Boxoffice-March.10.1951

BOSTON
piizabeth Taylor, Anthony Dexter and
Jimmy Dunn, Hollywood stars, participated
in the huge Red Cross kickoff rally
held at Symphony hall, along with several
entertainers appearing at local night clubs.
Also on the stage were Connie Boswell, Jack
E. Leonard, Vaughn Monroe, the Ink Spots,
Ada Lynn and Sammy Eisen's band . . .
Tony Dexter, who plays the lead in "Valentino."
arrived in time to attend a special
screening of the film for a group of high
school students ... He also appeared at Red
Cross headquarters.
Embassy Pictures has booked "Seven Days
to Noon" at the Fine Arts Theatre, Maynard;
the Metropolitan, Providence and the Capitol,
Lynn. It ran three weeks at the Copley,
Boston . . . Nick Lavidor, energetic manager
of E. M. Loew's Center here, is submitting
his exploitation campaign on "Salerno
Beachhead" and "The Fighting SuUivans"
for the Realart Better Showmanship national
contest,
editors.
to be judged by BOXOFFICE
Ed Shulman of the New York pubhcity
staff of Universal and his wife sp)ent the
Washington birthday holidays in Boston
visiting friends . . . Joe Mansfield, Eagle
Lion Classics local publicist, is working with
James "Red" King on the promotion for
"Korea Patrol." A Red Cross blood bank
unit will be set up outside the Keith Boston
a full week to accept pledges. Mansfield
also is working with Viola Berlin on
"So Long at the Fair," the next picture to
play the Exter Street Theatre. It is also
booked at the Strand, Providence, along with
"The Blue Lamp."
Mild weather brought the following outof
town exhibitors to Filmrow: Bob Zerinsky,
Keene, N. H.; Mrs. WiUiam Sullivan, Enfield,
N. H.; Elihu Glass, Majestic, West
Springfield; Irving Dunn, Granite Square,
Manchester, N. H.; Spero Latchis, Vermont;
Ned Eisner, Uxbridge, and Phil Bloomberg,
Plaza, Salem.
Clarence "Dutch" Millett of the State
Theatre in Bridgton, Me., has applied for
membership in Independent Exhibitors of
New England . . . Two Boston theatres have
closed for lack of business. The Laff-Movie
on Washington street, operated by Fred Lieberman,
will be converted into another type
of business. The closed Cobb Theatre, also
on Washington street, was the fourth picture
house to be built in the city. It was
known' originally as the Dreamland.
Charles S. Howard, 86, dean of the Boston
drama editors, died at his AUston home.
He had been a member of the Boston Globe's
staff for 69 years and had been ill since
October 1949. He had been head of the
theatre, music and motion picture department
of the Globe for nearly 55 years.
When "Up Front" was sneak-previewed at
the Keith Memorial, the audience response
was most gratifying to the Universal officials
scattered through the house. The laughs were
so frequent and loud that much of the dialog
of this Bill Mauldin army comedy was
lost. Publicist John McGrail contacted Lieut.
Joseph DriscoU, now a local contractor who
was with Mauldin in the 45th division in the
Italian campaign, and he promised to help.
He was the original "Willie" in the famous
Mauldin cartoons.'
The new 600-car drive-in in North Smithfield,
R. I., will be opened by Arthur Mason
and Edward Strigus this spring. Century
projectors will be installed by Massachusetts
Theatre Equipment Co. . . . Sympathy to
Maxwell Andelman of Devonshire Film Co.
in the death of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Andelman
of Cambridge . . . The Dreamland
Theatre, Nantucket, operated by Miss Rita
Hull, daughter of Captain Hull who managed
it for many years, is being renovated
with new seats, a new boxoffice and new
restroom. Herbert Higgins does the buying
and booking for the house.
HARTFORD
. . .
"Mr. and Mrs. Joe Dolgin of the Pine Drivein
and Mrs. Erwin Needles have been
named to the advisory committee for the Jewish
Community Center's "Revuesical of 1951,"
slated for Bushnell Memorial auditorium
Leonard Greenberg, son of the
April 9 . . .
Center Theatre owner, will be married July
8 to Phyllis Spivack of New Haven . . .
Mickey Daly, manager for the Center Theatre,
is marking his 30th year in show business
. . . Lee Rosenberg of the Poli circuit.
New Haven, was in town . . . Frank Daly,
Mickey's son, is now with the state police
Manager John Petroski of the Palace,
Norwich, is running a series of Tuesday night
talent contests.
Jack Gallagher, E. M. Loew's doorman, was
ill with a cold . . . Hugh Connors is observing
his sixth year with Confidential Reports . . .
Bob Gentner of the Poli, Waterbury, and
Morris Sidman, Haverhill, Mass., exhibitor,
were among local visitors . . . Tom Carey of
Carey Theatrical Enterprises visited Matt L.
Saunders at the Poll, Bridgeport.
Whitey Harris, Center projectionist, entered
the Veterans hospital at Newington . . .
George E. Landers of E. M. Loew's Theatres
said the circuit's drive-ins would reopen for
the season about March 15, weather permitting.
The Bristol 800-car drive-in will open
April 1 . . . George Hudak, manager at the
Newington, has a new car . . . Lane,
Charlie
Warner circuit, was in Norwich . . . Cpl.
Donald Pierce, formerly of Thompsonville,
recently finished a projectionists' training
course at Camp Pickett, Va.
George H. Willdnson jr., president of the
MPTO of Connecticut, and owner of the
Wilkinson Theatre, Wallingford, has been
using the slogan, "Been to the Movies
Lately? They Are Really Good," in his newspaper
advertising.
Fred Abronzino, assistant chief projectionist
for E. M. Loew's, now on leave of absence,
has extended his leave to April 1.
He is visiting in Italy and will return in
March. His brother Al is chief projectionist
. . . Paul W. Amadeo, general manager of
the Pike Drive-In at Newington, used his
marquee during the winter to remind highway
passersby that the Pike planned to reopen
in the spring. Signs on the marquee
read: "Yes. we're closed for the season!
Why? Because, baby, it's cold outside!"
Fortunio Bonanova will play a leading
character role in Republic's "Havana Rose."
WORCESTER
A Ibert Leger, 50, projectionist at the Strand
in Fitchburg, collapsed at work and was
removed to Burbank hospital, where he was
pronounced dead from a heart attack. He
leaves his wife and a son . . . Murray Howard,
manager of the Warner, capitalized on the
fact that "The Second Face" was the first
picture in two years for Rita Johnson,
Worcester girl . . . Brice Howard and Jen
Jones joined the Circle . . . Jan Murray headlined
the Temple Emanuel show at the Auditorium.
. .
Herbert Rothschild, assistant manager of
the Warner, will report to the navy next
month . The Hudson in that town closed
"Outrage" to children under 16 . . . Sunset
Carson made a personal appearance at the
Modern in Marlboro . . . An article appeared
in the Shrewsbury Town Warrant that would
ban all future drive-in theatres in that
town. Two recently were turned down there.
The Warner observed the 34th anniversary
of its opening. "Roxy" was one of the noted
guests at the premiere . . . "Al Jennings of
Oklahoma" has three former Worcesterites in
the cast—Gloria Henry, Raymond Greenleaf
and Louis Jean Heydt . . . Robert Daggett,
who has operated stock companies in
Westboro for ten years, has given up the
Daggett Playhouse there and says he is
retiring from show business.
Johnny Cummins, 66, stage manager at
the Warner, died in St. Vincent hospital
after a long illness. He had spent all his
life working in the theatres, starting in London,
where he was a ticket-taker. He had
been with the Warner since its opening. He
leaves his wife, five daughters and a son
Thomas, who has succeeded him at the
Warner.
A 16-year-oId boy who had escaped from
the Shirley school was arrested for two alleged
attempted holdups in Framingham theatres.
Police said he confessed trying to get
cash from the HoUis and St. George. At the
HoUis, Esther Strafus, cashier, said the youth
came to the boxoffice and demanded the
"big bills." He ran away when she buzzed
for the manager. Joan Robinson of the St.
George reported a similar incident.
Newsboys of the Worcester Telegram and
Gazette were guests of the Hudson in that
town . . . Leo Lajoie, manager of the Capitol,
reports he will screen "Macbeth" for one day
only, the first time the picture has played
town . . . Bob Portle, manager of the Loew-
Poli Elm Street, got mention in the Sunday
Telegram as helping start Chick Cerrone on
the stage. Chick was an usher at the Plaza
when Bob arranged for him to join a show as
a dancer 20 years. Chick's now on the pohce
force.
Massachusetts House
Kills Beano Game Bill
BOSTON — The game of beano seems
doomed for the next year anjrway in Massachusetts.
By a roll call vote of 139 to 80
the house killed the bUl after a sharp debate.
The measure had the backing of the Veterans
of Foreign Wars, which requested that the
biU be passed to allow beano games to be
operated only by fraternal, veterans or religious
groups.
BOXOFFICE March 10, 1951
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