Boxoffice-January.07.1950

'
. . . Roy
. . Bernice
. . Milton
. . The
. . The
. .
. . Realart
Convertible Top Slated
For New Amphitheatre
PITTSBURGH—Music lovers can look forward
to concerts in a "convertible" amphitheatre—with
the top lowered for clear
Dale Theatre Reopens
JOHNSTOWN, PA.—The remodeled and
renovated Dale Theatre reopened Christmas
day. The theatre had been closed since October
3 when gutted by a $50,000 fire. Alexander
Theatre Supply furnished new fixtures
and equipment. Leslie L. Chamberlain is
owner.
Billers Elect John Carano
DETROIT — John Carano was re-elected
president of the International Alliance of
Billposters and Billers Local 94. Other new
officers for 1950 are Matt Kobe, secretarytreasurer:
Michael Noch. business agent: John
Frederick, chairman of trastees; William
Noch, and John St. Peter, trustees.
CINCINNATI
Tohn Groves, who operates the Groves, Sum-
' mersville, W. 'Va., killed the biggest deer
in Nicholas comity, and residents of Summersville
soon will see the mounted head
displayed in the theatre lobby. The deer
. . . Jack
weather and raised in a jiffy when rain
clouds threaten.
Believed to be the first structure of its
kind, the elements-proof amphitheatre will weighed 275 pounds, was 12 feet long and
be ready for the outdoor season in 1951. It had 18 points.
will house the performances of the Pittsburgh
C. E. Davie of Corning and New Lexing-
Civic Light Opera Ass'n and other ton had a $15,000 fire loss when the interior
nonprofit activities. The feature of the $1,- of the Perry, New Lexington, burned recently
000,000 project is the removable roof. The
Milton Cohen, eastern division
. . .
amphitheatre, seating 9.500 persons, will be sales manager for Eagle Lion, was a local
covered m bad weather by a plastic fabric visitor .
Meyer, former secretary
tent supported by a movable steel framework.
The flexible ceiling will be divided into pieshaped
to Lou Wetzel of Cincinnati Theatre Supply,
has a new baby boy John Allen.
segments that will fan upward from
the rear of the arena when it is being covered
by a flick of a switch. The plastic "tenf by the Tenthree Ladies society Wednesday
Eighty-five children enjoyed a party given
will move from its lowered position up over (281 at the Variety clubrooms. Roberta Rosedale
was in charge of entertainment .
the arena in two and a half minutes on a
giant arch-like steel frame.
Ralph Cundiff, who owais the Allen, Liberty,
Half of the project's cost will be provided Ky., is building a new theatre there. Work
by a pledge from a tmst set up by Edgar J. is in progress Newbold circuit,
.
Kaufmann, Pittsburgh philanthropist and Bramwell, W. Va., has added the Wheelwright,
merchant. The city agreed to match that
Wheelwright, Ky.
siun. Kaufmann suggested the removable
Harmon Snyder opened the new Piice
roof when he donated the money for the
Theatre in Hi Hat, Ky., in November. It
project. The structure's miusual design was
has 300 seats. Snyder also operates a theatre
based on an invention of James A. Mitchell,
in Ligon, Ky . Yassenoff, Columbus,
left to join his dad Leo in California,
member of a local architectiu'al firm. Officials
of the Civic Light Opera Ass'n said
where the latter is vacationing. They planned
rain-cancellations normally cost the group
to attend the Rose Bowl game. Leo took the
between $10,000 and $12,000 for a single performance
at Pitt Stadium.
Ohio State university team, one of the Rose
Bowl contestants, thi'ough the MGM studios.
The new amphitheatre's site will be chosen
within the next month or so and ground will Mrs. D. H. Gray, Brodhead, Ky., is in a
be broken in the spring. The city of Pittsburgh
hospital in Louisville recovering after an
will own the structure and lease it
The Majestic, Columbus, a
operation . . .
to the opera association.
Midstates Theatres circuit house, has closed
permanently. A dime store will be erected
on the site by the Green chain
Needham, Columbus, will take over the theatre
in New Straitsville, Ohio, February 1
from Roy Osbourne.
Edivard SaJzberg heads the new Screen
Classics exchange located in the Film building.
Salzberg spent several days in New
York recently negotiating for product . . .
Detroit MGM Staff Hosts
'Battleground' Preview
DETROIT—The local MGM staff hosted
the industry at the trade preview of "Battleground"
at the Mldtown Theatre. The event,
one of the few evening previews to take over
an entire theatre and close down the box
office, drew a near-capacity house of about
700 people. Comment on the picture was
enthusiastic.
Charles Dietz, MGM exploiteer, was in
charge of arrangements for the event, which manager. Dave Miller, district manager, will
was followed by similar screenings in upstate manage the branch at Buffalo.
cities for exhibitors. Cliff Perry, MGM office
manager, was in charge of door arrangements, Martha Murny, inspector for Realart Pictures,
died from a heart attack. She was 62
with Milton London, owner-manager of the
Midtown, on hand to greet friends.
White, student booker at 20th-Fox,
has been promoted to salesman . Fox
Christmas party at the Alms hotel was a gala
affair and everyone raved about the good time
had. Jim Keefe, former exploiteer for Fox,
and now manager of the Paramount Theatre
in Hamilton, Ohio, came in to act as Santa
Claus again. Mrs. Rosen, wife of the manager,
had as her guests her mother, father
and brother from New York. The singing
Irv Sochin, U-I manager here, has been promoted
to general sales manager for Prestige
Pictures with offices in New York. Replacing
Sochin here is Joe Ginns, Buffalo U-I
Tony KnoUman, Sam and Manny Weiss,
trio,
entertained with some original lyrics.
Midwest Theatre Supply personnel held
their Christmas party at the home of H. B.
Snook in Covington . . . The East Kentucky
Trucking Co. has been started through the
Big Sandy region of Kentucky by Carl A.
Adkins of Pikeville. Daily service over a
300-mile route is offered.
Charles Scott of the Hoosier Theatre,
Vevay, Ind., is planning to build a drive-in
there to open next spring Pictures
.
of Ohio, headed by Lee Goldberg, arranged
a simultaneous run in ten local houses of the
Theatre Owners and White-Lisbon circuits,
starting January 8, of the combination of
"Pui-y at Sea" and "The Sun Never Sets" . . .
20th-Fox employes purchased a bed and mattress
for the Christ Child nursery. Louis
Wiethe, circuit operator, showed EL's "The
Fallen Idol" two days preceding the regular
run, proceeds going to the Post Firemen's
MUe of Dimes fund.
Mrs. Elsie McCracken, exhibitor at Cynthiana,
Ky., was recovering from an illness . . .
Jim Malavazos and Fred Donohoo of the
Ohio Theatre, New Boston, made the rounds
of the exchanges and presented the bookers
with "Christmas cheer" . . . The husband of
Virginia Robbins, secretary at Cooperative
Theatres, was in the hospital suffering from
a spine injm-y.
Twenty-five publicity men of the EL were
here making arrangements for the saturation
premiere of "Guilty of Treason," the
Edward Golden production about Cardinal
Mindszenty . . . Exhibitors seen on the Row:
O. G. Roaden, Path Fork; Price Coomer, Harlan,
James Howe, Carrollton, Ky.
Jack Ruth, RKO shipper, was home several
days with a strep thi'oat . . . Mark Cummins,
drive-in exhibitor in Stockton, Ohio, and
Georgetown, Ky., and wife, left for a twomonth
stay in Florida . . . The Colosseum
of Motion Picture Salesmen will meet January
14 at 1 :30 p. m., in the clubrooms over the
Hey Hey tavern. The loge will hold its installation
dinner at the Variety clubrooms
February 20.
Repair Perry Theatre
NEW LEXINGTON, OHIO — Rehabilitation
of the Peri-y Tlieatre has started, with
repairs expected to be completed by January
25. The theatre was damaged December 20
in a $20,000 fire.
FOR SALE
Simplex Mechanisms S750; Guaranteed iaclory
rebuilt. Prices f.o.b. Chicago or New York
iactory.
Now installing new machines throughout large
circuit. Contact us today. Terms ii desired.
ALBANY THEATRE SUPPLY CO.
1046 Broadway 5-5055 Albany, N. Y.
MID-WEST THEATRE SUPPLY CO., Inc.
"EVBRY THING FOR THE THEATRE"
DRIVE-IN THEATRES OUR
SPECIALTY
1638 Central Parkway, Cincinnati 10. Ohio
BOXOFTICE January 7, 1950 71
CHerry
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