Boxoffice-March.10.1951

Conn. Film Men Join
To Discuss 8 Bills
NEW HAVEN—Eight bills pending before
the state legislature at Hartford were reviewed
at the first joint Connecticut MPTO
and Allied Theatres of Connecticut meeting,
by Herman M. Levy, MPTO executive secretary
and registered lobbyist for exhibitors in
the legislature. George Wilkinson, president
of the MPTO group, called the meeting.
Among bills discussed were:
House bill 485, which seeks to classify
candy and confectionery as food and therefore
exempt from sales tax.
House bill 781, which would permit cash
prizes at bingo games.
House bill 1078, which would legalize horseracing
in this state.
Senate bill 13, which seeks to set a 75 centan-hour
minimum wage rate, time and onehalf
for overtime, with pwwer in the labor
commissioner to increase the rate where
there has been a 5 per cent or more increase
in the cost of living.
House bill 168, which also concerns minimum
wage, and attempts to set $1 per hour
as the minimum for a 45 -hour week and time
and one-half for overtime.
House bill 822, an additional labor measure,
also seeks the 75 cent-an-hour minimum in
a 40-hour week, with time and one-half for
overtime.
House bill 1228, introduced in several recent
sessions, seeks to make employment of
a licensed boiler inspector by theatres and
others compulsory, shifting boiler inspection
which now is carried on under boiler insurance
policies to the responsibility of owners
of certain types of property.
House bill 423, which seeks generally to
roll back prices to levels of July 1, 1950, and
prohibits any increases.
Representative attendance of many key
exhibitors was recorded, including attorneys
Herman M. Levy, Maxwell A. Alderman,
Morris Menlesohn, -Joseph Shulman, George
Wilkinson, MPTO president, and Dr. J. B.
Fishman, Allied head. Others were Ted
Jacocks, B. E. Hoffman, James Bracken, Ben
Rosenberg, Morris Shulman, Harry F. Shaw,
Lou Brown, Lou Ginsburg, Bernard Levy,
Samuel Weber, Al Pickus and Maurice Bailey.
A program of support or opposition to the
various bills was discussed and mapped out.
Two Salem Trade Unions
Endorse 'Lifetime' Film
SALEM, MASS.—Saul Rubin, publicist for
"Chance of a Lifetime" which had its American
premiere at the Copley Theatre, invited
30 officials of the CIO and AFL trade unions
to a screening. The following day he received
formal endorsements of the film from
both groups together with promises that union
members would be urged to see the film.
The Copley Theatre then made arrangements
for tickets to be purchased through the unions
at reduced rates.
Taking care of the management side of
the story, Rubin then contacted Roger Johnson,
executive secretary of Associated Industries
of Massachusetts and several bank officials.
These officials then were invited to
the premiere of the film Tuesday (27).
Charles Phelan Heads
Beverly Television Co.
BOSTON — Charles W. Phelan, former
Yankee network sales head and owner of
radio station WESX in Salem, is head of the
newly organized producing company. Films
for Television, Inc. The company will be
housed in the Strand theatre in Beverly,
formerly leased to E. M. Loew Theatres, but
shuttered for the past few years. The firm
will be ready to roll after extensive alterations
which include two sound stages, a laboratory
and complete television production facilities.
During the war years the Strand
was converted into a restaurant. Besides
Phelan, personnel of the new company includes
Harry Mamas, former Warner cameraman;
Edward Dobkin, former MGM film editor
and Arnold C. Nygren, former NBC technical
production head.
On the production schedule are five-day-aweek,
five, ten and 15-minute open-end
shows for lease to television stations. The
first production will be tagged "Quizzed by
the Stars" and will be a five-day-a-week
quarter-hour sports quiz. Negotiations are
under way for Harry S. Goodman Radio
Productions to represent the new company
nationally. Phelan is moving his Boston office
to the Beverly location.
Maurice Sidman Named
Lynn Colony Managei:
BOSTON—Maurice Sidman, who has been
in the industry for 30 years, has been named
new manager of the Colony Theatre at
Lynn, newly remodeled theatre of Richmond
& Stern Enterprises. It was known as the
Auditorium when it was operated by the
Morse & Rothenberg circuit. Sidman, well
known in New England for his promotional
theatre deals, entered the field following his
graduation from high school. He operated
several town halls in Millis, Holliston and
Medway near his home town.
In 1930 he went to Hartford, Conn., as
manager of the old Majestic. He also has
operated houses in Pittsfield, Haverhill, Utica
and Poughkeepsie, N. Y., as well as Fall
River. He opened the Holyoke Theatre,
Holyoke, for Fred Lieberman and has been
with the Morse & Rothenberg circuit for
20 years, 13 at the Strand, Haverhill. He replaces
Leonard Barrack at the Colony. Barrack
has gone to Florida. Sidman plans
special attractions at the Colony, Including
country store nights, auction nights and a
new dish deal.
Recent Flu Outbreak Bars
Salem Kids From Shows
SALEM, MASS.—All children under 14
were banned from local theatres for a 11 -day
period because of the flu epidemic. I. Kaplan,
chairman of the board of health, lifted
the ban when schools reopened Monday (5).
No other gatherings, such as churches, Sunday
schools or social functions were mentioned
in the ban.
Screen 'A-Bomb' for
Officials
HARTFORD—The Elm, West Hartford;
and the Capitol in Middletown conducted
special showings for civilian defense authorities
and other officials of "You Can
Beat the A-Bomb."
Connecticut Drive-Ins
Preparing to Reopen
NEW HAVEN—When the drive-in season
opens around April 7-8, following drive-ins
in the state wiU be operating, with a few
others started last year, in the offing for
possible operation:
E. M. Loew's, Milford; Phil Cahill's Post
Drive-In, East Haven; Skyview, Torrington
and the East Windsor, both to be booked by
Paul Purdy; Edward Lord's Plainfield; the
Lockwood-Rosen Torrington Drive-In, Carl
Goldman's Canaan; the Rosen Danbury
project; People's at Winsted, operated by
John Youmatz; the Lake Waterford, both
booked by Amalgamated; New Haven Drive-
In, North Haven, operated by Charles M.
Lane; Pine, Waterbury, Joe Dolgin; E. M.
Loew's Norwich-New London Drive-In at
Montville; Pike, Newington, and E. M. Loew,
Newington.
E. M. Loew's at Milford, the first drive-in
in the state, was opened four years ago.
Airer Bill Recommended
'Don't Pass' in Maine
AUGUSTA, ME.—A bill
which would prohibit
exit or entrance for drive-in theatres
from a state or state aid highway was given
a "don't pass" recommendation by the committee
on business legislation in the state
assembly here. The bill would have authorized
the insurance commissioner to carry
out its provisions.
Speakers who appeared in opposition to
the measure at a hearing included Ray
Feeley, business secretary of Independent
Exhibitors of New England; Katherine Avery
of Kennebunk; Norman Rolfe, Waterville;
Lewis Webber, Houlton; and drive-in owners
James Nadeau, W. L. Hammill, Mrs. Ella
Mills, Russell Martin, Eugene Boragine and
Lewis Packard.
21-Day Films Still
Sold
By Two at Bridgeport
NEW HAVEN—Warner and Paramount exchanges
again are the only two companies
serving Bridgeport subsequent runs 21 days
after run, pursuant to a policy adopted
shortly after an arbitration award reduced
the clearance of the Hi-Way, Bridgeport,
from 30 to 21 days. When the Hi-Way decision
was rendered, second run houses in
the Bridgeport arsa asked for a similar
breakdown of the 30-day precedent. For
a short time all the major exchanges except
MGM granted the reduction to 21 days. The
policy now has reverted to the original 30
days in all cases except the Warner and
Paramount.
No area except Bridgeport-Stratford was
involved.
Variety Board Meets
NEW HAVEN—Variety Tent 31 held a
board of directors meeting at the Hof Brau
Haus restaurant, with Chief Barker Herman
M. Levy presiding. Future plans for headquarters,
charity program, fund-raising and
other matters were discussed.
BOXOFFICE March 10, 1951 NE 87