Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

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INDUSTRY
PROFILE
Tom Norman Began Industry Career
With Storeroom Theatre in 1930
HARRISON, ARK.—Among the oldtimers
entitled to tilt back a chair and
start I-rememberwhen
stories of show
business is Tom
Norman, who has
made this beautiful
Ozark town his
home since 1952.
Norman's theatre
career dates back to
1903-04. when he
began as a projection
operator in a
storeroom show at
Tom Norman
Lincoln and Lill
avenues, Chicago.
He became a booker for Universal on Lake
street and remained with the company
until 1914. Tom still prizes the letter of
regret at losing him from Carl Laemmle.
a letter that also carried best wishes for
his future.
Reason for leaving Universal was that
Tom liked exhibition and took over management
of the Rex, Racine, Wis., and
the Oshkosh at Oshkosh, Wis. Other
ventures, in chronological order, were
managing the Archer Bros. Portage Park,
Chicago: field manager for Fischer's Paramount
circuit, Milwaukee salesman for
MGM and field representative for Albert
Dezel's Road Shows—a position in which
he had much success selling and renting
theatres in which to show the pictures.
While engaged in this work for Albert
Dezel's shows, Norman found a spot in
'Goodman Story' Does
150; Memphis' Best
MEMPHIS—All first runs except one had
average or better business for the week.
Loew's State did 50 per cent above average
with "The Benny Goodman Story."
(Average Is 100)
Malco— Come Next Spring (Rep) 100
Palace—The Man With the Golden Arm (UA), 2nd
wk 1 00
State—The Benny Goodman Story (U-l) 150
Strond—Storm Feor (UA) 75
Warner— Hell on Frisco Boy (WB) 1 00
Famous Playwright Likes
Residence in Key West
KEY WEST—A mild, relaxed man is Tennessee
Williams who calls Key West his
home. Williams was actually christened
Thomas Lanier but is best known by the
name of his grandfather's state, Tennessee.
One of his most famous plays, "A Streetcar
Palatine, 111., then a town of 2,100, where
he was to make his reputation as a showman.
Against the advice of friends and
industry experts, Tom took over an old
store show, remodeled it and by following
the sound policy of giving the people good
shows, he turned the Palatine situation
into one of the choice spots in Illinois.
He operated this theatre, the Norman,
until 1947, when he sold out with one-year
option to buy the building.
Tom had been studying possibilities of
the drive-in field for some time, so be
looked around for a good spot to gain experience.
He settled on the Moonlight
Drive-In at Gary and Hammond, where
a manager was needed. Tom held this
position two years, during which he scored
his greatest thrill as a showman—playing
"Samson and Delilah" to capacity crowds
at the drive-in following the feature's
Chicago Loop run. He topped off his
drive-in experience with a move to the
Traverse City, Mich., open air
theatre, located
in a scenic spot on Lake Michigan's
shores.
In the fall of 1952, Tom accompanied
William Kehe jr., then postmaster of Palatine,
on a trip into the famous Ozarks
country. There the old impresario of the
Palatine found a bargain that ever, he
could not resist, and at this attractive
spot in Harrison, Tom and his wife are
now enjoying themselves. There's a standing
invitation from Tom to his friends to
write to him or stop in for a visit ai 210
North Maple.
Named Desire," was playing recently in the
Miami area.
William blames his early job of serving
as a shoe clerk to his success as a writer. He
is not a self-made man in the sense that he
came up the hard way. Far from it. He
attended three colleges during the time he
was acquiring a formal education, and after
leaving served as a clerk in a shoe store for
three years. Here he overtaxed his heart
by hauling heavy packing-cases, and spent
the greater part of a year in a hospital "just
resting" and planning for his future.
Williams says that he loves the quiet and
old world charm of Key West, but that if
it "goes modern" then he will regretfully
take off for some more remote place—not too
far from the great cities, but where he can
write in peace.
Joy at Welsh. La., Robbed
"~WELSH, LA.—The office of the Joy Theatre
was robbed recently of $60. Jules Courville
is the manager.
I
MEMPHIS
Tyremphis film censorship will continue
"perhaps several months" longer before a
final decision is made on a Citizen's Committee
recommendation that it be abolished,
Mayor Edmund Orgill said.
Orgill asked Mrs.
B. F. Edwards to act as chairman and the
two remaining women members, Mrs. St.
Elmo Newton sr. and Mrs. Walter Gray, to
serve as board members until the city reaches
a final decision. Orgill said the board was
serving "satisfactorily." He said a final decision
will be delayed until after "more pressing"
business is handled—such as the building
of a 130 million dollar steam plant to provide
electric power for Memphis. The three
women have reviewed a few pictures since
January 1 and have banned none.
Tommy Pemberton, owner, has closed the
Ritz Theatre, Biscoe, Ark., for remodeling and
repairs. The house will reopen in May . . .
. . . R. L. Morgan,
H. A. Ligon, owner, has closed the Mary Drivein
at Cherokee, Ala., until spring . . . Dillard
Theatre at Wardell, Mo., has closed
Mrs. Helen Beck announces
indefinitely . . .
the reopening of the Arkansas Theatre,
Mammoth Springs, Ark.
owner, has closed the Roxy Theatre at Watson.
Ark., a few weeks for repairs . . . Owner
Frank Easley has closed the Lindy Theatre
at Linden, Tenn., until further notice.
Arkansas visitors in Memphis included
William Elias, Murr, Osceola; Moses Sliman,
Lux, Luxora; Gordon Hutchins, 64 Drive-in,
Russellville, and J. K. Jamison sr. and J. K.
Jamison jr., Ken at McCrory and Ritz at
Bald Knob .
Mississippi came Leon
Rountree, Holly at Holly Springs; Theron
Lyles, Ritz, Oxford; Clark Shivley, Skylark
Drive-in, Clarksdale; Bern Jackson, Joe Davis
and C. J. Collier, of the Collier-Jackson theatres
in Cleveland, Belzoni, Indianola, Shaw
and Ruleville.
West Tennessee exhibitors in town included
Louise Mask, Luez, Bolivar; G. L. Helms,
Hill's, Scott's Hill, and W. H. Gray, Rutherford,
Rutherford . . . Whyte Bedford, Marion,
Hamilton, Ala., was on the Row . . . A. L.
Norman, new ow : ner, and J. W. Lyles, former
owner of the Kentucky Lake Drive-In at
Benton were in Memphis on business.
Lyle Richmond, Richmond Theatre, Senath,
Mo., entered a hospital at Poplar Bluff, Mo.,
for his second operation . . . Jack Braunagel,
United Theatres, Little Rock, was a Memphis
Tom M. Young, 20th-Fox manager
visitor . . .
and dean of Filmrow, is back from a
three-week winter vacation in Florida . . . Mrs.
John L. cMary Frances) Rygaard, cashier at
20th-Fox, has a new daughter, Elizabeth
Irene. Mrs. Rygaard, on leave of absence from
her job, has been succeeded by Margaret
Bradley, who was assistant cashier. Mrs.
Bradley was succeeded by Janiece Walkner,
stenographer. Betty Bramlet is a new employe.
JtWi&OM>
BOONTON. N. J.
Large Core
Greater Crater Area
means
MAXIMUM LIGHT
in Louisiona—NAT'L THEATRE SUPPLY, New Orleans—Raymond 4455
JOHNSON THEATRE SERV., New Orleans—Raymond 3562
in Tenn.—TRI-STATE THEATRE SUPPLY, Memphis—Memphis5-8240
in Florido—JOE HORNSTEIN, Inc., Miami—Miami 2-7596
Evenly Distributed A
68 BOXOFFICE :
: February
18, 1956