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PITTSBURGH
James G. Balmer observed his 48th anniversary
in the amusement industry this
week. All of these
years have been spent
with the Harris
Amusement Co. here.
Jim got his stai-t as
secretary to the late
.
. . .
beloved Harry Davis,
who with his brotherin-law
the late John P.
Harris opened the
world's first nickelodeon
here on Smithfield
street 52 years
ago Perry James G. Balraer
(NSS) Nathans are vacationing
in Bermuda
Gandoll.
exploiteer, and UA parted company .
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rachiele. local exhibitors,
plan a motor holiday to Phoenix, Ariz., starting
early in March .
Smith. Shadyside
Theatre manager, lost his father
Norbert Stern, who heads Associated Theatres,
returned here after vacationing in
Miami.
.
Keta Boyle resigned at WB. She's the
daughter of Orlando "Slam" Boyle. 20th-
Fox booker Floyd Klingensmith, Tarentum
outdoor
. .
exhibitor and formerly a Columbia
salesman, and other old grads of
Columbia University greeted their new
football coach, Aldo "Buff" Donelli at a
luncheon of Lion alumni in the Variety
Club . . . The Ladies Theatrical Club hosted
a Valentine party for the Variety Club's
weekly family night Friday (15) . . . George
R. Herrington will be honored February 23 at
a testimonial of VFW buddies. He is department
head of the Military Order of the
Cootie and very active in veterans affairs
throughout Pennsylvania. George is a son
of the late Fred J. Herrington, who was this
area's independent exhibitor leader for four
decades.
David C. Silverman, RKO manager until
this company folded last week and a 30-year
local employe of RKO, this week entered into
Al Schwalberg's new Artist-Producers Associates,
Inc., as district manager with headquarters
here. He will supervise sales in Cleveland,
Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Washington
and Pittsbm-gh. Silverman completed his
RKO duties last weekend in conferences with
Francis Guehl and Peter Quiter of U-I's local
exchange, which has taken over sales of
RKO product . Tliomas, Cinerama
coordinator at the Warner Theatre, is a
grandpop for the first time with the birth
of a daughter to the David L. Thomas juniors.
Cecelia Kieselbach, with RKO for 27 years
until this company folded, has retired. Antonette
Marlinga, secretary to RKO office
manager Paul Reith, has joined the Paramount
staff; Catherine Del Tondo, another
RKO gal, goes to Crucible Steel, and Dorothy
SAM FDMEBERG
TOM McCLEARY
JIM ALEXANDER
84 Van Braam Street
PiTTSBURGll 19, PA. i
Phone Express 1-0777 |
Meviei Ar« BrtHf Thyn Evg Haw's Your Eouipnunt? ^
Palgutta. formerly of RKO, has joined Safety
First Appliance Co. Florence Katz, RKO,
was expected to join Pittsburgh Plate Glass
Co. . . . Charles Mergen, AA salesman, was to
be released from Shadyside Hospital this
weekend. A heavyweight, 358 pounds, he
blacked out several weeks ago at an auto
agency and fell, sustaining a broken right
shoulder and face lacerations. He will be
grounded at home for another couple of
weeks.
Max Sliulgold was in New York. Reports
were that he and his wife Martha, both veterans
in the business, plan the sale of their
Crown Film Co. . . . Frank B. Crayne, 70, well
known in the movies in the 1920s, died February
4 at Greene County Memorial Hospital.
Waynesburg, after a brief illness. In his later
years he raised prize winning flowers as a
hobby at the family farm near Waynesburg
. . . Pittsburgh's proposed ban on billboards
will be argued at a public hearing by the
Sympathy to
city council February 20 . . .
Marie Isler on the sudden death of her
brother. Marie is withdrawing from Filmrow
with the folding of the RKO exchange where
she was switchboard operator.
Industry reports are that Harvey Emerman,
former Erie exhibitor, turned down a proposed
out-of-court settlement in his antitrust
civil action in federal court. Emerman,
now residing in Miami Beach, entered this
action approximately 15 years ago . . . Clyde
S. Waugaman was on Filmrow and reported
that he had darkened his Strand, Apollo, except
for one change of show Friday-Saturday.
He continues in the printing and publishing
business in Vandergrift . K.
Ruse, 56, part owner of an outdoor theatre
near Morgantown, which is now out of business,
was indicted in federal court this week
for income tax evasion.
Franlt J. "Bud" Thomas, theatre booker,
and wife Helen, pai-ents of two sons, are on
the stork's list and the Filmrow gals are suggesting
names for either a daughter or another
son . . . Bill Mansell, WB district manager,
visited at the local office with Jack
Kalmenson. Paul Krumenacker, etc. . .
.
Mrs. Joseph Shapiro, wife of the Mount
Union exhibitor and merchant, was in West
Penn Hospital here for surgery.
Pittsburgh Film Service, inspecting and
shipping organization operated by George
. . .
F. Callahan jr., of Exhibitors Service Co.,
has laid off David Ferguson, shipper, and
four inspectors, Ann Perkins, Clara Ray,
Helen Turner and Cel Miller . . . New stenographer
at the WB exchange office is Marcia
Caplan The Bedford Theatre, Bedford,
which went dark about a year ago.
has been dismantled and remodeled into a
store.
The 1957 outdoor theatre season's approach
came to mind suddenly this week when Tom
Wood showed up on Filmrow to book early
season attractions for weekends, opening
March 22 at the Hi-Way in Latrobe; March
29 at the Odin in Greensburg and the Carrolltown
in Carrolltown . . . Eddie Mackins,
MGM booker, has been in and out of the
hospital and back there again within the
past several weeks . . . Filmrow inquiries these
days center around the Maple Drive-In anti-
Variety Tent 1 Adopts
Its 16th Foundling
Pittsburgh—Variety Tent 1 adopted its
16th baby in 29 years at a dinner in the
Ankara night club Sunday attended by
500 barkers, wives and guests. The dinner
honored Ray Scott, television huckster
and outgoing chief barker. Dominic
Navarro, contractor, received the club's
Humanitarian plaque from Norman Mervis
who represented the award committee.
Last year this plaque was given to Dr.
Jonas Salk, discoverer of the polio vaccine.
All baby girls adopted by the club are
named Catherine Variety Sheridan and
this one carries the identification, VIII
Ithe eighth). The first baby given this
name was found abandoned in the Sheridan
Square Theatre in East Liberty.
That was about 29 years ago and it
marked the founding of the Variety
Club. Tent 1 also has adopted eight
boys. All come from and are kept at
Roselia Foundling Home until privately
adopted. Harry Kodinsky is Tent 1 chief
barker for 1957.
trust civil action which was reactivated recently
with the taking of depositions from
local film executives in New York, and inquiries
and gossip regarding new monopoly
actions reported as being prepared.
A high quality art honor came to Marie
Manos this week when one of her oil paintings
went on view at the National Academy
of Art in New York City. Wife of Alexander
Michael Manos. junior executive of the
Mike Manos circuit, Marie's oils have been
exhibited in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia . . .
The State, Clymer, was booked to reopen
February 15 after more than two years of
darkness, according to the new managers,
H. Carl and Roger McGary of Smithton.
Jean Demma of National Screen, who as
a child resided a few steps from this establishment
on Van Braam street, and Phil
Vito have announced their engagement.
Shulgolds, Pittsburgh
Selling Crown Film Co.
PITTSBURGH—Crown Film Co. will be
acquired March 1 by Screen Guild. Max and
Martha Shulgold of Crown said this week that
the deal has been consummated and that they
will retire from the business after March 1.
Crown has been an independent distributing
outfit here for seventeen years. Screen Guild
is headed by Bert Stearn. who also heads
Cooperative Theatre Service, and is managed
by Milton Brauman.
Max Shulgold is a veteran in the film
industry here and had served various companies
until he went independent with his
own business. Max and Martha operated
their Crown office without additional help,
except for shipping. They plan to sell thenhome
here and move to Miami Beach.
The Crown product numbers upwards of
90 feature pictures, many of them reissues.
Screen Guild directors held several meetings
recently and they are set to stage another
session February 18. They have been negotiating
to take over Exploitation Productions, another
independent exchange now located in
the Atlas Theatre Supply building.
I
E-6 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957