Boxoffice-October.27.1951

: October
tonia is finished, Clinton will boast two of
the finest theatres in the country for a town
Theatre Renovation
'Derails' Old Train
CLINTON. ILL.—Work of redecorating and
refurnishing the Clintonia Tl-ieatre wa.s being
rapidly finished this month. The Kaye Theatre,
also under the ownership of the Mc-
Cullom circuit and the management of J. C.
Nelson, was closed several months for extensive
alteration but has already been reopened,
as reported in BOXOFFICE October 6.
Axel Claussen, interior decorator for the
McCulIom chain, was in charge of the local
project. The interior of the Clintonia has
been entirely redecorated and all new furnishings
added. The foyer and the lounge on the
second floor were recarpeted, laid over foam
rubber lining. Style of the furniture in the
foyer has been changed and several more
new pieces added. The lounge chairs are
covered with a special fabric and frames are
in blond wood.
The lounge was formerly known as the
Railroad Lounge and had a picture of the
Illinois Central's Green Diamond streaminer
passenger train painted on the south
wall. It has been completely redecorated and
the wall on which the picture was painted
has been finished in a dark grey against
which new light fixtures with a modern
decorative shield in gold bronze are hung.
A modernistic painting has replaced the old
train on the same wall. The ceiling of the
louHge is finished in chartreuse and colors
used in the upholstery of the furniture are
grey, turquoise and green. All the lamps in
the lounge are modernistic, including the
"question mark" lamp which came from a
California firm specializing in modern furniture.
Drapes of mustard yellow hang in both
foyer and lounge.
The numerous improvements, costing several
thousand dollars, are being reviewed by
theatregoers as the work goes on without the
theatre being closed down. When the Clin-
its size.
Essoness Makes Three
Changes in Management
CHICAGO—Some personnel shifts have
been made public by Ed Masters, local repre-
village theatres.
sentative in Oak Park and River Forest for
the Essaness company, operator of the three
Jack Champagne has been appointed manager
of the Lamar, with Herb Crane going
back to the Southern as manager after six
months' temporary duty at the Lamar. Frank
Brennan, who has been with the Lake Theatre
for the last six years, was named one of
the assistant managers. He is a retired postal
employe and lives at the Elks club.
Drive-In Named After Baby
JACKSON, MO.—A 325-car drive-in is being
built on Highway 25 just north of Hubble
creek by William Sherman, who operates theatres
in Advance and Bloomfield, Mo. Sherman
has named the new drive-in after his
daughter Jackie Linn, born the same day he
broke ground for the theatre. Prior to entering
exhibition, Sherman was St. Louis exchange
manager and later district manager
for Eagle Lion.
Jay B. Smith Jungle Film
Is Acquired by Triangle
ST. LOUIS—Triangle Film Distributors,
Inc., St. Louis, has announced the acquisition
for world-wide distribution of the color motion
pictures .shot by Jay B. Smith, St. Louis
traveler and photographer, that reveal the
primitive life of the Aparari Indians in the
jungles on the upper reaches of the Amazon
river in South America.
Triangle also recently purchased 51 pictures
that formerly had been distributed in
this territory by Eagle Lion. These films, purchased
from Julie Chapman of New York City,
include the Red Stallion series, Lash LaRue
westerns, Eddie Dean westerns, "Repeat Performance"
and many others.
Paul Krueger. co-general manager of
Wehrenberg Theatres here, recently purchased
a one-third interest in Triangle. The other
stockholders, each holding one-third of the
shares, are Tom Bloomer of Belleville, 111.,
and Cliff Mantle of St. Louis.
Portland Theatre Co. Sues
For Princess Possession
PORTLAND, IND.—An action for ejectment
and po.5session of the Pi-incess Theatre on
North Meridian street was filed here by Portland
Theatre Realty Co. against Peter Mailers
of Fort Wayne and the Bluffton Grand
Amusement Co. The complaint stated the
defendants now hold possession of said real
estate without right and have unlawfully kept
the plaintiff company out of possession to
their damage of $20,000.
The Portland Theatre Realty Co. also owns
the other downtown theatre, the Hines, and
the Beacon Drive-In, all of Portland. Officials
are Rep. Ralph G. Hines, president; H. Harold
Hines and Ruth Hines A.shcraft, secretarytreasurer.
Simons Will Address Two
Films Council Meetings
CHICAGO—M. L. Simons will address the
Better Films Council of Sheboygan, Thursday
( 1 > and the Wisconsin convention of Better
Films Councils in Milwaukee November 5. He
will discuss the importance of the motion
picture theatre to the business community.
Simons, assistant to H. M. Richey, MGM exhibitor
relations head, will show 50 slides
from "Quo Vadis" at both meetings.
Chicago's Lex Bought
CHICAGO—The campaign in
the suburban
Garfieldian and Austin News against the unsafe
condition of the Lex Theatre, which was
abandoned last winter after a fire, has paid
dividends, according to the newspapers. The
new owner, who asked that his name be withheld
temporarily, called a reporter for the
papers and asked them to "take it easy on
the building" for he had just bought it and
planned to renovate and remodel.
New Illiopolis Open Soon
ILLIOPOLIS, ILL.—The new Illiopolis Theatre
is scheduled to open about November 1,
Edward Griesheim, manager and principal
owner, has announced. The new 360-seater,
replacing Griesheim's theatre which was destroyed
in an $86,000 explosion and fire July
4, 1950, is on the same site.
Wisconsin ITO Heads
Plan ior Convention
MILWAUKEE—Tony La Porte and John
McKay, convention co-chairmen, have begun
working on the program for the annual Wisconsin
Allied meeting December 10-12 at the
Schroeder hotel here. President Ben Marcus
said there will be a well-rounded program of
speakers, including .some of the Allied national
leaders, and exhibits. The .showman's
side of theatre TV and film buying problems
are on the agenda for discu.ssion.
One of the highlights will be the di.splays
of theatre TV units, new types of drive-in
equipment, new carpeting styles, labor-saving
devices in theatre operation and a complete
array of vending equipment and theatre supplies.
The entire fifth floor foyer of the
Schroeder will be filled with exhibits.
Another highlight promised by the chairmen
is the "Boost Your Business" Individual
group di.scussions for the sub.sequent, small
town and first run situations. The discussions
have been very informative and helpful in
past meetings and this year's seminars are
expected to draw 100 per cent participation.
Promising to outdo themselves in a program
of social events as well, the committees
are planning the convention with the slogan:
"Ushering in the movies' greatest year." Convention
headquarters are at 1027 West
Wells St.
In charge of the exhibitor group discussions
will be Russell Leddy, key town: Angelo
Provinzano, subsequent run: Eric Brown, small
town, and S. J. Goldberg, drive-in. The publicity
committee consists of A. M. Spheeris, L.
Beltz, Louis Orlove, Angelo Provinzano and
Henry Toilette: while Howard Gleason, John
P. Adler, Arnold Brumm, Provinzano and
Oliver Trampe comprise the program and arrangements
committee. Edward Johnson is
looking after year book and exhibits. On the
registration committee are William Pierce,
Sidney Margoles and Elmer Schwanke.
H. J. Quartemont Named
Chief at Prairie Du Chien
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WIS. — Henry J.
Quartemont has been appointed manager for
the Metro and Regent theatres, operated
here by Unity Theatre Management of Milwaukee.
Resigning as studio manager in Black
River Falls, Wis., for WKLJ, Quartemont is
no newcomer to show business, having been
in it since 1942. Beginning as an operator in
silent picture days in a dance hall theatre,
he has at various times been employed by
Fox. Warner and Saxe in Milwaukee as manager,
and was for eight years manager and
supervisor for M&E Theatres. He also published
and edited several newspapers.
Matt Davis Loses Again
ST. LOUIS—The U.S. court of appeals
here has affirmed the decision of the district
court in St. Louis finding for the defendant.
RKO Pictures, in the suit brought by Matthew
L. Davis of St. Louis for alleged damages to
him because one of the characters in the
motion picture, "Fighting Father Dunne," bore
the same name as his and was depicted as a
criminal. Davis, at one time a resident of
Father Dunne's Newsboys Home here, had
sought $300,000 damages.
BOXOFFICE :
27, 1951 75