Boxoffice-December.20.1952

. . Doug
:
Communist Cleanup Drive
Praised by Roy Brewer
OMAHA—The film industry has done a
first-rate job of cleaning out Communists in
its ranks during the last two years, so says
Roy Brewer, former Nebraskan who has
risen from projector operator in Grand Island
to president of the 20,000-member Hollywood
AFL council and international representative
of the lATSE on the west coast.
Brewer stopped here on his way from the
Conference of Motion Picture Organizations
meeting in Chicago en route to Los Angeles.
He said:
"The job has been tough because the vast
majority of those helping communism were
deceived. The problem has been to isolate
the real Communists without hurting the innocent."
Speaking on COMPO's drive for relief from
the federal ticket tax, he said "hundreds of
little theatres could be kept in operation
if the tax were lifted."
He said the Federal Communications Commission
policy of denying television channels
to theatres is grossly unfair. He said FCC
holds that theatres are competitive to .television
"yet they give television channels to
radio stations which are even more competitive
to TV. Both television and radio are
in the advertising business but we are in
the entertainment business."
He said he believed the roughest period
was over for the theatres and that, while
some might be lost, the industry was coming
back strong.
Felix Snow, fifth vice-president of lATSE,
was in Omaha to discuss local contracts.
Increase in TV Power
Okayed for Two Stations
MINNEAPOLIS—Advent of 1953 won't be
made any happier for Minneapolis and St.
Paul exhibitors and tho.se within a radius of
100 miles from the Twin cities by the FCC
action in authorizing increases in power to
100,000 watts for both of the TV stations here,
WCCO and KSTP. The additional power is
expected to be in operation within .several
weeks.
This means clearer reception in the stations'
fringe areas covering towns up to
nearly 100 miles distance from Minneapolis
and St. Paul and an extension of that fringe
area for 12 to 15 miles, film industry leaders
point out. Film folks fear that with TV reception
improved in the towns surrounding
the Twin Cities and more towns getting it,
.sale of sets w-ill be boosted in these communities
and exhibition will be further injured.
For WCCO this is the second TV power increase
in six months. KSTP already has on
hand all of the additional TV equipment required
to increase its power from its present
25,000 watts to 100,000 watts visual and 60,000
watts aural, Stanley Hubbard, general manager,
announced.
80
MILWAUKEE
. . E. J. Clumb, former
pay and Oliver Trampe hosted a Christmas
party (19> for employes of the AA exchange
and the trade .
manager of the Towne Theatre here, is to
replace Roy Pierce of the Riverside. Clumb
handled the Towne for six years. Tlic Riverside
is owned by Standard Theatres, operator
of more than 25 situations.
MGM, Standard Theatres and U-I had
Christmas parties December 19 . . . Don
. . .
Brown, Mars, La Farge, and Mrs. A. Bergthodt,
Cashton and Westby, were in booking
and buying last week. Mrs. Bergthodt took
over the operation of the two hous* after
The
the recent death of her husband
projectionists union held open house Tuesday
(23).
James Cavalry, former operator of the Liberty
Theatre here, is negotiating for another
local house . . . William Benjamin of Screen
Guild Productions has acquired franchise
rights for "High Treason" Miss Sarah
Freuler, sister of J.
. . .
R. Freuler, who operates
the Century and Atlantic theatres here, died
The Granada
at her home recently . . .
Theatre is now showing a first run Polish
film. The theatre is situated in a densely
populated Polish area.
Lakeland Theatres Corp. has taken an
option on land on Highway 12 just outside
of Whitewater for construction of a
di'ive-in early in spring. The corporation
owns and operates the Strand in Whitewater
. Groenert, who formerly
managed the Tosa and other theatres, is now
managing the Plaza under Hugo Vogel. We
understand Barney Sherman has severed his
connection with the theatre, leaving Vogel
as the head. It was formerly a Fox Wisconsin
house.
Civic and industry-minded Harold Fitzgerald,
who heads Fox Wisconsin, invited a
number of industry leaders in for a jam
session. We understand the makin's of a
new organization is in the offing—sort of a
benefit movement. Among those present were
Ben Marcus, S&M Theatres; Al Kvool. Warner
circuit, and Harold Pearson, Allied Ass'n
secretary . . . Ralph Krause, Zenith Theatre
manager, is in line for a deal in Chicago,
which calls for his producing a series of
TV shows. Krause, it will be recalled, has a
number of acts which he takes about the
state known as Krause's Radio Revue.
Sig Goldberg, his wife and daughter headed
for California. He is president of the Wisconsin
Steinberg lad has taken
Allied . . . over the Lyric Theatre in a deal with owner
Helene Hanke. This breaks up the partnership
of Steinberg & Everson, formerly at the
Oakland. Everson now operates the Oakland
alone.
Variety Club Donates Oxygen Tent
DES MOINES— Tent 15, Des Moines Variety
Club, has presented Mercy hospital here with
a new oxygen tent. Presentation of the gift
was made by Milt Feinberg. Tent 15 several
years ago equipped a lounging room at
Mercy hospital for the use of expectant
fathers. The next club project, Feinberg
said, will be the redecorating and refm-nishing
of this room.
Variety of Des Moines
Plans 1953 Program
DES MOINES—Variety Tent 15 here this
week began setting plans for an early January
meeting at which new officers will outline a
program of extensive activity to be undertaken
in the coming months.
At the annual year-end luncheon meeting
held in the clubrooms Monday ( 15 1 Milt Feinberg,
retiring chief barker, expressed his
gratitude to the entire membership for the
fine cooperation and support during 1952. The
year-end luncheon saw the election of Robert
Conn, 20th-Fox manager, as new chief barker.
Other new officers are Byron Shapero, Columbia
manager, first assistant chief barker;
Don Conley, RKO, second asi-sstant chief
barker; Leon Mendelson, Warner manager,
doughguy, and Don West, West Insurance
Agency, property master.
Crew members are Bill Feld. Harry Hiersteiner,
Sol Yeager, J. E. McGlynn, B. Luftman
and Ed Utley.
MAC Will Not Renew Its
Lease on Arion Theatre
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Amusement
Co. has informed Rubenstein & Kaplan,
Inc., owner of the neighborhood Arion Theatre,
that MAC will not renew its lease on
the theatre when it expires April 30. Rc&K is
trying to sell the property for commercial
purposes.
Within the last year, the Paramount ciicuit
sold two St. Paul first run houses In
compliance with the consent decree and declined
to take them back when the buyers
tried to get rid of them; kept the Aster
Theatre closed after taking it back after purchaser
failed to fulfill terms, and also
f
sold one of its neighborhood theatres here.
In addition, MAC recently offered its Loop
first run Century for sale for conversion into
commercial use.
MAC apparently hasn't decided yet if it
will renew the lease on another R&K-owned
local neighborhood theatre, the Granada, on
which the lease expires next April 30. R&K
has asked MAC to make an offer, but the
latter has not done so yet and hasn't signified
its intention in the matter, according to
Charles Rubenstein.
New Airer for Pocahontas, Iowa
POCAHONTAS, IOWA—Construction of an
outdoor theatre has begun on Highway 3 at
the east edge of Pocahontas. Grading of the
land is nearing completion and the erection
of a projection booth and screen tower is
planned before spring.
Pioneer Theatres Drop
Christmas Eve Shows
Des Moines—No Christmas eve showings
were lield in any Pioneer tlieatres
in Iowa this year. It was the first time
such showings have been omitted and the
action was decided upon at a recent meeting
of I'ionccr niana.svers throughout the
state. It was explained that many
churches hold their children's Christmas
programs on Cliristnias eve and that by
closing tlie theatres, tliere would bo no
tendency to attract any from the religious
programs.
BOXOFFICE December 27, 1952
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