Boxoffice-October.01.1955

. . Jimmy,
, . Margaret
. . "The
. . Mrs.
. . The
. . Oscar
. . Charles
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PITTSBURGH
11 ntitrust case brought by the Eastwood Theatre,
Perm Township, against film distributors
and theatres here, is on schedule
for hearing soon before Federal Judge Joseph
P. Willson . McGeever. MGM
booker, was confined to her home with a
leg injury as the result of a fall from a
street car step.
Charles Baron, Cinerama house manager at
the Warner Theatre, is vacationing in New
Pat Martin, Homestead projectionist,
York . . .
and owner of the Triangle Cafe, pulled
a scoop when he was the first to install and
present the TV-color telecast of the World
Sam Yakish jr.. son of the ownersmanagers
Series . . .
of the Auto Drive-In, Titusville, has
moved his family to that city. He has been
appointed to a teaching post in nearby
Penn here sneak-previewed
Pleasantville . . .
"Trial" and the Squirrel Hill sneaked "The
Dave Leff, former local
Divided Heart" . . .
film man who was selling theatre printing
here, returned to Buffalo ... A nmnber of
outdoor theatres in the area ha\'e gone dark
week nights and are playing only weekend
dates.
Workmen started clearing the "parking lot"
property between the UA-NTS-20th-Fox
building and the Paramount building September
27. This was the beginnmg for construction
of the new 20th-Fox one-and-a-half
story building. Reports are that an aluminum
fabricating outfit will occupy the present
20th-Fox quarters next spruig, and that UA
and NTS will remain in present quarters if
a new lease is signed. Contractor for the new
20th-Fox building .said that the new structure
will be completed by Christmas, although
20th-Fox may remain in the present quarters
until early spring next year.
C. C. Kellenberg, 20th-Fox sales manager
here, was named "Mr. Variety" by Andy Battiston,
theatre broker, who presented "Kel"
with a six-inch statuette of the Barker, a
special hand-created plaster job complete
with paint and a diamond stud. Kellenberg
is a former chief barker of Tent 1 and he
has been a Fox employe here for about 37
years . son of Variety Chief Barker
I. Elmer Ecker, and a brother of Leona Ecker
of the Warner exchange, reported to Uncle
Sam at Port Jackson, S. C. . . . Mrs. John
Moriarty, wife of the SW auditor, is home
from Shadyside Hospital following an emergency
operation.
A free show at the Manos Theatre, Tarentum,
marked the celebration of national Kiwanis
Kids Day. Bud Fike, manager, entertained
the community's youth while Kiwanis
brothers were busy on Tarentum streets .selling
copies of a special edition of the Valley
Daily News, proceeds of which go to underprivileged
children ... A. John Mayer, MGM
cashier, vacationed
.
Kentuckian
paintings of local artist Robert R. Young are
bin:- rii-niayed in the lobby of the Penn
i;uth Ann Lindsay, recently as-
SAM FINEBERG
TOM McCLEARY
JIM ALEXANDER
84 Von Broom Street
PITTSBURGH 19, PA.
Phone Express 1-0777
Uoviu Art Betttr Than E«cr How"! Your Equipment?
sociated with the Harris Amusements here,
and Joseph J. New, formerly of the WiUiam
Penn Hotel here who is taking over as manager
of the Saxony Hotel in Miami, were
married October 1 in Los Angeles.
.
Mrs. Mario Battiston, wife of the Export,
Pa., exhibitor, underwent surgery at Braddock
Hospital . Paul Kleeber, wife
of the SW circuit accountant, was in Pittsburgh
Hospital for surgery . Joyce Schweitzer
of the
.
Warner exchange billing department
and William Heidkamp were married
September 24 at St. Basil's Church, Carrick
... A U-I visitor was Joe Lawler jr., publicist.
George R. Carey Stricken;
Theatre Electrician
PITTSBURGH—George R. Carey, 69, local
theatre electrician whose career backstage
spanned lialf a century of the city's entertainment
history, died September 26 in St. Fi-ancis
Hospital after a brief illness. He was chief
electrician at Loew's Penn since the opening
of the Sixth street house in 1927. Carey had
been with the old Alvin for 16 years and he
had been an expert in his trade at various
local theatres since his youth. He was married
for 42 years to the former Frances Levenson,
whom lie met while she was a theatre pianist
here. Surviving are Mrs. Carey, a daughter,
two sons and eight grandchildren. Funeral
services were held September 29 and burial
was in the Ti-ee of Life Memorial Park.
License Tax on Theatre TV
Proposed by Pa. Solons
HARRISBURG— Under a bill introduced
into the general assembly, theatres with
closed circuit telecasts of fights and other
events would be requii-ed to pay a $2,000
annual license fee to the treasurer of the
county in which the theatre is located.
Violators, under the bill, would be subject to
a $5,000 fine or, in default of payment, jail
terms ranging from six months to a year.
The proposal for the theatre-TV fee is
sponsored in the House by Reps. Francis X.
Muldowney and Thomas A. Prascella, Philadelphia.
Jess Cramblett Acquires
Roxy in Meyersdale, Pa.
MEYERSDALE. PA. — Jess Cramblett.
owner and manager of the beautiful Village
Theatre in nearby Salisbury, on October 1
acquired the Roxy here, formerly operated by
the Steifel Brothers. About two years ago the
local State was taken over by the Salisbury
exhibitor.
To Vote on Sunday Issue
PITTSBURGH—Third political
subdivision
in Allegheny County to raise the Sunday
movie issue is Franklin township. A referendum
on this question will be put to voters
there at the general election. Sunday movies
al.',o will be voted on in Wilkinsburg borough
aiui in North Versailles township.
BEAVER, PA.—The Sunday showing of
motion pictures issue will be before voters
ol Chippewa, North Sewickley and Franklin
Townships in the next election.
UK Hn A HOI.Dir: — .\ s|Hii.il lampaifjii
for "Wichita" at the Ellis Drive-In
at Clarksburg, W. Va., was directed by
I. T. "Ike" Sweeney, veteran Pittsburgh
film man. Gal employes were costumed
in western outfits and each wore .shoulder
sashes which had illuminated letters
spelling out the title "Wichita." .\ street
parade was featured, and a special herald
pointed out that the Ellis Brothers were
celebrating their fifth anniversary as
owners and operators of the Drive-In. In
the photo two of the "Wichita" gals turn
tlie tables on Sweeney.
Former Milo at Rockville
Renamed Villa by ORBO
ROCKVILLE, MD.—Redecorating
and re-:
modeling is to begin immediately on the
former Milo Theatre here, which was recently
taken over by the newly formed ORBC
Corp. Purchased by ORBO from the Sidnej
Lust interests, the house has been renamec
the Villa Theatre. Ed Lmder, Rockville manager
for ORBO. is hopeful that the new Villi
will reopen by November 1.
BALTIMORE
Diehard Dizon is resigning as manager
the Town Theatre. His successor has nd
been appointed . Coblenz jr., ownq
of the Alpha at Catonsville, is a patient
Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospit
for eye surgery . McCleary, ma
ager of the New Kensington at Buffalo, N.
was visiting old friends here last week,
was a former manager of the Parkway ar
Century here.
Richard Smith, theatre chain operator
Boston, was in town to check on his newe
project, the Timonium Drive-In at TimonluJ
Md. . 23.S Drive-In at California, Mj
closed October 1 for the season, according
General Manager T. L. Harrison jr. of SoutJ
ern Maryland Theatres.
Manager Jack Barton was alert, signal!
for police and averted a near-riot when I
gang of hoodlums stormed the exit doors f
the Royal Theatre . , . George A. Crouch al
Charles Grimes, zone manager and distrt
manager, respectively, for Stanley Warri
Thearcs in this territory, visited the Stanlf
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BOXOFFICE :: October 1, 111