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