Boxoffice-January.07.1950

. . Paul
. . The
. . The
. . George
ALBANY
^r. and Mrs. Louis W. Schine left for Los
Angeles for a three-week vacation. They
were to stay at the Schine-owiied Ambassador
hotel . . . The son recently born to Mr.
and Mrs. Donald G. Schine at Littauer hospital
in Gloversville has been named Randolph.
Mother and baby now are at their
home in Gloversville. Donald, son of Louis
Schine, is president of Darnell Theatres Corp.,
Buffalo.
.
Ben Strauss, former Saratoga exhibitor, renewed
acquaintances on Pilmrow
. . . Theatremen
at exchanges included Phil Baroudi,
North Creek, Warrensburg and Indian Lake;
Don Violetti, Cairo; Frank Wieting, Cobleskill;
Sylvan Leff, Utica Paramount,
Glens Falls, screened "Dear Wife" at a New
Year's midnight show . . . "The Inspector
General" was the New Year's feature at the
Strand, Albany; Proctor's, Schenectady;
Troy, Troy, and the Stanley, Utica. The
Strand ran a Sunday midnight preview of
"Montana"
. . . Harry Pendrick, Warner salesman,
spent the holidays at his home in New
York.
3IiUon Kravitz, Colonial manager, has notified
Albany's Golden Age club—men and
women 65 or more—that they will be admitted
free. The club was organized last year to
promote a social and recreational program.
Albany newspapers and radio stations have
given space and time to its activities. H. V.
Richey is president .
Wallen, manager
of the Grand, returned from a vacation
partly spent with his father Clarence, right
hand man of the late F. F. Proctor, in Westchester
county. Bob Griffith managed the
Grand in Wallen's absence.
James WTiittemore, who plays the footfrozen
sergeant in "Battleground," visited his
home town of Buffalo shortly before the preview
of the pictm-e there. Exploiteer Floyd
Pitzsimmons met him at the airport. Whittemore,
his wife and 14-month-old daughter
were in Buffalo several days before he had to
return to Hollywood to appear in a new
Clark Gable film. His father is Buffalo city
planning commissioner ... it has been vacation
time for members of the Lamont organization.
Harry Lamont left for a rest in Florida;
his partner Gerald Schwartz went to
Ohio, and Bob Lamont, Harry's brother,
rested at home.
Twentieth-Fox stai'fers attended an evening
preview of "IVelve O'clock High." Paramount
employes saw a preview of "Samson
and Delilah." RKO screened "My Foolish
Heart" . 7-year-old daughter of Arthur
Newman, Republic manager, is wearing
a cowboy costume sent as a Christmas present
by Roy Rogers, western star.
The Stanley, Utica, ran a holiday season
morning cartoon show . Haney,
American Seating Co. representative, visited
Filmrow ... It was reported that Tom Harris,
former U-I booker, would like to enter
the television field. Tom is son of Maurice
Harris, U-I exploiteer . . . Irwin Ullman, son
of Saul J. Ullman, upstate general manager
for Fabian, was one of those attending the
New Year's eve basketball game between
Siena and William and Mary.
Drive-In Planning Firm
Organized in Camden
CAMDEN—The Drive-In Theatre Service
Co., offering planning and engineering aid in
construction of outdoor theatres, has been organized
here. W. W. Smith and V. C. Smith,
both of whom were pioneers in the development
of the first drive-in, are partners in
the new firm. S. Herbert Taylor is associated
with the company as an engineering
consultant.
Services offered by the company to prospective
builders include assistant in selection
of a site, preliminary plans, grading, landscaping,
selection of equipment, concession
arrangements, personnel training, publicity
and sale or purchase of completed drive-in
theatres.
20th-Fox Albany Branch
Remodeling Proposed
ALBANY—Plans for remodeling of the
20th-Fox exchange building were discussed
recently at a meeting attended by Frank W.
Mulderry, representing the estate which owns
the structure, and Clarence Hill, home office
representative. Changes would include enlargement
of the front offices by moving present
partitions, addition of new restrooms and
installation of air conditioning. With the
present ten-year lease nearing its expiration
date, terms of a new lease on the building will
depend upon a decision concerning the remodeling
work and financing of the project.
Embassy Newsreel
Chain to Guild, Inc.
NEW YORK—The Embassy Newsreel Theatre
chain, consisting of five theatres, two of
which are feature houses, has been sold by
Newsreel Theatres, Inc., to Guild Enterprises,
Inc. W. French Githens, retiring president
of Newsreel Theatres, announced that Norman
W. Elson will head Guild Enterprises.
Elson was vice-president and general manager
of Translux for 12 years, and resigned
last month.
Elson said that acquisition of the Embassy
chain was the beginning of a 25 or 30-
theatre circuit.
Sunday Stage Bill Plans
Abandoned by Colonial
ALBANY—Plans of the management of the
Colonial Theatre to open a vaudeville bill
there last Sunday ili for a thi-ee-day run,
and to offer another variety show for five
days through the next Sunday were abandoned
when city authorities called attention
to the fact that only motion pictures are permitted
on Sundays after 2 p. m.
The Colonial management is said to have
based their plans on the fact that Xavier
Cugat and his orchestra and other bands have
played Sundays at the Palace, with various
acts in their routines. The Colonial program
folder listed variety shows for January 1 and
8, but Alan Carter, emcee, annomiced from
the stage that one bill would be offered Monday
and Tuesday while another would be
given Wednesday through Saturday of the
week in question.
'Battleground' Previewed
At Theatre in Utica
TJTICA, N. Y.—A preview of "Battleground"
was given at the Oneida Square Theatre
here by MGM, following a luncheon at the
Utica hotel, for exhibitors, newspaper and
radio workers, the clergy and others. Among
those attending were Morris Slotnick, WaterviUe
and Oriskany Falls; Donald LjTich, Port
Leydon; Woolsey B. Ackerman, New Berlin;
B'U Keener. Utica;
Chris Marx, former opeiator
of the Highland here, and Harold Lewis,
who recently sold the Lincoln. Tlie preview
was arranged by Floyd Fitzsinunons, MGM
exploiteer for the Albany and Buffalo territories.
He also arranged a preview of the
film at the Westcott Theatre, Syracuse, with
luncheon at the Syracuse hotel there.
NO PERFORATIONS: 20".. More Light and Better Vision
CYCl«RAMIC
Custom Screen
'Francis' Set for New Orleans
NEW YORK—"Francis" lU-Ii will be given
an elaborate premiere in New Orleans February
8. It will be a territorial with immediate
mass openings throughout the exchange
area. New Orleans is the home of
David Stern, publisher of the New Orleans
Item, who is author of the book. Donald
O'Connor, star of the film, will head a Hollywood
delegation.
Magic Screen
of the future
'Potent applied for
Installed
at
CRITERION THEATRE
Broadway & 44th St.
By JOE HORNSTEIN,
630 Ninth Ave.
New York City
Inc.
New York City
FOR CAPACITY BUSINESS
HOSTESS
A L U M I N U M W A R E
"The year's most outstanding premium deal"
METRO PREMIUM COMPANY
334 W. 44th St. COIumbus 51-1952 New York
257 No. 13th St. RITenhouse 6-7994 Philadelphia, Pa.
36
BOXOFTICE January 7, 1950