Boxoffice-April.17.1948

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. . Hazel
. . William
DeRochemont Sets Up
Screen Writing Fund
DURHAM, N. H.—The University of New
Hampshire here has received a gift of $1,200
from Louis DeRocliemont, motion picture
producer, who has a home in nearby Newington,
to promote interest in screen writing,
it has been announced by Dean Laui'en E.
Seeley, executive office of the university.
The gift by DeRochemont, originator of
March of Time, will establish a four-year
program of film writing awards to UNH undergraduates,
begmning this year. A first
award of $200 and second award of $100 will
be given annually through 1951.
The producer's donation is made up of the
$1,000 American Design award which he received
last year from Lord & Taylor of
New York for authority and realism injected
into the DeRochemont films, plus the accumulated
interest.
DeRochemont, now a producer for MGM,
as weU as United World Films, which is turning
out a 72-reel series on "Htmian Geography,"
designed exclusively for classroom
use, said his gift to UNH was to encourage
fm'ther experimentation and achievement in
screen writing. This year's competition for
the awards will remain open until June 15
and the material submitted must have a
New England background, past or present,
actual or fictional, and must be in the form
of stories.
Judging will be done "with particular emphasis
on original treatment of actual and
fictional story material in such manner and
with such excellence as to warrant consideration
for actual motion picture production."
DeRochemont received an honorary degree
of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University
of New Hampshire in 1944.
Hartford Kellehers Begin
Renovation of Princess
HARTFORD—The Princess Theatre Corp.
has started extensive renovations of the
27-year-old building on State street, Hartford.
A new angular-sliaped marquee with a 12-
foot front expanse already has been erected.
Four rows of three-foot neon letters spell
out the name "Princess" on the angled sides.
Other alterations will include back structual
glass on the front exterior, entrance oak
doors with semicircle sections of glass, solid
glass boxoffice front, and redecoration of the
entire interior. According to Edward J. Kelleher,
vice-president and assistant theatre
manager, some 700 new seats and new carpeting
will be installed in niidsimimer.
The theatre was originally a bank. In 1921
Martin Kelleher and I. J. Hoffman, owners
of the Strand Theatre at that time, opened
the Pi-incess. Martin is president of the Princess
Theatre Corp. and manager of the Pi'incess.
Connecticut Variety Helps
To Feed Needy Students
NEW HAVEN~The Variety Club will hold
its biweekly meeting and luncheon April 13
in the Oneco restaurant, with Barney Pitkin,
chief barker, presiding. The club has sent
a generous contribution to the Winchester
school to assist in the school's Imich program
for underprivileged children. Other charitable
projects are still under consideration.
The Connecticut tent now meets the second
and fourth Tuesday of each month.
FALL RIVER
Admissions at
the Embassy, a Yamins oper-
. . .
ated house, have been cut from 55 to 40
cents on evening and Sundays and from 40
to 30 cents for matinees. Children are admitted
The
for 20 cents at all times Strand, another Yamins house, will close
May 1 for about three months for major
alterations.
.
Mr. and Mrs. Nathan M. Yamins have returned
from Palm Beach following their annual
winter vacation O'Donnell
replaces James Audet as assistant at the
Center . . . Prominent residents of this city
were the guests of Manager Paul Slayer at
a recent sneak preview of "Sitting Pretty"
at the Durfee ... A huge tower for radio
station WFCI-FM is being erected on top
of the Durfee Theatre.
. . William
.
. . . Ahce
Ushers
Mr. and Mrs. William S. Canning visited
their son Lloyd and his family at Poughkeepsie.
N. Y John M. Cavoy, Embassy manager,
spoke at a recent meeting of the Henry
Lord Junior High School PTA .
S. Canning, a director, presented the trophy
to the winning Fall River Boys club basketball
team at a luncheon held in honor of the
hoopsters Petrin replaces Ann
Roark as cashier at the Capitol
Azar is new relief at the Capitol . . .
at the Academy have donned their new uniforms—blue
trousers with red double-breasted
jacket.
Three of the original costumes worn by
Jane Powell and her companions in "Three
Daring Daughters" were exhibited in the
midst of a photo arrangement at Adaskin's
Co. for the opening at the Academy. An extensive
campaign was conducted by Manager
Carl Zeitz and assistant Claude Shaw. There
was also a tiein with Kaplan's recording shop
where, in another elaborate display, Dickie
Bird records were shown and played.
The Search for Talent being conducted at
the Empire is attracting large crowds. Winners
at each contest conducted on Monday
night for a period of six weeks receive cash
awards and the series winner, a two-week
engagement in a prominent local night spot.
The winner of the second series, besides receiving
gifts of money, wearing apparel and
jewelry, will contest with the winner of the
first week for a trip to New York and an
audition to be conducted by Chamberlain
Brown.
Which is more important, a man's supper
or a pleasing evening at the Empu'e? Recently,
a woman w'ho sought to witness at
least one Search for Talent program, tried
vainly for a period of four consecutive Mondays
to gain admittance to the Empire. A
packed house each time forced her to be
turned back. Last Monday, however, the
woman left home early after leaving her
husband's supper on the table and succeeded
in obtaining a ticket. Her husband, however,
displeased at her absence, raised merry cain
and assaulted her. Police had to intervene.
New Newington Drive-In
HARTFORD—The Turnpike Theatre Corp.
has started erection of a new drive-in in suburban
Newington, The town already has one
drive-in operated by E. M. Loew. Robert
Gloth, Philip Simon and Louis B. Rogow
head the new company.
New Haven May Get
Television by May 1
NEW HAVEN—Radio station WNHC, which
is awaiting an FCC okay to increase power
from 500 to 5,000 watts, is reported "ready to
go" on television by May 1, making WNHC
the pioneer television station in New England,
with Boston probably following soon afterwards.
Pi-ograms will be relayed from New York,
particularly from Du Mont laboratories,
WABD, and also, it is expected from WNBC.
According to the most recent estimate, 1,000
homes and 100 public places are equipped
with television receiving sets in the 50 mile
radius which would be served by New Haven,
including Bridgeport and Hartford. The
highest proportion of sets now is in Bridgeport,
which is within the New York telecast
area.
Stations WDRC, WTIC and -WTHT, Hartford,
all have applications in for power increases
with a view to television hookups,
but Bridgeport has been deleted and it is
believed will have no station for some time.
Milne reports the relay system in process
of installation and everything m complete
readiness to put up transmitter and antenna
when the FCC gives its okay. For the summer,
at least, it is planned to have only network
programs.
Maine's Only Drive-In Sold
To Eugene Boragine of N. Y.
PORTLAND—The Saco Diive-In, Saco,
Me., which has the distinction of being the
Pine Tree state's only open air theatre, has
been sold to Eugene Boragine of New York
City. George O'Neill, who operated the theatre
since it was built, returned it to its
original owner last month, and he, in turn,
sold it to Boragine. Included in the sale,
which consists of 54 acres, is a hotel and
restaurant. The new owner plans to operate
the entire property, although the theatre
buying and booking will be handled by Herbert
Higgins. Boragine is in the interior
decorating business in New York but he will
spend the summer months on his new project.
He is not a newcomer to the industry as 30
years ago he was the manager of a theatre
in Providence for Martin Toohey, who
brought his friend into the district to introduce
him to the exchanges.
Crown in Hartford Leased
To Henry Opper Firm
HARTFORD — The Crown Management
Corp.. headed by Henry Opper. has taken
over operation of the 800-seat Crown Theatre
here, on a long-term lease from the
Chauncy B. Thompson estate. The lease is
for the theatre equipment solely.
The theatre has been in operation for the
past 30 years, many of them under Charles
L. Repass, manager for the estate who died
in 1947. The Crown Corp. has named Eddie
Selet of Boston as manager.
Too Much Glamor and Shooting
HARTFORD—John Anatharaz of Madras,
India, in the U.S. on a year's study of governmental,
industrial and social conditions, deplored
the effect on Hindus of American motion
pictures "with their emphasis on
gangsterism and glamorous girls."
BOXOFFICE :
: April 17, 1948 83