Boxoffice-March.06.1948

: March
. . . Edwin
. . Henry
. . Mr.
Paramount Promotes
Kane to Division Job
BOSTON—Charles M. Reas
dent in chai-ge of distributuni
Pictures. announced
the promotion of Albert
M. Kane to assistant
division manager
of the eastern division,
making him an
aide to Hugh Owen,
eastern -southern division
manager.
Kane has been dis-
-prt'si
trict manager of the
Boston exchange since
1944. He started with
the company 23 years
Albert M. Kane
ago and has served as
assistant chief accountant, assistant booker,
chief accountant, booking manager, salesman.
sales manager, branch manager and district
manager in that order. Born in Brighton
and now residing in Belmont, he was graduated
from the Brighton high school. Bentley
accounting school and Suffolk law
school. He served with the infantry in World
War I and is a member of the Lieut. Mac-
Auley post. American Legion. His memberships
in other clubs include the Exchange
drives and other industry benefits.
The position taken by Kane is newly created.
As the news of the promotion became
known, hundreds of congratulatoi-y messages
were received by Kane.
Two Germaine Children
Perish in Home Fire
PITTSFIELD, MASS.—Tragedy overtook
Germaine Gei-maine. manager of the Palace
Theatre here, and his wife when two of thei;-
children, age one and three, respectivley,
were burned to death in a fire at the Germaine
home on the outskirts of the city.
Kay Beth, who was one year old the day
to burn rubbish, returned about five
minutes later and found the house in flames.
Benjamin Bates, 30, of Pittsfield, entered
a window of the five-room cottage and carried
the little girl out. He said he also could
hear the boy crying but was unable to
discover where he was.
Kay Beth had a State police inhalatcr
applied to her for more than an hour before
she was pronounced dead.
Three other Germaine children—Eugene,
9, John, 7, and Mark, 5—were in the Palace
with their father attending a Saturday
morning children's show.
Gets Low Car License Number
HARTFORD—Fred Greenway, Palace man
ager, has obtained 1948 license number FHfor
his motor car.
FALL RIVER
pile Embassy here has been leased to the
Rialto Amusement Co, . . . Under the
terms agreed on by William C. Purcell,
builder, the Rialto company takes immediate
possession, with William S. Canning,
general manager of I he Yamins houses here,
in charge. John McAvoy is the manager.
The theatre occupies the site of the former
First Christian church. It is reported it
will be occupied by the New Yorkers, a stock
company, this summer.
A few weeks ago, the management of the
Embassy placed a request blank in the local
newspaper on which it asked theatregoers
to write out the name of a film they had enjoyed
and would like to see again. Tlic
management reported, under the caption cf
"Command Performance," that the public
response was unprecedented. Hundreds of
filled-in blanks were mailed in and the
Embassy office literally was deluged with
telephone requests for favorite films. The
Embassy bookings were canceled and popular
favorites substituted. "The Lost Week-End"
with 862 votes headed the list of productions
Fall Riverites demanded to see again. Others
were "Casablanca," "When Irish Eyes Are
Smiling," "Follow the Fleet" and "Laura."
on the screens.
Mary Quigley has resigned as candy girl
at the Academy to accept another position
Stephenson is the new projectionist
at the Academy, replacing James Garvey
who is now at the Embassy . and
Mrs. Harry Zeitz of the Zeitz Theatres plan
to attend the Variety Club convention in
Miami Beach in April. There they will meet
their son Robert, who will be enjoying a
midterm vacation from the University of
Georgia.
NEWHAMPSHIRE
BOXOFFICE :
persons who want to attend shows have solved
of the blaze, and Gary, three, were in a
the baby-sitter problem in Sandwich.
cottage-type structure on Pontoosuc Lake
about 11 a. m. when a fire, apparently caused When a minstrel show was staged, a preview
was held, at which girls who were to
by the explosion of an oil heater attached to
the kitchen stove, raced through Mrs.
care for children of couples attending the
it.
regular
Germaine, who had gone to a nearby dump
show the following night, were admitted
free ... A total of $180.70 was collected
at the Somersworth Theatre during
the March of Dimes campaign. In Farmington.
the Strand patrons contributed $160.
John T. Dallas, retired Episcopal bishop
of New Hampshire, has established a "hideout"
home in Lee, where he has a tiny chapel
with hand-worked candles on the altar. The
candles are sent to him every year by Charles
Starrett, Massachusetts-born western film
star, whom the former bishop confirmed in
his boyhood.
Art Rothefel, son of the famous "Roxy" of
New York theatrical fame a generation ago.
has become manager of WFEA in Manchester,
where he formerly was program director
of WKBR . Myers, superintendent
of the Dover Film Corp.. was one of
the speakers at an institute on industrial relations
held in Dover.
Long Holiday Brings
Big Boston Grosses
BOSTON— The long holiday weekend pulled
packed houses in most downtown spots. A
Sunday morning snowstorm seemed an ill
omen but fortunately skies cleared in time
for a good Sunday night and a smash
Monday.
Loew's State and Orpheum held over with
"Three Daring Daughters" and at the Metropolitan
"Saigon" nearly reached the holdover
figure but was replaced the la.st moment
with "Call Northside 777." "Night Song" at
the Memorial, which opened on the holiday,
had a fancy first four days. "The Voice of
the Turtle" at the Paramount and Fenway,
in a moveover from the Met, was also stanch.
At the Astor, where "The Bishop's Wife"
completed its ninth week, business showed
one of the best weekends since its opening.
(Average is 100)
Astor—The Bishop's Wile (RKO), 9lh wk
Bostori— I Love Trouble (Col), plus stage show
Exeter Street—The Upturned Glass (U-I): One of
Our Aircrait Is Missing (SR)
(Tri 2nd
-Night Song (RKO); Fighting Mad
-Saigon (Parr Let's Live Again
(20lh-Fox)
Parornount and Fenwav—The Voice of the
Turtle (WB): The Challenge (2nth Fox)
State and Orpheum—Three Daring Daughters
(MGM); Wreck of the Hesperus (Col)
Timberlane' High With 125
In Good New Haven Stanza
NEW HAVEN—The public school holiday
of a week and good billings brought business
up above several figures for some of the
downtowns. "Gentleman's Agreement" stayed
a third week at the College and "Cass Tim-
L-erlane" went to the Bijou for its second
week instead of in the usual Poli-to-College
pattern. At the Paramount "Saigon" and
"Gas House Kids in Hollywood" also were
second week tenants. Unprecedented lines
waited at the Bijou matinees for "Bambi."
Bijou-Bambi (RKO), reissue; On the Old
Spanish Trail (Rep) 115
College—Gentleman's Agreement (20th-Fox),
Philo Vance's Secret Mission (EL), 2nd wk 110
Loew Poll—Cass Timberlane (MGMl,
Campus Honeymoon (Rep) 12b
Paramount—Saiqon (Para); Gas House Eids in
Hollywood (EL) 110
Roger Sherman—The Voice of the Turtle (WB);
Adventures of Don Coyote (UA) 100
Better Weather Lifts
Grosses at Hartford
HARTFORD—With improved weather, the
first runs took in healthier grosses. Openings
included "Call Northside 777" and "Intrigue."
AUyn—Saigon (Para); Campus Honeymoon
(Rep), 2nd wk 120
E. M, Loews—Relentless (Col); Two Blondes and
a Redhead (Col), 2nd wk 90
Loew's Poll—Call Northside 777 (20th Fox);
Half Past Midnight (20th-rox) 140
Palace—Cass Timberlane (MGM);
Devil Ship (Col), 2nd wk 100
Regal—The Voice of the Turtle (WB), 2nd wk 110
State—Song of the Drifter (Mono),
plus stage show 100
,
Strand-Intrigue (UA); Captain Boycott (U-I) 90
Seek 'Screening' Group
NAUGATUCK. CONN.—Ralph Pa.sho of the
Salem Theatre held an infonnal meeting in
his office with the heads of the Naugatuck
Parent-Teachers Ass'n in response to a suggestion
made by the Rev. Willard B. Soper
of the Congregational chm-ch at a recent
forum that a committee of PTA men and
women and other community groups be organized
for the purpose of ".screening" motion
pictures and other entertainment.
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