Boxoffice-March.04.1950

'
Door
DENVER
Phc courtesy plaques, awarded each six
months by Prank H. Ricketson jr., president
of Fox Intermountain Theatres, went
this time to the Fox at Aurora, Paramount
Idaho Palls, Ida.; Rialto and Grand, Rock
Springs, Wyo., and the Pox, Montrose. One
award is made in each district. Maintenance
awards of $25 to the janitor of one theatre
in each district went to Otto Baltes, Tabor,
Denver: Everett Evans, Fox, Caldwell, Ida.;
Reuben Kehn, Fox, Longmont, and Maria
Quintana and Clyde Baca, State, Las Cruces,
N. M. The theatre in each instance gets a
certificate.
A packed house attended the first of the
Carnival nights at Variety Tent 37 clubrooms.
The party started with hors d'oeuvres
at 7:30 and progressively went through free
champagne cocktails to all until 8 o'clock.
prizes were champagne. The memberheld
a meeting in the little theatre and attended
a screening of "Wabash Avenue,"
and at 11 p. m. a box lunch auction was
held in the dining room.
The home of Joe Clark, Lippert salesman,
burned at a time when all of the family was
away. All their clothes and most of the
furniture were destroyed, and what furniture
was not burned was damaged otherwise.
With the March 11 world premiere of
"Operation Haylift" set for Ely, Nev., where
the first planes took off in the inspiration
for the film, all of the cast will fly from
there to Denver and Salt Lake City to be
present when the film opens in those cities,
one and two days later. Along with another
Lippert film, "The Baron of Arizona,"
the complete allotment of 170 prints made
will be available for booking in the Denver
and Salt Lake City territories immediately
after the Ely premiere.
Two Hunt Theatres
To Fox West Coast
RIVERSIDE, CALIF.—Roy Hunt has sold
the Hunt Theatres partnership and interest
in the DeAnza and Golden State theatres
here to the Pox West Coast circuit. The
transaction reportedly involved more than
$250,000 and leaves Hunt Theatres owner
of the Rubidoux Drive-In only on West
Riverside. Partnership between Hunt and
Fox West Coast was dissolved partially in
June 1947 when FWC assumed ownership
of the Riverside and Lido theatres.
Hunt came to Riverside 29 years ago and
purchased the Grand Theatre on Main street.
He remodeled it and renamed it the Little
Rubidoux. In 1929 Hunt took over the Loring
Theatre, remodeled it and renamed it
the Golden State. He went into partnership
with FWC in 1933 and Himt became operating
manager of the combined interests which included
all theatres in Riverside.
Hunt and FWC built the De Anza in 1939
and the Lido in 1941. In 1948 Hunt built the
$350,000 Rubidoux Drive-In, which Harry
Creasey manages. Hunt said he would devote
a good portion of his time for the next
six months to the presidency of the Rubidoux
Baseball club. He assumed the presidency of
the club last year and is a major stockholder
in the club.
r
The wife of Moz Buries, Paramount salesman,
entered St. Anthony's hospital for a
checkup . . . Theatremen seen on Filmrow
included John Roberts, Fort Morgan; George
KeUoff, Aguilar; Bernard Newman, Walsh,
and Ross Gantt, Kremmling.
L. M. Kennedy Quits Vita,
In Colorado Springs Suit
MANITOU, COLO.— L. M. Kennedy has resigned
as manager of the 'Vita Theatre here,
the house which figured in an action brought
by the state industrial commission seeking
to enforce fire and safety regulations.
"I have canceled my working agreement
with the owner of the building," Kennedy
•said. "I will not assume responsibility for
the action brought against the Vita last January.
I believe it to my best interests to
sever my connection with the theatre."
The suit, brought to enforce compliance
with recommendations of inspections of the
theatre, ended with a minimum fine being
levied against the theatre. Charles Diller of
Ouray, owner of the building and the theatre,
paid the fine.
Kennedy, acting in his own defense,
pleaded not guilty in the first such case to
be brought by the commission against a theatre
in a move to "crack down on violators
of fire and safety rules." The court ruled
that Kennedy had labored under a hardship
in complying with the commision's rules since
he w^as not owner of the theatre.