1l

. . cooperated
3,000 See 'Miracle'
And Give $10,1
CHICAGO—A crowd ul aroiuid 3,000 contributed
$10,000 to the American Cancer society
at the opening of "The Miracle of the
Bells" last Tuesday night (25i at the RKO
Palace, while twice that number greeted the
Hollywood celebrities and the leaders of Chicago's
social and business world as they arrived
for the show,
EXTRA POLICE ON DUTY
Thirty policemen were assigned to prevent
spectators outside the theatre from stopping
traffic on Randolph street. Huge searchlights
raked the skies and radio announcers
Les Lear and Tommy Bartlett were on hand
to welcome the guests over the public address
system. The proceedings were also televised,
Frank Sinatra was the hit of the evening
with his songs from the stage and autographs
for all comers before and after the show.
After singing "Nancy," dedicated to his
daughter, Sinatra revealed she will have another
little brother or sister, "in about four
weeks,"
Producer Jesse L. Lasky was introduced
from the stage and presented the premiere
proceeds to Maurice Goldblatt, Chicago merchant
and president of the Cancer society,
who expressed appreciation of the public's
increasing interest in the fight against the
disease, Lasky revealed the motion picture
was 1,018th of his 35-year career in the motion
picture industry and that none of his
pictures had ever been rejected by censois,
STARS PARTICIPATE
Fred MacMurray. also featured in the picture,
told how he came to Chicago from his
home town of Kankakee, 111., to crash into
big time music with his trumpet, but ended
up clerking in a local department store. Bill
Williams, who had a featured role, and his
wife, starlet Barbara Hale, formerly of Rockford,
111,, also appeared. Radio comic Jack
Paar was master of ceremonies.
Preceding the premiere Lasky and the stars
of the film were guests at a cocktail party at
the Ambassador hotel, which was attended by
over 200. RKO Theatres Division Manager
Prank Smith and publicist Lou Mayer: Sam
Gorelick. branch manager, and Herb Greenblatt,
district manager of local exchange:
Terry Turner, RKO exploitation chief, and
Wally Heim, local publicist, were on hand
to greet the guests.
First St. Louis Allied Meet
Is Scheduled for June 8
ST. LOUIS — Andy Dietz, newly named
fieldman for Allied for its invasion of this
territory, has announced that Midcentral
Allied Theatre Owners, the name officially
chosen for the new regional group, will hold
its first organization meeting at the Sheraton
hotel June 8,
Principal speakers at the meeting will be
Col, H, A, Cole of Allied Theatre Owners of
Texas: Truman T, Rembusch. president, Associated
Theatre Owners of Indiana, and
John 'Wolfberg, president of Allied Rocky
Mountain Independent Theatres.
Dietz has closed a deal for office space in
the building at 3142 Olive St, His Cooperative
Theatres, which currently books and
buys for a dozen theatres in the territory, also
will be located there.
Owner of Brazil, Ind., fox
Asks $381000 Damages
TERRE HAUTE, IND.—Fred V, 'Willey,
owner of the Fox Theatre in Brazil, Ind„ has
filed a treble-damage antitrust suit in federal
court here as the result of the closing of the
Fox on May 26, 1946, because of inability to
get product.
Defendants are Affiliated Theatres, Inc., of
Indiana, Citizens Theatre Co. of Brazil,
Harold Neese and his Beverly Theatre at
Brazil, and the following distributors: Columbia
Pictures, Loew's. Inc, Film Classics,
Monogram Pictures, Paramount, Republic,
RKO, 20th Century-Fox, United Artists, Universal
Pictures, 'Warner Bros.. Eagle Lion,
and Joseph 'W. Bohn and Producers Releasing
Corp.
.
'Willey, a lawyer who is candidate of prosecuting
attorney in Clay county, bought the
Fox Oct. 6. 1945. He charges he W'as forced to
close the theatre the following May because
"the motion picture producers and distributors
with and conspired with
the Citizens company and Neece and vi'Ah
one another to restrain the licensing" of first
run pictures in Brazil and refused to give the
Fox first run, second or third run films.
'Willey also charges the defendants with
maintaining an arbitrai-y system of clearance
in Brazil, fixed admission prices, and despite
repeated requests refused availability of any
feature film to the Fox.
'Willey contends he was forced to sell his
equipment and has suffered actual damages
of $127,000, or $381,000 total.
INDIANAPOLIS—Officials of three local
theatre corporations were cleared of charges
made by three stockholders that they mismanaged
at a Gary, Ind., theatre building.
Judge Robert C. Baltzell ruled in federal
court that the stockholders are not entitled
to $200,000 damages asked because of alleged
substandard rates charged in rental of the
building. The officials head both owning and
leasing firms of the building.
Defendants were 'Verner U. Young, Gary,
president of Fiftyler, Inc., the Montgomery
Theatre Corp. and Y&'W Management Corp.,
all of Indianapolis: Robert Young, secretary
of the firms, and Marc J. Wolf and Albert
R. Blocher, both directors of the three firms.
Charles F. 'Wooley, Charles C. Wooley and
Edna G. 'Ward, all of Long Beach, Calif.,
stockholders in Fiftyler, Inc, brought the suit
Jan. 28, 1947,
Judge Baltzell ruled also that interlocking
operations of officers and directors of the
three firms "is not detrimental or unfair" to
Fiftyler or its shareholders. The suit asked a
receivership for Fiftyler,
Chicago Paramount Meet
Conducted by J. J. Donohue
CHICAGO— Paramount's central division
sales meeting was held here May 24-26 at the
Hotel Knickerbocker, with Central Division
Manager J. J. Donohue presiding. Attendmg
were district managers, sales managers, salesmen
and bookers of his territory. Charles M,
Reagan, vice-president in charge of distribution,
addressed the assemblage, discussing the
forthcoming annual selling drive.
New members of Paramount's 100'; club
were honored at the session. They are Minneapolis
salesman Ernie Lund, Dallas, salesman
Paul Chapman, and Dallas head booker Tom
Luce, Donohue also presented awards to prize
winners in last year's drive.
Home office distribution executive E, K.
"Ted" O'Shea outlined important pictures of
the coming season. A special advertising
meeting was conducted by Sid Mesibov,
Stanley Shuford and Ben 'Washer of the home
office advertising staff. New types of ads were
illustrated in a series of slides. They also presented
a demonstration of how aJvcrtising
soot recordings are made. Morning screenings
were held at the Esquire the first two days of
the meeting, w-hich was held in the Oceanic
room of the Knickerbocker.
AT ST. LOUIS DINNER—Among those present at the St. Louis dinner for Maurice
Schweitzer, who recently resigned as St. Louis Paramount manager to enter the
drive-in field, were, front row. left to right: Ralph C, LiBeau, district manager for
Paramount who has been retired; Schweitzer; Tommy James, chief barker of the St.
Louis Variety Club; Tom Edwards, Farmington, Mo., toastmaster; Fred Wehrenberg.
President of the local Motion Picture MPTO and TOA, executive committee chairman.
Second row: Joe Garrison, district manager; Dominic Frisina, Frisina .\musement
Co., Springfield; Harry Miller. Festus, Mo.; Sam Pirtle. Pirtle .\musement Co.. Jerseyville.
111.; Izzy Weinshank. district manager for Publix Great States circuit; John
Giachetto II. Frisina Amusement Co., and Lester Bona, Warner manager.
BOXOFFICE :
: June 5, 1948
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