Boxoffice-12.1953

. . Exhibitors
BirminghamMay
Drop Censor Board
BIRMINGHAM—A proposal to abolish this
city's motion picture review boar(i pleases
board members as well as critics of the
board. Board Chairman Mrs. Mervyn Sterne
said, "I am delighted, it has been a disagreeable
responsibility," when told
of Public
Safety Commissioner R. E. Lindbergh's pro-
Lindbergh had said he would ask for abolishment
of the controversial review board at
Tuesday's city commission meeting. Lindbergh
said he was notifying the 19 members of the
board by letter of his decision.
Theo Wright, only male member of the
board, said, "It will get me out of an unpleasant
job."
Mrs. Sterne said: "I think we have had
amazing cooperation on the part of the board
members. Out of 19 we have averaged 15 at
each meeting."
The group had been meeting every third
Thursday of the month since August, when
former P»ublic Safety Commissioner Eugene
Cormor took censorship duties away from the
police chief following criticism over cutting
of a taxicab scene from the film, "The Moon
Is Blue."
Mrs. Sterne said she was not surprised at
the action, with a new regime in office. She
said "most of the controversy over the board
had been on the part of the press."
Commissioner Lindbergh said if the board
is abolished full details for handling any
problems involving future review of films will
be worked out within his office. The board
had previewed only one picture, "Pinky," since
it was handpicked by Connor.
Decision on whether or not this film on a
racial theme could be shown here was to have
been made at the December meetii^ of the
board.
Lindbergh said that after a restudy of the
board of review he decided that existing law
gives ample protection to the public from
licentiousness. The main problem is one of
enforcement, he said.
Covington, Tenn„ Sets Up
Film Censorship Board
COVINGTON, TENN.—This city, 40 miles
north of Memphis, where some of the films
banned by the Memphis board of censors
have been playing lately, has set up its
own censorship system.
Mayor Will Shoaf has appointed three citizens,
Oscar Rector, Emmett Bringle and
Charles Smith, as a board of censors to preview
doubtful films to be offered in Covington.
Pictures banned in Memphis will be among
those viewed by the censors in advance before
tbey are permitted in Covington.
Joy Auto Sold to Stein
ASHBURN, GA.—Jimmie Adams, city
manager, has armounced that Stein Theatres
has purchased the Joy Auto Theatre from
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Parrish and Robert Davis.
Mrs. Estelle Hay, former cashier at Stein's
Turner Theatre, will be assistant manager.
The drive-in was constructed by the Parrishes
and Davis in November 1950. The new
owner plans to expand the drive-in and improve
present facilities next spring.
NEW ORLEANS Three Memphis Films
ganta Claus In person was one of the added
attractions at the Do Drive-In. Ed Fe.s.slcr
had Santa greet each child at the concession
stand with a gift for everyone . . . Helen
Alonzo, clerk at Paramount, is leaving to
move to Los Angeles. Helen Slndt, formerly
with Paramount In Dallas, is taking her place
. . . Claudia Perry has left Associated Theatres
to take up duties as a housewife . . .
Valeria Benson, formerly with Southern Theatre
Service, has joined 20th-Fox.
Bob Kelly of Dixie Films Is reported slightly
improved in a local hospital where he has
been confined for over a week . . . Charlie
Waterall is opening his GWC Drive-In at
Richton, Miss., on Fridays and Saturdays
only during the winter . . . Teddy Solomon,
who had decided to close his 51 Drive-In,
Jackson, until spring, also will run on a
Friday and Saturday for the winter.
Neil Robinson & Associates have broken
ground for a new theatre in Fort Walton,
Fla. Robinson has theatres in Crestview, Niceville
and Fort Walton. Fla, .
in
town were Teddy Solomon, Solomon Theatres.
MLs.sissippi ; R. Hook. Hook Theatres. Alabama;
H. Fayard, Meyers Theatre, Biloxi:
Stanley Taylor, Crosby. Liberty and Glaster,
Miss.; F. G. Pratt, Lockport; Phil Salles, Covington;
Cecil Kelly, Plain Dealing; John Luster,
Robeline. and O. J. Gaudet, Port Allen.
New Orleanians were pleased with the
authenticity of "Louisiana Territory," RKO
film which was released during the sesquicentennial
here. Filmed here during the last
Mardi Gras, the picture starred a number
of local players, including Val Winter, Leo
Zinser, Julian Miester, Marlene Behrens and
Phyliss Massicot. While the Mardi Gras
sequences themselves were thought a pale
reflection of the real production, most local
filmgoers were gratified at the film's authenticity
and the big play it gave to the
city's industries and background.
Here plugging the release of two new pictures
was U-Ts Vice-F>resident Charles J.
Peldman. Paramount's twin starlets Joan and
Jean Corbett were in town in behalf of "Here
Come the Girls" and were squired around
by publicist Bob Bixler. Capt. Bill Walsh,
chief marinologist of the sea circus at the
Sea-Zoo in Daytona Beach, Fla., turned the
New Orleans States newsrooms into a center
ring when he showed up there with his pet
alligator and UA publicity man "Addie"
Addison. Walsh was here promoting "Shark
River," and he arrived in town with a truckload
of alligators—one 350-pounder, and 15
varieties of poisonous
Cinerama experts Harry M. Kalmine.
general manager and vice-president of Stanley
Warner Theatres, and William R. Latady,
engineer in charge of inst 100)
Moico— Flight Nun* (Rep) 90
Palace— Kill Me Kote 'MGM) 200
State—How to Marry a Mililonalr* (20th-Fox), 2nd
wk 300
Strond—^Botony Boy (Pora) 100
Warner—Hondo (WB) 200
attraction
in town!
Generally, after
one of our seating
"treatments," your
attraction
^
theatre has a feature
every show!
Our rehabilitation work is a
delight to patrons as well as to you!
Let us examine your needs and
estimate the cost for you.
^
Your show goes on
while we work.
MANUFACTURERS—
Foam rubber uid
spring cushions, back
DISTRIBUTORS—
Uptiolitcry fabrics im)
gsncril sciUns fup-
BOXOFFICE :
: December 12, 1953