Boxoffice-12.1953

, . . Congratulations
-
has
BU F F AL O
Scroll Presented to Nikitas D. Dipson
.J0-
f^eorge E. Williams, veteran Buffalo theatre
manager and exploitation-publicity representative
for various companies, who spent
47 years in the industry and retired two years
ago, is back in the business again as doorman
at the Buffalo Paramount Theatre . . . Joe
Ricco, who with his father distributes Italianlanguage
film features in western New York
and whose hot music parade on Buffalo radio
station WWOL had a big audience for some
six years, has resigned and taken his Jump
for Joe program to WHLD in Niagara Falls,
where he will be associated with his pal
Eddy Joseph.
Jay Golden, RKO Theatres district manager
in Rochester, says the Palace has a
new record to place in its hat—more than
135,000 patrons for "The Robe" in six weeks
to Harry Goldsmith,
manager of the Schine Palace in Lockport,
who won the second prize of $50 in the circuit's
Halloween midnight show contest. The
third prize went to Jack Mitchell, manager
of the Auburn in the town of the same
name. It was $25 . . . Pilmrow hears that
the General Theatre Investment Co. of Toronto
has offered to purchase, within a set
time, all shares in Theatre Properties, Ltd.,
of Hamilton, Ont., at $15.34 a share. Involved
are these Hamilton theatres: the Capitol,
Palace and Savoy. The offer holds until
December 31.
George Jessel, famous in the theatre world
for half a century, ABC executive and Hollywood
producer, will be master of ceremonies
at the big Buffalo March of Dimes Sportcasters
and SportswTiters dinner January 11
in the Statler, which 1,000 persons are expected
to attend. It will be a $25-a-plate
function ... A two-alarm fire resulted in
$15,000 damage to the two-story brick building
housing the Regent Theatre at Main
and Utica streets. The building is owned by
Matthew M. Konczakowski. The damage was
mostly in stores adjoining the theatre.
Gustave Pierrot, for more than 40 years
associated with the cleaning staffs of the
various Shea theatres in Buffalo, is dead.
He had been at Shea's Buffalo, the ace Shea
house, since its opening in 1926.
Las Vegas night was a big success last
Saturday (5) in the Tent 7 clubrooms. Proceeds
from the affair will be used to dec-
orate the large clubrooms in Delaware avenue.
Dave Cheskin was chairman and Di
Lichtman, co-chairman
, of the Lieser Distributing Co Inc
the praise given "The Bigamist," which
liked
he is
distributing, so well that he had a local
sign company make up a huge display featuring
the quotes by Walter Winchell and
Danton Walker, and placed it in his exchange
in the Film building at 505 Pearl
A. Stephen Pirozzi, MGM exploitation representative,
was here last week working with
Art Krolick and Charlie Taylor at the UPT
offices on "The Actress" and "Half a Hero,"
^.^t jnow current at the Paramount Theatre . . .
T jGeorge J. Gammel, president of the MPTO
'of Western New York and head of the Gammel
circuit, and Charlie Taylor were among
the celebrants at the annual Christmas party
t jof Buffalo Court 22, Royal Order of Jesters,
Thursday evening in Statler.
Friends and well wishers of Nikitas D. Dipson, of Batavia, N. Y., who heads
the 45-theatre Dipson circuit in the Buffalo area, presented him a scroll at a dinner
given by Variety Tent 7 in honor of his 40 years in theatre exhibition. Left to right:
Dave Miller, manager of the Buffalo U-I exchange; Justice Robert Noonan of Batavia,
N.Y.; Nikitas D. Dipson, and Leo J. Lamberson, South Bend, Ind., national president
of the Order of Ahepa.
BUFFALO—Nikitas D. Dipson, who charged
five cents for admission to his first theatre
in Jeannette. Pa., some 40 years ago, foresees
present prices going two way.s—up and
down. The 76-year-old Batavian who owns
45 theatres in four states examined the theatre
industry like a friendly physician the
other evening when nearly 250 industry
friends honored him at a testimonial dinner
in the Statler hotel.
Dipson declared the theatre business frankly
could be better—thousands of theatres have
closed, some Dipson theatres have closed:
something called television has set in, but the
patient is far from washed up. "This is an
Tent 7 Chief Billy Keaton
Is Buffalo Civic Leader
BUFFALO—Billy Keaton, the new chief
barker of Variety Tent 7, is one of the best
known radio person-
•. ". alities in the business.
For more than 13 years
the name of Bill
Keaton has been well
'/^^ »? known, especially to
western New Yorkers,
both as a radio person
''^ * .J^^
ality and emcee for
everything from firef^RP^^A^BH
after-dinner engagements.
Approximately seven
Billy Keaton years ago. Bill was
joined by his wife Reggie to become western
New York's first and, at present, only Mr.
and Mrs. team of the air.
This past season was Billy's 12th consecutive
year as emcee for the grandstand attractions
at the Erie county fair at Hamburg. Billy
is heard on station WGR six days a week.
industry that will never die," he said.
Dipson made this optimistic forecast:
"Thousands of smaller, neighborhood theatres,
instead of closing their doors, wiU operate
more economically with reduced admission
prices.
"On the other hand, first run downtown
theatres will be 'temples of art' where patrons
will gladly pay premium prices for pictures
like 'The Robe' because it w^ill aways be
the cheapest for the best.' "
Dipson foresees nothing but more growth
for exhibitors armed with newest motion picture
techniques and "courage and enthusiasm."
Dipson noted he is in his office ready for
work "every morning at approximately 8:30
o'clock." He is the first man in. The burden
of operation, however, is on his son, William
D., executive vice-president of the Dipson
circuit.
"It's wonderful to have all this experience
behind you," the younger Dipson explained.
"If there's anyone who hopes he (the elder
Dipson I 40 more years, it's me."
from 9:15 to 9:50 a.m. with his wife, and
again from 4:10 to 5:40 p.m. for his daily
Meetin' With Keaton. He has long been
identifed with charitable and civic acti\-ity,
and gives generously of his time, talent and
money to make the community a better place
in which to live.
Reggie and Billy reside in WllliamsvUle
with their two children Billy jr. and Jeanne.
He is a member of the Rotary club and very
active in Catholic church affairs. In 1952. he
was awarded the Campion Society key. in
recognition of his continuing assistance to
the projects of Canisius college.
Variety Aids Arthritis
ALBANY—The Variety Club was repre-
by Chief Barker Jules Perlmutter at a
.sented
dinner here to organize a $25,000 drive for
the Albany chapter of the Arthritis and
Rheumatism Foundation. He and 120 other
leading Albanians, including Variety members
Harold Gabrilove, Nate Winig and Gene
Teper, were guests of drive Chairman George
B. Chelius jr.
yriV'
IpoxoFncE
I
December 12, 1953
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