Boxoffice-June.16.1956

He lulu eif' ine m&ti&n. rictuM Sm^M^ 

%^.^ 

237% 

,..„_ 

J 

213% 

The Searchers fC. V. VJhHnei-Vi& 

TOP 

OF THE 

HITS 

SPRING QUARTER 

Morch Through Moy 

See Page M 

NAilONAL tXtLulivfc fcDi i ION 

Including tli< $«ll»nil Nr»l Pagti of All Cdillotii

One oj the ads in the big campaign. 

V.'^ 

with Everett Sloane 

• Eileen Heckart • and Sal Mineo • screen piay by Ernest Lehman 

, Auiobiogrophy of Rocky Graiiono • w,iit^n with Rowland Barber • Directed by Robert WisC • Produced by CharleS SchneC

You are cordially invited to 

see what all the shooting 

is about at the nationwide 

THEATRE PREVIEW 

of M-G-M's Talk-of-the-lndustry smash 

SOMEBODY UP 

THERE LIKES ME 

In Exchange Cities from June 27fh to July 2nd inclusive. 

Invitations ore in the mail. 

The word is getting around that M-G-M, producers 

of "I'll Cry Tomorrow," have struck another 

gold-mine. Life-inspired, it holds audiences 

spellbound with its heart appeal and power. We 

want you to see for yourself That's why we're 

showing it in Exchange cities nationwide. Local 

press, radio, TV and other opinion makers will 

be there. Circuit heads, bring your Managers. 

They haven't had a lift like this in a long time. 

{Arailahli' in Pcrspccla Slercophnnic or l-Chniinct Sound)

"...Moby Dick can jump up like 

an earthquake, come down on you 

like a mountain gone to sea 

He staves in the biggest ships. 

/sand 

picks his teeth with the oars I . 

Al»ANY 

20(11 Cmturr-Foi SciHuini loom 

mi iwir t-M p.n.

There ISHo Equax. To The Power OF^JVliPB^ IDlQhC 

Warner Bros.

Thursday 

Evening, 

June 28th 

20th 

Century-Fox 

Brings 

You A. 

DUAL WORLD PREMIERE 

Roxy Theatre, New York • Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles 

and immediately thereafter in the leading theatres of the world!

. Executive 

4 

e Tiiê o^t/ie "y/kftit^n Tîcti^fJie //tdtiAPu/ 

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY 

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JUNE 

Vol. 69 

9 5 6 

No. 8 

^. 

AN IMPORTANT FIELD 

\\\ of the mistaken notions under 

which llu8 industry has labored—and often lost 

—has been the feeling that the motion picture, 

per se, is all things to all theatres and patrons; 

that any picture of merit will appeal everywhere. 

This feeling has obtained despite many 

proofs to the contrary, documented in red ink 

across the country by the failures, in one section 

or another, of pictures that have had high initial 

successes in metropolitan runs. 

It is well-established by repeated experiences 

that the "hit" in New York can "flop" in Oklahoma 

City and vice versa; that what goes over 

in a big downtown theatre may fare poorly in 

a neighborhood house, even in the same town. 

So-called "artistic" successes are notorious cases 

in point. But that does not mean they should 

not be made. The industry needs product for 

prestige as much as it does for profit. However, 

the profit motive is grossly disregarded in 

any policy that aims only at one target— whether 

that be the making of pictures only for the big 

theatres in the big cities or making only socalled 

little pictures for the sub-run situations. 

In striving for high marks of quality—the 

"fewer and better" trend of picture-making 

a great and important part of the theatre market 

has been sadly slighted. In fact, it has been 

virtually shut out from obtaining, not merely 

quantity output for its day-in-day-out needs, but 

seems also to have been denied the types of 

pictures which, in the long past, sustained its 

patronage. 

If General Motors made only Cadillacs and 

overlooked its vastly greater market for Chevrolets, 

it would be much in tlie same predicament 

as is the motion picture industry. GM's 

high earning position has been maintained by 

catering to every type of taste and every size 

of pocketbook. with a maintenance of commensurate 

quality. It meets the needs of the little, 

big and in-between markets and buyers. And 

that goes for virtually every product made. Even 

at Tiffany's one can buy costume jewelry as 

well as rare diamonds. And leading department 

stores, handling top-quality merchandise, also 

operate bargain basements. 

When, to compete with television, producers 

narrow the field of their product's appeal, they 

are overlooking the fact that television is catering 

to the mass audience— just as this business 

started out to do and did so successfully for 

half a century. The success of the motion picture 

was builded on its penetration—in depth 

into the smallest of communities, even into the 

crossroads 200-seat type of operations. The 

mass audience we endeavored and succeeded in 

reaching, didn't reside in a handful of major 

cities; they were everywhere in the nation. So, 

why should we let television alone serve this 

audience and content ourselves with their occasional 

patronage of theatres on their visits 

to the big cities? That's what we are doing, 

when we make little effort to sustain those outposts 

of public contact—in the neighborhoods, 

small towns and villages—where the motion picture 

"habit" has for so long been successfully 

instilled and cultivated. 

Speaking of television, is it offering the public 

only viewing sets in handsome cabinets that 

cost into the hundreds of dollars? Certainly 

not! Its people are not overlooking a single 

sale possibility, not merely for their peep box 

marketing, but to continually increase the 

audience potential for their program sponsors! 

They realize that the more outlets they have 

into people's homes, the firmer their lidld on 

their income sources. 

That's smart business judgment, which, incidentally, 

was taken right out of this 

book. We should borrow it back! 

industry's 

Past policies, successful though they may have 

been, cannot, in entirety, be followed today. 

Nor should they be entirely disregarded, either. 

Today's market, the public interest and demands 

are different—made so. to a large extent— by 

what producers have allowed television to take 

away from theatres. But, people will still pay 

to see the types of pictures which have an inherently 

basic appeal to them. 

Evidence of this comes in letters Boxoffice 

has received from exhibitors. One such from 

Jack Braunagel. executive in the United Theatres 

Corp. of North Little Rock, Ark., who has 

been a staunch advocate for rebuilding attendance 

with family type pictures, recounts 

recent experiences in the performance of such 

product. In part, Mr. Braunagel says: 

"Let me give you some examples: Last week, one of 

our smaller towns played 'The Lone Ranger' on Friday 

and .Saturday. On that booking we grossed more dollars, 

by 50 per cent, than in the other five days of the week 

with two changes of program of 'super' pictures. 

"Yesterday 

(Sunday, June 3), 'Toy Tiger,' sold in one 

of our larger towns on the family angle, grossed as 

many dollars as two top CinemaScope pictures, which we 

played the two previous Sundays; and did .SO per cent 

more than another big-name attraction in the same theatre, 

also on a Sunday. .\nd we feel sure it will almost 

double those pictures on the subsequent days of this run." 

Citing a number of similar experiences, Mr. 

Braunagel adds, "Is it any wonder, with this 

happening week after week to us here, and to 

others I talk to, that I can see the dire need 

for family product? Look at Disney— -the smartest 

man in Hollywood, we all must admit. He is 

releasing only family pictures and he's cleaning 

up—and did it last year with 'Davy Crockett' 

and 'Lady and the Tramp." " 

Often called "bread and butter" pictures, fam- 

films have provided profitable subsistence for 

ily 

hundreds of tlieatres. Perhaps it is time now for 

the pendulum, which swung away from them, 

to swing back. Such instances as Mr. Braunagel 

cites would seem to so indicate. At any 

rate, this is a field that should not be neglected. 

It can. in fact, be profitably cultivated—on 

mawy counts. 

\Ji^ /j4JLi2yur^

COMPANIES TRIED TO OBSCURE 

TRADE ISSUES. ALLIED CHARGES 

Supplementary Statement 

Filed With Senate 

Group by Myers 

WASHINGTON— Allied this week fired a 

last salvo at the distributors in the battle 

of the Senate investigating chambers. 

Abram F. Myers, general 

counsel and 

board chairman, filed 

a statement with Senator 

Humphrey's subcommittee 

in which 

he answered questions 

posed by testimony 

placed in the record 

by major film companies. 

"The testimony." he 

charged, "may aptly be 

called The Great Dispersal, 

since their pur- 

Abram F. Myers 

pose obviously was to obscure the basic problems 

of the exhibitors and induce the subcommittee 

to squander the short time remaining 

until adjournment in the consideration 

of an immense number of irrelevant and 

unimportant details." 

•TRIVIAL' AND OF 'NO FORCE' 

Distributor "assaults" on the exhibitors' 

case were "trivial and of no force," he declared, 

and the testimony indicated "that the 

mood of the distributors is such that they 

will take no steps to improve conditions unless 

(a) they are shamed into doing so or 

(b) suitable legislation is recommended for 

enactment by the next Congress." 

The reply statement, running 26 pages in 

length, touched on virtually every subject 

discussed by the distributor witnesses, including 

arbitration, competitive bidding, prereleases 

and merchandising engagements, 

distributor earnings and the picture shortage. 

Arbitration, Myers declared, was brought into 

the testimony as a "red herring" issue. 

He said that unless it can be demonstrated 

that the current arbitration draft will aid 

immeasurably in the solution of present-day 

problems facing exhibitors, "it is, in Allied's 

view, irrelevant." He contended that the 

distributors made little or no attempt at such 

a demon.stration, but instead sought to make 

capital of the circumstances attending the 

negotiations and the acceptance or rejection 

of the draft by the exhibitor organizations. 

A 'DIVERSIONARY TACTIC 

"How can the subcommittee escape the conclusion 

that the hullabaloo about arbitration 

is merely a diversionary tactic designed to 

divert attention from the exhibitor grievances 

and as an excuse for a little name calling?" 

Myers said exhibitors are interested chiefly 

in an arbitration plan which will authorize 

arbitration of film rentals. Other provisions 

in the current draft do little to help the 

theatreman out of his difficulties, he said. 

'le answered a substantial number of claims 

.ade for the arbitration plan by Adolph 

Allied 

Asks Court Test 

Of Prerelease Policies 

Washington—Allied has asked the Senate 

subcommittee which heard industry 

trade complaints to urge the Department 

of Justice to 

instigate proceedings to test 

the legal questions involved in many current 

sales policies. 

In a statement filed with the committee, 

A. F. Myers, general counsel, said 

sales policies controlling the release of 

"Guys and Dolls" afford a favorable 

opportunity for making such a test. He 

reminded the senators that the decrees 

provide that pictures be offered theatre 

by theatre, that admission prices cannot 

be fixed by agreement of the parties and 

that clearances between theatres in substantial 

competition shall be reasonable 

and that there shall be no clearance between 

theatres not in substantial competition. 

Myers proposed "Guys and Dolls" as the 

test picture because of evidence submitted 

to the committee by Trueman Rembusch, 

former National Allied president, and 

Ruben Shor, present Allied head. Rembusch 

already has asked the Department 

of Justice to proceed against Loew's, Inc., 

which is distributing the picture for Samuel 

Goldwyn. Rembusch complained of 

discrimination in favor of an Indianapolis 

theatre over his theatre in Columbus, 

Ind., a town 40 miles away. The onetime 

Allied president said the film played 

in Indianapolis week after week, while 

Loew's "stalled and avoided licensing the 

picture" to the Rembusch house. The 

two houses have never been in competition, 

nor has the Indianapolis theatre 

been given clearance over Columbus. 

Myers points out that the IndianapoUs 

engagement has the effect of draining 

from Columbus the patronage of those 

citizens who wanted to see "Guys and 

Dolls" while it remained fresh and talked 

about. 

"This extraordinary state of affairs surrounding 

the marketing of 'Gu.ys and 

Dolls' is the normal and logical outcome 

of the indulgent attitude of the Department 

of Justice toward the film companies," 

he said. 

Schimel of Universal who helped draft the 

plan. 

The clearance provisions of the plan, he 

charged, have little or no application to 

present day conditions because the distributors 

have found they can delay the availabilities 

of the subsequent run and small-town 

exhibitors and bleed the pictures white in the 

high admission price key theatres without 

specifying clearance in contracts, and without 

exposing themselves in an arbitration proceeding 

or lawsuit. 

Nor does the provision for damages actually 

mean anything in the way of protection for 

the theatreman, Myers declared. The plan 

allows an exhibitor to institute an arbitration 

if he claims he is entitled to an earlier 

run of pictui-e than that which he has been 

receiving, and for the arbitrators to award 

damages. 

"Now, the undevlating testimony of the 

distributors in 1953, and again in 1956 is 

that when two exhibitors in any competitive 

area demand the same run of pictures, they 

solve the problem by instituting competitive 

bidding," the Allied chief said. "That is 

how they attempt to justify bidding—that it 

shields them from damage suits." 

STIMULATES BIDDING 

Myers then asks: '"Would it therefore not 

be the natural course for a distributor to 

head off such an arbitration proceeding, with 

its tlu-eat of damages, by the simple expedient 

of instituting bidding as soon as the request 

for an earlier run is received?" 

Schimel, he said, did not claim that the 

arbitration draft would provide a remedy for 

the delays in getting product, about which 

e-xhibitors have complained. 

"It is accurate to say that the inability 

of small-town and subsequent run exhibitors 

to obtain product while it is still fresh underlies 

or is a contributing factor in virtually 

all of the complaints voiced by the exhibitors," 

he declared. 

"The distributor witnesses tell of the 

enormous national advertising campaigns 

which their companies conduct for the top 

pictures when they are launched. But the 

memory thereof does not linger indefinitely 

in the public mind. Tlie patrons may recall 

the picture when reminded of it months later, 

but not the ballyhoo. Motion pictures are 

perishable commodities. An exhibitor cannot 

succeed by .showing stale pictures anymore 

than a grocer could succeed by offering 

spoiled vegetables." 

He reminded the subcommittee that it 

should bear in mind that when the present 

definition of clearance was drafted in 1940, 

pictures were sold to independents in annual 

blocks and the clearances, while sometimes 

unreasonable, at least were fixed and determined, 

and enough prints were supplied to 

provide for booking pictures within the time 

contemplated by the contracts. 

OFFER NO REMEDY 

"But the distributors have ended all that 

and they offer no remedy that will avail the 

exhibitor under present marketing methods," 

Myers said. 

Myers complained that the draft sanctions 

competitive bidding, and provides for rules 

to insure honesty and fairness in the handling 

of bids and in determining the highest 

bidder. He said that if distributors persist 

in competitive bidding, it is "their plain duty 

voluntarily to adopt and observe rules to insure 

honesty and fan- dealing in handling 

the bids. 

"Why should the exhibitors, in order to obtain 

a fair deal in this cormection, be re- 

( Continued on page 10) 

BOXOFFICE June 16, 1956

RETURN TO SPLITTING PRODUCT 

RECOMMENDED BY ALLIED CHIEF 

Myers Proposes Plan 

To End Bidding in 

Competitive Spots 

United Artists pictures as a regular thing. 

Theatre B might play Paramount, Warnsr 

Bros, and Universal. StUl another might play 

20th Century-Fox, RKO and such independent 

pictures as were available." 

Myers said that what has stimulated competitive 

bidding among exhibitors is the product 

shortage, making it desirable, if not necessary, 

to play the top pictures of all the distributors, 

or as many of them as can be 

obtained. 

DON'T WANT BIDDING 

"There is probably not an exhibitor in the 

United States in a bidding situation who does 

not wish that he could secure an adequate 

supply of pictures without having to top his 

competitor's price in each transaction. 

"The sensible way to bring this about," he 

declared, "is for such an exhibitor to enter 

into a compact with his competitors for a fair 

division of product." 

On the subject of dividing product, distributor 

witnesses were not in agreement. 

Adolph Schimel and Charles Feldman of Universal 

charged that in some competitive situations, 

exhibitors "carve up" the product 

and resort to "collusion" when it comes to 

bidding. Reagan of MGM, on the other hand, 

pointed out that in an effort to cooperate with 

exhibitors, the company had indicated a wiU- 

DofJ Defends Policing 

Of Decree Provisions 

WASHINGTON — A startling and unexpected 

call for "a fair and reasonable" 

split of product among exhibitors in competitive 

situations—returning the industry WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice 

that the Etepartment agree to a construction 

defended its job of policing the indus- 

of the judgments which will bring about a 

to a practice generally- accepted in predecree 

days—was made by Abram F. try's consent decrees in a statement filed situation in which there is no point in producing 

Myers in his statement filed on behalf of 

an extraordinarily expensive picture 

this week with the Senate subcommittee on 

retailing, distribution and fair trade practices. 

Allied States Ass'n with the Senate subcommittee 

because it cannot be profitably marketed." 

which has been hearing and 

The statement dealt with .some specific 

The decrees have created "equality of 

receiving testimony on film trade practices. opportunity" for independents in exhibition exhibitor complaints. One was that made by 

•PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE' 

and in distribution, the Department said. Trueman Rembusch, one-time Allied president, 

who complained that he has gotten pic- 

The statement answered in some detail 

specific charges made by exhibitor groups tures late because he refused to pay the 

rental terms first asked. The Department 

said the terms asked by distributors were 

The system, he told the senators, made for 

"a peaceful coexistence." 

Myers made the proposal in that section of 

the statement devoted to competitive bidding. 

Bidding, he burden boxoffice receipts, and distributors can base 

said, is a terrible 

on exhibitors, but none of the sales managers policies on an exhibitor's admission price since 

excepting Charles M. Reagan of MGM have the admission price has a direct bearing on 

the size of the receipts. 

indicated a desire or willingness to reduce 

the number of bidding situations. 

"It must be remembered that only a comparatively 

There is nothing wrong, either, in creating 

a new run when licensing a picture, the Department 

few years 

informed the 

ago, the several products 

subcommittee, as an 

were divided among the exhibitors without 

resort to bidding," he pointed out. "Of course, 

answer 

practice 

to 

of 

Allied's 

introducing 

protest on Paramount's 

"merchandising engagements." 

where the affiliated circuits and other large 

the DofJ, 

Perfectly legal and logical, said 

for the special release to take 

circuits were involved, discrimination was 

clearance over the fii'st run. 

practiced. Aside from that, a distributor would 

choose its first run 

Production costs are higher 

outlet 

these 

in 

days, 

a community 

on the 

with customers demanding basis of the 

pictures of 

theatre's 

top 

size, location, 

accessibility, appointments, 

quality—and it is these expensive films that 

etc. If there were 

two or more theatres meeting the test, the 

get special handling, the statement pointed 

out. 

products of the several companies were divided 

Therefore, says the Department, the expensive 

pictures must be mai-keted profitably, 

between them. Thus it was customary 

for Theatre A and 

to play MGM, Columbia and 

this can't be done apparently in the 

ordinary sales pattern. Otherwise, the big 

pictures would not be produced, the DofJ 

against the Department. 

The decrees, the DofJ said, do not bar 

the licensing of films on a percentage of the 

said. 

This, of com-se, does not justify a resort 

to illegal distribution policies, the committee 

was told, but the Department also said it 

was "not necessarily in the public interest 

ingness to eliminate bidding by licensing pictures 

on a split basis. 

Reiigan pointed to a competitive situation 

in Middletown, Ohio, where conflict between 

exhibitors was ended in a agreement to split 

Single Nafional Ass'n 

Urged in New Mexico 

.Vlbuquerque .\ call for establishment 

of a single national exhibitor a.s.so('iation 

was sounded at the annual convention of 

the New Mexico Theatres Ass'n, held 

here last week. 

In addition, the convention adopted 

resolutions asking for amendment of the 

consent decrees to prohibit competitive 

bidding, and to bring a return of product 

franchises, with rentals of all quality pictures 

to be on a sliding scale basis. 

aimed not at protecting a theatre but at 

insuring the distributors a rental regarded 

by them as satisfactory. 

"The intervention he sought would have 

involved this Department, not in the preservation 

of competition, but contrary to the design 

of the Paramount judgments, in the 

regulation of film rentals." Regulation of 

rentals is an authority not granted to the 

Department in the decrees, it was pointed out. 

The Department discussed the divestiture 

of theatres as ordered by the courts, and reported 

that of 1,200 theatres named on the 

divestiture lists only 24 remain to be sold. 

The vigilance of the Department had something 

to do with this achievement, the subcommittee 

was informed. 

In 1945, 17.35 per cent of the theatres in 

this counti-y were owned by five major companies, 

but today the five divorced circuits 

own only 7.5 per cent. In giving these figures, 

the Department said, "Obviously, this is an 

enormous reduction in the relative position 

of these circuits." It also pointed out that 

independents have been enabled to improve 

their runs, shorten or eliminate clearances 

and get better product. 

product. "Thus, we have now satisfied all 

customers in the Middletown, Ohio, area by 

eliminating competitive bidding and by licensing 

our pictures on runs acceptable to 

all," Reagan told the committee when he 

appeared before it recently. Asks Myers: 

"Why cannot all distributors cooperate with 

the exhibitors in bringing about fair and 

reasonable divisions of product among the 

exhibitors in competitive situations? The 

business thrived for almost a half century 

upon such divisions. It may not be acceptable 

in all such situations, it may not work in 

some others, but it holds the promise of hope 

to many distracted bidders to adopt MGM's 

attitude as indicated by Mr. Reagan's testimony." 

Decca Votes Dividend 

NEW YORK—Decca Records Wednesday 

(6) voted a regular quarterly dividend of 25 

cents a share on the capital stock, payable 

June 29 to stockholders of record June 18. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: June 16, 1956

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: June 

Shor Replies to Charges 

By Reagan and Phillips 

WASHINGTON—Ruben Shor. National 

Allied president, has answered the charges 

made against him at the Senate Small Business 

Committee heai-ings by Charles M. 

Reagan, vice-president and general sales 

manager of Loew's, and Louis Phillips, vicepresident 

and general counsel of Paramount. 

Shor replied in the form of a sworn affidavit 

filed with Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey, 

committee chairman. An accompanying 

letter noted that a sworn statement was not 

requii-ed, but that one was being provided 

because "I feel that I do not want to leave 

any doubt in anyone's mind." 

The statement was voluminous, consisting 

of 19 pages of text on legal paper. The first 

one-thii'd dealt with Shor's circuit operations, 

the competition, bidding, availabilities and 

the booking of Paramount and MGM product. 

He charged the Department of Justice with 

doing nothing to enforce availability or 

delivery of film. 

"The Department of Justice," he said, "apparently 

will intervene in a small situation 

which helps the distributors, but does nothing 

in a metropolitan area involving many independents 

who are starving for product, thus 

permitting the outrage-ous film rentals to be 

maintained by the distributors." 

Shor called statements by Phillips a 

"vengeful, personal attack." He charged 

Phillips with revealing confidential statistics 

from his circuit records which figured in an 

antitrust suit, saying that the action was "not 

only unprofessional and unethical, but might 

very well be considered contempt of court." 

He also charged "half-truths" and offered to 

submit all his personal income tax returns 

and other records to the committee. 

"The travel expenses in the Twin Drive-In 

Theatre's records," he said, "were all honest 

and include the travel of its representatives 

to the offices of distributors in their fight to 

get pictures and better runs, to conventions 

where exhibitors get together to plan for 

their survival, and the like." 

He added; "It would be interesting, indeed, 

to look at the Paramount income tax returns 

and see if deductions are taken by that company 

which would be as rigorously honorable 

as in the case of the Shor companies." 

He charged an attempt to make it appear 

that the investment in the drive-in was $10,- 

000 when "the truth" was that the capital 

stock investment was $240,000, "and the indebtedness 

of the operation before the theatre 

opened was in an amount of an additional 

$300,000 to $400,000, and that the 

combined indebtedness of the Shor-Palazzolo 

operations today exceeds $1,000,000." 

Shor named pictures and theatres to show 

"how ridiculous the statement is that Shor 

would not play Paramount product. He would 

play it whenever he could get a chance, if 

the picture was at all suitable, in his 

opinion." 

He charged an attempted violation of the 

prohibition against price fixing in the case 

of "We're No Angels." 

Shor said he had testified as National 

Allied president and representative of member 

exhibitors rather than as an individual. 

He concluded his statement as follows: 

"Shor is not surprised that instead of revealing 

the truth, the film companies, as 

shown by the example of Paramount's lawyer, 

preferred to make a personal attack on him 

and Mr. Myers (Abram F. Myers, AUied board 

chairman and general counsel) as leaders in 

the fight for fair treatment of the independent 

exhibitors, in order to distract attention 

from the voracious practices of the distributors 

which, if not halted, will doom the small 

exliibitor to destruction." 

Cost of Cable Theatre (2,000 Homes) 

Calls 

for $75,000 Investment 

'Impropriety' Charge 

Answered by Phillips 

NEW YORK—Louis Phillips, Paramount 

vice-president and general counsel, replied 

Monday (11) to statements submitted to the 

Senate Small Business Committee by Abram 

F. Myers, National Allied board chairman 

and general counsel, and Ruben Shor, Allied 

president. 

He noted their filing "at the latest possible 

hour," and said that "cannot be attributed to 

mere coincidence" and called it an "old stratagem 

that some use when their positions 

are vulnerable in order to make it impossible 

for the opposition to reply." He was referring 

to the expii-ation date for filings. He asked 

that the statements be considered "in the 

light of 

these cii-cumstances." 

AUDIT MATTER COMMENTED 

Phillips' statement, addressed to Sen. 

Hubert H. Humphrey, committee chairman, 

said there was only one matter that required 

comment. 

"That deals," he said, "with the charge 

made against me by Mr. Shor that I had no 

right to use the facts disclosed by the audit 

of the books of his corporation, because it was 

claimed that there was an agreement entered 

into between Mr. Shor's lawyer, Jerome Goldman, 

and Charles Sawyer, our lawyer, that 

the audit would be used only in connection 

with the litigation brought by Mr. Shor's 

corporation against the distributors. 

"To Mr. Shor's statement there is attached 

a copy of a letter dated July 15, 1955, from 

Jerome Goldman to Charles Sawyer relating 

to the audit. It is because of that letter 

that Mr. Shor makes the charge of impropriety 

against me. In response thereto I 

only wish to say that I knew nothing of this 

letter until after I testified before your committee. 

"After I had testified, there was called to 

my attention for the first time Mr. Goldman's 

letter to Mr. Sawyer, to which I have referred, 

and which was filed with Mr. Shor's 

statement. After considering the entire matter, 

I feel that even if I had known of the 

existence of Mr. Goldman's letter, I would 

have been justified in using the results of 

the audit before your committee as I did, 

inasmuch as Mr. Shor's attack upon Paramount 

made it perfectly proper 'for me to 

use the relevant facts defensively, which was 

exactly what I did." 

INDIANAPOLIS—Allied of Indiana this cable and feeder lines would cost about $42 

week reported on discussions held by one of per home for the first 1,000 connections. The FILM PRICE IS DISPUTED 

second thousand would be serviced at about Phillips attached a copy of a letter containing 

its members, Bob Jones, with the Jerrold 

Electronic Corp. which is promoting a "cable $22 a home. Thus, service to 2,000 homes 

theatre" idea in the motion picture field. The would require an investment of about $75,000. the 

Dinsmore. 

same 

Shohl, 

information 

Sawyer 

mailed 

& Dinsmore 

to 

of 

plan provides that the pictui-e being shown Allied points out that the cost per home becomes 

Cincinnati, Paramount attorneys. It said 

at a motion picture theatre be sent simultaneously 

much less than the cost per seat for 

additionally that Shor had charged falsely 

that "Paramount had exacted a price of 

theatre construction. 

over a cable system to be viewed by 

The big problem will be the film rental to $1,250 for 'We're No Angels' in order to compel 

subscribers on their home television screens. 

him to raise his admission price," which 

Jerrold Electronics has developed a relayed be paid to distributors, says Allied. 

TV system for communities where direct reception 

he had lowered as an experiment, and that 

is impossible. In such areas, a signal 

$1,250 ttâs exorbitant for his theatre. 

is sent out from a receiving tower over Univ. 26-Week Net Up 

A second enclosur-e, a letter written by the 

cables and feeder lines to every home paying NEW YORK—Universal Pictures has reported 

Cincimiati law firm to Sidney Schreiber, 

earnings for the 26 weeks ended April 

a service charge. A number of these systems 

general counsel of the Motion Picture Ass'n 

already have been installed, and the Jerrold 

of America, stated that no member of the 

28 of $2,047,383 after providing $1,885,000 for 

firm could recall Shor's claimed agreement. 

organization believes the same formula can federal income taxes, equivalent to $2.08 a 

be used to bring local theatre programs of share on the 927,254 shares of common stock 

new Hollywood pictures directly into every outstanding at that date. 

AB-PT Votes 2 Dividends 

home in town. 

Earnings for the same period ended April NEW YORK—The board of American 

Specific costs have not been determined, but 

Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres has voted 

30, 1955, were $2,014,960 after providing 

Jones was informed by Milton J. Shapp, 

dividends of 25 cents a share on the outstanding 

$1,830,000 for federal income taxes, equal to 

preferred and 25 cents a share on 

president of Jerrold, that booth costs would $1.87 a share on the 1,015,709 shares out- 

be between $8,000 and $10,000 and the main standing. 

the common stock, payable July 20. 

BOXOFTICE 

: 

16, 1956

I 

poaBU-BARRSUeP BLAST 

YBOX'OFFICBoYNAMm 

^ 

The untold 

story of the ^ 

BIG HOUSE 

fcPRISON BREAK!. 

H 

/, 

\ 

1^^^ mvienN! 

SMASH 

\ 

PHONY 

SI 

MONEY 

|! 

RACKET! 

i 

k 

\Jhi ^3, 

WffIND THE 

STARRING 

i\TOMTULLY SYLVIA SIDNEY 

\»ih BETTY LYNN JOHN LARCH BARNEY PHILUPS 

ond JOHN GAVIN 

Directed by ABNER BIBERMAN Produced by STANLEY RUBIN 

Screentia, by HAROLD JACK BLOOM 

^ 

A Universal-International Picture ^^^ 

// ih 

I 

L^ 

RAY DANTON 

LEIGH SNOWDEN 

GRANT WILLIAMS 

wim ONSLOW STEVENS • JUDSON PRATT 

Directed by JACK ARNOLD 

Screenplay by DANNY ARNOLD 

• Produced by ALBERT J. COHEN IHEN .# 

A Universal-International Picture 

1 

. . . from (/n/Versa/

16 SPRING FILMS IN HIT CLASS; 

7HE CONQUEROR' TOPS AT 237% 

Business at First Runs, 

However, Fails to Hit 

Record 1955 Mark 

The film industry produced 16 hit pictures 

in the spring quarter, a minor increase 

over the winter quarter, but considerably 

below the postwar record set a 

year ago. 

Based on reports to BOXOFFICE-Barometer 

from first run theatres in 21 key cities 

across the country, 16 of 55 features placed 

in release during the March-April-May segment 

of the season reached the hit classification; 

that is, they scored 120 per cent or 

better at the boxoffice. In the winter quarter, 

15 of 48 pictures were hits, but in the 

spring 1955 quarter, 28 of 54 releases made 

the hit classification for an all-time record. 

TWO STAR JOHN WAYNE 

The big three of the quarter were led by 

"The Conqueror" (RKO) with 237 per cent, 

and it was another John Wayne-starrer, "The 

Searchers" with 208 per cent which was in 

thud place. This is the Warner Bros, release 

of the first C. V. Whitney picture. 

Sandwiched in between the two was "Carousel," 

20th Century-Fox's first entry in its 

55mm Cinemascope process. 

Other top grossers of the quarter were 

"Alexander the Great," UA's release of the 

Robert Rossen production which stands at 

198 per cent and 20th-Fox's "The Man in the 

Gray Flannel Suit" at 178 per cent. 

For the full season, the big picture remains 

Samuel Goldwyn's "Guys and Dolls," which 

MGM is releasing. It stands at 357 per cent. 

As for the season itself, it was not up to 

the standard of business reported in the 

first three quarters of 1954-55. A year ago, 

182 features had been released on which 

sufficient playdates had been recorded to Indicate 

their boxoffice drawing power. This 

year, 188 features were in release at the 

three-quarter mark—but, a year ago, 140 of 

the features or 76.3 per cent had done 

average business or better while this season 

only 125 features or 66 per cent had reached 

the same classification. However, the 66 per 

Top Hits of the Spring Quarter 

(March Through May) 

PERCENTAGES 

Anything Goes (Para) 

Alexander the Great (Rossen-UA) 

UCarousel (20th-Fox) 

Conqueror. The (RKO) 

Court Jester. The (Para) 

Doctor at Sea (Rep) 

Forbidden Planet (MGM) 

Gaby (MGM) 

lubal (Col) 

tiMan in the Gray Flannel Suit, The (20thFox) 

Meet Me in Las Vegas (MGM) 

Prisoner, The (Col) 

Revolt of Mamie Stover, The (20th-Fox) 

Rock Around the Clock (Col) 

Searchers. The (C.V.Whitney-WB) 

WSwran. The (MGM) 

' 

U Blue Ribbon Award 

cent is the second highest recorded in an 

eight-year period. 

Following are first run reports on features 

released since September 1, as provided by 

exhibitors in the 21 key cities included in 

BOXOFFICE-Barometer 

ALLIED ARTISTS: 

At Gunpoint 1 05 

Atomic Man, The 93 

Bobby Ware Is Missing j 94 

Come On, The 89 

Dig That Uranium 100 

Indestructible Mon 95 

Invasion of the Body 112 

Snatchers 

Joil Busters 96 

Return of Jock 120 

Slade 

Shack Out on 101 97 

Sudden Danger 00 1 

Toughest Man Alive 94 

Warriors, The 97 

World Without End 1 06 

COLUMBIA: 

Apache Ambush 94 

Battle Stations 115 

Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado 93 

Cockleshell Heroes 108 

1 Count Three and Proy 00 

Crooked Web, The 97 

Duel on the Mississippi 06 

1 

Footsteps in the Fog 95 

Comparative First Run Reports for 11-Year Period 

Covering First Nine Months of Season, September 1-May 31 

Yeor No. Features No. of Hits % ot Hits No. Doing Average % Doing 

Released Or Better Average or Better 

1956 188 60 31.9% 125 66.0% 

1955 182 71 39.0% 140 76.3% 

1954 212 63 29.0% 136 64.1% 

1953 214 49 22.9% 114 53.2% 

1952 221 37 16.7% 84 38.0% 

1951 237 34 14.2% 115 48.5% 

1950 235 32 13.2% 94 40.0% 

1949 236 44 18.6% 132 55.9% 

1948 186 45 24.1% 111 59.6% 

1947 187 46 24.6% 134 72.8% 

1946 193 56 29.0% 146 76.6% 

Fury at Gunsight Pass 94 

Gun That Won the West, The 89 

Horder They Fall, The 110 

Hell's Horizon Ill 

Hot Blood 90 

Houston Story, The 94 

Inside Detroit 101 

Joe Macbeth 95 

Jubal 121 

Last Frontier, The 112 

Lawless Street, A 106 

• 

My Sister Eileen 122 

Night Holds Terror, The 115 

Over-Exposed 92 

Picnic 216 

Prisoner, The 143 

Queen Bee 1 05 

Rock Around the Clock 1 20 

Speciol Delivery 95 

Teen-Age Crime 07 

Wave 1 

Three Stripes in the Sun Ill 

Uranium Boom 93 

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER: 

Diane 1 00 

Forbidden Plonet 142 

Forever Darling 1 20 

Gaby 1 36 

Guys and Dolls 357 

It's a Dog's Life 107 

It's Always Fair Weather 122 

Kismet 116 

Last Hunt, The Ill 

Meet Me in Las 1 50 

Vegas 

Quentin Durword 1 00 

Ransom! 112 

Rack, The 84 

Svengali 97 

Swan, The 134 

1 Tender Trap, 33 

The 

Trial 149 

Tribute to o Bad Man 105 

PARAMOUNT: 

Anything Goes 1 33 

Artists and Models 1 72 

Birds and the Bees, The 107 

Court Jester, The 136 

Desperate Hours, The 137 

Girl Rush, The 9t 

Lucy Gallant 

Ill 

Rose Tottoo, The 1 88 

Scarlet Hour, The 78 

To Catch a Thief 221 

Trouble With Harry, The 120 

Ulysses 140 

RKO RADIO: 

Bold and the Brave, The 103 

Brain Machine, The 83 

Conqueror, The 237 

Glory 82 

Naked Sea, The 97 

Postmark for Danger 92 

BOXOFFICE : 

: June 16, 1956

I Am 

the 

: ' ' 

^^B 

i 

' 

iniSk t . 

I Deliver War and Peace 

REPUBLIC: 

Come Next Spring 

Divided Heart, The 

100 

107 

^^ 

^\ * f f 

^^ 

^\ f 

_ 

f ^ 

ar^Ss^si. I Fr/nr ro Para. July 4 

Headline Hunters 91 # 

Hidden Guns 115 

Last Command, 102 

The 

1 hftan Alone, A 00 

Maverick Queen 87 

No Man's Woman 96 

Stranger at My Door 106 

Twinkle in God's Eye 86 ^^vw «^ "^^^^^Hi^^ H^^H-il- '^br«.- 

Vonishing American, The 

^^^ ^^^Bl^PC ^^^B:j>>' ^ftHHSL 

20TH 

Bottom 

Carousel 

^^K_»' ^^H^k. 

^^BtfE^^^^^^ft 

^^Hk ^^^^P—. 

^^ ^^BBSa 

V^^flH 

1^ 'Wi 

of the Bottle "W 

213 

Girl in the Red Velvet 115 ^^^^H^^^^^^ 

^^^^^K^^^^^m 

V C' G 

Hilda Crane ^^^ÎK.^^^ 

P^^^PI^^^ 

I ^K 

Morning, Good Miss Dove 116 I 4k' Î 

Left Hand of God, The 151 1 TT^^. 

f- 

Lieutenant Wore Skirts, The 133 ^W A *\' 

' 

• 

Lover Boy 1 20 _>1 , 

"— ^^M J*' „* 

\ I 

Mon in the Gray Flannel Suit, The 178 B^^'^^' " "^ 

" 

/. ^ -x ¥/ 

Mon Who Never Was, The 100 

. 

^HP^Hfl^^^ ^'- 1/ 

On the Threshold of Space 106 i^^^^^^^^^^^^^ _: Jftts^ ' ,3 \li 

Rams of Ranchipur, The 152 ^ ^^^^n^B^BHR^^^^ftJi' ,¥ . 

Revolt of Momie Stover, The 131 Bk. ^ 

" 

^^^^^B==>^^/ it! 

Seven Cities of Gold 96 

Tall Men, The 201 

23 Paces to Boker Street Ill 

View From Pompey's Head 123 

^^^^^^^^^Î^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BP^ 

UNITED 

Alexander the Great ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^mi' • 

Big Knife, The 110 

Comanche 101 

Crime Against Joe 81 

F "t^ Yuma '^^ '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 

90 Dino De Laurentiis. second from left, talks about the making of the Vista Vision 

Gentlemen Marry Brunettes 121 production of Tolstoy's novel and Itahan industry problems. Sitting next to him are 

Indian °Figh?er,*'^the!!!!; .!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!l54 Jerry Pickman, advertising-publicity vice-president of Paramount, which will release 

Killer Is Loose', The! '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'..'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. &Z the film, and George VVeltner, worldwide sales head. Ralph Serpe, De Laurentiis' Eng- 

Mon'with "he Golien- Xrm'.the; ! ! ! ! ! ! ! I ! ! ! :207 ^^ translator is at the far left. 

Man With the Gun 1 32 

Night of the Hunter 109 

Othello 132 NEW YORK—The Ponti-De Laurentiis still planning to make his own version of 

'.'.'.".'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.......'..... st'oVm^Feor 96 production of "War and Peace," wliich ac- "War and Peace" in Russia and his state- 

Three Bad Sisters 95 tually started filming July 4, 1955, after more ment that the De Laurentiis version is 

.::::::: .::::.::'.:::.:.:::;.'.:'.: 95 than four years of preparation, wm be de- merely "a trailer" for his version, the Italian 

Top^G°u''rl^ 

Unidentified Flying Objects 107 livered in its final release form to Paramount producer remarked that he was grateful to 

UNIVERSAL: i" London July 4, 1956, exactly one year r^^^^ f^j. publicizing and bringing the title 

All That Heaven Allows 155 later. The first American booking will be 

EennXodman storyThe !69 

Creo7urr?.'aTrA'ln^gutThe: :::::::;:::: 96 

^' '^^ ^^P^'°' '^.^''^"^' ^^"' 

m ôrk îty, late August, accordmg to Dmo Oe Laurentns, 

' 

, 

REPUBLIC PUTTING 18 LOW-COST 

FEATURES ON PRODUCTION LINE 

Studio Answers Call 

By Exhibitors for 

'Little' Pictures 

HOLLYWOOD—Republic Pictures answered 

the call of many subsequent run and smalltown 

exhibitors for the "small picture" by 

announcing this week 

that it will embark on ^j, 

a program of 18 lowbudget 

productions in 

mid-July. 

** ^r~ ^^. 

In announcing the 

eturn to a full pro- t ^j k 

duction program. Her- 

bert Yates, president. |^' 

also partially answered 

widespread conjecture 

as to the company's 

future status, precipitated 

when an option 

to purchase working 

Herbert J. Yates 

control of the company was secured recently 

by the investment banking firm of Cantor, 

Fitzgerald & Co. 

Yates said the company will end its long 

hiatus from production in about four weeks, 

with a .schedule of 18 pictures. 

The Republic chieftain did not reveal the 

titles of the pictures, but he did say they 

would be in widescreen and color. Their cost 

will be geared to a "common sense" approach, 

in the belief that the present market is 

absorbing either very expensive or smallbudget 

features, and that middle-bracket 

entries are not attracting profitable revenue. 

Each of the pictures, he said, will feature at 

least one established star name, with the 

balance of the casts to comprise new faces. 

Studio operations will be streamlined, 

Yates said, so that the pictures can be turned 

out on short shooting schedules. There also 

win be further consolidations In foreign and 

domestic distribution, he announced. 

Meanwhile, because of the complexities of 

Republic's financial structure, Cantor, Fitzgerald 

& Co. has been given an extension on 

its option to acquire working control of the 

company. It has now been extended to September 

4. B. Gerald Cantor, president of the 

banking firm, said that certain technical accounting 

problems also made the additional 

time necessary. A tax analysis is being prepared 

by George V. Delson of New York while 

the accounting firm of Joseph D. Blau is completing 

its examination of the Republic books 

and records. 

Old 20th-Fox Pictures 

Offered TV Stations 

NEW YORK—National Telefilm Associates 

is offering the following old 20th Century- 

Fox pictures to television stations: "How 

Green Was My Valley," "Mother Wore 

Tights," "Belle Starr," "Foxes of Harrow," 

"Ox Bow Incident," "House on 92nd Street," 

"The Black Swan" and "Daisy Kenyon." It 

has notified the stations it will offer them 

old Paramount shorts later. 

Italian Producers Join 

In Co-Production Pool 

ROME—Top Italian producers have created 

a domestic film production pool to make top 

quality motion pictures on more limited budgets 

than previously, 

Goffredo Lombardo, 

president of the Italian 

Motion Picture Producers 

Union, revealed 

this week. 

Lombardo, who 

heads Titanus, the 

country's largest film 

producing co m- 

pany, said that Titanus, 

Lux Films, Documento 

Films, Colosseum, 

Cei-Income and ooffredo Lombardo, 

Astra Cinematografica 

have already joined the co-production pool. 

The announcement was made in a statement 

denying reports that the Italian film 

industry is in the grip of a serious crisis and 

"that film production in Italy was crumbling 

into failure." 

The pool, which will produce pictures at 

a budget of not more than 80.000,000 lire 

(approximately $128,000) each, will enable 

producers to divide costs and risks among 

themselves. It also will be open to other production 

companies who wish to join this 

undertaking, Lombardo said. 

The so-called crisis in the Italian motion 

picture industry does not exist in actual fact, 

Lombardo said. Producers are only awaiting 

clarification of protective film legislation, the 

old film law of 1949 having expired in December 

1955, with no new legislation to replace 

it. 

"The major responsibility for this impres- 

RKO Speeds Production; 

$11 Million on 8 Films 

Hollywood—Eight pictures previously 

announced for filming by RKO Radio will 

all go before the cameras within the next 

70 days, at an aggregate budget of approximately 

$11,000,000, it has been decided 

following high-level meetings at the 

studio between Daniel T. O'Shea, company 

president, and William Dozier, vicepresident 

in charge of production. 

To roll in June are "Bundle of Joy," 

"Run of the Arrow" and "The Day They 

Gave Babies Away." These will be followed 

in July by "Strike a Blow" and "I 

Married a Woman," while "The Lady and 

the Prowler," "Underdog" and "The Girl 

Most Likely" will hit the sound stages in 

August. 

sion of a crisis," he stated, "has been due to 

the press, which has been conducting a 

scandalistic campaign ever since the old 

movie law expired. The wild stories that have 

appeared in newspapers and magazines have 

consequently frightened banks and financial 

institutions which have drastically restricted 

motion picture credit facilities." 

Lombardo said the best answer to this talk 

of crisis in the Italian cinema was given at 

the recent film festival in Cannes, where 

three Italian pictures were presented with 

great acclaim, even if not officially invited. 

"Actually," he declared, "the situation has 

had some beneficial effects, because it has 

weeded out the unhealthy elements in the 

industry which had infiltrated into moviemaking. 

It lias proved to be a good housecleaning." 

To demonstrate his point that the Italian 

film industry is not in anything near a dying 

stage, the producer quoted production figures 

on purely Italian films, not including the 

great number of co-productions: 

In 1953. during the time of the old film 

law, 62 Italian feature films were made, and 

two of them were in color. 

In 1954, the Italians made 51 films. 10 of 

which were in color and 7 in the widescreen 

processes. 

Last year, 1955, a total of 47 Italian films 

were produced, with 20 of them in color and 

19 in widescreen. It is emphasized that these 

figures do not refer to the total number of 

films made in Italy and do not include the 

large number of co-productions made by 

Italian companies. 

The number of Italian films produced has 

gone down, Lombardo pointed out, but producers 

spent much more money making them 

because of tremendous rises in production 

costs. This expansion of means and technique 

in films was due to competition of 

television, which, not only in Italy but in 

other countries including America, has induced 

producers to amplify and streamline 

production methods and to utilize the latest 

technical advances like widescreens, improved 

color, etc., he said. 

It's Now Technicolor Corp., 

Herbert Kalmus Reports 

HOLLYWOOD—Effective Saturday (30), 

the Technicolor Motion Picture Corp., a 

subsidiary of Technicolor, Inc., will be known 

as the Technicolor Corp., it was announced 

by Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president and 

managing director of both companies. The 

change, he said, does not signify any switches 

in personnel or policies but is "geared to the 

advancement of Technicolor into a broader 

area of service within the color field." 


0" 

^VIRGINIA WELLES • PAUL CAVANAGH • DAVID JANSSEN and J^y^XtAJXO 

XHARLES LAMONT sc^X.HERBERT MARGOLISa.WILLIAM RAYNOR 

The Talking Mule 

''iZSl^S^' .....ROBERT ARTHUR 

iÔ/V T/f£ WAY. . . 

Z_YY^3; 

lOat^

: June 

To Sponsor First National 

Theatre-tO'TV Amateurs 

KANSAS CITY—The first national theatre-to-TV 

amateur program will be sponsored 

in the New 50 Drive-In Theatre of the 

suburban area on Saturday night, June 

local 

30. It will be called the Kansas City Amateur 

Hour in association with Ted Mack and the 

Original Amateur Hour and will run for ten 

weeks, after which the winners of the grand 

prize will go to New York and appear on Ted 

Mack's TV program. In fact, . 

that is the 

grand prize—to have all expenses paid for 

ail- travel to New York with hotel expenses 

while there. 

This is a national hookup and other driveins 

in communities all over the United States 

are tying in with this series of amateur contests, 

but George Baker's New 50 will be the 

first. Final winners in the other drive-ins 

will also make New York appearances. 

Announcement of the event is being made 

by Ted Mack on his regular Sunday night 

program (17). It is a reversal of the former 

Amateur Hour procedure when contestants 

first appeared on the air and later in theatres. 

The present plan schedules them for 

theatre appearances first and they then 

move on the air. Among screen "graduates" 

from early amateur programs, outstanding 

names are Frank Sinatra and 'Vera-Ellen. 

"The plan being worked out at the New 

50 Highway Drive-In is for about 15 acts 

to be given each Saturday night for nine 

weeks, between seven and eight o'clock before 

the picture starts," Baker explained. 

"On each Saturday night, there will be a 

semi-final winner selected by ballot. Ballots 

will be handed to patrons as they come in. 

Then the nine acts which have won over 

that period of weeks will compete on the 

tenth Saturday night for the grand prize." 

Further details may be obtained by writing 

to either Arnold Ruttenberg or Lou Goldberg 

in care of the Original Amateur Hour, 

Suite 902, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, New 

York City. 

Sam Wiesenthal to Make 

Jack Dempsey Story 

HOLLY'WOOD—Long considered a biographical 

plum for motion pictures, the life 

story of one-time heavyweight boxing 

champion Jack Dempsey will be brought to 

the screen as an independent production by 

Sam 'Wiesenthal, currently at RKO Radio. 

The producer journeyed to New York to 

sign the deal with Dempsey's attorneys and 

plans to launch the feature early next year. 

Work will begin immediately on the script 

and a search will be undertaken for an actor 

to portray Dempsey, after which release arrangements 

will be negotiated. 

Production Pre-Planning Saves Time 

In 

Shooting, Fritz Lang Declares 

NEW YORK—Day-by day pre-planning of 

a production by the director by blockout of the 

set (as in a stage play) on paper at home 

and conferring with the actors at 8:45 a.m., 

just before the start of shooting, results in a 

reduction of the shooting schedule and the 

resultant economy in production, according 

to Fritz Lang, director of "Beyond a Reasonable 

Doubt," just completed for RKO release. 

By consistently using these expedients on 

"Doubt," the original 30-day shooting schedule 

was cut to 24 days and resulted in a saving 

of from $100,000-125,000 for producer Bert 

Friedlob and RKO, which partly financed the 

picture. 

By using these methods and if the script of 

the picture is ready four to six weeks ahead 

of actual shooting time, the average 90- 

minute picture can be brought In seven to 

eight days ahead of schedule, Lang maintains. 

Lang, who has been in the film business 

for "longer than I care to admit," started 

directing pictures in Germany after World 

War I and came to the U. 8. in 1934 and 

directed "Liliom" for 20th Century-Fox. 

Later, he directed "The Woman in the Window," 

"Scarlet Street," "Clash by Night," 

"Rancho Notorious," "The Big Heat" and 

"Human Desire," among others in Hollywood. 

Lang, who is not under contract to any major 

company has a new script which he plans to 

make as soon as he finds the proper child 

actress. "There are no child stars in Hollywood 

today," he bemoaned. 

He has seen only one recent German film 

which he could label "outstanding" and that 

is "The Devil's General," a big success in 

that country, although its subject he considers 

"too typically German" to appeal to 

U. S. audiences. He mentioned several outstanding 

French fUms, including "Diabolique" 

and "Wages of Fear," as typical of good foreign 

films which are attracting American 

audiences. 

"However, we really don't know what picture 

audiences want today," Lang said. He 

considered Paramount's "The Desperate 

Hours" a fine picture, but he had heard that 

it wasn't too successful. Unfortunately, the 

independents such as Lang aren't often told 

by the majors which pictures make money, 

according to Lang. 

Lang returned to the coast, after a trip to 

Washington. 

Fritz Lang, film director, talks to 

tradepress about production savings. 

Miami Has Testimonial 

For George Hoover 

George C. Hoover, left, accepting 

plaque from Sigmund Eisenberg as 

John H. Rowley, center, looks on. 

MIAMI—A testimonial banquet recently 

was tendered for George Hoover, 

first chief barker of Miami Tent No. 

33, international chief barker for the 

past two years, and now executive director 

of Variety Clubs International. 

The event took place at the Westview 

Country Club, with 240 guests present. 

Sigmund Eisenberg, chief barker of 

the local tent, was the principal 

speaker and lauded Hoover for his untiring 

efforts in behalf of Variety. A 

plaque was presented to Hoover by 

Eisenberg in behalf of the local tent 

as a token of its esteem. Also a silver 

platter was presented by the Ladies 

Auxiliary. 

John H. Rowley, international chief 

barker, was present. Hal Pelton, president 

of the Pepsi-Cola Co. of Miami, 

was chairman of the dinner committee 

and toastmaster. 

Eisenberg cited Hoover for his efforts 

in being the guiding force in 

promoting and carrying to a successful 

conclusion the establishment of the 

Variety Children's Hospital in Miami, 

representing an investment of nearly 

$2,000,000. 

B. Reeves Eason Dies; 

Veteran Film Director 

HOLLYWOOD—Services were held Tuesday 

(121 for B. Reeves "Breezy" Eason, 69, 

veteran film megaphonist and second unit 

director, who died of a heart attack. Survived 

by his wife, a sister and a brother, 

Eason became a director in 1913 and guided 

such early stars as Tom Mix, Hoot Gibson 

and William S. Hart. During his lengthy 

career he piloted films for Universal, MGM, 

20th Century-Fox, Warners and other companies. 

George Sandore 

CAMDEN, N. J.—George Sandore, national 

sales manager for RCA Service Co., died 

.suddenly of a heart attack at his home on 

Sunday (3). He had been national sales 

manager for about five years, coming from 

office, the Atlanta where he was district 

manager. Prior to his Atlanta position, he was 

district manager in the Kansas City office. 

BOXOFFICE 

; 

16, 1956

Discuss Low-Budget 

Films in Arkansas 

LITTLE ROCK— Inve.-.tigiUing the possibility 

of producing low-budget pictures in 

Arkansas, Tom London and Ben Cohen 

visited Governor Orval Faubus here Uiis 

week with a committee of theatremen 

headed by Jack Braunagel, United Theatres 

circuit executive, and Sam Kirby, exhibitor 

leader, who is also head of the publicity department 

of the state. Several others interested 

were present at the meeting. 

London and Cohen have been interested in 

independent production for several years, and 

is feel there a market for action-type pictures 

that might be produced at a lower cost away 

from Hollywood. London has been associated 

with more than 500 pictures in Hollywood in 

acting and production. 

It was agreed that if enough theatremen 

had interest in this type of picture, that 

the idea of making pictures in Arkansas 

would be very feasible. However, London said, 

it has been pointed out to them by those in 

distribution that there was no market for 

such pictures, and they he.sitate to progress 

further unless they have some way of knowing 

that theatres will play their product when 

it is produced. 

Braunagel told the committee appointed by 

the governor that he felt that there were 

enough theatres needing these pictures to 

Insure getting back the cost of production. 

His opinion was based, he said, on his need 

and that of other theatre owners he had 

to. talked It would be up to the theatremen, 

however, to get together to figure a way to 

insure playdates for this type product, he 

said, before London and Cohen should go 

ahead. It was e.stimated the cost of production 

would be budgeted at $125,000 should 

it be undertaken. 

RCA Equipment Scheduled 

For Four New Drive-Ins 

CAMDEN. N. J.—Four drive-in theatres 

nearing construction will have the latest 

RCA theatre sound, projection and accessory 

equipment, according to A. J. Piatt, manager 

of theatre equipment sales. Radio Corp. 

of America. The drive-ins are the Bengies. 

Bengies, Md.; Exton, Exton. Pa.; Vista-Vu. 

Colorado Springs. Colo., and Conesus. Lakeville, 

N. Y. 

The Bengies, operated by the Frog-Mortar 

Corp.. will have RCA in-car speakers. RCA- 

100 film projectors. Dyn-Arc screen lighting 

systems and Dyna-Heat in-car heaters. The 

Exton. operated by Exton Drive-In. Inc.. will 

have in-car speakers, Dyn-Arc lamp systems, 

RCA-200 projectors, in-car heaters, selenium 

rectifiers and a 45xlOO-foot screen tower. 

The Vista-Vu, operated by W. H. Claiborne, 

will have in-car speakers, RCA-200 projectors. 

Dyn-Arc lamp systems, rectifiers and 

a 50xl00-foot screen tower. The Conesus, 

operated by Conesus Drive-In. Inc., will have 

In-car speakers, RCA-200 projectors, Dyn- 

Arc lamp systems, rectifiers, a 45x100- 

foot screen tower and an attraction sign. 

World Record Load at Airer Claimed 

McMINNVILLE, TENN.—A carload of 

66 patrons, claimed to be a world record 

load, drove into the Ben Lomand Drive-In 

Theatre here recently for a $1 bill. Manager 

Joe Reep staged the affair as a promotional 

stunt, with the hope that exhibitors 

elsewhere will challenge the record claim 

and thereby create additional business for 

themselves. 

The 66 patrons came inside and atop a 

1955 Ford. A second load of 60 came in a 

1952 Ford, but there was no tie-up with a 

Roy Moore Jr. Promoted 

To Canada Dry Helm 

NEW YORK—Roy W. Moore jr. was elected 

executive vice-president and general manager 

of Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Inc., by the 

board of directors on May 22. Moore also 

was elected to the board's executive committee. 

Moore's first position with the company 

was as a clerk in the purchasing department. 

He became manager of the production department 

in 1946. He served as vice-president 

in charge of manufacturing from 1949 until 

1954. 

local Ford agency. The largest load for a 

single automobile was 58, reported several 

years ago in Alabama. 

The driver of the winning car got a $50 

cash prize and each occupant received theatre 

passes. The driver of the second car got 

$20 in cash. The promotion got a big play 

in the local press. Shown in the accompanying 

photos are the prize-winning load as it 

entered the theatre and manager Reep 

(right) presenting a $50 bill to the driver of 

the car. 

Strong Announces Lamp 

For Wide Projections 

TOLEDO—An arc lamp for 55mm. 65mm 

and other wide projections has been announced 

by the Strong Electric Corp. The 

only material change necessary to convert the 

lamp for 35mm projection is insertion of a 

lower magnification mirror, a rapid changeover. 

The new lamp is equipped to burn 13.6mm 

carbons. It offers higher magnification, a 

larger opening in the nose through which to 

pass wider beams of light to the aperture 

and a large dowser. 

COLUMBIA PICTURES ANNOUNCES THAT PRINTS OF THE FOLLOWING 

PICTURES ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN OUR EXCHANGES FOR SCREENING 

%f^ 

„. HUGH MARLOWE • JOAN TAYLOR w. donald curtis 

Screen Pla, by GEORGE WORTHING YATES and RAYMOND T. MARCUS • Screen Story by CURT SIODMAK 

Technlcjl Effects Crejted by RAY HARRYHAUSEN 

Eiecutlve Producer: SAM KATZMAN 

• Produced by CHARLES H, SCHNEER 

• Directed by FRED F. SEARS 

Bel-Air Film Retitled 

NEW YORK—"Mark of the Apache" Bel- 

Air production, has been retitled "Tomahawk 

Trail," according to United Artists, 

which will release it. 

.DON MEGOWAN • JOYCE HOLOEN • ...... SIEVEN RIICH . THE moLF 

Story and Screen 'lay by ROBERT E. KENT and JAMES B. GORDON • Produced by SAM KATZMAN • Directed by FRED F. SEARS 

A CLOVER PRODUCTION 

June 16, 1956

ETTER^ 

URGES USE OF 16mm PRINTS AS AID TO SMALLER THEATRES 

I have been in the motion picture business 

for nearly 20 years. I started as an usher 

in a theatre, then to manager. I am now employed 

by one of the motion picture distribu- 

with whom I started as a poster clerk, 

tors, 

then to shipper, then booker, then salesman, 

and due to the "cuts" now going on I am 

again a booker. I have sat sadly by, and 

watched things happen which I never believed 

would ever happen—theatres closing (12 

closed in the southeast in the past month), 

distributors and exhibitors going at each 

other's throats. Distributors selling backlogs 

to TV, while the exhibitor screamed for 

mercy.' I have seen many new processes 

introduced to try to get the public back in 

the theatre. These have proved successful 

in the larger cities, but the cry still goes up 

for the small-town operator, who is the very 

backbone of this industry. 

POINTS OUT 16MM BENEFITS 

On behalf of these small-town exhibitors. 

I would like to offer my idea as to a solution 

to their problems to cut overhead and 

operational costs. The solution lies in the 

very thing which most of them always have 

cursed as competition to their theatres. This 

solution is in the 16mm film which, before 

television, they fought with a passion, and 

sometimes rightfully so—the same type of 

film that the TV stations now offer to keep 

the people away from the theatres. 

Dui-ing my tour of duty in this industry, I 

had cause to manage the 16mm division of one 

of our distributors of 35mni films for several 

years. I know what can be done with these 

films, and how much less expensive the cost 

of operation can be in this media. 

Initially, the cost of projection is less. The 

cost of equipment is cheaper. And, in many 

cases, only ©ne projector is necessary. A complete 

show can be mounted on one large reel 

(which must be specially made), threaded 

up, and the projectionist can relax. 16mm 

arc projectors are available, and can project 

as good a picture in both drive-in and hardtop 

houses as a 35mm machine. 

The transportation cost of the film, 

whether shipped express, parcel post or film 

carrier, is less. All film is on safety stock, 

so no fireproof booth is necessary, unless one 

is already available. These points are all in 

favor of the exhibitor. 

Why close up these small theatres in 

Podunk, Ga., or Slitwater, Kas., when the 

theatres can stay open and operate for only 

a fraction of their past cost? 

PLENTY OF PRINTS MADE 

What about product? All film distributors 

make up 16mm prints of their 35mm releases 

when they are released. These prints are, 

however, made available only to specific 

users, such as the Red Cross, Veterans' Administration, 

and other government users, 

for the first two years or so. However, could 

this product not be made available at the 

same time for both 16mm and 35mm houses? 

Could the salesman not sell both 16mm and 

35mm prints equally as well? Could the 

16mm prints not bring in as much revenue 

to both the distributor and the exhibitor as 

a 35mm print? Could not a 16mm version of 

a title be sold on the same basis as a 35mm 

independent theatre? 

title, to a circuit, or _ 

, .^.v. 

After all, the only difference is in the width 

of the film. The product would be the same— 

the width of the film different. 

What about aU the foreign theatres that 

operate only on 16mm film? Check with any 

of the distributors and see how well this is 

handled, and what a gigantic business it is. 

As to availability of product: If a smalltown 

theatre now is operating first run on 

35mm and is closing because of overhead, 

this theatre can convert to 16mm equipment, 

and still be first run. If a two-theatre town 

is closing one of its houses (second run house) 

this house can convert to 16mm equipment 

and film, and still be a subsequent run house. 

It's that simple. 

AArtiat about the new anamorphic processes? 

Pox and Warners now are making 16mm 

prints of their Cinemascope titles, and I am 

sure the others will follow in line. These 

prints have one-track sound just as the 35mm 

prints, in some cases, do. And, surprismgly 

enough, it is excellent. There are several 

new anamorphic lenses on the market. 

Bausch & Lomb now has a 16mm lens on 

the market for $124.50. This includes the 

prime lens as well as the anamorphic lens. 

This, I think, is several hundi-ed dollars less 

than a 35mm anamorphic lens. 

Screens? All the screen manufacturers are 

making widescreens for 16mm projection, 

either cuiwed or flat. Radiant Screen Co. 

has a nice line to select from, or wiU make 

to order for widescreen projection. 

If widescreen projection of standard ratio 

prints is desired, it can easily be done by 

making a few adjustments on any 16mm projector. 

Thousands of schools, churches, institutions 

and towns where no regular 35mm theatre is 

available have been depending on 16mm 

prints of outdated titles for their entertainment. 

TV comes along and buys up the pre- 

1948 titles and keeps the people away from 

the theatres by droves by projecting these 

J 

VETERAN DRIJMBEATER HONORED 

—For "distinguished service to the sick, 

needy children of America," Frank Whitbeck, 

MGM studio advertising chief, is 

cited by Eleanor Powell after Whitbeck 

had conducted a one-man campaign to 

support a research project at the Jewish 

National Home for Asthmatic Children in 

Denver. Miss Powell, chairman of the 

project, here presents Wliitbeck with a 

commemorative plaque. 

16mm prints on essentially the same equipment 

which the motion picture trade has had 

at its beck and call for years. 

What do the exhibitor and distributor 

do? They wrangle and fight. The distribu- 

looks the number of theatre closings 

tor at 

and cuts production and personnel. The exhibitor 

cries he can't stay open because of 

the operational costs and low attendance, 

plus the shortage of de luxe product. When 

they both could benefit from the release, 

day and date, of 16mm prints with 35mm 

prints. The 35mm theatre which is closing 

could stay open as a I6mm operation showing 

the same titles that his 35mm big-town 

brother is showing for less than half the overhead. 

The distributor, by making 16mm prints 

available day and date with the release of 

his 35mm prints, would keep these smalltown 

theatres open, and increase his revenue 

as well as his possibUities. Why let TV come 

along and pick up all this gravy? 

I have written this to you with the hopes 

there is 

that somewhere in the industry 

someone who will listen to this idea. I am 

only a small wheel in a big industry, which 

is where it is today because people had ideas 

and someone else listened to them. It also 

is an industry which is in the midst of an 

upheaval because people with ideas have 

been turned away by the know-it-all boys in 

the ivory towers. 

Atlanta, 

Ga. 

VIRGIL G. HOPKINS 

DEFENDS MULTIPLE RUNS 

To Ben Shlyen; 

I read with a great deal of interest your 

editorial appearing in BOXOFFICE May 26, 

1956, and take this opportunity to comment 

on same. If this letter becomes a bit lengthy 

please forgive me but also please bear with me. 

The Dr. Crane referred to makes an interesting 

point about the local movies losing 

a potential six cash sales per month to himself 

and Mrs. Crane because of the booking 

setup. I note that he says he and Mrs. 

Crane could attend at least "one good movie 

per week." Doggone it, Ben, you and I both 

know that what one person calls a good movie 

another person calls a "dog." Not only that, 

but there just aren't enough "good" movies 

that are current at a given time to permit 

anything but multiple bookings if the subsequent 

run theatre is going to have the 

'good" picture on its screen; and of course 

everyone wants the good one as soon as he 

can get it in order to play it while it's hot. 

Let's get one thing straight; I don't like 

multiple booking, or day-and-date runs in a 

whole bunch of theatres, but I can certainly 

see how it happened. I think it would be great 

if we could run one good picture, a few good 

shorts, and call it a show. Really it should be 

that way, but you and I both know that 

here in Kansas City it can't be done now 

or in the foreseeable future. The main reason 

we have the "good" pictures in multiple runs 

is because the public won't buy the mediocre 

film that is otherwise available at a given 

time. 

You say that in one situation eight or more 

divide the patronage that might be interested 

in seeing a particular picture. I question your 

statement strongly. You assume that there 

is a certain number of people who want to 

see a certain picture and, if that picture is 

playing in eight theatres, then the number 

of people is divided, roughly eight ways. This 

BOXOFFICE 

: : June 16, 1956

may be partially, but certainly not entirely, 

true. As an example let's say that a picture 

called "Picnic" is available on a certain spot. 

Here is a very popular picture. You know, 

as an exhibitor, that probably at lea-st five 

other houses will show the picture at the 

same time for the same number of days. 

Available to you other than "Picnic" are 

three other pictures that are B pictures or 

worse. You run a double-bill policy. What 

would you do? The answer, of course, is 

obvious. You'd run "Picnic," ju.st like the 

is, if others; that you hoped to keep from 

losing money on that date, you would. Incidentally, 

in the case of "Picnic" here in 

Kansas City, that was the very experience 

and we did a nice business. To repeat a 

thought; people can see B pictures on television 

and, by and large, will not pay money 

at the boxoffice to see them in a theatre. 

Why should they? 

Hundreds and thousands of people are not 

denied the opportunity of seeing these pictures, 

if they want to, at least here in Kansas 

City. Second city run theatres nm on a 

seven-day run basis, and we occasionally run 

an extra good one for 14 days, as we did with 

"Picnic." and I'll bet I'm safe in saying that 

any one of the theatres could have held more 

people than it had on any one of the midweek 

nights. Seven days, in five or more theatres, 

one theatre for 14 days. 'Who's being 

denied something? Make no mistake about 

it, I don't like multiple-run as such, but what 

can we do about it? 

Just one more thing: I don't like your 

choice of words in your brief analysis of what 

brought about these "saturation" bookings, 

as you call them. You say "greed" on the 

part of both exhibitor and distributor was a 

factor. Well—we wanted, years ago, to advance 

from a 49-day spot to a 28-day spot. 

Why? Because we were losing our ragged 

little shirts sitting down there in a 49-day 

spot. After a long fight, we finally moved up 

to the 28-day spot through the benevolence 

i?> of the film companies, and the services 

of a most capable attorney. Now I know not 

what motivated others, but when you state, 

generally, that "greed" was a factor, I think 

you are dead wrong, in the case of a majority 

of exhibitors. If it is greedy to want to make 

a decent living out of the exhibition of 

motion pictures, if it is greedy to want 

enough return on one's Investment in the 

\ Out 31 Ytara In Thfairt AdvtrtUinj Amuj 

theatre business to send one's children to 

school and provide for his family in a manner 

commen.surate with other business enterprises, 

and if Ls greedy for a man to want 

it 

his theatre to be looked upon with respect by 

the community, than by all means call me 

greedy. If those things, however, are not 

a form of greed then let's use a better word. 

It's a bad word to use, Ben, in the case of 

ourselves and most of the exhibitors I know. 

You'd resent it, and believe me I do. 

To sum up I'll say the following: 

(1) There are disadvantages in multiple 

runs, but right now it's unavoidable, the way 

product is. 

(2) Early sub-runs play day-and-date. 

generally, because there aren't enough top 

pictures to do otherwise. 

(3) I don't thmk a desire to make a profit, 

any profit, can be called greed. And this 

applies. I think, to thousands of exhibitors. 

(4) I honestly do not feel that people are 

being denied the opportunity of seeing a 

good picture because of multiple runs. They 

are being denied because of other reasons, 

i.e., 

impossible terms on some top pictures. 

If you are still reading this, thanks for 

your indulgence. Best regards. 

RONALD MEANS 

Oak Park Theatre, 

Kansas City, Mo. 

SUGGESTS MORE REISSUES 

Someone said "There's nothing in this 

business that good pictures can't cure." I 

believe that's right. 

Sometime ago I wrote you a letter and 

gave a list of pictures that seemed to me 

would be worth reissuing to get back the 

"lost" audience. The distributors must read 

your magazine because many of them—"Billy 

the Kid," "Northwest Passage," "Shepherd of 

the Hills" were reissued, and judging from 

reports in BOXOFFICE these pictures are 

doing okay. 

I hated to see some of those old RKO pictures 

go to TV because there was some money 

left in them at the theatres, had they been 

reissued. Fox has a good batch, too. worth 

reissuing. Take "Tobacco Rxiad" and "Grapes 

of Wrath," for Instance, plus "State Fair," 

"Green Grass of Wyoming," etc., and other 

good family shows—new to the younger set. 

I'm waiting for Paramount to reissue the 

following which are gathering dust on theijshelves, 

while our tongues are hanging out 

for good shows. As you know, good pictures 

like good books never grow old—and I believe 

that is why we are losing our customers to 

TV: 

Northwest Mounted Police (Color) 

Rainbow Island, for laughs (Color) 

National Barn Dance la good hill billy 

show the small theatres need—why 

doesn't someone make a series of good hill 

billy shows like Republic used to make 

with the top recording stars) 

Ghost Breaker (Bob Hope) 

Rangers of Fortune (Fred MacMurray- 

Gilbert Roland) 

Virginia 

Buck Benny Rides Again (for old time's 

sake) 

If the above go to TV first, families will 

stay at home to see them while the small 

theatres are wondering what hit them that 

night. 

Holly Theatre, 

Mt. Holly Springs, 

Pa. 

DICK JONES 

CALENDARiEVENTS 

JUNE 

S M T W T F 5 

1 2 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

10 11 12 13 M 15 16 

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

. . Todon 

. . Upon 

: June 

WoUffM^d êfr>nt 

By 

Stresses Maximum Goodwill 

In Films for Overseas 

Holljrsvood-made motion pictures are America's 

''most potent propaganda weapon" 

overseas and, as such, their content should 

be carefully screened to 

ensure that they carry 7\ '5_ 

a message of maximum 

goodwill and are representative 

of the 

thinking of this country's 

people. 

That's the word ;'_ 

brought back from 

abroad by Sheldon 

Reynolds. producerdirector-writer 

of the 

new United Artists release, 

"Foreign In- gheldon Reynolds 

trigue," filmed on location 

in Europe, and the TV series of the 

same title. Reynolds, who has his own studios 

in Paris, declared at a press conference upon 

his arrival that he intends to continue his 

activities in the theatrical film field and now 

is developing two untitled properties, one of 

which will be made in England, the other in 

Mexico. 

Reynolds cautioned against the exporting 

of U. S. celluloid which in any way reflects 

upon the integrity of our public officials, institutions 

and way of life, and also warned 

that much of America's product is being 

seriously damaged by foreign dubbers who 

are inept at translating our dialog into various 

other tongues. 

Talent Workshop' Program 

Is Progressing at U-I 

Unlike Mark Twain's weather, the industry 

apparently is doing something, in addition to 

Just talking, about one of its pressing current 

problems—the recruiting and developing of 

fresh acting talent. 

Over at Universal-International, for example, 

the powers that be are embarking on 

a second, advanced phase of its so-called 

"talent workshop" program, which they assert 

has developed, during the past six years, a 

total of a couple of dozen new thespians who 

now are established in varying degrees. 

The new step will encompass an advanced 

course in acting, designed to build the students 

into star status. The players to be 

inked will include mummers with some experience, 

either on the stage, in TV or foreign 

pictures. 

'Great American Pastime' 

Nev7 Title for Comedy 

Here and there in the HoUywoodlands: On 

the eve of Its camera start, "Father's Little 

IVAN SPEAR 

Leaguer" underwent a title change. The 

MGM comedy, starring Tom Ewell, Ann Miller 

and Anne Francis, now is being referred to 

as "The Great American Pastime" . . . Recording 

artist Guy Mitchell was inked by Allied 

Artists to sing "Song of the Young Guns" for 

use behind the main title of "The Young 

Guns," produced for AA by Richard Heermance. 

The tune was cleffed by Imogen 

Carpenter, with lyrics by Lenny Adelson . . 

Effective next January, Hecht-Lancaster will 

be known as Hecht-Lancaster-Hill, incorporating 

the name of executive producer 

James Hill. Upped to a full partnership 

earlier this year, Hill handled the reins on 

the independent company's current blockbuster, 

"Trapeze," now in release under the 

United Artists label . . . Swiss-bom Elizabeth 

Mueller, who was brought to Hollywood to 

co-star with Robert Taylor in MGM's "The 

Power and the Prize," has been signed to a 

long-term contract by the Culver City studio. 

She achieved European fame on the German 

stage before switching to films about three 

years ago. 

Joshua Logan to Produce 

'Birdman of Alcatraz' 

Joshua Logan, who operates out of the 

Warner Bros, bailiwick in Burbank under 

the aegis of his independent company, Mansfield 

Pi-oductions, grabbed off one of the 

current literary market's best-sellers. "Birdman 

of Alcatraz," and will both produce and 

direct the film version of the Thomas E. 

Gaddis tome for Warner release. "Birdman." 

which has been widely serialized in U. S. and 

European newspapers, is based on the true 

story of a life-termer in Alcatraz who became 

one of the world's leading authorities on bird 

life while serving his time in durance vile. 

It is a first novel by Gaddis, a social worker 

and probation officer in Los Angeles county 

. . . Allied Artists purchased "Plunder," a 

story by Louis L'Amour about pioneer days in 

Wyoming . . . Republic, not very active in 

the story-buying field in recent months, 

snapped out of its lethargy by acquiring "A 

Killer Is Loose," a mystery novel by Gil 

Brewer . Productions, the independent 

headed by Tony Owen and his actresswife. 

Donna Reed, picked up "I Was Monty's 

Double," a novel penned by Clifton James. 

Lana Turner Incorporates 

O-wn Production Unit 

Lana Turner now Is a corporation as well 

as being one of filmdom's better-known curvaceous 

actresses. 

The glamorous thespian has filed articles of 

incorporation for Lantum Productions, with 

herself as president, and with Morgan Maree 

and Jess Morgan serving In executive capacities. 

The new independent unit already has 

acquired its first property, a comedy called 

"Miss Plymouth Comes Across," penned by 

Frederick Kohner . completing the 

megging chores on Paramount's "The Search 

for Bridey Mm-phy," for which he also provided 

the screenplay, Noel Langley will report 

to the Kirk Douglas unit, Bryna Productions, 

to pen the upcoming Douglas starrer, "The 

Viking." 

CAMPAIGN STOP—Adlai Stevenson, 

aspirant for the Democratic nomination 

for President, celebrated his victory in 

California's recent primary by touring the 

MOM studios in Culver City as a guest 

of Dore Schary, studio head. Stevenson 

got his first glimpse of motion picture 

making on the set of "The Teahouse of 

the August Moon," where he met Marlon 

Brando, right, almost unrecognizable in 

his Oriental makeup. Schary also hosted 

Stevenson at a luncheon in the executive 

dining room and introduced him to company 

executives, producers, directors and 

writers. 

Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray 

To Star in 'Men in War' 

Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray—the latter 

borrowed from Columbia—will be the male 

topliners in Security Pictures' Korean war 

drama, "Men in War," which rolls early next 

month for United Artists release with Sidney 

Harmon producing and Anthony Mann as 

the megaphonist . . . Toplines in another UA 

entry, Flobert Goldstein's "Love Story," were 

filled with the inking of Sterling Hayden for 

the romantic male lead opposite Barbara 

Stanwyck and Fay Wray for a key supporting 

assignment . . . RKO Radio booked Una 

Merkel, Melville Cooper and Gil Stratton jr. 

for comedy spots in "Bundle of Joy" . . . Over 

at Allied Artists, Meg Randall drew the headlining 

femme spot opposite George Montgomery 

in "54 Washington Street," while Keith 

Larsen was pacted for a topline in the CinemaScope-color 

entry . . . Betty Garrett, who 

has specialized heretofore in song-and-dance 

roles, will have her first straight dramatic 

part in Columbia's suspense drama, "The 

Missing Witness." 

Nat Holt. Dudley Nichols 

Form Independent Unit 

Veteran filmmaker Nat Holt and scenarist 

Dudley Nichols have formed a new independent 

unit, in association with J. R. Grainger, 

and have set a tentative July starting date 

on their first venture, "Outlaws in Town," an 

outdoor action drama being penned by Nichols. 

Grainger will supervise sales and distribution, 

which will be through a major company. 

Two other properties are under discussion 

and will be announced later. Holt, who has 

had offices at RKO Iladio, is negotiating for 

office and production space elsewhere. 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

Censors in Maryland 

On Trial in Top Court 

BALTIMORE—Maryland's highest court, for 

the first time in the state's history, is being 

called upon in the next few days to decide a 

case involving the censorship of a motion 

picture. In effect, the right of the State 

Boai-d of Motion Picture Censors to exercise 

its powers will be on trial. 

The case is the result of an order by the 

censor board that a scene from "The Man 

With the Golden Arm" be deleted. The scene 

depict* the hero making ready for an injection 

of narcotics. The censors ruled on 

January 12 that the narcotics scene violated 

the Maryland code, a section of which specifies 

that any film which "tends to incite 

crime" or "advocates or teaches use of, or 

methods of use ol narcotics or habit-forming 

drugs" shall be disapproved. 

Carlyle Productions and United Ai'tists 

Corp. appealed to the Baltimore city courts 

on grounds, among others, that no prior restraint 

by way of censorship is valid. 

The motion picture companies also contended 

that the scene in question—which 

runs less than two minutes—does not incite 

to crime or teach or advocate methods of 

using narcotics, and that the censorship was 

an infringement of freedom of speech. 

The censor board was upheld by Judge 

Joseph Byrnes of the supreme bench of 

Baltimore. Until last year, there would not 

have been any appeal from Judge Byi-nes' 

decision. However, the 1955 legislature provided, 

for the fii-st time, that such cases 

could go to the Maryland court of appeals in 

Annapolis for final decision. 

And this is the first case which has been 

carried so far. Attorney General C. Ferdinand 

Sybert wiU argue the state's case, for the 

censor board, personally, indicating how important 

the Mai-yland law department considers 

it. 

RKO Theatres Stockholder 

Sues on Arcade-Gera 

NEW YORK—Mrs. Isabella J. Selman, 

holder of 3.000 shai-es of RKO Theatres stock, 

has filed a suit here to halt the acquisition of 

the Cleveland Arcade Co. and the Gera Corp. 

by RKO Industries Corp. The RKO Theatres 

stockholders had previously approved the acquisition 

of Arcade and Gera. 

Mrs. Selman claims that RKO suffered 

"considerable damage" by not acquii-ing three 

other companies which were acquired by 

Cleveland Arcade and Gera. The defendants 

charged with "conspiracy" were; Theodore R. 

Colborn. Dudley Layman, RKO Theatres, and 

Albert A. List, Cleveland Arcade and Gera. 

N. J. Exhibitors Pressing 

For Merchandising Talks 

NEW YORK—Sidney Stern, president of 

Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey, said 

Wednesday (13i that he hoped there will be 

an early meeting with distribution heads on 

improving advertising and merchandising. 

The ATONJ has formed a committee for the 

purpose. He said that reaction to date has 

been very favorable. 

Stern will leave in about two weeks for a 

six-week stay on the coast during which 

he will visit the Hollywood studios to renew 

friendships and learn the attitudes of executives 

there toward exhibition. 

Newspaper Ads Are Cited 

As Industry Backbone 

How its dependence on newspaper advertising has helped the motion picture industry 

grow is placed in the spotlight as executives of both fields examine a brochure 

turned out by the American Newspaper Publishers Ass'n. Left to right are: Williani 

J. Solch, account executive of the association's Bureau of Advertising; Charles J. 

McCarthy, information director of the Council of Motion Picture Organizations; 

Jerome Pickman, vice-president of advertising-publicity-exploitation for Paramount, 

and Norman J. Greer, sales group supervisor of the Bureau of Advertising. 

NEW YORK—Hollywood product, like all 

other merchandise, sells best when backed 

by consistent newspaper advertising, according 

to a new "Ad Fact" brochure just, 

published by the Bureau of Advertising of 

the American Newspaper Publishers Ass'n. 

The brochure, bearing a tag "Here's the 

Ticket That Fills Theatre Seats ... 365 

Days a Year." traces the advance in newspaper 

advertising for the industry in the 

past 35 years, and includes commentary from 

important figures in exhibition and distribution. 

Myron N. Blank, president of Theatre 

Owners of America, for example, is quoted 

as calling the newspaper "the backbone of 

the motion picture theatre owner's advertising 

budget." He added: "It has been found 

that the major source of information on the 

movies, for our customers, lies in the amusement 

pages of the local newspapers. Newspaper 

advertising is the one medium which 

can reach practically all of our potential 

audience." 

MPAA President Eric Johnston, expressing a 

similar view, empliasizes that newspapers are 

"indispensable." because newspapers, like the 

movies, attract persons from "every walk of 

life ... in every city and town." 

Sam Pinanski, Al Lichtman and Robert W. 

Coyne, speaking as officials of the Council of 

Motion Picture Organizations, note that it 

has "become a tradition among several 

generations of moviegoers to turn to the advertising 

columns of the daily and weekly 

press to find the answers to the question: 

What's playing at the movie tonight?' " 

Some of the developments in newspaper 

advertising traced by the brochure are the 

full-page couponed ads promoting Cinerama 

productions, the extensive u.se of newspaper 

pages in introducing Cinemascope and "The 

Robe." and the heavy advertising placed behind 

"Oklahoma!" 

A special insert calls attention to the use 

of two facing half-pages for 'Trapeze." while 

the special teaser ads used in promoting 

"The Man From Laramie" and "My Sister 

Eileen" are also reproduced. 

Says Roger Lewis, advertising director of 

United Ai'tists: "It is United Artists' belief 

that newspaper advertising offers the kind 

of impact and coverage that is unmatched by 

any other medium." 

RKO 58th St. Theatre 

Unveils New Entrance 

NEW YORK—RKO Theatres did its pait 

in giving the refurbished Third Avenue its 

"new look." following the tearing down of 

the elevated railroad, by unveiling its new 

Third Avenue entrance to the RKO 58th 

Street Theatre Friday (15) at 8:30 p.m. 

Hulan Jack, Manhattan borough president, 

presided at the unveiling and Sal Mineo, star 

of Allied Artists "Crime in the Streets"; Kim 

Hunter, co-starred in Columbia's forthcoming 

"Storm Center." and Alan Carney were 

on hand to greet patrons. William W. Howard, 

RKO Theatres vice-president; Harry Mandel 

and other RKO Theatres executives attended. 

A sneak preview of "The Proud Ones," 

forthcoming 20th Century-Fox Cinemascope 

picture, was held. 

June 16, 1956 23

Trapeze Opens Strong at Capitol; 

'Searchers 

NEW YORK—"Trapeze" was the big business-getter 

in its first week at the Capitol, 

where the opening day was bigger than the 

previous United Artists block-busters, "Alexander 

the Great" and "Moulin Rouge" at that 

house. 

Except for "Rififi," which did sensational 

business in its first week at the small Fine 

Ai-ts Theatre, only other new pictui-e was 

"Storm Over the Nile," the weekly change 

at the RKO Palace. 

Best among the holdovers was "The Searchers," 

with a strong second week at the Criterion, 

followed by "The Man Who Knew 

You'll Be Pleased, 

Best Among Holdovers 

Too! 

Too Much," with a very good third week at 

the Paramount, and "Bhowani Junction," 

which continued to do well in its third week 

at the Radio City Music Hall, a house which 

always attracts out-of-towners and falls off 

less than any other first run. Most of the 

others were way off, including "D-Day the 

Sixth of June," which was mild in its second 

week at the Roxy despite a circus stage 

show headed by Emmett Kelly; "Cockleshell 

Heroes," mild in its second week at Loew's 

State, and "The Harder They Fall," "Crime 

in the Streets" and "Forbidden Planet," 

each in the final week at the Astor. Victoria 

and Globe, respectively. 

In addition to "Rififi," another French 

film, "The Proud and Beautiful" was also 

smash in its second week at the Paris. 

"Madame Butterfly," in its seventh big week 

at the Baronet; "Invitation to the Dance," 

in its third good week at the Plaza, and "The 

Animal World," in its second week at the 

Little Carnegie, were among the nine art 

house attractions continuing to good business. 

"The Proud and Profane," "The Catered 

Affair" and "The Leather Saint," opened 

during the week at the Astor, Victoria and 

Globe, respectively, each house in a line on 

Broadway from 44th to 47th Streets. 

(Average Is 100) 

Astor The Horder They Fall (Col), 5th wk 105 

Baronet Madame Butterfly (IMPA), 7th wk...l25 

Capitol Tropeze (UA) 200 

Criterion The Searchers 150 

(WB), 2nd wk 

Fine Arts Rififi (UMPO) 250 

55th St. House of Rothschild (20th-Fox), reissue. 1)0 

Globe Forbidden Planet (MGM), 6th wk 100 

Guild Wedding in Monaco (MGM), Gettysburg 

IMGM), 4th wk 125 

Little Carnegie The Animal World (WB), 2nd wk. 120 

Loews State Cockleshell Heroes (Col), 2nd wk. 110 

Mayfair-.^The Killing (UA), 4th wk 90 

Normandie Lovers and Lollipops (Trans-Lux), 

105 

UNVEILING IN ROXY—The colors 

of 

the Third Battalion, Marine Corps Reserve, 

were unveiled in the rotunda of the 

Roxy Theatre, New York, in ceremonies 

marking the 12th anniversary of the D- 

Day invasion of Normandy. Robert C. 

Rothafel, managing director of the Roxy, 

is on the right and the others are, left 

to right: Col, Robert Kriendler, proprietor 

of the "21" Club, Barbara Hunt, 

chosen as D-Day reigning queen, and 

Col. B. S. Barron, who organized the 

Third Battalion in 1930. "D-Day the 

Sixth of June" current at the Roxy. 

is 

ment seekers are going outdoors. Practically 

the only newcomer to win the attention was 

the science-fiction thriller "The Creature 

Walks Among Us" which did extra well over 

the weekend. "The Searchers" was scarcely 

average for its third week. 

Century D-Doy the Sixth of June (20th-Fox), 

2nd wk 95 

Cinema Wages of Feor (DCA), 2nd wk 95 

Little Roman Holiday (Para); Sobrina (Para), 

Mayfair The Creature Wolks Among Us (U-l). 1 00 

New—Foreign Intrigue (UA) 90 

Playhouse Adorable Creatures (Cont'l Dis.) 100 

Stanley The Searchers (WB), 3rd wk 100 

Town The Man Who Knew Too Much (Para), 2nd 

Mr. Gatliff 

Was 

Pleased, 

'^%. 

^M^-^, 

'""'" 

•^î^;,i%|. 

450 \ 

BODIFORM CHAIRS \ 

—avoilable in their original condition, 

being sold for halt the price. A bargoin 

like this won't last. 

Available also— many thousands of late type rebuilt 

chairs with luxury spring gauge seats and foam 

rubber tops; very reasonable. 

EASTERN SEATING CO. 

NICK DIACK 

138-13 Springfield Blvd. LA. 8-3696 

Springfield Gardens, N. Y. 

s The Proud and Beautiful (Kingsley), 

2nd 

n to the Dance (MGM), 3rd wk.. 

Radi( 

c Hall Bhowoni Junction (MGM), 

plus stage show, 3rd wk 

Rialto Flesh Merchont (Brenner), 4th wk 

Rivoli Oklahoma! (Mogna), 35th wk of two-Qy 

D-Day the Sixth of June (20th-Fox), plus 

Sutton The Ladykillers (Cont'l Dis), 16th wk 

Trans-Lux 52nd Gaby (MGM), 5th wk 

Victoria Crime in the Streets (AA), 3rd wk. 

Warner Seven Wonders of the World (SW), 

-Rosanna [JaconJ, 4th wk 

Buffalo First Runs All Below 

Normal in Sluggish Week 

BUFFALO—Business was off all along the 

line the past week. The first good weekend 

weather attracted thousands into the 

open and boxoffices took it on the nose. "The 

Leather Saint" at the Paramount did close 

to normal, tacking up a 95, and "Comanche" 

at Shea's Buffalo was only fair. It was very 

quiet in 

the other houses. 

Buffalo—Comanche (UA) 

85 

Center Diabolique (UMPO) 

Century—D-Day the Sixth of June (20fh-Fox) 

2nd wk 75 

Cinema—Goby (MGM), 2nd wk 80 

Latayette Top Roots (U-l); Kansas 70 

Raiders (U-1) 

Paramount The Leather Saint (Para) 95 

'Creature' Was Baltimore's 

Biggest Weekend Draw 

BALTIMORE—Busine.ss at the first run 

boxoffices has not been sufficient to please 

the local exhibitors. It may be that holdovers 

have something to do with it, or amuse- 

Globe Theatre May Revert 

To Legitimate Plays 

NEW YORK—The Globe Theatre on Broadway 

and 46th Street, originally a legitimate 

playhouse but now owned by Harry and Louis 

Brandt of Brandt Theatres, may revert to 

the legitimate stage field in the fall if 

negotiations with William Zeckendorf and 

Roger L. Stevens go through. 

The Globe, now playing "The Leather 

its Saint" in Broadway first run, would have 

its entrance switched to 46th Street if it 

again becomes a legitimate theatre. It will 

be operated by Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin, 

producers of stage musicals. 

Late in 1955, Stevens, an associate of 

Robert W. Dowling and Robert Whitehead of 

the Producers Theatre, negotiated to lease 

the Globe for their stage attractions but the 

project was dropped when it was learned that 

extensive renovations, estimated to cost $400,- 

000, would limit the seating capacity to 1,300. 

The loss of the Globe as a first run film 

theatre, would reduce the number of available 

first run Broadway houses to 12, plus almost 

a dozen smaller art theatres. 

Purchase Clifton James Novel 

Todon Productions, headed by Tony Owen 

and his actress-wife. Donna Reed, have acquired 

"I Was IMonty's Double" by Clifton 

James. 


: 

June 

. . . Leonard 

. . William 

. . Oscar 

. . 

. . Alfred 

. . Lacy 

. . Myra 

Ralph Morgan Services; 

Featured in 50 Films 

NEW YORK—Funeral services for Ralph 

Morgan. 73. who was featured in more than 

50 films and stage plays during his long 

theatrical career which started in 1908, were 

held at the Church of the Tiansfiguration 

Thursday (14i. Morgan died at his New York 

home June 11. 

Morgan, one of 11 children of George Wupperman, 

importer of Angostura Bitters, played 

his first professional stage part In "Love's 

Comedy" in New York and was leading man 

in "Turn to the Right." "Under Cover." 

"Lightnin' " and "Strange Interlude" on the 

Broadway stage before making his first 

Hollywood film "Charlie Chan's Chance." in 

1931. Among his important films over the 

next 12 years were: "The Magnificent Obsession." 

"The Life of Emile Zola." "Rasputin 

and the Empress." "No Greater Glory." "Star 

of Midnight." "Anthony Adverse." "Wells 

Fargo." "Mother Carey's Chickens." "Geronimo" 

and "Hollywood and Vine." the last in 

1945. His last Broadway st-age appearance 

was in "Tliree Wishes for Jamie" in 1952. 

During his long residence in Hollywood, 

Morgan was a founder and president of the 

Screen Actors Guild. His brother, comedian 

Frank Morgan, died in 1949. He Ls survived 

by his daughter, actress Claudia Morgan, 

and a sister. Mrs. Clarence Cook. 

Herman Zenker Rites; 

Prospect Press Head 

NEW YORK—Funeral services for Charles 

Zenker. 81. head of Prospect Press, which 

made advertising printing and pressbooks 

for the motion picture industry, were held at 

the Riverside Church Monday (11). Zenker 

died of a heart attack at St. Clare's Hospital 

June 9. 

Zenker went into business for himself as 

the Prospect Press in 1909. having begun his 

career as a printer's apprentice at the 

American Book Co. His first motion picture 

account was Pathe News. He also founded the 

James McCann Co.. publishers of textbooks. 

He was a member of the Motion Picture 

Pioneers, the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers, 

the Cinema Lodge of B'nai B'rith 

and the New York Printing Pressman's 

Union. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. 

Harry K. Lowe, a granddaughter, Michaella. 

and a brother. Herman. 

Industry Golf Tournament 

Staged by Cinema Lodge 

NEW YORK—The fifth annual industry 

golf tournament sponsored by New York's 

Cinema B'nai B'rith was staged Thursday (14) 

at the Vernon Hills Country Club. Tuckahoe. 

Tliere was also much gin rummy activity. 

Martin Levine was tournament chairman. 

Marvin Kirsch and Harold Rinzler co-chairmen 

with Charles Alicoate. Herbert Berg, 

Jack Hoffberg. Milton Livingston. Donald M. 

Mersereau and Alan. Burton and Norman 

Robbins as members. Robert J. Shapiro, president 

of the lodge, presided at the banquet 

and prize-awarding ceremonies. 

'Island of Allah' Booked 

NEW YORK—"Island of Allah." a Studio 

Alliance picture, produced and directed by 

Richard Lyford. with commentary by pn-edric 

March, will open at the Trans-Lux 49th 

Street Theatre on Broadway June 26. Joseph 

Brenner Associates is distributing in the U. S. 

BROADWAy 

\ir;ilter Branson, vice-president in charge 

of worldwide distribution for RKO, returned 

from a four-week trip to England and 

the Continent on the Liberte Fiiday (15). 

Milton Blow, president of Blow Advertising, 

and Coe Norton. TV and stage actor, were on 

the same boat. The Liberte returned to 

Europe Saturday (16) with George Je.ssel, 

comedian, with his fiancee, Joan Taylor, and 

Kurt Baum. Metropolitan Opera star, aboard 

Goldenson, president of American 

Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, returned 

from Europe with Mrs. Goldenson on 

the Queen Elizabeth June 12 . . . Americo 

Aboaf. foreign general manager for Universal, 

returned Jiuie 12 from a trip to France, Italy 

and Germany . Neu. president of 

Neumade Products, returned from Europe on 

the He de France June 9. 

Maurice Silverstein, recently appointed 

liaison for MGM with independent pr(xiucers, 

left for Mexico City Friday (15i in connection 

w'ith the final editing and scoring of Albert 

Lewin's "The Living Idol" . . . Nat Levy. RKO 

eastern sales manager, went to Gloversville 

June 14 on a tour of RKO offices and circuit 

headquarters in upper New York . . . Alex 

Harrison. 20th Century-Fox general sales 

manager, returned June 12 following a twoweek 

trip to the studio and western exchanges 

. . . B. G. Kranze. vice-president of 

Stanley Warner, left for Kansas City June 13 

to attend the opening of "This Is Cinerama" 

there . B. Zoellner. head of MGM's 

short subjects sales, returned June 10 from 

a six-city tour of the company branches 

Dave Cantor, RKO exploitation 

. 

manager, 

w-ent to Hollywood. 

Alfred Katz. United Artists home office 

foreign department executive, flew to Los 

Angeles en route to Tokyo, first stop in a 

tour of the company's offices in the Far 

East and Australia . . . William Kaplan, unit 

manager for MGM's "The Vintage," left 

here by plane for Europe. 

Alfred Hitchcock, prtxJucer-director of "The 

Wrong Man." just completed for Warner 

Bros., and "The Man Who Knew- Too Much." 

current Paramount release, and wife sailed 

for Europe. He plans to visit Africa for locations 

for "Flamingo Feather," his forthcoming 

mm 

Paramount picture. Also leaving for 

Europe were Harry Brandt, president of 

DIKTRKH IS BACK— Marlene Diet 

rich, who returns to the screen f(ir the 

first time in more than five years in 

Titanus" "The Monte Carlo Story." which 

United Artists will release globally, is 

visited on the set at Monte Carlo by 

.\rthur B. Krim, left, V\ president, as 

Vittorio De Sica, 

co-star, looks on. 

Brandt Theatres, with wife: Anita Loos, 

playwright; Nicole Maurey. French film actress; 

Jack Mlntz. Hollywood producer, and 

wife; Zinka Milanov, Metropolitan Opera 

star; Mrs. Otto Preminger, wife of the film 

director now in France; Jeffrey Hayden, who 

will direct "The Vintage" for MGM, and his 

wife, Eva Marie Saint, who is playing In 

the temporarily suspended "Raintree County." 

Glen Gordon, film actor who has completed 

13 TV films in the title role of the Dr. Fu 

Manchu series, arrived from Hollywood to 

promote the pictures and to discuss a summer 

theatre tour on "The Fifth Season" . . . Deborah 

Kerr, who has completed "Tea and 

Sympathy." in which .she aLso starred on the 

Broadway stage, for MGM, arrived Saturday 

(16) en route to England by plane . . . Victoria 

Shaw, Australian beauty who is featured in 

"The Eddy Duchin Story." arrived for the 

opening at the Radio City Music Hall June 

21 . . . James MacArlhur. 17-year-old son 

of Helen Hayes and the late Charles Mac- 

Arthui-. left by car for Hollywood to begin 

work on "Strike a Blow." to be filmed by RKO. 

Arthur Silverstone, 20th Century-Fox assistant 

general sales manager, underwent 

surgery at Mt. Sinai Hospital June 13 . . . 

Myron Mandel. son of Harry Mandel. national 

director of advertising and publicity for RKO 

Theatres, is the proud father of his first 

chUd. a daughter, Francie Haft, born to Mrs. 

Mandel at Bronx Hospital June 6 . . . 

Charles Hacker of the Radio City Music Hall 

executive staff, has returned from a vacation 

in Milwaukee. hi.s home town . Jean 

Heymann. daughter of Mel Heymann. MGM 

publicity manager, is honeymooning in Bermuda 

after being married to Robert Leonard 

Greenhall May 30. 

Vivian Blaine, who played with Red Skelton 

in RKO's "Public Pigeon Number One." 

is here from the coast to replace Shelley 

Winters in the starring role in "A Hatful of 

Rain" on Broadway early in July . . . James 

E. Perkins, executive vice-president of Paramount 

International, arrived from London 

while Tony Reddin. Paramount's British director 

of advertising, publicity and theatres, 

also got in from England . W. Kastner 

and Bernard Zeeman. president and 

treasurer, respectively, of Columbia International, 

flew to Paris for a series of business 

meetings. 

Carl Mos of the 20th-Fox exhibitor relations 

and pressbook department, has entered the 

Harkness pavilion of Columbia Medical Center 

for surgery . Kalbfeld of MGM's 

special service department, wa-s married to 

Sandra Samberg at the Crestmor Manor, 

Bronx, recently . . . Harry Garfman. business 

representative for lATSE Local 306 of Brooklyn 

and Queens, is chau-man for the midnight 

theatre party at Randforce's Congress Theatre 

June 22 for the benefit of affUcted children. 

Screening for Teenagers 

NEW YORK — Warner Bros, screened 

"Satellite in the Sky" Thursday (14) for 

several score teenagers, all children of wellknown 

entertainment and society personalities. 

Harry Lee Danziger, producer, and 

Edward J. Danziger, his brother, were hosts. 

BOXOFFICE : 

16. 1956 25

. . William 

. . Jimmy 

. . 

. . Leo 

. . Raphael 

ALBANY 

Tlppointed team captains by Sam Rosenblatt, 

ticket chaii-man for the U. S. Eastern 

Olympic boxing finals at Hawkins Stadium 

August 21, 22 are Harry Lamont, 

George Schenck. Lewis A. Sumberg, Eugene 

Teper, Aaron Winig, Norman Weitman, Bill 

Wennar, Max Zuckerman, William Backer 

and Louis Burger. There are 1,000 ringside 

seats, 2,000 reserved, and 5,000 general admissions 

at $4, $3 and $1.50. Each captain will 

choose eight or nine men to serve on his 

team. Rosenblatt, former theatre owner, and 

his brother Freddie staged professional 

bouts at the Stadium in the early 1940s. 

Mike Matacchiero is assistant manager of 

Fabian's Mohawk Drive-In under Austin 

Thompson. George Lournia directs the circuit's 

Saratoga Drive-In at Latham, while 

John Vadney acts as assistant. 

Tom Murray, who had been a 16mm man in 

the Kingston area, was appointed assistant 

manager of the Sunset Drive-In there. He 

works under Bob Case, veteran showman . 

Leland Clark is assistant to Mrs. Jeanette 

Allen at Rock Hill Drive-In, Rock Hill, Sullivan 

County. Both are owned by Harry 

Lamont . Van Vechten is again 

managing the Leeds Drive-In at Leeds in the 

Catskills for Lamont. Lamont opened it 

earlier this season. Leeds is a summer resort 

town. Lamont put the Vanderbilt in Greenville 

on a six-day schedule, after weekend 

operation during the 

winter. 

The Stanley Warner Avon in Utica closed 

from June 8 to June 21 "For vacations and 

renovations" . Spadaro is now operating 

both the Norbury and the Shadowland 

in Ellenville, Catskill resort village . . . 

Norman Pratt jr., who handled projection 

jobs for his father, is now in the Army at 

Camp Meade in Maryland, serving as a 

chaplain's assistant. 

Mountain resort situations are opening or 

preparing to do so. Mendel Shulman put the 

Gaiety at Inlet into operation on weekends, 

while Kallet Theatres scheduled relightings 

of the Lyceum in Woodbridge and the Center 

in Woodburne about June 23, and expected 

to reopen the Rex, Bolton Landing on Lake 

George, late this month. Max Cohen has 

been readying the Broadway in Monticello 

for a June 26 teeoff. 

Norm Pratt will start exhibition of 35mm 

pictures in summer hotels June 22 at the 

Copake Country Club in Craryville. Films 

will be shown twice a week there, and in other 

spots. Pratt, a veteran in the ranks of exhibitors 

and projectionists, will install Cinemascope 

at the Copake and at several other 

stands—Adler's Hotel in Sharon Springs, 

and Krouner's Hotel and Smith's Farms in 

$o$ 

WHEN YOU ABE 

IN A RUSH FOR 

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TRAILERS 

Yon Won't Be Disappointed 

U You Send An S,O.S. To 

FILMACK 

Nassau O'Neil succeeded the late 

. 

Edward Tingle as doorman at the Palace; 

Carol Rusyas became reserve cashier ... An 

honor came to drive-in operator Morris 

Klein during the diamond jubilee of the Albany 

College of Pharmacy, when he was 

elected historian of the alumni association. 

Klein was an honor graduate with the class 

of 1955. 

Peter Gazeley is now assistant to Tristate 

Automatic Candy Corp. Manager George H. 

Schenck, while Howard Wood has charge of 

the company's stand at the new Unadilla 

Drive-In, near Sidney. Gazeley, stationed at 

the, Troy in Troy for 18 months, took the 

place of Ken Farrar, who terminated a fiveyear 

association to join Manchester Mills 

as a salesman of stockings in New York state 

outside New York City . 

Klein, 

partner with his brother Morris in drive-ins 

at Hunter and Coxsackie, has been designated 

as candidate for assembly on the Democratic 

ticket in Greene County. Klein's opponent, 

William E. Brady, Republican, has 

served in the legislature since 1940. 

Jolin Brousseau, manager of the Delaware, 

local art house, was confined to his home 

with a leg ailment . . . Andy Roy, manager 

of the Stanley in Utica, also was under 

medical care ... A number of exhibitors in 

the exchange district received telegrams from 

Bob Hope inviting them to the recent sneak 

preview of "That Certain Feeling" at Fabian's 

Palace ... Sid Sommers, manager of 

the Troy in Troy, received condolences from 

industry and other friends on the death of 

his mother, Mrs. Anna Sommers, 62, June 

11. She had been a resident of the Collar 

Catholic workers in the motion picture 

City for 30 years. Two other sons, three 

daughters and three grandchildren also survive. 

industry 

are eligible for membership in the 

new Communication Arts Guild of the diocese 

of Albany, said the Rev. Joseph T. Ryan, 

moderator, at an organization meeting here. 

A folder distributed at the meeting stated, 

"If you are a practicing Catholic employed 

in any phase of the work that goes to make 

up the communication arts, you are eligible 

for membership. This includes press, radio, 

television, movies, advertising, public relations 

and graphic arts. If you work in any of 

these fields in any capacity, you can become 

a member. Others who are not employed in 

these fields but are interested in communications 

work, may become associate members." 

The Guild plans to "publicize the Ten Commandments 

as the foundation for our way of 

life." All means of communication "will be 

used to keep people constantly reminded of 

the rules of life set forth in the Ten Commandments." 

"Moby Dick" has been set for the Strand, 

the week of July 16. In town to promote the 

Warner release was Gil Wilson, an artist 

connected with the production, and his manager, 

a Dr. Mott. Wilson and Mott visited 

the Clinton Square home, near the Strand, 

where author Herman Melville once lived. 

Photographs were taken, one with Times- 

Union columnist C. R. "Tip" Roseberry, who 

has written at length about Melville, his 

classic novel and the motion picture. 

Carlton Young and Charles Ronson will 

portray Indians in RKO's "Run of the Arrow." 

'355'' 

A "KING" SIZE TICKET—Mayor Robert 

F. Wagner accepts a giant ticket to 

the Police Athletic League benefit opening 

of "The King and I" at the Roxy 

Theatre June 28 at City Hall ceremonies 

from young Ray Gerdes and Carmel Mantell. 

Deputy Commissioner Aloysius J. 

Melia, president of P,A.L., is at the left, 

and James B. Nolan, P.A.L. executive director, 

is on the right. 

Olympics Finals Shaping 

Up Fine for Albany Test 

ALBANY—A substantial sum is 

assured the 

Vai-iety Club's Camp Thacher fund through 

sponsorship of the eastern division final trials 

for the U. S. Olympics boxing team at 

Hawkins Stadium August 21, 22. AAU District 

Chair-man Ben Becker, who attended a 

committee meeting at the Tent 9 quarters reported 

that a souvenir program book, now 

being promoted under the direction of 

Bernard Mealey, might yield $15,000, twothirds 

of which would be profit. 

The sale of seats is progressing favorably, 

Becker added. Tlie ball park will accommodate 

more than 8,000. It is hoped to attract 

capacity both nights. Samuel E. Rosenblatt, 

onetime theatre operator, is chairman 

of the ticket committee; Jules Perlmutter, 

Perlmutter Theatres, the financial committee, 

and Al Kellert, local advertising agency 

owner, is publicity chairman. 

Over all of the committees is the general 

chairman, Charles W. Ryan, widely known 

Albanian. 

"Rain dates"—August 23-24—have been 

chosen. 

SW Men Vie for Big Prizes 

ALBANY—A group of Stanley Warner 

managers from Albany, Troy and Utica attended 

a meeting at New Haven for the 

presentation by General Manager Harry 

Kalmine and other SW officials of details on 

"Operations Showmanship," to be conducted 

July 1 to September 30. Top prize in the 

business-stimulating campaign, will be a twoweek 

trip to England for the winner and 

his wife. Another award is $1,000. Speakers 

included Kalmine, Harry Goldberg, Harry 

Feinstein. James Totman, James Bracken 

and Harry Kaplowitz. Present from the 

Albany district were Steve Barbett, Oscar 

J. Perrin, Sid Sommers and Mrs. Ottilie 

Fearing. 

Trans-Lux Corp. Moves 

NEW YORK—The Trans-Lux Corp. and 

subsidiary companies have moved to new 

offices at 625 Madison Ave. The telephone 

number is PLaza 1-3110. The new offices were 

occupied Tuesday (5), 


Seven American Pictures 

Picked for Berlin Festival 

BERLIN- Four American features, three ot 

them filmed abroad, and three Walt Disiu-v 

documentaries, have been selected by th< 

Berlin committee for showing at the sixili 

international film festival, starting June 22. 

The American pictures are: "Trapeze," 

Hecht and Lancaster picture for United 

Artists, which was filmed in Paris: "23 Paces 

to Baker Street." a 20th Century-Pox picture 

filmed in London: "Invitation to the Dance," 

ballet film produced in Europe by Gene 

Kelly for MGM, and "Autumn Leaves," the 

William Goetz picture for Columbia, starring 

Joan Crawford, the only one of the four entirely 

made in Hollywood. Also: "The African 

Lion." Disney feature; "Men Against the 

Arctic" and "Sardinia," the latter two Disney 

featurettes. 

The British entries at the Berlin festival 

will include: "Richard III." Laurence Olivier 

production released in the U. S. by Lopert 

Films: "Iron Petticoat." starring Bob Hope 

and Katharine Hepburn, which MGM will 

release: "Loser Takes All." starring Rossano 

Brazzi and Glynis Johns, and "The Long 

Arm." 

Of the 32 nations which will present pictures. 

Morocco. Uruguay and Peru will be included 

for the first time. The controversial 

Finnish film. "The Unknown Soldier." which 

was withdrawn from the recent Cannes Film 

Festival, will also be shown, and the French 

short. "Nuit et Brouillards." which encountered 

German protests at Cannes, will be included, 

as will entries from Argentina, Austria. 

Belgium. Belgian Congo, Canada. Ceylon. 

Denmark, Egypt. Germany. India, Indonesia, 

Israel, Italy, Japan. Mexico. New- 

Zealand. Netherlands. Pakistan. Portugal. 

Sweden. Switzerland. South African Union, 

Spain. Turkey and Venezuela. 

Several American stars are scheduled to 

appear at the Berlin Festival, including Gary 

Cooper. June Allyson. Dick Powell, Ginger 

Rogers and Bob Hope. Lea Padovani. Silvana 

Pampanini and Rossana Podesta from 

Italy and Mai Zetterling and Anita Bjork 

from Sweden will ako be on hand. 

Thalia Summer Festival 

To Show 348 Pictures 

NEW YORK—The Thalia Theatre, uptown 

Broadway art house operated by Ursula 

Lewis, widow Martin J. Lewis, and Max 

of 

Zipperman. will show 348 domestic and foreign 

pictures during its annual Summer 

Film Festival, starting June 29. The festival 

will run through Oct. 18. 1956. Last summer, 

the Thalia showed 369 films from July 1 to 

Oct. 23, 1955. 

Only 11 of the features are Hollywood pictures, 

including one 1953 release. "Tonight 

We Sing." from 20th Century-Fox. The 

others are: "Wuthering Heights," "100 Men 

and a Girl," "Camille." "The Living Desert." 

"Coun.sellor-at-Law." "All Quiet on the Western 

Front." "The Bank Dick." "You Can't 

Cheat an Honest Man." "The Quiet One" and 

the silent Valentino film. "Tlie Eagle." plus 

LANCASTER GREETS HIS NEW YORK FANS—Burt Lane astir, star of "Trapeze," 

greet.s his fans and autogrraphs photos in the circus-draped lobby of the Capitol Theatre, 

where the picture Ls in its second week. Harry Greenman. managing director of 

the Capitol, is at the extreme right. 

New Producing Facilities 

Are Set Up in New York 

NEW YORK—Facilities for local theatrical 

film production have been set up by Production 

Center Inc., in a renovated 100x200- 

square-foot. five-story building at 221 West 

26th St. Himan Brown, who is president of 

the company, is a former radio and television 

producer and executive producer of Galahad 

Productions, a new company. Mende Brown 

is studio manager and will head production 

for Galahad. 

Tliere are two air conditioned soundproof 

stages and a third is in preparation. The 

flat roof can be used for outdoor sets, the 

basement houses film vaults and there are 

editing rooms, dressing rooms, make-up departments, 

six production offices and a large 

carpentry shop. 

Brown made "Inner Sanctum." "Lights 

Out" and "Homer Bell" for TV and "The 

Thin Man." "Grand Central Station" and 

"International Airport" among others, for 

radio, the company reported. 

It is understood the company will make four 

features in 12 months, utilizing local stars of 

the stage and television. 

UA Allots TV $100,000 

To Promote 'Trapeze' 

NEW YORK—United Artists will spend 

SIOO.OOO during the month on a television campaign 

for "Trapeze" covering 250 stations in 

key cities. Both feature and spot announcements 

will be used. 

Spots helped to launch the opening in Los 

Angeles May 29 and that here June 4. They 

were used again for that in Chicago Thursday 

1 14 1. Later in the month the campaign will 

be enlarged to aid about 400 saturation July 

4 holiday week openings. 

UA has supplied the stations with four 

and one-half minute features titled "Back 

Stage With Gina," narrated by Tony Curtis, 

and "A Tiip Around Paris." narrated by Burt 

Large Group Will Visit 

Will Rogers Hospital 

NEW YORK— All 

arrangements have been 

completed for the annual trip to the Will 

Rogers Memorial Hospital and the weekend at 

Edgewater Motel. A. Montague, president, 

has supplied tho.se who will make the trip with 

an outline of the program. As of midweek, 

the party numbered 64. R. J. OTtonnell is 

board chairman and Herman Robbins is vicepresident. 

Departure from New York will be from the 

Grand Central Terminal at 8:20 p.m. Thursday 

(21). There will be private Pullmans 

and private lounge cars. The train will arrive 

at Saranac Lake, N. Y.. at 8 a.m. Fi-iday. An 

inspection of the haspital w-ill follow. A motor 

coach will take the party at 3:30 p.m. to the 

Robbins' Edgewater Motel at Schroon Lake, 

where the hosts, Allan. Burton and Norman 

Robbins. wiU stage a cocktail party and 

buffet supper. 

The annual meeting of the board will be 

held at the motel Saturday morning. All in 

the party are expected to attend. 

Departure will be early Sunday afternoon 

by motor coach to Ticonderoga where the 

train will be boarded. There will be a box 

lunch aboard with the compliments of the 

motel. AiTival at Grand Central will be at 

9:45 p.m. 

The visit to the hospital and the weekend 

as guests of the Robbins family have been 

outstanding experiences in the past, and 

again they are being eagerly awaited. 

Five Reade Managers Win 

Prizes for Efficiency 

NEW YORK—Five Walter Reade Theatre 

managers were winners in the "Manager of 

the Month" contests for March and April. 

For March. Mike Dorso of the Community 

Theatre, Kingston. N. Y., and John Balmer 

several Charlie Chaplin comedies. Eight of 

the pictures are British-made: "The Beggars 

of the Mayfair. Asbury Paik. N. J., tied for 

Opera." "The Man Who Could Work Miracles," 

first place. Charles Sutton of the Park in 

Lancaster. 

Morristown. N. J., won second place. 

"Things to Come," "Facts of Love," 

"Lease of Life," "Major Barbara" "Thunder "Trapeze" also is being backed with $333,000 Balmer won again in April and Joe Sommers 

of the Paramount, Long Branch, N. J., 

Rock," and "39 Steps." 

worth of mass circulation magazine advertising, 

The majority of the more than 300 other 

a $140,0000 program of advance double- 

was second. A special prize went to Frank 

films are Italian or French with a few of them truck ads in 66 newspapers and a $64,000 Deane of the Woodbridge Drive-In for his 

Russian or German-made. 

highway billboard program. 

handling of the Easter dawn sunrise service. 

June 16. 1956

. . 

. . 

: June 

BUFFALO 

'Through the medium of Jerry Evarts column 

in the Buffalo Courier-Express, Bill 

Brereton. Basil circuit ad-pub chief, sought 

a Niagara Frontier resident who had a pet 

tiger, which according to the story was 

wanted by Bill to help publicize "Toy Tiger," 

current at Basil's Lafayette. For that tiger 

owner, Bill promised a Hotel Statler suite, 

radio, press and television interviews and a 

night of entertainment. "Call Bill Brereton 

at the Lafayette. WA. 5650, if you have a 

tiger and are willing to help publicize a 

movie," said 

Evarts. 

Buffalo's Edward J. Sullivan is not giving 

up his court fight with television's Ed Sullivan. 

Buffalo's Ed declares he is going to carry 

his legal battle to the court of appeals to 

continue doing business at 123 Wildwood 

Place under the name, "Ed Sullivan Radio 

and TV, Inc." That decision follows an appellate 

division verdict in New York City, 

siding with the television producer in his 

Justice Walter A. Lynch, who held that every 

man has the right to use his own name 

honestly and that there was no conflict of 

interest between the television star and the 

Buffalo firm. 

Stanley Kositsky, manager at United 

Artists, threw a big luncheon party the other 

noon in Hotel Statler at which James Velde, 

new UA sales manager was introduced to 

some 60 exhibitors in the Buffalo area . 

Discovery of a homemade "time bomb" in 

the Elmwood Theatre in Penn Yan early 

on the morning of June 7 touched off 45 minutes 

of cautious probing before it was learned 

the contraption contained no explosive. Manager 

William Miller found the "bomb" about 

1 a.m., as he was leaving the theatre. He 

threw the thing into the street and called 

police, who in turn called the fire department 

emergency squad to handle the "missile." 

Police who investigated said there was 

no way of knowing before the contraption 

was "deactivated" whether or not it would 

explode. 

Elmer F. Lux, chief barker of the Variety 

Club, was director in charge of the Buffalo 

Ad Club's annual spring dance in the Terrace 

room of Hotel Statler. The entire 400 

reservations available were taken up. The 

dance was preceded by a cocktail party . 

"The King and I," 20th-Fox Cinemascope 55 

production, will open July 11 at the Center, 

and Art Krolick, Charlie Taylor and Ben 

Dargush already are working on a big promotion 

campaign. All the Buffalo Paramount 

houses now are using advance trailers 

calling attention to the Center showing and 

the Center lobby is featuring several eyecatching 

advance displays. 

As a show producer, Lester Pollock, manager 

of Loew's theatre in Rochester, did quite 

a job for the highly successful Policemen'.s 

ball recently in Kodak Town. Jaye P. Morgan, 

the star, was more generous with her 

time than anyone expected, and all the acts 

were put together and timed with an expert 

sense of showmanship. It isn't strictly in 

Pollock's line, but those who worked on the 

show said he had the sure touch . . . George 

H. Mackenna, general manager of Basil's 

Lafayette, has been re-elected president of 

the Buffalo Main Street Ass'n, not to be 

confused with the Buffalo Business Federation, 

which George also heads. Mackenna was 

named at a meeting of the 32-man board of 

directors. The Main Street association is 

jumping into the problem of downtown parking 

and it is hoped the members soon get 

an okay for cars to park downtown on the 

main stem. 

Georgia D'Anna, member of Shea's Buffalo 

orchestra in the days when the Shea 

circuit flagship played the Publix revues, 

has an ability to remember faces. While in 

the Erlanger the other evening, D'Anna 

nudged his wife Sayde and pointed to Larry 

Douglas, who plays the male lead in the 

road company of "The Pajama Game." 

"Isn't that Lipman Duckat who sang with 

the Eight Men of Manhattan at Shea's Buffalo 

in 1938?" he asked. Mrs. D'Anna agreed, 

and they went backstage after the play to 

talk with the performer. Douglas confirmed 

efforts to prevent the local firm from using the identification and the three .spent several 

his name. The appellate division unanimously 

rejected a decision by supreme court Buffalo, when the Eight Men of 

hours reminiscing over the old days at Shea's 

Manhattan 

performed for half a year on the stage after 

being booked for a two-week stint. Douglas 

recalled that another member of the Eight 

Men was Van Johnson, a young man who 

has done fairly well in Hollywood. 

Helen Huber of the Paramount exchange 

staff and a member of the Paramount 25- 

Year Club returned from an airplane vacation 

trip to New York City, where she enjoyed 

several of the big Broadway stage hits. 

Gertrude Christ, ledger clerk, vacationed. 

John Moore, district manager, was in for 

conferences with local Manager Hugh Mc- 

Guire. 

George Sussman, former booker with 

several distributors, is now a member of the 

sales staff of the Riverside men's shop where, 

according to George, business is booming. 

Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane will write 

the songs and musical score for RKO's "The 

Girl Most Likely." 

A FIRST IN AWARDS—Jun Tsuchiya, 

Japanese consul general in New York, 

(left) receives from Phil Wilcox, Parents 

Magazine advertising director, a "Movie 

of the Month" medal for "The Phantom 

Horse," color film distributed by Edward 

Harrison. It is the first time a foreign 

film has won the award. 

Redstone Plans Openings 

Near Buffalo in July 

BUFFALO—The Washington Drive-In, the 

out-doorer near East Rochester, will open 

in about two weeks if weather permits, and 

the Lake Shore, after extensive renovation, 

will reopen about July 15. The latter is on 

Ling Road at Greece near Rochester. 

The announcement of the openings came 

from Edward Redstone of the Boston Redstone 

enterprise, which has taken over the 

two theatres as part of a chain of large 

drive-ins in the east. Rain is a big problem, 

Redstone said. It has cut to the minimum the 

progress of the quarter-million-dollar reconstruction 

of the Lake Shore property and has 

increased problems that have delayed the 

opening of the Washington, Redstone said. 

While wet ground was one difficulty at the 

Washington, the lack of suitable drinking 

water was another, which now has been 

solved by digging a well. The Redstone company 

bought the Lake Shore and leased the 

Washington. 

The Lake Shore will be a de luxe establishment 

with hard top surfacing, an elaborate 

marquee and refreshment stand and other 

facilities. It will be enlarged from 600 

to 1,400-car capacity. The Washington also 

have a paved surface. 

will 

Redstone said that the well diggmg and 

other work necessary to put the Washington 

into operation was the responsibility of the 

owner, Jack Robbins, from whom the property 

was leased. The company, being owners of 

the Lake Shore, plans to make it a showplace 

of outdoor theatres, said Redstone. He is 

treasurer of the firm. The preparations for 

opening will be pushed, he said, "when we 

have any kind of luck with the weather." 

'Lost Horizon' Revived; 

Musical Version Current 

NEW YORK—Columbia's Frank Capra production 

of "Lost Horizon," originally released 

in 1936, will open at the Normandie Theatre 

June 19, as the latest in the theatre's 

policy of showing one great picture of past 

years each season. Others shown at the Normandie 

during 1955 and 1956 were: "The 

Wizard of Oz," "Camille" and "Fantasia," the 

last earlier in 1956. 

A musical version of James Hilton's novel, 

titled "Shangri-La," opened at the Winter 

Garden June 13. Ronald Colman is starred 

in the film version with Jane Wyatt, John 

Howard and Margo featured. Dennis King is 

starred in the Broadway stage musical, with 

Shirley Yamaguchi and Harold Lang 

featured. 

RCA International Unit 

Has Two New Executives 

NEW YORK—C. G. Mayer will become 

chairman of the board and managing director 

of RCA Great Britain, Ltd., Middle.sex, 

England, and R. F. Holtz will become general 

manager of Laboratories. RCA. Ltd.. Zurich, 

Switzerland. Albert F. Watters, RCA vicepresident 

and operations manager of its 

uiternational division, announced the appointments. 

They are effective July 1. 

Mayer was formerly European technical 

representative and manager of licensee relations. 

Holtz was formerly responsible for new 

product development and engineering products 

administration as manager of that 

division in New York. 

?.8 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

1 28 

U^m nA 

ON SOlTll AMIUU'AN TOl'R—Louis 

Lobcr, center, general manager of the 

United Artists foreign department, and 

Sam Bekeris, left, the company's Latin 

American supervisor, arc greeted on their 

arrival in Santiago by Ellias Barberis, 

UA's manager in Chile. Lober visited 

there during a month-long tour of Latin 

.•\merica to confer on TA's expanded 

production and distribution plans for the 

coming year. 

Bertram Bloch in Post 

In Col. Story Dep't 

NEW YORK—Bertram Bloch, who recently 

resigned as eastern story editor of 20th 

Century-Fox. will become associated with 

Columbia Pictures' eastern story department 

in an advisory capacity, according to Harry 

Cohn. president. Bloch is currently collaborating 

with his wife, Edythe Latham, on the 

writing of a Broadway play, as well as on 

production plans for other theatrical enterprises. 

The Columbia eastern department will continue 

to be headed by Albert Johnston. 

Earlier, William Padiman, Columbia staff 

producer, was named executive story editor, 

supervising activities of both the eastern and 

studio departments. 

Cohn has also released Irving Brisldn from 

his present contract as Columbia studio manager 

in order to form an independent television 

producing company, which will release 

through Screen Gems. Columbia TV subsidiary. 

The new arrangement will become 

effective July 1. 

U-L U.S. Navy Screening 

For 'Away All Boats' 

NEW Y O R K—Universal-International's 

promotional campaign for "Away All Boats." 

which will open at Loew's State Theatre in 

mid-July, will get under way in New York 

June 19. The Third Naval District, which 

has its headquarters at the Brooklyn Navy 

Yard, will help U-I play host to press 

syndicate, magazine and radio-TV representatives 

for a screening of the picture. 

Starting in busses from the U-I home 

office, the news men will be taken aboard 

U. S. Navy tugs at 23rd St. and the East 

River for an hour's cruise around New York 

harbor. Landing at Brooklyn Navy Yard, 

they will tour the Yard and, after a reception 

and dinner at the Officer's Club, the party 

will board the XJ.S.S. Champlain for the 

screening. 

Managing Rochester Rialto Fulfills 

Old Dream for James L Russell 

ROCHESTER—The .selection of James L. Rochester High School, is an usher and his 

Russell as manager of the Rialto Theatre in sister Shirley, 20, a freshman at Geneseo 

East Rochester meant fulfillment of a dream State Teachers College, helps out at the 

which had its beginnings when Russell went candy counter. 

to work at the theatre as an usher at the The Rialto had been operated on a weekend 

only schedule under Schine manage- 

age of 16. 

ment, but Russell promptly announced that 

"I never wanted anything so much as to 

rim this theatre," Russell said recently. 

Russell, former assistant director of the 

Columbus Youth Ass'n in East Rochester and 

former assistant in several theatres for the 

Schine circuit, operated theatres at bases 

while serving in the Navy in World War II. 

More recently he worked as a lithographer 

here. The Rialto during those years was 

under the management of the Schine circuit. 

Just a few weeks ago the management of the 

theatre passed to Harold P. Dygert, owner 

of the theatre building, and present officerarchitect 

of the Sherwood Land Corp., Pittsford. 

Dygert asked Russell if he would take over 

management of the theatre, and after making 

hasty arrangements with his boss Rus- 

.sell said "yes." 

Now the house is a family affair. Mrs. 

James Russell, the manager's mother, is the 

cashier. His father James sr. is projectionist, 

his brother Stanley, 17, a senior at East 

Starlets Aid Promotion 

Of RKO's 'Saleslady' 

NEW YORK—Pi-omotion of the first feature 

to be produced by the new RKO management, 

"The First Traveling Saleslady," 

got under way Monday (Hi with the opening 

in San Francisco of a coast-to-coast tour 

of four RKO starlets. It is tied in with the 

Jantzen Co.. makers of swim wear, and the 

Chrysler Corp., automobile makers. Many 

department stores are cooperating. 

Dave Cantor, RKO exploitation manager, 

was in charge. The starlets are being met 

in each city by local RKO field men. They 

were in Kansas City Tuesday (12); St. Louis, 

Wednesday (13 1; Dallas, Thursday (14); New 

Orleans, Friday (15i, and Cincinnati, Saturday 

(16). 

Coming engagements are: Chicago, Monday 

(18): Milwaukee, Tuesday (19): Minneapolis, 

Wednesday (20); Detroit, Tliursday 

i21i: Cleveland, Fj-iday (22): Pittsburgh, 

Saturday (23); Atlanta (25), Washington and 

Richmond (26). Philadelphia (27). Boston 

1 and New York (29-30). 

Eddy Duchin Music Week 

Gives Film Fine Assist 

NEW YORK—Playdates of "The Eddy 

Duchin Story" will be strongly assisted by 

the ob.servance of an Eddy Duchin Music 

Week to be celebrated by four major recording 

companies and Columbia Pictures Music 

Co. the week of June 18. 

Decca, Columbia, Merciu-y and Capitol, all 

of whom have released albums based on the 

music in the motion picture, have set their 

promotion staffs to work with the nation's 

disk jockeys on the promotion. The film 

is set to open later this month at the Music 

Hall in New York and in other key cities 

during July. 

it will be open seven days a week, with evening 

shows on weekdays and continuous 

shows from 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays 

and holidays. Lowered admi.ssion prices, with 

special Saturday bargain matinees for adults, 

are part of the Russell policy. Apparently 

the change has made an instant hit. Business 

was booming last Saturday afternoon. 

"It's better than I had dared to hope," said 

Russell, explaining that the bargain Saturday 

afternoon rate for grownups stems from 

the conviction that any adult who wants 

to see a show on the kids' day should be given 

consideration for "courage and stamina." 

For Russell's mother, theatre boxoffice 

managing is a brand new occupation, but his 

father has worked in the projection booth 

for several years on a parttime basis. Hiring 

the family, Russell reasoned, was the best 

way he knew of carrying out his slogan "the 

friendly Rialto." 

Flynn Wins Italian Suit 

Over 'William Tell' 

HAVANA—Errol Flynn, now making "The 

Big Boodle," being produced in Cuba for 

United Artists release, has won a complete 

victory in his legal battle over tlie ill-fated 

"William Tell" venture in Italy two years 

ago. A Rome court i.ssued a judgment awarding 

Flynn $340,000. as well as worldwide 

rights to the story and the film footage already 

exposed, from the Italian producers. 

Approximately one-third of the picture had 

been completed before production was 

halted when the Italian producers failed to 

raise their share of the money required. Flynn 

had poured nearly $500,000 of "my good hardearned 

cash" into the venture and he 

launched a breach-of-contract suit. "I'm 

grateful to the Italian courts and their devotion 

to justice and to all the people who 

believed in me," he said. 

Director Richard Wilson is now filming 

scenes for "The Big Boodle" m Morro Castle, 

for which Cuban navy officials gave permission 

despite the tight security regulations 

imposed by the Batista regime. The international 

cast includes: Pedro Armendariz, Mexican 

actor who arrived from Rome, where he 

was filming an Italian picture: Rossana 

Rory and Gia Scala. Italian actresses, who 

flew in from Hollywood; Jacques Aubuchon, 

who flew ill from New York, and Carlos 

Rivas, who flew in from Mexico City. 

In RKO Teleradio Post 

NEW YORK—Mrs. Caroll A. Elliott, former 

managing editor of Charm magazine and, 

most recently, on the staff of McCall's, has 

been named director of copy for RKO Teleradio 

Pictures, the parent company of RKO 

Pictures, Mutual Broadcasting and General 

Teleradio by Robert A. Schmid. vice-president 

in charge of advertising and public 

relations. 

BOXOFFICE June 16. 1956 29

Investigation of TV 

Opens in Washington 

WASHINGTON—The first of a series of 

government inquiries into tire operations of 

the television industry opened Tuesday (12) 

with Frank Stanton, president of the Columbia 

Broadcasting System, appearing before 

the Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce 

Committee. 

Stanton discussed a bill introduced by Sen. 

John W. Bricker (R., Ohio), who recently 

said that CBS and the National Broadcasting 

Co. have a "stranglehold" on the industry. 

Stanton denied the existence of any monopoly, 

and said that interference with the current 

policies of the networks would be "a 

colossal backward step." 

Sen. John O. Pastore (D., R. I.) called the 

situation in TV "a mess" because parts of 

the country lacked enough channels for adequate 

service. Other committee members 

asked about the situations in which local 

advertisers and local stations found themselves. 

Stanton bore down hard on the charge of 

monopoly. He said that while a network 

must be "big" to render good service, that did 

not mean it was preventing competition. 

The TV industry also faces inquiries by 

two other Congressional committees, the 

Federal Communications Commission and the 

Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is believed 

the FCC will soon announce new standards 

in channel allocations to permit expansion. 

It also is believed that it may cripple 

ultrahigh frequency TV by letting 

additional 

stations operate on channels 2 through 13. 

United Artists Reports 

Latest Drive Winners 

NEW YORK—The Los Angeles, St. Louis 

and Montreal branches of United Artists won 

the second lap of the company's fifth anniversary 

drive, it has been reported by William 

J. Heineman, vice-president in charge of distribution, 

and James R. Velde, general sales 

manager. They ai-e managed respectively by 

Richard Carnegie, D. J. Edele and Sam 

Kunitsky. 

The runnersup in the same order were 

Joseph Sugar's New York exchange, Georg^, 

Heiber's Toronto exchange and Edwin Bigley's 

Indianapolis exchange. Third places In 

the same order went to Gene Tunick's Philadelphia 

branch, James Hendel's Pittsburgh 

branch and Herbert Buschmann's Minneapolis 

branch. 

Division standings at the end of the 16th 

week found the eastern and southern division, 

headed by Milton E. Cohen, leading. 

The southern district, managed by George 

Pabst, was first in division ratings. 

Federal Court Dismisses 

Suit Over ELC Product 

NEW YORK—Judge Archie O. Dawson in 

federal court here has dismissed the $15,- 

000,000 antitrust suit of Chesapeake Industries 

against RKO Theatres and Loew's Theatres 

charging a monopoly of product. Chesapeake 

brought the suit in behalf of Eagle Lion 

Classics, a former subsidiary. 

The suit was filed in 1950. The late Judge 

Augustus N. Hand dismissed it in 1953. It 

was then appealed and in 1955 Judge Hand's 

decision was reversed and a new trial ordered. 

Stodter Succeeds Nemec 

As Executive of SMPTE 

NEW YORK—Charles S. Stodter has succeeded 

Boyce Nemec as executive secretary 

of the Society of Motion Picture and Television 

Engineers, according 

to John G. Pi-ayne, 

president. Nemec resigned 

effective June 

30 to open a management 

consulting service. 

Stodter has had extensive 

engineering 

and administrative 

experience in the motion 

picture and TV 

fields. He has been 

employed since 1954 as 

Charles S. Stodter senior research investigator 

of the Institute for Cooperative Research 

of the University of Pennsylvania. He 

was previously in the U. S. Army, rising to 

the rank of colonel. From 1950 to 1954 he 

was chief of the Army Pictorial Service. He 

has studied motion picture production techniques 

under a program administered in 

Hollywood by the Motion Picture Research 

Council and supported by the major studios 

and industry servicing organizations. 

Loew's Theatres Changes 

Duties of Ad-Pub Staff 

NEW YORK—Assignment changes in the 

advertising-publicity department of Loew's 

Theatres have been reported by Joseph R. 

Vogel, president. James Shanahan has been 

made assistant to Ei-nest Emerling, advertising 

head. Ted Ar-now will supervise local 

promotion, including contacts with the local 

press and other duties handled by the late 

Carl Pishman. Russ Grant will handle advertising 

and publicity outside of this area. 

Paula Gould will handle publicity for Loew's 

New Jersey houses and the Metropolitan in 

Brooklyn as well as for the Capitol Theatre. 

Ann Bontempo will continue as radio-TV contact 

and also handle special assignments. 

Robert Zanger will handle special promotions 

for the local neighborhood houses. 

Edwin Hart Is Promoted 

To New Kodak Park Post 

ROCHESTER, N. Y.—Edwin W. Hart has 

been named an assistant superintendent of 

the film emulsion division of the Eastman 

Kodak Co. at Kodak Park, according to Ivar 

N. Hultman. company vice-president and 

Kodak Park general manager. He was first 

associated with Kodak Park in 1936, was made 

a general foreman in 1939 and production 

supervisor in 1951. 

J. A. Fetherston Retires 

NORTHAMPTON, MASS.—After many 

years of association with the motion picture 

equipment industry and with Kollmorgen 

Optical Corp., J. A. Fetherston, sales manager 

of Kollmorgen, announces his retirement. 

Fetherston will continue his association 

with Kollmorgen on a consulting basis 

and will continue to contact theatre equipment 

dealers on special field sales and service 

problems. 

Security Pictures' "Men in War." released 

to UA. will be piloted by Anthony Mann. 

U-I Digest Ad Gets 

Special Treatment 

NEW YORK—Reader's Digest took a fullpage 

advertisement during the week in the 

Wall Street Journal that featured its "first 

global magazine advertising campaign for a 

motion pictui-e." The picture was "Away All 

Boats." Universal-International had placed 

a full-page ad on the picture in the June 

domestic and international editions of 

Reader's Digest. It was the first such ad in 

all the editions. 

The Wall Street Journal ad headlined Milton 

R. Rackmil. U-I president, as saying: 

"We'll see action in 101 countries." 

The text continued: "This is the first time 

any motion picture has been advertised 

throughout the free world in a single magazine. 

We know we'll see action at the boxoffice 

in every one of the markets covered 

by Reader's Digest because 'Away All Boats' 

is a dramatic story of World War II, and millions 

of Digest readers are aware of that 

generation who themselves were involved in 

this war." 

The ad played up a large action still across 

the top of the page and a still of Rackmil. It 

stressed Reader's Digest coverage of the world 

and its combined circulation of 19,183,338 

reaching an estimated 65.000,000 persons. 

Goldwyn Discusses Advice 

In June Reader's Digest 

NEW YORK—Samuel Goldwyn tells in the 

June issue of the Reader's Digest about "The 

Best Advice I Ever Had." He was 9 years 

old, his mother was ill and it was doubtful 

if she would live. Goldwyn quotes a neighbor 

as saying consolingly: "Remember, Samuel, 

a man's mo.st precious possession is his courage. 

No matter how black things seem, if 

you have courage, darkness can be overcome." 

The producer also described the time when 

Jesse Lasky, Cecil B. DeMille and he were 

making "The Squaw Man" and Dustin 

Farnum, the stai', asked for a cash payment 

of $5,000. his entire salary. He finally 

"rounded up" the money. 

The darkest day, however, was when the 

picture was first projected and the result on 

the screen was chaos, according to Goldwyn. 

He visited Sigmund Lubin, a technical expert, 

member of the Film Ti'ust and an "arch 

enemy." Lubin spotted the trouble—the 

sprocket holes were not aligned properly. 

Arnold Picker Leaves 

For European Tour 

NEW YORK—Arnold M. Picker. United 

Artists vice-president in charge of foreign 

distribution, left Saturday (16) by air for 

Rome, first stop on a six-week tour of the 

company's Em-opean offices. 

In Rome, Picker will be guest of honor at 

the sales convention of D.E.A.R., UA's Italian 

distributor, scheduled for June 18-20. In 

Berlin, he tt'ill attend the International Film 

Festival. June 24. when Hecht and Lancaster's 

"Trapeze" will be one of the official entries. 

He will then go to London for the opening 

of "Trapeze" at the Odeon. Marble Arch. 

June 26. under the sponsorship of the Actoi-s' 

Orphanage and Variety Club. He will also 

visit Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid and other key 

cities. 

BOXOFFICE June 16. 1956

' 

PHILADELPHIA 

ôuncilman Raymond Pace Alexander, 

piominem Negro politician, helped cut 

the tape opening up Abe Sunberg's Strand 

Theatre at 12th and Girard avenue as an 

all-night house catering to Negro patronage 

... In the ca.se of Melro.se Realty Co. the 

landlord of the Yorktown Theatre in Elknis 

Park. Pa., the court of appeals upheld the 

deci.sion of Judge William H. Kirkpatnck 

that "a nonoperating theatre landlord does 

not have the right to bring a triple damage 

suit for alleged conspiracy relating to licensing 

of pictures for exhibition at a theatie 

The Yorktown is leased to Stanley Wainci 

Theatre Management Co., which operates 

the house. 

Hal Marshall, Atlantic division publicity 

representative for 20th-Pox. got an entire 

column writeup in a local columnist's daily 

column. Frank Brookhouser of the Philadelphia 

Evening Bulletin devoted a column 

to explain the part that Marshall played in 

the battle of D-Day. "D-Day the Sixth of 

June" was opened at the Fox Theatre with 

fanfare and representatives of all the military 

services present. Even a tank driven by Army 

personnel showed up for the affair. 

Variety Tent 13 will honor Howârd Minsky. 

Paramount division manager who is moving 

his office to Pittsburgh. The dinner will be 

held June 25 in the Bellevue Stradford Hotel. 

Ed Emanuel is chairman of the affair . . . 

Stanley Warner is giving up operation of the 

Hamilton in Lancaster . . . Frank Damis. who 

was an exhibitor in New Jersey, has returned 

to Stanley Warner as an assistant 

to the vice-president and general manager, 

Harry M. Kalmine. 

Tent 13's clubrooms are now available for 

cocktail parties and social functions during 

the day. Call Miss Zenglin PE 5-4479 for 

a 

reservation. 

Second Screen Is Opened 

At Pittsburgh Drive-In 

PITTSBURGH—Opened late this week was 

the No. 2 screen at the Greater Pittsburgh 

Drive-In on Route 30 and old Green.sburg 

Pike. The initial outdoor theatre area has 

1.000 in-car speakers, and the second of the 

twin-screen ozoners here has 900 in-car speakers. 

Joe Warren, owner, who also owns the 

Super 30 Di-ive-In here, is constructing a 

1,000-car capacity outdoor theatre on Route 

50 two miles from Ballston Spa in the Albany. 

N. Y., area. 

Two-Way Theatre Stage 

NEW KENSINGTON. PA.—Plans for this 

city's new $2,500,000 high school include 

provisions for a reversible indoor-outdoor 

stage. The stage will be situated so that a 

bi-parting door will let it face both an 

inside auditorium and an outdoor hillside 

amphitheatre. 

INDUSTRY PROFILE 

Letting Patrons Pick Bookings 

Succeeds at Former Sub Run 

By NOHMAN SHIGON 

PHILADELPHIA- Only pictures which 

have been requesU-d by the patrons are exhibited 

at the Lawiuiale Theatre, which 

caters to a cla.ss 

audience. Stanton 

Friedman, enterprising 

28-year-old 

operator of the 850- 

seat theatre, receives 

approximately 

300 letters and 

postcards a week 

from patrons. Requests 

also are collected 

in a ballot 

box located in the 

lobby. 

Stanton Friedman The Lawndale, located 

in a middle-class residential community, 

now is a weekend operation, no 

matinees. Before it entered its current 

policy of playing pictures "by special request" 

only, it was another one of the 

many key run theatres in the city exhibiting 

motion pictures on an availability of 

28 days after their exhibition first run 

downtown. 

The present policy of the Lawndale has 

proven quite successful. It draws its patronage 

from the Philadelphia main line 

and suburban areas, and people come from 

as far away as Jenkintown, West Chester. 

Villanova and even from Wilmington. Del. 

One reason the theatre has been successful 

is that it gives patrons in the area an 

opportunity to see a different motion picture 

than is showing all around town. The 

theatres surrounding the Lawndale play on 

a key run basis, and often they show the 

same picture on a simultaneous availability. 

Friedman digs for product. He likes to 

come up with pictures w'hich have not been 

seen for several years, but which have a 

distinct appeal. He goes to the distributors 

and picks up their lists of reissues. 

Also, he has been successful in showing 

silent pictures. He feels that this has been 

-.0 because a certain segment of his audience 

is composed of an age bracket which 

Zanuck at Annapolis 

ANNAPOLIS—Darryl F. Zanuck, 20th 

Century-Fox film executive, will fly from 

Hollywood to attend the Conference of the 

American Youth June 18 at the invitation of 

President Eisenhower. Zanuck received an 

honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities 

from the University of Nebraska early in 

June. 

has a nostalgic desire to sec these pictures 

again. He even has run pictures 

which have been on television, also. He 

believes that the.se appeal to the public 

when they can .see them without the interruption 

of lengthy commercials. 

He has no concession stand to downgrade 

the atmosphere, but does have a 

candy machine. He shows no newsreels or 

trailers and few short subjects. Also, certain 

nights during the year he wheels a 

coffee cart around and serves instajit 

coffee 

to patrons. 

There is a 50-car parking lot in the rear 

of the theatre and plenty of parking space 

is available on the streets nearby. 

Piiedman's family are old hands in the 

theatre business. They own the Rexy 

Theatre, now shuttered, and the Ambler 

and Lansdowne, and they operate the 

Harrison in West Chester and the Oxford 

in Philadelphia. 

Stanton's father Henry took over operation 

of the 22-year-old Lawndale in 1938 

with Harry Fried and Harry Pennys. 

Within two years the elder Friedman had 

acquired the sole interest in the hou.se. 

When Stanton came out of service in 1946, 

he worked as usher for a couple of years 

at Paramount's Tower Theatre and Stanley 

Warner's Ardmore. After that he 

assisted his father in operating the Lawndale. 

When his father had a heart attack 

m June of 1952, Stanton took over the 

management. 

The younger Friedman uses cleverly 

worded eye-catching directory type ads in 

local newspapers with plenty of white 

.space so that they will stand out and 

people will take notice. 

When he was an adolescent and other 

teenagers were memorizing names of baseball 

stars, Stanton was studying the history 

of motion pictures and got so he 

could name every star and producer of 

every motion picture from the silents to 

present day. Stanton doesn't know 

whether he could still pull off this stunt. 

However, like the Lawndale Theatre which 

he operates, he is willing to put on a performance 

"by special request." 

To Board of Penn State 

NEW YORK—Ralph D. Hetzel jr., a vicepresident 

of the Motion Picture Ass'n of 

America, has been elected to the board of 

trustees of Pennsylvania State University, 

He was one of three elected by nationwide 

vote of the alumni. His father, the late 

Ralph D. Hetzel sr.. was president of the 

university for 21 years. 

/ fk^T^^^^^^^ J, 

Greater Crater Area 

r-^V^ XgJgt/lf//^f^t^ MAXIMUM LIGHT 

\ f^ V/ÔNTON. N. J. Evenly Di%u;b»ted ' PROJECTOR CARBON Co., 

1 

BOXOFFICE

. . . Edwin 

. . . Penn 

. . Hal 

. . Charles 

. . Jack 

. . Regis 

. . Ann 

. . E. 

. . 

. . 

. . 

. . The 

ITTSBURGH 

ago" was screened 

p.m. . . . 

. 

in the Atlas Theatre Supply building . . . 

. 

. 

. 

ried 15 . . . 

. 

. 

Mmici An Better Ttun Ew HWi Ywr - Eviripmtntr 

prank J. "Bud" Thomas Theatre Service now 

Warrens, drive-in theatre owners in this 

for the trade the following 

is licensing WB's "Moby Dick" will 

and booking for the Dattola 

afternoon, and 

Chuck Reichbloom, 

be previewed there June 25. followed by an- 

WB 

. WJAS sports announcer Theatre at New Kensington . . 

son of the other tradeshowing. "Satellite in the 

Leon Reichblooms. retired exhibitors who now Sky." June 27. All screenings are at 1:30 

M. S. "Mort" England, licensed 

reside in Florida, has organized a Pittsburgh 

theatre broker Sports Club which, for a nominal membership 

and a 30-year-veteran of 

Filmrow, is listing a number of outdoor 

fee. guarantees to produce tickets for 

sellout theatrical shows and big sports events theatres for sale and for lease. His office has 

Prizer reported he will open a been at 85 Van Braam St. in the Van building 

branch office for Exploitation Productions 

Burns, manager 

for many years 

of Blatt Bros. Star and Lawrence Park 

Artist Gil Wilson will be here July 2, 3 in drive-ins at Ei-ie. resumed duties after being 

the interests of WB's "Moby Dick" . . . Harvey hospitalized at Butler for several weeks. He 

Emmerman, who has had an antitrust case is on a special diet under an ulcer treatment. 

against distributors on file in federal court 

for many years, was on Filmrow. A number 

Filmrow visitors Robert Gordon and Paul 

of years ago he operated the State Theatre 

Lucas reported the closing of the Linda 

in Erie . . . Nettie and Sid (SW) Newman 

returned from a vacation in New Jersey. Gus Theatre at Smithton for the summer . 

Davis, SW booker, and family were vacationing 

Charles Dortic, Columbia salesman, was back 

on the job (with a new company car) after 

in Florida. 

being hospitalized for seven weeks during 

Joe Gellman, manager of the Plaza Theatre, which he underwent three operations 

Duquesne, was a Filmrow visitor the other Vince Josack. formerly of Filmrow and in 

day and it was the first time in years that recent years a WB salesman at Washington, 

we had seen him. He operates an insurancereal 

was a visitor ... 1st Lt. Morton Silverman, 

a son of David C. (RKOi Silverman, completed 

estate business across the street from 

his army service duty in Germany and 

the theatre. Joe said his brother Gilbert 

of the Washington Theatre. Swissvale. has returned here to the Walter Reed Hospital, 

pulled out of the novelty soap business and Washington. He expects his discharge soon. 

that he has joined an uncle who owns and 

operates Roth Rug Cleaners E. Twice a visitor in recent weeks was Leon 

Funk is the new assistant manager at Loew's Jarodsky of Paris. 111. He has been in exhibition 

Penn here Israel Roth, former Penn 

and in the used theatre projection 

. . 

avenue exhibitor here, is back in the city booth equipment business for 47 years . 

for the summer; he makes his home in Miami Helen, daughter of Alice Freeman of the 

during the winter months . Harrison, Columbia 

June 

inspection department, was mar- 

Post-Gazette outdoor editor, furnished some 

The borough of Pitcairn now 

operates a TV cable which brings in five 

scenes for "The Animal World," which will 

be exhibited here at the Stanley Theatre channels. A tap into the cable costs $75 and 

Theatre, New Castle, closed for $1 a month for each subscriber. Next borough 

here to get a TV cable will be Turtle 

several weeks for installation of an air 

conditioning system and complete reseating, Creek, and a number of other valley-bound 

reopened June 15. This is a Stern-Associated communities are watching the Pitcairn and 

house. 

Turtle Creek developments . H. Rowley. 

Texas exhibitor leader, visited here. 

Carol, daughter of Mrs. William J. Blatt and 

the late beloved circuit exhibitor, graduated Bill Hollenbaugh, Filmrow shipper for 

from law school at the University of Pittsburgh 

many years, resigned at Acme Distributing, 

June 13. She was the only member and Bill Nesbitt, formerly with Republic, 

of her sex to receive the law degree in a took over the Acme shipping department 

class of 55 ... B. W. Steerman. Variety Club temporarily . . Willie Leibovitz of the Penn 

camp chairman, prepared tor a large crowd Theatre, Mount Pleasant, entered a hospital 

of barkers to attend the annual reopening of for a checkup ... A New York theatrical 

William Serrao. group is negotiating with the Hirst organization 

Camp O'Connell June 24 . . . 

New Kensington exhibitor, was admitted to 

take over the Casino, burlesque house 

to 

Citizens General Hospital there following and oldest downtown legitimate theatre in 

a second heart attack. Inactive in the theatre 

Pittsburgh, and if successful the Diamond 

street property will be extensively remodeled 

business since he was stricken ill last 

year, Serrao recently opened a Western Auto and reseated for reopening in September 

with Mutual burlesque and vaudeville. 

store across the street from Serrao's Circle 

Theatre, New Kensington. Reports from the 

hospital were that the theatreman is much David C. Silverman, 35-year-veteran of 

improved. 

Filmrow. observed his eighth anniversary as 

RKO branch manager and Ray ( SW 

The new and modern 20th-Fox screening Ayrey attended the graduation of their 

room was initiated June 14 with the tradeshowing 

daughter Betty DeMello at the University of 

of "The Proud Ones." WB's "Santi- Maryland . Judd. Columbia manager, 

receiving excellent exhibitor support for the 

is 

Jack Cohn week, June 22-28. 

SAM FINEBERG A deed shows that Great Valley Mart, Inc.. 

TOM McCLEARY which is promoting a $5 million shopping 

center project in Versailles township, 

JIM ALEXANDER 

has 

purchased the 14-acre tract at the intersection 

of Old Greensburg pike and State 

84 Von Braom Street 

PITTSBURGM 19. PA. Route 686 for $92,500 from Joseph and 

Ernest Martin and Floyd Warren. The 

Phone Express 1-0777 

Shirley's 

Hometown 

Sees 'Oklahoma!' 

Pittsburgh—Smithton, a little Youghiogheny 

Valley community, was deserted, 

by edict, when a I5-bus caravan puUed 

out of the town en route to Pittsburgh to 

see "Oklahoma!" All business shut down 

for the day, Shirley Jones Day, in honor 

of the hometown girl who has won 

acclaim on stage and screen. The Jones 

brewery, the main industry, had only a 

skeleton maintenance crew on hand. 

More than 700, practically the entire 

population, arrived at the Nixon Theatre 

for a preopening showing of "Oklahoma!" 

Shirley, who got her theatrical career 

start here at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 

arrived in a "surrey with fringe on top." 

The Playhou.se sponsored the inaugural 

exhibition of the picture. Present was 

Henry S. Woodbridge, president of Todd- 

American Optical Corp. 

area, have opened the twin screen drive-in 

there Echo Drive-In, Route 51 at 

Large, opened Tuesday evening with an 

open house, free to all . . . Pete Manos, 

Indiana, Pa., executive of the Manos circuit, 

underwent an operation Monday in the 

Cleveland Clinic and his condition at the 

weekend was reported as excellent. Doctors 

stated that he would remain hospitalized 

until about mid-July. 

Mr. and Mrs. R. S. "Russ" Wehrle report 

that, all things considered, they were pleased 

with the opening of the new Capitol Theatre, 

Braddock. formerly the Times which has been 

extensively remodeled. 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Karolcik await 

the birth of their first child in October. He 

manages the Perry Theatre. Perryopolis. for 

his father Mike, Fayette County political 

Harry B. Martin has closed the 

Penn Theatre, West Tarentum, which he 

leased and reopened two months ago. He 

operates a confectionery in 

the Oakland district 

here. 

Two Seized Films Burned 

By Court at New Castle 

NEW CASTLE, PA.—"Obscene films, literature 

and advertising" seized by state and 

county law officers late in April from the 

Skyline Drive-In will be destroyed. District 

Attorney Perry L, Reeher was given authority 

to supervi.se the destruction of the goods in a 

court order signed by Judge John S. Powers 

after John and George WaiTen. owners of the 

outdoor theatre, and John Andrew Lika. who 

was said to have been in possession of the 

material, did not answer legal notification. 

The films, books, advertising, etc., was confiscated 

by state police and the district attorney 

in a raid on the theatre. The films 

were "No Greater Sin" and "Birth of a Baby." 

WANT TO SELL OR LEASE 

YOuR DRIVE-IN THEATRE? 

(Have buyers waiting) 

"MORT ENGLAND" 

85 Van Braam St. Pittsburoh 19. Pa. AT 1-1760 

Licensed Theatre Broker Correspondence ConfldentlaJ 

30-1 BOXOFFICE : 

: June 16, 1956

. . . The 

. . Student 

. . Karl 

: June 

. . Welcome 

. . Warner 

. . Mildred 

. . The 

. . 

. . Las 

. . Charles 

. . Mike 

WASHINGTON 

yXTOMPl of Washington installed officers 

at a dinner and bingo pai'ty Tuesday 

evening in tlie Fairfax Hotel. Installed were: 

president. Madeline Aclcerman. Elmer Brient 

Co.: vice-presidents, Mary Agnes Sweeney. 

Joe Bernheimer Theatres, and Jean Winebrenner. 

Warner Bros.: recording secretary, 

Florence Garden, Allied Artists; corresponding 

secretary, Ethel Curtis. 20th-Fox; financial 

secretary, Agnes C. Turner, RKO: 

executive board, Clara Lust, Myrtle Fries. 

Josephine Byrnes. Eileen Olivier. Sally 

Myers and Catherine Davis. Lucille Tiaband. 

outgoing president, was presented a set of 

glasses and coasters. 

Twentieth-Fox salesman Charles Krips and 

his wife celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary 

. booker Dan Priest was Baltimore, honored James Velde's promotion as general sales manaeer lor linitcil 

Mi;i:r NKVV (HIEF—a testimonial dinner at the Sheraton IWh.d.i. II. i) n. 

called to his home in New York when his Artists. Guests included, left to right, Walter Gettinger, chairman, and part owner of 

wife suffered a broken leg . District the Howard Theatre; Eddie Fontaine of United Artists; Velde; Kodney Collier, manager 

of the Stanley Theatre, and Isador M. Rappaport, owner of the Hippodrome, Town 

Manager Robert Smelzer and his wife returned 

from a vacation . Sample and Little theatres. 

resigned at 20th-Fox to await a baby . 

George Darinsol. Crest Theatre, is recuperating 

at the Sinai Hospital at Baltimore. 

Charles DoweU came in to book his D&L 

Wineland Adds Drive-In 

Theatre in Solomons. Md.. accompanied by In Washington District 

BALTIMORE 

Charles jr. and a friend Elmer Ward jr. . . . 

WASHINGTON—Wineland Theatres has TJichard Dizon, manager of the Hiway Theatre 

at Edgewater. reported to Baltimore 

"Doc" Tanner came in from Kenbridge to acquired the Hillside Drive-In at 6200 Marlboro 

Pike in Maryland. Lloyd C. Wineland, County police that he had been robbed of 

book his K&T circuit . . . Jack Keegan. 

formerly w'ith 20th-Fox and most recently in president, said this makes the second outdoor 

addition to the circuit in the last year. 

$1,000 by a gunman who hid in his car. He 

the Army, has joined the Columbia booking 

said the man rose up from the back of his 

staff. 

Wineland now owns and operates the Anacostia. 

Highland. Atlantic. Coral. Congress posit the money and forced him to surrender 

auto 

NEWARK 

as he was driving to the bank to de- 

and Laurel theatres and the ABC and Hillside 

drive-ins. all in the southeast Washing- 

the cash at gunpoint. 

ton and nearby Prince Georges County. 

George Hendricks, manager of the Mayfair, 

has left on a two-week motor trip 

L. is 

John Davenport, operator at the Palace at circuit. Albert V. Pohl secretary and Fred Canada . 

Coulter, manager of the 

Orange, is convalescing after a long illness Wineland 

new Five-West Theatre, has installed an art 

exhibit in New Jersey premiere of "Doctor 

the lobby. The canvases are from 

at 

Sea." is being staged at the Bellevue. Montclair. 

with the Academy award 

the collection of W. Lankford Martenet. 

MGM Sets Sneak Previews Baltimore art patron . Wei.ss of 

featurette. 

"Face of Lincoln" . home to NEW YORK—MGM will hold sneak previews 

of "Somebody Up There Likes Me" Certain Feeling" . Hadel. as- 

Paramount was in town working on the "That 

Louis Gold and his wife—one of the owners of 

the Rivoli Theatre, Newark. They just completed 

a European trip. 

Henry Jones, manager of the Town, made 

July 2 in all exchange areas. 

sistant manager at the Cinema, vacationed. 

an emergency plane trip to upper New York 

to be with his father, who had been taken 

G. Wineland vice-president of the 

in 

Among the theatres closed for the summer 

are the Chancellor. Irvington: the Astor, 

Newark: the Kent. Newark, and the Liberty. 

Irvington . Ledzion, assistant manager 

of the Pix in Jersey City, reports that a 

new municipal parking lot has been opened 

directly opposite the theatre . family 

of Lou Liss, manager of the Allwood 

Theatre, prepared to leave for their summer 

vacation at Monticello, N. Y. 

Smith Management Drive-In Theatres took 

half page ads in the Newark Evening News. 

Newark; Passaic Herald News. Passaic; Bergen 

Record, Hackensack, and the Jersey City 

Journal, Jersey City ... At the Rutherford 

Route 3 Drive-In, Floyd McClelland, manager, 

is giving merchant green stamps with 

admission tickets . . . The Embassy in Orange 

has booked the Magic Clown on stage. There 

will be a Super-Koola campaign. 

A Lion's Club benefit show for the Little 

League baseball team of the Vailsburg 

section of Newark, was started with a parade. 

J. Conhaim. manager of the Stanley in 

Newark, where the benefit was held, was 

parade marshal. Some 16mm movies were 

taken and were successfully projected from a 

153 foot throw onto the screen. Many people 

came to see themselves in the film. 

PATRIOTIC CITATION—Milton A. 

Lipsner, right. Allied Artists branch manager 

in Washington, is the recipient of 

the Department of .•Vrmy Certificate of 

Appreciation for his "outstanding patriotic 

cinlian .service" to the department in the 

period from last September 15 to May 15. 

He is being congratulated here by Maj. 

Gen. Guy S. Meloy, chief of information 

and education, with Lieut Col. .Allison A. 

Conrad, chief of the pictorial branch, 

public information division, looking on. 

. 

Edward Kimpel, executive with the 

ill . . 

Rome Theatres, was vacationing in Montreal. 

Ray Maxwell, office manager for the 

same outfit, has returned to duty following 

a prolonged illness, due to a heart attack. 

Stanley Stem has resigned as manager of 

the Playhouse to fill the same post with the 

Governor Ritchie Highway Drive-In. Les 

Colter has taken over at the Playhou.se. He 

was with the Town several years ago. 

lapanese Film Screened 

By MPAA in Washington 

WASHINGTON—"Phantom Horse," 

Japanese 

film in Eastman Color, was .screened 

Thursday il4i at the Motion Picture Ass'n of 

America headquarters for officers and department 

heads of the National Education 

Ass'n. It will open In New York during the 

.summer. Edward Harrison is releasing it. 

The film shows life on a ranch in the 

horse-breeding country. A new juvenile star, 

Yukohiko Iwatare, heads the cast. Masaichi 

Nagata produced it. He made "Gate of Hell," 

"Rashomon" and "Ugetsu." 

BOXOFFICE : 

16. 1956 30-C

jtondM' êfront 

JTHE Board of Trade last week issued statistics 

which showed a heavy drop in the 

number of feature films registered up to 

March 31 this year. British films were 26 

per cent down, and only 110 features were 

registered against 150 for the year previous. 

The amount of foreign product also showed 

a decline with 355 foreign features registered 

as against 386 in 1955. British films showed 

a drop in all categories from 6,500 feet and 

over, which fell from 94 to 73 features; 3,- 

000-feet to 6,499-feet films fell from 55 to 

37, and productions under 3,000-feet decreased 

from 322 to 278. 

The one bright spot in this gloomy report 

was that more American films over 6,500- 

feet were registered this year, 208 against 

199. On the other hand, there was also a drop 

in U. S. films over 3,000 feet and under 6,000 

feet with 76 features as against 106 in 

1955. The Board of Trade also gave figures of 

individual countries whose product had been 

registered by the Ministry this year. After 

the U. S.. France came next with 28 features, 

Italy with 16 and Germany with 4. 

The London Times has taken a second 

look into the problems facing the film industry 

(its first editorial appeared several 

months ago) and the title of its leading 

article, "Films in Retreat," which appeared 

last week, has led to considerable discussion 

in the trade. The leader posed the question 

of whether the business is discriminated 

against by the high rate of entertainment 

tax and points out that the original intention 

of the tax was to find a source of revenue, 

not to discourage the industry. 

Among the points raised in the article 

was whether production, distribution and exhibition, 

were based on too rigid a pattern. 

The newspaper posed this question: "Will 

these patterns of production and distribution 

survive a further drastic fall in demand, 

especially as the demand will automatically 

become more discriminating." If the answer 

was "yes," then the only cure would be a 

drastic change in the pattern of business including 

more films, divorcement of quota 

from the output of British films and changes 

in 

exhibition. 

A further sign of the growing need for 

economy in the business was published last 

week with the news that Exclusive and 

Anglo-Amalgamated, two of the most goahead 

British production and renting companies, 

are to share their sales branches in the 

future. Exclusive's Jimmy Carreras and Anglo-Amalgamated's 

Nat Cohen will, in the 

future, distribute all their product through 

Exclusive in practically all the major cities 

of the United Kingdom. This will, of course, 

strengthen both sides vis-a-vis the major 

renters and enable the two companies to 

assure exhibitors of a continuity of product. 

Spyros Skouras will be coming over to 

Britain early next year to open the first 

cinema built by 20th Century-Fox in Britain. 

The theatre is in Plymouth and is appropriately 

named the Drake after the famous 

By ANTHONY GRUNER 

seaman who was born in that city. It will be 

a 1,750-seater, which will reflect the very 

latest in cinema construction, and it is expected 

that Eidophor, the large-screen theatre 

TV system invented in Switzerland, will be 

given its first tryout in Britain at the Drake. 

It is also the intention of Fox to hold world 

premieres at Plymouth from time to time 

rather than at London's West End. 

Amidst the gloom of the recent report from 

the Board of Trade on British film production 

decline, there was one bright piece of 

news. Beaconsfield Studios, taken over by the 

National Film Finance Corp. because of lack 

of support, have been acquired by Peter 

Rogers and John Baxter to make a series of 

feature films. The new company will be 

known as Beaconsfield Film Studios, and 

Rogers and Baxter are planning to make five 

top feature pictures at the Studios each year. 

All the product will be released through 

British Lion, for whom Rogers is producing 

his latest film, "A Novel Affair" with Margaret 

Leighton and Sir Ralph Richardson. 

Everyone is expecting some highly important 

discussions to take place between the 

Board of Trade and Eric Johnston when the 

president of the Motion Picture Ass'n of 

America arrives over here this week. With 

Johnston will be Ken Clark who is traveling 

ahead to fix up preliminary meetings with 

the authorities. Among the subjects to be 

discussed will be the future of the British 

quota, Anglo-American co-production in 

Britain, the "dumping" of U. S. films over 

here for television and the general prospects 

of the cinema business. Now that the National 

FMlm Finance Corp., which is conducting 

a survey into the future of the industry, 

has received all its evidence, an interim 

report is likely to go to the president of the 

Board of Trade in time for the.se talks. It 

seems quite clear that the Americans will be 

asked to make some concessions to the British 

who are experiencing plenty of trouble 

in maintaining a healthy looking industry. 

In many ways, Johnston will be meeting 

the Board of Trade with fewer cards in his 

hands than in previous years. Whereas in 

1947 the British film industry was not capable 

of providing films suitable for the boxoffice, 

today Briti-sh films are popular with 

patrons and are heading the top ten lists of 

the best gi-ossers. This is not to say there is 

any fear of another ad valorem tax. It does 

mean that the British government would 

welcome a friendly gesture from Johnston 

that might ease the plight of producers and 

exhibitors in this country. 

The Rank Group has played a prominent 

part in making a success of the Observer 

Film Exhibition, which was opened last week 

and organized by this Sunday newspaper 

in conjunction with the British Film Institute. 

Among the exhibits provided by the Group is 

a replica film set which publicizes the Rank's 

new film, "Reach for the Sky," with Kenneth 

More and Muriel Pavlov: a five-minute color 

trailer of another Rank production, "The Battle 

of the River Plate," as well as equipment 

exhibits and sets loaned by Knewood Studios. 

Spanish Conference 

Opened by Johnston 

MADRID—The resumption of American 

film exports to Spain was discussed with 

government officials here on the arrival of 

Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture 

Export Ass'n. Exports to this country 

have been suspended for a year because of 

Spanish demands relating to remittances, 

higher license fees, import quotas and courtesy 

distribution of Spanish films in the 

United States. 

G. Griffith Johnson. MPEA vice-president, 

was here to greet Johnston. He had conducted 

some preliminary negotiations. First 

indications were that negotiations may become 

protracted. While Spanish exhibitors 

want American films, the government is 

arguing that they are getting good product 

from Eiu-opean countries and that domestic 

motion picture producers don't want American 

competition. 

Jacobs Forms London 

Publicity Office 

NEW YORK—Arthur P. Jacobs Co.. public 

relations firm, has formed Arthur P. Jacobs 

Co., Ltd.. to expand into an international 

publicity organization operating throughout 

the United Kingdom and Europe. 

The newly formed British corporation, with 

offices at 144 Piccadilly. London, will be 

staffed with both American and British 

personnel. The London law firm of Hall, 

Bryden, Egerton and Nicholas has been 

retained as legal counsel. The Jacobs company 

now has offices in New York. Beverly 

Hills. London. Paris and Rome. The board 

of directors consists of Arthur P. Jacobs. 

Gilbert D. Seton. Kenneth McEldowney. 

Philip Cowen and Arthur L. Wilde. 

Jacobs, accompanied by Jerry Juroe. will 

leave in mid-June for London and the 

Continent for conferences on the Paris and 

Rome operations. 

Fox British Production 

Post Goes to Goldstein 

NEW YORK—Robert Goldstein, veteran 

production executive, has been named production 

representative in Great Britain of 

20th Century-Fox. according to Spyros P. 

Skouras. president. His responsibilities will 

include liaison with independent British producers 

and supervision of 20th-Fox talent 

development in London. He will report to 

Joseph H. Moskowitz. vice-president and studio 

representative. 

The appointment is effective July 15 when 

Goldstein will have completed features he 

is producing for United Artists release. He 

has had much production experience in 

Europe as well as in the U. S. 

U-I Business Prospects 

In Europe Look Bright 

NEW YORK—Universal-International business 

prospects in Europe are very bright. 

Americo Aboaf. vice-president and general 

sales manager of the international division, 

said Tuesday (12) on his return from Europe. 

He said a combination of improving conditions 

and hard work by U-I are responsible. 

He said his earlier prediction of better business 

than 1955 will not have to be revised. 

30-D BOXOFFICE June 16. 1956

: June 

NEWS 

VIEWS 

louvwooa Utnce— Suite 2;W at 641)4 HoUvwood Blvd.: Iv(.ii Svi 

'Moby Dick' Premiere 

In Hollywood July 2 

HOLLYWOOI>— -Moby Dick." produced 

and directed by John Huston under the 

banner of Moulin Pi-oductions, and being distributed 

by Warners, will have its Hollywood 

premiere July 2 at the Pantages Theatre. 

Gregory Peck, starring in the film version 

of the Herman Melville adventure classic, 

and Huston will be among the first-nightei-s 

while invitations also are being extended to 

industry luminaries, national, state, civic and 

foreign diplomatic dignitaries. 

The national publicity-exploitation campaign 

on Paramounfs new Dean Martin- 

Jerry Lewis comedy, "Pardners," was slated to 

be kicked off Sunday il7i via a one-day trek 

to nearby Newhall. Calif., with guests including 

some 150 members of the Hollywood 

press, radio and TV corps. A buffet lunch 

and rodeo exhibitions at the Circle J ranch 

was to be followed in the evening by a preview 

screening of "Pardners" at the American 

Theatre in that community. The 

comedy, directed by Norman Taurog and 

produced by Paul Jones, also features Lori 

Nelson. 

MGM's "The Catered Affau'," starring 

Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds 

and Barry Fitzgerald, was accorded its 

Gotham bow Thursday (14) at the Victoria 

Theatre. It had opened previously in New 

Orleans, Boston, Charlotte, Stockton, San 

Francisco, Fall River, Baton Rouge and Milwaukee, 

and is scheduled for playdates in 

more than 20 cities in the south, midwest and 

west during the next two weeks. 

Joel McCrea, star of Allied Artists' "The 

First Texan," was on hand when the CinemaScope-color 

outdoor historical drama was 

world-premiered Wednesday (13 > at the Majestic 

Theatre in Houston. Following his appearance 

there, McCrea, who portrays Sam 

Houston in the Walter Mirisch production, 

continued on a tour with stopovers scheduled 

for San Antonio. Dallas, Fort Worth, Memphis, 

Jacksonville and New Orleans. He was 

accompanied by AA exploiteer Jack Leewood. 

Saturation radio, TV and newspaper coverage 

was accorded the Thursday (14) invitational 

press preview-premiere of U-I's "Away 

All Boats" at the Village and Bruin theatres 

BETTY BOUNCES BACK—.^fter a 

four-year absence, Betty Button is returning 

to the screen in Bryna Productions' 

"Spring Reunion," a United Artists release 

co-starring Dana Andrews. Here 

the vivacious actress is welcomed by 

Robert Blumofe (left), UA's west coast 

vice-president, and Kirk Douglas, who 

heads the Bryna unit. 

Johnny Grant emceed the opening, which 

was photographed by newsreel cameramen 

in a Navy blimp. Activities prior to the premiere 

included music by the aircraft fleet 

Marine force band and a crack femme volunteer 

trick drill team from the El Toro Mai'ine 

base. Rear Admiral Robert L. Campbell, 

commander of the Los Angeles naval base and 

president of the local NRS chapter, assigned 

36 WAVES to act as ushers in the two theatres. 

A crowd of upwards of 10,000 spectators 

thi-onged the area. 

"The Maverick Queen," Republic's first 

entry in the new anamorphic Naturama widescreen 

process, opened a local booking Wednesday 

(131 at the Warner Downtown, the 

Hawaii in HoIlyw(X)d and seven Pacific driveins—the 

Centinela, Gage, Floral, San Gabriel, 

Vineland. Reseda and Victory. 

Produced and directed by Joe Kane, and 

photographed in Trucolor, "Queen" stars 

Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, Scott 

Brady and Mary Murphy, 

Upwards of 1,000 veterans of the D-Day invasion 

of Normandy were guests of 20th- 

Fox at a special screening of "D-Day the 

Sixth of June" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, 

where the Charles Brackett production, 

megged by Henry Koster, is currently playing. 

as a benefit for the Navy Relief Society. 

Correspondents representing 52 countries covered 

A prerelease screening of Allied Artists' 

the event, which also was featured on "Magnificent Roughnecks" was staged 

NBC's Monitor show, the Armed Forces Radio Wednesday (6) at the Corona Theatre in 

Service and a Station KRKD program carried 

on 245 independent stations. 

Corona, Calif., as 

department there. 

a benefit for the police 

Blacklisted 23 Lose 

Suits for 51 Million 

HOLLYWOOD—Echoes of the house un- 

American activities committee probe into 

alleged Communist infiltration of the industry's 

production branch, .staged here in 

1951, resounded when the California district 

court of appeals Monday (111 denied the 

damage claims of 23 actors, writers and 

other former film workers who had sought 

a total of $51,750,000 in claims on the contention 

they were "blacklisted" after they 

refused to testify at the hearings. 

The major company defendants, as well 

as representatives Clyde Doyle and Donald 

L. Jackson, named in the .suits, were upheld 

in their- argument that there was no guarantee 

of employment involved. This opinion 

was upheld by Judge Paul Vallee, who declared 

the house inquiry had nothing to do 

with political affiliations but was concerned 

with possible membership in organizations 

dedicated to the violent overthrow of the 

government. 

Among the plaintiffs were Anne Revere and 

Gale Sondergaard; writers Michael Wilson, 

Waldo Salt, Philip Stevenson, Louise Rousseau, 

Paul Jarrico, Abraham Polonsky, Frederick 

Rinaldo, Guy Endore and Robert Lees. 

George Sidney, Miss Shaw 

East for 'Eddy Duchin' 

HOLLYWOOD—Intensified barnstorming 

on behalf of Columbia's "The Eddy 

activities 

Duchin Story" found George Sidney, who 

directed, and Victoria Shaw, one of the 

femme leads, winging east for the Thursday 

(21) premiere at the Music Hall in New York. 

Sidney planned stopovers in Dallas. Fort 

Worth, Philadelphia and Chicago en route, 

while Miss Shaw will undertake a five-week 

tour of the midwest after the Gotham opening. 

Already in Manhattan is Kim Novak, 

starred with Miss Shaw and Tyrone Power in 

the biographical musical. She is scheduled 

for an extended tour of the south. 

Film 'Dairy Story' for TV 

HOLLYWOOD— For use as a serial presentation 

on ABC-TV's Mickey Mouse Club 

thus fall, Walt Disney began filming Tuesday 

(12) on "The Dairy Story," a liveaction 

entry being .shot on location 12 miles 

outside of Madison. Wis. Being directed by 

William Beaudine. the venture features child 

stars Annettee Funicello and Sammy Ogg, 

with Bill Walsh as the producer. Lillie Hayward 

wrote the script. 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

STUDIO PERSONNELITIES 

Cleffers 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 

Background score for "Somewhere I'll Find Hm 

RKO Radio 

cted by JEFF 

Universal-International 

DIMITRI TIOMKIN and NED WASHINGTON 

Loanouts 

Warner Bros. 

for the Marilyn Monroe-Sir Lau 

United Artists 

Columbia, ALDO RAY 

Ryan in Security 

Meggers 

Allied Artists 

'Bringing Up Joey," next in the Bowery Boys 

series, will be directed by JEAN YARBROUGH. Featuring 

Huntz Hall and Stanley Clements, it rolls Friday 

(22) as a Ben Schwclb production. 

RKO Radio 

ALLEN REISNER, already booked to direct the Sam 

Wiesenthal production, "The Day They Gove Babies 

Away," has been inked to o term deal calling for 

him to pilot one picture a year for three years. 


Security Pictures, headed by Sidney Harmon, inked 

ANTHONY MANN to pilot "Men in War," which 

will star Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray. 

Options 


MEG RANDALL drew the femme lead opposite 

George Montgomery in the Vincent M. Fennelly production, 

"54 Washington Street," which was launched 

Friday (8) in CinemaScope under the direction of 

Paul Londres. Inked for the featured cost was 

KEITH LARSEN. Cost additions include JOHN DAM- 

LER, HARLAN WARDE, WILLIS BOUCHEY, GREGG 

BARTON, WILLARD SAGE, MICHAEL ANSARA and 

DOUGLAS KENNEDY. 

Broadway actor WILLIAM ROERICK and MORGAN 

JONES were cost in "Not of This Earth." 

PHILLIP PHILLIPS, eight-year-old actor recently 

C-z-ecuiliAe 

West : Milton R. Rackmil, president of Universal-International, 

arrived by plane from 

New York for a series of studio conferences. 

West: Alfred E. Daff, executive vice-president 

of Universal-International, planed in 

from Europe after participating in regional 

sales meetings in Paris, Rome and Munich. 

While abroad Daff also visited Holland. 

West: Steve Broidy, Allied Artists president, 

returned from a week's trip to New York, where 

he conferred with Edward Morey, vice-president, 

and Morey R. Goldstein, sales 

chief. 

East: Sol C. Siegel, producing for MGM 

release, will take off for Europe late this 

month to establish production headquarters 

in London, Paris and Lisbon for his next 

venture, "Les Girls." 

West: Producer-director Otto Pi-emingier 

placed under term contract by the studio, will moke 

his screen debut in the Bowery Boys comedy, "Bringing 

Up Joey," which rolls Friday (22) as a Ben Schwalb 

production. It will be megged by Jean Yarbrough. 

Columbia 

Swedish star MAI ZETTERLING has been signed 

in team with Tyrone Power Copa Productions' 

to 

"Seven Waves Away," CinemaScope-Technicolor 

drama which Ted Richmond will put before the 

cameras in England early next month. Richard 

Sales directs. 

BETTY GARRETT will have one of the starring 

roles in the upcoming suspense drama, "The Missing 

Witness," which will be directed by William Asher for 

Producer Jonie Tops. 

RKO Radio 

TIM MC COY 

COL. 

the 

3fter a 1 2-y the 

Producer-director Samuel Fuller booked CARLTON 

for roles as Indians 

YOUNG and CHARLES RONSON 

in the film which stars Steiger. Broadway stage 

Rod 

actor H. M. WYNANT was cast os a Sioux Indian 

REX THOMPSON, 12-year-old actor, was bonded 

key role in the Glynis Johns-Cameron Mitchell 

a 

starrer, "The Day They Gave Babies Away," which 

Allen Reisner will direct. 

British MELVILLE COOPER, character comedian, 

was booked for the Debbie Reynolds-Eddie Fisher 

vehicle, "Bundle of Joy," on Edmund Grainger production 

which Norman Tourog will direct. UNA 

MERKEL drew o character comedy lead. Screen newcomer 

ROXANNE ARLEN loined the cast. 

Comedienne CAROL CHANNING will star with 

in Jane Powell the Stanley Rubin production, "The 

Girl Most Likely," being prepared for on August stort 

with Mitchell Leisen as the megaphonist. 

20th Century-Fox 

Controctee JAMES DRURY was held for another 


Character octor ROY ROBERTS was added to the 

cast of the Russ-Field production, "The King and 

Four Queens," which stars Clark Gable and Eleanor 

Parker. The CinemoScope-color outdoor drama is 

being directed by Raoul Walsh. 

Producer Bob Goldstein ticketed STERLING HAY- 

DEN for the mole lead opposite Barbara Stanwyck In 

the upcoming "Love Story," which Gerd Oswald will 

direct. Inked for a featured role v WRAY. 

RAYMOND BURR will essay the i 

Universal-International 

;a CHASE will hove a featured spot in "Inter- 

CinemaScope-Technicolor romantic drama 

ng June Allyson and Rossano Brazzi, which will 

Imed on location in Munich os a Ross Hunter 

iction. Douglas Sirk directs. French character 

is FRANCOISE ROSAY was booked for the role 

^^laê/e^ 

was due in from France to begin casting for 

his upcoming "Bonjour Ti-istesse," which he 

will make on location in Eiu'ope this summer 

for MGM distribution. 

East: Producer Sam Katzman and director 

Fred Sears planed to Gotham to launch location 

filming on "Rumble on the Docks," which 

rolls Wednesday (20) for Columbia release. 

West: Producer-director- writer Sheldon 

Reynolds checked in from Paris to begin 

preparations for his next venture for United 

Artists, an untitled offering to be made in 

Mexico. His initialer for UA, "Foreign Intrigue," 

opened here Wednesday (13). 

West: Harold Hecht, Burt Lancaster and 

James Hill of Hecht-Lancaster checked in 

after attending the New York and Chicago 

openings of then- current United Artists release, 

"Trapeze." 

Scripters 


RICHARD LANDAU is penning Bel-Air Productions' 

Wanton Murder," a mystery with a modern western 

locole, which producers Aubrey Schenck and Howard 

W. Koch plan to roll late in July on location in Utah. 

NOEL LANGLEY has been inked to develop "The 

Viking," a Bryna production, which will star Kirk 

Douglas. 

Story Buys 

Independent 

Todon Productions, headed by Tony Owen and his 

actress-wife. Donna Reed, acquired "1 Was Monty's 

Double," a novel by Clifton James. 

Republic 

Film rights were secured to "A Killer Is Loose," 

o mystery novel by Gil Brewer. 

Warner Bros. 

"Birdmon of Alcotroz," a new tome by Thomas E. 

Goddis, has been purchased by Joshua Logan under 

the banner of his Mansfield Productions unit. It is 

based on the true story of a life-termer who became 

Technically 


Crew recruited for "54 Washington Street" includes 

ELLSWORTH FREDRICKS, cameraman; DAVE MIL- 

TON, art director; ALLEN K WOOD, production manager, 

and EDWARD MOREY JR., JOHN BANSE and 

MAURICE LESSAY, assistant directors. 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 

Lensing assignments include RUSSELL HARLAN to 

"Something of Value" and JOHN ALTON to "The 

Teahouse of the August Moon." 

RKO Radio 

BEN CHAPMAN was set as assistant director and 

GENE BRYANT os unit manager on the Somuel Fuller 

production, "Run of the Arrow." 

Crew assignments on "Strike a Blow" include BOB 

SWINK, film editor; RICHARD MODER, assistant 

director; ED DONOHOE, unit manager, and ROBERT 

PLANCK, cinematographer. 


Warner Bros. 

EDDIE RHINE has been named os^ 

Bowers, the studio's head casting dir 

Title 

Changes 

Allied 

Artists 

CALLING HOMl 


Apache" (Bel-Air) to TOMAHAWK 

Dore Schary to Ad Session 

HOLLYWOOD—Motion pictures will be 

represented by Dore Schary, MGM studio 

head, at the upcoming five-day convention of 

the Advertising Ass'n of the West, scheduled 

to open Sunday (24) at the Statler hotel. 

Schary, Ivy Baker Priest, treasurer of the 

U. S., John Karol, CBS vice-president, and 

industrial and advertising executives will 

speak. 

To Direct 'Painted Veil' 

HOLLYWOOD—British megaphonist Ronald 

Neame has been booked by MGM to direct 

the David Lewis production, "The 

Painted Veil." To star Eleanor Parker, it is 

adapted from a story by W. Somerset 

Maugham. 

Dani Crayne Signed 

HOLLYWOOD—Actress Dani Crayne, 

formerly 

under contract to Universal-International, 

has been signed to a term ticket by 

Warner Bros. 

June 16, 1956

Script Backlog at U-I 

Now Numbers 22 

HOLLYWOOD—A backlOR of 22 scripts, 

largest in the Ktudio's history, is now on hand 

at U-I, it was reported by Playmond Crossett. 

scenario and story editor. Assigned definite 

starting dates are Interlude, Joe Butterfly, 

MNTERESTING. but hardly fxciting. is 

The Deadly Mantis aJid Night Passage. Others on the list include And No One the theatre admissions credit system being 

Answered, And Yet So Far, The Bandstand. considered by industry brass as one possible 

Crazy Love. Dark Waters, Decision at Durango. 

means of bolstering waning boxofficc 

takes. reasonable to assume that tho.se 

It is 

The Eyes of Father Tomasino, Flight From Fear. The Hidden Heart, The Louisiana 

Story, Man Afraid. Man of Violence, My 

Man Godfrey. No Power on Earth. Peter and 

weighing the proposal have given due consideration 

to the headaches it might involve 

for theatremen— additional bookkeeping, collections, 

Catherine, Plains of the Mohawk, Quantez, 

bad credit risks and/or refusal to pay 

Step Down to Terror and The Tattered because of alleged misrepresentation of cer- 

Dress. 

U-I inked Fred MacMurray and Maureen 

O'Hara for top roles in two upcoming films. 

MacMiuray to star in the Gordon Kay production. 

"Quantez," and Mi.ss O'Hara to appear 

with moppet Tim Hovey in "The World 

and Little Willie." Both are slated for early 

camera starts. 

"Quantez," in Technicolor and Cinema- 

Scope, is an outdoor action drama. "Willie." 

which Howard ChrLstie will produce, is a 

comedy about a lad named boy mayor for a 

day. 

Warner Telefilm Unit 

Adds Conflict Series 

HOLLYWOOD — Further expansion of 

Warners' telefilm activity was disclosed with 

the addition of a new dramatic series. Conflict, 

to its weekly Warner Bros. Presents 

show on ABC-TV. It will alternate with the 

Cheyenne group headlining Clint Walker. 

Studio head Jack L. Warner will continue 

to exert personal supervision over the video 

output, with William T. Orr as executive 

producer. A midmonth start has been 

scheduled for the fall season's Warner Bros. 

Presents subjects, and six writers are currently 

at work on scripts. 

Fred Briskin, production executive with 

Screen Gems. Columbia's TV subsidiary, has 

obtained his release from that post in order 

to join the newly formed Irving Briskin Productions, 

headed by his father, as vice-president. 

The elder Briskin recently resigned 

as a Columbia studio executive in order to 

organize the new company. 

Both Briskins will continue to supervise 

the Screen Gems output as well as those 

turned out by their- own organization. 

Postpone Typee' Filming 

HOLLYWOOD—Because of transportation 

difficulties, inadequate housing facilities and 

expected heavy rains in the South Seas during 

the next several months, location filming 

of John Huston's "Typee," a Gregory 

Peck starrer for Allied Artists, has been 

postponed. Harold J. Mirisch. AA vice-pre.sident, 

said a new starting date will be announced 

shortly for the film version of the 

Herman Melville novel. 

Start 'Hunted' Monday 

HOLLYWOOD—With Ray Milland as star 

and director, camera work will begin Monday 

1 18 1 on 'The Hunted," a psychological drama 

rolling at Revue Productions for the General 

Electric Theatre. 

tain pictures' merits, a practice not entirely 

foreign to the gentle art of exploiting celluloid. 

Whether or not the scheme can attract 

sufficient additional patronage to justify 

these and other obvious bugs, only an experimental 

tryout of the venture can determine. 

At best, the undertaking will stack up, in 

the opinion of many industi-y observers, as 

a grasping-at-straws measure. 

My gal I took to a picture show. 

I signed the tab—credit's good, ya know. 

And when they try to collect the fee, 

I'll scream, "It smelled, so just sue me." 

Obviously, a -sales slogan will have to be 

created to cover the theatre-tickets-on-credit 

panacea. The airlines use "Fly Now and Pay 

Later." which, parenthetically, is being 

pirated by the peddlers of reefers. 

In the case of movie houses, a flexible ad 

line might be used, changing it to apply to 

individual bookings. Examples: 

For comedies: "Laugh Now and Pay Later." 

For tearjerkers: "Weep Now and Pay Later." 

For horror films: "Shiver Now and Pay 

Later." 

For jive musicals: "Rock Now—We'll Roll 

You Later." 

Former residents of London, and those who 

know the English metropolis, are snickering 

over a glaring technical error in 20th Century- 

Fox's "23 Faces to Baker Street," the Van 

Johnson starrer, produced by Henry Ephron. 

In the picture it is possible to closely watch 

the Thames river and its teeming barge 

traffic from the balcony of Johnson's apartment; 

and when he left the building he—portraying 

a blind man—could negotiate the distance 

to the thoroughfare made famous by 

Sherlock Holmes by traveling exactly the 23 

paces of the title. 

.As a matter of geographical fact. Baker 

At Washington Dinner 

HOLLYWOOD—Bob Hope, Jane Powell. 

Pearl Bailey. Vic Damone, pianist Leonard 

Pennario and the dance team of Murio and 

Sheila were the show busine.ss headliners at 

the Thursday i7i annual White House News 

Photographers Ass'n dinner in Washington, 

honoring President Eisenhower. The show 

was presented through the Motion Picture 

Ass'n of America. 

several miles from the Thames. 

street is 

Kemarkable what those CinemaScope 

lenses can do. 

While it was a comparatively infinitesimal 

incident on the broad horizon of .show business, 

it brought into renewed focus an apparently 

inexplicable question that has been 

puzzling the motion picture industry. Recently 

appearing as its mystery guest on 

NBC's television program. "What's My Line?" 

one of the most articulate and intelligent of 

video's quiz shows, was pianist Liberace. The 

smiling maestro of the 88 received an ovation 

from the studio audience, the enthusiasm 

and vociferousness of which has been accorded 

to few, if any. celebrities appearing 

in that niche—and that has included many 

strongly established and greatly gifted stars. 

That reception was just another manifestation 

of his wide popularity, the stratospheric 

extent of which has long since been irrefutably 

established by his appearances in 

concert halls, niteries, on the radio and TV. 

Yet, when Liberace made a feature motion 

picture—and an entirely praiseworthy theatrical 

film it wa.s—the offering fell markedly 

short of attracting the patronage that was 

indicated by its admitted merits and the topliner's 

vast fan following. That Warners' 

"Sincerely Yoiu-s" was considerable of a 

financial disappointment to the company 

under whose aegis it was produced and distributed, 

and to Liberace himself—and he 

had some of his own money invested in tlie 

venture— is a well-known fact, the reasons for 

which are still baffling the magi of production. 

Moreover, the same general circumstances 

obtain as concerns Paramount's "The Birds 

and the Bees." which stars George Gobel. one 

of television's most popular funny men. There 

are other equally typical examples, such as 

MGM's "Forever Darling." which headlined 

Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, a team of telecasting's 

top comedians. 

If the answer lies in the assumption that 

TV is TV and films are films, and never the 

twain shall meet, the producers of theatrical 

motion pictures would do well to give consideration 

to such proposition before turning 

further to 

the ranking luminaries of video as 

a counter to the competition that such personalities 

are tossing at theatres via the living 

rooms of erstwhile movie audiences. 

Here, then, is possibly a situation in which 

the time-honored strategy, "If you can't lick 

em. join em." fails to hold water. 

Irwin Allen on U. S. Tour 

HOLLYWOOD—Irwin Allen, who wrote, 

produced and directed "The Animal World" 

for Warners, checked out on a 28-day crosscountry 

tour to plug openings of the Technicolor 

documentary. His itinerary includes 

New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, Houston. San 

Antonio, Los Angeles. Indianapolis. Cincinnati. 

Cleveland, San Francisco, Denver and 

Chicago. 

BOXOFFICE June 16, 1956 33

. . . Max 

. . Irving 

. . George 

. . Bob 

. . Dave 

. . Lou 

. . 

. . Dolores 

. . The 

. . On 

. . 

. . 

. . 

: June 

SAN FRANCISCO 

/"•atholic men from the motion pictm'e m- 

dustry in this area recited the rosary on 

the Rosary Hour on radio station KROW 

Monday. Spearheading the group were 

Charles Maestri, Lippert Theatres; Paul 

Schmuck. 20th-Fox; James Donohue, Consolidated 

Amusement Co., and William Boland. 

Harry Theatres. Msgr. Vincent McCarthy 

was the rosary leader . . . The Burl Theatre 

In Boulder Creek was destroyed by fii-e 

with an estimated loss of $125,000. Owned 

by Harold Hilton, the theatre was directly 

across the street from a restaurant and 

market that burned down April 22. 

A group of about 20 residents of Novato 

protested construction of a drive-in theatre 

in their community, but the Marin Planning 

commission voted to rezone the 12-acre site 

to permit the project . . . The Park Theatre 

in Menlo Park and the Fox in San Francisco 

have agreed to give Stanford students discount 

prices, bringing to seven the number 

of theatres which have agreed to the discount 

plan. Others include the Stanford, the 

Fox in Redwood City, the Carlos in San 

Carlos, the San Mateo in San Mateo and the 

Peninsula in Burlingame. Students must buy 

a discount card good for one year at $1 each. 

Fifty cents of the card price goes to the 

ASUC for a worthy campus project and 50 

cent is retained by the theatre. 

. 

Burlingame's Peninsula Theatre is due for 

an extensive remodeling job in about three 

months Levin, San Francisco 

Theatres, was recently presented the Angel 

of Mercy award from the City of Hope in 

recognition of Levin's contributions to the 

medical center. 

Helen Fulkerson, Fox West Coast booking 

secretary and her two small boys, are visiting 

her family in Wisconsin . Cantor of 

New York, in charge of exploitation for RKO 

Pictures, brought in four starlets for promotion 

on "The First Traveling Saleslady," 

which will open late in July at the Golden 

Gate. Don Prince, west coast publicist, also 

was here on the film . . . Hargis Arnett, former 

manager of the Paramount Theatre here, 

now at the Downtown Paramount in Los 

Angeles, was visiting friends along the Row 

Burcutt. publicist for Warners, was 

in town working on "The Animal World," 

due at the Paramount, and "Santiago" coming 

to the St. Francis . Maren was 

in on "Earth Vs. The Flying Saucer." due 

at the Paramount, and "Autumn Leaves." 

Max Talmadge, Crest Sales, affiliated with 

United California Theatres, has a new deodorant 

called KO . Naify has been 

appointed general manager of United California 

Theatres, replacing Verne Taylor, who 

has retired . . . Harold 

Wirthwein. Allied 

Artists division manager, was in for sales 

confabs with Mel Hulling, local manager . 

Al Fitter and Ralph Clark, division and district 

managers for United Artists, conferred 

with local branch executives. 

Stan Lefcourt has been dubbed outstanding 

volley ball player in the noon class at 

the YMCA . Mitchell, manager at 

Republic, is taking a third degree as a Mason 

on the 19th . . . Barney Rose. U-I district 

manager, returned from a Phoenix business 

trip. 

Frank Harr has been selected to head the 

Variety Club picnic in July. Practically all 

Filmrow is closing for the day to allow employes 

to attend. The planned site is the 

Marin Town & Country Club in Fairfax and 

from all indications it will be about the 

biggest annual get-together yet. 

. 

Bud Levin, district head for San Francisco 

Theatres, has been picked to chairman the 

Variety Club's Blind Babies collection drive 

. in August Jovich. secretary to 

Bud Levin, was vacationing in Honolulu 

Sam Sobel. Tower Pictures, vacationing in 

the Caribbean, sent postcards to his friends 

on Filmrow. "Having a wonderful time . 

send money." 

George Glosser, former head booker at UA, 

said goodby to his many friends here prior 

to moving to Tacoma to establish himself 

Westwood Theatre at 

in business 

Westwood was closed by the Westland crrcuit 

. . 1. 

Effective July William Baum 

will take over the Valley Theatre at Anderson, 

which formerly was booked by John 

Bowles. 

LOS ANGELES 

pinishing with honors in the just concluded 

Barney Balaban playdate drive was the 

local Paramount branch. Gene Beuerman 

finished in first place nationally among salesmen; 

Arnold Shartin. also of the sales staff, 

grabbed seventh spot, and the bookers wound 

up in the No. 2 position . . . Pete Simos of 

the Virginia Theatre in Bakersfield and Mrs. 

Simos headed for Europe on an extended 

holiday . . . Jules Gerehck, salesman at Universal-International, 

entered the hospital for 

a checkup. 

Among booking-buying visitors were Bob 

McCracken, of the Arizona-Paramount circuit; 

O. K. Leonard, Apache Drive-In, Globe, 

Ariz., and Bill Alford, booker-buyer for Earl 

line . . . 

. 

Streebe's theatres in Palm Springs and Crest- 

Stan Lay, formerly with B. F. 

Shearer as a salesman, joined National Theatre 

Supply in a similar capacity . . Irv Levin, 

head of Filmakers and partner of Charles 

Kranz in the Kranz-Levin exchange, checked 

in 

for huddles with Kranz. 

. 

Filmrow's condolences went to Dave Robbins 

of the Variety Theatre, whose wife died 

of cancer the vacation beat Jack 

Sherriff, Kranz-Levin salesman, and wife 

took off for Cincinnati, Cleveland and New 

York; Andy Anderson of Associated Theatres 

and wife headed for northern California . . . 

N. P. "Red" Jacobs, head of Favorite Films, 

returned from a northern business junket. 

Sero Amusement appointed Mark Modine 

manager of its Cherry Pass Drive-In, located 

between Beaumont and Banning. He succeeds 

Gus Nardoni, transferred to Pomona 

by Sero to pilot its new Mission Drive-In . 

Harold Wirthwein, western division sales manager 

for Allied Artists, returned from a trek 

to San Francisco, where he huddled with 

Mel Hulling, co-owner of the west coast 

franchise, and James Myers. Bay City manager. 

Joe Newman to 'Underdog' 

HOLLYWOOD—Joseph Newman will direct 

RKO's "Underdog." based on a new 

novel by W. R. Burnett. Slated to begin 

camera work in August, the suspense drama 

is a Stanley Rubin production. 

Reissued 'Fantasia' 

Skyrockets at LA 

LOS ANGELES— Aided by a weekend house 

record. Walt Disney's rereleased "Fantasia" 

skyrocketed to the top of the local first run 

scale with an impressive 300 per cent average 

in its initial stanza at the Fine Ai-ts. Right 

on its heels, at 275 per cent for its second 

week, was "Trapeze." while "Bhowani Junction" 

opened strongly in two houses for a 

165 estimate. Busine.ss otherwise hovered 

aj-ound the below-normal mark in most 

situations. 


Chinese— D-Day the Sixth of June (20th-Fox) 

2nd wk 85 

Downtown Paramount, Pantages, Warners "jViltern 

The Searchers (WB); Our Miss Brooks (WB), 

2nd wk 90 

Egyptian, United Artists Oklahoma! (Magna), 

29tti wk 100 

Rey—Citizen 50 

El Kane (RKO), reissue, 3rd wk 

Fine Arts Fantasia (Buona Vista), reissue .... 300 

Four Star The Naked Night (Times), 4th wk... 40 

Fox Wilshire Tropeze (UA), 2nd wk 275 

Paramount Hollywood The Mon Who Knew Too 

Much (Para), 3rd wk 135 

State, Vogue Bhowani 165 

Junction (MGM) 

Warners Beverly Autumn Leaves (Col), 80 

4th wk. 

Warners Hollywood Cineramo Holiday (Cinerama), 

30th wk 110 

"Searchers' at Frisco 

Opens With Big 225 

SAN FRANCISCO—Following weeks of 

merely average barometer readmgs. the current 

crop of first runs this week came up with 

some mighty spectacular results. The opening 

of "The Searchers" at the Paramount 

rated a blasting 225 per cent, with the opening 

of "D-Day the Sixth of June" rating 150 

per 

cent. 

Fox—D-Day the Sixth of June (20th-Fox) 150 

Golden Gate—The Rowhide Yeors (U-1) 80 

Paramount The Searchers (WB) 225 

St Francis The Man Who Knew Too Much (Para), 

2nd wk 125 

United Artists Foreign Intrigue (UA); The Broken 

Stor (UA) 100 

Worfield Bhowani 80 

Junction (MGM), 3rd wk 

'UFO' Draws Well in First 

Seattle Week, With 130 

SEATTLE—"The Searchers" continued to 

lead Seattle's filmfare, chalking up a strong 

145 as it wound up its third week at the 

Orpheum. A very unusual picture. "Unidentified 

Flying Objects." a documentary 

that includes actual footage taken by 

amateurs of "flying saucers." wound up a 

good first week at the Coliseum with 130. 

Blue Mouse Doctor ot Sea (Rep), 3rd wk 75 

Coliseum Unidentified Flying Obiects (UA)....130 

Fifth Avenue D-Doy the Sixth of June (20th- 

Fox), 2nd wk 100 

Music Box—The wk.lOS 

Ladykillers (Cont'l Dis.), 5th 

Music Hall-World in My Corner (U-I) 90 

Orpheum The Searchers (WB), 3rd wk 145 

Paramount The Man Who Knew Too Much 

(Para), 2nd wk 125 

"Knew Too Much' Rates 

Fourth Week in Denver 

DENVER—Only one film was held in a 

fair week for most first runs. The weather 

has been conducive to outdoor activities, and 

folks are taking advantage of it. apparently. 

"The Man Who Knew Too Much" was held 

for a fourth week at the Denham. 

Centre—D-Doy the Sixth of June (20th-Fox), 2nd 

wk 85 

Denham The Mon Who Knew Too Much (Paro), 

3rd wk 125 

Denver—Toy Tiger (U I); Crushing Las Vegas 

(AA) 95 

Esquire Touch and Go (U-1) 90 

Orpheum—While the City Sleeps (RKO); Slightly 

Scarlet (RKO) 100 

Paramount The Searchers (WB), 3rd wk. plus 

Three Bod Sisters (UA) 100 

Voaue The Return of Don Camillo (IMPA), 2nd 

wk 125 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

m, 

- 

Lloyd Wirtz to Manage 

For Forman in Salem 

SALEM. ORE—Lloyd Wirtz. managei- of 

Inland Theatre in Bend for the past three 

years, has been transferred here as manager 

of the Forman Bros. United Theatres. 

Inland Theatres is a subsidiary of the larger 

group. Wirtz replaces Earl V. Jones, who has 

resigned the Salem managership to engage 

ni the restaurant business in Portland. 

In Bend. Wirtz managed the Capitol and 

Tower theatre.s and the Bend Drive-In. In 

returning to Salem, he is on familiar ground, 

he explained. He opened the Salem Drive-In 

in 1948. He will also manage three indoor 

theatres here. Mr. and Mrs. Wirtz and their 

children. Lowell. 6. and LaDell. 3. have already 

moved to Salem. 

Ben Hollis. manager for the circuit in Aberdeen, 

will succeed Wirtz in Bend. He and 

Irving Briskin on Own 

HOLLYWOOD—To form his own viedo 

film production company, which will release 

through Columbia's TV subsidiary. Screen 

Gems. Irving Briskin has resigned as Columbia 

studio manager, effective July 1. 

Briskin also will supervise all Screen Gems 

production, over which his son Fred functions 

as executive producer. 

NBC Gets Coast Games 

NEW YORK—The National Broadcasting 

Co. will televise five coast conference football 

games on a regional basis this fall. Its coverage 

now includes an eight-game slate to be 

carried nationally, and regional telecasts on 

five dates in the ea.stern. Big Ten and coast 

sections. 

George Nader to Co-Star 

HOLLYWOOD—George Nader has been assigned 

by his home studio. U-I, to co-star 

with Audie Murphy in "Joe Butterfly." a 

stor>' of postwar Tokyo, which Aaron Rosenberg 

will begin producing on location there 

next month. Je.sse Hibbs will direct. 

Theatre Building Is Condemned 

PORTLAND. ORE.—The city council has 

voted to condemn the old Multnomah Theatre 

building at 7843 SW Capitol highway as 

a hazard. City inspectors testified that the 

500-seat house was the scene of three fires 

in recent years and has not been repaired. 

Louis ('. (Insparini. \llni.|ii.r(|iu , 

, 

.\ss'n, left, and .Alfred Starr, chairman 

of the board of TOA, center, snapped 

with Nathan Greer, Santa Fe, president 

of the New Mexico group, at the All>uquerque 

convention. 

PHOENIX 

the Lyric until September 1955. when he 

moved back to Phoenix at the Vista. 

Tucson has a new television station, 

KDWI-TV. owned by D. W. Ingram. Arizona 

rancher, lumberman and builder . . . The 

ushers at the Kiva Theatre in Scottsdale are 

spending the summer in Bermuda shorts and 

the management is serving iced tea in the 

lobby. 

To promote "UFO" at the Fox. the theatre 

.showered down 1.000 aluminum foil saucers 

from a plane for two days. Half of them were 

marked, entitling the bearer to free admission. 

Manager Sam Bagwell of the Fox Theatre 

had a lobby display of guns, mortars, etc., to 

publicize "D-Day Sixth of June." He had 

hoped to start the film on the 6th but "The 

Searchers" did so well that it was held over 

'till the 12th. The display had an honor guard 

made up from the different reserve infantry 

regiments in this military district. 

F&M Buys at Palisades, 

Leases to Helm & Hoffman 

PACIFIC PALISADES. CALIF.—South.side 

Theatres, a Fanchon & Marco subsidiary, has 

purchased the 1.000-seat Bay Theatre here 

from Edward Grossman and has leased the 

house to Hcl. 1 & Hoffman Enterprises, 

headed by Charles R. Helm and Philip Hoffman. 

The latter circuit also operates the Imperial 

in Inglewood and the Normandie in 

Los Angeles. 

5 Phoenix Drive-ins 

To Southwest Corp. 

PHOENIX— Sale of five Phoenix drive-in 

theatres to the newly formed Southwest Drive- 

In Theatres, Inc., was disclosed early this 

week. It was said to be the largest theatre 

transaction in Arizona history. Included in 

the transaction were the Northern, Phoenix, 

Silver Dollar, Peso and Acres of Fun. 

Headquarters for the new corporation, 

whose principal stockholders are W. R. Forman 

of Los Angeles and Harry Nace jr., of 

Phoenix, are expected to be located here. 

Forman is president of Pacific Drive-In 

Corp.. the largest drive-in chain in the world. 

He al.so heads other companies operating 

theatre chains in California, Oregon. Washington, 

and Hawaii. Nace, a native of Phoenix, 

owns the largest chain of theatres in the 

state. He has spent his life in the theatre 

business. 

his wife are to occupy the house being vacated 

by the Wirtz family. 

Don Guttman. Los Angeles, was named 

general manager for the new Arizona chain. 

He holds a similar position with the Pacific 

Drive-In Corp. Otto Kammer. former city 

Canadian Artists, SAG^ A visit to the Sombrero Theatre is a pleasure manager of the Paramount Theatres in 

Sign Mutual Aid Pact 

not only to see art films exhibited there, Phoenix, was appointed resident regional 

HOLLYWOOD—A "mutual aid and 

but also for the unique decor of the theatre manager. Kammer joined the Pacific chain 

assistance 

pact" with the Canadian Council of and adjoining supper club. The theatre is about a year ago. 

Authors and Artists has been signed by the 

decorated in a modem southwestern motif: The Phoenix, which was owned by Nace. 

Screen Actors Guild, it was disclosed by John the usherettes wear silk-screened skirts, is located at 3600 Ea.st Van Buren and covers 

.showing the theatrical 

L. Dales. SAG executive secretary. The Canadian 

union includes motion 

masks of tragedy and approximately ten acres. The Acres. Silver 

comedy, while the ushers and Manager Gene Dollar and the Peso were owned by Nace and 

picture players. 

Salyer, 

Under the agreement the SAG and CCAA 

wear white dinner jackets. This is Fred Crockett, also a local theatreman. The 

agi'ee to protect each other's wage the first year that owner Ann Lee has booked new corporation bought out Crockett. The 

scales 

from "cutrate" competition, and members 

her own films. Assisting in operation is Gene Silver Dollar is on 13 acres at 7201 South 

of 

Salyer, 

the respective groups may work in each 

who started at the Vista Theatre in Central. The Acres and the Peso, at 3700 and 

other's 

country for up to eight weeks without having 

Phoenix in 1946 as assistant manager. In 3800 West Van Buren. cover 40 acres. 

1948 he moved to Globe, Arizona, where "It is with considerable pride." said Nace. 

to join the other union. 

he managed the Alden and the Globe theatres 

of the Fox West Coast chain. He then of the most successful theatre operators in 

"That I can now reveal that Bill Forman, one 

went to Tucson where he was manager of the country, has joined me to bring substantial 

entertainment and recreational development 

to Phoenix. Forman's companies 

not only comprise the largest number of 

drive-in theatres in the world, but several 

of them are the largest drive-ins in size in 

the world." 

Forman. who left Phoenix after the transaction 

had been arranged, commented: 

"Things are really buzzing in the Phoenix area 

and we are launching our new enterprise 

with confidence in the future. We are looking 

forward to becoming a part of this progressive 

community and I am especially pleased 

that Harry Nace has become my business 

associate." 

Guttman said no change in personnel of 

the five purchased theatres is contemplated. 

Remodeling and enlargement of some of the 

theatres is being discussed. In the next two 

weeks a new booking policy of pictures will 

be determined. 

To Shoot 'Value' Locales 

HOLLYWOOD—A special subject depicting 

Director Richard Brooks' search for African 

locales for "Something of Value" will be 

photographed for MGM by Norman Alley, 

newsreel cameraman. He will head for Nairobi 

next week to shoot Brooks' location 

junket in the Mau Mau country. "Value," to 

star Rock Hudson, is based on the novel by 

Robert Ruark and is being produced by Pandro 

S. Herman. 

According to recent statistics United States 

films are well received in Prance. 

BOXOFFICE June 16. 1956

. . James 

. . Clarence 

. . Mrs. 

. . Further 

. . John 

. . Filmrow 

. . Warner 

: 

June 

. . 

OENVER 

TUTr. and Mrs. Esmond Hardin, Hayes Center, 

^ 

Neb., theatre owners, were vacationing 

ill Oklahoma Batter, buyer and 

. 

booker, was recovering from strep throat and 

virus pneumonia ... J. J. Jacques. National 

Theatre Calendar manager, left the hospital 

after three weeks stay from an ulcer flare-up. 

Chick Lloyd, independent distributor, went 

to Albuquerque for a sales meet and to attend 

. 

the TOA convention closings 

the Denver film area include the El Cobra 

in 

at Santa Rita. N. M., and the Tejo at Hurley. 

N. M. . 

Peterson, owner of the 

Vogue at Littleton, is opening a 200-car 

drive-in at Castle Rock. 

John Roberts is closing the Emerson at 

Brush for the summer while his Brush 

Drive-In is open . . . Frank Jenkins, MGM 

publicity man, went to Salt Lake on company 

business Gloria Genevese, secretary to 

. . . 

the district manager of Paramount, went to 

New York to spend her vacation at her 

former home Nona Barlow has installed 

Cinemascope, giant screen, new lamps 

. 

and rectifier in the booth of her Lode theatre 

at Silverton, buying the equipment from 

Western Service & Supply. 

Remodeling done at the Columbia exchange 

gives the salesmen each a private office, and 

the bookers an improved setup . . . 

Richard 

Fulham, 20th-Fox manager, went to western 

Colorado on a fishing vacation . . . 

Betty 

Fushima, secretary at Universal, and Thomas 

Yoshikawa, were married at the Tri-States 

Buddist church. Nancy Sogi, also a secretary 

in the same office, sang two songs at the 

wedding. 

Barbara Collins is the new booking secretary 

at Universal, succeeding Nancy Sogi, 

who is moving to Los Angeles . . . 

Marvin 

Goldfarb, Buena Vista district manager, went 

to Salt Lake City on a sales trip. He announced 

that "The Great Locomotive Chase" 

will open at the Orpheum here July 4 . . . 

William Lay has re,signed as booker at United 

Artists. 

Frank H. Ricketson jr.. president of Fox 

Intermountain Theatres, and Joe Dekker. 

in partner Civic Theatres, were active in 

the move to get two Texas longhorn cattle 

for the Denver zoo . 

$0$ 

. . 

Producer-director 

WHEN YOU ARE 

IN A RUSH FOR 

SPECIAL 

TRAILERS 

Yon Won't Be Disappointed 

U You Send An S.O.S. 

«« ;i° 

«« 51. 

FILMACK 

"CALIFORNIA THEATRE" 

Owner says 1955 gross over 

$35,000. Terms. Write for 

detoils. 

THEATRE EXCHANGE 

^ s 

A STATE WELCOME—Russ Tamblyn, 

whose latest for MGM is "The Fastest 

Gun Alive," and his bride, visited Salt 

Lake City and were welcomed by Gov. 

J. Bracken Lee at the State House. The 

couple participated in the fund-raising 

program at the Academy Theatre in Provo, 

Utah, for the scholarship drive at Brigham 

Young University. Here, Larry Jensen, 

Fox city manager at Provo, is seen 

with the young couple and the governor 

in the latter's office. 

John Huston was in to start the campaign on 

"Moby Dick," which will open here later in 

the summer Hannigan, 

. 

76, electrician 

at the Orpheum from the time it 

opened, died last week. 

Theatre people seen on Filmrow included 

Mr. and Mrs. Don Monson and their three 

children, David. Mary Lou and Dianne of 

Rifle; Marie Goodhand, Kimball, Neb.: Dorrance 

Schmidt. Bridgeport, Neb.; Jack Bruno, 

Pueblo; Neil Beezley, Burlington; James 

Peterson, Littleton; John Wood. Springer, 

N. M.: Glen Wittstruck, Meeker; Lloyd Grave, 

Eagle; Fred Hall, Akron; Paul Heeney, Kemmerer; 

J. K. Powell. Wray; Dr. F. E. Rider. 

Wauneta, Neb, and C. E. McLaughlin, Las 

Animas, 

SALT LAKE CITY 

•trandals struck at the Hyland Drive-In, 

causing damage of $3,000. They broke 

two Cinemascope lenses and jabbed holes in 

200 speakers. They left a scribbled note to 

the manager that they would return. It was 

the worst case of theatre vandalism in recent 

history. The Hyland is operated by the 

Utah Drive-in Corp. 

Bright summer weather continued throughout 

the week to bolster sagging boxoffice 

receipts of drive-ins which had been hurt 

by a late summer. The warm weather 

brought increased competition to theatres, 

however. Resorts had such attractions as 

Peggy King, Four Aces, Four Knights, Mel 

Torme and others following each other. 

Variety Tent 38 was putting the finishing 

touches on plans for the annual Variety 

Roadshow scheduled late this month at Murray 

Airport No. 2. All proceeds will go toward 

establishment of a school for exceptional children. 

Plans also were going forward for the 

annual round-up and golf tournament to be 

held in connection with the sports car show. 

SEATTLE 

n Siegel, Columbia exploiteer, was working 

in Spokane and Portland on promotion 

of "The Eddy Duchin Story" The 

. . . 

exchanges report boxoffice grosses were well 

above average last week ... A baby boy 

was born Saturday (91 to the Bud Saffles of 

Saffle's Theatre Service . . . 

Jack J. Engerman 

and Zollie Volchok of Northwest Releasing 

returned from a trip to Portland 

. 

Donna Osborne of the Paramount exchange 

was on a vacation Bros, has 

. 

launched a heavy campaign to presell "The 

Animal World" in eastern Washington, Montana, 

Oregon. Canada and Alaska. Playdates 

have been scheduled for late June and July. 

. 

Alex Harrison, 20th-Fox general sales manager. 

New York, conferred with local Manager 

Chilton Robinett visitors included 

Joe Rosenfield from Spokane, accompanied 

by Leonard Louik, manager of 

his Spokane theatres (Post St., E. Sprague 

and E. Trent drive-ins i; Junior Mercy, who 

was over from Yakima, and Maurice Nienmer 

of the Y Drive-In, Spokane. 

The town has given a warm reception to 

"Unidentified Flying Objects," UA's "flying 

saucer" documentary. In the writer's opinion, 

"UFO" is crude, not too well put together and 

the photography leaves much to be desired, 

but its approach is honest and authentic and 

its very crudity gives it greater credibility. 

The producers tried to do an honest documentary 

on a difficult and controversial subjiect, 

and while it is certainly no work of 

art, it deserves respect and admiration. 

Solly Baiano Appointed 

WB Talent Executive 

HOLLYWOOD — Solly Baiano. Warner 

casting official, has been appointed to the 

new post of talent executive to concentrate 

on the discovery and development of fresh 

acting personalities. Hoyt Bowers continues 

as casting director in charge of both theatrical 

films and TV. 

Baiano will make periodic tours scouting 

little theatres, colleges, drama schools, amateur 

and semi-professional theatrical groups, 

maintaining his headquarters on the Burbank 

lot. 

Makes Change for Summer 

PRESTON, IDA.—The Isis Theatre here 

has been closed for the summer and patrons 

are urged to attend the Grand Theatre where 

Manager L. J, "Jim" Ward has put into effect 

a new summer schedule. Major features 

will play Sunday through Tuesday each week, 

he said, with a special bank night feature 

on Wednesday only and a Friday-Saturday 

change. A .special kids matinee will start 

each Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

: June 

These Great Shows Are Dedicated to Showmen 

NEW! 

God Rest Their 

Souls 

RE-RELEASES! 

•V 

COLOR BY 

::^ TECHNICOLOR 

vfiHi 

GARY COOPfR • l-ORHTA YOUNG 

**"" "IHA/onq Came Jonef 

mJMa6£SofF£/IR 

246 East First South (Rear) 

Salt Lake City, Utah 

Phone EM 3-9142 

DIMENSION PICTURES, LTD. 

If you ain't seen them they are first run! 

2075 Broadway 

Denver, Colorado 

Phone MA 30373 

BOXOFFICE : 

16, 1956

Roundabout the 

Rockies 

By BOB WALKER 

/ÂRL MILLER, personable new Denver 

chieftain for Warners, joined the select 

list of branch managers to find their way 

to Pruita when he and Ed Lebby stopped 

for a chat this week. Carl is No. 3 to get 

over this far with one manager having a repeat 

to his credit. After being here 11 years I 

finally can say I've met the Warner branch 

manager, and after a few minutes with Cai-1 

Miller a guy has a feeling that Warners will 

have to be awfully rough in its sales policy if 

you can't get along with him. 

With small-town closings in the Denver 

area hitting a new mark and reports from 

small exhibitors all around carrying gloom, 

it seems to me the remarks of the head of 

Curtiss Candy Co. might be appropriate here. 

He's quoted by Sam Holt in Modern Retailing 

as saying, "The spread of supermarkets has 

cut candy sales because kids don't run to the 

supermarket like they used to go to the 

corner store." 

Supermar-kets, he pointed out, don't give 

children a chance to pick out "some of them, 

some of those and some of them." Sales of 

candy in supermarkets do not equal the total 

turnover of the 10 to 15 smaller stores they 

usually replace in a community. According 

to this manufactm-er, per capita candy consumption 

has dropped from 20 pounds per 

year in 1944 to 17 pounds last year. 

Losing small theatres will have the same 

effect on movie attendance, I'm sure, for we 

small exhibitors have to cater to youngsters 

from infancy to di'ive-in age. We make fans 

out of them for someone else to cash in on, 

and I have a jillion figures to prove it. When 

a class of 40 graduates every year from a 

small town and eight of them stay in the 

area, there's 32 of them going to the city 

and a goodly portion have the movie habit. If 

my matinee attendance was in proportion to 

my teenage patronage, I'd fold or, vice versa, 

I'd be rich. 

Bill Gehring's remarks about exhibitors calling 

in to find out how the take is certainly 

doesn't apply to any showmen I know in this 

area. Melba and I bought a new home the 

first of last September and we're still dreaming 

about taking a night off and spending 

it at home. In fact, my 11 years in this 

business have made me an expert on the 

speed of light ... it gets here too early in 

the morning. 

We discovered that farmers like a chance 

to bai-ter or cut down the surpluses. We 

advertised, "Any child accompanied by a 

ticket-paying adult will be admitted to 'The 

Egg and I' this weekend, for a fresh egg." 

We won't have to buy an egg for some time 

to come! 

Don't close your doors in too big a hurry, 

boys and girls, because if you'll look at the 

figm-es, good times have just got to come 

back to us. In 1950, school children, kindergarten 

through eighth gi-ade, numbered 22,- 

739,000. This fall that number will jump 

6,500,000 more ticket buyers. That should 

mean at least 30 more for Fruita, so I got 

it made. The only trouble they just voted 

another three and a half million dollar school 

bond issue for the county so the increase in 

taxes will just about be offset it those 30 

more kids don't miss more than one change 

of shows a year. 

Prank Green, out of Denver's Universal 

office, was here to establish a new record for 

the number of film salesmen I've had call in 

a two-week period. 

Neil Beezley President 

Of Rocky Mt. Allied 

DENVER— At a directors meeting given 

over to local operational problems and election 

of officers, Neil Beezley of Burlington was 

named president and national director of 

Allied Rocky Mountain Independent Theatres. 

Thomas Smiley of Denver was elected vicepresident, 

James Peterson of Littleton is treasurer, 

Marie Goodhand is secretary and Joe 

Ashby again was named as general manager. 

The board of directors is composed of the 

officers and these members: Richard Bennett, 

Lloyd Greve, Fred Hall, Paul Heeney, 

Robert Kehr. Lloyd Kerby, C. E. McLaughlin, 

Don Monson, J. K. Powell. Dr. F. E. Rider, 

Simon. Glen Witt- 

Dorrance Schmidt, W. A. 

struck and John Wood. 

HANDY

Three Loop Entries 

Exceed 200 Mark 

CHICAGO—Three ol six new entiies in 

Loop theatres made excellent showing at 

— opening "The Proud Ones" at the Oriental, 

"Bhowani Junction" at the Woods and "A 

Kid for Two Farthings" at the Ziegfeld. 


Soy Goodbye (U-l) Carnegie— Never 195 

Chicago The Scorcher; (WB), 4th 185 

wk 

Palocc Cincromo Holiday iCineramo), 55th wk. 325 

Esquire 23 Poccs to Baker Street (20th-Fox), 

2nd wk 200 

(U-l), 

Grand Top Roots (U-l); Kansos Raiders 

reissues 190 

Loop Meet 200 

Me in Los Vegas (MGM), 8th wk. 

McV^ckcrs Oklahoma! (Magna), 24th wk 250 

Monroe—The Voice of Silence (IFE) 180 

Orento:—The Proud Ones (20th-Fox) 220 

Roose\cit—World Without End (AA), The Maverick 

Queen Rep), 2nd wk 215 

State Lake— Helen of Troy 175 

(WB), 4th wk 

Surf Three Sinners SR) 175 

United Artists-The Mon Who Knew Too Much 

(Pora), 4th wk 215 

Woods Bhowani Junction ;MGM) 215 

World Ployhousc Madame Butterfly (IFE), 4th 

wk 210 

Ziegfeld A Kid for Two Farthings (Lopert) 210 

Kansas City Newcomers 

Do Fair Business 

KANSAS CITY—Two newcomers did better 

than average business, "Dark River" scoring 

150 at the Glen and "D-Day the Sixth of 

June" 130 per cent in the four Fox houses. 

The Alec Guinness holdover at the Vogue 

art house was holding up well, and as "This 

Is Cinerama" opened at the Missouri Thursday 

night. Paramount met this competition 

with John Wayne in "The Searchers" and 

the Roxy scheduled a double bill, "Cockleshell 

Heroes" and "Battle Stations." The Midland 

offei-ed "Foreign Intrigue." 

Glen Dork River (Times) 1 50 

Kimo Wages of Feor (DCA), 2nd wk 1 20 

Midlond Bhowani Junction (MGM); Joe Macbeth 

(Col), 2nd wk 80 

Paramount The Man Who Knew Too Much 

(Para), 3rd wk 95 

Roxy Tribute to 80 

a Bod Man (MGM), 2nd wk... 

Tower, Uptown, Fairway end Granada D-Doy the 

Sixth of June (20th-Fox) 1 30 

Vogue—The Lodykillers (Confl), 4th wk 140 

Boxoffice Wilts Again 

In Indianapolis Heat 

INDIANAPOLIS—Hot weather has taken 

the starch out of the up-trend in first run 

film business here. "The Searchers" was still 

the boxoffice leader in its second week at 

the Indiana. "Bhowani Junction" was not 

doing the business expected at Loew's. "The 

Man Who Knew Too Much" was holding up 

moderately well in a third week at Keith's 

and stays for a fourth. 

Circle—23 Paces to Baker Street (20th-Fox); The 

Three Outlaws Assoc. Film) 75 

Esquire—Touch ond Go (U-l) 80 

Ind.ano The Searchers (WB), 85 

2nd wk 

Keith's The Man Who Knew Too Much (Paro), 

3rd wk 100 

Loews Bhowani 85 

Junction (MGM) 

Sam Chernoff, Gil Taylor 

Leave IFE at Chicago 

CHICAGO—Sam Chernoff has resigned as 

district manager for IFE to take charge of 

local office operations for Sher-Schulman 

Art Theatres, and supervise activities on a 

national basis. There are now nine such 

theatres, including the most recent addition 

in Milwaukee. A decision is being made for 

another art theatre here. 

Gil Taylor left IFE at about the same time 

and left for San Francisco to open offices 

there for Brandon Films. Meanwhile, Ford 

Anderson, new on the IFE staff, is keeping 

routine functions up to date. 

Boris Bernard'h Master Showman, 

Takes Charge at KC Cinerama 

KANSAS CITY—Boris Bernardi, formerly 

with Cinerama at Buffalo, has been named 

the managing director of Cinerama at the 

Missouri Theatre 

Boris Bernard! 

which opened Thursday 

night (14). Bernardi, 

a native of Baston, 

has had a wide 

and varied experience 

in theatrical ventures 

of various kinds. 

"I was 'fetched up' 

Ijy a theatrical family 

!hai broke me in at the 

aye of 13 as assistant 

trea.surer of the Grand 

Old Opera House in 

Boston." Bernardi said 

in the offices of the theatre, a few days before 

its opening, where he and a crew of 

experts were bringing order out of the chaos 

of remodeling and refurbishing. 

In the late war, he had several troop shows 

playing in Europe. At one time he managed 

the Teatro Ombu in Buenos Aires; at another 

interval he operated 12 theatres in 

Michigan, three in New York and one in 

Brooklyn. He joined Cinerama at Dallas 

where he was helming a seven-leagued 

Rodgers and Hammerstein enterprise. He has 

a forceful personality and is enthusiastic 

about his work, a factor which is contagious 

among those whose efforts he directs. 

RALPH BUHRMESTER IS AIDE 

Ralph Buhrmester, who remains as house 

manager of the Missouri, started as an usher 

at the Orpheum Theatre in Atchison when 

it w-as a Fox Midwest house. He was a senior 

in high school at the time and says of this 

first 

job: 

"I w-as disappointed in that ushering job. 

because up untU then I was not very theatre 

conscious. Now I wouldn't be in any other 

work; in fact, it is the only industry in which 

I have ever worked." 

Buhrmester moved on to doorman when 

the new Fox was built in Atchison and 

later became assistant manager at the 

Orpheum. Then the Orpheum was sold and 

he came to Kansas Ctiy in 1952 and worked 

as assistant manager of the Uptown under 

Nick Sonday for two weeks, after which he 

was transferred to the Gladstone as manager. 

A yeai- later he went to the Warwick, 

where he remained until its closing, w'hen 

he went with Paramount Rctures as a ledger 

clerk and worked for about a year. 

AT GLEN FOR A WHILE 

His next move was to join the Dickinson 

circuit as manager of the Glen when it became 

an art theatre. After about a year, he 

came to the RKO Missouri as assistant manager 

and has remained until taking his newjob 

as house manager under the Cinerama 

Corp. In addition to his new job, he has a 

new marital status—he was married on Saturday 

(9). 

Prior to the premiere held on Thursday 

night (141, a trade and press review was held 

on Wednesday night il3>. Members of the 

press from newspapers, radio and TV for a 

radius of 200 miles were the guests of the 

management. There were also leaders from 

various religious, civic and organizational 

groups who might be instrumental in arranging 

later for group attendance. 

A thorough promotional job has been directed 

by Everett Callow, national director of 

public relations; William H. Green, division 

director from Detroit, and William J. Murphy, 

who comes from Hollywood to remain as the 

resident director of publicity and advertising. 

Opening with the first Cinerama offering, 

"This Is Cinerama," the theatre will play 

the other Cinerama productions in 

order of their release. 

the usual 

Other Theatres Welcome 

Cinerama in Kansas City 

KANSAS CITY—Far from being concerned 

about the competition of Cinerama at the 

Missouri Theatre here, downtown exhibitors 

feel its coming will stimulate interest in theatregoing. 

"Actually, the advent of Cinerama should 

be helpful," said Maui-ice Druker, manager 

of the Midland. "It takes the Mi.ssouri out 

of the bidding for product, releasing what it 

now uses for being split up among the other 

first run houses. Also, Cinerama will focus 

attention on theatre motion pictures again." 

Stanley Durivood. whose circuit operates the 

Roxy Theatre, expressed the opinion that 

Cinerama would definitely increase theatre 

attendance. "It will spur downtown theatre 

interest and anything that brings them downtown 

is good for us all," he added. 

Harold Lyon. Paramount Theatre manager; 

"Cinerama will brighten up the theatre motion 

picture downtown scene." 

Leon Robertson, Fox Midwest district manager: 

"Cinerama will stimulate interest in 

theatre presentation of motion pictures, and 

for that reason, I hope they hit big." 

Kansas City MPA Hosts 

Annual Dinner Dance 

KANSAS CITY—The Motion Picture .'Vss'n 

of Greater Kansas City gave its annual dinner 

dance Saturday night i9i at Milleman's 

restaurant. Everyone seemed to have had a 

good time and one of the commonest expressions 

heard was; "How nice to see you 

again—I haven't seen you in years." Filmrow 

couples enjoyed the floorshow and several 

among them demonstrated afterwards that 

they could do a little fancy dancing themselves. 

Eddie Golden won the $100 watch in the 

drawing. The unfortunate guest w-ho drew 

his ticket felt the truth of Arthur Cole's remark: 

"I don't know of a better way to make 

one friend and a lot of enemies!" 

There were about 100 in attendance, with 

all but a few of the exchanges represented 

by at least one. 

A Summer Closing 

ST. LOUIS—Frisina's Capitol at Litchfield. 

111., now is operating foiu- days each week, 

apparently for the summer. Theatres in the 

trade territory that have closed recently include: 

Linda, Edina, Mo., a Pirtle Amusement 

Co. house; Grand. Eldorado. 111.. Turner- 

Farrar Theatres; Joy, Pawnee, 111., Dale C. 

Turvey, and Roxy, Shelbyville, ill., Prisina. 

BOXOFFICE June 16. 1956 39

]?\Z 

. . Nat 

. . Morry 

. . Don 

. . Charles 

. 

. . . Carl 

. . The 

. . Eddie 

. . 

KANSAS CITY 

Will Bradfield, in from Caj'thage, Mo., visiting 

Pilmrow to pick up some new speakers 

and supplies, said he had the best weekend 

at the 66-Drive-In that he has had this 

season . . . Missouri Theatre Supply has furnished 

two 1,000-pound Scotsman flake-type 

ice machines to the Dickinson Leawood and 

Shawnee drive-ins and one to Bill Pulton for 

the Lake Park Dr.ve-In Hechtman 

. 

of Capitol Flag & Banner Co. was a little 

ambitious in helping with the decorating for 

the Shrine ceremonial and suffered a sprained 

back. He reports his business barometer 

shows "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and 

"The Great Locomotive Chase" high on the 

totem pole. 

The Motion Picture Assn of Greater Kan- 

^ted 7/t. 

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217 West 18tli St. Kansal City, 

sas City has presented framed resolutions of 

condolences to the families of the late William 

Gaddoni. R. M. Shelton and R. R. Biechele . 

Howard Kinser, 20th-Pox salesman from Newton, 

Kas., was in for a sales meeting. Genevieve 

Larson, contract clerk, was vacationing 

in the Black mils. William Johnson, head 

shipper, also was on a vacation . . . 

Gretchen 

Brown, secretary at Consolidated Agencies, 

was on a three-week trip to San Francisco. 

Los Angeles and Laguna Beach, Calif. 

Ralph Banghart, RKO exploitation man out 

of Chicago, was here arranging for a department 

store tieup on the Ginger Rogers picture, 

"The First Traveling Saleslady." Some 

of it is supposed to be laid in the early 

Muehlebach Hotel. Cashier Louise Phillippi 

was attending a national meeting of DOES in 

Cheyenne. She is an officer . . . Kyle Keltner, 

who lives at Nixa. Mo., and operates the 

Ozark Theatre at Ozark, was in town with 

his 14-year-old son who is already bigger 

than his dad. 

Dickinson Theatres reports LeRoy Palmer 

has replaced Les Culp as manager at the 

Glen in Joplin and Homer Eldi-idge has replaced 

E. D. Wray at the Dickinson in Topeka 

. Relder, Universal manager, 

and family are vacationing in Detroit. Rex 

Wright, student booker for a year in the local 

office, has been transferred to the Des Moines 

exchange as a booker. Shirley Hall, general 

clerk, was vacationing in Colorado. The Universal 

staff picnic was held in Swope Park 

Monday night. 

Francis Moore of the Commonwealth Theatres 

office has been elected treasurer of the 

Dads Club of Boy Scout Ti'oop 76 at the 

J. C. Nichols school. He succeeds Jesse Shlyen, 

BOXOFFICE, who served as treasurer for two 

years . Burnett of Larned, Kas.. president 

of KMTA, and Mrs. Burnett were in 

town before proceeding to Lawrence for the 

graduation at Kansas University of then- son 

Don L. . . . Col. Shan Khan of the Pakistan 

army, who is attending the Command and 

General Staff school at Fort Leavenworth, 

visited the MGM office and made TV appearances 

in behalf of "Bhowani Junction." He 

was the military officer in charge of all military 

personnel when the picture was made in 

Pakistan. 

Exhibitors Fihn Delivery is painting a motto 

on the back end of all its trucks as an industry 

promotion. The sign reads: "Drive Carefully—Attend 

Your Movie Tonight" . . . E. I. 

McCown has purchased equipment from Russell 

Cramer at Windsor, Mo., and wiU operate 

roadshows in six small towns in the 

surrounding area . Fox has repainted 

the front of his Cole Camp (Mo.) 

Theatre and the adjoining room and is putting 

in a Tots & Teens clothing store . . . The 

. . . 

Plaza Theatre at Greenfield, operated by 

A. O. Peterson, will close July 7 for the summer 

Mrs. Myrtle Smith, who operates the 

Cozy Theatre at Lockwood, Mo., vacationed 

in Washington state. 

"The Animal World" includes TV in Kansas 

City, Wichita, Joplin and Springfield. Joe 

Manfre, city salesman, was vacationing in Salt 

Lake City and Charley Oliver, head booker, 

also is away. 

Last Sunday, the Rev. W. Dieter Flemming, 

pastor of the Colonial Congregational Church 

in Pi-airie Village, shared the "pulpit" (the 

top of the projection booth at the Leawood 

Drive-Ini with Ernest Mehl, sports editor of 

the Star, who is a parttime preacher. The 

Overland Park Christian Church has held 

services at the New 50 Drive-In for several 

summers . Missouri visitors to Filmrow included 

Hai-ley Fryer, Lamar; Ed Harris, Neosho; 

C. E. Cook. Maryville; Tom Edwards. 

Eldon; Frank Weary sr.. Richmond; Frank 

Weary III, Henrietta; Curly Wilson, Excelsior 

Springs; Woodrow Rife, Knobnoster. 

Tom Bailey, new MGM manager, is househunting. 

His family, Mrs. Bailey, Patricia 

(21) and Michele (13), moved from St. Louis 

Smiley of Shreve Theatre Supply 

returned from a vacation . Rockrock 

Theatre at Mackville, Kas., is reported closed 

again . . . E. D. Van Duyne. RCA Service district 

manager, returned from spending a week 

in the home office at Camden, N. J., at the 

semiannual conference of district managers. 

He also was able to visit briefly with his parents 

in Long Island . . . Bill Allison, salesman 

for National Theatre Supply, returned from 

a ten-day trip into western Kansas and will 

accompany Arthur de Stefano, manager, to 

the western district meeting in Los Angeles 

June 22, 23. Hazel LeNoir, secretary, is vacationing 

in Hot Springs and in Oklahoma. 

Woodie Latimer of L&L Popcorn has been 

in St. Luke's hospital for nose surgery . 

Frank Naylor jr., son of Mrs. Frank Naylor 

sr. who is secretary at the Stebbins Theatre 

Equipment Co., was elected governor of the 

Sunflower Boys State at Wichita and a delegate 

to the Boys Nation in Washington, D. C, 

July 20. In this connection he appeared on 

KMBC-TV. Young Naylor is a senior at 

Wyandotte High School . Grayson, 

shipper for some years at National Screen 

Service, died in an accident Friday night (8>. 

Bemie Evens, MGM exploiteer. has a new 

secretary. Vriginia Brewer. Jim Witcher. of- 

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1800 Olive St., Garfield 1-2626, St. Louis, Mo. 

Don Walker, exploiteer for Warner Bros.. 

was in Joplin where he presided at the annual 

meeting of the Merle Evans tent of 

Circus Fans of America. He also confen-ed 

with Bob Walter at Commonwealth's Drivein 

on promotion of "The Searchers." Walker 

says promotion for saturation booking on 

Everything for the Stage 

• CURTAINS • TRACKS • RIGGING • STAGE 

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GREAT WESTERN STAGE EQUIPT. CO. 

June 16, 1956

. . The 

. . Earlene 

. . Mary 

. . 

. . Mrs. 

. . IPE 

. . Tony 

. 

fice manager, and Bob Johns, salesman, were 

Fox R dwest closed the Benton Theatre 

Thursday (14i and will wreck the building. 

The neighborhood house at the junction of 

Benton boulevard and Independence avenue 

has been owned by the circuit since 1947. It 

was opened around 1915 by the late W. A. 

"Billy" Andlauer but has changed hands a 

number of times and was once renamed the 

Chief . FMW office gave a sm-prise 

birthday luncheon for Jim Craig, maintenance 

man for all the circuit's houses on 

Priday (.3). Craig, who reached the 70 mark, 

wâs recently aw-arded the com-teous driver's 

citation for the week by the Kansas City 

Safety Council Ann Silady. auditing 

department, visited the Paramount studios 

while on her vacation in California. 

Prospective Patron 

Decides to Wait for TV 

HORTON. KAS.—Marty Landau, who operates 

the Liberty Theatre, had some special 

advertising made up for "The Searchers." 

Taking it into a restaurant with him. he 

showed it to several other customers. 

"Now wouldn't you like to come and see 

that picture?" he inquired. 

"Aw," spoke up one man. "I'll see it on 

TV." 

"But this is a new picture—you can't see 

it on TV," Marty argued. 

"So maybe it'll be a year or two—I can 

wait," the man argued. "Why should I pay 

to see it now when in a year or two I can 

see it on TV?" 

West Kansas Exhibitors 

Schedule Picnic on 27th 

STOCKTON. KAS.—Western Kansas exhibitors 

are having a picnic meeting at 

State Lake park on Wednesday. June 27. The 

meeting will open at 10 a.m. and a picnic 

lunch w'ill be served until 2 p.m.. at $2 per 

person. In addition to exhibitors in the western 

half of the state, exchange managers and 

salesmen have been invited to attend. 

Reopen at Villa Grove 

VILLA GROVE. ILL.—The Gem. a 475- 

seater. w.,s reopened by Mr. and Mi's. Harold 

Ramage Friday (8). Formerly of Chicago. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ramag« closed a deal late in 

May with George Barber of Tuscola to take 

over the theatre. 

ST. LOUIS 

. 

. 

. 

vacationing Gelsinger. booker's 

steno at Columbia, vacationed in the Ozarlts 

and visited home folks in Stockton. Mo. . 

Kansas Pilmrow visitors recently included The Amusement J^mpluye.s Welfare Fund received 

John Basham. Topeka; Dan Blair, Smith Center; 

the net proceeds of a rummage 

George Wadlinfjton, Predonia; Leon sale conducted on South Broadway last weekend 

Pugh, Fort Scott; Einie Block, Sabetha; Dick 

Myrtle Stroud, mother of Myra 

Wliitley, Manhattan; Maik Cadle, Lawrence; Stroud, managing secretary, Mi.ssouri-IUinois 

LeRoy Hitchings. Osage City; H. B. Doering, Theatre Owners, has returned home from the 

Garnett; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Bancroft. Ottawa. hospital has discontinued its local 

Supply Firm in New Hands 

CHICAGO—Eugene Amado and Harry E. 

Goodman have acquired the Movie Supply 

Co. at 1318 South Wabash Ave., from M. 

Behrend, who has retii-ed. Amado and Goodman 

have "slicked up" the place, and are 

rapidly stocking new and up-to-date supplies. 

A featured spot in Universal's romantic 

drama, "Interlude." has been 

Ilka Chase. 

office. 

Exhibitors on Pilmrow included Caesar 

Berutt. Rolla, Mo. Peluso is observing 

15 years as manager of the Fox Theatre. 

Mr. and Mrs. Peluso recently adopted 

two youngsters, a boy and a girl ... Ed 

Ditzcnberg. Warner booker, was vacationing. 

Don Walker was here on "The Animal 

World," opening at the Pageant June 22 . . . 

"Seven Wonders of the World" at the Ambassador 

Theatre grossed $23,924 the week 

ended on June 2, the best week since Cinerama 

made its local bow more than two years ago, 

Milton Hai-ris. managing director reported . 

Clint Walker known to TV viewers as Cheyenne, 

loped into Alton for a quiet visit with 

his twin sister. Mrs. Paul We.stbrook, and for 

a couple of appearances at the YMCA and the 

Alton municipal band concert, but the youngsters 

of the town upset his plans completely. 

Some 2,000 young admirers at the YMCA 

forced him to flee to the basement boiler 

room for safety. Later the police escorted 

him to the band concert but there the star 

of the Warner Bros. Presents show on KWK- 

TV here, was forced to tcss in the towel. 

St. Louis Film Brothers 

Find 'Long Lost' Sister 

ST. LOUIS—Members of the Wagner family, 

active in local motion picture circles for 

many years, had a joyous reunion the morning 

of June 8 when the three Wagner 

brothers met their sister, Mrs. Lillian Emanuel 

of Elmira, N. Y., for the first time in 50 

years. 

Mr. and Mrs. Wagner and three sons left 

Elmira back in 1906 and came to St. Louis, 

leaving Lillian, a recent bride. Her first 

husband passed away about 18 yeai-s ago. 

The three Wagner brothers—Dan. projectionist 

at the Apollo Theatre on DeBalivere 

avenue; Charles, operator at the Manchester 

Drive-In. and Prank Wagner, assistant shipper 

for Columbia Pictures—lost trace of their 

sister and hadn't heard from her for many 

years. Recently the wife of Charles, who 

was a former telephone operator, said she 

would endeavor to get in touch with the 

sister. With the assistance of a telephone 

operator in Elmira she finally contacted Mrs. 

Emanuel and made arrangements for her and 

her husband Daniel to come to St. Louis for a 

visit with the three brothers and their families. 

The mother died about 12 years ago and her 

hu.sband 18 months later. 

Sales Tax Total Up 

JEFFERSON CITY—Mis.souri state sales 

tax collections in the fu'st quarter of this 

year totaled $19,743,279 compared with $18.- 

541.263 for similar months last year, an 

increase of $1,236,208. The.se figures did not 

include sales taxes on motor vehicles, which 

amounted to $3,598,828 for the quarter compared 

with $3,564,635 the first three months 

of 1955. 

Million View 'Holiday' 

At Chicago in Year 

CHICAGO—The Palace Theatre celebrated 

the first anniversary of "Cinerama Holiday" 

Friday (15), reporting the 3-D attraction had 

attracted more than a million patrons in 

that time. During the two-year run of "This 

Is Cinerama," the first Cinerama production, 

1,552,000 patrons visited the Palace. 

Forty per cent of "Cinerama Holiday" patrons 

came from Michigan. Indiana. Iowa, 

Wiscon.sin and Illinois. 60 per cent from Chicago 

itself, Palace statistics show. 

Managing Director Douglas Helgeson directs 

a fulltime corps of 80 employes, including 

a special group sales department. A great 

section of Palace patrons compri.se school 

children. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, children 

from parochial schools and churches of 

all denominations. Forty-five special Cinerama 

tours have been developed in cooperation 

with 12 different railways running into the 

city. A network of 59 ticket agencies have 

been developed by Helgeson throughout the 

middle west, and 16 theatres in three states 

cooperate by selling Cinerama tickets through 

their 

own boxoffices. 

Rio Now Has Those Famous Blue 

Sutherland Carry-Out Trays in Stock 

$17^0 

per 1,000 

Other trays from $14.00 per thousand 

F.O.B St. Louis, Mo. 

(gjo)/(& î^îp Cotnpami 

A.A. THEATRE CONCESSION 

Distributors . . . 

SUPPLY CO. 

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• CASTLEBERRY'S FOODS 

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Phone MOhowk 4-9579 

"SELECT" FOUNTAIN SYRUPS 

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EVERYTHING FOR THE THEATRE 

St. Louis Theatre Supply Company 

Mrs. Arch Hollar 

Bernard J. McCorlhy, sales mgr. 

3310 Olive Street, St. toulj 3, Mo. 

Telephone JEtferion 3-7974 

June 16. 1956

. . Abe 

. . Condolences 

. . Buena 

. . Edward 

. . Sam 

. . . M. 

. . Variety 

. . The 

. . Marl, 

. . Joe 

CHICAGO 

. 

XXTarren Heen moved tx) U-I as booker from 

Republic . Vista Films has outgrown 

its quarters at 1235 South Wabash and 

will move into larger space at 1307 South 

Wabash to Bruce Trinz, manager 

of the Clark Theatre, on the death of 

his father Sam, who was 66 . . . Joseph Mack 

has been added to the membership of the 

Variety Club of Illinois, 

Jack Rose went to New Jersey to have a 

look at his new granddaughter, Karen Leslie, 

born May 22 to Mr. and Mi-s. Murray Lee 

Rose . Fisher, newly appointed representative 

here for Distributors Corp. of America, 

left for Detroit on a sales campaign tour. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Abbott expect to be in 

RCA IN-CAR 

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and POWER 

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A 

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442 N. ILLINOIS ST., INDIANAPOLIS, IND. 

"Everything for the Theatre" 

town for a few weeks for some on-the-spot 

activity in the flourishing offices of the 

Abbott Theatre Equipment Co. Lately they 

have been spending considerable time in 

Phoenix, Ai-iz., where they also have business 

interests. They do recommend Arizona to vacationers 

in the summer as well as in the 

wintertime. Mi's. Abbott says as soon as the 

sun goes down the nights turn delightfully 

cool. 

. 

Henry Rouda has joined the advertising department 

at Filmack Friedman, 

legitimate show press agent cm-rently assigned 

to "The Ten Commandments," was in 

the city to set initial contacts for the opening 

at McVickers Theatre ai'ound Thanksgiving 

time, according to present plans. "Oklahoma!" 

has been doing wonderful business 

ever since its opening at the McVickers 24 

weeks ago. 

The Cinenia B'nai B'rith tenth anniversary 

dinner dance will honor Jack Kirsch, president 

of Allied Theatres of Illinois and a 

founder of the lodge. The event will be held 

at the Covenant Club June 30 . . . Lucile 

Carnahan of Jack Rose's office was on a vacation 

in South Dakota, her home state. 

Abe Piatt, district 

manag;er for B&K theatres 

here, has been appointed convention coordinator 

for the TOA annual meeting to be 

held in New York September 19-25 

. . . Lester 

Grand of Confection Cabinet Corp. and exhibit 

chairman of the Popcorn and Concession 

Industries exhibition reported that 140 

booths have been sold and, according to the 

way they have been snapped up, the remaining 

40 display spaces will be taken before 

July 15. The 180-booth popcorn-candy and 

concession hall is part of the over-all 300- 

bcoth display in the New York Coliseum in 

connection with the combined Motion Pictui-e 

Industries convention being held in September 

at the Hotel Statler, New York City. 

Mrs. Alex Manta was reported getting along 

fine at Mayo Bros. Hospital . . . Filmrow 

visitors from New York were Jack W. Servies 

of National Theatre Supply, C. P. O'Grady 

of Bizzelle Cinema Supply, and Pi-ank Smith, 

former district manager for RKO Theatres 

here . Hale spent several days here 

prior to the opening of "The Great Locomotive 

Chase" at the State Lake Theatre on 

the 12th. Fess Parker, Jeffrey Hunter and 

Jeff York appeared at the opening. 

B&K has equipped the United Artists Theatre 

with a new air conditioning plant. The 

job was completed for the big opening of 

"Trapeze" on the 14th. UA publicist Wally 

Helm saw to it that "Trapeze" had plenty 

of advance publicity. Burt Lancaster and 

producer James Hill were here for three days 

of activity. Full color page ads were run 

in the local 

newspapers. 

The Granada Theatre was the scene of 

several hours of unexpected suspense and 

excitement last Sunday evening when it was 

believed that Lawrence Neumann, wanted for 

a triple slaying, was among the 2,000 in attendance. 

A radio broadcast attracted 3,000 

additional persons to the scene. John Rector, 

manager, denied the request of 30 policemen 

to light up the house for a search, fearing 

such a move would result in panic. The suspense 

was ended when a police officer who 

was in the theatre watching the show came 

out and identified the "suspect" as a personal 

friend of his. 

Jack Botaro, office manager and head 

booker for Allied Artists, brightened up Filmrow 

with a new Plymouth with a light green 

body and white top . whose father 

is George Topper, a Filmrow favorite, is 

working in the 20th-Fox offices this summer. 

Miss Topper is a Drake University student. 

INDIANAPOLIS 

gob Jones will make a report at the June 

meeting of the Allied Theatre Owners of 

Indiana board Tuesday (19). It will be held 

at noon in the Hotel Lincoln, since the 

Variety Club has dropped luncheon service 

for the summer . will hold a picnic 

at Northern Beach June 30 . . James 

Stankey, who operates 

. 

the Hamilton here, 

has taken over the Tuxedo, an east side 

neighborhood house, from Pete Fortune . . . 

Eddie Ornstein reports the closing of the 

Downs at Louisville for the summer. 

Trueman Rembusch, state exhibitor and 

ATOI national director, is credited with saving 

an estimated $52,000 repair job on the 

Fairgrounds Coliseum ice rink by finding the 

trouble himself and fixing it. He is a 

member of the state fair board, which controls 

the Coliseum . North Drive-In at 

Anderson, closed after a fire destroyed its 

concession stand and projection booth May 

24, was reopened last week . . . Phil Schloss 

has reopened the Crystal at Ligonier, which 

was closed in April for lack of support. 

Indianapolis has been selected as an admissions 

credit test city but nobody here 

knows about it yet . . . Charles Bowles has a 

new 200-car drive-in, the Tri-City, at Beaver 

Dan, Ky. . . . Russell Clark, former manager 

of the Liberty at Muncie, has been named 

manager of the Sullivan Drive-In. He replaces 

Lawrence Lindsey, who resigned to 

accept a job in Kokomo . . . Burdette Peterson 

is installing air conditioning at the 

National Theatre Supply headquarters here 

Brazee is trying for exclusive runs at 

the Parkway, Louisville . . . Y & W has 

closed the Princess at New Castle until September. 

H. W. Boyd has closed the Princess at 

Cayuga, Catherine Gramelspacher the Gem 

at Huntingburg and Gail Lancaster the Jefferson 

at Huntington . Cantor has 

been appointed chaii-man of Variety's heart 

fund charity committee . . . Irwin Allen, producer 

of "The Animal World," was here 

Wednesday, the day it opened at the Circle. 

CANDY-POPCORN 

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Chicago I, IIL 

42 June 16, 1956

Don George, 48, Dies; 

Thealre, TV Owner 

SHREVEPORT—Don George, 48. prominent 

Shreveport television executive, former theatre 

owner and civic leader, died unexpectedly 

at his home here Tuesday (5^ during a 

nap. He had been ill for about two years 

with a heart ailment, and returned to his 

home after being hospitalized recently. 

The Don Theatre. 516 Crockett St., was built 

by George and still bears his name. It wa.s 

erected at a cost of $400,000 in 1947. He later 

added the Minden Road Drive-In. the neighboring 

Venus Theatre and the Davis Theatre 

in Bossier City to the Don group. 

In January 1955 he sold the four theatres 

to Thomas E. MeElroy and O. D. Harrison 

for a sum reportedly over a half-million 

dollars. He had previously disposed of his 

theatres in Alexandria, Natchitoches and 

Ville Platte. 

He was formerly president for two terms 

of the Gulf Coast Allied Theatr-e Owners' 

Ass'n. and was a leader in theatre activities 

for more than a decade. 

He is sui-vived by his wife, one daughter 

and three brothers. 

Robert Westermann to 

Memphis Palace Helm 

MEMPHIS—Robert Westermann. 31. has 

been named manager of Loew's Palace Theatre 

here. He succeeds Col. Cecil Vogel, who 

resigned because of ill health after 26 years 

in the post. 

Westermann is a native of Richmond, Va. 

At 16 he went to work in the office of 

Loews Theatre there. He became assistant 

manager and has been serving as relief manager 

for Loew's theatres in the east. 

Westermann. his wife Helen and son 

Robbie. 10. are living at Hotel Gayoso for the 

present. His appointment wa^ announced by 

John Murphy, vice-president of Loew's. 

Theatregoers Spending 

In Florida Tops U.S. Par 

By ROBERT CORNWALL 

JACKSONVILLE—A powerful new weapon 

in exhibitors' arsenal of facts as they prepare 

to wage warfare on the federal 10 per 

cent admissions tax consists of a new fourpage 

publication of the U. S. Depaitment of 

Commerce which reveals that the revenues 

of American motion picture theatres declined 

from $1.6 bilUons in 1948 to $1.4 billions in 

1954. representing a decrease in income of 

12 per cent. 

Not only that, the government pamphlet 

states that the number of operating theatres 

dropped from 18,631 in 1948 to 18,560 in 1954, 

despite the mushrooming growth of drive-ins 

(their number increased fivefold in the sixyear 

period) which failed to offset the number 

of indoor houses which were forced to close 

due to dwindling patronage. 

The pamphlet is a statistical survey for the 

most pai-t. showing theatre revenues, payrolls, 

employes and related information which 

is broken down into states and geographical 

divisions. It is well worth any exhibitor's 

time to drop by the nearest U. 8. Department 

of Commerce office and make a study of it. 

Comparative figures are given for only two 

years, 1948 and 1954. Of course, exhibition 

has suffered further boxoffice reverses in the 

past year and a half which are not reflected 

in the 1954 figures. More than a score of 

Florida theatres, including drive-ins, have 

been shuttered in the past 18 months. 

Some hear-tening figures are supplied by the 

pamphlet, although they do not lessen the 

argument against admission taxes at federal, 

state, county or local level. 

In Florida, theatregoers spent $42,649,000 in 

1954. with the per capita expenditure coming 

to $12.93 against the national per capita of 

Edward Fain, 75, Dies 

At Wetumpka, Ala. 

WETUMPKA, ALA.—Edward Carlisle Fain, 

75. owner of the Fain Theatre, died at his 

home here after an illness of many weeks. 

Fain opened his first theatre here 30 years 

ago. Prior to that he w-as in the automobile 

business. 

He was a charter member of the Rotary 

Club, a member of the First Presbyterian 

Church, and served as first chairman many 

years of the park commission. He supervised 

the building of the community house at 

Memorial Park. Survivors included his wife. 

Lula Dee. a daughter, three sons, three 

sisters, seven grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren. 

mn 

No Customer Concessions 

At This Georgia Drive-In 

SAVANNAH—The d r i v e-i n influence, 

started years ago by drive-in theatres has 

hit the Savannah police department. 

Work soon will start on a drive-in depai'tment 

at police headquarters where motorists 

can drive-in and pay their traffic and parking 

fines. 

According to latest reports this will be one 

drive-in without concessions.

. . . Vera 

. . Sympathy 

. . George 

. . UA 

: June 

ATLANTA 

TSuford Styles, Universal manager at Jacksonville, 

and wife were in to see Mr. ment editor of the Atlanta Constitution, in 

Miami . to Paul Jones, amuse- 

Styles' mother at the Georgia Baptist Hospital 

. . . Georgia Theatre Co. will open its Polly Puckett, Alhed Artists, and her hus- 

the death of his daughter Alice Lanelle . . . 

new Bolton Drive-In June 29 . . . Johnnie band were on a vacation fishing in the Tennessee 

mountain lakes ... At MGM, Judson 

Harrell, Martin Theatre executive, retm-ned 

from Jacksonville . . . R. J. "Hap" Barnes, Moses was enjoying a quiet vacation at home, 

ABC Booking Office, returned from Knoxville 

where he has drive-in interests . . . Effec- 

Hathorne, National Screen, was 

and Greta Flowers was vacationing in Florida 

tive July 1, Mrs. Marguerite Stith, hooking vacationing in Arkansas. 

agent, will handle the buying and booking 

Mrs. Jackie Cowart, United Artists, newly 

for the Bonnett Drive-In, Loudon, Tenn., according 

to Bernie Swiney. 

Billie Fae Cook, clerk at Howco, became the 

bride of Don Hister . . . Homer Clark, Howco 

salesman, has resigned . . . John Stembler, 

Georgia Theatre Co., arid family returned 

from a vacation at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ei-nest Rogers (mayor of Peachtree 

street) attended their son's graduation 

from Dartmouth University in Hanover, N. H. 

Harold Spears, Bailey Theatres executive, 

visited operations in Florida . . . Byron Adams, 

UA manager, returned from Tampa and 

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elected president of the Atlanta Club of 

Women of the Motion Picture Industry 

CWOMPI), has selected 

the following to 

serve as committee 

chairmen — service, 

Mi-s. Lois Cone; extension, 

Nell Allen; bylaws, 

Mildred Castleberry; 

finance, Pat 

Brown; bulletin, Ray 

Collii social, Mrs. 

Nell Middleton; publicity, 

Martha Chandler; 

club history, Erne.stine 

Carter; gifts. 

Jackie Cowart Betty Whitmire; chaplain, 

Helen Taylor; Parliamentarian, Lynda 

Burnett; program, Juanita Elwell; membership, 

Allene Robbins; group captain chairman, 

Jean Mann. 

Joe Dumas of Republic was fishing at Jackson 

Lake . . . New at UA are Kitty Thompson, 

secretary to office manager C. D. 

Touchon; Carole Moessner, Jane Marchman 

and Clarke Rogers . employes saluted 

Kitty Thompson, Bette Dryden and Sara 

Masdon at a birthday luncheon at Camellia 

Gai-dens . . . Laura Kenny, secretary to UA 

Manager Adams, spent the weekend in 

Greenville, S. C, with her son and his family 

.. . Lynda Burnett, booker, and Sara 

Masdon, clerk, spent the weekend in Toccoa, 

Ga. . . . R. W. Tarwater, UA sales manager, 

made a swing through south Alabama. 

Jack Frost, UA salesman, has been transferred 

from Piedmont Hospital to the Veterans 

Hospital . Pabst, UA district 

manager, was at the Atlanta office . . . Seen 

on the Row: C. Branscome, Jonquil, Smyrna, 

Ga., and Stardust Drive-In at Tallapoosa; 

O. A. Roaden of Loyal, Ky., operator of Hiland 

Drive-In at Rogersville, and Home Theatre 

and Home Drive-In at Knoxville; W. E. Blue, 

Jackson, Ga.; J. E. Martin, Grand, Montezuma; 

Jack Heffleman, Pi-incess, Pai-kway 

Drive-In and 231 Drive-In, Huntsville, Ala.; 

A. L. Sheppard, Grand and Waynesboro 

Drive-In, Waynesboro, Ga.; Ernest Ingram, 

Ashland and Lineville. Ala.; Gordon Stonecypher, 

CorneUa (Ga.) Di-ive-In, and P. J. 

Gaston, Rex and Lincoln, Griffin, Ga. 

The first of the 1956 series of the Atlanta 

pop concerts was played Sunday (3) at the 

Fox Theatre. Albert Coleman is again directing 

the orchestra of 52 persons. In keeping 

with the pops policy there is no admission 

charge. An overflow crowd attended 

the opening. All of the Sunday concerts will 

be at the Fox. 

Nicole Milinaire, associate producer of 

UA's "Foreign Intrigue," was a local visitor 

in connection with the film's opening at 

Loew's Grand Theatre. Miss Milinaire 

spoke to the joint annual convention at the 

opening luncheon. A courier for the French 

underground for three years during World 

War II, a former textile designer and ballet 

dancer, she is also the mother of four children. 

Mack Grimes, Bailey Theatres, returned 

from a business trip to Florida . . Atlanta 

. 

is a "perfect example" of the nation's faith 

in its continuing economic growth, the chairman 

of the boai'd of Pepsi-Cola Co. said here 

recently. Alfred N. Steele, a former Atlantan, 

was here for the dedication of Pepsi-Cola's 

new $700,000 plant. Steele, a native of Nashville, 

served here as vice-president of the 

Coca-Cola Co. from June 1945 to June 1949, 

when he joined Pepsi-Cola. He and his film 

stai- wife, Joan Crawford, live in New York. 

Melville Cooper, British character comedian, 

has been booked for RKO's "Bundle of 

Joy." 

aUl Im^ mi 

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Nashville, 

Phone: 5-8459 

Tennessee 

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BOXOFFICE : 

16, 1956

. . . Walt 

. . With 

: June 

. . M. 

. . 

NEW ORLEANS World Premiere Is Crowtying Event 

II lex Gouanres of the Roxy. Mobile, Ala. 

has leased the theatre to Mr. and Mrs. 

Arthur Oleiisky . . . R. A. Martin of the 

Paula Theatre and Pines Drive-In at Homer, 

La., reported he will close both of the theatres, 

with no Immediate plans for reopening 

until it appears operations in the town 

are justified. 

Ernest MacKenna, manager of the Joy 

here, had the room clerks at the Roosevelt 

Hotel here in a dither. He made a bona fide 

reservation for Santa Claus for June 8 for 

Santa Claus appearance in connection with 

"The Toy Tiger" . W. Hicks will open 

his U-Drive-N, Bayou La Batre, Ala.. June 22. 

The drive-in has accommodations for 150 

cars. The drive-in formerly was located in 

Leaksville, Miss., and was closed over a year 

ago when business did not warrant operation. 

Then Hicks moved to Bayou La Batre. Hicks 

also operated the Star at Leaksville, Miss. 

Buying and booking will be done by J. G. 

Broggi. 

Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Broggi of Broggi's 

buying and booking company recently returned 

from a motor trip to Washington, 

where they visited their son who is stationed 

with the Army there . . . Lou Dwyer and 

Clyde Daigle. Paramount, and Jeff Kinard 

and Joe Williams of National Screen Service 

will attend the southern lATSE convention to 

be held in Atlanta June 17. 

F. T. McLendon Theatres has closed the 

Frisco in Frisco City, Ala., for the summer 

Disney and Jeff Chandler were here.j^ 

Chandler stopped on his way back to the^^ 

coast after shooting some scenes for his 

latest film around St. Francisville, La. 

SAVANNAH 

•The theatre at Darien has closed due to ill 

health of the owner ... All local exhibitors 

are happy that school is out. Overcrowded 

conditions locally resulted in two 

sessions in schools which broke into family 

theatre going routines during the year . . . 

Hugh Sammons. manager of the State, recently 

joined the ranks of married men . 

Bill Haley brought his "Rock and Roll Revue" 

into the new Sports Arena for two performances. 

The first was a sellout with about 

2.100 in attendance. The second performance 

was cancelled because of poor advance sale 

of tickets. The price of tickets was $3.00. 

The Circle Drive-In presented a T'L- hour 

program . all schools out and college 

students home for the holidays, local area 

exhibitors are looking for better boxoffice 

returns even with the nearby beaches in 

competition. 

Malco Ncanes H. D. Bowers 

Mgr. at Henderson, Ky. 

HENDERSON, KY.—H. D. Bowers, who has 

been managing a Malco theatre at Russellville. 

Ark., is being transferred here to take 

over the Kentucky and Kraver theatres. 

Bowers replaces Jack Bundy, who has resigned 

to enter the insurance business in 

Evansville and Henderson. Bundy had been 

with the Malco chain for nearly ten years. 

Of Two-Day Atlanta 

ATLANTA—Statewide anticipation lent the 

aura of a "grand occasion" to the world premiere 

of "The Great Locomotive Chase" at 

Loew's Grand Theatre here Friday (8). Atlantans 

turned out in droves to see Walt Disney's 

Civil war classic of the celebrated train 

chase between Union spies and a heroic train 

conductor, William Puller. 

Adding to the regional Interest generated 

by the film is the fact that most of it was 

filmed in and around Atlanta, at the foot 

of Tallulah Falls, in Cornelia, Marietta and 

Clayton and that many Georgia and Alabama 

people were used in the picture. 

All the gaiety, glamor and color of a Hollywood 

opening were here. On hand were Fess 

Parker, Jeffrey Hunter and Jeff York, stars 

of the picture, along with Mr. and Mrs. 

Disney. There also wâs 82-year-old WUliam 

Fuller II, son of the famous Confederate who 

chased the Yankees down. 

The premiere, which was held under the 

sponsorship of the Georgia Federation of 

Women's Clubs and Young Matrons Circle of 

Tallulah Falls, climaxed two days of festivities. 

A Disneyland costume ball at the 

Dinkler-Plaza started the chain of events. 

A huge pai-ade was staged the following morning, 

followed by a luncheon at the Capitol 

City Club, a press reception at Mammy's 

Shanty and several other special gatherings. 

Three-Time Colonel! 

STUTTGART, ARK.—Alger Lancaster, 

managing director for Malco Theatres 

here of the Majestic and Strand 

theatres and the Starvue Drive-In, is 

a southern colonel of unique dignity 

he has received commissions as honorary 

military aide to governors of 

three states, and in addition, is an 

•ambassador" for a fourth. 

Colonel Lancaster recently received 

a commission from Earl K. Long, governor 

of Louisiana. For some time he 

has been a colonel on the staffs of the 

governors of Oklahoma and Kentucky. 

Moreover, he's a certified Traveler and 

Ambassador of Goodwill for Arkansas! 

Suh, that's a lot of colonel! 

Celebration 

All proceeds from the first night's .showing 

went to the Tallulah Palls School. 

Mrs. Henry W. Moore, president of the 

Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs, presented 

Disney with an honorary degree from 

Tallulah Falls School. Lee Jordan, a member 

of the original announcing staff of WSB-TV 

who migrated to WLW-TV, Cincinnati, returned 

to Atlanta to emcee the festivities at 

the premiere. He also acted as toastmaster 

at a luncheon Thursday in honor of the cast, 

held at the Dinkler-Plaza. 

During the ceremonies at the theatre. 

Mayor William Hartsfield presented Disney 

with a Coast Guard ship's bell, in honor of 

"Men Against the Arctic," a documentary 

film depicting Coastguardsmen in action. 

Disney, who is a railroad enthasiast like 

Birmingham's Bob Kincey, realized a lifetime 

dream in this CinemaScope-Technicolor 

live character dramatization of his favorite 

story, the Andrews Raid of 1862. It has been 

his favorite yarn since he found it in early 

boyhood among the books in his father's 

library of adventure stories and classics. It's 

the story of James J. Andrews, Union .spy, 

who with a band of raiders seized the locomotive 

General, during the Civil war and 

attempted to cripple a vital Confederate militai-y 

railroad that ran between Atlanta and 

Chattanooga. Only a valiant chase by Confederate 

train conductor William A. Fuller 

aboard the Texas thwarted the attempt. 

Disney went on location with the picture, 

and even before shooting began he scouted 

Tallulah Falls railroad with its Civil war 

atmosphere, 50 miles east of the original 

"chase" site and commenced a giant scale 

moviemaking feat which so impressed 

Georgians that the Georgia House of Representatives 

passed a resolution saluting Walt 

Disney for making "The Great Locomotive 

Chase." 

James R. Bramlett Dies; 

Atlanta Stage Manager 

ATLANTA—James R. Bramlett, 69, retired 

stage manager and head electrician at 

Loew's Grand, died recently. Bramlett, who 

received his 50-year membership pin from 

the lATSE only a few months ago, retired 

in December 1954 after nearly 40 years with 

the Loew organization. In his early days. 

Bramlett toured with minstrel shows and 

with oldtimers of the legitimate stage. He 

served for three seasons as chief electrician 

for the Ziegfeld Follies, and he worked on 

the facade of Tara, built at the entrance of 

Loew's Grand for the world premiere of 

"Gone With the Wind" in 1939. He is survived 

by his wife. 

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BOXOFFICE : 

16. 1956 

45

. . Two 

. . 

: June 

JACKSONVILLE 

n 1 Hildreth, manager of tht Arcade Theatre, 

was promoted to the FST booking 

department under film buyer Harvey Gar- 

(^ 

W. S. Baskin AI Hildreth 

land. In his new post, Hildreth books pictures 

in about 20 northeast Florida theatres 

operated by the circuit. He started with 

FST here four years ago as city ad writer, 

later worked as assistant in the state advertising 

and publicity office and, following 

that, managed the San Marco Theatre for 

about a year. He succeeds Bill Baskin who 

left the industry due to the recent death of 

his father. Baskin is now managing his late 

father's business interests at Anthony, Fla. 

The booking staff gave Baskin a farewell 

luncheon at Bono's restaurant and presented 

him a new rod and reel, spools and a supply 

of fishing lines. His secretary, Flora Walden, 

gave him an engraved lighter, and, on behalf 

of the 20th-Fox staff, Manager T. P. Tidwell 

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and head booker Marvin Skinner presented 

him silver cuff links and tie clasp. Baskin 

was a popular figure here and will be missed 

by his colleagues in the industry. 

Tommy Hyde, city manager for Talgar in 

Tallahassee, spent several days here on vacation 

. . . Edith Prescott, Paramount's 

pleasant switchboard operator for the past 

two years, has joined Howco as Abner Camp's 

secretary . . . Betty 

Douglas is a new clerical 

staffer at 20th-Fox ... In the United Ar-tists 

office, "Buck" Robuck, Don Hassler and Doris 

Posten were working hard to achieve maximum 

sales during United Artists Week, July 

Bill Beck's suburban Five Points Theatre 

and Sheldon Mandell's downtown St. Johns 

Theatre are trying something entirely new to 

exhibition in this city. They have booked 

UA's "Trapeze" for a twin first run opening 

on June 28. An ace UA exploiteer, "Addy" 

Addison sr., worked here, for several days to 

arrange a number of circus exploitation 

stunts to get "Ti-apeze" off to a flying start. 

Addy jr., also a UA publicist, left to pubhcize 

"Trapeze" in Dallas and other Texas cities. 

Charles Boasberg, Paramount special sales 

representative for "War and Peace" and "The 

Ten Commandments," was in to confer with 

circuit heads concerning the fall release of 

these two big pictures . . . Leonard Allen, 

Paramount publicist, was here from Atlanta 

for several days . . . Visitors from distribution 

offices in Atlanta were Harry Ballance, 20th- 

Fox; Bob Ingram, Columbia, and "Snake" 

Richardson, Capitol and Astor Pictures . 

Harold Laird, Republic manager in Tampa, 

and his salesman Bob Pollard spent a week 

calling on all local booking offices. 

Exhibitors in town included Harold Popel, 

Moss Theatres, Gainesville; E. M. Loew, 

Boston, Mass.; Phil Berler, buyer and booker 

for E. M. Loew, and Eddie Myerson, manager 

of E. M. Loew's Miami Drive-In, both of 

Miami; B. B. Garner, Talgar president. 

Lakeland; Mr. and Mrs. L. R. Woodard, 

Madison; Harold Spears, Atlanta, and Bill 

Leet, Keystone, who said that his sideline 

of motorboat sales is 

picking up. 

The Jacksonville fair, October 25-November 

2, sponsored by Variety Tent 44, will have a 

new drawing card when a first annual southeastern 

boat show is held on the fairgrounds, 

revealed Ted Chapeau, fair director. As a 

result of the added attraction, the fair should 

have an attendance far greater than the 

100,000 persons who went through the turnstiles 

last year, Chapeau added . 20th- 

Fox staffers went on vacation. Elizabeth 

King rested at a local beach and Bernard 

Rollins visited relatives in Shreveport, La. 

small screen films . . . 

Of a total of 481 public theatres in this 

film exchange territory, 438 are now equipped 

for Cinemascope, stated T. P. Tidwell, 20th- 

Fox manager, leaving only 43 theatres restricted 

Young Stan 

Kramer, 

to 

former assistant manager at the 

is Imperial, now managing the Arcade Theatre. 

James Bvu-ke will portray a befuddled 

prison guard in the Red Skelton starring 

comedy, "Public Pigeon Number One," an 

RKO release. 

CANCER 

PLAYS 

NO 

FAVORITES 

See your doctor at once if you 

have any one of the Seven 

Danger Signals... 

1. Any sore that does not heal. 

2. A lump or thickening, in the 

breast or elsewhere. 

3. Unusual bleeding or discharge. 

4. Any change in a wart or 

mole. 

5. Persistent indigestion or difficulty 

in swallowing. 

6. Persistent hoarseness or 

cough. 

7. Any change in normal bowel 

habits. 

STRIKE BACK AT CANCER 

MAN'S CRUELEST ENEMY 

give to 

AMERICAN 

CANCER SOCIETY 

Through the Courtesy of 

BOXOFFICE 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

. . Carl 

. . Cameramen 

. . 

MIAMI 

n ccordingr to .\rthur Davis, Gold Coast Pictures 

distributor, plans are under way to 

give the Roosevelt a fitting sendoff for its 

return to a motion picture policy when the 

current series of stage plays ends. "The 

Tender Trap" will hold till June 17 on the 

stage. The Italian film, "Woman," w'ill start 

the screen reopening . from 

Warners have been in Florida shooting the 

sky. A Florida-localed film is being made in 

California, "Toward the Unknown," and all 

backgrounds were duplicated in the west 

coast studios except typical cloud formations. 

MGM Staff Hosts 200 Film People 

At New Jacksonville Building 

The Mitchell Wolfsons and their daughter 

Frankie sailed on the Independence on the 

last lap of their around-the-world trip that 

took them to every continent excepting South 

America. They planned to spend some time 

in New York before returning to Miami . 

The Old Guard, Wometco organization, held 

its annual banquet recently at the Eden Roc 

Hotel. 

Three children (3, 6 and 7> toddled off 

from a local day nui-sery recently, inspiring a 

countywide search. Just before midnight one 

of the half dozen sheriff's patrol cars on the 

prowl seeking the youngsters, made a routine 

check of outdoor theatres. Not five blocks 

from the point of disappearance, the children 

were discovered newing a film at the 27th 

Avenue Drive-In ... A testimonial dinner 

was recently given George Hoover at the 

Westview Country Club by members of the 

Variety Club of Miami. Hoover had just been 

named international executive director of 

Variety. 

Walter Klements saw that Arthur Burdick. 

employed at the Mayfair Art Theatre, received 

a letter of commendation from the 

circuit's main office. Burdick, whom Klements 

says is a "dick" all right, recovered three 

lost wallets in one week, containing over 

a hundred dollars and a lot of valuable 

papers . Jamroga returned to the 

Miracle Tlieatre after a sojourn as a "Connecticut 

yankee." 

Herb Rau, Miami Daily News' amusement 

editor, has been in Madrid. Spain. Nothing 

but antique American movies available, he 

says, due to some export-import difficulty. 

Crowds are queuing up for "Bread, Love and 

Dreams," with Sophia Loren, most popular 

femme star in Spain. 

Doc Wilson, Half Century 

A Showman. Is FST Guest 

MIAMI—Even "seeing" is hard to believe, 

according to Doc Wilson, who finds motion 

pictures nowadays a lot different from the 

days when he was press agent for such silent 

greats as William Farnum and Laurette Taylor. 

Wilson, who was advance man for "The 

Four Horsemen," recently celebrated his 50th 

year in show business as the guest of FST 

at a performance of "Oklahoma!" on an extended 

run at the Sheridan Theatre. 

Color Posters lor 'Planet' 

CLEWISTON, FLA.—Approximately 400 

elementary school children entered a poster 

coloring contest arranged by U. T. Koch, 

manager of Dixie Crystal Theatre, for "The 

Forbidden Planet." 

Happy in their new offices in the Loew's building in Jacksonville are these 

members of the MGM branch office there. Seated, left to right, Dianna Beasley, 

Loretta Corbett, Alfred Terranova, Sarah Keller, Kathleen Willis, Marjorie Edenfield, 

Dawn Baggett and Sara Warren. Standing: Melvarine McCrary, Norm Levinson, 

Judson Moses, E. J Van Voorhis, Max Stepkin, Charley Turner, Janice Claxton, Johnny 

Allen, Jean Moore, Bob Capps and Manager Fred G. Hull jr. 

JACKSONVILLE—Fred G. Hull jr., MGM 

manager, and his staff were proud hosts to 

nearly 200 exhibitors and well-wishers from 

other distribution offices in Florida's film 

all 

capital at an afternoon cocktail party on 

June 4 in the general offices of the spankingnew 

Loew's, Inc., building at 501 East Forsyth 

St. 

Formerly located in rented quarters at 218 

West Ashley, MGM had lacked space for 

handling film but the new building contains 

a large fireproof vault, a shipping room and 

storage office, and a film inspection room. 

Benton Bros, will continue handling MGM 

films until the new film exchange opens on 

July 1. 

Constructed by the Hiron H. Peck Co., the 

new one-story structure is functionally designed 

of masonry, steel and two tones of 

ornamental brick. An adjoining fenced 

private parking lot provides space for the 

automobiles of all staff members and busine.ss 

callers. The handsome interior contains 

a large general office for bookers, the 

cashier's department, bookkeepers and secre- 

Louis J. Finskc, left, president of 

Florida State Theatres, congratulating 

Fred Hull, .'VIGM branch manager for 

Florida, on the expanded office space and 

the new film exchange in the new Loew's 

building in Jacksonville. 

taries; a conference room for salesmen and 

exhibitors, a luxurious branch manager's 

office and an outer office for his secretary, 

a publicity department office, a separate 

room for the office manager, a large gailydecorated 

recreation room, restrooms, storage 

room, and a shop, housing equipment for 

the complete air conditioning and heating 

plants. 

With a brown exterior, the building's interior 

walls are of a soft green, with Venetian 

blinds at all windows, gleaming steel office 

furniture, multi-colored plastic tile floors, 

indirect lighting, acoustical tile ceilings and 

is the entire building a triumph of design 

for employe comfort and efficiency. 

Out-of-towners at the MGM open house 

included Rudolph Berger. MGM southern 

division manager, Washington; Judson Moses, 

MGM press representative, Atlanta: Jimmy 

Ochs, Ochs Management Co., Dania: Jimmie 

Partlow, Kuhl Avenue Drive-In, Orlando: 

Pete Sones, Bay-Lan Theatres, Tampa: Carl 

Floyd, Floyd Theatres, Haines City, and 

Harold Spears, Bailey Theatres, Atlanta. 

A catering firm assisted with the open 

house and supplied delicious hors d'oeuvres 

which were served buffet style. 

MGM's new location put.s its office in the 

same vicinity with nine other distribution 

offices, whereas the old office had been about 

a mile distant from the rest of distribution, 

circuit offices and independent bookers who 

are neatly bunched along East Forsyth, with 

the exception of 20th-Fox. U-I and Howco 

who are a block away on East Bay. 

Gifts on Mothers Day 

EAU GALLIE, FLA.—Jack Grayson, manager 

of the Brevard Drive-In, and Louis V. 

Coleman jr. of Coleman's pharmacy cooperated 

in a special Mothers Day program 

at the theatre. Coleman acted as emcee 

in presenting gifts to the mother with the 

most children, the youngest child and oldest 

mother. 

The femme lead opposite George Montgomery 

in Allied Artists' "54 Washington 

Street" has been assigned Meg Randall. 

to 

80X0FFICE June 16, 1956 47

. . John 

ifl E M P H I S 

farl Dozier has reopened his Lavaca Theatre 

at Lavaca, Ark. The theatre had been 

closed for some time . . . Sykes Bros, have 

resumed operation of the Murray Drive-In 

at Murray. Ky. . . . Louise Mask, Luez, Bolivar; 

Amelia Ellis, Frayser Drive-In, Frayser, 

Turn 

...HAVE YOU? 

Sure, you're still selling entertainment, 

but what else do you offer? Smart exhibitors 

have profited by letting us freshen-up 

their theatre seats . . . replacing oil worn 

and broken ports. It costs so little and 

there's no interruption of your show sched- 

Coil today for a tree estii 

May we give you 

MANUFACTURERS 

Fo:iii. Rubber & 

theatre seat 

seruiie co. 

160 Hemitage Avenue 

Nashville, Tennessee 

and W. P. Ruffin jr., Ruffin Amusement Co., 

Covington, were among Tennessee exliibitors 

in Memphis last week. 

Leon Rountree, Holly at Holy Springs and 

Valley at Water Valley; Mr. and Mrs. L. P. 

Foley. Palace, Tunica; C. N. Eudy, Houston, 

Houston, and Mr. and Mrs. Henley Smith, 

Folly in Marks were in town from Mississippi 

. . . The 20th Family Club, composed 

of 20th-Fox employes, and their friends will 

spend the weekend of June 30 at Paris Landing 

Park in Paris, 125 miles northeast of 

Memphis on Kentucky Lake. 

R. L. Bostlck, National Theatre Supply Co., 

was in Atlanta on business Staples, 

. 

Carolyn, Piggott; Gordon Hutchins, 64 Drive- 

In, Russellville; Gene Higginbotham, Melody, 

Le'achville; Orris Collins, Capitol, Paragould; 

Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Hitt, Cozy and Plaza at 

Bentonville and Concord and Apollo at 

Springdale; Jim Singleton, New, Marked 

Tree, and Alvin Tipton, whose Tipton theatres 

are at Caraway, Manila and Monette, 

were in town from Ai-kansas. 

Irvin Alien, who wrote, directed and produced 

"The Animal World," came here for 

the film's opening at Warner Theatre . . . The 

Filmrow-WOMPI-Variety Club picnic will be 

July 14 . . . Jack Katz, owner of Ritz Theatre 

at Memphis, is recovering nicely following 

a recent heart attack. 

Sunday Shows or None, 

Jackson, Tenn., Issue 

JACKSON. TENN.—Will this town permit 

Sunday motion pictures or become a community 

without theatres? 

That is the question faced by the people, say 

managers Harold Thomas of the Malco and 

Bill Steppe of Paramount. 

These theatres are losing money and may 

have to close if not given permission to 

operate on Sunday, the managers say. A 

third theatre already has been closed by its 

owner, Steve Stein. 

Petitions are being circulated among citizens 

asking for a special election to vote 

on Sunday motion picture shows at the 

August 2 primary. The election will be called 

if enough signatures are obtained. The request 

of Thomas and Steppe to have the 

city commissioners pass an ordinance allowing 

Sunday shows between 1 and 5 p.m. and 

•'after 9 p.m." on Sunday was rejected. The 

commissioners said "the people should vote 

on it." 

The Ministerial Ass'n has fought Sunday 

films in Jackson for years. This is the first 

time theatre managers had conceded on the 

time, requesting Sunday shows "after church 

hoiu-s." 

The issue of Sunday movies was lost by a 

margin of eight votes in a hot election held 

several years ago at Jackson. 

Three al Memphis Top 

Par; 'Knew' Scores 200 

MEMPHIS—Three first runs topped average 

for the week. Loew's State reported 150 per 

cent for "Gaby," Malco did 125 per cent with 

"Safari" and the Strand had 200 with "The 

Man Who Knew Too Much." 


MqIco—Safari (Col) '25 

Palace— Unidentified Flying Objects (UA); Crime 

Against Joe (UA) 

State—Goby (MGM) 

80 

'50 

Strand—The Man Who Knew Too Much (Para). 200 

Warner—While the City Sleeps (RKO) 90 

Censors Finally Permit 

Memphis to See 'Duel' 

MEMPHIS—"Duel in the Sun," twice 

banned here by censors, is showing at Malco 

Theatre. 

It was banned in 1947, when first released, 

and again in 1954, when it was rereleased. 

Lloyd T. Binford, now retired, who was 

chairman of the board of censors in 1947 

and 1954, called the picture "vile." 

The present board, consisting of Mrs. B. F. 

Edwards, Mrs. St. Elmo Newton sr. and Mrs. 

Walter Gray, passed the picture. Mrs. Edwards 

and Mrs. Newton were members of the 

board in 1954 and were present when the 

board voted unanimously to ban the picture. 

âu fleoUu^ . . . 

QUALITY • SERVICE 

and 

• SATISFACTION 

when you entrust your business to: 

THE QUEEN FEATURE SERVICE, Inc. 

Comp\eie Theatre & Driye-ln 

& Supplies 

Equipment 

Phone ALpine 1-8665

RESEARCH BUREAU 

j 

Drive-ln Site Cut Out of Mountainside 

for 

MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS I 

ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION • 

The MODERN THEATRE 

PLANNING INSTITUTE 

825 Van Brunt Blvd. 

Kansas City 24, Mo. 

Gentlemen: 

Plaase enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU 

to receive information regularly, as released, on 

Ihs following subjects for Theatre Planning: 

D Acouatica 

n Air Conditioning 

D Architectural Serrica 

D "Black" Lighting 

D Building Material 

D Carpels 

Q Coin Machines 

D Complete Remodeling 

n Decorating 

Diinlc Dispensers 

D Drive-In Equipment 

Q Other Subjects 

n Lighting Fixtures 

n Plumbing Fixtures 

n Projectors 

n Projection Lamps 

D Seating 

D Signs and Marquees 

n Sound Equipment 

D Television 

j 

Waters Theatre Co. has opened Birmingham's newest and most modern drive-in 

theatre, the Skyview, on IIighwa\ 31 north of town. The 550-car airer, fifth in the 

Waters chain, feature.s a 40x80-fout all-metal aireen and ha.s a snack bar with all 

stainless steel equipment. It has its own manually operated traffic lights to speed 

the flow of traffic. The completely paved arena has been cut out of a mountainside 

and has been thoroughly landscaped with flowers and shrubs. Waters also operates 

these drive-ins in Birmingham: Roebuck, 625 cars; Shades Mountain, 525 cars; Fair 

Park, 825 cars, and Starlite, 840 cars. 

Steal Safe With $421 

: SHREVEPORT—A safe embedded in con- 

Crete was carted off from the Venus Theatre 

j 

: at 2426 Lakeshore Drive early Tue.sday. Lee 

: Crenshaw, the manager, said it contained 

$421.95. Detectives said the front door of 

j 

D Theatre Fronts 

; 

; burglars who ripped the safe from the con- 

D Vending Equipment 

• Crete and hauled it through a rear door. 

j 

Fire Destroys Theatre 

j 

LIGHT, ARK.—The W. C. Newberry Theatre 

here was de.stroyed by a fire which 

• did damage estimated at $25,000 to several 

: business houses. 

New Picayune Theatre 

Will Be Opened Soon 

PICAYUNE, MISS.—W. Moseley will open 

his new Pic Theatre here about July 1. The 

theatre, a 900-seater, has been under construction 

for two years with work being 

stopped when business in the town began 

falling off. Moseley also operates the Ritz. 

Plans are being made to operate the house 

on a seven-day schedule. 

The background score for MGM's "Somewhere 

I'll Find Him" is being composed by 

Jeff Alexander. 

Theatre 

HANDY 

Seating Capacity.. 

Address 

City.... 

State.. 

Signed.. 

Postage-paid reply cards for your further convenience : 

in obtoining information ore prorided in The MODERN ; 

THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of j 

I 

each month. • 


. . 

Betty 

: June 

CHARLOTTE 

. 

piizabeth Anne, daughter of Robert M. 

Boovy, salesman for United Artists, was 

maiTled to Herman L. Wilson following her 

graduation from Central High School. Her 

brother Fred was an usher Suzanne, 

. . . 

daughter of Mrs. Gladys Hawkins, secretary 

at the Wilby-Kincey circuit office, was to be 

maiTied Saturday to Bartlett C. Winkler... 

H. F. Kincey presented scrolls to his two 

chairmen in the $2,000,000 YMCA fund drive, 

which went over the top Ann. 

daughter of Mrs. Sadie Smith, Stewart- 

Everett Theatres employe, was awarded a $250 

scholarship to Women's College at Greensboro 

at the graduation exercises at Harding High 

School. 

Santa Claus was in Charlotte last week in 

behalf of "The Toy Tiger." Santa is Lucky 

S. Squire, who impersonates the Christmas 

character at New York department stores . . . 

Cadet Ira S. Meiselman, son of Herman B. 

Meiselman of Meiselman Theatres, was g:-aduated 

from the Admiral Farragut Academy of 

Pine Beach, N. J. 

The city council at Darlington voted unanimously 

against Sunday motion pictures at a 

special meeting called at the behest of Sam 

Irwin of Asheville, owner of the local theatre. 

The Darlington Ministerial Alliance organized 

a mass protest . . . Mrs. J. O. Mock was high 

scorer at the Variety Club bridge luncheon. 

Second was Mrs. F. E. Dyer. 

Tliree fire companies answered a fire alarm 

at the Tyron Theatre in midtown early Friday 

the 8th. Damage was slight . . . Stand- 

WINS PRIMARY—Roy Rowe, owner of 

the Pender Theatre in Burgaw, N. C, and 

a director of the Theatre Owners of 

North and South Carolina, won by a large 

majority in his campaign for nomination 

to the North Carolina Senate in the 

primary election May 26. Rowe has 

served four terms in the state senate. 

ard Theatre Supply has selected Amana line 

of room coolers, and has several of the air 

conditioners on display at its branch office 

at 219 South Church St. Charles D. Phillips, 

manager, said Standard made a thorough 

survey of all makes before selecting Amana. 

mKINC tlRVICEfl^ 

H. G. ARENSON Court, Charlotte, N. C. 

the best source of supply for the finest^ 

in approved 

equipment 

OH 

FRANK LOWRY — JOHN WOOD 

PHONE FR. 5-7787 

tMASCOP^ 

yllDE SCREEtl' 

everything 

for the 

theatre 

except film 

wil-kin theatre supply, inc. 

atlanta, go. • charlotte, n. c. 

Jacques Reville Dies; 

CharlotteMGMHead 

CHARLOTTE—Jacques C. Reville, 64, manager 

for MGM here since 1947, died at his 

residence at 1539 Sanford Place here last 

week (5 J following an illness of several weeks. 

Reville, an employe of MGM for 26 years, 

was transferred here from Oklahoma City. 

The funeral was held at the Lake Swamp 

Baptist Church near Timmonsville, S. C. 

is Reville survived by his wife Frances; 

a son Jackland, and two daughters, Mrs. 

G. W. Crawford of Fairless Hills, Pa., and 

Jill of the home. 

Parking Meter Charges 

Paid to Protect Drivers 

HARTFORD—Thomas C. Grogan, manager 

of Perakos Theatre Associates Strand in 

nearby Thompsonville, is learning this axiom 

anew: "Everything you give comes back to 

you." 

In an effort to protect motorists unfamiliar 

with the unconventional regulations at the 

Thompsonville municipal parking lot, Grogan 

sends his ushers periodically through the 

premises to put nickels in meters of parkers 

who have forgotten or neglected the practice. 

Grogan's aide leaves a note telling the 

parker that his vehicle has been in danger 

of being fined, but that the Strand management 

has put money into the meter. 

Many of the parkers, thus saved from paying 

a dollar because they did not realize the 

meters in Thompsonville are in operation 

until 9 p.m., including Saturdays and Sundays 

(normally, most Hartford area communities 

do not charge for street parking after 6 

p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and there 

is no charge on Sundays all day), responded 

like Mr. and Mrs. Jay Wilmarth of Hazardville. 

Conn., who mailed Grogan this note: 

"May we thank you for your parking meter 

courtesy Friday evening last week? We 

appreciate this and enclose a few more 

nickels so that you may continue your 

efforts 

in behalf of your patrons." 

Sealed to the letter was a 25-cent piece. 

Many others, thus helped, have been walking 

up to the Strand's boxoffice and leaving 

a coin. 

"Meanwhile," adds Grogan with a trace 

of a satisfied showman's grin, "the Strand is 

continuing its courtesy until certain that a 

majority of its patrons understand fully the 

regulations in effect at the lot!" 

Drive-In Firm Is Chartered 

COLUMBIA. S. C—The 601 Drive-In at 

Camden has been chartered to operate a theatre 

or theatres in Kershaw county; capitalization 

$5,000. E. B. Scholsburg is president 

of the 

firm. 

SERVICE 

and 

COURTESY 

For over 20 yean 

OUR WATCH WORD 

:ENTURY ^ri'oro* STRONG ..^^ps 

CONCESSION EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES 

JTANDARD THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

E. St., Washington 219 So. Church SI. 

215 

GREENSBORO, N. C. CHARLOTTE. N. C. 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

: June 

Centralized Booking 

For 1195 in 2 Stales 

OKLAHOMA CITY—Some 62 theatres in 

Oklahoma use the services of four buying and 

booking agencies in the state, while an additional 

187 theatres throughout Oklahoma 

belong to circuits of four or more theatres 

and are booked out of a central office. 

These statistics on the growth of film buying 

and booking services are included in a 

recent report on such services compiled by 

the United Theatres of Oklahoma for its 

members. E. R. "Red" Slocuni. UTOO executive 

director, found that Oklahoma started 

with one such booking agency and now has 

four, one of which was added this year. 

In Texas, the review added, there are now 

ten centralized buying and booking agencies 

in Dallas and two in San Antonio. These 

prints, higher (quoted) rental terms, percentages 

and demanded increased playing 

time. 

"Not every theatre owner would be happy 

with the (third man) buying and booking 

service. Some prefer the personal contacts 

with film exchanges personnel: some may 

feel they do a good enough job. others do not. 

You be the judge and jury." 

Flat Tire Vandals Busy 

At Houston Drive-ins 

HOUSTON—The Winkler and Hempstead 

drive-ins. both Lone Star chain theatres, were 

struck by "flat tire" vandals on a recent 

Saturday night and early Sunday. At least 

50 cars received flats and a total of 80 pounds 

of "flat traps" were recovered. 

The "traps" were small, multipointed 

gadgets shaped Uke jacks the kids play with. 

They were handmade from concrete reinforcing 

screen, police said. The points extend 

in all four directions from the center, 

so that no matter how they fall a point 

sticks up. 

Dan Goodwin, manager of the Winkler, reported 

at least 25 cars had flats, one driver 

having 24 of the gadgets in one tire. Two 

service station repair trucks, working in relays, 

were kept busy for several hours, he said. 

His employes found about 30 pounds of the 

gadgets. Hempstead Manager Jimmy Harris 

said they also had about 25 cars put out of 

service, with an average of two flats to a car. 

He reported having one repair truck going 

until 6 a.m. They recovered 50 pounds of the 

devices. 

Both Jimmy and Dan said they thought 

juveniles had spread the points. But a 

Winkler employe reported a telephone call 

from a man who said, "If the mess in San 

Antonio doesn't clear up. this is only a 

sample of what's going to happen." 

'Oklahoma!' Premiere Climaxes 

Citywide Wooper-Doo Promotion 

By ART LaMAN 

Tulsa has had probably the greatest premiere 

ever staged in the great .southwest: 

the opening of "OklaJioma!" at the Rial to 

Theatre June 7. The Williams brothers, 

owners of the Downtown Theatres of Tulsa, 

went all-out to give Tulsa and eastern Oklahoma 

the event of the season. 

First it was necessary to make an outlay 

between $75,000 and $100,000 to remodel 

of 

the Rialto and install the Todd-AO equipment. 

J. W. Murphy, sound engineer, was 

in chai-ge. There was a large staff of stagehands, 

decorators and many others who 

worked nearly night and day to have the 

theatre leady for the opening presentation 

agencies serve approximately 279 theatres in 

of this wonderful picture in the new process 

138 towns—mostly independents. 

Texas has 667 theatres in 28 circuits of 

from 4 to 144 theatres. Buying and booking 

on 70mm film. 

The Downtown Theatres and Magna Theatres 

Corp. set up a promotion and publicity 

for most of these are handled by a centralized 

office far in advance of opening day, from 

where publicity man George Ketchum directed 

office of each circuit. "Many have their 

offices in Dallas, where the film distributors 

the campaign. Both papers, the 

World 

are located," the review reports. "Some of 

and Ti-ibune, gave plenty of space. With all 

the 667 theatres are located in New Mexico. 

of the rem(xieling, leg work, publicity well 

Arkansas and Oklahoma." In all, 946 theatres 

in hand. Jack Hull, general manager of the 

in Texas are centrally bought and booked. 

In Slocum comments; "Today's 

Downtown Theatres, took over when he met 

his report, 

Shirley Jones, the beautiful Laurey of "Oklahoma!" 

buyers and bookers are confronted with 

alarming changes in theatre economics 

From the moment Mi.ss Jones stepped 

reduced number of releases, shortage of 

off the plane things kept building for the 

grand opening, with Miss Jones attending 

some affair in her honor nearly every hour. 

The celebration opened w-ith a whooperdoo 

parade in downtown Tulsa at 10:30 a.m. 

June 7 sponsored by the Tulsa Chamber of 

Commerce, and the Retail Merchants Bureau. 

Walter H. Esser was marshal of the parade 

of hundreds of oldtimers. covered wagons, 

opening. Workmen, a.ssisted by the police, 

blocked off Third street in front of the Rialto, 

and ei-ected stages, decorations and lights, including 

Hollywood-type searchlights. 

In the early evening the crowds began to 

gather for the opening of "Oklahoma!" the 

event everyone had been talking about and 

waiting for many weeks. With bands playing 

Who's the Honest Man? 

Manager Is Asking 

San .Antonio, Tex.—B. J. Blankenship, 

Josephine Theatre manager, is seeking 

an honest man—but not just any old 

honest man. The one he's looking: for is 

a patron who discovered he had received 

SIO too much in change and returned it 

to the boxoffice. 

Blankenship is trving to learn the person's 

name so Tom Sumners, the theatre 

owner, can write him a letter of appreciation. 

and lights flashing, the invited guests began 

to arrive, to be greeted by Jack Hull, the 

Williams brothers, Governor Gary and Mi.ss 

Jones, while radio commentator Glen Condon 

acted as master of ceremonies. While "Oklahoma!" 

was unreeled In the Rialto, out front 

on Third .street a real old-fashioned Oklahoma 

Jamboree was taking place. 

Highlighting the three hours of fun and 

entertainment were demonstrations by the 

colorful Oklahoma square dance clubs. Indians 

presented a powwow featuring tribal 

dances. Hundreds of Tulsans took part in 

what they claimed was the best fun they 

ever had been offered in the downtown area. 

When the guests came out of the theatre 

after the show nothing but prai.se could be 

heard for "Oklahoma!" The regular run 

started June 8, with a full house pre.sent. and 

now, after ten days, it looks like this picture 

will enjoy the longest run of any ever shown 

in Tulsa. 

UTO of Oklahoma 

Plans July 17 Rally 

OKLAHOMA CITY—United Theatre Owners 

of Oklahoma will hold its midsummer 

busine.s.s meeting July 17 at the Indian Hills 

Country Club in Tulsa. E. R. "Red" Slocum, 

executive director, announced. Invitations to 

the meeting will be extended to other segments 

of the motion picture industry. 

In addition to the business meeting, the 

gathering will feature golf, swimming, a refreshment 

hour, buffet dinner and dance. 

A new UTOO member is the Lawton Theatre 

Corp., owner of the Dome and Murray 

theatres and Austin Drive-In at Lawton. 

General manager of the theatres is Joe Tur- 

oldtime autos and a number of wagons that 

took part in the Oklahoma Run, which wa^ 

the name given to the parade. A prize of $500 

offered to the person who drove an oldtime 

auto the greatest distance to take part in 

ner. 

the parade, won by a Kansas City man. 

Miss Jones rode in a surrey with the fringe 

on top. It has been given to the Lynn Riggs 

Frank Gardiner Suffers 

Memorial at Claremore. The Tulsa Chamber 

of Commerce public affairs forum featured Attack at Clinton, Okla. 

Miss Jones, members of the Downtown Theatres 

and Oklahoma Governor Raymond Gary of the Plaza Theatre and Roundup Drive-In 

CLINTON, OKLA—Frank Gardiner, owner 

in a program devoted to the "Oklahoma!" in Baird, Tex., suffered a heart attack here 

while returning to his home from Weatherford, 

Okla., after visiting his mother. He will 

be in the Clinton Hospital for at least six 

weeks. 

Open at Burnet, Tex. 

BURNET, TEX.—Mr. and Mrs. T. J. White 

opened their newest theatre, the HoUiday 

Drive-In, recently. In show business 20 years 

in this seven-lake country, they also operate 

the Texas Theatre in downtown Biunet. 

They formerly ran the Burn-Tex Theatre. 

They opened to a capacity crowd, which has 

been holding up nicely. The nearest other 

drive-in is about 25 miles away, the second 

nearest more than 50 miles. 

Ralph Drewry to Car Field 

TULSA—Ralph Drewry. former manager 

the Tulsa Downtown Theatres, is moving 

of 

to Phoenix, Ariz., where he will establish an 

agency for National Bonded Cars, an automobile 

warranty organization. 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956 sw 51

. . Johnny 

: June 

Theatreman Ebeier 

Into Swim Pool Boom 

DALLAS—Jerry Ebeier, well-known exhibitor 

in the Texas Valley for a number of 

years, now is representing Esther Williams in 

the franchising and selling of swimming pools 

in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and New Mexico 

from'his headquarters at 2013>2 Young St. 

Miss Williams, who broke world records 

in 1939 at the age of 16, including the 100- 

meter breast stroke and the 100-meter free 

style, now is in deep commercial water, marketing 

a backyard swimming pool that she 

and her husband. Ben Gage, developed three 

years ago. Ebeier expects many exhibitors 

to capitalize on the popularity of Esther 

Williams and her pictures by taking on the 

franchise for the swimming pools as a sideline 

activity. 

Last year the Gages sold manufacturing 

rights to their pool to the International 

Swimming Pool Corp. of White Plains, N. Y.. 

and currently Miss Williams is making movies 

and personal appearances to promote their 

sale. International Swimming Pool Corp. set 

up an exhibit in the home show at the 

Coliseum in New York several weeks ago. 

and signed contracts there for more than 100 

pools, according to Don Preuss, executive 

vice-president. 

JkeppfiO/'hlftah 

QUALITY COUNTS! That's 

why our fine 

concession 

supplies mean TOP PROFITS 

for your snack bar! 

ASSOCIATED 

^ 

POPCORN DISTRIBUTORS, Inc. 

A recent survey by the trade publication. 

Swimming Pool Age, showed that more than 

30,000 swimming pools will be bought by home 

owners this year at a cost of $325,000,000. 

Last year, according to Richard Hoffman, 

publisher, 26,500 backyard pools were sold. 

There now are about 35.000 backyard swimming 

pools in use. Eleven years ago there 

were only about 8.000. The big boom started 

in 1952 and reached a peak in 1955. 

In 1945 there were about 25 manufacturers 

and contractors building home swimming 

pools as a fulltime occupation. This year 

more than 1,000 stand to make a good dollar 

out of the market, including Preuss and Miss 

Williams. 

The reasons for the backyard swimming 

pool boom ai-e many. The longing of a Long 

Island to live like housewife a Hollywood 

star is not to be scorned. A Brooklyn motorist 

grows sick and tired of perspiring in 

bimiper-to-bumper traffic each weekend that 

he takes his family to the beach. A Hoosier 

householder hates to mow his back lawn; he 

installs a 15x30-foot swimming pool and the 

back lawn is gone. 

The average price of a home swimming 

pool is $3,000. A few may be bought for as 

low as $1,500 and others up to $6,000. Small 

numbers are purcha.sed for cash. The rest 

TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR PROJECT/ON BOOTH 

REPLACE WORN & OBSOLETE ITEMS 

Amplifiers 

Speakers 

Tubes 

CO CO 

LU 

CO 

CO 

Strong Lamps 

Rectifiers 

Wenzel Projectors 

Sound Heads 

Rectifier Tubes 

CO 

Exciter Lamps—Sand Urns 

Photo Electric Cells 

Popcorn Machines—Reels 

Sno Cone Machines—Film Cabinets 

Peanut Machines—Film Tables 

Deep Frye Machines—Tickets 

Hot Dog Machines—Ticket Machines 

Light Fixtures 

Projection Machine Parts 

Film Splicers 

AND MANY OTHER ITEMS 

CO 

HERBER THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO. 

"Fair Treatment and Adequate Service for Thirty Years" 

408 S. Harwood St. Dallas, Texas 

CO 

are financed by that great American sport 

second only to baseball as a national pasttime—easy 

payments. 

Swimming pool makers usually sell their 

products through dealers. International's 

Esther Williams Swim Paks (all the makings) 

are sold to dealers all over the country, as 

well as in Spain and several South American 

countries. The dealers then install them. 

Preuss said the total cost for a 15x30-foot 

pool comes to less than $2,000 when the 

terrain and labor costs are right. 

International's pool is made of vinyl plastic. 

I>reuss says this eliminates weather-caused 

cracking and consequent repairs common to 

concrete. 

DALLAS 

•Phe clubrooms of the Dallas Variety Club in 

the Adolphus Hotel will be enlarged to 

include a room for the wives of members for 

meetings and parties. The last club meeting 

was attended by nearly the full membership. 

Roy Kanter reported on the Variety International 

convention in New York early in 

May. Julius Schepps, past chief barker, outlined 

plans for the annual Turtle Derby at the 

Ice Arena on the state fairgrounds September 

9. Chief Barker Clyde Remtjert introduced 

John H. Rowley, new Variety International 

chief. 

Alfred Del Cambre was taken to Methodist 

Hospital following a heart attack . . . Lloyd 

PuUen. city manager for Rowley United at 

Little Rock, conferred with home office officials 

here . Blocker, drive-in theatre 

owner from Corpus Christi. was in calling 

at the exchanges. 

Hiram Parks, owner of theatres in Lubbock, 

was seen on Filmrow driving a new Cadillac 

. . . Mar-y Bitting, cashier, resigned after 

worldng at Columbia 27 years. A farewell 

party was given her by the employes . . . Dan 

Hulse sr. has left the Herber Theatre Equipment 

Co. 

Contest Calls Attention 

To Airer Remodeling 

PORT ARTHUR, TEX.—In connection 

with Surf Drive-In Theatre's recent remodeling 

program here. Manager A. J. Funderburk 

staged a contest for which passes to 

the theatre were given as prizes. The contestants 

were asked to guess the number of 

strips in the new corrugated aluminum screen. 

The contest was "so close," Funderburk 

said, that to determine the winners, not only 

the date stamped on the postmark was used, 

but the hour of mailing also had to be considered. 

Fii'st place winner was awarded a 

six-month pass; a 30-day pass went to the first 

runner-up, and two passes each went to the 

next 15 winners. 

TELL EM 

ABOUT THAT 

BIQ )HOW yOU'RE 

PLANNING 

EXPIOIT IT WITH 

s^TRAILERS 

THE BESTI. FROM 

ijiiiiiiijjiiijjiiinii 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16, 1956

: June 

LOOK!... Exhibitors... LOOK! 

You Have Popularized ESTHER WILLIAMS in Your Commuttity 

NOW CAPITALIZE ON IT 

Mn,. C'xAiJuio^:-''QWX IN THE SWIM 

With Esther for BIG PROFITS 

She's looking for a Leading Man as Franchise 

Dealer for her Home Swimming Pool. 

• A real BIG PROFIT opportunity for smart exhibitors 

dynamic, nationally advertised, booming business. 

this 

• A full color motion picture film of 

Esther Williams and the Swimming 

Pool to help you close sales is available. 

- . 

• The Esther Williams Swimming Pool 

is a 15x30-foot permanent-in-theground 

pool which costs less than 

$2,000 completely installed with top 

quality filter (No water changes). 

Esther has also worked out a plan 

for a Swimming Pool Pak on a Do-It- 

Yourself basis. 

THIS IS THE HOTTEST OPPORTUNITY OF THE DAY!! 

• This first Volume-SeUing Package is designed 

for Big Sales to average-income 

families. 

• fflGH PROFIT PER SALE—simplified installation 

through subcontracting. 

• NO FRANCfflSE FEE—To obtain this 

highly profitable franchise immediate 

investment is required for opening Self- 

Liquidating inventory of Swim Pool Paks 

only. 

POOL SELLING SEASON ON RIGHT NOW!! 

Imperative dealer gets started now to get in on profits from this booming business this season. 

Write or Phone 

JERRY EBEIER 

Franchise 

Director 

INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING POOL CORPORATION 

20131/2 Young Street • Dallas, Texas 

Phones: Days, PRospect 1557 • Nites, EDgemont 2-5690 or WHitehall 2-3538 

BOXOFTICE 

: 

16. 1956 

53

. . . Percy 

. . Leo 

. . Robert 

. . . John 

. . There 

. . Jackie 

. . Fred 

. . The 

. . Edgar 

: June 

. . 

AN ANTONIO 

irisiting the Mexican film exchanges were 

Manuel E. Soils, Rancho Drive-In Theatre. 

Alice, and Longhorn Drive-In. Hebbronville; 

Benito Silvas, the Mexico. Carrizo 

Spring.s; J. D. Oliver, general manager, and 

Eddie Reyna. buyer and booker, both of the 

Fi-els circuit, Victoria, and D. W. Trisko and 

son, the Runge Theatre, Runge . . . Clasa- 

Mohme's newest release. "La Fuerza de Los 

Humildes," which was premiered at the Alameda, 

stars Roberto Canedo, Victor Cordero, 

Yolanda Varela and Miguel Inclan. It was 

filmed in Mexico. 

Maria Antoinette Garza, formerly of Mexico, 

has joined the Clasa-Mohme accounting 

department as secretary . . . Fernando J. 

Obledo, former head booker here at Azteca 

who now is manager at the Azteca Denver 

exchange, was in town on a visit . . . Abel 

Cortinas. formerly with Azteca here, now is 

at Ft. Sam Houston as projectionist and 

shipping head of the film division . . . Every 

school teacher in San Antonio was given 

two passes good at any Interstate Theatre 

through the courtesy of George M. Watson, 

city manager of the Aztec. Majestic, State 

and Broadway theatres. This is an annual 

custom to show the theatres' appreciation of 

the schoolmarms vital role as educators. The 

passes are valid all during the summer. 

Manager Ig-nacio Torres of the Alameda 

has booked "Espaldas Mojadas" for his Flag 

Day week attraction . . . The Swedish film, 

"The Naked Night," bowed in to the Ai-ts 

... A vandal dropped a stench bomb in the 

balcony of the Pi'ince Theatre the other 

night. Assistant Manager Jimmy Powers 

started the big blowers and cleared the house 

of the fumes in a short time. The culprit 

made his exit by running down two flights 

of stairs near the manager's office. 

Jewell Truex, manager at Azteca. was on a 

trip through south Texas and the Lower Rio 

HIGHEST QUALITY and PROFITS! 

Serve delicious 

CHILI DOGS with 

America's besttastin' 

ATCO 

dressing! 

BUFFALO 

3409 Oak Lovn, Room 107 

COOLING 

Grande valley calling on Mexican exhibitors 

D. Barbat, Hollywood actor, who 

makes his home in San Antonio since his 

retirement from the screen several years ago, 

w'as to renew aquaintances with Joel McCrea 

backstage at the Majestic during the star's 

one day appearance here. Barbat and Mc- 

Crea worked together in "The Gii'l F^'om Rio" 

29 years ago. It will be their first meeting 

since that time . Nelson, formerly 

an assistant manager at the Majestic, has 

joined the advertising staff of the Express- 

News Publishing Co. here. 

OKLAHOMA CITY 

Among Oklahoma exhibitors reporting the 

closing of their- theatres in the last fewweeks 

are: Dennis Ward, Ritz Theatre at 

Afton: Mrs. Adelaide Loman, Ideal at Luther: 

C. A. Duncan, Avon at Weleetka; Video Independent 

Palace at Blackwell; George Carter, 

Dixie at Spiro, and Lake Grove, New 

Theatre. Panama. 

A. M. Freiburger, Dewey exhibitor, is 

sw'itching to one change a week, effective 

July 1 . . . Chester Fleming has reopened his 

Pai-k Vu Drive-In at Nowata . . . J. E. Stribling 

has sold the Cozy at Stroud, to Si Barton. 

Barton also owns the Bar-T Drive-In in 

Prague . Cain sold the Wes-Ten 

Theatre here to Mi's. Eunice Frantz. 

H. S. McMurry, Dumas, Tex., has equipped 

his Perry Drive-In there for Cinemascope . . . 

Republic's recent shifting of its shipping department 

to Oklahoma Shipping and Inspection 

Bureau meant a cut of five in the Oklahoma 

City office personnel. The change was 

effective June 8 . . . Vacationing were Mrs. 

Ruth Hacki-iey, inspector at 20th-Fox and Vic 

Chandler, Universal shipper. Chandler spent 

his vacation in southern Texas fishing. 

Wanda McLain of the UA staff was married 

to Jack B. Ryan. The newlyweds honeymooned 

briefly over the weekend in Tulsa 

and now are at home at 2306 NW 38th. Ryan 

is a traffic patrolman for the police department. 

Exhibitors in town included Amoz Page, 

Texhoma; H. S. McMurry, Dumas, Tex.; Levi 

Metcalf, Purcell: Bernard McKenna, Norman: 

Gene McKenna, Perry: C. L. Lance, 

Ringling: Johnny Fagan. Borger, Tex.; Mi-, 

and Mi-s. R. M. Downing, Collinsville; Walsie 

Campbell, Wynnewood: J. G. Millu-ons, Snyder; 

H. D. Cox, Binger; Clint Applewhite, 

Carnegie: Mi-s. J. L. Cooper, Ajitlers; Truman 

EUerd. Blanchard; A. R.Walker, Broken 

Arrow; Sam Ridgeway, Maysville, and O. A. 

Womble, Caddo. 

C^ ^^ ^ ^ WHEN YOU 

v^ \W ^^ IN 

EQU 

BUFFALO ENGINEERING CO., INC 

ARE 

A RUSH FOR 

SPECIAL 

TRAILERS 

PMENT 

Dallas, Texai 

HOUSTON 

JJarry M. Paul, district manager of Radio 

Corp. of America, was a business visitor 

at Southwestern Theatre Equipment Co. recently, 

reports Alex McKinzie. sales manager 

Price, new manager of the King 

Center Twin Drive-In, is up to his ears in an 

extensive remodeling program. John, trans- 

ferred here from Beaumont by Jefferson 

Amusement Co., is now living at 5910 Southseas 

with his wife Letha and 2-month-old 

daughter Joy Lynn Nahas. KXYZ 

radio executive and Variety Club member, 

was given a two-page spread in Radio-TV 

Mirror, titled "Giving Is a Way of Life." 

Willie Ratcliff's Epsom Drive-In played an 

adults-only three-feature show, headed by 

"French Girls Club" . Tower Theatre 

closed for installation of the new 46-foot 

screen and the special Todd-AO equipment 

at a cost of $50,000 . . . Augie Schmitt is 

introducing a new butter-salt for popcorn 

thi-ough his Houston Popcorn Co. 

The Post Oak Drive-In has started a new 

four-phase improvement which will include 

concessions, ramps, entrances and screen, 

according to owner Jack Groves. He has 

begun enlargement of the concession stand 

to increase its capacity fivefold. Next will 

be construction of a four-lane entrance instead 

of two. After that will be the enlargement 

of the ramps from the present 750 cars 

to 1.150. There still will be room for an 

additional 700-car area on property already 

owned by the Groves, Jack said. Finally will 

come the enlarging of the 96x48-foot screen. 

Irwin Allen, producer of "The Animal 

World," was here to help launch the film 

biography of animal life through many eras 

at the Majestic . Harris, 7-yearold 

son of Hempstead Theatre's Jimmy Harris, 

underwent a mastoidectomy at the Houston 

Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital . 

. 

Mrs. Frank Wilke was hospitalized. He's the 

Boulevard Theatre owner Duckworth, 

English theatre operator from London, 

was a visitor at 20th-Fox. He is mak- 

. 

ing a tour of the U. S. to study theatre operation 

was a tradeshowing of "The 

Proud Ones" Friday morning (8i in the Fox 

preview room. Among viewers were Mrs. 

Albert Raines and a party, and the Ernest 

Forsythes. Mrs. Raines is general manager 

of Korn circuit. The Forsythes own the Don 

Gordon Theatre. 

Joel McCrea was due here for a breakfast 

with the press, three stage appearances with 

the winner of the talent contest conducted for 

"The First Texan" at the Majestic Theatre, 

and radio and TV interviews . . . Interstate 

circuit has issued formal invitations to attend 

a showing of "Oklahoma!" in Todd- 

AO at the Tower Theatre the evening of the 

20th prior to its formal opening the 22nd. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hudgens returned from 

a week's vacation in Oklahoma City. They 

drove house guests back home, then visited 

with son Funny Hudgens, his wife and four 

children. Jim also visited on Filmrow there 

where he held forth for 27 years at the 

Columbia exchange before coming to Houston 

to be Columbia office manager. 

Character actor Roy Roberts has been 

added to the cast of United Artists' "The 

King and Four Queens." 

BOXOFFICE : 

16, 1956

: June 

. . Some 

Minneapolis Grosses 

Held Down by Heat 

MINNEAPOLIS—The summer's first heat 

wave. bringiriR temperatures up to 100. put 

a further dent into grosses. Among the newcomers, 

only "D-Day the Sixth of June" made 

a respectable boxoffice showing. The only 

holdovers were "The Man Who Knew Too 

Much" and "The Searchers," in their third 

and second weeks, respectively. 

(Averoge Is 100) 

" " " (Rep) 85 

Milwaukee Films Council Marks 

25th Year; Cifes Local Showman 

Radio City D-Doy the Sixth of June (20th-Fox 

RKO-Orpheum The Searchers (WB), 2nd wk. . . 

RKO-Pan Top Roofs (U-l); Kansoi Roiders 

Jack Chisholm Organizes 

New Film and TV Firm 

TORONTO—Jack Chisholm. veteran Canadian 

producer, ended 20 years' service with 

Associated Screen News to organize a motion 

picture and television production and distribution 

company here as a division of Associated 

Broadcasting Co. He will produce industrial 

and educational films. TV program 

features and commercials. He is setting up a 

new merchandising plan for Canadian distribution 

of TV films. 

Chisholm. as a stunt man in Hollywood, 

doubled for oldtime stars, among them Tom 

Mix, Hoot Gibson. Ken Maynard and Buck 

Jones. He returned to Canada in 1935 to 

produce British quota feature films and remained 

to enter the industrial field with Associated 

Screen News. 

He organized and w'as the first president of 

the Motion Picture Producers and Laboratory 

Ass'n of Canada. He is chairman of the infraindustry 

relations committee of the National 

Council of the Canadian Motion Picture Industry. 

He conducted the first motion picture 

and TV workshop in Canada to help improve 

the production of Canadian TV films. 

Chisholm has been active in the Variety 

Club in Canada, serving for two years as 

press and public relations officer. He also 

has been chief barker of the local t«nt. 

Suggests Financing Plans 

For Rebuilding Theatre 

ADEL. IOWA—Since the burning of the 

Rialto Theatre, many questions have been 

raised about the possibilities of rebuilding 

the theatre. The Adel News recently carried 

an editorial telling of the need for a theatre 

in a county seat town. It said, in part: 

"Methods of financing are a problem. If 

100 men would give the price of one pack of 

cigarets for 365 days and 100 kids would give 

the price of a large Coke for 365 days a total 

of $12,045 could be raised. Or it might be an 

item for the Adel Community Chest to include 

in their budget . type of program 

should be undertaken before the Christensen 

family starts moving plans. They are favorites 

with kids. They have given Adel top-rate 

movies and are a family that is a credit to 

our town." 

Indoor Schedule is Pared 

CLARINDA. IOWA—The Clarinda Theatre 

has gone on a parttime summer schedule, according 

to Herman Fields, operating only on 

Friday. Saturday and Sunday. 

Seated for a photograph before they went over to the speakers table at the Milwaukee 

Better Films Council meeting are, left to right, Francis Bickler, manager of the 

Uptown Theatre; Arthur H. DeBra, Motion Picture Ass'n of America; Jerry Franzen, 

president of Cinema, Inc.; Joe Reynolds of the Towne; Al Meskis, Warner, and Louis 

Orlove, MGM publicist. 

MILWAUKEE—The Better Films Council 

of Milwaukee County celebrated its 25th Anniversary 

with a luncheon at the Elks Club 

here last week i4). Highlights included a 

talk by Arthur H. DeBra. director, Motion 

Picture Ass'n of America; a style show with 

costumes from "The Swan," and "High Society," 

and prizes in the form of theatre 

passes, records and Vel soap. 

Tributes wêre paid to E. J. Clumb, manager 

of the Riverside: Joe Reynolds, Towne: Al 

Meskis, Warner; Jerry Franzen. Cinema. 

Inc.: Francis Bickler, Uptown: Lou Orlove, 

local MGM publicist, and Estelle Steinbach. 

Strand, for presenting the largest number 

of good films during the last year. 

In the opinion of Mayor Zeidler. the motion 

picture Commission should remain "as 

is," and an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal 

comments thus: "Once the city adopted 

an official agency for this function, however, 

it would be squarely in the censorship business. 

The door would be open for bans a la 

Boston; for bigotry and prejudice to get all 

mixed up in city hall politics: for endless 

litigation over constitutional issues; for the 

city to make itself look stuffy and foolish." 

It ended with a note to the effect that motion 

pictures even with their own code, need 

continuing public pressures to raise their 

Adults Only Now 

It's 

MINNEAPOLIS—More pictures than ever 

before now are being advertised here "for 

adults only" since the newspapers clamped 

down on daring sex copy. It's felt the 

"for adults only" phrase provides a tipoff on 

the subject 

matter. 

Lodge Buys Theatre Building 

OCHEYEDAN. IOWA—The Masonic lodge 

purchased the Mound Theatre building and 

contents from Mr. and Mrs. Bert Carlson. 

The lower part will be used as meeting rooms 

for the Masonic lodge and Eastern Star. The 

apartment above is to be rented. 

Manning, Iowa, Showman 111 

MANNING, IOWA—The Manning Theatre 

here has been closed. Fred Dethlefs, 

owner, has been ill. 

standards. "But, the way to do it in a free 

country, is not by government edict!" 

More than 200 attended the luncheon. 

The newly elected officers were introduced: 

Mrs. John G. Buehner. president: Mrs. 

Richard Loreck. vice-president; Mrs. Irvin 

Haus. recording secretary; Mrs. John Derk- 

.sen. corresponding secretary, and Mrs. Bruce 

Hendley. treasurer. 

Historians Mrs. J. A. Sellens and Mrs. Gordon 

Harper traced memorable incidents from 

the fir.st meeting on Aug. 24. 1931. 

"What can your council do for us?" DeBra 

asked. "You can continue the fine job of reviewing 

pictures. What I just don't understand, 

is why a wonderful picture like 'The 

Swan' hasn't been the success it justly deserves. 

It took a lot of money and superb 

acting to put that film into your theatres. I 

know that you folks liked it. but the overall 

results and receipts at the boxoffice determine 

a film's success. Naturally, producers 

are anxious to make good pictures, but when 

excellent ones such as this one fail to attract 

the masses, how can we expect more 

of the same type? This angle should be very 

important to your council. Perhaps you can 

come up with a solution. We sincerely hope 

so, at any rate. And I trust I have given this 

council something to think about." 

Curran, Everson to Make 

Films in England, U. S. 

NEW YORK—Peter Curran, BritLsh producer-director 

who has been acting as associate 

producer on CBS television, and 

William K. Ever.son. formerly with Allied 

Artists in a publicity post, have formed a 

new producing company to make a series 

of features in England and the V. S. 

Curran planed to London recently to set 

up co-production plans for "The Old Lady 

of Threadneedle Street." a comedy-drama by 

Curran which he will also direct in England, 

starting In August. Curran was a producerdirector 

in England between 1946 and 1953. 

This picture will be followed by "Town 

House," which will be made in New York. 

Thereafter. Curran plans to alternate between 

Britain and the U. S. and make features 

budgeted at approximately $300,000. 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

16. 1956 NC 55

. . 

MILWAUKEE 

ried last year. Orval Petersen, U-I office 

manager, has succeeded Mucci at the Delft 

THE BEST 

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PROGRAMS! 

FREE! Sample Kit! FREE! 

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2310 CASS AVE. DETROIT 1, MICH. 

Phone: Woodward 1-2158 

office. Petersen was given a going-away party 

by the U-I staff . . . Harry Penning has resigned 

as assistant booker Fox Wisconsin. 

pepublic has moved to 1030 North Eighth 

formerly occupied by 

A four-man advance crew from Walt Disney 

Productions arrived in Madison to make 

St. in the quarters 

a film on a Verona farm nearby. Russell T. 

Eagle Lion and United Artists . . 

Ward 

Haverick. business manager for the unit, 

Pennington, new manager at Paramount, is 

group of six. was in Chicago, 

said another 

hunting a house and getting acquainted with 

making wardrobe and other arrangements 

the territory . . . John D. Heywood has reopened 

for some 60 actors and technicians. Shooting 

the Stanley, in the town of that 

was expected to get under way soon on the 

name, after a three-week closing. 

farm, which is owned by Dr. Ira Sisk, Madison 

For "The Harder They Fall," Manager Al 

physician. The film. "The Dairy Story," 

Meskis put a watch in a boxing glove and 

dropped them from the top of an eight-story 

will be shown as a serial next fall. 

Milt Harmon, Wisconsin Theatre, was back 

department store building. The watch was 

undamaged . . . Slight damage was caused 

again. The pretty 

seeing Virginia Welles 

by a fire at the Neenah Theatre . . . Pete 

Wausau girl's next role on the screen will 

Donnellan, owner of the drive-ins at Hayward 

be as Mickey Rooney's leading lady in "Francis 

and Phillips, is constructing another 

in the Haunted House" for U-I. Her first 

300-car airer at Hayward. 

screen part was in "Kiss and Tell," starring 

The Jeffry Theatre, remodeled inside and Shirley Temple, then she did three more for 

outside by Fox Wisconsin, has been reopened Paramount and added a role in "Make Believe 

Ballroom" for Columbia. She is the 

by George Forester, city manager . . . Russell 

Leddy of the Orpheum, Green Bay, was daughter of the late Frank Welter, wausau 

in booking theatre operator. 

Alamo because of poor attendance . 

Tony Mucci has resigned as assistant to Fred Here are the latest BFC ratings: Young 

Florence of the Delft circuit. She was mar- 

People, Madame Butterfly; Mature Young 

Des Moines Doorman Dies 

DES MOINES—Fred Shirer, 63, of 3629 

Bowdoin St., doorman at the Hiland Theatre, 

died of a heart attack at Spicer, Minn. 

Shirer, who had not been ill. went there on 

a fishing trip a few days prior to his death. 

A native of Russell, Shirer came to Des 

Moines from Chariton ten years ago. Surviving 

are his wife Grace and two daughters. 

DES MOINES 

lyrike Lee, UA district manager, was here 

for several days and during his visit in 

Des Moines, Manager Carl Olson remained 

in town instead of making his customary trip 

to Omaha. On June 7, a special trade screening 

of the new UA release "Trapeze" was held 

at the Fox screening room . . . Hazel Hudson, 

Warner inspector, was on vacation . . . 

Gwelda Jones, Universal, was away from her 

desk to journey to Omaha to attend the 

funeral of a relative. 

Perfect weather made the recently held 

WOMPI "coffee" a huge success. Congratulations 

to Mable Magnusson, who opened her 

home and was hostess for the event, and her 

committee for a fine morning . . . Ttie Corral 

Drive-lJi at Storm Lake has offered its facilities 

for an outdoor church service, to be 

held every Sunday at 8:30 a.m., sponsored by 

the Men's Council of the Lakeside Pi-esbyterian 

Church. 

Approximately 100 persons attended the 

outdoor show held on Main street last Saturday 

evening in Hedrick. The showings will 

continue each Saturday evening throughout 

the summer. Claude McEntire of Ollie is operating 

this entertainment with a charge of 

People, Birds and the Bees, 23 Paces to 

Baker Street, Wetbacks. Mature. Creature 

walks Among Us. Gaby, Oklahoma! Pat- 

15 cents for children and 35 for adults. 

terns. Please Murder Me. Rack. Three Cases 

for Murder. Tribute to a Bad Man. Adult, Bill Haley and his Comets appeared at the 

Bold and the Brave, Diabolique, Hilda Crane, Veterans Memorial Auditorium for one show 

Price of Fear, The Revolt of Mamie Stover, on June 13 . . . Held over for three weeks at 

Scarlet Hours, Slightly Scarlet, Way Out and the Ingersoll was "The Man Who Knew Too 

While the City Sleeps. 

Much." which had its initial week at the 

Des Moines Theatre and then moved to the 

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1121-23 High St. Des Moines, lowo 

neighborhood Tri-States house. 

Paper Cites Matinees 

As Community Service 

HARTFORD, WIS. — Manager Charles 

Thomas of the Hartford Theatre has 

launched a series of Saturday matinee programs 

described in the Hartford Times-Press 

as "... a real community service" and a 

move which "deserves the support of all the 

parents in Hartford." 

Thomas has worked up a series of ten 

films, particularly for the youngsters, to be 

shown on ten successive Saturday afternoons 

through the summer at a total charge of $1.50 

for the series. The Times-Press says "Here 

is a chance for parents to give their youngsters 

a chance to see a series of fine, selected 

movies, at a price within the reach of all." 

Thanks From Mrs. Haser 

PAPILLION. NEB.—Mrs. E. H. Haser sent 

a message of thanks to the personnel of 

Filmrow in Omaha and exhibitors in the territory 

who sent flowers and a donation to the 

heart fund on the death of her husband, who 

operated the Papio Theatre here. 

SOS 

WHEN YOU ARE 

IN A RUSH FOR 

SPECIAL 

TRAILERS 

June 16, 1956

. . . Ivan 

: June 

. . Sam 

. . Al 

. . Tony 

. 

. . 

. 

New Mississippi Film 

To Be Released July 4 

MERIDIAN, MIS S—Lloyd Royal of 

Meridian and Tom Garraway of Prentiss, 

exhibitor-producers, arranged the national 

release date of "Frontier Woman," filmed as 

"Daughter of Davy Crockett," July 4. It was 

filmed in its entirety near Meridian, using 

hundreds of local persons in the cast. 

In Technicolor and Cinemascope the film 

represents the second effort of the producers. 

Their previous film, "Je&se James' Women," 

is now in the 20th month of release and has 

been shown through America and in many 

foreign countries through United Artists. It 

has rolled up a gross of more than $400,000. 

World premiere dates for "Frontier Woman" 

include Meridian, Enterprise, Quitman, Philadelphia 

and several Tennessee towns. Jackson, 

Hattiesburg, Waynesboro, Prentiss and 

approximately 50 other Mississippi towns were 

to open the day following the premiere. 

Appearing in person on some of the opening 

dates will be Jacque Spirson as Cindy 

Carson, Ann Royal and Ann Kelly who shared 

the leads; Sam Keller, all of Meridian, and 

Curtis Dossett and other Mississippi actors. 

MINNEAPOLIS 

tfathryn Gordon is the new bookers secretary 

at Paramount . . . The neighborhood 

Terrace celebrated another anniversary this 

week with free cakes and coffee, as well as 

candy for the kids . . . Wally Jones, the 

white hunter in Columbia's "Safari," was in 

Fuldauer. MGM, was here working on 

"Catered Affair," which Ted Mann obtained 

for his Minneapolis and St. Paul World theatres 

. . . "Lucky Squires," famed New York 

store Santa Claus. stopped off on his tour for 

"The Toy Tiger" . . . A. C. Brown, auditor, was 

at Paramount . Hart, Columbia exploiteer, 

planed in from New York to work 

on "Safari." 

Charles Steurwald, Huron, S. D., exhibitor, 

is now booking for his State Theatre. He was 

on Filmrow. 

RKO Holders Approve 

Merger With Atlas 

DOVER—The merger of RKO Pictures 

Corp. and four other companies with and into 

Altas Corp. was approved and adopted by 

an affirmative vote of more than 90 per 

cent of the stockholders of RKO at a special 

meeting held here May 25. It was expected 

to become effective before the June 2 weekend. 

J. Miller Walker, vice-president and general 

counsel of RKO Pictures, said that Vhe 

merger, which was approved earlier in May 

by the Atlas stockholders, calls for the conversion 

of the present Atlas common stock 

into four shares of the new common stock 

as part of the merger plan. 

The other four companies are: Airfleets, 

Inc., Albuquerque Associated Oil Co., San 

Diego Corp. and Wasatch Corp. 

Portrays Police Inspector 

Raymond Burr will play the role of a 

police inspector in United Artists' "Love 

Story." 

OMAHA 

TlTalt Bradley, Ncligh exhibitor wlio has 

been laid up for a niunber of months 

with a heart ailment, is up and around again 

and looking well. Allied Artists salesman 

Maury Rosenblatt reported. He has been 

getting out to the drive-in now and then . 

Bob Hirz came back from a vacation on his 

father-in-law's farm sporting a butch haircut. 

Bob is a Warner salesman . . . Donald 

Johnson, who operates the theatre at Lynch, 

has opened an attractive restaurant next to 

his theatre . . . Rosemary Prusha, Warner 

stenographer, is vacationing in Colorado. 

Everett Evers has gone to a one-change 

schedule at Schleswig, Iowa . Goodman, 

Warner head booker, finished in a tie 

for third place at 289 strokes in the National 

Open qualifying at the Omaha Field Club. 

Tony set a course record during the trials 

with a 65, only to see it broken by another 

competitor who shot a 64 in the next round. 

Tony would have been right near the top of 

the heap but for one nine-hole 45. 

Mrs. Walt Hagedone, whose husband is the 

exhibitor at Cozad, suffered burns on her 

arm and luckily escaped with scorched hair 

about her face when her oven blew up. 

Rich Wilson, MGM salesman who was visiting 

the Hagedones, and Walt carried on in 

the kitchen. Wilson just missed being in 

the path of a twister that hit central 

Nebraska by a few miles. He caught some 

hail and wind from the storm. 

Mrs. Evelyn Cannon, MGM office manager, 

is getting a reputation as an angler. She 

snared a couple of bass fishing near Fremont 

with husband Mike and daughter Judy . 

Dixie Bell, MGM stenographer, and her husband 

were on a vacation trip in Alabama. 

Georgia, Louisiana and Texas . . . Fred 

Fejfar, MGM salesman, also is 

on vacation. 

Mrs. Joe Baumann has taken over the 

White River, S. D., Theatre formerly operated 

by her father . Kyle, 20th-Fox 

salesman, has a new white Chevy . . . Pat 

Halloran, also of the Fox sales staffr now is 

a baseball general—he's managing the midget 

baseball team in which his boy plays . . . 

Allied salesman Maury Rosenblatt will leave 

June 23 on vacation, flying to New York 

to visit his family and friends and see a number 

of shows, both stage and screen . . . Mr. 

and Mrs. William Meyer have installed 

Cinemascope at the Starlight at Mission, S. D. 

John Adams, who has the Boyd Theatre at 

Spencer, is back home from a lengthy stay 

at the hospital and is up on his feet again . 

Exhibitors on the row included J. J. Burkett 

and Charles Vickers, Mapleton, Iowa; Frank 

Good and Al Haals, Harlan; Don Campbell, 

Central City; Marvin Jones, Red Cloud, and 

OUie Schneider, Osceola. 

Reopens at Swea City, la. 

SWEA CITY, IOWA—The Swea Theatre, 

under the managership of Fred Albers, reopened 

June 6. Albers formerly aided Milo 

Svendsen when he operated the Swea Theatre. 

Every Wednesday night at the theatre 

will be Take a Chance Night, sponsored by 

local businessmen. Every person will be admitted 

for ten cents with a ticket they can 

obtain free of charge at business places cooperating. 

The house will be open Wednesday, 

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday 

nights. 

iMCHBUREAU 

for 

MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS 

ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION 

The MODERN THEATRE 

PLANNING msTmrTE 

825 Van Brunt Blvd. 

FCansas City 24, Mo. 

Gentlemen: 

Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU 

to receive information regularly, as released, on 

the following subjects for Theatre Planning: 

n Acoustics 

D Air Conditioning 

D Architectural Service 

D Lighting Fixturos 

Plumbing Fixtures 

^ Projectors 

n "Black" Lighting _,_.,. , 

Lamps 

n Building Material 

D Carpets 

n Coin Machines 

D Complete Remodeling 

n Decorating 

n Projection 

° ^^°''°^ 

^ Signs and Marquees 

Sound Equipment 

Television 

D Drink Dispensers D Theatre Fronts 

n Drive-In Equipment D Vending Equipment 

D Other Subjects 

Theatre 

Seating Capacity.. 

Address 

City 

State 

Signed 

Postage-paid reply cards for your further convenience 

in obtoining information are provided in The MODERN 

THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of 

each month. 

BOXOFFICE 

; 

16, 1956 57

E, Texas Houses Offer 

Teenager Discounts 

BEAUMONT, TEX.—Jefferson Amusement 

Co. and East Texas Theatres city managers 

in Longview, Orange and Port Arthur have 

announced Movie Discount plans. 

In Longview, the announcement was issued 

by Mrs. J. S. T. McDowell, president of the 

Longview Senior High School PTA, and the 

management of East Texas Theatres. Permanent 

identification cards will be usable at 

the Arlyne, Rembert and River Road theatres 

there to obtain a 40 per cent discount on 

admissions—the offer to be good at all showings 

except the special midnight events. Signature 

of parents will be required on the application 

blanks, attesting the fact that the 

applicants are within the eligible age bracket 

(12-18 years old). The application blanks 

must be returned with a 25-cent registration 

fee. Identification cards will be good for 52 

weeks. 

Melvin Wilson, Orange city manager, announced 

an identical plan for a 40 per cent 

teenage discount at all circuit houses there. 

In Port Arthur, the announcement came 

from L. H. McKibbon, city manager, who 

specified that the identification cards may be 

used at the Sabine and Village theatres and 

the Port, Surf and Don drive-ins. McKibbon 

said the company feels this new policy will 

be far more successful than the previous plan 

used—purchase of "thrift tickets" in books. 

Mortgage Sale Opposed 

GRAETTINGER, IOWA—The Watson Theatre 

here was closed May 12 and notices 

posted announced the theatre and equipment 

would be sold at a public sale. Legality of the 

sale is being questioned by Prichard of 

Emmetsburg, attorney for the Bastas. The 

sale was ordered by Johnny Kaline of Glenwood, 

Minn., holder of a $2,620 chattel mortgage 

on the property. 

Fire at Equipment Office 

MINNEAPOLIS—Damage estimated at $5,- 

000 was done to the stock and fixtures of 

Western Theatre Equipment Co. The blaze 

broke out about a half hour after the 

establishment had closed for the day. 

A featured role in UA's 

to Fay Wray. 

"Love Story" 

goes 

Dayton Area Drive-ins Go 

For Multifeature Shows 

DAYTON—Local drive-in theatre operators 

are going all-out in competition. On a recent 

Saturday night, the Skyline offered a 

dusk-to-dawn show of five hits—Davy Crockett, 

The Man from Bitter Ridge, The Egg and 

I, Thunder Pass and Bride of Frankenstein, 

with an extra, Walt Disney's Arizona Sheep 

Dog, for good measure. Coffee and donuts 

were free during the last show. The Miami 

had a dusk-to-dawn show of four features, 

also with coffee and donuts, while the Dayton 

Valley Drive-In offered three thrill-chlUaction 

type features. 

At the Sherwood, which has two screens, 

there were five features on each screen—all 

different— for a total of ten films. Coffee and 

donuts were also served free here with the 

last show. The Sherwood Twin can accommodate 

1,630 cars at one time. 

The Stardust, near Springfield, also had 

a dusk to dawn show of five features, plus 

free coffee and donuts. 

The area has numerous other drive-in 

theatres, and for a Saturday night, most of 

them offered triple-feature programs; including 

the Belmont, Clemmer's, near Eaton; 

Cruise-In, near Miamisburg; Miller's Grove, 

Frederick road; North Star, on Dixie highway; 

Salem, on Salem avenue; Sunset, on 

Germantown pike, and Troy Dixie, near Vandalia. 

At the Skyborn, free passes were inserted 

in popcorn, to encourage the munchers. 

Fourth Generation Reaps 

Rewards of Canny Deal 

FREMONT, NEB.—A 36-year-old 

tradition 

makes Jacqueline. Richard and Kristine Hanson 

the envy of their young friends. For to 

these three children— 12, 10 and 6 years old, 

respectively—the doors of the Empress Theatre 

here in Fremont are always open, for 

free, because their great granddad was a 

foresighted contractor. 

The late Nils Johnson built the Empress in 

1920. He agreed with its tenants-to-be that 

he would accept season movie passes for all 

his family in lieu of some of the rent money. 

Thus the Hanson children have what most 

youngsters would include in the legendary 

three wishes. They are the fourth generation 

to avail themselves of the perpetual pass, 

and there should be more generations to 

come—the family still owns the building. 

HANDY

'Knew' Opening Week 

In Detroit Hits 130 

DETROIT—The general level of business 

again was disappointing to local exhibitors. 

None of the new pictures was able to open 

strong, and the "Oklahoma!" lead was lai'gely 

a product of intensive advance sales. 

Adorns Forbidden Planet (MGM); The Broin 

Mochinc (RKO), 2nd wk 80 

Broodway-Copitol UFO (UA), The Broken Stor 

lUA) 

Fox—D-Doy 

95 

the Sixth of June (20th-Fox); Come 

Next Spring (Rep) 125 

Madison Dollos [WB); Distant Drums (WB) 

reissues 90 

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Poro); 

Michigon 

Potterns (UA) 130 

Palms The Seorchers (WB), The Scarlet Hour 

iParo), 3rd wk 105 

(Mogna), 1 5f h wk. . . 150 

'Knew' Registers 160 

In Cleveland Bow 

CLEVELAND—The first run downtown pictures 

did outstanding business, "The Man 

Who Knew Too Much" hit top score with 

160 per cent rating at the Hippodrome. "The 

Searchers" played a second week to 25 per 

cent better than average business at the Allen, 

where it was held. "Bhowani Junction" 

made a good 115 per cent showing at the 

State. "D-Day the Sixth of June" fell just 

short of average at the Palace. Continuous 

bad weather with recurrent rains boosted 

indoor theatre business generally over the 

weekend. 

Allen The Searchers (WB), 2nd wk. on a holdover. 125 

The Man Who Knew Too Much 

Hippodrome 

(Poro) 160 

Lower Moll— Riviero (IFE) 80 

Ohio The Yearling (MGM); Northwest Passage 

(MGM) reissues 65 

Palace—D-Doy the Sixth of June (20th-Fox) 95 

RKO Eost 105th St, Red Sundown (U-l); Terror 

ot Midnight (Rep) 1 25 

State Bhowani Junction (MGM) 115 

Stillmon Foreign Intrigue (UA), 2nd wk. on a 

Grosses Up at Cincinnati, 

Helped by Hot Weather 

CINCINNATI — Better grosses were reported. 

The spell of extreme hot weather 

undoubtedly helped, but the pictures themselves 

had better drawing power. 

Albee The Searchers (WB) 1 85 

Grand UFO (UA); The Broken Star (UA) 95 

Keths—The Man Who Knew Too Much (Para) .190 

Palace D-Doy the Sixth of June (20th-Fox) . . . 95 

Paramount Canadian Unit 

Also to Honor Weltner 

TORONTO—The Paramount Canadian division 

will take part in "Paramount's Salute 

to George Weltner," domestic sales drive to 

open July 1 and end December 29, according 

to Gordon Lightstone, Canadian general manager. 

The decision was reached at a sales 

meeting here attended by an executive group 

from New York headed by Weltner, president 

of Paramount Film Distributing Corp. and 

worldwide sales head. 

Others in the home office gi-oup were 

Charles Boasberg. sales supervisor for "The 

Ten Commandments" and "War and Peace '; 

Jerome Pickman, advertising-publicity vicepresident; 

Oscar Morgan, short subjects sales 

director, and Maxwell Hamilton, promotion 

coordinator for "The Ten Commandments," 

There was general discussion of forthcoming 

product. 

Larry Keating has been set for a featured 

spot in 20th-Fox's tunefilm, "The Best Things 

in Life Are Free." 

Vandals Wreck Inside 

Of Columbus Rivoli 

Columbus — Tilt' worst damaKC ever 

caused to a Columbus thcatrt- by vandals 

left the Rivoli, west side neighborhood, 

with a loss of between $3,500 and $4,000. 

The 16x30-foot screen was slashed from 

one side to the other, seats were broken, 

a clock demolished, the candy machine 

tipped over and the contents stolen, and 

a glass partition between the last row of 

seats and the lobby was broken. 

Owner George Pekras told detectives 

the screen was cut in two by either a 

broken beer bottle or a sharp knife. 

Pekras closed the theatre for redecorating 

the night before the vandals wrecked 

the auditorium. 

The vandalism was discovered when 

Joe MacDonald, manager of the nearby 

Ritz Theatre, went to the Rivoli for 

a can of film. Pekras believes the vandals 

had an accomplice who hid inside 

the theatre when it closed. He then 

opened a rear door for his pals, it is surmised. 

Cincinnati Opening Set 

For 'Ten Commandments' 

NEW YORK—"The Ten Commandments" 

will open in late December at the RKO 

Grand Theatre in Cincinnati, according to 

Charles Boasberg, supervisor of sales for the 

Paramount picture. Other December openings 

include the New Theatre in Baltimore 

and the Capitol in Montreal. 

November openings will be at the Criterion 

here, Warner Beverly, Los Angeles; Astor, 

Boston; RKO Keith's. Washington, D. C. 

and Loew's Ohio, Cleveland. 

Al Dezel in Charge 

DETROIT— In a surprise switch of posts, 

Albert Dezel, president of Dezel Productions, 

personally is taking over the local exchange. 

George Rossman, office manager, has resigned, 

and Ann O'Donnell, who has been 

with the company about 15 years, will take 

over as office manager and booker. 

HAPPY TIME—Victor Mature, right, 

and Howard Higley looked mutually 

happy in discussing the opening of 

"Safari" at the Allen Theatre where Higley 

is manager. The star stopped off for 

a one-day visit with local film critics 

and Allen Theatre executives on his 

whirlwind promotion tour. 

New RKO Promotion 

For Hallon Taylor 

CLEVELAND— With the appointment nt 

Hatton Taylor to succeed Morris Lclko ,i 

district manager, RKO exchanged onr 

company veteran for another. Both men 

have records of 26 years with RKO and 

both worked for the one company during 

their entire careers. Lefko severed his as- 

.sociation with RKO la.st month when he 

resigned to Join Paramount as assistant to 

Charles Boasberg in New York. 

HATTON TAYLOR 

Hatton Taylor is a Canadian by birth, 

an American by adoption. Born in Toronto, 

he attended schools there and was graduated 

from St. Michael's College of the University 

of Toronto. 

Shortly after his graduation in 1930, he 

joined RKO and received initial training in 

distribution at the Toronto office. The following 

year he wâs advanced to a sales 

position in the Toronto exchange and held 

that post for six years. Combining ability and 

personality, Taylor kept climbing. From 1937 

to 1940 he wa.s manager at Calgary. Succeeding 

promotions made him manager in Montreal, 

1940 to 1946: manager in Detroit. 1946 

to 1950; manager in Boston, 1950 to the 

present time, when he was appointed district 

manager in charge of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, 

Indianapolis and Detroit offices. 

Detroit Delivery Firm 

Sold to Two Drivers 

DETROIT — Cinema Service Co.. which 

handles delivery of film to theatres in the 

city and suburban area, is being split into 

two firms, each being taken over by an independent 

operator. G. E. LeVeque. who 

founded the business in 1924, sold out to two 

drivers who had been with him since that 

year. 

The name of Cinema Service is being 

taken over by Elmer Bouer, who will handle 

the eastside operations, with headquarters 

at 12080 Rossiter St. The westside operations 

are being taken over by Walter Bullock, who 

will operate under the name of Walter's 

Film Service, with headquarters at 2936 

Trumbull Ave, 

BOXOFFICE June 16. 1956 

59

. . Manny 

. . Bob 

I 

. . Jerry 

. . Howard 

. . "The 

. . The 

: June 

CLEVELAND 

/ûpid took the spotlight in local film circles 

with three weddings and one engagement. 

Mai-ried on Sunday (10) were Sherry 

Lewis of Allied Artists and Arthur Braun; 

RKO's Mirian Kustin and Leslie Marks; 

Rhina Holtz, daughter of Sam Holtz. proprietor 

of the Film building barber shop, and 

Eugene Griefl. Engaged is Rosemary, daughter 

of U-I head shipper Prank DeFranco, to 

Matt Wey, a Junior at Notre Dame University. 

Mrs. Marvin Harris, wife of the manager 

of the Paramount Theatre in Toledo, 

was back in the hospital following another 

heart attack . 

Glick, 20th-Fox 

salesman and a veteran member of the local 

film colony, was reported to be seriously ill 

in Mount Sinai Hospital . Martin, 

Shaker Theatre manager, was taking a kidding 

because of his recent ailment—3-day 

measles. 

I. J. Schmertz, 20th-Fox manager, has a 

gift for every e.xhibitor in the territory—an 

elaborate brochure on "The King and I," 

with a complete history of the production . . 

. 

H. B. Ai-stein has resigned as manager of 

the Broadvue Theatre, a local unit of the 

Associated circuit . . . Ted Levy, Buena Vista 

district sales manager, donated a pint of 

blood to the Red Cross blood bank . . . Eddie 

Johnson, who operates a film delivery service, 

has come up in the world. He moved 

his office in the Film building from the 

sixth to 

the seventh floor. 

Disney's "The Great Locomotive Chase" 

will be the July 4 attraction at key houses 

in this territory. In Cleveland it opens July 

3 at the Palace and in Toledo on July 4 

at the Rivoli . . . Jack Armstrong has closed 

I 

AT CONCESSION HEADQUARTERS 

NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY 

2129 Payne Ave. Phone PRospect 1-4613 

CLEVELAND 14, OHIO 

Personalized Film Buying & Booking 

For INDOOR ond OUTDOOR THEATRES 

in the Cleveland Exchange Area 

Styled to Your Individual Situation • • 

Phones: 

HERBERT H. HORSTEMEIER I '"»»' 

409 Film BIdg. 

JNtark 

Cleveland 

one of his theatres and sold another. Closed 

for the summer is the Palace in Perrysburg; 

sold is the Springbrook Drive-In, Lima. The 

purchaser was Nate Schultz' Selected Theatres 

circuit . . . Mrs. Morris Lefko, wife of the 

former RKO district manager who now is 

assistant to Charles Boasberg at Paramount, 

pulled up her Cleveland stakes. She is getting 

settled in New York while Morrie is on 

an extended western trip in the interest of 

"The Ten Commandments" and "War and 

Peace." 

In Lodi, the daughter of Bill Burnside, 

owner of the Idol Theatre, suffered a broken 

arm in an automobile accident just prior 

to her graduation from high school. She delivered 

the class salutatorian address with her 

arm in a cast . . . Lou Geiger is back selling 

bicycle deals to theatres in Ohio after spending 

seven months in Florida . . . Abe Schwartz 

of the Lexington Theatre is making rapid 

strides toward complete recovery after an 

illness of several weeks . . . Jack Ochs of the 

Ochs Theatres circuit is spending a couple 

of weeks in Canada supervising the installation 

of Cinemascope in all six of the circuit's 

Canadian ozoners . . . Congratulations 

to the mother of Mrs. Hazel Solether, owner 

of the Falls Theatre, Chagrin Falls, who recently 

celebrated her 89th bii'thday. 

Ronald Failes arrived here from Florida 

on June 23 to take over the management of 

the State at Cuyahoga Falls, a unit of the 

M. B. Horwitz Washington circuit. He succeeds 

the late Edward Wise, who died following 

a heart attack . . . Jack Schmitzer 

ended a six week's stay in the local RKO office 

and moved on to Cinciiinati. Before 

leaving he was accepting congratulations on 

the arrival of his second granddaughter born 

to his daughter, Mrs. Mary Louise Hill of 

Framington, Mass. 

F. T. Murray, manager of U-I operations; 

Visitors: 

George Haupert, Columbia 

home 

office representative; George Berman, assistant 

to Columbia's manager of operations; 

Harry Rice, Columbia field publicity 

representative; Sam Galanty, Columbia central 

division manager; Howard Minsky, Paramount 

district manager . . . Jim Dempsey 

was guest of honor at an industry farewell 

party held Tuesday (12) at the Toledo "Yacht 

Club. Formerly associated with the operation 

of the Starlite, Parkside and Telegraph 

drive-ins, he now has his own theatres in 

Kentucky . Lipow, Paramount salesman, 

and his wife were weekend hosts to 

their cousins, Ruth and John Lipow, former 

managing director for Loew's in France and 

currently in charge of Loew's sound studio 

at Culver City. 

Julius Lamm, manager of the Colony Theatres, 

and his wife have been vacationing in 

Hot Springs, Ark. . Reif made his 

final trip of the season to Florida, where he 

closed his winter home and returned to 

Cleveland with his mother . Leonard 

Mishkind family has moved into a new home 

in Shaker Heights . Seai-chers," 

starring John Wayne, was held over at the 

Allen for a third week . . . Ralph Russell of 

the Palace Theatre in Canton was a Filmrow 

caller ... V. Haydin, after operating the 

Boulevard in Akron, for over 40 years, has 

closed it permanently. 

Funeral services were held for Arnold 

Goodman, whom oldtimers will remember as 

owner of the Windermere and Orpheum theatres 

many years ago. The Windermere is a 

unit of the Associated circuit, but the Orpheum 

on St. Clair avenue has disappeared 

long since from the exhibition field. For the 

last eight years, Goodman was secretarytreasurer 

of the Erie Shipping Supplies Co. 

He is survived by his wife, a daughter and 

five grandchildren. 

Jack Silverthorne, manager of the Hippodrome, 

brought in a musical stage revue 

for a three-day engagement, June 15-17. The 

revue was headlined by Don Cherry and the 

Four Diamonds, who appeared on the Arthur 

Godfrey show. Others on the bill, aimed to 

please the young folks, were Clyde McPhatter. 

Chuck Berry, the Jodimars, John Burnette 

and Billy Welles. Local popular disk 

jockey Bill Randall was emcee for the stage 

show. On the screen was "The Broken Star." 

Expansion Continued 

By Selected Circuit 

CLEVELAND—With the purchase of the 

Springbrook Drive-In at Lima from Jack 

Ai-mstrong, the Selected Theatres circuit 

becomes one of the most important independent 

circuits in the territory. It is also one 

of the best balanced circuits, numbering 12 

indoor and eight outdoor theatres, all located 

in the Cleveland exchange area. 

The circuit's indoor theatres are; the Ohio 

and Lorain in Lorain; Morrison, Mount Union 

and Strand in Alliance; Grand, Steubenville; 

Park, Mansfield; Quilna, Lima; Ohio in 

Marion; Stillwell and Bedford at Bedford; 

Mapletown. Cleveland. The drive-in theatres 

of the circuit are: Lima, Gloria, Sharon 

and Springbrook at Lima; Lorain at Lorain; 

Maple, Zanesville; Lincoln, Van Wert and 

the East 30 at Canton. 

Nate Schultz is president of Selected Theatres. 

Hollywood Actors Cited 

At Cork Film Festival 

CORK, IRELAND—An award for the "collective 

high quality of the acting" of Susan 

Hayward, Jo Van Fleet and Richard Conte 

in MGM's "I'll Cry Tomorrow" was the 

only awai'd won by a film from the United 

States at the International Film Festival 

which ended recently. 

Ao^tmf^ 

MAXIMUM LIGHT 

Ohio—OHIO THEATRE SUPPLY, Cleveland— Prospett 1-6545 

OLIVER THEATRE SUPPLY, Cleveland—Tower 1-6934 

NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY, Cincinnati-Tel. Main 6580 

STANDARD CONCESSIONS, Cincinnati—Sunbor 3687 

NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY, Cleveland—Prospect 1-4613 

60 BOXOFFICE : 

16, 1956

: June 

. . Lloyd 

. . Norman 

. . Carol 

. . Marc 

. . Thomas 

. . Bob 

. . 

Cincinnati Turns Out 

For 'Seven Wonders' 

CINCINNATI—The premiere of the new 

Cinerama production. "Seven Wonders of the 

World." held here on Thursday night (7), was 

a big event that included dinner at the 

Cincinnati Club for civic leaders in the tristate 

area: a parade with bands from the 

Cincinnati Club to the Capitol Theatre; interviews 

in the lobby with executives of the 

Stanley Warner Cinerama Corp.. which were 

carried on TV. and the showing of the picture. 

Here from New York for the event 

were B. G. Kranze, SW vice-president; H. M. 

Kalmine. vice-president and general manager; 

Lester B. Isaac, national director of 

exhibition, and Harry Goldberg, director of 

Augusta Airer Gives Prizes 

AUGUSTA. KY.—The Park Drive-In Theatre 

on the Maysville-Flemingburg road is 

attracting patrons with its Lucky Dollar 

awards. A patron drove away with $100 won 

on a recent Tuesday night and another would 

have won $50 had he been present. The 

prizes are cumulative until won. 

• STRONG 

PROJECTION 

ARC LAMPS 

THIATRE 

tOUIPMtWT CO. '^ 

106 Michigon ligon St., N.W. 

j 

Grond Rapids 

2, Mich. / 

It ( S.nddyi J-J41J' 

DETROIT 

prank Jones, RKO booker, vacationed right 

at home . Krausc, new RKO 

inanaccr who comes here from Cincinnati, Is 

gcttmg luquainted with his territory. His 

predecessor, Otto Ebcrt, who went to Boston, 

incidentally, succeeds another former Detroit 

manager. Hat ton Taylor, who was upped 

to district manager . Lauth, Warner 

biller. wa.s to be married Saturday 116) to 

Norbert Magretta, She will return to her desk 

following a honeymoon. 

Dillon M. Krepps, managing director of 

the United Artists Theatre, is proving his 

confidence in the continuing strength of 

"Oklahoma!" by having his tickets printed 

up to Labor Day . 

Titles are running in 

pairs at the first runs. Charles Whitaker had 

advertising and publicity. 

Prior to the premiere, the picture was "The Scarlet Hour" at the Palms, while his 

shown on Wednesday night to a full theatre neighbor Bob Bothwell had "Slightly Scarlet" 

Fox. Now Mickey Rose has "The Man 

consisting of representatives of the tri-state at the 

press, radio and TV; leaders of schools and Who Knew Too Much" at the Michigan, 

churches and the local film exchanges. The while August Sermo shows "This Man's 

. . . 

Dangerous" across the park at the Madison. 

picture was received enthusiastically. 

Kranze said that "Cinerama Holiday" has 

Leslie Ann, 11 -year-old daughter of Milton 

outgrossed "This Is Cinerama" and that in 

London, president of Allied Tlieatres of 

the opinion of the SW management. "Seven 

Michigan, has become a showman in her own 

World." will exceed the 

right by producing a play in her backyard for 

Wonders 

second 

of the 

production. City Manager C. A. 

Crippled Children. 

the benefit of the Society for 

Harrell said Cinerama has been a big boom 

many 

She personally handled all arrange- 

ments for a large cast and lighting, etc. She 

to Cincinnati by bringing so visitors 

to the city. 

also has written another play which has 

Active in plans for the local premiere were 

had two productions MacFarlane, 

William Rush, manager of the Capitol; Mrs. 

projectionist at the Adams Theatre, left 

. 

William Hessler, who arranges for the show 

many 

on a vacation Meyers of the 

trains and busses w'hich bring the 

. 

Adams will attend the Morris Lefko testimonial 

thousands of children and adults into the 

dinner in Cleveland, then leave on a 

theatre during the year, and Nate Wise, 

vacation about the end of June . . . William 

advertising executive, who handled the 

Oleksyn has rechristened the Corunna Drive- 

Walt 

publicity. 

In at Flint as the West Side 

Horstman is trying to put his records and 

shop back in order after juveniles broke in 

and ransacked the place. 

. 

Ted Ershick, bookkeeper at Paramount, 

returned from a vacation spent with her 

family in central Ohio Fisher, 

special picture distributor, dividing his 

is 

time between selling pictures and automobiles, 

he tells us . 

Ashe and Hugh 

Stanley Hole of Van Praag Productions were 

in . . . William Friedlander, former assistant 

manager at the Telenews Theatre, has 

returned to Detroit after three years in 

Arizona. 

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Janis have taken 

over the former Mars Theatre at Brown 

City, which was operated by Joseph Nagy. 

and rechristened it the Brown City. Mr. and 

Mrs. Janis wêre on Filmrow Monday, planning 

programs and advertising for their acquisition 

... Joe Lee, Fox manager, is 

strengthening his sales staff with the addition 

of George Goodman to handle the 

Saginaw territory. He is the son of Abe 

Goodman, national advertising manager. 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chambers of the Orpheum 

at Mackinac Island have returned 

. 

from a winter in Florida, and plan to reopen 

Mrs. 

the hou.se around June 20 Clara Stebblns of 

. . 

the Film building manager's 

staff is tucked away In the smallest 

office in the building . . . Sydney Moss ha.s 

clo.sed the Van Dyke Theatre, which may be 

converted to other uses. Manager Jake Sullivan 

has left for a three-week Florida vacation. 

Richard B. Graff, Universal manager, has 

returned to his desk, following hospitalization 

. . . Sidney Bowman, United Artists man- 

ager, will have another checkup with his 

doctor on June 28 for scheduling of his longawaited 

return to his desk . . . Martha Brown. 

Columbia contract clerk, Is vacationing in 

Florida with her husband, until June 19 . . 

Carl Shalit, Columbia district chief, Is visiting 

his St. Louis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis 

and Chicago exchanges. 

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: June 

CINCINNATI 

Joan SchoUe, daughter of May Scholle, 

' bookkeeper and office manager for States 

Film Service, will be married on June 23 

to Thomas McElfresh. McElfresh has received 

his commission in the army and will 

be stationed at Ft. Monmouth, N. J., signal 

corps training center, in July. Joan has been 

teaching at the tenth district school, in Covington, 

Ky. . screened "Trapeze," at 

the Esquire Theatre Tuesday afternoon (5). 

"That Certain Feeling," new Bob Hope Paramount 

production, was sneak-previewed on 

Tuesday night i5i at Keith's Theatre . 

Howard G. Minsky. Paramount division manager, 

was in town Monday and Tuesday . 

The new RKO east central district manager, 

Hatton Taylor, was here getting acquainted 

with the new local manager, Lee Heidingsfeld, 

and staff. 

On the Row were Julian Silberstein, 

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Formerly Night Manager of Telenews Theatre, 

• Detroit. Hove just returned to Detroit. Open 

for Good Offer. 

Huntington; Jim Chakeres, Washington; Ray 

Phelan, Elkview and Rand, W. Va.; Howard 

Shelton, Vanceburg, Ky.; Walter Wyrick, 

Carlisle, Ky.; Charles Scott, Vevay, Ind., and 

Tom Stallings, Blanchester . . . J. B. Lee has 

closed the Jo-Ann Theatre, Sardinia . 

Stuart Johnson of South Webster is operating 

his house on Friday and Saturday only, instead 

of Friday, Saturday and Sunday 

Jim Levendusky, booker for MGM, 

. 

has a 

baby daughter. This is the second child 

for the Levenduskys, both girls . . Nate 

. 

Mitnick, booker for MGM, is on vacation. 

Tom McCleaster, 20th-Fox division manager, 

conferred with Manager Robert Mc- 

Nabb . . . Pauline Adams, switchboard operator 

for 20th-Fox, has resigned . . . Janice 

Hoffman, booker's clerk at 20th-Fox, is enjoying 

a vacation in Miami, Fla. . . . Florence 

Schomaker, cashier for U-I, is another 

early vacationer; as is William Appel, West 

Virginia salesman for U-I, who took his wife, 

son, and dog on a trip to Daytona Beach, 

Fla. 

WUUam Walter Schoo, former shipper for 

States Film, is now a student booker at U-I 

C. Axt is a new assistant shipper. 

Jim Quigley, former assistant shipper of U-I, 

has joined the shipping department for 

States Film . Geraldine Hancock, 

former U-I booking clerk, was promoted to 

steno for office manager-city salesman Al 

Kolkmeyer. 

COLUMBUS 

J^rs. Max Stearn, owner of the Southern 

subsequent downtown house, and Manager 

Bernard Ginley announced the annual 

summertime schedule of low admissions for 

children under 15. Admission is 10 cents 

until 4 p.m. weekdays. The schedule remains 

in effect until September 1. The reduced 

rates are popular with their younger 

patrons, report Mrs. Steam and Ginley. 

Advertising rates in the Columbus Dispatch 

have been increased to 36 cents per line 

weekdays and 40 cents on Sunday. Former 

rates were 34 and 38 cents ... A surprise 

party was scheduled for Manager Walter 

Kessler of Loew's Ohio, at which he was to 

be given a plaque for showmanship achievement 

awarded by United Artists. Ralph Pollock, 

special representative of UA, arranged 

the reception to which were invited newspapermen, 

radio and television representatives. 

"The Searchers" at the Palace did so well in 

its first week that the John Wayne starrer 

was held for an additional week . . . Several 

local newspapermen are planning to go to 

Danville, Ky. to see shooting of scenes for 

MGM's "Raintree County." Shooting is 

scheduled to begin around July 4. The delay 

was caused by injuries sustained by star 

Montgomery Clift in an auto accident 

The Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio 

reports the newest member is James Sullivan, 

Skyline Auto Theatre, Dayton. 

'Commandments' Booked 

NEW YORK—Cecil B. DeMUle's "The Ten 

Commandments" will open the week of November 

25 at the Madison Theatre in Detroit, 

according to Charles Boasberg. supervisor of 

sales for the Paramount picture. 

WAYS TO GUARD 

YOUR HEART 

1. AVOID SELF-DIAGNOSIS 

In case of doubt see your doctor. 

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Worrying cures or prevents 

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heart's work load is lightened. 

4. AVOID OVER-EXERTION 

Exercise in moderation, particularly 

if over 40. 

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6. SUPPORT YOUR HEART FUND 

Your contribution advances the 

nation-wide fight against the 

heart diseases through research, 

education and community heart 

programs. 

This Space Contributed by 

BOXOFFICE 

BOXOFFICE : 

16, 1956

Upturn at New Haven; 

'Knew Too Much' 190 

NEW HAVEN—Business took a shai'p upturn 

at the key downtowners, after several 

slow weeks. Receipts ranged from a "low" 

of 100 per cent to 190 per cent. The latter 

figure was reported for "The Man Who Knew 

Too Much," which was held for a second 

week. 

(Average 100) 

Is 

Crone (20th-Fox); College— Hilda Hoortbreok 

Ridge (Tudor) 100 

Paramount—The Man Who Knew Too Much 

(Parol; A Ooy o> Fury ,U-I) 190 

Poll o» The Revolt Mamie Stover (20th-Fox); 

Blacltiacl( Kelchum. Dcspcrodo (Col) 105 

Roger Sherman —The Searchers (WB) 75 

1 

Good Boston Turnout 

For "Searchers' 

BOSTON—"The Searchers" took over the 

town on Memorial Day and continued strong 

through the first week. "D-Day the Sixth of 

June" was second in popularity, warranting 

a holdover. "The Catered Affair." in its 

world premiere at the twin State and Orpheum 

theatres, opened strong but did not 

hold up for a second week. 

Astor—The Mon Who Knew Too Much (Para), 

3rd wk 130 

Beacon Hill The Wedding in 

Monaco 

Monon 

(MGM), 

(Regal); 

5th wk 80 

Boston Cinerama Holiday (SW), 110 

40th wk 

Exeter Street The Return of Don Comillo (IFE), 

3rd wk 85 

Kenmore The Lodykillers (Confl Dis.), 8th wk...l05 

75 

Metropoliton The Searchers ( WB) 1 

Bold Poromount ond Fenway The and the Brave 

(RKO); Cosh on Delivery (RKO) 85 

State and Orpheum The Catered Affair (MGM); 

Ghost Town (UA) 110 

'Searchers' Brightest Spot 

Among Hartford First Runs 

HARTFORD—The boxoffice picture hereabouts 

still looks glum, with only a few high 

spots in both downtown and suburban bookings. 

A cheery note was the 135 per cent for 

"The Searchers" at the Strand. 

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Para), 

Allyn 

2nd wk 115 

Art—Touch ond Go (U-l) 70 

E. M. Loew Storm Over the Nile (Col); And 

(Col), Baby Mokes Three reissue 85 

Palace 23 Paces to Baker Street (20th-Fox); 

Outlaw Treasure (AlP), 2nd wk 70 

Parsons Tribute to a Bod Mon (MGM); Easy to 

Love (MGM), reissue 80 

Poll Hilda Crane (20th-Fox); Crime Against 

Joe (UA) 90 

Meadows Goby (MGM); A Day of Fury (U-l).. 85 

Strand The Searchers (WB), 2nd wk 135 

'Alexander,' "Searchers' With 110 

Tie for Providence Lead 

PROVIDENCE—"Alexander the Great" at 

Loew's State and "The Searchers," at the 

Majestic rang up mild 110s, to tie for top 

honors in what was generally a disappointing 

week. Excellent film fare failed to bring 

out the theatregoers in expected numbers. A 

pouring rainstorm Sunday, making it the 

18th stormy Sunday in the past 24 weeks, 

kept most residents indoors. 

Albee The Bold and the Brove (RKO) 85 

Avon Doctor ot Sea (Rep) 100 

Loews Alexander the Great (UA) 110 

Mojestic The Searchers (WB) 110 

Strand The Mon Who Knew Too Much (Poro). .100 

'Conqueror' in Paris 

PARIS—Howard Hughes' "The Conqueror" 

had an auspicious opening June 1 at the 

Gaumont, Palace, Berlitz and Le Paris and is 

continuing to do big business, according to 

Marcel Gentel, RKO manager for France. 

Arthur Darman Is Investing $100,000 

To Remodel Woonsocket Theatre 

WOONSOCKET, R. I.—The first major 

theatre remodeling project in this area in 

many years is .scheduled for the local Stadium 

Theatre, owned by Arthur Darman. 

On June 19, the Stadium will close for five 

or six weeks for complete renovation. Its 

first run product will be switched to the 

second run Bijou during the remodeling period. 

The 1,273-seat house was built 30 years ago 

by Darman, who proved his foresight by allowing 

in his plans for several Innovations 

which have become popular. One of these 

was air conditioning. Darman's original 

plans left .space for installation of air-cooling 

mechanisms and these are to be installed 

as part of the renovation project. The theatre's 

name, too, is derived from the arrangement 

of its seating, a plan which has become 

widely adopted in the three decades 

since the local theatre was built. 

The entire theatre is being repainted and 

redecorated by Anthony Studios of Boston. 

New wall draperies have been ordered and 

new furniture for the lobby and ladies' 

lounges has been purchased. New plumbing 

fixtures have been placed in restrooms and 

the floors retiled. A refreshment stand designed 

by Anthony Studios was made by 

local woodworking shops. The stand is made 

of formica inside and out, with a huge back 

mirror for decoration. 

There are no structural changes in the 

front of the theatre. The marquee has been 

repainted and new frames placed around 

display panels. The boxoffice is being enlarged. 

The new air conditioning unit will be installed 

by Armo Cooling and Ventilating Co. 

of New York. The new carpets, made by 

Bigelow-Sanford Co., are custom-made from 

designs and colors picked out by Mrs. Darman. 

New seats are from Jack Benjamin of 

New York. Massachusetts Theatre Equipment 

Co. will install the full stereophonic sound 

equipment, supervised by Altec Co., with 16 

speakers in the auditorium. Altec has also 

installed a new public address system. The 

stage, set for legitimate presentations at any 

time, will duplicate that of the Metropolitan 

in Boston on a smaller scale, with ample 

dressing rooms. 

The screen is to be 40 feet wide. Built 

locally, it will be straight, arranged to be 

raised if a stage presentation is put on. There 

will be new draperies and curtain. 

When Darman built the theatre, he leased 

it to Publix Theatres. Later New England 

Theatres took it over. This circuit operated 

the house until last January 1, when the 

lease expired. New England Theatres did 

not renew and the theatre reverted to Darman, 

who also owns and operates the local 

Bijou. Darman placed his Bijou manager, 

Ben Greenberg, in charge of both operations. 

Harold Temple Promoted 

HARTFORD—Sperie Perakos of Perakos 

Theatre Associates has promoted Harold 

Temple to the managership of the Southington 

Drive-In, succeeding Melvin Siegel, 

resigned. Temple had been serving as assistant 

to Livio Dottor, manager at the 

Plainville Drive-In, for the past several years. 

Dottor will supervise promotional activity for 

both drive-ins. 

E. M. Loew Art House 

Meets Worcester Need 

WOHCESTKH, MASS. This town now has 

an art house .showing foreign films. E. M. 

Loew circuit closed Its Olympia Theatre a 

month for renovations, then reopened it last 

week with the new ait policy. Renamed the 

Pine Arts Theatre, it has been repainted and 

freshened. Seats were reupholstered, new 

carpets added and booth equipment replenished. 

The first foreign film under the new 

policy was "Diabolique," followed by "Aida. 

Business was encouraging from the outset, 

proving that the local pubhc needed a 

theatre of this type. The local newspapers 

gave space to plug the project. This city has 

a large population of Italian, French and 

Swedish-speaking people, three large colleges 

and several "prep" schools. The management 

is planning to point its programs 

at the student trade this fall. 

Notes from the E. M. Loew circuit: 

Jack Francis is filling in as temporary 

manager of the Riverdale Drive-In, Springfield 

... It is doubtful if the Auburn, Mass., 

drive-in, under construction, will be ready 

for this season. Bad weather hampered the 

project . . . The circuit's Sanford, Me., drivein 

opened for business two weeks ago . . . 

The Welles Beach Casino, a summer situation 

which includes a theatre, bowling alley, 

dance hall and concession stand, will reopen 

June 23 . . . Now that Paul Canty has been 

sent to manage the Strand Theatre in Asheville, 

N. C, Ted Limbris, who had been filling 

in there, will take the reins of the Bangor-Brewer 

Drive-In, Brewer, Me., which he 

has handled each summer . . . George Argenzio, 

manager of the Mt. Vernon Drive-In, 

Alexandria, Va., has been hospitalized with 

vii-us. is a severe attack of He recovering 

at home. During his illness, Walter Teed 

was rushed in from the Governor Ritchie 

Drive-In, Glenburnie, Md., wath Stanley 

Stern replacing him in Maryland. 

Ruff Distribution Firm 

Opens Boston Offices 

BOSTON—Edward Ruff Film As.sociates has 

opened offices at the Metropolitan building, 

Room 713, for distribution of independent 

•product. Edward Ruff, president, said that 

Arthur Fi-a-ser, previously w'ith Screen Guild 

Productions of New England, will be head 

booker and salesman. 

The new firm will handle release of Astor 

Pictures, Kingsley International, Trans-Lux, 

Edward Harrison and Janus Films. 

Mabel Fay Clarke. Sister 

Of Edward M. Fay. Dies 

PROVIDENCE—Mabel Fay Claj-ke, sister 

of Edward M. Fay, dean of New England 

showmen and mother of Albert J. Clarke, former 

Providence Majestic manager and now 

manager of a Springfield, Mass., theatre, 

died in Jane Brown Hospital after a long illness. 

Mrs. Clarke, well known clubwoman and 

nationally prominent in music circles, was in 

her 80th year. 

BOXOFFICE June 16, 1956 NE 63

. 

. . The 

BOSTON 

T ewis S. Ginsburg of New Haven has been 

named manager of Screen Guild of New- 

England, succeeding the late Albert Swerdlove. 

In taking over the new post, Ginsburg 

left his New Haven Amalgamated Buying 

Service in the hands of his partners. He arrived 

here June 4 . . . Dorothy Blumenthal, 

known as "Miss B" throughout the territory, 

is resigning as office manager of Screen 

Guild to take a prolonged vacation. She 

will announce her new plans on her return 

. . . Arthui- Fraser, head booker at Screen 

International theater seats give your 

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HERE'S WHY. . Best body-supporting spring seats 

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UNION CITY BODY COMPANY, INC., 

UNION CITY, INDIANA 

Guild, resigned to join a new distributing 

company, Edward Ruff Film Associates. 

Fraser will be head booker and salesman. 

B&Q Associates, headed by Max Hoffman, 

threw a welcome party for their new- booker, 

Larry Lapidus, at the Woodland Golf Club. 

Art Moger was emcee. Lapidus, who came 

to the local office of B&Q Theatres from 

New Jersey, was introduced to 60 distributors 

and circuit bookers. His father, Jules Lapidus 

of Warners, was a guest. Ralph lannuzzi, 

Warner's division manager, made his 

first public appearance since his recent surgery. 

Sympathy to Mr. and Mi'S. Harold Rubin 

in the death of her father, Samuel Gross of 

Brookline . . . Bill Brown, manager of Ken 

Forkey's Park Theatre in Worcester, is taking 

frey Hunter, the bobby-soxers' delight, and 

Vii-ginia Leith, both featured in UA's "A Kiss 

Before Dying," met the press at a breakfast 

party at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and stayed 

in town for two days for radio and TV appearances. 

The film is having its world 

premiere at Loew's State and Orpheum theatres. 

Miss Leith will be seen shortly as the 

leading girl in Bill Holden's first independent 

production "Toward the Unknown." 

Jeffrey Hunter's next production for 20th- 

Pox is the remake of "Jesse James" with 

Robert Wagner. 

Underground Parking Plan 

Hits New Snag in Boston 

BOSTON—The controversial garage to be 

built under Boston Common has reached another 

legal snag. Back Bay real estate owners 

and residents, who have put up so much 

opposition to the proposition, are preparing 

to take the fight to the U. S. Supreme Court, 

if necessary. As a result of this opposition. 

Mayor Hynes is turning his attention to efforts 

to find other parking facilities in the 

downtown sector, so desperately needed by 

merchants and theatre owners. 

Some years ago. Motor Parks signed a contract 

with the city to build the subterranean 

garage for 4,000 cars. Last yeai", Boston Common 

Garage entered the picture, presumably 

with the backing of an insurance company. 

Then the opposition stepped in, stating that 

the present plans did not coincide with the 

law or with the original specifications. 

Downtown theatre owners and managers 

realize the crying need for off-street parking 

facilities and had based their hopes on 

the huge garage under historic Boston Common. 

Walter Reade Repeating 

Summer Vacation Shows 

NEW YORK—The summer vacation 

programs 

of Walter Reade Theatres will start 

late this month at the St. James. Asbury Park, 

Red Bank, Strand, Plainfield, Strand and 

Freehold theatres in New Jersey and the 

Community at Kingston, N. Y., for the third 

year. 

The projects are supported by the local 

Parent-Teacher groups. They offer morning 

showings of a feature, cartoons and short 

subjects. Tickets priced at SI are sold in 

advance in the schools on a subscription 

basis. 

Walter Reade jr., circuit head, said they are 

valuable in interesting youngsters in motion 

pictures and in winning friends in the eommunities. 

PROVIDENCE 

fîl Wilson, muralist and painter, protege of 

the late Walter Huston, and now being 

sponsored by Huston's son John, was in town 

recently doing exploitation for "Moby Dick," 

which will be screened at the Majestic. Wilson 

made several personal appearances at 

local high schools and at the Rhode Island 

School of Design, where his lectures were 

supplemented by showings of his famous 

murals, sketches and paintings. A member of 

the Melville Society. Wilson has specialized 

in works associated with the "Moby Dick" 

characters. He was accompanied by Art 

Moger, New England field man for Warner 

Bros., and was featured on local TV and 

radio stations. It all added up to terrific advance 

publicity for the forthcoming film 

showing. 

William Brennan, a native Bostonian, new 

in show business, has t>een appointed student 

assistant manager at Loew's State . . . Abe 

Bernstein, UA exploiteer, was in town, working 

on "Alexander the Great," booked at 

Loew's State. 

"Doctor at Sea" opened at the Avon Cinema 

. Majestic, in cooperating with 

neighboring stores, distributed thousands of 

coupon circulars to patrons in a "gigantic 

gift giveaway" promotion. Hundreds of dollars 

worth of gifts were offered by the 

"Empire street friendly neighborhood merchants" 

for simply depositing signed coupons 

in the stores. In the month-long contest, 

the Majestic gave 50 guest tickets. 

Superscope 235 Receives 

Overseas Enthusiasm 

HOLL'YWOOD—Foreign moviegoers have 

enthusiastically accepted widescreen anamorphic 

prints such as are supplied by Superscope-235 

in its new 2.35-1 aspect ratio, and 

resultantly worldwide grosses of American 

films garnished by such techniques in 

production and projection are enjoying a 

"tremendous boost." 

That was the report by Joseph Tushinsky, 

president of Superscope, Inc., at a tradepress 

conference called upon his return from a 

six-week tour of Europe. Accompanied by 

his brother Irving, he engineered expansion 

plans for the Superscope-235 printing process. 

They established company branches in all 

major continental capitals, are negotiating 

for representation in Scandinavia, and arranged 

with Technicolor, Ltd., of London, to 

serve as a central latioratory for Superscope 

color printing for European producers. 

Tushinsky declared his firm has contracted 

for approximately 30 Superscope-235 features 

in the foreign field within the next year. 

Overseas enthusiasm for the Superscope 

system, he said, is due principally to the fact 

that no production changes or increased costs 

are necessary, plus the immediate availability 

of both 2.35-1 and standard ratio flat prints. 

IMAGE & SOUND SERVICE CORP. 

"The Best Value In Smind Service" 

BOXOFFICE :: June 16, 1956

; June 

. . WB's 

NEW HAVEN 

•Phe Wat«riown Drive-In, destioyed in the 

1955 flood, will reopen June 27. The capac- 

Frank Ferguson, manager of the Whalley, 

has been appointed chairman of the 1956 

Christmas Seal campaign in the metropolitan 

area . . . Jim Totman, assistant SW zone 

manager, was vacationing . "The 

Searchers" did so weU at the SW Roger Sherman 

it was held for an extra day. 

Connecticut Ass'n's 

Golf Outing July 17 

NEW HAVEN—The Motion Picture Theatre 

Owners of Connecticut will hold its annual 

golf tournament at the Race Brook Country 

Club in suburban Orange Tuesday, July 17. 

George H. Wilkinson jr. of the Wilkinson 

Theatre, Wallingford, and Harry Feinstein. 

New England zone manager for Stanley 

Warner Theatres, are exhibitor co-chau-men, 

with James Bracken, James Darby, Ted 

Jacocks, Harry Shaw, Max Hoffman and John 

Perakos. 

Irving Mendelson, U-I manager, and Henry 

Germaine, Paramount manager, are cochairmen 

of the distributor committee. Others 

helping plan the all-day event are Samuel 

Weber, treasurer; Herman M. Levy, secretary: 

Albert M. Pickus and Alex Schimel. cochairmen 

of the gifts committee, and Lou 

Brown, publicity. 

The program will include lunch and dinner 

at the country club. Prizes will be awarded 

to both nongolfers and golfers. The tournament 

customarily attracts top industry figures 

from New York City and the entire New 

England area. 

Reservations are $12.50. Checks should be 

made to Samuel Weber, treasurer, and mailed 

to him at 39 Prout St.. New Haven. 

Dark at Manning, Iowa 

MANNING, IOWA—The Crystal Theatre 

closed May 26. The theatre, which has been 

operated by the Dethlefs family here for almost 

45 years, has been managed by J. FYed 

Dethlefs, who is ill. George Dethlefs and his 

son Kermeth have been operating it since his 

illness. Future plans for the theatre have 

not been announced. 

INDUSTRY PROFILE 

Spends Maximum Time on Floor 

With His Pafrons and Staff 

ity has t)een increased by 200 cars, to 1.000 

autos. Owners F^-ed Qiiatrano and John and 

William Siraca rebuilt after the adjoining i 

By ALLEN M. WIDEM 

Naugatuck River wiped out their ozoner. 

I NEW LONDON, CONN.—John E. Petrols 

ski, manager of the Stanley Warner Garde 

Prank Ferguson will do the booking and 

buying. 

ii Theatre, has adhered to one basic premise 

ii in 12 years of the- 

RKO manager and Mrs. Barney Pitkin 

|: atre management; 

celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary. 

ii "Never make your- 

Theii- observance included attendance at 

RKO's "Great Day in the Morning" . 

:;; self or your office 

Manager Irv Mendelson went to New^ Bedford, II inaccessible 

— 

to the 

1; public it is your 

Mass., for the golden wedding of his pai-ents. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Mendelson. Tlie sons 

reason for being!" 

Ii 

Petroski, although 

also include Herb Mendelson, an independent 

|i a newcomer, relaproduction 

manager in Hollywood and assistant 

speaking, in 

director for the Lone Ranger and Sky II lively II compai"ison to some 

King TV shows. 

Ii managers, backs up 

Burglars who apparently hid in the Lincoln 11 this contention by 

Theatre during the last performance left the 

an house with a $150 adding machine and $18 

i getting into the of- 

II fice at least an hour 

j„i,„ g. petroski 

from a soft drink machine . . . Fifty members II or two early each morning, to go through 

11 his mcoming mail and handle other office 

of a local tribe of the Improved Order of 

Redmen appeared in the lobby of Loew's College 

1; chores. 

"I get 

in full regalia for the opening of 20th- 

into the office early," he said, 

Fox's "Mohawk." 

"because I want to be on the main floor 

ii 

i and remain there as much as practical— 

I after the boxoffice has opened for business. 

i It's on the floor that I can actually check 

II incoming and outgoing patrons, on occai 

sion chat with them on likes and dislikes, 

II and, generally speaking, be able to see that 

i the staff—from cashier to doorman to 

11 usher to concession stand attendant—is 

1 functioning correctly, courteously, and. 

I above all, with the persistent spirit of 

^ friendliness." 

II Petroski, a three-year service veteran 

i of World War II, joined Warner Theatres 

ii at the Garde Theatre in 1946, becoming 

I assistant to then Manager Nick E. Bricki: 

ates, now Connecticut district manager for 

i Stanley Warner Theatres, successor to 

ii Warner Theatres. In 1948, he moved to the 

Ii Palace, at Norwich, 12 miles upstate, suc- 

II ceeding the late, beloved Robert E. Hamil- 

11 ton. In 1950, he was sent to the Warner, 

I Bridgeport, temporarily, and then back to 

II the Norwich situation, where he remained 

Ii until December 1954. In the latter month, 

he assumed his present post. 

Ii 

"I know I'm not an oldtimer in the 

ii regular sense of the word." said this eni 

thusiastic showman, "but I know that 

i I've learned a lot about public relations by 

ii being stationed on the floor whenever posi 

sible and also by participating in Chamil 

ber of Commerce activity as much as feasii 

ible. I'm a great believer in getting along 

with the community, because I feel that 

il 

Jim Cartwright on Pcmel 

DAYTONA BEACH—James L. 

Cartwright, 

FST district supervisor who is director of the 

Florida State Chamber of Commerce, served 

as moderator of an important panel discussion 

on "Unified Florida Development" at 

the 37th annual meeting of Florida's Chamber 

of Commerce officials held at nearby 

EUinor Village. Taking part in the discussions 

were publicity, advertising, agricultural 

and industrial leaders from all parts of the 

state. 

its the public Uiat pays your salary, and 

if you get along with them, understand 

their likes and dislikes as regards theati-e 

entertainment, you can make of your 

theatre a better center of entertainment." 

He doesn't go along with the argument, 

however, that asserts a manager's place Ls 

to continually badger and bawl out a laggard. 

"I was an assistant manager once myself," 

he noted, "and can appreciate the 

fact that incoming patrons aren't the best 

people in the world to handle at times; 

but by telling an u.sher privately where he 

did wrong in not politely answering customers, 

for example, I can improve on 

existing public relations, with that same 

customer coming back the next time and 

saying to me, 'Mr. Petroski, you've got a 

courteous staff.' " 

He feels that the exhibition end of the 

industry is coming into a truly prosperous 

era, because of concentration on top 

quality 

films. 

Petroski likes a continuing program of 

exploitation. "Each attraction deserves 

special selling, regardless of how much 

effort is required to push the particular 

picture," he said. "I sit down with a pre.ssbook 

several weeks ahead and look over 

possible tieups, and then proceed from 

there. At present, the newspapers in the 

area ai-e not too favorably inclined toward 

motion picture publicity, but when you 

come in with a well-worded, timely news 

story, they're bound to give it prominent 

space." 

He likes to call the newspaper offices 

on occasion when a news story, not related 

to the theatre itself, breaks in the vicinity. 

"The city desk remembers its friends," 

he reasons, "and if you come up with 

enough good breaks, they'll have the doors 

wide open for you and your attractions." 

Automobile dealers look kindly upon 

Petroski-inspired promotion. "Whenever 

we need a car to banner, there's always a 

cooperative dealer ready and willing to 

participate, and he'll to.ss in a free driver, 

because these fellows realize the promotion 

value of a motion pictuie tieup." 

Typical of the Petroski touch was this 

lobby sign, erected following a screening 

of "The Searchers": 

"I saw 'The Searchers' ... I assure our 

patrons that it will become, for all time, 

a favorite of everyone who -sees it!—John 

E. Petroski, theatre manager." 

Joe Liss, In Auto Crash 

Year Ago, Back at Work 

NEW HAVEN-ôe Liss, former Massachusetts 

and New York district manager for 

SW, who was critically injured in an auto 

crash June 20, 1955, while traveling to this 

city for a meetnlg at the zone office, returned 

to work on a parttlme basis this week. He has 

been placed in charge of the chain's four theatres 

in Lawrence, Mass. Liss was considered 

near death for several months but made a 

valiant recovery. 

BOXOFFICE ; 

16, 1956 65

. . . The 

. . Enterprising 

. . Bad 

n ARTFORD 

Dernie Young of Mori Kjushen's UA exploitation 

staff confen-ed with local 

theatre editors on upcoming territorial openings 

of "Trapeze" . Jack Sanson, 

Strand, was the first downtown showman 

to plant a boxed announcement on local 

amusement pages, to ballyhoo the start of 

air conditioning for the season. 

Irving Haber, at one time on the State 

staff, has been named general sales manager 

of Lipman Motors, a Nash dealership here 

trend towards encouragement of 

kiddy trade continues. Spotted in a downstate 

neighborhood theatre's kiddies show 

ad the other weekend was: "Two Children 

Admitted for 20 cents! . . . Picketing was 

continuing at the Ai'ch Street Theatre, New 

Britain, although a spokesman for Perakos 

Theatre Associates indicated that the circuit 

was willing to negotiate the matter with 

Local 301. Boothmen are charging "a lockout 

because of breach of contract." 

The Torrington Junior Chamber of Commerce 

took over the Stanley Warner circuit's 

Warner in Torrington for a midweek evening's 

presentation of the annual "Miss Jaycee 

Bill Howard of 

Beauty Pageant" . . . Lockwood and Gordon's Plaza in Windsor 

sold the Ti-inity Methodist Church of that 

suburban community on sponsorship of an 

evening's showing of "A Man Called Peter." 

Church members sold tickets and a near capacity 

audience was reported . weather 

has hit drive-ins throughout the Hartford 

territory. Repeat bookings of sparsely attended 

attractions have become common in 

recent weeks. 

Local showmen are anticipating bookings 

of several top attractions starring local players, 

including "Navy Mother," with Gary 

"Screaming Eagles" and "The Scarlet 

Merrill: 

Hour." with Tom Ti-yon. The latter two 

mark Tryon's Hollywood debut and there has 

been talk of him attending a local opening. 

He is currently working in a Paramount 

western with Charlton Heston in Los Angeles. 

Back From Detroit Visit 

HARTFORI>—Mrs. Sperie Perakos, wife of 

the general manager of Perakos Theatre Associates, 

returned from a three-week visit 

in 

Detroit. 

HANDY SUBSCRIPTION 

BOXOFFICE: 

825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo. 

Circus Added Feature 

At Premiere of 'Trapeze' 

HOLLYWOOD—Upwards of $25,000 was 

garnered for the Variety Boys Club in East 

Los Angeles, pet charity project of Variety 

Tent 25, when Hecht-Lancaster's new United 

Artists release, "Trapeze," was given a starstudded 

premiere recently at the Fox Wilshire 

Theatre. The festivities were augmented 

by a two-ring circus emceed by Ed Sullivan, 

who lensed footage on the opening for use 

on one of his upcoming Toast of the Town 

TV shows, while George Jessel also functioned 

as an emcee and conducted lobby interviews. 

First-nighters included Burt Lancaster and 

Tony Curtis, who star with Gina LoUobrigida 

in the film: producer Harold Hecht; Sir Carol 

Reed, who directed, and a guest list including 

Jeff Chandler, Ronald Colman, Pier Angeh, 

Laraine Day, Milton Berle, Charles Boyer, 

Jeanne Crain, Ku'k Douglas, Charlton Heston 

and Dinah Shore. 

Two Connecticut Ozoners 

Alter Buck Night Policy 

HARTFORD—Eddie O'Neill, district manager 

for Brandt Drive-In Theatres, has 

shifted buck night from Tuesdays to Thursdays 

at the Portland (Conn.) Drive-In. Cars 

are admitted for $1, regardless of number of 

passengers. The Portland now is running 

Early Bird policy on Tuesday, with the main 

feature screened first. 

Meanwhile, the independent Groton Drive- 

In at Groton, operated by Henry Picazio and 

associates, has inaugurated buck night on 

Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

In newspaper ads, the theatre enthuses: 

"Come One, Come All! Bring Grandma, 

Grandpa, Even Your Mother-in-Law!" 

R. Livingston at Lyric 

HARTFORD—Roger Livingston, formerly 

independent exhibition in upstate New 

in 

York, has joined Hartford Theatres as manager 

of the neighborhood Lyric, Hartford. 

He succeeds Michael J. Carr, resigned. 

Closes at Willimantic 

HARTFORD—Carim E. John has closed 

the sub run Strand in Willimantic with reopening 

date not disclosed. The Stanley 

Warner has the Capitol and Jason Enterprises 

the Gem, both first runs there.

Standout at Toronto 

Is The Searchers' 

TORONTO—"The Searchers" wa.s one of 

the few new offerings of the week and it 

brought the best gross to the Imperial. The 

Odeon also counted fair returns with "Patterns." 

Leading holdovers were "Meet Me in 

Las Vegas" at Loew's and the Uptown, and 

"Oklahoma!" in its seventh week at the 

Tivoli. 


Eglinton, University Josephine and Men (Br.).. 100 

Hylond Simon ond Laura (JARO), 2nd wk 105 

Impenol The Seorchcrs (WB) 120 

Loew's, Uptown Meet Me in Las Vegas (MGM), 

2nd wk 110 

Nortown 100 

I'll Cry Tomorrow (MGM), 2nd wk 

Odcon Patterns (UA) 110 

Shea s—The Mon in the Gray Flannel Suit (20th- 

Fox), 4th wk 100 

Tivoh Oklohomo! (Magna), 7th wk 105 

Towne— Gcordic (Br.), 1 1 th wk 95 

'Searchers' Rates Very Good 

First Week in Vancouver 

VANCOUVER—First run business continued 

dull, with most exhibitors asking why 

and some blaming the product. The usual 

spring dip seems sharper than customary, the 

showmen claimed, witii loo many oldies showing 

up in the downtown section. Hiked admissions 

were charged for some of the revivals 

and new releases. 

Capitol—Geordie (IFD), 2nd wk Good 

Cinema—The Steel Jungle (WB); The River 

Changes (\V B) Fair 

Orpheum The Searchers (WB) Very Good 

Plaza Three Bod Sisters (UA); The Killer 

Is Loose (UA) Fair 

Strand The Come On (AA); Screaming 

Eogles (AA) Moderate 

Fall (Col), Vogue The Horder They 2nd 

Exhibitors Back Movement 

For Night Retail Trade 

TORONTO—Operation of retail stores at 

night has spread over Ontario. The Canadian 

Ass'n of Consumers, an organization of 

housewives, meeting here, announced its 

support for the opening of stores during 

evening hours. 

In a test case at Windsor, Magistrate Angus 

W. MacMillan ruled invalid a city bylaw 

which required all food stores to close at 

6 p.m. daily, and dismissed charges against 

three business establishments for alleged 

violations. 

The supreme court received an appeal by 

a dozen merchants of Ottawa from a conviction 

under a local bylaw which requires 

early closing of stores. At its meeting in 

Ottawa, the Ontario Jew'elers Ass'n heard 

representations for the opening of stores on 

certain nights in cities and towns. 

Exhibitors with theatres in central business 

districts are interested particularly because 

of the belief that their patronage will be 

helped in the night operation of stores, which 

would draw people from their homes—and 

TV sets. 

Theatre Collects $1,500 

For Damages by Ship 

VANCOUVER The sliip that backed up 

instead of going ahead has cost Uiiion 

Steamship Co. $1,500 in a lawsuit. 

W. H. Nettles, motion picture operator, and 

his wife sued the USC for this sum for expenses 

and lo.ss of profit resulting from disruption 

of their film show when the S. S 

Cardena backed into the wharf on which 

their theatre is located at Minstrel Island, 

upcoast from here. 

Panorama to Shoot 

Sequences of 'Aces' 

VANCOUVER—A local motion picture 

company will stait shooting its second feature 

film this summer. Oldrich Vaclavek, veteran 

Czech producer and president of Panorama 

Pi'oductions here, said his firm has been 

selected to film Canadian sequences of "Ace 

of Aces." 

The picture, a first world war aviation 

thriller, depicts the life and adventures of 

Canada's dog-fight air ace Billy Bishop. 

Bishop, who rase to the rank of air marshal 

in the RCAF, was credited with shooting down 

70 German planes. He won the Victoria Crass 

and other decorations for his exploits. 

Canadian sequences of Bishop's life will be 

shot in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. 

Other parts of the film will be photographed 

in England where Trevor Howard is being 

suggested to portray the Canadian hero. 

The script was WTitten in Hollywood by 

Jack DeWit, Arch Whitehouse and Jack Morgan. 

Veteran director Leroy Prinz, a friend 

of Vaclavek, is co-producer with Edward H. 

Griffith, both of Hollywood. 

Vaclavek said some Canadian talent will 

be used in the Canadian scenes. 

Preparations, meanwhile, ai-e nearly completed 

for filming of "My Lord Cowboy" in 

the Okanagan valley. Negotiations are going 

ahead to have Rod Cameron star in the British 

Columbia western. 

A comedy lead in United Artists' "Bundle 

of Joy" has been drawn by Una Merkel. 

Manitoba Exhibitors 

Rename Ben Sommers 

WINNIPEG—The tenth annual meeting of 

the Manitoba Motion Picture Exhibitors 

A.ss'n at the Marlborough Hotel Monday reelected 

Ben Sommers, 

owner of the State 

Theatre here, as presi- 

dent. 

Also renamed were 

Harry Hurwitz and 

-^ J Harry Prygrocki, vlce^ 

«# presidents; Ken Beach 

'

. . Guest 

. . Current 

. . The 

. . 

Pick 

TORONTO 

ftie annual Shakespearean festival at Stratford, 

which opens next week with presentations 

of "Henry V," "The Merry Wives 

of Windsor" and other plays, is negotiating 

with President I. H. Allen of Astral Films, 

Toronto, for the Canadian premiere of the 

Russian-produced "Othello," prize-winning 

film at the 1956 Cannes festival, at the Allen's 

Avon there in conjunction with the 

stage series in the tent theatre. 

three days of last week. Anyway he said it 

ran five hours ... As promised some time 

ago by the proprietor, Joe Dydzak, the Windsor 

Drive-In will open "the first and only 

showing" next week of "Guys and Dolls." 

He has other first run specials lined up. 

Ads on TV Page 

TORONTO — Famous Players Canadian 

has gone after the patronage of 

Corp. 

Toronto TV fans right with ads on the 

television pages of the local press. Right 

alongside TV comments appeared an ad 

which started off with: "Today! Come out for 

Great Entertainment at Famous Players' 

Theatres — More Information; Amusement 

Page." Listed in panels opposite the name 

of each of the 16 theatres is the name of 

the screen feature or the double bill. 

WINNIPEG 

Fred Fink booked no less than 42 comedies 

and cartoons for the special "Laugh Show^" 

at his three Toronto neighborhood theatres— 

the Astor, Gem and Kenwood— for the final 

pamous Players theatres in this area have 

*" 

announced: "Free Movie any 

. 

movie you want ... At any Famous Players 

theatre in Canada . 

guest ticket on 

packages of Ogilvie White or Chocolate Cake 

Mixes entitles any child under 12 years of 

age to attend any show, on any day, and at 

The Avenue, a 680-seat house on west Eglinton 

avenue, which used to be operated if the child is accompanied by an adult who 

any time! tickets are only valid 

. 

under Famous Players auspices, has gone pays regular admission price . . • 

Guest 

into its 11th week with the stage show, 

"Spring Thaw '56," by the New tickets are printed on a limited number of 

Play Co. . . . 

Ogilvie boxes . . . Get yours now, while the 

ivfanager Bill Burke of the Capitol, Brantford, 

lined up the tailoring firm of William sensational offer!" 

supply lasts, then tell your friends about this 

Brown & Son in that city for the mysteryman 

street stunt for "The Man in the Gray Mesho Triller features a broadcast every 

Flannel Suit" Mrs. Alexander Beder, Saturday matinee on the stage of the 

. . . 

president of the auxiliary of Toronto Variety 

tent, and Mrs. N. A. Taylor received the patronized by the western song devotees . . 

Dominion, the CJOB Western Hour, which is 

hundreds of guests at the annual tea in The Garrick brought back two revivals for 

aid of Variety Village School at the residence the hot weather, "The Far Country" and 

of Mrs. Taylor in Armour Heights. The women's 

division has 50 active members. was "Alexander the 

"Saskatchewan" at the Odeon 

. 

Great." 

Lome Fleming's Ticket 

Wins $140,000 on Derby 

MONTREAL — Lome Fleming, popular 

manager of the Strand Theatre of the 

United Amusement 

Corp., won $140,000 

as a result of buying 

the right ticket 

on the Irish Sweepstakes 

for the English 

derby. The 

French-bred colt 

Lavandin put the 

$140,000 into Flemings 

hands by winning 

the 177th derby 

run at Epsom 

Downs at Surrey. Lome Fleming 

Fleming's first 

reaction on learning of his big win was 

confession of not knowing what to do 

with the money. 

"I think I'll just have to take a little 

holiday to take a close look at the matter," 

the theatre manager said. Fleming lives 

at 4916 De Grandpre St. with his mother. 

Asked where his winning ticket was, he 

grinned and said: "It's well hidden in a 

safety deposit box." 

Fleming, a flight lieutenant in the Canadian 

Air Force during World War II, 

said winning the money brought the happiest 

moment of his life. The first thing 

he did was to telephone his mother and 

announce the good news. But she also 

had been listening to the radio. "I know," 

she told her son, "What are you going to 

do with it all?" 

Fleming answered: "Now take it easy. 

Mother. After all, it's just money. It will 

take me a little time to decide what to do 

with it." 

The Strand manager was one of only 

three Canadians who held winning tickets 

on the Derby. 

Following the war, Fleming served as 

intelligence officer for Operation Muskox, 

a scientific expedition conducted in the 

Arctic. He was manager at the York 

Theatre before being appointed to the 

St. Catherine Street West Strand. 

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GENERALTHEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY 

HEAD OFFICE: 861 BAY ST. TORONTO, ONTARIO 

Revival Nights Reappear 

At Ontario Theatres 

TORONTO—Revival night, offering an 

older feature as an added attraction one 

night a week, has reappeared in the Ontario 

entertainment field. 

The Odeon at Brantford. managed by Ed 

Burrows, played "His Girl Friday" once 

with "Goodbye My Lady" and "The Winning 

Team," Thursday night (7i. The plan is 

being adopted elsewhere. 

The midnight horror show of screen and 

shockers also making a comeback at 

stage is 

Famous Players theatres. A "Scream Show" 

has been featured at the Palace, Windsor, 

and the Capitol, Brantford. At the former 

theatre the admission was $1 while at Brantford 

the rate was 85 cents. 

Five Theatres for Sale 

TORONTO—Ridout Real Estate, Ltd., Toronto, 

one of the largest realty firms in Ontario, 

has listed motion picture theatres in 

five towns for sale en bloc or as individual 

units. 


. . The 

. . . The 

. . Additions 

. . 

Top Pioneer Position 

To Romeo VanDette 

M O N T R E A L—Romeo VanDette, chief 

projectionist of United Amusements and 

president of the local operators union, was 

elected president of the Quebec Division of 

the Canadian Picture Pioneers at 

the group's 

eighth annual meeting here. Pioneer of the 

Year honors went to Arthur Larente of Peerless 

Films. He also was elected secretarytreasurer. 

Hon. Harve J. L'Heureux, United States 

Consul-General. was the guest speaker. Also 

present were Mayor Jean Drapeau and Rene 

Lemyre, general manager of the Montreal 

baseball 

club. 

Other officers elected included Len Jones, 

general manager of Standard Amusements, 

vice-president: Armand Besse, Perkins Electric 

Co., second vice-president; W. Guss. 

MOM, third vice-president; Eddie Schrieder. 

Quebec Cinema Bookings, assistant treasurer. 

Committee chairmen are Frank Makarios, 

manager of the Chateau Theatre, welfare; 

Oscai- Richards, manager of the Amherst, 

fund-raising; John Levitt, Columbia Pictures, 

membership; Phil Maurice, Consolidated 

Theatres, special events; Allan Spencer, 

United Amusements, publicity. 

Ernest Ouimet was named as honorary 

president. 

OTTAWA 

nrthur Knapp, manager of the Winchester 

in nearby Winchester, has cancelled 

Saturday matinees because of declining attendance 

. . . The FPC Capitol was filled to 

its 2.350-seat capacity Sunday afternoon for 

the annual convocation of the University of 

Ottawa. 

The O'Brien at Pembroke reported a rousing 

time at a two-night screen and stage 

program for the teenagers which had been 

lined up by Supervisor Russ Simpson and 

Manager William Parent. On the screen was 

"Rock Around the Clock" and on the stage 

a "Rock 'N' Roll Revue," featuring Maury 

Logan and the Bobcats. Prices were 75 and 

60 cents . . . The Roxy at Carleton Place, 

seating 400. was closed by the Ottawa 

Valley Amusement Co. The Westboro at 

Westboro is now being used for an electronics 

school. 

The Glebe Cinema, owned by Hye Bessin, 

did nice business with "Birth of a Nation," 

with sound added, at a flat 75c . . . John N. 

Mulcahy. chairman of the Pembroke, 

Memorial Centre, is seeking a new arena 

manager to start July 1, replacing Morris 

G. Snyder who is going to the new Memorial 

Gardens at North Bay. Snyder previously 

was a theatre manager at Pembroke and 

Hamilton . Odeon at Kingston, is 

continuing its Saturday Morning Movie Club, 

one reason being the presence at every show 

of BiUie, the Movie Club Clown, who is a 

local 

comic. 

Also Filmed in Hollywood 

Although many governments cooperated in 

the filming of Warners' "The Animal World," 

much of the picture was filmed on the sound 

stages of the studio in Hollywood. 

BOXOFFICE June 16, 1956 

VANCOUVER 

. 

fôming and eoing on vacations were Ann 

Thompson, Park; Ai't Grayburn. Paradise; 

Maynard Joiner, FPC district manager; 

Don Foil, Studio; Gerry SuUierland, Odeon 

B. C. district manager; Harry Lawrence, 

Plaza; Art Lorimor, Orpheum, and Dave 

Borland, Dominion to the B. C. 

"adult entertainment only" list are "The Revolt 

of Mamie Stover," "Women of Twilight," 

"Three Bad Sisters," "Storm Fear" and "The 

Trouble With Harry." 

A mother and two children here were victims 

of domestic gas poisoning. The father, 

R. J. Hayter, formerly with Columbia, and 

his son Mel, Paramount booker, were away 

at the time of the tragedy. Earl Hayter. 

Odeon supervisor, and Kelly Hayter, owner 

of the Starlight Drive-In at Salmon Arm, 

Fred Wilson of the Strand was hospitalized 

with a heart condition . . . Frank Boothe. formerly 

with the local Odeon, is now in charge 

of two indoor theatres and an ozoner at 

Mt. Vernon, Wash. Wilson was in on vacation 

here to visit his father, Howard Boothe, 

western manager for Audio Pictures 

The death of Hector Quagliotti, oldtime 

showman, ended a unique era in film merchandising. 

The 81-year-old "Quag" believed 

in jazzing up film titles with exclamation 

points on his marquee regardless of the 

subject. He also would not allow a candy 

bar in his downtown theatre. 

George Dunning of Calgary, formerly with 

the National Film Board, has joined UPA in 

New- York as an animation artist . . . Manager 

of the FPC Royal in Victoria, Cliff 

Denham, was given a life membership by the 

Royal Colwood Country Club. He has been 

a member since 1913 . . . Lionel Slavin, Calgary 

manager for Astral Films, was transfeiTed 

to the Winnipeg office in the same 

capacity. He replaced Charlie Krupp, who 

resigned. Slavin was succeeded by Jackie 

Marks, formerly a Warner Bros, salesman 

in the Alberta area . . . Harry Hargraves, 

MGM booker in San Francisco, formerly on 

the staff of the Orpheum, was here to look 

up his many friends in show business . . . 

Don Barnes who was with the Odeon publicity 

department, is now a teller in a Hollywood 

bank . . . John Paramchuk is the new owner 

of the Met Theatre, a 300-seater at Cudworth, 

Sask. It was formerly operated by 

M. Metropolit. It's the farming community's 

only house. 

Jay Smith recently had this to say in his 

"On The Beam" column: "The manpower 

situation in the distribution end of film 

business across Canada is getting desperate, 

with trained personnel quitting from one end 

of the country to the other to enter business 

that offers more of a future. Who can blame 

them? For our outlook is bleak, to put it 

mildly. The same is true with theatre personnel. 

The circuits have been hard hit recently 

by a wave of resignations, w-ith fewer 

and fewer replacements available. The turnover 

in film exchanges and theatres is still 

in high gear, with industries paying bigger 

and better wages and plenty of fringe benefits 

given, especially In British Columbia and 

across Western Canada. Many theatre and 

film workers are cro-ssing into the U. S." 

MaJ. Frank Goddard, a first world war 

veteran who retired from the Vogue, was 

presented with the meritorious service medal 

for 25 years in the army. 

Canadian Boom Indicated 

By Construction Survey 

OTTAWA— If new construction figures can 

be accorded significance, the Canadian 

amu-sement industry is in for a boom year. 

A nationwide Canadian survey has revealed 

that 1956 will be a big year for spending on 

construction work for theatres, arenas, 

amusement and recreational buildings. The 

over-all figure will be $20,630,000. compared 

are brothers of Robert Hayter, the father 

wife of Garry Peebbles, Manitoba 

to $15,359,000 last year, $17,521,000 the year 

exhibitor who sold his two Dauphin, Man., 

before and $14,393,000 back in 1953. 

theatres and retired, died in Dauphin. She 

was 55, the sister of Anne Thompson, who 

Most of the construction expenditure this 

year will be for new structures, moreover, 

manages the Odeon-Park here. 

with only $1,491,000 of the total 1956 estimate 

earmarked for repair w'ork. This figure is 

lower than the $1,813,000 for last year and 

$2,332,000 for 1954, giving an indication of the 

extent of the funds to be allocated to new 

enterprises. 

Factors which will have a bearing on the 

extent to which the construction can be carried 

out this year are the availability of building 

materials, of skilled construction workers 

and of credit for such projects. 

Film Show as Bonus 

ZANESVILLE—Big Bear Food Stores has 

won considerable local goodwill through a 

tie-in with the Liberty, Weller, and State 

theatres here. Free tickets are given at the 

boxoffice on presentation of Big Bear register 

tapes amounting to $20. Each week the 

manager of the supermarket settles the tab 

by paying the full admission on tickets given 

out in exchange for the sales tapes. A check 

on users indicates that the giveaway customers 

are using the tapes, rather than giving 

them away to children, as was first expected 

might happen. 

} FOR SALE ^ 

YES! 10,000 LATE MODEL 

USED OR RECONDITIONED 

Also new British-Luxury Chairs avoilabls 

THEATRE 

CHAIRS 

Spring edge steel bottom scot cushions and 

fully uptiolstered backs—spring back types olso. 

Carpeting, csptialt, rubber, Vinyl tiles and 

WE ARE FACTORY AGENTS- 

AT BARGAIN PRICES 

Drop us a line—we will give you photogroptis 

and full informotion. 

"LA SALLE" 

RECREATIONS, Ltd. 

Theatre Chairs. Carpet. Linoleum and Tile Division. 

^ 945 GRANVILLE ST., VANCOUVER 

2 MARINE 5034-5428 

r-^ 

^

. . Doug 

MONTREAL Seal Prices Slable ST. JOHN 

'tzrilUam Lester, vice-president 

and manag- 

Mrs. Roger Lalonde was a visitor to Filmrow 

and booked for the Colonial of PlessLsville 

and the Lize of Asbestos ... A. Robert 

of the Labelle Theatre of Labelle, Que., and 

Georges Champagne, manager for a circuit 

at Shawinigan Falls, were also visitors to 

the local Filmrow . . . Bill Guss, local manager 

of MGM, and his wife attended the 

wedding of a member of her family at Ban- 

manager of 

gor, Me. . . . Billy Cass, former 

MGM and now general sales manager for 

the company for all Canada, visited the 

company's local office to confer with Guss. 

HERE'S YOUR CHANCE 

le gel in the 

BIG MONEY 

a screen game, 

HOLLYWOOD takes fop 

honors. As a box-office attraction, 

it is without equal If has 

been a favorite with theatre goers for 

over 15 years. Write today for complete details. 

Be sure to give seating or ear capacity. 

HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO. 

3750 Oakton St. • Skokie, Illinois 

In Montreal Area 

MONTREAL — Motion picture admission 

the cast off . . . 

ing director of United Amusement Corp., 

currently on a tour of the Britisli Isles and 

in Montreal and the district have remained 

faii-ly stable in the past year. prices 

Europe, visited JARO studios in London. 

Al- 

Lester sent his staff and colleagues large though there have been repeated rumors of 

photographs of himself and his wife among price increases in recent months, there has 

JARO executives . . . Art Bahen, district been no general upward movement, as far 

manager of Odeon Theatres of Canada, who as a survey could reveal. There have been 

some weeks ago twisted his leg and suffered 

price adjustments in certain theatres but they 

a broken ankle, is back in circulation with 

followed a change of policy. For instance, 

Jean Paul Legris, manager some neighborhood theatres have within the 

of the Champlain Theatre, an Odeon property, 

Suzanne Pare. 

past few months adopted first run policies 

was recently married to The couple flew to Miami for a three-week 

and this has resulted in boxoffice increases. 

However, generally price levels have remained 

honeymoon. During Legris' absence, he is unchanged. 

being replaced at the Champlain by Jean- 

Paul Paplneau, manager of the Electra. 

This is in contrast with reports reaching 

here that seat prices in about 1,200 motion 

picture theatres owned by five major British 

The Odeon theatres of Quebec province are 

circuits are going up on June 25. The British 

participating in a Miss Canada Pageant promoted 

circuits are Associated British, Odeon, Gaumont, 

by Emile St. Pierre, president of East- 

Essoldo and Granada. 

ern Canada Exhibitions. Applications for the 

The increases, which range from six 

pageant are returnable to any Odeon theatre. 

pence on seats costing one shilling to four 

The winner will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship 

and will fly to Britain for a screen test 

pence on seats costing three shillings two 

pence, are due to rising costs of exhibition 

with JARO. 

and to the United Kingdom's Chancellor of 

Jacqueline Osher, former UA cashier 

the Exchequer's decision against a reduction 

here, 

in entertainment tax on the cinemas. 

who left to be married at Toronto to M. Rottblott, 

paid a flying visit to Montreal on her 

Announcing the price increases on behalf 

of the circuits, the Cinematograph Exhibitors' 

way to Bermuda, visiting with Eileen Lahue, 

Ass'n in London said the decision had 

cashier 

has 

at Paramount 

returned to 

. . . Mi-s. Betty 

International 

Conrad 

Film Distributors 

been taken with reluctance. No increases are 

being made in admission prices for old age 

after an absence of a year . . . 

Mrs. Michelle Pelletier-Roche, formerly with 

pensioners and children, said the association. 

Warner Bros. 16mm department and 

The association also pointed out that because 

of the entertainment tax, a relatively 

secretary 

to Jacqueline Morin, department manager, 

is now the mother of a baby named small proportion of the Increase in price will 

be retained by the exhibitor. The entertainment 

Michael. 

tax is still taking 31.5 per cent of 

cinema gross receipts. In 1955, this take 

amounted to no less than £33,425,000. 

Although there are around 4,500 cinemas 

in Great Britain, with a total seating capacity 

of about 4,100,000, the 1,200 theatres covered 

by the five circuits concerned are among 

the largest, many of them seating more than 

1,000 persons each and some seating over 

2,000. Thus a substantial proportion of 

United Kingdom's total available seating 

capacity is likely to be affected by the increases. 

Many other theatres, including the 

smaller circuits and independents, may decide 

to follow the lead now given by the 

big circuits. 

Graduation at Village 

TORONTO — Variety Village, the voca- 

Add "Magic Fire' 

TORONTO — The International Cinema 

offered a combination of new and holdover 

pictures this week. The new feature was 

"Magic Fire," which deals with the life of 

Richard Wagner. Continued from the 

previous bill was "Pantomimes" with Marcel 

Marceau, which had been playing with 

"Lucky Kid." 

âwson Exley, after six months as 20th-Fox 

manager here, will take over the Vancouver 

office in July. Gordon Lightstone jr., 

Toronto salesman, will become manager of 

the local office. Gordon Lightstone sr. is 

Canadian general manager of Paramount 

Pictures. 

The Fundy Drive-In, Lancaster, owned and 

operated by the Wiggins Bros., was closed 

for four consecutive nights due to fog . . . 

Thomas M. Corbett, local office manager and 

booker of 20th-Fox, was elected president 

of the district council of home and school 

associations of St. John and district. Tom also 

is president of the Queen Elizabeth Home and 

School Ass'n. 

Representations of the Nova Scotia division 

of the Maritime Allied Exhibitors Ass'n 

met with Premier Hicks on the recent brief 

submitted to the government on theatre admission 

tax reductions. They received a promise 

for relief. The group included James 

McDonough, Maritime supervisor for Famous 

Players Corp.; Peter Herschorn, secretary of 

Franklin & Herschorn Theatre Co.; Fred 

Gregor, Famous Players in New Waterford; 

Archie Mason, owner and operator of the 

Capitol Theatre, Springhill, and president 

of the Maritime Allied Exhibitors Ass'n; F. 

Gordon Spencer, president of the F. G. Spencer 

Theatre Co.; Malcolm E. Walker, president 

of the M. E. Walker circuit. 

Visiting Filmrow were: Royden Swim, Vimy 

Theatre, Blacks Harbor; Bill Richards, Uptown 

and Opera theatres, Newcastle; A. J. 

Paul. Grand Lake Drive-In, Minto . . . Joseph 

M. Franklin, president of Franklin & 

Herschorn Theatre Co., as honorary president 

of the State of Israel bond campaign for the 

Maritime provinces, addressed the Fredericton 

Jewish community bond dinner . . . Pat 

Hogan. manager at Paramount, and office 

manager-booker Ralph Thorne attended the 

sales meeting in Toronto. 

Eve Curry, secretary to Manager Eric Golding 

of MGM, spent a pleasant four-day holiday 

in Portland, Me., and the White Mountains 

in New Hampshire . Smith, 

Halifax supervisor for Odeon-Garson Theatres, 

resigned to enter a business other than 

motion 

pictures. 

Tickets to See 'Marty' 

With Marty Salesmen 

OTTAWA — A retail establishment at 

tional school for 24 handicapped boys supported 

Brockville and the Brockville Drive-In capitalized 

on the meat shop angle in "Marty." 

Toronto Variety Tent held 

by 28, 

graduation exercises Thursday night (7i in McDougall's offered a ticket for "Marty" 

the presence of officers, barkers and special with each purchase of $10 worth of meat 

guests. F>rior to the ceremonies, the visitors and groceries from a "Marty" behind the 

were entertained at an open house and buffet 

dinner, under the general direction of 

counter during a special sale in which the 

bargains included Marty's sausages, Marty's 

Chief Barker Dave Griesdorf, N. A. Taylor, hamburger, Marty's pork hocks, Marty's 

Dan Ki-endel, Lou Davidson, J. A. Troyer round steak and other lines at special prices. 

and others. 

The Brockville shop used four-column display 

ads in the local daily to announce the 

sale under such headings as "Buy your meat 

from Marty at McDougall's Store . . . See 

him at the Drive-In Monday and Tuesday, 

June 4, 5." The shop and theatre both 

profited through the co-operative stunt. 

Les Johnson, former T-man, is portraying 

an Army heutenant in Warners' "The Girl 

He Left Behind." 


BOXOFFICE 

1 SHORTS 

. SHORT 

. . and 

» ALPHABETICAL INDEX 

> ADLINES & EXPLOITIPS 

BAROMETER 

> EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

> FEATURE RELEASE CHART 

> FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST 

I REVIEWS OF FEATURES 

RELEASE CHART 

SUBJECT REVIEWS 

i 

SHOWMANDISING IDEAS 

THE GUIDE TO BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S B U I L D I N G 

Cheesecakes of Ava 

Decorate All Doors 

Lifesize cheesecake photos of Ava Gardner 

decorated each door of the Loew's 

Valentine as advance artillery in the campaign 

for "Bhowani Junction" at Toledo. 

Manager Abe Ludacer followed up this 

arrangement inside the lobby, with huge 

special Cinemascope stills and Tele-Story 

slides in addition to his regular lobby 

boards and display pieces. On the screen, 

he ran a teaser trailer several weeks in 

advance, plus the regular screen trailer 

one week ahead. 

Other Ava Gardner art work was employed. 

Wallet-size photos of the actress 

backed up with four different merchant 

ads were distributed at the theatre and 

at the participating stores. These were 

printed up and handed out at no cost whatsoever 

to the Valentine. 

A local department store. Tiedke's, also 

gave Ludacer a window on "Bhowani Junction." 

The layout featured a surf swimsuit 

display, and included cutouts of the 

actress, too. 

Most Popular Teacher 

Contest for 'Brooks' 

Joe Vleck, Intermountain manager in 

La Junta, Colo., staged a "most popular 

teacher" contest in behalf of "Our Miss 

Brooks." 

Not only did the plan create widespread 

community interest as the students cast 

votes for their favorite teachers, but, according 

to Vleck, "the newspaper editor 

show-ed more interest in this contest than 

any in yeai-s." 

The contest was sponsored jointly by the 

theatre and the local newspaper. La 

Juntans were invited to obtain ballots at 

the theatre or clip them from the newspaper 

where coupons appeared daily. Each 

ballot was worth 5.000 votes. Both students 

and nonstudents, any age. w'ere allow'ed to 

vote—and to vote as often as they desired. 

The winning teacher was picked up at 

her residence in a new Cadillac, received 

a de luxe corsage and was driven in style 

to a local supper club where she enjoyed a 

"scrumptious" dinner. 

Following the dinner, "the favorite 

teacher" was taken, again in the Cadillac, 

to the Fox Theatre for the preview of "Our 

Miss Brooks." She was given a "bushel 

size" box of popcorn and a year's pass for 

two to the theatre. 

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : 

Greetings to New Chamber Members 

Pay Off in 

Frank Ramsey, manager of the Culver 

Theatre in Culver City, Calif., has sent in 

a glouing report of the pleasing results 

achieved with a promotion he wôrked out 

with the new members of the Culver City 

Chamber of Commerce. 

The plan, in effect about six weeks 

now, has been adapted by all Fox West 

Coast theatres which have a Chamber of 

Commerce they can contact. Basically, 

Ramsey's idea involves a letter of welcome 

to a new member of the Culver City 

Chamber, in which he encloses two passes 

to the Culver good for any time. The letter 

goes on to advise the new merchant: 

"It might be well to advise you at this 

time that the screen of the Culver is an 

excellent advertising medium and that we 

can supply you with attractive screen 

trailers for any and all occasions. Many 

local businessmen have found that sponsoi-ing 

special shows for the small fry is 

Illustrations of Elmer the Safety Elephant (who 

never forgets the rules of street and highway 

safety) are becoming familiar to youngsters 

throughout Canada as o result of the civic promotion 

sponsored by Famous Players Conadion, 

largest circuit in the Dominion. Here Fire Chief 

Murray McKie of Moncton, N. B., demonstrates 

the use of a hand fire extinguisher to several of 

the thousand or so children on hand to hear a 

sofety lecture and watch a cartoon show at the 

Paramount Theatre there. 

: June 16, 1956 153 

Screen Ads and Kid Shows 

another forceful 

means of drawing attention 

to their own particular line of business. 

I will be very happy to give you complete 

details on both of these propositions 

at any time . also look forward to 

greeting you when you have the opportunity 

of using your passes." 

The stunt has proven itself handsomely, 

according to Ramsey, for he has had many 

calls in answer to the letters and many 

merchants have bought screen time. Moreover, 

two kiddy shows have been sold in 

the short time the plan has been in operation. 

The merchants also have been kind 

enough to call the Chamber of Commerce 

and thank it for having such nice members 

as the Culver Theatre, the manager 

added. Ramsey summed up: "This can 

work in every spot in the U. S. A. and 

will bring much goodwill to the theatre and 

community." 

Passes OS Safety Plums 

Do Good for Theatres 

Over 700 safety award passes were distributed 

during the past school year In 

conjunction with the safety promotion 

campaign conducted by the Arch Street 

Theatre in New Britain, Conn., aiding that 

theatre materially in its goodwill program 

in the neighborhood. 

Peter Perakos jr. of Perakos Theatre 

Associates, stated that passes were issued 

on an average of 40 a week during the 

school year, building the moviegoing habit 

as well as bettering community relations. 

The awards were made to the youngsters 

who were obsei-ved demonstrating traffic 

safety precautions. Police officers and 

supenlsory personnel at the schools were 

the judges. The practice will be resumed 

in the fall, according to present circuit 

planning. 

Another operator who has been distributing 

these "plums" in a safety program is 

Bennett HollLs, city manager at Aberdeen, 

Wash. Duiing the school term, Hollis 

allowed two safety patrol boys from each 

school in the Aberdeen district a free admission 

once a week. 

The safety theme will be emphasized 

often in summer kiddy shows.

: June 

UFO' Potential Gives Astute Showmen 

Opportunity to Exploit to the Hilt 

The "flying saucer" spinning on top of this float made the rounds of Dayton, Ohio, to herald the 

coming of "UFO" at the Loew's Theatre there. Manager Car! Rogers used this as one of many 

street ballyhoos inspired by the highly exploitable nature of the film. 

Two astute showmen who demonstrated 

what they could do, given a highly exploitable 

piece of merchandise, are Carl 

Rogers of Loew's in Dayton, Ohio, and Sid 

Kleper of Loew's College in New Haven. 

The picture, short on boxoffice names but 

long on promotion potential, was "Unidentified 

Flying Objects," the full-length feature 

on flying saucers, etc. 

Rogers began his campaign with trick insertions 

in the classified pages of the Dayton 

Daily News. Two days in advance, 

under "Personals," he ran the following: 

ARE THEY really there? Is it hallucination 

or mass hysteria? Has anyone 

ever actually seen a "flying 

saucer?" If so, call FU-2232. 

He ran similar entries in other local 

papers. These ads, he claimed, brought a 

deluge of phone calls. "Of course," he 

added, "in answering the calls our cashier 

gave the party calling a sales talk on 

UFO." 

Two days later, he followed that one up 

with a tamer version to the effect that 

"UFO," the authentic nonfiction story of 

flying saucers, was at Loew's. 

In addition to a full complement of heralds, 

radio contests, newspaper display ads 

and unusual theatre dress, Rogers undertook 

to cariT out some special ballyhoo 

stunts to which the picture lent itself so 

well. 

First, the manager set up a high-powered 

telescope one block away from the theatre, 

adjacent to a 30x40 board with flying 

.saucer copy. Playdate information, naturally 

enough, was included. Then, he hired 

an attractive girl to parade up and down 

the street in shorts and bareback halter. 

Copy was lettered on her back: "A Scoop! 

UFO Loew's, Wed." 

Rogers also sent out a "flying saucer" 

float. This consisted of a truck bearing a 

child's rubber swimming pool painted silver 

and suspended as if in midair by the use 

of fine wii-e. Several model airplanes were 

set up on uprights in similated flight around 

the "saucer," and a man peering through 

a telescope rode along on the truck's back 

platform. Appropriate lettering all around 

the sides of the float boosted the playdate. 

In the theatre lobby, the walls were 

plastered with copies of telegrams offering 

documentary proof as to the existence 

of flying saucers. 

Also, in the outer lobby, 

the manager set up a wide baiTel facing the 

sidewalk. This was painted and mounted on 

a pedestal, in the shape of a giant telescope. 

A sign at the far end read, "It's 

Amazing—UFO!" On the front end of the 

barrel, Rogers had an opening for passersby 

to look into. As people looked in, they 

saw a miniature flying saucer with a 

cord dangling from it and coming out the 

front end of the barrel, too. By pulling 

this cord, the viewer could make the saucer 

spin around. 

Another larger replica of a flying saucer 

was mounted on the theatre marquee. Balloons 

all around it lent a festive air to the 

theatre front. 

Sid Kleper, up in New Haven, gave the 

feature the full treatment, too. Included 

in his long list of activities were the following 

: 

Placement of notice on the board of 

education bulletin to principals and 

teachers, calling attention to the coming 

Invitation to the New Haven civilian defense 

unit to send down its First and Second 

Corps Observers to the opening. The 

groups arrived helmeted and bannered for 

the occasion, and their pictures were taken 

for the local newspapers. 

Creation of a "UFO" cocktail. The catchwords 

were, "You'll fly high and see flying 

saucers wtih a UFO cocktail." The 

message was placed on A-cards distributed 

to bars and grills. 

Imprint of a herald on the sides of paper 

bags. These were used at haberdasheries, 

dress shops, gift shops, hosiery 

stores, etc. 

Buildup of lots of good publicity in the 

Yale Daily News, the New Haven Evening 

Register and the New Haven Journal 

Courier due particularly to interviews with 

producer Clarence Green. 

Insertion of trick classified announcements, 

such as, "Any person who has seen 

a flying saucer must see UFO, etc." 

Erection of a false front for the boxoffice, 

covered with stills and documentary 

proof of the existence of flying saucers. 

Use of stencils and signposts, as well as 

display of inflated kiddy swim pools, reading 

"Go! Go! to UFO!" 

Setup of window displays and store displays, 

bearing signs as, "Our sodas and 

sundaes are out of this world! See, etc." 

or. "We have an excellent collection of 

space games. See, etc." 

As a final stunt, Kleper had his staff 

members launch flying saucers (imprinted 

pie plates) from the top of the tallest building 

in town. The imprint stated that the 

lucky finders were eligible to receive guest 

tickets. 

Silent Films Featured 

One Evening Each Week 

Dennis Leslie, who only recently took 

over at the Gold Coast on Chicago's near 

north side, is an example of how a manager 

devises ways and means to pep up 

audience interest when business isn't quite 

as lively as it was a while back. By presentday 

standards, there have been times when 

it seemed feasible to close the Gold Coast, 

but Leslie's ideas have proved stabilizing 

factors. His newest gimmick for keeping 

things going at the boxoffice is a program 

of silent films. The initial showing of old 

classics, augmented with a live barbershop 

quartet program, seems to have struck 

the right note. As a result, the Gold Coast 

is advertising one evening a week as 

"Silent Night" until the idea outlives its 

usefulness. 

Meanwhile. Leslie is working up some 

other stimulating ideas. 

A $50,000 Display 

Don Crook, assistant manager of the 

Fox Wilson Theatre in Fi-esno, Calif., is 

responsible for an excellent advance lobby 

and foyer display for "On the Threshold 

of Space." Working with the Air Force and 

the North American sabre jet plant in 

Fi'esno, John Fredricks, manager, reports 

Don secured material valued at $50,000 for 

the colorful and attractive display. 

attraction at the College. 

— 154 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : 

16, 1956

Point oiVieu, 

THE unsteadying report that only seven 

women to every 11 men now attend 

motion pictui-e theatres at least once a 

week is not being shrugged at by one theatre 

circuit. National Theatres" Fox West 

Coast houses are hitting back at this turnabout 

in statistics as revealed by recent 

theatregoing sui-veys. In an effort to win 

back the ladies of the house. General Manager 

Edwin F. Zabel of NT is pacing the 

attack with a '•Feminine Guest Plan." 

After all. he points out. the ladies were the 

ones who always fostered the buildup of the 

matinee idols and who, consequently, influenced 

husbands and the rest of the family 

to go to the theatre. We hope to see 

more about this guest plan soon. At latest 

report, it's to be tested thoroughly on the 

Pacific coast in three western divisions of 

the National Theatre circuit. 

More reports are in on those After 

Prom shows we mentioned in this pillar 

several tveeks back. The Schine showmen, 

who knoto a good thing lohen they 

see it. were the ones who really picked 

up this idea and put it to work as a 

revenue-producer. Vince Sherlock at 

the Waller in Laurel, Del., and Ray 

LaBounty at the Wicomico in Salisbury. 

Md., netted substantial rentals 

for 

their share in the local prom promotions. 

Schine headquarters feel 

these may become annual events in 

these towns and others, and the results 

so far confirm these sentiments. 

Something that almost slipped by us 

and it might have cost us our scalp—was a 

little newspaper item in the New Haven 

Register of several weeks back. Seems that 

Sid Kleper. who sure is a big chief among 

the tribe of contributing showmen in these 

pages, has been singled out for honors by 

the Hammonassett tribe. The local redmen 

presented out paleface friend an Indian 

headdress recently, making Sid the second 

man of the film industi-y to be so honored 

in Hammonassett history. Robert Taylor 

was the other. What was that question 

from the back of the room? Yes. there was 

a picture involved: the Loew's Poll College 

which Sid runs so well was showing "Comanche" 

last month. Members of the tribe 

were admitted free by their new chief, of 

course. 

A visitor to our office the other 

morning was W. D. "Don" Waters of 

the Waters Theatre Co. of Birmingham. 

Ala. Don. 171 toum with the family 

to see the big city, got to talking 

about contest promotions, and made an 

observation based on his own experience: 

If you run a contest, make it a 

straight drawing giveaway. As soon as 

you put a little skill or judgment or 

extra education in as a requirement to 

win. your contest is a flop. 

—LARRY GOODMAN 

Many Exhibitors Are Making the Most 

Of Alexander the Great' Potential 

A cufout sfa.idee set up under revolving spotlights in the lobby ot the Loew's State in Providence is 

shown at left. Manager Trambukis used this as his earliest exploitation piece, followed by a fullscale 

campaign, for "Alexander the Great." At another Loew's State, in Syracuse, Manager Sam 

Gilman set up several street ballyhoos. A chariot team is shown at right. 

There's much to be exploited in "Alexander 

the Great," it would seem from the 

reports coming in on the Robert Rossen 

spectacle production. A summai-y of the 

extra effort expended by Ray Leveque. 

city manager for the Schine circuit in 

Amsterdam, N. Y., indicates the boxoffice 

help the Rialto Theatre there received 

when the film's exploitation potential was 

realized. 

"First, and I think the most important," 

Leveque noted, "was our lining up of the 

schools. We used 8x10 scene stills and onesheets 

at the school—hsid them posted 

where they would do the most good. We 

also invited the teachers and nuns to a 

special showing, and the nims assigned the 

picture as a project for some of their 

Another angle covered by the city manager 

was the book tie-in. "We had two 

very good bookstore tie-ins. They gave us 

very nice window space and we set up 

8xl0s and 40x60s in them. The book supplier 

posted his trucks with one-sheets and 

we here at the theatre also sold books." 

Another gimmick worked out by Leveque 

was with the Novelty Store on a plastic 

armor set. Any child buying a full set was 

given a free admission to the theatre, 

with the store standing the admission 

charge. The theatre also used an eyecatching 

walking book bally, and had the 

book outside schools just as classes broke 

up each day. Leveque kept the book going 

its rounds for a full week. 

The circuit's sign shop turned out a very 

striking theatre front piece, according to 

Leveque, and he had a special lobby display 

made from a six-sheet. He also utilized an 

"Alexander" recording with the front 

board, so that the music tied in with 

the board. Leveque also cross-plugged the 

attraction at another theatre in town all 

during the run. 

"We were pleased with the results at the 

boxoffice," he concluded. 

Loew's State in Providence also went 

heavy on the school promotion angle. Manager 

William J. Ti'ambukis arranged for an 

essay contest at all high schools in the 

Providence and Pawtucket areas, as well as 

the University of Rhode Island, Brown 

University, Providence College and Bryant 

College. Winners received cash prizes and 

guest tickets. 

Study guides, bulletin board signs and 

similar display material and Uterature were 

distributed to all history, geography and 

literature class teachers. The head of the 

history department in Mount Pleasant High 

School was extremely cooperative: she instructed 

all subordinates to lectm-e on 

Alexander and his era in all history classes. 

Two weeks before the engagement, 

Trambukis personally dehvered addresses 

at six high schools on the Providence Junior 

Chamber of Commerce safe driving 

campaign, announcing the award of an 

"Alexander the Great" trophy as one of 

the main prizes. Heavy plugs were registered 

for the playdate, of course. 

Newspaper publicity for the pictm-e was 

greatly enhanced by the visit of Dave 

Ballard, the giant publicity man used by 

United Artists. Radio stations WEAN, 

WHIM. WPAW, WRIB and WJAR came 

through with good air time as a result 

of the p.a.. and the stations' disk jockeys 

were induced to provide strong plugs for 

the theme music score. Brown University's 

station WBRU also tied in with the 

theme music, while some very inexpensive 

spot announcements were purchased by the 

theatre. 

In the lobby, a seven-foot standee of 

Richard Burton was placed under a revolving 

colored spotlight on the main stairway. 

It stood there for more than a month 

before the run. In addition, a ten-foothigh 

pictorial montage of stills and pressbook 

covers decorated the main vestibule 

two weeks in advance. 

Tony Masella of Loew's Palace in Meriden. 

Conn., concentrated on merchant tieins. 

In a full-page co-op ad arranged with 

a supermarket, Masella announced: "Be 

lucky at Barker's ... be a guest at 'Alexander 

the Great,' the greatest show in 

town! Every shopper in Barker's supermarket 

when the alarm clock rings will 

receive a guest ticket to see, etc." 

He also worked out an ad with a local 

candy store, Alexander's Candy Shop. The 

copy " read: 'Alexander the Great' ... a 

Great Picture . . . plus Alexander's Candy, 

a Great Combination for an Enjoyable 

Evening!" 

In Syracuse, N. Y., Manager Sam Gilman 

of the State sent out some nifty ballyhoo 

teams for "Alexander." One was a rolling 

boardwalk chair, with two Grecian girls 

being pushed around town by a Greek 

warrior. The inevitable chariot also was 

utilized, visiting the Syracuse University 

campus as well as all the downtown spots. 

Also, a Grecian guard patroled a catwalk 

on top of the State's marquee, as if on a 

parapet that was part of the theatre's false 

front set up by Gilman. 

Fathers Day Prizes 

Spur Large Turnout 

One exhibitor who did something about 

Fathers Day and was glad he did is W. S. 

Samuels of the Texas Theatre in Dallas. 

Samuels made up a dodger that played 

up the day and told of free prizes offered 

to all fathers who attended the theatre. 

Pop also was invited to register earlier in 

the week at either the Texas or the Wynnewood, 

then hats, promoted from the 

Resistol Hat Corp., were awarded to the 

oldest father, the youngest father and the 

father with the most living children. 

Cigars and other prizes also were promoted 

for all who showed up. 

A leading men's store set up a display in 

its window ten days in advance of the big 

Sunday. Other publicity was garnered via 

a screen trailer, lobby displays, newspaper 

ads and an announcement at the theatre 

between shows. 

Samuels expected quite a turnout for the 

occasion and much goodwill generated by 

the haberdashery. 

Samuels also reported on a business 

booster at the concession department. To 

build up the sales volume on 20-cent 

drinks, the theatre hands out coupons to 

all purchasers at the stand. These coupons 

are filled out with name and address and 

dropped into a nearby container; each 

Saturday at 12:30 an usher draws out 

five names, and lucky patrons, whether 

present or not, receive 24-inch-taU clown 

dolls. "It doubled our business the first 

week," the exhibitor said. 

156 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : June 16, 1956

CURRENT SHOWMANSHIP 

An unusual arrangement of trapeze swings suspended from the ceiling and containing cutouts 

of the film stars dressed up the lobby of Loew's Valentine in Toledo, Ohio, in advance 

of "Trapeze." Manager Abe Ludccer deserves the credit. 

The chiller double bill of "Invasion of the Body 

Snatchers" end "Indestructible Man" afforded Manager 

Sol Sorkin of RKO Keiths in Syracuse, N. Y., on 

opportunity to dress up his boxoffice. Passersby had to 

notice the display, no matter on which side they were. 

D. KA1 Z- '« 

] 

Eddie Jones of the Downtown in Mobile deserves the 

credit for this orrcy of ballyhoo props used to whip up 

attention for "Meet Me in Las Vegas." Jones used 

the gambling wheel as a free-pass gimmick, and set 

up the cutout of Cyd Charisse with scene stills.

i 

BOXOFFICE BAROMETER 

This chart records the performance of current attractions in the opening week of their first runs in 

the 20 key cities checked. Pictures with fewer thon five engagements ore not listed. As new runs 

are reported, ratings are added ond averages revised. Computation is in terms of percentage in 

relation to normal grosses as determined by the theatre managers. With 100 per cent as "normal," 

the figures show the gross rating above or below that mark. 

J 

Alexander the Great (UA)

" 

: June 

EATURE 

RiiPUBLIC 

CHART 

aJTwinkle in God's Eye, The 

(74) CD.. 

Mickey Rooner, Coleen Gray 

ElOMan Alone, A (96) . .W. .5409 

Bay MUlsnii. Mary Murphy 

S Mystery of the Black Jungle 

(72) Ad. 5442 

La Barker, Jane Maxwell 

@ No Man's Woman (70). .D. 5445 

Marie Windsor, John Archer 

S Vanishing American, The 

(90) W..5501 

Scott Brady, Audrey Totter 

The Key to letters ond combinations thereof Indicating story type: (Ad) Adventure-Drama; (Ac) Action- 

Drama; (An) Animated-Action; (C) Comedy; (CD) Comedy-Drama; (Cr) Crlme-Dromo; (DM) Dromo 

with Music; (Doc) Documentary; (D) Dromo; (F) Fantasy; (FC) Farce-Comedy; (Ho) Horror-Dromo; (HI) 

Hlstorlcol-Drama; (M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (OD) Outdoor-Drama; (SF) Science-Fiction; (W) Western. 

20TH-FOX B a UNITED ARTISTS g H UNIVERSAL-INTl 

©Tall Men, The (125) ©.W.. 523-1 ©Gentlemen Marry Brunettes 

Clark (jable, Jane Russell 

(99) © M..5531 

(Prerelease) 

©Girl in the Red Velvet Swing 

(108) © D.. 524-9 

R. Mllland. J. Collins, F. Granger 

Lover Boy (85) CD.. 526-4 

(Reviewed as "Lovers, Happy 

Lovers" 11-13-54) 

Gerard Pblllpe, Joan Greenwood 

©View From Pompey's Head, The 

(97) © D.. 525-6 

Richard Egan, Dana Wynter 

©Deep Blue Sea, The 

(99) © 0.. 527-2 

Vli-ien Leigh, Kenneth More 

©Good Morning, Miss Dove 

(107) © D.. 528-0 

Jennifer Jones, Robert Stack 

Jane Russell, Jeanne Crain 

©Fort Yuma (79) OD . . 5533 

Peter Graves, Joan Vohs 

Othello (92) D..5530 

Orson Welles, Suzanne Cloutler 

©Savage Princess (101) . . . Ad . . 5534 

(Filmed in India with native cast) 

Big Knife, The (lU) 

Jacl; Palunce, Ida Luplno, 

Shelley Winters, Rod Stelger 

5532 

©To Hell and Back 

(106) © D..E 

(Standard version: 640) 

Audle Murphy, Charles Drake 

WARNER BROS. 3 

H ©Rebel Without a Cause 

(111) © D..504 

James Dean. Natalie Wood 

1|]©I Died a Thousand Times 

(109) © D..5a5 

Jack Balance. Shelley Winters 

H ©Sincerely Yours 

(115) M..5a6 

Liberace. Dorothy Malone, 

Joanne Dru 

©Heidi and Peter (89) . . . .D. .5538 

©Rains of Ranchipur, The 

Elsbeth Sigmund, Thomas Klameth 

(104) © D..529-S 

Lana Turner, Richard Burton, ©Indian Fighter, The 

Fred MacMurray 

(88) © 0D..5537 

Kirk Douglas, Elsa Martlnelll 

Top Gun (73) W..5536 

Sterling Hayden, Karen Booth 

Running Wild (81) D..5604 

Km. Campbell. Mamie Van Doren 

^Second Greatest Sex, The 

(89) © M..5606 

Jeanne Craln, George Nader 

Tarantula (SO) Ho.. 5605 

John Agar, Mara Corday 

53 ©Court-Martial of Billy 

Mitchell (100) © D..507 

Gary Cooper, Ralph Bellamy 

©Flame of the Islands 

(90) 0.5502 

Yvonne De Carlo, Howard Duff, 

Zacfaary Scott 

gjauuar (66) Ad. .5531 

3U. Barton MacLane 

gl Track the Man Down 

(73) D..5533 

Kent Taylor, Petula CJark 

a When Gangland Strikes 

(70) Cr..5535 

Raymond Oreenleaf, Marjie .Millar 

©Lieutenant Wore Skirts, The 

(101) © C. 601-5 

Tom Ewell. Sherec North 

©Bottom of 

the Bottle, The 

©Man Who Never Was, The 

(103) © D..603-: 

Clifton Webb, Gloria Grahame 

Man With the Golden Arm, The 

(119) D..5540 

Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, 

Kim Novak 

Storm Fear (88) D..5539 

Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace 

Three Bad Sisters (75) . .D. .5602 

Maria Bigllsh. John Brorofield 

Killer Is Loose, The (73) . .D. .5608 

Joseph Gotten. Rhonda Flerahlg. 

Wendell Corey 

©Let's Make Up (72) M .5604 

. . . . . 

Errol Flynn, Anna Neaglc 

SManfish (76) Ad. .5607 

John Bromfield, Victor Jory 

Shadow of the Eagle (93) D..5605 

Richard Greene, Valentlna Cortesa 

©All That Heaven Allows 

(89) D..5609 

Jane Wj-man, Rock Hudson 

©Spoilers, The (84) D..5607 

Jeff Oiandler, Anne Baster. 

Rory Calhoun 

Square Jungle, The (86) D 5608 

. . . . 

Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine 

©Benny Goodman Story, The 

ai6) 

M..5611 

Steve Allen, Donna Reed 

There's Always Tomorrow 

(84) D..5610 

Barbara Stanwyck, Fied SlacMurray. 

Joan Bennett 

a ©Hell on Frisco Bay 

(98) © D..509 

Alan Ladd, Joanne Dru 

53 ©Come Next Spring 

(92) D.. 

Steye Cochran, Ann Sheridan 

Stranger at My Door (87) . . D. .5507 

Macdonald Carey. Patricia Medina 

©Zanzabuku (64) Doc . . 550S 

Le«1s Cotloit's African Trip 

©Circus Girl (gg) 0..5506 

Special production 

ror at Midnight (70) .. My. .5536 

Scott Brady. Joan Vohs 

lavenck Queen (90) ®.W..5509 

Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan 

S ©Thunder Over Arizona 

(..) ® W.. 

Skip Homeler, Krlstlne Miller, 

Cieorge Macready 

©On the Threshold of Space 

(96) © SF.. 605-6 

Guy Madison, Virginia Lelth 

y©Man in the Gray Flannel 

Suit, The (152) ©..D.. 606-4 

Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones 

Fredrlc March. Marisa Pavan 

©Revolt of Mamie Stover, The 

(93) © D.. 608-0 

Jane Russell, Richard Egan 

©Mohawk (79) OD.. 609-8 

Scott Brady, Rlt4 Gam, 

Neville Brand 

©Hilda Crane (85) ©... .D. .611-4 

Jean Simmons, Jean Pierre Aumont, 

Guy Madison 

Paces to Baker 023 Street 

(103) © D. .607-2 

Van Johnson, Miles 

Vera 

Ghost Town (75) W..5610 

Kent Taylor, Marian Carr 

Patterns (83) D. .5612 

Van Benin, Beatrice Straisht 

©Comanche (87) © W..5611 

Dana Andrews, Linda Cristal 

Sea Shall Not Have Them, The 

(91) Ad.. 5606 

.Michael Redgrave. Dirk Bogarde 

. 

©Alexander the Great 

(141) © D..5621 

Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, 

Fredrlc March (Prerelease) 

Timetable (79) D..5609 

Mark Stevens, Farr 

Felicia 

Broken Star (82) W..5614 

Howard Duff, Llta Baron 

Creeping Unknown (78) .SF. .5620 

Brian Donlevy. Margla Dean 

Crime Against Joe (69). .My. SaS 

John Bromfield. Julie London 

©Quincannon, Frontier Scout 

(83) W..5616 

Tony Martin. Peggie Castle 

©Foreign Intrigue (100) .. D. .5626 

Robert Mltchura, Genevieve Page 

Unidentified Flying Objects 

(91) Doc. 5625 

Creature Walks Among Us, The 

(78) SF..5617 

Jeff Morrow, Leigh Snowden 

©Day of Fury. A (78) . . . W. .5619 

Dale Robertson. Mara Corday, 

Jock Mahoney 

gl 

H 

©Serenade (121) DM.. 516 

Mario Lanza. Joan Fontaine 

Serita Montell, Vincent Price 

a Goodbye, My Udy (95).. D.. 517 

Brîndon de Wilde, Walter Brennan 

©Searchers, The (119) ®.W. .518 

John Wayne, Natalie Wood. 

Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles 

©Lisbon (..) (gj 

Bay Mllland, Maureen 

Claude Bains 

©Dakota Incident (..).. .W. 

Linda Darnell. Dale Roberts 

Dangerous Cargo (. .) Ad. 

Dane Clark, May Wynn 

. 

. 

©Osceola 

OD. 

James Cralg, LIta Milan 

©Woman's Devotion D . 

Ralph Meeker, Janice Rule 

©Daniel Boone, Trailblaier Ad.. 

Bnice Bennett, Lon Chaney 

Strange Adventure D 

Joan Evans, Ben Cooper 

Hinky Dinky Parley Vous C. 

Mickey Booney. Wally Ooi 

Man Ouestion, The in D.. 

Ella Raines, Derek Farr 

©Congress Dances M 

German ca-st (special production) 

©D-Day the 6th of June 

(106) © D.. 612-2 

Robert Taylor, Dana Wynter. 

Edmond O'Brien, Richard Todd 

©Abdullah's Harem (88) .CO. .613-0 

Gregory Ratoff, Kay Kendall 

©Massacre (76) W. .614-8 

Dane Clark, Marta Roth 

5King and I, The 

(..) ©55 DM. 615-5 

Debor.-Ui Kerr, Tul Brynner, 

Rita Moreno 

(Special engagements) 

©Kiss Before Dying, A 

(90) © D..5622 

Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, 

Virginia Lelth. Mary Astor 

Nightmare (89) D..5627 

Edw. G. Robinson. Kevin McCarthy 

©Star of India (84) . . . . Ad. .5623 

Cornel Wilde. Jean WaUace 

Black Sleep, The (S3) . . . Ho. .5617 

Bas il Rathbone, Bela Lugosi 

©trapeze (105) © D..5629 

Burt Lancaster, Tony (^rtis, 

Gina Lollobrigida, Katy Jurado 

Shadow of Fear ( . . ) D . . 5630 

Mona Freeman, Maxwell Reed 

Johnny Concho (..) W..5631 

Frank Sinatra, Phyllis Kirk 

Killing, Tlic (S3) Cr. .5624 

Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray 

©Bus Stop © 

. Aug ©Ambassador's Daughter ©.CD. .Aug 

Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray 

0. de Havllland, J. Forsythe 

©Last Wagon, The © W .Aug Emergency Hospital D..Aug 

Richard Wldmark, Felicia Farr 

Margaret Lindsay, Walter Reed 

©Between Heaven & Hell (gi.D.Seo ©Huk 

D. .Aug 

Robert Wagner. Cameron .Mitchell George Montgomery, Mona Freeman 

©Best Things in Life Are 

Fragile Fox D..Sep 

Free © M.Sep Jack Balance, Eddie Albert 

(Gordon MaeRae. Ernest Borgnine, Beast of Hollow Mt. © Ad.. 

Sheree North. Dan Dalley 

Our Madison, Patricia Medina 

©Bigger Than Life © D . . Sep ©Run for the Sun ©235. Ad. . 

James M.-ison, Barbara Rush 

Richard Wldmark, Jane Greer 

©Boy on a Dolphin © D . 

Wild Party D.. 

aitlon Webb. Joan Collins 

Anthony Qulnn, C&Ta\ Ohmart 

©Anastasia © D . Hot Cars D.. 

Ingrid Bergman. Yul Brynner, 

.lolm Bromfield. Joi Lansing 

Helen Hayes 

Pharaoh's Curse Ho. 

Mark Dana, Di.ine Brewster 

©Rawhide Years. The (85). W. .5622 

Tony Curtis, Colleen Miller 

©Congo Crossing (83) .. .Ad. .5623 

George Nader, Virginia Mayo 

©Toy Tiger (94) CD. 5624 

Jeff Chandler, Tim Hovey, 

Laraine Day 

©Away All Boats (g D..Aug 

Jeff Chandler, Julie Adams 

Francis in the Haunted House. C. Aug 

.Mickey Rooney. Virginia Welles 

©Walk the Proud Land ©..W..Scp 

Audle Murphy, Anne Bancroft 

©Raw Edge OD.Sep 

Rory C4ilhoun, Yvonne De Carlo 

Behind the High Wall. D..Sep 

Tom Tully, Sylvia Sidney 

©Showdown at Abilene W. .Oct 

Jock Mahoney, Martha Hyer 

©Pillars of the Sky © D..0ct 

Jeff Chandler, Dorothy Malonc 

©Written on the Wind D 

Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall 

©Unguarded Moment, The D 

Esther Williams. George Nader 

a As Long as You're Near Me 

(101) D..519 

0. W. Fischer. Maria Schell 

H Animal World (82) . . . -Doc. .520 

Nature feature (photography plus 

animation) 

a ©Moby Dick (116) . . . OD. .521 

Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, 

Leo Genn, Orson Welles 

(Special engagements only) 

©Santiago (..) Ad.. 

Alan Ladd. Rossana Podesta, 

Lloyd Nolan 

©Satellite in the Sky 

©Burning Hills, The W. 

Tab Hunter. NaUlle Wood 

Bad Seed. The D. 

Nancy Kelly, McCorm.ack 

Patty 

©Seven Men From Now W. 

Randolph Scott, Gall Russell 

©Giant D. 

Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson 

©Spirit of St. Louis © D. 

Janws Stewnrt. Rena (Hark 

Toward the Unknown D. 

William Holden, Virginia Lelth 

Baby Doll D, 

Karl Maiden. Carroll Baker 

Buffalo Grass W, 

Alan Udd. Virginia Mayo 

Wrong Man, The D. 

Hrnrv Fonda, Vera Miles 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : 

16, 1956

May 

Dec 

. Feb 

. D 

. Feb 

. Feb 

Apr 

May 

. May 

May 

Mar 

. . Nov 

I Navy 

Feb 

FEATURE CHART 

^HORTS CHART 

3 

, slee) 

-ilker' 

INDEPENDENT 

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 

Beast Witn a Million Eyes (78) . SF. Oct 55 

I'aiil Birrti. Ucn.1 Ihayer 

Operation Malaya (65) Doc. Oct 55 

Spi'Cial ci-M 

Day the World Ended (80) ®- SF .Dec55 

lililurd IteiuiUlg, t^rl Nelson 

Phantom From 10.000 Leagues 

(80) SF..0«cS5 

Kinl Taylor. Cathv hoKlis 

Oklahoma Woman (73) D. May 56 

liiclianl Dennlni!. I'e«le CtLStie 

Female Jungle (71) D..JunS6 

June .Mansfield, Uvrrence Tlcrney 

ARLAN 

Living North, The (74) Doc. 

Filmed in Lapland: native cast 

lEnglLsh narraitoDi 

ASSOCIATED 

FILM 

Last of the Desperados (71) . . . .W. . 55 

J:crms I'raiB. .Margla Dean 

Two-Gun Lady (76) W.. Dec 55 

I'lVBli' l'a.

Sep 

. Nov 

SHORTS 

CHART 

Short subjects, listed by compony, in order of release. Running time follows title. First is notional release 

month, second the dote of review in BOXOFFICE. Symbol between dotes is rating from BOXOFFICE 

review. H Very Good. + Good. ±l Fair. — Poor. = Very Poor. Photography: Color and process as specified. 

CASPER CARTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

B15-1 Red, White & Boo (6) Oct 55 + 

B15-2 Boo Kind to Animals 

(6) Dec 55 + 

B15-3 Ground Hoo Play (6). Feb 56 + 

B15-4 Dutch Treat (6) Apr 56 + 

B15-5 Penguin for Your Thoughts 

(7) Jun 56 

GRANTLAND RICE SPORTLIGHT 

R15-1 Sporting Dogs Afield 

(9) Oct 55 + 

R15-2 A Nation of Athletes 

(9) Nov 55 + 

R15-3 Animal-Sports Quiz 

(9) Feb 56 + 

R15-5 Carolina Court Champs 

(10) Mar 56 + 

R15-4 Winter Wonder Trails 

(9) Apr 56 

R15-6 Men Who Can Take It 

(9) Jun 56 

HEADLINES 

(Reissues) 

CHAMPIONS 

A15-1 'Taint So (10) Sep 55 

A15.2 Monkeyshines (9) Sep 55 

A15-3 Be Kind to Animals 

(5) Sep 55 

A15-4From A to Zoo (9).. Sep 55 

HERMAN & KATNIP 

(Technicolor 

Cartoons) 

H15-1 Monsieur Herman (6) Nov 55 H15.2 Mouseum (6) Feb 56 + 

H15-3 Will Do Mousework 

(6) Jun 56 

NOVELTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

(1955-56) 

P15-1 Rabbit Punch (6) .... Sep 55 + 

P15-2 Little Audrey Riding Hood 

(6) Oct 55 + 

P15-3 Kitty Cornered (6) .. Dec 55 4- 

P15-4 Sleuth but Sure (6). Mar 56 + 

P15.5Swah the Duck (6) .. May 56 

POPEYE CARTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

E14-8Car.azy Drivers (6).. Jul 55 + 

(1955-56) 

E15-1 Mister & Mistletoe (6) Sep 55 E15-2C0PS Is Tops (6I/2) . . Nov 55 + 

£15-3 A Job for a Gob (6) . Dec 55 + 

E15-4 Hillbilling & Cooing 

(6) Jan 56 + 

E15-5 Popeye for President 

(6) Apr 56 + 

E15-6 Out to Punch (6) Jun 56 

TOPPERS 

M15-1 Three Kisses (10) . . .Oct 55 M15-2 Reunion in Paris (10) Nov 55 + 

M15-3 Animals a la Carte 

(10) Jan 56 ± 

M15-4 There's Gold in Them 

Thrills (10) Mar 56 - 

M15-5Ups and Downs (9). May 56 + 

VISTAVISION 

SPECIALS 

V14-3 VV Visits the Sun Trails 

(16) May 55 44 

V14-4 VV Visits Hawaii (17) Jul 55 + 

V14-5VV Visits Japan (17). Aug 55 f 

(1955-56) 

V15-2VV Visits Panama 

(10) Jun 56 

RKO RADIO 

BROWN-KIRKWOOD REISSUES 

63.601 Heart Troubles (16) . 55 

63.602 Put Some Money In the Pot 

(17) Nov 55 

DISNEY 

CARTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

54.114 Beezy Bear (7) Sep 55 + 10-22 

54.115 Up a Tree (7) Sep 55 

54.1i6 Chips Ahoy (7) .Feb 56 +4 4-7 

. . . 

54,117 Hooked Bear (7)... Apr 56+ 4-28 

EDGAR 

KENNEDY REISSUES 

63.501 No More Relatives 

(IS) Sep 55 

63.502 How to Clean House 

(18) Oct 55 

63.503 Din That Gold (17). Nov 55 

63.504 Contest Crazy (17) . . Dec 55 

GIL LAMB REISSUES 

63,301 Groan and Grunt (17) Sep 55 

=.3.302 Bashful Romeo (16) . Oct 55 

LEON 

ERROL REISSUES 

53.701 Wife Tames Wolf (17) Sep 55 

63.702 Dad Always Pays 

(18) Oct 55 

63.703 Spook Speaks (19) , 55 

63.704 In Room 303 (17) . Dec 55 

MY PAL REISSUES 

63.201 Dog of the Wild (21) Oct 55 

63.202 Pal. Canine Detective 

(22) Nov 55 

RAY WHITLEY REISSUES 

63.401 Musical Bandit (16)0ct55 

63.402 Bar Buckaroos (16). Dec 55 

SCREENLINERS 

54.201 Gold (IOI/2) Sep 55 + 

64.202 Black Cats and Broomsticks 

(8) Oct 55 + 

54.203 Make Mine Memories 

(8) Nov 55 

64.204 Teenagers on Trial 

(S) Dec 55 + 

64.205 Her Honor, the Nurse 

(8) Jan 56 

54.206 Fortune Seekers (8). Feb 56 + 

64.207 We Never Sleep (8). Mar 56 + 

64.208 Where Is Jane Doe? 

(8) Mar 56 + 

64.209 Merchandise Mart 

(8) Apr 56 + 

SPECIALS 

63.101 The Future Is Now 

(15) Sep 55 

63.102 Golden Glamour (15) . Oct 55 + 

63.103 Sentinels in the Air 

(15) Feb 56 + 

53.104 Golden Eiruator 

(13) Mar 55 + 

SPORTSCOPES 

64.301 Game Warden (8).. Sep 55 64.302 Gym College (8).... Sep 55 + 

64.303 Bonefish and Barracuda 

(8) Oct 55 64.304 Canadian Carnival (8) Nov 55 64.305 Headpln Hits (8),.Dec55 + 

64.306 Island Windjammers 

(8) Jan 56 + 

64.307 Ski-Flying (8) Feb 56 + 

54.308 Canadian Lancers 

(8) Mar 56 + 

64.309 Striper Time (9).. Apr 56 + 

SPORTS SPECIALS 

63,901 Football Headliners 

(151/2) Dec 55 + 

63,801 Basketball Headliners 

(15) Apr 56 + 

WILDLIFE 

ALBUM 

(Technicolor) 

63.001 The Whltetail Buck 

(271/2) Oct 55 + 

20tli 

CENTURY-FOX 

CINEMASCOPE 

(Color) 

SPECIALS 

7518-4 That Others May Live 

(10) Sep 55 

7520-0 Gods of the Road 

(10) Sep 55 

7521-8 Desert Fantasy (8).. Sep 55 + 

7513-5 Clear the Bridge (10) Oct 55 

7522-6 Water Wizardy (7).. Oct 55 

7523-4 Carioca Carnival (9) . Nov 55 

7525-9 Queen's Guard (17). Dec 55 

(1955-56) 

7601-8 Lady of the Golden Door 

(9) Jan 56 

7602-6 A Thoroughbred Is Born 

(9) Jan 56 + 

7603-4 Adventure in Capri 

(9) Feb 56 + 

7608-3 Land of the Bible 

(21) Apr 56 

7605-9 Hunters of the Sea 

(9) May 56 

7609-1 The Dark Wave (23). Jun 56 

7607-5 Cowboys of the Maremma 

(9) Jun 56 

SEE IT HAPPEN 

6501-1 Man vs. Nature (9) Jun 55 + 

TERRYTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

5501-0 The Clockmaker's Dog 

(7) Jan 56 5602-8 Miami Maniacs (7) . Feb 56 + 

5603-6 Hep Mother Hubbard 

(7) Mar56 dt 

5604-4 Baffling Bunnies (7). Apr 56 

TERRYTOON-CINEMASCOPES 

(Technicolor) 

5631-7 Park Avenue Pussycat. Jan 56 

Feb 55 + 4-28 

5632-0 Uranium Blues (7) 

5633-3 Scouts to the Rescue 

(7) Mar 56 ± 5-26 

S634-1 Oceans of Love (7) Apr 56 

5636-8 Lucky Dog (7) May 56 

5536-6 Police Dogged (7).. Jun 56 

TERRYTOON TOPPERS 

(Technicolor 

Reissues) 

5605-1 The Wolf's Pardon 

(7) May 56 

5606-9 Felix the Fox (7).. Jun 56 

UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL 

CINEMASCOPE FEATURETTE 

(Technicolor) 

2600 The Nat "King" Cole 

Musical Story (IS) 4+ 12-1( 

COLOR 

PARADE 

1387 Dream Island (9) Sep 55 ± : 

1388 Against the Stream (9) Oct 55 + 

(1955-56) 

2671 Pacific Sports (8) . . . . Nov 55 

2672 Fighters of the Lakes 

(9) Jan 56 

2673 Blue Coast (9) Feb 56 +4 

2674 Queens of Beauty (10) .Apr 56 2675 Olympic City (9) May 56 + 

. . . . 

MUSICAL FEATURETTES 

1311 The Ink Spots (15). Sep 55 + 

1312 The Sauter-Flnegan 

Orchestra (18) Oct 55 + 

(1955-56) 

2601 Mambo Madness (15) Nov 55 + 

2602 Ralph Martcrle & His 

Orchestra (15) Nov 55 + 

2652 Melodies by Martin 

(16) Dec 55 + 

2653 Lionel Hampton & Herb 

Jeffries (15) . . . Jan 56 + 

2654 Tennessee Plowboy 

(13) Feb 56 

2655 Around the World Review 

(16) Mar 56 + 

(9) Sep 55 + 

1348 Small Wonders (9).. Oct 55 + 

(1955-56) 

2592 Brooklyn Goes to Paris 

(9) FBb56rt 

WALTER LANTZ CARTUNES 

(Technicolor) 

1331 Square Shootin' Square 

(6) Sep 55 + 

1332 Hot and Cold Penguin 

(7) Oct. 55 1333 Bunco Busters (7) .... Nov 55 + 

(1955-56) 

2611 Tlie Tree Medic (6).. Oct 55 2612 Pigeon Holed (6) Jan 56 2613 After the Ball (6) , . . . Feb 56 + 

2614 Get Lost (6) Mar 56 

2615 Ostrich Egg and I 

(6) Apr 55 + 

2616 Chief Charlie Horse 

(6) May 56 + 

WARNER BROS. 

BLUE RIBBON HIT PARADE 

(Technicolor 

Reissues) 

3301 Doooone Cats (7) Sep 55 

3302 Rattled Rooster (7).. Oct 55 

3303 Fair and Wormer (7) Nov 55 

3304 Mousemerized Cat (7) Nov 55 

3305 Foghorn Leghorn (7). Dec 55 

3306 Bone, Sweet Bone (7) Jan 56 

BUGS BUNNY SPECIALS 

3723 Knight-Marc Hare (7) Oct 55 

3724 Roman Legion-Hare 

(7) Nov 55+ 1-2S 

3725 Bugs Bonnets (7) Jan 56 3-31 

3726 Broomstick Bunny Feb 56 + 4-21 

(7). 

3727 Rabhitson Crusoe (7) .Apr 56 

CLASSICS OF THE SCREEN 

3101 Small Town Idol (20). Sep 55 

3102 It Happened to You 

(18) Dec 55 4+ 2-25 

3103 Dog in the Orchard 

(20) Nov 55 

COLOR 

SPECIALS 

3001 Movleland Magic (19). Oct 55 

3002 Golden Tomorrow (17) . Nov 55 + 1-7 

3003 Behind the Big Top 

(IS) Dec 55 

3004 They Seek Adventure 

(19) Jan 56 + 3-17 ,„ 

J005 Out of the Desert (19) . Feb 56 4+ 3-31 P 

3006 Copters & Cows (17). Mar 56 44 4-21 ^t 

JOE McDOAKES COMEDIES 

MELODY MASTER BANDS 

(Reissues) 

3S01 Jan Savltt & Band 

(10) 

.Sep 55 

3802 Artie Shaw & Orch. 

(10) 

.Oct 55 

3803 Ozzic Nelson & Orch. 

(10) Dec 55 

3804 Carl Hoff & Band (10). Feb 56 

3805 Borrah Minevitch (10). Apr 56 

MERRIE MELODIES—LOONEY TUNES 

(Technicolor) 

3701 Dime to Retire (9).. Sep 55 4+ 1-14 

3702 Speedy Gonzales (7).. Sep 55+ 1-7 

3703 Two Scents Worth (7) Oct 55 + 1-14 

3704 Red Riding Hoodwinked 

(7) Oct 55 

3705 Heir Conditioned (7). .Nov 55 + 3-3 

3706 Guided Muscle (7) Dec 55 

3707 Pappy's Puppy (7) Dec 55 + 2-25 

3708 One Froggy Evening 

(7) Jan 56 + 3-24 

3709 Too Hop to Handle 

(7) Jan 56 + 4-7 

(7) 3710 Weasel Stop Feb 56 ± 3-31 

3711 High & the Flighty (7). Feb 56 + 4-28 

3712 Rocket Squad (7) Mar 56 4+ 4-21 

3713 Tweet & Sour (7) Mar 56 

.... 

3714 Heaven Scent (7).... Mar 56 

3715 Mixed Master (7) Apr 56 

3716 Gee Whlz-z-z-z (7) ... May 56 

SPORTS PARADE 

3501 Picturesque Portugal (9) ± 1-7 

3502 Fish Are Where You 

Find Them (10) 

^, , 

Jan 56 + 4-7 . , 

56 4+ 4-28 

3503 Green Gold (10) Feb 

3504 Crashing the Water 

Barrier (10) Mar 56 + 4-28 

WARNER 

3601 An Adventure 

3603 Faster and Faster (9) 

3604 Neckin' Party (9) 

3605 I Never Forget a Face 

VARIETIES 

.Apr 56 

WARNERCOLOR SCOPE GEMS 

(Two Reel) 

3211 Journey to the Sea 

(18) Sep 55 H 3. 3 

(One 

Reel) 

3220 Heart of an Empire 

(9) Sep 55 ± 2-18 

Ski 3222 Valley (9) Sep 55 + 2-25 

3221 Springtime in Holland 

(9) Dec 55 

INDEPENDENT 

9- 3 

9- 3 

Baby Long Legs (16) (World of Life 

Series) Noel Meadow + 9-3 

Arabesques (9) (UltraScope) 

Transatlantic + 9-3 

(UltraScotie) 

Fiesta in Seville (9) 

Transatlantic + 9-3 

(15) Edward Kingsley.... 4+ 12- 3 

Goya (20) Edward Harrison ....+ 12-10 

Grey Ghosts (21) 

British Information Service ± 1-14 

The Heart of England (20) Technicolor 

British Information Service. + 1-21 

The Rocket (17) British Information 

Pantomimes (13) Go Pictures.... -H 1-21 

On the 12th Day (20) (Color) 

George K. Arthur 4+3-3 

The Face of Lincoln (16) Cavalcade. -H- 4-21 

10 

BOXOFFICE EookinGuide :: June 16, 1956

: June 

^ writer 

i V 

ALLIED ARTISTS 

Phenix City Story, The (AA) — 

Richaid Kiley, Kathryn Grant, 

John Mclntire. Ti-uth is indeed 

stranger tlian fiction and no story 

can beat this one. It is 

good, and held its own here with 

drastic competition. Those that 

lilce 'em roufrh and brutal will 

lo\'e it. Played Sun.. Mon. Weather: 

Pair.—>Ioe and Mildred Faith, 

Linn Theatre. Linn, Mo. Pop. 758. 

Shotgun (AAt^terling Hayden, 

Yvonne De Carlo, Zachary 

Scott. Lost money on this show. 

It has "sexy" advertising for a 

western : good color and plenty of 

action. Just failed to do any 

business, as do all my Sun. -Mon. 

programs. Weather: Mild.—Ralph 

Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, 

W. Va. Pop. 1.343. 

Wichita (AA)—Joel McCrea, 

Vera Miles, Lloyd Bridges. Great! 

State Theatre, Rivesville, 

Pop. 1,343. 

Interrupted Melody (MGM)— 

Eleanor Parker, Glenn Ford, 

Roger Moore. This is a show that 

people who appreciate good music 

will rave about. Has a good story 

too, so should please in most 

situations. Played Sun., Mon. 

Weather: Good.—B. Berglund, 

Bijou Theatre, Ray, N. D. Pop. 

721. 

Northwest Passage (MGM) 

Reissue. Spencer Tracy, Robert 

Young, Ruth Hussy. Epic outdoor 

feature! Metro gives me 

good product at the right rentals, 

but I haven't made a penny on 

a Sun. -Mon. playdate in over 

nine months. Weather: Warm. 

Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, 

Rivesville, W. Va. Pop. 1.343. 

Prodigal, The (MGM)—Lana 

Turner, Edmond Purdom, Louis 

Calhern. A good enough show, 

but is one of those that is hard 

s. 

W. Va. 

XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

they'd like some good old-fashioned 

vaudeville? Weather 

Warm.—Carl W. Ve.seth, Villa 

Theatre, Malta, Mont. Pop. 2,095. 

30 Seconds Over Tokyo (MGMl 

—Reissue. Spencer Tracy, Van 

Johnson, Phyllis Thaxter. Here 

is a picture that will never grow 

old. It is one of the finest true 

stories to come out of the wai-. 

"30 Seconds" plus a big jackpot 

gave us a nice midweek playtime. 

Played Tues., Wed. Weather: 

Rain. — Dan Killman. Wolcott 

Theatre, Wolcott, Ind. Pop. 778. 

Trial (MGM)—Glenn Ford. 

Dorothy McGuirc, Arthur Kennedy. 

Excellent production. Many 

favorable comments due to desegregation 

ruling of Supreme 

Court. Busine.ss okay. Second 

night ran into possibility of a 

storm, thus cutting down attendance. 

Played Wed., Thurs. 

Weather: Hot.—D. W. Ti-isko, 

Runge Theatre, Runge, Tex. Pop. 

ABOUT PICTURESI 

Trail of the Lonesome Pine 

( Para )— Reissue. Hcm-y Fonda, 

Fred MacMurray, Sylvia Sidney. 

We did swell on "Shepherd of the 

Hills" and then died on this one 

—but it's still a good .show, and I 

still can't figui'c why we did so 

poorly. Played Wed., Thurs. 

Weather: Pair—Joe and Mildred 

Faith, Linn Theatre. Linn, Mo. 

Pop. 758. 

RKO RADIO 

Cash on Delivery (RKO)— 

Shelley Winters, John Greg.son, 

Peggy Cummins. No good at alljust 

leave it in the can! Played 

Wed. and Thurs. Weather: Fair. 

—Leo A. Backer, Valley Theatre, 

Browns Valley, Minn. Pop. 1,117. 

Great Day in the Morning 

(RKO I—Robert Stack, Virginia 

Mayo, Ruth Roman. A Sujjerscope 

attraction in color. A good 

Used this on Canadian day here 

little show for Wed. and JTiurs. 

and the boys from acro.ss the line 

a very good Cinema- 

liked It's 

if bought right. No business at all 

1,055. 

—too much outside a it. 

Scope subject. Played Sun., Mon., 

to sell and 

Played 

cost 

Tues., 

lot to 

Wed., 

make. 

Thurs. 

Tues. Weather: Showery.—Carl Weather: Good.—B. Berglund, PARAMOUNT 

attractions. 

Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: 

Fair.—Leo A. Backer, Valley 

Villa Theatre, Malta. 

W. Veseth, Bijou Theatre, Ray, N. D. Pop. 

Theatre, Browns Valley. Minn. 

Artists and Models (Para) 

Mont. Pop. 2.095. 

721. 

Dean Martin. 

thy Malone. 

Jerry Lewis, Doro- 

Pop. 1,117. 

In my opinion this Tennessee's Partner (RKO)— 

COLUMBIA 

is the best Martin and Lewis to John Payne, Ronald Reagan, 

date. 

Law vs. Billy the Kid. The (Coli Hosted Teachers 

Business off due to oversupply 

of competition, 

Rhonda Fleming. I didn't expect 

—Scott 

mainly this to go over—and it didn't. 

Brady, Betta St. John, When we played "Good high school graduation, 

James Griffith. A Some exceptionally 

However, it is a good small town 

BiUy the Kid Morning, Miss Dove" (20thstory 

in color, with 

good comedy scenes: action picture. The llxl4's didn't 

plenty of action. 

Drew 

Fox) we had all the teachers songs 

well and 

were good and lively. Only show enough excitement for my 

pleased. as our guests, for a lot of free thing 

Played 

wrong 

Sat. Weather: Rain.— 

was that we played weekend trade. Played Fri., Sat. 

advertising. This is great for last. 

D. W. 

Played Sun., 

Ti-isko, Runge 

Mon., Tues. Weather: Warm.—Ralph Raspa, 

Theati-e, small town family trade. 

Runge, 

Weather: 

Tex. Pop. 

Okay.—D. W. Trisko. State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. 

1.055. 

MICKEY & PENNY HARRIS Runge Tlieatre, Runge, Tex. Pop Pop. 1,343. 

9 My Sister Eileen (Col)-Janet Gem Theatre 

1,055. 

(i;) Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Betty Garrett. 

A cute tongue-in-cheek Artists 

Gibsland, La. 

REPUBLIC 

.iKt^ 

type 

and Models (Para)— 

P.S.—Many thanlis for the 

story, received well here. Musicals 

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Dorothy 

Malone. Beautiful, 

Doctor in the House (Repi— 

have 

new 

caught 

Showmandiser Idea File. 

on here and this 

to say the Dirk Bogarde, Muriel Pavlow, 

gave us word-of-mouth 

Keep the ideas coming for us least, 

advertising 

and one of these boys' best Kenneth More. A very good 

and we will make it yet. 

to build a good movie into 

—but the old days are gone 

a 

and comedy made in England. My 

money maker. Eileen is quite 

they just do not 

a 

draw here, so a patrons liked it very well. Not 

gal. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. 

very poor boxoffice report. Played too much English brogue, so 

Weather: 

Quentin 

Fair.—Ken 

Durward (MGM)— 

Christianson, 

Roxy Robert Taylor, 

Sun., Mon. Weather: Fair.—Joe should be okay for most situations. 

Played Sun., Mon. 

Theatre, Washburn, 

Kay Kendall, and Mildred Faith, Linn Theatre, 

N. D. Pop. 

Robert Morley. This is one of the 

913. 

Linn, Mo. Pop. 758. 

Weather: Good—cool.—B. Berglund, 

Bijou Theatre, Ray, N. D. 

classics, I guess, just as "Jupiter's 

Darling" was satire, but re- 

Pop. 721. 

Teenage Crime Wave (Col)— 

Desperate Hours, The (Para)— 

Tommy Cook, Molly McCart, 

Humphrey Bogart, Fredric March, 

gardless of good points for the 

James Bell. I can't get many in, 

Martha Scott. Very 

Hidden Guns (Rep)—Bruce 

good prison 

art houses, our cowpunchers and 

but the kids between 12 and 18 

escapee-hostage 

Bennett, 

story. Holds 

Richard Arlen, Faron 

interest 

throughout. Pictiu'e had Young. If this is an example of 

redmen—and the rest of the population, 

too, stayed in their own 

their regular product. I believe 

went for this in a big way. The 

everything, rating, cast and price. 

would see. 

Spainhour, 

Played Fri.. 

Twilight 

Sat.—Ben 

Theatre, 

Donna Reed, 

was a 

Leslie 

sad 

Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair.— 

Leo A. Backer, Valley Theatre, 

plot really lives up to its title. 

diggings. Couldn't 

Played 

even take in 

Fri., Sat. Weather: Warm. 

Paramount got more this 

than we company would do us a great 

did. 

—Ralph film rental. 

Raspa, And producers claim 

State Theatre, 

Played Wed., Thm-s. 

service 

Weather: 

by going to TV. Good 

Rivesville, W. 

we choose their best and leave 

Va. Pop. 1,343. 

Okay.—D. W. Trisko, Runge cast, Theatre, 

Teenage Crime Wave (Col)— 

Runge, Tex. Pop. ashamed 1,055. 

but they must have been 

the rest for the birds. Ouch! 

of themselves. Played 

Played Sun.. Mon. Weather: 

Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Good. 

Tommy Cook. Molly McCart, 

Girl Rush, The (Paia)—Rosalind 

Russell, Fernando Lamas, 

Good.—Carl W. Veseth, Villa Theatre, 

Malta. Mont. Pop. 2.095. 

Theatre, Heppner, Ore. Pop. 1,648. 

—Mrs. Elaine S. George, Star 

James Bell. Below average business. 

Good entertainment, and 

Eddie Albert. The only rush we 

one that you wish every teenager Ransom! (MGM) —Glenn Ford, had was past the doors. Played Timberjack (Rep) — Sterling 

Nielsen. 

Hayden, Vera Ralston, Adolphe 

This sad. experience. 

Menjou. Beautiful scenery and 

Greensburg, Ka.s. Pop. 1,723. Acting okay, but definitely not Browns Valley, Minn. Pop. 

plenty of action. Fairly good 

1,117. 

Three for the Show (Col)— entertaining. Played S(m., Mon. 

story. So what more could a 

Sabrina (Para)—Audrey Hepburn. 

Humphrey Bogart, William 

Betty Grable, Marge and Gower Weather: Good.—Mrs. Elaine S. 

person want? Played Fri.. Sat. 

Champion. Best midnêek business 

had some Ore. Pop. Bijou Theatre, Ray, N. D. Pop. 

George, Star Theatre. Heppner, 

Weather: Cool.—B. Berglund, 

Holden. Mighty smart entertaining 

comedy 1,648. 

I've for time. 

Thought it was fair entertainment. 

Ransom! (MGM)—Glenn Ford, background. Opening night was 

a with "tycoon" 721. 

Played 

Spainhour, 

Wed., Thurs.—Ben 

Twilight Theatre, 

Donna Reed. Leslie Nielsen. Very 

good show. Bought right, so made 

graduation night. The 

attended the school deal 

parents 

and I 

20th CENTURY-FOX 

Browns Valley, 

BiUy the Kid (MGM)—Reissue. 

Robert Taylor. Brian Donlevy, Tender 

Pop. 1,117. 

(MGM)— 

Greensburg, Kas. Pop. 1.723. a little money on it. Played Sun., babysat for a flock of youngsters Tall Men, The (20th-Fox)— 

Mon., Tues. Weather: Fair.—Leo (Who didn't enjoy "Sabrina"). Clark Gable, Jane Russell, Robert 

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER A. Backer, Valley Tlieatre, Adults showed up the second and 

Ryan. A superwestern with 

Minn. third night, which helped. Photography, 

razor sharp. Why am running time. Print was good de- 

good cast, scenery and plenty of 

Trap, The I 

Business only fair. 

spite its age. 

Ian Hunter. A good repeat Frank Sinatra. Debbie Reynolds, saying this? I'm probably the last 

western that kept me out of the Celeste Holm. Great! Sinatra is one in the world to show it and 

Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: 

Okay.—D. 

red another weekend. Must have liked here by those who know he my comments won't mean 

W. Trisko, Runge 

a 

Theatre, Runge, Tex. Pop. 1,055. 

Fri., 

still go for the na.m.6 "Billy 

satisfactory Sat., E. Majestic 

Virgin Queen, The (20th-Fox) 

the Kid." Played Theatre, Eureka, Mont. —Bette Davis, Richard Todd, 

nickel to been 

Kids 

the Robert Taylor name. does 

Weekend 

something 

run was 

besides sing. 

anyone. 

Sun.—Frank 

Played 

Sabin, 

folks getting tired of Saturday 

Fri., Sat. 

Weather: Cool.—Ralph Raspa, night horse operas. Wonder how Pop. 929. 

(Continued on following page) 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : 

16, 1956 II

.Simone 

.Diane 

EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

itinued from 

page) 

,.v>an Collins. Disastrous boxoff;ce, 

but isn't she terrific? It 

wouldn't ever haê been big here, 

but would have been better if 

we'd had a much earlier playdate. 

Played Tues., Wed. Weather: 

Good.—Mrs. Elaine S. 

George. Star Theatre, Heppner, 

Ore. Pop. 1,648. 

UNITED ARTISTS 

Apache (UAi—Bur't Lancaster, 

Jean Peters, John Mclntire. They 

just don't "come no better" 

and I have seen the day we could 

have lined them up, but no more. 

So even this western didn't get a 

crowd. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: 

Pair.—Joe and Mildred Faith, 

Linn Theatre, Linn, Mo. Pop. 758. 

Fort Yuma (UA) — Peter 

Graves, Joan Vohs, John Hudson. 

A good Cavalry and Indians picture 

in beautiful color and with 

beautiful scenery. It has a good 

story which they never tire of 

even though it has been done 

before. Played Fri., Sat. 

Weather: Good.—B. Berglund, 


721. 

Kentuckian, The (UA)—Burt 

Lancaster, Dianne Foster, Diana 

Lynn. A very good show about a 

hillbilly. Bui-t Lancaster plays 

the part very well. It's in Cinemascope 

and should be good anywhere. 

Played Sun., Mon. 

Weather: Warm.—B. Berglund, 


721. 

Wants Two-Reels 

Very interesting and worth a 

playdate is "Top of the World" 

(UA). I played two of Columbia's 

two-reel comedies with 

it. I do not see why some of 

the other companies do not 

make them. They should not 

be too expensive to make and 

are almost a featurette. The 

only ones of the kind are distributed 

by Columbia, RKO 

and the old "Our Gang" from 

Allied Artists. 

Bijou 

Ray, N. D. 

B. BERGLUND 

Theatre 

Man With the Golden Arm, 

The (UA)—Fi-ank Sinatra, Kim 

Novak, Eleanor Parker. Business 

okay on this one, but comments 

varied—some thought it grand, 

others walked out. The trailer 

does absolutely nothing to "tempt 

'em in." Played Sun., Mon., Tues. 

Weather: Hot. — Mickey and 

Penny Hai-ri.s, Gem Theatre, 

Gibsland, La. Pop. 1,085. 

Marty (UA)—Ernest Borgnine, 

Betsy Blair, Joe Mantell. This 

a small budget picture which I 

is 

feel is the only picture since "The 

Greatest Show on Earth" which 

really deserved its Academy 

awards. Played Tues., Wed., 

Thurs. Weather: Fair.—B. Berglund. 

Bijou Theatre, Ray, N. D. 

Pop. 721. 

the screen at the same time, but 

we liked it. Played Sun., Mon., 

Tues. Weather: Spring-like. 

Carl W. Veseth, Villa Theatre, 

Malta, Mont. Pop. 2,095. 

UNIVERSAL-INTERN'L 

All That Heaven Allows (U-I) 

—Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, 

Conrad Nagel. Very good. Step 

up your advertising and you will 

make some money. Played Sun., 

Mon., Tues. Weather: Fair.—Leo 

A. Backer, Valley Theatre, 

Browns Valley, Minn. Pop. 1,117. 

Captain Lightfoot (U-H —Rock 

Hudson, Barbara Rush, Jeff Morrow. 

The cast and story were fine 

and photography and backgrounds 

beautiful. It was shot in 

Ireland. My folks okayed it. 

Played Tues.. Wed.—Frank E. 

Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, 

Mont. Pop. 929. 

Man Without a Star (U-D— 

Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, 

Claire Trevor. They don't come 

any tougher than this one. Drinkin', 

fightin', shootin'. If it's action 

you're craving, latch onto 

this one. Why did I book it on 

my Sunday change?—Frank E. 

Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, 

Mont. Pop. 929. 

Second Greatest Sex, The 

(U-I)—Jeanne Crain, George 

Nader, Kitty Kallen. A very 

entertaining "Down to earth" 

musical that failed at the boxoffice. 

Played Sun., Mon., Tues. 

Weather: Too nice.—Mickey and 

Penny Harris. Gem Theatre, 

Gibsland, La. Pop 1,085. 

West of Zanzibar (U-D—Anthony 

Steel, Sheila Sim, Edric 

Conner. Customers walked out 

in droves—I mean, about onethird 

of the few that ventured 

Universal salesman very skeptical 

in. 

about my story. Their idea 

that the theatreman gory 

is is 

with money and they hike the 

film ante every time they hear 

we added another couple of outlets 

to our town sewer system. 

Played Tues.. Wed. Weather: 

Fine—no rain, no grass.—Carl W. 

Veseth, Villa Theatre, Malta, 

Mont. Pop. 2,095. 

WARNER BROS. 

Miracle in the Rain (WB)— 

Jane Wyman, Van Johnson, 

Eileen Heckert. This picture is 

not up to the standard set by 

Jane Wyman in past pictures. It 

is a deep emotional drama better 

suited for the larger situations. 

Business was below average. 

Played Sun., Mon. Weather: 

Wai-m and fair.—Dan Killman, 

Wolcott Theatre, Wolcott, Ind. 

Pop. 778. 

Sincerely Yours CWB)—Liberace, 

Dorothy Malone, Joanne 

Dru. This picture was obviously 

deflated by critics with no knowledge 

of what constitutes entertainment 

for the masses who attend 

movies. Our second night 

crowd was a large percentage of 

the ones who saw this film the 

first night and many who had 

seen it elsewhere. Conversation 

as to how good it was after we 

Sitting Bull (UA)—Dale Robertson, 

had shown it brought many re- 

Mary Murphy, J. Carrol marks such as "I read it was a 

Naish. Very well received—our flop—I wish I'd gone to see it." 

Indians made two or three trips Played Tues., Wed. Weather: 

back into the theatre to see Cusdefeated. 

Good.—Mrs. Elaine S. George, 

Great in Cinema- 

Star Theatre, Heppner, Ore. 

ope—can get more redmen on Pop. 1,648. 

FOREIGN 

FEATURES. 

Forergn-longuoge productions by native country listed olphobeticolly 

by title, followed by running time. Dote shown is issue of BOXOFFICE 

in which review oppeored. Name of distributor is in parentheses. 

ARGENTINA 

Bevlewed 

Dark River (S8) 4-28-56 

(limes).. H. Del CarrU, A. Benettl 

AUSTRIA 

©Don Juan (90) 

(Times) . .Ct'sare Danova, Josef Melnrad 

BRITAIN 

Alias John Preston (71) 

(Dominant) . .Alex Knox, Bella St. Jobn 

Angel Who Pawned Her Harp (73) . . 4-28-56 

(Huminanl) . Cilcnto, KelLv Aylmer 

Appointment in London (96) 12-31-55 

lAssuc. Artists).. D. Bogarde, DinaJl Sheridan 

Belles of St. Trinian's, The (90) . . 4-30-55 

(.\ssoc. Artists) . .Alastalr Sim, Joyce Grenfell 

Chance Meetino (94) 8-27-55 

( Pacemaker ). .Odlle Versols, David Ivnight 

QCocktails in the Kitchen (83) 

(Stratford) . .Dirk Bogarde, Dennis Price 

Court Martial (105) 10- 1-55 

(Kingsley) . .David Niven, Margaret Leighton 

Cure for Love, The (97) 11-26-55 

(.\SSDC. Artists).. R. Donal, Kenee Asherson 

©Dance Little Udy (87) 12-24-55 

(Trans-Lux) . .Mai Zetlerling, Mandy Miller 

Eight O'clock Walk (87) 8-20-55 

(Asso. Arts)..!!. Altentwrough, C. O'Donnell 

Four Against Fate (84) 9-10-55 

(Assoc. Artists).. A. Neagle, Mleliael Wilding 

Front Page Story (95) 7-23-55 

(Assoc. Artists) . .Jack Haivklns, Eva Barlok 

©Fuss Over Feathers (84) 1-29-55 

t.\-ssoc. Artists) . .Jotin Gregson, Muriel Pavlow 

Game of Danger (88) 11- 5-55 

(Assoc. Artiste) . .Jack Warner, Veronica Hurst 

Green Scarf, The 4-23-55 

(Assoc. Artists).. R Kedgrave, A. Todd 

His Excellency (84) 4-28-56 

(Brenner) .Erie Portman, Parker 

Cecil 

Innocents in Paris (103) 2-19-55 

( Tudor ).. Claire Bloom, Alastalr Sim 

Inspector Calls, An (80) 1- 8-55 

(Assoc. Artists).. Alstair Sim. Eileen Moore 

Intruder, The (84) 2-12-55 

(Assoc. Artists) . .Jack Hawkins, Dennis Price 

(pKid for Two Farthings, A (91).. 4-28-56 

(Utpert) . .Celia Johnson, Diana Dors 

©Make Me an Offer (88) 4- 7-56 

(Dominant) . .Peter Finch, Adrienne Corrl 

Midnight Episode (78) 9-17-55 

(line Arts) . .Stanley llolloway, Leslie Dwyer 

Room in the House (98) 

(Whralter) . .Patrick Barr. Marjorie Rhodes 

Teckman Mystery, The (90) 11-19-55 

(.\ssoc. Artists) . ..Margaret Lelghton, J. Justin 

Three Cases of Murder (99) 5-21-55 

(.Assoc. Artists) . .Orson Welles. John Uregson 

©To Paris With Love (78) 4-30-55 

(Continental) . .Alec Guinness, Odile Versois 

True and the False, The (SO) 4-23-55 

(Helerie Davis) . .Signe Hasso, Wm. Langford 

©Will Any Gentleman? (84) 11- 5-55 

(Slratlord). .George Cole. Veronica Hurst 

FRANCE 

Adorable Creatures (108) 1- 7-56 

(Cnnfl Dis.). .Martlne Carol, B. Feulllere 

©Ballet de France (83) 

(Leuis). .Janine Charrat, Milorad Mlskovitch 

Diaholique (107) 3- 3-56 

(C.MPO) Meurlsse 

Signoret, Paul 

Diary of a Country Priest (95) .... 7-31-55 

(Br;indon) . .C. Laydu, N. Maurey, A. Guibert 

Dr. Knock (102) 

(Lewis) . .Louis Jouvet, Jean Brochard 

©French CanCan (93) 

(UMPO)..Jean Cabin, Francoise Arnoul 

French Touch, The (84) 9-25-54 

(Times) . .Fernandel, Renee Devlllcrs 

Game of Love, The (108) 2-19-55 

(Times) . . Pierre-Mlcbel Beck. Bdwige Feuillere 

Heartbreak Ridge (86) 6-11-55 

(Tudor) . .Real French troops in Korea 

Holiday for Henrietta (103) 5-21-55 

(Ardee). .Dany Robin, Michael Auclalr 

Letters From My Windmill (116).. 4-21-56 

(Tohan) . .Daxely. Henri Vilbert, Rells 

In a Girls Dormitory (102) 

(Ellis). .Jean Marals, Francoise Amoul 

Reviewed 

Mr. Hulot's Holiday (85) 10-30-54 

(GBD Infl) . .Jacques TaU. Nathalie Pascaud ^ 

One Step to Eternity (94) 1-28-56 V 

(Ellis).. D. Darrleux. M. C. Calvet 

Auclalr, 

Red Inn, The (100) 9- 4-54 

(Davis) . .Fernandel. F. Rosay, Lud Germain 

Sheep Has Five Legs, The (93) ... .11-26-55 

(i:MPO) . .Fernandel. Francoise Arnoul 

©My Seven Little Sins (98) 

(Kingsley) . .Maurice Chevalier, Delia Scala 

GERMANY 

Forester's Daughter, The (105) 

(Casino) . .Johanna Matz. Will (iuadflieg 

Last Ten Days, The (113) 5-12-56 

(Col Infl) . .Albin Skoda. Lotte Tobisch 

No Way Back (87) 7-30-55 

(Jacon)..!. Desny, R. Nlehaus 

Sergeant's Daughter, .The (97) 

(Casino) Jolianna Matz, Jan Hendriks 

Sunderin (80) 1-22-55 

(Prod. Reps). .fflldeg.irde Nelt, G. Frochlich 

GREECE 

Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (100) 12- 3-55 

(Cont'l Ills) . Michael Wagner, Ilaya Hararlt 

ITALY 

Alone in the Streets (80) 

(Carroll) . .Story of street waifs 

Bed, The (101) 8-13-55 

(Oetz-Kingsley) . .R. Todd, Darni Addams 

Four Ways Out (77) 1- 1-55 

(Carroll) ..Gina Lollobrlglda. Reoalto BaldinI 

Hello Elephant (78) 1-29-55 

. (Arlan) .Vittorio de 

©House of Ricordi (112) \ 

(Miinson) .Paolo Stoppa. Marta Toren 

©Maddalena (90) 10- 8-55 

( i) .. Marta Toren. Gino (Jervi. J. Sernas 

Mademoiselle Gobette (78) 4- 9-55 

(IFE) . .SUvana Pampanini. Lulgl Pavese 

Return of Don Camillo (115) 

(IKE) . .Fernandel, Gino Cervl 

Too Bad She's Bad (95) 1-21-56 

(Uetz-Kingsky) . .Sophia Loren. V. De Sica 

Umberto D. (89) 12-31-55 

(Bdw. Harrison) . .C. Batlista, M. Casllio 

White Sheik, The (86) 

(Janus) . Alberto Sordi. Brunella Bovo 

©Golden Demon (95) 

. (Harrison) .Fujiko Yamamoto, Jun Negaml 

Hiroshima (85) 7-30-55 

(Confl Dis.)..Isuzu Yamada. M. Tsukida 

Impostor, The (89) 11-26-55 

(Brandon) .Utaemon Ichlkawa, Chlkako Mitagi 

. 

©Samurai (100) 11-19-55 

(Jacon) . .Toslilro Mifune. K. Yachlgusa 

MEXICO 

This Strange Passion (82) 12-31-55 

(Oninilllms) ..Arturo De Cordoia. D. Garces 

RUSSIA 

©Boris Godunov (105) 

(Artkino) . .A. Pirogov, G. Nellep 

©Romeo and Juliet Ballet (96) 

(Tohan) .Gallna Ulanova, Yuri Zhdanov f 

. 

SWEDEN 

Naked Night, The (82) 

(Times) . .Harriet Andersson. Ake Groenberg 

One Summer of Happiness (92) 7-16-55 

(Times-Film) . .Ulla Jacobson, Folke Sundqulst 

YUGOSLAVIA 

Legends of Anika (85) 

(Grand Prize) . .Milena Dapcevic, B. Grlblc 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : : June 16, 1956

An intorprctive analysis of lay ond tradcprcss n 

degree o» merit. Listings cover curicnl reviews, 

also OS an ALPHABETICAL INDEX to Icoturc 

Blue Ribbon Award Winner. Photoqrophy: Color; ( c Cincmc 

scope; H Noturomo. For listings by company, in the order 

e plus o

the 

REVIEW DIGEST 

++ very Good; + Good; ^ Fair; -Poor; = Very Poor. I 

summary ++ is roted 2 pluses, = as 2 minuses. 

_

'•''*'''' 

, an 

Opinions on Current Productions 

Feature reviews 

The First Texan 

Ratio; 

© O 

"AlUed ArtisU (5615) 82 IVIinutes Rel. July 1, '56 

There are few pages in American history more exciting 

and dramatic than the one which chronicles the victorious 

revolution which won Texas its independence from Mexico 

and established that commonwealth as a republic, subsequently 

to become one of the United States. It's a big 

story about a big event and a big state, and this celluloid 

version thereof is comparably big in every respect. To assure 

that the picture attained the sweep and spectacle the theme 

requires, producer Walter Mirisch and his associate, Richard 

Heermance, availed themselves—and expertly—of Cinema- 

Scope photography and Technicolor, which in themselves 

qualify the featiu-e for top-bracket bookings. All down the 

line they should result in profitable grosses for showmen and 

general satisfaction for their patrons. Then, effectively to 

implement a film of such handsome production proportions, 

Houston—delivers one of the most convincing performances 

by reliable. taJl-in-the-saddle Joel McCrea, who—as Sam 

careful selection was made of a competent cast, headed 

of his career, an acting accomplishment paralleled by 

virtually every supporting trouper. • For this lineup of 

thespian superiority and the offering's fast tempo, action 

and suspense, much credit is due director Byron Haskin. 

Joel McCrea. Felicia Farr, Jeff Morrow, Wallace Ford, 

Abraham Sofaer, Jody McCrea, Chubby Johnson. 

The Black Sleep 

United Artists (5617) 83 Minutes Rel.- 

Uninformed indeed the potential ticket buyer who, after 

tossing one quick gander at the star lineup of five—count 

'em, five—tried-and-true chill-dispensers, doesn't immediately 

conclude that here is a hoiTor picture. What's more, 

no matter how 

offering is amply 

much 

qualified 

of spine-tingling 

to fulfill such 

is 

demands—and 

expected, the 

in 

Car spades, not of the grave-digging variety. True, in assembling 

s)e,-ia screenplay to provide the horrendous quintet an open field 

for their individual and collective talents for scarin' folks, 

the producers (Aubrey Schenck and Howard W. Koch of 

Bel-Air Productions) obviously didn't strain too mightily in 

search of originalities. They had but one goal, the making 

of a horror feature, and hit that goal right on the button, 

let the cliches fall where they may. If past performances of 

subjects of its category are criterion, there appears no 

reason W'hy this shouldn't attract substantial custom to the 

double bills of which it is a part. Solidly mounted, ably 

directed by Reginald Le Borg, who piloted a competent cast 

through generally good performances, the offering is easily 

one of the better nerve-titillators of recent months and 

should thrive accordingly. 

Basil Rathbone. .Akim Tamiroff. Lon Chaney. John 

Carradine, Bela Lu§:osi. Herbert Rudley. Patricia Blake. 

Shadow of Fear F 

,«^''.°i "dC 

United Artists (5630) 76 Minutes Rel. June '56 

A British-made murder mystery which has better-thanaverage 

suspense, plus the name of Mona Freeman, American 

actress, for marquee value. Although the running time 

is too brief for the art houses, it will make a fine supporting 

dualler and satisfy audiences in the majority of situations. 

Produced by Charles Leeds for Roxbury Productions, it is 

tautly directed by Al Rogell (also American), who keeps the 

spectator guessing as to whether the heroine's fears for her 

life are genuine right up to the frightening denouement. 

Miss Freeman is attractive and capable as the worried 

girl who returns to England from California, but she is 

frequently overshadowed by Jean Kent, who is quietly 

menacing without being obvious about it. Maxwell Reed 

plays the handsome young doctor who also supplies the 

romantic interest and the cast is studded with the usual 

fine character portrayals, including Frederick Leister, as 

elderly phj'sician. Adapted from a novel by Hal Debrett, 

which must have been an excellent who-dun-it yarn. 

Despite its British locale and a few clipped accents, this 

is not "too-too-British" and will be accepted by most American 

moviegoers. 

Mona Freeman. Maxwell Reed. Jean Kent, Hugh Miller, 

Gretchen Franklin. Frederick Leister, Alexander Gauge. 

:;^ 

Congo Crossing F "^'i" 

"'"''''^"•"' 

Univ.-Int'l (5623) 83 Minutes Rel. July '56 

Three good marquee names, Virginia Mayo, the up-andcoming 

George Nader and the veteran Peter Lorre, are the 

.saving grace of routine melodrama laid in a studio jungle 

A^ which looks as .synthetic as the plot is obvious. It might 

y^J satisfy as top picture in a few action houses but it is best 

suited to the supporting spot in the subsequents or neighborhood 

duals. Director Joseph Pevney does his best with the 

material at hand but he is unable to generate much excitement, 

even during the race down the river and the climactic 

gun battle. The usual assortment of crocodiles and .snakes 

contribute a few shudders. Virginia Mayo, a playgirl fleeing 

from a murder charge, looks fetching even when her outfit 

becomes dirty and ragged and she supplies the romantic 

interest with George Nader, who makes a handsome and 

stalwart American engineer making a survey of the boundaries 

of the Belgian Congo. The round-faced and pudgy 

Peter Lorre makes the governor of a colony of fugitives 

more comic than menacing—but the laughs are welcome. 

Kathryn Givney is effective as a murderess who is killed 

off early in the action and Michael Pate convincingly plays 

a Chicago gangster. Produced by Howard Christie. 

Virginia Mayo. George Nader. Peter Lorre. Tonio 

Selwart, Rex Ingram. Michael Pate, Kathryn Givney. 

Santiago F ;;; 

Drama 

O 

Warner Bros. (524) 93 Minutes Rel. July 7, '56 

Rich in action and adventure but obviously needful of 

refinement in plot organization and productional accuracies 

is this shoot-em'-up drama, which to all intents and purposes 

plays as a western although its seat of action is Cuba just 

prior to the War of 1898. With two popular male stars to 

adorn the marquee, color photography for merchandising 

and gore galore, the feature should prove a profitable and 

reasonably popular booking in those situations where the 

paying patrons relish heroics and have little regard for 

finesse. Topliners Alan Ladd and Lloyd Nolan, both of 

whom have repeatedly demonstrated that, given the right 

material, they are dependable for impressive performances, 

are handicapped by the stereotyped facets of situations and 

dialog. Rossana Podesta, the Italian import who had 

title the role in "Helen of Troy," contributes nothing to the 

film's thespian stature and will mean comparatively little 

in selling the offering. Martin Rackin produced and 

collaborated with John Twist on the screenplay. Gordon 

Douglas' direction was aimed at the tempo dictated by the 

script and accomplished everything possible by way of 

portrayals and atmosphere in view of the literary limitations 

confronting him. 

Alan Ladd. Rossana Podesta. Lloyd Nolan. Chill Wills. 

Paul Fix. L. Q. Jones, Frank de Kova. George J. Lewis. 

The Fighting Chance 

Republic (5532) 

F 

70 Minutes Rel. Dec. '55 

With a fair marquee draw, some exciting racetrack scenes 

and its brief running time, this programmer will satisfy 

patrons in the bookings for which it was intended—supporting 

spot on the neighborhood duals. Rod Cameron has 

starred in a score of action films and Ben Cooper's draw 

is in the ascendant since "The Rose Tattoo," but it is Julie 

London who has become a bigger selling name than either 

through her hit records and nightclub appearances. The 

blonde star contributes a convincing portrayal in a completely 

unsympathetic role— to the extent that audiences 

applaud when she gets her comeuppance. Unfortunately, 

she doesn't sing a note. Cooper also gives an engaging 

performance as a jockey and the veteran Taylor Holmes 

gets a few laughs as a seedy racetrack follower. Old-time 

western star. Bob Steele, also has a good bit. However. 

Cameron is getting too heavy and turns in a colorless 

acting job. Director William Witney manages a fair amount 

of suspense in the climactic .sequences and the racetrack 

action was actually filmed at Santa Anita, Calif. The 

screenplay is by Houston Branch from a story by Robert 

Blees. William J. O'SuUivan is associate producer. 

Rod Cameron. Julie London. Ben Cooper. Taylor Holmes. 

Howard Wendell. Bob Steele. Mel WeUes. 

these be filed for future in The reviews on poges mov reference any of the following way: 

In any standard three-ring 

the BOXOFFICE PICTURE 

n loose-leaf binder; (2) Indivlduolly, by eompony, in any standard 3xS 

of booking and daily business record sheets, 

GUIDE three-ring, pockel-ilze binder. The latter. Including • year's s 

moy be obtolncd from Assocloted Publications, 82S Von Brunt Bli nsai City 24. Mo., for SI. 00, postage paid. 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide ; 

: 

J

. . . Beautiful 

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploifips; Adiines for Newspaper and Programs 

THE STORY: "Congo Crossing" (U-I) 

Coiigotanga, a strip of African jungle, is the haven for 

fugitives from justice. Governed by Peter Lorre, its residents 

include: George Nader, an American engineer who is 

surveying the boundaries of the Belgian Congo: Tonio 

Selwart, self-appointed Jeader in the criminal colony, and 

two new arrivals, Virginia Mayo, fleeing a murder charge of 

which she is innocent, and Kathryn Givney, an English 

murderess. Kathryn is killed by being mistaken for Virginia 

and, when the latter escapes from Selwart, who is after 

Nader's maps, she and the American go up the river. After 

a gun battle, Selwart is killed and Nader and Virginia determine 

to prove her innocence together. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

The usual jungle decorations, including hanging branches 

and a stuffed crocodile in the lobby, will attract attention. 

Play up Virginia Mayo and the handsome George Nader in 

romantic posea to attract the women patrons. Peter Lorre 

was the star of many horror films, including "M" and 

"Beast With Five Fingers," so his former reputation may 

draw the devotees of shocker fare. 

CATCHLINES: 

Teaming With Thrills From the Darkest Heart of Africa 

Blonde Virginia Mayo Hides From the Law 

in the African Jungle and Meets Her Fate in a Handsome 

Young American Engineer.

1 iv- 

.ni-motor. 

I 

RATES: ISc per word, minimum Sl.SO. cash with copy. Four conBecutive insertions lor price 

oi three. CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy and 

• answers to Box Numbers to BOXOFTICE, 825 Van Brunt Blvd.. Kansas City 24, Mo. • 

POSmONS WANTED 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED 

THEATRES FOR SALE 

Loaded with H. I. L.iniphousev 

Krandsco 

S.iii 

.\shcraft""E' jiiOO: K.irresl L.'t, 

Ballantyne $300- good condition. 

on time. Dept cc. 8.0.8. Cinema Suiipi 

I'S. Texas. Colorado. .MUsourl, Kansas 

Ralph 1443 South 

atlon. 602 W, 52nd Street. Ne«- York 

III as. Ernln, Broker. 

ramlllar uJlh all phases of thoalr 

Piolei 

design, construction, operation, etc. 

700'Car Corpus Chriiti. Texas, only 2 y 

jon. Will consider all ofters. dnmesli 

w ItCA equipment. CInemaScope. 82' 

Possible circuit purchasing agent 

I! 2%". 3". 3%"— excellent year around operation 

growth. Without land, $95,000. $.300 month 

.1 Write or telephone order 

Cinema lit long as desired. With land $130,000 

HELP WANTED 

Ill-Ill rr. S (I S Supply Corpo- 

602 W. 62nd New York C. W. Kyle. Phone: 2-3031 or Box 331. 

Street. 19. 

Klngsvllle. Texas. 

Evp.inding Pacific Coast theatre circuit has 

For sale: 400 de luxe cushion seat upholstered 

dl7 

now tiir mt'ii of polentliii management 

backs, metal strip around. Simplex projectors. 

Voice Theatre sound or 

Thesire experience helpful but not 

of will lease theatre. 

n.v Here Is an opportunity for men capable 

Coleman, 109 N. 5th, Columbia. Mo. 

-'[iting responsibility to start a business 

Is ivhlch above average in excitement and Holmes educator projectors, complete factory 

rebuilt with bases and baby Strong arc lamps, 

I ind ohich Is also profitable. State age, 

niiritil status, education and experience In reply, 

Bo\office. 7187. 

Chief operator. Top salary for exiierienced man 

In non-union situation. T»o downtown houses and 

one drlte-ln. booths and equipment in top 

.\ll 

shape. Musi have excellent references. Boxoffice, 

•181 

House manager or experienced assistant that 

knous theatre operation for Richmond, Virginia 

area. Prefer young man Ui twenties or early 

thirties. Alr-onll previous experience, salary 

eipected. draft status and marital details. All 

replies »1ll be kept confidential. Boxoffice. 7201. 

Projectionist desires position. Five years 

perience. Prefer work in .southern states. 

35. Married, no children. Boxoffice. 7198. 

Your speakers (cones) ophones. driver-units 

(hornsi completely rtli 

\ 

Co.. 3^11 lloiistn- 

pair $395. Motlograph 85/100 amp. lamps, like 

new $250 pair. Columbia Sound Service. Box 27, 

niarleston, W. Va. 

Bargains! a pîir of 1 KW arc lamps and a 

pair of 1 KW rectifiers, complete with reflectors 

nd rectifier tubes. Priced to sell. $350 for the 

jt. Ger-Bar. Inc.. 442 No. Illinois St.. Indianpolls. 

Ind. 

Strong Mogul arc lamps, complete with reectors 

$285. Film cabinets 1.50 section enclosed 

electric rewinds, $45. Simplex rear shutter 

mechanisms with DB interinittents. $60 each. 

Electric changeoveis. complete with foot switches, 

pair. Write for our list of bargains. (Jer- 

Inc.. 442 No. Illinois St.. Indianapolis. Ind. 

Bar. 

Like new, pair DeVry XD sound 

$400. Pair rebuilt Simplex-Acme sound projectors. 

$300. Pair Holmes sound projectors. 

$300. Money back guarantee. Pete Sabo, 916 

N.VA'. 19th Ave.. Portland 9. Oregon. 

For 

CL{flRI06H0US{ 

DRIVE-m THEATRE EQUIPMENT 

In-Car Speakers $4.25! Year Warranty. 4' 

unit, steel case painted blue-white. Price per sel 

2 speakers, junction box. $12.25. Dept. cc. 8.0. 

Cinema Supply Corporation, 602 W. 52nd Street 

New York 19. 

Oranoe drink machines, regular price $285. 

our discount price $2.'!5. used $150. Anamorphlc 

lens at cost Podge Eijuipnient Cn., 2324 Beech- 

•lonl Mc. Cincinnati 30. Ohio. 

EQUIPMENT 

WANTED 

Wanted: Pair lamps and rectifier or generati 

Sizes larger thjin Slagnarcs considered. Drive-ln 

Theatre. Fort JIadison. Iowa. 

Pair of 3" lenses. Must be excellent shape. 

Wi:l buy or trade for Super Snaplile Sî" lenses. 

Boaidi'alk Films. 31 8. Slenton Place. Atlantic 

City. X. J. 

STUDIO AND PRODUCTION 

EQUIPMENT 

Neumade RK-100 film racks, hold 120-1000' 

Moviola 35mm composite sound/picture. $495. 

Dept. cc. SOS Cinema Supply Corp.. 602 W 

52nd St.. New" York 111.

URATION KEY-CITY TV CAMPAIGN 

KICKS OFF THE "TIMELIEST 

" SHOW OF THE YEAR"! - 

Huge

Boxoffice-June.16.1956

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