Boxoffice-March.10.1951

Stench Bombs Tossed
In Louisville Scoop
LOUISVILLE—Two stench bombs and a
brick recently were tossed through a boxoffice
window at the Scoop Theatre here,
scene of a three-week-old labor dispute.
Scoop Manager Lloyd Mills told police that
a bellboy from a nearby hotel said the missiles
were thrown from a moving automobile
at 3 a. m. The boxoffice window and
door and a display case were shattered at
the downtown first run house.
It was the second stench bomb incident at
the theatre, which has been picketed by the
lATSE since late in February. A bomb was
exploded in the theatre auditorium on a Saturday
night when the theatre was filled with
patrons.
Mills charged that his assistant had been
"beaten up" and his car tires punctured since
the labor wrangle flared. John P. Flaherty,
business agent for the Local 163, said that
the union had never perpetrated violence
against the theatre or its manager. The
union called its strike after Mills said he
planned to reduce the projection crew from
four to three men. He offered $87 a week
to each projectionist working singly 30 hours
a week. The union demands $85 for four
projectionists working in double crews 45
hours a week.
After the union called the strike, Mills
continued operating the theatre with nonunion
boothmen. He said the union had
refused to submit the matter to arbitration.
Meantime, boothmen at all local theatres
have been working since September 1 without
contracts, which were delayed pending
settlement of a motion picture-television issue.
Union operators want jurisdiction when
and if televised films are shown in theatres.
Bonk Check Nite Deal
Receives Copyright
INDIANAPOLIS — Affiliated
Advertising
Distributors, distributors of copyrighted theatre
business stimulant deals since 1935, including
bank night and Lucky Name, have
received a copyright for Bank Check Nite,
which it is claimed will be legal in situations
where bank night has been banned. The
register number is AA-173849.
Maurice Gordon Heads
Ecorse Drive-In Firm
Cleveland—The Ecorse Drive-In, a
1,100-car situation at suburban Ecorse
near Detroit, is owned by Allied Drive-In,
Inc., of Cleveland, headed by Maurice
Gordon. A photo of the Ecorse in the
February 17 edition of BOXOFFICE incorrectly
read that the builder was Community
Theatres of Detroit.
Gordon also is head of Ohio Drive-In
Theatres, Inc., which operates the Miles
Drive-In, a 1,000-car situation near Cleveland.
Ben Wachnansy, who at one time was
booker for Allied and Ohio Drive-In Theatres,
left the circuit more than two years
aga
BOWLING
DETROIT—Allied held a narrow one-game
lead over Co-op in the Film Bowling league.
High scorers in the 200 club were Ford 200-
204, Lamb 203. Standings:
Team Won Lost Team Won Lost
Allied 19 9 Monogram 14 14
Co-op 18 10 RKO 11 17
Theatrical 16 12 Republic 10 18
UA 14 14 S4G .10 18
DETROIT—In the Nightingale club, Altec
and National Carbon remained tied for first
as each won three games. Bill Gagnon, with
a 138 average, helped National Carbon with
a big 223 game in a 525 series. Brenkert beat
Ernie Forbes for three and National Theatre
Supply split with McArthur Equipment.
Standings
Team Won Lost Team Won Lost
Altec 49 35 Brenkert 43 41
Natl Carbon .. .49 35 Nafl Supply 39 45
Ernie Forbes .44 40 Local 199 37 47
McArthur 44 40 Lorenzen _ .30 51
High games: W. Gagnon 223, G. Light 210,
Thompson 207-203, Waddell 204, Forest 200.
James Cagney in 'Fill the Cup'
James Cagney will star in "Come Fill the
Cup," Warner drama with a newspaper background.
'Tax-Anything' Repeal
Asked in Harrisburg
HARRISBURG—Introduced into general
assembly is a bill seeking repeal of the 1947
"tax anything" law. The measure, offered
by Louis Rovansek. Conemaugh, and Raymond
E. McDermitt, Johnstown, would wipe
out the so-called home rule tax law (1947),
which broadened the base of local taxation
by allowing municipalities and school districts
to tax anything the state doesn't tax,
except coal which was excluded in a test case
by the supreme court.
More than 1,025 units of local government
within the state are using this law to supplement
their revenue. Political subdivision
taxes on amusements and earned incomes,
among various other types of taxes, are collected
in hundreds of cities, boroughs, townships
and school districts because of the
enabhng act (481). Originally proposed and
enacted to give assistance to political subdivisions
that were in financial trouble, one
third of the state's districts eligible for home
rule are taking advantage of it. Opponents
state that where the act is in force these
political governments have not economized.
A fourth attempt to legalize pari-mutuel
horse race betting has been launched in the
legislature. Church forces immediately set
out to defeat the bill.
The Pittsburgh school board has asked the
legislature for new taxes designed to produce
an additional $2,000,000 in revenue next
year. A one-half per cent income levy is
among four proposals.
Matthew Daniels Named
PITTSBURGH—Matthew Daniels has been
named office manager at the United Artists
Pittsburgh exchange by Nat Nathanson, eastern-Canadian
sales manager. Daniels has
been in the home office playdate department.
He replaces J. Patterson, who resigned.
Shelley Winters and Farley Granger will
star in RKO's "Behave Yourself."
Ticket Tax crt Canonsburg
CANONSBURG, PA.—The borough council
here enacted a 5 per cent tax on amusements
and amusement devices and at the same time
amended its wage income tax to include a
1 per cent tax on nonresidents deriving income
from labor in Canonsburg. The two
theatres in Canonsburg are owned and
operated by Fred A. Beedle, president of
Allied MPTO of Western Pennsylvania. Burgess
Fred A. Caruse stated that he would
veto the wage levy.
Mrs. Rachael Congney Dies
CLEVELAND—Mrs. Rachael Cangney, 87-
year-old mother of Mrs. Herbert Ochs, wife
of the drive-in theatre operator, died Sunday
(4) at the home of another daughter, Mrs.
Verdi von Thron in Port Clinton, Ohio. She
is also survived by a son, J. Stuart Cangney.
CINCINNATIANS FOR BROTHERHOOD—The motion picture industry sponsored
a dinner meeting recently in Cincinnati in observance of Brotherhood week. The
meeting was attended by exhibitors and distributor representatives. Chief speaker
was Malcolm Chandler, Cincinnati director of the National Conference of Christians
and Jews. Shown above are Selig 3. Selig:man, vice-president of Northio Theatres
Corp., and distributor chairman; Vance Schwartz, chief barker of Variety Tent 3, Cincinnati;
Phil Fox, Columbia manager and chairman of the meeting, and Chandler.
BOXOFFICE :: March 10, 1951 ME 79