Boxoffice-May.29.1948

TOTAL NET PAID CIRCULATION OF THIS ISSUE EXCEEDS 23,000
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RADIO
GROUPS, NEWSPAPERS
RACE FOR TELEVISION NETS
Page 8
'UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY ADULT'
ORDINANCES CROPPING UP AGAIN
Page 9
COVER STORY: Press Agents Who
Became Successful Producers
Pages 22-23
mONAL EXECUTIVE EDITION
4lng Iht Sectional Nns Pages of All Editions

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as Leo marches down
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Street of the nation !
It's
just the start of Leo's Big
Spring-Summer Line-up but
already the entire industry has
caught fire with optimism!
Which is Today's
No. 1
HIT?
SEE PAGE 16
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THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
rUBLISH:D IN NINE SECTIONAL EDITIONS
BEN SHLYEN
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
I
OXOFFICE
JAMES M. JERAULD Editor
NATHAN COHEN Associate Editor
JESSE SHLYEN Managing Editor
IVAN SPEAR Western Editor
FLOYD M. MIX Equipment Editor
RAYMOND LEVY General Manager
Published Every Saturday by
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS
Ediloiial Offices: 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20,
N. Y. Raymond Levy, General Manager; James M.
Jerauld, Editor; Chester Friedman, Editor Showmandiser
Section; A. ]. Stocker, Eastern Representative.
Telephone Columbus 5-6370, 5-6371, 5-6372. Cable
address: BOXOFFICE, New York."
Central Offices: 1327 South Wabash Ave., Chicago
5, 111. Jonas Perlberg, Manager; Donald Maggart,
Central Representative. Telephone WEBster 4745.
Western Offices: 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
28, Calif Ivan Spear, Mancrger. Telephone GLadstone
1186.
Washington Offices: 302-303 International Bldg., 1319
r St., N. W. Lee L. Garling Manager. Telephone
NAtional 3482. Filmrow; 932 New Jersey, N. W. Sara
Young.
London Offices: 136 Wardour St., John Sullivan, Manager.
Telephone Gerrard 3934-5-6.
Publication Offices: 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City
1, Mo. Nathan Cohen, Associate Editor; Jesse Shlyen,
Managing Editor; Morris Schlozman, Business Manager.
J Herbert Roush, Manager Advertising Sales
and Service. Telephone CHestnut 7777-78.
Other Publications: BOXOFFICE BAROMETER,
published in November as a section oi BOXOFKICE;
THE MODERN THEATRE, published monthly as o
section ol BOXOFFICE.
ALBANY—21-23 Walter Ave., M. Berrigan.
ATLANTA— 163 Walton, N. W., P. H. Savin.
BIRMINGHAM—The News, Eddie Badger.
BOSTON—Frances W. Harding, Lib. 9814.
BUFFALO— 157 Audubon Drive, Snyder, Jim Schroder,
CHARLOTTE—216 V/. 4th, Pauline Grillilh.
CINCINNATI— 1634 Central Parkway, Lillian Seltzer,
CLEVELAND— Elsie Loeb, Fairmount 0046.
DALLAS—4525 Hollard. V. W. Crisp, 18-97S0.
DENVER— 1645 Lalayette, Jack Rose, TA 8517.
DES MOINES—Register & Tribune Bldg., Russ Schoch
DETROIT— 1009 Fox Theatre Bldg,, H. F. Reves.
Telephones: RA 1100; Night, UN-4-02I9.
HARTFORD— 109 Westborne, Allen Widem.
HARRISBURG, PA.—Mechanicsburg, Lois Fegan.
INDIANAPOLIS—Rl. 8, Box 770, Howard M. Rudeaux.
MIAMI—66 S. Hibiscus Island, Mrs. Manton E. Harwood.
2952 Merrick Rd.. Elizabeth Sudlow,
MEMPHIS— 707 Spring St., Null Adajns, Tel. 48-5462,
MILWAUKEE—529 N. I3th, J. R. Gahagan, MA-0297.
MINNEAPOLIS—29 Washington Ave. So., Les Hees.
NEW HAVEN—42 Church St., Gertrude Lander.
NEWARK, N. ;.—207 Sumner, Sara Carleton.
NEW ORLEANS—Mrs. Jack Auslel, 3137 Elysian Fields
Avenue,
OKLAHOMA CITY—216 Terminal Bldg., Polly Trindle.
OMAHA—Omaha V/orld-Herald Bldg., Lou Gerdes
PHILADELPHIA—4901 Spruce St., J, M. Makler.
PITTSBURGH—86 Van Braam St., R. F. Klingensmilh
PORTLAND, ORE.—David C. Kahn, BR, 1181, ext. 156.
RICHMOND—Grand Theatre, Sam Pulliam.
ST. LOUIS— 5149 Rosa, David Barrett, FL-3727
SALT LAKE CITY—Deseret News, Howard Pearson
SAN ANTONIO—333 Blum St., L. J. B. Ketner.
SAN FRANCISCO—25 Taylor St., Gail Lipmon
ORdway 3-4612.
SEATTLE—928 N. 84th St., Willard Elsey.
TOLEDO—4330 Willys Pkwy., Anna Kline.
IN CANADA
CALGARY—The Alberian. Wm. Campbell.
MONTREAL—4330 Wilson Ave., N. D. G., Roy Carmichael.
Walnut 5519,
ST, JOHN- 116 Prince Edward St,, Wm. J. McNulty
TORONTO—242 Milwood, Milton Galbraith.
VANCOUVER—411 Lyric Theatre Bldg., Jack Droy.
VICTORIA—938 Island Highway, Alec Mernman.
WINNIPEG—The Tribune, Ben Lepkin,
INHERENT QUALITY
7 •_>' HE MOTION picture's position and func
tion as a community asset was well set forth by Harry N
Warner, president of Warner Bros., in a talk before the Nationc
Council for Community Improvement meeting in Washingtor
In addition to its primary function of providing the peopl
with entertainment, the motion picture, said Mr. Warner, ha
given active support and cooperation to civic movements cal,
ing for fund raising, morale building and dramatic presentc,
tion of vital information.
He also cited the cooperation rendered by the motio
picture theatre and the productions it shows to the churc
and school in furthering community programs; as a notabl
focal point for many successful humanitarian causes; and ser\
ing as the perfect headquarters for public service endeavor
to dramatize the need for fire prevention, periodic examine
tions to control tuberculosis; to meet neighborhood needs an
emergencies. Further Mr. Warner pointed to the cultural ii
fluence of the motion picture in that, for one thing, "it has mad;
history entertaining . . . has given the American citizen mor
and more information from which he can make up his ow
mind."
Mr. Warner's remarks come at
a time when the industr
is giving new thought—and action—to community relation
Having dravm his text from the record of what actually ho
been done by theatremen on their home grounds, what M
Warner has said serves to emphasize the worth as well o
the need for continuation of the good work.
Those exhibitors
shall I do in the industry's public relations program?" hav
the answer in the pattern which so many of them have create
through their accomplishments in their war activities worl,
And even for many years before, when every genuine show
man knew that his theatre inherently was the pivotal point i
community service.
Of Things to
who may be asking themselves, "Wh<
Come
Of more than passing interest is the revelation by Spyrc
Skouras to the 20th Century-Fox stockholders that pictui
shooting schedules have been reduced from 72 days to o
Member Audit Bureau of CiRCtTLATioNS
Entered -ai Second Class matter at Post Office, Kansas City, Mo
Stctional Edition. $3,00 per vear; National Edition, $7.50
Vol. 53
MAY 2 9,
No. 5
19 4 8

'
With
I
—
P

Three Top MGM Films to Independent
Affiliates
Product Hold
In Minneapolis Broken
MINNEAPOLIS—Biggest surprise in years
for film industry here is the selling of three
MGM pictures away from the Minnesota
Amusement Co., which has been playing the
product exclusively for years. The films went
to the Schreiber interests of Detroit, which
landed the trio for its Lyceum, a legitimate
roadshow house which has been running dual
reissues and occasional foreign and roadshow
films in between stage attractions.
The deal was the first break in the major
producers' practice to sell all product for
downtown Loop first runs to RKO Theatres
and Minnesota Amusement Co., the Paramount
subsidiary, with the sure-seater independent
World also occasionally cutting in
when the two big circuits reject a picture.
The deal also was the initial repercussion
locally of the recent supreme court consent
decree case decision.
THREE IMPORTANT FILMS
The pictures are •'Summer Holiday,"
"Homecoming" and "The Pirate." "Holiday"
opened immediately at the Lyceum.
W. H. Workman, local MGM manager, said
that the action represents what the company
interprets as a compliance with the supreme
court consent decree case decision. He said
letters were sent out offering the pictures to
all downtow-n fnst run situations, and the
Schreiber interests made what the company
considered was the best offer.
"Our interpretation of the supreme cotrrt
decision is that 'a run' must be available to
all theatres, that every house is entitled to
some run," said Workman. "We feel we
can't deprive any exhibitor of a chance to
get a run."
However, Workman said, there is no certainty
that the company will continue to sell
more pictures to the Lyceum or to any ac-
Amusement
count other than the Minne.sota
Co.
"We just don't know," said Workman. "We
feel we must make a rim available to everybody,
but we believe we can accept the bid
that looks best to us, even though it may not
be the highest. There are various factors, in
addition to price, that must be considered in
adjudging the bid's value to us."
DESIRED IMMEDIATE DATES
In this instance, it's understood, MGM
wished irrmiediate playing time for the pictures
and MAC wasn't in a position to give it.
Independent exhibitors with neighborhood
and suburban theatres in Minneapolis and
St. Paul, including Abe Kaplan and Bill Volk,
are expressing themselves as not at all pleased
with the development. They stress the fact
that the Lyceum lacks air conditioning, is located
a number of blocks away from the
downtown theatre center and hasn't an established
moviegoers clientele. Therefore, they
feel, the MGM pictures will not do nearly so
much business at the Lyceum that they ordinarily
gamer at Radio City, the State and
the Century, leading Loop film theatres, that
have been housing them up to this time. In
such a case, the pictures' value for neighborhood
and suburban houses and out-of-town
MGM Discontinues Award
For Novel, Started '44
NEW YORK—MGM has discontinued
its annual novel award which was instituted
in 1944. The award was made
semiannually in 1947. The winning author
was guaranteed $150,000, with a possible
maximum of $250,000.
In 1944, the award was won by Elizabeth
Goudge for "Green Dolphin Street,"
which was later made into a film starring
Lana Turner, Van Heflin and Donna
Reed. The winner for 1945 was Elizabeth
Metzger Howard for "Before the Sun Goes
Down." In 1946 Mary Renault won it
for "Return to Night" and, in 1947, the
winners were the late Ross Lockridge jr.
for "Raintree Country" and Esther Forbes
for "The Running of the Tide," the lastnamed
not yet published.
None of the last four has yet been
filmed.
situations may be considerably reduced, according
to these exhibitors.
This independent exhibitor attitude is in
direct contrast, however, to that hitherto
taken. Up to this time the independents have
been squawking about Loop pictures being
"milked" during their Loop first runs before
they reach the uptown and suburban houses.
In effect, the development means that
Minneapolis has another important first run
theatre downtown, increasing the opposition
among the Minnesota Amusement Co. and
RKO Theatres houses and the Ted Mann
independent World. Also, when Mann takes
back the Alvin at the expiration of the Minnesota
Amusement Co. lease this siunnrer and
institutes a first rim picture policy in place
of burlesque, as now planned, the competition
will be even stronger.
Ever since end of Minnesota Amusement
Co.-RKO Theatres booking pool a few years
ago, Minnesota Amusement Co. has had all
of the MGM product exclusively, the same
as
before the pool.
Milton H. Feld Memorial
To Be in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY—A memorial will be established
at the Menorah hospital in Kansas
City to perpetuate the name of Milton H.
Feld, former film producer and native of
Kansas City. Feld died Sept. 7. 1947 in Los
Angeles. A memorial fund has been started.
Contributions to date from friends and associates
in the film industry include the following:
Ralph Ayer, M. D. Ccyhn, the late John J.
Friedl, Maurice Kallis, Louis Notarius. George
Baker, Joseph J. Deitch, Gus Eyssell, Lou
Goldberg. Charles C. Perry, Robert M. Weitman,
Maurice Bergman, Sam Dembow jr.,
Louis J. Finske, William Jacobs, Harry L.
Royster and Jerry Zigmond.
Monthly Arbitration
Will Be Continued
NEW YORK—The present
motion picture
industry arbitration system will be continued
on a month-to-month basis by the
Big Five until the statutory court in New
York decides what kind of film arbitration
system it prefers. In remanding the
antitrust suit decision to the statutory court,
the supreme court said the lower court could
authorize voluntary arbitration and lay down
the rules for its use.
The present system is operating under
rules prescribed in the 1941 consent decree.
The arbitration system has been operating
on monthly allotments since the statutory
court antitrust suit decision in December
1946. The last monthly payment of $25,000
was made by the companies as the supreme
court decision was handed down May 3.
The next payment by the companies is
due June 1.
The film arbitration system has received its
second clearance complaint since the supreme
court decision. It was filed in Detroit
by the Grand Centre Recreation Co., operating
the Centre Theatre, Grand Blanc, Mich.
The complainant asked the film arbitrator
to eliminate all clearances granted by the Big
Five in favor of the Regent, Strand, Michigan,
Delia, Roxie, Rialto, Nortown and Burton
theatres in Flint, Mich. It asks that
product be made available to the Centre
seven days after the first run Capitol and
Palace theatres in Flint and complains thai
the Centre now follows the subsequent run
houses in Flint by 75-120 days.
There are 23 arbitration complaints and
two appeals pending. The latest appeal was
filed by 20th-Fox from the decision made
by the New Orleans arbitrator in a clearance
complaint brought by Broadmoor Theatre,
Inc., Shreveport, La.
The Broadmoor complaint named the Big
Five. The arbitrator awarded the Broadmoor
Theatre a clearance of 30 days after
first run Shreveport.
Court Has RKO Motion
Under Advisement
CHICAGO—Judge Michael Igoe of
federal
court here has taken under advisement a motion
by Miles Seeley in behalf of RKO asking
for dismissal of contempt charges in the
Jackson Park decision. Arguments for dismissal
were based on the grounds that the
RKO Palace and Grand theatres are two
separate corporations and are not defendants
named in the original decree. He said, however,
that the RKO company was the parent ;|
company of all. Thomas McConnell, counsel
for the Jackson Park Theatre, delayed presentation
of his motion to clarify certain ambiguities
in the decree until the RKO issue is
settled.
C. M. Reagan Named Head
Of Notre Dame Council
NEW YORK—Charles M. Reagan, vicepresident
in charge of distribution for Paramount,
has been elected pennanent chairman
of the advisory council of the College of
Commerce of Notre Dame.
Reagan and Robert O'Brien, secretary of
Paramount, have been members of the advisoi-y
council for several years.
;|
^
i
10 BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948

'(9^/nomed
The Hi2;hli
!"A picture that'll
bring joy to the boxoffice."— Hollywood Reporter
i
|"One of the year's big boons for the exhibitor!"— Daily Variety
j**The stuff of sock audience satisfaction."— Film Daily
;"Earmarked for the niftiest kind of grosses."— Variety
dfc
Paramount's
RICH AND ROLLICKING NEIF-LOOK MUSICAL
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Color by
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TECHNICOLOR

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ilk.
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o Lavish That It
May Never .^\
so WONDERFUL
THAT IT TOOK 7 ACADEMY AWARD
WINNERS TO CREATE ITS
Zq^^^^^ S^^^^
NUMBER I
STAR
Bing Crosby, winner of the Gallup Poll of the public, winner of
all industry polls, "was never better" says M. P. Daily "and
not as good since 'Going My Way'," as he is
in this one.
ACADEMY AWARD ACTRESS
Joan Fontaine, coupled with Crosby in the greatest star team of them
all.
As the kissable countess, she t-i-n-k-1-e-s like a crystal chandelier when
Bing starts his melodious love-making.
BRACKETT % WILDER
Gifted Oscar-winning producer-director combination, give a gay,
foxy view of a pampered social set.
Variety acclaims them for "the
ROUSING MUSIC
zing dialogue, the zippy pace." Film Daily for "the frisky comedy."
Bing sings 5 of his happiest hits including "The Kiss In Your Fyes" by Johnny Burkd
and Richard Heuberger, "Friendly Mountains" by Burke and Joseph Lilley,
"The Whistler and His Dog" by Roger Pryor—and others.
TECHNICOLOR SPECTACLE
Indoor grandeur! Outdoor wonderlands! Glamorizing
r.) gilded palaces and perfumed retreats in the emerald-green
?j^ S^'A
mountainous Tyrol.
BING'S GRANDEST ROMANCE
He's a Yankee salesman selling a scandalous bill-of-goods to Countess Joan.
Even their dogs are in love—and in the dog-house.
HILARIOUS COMEDY
Treatment so sly, so unusual that it sends across the screen a fresh breeze of
merriment that grows to a tornado of laughs because, as Film Daily notes with deligh|
"It's strewn with clever gags."

mn Be Equalled On The Screen
Paramount presents
BiNG _ Joan
Crosby* Fontaine
color by
TECHNICOLOR
with
Roland Culver • Lucile Watson • Richard Haydn
Harold Vermilyea • Produced by Charles Brack^ett
Directed by BILLY WILDER
Written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder
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T
plendor of
Ji
These Famous Scenes
Will Be The 7 Wonders ^
J
Of The Screen!
Schoenbrunn Palace Ball, Paramount'sjrgg
set since before the war
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sil
111
A whole Tyrolean village bursting into
joyous song
Bing gives palace guards a buk-s pitcli on
an early model juke-box
Royal romancing (but beautiful) onjii|
chanting built-to-order island
'1
An imperial audience granted to a poodle
of imposing lineage
Bing bagging his countess in the grandeur
of marble halls
The Crosby yodel bringing a new n
song to the Bavarian Alps
ALL AMERICA'S READING
About Wednesday's Gala Red-Carpet World Premiere,
at the Paramount Hollywood, of
j^ ^^
aB ^
Bing Joan iS
CROSBY* FONTAINE'"
POODLE ABDICATES FOR LOfE
Scheherazade trades royal birthright for love
of Buttons, a gum-chewing Yankee mutt, in
what Hollywood Reporter calls "the canine
love affair that upsets an empire."
Color by
TECHNICOLOR
.v»i, Roland Culver • Lucile Watson • Richard Haydn • Harold V^ermi ei j^
Produced by Charles Brackett • Directed by BILLY WILDER ?'
Written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder
j ;.
TO BE FOLLOirED BY THE
Eastern Premiere,
Radio City Music Hall, Early in June
jjf^

RKO '47 Theatre Sales
Brought $2,300,000
New York—RKO received S2.300,000
during 1947 for the sale of five theatres
in Albany, Schenectady and Troy, N. Y.
The sale price was made public by N.
Peter Rathvon, president, in his annual
report to stockholders. He said the book
value of the theatres was approximately
S700,000.
The theatres were sold to comply with
the New York statutory court order in
the antitrust suit that required the disolutiun
of profit-sharing deals. The theatres—Proctor's
Grand and Palace, Albany;
Plaza and Proctor's, Schenectady,
and Proctor's, Troy, had been leased to
Fast Theatres, Inc., on a profit-sharing
basis.
Rathvon reviewed the supreme court
decision in the antitrust suit appeal. He
said it is impossible to predict what theatres,
if any, RKO must dispose of and
"what general effect the opinion of the
supreme court will have upon the operation
of the business" of RKO.
Depinet Is Impressed
With Hughes Plans
NEW YORK—Ned E. Depinet. executive
vice-president of RKO, returned from the
coast "very favorably
impressed by Howard
Hughes' ideas and intentions."
he said at
midweek.
"Mr. Hughes revealed
high ambitions
for our company and
I am convinced he is
the type of man who
i^ W^ ii&" **" "°' ^^ content
r Tfc»...,^»*' ..
m-itii RKO is the undisputed
champion,"
Ned E. Depinet
Depinet declared.
"In having Hughes
as its principal shareholder,
RKO gains not only an astute and
courageous young business man, but a showman
who has had a continuous interest in
motion pictures for 25 years. As an independent
producer, he has made a number of
the top boxoffice pictures of the past two
decades. In view of our steady growth and
even brighter prospects I'm sure Hughes has
invested his money in the right company."
During his stay on the coast Depinet conferred
with Hughes, whom he met for the
first time, with N. Peter Rathvon, Floyd
Odium and Dore Schary. He spent some
time at the studio looking over new product.
Depinet said he thought the industry was
now over "its bad case of jitters" and was
again "on the high road of showmanship
where it belongs, with banners flying."
"RKO has never been in better shape for
product," Depinet declared. "We have more
top quality pictures finished and shooting
than at any time in our history and they're
all big ones, built for boxoffice and entertainment.
He mentioned among the coming 1948 releases
Walt Disney's "Melody Time," Leo
McCarey's "Good Sam," "The 'Velvet Touch."
Samuel Goldwyn's new Danny Kaye comedy.
"A Song Is Bom," "Rachel and the Stranger,"
Merian C. Cooper's "Fort Apache" and Walter
Wanger's "Joan of Arc."
RKO Net Drops Despite
Healthy Theatre Receipts
NEW
YORK — Radio-Keith-Orpheum
Corp. reports a consolidated net profit of
$5,085,847.58 for 1947. equal to approximately
$1.30 per common share. This is a
decline of $7,101,957.40 under a consolidated
net profit of $12,187,804.98 for the
fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 1946. Tlie net
profit for 1946 was equal to $3.17 per common
share.
N. Peter Rathvon, company president,
points out in his report to stockholders
that the decline in net profit was not due
to theatre company earnings which "were
only moderately below the record earnings
of 1946." A substantial loss was attributed
to RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.. producing and
distributing subsidiary.
A comparison of financial reports for the
two years shows that income from theatre
admissions, film rentals and sales in 1947
totaled $118,550,758.98, an increase of $2,807,-
007.66 over income from this same source in
1946.
Rathvon said that so far in 1948 theatre
operations continue very profitable, but are
slightly under the corresponding period of
1947. He said the picture company has shown
a small profit so far in 1948.
The sale of the RKO Pathe newsreel to
Warner Bros, during 1947 increased the company's
capital gains by $3,150,000. Rathvon
declared that while the RKO Pathe net
profit was greater in 1947 due to the sale of
the newsreel, its profit from operations was
moderately less than during the preceding
year.
Total expenses for RKO Corp. climbed
$13,091,857.66 during 1947 over the previous
year. Expenses totaled $112,273,982.62 in the
New Color Film Process
Discovered in Frcmce
PARIS—A new process for the photo-
motion pic-
graphing and projection of color
tures has been hailed by Marcel Pagnol,
writer and producer, and the Fi-ench press
as "the most important advance in movie
technique since the adoption of sound." The
process, which was invented and developed
over a period of 17 years by Armand and
Lucien Roux, involves the use of a special
lens on the camera and projector. In the
process, normal black and white film and
normal projectors are used.
Although details of the Roux process have
not yet been revealed, the system seems to
consist of the focusing of different primary
colors on different planes in the thickness of
film. This process has been known for many
years by optical technicians but practical
realization of the system has awaited the
solution of problems in the manufacture of
absolutely identical lenses.
Pagnol said that since observing the results
of the process he has decided to scrap
his latest picture and do it over in the Roux
process. "Here is a wonderful occasion for
the French cinema to regain the prestige it
never should have lost. I am convinced that
in two years there will be no more black and
white cinema," Pagnol said.
fiscal year just ended, compared to $99,182,-
124.96 for 1946.
Rathvon .said: In the latter part of 1947
motion picture companies generally experienced
sharp decreases in earnings from production
and distribution. For a number of
years gross income from production and distribution
has steadily increased, but costs in
the.se divisions have shown a greater increase.
This rising cost spiral in the face of a moderate
decline in domestic income which occurred
in the latter half of 1947 tended to
eliminate profits, even though gross income
had not yet been affected to any appreciable
amount by loss of foreign revenue resulting
from dollar famine abroad. Although this
condition continues into 1948, when the impact
of the dollar shortage on foreign remittances
will be increasingly felt, drastic economies
in distribution and administrative
charges have tended to offset loss of income.
The sharp rise in expenses over 1946 is attributed
mainly to increased amortization of
film costs and expenses. A total of $32,769,-
544.58 was charged to the company operating
revenue for production during 1947. This is
an increase of $11,251,737.22 over 1946.
Rathvon said the increase in picture amortization
charges will prevent economies in production
from reflecting generally in 1948 results.
He explained that "RKO Radio Pictures,
having a sizable inventory of completed
and unreleased pictures, will during
1948 be amortizing product made at the production
cost level prevailing during 1947. The
results of its operation during 1948 will therefore
depend upon the relationship between
its revenues applicable to amortization and
its amortization charges."
Mono Shows $353,548 Loss
For 39 Week Period
NEW YORK—Monogram Pictures Corp. reports
a consolidated net loss of $353,548 for
the 39 weeks ended March 27, 1948. This Is
a decline of $614,539 compared with a consolidated
net profit of $260,991 for the same
period in the previous year. The loss for the
period just ended before provision for federal
The profit for the
income taxes was $295,646.
same period In 1947 was $414,042.
The operating losses for the current fiscal
year will allow the company a refund of
federal income taxes of about $290,000, according
to Steve Broidy, president.
A report from the company said: "The
gross income after eliminating inter-company
transactions for the first 39 weeks ended
March 27, 1948, amounted to $6,590,540 as
compared with $5,743,340 for the same period
of the previous year."
Telenews-Palestine Deal
NEW YORK—Telenews Productions has
signed an exclusive agreement with Palestine
Films, Inc.. for newsreel shots. The first
scenes to be received from Palestine were released
to all newsreel companies here for
theatrical distribution. Telenews retained
television newsreel rights.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948 IS

\ I
THROW
AWAY^
THAT RABBIT
FOOT!
You'll hav(
all the lud
you need
with magic
VITAMIN
M-G-M!
•'
[p^'^^jf
"Everything's on
the upswing
at M-G-M."
—HOLLYWOOD REPORt
M-G-M is
leading in
aid to sagging box-offices."
—VARIETY .
Wherever you go today, they're talking about M-G-M'i
Pep -up Line-up of Spring and Summer releases that an
invigorating the entire industry! Starting w^ith Frant
Capra's "State of the Union" and now^ "Homecoming'
followed by phenomenal Press Previews of Irving Berln';
"Easter Parade"! Week after week at a time when yoij
need them most — you get the best!

I
i
^
GABLE
Hold me
close . . .
ike it
very much!
The ads
tickets
—
^^^ crowds!
.-..«... TuoimvR
lufi rornrri-breakin
rpcord-breaking
/
ANNE BAXTER
\^
A
,„ Association with GOl IfMltu^^^ ^^^^^^^^
4IOWI5\6(/f?BlQQgPI?gSS(/

Amusement Tax Scandal
Strikes Philadelphia
A scandal in the amusement tax bureau in
Philadelphia, involving alleged shortages of
nearly $300,000, highlighted a week of unorthodox
tax news across the country.
The scandal in Philadelphia broke when
William C. Poss, former head of the bureau,
took his life and left a note headed "How the
shortage in the amusement tax office was
divided" and listed the last names of six men.
The six employes were suspended immediately
and one, a clerk in the office, was arrested
on a charge of embezzlement of $3,000
or more.
Philadelphia was the first metropolitan
city to put a 10 per cent local amusement tax
into effect. Over protests of exhibitors, council
niore than a year ago hiked the ticket
levy from 3 per cent to 10 per cent.
Meanwhile, there was tax news on other
fronts. In Moline, 111., the city filed a complaint
in police court against Tri-States Theatre
Corp., as owner of the lUini Theatre,
for collection of a fine not to exceed $200 for
alleged violation of the recently enacted city
amusement tax ordinance. The ordinance
calls for a levy of 4 per cent on gross receipts
of theatres and other amusement
forms. The Illini and LeClaire, both owned
by Tri-States, have refused to pay the levy,
and are challenging constitutionality of the
legislation.
Four other theatres, however, did pay the
tax. Reporting a monthly gross of $11,000,
they paid $406.67 into the city treasury. The
four houses seat 2,362 patrons; the Tri-States
theatres 2,345 persons.
In Bakersfield, Calif.,
where four Fox theatres
have been battling a 10 per cent
ticket tax for some months, it was revealed
that the theatres have not paid their taxes
for the January-March period. This was revealed
in an announcement by the city treasurer.
The theatres had been granted an extension
to May 15 by the district coui't for
forwarding tax payments, but with the deadline
up the payments were not forthcoming,
and it was unknown whether the court would
grant further extension. The tax ordinance
calls for a 25 per cent penalty for deUnquent
payments.
In the realm of new taxes being enacted
in the amusement field, Pennsylvania again
was the hub of legislative activity. Supervisors
of many second class townships, excluded
in the state act which permits political
subdivisions to levy taxes on anything
not now taxed by the state, are opening a
drive to obtain the same taxing privileges
of cities, boroughs and first class townships.
In other words, the exhibitor in the smaller
communities may soon face the tax threat.
One of the biggest ticket tax loads was
enacted in Blawnox—two cents on each 25
cents or fraction thereof charged for admission.
This, protested Harry Rachiele,
proprietor of the Maryland Theatre, would
force a tax of 12.5 per cent on adult tickets
and 16.7 per cent on children's admissions.
With the new tax, he said, total admissions
at his house will be higher than at theatres
in nearby communities which hold clearance
privileges over Blawnox.
Allied Invades St. Louis Territory,
With Ex-TOA Executive as Leader
ST. LOUIS—The long-threatened invasion
of the St. Louis trade territory by AUied States
is about to be launched.
The attack on this stronghold of the Motion
Kcture Theatre Owners of St. Louis,
Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois and
its affiliated Theatre Owners of America is
to be spearheaded by Andy Dietz, general
manager for Co-operative, a booking and
buying agency, who has resigned from his
position as executive secretary and field man
for the regional organization of which Fred
Wehrenberg, chairman of the executive committee
of the TOA, has been the president
for many years.
Dietz in announcing the plans to organize
this territory into a Allied affiliated organization
along the same lines as the Rocky
Mountain Allied Independent Theatres, recently
launched, stated that he had attended
the gathering of the Rocky Mountain group
in Denver, Colo., on May 18, 19 at which
he closed the deal to work for Allied States
in this territory.
The Denver meeting also
was attended by
Abram F. Myers, general counsel and chairman
of the board for Allied States, and other
top men of Allied States Ass'n of Motion
Picture Exhibtors and its
regional groups.
Wehrenberg confirmed that Dietz has resigned
as field man for the Motion Picture
Theatre Owners of St. Louis, Eastern Missouri
and Southern Illinois and TOA in this
territory. In that capacity Dietz had attended
special regional meetings held in Hannibal.
Mo., and Cairo, 111., at which Wehsenberg presided
during the past few months.
Total of 1,000 Salesmen
To Vote on Colosseum
NEW YORK—A total of 1,000 film salesmen
will receive ballots for the company elections
to determine whether the Colosseum of Motion
Picture Salesmen of America will represent
them as collective bargaining agent.
A representative of the >fLRB said the election
probably would be held in mid-June.
of the salesmen
The NLRB has received lists
who will vote from 11 distributors and National
Screen Service. The NLRB in Washington
originally had set the election for
within 30 days after May 1. An extension
will be sought.
Academy
Reelects
Hersholt; Okays
Foreign Awards
HOLLYWOOD—R eelection
of
Jean Hersholt as president and approval
of his suggestion that a new
award— for the best foreign feature
—be added to the yearly Oscar
sweepstakes highlighted a meeting
of the board of governors of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences.
Other officers on the new slate
include Charles Brackett and Jack
L. Warner, vice-presidents: Robert
Montgomery, secretary; Thomas
Moulton, assistant secretary; N.
Peter Rathvon, treasm-er, and
Charles Clarke, assistant treasurer.
The foreign-picture award will exclude
British films on the ground
they are qualified to compete on an
even basis with American-made celluloid.
Rules covering the award
will be worked out by a committee
headed by Director Delmer Daves.
Rathvon was named chairman of
a committee to explore the possibilities
of staging an "international
film congress" in Hollywood in 1949
or 1950.
Hersholt, in his annual financial
report, revealed the Academy's economic
position has been stabilized
through boosts in dues, increased
charges for the players' directory
and rental paid by major companies
for use of the Academy Award Theatre
to stage press showings.
Eyssell Will Manage
Rockefeller Center
NEW YORK—G. S. Eyssell, president and
managing director of Radio City Music Hall
•' Corp. and the Center
Theatre, was named
executive manager of
Rockefeller Center,
Inc., at a meeting of
the board of directors
May 26. Eyssell replaces
Hugh S. Robertson
who will retire.
In addition to his
new duties as operating
head of New York's
largest midtown development,
Eyssell will
Gus Eyssell continue in his present
capacities at both the 6,200-seat Music Hall,
world's largest theatre, and the Center Theatre,
where ice spectacles have been presented
for the past few years. He will now also
have under his jm-isdiction the management
of the 15 buildings that occupy more than 12
acres from 48th to 52nd streets and from
Fifth to Sixth avenues.
Jacques Fe'yder, 54, Dies
PARIS—Jacques Feyder, 54, producer of
"Carnival in Flanders" and other notable
French films, died at Rives de Prangins,
Switzerland, May 25.
^'
18
BOXOFFICE
:
: May
29, 1948

'
i
!
SAN
I
Diego
I
,
nance
i
against
,
director,
! arbitrary
I
authorized
I
i
ture
1
proval
i America
Our Pittsburgh Man
Reports on Why
Business Is Down
By ROBERT F. KLINGENSMITH
PITTSBURGH—Why is business
down? Exhibitors coming into Filmrow
report a variety of reasons for
depressed grosses. Here are just a
few of the distractions they say are
facing theatre owners:
Rodeos at Johnston and Altoona,
midway attractions at Farrell. expositions
at Unionlown and Johnstown,
May festivals, June brides,
graduations or coninaencements, baccalaureates,
student government
days, hoedowns, round and square
dances, fish frys, safety patrols,
radio quiz payoffs, memorials, ordinations,
consecrations, testimonials,
camp hikes, flower shows, hobby
shows, dog shows, horse shows, poultry
shows, pet shows, art exhibits,
model plane contests, outdoor boxing,
indoor boxing, record-number of
organized baseball and softball
leagues, twilight leagues, night sports
with lighting systems, horse and dog
races, pageants, conventions, Memorial
day plans, patriotic events of
one kind or another. Grange neighbor
nights, reunions, marble tournaments,
quizdowns. country club season,
political rallies, carnivals, registrations
for summer schools, motor
bike races, golf, fraternal affair's,
travelcades. evangelistic services,
drama groups, 4-H activities, bazaars
(formerly bingosi, playground openings,
opening of swimming season,
summer operettas, vacations, spring
fever, swing fever, hillbilly and western
acts at parks, public band concerts,
Boy Scout camps. Girl Scout
camps, fund campaigns, tag days,
track and field meets, strikes and
rumors of strikes and no entertainment
money available after strikes
are settled, high overhead, poor product,
all-time high cost of living,
atomic weapons, Russia, Palestine,
daylight savings time, shift of some
business to drive-ins.
There are many other reasons for
depressed conditions, including the
fact that too many of them are
mechanized and automatically operated,
but our eyes, ears and fingers
are tired and we're closing up
for the week.
Theatre Owners Contesi
San Diego Censor Law
DIEGO, CALIF.—Owners of nine San
theatres are testing the legality of the
city's new motion picture censorship ordi-
in superior court. They filed suit
the mayor, police chief and welfare
contending that the ordinance is
and unreasonable. The measure
the social welfare director to suspend
the owners' business licenses if a pic-
is shown which does not have the apof
both the Motion Picture Ass'n of
and the National Board of Review.
West Coast Circuit Deals
Involve a Sale^ Merger
SAN FRANCISCO—Two important theatre
deals, involving top west coast circuits,
were consumimated this week.
Robert L. Lippert and George Mann, in
a joint statement, announced merger of the
two circuits bearing their names. Approximately
60 theatres are involved in the deal.
In Seattle, it was revealed that the Jensenvon
Herberg theatre niterests had been acquired
by William Edris, northwest hotel
operator and financier. While a purchase figure
was not announced, theatremen put estimates
as high as $2,000,000. Whatever the
price, however, it was the biggest theatre
transaction in years in the northwest area.
Theatres involved include the Liberty,
1,650-seat, downtown, first run house; the
Venetian, 863-seat suburban house; the Roxy,
434-seat suburban house in Ballard; the Roxy,
newly built 750-seater in Enumclaw, Wash.,
and the Grand in Great Falls, Mont. Other
properties involved in the sale of the Pioneer
Securities Co., Inc., known informally as the
Jensen-von Herberg Enterprises, included a
market, a restaurant, real estate properties,
stocks and securities.
J. G. von Herberg, half of the Jensen-von
Herberg team, died December 18, and Mrs.
von Herbei-g sm-vived him only until March 8.
Claude Jensen, the other half of the hyphenated
enterprises, resides in Portland.
Edris said no change in personnel of the
various firms is contemplated. Leroy Johnson,
presently is general manager for the
theatres and has been for many years.
Edi'is also owns the Olympic hotel, Seattle's
biggest, and the Dennison Foods of Oakland,
Calif., and Seattle.
In the Lippert-Mann merger, California
saw another expansion in the Lippert drive
to establish an important west coast circuit.
The Mann interests already included houses
in Kuamath Falls, Eureka, Ukriah, Marysville.
Woodland, Dinuba, Areata, Fort Bragg,
Fortuna and Healdsburg. Lippert's properties
included theatres in Medford, Ashland, Weed,
Yerka, Sacramento, Fresno, Corcoran and
Sanger plus a number of drive-in situations.
RKO Theatre Chiefs
Inspect KC Property
KANSAS CITY—Malcom Kingsberg, president
of RKO Theatres, and Sol Schwartz,
general manager, were here this week inspecting
the long-closed Mainstreet Theatre.
RKO anticipates taking over the 3,049-seat
house and has an architect working on rehabilitation
plans.
The house is slated to reopen about October
1, subject to government approval of
a transfer of ownership between RKO and
Fox Midwest. Each has a 50 per cent interest
in the Mainstreet. Fox Midwest will
turn over its half interest for full ownership
of RKO's local showcase, the Orpheum.
Located on the edge of the downtown
district, the Mainstreet has been dark since
July 1938, except for a few months in 1941.
It was opened in 1921 as a vaudeville house.
From 1932 until 1936 it was operated as a
first run film house and for the last two
years of its operation played on a subsequent-run
policy.
Fox Midwest obtained its half interest in
1942. It was their intention to acquire the
remaining half, according to the National
Theatres brief on its dissolution plans filed
with the New York statutory court. However
a subsidiary of RKO entered into negotiations
with the owners of the outstanding
interest and acquired it. Thereafter the
co-owners were unable to agree concerning
the operation of the house, according to the
petition filed with the statutory courts. It
has not been operated since these respective
interests were acquired.
Andy Smith Honored
Ai 20fh-Fox Parly
NEW YORK—Andy W. Smith jr.'s first
anniversary as general sales manager of 20th
Century-Fox was observed at a testimonial
dinner held in the Sert room of the Waldorf-Astoria
Wednesday night, May 26. The
dinner was sponsored by the sales division
managers who are launching the Andy Smith
Anniversary Month drive from May 30 to
June 26.
Company executives, department heads
and the entire home office sales staff, with
representatives of the trade press attended,
and there was a screening of a special film
called "Handy Andy's First Year."
On the dais with Smith were Spyros P.
Skouras, company president, who acted as
toastmaster; Frank C. Walker, Judge Wilham
Powers, W. C. Michel, Otto Koegel,
Murray Silverstone, Donald A. Henderson,
W. J. Eadie, W. C. Gehring, Charles Schlaifer,
Herman Wobber, Harry G. Ballance, Jack
Lorentz, Raymond E. Moon, division manager,
and Arthur Silverstone, Howard Minsky,
Martin Moskowitz, Peter Levathes, Clarence
A. Hill and Lowell Thomas.
After frankly admitting that the company
had passed through a shaky period the division
sales chiefs told Skouras that by the
end of June the company's 37 branches in
the U.S. and Canada will break all company
sales records in terms of revenue and
circulation of features for the first sixmonth
period.
At the end of May domestic sales will have
produced in the first five months of this year
more revenue than it earned during the first
six months of 1947. During June, it was
stated, more theatres in the U.S. and Canada
will show 20th-Fox product than in any prior
month in the company's history.
Sees 60% of British Time
For American Pictures
NEW YORK—Even under the revised British
quota American pictures probably will
get 60 per cent of the playing time in Great
Britain, says Sidney Myers, assistant managing
director for British Lion Films, distributors
for Republic. Prior to the British
75 per cent tax, Myers said, American films
received about 75 per cent of the time.
Myers has been in Hollywood conferring
with Herbert J. Yates, president of Repubhc,
on release schedules.
Theatre business is still good in England,
Myers says, but the boom period is over and
the public is shopping for better attractions.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948 19

wiin oDi tne
biggest showmanship
events of the year
THE IRON CURTAIN
The first film ever to become
an international front page
news event! Returns from
the 400-theatre Premiere
are writing boxoffice headlines
daily across the land!
CENTURY-FOX
enters the Monti
of June with
tested product,
/v...
GREEN GRASS
of WYOMING
TECHNICOLOR
Now! Watch for recordbreaking
grosses to match
the size of the tremendous
12-state, 268-theatre dayand-date
premiere!
GIVE IVlfREGARDS
TO BROADWAY
TECHNICOLOR
Boston's regards to 20th in
June with the big World Premiere
at the Memorial Theatre!
to be followed dayand-date
across the nation!
proved boxoffic
power, payoff
(iliKra
Sales Managers
Salute to Andy
Smith Month!

w
1948 J UIV E 1948
Captain
From Mile
TECHNICOLOR
One of the year's
great hits! Motion
Picture Herald Boxoffice
Champion two
months in a row!
(all
NortJiside 777
The biggest boxoffice
of all 20th's
true- to-life
triumphs!
Outgrossing
"Boomerang!" and
"13 Rue Madeleine"!
You Were
Meant For Me
All the sweet things
rolled into one tune-
ful ticket seller! The
^^ "^j
new musical technique
that's terrific!
Gentleinan's
igreement
Most acclaimed film
in history! Academy
Award Picture!
M. P. Herald Boxoffice
Champion,
February, March,
April . . .
Sitting
Prettj
Right up there with
'
' '
Margie' and
"Mother Wore
Tights"! M. P.
Herald Boxoffice
Champion, April...
Scudda-Hoo!
Scudda-Hay!
TECHNICOLOR
A
a -^
:4.:
boxoffice triumph
in the tradition of
"Flicka'
'
and
"Home In Indiana"!
inna
Karenina
From the most
widely read novel of
all time! "That the
picture will play to
big grosses is certain,"
says Variety!
Fury it
Furnace Creeii
Big and exciting as
j^all outdoors! Action
... on the screen
and at the boxoffice!
...Bn6 wherever
these pictures play,
smart showmen are
booking them with
MOVIETONE NEWS,
MARCH OF TIME,
TERRYTOONS
or other selected
SHORT SUBJECTS!

'
—
CHAKLhS EINFELD HAL 'vVALLIS WILLIAM PINE WILLIAM THOMAS
Press-Agents Who Became
Successful Producers
By IVAN SPEAR
^ NYBODY who can sell 'em certainly
/40k ought to be able to make 'em. That
apparently is the viewpoint of an everincreasing
number of motion picture press
agents who are graduating— if such can be
considered an advancement—from the gentle
art of drum-beating to the production field.
Recent newcomers to the picture-making
category after years of energetic endeavor in
the dissemination of news, gossip and whathave-you
about films, their creators and their
stars are Frank Seltzer, who has organized
his own independent production unit, and
Sam X. Abarbanel, who did likewise in association
with Alan H. Posner.
The drift of Seltzer and Abarbanel from
selling to concocting celluloid entertainment
stimulated a survey that brings to light a
surprisingly large number of erstwhile spacesnatchers
who are now making pictures and
nurturing the ulcers which long have been
listed as an occupational hazard in comiection
therewith.
The Abarbanel-Posner combine secured a
Film Classics release for its kickoff venture,
"The Argyle Secrets," and is readying "Return
to Treasure Island" as its second offering,
for which no release is set. Posner, an
eastern businessman, inserted his toe in the
George Glass, a publicist holding a
vice-presidency in Stanley Kramer's
Screenplays, Inc., helped produce "So
This Is Nevir York" starring Henry Morgan,
and to be released through UA in association
with Enterprise.
indiistry door as an associate in Pickford
Productions, for which at the time Abarbanel
was snatching space. A short time later the
two pooled their interests to form Eronel Productions,
and Abarbanel—formerly a Republic
tub-thumper and publicist for Seymour
Nebenzal and other independent producers
now combines blurbery with production responsibilities.
Seltzer, whose newest enterprise is Frank
Seltzer Productions, with a release through
20th-Fox, is no newcomer either to publicity
or picture-making. His first whirl at the
latter was 'way back in 1922 when he turned
out a series of "Toonerville Trolley" comedies.
Subsequently he functioned as publicist and
advertising executive for such units as the old
Goldwyn Pictui-es Corp.. the Fox theatre circuit
and Warners, joining Hal Roach in 1937
as advertising-publicity chief. Thereafter he
did publicity hitches with the Ass'n of Motion
Picture Producers, Charles R. Rogers and
Edward Small before creating his own production
unit. Seltzer's first for 20th-Fox,
"Let's Live Again," was followed by "The Gay
Intruders" and the current "West of Tomorrow."
Another comparatively new graduate to
production ranks after a lengthy career in
advertising, exploitation, publicity, screen
writing, directing and other related chores
is Maxwell Shane, who recently incorporated
Geffen-Shane Productions in association with
Maxwell M. Geffen, publisher of Omnibook
magazine. Release through Universal-International
was secured for the new firm's first
opus, "Salem Frigate," slated to go into work
shortly. Shane's theatrical exploitation experience
included spots with Publix. Panchon
and Marco. Fox and other circuits, from
which he branched into writing for films
and radio. He wrote and directed several
subjects for Messrs. William Pine and Thomas
(themselves former publicists, and of whom
more later) before cooking up his production
unit with Geffen.
Among the very earliest to shift from pressagentry
to the manufacture of celluloid was
Hunt Stromberg, now head of his own company
releasing through United Artists. He
first came to California in 1919 as a tubthumper
for the late Thomas H. Ince. entered
the production field four years later and from
1925 to 1942 was the producer of scores of
Metro films. In the latter year he resigned
to form his own unit and since has made
They say that if you can sell 'em you
ought to be able to make 'em ---and
here is a report on those who have
done both.
several pictures for UA release. Latest: "Personal
Column," with Lucille Ball, also known
as "Lured." '
Another veteran of
early-day publicity activity
is Hal Wallis, sharecropping producer
releasing through Paramount, who began his
film blurbmg efforts in 1922—when he was
23 years old. He stuck at those chores for
six years, drawing paychecks from Warner
Bros, and Sol Lesser's Principal Pictures
—and then, in 1928, found himself back at
Warners as production supervisor. Wallis
remained with the Brethren Warner until
1944 when, in association with Attorney Joseph
Hazen, he formed his own independent
organization. Currently in work for Paramount
release: "The Accused," with Loretta
Young.
Still another ex-publicist of the 'way-backwhen
days is Pete Smith, celebrated now for
his "Pete Smith Specialties" series of shorts
at Metro. Until his flair for writing, producing
and narrating bobbed to the surface,
Smith pounded the tom-toms for Paramount,
Metro, Producer Marshall Neilan and others,
abandoning those space-snatching pursuits in
1925.
Charles Einfeld, like Wallis, was once head
man of the Warner publicity contingent when
he also decided to try making movies instead
of waxing rhapsodical over his employers'
product. It has been claimed, without successful
contradiction, that in his blurbing
days Einfeld originated the "premiere junket"
which, in its prime, was sm-efire as a spacegrabber.
Joining forces with David L. Loew,
Einfeld swung into production ranks in 1946
with the incorporation of Enterprise. Just
completed: "No Minor Vices," for which no
release had been set at this wTiting. (Enterprise
recently concluded a .six-picture distribution
commitment with UA with the delivery
of "So This Is New York," made by
Screenplays, Inc., in association with the Einfeld-Loew
company).
Some years ago the two Dollar Bills—Pine
and Thomas^were doing all right by themselves
in the publicity-exploitation niche.
Pine had enjoyed such varied activities as advance
man for a circus, theatrical press agent
and head of Paramount's studio publicity and
advertising department before joining Cecil
B. DeMille as an associate producer and
tub-thumper de luxe. Thomas had done publicity
for studios and theatre circuits before
22 BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948
-til

I
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turned
I
into
'
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current
]
"The
I
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1 recently
;
Classics
I
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began
;
gram
I
:
which
: Monogram.
' Roddy
I
!
Davis
I
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: May
LINDSLEY PARSONS WALTER COLMES MAXWELL SHANE
he and Pine had a meeting of the minds back
in 1936 and threw the switch which started
the assembly line going for the prolific series
of action dramas that they have been making
for Paramount release ever since.
Lengthy indeed is the list of other barons
of blurb who kicked over the publicity traces
one point or another in their careers and
began batting out celluloid instead of, or in
to, adjeetives. Among them:
From newspaperman to theatrical publicity
to advertising, thence to Hollywood as publicity
director for Walter Wanger was the
course charted by Alex Gottlieb before he
to screen writing and, in 1940, moved
production ranks with a berth at Universal.
His first picture—Abbott and Costello
in "Buck Privates"—was a resounding
success: Gottlieb has been a producer ever
since, having shifted from Universal to his
post at Warners. Newest credit:
Wallflower." His ambition: "To hang
onto my job."
Writer-F>roducer Martin Mooney first attained
recognition as a newspaperman. A
in crime and prison yarns, he took
time out to serve as advertising-publicity director
for Producers Releasing Corp. and at
various times has produced for RKO Radio,
Columbia, PRC and other companies. He
organized his own miit with a Film
release and has finished one subject,
"Blonde Ice," for distribution under that
label.
Lindsley Parsons, who heads his own production
unit at Monogram, is another who
as a journalist, became the old Mono-
company's publicity chief in 1931, and
then began wi'iting originals and screenplays.
From there it was an easy step to production,
berth he has held down since 1939 at
Turning out a series starring
McDowall, Parsons is also in charge
of a number of films in which Gov. Jimmie
of Louisiana is being featured.
Ted Richmond, Columbia producer,
broke
into the industry via the publicity route in
I
east, beating the drums for various circuits
and moving to HoUywood as chief blurbist
for the now-defmict Grand National. As
head of his own unit he turned out a series
for PRC and subsequently shifted to his presj
ent niche at Columbia.
Not in action at the moment is B. P. Schulberg,
veteran of production, publicity, advertising
[
and related pursuits. Fi-om a post as
exploiteer with the old Famous Players company
in 1912 Schulberg became, at one time,
general manager of Paramount's west coast
production: headed his o\to unit, turned out
product for Columbia, Paramoimt, Selznick
and others: and, until some months ago, held
ON THE COVER:
Frank Seltzer (standing left) veteran of publicity and
advertising has organized Frank Seltzer Productions.
Inc., with Hugh King for 20th-Fox release. King
IS seated right. With them is Tamara Geva and
John Emery who appear in the company's first
feature, "The Gay Intruder."
a key post as advertising-publicity coordinator
with the Einfeld-Loew company. Enterprise.
Garrulity has long been one of the stocksin-trade
of George Glass—at least from his
early days as a radio news commentator and
sports broadcaster. He deserted radio for
films in 1936 as a Selznick space-snatcher
and functioned in advertising and publicity
capacities for Samuel Goldwyn, United Artists.
David Loew, Lester Cowan and others.
As vice-president of Screenplays, Inc., Glass
added production to his other accomplishments
when, in association with Stanley
Kramer, president of the company, he turned
out "So This Is New York." The comedy
starring Heruy "Radio" Morgan was made
under the Enterprise banner for release by
United Artists as the initialer on Screenplays'
ambitious schedule.
A production berth at the late lamented
Grand National gave Edward Finney his
first whirl at production after a varied career
which had included sales promotion, advertising,
heading a story department and
screen writing. Following his hitch at GN
Finney was associated in the making of several
features for United Artists, produced
for PRC, Eagle Lion and Monogram and.
under his own banner, for Screen Guild. Latest:
"The Prairie," filmed for SG release.
Another who foresook the tribulations of
press agentry for the more verdant fields of
production was Frank Rosenberg, one-time
welkin-ringer for Columbia, radio and screen
writer, and now associated with Monty Shaft
in an independent company which filmed
"Man-Eaters of Kumaon" for Universal-International
release.
From stage direction in the east Walter
Colmes moved to Hollywood and joined the
ranks of filmdom's independent publicists
before beginning his production career at
PRC. Colmes produced and directed several
subjects for Columbia, then became an executive
of Somerset Pictures f'TTie Burning
Cross," distributed by Screen Guild.) Currently
Colmes and others operating as Emerson
Pictures are preoccupied with motion
pictures' lusty new cousin, television, for
which medium they are making a series of
16mm subjects.
One-time publicity director for Noel Coward,
Max Gordon and other stage luminaries,
Howard Benedict was also a newshawk before
becoming RKO Radio's studio advertising-publicity
chief. In 1942 he branched
out into production for that company, moved
subsequently to Universal, and tm-ned out a
long string of product for the latter studio
over a period of years. He vacated his post
at the time of Universal's merger with International
and since has not been actively engaged
in the industry.
Undoubtedly there are others.
Strangely enough, however, a perfunctory
investigation reveals one odd fact:
No producer has ever turned press agent.
Ex-publici3t Edward Finney produced "The
Flaming Forest," for which no release has
been set. In the scene: Robert Lowery, Martha
Sherrill, Charlie Hughes, Ted Handley.
From "The A _, >
which Sam X.
Abarbanei, former press agent, has produced
with Alan Posner for Monogram. William
Gargan is central figure here.
Frank Rosenberg, one-time Columbia studio
publicity director, has done "Man-Eaters of
Kumaon" in association with Monty Shaff for
U-I release.
A one-time pubhcist for eastern circuits,
Ted Richmond, is responsible for "Thunderhoof"
to be released by Columbia, and starring
Preston Foster (L) and William Bishop.
BOXOFFICE :
29, 1948
23

RKO SHOWMANSHI
TO RECORD-BREA
''BERLIN EXPRESS"
BIGGEST IN BOSTON!
^^0fm
">ir^:-^^
Thousands storm doors of Boston
Theatre as cyclonic campaign blankets
Hub City area . . . New opening
record for the picture that's headlinehot
with authentic drama staged in
>>'''
:^lin
Hr.Hvwnod pod Stars, Big [J^^^NH^
stage S>»» fw
Cancer Fund
mprFml"'"'"
Express' to
Premerejere^
.M^^.^^
"^
\\M1
^^l;"-*>.
i'sWr^Toni"'
stars
St
the actual settings in Berlin^ Frankfort,
Paris..BROADWAY RUN BEGIN-
NING MAY 20 AT VICTORIA THEATRE
"~-
:':itl;?Bo^onen.erU.n.
^-- - with
/^2s^«

.
AUNCHES TWO MORE
NG OPENINGS!
/'FIGHTING FATHER DUNNE''
TOPS IN ST. LOUIS!
^^^3f^^^^^SS^^^^^^^^^^m^^;^^^^rJ^-^^^
Fox Theatre draws biggest opening
crowds in
years^ as parades, radio,
newspapers and continuous public
events sweep all attention to the
picture with unlimited exploitation
possibilities and terrific
audience appeal!
-ATLANTA exploitation opening
follows same sensational pattern . .
with more and more to come!
Produced by PHIL L. RYAN
• Directed by TED TETZLAFF • Screen Play by MARTIN RACKIN and FRANK OAVIS • Story b> WILLIAM RANKIN
A

iv
'TfCcK ^tW Sf^'^^tt^
Tele-Film Developments
QUT on the coast two weeks ago the
National Ass'n of Broadcasters met in
Los Angeles and the Society of M. P. Engineers
met at Santa Monica. The timing
was no coincidence: it was premeditated.
Broadcasting engineers and motion picture
engineers commuted back and forth
to each other's meetings. Both gatherings
heard a lot about television. David O.
Selznick jumped on the television bandwagon
while they were talking.
The SMPE men heard warnings that if
the picture industry did not make applications
for more station licenses in a hurry
it would find all the available channels
gone when it finally got around to the idea.
While this was going on Spyros P. Skouras
informed 20th Century-Fox stockholders
that he could vision the day when big
stage shows as well as films would be sent
over the air to hundreds of theatres simultaneously.
These would be so good, he
said, that they would eliminate competition
from home receivers.
If there are no air channels left, these
programs will need coaxial cables.
The uncertainties of the picture business
about television bear a marked resemblance
to the uncertainties of newspaper publishers
when radio stations began to broadcast
news and garner a large share of
the advertising dollar—especially in medium-sized
cities. After a period of bitter
enmity the newspapers decided to go into
the radio business. Newspapers now own
627 radio stations. They are served by the
AP, UP, INS, British UP, Canadian Press,
Chicago Tribune Press Service, Press News
'subsidiary of Canadian Press), Reuters
and Transradio Press.
It's big business—which explains the
current rush of film newsreels to get onto
the air with picture news for the rapidly
spreading television stations.
Here again the newspapers are joining in
the rush. They have 11 television stations
operating, 73 applications pending before
the FCC and 23 construction permits
granted.
They are all ready to make deals with
networks. They know network programs
furnished to them will be better than local
productions and less expensive. They have
had both AM and FM air experience.
Newspapers have fancy ways of avoiding
the FCC five-section-to-a-company limitation.
There are newspaper chains, too.
Paramount is the only film company
making aggressive television moves. It has
two stations and four applications, and the
FCC is splitting hairs over whether Paramount
"controls" Du Mont. Three out of
the four applications pending were filed
fcy Paramount theatre affiliates. If a Paramount
application is denied, the company
may take the validity of this FCC ruling
into court for a test.
If it does there will be a disturbance.
Some newspaper applic^ions are for station
permits where the papers do not circulate.
Some very small papers have made
as many as three applications. It is obvious
that the big networks will blossom
out with "affiliated" stations in strategic
spots and practically control many areas
By JAMES M. JERAULD
if the film business is held to the five-station
rule and newspaper chains are not.
Subsidies From USA
pRANCE has renewed its efforts to impose
a tax and playing time limitation
on American films so that American film
grosses will subsidize faltering production
in that country. Sweden has now joined in
a similar move, and Argentina has suspended
all remittances of funds to the U.S.
This keeps the leaders of the MPEA busy
hopping from one place to another. When
diplomacy breaks down they suspend film
exports. Tills usually produces two results
—a loud series of complaints from native
exhibitors who see their investments
jeopardized and a sudden realization on
the part of government officials that they
are cutting off the handsome income they
collect from admission and other taxes.
It is disconcerting and keeps the export
market for films in a constant state of
agitation, but it seems to be the only course
until such time as these countries can resume
accumulation of exchange.
More Children's Shows
^ITH 112 features added to the children's
film library by the MPAA, some
of the complaints of exhibitors ought to
disappear. At the start there was a limited
number of prints as well as a limited number
of subjects. Some exhibitors displayed
impatience when they found there was a
waiting list.
Under the new setup theatres will not be
eligible for the new subjects until they have
played 10 per cent of the old. Everybody
agrees the shows have been very successful
and have helped public relations in
neighborhoods and smaller communities.
with further additions to the program in
prcspect at some future date, there is every
indication the shows will be continued indefinitely
and expanded into new areas.
Charles C. PettiJohn
^HE passing of Charlie Pettijohn removed
a colorful figure from the industry. Before
his retirement in 1942 from the MPPDA
he exercised an enoiinous influence in
shaping the destinies of that organization.
As a matter of fact, he was one of its
founders and many credit him with having
induced Will H. Hays to leave President
Harding's cabinet to take over the
leadership of industry affairs.
In recent years he had spent practically
all his time at his Westchester home.
Back to Supreme Court
^HAT the industry antitrust case will
probably go back to the supreme court
after the lower court has decided what
theatres will have to be given up by the
major companies is made plain by Barney
Balaban in a letter to Paramount stockholders.
He says that it is impossible to predict
what the course of the company will be
in the new lower court trial, but mentions
"further review in the supreme court."
'Jock' Lawrence Given
New Post With Rank
NEW YORK—J. B. L. "Jock" Lawrence,
vice-president in charge of public relations
for the J. Arthur Rank
Organization since
1945, has been promoted
to executive
vice-president by Robert
S. Benjamin, president
of the American
corporation.
Lawrence is also a
member of the board
of directors of the
Rank company, the
others being J. Arthur
Rank, chairman: John
J. B. L. Lawrence Davis, vice-chairman:
Benjamin, president: John Woolf, William J.
Heineman and Ralph E. Reynolds. Lawrence
was a colonel in the general staff overseas
during the war, serving as chief public relations
officer for Lord Mountbatten of
Burma's commandos throughout 1942.
Ben Wirth Elected Head
Of WB Service Corp.
NEW YORK—Ben Wirth has been elected
president of Warner Bros. Service Corp., a
subsidiary of Warner
Bros. Pictures, Inc.,
which supervises concessions
in all of the
company's theatres.
Other officers of the
Service Corp. are:
Harold Rodner, vicepresident:
Robert W.
Perkins, secretary, and
Samuel Carlisle, treasurer.
Wirth, who was promoted
to head the Ben Wirth
Warner Bros, real estate department in Philadelphia
in 1944, has been with the home office
real estate department since 1930.
Gael Sullivan to Speak
At 111. Exhibitor Meet
NEW YORK—Gael Sullivan, who takes over
as executive director of TOA June 1, will
make his first official appearance before a
theatre group at the United Theatre Owners
of Illinois meeting at the Kaskaskia hotel, La
Salle, 111., Jmie 3 and 4.
Sullivan will speak before the theatre owners
of his home state at the invitation of
Edward Zorn, president of the Illionis association.
Herman M. Levy, general comisel
of TOA, will also address the meeting to discuss
the recent supreme court decision on the
Paramount case as well as other matters of
general exhibitor interest.
RKO Names Arthur Elliott
Calgary Branch Manager
NEW YORK—Arthur Elliott, salesman in
the RKO Montreal branch, has been promoted
to branch manager at Calgary by
Robert Mochrie, vice-president in charge of
distribution.
Elliott joined the Montreal branch in 1947
as student salesman. He also has served In
St. John, New Brunswick.
26
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948
u

'
Name Slate Chairmen
For 'Youth Month'
NEW YORK—State chairmen have been
named for the TOA "Youth Month" campaign
in the drive against juvenile delinquency.
The first step in the campaign will
be the showing of "Report for Action," TOA
financed documentary film, to local civic
welfare committees in more than 1,500 communities
participating in the drive. The film
will be available iir all exchanges by June 1.
The campaign will be conducted during
September. During that month exhibitors will
present special juvenile programs; newsreels
will highlight youth activities. Sports writers,
editorial writers and newspaper and
magazine advertisers and radio commentators
have promised cooperation in a "Saluting
Young America" program.
SKOURAS HEADS DRIVE
Charles P. Skouras is national chairman
of the "Youth Month" campaign. It will be
conducted with the cooperation of the National
Conference on Prevention and Control
of Juvenile Delinquency. It was fostered by
the TOA at the request of Att'y Gen. Tom
C. Clark.
The chairmen are:
William R. Grilfin, Alabama Theatre Owners and
Managers Ass'n, Cullman, Ala.; Harry Nace, Orpheum
Thedre, Phoenix, Ariz.; Dave Cailahan, Robb
& Rowley Theatres, Little Rock, Ark.; Dave Bershon,
co-chairman for southern Caliiorrua, Leimert Theatre,
Lo& Angeles; Paul WiUiams, co-chairman for
southern California, SCTOA, Los Angeles; George
Nasser, Nasser Bros., San Francisco; Robert Selig,
Fox Intermountain Theatres, Denver; George H. Wilkinson
jr., MPTO of Connecticut, Wallingiord, Conn.;
A. lulian Brylawski, MPTO, Washington, D. C;
loseph De Fiore, Park Theatre, Wilmington, Del.;
Milton C. Moore, Florida TOA, Jacksonville; J. H.
Thompson, MPTO of Georgia, HawkinsviUe, Ga.;
Virgil O'Dell, Majestic Theatre, Nampa, Idaho; John
Balabon, northern llhnois, Chicago: Dave Jones,
southern Illinois, Kerasotes Theatre, Springfield, 111.
Ken Collins, Indiana Theatre, Indianapolis; Ralph
Branton, Tri-States Theatres Corp., Des Moines, Iowa;
Homer S. Strowig, KMTA, Plaza Theatre, Abilene,
Kas.; Guthrie Crowe, Kentucky ATO, La Grange,
Ky.; Harold Stoneman, Interstate Theatres, Boston;
C. J. Russell, Bijou Theatre, Bangor, Me.; Lawrence
E. Gordon, Butterfield circuit, Detroit; James F.
Sharkey (for Detroit), Cooperative Theatres, Detroit;
Charles W. Winchell, Minnesota Amusement Co.,
Minneapolis: Max Connett, Roxy Theatre Bldg., Newton,
Miss.; Fred Wehrenberg {eastern Missouri), St.
Louis; Elmer Rhoden, Fox Midwest Theatres, Kansas
City; R. H. Livingston, Capitol Theatre, iincoln,
Neb.; Mel Morrison, Strand Theatre, Dover, N. H.;
Maury Miller, New Jersey TOA, Passaic, N. J.
ADDITIONAL CHAIRMEN
Ray Bartlett, co-chairman, Ocotillo Theatre, Artesia,
N. M.; Harry Lament (Albany), TOA, 93 State St.,
Albany; Robert Hayman (Buffalo), Strand Theatre,
Niagara Falls, N. Y.; Fred Schwarlz (metropolitan
New York), Century circuit, 132 West 43rd St., New
York City: H. F. Kincey, TOA of North and South
Carolina, Wilby-Kincey Service Corp., Charlotte, N.
C; Mike Cooper, Forx Theatre, Grand Forks, N. D.;
Ron Gamble (northern Ohio), Palace Theatre, Akron;
Maurice White (southern Ohio), Keith Bldg,, Cincinnati;
Charles Freeman, Criterion Theatre, Oklahoma
City: W. H. Thediord, Evergreen Theatres,
Portland, Ore.; Lewen Pizor (eastern Pennsylvania),
UMPTO of Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey
and Delaware, 12 South I2th St., Philadelphia;
M. A. Silver (western Pennsylvania), Clark Bldg.,
Pittsburgh; Ed Fay, MPTO of Rhode Island, Fay's
Theatre, Providence; Ben L.- Strozier, Capitol Theatre,
Rock Hill, S. C.
Charles Klein, Black Hills Amusement Co., Deadwood,
S. D.; W. F. Ruffin (western Tennessee),
MPTO of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, Palace
Theatre, Covington, Tenn.; Walter L. Morris
(eastern Tennessee), TTOA, Pike Theatre, Knoxville;
Henry Reeve, Texas Theatre Owners, Inc..
Mission Theatre, Menard, Tex.; Tracy Barham, Capitol
Theatre Bldg., Salt Lake City; Frank Vennelt,
Paramount Theatres, Rutland, Vt.; W. F. Crockett,
Virginia MPTO, Bayne Theatre, Virginia Beach; Frank
Newman, Evergreen Theatre, Skinner Bldg., Seattle;
J. C. Shcmklin, MPTO of West Virginia, Ronceverte,
W.
,.
Va.; Harold J. Fitzgerald, Winsconsin Amuse-"
ment Enterprises, Inc., Milwaukee; Tom Brennan,
Fox Theatre, Laramie. Wyo.; Frank Larson. Wilma
Theatre, Missoula, Mont.; E. V. Richards, 60S Canal
St., New Orleans; Henry Pines, Nevada Theatre,
Reno, Nev.
Films Community Assets,
Declares H. M, Warner
WASHINGTON—Motion pictures are a
part of community life and the operators of
theatres where they
are shown stand ready i
to share in all com-
]
m u n i t y movements,
said Harry M. Warner,
president of Warner
Bros., in a talk before
the National Council
for Community Improvement
at the Hotel
Statler.
The industry stands
|
ready to extend even
more active support
;
and cooperation, he declared.
Film theatres I
and communities have
"mutual problems," he
said.
"A theatre in a community
Harry M. Warner
is a social unit designed to do the
greatest good for all," he continued. "There
are things which the motion picture
theatre can do and has done well to
fulfill this community objective. Fund
raising, morale building, dramatic presentation
of vital information—these are all
motion picture activities aiming at the community
objective for the greatest good. As
part of and beyond its primary function of
providing entertainment for the people of
the community, the motion picture theatre
and the productions it shows have been a
key factor along with the church and the
schools in furthering community programs.
And on innumerable occasions the movie
house has been utilized to meet neighborhood
needs and emergencies."
Warner said his company had made many
efforts to contribute films with civic purposes.
He cited the Technicolor shorts on
highlights of American liistory started in
1936; the Springfield Plan picture intended
to promote tolerance the films called "This
Is Our Army," "Pasteur" and others.
"The motion picture theatre, even while
affording entertainment, has proven a notable
focal point for many successful humanitarian
causes such as the Red Cross
drives, war bonds, Salvation Army, and numerous
trailers made from time to time.
"Our company and the other motion picture
companies believe that the function of
the motion picture in community betterment
is to provide entertainment, based on
the culture, the aspirations, the ethics and
the simple likes and dislikes of our population.
"The great achievement of the motion pictm-e
in the community is that it has made
history entertaining. It has given the
American citizen more and more information
from which he can make up his own
mind.
"Because it attracts such masses of the
population the motion picture theatre is the
perfect headquarters for public service endeavors,
because if you want to dramatize
the need for fire prevention, or for periodic
examinations to control tuberculosis, or for
conserving fats, you do it through the motion
picture theatre.
"The motion picture has a definite place
in the lives of the people. School teaches
them how to get along with their contemporaries.
In the theatre they see how to get
along with older and younger people. The
great problem of the individual is to be with
people—it sounds funny, but it is a real problem
and those who don't solve it become
misfits. Going to the movies has taught more
than one person to get along with the rest
of the world."
Social Guidance Feature Previewed in Hollywood
HOLLYWOOD— Submitted for
the edification
and reactions of Hollywood film reviewers
was "The Story of Bob and Sally,"
kickoff venture of the newcomer company,
Social Guidance Enterprises. Because of the
nature of the offering and because no very
definite plans have been perfected for its
distribution, the feature cannot logically be
treated to a conventional review. But at
the same time, its existence and later availability
to the exhibition world makes a report
thereon necessary.
It's one of those films which undertakes
frankly to preach on the evils and dangers
of abortions and to educate on the avoidance,
detection and treatment of social diseases.
As such, it is carefully and impressively
written, produced and directed. The
cast chosen to delineate the fictive portions
of the picture performs admirably and lists
several fairly well-established names. The
Thespian facets are made the more convincing
through ably written and forcefully
delivered commentary.
That portion of the subject devoted to
factual and graphic photography to reveal
the medical and scientific phases of conception,
development and delivery of babies
and the ravages of venereal disease are
filmed with complete candor. How individual
spectators will react thereto probably will
be dependent upon the squeamishness of respective
stomachs.
Considering the over-all nature of the
subject matter and the thoroughly frank
manner in which it is handled, the picture
is noteworthy for its tastefulness.
It runs 71 minutes and approximately midway
in its footage is a break for the personal
appearance of a lecturer. The screenplay
was written by Mary C. Palmer; the
subject was produced by J. G. Sanford and
directed by Erie C. Kenton. Heading the cast
are Gloria Marlen, Ralph Hodges, Rick Vallin,
Mildred Coles, - Charles Qu:gley. Mary
Bear and Charles Evans.
The film's initial engagement will be at
the Mayan Theatre in Los Angeles, beginning
May 31.
BOXOFFICE : : May 29, 1948 27

wK^0^^
VM^SI^'
i"* .
' * lA
We're inviting
ail siiowmen to
see iiow today's
P^^>
TICKET BUYERS
enjoy tiie movie
tiiat reviewers
iiaii
as 1948's
surprise smasii!
"Pick of the pictures! Packed with laughs!" —JIMMIE fIDlER
"Most stimulating surprise in
ready memory!" —MP. HfR4I0

HP
t A ^
lUED ARTISTS presents \
\
v
ROOO
zU^ .^^#^*S%y^,
WacUNE
with
,=Si?=^^^--""""'-"Pl,o^oguphyKMtlS^R^lSS,^.s.t.
THEATRE PREVIEWS IN ALL KEY CITIES!
CITY
ALBANY
ATLANTA Prewi^w June 9
BALTIMORE
BOSTON
BUFFALO
CHARLOTTE
CHICAGO
CINCINNATI
CLEVELAND
DALLAS
DENVER Preview June 7
DES MOINES
DETROIT
INDIANAPOLIS
KANSAS CITY
LOS ANGELES .
THEATRE
Delaware
.... Paramount
Mayfair
Capitol
20th Century
Broadway
To be announced
Grand
Hippodrome
Palace
Paramount
Paramount
United Artists
Lyric
Uptown
El Rey
CITY
THEATRE
MEMPHIS
Warner
MILWAUKEE
MINNEAPOLIS
NEW HAVEN
NEW YORK
OKLAHOMA CITY
OMAHA
PHILADELPHIA
PITTSBURGH
PORTLAND
Riverside
State
DIxwell
RKO Colonial
Warners
Orpheum
Commodore
Sheridan Sq.
Orpheum
ST. LOUIS Missouri
SALT LAKE CITY
Uptown
SAN FRANCISCO
SEATTLE
TULSA
WASHINGTON
Warfield
Orpheum
Ritz
Naylor
Please contact your Allied
Artists Exchange for tickets

^Ci4Ai«t^to«t ^efixmt
THE EXPORT MARKET of the film industry
is bound to be hurt—maybe badly—if
a knot of powerful house Republicans get
away with their high tariff ideas. The chances
are they will succeed to an extent in the face
of vigorous opposition from administration
leaders and many Democrats.
The film industry is geared more and more
to a world distribution market, and if there's
anything that dries up that market, it's a
high tariff policy by American industry. This
brings retaliation, and the spiral starts moving.
The film industry, which wants to send
pictures abroad, is less afraid of imported
competition than many other American industries.
The record of foreign distribution of films
is dotted with barriers. There are taxes, many
of them excessive. There are quotas on
American films. The frozen fund troubles
continue, despite the talks and conferences.
There are moves for complete bans on American
films in some parts of the world.
Such vocal representatives of the American
motion picture industry as Eric Johnston,
president. Motion Picture Ass'n of America,
believe the way to end this is to extend reciprocal
benefits to products of other countries.
The problem is important. Johnston said:
"The American motion picture industry is
extraordinarily dependent on foreign markets
and, in tm-n, is peculiarly beset by government
restrictions abroad."
In the face of this situation, the important
house ways and means committee this week
took an ominous step. It chopped away at
the reciprocal trade agreements act in a
manner that Secretary of State George C.
Marshall said is worse than no law at all.
HERE'S THE STORY:
The reciprocal trade agreements act was
passed in 1934 for three years. Each three
years it was extended for another threeyear
period.
The idea was to increase world trade by
cutting tariff barriers at home in return for
reductions by other countries. The administration
was given broad authority to work
out agreements wath other nations.
In 1945 the act was up for extension once
again, and house Democrats were in control
of Congress. They stiffened the law in the
direction of far lower tariffs. The chief new
feature: The President was empowered to
lower U.S. tariff rates by not more than 50
per cent of the rates in effect on Jan. 1.
1945, instead of by 50 per cent of the rates
in effect in 1934.
On June 12 of this year the act expires
once again, and the house ways and means
committee tried to do a job on it. It met
in secret sessions during early May, heard
witnesses, said nothing of what it was up to,
and this week reported out its bill.
The new measure would extend the law'
for one year instead of three. It would make
the U.S. tariff commission do the negotiating
with foreign countries instead of the
Committee for Reciprocity Information. The
former is designed to look out for welfare
of domestic industry in a narrow sense; the
latter is hand-picked by the administration
to set tariffs with the long range national
welfare in mind.
The new measure also would set up a series
of delays in negotiations lor tariff cuts. And
30
By LEE GARLING
would give Congress a veto power over any
it
agreement it did not like. Thus, if cotton
or wool industry officials objected to an
agreement, they could go to Congress for
relief. These are among industries jubilant
at the new concept of high taxes.
What will happen? A few things are sure.
The committee is behind the high tariff idea.
It will get it to the house floor speedily,
and there it will be passed unchanged probably
on a strictly partisan basis. The size
of the vote will tell to a great extent whether
final passage is to be expected.
The senate may knock out the bill entirely,
and pass a simple extension of the older
measure. Then there would be a compromise
worked out, passed by each chamber and
sent to the White House. Whether it will
be so satisfactory to the administration that
the President will sign it, is unsure.
The house committee's measm-e would run
into a quick and forthright vote by the chief
executive, observers feel.
IN TESTIFYING BEFORE a house com-
Johnston reviewed
mittee recently on tariffs,
the restrictions on American films abroad,
and added:
"Whatever their form, singly or in combination,
or whatever their pm-poses, it is
quite obvious the target of them all at the
moment is the American film because it
reaches around the world and because, as
of today, it enjoys a majority of playing time
on the world's screens.
"Your committee wants to know what the
U.S. government may legitimately do to assist
the motion picture industry abroad.
"The best possible course is to continue
the present policy of the State department
(reciprocal trade agreements, et al.) As you
know, this policy is free of any party tag
or label. It is based wholly on the traditional
American belief in freedom of expression
and communication and is designed to
remove and prevent discriminatory restrictions."
Start New Documentaries
NEW YORK—Astor Pictures will release a
new series of color documentaries, "Makers
of Destiny," to be produced by Hullinger Pi-oductions
of Washington, D. C. The first film
in the new series will be released June 10.
'B.ed Menace' Tunis Up
In 'Iron Curtain
Bow
Portland, Ore.—Frank Pratt, manager
of the Paramount, had opening
day jitters in a bad way as "The
Iron Curtain" bowed in his house.
He had In mind the disturbance the
picture caused in New York City as he
stepped out onto the sidewalk and
glanced down the line of patrons who
had queued up at the boxoffice. Over
the heads of the crowd a red flag
fluttered.
As he considered emergency measures
two men came along with a ladder, lowered
it into a manhole, placed the red
flag over the opening and went to work.
Radio Industry Adopts
Broadcasting Code
HOLLYWOOD—Although the close parallel
to film operations was not drawn directly,
the broadcasting industry in its annual convention
heeded stern warnings that it must—
as have motion pictures—adopt a selfdisciplinary
code or suffer the consequences
of government regulation on both state and
federal levels, with all the woes attendant
thereon.
That message, delivered by President Justin
Miller of the convening National Ass'n of
Broadcasters, keynoted opening sessions of
the four-day conclave and the "standards
of practice" code was adopted after discussion
of minor revisions and amendments. It
calls for impartiality as concerns news treatment
and politics, careful balancing of controversial
programs and close scrutiny of
shows aimed for consumption by children,
crime and mystery fans and other listener
groups. In conception and method of enforcement
the radio doctrine appears to be
patterned closely after the MPAA's production
code.
TELEVISION PROSPERITY SEEN
Television, mushrooming cousin to both
radio and films, also came in for a substantial
share of the broadcasters' study during
the meetings at the Biltmore hotel. At
a preconvention press conference Niles Trammell,
president of the National Broadcasting
Co., announced the appointment of Hal Bock
as video chief for the network on the Pacific
coast. Another NBC executive, Noran Kersta,
director of television operations, told video
leaders in the Los Angeles area that television
presents "no threat to existing entertainment
mediums." Speaking before members
of the Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences, Kersta predicted video will lead
America to "greater prosperity" by creating
new jobs and stimulating bigger demands
for goods and services. The newly-developed
kinescope, he said, makes possible the "immediate"
creation of a national television network—and.
he added, there is "no place in
the U.S. where the networking of television
by relay is not possible."
CAUTION ON VIDEO SOUNDED
Although the U.S. is on the threshold of
a "big experience in television," the end of
1948 will see less than 1,000,000 video sets in
homes throughout the country, it was predicted
by Kenneth H. Baker, NAB's director
of research. He warned, however, that the
present high cost of television receivers should
not lull
radio and film executives into a false
state of indifference and pointed out that
when public demand has sufficiently increased,
costs will drop as they did with automobiles
and washing machines.
A note of caution as concerns radio's entry
into video was sounded by Lewis Allen Weiss
of the Mutual network. He contended too
many are rushing into the new medium in
the hope of making fast profits and without
contributing the long-range thinking and
planning that must be cultivated.
Meantime two new television production
corporations moved in on the already crowded
video field. Harry Einstein (radio's
"Parkyakarkus") and Maurice Morton formed
a company to make television shorts on film,
with an initial schedule of five properties.
The first, "Meet Me at Parky's," will feature
the radio comic along with Betty Rhodes and
Sheldon Leonard.
BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948
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Radio's
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Distaff
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^M^tvmct ^efoont
Joe
Rock Organizes Unit
Called Astro Pictures
of British and American produc-
;tion and exhibition, Joe Rock has whipped
up a new independent filmmaking unit. Astro
Pictui'es, Inc.. in association with Ray
Stenerson ilisted as president) and Danny
Hall, formerly in MGM's art department.
The new unit acquired two properties. "The
Spirit Is Willing," a farce comedy by Gordon
Douglas and Berne Oiler, and "Rhythm Express,"
a musical penned by Jay Seymour-
Rock is now setting up production
dates and negotiating a release.
Another pair of independents, George
Breakston and Yorke Coplen, are readying
an adventure opus. "Ubanghi," which they
plan to film on location in Africa for an unarmounced
release, using jungle natives for
jail but the featured roles in the cast. They
recently completed "Urubu. the Vulture People,"
filmed with similar technique along the
Amazon in South America.
Only Three Story Purchases
Recorded the Past Week
A sharp downward curve was described in
the sale of story material during the period,
I
I
with a mere three properties finding their
way into studio hands.
Producer Owen Crump, who hangs his hat
at MGM, sold that studio "Juggernaut,"
semidocumentary about a small-town lynching,
to which he had acquired screen rights
.from Joel Malone and Harold Swanton, who
wrote it as a radio show. Crump will proiduce
Forte Martin's original. "King of
. . . the African Congo." went to Republic and
tossed into the production hopper of
n Adreon as one of four serials on
the studio's 1948-49 calendar . . . "Freckles,"
best-seller by Gene Stratton-Porwas
picked up by Windsor Pictures
1 1 Julian Lesser and Frank Melford) to be
I turned out for Monogram release.
Paramount Gives Beloin
Writer-Producer Pact
I
Edmund Beloin. Paramount contract writer
for the past three years and one-time scrivener
on the Jack Benny airshow, was handed
la new ticket boosting him to writer-producer
I
status . . . RKO Radio hoisted its option on
'the directorial services of Richard Fleischer
... Likewise held for an additional term
is Fred Brannon. specialist in the direction
of cliff-hangers out Republic way. His next:
"Federal Agents vs. Underworld. Inc."
Edmond O'Brien Gets Lead
,In Tighter Squadron'
Recently booked on a long-term acting
ticket at the studio, Edmond O'Brien's first
(assignment at Warners is a lead in "Fighter
for which Robert Stack has also
been set . . . Franchot Tone will provide romantle
competition for Cary Grant in RKO
"Every Girl Should Be Married."
side of the triangle is Newcomer Betsy
Two National Surveys
By IVAN SPEAR Help EL and U-l
. . . Set
Drake . . . Columbia is teaming William Holden
and Lee J. Cobb in "Hearsay," its new
Producer Albert
version of "Blind Alley" . . .
J. Cohen lined up Virginia Grey. Bar-
ton MacLane and Richard Denning to topline
"The Unknown Adventure." Cohen's first
Romantic leads
for Film Classics release . . .
in Republic's "Whispers in the Dark" were
assigned to Warren Douglas and Audrey
Long . . . Thomas Gomez will have a top
character role in "Tucker's People," the new
John Garfield starrer at Enterprise
for Eagle Lion's "Inside the Wall" was Richard
Carlson . Guild's "The Return
of Wildfire" will feature Richard Arlen, Patricia
Morison and Mary Beth Hughes,
DeMille Speaks Prologue
For 'Crusades' Reissue
Designed to serve as a corollary between
today's headlines concerning the fighting in
Palestine and the 12th-centm-y subject matter
of the film. Paramount produced a prologue
tor the release of Cecil B. DeMille's
"The Crusades." The 90-second commentary,
narrated by DeMille. w^as made up of newsreel
clips depicting phases of present strife
in the Holy Land, pointing up the parellel
between the fighting today and the struggle
depicted in "The Crusades."
Animated 'Hiawatha' Feature
In Preparation by Disney
An odd facet of the cinematic whirl is the
tendency to overlook or neglect great and
widely read literary properties, many of them
classics, as sources for film material. Such a
VIDEO PLUG FOR FILM—First "live"
television trailer for a picture was a highlight
of Paramount's advance exploitation
for the world premiere of "The Emperor
Waltz," held at the Hollywood
Paramount Thea.tre May 26. Telecast
over Station KTLA, the stunt featured
Scheherazade, black poodle who has a role
in the film, going through her paces for
the television cameras and newsreels.
Scheherazade's playmate was unidentified.
One simple way of determining public
and exhibitor tastes as concerns Hollywood
output is by asking questions. Two
production organizations have recently
discovered and uitilized that method, with
results worthy of recording;
\. Eagle Lion polled a crop of newspaper
drama editors, leading theatre
operators and "average" filmgoers
throughout the country and found Present-day
audiences rate films in the semidocumentary
category most popular, followed
in order by musicals in color,
whodunits, westerns and melodramas.
2. Harold Hecht of Norma Productions,
which recently completed the Burt Lancaster
starrer, "Kiss the Blood Off My
Hands" for Universal-International,
queried some 600 exhibitors—and encountered
only two who liked the picture's
title. The result: It's now tagged
"The Unafraid."
EL'S survey placed considerable emphasis
on the reasons why the customers
queue up at the cashier's window, with
tabulated results indicating that word-
the strongest lure.
of-mouth publicity is
Next in order are advertising-publicityexploitation
efforts, followed by star
names, newspaper and magazine reviews
and the film's title.
subject has been seized upon by Walt Disney
with disclosure that the cartoon-maker is
readying a full-length animated treatment
of "Hiawatha," the Iroquois Indian leader
and hero of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's
narrative poem—a "must" on the literary
agenda of every grammar-grade student for
generations. Disney is dispatching a staff
animator to Washington to soak up on the
subject, including Hiawatha's romance with
Minnehaha.
Spokesmen said the picture probably will
not be completed until 1950, since Disney's
next for RKO Radio release will be "Two
Fabulous Characters," another all-cartoon
feature embracing the stories of "Ichabod
Crane" and the "Mr. Toad" of Kenneth Graham's
"Wind in the Willows."
Robert Cummings to Make
Jungle Picture in Chile
In fairly short order, if the present pace
continues, there won't be a country on the
globe that hasn't been selected by some enterprising
Hollj'wood producer as his base of
operations for the making of a picture. Now
Robert Cummings, actor and an executive of
the independent United California Productions,
comes forward to announce plans to
head for Chile to make a subject called
"Poisonous Jungle" in the interior of that
country. Cmnmings already has made the
necessary arrangements with the Chilean government
and hopes to get rolling some time
this sumjner.
Hopping from one sagebrusher to another,
Ray Enrig:ht has been booked by Milton Sperling's
United States Pictures to direct "South
of St. Louis," Technicolor drama of the Oregon
trail, for Warners release. Enright recently
completed "Return of the Badmen"
for RKO Radio.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948 31

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HP
^(Mcl/M ^efront
•THE CENSOR WAS in
the news again this
week when Sydney Box showed to the press
his fUm, "Daybreak." which first went into
production two years ago and has only just
passed the censorship board after extensive
cuts and retakes. There is little point in
reviewing the film for American readers as
Box proposes to send the original to the
U.S. for approval by the Johnston office, and
since the American code differs from the
British it is more than likely that the original
version will be approved by Joe Breen.
The British censor objected to the theme
of the film which shows a miscarriage of
justice on the grounds, presumably, that
would tend to bring the law into disrepute
and since capital punishment is likely to
be abolished in Britain to show a man being
hanged for a crime that he has not committed
would be taken as propaganda for abolition.
With his usual shrewdness in all matters
affecting his press relations Box had prepared
an open letter to film critics, handed
to them after they had viewed the film and
which said:
"In fairness to Compton Bennett, director
of 'Daybreak,' and to the thi-ee principal
artists appearing in the picture I feel I must
make it clear to the critics that the version
of the picture which they will see today has
been mutilated in several places. Several of
the cuts required by the censorship authorities
seem to me to be unnecessarily severe
. . . the most serious have been made in the
condemned cell scene, the fight and the love
affair between Frankie and Olaf. In every
case except one we have left the scenes in
their cut state, unaltered. The one exception
is the condemned cell scene, where it was
necessary to shoot additional dialog to replace
the gap left by the censorship cuts.
This dialog explains in words of one syllable
what was formerly conveyed by one of
the most brilliantly acted scenes in the picture.
I am still unable to see any valid reason
for cutting it."
"Daybreak" is the second Box picture held
up by the censor recently, the first being
"Good Time Girl," which went back to the
studio for a prolog and epilog after the
authorities had raised their hands in horror.
The unfortunate point about the fuss over
the present film is that it is based on a successful
radio play and it raises once more
the old question of a double standard of censorship—one
for books, radio or stage plays
and another more narrow outlook for films.
The obvious, but insulting, implication is
that cinema patrons have a lower mentality
than theatregoers or radio listeners and are
in need of greater protection.
• * •
SIR ALEXANDER KORDA sent out the
story this week of his deal with David Selznick
by which he gets the services of Selznick
stars on a split deal, and in the course of
the "handout" mentioned that the proposed
films would be made by his team of producers.
Included in the team were Prank
Launder and Sidney Gilliatt and one newspaper
published this story with these names
mentioned. A later bulletin, however, had
these names deleted.
Since there have been persistent rumors
By JOHN SULLIVAN
that these two (producers among other films
of "Notorious Gentleman 'i were joining
Korda we checked with his office to discover
whether the deal was or was not signed.
Apparently at the time the story was issued
no contract had been signed and Launder
and Gilliatt were obviously embarrassed by
the publication of the news while they were
still working for Rank. The deal since has
been signed and they will make at least
one picture under the Korda banner. Now
that Michael Powell and Enieric Pressburger
have gone over to Korda this leaves only
two independent production units working at
Rank's Pinewood studios, formerly the home
of four independent companies distributing
through General Film Distributors. Cineguild
and Wessex, the two remainmg companies,
are unlikely to move and the space
vacated by Launder and Gilliatt probably will
be taken up by Sydney Box who goes in for
one picture in the fall and a new unit
Aquila Productions—which is to make three
films there by the "Independent Frame"
process which involves the use of prefabricated
sets in an attempt to speed production.
GEVAERT ANNOUNCES it
has perfected
a new safety film base and is seeking permission
to manufacture this in England.
Several months ago a company was formed
in partnership with Courtaulds, the rayon
firm, to establish a plant here. The new company
has a capital of $2,500,000 and a site
has been chosen in Norfolk for the factory.
So far the board of trade has not given its
consent to the building of the factory, although
Gevaert points out that every scrap
of films base at the moment comes to us
from the U.S. and has to be paid for in
dollars. Courtaulds and Gevaert have been
told that they can expect a decision on their
building plans within the next few days and
it seems likely that the project can get under
way at last.
« « *
PLANS FOR STREAMLINING of the two
J. Arthur Rank circuits, GB and Odeon, are
now well advanced. In spite of reports to the
contrary the two circuits are not to be
merged, for this would obviously involve a
very serious rearrangement of capital invested
by the public. It is certain, though,
that the two circuits will work more closely
together than they have in the past. One
department most likely to have changes is
the booking office. In future, if the plans go
through there will be a joint booker for both
circuits.
* « *
IN VIEW OF THE CURRENT trend
towards economy in production here, the
recent trade showing of a Rank second feature
was interesting to see. Some months ago
John Croydon was appointed producer at the
tiny Highbury studios and charged with the
job of turning out B pictures which would
serve the dual purpose of training young
technicians and artists and of providing the
GB and Odeon circuits with a constant supply
of second feature product.
The first one to emerge from Highbury.
"Penny and the Pownall Case," is 'a pleasant,
competent little thriller which combines a
"whodunit" with a strip-tease and a fashion
Montreal UA Branch
Wins Sears Trophy
MONTREAL — George Heiber, Montreal
branch manager for United Artists, was
awarded the Grad Sears gold cup, emblematic
of outstanding sales achievement during the
1947-48 drive period by Edward M. Schnitzer,
eastern and Canadian sales manager, at a
luncheon ceremony at the Mount Royal hotel
May 19. Heiber accepted the trophy on behalf
of his branch personnel who led in the
drive competition from start to finish.
Montreal, the second branch to gain the
annual award, will hold it for a one-year
period during which time it will be on display
in the office. The Chicago branch, finished
second this year, took top honors last year,
when the gold cup competition was inaugurated.
Schnitzer read a congratulatory message
from Sears which said, in part, "You have
proved to all that it is not always the biggest
fish who control the pond." Charles S. Chaplin.
UA Canadian division sales manager, and
leading exhibitors of Canada attended the
luncheon.
parade. With one exception all the members
of the cast are young artists imder contract
to Rank and at present being groomed for
stardom. The director was Slim Hand, who
was for many years a unit manager at
Ealing Studios, and is given his fh-st break
with this film. Another new director who
has proved himself at Highbury is Terry
Fisher, an ex-editor, who made two pictures
there and was then signed by Gainsborough
to
make features.
* * *
DAVID GOLDING, American press contact
back in har-
for London Film Productions, is
ness after his trip to the U.S. He has just
been asked to join the Film Industry Publicity
circle, an organization of British press
agents, and is naturally pleased at the invitation,
for he is the first American to be
elected.
Like many others in England he is without
a permanent home and busily is seeking accommodation
as several of his former colleagues
on the Stars and Stripes, newspaper
for American servicemen, are due in England
during Jime.
JOHN MILLS, now firmly established as
Britain's number one male star, has started
work this week on "The History of Mr. Polly"
from the novel by the late H. G. Wells. The
popularity of Mills, coupled with the name
value of a modern classic, should make this
one a natural in England and probably also
in the U.S. Recently he completed at Ealing
Studio a Technicolor film, "Scott of the
Antarctic," which tells the story of Captain
Scott's expedition to the South Pole and. by
reason of its content is already being heavily
tipped for a choice as this year's film for
the Royal Command Film Performance.
* * *
SECOND OF THE NEW CROP of American
pictures to open here is the Ronald
Colman starring picture, "A Double Life,"
which had a swank premiere. This one was
treated far more kindly than last week's offering,
a sample criticism being that of Leonard
Mosley who wrote in the Daily Express:
"If Hollywood is going to send us film of this
calibre from now on, then I do truly say
'Welcome, welcome back.'
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34 BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948

-
CHESTER FRIEDMAN
EDITOR
HUGH E. FRAZE
Associalo Editor
nmm
SECTION
PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR SELLING SEATS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN
SsroiiOLU ^kru
In February, S. C. Zimmermaker,
manager of the LaSalle Theatre in
Niagara Falls, N. Y., was awarded a
BOXOFFICE Bonus for public relations.
Zinimermaker's contribution
to the industry's goodwill program
was a benefit show to raise funds
for a high school girl who had been
run down and had two legs amputated.
He now reports a foUowup on his
original project which makes it difficult
to determine just where showmanship
leaves off and sentiment
begins.
After the young girl was discharged
from the hospital, Zimmermaker
arranged a Coming Home day
at the LaSalle so that the people
who had contributed to the success
of the benefit show could meet her.
For the grateful miss, it was an opportunity
to say thanks to her
friends and benefactors. The theatreman
presented the girl a bouquet,
and a stage show followed.
Every one of the 1,000 persons in
the audience left the theatre with a
happy feeUng. Since learning of the
incident, we feel happier, too.
* * *
The latest copy of What's New,
Famous Players Canadian house
organ, has a reminder notice for
circuit managers to hold on to all
American dollars which reach the
boxoffice.
We have another reminder for our
Canadian friends.
The BOXOFFICE
Bonus also pays off in American
dollars for good ideas and promotions
submitted to the Showman
diser section.
Since good ideas are usually picked
up by other alert showmen, it is obvious
that they become useful within
the industry. Thus, Bonus winning
contributions submitted by Canadian
theatremen become personal
assets, industry assets and, finally,
a national asset.
* * *
A birthday card reaches the Showmandiser
from Mark Allen, manager
of the Austin Theatre, Kew Gardens,
N. Y. "Congratulations," he writes.
"You're one year old. Have my first
volume of Showmandiser issues, 456
pages of swell reference."
School Band Fund Project in
Elkhart
Earns Community Thanks for Theatre
Elkhart band members provide their ovra ballyhoo lor fund-raising show while other
students sell tickets to civic-mintied citizens.
Good public relations, like effective control
of juvenile delinquency, .should begin at
home. At least that is how W. Ray McCormack,
manager of the Elco Theatre in Elkhart.
Ind., reacted recently when he learned
that the local high school band had been invited
to play before the National Music Educators
conference in Detroit. The rub was
that no funds were available for the 120
members of the band to make the trip.
McCoi-mack, after reading the news item
in the Elkhart Truth, decided that the theatre
could help to overcome the deficit and proposed
a plan to his district manager, Chick
Tompkins, for a midnight stage show composed
of local talent.
Once approval was obtained from Manta
& Rose, who operate the Elco, David Hughes,
director of the band, was informed and plans
were quickly formulated.
A date was set. a campaign to fill the house
was undertaken, and the band, the Chamber
of Commerce, the Elkhart Truth and
everyone in town, it seemed, was anxious to
help put the show across.
Radio station WTRC and the newspaper
began the buildup. The Band Parents Ass'n
and PTA mailed cards to all members urging
cooperation. The Chamber of Commerce
—517—
circularized its membership with letters and
sponsored a full page newspaper ad advertising
the program. The band split up in
small groups, serenading on street corners
while other youngsters sold tickets to all
within earshot.
After it was revealed that the show had
produced over $1,400 (more than enough)
to finance the trip to Detroit, the theatre's
part in the proceedings was recognized.
Members of the band purchased a large
"thank you" ad in the Truth. The principal
of the Elkhart High school thanked the circuit
in a personal letter. The Chamber of
Commerce passed an official resolution of
thanks to the Elco management and all
members of the theatre staff w'hich was
adopted unanimously with the following excerpt:
"And further, that this action planned and
carried out as a contribution on the part of
Elco Theatre officials, has enhanced the
civic pride of all Elkhart citizens and has
made possible the extension of this civic
pride to the city of Detroit with the local
high school band as our envoy of goodwill.
By this action the officials of the Elco Theatre,
above named, are hereby commended
for their civic contribution.
35
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THEATRE DMSPLA YS
Charles
Smith, manager of the Ritz in
Brunswick. Ga., used a foliage background
to provide atmosphere out front
during his rebooking of "Swamp Water."
Tree stump and stills gave a realistic
touch for the flash.
Right: Lobby display
on oratorical
contest promoted
ivith merchaiit aid
by Art Stayiisch of
the Wisconsin, Milwaukee,
on "State of
the Union." Map of
U.S. and contest
data were placed
atop grand stairivay
where patrons could
not 77iiss it. Contestants
appeared on
stage in finals for
free trip to Washington.
I
At the Strand. Vancouver. Jack Randall
tised action stills from "The Tender
Years." They proved surefire attentiongrabber.
This setpiece iv a s
built by Manager
Murray Greene and
assistant Neil Mac-
Neil at the Vogue
iji Brooklyn. Placed
in the lobby, it commanded
attention
from the street. The
stuffed raven was
borrowed from a
taxidermist.
Left: In Manila, P. I.,
Jose L. Dayrit, manager
of the Opera House, went
in for a three-dimensional
display for "The
Navy Comes Through."
Right: This front, created
at the Strand in Milwaukee
by Manager Bob
Grady, sells both features
ivith 50-50 billing. Grady
also had an usher ballyhoo
the show in army
duds.
36 —518— BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 29, 1948

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Philip Morris Tieup
Sparks Heidt Show
For Nate Wise
Nate Wise, publicity director for RKO Theatres
in Cincinnati, came up with one of his
usual thorough campaigns in connection with
the appearance of Horace Heidt on the Albee
Theatre stage.
Several weeks in advance a tieup was made
with the Philip Morris cigaret distributor,
who did a sensational job of blanketing the
town with display pieces. More than 3,000
•Johnny" figures and window displays were
put out with playdates. These went into
di-ug stores, groceries, cigar stores, hotel lobbies
and empty windows.
Radio station WLW regularly uses 100 taxi
tire covers for advertising, and it devoted
all of these to an exclusive plug tor Heidt's
personal at the Albee. The station also circularized
at its own expense every grocery
and drug store in four states with a bulletin.
Wise arranged a series of personal appearances
for Heidt. He appeared as guest
of the Cuvier Press club and was made an
honorary member of the Foundation for Boys
in Cincinnati, had acts which appear with
him on 25 different radio shows over five
different stations, and attended a cocktail
party for press and radio representatives.
Several thousand local artists made application
for auditions on Heidt's show, the
Post coming up with layout and art on the
auditions. The Enquirer and the Times-Star
both used page-one boxes on the local broadcast
of the program.
Additional exploitation included a front
page picture of Heidt on tlie cover of Host
magazine, distributed at hotels, cross trailers
and lobby displays in affiliated RKO theatres,
5,000 table tents placed with restaurants
and hotel dining rooms and a colorful theatre
front.
^mrMSl
Tommy Roderick, manager of the State, Farmington.
Me., had everyone curious on how he
contrived animation with the above display
on "Sitting Pretty." Nylon fish lines, attached
to the sides of the rocker, were hooked to a
small oscillating fan from which the blades
had been removed. As the Ian oscillated, the
rocker was kept in motion. Simple, but it
sure had the citizens ol Farmington stumped.
Business was good. Roderick reports.
Entire Kentucky U. Team Will Go
To Olympics Due to Benefit Show
The Schine circuit executives at Gloversville,
N. Y., have good reason to be proud
of their Lexington. Ky., showmen for staging
a benefit show in conjunction with "Carnegie
Hall." The boys did a terrific ijublic relations
job in addition to hanging up a record gross
at the State Theatre, a third run operation
in the city.
The benefit shows are strictly a home office
device for building business on pictures which
need extra selling. They aKso serve a commendable
purpose by helping local groups to
raise funds. Tickets are usually sold by the
sponsoring organization which receives a percentage
of the sales they account for.
The Lexington tieup was a real masterpiece
of strategy in which everyone connected with
the three local theatres. Bob Cox, city manager,
and Lew Hensler. district manager,
participated.
The University of Kentucky basketball
team, which won the national championship,
was invited to represent the U.S. in the
Olympics. Unfortunately the invitation included
only the first team so that other players
who had helped the team to victory faced
the unhappy prospect of remaining home.
The plan for a "Carnegie Hall" benefit was
proposed to representatives of SuKy circle,
the student organization of Kentucky U., with
the objective of raising funds so that the entire
basketball team could go to the Olympics.
The State Theatre was offered for the purpose.
The organization immediately went for
the idea.
The Lexington Herald went along on the
Faculty of High School
Guests at 'Union' Debut
All faculty members of the local high school
were invited to the opening night of "State
of the Union" at the Poli Tlieatre. Norwich,
Conn., by Joseph Boyle, manager. Next day,
the instructors recommended the picture tc
their history classes as a must-see attraction.
Boyle also promoted radio plugs on the spot
time of a local leather firm. Catchline was,
"How is the state of your luggage?" followed
by tiein with the picture and playdate credits.
Barometer Lobby Display
Indicates 'April Showers'
After a long and diligent search, Ansel
Winston, manager of the Coliseum in New
York, located a barometer that features two
figures on a swinging platform to indicate
upcoming weather. He borrowed it at no
cost and used it for a lobby display on "April
Showers" with an accompanying sign, "We
can't guarantee the weather but we can
guarantee you'll have a good time when you
see, etc., etc!"
Scene Mat, Radio Contest
Are Planted on 'Mama'
Reynold Wallach, manager of the Strand
in Cumberland, Md., planted a two-column,
five-inch scene mat with his local newspaper
on "I Remember Mama." The NBC radio
outlet featured a letter writing contest on
"Why I Remember Mama," with the picture
coming in for numerous gratis plugs.
deal enthusiastically with a 14-day buildup of
stories and pictures. The mayor of Lexington
issued a proclamation urging all citizens
to coope:ate. Each of the four radio stations
plugged the show continuously for one week.
At an intersection of Main street, a ticket
booth was erected by special permission of
the city commissioners. Lifesize blowups of
the basketball stars were placed in prominent
windows captioned, "I Want to Go, Too."
Lexington was plastered circus-style from end
to end.
The SilKy group was organized into ticket
selling teams and a systematic block-to-block
campaign was set in motion to reach a goal
of 20.000 tickets.
For all practical purposes, the promotion
has already won complete endorsement from
the faculty and students of the university,
city officials, businessmen and Mr. John Q.
Public. The theatres have improved their relationship
with the community as a whole in
a manner that will have enduring effect.
The idea was originally proposed by Lew
Hensler. The campaign was organized and
directed by Bob Cox, who reports that the
two most responsible for the success of the
promotion were John Hutchings, manager of
the State, and Clyde Dickerson. chief of
service. Dickerson is an active member of
SuKy. made all the newspaper and radio
contacts by himself and personally sold 1.000
tickets.
The other Schine managers and assistants
also pitched in to help. They are Bernie
Deap, Bob Anderson, Woodie Walters and
George Pugh.
False Front Backs
'T-Men' Campaign
A barricaded false front in the form of a
gigantic "T" covered the boxoffice of the
Colonial in Allentowai, Pa. It was devised by
Charles Bierbauer, manager, for his engagement
of "T-Men."
Three weeks in advance, all ushers, doormen
and cashiers at the Colonial and affiliated
houses wore large "T-Men Are Coming"
buttons.
Outdoor posting was achieved with an illuminated
24-sheet and six-sheet set in busy
downtown locations. 100 cards used on dashboards
of trolleys and buses running to Bethlehem
and other nearby towns, display boards
in the leading iiotels in" the city and a window
display in Woolworth's with a tieup on comic
books.
The regular advertising budget was upped
accommodate increased newspaper lineage
to
and a series of tea.ser ads tour days in advance
of opening. Cross trailers were used
in affiliated theatres.
Bierbauer was assisted in tliis campaign by
Max MUler, Eagle Lion exploiteer.
Lampposts Posted
Three hundred cards tied to lampposts in
the dowiitown section of Rochester. N. Y.,
advertised "Duel in the Sun" a week in advance
for Lester Pollock, manager of Loew's
Theatre.
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 29, 1948 —Sis- sy

»
Selling for Tort Apache
Aimed at Big Wampum
Managers of key run RKO Theatres report
big grosses where "Fort Apache" was preceded
by strong exploitation and ballyhoo
campaigns.
Andrew Talbot, manager of the Iowa in
Cedar Rapids, located a cigar store wooden
Indian which pointed up a display of Indian
curios in the lobby. Talbot engaged a couple
dressed as a chief and squaw in colorful regalia
to perambulate through department
stores, streets and near schools. Tieups were
arranged with sporting goods stores on bow
and arrow displays. During the engagement.
a false front was used, designed as a frontier
log house.
Shirley Fishman, publicity manager for the
RKO Theatres in Cleveland, arranged a
coloring contest with the Cleveland Pi-ess in
cormection with the picture's booking at the
Palace.
For street ballyhoo, a covered: wagon was
used which made frequent appearances in the
vicinity of the ball park where the Cleveland
Indians play. A six-sheet was mounted on
each side of a film delivery truck which
covers the entire Cleveland area. The advance
lobby display included an exhibit borrowed
from the Indian Aide Ass'n. On Saturday
current, the first 1,000 kids attending the
show were given a free bow and arrow. Department
store and window tieups rounded
out the campaign.
At the Orpheum in Davenport, Iowa. Manager
John Dostal had the staff dressed in
Indian costume a week prior to opening.
"Fort Apache" playbooks were given to all
kids attending the Saturday matinee. In
nC NEWS ABOUT
PIC-NEWS
THERTS ALWAYS A
BICncTURFS!
BETTER SHOW AT RKO
"FT. APACHE" COMING
TO RKO WEDNESDAY
U. S. Cavalry Braces For Luat Stana
E-S^^M

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ow^
^
thTmost rugged outdoor melodramaslP^^
VmiJu
^>v
c/M^eoio^
CORONER CREEK stars RANDOLPH SCOn and MARGUERITE CHAPMAN
with George Macready, Sally Eilers, Edgar Buchanan
• Screenplay by Kenneth Garnet, adapted trom the novel
"Coroner Creek" by Luke Short • Directed by Ray Enright • Produced by Harry Joe Brown
A COLUMBIA PICTURE
FROM THE GREAT SATURDAY EVENING POST STORY

Yale Fellowship Club
Sees Advance Preview
Of Ideal Husband'
By the time Sid Kleper, manager of the
College Theatre in New Haven, completed
his campaign on "An Ideal Husband," every-
OKe in town knew about the picture and its
playdates.
Kleper connected with the audio-visual department
of the local public school system
which resulted in pictui'e and playdate announcements
in those classrooms where
Oscar Wilde literature is required subject.
He also arranged to have the Yale Westminster
Fellowship, a group of 300 members
studying motion picture arts and sciences, attend
the theatre in a body. In addition, women's
clubs, PTA groups, men's fraternal and
civic societies were contacted for announcements
and the use of their mailing lists.
An eight-day radio contest was set on
WELI to find the mystery man designated
as New Haven's Ideal Husband. A few clues
were given each day and over $100 in prizes
was promoted for the winners. Other radio
tieups included a "What makes an ideal
husband?" contest, plugs on the Man on the
Street broadcast, a contest on the Yale radio
station around the theme, "Do college men
make ideal husbands?"
Through a hookup with the marriage license
bureau, guest tickets were awarded to all
persons taking out marriage licenses a week
in advance and during the picture's run.
This was good for a story in the New Haven
Evening Register, with a photograph of a
couple being presented with a pass.
Three smartly dressed girls strolled around
town bearing signs, "It's Leap Year and
we're looking for ideal husbands. Be sure to
see, etc., etc." Teaser cards, "For Men Only"
and "For Women Only," were also distributed
on the street.
A search for the Ideal Husband was conducted
at a dance in the Taft hotel, with
guest tickets awarded as prizes. Counter and
window displays were landed with three book
stores, apparel shops, florists, jewelers and
perfume departments.
Window Display and Card
Exploit 'Sitting Pretty'
The engagement of "Sitting Pretty" was
well publicized by H. T. King, manager of
the State, Harrisonburg, Va., in teaser ads
beginning five days prior to opening. King
set up an attractive window display with a
local baby shop, using large drawings, star
and action stills. A dozen cards were imprinted
with copy, "Meet Mr. Belvedere, the
Gentleman Baby Sitter Who Hates Babies."
A cut of Clifton Webb and the playdates were
included. These were placed in prominent
window locations in the shopping section.
King posted a 24-sheet on the sidewall of the
theatre and used a lobby display made from
a six-sheet supplemented with stills from the
picture.
Hen Sets in Lobby
To exploit "The Egg and I," Denis Murphy,
manager of the Imperial and Vogue theatres
in St. John, N. B., placed a setting hen in a
glass cage in the lobby. The stunt attracted
unusual attention and was instrumental in
drawing large crowds to the theatre during
the showing.
Student Contest Holds
Program Interest
A Student Personality Contest is an
economical method of keeping his
month's attractions before school kids,
according to L. E. Downing, managerowner
of the Haven Theatre, Brookhaven,
Miss.
Downing uses a mineographed monthly
program, listing each feature and
playdate, and provides write-in space
for students to insert the names of
their school chums who fit the title according
to personality, talent, habit or
hobby.
Feature titles like, "Alias a Gentleman,"
"Brute Force," "Beast With
Five Fingers," "Man I Love," etc., gives
the kid;s a chance to excercise their ingenuity
and have some fun at the expense
of their friends.
By offering a free theatre pass to
the contributor of the most original
entry. Downing makes sure that the
students hold on to their programs right
up to the last day each month.
NUGGETS
Newspaper co-op ads were promoted by
Al Hutchins, manager of the State in Fostoria.
Ohio, to exploit "Sitting Pretty" and
"April Showers." On the fomxer attraction,
Hutchins connected with a photographer for
a three-colimin, 12-inch ad. On the latter
show, an appliance store which handles records
took a two-column, 11-inch co-op with
the playdates getting top billing.
Two attractive exhibits helped to exploit
"T-Men" at the Malco in Owensboro, Ky.
Adolph Baker, city manager, borrowed various
types of weapons used by the police department
and set up a lobby display which
started patrons talking about the picture.
A currency exhibit was set up at the Owensboro
National bank showing many unusual
kinds of money. According to Baker, the displays
helped to pull business out of the
doldrums.
Under a policy started by Manager Frank
Burhans, manager of the Paramount, Oakland,
Calif., county manufacturers are being
invited to exhibit their products in special
lobby and foyer displays. The Oakland
Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the stunt
and standing all installation expense. Theatre
benefits as a result of advertising by
the chamber and merchant, with some added
patronage resulting.
Glenn Sohrader, publicity manager for the
Columbia, Paducah, Ky., used a large blowup
of Santa Claus in the lobby to build interest
in "Bill and Coo." Copy read, "I've waited
around three months to see. etc."
Irving Neuwirth, manager of the Olympic,
Watertown, N. Y., tied up with the army recruiting
drive to gain some valuable publicity
for the engagement of "To the Ends of the
Earth." Local "A" boards were turned over
to the theatre for one-sheets tying in the
drive and the picture with playdates. Western
Union also displayed cards announcing that
telegrams could be sent "To the Ends of the
Earth."
Flash Front, Money
Contest Promote
T-Men' Date
A flash display in the form of a "T," about
nine feet high, was built by Dick Peffley,
manager of the Paramount in Fremont, Ohio,
to draw attention to "T-Men." Decorated on
all four sides with stills and cutout onesheets,
the display was on view in the center
of the lobby ten days in advance, and moved
out to the sidewalk in front for the nm.
In cooperation with the local newspaper, a
phony money contest was staged. Stories
planted with the press stressed the fact that
the picture had received a special award
from Parents magazine. A lighted 24-sheet
was used in the downtown section two weeks
prior to opening.
One thousand novelty heralds were distributed
on "Albuquerque," which were promoted
from the Christy Blade Co. at no
cost. A razor blade was pasted to each card,
and tiein copy was linked to a picture of
Gabby Hayes and his thick beard.
Aware of the fact that the local high
schools generally plan theatre parties for their
graduating classes, Peffley sent a letter to
the students soliciting their patronage for
the occasion, and lined up several parties
immediately, ranging from 40 to 100 in a
group. A special section is reserved for the
groups, but no reduction in price is made.
Peffley made a deal recently with the local
FM radio station, netting him three free
spots a day announcing the current attraction
and the following two program changes.
The theatre, in turn, presents the station two
guest tickets a day.
Louisville 'Bill and Coo'
Music Tieups Scored
The "Bill and Coo" record album was responsible
for many tieups effected by A. B.
McCoy, manager of the Strand in Louisville.
The music score netted many fine window
locations prior to the opening. A screening
for 50 Boy Scout officials resulted in valuable
publicity among the younger element.
McCoy arranged for free mention of his playdates
in connection with a bird quiz over
WAVE, a tiein with the Name the Tune
contest for theatre tickets on WAVE, and
record plugs over WGRC and WINN.
A blowup of the Parent's magazine medal
given to the picture was displayed in the
Strand lobby along with complimentary
quotes for "Bill and Coo" by Bob Hope and
Bing Crosby.
Stills and Cutouts Provide
Flash for 'Black Bart'
Arnold Gates, manager of the Stillman in
Cleveland, gave the theatre front plenty of
flash during the run of "Black Bart" by surrounding
the boxoffide with a montage of
action photos from the film.
On the sidewalk curb, a four-sided was
erected using action cutouts from six-sheets
set against a colorful background.
To exploit "The Big Clock," Gates obtained
permission to placard a large sidewalk clock
owned by a jewelry store, with tiein copy and
playdates.
1
40 —522— BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 29, 1948

THE CRITICS AGREE!
* " 'The Crusades' is a bombshell from today's headlines . .
* "Story of struggle for Holy Land, a battle that is taking place today."
* * * "
Everything the name DeMille stands for . . . drama of heroic scope . .
."
."
^1THE
CECIL B. DeMILLE'S
CRUSADES
ii
Henry Wilcoxon
C. Aubrey Smith
starring
LORETTA YOUNG
(This year's Academy Winner)
with
• Ian Keith
•
Katherine DeMille
• Joseph Schildkraut * Alan Hale
George Barbier * Montagu Love * Pedro De Cordoba
and a cast oi thousands
*
Edwin Schallert, Los Angeles Times
" 'The Crusades' is sure-fire. It has Academy Winner Loretta Young and a
bombshell from today's headlines. Its story is being re-enacted in Palestine
today . . . the age-old fight for the Holy Land."
* *
Louella O. Parsons, Motion Picture Editor, International News Service
" The Crusades' is in the great DeMille tradition ... a magnificent show . . .
timely as today's headlines . . . the story of the struggle for possession of the
Holy Land, a battle that is taking place today in the towns and hills of Palestine."
* * *
Harrison Carroll, Los Angeles Herald Express:
"DeMille hits the front pages with The Crusades' . . . first and greatest of the
battles for the Holy Land—the scene today of another chapter in the same story
of flaming fanaticism.
for . . . drama of heroic scope and execution."
A production with everything the name DeMille stands
To Be Re-Released By Paramount June 11
CECIL B. DeMILLE PRODUCTIONS, INC
BOXOFTICE Showmandiser :: May 29, 1948 —523— 41

Loew Neighborhoods
Benefit From Bank
Tieup on T-Men'
High School Girls Serve as Models
At Long Branch Fashion Show
Ralph Lanterman, city manager for Walter
Reade Theatres in Long Branch, N. Y., promoted
a fashion show scheduled on the final
night's showing of "If You Knew Susie," and
for an outlay of $35 succeeded in drawing a
capacity house. Several Jiovel twists which
Lanterman introduced in the tieup had the
added advantage of making new friends for
the theatre.
Jacey's women's shop sponsored the show
and gave dresses valued at more than $200
as door prizes. Jacey's also offered a scholarship
in a school for models to the local girl
selected as Jacey's Doris Dodson queen. All
high school girls were invited to compete for
the title and 30 more were invited to act as
models at the fashion show.
The offers and announcements of the fashion
show were publicized by the store in large
newspaper ads which appeared for more than
a week. Each ad carried the theatre's current
attraction.
The use of high school students as models
brought parents and school associates out in
large nimibers. The local press followed the
activities with advance stories and pictures
taken during the fashion show.
Lanterman had a lobby display built around
manikins and the dresses offered as door
prizes. Photographs of the girls selected to
act as models were also displayed. Jacey's
used a display inside the store and in its
main window to promote the fashion contest.
The citywide booking of "T-Men" at Loew's
theatres in New York was emphasized
through a strong exploitation campaign by
the circuit advertising and pubhcity department
under the direction of Ernest Emerling.
A series of teaser ads in the newspapers
preceded the regular ad campaign. Standees
20x30 were displayed in all theatre lobbies
in advance. At Saturday matinee shows a
week before opening, 50,000 membership cards
in the Junior T-Men were handed out to
youngsters. Ranks throughout the metropolitan
area displayed cards with the legend,
"Know Your Money," and playdates.
Jeeps were used to tour the city, with
drivers handing out lucky numbered counterfeit
money announcing the playdates. The
currency which matched a list of numbers
at the theatres was redeemed for passes.
Most Beautiful Stems
Win 'Casanova' Prizes
A "Casanova" contest on stage of the Paramount
Theatre in Denver was one of many
comment-provoking stunts used by Manager
Ralph Batschelet for "Adventures of Casanova."
Prizes were awarded to male contestants
with the most beautiful legs. Judging was
by popular audience applause and a group of
bathing beauties. A diamond ring, wristwatch
and other valuable gifts were promoted
from a local jeweler.
Love Potion Puts Patrons
Under 'Pituri' Spell
To focus attention on the Mayfair engagement
of "Pituri," Manager Herbert
Royster employed several cars to drive
around the streets of Portland, Ore., scattering
small imprinted envelopes. Copy read:
"The Devil Brewed It, The Natives Used It,
The White Man Pursued It . . . The Strangest
of All Love Potions . , . Pituri, etc." Inside
the envelope were a few pinches of powdered
sugar.
42
Competition Converted
Into Asset for Theatre
Bill Gordon, manager of the Holland, Bellefontaine,
Ohio, overcame what normally is
tough competition to the local theatres once
every year and converted it into a good business
and public relations asset.
Every year the Kiwanis club stages a minstrel
show as a big civic event. In the past
the high school auditorium was the setting.
Gordon persuaded the organization to use
the Holland stage this year and offered to
split the receipts.
What would ordinarily be a poor night for
business has now become a lucrative one
for the theatre. The Kiwanis are happy
over the setup and the tieup promises to become
an aruiual event.
Spring Tonic Tieup Set
In Vancouver on 'Life'
Roy McLeod, manager of the Vogue, Vancouver,
B. C, tied up a full window display
at the local Cunningham drug store on "A
Double Life." The store exhibited a full line
of spring tonics. Copy hooking in the featiu'e
was slanted, "Don't Lead a 'Double
Life,' Use Our Tonics, etc." Playdates were
prominently displayed.
'Frankenstein' Contest
Pushed by Newspaper
Fred Greenway, manager of the Palace in
Hartford, promoted two contests in the Hartford
Times on "The Son of Frankenstein" and
"Bride of Frankenstein." One contest asked
readers to guess how many pictures Boris
Karloff has been starred in, the other was
for the best drawing of the Frankenstein
monster. Passes were awarded the winners.
Ballyhoo 'Black Cat'
Zeva Yovan, manager of the Orpheum in
St. Louis, used a street ballyhoo and a special
false front to exploit the double bill of
"The Black Cat" and "Black Friday." A
large cutout of a cat with blinking eyes electrically
contrived, made up part of the front.
An usher dressed In a cat suit walked the
downtown streets, passing out heralds.
—524—
Plane Ballyhoo Aids
'Carnegie Hall' Date
Jack Cottlngham, manager of the Esquire
in Toronto, had gained the impression that
"Carnegie Hall" offered a selling problem to
theatremen. In a neighborhood operation
like the Esquire, he decided that maybe a
strong exploitation campaign would get patrons
In. He was right, and he came close
to setting a new house record by aiming for
the class of people who would enjoy the fine
music and artists in the film.
Cottingham erected a llxl4-foot display
panel covering part of the front, where it was
visible to pedestrains and street car traffic.
He tied up with the Victor record dealer who
provided 20-mch counter cards at his own
expense. These were snipped with theatre
name and playdates and exhibited in all local
music stores.
An airplane equipped with a loudspeaker
flew over the city making announcements
on the Saturday before opening. The principals
and music directors of all secondar>'
schools in west Toronto were personally contacted
and asked to make announcements to
students. A display was obtained on the bulletin
board of the public library and a series
of teaser ads in the daily newspapers was
used for ten days prior to opening.
Army Equipment Makes
Interesting Display
Al Dunn, manager of the Orpheum in San
Francisco, effected a tieup with recruiting
during the recent army day observ-
officials
ance. All types of the latest fighting equipment
were placed on exhibition in the theatre
lobby, including an M-8 armored car
and captured Japanese machine guns.
Wins News Compliment
Even the local newspaper took cognizance
of the ballyhoo I. C. Jensen, manager of the
Met Theatre, Iowa Falls, Iowa, put on for
"My Wild Irish Rose." The paper complimented
Jensen for decorating his marquee
with shamrock cutouts and reported that
"Jen puts the word 'Show' in show business."
BOXOFHCE Showmandiaer :: May 29. 1948
)
D!)
D

I
I !
;
'
m
^
•SSfii
w
I
fry"-"^^
o
:
*i know Vm late^ but I just Kad lo wait around to see
Rita Hayworth & Larry Partes m
'DOWN TO EARTH'
at The Pix
gg^5 sfisfaag2a"55^'asai>'3:a;TS'-iS: a'afiajiseaf
Monday and Tuesday May !7t}i& 18th" |
ELMER ADAMS JR., MANAGER. HORH-
MAC/f JENNINGS, manager. Pix Theatre,
Evergreen. Ala.
i
I
This is
the storj/
of a
reckless
woman!
Rita HAYWORTH Orson WELLES
'^J^Oyf o" I^HANeHAI
— fLUS —
"MADONNA OF THE DESERT"
with Lynne Roberli • Donald Barry
Starts FRIDAY • MICHIGAN
COMING!
i:iM:ir-yri
I
'
WANTED.
E^^
• rti TODAY
;;; til TUESDAY!
ingly Difftrtnl Drama lni:rtd by Sttphfn
Til Brnttn Saturday Eutning Rati Slory "Tht
And Damtl Wtbtltr " |
-* SIMONI SIMON
* wAini HinvoN
*ANHI &HIIUT
'
» lOWAlO AINOLD
/AMIS CIAIO
fc
hM .
-"''< rn Iht or
Thf Htnn of rfir taf\hqae)it, ihe
ia>r. Ihr nahvt upi.vnt. will thill vou
Tht d

w
Crown Cola Deal Plus
Radio Plugs Help
1
Altired in a flashy costume head-dress and
makeup and wearing a sign on his back, this
boy covered the downtown section of Altoona,
Pa., during peak hours, handing out cards
to passersby. George Long, manager of the
Sh-and, used the stunt to ballyhoo "Adventures
of Casanova."
Teen-Age Battle of Bands
Staged in Schenectady
Dick Murphy, manager of the Plaza,
Schenectady, N. Y., arranged for the presentation
of two popular teen-age bands on
the stage in what was billed as the Battle of
the Bands. Twenty young troubadours participated
in the competition. Band battles
in the area have become highly popular
among high school students. Murphy had
a sponsor for the tieup, who payed all costs
including advertising for the promotion.
44
For The
DRIVE-IN THEATRE
Blevins'
Has
Special Profit - Making
Concession
• Popcorn
for
• Snow Cones
• Peanuts
Equipment
• Candy Floss
Write for Complete Information
and Catalog
BLEVINS POPCORN CO.,
Inc.
In Popcorn Villas, e 3098 Charlolle Ave.
Naihnllo, Tonn. • Phones: 7-3272-3-4
In Southeailern Indudrial District
650 Murphy Ave., S. W.
Bldg. E, Unit 8 • Atlanta. Go. • Amherst 7U1
Sell 'Ruthless'
A number of excellent radio tieups highlighted
the campaign on "Ruthless" executed
by Manager Charles Hovan, publicist Floyd
Stawls and field exploiteer Max Miller for
its date at the Colonial in Richmond, Va.
Through a hookup with Royal Crown Cola,
free plugs were obtained on all Crown radio
spot time for eight days, as well as its thriceweekly
15-minute show. This netted a total
of 19 announcements.
FREE DISK JOCKEY PLUGS
With the cooperation of WLEE's program
director, free plugs were landed on two disk
jockey shows, sponsored by various local merchants.
The picture title was worked into
every commercial on these two programs,
such as "The weather is 'Ruthless,' keep
your car in shape . . . When
it comes to
chasing spots we are 'Ruthless,' " on a dry
cleaning commercial, etc. Playdate and theatre
credits were included.
A contest was set on the Harvey Hudson
Fun club in which listeners were asked to
send in the longest list of words derived from
the word "Ruthless," with passes as prizes.
The motion picture editor of the Richmond
Times-Dispatch was prevailed upon to plug
the picture on her motion picture chatter
program twice a week, in advance and during
the picture's run. In addition, 14 regular
spot announcements were promoted on WRNL
and H on WLEE.
FASHION LAYOUT IN PAPER
Newspaper publicity included a complete
story and fashion layout in the Times-Dispatch;
a feature story by the di-ama editor
of the News-Leader; a three-column cut in
the Times-Dispatch on opening day, in addition
to routine art and picture breaks In
both papers.
" 'Ruthless' slashing of prices" was the
tiein catchline on a co-op ad promoted from
a local jeweler, featuring a" cut of the stars
in the film and ample credits.
National tieups with Marxman Pipe and
Flame-Glo Lipstick companies were capitalized,
enabhng Hovan to plant stills with
playdates on cashier desks in cigar stores and
on cosmetic coimters in the local dime stores.
A window display was arranged with a
bowling alley, and a playdate notice was included
in the theatre listing of all leading
Richmond hotel lobbies. Cross trailers and
lobby signs were used in affiliated theatres
during the run.
Mother and Son-in-Law
Win Theatre Prizes
Bill Dock, manager of the Dade Theatre
in Miami, used a special Mother's day promotion
at five performances which was well
advertised in newspaper announcements and
brought near capacity audiences at each show.
Dock acted as master of ceremonies, conducting
a contest for mothers with prizes donated
by merchants for the winners. Orchids
were given to the oldest, youngest and most
recent mother in addition to the mother with
the largest family and the mother who had
lived with her son-in-law the longest without
an argument.
—526—
Observing the 40th anniversary of the Walter
Reade circuit, Ralph Lanterman, city manager
in Long Branch, N. J., converted the boxoffice
of the Paramount Theatre into a huge
birthday cake. Plywood was used in the construction
with electric lights serving as candles.
Marquee pennants and valances added
a gala note to the front.
'Union' Layout Planted
In Providence Paper
For "State of the Union," J. G. Samartano,
manager of the State Theatre in Providence,
R.I., planted a two-column, eight-inch layout
in the Italian Echo headed, "Does your
wife still have to tie your bow ties?" Below
this was a scene cut of Katharine Hepbiu-n
fixing Spencer Tracy's tie and four separate
diagrams with accompanying instructions on
how to correctly make a bow tie. Caption on
the photo gave picture and theatre credits.
Samartano's assistant, William Trambukis,
tied up with a dry cleaning firm for a
co-op ad centered around, "How is the state
of your wardrobe?" Three pictures of Angela
Lansbury in different costumes, picture copy
and theatre credits occupied virtually all of
the 6x11 space, with a few lines of credit
devoted to the merchant.
Paint Can Street Bally
Plugs 'Things to Come'
John Adams, manager of the East Theatre,
Milwaukee, found an empty paint can useful
in exploiting "Thing to Come." A 4x6-inch
hole was cut in one side of a two-gallon container
and covered with a strip of a isinglass.
An usher walked aroimd the business section
wearing the inverted paint bucket on
his head with a sign announcing the playdates.
Kills Two Birds
John Bretz, manager of the D&R Theatre,
Aberdeen, Wash., proved that he is an opportunist
as well as a good showman. The
theatre is scheduled to have new seats installed
shortly. Accordingly, when Bretz
learned that "Sitting Pretty" was due to
open, he placed several of the new chairs in
the theatre lobby with a sign, and the practical
note to patrons that soon they would
be "sitting pretty."
BOXOFFICE Showrmandiser :: May 29, 1948
^1

Adv.
^
THOUGHT OR TWO FROM

BUFFALO,
FROM THE FILES OF
•TALKING PICTURES are here to stay,
writes Ben Shlyen in an editorial in the
Associated Publications. Warner Bros, and
Fox have had Vitaphone and Movietone,
respectively, on the market for about two
years. Both have been successful he says, not
to say sensational devices. "Now comes a report
that Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
and United Artists also will make synchronized
pictures, employing Fox Movietone apparatus
. . . Definite announcement is made
by Warner Bros, that their entire group of
1928-29 pictures will have synchronizations.
Fox will provide Movietone scores for all their
more important pictures . . . Yes, talking pictures
are here to stay, but it will be some
time yet before they come into general and
completely successful use."
* * *
Approximately 300 theatres are equipped
with dual installations for u.se of either Vitaphone
or Movietone reproduction. These installations
range in price from $5,000 to $12,-
000, with the average around $9,000. The
equipment is not interchangeable.
WB Sets July 15 Opening
For 'Largo' in Florida
NEW YORK—Warner Bros, will open "Key
Largo" day and date at the Paramount and
Beach theatres, Miami. July 15. The picture
will open simultaneously July 16 in 14 other
cities in that area, including Jacksonville,
Daytona Beach and Orlando.
Many exteriors for the film were shot at the
famous key off the Florida coast. The feature
is set for national release July 31.
Review Board Lists Shorts
NEW YORK—Six short subjects have been
recommended by the National Board of Review
in its weekly guide to selected pictures.
The shorts are:
Columbia—Community Sing
No. 7; RKO—"Basketball Headliners of 1948";
Warners— "Holiday for Sports," Sports Parade;
"Let's Sing a Song About the Moonlight,"
Memories From Melody Lane;
"Rhythm of a Big City," Technicolor Adventure;
"Ride, Ranchero, Ride," Sports Parade.
OUTDOOn Noiv Specialising)
REFRESHMENT
in Refreshment
CONCESSIONAIRES
from Coast to Coast Concessions for
ovtr V4 Century
RIVE-IN THEATRESy
TV
SPORTSERVICE, Inc. mcoss sros.
•
HURST BLDG. N, Y*
FOR SALE
Prints of old exploitation
picture, "HIGH SCHOOL
GIRL," Three classes:
brand new, good condition and fair condition.
Priced to sell. Interested parties with proper state
rights for exhibition contact me at once,
BOX A 302G,
BOXOFHCE MAGAZINE
825 Van firunt Blvd. Kansas City 1. Missouri
.CKflfiiiiG
POPCORN MACHINES
Rebuilt Popcorn Machines for sale. Fully guaranteed.
Price from $150. Consolidated Confec
lions, 1314 S. Wabash. Chicago 5, III.
Blevlns Is national headquarters for popcorn
machines. Silver Stars, Super Stars, Corn Cribs,
Old machines taken In trade. Blevlns Popcorn
Co.. Nai;hvllle, Tenn.
Star popcorn machines. All models. Prunty
Seed & Grain Co., 620 N. 2nd St., St. I.ouls 2,
Mo.
Bargain prices In used and completely recon
dttloned popcorn machines. Blevlns Popcorn Co..
Nashville, Tenn.
Burch, Manley. Crctnrs, Advance, all electric
french fry types. 50 Hollywood type, theatrt
special electric poppers from .$250. Karraelkorn
Eiiuipmcnt, 120 8. Halsted. Chicago 6, 111.
Popcorn Machines. Good condition. Reasonably
priced. Clias. E. Darden i. Co., P. 0. Boi
2207, Dallas, Tes.
POPCORN SUPPLIES
Home of "Rush Hour" popcorn and popcorn
supplies. Send for price list. Prunty Seed t
Grain Co.. fi2n N. 2nd St., St. Louis 2, Mo
Established 1874.
Bee Hive for '48 Is the best ever! Blevlns not
only gives you best popcorn but saves you money
on all seasoning, bags. bo.\es, etc. Blevlns Popcorn
Co., Nashville, Tenn.
Attractively printed popcorn cartoons for sale
10c size, $0 M; 25c size, $15.75 M, Fabian
Kontney, 609 N. Ashland. Green Bay. Wis.
Popcorn, Lose's Blockbuster Purdue Hybrid, 500
bags at $13.25 per b;ig: 10 bags. $127.50. Pops
$125 up per hag. Sample on request. Lose
Brothers, 206 E. .leffersmi St.. Louisville. Ky.
BUSINESS STIMULATORS
Comic books again available as premiums, giveaways
at your kiddy shows. Large variety latest
48-page newsstand editions. Comics Premium Co.,
412B Oreemvich St., New York City.
Bingo with more action, $2.75 thousand cards.
Also other games. Novelty Games Co., 1434 Bedford
Ave., Brooklyn 16, N. Y.
House
(Continned from Inside back cover)
Only legal game for theatres. Legal In any
state. Biggest business booster since Bank Night.
"Listen to Win" copyright 1947 by L.T.W. Co.
Write today for Information. Secure exclusive
rights for your town now. Listen to Win Co., Box
336, Cambridge, Ohio.
Bingo die-cut cards, 75 or 100 number, $3 per
M. Screen dial $20. Premium Products, 354 W.
44th St.. New York 18, N. Y.
Best theatre business stimulator yet devised. No
coupons, nothing to sign. Will sell part Interest
to party who can promote It on national basis.
Write C. Young, 1731 E. Superior St., Duluth,
Minn.
SIGNS
Easy Way to Paint Signs. Use letter patterns.
Avoid sloppy work and wasted time. No experience
needed for expert work. Write for free samples.
John Rahn. B-1329 Central Ave,. Chicago
51, 111.
MISCELLANEOUS
Splendid opportunity to acqirire franchise in
established State Right Field In southern exchange
center. Possibilities ludlmited for film
man with sales ability. With sufficient capit.'il.
terms can be arranged. Negotialions confidential.
Reply Boxoffioe, A-3052.
Servicing Bulletins. RCA. Simplex. Schematics,
$3 year (monthly). Wesley Trout. 575. Enid. Okla,
TICKET MACHINES WANTED
Will pay up to $30 per unit for your old
ticket machines. Require two unit or three unit
size electric machine. Advise models and serial
numbers If possible. Ticket Register Industries.
30 E. Adams St.. Chicago 3, III.
MORE CLASSIFIED ON INSIDE
THEATRE SEATING
Three cheers for these chairs, satisfied customers
say! 20.000 available. Priced $3.95 up and condition
is right. Ideal. Stafford, Andrews, American,
Ileywood. Veneers, panelbacks, fully upholstered.
Send for latest list. Now address, SOS
Cinema Supply Corp., 602 W. 52nd St., New
York 19.
Several thousand used upholstered opera chairs
on hand. We are headquarters for the cream of
the used" chair crop. We pick the lots that we
think you will like. We furnish proper slope and
sections desired to fit your the.itre. Our many
years experience in the seating business Is your
guarantee. Write for exact photo and price. We
have parts for all m.ikes of chairs. Also, lealherette
25x25 in. all colors, 55c ea. Good quality.
Chicago Used Chair Mart, 829 So. State St.,
Chicago 5, 111,
Theatre Chairs, 3,000 used spring cushioned
part lull upholstered back and part Insert panel
back with spring edge and box spring cushinns.
1.000 veneer chairs, 800 good barks. 500 soring
cushions and hinges. Write for prices and photographs.
Immediate delivery; advise how many you
need. We export chairs anywhere. .lesse Cole. 2565
McClellan Ave., Valley 23445, netrolt. Mich.
Parts for all chairs. Send sample for quotation.
Fensin Seating Co., Chicago 5.
Patch-0-Seat cement. Patching cloth, solvent,
etc. Fensin Seating Co., Chicago B.
1,600 streamlined spring cushioned full upholstered
modern theatre chairs, like new. Reasonable
for Immediate dellverv. .lesse Cole. 2565 McClellan
Ave. Phone Valley 23445. Detroit. Mich,
Seats completely rebuilt In your theatre. Plenty
of upholstery fabrics, springs, cushions, parts,
Fred's Theatre Service. Vina. Ala.
Tighten loose chairs with Permastone anchor
cement. Fensin Seating Co., Chicago 5.
Chair supnlles. Everything for the.itre chairs.
Fensin Seating Co., Chicago 5.
Used chairs, guaranteed good. Advise quantity
wanted. Photographs mailed with quotation. Fensin
Seiitlng Co., Chicago 5.
3,250 used chairs. Immediate delivery. Any
type, spring backs, full upbnlsfered backs, veneers.
Advise quantity needed. Foster Seating Co., 39
Glenwood Ave.. Minneapolis 3. Minn.
Special! $1.50. Several thousand chairs, all In
cood condition. Immediate delivery. F.OB, factory.
Eastern Seating Co,. 13S-13 Springfield
Ulvd,. Springfield Gardens. Long Island, N. Y.
If you want good used theatre chairs located
In Texas and Oklahoma, then write to us today.
The maiority of these chairs In use now. No
brokerage fee. You deal with owner. State
quantity and style. Reply Boxofflce, A-3054.
New and used chairs for sale. J. M. Rice &
Co.. 202 Canada Bldg.. Winnipeg. Can.
AIR CONDITIONING
Heavy duty blowers, ball-bearing equipped,
15.000 cfro to 50.000 cfm. Air wa,shers, all
sizes. Hydraulic drives, two and four speed
motor and controls. Immediate delivery. Dealers
wanted. National Engineering and Mfg, Co., 619
Wyandotte St., Kansas City. Mo.
Air Washers, complete for theatres. Also
complete package washer-air units. Low priced.
Alton Manuf.icturlng Co., 1112 Ross Ave., Dallas,
Tex,
While they last. 1.500 spray nozzles, water
broken to fine, mistv spray. From % gal. to 2%
gal. per minute. 75c ea.. shipped at once. Also
have some belts, rotors, hearlntrs. half price off
list. G. A. Peterson. Realtor, Clinton, Mo. Over
First National Bank,
For Sale: Complete 24.000 air conditioner
blower. 5-horse motor washer, hydraulic control.
Regent Theatre, Blue Rapids, K.as.
For Sale: Copper tnbe-flnned water cooling and
heating coll, size 5x5 ft., and automatic valve.
In original crate. Cost $700. Cash $400. Box
471. Cairo. III.
THEATRE TICKETS
Prompt service. Special printed roll ticket-s.
100.000. $21.70: 10.000. $5,95: 2.000. $3,95.
Each change In admission price. Including change
In color, $2.75 extra. Double numbering extra.
Shinping charges paid to 500 miles. Ca.sh with
order. Kansas City Ticket Co., Dept. 9, 1819
Central, Kansas City, Mo.
BACK COVER
46 BOXOFFICE :
; May
29, 1948

I
Aid
,
BUFFALO—Sheas
'
1
the
I
I
I
I
I
UA Ends Union Talks
Over the Red Issue
NEW YORK—United Artists has broken
off contract negotiations with SOPEG on the
ground that union officials have not signed
non-Conimunist affidavits or submitted a
financial statement as required by the Taft-
Hartley law. Negotiations had been in progress
since May 6, and the union had asked
for a 25 per cent increase. The present pact,
covering home office workers, will expire
May 31.
This is the first time any of the film companies
has severed relations with a union
over the Taft-Hartley law. SOPEG pacts
with the other companies do not expire until
next September and November.
USE PRESENT CONTRACT
In a statement to its employes, AU said
that the provisions of the present SOPEG
contract will be maintained. The company
will resiune talks with SOPEG only if its
officers comply with the Taft-Hartley law.
UA declared that it is unthinkable for an
American corporation to enter into a contract
w-ith any group who will not state "I
am not Communist." It pointed out that the
American government is worried over its relations
with Russia and with fifth column
activities of Communists.
If SOPEG officials do not sign, UA will
negotiate a contract with a new tuiion established
by the home office workers now represented
by SOPEG, or any other union
selected by the employes, if that union complies
with the law.
There is little chance that SOPEG officers
will sign. The position of the parent union,
United Office & Professional Workers of
America, CIO. is against signing. At the
March convention the union established this
policy. It also voted not to use the NLRB.

. . Arthur
. . Blanche
BROADWAY
Otanley Kramer, producer of "So This Is
New York," has arrived in New York from
Hollywood for conferences with George
Schaefer, Enterprise vice-president; Fred
Polangin, eastern publicity director, and Paul
Laza'-us. UA ad-publicity director . . . Bernard
M. Kamber, eastern advertising and publicity
representative for Benedict Bogeaus, has
left for Hollywood to discuss campaigns on
"On Our Merry Way" and "Girl From Manhattan,"
Frank P.
both UA releases . . . Rosenberg, who produced "Man-Eaters of
Kumaon" for U-I release, is in New York to
discuss releasing and promotion plans with
William A. Scully and Maurice A. Bergman
, . . L. M. Eckert, Selznick studio manager,
is in New York from California for a series
of conferences with David O. Selznick.
Otto -Preminger, who will produce and direct
"The Pan" for 20th-Fox, has left for
England on a talent search for the picture
. . . William Pereira, who will produce "Bed
. . .
of Roses" for RKO in England this fall, is
visiting New York . Hornblow, MGM
producer, and Mrs. Hornblow have arrived
from the coast W. Stewart McDonald,
vice-president of Warner Bros. Tlieatres and
assistant treasurer of the company, left on
the Queen Mary for Britain where he will
settle details relating to Warners' share of
the British exchange agreement with the film
Industry. Before McDonald left, he took office
as president of the Town club in Scarsdale,
where he lives.
. . .
Rossano Brazzi, the Italian actor who is
under contract to David O. Selznick, left
for Hollywood this week to discuss his first
American film assignment. During his tenday
stay in New York after arriving from
Italy, he met newspaper and fan magazine
Rita Hayworth sailed on the
writers . . .
Queen Maiy for a vacation of several weeks
in Europe John Abbott, British actor
who plays in Warner films, has arrived from
London to visit in New York for several
Albert Sharpe, the original star
weeks . . .
of "Finian's Rainbow," is back in New York
for a visit and radio appearances after completing
"Up in Central Park" for U-I.
Norman Ayres, Warner Bros, southern division
sales manager, left May 25 for a trip
to the branch offices in Atlanta and Charlotte
for conferences on the forthcoming
sales drive. He will return to New York June
1 . . . Rudolph Weiss, head of Warner Bros,
home office real estate department, and
Miles Alben, WB theatre executive, were in
Washington during the week. Ed Hinchy,
head of the WB playdate department, was in
Cleveland . . . Maui'ice N. Wolf, assistant to
H. M. Richey, MGM exhibitor relations head,
has arrived from Boston for home office conferences.
B. G. Kranze, general sales head of Film
Classics, left May 27 to visit exchanges in
Kansas City. Omaha, Minneapolis, Milwaukee,
St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis
. . . Bert Kulick of Bell Pictures Corp. has
.
left for a six-week visit to the west coast
. . . Charles C. Moskowitz, Loew's vice-president
and treasurer, is back from a Miami vacation
Livingston, in charge of
publicity for RKO out-of-town theatres, flew
to New Orleans on a business trip and from
there she will fly to Guatemala for a vacation
Mr, and Mrs, Sidney Weiner fhe's
. . .
office manager of the New York exchange of
Film Classics) became the parents of a
daughter, Abby Helene.
Joseph A. McConville, president of Columbia
Pictm-es International, with Mrs. Mc-
Conville, arrived from England on the Queen
Mary May 27. Also on board were Claude
Rains, with Mrs. Rains, and Gerard Fairlie,
author of the Bulldog Drummond series
. . . Jane Wyman, Wamer Bros, star, is in
New York for a two-week stay . . . Joe Yule,
father of Mickey Rooney, and Nan Wynn,
who has been appearing in Columbia features,
will take over the leading roles in
"Finian's Rainbow" June 1 . . . June Lockhart
left the cast of "For Love or Money"
May 29 to return to Hollywood to begin
work in the Eagle Lion film, "The World and
Frederick Brisson and his
Little Willie" . . .
wife, Rosalind Russell, attended the farewell
performance given by Carl Brisson, Fred's
father and a nightclub star, at the Ver.sailles,
Time of Life' Opening
Attended by Notables
NEW YORK—Prominent figures in diplomatic
and society circles and screen notables
attended the benefit opening of "The
Time of Your Life" lUA) at the Mayfair
Theatre Wednesday, May 26. Tickets to the
opening sold for $5 and $10. The proceeds
were donated to the Wiltwyck School for
Boys.
Frank Farrell, columnist for the World-
Telegram, conducted radio interviews with
the screen stars. The opening was covered by
radio stations WINS and WNYC.
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, general chairman
of the benefit campaign; Mrs. Eleanor
Roosevelt, head of the campaign executive
committee, and other society leaders held
dinner parties preceding the opening. Mrs.
Roosevelt addressed the audience at the
Mayfair before the screening.
Those present included James Cagney,
Jeanne Cagney, William Bendix, James Barton,
Paul Draper and John Miller, all of the
"Time" cast. Other screen stars attending
included Ruth Hussey, Marlene Dietrich, Burgess
Meredith, Montgomery Clift, Henry
Morgan, Diana Barrymore and John Carradlne.
Among the diplomatic figures present were:
Trygve Lie, Bernard Baruch, Henry Morgenthau
jr., Justine Wise Poliere, Anna Rosenberg
and state and city officials.
Industry Welfare Help
Lauded at MPA Dinner
NEW YORK—Speakers at the 29th annual
charity dinner dance of Motion Picture Associates
at the Waldorf Astoria hotel May
:
21 stressed the generosity of the motion
.
picture industry in helping welfare and pa- jlj
triotic
drives.
They cited Harold Rodner, vice-president
of Warner Bros. Service Corp., as an individual
who has done outstanding work in
putting over such drives. He received the
fourth annual motion picture Beacon award
for his efforts. The presentation was made
at the dinner by Arthur L. Mayer, MPA president.
Rodner's favorite charity, the Will Rogers
Memorial hospital, received the dinner
dance salute from the 1,000 guests present.
In addition to Mayer, other speakers included
Harry Brandt, master of ceremonies;
Hiram Sherman, toastmaster, and William
F. Rodgers.
Seated on the dais with these men were:
Saul Trauner, Jack Ellis, Edward N. Rugoff,
David Weinstock, Samuel Rinzler, Malcolm
Kingsberg, Si H. Fabian, Fi'ed J. Schwartz,
Morris Sanders, Bernard Kranze, Gus S.
Eyssell, George J. Schaefer, Leo Brecher and
Robert Fannon.
)
RKO Declares 15-Cent Dividend
NEW YORK—Directors of Radio Keith Orpheum
Corp. have declared a dividend of 15
cents ner share on the common stock, payable
July 1, 1948, to holders of record June 15.
RECEPTION FOR EDANA ROMNEY — Universtal-International and the
J. Arthur Rank Organization held a reception in New York for Edana Romney, who
produced, co-authored and is starred in "Corridor of Mirrors," shortly to be released
in the U.S. by the Prestige Pictures unit of U-I. At the reception, left to
right: John Woolf, joint managing director of Rank's several film distributors and
husband of Miss Romney; Mrs. Nate J. Blumberg, Miss Romney and Nate J. Blumberg,
president of Universal.
NEW MIRROPHONIC SOUND
JOE H0RN8TEIN, inc.
630 Ninth Ave.. N«w York City
48 BOXOFFICE
:
: May
.29, 1948

'
BOXOFFICE
!
A
the
TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
of the
ALLIED THEATRE OWNERS OF NEW JERSEY, Inc.
and
EASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
with
EXPOSITION OF MOTION PICTURE THEATRE
EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES
Hollywood
Hotel
West End, New Jersey
June 28-30, 1948
New York Headquarters
Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey, Inc.
234 West 44th Street, New York
LAckawana 4-1692
:
: May
29, 1948 49

. . . Rod
. . . Eddie
. . The
. . Bob
. . Albert
. . Martin
. . . Helen
. . Max
. . National
. . Lou
. . Anna
. .
Reade
w
Along New York's Film
By
^IKE SIMONS of the MGM home office
acted as guide to a group of Newarlc
Southside high school students who visited
the exchange last Tuesday. The youngsters
went over the premises from Pilmrow to
screening room . O'Neil, former publicity
man for Loew's State, is reported to
be managing several theatres in New Jersey
Rodomista is the new manager for
Loew's State. He was formerly head man at
Loew's 72nd Street.
Frank Muto has succeeded Bernie Menchell
as manager of the Broadway Theatre.
Astoria . . . Menchell and John Calvocoressi.
former manager of the Jackson Theatre,
Queens, are negotiating for several theatres
in New Haven . Gebhardt, manager
for the 29th annual convention of Allied
Theatre Owners of New Jersey, reported
that more than 150 reservations have
been made. The meeting will take place at
the Hollywood hotel. West End, June 28-30
Lachman, president, N. J. Allied,
will leave for Paris June 9. He will remain
there one week.
Jack Glauber and Otto Price of Arrow
Premiums have signed ten additional theatres
for their Tu-Tone Table Ware deal.
Twenty-six theatres in the metropolitan area
are now handling this premium. Arrow also
will distribute a new RCA Victrola Console
as part of its RCA Victor record premium
tiein now being used by 20 local theatres . . .
Seymour Florin, 20th-Fox branch manager,
has set a deal with RKO for "The Iron
Curtain," which will begin its subsequent
run engagement June 16 . . Bill Tavernise,
.
20th-Fox print booker, has been ill with influenza
Liggett-Stiefel Booking
Service has moved from the Hotel Lincoln
to 341 West 44th St.
.
The Newbury circuit has taken over the
Ritz Theatre, Spring Lake, N. J. The Independent
Theatre Service will book for the
theatre . . Lee Newbury is in Hollywood,
.
Dick Dollinger. son of Irving Dollinger,
Fla. . . .
N. J. Allied board chairman, will leave
for Guatemala for a vacation when his spring
term ends at Rutgers Weiss of
Fords Theatre, Fords, N. J., is visiting relatives
in Detroit . . . Ernest Mezzi of the
Colony Theatre, Sayville, has bought a house.
He had been unable to rent an apartment.
. . .
Seymour Berkowitz, Columbia booker, damaged
his new automobile in a collision. Seymour
was on his way home from the hospital
where his son had his tonsils removed
Warners has invited circuit bookers and
buyers to the company's annual boat ride
June 15.
Jim 'Victory, 20th-Fox salesman, was on
Lou Martin of the Majestic
jury duty . . .
Theatre, Paterson, has shelved his vaudeville
policy for the summer . . . Joe Ornstein
of the Independent Theatre Service will send
"Voice o( Thcntre Speakers"
JOE HORNSTEIN has them!
WALTER WALD.^IAN
Row
his daughter, Francine, to camp for three
weeks, joe lives at Hockaway, but the gal
Adeline Ginzberg
wan^s mountain air . . .
of Principal Pictures will be married June 18
Gelber of the Independent Theatre
Service is engaged to a boy from Boston
. Polinsky of RKO has joined
the Brandt booking department. He replaced
Mildred Oppenheim, who is settling down to
a life of homemaking . Goidel of the
Gloria Theatre, Brooklyn, celebrated his 27th
wedding anniversary May 22 .
Rosenberg
has resigned from Screen Guild to
join Astor Pictures as a booker.
Lloyd Lind headed the New York delegation
of Monogram sales personnel that attended
the special meeting in Chicago over
the holiday weekend. Accompanying Lind
were: Nat Fm-st, Jack Farkas, Harry Le Vine
and Myer Solomon .
Screen Service
is building up its business in trailers for
television stations. Harold Bennett's New
York branch is actively filling orders.
The Victoria Theatre will be closed for four
weeks beginning July 1 while remodeling and
renovations are carried out personnel
changes in Asbury Park; Jerry Se-
.
gal, manager of the Lyric Theatre, to the
Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park; Bill Malone,
assistant manager of the Mayfair, to
the Lyric; Richard Ellicks, assistant manager
of the Lyric, to the Mayfair.
Brisson Opens N. Y. Office
With Hacker in Charge
NEW YORK—Frederick Brisson, executive
producer of Independent Artists, Inc., has
opened an office at 50 Rockefeller Plaza witn
Samuel Hacker as eastern representative.
Brisson's wife, Rosalind Russell, and Dudley
Nichols are co-partners in Independent Artists.
The company's first production, "The
Velvet Touch," which stars Miss Russell,
Sydney Greenstreet, Claire Trevor and Leo
Genn, is set for early release by RKO.
Hacker was most recently with Republic
as manager of the contract and playdate
department and assistant to tl>e general sales
manager and foreign sales manager. He will
act as the producers' representative with RKO
and represent the company for talent and
stories. Dudley Nichols' first picture for the
company, an original which he is writing, producing
and directing, will go into work early
in August. The company plans ten pictiu'es
over a five-year period, all to be produced
at the RKO studios.
Brisson has completed arrangements with
bankers for a revolving fund to take care of
Independent Artists requirements. He will
leave for Europe early in June to set up offices
in various countries.
Giants See Giant Short
NEW YORK—The New York Giants
saw
themselves as others see them when they
attended a short screening at the Paramount
home office Friday (28). "Big League Glory."
a Grantland Rice Sportlight made by Jack
Eaton of the Giants' spring training service,
will be released June 11.
Film Stars at Benefit
For Overseas Aid
NEW YORK—Danny Kaye, Marlene Dietrich,
Mark Stevens, Jane Wyman, Jack Hale.,,
Marie McDonald, Vivian Blaine and Kuth
Hussey were among the fiim stars who entertained
at the benefit show, "Command
Performance," at Madison Square Garden
May 25 for American Overseas Aid-United
Nations Appeal for Children.
Gen. George C. Marshall, who iras guest
of honor, delivered a brief message which was
lecorded by CBS for national broadcast later
111 the evening. Among the stage and radio
stars who appeared were Edgar Bergen, the
Ritz Brothers, Xavier Cugat and orchestra.
Earl Wilson, Bill Robinson, Lucy Monroe,
Rosario and Antonio, Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
and Ed Sullivan and his Dawn
Patrol Revue.
Plans to broadcast the performance by television
were canceled at the last minute by
Station WCBS-TV, which had scheduled the
event for 9 p. m. A spokesman for the Columbia
Broadcasting System, which operates
the television station, said the cancellation
resulted from the refusal of Actors Equity
Ass'n to permit its members to appear without
payment if the program were televised.
The actors group was one of several theatrical
organizations that volunteered the
services of its members for the benefit show.
U-I Exploitation Plum
To Charles Simonelli
NEW YORK—Charles Simonelli has been
named to the new post of eastern exploitation
manager for Universal-International. He
is 25, the youngest exploitation executive of
a major film company, according to U-I
officials. Simonelli joined the Universal pub'
licity and advertising department in 1942 as i
an office boy. Six months later he was
handling cooperative ads. By the end of 1943
he was head of commercial tieups. He later
was made a field exploiteer, and in 1945 took
over radio promotion.
U-I Receives New Offers
For Park Ave. Sublease
NEW YORK—Universal-International has
received several offers for its lease on the
Park Avenue Theatre following the breakdown
of negotiations with Nat Sanders of
English Films. U-I has about eight years
to go on its ten-year lease with Walter Reade.
The company is ready to offer the house
for a sublease when a satisfactory bid is
made.
Charles Cohen Joins U-I
NEW YORK—Charles Cohen has joined the
Universal - International advertising department.
He was recently advertising manager
for Berkeley Industries, and prior to that
connection was in the MGM publicity department
for 15 years.
Century Plans Theatre
NEW YORK—Century Theatres will build
a 1,500-seat house at Rockville Centre, L. I.
A parking lot for patrons will adjoin the
theatre. The theatre w-ill probably be called
the Deane.
4
50 BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948

Schine Files Answer Hold Party for Jack L Worrier Jr.
To Federal Request
WASHINGTON—The Schine Chain Theatres,
Inc., filed its answer this week to the
Department of Justice's request for "clarification"
of the May 3 opinion regarding divestiture
by Schine of some of its theatres.
The answer said the government's purpose
is not clarification of any ambiguity in the
court's opinion, "but an obvious attempt to
persuade the court to reverse itself as to the
determination which it made with respect to
Section IE of the order of divestiture of the
district court."
Some 16 theatres were acquired by the
Schine chain between 1939 and 1942, at which
time the case was called to trial. In return
for an agreement for a two-year continuance,
the Schine chain allegedly agreed to get rid
of the 16 theatres. Five are yet to be disposed.
The high tribunal's order puts all Schine
theatres on the same basis as regards divestiture.
The Justice department, objecting,
said on May 14:
"The opinion set aside the divestiture provisions
of the decree so that the district court
can make the findings necessary for an appropriate
decree and deferred consideration
of the district com-fs decision to appoint a
trustee to sell theatres as that merely implements
the divestiture provisions which
must be considered by the district court.
"We believe that this language is inconclusive
with respect to the action taken by
the district court with reference to theatres
still unsold under the consent order of May
19, 1942."
The filing of the government petition and
the Schine reply may delay for some weeks,
the handing down of a mandate by the high
tribunal to the lower court directing it to
carry out its opinion, said Justice officials.
RKO Palace May Go Dark.
Recently Went 2nd Run
NEW YORK—All unionized employes of
the Palace Theatre, formerly the showcase
for RKO first run films, have been given a
provisional notice of dismissal in case the
company decides to close the house, according
to an RKO Theatres spokesman. The
theatre switched to double-feature programs
playing day-and-date with RKO neighborhood
theatres in April and, for the past three
weeks has been playing its double bills a
RKO
week behind the neighborhood houses.
has also tried several policies, including dailychange
revivals last summer and a return
engagement of "The Farmer's Daughter," following
the Academy Award presentation to
Loretta Young. All were unsuccessful.
If the Palace closes it will be the third
major Broadway first run to go dark during
the past year. Warner Bros, recently closed
the Warner Theatre after "Winter Meeting,"
starring Bette Davis, dropped off to weak
business. United Artists, which leased the
Broadway Theatre for "Monsieur Verdoux"
In April 1947, played several other UA films
there before closing the house in December.
The theatre is now housing the Habimah
Players in a repertory of legitimate plays
in Hebrew. The Bijou, which also went dark
for three weeks following the closing of "The
October Man." reopened with "Citizen Saint,"
a Clyde Elliott production, May 27.
Home office executives were invited to
a buffet dinner and cocktail party at the
Hotel Warwich May 20 to meet Jack L.
Warner jr. and his fiancee, Barbara Richman
of New Haven. The couple is to be
married at the Hotel Pierre May 20.
Seen at the party, top photo, left to
right, were Mort Blumenstock, Harry M.
Warner, Jack jr. and Samuel Schneider.
Miss Richman's photograph appears at
right.
Mass Openings Inaugurate
Andy Smith Anniversary
NEW YORK—"Green Grass of Wyoming"
i20th-Foxi opened Tuesday (25 1 in Lancaster,
Ohio, after a week of civic festivities,
with more than 300 day-and-date openings
scheduled immediately. These openings started
the Andy Smith Anniversary Month celebration
scheduled to run until June 26.
Other openings were in Cincinnati, Cleveland,
Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia,
Washington, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle,
Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles
exchange areas.
Both the Palace and Broad theatres were
used for the Lancaster openings. Among
those present were Senators Taft and Bricker
of Ohio, Senator O'Mahoney of Wyoming and
Governor Herbert of Ohio. Peggy Cummins,
Charles Coburn and JVIartha Stewart also
attended.
Similar mass treatment is scheduled for
"Give My Regards to Broadway," due to open
at the RKO Memorial in Boston, June 9, with
day-and-date openings thr-oughout New England.
The following week, June 16, there will
be a 100-theatre showing of "The Street With
No Name" after an opening at the Fox Theatre,
Philadelphia. This is timed for the
national political conventions.
Warner, Para May Seek
To Dismiss Jury Verdict
BUFFALO—Warners and Paramount are
expected to ask for a reargument of their
motions to set aside a triple damage antitrust
verdict against them in a suit brought by
Bordonaro Bros. Theatres, lire, Olean, New
York. Last week Judge Harold P. Burke of
federal court set aside the jury verdict against
RKO, but rejected similar motions by Warners
and Paramount.
Warners and Paramount are the only two
remaining defendants held guilty of conspiracy
In the Bordonaro suit.
List of Guests Attending
Andy W. Smith's Dinner
NEW YORK—Guests who attended Andy
W. Smith's testimonial dinner in the Serf
room of the Waldorf-Astoria Wednesday
night (26) included the following:
A. J. Balaban, Ulric Bell, Jack Bloom, Morris Breggin,
Nat Brower, Winton Burrhus, Rodney Bush,
Chester Bahn, Morris Caplan, Frank Carroll, John
Caskey, Murray Chikofsky, William Cohen, E. H.
Collins, Richard de Rochemont, Deon De Titta, Jay
Emcfnuel, Roger Ferri, Sam Fishman, Seymour Florin,
Alan Freedman, William Freedman, James Glynn,
Abe Goodman, Moe Grassgreen, Abel Green,
Eric A. Haight, Homer Harmon, Jack Harrison,
Franklyn Irby, James M. Jerauld, H. D. Johnston,
Lem Jones, Sherwin Kane, Red Kann, Dave Katz,
Frank Kelly, Tom Kennedy, Edwin Kilroe, Morris
Kinzler, Arthur Knorr, Mel Konecoff, William J.
Kupper jr., J. H. Lang, Lew Hehr, I. Lincer. C. E.
McCartney, Eugene McEvoy, E. H. McFarland, H. J.
Mclntyre, Harry Mersay, Dan Michalove, C. F.
Minck, John Misa, Anthony Muto, David Ornstein,
Mike Pagano, Al Picoult, Joseph Pincus, Fred Pride.
Sam Rcruch, Edmund Reek, Harry Reinhardt, G. A.
Roberts, Jonas Rosenfield.
Joseph St. Clair, Murray Schaffer, Murray Scher.
PhiHp Sohneib, Joseph Seco. Sam Shain, Louis
Shanfield, Ted A. Shaw, Stirling Silliphant. R. B.
Simonson, Dan J. Smolen, Arthur Sorensen, Norman
Steinberg, Hugh Strong, Morton Sunshine, Paul
Terry, Ira Tulipan, Mo Wax, Sffm Weintraub, William
Weiss, William Werner. Christy Wilbert and
Earl Wingart.
Gulistcm Wilton Theatre Carpet
JOE HORNSTEIN has it !
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948 51

. . Sales
Playing Fair With Public Is Way
To Keep Freedom, Says Schlaifer
Charles Schlaifer, director of advertising and publicity for 20th Century-Fox, is
shown with a film group at the Advertising Club of Washington, where he delivered
a talk last week. Left to right: John O'Lcary, 20th-Fox; Glenn Norris, 20th-Fox; Carter
Barron, Loew's, Inc.; Ken Clark, Motion Picture Ass'n of America; Anthony Muto,
20th-Fox; Schlaifer; Frank Gatewood, president of the Advertising Club of Washington,
and David Palfreyman, MPAA.
WASHINGTON—It is time for the advertising
profession in the U.S. to indulge in
the new look. Charles Schlaifer, director of
advertising and publicity for 20th Centm-y-
Fox, believes the writers of ad copy and their
bosses are as involved in today's struggle
to maintain the democratic way of life as any
other group, for if ad men are to ward off
censors and dictators over this work, they
will have to alert themselves to their responsibilities,
including the responsibility of
playing fair with the public and each other.
Schlaifer spoke at a meeting of the Advertising
Club of Washington in the Statler
hotel.
The advertising profession now enjoys complete
freedom; there is no police board or
censor to check ad copy line by line and throw
offenders in jail, he said. "By the printed
word, over the air waves, in picture and
poster, color, black and white, car card, billboard,
loudspeaker and screen we tell the
story of the clients we represent, day and
night, month by month, year by year, with
never a curb upon our endeavors save that
of the exactions of good taste, decency and,
of course, salesmanship."
STRICT OBSERVANCE NEEDED
The film executive argued that strict observance
of responsibilities to the public and
others is the way to keep that freedom.
He said that there are many shortcomings
that should be corrected, but he struck out at
any holier-than-thou attitude some advertising
advertising.
men may take against motion picture
"Let's take a look, a rather furtive one,
at the whole advertising field, rememt)ering
that in one field, a minority one, we of the
motion pictm-e industry are constantly accused
of stretching our imaginations, overplaying
sex and overmagnifying the magnificent,"
he said.
"Ai'e you completely satisfied about some
of the ads which glamorize certain types
of women's dresses and lingerie, leading the
susceptible female to believe that the product
will overcome all natural defects? How about
cigaret ads, printed and spoken? Can it be
possible that each brand is so superlative
that no other can touch it and that any
cigaret can be only balm to the throat?
Ai-e you happy about the claims which are
made about certain creams and cosmetics?
And can you imagine what would happen
if any motion picture involved itself with the
kind of stark sex appeal made in many perfumery
ads?
"Do you really believe that only the film
business is guilty of being super-colossal?"
Schlaifer then told of steps that have been
taken by the motion picture business to
"put its own house in order" in advertising.
JOHNSTON LEADERSHIP CITED
"That has been done in several ways under
the present leadership of Eric Johnston and
our own Motion Picture Ass'n. For many
years there has been not only a motion
picture production code, but also a parallel
code governing the content of motion picture
Under the advertising advisory
advertising . . .
council, we undertook to resurvey the
whole situation, and as a result, after months
of painstaking labor, the code itself was
strengthened, made more specific. Rigid regulations
were drawn up for enforcement of
the code and stiff penalties imposed."
But this is not all, Schlaifer continued.
He then told of the program for bringing to
light the film industry's and Hollywood's
good facets, which now is being taken up by
all branches of the industry, including exhibitors.
"None of us wants a counterpart of the
federal food and drug act," he concluded,
"to govern every line of our copy and every
minute of our air time or billboard space . . .
I say we can all stay free if we all stay
responsible."
Schlaifer Completes Series
NEW YORK—Charles Schlaifer, director
of advertising and publicity for 20th Century-Pox,
delivered the final lecture in his
five-week course in public relations at the
New school Friday (28).
THE IDEAL THEATRE CHAIRS
JOE HORNSTEIN has them
WASHINGTON
/^lenn Norris, 20th-Fox branch manager,
was the recipient of a broom to which
was attached a card reading "Sweep Up for
Andy." Ccmphments of Charles Schlaifer,
head of publicity and advertising, in honor
.
of Andy Smith June Month, for which all
members of the local 20th-Pox exchange are
anxious to make a good showing . . . Nellie
The exchange is
Piss is vacationing . . .
making plans for a wiener roast on June 5
in Sligo paik Manager Gordon
Contee is working with Salesman Joe Cohan
in Baltimore this week . . . Ira Sichelman
flew to Charlotte, N. C, on Tuesday to confer
with Harry Pickett.
Harry Valentine says he is closing the
FrankUn Theatre, Franklin, Va., due to the
Harry Wasserman
lack of air conditioning . . .
is closing his Capitol Theatre, Alexan-
dria, Va., for the summer. His new Carver
Theatre will "carry the load" until the Capitol
Allen Dibble, March of
reopens . . . Time Washington representative, has returned
from his vacation in Terre Haute,
Newt Carskadon is making plans
Ind. . . .
for the construction of an entire new front
and boxoffice at the Music Hall in Keyser,
Mrs. Lou Spates was a recent exchange
W. Va. . . .
visitor. Bill Spates underwent an eye
operation in Johns Hopkins hospital, Baltimore.
The Embassy Theatre in Cumberland,
which was recently acquired by the Darnell
Theatres, Inc., is to undergo extensive improvements
and repairs. The theatre continues
to operate as repairs are being done
after show hours. Gilbert Kauffman manages
the Embassy and G. Ray Light continues
to manage the Maryland, which also
was acquired by the Darnell chain.
Art Jacobson has returned to Washington
from his Florida vacation and looks "like a
million" . . Eddie Perotka came in from
.
Middle River to visit FUmrow this week . . .
John Caldwell made one of his rare visits
to do a little buying and booking . . . C. J.
Lee, Doric Theatre, Wardensville, W. Va.,
has returned home following an operation
in Washington sanitarium.
Mike Leventhal and Lauritz Garman attended
the Allied meeting in Denver. From
there Leventhal flew to Los Angeles to visit
his brother and sister who reside there . . .
Little David O'Connor, grandson of 20th-
Pox Shipper Stanley Summers, is laid up
with the chicken pox . . . Betty Hoover has
retm-ned to Monogram as Branch Manager
Jack Safer's secretary . . . O. P. Leland, who
. . .
is on the staff of the Chinese delegation to
the United Nations, is visiting Mr. and Mrs.
W. Titus came in
B. F. Young, 20th-Fox . . .
from the Republic home office to visit with
Jake Flax.
Al Benson and his boys, together with Max
Joice, attended the Paramount sales meeting
in Philadelphia . . . Cecil Ward was in town
to buy and book for his Bassett Theatres
Soon to open is the Bellwood Drive-In,
situated between Petersburg and Richmond.
It has a capacity of 1,600 cars, said to be
the largest in the country . . . Little Jolm
O'Leary jr., son of 20th-Fox office manager,
is down with the chicken pox.
The former Pat Jones of advertising and
publicity is publicizing the fact that on May
11 Sharon Margaret Jeanrenaud was born at
Arlington hospital.
r
52 BOXOFnCE :: May 29, 1948

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; BOXOFTICE
HARRISBURG
fhe Mount Wolf in York county is the newest
theatre in the Mark Rubinsky chain.
Recently completed, it has been drawing very
well, officials report. Ira Sherk, formerly of
the Newnianstown house, is the new manager.
Rubinsky sold the Newmanstown to
Gilbert Wolfe, a former circuit manager . .
.
Nick Todorov of the Todorov family of which
almost every grown member is a tlieatre
employe, is the new manager of the Capitol
and assistant to Mark Rubinsky in his circuit.
New managers recently announced are
John Riley at the Hollyw-ood in St. Clair,
and Edward Warner at the Dallas and Lyjic
in Dallastown.
The first issue of the Amusement Digest,
distributed through Fabian's State, Colonial
and Rio, was termed "an unqualified success"
both by publisher Hy Resnik and area
manager Lou Gelding. The weekly publication
will be 65 per cent advertising and 35
per cent film and local news.
Davis, maintenance man at the Colonial,
was in Scranton for a testimonial dinner,
and the following day in Dillsburg for
a funeral. In the meantime he worked the
Shrine circus at the Mosque . . . Milt
Columbia exploiteer, was in town consulting
with Colonial manager Jack O'Rear
promotion of "The Puller Brush Man"
. . . Jack Trumbo, assistant manager, Co-
was confined to his home by illness.
Tom Mix "Straight Shooters" theatre
sponsored jointly by Loew's Regent and
WKBO May 22 was an unqualified
success. Manager Sam Oilman reported. In
addition to a full-length Hopalong Cassidy
More than $200 worth of prizes, including
bicycles and roller skates, was given
to prize winners. Each youngster was pre-
I
sented a Tom Mix rocket parachute and a
comic booklet. Tickets were sold
in advance. Part of the affair was broad-
over WKBO.
State employe, Betty Crouse, made
the front page of the Patriot, in a picture.
and three companions were snapped by
news photographer as the first persons
to brave the icy Susquehanna for early season
swims. Oen-y Wollaston, State manager,
Betty had been complaining of a severe
until her preseason dip.
Harry Fornwald, operator at the Hershey
Community Theatre, and formerly at the
Senate and Wilmer & Vincent's old Victoria,
died in a Philadelphia hospital .
Fifth & Walnut Antitrust
Trial Enters 2nd Week
NEW YORK — The Fifth and Walnut
Amusement Corp. $2,100,000 antitrust suit
against the majors, United Artists Theatre
circuit and Republic entered its second week
of trial in U.S. district court. Harold Janicky,
of the corporation, was the principal
at the early part of the week. Sales
heads of the distributor defendants and divi-
sion managers have been subpoenaed to
testify. The complainant has charged the
distributors with denying product to the Na-
tional Theatre in Louisville.
Broadway 'Pirate
Other Grosses Mild
NEW YORK — With several exceptions,
business was mild in the Broadway sector.
Sunday weather was too pleasant for the
good of the boxoffice. In spite of the sunshine,
the Music Hall reported healthy
grosses for "The Pirate." The crowds couldn't
resist the Gene Kelly-Judy Garland combination,
plus good reviews.
The Capitol held up strongly with "Homecoming,"
now in its fourth week. Down the
street at the Victoria "Berlin Express" packed
them in. So did "Will It Happen Again?" at
the Rivoli. "A Night at the Opera" at the
Gotham showed that the Marx Bros, still
have boxoffice lure even though the film is
13 years old.
"Gentleman's Agreement" vacated the Mayfair
May 27 after a 28-week stand. It was
replaced by "The Time of Your Life," the
James Cagney version of the William Saroyan
play. Walt Disney's "Melody Time" displaced
"Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream
House" at the Astor. "The Noose Hangs
High," the Abbott-Costello feature, chased
"The Fuller Brush Man" from Loew's State.
(Average Is 100)
Astor—Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
(SRO), 9th wk 70
Capitol—Homecoming (MGM), plus stage show,
4th wk 118
Criterion—The Big City (MGM), 2nd wk 77
Globe—Arch ol Triumph (UA), 5th wk 85
Gothcrm—A Night at the Opera (MGM), reissue,
2nd wk 103
Loew's State—The Fuller Brush Man (Col), 2nd
wk _ 70
Mayfoir-Gentleman's Agreement (20th-Fox), 28th
wk _ 40
Paramount—The 'Sainted' Sisters (Para), plus
stage shov^ ...._
75
Park Avenue—Showtime (English Films) 60
Radio City Music Hall—The Pirate (MGM), plus
stage show _
I2g
Riallo—Will It Happen Again? (FC). 2nd vrk..".'.VZO
Rivoli—Another Part of the Forest (U-I) 80
ACCEPTS BEACON AWARD—The
Beacon award for humanitarianism is accepted
by Harold Rodner (right), Warner
Bros, executive, from Arthur Mayer, president
of the Motion Picture Associates,
at the 39th annual dinner-dance of the
latter organization at the Waldorf-Astoria
hotel in New York May 21. Rodner,
who is executive vice-president of the
Will Rogers Memorial fund and trustee of
the Jewish Child Care Ass'n, was honored
for his work in the social rehabilitation of
totally bUnd army and navy veterans and
for his activities in behalf of the service
men at military and navy installations in
the metropolitan area.
Is Big;
Roxy—The Iron Curtain (aiih-Fox), plus stage
show, 2nd v/k - 90
Strand—Silver River (WB), plus stage show ICO
Sutton—The Brothers (U-I), 3rd wk 75
Victoria—Berlin Express (RKO) 110
Winter Garden—River Lady (U-I) 86
'Sitting Pretty' Second Run
Scores Big in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — "Adventures of Casanova"
was the only opener this week, but
attracted only moderate attention at the
Stanton. Of the holdovers, the best looking
was "Homecoming," still packing them in at
the Stanley.
Perhaps the most unusual gross was the
report from Keith's, where "Sitting Pretty"
was enjoying a second run showing. Grossing
a neat 140 last week, the film was doing
even better its second week.
Aldine—Mourning Becomes Electra (RKO),
2nd wk
Roadshow
Arcadia—Winter Meeting (WB), 2nd run 60
Boyd—Arch of Triumph (UA), 3rd wk 120
Eorle—To the Ends of the Earth (Col), 3rd wk 85
Fox—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 90
Goldman—State of the Union (MGM), 4th wk 110
Karlton—The Lady From Shanghai (Col), 2nd wk...l35
Keith—Sitting Pretty (20th-Fox), 2nd run, 2nd wk...l70
Mastboum-Casbah (U-I), 2nd wk 75
Stanley—Homecoming (MGM), 2nd wk 160
Stanton—Adventures of Casanova (EL) 110
Rain Every Day Keeps
Buffalo Patrons Away
BUFFALO—Rain every day for two weeks
held down grosses. "The Iron Curtain" was
strong, however, at the Buffalo. "Arch of
Triumph" was average at the Great Lakes.
Buffalo—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox) 114
Great Lakes—Arch of Triumph (WB) 100
Hippodrome—State of the Union (MGM), 3rd d. t.
wk 85
Lalayette-Casbah (U-I); My Dog Rusty (Col) 90
Teck—Duel in the Sun (SRO), 2nd d. t. wk 109
20th Tentury-The Noose Hangs High (EL); The
Cobra Strikes (EL), 2nd wk 89
'Summer Holiday' Is Leader
Of Baltimore Parade
BALTIMORE—Unsettled weather affected
boxoffices slightly. "Summer Holiday" led
the parade, with "Adventures of Casanova,"
plus a stage show featuring all the local disk
jockeys, running second best.
Century—Summer Holiday (MGM) 110
Hippodrome—Adventures of Casanova (EL), plus
stage show
.
. ,105
Town—Fort Apache (RKO), 3rd wk 88
Mayfair—Man From Texas (EL) 95
New—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 82
Keith's—All My Sons (U-I), 3rd wk 79
Stanley—Four Faces West (UA) _ 86
Family Prayer Proposed
As Theme for Picture
ALBANY—A top grade motion picture
which would dramatize the benefits of family
prayer is the next thing Father Patrick
Peyton, founder of The Family Theatre
radio show, hopes to achieve. He told of his
hopes in his address at the installation dinner
of the Albany Medical Service Representatives
society. Father Peyton spends considerable
time in Hollyw-ood rounding up
stars and making other arrangements for
"The Family Theatre." He was unstinted in
his praise of the screen stars who for the past
year and a half have given their talents, free,
to his radio program.
: : May 29, 1948 53

Adams Building Theatre in Suburbs 'Curtain' Bafflers Plan
With Parking Space for 260 Cars
NEWARK—Adam A. Adams, operator of
four theatres in northern New Jersey, is going
along with the postwar trend of buUding
a theatre-store project in a small suburban
commimity. Last week he broke the ground
for a new building in Brookdale, N. J., a
community of 6,000 small home owners near
Bloomfield, Paterson, Passaic and Montclair.
The building will contain a theatre, seating
1,250, and several stores. Behind the
building will be a parking lot for 260 cars.
Theatre and store patrons will have the use
of this lot gratis. In this way Adams hopes
he will be able to get the year round film
trade and automobile owners who might
otherwise patronize drive-ins during the
warm months.
The nearest theatre to Brookdale is about
a mile and a half away at Montclair.
Brookdale is in the center of a population
'Green Grass' Is Followed
By Some Trotting Races
NEW YORK—By midnight Thursday (27)
the trade press knew more about trotting
races than it did early in the day. The course
of instruction began at 4 p. m. with a screening
of "Green Grass of Wyoming" in the
20th-Fox projection room at the home office.
Peggy Cummins, Charles Coburn, Robert
Arthur, Technicolor and soft seats made the
racing scenes and the accompanying romance
very pleasant.
Then Charles Schlaifer, director of advertising
and publicity, shepherded the press into
automobiles for a ride to the Westbury, L. I.,
trotting track and dinner was served on the
clubhouse terrace at 7 p. m.
At 8:30 p. m. the races began. This was
p:eceded, of course, by the opening of the
parimutuel windows.
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area containing approximately 1,500,000 people.
Many Brookdale inhabitants are employed
as skilled workers in factories located
in the nearby cities.
Until this year tight zoning laws kept
theatres out of Brookdale. But Adams was
able to convince the local authorities that
a theatre-store project would be a community
asset. The inclusion of the free parking
space helped sell the project to the authorities.
Visits to the nearby cities and towns
had often meant paying out substantial
parking fees.
Other selling points were: a special lounge
room, accommodating 50, for television spectators,
and a glass enclosed room for mothers
with infants.
The project is budgeted at $300,000. Mc-
Murray & Chirgotis are the architects.
Franklin Theatre Is Closed
After Ceiling Area Falls
ALLENTOWN, PA.—About 400 patrons of
the 900-seat Franklin Theatre here were
given a thorough scare Wednesday night when
a block of plaster fell from the ceiling and
pancaked over the first six rows of seats.
No one was seated in the area. The powdery
dust looked smoky in the dim light and
employes were called upon to quiet a panic
which threatened to break out. The 400 patrons
filed out of the house in orderly fashion
once it was realized what had happened.
Mrs. Minnie Friedman, owner, and Sol
Shoker, manager of the house, immediately
contacted a building and contracting film,
to determine whether the building was safe.
Heavy rains the last few weeks were blamed
for weakening the plaster. A state inspector
went over the building thoroughly Thursday
and ordered it closed until the ceiling has
been replaced and roof trusses repaired.
Says Film on Palestine
Would be a 'Natural'
ALBANY— "I am waiting every day to read
of plans by an American producer for a
film on the birth of a nation in Palestine,"
Max Westebbe, RKO manager, commented.
"I think this is the most dramatic story of
the 20th century; a natural for a motion
picture," he said. "Perhaps it's so obvious
that no one has thought of it; perhaps someone
has and the news has not yet been announced.
What a picture could be made of
the birth of the Isreal state after a struggle
of 2,000 years! The appeal would be universal."
Neighborhood Protest
NEW YORK—Having succeeded in stirring
up a riot in front of the Roxy Theatre prior
to the opening of "The Iron Curtain" (20th-
Fox), the New York Committee Against War
Propaganda now proposes to carry its tactics
into neighborhoods.
Mass picketing in front of the Roxy stirred
up counter-picketing by the Catholic War
Veterans. Several arrests and a number of
injuries resulted.
Now the committee says it is going to stir
up protests to theatre managers in neighborhoods
by appealing to "fraternal orders, veteran
posts, civic and community bodies and
religious groups."
Roxy Picket Will be Tried
On Cameraman's Charge
NEW YORK—Jack Kallish, one of the
pickets arrested at "The Iron Curtain" demonstration
in front of the Roxy Theatre
May 11, will be tried before special sessions
on a charge of third degree assault. The
trial was ordered May 25 by Magistrate
Raphael Mm-phy of the mid-Manhattan court
after hearing testimony of Matthew Black, a
Journal-American photographer. Black said
that Kallisli hit him and tried to grab his
camera. Kallish denied the charge. Magistrate
Murphy continued Kallish's bail at ii
$250.
Tlie defendant and three other pickets also
have been accused of disorderly conduct in
connection with the demonstration. A hearing
on these charges will be held June 9.
Bail of $500 each was continued.
Several persons representing the Committee
Against War Propaganda, have been
picketing the Roxy since the "Iron Curtain"
opened. These pickets have been picketed, in
turn, by members of the Catholic War Veterans.
There have been no demonstrations.
The picture is scheduled to end a fourweek
run June 8.
Republic, Yates Are Sued
By Minority Stockholder
NEW YORK—Simon L. Levin, Republic
minority stockholder, filed suit in U.S. district
court May 25 against Republic Pictures Corp.,
Herbert J. Yates, president, and Onsrud, Inc.,
a holding company. Levin asks for an accounting
of profits, allegedly $200,000, from
the sale and purchase of company stock in
violation of Section 16-B of the Securities
and Exchange Act of 1934.
Questioned about the suit, Yates said "I
have never owned any stock in Onsrud, Inc.;
I have never been an officer or director of
Onsrud, and at no time have I had any voice
in its management." He said that all of his
transactions in Republic stock were fully disclosed
to the SEC. No rules or regulations
of the SEC were violated.
Priests See 'Saint'
NEW YORK—About 600 priests and nuns
from the New York area attended a special
preview of "Citizen Saint" at the Bijou Theatre
Wednesday. The picture is a screen treatment
of the life of Mother Cabrini. The public
opening was the following day.
54 BOXOFTICE :: May 29, 1948

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Saturday Shipping Cut
Brings Albany Prolest
ALBANY—Elimination of weekend shipping
by two local exchanges has brought
complaints from headquarters of the Theatre
of the Albany Exchange Area. The
TOA group's bulletin claims that the number
prints available having been sharply reduced
"makes it all the more difficult for
theatres to date pictures on weekends, at
or close to availability. Clearance, therefore,
is automatically increased."
Current contracts provide shippers are to
receive overtime pay for Saturday and Sunday
work. Columbia and Universal have been
refusing to accept bookings requiring shipon
those dates, according to TOAEA.
However, it also is reported that the two coniwhich
presumably put the shipping
practice into effect for economy purposes, are
on a Saturday shipper during the
siunmer season.
Local TOA officials said that Columbia
Sand Universal are the only major local exrefusing
to ship on Saturday. This
means, they explain, that exhibitors
who wish to date features "on the nose" lose
out by as much as a week or two on Sundaydates.
If a print is being used elseon
Thursday and R-iday, it cannot
be shipped from Albany before Saturday.
'With no shipper available, the print is left
in the exchanges until Monday. Union rules
prohibit an exhibitor or a film delivery company
from picking up a print in an exchange
I
unless the shipper is present. They also
state that overtime cost for a shipper's serv-
.ices Saturday or Sunday is $8, which, they
, claim, is much less than the value of a
single account.
The bulletin concludes: "'We would appreciate
knowing if your theatre is affected.
matter will then be taken up with the
'.proper authorities in an effort to rectify the
[Condition."
Ransack MGM in Buffalo
BUFFALO—The MGM exchange was ran-
by burglars last weekend but ap-
Sparently nothing was taken. Manager J. B.
iMundstuk told police. A rear window was
in order to gain entrance.
ALBANY
The Colonial, through Manager William
Mansbacher, invited 100 area high school
and college teachers of music and English
to a preview of "The Mikado" the afternoon
before the film opened . Drexler, assistant
to Jim Faughnan, Warner Theatres
contact manager, attended the state convention
of the Catholic War 'Veterans in Rochester.
Drexler. who served in the army five
years, is commander of the Edward F. Sullivan
post here . Holman. Paramount
chief booker and office manager, was joined
over the weekend by his wife, who came here
from Philadelphia to search for an apartment.
Holman recently has been stopping
at the Ten Eyck hotel.
.
Cold, rainy weather helped theatre grosses,
particularly over the weekend. "Sitting
Pi'etty" was held over an extra day at Warners'
Madison. "Saigon" and "You Were
Meant for Me" also did good business
Filmrow callers included Paul
.
Goldman
.
of
New York, who books pictures for the Top
Ridge club at Clear Lake Junction; Leon
Duva of the Morris in Morrisville: Walter
Wertime, Chester in Chestertown: Abraham
Diecher. American, Schenectady; Jules Perlmutter,
Colony, Schenectady; Sam Rosenblatt.
Lake. Lake George, and Grand and
Strand, Watervliet. and Rube Canter. SyTacuse,
who buys for the new Malone and
Adams drive-ins.
Mrs. Margaret Flanagan, cashier at Fabian's
Palace, was one of seven Albanians, well
known by sight, on whom the Knickerbocker
News ran a reader-identification contest.
Their pictures were spread across page one
of the second section, with a brief clue caption
underneath. On the inside page was a
stoi-y about each of the "familiar faces."
Mrs. Flanagan is rated one of the fastest
ticket sellers here. Oscar Perrin, now manager
of Warners' Ritz and formerly at the
Palace, says she has sold as many as 3,000
tickets in an hour.
The Strand presented its second Saturday
morning Cartoon Funfest, the first having
drawn 1,300 youngsters. Fifteen shorts were
screened. The Backyard Follies, radio program
broadcast from the stage via WABY,
and the cartoons gives the patrons two hours
of entertainment. Admission is 25 cents.
. . The
. . .
. . .
Harry
Harry Lamont opened the Mayfield drive-in
May 25. Gerry Schwartz is manager .
Leeds Airer, destroyed by fire last summer,
probably will be reopened with increased
capacity, but this is not definite, Lemont
stated. Leeds is in the Catskill mountains
The Kallet circuit has closed the Galli
Curci at Margaretville for a three-week remodeling
and redecorating job
Lazarus has begun construction of a drive-in
near Pittsfield.
for Warner Theatres, spent Monday here in
conferences with C. J. Latla. zone manager,
and department heads.
Slashing seats cropped up at the local theatre
again recently where as many as half a
dozen seats have been cut up weekly. This
time a youngster was caught in the act by a
stage electrician who stationed himself in a
corner near the stage. The boy's address was
one of the city's better apartment houses.
Two New Drive-Ins Open
In Albany Territory
ALBANY—Harry Lamont was scheduled to
open his new 330-car Vail Mills Drjve-In near
Mayfield Saturday (29i. Admission is to be
55 cents. There will be three changes a week,
all single bills. The ozoner is located in the
Gloversville-Johnstown-Amsterdam area and
is the first outdoor theatre in this area.
A second airer. the Moonlight Drive-In near
Potsdam, also was slated to open this week.
It was built by the Papayanako brothers and
has a capacity of about 275 cars.
Plan Big-Screen Television
In Fox, Warner Theatres
PHILADELPHIA— It is understood here
that both Warner Bros, and Fox are dickering
with convention officials to gain permission
to install large-screen television in their
downtown theatres during the Republican
convention next month. RCA will install the
equipment if the deal goes through. If it
doesn't, the Fox Theatre plans to install
several television sets in its lobby and lounges
for both conventions.
Morris Abrahams Dies
NEW YORK— Services for Morris Abrahams,
father of Phil Abrahams, head of the
Warner Bros, print department, were held
May 19. Abrahams was 81.
His Mother Enacts Role
Winefried McDowall. mother of Roddy, star
of the pictiu'e, will enact a role in Monogram's
"Kidnapped."
PREVIEW MELODY TIME—The
trio was snapped by the photog-
rapher at RKO's New York Aster Theatre
tradeshowing of Walt Disney's "Melody
Left to right: Len S. Gruf;nberg
Phil Hodes, KKO north-south di-
vision manager and New Yorli exchange
respectively, a.nd Jack Gelber
the Interboro circuit.
Dan Houlihan. 20th-Fox manager, hopped
.
. , .
to Oneida for a conference with Sid Kallet of
the Kallet circuit Smith, Warner
chief, took a swing through Potsdam, Gouverneur.
Canton, Adams and other north
country spots Stewart. RKO
.
inspector, has returned from a week's vacation
The Warner sales forces of Albany
. . . and Buffalo met at the local exchange for an
all-day discussion of the coming playdate and
liquidation drive, May 23-August 28. Forest
D. "Dinty" Moore, district manager presided
Ralph Crabill, Buffalo district manager
WELCOMES CHILD STAR—Sam
VVarshauer. manager of New Y'ork's .\stor
Theatre, is seen extending a welcome to
Luana Patten, child star of Walt Disney's
"Melody Time." The RKO release is
scheduled to play at the Astor.
jBOXOFFICE :
: May 29, 1948 N 54-A

. . George
. . Lou
RICHMOND
•Phe Bellwood Drive-In opened May 28. It is
owned jointly by the Fabian Wilmer &
Vincent interests and Neighborlnood Theatre
of Virginia. Inc.. but will be operated as a
part of the Fabian circuit. It has a car
capacity of 1,000. making it the largest of
the three now operating in this vicinity.
George Peters arranged an eye-catching
display of clothes worn by Clark Gable and
Lana Turner in some of their recent films to
promote their new picture. "Homecoming."
opening at Loew's May 27. The window
caught the fancy of Edith Lindeman, amusement
editor for the Times-Dispatch, and she
commented upon it in her daily column.
Congratulations to the management and
. . .
staff of the Columbia Theatre in Bristol,
winners of the Theatre of the Month award
in the Neighborhood circuit contest
Bernice Alley is back at the State as cashier
after a long absence due to illness . . . Mildred
Bailey has joined the Grand staff as
relief cashier.
Nancy Huddlemeyer, daughter of A. J.
Huddlemeyer, projectionist at the Bellvue.
has been selected to be salutatorian of the
graduating class at Henry Clay high school.
Ashland . "Gabby" Hayes is scheduled
for a series of personal appearances at
the National, coming in close behind Dagmar.
"Henry
. . Ann
Thelma Carroll, cashier at the National,
spent her day off in Washington . . .
VIII" opened for a week at WRVA .
Williams. Neighborhood home office employe,
resigned effective June 1. Ann has been one
of the gang for about 12 years . Golding
and other Fabian home office executives
were in town for the Bellwood opening.
SOPEG Dispute With UA
In Strike Talk Stage
NEW YORK—SOPEG members were
told
to prepare for a strike at a meeting May 26
held to discuss the present UA dispute and
the lATSE move to displace SOPEG as collective
bargaining agent for UA home office
workers. UA halted negotiations with SOPEG
May 21 on the ground that union officiaLs
have violated the Taft-Hartley law by not
signing non-Communist affidavits. The present
contract will expire Monday, May 31.
Members have been asked to pay strike fund
assessments voted at the parent union
lUOPWAi convention last March.
Declare Republic Dividend
NEW YORK— Republic Pictures Corp. directors
have declared a regular quarterly
dividend of 25 cents per .share on preferred
stock. The dividend is payable July 1 to stockholders
on record June 10.
CLASS DISTRIBUTION FOR
THE ENTIRE SOUTH — thru
f (JOHN) O T> (O. K.)
J ENKINS &BOURGEOIS
ASTOR PICTURES COMPANY
HARWOOD & JACKSON 3TS., DALLAS 1, TEX.
MOM 30-YEAR MEN—This MOM trio
is shown wearing 30-year (3-star) buttons
presented by John F. Byrne, eastern
sales manager. Left to right: Robert
Ellsworth, salesman; Abe Negrin, chief
inspector; John Cuniff, booker, all of the
MOM New York exchange.
Kroehler Named Chairman
Of Furniture Committee
NEW YORK—Delmar L. Kroehler, president
of the Kroehler Mfg. Co., has been
elected chairman of the manufacturers advisory
committee of the Museum Design project.
This project is sponsored by 200 retail
furniture distributors who are seeking the
improvement of low-cost furniture through
research activities.
The committee will help select those manufacturers
who will develop furniture from
designs submitted by winners of the international
competition for low-cost furniture
design, now in progress.
'Report for Action' Film
Is Screened for Press
NEW YORK—"Report for Action." two-reel
subject produced for the Theatre Owners of
America at the RKO studio, was shown to the
trade press and representatives of other publications
Thursday morning (27i. Atfy Gen.
Tom Clark brought forward the original idea
for the film while discussing a program to
combat juvenile delinquency. It will be shown
to civic groups.
Following the screening. Charles Skouras
and Ted Gamble were hosts at a luncheon
in Rumpelmayer's restaurant.
'Easter Parade' to Bow
lune 30 at the State
NEW YORK—"Easter Parade" will open at
Loew's State June 30. The film stars Judy
Garland and Fred Astaire, includes 17 songs
by Irving Berlin and was directed for MGM
by Charles Walters.
The opening of the film will mark MGM's
bid to make the State a Broadway showcase
for studio product. The theatre has been
run on a mixed policy since vaudeville was
dropped several months ago.
WB Pre-Pays Installment
On $15,910,000 Loan
NEW YORK—Warner Bros, has pre-paid
another installment of $1,591,000 on its bank
loan to bring the total indebtedness down to
$15,910,000. This installment was not due
until May 1, 1949. The company made a
similar pre-payment of $1,591,000 in November
1947 of the amount due November 1948.
Veterans Honor Selznick
NEW YORK—David O. Selznick has been
given a scroll by the Paralyzed Veterans
Ass'ns of America for contributing his latest
films to the veterans hospitals in the U.S.
"The Paradine Case" and "Mr. Blandings
Builds His Dream House" are now being
shown to hospitalized veterans without
charge and before they are released generally
to the public.
Date Original 'Silence'
NEW YORK—The original
French version
of "Silence Is Golden," RKO release starring
Maurice Chevalier, was scheduled to open at
the 55th Street Playhouse Friday (28i. This
version of the film does not have English
narration.
INCORPORATIONS
ALBANY
Freddie Bartholomew, Inc.: Fonned to produce
plays, novels, etc., in New York: incorporators,
Freddie Bartholomew, 225 Lafayette
St., New York; Abraham D. Frisoher,
1412 Ocean Ave.; Bernard R. Selkowe, 1620
Avenue I, Brooklyn. The British-bom
Bartholomew, who skyrocketed as a child film
star, appeared in this area as guest with
summer stock companies in Saratoga and
Germantown last season. He had been signed,
he told interviewers, to appear in the first
George Bernard Shaw drama scheduled for
production by Alexander Korda in studios
the Irish government was building in Dublin.
These are not yet completed. Bartholomew's
wife, who acts as his manager, traveled with
Freddie.
Film Classics, International Film Classics,
Film Classics of the Americas and Preferred
Productions, recorded notices of change of
address in New York City. *
Coronet Films, New York, changed its name
to S. K. D. Films.
Sherwood Pictures Corp.: General motion
pictures business in Kings county; capital
stock, $20,000, $100 par; incorporators T. Marc
Sherwood, Renee Sherwood, Nathan Black,
789 Marks Ave., Brooklyn.
Atlas Television Corp.: To produce television
and musical productions in New York
county.
Laurel Films: To trade in motion pictures.
Strode Press of New York made a name
change to Theatre Owners Film and Television
Advertising Network, Inc.
Annbea Theatres, Inc.: To conduct a drivein
!
business with offices in Hudson; incor-
porators. Henry H. Frieder jr.. Byron H.
Gluck and Sidney Gluck of that city; capital
stock is $10,000. $100 par value. This apparently
is the corporation which will operate
the drive-in that Henry Frieder and Henry
Grossman, owner of three indoor Hudson
houses, have announced for Stottsville. It i.
will be a 350-car affair, according to word
'
on Filmrow.
Paramount Television Productions, Inc.,
Los Angeles, recorded statement that New
York office is 1501 Broadway; Paul Raibourn,
president; capital stock $25,000, $1 par.
*
54-B BOXOFFICE ;: May 29, 1948

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BOXOFFICE :
\
; May
29, 1948 54-C
.A

Balaban Sees Second
Antitrust Appeal
NEW YORK—In a letter to Paramount
stockholders calling attention to the annual
meeting to be held Jmie 15 Barney Balaban.
president, says the company lawyers are still
studying the decree and have not decided on
their course of action. Balaban predicts.
however, that the case will go back to the
supreme court.
Balaban points out that the supreme court
did not decide that ownership of theatres by
the corporation was illegal in itself, but that
the circumstances in connection with the acquisition
and operation of eacli theatre must
be studied anew.
"You may be assured," he writes, "that
every step we take in connection with, or as
a consequence of, this litigation will be taken
with a view of husbanding the assets of the
corporation so as to preserve the fullest possible
measure of their vaule for our stockholders."
Vaudeville Union Chief
Loses in Court Fight
NEW YORK—Matt Shelvey, national director
of the American Guild of Variety
Artists, has lost his fight to regain control of
the union. Justice Denis O'Leary Cohalan
of the New York supreme court dismissed an
injunction suit filed by Shelvey to prevent the
Associated Actors and Artists of America
from interfering with him as AGVA chief.
Judge Cohalan then ordered Shelvey not to
interfere in the affairs of his union or set
up a dual union. Shelvey also has to account
for all dues collected since last December.
It was in December that the AAAA, parent
organization of AGVA, discharged Shelvey as
national director. The AAAA officers charged
that Shelvey had tried to become "czar" of
the union: failed to perform his duties, and
allegedly attempted to rig a union convention.
The injunction suit was filed last February.
Television Shorts Series
To Be Filmed in Europe
NEW YORK—Dudley Pictures Corp. has
sent two cameramen to Europe to photograph
Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden,
Norway. Prance, Switzerland, Turkey and the
city of London for the This World of Ours
series which is made specifially for television
release. Ed Olsen sailed Saturday (29) for
Cherbourg where he will join Tommie Braatelien,
who flew to Brussels Sunday (30).
Carl Dudley, president of the firm, will
join the pair in Paris early in September to
complete arrangements for shooting in the
Belgian Congo later in the year. Norman K.
Doyle has returned to Dudley Pictures after
a two-year absence to take charge of sales
and distribution for this shorts series as well
as This Land of Ours, also being made
for
television.
Would Pay for Tele
PHILADELPHIA—A total of 62 per cent
of the Eastern television audience would be
willing to pay a "reasonable fee" for certain
types of broadcasts, according to a recent
survey conducted by William Bethke, general
education director for the LaSalle Extension
university in Chicago.
Para Terms for Tele Reel
Too High for Sponsors
New York—Paramount has found no
television sponsor ready to meet the company's
terms for a "first-rate newsreel,"
according to Paul Raibourn, vice-president
in charge of television operations.
"The potential sponsors with whom we
have been negotiating have been unable
to pay the price we ask and we refuse
RKO 16mm Bookings Set
On Planes, Steamships
to turn out a second-rate reel," he said.
Raibourn believes that it might be some
time before the television audience is
large enough to attract important advertisers.
NEW YORK—Jack Kennedy, recently appointed
to head the RKO non-theatrical and
transportation bookings department, has
started a new drive to increase bookings for
16mm product by airlines, steamship lines
and trains in tliis country and abroad.
The RKO 16mm product is now playing the
U.S.S. America and Stockholm and the
Shannon Airport in Ireland. The 16mm films
have also been tried out on some of the trans-
Atlantic Constellation planes, according to
Kennedy.
Possible future bookings include ocean
steamers and the long-run trains operating
in South America, Australia and the Far East.
Skouras Attends Hearings
On 20th-Fox Tele Bid
NEW YORK— Spyros P.
Skouras. pre.=ident
of 20th Century-Fox. flew to the coast May 27
to attend the Federal Commimications commission
hearings on television bids in San
Francisco, which started May 31. Twentieth-
Fox has applied for a television channel and
will give its testimony on the bid on the openind
day of the hearings.
Skouras conferred with Darryl F. Zanuck,
20th-Fox production head, on forthcoming
pictures, in Hollywood before attending the
hearings.
GE Television Engineer
Speaks at SMPE Meeting
NEW YORK—L. C. Downes, television engineering
section, transmitter division. General
Electric Co.. Syracuse, spoke on "Film
Projection Equipment for Television Stations"
at the SMPE Atlantic coast section meeting
at Hunter college Playhouse May 19. Downes
illustrated his talk with slides.
Dr. Harry F. Olson, director of the acoustical
laboratory, RCA Laboratories, Princeton,
N. J., will speak on "New Developments in
the Reproduction of Sound" at the Engineering
Societies building in New York June 16,
Minsky, EL, Also to Have
Cleveland, Cincinnati
NEW YORK—Joseph Minsky. Eagle Lion
district manager for Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
and Washington, has had his territory
extended to include Cincinnati and Cleveland.
William J. Heineman, vice-president in
charge of distribution, ordered the move.
Minsky will continue his headquarters in
the Philadelphia exchange.
Loew's Int'l Promotes
Three Managers
NEW YORK—Piomotions of three Latin
American managers for Loew's International
Corp. will be spread over the next two
months, according to Morton A. Spring, first
vice-president.
Jack Tilden, manager of Venezuela, will
move up to the top post in Chile, which is
being temporarily managed by Sidney
Schwartz, traveling auditor. Myron D. Karlin,
now the MGM head in Ecuador, will move
into Tilden's post in Venezuela. Robert
Schmitt, currently assistant sales chief of
16mni films in New York, will become manager
in Ecuador, his first post overseas.
Roger Lewis Elected Head
Of PCA Film Division
NEW YORK—Roger Lewis, copy chief of
the Monroe Greenthal Advertising Agency,
has been elected chairman of the film division
of the Production Code Administration.
Lewis, who is a former president of the Screen
Publicists Guild and chairman of the motion
picture chapter of the American Veterans
Committee, succeeds John McManus, resigned.
The film division has gone on record as
opposing the Mundt bill and has registered
its opposition in a telegram and letters to
the senate judiciary committee. This action
will be followed by a national mailing on the
bill to people in the motion picture field.
The film division has also endorsed plans
to affiliate with the National Council of
Arts. Sciences and Professions, an independent
organization to support Wallace.
Kinescope to Link Coasts
On Video, Says Trammell
HOLLYWOOD—National Broadcasting Co.
will link its east and west coast television
stations with its new kinescope system for
recording television images from the face of
a receiver tube on film, according to Niles
Trammell, NBC president. Ti-ammell said the
kinescope system will provide coast-to-coast
television although network facilities will not
be available for some time.
NBC's Holly vvood television station KNBH
is expected to start operating October 1. The
rates will be $500 an hour for time. $750 an
hour for studio use and $250 an hour for film.
The first kinescope film recordings will be
made when Life magazine sponsors highlights
of the national political conventions on the
NBC television network. The film will be
flown to stations not connected to the network
by coaxial cable or radio relay.
Postpone Talks on Video
Talent Union Contract
NEW YORK—Conferences on the fii'St
union contract covering television performers
have been called off luitil June by a committee
of Associated Actors and Artistes of
America and representatives of the four
major networks, Du Mont and the New York
Daily News station.
The broadcasters will review proposals submitted
by the AAAA committee headed by
George Heller. Tliey are expected to submit
counter-proposals when the contract negotiations
are resumed.
m
54-D BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948

'
;
Another
! celebrities
'
western
!
Bells"
:
Making
i and
. "Up
1 York
I
OLLYWOOD
NEWS AND VIEWS OF THE PRODUCTION CENTER
(Hollywood Office—Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd.: Ivan Svear, Western Manager)
'Mm I
Hollywood Elite See
'Emperor Waltz' Bow
HOLLYWOOD—A blue ribbon group of
stars, industry figures, society elite and civic
notables was on hand when Paramount staged
its world premiere of "The Emperor Waltz"
at the HoUj'wood Paramount Theatre May
26. The star-spangled proceedings included
the usual throngs of autograph seekers, a
television broadcast of premiere events, newsreel
and radio coverage and other elements
customarily associated with top hat-and-furs
openings.
Guests included stars and executives from
virtually every production company, as well
as Mayor Fletcher Bowron. Bing Crosby and
Joan Fontaine, stars of the filnr, and Pi-oducer
Charles Brackett were among the first
nighters. Others on hand included President
Barney Balaban of Paramount, Henry Ginsberg,
S. J. Briskin. Joseph I. Breen, Frank
Capra, D. A. Doran, C. B. DeMille, Y. Frank
Freeman, William Dozier, Jack Karp, Sol
Lesser, David Loew, Mervyn LeRoy, Gene
Markey, E. J. Mannix, William Meiklejohn,
N. Peter Rathvon, Hal Roach, Dore Schary,
Joseph M. Schenck, David O. Selznick, Jack
Warner and Richard Maibaum.
group of Hollywood stars and
participated in RKO Radio's midpremiere
of "The Miracle of the
at the RKO Palace in Chicago May 25.
the trek were Producers Jesse Lasky
Walter MacEwen, Fred MacMurray,
Prank Sinatra, Jack Paar, Barbara Hale and
Bill Williams. Opening day receipts were
turned over to the national cancer fund.
in Central Park," musical starring
Deanna Durbin and Dick Haymes and produced
by Universal-International, was given
its world premiere at the Criterion in New
May 26.
Frank LaFalce Presents
Still Library to Academy
HOLLYWOOD—More than 2,000 stills
comprising a collection which covers the
period of 1921 to 1933 was donated to the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
library by Frank LaFalce, Warner Theatres
advertising and publicity director in Washington.
Included are stills from 385 films
spanning that period.
Jolson' Big in Helena Return
HELENA, MONT.—For the third time "The
Jolson Stoi-y" played to a packed house at the
Marlow Theatre here, where it was returned
for a two-day run. It also was shown at
East Helena a few months ago.
SAG Aids Fight to Upset
Hartley Union Shop Rule
HOLLYWOOD—Currently in
the throes of
arranging an election under NLRB auspices
on the union shop question in accordance
with provisions of the Taft-Hartley law, the
Screen Actors Guild at the same time has
become active in efforts to have Congress
abolish that portion of the T-H legislation.
SAG leaders granted permission to Rep.
Richard Nixon of California to present the
guild's viewpoint on the matter in his appearances
before a joint congressional committee
on labor-management relations. In
a letter to Nixon signed jointly by SAG
President Ronald Reagan and John Dales jr.,
executive secretary, it was set forth that the
guild has had union shop contracts with producers
for more than ten years and that it
"has never been questioned that these union
shop provisions have the overwhelming approval
of the employes involved."
It explained that such union shop elections
may be applicable in industries where there
are "stable groups of permanently employed
workers performing services for a single employer."
but in the case of the SAG it emphasized
that of approximately 9,000 film
actors "only about 500 are permanently employed
by any one employer," The remainder
work for different companies for varying
periods, the SAG reported.
Meantime plans were in the making for a
mail ballot among SAG members within the
next few weeks to determine whether or not
film Thespics wish to maintain the same
closed shop conditions under which they have
functioned for some years. Balloting will be
conducted on an industry-wide, not a studioby-studio,
basis and the guild is currently
preparing a list of members eligible to participate.
Only actors who have worked during
the past 12 months will be permitted to
ballot.
Simultaneously the SAG announced the
opening of a chapter and office in Detroit
to supervise the commercial film field. William
Saunders will be in charge.
The SAG recently informed more than 400
producers throughout the country that its
contract, expiring July 31, 1948, will be terminated
on that date, but offered to negotiate
a new contract "at any reasonable time and
place."
The Screen Publicists Guild will seek an
early meeting with Columbia studio officials
and will also call an executive board meeting
to discuss Columbia's recent discharge of
three publicists and the transfer of another
from the west to the east coast. The studio's
action came only shortly after one
senior blurber, previously laid off, had been
reinstated as the result of a ruling handed
down by an arbitration panel.
SPG leaders indicated they might file unfair
labor practice charges with the NLRB
if a satisfactory settlement is not obtained
in parleys with Columbia executives.
Meantime the SPG membership approved
a single slate of officer nominees who will
be automatically installed at the Guild's annual
meeting June 15. Re-elected president
was Lesley Mason, with Bill Lyon going in
as vice-president; Chip Cleary, financial secretary;
Len Shannon, treasurer; Milton Stein,
warden and conductor; Milton Gottlieb, business
manager, and Don Reeve. Bob Sill and
Walter Seltzer, trustees.
Writers Will Attack
Alleged Blacklist
HOLLYWOOD—An injunction against implementation
of the film industry's non-
Communist hiring policy as enmiciated last
November by Eric Johnston will be sought
June 1 by attorney Thurman Arnold, acting
for the Screen Writers Guild, the Authors
League of America and 30 individual wTiters.
SWG spokesmen here said that at the weekend
Arnold, now in Washington, had not
decided w-hether to file the action in the
District of Columbia federal district court
or in a similar court in Los Angeles.
Listed as defendants will be the Motion
Picture Ass'n of America, the Ass'n of Motion
Pictm-e Producers, Society of Independent
Motion Picture Producers, Johnston.
Paramount, Loew's, Warners, 20th Centui'y-
Fox. Columbia, Universal-International and
RKO.
Sheridan Gibney,
SWG president, stressed
the suit, attacking the alleged industry
"blacklist," is in "no way connected with the
defense of the individuals charged with being
in contempt of Congress." He referred to
the so-called "unfriendly ten," of whom Dalton
Ti'umbo and John Howard Lawson have
already been convicted.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948
55

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'The
'
' were
Family
«p
STUDIO PERSONNELITIES
Barnstormers
Monogram
FREDDIE STEWART pianed out ior Honolulu where
he will make a iour-week singing engagement at a
night club.
Blurbers
Paramount
ANITA COLBY relumed from a nationwide tour
of 31 principal cities where she interchanged ideas
between leading exhibitors, publishers and editors,
and acted as a goodwill ambassador on behalt ot
"The Emperor Waltz."
Briefies
Paramount
JIMMY DORSEY and his orchestra will star in
"Catalina Interlude," Technicolor Musical Parade
lecrturette to be directed by Alvin Ganzer. The
script was turned out by Jack Roberts and Peter
Brooke.
RKO
HAL YATES was set to direct "Lost Pal." second
in the series of two-reelers which features the
canine star. Flame. George Bilson is the producer.
Universal-International
JIMMY DORSEY and his orchestra checked in to
do a musical featurette for Producer-Director Will
Cowan.
Cleifers
Enterprise
FRANZ WAXMAN was pacted for cm 18-month
ticket to compose and conduct the score for future
production in cooperation with Rudy Polk, studio
musical director. His iirst score will be for "No
Minor Vices-"
Metro
Marking their 12th motion picture appearance,
XAVIER CUGAT and his band will play themselves
in "Neptune's Daughter," upcoming Technicolor
filmusical.
RKO
The musical score for Sam.uel Goldwyn's "Take
Three Tenses" will be composed by HUGO FRIED-
HOFER.
Loanouts
20th-Fox
KIRK DOUGLAS goes on locfnout from Hal Wallis
for a role in "A Letter to Three Wives," in which
he will appear opposite Ann Sothern.
Deal to borrow PAULETTE GODDARD from Paramount
for the femme topline in "Yellow Sky," starring
Gregory Peck, fell through when Miss Goddard's
home studio announced the commitment "did
not materialize."
Meggers
Monogram
Signed to direct "The Fighting Ranger," western
slated to star Johnny Mack Brov/n. was LAMBERT
HILLYER.
RKO
The option on services of RICHARD FLEISCHER
was lifted following his direction of "Bodyguatd,"
which stars Lawrence Tierney and Priscilla Lane.
LES SELANDER is slated to direct the next two
Tim Holt western features being produced by Herman
Schlom, "Outlaw Valley" and "Brothers in the
Saddle,"
Republic
Director FRED BRANNON had his option lifted lor
another year and drew the piloting assignment on
the studio's next serial, "Federal Agents vs. Underworld,
Inc.," which Franklm Adreon is producing.
United Artists
WALLACE FOX wds ticketed to replace Robert
Emmett Tansey, previously announced as the director
for Philip N. Krasne's Cisco Kid picture, "The
Gay Amigo."
Options
Columbia
Signed for supporting spots in Edward Small's
production, "FBI Meets Scotland Yard." were
ONSLOW STEVENS and PHILIP VAN ZANDT. Gordon
Douglas directs.
Joining Glenn Ford and Nina Foch for a top
supporting role in "Undercover Man" is PATRICIA
WHITE. Joseph H. Lewis is the director and Robert
Rossen is producing.
Leading ma'le roles in "Hearsay," the upcoming
Buddy Adler production, were assigned to WILLIAM
HOLDEN and LEE J. COBB. Rudy Mate will direct.
Character actor THURSON HALL was set for featured
roles in two films, "Blondie's Secret" and
Rusty Pays a Debt."
A topline role in "El Dorado Pass," which stars
Charles Storrett cmd Smiley Burnette, was handed
to TED MAPES.
Eagle Lion
RICHARD CARLSON gets the topline on "Inside
the Wall." Eugene Ling is producing with Oscar
Boetticher directing.
OSA MASSEN checked in for the femme lead opposite
Gene Raymond in Matty Kemp's production,
'The Million Dollar Weekend."
Enterprise
THOMAS GOMEZ was pacted for a topline opposite
John Garfield in the R. B. Roberts production,
"Tucker's People." Scripted by Abraham Polonsky
and Ira Wolfert, the film will also be directed by
Polonsky.
Film Classics
The lecfds in Albert J. Cohen's Cinecolor film,
Unknown Adventure,
handed VIR-
GINIA GREY, BARTON MacLANE, RICHARD DEN-
NING, PHILIP REED and DICK WESSELL.
Monogram
HELEN PARRISH drew the femme lead in "High
Tension," upcoming Bowery Boys film which toplines
Leo Gorcey with Huntz Hall. The heavy spot
opposite Helen was slated ior JOHN RIDGELEY.
Added to the cast were FRITZ FELD, CLIFF CLARK,
JOHNNY INDRISANO, WILLIAM RUHL and BUDDY
GORMAN. Reginold LeBorg is directing the latest
Bowery Boys effort.
WINEFRIED McDOWALL. mother of Roddy, star
of the picture, will enact a role in "Kidnapped"
FERRIS TAYLOR, ERVILLE ALDERSON, LARRY RIO
and ALAN COMISTON joined the cast.
A supporting role in "Last of the Badmen" went
to HONEE AMES. Barry Sullivan has the starring
spot in the King Bros.' production tor Allied Artists.
Set as the next RODDY McDOWALL starrer was
"Tuna Clipper," an original by W. Scott Darling.
Lindsley Parsons will produce the film which will
be made off the coast of Mexico.
CHRISTINE LARSON goes into the femme lead of
"The Fighting Ranger," starring Johnny Ma'ck Brown
with Raymond Hatton. Other new castings include
MARSHALL REED, EDDIE PARKER and FRANK LA
RUE. New castings are MILBURN MORANTE, 1.
STANFORD JOLLEY. STEVE CLARK, BOB WOOD-
WARD. CHARLES HUGHES and PETE PERKINS
Paramount
Signed for a character spot in "The Accused" was
HAL FERGUSON. Loretta Young. Robert Cummings
and Wendell Corey star in Hal Wallis' production.
A veteran screen villain, STUART HOLMES, was
signed for a chief role in "Dark Circle," the Ray
Milland. Audrey Totter and Thomas Mitchell topliner.
Irish gctor PAT PHELAN gets a role in the
production.
RKO
VICTOR MATURE and JACK PAAR draw toplines
in "Battleground," the World War II opus to be
produced by Jesse L. Lasky and Walter MacEwen.
The heavy role in 'Weep No More" was handed
to PAUL STEWART. Joseph Gotten and Vaili are
starred in the romantic drama.
JOSEPHINE HUTCHINSON joins the "Baltimore
Escapdde" roster in a key spot opposite STiirley
Temple and Robert Young. The Richard Berger
production will be piloted by Richard Wallace.
Stellar feminine role in "Bed of Roses," upcoming
William Pereira production, goes to BARBARA BEi_
GEDDES.
Republic
Featured roles in The Plunderers" were assigned
to PAUL FIX, GEORGE CLEVELAND, TAYLOR
HOLMES, REX LEASE, AUGIE GOMEZ and TEX
TERRY. Rod Cameron, Ilona Massey and Adrian
Booth are starred.
Screen Guild
Leading roles in the Robert L. Lippert production,
"The Return of Wildfire," went to RICHARD ARLEN,
PATRICIA MORISON and MARY BETH HUGHES.
20th-Fox
Replacing Gene Tierney, JEANNE GRAIN was
'
given the starring assignment in "The Fan, to be
produced and directed by Otto Preminger. GEORGK
SANDERS is the only other cast member thus far set.
The feminine lead in "Sand," picturization of
Will James' novel, goes to JEAN PETERS. "Richard
Conte was previously announced for a topline role.
A opline in "A Letter to Three Wives," the Sol
C Siegel production, was handed JEFFREY LYNN.
Joseph L. Mankiewicz is directing from his own
screenplay.
Universal-International
RITA JOHNSON will join Claudette Colbert and
'
F"red MacMurray in the Honeymoon" cast
to play 'the other womgn." Character actress
LILLIAN BRONSON was ticketed for a featured role.
MARCY McGUIRE was signed by Rampart Productions
for a supporting spot m the Joan Fontaine-
James Stewart starrer, "You Gotta Stay Happy."
PAT ALPHIN wds assigned the femme lead in the
Abbott and Costello starrer, "Mexican Hayride."
A lead was handed also to JOHN HUBBARD. Charlie
Barton directs.
Warners
RAYMOND ROE was booked to play the juvenile
lead in "June Bride," Bette Davis-Robert Montgomery
comedy. JAMES BURKE joins the cast in a comedy
role.
EDMOND O'BRIEN rfnd ROBERT STACK were set
to play leading roles in the Technicolor saga of
the army air force, "Fighter Squadron." Raoul
Walsh will direct tor Producer Seton I. Miller.
JAMES BROWN checked in to portray the second
oldest Younger brother in "The Younger Brothers."
Edwin L- Marin directs a cast headed by Wayne
Morns, Janis Pcrige and Geraldine Brooks.
Joining Jack Carson and Doris Day in Michael
Curfiz' "My Dream Is Yours" was DANNY DOWLING,
A lead role in "The Girl From Jones Beach" goes
to DONA DRAKE. She will portray Eddie Bracken's
girl friend in the comedy directed by Peter Godfrey
and produced by Alex Gottlieb. EDDIE BRACKEN
was ticketed for a top spot.
Scripters
Independent
JOEL MALONE was inked to script "Tell My Pretty
Bcfby" lor Marshall Grant Productions.
RKO
HAROLD MEDFORD will write the screenplay Ior
"Honored Glory," a top-budgeted World War II
picture which Frederick UUman jr. will produce.
Story Buys
Independent
"Of All People," Ralph Spence's stage play, was
purchased by Robert Frost.
Metro
The screen rights to "Juggernaut" were acquired
from Producer Owen Crump, with the latter assigned
to prepare the property tor early production. Based
on d radio show by Joel Malone and Harold Swanton,
it deals with a lynching in a small town.
Monogram
Producers Julian Lesser and Frank Melford acquired
their third Gene Stratton-Porter property with
the purchase of "Freckles," which has been added
to tfieir Windsor Pictures slate.
Technically
Columbia
STURGES CARNE is the art director on "Song ol
India."
Lensing chores on "Hearsay" go to JOSEPH
WALKER.
Producer Edward Small signed as the stall Ior
"FBI Meets Scotland Yard." RUDOLPH STERNAD. art
director; ROY HAMILTON, dialog director, and
JAMES E, NEWCOME, iUm editor.
Eagle Lion
Producer Matty Kemp set ROBERT BECHE as pro;
duction manager on "The Million Dollar Weekend."
Enterprise
BARNEY RUDITSKY, a former member ol the New
York City police department, was engaged by Producer
R, B. Roberts as technical adviser for "Tucker's
People."
Independent
JOE POPKIN was inked as general manager in
charge of production for Glenn McCarthy Productions.
Metro
Named head cameraman on "Neptune's Daughter"
was
GEORGE FOLSEY.
Monogram
RUSSELL HARLAN has been signed by the King
Bros, as cameraman on "Last of the Red Men,
upcoming Allied Artists release.
Production crew assigned to "The Fighting Ranger"
includes EDDIE DAVIS, assistant; HARRY NEU-
MANN, camera, and CARL PIERSON, cutter.
Production crew assigned to "High Tension" includes
GENE ANDERSON, assistant; MARCEL
LePlCARD, camera, and WILLIAM AUSTIN, cutter.
Paramount
j
EDWARD SALVEN checked in to act as assistant
director on Cecil B. DeMille's forthcoming Biblical
story, "Samson and Delilah."
|
56 BOXOFFICE ;
: May
29, 1948

: May
The set director on "The Heiress" will be EMILE
KURI.
_
RKO
RUBY ROSENBERG will unit manage "Every Girl
Should Be Married."
Republic
JACK MARTA drew the cameroTnan assignment
on "The Plunderers."
The production crew on "Whispers in the Dark"
will include JOHN MacBURNIE. cameraman; HOY
WADE assistant director; FRANK HOTALING, art
director ,and HARRY KELLER, film editor.
JAMES SULLIVAN will be the art director on
The Wake of the Red Witch."
Screen Guild
Assignments on "The Return of Wildfire" went to
WILLARD SHELDON as first assistant director and
ERNIE MILLER as cameraman.
SRO
Art Director ]. McMILLAN JOHNSON was assigned
to the Valh-Robert Mitchum-Louis Jourdan starrer,
"If This Be My Harvest "
20th-Fox
JASEPH LA SHELLE will photograph "The Fan,"
with TOM DUDLEY as first assistant director and
SID BOWEN as unit production manager.
Universal-International
FRED FRANK was appointed assistant director
on "Criss-Cross."
Plotting action sequences for Douglas Fairbanks'
"The OTIynn" will be DAVE SHARPE.
Warners
Technical assignments on "The Younger Brothers"
went to CHARLES CLARKE, art director; FRED-
ERICK RICHARDS, film editor; DON PAGE, unit
manager, and WILLIAM SNYDER, photograptiy director.
Crew assignments on "Fighter Squadron" include
SID HICKOX, photography director; RUSS SAUN-
DERS, assistant director; CHRIS NYBY, film editor
and CHUCK HANSEN, unit manager.
JOHN MAXWELL drew the dialog directorship on
"The Girl From Jones Beach."
Art director for Sol Elkins' "Night Beat" will be
HUGH RETICKER.
The art directorship on "Happy Times," upcoming
Danny Kaye starrer, went to ROBERT HAAS.
Title Changes
Columbia
"Rusty Pays a Debt" is now called RUSTY SAVES
A LIFE.
Monogram
"Manhattan Folk Song" is now called MELODY
MAN.
COWBOY CAVALIER was set as the release title
oi "Saddle Serenade."
Republic
The new tag on "The Far Outpost" is THE
PLUNDERERS.
DAREDEVILS OF THE CLOUDS was substituted for
Daredevils of the Sky."
GRAND CANYON TRAIL is the new handle for
Grand Canyon Serenade."
MIRACLE OF CHARLIE DAKIN was chosen as the
final title for "The Blue Lady."
Substituted for "Whispers in the Dark" was
HOMICIDE FOR THREE.
20th-Fox
"Letter to Four Wives" took on a new tag, LET-
TER TO THREE WIVES.
Universal- International
THE CASE AGAINST CALVIN COOKE will be
ths release title for "The Judges Wile," also once
known as "I Stand Accused."
Kiss the Blood Off My Hands" was given a new
tag, THE UNAFRAID.
Video
Marking their debuts in television, JUNE STOREY
LEE PATRICK and VICTORIA HORNE were pacted
°y 'f "Y„ Fairbanks Productions for lead roles in
Public Prosecutor" video film series for NBC.
Joan Leslie Asks Court
To Rehear Arguments
HOLLYWOOD— Actress Joan Leslie's long
fight to break the contract she signed with
Warners while still a minor moved into another
phase when her attorney. Oscar Cummins,
petitioned for a rehearing before the
California supreme court. That judicial body
handed down a decision last month upholding
Warners' claim that the contract is legal
and still effective.
WORTH'y
of close attention is a venture
in film merchandising being
undertaken by Maxwell Shane of
Geffen-Shane Productions, newcomer sharecropping
outfit whose output will be distributed
by Universal-International.
G-S will undertake as its kickoff featiu'e
a film version of the widely read adventure
novel, "The Salem Frigate, " by John Jennings.
Even before the picture was cast and weeks
ahead of a tentative shooting date, Shane
launched a novel campaign to interest top
exhibitors of the country in his initial production.
To more than 500 showmen, independent
and circuit, he dispatched a letter in which
he traced his own experiences while functioning
as an exhibitor and film exploiteer (he
was with Publix, Fanchon and Marco, Fox
and other chains) and his anguish at discovering
that much of the product he was required
to handle was not in the commercial
category.
Shane's communique averred that he decided
then and there that if he "ever worked
my way into a position where I had the sayso
about choosing matter," he would analyze
the project from the exhibitor's angle. The
letter went on to point out that after a tenyear
career as writer and director for several
major companies, he has gone into a production
partnership with Maxwell M. Geffen,
publisher of Omnibook magazine.
As a means of stimulating exhibitor interest
in the planned production of "Frigate,"
Shane requested recipients of his missive to
pass on their opinions to him so that he and
his partner can more readily incorporate the
"kind of exploitation values into which a good
theatre operator can sink his teeth."
Shane's background includes radio and
screen writing chores—including stints at
RKO Radio. Columbia, Universal and Paramount—
and a whirl or two at direction under
the Pine-Thomas banner. Geffen's Omnibook
magazine has a circulation of 750,000
and "Frigate," condensed therein, was also
syndicated by King Features.
With the Shane letter to exhibitors went a
copy of Omnibook containing the condensation
of the Jennings novel.
Now. there's nothing startlingly new in the
idea of a producer contacting the nation's exhibitors
for alleged needed help resolving a
problem. In the past filmmakers have conducted
surveys among theatre operators to
determine consensus opinion anent a debated
title, the best choice of endings for a picture,
etc. Most of such pools were so patently impersonal,
however, that what small returns
they enjoyed were seldom conclusive and
rarely enthusiastic.
Shane's communique adroitly avoided all
rubber-stamp aspects. It was sufficiently
sincere and personal so that the average
recipient could readily believe that the writer
was entirely honest in his appeal icr suggestions.
And that probably is the explanation
for the precedential number of replies the
producer received: and the intelligent, constructive
suggestions incorporated therein.
Not only will he be guided by these suggestions,
he says, but during the production
life of the picture he will keep in touch with
the showmen who offered them so as to keep
them informed of its progre.ss and to seek
further ideas.
That's top-drawer merchandising, and,
more importantly, an encouraging manifestation
of a much-needed liaison between production
and exhibition.
ECONOMY DEPARTIWENT
Sheer Hysteria Division
A 20th-Fox opus started its production
career as "Letter to Five Wives." It then became
"Letter to Four Wives" and, following
still another title change, at last report was
being called "Letter to Three Wives."
At that rate it probably will hit the screen
as "Postcard to the Girl Friend"—and Brigham
Young is whirling in his grave.
Those fat Coronas being distributed by
Paul "Gadgets" MacNamara, vice-president
in charge of public relations for the David O.
Selznick enterprises, were in celebration of a
son born at Good Samaritan hospital.
Spring street bookies might lay a price that
he'll be christened Paradine D. O. S. Mac-
Namara.
THINGS- ARE-TOUGH-ALL-OVER
DEPARTMENT
Alex Evelove Division
"Dennis Morgan, who returned Tuesday
from a 10-day Kentucky Derby vacation in
the mid,west, took off over the weekend for
a fishing trip in the High Sierras."
Now comes from. George Brown's busy
blurbery at Paramount a stirring item about
the deluge of Delilahs that has descended
upon Producer Cecil B. DeMille. It seems
that DeMille commissioned Painter Henry
Clive to paint the "ideal Delilah." which portrait,
together with specifications of physical
requirements, were planted with 80 big-city
newspapers throughout the country as a
means of stimulating DeMille's search for
an unknown to play the role in his forthcoming
"Samson and Delilah." He promptly received
a flood of local and long-distance
phone calls, mail and wires from aspiring
amateur talent.
One thing is certain: None of the would-be
Delilahs will try to cut C. B.'s hair.
Reports Bill Hebert, "Alma Lawton. radio
actress and sister of Fleetwood Lawton, radio
news commentator, has been engaged by
Samuel Goldwyn to help Teresa Wright develop
an authentic English accent."
If Teresa finishes her course sounding like
Fleetwood Lawton, the British are a cinch
to reinstate the confiscatory ad valorem tax.
Whafs-in-a-name? enthusiasts certainly
should give a passing thought to Producer
Edward Small's recent feudin' and fussin"
which led to termination of his releasing deal
with Eagle Lion,
Small's last picture for EL distribution is
titled "Raw Deal."
BOXOFFICE :
29, 1948
57

HP
'
C^cjec44ii4jie
^nxwele/iA.
Short Made to Bolster
Costello Foundation
1
East: After winding up discussions of plans
for marketing several upcoming Monogram-
Allied Artists releases, a contingent of New
York executives of the company returned to
their headquarters. The visitors, participating
in huddles with President Steve Broidy
and other home office toppers, included Edward
Morey, vice-president: Maurice Goldstein,
general sales manager, and Norton V.
Ritchey, head of the organization's foreign
distribution unit.
* * *
East: For conferences with David O. Selznick
on studio matters, L. M. Eckert, studio
manager, trained for Manhattan.
* V *
East: Ned E. Depinet, RKO Radio sales
chief, headed for New York after huddles
here with Howard Hughes, new company boss,
and Dore Sohary, production supervisior.
* « »
West: Gred Ahearn, production manager
for Transatlantic Pictures (the Alfred Hitchcock
company) returned to Warners from
New York with a Technicolor camera crew,
where he filmed a trailer for "Rope," Hitchcock's
first for Transatlantic and a Warner
release.
« * *
East: John J. Jones, president of Screen
Guild, planed to Gotham on a business
junket. He planned a two-day stopover in
Chicago before returning to Hollywood.
* * *
West: Henry King, 20th Century-Fox director,
was due in from Italy, after a month
in Rome scouting locations for a picture
which he will place in work there this summer.
King is slated to return to Italy in July.
East: Italy-bound in mid-June will be William
Goetz, Universal-International production
chief, to arrange preliminary plans for
the making of a picture there this fall. Robert
Buckner, who will produce, will check out
for Rome in September.
South: Robert L. Lippert, Screen Guild
distribution chief, planed in from San Francisco
for home office huddles.
East: Joseph Bernhard, president of Film
Classics and Cinecolor, wound up a Hollywood
stay and returned to his New York
headquarters.
West: Pre.sident Nate J. Blimiberg of U-I
was due in over the weekend fronr New York
after an extended eastern stay. Another U-I
arrival was Edana Romney, British producerstar-writer,
who came in from London to
huddle with company executives on plans for
the U.S. release of her latest film, "Corridor
of Mirrors." Miss Romney was guest of honor
at a cocktail party and reception to introduce
her to Hollywood.
West:
William Heineman, Eagle Lion sales
chief, came in from Gotham for studio conferences
and several days of huddles with
sales representatives in the western territory.
He was accompanied by Jack Schlaifer and
Max Youngstein.
East: Stanley Kramer, president of Screenplays,
Inc.. headed for New York for conferences
with Enterprise and United Artists officials
concerning release plans for "So This
Is New York."
Montanan Aims at Film Fame
GREAT FALLS, MONT.—Billy Madison jr.,
winner of Jhe talent-search contest sponsored
by the Civic Theatre here, has left his home
town to seek his fortune in Hollywood.
For several years an accordionist, Billy is
now under the management of the Bert Levy
agency and is booked for May 24, 25 with the
White Theatre in Fresno. He is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. William Madison of Great Falls
and a graduate of Northwestern university.
HOLLYWOOD—Industry support of a campaign
to combat juvenile delinquency was
marshalled on behalf of the Lou Costello jr.
Youth Foundation when Edward Nassour
turned over his studio facilities for the making
of a two-reeler, "10,000 Kids and a Cop."
Abbott and Costello, William Bendix, Brenda
Joyce and Donald Crisp donated their acting
services to the venture. Charles Barton
will direct and the youth organization will
distribute the short throughout the country.
The Motion Picture Relief Fund's silver
jubilee drive has been extended a week, until
June 4, by George Bagnall, campaign chairman.
The drive has passed the 84 per cent
mark, with 23,351 new and renewed pledges,
and the extension was okayed in order to
allow time to attain the 27,000-pledge goal.
* * *
Esther Williams and Kay Kyser were featured
entertainers at a program at Santa
Monica high school to aid that city's campaign
for a new public playground and swimming
pool.
L. A. Honors Walt Disney
For Aid in Foreign Trade
film personage to be
HOLL'YWOOD—First
so honored since the award was instituted 12
years ago. Producer Walt Disney was the
recipient of the Los Angeles Foreign Trade
Ass'n plaque as the "person who does the
most in Los Angeles for the betterment of
world understanding through trade." The
presentation was made in conjunction with
the L. A. Chamber of Commerce.
Jane Doe Winner Starts
Republic Feature Role
HOLLYWOOD — Winner of Republic's
"Jane Doe" contest over 15,000 contestants,
Mary Ruth Wade of Lake Charles. La., reported
to the studio to begin a featured role
in "The Plunderers." The stimt plugging
Republic's "I, Jane Doe," was co-sponsored
by the studio and the Ralph Edwards Truth
Or Consequences radio show.
FILM-RADIO LUNCHEON—Producer Samuel Goldwyn hosted executives of the
American Broadcasting Co. at a studio luncheon during the recent National Ass'n
of Broadcasters convention in Hollywood. Goldwyn told the network toppers that
television will prove to be a boon to both radio and films by forcing the elimination
of poorer ether and celluloid programs. Seated at the rear table, left to right,
are William Hebert, Goldwyn's studio advertising-publicity director; Mark Woods,
ABC president; Goldwyn; Don Searle, ABC's western division chief, and Ed Boroff,
in charge of the net's central division.
Again Heads UJ Drive
HOLLYWOOD—For the third consecutive
year Samuel Goldwyn will pilot the Los
Angeles United Jewish welfare fund $10,250,-
000 campaign. The producer appointed Dore
Schary of RKO as chairman of the motion
picture division and set William Gordon, U-I
and Abe Lastfogel, of the William Morris
agency, as co-chairmen. Goldwyn declared
that this "is indeed the year of destiny for
the Jewish people of the entire world . . . the
need today is greater than ever."
National Pictures to Start
HOLLYWOOD—Lester Cutler's National
Pictures has established production headquarters
at the Motion Picture Center studios
and has slated "House of Cards," from a
Clarence Budington Kelland story, as its
first film for an unannounced release. It will
be followed by "Hope of Earth," from a novel
bv Margaret Lee Runbeck.
4
1
58 BOXOFFICE : : May
29, 1948

;
Junior
I
I
the
I Butte
,
week
Banquet Scenes and Displays at Denver Allied Meet
The above photo shows two groups of delegates at the first
unnu;^! convention of the Allied Rocky Mountain Independent
Theatres at the banquet in the Cosmopolitan hotel in Denver. In
the back may be seen the head table with national regional officers
and their wives. The photos below, left: Display of the
Western Service & Supply Co. with Sam Langwith and Sam Reed.
officers. Center: Manley, Inc., display with F. A. "Bud" Lewis,
salesman; W. H. Turpie. division manager of Los Angeles, and Arlie
Beery, Denver. Right: Flashy Bevelite sign highlights the National
Theatre Supply display. Looking over the literature are W. C.
Stahl of Theatre Specialties Co., Los Angeles, and J. J. Morgan and
Joe Stone, co-managers of the Denver NTS branch.
Trade Issues Aired
At SCTOA Session
LOS ANGELES—At a general membership
meeting of the Southern California Theatre
Owners Ass'n topics up for discussion included
television, the juvenile delinquency
program of the Theatre Owners of America,
labor negotiations and the antitrust decisions
handed down recently by the supreme court.
Charles P. Skouras. Fox West Coast circuit
president and chairman of the TOA's
juvenile delinquency committee, reported on
progress to date in that campaign. A thorough
discussion of television was presented by
Ralph Austrian, of Foote, Cone and Belding.
who was a delegate to the recent convention
of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers
in Santa Monica.
Harrj' Vinnicof, head of SCTOA's labor
committee, reported on the status of negotiations
with projectionists. Named to his committee
"as associates were Jack Brower and
Everett Cummings.
Lack of time at the lucheon meeting prevented
Paul Williams. SCTOA general coun-
.sel. from presenting a complete report on the
antitrust decision. His report will be mailed
to the membership.
League Play at Theatre
DEERLODGE, MONT.—"Hans Brinker and
Silver Skates." was presented by the
Junior league Monday morning last
at the Rialto Theatre.
Harry Popkin Purchases
Hipp for $300,000
LOS ANGELES—The Hippodrome property,
a south Main street landmark, was purchased
by Harry M. Popkin. circuit operator
and producer, for an estimated $300,000. Popkin
also signed a new ten-year lease on his
Star Theatre, also on Main street.
Twins Then Mumps
In Kendall Family
Seattle—James Kendall, assistant manager
of the Coliseum Theatre here, was
a happy man the other day as he handed
out cigars right and left. For Mrs. Kendall
had just given birth to twin girls,
their first offspring, and he had a right
to beam.
But his jubilation was short-lived.
The following morning he awoke with a
swollen jaw and the doctor's diagnosis
was "mumps!" Now Kendall can't bring
his family home from the hospital until
he is all over it.
Everything seems to happen at the
Coliseum. A short time ago Clyde Strout,
manager, was operated on for appendicitis
just one week after Mrs. Strout went
through the same ordeal.
G. F. Handley Joined
Parker Back in '07
PORTLAND—Grover F. Handley. house
manager of the dowoitown J. J. Parker Broadway
Theatre and concessions manager of the
Parker chain, is celebrating the 41st anniversary
of his association with Parker. Handley
opened a billiard parlor with the late
J. J. Parker in 1907 on the corner of 13th
and Washington streets. Except for one Interval
Handley has been associated with the
J. J. Parker business interests consecutively
through the present day.
Grover Handley came to Portland In 1890
and graduated from the old Portland High
school. After attending Mount Angel College,
Handley started in the billiard parlor
business in 1903. After joining J. J. Parker
In business in 1907, Handley sold out and
struck out on his own in 1910. Moving to
Astoria, Ore.. Handley was in the restaurant
business until 1926 when he sold out and
accepted a position with J. J. Parker Theatres
as assistant manager of the old Majestic
Theatre. The year 1927 foimd him at the
Rivoli. and in 1928 he became manager of
the United Artists in Portland, a post he
alternately has held with that of house
manager of Parker's Broadway. In 1933 he
managed the old Paramount, but the next
year found him again operating the United
Artists. In 1940 he was appointed as.sistant
general manager of the Parker chain. He
returned as manager of the United Artists
in 1943. and is now managing the Broadway.
BOXOFFICE :
: May 29, 1948 w 59

. . The
. . Sam
. . Don
. . Kent
. . Out-of-town
. . Shipstead
. . Al
. . Fred
. .
"
. . . Mrs.
. . The
. . Eddie
. . Harold
SEATTLE
.
. .
prank X. Christie, film buyer for Evergreen,
attended National Theatres' meeting in
Milwaukee Wheeler, western division
manager for Film Classics, left for
Los Angeles with Jack Kloepper, local branch
head . strike of 13 000 Boeing Aircraft
Co. employes continues to pinch all lines
Marvin
of
business. No settlement is in sight ,
Fox. manager of the Orpheum. held a screening
for sports writers and radio men on
"Kings of the Olympics."
. . Everett Lawson. formerly associated
.
Vete Stewart, Warner Bros, branch manager,
was in San Francisco for a managers
meeting .
with Selom Burns, has joined the Na-
tional Theatre Supply staff . . . Six of Evergreen's
Washington district situations have
scheduled High School Graduation Jamborees,
whereby graduating classes will attend
in a body Hartung of the
B. F. Shearer staff is back from a two-week
vacation.
,
. . Dorothy
Dick Lacey, manager of the Elwha Theatre
in Port Angeles for B. F. Shearer, is remaining
in the same capacity under Sterling
Theatres, which recently took it over
H. E. Ebenstein. head of Northwest Automatic
Candy Co.. plans to make his headquarters
here six months of the year. The
other half will be in Los Angeles .
Crothers. assistant cashier at 20th-Fox, was
wed to Jack Field. They are honeymooning
in California.
Clarence Hill, 20th-Fox manager of branch
operations, stopped here on his way to Portland
from New York . and Johnson's
"Ice Follies" started slowly at the
Civic Arena but finished strong in its twoweek
engagement
. exhibitors
on Pilmrow during the week included N. J.
Andrew, La Conner: J. W. Nordenberg. Ferndale:
Junior Mercy and Martin Brown,
Yakima, and John Owsley, Tacoma.
. . Vei'na
B. F. and Mrs. Shearer arrived from their
winter home at Palm. Springs, where they
have been for the past six months .
Smith has been named night manager at the
Princess Theatre in Edmonds by Lionel
Prown. owner . Hoidale is back from
attending the National Film Carriers convention
in New York . Grubstick. Film
Classics franchise owner for San Francisco,
Portland and Seattle, was in for a meeting
with Mort Bramson, northwest representative.
Chester Nilsson and Les Theuerkauf were
to open their new Starlight Drive-In May 26.
It is located south of Tacoma . Conrad
has been transferred from Bill Forman's
Auto-Vue Drive-In, near Tacoma, to
the new Duwamish Drive-In, south of Seattle.
He will manage and book for the latter.
Before the war, Conrad operated the
Monte Theatre in Montesano.
BEST WISHES — Lou Metzlarr, Fox
Evergreen booker, and William Thedford,
managing director of Fox Evergreen
Oregon Theatres, congratulate Ralph
Amacher, manager of the new exchange
opened, on Portland's Filmrow by Eagle
Lion. Left to right, Amacher, Metzlarr
and Thedford.
Theatre Burglar Wounded
After He Wakens Owner
SEATTLE—Walter Coy, owner of
the Center
Theatre in suburban White Center, captured
a burglar May 18 after shooting him in
the head. Coy found the man prowling in
the theatre basement. He identified the suspect
as a former employe. Coy. who lives in
an apartment above the theatre, said he was
awakened by a burglar alarm. When he
spotted the intruder, the man attempted to
flee through the basement and Coy fired four
shots from a .38 calibre revolver from a distance
of 20 feet. The burglar was creased
on the scalp by one of the shots. Police
immediately were called and took the burglar
to the hospital where he is recovering.
Earl Baughman Returns
To Klamath Falls, Ore.
KLAMATH FALLS, ORE.—Earl Baughman
has taken over as district manager here
for Redwood Theatres. He held the same
position before entering the service in 1943.
Baughman succeeds Walter Eschbeck, who
resigned to take over business interests elsewhere.
Since his discharge from the service,
Baughman has been with the Redwood organization
in Eureka, Calif.
Junior Leaguers Put On
Show in Portland House
PORTLAND—The Junior
League "FoUies
played a two-day engagement on the stage
of the Hamrick-Evergreen Oriental Theatre
last week. The "Follies" played evening performances
only and had a cast of more than
230 amateur and professional entertainers.
PORTLAND
Dob Anderson, manager of the Evergreen
Newsreel, returned from a three-week
motor trip throughout the western states.
He won his extra week when he copped the
Evergreen showmanship award last winter.
Traveling with his mother. Anderson covered
California. Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado,
Utah and Idaho in his 4,500-mile tour. He
took several hundred still pictures and motion
pictures of places he visited. He observed
that it rained in Portland the day he
left and the day he got back. All the other
places he visited were very, very dry.
. . . Melva
Sam Wheeler, western district manager of
Film Classics, was up from Los Angeles . . .
Bob Blair of Paramount was down from Seattle
Morris Segal of United Artists suffered
. . . the first major sunburn on Filmrow.
He got it painting his house
Briggs, U-I cashier, announced her engagement
to Lloyd McFarland of Newburg, Ore.
Lloyd is an ex-Filmrow worker.
Visitors on the Row this week were John
Harvey of the Tide in Nehalem. J. C. Briggs
of Carlton, Bill Thrall of the Rialto in Junction
City, E. W. Clark of Molalla, C. M. Gilmore
of the Sandy Theatre in Sandy, and
Charlie Stanley of Ocean Lake.
HP
. . Jean
Herbert Koyster, Mayfair manager, has
booked Tallulah Bankhead in Noel Coward's
i
"Private Lives" for a four-day run .
the same gimmick on
|
Cochran
"Pituri"
is
as
running
Royster ran when he had it at
the Mayfair. The giveaway includes little envelopes
filled with the "pituri," which will
drive men mad iso it saysi. It's really only
powdered sugar. Incidentally the "Private
Lives" cast includes ex-Portlander Donald
Cook.
Jack Matlack, executive with Parker Theatres,
played host to A. M. Dimlop of Parker
outstate theatres this week . Lake
will be busy with his filbert ranch soon . . .
Mort Bramson. northwest manager for Screen
Guild, is in Spokane for two weeks . . . Ted
and Willard Gamble were prominent campaigners
for Harold Stassen last week. Ted
was Oregon campaign chairman.
. . . Jayne Moss of National
.
.
Frank King, legal advisor for the Theatre
Exchange Co., traveled to Salem with Allen
Burt on business
Screen Service vacationed in San Fran-
cisco. She reports a good time and a week
well spent Film Club cafe opened
after remodeling Dean, western
player, paid Filmrow a visit the other day
J. J. Parker booked the Hill Military
Academy Minstrels of 1948 for the
weekend. Mrs. Parker made all the arrangements
with J. A. Hill, president of the academv.
y
We
hare Ih*
Bf*f^^,
Count on u« lor Quick Actiool
for
YOUR
THEATRE
Oui wid* coniacta with th* «xhibitorB
YOU ol MitisfactorY resultfl.
THEATRE EXCHANGE CO.
2U Fin Arts Blip. Portland 5. )rt«oni
Yakima Property for Sale
YAKIMA, WASH.—Frederick Mercy sr..
Yakima Theatre chain operator, is reported
to be negotiating for the sale of his recently
acquired 15-story unfinished hotel building
here. Mercy has spent $150,000 on facing the
previous framework, the only building in the
West outside of San Francisco to be completely
faced with aluminum.
THE MODERN PROJECTOR
187 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco 2, Calif.
Phone UndeihiU 1-7571
60 BOXOFFICE :
: May 29, 1948

.
.
.
The only COMPLETELY NEW
post-war projector.
New built-in
hove long demanded.
features projectionists
Scientifically ventilated
for cool operation.
Quiet, smooth running .
a triumph of engineering experience.
.
Sets new standard in screen results. Finest
attained under every operating condition.
Rock-steady projection,
clearest picture definition.
Precision engineered and skillfully
constructed from the finest
material
Simplicity of design .
easy accessibility of all units.
.
Longer life. .
minimum of maintenance.
Unconditionally
GUARANTEED
for one year.
. .
.
and there are many more!
DTJOeilfiPIJ

mp
Drive-ln Projects and Openings
LOS ANGELES—Pacific Drive-In Tlieatres.
operated by C. A. Caballero. will begin consciuction
immediately of a $250,000. 800-car
ozoner in Huntington Park, utilizing plans
drawn by architect W. G. Balch.
Pacific, which now operates five drive-ins
in the southland area and has three others
under construction, plans to erect another
trio as soon as property negotiations have
been concluded.
The five in operation include the Olympic
and Vermont in Los Angeles, the San-Val in
Burbank, the Orange in Orange and the
Colton in Colton. Almost ready for openings
are the El Monte in El Monte, the Lakewood
in North Long Beach and the Van Nuys
in Van Nuys.
In the planning stage are two in West
Los Angeles and one on the eastern side
of the city.
SEATTLE—The Duwamish Drive-In
Theatre,
located on the Seattle-Tacoma highway,
opened May 12. John Danz. president of
Sterling Theatres, Inc., and William Forman,
president of United Theatres Corp., joint
owners of the new entertainment center, say
the new theatre features every innovation
developed during the past several years. The
750-car theatre was built at a cost of $250,-
000 and has such features as baby bottlewarming
service, centrally located snack bar
and individual in-car speakers.
The Sterling circuit operates two first run
and several second and third run downtown
theatres and many neighborhood houses here
as well as others scattered throughout western
Washington. Forman has several driveins
and indoor theatres throughout the state.
The Danz-Forman combination is planning
several more strategically located houses.
DOWNEY, CALIF.—Evert R. Cummings,
head of Exhibition Enterprises, Inc., has announced
plans for construction of a $250,000
drive-in theatre south of Firestone boulevard,
just west of the Old River road. He said the
theatre would have a 70-foot-high screen
will be
tower. The face of the tower, he said,
covered by a huge mural, depicting the historical
background of the southland. The
mural will be done by a well known California
artist and will be set off with a spectacular
neon display. Cummings said the project
would not interfere with announced plans
to remodel his Meralta Theatre here. Exhibition
Enterprises also is preparing plans for
renovation of the Victory, he said.
BILLINGS, MONT.—Montana's first outdoor
theatre, which opened here May 14, has
been drawing near-capacity audiences, according
to J. H. Moran of Laurel, manager.
The theatre, known as the Billings Motor-
1t^u' tan get your
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Vu, is a 700-car layout built by the Moran
Theatre Corp. It was filled to capacity the
first three nights it was open, and attendance
slipped only slightly on the normally light
Monday and Tuesday nights, Moran said.
Admission prices are 50 cents for adults, 9
cents for children between the ages of 6
and 12. The theatre books independently,
shows one feature with one or two shorts on
each bill, and has two complete shows nightly.
OMAK. WASH.—The first drive-in in the
Okanogan valley is to rise soon at Omak.
It is being built for Adolph Verrelman and
Guy Bishop, both of Omak. To cost $50,000,
the 250-car au-er is located at the north city
limits and will open in June of this year.
Verrelman owns the Whistling Pines ranch
on Alta lake near here. Bishop is a retired
Omak orchardist.
SPOKANE, WASH.—Plans have been annoimced
by Al Baker, general manager of the
Motor-In Theatre here, for construction of
a second drive-in in the Spokane valley. The
new theatre will have a capacity of 600 cars.
The Motor-In handles 700 cars. Lowell
Thompson, southern California theatreman,
is the owner.
COEUR DALENE, IDA.—Oscar C. Paisley
and Orrin E. Lee hope to open their 400-car
drive-in theatre here early in June. The
theatre is being equipped with Holmes projectors
and in-car speakers. Paisley owms
the Roxy theatres here and in Blackfoot.
PENDELTON, ORE.—A 310-car drive-in
theatre, the first in eastern Oregon, has
been opened here by Mr. and Mrs. Ray
Stevenson. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson are former
teachers in Pendelton high school.
CLEARWATER, CALIF.—A 500-car
drivein
theatre, the Rodium, was opened here May
20 by Joe Bianchi.
Speakers Attack Pictures
In Salt Lake City Talks
SALT LAKE CITY—Two visitors
attacked
motion pictures at meetings here last week.
One was William H. Mooring, columnist
and writer, who told a Salt Lake Catholic
Convert League breakfast that "American
life is being grossly maligned by motion pictures."
He charged that "films are constantly
repeating single truths and thus
giving them an abnormal meaning in the
whole picture of the nation."
The other person to attack films was Dr.
Ralph G. Eckerts, consultant in parent education
for the bureau of adult education, California
state department of education. He said
motion pictm'es mislead many young people
into falsely romantic conceptions of marriage.
He did not explain further.
Enlarge Melrose House
MELROSE. N.
M.—The stage at the Rialto
Theatre has been remodeled, the screen moved
back, and 50 seats added to the theatre.
Phoenix Airer to Open
July 1; Nace to Build
PHOENIX—Harry Nace plans for
the construction
of a modernistic theatre at Third
and East avenues in suburban Glendale.
Work on the house, which will seat 800, will
get under way within the next two weeks.
The new theatre will be equipped with
Kroehler slide-back seats, the latest sound
and projection equipment, and a modern
cooling system. The building will be finished
with blue-green walls and ceilings, with floor
dimensions of 60x140 feet. The richly furnished
lobby will include a candy stand.
Lawrence Eaglen, manager of the Glendale
Community Theatres, Inc., will manage the
new house, which has not as yet been given
a name. The corporation also opera', es the
local Plaza and El Rey theatres.
The new drive-in now being built at Indian
School road and 27th avenue will open its
doors about July 1, according to Garfield
"Andy" Anderson, who is constructing the
house. Anderson also operates the drive-in
at 3600 East Van Buren.
According to Anderson, the new drive-in
will cost $160,000 and will provide space for
670 automobiles. The screen will be 50x45 feet.
The reinforced steel backboard will be
plastered and stuccoed, and will measure 60
feet high and 76 wide. In-car speakers will
be used.
Nogales also will have another theatre, its
third, as of July 20. The house will be operated
by Louis Bilbao, who is remodeling the
old Lyric and will reopen it as the Star.
Charles Skouras Sponsor
Of Americanism Dinner
LOS ANGELES—With Charles P. Skouras,
president of Fox West Coast and an honorary i|
colonel in the post, as one of the sponsors,
more than 600 civic and business officials
and luminaries of the entertainment world \i
were on hand for the annual Americanism \\
dinner meeting of Allied Post 302, American i
Legion.
Medals and citations were presented by
Skouras and W. H. "Bud" Lollier. PWC
executive and past commander of the post,
was master of ceremonies.
Among the guests
were Dan Dailey, Douglas Fairbanks jr. and ij
Cesar Romero, all ex-servicemen. FWC and
National Theatres were represented by John
Bertero, Harry Cox, Andy Krappman, Victor
Adams, Irving Epsteen. Dick Dickson, R. H.
McCuUough, Joseph P. Touhy. Seymour
Peiser. Mike Rosenberg and Everett Sharp.
Get Exclusive First Run
On Louis-Walcott Fight
LOS ANGELES— Exclusive local first run
rights to the world championship Joe Louis-
Joe Walcott fight have been secured by the
RKO Hillstreet and Pantages theatres. Tussle
will be staged June 23. with newsreel coverage
expected to be on the screens June 25.
Empire Theatrical Consultants
Exclusive distributors for Poblocki & Sons Predesigned
Theatres. Fronts. Boxoffices Poster
Cases, etc. 323 to 6S9 scat houses. Immediate
construction.
925 21st St. TAbor 49G2 Denver, Colo.
^1
62 BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948

. . The
SALT LAKE CITY Australian Censor Bans Horror Films;
TVlevision thus far has not presented too
much of a pioblein to local showmen, but
it's effect on entertainment business here
may be made apparent within a month or
two. This loomed today with possibility that
network programs will be in here within two
or three months. A inobile unit also is expected
to be installed to bring sport events
to patrons some time this summer. So far
there have been fewer than 500 sets in operation
in the city, and several in downtown
stores. The programs have been on an experimental
basis and crowds have been noticed
temporarily in front of windows showing
television programs. The newsreel programs
have attracted the most interest, according
to observers, but there is no way yet
of telling just what the over-all effect of
television will be.
The Rainbow Kandevu, Salt Lake dance
hall operated by Jerry Jones, was destroyed
by fire last week, sending a scheduled appearance
of Spike Jones to the stage of the
Capitol Theatre where the act will be put on
William A. Firmage, manager
June 7, 8 . . .
of the Beaver Theatre, was re-elected president
Film Classics,
of the Beaver Lions club . . . under the management of Dave Mcllhinney,
has taken up temporary quarters
with Associated and Screen Guild .
Weimer of NSS was in
. . Fred
Los Angeles attending
a meeting.
Between selling papers and helping remove
drunks from the theatre, Charles M. Pincus
of the Utah is having busy days lately. He
showed kids how to hustle when the Deseret
News made its appearance with its first Sunday
lately. Last week he had to help the
local coppers cart a drunk from the rest
room where the fellow had dropped after
downing a bottle of wine.
Theatres in Salt Lake City have joined
with other entertainment groups in the city
in combating a hookup of the Utah state
fair board with various visiting shows. The
fight, although the theatres were not didirectly
linked to it by name, centers around
the fair board's sponsorship of the 'Water
Follies. The complaining parties claim the
fair board, as a state agency, has no business
dealing with a private interest for
profit. The fair board claimed it was not
risking the taxpayers' money: that in truth
the tax burden would be lightened because
of the state's cut in the profits. Dwindling
crowds at the water follies toward the end
of its run made any profits look doubtful.
With the "Holiday on Ice" show coming in
June under fair board sponsorship, the entertainment
groups are renewing their attack,
attempting to have a ruling by the attorney
general or the supreme court on the
matter.
Pat Richards has been named availability
clerk at Eagle Lion, and Fred Palosky has
been made new assistant shipper and booker
for the same company . . . Howard Cahoon
of Selznick International has returned from
a trip to Montana . local Monogram-
Allied Artists office has been decorated and
painted green and platinum gray; not to
match the brunet and blonde in the office,
however, Don Tibbs, branch manager, declares.
More Pictures in Release This Year
By -WILLIAM BEECHAIVI,
Australiati Bureau, Boxoffice
PERTH, W. A.—According to distribution
schedules, 13 Australian film companies will,
during the first half of 1948, release 206 feature
films. If that rate of release is maintained,
the year's total releases should nimiber
over 400 against last year's 385. Film
supply for the first quarter of the year has
been better than that for the first quarter
of 1947; films censored in the first 13 weeks
totaling 84 as against the 67 of the corresponding
period in 1947. For this quarter, 34
films were passed for general exhibition, 41
for adult exhibition, and nine for adult exhibition
and special condition.
The chief fihn censor, O. J. Alexander, has
announced that licensing of "horror" films for
public screening is to be discontinued. "This
decision," he says, "has been reached after
a wide canvass of opinion among a strong
cross-section of the picturegoing public, film
distributors, film exhibitors, critics and government
officials." Films of this type which
have ahead been passed for exhibition will
not be affected by this ruling. Secretary J. E.
Graham of the Cinematograph Exhibitors
Ass'n of Victoria, interviewed on this decision,
said: "Film exhibitors wiU not shed
tears over it, as 'horror' films are generally
regarded as degrading to the picture busine.ss."
* • •
A recent meeting of the Motion Picture
Exiiibitors Ass'n council discussed the possibility
of distributors selling special fUms at
increased admission prices, and it was resolved
that any such proposals would be
refu.sed.
* * *
The Readers club of western Australia has
elected the following officers for the ensuing
year: Patron, S. W. Perry; vice-patron, C.
Norton, retiring president; president, W.
NichoU,? of Hoyts Theatres: vice-president,
W. H. Halliday of the Motion Picture Distributors
Ass'n; secretary, J. Burdett of MGM;
treasurer. J. E. Scully, cinema confectionery
sales contractor; committee, O. Knowles of
United Artists, Mr. Foster of Paramount, H.
Keast of 20th-Fox, A. Chester of Warner
Bros., R. Yelland of Consohdated Theatres,
L. Hatfield, a suburban exhibitor, C. J. Moss
of the Mayfair Theatrette. J. Coulter of the
Plaza. A. Viveash of Illustrations, Ltd., and
P. Davidson of Western Pi'ess, Ltd.
* * *
During the recent Anzac paj-ade in Melbom-ne,
an explosion occurred in the Albany
Newsreel Theatrette, and the projection room
and its equipment were destroyed, as was a
full program of newsreels and featiu-ettes.
Theatre had to be closed for some weeks as
a result of the damage, and an 11-year-old
boy has been arrested in connection with the
affair.
» * *
Owing to a shortage of electricity in the
North Island of New Zealand, cinemas have
had hghting cuts imposed. Under-vei-andah
lighting is now prohibited, as is the use oi
neon signs.
« *
United States director Andre de Toth. accompanied
by lawyer H. T. Sllverberg, are at
present looking over the production angle in
Australia. In a recent interview, de Toth said
that regular film production in Australia lor
a world market could be guaranteed if the
federal government would adjust taxation
and tariff restrictions. He has put his point
of view to the prime minister, Mr. Chlfley,
who has promised to give it every consideration.
• * •
Two British meteorologists, Comdr. W.
Harman and Miss A. P. Crabbe. both of the
International Meteorological Consultant Service,
of which J. Ai-thui- Rank is chairman of
directors, are at present in Sydney to set
up a branch of this firm, which specializes
in forcasting the weather for film interests.
St * t
Considerable interest was taken in this
country at the recent honor paid to vicepresident
Alfred Daff of Universal Pictures,
who was created a Knight of Concordia by
the Italian government. Daff was bom in
North Melbourne and was manager in Melbourne
for Universal before his appointment
to a senior executive position in New York.
* *
David Martin, who is to produce two musical
films in Sydney, announced that Bryan
Foy is coming from the United States to
produce. Theatre artists will work on the
films by day and in the theatre at night.
Martin believes that such an arrangement
will save both time and money, particularly
in regard to rehearsals.
'Follies' Water Aids Fight
Of Salt Lake Theatremen
SALT LAKE CITY—An unexpected ally
entered the battle of local amusement interests
vs. the state fair board on the side
of the theatres and other entertainment
groups. The "friend" came in the form of
damage to the tile floor of the state fairgrounds
Coliseum, following the recent appearance
of "The Water Follies" there. The
tile was damaged, allegedly by water overflowing
from the pools used by "The Follies."
and the state is expected to have to stand the
expense of the repair.
This damage to the Coliseum floor furnished
ammunition to the amusement interests'
attorneys who have been arguing that
the state fair board, as a state agency, has
no right to enter into contracts with private
groups to present shows here. The attorneys
maintain this is misuse of authority
by the fair board. The amusement interests
have been attempting to have a decision by
the attorney general before the second summer
attraction, an ice show-, scheduled for
early in June. When the battle was begun.
Tntermountain Theatres and Uptown Theatres,
Inc., were aligned with Lagoon and
Saltair, nearby resorts, in fighting the state's
five-year contract with the Beehive Midway,
which operates on the fairgrounds.
Meanwhile, the midway opened Saturday,
along with the resorts, cutting more and
more into theatre receipts, which since May
16 have not been too healthy anywhere in
the area.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948 62-A

. . Dave
Start Fresno Theatre Construction;
Other Building Projects Launched
FRESNO, CALIF.—Work was started May
17 to prepare the site for construction of
the new Crest Theatre at Fresno street and
3roadway for Fox West Coast Theatres.
First step will be tearing down the buildings
which now occupy the corner in the heart
of downtown Fresno. Work on the new
building will be started as soon as the site
is cleared.
A stadium type house, the new Ci-est, will
seat 1,200 people. The entrance will be on
the corner. Above the marquee, the front
of the building will be in vertical flutings,
and there will be a vertical sign bearing
the name of the house. Plans call for a
tower above the corner front.
The building will cost approximately $315,-
000, and the furnishings and equipment will
bring the investment up to about $500,000.
The site was purchased from the Capital Co.,
a subsidiary of the Bank of America, for
$165,000, and has a frontage of 100 feet on
Broadway and 140 feet on Fresno street. The
building will provide for several stores on
both streets.
STAYTON, ORE.—A new theatre is to be
constructed here by L. F. Spraker and M.
Van Driesche to replace the Star. It will be
a 400-seater, of concrete and pumice block
construction, and will contain two rental
units and a confectionery store off the entrance.
Spraker, who owns the Stayton Mail,
will remodel the present Star Theatre into a
newspaper and printing plant. Its front will
be redesigned to conform with the new construction.
MENLO PARK, CALIF.—The Menlo-Mayfield
Amusement Co. will build a 500-seat
theatre in Mountain View similar to the one
being built now in Los Altos, according to
Hal Honore, district manager. The circuit
recently opened the Guild Theatre here.
Plans for the Los Altos and Mountain View
houses have been prepared by WUliam W.
Wolf, architect, and William B. David, designer.
SHARP PARK, CALIF.—Walter G. Preddey,
San Francisco supply house and theatre
operator, has purchased a 52xll0-foot lot in
the Sharp Park business section as the site
for a 600-seat theatre. The nearest theatre
now is eight miles away.
PASADENA, CALIF.—Plans have been
completed for erection of a theatre at 2596
p w o D u e V a CI N s
Trailers in Color
At a Price You Can Pay
1977 S. Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles 7,
RE. 2-0621
Caliiomia
East Colorado St. for operation by Westates
Tlieatres, Inc., it was announced by J. E.
Poynter, circuit secretary-treasurer. The
building will be erected by CoUis H. HoUaday,
owner of the property, from plans prepared
by Clarence J. Smale.
LOS ANGELES—Plans are being prepared
by Architect S. Charles Lee for construction
of a steel frame theatre and market building
at 15140 Sunset Blvd. for Leland M. Ford.
Plans call for gunite walls, cement floors and
terrazzo entrance floors. The building will
be 180x118 feet in area.
SAN CARLOS, CALIF.—Construction of
a 900-seat theatre has started here. A building
permit for the structure, which will contain
several stores as well as the theatre, was
issued to Ray Knight in March 1946, but work
was delayed because of federal building restrictions.
VAN NUYS, CALIF.—A new theatre building
is being erected here for Leo Schatiro and
Myron Hunesvaz. It is being built by the
Central California Construction Co. at a cost
of $150,000.
SELMA. CALIF.—The Park Theatre is
being razed to make way for a new theatre,
which will become Selma's A house, according
to William G. Black. The new theatre
is expected to open about September 1.
JOSEPH, ORE.—Construction of a 400-seat
theatre has been started here by A. B. Stockdale
and sons. It will be a concrete-block
structure with a frontage of 45 feet and
depth of 117 feet.
PALMDALE, CALIF.—The new Palmdale
Theatre is expected to be ready for occupancy
by July 1. It is being built for Waycott
and Chaffin by FYank Smith.
Saguaro Architecture
Reflects Southwest
WICKENBURG, ARIZ.—The atmosphere
of the southwest is captured effectively in
the architecture of the 600-seat Saguaro Theatre,
which was opened here recently by
Dwight "Red" Harkins in' association with
the Nace inteiests of Phoenix.
A giant castus after which the theatre
takes its name towers above the marquee.
Ai-izona flagstone, peeled log slabs and battened
doors are used generously in the design.
In the lobby is a flagstone fireplace.
Opening off one side of the foyer is a
"smoke bar" where patrons can stand behind
the window and enjoy a cigaret without missing
any of the picture. Opposite it is a cry
room to accommodate mothers with babies.
There also is a snack bar which can be
entered through the lobby or off the street.
The theatre was designed by Harkins. It is
being managed by Russell Parker and is
operating with two shows nightly and matinees
Saturday and Sunday.
LOS ANGELES
n
fter 12 years with the comipany, Allan
Morton has resigned his post as manager
of Fox West Coast's Golden Gate Theatre
. . . Jerry Safron, Columbia division manager,
is making a tour of his western exchanges
. Cantor, RKO exploitation
chief, was in from San Francisco . . . George
Bowser, John Healey, John Hodges and Paul
Scherer, FWC executives, are back from a
tour of FWC houses in this area . . . Joe
Unger, Universal sales manager, checked in
from New York to confer with Murray Orr,
western division manager.
Booking: and buying activities brought Clarence
MuUins of the World and Tom Tobin
of the Aloha to the Row . . . Hygienic Productions
chief Kroeger Babb flew in from
the home office in Wilmington, Ohio, for preliminary
confabs on Hygienic's new product,
"One Too Many," which goes into production
the latter part of July. He was accompanied
by his private pilot and Mildren Horn, author
of both "Mom and Dad" and of the new
picture.
Vniversal's manager in San Francisco, Bill
Parker, who was formerly with U-I here, has
resigned to go into the state rights market
Dick Currier,
with his "Story of Life" . . .
northern California agent for Hygienic, flew
in for confabs with his boss, Kroeger Babb
. . . F. A. Bateman, general sales manager
for Screen Guild, planed out for exchange
and circuit sessions in Kansas City, St. Ijouis
and Oklahoma City.
Leslie Whittmore was promoted to the managership
of the Egyptian Theatre from the
Iris, replacing Marty Schwartz, who resigned
after 16 years with Fox West Coast. Whittmore's
post at the Iris will be filled by Bob
Marseilles, who is being upped from his manager's
post at the Pilmarte.
A sades meeting for Warners' western district
was held in San Francisco with Roy
Haines, western division manager, and Henry
Herbel, district chief, presiding . . . Harold
Mirisch, vice-president of Allied Artists,
has returned following a month's tour of the
company's new exchange centers.
Maury Orr, United Artists western division
sales manager, planed in for sales confabs
with Grad Sears, UA prexy . . . Robert
Hughes, former assistant manager of the
California Theatre in Huntington Park, has
joined West Coast Productions, makers of
theatre television ads and trailers, as Los
Angeles salesman.
A visitor from New Jersey, where he is
president of Allied Theatres, was Edward
Lachman. He has been making a crosscountry
tour checking with independent exhibi-
. . .
tors anent the supreme court decision in the
government's antitrust action against the
major companies George Bowser, Fox
West Coast general manager, returned from
a business jaunt throug'h the northwest and
huddles with executives of the Evergreen circuit.
He was accompanied by John Healy,
John Hodges and Paul Scherer.
Dorothy Johnson, secretary at Columbia,
will wed W. B. Higgins August 7.
1
4
62-B BOXOFFICE ;: May 29, 1948

1 Four
I
Pantages,
I
(RKO);
1 2nd
I Warners
I
•
due
'
Soldiers
I
Paramount
,
(Para),
I United
I
'
;
LOS
'
I
I
Charting
I
will
;
Dembow,
!
and
'
—
—
—
——
—
. . Lou
. . . William
. . The
. . Robert
Action Fans Enjoy
Field Day in L. A.
LOS ANGELES—Three high-budget sagebrushers
were among the new pictures on
first run screens and one, "Silver River,"
was among top grossers for the period. Another,
"The Gallant Legion," was at the
bottom of the heap. "River" carded a 150
per cent rating in its day-date opening in
three Warner houses. "Legion," dualled with
another opus at the two Paramounts. hit the
starve-to-death bracket with a sad 45 per
cent. The other western, "Four Faces West,"
was well over average with 125 in four showcases.
(Average is 100)
Belmont, Culver, El Rey, Orpheum, Vogue-
Raw Deal (EL); Assigned to Danger (EL) 150
Carthay, Chinese, Loyola, State, Uptown
The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox), The Best Man
Wins (Col), 2nd wk 150
Guild, Iris, Ritz, Studio City, United Artists
All My Sons (U-I); Arthur Takes Over
(20th-Fox) 140
Downtown, Hollywood Paramounts I. Jane
Doe (Rep), 2nd wk.; The Gallant Legion (Rep).... 45
Egyptian Los Angeles, Wilshire B, F.'s
Daughter (MGM) 140
Music Halls—Four Faces West (UA) 125
Hillstreet—The Miracle of the Bells
The Wreck of the Hesperus (Col),
wk 75
Do^'ntown, Hollywood, Wiltern—
Silver River (WB) 150
'State of Union' Stays
Out Front in Portland
PORTLAND — "State of the Union" remained
as the top draw in town in its third
week at the J. J. Parker Broadway Theatre.
"The Iron Curtain" opened at a good 120 at
the Paramoimt. In general, receipts were off
to hot, sunny weather, which attracted
patrons to the beaches or outdoor sporting
events.
Broadway
Slate of the Union (MGM);
Heart of Virginia (Rep), 3rd d. t. wk _...130
1
Guild—The Naked City (U-1), 3rd d. t wk 110
Music Box Lady From Shanghai (Col); 13 Lead
(20th-Fox), 2nd d t wk
Orpheum Lost Horizon (Col), Adam Had Four
110
Sons (Col), reissues 90
and Oriental The Iron Curtain
(20th-Fox); Arthur Takes Over (20th-Fox) 120
Playhouse Unconquered (Para);
\ Mr. Reckless
2nd d. t wk 110
Artists—B. F.'s Daughter (MGM) 90
San Francisco Honors
To "Curtain' and 'Apache'
SAN FRANCISCO—"The Iron Curtain"
had a big opening week at the Fox Theatre.
Second honors went to "Fort Apache" at
the Golden Gate.
Esquire and Orpheum—All My Sons (U-I);
Blondie's Reward (Col) 120
Fox—The Iron Curtain (20th-rox); Arthur
Takes Over (20th-Fox) 200
Golden Gate Fori Apache (RKO): Campus
Sleuth (Mono) 185
Paramount—Winter Meeting (WB); Assigned to
Danger (EL) 100
St. Francis—Hatter's Castle (Para), 3rd wk 100
State—The Noose Hangs High (EL);
•.
Mr. Reckless (Col), 2nd d. t. wk 90
United Artists—Sahara (Col); Destroyer (Col).
reissues 135
United Nations—The Fugitive (RKO), 2nd wk 90
Warfield-State of the Union (MGM), 3rd wk 100
Regional Session Called
By NSS in Los Angeles
ANGELES—National Screen Service
will hold a three-day regional sales meeting
of 12 western exchanges beginning May 25.
sessions at the Ambassador hotel
be Herman Robbins, president: George
vice-president in charge of sales;
Burton Robbins, assistant to the presi-
dent.
DENVER
petty ehiselers are grinding pennies down
to the size of dimes and using them in
change machines in various Denver theatres,
getting two nickels for one such coin. Edgar
A, Wildy, chief of the U.S. secret service in
Denver, announced that such penny-passing
is actually a violation of the counterfeiting
law, since the culprits are palming off a
penny as a dime.
Henry LeC'Iaire, former manager of the
Webber here, has been promoted from the
managership of the Palace, Bergenfield, N. J.,
to the managership of the Scarsdale, Scarsdale,
Dave Davis, general manager
N. Y, . . . of Atlas Theatres, has gone to California
on vacation,
Joe H. Gray, a grocer at Dexter, N. M., has
remodeled a building into a 230-seat theatre
and will open in about five weeks. It is a
new spot for films. Gray has installed
Super Simplex sound and projection, American
chairs and Walker screen, bought from
National Theatre Supply.
. . . Civic Theatres
In making over the Gem, Golden, Colo.,
Atlas Theatres will close the house for about
three months. The theatre will operate while
the addition is being built, then will close
down the house while the old part is made
over, making a building of 140x50 instead
of the present one of 75x50
has installed new Super Simplex mech-
anisms. Magnarc lamphouses, Hertner generator
and 4-Star Simplex sound, bought from
National Theatre Supply.
The Metro exchange club booked a mountain
picnic for the office force for May 23
. . . Tom Martinez jr. has sold the El Cortez.
Ranches of Taos, N. M., to John Merledge
Ted Zohbel, Universal auditor,
. . . who has been checking the Denver branch,
has moved on to Salt Lake City . . . Hugh
Braly and Harold Wirthwein, Paramount district
manager and assistant, were in Denver
for the installation of Charles P. Duer as
branch manager.
Mrs. Chet Bell has gone to Louisville, her
former home, to live. Chet Bell, late Paramount
branch manager, died a few weeks ago
in Los Angeles . Heckert has opened
the 200-seat Granby, Granby, Colo. . . . Kenneth
MacKaig, United Artists branch manager:
Charles Gilmour and Fred Knill of
Glbralter Enterprises, together with their
wives, went to Santa Fe, N. M., to attend
the world premiere of "Four Faces West"
at the Lensic and Burro Alley.
Mickey Gross, former Orpheum manager
here, has been named city manager for the
Cinema Amusement Co. and Drive-In Theatres,
Inc. . . . Kenneth MacKaig has bought
a Chrysler New Yorker, the last one available
here before the strike of Chrysler employes
started . . Robert Quinn, Paramount ex-
.
ploitation man. went to Salt Lake City tc
coordinate the publicity on "Hazard."
Duke Dunbar, for foior years assistant attorney
general, will run this year for the
attorney general post on the Republican
ticket. Dunbar was for several years secretary
of the old Film Board of Trade and
still retains his strong interest in the motion
picture business. His election is regarded as
a certainty.
James Parsons is doing a $7,000 remodel
job on his Isis Theatre in Aspen, Colo. Work
is being done by the Empire Theatrical Consultants
Eldon Menagh, owner of the
. . . Star in Fort Lupton, has a new sideline. Instead
of investing his money in a new drivein
he had planned at Greeley, he bought a
chicken farm at Fort Lupton and is building
an egg route, selling eggs to film and theatre
supply folk.
Mrs. Gregg Wagner, sister of Henry Friedel,
Metro branch manager, died at her Denver
home. She was buried in Des Moines,
Iowa . two triangular parks on Filmrow
are a mass of blooms .
Bram,
head booker for Universal, has been promoted
to a similar job in Cleveland. The
head booker job here goes to Dick Stafford
who has been the assistant for some time.
Lionel R. Semon has opened his 750-car
$125,000 drive-in at Pueblo. He installed RCA
sound and Brenkert projection and lamps,
bought from Western Service & Supply.
Cal Shrum has contracted with Selected
Pictures to release his first rim westerns,
one of which is made, and one will be delivered
every six weeks. Shrum and his cowboy
band are appearing with the film now
in Utah, and during June will enter Colorado
via a booking at Craig. The group will make
several appearances in the state.
AI Lawter, manager, his wife Ruth, and
William Fitzgerald, publicity director of the
Denham, foiled a $1,600 stickup when they
fought off a holdup as they were taking the
money to a night depository about 1 a. m.
Stahl of Theatre Specialties,
Inc., Los Angeles, was in Denver for the Allied
convention.
Jimmy Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. J.
Smith of the Chief, Steamboat Springs, sang
at the banquet at the Allied convention. He
was accompanied by Marlene Crawford, also
of Steamboat Springs . . . W. H. Turpie, district
manager for Manley, Inc., was here for
the Allied convention and also visited Arlie
Beery, Denver representative.
Beverly Batschlet, daughter of Ralph, manager
of the Paramount, w'as named Queen
of the May at East high school . . .
Don
Alexander jr., vice-president, and M. J. Mc-
Inaney, general sales manager of Alexander
Film Co., Colorado Springs, were in Denver
visiting Ralph Bonar, assistant to the president.
They also visited at the Allied convention.
Out-of-town exhibitors seen on Filmrow included
Mr. and Mrs. Leon Coulter of Lovelang;
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lind. Rifle: Mr. and
Mrs. Tom Knight of Riverton, Wyo.; Robert
Spahn of Mitchell, Neb.: Selma and Marie
Sawaya of Trinidad: Glen Wittstruck of
Meeker: Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Walker of Fruita.
and Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Russell of Fowler.
There Will ALWAYS
Be a MANLEY Man!
W. H, TURPIE. Western DiTision Manager
1914 So. Vermont, RE 7528 Los Angeles 7. Calif.
BOXOFnCE : : May 30, lOM G2-C

I supreme
. . . Hyman
. . Rotus
. . Dennis
—
—
—
—
MP
m
Arizona Commission Dispufes Claim
It Prevents Filmmaking in State
PHOENIX—Statements that the State Industrial
commission's policy of limiting compensation
insurance on screen stars is keeping
motion picture companies out of Arizona,
were sharply challenged here last week. The
rebuttal was revealed in a letter by J. J. O'-
Neill, commission chairman, to state senate
president John G. Babbitt.
Babbitt referred specifically to statements
made by the chambers of commerce of Phoenix
and Flagstaff that Hollywood has written
off plans to make future films in Arizona because
of the cun-ent compensation act.
SEE PUBLICITY ANGLE
"The present furor seems to have been occasioned,"
O'Neill wrote, "by the fact that
there was a recent premiere of a picture
("Fort Apache"!, partially made in Arizona,
at which there was the usual press-agentry
of lights and cocktail parties, and at which
the press agents gave vent to their imaginations.
However, the records of the commission
do not substantiate many of the statements
that have been appearing in the press."
O'Neill added that there is a test suit pending
in the Arizona supreme court to determine
whether the commission has a right to
limit compensation coverage on film stars
"who come to Arizona for a few days and
whose death or injury while here might wreck
the compensation insurance fund."
"The commissions' first duty," wrote O'Neill,
"is to protect the fund from waste and dissipation."
The commission chairman also
made mention of the fact that there has been
some discussion of amending the industrial
insurance law. but pointed out that any
change would first require submission of the
amendment to the voters by initiative petition.
CLAIMS SUBSIDIZATION
"Our records," went on O'Neill, "concusively
show that the film indu.stry has been
subsidized by the regular industry of Arizona
for a number of years. This cannot be justified.
"Numerous unlawful expedients have been
used to authorize the companies to operate
at the hazard of the state fund for a nominal
premium. None of the companies have complied
with the incorporation laws of the state
of Arizona, so as to subject them to jurisdiction
of the courts of the state."
O'Neill said that his commission "is not
unmindful that the film industry has expended
substantial sums in the state, but our
audits indicated that the amounts claimed to
have been spent are grossly exaggerated."
He added, "the ultimate solution, if the
court decides against us, will not
1
be an easy matter."
Confidential Ups Holland
NEW YORK—Tom Holland, Pittsburgh
office manager for Confidential Reports, has
been named west coast district manager.
He succeeds Barry Halbert, deceased.
Parents, Exhibitors Must
Cooperate. Says Levin
SAN FRANCISCO—The need for
In his concluding arguments, O'Neill wrote,
"We are satisfied that no employer in Arizona
wants to pay additional premium to subsidize
the moving picture industry—not even
those who benefit most from its activities."
developing
cooperative measures between parents
and exhibitors was stressed last week by
Irving M. Levin, division director of San
Francisco Theatres, Inc., in an address before
the Motion Picture Council of the Bay area.
Levin received conunendations from council
members for his active support to PTA
and Mothers club groups in altering Saturday
programs if scheduled picttires are not
suitable for children.
"The exhibitor cannot work alone in the
campaign to raise the standards of entertainment
for children," he said. Levin informed
the council that the first responsibility
must be assumed by the parents. Citing
examples of fathers and mothers who
send their children to theatres to shift their
task of maintaining discipline onto the theatre
manager, he indicated the problems are of
mutual consideration. "'We are most willing
to make conditions in the theatre suitable
for children, but we must have the full support
of parents to make it comipletely successful."
'Outlaw' Balmy in Denver;
Stays for Third Week
DENVER—The Freedom train,
the opening
of the fishing season, beautiful picnic
weather and the opening of amusement parks
were too much competition for most pictures.
"The Outlaw" earned a third week at the
Broadway. "Hazard" stays a second session
at the Denham.
(Average Is 100)
Aladdin—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox),- 13 Lead
Soldiers (ZOth-Fox), 2nd d. t. wk 90
Broadway—The Outlaw (UA), 2nd wk 180
Denham—Hazard (Para) 100
Dsnver, Esquire and Webber Silver Hiver (WB);
Trapped by Boston Blackie (Col) 100
Orp'heum Alias a Gentleman (MGM); Tenth
Avenue Angel (MGM) 90
Paramount—To the Victor (WB); For You I Die
(FC) 65
Rialto Tarzan's Secret Treasure (MGM); Tarzon's
New York Advenure (MGM), reissues 85
Tabor—Strawberry Roan (Col); The 'Wreck of the
Hesperus (Col) 100
'State of Union' Holds Strong;
'Curtain' Opens Big in Seattle
SEATTLE — "The Iron Curtain" got off to
a nice start at the Paramount. The 20th-
Fox release opened without trouble from
leftists sympathizers. MGM's "State of the
Union," in its second week at the Palomar,
still led the town.
Blue Mouse The Adventures ol Robin Hood
(WB), reissue; Docks of New Orleans
(Mono), 2nd d, I wk 60
Filth Avenue Winter Meeting (WB); Let's Live
Again (20th-Fox) 60
Liberty—The Mating of Millie (Col); The
Woman From Tangier (Col), 3rd wk 110
Music Box—Bambi (MGM), reissue; Rocky
'?5
(Mono), 2nd d t. wk
Paramount—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox);
Arthur Takes Over (20th-Fox) 125
Orcheum The Noose Hangs High (EL);
Devil Ship (Col) .- 85
Music Hall—The Bride Goes Wild (MGM);
Hal! Past Midnight (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 130
Palomar Stole of the Union (MGM). 2nd wk 175
Roosevelt The 'Sainted' Sisters (Para); Bowery
Buckaroos (Mono), 2nd wk 100
SAN FRANCISCO
O R. Claggett is managing the Motor Movies
first drive-in in Stockton, which was
opened May 14 by the Blumenfeld circuit.
It is a 712-car layout. Among those attending
the opening were Joseph Blumenfeld.
Nate Blumenfeld, D. J. McNerney. Joe
Huff. Hal Neides and Eric Wilson of the home
office.
Col. Fred Levy and his wife of Louisville,
owner of many theatres and associated with
Sol Lesser in motion picture production, are
making their annual visit. Mrs. Levy is a
cousin of Mrs. Carol A. Nathan. Incidentally,
the Carol Nathans, owners of the Marina and
El Presidio, flew south to spend their usual
summer weeks with their daughter, Alene
Carroll, in Beverly Hills. Just before he left.
Nathan's brother Myron suffered severe
shock and bruises in an auto accident. No
bones were broken but Myron will be confined
for some time.
William Bendix was in plugging the opening
of "The Time of "your Life" at the United
Artists May 27. Bernie Kamins, publicity
director for Cagney Productions, was with
Bendix, Also up from the UA exchange in
Los Angeles was Jack Willen.
Fay Reader, publicist for FWC, returned
from Los Angeles. The Golden Gate is having
its face lifted. The entire front of the
theatre is being torn down and will be completely
remodeled . Morgan was
scheduled to make an appearance with the
Hollywood Cathedral choir May 29 at the
Opera House.
.
. . . Jack
Abe Blumenfeld and wife returned from
New York Harvey is back from
Florida with a mighty nice tan
Hillman was in from his Granada Theatre
in Morgan Hill and Ray Harvey was a visitor
from his Grove Theatre in Walnut Grove
Levin of General Theatrical, went
to Richardson Springs for a short vacation.
The Downtown Theatre, because it is unable
to get sufficient major attractions for
its new vaudeville policy, will revert to its
original policy of subsequent run double bills.
Thus San Francisco, with the exception of
the President Follies Theatre, owned by Eddie
Skolak, is without a stage show and film
combination. ^.
•
Vince Karl, assistant manager at the Fox
Senator in Sacramento since January, resigned
from Fox West Coast Theatres to become
manager of the Porter in Woodland,
The Woodland theatres are operated by
George M, Mann, head of the Redwood
Theatres.
The builder of the new theatre in Stockton
was identified in the May 15 issue of BOX-
OFFICE as the Westside Theatres. The story
should have said Westland Theatres.
SEND FOR YOUR FREE CATALOG
of Stock Date Strips and
Announcement Trailers
Motion Picture Service Co.
125 Hyde St., San Francisco 2, Calif.
62-D BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948
%
I

, Walter
j
I
!
OAKLAND
Chicago Will Get New
Telenews Theatre
CHICAGO—Details of a million-dollar lemodeling
progTam on the two-story building
loccupying an entire block bounded by Rush,
[state and Oak streets and Bellevue place,
were announced last week by Arthur Rublotf
of Arthur Rubloff & Co.. managing agent of
'the property. The major improvement will
be the building of a 500-seat Newsreel Theatre
to be operated by Herbert Scheftel and
Alfred G. Burger, heads of the countrywide
Telenews Theatres chain. The circuit now
has one unit in Chicago's Loop at State and
Randolph streets. Two features of the new
near northside theatre will be a television-
I radio lounge and a "foyer of the future"
which will display unusual and timely bear-
Higs on the world news scene. The theatre
is scheduled for completion early in 1949. Its
entrance will be on Rush street. Dubin &
Dubin is architect.
[Winchell Thanks Alliance
For Cancer Fund Money
CHICAGO—The Alliance Theatre Corp.
|last week received a note of thanks from
Winchell. head of the Damon Runyon
'cancer fund, for raising $1,004 at a recent
^benefit program.
The charity bill was at the State Theatre
in Roseland. one of 85 motion picture houses
[Operated by the corporation.
I
P. J. Dee. president: S. J. Gregory, vice-
;president, and James Gregory, general man-
[ager, said they were working out a plan to
give the cancer fund proceeds from similar
, benefits in each of the 85 theatres.
Bernie Serlin Is Named
IWB Central Field Man
NEW YORK—Bernie Serlin has been named
field man in the Warner Bros, central disjtrict
by Mort Blumenstock, vice-president in
[charge of advertising and publicity. Serlin
iwill make his headquarters in Cincinnati and
jwill also cover the Indianapolis, Cleveland
jand Pittsbm-gh branch areas. Serlin. who
|\vas a practicing lawyer before joining the
larmy. joined Warner Bros, exploitation deipartment
last year.
Damages of $10,000 Asked
After Collapse of Seat
INDIANAPOLIS—Injuries alleged to have
|been caused by the collapse of a theatre seat
|are the basis of a $10,000 damage suit filed in
Isuperior court here. The suit was filed by
•Robert Murnan against the Greater Indianapolis
Amusement Corp., owner-operator of
jthe Lyric Theatre. It is alleged that Murnan
'suffered permanent injuries to his spine when
|his seat collapsed May 23, 1946.
Succeeds Gust Sarantos
CITY—Union Williams has
Itaken over management of the Ohio Theatre,
jsucceeding Gust Sarantos. who purchased a
(theatre recently in Kaw City, Okla. Sarantos
jhas been in Kaw City several months and
in his absence the house was run by his
wife, who is staying in Oakland City until
the school term ends in June. She managed
the house while her husband was in service,
[too.
Film Council of St. Louis
Cited as National Model
ST. LOUIS—Dr. Irvin E. Deer of Chicago,
representative of the community relations
department of the Motion Picture Ass'n of
America, paid high tribute to the Better Films
Council of Greater St. Louis for its splendid
work on behalf of encouragement at the
boxoffice of good motion pictures rather than
"unintelligent lashing at everything we don't
like—the system advocated by the proponents
of political censorship of films." He spoke
at the council's annual spring luncheon at
the Congress hotel.
He said that the good example of the St.
Louis council, founded 19 years ago by Mrs.
Arretus F. Burt, has spread to all parts of
this country, and even has had beneficial effect
on the international acceptance of our
pictures.
He continued that the benefits of the Better
Films council method are .so manifest and
sound that even the churches have changed
their attitude on the question of film censorship.
He pointed out that the Methodist
church education board on May 8 had switched
from advocating censorship to the sound
position of supporting and encouraging the
production of good pictures.
COUNT BENEFITS TO CHILDREN
He said the Children's Film library, which
was founded at the suggestion of Eric Johnston,
president of the Motion Picture Ass'n.
less than two years ago, has flourished best
in those communities in which there exists
Better Films councils or similar organizations
to cooperate with the theatres and
schools in encouraging the film library plan.
He added, the leaders of the motion picture
industry are measuring the success of the
library on the basis of the number of children
it helps rather than in the terms of boxoffice
success.
Deer related that a college professor friend
had pointed out that the 52 pictures now in-
TO GREET FREEDOM TR.'VIN—Chicago
will greet the Freedom Train July 5.
Ma.vor Martin H. Kennelly has appointed
John Balaban (right) of Balaban & Katz
Theatres, as campaign chairman. The
train, bearing famous historical documents,
will make a four-day stop in Chicago
and the city will observe a period
of rededication from June 26 to July 4.
eluded in the library were all selected from
the past and asked: "I wonder what you are
doing now in the production of good pictures
for children?" Deer said it isn't because
Hollywood is not making good pictures
presently that they are not included in the
library.
MAGAZINES UPHOLD INDUSTRY
Deer said he decided to check on other
sources. He found that the Parents' magazine,
one of the severest critics, had reviewed
450 pictures and classified 37.2 per cent for
children, while the Catholic Legion of Decency
has consistently rated 39 to 40 per cent
of all pictures in Class A-1. He added that
the Legion's A-1 rating of only Hollywood
productions is even higher, since the above
figure includes a vast number of foreign
made pictures,
"These fine analyses of motion pictures
were not made by the men who produce motion
pictures," he continued, "but by those
who want good pictm-es."
Mrs. Burt, also founder of the Youth
Cinema clubs, presented awards to various
students of the Hadley Technical High school
who were the winners in the annual poster
contest sponsored by the council for the most
outstanding interpretation of: "What Motion
Pictures Can Do to Promote Peace
Through Better Understanding Between Peoples."
HAS MANY AFFILIATES
The officers who will head the council during
1948-49 were installed by the retiring
president. Mrs. Ernest R. Evans.
The Better Films Coimcil of greater St.
Louis has 37 affiliated organizations, which
in turn have hundreds of units throughout
the city and county with a total membership
of several hundred thousand men and women.
For instance the affiliated groups include
American Legion and other patriotic organizations,
the Board of Religious Organizations,
main Catholic, Jewish and Protestant church
bodies. Parent-Teacher bodies and auxiliaries
of various professional, business and
civic organizations.
The council's first run reviewing committees
passed on a total of 1.217 pictures, including
651 features and 566 shorts, during
the year.
Pictures rated as outstandmg were:
The Beginning or the End.
Pe'st Years of Our Lives,
^ill and Coo,
The Bishop's Wile,
Boomerang,
Call Northside 777,
Carnegie Hall,
Gentleman's Agreement,
Great Expectations,
Gone With the Wind,
How Green Was My Valley,
I''s a Wonderful Life,
The lolson Story,
The Late George Apley,
Life With Father,
The Lost Weekend,
Magnificent Doll,
>^iracle on 34th Street,
The Naked City,
P'^wer Behind the Naiioi^,
Pide the Pink Horse,
Sitting Pretty,
Song of Scheherazade,
Stairway to Heaven,
Stite of the Union,
T-Man,
To the Ends of the Earth,
'treasure of Sierra Madre,
The Yearling,
BOXOFFICE :
: May 29, 1948 63

, . . Ted
. . . Madeleine
. . "Shoe-Shine"
. . Izzy
1
-
CHICAGO
TWfrs. Martin L. Krautter of Winnetka, 111.
and her daughters Elena and Elizabeth
had the B&K screening room all to themselves
last weekend for a private look-see at
"The 'Sainted' Sisters," now at State-Lake.
Mrs. Krautter (Elisa Bialki wrote the story
on which the film is based . . . Adolph
Worth, representing Star Film. Inc., producer
of foreign pictures, is headquartering at
Henri Elman's exchange, distributor of the
first release in this territory, "Der Prozess."
. . . Joe
Seymour Simon, lawyer who has represented
many exhibitors in antitrust suits,
has moved to 29 South LaSalle
Anthony o' the Apollo managerial staff, died
in the lobby of the theatre late one night
last week from a heart attack. He was 62
Tod, newspaperman and motion
picture exploiteer, who suffered a long illness,
is working ajain for the local Selznick office.
Gael Sullivan was here for a ten-day reet
and to forget politics completely. He will
assume his new post as executive vice-president
of Theatre Owners of America June 1
Carroll was feted by the
wcman's division of American Brotherhood
conference before receiving the 1948 American
Brothe; hood citation for her contribution
in the field of human relations. Miss Carroll
said she was on the way to Europe to ge; a
first hand picture of the needs of Europe's
children.
. . .
Bill Baker, Republic manager who has been
in Arizona for several weeks recovering from
a heart ailment, will return to duties soon
Since Al Capp's Fearless Fosdick came
^-nnouncemeni
By
HAROLD ABBOTT
Of AbboU Theatre
Equipment Co.
This is to advise our customers
and friends that Robert S. Gardner
is no longer connected with
ABBOTT THEATRE
EQUIPMENT CO.
1311 So. Wabash Ave.
, CHICAGO 5, ILLINOIS
Telephones: HARrison 7573-4
HARrison 5720-21
NITE: TRIangle 7070
KILdare 9572
Up with a talking Chippendale chair, B&K's
Ed Seguin is trying to interest reporters in
doing an interview with the couch in the
star dressing room No. 1 backstagp at the
State-Lake.
Sammy Kaye at the Stale-Lake and Horace
Heidt at the Oriental almost carried their
rivalry to the golf links. Heidt begged off—
and tan you blame him? Kaye's the only
band leader entered in the National golf
tou.nament next month in Memphis. Tenn.
. . . Manager Bill Kelty of the RKO Orpheum.
Champaign, and his wife came in for
a vacation and a visit with friends . . . Norman
Olson, export manager of DeVry Co.,
har returned from an extended business trip
to South America, his second trip there this
year,
. .
Sam Chernoff, head of the Academy Theatre
Supply Co.. reports Irving Stasel and Joe
Heller have joined the staff. Tlie company
recently installed new Motiograph tooth
equipment at the Savoy and Harvard
Edward "Red" Mager, chief booker for Allied
of Illinois, has returned from a southern vacation
and he's really red! ... Sylvan Goldfinger,
Telenews division manager, said a
second Telenews theatre will be opened here
shortly at Rush and Oak on the near northside.
A H'ell-dressed young bandit held up the
treasurer's office of the Oriental late at night
. . . Unilast
weekend and escaped with over $500.
Treasurer Eddie Mikota and cashier Hazel
Mahoney were tricked by the bandit into
opening the door to the office. He called out,
"This is Jimmy. I want my pay"
\ e sal Television Corp. has opened its first
television theatre at 2221 Howard St.
It seats
250, there is no admission charge and programs
are brought in from B&K station
WBKB on a 18x24-inch screen.
"Arch of Triumph" is set to open at th?
Woods Theatre early in June. Norman Kassel
and his Essaness ad-lads are setting up
a big advance bally . . . Eddie Knopf, MGM
producer, was a stopover en route to New
Vork . opened for the fir.=t
west suburban showing at the Palace in Cicero
and did terrific in four days . . . The entertainment
committee of the 'Variety Club has
announced the first golf outing of the season,
scheduled for July 16 at the Westward Ho
Golf club at North avenue and Wolf road.
B&K's ad-lad Jackson Garber, busy exploiting
the return release of "Duel in the
Sun" at the Roosevelt, has a new -angle. He's
challenging any and all comers to a "Duel
on the Links." He loves that golf! . . . Bob
Hickey. RKO field representative, came back
from Detroit and planed out to Oklahoma
City to spark the opening of "The Miracle
of the Bells."
The following donors contributed to the
Variety Club during the months of March
and April: J. H. Stevens. James J. Donohue
and Charles Reagan, Paramount officials, in
memory of Mrs. Bertha Silvennan, mother
of Edwin Silverman, head of Essaness Theatres:
Balaban & Katz Corp., in memory of
Harry Shumow and Joseph Kausal; Mrs.
Jaunita Creed, in memory of Mrs. Margaret
Hurlstone: Thomas Flannery, in memory of
Louis Rose, brother of Jack Rose: Dick
Sachsel for the Heart of Variety and the
Variety Club board of directors, a contribution
in memory of Louis Rose.
.
A small blaze destroyed one of Dezel's hot
-films in the booth of the Studio the other
night. The fire was put out quickly without
much damage Slavin is the new
ehaii-man of the Variety Club's house committee
succeeding Al Raymer ... Si Greiver
is now doing the film buying and booking for
Kendall Theatre, Yorkville, 111., and the new
drive-in at South Bend, operated by Albert
Ochs.
Gene Kistner, recently of the Woods managerial
staff, has been appointed manager of
the Lake, Bernstein circuit, Gary . . . Dwain
Esper has opened headquarters in Henri
Elman's exchange. He has several roadshows
. . . Terry Turner. RKO exploitation chief.
was in for the midwest premiere of "The
Miracle of the Bells" at the RKO Palace for
the benefit of the American cancer fimd.
Stages Show at Hospital
To Help Student Nurses
EVANSVILLE—L. Earl DeWitt. Loew's
Theatre projection operator, has spent considerable
time in Deaconess hospital lately.
He got interested in the financial plight of
student nurses and recently he did something
about it. In the auditorium of Barton Hall,
the nurses' home, he staged a nickelodeon
revival for the public and filled the 150-seat
room twice at 35 cents a pop.
Art DuVall, Grand Theatre artist, made
a nickelodeon front. Bill Huggins. former
film house pianist, thumped the 88-box. The
Elks Quartet led singing from old-time song
slides. The 7-ree! program included "The
Great Train Robbery," Charlie Chaplin and
Ben Turpin comedies, an original "Our Gang"
comedy, and the old patron slides: "Ladies
Please Remove Hats," "Don't Spit on the
Popcorn and pink lemonade were
Floor," etc.
served.
A nurses' benefit fund got all the proceeds.
New Front to Be Built
On Grand in Union City
UNION CITY, IND.—A new front will be
installed on the Grand Theatre here, it was
announced by Mrs. Kenneth Sink and Benny
Fulle" of the Grand and Miami theatres.
Mrs. Sink said the work was planned by her
husband before his recent death. Poblocki &
Sons of Milwaukee will do the job. It will
include installation of a porcelain and stainle.ss
.steel front on the theatre and two adjoining
stores and a new V-type marquee. Work
will start June 1. The theatre will be redecorated
in keeping with the new front. A
new rest room for men is now under construction
on the right side of the lobby.
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"EVERYTHING FOR THE THEATRE"
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Fremont Theatre Sold
FREMONT. IND.—The Star Theatre has
been purchased from Jack Hirons by Perry
Gay. The new owner plans to close the
house for two weeks to make repairs and
redecorate.
64
BOXOFFICE : : May 29, 1948

—
. . Vernon
. . Frank
Chicago Loop Weak;
'Curtain' Is Average
CHICAGO—New attractions bowed in at a
majority of Loop houses last week. Most important
newcomer was "The Iron Curtain"
at the Chicago. It got plenty of ballyhoo because
of pickets on parade in front of the
theatre, but only had an average stanza. It
was the only new picture to do even that
well. The Oriental had another good week
with Milton Berle and Joan Blondell on
stage, plus "Alias a Gentleman" on screen,
and "State of the Union" held up nicely at
Woods. "The Naked City" was good at the
Rialto in its third downtown week.
iAveiaae Is 100)
Apollo—Song of My Heart (Mono) 90
Chicaao—The Iron Curtain {20th-Fox) 100
Garnck—Buck Privates (FC); South oi Tahiti (FC),
reissues 85
Grand—River Lady (U-I) 90
Monroe—Fury a( Furnace Creek (20th-Foxj;
Campus Honeymoon (Rep), 2nd wk 90
Oriental—Alias a Gentleman (MGM), plus stage
show, 2nd v,k 115
Palace—Berlin Express (RKO) 90
Rialto—The Naked City (U-I), 3rd d. t. wk. 95
Roosevelt—The Woman in White (WB) 85
State-Lake—Smart Woman (Mono), plus stage
shov/ 90
Studio Boru (Dezel); Rama (Dezel): Strange
People (Dezel), 2nd wk., reissues 90
United Artists—Three Daring Daughters (MGM),
2nd wk 90
Woods—State of the Union (MGM), 2nd wk 120
World Playhouse—The Queen's Necklace
(Siritzky) 95
Touletd Films Disappoint
At Indianapolis Boxoifices
INDIANAPOLIS — Business at first run
houses was slightly better last week, but
rather a disappointment considering the offerings.
"The Iron Curtain" did not come
up to expectations at the Indiana and "Arch
of Triumph" failed to reach average at
Loew's.
Circ]e—Winter Meeting (WB); The Fighting 69th
(WB), reissue 100
Indiana—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox) 100
Keiths—The Bishop's Wife (RKO), 2nd d. t. wk 125
Loew's—Arch of Triumph (UA) 95
Lyric—The Smugglers (EL), Louisiana (Mono) 100
"Iron Curtain' in Holdover at
Milwaukee Hits 135 Score
MILWAUKEE—The weather, blowing mostly
cold, cut gi-osses the last week, although
the big ones held up well at first runs. "The
Iron Curtain" in its second Wisconsin week
again came through with an ample take.
"Sum.mer Holiday" at the Palace kept them
coming and whistling the hit tune, Stanley
Steamer. "The Naked City," in a third week
on the main stem at the Alhambra, hit par,
Alhambra—The Naked City (U-1); French
Leave (Mono), 3rd d t wk 100
Palace—Summer Holiday (MGM); Mr. Reckless
„ (Para) lOQ
Piverside-Duel in the Sun (SRO) 100
Strand—Elephant Boy (UA), A Gentleman
After Dark (UA), reissues 95
Towne— Lost Horizon (Col); The Doctor Takes
a Wife (Col), reissues lOQ
Warner—The Woman in White (WB); TJje Fighting
69th (WB), reissue yzQ
Wiscr-n-in—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox);
Half Past Midnight (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 135
You can get your
SPECIflL TRAILERS
New York
245 W.«
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INDIANAPOLIS
Tack BenNun, assistant booker at U-I, has
been transferred to the Atlanta, Ga.,
branch. Michael Dellacoma succeeds him in
Albert Thompson, operator
the local office . . .
of the Ritz and Park theatres in North
Vernon, Ind., spent several days in Louisville
Ned H. Sparks
taking in the races . . . and Roy Coleman have taken over the Vet's
Theatre at Tompkinsville, Ky. The house
is being redecorated and renovated. It will
have new chairs and a new sound system.
Sparks and Coleman also operate the Strand
in Edmonton. Ky.
Attending the races at Louisville were Mr.
and Mrs. Claude Flater, operators of the Tivoli
Theatre. Spencer, and Roy Harold and
Richard Pell, who operate the Princess and
Castle theatres, Rushville . . . C. C. Wentzel,
operator of the Norman Theatre, Louisville,
has redecorated the lobby and exterior of
his theatre and says the improvement has
increased his attendance.
Guy Craig, manager at Columbia exchange,
has resumed his duties after being absent
several days because of illness , , . Herman
Morgan, salesman at U-I, picked up a sun
tan working in his garden . J. Mc-
Carthy, southern division manager, and Peter
Rosian. district manager, were callers at the
local exchange . Powell, manager
at the Air-Way Theatre, Louisville, has installed
air conditioning and insulation to
improve what is already one of the most
comfortable theatres in the state.
. . Mickey
Jules Goldman, office manager at Warner
Bros., is spending his vacation in New York,
accompanied by IVLrs, Goldman .
Barry, receptionist at Warner Bros., has gone
to Auburn, Ala., to be maid of honor at the
Eagle Lion
wedding of an old friend . . .
branch has been undergoing a face lifting.
Private booking booths have been installed,
old office equipment has been replaced, a
new accounting section has been installed and
there are new manager's and assistant manager's
offices and Venetian blinds.
Jim Keefe, 20th-Fox exploiteer. spent several
Thelma Turner is
days in the city . . . the new order clerk at National Screen Service
.. . Everett Freeman, shipper at Monogram,
is spending his vacation in Charleston,
Va., his old home town . Angelo
. .
Chiarenza, operator of the Grand Theatre,
Cambridge City, Ind,. is hospitalized . .
Harry Watts, operator of the Alhambra Theatre,
Knightstown, Ind., is a patient at St.
Vincent's hospital, Indianapolis, under observation
. . . B. L. Mickbarg. operator of the
Lincoln Theatre, Indianapolis, is reported on
the mend after a major operation at St. Vincent's
hospital.
Leo Cantor of Cantor Amusements has returned
to the Mayo clinic in Rochester. Minn.,
where he will be under observation. He returned
to Indianapolis several weeks ago and
was a patient at St. Vincent's hospital.
Will Ross Is Building
Evansville House
EVANSVILLE—Will Ross, Evan.sville real
estate developer, has turned the first earth
on the biggest neighborhood theatre project
in Evansville. He is building a 1.000-seater
adjoining a neighborhood commercial center
now under roof.
Ross attempted to build the theatre a year
ago, but was prevented by material restrictions.
He is attempting to make a lease arrangement
with the Fine Brothers, operators of
Premier Theatres of Evansville. The Fines
are considering his proposal favorably, since
the house is in a newly builtup territory not
served by any of their theatres.
tOO^\ THE J
aut b9?u1mJ.
HOW TO
CONSTRUCT
AND
EQUIP A
DRIVE-IN
THEATRE'
\/TC4^ write for literature
DRIVE-IN
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EQUIPMENT Including
• Motiograph double shutter
projectors
• High intensity arc lamps
• Anti-retlection coated lenses
O Motor generator sets
• Rectifiers
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• Junction boxes
• Projection room accessories
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THE TIME
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Chicago
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Los
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Woshington
Warner office personnel is being changed
to some extent. Herbert Gaines, head booker,
has been transferred to Buffalo where he
joins the sales organization. Ned Tillman,
cashier, succeeds him as head booker: Barbara
Apple, now assistant cashier, becomes
cashier, and Nancy Sullivan, now bookkeeper,
has been promoted to assistant cashier.
(//]f)fi0 6;ia?}j)
THEWT'RE EQUIPMENT
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948
65

. . . Lou
, ,
. . Helene
. . Fox
. . Libby
. . Winnie
ma^
ST.
LOUIS
T>ubin Rosenblatt was appointed manager
for Monogram Pictures and Allied Artists
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
Barney Rosenthal, Rosenblatt has been
southern Illinois salesman for Paramount
DuFour. exploiteer here for RKO
won plaudits for his campaign on the premiere
of "Fighting Father Dunne."
Arthur J. Walters, who described himself
as a former Hollywood literary agent, was
arrested here after checks that he issued for
hotel bills, ringside tables at leading night
clubs and for losses at high-stake gin rummy
games began to bounce. He was arrested
at the Park Plaza hotel, after the management
called a Hollywood bank and was informed
a check for $181 was no good. Four
other checks on the same bank were returned
marked "No account." He also was said to
have issued a check for $200 to cover gin
rummy losses to a local automobile agent.
from whom he had won $250 the previous
night. He told the police he "went haywire"
after he left his wife and had an unhappy
love affair,
F. A. Bateman, general sales manager of
Screen Guild Productions was a visitor . . ,
Glenn Boner, new manager for Fox Midwest
in Centralia. 111., has lost no time in making
himself active in the business groups of that
city. Recently he was welcomed into the
Centralia Lions club. He was president of
the Christopher, HI., Lions club before moving
to Centralia to take over the management
of the Grand and Illinois theatres ,
Ginger Rogers was among the 22 Missouri
"women of achievement" to be honored May
27th by the Group Action council of St. Louis
at a
dinner in the Hotel Jefferson.
Budd Rogers, vice-president of Realart. was
a vistor May 25 at the Screen Guild Production
office. SGP distributes Realart product.
Topline in 'Wall'
The topline in Eagle Lion's "Inside the
Wall" has been given to Richard Carlson.
SHOWMANSHIP
IN YOUR LOBBY
DEMANDS
MANLEY
R. D. VON ENGELN
Manley Representative
Eastern Missouri-Southern Illinois
3138 OLIVE STHEET
ST. LOUIS 3, MO. NEwstead 7G44
St. Louis Bids Adieu
To M. Schweitzer
ST. LOUIS—Maurice Schweitzer, who recently
resigned as branch manager here for
Paramount, was given a testimonial luncheon
in the Sheraton hotel May 24. About 150
exhibitors and local exchange managers and
film salesmen were in attendance.
Schweitzer hobbled to the head table because
of a fractured left foot sustained while
leaving the Barney Rosenthal funeral services
May 4. He heard himself praised by
various film prominents as a gentleman and
a scholar, an important contributor to Paramount's
profits last year, and for "getting
religion" in time to switch from the selling
of motion pictures to the exhibition end of
the industry. He is entering the drive-in
theatre business at Rockford. 111., and Lincoln.
Neb., with Mannie, Burdie and Sidney
Schermer of St. Louis.
Toastmaster Tom Edwards of the Edwards
and Harris circuit of Farmington, Mo.: Fred
Wehrenberg, president of the MPTO here,
mixed so many exhibitors "complaints" with
their praise of Schweitzer the guest of honor
undoubtedly was constantly wondering how
much jest were behind the remarks.
C. D. Hill, Columbia exchange manager,
as the general chairman, presented to
Schweitzer a scroll that bore the signature
of everyone in attendance. Other members
of this committee included Fred Souttar. regional
manager for Fox Midwest; Tommy
Williamson, manager for RKO. and Pat
Byrne, St. Louis city salesman for RKO.
Occupying a table in the center of the
room near the head table were nine women
and men from the St. Louis Paramount office.
Others who spoke included Dominic
Frisina. president of Frisina Amusement Co..
Springfield, 111.; Harry Miller, Festus. Mo.;
Izzy Weinshank of Alton. 111., district manager
for Publix Great States; Sam Pirtle,
Pirtle Amusement Co.. Jersey ville. 111.; Joe
Garrison, district manager for Universal-International;
Lester Bona, manager for Warner
Bros.; Nat Steinberg, manager of Republic;
Joe Feld. assistant manager for
20th-Fox; Joe Woodward, manager for Eagle
Lion; Eddie Rosecan, Rialto Theatre, Hannibal,
Mo., and Tommy James, chief barker
of the 'Variety Club. John Giachetto II of
the Frisina Amusement Co. also was at the
head table, pinch-hitting for his uncle who
couldn't attend.
Letters and wires came from H. G. Woods.
John B. Giachetto. Albert W. Butler and
Harry W. Ferguson.
COMPLETE
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24-HOUR PROJECTION AND SOUND
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literature
Theotre Equipment Co.
AL BOUDOURIS. Manager
109 Michigan St.. Toledo 2, Ohio
ADams 8511
MILWAUKEE
.
. . . Jim
jyjax Wiesner of the Alamo and Mozart has
returned from another checkup at Michael
Reese hospital in Chicago. He has been
fighting rapidly failing health for some time
following major operations De
Lorenzo, head of Independent Film Exchange
who is back from Chicago, reports a marked
trend toward premium giveaways
Gallagher, his wife and family were stopovers
en route to Green Bay, headquarters for Gallagher
Films. Gallagher reports increased
interest in 16mm throughout the territory.
. . .
Esther Mikna, former Republic secretary,
Max
has joined Eagle Lion as cashier
Mazur. Film Classics manager, toured the
territory.
. . .
Lew Berman, former Universal manager,
has been transferred to Chicago for similar
duties. Jack Bannan
was welcomed as the
new local manager.
Bannan is from Chicago
Ray Bonner
Jack
Bannan
. . .
of Gallagher Films,
was in the state on an
installation chore
Elnora Horn, Gallagher
Films secretary,
has been limping
around on a twisted
ankle. Seems unfortunate
things are always
happening to
Miss Horn. Last week
she was caught in a revolving
door at a local
department
store
while on a shopping tour. The result was a
cracked arm. Elnora will wear her flak suit
Joe Imhof. Eagle Lion
from here on in . . .
manager, worked the territory . . . Matty
Asenbauer of Warner Theatres is on. the
mend after an operation . Sindelar.
former MGM employe now in Vienna in the
army secretarial division, writes she's enjoying
her stay on the continent.
Nick Michael, former operator of the Main
Street in Racine, was around town. Michael
is about to acquired another independent
house . Zillmer. secretary to John
G. Kemptgen. MGM manager, resigned to
accept similar chores with Fontas Georgiades,
head of the local Delft circuit office . . . Sally
Rollman of MGM's contract department succeeds
Helene and Sally Glowacki took over
where the Rollman lass left off in the contract
department . Wisconsin theatre
managerial shifts include Tom Cornfield going
from the Palace to the Wisconsin. Rudy
Koutnik from the Garfield to the Palace.
Al Camillo from the Downer to the Garfield
and Bill Ellsworth from the Oakland to the
Downer.
Exhibitors on the Row: Russ Leddy, Orpheum,
Green Bay: E. J. Alfrey, Westfield,
Hancock and Plalnfleld; W. C. Fischer,
Campo. Campbellsport; Eric Brown, Plymouth.
Plymouth; Lon Husten, Troy, East
Troy: Sam Miller, Rialto, Gladstone. Mich.;
Danny Kelliher and Alan Usher, Sprague,
Elkhorn; Frank Eckhart, Jefferson, Jefferson;
Bill Exton, Roosevelt. Kenosha; Barney
and Dave Sherman, Douglas, Racine; Leo
Gohlman. Cuba. Cuba City: Walter Baier,
Fort. Fort Atkinson, and Jack Yeo, Plaza,
Burlington.
I
V
66
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 19«

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Omaha Rule May Ban
Any New Theatres
OMAHA—A proposal now being bitterly
contested before the city council would virtually
put an end to new theatres in Omaha.
It is a recommendation by the city planning
commission that the right to build a theatre
be eliminated from property classed as first
commercial. Almost all desirable spots remaining
in the city would come under that
classification.
The subject came up as the result of a
move by K. E. Ashley, owner of the Crestwood
Shops, to build an 800-seat theatre next
to his property at the corner of Sixtieth and
William streets. There would be shops in
the building, Ashley said. He declared that
a majority of persons in the neighborhood
favor his plan.
But Attorney Thomas Quinlan, representing
118 property owners, tells a different
story. He said residents fear a theatre would
devaluate their property and traffic it would
bring would endanger their property.
The planning commission was first to hear
the case. It recommended the ban on theatres
in first commercial areas to the council.
The commission's proposal brought other
interests into the suit. Tri-States Theatres
Corp., which owns the Paramount, Orpheum
and Omaha, has a site at the northwest corner
of Seventy-second and Dodge streets near
the city limits where it has planned a theatre
of the future. This tract is zoned first
commercial and would be affected if the
commission proposal were adopted. Attorney
Eugen Blazer spoke for Tri-States. He said
the case should be settled on its merits. It
is unfair to make a blanket rule, he said.
The council decided to talk it over at a
special meeting before acting.
Federal Agency Forecasts
Big Growth in Nebraska
city, as a key point in the
river basin development, has a bright
as does the entire region, according to
forecast by the Federal Power commission.
The FPC estimates the Omaha population
gain at least another 100,000 by 1970.
Statewide the report is just as rosy. Eastern
outside Omaha, is expected to jump
,75 per cent in nonfarm population, while
western Nebraska is expected to gain 60 per
cent.
PPC bases its prediction on low-cost electric
power and improved navigation.
i
Uptown Offers Facilities
As Community Center
CITY. IOWA— Sioux City's newjest
theatre, the 650-seat Uptown, opened last
week in the north side. Robert M. Krueger.
said the theatre is equipped with a
address system and was constructed
for use as a community center outside of
hours. Various groups interested in
activities may use the one-story
structure for meetings during morning
j
hours.
:Buy Stacyville Theatre
IOWA—Mr. and Mrs. Bill
jAdams have purchased the Stacyville Theatre.
They plan to redecorate the lobby and
ijmake additional improvements and repairs
Mto the interior.
His Theatre Is the Community Center;
Goodwill Shows Up at the Boxoffice
CLARISSA, MINN.—In this community,
the Mark Theatre is much more than a motion
picture place. Because M. D. Plaisted,
the proprietor, has made the theatre a community
center, it has been an outstanding
success in contrast to the predictions of many
who said such an enterprise would never pay
in this small town.
Plaisted built the Mark during the
winter of 1946, and opened it for the first
time in April. He spared no time or money
to make it the most beautiful motion picture
place for many miles around. That he would
gamble such a huge investment in a town of
500 was the talk of exhibitors of the area,
especially since Clarissa's last theatre had
gone into bankruptcy back in the twenties.
The Mark is not only a theatre to this
community. Plaisted has made it a community
center, and the friendship and goodwill
built by this policy has paid off handsomely
at the boxoffice every night of the
week.
He opened the theatre for a gala Christmas
party for children during the holiday
season, and with the cooperation of local
businessmen, treated them to a show and
No MAC-Ted Mann Deal
MINNEAPOLIS—Negotiations between the
Minnesota Amusement Co. and Ted Mann,
circuit owner, looking toward the acquisition
of the Alvin Theatre here by the former,
have been dropped because of failure to agree
on terms. A proposal to trade two St. Paul
neighborhood houses to Mann for the Alvin.
acquired by the Mann group from the estate
of the late W. A. Steffes, was rejected by the
MAC because of certain stipulations insisted
upon by Mann. The MAC lease of the Alvin
expires August 31.
CORNHUSKER DISPLAY—Some good
exploitation by Chuck Kroll, manager of
the Lincoln in Lincoln, Neb., is illustrated
above along with the tasteful popcorn
bowl recently completed at the Lincoln.
The usher is wearing a fezz with a
crest on front which reads, "Come to the
Casbah Tuesday." Beside him is a good
art job on "The Iron Curtain."
fiee popcorn. He olfered the facilities of
the theatre to the various farm organizations
fur their annual meetings, and at least Ihi-ee
days a year are taken up with farmer gatherings.
Two school plays yearly are produced
there, as well as the high school commencement
exerci-ses in May. Other community
events have included amateur shows,
vaudeville attractions and golden glove boxing
events.
"The people of my community take a personal
interest in the theatre," Plaisted said.
"The fact that their organizations and
schools are able to use it for special events
give them a proprietary feeling, and bui.ds
a remarkable friendship for me."
He said those occasions have brought people
into the theatre who rarely if ever w'ere
there before, and he noticed that many of
them started coming to the shows at the
Mark instead of driving elsewhere.
"Best of all," he said, "the community
residents show a pride in the place that has
sprung from this personal interest. If exhibitors
in small towns really want to be
successful, I suggest that they strive to make
their theatres the recreation and entertainment
centers of their communities."
Variety of Norihwest
Needs $160,000 More
MINNEAPOLIS—Plans to raise an additional
$160,000 for the Northwest Variety
Club's University of Minnesota campus heart
hospital were discussed at a meeting called
by Chief Barker Bill Elson. The club already
has turned over $300,000 to the university for
he project, but rising costs necessitate an
additional substantial sum to permit the sort
of institution which the club has had in mind.
The hospital, when completed, will involve
an expenditure in excess of $700,000. The
sum of $230,000 will be forthcoming from the
federal government. A show or some big
athletic event likely will be sponsored by the
club to raise money.
Northwest Variety Club won last year's Variety
Clubs International award for the most
outstanding philanthropic project of an)
< lub.
Charles Farquhay Shifted
To Minneapolis Orpheum
DAVENPORT—Charles Farquhay, assistant
manager of the RKO Orpheum. has been
transferred to the Orpheum in Minneapolis,
after three years here. He is being succeeded
by James Gillespie of Rock Island. 111., who
has been associated with Rock Island theatres
since his discharge from the army air
forces in 1946.
'Blandings' Opens June 10
In Two Des Moines Spots
DES M0II>JES—The first regular showing
outside New York City of "Mr. Blandings
Builds His Dream House" is scheduled to
open June 10 at the Des Moines and Roosevelt
theatres here.
,m
|BOXOFFICE : : May
29, 1948

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: May
. . . Paramount
Columbia at Minneapolis
oelis to MAC Theatres
iVUiNiNiiJAPOLIS - For ilie first time in
many years (Jjlumbia pictures will receive
lirst Twin city luns in Minnesota Amusement
Co. major houses, instead of at the RKO
Uheatres houses. 'The Mating of Millie"
has oeen set mto the local State, one of MAC
ace houses, the weeK. of June 17. The same
week another Columbia picture, "Lady From
Shanghai," will go into the St. Paul Paramount.
Since and before the ending of the MAC-
HKO Theatres buying pool, the RKO Orpheum
and the RKO Pan have had first call
on all Columbia A product and have been
playing it exclusively. Prior to starting of
the pool it also monopolized Columbia A
product.
The deal, according to "Hy" Chapman, local
Columbia manager, was an amicable
tiansaction resulting from a pileup of bookings
in the RKO houses.
Columbia's "The Fuller Brush Man" will
go to the St. Paul Orpheum June 17.
Omaha Variety Continues
Aid to Mary McDonald
OMAHA—The Omaha Variety Club is
carrying
through on its early interest in Jeannette
Mary McDonald of Sidney Neb. She is
the 2-year-old victim of leukemia. Omaha
and New England Variety Clubs officials
teamed up to get the youngster special drugs
and medical consultation from Boston to Denver
where she is hospitalized.
Now Frank Van Husen, head of the Omaha
tent, announces that the club will underwTite
the cost of the child's hospital and medical
care for an indefinite period. The Variety
Club mailed its first check over the weekend.
Showman Pace, Malvern.
Is Mayor by Surprise
MALVERN, IOWA — Francis Pace, who
owns the Empress Theatre here, is the new
mayor of this city. The new mayor was so
surprised he had the votes counted twice.
Pace has served on the city council the past
two years.
Girls in Pigtails Admitted Free
ANAMOSA. IOWA—The first 25 girls appearing
in pigtails at the boxoffice of the
Nies Theatre last Sunday were admitted
free to see "Driftwood."
MINNEAPOLIS
"Pho film .salesman's Reel Fellows club has
elected Eddie Burke pre.sident to succeed
Milt Lipsner. The latter was chosen
vice-president. Other officers selected were
George Fosdick, treasurer; Paul Weiss, secretary,
and Don Halloran, sergeant at arms
sales staff and Bill Soper,
booking manager, were in Chicago this week
for sales meeting.
Ted Mann, circuit owner, returned from a
brief California business trip . . . Jack Cohen,
20th-Fox Twin city salesman, was vacationing
at St. Louis and points east . . . Johnny
Branton, Mimiesota Amusement Co. booking
manager, is recuperating at St. Mary's hospital
after an operation . Abbott Swartz,
. .
Eagle Lion manager, has acquired the Lakeside,
Duluth neighbrohood house, and will
reopen it.
will give
Bennie Berger, North Central Allied president,
has his name in the Congressional Record.
William Langer, senator from North
Dakota, had it read in in connection with the
opinion of Justice Douglas in the Paramount
Harry B. French and George Shepherd,
case . . .
Minnesota Amusement Co. executives,
attended a meeting in Chicago to discuss improved
methods of merchandising popcorn
and candy in the circuit's theatres
ward L.
. .
Hyman, Paramount Theatres
. Ed-
Service
executive, was a visitor . . . RKO
an invitation screening of Walt Disney's
"Melody Time" at the Granada here June 14.
The downtown boxoffice slump is much
greater than seasonal and is starting earlier
than usual.
The Twin City Television Lab operated a
classroom in the Lyceum for training personnel
Following a meeting of
for television . . . the Sacred Heart Community club, a survey
is being made to see wha' financial support
exists in the community foi the erection of a
theatre . . . Bill Danelz. manager of the theatre
in Elmore, turned the proceeds of his
house over to the Elmore baseball club one
night recently. For the two special shows,
Danelz booked "Caged Fury" and set admission
prices at 50 cents and 25 cents.
Eight Years at New Hampton
NEW HAMPTON, IOWA—HaiTy Herman
this month is observing his eighth year as
manager of the Firemen's Theatre here.
Twin City Clearance
Under Allied Study
MINNEAPOLIS— North Central
AlUed has
taken the first steps to obtain more reasonable
clearance in Minneapolis for independent
neighborhood and suburban theatres
as called for in the supreme court's recent
consent decree decision.
Meeting here, the organization's directors
instructed President Bennie Berger to appoint
a committee, to study the subject of
Minneapolis clearance and then report back.
Sol Lebedoff is suing the Minnesota Amusement
Co. and major distributors, alleging a
conspuacy to fix clearance in a manner that
has cau.sed monetary damages to his neighborhood
Homewood Theatre here.
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BOXOFFICE :
29, 1948 69

;
LEAK
>
A
. . New
. . Billie
. . Myrtle
—
—
—
——
—
. . . Jake
DES MOINES
"The Urban, a 375-seat theatre, is nearing
completion at 6813 Douglas Ave., Urbandale,
a suburb. The owner and manager is
R. V. Keeney, formerly of Milo
Klemme, son of Mrs.
. . . Keith
Marie Klemme of Eldora,
appears in the picture "Campus Sleuth,"
which showed at the New Grand in Eldora
last week. Young Klemme, whose professional
name is Keith Curtis, plays the sax
in Bobby Sherwood's orchestra.
A huge crowd attended the recent opening
of the Dayton Theatre in Dayton, according
to word from Mr. and Mrs. Jack LeValley,
owners . sound equipment has been
installed at the Royal in Spirit Lake. Roy
Hillard is manager.
Maxine AzuedoSj former contract clerk for
MGM, visited the exchange last week. Ac-
.
companying her was her son Stephen. She
The John Pilmaiers
now lives in California . . .
and Marie Butcher and her husband
planned to spend the Memorial day weekend
at Clear Lake. John and Marie are MGM
employes . . . Jack Sabata, Warner booker,
is home caring for his wife who has the
mumps . . . Helen Knop, Warners, is on a
week's vacation Bechtel, cashier,
enters Iowa Lutheran hospital June 3
for an operation.
The girls at Warners held a weiner roast
at Greenwood park last Thursday night . . .
Patsy McKee, Universal ledger clerk, was to
spend Memorial day at Iowa City . . Esther
.
Huston, U-I cashier, will be manned May 31
at St. Augustine's church. They will spend
their honeymoon in the Ozarks . . Kenny
.
Weldon, former MGM booker, visited
friends
on the Row recently . . . Ted Tod, SRO
exploitation man, was in town setting up the
campaign for "Mr. Blandings Builds His
Dream House."
A. H. Blank and Bill Toney of Tri-States
were in Omaha May 25 for the opening of
the Ti'i-States drive-in theatre there . . .
G. Ralph Branton also spent a day in Omaha
last
week.
.
June Douglas Owen, former Republic employe,
is the mother of twins, a son and a
daughter Mackey, Paramount, is
on a two-week leave of absence. During this
time Judy Brooks will fill in . . Jackie Barclay,
.
Paramount, is in the hospital recover-
ing from an appendectomy.
Minneapolis Report
Written in Red Ink
MINNEAPOLIS—Business continued very
bad. Even such an outstanding picture as
"Sitting Pretty" failed to click last week.
Competition was increased with the spotting
of the MGM picture, "Summer Holiday," into
tne Lyceum, legitimate roadshow house
which runs pictures between stage attractions.
Other leading newcomers included
"Berlin Express" and "Ruthless." The sole
holdovers were "The Miracle of the Bells"
and "The Iron Curtain," in their third and
second weeks.
(Average Is 100)
Aster Speed to Spare (Para); Campus
Sleuth (Mono) 80
Century—Ruthless (EL) 75
Gopher Sea Spoilers (SR), Magnificent
Brute (SR), reissues 70
Lyceum^^ummer Holiday (MGM) 80
Lyric—The Iron Curtain (XOth-Fox), 2nd d. t. wk 85
Radio City—Silting Pretty (20th-Fox) S5
RKO-Orpheum—Berlin Express (RKO) 80
RKO-Pan—Tarzon and the Mermaids (RKO) 75
State—The 'Sainted' Sisters (Para) _ 90
World The Miracle ol the Bells (RKO),
3rd d. t. wk 85
Des Moines Grosses Wilt
In the Rising Mercur-y
DES MOINES—Good weather was blamed
for poor theatre attendance here last weekend.
All downtown houses had below average
attendance. Two reissues, "The Adventures
of Robin Hood" and "Wild Bill Hickok
Rides," at the Orpheum, and "'The Bride Goes
Wild," showing at the Des Moines, were
slightly below par.
Des Moines The Bride Goes Wild (MGM) 95
Orpheum The Adventures of Robin Hood (WB);
Wild Bill Hickok Rides (WB). reissues 95
Paramount Hazard (Para); Caged Fury (Para).... 80
Business Simmers Down
As Omaha Warms Up
OMAHA—Business cooled plenty as temperatures
rose. Only one of five first nms
could better par. "The 'Sainted' Sisters" and
"Adventures of Casanova" at the Orpheum
Theatre was slightly above average.
Omaha The Fabulous Texan (Rep); The Adventuress
(EL) 85
Orpheum The 'Sainted' Sisters (Para); Adventures
of Casanova {F.L) 105
Paramount—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox) 95
RKO Brandeis—The Lady From Shanghai (Col);
The Return ol the Whistler (Col) IGO
State Tarzan's New York Adventures (MGM);
Tarzan's Secret Treasure (MGM), reissues 95
Town Meet John Doe (WB); Bandit Ranger
(RKO), reissues, split with Calcutta (Para), 2nd
run. Blue Steel (Mono), reissue 95
OMAHA
. . . John
. .
prank Hollingsworth, exhibitor at Beatrice,
Neb., will enter his horse Chance Day in
the Ak-Sar-Ben races this year
Grabenstine, Eustis exhibitor, is in Rochester,
Minn., for a checkup . G. G. Griffin,
owner of the Cass at Plattsmouth, is installing
new pushback seats.
Peggy Wasson, former Warner cashier, and
her two children visited friends at Warners.
She now lives in Burlington, Iowa . . . RKO
employes are enthused about a new fleet deal
for their company which should mean new
autos . . . Milt Overman, Eagle Lion publicist,
was here working on the territorial
break on "Mickey" . . Adolph Rozanek has
the wreckers under way tearing down his
David City building for a new theatre . . .
Cecilia Wolback, MGM booking clerk, is on
vacation.
. . .
Wanda Weisbach is a new biller at Columbia,
replacing Mary Katherine Brown
Lucille Sorenson, secretary at MGM, is vacationing
Harold Johnson, U-I manager,
. . . was hitting southwestern Nebraska spots
. . . C. N. Robinson, owner of the Home
Theatre at Blair, Neb., has the architects
working on a remodeling plan for his theatre.
Will Singer, manager of the Brandeis, returned
from Chicago with these observations:
Spring hasn"t yet found Chicago since
they used steam heat in the apartment in
which he stayed; neighborhood houses in
Chicago seem to be doing a lively business.
Carl Nedley, former MGM salesman and
now Salt Lake City manager, is a grandpa
again. A girl was born to his daughter "Velma
. . . Betty Cox had been named Omaha area
delegate to the American Guild of Vaudeville
Artists convention June 3-5 in New
York ... A move is under way here to name
Omaha"s new Municipal stadium after the
late Father Flanagan, Boys Town founder
Rachman, local drama critic, comments
that Omaha's new drive-in not only
solves the baby-sitting problem, but also
avoids any worry about leaving the family
dog at home.
Jennie Stokes, head inspector at MGM, is
taking a combined vacation and leave, spending
a month at Sacramento, Calif. . . . Louise
Cotter, Brandeis publicist, will spend her two
weeks in Boston, her former home city . . .
The Brandeis sneak previewed "Fort Apache"
. . . C. P. Knudsen, Red Cloud exhibitor is re-
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BERT THOMAS
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Manager, Midwest Office
1109 Orchard Lane
<
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Confidential Correspondence (
Invited <
Comedy and Action Pictures
Only Kansas City Grossers
KANSAS CITY—With balmy spring
weather as chief competition, business was
off again this week except in houses having
light comedy or action fare. Falling in the
latter category was "Fort Apache" at the
Orpheum. which pulled top grosses, resulting
in the city's only holdover. "The Bride
Goes Wild" filled the light comedy bill at
the Midland and tallied 125 per cent for
second place. "The 'Sainted' Sisters" at the
Paramount, also falling in this light vein,
scored third place with an average week.
Esquire Bride of Frankenstein (FC); Son of
FrankenTtein (FC), reissues 80
Midland—The Bride Goes Wild (MGM); Port Said
Col) 125
Orpheum—Fort Apache (RKO); That's My Gal
(Rep) 170
Paramount—The 'Sainted' Sisters (Para) 100
Tower, Uptown, Fairway Letter From an
Unknown Woman (U-I) 50
covering from a severe illness.
Visitors along Filmrow: E. G. Gamion.
Schuyler; Blanche Colbert, North Bend; D. H.
Heyne, Hooper; Ray Brown, Harlan, Iowa;
O. J. Schneider, Osceola; Mort Ives, Shelby,
Iowa; C. N. Robinson, Blair; Phil Lannon.
West Point; Arnold Johnson. Onawa, Iowa;
Frank Good, Red Oak, Iowa; Clarence
Wright, Hebron; Carl Mansfield, Schuyler;
Carl Johnson, Red Oak, Iowa, and Howard
Brookings, Oakland, Iowa.
Opening of the first drive-in in this area
Tuesday was to draw the following officials:
A. H. Blank. Tri-States Theatre, president,
and G. Ralph Branton, general manager,
both of Des Moines, and Phil Smith of Boston.
Tri-States and Midwest Drive-In Theatres
are joint owners. An extra midnight
show on Saturdays is scheduled in addition
to the regular two showings nightly.
4
70 BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948

Aid-Wallace Bulletin
Urges 'Curtain' Ban
DAYTON—The Montgomery county Wallace
for President committee has condemned
the motion picture, "The Iron Curtain," in a
mimeographed bulletin sent to 200 local clergymen
and civic leaders. The bulletin was sent
out a few days before the film began a week's
run at Keith's.
The pamphlet urged "peace-loving citizens"
to write or call the manager of the
theatre and to send statements to newspapers
here protesting the showing of the picture.
Local ministers may petition Eric Johnston
hereafter to preview locally pictures of
a highly controversial nature because of the
inability to obtain a preview of "The Iron
Curtain." Rabbi Benjamin Lapidus said he
has a petition signed by about 50 local community
leaders that would be sent to Johnston.
The signers do not express an opinion
as to the merits of the film, but simply the
desire to see a preview and then form judgment.
Rabbi Lapidus said that he. Rev. 'W. R.
Grunewald and Rev. H. P. Marley conferred
with Goodwin Sable, RKO manager here, to
arrange a preview of the film. Sable said he
contacted 20th-Fox, but they felt the picture
did not require previewing.
Declared Sable: "Sometimes we have a
preview and sometimes we don't. It's not my
decision. Distribution and advance screening
of a film are up to the studios. 'When
they want to push a picture, they screen it.
Here they evidently felt they don't have to
screen it."
Main reason for requesting an advance
showing, according to Rabbi Lapidus, was
fear that the pictm-e might "contain false
information that would incite war at a time
when the peace and security of the whole
world depend upon the growth of understanding
among peoples."
Former Pathe Girls Hold
Reunion After 20 Years
CLEVELAND—A group of
ten women who
made up the old Pathe exchange presonnel
almost 20 years ago held a reunion this week
at a luncheon meeting. It was the first time
they had been together since their exchange
days.
Of those present, only Claudia Ostrum is
still in the film business. Miss Ostrum is secretary
to Manager Oscar Ruby at Columbia.
Ruby was manager of the Pathe exchange
when the girls worked together.
In addition to Miss Ostrum, there were
former inspectors Marie Herbst, Margaret
Croucher and Josephine Bailey: Albie Stolla
Sweeney, cashier: Gladys Zieger Cannell,
poster clerk: Mary Kelly Braeunig. telephone
operator and now wife of Otto Braeunig,
RKO office manager; Irene 'Weldman Gay,
bookkeeper: Leona Meyers Enkler, Ruby's
former secretary, and 'Verna Roth, biller.
Missing was 'Vida Laws, whose husband was
the Pathe office manager.
Another Drive-In Planned
BADEN, PA.—A drive-in theatre will be
opened between Ambridge and Freedom, off
the Ohio River boulevard, for a corporation
being organized by Gabe Rubin, proprietor of
the Art Cinema in
Pittsburgh.
Hoy Simons Celebrates 20th Year
Of Fayette in Washington C.H.
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE—The 20th
anniversary of the Payette Theatre here was
celebrated April 30.
Hoy O. Simons,
owner, moved here
from Mount 'Vernon,
Ohio, Nov. 11, 1927,
and he and his family,
consisting of his wife,
^^gf •^ son and daughter,
d|P\^B|t were here when the
^^^^H theatre was being
y ^^^H| built. The Simons
.^IHH lost their son 17 years
ago, but their daugh-
Hoy O. Simons
ter, Helen, is with
them and teaching at the local high school.
It was quite an occasion when the theatre
opened its doors for its first motion picture.
There w'ere two other theatres in the town
at that time, the Palace and Wonderland;
but the Payette was bigger than the other
two conrbined, and the construction was
keenly watched by the local people. On the
opening night, every seat was filled, and a
long line stood outside the boxoffice waiting
for admittance. The opening picture was
"Skyscraper," featuring William Boyd and
Lois Wilson. Tlie first talking picture was
"The Squall," with Myrna Loy, Alice Joyce
and Richard Tucker, on Sunday, June 16,
1929. The anniversary attraction was
"Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!"
The Fayette Theatre boasted the first stage
since the old "opera house" had been torn
down; and the first pipe organ, an elaborate
instrument with pipes high on the wall and
the console down in the pit in front of the
stage. This organ was sold last year to a
church in Columbus.
In 1937 Simons put down his own well, and
installed a cooling system, which has worked
out to the extreme satisfaction of the patrons.
Simons was a partner with his broth-
Front view of the Fayette Theatre in
Washington Court House, Ohio, which recently
celebrated its 20th anniversary.
er-in-law, H. V. Smoots, when the theatre
was built, but Smoots has since passed away,
and his wife has an interest in the theatre
with Simons.
Vaudeville is shown in the theatre whenever
he can get anything worthwhile, which
isn't often becau.se of the size of the city.
The poulation is 11.000. It was 8,700 20 years
ago.
In the foyer of the theatre on the anniversary
night was a table, decorated with flowers
and individual white cakes with "20th"
decorated on them. Two former ushers, now
married, dres.sed in evening attire, served the
cakes as the people entered. All the girls,
including the cashier, wore corsages.
All regular employes of the theatre during
the past 20 years were guests of the management
at an anniversary luncheon at the
Country club at 1:30 p. m. Friday. About 40
gathered aroimd the tables to renew friendships
and talk of old times. Miss Ramona
Short, now Mrs. Harry Ferguson, and Miss
Juanita Genstner, now Mrs. Rolo John.son,
were the first usherettes. Mrs. Johnson came
to
Washington Court House from her home
in Nebraska for the anniversary celebration.
Marvin Harris to Manage
Paramount for Schwyn
TOLEDO—Marvin Harris, manager of the
Paramount since 1943. will continue in that
post after July 1 when Carl H. Schwyn,
Cygnet circuit operator, takes over the 3,400-
seat house, now operated by Balaban & Katz.
Schwyn plans to renovate the Paramount, at
a cost of approximately $200,000, said Jack
Armstrong, general manager of Schwyn Theatres.
B&K is planning construction of a $1,500,-
000 theatre here at corner of Jackson and
Superior streets, but will operate the Princess
as a first run house after its lease on the
Paramount expires. The Princess will reopen
after remodeling July 1.
Pittsburah Theatre Booths
Require Basin and Toilet
PITTSBURGH—Wash and toilet facilities
are required within the walls of the projection
room proper or in approved fire resistive
compartment or room directly connected
to the projection room in all theatres in the
city of Pittsburgh, under terms of ordinance
476. Otherwise, a licensed assistant or relief
projectionist must be available at all times
for reUef purposes. The ordinance becomes
effective Dec. 1. 1948.
Outdoor Theatre Sold
NEW CASTLE, PA.—The Skyline Drive-In,
opened near here last summer by Dr. R. B.
Herrick and associates, has been sold to
Mitchell Kwiatkowski, local insurance broker,
and George Warren, merchant. Reopened
May 20, the outdoor theatre is represented
in Pittsburgh by Louis E. Hanna, fUm buyerbooker.
To Direct 'Ranger'
Lambert Hillyer has been ticketed to direct
"The Fighting Ranger," a Monogram picture.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948
ME
71
Il

. . Bernie
. . The
"
CINCINNATI
pimer Lux of Darnell Theatres, Buffalo, was
in town several days and then went to
St. Louis to attend the graduation of his
Downtown theatremen
daughter from college . . .
and members of the Greater Cincinnati
Exhibitors organization are cooperating with
city officials in a fight against ragweed . . .
Ed Salzberg. manager of Screen Guild Productions,
made a West Virginia trip last
week . . . Mrs. Frances Wessel, Royal Theatre.
Carrollton. Ky., was a vi.sitor at the
exchanges.
Mrs. E. L. Shakespeare, National Theatre,
Cincinnati, has been confined to the hospital
. . . Georgia Ray, the "sunshine" Ray
of the RKO Theatre office, was to be married
May 29 lif the Atlanta. Ga., courthouse
is open on Saturday), or May 31, to Richard
Neubert of Cincinnati. Georgia will be married
at her mother's home in Atlanta, and
will have as her witness Patsy Lockmeyer.
The girls in the RKO office had something
special cooked up in her honor May 27.
. . .
Phil Chakeres of Springfield, wearing a
beautiful Florida tan, was a visitor, together
Thelma Dellerman, secretary
with Ray Frisz . . .
to the Paramount office manager and
also secretary of the office union, local F37,
will be married July 3 to Frank Gratsch. The
wedding will take place at St. John's church
Vacationists at Paramount are Robert
Frederick, booker, who will visit 'Washington
and New York, and Marion Conley, cashier,
who has returned from a month's visit to
R. E. Moon,
her mother in Portland, Me. . . .
division manager of 20th-Fox; Joe St. Clair,
his assistant, and Howard Minsky, assistant
division manager, spent a week at the Cincinnati
exchange.
Virginia Meyer, assistant cashier at 20th-
Fox. left Sunday for a vacation in Miami
Beach. Fla. . . . Manny Marcus of Marcus
Enterprises, Indianapolis, made one of his
infrequent visits to Cincinnati and was accompanied
around the exchanges by his Cincinnati
manager, Vic Coffel . . . Jim Abrose,
Warner branch manager, returned from the
district meeting in Pittsburgh with news
about the pnnual Warner summer drive for
13 weeks, May 23 to August 28.
. . Jim
Jonas Thomas of the Mt. Lookout Theatre.
Cincinnati, was called to Greenville, Ohio,
by the sudden death of his mother . . . Tom
Hill of the Ernst Realty Co., operating three
theatres in Covington, Ky., and the Florence
Drive-In. Florence, Ky., is back at his golf
again, and showing very good form .
Wilson, Riverside Theatre, Cincinnati, had a
recurrence of his heart condition and has
Joe McKnight, Kentucky
been hospitalized . , .
salesman for RKO. is convalescing at
home after a major operation at the Good
Samaritan hospital, Lexington.
. . . Terry
Bill Kaufelt, shipper at U-I, has been promoted
to the booking department to replace
Louise Johnson of West
Dick Breslin . . .
Carrollton, Ohio, has taken over the Look
Theatre, West Alexandria, Ohio
Turner, national director of exploitation for
Cincinnati completing arrange-
RKO. was in
ments with the Cincinnati Enquirer and station
WLW. who will jointly sponsor the world
premiere of Frank Buck's original "Bring 'Em
Back Alive." June 17. More than 100 theatres
will participate in the tri-state premiere.
Virginia Meyer, president of local F37, office
union, won a government bond at the
union's meeting Tuesday night and turned
it right back to the fund being raised for the
benefit of a sick member . Shea crew
made its monthly visit here. In the group
were Carroll Lawler of New "^ork, Forney
Bowers of Cambridge, Dale Tysinger of Newark,
Joe Scanlon of Marietta, John Woodward
of Zanesville, Ed Hiehle of Zanesville
and L. Schneider of Lancaster.
Emil Groth, Ohio division manager for
RKO Theatres, spent most of the past week
in New York . Serlin is the new
field publicity representative for Warners
in the Cincinnati area Joseph Harris,
president, Realart
. . .
Pictures, New York, and
Budd Rogers, vice-president, visited Lee
Goldberg of Popular Pictures. They are making
a tour of all the Realart exchanges.
A great nnany out-of-town exhibitors visited
the exchanges last week, including Vernon
Berg. Yellow Springs. Ohio; N. M. Burris,
Lewisburg, Ohio; Carl Knab, Chillicothe,
Ohio; Ray Holland, Jeffersonville. Ohio; J.
Hank Davidson, Lynchburg; Frank Allara,
Matewan. W. Va.. who flew here in his private
plane: Orville Woods, Camden, Ohio,
and Ben Wachnansy of the Drive-In Theatres,
Cleveland.
The new drive-in at Forestville, Ohio, being
constructed by Robert L. Pitzwater, who
also has the West Hills Theatre. Cincinnati,
will be ready to open in June . . . Jerry Jackson's
new Starlite Drive-In, Mount Holly,
Ohio, will also open sometime in June.
Lee L, Goldberg of Popular Pictures, in addition
to acquiring the Realart franchise for
Cincinnati, also has the franchise for the
Indianapolis territory. Contracts have been
made with Keiths in Indianapolis. Fourth
Avenue Amusement Co. in Louisville; the
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402-3-4 Film Bldg., Cleveland. O. 1632 Central Parkway, Cincinnati. O.
Switow circuit.
Alliance Theatres, Y&W circuit
and others for the Realart product , . .
National Theatre Supply is furnishing equipment
for the Hi Hat Theatre, Hi Hat, Ky.,
owned by Harmon Snyder. This theatre
burned some time ago. but has been rebuilt.
The same firm also equipped O. G. Roaden's
new Park Theatre, Middlesboro, Ky.
A. J. Piatt, formerly with the RCA Service
division, handling the Dayton territory, has
been appointed salesman for Midwest Theatre
Supply in Ohio. Piatt has had a number
of years experience as service engineer and
salesman of theatre equipment and supplies,
Altec Service Corp, is now handling servicing
of the theatres in the Northio circuit,
Cincinnati district, and the 24 theatres of the
Alpine circuit, Kingwood, W. Va. . , . J. E.
Yuhas, Altec Service engineer, took over the
Columbus territory for the company, in place
of L. J. Kraft, who was transferred to Jacksonville,
Rube Shor, Cincinnati, is
Fla. . . . the. new buyer for the Newbold Theatres, a
circuit of 19 houses, 18 in West Virginia and
one in Kentucky. E. L. Keesling, former
buyer, will devote his time in West Virginia
to theatre details and Shor will handle the
buying from his office in Cincinnati.
William Filger, National Screen representative,
will leave with Harold Sable June 13
for a three-week vacation trip to the west
coast. They will travel in Bill's convertible
and take in. all points of scenic interest to
and fro. They intend to spend a week at
the Beverly Wilshire hotel, Beverly Hills,
Calif. While on the coast, Filger will visit
with his uncle, George White of Scandals
fame, and has been promised a cocktail party
and steak fry by Arthur Aronson, head of
Hollywood Advertising Co.
Laud Dayton Theatremen
For Campaign on Safety
DAYTON—Gov. Thomas J.
Herbert saluted
44 Dayton motion picture operators and theatre
owners here for their cooperation in making
Dayton "a safe place to live." For a year
the theatres have featured a series of safety
trailers supplied by the Dayton Automobile
club, designed to acquaint adults and children
with common causes of street accidents.
F. J. Blose. vice-president of the club, and
Paul Ackerman, executive secretary, also
lauded the operators and owners, and James
Curl, president of the Dayton Theatre Operators
Ass'n. spoke in behalf of the guests of
honor. Ackerman said that 175.000 motion
picture patrons each week saw the safety
films. "Dayton theatre operators donated
to this cause the equivalent of $52,000," he
emphasized.
An out-of-town guest, who spoke favorably
of the Dayton program, was Peter Wood,
secretary of the Ohio ITO.
Chakeres Men Shifted
XENIA, OHIO—Donald Flanders, formerly
of Erie. Ind., is the new manager of the
Orpheum Theatre here. He succeeds Robert
E. Rowland, who has been transferred by
Chakeres Theatres to the State in Greenville,
Ohio. Flanders has been associated
with the Chakeres organization for three
years and came here from Springfield, where
he was assistant manager of the Regent.
To Star in 'Catalina Interlude'
Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra will star
in Paramount's "Catalina Interlude."
i
72 BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948

—
— ——
—
—
—
. . . Frank
. . . The
. . Finals
. . Mike
Auto Strikes Deflate
Business in Detroit
DETROIT—Business continued to drop last
week as strikes continued in the automotive
industry.
(Average Is 100)
Adams—Stale ol the Union (MGM), 3rd wk 75
Broadway Capitol The Hunted (Mono), plus stage
show 130
Downtown—The Bishop's Wiie (RKO), 2nd wk. . 90
Fox—All My Sons (U-1), 2nd wk 60
Michigan Hazard (Para), Who Killed "Doc"
Robin? (UA) .....90
Palms-State—The Noose Hangs High (EL);
Lightnin' in the Forest (Rep) 95
United Artists I Remember Mama (RKO), 3rd wk. 90
Cinema I Know Where I'm Going (U-I); A Lady
Surrenders (UI) .
HO
"Apache," Aided by Dr. I. Q.,
'Curtain' Lead Cleveland
CLEVELAND—Dr. I. Q. rang the boxoffice
bell, boosting the Monday night attendance
at the Palace to capacity and putting the
show, with "Fort Apache" on the screen, high
up with 160 per cent. "The Iron Curtain"
proved a hit at Warners' Hippodrome -with
a good 110 per cent and headed for a holdover.
Rest of the pictures came through with
average, or slightly below average. Metropolitan
opera, baseball and the great outdoors
proved heavy competition. Report for week
ending May 19:
Allen—The Noose Hangs High (EL) 100
Hippodrome—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox) 110
Lake—The Mark ol Zorro (20th-Fox); Drums Along
the Mohawk (20th-Fox), reissues 100
Lower Mall Mourning Becomes Electro (RKO),
roadshow, advanced prices. 200
Ohio—B. F.'s Daughter (MGM), 2nd d. t. wk.'!LI'! 85
Palace—Fort Apache (RKO), plus stage show. 160
State Arch of Triumph (UA) 100
Stillman—State oi the Union (MGM), 3rd d. t. wk. B5
Honors in Cincinnati
Go to 'Fort Apache'
CINCINNATI—"Fort Apache" at the Albee
was high grosser here this -week, with "The
Iron Curtain" at the Palace second and "The
Noose Hangs High" at the Grand third.
Grosses generally were down, and with the
ushering in of spring weather, this condition
will undoubtedly prevail for a while. "Fort
Apache" remained in town for a second week,
as did "The Iron Curtain," but the other
screens were offering new attractions.
SPRINGFIELD
piiil Chakeres, president of Chakeres Theatres;
Frank Collins, general manager, and
John Huffman, manager of the Regent, were
in Lancaster for the preview opening of
"Green Grass of Wyoming," some parts of
which were filmed there ... A stag party is
planned by Chakeres employes June 2 at
Hotel Shawnee for Grant Frazee, manager
of the Fairbom in Fairfield, who will be
married June 6.
A benefit for the city recreation fund will
be staged June 2-4 at the Majestic. On the
bill will be "A Yank in Rome," which has
some local war veterans in the picture, and
"Huckleberry Finn." PTA groups here are
helping in the .sale of tickets.
J. Knox Strachan, Warner Bros, representative
from Hollywood, was entertained at
a cocktail party and dinner here when he
met all contestants in the recent "Dream
Girl" contest sponsored by Chakeres Theatres,
the Civic Theatre and local merchants.
After the dinner he witnessed the Civic
Theatre production of "Dream Girl," featuring
Susan Krapp, local Dream Girl, who wall
visit Hollywood studios for two weeks this
summer with all expenses paid.
Chakeres Theatres are entertaining all
county high school graduates at special theatre
parties . . . Tom Chakeres of Columbus
Is the new assistant manager of the State,
succeeding Ralph Lynch, resigned to enter
other business . Chakeres spent several
days in Cincinnati on a booking trip, and
was to visit Cleveland to confer with Nat
Wolf and New York officials of Warner Bros.
The Globe Theatre, owned by Leo Yassenoff
of Columbus, has made another cut in its
admission prices, dropping the adult fee from
49 cents to 39 cents and children's tickets
from 30 to 20 cents. When the remodeled
Globe was opened last year it showed only
foreign pictiu-es at 75 cents for all admissions
Collins, general manager of
Chakeres Theatres, has returned from a
month's vacation in Miami Beach.
will be present for lectures and cooking tips.
Local merchants are giving electrical appliances
and baskets of food as prizes. The
grand prize at the end of the school will be
an electric range ... A cartoon jamboree was
featured at midnight Saturday, May 22, at
the Majestic. Woody Owens, manager, advertised
it as "two hours of fun for persons
When Owens booked "Belle
6 to 60" . . .
Starr" into the Majestic, he had a cowgirl
ride a horse about the city for ballyhoo . . .
The Chakeres Lake Drive-In Theatre between
Celina and St. Marys is expected to be open
in two weeks.
too ••' '?«%^
'HOW TO
CONSTRUCT
EQUIP A
DRIVE-IN
THEATRE"
Albee—Fort Apache (RKO) 180
Capitol—Slate oi the Union (MGM), 3rd wk 100
Grand The Noose Hongs High (EL) 120
Keith s—The Cobra Strikes (EL); The Smugglers
(EL) .^^.
, 70
Lyric—Duel in the Sun (SRO), 2nd d. t. wk 100
Palace—The Iron Curtain (20th-Fox) 130
Shubert-The Miracle of the Bells (RKO),
2nd d. t. wk 90
Holdovers Outgross
New Pittsburgh Bills
PITTSBURGH—"Fort Apache," "State of
the Union" and "Sitting Pretty," all holdover
attractions, were up front, other offerings
falling under the average mark. Neighborhood
theatre grosses were depressed.
Fulton—Smart Woman (Mono) 70
Harris—Black Bart (U-I) 90
Penn— State ol the Union (MGM), 2nd wk.. 110
Rilz—Tenth Avenue Angel (MGM); Speed to Spare
(P^rt^) i 80
,,
Senator— Sittmg Pretty (20th-Fox), 3rd d. t. wk 120
Stanley—The Fighting 69th (WB); Valley of the
Giants (WB), reissues 90
Warner- Fori Apache (RKO), 2nd wk ISO
Must Pay Up Now
WARREN, OHIO—Passed by city council
in 1925 but never enforced, an ordinance to
license theatre operators at $50 a year has
been pressed into service to help supply funds
to meet Warren's financial needs.
Mike Chakeres, city manager of Chakeres-
Warner Theatres, is driving a new Mercury
sedan ... In promotion of "The Other Love"
at the State, Ollie Nicklas, manager, gave a
candy kiss to each patron upon leaving the
theatre. The kiss was attached to a card
which said "A kiss from the other love of
your life."
When the Fairbanks offered "Discovery,"
a story of Admiral Byrd's expedition to the
South Pole, Harding Lemon, manager, used
Arctic equipment from the army and navy
store for display in the lobby and in front of
the theatre . in the "Sing a Song
With Vaughn" contest were held at the
Regent Theatre, with winners getting radios
and cash and a chance to sing with Vaughn
Monroe in his Memorial Hall appearance. The
finals were broadcast from the Regent stage
Kathryn Haas dance studio will present
its annual review of 100 students from
the stage of the Fairbanks Jmie 8. On June
1 the Fairbanks is offering as an extra attraction
the WJEL Hayloft Jamboree.
A citywide electric cooking school will be
staged in the afternoons of June 8 and 15 on
the stage of the Regent. A home economist
\/TCd& write for literature on]
DRIVE-IN
THEATRE
EQUIPMENT including
*- Mottograph double shutter
projectors
• High intensit/ are lamps
• Anti-reflection coated lenses
• Motor generator sets
• Rectifiers
• 150-250 and 500 watt sound
reproducing systems
• In-car speakers
• Junction boxes
• Projection room accessories
DQ}]}]?i\
RIN60LD THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO.
lOG Michigan St. N. W.
GRAND RAPIDS 2, MICH.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948
73

. . Mrs.
. . Stanley
. . John
. . Andy
. . . Perry
. . Harry
. . Rainbow
. . Leo
mmk
PITTSBURGH
lUTax Shulgnid, Crown Film manager, has a
new Oldsmobile . . . Bill Brooker, state
public relations director for Paramount, was
here with Anita Colby exploiting "The Emperor
Waltz" . A. A. Weiland has
recuperated from an illness which confined
her to a hospital and is at home at Conneaut
Lake. Mrs. Weiland, the former Sadie Kelly,
was RKO cashier here for a number of years
. . . Phil Doyle has been reelected lATSE
Local 3 business agent for the 19th consecutive
year.
David Kimelman, Harry Passarell. Bob
Caskey, Charlie Mergen and Bill Brooks were
. . .
in Philadelphia attending a Paramount division
meeting called by Earle W. Sweigert
The Warner exchange here handles one
16mm print of the Warner-Pathe News, servicing
the Veterans hospital in Aspinwall and
the VA Deshon hospital in Butler . . . Charlie
Chaplin's "Monsieur Verdoux" finally got
a booking here, opening May 29 in the Art
Cinema.
The Mountain Playhouse, Jennerstown, Pa.
opening a new season early in June, will present
more than a dozen plays. The season
will close October 2 . . . The Pittsburgh Civic
Light Opera, in its third season at Pitt Stadium
will present nine operettas, opening
June 3. Prices are from 65 cents to $3.25,
taxes included. There will be no Sunday performances.
William and Chester DeMarsh, father and
son, owners of the Larkfield Drive-In near
Grove City, were Filmrow visitors . . . George
Jaffe, Casino proprietor, returned home from
Montefiore hospital and he is recuperating
Les Bowser, theatre manager
satisfactorily . . .
long identified with the Harris-Denis in
Mount Lebanon, announced the betrothal of
his daughter Alice to Robert David Mutzig.
. . Lou
Cuppie's Drive-In, West Brownsville, was
closed for three days in memory of Lieut.
Donald E. Wilson, killed in Europe, whose
body was returned and interred in Arlington
cemetery. His widow manages Cuppie's,
owned by her father, J. K. Kaupp .
BEST IN QUALITY
riLMACK
BEST IN SERVICE
THREE COMPLETELY EQUIPPED PLANTS
NEW YORK LOS ANGELES CHICAGO
245 Wtff
1574 W.
1327 S.
SSih St.
Woshingfon
Waboih
Jim Alexander
Scrni Fineberg
1705 Blvd. of the Allies!
PITTSBURGH 19, PA.
Phone ATlantic 6156
Vogel. former film man now in the construction
materials industry, was on Filmrow saying
hello to old friends. He will visit in
The widowed
South America this fall . . .
mother of Hymie Wheeler, Film Classics
manager, has returned here from Florida and
is at Montefiore hospital.
Lum Harr, secretary-treasurer of the Lee,
Fairmont, W. Va., has returned from Florida
where he spends his winters . Battiston,
Vincent J. Corso and his brother. Major
Philip Corso, USA, were in New York for
several days . . C. E. Wilson's drive-in at
.
Metz, W. Va., is a 16mm operation. He has
plans to open a 35mm drive-in at an undisclosed
site.
Harry Hendel has returned from Hollywood
where he worked on plans for production
of a third independent feature for the
Bert Stearn-Harry Hendel setup . . . Mercedes
Miller resigned as MGM assistant
. . George
cashier to join the Co-op office .
Jaffe's Casino, downtown burlesque house,
closes for the season May 29.
Sam Fineberg of Alexander Theatre Supply
was in Phoenix to attend the graduation of
son Ronnie from grade school and son Jay
from high school. Together with Mi-s. Fineberg
they are returning to Pittsburgh within
the next week . Dudelson, RKO
salesman, injured in an auto accident some
weeks ago, is back on the job. He carries
two stitch marks directly over his left eye.
Mr. and Mrs. Newton F. Williams spent
. . .
last weekend in Cleveland visiting their
daughter . . . Paul Bronder, circuit exhibitor,
has a new Packard . D. Walsh. Fulton
manager, said the remodeling job there
will be delayed until early fall . . James
.
F. Willard of the Strong Electric Co., Toledo,
was visitor . . . Television is being
a
received in the Sharon-Farrell area and at
Meadville from Cleveland Coaxal cables
from Philadelphia for Pittsburgh television
are nearing the city, having passed Ligonier.
Bill Thomas, Zelienople exhibitor, underwent
an operation in Jamison hospital, New-
Castle . . . Dr. Harry C. Winslow, Meadville
exhibitor, addressed the joint amiual communion
breakfast of the Holy Name societies
of St. Stephen's and St. Joseph's Catholic
churches at Oil City.
. . . Theodore
The debate club of the State College Junior
High school discussed the price of picture
shows at the weekly assembly and resolved
that admission prices are too high .
sell Schira. has resigned as
. .
assistant
Rus-
manager
of Loew's Penn and has joined the Post-
Gazette advertising department
Grance, local area exhibitor, flew to
Florida, where his sister was very ill.
Watty Watson, MGM exploitation representative,
was here this week from headquarters
in Cincinnati , . . Allied MPTO of
Western Pennsylvania is furnishing members
with copies of Abram F. Myers' paper on the
supreme court opinion in the antitrust suit.
Joseph Beilc, recently transferred from the
Liberty to the South Hills, now a Harris theatre,
has purchased a home in Dormont. He
has maintained his residence in Greensburg
for a number of years and has used three
cars in driving from East Liberty to Greensburg
since he returned from the wars and resumed
theatre duties . . . John Michelson,
Eagle Lion auditor, is on duty here . . . Frank
Michael of the Rex, southside, has a new
Kaiser automobile .
Garden
drive-in at McKeesport, owned by L. R.
Travis, will be ready for opening within a
few weeks.
Bob Lynch, Warner salesman, attended the
lawn wedding of Dale V. Shaffer and Helen
Hayes near Ellwood City. Bridegroom is a
son of the Edgar E. Shaffers. Slippery Rock
. . . Art Adams, formerly here with MGM,
was in this week. His brother Jerry, former
salesman here and now MGM manager in
Washington, is the father of a son born several
weeks ago . Bugie, Cincinnati
manager for Eagle Lion, was a recent Filmrow
visitor.
. . .
Exhibitor Harry Rachiele and his wife departed
May 24 for a vacation in Denver
where they will visit sons Fred and Leo . . .
Ben Williams, owner of the local Monogram
franchise, visited from Boston. His daughter,
born April 28, has been named Ilene Betsy
John D. Walsh, Fulton manager, sustained
an elbow fracture recently when at
the wheel of his car. His elbow protruded
from the window and a taxi whirled past and
The Harry Rosenthals were
bumped it . . .
hosts at the Variety Club family night party
May 21.
Herbert Berman of California is the new
Eagle Lion salesman. He is a brother of
Harry Berman, EL's Philadelphia manager
Nathan attended a National Screen
sales session in Atlantic City . . . Under a
new registration of May 28 Joseph 'Palermo
is listed as owner of the Temple, Springdale.
Guy V. Ida, uncle of Palermo and a
veteran exhibitor at McDonald, formerly was
listed as owner.
Westinghouse gift nights, with 43 electric
appliances for prizes, were held May 19, 20
at the Governor in Somerset . . . The Colonial
in Farrell presented Czechoslovakian pic-
. . . Blatt circuit
tm-es two nights last week for the benefit of
the Slovak Gymnastic union
has petitioned for incorporation under
the name of Blatt Bros. Western Pennsylvania
Theatre Corp.
. . . Bill Feld.
Mrs. Edna R. Carroll, chairman of the
Pennsylvania board of censors, is one of seven
state delegates at large named to the Republican
national convention
former Republic manager here has resigned
Eagle Lion duties in St. Louis . Cantor,
. . .
former local film salesman and an Indianapolis
circuit exhibitor since serving in the
navy, is convalescing from a serious illness
Members of the schoolboy safety patrol
were guests of the Butler in Butler last Saturday
afternoon.
Elkins Drive-In Opens
ELKINS. W. VA.—The 200-car Elkins
Drive-In was opened on U.S. 250 by Bretsel
Lang and Harold Talbott, ex GIs. It is the
first drive-in in this area. Complete projection
and sound equipment were supplied
by Lovett & Co. of Clarksburg.
St. Marys to Have Another Theatre
ST. MAR'ys, W. VA.—A theatre is under
construction here for Tom Piatt, formerly
identified for a long period with the old
Broadway, Parkersbm-g.
»
74 BOXOFTICE :: May 29, 1948

;
Ri-Knox to T. Grance;
McCalmont Retires
PITTSBURGH— Theodore Grance, Everett,
theatre, restaurant and hotel owner and
Pa.,
president of Outdoor Theatres, Inc., operating
drive-in theatres at Irwin and New Castle,
assumed management of the Rialto in Mount
Oliver this week, having purchased the majority
of the stock in the Ri-Knox Amusement
Corp. May 15. With the transfer, Robert
V. McCalmont, veteran exhibitor, retires
from the business here.
Grance purchased 1,100 shares of stock,
leaving only 73 shares outstanding. His purchase
was from the A. A. Weiland family,
James H. Taylor, W. P. Linn, Gerald Born
and McCalmont. Taylor was secretary-treasurer
of the old company. Linn is publisher of
the Hill Top Record and Born is a real estate
broker. McCalmont was president of the
former operating organization. Weiland is a
pioneer exhibitor, now operating at Coraopolis.
Price of the purchase was $100,000.
McCalnxont, after more than 30 years in
exhibition, says that he expects to retire to
Florida, where he will .seek to purchase an
orange grove.
Gala Program Is Lined Up
For Murphy Anniversary
WILMINGTON, OHIO—A gala program is
in the making for celebration of the 30th
anniversary of the Chakeres Murphy Theatre
here during the week .starting July 18. Joe
Murphy, manager, said a different picture
will be shown each day of the anniversary
week. Efforts are being made to obtain bookings
of some pictures of yesteryear to give the
theatregoers some flashbacks in motion pictiu'es.
There will be gifts to patrons throughout
the week, and a large birthday cake wiU
decorate the lobby. Also, in honor of the anniversary,
the Wilmington News-Journal will
issue a special edition.
Bernie Serlin Is Named
WB Central Field Man
NEW YORK—Bernie Serlin has been named
field man in the Warner Bros, central district
by Mort Blumenstock. vice-president in
charge of advertising and publicity. Serlin
will make his headquarters in Cincinnati and
will also cover the Indianapolis, Cleveland
and Pittsburgh branch areas. Serlin, whowas
a practicing lawyer before joining the
army, joined Warner Bros, exploitation department
last year.
Wendell P. Miller Dies
DETROIT—Wendell P. Miller, former manager
of the National Theatre here, died April
30 at Veterans hospital. New York, it has
been learned here. He was a very active
member of the Russell Johnson Theatrical
post of the Legion in Detroit. Miller was
gassed during World War I. He is survived
by his wife and child who reside in New York.
New Equipment Installed
ONAWAY. MICH.—New projectors and a
new screen have been installed at the State
Theatre, according to owner D. H. DeRosia.
New rest rooms will be built in the near future,
he said.
Robert Russell, Ashtabula Manager,
Celebrates 25 Years With Shea's
ASHTABULA. OHIO—Robert Russell, who
started work ;it the Palace here imder Paul
Mueller washing walls
in the theatre's spring
housecleaning program,
is celebrating his
J •^mmfjmf"^
1 .
I
25th anniversary with
Shea Theatres this
month. Since 1942 he
has been Shea city
manager supervising
the three houses in
operation and the con-
struction of a fourth.
mUr t Russell, who had
married the previous
Robert Russell August, applied for a
job under Manager Mueller in the spring of
1923. When nothing happened for several
weeks he was about ready to give up when
Mueller phoned him to start work the next
day. Spring cleaning was under way and
young Ru.ssell was a.ssigned to washing walls
at $18 a week.
"It probably was the toughest six weeks
spent in my life," Russell recalls, "but I managed
to stick it out. I presimie the main reason
was that I was a married man and
need the money."
At the end of the six weeks Russell was
promoted to outside advertising man and
given a rattletrap car to post one, three, six
and 24-sheets, window cards, etc., during the
day. At night he was head usher, marquee
and display man.
"I never will forget Bernie Head," Russell
says. "He was the advance man on the first
round of 'The Big Parade.' He taught me
more about slobbering paste and mouthing
tacks in one day than I ever expected to
know. Bernie had a cheek on each side of
his mouth that would hold a pound of tacks
and room for a chew of tobacco in between.
"Not too long a time lapsed until Mueller
was transferred out of Ashtabula, and replaced
by the late Bernie Kearney. Bernie,
a friend of evei-yone and with years back of
him with the Shea company, was also a
brother to Dick Kearney. Things went well
with Bernie and myself for five full years,
as Bernie had" a lot of patience and gave me
splendid training, as he was a very exact and
business-like man in every respect. One could
set a watch daily by Bernie's actions—breakfast
every morning at 9:30; daily shave at the
nearby barbershop promptly at 11. It was my
job to have the mail there at 10 in the niorning
and 1 in the afternoon, and that didn't
mean 10:05 or 1:05. Those were happy years.
as along with pictures we used vaudeville
the last three days of the week.
'Bernie was transferred to Amsterdam,
N. Y., leaving me in charge of Ashtabula,
under the supervision of Ward Johnson.
Ward, at that time, was interested in both
Conneaut and Geneva, and Shea turned over
to him the added duties of watching over
me. Business carried on in this manner tmtil
Ward's death in about 1934. at which time
George Shewell came into the pictiu'e, as a
traveling or district manager, and I believe
out of the Shea Theatre, in Fremont. At
that time. Shea felt that I was not capable
of carrying on Ashtabula on my own without
Ward's supervision, and as George was on the
road much of the time, I was transferred to
Geneva to a smaller operation^ running only
four days at that time.
"I spent eight happy years in Geneva and
saw the theatre during the first two years
go from four days a week to full time. During
my stay, E. C. Grainger came in as general
manager, through Shea's death. Grainger
requested me to come back to Ashtabula in
1942,"
If
Worth
A Thought
you are thinking of
building or remodeling
think of
COVI and ASQUINI
317 Outlook Street
Pittsburgh 27, Pa.
Phone Carrick 6511
ATTENTION, DRIVE-IN THEATRES!
You can step up attendance on your Monday or other dull nights by
WAHOO
playing
America's Favorite Screen Gome
Write for Complete Details
HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO., 831 S. WABASH AVE., CHICAGO 5, ILL.
BOXOFFICE : : May
29, 1948
75

—
Drive-ln Projects and Openings
WARREN, PA— Construction is progressing
on an open air theatre on the Ben White farm
at Starbriclc, located south of the Lily Pond
crossing, between the Town Barn and route
6. Interested in the project are Ben White
Exclusively in th« I
N EW HUSH -HUSH ALBUM I
NAN BLAKSTONE
The Enchantress ol Sophisticated Song
\AtL0ading Records Stores
Six Amusing Numbers
HHl Lite on Donltey Island
HHIA Lets Fall in Love
HH2 My Boy Friend Elmer
HH2A BlaKstone's Secret Passion
HH3 Ho Should Have Been a WAC
HH3A BlaKstone's Torch Song
Released by
Havlland 6* Gerard, Inc.
1009 Fox Bldg. Detroit 1, Mich.
Phone woodward 2-1100
HNtST FOODS
Detroit's Most
Intimatf^ Lounge^For
LUNCHEONS
DINNER
AFTER SHOW SNACKS
Continuous Entertainment
Open Sunday
Block West of Fox Theatre Bldg.
jrOWN PUMPI
SMART ENTERTAINMENT
LEONARD SOSKIN AGENCY
Retirement income, life, automobile,
fire, health and accident insurance.
171i Book Bldg. CA. 35IS, Detroit
and Fred Blaclcmer of Union City. Drive-in
area measures 350x700 feet, providing space
for about 400 automobiles. Screen will be fifty
feet square and in-a-car speakers will be features,
along with a concession stand. The
owners expect to open the new outdoor theatre
by July 1.
CARMICHAELS, PA.—A modern drive-in
theatre is under construction near here on
route 88 on the road to Masontown for Louis
Stuler and Durward Coe. Fourteen ramps
are being graded on a natural slope, screen
size will be 46x50 and car capacity will be
approximately 450. Atlas Theatre Supply wUl
equip the theatre. Stuler has resigned as assistant
to Werner "Fuzzy" Lund, circuit
owner, and is devoting ills time to the new
project. Coe operates a theatre at Daisytown.
ALIQUIPPA, PA.—A 400-car capacity drivein
theatre is under construction near here,
off Green Garden road. Owners are the
Kulik Brothers, who plan to open the theatre
next month.
CLAYSVILLE, PA.—The Sunset Drlve-In
Theatre at Sunset Beach, operated last season
with central speakers, has installed RCA
in-a-car speakers. C. M. Ducray and Stephen
Setto, owners, are opening a new restaurant
here and on Memorial day will reopen
the swimming pool.
NEW KENSINGTON, PA. — The Family
Drive-In Theatre, with 750 in-car speakers,
opened here May 20. The operation was built
by Henry Rolnick of New Kensington and
Youngstown; Nate Parber, Pittsburgh, and
associates, under the name of Family Drive-
In Theatre. Inc. The corporation plans
eventually to develop an amusement center,
including a skating rink and bowling alley, on
the 118 acres of land purchased for the
ozoner. Lovett and Co., Clarksburgh, W. Va.,
outfitted the booth.
Michigan Men to Build
Dunedin, Fla., Theatre
DUNEDIN, FLA.—Work is to be started
here within 60 days on a cinder block structiu-e
which will house a new theatre. Harry
E. Bennett and his son, Clayton Bennett,
both of Middleville, Mich., are the owners
and the theatre is to be managed by a third
member of the family, Gordon Bennett, son
of Clayton. The theatre will be fireproof
and air conditioned with seating capacity of
500. Clayton Bennett has been in the theatre
business in Middleville and Chelsea
for 28 years. Gordon, who is to operate the
new theatre, has been manager of the Middleville
Theatre for some time, taking time
out to serve in the armed forces.
TOLEDO
Twitch Woodbury, theatre editor of the Blade,
has returned to the airwaves with his
15-minute Magazine of the Air each Tuesday
evening over WTOL. Program is cosponsored
by the Town Hall Theatre, Kin
Wa Low night club, and Centennial Terrace,
outdoor dance spot. Transcribed interviews
with film stars are included in the program.
Jack Lykes, manager of the colony, de luxe
neighborhood house, brought Ben Rol of
Chicago, champion yo-yo manipulator, for a
matinee perfornvance May 22. Rol entertained
children of the Lott day school, imder
sponsorship of the Variety Club Friday afternoon.
Lykes is chief barker of the Toledo
Tent.
LONG SIGN CO.
MARQUISE SIGNS
MAINTENANCE SERVICE
840 W. Baltimore, Detroit — TR 1-5477
4
FILM EXCHANGE DRUGS
The Showmen's DruglStorei
Drugs ' Cosmetics * Prescriptions
Personal Service from Two Showmen
MAX BERNBAUM JACK GALLAGHER
Pharmacist
Manager
Phone CLilford 1527. CLiflord 3694
Theatrp Sign and Marquee Maintenance
/^^,
Our Specialty
%jWorstman^Co.
WOodaid 5-4050 POntiac 3-4473
2821 Brooklyn Detroit 1. Mich.
fC/ISf/
THEATRE SEATS
RECOVERED — REPAIRED ANYWHERE
BEST WORKMANSHIP. POSITIVELY LOWEST PRICE.
PROMPT SERVICE
JOHN HEIDT, 1507 W. Kirby, Detroit S. Mich.
Phone: TYIer 7-8015
ADDISON, MICH.—Construction has begun
on the Starlight Parking Theatre on
U.S. 127 one mile north of here. Oliver H.
Dennis & Son have the contract. Owner
Warren L. Alkire of Toledo reports 250 cars
will be accommodated. Two five-foot amplifiers
near the screen will be used.
IMPERIAL, PA.—A new outdoor theatre is
under construction near the Junction of
Routes 20 and 30 for Paul G. Trunick and
Arthur E. KlixbuU. Capacity will be approximately
400 cars. The drive-in is expected
to open within a month.
FRANKLIN, PA. — Ray Woodard of the
Kayton Amusement Co. here will serve as
film booker and buyer for the new drive-in
theatre which Alden Phelps and Edward
WiLson are erecting on Route 97 near Waterford.
The Kayton organization, operated by
Paul McKay and Len Houghton, Woodard's
father-in-law, is not financially interested
in this outdoor theatre. Kayton Amusements
will own and operate a drive-in under
construction at Cranberry, also to be
booked by Woodard.
MANAGER WANTED
Must Be Aggressive!
Hard worker — able to handle
advertising, exploitation and
publicity
.
Best pay in town to right man!
Call . . . Write . . Wire
JACOBSON THEATRES
2511 Woodward Avenue
Detroit I. Michigan
Temple 1-8761 CliHord 4069
ERNIE
FORBES
214 W. Montcalm
Detroit 1, Mich.
Phone CAdillac 1122
76
BOXOFFICE
:
: May
29, 1948

I office.
^
July
. . . Joe
City Ordered to Court
To Defend Fast Time
DETROIT — The Independent Theatre
Owners of Michigan won their first legal
round in the fight against daylight saving
time. Wayne County Circuit Court Judge
Richter granted an order to show cause which
was served on the Detroit city council. A
hearing on the matter was scheduled for May
28. Ralph Garber is the attorney representing
ITOM. Sam Carver, president, is confident
the theatre owners will win their fight
to force the city to return to standard time.
LOUISVILLE
•phree new theatres are scheduled to open
~ in Kentucky during the first part of June.
They are Bennett and Smith's Valley Theatre
in Taylorville, Foster Lane's Lane Theatre
in Williamsburg, and Walter L. Campbell's
Bell Theatre in Ravenna. The William
Tell at Tell City, Ind., also will open early
in June . . . Work is progressing nicely on
Arnold & Sisco's new Melody Theatre in
Bardstown, Ky., and an early opening is contemplated.
The Lyric, one of Louisville's four colored
theatres, has instituted a Big Kiddy Party
which is presented every Saturday. Novelty
prizes plus 10 show passes are awarded eacR
week. In addition to the regular show, five
cartoons are added to the program for the
show. The Lyric's general manager is A.
Edward Campbell and the resident manager
R. L. Ransaw.
The radio show, Head of the Family presented
from the stage of the National Theatre
each Wednesday evening for 13 weeks
and broadcast over station WHAS, came to
a close May 19. During the run, approximately
$20,000 in cash and prizes was presented
to contestants. According to the management
of the theatre there is a possibility
the program may be resumed in the fall.
New films were in the majority at first run
houses last week. Opening at Loew's was
"Arch of Triumph," coupled with "Who
Killed 'Doc' Robbin?" The Strand offered
"Love From a Stranger" and "Heading for
Heaven," the Rialto single billed "I Remember
Mama," the Mary Anderson played "The
Woman in White," the Scoop imported another
French production, "The Eternal Return,"
which was advertised for adults only,
and the Brown prospered with a moveover
of "Sitting Pretty." The Brown held the
picture for a third week. A couple of reissues,
"Butch Minds the Baby" and "Little
Tough Guys," played at the National.
Mr, and Mrs. Bruce Aspley of the Aspley
Theatres, Glasgow, Ky., stopped over en route
to Indianapolis. Other exhibitors seen here
were C. K. Arnold, Arco and Crystal theatres,
Bardstown; Oscar Hopper, Arista, Lebanon;
George Peyton, Griffith, LaGrange;
A. N. Miles, Eminence; G. M. May, Dream,
Corydon, Ind.; Louis Chowning, New Washington,
Ind., theatre, and Lewis Baker, Star,
West Point.
The Iroquois Amphitheatre's tenth anniversary
celebration started with the opening
of season ticket sales at their downtown box-
Six shows have been scheduled from
5 through August 16.
COLUMBUS
P
J. Wood, secretary of Independent Theatre
Owners of Ohio, has been elected
treasurer of the Columbus Variety Club, succeeding
the late Jacob F. Luft, Wood held
the post for several terms in former years.
Wood announced that the state ITO convention
will be held at the Deshler-Wallick hotel
here Tuesday and Wednesday. November 30
Carl Rogers, manager of
to December 1 . . .
the Broad, has returned from a week's vacation
. . . Max Wald, manager of the Gayety,
has closed the theatre after two weeks under
a film policy following a season of burlesque.
The theatre will reopen in September, he
said, with a burlesque policy.
Peggy Cummins, Charles Coburn and
Martha Stewart made personal appearances
. .
at the world premiere of "Green Grass of
Wyoming" in Lancaster, followed by similar
appearances at Cincinnati and Columbus.
They made two stage dates along with Virginia
Jessup, Lancaster beauty chosen Queen
of the World Premiere . Beverly Cochran,
19-year-old sophmore in the college of education,
was chosen Miss Ohio State in finals
held on the Palace stage. She'll receive an
RKO screen test, a modeling course, an instructor's
dancing course, a traveling suit,
a trip to New York and an interview with the
Harry Conover modeling agency.
Manager Charles Sugarman of the World
is staging an "Ideal Husband" contest with
The World has named
$100 in prizes . . .
Walter Lasker as its New York booking representative.
Earlier booking of foreign films
is expected by the local art house under the
new arrangement. Co-owner Al Sugarman
signed the deal on a recent New York trip
Farley, cameraman for "Easter Parade,"
is here visiting his sister, Mrs. R. J.
Hoffstetter.
Promote Industry's Good,
Albright Tells Council
CLEVELAND—Roger Albright, director of
educational services of the Motion Picture
Ass'n, urged the Motion Picture Council of
Greater Cleveland to concentrate its educational
efforts on the cultural and educational
benefits that films have to offer and
let the newspaper critics worry about what
is wrong with the industry.
Speaking of the alleged relation between
motion pictures and juvenile behavior, Albright
told the group that in a survey of
pictures made in 1947, 28 per cent were
selected as suitable for children of all ages,
and 63 per cent as suitable for children over
16 years of age.
"As to motion pictures as a stimulus to bad
behavior, I believe that there is no single
influence that determines the moral foundation
of a child," he said. "It takes many different
kinds of influences to determine the
kind of people we are.
"The motion picture industry has many
critics who try to determine how many things
are wrong with the movies, and overlook the
great amount of good in them. This must be
a disturbing situation, especially to a group
like this which seeks to impress the public
with the progress of pictures in the fields
of education and of art,"
W. J. Schulte Starts Work
On Richmond House
RICHMOND, MICH.— William J. Schulte,
who has operated the Majestic Theatre here
for 24 years, has broken ground for a new
theatre.
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"New" at New Baltimore simultaneously
armoimce the first Mid-East installations
of Heywood-Wakefield's newly introduced
"Encore" line of theatre chairs.
Ned Oglesby, H-W Michigan salesman,
invites exhibitors to inspect the
two installations.
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BOXOFFICE :
: May 29, 1948 77
4i

. . . Milton
. . Paul
. . Morris
June 8. They also are making plans for a
summer picnic, and are looking forward to
opening their fall activities with a clambake.
**'
Lester Zucker, U-I branch manager, and
his associates are working at top speed in a
united effort to take honors in the U-I President
drive, successor to the Scully drive,
which opened May 2 and closes October 30.
Academy Film Service is making extensive
alterations in its Payne avenue location. The
screen room is being enlarged and the offices
changed around . Kaplan, a gentleman
of leisure since the sale of the Southern
Theatre to S. P. Gorrel, attended the swanky
luncheon meeting of the Cleveland Motion
Picture Exhibitors Ass'n last week.
.1
John C. "Casey" Wein, president of Local
B5 and business agent for Local F5, is working
on half speed due to an indisposition.
YOUNGSTERS MEET STAR—Bill Elliott, Republic western star, was guest of
honor at a luncheon held by Republic Pictures at the Variety Club in Cleveland and
there he met the young fry who are his biggest boosters. Those in the picture are
all sons and daughters of Cleveland film men.
CLEVELAND
lJarr>' H. Goldstein, Paramount district
manager, returned from a regional company
meeting in New York . . . Lee Goldsmith,
Universal office manager, has been
transferred to the Atlanta office. He leaves
here June 5 for a two-week vacation in
Miami. Other changes in the exchange include
the promotion of George Flynn from
head booker to salesman, covering the river
territory; Wilbur Grant up to the first booker
position, and Saul Lane, student booker, to
assistant booker.
May is a busy month for Harold "Bud"
Friedman, manager of Warners' Colony. On
the 14th a baby girl was born to his wife at
University hospital. His wife's birthday is
May 20. His own birthday is May 23, and
their wedding anniversary is May 31. The
baby has been named Mardy Ellen . . . Some
of the Shea boys were in town the first half
of the week, including Duke Prince of Conneaut
and Bob Russell of Ashtabula . . . Nat
Wolf, Wamer zone manager, and Ted Minsky,
film buyer and head booker for the theatre
department, were visitors of the southern
Ohio district theatres during the week.
Jerry Scholer, manager of the Ohio in Sandusky,
is a paying guest at the Cleveland
clinic where they're trying to decide whether
or not he needs an operation . . . Walter
Steuve, Findlay theatre owner and one of
the industry's most eligible bachelors, was
78
FOR SALE AT COST PRICES
Three Complete^RCA Drive-ln'^Theatre
married two weeks ago . Gusdanovic,
head of the Gusdanovic circuit, celebrated his
birthday by taking his entire family to dinner
at the University club for a special tripledeck
birthday cake.
. . .
. . Leroy
Oscar Ruby, Columbia manager, is to leave
June 6 for New York to attend a four-day
district and branch managers meeting
Jerry Kerner, Columbia booker, is on vacation
with his folks in New York .
Kendis of the Associated circuit, is back after
J. S. Jossey of Hygienic Pi'oductions
two weeks . . .
is back from a Canadian fishing trip
A. Mooney, head of Cooperative
Theatres of Ohio and 'Variety Club chief
barker was laid up several weeks from
sunburn collected at the National 'Variety
convention in Miami, is again on the sick list.
This time it's a strained back.
The new Republic exchange is now open
and visitors are welcome. It's in the old location
in the Film Bldg., but the space has
been completely remodeled and modernized
with booking compartments, new fluorescent
lighting fixtures, new rubber floor tiling and
new furniture.
The League of Showmen's Wives, composed
of the wives of 'Variety Club members, held
a luncheon social Tuesday a t the club.
Queens of the day were Mrs. Jack Sogg, wife
of the MGM manager, and Mrs. M. B. Horwitz,
whose husband operates the Washington
circuit. Mrs. Harry Weiss, head of the
publicity department, announced the final
luncheon meeting of the season will be held
— IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
Equipments
Brenkert Lamp Houses — Brenkert Sound Heads
RCA Speakers and Junction Boxes
Write, Wire
Write. Wire
or Call DRIVE-IN THEATRES or Call
540 Leader Building Telephone TA. 1584 Cleveland, Ohio
Hard-to-please department—An applicant
to Louis Swee, manager of the Bedford and
Stillwell theatres, Bedford, for an usher job,
in answer to a query about his experience
and why he left his last theatre job replied:
"I left because I was bored seeing the
same picture three days in succession." So
now the youth is looking for a job in a daily
change theatre.
J.M.TotmanNamed
WB District Chief
PITTSBURGH—James M. Totman, advertising
and publicity director for Warner Bros.
Theatres in this zone for the past seven
years, has been promoted to district manager
in the northwestern Pennsylvania ter-
.j
ritory by M. A. Silver,
succeeds the late
zone manager.
Thomas J.
Totman
Fordham.
Henry Burger, assistant advertising director
since 1942, succeeds Totman as ad publicity
head in the Pittsburgh office. Jack
Kahn formerly with Warner Bros. Theatres
exploitation and publicity offices, returns to
;
the company as assistant to Burger. Charles
Comar, veteran manager of the Enright Theatre
in East Liberty, has been promoted to
head the personnel department. He succeeds
Fred A. LeBelle, who is on an extended leave
of absence.
Totman will continue to make his headquarters
in Pittsburgh. He has been with
Warner Bros, for more than 20 years, starting
as an usher at the old Strand Theatre in
Erie, Pa. His new territory will include theatres
in Butler, Ridgway, Brookville, Erie,
Punxsutawney, Titusville, Sharon, Warren
and Oil City.
10 Per Cent Tax Passed
CALIFORNIA, PA.—The borough council
has passed a 10 per cent amusement tax.
Those failing to comply with terms of the
ordinance shall be subject to a fine or penalty
not to exceed $100 and costs for each
offense, and in default of payment, upon
conviction of the burgess or justice of the
peace, shall undergo imprisonment in the
borough lockup or County jail for a period
not exceeding 30 days. All types of amusements
and recreations are included in the
tax ordinance.
Starring Role in The Fan'
Jeanne Crain has been signed for the starring
role in "The Fan" to be produced by Otto
Preminger for 20th-Fox.
BOXOFFICE May 29, 1948
I

!
Garage Under Common
Is Assured in Boston
BOSTON—Downtown theatremen and
managers as well as business and civic leaders
throughout the Boston area greeted with enthusiasm
the Massachusetts supreme court
decision removing all barriers to construction
of a giant garage beneath the Common
which w'ould alleviate the city's vexing traffic
problems.
The court held that the Common is free
from trusts and that the city has title to the
land. It dismissed two suits brought by Back
Bay residents who sought to block the construction.
The project had been bitterly
fought by one small group for two years.
Work will begin in three weeks, according
to Mayor Curley, who ordered the city law
department to meet at once with officials
of the First National Corp., who will build
the 4,400-car garage beneath the present
athletic field and parade ground.
The garage will have three levels with
the main entrance on Charles street with an
underpass under the public garden from
Commonwealth avenue. A pedestrian tunnel
will extend underground from the garage to
Tremont street at West street. The garage
will be built without cost to the city and
will revert to the city after 40 years. It is
said that the city will lease it for not less
than 2 per cent of the gross receipts. Parking
fees have not been decided.
With the downtown parking problem one
of the most serious menaces to evening theatre
business, the construction of the project
is hailed by managers as an important boxoffice
boost.
Work Starts in Newport
On New Latchis House
NEWPORT, N. H. — Ground has been
broken here for construction of a theatre for
Peter Latchis. Latchis operates theatres in
Claremont and Keene in this state, Brattleboro,
Vt.. and in Ma.ssachusetts.
The local house, which is expected to be
opened early in the fall, will be a one-story
building with no balcony, seating 800 persons.
Six stores are expected to occupy a wing
of the building.
Al Donovan to Manage
Mohawk, North Adams
HARTFORD—George E. Landers, division
manager of E. M. Loew's Theatres, has announced
the appointment of Al Donovan, formerly
at the Capitol, Lynn, as manager of
the Mohawk, North Adams. Donovan succeeds
David Seidman, 68, who, after some
50 years in the entertainment world, is retiring
to live in Miami Beach.
Hartford Booth Men Plan
Testimonial for Lewis
HARTFORD — A testimonial dinner in
honor of Ruben K. Lewis, Loew's Poli-Palace
stage manager and business agent of lATSE
Local 84, will be held in the Hotel Bond
Wednesday night, June 9. Lewis has been
business agent for the local 25 years.
HARTFORD—The People's Forest Drive-In
Theatre Corp. has opened the People's Forest,
on Route 44 between Hartford and Winsted.
'Vincent Youmatz of Winsted is president
of the film.
Tim O'Toole Retires
As Columbia Pilot
NEW HAVEN—Timothy F. O'Toole, affectionately
known as Tim to most New England
film people, has been retired from active duty
as Columbia manager here but will continue
to serve in an advisory capacity. He has been
New Haven manager ten years. In all,
O'Toole coimts his years with Columbia at
nearly 30, spent between Boston and New
Haven. He is shown here with his booker,
Grace Brunelle. O'Toole will be succeeded
by Walter Silverman, a Columbia salesman
here for thi'ee years. He was a booker in
Boston prior to that. Earl Wright, who has
been with Columbia in Chicago, comes back
to his native city as salesman. Dave Kramer,
former salesman here, is moving to Pittsburgh
as sales manager for Eagle Lion.
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BOXOFFICE :
: May 29, 1948 NE 79

. . The
NEW HAVEN
IJarry Schiffrin has come here from the
Warner organization in Buffalo to become
a salesman for United Artists. This is
Schiffrin's home town. He was with United
Artists and others in the film district here
20 years ago . 461-seat Shelton Theatre
is being redecorated by Morris Hadelman,
Lou Phillips' company supplying the
new asbestos glass tapestry fabric wall and
stage drapes.
Bucky Harris, former RKO publicity man
here, is in Charlotte doing publicity for Film
Classics. His son Tommy, a student at the
Universal office, expects to move on to the
The boys at the Loew
Albany exchange . . .
Poll houses and other friends treated Sam
Shubouf to a smorgasbord dinner in Waterbury
the night of May 21. A former assistant
at Waterbury, Shubouf takes over as manager
of the Lyric. Bridgeport, in the fall and as
relief manager for the circuit during the summer.
Among those present at the dinner were
Harry Shaw, Lou Brown of the division office,
and Lou Cohn of the Hartford Poll.
. . . Gus
Ralph Banghart, RKO exploiteer, was in
town doing advance work on "The Fugitive,"
which was booked at the Bijou
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Crown Seeks 30-Day
Right at Hartford
NEW HAVEN—Crown Management Corp.,
on behalf of the 846-seat Crown, Hartford,
has filed a clearance complaint with Oliver
Bishop, executive secretary of the Coimecticut
arbitration tribunal, against the five
major distributors, seeking for the theatre a
30-day ceiling after first run. Hartford.
The complainant states that pictures are
becoming available five and six months after
first run, Hartford, which causes a hardship
in buying and booking of the Crown. "In
some cases," the complaint reads, "where
product is not sold for six or eight months,
pictui'es are withheld from the Crown." The
Rialto, Hartford, is named as a theatre involved.
This is the fom-th motion picture complaint
to be filed since the beginning of 1948, and
four remain to be heard which were filed in
1947. The tribunal also has been occupied
with a large number of labor complaints
throughout the state.
Seek Video Licenses
HARTFORD—A Federal Communications
commission hearing on applicants for Hartford's
two existing television outlets was to
start in the federal building here this week.
Three applicants seek the two channels. They
are: Travelers Broadcasting Service Corp.
(WTICi; Hartford Times (WTHTi; and
Conn. Broadcasting Co. iWDRCi.
BOSTON
A iMiut 50 members of the Motion Picture
Salesmen's club attended a combined
business meeting and testimonial luncheon
for Joe Wolfe, club treasurer, at Steuben's
restaurant. Nate Levin of Monogram, club
president, was chairman of the affair and
Al Fecke, sales manager at EL, was in charge
of arrangements. Wolfe has joined Embassy
Pictures as branch manager and member of
the firm. Levin presented Wolfe a handsome
piece of luggage in behalf of the club. Wolfe
had been with Columbia for many years before
joining Embassy.
Benn Rosenwald, MGM manager, invited
menrbers of the Commonwealth Conference
of Christians and Jews to attend a special
screening at the exchange of MGM's "The
Big City," feature based tolerance. It was
screened on two consecutive evenings . . .
J. P. Byrne, MGM division sales manager,
and assistant Herman Ripps were in town
for a few days .... Reuben Perlman, home
office representative for EL, was a visitor.
Theatre Candy Co., Inc., has installed the
latest model Star popcorn machine in the
Warren Theatre, 'Whitman, owned by Ernest
Warren. The candy stand was remodeled to
add facilities for handling popcorn. "I wish
I'd put in this machine three years ago when I
took over," said Warren. "We're doing a whale
Massachusetts Theatre
of a business" . . .
Equipment Co., 20 Piedmont St., has on display
a new Colonial television receiver and
three models of GE receiver sets, all in readiness
for television broadcasts . . . Film
Classics released two first run films downtown
in two days. "Money Madness" opened
at the Keith Memorial May 19 and "Blonde
Ice" at the Keith-Boston the next day.
Morey Goldstein of New 'Vork, general sales
manager for Monogram, was in the district
in behalf of the booking drive, which ends
Two prewedding showers were
July 3 . . .
given to Martha Ferris, secretary of the
Film Board of Ti-ade who will marry Alvin
G. Kenney. The auxiliary of the Legion Post
270 gave a handkerchief shower at the club
headquarters. Mrs. Cyril McGerigle, wife of
the head booker at RKO, and Mrs. Pat Healy
were in charge. On the following evening
75 friends gave her a dinner and miscellaneous
shower at Seaverns Hall, Jamaica Plain.
Agnes Rau and Emma Corbett, both of U-I,
and Nellie McLaughlin of Warners were hostesses.
After a wedding trip to California,
Martha will be back at her desk at 204 Stuart
St.
Francis DriscoU, booker at MGM, thanks
all exchange office workers who aided the
dance given for the St. Columban Foreign
Mission society, of which he was chairman.
The proceeds from the party were sent to
the Philippines to feed and educate native
children there . 'Vincent Alpert. manager
. .
of Loew's Ritz, Pittsburgh, stopped off to
pay his respects to Charlie Kurtzman, division
manager for Loew's with whom he formerly
was associated. Alpert was on the way
to Cape Cod.
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BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948 81

. . The
-
'
. . Repairs
. . The
. . . Hundreds
. . Eddie
. . Martin
—
WORCESTER
•Pheatremen here are wondering just what
the function of the municipal censor
board is following the police department's
decision to ban "Black Narcissus" even
though the picture was passed by the censors
by a one-sided vote. The censor board
admittedly is only advisory but in the past
it has been rare that the police did not
abide by its decisions.
Bob Portle, manager of Loew's Poll, Elm
Street, broke into print with art on two
mothers he entertained at dinner and a theatre
party in observance of Mother's day.
The mothers were 82, with ten children, and
80, with 13 children . . . The Ringling circus
petitioned the mayor and recreation commission
for a permit to show at Beaver Brook
park July 1, which would be its first Worcester
date since the big Hartford circus fire.
Dennis A. O'Brien, longtime theatre manager
in Fitchburg, is meeting opposition in
Mayor Stanton's choice of him to fill the
post of personnel director of Burbank hospital.
He had been named to succeed Harry
E. Fuller, who had been let out by the executive
board after being elected by the hospital
trustees.
"The Iron Curtain" opened at the Strand
in Southbridge, with the premiere closely
covered by the local paper. Manager Stanley
Redmond reported only one person objected
to the film and that was an unidentified
person over the telephone . Boston
Worcester Turnpike is undergoing a big resurfacing
job on the Worcester end, with
one-way traffic affecting the Shrewsbury
drive-in to some degree.
Knox Manning-, formerly of Worcester,
will be the narrator in the forthcoming Babe
Ruth film . . . Neil Hamilton, ex-screen
star, who grew up in this section, is coming
back for his first stage date in Worcester
county. He will appear at the Whalom
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Samuel J. Davidson, Pres.
50 Melrose St. Boston, Mass.
in Fitchburg the week of July 5. Other stars
obtained by that house are Sylvia Sidney,
Jackie Cooper and Kay Francis.
. . . William
Phil Spitalny's orchestra drew a good 2,600
at the Auditorium at $3.60 top
Yager, manager of the Plymouth in Leominster,
booked "Black Narcissus" following
its proliibition in Worcester and reports
The Red Barn in West-
business was fine . . .
boro, first of the summer stock companies,
opened its 11th season last week.
When Helen Walker was east recently she
visited her mother in Waterbury, Conn., and
was asked to address a public gathering. In
her talk she mentioned that as much as she
liked Waterbury, .she looked upon Worcester,
her native town, as her home.
FALL RIVER
jS lone picket spent several days promenading
in front of the Durfee Theatre
with a huge placard protesting the showing
of "The Iron Curtain." Paul Slayer, manager,
said the initials CPA seen on the placard
probably stood for Communist party of
America. He heard that several men picketed
the State Theatre in New Bedford while the
film showed there.
Harry Hammond, 62, prominent musician
and at one time employed in Fall River
theatres, died recently at h'is home here. Theatre
personnel attended the services . . .
Louis Metivier is new projectionist at the
Academy . . . Helen Quigley and her fiance,
Gordon Sweeney, were tendered a shower
and stag party by the personnel of the Academy
where Miss Quigley is cashier.
Carl Zeitz, manager of the Academy, has
Robert Zeitz, student
taken up golfing . . .
at the University of Georgia, will resume his
assistant manager job at the Academy upon
his return here in June . . . Manager James
Knight, Mrs. Dorothy Hindle and Mrs. Albert
Gagnon represented the Yamins Theatres at
the funeral of Henri R. Girard, former manager
of the Capitol, Park and Strand.
.
.
. . . Nathan
The Embassy has returned to its original
policy of first run showings and is playing
moveovers from the Empire. It thus replaces
the Strand which is being transformed into
a stadium-type house. John McAvoy is manager
of the Embassy have
been completed to the Capitol marquee, which
was damaged by a truck Whalen
dance studio presented its annual recital
recently at the Empire, which suspended
picture showing for that day
Yamins, owner and operator of the Yamins
Theatres, made an inspection of his houses
here to plan improvements and alterations.
Manager Matt Saunders of Loew's Poll
spotted a two-coluirm picture of Butch Jenkins
in the Junior section of the Sunday
Post. This is the first time theatre publicity
has been permitted in the section . . . Manager
Harry A, Rose of Loew's Majestic handled
his publicity for "Fighting Mad" as if the
film were a prize fight. He spotted stories
on the sports pages of local dailies and
used window cards in locations that regularly
display boxing cards. The cards were
typical of prize fight advertisements and gave
no hint of a motion picture until half way
down.
HARTFORD
'pari Hannah, assistant manager at the
Perakos Strand in Thompsonville, is back
on the job after a leave in Arizona due to
illness. Tommy Grogan is manager . . . The
New Astor. East Hartford, has had its marquee
redecorated. Partners there are Howard
Harris and Steve Kurpen . . . Tom Grace,
manager of the Eastwood, has installed a
new coke bar.
. . Harry Mc-
Walter B. Lloyd of the M&P Allyn huddled
with Joe Mansfield, Eagle Lion exploiteer,
on "The Smugglers" .
Williams, director of exploitation for Columbia,
was at the E. M. Loew's district office
talking about "The Fuller Brush Man" with
George E. Landers.
. . Lillian Kelleher, secretary
Sam Horwitz, assistant manager at the
Poll, is back in town after several months'
leave due to his dad's illness. In his absence,
Al Lessow of the Poli-Palace handled
the assignment . . . The Carroll in Waterbury
used roller skates as a giveaway last
Saturday ... Ed Kelleher, assistant manager
of the Princess, took in a few ball games
in New York .
to Martin H. Kelleher, president of Princess
Theatre Corp., visited friends in Albany.
Ralph Boehm, son of the State's chief of
staff, will be assistant administrator of a
childr-en's camp in Connecticut this season
of summertime attractions
. . Gen-
carnivals, parks, beaches, lakes, etc.—are beginning
to stir again, offering competition
with a capital C to the film trade .
eral Manager Al Schuman of Hartford Theatres
had a cold . . . Ernie Grecula, Al's
assistant, was in New Haven on business.
Ditto Joe Dolgin of the Pike Drive-In, Newington
. Selet of the Crown booked
something rare for the house, an all-Italian
bill. The Crow7i has new projectors and
screen.
Russ Ordway has a glassware deal at the
Princess, Rockville . Kelleher held
"Sitting Pretty" for three extra days at the
Ben Lamo, assistant manager
Princess . . .
at the Warner Strand, was operated on at
the John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore May
19, and has been a patient there for several
weeks. Charles Atamian. chief of staff, is relieving
as assistant manager.
. . B. E. Hoffman, assistant
Franklin B. Ramsey, former manager of
local neighborhood theatres for the Warner
circuit, has returned to Hollywood following
a visit here .
zone manager for Warner Theatres, was here
on business.
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I

Theatremen Accused
By Political Rival
OKLAHOMA CITY—Two Oklahoma
theatremen
were accused last week by Rep. Glen
Johnson of conspiring to stop him in the
middle of a speech he was making in Miami
in his bid for the Democratic nomination for
U.S. senator.
He said he was stopped "because Bob Kerr's
campaign manager is connected with a theatre
chain."
C. B. "Brownie" Akers, Griffith circuit
partner in Hobart, is campaign manager for
former Governor Kerr. Johnson's rival for
the Democratic nomination. John Giffin
major of Miami, also a Griffith partner.
Johnson charged that he had permission
from the county commissioners to speak on
the courthouse lawn, "and when I was halfway
through, this mayor who runs the theatre
made me quit."
Giffin told a Tulsa newspaperman that he
was out of town at the time of the incident
and that it was the mayor pro tem who made
Johnson stop. He did so, he said, because
of the Miami ordinance prohibiting use of
public address systems until after 5:30 p. m.
Giffin said both he and the mayor pro tem
are Republicans "and we are not carrying
the torch of Kerr."
Loewenstein Issues Digest
Of Supreme Court Rulings
OKLAHOMA CITY—Morris Loewenstein.
president of the Theatre Owners of Oklahoma,
has sent all exhibitors in the state "an
easily understandable" digest of the supreme
court decisions, prepared by Herman Levy,
general counsel for the TOA.
Loewenstein also clarified the situation in
regard to new Ascap licenses.
"Several theatre owners have written abo6t
Ascap refusing their 60-day cancellation request
on licenses," he wrote. "The TOA informs
me that this is probably because of
legal implications and suggests that exhibitors
go ahead and sign without the cancellation
clause for any term they choose from
one year to 10 years. They indicate that
Ascap will likely be bound for the maximum
contract period anyway. It is also pointed
out that by being saved from the proposed
increase in license fees, our primary objective
is accomplished."
Jack Holman to Light Up
In Monahans September 1
MONAHANS, TEX.—Jack Holmgn has set
September 1 as the opening date of his new
Ward Theatre. It is an 800-seat masonry
structure. Contract to furnish everything in
the way of equipment was awarded several
weeks ago to the Modern Theatre Equipment
Co., Dallas, During recent years Holman
managed various theatres in the state,
mostly in the western half, and during the
war boom he built one in Texarkana, but
sold It after a short time.
Perfume for 'April Showers'
MARSHALLTO'WN, ICWA—The first 100
women to attend "April Showers" at the
Strand here last week were given a bottle of
April Showers perfume. The stunt was arranged
by Mjanager Harry Dearmin.
GIRL TO BE IN FILMS—L. V. Seicschnaydre,
manager of Republic Pictures in
New Orleans, is shown here with Mary
Ruth Wade of Lake Charles, La., as she
received news that she had been selected
on the Truth or Consequences radio program
as Jane Doe, all-American girl. She
has gone to Hollywood to appear in a
Republic picture, "The Plunderers," starring
Rod Cameron and Ilona Massey.
Miss Wade, 18 years old and the youngest
of eight sisters, is a freshman at Mc-
Neese Junior college in Lake Charles,
and has been active in athletics and
school plays.
Free Shows for Summer
CYGNET, OHIO—Local businessmen plan
to offer free outdoor films Saturday nights
during the summer.
OUR BUSINESS . . .
IS YOUR BUSINESS
Hall Industries Opens
Three Rivers Deluxer
THREE RIVERS, TEX.—Hall Industries
Theatres, with headquarters in Beeville,
opened its brilliant new Rialto Theatre here
May 14. A long line was formed at 7 o'clock
in front of the boxoffice, something previously
unheard of in this town of around
2,000 people.
The front was a mass of color and neon
lighting. The interior follows plainer motif,
although its equipment and furnishings are
of the finest. It is of stadium type with 800
seats. A 20-ton refrigeration plant handles
the cooling problem.
Henry W. Hall, operator and principal
owner of this circuit, watched final touches
being made a few hours before opening and
occupied a seat during the first performance.
F. D. "Fats" Nance, general manager, took
his customary place for openings out front.
Showing its appreciation for the new theatre
in terms of action as well as words, the
local Chamber of Commerce printed 500
tickets to the opening, sent them out to surrounding
towns and redeemed them at full
value for the theatre management.
C. C. Porter, his wife and 'William LaNoue.
of Community Theatres in Fort 'Worth, were
among out-of-town visitors. Porter has the
popcorn concession over the entire Hall circuit
of some 16 houses. 'V. 'W. Crisp. BOX-
OFFICE representative and wife, who were
visiting in Beeville, drove over to watch the
proceedings. Another visitor was 'W. S.
Glasscock of San Antonio, who owns the new
West Theatre in George West. 10 miles away.
Both theatres have an admission price of
44c and are similar in luxuriousness and capacity.
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BOXOFFICE : : May 29, 1948 sw 83

. . New
, . . John
. . . Emmett
. . The
OKLAHOMA CITY
/"•ashlers at the Criterion now answer the
telephone with "Home of the Mystery
Voice—Criterion Theatre." The Mystery
Voice stunt has been going on in several
C&R houses every Friday night for several
weeks. Everyone in attendance gets a chance
to guess at the identity of the voice, which
is that of some well known Oklahoma City
personality. Theatregoers write their guesses
84
SELL YOUR THEATRE PRIVATELY
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Wenzel Pro 4 Projection Machines
on slips of paper and a committee goes over
the papers to see if anyone hit the jackpot.
. . . Pat of the
Carolyn Rucker, 16-year-old daughter of
S. B. Rucker, Paramount office manager,
went home from the hospital May 24. She
received facial injuries when her car was demolished
in a crash May 16 while
McGee
she was
en route to church
Cooper Foundation, Denver, was in town for
a few days this week.
First suburban showing here of "The Naked
City" was a day-and-date engagement at the
Will Rogers, May and Agnew, all Griffith
operations. The pictm-e was showing at the
same time at the Uptown . programs
in town this week were "The Noose Hangs
High" at the Center, "All My Sons" at the
Midwest, "Silver River" at the Warner,
"Homecoming" at the Criterion, and "Strawberry
Roan" and "The Wreck of the Hesperus"
at the State.
Phil Keough, who has been managing the
State Theatre, is back at the Center as manager.
He will remain there until his return
to the air corps. Keough has been called
back to duty and expects to report in July.
Meantime, he will relieve H. C. Federer who
will leave the week of June 1 for a stay in
Colorado. Mrs. Federer will accompany her
husband . . Alvin Hendrix. formerly of Nebraska
and Colorado, is .
the new State man-
ager. He was associated with theatres in
Lincoln, Neb., and the Chief in Colorado
Springs. Eddie Tucker is assistant at the
State. He has been there about four years,
except for a few months he put in at the
Center after its opening.
Booking and buying on the Row Monday
were Miss Walsey Campbell of Newkirk. who
was accompanied by her brother Paul, former
owner of the Newkirk Theatre but now
of California: Ed Walker of Lawton; Truman
Ellard of Blanchard: Paul Roberts of Westville,
who was accompanied by his brother
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BOXOFFICE FILES
• • •
(Twenty Years Ago)
CUITS are being filed against several Texas
and Arkansas exhibitors for infringements
on music copyrights. Judge Felix D. Robertson
counsel for Ascap. says; "The rate for
playing copyrighted music is 10 cents per
seat where theatres operate four days or more
a week, and 5 cents per seat per year where
they operate three days or less. This rate is
made to all owners, big chains and nidividuals
alike."
* *
Hal Nortleet. director of exploitation for
the Interstate circuit, is back on the job
again after seven weeks in the sanitarium at
New Braunfels suffering from nervous breakdown
. Teeter has closed the Pantages
in Fort Worth and has leased the Queen in
Wichita Falls. Billy Crowell will manage.
« « &
aisle and falling,
Liability insurance for theatres has reached
a high point. "It isn't the big suits that
cause the worry," says an Oklahoma City
insurance man, "but the little incidents that
keep coming up, such as high heels catching
on the stairs, a person stumbling down a dark
or similar accidents." Pi'actically
all the large theatres carry public liability
insurance with limits high enough to
protect against any probable verdict."
* * *
The Oklahoma Film exchange baseball
AT PARAMOUNT MEETING— Snapped at the recent sales meeting of Paramount
in the Hotel Astor, New York, were the above group from the New Orleans exchange.
Left to right: Foster Hotard, N. Wyckoff, Everett Ol.sen, Manager Gordon Bradley
and Ed Shinn. Olsen is southern exploitcer.
team, a member of the Twilight league, consists
of the following: Ish Clark, Liberty
Specialty; Gray Pridgen. FBO: Frank Plumlee,
Liberty Specialty; Harry Drennen, Warners:
Edgar Gregg, MGM; Albert Vewter,
First National; George Crosstwait, Paramount;
Grover Livingston. MGM; Bill Paara,
Paramount; Olin Nuckols, O. K. Motor Bus;
Harold Naughton ( i. MGM; Green
Bond. Griffith Bros.; V. C. Moody, National
Theatre Supply; Clyde Nichols, O. K. Motor
Bus; Sam Becker, MGM.
Simon Charninsky, 45, managing director
of the Capitol Theatre, Dallas, died May 8.
He was stricken at his office with acute indigestion
... At the convention of the PTTO
of Texas H. A. Cole was re-elected president.
Burt Kmg, Stamford, first vice-president; A.
J. Callahan. Crockett, second vice-president;
A. V. Wade. Gainesville, vice-president; H.
T. Hodge, Abilene, vice-president; Henry
Sparkes, Cooper, vice-president; Jack Lilly,
Greenville, secretary- treasurer,
T. H. "Billy" Duckett jr. has been made
manager of the Arcadia, east Dallas neighborhood
house, one of the Dent chain. He
i.s a nephew of Lopuis I. Dent, president of
the Dent
Texas
circuit
FBO
H. E. Bo.swell, East
. . .
representative, and Josephine
Wood, Dallas girl, were married recently . . .
HaiTy T. Peeble, Dallas manager of Liberty
Specialty product, has been appointed assistant
general manager of the entire exchange
group.
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. . Al
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NEW ORLEANS
Toy Houck, president of Joy Theatres, Inc.,
is enjoying a rest at liis boyhood home in
Magnolia, Ark. . Crook, who has been
managing theatres for the Bill Lighter circuit,
has accepted the position of general
IN THEATRES
manager of the Arrow and Jeff theatres in
Jefferson parrish, owned by W. Castay . . .
C. A. Knight has opened the Gulfport Drivein
between Gulfport and Biloxi, Miss.
Leon Felder, Altec representative, returned
from Mississippi, where he supervised the installation
of equipment in several new theatres
. . . Fred Jack, southern division manager
for United Artists, was in the city from
Dallas . Moore, who operates the
"official" Filmi'ow photo studio, returned last
week from New York, where she spent several
days. During her trip she spent a weekend
on Cape Cod with friends.
. . Lillie Blanchett,
A. L. Morgan, booker and assistant manager
for the Fred T. McLendon circuit, with
headquarters in Union Springs,
Mae
Ala., was in
the city a few days .
Dixie Films clerk, underwent an emergency
appendectomy May 19 at French hospital . . .
Bill Johnson and A. E. Chadwick of MPA returned
from a business trip to their Atlanta
office.
Sidney Harp, who operates the Grand theatres
in Donaldsonville and Thibodaux, is a
patient in Temple university hospital. Philadelphia,
Pa. . . . Announcements have been
received by friends of the former Cherry
Preisser, musical comedy star from New Orleans
and wife of David Hopkins, film studio
executive of Hollywood, of the birth of a
daughter, her fifth.
J. E. Hobbs, Atlanta Republic manager, and
Leo Seichnaydre, local manager, report they
have closed a deal with the Fred T. McLendon
cbxuit for all of their product, both in
the New Orleans and Atlanta territories . . .
Al O. Bondy of General Electric, New York,
spent several days at the local Kay Films office
The downtown theatre lineup last
. . . week included "Unconquered" at the Saenger,
"The Bride Goes Wild" at the Loew's State.
"The Mating of Millie" at the RKO Orpheum,
"The Fighting 69th" and "Valley of the
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Giants" at the RKO Liberty, "To the Victor"
at the Joy, "Tarzan's Secret Ti'easure" at the
Center, "Lydia" at the Tudor and "Sitting
Pretty" at the Globe.
Recently opened at Zachary, La., was the
Trio Theatre, operated by Mauel S. Slaughter
and A. D. McKowen . Virsen soon
will open his 500-seat house in Morgan City,
La.
New Orleans Allied
Marks First Year
NEW ORLEANS—Allied Theatre Owners
of the Gulf States will hold its first anniversary
party June 1 at the Lakewood Country
club.
The party is open to nonmembers as well
as to members, and officials are expecting
representatives of the distribution companies,
other exhibitors and such national Allied
leaders as William L. Ainsworth of Fond du
Lac, Wis., Allied States president: Trueman
T. Rembusch of IndianapoUs, Ind., national
treasurer; their wives, and Col. H. A. Cole,
president of the Allied Theatre Owners of
Texas.
This is the first time in the history of the
New Orleans exchange territory that an independent
exhibitor organization has reached
its first anniversary.
Leaders of the organization last week returned
from Denver, where they attended the
national Allied board meeting. They entered
a successful bid for the December convention
of national Allied, the bid being contingent
on the ability of the group to get adequate
hotel accommodations. Attending the Denver
meeting were William Prewitt and Abe
Berensen of New Orleans and L. J. Langlois
of New Roads. They traveled in Prewitt's
private plane.
Judge Refuses Injunction
To Stop Drive-In Project
KNOXVILLE—Pleas for an injunction
against construction of a drive-in on Newcom
avenue near Kingston pike have been
denied here by Special Chancellor Robert A.
Elkins.
Residents of Newcom avenue filed the petition,
charging that noise from the drive-in
would be objectionable.
"In this world we live in today." Chancellor
Elkins said in his decision, "we camiot be
entirely free from noises and inconveniences."
He said the theatre would not be a nuisance
if properly maintained. The property, he
pointed out, has been zoned for industrial
purposes for years.
The proposed drive-in, to be built by
Drive-In Theatres, Inc., of Montgomery. Ala.,
will. cost $80,000 to $90,000.
W. D. Johnson Building
Drive-In at Alexandria
ALEXANDRIA, LA.—W, D. Johnson, owner
of the Fox Theatres with headquarters here,
has leased several acres of land on Mac-
Arthur drive near Alexandria and construction
of a drive-in theatre was started May
17. The drive-in will be known as the Fox
Drive-In and will cost approximately $50,000.
It is expected it will be placed in operation
about July 1.
86 BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 1948

A. Brown Parkes Gets
New Lease on Liie
BIRMINGHAM—A. Brown Parkes, wellknown
southern theatre executive, is making
a comeback.
With years of experience as a theatre manager
and film company executive, Parkes is
now doorman at the Empire Theatre and
happy as a lark over the chance to get back
in his profession after a seven-year absence.
He was long connected with the Paramount-
Publix organization, serving all over the south.
At one time he was special representative in
Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, west Tennessee
and east Texas. He also worked in the new
theatre department, where schooling newmanagers
was among his duties.
As a district supervisor, Parkes represented
Paramount in Louisiana, Arkansas and east
Texas territories, and in Pennsylvania. After
serving as managing director of the Saenger
Theatre in New Orleans and city manager in
Shreveport, La., Parkes worked in Paramount's
foreign department in Panama,
Guatemala, Cuba and north Mexico.
The veteran showTnan is perhaps best
known in Birmingham. He was manager of
the Jefferson Theatre here for more than
20 years and was managing director of both
the Pantage and Temple theatres here when
they first opened. Into those houses he
booked all of the outstanding artists of the
time.
Credit for his comeback is given by Parkes
to Alcoholics Anonymous and to Frank V.
Merritt, general manager of Acme Theatres
here.
Jack Jackson Joins Sack
To Handle Foreign Films
DALLAS-Jack Jackson, active tor the la.'^l
25 years in distribution and exhibition, has
been placed in charge of the foreign film
Sack Amusement Enterprises, ac-
division of
cording to Alfred N. Sack, general manager of
the independent distribution setup.
Jackson will assume his new duties June
1 with offices in the Sack building at Pearl
and Jackson streets.
Sack Amusement Enterprises are pioneer
distributors of foreign films in the south, and
the addition of Jaekson to its .staff indicates
a plan for long-range development of the use
of foreign films in the Dallas and Atlanta
territories served by the Sack exchanges.
Covering the southern area will be like
celebrating "old home week" says Jackson,
who formerly traveled these states with exploitation
pictures of his own.
TEI to Start Work Soon
On House in Portales
PORTALES. N. M.—Theatre Enterprises,
Inc.. is getting ready to start work on a new
1.100-seat theatre here, according to Russell
Ackley, city manager for the circuit. Louis
Higdon, district manager, w'as here recently
looking over the .site, now occupied by the
Masonic building. TEI purchased it two years
ago. The circuit also operates the Yam and
Kiva theatres here.
To Play Themselves
Xavier Cugat and his band will play themselves
in the Metro picture, "Neptune's
Daughter."
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BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948 87

LeRoy Bickel Still Going of Top Speed
After 30 Years as MGM Head in Dallas
DALLAS—LeRoy Bickel, who at 70 continues
to be one of the most active, agressive
and successful film salesmen in the southwest,
recently observed his 30th anniversary
of continuous service with MGM. He is
branch manager here.
Known in the trade as the "travelingbranch
manager," Bickel spends fully half of
the time out in the field closing deals, leaving
office routine to capable assistants.
He and E. H. Hulsey, the state's first bigtime
theatre operator, purchased the Metro
franchise for Texas 30 years ago and Bickel
became the manager. Up to that time, 90 per
cent of his career has been spent as a sales-
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Phone T3-2026 L
man. The rest of the time he was an exhibitor.
Four years ago, during the 50th anniversary
celebration of motion pictures, Bickel was
in the news as a pioneer showman. He was
linked with such well known exhibitors as
Morris Loewenstein, oldest showman in years
of service in Oklahoma City, and Pete and
John Sinopoulo and C. E. Momand, father
of A. B. Momand of Shawnee, other Oklahoma
early birds.
Bickel was not always in show business,
however. He was good at railroading before
that. He quit a lucrative job as engineer on
the L&N railroad to open the Theatorium in
Oklahoma City in 1907. This venture wasn't
successful until the Thaw-White film came
along. B-lckel had watched barkers at carnivals
get crowds with noises and other ruses
and became adept along the same line. His
was the first art display on a picture to
which he pointed with a cane. His effort
for one month, July, netted him the unheard
of and colossal profit of $1,400 on five cent
admissions.
Bickel had theatres in Ardmore and
Wynnewood before coming to Texas to operate
the Rex in Waco. He had this theatre
until 1917, though it was a profitless venture,
just as many Texas theatres were in those
years. Metro franchise was Bickel's next
step up the ladder.
Somewhere in Oklahoma he picked up the
nickname, Casey Jones, and it followed him
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into Texas. During later years, when film
prices went up, he was referred to in a lighter
vein as having been an associate of the
James boys up in Oklahoma.
With the old arbitration board in the 20s
and early 30s, he served diligently on many
cases and made far more awards to exhibitors
than he did to distributors. MGM had continually
outgrown its quarters until the present
modern exchange structure was built
some 12 years ago under his supervision.
For a hobby and recreation, Bickel plays
golf, and he's good at it. He takes his clubs
over the territory to engage theatre men in
friendly melees. He is a member and a
worker in the Variety Club of Texas. Theatre
men over the southwest and film men
over the nation sent him the warmest of
congratulations during recent weeks as news
of a fine and long record of service reached
them. He is still very much on the job as
one of Texas' most resourceful film men.
Charges Breach of Lease
TUSCALOOSA. ALA.—Walter Dockery, Alberta
City, Ala., has filed a civil suit for
$120,000 in circuit court here against James
R. Doss jr., local radio station operator,
charging breach of contract. Dockery claims
that Doss failed to can-y out terms of a
contract to lease an Alberta City building
which recently was opened as the Capstone
Theatre. The suit charges that Doss leased
the building for 20 years, but later refused
to enter into the lease. Harry G. Willoughby
recently opened the Capstone, a 500-seat
house.
THREE
NEW YORK
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SAN ANTONIO
. . Rollie Moore
/^iver B. Thomas, manager of the State,
was in Galveston last week taking treatment
for a chronic ailment .
is relieving Mrs. Mary Grimes, manager at
the Prince, who is away on her vacation
. . . Mrs. Beverly W. Spillman, wife of the
theatre architect, was visiting in Memphis.
On her return next month she and her husband
will move into their new residence on
Mandalay drive.
Joe Alston ijay Ralston i. local lad who
has worked in one Hollywood production, is
here visiting his parents and also doing work
for the San Antonio Little Theatre . . .
Clifford Doolittle, guitarist here, who has
been featured in a musical short, is off for
New York where Bexar coimty's sheriff's
posse will be presented in Madison Square
Garden with Cliff on a white stallion singing
over a nationwide hookup.
The Prince Theatre recently presented
"Heading for Heaven," an Eagle Lion release,
first run; "House Rent Party," an allcolored
picture, w'ent into the Cameo on a
special engagement; "State of the Union"
opened at the Texas May 20 . . . Returning at
regular prices in the Majestic Thursday was
"Duel in the Sun," and at the Aztec for an
initial run was "Three Daring Daughters."
The Empire had "Fighting Mad" and "Gangsters"
for split-week showings.
. . . Recent
Frank L. "Dutch" Browning, 65, former
radio singer and ex-vaudeville artist, died
here May 19 from burns received when his
home caught on fire. He had been an invalid
for seven years. Sm-viving is his widow.
who suffered second-degree burns when the
flames destroyed their house
callers were Georgia Hayes, El Campo; M.
Gonzalez, Panamericano Films, Laredo, Tex.,
and Bernard Dennis, Sunny Slope.
Three new theatres have been opened in
this territory. Lioiiel Rodi'iguez recently
opened the Openair at Eagle Pass; James
Dodd opened the Anthony Theatre in Anthony,
and Alberto Adalpe opened the La
Sara Theatre in La Sara . shopping
for Mexican films were Arnulfo Gonzales of
Avalon and Pan-American in Corpus Christi:
Lloyd Munter of the Azteca and Yolanda in
Eagle Pass: J. J. Rodrigues of the Pan-
American Teatro in Dallas; Carolina Luna
of Crystal City: Gus Lavenant of the Haydee
in Dilley; Frank Ti-evino of the Ideal in
Pearsall; Alfred Pena of the Aztec in Natalia,
and W. L. Youngblood of the Texas in
Poth.
Roberto and Rebecca Gallegos of the Azteca
front office spent a vacation in Monte-
Hymia E. Garcia, another employe
rey . . .
for the same firm, vacationed in Laredo , . .
Joe Carabaza, owner and manager of the film
exchange that bears his name in Laredo,
was in town , recent visitor was
Mayor T. O. Harville of Orange Grove, who
operates the Star Theatre there.
Jack Jackson of the Teatro Ritz in Houston
was in the Alamo City with his wife,
a former film actress. He called on an old
. . Billy
.
friend, L. J. Pico, former theatre organist,
Guy
who now operates a key shop .
Buckaleu, service chief at the Texas, spent a
portion of his vacation in Austin
. . Bud
Whaley, San Antonio disk jockey, is alternating
his nightly show between the Fredericksburg
road and Trail drive-in theatres.
Both ozoners are operated by Underwood &
Ezell and feature these musical recordings
45 miiiutes before the first showing of the
picture programs. Whaley is with KMAC.
Felix Knig:ht of the Metropolitan Opera
Co. will be in San Antonio June 19-21 to
appear in "The Vagabond King," the Civic
Opera's first presentation of the season, at
the Sunken Garden Theatre in Breckenridge
park. During the summer a series of
concerts and light operas will be given
under the stars at the park.
Red River Dave and his western revue,
featuring Diane Hart, opens at the Texas
Theatre here June 10 in conjunction with
the first local showing of the Universal-International
short. "Echo Ranch." which the
troupe recently made near here. The feature
picture for the week is "Adventures in
Silverado" . . . The Alamo Heights address
for BOXOFFICE was incorrect in a recent
San Antonio colurrm. The correct address is
357 Redwood, not Rosewood.
George Watson, city manager for Interstate,
was a guest disk jockey for station
KYFM. Each Sunday night local business
executives are chosen to serve as disk jockeys
and play whatever musical recordings they
wish.
The Broadway, Interstate house in Alamo
Heights, held a teen-ager style show on their
stage. Sponsored by three local schools, the
fashions were modeled by the students
latest
of the Alamo Heights independent school district
...TO. Harville. who operates the
Star in Orange Grove, was elected mayor of
Orange Grove in the recent city election . . .
W. B. Whitaker of the Texas. Stanton: Joe
Justiniani of the Azteca, Houston, and Humberto
Gonzalez of the Rex, Zapata, were in
the Alamo city recently to contract for Mexican
product.
/ miHs
^ ^^
LA.
218

MMk.
Finds Cooperation With Newspaper
Key to Small Town Showmanship
By EDDIE COPE
PORT LAVACA. TEX.—Too many smalltown
exhibitors are passing up a good bet
by not cooperating with their local weekly
papers, in the opinion of Douglas J. Spieckerman.
manager of the Port Lavaca Theatre,
who works hand-in-glove with the publisher
of the Calhoun County News. Port
Lavaca is a Texas gulf town of approximately
3.500 population. The News ciixulation it
1,300 and the Spieckerman-managed Long
house seats 425.
"Cooperation with my local weekly paper
is certainly paying off at the boxoffice," the
30-year-old manager says. "And I'm sure
that any other exhibitor in a small town can
do the same things I do and get the same
happy results."
What is the Spieckerman system?
First of all, he's a steady advertiser. Every
week he runs a one-column, six-inch advertisement
which carries the coming week's
program. Every time the paper runs a special
edition—not more than two or three
times a year— Spieckerman comes in with his
congratulatory ad. which might be any size
from a 2x5 to a quarter page.
"And naturally," the manager continued,
"whenever I have a roadshow attraction
booked, I boost the amount of space."
It pays to advertise, he pointed out, not
only for the results per se, but also for the
goodwill engendered from the paper itself.
"Publishers are only human," he said. "If
you do something for them, they certainly
Douglas J, Spieckerman, left, gives a
news tip to Publisher Ruel McDaniel of
the Calhoun County News.
will
do something for you.
"It's wise to keep in mind, also, that your
local weekly paper is the biggest publicopinion-molding
agency in your county. Don't
get crossways with it."
Spieckerman declared that the News runs
at least one free news story every week,
sometimes on the front page, listing coming
attractions for the next seven-day period.
From time to time, as the occasion arises.
Spieckerman turns in small news items and
these items more often than not are blown
up to several paragraphs in the next issue.
These items have to do with personnel
changes, policy changes, openingtime changes,
out-of-town visitors, activities of theatre personnel,
the booking of an outstanding picture,
tips of theatre parties, human-interest
happenings.
"I try to keep in mind," he says, "that
the editor of a paper is anxious to get all
the news he can—especially about local
people and local businesses. Country weeklies
are especially interested in running names
in their columns. Corny as it is, that old
saying about 'names make news' is truer
than ever where small-town weeklies are
concerned."
Spieckerman also gave out this suggestion:
Nearly every weekly has an "editor says" column—usually
a chatty, informal, humorous
column about local trivia. In many cases
this coluimi is run on the front page. Spieckerman.
from long experience in a number
of Texas towns, claims that these columns
usually are the most widely read part of
the paper. So what does he do? He slants as
much of his material as possible for that
spot.
"The News has such a column." he said.
"Just recently I had a cute little item about
a dog that came into the theatre during a
dog picture. That was all the top-off the
publisher needed. He did himself proud in
writing up that simple little fact in his
front-page column."
A yoimg old-showman, Spieckerman
launched himself at the age of 12 as popcorn
boy and relief doorman at the Crystal
in Gonzales. Later he went to work for
Griffith in Belton. San Saba and Marfa.
He joined the Long organization as manager
of the Capitol in West Columbia and
from there was shifted to Port Lavaca.
I
If It's Good Promotion .
.
some
BOXOFFICE
one will
report it in .
Fresh from the scenes of the activities each week come constant
reports of merchandising of films. Most of these are ideas -you
can use for your own promotion. All of them are interesting and
most of them are profitable in other similar circumstances. Make
full use of these practical ideas b-y practical showmen, man-y of
whom you may know.
Motion pictures lend themselves ideally to good advertising. The public interest is
high.
Capitalize on the interest that already exists and increase your at
tendance 'with proved ideas.
90 BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948

Plan Four Theatres
In North Carolina
GREENSBORO. N, C—John F. Wicker,
architect,
reports working drawings and specifications
have been completed for the following
theatre projects:
Lillington Tlieatre, Lillington, N. C; 400
seats main floor, 185 balcony; front of brick
and cast stone rim, base of precast stone.
For Everett Enterprises, Charlotte.
Modern Theate, Greensboro; 1,000 seats for
Negroes; air conditioned; front of Mo-Sai
architectin-al stone. Modern Enterprises.
Farmville Theatre, Farmville, N. C; 45u
seats main floor, 200 balcony; front of white
stucco with structural glass trimming. Everett
Enterprises.
Wadesboro Theatre, Wadesboro, N. C; 489
seats main floor, 242 balcony; front of Mo-
Sai precast stone. Everett Enterprises.
Monroe, N. C. Businessmen
Will Build 900-Seater
MONROE. N. C—Purchase of the Pastime
Theatre equipment and contracts, and plans
for the construction of a 900-seat motion picture
theatre were announced here this week
by W. W. Presson and R. M. Dabney, young
businessmen of the city.
The Pastime, a Monroe entertainment
center for many years, was bought from Mrs.
J. Earl Shute. who has been in ill health for
some time. The new owners will take control
June 1 and continue to operate at its present
location until the new building to be erected
on West Franklin street is completed. Last
week Pi'esson and Dabney purchased the old
Turner residence on Franklin street. The
house on the lot is being razed and a new
theatre building to seat 800 to 900 persons
will be erected on the site. Contracts will be
let at the earliest possible moment. It is not
expected, however, to be completed until early
next year.
Live Talent Being Used
At Ft. Oglethorpe House
FORT OGLETHORPE, GA.~An attempt to
revive vaudeville is being made at the Fort
Oglethorpe Theatre.
Producer J. J. French Jacks is combining
local and imported talent every Monday and
Tuesday nights in a show entitled, "Hits and
Bits of Yesterday." There is a five-piece orchestra,
with "Honey Boy" Wilson, blackface
minstrel, as headliner.
Mrs. Anne Snider, business manager, said
that the theatre is sponsoring an amateur
night each Friday night in connection with
its film program.
Memphis Polio Victim Is Overjoyed
At Wheelchair Gift From Goldwyn
Kiwanians Hear Buzbee
SELMA, ALA.—Lawrence M. Buzbee. manager
of the Ritz Theatre in Dadeville, Ala.,
was principal speaker before the Selma Kiwanis
club during I Am an American week.
Buzbee is district lieutenant governor of
Kiwanis.
Gets Building Permit
BILOXI. MIS5.—A building permit has
been issued to Ernest E. Summerlin for the
erection of a picture show at 1643 East
Howard Ave.
MEMPHIS—Some time ago Virginia Bell,
16. Memphis polio victim, wrote a letter to
the Prcss-Scimitar wishing for a wheelchair
as a miracle. It was her entry in a
contest promoting the opening of the picture.
"The Bishop's Wife."
Out in Hollywood Virginia's letter was read
by Samuel Goldwyn. He wired his Memphis
representative, Fred Ford, publicity man for
RKO, that a wheelchair was on the way as
his gift to Virginia. Before it arrived a war
veteran, Henry KoUer of Memphis, sent one
of his two chairs to Virginia.
Then the chair from Hollywood arrived.
It was a folding chair, chrome plated and
cloth-backed, the kind you would expect
from Hollywood.
Virginia heard about Harold George, an
arthritis victim who needed a chair and her
dilemma was solved. She gave him the chair
Koller had given her and she kept the one
from Goldwyn.
In the photo is Virginia in the Goldwyn
chair and George. Standing are Bill Trotter,
announcer; Fred Ford, RKO publicist, and Jo
McKinnon, radio publicist.
Three Theatres Get Okay
From Fire Department
GREENVILLE. MISS—Three theatres here
have complied with all requirements for fire
prevention. Assistant Chief Robert Sudduth
has informed the city council. Some time ago
the council informed the theatre management
that they would either have to comply with
safety regulations or close their doors. The
theatres which have complied with the requirements
are the Lake, Harlem and Lincoln.
The latter two are Negro houses.
Circuit Names Drive-In
NASHVILLE—The new drive-in on Murfreesboro
road here will be named the Crescent.
It is being built by Crescent Amusement
Co. and is scheduled to open July 4.
It will provide space for approximately 800
cars.
Mrs. Mary H. Davis Dies
CLEWISTON, FLA.—Mrs. Mary Hayes
Davis, 64, owner of the LaBelle Theatre,
died at her home here May 17. Mrs. Davis
formerly owned theatres in Naples, Venice,
Moore Haven, Pompano, Clewiston and Fort
Myers Beach.
BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948
t

. . . The
. . Fay
. . . Joe
. . Carl
. . Edsel
. . . Jack
. . The
I
I
CHARLOTTE
T C. Stanley will open his new Lincoln Theatre
for colored in Whiteville, N. C,
June 4 . . . Mrs. Verdah Looper has resigned
as secretary to Manager Cy Dillon of Republic
and has joined Film Classics as booker
. . . The Belmont, N. C, Drive-In was opened
May 20 by G. W. and C. H. Paw.
The Midway Park-In between Concord and
Kannapolis, N. C. opened May 20. It is owned
by Everett Enterprises Drive-In Theatres Co.,
of which H. D. Hearn is general manager.
Members of Filmrow who attended state it
is one of the best . . . The North 29 Drive-In
near here was opened May 25 by ASF Corp.
Williston Theatre in Williston. S. C.
has been sold by William Greene to Mrs.
J. P. Dobson of Barnwell, S. C. Mrs. Dobson
also operates the Ritz in Barnwell.
. . .
Brock Whitlock of Loew's State in Elizabeth
City, N. C, was on the Row to book
and buy . . A. R. Thomas opened his new
.
theatre for Negroes in Fairfax, S. C, May 21.
Bob
It has been named the Spencer
Pinson reports Astor Pictures has grown so
much that they have moved into larger
quarters adjoining the old office . . . Roy P.
Rosser. Temple. Sanford. N. C, is hospitalized
as the result of an accident on the golf
course.
C. C. Hester, manager of the Carolina in
Rock Hill, is recuperating at the York
County hospital after undergoing an appendectomy
. Roberts, stenographer at
Republic, resigned to accept a position in
the bank in her home town of Mount Holly
92
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Acardi has opened his drive-in in
Morganton.
The 400-car Salisbury Drive-In, a mile
from Salisbury on the Albemarle highway,
was opened Monday night (24) by S. L. Pinkston
and J. W. Martin of Lincolnton, who
along with F. B. Gregg own and operate the
Friendly Drive-In at Lincolnton. The theatre
is equipped with in-car metal type
Mobilton speakers supplied by Theatrecraft
Mfg. Corp., Cleveland, and RCA sound and
projection by Southeastern Theatre Supply
Co. F. B. Gregg is agent in the states of
North Carolina and Tennessee for the Mobilton
speaker.
Mr. Hager is building a new theatre in
Harmony. N. C, and expects to open some
time in July .
Kelly hopes to open
his new theatre in Troutman, N. C, in July
... A new theatre is being constructed in
Booneville, N. C.
L. A. Linder, operator of theatres in Williamston,
Pelzer and Piedmont, S. C, is building
a new theatre in Pendlet

. . The
. . 'Variety
. . Doak
. . Roy
. . May
. . Bern
Three New Theatres
Rising in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM—Conslructioii is progressing
on three new theatres in the state.
John M. Lakeman has started construction
of a $100,000 theatre at Haleyville. The hou.se
has tentatively been named the Star. Planned
in the fall of 1946. construction was held up
because a permit could not be obtained. A
store building will flank each side of the
700-seat theatre. Eight or nine offices are
to be built upstairs.
The $100,000 War Eagle Theatre in Auburn
will be completed about July 1, according
to officials of Auburn Theatre. Inc. The
theatre will have 700 seats. "War Eagle" is
the football battle-ci-y of the football team
at Alabama Polytechnic institute, which is
located at Auburn. Robert B. Sims is president
of the theatre corporation. Walter B.
Gilbert is vice-president and Charles A.
Floyers jr. secretary-treasurer.
Construction was resumed May 24 on Muscle
Shoals Theatres' 900-seat house at Tuscumbia.
All steel is now on the ground, officials
said. Excavation and construction of
the foundation were completed some time
ago. Architects are Marr & Holmes, Nashville,
who also designed the Colbert and
Shoals theatres in the Tricities area and the
Knickerbocker, Belle Meade and Melrose theatres
in Nashville.
O'Brien on Atlanta Stage
Despite Infected Hands
ATLANTA—Pat O'Brien, star of "Fighting
Father Dunne." appeared here at the Paramount
May 13 despite a serious infection of
both hands. Accompanying him were Mrs.
O'Brien and Jane Wyatt. feature player.
O'Brien stepped off the train carrying a
baby bathtub and wearing white mittens and
refused to shake hands with anyone. He
seemed apologetic as he backed away from
reporters, although he is not shy or reticent.
"Doctor's orders," he said. Mrs. O'Brien said
they were ready to rush to the hotel and prepare
the baby tub and for Pat to bathe his
hands in a special solution. "We have to do
this every few hours," she added.
When asked his answer to the boxoffice
slump, O'Brien said it will have to be production
of better pictures. "I don't blame the
public and I don't believe in reissuing old pictures,"
he added. "When people go to see a
movie they want to be entertained and not
ponder some big problem on the screen and
then leave the theatre wondering what it was
all about."
O'Brien. Mrs. O'Brien and Miss Wyatt made
four appearances on the Paramount stage.
They visited hospitals and radio stations and
Saturday night were guests of honor at the
Ansley roof.
Other Attractions Cut
Atlanta Film Grosses
ATLANTA— Other attractions cut business
under average. The weather was hot and
dry.
(Avenae IS 100)
Loews Grand—Arch oi Triumph (UA) ... 99
Tower—How Green Was My Valley (20th-FoxJ;
Leave Her to Heaven {20th-Fox), reissues 96
rox— Fori Apache (RKO) 97
ParamounI—The 'Sainted' Sisters (Para) 94
Hoxy— I Remember Mama (RKO), holdover
from Fox gQ
MEM PHIS
Two new theatre openings are reported in
the Memphis exchange territory. F. A.
Parvin opened the Parvin Theatre in Evening
Shade, Ark., and Floyd B. Peek opened
the Garland Theatre in Little Rock . . . David
Adcox bought Base Theatre. Newport, Ark.,
May n . Base Theatre. BIytheville,
Ark., was sold by Robert Dunham to James
C. Fisher May 18.
B. F. Bushby and G. W. Jones, Little Rock,
were in for conferences w'ith Neil Blount,
manager of Monarch Theatre Supply Co. . . .
T W. Bridge, branch manager, accompanied
by salesmen Joe Young and Tom Donahue
and booking manager Bob Kilgore, attended
the Paramount meeting in Chicago May
24. 25 and 26 . Roberts, district
manager with headquarters in Dallas, was
a visitor at Warner Bros. So was Sol Kravitz.
home office representative.
George F. Cooper, traveling auditor, and
Mrs. Cooper are in town for a spell while
Cooper works at 20th-Fox . Ware is
the branch manager's new secretary at Columbia
. Club held a carnival
party last Saturday night . Marriner,
branch manager of United Artists in St.
Louis, was a visitor . Acuff. mountain
music man, has been making the rounds
of theatres in the Memphis territory.
Mid south exhibitors on the Row included
Mrs. H. G. Walden of Red Bay. Gordon
Hutchins of Corning, Mr. and Mrs. Roy
Cochran of North Little Rock. Sam Kirby of
Little Rock, Alvin Tipton of Caroway, Frank
Fisher of Como, Wilfoi-d Bond of Dyer, Louise
Mask of Bolivar, Whyte Bedford of Hamilton,
W. B. Hammond of Bradford, John Staples of
Piggott, Orris Collins of Paragould, Frank
Patterson of Junction City, C. J. Collier, Mrs.
C. H. Collier, Mrs. Valrie Burke and Bem
Jackson of Drew, W. D. Todd, Trezevant, Jack
Watson of Tunica and Pat Fleming of Round
Pond.
SHOWMEN—ATTENTION!
D[
JIMMY FIDLER'S
THE
Other exhibitors on the Row included Leo
Roundtree of Water 'Valley, Amelia Ellis of
Mason, W. B. McFarland of Hornersville, J.
H. Moore of Crenshaw, J. C. Bonds of Hernando,
Nathan Reiss of Bruce, Cliff Peck of
Covington, W. F. Ruffin sr. of Covington, G.
H. Goff of Parsons, Terry Axley of England,
J. Jackson Rhodes of Crittenden and W. R.
Tutt of Tunica.
Double bills featured the programs of four
local theatres showing kiddy matinees last
Saturday. The youngsters and parents, too,
apparently like double features.
. .
Theatre attendance at first run houses was
about average la.st week, when the Southern
Baptist convention was held in Memphis.
Loew's Palace had the best week with "I
Remember Mama" . Air conditioning was
turned on in all Memphis theatres la.st week.
Swimming pools opened. The weather was
hot and dry. The Memphis Open Air Theatre
opened for the summer.
Benefit for Hospital Fund
ALICEVILLE, ALA.—The Palace here presented
six showings of "The Jolson Story"
for the benefit of the Aliceville hospital fund
Monday and Tuesday ( 24-25 1. Prices were
50 cents for children and $1 for adults.
Features Serials
-
Westerns
KAY FILM EXCHANGES
300 W. Third St. 410 So. Second St.
CHAHLOTTE, N. C. MEMPHIS. TENN.
163 Walton Street, N. W.
ATLANTA, GA.
I
with 50 Screen Stars
Including
NOW READY!
JEAN HARLOW — MARE DRESSLER — CHARLIE CHAPLIN
DOUG FAIRBANKS — RUDOLPH VALENTINO — MARY PICKFORD
BARBARA LA MARR — WILL ROGERS
18 Minutes
ASTOR PICTURES CO. of
Ga. Int.
163 Walton St. Atlanta, Ga.
BOXOFFICE :
: May 29, 1948
93
i-.

,
Edgar
. The
, , E.
. , W.
. ,
In
ATLANTA
pack from a business trip to Athens was
W. K. Jenkins, president, and E. E.
Whitaker and Mack McCoy, city manager for
Georgia Theatres in Augusta. Frank P.
Byram jr.. former owner of the Cove in
Green Cove Springs and now BOXOFFICE
representative in Florida, was here . . . Mack
Jackson of the Strand and Jackson, Alexander
City, Ala., was here several days,
. . , Ike
Henry G. Moon of Benton Film Express is
the father of a baby girl ... On the Row
were O. C. Lam, president of the Lam Amusement
Co., Rome: John Moffett, Carver, Montgomery;
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Whitestone,
Pair Mount. Fair Mount, and Jay Soloman,
Independent Theatres. Chattanooga
and Harry Katz of Fay Exchanges checked
in after a trip to New York.
Paramount notes: Leonard Allen, publicity
chief, went to Nashville and Birmingham . . .
Back from a sales meeting in New York
were Allen, Clyde Goodson, Bill Holliday,
E. Fitzgerald. W. R. Word, B. W. Smith and
Prank Polger. Polger, former booking manager,
is the new Georgia salesman . , . Bill
Holliday has been appointed manager in Jacksonville,
replacing Al Duren, who has gone
to Charlotte, E. Fitzgerald has been appointed
sales manager . S, Winburn and Harlow
Lamb are to open a theatre seating 300 in
Chiefland. Fla ... In booking and buying were
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Aiken, Norcross, Norcross.
AT FAKAMOUNT FAKLhV— Snapped al the recent sales meeting of Paramount
in the Hotel Astor, New York, were the above contingents from the southeast. Top
panel, left to right: Everett Olsen (southern exploiteer), E. C. Deberry, Paul Cockrill,
Lawrence Terrell, Ed Chumley and Manager Harry Haas, Charlotte exchange. Center:
Frank Folger, B. W. Smith jr., Clyde Goodson, W. K. Word jr., BUI HoUiday and Ed
Fitzgerald. Atlanta. Bottom: Al Duren, Robert Stevens and Fred Mathis, Jacksonville,
Fla.
BIRMINGHAM
•Phis city will be one of the first in the .south
to see "The Iron Curtain." The film
which recently provoked a picket -line riot in
New York City, has been booked for the Alabama
Theatre for the week of June 3 . . .
Francis S. Falkenburg. Alabama manager,
has been chosen as one of the judges for the
Southeastern A.A.U. Olympic boxing tryouts
here June 3-5.
Fritz May, former North Birmingham Theatre
manager for Waters, spent his vacation
You can get your
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moving into a new home on the property of
the Shades Mountain Drive-In. May will
manage the drive-in when it is opened in
three or four weeks. Until the opening he
will serve as Waters circuit relief manager
Carl We.sler, Homewood Theatre manager
for Waters, spent his vacation in Florida
.. Knox, formerly manager at
.
the Avon Theatre for Waters, has been employed
by the circiut as relief manager.
Mrs. Sarah Claire Deitcnbeck, n^other of
William Deitenbeck, manager of Wilby-
Kincey's Druid and Diamond theatres in
Tuscaloosa, died here recently. Funeral services
were held here. A native of South Dakota,
she had been a long-time resident of
Birmingham . . . Margaret M. Balew is new
relief cashier for Waters. She replaces Willie
Bunch, who has been named cashier at Fair-
replacing Lucy Barnes, resigned.
field,
Tri-State Theatre Service & Supply
318 South Second Street
MEMPHIS 3. TENN.
Complete Theatre Decorating
Stage Drapes
Appointed as manager of the Pine at Pineview
was J. E, Mashburn Atlanta to
,
confer with John W. Mangham. president of
Screen Guild of Georgia, was Budd Rogers,
vice-president and general manager of Realart
Pictures . . . Also in were Mr. and Mrs.
J. S. Jerett, Ritz, Commerce, and Ebb Duncan,
Dimcan & Richards circuit. CarroUton
James McCormick. former assistant cameraman
and script writer at the University
of Georgia, has joined the Columbia sales
force . . . Mrs, Lonete Holbrook, formerly
with Astor, has joined RKO,
Back in the city after attending the opening
of the Turner in Ashburn. one of the
Luckie Stein theatres, were Charlie Durmeyer.
Carl Floyd. Harold Spears and Jack
Duniestre
, . . Visitors were P. L. Taylor,
Dixie. Columbus: L. J. Dmican. West Point;
M. C, Moore, Riverside, Jacksonville. Fla.,
and C, W. Wade. Wadesonia, Clanton. Ala.
In the city booking and buying were C. L.
Welch, Strand, Dallas, Ga,; H. Greene, booker
for the Orr circuit, AlbertsvOle, Ala,, and
Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Moody, Grand, Reynolds
The Grand at Cornilia, one of the Coat-Co
theatres, opened May 12. House seats
900 and is the second for this company there.
K. B. Wilby and J. H. Harrison of Wilby-
Kincey are back after a visit to Birmingham,
Herman Silverman of Wometco at Miami has
returned there after visiting here and in other
points in the south . W. Pincher jr. is
the new manager of the Fox in Red Bank,
Tenn, H. B, Burden is the new owner of the
Lake in Loudon. Tenn, E. M. Newport expects
to get his new 500-seat Cozy Theatre in
Hellenwood. Tenn,. open some time in July
. . . Auditors in the city were Joe McCurmett
at Universal and Joe Small, Warner Bros.
new drive-in at Lake Mount, Tenn.,
lias opened.
BOXOFFICE :: May 29, 19M
l!

m
DOMINION DROPS TICKET TAX;
THREE PROVINCES TAKE OVER
Ontario, British Columbia
And Manitoba Start
Similar Levies
OTTAWA—Only 50 per cent of the people
of Canada got any benefit from the federal
government's decision last week to drop the
20 per cent admissions tax. For some, it
actually meant an increase of a few cents
in the price of admission. And if the province
of Quebec takes up the tax slack, as
expected, the benefits of the federal action
will accrue to only 25 per cent of the population.
Provincial taxes on admissions went into
effect May 19 in Ontario, Manitoba ana
British Columbia the day after D. C. Abbott,
minister of finance, annoimced to the house
of commons that the government was dropping,
effective inimediately, its 20 per cent
tax on theatre tickets, 25 per cent on night
clubs and 5 per cent on parimutuel betting.
THREE PROVINCES LEVY TAX
By noon the next day, theatres in Ontario,
Manitoba and British Columbia had been
notified by telegram that the new provincial
taxes were in effect.
Because the federal tax was collected on
weekly grosses and the Ontario tax is levied
on each ticket, many theatres in that province
were forced to increase their prices
slightly. The 48-cent matinee charge at first
run houses iii Toronto was raised to 50 cents,
and other odd amoants were leveled off either
by fractional increases oi decreases. One theatre
in Ottawa quoted its puces in fractional
amounts.
Theatres across the river from Ottawa in
Hull, Que., were enjoying a 20 per cent price
advantage over those in this city.
As the federal tax went into limbo, Manitoba
put into effect a 25 per cent tax. The
province had been charging 10 per cent on
top of the federal government's 20 per ceni
war excise tax. Theatregoers thus looked forward
to a saving of 5 per cent under the new
arrangement but exhibitors were quick to
disillusion them.
TINY CUT IMPRACTICAL
Mesho Triller, president of the Manitoba
Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass'n, issued a
statement for the organization, pointing out
that the reduction of 5 per cent would not
mean anything as, in practically every case,
it came to only a fraction of a cent, a saving
impractical and impossible to pass on to the
patron.
The situation in British Columbia was a
duplication of that in Ontario.
Exhibitors throughout the Dominion had
promised federal officials before the 20 per
cent tax that the full saving would be passed
on to the public if the provinces did not step
into the breech. Exhibitors carried out their
word in the provinces where no new taxes
were passed.
In announcing the federal government's
withdrawal from the amusement, night club
and parimutuel tax field, Abbott had said,
"May I be permitted to express the hope
Over 15 Millions
Netted in Last Year
Ottawa—The federal government collected
S15,369,000 in amusement taxes in
the fiscal year ending March 31, 1948,
Finance Minister Abbott told the house
of commons. The revenue the previous
year was $14,552,000 and the year before
that $13,387,000. The government is losing
about §25,000,000 in revenue by forsaking
the amusement, night club and
parimutuel taxes, he said.
There was little in the way of tax relief
as a whole in Abbott's budget message.
A slight modification was made in
the personal income tax. The corporation
income tax remains at 30 per cent and
there is no change in the heavy tax on
candy, soft drinks and cigarets.
that in these cases where the taxpayer will
receive the benefit that, so far as possible,
provincial taxing authorities refrain from
stepping in."
Ontario authorities were immediately assailed
by J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of famous
Players Canadian, for its action in taxing
theatres. "It looks as if we have a pickpocket
at work in Ontario," he said. "Somebody
seems determined to get his hand into
the little man's pocket and get all the money
he can. This is siniply a case of robbing the
man who can least affoi-d it."
The Ontario government is not applying
new taxes to night clubs and this led Fitzgibbons
to say, "When night clubs are not to
be taxed, it appears that a man will be able
to go into a bai- and get his fill of booze
without being taxed, but he can't go to a
movie, the poor man's entertainment, without
being soaked."
UKOP IN ATTENDANCE
Fitzgibbons reported that attendance at
theatres has taken a considerable drop in
the past several weeks. It is normal for patronage
to drop during spring months, he
said, but this year it is more noticeable than
it has been for several years past.
There was criticism in Ontario that the
government did not take over the 5 per cent
tax on parimutuel betting. The concensus
was that those who can afford to bet on
horses can afford to pay an extra tax.
Enforcement of the new tax in Ontario
comes in the midst of the provincial election
campaign, but the ticket tax matter has not
become a main issue of the drive, probably
because two opposition parties voted with
the government for the levy when it came
before the legislature in March. The Motion
Picture Theatres Ass'n of Ontario is trying
to make a political issue of the matter. A
spokesman for the Cooperative Commonwealth
party said the amusement tax would
be abolished in Ontario if the party wins
the election June 7, but this is unlikely.
Meanwhile the province of Quebec intimated
it would take up some of the federal
tax slack by action at the next session of
the legislatm-e. The province now charges
Quebec Intends to Take Up
Slack at Next Session
Of Legislature
12'_- per cent on theatre tickets, which was
in addition to the 20 per cent federal levy.
It was the first province in the Dominion to
have an admission tax. Of the 12'- per cent
collected, 5 per cent goes to municipaUties
where it is collected and the remainder to
the province. The province's public charities
fund has been running an annual deficit of
$4,000,000 for some years and it is likely the
theatres will be asked to take over this load.
As it is, Quebec theatregoers are enjoying
ticket price reductions of ten cents in the
first run Montreal houses and lesser amounts
in neighborhood houses and those in other
cities. Ai'thur Hirsch. president of Consolidated
Theatres, which operates all the
first run houses in Montreal, said some theatres
absorbed part of the federal tax when
it was first imposed and that in these situations
there will be a real reduction in theatre
ticket prices.
British Columbia Co.
Will Build Centers
VANCOUVER—The American Amusement
Co. has been incorporated under British Columbia
laws for $200,000 to build community
center theatres and recreational projects in
the small towns of the province. Percy L.
English is president. Other partners are
William Rodgers and Paul Harmon, two oldtimers
in the Canadian amusement business.
The first of the community enterprises will
be at Newton where a 450-seat theatre, stores
and a bowling alley will be constructed.
O. M. Paulson. Visits
British Industries Fair
REGINA— O. M. Paulson, vice-president
and general sales manager of General Films,
Ltd., importer, producer and distributor of
16mm film, was a member of a ten-man
delegation from Saskatchewan to the British
Industries fair in London. Following the
fair Paulson visited France. Holland and
Switzerland to obtain photographic equipment
for distribution in Canada.
Paulson arrived at New York May 27 on
his return trip to Regina.
Get Slice of Record Tax
OTTAWA—The organized musicians of Ottawa
will receive $3,000 as their share of a
fund of $1,736,721 which had been collected
during the past year by the American Federation
of Musicians through a tax on records
and transcriptions made by union men. Smb'l
allotments of the revenue have been granted
other unions in Canadian cities. The mone»-'
will be used to pay musicians performing at
free
summer concerts.
BOXOFFICE :
: May 29. 1948 K 95

. . The
ST.
JOHN
Bfter seeing shots of a soapbox derby in a
newsreel, Manager Ivan Haley of the Mayfair
in Dartmouth started promoting a similar
event for Dartmouth. He is a member of the
town council. Haley suggested to local organizations
of various kinds that they enter
competitors. He is using the Mayfair screen
in pushing his idea.
The Nova Scotia legislature has kayoed a
bill that would have authorized the Halifax
athletic commission to tax baseball, football
and hockey. The measure had been recommended
by the bills committee of the leg.slature.
Boxing and wrestling are already
taxed. Complaints were made at the exclusion
of horse racing.
A court case in which Franklin & Herschorn
chain is plaintiff and Famous Players
Canadian Corp. is the defendant is tentatively
booked for the last of May in provincial
supreme court, Halifax. P&H seeks a share
of the profits from the Orpheus, now being
. Al
replaced by the Paramount. The claim is
based on a partnership agreement which was
effective for some years
Halifax, former
.
manager of
.
the
Foster of
Yarmouth
Community and now relief manager for Consolidated
Theatres, Montreal, recently visited
Halifax. In addition to his theatre work
Foster has -been doing some disk jockeying
at a Montreal radio station . . . Still active
in bowling although he is about 80 years old
is Bob Boyce. a St. John theatre worker.
Ivan Haley, manager of the Mayfair and
Dundas in Dartmouth, N. S., has devised
detachable aluminum mouldings for still pictures
Jim McLaggan, manager of the
. . . Casino in Halifax, takes his pen in hand
occasionally to endorse Casino bills over his
signature.
When the Nova Scotia board of censors
moves to a new location it will have its own
projection room, with seats for about 25 persons
. . . Manager Ernie Hatfield of Yarmouth
Community arranged with Yarmouth
merchants for printing on peck-size bags, a
picture of Esther Williams in swim clothes
and the message, "For a peck of entertainment
see Esther Williams in 'This Time for
Keeps,' at the Capitol" . wife of
Syd Wyman, manager of Yarmouth Community,
was recently operated upon.
Anna/polis Royal, successor of Port Royal,
one of the oldest white settlements in the
Americas, has been chosen for a short by the
National Film board . . . Morrie "Hercules"
Elman used to be quite a boy in basketball,
tennis and wrestling. Now he has eased
his poundage into a chair and is concentrating
on chess, checkers and cards. It is
questionable if there is anybody in film distribution
and exhibition who can outpoint
him in any of the three Cs.
1,500 SPRING CUSHION SEATS
Upholstered back; available June 1;
first come, first served.
Write, Wire or Phone
J. M. RICE
202 Canada Bldg. Winnipeg. Man.
When Stevie Doane, chairman of the Nova
Scotia board of censors, picks up a hot potato,
he calls in a jury for the mashing
process. Assembling representatives of the
clergy, women's organizations, professional
life, trade marts, industry service clubs, etc.,
he gets their reactions before determining
the fate of a picture in question . . . Reconditioning
of the Odeon Casino in Halifax
will entail realignment or i-eplacement of
brick all around the building. In addition.
Odeon will enlarge the seating capacity, install
new chairs and set up a fountain and
candy counter in the lobby. It is understood
the old chairs will go to the Garrick.
When Mitchell Franklin was having a
sundae at the fountain-lunch bar of the
Vogue in Halifax, a woman approached him
and introduced herself as his teacher when
he was in the first grade of school. She
recognized him from his picture and name
in the local dailies, although she had not
seen him since the time he was in her class.
The young executive, now in his mid-30s,
informed her she must have exercised unusual
influence over him, for he married a
school ma'am. The reunion of teacher and
pupil was completed over a sundae.
Has Stellar Femme Role
Barbara Bel Geddes will play the stellar
feminine role in "Bed of Roses," an RKO picture.
OTTAWA
T ocal film folk learned with regret of the
death of Mrs. Haoul Belanger. 71, one
of whose fom' sons is Jerry Belanger of the
Centre. Another son is commercial secretary
to the Canadian legation in Brazil. Four
daughters also survive . . . The National Film
board spon.sored a performance in the Naational
Research auditorium here May 18
consisting of a group of five films, two of
which originated in England. One picture,
tentatively called "Maps We Live By," was
made by NFB for the United Nations and
will be released soon to theatres in the
Canada Carries On series with a different
title yet to be announced.
After playing three weeks at the main
Elgin, "Sitting Pretty" was transferred to
the Elgin Annex, popularly called the Little
Elgin, for a fourth week. Meanwhile "Adventures
of Casanova" took the screen in
the larger and adjacent Elgin
Victoria day (24) a public
. . .
holiday,
With
many
theatres staged a Sunday midnight showunder
the bylaw which permits owl performances
in conjunction with a Monday holiday.
The Regent had "I Walk Alone," the Centre
started its engagement of "Jassy," the Elgin
brought in "The Fuller Brush Man," the Victoria
and Rideau combined with "T-Men,"
the Imperial showed "My Dog Rusty" and
.several other theatres offered second run
programs.
The Rexy and Nola, Odeon units, conducted
juvenile matinees on Victoria day, offering
premiums to early comers. The Rexy had
gifts for the first 300 children while the Nola
gave comic books to the first 100 .. . Angelo
Stevens, former manager of the Rideau,
was in Toronto in connection with his giveaway
enterprise.
I. H. Allen Organizes
Telefilm of Canada
TORONTO—With the approaching introduction
of television in the Dominion, Telefilm
of Canada has been organized here by
I. H. Allen to handle the distribution of film
for video.
"There are some very ambitious plans that
you will hear more about," declared Allen,
a man of wide experience in the Canadian
film industry. For several years he has been
the head of Astral Films, an independent
company with branches in six cities.
Telecasting has not started in Canada because
licenses have been withheld by the
government-owned Canadian Broadcasting
Corp., but a number of applications have been
filed. The leading theatre chains have been
j,
studying developments in other countries.
Officials of Famous Players have attended
television demonstrations in the U.S. and
Odeon is prepared to adopt the British equipment
which is ah'eady in use in Arthur Rank
theatres in England.
No Action on Tele Station
Licenses Till October
OTTAWA ~ The Canadian Broadcasting
Corp. will not consider applications for licen.ses
for telecasting in the Dominion before
next October. The government corporation
will reserve for its own use the first television
channel in each locality across the
country. As there will be only one authorized
outlet in quite a number of locations, this
will mean that the CBC will retain the available
channel.
In Toronto three channels will be in use
and there are two applications for licenses
from that city, these being CKEY, which is
operated by Jack Cooke, and Al Leary, prominent
radio veteran.
These have been deferred
to next October.
Station CHML in Hamilton has applied for
television rights but the CBC stated that
only one channel can be allow-ed there, which {1
it will requu'e for its own network.
With an obvious scarcity of television channels,
the position of the theatre chains is not
clear. Instead of having units of their own,
the theatres may find it necessary to take
whatever programs the CBC has to offer.
CBC to Follow Radio Policy
With Respect to Television
MONTREAL—The Canadian Broadcasting
Corp. board of governors said here that in
view of the limited number of frequencies
likely to be available for television, it will
"exercise great care in recommendations regarding
applications from individuals or private
companies for licenses."
In a prepared statement discussing CBC
policy in television, the board said it believes
network television should be developed
in the national interest. Therefore, "it will
follow a policy of not granting permission
for individual private Canadian television
stations to become outlets for non-Canadian
programs."
A CBC spokesman said the policy was
similar to the radio broadcasting policy under
which CBC alone is permitted to carry
network programs although licenses may be
granted to private stations.
Explaining the reference to a "limited number
of frequencies" available, the CBC
spokesman said that a city the size of
Montreal would have six channels.
96 BOXOFFICE
:
: May
29, 1948

——
——
, , Rose
Holiday and Weather
Help Toronto Shows
VANCOUVER
Vancouver columnist whose
.
because it
by the legislature.
would first have to be authorized
Theatre Chairs - Tickets - Public Address Systems - Carbons -Lenses - Lamps - Batteries
Jrene Davies, .secretary at Gaumont-Kalee, Al V\'illiam.son,
assistant at the Hastings,
underwent an appendix
TORONTO—Monday was a general holiday
operation , , . Willard
Adam.son,
People Tell Me column ran in the News
in memory of Queen Victoria and with the
International Distributors Herald, has retired after 20 years in the
British
prevailing cool weather first run
Columbia
theatres
manager whose leg was amputated,
is
newspaper bu.siness . , . Gerry Wellicome resigned
at 20th-Fox to work as a lumberjack
enjoyed nice weekend business, "The Iron
home from hospital , , , A $30,000
Curtain" remained for a second week
motion
at the
picture theatre and a bowling alley in an upcoast organization. Jerry is a nephew
Imperial; other holdovers included "I Remember
Mama" at the Tivoli and Eglinton and
a farming community in the British dian exhibitor organizations have been keep-
are planned for Enderby by businessmen of Jack Randall, Strand manager . . . Cana-
there,
"All My Sons" at the Uptown.
Columbia interior. The town now is being ing close watch on all steps in the industry
serviced by a 16mm circuit,
antitrust suit in the U.S., and are considering
seeking similiar relief in the Canadiao
(Average Is 100)
Donforth and Fairlawn Fame Is the Spur (EL). .--105
Eglinton and Tivoli I Remember Mama A
(RKO),
deal is in the making for an eastern circuit
to take over the two motion picture the-
courts, a spokesman here said.
2nd wk 100
Imperial—The Iron Curtain (20lh-Fox), 2nd v^k 105
Loews—State of the Union (MGM) atres at Oliver, B, 120
C, The circuit will close Charlie Ramage, manager for MGM gave
Norlown and Victoria Call Northside 777
the small-seat Legion Theatre and continue a farewell party at his home Friday

. . The
. . The
. . . Manager
. . The
TORONTO Rank Plans Sludio Site
Joseph Marks has been appointed Canadian
manager for Selznick Releasing Organization
to succeed Cliarles M. Weiner, who organized
tlie Canadian branch and handled
the release of "Duel in the Sun" and other
productions. Marks came from England
where he had been sales manager with Pathe.
Weiner is returning to the U.S.
This column recently identified James A.
Davidson as a native of Edinburgh, Scotland,
and as the new assistant manager of
the Hume Theatre in Burlington, Ont. He
is, rather, a native of Glasgow and new manager,
not assistant, of the Hume.
The Capitol at St. Thomas cooperated
with the local Canadian Legion branch in its
drive for funds for a memorial arena by
staging a "Punzafizzin" vaudeville show for
which many prizes were donated by local
stores. The admission was $1 . . Famous
.
Players, in association with Sam Korman,
has taken over the Malartic, a 450-seat theatre
in the mining town of Malartic, from
Charles Magnan who will shortly open his
theatre at Victoriaville. Benny Lehoux of
Noranda will manage tne Malartic.
Charles S. Chaplin, Canadian manager for
United Artists, was in Montreal for the presentation
of the Grad Sears trophy to George
Heiber, branch manager, whose unit won the
recent sales drive. Chicago was the winner
last year . Capitol Movie club at
Peterboro staged a contest last Saturday for
all first prize winners of previous amateur
shows during the winter months. A large
crowd turned out for the all-star program.
Jerry Campbell, who opened the Skyway at
Stoney Creek, Ont., the first drive-in for
Ontario, has been appointed manager of the
latest theatre of this type, the Sunset at
Brantford.
Mark Berman resigned as UA Montreal
booker and joined Independent Poster and
Supply Co. here in an executive capacity . . .
Lloyd Mills, former manager of the Bedford
Theatre here, who now is manager of the
Midtown in Buffalo, won a safety citation
there "for the most outstanding efforts in
promoting safety" in his community during
1947 . Community in East York,
recently taken over from 20th Century Theatres
by B&F, held a gala midnight show
May 23. offering "Variety Girl." The Northeast
Drive-In started Sunday midnighters
for the duration of the season.
Arthur Silverstone, 20th-Fox Canadian
sales manager, attended a dinner in New
York Friday i28i honoring General Sales
Manager Andy W. Smith jr. . . . Warners
Canadian exchanges have joined American
branches in a 14-week sales drive, May 23
to August 28. Last year was the first time
since the war that Canada was able to participate.
Confectionary counters and stands have
been installed in 11 B&F theatres by Theatre
Confections, Ltd., a Famous Players subsidiary
. . . B&F Theatres will hold its annual
party for managers and the head office
staff Sunday i30i at Chudleigh House. Sam
Bloom, Sam Fine and other executives will
host the dinner following which there will
be dancing.
In British Columbia
VICTORIA, B. C.~The J. Ai-thur Rank
organization is eyeing coastal British Columbia
as a film producing area, but Britain's
dollar shortage blocks immediate plans.
J. Earl Lawson, president and general manager
of Odeon Theatres of Canada, said
during a recent visit here that either Victoria
or Vancouver may be considered as a
studio site as soon as Britain's exchange position
eases. It is almost certain that a producing
unit will be located on the west coast
eventually, he said.
"It is one of Rank's objectives to make
films in every part of the British empire and
distribute them throughout the empire so
as to interpret the lives, habits and people
of each part to every other."
Another Rank objective, Lawson said, is to
develop children's film clubs throughout the
empire and to proauce special children's films.
"You have to be more careful in technical
direction for a children's film than for adult
entertainment film," Lawson said. Keen-eyed
youngsters soon spot minor mistakes.
Children's film clubs elect their own officers
and offer frank criticism of films, he
said. Most popular films feature sports, competition
and children using their ingenuity
to get out of difficult situations.
Although Odeon's four-year plan to build
64 theatres throughout Canada is behina
schedule for various reasons, Lawson said, 12
new theatres have been completed and ten
more are slated for completion in 1948.
VICTORIA
. . .
nttendance at the Dominion was boosted
when Manager Martin Cave featui-ed the
newsreel of the recent golf tournament here
Manager Shelia Bejay of the Rio invited
the cooperation of dancing studios and
the Pro-Recs for the showing of "The Russian
Ballerina" . Plaza and the York
have cut out Sunday midnight shows, leaving
the Rio the only theatre in town with a midnight
show.
Hymie Singer plans to put the Rio up for
sale because he plans to move to Los Angeles
where he will continue in show business.
Manager Shelia Bejay may continue as a
business associate of Singer's in California
Johnny Stobart of the Plaza
has attracted a lot of interest in his newspaper
ads for the Odeon Movie club by running
group pictures of the previous weeks
attendance. One person in the picture is
circled and is the winner of the week's prize.
. . For advance exploitation
Pete Frumento has started showings in the
new community hall at Honeymoon Bay. He
also operates a 16mm circuit in the logging
towns of Hillcrest, Gordon River Camp and
Port Renfrew
of "T-Men" at
.
the Capitol, Manager John
Robertson issued specialty dodgers and distributed
them around town and in the lobby.
One side of the dodgers was a facsimile of
a treasui-e note. The reverse side carried advertising
copy about the coming attraction
"T-Men."
Manager Al Davidson of the Odeon strung
a banner across the main street to advertise
"A Double Life." Display cards were featured
prominently all over the city and a
lobby display featured a huge Oscar.
MONTREAL It
Dob Middleton, salesman for RKO in New
Brunswick, will be transferred soon to
Toronto ... An RKO staff party was given
at the home of Mrs. Eileen Chalifour, bookersecretary,
for Arthur Elliott, salesman, who
left for Calgary to be branch manager. He
was the recipient of a marble inkstand and
pen. Those present included Murray Devaney,
Montreal branch manager, and Mrs. Devaney,
who were host and hostess; Adele Greene,
cashier and escort; Harry Decker, salesman,
and Mrs. Decker; Mr. and Mrs. Norman
Rajesky; Devaney 's secretary, Mary de
Ti-emiolles, who just left for a tour of France
and who was presented with a gift at the
party, and Mrs. Eunice Richardson who has
replaced Miss de TremioUes.
Visitors to Filmrow: I. H. Allen, president
of Astral Film, Toronto, who looked in at the
local office; Mark Stevens, film actor, from
20th-Fox, Hollywood; Mel Lodge, proprietor
of the Myra in Richmond and Town Hall in
Danville; P. Senecal of the George in Ste.
Therese; B. Hall, partner in the Imperial in
Chicoutimi, and George Beaulieu of East Angus,
former owner of the Royal Theatre in
East Angus.
Mrs. I. Mullins, stenographer at RKO, has
resigned. Her successor is Miss Frankie
Sewell . . . Ruby Lemire, secretary to W. Elman,
branch manager of Columbia, holidayed
at St. Sauveur des Monts with the Newman
alumni society . . . Miss Mildred Rosenberg,
secretary to Larry Druxerman, manager of
Selznick Releasing Organization, will be mar-
. . . Bessie
Gertrude Chorlton, cashier
ried Jime 24 . . .
at United Artists, has resigned
Herman of Quebec General Theatres has returned
from a trip to New York City.
Screened in Fredericton
FREDERICTON, N. B.—As a followup to
campaign among children for fire
a
and panic
protection and safety, the Fredericton fire
department and W. W. O. Fenety, owner of
the Gaiety and Capitol, have prepared rules
for adults. These are being screened at the
start of each show. A copy has also been
placed at the projection booth in each theatre
and in each lobby. Fire Chief Hal
Doherty has been promoting the safety drive.
CALGARY
. . Cal-
T loyd, Muir, RKO publicity man for the
prau-ies and west coast, came to town for
three days to plug "Fort Apache" .
gary is awaiting the Warner Bros, short,
"The Calgary Stampede," and the Eagle Lion
production, "Northwest Stampede." Both contain
shots of home folks and places. In Edmonton
the picture most eagerly awaited is
"The Emperor Waltz." Much of it was made
at nearby Jasper. Bing Crosby made a real
hit with citizens of Alberta's capitol city.
Red Doddridge, a veteran of the film distribution
industry, has resigned from the
local RKO branch. Leo Carey, assistant to
Leo Devaney, Canadian general manager at
Toronto, will take charge of the branch.
Doddridge has been in film sales work since
World War I, starting with the old Selznick
company.
98 BOXOFFICE
:
: May
29, 1948

TBOXOFFICE BAROMETER • EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY
FEATURE CHART • REVIEW DIGEST • SHORTS CHART
SHORTS REVIEWS • FEATURE REVIEWS • EXPLOITIPS
BOXOFFICE
FIRST RUN REPORTS
This chart shows the records made by
key cities
pictures in five or more oi the 21
checked. As new runs are reported, ratings
are added and averages revised.
BAROMETER
TOPHITOFTHEWEEK
The Outlaw-
Denver ... .250
Computed in terms of percentage in
relation to normal grosses. With 100
per cent as "normal," the figures
show the percentage above or below
that mark.

EXHIBITOR
—
HIS SAY
ABOUT
PICTURES
Just as the Barometer page shows first run reports on current pictures, this
department is devoted for the most part to reports on subsequent runs, made by
exhibitors themselves). A one-star contributor is new, two stars mean the exhibitor
has been writing in for six months or longer, and a three-star contributor
is a regular of one year or more, who receives a token of our appreciation. All
exhibitors welcome.
COLUMBIA
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
Fiesta (MGM)—Esther Williams, Akim Tamiroff,
Ricardo Montalban. This played to an
average house and pleased 'em all. Played
Saturday. Weather; Good.—J. E. Rougeau,
Club Theatre, Seven Sisters Falls, Man. Small
town and rural patronage.
Down to Earth (Col)—Rita Hayworth, Larry Mighty McGurk, The (MGM)—Wallace
Parks, Marc Piatt. The film salesman told us Beery, Dean Stockwell, Aline MacMahon.
this was outstanding. Frankly, I can only say They all came out to see Wally and be entertained
and they weren't disappointed. He
it was just another musical and my patrons
didn't care too much for it. Business only and his youngster made a nice show.—Frank
average. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold. Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. General
patronage.
A. L. Burke jr., Venita Theatre, Herculaneum,
Mo. Small town patronage.
Song of the Thin Man (MGM) — William
Guilt of Janet Ames, The (Col)—Rosalind Powell, Myrna Loy, Keenan Wynn. Personally
I like this series but this one fell flat at
Russell, Melvyn Douglas, Sid Caesar. If I
had more shows like this, I'd go broke in a the boxoffice. It has some comedy and some
real hurry—the biggest flop we ever had. I
mystery but they just didn't come out for it.
sure got it in the neck from the public. Played Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Cold.—Jim
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Good.—S. N. Holmberg,
Regal Theatre, Sturgis, Sask. Rural pa-
town and rural patronage.
Mote, Gem Theatre, Sterling, Okla. Small
*
tronage.
It Had to Be You (Col)—Ginger Rogers,
Cornel Wilde, Percy Waram. A good picture
that was enjoyed by all. Although fantastic,
it proved good entertainment and worthy of
extra exploitation.* Played Mon., Tues.—Harland
Rankin, Erie Theatre, Wheatley, Ont.
General patronage.
way. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather:
Sweet Genevieve (Col)—Jean Porter, Jimmy Fine.—Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre,
Lydon, Gloria Marlon. This is a good little Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage. * • «
musical that pleased all that saw it. Played
Wednesday. Weather: Okay.—D. W. Trisko,
Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining patronage.
Swordsman, The (Col)—Lorry Parks, Ellen
Drew, George Macready. This is a pretty
good action picture in Technicolor, but some
folks complained about the Scotch talk and Figures Product Quotas
asked if it was English-made. Business was
fair. Play it, but don't expect too much. To Please Exhibitors
Played Sun., Mon. Weather; Good.—E. M. t" M. Freiburger of the Paramount Theatre
at Dewey, Okla., has "production
Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Oklo.
Small town patronage.
* " *
quotas" all figured out for Hollywood.
"I find that most small town exhibitors
EAGLE LION
agree with me that the major film companies
are making too many dramas and
Black Hills (EL)—Eddie Dean, Roscoe Ates, not enough action pictures," he writes.
Shirley Patterson. Dean has absolutely no "After studying the situation for the past
drawing power whatsoever, but it is a fair year, I believe this is what the average
western. Played Fri., Sat. Weather; Good. exhibitor and his customer want:
Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va.
Rural patronage. * * * "Westerns—25 per cent. Big ones in
color for Sun., Mon. and little ones about
60 minutes long for Fri., Sat. . . . Actions
Bury Me Dead (EL)—Cathy O'Donnell, June
Lockhart, Hugh Beaumont. This was a very 25 per cent. Horse and dog pictures,
good little program mystery drama. The audience
comment was very favorable. Due to the Dillinger, Scarface, airplanes, horse racing
Tarzan, Dead End Kids, cops-and-robbers,
recent coal strike and a carnival for competition,
my business was below average, but
. . . Musicals and comedies—25 per cent.
the picture wasn't to blame. Played Betty Grable, Judy Canova, Bing Crosby,
Saturday
only. Weather; Fair and' warm. "Art"
Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Abbott and Costello.
Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Bros.
V. Phillips, Haymond Theatre, Cromona, Ky.
*
. . . Drama—^25 per cent, if we must have
Mining and small town patronage.
them.
Repeat Performance (EL)—Louis Hayward, "What the average exhibitor and his
Joan Leslie, Richard Basehart. No repeat performance
for us. Once was definitely enough pictures, English actors, pictures with
customers don't want are English-made
—we've got to eat. Played Mon., Tues. English locale, opera, ballet-dancing,
Weather; Mild.—Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre,
Tilbury, Ont. General patronage. * * *
"And most of the shorts being made
Shakespeare.
now are a waste of film. Most exhibitors
Three on a Ticket (EL)—Hugh Beaumont,
Cheryl Walker, Paul Bryar. This one isn't as want cartoons, newsreels, one-and-tworeel
comedies, a few sport and musical
good as most of the Shaynes have been. It
didn't even help on a double bill. Played reels. The rest of the shorts produced
Sunday. Weather: Okay.—D. W. Trisko, Ritz are just time-killers."
Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining patronage. * *
Crime Doctor's Gamble, The (Col)—Warner
Baxter, Micheline Cheirel, Roger Dann. Another
of this series that proved interesting.
Played Wednesday. Weather: Okay.—D. W.
Trisko, Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining patronage.
This Time for Keeps (MGM)—Esther Williams,
Jimmy Durante, Lauritz Melchoir. A
picture with nice color, some pretty water
carnival scenes, and everything but what oui
patrons wanted, so it seemed', "it was our
poorest gross on a supposedly big picture for
a long time. Maybe they will sell it worth
the money, but we didn't buy the picture that
This Time for Keeps (MGM)—Esther Williams,
Jimmy Durante, Lauritz Melchior. This
is a good musical show in color, which
pleased average business. Play it. We played
—
Sold 'Carnegie Hall'
For What It Was
CARNEGIE HALL (UA) —Marsha
Hunt. WUliam Prince, Frank McHugh.
The world's greatest concert artists appear
in this excellent, high-hat, musical
show. I sold it for what it was, saying
in my advertising "For music lovers only."
As a result, no one was disappointed and
I did a nice business, showing to the
musicians, music teachers and music
scholars. In this way I was able to show
a profit on what looked Uke a sticker.
Played Tuesday. Weather: Good.—E. M.
Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey,
Okla. Small town patronage. * * *
it Sun., Mon. Weather: Good.— E. M. Freiburger,
Paramount Theatre, Dewey, O^kla^.
Small town patronage.
MONOGRAM
Dillinger (Mono)—Reissue. Edmund Lowe,
A-nne Jeffreys, Laurence Tierney. This will
keep young and old on the edge of theil
seats. Doubled with "Last of the Redmen
(U-I), which is good and the color is verj
good', plenty of action. Both features will
carry by themselves most places. Played
Tues., Wed., Thurs.—C. M. Garrett, YandelJ
Theatre, El Paso, Tex. Family patronage. * *
PARAMOUNT
Desert Fury (Para)—Jolin Hodiak, Lizabel _
Scott, Burt Lancaster. This was better tha«'
expected. We should have given it more publicity.
Played Sun., Mon. Weather; Fair.—
M. L. DuBose, Majestic Theatre, CotuUa, TeX.
Small town patronage.
Perils of Pauhne, The (Para)—Betty Hutton,
John Lund, Billy De Wolfe. One third called
it a clinker—the balance must have liked it
because they didn't squawk on the way out.
What a show (?)!—Frank Sabin, Majestic
Theatre, Eureka, Mont. General patronage. *
This Gun for Hire (Para)—Veronica Lake,
Robert Preston. This wasn't for our patrons.-
They were gunning for usl Played Mon.,
Tues. Weather; Mild.—Harland Rankin, Beau
Theatre, Belle River, Ont. General patr°lj
age.
UWelcome Stranger (Para)—Bing Crosby,
Barry Fitzgerald, Joan Caulfield. A swell
show, right dovim to earth and chock-full ol
human interest. You can win on this one.
Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Fair.—
Bill Leonard, Leonard Theatre, Cedarvale,^Kas^
"
Small town patronage.
.
t^Where There's Life (Para) — Bob Hoiae,
Signe Hasso, William Bendix. There was no
life for us with Hope. Our "hope" turned to
despair. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather
Warm.—Harland Rankin, Beau Theatre, BeUe
River, Ont. General patronage.
t^Where There's Life (Para)—Bob Hops,
Signe Hasso, William Bendix. A good comedy
which did average business. It might
have done better but 'the show was a little
old when I played it. Played Wed., Thurs.
Weather: Good.—E. M. Freiburger, Paramount
Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town patronsage.
RKO RADIO
Along Came Jones (RKO)—Gary Cooper,
Loretta Young, William Demarest. This is a
good picture that played to fair weekend
business, old as it is. The weather turned
cold and rained, which didn't do us much
good.—Harland Rankin, Erie Theatre, Wheatley,
Ont. General patronage.
UFarmer's Daughter, The (RKO)—Loretta
Y' ung, Joseph Gotten, Ethel Barrymore. This
is a most excellent picture and suitable for
i
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May 29, 1948

—
—
—
'J:
best days. As we run an action house, we
usually don't play features of this kind excepting
midweek. Used on Sun., Mon. and
brought in quite a few new faces and did
a fair business. As we hove several thousand
unemployed, we ran the enclosed ad in
the "Male and Female Help Wanted" classified
section, and distributed a few thousand
heralds. Weather: Nice.—Abe H. Kaufman,
Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind. Actionfamily
patronage.
Fugitive, The (RKO)—Henry Fonda, Dolores
Del Rio, Pedro Armendariz. This has wonderful
acting but the action is very slow. We
had several walkouts. This picture did not
gross very much in my situation. Played
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair and pleasant.—O.
Fomby, Paula Theatre, Homer, La. Small
town patronage.
Fun and Fancy Free (RKO)—Edgar Bergen,
Dinah Shore, Charlie McCarthy. This is a
fine feature cartoon in color. It brings 'em in
and pleases 100 per cent, kids and all.
Frank Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont.
General patronage.
Out of the Past (RKO) — Robert Mitchum,
Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas. This is a fairly
good picture but has too many killings. Robert
Mitchum gave a very good performance.
Average attendance. Played Saturday.
Weather: Good.— J. E. Rougeau, Club Theatre,
Seven Sisters Falls, Man. Small town and
rural patronage.
REPUBLIC
Flame of the Barbary Coast (Rep)—John
Wayne, Ann Dvorak. This proved to be a
good action picture, though old, for our situation.
Played Wed., Thurs.—Harland Rankin,
Beau Theatre, Belle River, Ont. General patronage.
* * *
In Old Sacramento (Rep)—William Elliott,
Constance Moore, Honk Daniels. This western
is good and will surprise almost everyone.
A good story, though old, and action moves
all the time. Played Sun., Mon.—C. M. Garrett,
Yandell Theatre, El Paso, Tex. Family
patronage.
* * *
Out California Way (Rep)—Monte Hale,
Adrian Booth, Bobby Blake. A nice picture
but not what the doctor ordered for us. People
seem to be picture-wise. This wasn't a
"must" picture. Played Thurs., Fri. Weather:
Warm.—Harland Rankin, Erie Theatre, Wheatley,
Ont. General patronage.
» « »
20th CENTURY-FOX
Daisy Kenyon (20th-Fox)—Joan Crawford,
Dana Andrews, Henry Fonda. A good picture
for the women, but the men and children did
not care for it and did not come. We broke
even on the engagement. Played Wed.,
Thurs. Weather: Good.—E. M. Freiburger,
Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town
'
patronage.
* *
Nightmare Alley (20th-Fox)—Tyrone Power,
Joan Blondell, Coleen Gray. A well acted
picture. Tyrone Rower was very good in his
role but it's the lype of picture only some
screwball should play in. They should be
able to find better subjects in Hollywood for
screen entertainment. People here are sick
of psycho pictures. Played Fri., Sat. Weather:
Bad.—A. L. Burke jr., Venita Theatre, Herculaneum,
Mo. Small town
*
patronage.
Second Chance (20th-Fox) — Kent Taylor,
Louise Currie, Dennis Hoey. A diamond
swindle picture that pleased. It is interesting
and has suspense enough to help any double
bill. Played Sunday. Weather: Okay.
p. W. Trisko, Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining
patronage. * *
Shepherd in the Valley (20th-Fox)— (Formerly
"Thunder in the Valley")—Lon McCallister,
Peggy Ann Garner, Edmund Gwenn. Not
as much "thunder" in the boxoffice as we
would have liked, but it didn't do too badly.
Played Mon., Tues.—Harland Rankin, Bedu
Theatre, Belle River, Ont. General patronage.
Tender Years, The (20th-Fox)-^Ioe E. Brown,
Richard Lyon, Noreen Nash. This is a good
boy-and-dog picture but I could not get them
to come in and look at it. I think the title
killed it. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Good.—
E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey,
Okla. Small town patronage. * * *
UNITED ARTISTS
Carnegie Hall (UA)—Marsha Hunt, William
Prince, Frank McHugh. Why any company
would can up two hours and 13 minutes of
long, whispered music like this and ship it
out here in the sticks is beyond me. One guy
would stand up and try to make his fiddle
squeak twice as long as another one could
hold out at the piano and I didn't make enough
to pay the operator. Played Sat., Sun. Weather:
Fine.—Milo D. Moody, Star Theatre, Marquette,
Iowa. Rural patronage.
* *
Monsieur 'Verdoux (UA)—Charles Chaplin,
Martha Raye, Marilyn Nash. This is too long
and draggy. The older people came expecting
to laugh but were disappointed. The younger
folks had never heard of Chaplin and stayed
away. Business was poor. Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Good.—E. M. Freiburger, Paramount
Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town patronage.
* * *
Personal Column (UA)— (Formerly "Lured")
George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn.
This is a lemon if I ever saw one, for the small
town exhibitor. Lucille Ball was the only
refreshing part of the whole long-drawn-out
story. Her versatile talents were wasted in
this one. Business 50 per cent off and plenty
Since She's Been Helped
Wants to Help Others
"PHAT spirit of cooperation which is not
always present, althougrh desirable, in
show business is evinced by Mrs. Pat
Murphy of the Queen Theatre at Holliday,
Tex.:
"As a newcomer to show business I find
your magazine invaluable in many ways,
and especially enjoy the exhibitor's de-
I>artment. Since the experience of others
has helped me a lot in buying^ and booking,
I thougfht perhaps I might do the
same for someone else by submitting some
opinions."
of walkouts. Played' Tues., Wed. Weather:
Fair.— -"Art" 'V. Phillips, Haymond Theatre,
Cromona, Ky. Mining and small town patronage.
*
Strange Women, The (UA)—Hedy Lamarr,
George Sanders, Louis Hayward. Being confronted
with adult entertainment classifications
again, we suffered terribly. This was no
exception and it is getting worse every time
we hang out our signs. Played Mon., Tues.,
Wed.—Harland Rankin, Erie Theatre, Wheatley,
Ont. General patronage.
* * *
UNIVERSAL-D^TERNATIONAL
Egg and I, The (U-I)—Claudette Colbert,
Fred MacMurray, Marjorie Main. This is a
good picture from beginning to end. Everyone
enjoyed it. Fred MacMurray is first rate.
We did very well with this. Play it, by all
means. A small town natural. Played Sun.,
Mon. Weather: Cloudy Sun., Mon. clear and
warm.—A. L. Burke jr., 'Venita Theatre, Herculaneum.
Mo. Small town
*
patronage.
I Stole a Million (U-I)—Reissue. George
Raft, Claire Trevor, Dick Foran. This is a
good action picture and business was good,
too. Played Tuesday. Weather: Good.— E. M.
Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla.
Small town patronage. * * *
Lost Moment, The (U-I)—Robert Cummings,
Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorehead. This was
His Patrons Difierent:
Enjoy Classical Music
NIGHT SONG (KKO)—Dana Andrews,
Merle Oberon, Ethel Barrymore. A musical
drama that pleased average attendance.
In the opinion of some, Hoagy
Carmichael and Ethel Barrjmore stole
the picture. At any rate, the whole cast
did a good job. Our patrons enjoy classical
music. I hope yours do. Played Friday.
Weather: Clear and good.—J. E.
Rougeau, Club Theatre, Seven Sisters
Falls, Man. Small town and rural patronage.
drama strictly for adults. A very good story
and excellent acting by Cummings and Hayward.
Personally, I think Miss Hayward excelled
her performance in "Smash-Up." Play
this one by all means. Audience reaction
very favorable. Played Tues., Wed. Weather:
Rain. "Art" V. Phillips, Haymond Theatre,
Cromona, Ky. Mining and small town patronage.
Pirates of Monterey (U-I)—Maria Montez,
Rod Cameron, Mikhail Rasumny. Business fair
but it should have been much better. It is
action-packed with a dash of comedy. Had
the short, "Tex Beneke and Orchestra," which
was swell. The two provided a night of good
entertainment for my patrons. Played Sun.,
Mon. Weather: Good.—Ralph Raspa, State
Theatre, Rivesville, W. 'Va. Rural patronage.
Ride the Pink Horse (U-I)—Robert Montgomery,
Wanda Hendrix, Andrea King. This
but I was a very good picture couldn't get
them in to see it. It must have been the
title. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Fair.
M. L. DuBose, Majestic Theatre, Cotulla, Tex.
Small
"
town patronage.
• * *
Ride the Pink Horse (U-I)—Robert Montgomery,
Wanda Hendrix, Andrea King. This picture
was certainly mis-titled. It should have
been called the "White Elephant," for that is
exactly what it was for me. It showed an
all-time low gross here—in fact, I went way,
way in the hole on this one. (For the first
time this year, too). The action is too slow
and the story dull and depressing. Also too
long. I like almost any picture, but couldn't
sit through this one myself. Neither could
many of my patrons. The very, very few who
came left with a bored expression, some of
them before the first feature was half over.
When I read the book, I wondered how they
could make a good movie from it—now I
wonder WHY they made a movie from it.
Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fine.—Mrs.
Pat W. Murphy, Queen Theatre, Holliday, Tex.
*
Oil field and small town patronage.
Singapore (U-I)—Fred MacMurray, Ava
Gardner, Roland Culver. This is not the type
that draws, although it had plenty of action
that pleased everyone. Played Wed., Thurs.
James C. Balkcom jr.. Gray Theatre, Gray,
Ga. Small town patronage. * « *
Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap, The (U-D—
Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marjorie Main. This
is a very funny show but not up to some of
their past ones. These two characters always
do well at the boxoffice. Bad weather kept
many away. Played -Fri., Sat. Weather:
Rainy. I. Roche, 'Vernon Theatre, 'Vernon,
Fla. Rural and small town patronage. * *
WARNER BROS.
Bad Men of Missouri (WB)—Reissue. Dennis
Morgan, Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman. I debated
with myself for several weeks about
giving this preferred playing time. I did and
wasn't sorry. This picture holds my Sunday
and Monday house records for grosses. It was
enjoyed by adults as well as by children.
Weather: Rainstorm. — "Art" 'V. Phillips, Hay-
(Continued on Page 14)
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May 29, 1948

:
^Sotur^^oaucnons^iste^T^companY^^oraerorTelease. Number in square is'naa
release date. Production number is at right. Number in parentheses is running lin^J
furnished by home oifice of distributor; checkup with local exchanges is recommel.
R—is review date. PG—is Picture Guide page number. Symbol O indicates BOXOl'IC
Blue Ribbon Award Winner. Symbol © indicates color photography.
JULY 26
AUGUST 2
(77) Drama 837
©LAST OF THE
REDMEN
Jon Hall
Michael O'Shea
Evelyn Ankers
R—Aug. 2—Pa-844
AUGUST 9
[t] (69) Drama 813
THE SON OF RUSTY
Ted Donaldson
Stephen Dunne
Ann Dorun
B—Aug. 16—PG-848
AUGUST 16
[u] (55) Western 870
RIDERS OF THE
LONE STAR
Charles Starrett
Smiley Burnett e
Virginia Hunter
AUGUST 23
[21] (67) Mus-West 851
SMOKY RIVER
SERENADE
lloosier Hulshots
raul Campbell
llulh Terry
I!—Aug. 2.3—PG-850
AUGUST 30
SEPTEMBER 6
[T] (65) Mystery 821
BULLDOG DRUMMOND
STRIKES BACK
Run Randell
Gloria Henry
R— Aug. 23—PO-86*
SEPTEMBR
(58) Western 754
|2||
GHOST TOWN RENE-
GADES
R—Aug. 9—PG-848
|6] (85) Drama 106
CARAVAN
Stewart Granger
B—Sept. 6—PG-853
g
Reprint
(103) Musical 723
THE GREAT WALTZ
Luise Kalner
Oratet
Fernaiid
(116) Drama 728
THE HUCKSTERS
Clark Gable
Deborah Kerr
Keenan Wynn
Sydney Oreenstreet
B-^uoe 28—PO-843
(106) Drama 729
ROMANCE OF ROSY
RIDGE
Van Johnson
.lariet Leigh
thom:ui Mitchell
R—July 5—PG-836
[19] (81) Drama 107
RED STALLION
liobert Paige
Noreen Nash
It—July 26—PG-841
H
(63) Comedy 712
GAS HOUSE KIDS IN
HOLLYWOOD
Carl •Alfalfa" Sviltzer
Benny Barllett
Iludy Wissler
Tommy Bond
R—Sept. 6—PG-8B3
g
(58) Mystery 709
PHILO VANCE'S
SECRET MISSION
.\lan Curtis
Shelia Ryan
l''r;iiik Jeriks
R—Mar. 27—PG-OIB
[5] (86) Comedy 801
SONG OF THE THIN
MAN
William Powell
Myrna Loy
Keenan Wynn
R—Aug. 2—PG-844
ge] (42) Docum 666
©THUNDERBOLT
James Stewart
(56) Drama 623
U]
ROBIN HOOD OF
MONTEREY
Gilbert Roland
Evelyn Brent
Chrls-Pln Martin
(g (68) Dt|l
Robert Cummliifj
lirian Donliiy
Marjorle Rejn»l
R—Aug. 2—PK
(98) Drama 620
623
BRUTE FORCE
Burt Lancaster
Yvonne De Carlo
Hume Cronyn
George Brent
R—June 28—Pa-833 R—July 26—PG-842
(80) Drama
©SLAVE GIRL
(89) Musical 621
SOMETHING IN THE
WIND
Deanna Durbtn
lohn Dall
Donald O'Connor
8—July 26—PG-842
(79) Dra
SINGAPORE
I'red MacMiirri)
Ava Gardner
Richard Hajdn
R—Aug. 18—1
^
(108) Drama 624
POSSESSED
Joan Crawford
Van Heflln
Raymond Massey
Geraldlne Brooks
R—June 7—PQ-825
O
HCO
<
(98) Drama Reissue
CHEERS FOR MISS
BISHOP
Uartkt Scott
(64) Western New Bel
DEADLINE
Sunset Carsoo
Pit BUrllof
Reissues
[9] (81) Drama 626
MARKED WOMAN
Bette Davls-H. Bogart
[9] (87) Drama 627
DUST BE MY DESTINY
John Garfield
Priscllla Lane
(62) Western New Bel
FIGHTING MUSTANG
Sunset Carson
Pit Starllni
(70) Com Reissue
IT PAYS TO BE FUNNY
Bob Hope
Hlltoo Berle
|6] (84) Drama 625
CRY WOLF
Errol Flynn
Barbara Slanwyck
Geraldine Brooks
U—July 12—PG-837
(70) Comedy Reissue
LI'L ABNER
Martha O'DrlscoU
Edgar Kennedy
(57) Musical Reissue
ROAD TO HOLLYWOOD
Blng Crosby
B—Mar. 1—PO-796
(86) Mus-Dr Belssue
SECOND CHORUS
Paulrtte Goddard
Fred Astalre
(60) Western New Rel
WESTERN TERROR
DiTe "Tei" O'Brien
Bun; Henry
[i] (104) Drama 703 151 (118) CoiW'
DEEP VALLEY ©LIFE WITHAi
Ida Lupino
William Powell
Dane Clark
Irene Dunne
Wayne Morris
Elizabeth T«yl
R—Aug. 2—PG-843 Bdmund Owen
ZaSu Pitts
R—Aug. 23— I
*
(59) Western Belssue
GHOST TOWN
Harry Carey
(89) Mus-Com Belssue
JIMMY STEPS OUT
James Stewart
Faulette Goddard
(64) Western Rf
WILD MUSTANG
Harry Carey
(87) Dram» B|
LITTLE MEM
Kay Francis
Jack Oakle
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May .?9. IMI

:«•*«
CHECK RUNNING TIME WITH LOCAL EXCHANGES
FEATURE CHART
3^

FEATURE CHART
CHECK RUNNING TIME WITH LOCAL EXCHANGES
I
NOVEMBER 15 NOVEMBER 22 NOVEMBER 29
^ (56) Western 964 1^ (66) Mystery 915
|l3] (68) Mystery 917
(98) Comedy 931
LONE WOLF IN LAST DAYS OF BOOT CRIME DOCTOR'S IT HAD TO BE YOU
(iitiger
LONDON
HILL
GAMBLE
ltnt;ers
Gerald Mohr
Charles Starrett
Warner Ba.\ter
Cornel Wilde
Nancy Saunders
Smile; Burnette
Michel ine Clielrel
Percy Waram
K—Jan. 17—Pa-892 R—Feb. 14—PG-900 Roger Dann
It—Oct. 25—PG-867
Steven Geray
R—Dec. 13—PG-881
(89) Drams 805
PI
M (62) Drama 807 g (58) Western 852
WHISPERING CITY BLONDE SAVAGE SHADOW VALLEY
I'aul Lukas
Lief Erickson
Eddie Dean
Ji—Nov. 22—rC;-876 Gale Sherwood R—Dec. 6—PO-8'80
|{—Oct. 11—PG-864
|l5] (81) Drama BC6
LOVE FROM A
STRANGER
n— Nov. 15—PG-873
m (104) Musical 808
©THIS TIME FOR
KEEPS
Esther Williams
Jimmy Durante
Laurllz Melchior
Johnnie Johnston
4—PG-861
It-Oct.
[21) (141) Drama 811
GREEN DOLPHIN
STREET
Lana Turner
Richard Hart
Van Henin
Donna Reed
R—Oct. 18— PG-S65
^
(65) Com-Dr 625
BOWERY BUCKAROOS
L. Gorcey-Bowery Boys
Allied Artists
(86) Drama AA3
THE GANGSTER
Bellta-B. Sullivan
R—Oct. 4—PG-862
^
(80) Comedy 4704
UWHERE THERE'S
LIFE
Bob Hope
Signe Hasso
William Bendix
R—Oct. 11—PG-864
DECEMBER G
[5] (103) Drama 809
KILLER McCOY
Mickey Rooney
Brian Donlevy
James Dunn
Ann Blyth
R—Nov. 1—PG-870
[e] (68) Drama 626
THE CHINESE RING
Roland Winters
Louise Currie
R—Dec. 20—PG-884
[|]
(69) Drama 4705
BIG TOWN AFTER
DARK
Philip Reed
Hillary Brooke
R—Nov. 22—PG-875
DECEMBER 13
[n) (62) Drama 923 |l8] (67) Comedy 913 (65) Musical 951
DEVIL SHIP
BLONDIE'S
ROSE OF SANTA ROSA
Richard Lane
ANNIVERSARY
Hoosler Hotshots
Louise Campbell
Penny Singleton
Patricia White
William Bishop
Arthur Lake
Eduardo Noriega
R—Dec. 8—PG-879 Larry Sims
R—Jan. 3—PG-888
R— Dee. 27—PG-885
^
DECEMBER 20
lo] (88) Western 674
GUN TALK
Inhnny Mack Brown
Virginia Christine
Raymond Hatton
(101) Comedy 4707
ROAD TO RIO
Ring Crosby
Bob Hope
Dorothy Lamour
R—Nov. 8—PG-871
DECEMBER 27
^
|6] (95) Musical 810
©GOOD NEWS
June Allyson
Peter Lawford
Joan McCracken
R—Dec. 6—PG-879
Reissue
§7] (66) Drama 4706
BETRAYED
Kim Hunter
Dean Jagger
Robert Mitchum
JANUAR a -i^
[3] (66) Mm
LINDA BE GOOl
Marie Wilson
Elyse Knox
John Hubbard
R—Nov. 1—PQ.|
[3] (68) Dran *«*"
SMART POLITICii'
June Preisser
Freddie Stewart
Noel Nelll
Group 2
Group 2
(65) Mystery 809 (97) Drama 807
DICK TRACY MEETS OUT OF THE PAST
GRUESOME
Robert Mitchum
Ralph Byrd
Boris Karloft
Ann Gwynn
R—Oct. 4—PO-861
Jane Greer
R—Nov. 22—PG-875
Reissue
Group 2
Special
(60) Western 883 (60) Western 808 (128) Drama 866
PAINTED DESERT WILD HORSE MESA ©TYCOON
George O'Brien
Tim Holt
John Wayne
Laraine Day
Nan Leslie
Laraine Day
Ray Whitley R—Nov. 22—PQ-97B R—Nov. 29—PG-878
[9] (95) Drama 624
THE FABULOUS TEXAN
William Elliott
John Carroll
Catherine Mcl.eod
Albert Dekker
R—Nov. 15—PC-873
|4] (97) Drama 628
THE FLAME
John Carroll
Vera Ralston
Robert Paige
Broderlck Crawford
R—Jan. 17—PG-891
^
Reissue
(69) Western HC16
SUNSET TRAIL
William Boyd
Gabby Hayes
Russell Hsyden
IB] (42) Outd'r-Dr 4707
WHERE THE NORTH
BEGINS
Russell Hayden
Jennifer Holt
|i5| (65) Mus-West 652
©UNDER COLORADO
SKIES
R—Dec. 20—PG-883
|l5| (59) Western 752
BANDITS OF DARK
CANYON
R—Dec. 13—PO-881
B7I (72) Drama 4706
ROAD TO THE BIG
HOUSE
John Shelton
R—Nov. 1—PG-869
[T] (64) Com-1
':
MAIN STREET
Al Pearce
Janet Martin
Reissue
[J| (58) Wester HI
PRIDE OF THE 5T
William Boyd
Gabby Hayes
Russell Eaydeo
(103) Drama 720
©SHEPHERD OF THE
VALLEY
Lon McCallister
Edmund Gwenn
Peggy Ann Garner
R—June 14—PO-830
[T] (67) M'drama 734
ROSES ARE RED
Don Castle
Peggy Knudsen
Patricia Knight
R—Nov. 8—PO-872
Reissu«
(84) Drama
TOBACCO ROAD
Gene Tlemey
Dana Andrena
744
Reissin
ra (99) Drama 731
(128) Drama 745
GRAPES OF WRATH
DAISY KENYON
Joan Crawford
Henry Fonda
Dana Andrews
Jane Darwell
Henry Fonda
John Carradlne
Ruth Warrick
R—Nov. 29—PG-878
(90) Drama
INTRIGUE
George Raft
June Havoc
R—Jan. 3—PG-887
(97) Dram
SLEEP, MY UOV
Claudette Colder
Robert Cumnliigi
Don Ameche
B—Jan.
17—POU
(86) Drama 631
THE UPTURNED GLASS
James Slason
Rosamund John
Pamela KcUlno
Ann Stephens
R—Nov. 1— PO-869
g
(104) Drama 708
ESCAPE ME NEVER
Brrol Flynn
Eleanor Parker
Ida Luplno
Gig Young
R—Nov. 8—PG-871
(77>4) Drama 632 (88) Drama
©PIRATES OF
LOST MOMENT
MONTEREY
Susan Hayward
Maiia Montea
Robert Cummlngs
Rod Cameron R—Oct. 18—PO-8
Phillip Reed
Gale Sondergaard
R—Nov. 22—Pa-876
626 (91) Drama 629 (81) Draai <
©BLACK NARCISSUS THE SENATOR
Deborah Kerr
INDISCREET
David Farrar
William Powell
R—July 12—PG-838 Ella Ralnea l|
Arleen Whelan
B—Dec. 20—POl
Reissues
Reissue
(101) Drama 711
^ (93) Drama 710 |u| (116) Drama 709 U©MY WILD IRISH
JEZEBEL
ANTHONY ADVERSE ROSE
Bette DaTli
Fredrlc March
Dennis Morgan
^ (88) Drama 712 OUvla de Hayllland Andrea King
SLIGHT CASE OF
Arlene Dahl
MURDER
R—Dec. 13—PG-8S2
Edward G. Robinson
g
(140) Drama
_ ©DUEL IN THE SUN
O Jennifer Jones
PC Gregory Peck
C/3 Joseph rotten
Lionel Barrymnre
R^Jan. 11—PO-780
(0
pq
(48) Drama
Bell PIct, Corp.
GIRL ON THE CANAL
R— Nov. 29—PG-877
(68) Docum-Dr
Eng. Films
SCHOOL FOR DANGER
R—Nov. 29—PG-878
(81) Docum-Dr
Eng. Films
CHILDREN ON TRIAL
R—Nov. 29— PG-878
(80) Musical
Four Continents
SPRINGTIME
R—Feb. 14—PG-902
(85) Drama
Jewish Nafl Fund
MY FATHER'S HOUSE
R—Oct. 4—PG-861
(70) Alexander Drama
THE FIGHT NEVER
ENDS
B—Uar. 6—PG-909
k£
Sept. (86) Western 1208
LADY IN A JAM
Irene Dunne
Ralph Bellamy
Sept. (89) Western 1121
LADY FROM CHEYENNE
Loretta Young
Robert Preston
Oct. (71) M»»t-
BLACK FRIDAY
Boris KarloR
Bela LugosI I<
Oct. (72) Mjrt
THE BUCK Ci
Alan Ladd
Ratbbou
Basil
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May 29, 1948

I
I
CHECK RUNNING TIME WITH LOCAL EXCHANGE
FEATURE CHART
nUARY 10
JANUARY 17
neslern 962
I
j^ (68) Musical 907
|23j (66)
N LAW GLAMOUR GIRL MARY LOU
Mus-Dr 906
:.
:r Burnetle
Virginia Orey
Robert Lowery
_j 10—PG-800 Michael Dunne
.loan Barton
r Drama 932 Cene Krupa's Orch. Glenda Farrell
*,'
JH SWORDSMAN It—Jan. 3— PG-888 Krankle Carle
li-^an. 31— PG-895
Iry arks
" 25—rG-807
i ) Drama S09 [n] (71) Comedy 610
HEADING FOR HEAVEN
BO'Keefe
Slnart Erwin
20—Pa-884 Clenda Karrell
^
JANUARY 24
JANUARY 31
I
(94) Drama 934
LOVE TROUBLE
1''. Tunr-J. Blair
It- l'>b. 28— I'G-DOS
Willard I'lirker
(72) Drama 933 Edgar Burli.in.'in
©PRINCE OF THIEVES Patricia While
J. Hall— P. Morlson H—Feb. 14— PG-899
n—Dec. 6—PG-879
(65) Western 853 (85) Drama 811
CHECK YOUR GUNS ©THE SMUGGLERS
Eddie Dean
Michael Redgrave
R—Jan. 17— PG-892
^
FEBRUARY 7
[a] (68) Drama 802
WRECK OF THE
HESPERUS
[7] (83) Drama 812
ADVENTURES OF
CASANOVA
Arturo de Cordova
Turhan Bey
Lucille Bremer
R—Feb. 28—PO-905
FEBRUARY 14
FEBRUARY 21
FEBRUARY 28
[i2{ (66) Drama 910 (93) West-Dr 937 (109) Drama 935
WOMAN FROM ©RELENTLESS
TO THE ENDS OF THE
TANGIER
Robert Young
EARTH
,\dele Jergens
It—Jan. 17—PO-892 Dick Powell
Stephen Dunne
HIgne
[19] (53) Western 965
Hasso
Michael Duane
R—Jan. 24—PG-894
PHANTOM VALLEY
II—Feb. 28—PG-905
Starrett-Burnelte
R—Mar. 6—PG-907
[21) (56) Western 854 (80) Drama 814
TORNADO RANGE TAKE MY LIFE
Eddie Dean
Greta Gynt
Itoscoe Ates
Hugh Williams
R—Mar. 6—PG-908 R—Feb. 14—PG-901
m
,
r(9) Drama 813
bA TIMBERLANE
»rt Tracy
•n irner
Scott
,> S_rC-872
(98) Drimt 814
J23{
IF WINTER COMES
Walter PIdgeon
Deborah Kerr
Angela Lansbury
It—Dec. 27—PG-885
[6] (89) Drama 815
HIGH WALL
Robert Taylor
Audrey Toller
Herbert Marshall
R—Dec. 20—PQ-883
1^ (74) Drama 816
TENTH AVENUE ANGEL
Margaret O'Brien
George Murphy
Angela Lansbury
R—Jan. 17—PG-891
•#, t'l
Comedy 4704
''biand maggie
dSkiociety
k^Huano
I^H, 14—PG-900
[n] (53) Mus-West 686
SONG OF THE DRIFTER
Immy Wakely
^
(S8) Western 4751
OVERLAND TRAIL
Johnny Mack Brown
Raymond Hatton
Virginia Belmont
[7] (75) Drama 4709
FIGHTING
MAD
.!oe Kirkwood jr.
Elyse Knox
Leon Errol
R—Feb. 7—PG-898
[y]
(68) Drama 4707
PERILOUS WATERS
Don Castle
Audrey Long
Peggy Knudson
(98) Drama 4708
Ije]
WALK ALONE
Burt Lancaster
Lizabeth Scott
Wendell Core?
Kirk Douglas
It—Dec. 20—PG-883
^
(90) Drama 4709
ALBUI]UERQUE
Randolph Scott
Barbara Britton
Gabby Hayes
B—Jan. 24—PC-893
U )
Drama
JO VLL
REEMBERED
11 Ills
-II Scott
!]• Boc
808
) Outd'r-Mus 644
RANCHERO
igera
ilzar
eviie
10—PO-889
Group 2
(102) Drama 806
NIGHT SONG
IMcrle Ohernn
Dana Andrews
Rthel Barrymore
R—Nov. 15—PG-874
[Is] (65) Drama 702
SLIPPY McGEE
Don B.irry
Dale E^'ans
Tom Brown
Reissue ^
(60) Western 884
LAWLESS VALLEY
George O'Brien
Kay Sutton
Group 3
(91) Comedy 811
IF YOU KNE\N SUSIE
Eddie Cantor
Joan Davis
R-^eb. 7—PO-897
[1] (61) Comedy 703
CAMPUS HONEYMOON
Richard Crane
Lyn Wilde
Lee Wilde
ll.il Hackett
R—Feb. 14—PG-899
Special
(104) Drama 863
THE FUGITIVE
Henry Fonda
Dolores Del Rio
R—Nov. 15—PG-874
Reissue
(70) Drama 892
©BAMBI
Special
(109) Com-Dr 852
THE BISHOPS WIFE
Cary Grant
Loretta Young
David Nlven
R—Nov, 22—PG-875
|2§ (69) Western 753
0KLAH0l\«A BADLANDS
Allan "Rocky" Lane
R—Mar. 6—PG-907
g (60) Drama 704
MADONNA OF THE
DESERT
R—Mar. 13—PG-911
Reissue
[7] (78) Western HC14
IN OLD MEXICO
William Boyd
Gabby Hayes
Russell Hayden
|l] (42) Outd'r-Dr 4708
TRAIL OF THE
MOUNTIES
Russell Hayden
Jennifer Holt
Jl-I Drama 801
fA AIM FROM
STILE
fyron. Power
leiii
'tcra
^"ar tomero
.Cobb
n

FEATURE CHART
CHECK RUNNING TIME WITH LOCAL EXCHANGES
( MARCH 6
[I] (71) Drama 815
MAN FROM TEXAS
James Craig
Lynn Barl
.lobDnle Johnston
n—Mar. 6—PO-908
\b] (IIB) Musical 817
OTHREE DARING
DAUGHTERS
Jeanette MacDonald
Jose Iturbl
Jane Powell
Edward Arnold
R—Feb. 14—PO-900
MARCH 13
[Y] (76) Drama 4705
ROCKY
Roddy McDowall
Nlta Hunter
Gale Sherwood
MARCH 20
[i8] (63) Drama 920
RETURN OF THE
WHISTLER
Michael Duane
Lenore Aubert
Richard Lane
R—Mar. 13—P0-9ia
^
^
Reissue
(60) Drama 4710
ROSE OF THE RIO
GRANDE
Movlta
John Carroll
MARCH 27
1^ (75) Drama 902 5o| (84) Drama 936 (67) Drama 914 Is] (69)
ADVENTURES IN SIGN OF THE RAM
[U
Drama 909
MY DOG RUSTY PORT SAID
SILVERADO
Susan Peters
Ted Donaldson
Gloria Henry
R—Mar. 13—PQ-913 Alexander Knox
John Lltel
William Bishop
R—Feb. 21—PG-604
(55) Western
H)
966
.\nn Doran
Steven Geray
|3^ (66) Mus-Com 952
R—May 1—PG-925 1!—Apr.
WEST OF
21—PC-923
SONORA SONG OF IDAHO
Starrett-Burnett
Hoosier Hotshots
R—Mar. 27—PO-916 R—Mar. 27—PG-916
^
APRIL 3
(76) Comedy 818 |6] (98) Comedy 819 [T] (115) Drama 820
ALIAS A GENTLEMAN BRIDE GOES WILD B. F.'s DAUGHTER
Wallace Beery
Van Johnson
Barbara Stanwyck
Tom Drake
June Allyson
Van Henin
Dorothy Patrick
Hume Cronyn
Charles Cobum
R—Jan. 31—PG-895 Butch Jenkins R—Feb. 21—PG-903
R—Feb. 28—PG-90B
APRIL 10
(67) Drama 4708 (66) Western 4761 \T\ (70) Drama 4712
|2||
ANGELS' ALLEY OKLAHOMA BLUES DOCKS OF NEW
Leo Gorcey
Jimmy Wakely
ORLEANS
Geneva Gray
Virginia Belmont
Roland WlEters
Bowery Boys
R—Jan. 24—PG-894
APRIL 17
[13] (58) Western 855 (77) Drama 817 Reissues
[3] (104) Drama 816 [lo] (54) Western 856
WESTWARD TRAIL ©ENCHANTED VALLEY ^ (93) Drama 849 RUTHLESS
HAWK OF POWDER
Eddie Dean
Allan Curtis—Ann Gwenn SUTTER'S GOLD
Zachary Scott
RIVER
R—Mar. 27—PQ-915 iCdward Arnold
Louis Hayward
Eddie Dean
Bud Abbott
|2^ (85) Drama 818 ^ (77) Drama 848 R—Mar. 27—PG-915 R—Mar. 13—PG-911 Lou CosteUo
OCTOBER MAN SEVEN
Cathy
SINNERS
DowTB
John .MUls
Marlene
K—Apr. 10—PG-920
Dietrich
R—Mar. 20—PG-913 John Wayne
[17) (85) Comedy 819
THE NOOSE HANSS
HISH
|n] (53) Drama 4752
CROSSED TRAILS
Johnny .Mack Brown
Lynne Carver
APRIL 2
54] (62) Dram,
THE COBRA STUB
Sbeila Ryan
Richard Fraser
Leslie Brooks
Reissues
[23] (81) Outd'r-i
TARZAN'S SECff
TREASURE
WelssmuUer-l
|oj (70)
TARZAN'S NEW
I
ADVENTURE
^ (66) My«t-Co|<
CAMPUS SLEUTllJ
Freddie Stewart
June Prelsser
R—May 22—PO-I
(61) Drama 47U
|l|] (94) Drama 4710
[I]
CAGED FURY
SAIGON
Buster Crabbe
Alan Ladd
Richard Denning
Veronica Lake
Mar; Betb Hughes R—Feb. 7—PG-897
R—Feb. 14—PO-899
^
(66) Drama 4712
MR. RECKLESS
William Bytbe
Barbara Brltton
R—Feb. 21—PG-904
(95) Drama
[U
4713
THC BIG CLOCK
Ray Mllland
Cbarles Laughton
Maureen O'SulUvan
R—Feb. 21—PQ-9»4
Group 3
(61) Westsrn gl2
WESTERN HERITAGE
Tim Holt
Nan Leslie
Richard Martin
R—Feb. 14—PG-899
Reissue
[f] (71) Western HC17
SILVER ON THE SAGE
WlUlam Boyd
Gabby Hayes
Russell Hayden
[y]
(87) Drama 705
INSIDE STORY
Marsha Hunt
William Lundlgan
Charles Wlnnlnger
Gall Patrick
Gene Lockhart
n—Apr. 3—PG-918
Special
(134) Comedy 868
i^i REMEMBER MAMA
Irene Dunne
Barbara Bel Oeddts
Oscar Homolka
Philip Dom
B—Mar. 13—PG-911
^
(S8) M'drama 706 (61) Novelty 728
mi
LIGHTNIN' IN THE ©BILL AND COO
FOREST
George Burton's Birds
Lynne Roberts
R—Jan. 3—PG-887
Warren Douglas
|T| (63) Mus-West 654
R—Apr. 24—PG-924
©CALIFORNIA FIRE.
BRAND
R—May 8—PG-928
Special
(120) Drama 869
MIRACLE OF THE
BELLS
Fred MacMurra;
Valll
Frank Sinatra
R—Mar. 6—PO-907
Reissue
1^ (60) Western HC18
RENEIrADE TRAIL
William Boyd
Gabby Hayes
Russell Haydn
Group 3
Special
(63) Western 814 (127) Wert I|
ARIZONA RANGER FORT APACHE
Tim Holt
Henry Fonda
Jack Holt
Shirley Temple
Nan Lesley
John Wayne
R—Apr. 3—PG-917 R—Mar. 13—PO-I
[i|] (60) Western 754
^ (87) Outd'r-
BOLD FRONTIERSMAN OLD LOS ANGEIS
Allan "Rocky" Lane William Elliot
Bddy Waller
lohn Carroll
R—May 1—PG-925 R—Apr. 17—«!•)]
f
(118) Drama
GENTLEMAN'S
AGREEMENT
Gregory Peck
Dorothy McQulre
John Garfield
Celeste Holm
R—Nov. 22—PG-
876
806 (68) Mystery 807
THE CHALLENGE
Tom Conway
June Vincent
R—Feb. 28—PG-9fl6
(69) Myster? 808
HALF PAST MIDNIGHT
Kent Taylor
Peggy Knudsen
R—Feb. 21—PG-903
(96) Drama 809
©AN IDEAL HUSBAND
Paulette Goddard
Michael WUdlng
Diana Wynyard
Sir Aubrey Smith
R—Jan. 17—PG-891
(84) Comedy 810
SITTING PRETTY
Robert Young
Maureen O'Hara
Clirion Webb
Richard Haydn
Louise Albrltton
R—Feb. 28—PG-906
(95) Drama 811
©SCUDDA HOOI
SCUDDA HAYl
June Haver
Lon McCaUlster
Walter Brennan
Anne Revere
Natalie Wood
R—Mar. 6—PG-908
(81) Drama 812 (67) Dtani
MEET ME AT DAWN LET'S LIVE AG.I
{
William Eythe
John Emery
Hazel Court E—Feb. 21—pas
R—Mar. 20—PG-914
(66) Dram
13 LEAD SOLDI S
Tom Conway
(96) Drama
ATLANTIS, LOST
CONTINENT
Jean Pierre Aumont
Maria Montes
Dennla O'Keefe
(79) Comedy
SO THIS IS NEW
YORK
Henry Morgan
Rudy Vallee
R—May 15—Pa-932
(111) Comedy
©LAFF-TIME
William Tracy
(60) Documentary
KINGS OF THE
OLYMPICS
Bill Slater
R—Mar. 6—PG-909
(120) Drama
ARCH OF TRIUIH'
Int;rid BtTgman
Oi.irles Boyer
R—Feb. 21—PfOl (
(96) Drama 654
©JASSY
Margaret Loctwood
Patricia Roc
Dennis Price
R—Feb. 14—PG-902
(104) Drama 650
A DOUBLE LIFE
Ronald Colmao
Slgne Hasso
Edmund O'Brien
R—Jan. 3—PU-887
(96) Drama
NAKED CITY
Barry Fitzgerald
Dorothy Hart
Howard Duff
R—Jan. 31—PG-1
651 (80) Drama 653
©BLACK BART
Yvonne De Carlo
Dan Duryea
Jeffrey Lj-nn
B—Feb. 7—PG-897
(93) Musical 655
CASBAH
Tony Martin
Yvonne De Carlo
Maria Toren
R—May 15—PG-932
i
I
[e] (78) Drama 717
BECAME A CRIMINAL
Sally Gray
Trevor Howard
Grirritk Jooea
R—Feb. 14— PG-902
Reissue
[is] (102) Drama 718
ADVENTURES OF
ROBIN HOOD
Errol Flynn
Olivia de Havllland
^
(94) Comedy 719
APRIL SHOWERS
Jack Carson
Ann Sothern
Robert Alda
R—Mar. 20—PG-913
[10] (101) Drama 720
TO THE VICTOR
Dennis Morgan
Viveca Llndfors
R—Apr. 3—PG-918
g (164) Drai
WINTER MEETli
Betle Darts
J.inls Paige
Jim Davis .„
R—Apr. 19— PI'H
(97) Comedy (90) Drama
Clasa-Mohroe Times Films
QUE VERDE ERA Ml TO LIVE IN PEACE
PADRE!
R—Oct. 25—PG-868
Drama
R— Dec. 13—PG-882
Drama
r> (85) (67)
a Film Rts. Int'l Distinguished
^ ELIXIR OF LOVE REVENGE
R—Nov. 1—PG-869 R—Dec. 13—PG-882
(108) Opera
Grandl
LUCIA 01
LAMUERMOOR
R— Dec. 13—PG-882
(98) Drama
Tricoloro
PANIC
R—Dec.
13—PG-881
(1051 Drama
Superfilm
STORY OF TOSCA
B—Jan. 3—PG-887
(75) Drama
Mayer-Burstyn
SHAKUNTALA
R—J.an. 10—PG-890
(91) Drama
Siinerfilm
CAVALLERIA
RUSTICANA
R—Jan. 10— PG-890
(105) Comedy
Slrltzty
VOLPONE
R—Jan. 10—PO-889
(85) Mus-Dr
A. F, Films
LJ SYMPHONIE
FANTASTIQUE
R—Jan. 10— PG-889
(88) Drama
Artklno
(100) Drama
E.C.D.
THE IDIOT
R—Feb. 14—PG-901
(92) Drama
Dlsclna
Int'l
BOHEMIAN RAPTURE ETERNAL RETURN
R_Fpb 14—PG-9n2 n_Feh 14— PG-Sni
(96) DrtlM I
Wettpel
A LOVER'S REl
R—Mar. 6—POI
(102) Mm-DiM
FomiK^
JENNY UMOUi
Louis Jouvet
R—Mar 6—Pnl«
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May 29, 1M«

'
MAY 1
CHECK RUNNING TIME WITH LOCAL EXCHANGES
MAY 8
MAY 15
,, 7) Comedy 9A0 [6] (75) riram:i 901 [l3] (67) Iirama 921
VIG OF MILLfE BEST MAN WINS TRAPPED BY BOSTON
,1 Ford
Edgar Buchanan
BLACKIE
Eiel Keyes
Anna Lee
r»—May 8— rG-929
tn aDdeU
Robert Shayne
[13] (54) Wostrrn 963
-J. 20—Pa-»14 R—Jlay 8—PG-929
WHIRLWIND RAIDERS
Slarrett-Burnett
R—May 22—PG-93(i
MAY 22
MAY 29
|9] (87) Drama
LADY FROM
SHANGHAI
Rita HayMortb
Orson Welies
Everett Sioane
Glenn Anders
R—Apr. 17—PG021
JUNES
[3] (87) Comedy
BLONDIE'S REWARD
Penny Singleton
Arthur Lake
Larry Simms
JUNE 12
[T) (70) Drara; 813 [12] (57) Western 857 [19] (66) Drama 821 (78) Drama 822
H] [?] (76) Drama 823
[9] (76) Drama 824
OPEN SECRET
PRAIRIE OUTLAW ASSIGNED TO DANGER RAW DEAL
SWORD OF THE CLOSE-UP
iolin Ireland
Eddie Dean
Gene Raymond
Dennis O'Keefe
AVENGER
Alan Baxter
June Kandolpb
Noreen Nash
Claire Trevor
Ramon Del Gado
Virginia Gllraore
li—Jan. 24—PG-893
Robert Bice
Marsha Hunt
SIgrid Ourie
Richard Kollmar
R—May 29— PG-937 Ralph Morgan R—Apr. 17— PG-921
Duncan Rcnaldo
R—May 2p—PG-037
FEATURE CHART
JUNE 19
I
i4) Drams 824
OF THE UNION
Jne Hepburn
Tracy
ilbnaoD
Ir. 2T—PG-9ie
(113) Drama 826
HOMECOMING
Clark Gable
Lana Turner
R—Apr. le—PG-920
(92) Drama 821 (102) Musical 825 (103) Drama 827
©SUMMER HOLIDAY ©THE PIRATE
BIG CITY
Mickey Rooney
Judy Garland
Margaret O'Brien
Gloria De Haven
Gene Kelly
itobert Preston
Walter Huston
Walter Slezak
Danny Thomas
B—Mar. 13—Pa-9ia R—Apr. 3—PG-918 R—Mar. 27—PG-915
Comedy
II)
m LEAVE
I Cooper
itCoocan
8—Pa-927
4714 Reissue
[Js] (56) Western 4756
(69) Drama 4711
Ij]
FRONTIER AGENT
SIGN OF THE WOLF .lohnny Mack Brown
Michael Wtaalen
Raymond Hattoo
Grace Bradley
d] (54) Western
RANGE RENEGADES
Jimmy Wakely
m
(72) Drama 4716
I WOULDN'T BE IN
YOUR SHOES
Don Castle
Elyse Knox
Regis Toomey
R—May 8—PO-927
|T] ( Western
. . )
RANGE RENEGADES
Jimmy Wakely
Cannonball" Taylor
(13] (71) Drama 4715
STAGE STRUCK
Kane Richmond
Audrey Long
R—May 22—PG-935
)) Drama
E SAINTED'
SIERS
orit Late
ji
uiirield
Ti'ltzgerald
6—PO-908
4714
[14] (58) Drama 4715
SPEED TO SPARE
Richard Arlen
Jean Rogers
R—Feb. 28—PG-908
|28] (95) Drama 4716 Reissue
HAZARD
(126) Drama
Paulette Goddard THE CRUSADES
Macdonald Carey
Loretta Young
R—Mar. 20—PO-914 Henry Wilco.xon
Drama 813
it AND THE
IVIAIDS
Weissmuller
i
|I!hrlstlan
3—PG-917
Group 3
(86) Drama 815
BERLIN EXPRESS
Merle Oberon
Robert Ryan
Paul Lukas
K—Apr. 10—Pa-919
(93) Drama
FIGHTING FATHER
DUNNE
Pat O'Brien
Darryl Hickman
Myrna Dell
R—May 15—PG-931
|(l) Outd'r-Mus 731
CALIFORNIA
|s
;ers-Jane Frazee
15—PG-931
I () ) M'drama 707
kr OF VIRGINIA
»tilartln-R. Lowery
-M 8—PG-929
i{ ( ) Drama
HE.RAIRIE
aor Aobert
.lin
'liter
Reissue
Herald (Negro)
Reissues
Reissues
Reissue
Reissue
Reissue
4705
[7] (69) Western HC19 fii] (71) Drama X-3 (2i| (71) Comedy S-3 (72) Comedy S-5 (Tj (79) Western HC20 [10] (108) Drama S-7 [17] (S8) Com-Dr S-8
RANGE WAR
MIRACLE IN HARLEM RUNAWAY DAUGHTER FLIRTING WITH FATE LAW OF THE PAMPAS DUKE OF WEST POINT MISS ANNIE ROONEY
William Boyd
Stepln Fetchlt
Barbara Stanwyck
Joe E. Brown
William Boyd
Louis Hayward
Shirley Temple
RusseU Haydeo
Robert Young
g (81) Mjs-Com $-6 RusseU Hayden
Joan Fontaine
William Gargan
[21] (89) Drama S-4
Sidney Toler
Guy Kibbee
THATS MY BOY
KING OF THE TURF Jimmy Durante
Adolphe Menjou
Richard Tauber
(88) Drama 815
FURY AT FURNACE
CREEK
Victor Mature
Coleeo Gray
Glenn Langan
R—Apr. 10—PG-92§
\w\ (60) M'drama 709
KING OF GAMBLERS
Janet Martin
William Wright
R—May 29—PQ-938
(13] (60) Western 755
CARSON CITY RAIDERS
Allan "Rocky" Lane
(87) Drama 816 (63) Comedy 817 (110) Drama 820
THE IRON CURTAIN ARTHUR TAKES OVER ANNA KARENINA
Dana Andrews
Lois Collier
Vivien Leigh
Gene Tierney
Richard Crane
Ralph Richardson
R—May 15—PO-931 Skip Homeler R—May 1—PG-925
Ann G. Todd
R—Apr. 17—PO-922
m
(85) Drama 710 |3i| (60) M'drama 711
I, JANE DOE
SECRET SERVICE
Ruth Hussey
NVESTI GATOR
John Carroll
Lynne Roberts
Vera Ralston
Lloyd Bridges
R—May 22—PG-934
m
Mus-Com 656 (90) Drama 658 (94) Drama 657
l)U WITH IT! DEAR MURDERER ALL MY SONS
O'Connor
Eric Portman
Edward G. Robinson
hrilt Stewart
Greta Gynt
Burt Lancaster
' 'a Jaan
Dennis Price
Louisa Horton
-\* 20—PG-913 R—May 22—PC-936 R—Feb. 28—PO-908
toial
(87) Drama 659
LETTER FROM AN
UNKNOWN WOMAN
Joan Fontaine
Louis Jourdan
Mady Christians
R—Apr. 17—PG-922
(78) Drama 661
©RIVER UDY
Yvonne De Cario
Rod Cameron
Dan Duryea
R—May 16—PG-932
(107) Drama 660
ANOTHER PART OF
THE FOREST
Fredric .Mari'h
Ann Blyth
Dan Duryea
SoJJ
Reissues
^
(78) Drama
[U
722
(109) Drama 724
THE WOMAN IN
VALLEY OF THE WHITE
GIANTS
Eleanor Parker
Waj-ne Morris
Alexis Smith
[T] (79) Dram* 723 Sydney Greenstreet
FIGHTING 69th
Gig Young
J Caimey-P. O'Brien R—Apr. 24—PG-923
j9] (110) Drama 725
SILVER RIVER
Ann Sheridan
Errol Flynn
Thomas Mitchell
B—May 8—PG-928
[I2] (77) Drama 726
WALLFLOWER
Robert Hutton
Joyce Reynolds
Janis Paige
R—May 22—PG-934
(96) Jpera (126) Drama (90) Mus-Dr
Tuie >.,?.'!&"-"" Slrltzky-Infl Best FUms
THIS WINE OF LOVE FANNY ROSSINI
K—Feb. 14—PG-901 R—Mar. 6—PG-909 R—Mar. 27—PG-918
(89) Hus-Dr
..... Continental
LAUGH, PAGLIACCI
R—Mar. 6—PO-910
(81) Drama
Diatlngulahed
PASSIONELLE
R—Mar. 6—PO-909
(90) Myst-Dr
Weslport Int'l
THE RAVEN
R—Apr. 3—PG-917
(92) Drama
SuperfUm
HENRY IV
R—Apr. 10—PG-919
(84) Opera
Columbia
THE LOST ONE
R—Apr. 24— PG-923
(114) Drama (98) Musical
Mayer-Burstyn
Art kino
PAISAN ©DIE FLEOERMAUS
R—Apr. 24—PG-924 R—May 1—PO-926
(80) Com-Dr
Distinguished
CONFESSIONS OF A
ROGUE
R—May 1—PO-928
(90) Com-Dr
President
ANGELINA
R—May 3—PG-930
(95) Comedy
Siritzky
ANTOINE &
ANTOINETTE
R—May
8—rG-930
(90) Drama
Siritzky
FARREBIQUE
R—May 8—PG-929
(87) Fantasy
I.opert
BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST
R—ll.ly 8—PG-929
(80) Comedy
Duke Int'l
VOYAGE SURPRISE
R—.May 22— PG-936
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May 29, 1948

.
.
.10-18-47
^
and
AlphabetUql Picture Guide Index-
850 Adventure Island (67) Para. 23-47
.
-f ±
+ ± ± 7+ 3-
912 Adventures in Silverado (75) Col 13-48
4+ 3-
905 Adventures of Casanova (83) EL 28-48
+
7-f 5-
893 AlhuQucrque (90) Para
24-48
9+ 4-
895 Alias a Gentleman (78) MGM.. 31-48
+
5+ 5-
906 All My Sons (94) U-l
28-48 ++ + + ++ H- + H 11+
884 Always Together (78) WB
20-47
-f
7+ 5-
-t-
894 Angels' Alley (67) Mono
24-48
4+ 5-
925 Anna Karenina (111) 20-Fox. .
1-48 + + + -f + 6+1-
924 Another Part of the Forest (107) 24-48 + + + H- + + 9+
913 April Showers (94) WB
20-48 + + + + + 7+ 2-
904Arcli of Triumiih (120) UA.... 21-48 ++ -f ++ ff
-f 7+
913 Are You With It? (90) U-l. 20-48
=t + +
6+ 2-
.
923 Argyle Secrets, The (63) FC... 24-48 -f ± ± +
A+ 2-
917 Arizona Ranger, The (63) RKO
3-48 + ± -f +
5+ 2-
922 Arthur Takes Over (63) 20-Fox 17-48 + ± ±
4-1- A—
929 Assigned to Danger (65) EL..
8-48 ± ± +
4+ 3-
B
903 B. F.'s Daughter (110) MGM 2-21-48 + ± + + ± + 6+ 2-
881 Bandits of Dark Canyon (59) Rep. .12-13-47
.
+ + ± +
4+ 1-
919 Berlin Express (86) RKO 4-10-48 tt + -f H 10+
929 Best Man Wins (75) Col 5- 8-48 + -f
3+ 1-
915 Big City (111) MGM 3-27-48 -+- -f 4" + + -f- 7+
904 Big Clock, The (95) Para 2-21-48 + -f- -)-
•H- 10+
875 Big Town After Dark (69) Para 11-22-47 ± ± +
5+ 5-
933 Big Town Scandal (62) Para 5-22-48 ±
1+ 1-
887 Bill and Coo (61) Rep 1- 3-48 + ± + H H -Htt
tt fl- 11+
10+ 1-
875 Bishop's Wife, The (109) RKO 11-22-47 H 4- -f
897 Black Bart (SO) U-l 2- 7-4S ± ± + ± + ± 6+ 4—
900 Black Hills (60) EL 2-14-48 ±
1+ 2-
838 Black Narcissus (91) U-l 7-12-47 + +
4+
•Htt
11+
10+
935 Blonde Ice (73) FC 5-22-48 ±
+
2+ 1-
864 Blonde Savage (62) EL 10-11-47 ± ± ±
6+ 6-
859Blondie in the Dough (69) Col 9-27-47 ± ±
4+ 5-
885 Blonriie's Anniversary (67) Col 12-27-47 ± ± + ± 4+ 3-
848 Body and Soul (104) UA 8-16-47 ++ -f -f +f H +
325 Bold Frontiersman, The (60) Rep... 5- 1-48 + + + +
4+
Bowery Buckaroos (66) Mono ± ±
5+ 5-
905 Bride Goes Wild, The (98) MGM.. 2-28-4S + -f ft- 4+ 7+ 1-
936 Brothers, The (90) U-l 9-22-48 -f ± + 3+ 1-
873 Buckaroo From Powder River (55)
Col 11-15-47 ± ±
± 4+4—
842 Burning Cross, The (77) SG 7-26-47 + ± ± -f ++ +
7-f
864 Bury Me Dead (66) EL 10-11-47 + ± 2-
± + ±
5+ 3-
877 Bush Christmas (76) U-l 11-29-47 + ± ± + ± tt + B+ 3-
c
899 Caged Fury (60) Para 2-14-48 -f ± + -f + + &+ 1-
928 California Firebrand (63) Rep 5- 8-48 + -f + + 5+1-
894 Call Northside 777 (111) 20-Fox... 1-24-48 4+ + + ++ H -H- 12+
899 Campus Honeymoon (61) Rep 2-14-48 + + ± + ± ± 6+ 3-
935 Campus Sleuth (57) Mono 5-22-48 — ± ±
2+ 3-
883 Captain Boycott (93) U-l 12-6-47 + ± + ++ 8+ 2-
•H-
880 Captain From Castile (141) 20-Fox 12- 6-47 !+++++ •f ++ + + 11+
932 Casbah (93) U-l 5-15-48 + ± ± + + ± 7+ 4-
872 Cass Timberlane (119) MGM 11-8-47 # + + + fl- ++ + 10+
906 Challenge, The (68) 20-Fox 2-28-48 + ± ± ± ± + + 7+ 4—
877 Check Your Guns (55) EL 11-29-47 + ±
2+ 1-
886 Cheyenne Takes Over (58) EL l?-27-47 + ±
5+ 4-
884 Chinese Ring, The (67) Mono 12-20-47 ± ± ±
6+ 6-
872 Christmas Eve (90) UA 11- 8-47 -4- ± ± ± ±
6+ 6-
921 Close-Up (72) EL 4-17-48 ± ± ±
+ *+ 3-
Cobra Strikes, The (62) EL ±
1+ 2-
881 Crime Doctor's Gamble, The (66) Col. 12-13-47 ± — ±
5+ 6-
Crossed Trails (53) Mono ±
2+ 2—
D
878Uaisy Kenyon (99) 20-Fox 11-29-47 ++ + ++ ++ + ± 10+ 1-
884 Dangerous Years (62) 20-Fox 12-20-47 + ± ± - + ± 6+ 5-
936 Dear Murderer (90) U-l 5-22-48 ± ±
+ 4+ 3-
896 Design for Death (48) RKO 1-31-48 + ±
3+ 1-
860 Desire Me (91) MGM 9-27-47 + ± ± -f + ± 7+ 4-
879 Devil Ship (62) Col 12-6-47 ± — ±
A+ 6-
92\> Devil's Cargo (61) FC 4-10-48 ± ±
3+ 3-
861 Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (65) RKO 10- 4-47 + ± ± ++ -f ± 8+ 4-
Discovery (74) FC
+
1+
Docks of New Orleans (70) Mono — ±
4+ 5-
887 Double Life, A (103) U-l 1- 3-48 + ++ +
11+
844 Down to Earth (101) Col 8- 2-47 +f + +
11+
838 Dragnet (71) SG 7-12-47 ± ± -f +
927 Dream Girl (85) Para 5- 8-48 + ± # ± +f
8+
+
Dude Goes West. The (87) Allied Artists -f
928 Emperor Waltz, The (103) Para.. 5- 8-48 -H- tt tt ++ H 10+
915 Enchanted Valley, The (77) EL.
871 Escape Me Never (104) WB...
868 Exile, The (92) U-l
. 3-27-48 + —
.11- 8-47
.10-25-47
+
+
±
±
F
873 Fabulous Texan, The (95) Rep 11-15-47 + ± +
931 Fighting Father Dunne (93) RKO.. 5-15-48 + 44 ±
898 Fighting Mad (75) Mono 2-7-48 + ± ±
877 Fighting Vigilantes, The (61) EL. . .11-29-47 ± ±
891 Flame, The (97) Rep 1-17-48 + ± ±
+
885 For You I Die (76) FC 12-27-47 ±
866 Forever Amber (140) 20-Fox 10-18-48 ff ff
911 Fort Apache (127) RKO 3-13-48 + ±
933 Four Faces West (90) UA 5-22-48 + ff
+
859 Foxes of Harrow, The (118) 20-Fox 9-27-47 ff ± it +
927 French Leave (64) Mono 5- 8-48 + ± ±
874 Fugitive, The (104) RKO 11-15-47 44 ± it 44
+ +
932 Fuller Brush Man, The (92) Col... 5-1^-48 +
849 Fun and Fancy Free (72) RKO 8-23-47 +
920 Fury at Furnace Creek (88) 20-Fox 4-10-48 ff
G
862 Gangster, The (84) Allied Artists. .10- 4-47
SSOGay Ranchero, The (72) Rep 1-10-48
±
±
+
876 Gentleman's Agreement (118) 20-Fox. 11-22-48 +t
888 Glamour Girl (68) Col 1-3-48 ±
852 Golden Earrings (100) Para 8-30-47 +
879 Good News (95) MGM 12- 6-47 + +
865 Green Dolphin Street (136) MGM . ±
925 Green Grass of Wyoming (92) 20-Fox 5- 1-48 -H- +
931 Guns of Hate (61) RKO 5-15-48 db
Gun Talk (59) Mono
H
851 Hal Roach Comedy Carnival (Curley and
The Fabulous Joe) (112) UA 8-30-47 ± ±
903 Half Past Midnight (69) 20-Fox 2-21-48 — =
922 Hatter's Castle (105) Para 4-17-48 ± ±
911 Hawk of Powder River. The (54) EL 3-13-48 ±
'.
914 Hazard (100) Para
3-20-48 + ±
886 Heading for Heaven (71) EL 12-27-47 ± ±
929 Heart of Virginia (60) Rep 5- 8-48 ± ±
841 Her Husband's Affairs (86) Col 7-26-47 +
921 Here Comes Trouble (54) UA 4-17-4S + ±
845 High Tide (72) Mono 8-9-47 ± ±
883 High Wall (99) MGM 12-20-47 + +
909 Holiday Camp (97) U-l 3-6-48 + +
920 Homecoming (113) MGM 4-10-48 -(+ +
898 Hunted, The (85) Allied Artists 2- 7-48 + +
I
902 1 Became a Criminal (78) WB 2-14-48 — ±
934 1, Jane Doe (85) Rep 5-22-48 ±
905 1 Love Trouble (96) Col 2-28-48 + ±
9111 Remember Mama (134) RKO 3- 13-48 4+ 4+
883 1 Walk Alone (98) Para 12-20-47 ± ±
927 I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes (72)
Mono 5-8-48 + ±
891 Ideal Husband, An (96) 20-Fox 1-17-48 + ±
885 If Winter Comes (98) MGM 12-27-47 + ±
897 If You Knew Susie (91) RKO 2- 7-48 +
918 Inside Story, The (87) Rep 4- 3-48 +
887 Intrigue (90) UA 1- 3-48 ±
931 Iron Curtain. The (S7) 20-Fox 5-15-4S +
867 It Had to Be You (98) Col 10-25-47 ±
J
902 Jassy (96) U-l Z-14-48 — ±
900 Jiggs and Maggie in Society (66)
Mono 2-14-48 ± ±
935 Jinx Money (69) Mono 5-22-48 +
851 Joe Palooka in the Knockout (72)
Mono 8-30-47 + ±
K
854 Key Witness (67) Col 9- 6-47 ± —
870 Killer McCoy (100) MGM 11-1-47 + #
King of the Bandits (66) Mono
909 Kings of the Olympics (60) UA 3-6-8 +
900 Ust Days of
L
Boot Hill (56) Col... 2-14-48
921 Lady From Shanghai, The (87) Col. 4-17-48 ±
±
+
863 Last Roundup, The (77) Col 10-11-47
903 Let's Live Again (67) 20-Fox 2-21-48
+
+ ±
922 Letter From an Unknown Woman
(87) U-l 4-17-48 + —
924 Lightnin' in the Forest (58) Rep... 4-24-48 ± ±
869 Linda Be Good (67) EL 11-1-47 ± ±
+
+
+
+
44
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
44
+
44
+
+ ±
± +
44 44
+
_
44
+
+
H
+
ff
+
+
+
44
+
+
44
ff
+
+
+
44
+
+
+
44
44
H
44
+
+
ff
+f
ff
44
+
+
ff
+
44
+
+
+
ff
44
44
+ +
+ ±
± 3+ 2-
± + 9+2-
+ + 8+1-
+
ff
+
ff
+ ± ±
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ - ±
+ +
± 10+ 3
7+1
± 6+3-
± 4+
± 7+5-
± 4+
+ 12+
7+1
6+
9+2-
± 5+4-1
44 11+2-1
6+
+
ff 44 ±
44 10+J-i
6+ ],
7+
4+2'
44 14+
5+5-
+ 6+
+ 7+
+ 9+2-
5+ »
3+2-
± 2+ 2-1
2-H;J-f
4+.-4-I
H'^l
5+4-lS
5+ 4-
10+ 1-
5+2-
8+E
7+1-
^2-
10+
f 1-
± 4+3-
- It ± 5+ 4-
44 44 12+
+ * + 7+ 4-
+
+ -
5f 2-
6+2-
6f 4-
8+1-
4f 3-
8+6-
10+
7+HI
+5-

An interpretative analysis of opinions deducted irom the language of lay
and trade press reviews. The plus and minus signs indicate the degree
of lavor or disfavor of the review. This department serves also as an
ALPHABETICAL INDEX to feature releases. Numeral preceding title ii
Picture Guide Review page number. In parentheses after title is running
time. Date following distributor is BOXOFFICE review date. Listings cov«
current reviews. It is brought up to dote regularly. The meaning of the
various signs and their combinations is as follows:
t+ Very Good; + Good; — Fair; — Poor; = Very Poor.
In the summary H is rated as 2 pluses; = as 2 minuses.
at
o

SHORTS CHART
Short BubjeclB, listed by Company, in order of release. Running time Jollowa
title. First dale is National release, second the date of review in BOXOFFICE.
Symbol between dates is rating from the BOXOFFICE review. +t Veiy Good.
+ Good, ± Fair. - Poor, = Very Poor. © Indicates color photography.
Columbia
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Paramount
Prod. No. Title Rel. Date Ratinj Rev'il
ASSORTED COMEDIES
.
9422 Should Husbands Marry?
(H. Herbert) (17) ... .11-13
9433 Wife to Spare (A. Clyde)
(16) 11-20
9434 Wedlock Deadlock (De Rita)
(16) 12-lS
9435 Radio Romeo (Von ZeH)
(17!,'2) 12-25
9436 Man or Mouse (Holloway)
(18) 1-15
9423 Silly Billy (Billie Burke)
(IS) 1-29
9424 Two Nuts in a Rut
(Shillino & Lane) (18) 2-19
9437Eitilit-Ball Andy (Clyde)
(I71/2) 3-11
9425 Tall. Dark and Gruesome
(H. Herbert) (16) 4-15
9438 Jitter Bujiiouse (J. DeRila)
(IS) 4-29
9426 Crabbin' in the Cabin (Vemon
& Quillan) (18) 5-13
29.427 Pardon My Lamb Chop
( . )
6-10
9653 No. 3 Pes
0' My Heart
(Leibert) (9) 11-6
9654 No. 4 When You Were Sweet
Sixteen (Leibert & Baker)
(91/2) 12- 4
9655 No. 5 Feudin' and Fiohtin'
(IOI/2) 1- S
9656 No. 6 Civilization (10)... 2-12
9657 No. 7 I'm Looking Over a
Four-Leaf Clover (91/2). 4-29
FILM NOVELTIES
9901 Aren't We All? (Stoopnajle)
(IOI/2) 11-27
SCREEN SNAPSHOTS
•9853 Out of This World Series
(9) 11-27
9854 Off the Air (10) 12-lS
9855 Hawaii in Hollywood (10) 1-22
9856 Photoplay's Gold Medal
Awards (91/2) 3-18
9857 Smiles and Styles (91/2) 4- 1
9858 Hollywood Honors Hersholt
(8) 5-6
9859 Hollywood Party (9) 6-10
SPECIAL
+ 12-27
± 12-20
-f 2-14
- 3-20
± 3-20
± 4-24
5- 8
5-22
11- g
12-27
12-20
MUSICAL FEATURETTE
9451 A Voice Is Born (Miklos
Gafni) (201/2) 1-15 ff
STOOGE COMEDIES
9402 Sing a Song of Six Pants
(17) 10-30 ±
9403 All Gummed Up (18)... 12-11
9404 Shivering Shcrlocks (17) 1- 8
9405 Pardon My Clutch (15) . . 2-26
9406 Squareheads of the Round
Table (18) 3- 4
9407 Fiddlers Three (17) 5- 6
THRILLS OF MUSIC
9952 Claude Thornhill & Orch.
(11) 10-30
9953 Lecuona Cuban Boys
(101/2) 11-13
9954 Skitch Henderson & Orch.
(10) 12-11
9955 Charlie Barnet & Orch.
(IOI/2) 1-15 +
9956 Ted Weems & Orch. (IOI/2) 3-25 ±
9957 Gene Krupa & Orch. (..) 6-10
WORLD OF SPORTS
9802 Ski Demons (9) 10-23 +
9803 Bowling Kings (10) 11-13 ±
9804 Navy Crew Champions
(10) 12-25
9805 Rodeo Thrills and Spills
(91/2) 1-29
9806 Net Marvels (9) 3-11
9807 Champions in the Making
( .) 5-13
9808 No Holds Barred (..).. 6-17
SERIALS
9140 Brick Bradford 12-18
15 Chapters
9160 Tex Granger 4- 1
15 Chapters
± 5-22
11-29
12-20
± 2-14
± 2-14
± 4-24
+ 2-14
+
1- 3
2-14
+ 5-22
f
-f
10-25
11-29
12-20
4-24
3-20
± 5-22
+ 11- 8
+
f
+
29.439 The Sheepish Wolf
(I71/2) 5-27
29.440 Flat Feat (..) 6-24
COLOR FAVORITES
(Re-releases)
9601 Dreams on Ice (61/2) 10-30
9602 Novelty Shop (61/2) 11-20 H-
9603 Dr. Bluebird (8) 12-18 •H-
9604 In My Gondola (71/2) 1-22
9605 Animal Cracker Circus (7) 2-19
9606 Bon Bon Parade (.S'/z) 4- 8
9607 House That Jack Built
(7) 5-6
COLOR PHANTASIES
9701 Kitty Caddy (6) U- 6 +
9702Topsy Turkey (61/2) 2-5
9703 Short Snorts on Sports
(6I/2) 6-3
COLOR RHAPSODIES
9502 Boston Beany (6) 12-4 ±
9503 Flora (7) 3-18
COMMUNITY SINGS
-t-
-I-
11-29
5-22
5- 8
12-13
1- 3
2-14
4-24
1- 3
5- 8
Prod. No. Title Rel. Date Rating Rev'd
4+
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SHORTS CHART
20th Century-Fox
Universal-International
Warner Bros.
Miscellaneous
«
OK
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M

SHORTS RE
—
Opinions on the Current Short Subjects
-
Cyrano de Bergerac
English Films (Featurette) 10 Mins.
Good. Walter Hampden, whose portrayal
of Cyrano de Bergerac was acclaimed as one
of the greatest stage performances of this
generation, gives a few outstanding scenes
from the Rostand classic. The picture will
interest all students and lovers of fine acting.
Best suited to art theatre showings. Hampden,
as himself, introduces his stage characterization
of the long-nosed, poetic soldier
who loved the fair Roxane from afar.
The Church in the Atomic
Age
(Documentary Featurette)
Film Program Service 19 Mins.
Good. One of the best films on atomic energy
which brings the facts home to the ordinary
filmgoer. It establishes definitely the
responsibility which every citizen must shoulder
in the atomic age. The film traces the
events leading up to the use of the bomb as
a weapon of war. The shots of the devastation
wrought by the bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki are terrifying but revealing. Film
Program Service is at 1173 Sixth Ave., New
York City.,
First Steps
(Documentary Short)
Film Program Service 11 Mins.
Good. Produced by the Division of Social
Affairs of UN, this received the Academy
award as the outstanding documentary of
1947. It shows the day-by-day constructive
work in the field of international social welfare.
It tells the story of a little boy, Ivan
Manny Weinstock, whose courage and persistence
conquers his disability and his mind
and lame body are strengthened.
Men, Women and Motion
Univ.-Int'l (Answer Man, No. 3) 8 Mins.
Good. One of the better films in the series.
The Answer Man supplies pictorial replies
to the following questions: Does a polo player
hit the ball with the end of the mallet? Does
an albatross ever land? How long does it
take to become an expert figure skater? Do
locusts eat everything in their path? The
Exhibitor Has His Say
(Continued from page 3)
mond Theatre, Cromona, Ky. Mining and
small town patronage. *
UMy Wild Irish Rose (WB)—Dennis Morgan,
Arlene Dahl, Andrea King. The best musical
ever made by Warner Bros. Our patrons go
for good musicals 100 per cent. Dennis Morgan
was never belter. Played Wed., Thurs.
James C. Balkcom jr.. Gray Theatre, Gray,
Ga. Small town patronage. * * *
4>My Wild Irish Rose (WB)—Dennis Morgan,
Arline Dahl, Andrea King. Dennis Morgan
is well liked here and since he got a
chance to do all the singing he wanted in
this picture, only three things could have
happened: (1) Those who watch for him saw
it in the nearby key spots; (2) Word got
around that it was a big musical flop, or (3)
Costumes killed it. The weather was fine,
the show exploited well, not too much competition,
yet it flopped. Opinion was very
much divided and I expected too much from
it in both business and entertainment, and
was disappointed in both.—Ralph Raspa,
State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. Small town
patronage.
• * •
MISCELLANEOUS
Duel in the Sun (SRO)—Gregory Peclr,
polo and ice skating sequences are entertaining.
Echo Ranch
Univ.-Int'l (Musical Western) 25 Mins.
Very good. Diverting musical interludes
and a standard western theme make this a
solid supporting filler for long single feature
bills. Red River Dave, personable singing
cowboy, and the Texas Tophands provide the
music and excitement. They save a friend's
ranch by staging a benefit rodeo. When the
proceeds from the rodeo are stolen, Dave and
his group track down the outlaws and return
the money in a brief but action-filled chase.
Red River Dave sings "Red River Valley,"
"Echo Ranch," "I Can't Tell That Lie to My
Heart" and "I'm a Rovin' Cowboy." The
rodeo scenes are excellent. There are thrilling
shots of roping, riding and bronco busting.
y
Red Ingle & His
Natural Seven
Univ.-Int'l (Name Band Musical) 15 Mins.
Amusing. Red Ingle, the comedy band
leader, clowns his way through this short
with the aid of lovely Karen Tedder, his vocalist,
and the musicians. The scene is a night
club, where Ingle cavorts through "Natural
Seven Stomp," "The Man With the Big Sombrero,"
"Steel Guitar Rag" and "Cigarets,
Whiskey and Wild Woman." The Albins,
comedy dance team, provide laughs with a
burlesque of a classic ballroom routine. The
boys in the band, like Ingle, wear fantastic
costumes.
Whatta Built
Univ.-Int'l (Variety View) 10 Mins.
Amusing. Ann Thomas is the narrator in
this film of physical culture enthusiasts at
work. Her humorous remarks on the benefit
of concentrated muscle building and the perfect
physical specimens flexing their muscles
before the camera is delivered with a Brooklynese
accent. There are brief glimpses of
dancing girls exercising to keep their figures.
The camera lingers on a group of obese matrons
trying to work off extra poundage. In
the closing scene the current Mr. America displays
his perfect build while several attractive
girls in bathing suits deliver wolf calls.
Jennifer Jones, Joseph Gotten. I don't mean
anything against SRO but, brothers, this was
one of the poorest pictures I've ever run. We
did a very poor business with this and half
of them walked out on it. Played Thursday
only. Weather: Fine.—Orin J. Sears, Apache
Theatre, Elida, N. M. Small town and rural
patronage. * *
Principe Del Deserte, El (Azteca)—This is
just what the doctor ordered. This fellow
Calderon has a lot on the ball. Almost a
remake of Valentino's "Shiek," it has plenty
of action and good music. Too bad we had
it the first week in Lent or we would have
had a packed house. If you have a Spanishspeaking
audience, don't pass it up. Played
Sun., Mon.—Charles Osborne, Presidio Theatre,
Presidio, Tex. Small town patronage. *
Renegade Girl (SG) — Alan Curtis, Ann
Savage, Jack Holt. Used this with "Philo
Vance's Gamble" (EL) and it held the bill up.
Most of our people enjoy a show of this type,
and this one was only fair. Played Wednesday.
Weather: Okay.—D. W. Trisko, Ritz
Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining patronage. * *
Torment (Oxford Films)—Stig Jarrell, Alf
Kjellin, Mai Zetterling. Swedish with English
subtitles. This is a good one for the art lovers.
—Noble Jonas, Capital Theatre, Gastonia,
*
N. C. General patronage.
In the Newsreels
Movietone News, No. 40: Rebirth of Jewish
state of Israel; Hagenah takes city of Haifa;
New York rally hails Jewish state; the new
Italian president; Princess Elizabeth visits
Paris; President Truman addresses young
Democrats; Preakness; charity golf; Olympic
skaters, Barbara Ann Scott and Dick Button.
News of the Day No. 274: The birth of a
nation; Jewish state proclaimed in Palestine;
25 firemen hurt in San Francisco blaze; President
Truman makes an election prediction;
Derby winner scores again; those he-men are
here again.
Paramount News No. 77: Princess Elizabeth
and the duke in Paris; golf benefit drive in
Washington, D. C; young Democrats hear Truman;
meat strike in Minnesota; Mister America;
rally hails new state in Palestine.
Universal News, No. 144: Jews defend new
Zionist state; UN wrangle over Palestine truce;
Paris hails Princess Elizabeth; celebrities play
golf in Washington, D. C; world figure skating
champs thrill Toronto crowds; Mister America
of 1948; Citation wins Preakness.
Warner Pathe News, No. 79: Jewish nation
is born; Truman talks to young Democrats;
Italy installs a new president; amazing new
limbs for war veterans; fatal fire in San Francisco;
Elizabeth and Philip see Paris; select
Mister America for 1948; Citation wins freak-
Movietone News, No. 41: Dewey and Stassen
debate; Jewish state proclaimed at Tel Aviv;
free election held at the American zone at
Korea; flower fashions; girl gymnast from
Sweden; street auto race in Monte Carlo;
dynamite girl.
News of the Day, No. 275: Israel at war;
total eclipse gives Japs a thrill; Stassen-Dewey
debate o% Reds; Korea's first free election;
girl gymnast from overseas.
Report from Pales-
Paramount News, No. 78:
tine; Bob Hope is dad to 4,000 kids; the Paris
walk; first pictures in south Korea.
Universal News, No. 145: Jews fight for survival
on Palestine fi-ont; violence breaks out
during Korean election; Swedish girl gymnast
arrives; Central Park fashions; college rodeo
at Austin, Tex.; Miss T.N.T. is near miss at
Birmingham, Ala.
Warner Pathe News. No. 80: First pictures
from Israel; Stassen vs. Dewey; Swedish girl
gymnast; Grand Prix auto race; Great Americans—Nathan
Hale.
•
All American News, Vol. 6, No. 292: Canada
Lee presents medals to Penn relays champions;
new bishops chosen at Methodist conference;
Drew Pearson speaks before Capital
Press club; Memphis citizens honored for community
service; Negro Catholic clinic holds
open house; Kansas City Monarchs beat
Cleveland Buckeyes in opening baseball
game.
•
Telenews Digest, No. 20: Birth of Israel; Truman
hits GOP; wage fight opens in Chrysler
strike; "nature boy" hit composer is bearded
mystic; spectacular fire in San Francisco;
Noah's Ark, II, arrives in California; Geri.
Jonas Cernias, former prime minister of
Lithuania, finds new employment on the assembly
line of an electrical products factory
outside Newark; Italy's new president takes
office; Princess visits Paris, asks for unity;
Panama's first election in eight years; Toscanini,
a favorite in all countries, returns to
Genoa for a two-month visit; Lana Turner
takes time off from her honeymoon to bestow
a trophy on England's midget auto-racing
champion; U.S. males muscle in on the "beauty
contests" in the national weight lifting competition
for the Mr. America title; the country's
top names take national honors in the annual
celebrities golf tournament; river floods Michigan
State baseball field and the team takes
to canoes for the season's funniest sporting
event.
14 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: May 29, 1948

'
,
Opinions on Current Productions; Exploitips for Selling to the Publii
FEATURE REVIEWS
^i
Easter Parade
MGM(- -) 103 Minutes
Musical
(Technicolor)
Rel. July 1, '48
Give My Regards to
20th-Fox (827)
92 Minutes
Broadway
Comedy
With Music
(Technicolor)
Rel. June '48
Wholly delightfuU A beautifully Technicolored musical
spectacle held together by a plausible story with both Fred
Astrfire and Judy Garland turning in performances that are
joys to watch and to hear. Irving Berlin's melodies are enriched
by modern orchestrations in a way that will leave the
oldsters with happy memories and the youngsters gaily humming
and whistling jjnder the illusion they are catching up
with the latest song hits. Judy Garland is gay, sad and
comic by turns. Both her singing and her dancing ore outstanding.
Fred Astaire has never been better. They are
practically the whole show—and what a show!—with applause
also due Ann Miller, who does some fine dancing.
Arthur Freed was the producer and Charles Walters the
director. Johnny Green was the musical director.
•tsv;
'ijOll
Still another in the long succession of sparkling filmusicols
for which 20th-Fox has become justifiably celebrated, this has
the earmarks of the profits-and-praise success enjoyed by
most of its predecessors. It is further akin to those antecedents
because it finds its roots in yesteryear's show business
and its accompanying aura of nostalgia, color, comedy and
romance. But the story is far from formula. It merely starts
backstage, chronicling the death of vaudeville. From then
on, the wholesome, heart-warming yarn switches to small city
life revealing how it took 30 years for vaudeville to die in
the heart of one of its denizens Who betimes has become
an industrialist. The script was bench-tailored for a carefully
selected, enthusiastic cast which, under the experienced
direction of Lloyd Bacon, makes a Technicolorful entertainment
field day of its chores.
Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford, Ann Miller. Jules
Munshin, Clinton Sundberg, Jeni LeCon.
Dan Dailey, Charles Winninger, Nancy Guild, Charlie Ruggles.
Fay Bainter, Barbara Lawrence, Jane Niche.
The Gallant Legion
F
Western
The Big Punch
F
Republic ( ) 88 Minutes Rel.
Warner Bros. (727) 80 Minutes Rel. June 26, '48
When Republic elects to take the rubber bands off that
part of the productional bankroll allocated to action dramas,
it has few, if any, peers in concocting sagebrush fare sufficiently
impressive to easily earn the oft-abused designation
of super-western. This is irrefutable testimony thereto. While
boasting in bumper measures all of the wanted ingredients,
the story cleverly contrives to employ but sparingly the galloper
formula. Finding foundation in an authentic passage of
Texas' turbulent post-bellum history, the offering should prove
a bonus for the six-guns enthusiasts and has plenty to, commemd
the respect of spectators with wider tastes. A highlycompetent
cast, spectacular production values and hairtrigger
direction milk such literary advantages of every drop
of exciting entertainment, qualifying the film the topside at
all but the ultra situations. Directed by Joe Kane.
Patrons who assume from the title that they are going
to see a picture about the manly art of legalized mayhem
are due for a surprise and, in some instances, a disappointment.
True enough, the picture devotes its early passages
to the fight game, with emphasis on its crooked ramifications.
Then the story does a fast switch and develops into
one of those small-town idyllic situations in which the new
young minister goes all out to sell himself to a skeptical
congregation while, at the same time, he goes to bat for the
ex-pug wrrongfully accused of murder. Thus the film is a
strange combination of big-town toughness and rural wholesomeness.
Considering that the picture was modestly bankrolled—
it being the initialer of WB's recently established
low-budget unit—^production values are impressive. Directed
by Sherry Shrouds.
William Elliott, Adrian Booth, Joseph Schildkraut, Bruce
Cabot, Andy Devine, Jack Holt, Grant Withers.
King of the Gamblers
F
Melodrama
r
jojoy
0. Ltt
. Raw
Wayne Morris, Lois Maxwell, Gordon MacRae, Mary Stuart,
Anthony Warde, Jimmy Ames, Mcnrc Logan.
Deal
Action
Drama
Republic (709) 60 Minutes Rel. May 10, '48
While the story is strictly ala formula, unusually good
performances for pictures of its type elevate this mobstersand-murder
melodrama and earn it appraisal as first-rate
supporting material. In fact, in the less important exhibition
spots where patrons relish gore and suspense the film can
get by at the top of the bill. The story concerns itself with
the fixing of sporting events and focuses principally upon
professional football. When one star player, who has sold
out to the gambling syndicate, is murdered, his rival is
framed to take the rap. How he is saved from the gas
chamber by a pal in the D.A.'s office is the backbone of the
plot. Considering the picture's budget classification, it reflects
impressive production values and the sincere and willing
cast is kept moving at a lively clip by the experienced direction
of George Blair. -
Eagle Lion (822)
78 Minutes Rel. May 26, '48
A powerful, fast-moving gangster melodrama made to order
for the devotees of action fore. Although not quite as realistic
as "T-Men," which was also produced by Edward Small,
the film is less like a documentary and carries ample romantic
and feminine appeal. The names of Dennis O'Keefe,
who is fast becoming the leading portrayer of tough-guy
roles, and Claire Trevor and Marsha Hunt, will insure good
business generally. It should clean up in action spots. Miss
Trevor has rarely looked better or given a more effective
performance. Director Anthony Mann occasionally uses firstperson
narration by Miss Trevor's embittered but faithful
gun-moll to bridge story gaps but he never permits interest
to lapse. The picture opens with a prison break and winds
up wilh a thrilling shooting, fist-fighting sequence. The
striking camera angles deserve special mention.
Janet Martin, William Wright, Thurston Hall, Stephanie Bachelor,
George Meeker, Wally Vernon, William Henry.
Dennis O'Keefe, Claire Trevor, Marsha Hunt, John Ireland,
Curt Conway, Chili Willicxms, Raymond Burr.
The Damned
Discina International 100 Minutes
A
Rel.-
Sword of the Avenger
F
Action
Drama
Eagle Lion (823) 76 Minutes ReL June 2, '48
Like the majority of French-language features, this is
melodramatic fare for adult audiences only. Because Florence
Marly, now under contract to Paramount in Hollywood,
is not yet known to American patrons and the other players
are also unfamiliar, the picture is best suited to art theatre
showings. In these spots the title and grim theme should
result in good grosses. Except for the young doctor who relates
the tale and the submarine captain's young daughter,
the characters are either cruel, weak or unsympathetic.
Director ReneT;iement focuses on each of the eight people
in a Nazi submarine and shows how they crack under the
strain while the boat is heading for South America. Suspense
builds slowly but steadily and the finale is realistic and
inevitably tragic. Miss Marly gives a performance in the
Dietrich manner. Discina Int'l is at 250 West 57th St., N.Y.C.
Henri Vidal, Florence Marly, Jo Dest, Kurt Kronefeld, Michel
938
Auclair, Anne Campioru Marcel Dalio, Fosco Giachetti.
Jilh
Hal,
maker.
Ten -ye;
A Monte Cristo tale in a Philippines setting which has
enough swashbuckling adventure to please the action devotees.
Except for the striking outdoors backgrounds photographed
in the infrequently-used sepia-tone and a fine musical
score composed and directed by Eddison von Ottenfeld,
the picture is routine adventiire fare. Will make a fair
supporting dualler generally. Sigrid Gurie, the best known
player, does good work as the heroine and Ralph Morgan
and Duncan Renaldo are other familiar faces. Although the
star, Ramon Del Gado, is suitably cast as a Filipino patriot,
he is not handsome or dashing enough to appeal to American
women patrons. Laid in the early part of the 19th century,
the story deals with a Filipino patriot who is unjustly jailed
but eventually escapes and frees his people from their
oppressors. Directed by Sidney Salkow.
Ramon Del Gado, Sigrid Gurie, Ralph Morgan, Dunccm
Renaldo, Leonard Strong, Trevor Bardette, Lee Baker.
BOXOFnCE May 29, 1948 937

. . The
. . Even
. . See
—
. . . Acclaimed
.
. Judy
. . The
. . The
. . Drama
. . Where
EXPLOITIPS Suggestions for Selling; Adlines for Newspaper and Programs
SELLING ANGLES: "Give My Regards to Broadway"
SELLING ANGLES:
"Easter Parade"
The vaudeville atmosphere and musical numbers reminiscent
of the 1920s could be made the basis of "Remember
When?" tieups with local merchants, including music and
record stores, clothing establishments and the like. Stage a
competition to select your town's most talented family—singers,
dancers, instrumentalists or what have you. Print up
throwsheets and mailing pieces to resemble old-time vaudeville
programs. Stage a special "bobby-sox" matinee at
which a Dan Dailey fan cIuId could be organized.
CATCHLINES:
It's as Big as the Heart of Show Business ... A Warm
and Human Story Filled With the Nostalgia of the Memorable,
Lovable Days ... Of Greasepaint and One-Night Stands
. When 'Vaudeville Was the King of Entertainment . . .
Bringing Laughter and Music to the World.
These Are the People Who Make Show Business Like No
Business on Earth . . . The Intimate Story of Their Lives . . .
Their Loves . . . Their Work and Play . . . Their Great Story
Begins
. . . When the Curtain Falls.
.
.'
cick
n a
I
jO -
the
v.-
Even the title is pre-sold. It's a natural for the record shops
and music counters. Don't forget the juke box parlors. If
the machines haven't already been supplied with plenty of
Berlin numbers, make sure they know about your playdates.
A record-player a week in advance in the lobby also will
help. For the fill-in periods on the local radio station it ought
to be easy to get the disk jockeys to introduce Berlin numbers,
and if you buy spot announcements with some of these
the campaign is on its way.
CATCHLINES:
Irving Berlin's Music, Judy Garland and Fred Astaire Dancing
and Singing, Technicolored Spectacles—Jam-packedl
Melody, Romance, Beauty .
. . . Fred Astaire Topping
Gorgeous Backgrounds.
Garland at a New High
His Past Performances . . .
It'll Stir Fond Memories . . .
at Her Romantic Best
Those Lingering Irving Berlin
Tunes . . . You'll Thrill to Judy
. . . You'll
Garland
See a New Fred Astaire.
SELLING ANGLES:
"The Big Punch"
Gordon MacRae, radio and' recording singing star, makes
his film debut herein. Build him up as a new boby-sox idol
via window displays in music stores and plugs on radio
disk-jockey shows. The boxing background suggests you
invite leading sports personalities, college athletes, newspaper
columnists and the like to a special showing. Heralds
with a picture of Wayne Morris or MacRae in boxing togs
might be distributed at local fight arenas, athletic stadiums
and similar spots.
CATCHLINES:
The Kind Who's
He's the Kind of a Guy You'll Go For . . .
Not Afraid to Swing His Fists in His Drive to Save Men's
Souls . Kind Who Fights Other People's Battles . . .
The Hard Way . . . Hitting a New Thrill Peak in Two-Fisted
Screen Entertainment . . . The Way You Like It.
There's Two-Fisted Action and Top-Speed Romance . . .
In This Thrill-Packed Story of a Leather-Punching Kid Who
Wouldn't Take a Dive . . . And Found That It Paid to Be
Square . Though They Tried to Frame Him for It.
SELLING ANGLES:
"The Gallant Legion"
Make the usual tieups with clothing stores on western
togs, with jewelers on costume jewelery in the western motif,
and book stores and libraries on special displays of volumes
devoted to the history of the west. Snipe the neighborhood
with teaser tack-cards reading: " 'The Gallant Legion' is
coming." Use life-sized cutouts of William Elliott and Bruce
Cabot, simulating a gun duel, in the lobby. Spot "Wanted"
posters, with a picture of Cabot, around town.
CATCHLINES:
Raiding, Ravaging, Ruthless Terror ... As the West's
Greatest Manhunters Made Law With Their Blazing Guns
. . . Thundering Through a Rugged Empire . Men
of Iron Shot It Out in Matchless Adventure ... As Fearless
as the Times They Lived In.
Out of the Lusty Days When ihe West Was Young'. . .
Comes Furious, Fabulous Adventure . as Boundless
as America's Outdoors . . . Action as Flaming as a Smoking
Six-Gun . . . Along the Trail to Romance and Glory.
51
SELLING ANGLES:
"Raw Deal"
to
T
— 1 a
•
off .
SELLING ANGLES: "King of the Gamblers"
Stress the fact that this has the same producer-.director-star
combination (Edward Small-Anthony Mann-Dennis O'Keefe)
that made "T-Men" a boxoffice winner. To attract the women
patrons, play up the romantic angle by using stills or cutout
heads of Claire Trevor, the gangster's moll, and Marsha
Hunt, the good girl. Use a frame of famous screen toughguys,
such as James Cagney, Humphrey Bogort and Dick
Powell, topped by heads of Dennis O'Keefe.
Sell the picture by means of tack-cords and posters scattered
strategically around locations where the sporting fraternity
congregates—local bowling alleys, gymnasiums, baseball
parks, etc. Stuff special heralds in pulp sports magazines.
Using the title as the basis, tie in police and newspapers
on a safe-driving campaign in the community, with
a slogan such as: "The 'King of the Gamblers' is the driver
who takes reckless chances. Slow down—you can't win."
CATCHLINES:
It Dynamites the Screen With Raw, Savage Fury . . . She
Secured His Freedom But Another Woman Captured His
Heart . Killers Trapped Through Their Women—Murdered
by Their Gang Pals . . . The Picture That's Loaded
With Thrills.
CATCHLINES:
Hot From the Headlines . Sizzling Expose of a
Gridiron "Fix" . . . That Led to Murder ... A Front-Page
The Sensational Inside of a Sports Scandal
Shock Story . . .
That Rocked the Nation.
She Was Sure of Her Man—Until Another Woman Dealt
Her Out . . .
ster Killings
Raw Stuff of
The Story Behind the News
... A Rip-Roaring Action
Reality . . . Bare-Fisted,
Headlines
Story
Hard-Hitting
of Gang-
Made of
Action
the
Drama.
SELLING ANGLES: "Sword of the Avenger"
Sigrid Gurie, who first appeared in "Algiers" and made
many American films since, is the only selling name. Ramon
Del Gado is well known in Mexico. The sepia-tone photography
for the striking outdoors backgrounds should be
stressed in lobby displays and ads. A lobby display of
unusual swords, borrowed from a local museum or antique
dealer, will attract attention. As the story is laid in the
Philippines, invite local Filipino merchants or residents to
the first showing.
CATCHLINES:
A Monte Cristo Tale in Filipino Garb ... A Beautiful
Woman Leads Her Fellow-Patriots to Freedom . . . Nineteenth
Century Romance and Swordplay Against Beautiful Philippines
Backgrounds.
Years in Prison With His Mind Set on His Freedom to
Adventure and
Sepia-Tone . . . Hidden
Revenge Himself on His Oppressors . . .
Romance Photographed in Soft
Treasure Which Brings Freedom to the Oppressed .
Love Story Behind the Uprising Which Freed the
. .
Philippines
The
from Their Oppressors.
Zet.
;. S\
^d c
SELLING ANGLES: "The Damned"
The picture's chief selling angles ore the melodramatic
action content and Florence Marly, French actress who is
being given a buildup by Paramount and is playing opposite
Ray Milland in "The Sealed 'Verdict." Make a lobby
display of cutout heads of the eight principal characters,
all passengers on a Nazi submarine seeking freedom in
South America. For art theatre patrons, stress the fact that
this was chosen as "best adventure film" at the Cannes
Film Festival.
CATCHLINES:
A Handful of Human Beings Doomed toJ)ie . . . Hate
Flourished, Love Was Destroyed During an III-Fated 'Voyage
as the "Best Adventure Film" of 1947 at the
Death and Danger Lurk in Close
Cannes Film Fistival . . .
Quarters.
i
Florence Marly, Glamorous French Actress, in Her Last
Picture Prior to Her Hollywood Debut Opposite Ray Milland^
Collaborationist and Nazi Oppresser Fight to the Death!
. .
in
.
a Doomed Submarine . . . Another Outstanding Foreignij
Film Highlighting Melodramatic Action and Suspense.

j
Complete
I specialty.
, 1235
—
lATES: 10c per word, minimum Sl.OO, cash with copy. Four insertions for price of three.
CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy and answers to
• Box Numbers to BOXOFTICE. 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City I. Mo. •
CLfflRlOG HOUSE
•?l
GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED
"Drive-in deal "ith S(IS saved mo $5,000." says
-ISIS DiA'ry outfit
me liupiiy oxliibllor. "Your $2.-ISIo l>o\ry outm
s worth llirloo llie prico." Super Slraplc'i E-7,
Ijupsrlor, Bronkert. .Muliocriiph. Century, IICA or
Slnplex 4 Siiir Sound \illh hlsh Intensity arcs
livi-iiy below the market. Wire or write now I New
irWre-ss. S.O S. Cimona SuiuiI.t Corimratlon, Drivein
l)e|it. . 002 W. 52iid St.. New York 19.
Drive- Ins—need more power? Western Electric
500-watl Booster ampliriers, fit any sound sys-
.au, $850. Twin In-Cnr Siieakors wllh jundlnti
3ia. {Iii.rs. complete; 70/140 «mp«rt moti»
generators. $525. Super Snapllle fl. 9 \enttt
'rora $150. ILIheral irado-ln-.). New aduivss.
5.0.8. finema Suiiidy Corii.. Drlvc-ln Dept.. 602
Just a fovv lelt, A marvelous buyl SImplei
neflianums. cemiine Siroplcv rear shutters, double
ii-arliii; merements. cast Iron traps, removahle
irjles, excellent condition, only $109.50. Star
>'mem« Supply. 439 W. 4fith St., New York 19.
booUi enuiimicnt at a b.irgain! Sim-
|ilex rear shutter projectors, pedestals, magaiines,
I'eerless lam|ihouses, rectiners, KCA swmd sys-
'•m lenses, pet feet rraidlllon. only $905. Star
Inrma Siiiiply. 459 W. 4nih St . New Y'oriL 19.
Have your machines rebuilt and modernized by
ictory methods. All work cuaraiilwed. Movement.-
Projection Servlop * Supply Cn
^} North ll'h St.. Minneapolis :i. Minn.
Special! .T.OOO cllairs with leatherette Insert
incl backs, spring custiinn tentliorotto bottoms,
mplete with center and end standards. All or
irt. Bargain at $4.50 each. Also 1.000 full
jholstered backs with leatliorette spring cnsliion
)ttoms. eomitiote with slip rovers, center and end
nndards Exoellent condition. $4 each for all
part, fob- Cleveland. General Tlieatre Eqiilp-
?nt Co.. 2417 Prnqiect Ave. Pliones: TOwer
0277. F.Mrmnunt 4958. Cleveland. Oliio.
! Stabnarc gcueralor, 80-100 ampeies, txceJent
Indillou; $450. L. 4 N. 'ITieulre Corp., Atitloch,
Attrition! Like new. 500 loge chairs coiisLst-
1; ut red plusli moliair bucks and spring cusliivai
J molialr bollums having jed nioliair arm rests,
implcte with center and end standards. j\U or
rt, $7.50 oiicli, l.o.b. Cleveland. Ualeral Ttiealre
liulpmenl Cti,. 2417 I'rospcct Ave. riioues:
il«er 1-0277. FAirmount 4958. CleteUind. Ohio.
1 $1,450 for complete rebuilt booth eviuipmeiit
-•lutling two Simplex re-ar sllutter piojectois,
uids, magazines, L'llraphone souixlheu*;, amplir
and spe.ikor, low inten-sity lamphouses and
:tiflers. Years ot good setvlce in this equipnt.
$100 deiiosit with order. Bakmce C.O.U.
Tflt are yoiir needs? Oct ovir piices first,
ademy ITieatre Supp:y Co., 1235 South WabusiJ
e.. Cliicjigo. IMione: WEBster 7268. America's
stest Growing Supply House.
Per Sale, New Wiirlltzer drink vcirdors, $595
it. Immediate delivery. I'air used E5T portable
Vry 35mm sound projectors, i'ei-fect condition,
50. $100 deiiosit. Balance CO f). Cjindy cases,
inde wood trim, lour ft., $135. Full line of
ive-In equipment. Academy Theatre Supply
So. Wabash Ave., Chicago. WEBster
58. America's Fastest Growing Supply House.
(Pair I'eerless L.I. lamps, $150; pr. 30 amp.
Itifiers, $95; pr. Simplex rear shutter heads,
ible bearing movements, spiral gears and cast
n traps. $400: pr. Larsen soundheads, complete,
00; two amiiliflers. each $90; pr. Gardiner
IV. lamps, new mirrors, $150; one Westem
'Ctric mirroptionic sound system complete. 62
i 86 type amplifiers, with Diirlionic speakers,
client condition. $800: pr Strong K W. rectirs,
used one week, $310: pr. Syncrofilm soimdids.
$150, All enuipment guaranteed. Rhodes
ind and Projection Service, 218 East 56th St.,
.annah.
Ga.
Will^ trade in late model 16mm. one DeVry and
,N';itoo. excellent condition, on late model
mm. Best offer accepted. Must be in excelt
condition. E. C. Pamperin, Plymouth Theatre,
Tuoiith.
Fla.
Complete booth equipment. Pair Simplex rear
itter protectors, double bearing movement
Icstals. magazines, iiifraphone soundheads, mo-
B. brand new amivlitiers. Strong intensity
ips. 30 amp. rectifiers. Bargain. $975. Write
American Theatre. 3021 Main St., Indiana
rnor.
Ind,
GENERAL EQUIP.—USED (Cent.)
25 cycle llertner t.r;uisverlor high Uitenslty, like
new. Town chiinging to 00 cycle. Bargain. Also.
25 cycle motors in most sizft^. Gcni Theatre.
Cornell, Wis.
Simplex medianisms, $150. Strong low intensity
are Uiiiips, $100. ItCA sound complete. $500.
Rectiricrs, $35. Write for bargain list. Ger-Bar,
Inc.. 442 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis, Ind.
Immediately available and priced right, (hie No.
105 washer complete 3 b.p. AUis-Clialmers pump:
one No, 48 binwer hydr;iullc control 7';^ lip.
n»tor, two iMW-ZO Cyra spray washers, two 45%
by 40 in, dual directional metal dclleciors. Bijou
Anusenent Co., 423 Fourth Ave. North, Nailirtlle
3, Tenn.
IV, 62nd SI.. New York 10^
Daytime sIiuiIi)wIh)\ headed screens, collapsible, PG 31 RCA sound system comiilete. A-1 condition.
Crated ready for shipment. Tills Is excellent
l!eltas.
Five miles from State College. 1.500 enrollment.
Northern Oklahoma town 1.700. Centuries,
Strong Highs. KCA, electric fountain, 390 upliolstered,
all new. Building included, home available.
$20,000 down. Leak, 3422 Kinmore, Dallas.
Unusual combination. Outdoor theatre, 00c admission,
with apartment. Two beautiful fishing
boJits renting for $55 dally. Finest two-bedroom
collage completely furnished. Deep freeze, frigldaire.
moiKi sink, range. Six-stool bur, lawn
furniture. Augustine grass patio, silverware, linen,
everything. Only sliow Texas Gulfs finest fishlivg,
hunting resort. Rare opiJortunlty m:Uie money,
really enjoy life. Excellent staff will stay. Under
$45,000. Liberal terms. Leak Tliefitre Sales, 3422
Kinmore, Dallas.
Near Des Moines. Only tiieatre. community
3,000, 400 cnsllioo seats. New Slur. Does $85
weekly. Ownei- states payout under two years.
$14.00a Lake Thoalre Sales, 1109 Orchard
Lane. Des Moines. Iowa.
Lifetime exhibitor retiring; First run rich Kansas
county seat 5.000. One oUler theatre. New
Simplex booth. 550 Ilej-wood chairs. Excyrtional
concessions. Two well cooling. Includes
brick building, apartment, store. Priced, payout
33 months, $66,000. $20,000 down. State
finances, complete identification. Boxoffice,
,
A-3056.
Five hundred car diive-in. West Texas city
30.000. Perfect location four-lane highway. Fastest
growing city southwest. National publicity.
E-7s, Brenkert higlis, RCA. Paved ramps. Concrete
tower includes apiu'tment. Nine month
season. $2,500 profit first month 1948. Wired
for car speakers. $50,000. $15,000 down. Your
finances, identity please. Leak, 3422 Kinmore,
Dallas,
Near Dallas. Live trade center 1,000, 275
seats, new Jl.uiley. perfect equipment. Newly
decorated front. Long established. Illness. $11,000.
$7,000 down. Leak. 3422 Kinmore, Dallas.
For Sale: Diive-iii Theatre. 300 cars. First
and second run products, rich farming and oil
payroll. Large construction under way. Money
maker, rare opportunity. Neglected by owner with
other interests. Cash or terms. Boxoffice. .\-3001,
Outstanding suburb. Only theatre, separate
modern community, yet ne;ir everything, Texas
metropolis. Texas' nicest town this size. Nationally
known architect designed. 050 seats.
Trade area 15.000. Perfect film setup. Highly
profitable. $44,000. $29,000 down. Leak, 3422
Kinmore. Dallas
Theatre, 350 seats, county seat western Kansas.
Competition 24 miles. 'Two rentals in building
include apartment. Booth equipment new,
town growing: potential business double present
gross. Outside Interests reason turning loose. A
money maker. Sell direct, complete or equipment.
Ten-year lease to right party. Boxoffice,
A-.3062
For lease or s;ile. Bcautihil neighborhood theatre,
heavily populated section on main Detroit
street. Good money maker for acthe theatre mtin.
Box 1010, Boxoffice. 1009 Fox Bldg., Detroit 1,
lllch.
THEATRES FOR SALE (Cont.)
Theatre near .Missoula. Montana, in heart of BltttTtoot
valley. Remodeled, redecorated and all
IK'W e(|Ui[)ment. De luxe house. FuH price,
$45,000 Including building. Some terms. ConLacl
Joseph C. Butler. A'lVatcr 0221, 304 SW 4th Ave.,
PoreUnd. Ore. A. B.C. Brokerage Cum|iany.
Theatre, 274 seals, southern Idaho. Full price,
$21,000 including building. Simplex machines,
W»lern Electric sound. Wire, call or write to
.Nolen lliiwaid. Box 277, phone 608. Payotte,
Iclihu, ABC, Brokerage Compiuiy.
bOO-seat theatre, downtown Vietoila, B. C. For
sale or lease. Apply Slate Theatre, Vancouver,
B. C.
Colored theatre in Tennessee county scat, 0,500.
CiJiinty two tiiiids colored. Price reasonable. Reply
Boxofticc. A-3005,
Northeast Iowa only theatre long est:iblislied
town 1,700. Monograph. Strong highs, Oiicradio,
3S0 seats mostly upholstered. Two-year payout.
$27,500. SOITHE.VST IOWA town 1,900, latest
equipment. $18 seat. Long established. Itecordi
available, showing excellent return. Fine apartment
available. $31,000. $20,000 down. SOUTH-
WEST IOWA, rich agilcultural town, 1,500. Simplex,
300 new seals, reid opportunity. $17,000.
Terms. Others throughout midwest. Leak Theatre
Sa'es. 1109 Orchard Lane. Des Moines.
Theatre. Kansas City, Missouri. Good moneymaker,
modern equipment, 800 seals. Priced
$12,500. Half cash, balance terms. C. H. Potter,
Broker. 4423 Benton Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
Theatre south Missouri small town. Meneymaker,
300 seats, modern equipment, everything
first class. $21,500 building included. $13,500
cash, balance term.s. C. II. Potter, Broker, 4423
Benton Blvd.. K.insas City. Mo.
Theatre. K.insas small town, modern equipment,
good money-maker. Piice $9,000. $6,000 down,
b.ilance terms. C. H. Potter, Broker, 4423 Benton
Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
HELP WANTED
Theatre Manager: Small town circuit, must be
sober and hard worker. State qu;itlfIcation5. References
and salary expected first letter. K. Lee
Williams 'Theatres, Inc., Broad at Spruce, Texarkana.
Tex.
Wanted iirojectionlsts and theatre m;inagers to
teaoh all phases of motion picture projection and
theatre ni.inagement. High school education required,
college education preferred. Send summary
of education, training, experience, references,
marital status, age, and state when available.
Excellent opportunity for men seeking a secure
future with opportunity for advancement. .Address
.National Theatre Institute. Bos 483. Dallas, T«l.
Theatre Manager. Experienced man to relieve
managers during slimmer vacations. Splendid opportunity
for permanent assignment. Associated
Theatres, Inc., 1325 Dime Bldg., Detroit, Mich.
POSITIONS WANTED
Manager: 15 years experience housekeeper, eitoloiteer.
Best references. Reply Boxoffice. A-3042.
Manager, 20 years experience; both independent
and chain operation; will go anywhere; age 37;
single Al Tribbett, P. 0. Box 184, North Lansing,
Mich.
Manager or projectionist, 19 years experience.
Write Willis Roberts. 184 Britain, Benton Harbor.
Mich.
Manager, experienced all phases theatre operation,
wants job in the Carolinas. Address Box 414,
Hamlet. N. C.
Projectionist. 10 years experience, colored. Boxoffioe.
A-3066.
REAL ESTATE
Investigate this. Selling improved business property
200x125 ft., in exclusive Chicago neighborhood.
Included specifications for medicil center,
SLX retail stores, 32 bowling alleys, l,000-»eat
theatre. References required. Owner, Tony Bhefllc,
Jr.. 14501 Sherman Ave.. Posen. III.
Lake of Ozarks year-aroiind vacation home. Comp'etrly
furnished, entirely modern. Boat dock, boat
and motor included. Carpenters developments 14
miles south Stover. Missouri. Highway 135 and
lake mad 67. For appointment see C. H. Potter,
4423 Benton Blvd., K.insas Citv. Mo. \TAba.sh
5755.
DRIVE-IN THEATRE SUPPLIES
In-a-car speaker. $14.95. Two cast aluminn«
water-proof speakers complete with junction box
.and line transformer; finest construction. For
information on complete line of drive-in theatre
equipment, write Drhe-In Theatre Manufacturing
Co., 2017 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
MORE CLASSIFIED
ON PAGE 46
29

technicolor
otion Victnre Gorporation
Herbert T. Kalmus, Vresideut and general Manager