Boxoffice-December.20.1952

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Paul Hachey Receives
Interstate Prize
BOSTON Piiiil Huchfy. iminiiKor of the
Old Colony Theatre In Plymouth, won the
October-November muniiKers exploitation
campniRn conducted by
Interstate Theatres
Corp. Tlieodorc Flelshir,
president, .said
Hachey received the
first ca.sh prize award
for his "all-around excellence
In the exploitation
of all the features
played at his theatre
with special emphasis
on "The Miracle
of Our Lady of Fatima,'
Paul llachcy
'Becau.se You're
Mine' and for his fine
handling of the New England premiere of
•Plymouth Adventure.' "
Honorable mention, also with cash awards,
went to John OLeary, Colonial, Brockton;
John Garcln, Center, HyannLs; Richard P.
Kalagher, Strand. Southbrldge; &sley
Blanchard, Conlston, Newport. N. H., and
Wilbur D. Neumann, Bradley. Putnam, Conn.
The judges were President Flelsher, General
Manager James Mahoney, Malcolm Green,
Richard Green and district managers Chris
Joyce, Edwin Neumann, Ernest Fitzgerald, Joe
Bean and Raymond Kiniry.
This exploitation contest was the second In
1952. The first for the new year will start
In the early winter.
FALL RIVER
•Theatre attendance in Fall River struck a
new low during the holiday season, when
Stores remained open evenings and Wednesday
afternoons. In an effort to offset the
loss, several theatres staged kiddy matinees
ct
on Saturdays, while others, in tie-ins with
merchants, gave out special attendance
awards
isesj
which, to some degree, attracted a
greater number of patrons. Turkeys also were
offered as attendance awards. Theatres
sponsoring kiddy matinees devoted the entire
program to children's pictures, such as
comedies, westerns and thrillers.
Carl Zeitz of the Academy Theatre for two
days headed the 100 or more bowlers who
participated in the always anxiously-awaited
Pleasant Bowling classics, an annual event
at the Pleasant Bowling alleys. Zeitz, with a
three-string total of 843, was dethroned by
one of the country's leading bowlers, Andy
Friar, who registered a three-string total of
887. Mrs. June Zeitz and her sister Elaine
Anderson, with scores of 345 and 331, rtspectively,
were part of a team which defeated
the police department bowlers in a recent
match. Mrs. Zeitz led the winning team to
victory.
Academy Theatre employes are grateful to
the management for the bonus presented to
them at Christmas time by Manager Carl
Zeitz and Earl Johnson, his aide.
Margaret Field has been handed a featured
spot in "The Grace Moore Story," a Warner
release.
Allied of New England
Elects Martin Mullin
Bowl Airer Legal Battle
Continues in New Haven
NKW II.\Vi;.\ Ai.uIliLi ..k.iiiii.li Ui the
long legal battle over a new, but never ascd,
drive-ln in West Haven took place In New
Haven superior court, with the customary result—no
final action.
An abbreviated trial .session was held on an
appeal taken by the Pishman Theatres chain
from action of State Police Comml.ssloner
Edward H, Hickey in granting a permit for
a drive-In to the Bowl Outdoor Tlieatre Corp.
The latest court se.'-slon was cut short when
Judge Edward J. Daly ruled out testimony
on a general statute which was to form part
of the appeal.
Counsel for FIshman claimed that since
actual construction of the ozoner did not
begin until after June 1951, a state law effective
June 1, 1951, was applicable. The
law allows appeal of dnve-ln theatre permits
by property owners who feel the theatre may
damage or injure their property. The Fishman
chain operates the Rlvoll. a conventional
theatre not far from the site of the new
Bowl E)rive-In.
Since the permit was approved by Hickey
in April 1951, though not formally i.'-sued
pending disposition of the court appeal. Judge
Daly ruled out the testimony this week.
Attorneys representing the Fishman chain,
the Bowl Outdoorer Theatre Corp., and the
state will file briefs early in January and
they will be studied by Judge Daly before
he reaches a decision.
Films Best Propaganda,
Yale Professor Claims
NEW HAVEN—Motion pictures about
America are one of the most effective propaganda
techniques used in the world today, a
Yale university psychologist has declared in
a radio address. He is Mark A. May, chairman
of the U.S. advisory commLssion on information.
This agency advises the Secretary
of State and Congress on America's education
and information activities abroad.
Professor May, who is director of Yale's
famed institute of human relations, said motion
pictures have a great impact on foreign
viewers because they "tend to speak a universal
language."
One of the most successful ways of getting
American films to the greatest number of
people overseas is to use the old medicine
show setup. Professor May reported that more
than 340 trucks, carrying some 4,000 sound
projectors, roll through foreign countrysides,
stopping in village squares and city market
places for open-air shows.
Speaking on the program, "Yale Interprets
the News." Professor May aLso described other
aspects of the U.S. information program, including
the Voice of America, printed material,
etc.
Wm. Fadiman to Produce "The Circle'
William Fadiman will produce "The Circle
of the Day" for Columbia.
Ho.sroN—The Allied Theatres of New
EnKlund, Inc., at itx annual meeting at the
Touralnc hotel la.st week il6» eU-ctcc' the
following officers:
President, Martin J Mullln, head of New
England Theatres; vlce-prc>ldent.s. Famuel
Pinan.'^kl, president of Amcrlcai, Ti-.i-rrs
Corp; Charles E. Kurtzman, .V u
division manager for Loew's Th^ .. . :> n
Domlru(0, dlvLslon manager of RKO Th'^iircs;
Harry Felnsteln of Warners' Connecticut
Theatres, and Al Somcrby, formerly ol the
old Howard Theatre.
The latter was voted a life membership
Into the organization. He was one of the
original group which formed Allied Theatres
of New England back In 1920.
other officers elected were Stanley Sumner
of the University Theatre, treasur"!, and
Francis Lydon, who was re-elected executive
secretary. John J. Ford, president of Maine
& New Hampshire Theatres, was re-elected
chairman of the board.
Samuel Pinanski gave a report on the
activities of COMPO which he had compiled
at the recent Chicago meetings. New directors
are Edward S. Canter, trea.surer of
American Theatres Corp; Walter A. Brown
ol the Boston Garden, who Is chief barker
of the Variety Club of New England; Theodore
Flelsher, president of Interstate Theatres
Corp.; Winthrop S. Knox Jr., Middlesex
Amu.sement Co.; Joseph Liss of Warners'
Massachusetts Theatres, and Philip Smith,
president of Smith Management Co.
For Roles in 'Perilous Voyage'
Veda Ann Borg and Angela Greene have
been inked for featured roles in Republic's
"A Perilous Voyage."
WORCESTER
Toe Quinn, assistant manager of the Elm
Street, has been transferred to the Poll in
Edith Eck. sister bf film actor
Springfield . . .
Jeffrey Lynn, plays the organ at the Club
Dining Room, North Oxford night spot . . .
Harold Maloney, manager of the Poll for 15
years, has been critically ill at City haspital.
. . .
Sam Wasserman has booked "Bell, Book
and Candle," with Joan Bennett and Zachary
Scott, for a one-nighter at the Elm Street
Loew's Poll connected for a
January 22 . . .
children's Christmas party sponsored by Canada
Dry Ginger Ale The Elm Street
conducted its annual morning show for Telegram
and Gazette newsboys . WTAG
Christmas party was broadcast from the
Poll
stage.
Bob Hills,
.
former assistant manager of the
Warner here, has been transferred from Norwich,
Conn., to be manager of the Palace
in Torrington, Conn. Liberty C.
Koskinas, former cashier at the Elm Street,
was married to Wilham Green of Jamaica,
N. Y., in St. Spyridon's Greek Orthodox
church . Husson has resigned as
cashier at
the Poll.
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BOXOFFICE December 27, 1952
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