Independent Posler, Cleveland, Sues NSS CLEVELAND— Independent Poster Rental Co. Thursday (14) filed suit in the United States district court for $45,000 in triple damages and for injunctive relief against National Screen Service Corp.. its Cleveland branch manager. Nat Barach. and 16 producer-distributor corporations, alleging violations of the federal antitrust laws. Independent Poster claims that it was organized in 1949 to supply exhibitors with advertising materials, and charges that the defendajits created and maintained a monopoly in that field through the instrumentality of National Screen Service: that, except as to features pro.-luced by Loew's and Warners, National Screen, by reason of sole and exclusive contracts of manufacture and distribution with the producer-distributor corporations, "enjoys virtually an absolute monopoly in the manufacture and distribution of trailers, a virtually absolute monopoly in standards and little competition with respect to specialties." The plaintiff asserts damages in the sum of $15,000 for the period from January 1950 when it began business, which it asks be trebled and it asks also for an injunction restraining defendants from the alleged illegal and unlawful practices. Jack L. Gertz heads Independent Poster Rental Co. Defendants named are, in addition to NSS and its Cleveland manager: LoeWs, Inc., 20th Century-Pox Film Corp., rko Radio Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corp United Artists Corp., Eagle Lion Films, Film Classics, Warner Bros. Pictures. Warner Bros Pictures Distributing Corp., Paramount Pictures, Paramount Film Distributing Corp Universal Film Exchanges, Monogram Pictures, Monogram Distributors, Republic Pictures Corp. and Republic Productions. Jose Ferrer Discusses 'Cyrano' at Cleveland CLEVELAND— Jose Ferrer, before a group of .several hundred persons in the Halle Bros, auditorium, discussed the well-known character Cyrano de Bergerac, as portrayed on the stage by Ferrer and his predecessors Richard Mansfield. Walter Hampton and Mons. Coquelin and as portrayed by Ferrer on the .screen in the forthcoming Stanley Kramer production released through United Artists. In an hour and one-half the actor-lecturer set forth the tremendous labor entailed in the presentation of Cyrano, including long hours of study in libraries and art mu.seums. as well as a strenuous athletic program. Fellig Will Plug 'City' NEW YORK-Arthur Fellig. news photographer known as "Weegee." arrived from the cast to help promote "The Sleeping City," which U-I will open September 20 at the Paramount, Fellig will take a series of photographs of the city for the Post-Home News. He will go to Boston September 13 and to Chicago September 18. where he will do a imilar photo series for the Herald -American Legitimate Shows Draw Crowds at New Nixon PITTSBURGH-The new Nixon, which opened Labor day with "Oklahoma!" for two weeks and which offered "Come Back, Little Sheba" the week of September 18. has seven unbooked weeks before the first of the year, with seven legitimate offerings tentatively booked for the remaining seven weeks. Ralph T. Kettering, manager, reports that the following shows are set for the Nixon each for one week: October 9, pre-Broadway offering of the Theatre Guild, "Curious Savage" with Patricia Collinge: October 23. William Eythe of Mars. Pa., in "Lend an Ear." originally produced here a decade ago at the Pittsburgh Playhouse: October 30. pre-Broadway test engagement of the Theatre Giuld's "Relapse": November 13. return of "Death of a Salesman": November 20. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in "I Know My Love": December 11, "Lost in the Stars" with Todd Duncan: December 25. D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan repertory. In February, the Nixon expects to present Jean Arthur in "Peter Pan" and later "Ballet de Paris" is to be dated, as is Maurice Evans in a revival of "Devil's Di-sciple." Gabe Rubin, general manager of the new Nixon, has been very pleased with the reception the public has given to the new legitimate project. Over a quarter-of-amillion dollars was expended in modernizing the old Senator into the new Nixon. Rubin is busy with Nixon duties and with his interests in the Art Cinema on Liberty avenue near the legitimate house, and the Silver Lake Drive-In on Washington boulevard, the only outdoor theatre within the city limits. Ogle alley, which cuts into Liberty avenue at the Nixon, now is referred to as Rubin's alley. From the BOXOFFICE Files • • • (Twenty Years Ago) TSADORE WEBBER has leased the State Theatre in Dover, Ohio, to Spidell & Hubrich. The house, formerly operated by . . . . . . Edward Marty Mantho, has been closed during the summer Jack O'Connell of the Vita- Temple and Ray Sherman have purchased the Ohio Theatre in Toledo from Rosa Bialorucki. O'Connell will continue to operate Mrs. Leslie E. Kraft the Vita-Temple . . . and W. McKinley have taken over the Ohio Theatre In Findlay. formerly called the Royal, from Frank Hellman Keller is president and J. B. Keller secretary of the Keystone Investment Co.. which recently acquired the Keystone in Cleveland. The same company also took over the Manhattan but will not open this house till some time in October. * * • M. Levin, at one time cashier at the RKO exchange in Cleveland, recently took over the People's Theatre in Akron from Max Federhar. Federhar has reopened the Recent in Akron. • • • Indications are that "All Quiet on the Western Front" is to be the biggest moneymaker of the year. It was roadshow only after a run in the larger theatres. Plaza Will Open Soon In West Erie Center ERIE. PA.—The new West Erie Plaza, the city's largest shopping center with a bank and 15 large and beautiful stores, has opened, and Dipson's Plaza Theatre, a part of the development, will be opened at an early date, according to Emil Muller and David W. Bermant. builders and owners of the project. The Plaza will feature air conditioning, tonal sonic lighting, solar chrome glass doors, air .seal luxury carpets, a television lounge, transline marquee, Bodiform retractor seats and modern equipments and fixtures. Jerry Colonna .served as master of ceremonies at dedication exercises for the new shopping center. Bermant, manager of the development, .said that there is parking space for 1,200 automobiles and that further expansion will double that number shortly. Two New Theatres Opened in Kentucky LOUISVILLE—Charles Behlen's new Nicholas Theatre in Nicholasville. originally scheduled to open September 13, was opened Monday (19) instead. L. D. Bale and Phil Thompson opened their Twin City Drive-In at Horse Cave last Friday (15). The 500-car theatre under construction the last six months, has a concrete screen tow-er. Thompson recently acquired full ownership of the Strand in Edmonton, purchasing the half interest of M. H. Sparks. New Attraction Display Developed by Advanads CLEVELAND—Advanads Co. of Cleveland has developed an attraction display which the firm reports has been used successfully in leading theatres throughout the country including the E. M. Loew circuit, Boston; Griffith circuit. Oklahoma: Interstate circuit, . Texas: Crescent circuit, Nashville, Tenn.; Marc Wolf's circuit, Indianapolis: Alliance Theatres Corp., Chicago: Fox West Coast theatres, California: Kerasotas circuit, Illinois: Smith & Beidler circuit, Toledo: Switow Theatres, Louisville, and Associated Theatres, Cleveland. The Advanads display, owned and manufactured by Alfred A. Sunshine, is custommade and designed to reflect the type of each picture included in the 40x60 standard easel frame. This frame holds six strips. Top frame, announcing coming attractions, is seven inches by 28 inches in size. The five subsequent strips announce title and stars and contain photos or descriptive cuts. The display frame comes only in one standard size and contains five standard cards in addition to the heading card. Although all are of one size. Sunshine has developed two types of frames, standard and de luxe. The standard frame contains cards using fluorescent paint for brilliance, but depending upon lobby display lights for its flash. The de luxe type u.ses a black light shadow box which is highly effective in both indoor lobbies and as an outdoor display. De luxe frames can be custom-made to match theatre decorations in both design and materials. 2! BOXOFFICE September 23, 1950
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