ynduA^

. . Herb
. . 'Wayne
. .
ALBANY
'£he MGM staff and all Pilmrow were
plunged into grief by news Januai-y
30 of the death, at her home in suburban
Colonie, of Mrs. Margaret M. Hildreth,
MGM cashier. She had not been in
the best of health at various times since
the summer, but had worked as late as
January 8. The efficient, friendly, kindly
and fine-appearing Margaret waged a valiant
struggle to overcome, in recent weeks,
a sapping illness, being a patient in St.
Peter's Hospital for a time. She was believed
to be about 50. Manager Ralph
Ripps, who with his secretai-y, Mrs. Catherine
Shea, visited Mjrs. Hildi-eth in the hospital,
led the eulogies. The Metro group
appeared close to tears, as they spoke of
Mrs. Hildreth's 15 years of service. She
started as a contract clerk and stenotypist,
advancing steadily. George Thornton,
Catskill Mt. exhibitor, spoke for the
theatremen. Funeral services were Thursday
morning ( 1 ) with a Solemn Requiem
Mass celebrated in St. Clare's Roman
Catholic Church, Menands. Suivivors are
her husband, a daughter, a son and a
sister.
Al Marchetti, "dean of Mlmrow," will be
honored by WB with a short-subjects
drive dui-ing April. He started in the industi-y
in New York City 43 yeai-s ago, coming
to Albany in 1922. For a while Al was
with old First National, then sei-ved here
for Universal over a long span. He lives in
Cohoes . Gaines, 'WB manager,
headed for New York and a division sales
meeting Januai-y 31 . . . Mrs. Ann Peck
now is
an assistant in the Fabian division
office on an upper floor of the Palace.
Irene Econome retains her duties as booker
and chief aide . Carignan, 20th-
Fox salesman, and Frank Lynch, Paramount
salesman, joined John 'Wilhelm,
20th-Fox exchange manager, in lauding the
beauty, comfort, medical staff and care
given at 'Will Rogers Memorial Hospital,
Saranac Lake, after a recent visit to the
chest disease care and research center.
director for the Home Savings Bank,
Ed Wall, who served as director of exploitation
for Paramount Pictures in the
Albany and Buffalo territories, before the
company closed its large downtown exchange
recently took on a second job. Manager
of the Dutch 'Village, an apartment
development in subm-ban Menands, he was
given the added post of advertising-publicity
one of the city's oldest and largest. This
came after Han-y D. Yates, ovraer of
Dutch "Village, was elected president of
the bank. Incidentally, "Wall stages an intriguing
teaser campaign for the opening
of Home's new branch on Central Ave. The
Sunday Times-Union printed a picture of
Richard J. iDicki Conners, new president
of the Common Council and a former trade
paper correspondent, with Yates and other
bank officers at the branch premiere. Conners
cut the ribbon.
Among those catching the show at the
Palace Sunday night were Carmella Mottolese.
Columbia cashier, and John Disch
of The Times-Union dispatch division.
John Gottiso, in charge that evening of
the "Showplace of Upstate New York"
as the refurbished theatre is advertised,
had a busy time. Among those seeking lost
articles was a 5-year-old girl, who was
—
minus a red slipper-shoe. Sgt. Frank 'Whalen,
who does weekend duty had the shoe
turned over to him. He, in turn, left it with
Gottuso; when the child and her older
sister returned, the footwear was presented
to its owner. Later, their mother came
for the two youngsters.
, .
Betty Mitchell, daughter of Mrs. Mai'-
garet Mitchell, director of the Palace concession
stand, helped her mother. Usually,
Betty works at the Ti-i-State stand in the
Strand . . . Ti-i-State trucks now bear the
name, "Ti'i-State Refreshments, Inc.,"
which replaced "Tri-State Automatic Candy
"
Corporation. ABC 'Vending Co. remains the
parent company. George Schenck is Albany
district manager . Johnny Capano followed
a bill headed by "La Dolce 'Vita"
with one topped by "The 'Virgin Spring,"
at the America, art house in Ti'oy.
niustrating the current shortage of
product, Albany's two leading downtown
theatres, the Palace and the Strand, played
reissue bills for a week. The Fabian house
exhibited "Ivanhoe" and "Knights of the
Round Table": the Stanley Warner, "The
'World of Suzie 'Wong" and "Stalag 17"
.
For "King of Kings," the Stanley 'Warner
Ritz is presenting one afternoon and one
evening performance Monday through Friday:
two matinee and one night screening,
Saturday and Sunday. The film
opened Friday 1
2 1
.
Mrs. Paul Wallen, attractive wife of the
Leland's proprietor, has made steady recoveiT
from a broken ankle and a broken
hip, suffered in a fall.
Frank Williams, longtime booker for
Benton Theatres, was repoi-ted in serious
condition Januai-y 30. The first stories had
it that he was in Saratoga Hospital, but a
telephone call to Mayor Jim Benton
brought word that 'Williams was in Albany
Medical Center. He was said to be slated
for an operation. Filmrowers expressed
fervent hopes for the veteran's complete
recovery. He also owns two businesses in
the Spa.
.
Joe Firlik jr. of Firlik Express Service,
Albany film delivery company, has
purchased the Essex Theatre in Port
Henry from Kallet Theatres of Oneida and
scheduled a reopening this weekend. John
Rossi, who operated it on lease from Kallet,
withdrew. Firlik, living in nearby Elizabethtown,
managed the Essex for Kallet
when the circuit operated the house several
years ago . .
'Warner district
Martin Burnett, Stanley
manager and manager of
the Strand, was incorrectly given the name
of "Harold" in a recent edition of Boxoffice.
Arthur Rosen, assistant to Nat Lapkin
of the Stanley 'Warner Corp. and son of
Sam Rosen, SW officer, was in town to
visit WAST-TV (owned by SWi. He also
attended the 'Variety luncheon meeting
January 30 at which brother, Dave, recently
elected chief barker, presided.
Andy Antoinette, a Palace projectionist
and brother of Unc and Pete Antoinette,
also operators, was widowed recently. Four
daughters and a number of gi-andchildren
also survived.
Albany Tent's Open House
First Variety Week Event
ALBANY—Open house, in the new clubrooms
on the mezzanine of the Sheraton-
Ten Eyck Hotel, will open the local observance
of 'Variety Week, February 25-March
3. A Champagne Ball in the adjoining Empire
and Harlequin rooms will climax the
celebration on the latter date.
The second event of the week, following
open house, will be a luncheon for past
chief barkers Febi-uai-y 28, also at the Ten
Eyck. The cost of this affair has not been
fixed, but International Chief Barker
Edward Emmanuel, Philadelphia, will top
the list of guests. Other international
officers. New York City men. and Mayor
Erastus Corning of Albany, will be among
those attending.
The Champagne Ball will be $15 per
couple, this including the champagne and
entertainment. Open house, for members,
their wives and potential wives, will be a
free, two-hour Sunday afternoon.
The auxiliary, now being organized, will
assist at the ball.
Plans for the 'Variety Week events were
drafted by Chief Barker David Rosen and
.several barkers at a luncheon meeting in
Keeler's Restaurant Januai'y 30.
Tent 9, having sold the three-story brick
building at 328 State St., will move back to
refurbished quarters in the Ten Eyck
February 17.
Frank Sinatra to Greet
Children at 'Sergeants'
NEW YORK—Frank Sinatra, star of
"Sergeants 3" for United Artists release,
will personally seiwe as host to some 2,500
orphans and handicapped children at the
10 a.m. opening perfoiTnance of the picture
at the Capitol Theatre Saturday
HO.)
The children, who will arrive from all
parts of the city in a fleet of 60 buses, are
from various welfare organizations, including
the Pi-otestant Council of New
York, the Police Athletic League, the
Henry Street Settlement, Leake and Watts
Children's Home of Yonkers and the Casita
Maria.
Stanley Schneider Named
Aide to Leo Jaffe at Col.
NEW YORK—Stanley Schneider, administrative
assistant to Mo Rothman,
executive vice-president of Columbia Pictures
International, will move over to the
parent company, CoUmibia Pictures, as administi-ative
assistant to Leo Jaffe, first
vice-president and treasurer.
Schneider has been with Columbia since
1946 and was appointed Rothman's assistant
in 1960. Previously, he served in
various capacities including assistant treasurer
of the international organization.
Bookers Set Party
NEW YORK—The annual theatre party
of the Motion Pictui'e Bookers Club of
New York will be held on April 4. The committee
has selected "Isle of Children," directed
by Jules Dassin and starring Patty
Duke, as the play. Myron J. Starr is the
chaiiTnan of the theatre party committee.
Paramount's "It's Only Money," a Jerry
Lewis comedy, is being directed by Gordon
Douglas,
E-4 BOXOFFICE February 5, 1962