Boxoffice-November.24.1951

ottir^
,
Dayton
1
and
Variety of Daylon
Dedicates Manor
DAYTON—Variety Club's International
officers and state and city dignitaries took
part in the dedication of Variety Manor, chief
charity project of the Dayton tent last week
(15). The Manor will be a guidance center for
feeble-minded children.
The dedication ceremonies took place at the
Manor, 458 Belmonte Park North, at 4 p. m.
and were followed by an open house for local
and out-of-town guests. Marc J. Wolf, chief
barker, and Col. William McCraw, executive
director, represented Variety International.
Gov. Frank J. Lausche took part in the ceremonies.
In the evening there was a civic dinner in
the Van Cleve hotel at which speeches were
made by Wolf and Governor Lausche. Barkers
from Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis,
Chicago, Toledo, Pittsburgh and Detroit attended.
Roy Wells, Tom Ryan and Harry Meenach
made up the committee which had charge of
the arrangements. A committee from the
tent helped in the preliminary work
also helped in acting as hosts for the
visitors.
Warners' Lorain Palace
Lobby Flooded in Fire
LORAIN, OHIO—The lobby of Warners'
Palace Theatre was flooded with water from
a $200,000 fire which hit the Palace Theatre
building early on the morning of November
11. The blaze completely destroyed a billiard
parlor on the second floor and caused thousands
of dollars water damage to four street
floor tenants. Cause of the fire was attributed
to a lighted cigaret tossed into a second floor
utility room.
Damage to the theatre proper was so slight
that its operation was resumed the following
day when all utilities were restored. Bill
Harwell is manager of the Palace.
Ochses Miss Stork
CLEVELAND— "Become grandparents and
see the world" is the motto of the Herbert
Ochs family. Mrs. Ochs, who has been on
hand to welcome each of their previous nine
grandchildren, last week flew to Puerto Rico
to be on hand to welcome the second offspring
of her daughter Sue, wife of Lieut.
Harry F. Welch, stationed at Ramey air force
base there. Because the stork was ahead of
schedule, Mrs. Ochs was not on hand to welcome
her fifth granddaughter and tenth
grandchild. Grandpa Herb will join Mrs.
Ochs and the Welch family in Puerto Rico
soon after the middle of December and remain
there until time to make ready for the
opening of his drive-in chain.
Stillman Stock for Sale
CLEVELAND—Negotiations are reportedly
under way for sale of stock of the Stillman
Co., which owns the 99-year lease to properties
around the Stillman Theatre at 1111
Euclid Ave. The transfer, however, will not
be completed until next year. Purchaser is the
Eleven-Eleven Euclid Corp., owner of the
General Realty & Utilities Corp. of New York.
Sales price is estimated at $500,000.
Series in Defroit Paper Publicizes
Movie Theatre in Michigan
DETROIT—The Detroit public, as well as
the large number of upstate residents reached
by the extensive circulation of the Detroit
Free Press, are being made aware of "Movie
Theatre Time in Michigan" by a series of
stories running in that paper. A series, to
run daily for two weeks on the drama page,
was being written by Helen Bower, film
. . they
editor.
Objective of the series is to make the public
acquainted with the men in the industry
locally who are responsible for the presentations
they see on the screen, such as Earl J.
Hudson, M. F. Gowthorpe, and David M.
Edzal, who head United Detroit, Butterfield,
and Fox Theatres respectively. A photo is
used with each article.
An introductory article by Miss Bovver reminded
readers of the golden jubilee of motion
pictures and explained the articles would
cover "something of the origin, background
and civic interests of these showmen .
make the choice of pictures to be shown and
keep the theatres operating for the pleasure
and entertainment of the town's moviegoers.
They have the know-how in show business."
The first article, with its introduction, follows:
This is the first of a series on theatre
exhibitors, presented as a highlight of
"Movie Theatre Time in Michigan."
Added Energy Urged
On Movietime Drive
DETROIT—Michigan exhibitors grumbling
about poor business in the face of the Movietime
drive received a quick answer from
Ernest T. Conlon, general secretary of the
campaign and executive secretary of Allied
Theatres of Michigan.
"The poor business all of us are suffering
is a combination of events and factors extending
back over a period of years. You
can't reverse a trend of that kind in 60 or 90
days, and with one or two efforts."
Outlining plans for continued Movietime
promotion in Michigan, Conlon stressed forthcoming
repeat bookings of the star tour; radio
programs for institutional promotion of the
industry; outdoor billboard publicity; newspaper
publicity, such as the series of vignettes
currently in the Detroit Free Press; speakers
bm-eau, routing qualified talkers to clubs and
other groups through the state.
Success of the star tours in the state was
indicated by the fact that, despite the problems
of booking and timing, and last-minute
changes in personal availabilities, two-thirds
of the engagements set on the toui-s were
filled.
Former Farmer Buys Show
WARSAW, KY.—After suspension of operation
the past five months, the local theatre
reopened November 2 as the Town under the
new ownership and management of Gilbert L.
Ogden. For the past ten years the house was
opei-ated as the Gallatin by Roy Prill. Before
entering war service, Ogden was a
farmer. He is 27 years old. For the present,
the Town wiU operate six nights a week with
three changes of program.
President of the United Detroit Theatres,
a group of 17 in Greater Detroit, Earl J. Hudson
has been as.soclated with motion pictures
In this area since 1934. Hudson was associated
with First National Pictures, first as
director of national advertising and later as
head of production units in Hollywood and
New York.
Hudson Ls president of the United Cerebral
Palsy Ass'n of Michigan which is associated
with the United Foundation Torch drive In
Detroit, and with the United Health and Welfare
fund in Michigan. He also is vice-president
of the Civic Light Opera, president of
the Variety Club of Michigan, and chairman
of the public relations committee for the Theatre
Owners of America.
Actively interested In civic affairs, Hudson
and his United Detroit Theatres organization
have participated in Red Cross
blood drives, the March of Dimes, cancer fund
and other charities, as well as numerous other
community undertakings. He served as chairman
of the downtown entertainment committee
for the city's 250lh birthday festival.
The Michigan Theatre was the first theatre
in the country to stage a war bond premiere,
an event that set the pattern for motion
picture houses throughout the U.S.
Hudson Ls married and has three grown
daughters.
Kroger Babb to Speak
To Allied oi Michigan
DETROIT—Further details of the program
for the annual convention of Allied Theatres
of Michigan at the Book Cadillac hotel December
3-5 were disclosed by Ernest T. Conlon,
executive secretary, this week. The social
highlight will be a luncheon Tuesday, at
which exhibitors and branch and sales managers
of distributing companies will be the
guests of Allied in the Crystal ballroom.
A talk on salesmanship and boxoffice in
the film business has been scheduled for the
afternoon of the last day (5) by Kroger Babb,
head of Hallmark Productions, who has never
appeared before an industry body here. He
will deUver "a constructive aoalysis of boxoffice
troubles," Conlon said. Arrangements
for this event, and for the two-hour program
of entertainment produced by Hallmark
at the banquet that evening were made
through that firm's zone manager, Clarence
Symons.
15-Year-Old Screen-Tested
CLEVELAND — Fifteen-year-old
Diane
Gentner, Cleveland Heights, went to New
York for a screen test at the invitation of
RKO following the appearance of her photo
in a recent issue of This Week, newspaper
supplement. It all happened when Hy Peskin.
New York photographer, was in Cleveland last
August to photograph the baseball series between
the Cleveland Indians and the New
York Yankees. He spotted Miss Gentner rehearsing
for a modeling appearance at a leading
department store. She has had no dramatic
training.
BOXOFFICE November 24, 1951 ME 71