Boxoffice-December.20.1952

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Sharpening in Film Taste
Noted by Rural Exhibitor
from Canodion Edtfion
WINNIPEG— So far 1952 .shows u coiLslderubli'
incrensc in patronage and rt-cpipts over
1951. William Zaparanulk, Independent clr-
;uU owner, repo.ted on a trip here recently.
"I am very well satisfied with the .state of
iNlslne.s.s In all my town.s. one major factor
being the mild winter we had In January and
February, with all road.s free during the entire
sea.son, in contra.st to other winters in
my area during which .six-foot drlfU' h'ock
tU road.s for .six or eight weeks and patronage
1.S nonexistent."
An exhibitor of eight years, Zaparanluk
manages his circuit from Prince Albert. Sa.sk,.
with houses in Meadow Lake (Midway),
Domreny, Duck Liike and in the Prince Albert
National park (Park). Besides these four
SSmm situations, he also operates a 16mm
drcuit In six .small towns around Prince
Albert. With the exception of the Park,
which is a resort town house, all the circuit
houses are in rural agricultural districts.
"Much to the surprise of many to whom I
mentioned this, the taste for film among my
farmer patrons has of late been sharpened
and matured for better and meatier programs.
Small action westerns are taboo, and former
favorites such as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers
and the lesser ilk are strictly poLson in my
houses. My public, if it wants to see a
western, insists on Technicolor, story values
and a good dramatic plot: and action, though
necessary, is of secondary importance.
"Hollywood producers should realize that
there is nobody left to fool; that in order to
take money they must produce good pictures.
and by good I don't refer to that definition
dreamed up or nightmared up by the publicity
department."
A. L. King Uses Clown Bally
WAYNESBORO. MISS.—A little greasepaint,
some powder and a part-time employe
made an excellent clown ballyhoo for "The
Greatest Show on Earth" at the Royal Theatre
here. Manager Albert L. King also used
a sound car and put out plenty of pai>er
for the four-day engagement.
Theatre Ruined by Fire
FORDYCE. ARK.—The Dalla.s Theatre, the
jDallas
lonly house in town, was recently destroyed
in a fire. Paul Marks, manager, said the one-
.story building was a total loss. There was
ino immediate estimate as to the building's
Iworth. The Dallas was owned by K. Lee
jWilliams.
MEMPHIS
T. Illti bouBht the Park, Plu/ji and Coiy
J
Uirntres. BentonvlUe, Ark , John
Lowrey, well-known exhibitor HItl will book
and buy here . Murphy. Mklesman
for Monarch Tlieatrc Supply Co., nufrcred a
broken toe when he dropped a 2x4 on hLi
foot . Mrs. OrrLs Colllav Piu-agould. Ark .
who with her hasband operates the Capitol
and Majestic theutre.s there, wait In the
MethodLsl hospital here recovering after an
operation .
Mitchell. Monarch
office manager, was called to Hou.ston to the
bedside of his father who was serlou.ily ill.
The 20th-Fox Family club held Its annual
Chrlstma.s party CH'cembfr 19 at Hotel
Claridge.
Additional drive-ins closed for the sea.son
included: B. D Brlghfs Hl-Y. Henderson,
Ky.: Sunset, Calvert City, Ky : 79 Drive-In.
Hughes, Ark.; Fray.ser, Fray.ser; Starllte,
Gassvllle. Ark.: Sunset, Martin; Raco, Covington;
Winona, Winona, Ml.vs.; Autovue,
Maiden, Mo.; Skylark, Newport, Ark ; Skyway,
Princeton, Ky.; Broadview, Morganfleld,
Ky.; Mena, Mena, Ark.; Alrvue, West Helena,
Ark.; Skylark, Clartsdale, Miss.; Audubon,
Henderson, Ky.; Starvue, Stuttgart. Ark.; 78.
Tupelo, Miss., and the 70 Drive-In, Hot
Springs.
.
W. F. Ruffin jr., Ruffin Amu.sements Co.,
Covington; I. W. Bowden, Sundown, Paris,
and Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Flexer, Ml-De-Ga,
and Lake Drive-In, Waverly, were among
west Tennessee exhibitors seen on Filmrow
. . Fire damaged the Bradford lArk.) Theatre
.. Brown, owner, closed the
Caddo Theatre, Forester, Ark., and for a
good reason. The town of Forester—which is
made up mostly of workers and officials for a
big lumber concern—is moving to another
location to follow the lumber concern. Brown
had no announcement as to whether his theatre
will move along with the town.
C. W. Tipton, owner, closed the Tiptoi-.
Theatre, Caraway, Ark., which is one of hi.s
seasonal operations . . . Ben Hill, exploitation
man for Universal, was in town working on
"Mississippi Gambler," which is holding part
of its river-town premiere in Memphis. The
pictures will also have St. Louis and New
Orleans premieres. It opens at Malco Theatre
here January 14 . . . Universal here will
begin its part of the Charles J. Feldman sil-
HANDY
ver annivrr>ary drlvr i>ccrnibrr 28 It »tll
continue throiitth May 2 yrUUntkH '.t nalca
manager
Drivr-lna which have tone Into weekend
oprrntlonji In the Memphis territory Include
the Lakevlrw. Hardin. Ky . Lake.
Benton. Ky . Poinsett. Marked Tree Ark ;
46, Boonevllle, Mliu. . and 41. Okolona. MUa.
K. King, owner, has decided to operate
his Dixie ozoner. Searcy. Ark . on weekends
only Instead of cloning for the seuoo
as prcvlou.%ly announced.
R. J. Osborne, CreMrent. Belzoni: Paul
Meyers, Center and Strand. Lexington, Blm
Jack.ee;
Walter Lee. Rice at Des Arc and New and
Gem at Heber Springs; Mose.s Sliman. Lux.
Luxora; William Ellas. Murr. Osceola; Orris
Massey and Roi)ert Stegall. Stone. Mountain
View; J D. Shepherd. Rex at DeVaUi Bluff
and Palestine at Palestine; J. K. Jamejwjn.
Joy, Bald Knob; Glen Brown, Ritz at Reyno
and Gem at Success, and Mrs. Eunice Mitchell.
Gem. Dumas.
1,109 TB suftereri hav« b««n h«al«d—r««tor*d f9
useful llvct thrau9h tkillful core at WILL ROGERS
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
MONARCH
Theatre Supply, Inc
Ntil
Blount
*S2 So. Second Si.
Marophts. Tana.
iinb*'#
lOS Jeoli
)iO0
SELL YOUR THEATRE PRIVATELY
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eluding exhibition. Ask Better Business Bureau,
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ARTHUR LEAK Theatre Specialists!
3305 Caruth, Dallas. Texas
Telephones: EM 0238 • EM 7489
CONFIDENTIAL CORRESPONDENCE INVITED
lOXOFFICE December 20, 1952