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i<br />
LEAK<br />
. . Don<br />
. . Sam<br />
of<br />
. . Seen<br />
OMAHA<br />
Q<br />
. . .<br />
.<br />
Ralph Branton, general manager of Tri-<br />
States Theatres, was in the city a few<br />
days H. O. Qualsett, exhibitor in Tekamah,<br />
w-as called to St. Paul, Neb., due to<br />
illness of his father Henry, Sutherland,<br />
Iowa, exhibitor, has a gun repair shop<br />
in his basement. A recent visit to the Minneapolis<br />
sports show gave some new ideas.<br />
. . .<br />
The Chief Theatre in South Omaha passes<br />
its first birthday this month. The house,<br />
owned by Ralph Blank, is the city's newest<br />
Carl Bailey, owner of the Pawnee Theatre<br />
in Pawnee City, is recuperating from<br />
an operation. Lifting of a heavy film container<br />
caused the injury that forced the<br />
operation.<br />
Byron Hopkins' new theatre in Bellevue,<br />
Neb., which was opened some time ago, now<br />
has a name—the Elk. It is named for an<br />
historic hill in Nebraska's oldest town. The<br />
theatre is Bellevue's first . . . Dick Kehrberg,<br />
owner of the Iowa Theatre in Sheldon, Iowa,<br />
is heading the fund drive for a new community<br />
hospital . . . "Unconquered" is only<br />
the fourth picture ever to be held over at the<br />
Orpheum Theatre, the city's largest.<br />
Wally Johnson, Friend, Neb., exhibitor, is<br />
back at his theatre after a honeymoon trip<br />
to Honolulu . . . W. H. Heath, Republic Pictures<br />
salesman, suffered a badly cut finger<br />
on the road. His auto ran out of fuel and<br />
bringing back a tin of gasoline he injured<br />
Eleanor Horwich, Columbia<br />
the finger . . .<br />
cashier, says she has an announcement, too,<br />
along with all the other girls displaying<br />
sparklers. Her boy friend got married<br />
Ernie Meyers, husband of Ruth Meyers,<br />
. .<br />
UA<br />
.<br />
inspector, entered a hospital for a serious<br />
operation.<br />
Anita Colby, Paramount "ambassador,"<br />
held up a train. Due to a change in signals,<br />
she missed her train here and it was held<br />
for her in Council Bluffs imtil a United<br />
Airlines limousine could rush her there.<br />
Visitors along Filmrow included Cliff Sherron,<br />
David City: Fobert Bertram, Schleswig,<br />
Iowa; Eddie Kugel, Holstein, Iowa; 'Wally<br />
Johnson, Friend; F. 'W. Nulteus. Mapleton,<br />
Iowa; Tom Sandberg, Ravemia; Richard Mc-<br />
Tague, Iowa Theatre, Dennison; Don Henry,<br />
Sutherland, Iowa; Byron Hopkins, Sidney,<br />
THEATRE SALES<br />
...<br />
t*^<br />
_ ...... . ki. >«"<br />
A New Proven Method Based on **^<br />
Reputation and Experience. We<br />
cover the U. S. Market Privately.<br />
• Arlhu<br />
BERT THOMAS<br />
Mgr. Midwest oiiice for la.. Neb<br />
^^ Dakotas, Minn.<br />
M 1109 Orchard Lane<br />
^^ Des Moines, Iowa 4-9087 (<br />
Wade Man-<br />
Iowa; M. P. King, Shelby, Neb.;<br />
chester, Dow City, Iowa; Joe Jenny, Malmo;<br />
John Fisher, Valley; Harold Dunn, Valentine,<br />
and Mrs. M. D. Lyhane, Wood River.<br />
Harry Waliier, who worked for nearly 50<br />
years at Fifteenth and Harney streets, is in<br />
Clarkson hospital. He collapsed while talking<br />
with friends. Walker started with the old<br />
Creighton Tlieatre, stayed on when it was<br />
taken over by the Orpheum, was still there<br />
when it became the Keith-Albee-Orpheum,<br />
the Radio-Keith-Orpheum, and finally just<br />
plain Orpheum. He is probably the oldest<br />
active theatreman in town.<br />
Manager Will Singer had a direct wire<br />
from radio station KOIL so he could give<br />
patrons results of the Nebraska primaries<br />
during the regular programs . . . Appearance<br />
of the three top Republican presidential candidates<br />
off and on in the city last week, plus<br />
other campaign fever activity, took away<br />
some theatre patrons.<br />
Tri-States Theatres has a unique anniversary<br />
celebration coming up for the Omaha<br />
Theatre . . . Don't be surprised if the missing<br />
Oscar that Jack Benny talks about shows<br />
up in Omaha . . . Sol Reif, new Film Classics<br />
branch manager, learned that his mother<br />
suffered a slight stroke ... Ed Kugel reports<br />
his new house in Holstein, Iowa is well<br />
under construction . . . Sioux City's Uptown<br />
now is scheduled to open April 29 ... A<br />
year of work was ended with the opening<br />
of the new 200-seat Majestic in Oakland.<br />
. .<br />
All North Platte theatres suffered a temporary<br />
blackout when power lines failed. Exhibitors<br />
refunded admissions . Max Shoemaker,<br />
Tabor, Iowa, exhibitor, joined the list<br />
of new car owners . . . C. E. Paulson has put<br />
in new sound, screen and projection in the<br />
Strand, Wakefield, Neb.<br />
Chief Barker F. A. Van Husan, Western<br />
Theatre Supply owner, and Mrs. Van Husen,<br />
headed the Omaha delegation to the Variety<br />
Club international meeting in Miami. Others<br />
were Meyer Stern, local secretary, and Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Walter Creal, owners of the Beacon<br />
and North Star theatres.<br />
First Sioux City Drive-In<br />
Is Under Construction<br />
SIOUX CITY, IOWA—The first outdoor<br />
motion picture theatre in Sioux City is scheduled<br />
to open between May 15 and June 1,<br />
depending on the weather, at 2900 Highway<br />
75. A permit was issued last week to the<br />
Sioux City Drive-In The-atre for a $3,000 steel<br />
screen tower and a $1,500 projection room<br />
with rest rooms.<br />
John Kampmeyer, president of the firm,<br />
said the foundation of the tower already has<br />
been laid and work on the booth is nearly<br />
finished. Grading will begin this week. The<br />
area will accommodate 700 automobiles and<br />
each car will be provided its own speaker.<br />
The tower will be 56 feet high and the screen<br />
will be about 46 feet square. There will be a<br />
refreshment stand behind the projection<br />
room.<br />
Dickinson Drive-In<br />
Open at Pittsburg<br />
KANSAS CITY—Invitations were received<br />
by all exchanges on Filmrow to attend the<br />
opening Thursday (15<br />
1 the Dickinson<br />
Operating Co.'s 69 Drive-In Theatre one<br />
mile south of the city hmits of Pittsburg,<br />
Kas. Many drove down from Kansas City<br />
to see the theatre, which covers 13 acres,<br />
accommodates approximately 600 cars on its<br />
ramps, and in<br />
addition seats 200 on benches<br />
in front of the screen. The screen is 52x48<br />
feet and is covered with transite, making it<br />
weather resistant.<br />
Individual speakers are used. Heavy duty<br />
projectors throw images on the screen 240<br />
feet.<br />
A playgroimd for children, in front of<br />
the screen but below the audience line of<br />
vision, is equipped with teeter-totters, slides<br />
and swings. A platform will be built back<br />
of this later to accommodate amateur night<br />
programs.<br />
Manager A. C. MacKinney has announced<br />
that shows will begin each night at dusk,<br />
regardless of the weather.<br />
Glen W. Dickinson revealed that land has<br />
been purchased at Salina, Kas., and construction<br />
will start immediately on a 600-car<br />
drive-in there, with a tentative opening date<br />
set for July 4. Art Perry, construction engineer<br />
for the Dickinson Co. and who built<br />
the Pittsburg Drive-In, has been placed in<br />
charge of the one at Salina.<br />
From the BOXOFFICE Files<br />
• •<br />
(T-wenty Years Ago)<br />
n RTHUR A. COLE has resigned as manager<br />
of the Kansas City Paramoimt<br />
branch, after 12 years of service with the<br />
organization. Cole gave ill health and a<br />
nervous condition as his reason for his<br />
resignation, but it is understood that Paramount<br />
executives will not let him leave the<br />
company and that after a vacation and rest,<br />
he will return to the office in another capacity.<br />
* * *<br />
J. L. Waybill has again become the owner<br />
the Royal in Carrolton, Mo. . . . The Star<br />
of<br />
at Cole Camp, Mo., has opened for business<br />
under the management of C. P. Junge . . .<br />
J. H. Campbell of Baldwin, Kas., has bought<br />
the Crystal in Ottawa.<br />
* * *<br />
. . .<br />
. . Walter<br />
. .<br />
A foot of snow fell in northern Iowa last<br />
week and many film salesmen had to leave<br />
their cars over the weekend . on Des<br />
Moines Filmrow: Wesley Mansfield, Tama;<br />
W. A. Graham, Knoxville and Mr. Washburn,<br />
Mount Vernon Naster of Kansas<br />
City is<br />
.<br />
now managing the Lake in Omaha<br />
Nathan Dax has taken over the Hipp<br />
in Sioux City from Morris Smith .<br />
Renz, formerly with National Theatre Supply<br />
in Minneapolis, joined the NSS sales staff<br />
in Omaha . W. A. Burke, formerly of Kansas<br />
City, will assume the south Platte territory<br />
for Paramount, replacing T. M. Tardy.<br />
i\<br />
STEBBINS THEATRE Equipment Co.<br />
TJ^<br />
KANSAS CITr a. MO-<br />
A. B. Krumm Buys Sibley<br />
WINTHROP, MINN.—The Sibley Theatre<br />
has changed hands. A. B. Krumm is the new<br />
owner.<br />
Omar Nelson Leases Soldier<br />
SOLDIER. IOWA—Omar Nelson has leased<br />
the Soldier Theatre here from Conrad Evenson.<br />
He took possession April 1, and is operating<br />
the machines himself.<br />
66 BOXOFFICE :: April 17, 1948