Boxoffice-January.08.1955

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Motion Picture Associates
To Honor Four Pioneers
PHILADELPHIA—Four men, with
an aggregate
of 200 years in the motion picture
industry, will be honored at the dinner of
the Motion Picture Associates Tuesday. January
18, at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. The
pioneers of the industry are William C. Hunt,
Abraham Sablosky, Benjamin Amsterdam
and Albert R. Boyd. Each of these men has
played an important role in the development
of the motion picture business in this area.
The MPA dinner will be held in conjunction
with the gala opening of the Nickelodeon
in Franklin In.stitute on the afternoon of the
18th. Actors, producers and directors from
Hollywood and New York are expected to participate
in the dedication ceremonies. Sponsored
by William Goldman, Philadelphia motion
picture leader, the Nickelodeon is planned
as a shrine to the motion picture industry.
In keeping with the theme of cinema history,
the MPA dinner will honor its pioneers.
The MPA is composed of men employed in
Philadelphia theatre exchanges. Proceeds of
the $25-a-plate dinner will go to the welfare
committee of the MPA.
George Jessel, himself an industry pioneer,
will be toastmaster of the dinner.
The four pioneers to be honored have functioned
chiefly as exhibitors in the Philadelphia
and New Jersey areas.
Pioneer Profiles
WILLIAM C. HUNT—Community and business
leader in the Cape May County area of
south New Jersey. He operates a circuit of
theatres in the resort cities of Cape May,
Pitman, Salem, Moorestown, Audubon, Jenkintown,
Wildwood, etc., and at one time
owned theatres in Camden and Philadelphia.
Also publishes three newspapers, has served
as state senator and has many other interests
in the amusement field. His career
started 48 years ago when he opened one of
America's first nickelodeons in Camden.
SYRACUSE
T ines to the Eckel bexoffice went around the
block for the holiday week booking of
"Hansel and Gretel" ... At RKO Keith's
"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was doing
landoffice business, so Manager Sol Sorkin
kept it for the New Year's Eve show, rather
than having a special one-night stand of
"Young at Heart."
Copley, assistant manager at the Para-
Bill
mount, and wife celebrated the first birthday
of their son Rick . January
15 Jimmy Hogan, the Tip-Top Clown on the
Jimmy DeLine show on WS"5fR-TV, will make
a 15-minute personal appearance Saturday
afternoons on the Paramount stage. There
will be gifts for the children The University
of
. . .
Pennsylvania Mask and Wig production,
"Tempest In a Teapot," was given
December 28 at the Astor Theatre.
Outdoor displays were attractive. For "So
This Is Paris" Manager Max Rubin of the
Paramount had a Parisian kiosk as model
Owned the Regent in Philadelphia at one
time. Now 83, he and his wife Mabel have
two sons, William D. and Guy B., and two
daughters, Ruth M. and Evelyn.
ABRAHAM SABLOSKY — Opened the 90-
seat Bijou in Norristown. Pa., in 1904, and in
.succeeding years added theatres in Wilmington,
Del. In 1910 formed a partnership with
John J. McGuirk and built the Cro.sskeys
Theatre in Philadelphia. Built the Broadway
and Alhambra here in 1912. In same year he
and Jules Mastbaum and A. R. Boyd formed
the Stanley Co. of America. In 1932 joined
the Norris Amusement Co. and has been with
it since. He is 78, and he and his wife Florence
have one son Morton and two daughters,
Mrs. Ethel Greenhouse and Mrs. Elinore
Leebron.
BENJAMIN AMSTERDAM — Industry
career started in 1913 when he and Pop
Korson formed a partnership to buy Warner
Features independent film exchange. Bought
out Masterpiece Attractions from Leon Netter
in 1916. Later became interested with P. A.
Powers. Sam Wheeler and Joe Schnitzer to
produce and distribute Clara Kimball Young
pictures. Also acquired franchise of Equity
Pictures produced by Al Lichtman, Ben
Schulberg and Jack Backman. In 1928 he
joined Green & Altman and formed Equity
Theatres, operating 22 houses. He built the
Astor in Reading and operated six other theatres
in that area. Sold Equity in 1929 to
Warner Bros. In 1931 formed Atlantic Theatres,
which operates a circuit in south New
Jersey. His associates are Eppie Epstein and
Sol Abramoff. He is 76 and he and wife Anna
have one son Gustave G.
WILLIAM BOYD—Center City exhibitor.
He opened the Family Theatre in the early
1900s. H e was vice-president of Stanley Co.
in 1919. Among theatres he owned was the
Boyd, named for him.
. . .
for the revolving "Merry Christmas" display
with the show. A seven-foot high book model
stood in front of the Eckel for "Hansel and
Gretel" as part of the promotion of Manager
Frank Myers Harry Unterfort, zone
manager of the Schine Theatres, his wife and
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Berinstein and Mr. and
Mrs. Harry Berinstein attended the wedding
in New York City of Richard Wels, brother
of Mrs. Harry Berinstein. The Berinsteins
operate the Cornell Theatres in Ithaca.
Raytheon Introduces Radio
Powered by Transistors
NEW YORK—Raytheon Mfg. Co. has introduced
a new type of portable radio with
transistors taking the place of tubes, which.
it claimed, can operate 500 hours from the
power of a set of one-cell batteries. It has
no wire connections for plug-ins.
Henry Argento. vice-president and general
manager of Raytheon, says it makes all other
radios obsolete. The set measures 2% inches
thick, 6 3/16 inches high and 9 3/16 inches
wide and weighs five pounds.
PHILADELPHL
•The F-7 union is moving its offices fr
and Race streets to the MPO unioi
at 1317 Vine St. . . . Monday
(10)
will honor incoming Chief Barker ]
Goffman and his new crew and a
salute outgoing Chief Barker Norman
man and his crew. Morris Wolf, loca
ney. will be guest speaker. New mei
Tent 13 include Harold Block, H
Gantz. Maurice H. Levin, William ]
Howard Maschmeier. Joseph Miller,
G. Miu-ray, and Ralph Schwartz.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Friedman are f
to go to Europe to see their son, Cp
Friedman, who is stationed in Stuttga
many ... Ed Emanuel, prominent e:
is now a grandfather ... A group c
from Hanover asked the Pennsylva
preme court to nullify a 1953 referen
Sunday movies because of alleged
errors and irregularities. In the v
residents rejected Sunday movies bj
margin of 18 votes out of about 4,4
The residents asked for another ele
that "the true intent of the people
ascertained." Attorneys for the Hano\
isterial Ass'n .said that there had
fraud, and the issue should not be vot
again until 1957.
Motion pictures have helped the sc
industry, according to Edward W.
president of the Charles E. Hires Co
interview. David said, "There are m
portunities for expansion of sales
drinks along lines that are still grow
the possibilities are still far from ex
For instance, drive-ins were almost
of before the Second World War a
there are about 6.000 of these nati
drink markets" . Apollo Th
Atlantic City has closed to leave the
walk without one theatre open dui
winter months.
ABC Asks Rayburn to E
Ban on TV for Hearing
NEW YORK—The American Broa
Co. has asked House Speaker Sam Ra
withhold the ban on television covi
Congressional committee hearings u
broadcasting industry has had an opp
to present its views.
had been pending for some time, wa:
of Enchantment" was an infringemer
Spitalny-Warners End
NEW YORK—Phil Spitalny's $600
for infringement against Warner Bro;
out of court early in the week. Justi
thew Levy did not announce the
Spitalny had charged that Warners
long-standing use of the term "1
Charm."
IMPDA to Meet Janua
NEW YORK—Tlie Independent
Picture Distributors Ass'n of Ameri
eign film distributing group, will hold
meeting January 18 at its headquarti
Ai-thur L. Mayer, president, postp(
earlier meeting.
36 BOXOFFICE :: Januar;