Boxoffice-October.27.1951

L.
'iSi-
Film Stars lo Appear
At KMTA Convention
KANSAS CITY—Promises of at least two
film stars to be here for personal appearances,
two cocktail parties and discussions of forthcoming
product this week presupposed a very
successful convention November 6, 7 for the
Kansas-Missouri Theatre Ass'n.
Elmer Rhoden jr., general convention chairman,
said that RKO had promised to send
Mala Powers and Margaret Sheridan here for
the convention. Manley Popcorn Co. and
Alexander Film will join forces the first
evening (Tuesday) as hosts at a cocktail party
for exhibitors. The cocktail party the second
evening will be hosted by the Pepsi-Cola
CO.
Meantime, Rhoden scheduled a meeting
with convention committeemen for Thursday
(1) at room 211 of the President hotel at
12:15 to complete final arrangements for the
convention.
Last week the board of directors of KMTA,
in its monthly meeting, voted to hold a panel
discussion on the first day of the convention
on the subject: "What KMTA Can Do to Help
the Exhibitor." The panel will be conducted
by Elmer Bills, Tom Edwards, Homer Strowig,
R. R. Biechele and Dale Danielson, all pastpresidents
of KMTA, with the exception of
Danielson, who is the current president of the
organization.
One outstanding feature of
the convention
will be the scheduled exhibitor talks on various
film companies, in which the speakers
will outline forthcoming product of the film
companies, as to type, previews, subject matter
and methods of selling to the public.
One exhibitor will speak on each film company,
and young Rhoden said that the talks
would bs made with the full cooperation of the
publicity offices of the film companies in both
New York and Hollywood.
Highlight speeches of the convention will be
on Wednesday afternoon when Jack Braunagel,
chief of drive-in operations for Commonwealth,
will discuss applying drive-in exploitation
stunts to indoor theatres. Other
speakers will be Ben Shlyen, publisher and
editor in chief of BOXOFFICE; Herman Levy,
general counsel of TOA, and Gael Sullivan,
executive director of TOA.
Jim Miller Wins Award
For Wedding at Slater
SLATER, MO.—Jim Miller, manager of the
Kiva Theatre, was selected Manager of the
Month in the October issue of Enterprise,
monthly publication of Theatre Enterprises,
Inc. The award was won by Manager Miller
for his promotion of a stage wedding at the
Kiva.
The stunt was said to be one of the most
spectacular theatre promotions yet and the
bulletin said he "carried it through with all
the finesse of master showmanship and
wound up with a terrific business." Miller
is from Auburn, Neb., and received his managership
training under the watchful eye of
Manager Glenn Leonard there. After leaving
Auburn to take on various assistant
managerships, he was finally sent to Slater,
where he has been setting management records.
Nerlien & Co., one of the largest distributors
in Norway, is the only private importer
of U.S. 16mm educational films.
Northwest Theatres, Inc.
Opens Dakota in Bismarck
BISMARCK, N. D.—October 12 was set for
the grand opening of the Dakota Theatre here
and the 1,100-seat house was lighted for the
state premiere of "St. Benny the Dip." The
new house offers air conditioning, hearing
aids and other comforts and the color scheme
followed throughout the building is rose "and
yellow. The theatre is also equipped for
stage shows.
The Dakota is a unit of Northwest Theatres,
Inc., of which Urban L. Anderson, Minneapolis,
is district manager. The circuit also
operates all theatres in Valley City and a
house at Lewistown, Mont.
Airer for Bennie Berger;
Green Unit to Pappas
MINNEAPOLIS — Bennie Berger, whose
present circuit comprises 14 conventional theatres
and who also owns several houses under
lease to the Minnesota Amusement Co.,
will enter the ozoner field next spring with
the construction of a 370-car drive-in at
Fergus Palls, Minn.
At the same time, Ralph Green and associates,
local conventional and drive-in theatre
circuit owners, are selling one of their airers,
the Racine, Wis., drive-in, to the Pappas
chain.
Fred Hoffman to Laramie
McCOOK, NEB.—Fred Hoffman has left
for Laramie, Wyo., to assume new duties as
assistant manager of the Fox Theatre there.
Mrs. Hoffman and their son will remain here
until after the first of the year. Fred has
been associated with Fox theatres here for the
past year and has also been commanding
officer of the McCook Civil Air patrol.
Showman's Mother Visits
MANHATTAN, KAS.—Mrs. D. J. Lightner
of Jefferson City, mother of Douglas Lightner,
Wareham Theatre manager, spent several
days here with her son while his wife was in
a Topeka hospital recovering from an attack
of polio.
Lauds Chas. Skouras
At Theatre Opening
SIDNEY, NEB.—The New Fox Theatre
opened here with bursting bombs, bands
playing and searchlights raking the skies. The
unveiling of the 1,000-seat theatre started a
three-day city celebration. Sidney, seat of
a booming oil field, also was going allout in
observance of Oil Progre.ss week and banners
waved throughout the town in honor of the
two industries.
Rex Allen was the top personal attraction.
Theatre officials present were headed by
Frank H. Ricketson jr., president of Fox Intermountain.
"Meet Me After the Show"
was the screen attraction.
Jack Lowe, editor of the Sidney Telegraph
and a former industry man himself, devoted
eight pages to the new theatre in a special
section. He lauded Charles P. Skouras, once
Lowe's boss and now president of Fox West
Coast Theatres and National Theatres Amusement
Co.
"He taught me the most valuable of all
lessons," said Lowe editorially. "That is, that
it's a waste of time looking backward. It's
the forward look
that counts.
"The New Fox Theatre 'is a milestone in
the growth of the community and an expression
of faith by a multimillion dollar company
which, by its investment, has signified its
intention of remaining an important part of
our business life for many years."
Doris Day's Omaha Fans
Hitch Wagons to Star
OMAHA—Fans jamming around Doris Day
at her personal appearance at record departments
in Omaha stores resembled bargain day
sales hunters. The singer w'as in town for the
Music Operators of America convention.
Even Miss Day's husband Marty Melcher got
into the act. Everyone wanted his autograph,
too. When he asked one small fan why, he
got this reply:
I
"I saw everybody getting your autograph so
figured you must be somebody important."
STAR IN TWIN CITIES—Film star John Derek met Minnesota exhibitors recently
upon his visit to the Twin cities to make personal appearances on the stages of the
Orpheum theatres in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Shown with the actor at left,
left to right: Hy Chapman, Columbia manager in Minneapolis; Fred Schnee, Hollywood
Theatre, Litchfield, Minn.; Derek; Dick Toilette, booker and buyer for Northwest
Theatre Service; Jimmy Zien, buyer for S. E. Heller circuit, and B. C. Marcus,
district manager for Columbia. At right: Bob Whelan, manager, Orpheum, Minneapolis;
Derek, and Eddie Ruben, head of the Ruben circuit.
BOXOFFICE :
: October 27, 1951 MW 55