Boxoffice-November.24.1951

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Taxes, Controls and Trade Strife
Tire Utah Exhibitor; He Sells
CEDAR CITY, UTAH—A young Utahan for
whom the motion picture industry has meant
"much" and who has given "much" in return
announced this week he was selling out his
theatre interests because he has "no further
confidence in or enthusiasm for the business."
The man is John Rowberry, who started
out in the theatre business two decades ago
in Salt Lake City as an usher and a janitor.
Fifteen years ago he moved to Cedar City
to manage theatres, in which he had purchased
an interest.
In the years he has been in Cedar, he has
been named "outstanding young man in the
city" by the Junior Chamber of Commerce
twice, he has served on several civic committees
and his theatres have been the site
of group meetings. Also, he has sponsored
children's matinees and many other various
types of entertainment for juveniles.
This week, Johnny announced he was selling
his interest in the Cedar and Parks theatres.
He had managed and owned the theatre
equipment in the two houses. The buildings
were owned by Melvin R. Thorley of
La Canada, Calif., and an estate in Cedar
City.
The theatres, equipment and buildings
and
all have been sold to Glen Yergensen of
Monroe, Utah, who recently started in theatre
business in Utah, and his brother, Elden
Yergensen of Nyssa, Ore., an implement
Here and There
American Theatre, Thayne, Wyo., has completed
installation of a new sound system. It
was purchased some time ago from Ralph
Flygare, formerly of Afton. Art Edvalson of
Service Theatre Supply in Salt Lake City
installe larger sound heads and amplifiers.
Equipment was valued at $2,500.
Walter Houser received a license to operate
the Lafay Theatre in Lafayette, Colo., good
until April 1952 . . . Restrooms of the Arvada
Theatre in Ai'vada, Colo., were made available
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dealer. The consideration was reported to
be in the neighborhood of $200,000. Glen will
manage the houses in this city, which is
located at the gateway to southern national
parks, including Cedar Breaks, Zion and
Grand.
In announcing he was getting out of the
business, Johnny told the newspapers he was
selling because of taxes and controls. To
tradepress reporters, he said: "The game is
no longer fun. There is too much litigation
and blackmailing. Both exhibitors and distributors
seem to pack attorneys in their hip
pockets and I don't see any future with attitudes
as they now exist."
John declared "distributors promote opposition
to established exhibitors in some cases"
and said he was "tired of paying 40 and 42
per cent for most films which were going for
lower percentages in comparable situations
which were connected with distributors."
He said he isn't bitter, "just hurt and fed
up." He said the fact he settled a percentage
suit with some distributors recently had nothing
to do with his decision. He also said his
business has been up 16 per cent this summer
over last summer, while other areas in
the exchange territory have been down. Since
television is not yet being received in Cedar
City, he said this was not a factor.
John said exchange of theatres and property
will take place December 31.
to the pubhc during the Harvest festival
. . . Aerial fireworks
this fall by Mr. and Mrs. Bus Jay, managers
of the theatre
were a recent added attraction at the Ski-Hi
Drive-In west of Alamosa, Colo. ... A benefit
midnight show for home owners in the
Chaffee Park Heights area of Denver was
held at the North Drive-In. Proceeds go toward
payment on a ground water survey,
aimed at combatting the serious water seepage
problem affecting the section.
Robert Patrick, manager of the Lakewood
Theatre in Denver, was named publicity chairman
of the 1951 Red Feather drive for Jefferson
county . Maxey, manager of
the AnLe and Arroyo theatres in Cortez,
Colo., recently underwent an emergency appendectomy
at Southwest Memorial hospital
in Cortez, mention should be made
of the visit there late this summer of Mr.
and Mrs. Ben Fisher, who visited friends for
a week. Fisher was manager of the Cortez
Theatre for several years, leaving in 1942
to make his home in Seattle ... Ed Nelson,
who came to Laramie, Wyo., this summer
from Montrose, Colo., said in Montrose it's
dust and in Laramie it's cinders, but aside
from that he likes Laramie. He says the
people there are very friendly and he feels
as if he knows more people in Laramie in
three months than he knew in most towns
in two years. Nelson is Fox city manager.
Neal Lloyd, manager of the Ord Theatre
at Ordway, Colo., did not leave the town as
slated. He v/as scheduled to take over management
of the Valley Theatre in Fowler
owing to the resignation of Hugh Haynes.
But Haynes recalled his resignation and remains
in Fowler. Manager Jackson of Rocky
Ford, who was slated to come to Ordway, also
remains status quo.
Frisco Lead Lassoed
By Texas Carnival'
SrtN FRANCISCO—"Texas Carnival"!
whipped into town and lassoed the first '
spot honors for the week with 175 per cent.
Second spot honors were divided between
the opening of "The Blue Veil" and the
world premiere showing of "Golden Girl,"
both rating 140 per cent.
(Average Is 100)
Cinema—The Desert Fox (20th-rox), Disc lockey
(Mono), 4th d. t. wk 110
Fox—Golden Girl (20th-Fox): The Basketball Fix
(Realarl) _ 140 ll
Golden G:ite—The Blue Veil (RKO) 140
Orpheum The Harlem Globetrotters (Col); Never
'I'rust a Gambler (Col) 90
ParamouT^t The Tanks Are Coming (WB); Bride of
the Gorilla (Reclart) 125
St- Francis A Streetcar Named Desire (WB),
6th wk 100
United Artists—The Well (UA), 2nd wk _iaO
Warfield Texas Carnival ( MOM) ITS
'American' Still Leads
Los Angeles Percentages
LOS ANGELES—First run takes ranged
from terrific to tepid, with "An American
in Paris" still leading the field at a 200
per cent pace for its second stanza. In close
contention was "The Blue Veil," which finished
its first week with a 175 per cent rating.
At the nether end were 'The Well,"
which wound a four-week booking with a 60
per cent appraisal in its final week, and
"Love Nest," which racked up a disappointing
75 per cent in its opener In four houses.
Chinese, Uptown, Los Angeles, Loyola Love Nest
(20th-Fox). The Highwayman (Mono-AA) 75
Downtown Paramount Bride of the Gorilla
(Realart), plus stage show 130
Egyptian, State An American in Paris (MGM),
advanced prices, 2nd wk - 200
Fine Arts The River (UA), advanced prices, 5th
wk 100
Four Star—The Well (UA), 4th wk 60
Fox Wilshire Detective Story (Para), advanced
prices, 9th wk 90
Globe, El Rey, Iris—Tales of Hoffmann (Lopert)....100
HiUstreet, Pontages—The Blue Veil (RKO); The
Whip Hand (RKO) 175
Hollywood Paramount A Place in the Sun (Para),
2nd wk 120
United Artists, Ritz, Vogue—The Racket (RKO),
2nd wk 120
Warners Beverly A Streetcar Named Desire
(WB), advanced prices, 9th wk 90
Werners Downtown, Hollywood, Wiltern Storlift
(WB) 125
Denver Business Slow
Several Days After Snow
DENVER—Business was off for several days
because of snow, but picked up over the
weekend. "Let's Make it Legal" with "Journey
Into Light" proved the best at the Denver
and Esquire. Next was "Racket" with i
'
"Assassin for Hire" at the Orpheum.
Aladdin, Tabor, Webber—Close to My Heart
(WB); Street Bandits (Rep) 125
Broadway—Texas Carnival (MGM), 4th wk 90
Denham—When Worlds Collide (Para), 2nd wk 95
Denver, Esquire— Let's Make It Legal (20lh-Fox);
|
Journey Into Light (20th-Fox) 135
Orpheuir.-The Racket (RKO); Assassin for Hire
(SR)
Paramount Magic Face (Col); Two of a Kind
125
;
(Col) 100
Rlcrllo Alice in Wonderland (Souvaine);
Whirlwind (Col) 100
Al Olander Will Reopen
Montebello Art House
MONTEBELLO. CALIF.—An early reopening
is planned by Al Olander for the
Vogue Theatre here, which is now being
remodeled and renovated and which will
hanceforth be known as the Vogue Fine
Arts. It will operate on an art house policy.
New equipment being installed includes a
Cycloramic screen, marquee, .seat coverings,
curtain, drapes ad RCA sound system.
46 BOXOFFICE :: November 24, 1951
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