Boxoffice-March.10.1951

I
Ben Cockrell Denver,
Buys Out Gamble
INDIANAPOLIS—Ben Cockrell, president of
Denham Theatres in Denver and a former
Indiana theatreman, last week (4) purchased
the controlling interest in four downtown
theatres here from Gamble Enterprises of
New York. The theatres are the Indiana,
Circle, Lyric and Keiths.
The minority interest is held by the Fourth
of Louisville.
Avenue Amusement Corp.
Cockrell will move here soon to take over
as president of Greater Indianapolis Amusements
Corp., operator of the four houses.
Cockrell operated theatres in Indiana from
1919 to 1929. He was president of the Associated
Theatres of Indiana, now Allied Theatre
Owners of Indiana, in 1926 and 1927,
when his headquarters was at New Castle.
Town
Larry Spalding 111;
Start May Be Delayed
FLORA. ILL.—The opening of the 500-seat
VARIETY HEART CENTER STARTS
—The heart diagnosis clinic sponsored
by Variety Tent 14 in connection with
the Marquette university medical school
at Milwaulcee, has started operations. In
the photo Robert Tice, the first patient,
is having blood samples taken at the
center with Dean Joseph Hirschlioeck,
left, of the medical school on the job and
Hugo Vogel, chief barker of Tent 14,
looking on. Vogel operates the Theatre
Equipment & Supply Co. on Filmrow.
new Town Theatre may be delayed by
the critical illness of one of its owners, Larry
Spalding, who is confined to a hospital here
'^^iifllofl^' f* 31 tie 1 Qfl
after suffering a heart attack Monday (26). ITlUlllClilv UullliJ LOU
The new theatre will be a unit of the Flora _ _ „_ ^ 1% 1
Amusement Co., which also owns and oper- T|» TfC | hlftflffn TiPnIll
ates the Plorine, 700 seats, and the Roxy, "^ "^ UlllUayU l^CU Ul
360 seats here. CHICAGO—"The Mudlark" bowed in strong
While there has been no definite announce- at the Ziegfeld Theatre and a twin bill, "Al
ment from the Spaldings as to what dis- Jennings of Oklahoma" and "A Yank In
position is to be made of the Roxy at 103 Korea," did fair in a first week at the State-
West North Ave., it has been rumored that Lake. "September Affair," with Guy Mitchell
it may be closed when the Town goes into and Ken Griffin on stage, had a good secoperation
and leased to some other business ond week at the Oriental, while the Chicago,
enterprise. In addition to Larry, the Flora with "Operation Pacific" and a stage show
Amusement Co. is owned by J. E. "Uncle headed by Connie Russell, did fair in a sec-
Red" Spalding and Buck Spalding.
ond week.
(Average Is 100)
Chicago—Operation Paciiic (WB), plus stage
John KoletiS Is President Gr^aiid^Th"e Crooin wore spurs (U-i)7Melody
-^ - . — , -1^ . — ^m^ Time (RKO), reissue 105
Ol Memri Drive-In COrO. Oriemal—Septemter Aacdr (Para), plus stage
^ show, 2nd wk 120
ROCK ISLAND, ILL.—John G. Koletis of Palace—Cry Danger (RKO); Boy From Indiana
( ELC) y5
Rock Island has been named president of RooseveiV-SugarfootiWBiriBiue mood (Mono) .. 95
Memri Drive-In, Inc., a newly formed COrp- Selwyn—Cyrano de Bergerac (UA), 6th wk.
oration. The drive-in was formerly operated stat'e-Lake^AYeirftiii Korea TCoirrXlI^
by Independent Amusements, Inc., which will of Oklahoma (Col) 105
... ,, i. J n ,
United Artists—The Company She Keeps (RKO);
contmue to own the property and will lease xhe Second Face (ELC), 2nd wk. 95
it to the new corporation. Other corporation }JC°°^—
,^° Yesterday (Col), 6th wk. 120
... T J »T T, 1. «« 1- World Playhouse—BiHer Hice Lux), 7th wk 115
officers are, Isadore N. Brotman, Mohne, Ziegfeld—The Mudlark (20th-Fox) 130
vice-president; Barney Brotman, Rock Island, «
secretary; Sam B. Shlaes, Rock Island, treasurer.
Opening date for the Memri Drive-In 'Bitter Rice' Bows at Keiths
has been set tentatively for April 6.
With 210 Per Cent
Another corporation will be formed soon INDIANAPOLIS-Local first runs did exto
operate the Semri, new drive-in also owned
cellent busmess here, with "Bitter Rice" leadby
Independent Amusements. i^S the film bills, grossing 210 in its opening
at Keiths. "Three Guys Named Mike," playing
nine days at Loew's, made 130 per cenf.
New Ticket Plan Started
whUe Pee wee King and his stage unit, play-
„^ ^^ ,,^TT„TT^^ TTT rm, T,
• rm, t ^'^^S ou thc samc bill with the film, "The Mis-
BLUE MOUNDS, ILL.—The Fix Theatre . „ „ j „„„ t 4.,. t .
., i i ^-.c i. , J sourians," made 220 at the Lyric,
•'
recently put mto effect a new plan under
which a box of tickets purchased for $1 will
S^?^-i"J?a'-,r''^l '^tlr "(^Oth'rx"," ^rulii'^DTa."'
provide the same number of shows as $1.20 (RKO) UO
would obtain at the regular daily rate. The l^::^^'^J!f'^,,.^m.riuGH)r'R^^^°
$1 tickets are good Monday through Friday. enue Agent (Col) 130
Lyric—The Mi^souricms (Rep), plus stage show ....220
Build New Sparta Drive-In
SPARTA, MO.—R. L. Honeyman of Springfield,
Mo., has started construction of a
drive-in near here. He expects to have the
theatre in operation by April 1.
BOXOmCE March 10, 1951
Form Wisconsin Corporation
JEFFERSON, WIS.—The Jefferson
Theatre
Corp. has been formed with a capital
stock of 100 shares of common by Sidney
N. Leshin, Lesie Roth and Monte Ogens.
85 Drive-Ins Gel Ready
In St. Louis Territory
ST. LOUIS—Owners of 85 drive-ins in this
territory are busy checking and rehabilitating
the equipment, concessions, buildings,
etc., for reopening late in March or early
in April.
The severe winter, the worst in many years
in this section, caused considerable damage
to roads and ramps. Frequent thaws and
rains followed quickly by extremely cold
weather caused extensive frost damage. High
winds also damaged fences and buildings.
However, apparently all of the screen towers
and the projection booths weathered the
storms without damage.
A number of the drive-ins again will be
used by religious organizations for Easter
Sunday sunrise services.
Republic Managers Meet
For Confab in Chicago
CHICAGO—James R. Grainger, Republic
executive vice-president in charge of sales
and distribution, presided over a company
sales meeting at the Blackstone hotel here
last Saturday and Sunday (3, 4). Among
those attending the sessions were branch
managers A. H. Fisher, Chicago; Bernard
Brager, Indianapolis; Jack G. Frackman,
Milwaukee; J. E. Loeffler, Minneapolis; R. F.
Withers, Kansas City; Harry Lefholtz,
Omaha; Paul Webster, Des Moines, and Nat
E. Steinberg, St. Louis.
Following the meeting here, Grainger went
to San Francisco, making stopovers in Los
Angeles, Portland and Seattle before returning
to his New York office in about three
weeks.
'Better Movie' Campaign
Carried On by Supplier
CHICAGO—The Theo B.
Robertson Products
Co., local manufacturers of antiseptics,
soaps and sanitary supplies, has started attaching
stickers with copy reading: "For
complete enjoyment there is nothing better
than a movie" to all outgoing mall, including
invoices and statements.
T. B. Robertson, president of the firm, said
that he believed other suppliers also are
working on ideas to revive interest of the
public in patronizing motion picture theatres.
Acquire 'Rice' Rights
CHICAGrO—Charles Teitel, sales manager
for A. Teitel Film Co., has acquired distribution
rights for "Bitter Rice" in the Chicago,
Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Indiana
territories from Lux Film Corp. of New York.
Teitel also has acquired from Lux distribution
rights for "Paris Waltz," "Mafia," "Oh,
Amelia!" "Flight Into France" and "The
Earth Cries Out."
National Guard Free Guests
MOUNT CARMEL, ILL.—Members of the
national guard stationed here were guests of
Keith Coleman, owner of the American Theatre,
at a 2 p. m. showing of "A Yank in
Korea" on a recent Sunday. The guardsmen
marched to the theatre from the Mount Carmel
Armory and occupied special seats reserved
for them.
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