Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

. . Jim
.
SEATTLE
t . w Pressler of United Theatres has purchased
the Boise and Broadway drive-Ins
at BoU He also has taken over the operation
of the Meridian Theatre, Meridian He will
continue his association, however, with the
Foreman circuit as general manager of the
le office . . . Mr. Eckman, new owner of
the Shelton Theatre, has changed its name
from the Melody to the Blue Ox.
.
Jack
.
Jay Gardner from Sandpoint, Alaska, was
in town, tils first trip in three years .
O'Brien and Morrie Siegel, United Artists
-ale men. were up from Portland to attend
a sales meeting held by A. J. Sullivan. Seattle
Ralph Clark, United Artists
manager . . .
district manager, visited the Seattle exchange
. Velde, former UA western
division manager, has been named general
sales manager of the company.
. .
Alien Wieder, MGM exploitation man. made
a trip to Alaska . Sammy Siegel, Columbia
publicist, recently hit the southern Oregon
Walter Hoffman, Paramount
territory . . .
publicity director, was in Oregon working on
"The Rose Tattoo" and "The Court Jester" . .
Zollie Volehok of Northwest Releasing also
was working the Oregon territory . . . "The
Rose Tattoo" opens the 21st at the Fifth
Avenue, accompanied by a strong publicity
campaign. A special screening of the film was
held recently for radio, newsmen and TV
people.
Jim Brooks jr., son of the 20th-Fox office
manager, left for Berne, Switzerland, aboard
the Queen Elizabeth from New York, where
he will continue theological studies . . . Howard
McGhee. John Dore, Pete Penagoes and
Ed Hickey were on the Row'. Others in from
out of town included Jim Griffin, Selah.
Selah; Joe Rosenfield, Spokane; Mrs. Charles
O'Connell, Black Diamond; Bing Fornier,
Grayland; Junior Mercy, Yakima, and Peter
Bornes, Okanogan.
Monterey and Carmel
Theatres Are Merged
SAN FRANCISCO—The Hill Theatre in
Monterey and the Golden Bough Theatre
in Carmel have merged under the management
of R. B. Read of Monterey, who has
shared ownership of the Hill Theatre Corp.
with Paul Clark of Pebble Beach. The Golden
Bough Cinema Corp. is owned by John Parsons
and Maury Schwarz of San Francisco,
following sale to Schwarz of a one-half interest
previously held by R. I. Kronenberg of
Los Angeles.
Merger of the two operating companies was
effected by means of an exchange of stock.
Both companies hold leases on their respective
buildings.
Screenplay 'Mount Horeb'
HOLLYWOOD—Russell Birdwell's third
tome. "Mount Horeb," which has a metaphysical
background, has been sold to the
publishing firm of Julian Messner, and Birdwell
is preparing a screenplay thereon which
he will produce and direct. Active in the
public relations field for a number of years,
Birdwell recently completed megging "The
Come on," a Lindsley Parsons production
starring Anne Baxter, for Allied Artists.
Flood-Damaged Theatres
Are Being Renovated
GUERNEVTLLE, CALIF.—Both the Rio
Theatre at Monte Rio and the River Theatre
at Guerneville suffered extensive flood damage
and are now being cleaned up for reopening.
Water reached to about one-third the
height of the screen in the River Theatre,
covering all the seats and lobby furniture.
Carpeting has been removed for cleaning;
seats have been cleaned but probably will
require covers, and the theatre should be
ready to reopen soon.
The Rio Theatre suffered similar damage
and must undergo the same program of
cleaning and renovating to be ready for
opening in the spring.
Pacific Drive-in Chain
Plans Six in Southland
LOS ANGELES—Plans for six more driveins,
bringing to 36 the number operated by
the company in the southland territory, have
been drafted by Pacific Drive-In Theatres,
the area*s largest ozoner circuit, headed by
William R. Forman.
The lineup of new installations includes the
Hollypark in southwest Los Angeles, which
will be a twin-screen installation with a
capacity of more than 3,500 cars. Construction
has already started on the first unit, to accommodate
2.000 cars.
It will be followed by a 1,500-car situation in
Nonvalk and by four others, all to be located
in the San Fernando valley.
Eight Circuits Are Cited
For Cancer Education
SAN FRANCISCO—Citations have been
presented to eight northern California theatre
groups for assistance in an American Cancer
Society educational campaign.
Receiving the awards were the Blumenfeld
Theatre, the General Theatrical Co., Nasser
Bros.. San Francisco Theatres, United California
Theatres, National Screen Service, Motion
Picture Projectionists Local 162 and
Theatrical Stage Employes Local 16.
The organizations were cited for their cooperation
in the showing of a film on breast
self examination for women. The awards were
made at a luncheon at the Clift Hotel here.
High Water Covers Floor
Of Bandon, Ore., Theatre
BANDON, ORE.—Although flood waters
came up in the Bandon Theatre recently, covering
the floor up to the 12 front rows for
four days, the house was able to resume operation
without extensive repairs. Owner
Raleigh Greene had the air conditioning
motors lifted high so heat could be resumed.
Chief damage was to aisle carpeting.
TV Film on Williamsburg
HOLLYWOOD—"The Williamsburg Story,"
a half-hour Vista Vision short, will be filmed
in that Virginia community in May for Paramount,
with George Seaton directing from a
script by Emmett Lavery. The offering, covering
the period from 1765 to 1776, will be
exhibited in two theatres being constructed
in Williamsburg as a "conditioner" for the
many tourists who visit the restored colonial
town.
SALT LAKE CITY
Cam Seigel came into Salt Lake on "Picnic,"
then took off a few hours later so
he could open the campaign in the northwest
. . . Merrilyn Kener Is new bookkeeper
at Paramount, and Myrna Erickson
has replaced Betty Salter as contract clerk
at the same branch. Mrs. Salter has moved
to
California.
The Allied Artists staff bought a big cake
and threw a party for Don Tibbs, manager,
this week. It was his birthday, but like
Jack Benny, he is saying only that he is 39
Scores of Filmrow personalities
years old . . .
attended the annual Valentine party
of the Variety Auxiliary at the Hotel Utah.
It was one of the swankiest film social events
of the year.
The husband of Vivian Speirs of 20th-
Fox underwent surgery this week . . . Bill
Gordon is lining up invitations for special
showings of "The Searchers" and "Serenade"
March 12 at the Villa Theatre. Special
attention is being given the former because
it was made in southern Utah.
San Diego City Council
Okays Sero Airer Permits
SAN DIEGO, CALIF.—Overruling an appeal
filed by counsel for the Midway Drive-
In Theatre Corp., which operates an ozoner
in the same area, the San Diego city council
unanimously upheld a board of zoning adjustment
approving a permit requested by
Sero Amusement Enterprises to construct
a $300,000 drive-in close to the Midway installation.
The Sero application also was opposed by
Theatrical Enterprises Corp., which has
leased a drive-in site from the city in nearby
Mission Bay Park. Opponents of the Sero
project said construction of a third drive-in
would cause a traffic problem and hurt development
of the area.
'Goodbye' Bows in Denver
HOLLYWOOD—Sparked by the participation
therein of Cornell Borchers. European
actress who stars with Rock Hudson in the
offering, U-I's "Never Say Goodbye" bowed
Tuesday 14 at the Denver Theatre in Denver.
The Technicolor drama, an Albert J.
Cohen production, was directed by Jerry
Hopper.
U-I Signs Curt Jurgens
HOLLYWOOD—European actor Curt Jurgens
has been signed to a five-picture contract
by U-I. Here for a short visit with his
wife, actress Eva Bartok, Jurgens has returned
abroad, and will return here later this
year, at which time his first picture under
the pact will be selected.
Yul Brynner to Paramount
HOLLYWOOD—Upon completion of "The
King and I." in which he stars with Deborah
Kerr at 20th-Fox, Yul Brynner will
swing over to Paramount to direct and star
in an as-yet unselected property. Brynner
also has a 20th-Fox commitment to appear
opposite Ingrid Bergman in "Anastasia."
62 BOXOFFICE
:
: February
18, 1956