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ITALY, TEX.—A record of service in the<br />
Industry, perhaps not duplicated anywhere<br />
in the United States, is held by J. B. Johnson,<br />
who has been projectionist at the Elk Theatre<br />
here for 38 years. His attractive wife<br />
has sold tickets at the theatre for 21 years.<br />
Johnson said his job started in 1910 when<br />
the house was called the Pastime, then owned<br />
and operated by J. C. Couch. Equipment was<br />
not high-intensity to be sure, but it was<br />
Thomas A. Edison's best with the famous<br />
carbide lamp of that day. Johnson well remembers<br />
that Couch was a good friend of<br />
Ned E. Depinet when the latter started selling<br />
Universal films on Commerce street in<br />
Dallas for the late Oscar S. Oldknow. He<br />
recalls his first boss later made a trip to New<br />
York with the then promising young film<br />
man who today is vice-president of RKO.<br />
TO P. G. ROCKETT IN 1920<br />
P. G. Rockett bought the Pastime in 1920<br />
and changed its name to the Elk. This ownership<br />
continued for 18 years, the last part<br />
of which was under management of Ernest<br />
Rockett, a son. Johnson was still there, although<br />
he had long since switched to Powers<br />
machines with "hayburners" and later the<br />
incandescent lamp. Rockett sold the theatre<br />
to S. R. Green and L. P. Price in 1938. Sidney<br />
Hale, a German war refugee, bought it<br />
soon after World War II ended. Ted Waggoner<br />
bought the house in 1947 and Bud<br />
Waldron acquired it early this year. He sold<br />
to present owner, W. W. Spurlock, in July.<br />
After having worked for seven owners of<br />
the theatre in 38 years, Johnson is still there<br />
running the machines, and he is justly proud<br />
of his record of usefulness. He has had no<br />
substitutes and no vacations in that long<br />
period. He was sick four nights but the manager<br />
came to the rescue then. Only once did<br />
the theatre have to refund admissions, and it<br />
was not a fault of the operator but because<br />
of a storm.<br />
IN FIRST WORLD WAR<br />
Johnson went overseas in 1917 to help win<br />
the first world war. He was an infantryman.<br />
Because he knew about pictures, they let<br />
him<br />
set up a Delco unit in an old ambulance and<br />
give a show whenever a print was available.<br />
He went back to Italy. Tex., after the war and<br />
took up in the both where he left off. He<br />
rose to the top in American Legion affairs,<br />
wore medals and an overseas cap to<br />
state conventions and on parade days in<br />
Dallas. He was finance officer several years,<br />
and now is post historian.<br />
The only other time Johnson was away<br />
from the Elk Theatre was when C. R. "Uncle<br />
Mack" Henry opened the Texas Theatre in<br />
Dallas 15 years ago. He operated machines<br />
there for a very brief time and then went<br />
back to Italy to stay. Seasoned equipment<br />
men in Dallas say they do not know of any<br />
instance when Johnson had trouble with his<br />
projectors or his sound. His booth has been<br />
kept in tip-top condition all the time and he<br />
ordered very few parts because he took care<br />
of them, they said.<br />
Miss Louise Hearn, a local girl, was selling<br />
tickets at the Elk in 1927. Three years later<br />
she and the projectionist were married. Mrs.<br />
Johnson boasts of a fine service record, too,<br />
been continuously on the job for 21<br />
years except when taking care of an infant<br />
J. B. Johnson and wife. The photo was<br />
taken during a recent visit on Dallas<br />
Filmrow. Mrs. Johnson closed her eyes<br />
when the flash bulb exploded.<br />
daughter and son, LaRue and J. B. jr., now<br />
handsome high school juniors.<br />
Although many in the industry fill more<br />
lofty niches than the Johnsons, none have<br />
done their jobs better or are happier. The<br />
family of four is good looking, and wears nice<br />
clothes and smiles. They have a good car<br />
and take the theatre owner to Dallas often.<br />
Loveliest Mother Given<br />
Check on Chicago Stage<br />
Culminating a three-week campaign on a<br />
"Loveliest Mother" contest in behalf of "I<br />
Remember Mama," the first-prize winner was<br />
awarded a check for $500 on the stage of the<br />
RKO Palace in Chicago. Irene Rich, herself<br />
a lovely mother, made the award, which<br />
marked the occasion of the picture's opening.<br />
The contest, under the direction of Lou<br />
Mayer, publicist for RKO Theatres in that<br />
city, was staged with the cooperation of the<br />
Chicago Daily News, with over 6,000 Lovely<br />
Mothers entered. The newspaper ran front<br />
page ad women's page breaks daily, with<br />
profuse layouts of the contestants' photos as<br />
the contest progressed.<br />
Notable radio assistance was obtained<br />
through the cooperation of station WIND,<br />
which broadcast eight one-minute annoimcements<br />
daily for two weeks before opening.<br />
Forest Fires Feared<br />
DALLAS—Forest fires sweeping east Texas<br />
during the prevalent dry weather that might<br />
make a new drouth record, so far have rot<br />
hurt boxoffice revenues, but unless some of<br />
the blazes are curbed this is feared. Last year<br />
when the big pine trees burned around Conroe,<br />
north of Houston, Jefferson Amusement<br />
Co. theatres turned in some mighty bad red<br />
ink reports.<br />
Veteran Actor in 'City'<br />
Warn rs has borrowed Harry Seymour,<br />
veteran film and stage actor, from 20th-Fox<br />
for the "Somewhere in the City" cast.<br />
HOUSTON — R. Z. Gla.ss. owner of the<br />
Stude and State theatres, has added another<br />
operation to the list with the purchase of<br />
in the closed Plaza from L. C.<br />
li.ixley and a long lease on the building. Baxley<br />
built the house ten years ago and profitably<br />
operated it until recently. He said<br />
nearby drive-ins and other new theatres had<br />
encircled him until he could no longer make<br />
money. Glass will operate the Plaza under<br />
the same name.<br />
Disk Jockey Aids Contest<br />
For 'Ram' in Bridgeport<br />
Harry Rose, manager of the Majestic in<br />
Bridgeport. Conn., tied up with WNAB for a<br />
radio contest on its di.sk jockey program to<br />
promote "The Sign of the Ram." The contest<br />
ran for a week in advance, and listeners<br />
were asked to .send in their name, address,<br />
birthday and favorite song. It was sort of an<br />
experiment to determine whether persons of<br />
the same birthday or astrological sign have<br />
the same musical preferences. Several of<br />
these were selected for discussion on the program.<br />
All the letters were placed in a container<br />
from which five names were drawn<br />
daily, each of whom received a pair of guest<br />
tickets.<br />
Missing Letter Contest<br />
Helps 'Woman' in Lobby<br />
In advance of "Letter From an Unknown<br />
Woman," Arnold Gates, manager of the Stillman<br />
in Cleveland, used a front lobby contest<br />
called Take a Letter, devised from the<br />
picture title. A 40x60 announced that there<br />
are 12 different letters in the title, not counting<br />
duplications, one of which had been designated<br />
as the Unknown Letter. Those selecting<br />
the correct letter, if among the first 50,<br />
were offered a pass. This simple device<br />
proved surprisingly popular, attracting several<br />
hundred entries over a two-day period.<br />
A total of 26 correct guessers received passes.<br />
Pat O'Brien in Chicago<br />
To Debut 'Father Dunne'<br />
The personal appearance of Pat O'Brien at<br />
the RKO Grand Theatre in Chicago on<br />
opening night of "Fighting Father Dunne"<br />
was arranged by publicist Lou Mayer. The<br />
star made the trip from Hollj-wood by invitation<br />
of the Catholic Youth Organization<br />
benefit show which coincided with the film's<br />
opening. A capacity crowd was on hand and<br />
the event received full radio and newspaper<br />
coverage.<br />
Animated Lobby Display<br />
Sells Fight Pictures<br />
Wesley Allen jr.. manager of the Ritz in<br />
Brewton. Ala., used the revenge angle to exploit<br />
the recent showing of the return bout<br />
between heavyweight champion Joe Louis and<br />
Joe Walcott. Allen got his operator Tom<br />
Paggott and doorman James Thompson to<br />
assist in the construction of a display board<br />
which featured large figures of the two fighters<br />
hooked up to a mechanism which kept<br />
the bodies swaying as if in actual motion.<br />
:<br />
28, 1948<br />
97