Boxoffice-January.03.1953

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LOS ANGELES
Traffic along Filmrow was at a minimum
during the Christmas-New Year's holidays.
Among the few visitors glimpsed were
Murray Hawkins, former owner of the Regent,
renewing acquaintances; John Mullin.
who recently reopened his Brea in Brea. and
came in for a spot of boolcing and buying:
Jack Fine, United Artists salesman in San
Francisco, who looked over the local branch
while vacationing here; and Duane Esper, of
Mack Enterprises in San Francisco, who visited
with Dan Sonney of the Sonney Amusement
Co.
Hospitalized at the Queen of Angels after
a fall at his home on Christmas day was
Robert Kronenberg of Manhattan Films International.
He fractured his back and, it is
. . . Irv Levin and
feared, will have to be in a cast for six
months, maybe longer
Charles Kranze. owners of the Lippert Pictures
franchise here, are heading for Chicago
to attend a national Lippert conclave.
Vacationers: Eddie Ashkins, RKO salesman,
and his wife and son Michael, basking
at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas; while Honolulubound
were Sam Gardner, Metro assistant
district manager, and Bernie Wolfson, attorney
for the Dietrich-Feldstein circuit .
Charles Bragg, Filmrow insurance man,
passed out the stogies to celebrate becoming
a grandpop. His daughter had a baby boy
on Christmas morning.
Fox West Coast has completed a facelifting
job on its Ritz Theatre, Wil.shire
boulevard showcase, including lobby renovation,
new seating, carpeting and acoustics . .
The Louis Long chain in Arizona is mapping
plans for a cleanup of its El Rio Theatre in
St. Johns, encompassing a thorough housecleaning
and remodeling. The showcase is
managed by Doug Bowdoin.
.
Filmrow's sympathies were extended to Ed
Barison of Cinema Distributors following the
death of his mother in Rye. N. Y. Barison
planed ea.st to attend the funeral . . . Howard
Stubbins, Allied Artists west coast franchise
co-owner, and his wife left for Phoenix to
spend the Christmas holidays
Caballero. Gus Diamond. John
. . C.
Tingle
A.
and
William R. Forman of the Pacific Drive-In
chain have purchased a 640-acre alfalfa
ranch in Antelope valley. The property is
being improved through the drilling of a new
well and construction of another reservoir.
Guy Cameron, former owner of the Melvan,
Aero. Brentwood and other theatres here, has
purchased the Lyric in Brownwood, Tex., a
former Paramount operation . Weider.
one-time RKO branch employe, switched over
to MGM, where he is operating out of the
Portland exchange ... On the sick list: Viola
Thompson, secretary to Everett Sharp, head
booker at Fox West Coast.
Joe Sarfaty, Warner salesman, is making
. . ,
the rounds again after a vacation ... In
from New York for local conferences is Harold
Grubstick. sales manager for Realart .
Mrs. Tillie Levinson, mother of Harvey Levinson,
owner of the Cozy and Jade theatres,
died Drop Jules Gerlick, the Universal
salesman, a note at St. Vincent's hospital. He
checked in there to undergo surgery . . . Joe
Stout, former 20th-Fox salesman, is now
operating a malt shop in Santa Monica . . .
The local United Artists branch snagged first
prize, $1,000, in the William Heineman sales
drive.
. . Burglars
. . . Wayne
Al Boodman of the Columbia sales staff
vacationed briefly in Las Vegas .
broke into the Vinicoff Theatre on Vermont
and, finding no money, left behind some badly
damaged desks and office equipment .
Herb Jack of the Kroehler Seating Co. was
involved in a serious automobile accident—
head-on collision—near San Luis Obispo and
is in the French hospital there
Ball. Columbia manager, returned from a regional
meeting in San Francisco. Back on
the job at the exchange, after three weeks
of illness, was Art Kallen, head booker.
Tenl 38 to Insiall
Officers in January
SALT LAKE CITY—Variety Tent 38 of
Salt Lake City will install new officers early
in January, with S. L. Gillette Tooele owner
and operator, going in as chief barker. Other
new officers are Giff Davison, first a.ssistant;
Shirl Thayne, second assistant; Ralph Trathen.
doughguy, and Howard Peanson. property
master.
Directors include K. O. Lloyd. Jack Swonson.
Sidney L. Cohen. Bob Brady. Dan Kostopulos
and Eugene Jelesnik.
Coincidentally with installation of the new
officers of Variety, the Women's Motion Picture
club will change its name to Ladies of
Variety. New officers of this organization
are Mrs. Bob Brady, president: Mrs. Dan
Kostopulos, vice-president; Mrs. Tom Philibin,
secretary, and Mrs. Harry Swanson, treasurer.
Chairman of the various committees for
the women are Mrs. George Engar. entertainment:
Mrs. Grace Hawk, finance; Mrs. K. O.
Lloyd, membership; Mrs. Charles L. Walker,
charities: Mrs. Jordon Friedman, publicity:
Mrs. C. R. Wade, house, and Mi-s. Harry
Monsey, decorations.
Liberty Theatre Is Sold
LYNDEN, WASH.—The Liberty Theatre
has been purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Prank
Klein, Klein operated the Uptown Theatre
in Oakridge, Ore., prior to coming here. The
Uptown is now being handled by George Klein
and Harvey Barnes.
PORTLAND
Ounday night (28) a man with a gun, described
as about 25 years old with a narrow
face and an unusually long nose, stuck hLs
hand into the cash booth of the Guild Theatre
and told Jo Nell McGuire to "Give me all
of it, all of the money!" Miss McGuire turned
over $150 and then was ordered to kneel on
the floor. Other patrons in the line and in
the lobby did not know a holdup was in progre.ss.
It was at intermi.ssion time, Manager
Martin Foster said. He was in his office, adjacent
to the boxoffice and the theatre doorman
was less than 30 feet from the scene of
the robbery. Mi.ss McGuire turned over the
money without argument.
. . . Frank
Dick Lange, RKO manager, and wife were
hosts at a Christmas party attended by Filmrowers
Monday (22) . . . Russ Brown, Evergreen
district manager, reports that Betty
Hutton will bring her International Variety
show here February 20 to play at the 3,100-
.seat Paramount for four days
Breall, Century Theatre operator, reports
that he has been working on a deal to bring
the Tri-Opticon three-dimensional films to
his theatre. The 20th Century Newsreel Theatre
is the only house in Portland exclusively
devoted to short subjects and newsreels.
Begin Work on Prince Airer
TUCSON, ARIZ.—Construction has begun
on the Prince Drive-In. on a ten-acre tract
of land on the east side of North Campbell
avenue and north of Pi-ince road. Operators
of the new ozoner. a corporation composed of
local businessmen, expect to open soon after
the first of the year.
-fASr. rFrA3T£R.7f/?ASr£Sr SBRVICE i
ORDERgetteV
SPECIAL
TRAILERS
FROM
ITIDD PICTVRE SEIV GE Ci.
125 HYDE ST. SAN FRANCISCO (2), CALIF.
Gerald L. Karski.. .. President
THEATRE FOR SALE
In California, will be available February 1, 1953.
Good lease. Receipts exceptional. Books open.
Other interests.
$35,000 down to experienced exhibitor only.
State experience. Boxoffice, 4947.
B. F. SHEARER COMPANIES
Seattle, Wash., Portland, Ore.,
San Francisco, Calif., Los Angeles, Calif.
PRODUCE A BETTER LIGHT
IN ANY SIZE THEATRE OR
DRIVE-IN . . . MORE ECONOMICALLYI
CARBONS, INC. • BOONTON, N. J.
BOXOFFICE :: January 3, 1953
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