Boxoffice-March.06.1948

. March
lOOO-Seater Planned
In Walerlown, S. D.
WATERTOWN, S. D.—Fred Larkin, Sioux
Palls, S. D,, district manager of the Minnesota
Amusement Co.. announced that the
firm will build a 1.000-seat first run theatre
here "as soon as possible" to replace the
State, which was destroyed by fire in February.
He said construction would start in
three or four months if no hitches develop.
The company, he added, has not yet decided
whether to rebuild the 400-seat State.
The circuit also operates the 600-seat Lyric
here. A site for the new theatre has not been
determined. There is a possibility it will
be on the property of the old Colonial, which
is leased to the Minnesota company. The
theatre has been closed for a number of
years.
Plans were in the making for a new theatre
here and destruction of the State
prompted faster action on the project.
Earl Kerr Takes Over
Two in Knoxville, Iowa
KNOXVILLE, IOWA—Earl Kerr, owner of
a string of Iowa theatres, has taken over the
Grand and Marion theatres here from Mrs.
A. M. Black. Ken- appointed George D.
Hart, formerly of Winterset, to be manager of
the two houses. Hart is also district manager
for Kerr. He has been with the Kerr
organization for the last year and formerly
managed the theatre at Lake View. Phil
Miles, who has served as assistant manager
of the Iowa, Winterset, has been promoted
to manager.
Two Theatres in Iowa
Up Admission Prices
DES MOINES—Two theatres in Iowa have
announced admission price boosts within
the last week. They are the Winthrop at
Winthrop and the Princess at Britt. At the
Winthrop. adult tickets have been advanced
to 45 cents, but children's tickets remain at
12. H. S. "Doc" Twedt of the Princess has
raised adult admissions for evening performances
to 50 cents. Children's admission will
remain unchanged as will matinee prices,
now 40 cents.
One-Nighter in Eddyville
EDDWILLE, IOWA—For the first time
since the floods la.st spring, Eddyville has a
The house was opened here last week
theatre.
by Mr. and Mrs. Carl Singer. It is in the
Den Hartog building, east of the post office.
The new owners are from Fairfield and
operate a chain of theatres in small towns
in this part of the state playing one night in
each town, using portable projectors.
> SPECIAL SHOWMANSHIP
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Storms Cripple Northwest;
Many Programs Cancelled
MINNEAPOLIS—The most brutal winter
weather within recent memory, including
blizzards, heavy snowfalls and subzero temperatures,
has put a crimp in Northwestern
show business, particularly in the rural
areas. North Dakota has been particularly
hard hit. according to reports on Pilmrow.
Films couldn't be delivered on account of
impassable roads and theatres frequently
have had to cancel changes. Salesmen find
themselves stuck in a town for days and have
been navigating with difficulty in their efforts
to cover their territory.
Seek Truck Route
For South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S. D.—Two Sioux Falls
men, Henry Schuette and Russell Hanneman,
are seeking permission of the state Public
Utilities commission for a class B truck permit
to establish a film delivery service for
theatres in approximately 60 towns and cities
in an area bounded by Sioux Falls and
Aberdeen. S. D.
Rialto Theatre Destroyed
In Siloam Springs Fire
SILOAM SPRINGS, ARK.—Tlie Rialto
Theatre, a 350-seater owned by Rex Killibrew,
was destroyed with an estimated loss
of $30,000 by a fire shortly before midnight
March 3. The fire, which started near the
theatre screen shortly after the final show,
later spread to an adjoining business building.
Damages to those buildings and their
contents through fire, smoke and water was
placed at $20,000, making the total fire loss
$50,000. In addition to the Siloam Springs
fire department, the fire was fought by fire
fighters from John Brown university, Fayetteville,
Gravette and Springdale.
Takes Over in Queen City
QUEEN CITY, MO.—R. L. Ti-essner is the
new owner of the local 'Vogue. He obtained
possession from Ralph Graham March 5. In
the theatre business for some time, Ti-essner
has moved here from Collinsville, Okla.,
where he managed the Nusho Theatre for
the Claude Thorpe circuit. Graham who
had the Vogue since July 1946, is building a
new house in the St. Louis exchange territory.
He hopes to have it in operation by May 1.
Sioux City Burglars Fail -^
SIOUX CITY, IOWA—An attempt to force
a door leading to the business office of the
Orpheum here was unsuccessful last week.
Milton Troehler, manager, said the would-be
burglar had taken off the door hinges and
had "jimmied" a lock. He said the Intruder
was frightened away by a watchman.
Joseph S. Connoll'y Rites
DES MOINES—The funeral of Joseph S.
Connolly. 89, who was in the theatrical business
more than 40 years, was held here last
week. He managed early day theatres in Des
Moines.
Big Turnout Is Seen
For Allied Conclave
MINNEAPOLIS— If advance indications
are any criterion, the North Central Allied
convention here March 22, 23 will set a record
high in attendance. President Bennie Berger
attributes the imusual interest to the fact
that the convention will be devoted in considerable
part to a discussion of ways to
break down film costs. The fact that several
national figures in independent exhibitor
ranks will be present also makes the convention
a magnet, he believes.
Among those who will address the convention
are William T. Ainsworth of Wisconsin,
national Allied president; Col. H. A. Cole of
Texas, national director and member of the
Caravan committee, and Sidney Samuelson
of eastern Pennsylvania, Caravan head.
Gov. L. D. Youngdahl of Minnesota and
Mayor H. H. Humphrey of Minneapolis will
welcome the delegates. They also will be
guests at the banquet on the closing night.
Briefs Filed by Attorneys
In Berger Ascap Case
MINNEAPOLIS— S. P. Halpern and L. B.
Schwartz, counsel for Bennie Berger and
Mrs. J. L. Jenson, exhibitors being sued by
Ascap for nonpayment of theatre fees, have
filed their brief with Judge G. B. Nordbye
in federal district court. Its expected that
the plaintiff's brief will be forthcoming
shortly and that a decision may be reached
within several months.
Berger and Mrs. Jenson, with North
Central Allied backing, will carry their fight
to knock out the Ascap theatre fee, which
they contend is illegal, to the U.S. supreme
court, if necessary.
Robert Graham of Los Angeles, attorney
for the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent
Theatre Owners, has been granted
the right to file an amicus curiae in the case.
Circus Draws Heavily
MINNEAPOLIS—Evidence of the fact that
amusements still are booming here is the
record-breaking $114,000 gross garnered by
the annual Shriner's indoor circus. This was
for six nights, a similar number of matinees
and a Saturday morning show.
Theatremen to Rescue
CENTERVILLE, IOWA—Harold Johnson,
manager of the Majestic and Ritz theatres
here, played host to 30 students from the
Moravia school the other morning. The students,
accompanied by a teacher, had made
the trip here to take in a trial at the courthouse,
but the heavy snows detained the
lawyers in the case until 1:30. How to spend
several idle hoiu-s was quite a problem until
Johnson was asked to put on a special show
and he agreed.
Woman Injured in Theatre Crowd
SIOUX CITY, IOWA—Crowds were so
great at the Fourth Street Theatre here the
other day that a patron, Mrs. Ted Isom,
suffered severe lacerations of her right hand
and forearm when she was pushed through
a glass door at the entrance. An emergency
police squad member treated the woman at
the
theatre.
82 BOXOFTICE ;
13, 1948