Boxoffice-August.19.1950

Filmmaker Walter Resce Recounts
Adventures of His European Trip
MIAMI—Walter Resce, director of Rainbow
Pictures. Miami Beach motion picture
production firm, has returned from Europe
where he had some hair-raising experiences
on his filmmaking jaunt.
As part of their photography chores in
Italy Resce and his wife were shooting
scenes along the Tiber river when their
boat capsized, spilling them into the current.
Resce was found head down among
the rocks along the shore. A 16-year-old boy
fished Mrs. Desce from the water. A medico
pronounced them dead on arrival at the
hospital.
Resce regained consciousness a few hour^
later, but his wife, the former Ruth Brigham,
a feature writer for International News
Service, stayed in a coma for five days.
Half of their camera equipment lies at the
bottom of the Tiber.
Undaunted by the mishap, the Resces
finished their work in Italy and went on
to Israel. "It is simply unbelievable the
progress these people have made," Resce
said. "With only a year of independence.
Arab gunfire at their very doors, the Israeli
people and government have begun an immense
agricultural program and have opened
many industrial plants, including rubber,
glass, cement, wine, etc."
With an eye for interesting scenes for his
color camera, Resce described the city of
Haifa as particularly beautiful, "much like
San Francisco." The beaches there, he said,
are excellent.
"And the people, no matter how poor,
and the streets of the city are scrupulously
clean. English is spoken everywhere, and
everybody I met, from government officials
to the man on the street, was wholeheartedly
cooperative."
Resce's unlucky number almost caught up
with him again at Jerusalem. He was shooting
parts of the city in the hands of the
Arabs from atop Mount Zion in the Jewish
zone, when he realized Arab guards below
had him in their sights. "Apparently they
mistook my camera for a gun," he recalled.
Resce's films of Israel will include reels
on industry, its appearance to the tourist.
its youth and a longer production dealing
with the new nation as a whole. He met
Baron de Hirsch Meyer, Miami Beach banker
and attorney, who is an advLser.
Most exclusive of Resce's pictures probably
are scenes of the Pope and the Vatican, mos,t
of them made before the Tiber dunking.
But for the cooperation he received in Rome,
Resce met with little help from Italians
when it came to photographing other parts
of their country. Bribe-hungry officials and
petty red tape procedures threatened more
than once to bog down the camera team.
Admittedly disappointed in Italy, except
as it looks through a view-finder, 'Resce
observed, "Italy has been the recipient of
vast amounts of Marshall Plan aid. with a
view to checking communism. Yet the communists
are very strong, the government confused
and the people bent on an allout effort
to fleece Americans this Holy Year."
American congressmen and writers, on
flying junkets through the country "don't
hear the frequency with which the name
of Mussolini is cropping up," Resce complained.
"People are recalling "better times
under II Duce."
There are eight films in all, but the Italian
pictures will be distributed soon for viewing
in schools and institutions. Both English
and Spanish sound tracks will be utilized.
Osceola, Ark.. Houses Sold
OSCEOLA, ARK.—The Joy and Gem theatres
here have been purchased by two
Osceola businessmen, Leroy Owens and B.
Frank Williams, from the estate of the late
Emma Cox. Bill Kroeger will remain as
manager.
J. S. Browning Stricken
ELIZABETH, TENN.—J. S. "Bus" Browning,
who had been identified many years with
the ownership of local theatres, died recently
after a brief illness. Browning's death came
while he was out of the city recovering after
an operation. Funeral services were held here.
Sunset Drive-In Bows
At West Memphis, Ark.
MEMPHIS—The Sun.set Drive-In in West
Memphis, Ark., just across the new $12.-
000,000 four-lane highway bridge from downtown
Memphis, was all set for its formal
opening August 17.
Built in a rapidly growing city across the
Mississippi river from Memphis and expected
to attract Memphians as well, this is the
first new drive-in to be finished in this sevtion
this summer.
The Sunset has all black-topped surfaces,
moonlight lighting, Mighty Ninety projection
lamps which provide a picture almost twice
the size of the usual 50-ampere lamps. It
has a playground including a Crosley fire
engine on which children may ride free of
charge.
A picture window in the projection booth
enables patrons to watch the white-uniformed
projectionists operating the big machines.
The Sunset Drive-In is the first of three
drive-ins announced for this territory by
Ken Corp. of Memphis of which David Flexer
is president. One is under construction at
Clarksdale, Miss., and the location of the
third has not been announced. Flexer also
is head of Flexer Theatres, Inc., which operates
a chain of theatres from its Memphis
headquarters.
Build Dickson, Tenn., Theatre
DICKSON, TENN.—Work has been started
on a new theatre on North Main street
here for the Dickson Theatre Co. Mrs. W.
F. Bruster, president of the company, said
the house would be ready for opening ia
January.
The theatre, to seat 850 persons, will be of
steel, masonry and concrete construction.
The cry room will accommodate 16 adults.
The front of the building will be of creara
brick trimmed with red brick. The floors
of the front balcony, the foyer and restrooms
will be terrazzo. Heating will be an
automatic gas-fired forced hot water system.
The lobby will be of structural glass and
porcelain enamel.
Architects for the building are Speight &
Hibbs, Clarksville, Tenn. General contractor
is Allen Murphy of Nashville.
Roanoke, Ala., Ozoner Opens
ROANOKE, ALA.—The 207-car Twilite
Drive-In has been opened just outside the
city limits on the Rock Mills highway. Louie
Treadway is manager and Martin Theatres
of Georgia owns the house.
WARNERS ATLANTA STAFF—A grand total of more than 50 years in the
Atlanta Warners branch has been spent by the staff members pictured above.
They are, left to right: Bill Langston, who has been with Atlanta WB office for
13 years; Alvin McAfee, with the branch eight months; J. Waters, office manager,
12 years; Roy Donaldson, ten years, and Sewell Suderth, 15 years.
Century, Jackson, Miss.,
Closed After 50 Years
JACKSON. MISS.—The Century Theatre
here, originally opened more than 50 years
ago and converted into a motion picture
house after many years of use as a legitimate
house, recently was closed by the Paramount
Gulf Theatre Corp., which also operates the
Paramount, Majestic and Pix theatres and
the Highway 80 Drive-In. No reason for the
closing has been revealed by officials of the
operating company. The house has been
managed many years by Mrs. W. F. Zetrouer.
60 BOXOFFICE :: August 19. 1950