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. . Frank<br />
. .<br />
Hialeah Optimists Fete<br />
Essex Manager Oakerson<br />
HIALEAH. FLA.— Walton Oakerson. manager<br />
of the Essex Theatre, has been awarded<br />
a plaque for his "outstanding youth work<br />
over an extended period" by the Hialeah Oplimlsts<br />
Club. Oakerson. known to everyone<br />
as "Oakie," has a long career of pleasing,<br />
placating and sometimes reprimanding youngsters,<br />
and his influence and good work has<br />
gone with the tots into their teens. Through<br />
his understanding of and appeal to youngsters<br />
and teenagers, he brought the theatre's regular<br />
Saturday matinee attendance up over the<br />
1.000 mark.<br />
Oakerson's interest in youngsters began<br />
with his theatre work, but has led him into<br />
broader fields to the point where he is<br />
frequently called upon by officers of the<br />
juvenile divisions of police departments for<br />
consultation and assistance.<br />
Foreign Film Series Pays<br />
At Columbia Sub Run<br />
COLUMBIA. S. C—A neighborhood theatre<br />
carefully planned for-<br />
here has found that a<br />
eign film series stimulates wide interest and<br />
pays off at the boxoffice.<br />
The Five Points Theatre has entered another<br />
year of semimonthly Columbia Fine<br />
Films Committee programs in a tie-in with<br />
local citizens that Manager Robert Scott says<br />
has been mutually beneficial.<br />
The citizens group selects the film titles<br />
it feels should be played. It submits the titles<br />
to Scott and he makes arrangements to play<br />
the pictures. Then, the committee contacts<br />
the local newspapers and other publicity<br />
sources in advance of playdates.<br />
It adds up to SRO business on nights when<br />
dated films would be playing to scant crowds.<br />
Austin Palmer Shifted<br />
To Clermont by Martin<br />
WILDWOOD. FLA.— Austin Palmer, city<br />
councilman and fire chief of Wildwood. submitted<br />
his resignation when other duties<br />
called him to leave the city. Palmer has<br />
served as manager of the Martin Theatre for<br />
a number of years and now has been transferred<br />
to Clermont, where he will manage<br />
the Lake Theatre and Clearview Drive-In.<br />
Tillman Watson of Clermont will replace<br />
Palmer as manager of the Martin.<br />
Bridgewater Capitol<br />
Is Destroyed by Blaze<br />
BRIDGEWATER, N. S.—The Capitol Theatre<br />
was destroyed by fire. The 620-seat house<br />
was the largest of the two theatres operating<br />
in this town of about 4.000 population. The<br />
other is the 475-seat Avon. Both are owned<br />
by the SFA Ltd. of which Arthur A. Fielding<br />
is president. The fii'e was discovered on Sunday<br />
morning, and the cause as yet undetermined.<br />
Named to CofC Board<br />
HARTFORD—Lou Cohen, manager of<br />
Loew's Poll, has been named amusement industry<br />
delegate to the retail trade board of<br />
the Chamber of Commerce for 1957.<br />
HARTFORD—Harry Goldstein, eastern exploitation<br />
manager for Allied Artists, conferred<br />
with Ray McNamara, Allyn Theatre, on<br />
regional bow of "Blonde Sinner."<br />
MINNEAPOLIS<br />
T ocal exchange managers and film salesmen<br />
at a Brotherhood Week rally planned a<br />
campaign to sign up exhibitors, theatre and<br />
exchange employes for contributions during<br />
February 17-24. Tom Burke and Hy Chapman<br />
are exhibitor and exchange chairmen .<br />
S. D. Kane. North Central Allied executive<br />
counsel, anticipates a large attendance at the<br />
annual convention here March 1, 2. A committee<br />
headed by Vice-President E. L. Peaslee<br />
is seeking a presidential candidate to succeed<br />
Ben Berger who is stepping out after<br />
11 years. Berger was due back from a Florida<br />
vacation Saturday (16 1.<br />
Fay Dressell and Fred Finnegan, former<br />
RKO branch manager and head booker, are<br />
considering several job offers . . . Don<br />
Swartz. film distributor, was in New York<br />
lining up product . Braden, former<br />
Ringling Bros, circus press agent, was in<br />
and out of town in the interest of "The Ten<br />
Commandments" which will open at the<br />
Lyric here with a Minneapolis League of<br />
Catholic Women's benefit February 21. The<br />
tickets will range from $5 to $50 . . Ted<br />
.<br />
Mann, circuit owner, returned from a California<br />
visit with his family who are wintering<br />
there.<br />
E. G. Fitzgibbons, Paramount exploiteer,<br />
was here w'orking on "The Rainmaker" which<br />
goes into Radio City February 22 . . . Allied<br />
Artists ran large co-op newspaper ads for<br />
the nine local neighborhood houses where<br />
"Friendly Persuasion" opened last week . . .<br />
Film actor Robert Wagner is due here on<br />
the 18th in connection with "The True Story<br />
of Jesse James" in which he stars.<br />
Wisconsin Rapids Palace<br />
To Be Recreation Center<br />
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WIS.—The Kruger-<br />
Walrath Realty Corp., which recently pui--<br />
chased the Palace Theatre building at 141<br />
Third Ave. South, is remodeling the structure<br />
for conversion into a ballroom and recreation<br />
center.<br />
Tlie ballroom, which will accommodate 400<br />
persons, will be available for public and private<br />
dances and for group sales conferences,<br />
demonstrations, banquets, wedding receptions<br />
and all types of parties. The basement has<br />
been leased to Mr. and Mrs. William Leder<br />
for use as a recreation parlor. They will install<br />
facilities for billiards and other games<br />
and a soda fountain.<br />
Blair State Shuttered<br />
BLAIR, WIS.—The State Theatre here has<br />
been closed by Fi'ank Lesmeister, owner and<br />
manager, after nine years of operation. Lesmeister<br />
said he had been considering closing<br />
the house since last fall when business became<br />
poor.<br />
A Candidate for Supervisor<br />
MANITOWOC, WIS. — John Buran. tor<br />
many years manager of the Opera House<br />
here and now manager of the Rivoli in<br />
two Rivers, is a candidate for supervisor in<br />
the Seventh ward there. He has been a resident<br />
of this county for 36 years.<br />
Giorgia Moll, a German-Italian beauty, has<br />
been signed by Joseph Mankiewicz for the<br />
role of Phuong in "The Quiet American."<br />
RESEARCH mm<br />
for<br />
MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS<br />
ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION<br />
The MODERN THEATRE<br />
PLANNING INSTITUTE<br />
825 Van Brunt Blvd.<br />
Kansas City 24, Mo.<br />
Gentlemen:<br />
2-16-57<br />
Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU<br />
to receive inlormation regularly, as released, on<br />
the lollowing subjects lor Theatre Planning:<br />
D Acoustics<br />
n Air Conditioning<br />
n Architectural Serrica<br />
D "Black" Lighting<br />
D Building Material<br />
n Carpets<br />
G Coin Machines<br />
n Complete Remodeling<br />
Decorating<br />
D Drink Dispensers<br />
D Drive-In<br />
Equipment<br />
D Other Subjects..<br />
Theatre<br />
Seating Capacity...<br />
Address<br />
City<br />
State<br />
Signed<br />
n Lighting Fixtures<br />
n Plumbing Fixtures<br />
Projectors<br />
n Projection<br />
Lamps<br />
n Seating<br />
n Signs and Marquees<br />
n Sound Equipment<br />
n Television<br />
D Theatre Fronts<br />
n Vending Equipment<br />
Postage-paid reply cords for your further convenience<br />
in obtaining information are provided in MODERN<br />
The<br />
THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of<br />
each month.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 NC-7
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