Boxoffice-October.27.1951

. . . Jimmy
. . William
L. J. Kimbriel Wins
Top RCA Honors
KANSAS CITY—L. J. Kimbriel, manager of
the Missouri Theatre Supply Co. here, returned
last week from
the west coast meetings
of TESMA and
an RCA dealers meeting,
elated that he was
the only RCA dealer
to be singled out by
the company for high
honors.
Kimbriel received
special awards and
high praise from RCA
for his outstanding
sales in RCA seats,
Kimbriel sound equipment and
drive-in theatre equipment. He led all other
dealers in the nation in those fields, and he
was the only dealer to be so honored at the
convention.
Jack O'Brien, sales manager of the theatre
equipment and theatre television divisions
of RCA in Camden, N. J., gave Kimbriel special
awards including a radio, gold cuff links
and tie clasp and other personal gifts.
Kimbriel has been in the Kansas City Missouri
Theatre Supply office for about ten
years, according to Don Davis, division manager
of
the RCA theatre division here.
Martin and Lewis Agree
To Minneapolis Date
MINNEAPOLIS—Dean Martin and Jerry
Lewis have agreed to head a Radio City stage
show late in November in partial amends for
their Uth hour cancellation of the Radio
City August date. The deal is satisfactory to
the Minnesota Amusement Co., according to
Harry B. French, president. Long negotiations
between attorneys for both sides finally
brought the matter to a head.
When Martin and Lewis were set for last
August, Radio City advertised and publicized
the show for more than a month. French received
notice only three days before it was
supposed to open that the comedians had decided
to terminate their personal appearance
tour in Chicago immediately and wouldn't
come to Minneapolis. The reason given was
that Lewis' health necessitated his return
to Hollywood at once.
Fire Destroys Norborne
CARROLLTON, MO.—The Norborne Theatre
was destroyed by a fire earlier this month
that swept through the building between midnight
and 12:30. The Norborne fire department
extinguished the blaze but damage to
the West Second street structure was estimated
to run into the thousands of dollars by
Elvyn Campbell and his son George, who own
and have operated the theatre for the past
two years. Contents were partially covered
by insurance. The fire is believed to have
started from defective wiring and was confined
to the south end of the building but the
remainder of the interior was a complete loss
due to the smoke and intense heat. The
screen as well as the stage was destroyed completely.
Gretchen Hale, widow of the late Alan
Hale, has been assigned a character role in
Paramount's "This Is Dynamite."
SHOVVM.VN VISITS STUDIO—Ralph
Goldberg, operator of a circuit in the
Omaha territory, dropped in at the Paramount
studio in Hollywood during a
southern California holiday. Here the
theatreman is shown with his wife. Dean
Martin and Mrs. Beth VVofford, a friend of
the Goldbergs.
NCA Sends Group of 18
To Allied's Convention
MINNEAPOLIS—One of the largest North
Central Allied delegations ever to attend an
Allied States convention from this area departed
for New York this week prepared to
ask the parent body to demand a showdown
in the matter of alleged consent decree violations,
including improper handling of competitive
bids. It also will press for the elimination
of most percentage films, espscially
in the smaller and subsequent run situations,
and for a paring down of present "unconscionable"
rental demands.
One of the delegates is Bennie Berger, representative
on the board of directors and a
longtime NCA president, who will ask Allied
States to divorce itself from COMPO and to
quit Movietime U.S.A. unless distributor treatment
of the independent exhibitor "takes an
immediate sharp turn for the better."
The local delegation was headed by Ted
Mann and S. D. Kane, NCA president and executive
counsel, respectively. It numbered 18,
including George Granstrom, Charlie Rubenstein,
Paul Mans, Sim Heller, George Gould,
Al Lee, Berger, Sidney Volk and Jack Heywood
among others.
Two Shows for Chest
DES MOINES—Manager J. M. Cappel of
the Town Theatre in the Fort Des Moines
housing project, turned over all the receipts
from his Friday and Saturday night showings
to the Community Chest drive.
Gridders Guests at 'Boy'
MANHATTAN, KAS.—As added exploitation
for "That's My Boy," TEI City Manager Dave
Dallas invited all members of the Kansas
State football team and the coaching staff
to be his guests on the opening night of the
comedy at the Campus Theatre.
MINNEAPOLIS
pddie Ruben, local channian for Movietime
U.S.A., is resting in Florida following
.strenuous Movietime work. Future plans are
being held in abeyance pending his return
Nederlander, manager of the
Lyceum, legitimate roadshow house that plays
occasional pictures, was in New York in quest
of more attractions. "Tales of Hoffmann"
just finished a three-week roadshow run at
the Lyceum and the reissued "Fantasia" Ls
booked for after the first of the year . . .
M. A. Levy, 20th-Fox district manager, visited
the St. Louis exchange.
Louis Orlove, MGM exploiteer, paid his
first visit here in six weeks after piloting the
Wisconsin Hollywood Movietime U.S.A. unit
about the state . . . Mr. and Mrs. Art Johnson,
Galesville, Wis., exhibitors, were Filmrow
visitors . . . L. E. Goldhammer, Monogram
western sales manager, came in from
Republic's "Adventures of
New York . . .
Captain Fabian" went into the Minnesota
. . .
Amusement Co. loop A-house, the State
Northwest Variety Club had a big turnout for
its homecoming night dance the evening of
the Minnesota-Nebraska homecoming football
game.
George Engelking, Paramount booker, is
a father for the sixth time. It's a girl—the
Engelkings' fifth . . . Vincent Callahan, MGM
home office auditor, was a visitor . . . John
K. Sherman, Minneapolis Star and Tribune
film editor and critic, who rarely reviews
a film, did so for "The River," which opens
a roadshow engagement at the World here.
As a result, the picture had two reviews in
the Minneapolis Tribune last Sunday, the
other being written by Bob Murphy, the
paper's regular film editor and critic. Both
Sherman and Murphy tossed raves at the picture.
Ben Friedman, circuit owner, is receiving
congratulations for the fine job done on his
Broadway Theatre at Albert Lea, Minn. Approximately
$50,000 was spent to remodel the
house and another $25,000 for new seats and
equipment, including a new Walker large
plastic screen. It is the A-house in Albert
Lea. A gala four-day celebration was staged
with the theatre's reopening.
Changes at the Paramount exchange find
Bert Zats moved back from the contract to
the booking department; Frank Campo advanced
from shipper to trainee booker, and
Bob Anderson an addition to the shipping
group . J. Heineman, United Artists
distribution vice-president, was a visitor
. . . Pi-ojectionists have been requested by
the Northwest Variety Club to turn copper
drippings to the National Theatre Supply, 56
Glenwood Ave., for the government scrap
drive. This follows the action of National
Production Authority in naming the club to
head the drive here.
An Adolphe Menjou Political Date
MINNEAPOLIS— Minnesota Republicans
are bringing actor Adolphe Menjou here November
2 to help launch their 1952 campaign.
Menjou w:ll speak at a dinner rally
preceding a Republican state convention,
Minnesota's first experiment with such an
affair in an off-campaign year.
BOXOFFICE :
: October 27, 1951
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