Boxoffice-November.17.1956

ALBANY
K dynamic program of activities for the
next 12 months is being shaped in meetings
of the new Variety Club officers. Details
for the annual Denial Week for Camp
Thacher have not been worked out yet.
Harry Lamont and Harold Gabrilove, both
formerly chief barkers, are co-chairmen of
the heart fund, whose principal project is
the summer mountain camp for needy boys
. . Harry Lamont scheduled Sunday closnlgs
of the weekend operations at his area
drive-ins. This was seven days later than
in 1955 finales. The thermometer dropped to
15 degrees last Sunday morning (11), a
record low for the date.
Elias Schlenger, Fabian division manager,
is attending Monday meetings at the home
offices in New York City . . . Frank Damis,
assistant to Stanley Warner General Manager
Harry Kalmine, complimented John
Brousseau on the appearance and cleanliness
of the Delaware during a recent inspection of
the art house . . . The slack in employment
caused by the closing of the Savage Arms
Corp.'s Utica plant in June 1955 will be
partly taken up through its purchase by
Remington Rand division, for the manufacture
of a new line of products by the RR
Univac division. The company manufactures
tabulating machines and equipment as well
as the Univac electronic computer. During
World War II, Savage Arms employed more
Remington Rand, which
than 8,000 at Utica.
also maintains a facility at Ilion, recently
purchased the Cobleskill plant of the Tyler
Refrigeration Corp., for flat steel fabrication.
The illness of Earle Rooney, Ritz manager,
caused John Brousseau to double between
the Stanley Warner downtown house and his
regular post at the Delaware, neighborhood
art house, which operates nights only except
on weekends . . . Pat, daughter of Edward J.
Wall, Paramount, had high words of praise
for "War and Peace" and "Between Heaven
and Hell" . . . Leon Herman, Republic salesman
out of Buffalo, recalled his association
here around 1923 with First Graphic, the
initial distributing company operated by the
late Bernie Mills. Herman first came into the
territory as a youngster with his brother Al,
now of Boston.
List Industries Earnings
Show a Rise Over 1955
NEW YORK—The consolidated net income
of List Industries Corp., formerly RKO Theatres
Corp., on a proforma basis, totaled $2,-
081,141 for the first nine months of 1956. This
compares with $1,661,434 before special items
for the same period a year ago. The proforma
figures include the operations of Gera Corp.,
another List enterprise, for the nine months,
rather than for the period after its acquisition
as a subsidiary on May 9, 1956. After
adjustment for special nonrecurring items,
the 1955 net was $1,473,722. Based on shares
outstanding, the proforma earnings per share
for the first nine months amount to 47.6
cents.
Chico Day Returns From Madrid
Winding up his chores as assistant director
for Paramount's "Flamenca" In
Madrid, Spain, Chico Day has returned to
Hollywood.
Balaban and Skouras Laud
Nicholas M. Schenck
NEW YORK—Statements lauding Nicholas
M. Schenck following announcement of his
retirement as board chairman of Loew's, Inc.,
were received from Barney Balaban, president
of Paramount Pictures Corp. and Spyros
P. Skouras, head of 20th Century-Fox.
Balaban's statement follows:
"It is difficult to state in these few words
my feelings as to the extent of the loss suffered
by the entire motion picture industry
resulting from the announcement by Mr.
Nicholas Schenck of his retirement from
further activity in Loew's, Inc.
"During the past 20 years that I have been
in New York, I have worked so very closely
with Mr. Schenck on many many serious
and complicated industry problems.
"He gave, unreservedly, of his time and
energy to the important problems of our
business. He has been a tower of strength
not only to me personally, but to all who
were privileged to have worked with him on
these industry matters.
"Those of us who have lived through the
tribulations and satisfactions of the past will
remember always, with gratitude, Mr.
Schenck's firm hand and wise counsel. May
God grant him years with his family and
friends, in which to enjoy his earned rest
and his reflections on the industry of which
he was so much a part."
Skouras Issued the following:
"The retirement of our warm and good
friend, Nicholas Schenck, leaves a gap in
the motion picture industry which can never
be filled. The dean of our business, he is a
pioneer in every sense of the word. His devotion
to the finest in motion pictures, to
which he has dedicated his life, has been an
inspiration to all of us. His guidance and wise
counsel must continue to serve the best interests
of the motion picture industry."
'Sweet Smell of Success'
Filming in Manhattan
NEW YORK—"Sweet Smell of Success,"
newest Hecht, Hill & Lancaster production for
United Artists release, went before the
cameras Monday (12) with the filming to
take place around mid-Manhattan landmarks,
including the Palace Theatre stage door,
Toots Shor's, 21 Club, the Ziegfeld Theatre,
Rockefeller Plaza and the Times Square district.
Burt Lancaster, who is
starred with Tony
Curtis and Ernest Borgnine, arrived from
Hollywood Sunday to join Curtis, James Hill,
the producer, Alexander MacKendrick, director,
and Clifford Odets, screenwriter who
adapted Ernest Lehman's Cosmopolitan
magazine story.
Susan Harrison, 18-year-old Bronx girl, is
making her film debut in the leading feminine
role and Emile Myer, Hollywood character
player, flew on to join the company in Manhattan.
Funeral for Larry Spier;
Music Composer-Publisher
NEW YORK—Funeral services for Larry
Spier, 55, music publisher and composer and
co-partner of Spier & Coslow, which became
an affiliate of Paramount Pictures, were held
at the Riverside Funeral Chapel Monday
(12). Spier died at his home here November
10.
BUFFALO
T ittle coin containers placed on store counters,
in theatres and public buildings
means hope and help for hundreds of Buffalo
area children who suffer from cerebral palsy.
All nickels, dimes and quarters that the
public puts into the containers are turned
over by the Variety Club to the Cerebral
Palsy Clinic in the Children's Hospital. One
of the biggest booster groups of the club's
annual fund appeal is headed by Mrs. William
F. Ferris of Hamburg. This young
mother of three children devotes most of her
spare time directing the activities of the 102
parents in the club. The parents are united
by a common bond—a cerebral palsy child in
the family. The drive began November 2 and
ends December 2, the goal is $30,000. Some
splendid returns have been made by drive-ins.
It was art for the sake of art at the Cinema
in Rochester where "Lust for Life" had its
Kodak Town premiere. The debut was sponsored
by the Memorial Art Gallery for the
benefit of the gallery's operating budget fund.
The women's council of the gallery was in
charge of ticket sales for the benefit . . .
Bill Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy) was the guest
at a public reception in the Rochester Community
War Memorial from 7 to 9 p.m. Boyd
is on a tour for the Dairylea Milk and Ice
Cream Co.
Phil Engel, Boston, 20th-Pox exploiteer,
conferred with Arthur Krolick, Charles B.
Taylor and Ben Dargush of Paramount Theatres
on "Love Me Tender," which will open
the 21st in the Center Theatre . . . Max
Fogel of the Webster Theatre in Rochester is
back on the job after a sojourn in the hospital
. . . "Giant" got a lot of publicity
through phone interviews between newspaper
and radio people. Ardis Smith of the News
talked with George Stevens, director and
producer, and so did Bob Wells of WEBR
and Frank Dill of WGR. Smith used a
whole column in the Evening News on his interview
and both radio personalities played
back their talks the next day with splendid
plugs for "Giant," now in its second week
at the Paramount. The interviews were arranged
by Arthur Krolick, district manager.
Paramount Theatres.
Variety club members have nominated the
following for directorships: V. S. Baker, Paul
Becker, Harold Bennett, Mannie Brown, Jack
Chinell, Dr. Clinton Churchill, Irving Cohen,
Ike Ehrlichman, Sam Geffen, Marvin Gross,
Richard Hayman, Marvin Jacobs, Eddie
Jauch, Richard Kemper, Charles Kosco,
George H. Mackenna, Fran Maxwell, Jack
Mundstuk, Robert T. Murphy, Manfred
Pickrell and Murray Whiteman. V. Spencer
Balser and Marvin Jacobs have been nominated
as delegates to the annual convention
of International Variety Clubs of America.
The annual election of Tent 7 will be held
Monday (19).
Arthur Rose, manager at Buena Vista, is
recovering from exhaustion in the Meyer
Memorial Hospital. He must take a long
rest, say the doctors . . . Harold Bennett,
manager for National Screen Service, Is
chairman of the Variety Club committee
planning the memorial plaque dedication
ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 9, In
Tent 7's Delaware avenue headquarters.
BOXOFFICE :
: November 17, 1956 35