Boxoffice-May.03.1952

. . . Corpus
M. J. Mullin Receives
Variety Great Heart
From New England Edition
BOSTON—Martin J. Mullin, president of
New England Theatres, was the recipient
of the Great Heart award, pre.sentcd each
year by the Variety Club of New England to
the individual doing (he greatest amount of
good for the greatest number of people. Chief
Barker Walter A. Brown made the presentation
at the directors meeting of the Variety
Club of New England April 7.
Mullin, who is president of the Children's
Cancer Research Foundation and in the forefront
of all industry activities here, entered
the industry in 1916 when a boy as an employe
of the Triangle Distributing Co. in New York.
In 1918 he moved to Atlanta, Ga.. to join
Southern Enterprises, which operated 100 theatres
throughout the soutli, and remained
there until 1925 when he was called to New
York to a position as director of maintenance
of 1,500 Paramount theatres in the United
States. In 1929 he was elevated to tlie presidency
of Northwestern Theatres Corp. in
Minneapolis, where he stayed until 1933. With
Samuel Plnanski he organized the Mullin &
Ftoanski Theatres Corp. Tliree years ago he
assumed the presidency of New England Theatres,
Inc.
FOUNDED IN 1948
In 1948, the Variety Club of New England
founded the Children's Cancer Research
Foundation and later joined with the Boston
Braves Baseball club and the motion picture
industry and private philanthropists to support
the foundation. With Mullin as president,
the foundation has grown rapidly in the
past four years. The new Jimmy fund building,
which was dedicated in January of this
year, houses the clinic for children suffering
from advanced cancer and the research department
which seeks new methods for treating
this disease in children.
Three years ago Mullin. with Louis Perini,
president of the Boston Braves, assumed the
co-chairmanship of the annual Jimmy fund
drive to obtain funds for the support of the
foundation and to pay for the construction
and maintenance of the Jimmy building. He
traveled extensively throughout New EIngland
during the three drives to supervise the collections.
The foundation has raised more than
$1,100,000 in the three campaigns, much of it
in small change donated by children,
JOY IN HIS SERVICE
Mullin, who resides with his wife and two
sons in Waban, Mass., has achieved a great
personal satisfaction in the realization that
he has been able to be of service in the tremendous
project to stamp out cancer in children.
"Cancer in children is everybody's business,"
he said, "so there is nothing mysterious as to
why we are vitally Interested. We are looking
forward to alleviating the suffering of innocent
children without thought of geographical
boundaries, race,
color or creed."
CORPUS CHRISTI Houslon Theatres Win
T D. Wolf, manager of Ezell & Associates'
Gulf Drivc-In, was the first to use the
Caitoon Festival idea. Local ozoners are really
pai'king in the customers now on the nights
when they book the five to eight cartoons In
place of a .second feature. John Blocker's
Twin Palms, just recently opened here, always
shows four color cartoons on every program
Christi Theatres, Inc., which has
been closed for complete renovation, now ha.s
this new information on their marquee— It
Won't Be Long Now.
The Boulevard Drive-In has been handing
patrons a copy of Hollywood Digest, which
advertises the film, "Street Corner," scheduled
to show here April 29, 30 and May 1.
Curtis Hayes, social hygiene commentator,
was on hand to answer questions ... A
would-be safecracker failed in an attempt to
open a safe at the Melba Theatre. He settled
for an undetermined amount of money
from the candy machine.
"Sky Full of Moon," an original screenplay
by Norman Foster, was acquired and assigned
to Sidney Franklin jr. to produce for MGM
release.
Ad Rate Reductions
HOUSTO.N The coinmillee repii-Miitii;
.
the Theatre Managers Ass'n of Houston, following
a series of conferences with three local
dally newspapers, have been granted advertising
rate reductions.
The Houston Post and Hou.ston Press reduced
suburban theatre rates \2''j per cent to
17 per cent, depending upon the linage u.sed
Houston Chronicle has killed the upped
amu.sement rate for downtown and suburban
theatres and substituted the regular local contract
retail rate. This repre.sents a decrease of
approximately 40 per cent.
Conrad Brady, publicity director Houston
Interstate Theatres, announced the reductions.
Altec Reopens Atlanta
NEW YORK—Altec Service Corp.. has reopened
its southern division office in Atlanta
with M. G. Thomas as division manager, according
to H. M. Bessey, executive vice-president,
because of constantly increasing business
from this area. Bruce Newborn, Atlanta
branch manager, and E. C. Lyman, Nashville
branch manager, will assist Thomas.
We Ain't Just Brogg/n'
We actually do have the
MOST COMPLETE LINE
of
CONCESSION SUPPLIES
and
EQUIPMENT
Write for
EQUIPMENT DISPLAY SALES
DARDEN WAREHOUSE, n09 Commertt, Houilon
OKLA. THEATRE SUPPLY CO., 6J9 W. Grond, Oklo. City
SOUTHEASTERN EQUIPMENT CO., JU S. Libtrly, Nt» OtlMiii
In the Southwest.
information today.
CHAS. E. DARDEN & CO.
• 308 S. HARWOOD
,^ • DALLAS, TEXAS ^
* p. O. BOX 2207
PHONE RI-6134
WAREHOUSES
HOUSTON— I 20« C.mm..c«.
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It clicks and satisfies . . . That's what counts. You can with confidence play this reissue
with
JAMES CAGNEY - THE GREAT GUY"
A John L. Fronconi Enterprise . . . C. B. (Connie) Drehcr, Branch Manager
BOXOFTICE May 3, 1952 77