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OKLAHOMA CITY<br />
The Canadian Theatre at Purcell has been<br />
closed temporarily while repairs are<br />
being made. Meantime, theatregoers in the<br />
Purcell area can go to the Skyview Drivein.<br />
which is now operating on a full-time<br />
basis. "Casey" Phillips. Eagle Theatre. Stillwell,<br />
reported a severe hailstorm at his<br />
home. The storm washed out or broke<br />
Casey's freshly planted flowers.<br />
Hard hit by another hailstorm was Bill<br />
Slepka. Crystal Theatre and Jewel Drivein,<br />
Okemah. Bill also has been having a<br />
bad bout with the flu. the most disagreeable<br />
feature being that it kept him from attending<br />
the variety Tent 22 golf tournament,<br />
which was played here in Oklahoma City<br />
Mondaj (17) ... More fortunate were Mr.<br />
and Mrs. J. S. Worley. who have the Texas<br />
Theatre and the Pioneer Drive-in at Shamrock.<br />
Tex. They came here to pick up a<br />
film but became so intrigued with the<br />
prospects of the Variety golf tourney that<br />
they were persuaded to stay over the weekend<br />
and take part in the competition.<br />
While Jake Guiles of Frank Meyers Film<br />
Co., Dallas, was here on film business and<br />
to enter the Variety tournament, his car<br />
was broken into and his clothes and golf<br />
clubs carried off by a thief or thieves. . .<br />
Also here on film business were Charles<br />
Townsend. manager. General Cinema<br />
in theatres Tulsa: Dale Kirby, Heywood<br />
Simmons Booking Agency. Dallas.<br />
Howard Collier, H&S Theatre. Chandler,<br />
died Sunday (5). His son has the S9er<br />
Theatre, Kingfisher; his brother has the<br />
Kiowa Theatre. Kiowa, and his nephew is<br />
building the Collier Theatre (see separate<br />
Story) in Holdenville and operates the Key<br />
Theatre in Wewoka.<br />
Paul Roberts has completed renovation<br />
and remodeling of the Sunset Theatre in<br />
Westville. He also reported that his mother<br />
recently fractured an arm in a fall.<br />
When Louis C. Griffith, founder of th,-<br />
forerunner company to the present-day<br />
Video Independent Theatres, died in Cali-<br />
OUR CUSTOMERS<br />
appreciate the prompt and efficient shop<br />
work they get at the Oklahoma Theatre<br />
Supply"<br />
"Your Complete Equipment House"<br />
OKLAHOMA THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
628 West Grand Oklahoma City<br />
fornia last month, many details of his industry<br />
career weren't immediately available<br />
for inclusion in his obituary in Boxoffice.<br />
For his industry friends, we include this<br />
additional information from the May issue<br />
of Video's "Around the Circuit":<br />
It was in 1915 that the Griffith brothers<br />
— L. C, R. E. and H. J. (all now deceased)<br />
— embarked in show business<br />
through the acquisition of the old Grand<br />
Theatre Opera House in San Marcos. Tex.,<br />
a venture that was eventually to lead to<br />
the building of at one time one of the<br />
largest circuits in the Southwest.<br />
Following their venture in San Marcos.<br />
they next acquired the Rex Theatre in<br />
Fairfax.<br />
The roster of towns grew to include<br />
such partners as W. J. Moore. Mr. and<br />
Mrs. I. G. Killough. H. M. Lowenstein,<br />
Foster McSwain, A. R. Powell. W. T.<br />
Spears. A. F. Hornbeck. C. E. Leachman,<br />
R. F. Wilbern. J. H. Giffin. the J. D. Lindseys,<br />
J. Howard Hodge, James Zartaludes,<br />
to name only a few. As time dictates, many<br />
of these partners are no longer living and<br />
many of the original towns and theatres<br />
are no long a part of the organization today.<br />
Partners in the formative days for the<br />
most part were active managers.<br />
The Griffith organization trained its<br />
manpower from the ranks. New managers<br />
and executives rose to position through the<br />
extensive training programs and promotion.<br />
Even today most of the older managers of<br />
the circuit and most of the general office<br />
personnel and executive heads are people<br />
It of 25, 30, even 40 years experience. was<br />
a great pride of the "Skipper" that he built<br />
his organization on the strength of initiative<br />
and loyalty.<br />
Various ventures and expansions led to<br />
numerous reorganizations of the Griffith<br />
interests. H. J. Griffith withdrew in 1938<br />
to form his own circuit and R. E. Griffith<br />
died in November 1943. This left L. C.<br />
with the Griffith Theatres Co., which he<br />
headed until he suffered a stroke, bringing<br />
about his retirement in September 1946.<br />
The historic and renowned Griffith Theatres<br />
circuit was acquired by stockholders<br />
of Video Independent Theatres Dec. 1949.<br />
The new company was headed by a group<br />
of long-time former employees of Griffith.<br />
Prior to L. C. Griffith having to relinquish<br />
business because of illness, his productive<br />
years were filled with social, civic<br />
and community efforts: A few of these<br />
were reviewed in an obituary in the Oklahoma<br />
City Times: first president. Oklahoma<br />
American Cancer Society: chairman.<br />
OC Council of Defense. World War II:<br />
Community Fund head in 1946: co-founder<br />
and first chief barker of Variety Tent 22,<br />
Oklahoma City; director. Liebman Independent<br />
Ice Companies: member, board of<br />
governors. Associated Industry, and vicepresident<br />
of Kadane-Griffith Oil Co..<br />
Wichita. Kas. Griffith also was president<br />
of Oklahoma Specialty Film Exchange Co..<br />
which leased films to Oklahoma exhibitors.<br />
He was 80 when he died Friday, April 23,<br />
in Palm Springs. Calif.<br />
Abernathys in 55th Year<br />
As Fairview Exhibitors<br />
FAIRVIEW. OKLA.—About a month<br />
ago Roy and Tressie Abernathy, Fairview's<br />
husband-and-wife exhibitor team, passed<br />
another important landmark. The important<br />
day was April 18—and 54 years ago on that<br />
date, the Abernathys took over the Fairview<br />
theatre, then known as the Odeon, and<br />
have continued their operation of it right<br />
up to now.<br />
Roy. 86. and Tressie. 83. have been married<br />
64 years and for many years celebrated<br />
their wedding anniversary. October 31, by<br />
running a Halloween preview for young<br />
people of the Fairview community.<br />
They both arc still active in the community<br />
and have many friends among the younger<br />
people, scores of whom they have employed<br />
at the Royal, as their theatre is now<br />
designated.<br />
When the Abernathys took over the<br />
Odeon in 1917. running two-reel westerns<br />
and one-reel comedies six nights a week,<br />
with a Saturday matinee. Tressie was the<br />
cashier, selling tickets at five and ten cents.<br />
Roy ran the single projector and Don helped<br />
sweep out and run errands. Today Tressie is<br />
still in charge of the ticket-booth, dispensing<br />
tickets at somewhat higher prices; Roy is<br />
running up-to-date projectors and Don is<br />
handling buying and booking and other theatre<br />
chores.<br />
Roy shoots his age on the local golf<br />
course whenever the weather is right. After<br />
a recent snowstorm, he was caught by a<br />
local photographer shoveling the snow from<br />
the sidewalk in front of the Royal. Roy and<br />
Tressie are both '89ers, coming to Oklahoma<br />
as children in 1889. They are also<br />
charter members of the pioneer organization.<br />
"Eighty-Niners."<br />
They still think that "there's no business<br />
like show business" but they would like to<br />
have producers turn out more G-rated<br />
films.<br />
Producer Walter Seltzer has signed Ron<br />
Grainer to compose the score tor "1 Am<br />
Legend."<br />
^^<br />
""""<br />
CARBONS, Inc.<br />
*<br />
Box K, Cedar Knolls, N.J.<br />
ty* ?€t m*xc — W* (* tie Cow" £<br />
SW-4<br />
BOXOFFICE :: Mav 24, 1971
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