Boxoffice-September.23.1950

. . Downey
. . Irwin
. . Al
ALBANY
f^ontract negotiations between theatres and
. . .
the projectionist and stagehand locals are
reported still under way. Both unions are
said to be working on temporary extensions
of agreements which expired last September.
Wage increases and improved working conditions
are sought ... J. Myer Schine. president
of the Schine theatre and hotel companies,
flew to Los Angeles, where a new
manager was being installed at the Ambassador
hotel . . . "Ice Vogues of 1951" will
play a five-night and Sunday matinee engagement
at the armory October 25-29. The
troupe will present a new show under the
management of Mr. and Mrs. George Tyson
Duke Ellington's orchestra is reported
set for Fabian's Palace about the same time.
"Write off 1950 as a bad season for driveins
of the Albany district," said Harry Lamont,
operator of airers. "Rain and cold are
still plaguing us. It's too late to reverse the
picture. I did not tliink such a prolonged
period of bad weather was possible. Since
last April we have never had a solid stretch
of warm, dry days and favorable weekends"
. . . Another drive-in operator reported that
his business was "at times as much as 40
per cent off from last year due to bad
weather." The temperature here last Sunday
evening dropped to 36, breaking a 75-year low
record.
Stanton Patterson, Leland manager, has
been a patient in Memorial hospital with
complications from a heavy cold and malaria
he contracted while in army service. Lou
Rapp. manager of the Strand, Schenectady
(darkened for the summer), has been pinchhitting
for Patterson . . . "Cariboo Trail"
tagged a strong weekend draw at the Grand.
Tlie kiddy turnout was exceptionally large.
Excellent patronage for vaudeville at the
Colonial Saturday (16) encouraged owner
Harry Eisenstein and Manager Milt Kravitz
to believe the three-day policy starting
Thursday (21) will do business. The Colonial
had been presenting eight acts of vaudeville
Saturdays only .
and Whitman
closed the Starlight Drive-In at Schroon
Lake, September 16. The Whitehall Drive-In,
operated by Shovan and DiRosta. al.so shuttered
for the .season.
Fabian Theatres has been experimenting
with a brief afternoon and night break, to
stimulate concession .sales. Sales of candy,
popcorn, soft drinks and ice cream have
zoomed, it is reported. The breaks, with house
lights up, are preceded by a .short trailer.
When lights are turned down, several minutes
later, a short is run. The Palace here
is not employing the break idea, but the
Grand and Leland are B situations in
Schenectady and Troy were scheduled for
the trial, but the results were so good that
the top run Proctor's in both cities are reported
to have been included.
Milking contests have proved popular and
profitable for Harry Lamont at the Riverview
Drive-In at Rotterdam Junction, the
Vails Mills at Vails Mills and the Sunset at
Kingston. He said a "second run" of the
promotion has been scheduled. The contest
draws people from the audience, the winner
being the one who squeezes out the most
milk in the shortest time. It provides excitement
and laughs.
Oscar J. Perrin, manager of the Ritz, saw
eight major league teams play in New York,
Brooklyn and Boston during his vacation.
Through the courtesy of Birdie Tebbetts,
Boston catcher, Perrin sat on the Red Sox
bench for a brief time during a game there,
and met Manager Steve O'Neill. Perrin has
been a friend of Tebbetts since the latter
played baseball with Oscar's son at I*rovidence
Prices of 5 and 10-cent
college . . . bars in a number of theatres serviced by
Tri-State Automatic Candy Corp. have been
upped to 6 and 11 cents. Fabian Theatres
here, among the first to feature the return
of "fives and tens," have not yet gone back
to the higher scale . . . Walt Williams, who
served as doorman at the Ritz under Jules
Curley about seven years ago, is back on
duty. He also works for the city. Walter
Leech is slowly recovering after an operation
performed in June.
The Variety Club crew held their fir.st fall
meeting Monday night at the Clinton avenue
headquarters after a dinner at Keeler's restaurant.
Chief Barker Charles A. Smakwitz
presided . Kane, Paramount ea.stern
division a.sslstant manager, held a pep meeting
in the local exchange in behalf of the
Golden Harvest of Hits drive. Manager Ed
Maloney's local office stood fourth at the
end of the third week of a 13-week campaign.
Tommy Dillon of the Strand stage crew
. . .
was incapacitated by a knee ailment
Francis Murphy, orchestra leader and trumpet
player who won the Variety Club golf
championship in 1949 and 1950, is now in the
pit crew at the Colonial for vaudeville. Murphy,
who was a member of the orchestra at
the Strand years ago for presentations and
concerts, led the house band at Riley's Lake
House in Saratoga during August.
As reports reached here on the business
attracted by "Sunset Boulevard" in upstate
situations, film men speculated on the reasons
for variations in patronage. The film
is said to have been less of a gros.ser to date
than anticipated. Reviews by critics have
been highly laudatory and audience comment
has been excellent, but the rush on
the boxoffices has not yet materialized.
"Sunset" played to strong trade at the Center
in Buffalo during a two-week run. It
did fairly well in Jamestown and Rochester;
below expectations in Syracuse. The local
run at the Palace started sub-par and remained
so the second day, but picked up
over the weekend. A date at the Glove in
Gloversville was said to be only so-so. Tremendous
business was reported in Pleishmanns,
Catskill resort town.
Fred Haas, chief construction engineer for
Fabian Theatres, stopped here Monday en
route from Buffalo to New York . . . Mike
Zala, formerly associated with New York
City theatres, has taken over the Strand,
Johnstown, which Clarence Dopp closed last
November. He is refurbishing the 175-seater
for a September 30 opening . . Filmrow
.
learned with sorrow of the recent death in
New York of Harry Fendrick, Warner salesman
here for 18 months. Fendrick, 52, resigned
his Warner post last winter due to ill
health . UUman, eldest son of Saul
J. Ullman, upstate general manager for
Fabian Theatres, and the past summer manager
of the Mohawk Drive-In, has enrolled
at a local law school. He was graduated
from Siena college in June. Johnny Dwyer.
assistant at the Mohawk, has been promoted
to manager.
Albany Variety Party Sept. 30
ALBANY—The Variety Club will hold a
housewarming tor members and their wives
at the clubrooms on Saturday night (30).
The following Friday night, a picture will be
screened for members and wives. An automobile
giveaway is also planned.
SCENIC DRIVE-IN LOCATION—The scenic
new 550-car drive-in at
beauty around the Harry Lament's
Rotterdam Junction might well compete with the attractions
on the screen. With the Mohawk river on the left and the mountains in the distance,
the location is considered one of the most beautiful in the Albany area.
WE to Pay 75 Cente Diviclen(d
NEW YORK — The Western Electric
Co.
board of directors has declared a dividend of
75 cents a share on the outstanding capital
stock, payable September 29 to stockholders
of record September 22.
42 BOXOFTICE
:: September 23, 1950