Boxoffice-January.08.1955

i the
: downtown
iih325is
rpnse
;h Chiiitmas Day and
ig were slow during the
picked up substantially
d the remainder of the
No Business Like Show
xn the second best week
only "The Robe" beating
ir ago, with admissions
25 top for "Show Busi-
;an," playing the Astor
first Cinemascope
use and pulled down ex-
Ls theatre, which rarely
1 of this sort, turned in
leek. "Romeo and Juliet"
ot off to a slow start but
ly.
jge Is 100)
in (U-l) 325
I Juliet UA) 180
3ve ond Dreams :IFEi. . . .200
usincss Like Show Business
400
r Cholice ;WB) 175
—Three Ring Circus (Pora);
250
hffH (Col); Masterson of
95
Leads
area had only
;h trade on the upgrade
1 post-Christmas grosses.
IS (Para); Jomboree (EP)
105
Brs lUA), 2nd wk
en (Col); it Happened in
80
115
(MGM) 100
siness Lilce Show Business
140
t (WB); The Falce [UA). .125
purts
ses
le end of the pre-Christ-
1 brought a big spurt in
itowners. All of the holiiptionally
well, with the
sel and Gretel" which
the SW Roger Sherman.
; The Rocket Man
165
Circus (Para); Jamboree
200
Coptoin Kidd and the
210
ond Gretel ;RKO); Africa
70
5SS Work Gifts
5 Workers
icement of the wage inwork
week for lATSE
oyes was the big Christrow.
esident of Local F-3, rea
telegram from lATSE
ay hike of S5.50 a week is
nber 1, while the reduces
from 40 to 37',2 a week
3. Friday, December 24.
designated as holidays.
eather
e two area holdouts
er—the Pike and Blue
»tres—have finally sucand
have closed for the
11 outdoor units had been
I
Connecticut Exhibitors
Expect Higher Grosses
BEST DRESSED—Mgr. Cliarle> (^audino,
rigfht, looks on as Mayor Daniel D.
Brunton awards a Beau Brummell
statuette to Joseph Redden, the local
best-dressed man, in conjunction with the
opening of "Beau Brummell" at Loew's
Poll in Springfield, >Iass.
Oil-Fired Boiler Explodes
At Fishman Theatres Unit
NEW HAVEN—An explosion of an oil-fired
boiler forced an early evening audience from
the Howard Theatre and cancellation of remaining
night performances. The boiler, in
the basement of the combination theatre and
store block and situated directly below an
independently owned luncheonette, caused
damages totaling S5,000, principally to the
boiler and the restaurant where plate glass
windows were blown out.
The blast rocked the buildings and caused
a little smoke to enter the film house. A
patrolman on duty in the theatre shouted to
the audience of 100 that there was no reason
for alarm. Patrons quietly filed out behind
the officer and Anthony DelGrego, an usher,
after house lights were turned on and emergency
exits opened.
Samuel Calechman, manager of the Howard.
a unit of the Fishman Theatres chain, .said
remaining evening performances were called
off because the auditorium was left without
lieat. Normal schedules were resumed the
next day.
A customer of the luncheonette and a man
walking in front of the store w'ere slightly
cut by flying glass. The fire marshal blamed
the explosion on delayed ignition.
Automatic Phone Unit
HARTFORD—An automatic telephone answering
and recording unit has been installed
at the Interstate circuit's Palace in Rockville.
According to Arthur Poirier. theatre
manager, the equipment, installed by the
Southern New England Telephone Co..
answers incoming calls and tells theatre patrons
what pictures are playing and when the
next show starts.
HARTFORD—Connecticut exhibitors are
going into 1955 with anticipation of higher
grosses with the upcoming quality product.
Both independent and circuit managers
contacted by BOXOFFICE asserted that 1955
should shape up impressively, with one veteran
showman noting: "We're past the experimentation
stage already as far as wide
screen. Cinemascope, Superscope, stereophonic
sound, etc., are concerned, and now
it's once again a matter of concentration on
quality output, and the latter will indeed draw
lorth more trade."
Exhibitors look back on 1954 generally as
an improved season.
"We had product like Caine Mutiny, From
Here to Eternity. A Star Is Born, White
ChrLstmas, Sabrina, Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers and There's No Business Like Show
Business," noted another longtime exhibitor,
"and a quick glance at the early 1955 releases,
including the highly touted Country Girl and
Bridges at Toko-Ri are indications of some
good business at the boxoffice, which is of
paramount importance at all times."
So enthused was Lou Cohen, manager of
Loew's Poll, Hartford, over his January attractions,
that he wired local drama critics:
"We're starting off the 1955 season with a
bang!
"Following our New Year's Eve show, 'Deep
in My Heart,' MGM's enjoyable musical
package, co-starring Jose Ferrer and Helen
Traubel, we've got such releases as 'Sign of
the Pagan,' Jeff Chandler's first in Cinema-
Scope; 'Green Fire,' with Stewart Granger,
Grace Kelly and Paul Douglas; 'Bad Day at
Black Rock,' in Cinemascope, with Spencer
Tracy, and 'Vera Cruz,' co-starring Gary
Cooper and Burt Lancaster."
Exploitation got under way early for the
1955 season, too.
Two exploitation representatives — John
Markle, Columbia, and Bill Brooker, U-I
were in the city for a week in the interests of
"Violent Men" and "So This Is Paris," respectively.
Brooker had Mara Corday, U-I
.starlet, here for a day's round of disk jockeynewspaper
interviews. The pair hosted the
Connecticut press at a Statler Hotel luncheon.
Trinity College Books
Film Classics Series
HARTFORD—The newly formed Cinema
Club of Trinity College is presenting a series
of five film classics through the winter and
spring. The series, open to the public, includes
"Grand Illusion," "Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde," "Stor>' of Gosta Berling," "Alexander
Nevsky," and four Keystone comedies with
Charhe Chaplin. The films are being shown
in the chemistry auditorium, with season tickets
being sold for $1.50. One film is being
screened each month.
John Markle in Hartford
HARTFORD—John Markle of the Columbia
exploitation department, here for regional
premiere of "Violent Men," his company's
initial release in CinemaScope. arranged a
street ballyhoo, consisting of appropriately
bannered horse and rider. The film opened
at E. M. Loew's.
—
jary 8. 1955
NE 75