Boxoffice-March.06.1948

: March
Tax Survey Shows
Fall in Grosses
BIRMINGHAM—A survey based on sales
tax receipts shows that theatre admissions
continue to decline in Alabama.
Tlie siu-vey, made by the University of
Alabama's bureau of business research, shows
that December receipts were off 11 per cent
as compared with those for December 1946.
All but two regions in the state figured
In the decline, the survey shows. Jackson,
Marshall and DeKalb counties in the northeast
corner of the state showed a 3.2 per cent
gain, while Franklin, Marion, Lamar and Fayette
countries in the northwest section were
up 15 per cent.
Jeffer.son county 'Birmingham) receipts
were off 7.9 per cent. Mobile coimty slumped
6.6 per cent.
Reidsville Shifts Amos,
Promotes Olin Evans
Shows Video Newsreel
MIAMI—Robert H. Reid, manager of the
television department of INS, demonstrated
the INS-International News Photos newsreel,
prepared for television broadcasts weekly, in
the Miami Herald's photographic studio. He
stated that television is coming into its own
as a popular mediiun, with 33 stations planning
to go on the air this year in addition
to the 16 now in operation. A Miami station
is expected to start television broadcasts
next fall.
John Johnson to Avon Park
AVON PARK, FLA.—John Johnson has
been named manager of the Avon Park Theater.
He comes to Avon Park from Haines
City where he was assistant manager of the
Florida.
Al F, Weiss Resists Modernization
Of Miami Vaude-Film Institution
MIAMI—Tliere has been talk of restyling
Paramount's Olympia Theatre here In the
modern manner, and AI F. 'Weiss jr, is "agin"
It,
As manager of this 2,100-seat house. 'Weiss
has had no little part in making it a Miami
institution; the largest theatre in the south
with year-around vaudeville.
"There is something homey about the
place," he says when talk gets around to
modernization. "People are used to it and
they like it the way it is. I think it would
lose its charm and atmosphere if they ever
gave it the new look,"
WAS MANAGER AT OPENING
Weiss was around when the theatre opened
22 years ago, and he has been there most
of the time since, though Paramount moved
him around some to theatres in West Palm
Beach, Tampa, Bristol and Hartford, Conn.,
and Springfield, Mass. He steered it through
boom-and-bust days and has kept it on an
even keel while the city grew up around it.
He loves every inch of its masonry, includ-
REIDSVILLE, N. C—J. W. "Joe" Amos sr.
has been transferred from the Broadway to
manage the Reid. He came to this city 11 ing the artificial stars that have been winking
in ceiling these years.
years ago to manage the Broadway. A showman
its all
of long standing. Amos entered the
Al and the Olympia go together like ham
and eggs. Apparently they understand each
business at the age of six when he tore his
first ticket as a theatre doomian. He has
other very well. 'Y'ou can't laugh off the
been associated with theatres in Kinston,
fact that its policy of year-around vaudeville
works C. and Danville, Va. He is a member of
N.
actually profitably, despite the
the Rotary club and other civic organizations.
fact that vaudeville has fallen flat on its
face in whatever other local theatre it has
Olin Evans, who came to this city six
months ago as projectionist at the Reid, has been
been transferred to the Broadway as manager.
tried.
appears to take a special kind of genius
It
He at one time was with Martin Theatres
to keep on grinding out, week after week, a
of Columbus, Ga. Diu-ing the war he
live show that keeps the cash register jingling
was with the army pictorial service in London
at the boxoffice. Al makes a three-week trip
and Paris.
every fall to New "^ork and Chicago where
The Rockingham, Reid and Broadway theatres
he looks over the show world. He consults
are operated by the Reidsville Amuse-
ment Co.
with agents and bookers and by the time
he gets back he knows exactly what's going
College Shows 'Enfants'
MEMPHIS—Memphis State college showed
the new French picture, "Les Enfants du
Paradis," (Children of Paradise) March 1.
The show w-as open to the public.
New Face for Plaza
HARRISON, ARK, — The front of the
Plaza Theatre here, has been modernized.
BOXOFFICE :
13, 1948
on.
The Olympia took its 22nd birthday calmly,
marking it with a new stage setting, a popular
picture "Green Dolphin Street," and a bangup
show headlined by Connee Boswell, with
Hal LeRoy the extra added attraction. Lou
Saxon, Arthur LeFleur, the Three Mervels,
completed the week's fare.
EARLY TO SPOT STARS
An exceptionally good hand at spotting
talent. 'Weiss played Ginger Rogers and Judy
Canova when they were unknowns. Cass
Daley, Hildegarde, Gil Lamb, Lorraine and
Rognan, Alan Carney, and 'Wally Brown are
others who have had an assist from the
Olympia's manager. Paul 'Whiteman, Helen
Morgan, Mischa Auer, Jack Haley, Eddie
Cantor, and Dorothy Lamour are a few of
the celebrities who have appeared on the
Olympia's stage—one of the largest in the
.south. It's 84 feel wide, J8 feel deep, with
a procenium arch 39 feet high.
A portrait of Weiss, in oils, hangs in his
office. It was painted by Phil Crane, of Phil
and Mildred, who played the theatre in '46,
Though a singing act, Phil's hobby was
painting and a stunt was cooked up with
him to be shown working on the portrait.
By the time the picture was finished and the
act could be booked again, the Cranes had
go into temporary eclipse due to the birth
to
of a child. The stunt never iso fan has
seen the light of day, but the portrait hangs
In Al's office where it looks as solid a part
of the Olympia's walls as the cornerstone of
the
building.
l.OOO-Seat Little Opened
In Camden as First Run
CAMDEN, S. C—T. Lee Little was scheduled
to open his 1,000-seat Little Theatre
here Monday i8i with civic leaders and film
people from the Charlotte exchanges in attendance.
The Little is a replacement for the Camden,
first run outlet here for the last ten
years. The Camden w'ill pass out of existence
April 15 and the property will be converted
into an office and store building. Little sold
the property to a group of local businessmen
who will do the remodeling.
The new Little is said to be one of the
finest in the territory. It stands on property
that has been in the Little family for many
years and was designed by Ralph Little,
brother of the owner.
Rotary Honors Gaylard
TROY, ALA,—Jimmy Gaylard. Enzor Theatre
manager, has been named vice-president
of the Troy Rotary club for 1948.
\\ K . I1'.M\ I.\S- I'r. Client, Georgia
Theatre Company, Atlanta, Ga.
—declares:
"We consider RCA Service a
vital factor in giving our
people the finest motion picture
entertainment."
To get the benefits of RCA Service
—write: RCA SERVICE COMPANY,
INC., Camden, New Jersey.