Boxoffice-Septemeber.19.1953

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PHILADELPHIA
"The Motion Picture Associates of Philadelphia
will sponsor a dinner for William G.
Mansell and Charles M. Beilan, who were
promoted to district manager and branch
manager, respectively, for Warner Bros. To
handle the affair, John Turner, president of
MPA, appointed a committee consisting of
Charles Zagrans and Ulric Smith, chairmen,
and George Seattle, Lou Formato, Hank Howard.
Norman Silverman, John Turner and
Lester Wurt«le. The dinner will be held at
the Warwick hotel Monday (28) at 6:30 p.m.
The Motion Picture Colosseum met at the
Broadwood hotel Tuesday (15) and appointed
Joseph Schaeffer, Republic, and Bill Doyle,
United Artists, as delegates to the New Orleans
convention. Eugene Gantz, RKO, was
named alternate.
4 . . .
The Venice Theatre, which has been operated
by Scott since Stiefel & Blumberg gave
up its operation, shuttered as of September
Ben Harris reports that he is releasing
"Because of Eve" to drive-ins . . . Nelson
War's Boxoffice Pictiu-es was the victim of
a burglary. The thieves escaped with office
furniture and equipment as well as personal
effects ... A four-day search for a Camden,
N.J., mother, sought for questioning in connection
with the death of her 6-month-oId
son. was ended on Wednesday (9) when Philadelphia
police arrested Mrs. Stella Pus in
the Center Theatre, 1638 Market St., an allnight
house where she had been most of the
time since she disappeared from her home.
A. M. Ellis is giving up the operation of the
Dante Theatre by not renewing its lea.se with
Joseph Lombard! . Stanley Theatre reported
the breaking of a house record in the
first five days of "From Here to Eternity"
Is Cinerama" will open at the
Boyd October 5, with the premiere sponsored
by the Philadelphia Inquirer Charities, Inc.,
tt'hich is handling the sale of tickets for the
opening night . former Garrick Theatre
and the Westmar Theatre in Norristown
are to be sold at auction September 22 at
2 p.m.
In Percy Friedman's Yeadon Theatre antitrust
case against the majors, the court ruled
the defendants would be obliged to answer
most of the interrogatories propounded of
them by the plaintiff.
There is talk around town that Sam Varbalow,
who owns the Savar Theatre in Camden,
N.J., is negotiating with Stanley Warner to
purchase the Stanley Theatre here for a
price clo.se to half a million dollars . . .
Jack Beresin, president of Berlo Vending
Machine Co. and chief barker of the Variety
"DILLINGER STAR " SCORES AGAIN
LAWRENCE TIERNEY»
WASHINGTON, D. C
0?0 New JcTicy Ave , N W
Clubs International, was to sail with his
wife to Europe on Thursday (17) on the SS
United States. He is to have luncheon with
the London tent on September 23. then take
a trip to Dublin, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. C. J.
Latta of the London tent will accompany
him on a flight to Hamburg, Germany, September
29, where a luncheon is being arranged
for them. Plans then call for visits to Switzerland,
Rome and Paris. The Beresins are to
return to the United States in mid-October.
Alexander Spencer, stagehand who last
worked at the Stanley Warner's Stanton as
an electrician, died . . . Hal Marshall, 20th-
Fox exploiteer, was in the home office for
conferences with Rodney Bush, exploitation
manager, to plan campaigns for "The Robe."
Chester Pickman, nephew of Jeny Pickman,
Paramount vice-president, is at the
local exchange as a student employe .
Herm Margies, former manager for Stiefel
& Blumberg Theatres, has gone to California
John Castello, son of Paul Castello
. . . of Stanley Warner, flew in from the Great
Lakes naval station . . . Manager Bud Rothermel
reported the first kiddy matinee at the
Strand in Carlisle was a success.
. . . Stan-
John Ivanitch has taken over the operation
of the Capitol in Hallstead
ley Searle, manager of the Savoy Theatre in
Northumberland, finished painting the backgrounds
of his front and lobby showcases
. . . Bill Sage, associated with Jack Greenberg
for 20 years, resigned as manager of
the Roxy in Northampton to take on a position
with the Hess Bros, department stores.
William Goldman Honored
By College of Surgeons
PHILADELPHIA—William Goldman, president
of William Goldman Thatres, Inc.. who
is chairman of the Hahnemann hospital, was
inducted into the International College of
Surgeons Thursday (17) at Carnegie Hall,
New York.
It was the first time in the history of the
organization that a layman, or non-doctor,
had been honored in this way. His citation
read, "for your many contributions to the
welfare of mankind."
Goldman became interested in the Hahnemann
hospital several years ago and was instrumental
in establishing the William Goldman
Isotope Laboratory for the study of
diseases with the use of radioactive Lsotopes.
He also is
a tru.stee of the Hahnemann medical
college.
Big Job Drive Kickoff
Held at Washington
WASHINGTON—Stanley Warner executives
and theatre managers in this zone
gathered here Thursday (17> to attend the
kickoff session for the annual business drive,
this called the Big Job campaign.
Samuel Rosen, executive vice-president, and
Harry Kalmine. general manager, were principal
speakers, and Washington Zone Manager
George Crouch was chairman.
P^ank LaFalce, Louis Ribnitzski. A. Julian
Brylaw.ski, E. N. Read and G. E. McGowan
spoke, as did the following home office representatives:
Harry Goldberg, advertising manager;
Nat Fellman, circuit film buyer and
Carl Siegal, concessions.
The annual business drive will place em-
I)lia.sis on basic showmanship principles.
WASHINGTON
pilm folk seen lunching at Bucks included
Eddie Martin, J. B. Walsh. Exhibitor
Service; Eddie Fontaine, UA; Jack Fruchtman,
Plaza, Lexington Park, Md.; Buck
Stover, Virginia Theatre, Alexandria, and
Sam Mellits, Dentonia, Denton . . . Universal
Manager Joe Gins went to Charlotte to confer
with Graver circuit officers . . . Sales
manager Norman Weitman accompanied
salesman Vince Dougherty on visit to the
Baltimore exhibitors . . . Nate Shor, booker,
spent the weekend in Baltimore and attended
the opening affair at the Baltimore Variety
Club.
.
Bud Rose, UA .salesman flew to Hartford,
Conn., to spend the weekend with his family
. . . Seymore Stone. Roth circuit shorts booker,
has resigned Conklin, Midway
Drive-In. Christiansburg. Va., was on The
Row a couple of days . . . Columbia exploiteer
Sid Zins was in Baltimore worlcing with
Harry Welsh of the Mayfair on "The Stranger
Wore a Gun."
The Arlington at Hopewell. Va., will be
reopened October 1 by Rudolph Jackson, new
owner. The J. B. Walsh Exhibitor Service
will do the booking and buying . Weinberg
was in town from Braddock Heights,
Md., to confer with Harley David.son, Independent
Theatre Service, who does the booking
and buying for his circuit.
. . . Phil
.
Jesse Smith, RKO head booker, returned
from his vacation just in time to be feted
by the employes on his birthday
Berler, E. M. Lowe's major-domo, flew in for
one of his quick visits from Boston to book
and buy for the Mount Vernon and Governor
Ritchie drive-ins at Glenburnie, Md.
Bob Saunders piloted his Beach-Craft Bonanzo
in from Wooster, Ohio, and then took
off for his Park Drive-In at Petersburg, Va.
Allied Artists salesman Harold Levy's son
Willard retm-ned to the Fork Union Military
Academy . Manager, Milt Lipsner,
flew to Charlotte to confer with Harry Pickett
Humann, typist, resigned to join
Clark Films . Tabor. Baltimore Republic
salesman, weekended in New York .
Mike Mills, Equity manager, enjoyed a visit
with his 'in-laws," Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Weil
Bernie Mills was in town from New
York.
Whitney North Seymour of New York and
Bernard G. Segal of Philadelphia are the
lone film lawyers on the attorney general's
recently appointed anti-trust advisory committee
... Ed Side was in town from New-
York to do some booking and buying for
his Lyric, Lexington, Va. . Klein,
Lenox. Baltimore, made one of his infrequent
visits to Filmrow . . . Ben Somma, Henrico,
Highland Springs, Va., came North to visit
his many friend.s in the exchanges.
The Super 50 Drive-In, Cambridge, Md., held
an Oldtime Fiddlers contest to pick the champion
fiddler of the Eastern Shore. The contest
ran for five weeks and was very successful
at the boxoffice .
Seen booking along the Row: Aaron Seidler,
New Albert, Baltimore; Doug Connellce, Elk,
Elkton. Md.: Abel Caplon. Westway. Baltimore:
Harold DcGraw. Super 50 Drive-In.
Cambridge, Md.: Jack Levine. Irvington.
Baltimore, and Sam Ashman, S. Ashman
Booking & Buying Service.
43 BOXOFFICE :: September 19, 1953