Boxoffice-October.01.1955

Comerford Heirs Sue;
Charge Frank Walker
SCHAN'I\>N. PA ItKinuu. l> . Micluu'l U
Hiid WilUimi M Comi'iford. Miugnrel C.
O'Hiini. Joiiii Comerford Feeney and Holoii
Comerford Ekiiii. children of M. B. Comerford
who wa-s a nephew of M. E. Comerford,
founder of an extensive theatrical chain, have
filed suit in Lackawanna County orphan.s
court accusing former postmaster general
Frank C. Walker of mismanaging and "maniplating
the assets" of the M, E. Comerford
estate, of which he is executor.
Walker, who is also a nephew of M. E.
Comerford. also acts as co-trustee with J. J.
O'Leary. general manager of the Comerford
theatre enterprises, of the estate of M. B.
Comerford, who died in 1935.
First accounting of M. E. Comerford's
estate was filed by Walker last February, and
It fixed the value of the estate at $1,052,777
as of Dec. 31. 1954. A new accounting was
filed last month fixing the value as of June
30 at $3,475,422.
The complainants charged that this increase
arose from 'a wholly fictitious credit"
which Walker created by "employing the device
of altering and changing original book
entries." They further accuse Walker of
"manipulating the assets of the (M. E
Comerford
I
estate and comingling funds and
assets of the estate with funds and assets of
other individuals and Comerford companies
to the point where it has become virtually
impossible to ascertain the true nature, extent
and value of the assets."
The court was asked to surcharge Walker
for losses allegedly resulting from "waste,
mismanagement and maladministration."
Pennsylvania High Court
Hears Picketing Case
PITTSBURGH—Opening of the State
Supreme Court fall session here brought the
owners of the Skyline Drive-In in Lawrence
County seeking to halt picketing of the outdoor
theatre by lATSE Local 461 of New
Castle.
Arguing that there was no written contract,
the Skyline owners appealed to the
high court after Judge John C. Lamoree.
Lawrence County common pleas court, refused
to stop the lATSE from picketing when a
union projectionist was replaced by the
owner's son. Attorney Alvah M. Shumaker.
representing the union, argued that peaceful
picketing was allowed by the anti-injunction
act of 1937.
Attorney John A. Robb. representing the
outdoor theatre, insisted there was no contract
and that "even peaceful picketing could
be enjoined." He said: "The actions of the
union cannot be sustained on any public
policy. They will indeed leave no alternative
for the small businessman who hires no outside
help but to go out of busine.ss or accede
to the union demands. The freedom to compete
fairly, unfettered by outlandish demands
of aggressive unions, must be protected, or
small businesses without outside employes
must cease to exist as a part of our economic
way of life."
Robb also represents Ranalli's Drive-In
near Bakerstown in a similar ca.se involving
lATSE Local 171. this case to be argued
before the Supreme Court in Philadelphia
In November.
.\T HFXL .AND BA( K' ori;.MNG— rrenii.re of Auciie .Murpliy.s war adventurr
at the Capitol, .New York, turned out to be one of the events of the new film .sea.soii.
Shown here, left to right: Milton R. Itac-hmil. president of Universal; .MaJ. (ien.
Willim H. Coburn. depuay romnuinding general. I'irst .Vrmv; .Mun>hy and Charles
J. Feldman. vire-president and general sales manager of lnivers;il.
The U. S. .Army helped to promote the opening with special military displays and
the First Army Band played in front of the Capitol. The major part of the evening
activities was taped and broadcast over the "Luneheon at Sardi's" radio show over
WOK. Irving Berlin. Kdward K. .Murrow and Gloria Vandcrbilt. as well as others,
were invited to the evening performance.
Dietz Discusses Promotion
For 'Guys' in Washington
NEW YORK—Howard Dietz. MGM vicepresident
and dii'ector of advertising, publicity
and exploitation, discussed plans for
the Washington. D. C. opening of Samuel
Goldwyn's "Guys and Dolls" at Keith's Theatre.
November 16, with representatives of
RKO Theatres. Goldwyn and MGM, at his
office.
Attending from RKO Theatres were Jay
Golden, division manager for upper New
York State. New England and Washington;
Jerry Baker, manager for Keith's Harry
Mandel, RKO Theatres advertising and publicity
head, and his assistants. Blanche Livingston
and Ed Kestenbaum. Dave Golding.
Goldwyn advertising and publicity head, sat
in with Dietz' staff, including: Dan S. Terrell.
Emery Austin. Arthur Canton, all from the
home office, and Judson Moses, southern division
field press representative from Atlanta,
and Tom Baldridge. Washington and
Charlotte press representative.
Exhibitor Gives COMPO
1st Signed Award Pledge
NEW YORK—Maury Miller of the Harry K.
Hecht Theatres. New Jersey. Wednesday (28
became the first exhibitor to file a signed
pledge for the Audience Awards election with
the Council of Motion Picture Organizations
here. The participating theatres in the circuit
are the Central in Passaic and the Plaza in
Paterson.
Elmer C. Rhoden. national Awards chairman,
has mailed pledge forms to all circuit
executives and 17.000 theatres.
Now It's 'Guys' and 'Dolls'
PFTTSBURGH^ Re.-tro..ni.s .it the MGM
exchange, formerly "Men" and "Women",
now are marked "Guys" and "Dolls."
11 Counterfeit Tickets
Turn Up in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH— OiUy 11 counterfeit fight
tickets turned up at Loew's Penn Theatre
here Wednesday (21) night for the Marclano-
Moore fightcast, although the theatre had
prepared for possible trouble with what the
Post-Gazette called "a police guard capable
of protecting the gold supply at Fort Knox."
More than 14,000 persons saw the fightcast
in the five local theatres which carried
the telecast, but only at Loew's Penn were the
phony ducats involved.
In addition to the police, the city treasury
and the Internal Revenue Service posted a
representative at each entrance because of
their interest in the tax on the counterfeit
tickets. The theatre called in experienced
ticket takers with a knack for spotting a
phony ticket from the real thing. At the
side of each ticket taker a legitimate ticket
was thumbtacked to a board. Only 11 tickets
were detected as of doubtful origin.
Although rejected at the door, all the owners
of the phony tickets took the situation In
good spirits. E^ach was asked to describe to
police where he bought the phony ticket,
under what circumstances and to describe
the seller.
Shortly after the start of the fight, extra
police stationed at the Penn were called to
the Harris to quell noisy customers demanding
refunds. The TV picture had blurred
through the beginning of the fight and
customers were protesting. A number of refunds
were made, the police quieted down Uie
disturbance and the picture cleared up within
a few minutes.
Airer Nears Completion
POTTSVILLE. PA.—Bernard Friedman's
new 750-car drlve-ln seven miles from here
is nearing completion. The ozoner has a 46x
108-foot
jIBOXOFTICE October 1. 1955 47
screen.