Boxoffice-March.06.1948

: March
Committeemen Named
By Variety Teni 31
NEW HAVEN—Arthui- Greenfield, property
master of the Variety Club of Connecticut,
Tent 31, announced the new committees
is chairman of the births, anniversaries, etc.,
committee, acting with Bernard W. Levy, and
George Reif. Ben Simon, 20th-Fox manager,
heads the membership committee, assisted
by Henry Germaine, Lou Cohen, Edward
Fitzpatrick, William Vuono, Morris Jacobson,
and Robert Elliano. Harry F. Shaw,
Loew Poll division manager, is chairman of
the entertainment and special events committee,
with Ben Segal manager of the Shubert,
New Haven legit theatre, as co-chairman,
and William Brown, Morris Podoloff,
Ed Schweitzer, Rudy Frank, James Milne,
William Vuono, Sid Kleper and George Weber
as committeemen.
TO DRAFT BYLAWS
jr., Harry Rosenblatt, Tim O'Toole, Ben Simon,
Harry Lavietes, Maurice Bailey, Carl
Goe, Ben Segal and Hugh Maguire.
Barkers are asked to make early reservations
for the Variety Clubs International convention
at the Roney Plaza hotel, Miami
Beach, April 12-17. Lou Brown heads the
"On to Miami" convention committee.
Ex-Vaudevillian Working
Back Into Show Business
BOSTON— George F. Brown, who once
smiled and bowed at theatregoers from behind
the footlights, Is
once again smiling
and bowing to theatre
patrons, but in a dif-
for 1948, appointed by Barney Pitkin, chief
barker. The organization, comparatively new
ferent way. His profession
in this state, has dedicated itself to increased
activity in many directions. Members
died with the
passing of vaudeville
invited to contact committee chairmen
with all helpful ideas for the furtherance of
and he is. getting back
into show business
group's program.
Maurice Bailey, of the Bailey circuit. New
way, as
Haven, is chairman of the welfare committee, doorman at the Astor,
assisted by I. H. Levine,
top
Edward Levy,
house
A.
of B&Q Associates.
J.
hard
the
now the
Mattes, L. S. Ginsburg, William Brown, Morris
Jacobson and Michael Tomasino.
Bernard Stewart,
manager of the Astor, George F. Brown
ALL ASPECTS COVERED
says he is about ready to step up to an assistant
manager's job.
The ways, means and finance committee
A native Bo.stonian. "Brownie" got his
is headed by George H. Wilkinson jr., of the
Wilkinson, Wallingford, with Harry Lavietes .start in vaudeville here doing song and
of the Pequot, New Haven, as co-chairman,
and Al Pickus, Edward J. Peskay, Leo Schuman
dance routines and impersonations.
his vivid memories is a benefit show
One of
given
and John Perakos assisting. The tickets here for the Theatrical Mechanics Ass'n, in
and testimonials committee consists of which he sang with a quartet. He says an
Harry Rosenblatt, Metro exchange manager, unknown youngster by the name of Al Jolson
and Sam Germaine. Maurice Shulman, Sam stopped that show with his singing of "My
Rosen, Jack Fishman, Leo Ricci, Samuel Rosary."
Bailey, John Pavone and Lou Phillips. On Brown played Fox and Loew time, later
house and building committee Hugh A. Magujre,
RKO office manager and head booker,
joined A. B. Marcus and then the Bob Ott
musical comedy company at the time Ray
serves as chairman, with Tim O'TooIe, Columbia
Bolger was breaking in. For five years Brown
exchange manager, as co-chairman,
was straight man to Mike Sachs in burlesque.
and Jerry Lewis, William J. Hutchins, Frank
After leaving vaudeville he became man-
Meadow, and Morton Katz.
Carl Goe, Warner Bros, exchange manager,
ager of a small resort hotel in Newport,
then joined Confidential Reports. Sam
Cohen and Pete Lavesque, managers of the
B&Q house in Quincy, urged him to get in
touch with circuit headquarters for a permanent
position. Stewart got him just in
time for the world premiere of "The Fugitive"
which opened the Astor. "I needed
somebody with tact, class and diplomacy,"
said Stewart, "and Brownie fits the bill."
Ernest Emerling to Speak
At Newspaper Meeting
SPRINGFIELD—Ernest Emerling of New
York, director of advertising and publicity
of the 139 Loew's theatres in the United
Luncheon and speakers will be in charge States, will speak at the New England Newspaper
Advertising Executives Ass'n conven-
of Dr. J. B. Fishman. head of Fishman Theatres,
as chairman, and Herman M. Levy, tion at the Hotel Kimball here March 9 on
MPTOA counsel, co-chairman, R. W. Davis, -Motion Picture Theatre Advertising." He
John A. Brown, and Milton Hyams. Working
with publicity and trade papers, as well ness, the peculiarities of theatre advertis-
outlined the problems of the picture busi-
as radio are Lou Brown. Loew Poll publicity ing, adherence to advertising code, the matter
of rates and free publicity, how the ad-
chief, as chairman, and Robert F. Kaufmann,
Rudy Frank, James Milne and Franklin Ferguson.
Bylaws will be drafted by Herman M. of keeping amusement pages clean.
vertising dollar is spent and the importance
Levy and Maxwell Alderman, Allied Theatres
of Connecticut secretary, as co-chairmen, 28 years, of which 18 were spent in the New
Emerling has been associated with Loew's
and Sherman Rosenberg. George Comden, York advertising department. Pi-ior to that
and Phil Sherman.
he was city manager and manager in various
The new board of governors, consisting of Loew houses throughout the country.
chairmen of committees and officers of the
club, includes Barney Pitkin, Harry F. Shaw.
Dr. J. B. Fishman, Lou Brown, Herman M.
Boost Theatre Ad Rates
Levy, Maxwell Alderman, Arthur Greenfield,
William Brown, George H. Wilkinson WATERBURY. CONN. — Theatre space
rates jumped on the Republican-American,
morning and evening papers, from $1.95 to
$2.10 an incli as of March 1. following similar
moves in several parts of the state. Only
town to limit use of space because of lack of
newsprint now is Bridgeport, where limit is
20 inches per day, and space is not cumulative.
2,000 Attend Funeral
Oi Fred J. Greene, 46
WOONSOCKET, R. I.—Two thousand
mourners attended the funeral .service of
Fred J. Greene. Woonsocket exhibitor, who
died suddenly Saturday morning, February
21, while at his desk at the Bijou Theatre.
He was 46 years old.
Every theatre owner of Rhode Island was
present at the services, as well as representatives
from the Knights of Columbus, the
Lions, Rotary and other civic and .social organizations.
Many came from Boston's Filmrow.
Friends and exhibitors traveled many
miles to pay silent tribute to "the most beloved
New Englander in show business."
A great civic leader, Greene was responsive
to all worthy cau.ses, using his theatres, the
Park and the Bijou, to further and promote
civic drives, including the Red Cro.ss, Community
Fund, March of Dimes, Cancer Research
and other humanitarian projects
sponsored by the city and by the industry.
At the time of his death he was president of
the Woonsocket Chamber of Commerce, a
director of the Woonsocket Trust Co. and a
director of the Rotary club. He was a past
president of the Lions and was an active
member of Independent Exhibitors. Inc., of
New England and the Independent Theatre
Owners of Rhode Island.
Last year he was presented the "Swell
Guy" award given annually by the Variety
Club of New England.
He was a graduate of Pi-ovidence college
and a director of Hill college of Woonsocket,
a business school. He is survived by his wife,
the former Alice Comior. and three small
children; a sister, who flew from California
for the services; a brother. Gregory Greene,
sports editor of the Woonsocket Call, and
another brother. Leo, captain of the Woonsocket
police, who is seriously ill in a hospital.
Independent Theatre Owners of Rhode Island
had planned to give Greene a huge testimonial
dinner this spring.
Golden Wedding Marked
By Joseph Mekelburgs
BOSTON—A golden wedding anniversary
was celebrated by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Mekelburg February 22 when 100 friends attended
a dinner at the Hotel Somerset to
honor the happy couple.
Seated at the anniversary table with the
Mekelburgs were their son Alan, his wife
and daughter, who came on from Portland,
Ore., for the event; their daughter. Mrs. Isaac
Schwartz of New Bedford, her husband and
daughter, and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Josephs.
Josephs, a film salesman for Bay State
Films, was an usher at the wedding 50 years
ago.
Joseph Mekelburg is the manager of the
Roxbury. Roxbury, and has been in the filiiji
business for many years. He has sold film
for Metro. UA. Warner's and other exchanges
and is one of the oldest industryites in point
of service in the territory.
Vote for 'Mom and Dad'
FRANKLIN. N. H.—Tlie mayor and city
council voted in favor of allowing Hygienic
Productions' "Mom and Dad" to be shown at
the Capitol Theatre. The council-mayor
meeting vote followed a preview of the film
by the council.
BOXOFFICE :
6. 1948
79