Boxoffice-December.02.1950

i
Wisconsin Prison Shows
Films on Set Schedule
WAUPUN, WIS.—At the Wisconsin state
prison here, each inmate is permitted to see
motion pictures in the prison hall once a
week as long as he obeys regulations. The
shows, according to the warden, are the same
as those given in the downtown theatres of
this city. The films are selected by a group
consisting of the warden, the deputy warden
and the director of recreation for the prison.
Two DeVry projection machines are used
for the shows—one 16mm and one 35mm.
The theatre has a seating capacity of 894
prisoners. The projection machine is operated
by a prisoner who has become an expert
at it. All in all, the warden declares, the
films shown tend to make the prisoners more
satisfied with their lot—definitely so, he says.
The theatre at the prison is actually the
large prison dining room. The cost of the
movies comes from the inmates' canteen fund.
From the BOXOFFICE Files
(Twenty Years
Ago)
pOR the time being, the future of third
dimension films in Chicago is uncertain.
While critics praise the recent exhibition
at the State-Lake, the public was disappointed.
The apparent lack of depth is complained
of. A semblance of third dimension appeared
but the illusion was so slight that it escaped
all but the most scientific eye.
. . .
Warner Bros, has arranged for benefit midnight
shows in Chicago, the proceeds to
The
be
turned over to needy unemployed
installation of sound in the theatres in the
Chicago area has been the acid test of financial
stability, says Joseph Klein. Chicago
editor of Motion Picture Digest, who reports
that 50 to 60 theatres in the area have
gone dark during the summer and are still
unlighted. "The survivors of this test," he
says, "are emerging from the battle with
flying colors. Their knowledge of showmanship,
acquired under such difficult circumstances,
now serves them profitably."
nOhCOMPLETE THEATRE
IIUH EQUIPMENT
MID-WEST THEATRE
SUPPLY COMPANY, Inc.
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Suited for Drive-In Theatres.
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Twenty-four hour service
MILWAUKEE
/^pera played the upper eastside Ortiental
Theatre, owned by the St. Cloud Amusement
Co. last week. The New York City
Opera Co. presented "La Traviata" at a $3.60-
$4.80 scale. This, however, is not the first time
a traveling show has been booked into an
auditorium other than the Davidson or Pabst
in downtown Milwaukee.
For the holidays, the neighborhood Bay.
Hollywood and Park theatres staged "Battle
of the Cowboys" programs—Roy Rogers
vs. Hopalong Cassidy—and the tieup
brought good boxoffice returns. The morning
shows were at 25 cents. The three houses
are part of the Standard circuit.
With visual educational becoming more important
each year in the schools, the board
of education has opened a training school for
"projectionists" at the Longfellow school. The
teenagers are being taught how to run the
16mm projectors used in the classroom work
under supervision of Richard Snow, a bus
driver for the local transit company who has
been interested in 16mm projection for some
time.
Plenty of competition for the juvenile holiday
amusement dollar. Two children's operettas
were booked into the Pabst Theatre
for Thanksgiving week and the city recreation
department presented "Cinderella" at
the Lincoln high school at a 10-cent scale.
At two suburban Fox theatres, the Garfield
and Uptown, two shows for the price of
one are put on now and then. "Panic in the
Streets" and "The Petty Girl" were recent
attractions.
St. Louis Ivanhoe Sold
To Jimmy Tappella
ST. LOUIS — The Ivanhoe Theatre, 3239
Ivanhoe Ave., was taken over Monday (20).
by Jimmy Tappella. who a few days before
purchased the building from the estate of the
late Sam Komm. Frank Shelly had operated
the theatre from June 30 to Sunday. November
19. under a sublease from Tappella who
held a lease on the theatre for some years.
Tappella has been associted in the management
of the Columbia and Roxy theatres in
South St. Louis owned by Mrs. Bess Schulter.
Juneau Juno Remodeled
JUNEAU. WIS.—The canopy at the Juno
Theatre here has been remodeled and
equipped with neon lights. The side of the
building was also equipped with neon. Mr
and Mrs. Carl Neitzel. owners of the house
for ten years, recently celebrated their 25th
wedding anniversary. Their son Neal has
enlisted in the National Guard but will remain
in his position as projectionist.
^^
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Theatre Presents Flowers
DWIGHT. ILL.—Ralph Calvin, manager of
the Blackstone Theatre, tied in with a flower
shop for the observance of National flower
week and gave two corsages each night to
the oldest woman present and to the young-
married woman.
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