m

'
New Scotland. N. Y„ Airer
Opening Planned for May
NEW SCOTLAND, N. Y.—Opening date
for the Mayfair Drive-In, under construction
here, is scheduled for "somewhere around
May 12 to 15," according to Robert C. Conahan
of SUngerlands. The 700-car situation,
the building of which indirectly started New
Scotland residents to push for zoning, will be
given its final touches as soon as there is a
break in the weather, he added.
Conahan stated that while he was aware
of activities by protesting residents of the
nearby Heldervale section, no pressure had
been exerted on him directly to abandon the
project.
The town of Bethlehem also
was the scene
of a recent controversy about the building of
a drive-in by Klein Theatres. An order
restraining its town board from interfering
with the completion of an ozoner, started before
the board acted to interdict drive-ins,
was recently issued by Official Referee
Christopher J. Heffernan. That theatre is
slated for opening in May, too, according to
Filmrow reports.
The Heldervale residents last fall circulated
petitions in both towns to prevent Conahan's
drive-in from opening. After one
said to have contained more than 600 signatures
had been presented, the New Scotland
town board established a seven-member
planning commission, to study zoning. One
or more improvement associations have been
since established to bring zoning to New
Scotland, an Albany suburb.
Longtime Showman Now
In Atomic Boat Work
ELIZABETH. N. J.—Following two years
of study in preparation for the post. Edward
J. Kane, long a manager for Stanley Warner
Theatres, resigned at the Regent here and
moved to New London, Conn., to join
Electric Boat Division of the General
Dynamics Corp., as a technical aide, a job
covered by government security regulations.
Kane had been with SW 31 years. The
Electric Boat Division turned out the nation's
first atomic-powered submarines, the Nautilus
and the Sea Wolf.
Supervisors, managers and assistant managers
of the circuit gave Kane a farewell
luncheon at the Carteret Hotel. Kane has
moved to New London with his wife; two
sons. James and Jeffrey: a daughter, Mrs.
Nancy Wagner. Another son Roger, is in
the Army in Germany.
Frederick DiAngelis, manager of the Fabian
in Hoboken, succeeded Kane at the Regent.
Walter F. Diehl Promoted
To lATSE Head's Aide
PHILADELPHIA—Walter F. Diehl. international
representative for the International
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes since
1954, has been promoted to assistant international
president by Richard F. Walsh,
president, following a unanimous vote of
approval by the general executive board.
Diehl, a member of the Moving Picture
Operators, Local 182, Boston, since 1933.
served that organization for eight years as
business agent before joining the international
staff. He was active as a field man
throughout New England until last fall, when
he was assigned to the New York office.
Greenman and Bruno
Swap Theatre Posts
New York—There's been a baseball
trade in Loew's Theatres. Harry Greenman,
for the last 11 years manager of the
Capitol on Broadway, has moved over to
the oirouifs flagship, Loew's State, as
manager. .\nd James Bruno, manager of
Loew's State, has taken the helm at the
Capitol.
N.Y. Assembly Considering
Antibomb Threat Bills
ALBANY—The Assembly Codes committee
is considering two bills dealing with bomb
threats and false information concerning
such.
Sponsored by Assemblyman Walter Gladwin,
Bronx, one bill provides that "a person
who communicates in any manner with the
public authorities pertaining to threats to
place or plant bombs shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor."
The other bill reads, "Any person who
gives false information, in person or by telephone,
to the effect a bomb will be exploded
or that any other serious hazard exists in
any school, theatre, auditorium, assembly
hall or other places used for public gathering
shall be guilty of misdemeanor."
As amendments to the penal law, both bills
would take effect immediately.
Theatres in Albany. Troy, New York and
other cities have experienced numerous bomb
threats during recent months. In some cases,
theatres have been evacuated after false
phone calls.
Sunday Blue Law Bill
Would Exempt Movies
HARRISBURG—Co-sponsored by Leo Mc-
Keever and Albert E. Strausser, a bill introduced
into the House of Representatives this
week would force the closing of retail business
establishments on Sundays in the Keystone
state. There would be about 10 exceptions
to the prohibition. They are public
utilities, hotels, gasoline stations, sports
events, places of amusement, medical and
dental offices, drugstores and restaurants.
Sunday movies would be permitted after 2
p.m. in sub-divisions where the voters have
approved such exhibition.
Censor Bill
Under Study
HARRISBURG—Now in the Pennsylvania
House of Representatives law and order committee
is a new bill to revive operation of a
censor board. Reps. Leo. J. McLaughlin (D-
Alleghenyi and Walter Kamyk (D- Allegheny)
introduced the measure. The original
1915 film censor law was declared unconstitutional
by the state supreme court in
March 1956. During the 1955-56 session the
house approved a similar bill which died in
the
senate.
Columbia Votes Dividend
NEW YORK—Columbia has declared its
regular quarterly dividend of 30 cents a share
on the common stock, payable April 30 to
stockholders of record March 29.
High Maryland Coua
Gets Obscenity hmt
BALTIMORE—A definition of "obsctn^-
and a ruling on the constitutionality of Maryland's
censorship law was asked in the court
of appeals at Annapolis in an appeal by the
state board of censors on a Baltimore decision.
In the local court. Judge Joseph Byrnes had
reversed the board's order that certain scenes
be eliminated from "Naked Amazon" before it
could be shown in Maryland. The censors
ordered elimination of all scenes wherein
natives appeared nude below the waist on
grounds they were "obscene." The ruling said
•the showing of nudity ... in a pseudo-documentary
... is calculated to arise sexual
desires of substantial numbers of people."
Times Films Corp., makers of the color film,
contend the film .shows Brazilian Indians in
their daily activities and was carefully edited
so that "intimate parts of the body cannot
be seen."
A lawyer for the filmmakers said the censor
board's order resulted in elimination of all
scenes depicting the Camayura Indians and
in effect "cuts the heart out of the film."
The film has been passed by the Motion Picture
A.ss'n of America.
Judge Byrnes, who viewed the entire film
once, and the eliminated scenes twice, held
that the scenes did not fall within prohibition
of the censorship act. The censors asked the
high court to reverse this decision and to
deny the film company's claim that the
censorship law violates the constitutional provisions
of free speech and free press.
The appeal judges did not view the film
but heard arguments from both sides before
taking the case under advisement.
Sindlinger Gives Talk
To Market Research
NEW YORK—Albert E. Shidlinger, president
of Sindlinger & Co., business analysts,
addressed a luncheon meeting of the Market
Research Council at the Yale Club Friday
(151.
Sindlinger explained his company's new
Audience Action Concept" and how, by
measuring the previous day's activity among
a sampling of the public, coupled with a new
kind of progressive questioning, his company
has come up with an entirely fresh approach
to measurements of media effectiveness. The
accuracy record of Sindlinger & Co. in the
motion pictm-e field has made it possible for
its client list of theatres to grow, during the
course of a 90-week period, from 16 to over
1,600, he said.
Morris Stein
In $3,000,000
Sues Majors
Action
NEW YORK—Morris Stem, operator of the
Corona Theatre, Queens, has filed a $3,000,-
000 antitrust suit in Federal Court against
the eight major distributors, their subsidiaries.
Century Theatres, the Marcus Loew
Booking Agency and the Loew's Theatre
Realty Corp. charging conspiracy to discriminate
against the Corona in favor of other
theatres in the neighborhood.
Stein acquued the Corona in 1956 under
a leasing ar^-eement which promised him
certain availability of product, his suit stated.
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
E-1