Boxoffice-January.24.1953

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. . MGM
. . Jack
. . Tom
. . The
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. .
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Two-for-One Gimmick
Draws Berger Fire
MINNEAPOLIS — Bennie Berger. North
Central Allied president, criticized the combined
action of 17 neighborhood and suburban
theatres in cutting their admisisons in half
under the guise of a two-for-one plan while
retaining their availabilities, which are supposed
to govern price scales.
Berger. whose own neighborhood theatre is
not participating in the plan, believes there
will be "repercussions" when competing
houses which haven't joined the plan find
their boxoffices adversely affected. Harry B.
French, president of the Minnesota Amusement
Co., which operates a number of neighborhood
houses which are maintaining their
regular scales, has no present intention of
trying to combat the move by lowering his
admissions, but says he's watching the development
"carefully."
Distributors are disturbed, but powerless to
move. Under consent decree provisions they
are prohibited from attempting to set the
admi.ssion prices for their pictures.
The 17 combined exhibitors had another
joint ad in the Sunday Tribune. A "privilege
book," costing $2. entitles the owner to 68 admissions
at any or all of the 17 theatres
listed, including four which have a 28-day
availability, the earliest here after the downtown
first run and for which a 60-cent admission
has been "an unwritten law." Each
"privilege ticket." when accompanied by one
paid admission, admits two. the purchaser
thus obtaining two tickets for the price of one.
Participating exhibitors benefit, if at all.
from increased patronage, because the plan's
promoters retain the $2 paid for the "privilege
book."
Trade circle reports are that the gimmick
has been tried out in Los Angeles and the
adjacent area, with participating exhibitors
benefiting only temporarily and to a minor
extent.
Delay on Duluth TV
DULUTH — Television for this city, the
state's third largest is still some months away
due to the fact that there's competition for
two of the available channels.
Hearings have been conducted by the FCC
on the applications of Lakehead Telecasters
on the one hand and Lakehead & Ridson on
the other for Channel 6. They were scheduled
to be resumed this week, but a postponement
was granted to permit negotiations for a possible
consolidation.
February 17 has been set by the FCC for
hearing on applications from the head of the
Lakes Broadcasting Co. and Red River Broadcasting
for a Duluth Channel 3 station.
Polio is a menoce all must fight. Give your patrons
a chance to contribute.
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HOW TO TAKE A BATH
ATTEND SALES MEETING—Keid H. Ray Film Industries conducted its annual
sales meeting in St. Paul on January 8-10. Shown above are the company's representatives
attending the convention. "Work Is the Key to '53" was the slogan for the
meeting and company chief Kay said that "with the increase in the sales volume in
1952 and the enthusiasm shown in the best meeting to date, I am confident 1953 will be
an even bigger year."
MINNEAPOLIS
The Road to Bab" was held for a second
week at the Century after two weeks at
the Radio City. The film will take its place as
one of the outstanding boxoffice winners of
the past year in Minneapolis . reopened
Alhambra. neighborhood house, drew
holdout crowds its opening Sunday, and Clyde
Cutter, veteran film man here who has
taken over the shuttered theatre, is more
confident than ever he can make a go
of the venture.
Exhibitors on Filmrow: Leo Molitor, Superior,
Wis.: Don Stern. Prairie Farm. Minn.;
Jack Melena, Wesbrook, Minn., and Pete and
Mike DeFea, Milbank, S. D.
. Letcher.
Metro exploiteer. launched campaigns for
"Above and Beyond" and "The Pi-isoner of
Zenda" at Sioux Falls, S. D. He reported
Jim Molohan. manager of the State there,
did a great job on "Above and Beyond." tieing
in a streamer headlined newspaper story on
apprehended spies with his advertising.
Letcher now is tub-thumping for "The
Clown" which opens at the Gopher here
January 28.
Joe Loeffler, Republic manager, was in Chicago
this week attending a sales meeting . . .
The Warner local screening of "The Jazz
Singer" drew the largest audience of exhibitors
of any of WB picture in many months,
according to Manager Myron Adcock .
Bennie Berger. North Central Allied president,
and wife left on a month's vacation in the
West Indies . Heywood, pioneer New
Richmond, Wis., exhibitor, was still confined
to his home by injuries sustained four months
ago when he slipped and fell in his bathtub.
Clem Jaunich, popular Austin, Minn., circuit
owner, who recently underwent an operation
at the University hospital here, stopped
at the Northwest Variety Club looking fine
Bishop, MGM division manager,
was in . screened "Confidentially
Connie." written by a Minneapolis author,
Max Shulman. Viewers praised it as a
pleasing domestic comedy, just the dish for
the family trade. It's scheduled for April
release . . Saul Malisow, 20th-Fox man-
.
ager, was hit by the flu.
Nancy Seibel, one of the daughters of Ev
Seibel, Minnesota Amusement Co. advertising
and publicity head, now is handling sales
promotion at radio station WTCN. She has
the Minnesota Amusement Co. tieing in on
two nifty radio contests to plug "Meet Me
at the Fair." booked at the Radio City. One
aims to find the fairest of the fair in Minneapolis
and the other involves cooking prizes.
Harry B. French, Minnesota Amusement
Co., has set February 11, 12 as the opening
dates for "Bwana Devil." tri-dimension picture,
in the St. Paul Riviera and Minneapolis
State at advanced admissions, probably $1.
Congressman H. C. Hagen of Minnesota is
among those who have introduced bills in
Congress for repeal of the 20 per cent federal
admission tax. However, four of the state's
.
11 congressmen still are "wishy washy" or
"unresponsive" to appeals from exhibitors for
support of the proposal, according to S. D.
Kane, North Central Allied executive counsel.
The congressmen in question are Judd, Andresen,
Marshall and Blatnik . . . Kane has
just been reappointed town attorney for suburban
Golden Valley for the 14th time
Charles K. Howard, former local branch manager
and sound equipment distributor, died at
the age of 60.
Film star Van Heflin will appear in "The
Shrike" at the Lyceum the ensuing week.
This week Julie Harris, who has the lead
in the film. "The Member of the Wedding,"
was in "I Am a Camera" . Princess,
which was one of the combined 17 theatres
in the two-for-one deal, offering 68 admissions
to any of the a.ssociated houses for
$2 when accompanying a regular paid admission,
has gone out of business.
"The WAC From Wall Walla" and "Captain
Blackjack" had their Minneapolis first runs
on a twin bill at the neighborhood Avalon.
Many foreign pictures are getting their first
and only runs at local and suburban fine
arts houses . and Beyond" was
the selection of Bob Murphy, Minneapolis
Sunday Tribune critic, as the "picture of the
week" here.
The March of Dimes drive, in progress through
January, needs your help. Let your patrons contribute.
BOXOFFICE
:
: January
24, 1953 75