Boxoffice-March.04.1950

Florida State Sells
Two of Its Houses
ST. PETERSBURG—Florida State Theatres
has disposed of two of its local holdings,
according to Lamar Sarra of Jacksonville,
attorney for FST. Tlie Ninth Street Theatre
property, 1112-1116 Ninth St. north, has been
sold to the Florida Commercial Ti-ailer Corp..
headed by Robert A. James and Robert W.
Evans.
FST also canceled a ten-year lease, effective
March 1 on the Beach, owned by Stephen S.
Girard of Gulf Beaches. The lease has been
in effect since 1941. James, head of the
James Construction Co.. said the purchase
price was about $27,000. "We plan no immediate
change in the building or property.
However, we do plan to renovate the 330-seat
theatre in the near future," he said.
The Ninth Street Theatre, constructed in
1929. opened for business in September that
year. Florida Coastal Theatres, predecessor
to FST. purchased the building in 1946 at a
cost of approximately $20,000. from Harry C.
Parker, Vermont. The corporation held the
theatre property under lease several years
prior to 1946. The theatre has been closed
several months.
The Beach, first sound-equipped theatre to
be built on the Gulf Beaches, was constructed
in 1939 by Girard at a cost of over $35,000.
The theatre opened in 1940 under the management
of F. H. Alig jr., president of the
Beach Amusement. Inc.. theatre operator.
Girard will continue operation of the beach.
His son-in-law Edward Moran, Redington
Beach, will be the manager.
FST, headed by President Leon D. Netter.
Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville, is a subsidiary
of United Paramount Theatres, divorced
corporation from Paramoimt Pictures.
After March 1. FST will control the Plaza, raising.
Florida Theatre building, Roxy Theatre
building. Fourth Street North Drive-In, Capitol,
Pheil, Harlem and Cameo.
Jenkins Theatres Get
$28,200 in Dimes Drive
ATLANTA—William K. Jenkins, president
of the Georgia Theatre Co.. has turned over
to the Georgia chapter of the National
Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, $28,220.80
collected by his company's theatres in the
March of Dimes campaign.
Jenkins has served as chairman of the
state chapter for two years and has been one
of the Foundation's stanchest workers.
R. M. Ware Is Transferred
To Jacksonville, Fla.
BIRMINGHAM—After three years in
Alabama
and Tennessee as salesman for Southeastern
Theatre Equipment Co.. R. M. Ware
has been transferred. He is now manager
of the company's Florida office at 625 West
Bay St. in Jacksonville. Ware's .succe.s.sor in
Alabama and Tennessee will be announced
later.
Good Key West Total
KEY WEST. FLA.—The total funds derived
from the March of Dimes drive here is
expected to exceed $10,000. Managers of the
major theatres of the city are Ignatio Carbonell.
Strand; Gonzalo Bezanillo, Palace, and
John Carbonell, Monroe.
Georgia Industry Again
Backs Boys Home Drive
E. D. Martin, chairman of the exhibitors committee for the Boys Estate fund
drive; J. H. "Tommy" Thompson, general chairman; Roy Martin jr. and C. L. Patrick
of Martin Theatres.
ATLANTA—Tlie motion picture industry
of Georgia again stepped behind the campaign
to raise $150,000 for support of Boys
Estate, philanthropic institution for youth
at Boys Estate, Ga.
Following adoption by directors of the
Variety Club of the project, a group of about
40 exhibitors, distributor repre.sentatives and
radio men met at the Variety clubrooms to
organize activities in behalf of the fund
General chairman for the industry is J. H.
Thompson, head of Martin & Thompson
Theatres, with William K. Jenkins, head of
the Georgia Theatre Co.. and Willis Davis
as co-chairmen.
E. D. Martin of Martin Theatres and
O. C. Lam of Rome were appointed chairmen
of the exhibitors committee with the
following as members: John Thompson, John
Hackney. Nat Hancock, Bill Bo.swell. Pete
Brice. Harold Spears. Cecil Crummy and
W. M. Snelson. Paul Wilson was named
chairman of the distributor committee with
A. B. Padgett. Jimmy Hobbs. co-chairmen.
Joy Houck Granted Permit
For Shreveport Drive-In
SHREVEPORT—A drive-in to be located
at one of the busiest intersections away from
downtown Shreveport will be constructed
near the intersection of Texas avenue and
Mansfield road. A permit for $10,000 for preliminary
work only has been issued to Joy
Houck, president of Joy Theatres.
The theatre will be built on land east of
Alamo Plaza tourist courts. Houck. who is
moving to Shreveport soon, is expected to
make an announcement concerning the new
theatre in the near future.
Organizes Riders Club
VERO BEACH. FLA.—Manager Archie
Adams jr. has organized a Roy Rogers Riders
club at the Florida Theatre.
Ardele Nation, administrator and founder
of Boys Estate, gave a brief history of the
institution at the meeting. Guy Brown, chief
barker of the Variety Club, assured that
organization's cooperation. Lee Rogers, managing
editor of the Atlanta Constitution,
pledged -support, and Ed Mullinax. president
of the Georgia Broadcasters Ass'n, asserted
the radio men would go along 100 per cent.
Lauren Norvel. motion picture editor of
the Journal, said the Boys Estate campaign
is one of the finest efforts the industry could
sponsor, and pledged the cooperation of the
Journal, as did Ernest Rogers, also of the
Journal.
Jenkins, a member of the board of trustees
of Boys Estate, offered the entire receipts
from any motion picture premiere in
Atlanta for one day to the fund.
Modeled on the late Father Flanagan's
Boys Town near Omaha. Neb., Boys Estate
was founded in 1945 and was approved by
the state legislature the following year. Last
year it accommodated 36 boys and had 500
applications for entrance.
Essex and Paper Sponsor
Miami Springs Youth Club
MIAMI SPRINGS—The Home News and
the E.ssex Theatre are cooperating in sponsoring
a Successful Youth club for youngsters
here. Members of the Home News-Essex
Theatre club are given numbered membership
cards. Each week "Uncle Oakie," theatre
manager, posts 25 numbers on a blackboard
in front of the theatre. Holders of
cards with these numbers will be admitted
free to the next Saturday's matinee.
The theatre also offers free tickets as rewards
for certain activities. Monitors are
selected from among the members to maintain
order during the performances. Free
admission is given the monitors, both boys
and girls, who wear a special arm band as a
distinguishing mark.
BOXOFHCE March 4, 1950
97