Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

: February
5
Allied of Michigan
To Meet April 4,
DETROIT— Detailed plans for the annual
convention of Allied Theatres of Michigan,
to be held April 4, 5 at the Hotel Tuller,
were announced by Ernest T. Conlon. executive
secretary. Opening business session will
be 10:30 a.m. April 4, with the second day
to be devoted to trade practices, starting at
10 a.m. At 11 a.m., a separate session on
concession operation for both drive-in and
conventional theatres is scheduled. Thursday
afternoon will be devoted to a session on
theatre equipment, followed by the annual
election of officers and directors and other
general business.
Luncheons will be held both days in the
Sky Room, with speakers and topics not yet
confirmed.
Highlight of the convention will be a
seminar on Wednesday afternoon and a visit
to the Todd-AO version of "Oklahoma!" at
the United Artists Theatre, now being readied
for opening.
Two evening social sessions are planned.
The annual banquet will be held at the hotel
on Wednesday evening, and the dinner dance,
which will have an international flavor, will
be on Thursday, with the convention moving
into Canada for a trip to the Elmwood Casino
in Windsor.
Registration fee for the entire convention
has been set at $15, covering both luncheons,
dinner, dancing and banquet and the incidental
events. Variety clubrooms will be
adjacent to some of the conventional session
meeting rooms and will be open for the entertainment
of visitors.
Gay Celebration Heralds
Reopening of Theatre
CLEVELAND—The neighborhood Homestead
Theatre here, newly renovated, was to
(.
be the scene of a gala reopening celebration
Saturday 18 > in which the Lakewood Post,
a suburb weekly, and Lakewood merchants
cooperated.
The merchants donated prizes and gave
coupon numbers to customers with purchases
during a promotion period of several weeks.
The Lakewood Post gave a full-page advertisement
to the event. Manager Kalmen
Erdeke added the personal touch by passing
out roses to women and cigars to men on
opening night.
The renovating job consisted of changing
the dark red velour auditorium walls to a
light grey covering in the modern decorating
mood of establishing cheerful rather than
ponderous surroundings. New soft red proscenium
curtains with new travelers offer the
proper degree of contrast to the soft wall
treatment. The old-fashioned auditorium
side wall lighting brackets gave way to
brackets of modern design in keeping with
the new wall treatment. This same wall
treatment is carried out in the adjoining
lobby adding the effect of size and continuity
to the decorating program.
The concession bar, which was brought up
to date about a year ago, was further modernized
with a new aluminum awning painted
red and white in circus style.
The 1,000-seat Homestead was built more
than 25 years ago and this is its first major
redecorating job. New projection equipment
was installed last year. The Homestead is
a unit of the Associated circuit.
'Holiday' Marks Full Year
At Detroit Music Hall
DETROIT—February 15 marked the first
anniversary of "Cinerama Holiday" at the
Music Hall here, with an estimated 750,000
people having viewed the Louis de Rochemont
production during its first 52 weeks, according
to S. H. Fabian, president of Stanley Warner
Corp., which produces and exhibits Cinerama.
This total is almost half of the entire population
of the city of Detroit.
With the exception of the first Cinerama's
two-year run, the longest record was set by
"Neptune's Daughter" with a 19-week run
at the Detroit Opera House.
The exceptional attendance recorded was
not chiefly from the city itself but included
areas of Flint, Lansing, Battle Creek, Grand
Rapids, Fort Wayne and Toronto. Much of
the patronage from outlying areas is attributed
to special accommodations and service
facilities arranged by the local Cinerama
personnel, which spurred the other 14 Cinerama
presentation areas to carry out similar
plans.
Charles Sugarman Leases
Indianola at Columbus
COLUMBUS — The Indianola, 550-seat
north side house operated by Frank Marzetti,
has been leased to Charles Sugarman, operator
of the art World. The Indianola opened
under a new art policy February 15 after a
week's closing for redecoration and refurbishing.
The Indianola is the only art theatre
here with Cinemascope equipment. A 50-car
parking lot is adjacent to the theatre. The
Indianola will have a policy similar to the
World, said Sugarman.
The Indianola formerly was a unit in the
H&S Theatres circuit operated by Lee Hof-
Albert Sugarman, father
heimer and the late
of Charles Sugarman. Marzetti continues as
operator of the Linden neighborhood. Conversion
of the Indianola to art films gives
Columbus three art houses. The Bexley,
operated by Maurice Sher, is the other such
theatre.
STAR VISITS CLEVELAND—Barbara
Ruick of the "Carousel" cast, in Cleveland
for a press, TV and radio luncheon
in advance of the opening of the picture
March 17 at the Allen Theatre, harmonizes
the industry branches with a double
hand holding with 20th-Fox Manager
I. J. Schmertz, left, and Stanley Warner
booker Joe Weinstein, right. At extreme
left is Howard Higley, manager of the
Allen Theatre.
Golden Wedding Dale
For Nate Schreiber
DETROIT — Pioneer exhibitor Nathan
Schreiber, who still operates the Colonial and
the Palmer Park theatres here at the age of
MR. AND MRS NATHAN SCHREIBER
71, and his wife Anna will celebrate their 50th
wedding anniversary February 20 with a dinner
for 100 and a ceremony repeating the
1906 marriage vows they spoke originally in
Cleveland.
Flying in from California for the fete is
Nate's brother Alex, owner of a chain of
houses on the west coast. The family and
friends will gather for dinner at the Holiday
Manor, and Rabbi Hayim Donin and
Cantor Hyman Adler from the Congregation
B'nai David will officiate as the couple repeat
their vows. Also present will be the Schriebers'
six children: Ray, Mrs. Gilbert Fink, Mrs.
Isador Burnstein, Mrs. Mervin Jacobson,
Mrs. Carl Fidler and Mrs. Irving Ellman, with
their families. Twelve Schreiber grandchildren
and one great-grandchild will attend.
A plane trip to Miami Beach for a twoweek
vacation will be the first plane trip taken
by the couple. Mrs. Schreiber is a year younger
than her husband.
Owner of the Colonial department stores for
26 years, Schreiber also has engaged in liquor
and building business, but is best known for
his work in the local film world since 1919.
He is the oldest of the 450 members of the
Congregation B'nai David, where he has been
treasurer for 17 years.
Schreiber once represented all Jewish actors
arriving here for a tour from the East. He
can remember booking and managing Maurice
Schwartz, Joseph Kessler, Bon Ami, Cantor
Rosenblott, Joseph Steingold, Bertha Kalis,
Leone Blank, Dolly Pikin, the Wilma Troupe
and many others.
BOWLING
DETROIT—Allied Films stepped from
behind to win a two-game lead in the Film
Bowling League. Standings:
Teom Won Lost Team Won Lost
Allied Films. 13 3 Republic 71, 8',
RKO 11 3 United Artists S 11
Allied Artists 101 j SI/, Theatrical Ad 1 15
Variety to Honor Weiss
CINCINNATI—Sam Weiss will
be honored
at a testimonial dinner by Variety Tent 3 for
his services in connection with the club and
for his recent promotion. Weiss soon will be
transferred to the 20th-Fox Cleveland exchange.
BOXOFFICE :
18, 1956 ME 87