Boxoffice-December.20.1952

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Ralph Drewry of Tulsa Ovfes His
Success to Hard Work and Study
By ART LaMAN
TULSA—The Ritz. Orpheum, Rialto and
Majestic, all first run downtown theatres,
have a new boss—Ralph Drewry—who has
been around the group of houses for many
years, most recently as assistant to J. C.
Hunter, w'ho now operates a hotel in Florida.
In 1929. while stUl in Central high school
here. Ralph came to the then Talbot Theatres
and began working as an usher, learning
the business from the ground floor up.
Later he entered the University of Tulsa, but
continued his work at the theatres, climbing
up the ladder by hard work and study. During
those years from 1929 well up into the
30s, theatre business, like all others, was
in a slump and theatre staff members had
to hustle to get dollars into the boxoffice.
Theatres here during that period had films
bolstered, in many instances, by stage shows.
The Orpheum had full weeks of vaudeville
and stage shows and Drewry got first-hand
information in all phases of the theatre field.
The late '30s found Ralph advanced from
usher to house manager and director of personnel.
In June 1942 he enlisted in the navy
and later was assigned to the motion picture
branch of the service. In this capacity he
headed 12 military theatres in Texas and
made all bookings for the group, requiring a
weekly trip to Filmrow in Dallas.
After the war, he returned to Oklahoma,
and in Okmulgee he built and operated a
theatre. He continued there until Ralph Talbot
sold his interests in the Downtown Theatres
here, when Drewry was asked to return
to Tulsa as assistant to J. C. Hunter,
then general manager of the theatre group.
After returning here, Drewry found himself
promoting and directing many outstanding
events of the area, among them the world
premiere of the film, "Tulsa." Drewry went
to Hollywood to see a prerelease showing
jy
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RALPH DREWRY
of the film and helped make all the arrangements
for the world premiere here, the appearance
of guest stars and notables and
the many other details of the event.
The premiere was an outstanding civic
celebration. Local motion pictures of the
premiere were made, millions of dollars worth
of oil field equipment was shown in a
parade which lasted nearly five hours, store
fronts all over town were decorated, oil rigs
were placed throughout the downtown areas
and in front of theatres and the real cUmax
came with the appearance of the film
stars in front of the Orpheum Theatre before
a crowd of thousands of people. Each
event showed the work that Drewry had
put in, in preceding weeks to give the city the
big premiere.
Another event made possible through the
Oklahoma Variety Club and the efforts of
Drewry, as coordinator, was the Will Rogers
birthday celebration at Claremore on Nov.
4, 1947. This was the year that Drewry arranged
for the Bob Hope radio show to be
broadcast from the auditorium of Claremore's
Oklahoma Military academy. A huge birthday
parade was led by Hope and other
stage and film stars. That year there had
been some question about holding a parade
in Claremore, but the question was settled
in a hurry by actor Hope, who wired, "No
Parade, No Hope."
During 1952 Ralph acted as the coordinator
in Oklahoma for Movietime U.S.A., spending
much time traveling from Tulsa to
Oklahoma City to make arrangements for
star tours and other details. At present he
is chairman of the Oklahoma State Exhibitor
Scroll fund for the Will Rogers Memorial
hospital at Saranac Lake, N. Y. The drive is
being sponsored by the Oklahoma Variety
Club.
Drewry is a Mason and holds memberships
in a number of clubs including the Southern
Hills Country club, the Circus and Spotlight
club, Tulsa Press club, Oklahoma
Variety of which he is a director, and the
local Lions club.
Recently as "Lion of the Day" he introduced
James C. Hunt, assistant resident
auditor of the air force auditor generals
southern district. Hunt showed a film titled,
"The Watch Dog of the Air Force Dollar,"
indicative of the type of fact-giving program
which Drewry helps dig up for club members.
Drewry is a director of Theatre Owners
of Oklahoma, yet with all his activities he
finds time to help head many civic drives
and fund campaigns. He is interested in
music and plays a good trumpet when the
occasion arises.
Ralph and his wife Gwen and daughter
Toni live at 1619 South Carson Ave. here
and Mrs. Drewry, like her husband, takes
a very active part in club and civic affairs.
Revised Censorship Act
Passed at Kansas City
rrom Central Edition
KANSAS CITY—A revised city motion picture
censorship ordinance was passed by
the city council here Friday night (12). The
nev/ ordinance does away with the necessity
for screening each picture to be played in
a Kansas City theatre.
Under the provisions the director of welfare
for the city will appoint a member of the
commercial recreation division staff as the
city's motion picture reviewer. It calls for
a certificate of approval to be issued on
all pictures playing in the city, but it allows
the reviewer to issue this certificate on the
basis of opinion of any credited censoring
organization. The reviewer will be authorized
to delete any part or all of any picture "for
any immoral, obscene or other factors detrimental
to the public good."
He may make the decision on the basis of
the opinion of other reviewing organizations,
or he may view the picture himself.
After issuing the certificate of approval,
the reviewer, with the approval of the director
of welfare, still has the right to revoke
the certificate by giving 15 days notice to the
applicant for certificate.
The ordinance also provides for a board
of appeals to which apphcants may appeal
a decision by the reviewer and to which a
group of 15 or more citizens can appeal issuance
of a certificate.
For the first time in the Kansas City
censorship history, newsreels are specifically
exempted from censorship in the new ordinance.
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C. E. Girard
201 South 23rd St., Temple, Ttxos
Phone, Dallas, RI-S009 Phone, Temple, 3-5352
BOXOFFICE December 27. 1952
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