Boxoffice-January.17.1953
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I<br />
BOXOFHCE<br />
Two Die in Collapse<br />
Of Drive-In Tower<br />
TUCSON—Two workmen were killed here<br />
Saturday (10) when a 57-foot screen tower<br />
wall collapsed during construction at the<br />
Prince Drive-In on East Prince road, near<br />
north Campbell avenue.<br />
One man was killed instantly beneath 20<br />
tons of debris from the fallen screen. The<br />
second, who had loosened his safety belt<br />
and jumped from the falling screen, died at a<br />
local hospital four hours later. He received<br />
multiple broken bones along with head and<br />
internal injuries. Both men had been hired<br />
on the day of the accident by theatre manager<br />
Hugh Downs.<br />
County engineers visited the scene at the<br />
request of the sheriff's office to check construction<br />
practices at the partly-built<br />
ozoner. The engineers said they found two<br />
ropes, five-eighths of an inch in diameter,<br />
that had been used as emergency supports<br />
for the 20-ton screen.<br />
The investigators reported the ropes had<br />
been fastened to car bumpers, then attached<br />
at each end of the partially completed structure.<br />
They pointed out that manufactures of<br />
similar rope advertise their product as being<br />
able to withstand a total stress of 880 pounds.<br />
Workmen were unable to give any reason<br />
for the sudden collapse of the wooden framework.<br />
Four portions of the frame, each 12x<br />
57 feet, were already in place. A fifth frame<br />
was being attached when the entire structure<br />
collapsed.<br />
Western U-I Sales Heads<br />
Meet in San Francisco<br />
SAN FRANCISCO—Western sales executives<br />
of Universal-International convened<br />
here to discuss promotional plans on forthcoming<br />
releases. With Foster M. Blake, western<br />
division manager, and Barney Rose,<br />
western district chief, presiding, the sessions<br />
were attended by branch managers Abe<br />
Swerdlow, Los Angeles; Ted Reisch. San<br />
Francisco; Ernest Piro, Portland, and Arthur<br />
Greenfield, Seattle. Also on hand was Archie<br />
Herzoff, studio advertising and promotion<br />
manager.<br />
Fire Delays Lyric Opening<br />
MOUNT VERNON, WASH.—Fire,<br />
believed<br />
to have started near the heating plant, caused<br />
over $2,000 in damage at the new Lyric<br />
Theatre here, and delayed the opening of<br />
the house several weeks. The new Lyric,<br />
owned by Elden Pollock, formerly the Missouri,<br />
has been undergoing renovation for<br />
two months and was scheduled to be opened<br />
in about two weeks. Firemen battled for<br />
three hours before finally subduing the blaze.<br />
Firemen said that the fire walls in the house<br />
prevented complete destruction.<br />
Remodel Silver Star Airer<br />
WALLACE, IDA.—Plans for extensive improvement<br />
and remodeling of the Silver Star<br />
Drive-In, recently purchased by the Simons<br />
Amusement Co., were announced by Edna<br />
Wilma Sharp, president. The airer, located<br />
seven miles west of here, is the Simon company's<br />
first venture into the outdoor field.<br />
The firm operates indoor houses in northern<br />
Idaho and western Montana.<br />
WESTERN STATES^<br />
FEDERAL TAX REPEAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN<br />
Roy Cooper Al O'Keefe Ray Davis<br />
J. Roger Mendcnhall Homer LeBallister Ed Kidwell Boyd F. Scott<br />
William Graeper Sam Gillette Frederick A. Danz jr.<br />
^<br />
LOS ANGELES—Exhibitor state chairmen for the Council of Motion Picture Organizations-sponsored<br />
campaign for repeal of the 20 per cent federal amusement tax are shown<br />
above for the western states.<br />
These men, along with distributor chairmen, have been contacting senators and congressmen<br />
to obtain pledges of support in an all-out attempt to get the federal tax on admissions<br />
repealed. The exhibitors represent the following states;<br />
CALIFORNIA—Roy Cooper, San Francisco, and Al O'Keefe, Los Angeles.<br />
COLORADO—Ray Davis, Fox Intermountain, Denver.<br />
Paramount Theatres, Phoenix.<br />
ARIZONA—George Aurelius,<br />
IDAHO—Roger Mendenhall, Boise.<br />
NEVADA—Homer LeBallister, Majestic, Reno.<br />
NEW MEXICO—Ed Kidwell, Theatre Enterprises, Roswell;<br />
Boyd P. Scott, Plains Theatre,<br />
Roswell.<br />
OREGON—William Graeper, Portland,<br />
UTAH—Sam Gillette, Associated Amusement Co., Salt Lake City.<br />
WASHINGTON—Frederick A. Danz jr., Sterling Theatres, Seattle.<br />
Also named as committee chairmen, but not pictured here, are;<br />
COLORADO—Edward E. Pringle, Denver.<br />
MONTANA—Carl E. Anderson, Anderson Theatre Co., Kalispell.<br />
WYOMING—Russell Schulte, Casper.<br />
Medford. Ore., Rialto Closes<br />
MEDPORD, ORE.—The Rialto Theatre,<br />
which has been operated since 1917, was<br />
shuttered early this month. Robert L. Corbin,<br />
southern Oregon manager for the Robert<br />
L. Lippert theatre chain, said the auditorium<br />
will be used by a furniture store for expansion.<br />
The house was purchased by Lippert<br />
interests in 1947. The circuit operates three<br />
other theatres here, a drive-in, and is erecting<br />
an ozoner north of here.<br />
I<br />
:<br />
: January 17, 1953<br />
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