Boxoffice-July.01/1950

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Blue Law Referendum
For Cleveland, Tenn.
CLEVELAND. TENN—A referendum has
been proposed to test the sentiment of local
residents regarding Sunday shows. Pending
the proposed vote, which would be on the
question of whether any business should
operate on the Sabbath, cases have been
continued against three theatre managers
charged with operating Sunday shows.
The referendum move is being sponsored
by City Commissioner H. D. Kerr, whose
action came after Commissioner Harrison
Fair said he had been informed that the
commission would be asked at its July meeting
to legalize Sunday films.
Cleveland had no Sunday shows until last
January, when an extension of the city limits
brought into the city the Cleveland Drivein.
The drive-in, managed by G. B. Odium,
had been showing on the Sabbath and continued
to do so, joined by the Princess and
Bohemia, managed by Charles R. McGhee
and Woodrow Hawk.
On warrants sworn out by eight ministers,
they were charged with violation of the state
anti-Sunday film law. Their cases were continued
until October because of the absence
from the city of their attorney.
Meanwhile, Odium is giving free Sunday
shows at his drive-in. More than 1,700 persons
attended the first Sabbath gratis show.
Charles Sappal Stricken;
Former Tampa Showman
TAMPA—Charles Andrew Sappal, 65, former
theatre operator, died of a heart attack
at his fishing camp on the Little Manatee
river south of Riverview. Death was at first
believed to have been caused by lightning inasmuch
as he was stricken during a thunderstorm
as he and his grandson. Jimmy Wade
Rhodes, 13, were about to sit down to lunch.
A year ago, lightning knocked a soft drink
bottle from Sappal's hand at his Riverview
camp. A resident of Tampa for 36 years, he
formerly owned and operated the Central
Theatre for Negroes. He retired several years
ago. Later he acquired the fishing camp near
Riverview.
Thomas G. Coleman Buys
Ritz at Anniston, Ala.
ANNISTON, ALA.—Thomas G. Coleman,
city manager here for Wilby-Kincey several
years, has leased the first run Ritz Theatre
from Alabama Theatres. Inc.
Tlie arrangement is in compliance with the
court decree breaking up the Wilby-Kincey
circuit. Alabama Theatres, Inc., will continue
to operate the Calhoun Theatre, competing
with the Ritz in the showing of A pictures.
No announcement has been made concerning
the operation of two other houses here
formerly controlled by Wilby-Kincey.
Fire Damages Theatre
At Winter Haven, Fla.
WINTER HAVEN, FLA.—A theatre and
iewelry store in the downtown business section
here were damaged by smoke and water
recently when a fire started in the theatre
projection room.
Knoxville Scenic Studios Cement
Gooc/ Relations With Employes
KNOXVILLE. TENN. — The Knoxville
Scenic Studios. Inc., here, located in one of
this city's most attractive and modernistic
buildings, also is strictly up-to-date in its relations
with its employes.
The studios provide a snack bar where employes
may eat their lunch or prepare it.
Every inch of the plant is well-lighted to provide
for employe comfort, and individuality
among employes is encouraged. The firm
pays its workers a bonus for suggestions in
improving the quality of items which it
manufactures, such as curtains, stage and
auditorium draperies, controls, lighting, murals
and other decorations.
Relations with employes have been firmly
cemented by the firm. Its many excellent
cabinet makers now are building a desk for
S. L. Mitchell, president, which would cost
several hundred dollars to duplicate.
The building, pictured here, is practically
new, since the firm has occupied it only
about two years. However, some modernizations
are taking place, such as equipping of
a show room with special drapes to show
fabrics. The studio has a testing room where
all curtains and drapes are mounted and
tested before shipment. It has a drafting
room and a sewing room, and at the rear of
the building, a loading dock and receiving
room.
MIAMI
Tack Hegerty, manager of the independent
' Normandy, put on a children's Saturday
matinee recently, with a bicycle giveaway
and free ice cream . . Claughton's first
.
run Embassy is showing a reissue of "King
of Kings." the DeMille film which Reader's
Digest claimed has played to more than
600.000,000 persons.
Wometco's Boulevard auto theatre has a
nev^ tag: The Luxury Drive-In for the Family
.. . Paul Bruun. chief barker of the
local Variety tent and amusement editor
of the Miami Beach Sun. published an open
letter to Harry Brandt pointing out that no
one can sit in the Roosevelt's best seats, first
row in the loge, because of the pipe railing
on the projection wall. Bruun says the same
thing happens at Claughton's Variety.
Seasonal lowered admissisons prevail at
Wometco's Town. Surf and Cameo ... As
"The Red Shoes" started its 49th week at
the Flamingo. Manager Al Brandt says his
books show that more than 400.000 persons
have .seen the film at his theatre. They're
still pouring in.
Marschal Rothe is filling in for George
Bourke on the Herald amusement page, while
Bourke vacations . Martin, who has
been giving patrons an all-Spanish show at
the Regent, added a stage show recently with
Myrta Silva, Cuban artist, appearing in person.
"Revancha" is the Spanish musical film.
"Father of the Bride" and "Night and the
City" are getting pats on the back locally
from many who think the general run of
recent films has been under par. Sonny
Shepherd, Ed May and Mel Haber opened the
Door facings of the buildings are of solid
mahogany. The studio has a large reception
room and separate offices for key personnel,
as well as a huge stock room and a pattern
room.
Currently, Knoxville Scenic Studios has for
the Dade county, Fla., Municipal auditorium
what is believed to be the largest contract for
stage equipment ever let in this area. The
free selective contour curtain being installed
costs $100,000, not including many drapes and
controls.
The firm is composed of S. L. Mitchell,
president; M. J. Mitchell, vice-president; Jim
Squires, theatre consultant, and about 25
other regular employes.
. . .
former at Wometco's Miami, Lincoln and
Miracle; Art Schwartz and Charles Whitaker
opened the latter at Paramount's Beach and
Paramount The Miami Beach Colony
and Fort Lauderdale Colony are sharing advertising
in Miami papers for "Annie Get
Your Gun."
Eddie Linda, manager of Brandt's Roosevelt,
Miami Beach, believes that taking part
in civic organizations is apt to pay unexpected
dividends in promotional ideas for
businessmen. A member of the Optimist club,
Linda accomplished two results when he suggested
that two or three boys from each
local youth baseball team, sponsored by the
club, be his guests to "The Winslow Boy" at
the Roosevelt. The boys will attend in a
body accompanied by one of the coaches. The
whole idea helps to spread goodwill and is,
uicidentally, excellent word-of-mouth publicity.
Al Weiss has lined up topnotch performers
for the coming weeks at the Olympia.
Among these is Jerry Colonna. Ish Kabibblc,
Rose Marie, the DeCastros and the Cat
Mountain Boys. Janis Paige is current headliner
. . . Assisting Columbia in editing a
Bill Stern sports short filmed at a Miami
Beach hotel, was one of the duties of hotel
Manager Bernie Burke when he was in New
York. The short features Vic Zoble's
Aquamaniac troupe and will be released soon.
D. K. McComas, manager of the Tropicaire
Drive-In, had a Sunday night giveaway
in connection with "Riding High
Twelve women received one of Bing Crosby's
sunshine cakes free.
What have YOU done today to help secure
repeal of the unfair amusement tax?
BOXOFFICE July 1, 1950 SE 67