operations, became the father of a
son born Tuesday (2) at the Menorah hospital
Al Briggs, Altec representative, was
. . . at work in Missouri territory.
Senn Lawler, Fox Midwest Theatres public
relations director, returned from a 20th-
Fox film merchandising conference in New
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York . . . R. R. Biechele, Osage Theatre operator
and KMTA legislative chairman, was
W. B. Varnum,
driving a new Cadillac . . .
RCA-Victor broadcast equipment representative,
left for Camden, N. J., to attend a sales
meeting . . . Elmer Bills, Sahsbury, Mo.,
KMTA president, was here for a committee
meeting.
Carl Whitney, National Theatre Supply Co.,
left with his wife for a vacation in South
Dakota . . . Ralph Morgan, Monogram salesman,
celebrated his birthday July 30 . . .
The Exhibitors Film Delivery began using
a new l'2-ton twin-axle truck on its Kansas
City-Salina route . . . Remodeling of the
Screenland cafe on Filmrow was in progress
... A meeting of the Kansas-Missouri Alhed
unit board of directors was being planned for
September 13.
Geraldine Hamburg, daughter of Harry R.
Hamburg, Paramount branch manager, returned
from her musical studies in the east
to spend the remainder of the summer with
her parents . . . Betty Leahy, former switchboard
operator at the 20th-Fox branch, has
been promoted to booker . Shelton,
Paramount clerk, celebrated her birthday
July 29 . . . Margaret O'Toole, Film Classics
office manager, returned from her vacation.
Dale and Frieda Danielson, operators of the
Dream Theatre at Russell, Kas., plans to
attend the national TOA convention September
12-15 at Los Angeles . 275-car
drive-in built by Theatre Enterprises, Inc.,
on Route 40 one mile west of Manhattan, Kas.,
was opened July 27 ... A new cooling system
has been installed at the Ozark Theatre in
McCune, Kas. . . . Construction of a 550-car
drive-in has been started by Rowe Carney at
Rolla, Mo.
Kansas theatremen who were booking and
buying here included J. A. Dunbar, Roxy,
Wichita; O. C. Alexander, Kansas, Kiowa;
R. F. Fite, Fite, El Dorado; Albert Orear,
Rio, Bonner Springs, and M. B. Landau, Liberty,
Horton . . . Among Missouri operators
seen on Filmrow were W. C. Silver, Silver,
Cameron; Francis Meyers, Civic, Brookfield;
J. Leo Ha yob, Mary Lou, Marshall; R. C.
Davison, Birmey, Pattonsburg, and Forrest
Runyon, Colony, Oak Grove.
Walt Lambader Purchases
Dezel Kansas City Branch
!
KANSAS CITY—Walter Lambader, manager
for
Walter
Albert Dezel Productions here since
Feb. 1, 1948, has pur-,
chased the interests
Lambader
of Albert Dezel in the
branch and will operate
it as the United
Film Exchange, handling
Albert Dezel
A s t o r. Masterpiece
Favorite, Savoy, Acu!
and
Madison product
Lambader began hi;
film career in 1933 a;
a shipper for MGM
and later became i
booker. He served ir
the U.S. navy fron
1941 to 1945. After returning to MGM, h«
became associated with Screen Guild in Jan^
uary 1946, leaving the latter to assume man-J
agement of the Albert Dezel branch.
Missouri at Kansas City
To Launch Stage Bills
KANSAS CITY—Playing the same eigh
acts which brought variety back to the Pal
ace in New York several weeks ago, the nev
RKO Missouri Theatre Which was opene(
here July 26 will launch its presentation o
vaudeville one week each month with ai
initial Dill to start August 10.
The eight-act bill includes Berk & Hallow
the Chords, Fanny & Kitty Watson, Bol
Hammond's Birds, Mack, Russ tfe Owen
Wally Brown. Dolinoff & Raya Sisters unl
Pat Rooney sr. Acts will work without
master of ceremonies, and the house or
chestra in the pit will be conducted by
director who accompanies the unit on tour,
Two afternoon performances and two nigh
shows will be given each week when the RKC
Missouri offers stage bills, according to Lawi
rence Lehman, manager. The film whic'
will accompany the initial vaudeville layou
will be "The Judge Steps Out."
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64 BOXOFFICE August 6, 191;

. . . Pilmrow
. . Wilham
. . W.
. . James
ipaokors
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20th-Fox Conference
Lauded by Lawler
KANSAS CITY—The two-day film "merchandising
meeting" conducted July 28, 29
by 20th Centm-y-Fox in New York at the call
of Charles Einfeld, vice-president in charge
of advertising and exploitation, was warmly
praised by Senn Lawler, Fox Midwest Theatres
public relations director, upon his return
from the conference.
"The meeting was a powerful forward step
in effective intra-industry public relations,"
Lawler declared in discussing the two-day
conference. "It offered to all of the circuit
and independent exploitation men present
some extremely constructive thinking on
methods by which the new season product
can be sold to theatregoers, and it marked
a new approach toward happier relations between
producer, distributor and exhibitor."
Eldon Harwood Captures
King of the Sun Title
KANSAS CITY—Eldon Harwood, manager
of the 565-seat Norton Theatre at Norton,
Kas., won the 1949 King of the Sun contest
sponsored by Corrmionwealth Theatres, Robert
Shelton, circuit vice-president and general
manager, disclosed at its offices here.
House managers in the four divisions of
Commonwealth Theatres competed in the
annual contest. The Norton Theatre is included
in the western division, of which Lloyd
Morris is manager. Presentation of the 1949
contest trophy will be made to Harwood during
the annual Commonwealth fall meeting
September 13-15 at Excelsior Springs, Mo.
R. E. Carney Starts Drive-In
ROLLA, MO.—R. E. Carney, local theatre
operator, has begun work on a $100,000 drivein
on Highway 66 just north of the Pennant
hotel. The theatre will accommodate 550
cars and will have a 60x60-foot tower.
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WICHITA DRIVE-IN OPERATORS—
The Sky-Vue, fourth drive-in to be built
in the vicinity of Wichita, Kas., was
opened July 19. Partners in the new open
air theatre are Ed Foy, Hutchinson, Kas.,
shown at the left in the accompanying
photograph, and Lee Sproule, Wichita,
active for many years in theatre operation
in the state.
M. Lif Manages Grand
GRAND ISLAND, NEB.—Maynard Lif has
been promoted to the manager's position at
the Grand, local Tri-States' situation. Lif,
who has been assistant manager of the circuit's
drive-in here since its June opening,
is replacing Bob Hoffa, who has resigned.
MINNEAPOLIS
. . .
T ouis Orlove, MGM exploiteer, was here from
Milwaukee to work on "The Stratton
Story" and "In the Good Old Summertime"
visitors included Robert Baker,
Britton, S. D.; Jack Heywood, New Richmond,
Wis., and Robert Connelly, Clinton, Minn.
Paramount ran a prevue of "My Friend
Ludy Boston
Irma" at the Radio City . . .
and his wife, veteran Iowa circuit owners,
brought a party of ten couples to Minneapolis
as their guests for the local annual Aquatennial
summer festival.
. .
George Engleking, Paramount booker, was
vacationing at Lake Pepin . Nederlander,
manager of the Lyceum, making inquiries
regarding possibilities of obtaining
28-day availability for the legitimate house
so that he can use pictures during open
weeks . Gene Melone, Warner Bros, booker,
was vacationing in Des Moines
Artists' "Home of the Brave,"
. .
has
. United
been set
back from August 25 to September 1 for its
Twin City day-and-date premieres at the
Minneapolis State and St. Paul Paramount.
. . .
Fay Dressell, RKO branch manager, was
vacationing in northern Minnesota . . . Because
of scanty attendance at late shows, the
Friedman brothers have changed their policy
at their newly opened Albert Lea, Minn.,
drive-in to one performance nightly
Julius Edlestein said that plans to build
drive-ins at Hibbing and Virginia, Minn., by
his group have been deferred for at least a
year.
M. A. Levy, 20th-Fox branch manager, still
was in Asbury hospital under observation for
a back ailment . H. Workman, MGM
branch manager, became grandfather when a
son was bom to his daughter, Mrs. Elaine
Lund . Gundelman, 20th-Fox
home office auditor, was in town . . . Double
featuring continues on the increase in Twin
City neighborhood houses.
Fall Start for 350-Car
Creston, Iowa, Drive-In
CRESTON, IOWA— Construction of a 350-
car drive-in will be started this fall by Commonwealth
Theatres on the site of the former
fairgrounds here. The drive-in is expected to
be ready for opening early next spring. The
Commonwealth circuit operates the Strand
here, with H. W. McCracken as manager.
Another house formerly operated by Commonwealth
here, the Uptown, now is closed.
Plan 300-Car Drive-In
Near Atchison, Kas.
KANSAS CITY—A 300-car drive-in theatre
will be built by Beverly Miller, Charles
Potter and Harold Lux at a site on Route 9
two miles west of Atchison, Kas. Construction
will be started following completion of
surveying and other preliminaries now in
progress. The Atchison open air theatre will
be the third to be built by Miller and his
associates, others now being operated near
Leavenworth, Kas., and Jefferson City, Mo.
House Opening August 19
COLLINS, IOWA — Collins' new theatre
building is completed and the opening has
been set, tentatively, for August 19, according
to R. L. Johnson of Thompson, who has
leased, the house from the town. The building
is of hollow tile and brick. Seating capacity
is 262. The lobby is finished in knotty
pine. Upstairs is a soundproof cry room.
A basement room will be equipped as a nursery.
"Tarzan and the Slave Girl" is being produced
by Sol Lesser for RKO Radio, with
the direction chore handled by Lee Sholem.
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BOXOFFICE :: August 6, 1949
65

. . John
D MOINES
Runaway Spends 10 Nights
f<
E S
In Incompleted Ozoner
MANHATTAN—After ten nights in thei
n mone Filmrowers taking early August vacations
were Helen Clarke, Republic, who the home office . . . Reports from Des Moines'