Boxoffice-March.24.1956

Vocational Center
Started by Tent 3
CINCINNATI—Variety Tent 3 will hold its
annual Old Newsboy's Day this year on
May 28, and Chief Barker Robert C. McNabb
named Herman Hunt and Edward Salz-
has
berg, co-chairmen of the welfare committee,
to head the event.
All barkers, theatre and film personnel
and prominent men from other industries
will participate, as will members of the
Women's Auxiliary. The Variety Club Oppor-
vocational
tunity Workshop, designed to give
training to the mentally retarded and severely
handicapped, will benefit from the Old Newsboy's
Day program.
The workshop, which headquarters in the
Goodwill Industries Building, will have the
services of psychologists, counselors, social
workers, occupational therapists and industrial
supervisors.
Tent 3 decided upon establishment of the
workshop after a study showed that vocational
adjustment of retarded and handicapped
persons over 16 years of age is one
of the nation's greatest needs.
The workshop program will be entirely
financed by Tent 3, and the workshop program
will be divided into three phases: 1.
Screening to determine if the individual has
capacities for vocational employment; 2.
actual contract work for Cincinnati industries
in the workshop, and 3. preparation for
in-plant employment by private industry.
The program is being carried out under the
supervision of Bryce W. Nichols, executive
director of Cincinnati's Goodwill Industries
rehabilitation
center.
Discrimination Lawsuit
In Ohio Ends in Deadlock
CANTON — A damage claim of $5,500
against Ralph Bevington, owner-manager of
the Mohawk Theatre at Waynesburg, filed by
John Kelly, Negro patron, caused an 8-4
deadlock in an all-white jury at Canton,
where the case was tried. The 8-4 poll was
in favor of Kelly. However a 9-3 verdict was
necessary and Judge George Graham dismissed
the jury.
Eight other Negroes have filed similar
suits. Kelly claimed that Bevington enforced
color discrimination when an usher at the
Mohawk asked him to move from the center
section of the theatre February 23. Kelly said
he refused to move and that he was ejected
by a marshall called by the theatre manager.
Bevington testified he has been seating whites
and Negroes on opposite sides of the theatre
for the past 18 years.
Another Lassie Show
SPRINGFIELD—The Regent Theatre here
again will stage a Lassie show for children's
matinee March 31. The first "Lassie" cartoon
carnival held several weeks ago was a
rousing success. The attendance was so
large that the Majestic was opened to take
care of the overflow from the Regent—and
still some had to be turned away, according
to Michael H. Chakeres, vice-president of
Chakeres Theatres. The show includes a rerelease
of a full-length Lassie episode, plus
six cartoons. Admission is 25 cents, with advance
sale of tickets promoted.
A/o Such Thing As a Dead Theatre/
Says Manager Jack Silverthorne
CLEVELAND—For many years the Euclid
Avenue-East 105th street area was one of the
most prosperous neighborhood
business areas
in the city. It supported
five motion picture
theatres with a
10,000 combined seating
capacity. The five
houses are the Alhambra,
owned by the Alhambra
Theatre Co.;
the Park, a former
Loew unit now owned
by Associated circuit;
the Circle, operated
Jack Silverthorne by E. J. Stutz; the
105th Street which RKO gave up last December
and which now flies the Telemanagement
banner with Jack Silverthorne in
charge, and the University, owned by the
Community circuit. Gradually the neighborhood
deteriorated due to normal changes
that occur in a growing city like Cleveland.
The talk around town was that the area was
"dead" insofar as theatres were concerned.
Joint TOA-Allied Action
Approved by ITOO Board
COLUMBUS — Reaffirmation of its approval
of the joint program of National Allied
and the Theatre Owners of America in
their endeavor to enlist the aid of the U. S.
attorney general and the Senate subcommittee
on small business was voted by the
board of directors of the Independent Theatre
Owners of Ohio here.
The resolution endorsed the Allied-TOA
program which seeks to persuade distributors
to join with organized exhibitor groups in
setting up a voluntary all-inclusive arbitration
system for the film industry. The system
would include controversies involving film
rentals and selling policies and practices.
The ITOO board also approved the effort
to obtain such modifications of the decree
in the Paramount case as will enable the divorced
circuits to engage in the production
and distribution of films upon terms and
conditions that will prevent a recurrence of
former "monopolistic practices" and at the
same time not discourage them from bringing
"much needed product" into the market.
The Ohio board instructed its executive
secretary to notify the Senate committee,
the Department of Justice antitrust division.
Allied Sates Ass'n and the tradepress of its
position "so these agencies may know they
are called upon to act in accordance with the
wishes of the majority of exhibitors."
Midway Reopens at Cynthiana
CYNTHIANA. KY —The Midway Drive-in
Theatre, south of town on U. S. 27, was reopened
for Saturday and Sunday performances
by Manager Louis Marcks. The Midway
has been redecorated and is considered one of
the nicest theatres in this part of Kentucky.
Dan Duryea With Rock Hudson
Dan Duryea will star with Rock Hudson
in the Ross Hunter production "Battle Hymn,"
a U-I film.
But Jack Silverthorne, working on the
theory that while there's life there's hope, has
been building the grosses at the 105th Street
Theatre—until on Sunday, February 26, he
hit the jackpot, taking in $10,000 in one day.
The attraction was a Rock 'n' Roll review
with 16 variety acts. He presented five
shows that day at $1.25 matinee, $1.50 at
night. He had them lined up for every show.
"This just goes to prove," Silverthorne
said in reporting this sensational day's boxoffice
take, "that there is no such thing as
a 'dead' theatre. Give the people something
they want to see, and there's plenty of life in
it." Asked what policy he plans to pursue
at the 105th Street Theatre in the light of
the success of this performance. Silverthorne
said he is negotiating for other stage shows
and hopes to spot them periodically.
When not concentrating on the 105th
Street, Silverthorne is active at the Hippodrome
where last week "Picnic" was
straining the boxoffice. Silverthorne took
over the management of the 105th Street last
December when RKO dropped its lease after
25 years of operation.
Columbus Official Seeks
Ban on Airers in City
COLUMBUS—Drive-in theatres will be
banned within the Columbus city limits, if
City Planning Commission Chairman Ralph
Teaford has his way. The chairman's opposition
to future drive-in construction came
at a hearing for permission by Frank Yassenoff
to construct a drive-in at James road
and Seventh avenue. Tentative approval was
given the request, pending similar approval
from the Port Columbus commissioners. Expansion
of the airport is planned for the
general area of the proposed drive-in.
Teaford said he is opposed to all outdoor
theatres "from the standpoint of traffic
flow." Other commissioners pointed out that
the area is zoned for commercial use and that
the body has no real right to disapprove the
request. Teaford wants a study of the city
ordinance which permits drive-ins within the
city. He said he felt it was not good planning
to permit outdoor theatres in the city because
"they create traffic problems during evening
hours."
Springfield Liberty Hosts
4-H 100 Per Cent Clubs
SPRINGFIELD. OHIO—Members of 73 "100
per cent" 4-H Clubs in Clark County were
guests of Mr. and Mrs. William Settos, owners
of the Liberty, at a theatre party. It was the
ninth annual party given by the Settos for
the 4-H'ers.
The 100 per cent clubs were those which
had at least as many members at the end of
1955 as they had at the first of the year.
Seventy-three of the 174 clubs in the county
are in that classification. The 100 per cent
clubs have about 850 members. Settos showed
a double-feature, "Lady and the Tramp" and
"The Girl Rush."
Joining the cast of RKO's "Back From
Eternity" was Tristram Coffin.
BOXOFFICE March 24, 1956 ME 63