Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

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: February
Second Week of 'Arm'
Leads Twin Cities
MINNEAPOLIS—A pail- of fresh arrivals,
"The Benny Goodman Story" and "Helen of
Troy," were big boxoffice noises. Both came
through in major league fashion and held
over. Still outnumbering newcomers, holdovers
included "All That Heaven Allows,"
"Ransom!" and "The Man With the Golden
Arm," in their fourth, third and second
weeks, respectively.
(Average Is 100)
Gopher Ransom! (MGM), 3rd wk 85
Lvr That Heoven Allows (U-l), 4th wk 90
i
Rad.o City—Helen of Troy ( WB) 1 40
RKO Orpheum The Benny Goodman Story (U-l). .150
State—The Last Frontier ,Col) 80
World The Man With the Golden Arm (UA),
2nd wk 200
'Indian' and 'Ranger' Hit
Hot Trails in Omaha
OMAHA—In spite of a shortening of the
week's run to six and a half days," "The
Lone Ranger" galloped to a 110 per cent week
at the Omaha Theatre. A screening chopped
off part of the week's schedule. It was a good
week for the dusty trail, with "Indian Fighter"
scoring 120 at the State. The Orpheum went
a little under average the second week of
"All That Heaven Allows."
Admiral-Chief The Houston Story (Col), Fury ot
Gunsight Pass (Col) 95
Brondeis Three Bad Sisters (UA) 90
Omoha The Lone Ranger (WB); Dig That Uranium
(AA) "0
Orpheum All That Heaven Allows [U-l), 2nd wk. 95
State Indian Fighter (UA) 120
Richard Phillips Wins
Central States Award
DES MOINES—Richard Phillips, manager
of the Algona Theatre, Algona, won the
Master Showman award in the annual November-December
Central States Theatres
drive for the second consecutive year.
Joe Cole, Rialto, Fort Dodge; Karl Underwood,
Capitol, Burlington, and Richard Myers,
Strand, Mason City, won firsts in the three
divisions of the contest for increased business.
Exploitation awards were won by Phillips
for "The Tall Men"; Maynard Nelson, Mason
City, for "Rebel Without a Cause"; Burns
Ellison, Columbus, Neb., for "To Catch a
Thief." and Ed Schoenthal, Fremont, Neb.,
for "The Tender Trap" and "To Hell and
Back."
Carl Rose, York, Neb., won the award for
most theatre rentals during the Central
States Drive. Maynard Nelson, Mason City,
copped the prize for the morning and midnight
show promotion contest.
Paul Back Opens Quarters
For Buena Vista in Omaha
OMAHA— Paul Back, Buena Vista representative
in the Nebraska-Iowa-South Dakota
territory, has established quarters on Ftlmrow.
The office is at 307 North Sixteenth St.,
adjacent to the Paramount exchange.
Back formerly was on the sales force of
RKO in Omaha and was with 20th-Fox at
both Omaha and Des Moines. He said
that with the number of strong releases
already out or upcoming he is "very optimistic
for the future of show business."
Vivian Schertz, veteran of Ftlmrow, formerly
with Columbia, is now in the Buena
Vista office.
DRESS SUIT OCCASION—Bill Murphy,
projectionist for the Minnesota
Amusement Co., Minneapolis, for 35 years,
is pictured above in the booth at a screening
of "Picnic." H. J. Chapman, manager
for Columbia Pictures, mentioned to Murphy
that before he would be able to screen
the new release, he (Murphy) would have
to be dressed in his finest. So, Murphy
dressed for the occasion—tuxedo and
white gloves. The screening was for
buyers and bookers of MAC.
Omaha Theatremen Await
News of Investigation
OMAHA—No further word has been forthcoming
from the federal government on a
grand jury investigation of Omaha drive-in
theatre operations and film distribution, local
authorities reported last week. Testimony in
the investigation was gathered here and taken
under investigation by federal authorities.
Earl Jinkinson of Chicago, special assistant
of the U. S. attorney general and head of the
midwest antitrust division, was in charge
of the study here.
Although the sessions were secret, persons
close to the film industry indicated that the
jury was asked to probe concessions operations
and interrogate movie industry officials
concerning a possible film monopoly. It was
believed that the testimony gathered by
Jinkinson would be taken to Washington for
review to decide if further action is needed.
If so. the grand jury will be recalled and
drafts of indictments will be presented.
Milwaukee Club Installs
MILWAUKEE—Variety Club of Wisconsin
installed its 1956 crew February 6 at a buffet
dinner.
The End Has Not Arrived
Despite Rash of 'Lasts'
Minneapolis — Recent Loop bookings
have Ev Seibel, Minnesota Amusement Co.
advertising and publicity head, hoping
that buyers and bookers don't figure the
end has arrived.
It's because the past week the local
Loop State and RKO Pan theatres, respectively,
were playing "The Last Frontier"
and "The Last Command," while
currently the State's offering is "The Last
Hunt."
Urges Playdaies
As Producer Spur
MINNEAPOLIS — Harold Field, circuit
owner, advocates closer exhib.tor cooperation
with established efficient producers in the
belief that it would help to bring about increased
Hollywood production with new film
stars and faces. He would like to see a nationwide
movement in that direction.
He suggests that exhibitors pledge playdates
as an incentive to producers who have
proved their ability to turn out good boxoffice
pictures. He feels exhibitors generally should
do this for their own and the industry's
benefit. In a way, he points out. it would be
tantamount to exhibitors sharing in a way
with the gamble always involved in the
speculative business of making pictures.
"I'm sure the industry would gain right
down the line if exhibitors would band together
to give more encouragement to the
film producers who have proved their mettle."
says Field. "It would be conducive to the
creation of more new stars and the introduction
of more new faces so much needed
now and the lack of which is helping to
curtail production to a dangerous minimum
as far as theatres are concerned.
"In many instances, the limited number of
boxoffice names today are unavailable or
demand too much in the way of salaries
or profit shares when producers would like
to have them for pictures."
Morton Downey to Head
Brotherhood Kickoff
OMAHA—Morton Downey will head the
entertainment program at the kickoff for
Brotherhood Week here Monday (20 >. The
Variety Club is sponsoring a luncheon at the
Fontenelle Hotel, with Downey and trio
present. All Variety Club members are invited
to Bring a prospective member.
The annual Brotherhood dinner will be held
at the Fontenelle Hotel in the evening, sponsored
by the National Council of Christians
and Jews. Robert Merriam of Washington
of the Bureau of the Budget will be the
speaker.
Mayor John Rosenblatt is scheduled to be
presented the annual Brotherhood award.
Heading the Brotherhood committee are R. D.
Goldberg, exchange chairman; Ed Force.
publicity chairman, and Joe Jacobs, distribution
chairman.
Jacobs, Columbia manager, said indications
from the territory were that unusually good
cooperation from exhibitors is shaping up.
'Blackmail' Parties Raise
Heart Hospital Funds
MINNEAPOLIS—A brand new way has
been devised by Variety Tent 12 to raise
money for its heart hospital project. Two
units are staging what they call "blackmail"
parties. At a recent auxiliary meeting a
photographer shot pictures of the gals and
these have been processed into phony prints
that show them in the company of celebrities
and in exotic climes.
Idea is that the male members have to buy
their wives' pictures when they're shown at a
party February 18. All the funds realized
at that time will be devoted to the heart hospital.
BOXOFFICE
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18. 1956 NC 83