PONDERS TAFT-HARTLEY WAL

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Fire
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Louis
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. . . Spencer
. . 20th-Pox
. . "Miracle
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'ool Breakup Brings
'WC Staff Shakeup
,OS ANGELES— As a result of the realign
in management through dissolution of
1 lis in recent weeks. Charles Skouras, presi-
It of Fox West Coast and National Thca-
I s, has instituted a number of changes and
imotions in executive and managerial peri;mel.
Executive personnel changes revealed by
kouras are William Thedford. district manger,
to assistant to George Bowser, general
imager of FWC; Bert Pirosch. associate
tad of the booking department, to the film
living department; Fay Reeder. San Frant.'^co
publicity director, to district manager,
|*n Francisco first runs: Bob Rothafel, manager
of the Criterion, Santa Monica, to dis-
I'rict manager, district four, replacing Terry
[Mi^'Daniel, resigned.
Other transfers— Harry Siple, district manjper.
East Bay. to district manager, Penin-
|)Ula.
JERMAN KERSKEN TO EAST BAY
Herman Kersken, first run San Francisco
li
flistrict manager, to East Bay.
W. C. Ricord. Peninsula district manager,
l;c valley district manager, northern Calircrnia.
J[ Fred Glass, valley district manager, to
llniedford's southern California district.
I' Herb Norris, from the Nile to the Kern,
I'B.ikersfield.
Floyd Thurston, the Mission, San Diego,
h.c the Rivoli. Van Nuys.
r Frank Swartz, the Kern, Bakersfield ,to the
l.kialto, south Pasadena.
George Miller, the Figueroa, Los Angeles,
J|t(' the United Artists, El Centre.
Al Dimiont. the Aztec. San Diego, to the
I'
plFairmount, San Diego.
Jim Richardson, the Rialto, South Pasa-
.dena, to the Criterion, Santa Monica.
David Lackie. the California, Ontario, to
the Granada, Ontario.
Bob Smith, the United Artists, El Centre,
tn the Figueroa, Los Angeles.
DEAN DA\1S TO CALEXICO
Dean Davis, the Valley, El Centre, to the
Capitol, Calexico.
Bud Bowers, night manager, California.
San Diego, to the Valley, El Centre.
Henry Pines, the United Artists, Ingleiwood,
to the newly acquired Nevada, Reno.
I John Nulen, the Lyric, Monrovia, to the
'Vnited Artists. Inglewood.
Harry Wallace, manager downtown United
Artists; J. Clark. Plaza. San Diego; Neil
Brown. Golden State, Riverside; Frank Mil-
'lan, Alte, Los Angeles, and Bob Erspamer.
Leimert, Los Angeles, remain as manager
with former Fox West Coast partners.
Alberts, Capitol, Calexico, and J.
Moran, Rivoli. Van Nuys, resigned.
Candy for the Kids
GREAT FALLS. MONT.—At the last
show
ct the special children's series featuring Anne
Shirley in "Anne of Green Gables. " Great
Falls children were treated to large free bags
of candv.
Precautions Praised
CHICO, CALIF.—After inspection of the
Senator Theatre. Chief C. E. Tovee issued
a detailed report here commending Tom
Whlttemore for the "excellent job" he has
oone in observing fire safety measures.
Build in Calhan, Colo.
CALHAN. COLO. — Gerald Little and
Joseph Maul, local business people, are building
a theatre here.
SALT LAKE CITY
Qpcning of the Huish Theatre at Richfield,
Utah, June 18, formed topic of conversation
on Filmrow this week. Most branch
managers and salesmen and many others
attended the premiere performance of the
theatre, which was officially opened and
dedicated by the mayor of Richfield, civic,
business and church leaders of the area and
by Vincent A. Gilhool, manager of the Huish-
Gilhool circuit, operators of the house.
The Weber Motor- Vu, sixth outdoor house
to open in this state within the last month,
played to its first crowd of 800 cars last
month. It is operated by the Associated
Amusements Corp. . . . Reed Wood will open
the Main Theatre at Garland, Utah, July 15,
according to present plans.
A board meeting of the Utah Theatres
Ass'n will be held next week to plan for the
annual election. Victor Anderson of Orem
is incumbent president
is in the midst of
. . . Incidentally,
another big
V'.c
summer celebration
at the Scera, the big communityowned
house. The theatre and grounds have
been gaily decorated for the city's centenniil
and summer fun show. Several Eagle Scout
badges have been awarded on its stage, and
children of Orem have received school activities
awards.
Ralph Trathen, secretary-treasurer of the
UTA. will leave July 3 for a combined business
and pleasure trip to the coast . . . Roger
Heman. sound technician for 20th-Fox, was
in on a vacation. He was bound for Yellowstone
Jack Reeves, a Terry Turner junior
. . . field representative, spent a week with Russ
Morgan, RKO field representative, learning
details of his work.
Howard Cahoon, Selznick branch manager
here, was married to blond Dorothy Williams
Burkinshaw, operator of the
Burk Theatre, also deserted ranks of the
bachelors.
"It Happened on Fifth Avenue" opened at
the Rialto for its third straight week in Salt
Lake. It played ten days at the Uptown,
moved to the Rialto. and then held over at
the latter house . on 34th Street"
played to larger than usual bu.siness at tho
Centre and then moved to the Studio .
Jerry Colonna was here to open the state fair
horse show .
sheet advertisins
has been taken over by NSS. making Republic
the only exchange on the Row still
handling its own sheet ads.
To Build at Grand Ronde
McMINNVILLE. ORE.—Manager W. Hibbert
of the Sheridan Hi-Way Theatre has
announced that a new theatre will be built
at Grand Ronde. The building will be completed
before the end of the summer and
will be called the Grand Way Theatre.
Mrs. George Installs Equipment
HEPPNER, ORE.— Elaine Sigsbee George,
manager of the Star Theatre, has installed
new projection lamps and a new sound screen.
New draperies have been ordered and other
improvements are planned as soon as materials
are available, according to Mrs.
George.
New Drain Theatre to Open Soon
DRAIN, ORE.—Mrs. Golda Woolman says
the new Drain Theatre will be ready to open
by July 1.
MGM Keeps Dubbing
For Mexico Showing
NEW YORK—MGM is continuing its
policy of dubbing all Its feature;;, shorts and
newsreels in Spanish for release in Mexico
and Latin America, despite a great resistance
to this plan by other film companies because
of the cost involved, according to Carlos
Nlebla, Loew's managing director for Mexico.
The dubbing plan, which .started In 1946,
has resulted In a business increase of 30 per
cent over last year for Loew's product. Except
in the larger cities, where the wealthy
residents and visitors prefer the Englishspeaking
films, the Spanish synchronization
gives the Mexican theatregoers more for their
money, Nicbla maintains. The greater part
of the Mexican public ignores the English
sound track and cannot even follow the Mexican
titles in the average picture sent from
Hollywood.
FAVORS DUBBING BY ALL
"If dubbing were done by all the American
companies, the over-all business would increase
tremendously," he said.
Although Mexican studio labor is demanding
a 50 per cent increase in wages,
Niebla expects that the talks now being held
between workers and studio heads will result
in labor settling for 30 per cent. Two years
ago, the studio workers made a similar compromise
to their 25 per cent wage increase
demand and accepted 15 per cent, he said.
The Mexican film industry is in full swing
again following a recent 30-day production
stoppage. Niebla explained that motion picture
filming, as well as general business, was
upset when the banks stopped lending money
except to agriculture. Later private capital
stepped in. and the actors agreed to take a
25 per cent cut in wages while the technicians
and stagehands agreed to speed up
production to the equivalent of a 25 per cent
reduction in wages.
MAKING 60 FILMS A YEAR
Mexican producers are now making approximately
60 pictures per year, scattered
among ten producers, Niebla said, in contrast
to 120 pictures made in the first flush
of production when many of them were
cheaply
produced.
Regarding 16mm films in Mexico, Niebla
said little or no progress has been made because
the majority of situations are already
covered by 35mm product. The 16mm product
is only suited to small-town showings
where the natives "must be gradually educated
to films."
Niebla, who is in this country for a medical
checkup, has been with MGM for 18
years, the last 14 as managing director for
Loew's in Mexico. He will return early in
July.
Sell at Cascade Locks
PORTLAND—Mr. and Mrs. Ray Kluesner
of Portland have sold the Community Theatre
in Cascade Locks, Ore., to Mr. and Mrs.
E. A. Lytle. Theatre Exchange Co. handled
the sale.
Now 'The Pretender'
"The Pretender" is the new tag for Republic's
"Backfire."
IKE 8041
RCA Sound Systems
Brenkert Projection Equipment
tJSAIBCo Cooling Equipment
Blowers and Exhausters
WESTERN SERVICE 4 SUPPLY.
INC.
2120 Broadwar
Denver 2, Colo.l
BOXOFFICE :: June 28, 1947 G7