Boxoffice-February.18.1950

Theatre Construction, Openings and Sales
CONSTRUCTION:
OPENINGS:
Brooksville, Fla.—41 Drive-In opened by Frank
Saxon,
Dover, Fla.—Mr, c(nd Mrs. Charles R. Hanson
opened Plant City Drive-In.
Fergus Falls, Minn.—$100,000 remodeling job completed
on Orpheum for Bennie Berger circuits.
lackson. Miss.—Ritz opened by A. L. Royal.
New Orleans, La.—900-car Airline Drive-In opened
by Woolner Theatres.
Presque Isle, Me,—930-seat Brctden opened by
Charles Brooks-
Son Antonio, Tex.—500-car, $85,000 Hi-Park Drive-In
opened
San Antonio, Tex.—800-seat, $150,000 Olmos Theatre
opened by John C, Carson and Louis Santikos,
Olmos Amusement Co
St. Augustine, Fla.—395-cc(r Beach Drive-In opened
hy Ray S Ettel and Edward Douglas
Tacoma Park, Md.—K&B Theatres opened Flower,
Voro Beach, Fla,—Vero Beach Drive-In opened by
Talgar T'hecrtres
West Palm Beach, Fla.—Florida Theatres opened
Florida,
SALES:
Akron, Ohio—M M Simms and Jesse Wiseman
purchased Circle from Paul Silknltter,
Beaver City, Neb.—Ben Thorn purchased Oriental
from Ben Miller,
Bentonville. Ark.—Mr and Mrs. Carl Johnson purchased
Cozy from Mr. and Mrs. Rulf Prophet.
Blossom, Tex.—E. A, Chewing purchased Blossom
from Royce Whitten and G. L. Skidmore.
Bradley, Ark.—Rob-Son to J. M. Downs by I. T
Roberts.
Braniord, Fla.—E. S. Winburn sold Capitol to Harlovr
Land.
Danbury, Iowa—Dana purchased by Lloyd J, Ein-
about should have occurred, but didn't. As
a matter of fact, "Major Barbara" played at
the DuPont Theatre in Washington for three
weeks to solid, topnotch business, after the
picture had been televised only four days
before its opening. This may be verified by
checking with the operators of the DuPont
Theatre.
Now if what Mr. Alldredge says were true,
apparently there are no sets in Washington
at all, or if there are a lot of sets, then the
attendance by the television set owners certainly
has not dropped 72 per cent or anything
like it, because then of course the attendance
at this theatre would have been affected.
These are the incontrovertible facts. Prior
to the exhibition of "Major Barbara," out of
seven pictures played at this theatre, only two
pictures outgrossed "Major Barbara," one of
wliich was "Lost Boundaries." After "Major
Barbara" was shown, only one picture out of
five grossed as much as "Major Barbara" did.
The point I am getting at is that "Major
Barbarp" was televised, and the pictures both
prior to and after the showing of "Major
Barbara" were not shown on television.
I know that this survey did not refer to
televised motion pictures, but in view of the
fact that exhibitors are concerned about the
effect of television especially in the case
where a picture has been televised, I thought
I would give you the facts. Of course in the
case of "Major Barbara," I have no control
over the televising of this picture, inasmuch
as the television rights were controlled by the
producer. I want you to know that having
been in distribution all my life, I do not favor
the selling of pictures on television, as I know
exactly how the exhibitor feels about it, but
I am simply giving you the story of what
feldt from William C, Chile,
Dania, Fla.—Edward McClosky purchased Dania happened in Washington, D. C, as I believe
Artosia. N. M.—Ray Bartlett building 350-oar, $70,000 Drive-In from E, E. Doefler,
Delphos, Ohio—Pfful Staup sold interest in Capitol
there is too much hysteria over the television
Circle B Drive-In.
Bainlree. Mass.—Ground broken by Rifkin circuit for brother Ells rth.
ogre.
construction of 900-car dnve-m.
Delphos, Ohio — Ellsworth Staup purchased his
If
Beaumont, Tex.—500-car, $150,000 Pyrdmid Drive-In brother Paul's interest in Star
the exhibitors were to take Mr. Alldredge
started by Millard Jones and Maurice Kleinmen, I&K Detroit, Mich.—Alex Schreiber disposed of Irving seriously, then they would all rush out and
in suburban Redford,
Theatre circuit.
sell
Caldwell, Ida.—Work begun on 3S0-car Caldwell Detroit, Mich.— Alex Schreiber sold Highland Park
their theatres as quickly as they could.
Motor-Vu Drive-In lor Frank ludd. Hrtrry Harris and in suburban Highland Park,
Perhaps Mr. Alldredge's survey is as accurate
Kansas City, Mo.—Ted Huntsmcin purchased 1.100-
Morris Eckert.
as the polls were on President Truman's
Conyers. Go.-Hub Drive-In Theatres, Inc., building
Hub Drive-In on Mansfield highway.
Orland, Calif.—William Stewart has taken over chances of election.
seat Belmont.
Dade City, Fla.—Work begun on $55,000. 250-car Orland from Mr. and Mrs M- W. Lathrop.
JACK ELLIS
drive-m for Floyd Theatres.
Philadelphia, Pa.—Alden to Dave Shapiro by
Ellis Films, Inc.,
Dallas, Tex.—Hampton Road Drive-In, 750 cars, Charles Goldlme.
under way for C. D. Leon Theatres.
Russell, Eas.—Walt Lambader disposed of his interest
in Sky-Vu Drive-In to J. O, Murray, W. A.
New York 20, N. Y.
Dallas, Tex.—Construction begun on 650-car Garland
Road Drive-In for C. D. Leon Theatres.
Michaelis cmd W. A. Michaelis jr.
Dallas, Tex.—C- D. Leon Theatres building 840-car Torrington, Wyo.—Charles D. Stewart purchased
Denton Road Drive-ln at Denton drive and loe Field fCcIr-Vu Drive-ln from Frank Sheffield, Bob C, Otwell DISLIKES 'STBOMBOLI' PUBLICITY
and Bill Chopping.
road,
TO BOXOFFICE:
Danville, 111.—Frank Stewcrrt started construction Yates Center. Kas.—Temple sold to Mr. and Mrs.
Earl B. Crawford by Mr. and Mrs. Glen Newbold. This
of drive-in.
morning's maU brought me a letter
El Campo, Tex.—Ten-acre site on Highway 71 purchased
for construction of 500-cc(r drive-in for Rubin
from RKO's Mr. Mochrie that convinces me
that the organizing of COMPO for a public
Frels,
Florence, Ala.—Marshall Drive-In Theatres, Inc
.
relations
LETTERS
promotion job is going to be a waste
building $100,000, 600-car drive-in.
of time.
Fulton, Mo.—Construction begun on 400-car, $75,000
drive-in for Don Fikes and nephew Kenny.
Hartford, Conn.—Alfons Bach plans to construct CONTENDS TV HELPS FILIWS
Can you tell me what good it is going to do
$150,000 theatre and office building,
for us to try to whitewash our industry while
To BOXOPFICE:
Lakelond, Fla.—Murrell Amusement Co, building a
distribution heads write us exhibitors letters
400-car. $100,000 drive-in on ten-acre tract.
I have read with great interest the story
telling us what great boxoffice winners they
Lancaster, S, C.—Motor-In Theatres. Inc., building
in the tradepress regarding the survey taken
dnve-in.
have in pictures like "Stromboli" and how
Mount Vernon, N. Y.—New 600-seat theatre to be in Washington. D. C, where in some tradepapers
the caption read "Capitol Survey Finds
much publicity they are throwing behind it?
built as part of a railroad shopping center.
North Vancouver, B. C.—Permit issued Clarence
Domsley for construction of 1,000-seat theatre. TV Cuts Attendance 72 Per Cent." On further Sure, we all know they have a lot of cash
Quanah, Tex. — Theatre Enterprises, Inc., purchased
ten-acre site for construction of drive-in.
examination of the story, it says that families tied up in the picture, and there's no doubt
Pottstown, Pa.—William Goldman
owning television sets go to motion picture about it that the thing will pack houses with
is constructing
theatres 72 per cent less than they did before the curious. I think it would do that without
Riverside, N. M.—Fidel Theatres, Inc., building they got their sets. I believe that many exhibitors
will be appalled upon the reading of up the release date until the furor dies down,
any page ads in the magazines. Why not hold
$50,000 drive-in.
Santa Paula, Calif.—Hickey Bros, Co, purchased
eight-acre site for construction of 500-car drive-in. this article if they take it seriously.
then ease it out to exhibition without a lot
Shamrock, Tex.—J. Seibert Worley began construction
oi $40,000, 300-car drive-in,
However, I would like to say, as the dis-
of fanfare? They'll get their money back
Thompson, Ga.—Work begun on 1.081-seat Martin
without insulting the people who support our
tributor of "Major Barbara," that I cannot
Theatre
industry but don't believe in such sensationalism.
Tullahoma, Tenn.—Plans annoi ed by R. T. Hil quite argee with Charles Alldredge's analysis.
ior construction of 500-cdt drive-:
If what Mr. Alldredge says is true, then on
West Covina, Calii,—Work to begin immediately
on l.SOO-coT, $400,000 theatre-recreation center. a recent engagement which was held at the I thought this was the kind of thing that
Westport, Mass.—Construction of drive-in begun DuPont Theatre in Washington, D. C, beginning
November 30, the dire results he talks any blood money to hold up my sagging box-
we were organizing to combat. I don't want
for Nathan Yamins of Flint Theatre, Inc,
Yreka, Calif.—Site being surveyed by Robert L.
Lippert Theatres
office. Why can't RKO spend the money for
for construction of 425-car, $65,000
dnve-in.
the "Stromboli" campaign on some of their
fine pictures that will build up future business?
If I know the AmericEin press, unless they've
changed a lot since I quit hammering a typewriter,
they're going to give us hell this time
and we deserve nothing better. After all our
news releases right down to the grassroots
country weeklies about how our industry was
organizing to clean up everything in oior industry,
then we slip a deal like this to the
public.
I'm not pitching my farmers any curves,
and there will be no "Strombolls" in Fruita.
Maybe I'U go broke in the business, but if
greed ever makes me have to cash in on this
type publicity, I'd rather quit.
Uintah Theatre,
Fruita, Colo.
BOB WALKER
'My First Love' Banned
NEW YORK—The Motion Pictiu-e Division
of the State Department of Education has
banned "My First Love," a French film, featuring
Gerard Nery. Jacqueline Delubac and
Aime Clariond. The picture was scheduled
to .open at the Ambassador Theatre. Leo
Cohen, the distributor, says an appeal will
be filed.
26 BOXOFFICE :: February 18, 1950