Boxoffice-June.15.1959

DALLAS
Dianche Boyle retired this month from
Frontier Theatres after 20 years service
with the firm. For years she was feature
booker for Southern Enterprises, which
eventually became Paramount-Publix, In
New York City she supervised the feature
booking for that company's theatres in 11
southern states. She met her husband in
New York and they were married there.
From 1930 to 1939 she took time out to
raise a family and has two fine sons,
Thomas Lee and Robert. She is forsaking
film business for awhile to become a
grandmother, now being in Longview
awaiting the stork at her son Bobbie's
home.
Blanche joined Frontier Theatres ithen
known as Theatre Enterprises) in 1939 as
secretary to Henry Lockhart, then film
buyer. She soon became shorts booker and
held that job until her retirement this
month. Flowers, antiques and her family
are her hobbies. She is a most gracious
hostess and she and her husband Bob entertain
frequently at their unique cabin
on Lake Texoma. Blanche is the sister of
Lew Bray, owner and operator of the 'Wes-
Mer Drive-In, Mercedes. She will continue
to buy and book short subjects for her
brother until she completes her stint of
being the faithful rocking-chair grandmother.
Then she plans to come back into
the industry for fulltime employment.
Blanche is a charter member of the
WOMPI. She has served as service chairman
this year and hopes to bring home
the service award from the international
convention in Jacksonville, Pla.. September
11-13.
Visitors on the Row were: Annie Coleman,
Metro, Abilene; 'W. S. Chisolm, Chisolm
Trail Drive-In, Alvarado; R. T. Hall,
Horseshoe Drive-In, Ballinger: C. E. Campbell,
Majestic, Bowie: Walter Billeau,
Bridge, Bridge City: Mrs. C. W. Matson.
Matson Theatres. Rockdale: Joe Enoch,
Cliftex. Clifton: Jack Arthur, Majestic,
Comanche: Roy Moore, State, DeKalb:
Phil Tidball, Isis, Fort -Worth: 'W. D. Hightower,
Grand, Fort "Worth: Mrs. Forth
Keith, Palace, Granbm-y: Roy Nelson,
Plaza, Kaufman: Cortez Hamm, Hunt
Drive-In, Greenville: C. C. Caldwell, Rex,
O'Donnell, and C. H. Jones, Palace, "Weatherford.
Bradley, Putnam, Setting
For Big Wrestling Show
HARTFORD — Activity in the nontheatrical
field at the region's motion picture
theatres continues sporadically, the latest
development being wrestling shows.
Interstate of New England's Bradley in
Putnam ran an "all-star wrestling show"
on a recent Saturday evening, charging top
admission of $2.50, relatively high for a
small town situation. The "live" entertainment,
incidentally, was not supplemented
by motion pictui-es.
On occasion, the 4,200-seat State Theatre,
Hartford, has been rented out for
wrestling and boxing shows at $3 and $4
top. but it is understood that a steady
schedule has never been contracted by the
Harris Bros., owners and operators of the
theatre, largest in Connecticut.
BOXOFFICE June 15, 1959
Boys Ranch Property of Variety
Of Texas Goes on Auction Block
DALLAS—The chant of the auctioneer
and the pounding of his gavel will mark
the end of the famous Variety Club Boys
Ranch at Bedford Tuesday il6> at 2:30
p.m., when auctioneer Irv Rosen will sell
this fabulous 229-acre property to the highest
bidder. Sale will be held in the Variety
clubrooms on the ninth floor of the Hotel
Adolphus.
Home to hundreds of boys over the past
20 years. Boys Ranch has been closed
nearly a year: its dormitories vacant: its
swimming pool unruffled by happy splashing:
its gymnasium, once resounding with
boyish enthusiasm and youthful energy,
now silent and deserted.
Due to the increase of city and county
facilities for handling juvenile problems
the necessity of Boys Ranch has lessened
to a degree to warrant its discontinuance.
Proceeds from the auction sale will go into
the Variety Foundation of Texas, which has
as its new charity project the Variety heart
wing of the Children's Medical Center.
VOLUNTEERS AS AUCTIONEER
Rosen, a member of the Variety Club,
volunteered his services and the facilities
of his nationwide auctioneering firm, Ralph
Rosen Associates, to liquidate the property.
Boys Ranch is located three miles from
Hurst, near highway 183, 21 miles from
downtown Dallas and 16 miles from downtown
Fort -Worth. The property covers 229
acres on which are located two dormitories
with a residence capacity of 48 boys each,
a large gymnasium, cafeteria and dinmg
hall, swimming pool, fishing lake, football
field, baseball diamond, six residences
complete poultry farm with a capacity of
producing 21,500 broilers every eight weeks
laundry, water and utilities systems, and
complete equipment for furnishing and
operating these facilities.
A Variety Club spokesman estimated
that more than $600,000 has been invested
in the property for buildings and improvements.
The purpose of the ranch was to
help underprivileged boys, and at one time
85 boys were in residence. During the last
two years of its operation, the ranch was
under the direction of Brother Hilarion
and other Catholic brothers of the Order
of the Holy Cross. The Texas State Welfare
Department accorded Boys Ranch special
recognition for its excellent work m its
service to youth.
OFFERS MANY POSSIBILITIES
In commenting on the sale, auctioneer
Rosen stated: "The property offers many
possibilities. It can be subdivided into residential
areas since the metropolitan expansion
is already within two miles of its
boundaries and is moving toward the ranch.
It also offers great possibilities, with its
many facilities, for a country club, golf
course, home for the aged, sanitarium,
lodge or union club or camp, employes recreation
area, and many other uses. In our
estimation. Boys Ranch offers one of the
outstanding real estate developments m
the area."
The history of Variety Club Boys Ranch
dates back 20 years when the idea for such
an institution was conceived by a committee
headed by James O. Cherry of Interstate
Theatres. The first Boys Ranch was
located at Belton. and was later moved to
its present site at Bedford.
The club is now embarking on a new
charity, dedicated to the new and most
important work of conducting operations
on the heart structure of young children
who have abnormal heart conditions. This
is a recent and exciting new field of surgery
which requires the greatest of surgical
skill and a complete array of proper medical
equipment.
Past chief barkers of the Variety Club,
under whose guidance the charity work has
gone forward, include R. J. O'Donnell, Paul
Short. R. E. Griffith, Claude Ezell, James
O. Cherry, William O'Donnell. Julius
Schepps. John Rowley, C. A. Dolsen. Albert
Reynolds, Kendall Way, Clyde Rembert,
Edwin Tobolowsky, and the present leader
Phil Isley.
New Mitchell, S.D., House
Planned by H. A. Hansons
MITCHELL, S. D. — A modern indoor
theatre costing around $75,000 to $85,-
000 will be built here by M:-. and Mi's. H.
A. Hanson, who recently closed the Roxy
Theatre. The target date for completion
is early in September.
"We stiU have faith in the people of
Mitchell." said Hanson, "and we will again
do business when we can offer a top product
in the safety, beauty and comfort they
deserve in a theatre."
Hanson also said the new theatre will
be designed to seat about 800 patrons. It
will be fireproof and refrigerated. He declined
to designate the specific site for
the new construction but said that the
new house would offer a huge parking
area to its customers.
riLMACK'S
(
ESQ^
Year of
SPECIAL
TRAILERS
jAif xfA ^ Speed.
Mid.
"TRADE-IN SALE"
Qiwliti).
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Trade your old worn-out equipment today. We're allowing
big trade discounts. Tell us what you have, we'll make
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deal.
HARDIN THEATRE SUPPLY CO.
"Go Century all the Way"
714 So. Hampton Rd. DMas, Texas
MODERN SALES & SERVICE INC.
For all your theatre needs
Authorized dealer for
R.C.A.— Mofiograph—Ashcroft
2200 Young Street, Dallas, Texas