Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Ft<br />
/ne TuAe m me /vi&to&n. Mctu/ie<br />
Moses (Charlton Heston) returns from Mt. Sinai with the tablets bearing the Decalog<br />
in this scene from "The Ten Commandments." Produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille,<br />
this Poramount Picture, filmed in VistoVision and Technicolor, has been awarded the<br />
BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award for January by the National Screen Council . . . Page 26.<br />
folere't ot Iffrondcloil nnnrter ot ttie Pv«' Tt c« qI Kania<br />
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE EDITION<br />
Including (lit Stclional l«t»l PioH of All Cdllioni
HE OWNS<br />
TEN THOUSAND<br />
BEDROOMS"!<br />
A SLYFUL EYEFULl<br />
Not since coins were tossed<br />
in that fountain has a picture,<br />
filmed in the beauty<br />
of Rome, had so much<br />
bouncy, youth-propelled<br />
entertainment. A young<br />
hotel tycoon {Dean Martin's<br />
first solo starring role) skillfully<br />
plans romances for<br />
three gorgeous sisters so<br />
that<br />
he can marry the<br />
fourth. The backgrounds of<br />
Rome are exquisite, the<br />
foregrounds of the sisters<br />
are divine, the songs are<br />
whistle-bait and fit the<br />
romantic,<br />
uproariously<br />
funny {and very sly)<br />
to perfection.<br />
story
MS k-/1V)rtAi< S. ». . F'<br />
WAKE UP TO M-G-M's DREAM-BOAT ENTERTAINMENT!<br />
»f<br />
M-G-M preienti<br />
DEAN MARTIN<br />
in<br />
TEN THOUSAND<br />
BEDROOMS»»<br />
Co-Storring<br />
ANNA MARIA EVA DEWEY WALTER PAUL<br />
ALBERGHETTI ' BARTOK ' MARTIN " SLEZAK ' HENREID<br />
wi.h JULES MUNSHIN • MARCEL<br />
DALIO<br />
Written by LASLO VADNAY and ART COHN, WILLIAM LUDWIG and LEONARD SPIGELGASS<br />
N,w Songw-Music by NICHOLAS BRODSZKY • i„i«b, SAMMY CAHN<br />
in<br />
CINEMASCOPE And METROCOLOR<br />
Directed by RICHARD THORPE • Produced by JOE PASTERNAK<br />
(Available in Magnetic Stereophonic, Perspecta Stereophonic or 1-Channel Sound)
WARNER BROS. ARI<br />
THE NEW INGRID<br />
•k<br />
give you<br />
loveliness,<br />
softness and the<br />
restlessness of a<br />
woman in love as<br />
played by the most<br />
women<br />
female<br />
'Best Actress of the Year*— (n. y.<br />
film critics award)<br />
and Mel Ferrer<br />
Jean Marais<br />
THE GREAT FRENCH STAR!<br />
in Jean Renoir's<br />
Technicolor®<br />
THINGS<br />
story ana screenplay and Direction by JEAN RE^
READY NOW WIT<br />
ERGMAN PICTURE
^f44*<br />
ijl]<br />
^•^^<br />
^V1^#t!h<br />
'*">,«
F^6^ o^tAe //l(>twn reduce /^tdiuh//<br />
THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY<br />
Published in Nine Sectional Editions<br />
BEN<br />
SHLYEN<br />
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher<br />
DONAl D M. MER5EREAU . . Associate<br />
Publisher & General Monoger<br />
NATHAN COHEN. .Executive Editor<br />
JESSE SHLYEN. .. .Manoging Editor<br />
HUGH FR AZE Field Editor<br />
AL STEEN Eostern Editor<br />
IVAN SPEAR Western Editor<br />
I. L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor<br />
MORRIS SCIILOZMAN. Business Mgr.<br />
Published Every Saturday by<br />
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS<br />
Publication OKices: se.S Van Itritnt lilul.,<br />
Knnsa.< Clly 24, Mo. Nnlhnn Ciili. K%-<br />
prtillvp Kdihir; .l Slilven. Miinn^lng<br />
nillliir: Miirrl.s Rrltlnzni:in. nnvliicss Manuser:<br />
Much Krn7i', h'lflil Kdllor; I. L.<br />
'Ili.ildipr, Kdllnr The Miidern Ttieatre<br />
SiTlliin. Ti-lriilinnp Cllesitniit 1-7777.<br />
Editorial Oflices; 4S llni-ki-fi'llir Plaz«.<br />
New Viirk 21). N. Y. Ilnnnlil M. Mersereinl.<br />
Assiichitp Piilillslicr St (Irnpral<br />
^f;lMaBC^: Al Stoen. Rastern Ktlftnr; Carl<br />
M(K, KyriMipmpnt Ailverll.s'lnc. Telephone<br />
I'dliiniliiK ri fiH7fl.<br />
Central Offices: [Cdllorlnl— n2n No. Michigan<br />
Ate.. rhiPHRO tl. Ill ,<br />
I'Vanri'S B.<br />
Clnw. Tcli-iihone Sllprrhir 7-:i072. Aclrerllsliie—<br />
:I5 K:isl Worker llrlvc, riilrngn 1,<br />
111.. Rulnc llirlrhlsiin anil K. R. Yeck.<br />
Tpl.'pliono ANrloier 3 3042.<br />
Western Offices: Rdllnrlol and I''llm Ariverllslni;—<br />
Bin4 llidlynood Itlvil . Ilollynood<br />
2S. Calif. Ivan Spi'or. m,in:ii;pr. 1 piephono<br />
IHHIvwoiii! 5-llSfi. Kipilrmiptil mid<br />
Non-Film AdtrrllshiR—(172 S. Lafayetle<br />
Park I'hiPe. I.ns AnePlp>!. Calif. l!oh W'pttsleln.<br />
msnacer. Tplpphone tll'nkirk S 228fi<br />
Washington Office: t.arslon 1) r'arrar.<br />
1177 NiMlonal lilili! Plionp IlKpuhllc<br />
7-41112 Sara Vonii!;. 4IS Tlilril Rl.. N.W,<br />
Lonilon Office: Aidhnnv (Iniiipr, 41 Wardmir<br />
St. Tplpplionp (IRliard n720/8282.<br />
The MOliRUN TIIRATIIR SiTlInn is )nclndfd<br />
In the first. Issue of eaph mnnth<br />
Atlanta: Marlhil Ch.indler. 191 W.illon NW<br />
Alhany: .1. S. Coiinprs. 21-2:i Waller Ave.<br />
Ratlimoie: (Jenrse Ilrnvvnlng, Slnidcy Thea.<br />
Ithmlnuhani: F^dille ItadRer. The News.<br />
Itoston: Franpps Harding. Illl 2-1141.<br />
Clinrlolle: Annie Mae Wllllam.s. Kll 2 12.54.<br />
ClnPlrnoifl: 1-llllan Lazarns. 174fi Carrahen<br />
Cleveland: Elsie I.neh. Falrmonnl 1-0046.<br />
Coltimhns: Fred Oestrelcher, 646 Hhosdes<br />
Place.<br />
Dallas: nill Barker. 423 Nlmltz St..<br />
Wll. 2 1958.<br />
Denver: .laek Hose. 1645 T.afayelte St.<br />
Mfdnps: Bnss Sctioch. Itegister-TrllHrne.<br />
Ite.s<br />
Dplrnll: II. F. lieves. Fox Tllpairp lildg.<br />
Indianapolis: Corhin Patrlpk. The Star,<br />
.lacksonvllle: Ttohert Cornwell. San Marco<br />
Theatre.<br />
Memphis: Null Adams. 707 RprlnB St.<br />
Mland: Kitty llarvvood. (16 R. Illhlwus.<br />
Mlhiankee: Wm. NIphol. 63fi N. I4lh St.<br />
Mlnneaiinlls: I.es Itees, 2123 Freemont Sq.<br />
New Ilavpn: \Valler lindar. The Iteglster.<br />
N. Orleans: Beverly B;ilancle, 5500 Danphin.<br />
Oklahoma City: .Inyee flntliler. 1744 NW<br />
17th St.<br />
Omaha: Irving Baker, nil N. 5Ist St.<br />
Philadelphia: Norman Slilgon. 53(13 Berk<br />
PIttslinrgli: It, F, Kllngensmllh. 516 .leannetle.<br />
WllkhishnrB. CllnrPhlll 1-2809.<br />
Portland. Ore.: Arnold Marks, .lonrnal.<br />
St. I.nnis: Davp Barrplt. 5149 Rosa.<br />
Salt Lake City: II. Pearson. Mespret News.<br />
San Anionin: I.ps Ketner. 230 San Pedro.<br />
San Franelspo: fiall l.lpnian. 287-28lh<br />
Ave.. Skyline 1-4355: Advprilslng: Jprrv<br />
Nowpll. Tlonard Bldg.. YIl 6-2522<br />
In Canada<br />
Mniitrpal; 300 I.cnioyne SI., .hilps !-arophelle.<br />
St. .lohn: 43 Waterloo. Sam Bat*<br />
Toronto: 1675 Bayvlew Ave.. Willnwdale.<br />
Ont.. W. C.Iadlsh.<br />
Vanrnnvpr: I.yrlc Theatre Bids., .lack Oroy.<br />
Whndpeg: 282 Pnpertsland. Ben Sommera.<br />
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations<br />
Rnterpd as Sernnd Class niafler at Post<br />
Office. Kansas City. Mo. Rppllnnal Rdlllon.<br />
$3.00 per year; National Rilitlnn. $7.50.<br />
FEBRUARY 16, 1957<br />
Vol. 70 No. 17<br />
HARMONY FOR PROGRESS<br />
% UK iiiiistructive jjolicy which National<br />
.Allied emincialctl at its niolinf; in Dallas<br />
la.'it Novemher wa.s icaffinned at its Ixiard nicftin;;<br />
in ("incinnati early this month. And it is<br />
heing carried<br />
Julius Gordon.<br />
f. )r\vard<br />
hy its new president.<br />
Following his election at Cincinnati. Mr. Gordon<br />
made a strong plea for industry unity, citing<br />
the accomplishments that could be achieved<br />
thereby, not only in working together for betterment<br />
of intra-industry relations but also in improving<br />
the industry's public relations. In both<br />
cases, Mr. Gordon sees the means for business<br />
betterment.<br />
Pointing up the deterrent nature of internal<br />
strife which has for too long been flagrant in<br />
this business, Mr. Gordon reminded that each<br />
branch of the industry was dependent upon the<br />
other. '"1 sincerely believe," he said, "no part<br />
of the industry can die without all the rest of<br />
the industry dying. I feel that the plight of the<br />
exhibitor today is symptomatic of the chaos and<br />
illness of production and distribution, which are<br />
all ridden by high cost and hamstrung by<br />
agencies and exorbitant demands." He added<br />
that "this cost is being pushed off on the exhibitor,<br />
rather than being fought out at its<br />
source," and expressed the view that these and<br />
other problems could be solved through "more<br />
of a spirit of cooperation and friendship between<br />
the various branches of the industry."<br />
At a press conference in New York this week,<br />
Mr. Gordon reiterated these views, giving<br />
em]ihasis to his belief that they could be brought<br />
to fruition through a meeting of the minds— in<br />
a conference between film company presidents<br />
and exhibitor leaders representing Allied and<br />
Theatre Owners of America members. Such a<br />
meeting has repeatedly been sought by exhibitors<br />
during the last several years. And at a<br />
meeting of the executive committee of the Council<br />
of Motion Picture Organizations, a highly-placed<br />
distribution executive concurred in the belief<br />
that such a conference could bring about harmonious<br />
relationships between distribution and<br />
exhibition. However, distribution heads have,<br />
thus far, been unreceptive to the idea. Perhaps<br />
Mr. Gordon's assurance that such a forum would<br />
be the place, "not of recrimination but of progress."<br />
will bring a favorable reaction. Failing<br />
that, perhaps a meeting with Eric Johnston, who,<br />
as president of the Motion Picture Ass'n of<br />
America, represents the major distribution<br />
companies, would suffice as the means of, at<br />
least, an approach to the desired objective.<br />
Also noteworthy is Mr. Gordon's interest in<br />
the establishment of an arbitration system.<br />
Doubtless, this would go a considerable distance<br />
toward resolving differences between<br />
•<br />
individual<br />
exhibitors and distributors. Here, loo, resultant<br />
liclter relationships betweem exhibitor and distributor—<br />
and exhibitor and exhibitor—would<br />
ensure the teaming up for joint efforts wherever<br />
they may be called for. whether it be for business-building<br />
or dealing with other common<br />
problems, of which there is no shortage. Certainly,<br />
the time spent in conflict can be put to<br />
better use in the making of ])ictures and in the<br />
operation of theatres.<br />
Harmonious relationship within the industry's<br />
ranks is essential to its jtrogress. It can't be<br />
achieved by fighting one another; but it can be,<br />
by understandingly working together.<br />
For the WHOLE Town<br />
It is always gratifiying to read newspaper<br />
editorials that praise a particular motion picture<br />
or point to the indispensability to the community<br />
of its theatres. Recently there has been<br />
a growing number of articles that besiteak the<br />
awareness of the editors and the alertness of<br />
exhibitors. Maybe the editors didn't need any<br />
prodding but, if they did, the more credit to the<br />
exhibitors who inspired the "reawakening."<br />
Reprinted in this issue is an editorial from<br />
the Fox Lake (111.) Herald that referred to its<br />
movie theatre as "A Good Thing for the Whole<br />
Town" and urged public and merchant support<br />
of this enterprise in the community interest—not<br />
just for the theatre owner's benefit. But aside<br />
from the nice things the editor said on behalf<br />
of the theatre, we were impressed by some constructive<br />
criticism that he offered. Viz:<br />
"... there are nights when, some oj the<br />
ivorld's top attractions play here to a theatre<br />
far jrom filled. After the picture is gone, the<br />
very people who would have found it most interesting,<br />
are the ones who complain that they<br />
would have come if they had known more about<br />
it. There is a failure to communicate special<br />
information to special interest groups. Merely<br />
announcing titles and stars will generally bring<br />
in the general movie fan audience, but special<br />
messages must get to the special interest groups<br />
if special interest pictures are to get special<br />
support."<br />
This shortcoming, we are sure, is rather widespread.<br />
Whether the fault lies with individual exhibitors<br />
or otherwise, it points up the need for,<br />
first, the exhibitor to be well informed on the<br />
product he buys and shows; second, doing a<br />
thorough job of selling each picture to ALL<br />
of his potential patrons: and, third, booking<br />
sufficiently far ahead to make this generally<br />
possible.<br />
[JL^ /MJL^-vi^
ALLIED PRESIDENT TO SEEK END<br />
OF INTERNAL INDUSTRY STRIFE<br />
Gordon Asks United Effort<br />
To Solve Production Costs<br />
And Attendance Problems<br />
By SUMNER SMITH<br />
NEW YORK—Strife within the motion<br />
picture industry must stop immediately so<br />
that there can be a united effort to solve<br />
two great problems, high production costs<br />
and the sales approach to the average man<br />
for his leisure time. That was the theme<br />
of the first press interview given by Julius<br />
Gordon of Texas as the new president of<br />
National Allied. He met the press in the<br />
offices here of Wilbur Snaper. former<br />
president, Wednesday (13).<br />
DESIRES TALKS WITH MAJORS<br />
Gordon reiterated Allied's desire, in conjunction<br />
with Theatre Owners of America,<br />
to meet with the major company presidents<br />
in an atmosphere "not of recrimination but<br />
of progress." He added that if that type of<br />
approach was deemed incorrect, then Allied<br />
"should like to be informed as to the proper<br />
parties and place for a forum."<br />
The major companies have expressed a fear<br />
of being charged with acting in concert contrary<br />
to the provisions of the antitrust law<br />
if their executives met in a body with exhibitor<br />
representatives. Previous exhibitordistributor<br />
meetings have been held on an<br />
individual company basis.<br />
"Tlie basic need of om- industry," Gordon<br />
said, "is the immediate cessation of the internecine<br />
strife, so that all efforts may be<br />
united in solving the two great industry<br />
needs. Allied has, in the past, sincerely<br />
wished for such a solution. We have attempted<br />
to use nearly every route open to<br />
us. If our critics decried our methods, let<br />
them first consider our frustrations.<br />
"I have the deep-seated conviction tliat no<br />
problem is insoluble if approached by sincere<br />
men who are acting, not in the heat of<br />
anger, but with goodwill and a desire for<br />
progress. It was because of this belief that,<br />
in Cincinnati, I indicated my willingness to<br />
discuss any phase of the business at any<br />
time or place. I reiterate that now.<br />
WOULD TEAM WITH TOA<br />
"If our desire, in conjunction with TOA,<br />
to meet with the highest representatives of<br />
the owners of the film companies (their<br />
elected presidents) in an effort to help solve<br />
the problems of all owners of all segments<br />
of the industry was an incorrect approach,<br />
which we do not think it was, then in such<br />
a case we should like to be informed as to<br />
the proper parties and place for a forum,<br />
not of recrimination but of progress."<br />
Gordon said it was "crystal clear" that<br />
"this Cain and Abel struggle" had to be settled<br />
so that there can be concentration on<br />
the two great problems he mentioned. Discussing<br />
high production costs, he made the<br />
following points:<br />
"It has been brought on by the stranglehold<br />
of the talent agencies.<br />
"It has been accentuated by the aging<br />
Allied-COMPO Progress<br />
Seen on Reaffiliation<br />
NEW YORK—The National Allied<br />
committee discussing a return to membership<br />
in the Council of Motion Picture<br />
Organizations has "made much progress,"<br />
according to Wilbur Snaper, a committee<br />
member along with Trueman T. Rembusch<br />
and Abram F. Myers. He decried<br />
a suggestion that there may be "stumbling<br />
blocks," said the question of reaching<br />
a decision was "just a matter of procedure"<br />
and that "it was 90 per cent<br />
straightened out." However, he would not<br />
say when a decision will be readied and<br />
what it will be.<br />
Snaper made his comments at a pre.ss<br />
interview with Julius Gordon, National<br />
Allied president, at the latter's request.<br />
stars who, though still a great asset to this<br />
business as they have been for years, are<br />
failing to help perpetuate it. It would seem<br />
that these people, made wealthy by the motion<br />
picture business, should, in their taxfavored<br />
producing companies, take on part<br />
of the responsibility of developing new young<br />
stars. So long as circumstances dictate that<br />
the aging personnel works independently,<br />
they are in a position to bring up new people<br />
for their own and the industi'y's benefit, in<br />
exactly the same manner that the major<br />
studios made them into personalities when<br />
production was not on an independent contract<br />
basis."<br />
Discussing an industry campaign for its<br />
share of the leisure time of the average man,<br />
Gordon said:<br />
"As leisure hours have increased, we have<br />
allowed om- more unified competitors to convince<br />
the public that their leisure hours<br />
would be more pleasant, relaxing, more<br />
healthful, more educational, if it be spent<br />
hunting, fishing, watching TV, boating, gardening,<br />
motoring, cooking or 'doing-lt-yourself<br />
in a hundred different forms.<br />
"It should seem within the realm of probability<br />
that a unified industry with all its<br />
intelligence, and with the modern research<br />
analysis and communications media open to<br />
it, could convince large segments of the public<br />
of the entertainment, cultural, educational,<br />
recreational, economic advantages in<br />
spending part of their leism'e time in wellappointed<br />
and operated tlieatres."<br />
Gordon stressed that he was talking about<br />
a leisure-time campaign in its broadest sense<br />
and was not prepared at the time to enter<br />
into any discussion of the merits of any<br />
drives now under way. Throughout the interview<br />
he gave the clear impression that he is<br />
for industry cooperation and goodwill and<br />
that he will do all in his power to realize<br />
those ends.<br />
Early Arbitration Talks<br />
Are Favored by Allied<br />
NEW YORK—National Allied is anxious to<br />
sit down with distribution and discuss an<br />
arbitration system, Julius Gordon, new president,<br />
said here Wednesday (13). Its ai-bitration<br />
committee probably will meet with that<br />
of Theatre Owners of America in the near<br />
future, though no move has yet been made<br />
in that direction. However, it wouldn't<br />
necessarily meet with TOA before opening<br />
negotiations with distribution, he added.<br />
Gordon said that "while we still like arbitration<br />
of film rentals," the matter wouldn't<br />
be made a condition to meetings. He noted<br />
that the Senate Small Business Committee<br />
favored new attempts to set up an arbitration<br />
system, and hoped there would be early meetings<br />
with distribution. They would not have<br />
to be held, he said, at a company president<br />
level.<br />
Asked how many distribution companies<br />
have replied to exhibitor requests for meetings,<br />
Gordon said he had "been on the job<br />
only a week" and didn't know. Elsewhere it<br />
was said that eight major company presidents<br />
have replied and that they did not<br />
include the Columbia or Universal-International<br />
heads.<br />
The Allied arbitration committee consists<br />
of Ruben Shor, Abram F. Meyers and Abe<br />
Berenson. The TOA committee consists of<br />
Mitchell Wolfson, S. H. Fabian. Sam Pinanski,<br />
Ernest G. Stellings, Herman M. Levy, counsel,<br />
and George Kerasotes, alternate.<br />
TOA is expected to discuss its next m.ove at<br />
the mid-winter board and executive committee<br />
meeting in Chicago March 3-5.<br />
Gordon was asked if efforts to draft a<br />
system would probably be based on previous<br />
drafts. He said he didn't know and that<br />
"Myers is the best man to answer that."<br />
Myers is Allied general counsel.<br />
Steve Edwards Joins<br />
Rank's U. S. Company<br />
NEW YORK—Steve Edwards, former advertising-publicity<br />
director of Republic Pictures,<br />
has joined Rank Film Distributors<br />
of America as an aide to Geoffrey Martin,<br />
director of advertising and publicity.<br />
Edwards joined Republic in 1941 after having<br />
been associated with United Artists and<br />
Keith Albee Orpheum. He became publicity<br />
director of Republic in 1943 and was appointed<br />
head of the advertising-publicity<br />
department two years later, which post he<br />
held until late spring of 1956.<br />
8 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
MPAA Industry Study<br />
To Be Comprehensive<br />
NEW YORK—The study of the motion picture<br />
market to be conducted by Opmion Research<br />
Corp. of Princeton, N. J., will be a<br />
wide-ranging one that the Motion PictuJ'e<br />
Ass'n of America, its sponsor, believes will<br />
produce much important data. The company<br />
was named a week ago to undertake the<br />
MPAA market research project.<br />
Among the questions to which answers<br />
will be sought are the following:<br />
Why do or don't people attend the movies?<br />
What seriou.s competition do the movies<br />
face in other ases of leisure time?<br />
What is the frequency of attendance by<br />
What are<br />
age group patterns, income, geographical location<br />
and other elements?<br />
What types of promotion are most successful<br />
in attracting theatre attendance?<br />
the basic elements of a successful<br />
picture?<br />
What are the effects on attendance of<br />
films available in a given area, seasonal factors,<br />
speed of playoff and theatre conditions?<br />
The study will be conducted on a national<br />
basis. The MPAA said it will take several<br />
months to complete all aspects of it. Before<br />
it gets under way, there will be thorough<br />
tests of all elements of the questionnaire.<br />
Minnesota Learns Ticket<br />
Taxes Hurt Retail Trade<br />
NEW YORK—Local admission taxes as<br />
revenue-raising measures are not favored by<br />
a tax study committee set up by Gov. Orville<br />
L. Freeman of Minnesota. The following<br />
committee report to the governor has been<br />
reported by the Council of Motion Picture Organizations:<br />
"Many cities now levy general sales, excise<br />
and admissions and amusement taxes, but<br />
these taxes are not likely to be as productive<br />
of revenue as the income tax, or<br />
to reach as<br />
effectively the commuter or 'daylight citizen.'<br />
They are, furthermore, likely to have unfortunate<br />
repercussions upon retail trade<br />
within the large central cities of the state's<br />
major metropolitan areas."<br />
The report was based on an 18-month survey<br />
whose main purpose was to "examine the<br />
tax structure to determine the impact of<br />
various taxes on the creation of wealth with<br />
particular emphasis in the area of manufacturing<br />
where we are subject to competition<br />
from other states."<br />
The 20 members of the committee represented<br />
business, industry and finance, labor<br />
groups, and representatives of the Minnesota<br />
Ass'n of Cooperatives and the University of<br />
Minnesota.<br />
Doob COMPO Consultant<br />
On Business Campaign<br />
NEW YORK—Oscar A. Doob, advertisingpublicity<br />
veteran, has joined the Council<br />
of Motion Picture Organizations as a consultant<br />
on the over-all business building<br />
program now being organized. He will work<br />
with Robert W. Coyne, special counsel.<br />
Doob retired last year after many years<br />
with Loew's Theatres and more recently as<br />
an executive in the MGM advertising-publicity<br />
department.<br />
Sweepstakes<br />
As More Big<br />
Sweepstakes Voters<br />
Need Not See Films<br />
NEW YORK—The Academy Award Sweepstakes<br />
is mainly a guessing contest with theatre<br />
patrons trying to guess the choices of<br />
the experts rather than passing judgment on<br />
pictures and players he has seen, according<br />
to Robert W. Coyne, special counsel of the<br />
Council of Motion Picture Organizations.<br />
He issued the statement after Allied Theatre<br />
Owners of New Jersey expressed concern<br />
because it seemed certain that patrons of<br />
member theatres would be asked to vote on<br />
pictures and players they had not seen. Sid<br />
Stern, president, attributed the situation to<br />
the prevailing system of clearances.<br />
Coyne recalled similar contests conducted<br />
in Texas and Canada. He said they proved<br />
that "the average movie fan is eager to try<br />
his luck at picking the winners even though<br />
he has seen few if any of the pictures involved."<br />
"His selections are made in many cases,"<br />
Coyne said, "not on the pictures he has seen<br />
but on what he has read about them. His<br />
individual judgment is hkely to be outweighed<br />
by the comments of a movie critic or a movie<br />
columnist whose judgment he regards as<br />
better than his own. He is like a racing fan<br />
who will place a bet on a horse he has never<br />
seen run or a fight fan who will try to pick<br />
the winner of a championship fight without<br />
ever having seen the Inside of a fight arena.<br />
"It costs nothing for a movie patron to<br />
enter the contest in a participating theatre,<br />
and although the prizes offered by some exhibitors<br />
are a special inducement to many<br />
voters, exhibitors have found that many patrons<br />
will mark their ballots for no other<br />
reason than the personal satisfaction of<br />
matching their judgment against the majority<br />
vote of Academy members."<br />
Blevins Distributing Ballots<br />
For Popscar Awards<br />
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Ballots are being<br />
distributed to the theatres throughout the<br />
United States to name the winners of the<br />
little Popscar for 1956. Popscars are annually<br />
awarded to the actor, actress and to the producer<br />
of the picture selling the most popcorn<br />
in theatres during that year. The whole<br />
idea is to encourage production of pictures<br />
of the type that produce wholesome entertainment<br />
as well as popcorn sales.<br />
Awards will be made before a nationwide<br />
radio and television audience, according to<br />
announcement made by Jim Blevins, mayor<br />
of Popcorn Village and president of the<br />
Blevins Popcorn Co., sponsors of the annual<br />
Popscar Awards.<br />
Edwin C. Hill<br />
Dies<br />
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.-Edwin C. Hill,<br />
radio news commentator, died at a hospital<br />
Tuesday (12i at the age of 72. He also had<br />
been a director of Fox Movietonews and a<br />
scenario editor for 20th Century-Fox.<br />
Entries Rise<br />
Chains Join<br />
NEW YORK—Theatre entries in the<br />
Academy Award Sweepstakes rose to 2,000<br />
Thursday (14), according to Robert W. Coyne,<br />
special counsel of the Council of Motion<br />
Picture Organizations. The total at the<br />
previous weekend was just under 1,500.<br />
The latest were Loew's Theatres, with 105<br />
theatres and drive-ins; the Paramount Gulf<br />
circuit, with 38; Wometco of Florida, 32;<br />
Associated Theatres of California, ten; United<br />
Detroit, 16; Mid-Central of Kansas, eight;<br />
Durwood of Mi.ssouri, five; Roth Theatres of<br />
Maryland and Virginia, four, and individual<br />
houses in Madison, Ind.; Selma, N. C; Endicott,<br />
N. Y.; Wilbur, Wash.; Highland Park,<br />
Mich.; Bridgeport, Conn.; Middletown, N. Y.;<br />
Salisbury, N. C, and Maryville, Ohio.<br />
RECEIVE DICKINSON PLEDGE<br />
The Stewart-Everett and Stellings-Gossett<br />
circuits reported planned participation by all<br />
but their smallest theatres in North and<br />
South Carolina. Other pledges came from<br />
the Dickinson circuit of 29 theatres in Kansas<br />
and Missouri, Georgia Theatre Co. with<br />
44 and individual theatres in Chicago Heights,<br />
111., Maiden, Mass., Jamaica, L. I., Detroit,<br />
Stephens, Ark., and Lima, Niles and Warren,<br />
Ohio.<br />
Loew's out-of-town theatres will participate<br />
in all situations where competing exhibitors<br />
join in a cooperative effort. Hem-y<br />
G. Plitt, president, and Maurice Barr, vicepresident,<br />
of Paramount Gulf, told Coyne<br />
they will try to enlist all fellow exhibitors in<br />
the New Orleans exchange area.<br />
Independent Theatre Owners Ass'n of New<br />
York has endorsed the plan and appointed<br />
Edith Marshall as chairman of a coordinating<br />
committee. Cincinnati exhibitors met at<br />
the weekend to set up a campaign.<br />
The National Dairy Queen Development<br />
Co. of New York has advised its 3,000 state<br />
and district operators and local Dairy Queen<br />
store owners to cooperate.<br />
PROMOTION KITS READY<br />
Trailers and advertising kits are now in the<br />
exchanges of National Screen Service. They<br />
are in cartons and ready for shipment to<br />
exhibitors. Each contains one 40x60 rollboard<br />
display, one five-foot die cut standee<br />
with a self-supporting easel, one horizontal<br />
41x27 one-sheet for wall or table display, one<br />
knocked-down ballot box or entry blank container,<br />
one composite mat and one glossy<br />
proof of the official entry blank to be filled<br />
in locally with the names of nominees prior<br />
to the availability of the official entry blank.<br />
Other circuit entries included Schine, 116<br />
theatres; Commonwealth of Kansas City, 65;<br />
Jamestown Amusement Co. of New York, 46;<br />
Interstate of Boston, 34; Y&W Management<br />
of Indiana, 31; Saver Corp. of Trenton, N. J.,<br />
13; Richardson's of Virginia, eight; First National<br />
of Yakima, Wash., six. and Cumberland<br />
of Kentucky, six.<br />
The individual theatres included the Highland.<br />
Myrtle Point, Ore.; Roxy. Ramsey. 111.;<br />
McCleary. McCleary, Wash.; Biddle, Baltimore;<br />
State, Pittsfield, Mass.; Shores, St.<br />
Clair Shores, Mich.; Plaza, Burlington, Wis.;<br />
Strand and Liberty, Kalispel, Mont., and<br />
Valuskie, Buena Park, Calif.<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
:: February 16, 1957
'Pcd^ ^mU Majors Win in Drive-in<br />
MPAA to Talk Arbitration<br />
At February 26 Meeting<br />
Boaj-d scheduled to act then on exhibition's<br />
request for joint discussions; to take the<br />
position that any new system set up will<br />
avoid mention of film rentals and sales<br />
policies; Allied and TOA seen going along<br />
with exclusion of controversial clauses.<br />
•<br />
Final Details Being Worked<br />
Out on Production Code<br />
MPAA working committee headed by Kenneth<br />
Clark, vice-president, holding series of<br />
meetings on makeup of appeals board; reaffirm<br />
decision to include exhibitor and independent<br />
producer representation for the<br />
first time.<br />
•<br />
Wichita Theatre Granted<br />
SBA Remodeling Loan<br />
Small Business Administration approves a<br />
$5,000 modernization loan to Frank and Edna<br />
Salone of Wichita, Kas.; Its first loan of<br />
$3,750 w'as authorized to an Iowa theatre.<br />
•<br />
Business-Building Program<br />
Nears Early Completion<br />
Roger H. Lewis, chairman of MPAA advertising<br />
and publicity committee, brings<br />
members up to date at Friday (15) meeting;<br />
full report may reach MPAA and COMPO<br />
executives by midweek for final decision.<br />
•<br />
ABC-TV's Fast Growth Told<br />
Leaders in Business World<br />
Leonard Goldenson, president of<br />
American<br />
Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, says at<br />
seminar marking fourth anniversary of<br />
merger that the network is now in second<br />
place In fully sponsored evening time periods.<br />
•<br />
Disney Will Film 'Zorro'<br />
As ABC-TV Serial<br />
Network theorizes that cliffhanger serials,<br />
which helped build early day motion picture<br />
audiences, will be more effective in building<br />
large, permanent TV audiences than the episodic<br />
shows; "Zorro" production slated for<br />
spring and summer in Mexico.<br />
•<br />
RKO Reaches Impasse<br />
In Canadian Talks<br />
Daniel T. O'Shea, RKO president, halts discussion<br />
with Empire-Universal Films, Ltd.<br />
for distribution of RKO Radio Pictures product<br />
in Canada; no deal will be concluded<br />
with Empire; no talks with other distributors<br />
in progress.<br />
*<br />
Ralph M. Cohen Is Elected<br />
Member of Columbia Board<br />
Vice-president and general manager of<br />
Screen G«ms, TV subsidiary, named to succeed<br />
the late Jack Cohen, his father, at Hollywood<br />
meeting Wednesday (13); will continue<br />
to be active in TV production and distribution.<br />
Case; to Counter-Claim<br />
NEW YORK—The major distributors<br />
will<br />
be able to file a defense, or counter-claim, to<br />
the Maple Drive-In Theatre action for<br />
hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages<br />
on the theatre's claim of conspiracy in<br />
favor of conventional theatres in the Pittsburgh<br />
area. The case has been pending since<br />
1954.<br />
Recently, Louis Nizer of Phillips, Nizer,<br />
Benjamin & Krim, was retained as trial counsel<br />
and, after he said he discovered evidence<br />
in the files that the Maple Drive-In had<br />
conspired with the Blue Dell Drive-In and<br />
other drive-ins to divide the product of the<br />
major companies, he contended that this was<br />
a violation of the antitrust laws. Judge<br />
Thomas F. Murphy of the U. S. District Court<br />
for the Southern District of New York ruled<br />
February 11 in favor of the distributors' filing<br />
a counter-claim.<br />
Nizer's lengthy argument for the distributors<br />
claimed that the Maple, Blue Dell and<br />
other Pittsburgh drive-ins refused to negotiate<br />
for certain pictures of various distributors in<br />
consideration of the other drive-in theatres<br />
refusing to negotiate for other pictures of the<br />
same distributors. The distributors charged<br />
that this was a conspiracy "whereby each<br />
drive-in refused to negotiate or bid for a<br />
picture which belonged to the other drive-in<br />
theatre" and Nizer said that he wished to<br />
amend the answers of the distributors so as<br />
to set forth these facts as a complete defense<br />
to the action, as well as a counter-claim for<br />
triple damages.<br />
Robert Ruskin and Alvin Korngold, counsel<br />
for the plaintiff drive-in, contended that the<br />
amendment to the answers setting forth the<br />
defense and counter-claim should not be<br />
allowed because it was made at the last<br />
moment, when the case was close to trial,<br />
and the distributors "must have had knowledge<br />
of the facts for a long time." After Nizer<br />
stated that he had interviewed all branch<br />
managers in the Pittsburgh area to get the<br />
background and history of the facts, which<br />
"established definitely that there was an<br />
illegal conspiracy," Judge Murphy ruled that<br />
the distributors should be permitted to file<br />
their defense and counter-claims. Nizer will<br />
be permitted to conduct examinations before<br />
trial of the plaintiff's executives during the<br />
next three weeks.<br />
Louis J. Halper Dies;<br />
With Warner Theatres<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Services for Louis J. Halper,<br />
63, film industry leader and theatre executive<br />
for more than 30 years, were held<br />
Sunday (10). He died at his home Friday<br />
(81 morning. Halper was born in Cleveland,<br />
Ohio, and came to Los Angeles 33 years ago.<br />
He was associated with Warner Bros, studios<br />
in an executive capacity and later directed<br />
Warners' theatre circuit on the west coast.<br />
Halper is survived by his wife, Sadie, who<br />
is a sister of Harry M., Major Albert, Jack<br />
L. Warner and Mrs. Anna Robbins; a son,<br />
Samuel W. Halper; a daughter, Mrs. Evelyn<br />
Briskin; three grandchildren, Barry D. and<br />
Patricia L. Briskin and William B. Halper;<br />
a brother, D. Leonard Halper; and a sister,<br />
Mrs. Hatti Kamenetsky of Cincinnati.<br />
Allied Artists Sales Meet<br />
At Studio Feb. 19-22<br />
HOLLYWOOD—With Morey R.<br />
Goldstein,<br />
vice-president and general sales manager<br />
presiding, Allied Ai-tists will hold a four-day<br />
sales meeting at the studio beginning Monday<br />
(18). Sessions will include distribution<br />
and promotional plans for forthcoming product<br />
scheduled for release between March and<br />
November. Emphasis will be placed on<br />
"Love in the Afternoon," "Hunchback of<br />
Notre Dame," "Jeannie," "Dragoon Wells<br />
Massacre," "The Oklahoman," and AA's combination<br />
science-fiction package comprised<br />
of "Attack of the Crab Monsters" and "Not<br />
of This Earth."<br />
Studio brass scheduled to attend includes<br />
Steve Broidy, president; Harold Mirisch and<br />
G. Ralph Branton. vice-president; Walter<br />
Mirisch, executive producer; John C. Flinn,<br />
dii'ector of advertising and publicity; and<br />
Sanford Abrams, assistant director of advertising<br />
and publicity.<br />
In addition to Goldstein, visiting executives<br />
from New York are Edward Morey, vicepresident;<br />
Martin Davis, eastern advertising<br />
and publicity director; L. E. Goldhammer,<br />
eastern division sales manager; and Arthur<br />
Greenblatt, special sales representative.<br />
Other division sales managers who will attend<br />
are Harold Wirthwein, western; James<br />
Prichard, Dallas, southern; and Nat Nathanson,<br />
Chicago, midwest.<br />
Filmack Readies Catalog<br />
On Drive-In Promotion<br />
CHICAGO—Filmack Trailer Co. plans release<br />
in a week of its 1957 promotion catalog<br />
to all U. S. drive-ins. The 16-page booklet<br />
completely covers the field of drive-in<br />
merchandising and exploitation, according to<br />
Irving Mack, president.<br />
Mack said that among the ticket-selling<br />
ideas will be season-opening welcome trailers,<br />
holiday fireworks displays, institutional<br />
buildups, giveaways, refreshment promotions,<br />
anniversary suggestions, suggestions to young<br />
parents and the popular merchant's intermission<br />
clock trailer.<br />
There will also be material on stunts such<br />
as buck night, loaded car night, dusk-todawn<br />
shows, jalopy night, lucky license night,<br />
bumper strip night and many other gimmicks.<br />
Dismiss Last Defendants<br />
In Theatre Chain Suit<br />
NEW YORK—Columbia and United Artists<br />
have been dismissed as defendants in the<br />
$2,664,000 clearance suit of Associated Prudential<br />
Theatres against the major distributors.<br />
The action by Judge Archie O. Dawson<br />
in Federal District Court closed the entire<br />
case.<br />
Judge Dawson also dismissed an antitrust<br />
suit filed by Laskey Bros, of Uniontown, Pa.,<br />
operators of a Fairmont, W. Va., drive-in,<br />
against 20th Century-Fox, National Theatres,<br />
Wesco Theatres and Spyros P. Skouras for<br />
"lack of prosecution."<br />
I<br />
10 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
— '<br />
Hollywood Neglecting Big<br />
Musicals, Says Donen<br />
NEW YORK—Hollywood has neglected bigscale<br />
musicals of late because "good choreographers<br />
are as difficult to find as name stars,"<br />
according to Stanley Donen, who recently directed<br />
two musicals, "Funny Face" for Paramount<br />
and "Pajama Game" for Warner Bros.,<br />
both unreleased. Donen, a former choreographer,<br />
is under contract to MGM, for which<br />
he directed eight musicals over the past fewyears,<br />
including "It's Always Fair Weather,<br />
the most recent, and "Anchors Aweigh,"<br />
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game," "Deep in<br />
My Heart" and the widely-acclaimed "Seven<br />
Brides for Seven Brothers."<br />
Donen's MGM contract runs until October<br />
1957 (he made his last two pictures on loanout<br />
i, after which he will produce a film version<br />
of Pearl Buck's novel, "Imperial Woman,"<br />
to which he and Charles Schnee, MGM producer,<br />
have acquired the rights. This will be<br />
produced independently in 1958 and may be<br />
done as a straight drama. Donen wants to<br />
do a non-musical, he said. No distribution or<br />
financing deals have been set.<br />
Donen feels he owes a lot to MGM, which<br />
gave him his first chance at directing, in conjunction<br />
with Gene Kelly. Although "Funny<br />
Face" is an original story, but with a musical<br />
score by George and Ira Gershwin, Donen<br />
feels that the majority of musicals are based<br />
on stage hits or books. He also maintains<br />
that musicals could use more imagination<br />
too many have backstage locales. The good<br />
choreographers can be counted on the fingers<br />
of one hand, and most of these are rarely<br />
available. They include: Jerome Robbins,<br />
Michael Kidd, Eugene Loring and Bob Fosse,<br />
although the latter really wants to act, Donen<br />
said.<br />
Maureen O'Hara Ends<br />
Tour of Naval Bases<br />
NORFOLK, VA. — Maureen O'Hara on<br />
Thursday il4i completed a junket to four<br />
naval bases in connection with MGM's "The<br />
Wings of Eagles" in which she is starred.<br />
Newspaper and trade press writers from New<br />
York, Philadelphia, Washington, Richmond,<br />
Charlotte and Baltimore were flown here to<br />
make a one-day tour of the naval base with<br />
Miss O'Hara.<br />
Previously, the star appeared at similar<br />
naval functions in Long Beach, Calif.; Chicago<br />
and Pensacola. In each of the cities.<br />
MGM brought in writers and critics for special<br />
screenings of the picture at base theatres.<br />
Miss O'Hara was accompanied by Admu'al<br />
John David Price and Leslie Peterson of the<br />
MGM studios. Various social events were<br />
held in connection with the showings.<br />
Lt. Commander Art Weismann was in<br />
charge of activities on behalf of the Navy in<br />
Norfolk. MGM was represented, too, by Judson<br />
Moses, southern division field representative:<br />
Tom Baldridge, Washington press representative,<br />
and Bill Ornstein from the home<br />
office.<br />
Academy Considers 'Reef<br />
NEW YORK—The Academy of Motion<br />
Picture Arts and Sciences has accepted "Secrets<br />
of the Reef," color documentary being<br />
distributed by Continental Distributing, Inc.,<br />
for preliminary screening for nominations<br />
for an Academy Award in the full-length<br />
color-documentary field. The picture was<br />
made by Albert Butterfield near Florida.<br />
UA to Release 23 Films<br />
In<br />
Five-Month Period<br />
Canadian Branch Formed<br />
Of Telefilm Associates<br />
NEW YORK—NTA Telefilms (Canada'<br />
Ltd. has been formed by National Telefilm<br />
Associates. It is owned half and half by NTA<br />
and three Canadian motion picture executives.<br />
They are David Griesdorf, who is president<br />
and general manager: N. A. Taylor, who<br />
is vice-president, and H. S. Mandell, who i.'^<br />
secretary- treasurer.<br />
All three are senior executives of International<br />
Film Distributors, Ltd., and Allied<br />
Artists Pictui'es of Canada. Ltd. Taylor is<br />
also president of Twinex Century Corp., Ltd..<br />
which operates a large circuit under the<br />
trade name of 20th Century Theatres.<br />
NTA will be represented in the management<br />
through the appointment of three of<br />
the affiliate's six directors.<br />
The new- Canadian company will distribute<br />
NTA feature films, film series and<br />
short subjects to television stations under<br />
a long-term franchise. The product includes<br />
78 20th Century-Fox features which<br />
NTA calls its "galaxy group." British. French<br />
and Italian films will also be distributed.<br />
Oliver A. Unger, NTA executive vice-president,<br />
said the grow-ing TV industry north of<br />
the border merited investment of substantial<br />
capital. He called the deal "the first<br />
step in NTA's plans for worldwide distribution"<br />
and said it set a pattern.<br />
"Local franchises will be formed," he said,<br />
"and leading businessmen, experienced in<br />
our field or related fields, will join with us<br />
to serve as resident associates. NTA will retain<br />
an important stake in all these enterprises."<br />
Double Feature Chuckles<br />
Around the Globe<br />
PLEASANTVILLE, N. Y.—Readers<br />
from all parts of the world contribute<br />
amusing and unusual double feature<br />
titles appearing on marquees to editors<br />
of the Reader's Digest. In the February<br />
issue, the magazine publishes the following<br />
bonafide billings sent in by readers:<br />
In Edinburgh: "The Gentle Sergeant"<br />
— "The Unknown Man."<br />
In Fayetteville, Tenn.: "I Am a Camera"<br />
— "Over-exposed."<br />
In Houston: "Lady Godiva"— "Run<br />
for Cover."<br />
In Detroit: "Loan Shark"— "Everything<br />
I Have Is Yours."<br />
In Port Worth: "An American<br />
Paris"— "The Big Hangover."<br />
in<br />
In Los Angeles: "Trapeze"—"Emergency<br />
Hospital."<br />
In Hollywood: "The Seventh Veil"—<br />
"Great Expectations."<br />
In Los Angeles: "Go for Broke"—"Las<br />
Vegas Story."<br />
In Toronto: "Holiday Affair"— "Let's<br />
Make It Legal."<br />
NEW YORK—United Aitists will release a<br />
total of 23 new features during the fivemonth<br />
period from<br />
? March through July,<br />
including ten "block-<br />
busters," the largest<br />
*«-- ^ ^^ number of top pictures<br />
C- ^°'"<br />
'^^B<br />
"''fi company in a<br />
' A.^B1 five-month period,<br />
William J. Heineman,<br />
WilliamJ. Heineman<br />
v i<br />
c e-p resident in<br />
charge of distribution<br />
told the opening session<br />
of UA's threeday<br />
sales convention<br />
Thur.sday (14) at the<br />
Park Sheraton Hotel.<br />
LIST OF 'BLOCK-BUSTERS'<br />
The ten will include Stanley Kramer's "The<br />
Pride and the Passion" in VLstaVision. It<br />
will be pre-released in July to a number of<br />
key cities, and "Around the World in 80<br />
Days," Michael Todd's Todd-AO roadshow,<br />
will have an expanded program of new<br />
engagements during these months. The other<br />
eight big films are "Men in War," a Security<br />
Pictui-es production; Bryna Production's<br />
"Spring Reunion," starring Betty Hutton and<br />
Dana Andrews; Hecht-Hill-Lancaster's "The<br />
Bachelor Party," starring Don Murray;<br />
Orion-Novas' "12 Angry Men," starring Henry<br />
Fonda; "The Ride Back," an Associates and<br />
Aldrich Co. film, starring Anthony Quinn;<br />
Titanus Films' Technirama production of<br />
"The Monte Carlo Story," starring Marlene<br />
Dietrich and Vittorio de Sica; Otto Preminger's<br />
"Saint Joan," starring Richard Widmark<br />
with Jean Seberg in the title role; and<br />
Hecht-Hill-Lancaster's "Sweet Smell of Success,"<br />
Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis.<br />
Heineman told the district managers and<br />
sales officials from every territory that the<br />
company was in the strongest product position<br />
in its 38-year history. He was confident<br />
that 1957 w-ould be its greatest year.<br />
In speaking of the future, Heineman said<br />
that, "despite competition and changing markets,<br />
theatrical motion pictures still stand as<br />
the world's first line of entertainment. To<br />
sustain and strengthen the medium by distributing<br />
the best possible films will continue<br />
to be the first order of business at UA."<br />
The field executives were addressed by<br />
Ai'thur B. Krim, president; Robert S. Benjamin,<br />
board chairman; Max E. Youngstein,<br />
vice-president, and James R. Velde, general<br />
sales manager.<br />
HOME OFFICE EXECUTIVES<br />
Home office executives and department<br />
heads participating included Milton E. Cohen,<br />
eastern and southern division manager;<br />
Al Fitter, western division manager; L. J.<br />
Schlaifer, assistant to Velde; Roger H. Lewis,<br />
director of advertising, publicity and exploitation;<br />
Alfred H, Tamarin, assistant director;<br />
Mort Nathanson, publicity manager, and<br />
Joseph Gould, advertising manager.<br />
Field managers were Gene Tunick, eastern district;<br />
Sidney Cooper, central; George Pabst, southern; F.<br />
J. Lee, midwest; Ralph Clark, coast; Charles S.<br />
Chaplin, Canadian; Joseph Sugar, New York branch<br />
manager and Harry Goldmen, Chicago branch manager.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 11
RE-SELLING! ADS IN<br />
28 NATIONAL MAGAZINES ... A READERSHIffe<br />
WHO WAS THIS STRANGE<br />
CORY,<br />
THE MAN THAT NOBODY KNEW?<br />
:^<br />
What fascination<br />
drew women to his arms<br />
. . . despite themselves?<br />
What made men fight,<br />
or fear, or follow him?<br />
What was the secret he<br />
left buried in the shadows<br />
of Sangamon Street?<br />
V<br />
TONY CURTIS • MARTHA HYER<br />
CliiEMAScOp£ ^/S^T^^^oH^<br />
W^"^^:
)F 47.000.000. ..AIMED TO REACH EVERY POTENTIAL AUDIENCE<br />
CHARLES BICKFORD • KATHRYN GRANT<br />
with RUSS MORGAN Directed by BLAKE EDWARDS Screenplay by BLAKE EDWARDS Produced by ROBERT ARTHUR
—<br />
—<br />
Independent Exchanges<br />
To Get Some RKO Films<br />
NEW YORK—RKO has completed negotiations<br />
with Budd Rogers for the U. S. distribution<br />
of a number of RKO pictures<br />
through independent releasing organizations.<br />
These pictures were not included in the distribution<br />
deal set by RKO with Universal-<br />
International in January, according to Daniel<br />
T. O'Shea, president of RKO Radio Pictures.<br />
Negotiations were conducted by Edward L.<br />
Walton. RKO vice-president, with Rogers,<br />
formerly vice-president and general manager<br />
of Realart Pictures, who will supervise the<br />
operation in conjunction with Walter Branson.<br />
RKO vice-president in charge of worldwide<br />
sales, and Nat Levy and Herb Greenblatt,<br />
RKO sales executives. Promotion of the<br />
pictures also will be supervised by RKO<br />
department heads. Al Stern, worldwide publicity<br />
manager; Dave Cantor, exploitation<br />
manager, and Ben Grimm, advertising manager.<br />
All 32 of the major company exchange<br />
areas will be covered by the distribution<br />
deals and, in addition to the managers of<br />
the releasing fu'ms, 94 salesmen will be involved<br />
in the selling of the films. Many of<br />
these independent companies have already<br />
added former RKO employes to their staffs<br />
to handle the product.<br />
The distribution plan is expected to give<br />
"new life" to the films. RKO said, by providing<br />
a greater sell-off than could have been<br />
anticipated through the normal distribution<br />
channels of RKO's former setup. RKO also<br />
feels that new sales organizations, picking<br />
up the films, will offer a greater stimulant<br />
to the sale of the pictures.<br />
The independent releasing organizations<br />
which will handle the RKO product in the<br />
U. S. are, by territories:<br />
Albany and Buffalo—George Waldman, Waldman<br />
Enterprises, Buffalo; Atlanta and Jacksonville<br />
Chorles Simpson and William Richardson, Capitol<br />
Releasing Corp., Atlanta; Boston and New Haven<br />
Joseph E. Levine, Embassy Pictures Corp., Boston;<br />
Charlotte—^Robert F. Pinson, American-Astor Distributmg<br />
Corp., Charlotte; Chicago Max Roth and<br />
Charles Lindow, Linro, Inc., Chicago; Cincinnati and<br />
Indianapolis—Mrs. Selam Blochsleger, Jay Goldberg<br />
and Helen Bohn, Realart Pictures of Cincinnati;<br />
Dallas and Oklahoma City— Fred A. Meyers, Tower<br />
Pictures Co., Dallas; Denver and Salt Lake City<br />
Hal C. Fuller, Dimension Pictures, Salt Lake City;<br />
Des Moines and Omaha—William Feld, Realart Pictures<br />
of Iowa and Nebraska, Des Moines; Detroit<br />
Jack Zide, Allied Film Exchange, Detroit; Kansas<br />
City—^Robert Herrell, United Film Exchange, Kansas<br />
City; Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland—Newton<br />
P. Jacobs, Favorite Films of California,<br />
Los Angeles; Milwaukee—W. Benjamin,<br />
Screen Guild Production of Wisconsin, Milwaukee;<br />
Minneapolis—Donald Swartz, Independent Film Distributors,<br />
Minneapolis; New Orleans—Milton Dureau,<br />
Masterpiece Pictures, New Orleans; New York<br />
Sherman Krellberg and Richard Perry, Principal Film<br />
Exchange, New York City; Philadelphia and Washignton—Jock<br />
Harris, Screen Guild Productions of<br />
Philo., Philadelphia; Pittsburgh—Milton Brauman<br />
and Bert Steorn, Pittsburgh; St. Louis—George Phillips<br />
and Herman Gorelick, Realart Pictures of St.<br />
Louis, and Cleveland— Irwin Pollard, Imperial Pictures,<br />
Cleveland and Memphis, Fred A. Meyers, Colonial<br />
Pictures of Tennessee, Memphis.<br />
WB Promotes Egolf<br />
NEW YORK—Hans J.<br />
Egolf has been appointed<br />
Warner Bros.' supervisor for Belgium,<br />
Switzerland and Germany by Wolfe Cohen,<br />
president of Warner International. Egolf will<br />
make his headquarters in Zurich. He formerly<br />
was manager of Belgium and supervisor of<br />
Switzerland. Robert Gonze, office manager<br />
in Belgium, has been promoted to succeed<br />
Egolf as Belgian manager.<br />
'Stage Struck' Receives<br />
Special RKO Promotion<br />
NEW YORK — RKO has employed Dick<br />
Weaver, publicity man for stage shows and<br />
special film deals, to promote "Stage Struck,"<br />
starring Henry Fonda, Susan Strasberg and<br />
Joan Greenwood. It is now being shot on<br />
location and at the Production Center here.<br />
Weaver and his staff of five have opened<br />
the campaign. It will continue for 30 weeks<br />
up to the time of release of the picture.<br />
Weaver will be in full charge of all publicity<br />
and exploitation, but will maintain<br />
liaison with RKO publicity staffs here and<br />
on the coast on all matters of company policy.<br />
He said his campaign will have a fourfold<br />
purpose. It will aim for public acceptance<br />
of "Stage Struck" as a big picture, form<br />
a "hard core" of filmgoers prepared to see<br />
the picture prior to reviews, produce a "success<br />
formula" involving distributors, exhibitors,<br />
film salesmen and newspapermen, and<br />
establish a "flagship" picture carrying the<br />
RKO producing banner.<br />
One hundred newspaper critics and amusement<br />
editors in key cities will be invited to<br />
watch production here. The first group arrived<br />
Monday (11) from Boston. It included<br />
Elinor Hughes of the Boston Herald, Alta<br />
Maloney of the Boston Traveler, Peggy Doyle<br />
of the Boston American and Marjorie Adams<br />
of the Boston Globe. Telephone Interviews<br />
from the set will be arranged for critics<br />
who cannot make the trip.<br />
Weaver will also contact 30,000 drama<br />
groups in U. S. high schools, colleges and<br />
community theatres. Letters from those making<br />
the picture will be mailed them from<br />
time to time. They will receive a special<br />
thi'ee-scene script for their own use.<br />
William Dozier, RKO vice-president in<br />
charge of production, arranged the deal with<br />
Weaver.<br />
Fae Miske Buys Rights<br />
To Burstyn Properties<br />
NEW YORK—Fae R. Miske, associated<br />
with Joseph Burstyn for many years, has<br />
bought all the rights to the Burstyn properties<br />
from his estate and will continue in business<br />
under the name of Joseph Burstyn, Inc.<br />
She has been operating head of the company<br />
since Burstyn's death three years ago.<br />
Miss Miske has taken over some 20 films,<br />
including "Open City," "Bicycle Thief,"<br />
"Paisan," "Miracle in Milan," "Justice Is<br />
Done," "The Quiet One" and "Little Fugitive."<br />
All are in active distribution. Her acquisitions<br />
include theatrical, non-theatrical<br />
and television rights. Some cover Canadian<br />
as well as U. S. distribution rights and some<br />
worldwide rights.<br />
She also has several new films. One is the<br />
Greek import, "Stella," starring Melina Mercouri,<br />
which has been booked for exhibition<br />
here. Another is "Portraits of Shame," a<br />
Japanese trilogy featuring the Bungaku Za<br />
Repertory Theatre, to be shown here in September.<br />
RKO Starts Disposing<br />
Exchange Properties<br />
NEW YORK—RKO has just begun the job<br />
of physical disposal of its exchanges. There<br />
are leases to be taken care of and there is<br />
office and projection room equipment to be<br />
sold. The job is complicated for a number<br />
of reasons. One is that this is the first<br />
time in the history of the industry that a<br />
30-city system of exchanges has gone into the<br />
discard. RKO executives have no pattern<br />
to follow.<br />
Right now, office and projection room<br />
equipment is being inventoried and a study<br />
of leases has begun. One exception is New<br />
York. Here Bonded Film Storage has solved<br />
one problem by taking over the space and<br />
equipment.<br />
Firms in the business of purchasing office<br />
equipment in the bulk have begun bidding or<br />
sounding out RKO as to what it has to offer.<br />
The company expects to receive queries from<br />
other motion picture companies which are<br />
talking expansion of field activities. Among<br />
them are Allied Artists, Distributors Corp. of<br />
America and the U. S. distribution unit of<br />
J. Arthur Rank of Britain. In fact, RKO<br />
believes that some guarded queries already<br />
received have come from those sources.<br />
Some key city setups are, of course, more<br />
elaborate than others and may turn out to<br />
pose special problems. Among the cities<br />
having regular two-story exchange buildings<br />
leased by RKO are Boston, Pittsburgh, Charlotte<br />
and Atlanta. They were especially<br />
built for the purposes they have been serving,<br />
with large film vaults and loading platforms.<br />
The disposition of leases will call for considerable<br />
study. Where they are of short<br />
duration—say, those expiring this year—they<br />
may be allowed to run their course. Where<br />
they have a longer time to go, RKO will try<br />
to find good tenants to take over the leases.<br />
The company is hopeful, too, that some landlords<br />
will be glad to take back short-term<br />
leases in the expectation of signing up longterm<br />
renters.<br />
One lease has five years to run, give or<br />
take a month or two. That lease was signed<br />
only two weeks before RKO decided to give<br />
up distribution in the U. S. The indication,<br />
of course, is that RKO's decision was a sudden<br />
one.<br />
What estimate does RKO put on its exchange<br />
holdings? The executives won't<br />
hazard a guess. They say they are "just<br />
feeling our way at the moment." Later on<br />
they'll have a pretty good idea.<br />
"Oklahoma!" Regular Run<br />
In London Opens March 11<br />
NEW YORK—"Oklahoma!" will start a<br />
regular run in London March 11 with extended<br />
playing time in most of the theatres<br />
booking it, according to Walter Branson, RKO<br />
vice-president in charge of worldwide distribution.<br />
Following a 20-week European engagement<br />
in the West End—eight weeks at the Odeon,<br />
Leicester Square, and 12 weeks at the Odeon,<br />
Marble Arch— it has been playing at 21 key<br />
provincial theatres, many of them using the<br />
extended playing plan.<br />
RKO exploiteers have been busy for 16<br />
weeks backing up the provincial dates, placing<br />
photos and serializations of the story in<br />
newspapers and using television, radio, records<br />
and sheet music to promote the music.<br />
14 BOXOFFICE :: February 16. 1957
Ha^/e you e^er seen svet<br />
^^HOLPiNG POW£R
Theatres m Ky. and W. Va.<br />
Are Hard Hit by Flood<br />
CINCINNATI—Many Kentucky and West<br />
Vii-ginia theatremen this week- were cleaning<br />
mud and debris from their theatres in<br />
the wake of the. disastrous floods of the Big<br />
Sandy and Kentucky rivers, "th^ ' waters<br />
receded rapidly, but the job of cleaning up<br />
the mud remained.<br />
Many theatres in the area had resumed<br />
operations by midweek, but the fact that<br />
hundreds of homes and business establishments<br />
were hard hit by the flood waters was<br />
expected to have its effect on theatre attendance.<br />
Worst flood damage thus far reported in<br />
the theatre industry was at the Auburn<br />
Drive-In, Cumberland, Ky., owned by O. G.<br />
Roaden, who said it would take about $30,000<br />
to put the house back into operation.<br />
The Lycinda Drive-In, Fusonia, Ky., for<br />
which Floyd Morrow of Louisville does the<br />
booking and buying, was damaged greatly. At<br />
least 100 speakers were lost. The Lycinda<br />
had been operating during the winter, but<br />
it is not now known when it will be reopened.<br />
The town of Hazard, Ky., was almost entirely<br />
under water, and the Family and Virginia<br />
theatres, owned by L. O. Davis, have<br />
not yet reopened, but are expected to within<br />
a few weeks. Ii-onically, the Virginia Theatre<br />
marquee advertised "Away All Boats"<br />
when the flood crest reached the bottom<br />
of the mai-quee. The Grandvue Drive-In at<br />
Hazard, owned by Eugene Combs, was<br />
flooded and Davis' Neon Theatre, Neon, Ky.,<br />
also was affected by the floods.<br />
The Weddington Theatre, Pikeville, Ky.,<br />
was under ten feet of water. This house is<br />
owned by Joseph and Sam Isaacs, whose<br />
Corlee Theatre, Cumberland, also was in<br />
the flood water.<br />
The Martin Theatre, Martin, Ky., built<br />
with an entrance to the balcony, was able to<br />
continue to operate as patrons came to the<br />
theatre in boats. The Martin is owned by<br />
Lawrence Keathley.<br />
The Corbin, Ky., Hippodrome, owned by<br />
L. Merenbloom, was not flooded, but the<br />
roads were and it was necessary to deliver<br />
the film by boat.<br />
In Barbourville, Ky., the Knox Drive-In<br />
and Mitchell Theatre, owned by Paul T.<br />
Mitchell, were affected. Tlie Strand, Prestonburg,<br />
Ky., owned by Lawrence Keathley,<br />
and the Abigail Theatre, owned by H. T.<br />
Allen, were in the flood water, but have now<br />
reopened.<br />
In West Virginia, the Matewan Theatre,<br />
Matewan, owned by Fi'ank Allara has not<br />
been reopened, but is expected to open soon.<br />
The Guyan Theatre, Logan, W. Va., owned by<br />
the Nebold-Keesling circuit, was affected,<br />
but has reopened. Also reopened are the<br />
theatres in Williamson, W. Va. The Cinderella<br />
Theatre here is owned by Louis and<br />
Mannie Shor and Hyman Banks. Williamson<br />
was under ten feet of water during the<br />
flood.<br />
TOA Asks Data on Foreign<br />
Films for New Directory<br />
NEW YORK—Theatre Owners of America<br />
has asked all distributors of foreign films to<br />
supply by the weekend exact information<br />
about their product for inclusion in a special<br />
monthly directory TOA will send its members.<br />
The first mailing is set for late in this month.<br />
The data sought follows : Picture title, name<br />
of stars, running time, black-and-white or<br />
color, type of entertainment, language, title<br />
or dubbed, year originally released. Legion of<br />
Decency rating and production code seal.<br />
A list of company exchanges and sub-distributors<br />
with addresses was also requested.<br />
Ernest G. Stellings, president, mailed the<br />
request. He noted that the recent TOA convention<br />
and foreign film fair had proved of<br />
great interest to exhibitors, but that no single<br />
source of information existed for exhibitors<br />
who want data on available foreign and independent<br />
product.<br />
Promoting Plan With Brokerage Firms<br />
To Use Theatres During Idle Hours<br />
SEATTLE—Joe Daniels, veteran Seattle<br />
booking agent with a business extending over<br />
the coast and mountain states, is promoting<br />
a plan under which the nation's motion picture<br />
theatres would be converted during idle<br />
morning hours into stock brokers' board<br />
rooms. Persons interested in following stock<br />
market reports would pay a small admission,<br />
probably 50 cents, to watch the projected<br />
tapes of the New York Stock Exchange, the<br />
American Stock Exchange, and the Dow<br />
Jones Service.<br />
Brokerage houses would be encouraged to<br />
set up branch offices in the same theatres<br />
to handle purchases by direct telephone with<br />
main offices. Daniels has sent literature to<br />
1,850 corporations and 600 brokerage offices<br />
in the U. S. and is preparing a fuller<br />
exposition of his plan to be sent to 200<br />
financial editors and writers.<br />
Locally, he is negotiating for the use of<br />
the Music Box Theatre and he is also negotiating<br />
for houses elsewhere in Washington<br />
and Oregon. He would operate Washington<br />
and Oregon houses personally and would<br />
sell copyright on his idea to other operators<br />
to whatever extent such a copyright is<br />
salable. The copyright has been applied for.<br />
Daniels plans to publish a full-page ad in<br />
Seattle newspapers February 25 to announce<br />
the "Grand Opening, Wednesday, February<br />
27th" at the Music Box Theatre of "The<br />
Stock Market Theatre." Hours would be from<br />
6:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.<br />
Neva Patterson Is Signed<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Neva Patterson has been<br />
signed by 20th-Fox for featured roles in both<br />
"The Desk Set" and "An Affair- to Remember."<br />
Edward W. Lider Asks<br />
Ban of 'Delinquents'<br />
BOSTON—A second trade screening of<br />
"The Delinquents," United Artists release,<br />
was scheduled by Independent Exhibitors,<br />
Inc., of New England and the New England<br />
Drive-In Ass'n, following receipt of a telegram<br />
from Max Youngstein, UA vice-president,<br />
advising Edward W. Lider, president<br />
of both New England groups, that UA will<br />
go ahead with release plans for the picture.<br />
Lider earlier had sent a wire to Arthur B.<br />
Krim, United Ai-tists president, requesting<br />
that the Imperial Productions film be withdrawn<br />
from release. Lider, admitting that<br />
he had not seen the picture and was basing<br />
his objections on trade screening reports, declared<br />
that the film "has many objectionable<br />
scenes; particularly one scene, in which violence<br />
and vandalism at a drive-in theatre<br />
is shown."<br />
Decision for a second screening this week<br />
of "The Delinquents" was reached at a Tuesday<br />
morning (12> meeting of the drive-in<br />
association board and an afternoon meeting<br />
the same day of lENE members. Lider, circuit<br />
heads and drive-in theatre operators<br />
who had not viewed the first screening were<br />
to attend the second showing.<br />
The text of the wire from Youngstein to<br />
Lider: "Your wire re 'The Delinquents' has<br />
been turned over to me. This picture was<br />
produced by Elmer Rhoden jr., an exhibitor<br />
and operator of a most important circuit of<br />
regular theatres as well as 35 drive-ins. This<br />
picture also has the approval of Elmer<br />
Rhoden sr., president of National Theatres.<br />
"This picture also has a Motion Picture<br />
Ass'n Code Seal as well as an acceptable<br />
rating by the Legion of Decency. I spoke<br />
to Rhoden. He wants you to communicate<br />
directly with him at Imperial Productions,<br />
Kansas City, Mo. We are, of course, proceeding<br />
with the release of the picture."<br />
Elmer Rhoden Jr. Comments<br />
On Lider Film Protest<br />
KANSAS CITY—Elmer C. Rhoden jr., advised<br />
of Lider's request for the withdrawal<br />
of "The Delinquents," expressed regret that<br />
the lENE president had taken such action<br />
without personally viewing the film. Rhoden<br />
added that he intended to show the picture<br />
in all drive-in situations of the Commonwealth<br />
circuit, of which he is president.<br />
"While I will admit that 'The Delinquents'<br />
is probably extremely brutal," Rhoden said,<br />
"it must be remembered that this is an exploitation<br />
picture, the type people are paying<br />
to see today.<br />
"I am surprised that Mr. Lider would make<br />
such a statement without seeing the picture.<br />
It is very seldom that a true showman can<br />
book a picture he can go out and exploit,<br />
without it being, to the audience, a nambypamby<br />
picture. If theatres are to exist today<br />
they must have programs which cannot be<br />
seen on television. Evidently everything<br />
Mr. Lider wishes in a picture can be seen<br />
by any of his patrons free today on TV."<br />
"As for my own theatre company," Rhoden<br />
continued, "it will play and properly exploit<br />
this picture to get the most from the boxoffice<br />
dollar. We have 35 drive-ins, including<br />
two of over 1,000-car capacity and on<br />
down to 200 and 300-car drive-ins in small<br />
towns. I don't expect any opposition from<br />
my independent drive-in friends in the Kansas-Missouri<br />
teiTitory."<br />
IG BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
.<br />
HOW FAR ON DIVERSIFICATION?<br />
Film Company Investments Outside<br />
Industry Bring a Big Question<br />
By SUMNER SMITH<br />
NEW YORK—Just how far are motion picture<br />
companies going in the direction of diversification?<br />
The question is a pertinent one at this<br />
time because of the news that Paramount<br />
has acquired Dot Records, which did $6,000,000<br />
in sales in 1956, and because of rumors that<br />
other companies are seeking additional sound<br />
investments outside the industry.<br />
Perhaps the question can be answered fairly<br />
accurately by mid-year. Right now, the onlooker<br />
has to form his own opinion from the<br />
data at hand.<br />
Has any particular pattern emerged as the<br />
result of acquisitions already signed, sealed<br />
and delivered? One, of course, has to do<br />
with entry in a serious way into the production<br />
of entertainment and commercials for<br />
television. That's clearly evident.<br />
HOT RECORD COMPETITION<br />
Then there's a trend rather than a pattern<br />
because any further expansion can run into<br />
road blocks. That concerns the record industry.<br />
There's some hot competition on between<br />
motion picture companies. And companies<br />
not directly in the motion picture field.<br />
Paramount, with Dot Records, is, of course,<br />
the newcomer. Already in the field are Loew's<br />
with MGM Records, Am-Par Records, a subsidiary<br />
of American Broadcasting-Paramount<br />
Theatres, and Decca Records, which is also<br />
in the motion picture business through its<br />
80 per cent interest in Universal-International.<br />
RKO Unique right now is waxing<br />
"Romance Is a Silken Affair" from the film<br />
of that name for February release. All of<br />
them have the same idea. Songs in a motion<br />
picture sell the record and then the<br />
record sells the picture.<br />
Are roadblocks making further expansion<br />
in the field unlikely? There are three additional<br />
and powerful ones—Radio Corp. of<br />
America, Columbia Broadcasting System and<br />
Capitol Records, owned by Broadcast Music<br />
Industries, a British electronic company.<br />
They aren't for sale.<br />
Motion picture companies are also active<br />
in the sheet music field. There is Paramount<br />
with the Famous Music Co. and Paramount-<br />
Roy Rogers Music Co., Loew's Big Three<br />
Music Co. and Warner Bros.' Music Publishers<br />
Holding Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary<br />
controlling some 50,000 copyrights.<br />
ALSO LANDLORD BUSINESS<br />
Records and sheet music are only two examples<br />
of diversification. There is the landlord<br />
business. Paramount owns and rents out<br />
a large part of the Paramount building on<br />
Broadway and Columbia has some outstanding<br />
Fifth Avenue tenants for its new home.<br />
Then there is National Theatres which is<br />
constructing and leasing store buildings and<br />
auto parks on hitherto unproductive properties.<br />
Government contract.s make the electronic,<br />
aeronautical and nucleonic fields lucrative<br />
ones. There we find AB-PT with a 25 per<br />
cent interest, lately acquired, in the Wind<br />
Tunnel Instrument Co. of Boston. It already<br />
had a one-third interest in Microwave Associates<br />
of Boston and a 22 per cent interest<br />
in Technical Operations of Arlington, Mass.<br />
Incidentally, Western Union acquired the<br />
same amount of interest in each of three at<br />
the same time AB-PT bought in.<br />
Paramount claims a $10,000,000 investment<br />
in outside interests. There is its interest in<br />
DuMont Laboratories, in International Telemeter,<br />
an electronics concern which has a<br />
toll TV device, and Chromatic Television<br />
Laboratories with its Lawrence single -tube<br />
gun for color TV which DuMont is now manufacturing.<br />
The ABC division of AB-PT is in the radio-<br />
TV broadcasting industry. Loew's has station<br />
WMGM, Paramount has station KTLA in<br />
Hollywood and, through its Canadian affiliate,<br />
TV stations at Kitchener and Quebec.<br />
Twentieth Century-Fox, besides its TV production<br />
interests, has a 50 per cent interest<br />
in the NTA Film Network.<br />
Stanley Warner is offering the public<br />
girdles, brassieres and antiseptics through<br />
International Latex, AB-PT has a 35 per<br />
cent interest in Disneyland Park, 20th-Fox<br />
has De Luxe Laboratories and oil wells. Republic<br />
has Consolidated Laboratories and the<br />
Consolidated Molded Products Corp., which<br />
is in the plastic molding business, and Walt<br />
Disney Productions.<br />
Disney's projects could furnish material<br />
for an entire volume. There are wholly<br />
owned subsidiaries which market and exploit<br />
names, characters, music and other values<br />
growing out of theatrical films, TV shows and<br />
Disneyland, in which the producing company<br />
owns 35 per cent. It licenses manufacturers<br />
to produce Disney merchandise and issue<br />
publications. It has its own phonograph<br />
record label and Disneyland Records. After<br />
films have shown in theatres or on TV, it<br />
rents 16mm prints of some of them for<br />
limited use to non-theatrical users.<br />
There you ai'e. Probably some projects have<br />
been missed. What does it all add up to?<br />
What are the patterns and the trends, if<br />
any? You be the doctor.<br />
'Mom and Dad' Show Hit<br />
Over Sale of Booklets<br />
NEW YORK—The New York City Department<br />
of Licenses Monday ill) ordered the<br />
Central Theatre in Manhattan and the<br />
Strand in Brooklyn to close for a week for<br />
violation of their licenses to present only<br />
motion pictures. Both have been showing<br />
"Mom and Dad" and "She Shoulda Said No."<br />
The action was based on the sale of booklets<br />
on sex education dm'ing the show.<br />
Ephraim S. London, attorney, representing<br />
Fabian Enterprises, operator of the Strand,<br />
and GMM Theatrical Pi'oductions, operator<br />
of the Central, immediately obtained an injunction<br />
in Supreme Court to restrain Bernard<br />
J. O'Donnell. license commissioner, from<br />
suspending the licenses. It was returnable<br />
later in the week.<br />
Kroger Babb, producer of "Mom and Dad."<br />
called the commissioner's action "vindictive<br />
and punitive." Maurice Maurer, manager of<br />
the Central, said application would be filed<br />
for a theatrical license which covers both<br />
live and motion picture shows.<br />
'Battle Hymn' Opening<br />
At 3 Marietta Houses<br />
MARIETTA, OHIO — Universal-International's<br />
"Battle Hymn," Cinemascope film<br />
based on the exploits of Col. Dean E. Hess<br />
in World War II, opened at the Colony, Putnam<br />
and Ohio theatres Thursday (14), after<br />
almost three months of advance preparation.<br />
Marietta is the home town of Col. Hess and<br />
the opening was part of a two-day statewide<br />
tribute to him on his homecoming.<br />
Governors of two states, Hollywood stars and<br />
at least 14 marching bands took part in the<br />
parade celebrating the world premiere of<br />
"Battle Hymn." Gov. Cecil H. Underwood of<br />
West Virginia and Gov. C. William O'Neill of<br />
Ohio, both former Marietta College faculty<br />
members spoke briefly. Also on hand were<br />
Rock Hudson, Dan Duryea, Jock Mahoney<br />
and Ingrid Goude, featured player in the<br />
picture, and Ross Hunter, producer, as well<br />
as Dr. You Chan Yang, Korean ambassador<br />
to the U. S., and Maj. Gen. Roger Browne,<br />
commander of the First Air Force. Hudson,<br />
who portrays Col. Hess in "Battle Hymn,"<br />
was presented a Doctor of Arts degi-ee at<br />
Marietta College's annual Founders Day<br />
Thursday.<br />
The National Broadcasting Co. network<br />
program, "Monitor," and the Columbia<br />
Broadcasting System's "The Personal Angle"<br />
recorded highlights of the two-day celebration<br />
for broadcasting the February 16 weekend.<br />
New York City scheduled a two-day celebration<br />
for the opening of "Battle Hymn" at<br />
the Capitol Theatre Friday (15 1, to include<br />
lobby appearances of Rock Hudson on opening<br />
day and USAF's MARS special communication<br />
equipment, permitting gratis messages<br />
to service men in any part of the world<br />
from patrons of the Capitol, Friday, Saturday<br />
and Sunday (15, 16, 17). Barbara Atkins,<br />
selected as "The Sweetheart of the Air Force,"<br />
also was to be on hand at the Capitol.<br />
British Academy Selects<br />
'Gervaise' 1956 Top Film<br />
LONDON — "Gervaise," the F'rench-made<br />
film, has been selected by the British Film<br />
Academy as the best picture in 1956, it was<br />
announced here early this week. Starring<br />
Maria Schell and directed by Rene Clement,<br />
the film has not yet been released in the<br />
U. S.<br />
Other winners included Anna Magnani as<br />
the yeai''s best actress in "The Rose Tattoo"<br />
(WB), for which Miss Magnani won last<br />
year's Academy Award in Hollywood; Eli<br />
Wallach as the most promising newcomer to<br />
movies for his role in "Baby Doll" (WB) and<br />
"Gerald McBoing-Boing on Planet Moo" (Col)<br />
as the year's best animated film. Americanmade<br />
"On the Bowery" (Lionel Rogosin) received<br />
an award as the year's best documentary<br />
film.<br />
Nigel Balchin received the award for the<br />
best British screenplay for "The Man Who<br />
Never Was." (20th-Fox), starring Chfton<br />
Webb and Gloria Grahame.<br />
Kathryn Grant<br />
on Tour<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Kathryn Grant went to<br />
San Francisco to participate in the promotion<br />
for U-I's "Mister Cory." She also was<br />
scheduled to visit Boston, Detroit and Chicago<br />
for openings in those cities.<br />
18 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
—<br />
Asks Standardization<br />
Of Small Sprockets<br />
NEW YORK— Standardization of prints so<br />
that all will have small sprocket holes is<br />
the goal of the Motion Picture Research<br />
Council, Eastern Section, The proposal now<br />
is being prepared and will be submitted to<br />
the West Coast Section of the Council late<br />
this month. If all companies adopt the small<br />
sprocket prints, it will be necessary for every<br />
theatre to install small sprockets on its<br />
projectors.<br />
The cost, it is reported, will be between<br />
$75 and $100, but it will enable theatres to<br />
play product produced with any type of<br />
sound tracks, up to six-track magnetic.<br />
At the recent Allied drive-in convention<br />
in Cincinnati, Hugh McLachlan, chairman<br />
of the Allied equipment committee, warned<br />
that exhibitors who have not installed small<br />
sprockets are likely "to get caught in the<br />
rush." He revealed that two companies, MGM<br />
and 20th Century-Fox, were starting to make<br />
only small sprocket prints, the first being<br />
20th-Fox's "The True Story of Jesse James,"<br />
.'tarring Robert Wagner and Jeffrey Hunter.<br />
Of 17,591 theatres, McLachlan told the<br />
convention, only 15 per cent have installed<br />
the small sprockets.<br />
WB Appoints Dick Lederer<br />
Assistant Ad Manager<br />
NEW YORK—Dick Lederer,<br />
ad copy chief for seven<br />
years, has been promoted<br />
to the post of<br />
assistant advertising<br />
manager to Gil Golden,<br />
it is announced by<br />
Robert S. Taplinger,<br />
vice-president and director<br />
of advertising<br />
and public relations.<br />
Lederer will assist<br />
advertising manager<br />
Golden on all ad ac-<br />
including<br />
Warner Bros,<br />
tivities,<br />
Dick Lederer<br />
magazine, newspaper,<br />
poster, radio-television and tradepaper advertising.<br />
Geo. Roscoe Named TOA<br />
Field Representative<br />
CHARLOTTE, N. C—George Roscoe of this<br />
city has been appointed field representative<br />
of Theatre Owners of<br />
America by Ernest G.<br />
Stellings, president. He<br />
will assume his duties<br />
Monday (18), maintaining<br />
close liaison<br />
with state and regional<br />
units. He is a native<br />
of Indiana and settled<br />
in South Carolina as<br />
a youth.<br />
Roscoe joined the industry<br />
in 1920. He has<br />
been employed by Columbia<br />
for 23 years as<br />
salesman in the local area, then branch manager<br />
here for seven years and for the last<br />
eiglit years as branch manager in the Atlanta<br />
territory. Before joining Columbia he was<br />
with National Theatre Supply and the Alexander<br />
Film Co.<br />
Memoriam<br />
In<br />
JN THE February 2<br />
BETWEEN THE LINES<br />
issue of Editor & Publisher,<br />
Columnist Ray Erwin wrote:<br />
"Death of a newspaper is a tragedy, personal<br />
and profound, which haunts crew<br />
members of the sunken ship with poignant<br />
sorrow and lingering nostalgia until their<br />
own dying day.<br />
"There are veteran newsmen still working<br />
in the craft who have suffered as many<br />
as three or four such bitter bereavements.<br />
I have undergone the throes of two newspaper<br />
funerals amid sweat and swearing.<br />
"With heavy heart and hot tears, I had<br />
to slay the child of my own creation.<br />
News world, a weekly newspaper in the old<br />
hometown. North Wilkesboro, N. C, a war<br />
casualty. I shall never forget the black<br />
misery of the final banner line: 'Newsworld<br />
Goes to War."<br />
"Then there was the awful day the Sun<br />
went down—Jan. 4, 1950, when the 117-<br />
year-old New York Sun shone and sank<br />
to rise no more. Sunmen, inheritors of a<br />
great tradition, brave and bold, became<br />
within one shellshocking hour bewildered<br />
boys with out home or purpose.<br />
"Syndicated columnist Robert C. Ruark,<br />
deep in the African bush when he learned<br />
of the deaths of Collier's and other magazines,<br />
wrote: 'A paper or magazine has a<br />
personality that is not to be found in ordinary<br />
business ventures. It has heart, personality,<br />
nostalgic reputation—things that<br />
you feel as deeply as if some person you<br />
loved has died.'<br />
"All of us can help see to it that newspapers<br />
which have passed on to celestial<br />
circulation did not die in vain if we do<br />
everything in our power to give such<br />
strength and health to current newspapers<br />
that they will go on living and serving<br />
indefinitely. Let's make every cooperative<br />
effort and sacrifice to keep all segments of<br />
the press among the quick."<br />
Now let's re-read the above. If you are<br />
a distributor, substitute the word "theatre"<br />
wherever the word "newspaper" or "press"<br />
is used. And if you are an exhibitor, substitute<br />
the word "distributor" for the word<br />
"newspaper" or "press."<br />
'Nuff<br />
said.<br />
Another Fable<br />
QNCE upon a time there was an exhibitor<br />
who out-bid all his competitors for<br />
a picture which, he was sure, was just the<br />
kind of entertainment his customers would<br />
like. After booking it, he began looking<br />
over travel folders because he was quite<br />
confident the receipts would be big enough<br />
so he could afford a cruise.<br />
"Shall we get up a street ballyhoo of<br />
some kind?" asked his manager.<br />
"Why should we?" said the exhibitor.<br />
By AL STEEr^<br />
"All we'll need on the street is an extra<br />
force of traffic cops."<br />
"How about a contest?" the manager<br />
suggested.<br />
"Contest, flontest, plontest—who needs<br />
it?" cried the owner.<br />
"Then let's take some extra newspaper<br />
advertising," offered the manager.<br />
"This picture will advertise itself," the<br />
exhibitor replied.<br />
"All right. I'll just order a trailer then.<br />
That always brings 'em in," said the manager.<br />
"This picture doesn't need a trailer," the<br />
owner responded.<br />
On the night that the picture opened,<br />
the sole patron was arrested for vagrancy.<br />
As he was being led out of the theatre,<br />
he glared at the owoier and mumbled,<br />
"That was a swell picture but why did you<br />
keep it a secret? I went in just to get out<br />
of the rain."<br />
MORAL: The only establishment that<br />
makes money without advertising is the<br />
United States Mint,<br />
Pickups from the Papers<br />
pROM The Wall Street Journal:<br />
A quickie motion pictme producer of<br />
Hollywood once tried a different approach<br />
on an actor who asked for a contract before<br />
starting work in a new movie.<br />
"Why do you want a contract?" asked<br />
the mogul. "You have my word and I have<br />
yours. That should be enough for both of<br />
us."<br />
"It's enough for us, " replied the actor,<br />
who was no newcomer to Hollywood, "but<br />
what will we have to show the judge?"<br />
Prom Leonard Lyons in the N. Y. Post:<br />
Dimitri Tiomkin has the most famed accent<br />
in Hollywood. And his mangled English<br />
makes him most popular at dinner<br />
parties. The Academy Award-winning<br />
composer boasted that Sam Goldwyn constantly<br />
seeks his company. "The explanation<br />
is simple." Tiomkin was told, "Goldwyn<br />
enjoys listening to you, because when<br />
he hears you talk he feels as if he'd gone<br />
to Oxford."<br />
Fiom Irving Mack's "Inspiration":<br />
TV Announcer: "We have just received<br />
a bulletin of a catastrophe, the like of<br />
which has never been known to mankind<br />
but first,<br />
a word from our sponsor."<br />
Schlanger in Port Post<br />
NEW YORK—Ted Schlanger, Stanley<br />
Warner Philadelphia zone manager, has been<br />
named commissioner of the Delaware River<br />
Port Authority by Governor Leader. The<br />
appointment was later confirmed by the<br />
Pennsylvania State Senate.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 19
.<br />
«<br />
THIS IS<br />
WHAT<br />
THEY'RE ASKING FOR!<br />
SCoRfl"*^<br />
'^<br />
fed I'i^<br />
r.ncnoa.. - "^ .<br />
^,e ma* ' ,<br />
,„, c"":- .<br />
„ ,„ sma"^' ^''"i color tV the toe«<br />
oul mof? p*''^„;,«;i°"^ ^"° 7cii as op<br />
co>°' ^°"«,cens 35 w« there '5<br />
00 *'^*"'<br />
b'!"'' "when 'h='-« ".".hat ^Oth-J^";<br />
^'<br />
•>|l«<br />
v.'as<br />
(Continues<br />
,<br />
PaRe<br />
Color by<br />
V<br />
TECHNICOLOR®<br />
X<br />
IS<br />
THE ANSWER!<br />
Anc/ now. . .
.<br />
—<br />
TECHNIRAMA, the spectacular new large-screen color motion picture<br />
product developed by TECHNICOLOR" is now ready to excite<br />
theater audiences the world over.<br />
TECHNICOLOR Corporation proudly announces that TECHNIRAMA<br />
was selected for production of the great color motion pictures listed<br />
here . . . soon to be released for premiere showings . .<br />
TECHNICOLOR<br />
through TECHNIRAMA<br />
offers:<br />
Large area negative photography<br />
using standard 35mm film<br />
•<br />
>< DAVY— Ealing Production — Metro Goldwyn Mayer<br />
Most efficient use of negative area<br />
"i^ ESCAPADE IN JAPAN -RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.<br />
M" LEGEND OF THE LOST-A Batjac Productlon-umted Artists<br />
Versatility Standard or<br />
road-show prints all from one<br />
original negative<br />
"M night PASSAGE -universal Pictures Co.. Inc.<br />
t^<br />
SAYONARA — Goetz Pictures. Inc. — Warner Bros. Pictures. Inc.<br />
Greatly improved picture<br />
sharpness<br />
M SEA WALL -De Laurentiis-Columbia<br />
Freedom from graininess<br />
W SLEEPING BEAUTY-Walt Disney Production-Buena Vista Film Dist. Co.. Inc.<br />
it<br />
SOUVENIR D'lTALIE -Athena Rank<br />
Increased depth of focus<br />
"JV<br />
the MONTE CARLO STORY-ntanusFilms-United Artists<br />
Minimum image distortion<br />
TECHNICOLOR CORPORATION<br />
MOTION PICTURE DIVISION<br />
Herbert T. Kalmus, President and General Manager
LETTERS<br />
Puts Shoe on Others' Foot<br />
Here is a copy of a letter sent to all Kansas<br />
City branch managers which I hope might<br />
amuse you.<br />
ATTENTION ALL FILM DISTRIBUTORS':<br />
Please mark your records for one of the<br />
most colossal drives in the history of theatre<br />
business.<br />
The months of June. July and August 1957<br />
are hereby designated as good old Bud<br />
Broun Drive Months.<br />
Bud Broun is one of the most honored<br />
men in the history of the PhilUpsburg. Kas.<br />
theatres. He has worked long and hard, particularly<br />
the past two years with no profit.<br />
What little he has accomplished for anyone<br />
the past two years has helped the film distributors<br />
more than anyone. A fellow of such<br />
a fine nature deserves to be rewarded some<br />
w"ay and it is the opinion of the writer that<br />
such reward could be given through good<br />
old Bud Broun Drive Months.<br />
Here is how it works: Each film company<br />
may submit to the writer first and second<br />
choices for the period during good old Bud<br />
Broun Drive Months in which that company<br />
chooses to supply free film to the Phillipsburg<br />
Drive-In Theatre.'* Short subjects<br />
count in this diive almost as much as features,<br />
but of course the better the features,<br />
the more the company will be showing thenappreciation.<br />
Please submit yoiu' dates for both features<br />
and short subjects to the writer and let's<br />
put good old Bud Broun Drive Months over<br />
with a bang.<br />
Thanks for your usual fine cooperation.<br />
*No film distributor not now selling film to<br />
Phillipsburg may participate in good old Bud Broun<br />
Drive Months. Sorry, but ony company that wanted<br />
to make the loss in 1956 greoter than it was, moy<br />
not participote.<br />
"No compony may have over two weeks to<br />
supply both features ond short subjects for the good<br />
old Bud Broun Drive Months. Please do not request<br />
ony additional ploying time.<br />
Majestic Theatre,<br />
PhilUpsbiu-g, Kas,<br />
BUD BROUN<br />
A Way to Curb Teenage Trouble<br />
We have all heard a lot about teenage episodes,<br />
disturbances, and all that sort of thing.<br />
I'll<br />
just say there would be considerably less<br />
of this, if theatres would stop having teenage<br />
youngsters ushering, etc., and giving<br />
orders to the kids in attendance.<br />
Kids bossing kids just don't work, in my<br />
experience, and NOTHING in my book will<br />
start something quicker than a kid employe<br />
that goes to school with the rest of the kids<br />
assuming an air of authority when he gets<br />
on a uniform at night in the theatre. I think<br />
the reaction quite natural and anytime anyone<br />
delegates any authority to a kid employe<br />
or sends them down in a theatre to "quiet"<br />
a group of noise-makers, he's just asking for<br />
trouble, that's for sure. Yet it's being done<br />
in a lot of theatres, as you know.<br />
I don't altogether blame the kids for resenting<br />
it, either, but it's just a case of sending<br />
a boy to do a man's job, which never has<br />
worked. I think ANY manager can have<br />
reasonably good order, if HE WILL PER-<br />
SONALLY WORK AT IT, HIMSELF, instead<br />
of exi)ecting another kid to exercise control<br />
over the paid kid customers. I know there<br />
are exceptions to all rules, but I think I<br />
know what I'm talking about.<br />
I don't want to be quoted by name, but<br />
what I have said can open up a couple of<br />
avenues for thought as this particular job in<br />
a theatre isn't one for a part-time "Johnny."<br />
It's just one of the conditions that keeps<br />
people away from movies that can be improved<br />
upon.<br />
KANSAS THEATRE OWNER<br />
The Picture Show is Not Dead'<br />
I had an experience on New Year's E\e. I<br />
thought surely somebody would put it in<br />
BOXOFFICE. As yet I have not seen it, so<br />
here goes.<br />
Occasionally, when one of the theatres in<br />
our territory has a good Midnight Show, I<br />
take the four boys who help me around the<br />
Opera House to see it. This pleases the kids<br />
very much and you would be surprised how<br />
much better they work.<br />
So, not having a midnight show on New<br />
Year's Eve, I looked the ads over, to see which<br />
might suit us the better. I decided to take<br />
them 50 miles to Salina, to the Watson Theatre.<br />
They were showing "Don't Knock the<br />
Rock" and "Rumble on the Docks."<br />
It was 11:30 when we got there. Lo and behold,<br />
the sidewalks were full of people, spilling<br />
out into the streets. It looked like the<br />
lines that were common when "Vitaphone first<br />
introduced talking pictures.<br />
When I got to the ticket window, I found<br />
a sign saying "All seats 90 cents." Their<br />
usual price is 25 cents and 85 cents. So the<br />
price did not matter to these youngsters. My<br />
guess is that this theatre seats about 1,400.<br />
I bet, give or take a few, that they had 1,500<br />
people in the building.<br />
Sure, they had the town, the youngsters,<br />
the night and the picture.<br />
I decided that the picture show was not<br />
dead, if we can give them what they want.<br />
You know somebody had to do the advertising,<br />
handle the immense crowd, sell the<br />
tickets and all the things that go with a "sellout."<br />
So in passing, let's tip our hats to a<br />
Master Showman, Speed Martin, and to his<br />
very, very efficient help.<br />
Opera House.<br />
Miltonvale. Kas.<br />
JOHN M.<br />
BAILEY<br />
'Required Reading for All Exhibitors'<br />
File this letter with yoiu heap of fan<br />
mail. Your "A Fable—Not by Aesop" (Feb.<br />
2, 1957 issue should be required reading for<br />
I<br />
all<br />
exhibitors.<br />
Although I am alleged to have "retired"<br />
from exhibition, I have a certificate indicating<br />
that I am a life member of our Missouri-Illinois<br />
Theatre Owners board of directors,<br />
and my heart is in this business for<br />
the dtu-ation of that membership.<br />
Let's hope oiu- two exhibitor organizations<br />
"make hay" before they fade into "Once upon<br />
a time."<br />
BESS SCHULTER<br />
Columbia Theatre,<br />
Louis, Mo.<br />
Newspaper Boosts Movie Theatre<br />
As 'Good for the<br />
A big boost for the local motion picture<br />
theatre in Fox Lake, 111., was made<br />
in an editorial that appeared in the Fox<br />
Lake Herald recently. Under the head,<br />
"A Good Thing for the Whole Town,"<br />
the editorial follows:<br />
It's hard for merchants to learn that,<br />
as Ben Franklin once said, "If we don't<br />
hang together we'll surely hang separately."<br />
.Any business that draws townsfolk<br />
down to the main stem of an evening<br />
means money in the bank for every<br />
shop on the street. .And this applies to<br />
all whether open or shut, for coming in<br />
to town is a habit that has to be encouraged.<br />
One enterprise that more<br />
than any other, keeps people coming in,<br />
is a local movie theatre. In any number<br />
of towns, when due to lack of local<br />
patronage, a lone movie house closed<br />
down, the merchants finally woke up and<br />
chipped in to get it open again. A movieless<br />
town has a dead air about it. Its<br />
young people drive off elsewhere, its<br />
shops close earlier, the village fathers<br />
might as well take in the sidewalks at<br />
suppertime.<br />
Fox Lake Ls lucky in having a wellmanaged<br />
film showplace, with good surroundings.<br />
Its programs are chosen to try<br />
to appeal to many varied tastes—there<br />
St.<br />
Whole Town'<br />
are cops-and-robbers. cowbo.vs-and-Indians,<br />
and serious adult drama and<br />
musicals, too. Something sometime for<br />
everybody. Yet there are nights when<br />
some of the world's top attractions play<br />
here to a theatre far from filled. After<br />
the picture is gone the very people who<br />
would have found it most interesting, are<br />
the ones who complain that they would<br />
have come if they had known more about<br />
it. There is a failure to communicate<br />
special information to special interest<br />
groups. Merely announcing titles and<br />
stars will generally bring in the general<br />
movie fan audience, but special messages<br />
must get to the special interest groups<br />
somehow if special interest pictures are<br />
to get special support.<br />
.And the merchants on the main stem,<br />
whatever may be their personal movie<br />
preferences, could do a lot more than<br />
they are doing to keep reminding folks<br />
that there's a good movie house right in<br />
town. Schools, churches and civic organizations,<br />
too, have channels of information<br />
that might well be used in support<br />
of especially worthy and interesting<br />
films. Whatever brings people into town<br />
for a worthy purpose—and the seeing of<br />
a good film is stirely that—is a good<br />
thing for the town. The whole town.<br />
22 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
!<br />
Lowest priced speaker ever offered by RCA<br />
Impac Speakers carr>' the lowest price<br />
tags ever tied to an RCA in-car speaker!<br />
And brother, how the value has gone<br />
up I In fact, this is the value milestone<br />
in drive-in equipment history . . . from<br />
RCA. as you'd expect.<br />
RCA Impac cases—an exclusive RCA<br />
de%elopment for RCA Victor portable<br />
radios—resist breaking, denting and<br />
chipping like no drive-in<br />
speaker exer<br />
before. Impac's color goes right through<br />
. . . you don't need costly refinishing.<br />
No matter what the weather, these<br />
speakers keep their smart looks and<br />
shape. .And inside. Impac Speakers<br />
have the same RC.A-qualit\- mechanism<br />
now reproducing sound so faithfully<br />
in hundreds of installations the<br />
countrv- o\-er.<br />
The record-low price alone makes it<br />
easy for you and your patrons to enjoy<br />
all the ad\^ntages of these lightweight,<br />
easy-to-handle RCA Impac Speakers.<br />
But in addition, there's no need for<br />
you to make any large capital outlay<br />
for your installation. Simply put RCA's<br />
Budget-Ease Plan to work for you-<br />
Ask your RC.A Theatre Supply Dealer<br />
about how smoothly Budget-Ease<br />
terms fit into your equipment budgeL<br />
The sooner you call him. the sooner<br />
RC.\ Impac Speakers can begin making<br />
their impact on your drive-in<br />
attendance and profits.<br />
riiiiiu /«(((« Ml<br />
T.k(s.< s<br />
THBATRE EQUIPMeifT SALES<br />
RADIO eORPORATfOM of AMBRICA<br />
In Omah: RCA VICTOR Co-vamr Limited, Momrtal<br />
BOXOmCE :: February 16. 1957 23
FiATURE neviiw<br />
Funny Face<br />
Paramount<br />
By PRANK LEYENDECKER<br />
n gay, tuneful and dazzlingly colorful musteal<br />
in which two of filmdom's top<br />
stars, the enchanting Audrey Hepburn and<br />
the ever-youthful veteran Fred Astaire. team<br />
up in several striking dance routines. Ideal<br />
spring entertainment ahe Radio City Music<br />
Hall has booked the picture for its annual<br />
Easter show), this should do strong business<br />
generally—for its fashion world background<br />
will intrigue all women patrons—and they'll<br />
bring in the men.<br />
Although this Roger Edens production employs<br />
six memorable George and Ira Gershwin<br />
songs, including the title tune and<br />
" 'S Wonderful," the Leonard Gershe story<br />
is an original with no similarities to the<br />
Broadway musical success of some years ago.<br />
Dealing with Quality Magazine, the leading<br />
publication of the world of fashion, the locale<br />
is divided between New York's smart<br />
Madison Avenue salons and atmospheric<br />
Greenwich Village and the salons of Paris,<br />
as well as its boulevards and backstreets—<br />
which gives the spectator glimpses of the<br />
Eiffel Tower and other Parisian landmarks,<br />
magnificently captured by the VistaVision<br />
and Technicolor cameras. The soft, misty<br />
photographic effects by John P. Fulton and<br />
the process photography by Farciot Edouart<br />
have rarely been surpassed.<br />
The elaborate and imaginative main title<br />
backgrounds by Richard Avedon, noted<br />
photographer, lead directly into a rhythmically<br />
pounding opening shot of the angular<br />
nightclub star, Kay Thompson, striding into<br />
her magazine offices and dramatically calling<br />
a staff meeting. Prom then on, the picture<br />
is filled with striking effects, including unorthodox<br />
flashing of the screen from one<br />
color to another, dazzling and bizarre fashion<br />
display (the women will drool at these<br />
Paramount<br />
"FUNNY<br />
presents<br />
FACE"<br />
in VistoVision and Technicolor<br />
Running time: 103 minutes<br />
CREDITS<br />
Produced by Roger Edens. Directed by Stanley<br />
Donen. Written by Leonard Gershe. Music and<br />
lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, adapted and<br />
conducted by Adolph Deutsch. Orchestral arrangements<br />
by Conrad Salinger, Van Cleave,<br />
Alexander Courage, Skip Martin. Additional<br />
music and lyrics by Roger Edens and Leonard<br />
Gershe. Choreography by Eugene Loring and<br />
Fred Astaire. Songs staged by Stanley Donen. Director<br />
of photography, Roy June. Technicolor consultant,<br />
Richard Mueller. Art direction, Hal Pereiro<br />
and George W. Davis. Edited by Frank<br />
Bracht. Special photographic effects, John P.<br />
Fulton. Process photography, Farciot Edouart.<br />
Set decoration, Sam Comer and Ray Moyer.<br />
Costumes, Edith Head. Miss Hepburn's Paris<br />
wardrobe, Hubert de Givenchy. Assistant director,<br />
William McGorry. Special visual consultant<br />
and main title backgrounds, Richard Avedon.<br />
Westrex Recording System.<br />
THE CAST<br />
Jo Audrey Hepburn<br />
Dick Avery Fred Astaire<br />
Moggi Prescott Kay Thompson<br />
Professor Emil Flostre Michel Auclair<br />
Paul Duval Robert Flemyng<br />
Babs Virginia Gibson<br />
Marion<br />
Dovima<br />
and Suzy Parker, Sue England, Sunny Harnett,<br />
Ruto Lee, Jean Del Vol, Alex Gerry, Iphigenie<br />
Castiglioni, Albert D'Arno, Marilyn White, Don<br />
Powell, Paul Smith, Karen Scott, Diane Du Bois,<br />
Elizabeth "Lizz" Slifer (all of these merely hove<br />
bits).<br />
24<br />
Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire in<br />
"Funny Face," Paramount musical in<br />
VistaVision and Technicolor.<br />
even if some of the males will find them<br />
too chi-chi) and several airy dance routines<br />
staged by Eugene Loring and Astaire in<br />
which the star's smooth and semi-acrobatic<br />
dancing style is deftly integrated with the<br />
elfin Miss Hepburn's ballet steps—they make<br />
a delightful team. Fresh from her triumph<br />
in '"War and Peace," Miss Hepburn agam<br />
gives a refreshingly youthful portrayal and<br />
Astaij-e, although twice her age, manages to<br />
make the romantic scenes convincing.<br />
In the singing department, neither star<br />
excels but together they put over such<br />
Gershwin tunes a,s "How Long Has This<br />
Been Going On, S Wonderful," "He Loves<br />
and She Loves," "Clap Yo' Hands" and the<br />
title melody in ingratiating fashion. To really<br />
wham over songs, there is Kay Thompson,<br />
a tall, angular nightclub comedienne who<br />
resembles Hedda Hopper and who puts<br />
tremendous verve and sophisticated style<br />
into three special numbers by Edens and<br />
Gershe, "Bonjour, Paris," sung on the Eiffel<br />
Tower, "Think Pink," which features pink<br />
mannequins, pink poodles and even pink<br />
toothpaste, and "How to Be Lovely," a melodic<br />
lesson in female charm in which she<br />
teams with Miss Hepburn in a manner suggestive<br />
of a vaudeville routine. The dynamic<br />
Kay is a real trouper who has previously<br />
scored in clubs, as the author of the bestselling<br />
"Eloise" and as a recording star.<br />
Stanley Donens direction is first-rate and<br />
he also gets good performances from Robert<br />
Flemyng, the British star who plays a Parisian<br />
coutourier, and Michel Auclaii-, Pi-ench<br />
film star, as a Bohemian cultist Audrey idolizes.<br />
The others are merely bits, except for<br />
Dovima, a stunning model who unexpectedly<br />
uses Brooklyn-ese speech.<br />
The light and inconsequential plot starts<br />
in the New York offices of Quality Magazine,<br />
whose editor, Kay Thompson, hits upon an<br />
idea to find a new model to represent the<br />
magazine in creations designed by Robert<br />
Flemyng, the greatest coutourier in Paris.<br />
Fred Astaire, the magazine's photographer,<br />
finds Audrey Hepburn, a plainly-dressed<br />
bookshop clerk, and photographs her in shots<br />
that delight Kay. In Pai'is, Audrey searches<br />
for a phoney cult leader while Fred finds<br />
himself falling in love with her. When she<br />
realizes her idol is made of clay, she returns<br />
to Pred and together they make Kay's<br />
fashion show a success.<br />
To Screenplay 'Tin Roof<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Phil Yordan has been<br />
signed by MGM to write the screenplay of<br />
Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."<br />
Pandro S. Berman will produce.<br />
Industry Set to Aid<br />
Brotherhood Drive<br />
NEW YORK—Amusement industry observance<br />
of Brotherhood Week will start Sunday<br />
(171 and climax two months of preparation<br />
under the leadership of William J. Heineman<br />
and Spyros S. Skouras, national co-chairmen<br />
of the 1957 drive sponsored by the National<br />
Conference of Christians and Jews. It will<br />
mark the 11th anniversary of participation<br />
by the amusement industry.<br />
Much of the activity will center in motion<br />
picture theatres across the U. S., where exhibitors<br />
will recruit members and solicit contributions.<br />
Governors of 40 states and thousands<br />
of mayors will issue proclamations asking<br />
support of the drive. In some communities,<br />
civic leaders will take part in inaugural<br />
ceremonies in theatres. School children will<br />
be excused from classes to attend the programs.<br />
Promotion will include presentation of a<br />
special newsreel featuring Ed Sullivan, lobby<br />
and marquee displays and recruiting booths<br />
manned by managers and their staffs. Various<br />
industry companies and organizations are<br />
conducting fund-raising drives among their<br />
members.<br />
Academy Lists Nomination<br />
For Documentary Awards<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Nominations for the documentary<br />
awards of the Academy of Motion<br />
Picture Arts and Sciences, as selected by a<br />
special documentary nominations committee,<br />
headed by Sidney P. Solow. have been determined<br />
as follows:<br />
Documentary features (over 3,000 ft. in<br />
length! : "The Naked Eye," Camera Eye<br />
Pictures, Louis Clyde Stoumen, producer;<br />
•The Silent World," A Filmad-F.S.J.Y.C. Production<br />
(French), Columbia, Jacques-Yves<br />
Cousteau, producer; "Where Mountains<br />
Float," Arn Studio (Danish), Brandon Films,<br />
Government Film committee of Denmark,<br />
producer.<br />
Documentary short subjects (3,000 ft. or<br />
less in length) : "A City Decides," Charles<br />
Guggenheim and Associates, producer; "The<br />
Dark Wave," 20th Century-Fox, John Healy.<br />
producer; "The House Without a Name," Universal-International,<br />
Valentine Davies, producer;<br />
"Man in Space," Walt Disney-Buena<br />
Vista, Ward Kimball, producer; "The True<br />
Story of the Civil War," Camera Eye Pictures,<br />
Louis Clyde Stoumen, producer.<br />
All Warner Bros. Officers<br />
Re-elected for One Year<br />
NEW YORK— All the officers of Warner<br />
Bros. Pictures were re-elected for a oneyear<br />
term at a meeting of the board of directors<br />
at the home office February 8.<br />
Those re-elected were: Jack L. Warner,<br />
president; Benjamin Kalmenson, executive<br />
vice-president: Herman Starr, vice-president;<br />
Stanleigh P. Friedman, vice-president; Robert<br />
W. Perkins, vice-president, secretary and<br />
general counsel; Wolfe Cohen, vice-president;<br />
Robert S. Taplinger, vice-president;<br />
Thomas J. Martin, treasurer; Walter Meihofer,<br />
controller and assistant treasurer;<br />
Cyril H. Wilder, assistant treasurer; Harold<br />
S. Bareford, assistant secretary; Edward K.<br />
Hessberg, assistant secretary, and Roy<br />
Obringer, assistant secretary.<br />
BOXOFFICE ;: February 16, 1957 %<br />
i
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 25
. . This<br />
. . DeMille<br />
YOCHABEL (MARTHA SCOTT), MOTHER OF MOSES. PUTS<br />
HIM AFLOAT IN A BASKET ON THE NILE TO SAVE HIM<br />
'The<br />
Ten Commandments' (Para)<br />
Wins January Blue Ribbon Award<br />
By VELMA WEST SYKES<br />
/^ECIL B. DeMILLE'S "The Ten Commandments" has been vote(a the BOXOFPICE<br />
Blue Ribbon Award for January. Members of the National Screen Council, who<br />
mark their choice on postcard ballots, gave it this ovation as family entertainment<br />
and praised it in extravagant terms in the comment space provided. DeMille's second<br />
version of the Biblical classic—his first was also a Paramount release, in 1923 and<br />
without sound, of course— is the culmination of his long and colorful career in motion<br />
pictures. As its producer and director, not only has he used all he has learned in the<br />
33 years since he made the original drama about the Decalog, but he has also used<br />
the technical advances which have been made in the motion picture field and this<br />
version is in VistaVision and Technicolor. The results are awe-inspiring.<br />
In the review which appeared in the What better way to make children visualize<br />
BOXOFFICE issue of Oct. 13, 1956, this Bible history?—Helen W. Oesper, Cincinnati<br />
estimate of the film's importance was given: Motion Picture Council.<br />
"When consideration is given to the photoplay's<br />
over-all magnificence, magnitude and ages far into the future. It is a history<br />
"The Ten Commandments" will live for all<br />
masterfulness and its limitless merchandising<br />
possibilities—not the least of which will forgotten experience. — Mrs. Max M.<br />
challenge and seeing it is a never-to-be-<br />
be the support of the clergy—there is every Williams, Royal Oak (Mich.), president<br />
indication that the feature will play to enraptured,<br />
theatre-filling audiences for many beat!—Alan Branigan, Newark News . . .<br />
Federation of MPC . can't be<br />
generations to come."<br />
What else?—Ben S. Parker, Memphis Commercial<br />
Appeal.<br />
Among the NSC comments are these,<br />
showing the many angles of appeal: A great film magnificently produced and<br />
"The Ten Commandments" is another acted and fine for contrast between ancient<br />
milestone in the history of motion pictui'es and modern times.—Elisabeth Murray, Long<br />
and another feather in Mr. DeMille's manyfeathered<br />
cap.—John R. Cooper, Clarks-<br />
people for freedom is eloquently told in this<br />
Beach Teachers Ass'n . . . The struggle of a<br />
burg (W. Va.) Telegram . . . Impressive film which will spiritually enrich the lives<br />
visualization of fundamental words.—May of all who see it. "The Ten Commandments"<br />
Williams Ward, Wellington (Kas.) author<br />
... A stupendous production, deserving all<br />
the high praise being heaped upon it.—Mrs.<br />
C. M. Stewart, president Lincoln (Neb.)<br />
Films Forum.<br />
. . .<br />
This picture shows that a Bible story can<br />
be as good, as interesting and as entertaining<br />
as any other type of movie. Let's have<br />
more.—Mrs. Henry Earl Smith, Sheboygan<br />
County (Wis.) Better Films Council<br />
will live as one of the film classics of this<br />
generation. — Mrs. Roderic B. Thomas,<br />
Dallas Motion Picture Board of Review.<br />
A triumphant production and one to be<br />
remembered. — Mrs. Wayne F. Shaw,<br />
National U. S. Daughters of 1812, Lawrence,<br />
Kas. . is a thrilling experience for<br />
all GK)d-loving people and is like having<br />
lived in the time of Moses.—Mrs. Fred W.<br />
Rosenkranz, Milwaukee County BFC.<br />
RAMESES (YUL BRYNNER) AND NEFRETIRI (ANNE BAX-<br />
TER) SCORN THE PLEA OF MOSES: "LET MY PEOPLE GO"<br />
The Cast<br />
Moses<br />
Charlton Heston Baka<br />
'Vincent Price<br />
Rameses<br />
Yul Brynner Aaron<br />
John Carradine<br />
Nefretiri<br />
Anne Baxter Miriam Olive Deerring<br />
Dathan Edward G. Robinson Jannes<br />
Douglass Dumbrille<br />
Sephora<br />
Yvonne DeCarlo Abiram<br />
Frank DeKova<br />
Lilia<br />
Debra Paget Pentaur<br />
Henry Wilcoxon<br />
Joshua<br />
John Derek Jethro<br />
Eduard F^anz<br />
Sethi<br />
Sir Cedric Hardwicke Mered<br />
Donald Curtis<br />
Bithiah<br />
Nina Foch Hur Ben Caleb Lawrence Dobkin<br />
Yochabel<br />
Martha Scott Avuninadab<br />
H. B. Warner<br />
MeTnnet Judith Anderson Elisheba<br />
Julia Paye<br />
Produced and Directed by<br />
Cecil B. DeMille<br />
Associate Producer Henry Wilcoxon<br />
Original Sources The Bible, ancient<br />
texts of Philo, Eusebius, the Midrash<br />
and these books: "Prince of Egypt" by<br />
Dorothy Clarke Wilson, "Pillar of<br />
Fire" by Rev. J. H. Ingraham, "On<br />
Eagle's Wings" by Rev. A. E. Southon<br />
Screenplay Aeneas Mackenzie, Jesse J.<br />
Lasky. jr.. Jack Gariss. Fredric M.<br />
Frank<br />
Color by Technicolor<br />
Color Consultant Richard Mueller<br />
Director of Photography<br />
Loyal Griggs, A.S.C.<br />
Production Staii<br />
Art Direction<br />
Hal Pereira,<br />
Walter Tyler, Albert Nozaki<br />
Set Decoration<br />
Choreography<br />
Makeup Supervisor<br />
Sam Comer, Ray Moyer<br />
LeRoy Prinz,<br />
Ruth Godfrey<br />
Wally Westmore<br />
Soimd Recording Supervisor<br />
Louis H. Mesenkop<br />
Edited by Anne Bauchens, A.C.E.<br />
Music by<br />
Elmer Bernstein<br />
Special Photographic Effects<br />
John P. F^jlton, A.S.C.<br />
Research<br />
Henry Noerdlinger,<br />
Gladys Percey<br />
tj This Award is given each month by the National Screen Council on the basis of outstandinj merit<br />
and suitability for family entertainment. Council membership comprises motion picture editors, radio<br />
film commentators, and representatives of better film councils, civic and educational organizations.
Program Announced<br />
For Concessionaires<br />
4 I ^<br />
Charles E. Darden A. J. Schmitt<br />
DALLAS—A hard-hitting program, keyed<br />
to popcorn merchandising and concession<br />
stand management, has been announced<br />
jointly by A. J. Schmitt. Houston Popcorn<br />
& Supply Co.. Houston, and Charles E. Darden.<br />
Chas. E. Darden Co., Dallas, for the<br />
fifth Annual Southwestern Regional Conference<br />
sponsored by the National Ass'n of Concessionaire.s<br />
(formerly Popcorn and Concessions<br />
Ass'n) on Wednesday (27) at the Adolphus<br />
Hotel in Dallas. This year's session<br />
will be held In conjunction with the Texas<br />
Drive-In Theatre Ass'n. February 25-27.<br />
Schmitt is serving as NAC conference chairman<br />
and Darden as<br />
program moderator.<br />
The two top officers of NAC. Board Chairman<br />
Bert Nathan. Theatre Popcorn Vending<br />
Corp., Brooklyn, and NAC President Lee<br />
Koken, RKO Theatres. New York City, will<br />
headline the program. Nathan will discuss<br />
"What to Look for in a Go(Xi Concession<br />
Operation in a Drive-In" and Koken. "Concession<br />
Stand Management Techniques."<br />
William E. Smith of the Popcorn Institute.<br />
Chicago, and NAC Executive Vice-Pi'esident<br />
Thomas J. Sullivan will present "Popcorn<br />
Merchandising and Promotional Aids." Another<br />
panelist will be Steve Bakarich. Lone<br />
Star and Bordertown Theatres, Dallas, whose<br />
subject will be "Newest Ideas in Signs and<br />
Point-of-Sale Displays." Open forum discussion<br />
will follow the individual presentations,<br />
moderated by Darden.<br />
Advance reservations for the meeting are<br />
being accepted by Schmitt at his office,<br />
Houston Popcorn & Supply Co.. 3719 Polk<br />
St. Houston 3, Texas. All members of the<br />
theatre and concession industry are invited<br />
to attend.<br />
Redbook Picks Seven Films<br />
For 18th Annual Awards<br />
NEW YORK — "Anastasia"<br />
(20th-Fox>.<br />
"Around the World in 80 Days" (UA),<br />
"Friendly Per.suasion" (AA), "Giant" (WB),<br />
"Moby Dick" (WB) and "War and Peace"<br />
(Para) were chosen by Redbook Magazine<br />
to receive the 18th annual movie awards<br />
for "the most distinguished contributions to<br />
the motion picture industry and the excellence<br />
of their 1956 products," according to<br />
Wade Nichols, editor and publisher.<br />
'Battle Hymn' to Capitol<br />
NEW YORK — Universal-International's<br />
"Battle Hymn," the Technicolor-CinemaScope<br />
picture based on the life of Col. Dean Hess,<br />
opened at the Capitol Theatre February 15.<br />
following a five-week run for another U-I<br />
film. "Written on the Wind." Both pictures<br />
star Rock Hudson.<br />
Finds Patrons Deman<br />
For Cultural Films Rising<br />
NEW YORK—"The demand for cultui'al<br />
films, including opera, ballet and Shakespearean<br />
theatre, is on the increase and a<br />
new untapped market exists in America for<br />
the consumption of artistic film fare," according<br />
to Capt. Ian R. Maxwell of Festival<br />
Productions, which is cui-rently presenting<br />
the Salzburg Festival filming of the opera,<br />
"Don Giovanni."<br />
Festival Productions, which has completed<br />
a feature film of "Gi.selle" by the Bolshoi<br />
Ballet and plans several other opera and<br />
Shakespearean pictures, is now setting up<br />
eight exchanges in the U. S. for the distribution<br />
and commercial exploitation of these<br />
films, Capt. Maxwell said. The exchanges<br />
will be in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles,<br />
Washington. D. C., Dallas, Boston, New Orleans<br />
and Denver.<br />
"Don Giovanni." a three-hour film in<br />
Eastman Color, made at the actual Salzburg<br />
Festival of the opera in 1954. is the first<br />
reproduction of an actual stage performance<br />
of an opera and stars Cesare Siepi. Metropolitan<br />
Opera star, and other noted opera<br />
stars.<br />
Festival Productions has secured 60 other<br />
bookings for "Don Giovanni" in two months<br />
time and hopes for a minimum of 500 art<br />
house bookings in the U. S.—the total needed<br />
to get back its costs.<br />
Up to now. art-type or "pictures with a<br />
long-hair appeal" have had "outrageously<br />
poor distribution facilities," according to<br />
Capt. Maxwell, despite the fact that a "young<br />
audience, matured since the war, is thirsting<br />
for cultural riches and holds perhaps<br />
as much as ten per cent of the entertainment<br />
dollar," Capt. Maxwell believes. This is<br />
proven by the national tours of the Metropolitan<br />
Opera, the Sadlers' Wells Ballet and<br />
the Old Vic Shakespearean company, which<br />
have been tremendously successful in all big<br />
city engagements.<br />
For 1957-58, in addition to "Giselle,<br />
which was filmed at the Royal Command<br />
Performance before Queen Elizabeth II at<br />
Covent Garden, starring Galina Ulanova,<br />
Harmony Films, which is Capt. Maxwell's<br />
producing company in London, plans the<br />
first of a series of Gilbert and Sullivan<br />
operas, performed by the D'Oyly Carte Opera<br />
Company: an opera to be performed by La<br />
Scala in Milan, starring Maria Menenghini<br />
Callas; a production by the Shakespeare<br />
Memorial Theatre at Stratford-on-Avon of<br />
"A Midsummer Night's Dream"; a fulllength<br />
"Swan Lake," starring Margot Fonteyn,<br />
by the Sadlers' Wells Ballet company,<br />
and a production of an exotic ballet by the<br />
Royal Siamese Ballet Company in Bangkok.<br />
All of these will be filmed in Eastman<br />
Color with high fidelity sound. With "Don<br />
Giovanni" there is a short film on the city<br />
of Salzburg and with "Giselle." there will<br />
be a travelog of the Covent Garden neighborhood,<br />
already familiar to Americans as a<br />
result of "My Fair Lady." Broadway's big<br />
musical hit.<br />
The newly formed Festival Productioas will<br />
have a capital of $750,000. according to Capt.<br />
Maxwell, who said he is interviewing several<br />
distribution executives for a sales manager<br />
post. One of these is Bernard Jacon, formerly<br />
with IFE and who now heads his own<br />
Jacon Films, which handles foreign pictures.<br />
Jacon left New York for Chicago. Detroit,<br />
Cleveland and Pittsburgh to set bookings on<br />
his own films.<br />
COLUMBIA PICTURES ANNOUNCES THAT PRINTS OF THE FOLLOWING<br />
PICTURES ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN<br />
Judy<br />
HOLLIDAY<br />
Richard<br />
CONTE<br />
w^m,i<br />
M#K<br />
y.^<br />
inlroduc'ing<br />
Screen Play by lOHN FANIE • Based on the Novel Dy JOHN FAME<br />
oduced by fRED KOHLMAR • Diiecled by RICHAAO QUINE<br />
OUR EXCHANGES FOR SCREENING<br />
PHIL<br />
jjUJJ<br />
BETTY<br />
"<br />
" JOHN<br />
CAREY- GARRETT- BARRYMORE, Jr.<br />
SaHfi Pi»| by UO lOWNSfNO )"(! DAVID P HMMON<br />
ej»d upon ( Wwj br lOMN ind WWD HAWKINS<br />
PfOductd Cr IONJE taps • Oir«lfil b, WIQIAM ASHtR<br />
ZOMBIES OF MORAlHU<br />
•<br />
GREGG PALMER ALLISON HAYES AUTUMN RUSSELL<br />
A ClOvEfi PRODUCTION<br />
Sc'»ri Pli, b, RAtMO'lD T MAACUS<br />
Ptodvctd Br SAM KAIfUAN<br />
- Slor, bf ClORCC PlYWION<br />
D.rtcird bi EOWARQ CAXN<br />
THE MAN WHO<br />
TURNED VCl4g^^|y|^<br />
-<br />
with VICTOR JORY ' ANN DORAN CHARLOHE AUSTIN<br />
Written by RAYMOND T MABCUS • Produced b» SAM KAIZMAN<br />
Directed b» ItSllE KAROOS • * CLOVER PROOUCIION<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 27
. . Twentieth<br />
—<br />
'i^oUcftwMd ^cftont<br />
By IVAN SPEAR<br />
Martin Gable of TV Signed<br />
For Role in MGM Film<br />
Well known to the public because of his<br />
frequent appearances on television's "What's<br />
My Line?" quiz show, Martin Gable, Broadway<br />
actor, director and producer, has been<br />
signed for one of the top roles in Metro-<br />
Goldwyn-Mayer's "Tip on a Dead Jockey,"<br />
starring Robert Taylor and Gia Scala. It<br />
wOl be produced by Edwin H. Knopf and<br />
directed by Richard Tliorpe . .<br />
Warwick<br />
.<br />
Productions heads, Irving Allen and Albert<br />
R. Broccoli, have signed Sean Kelly, young<br />
South African actor, to a seven-year exclusive<br />
contract. Young Kelly will be costarred<br />
in Warwick's "High Flight," which goes before<br />
the cameras soon in England, and "No<br />
Time to Die," on Warwick's schedule for<br />
later this year. Kelly's fii'st film assignment<br />
will be on loanout to producer Paul Craetz<br />
for his feature, "Bitter Victory," which<br />
Nicholas Ray will direct for Columbia release.<br />
The Warwick film wUl follow immediately<br />
this production, which goes before the<br />
cameras next month.<br />
Andre de Toth to Direct<br />
'Barney Ross Story'<br />
"The Barney Ross Story," which Edward<br />
Small is producing for United Aj-tists, and<br />
which—strangely enough—deals with fisticuffs,<br />
already has one knockout to its credit.<br />
Andre de Toth has been signed to replace<br />
Ted Post as director of the opus ... So<br />
that the chills will be authentic, Forrest J.<br />
Ackerman, science-fiction authority who revels<br />
in the appellation "Mr. Science Fiction,"<br />
has been signed by James H. Nicholson of<br />
Sunset Productions as consultant and technical<br />
advisor on "Invasion of the Saucer<br />
Men," originally titled "Attack of the Saucer<br />
Men"<br />
. Century-Fox has signed<br />
Mark Robson to a producer-director pact,<br />
and at the same time inked stage director<br />
Martin Ritt to a long-term contract as director.<br />
Robson's first assignment will be<br />
"Peyton Place," a Jerry Wald production.<br />
Ritt will pilot Wald's "Down Payment" . .<br />
Universal-International has assigned Gordon<br />
Kay to produce "Twilight For the Gods,"<br />
based on Ernest Gann's novel, which the<br />
studio purchased about a week ago.<br />
Productional Assignments<br />
To Several at 20th-Fox<br />
Where there's production activities, there's<br />
sure to be a noteworthy rash of filmmaking<br />
assignments. Witness a few plums that were<br />
handed out at 20th Century-Fox. Edward<br />
Dmytryk has been pacted to direct "The<br />
Young Lions," which Ai Lichtman, one-time<br />
distribution chief, will independently produce<br />
for that company. Production of "Home<br />
in Indiana," which is to be a remake of a<br />
Fox opus of 1944, has been assigned to David<br />
Weisbart. Winston Miller has been set to<br />
do the screenplay, and the picture may come<br />
forth under the original tag or with a newtitle.<br />
Also at the Westwood film factory, Jim<br />
Moser and Prank LaTourette, formerly asso-<br />
. . .<br />
ciated with video's "Medic" series, have been<br />
inked as a producer-wi-iter team for "Bellevue<br />
Is My Home" . . . Composer-conductor<br />
David Raksin has been signed by Robert<br />
Bassler to write the musical score for his<br />
United Artists release, "Stranger at Soldier<br />
Springs" Rudy Mate will direct Alan<br />
Ladd's next Jaguar production, "The Deep<br />
Six," which Martin Rackin will produce for<br />
Warner Bros. Ladd will portray an artist<br />
turned naval gunnery officer aboard a cruiser<br />
during World War II . . . Anthony Mann<br />
has been pacted to pilot "Passenger to Bali,"<br />
which is scheduled as the next venture of<br />
Security Pictures for United Artists.<br />
Schnee and Donen Form<br />
Independent Company<br />
One by one the old guard—and even members<br />
of the new—are succumbing to the lure<br />
of independent production. Witness Charles<br />
Schnee, one of mighty Metro's remaining<br />
ranking filmmakers who has announced<br />
that he, too, will be his own man when his<br />
contract with the Culver City studio terminates<br />
late this year. Associated wih him<br />
will be Stanley Donen, a veteran Metro<br />
megaphonist. The pair acquired the screen<br />
rights to Pearl S. Buck's novel, "Imperial<br />
Woman," which they plan to respectively<br />
produce and direct. While no releasing deal<br />
has been set for the picture, there is considerable<br />
possibility that it will be distributed<br />
by MGM, which will obtain as regards many<br />
of the proposed pictures that are to be made<br />
by former Metroites-tm-ned-independents.<br />
Wayne Morris Gets Role<br />
In Film for<br />
UA Release<br />
Add comeback department: Wayne Morns,<br />
once a top Hollywood star, has been signed<br />
by producer James B. HaiTis for Bryna's<br />
"Paths of Glory," his first American film<br />
in over three years. Morris joins Kh-k Douglas,<br />
Ralph Meeker, Richard Anderson and<br />
George Macready in the United Ai-tists release,<br />
which will be filmed in Munich, Germany<br />
. . . Blonde Joanna Moore was signed<br />
to an exclusive long term contract by Universal-International<br />
and set to make her<br />
film debut in "Badge of Evil" . . Producer<br />
.<br />
Edward Small picked character actress Lisa<br />
Golm to portray Barney Ross' mother in<br />
"The Barney Ross Story."<br />
WB Signs Audrey Hepburn<br />
For The Nun's Story'<br />
It's difficult to conceive of more ideal<br />
casting than the toplining of Audrey Hepburn<br />
in the forthcoming celluloid version of<br />
Kathryn Hulme's widely read novel, "Tlie<br />
Nun's Story." So, the Freres Warner has<br />
inked La Hepburn for the role. At the same<br />
time, Fred Zinnemann was pacted to direct<br />
the picture, which is being touted as one<br />
of the most important of Warners' 1957<br />
program. The feature will be filmed partly<br />
on location in the Belgian Congo of Africa,<br />
locale of the story, and partly at Warner<br />
studios in Bui-bank.<br />
•FBI STORY' DEAL—Jack L. Warner,<br />
president of Warner Bros. Pictures,<br />
shakes hands with J. Edgar Hoover, No.<br />
1 G-Man, on conclusion of the film company's<br />
purchase of "The FBI Story" by<br />
Don Whitehead, Washington correspondent,<br />
for motion picture production. The<br />
book has been on the best-selling list<br />
for the past several months and serialized<br />
in newspapers.<br />
T-wo George Montgomery Films<br />
For Warner Distribution<br />
Further news from the Bui'bankian bailiwick<br />
of Warner Bros, reveals that the company<br />
is going to take on the distribution of<br />
two pictures that will be made independently<br />
by actor George Montgomery. The first of<br />
the duo will be "Decision at Dawn," which<br />
is scheduled to get before the cameras during<br />
the summer . . . And noteworthy are<br />
plans for an off-beat promotional venture.<br />
Capt. Harlan A. "Bud" Gurney, former flying<br />
pal of Charles Lindbergh, is engaged in a new<br />
type of barnstorming tour in behalf of "The<br />
Spirit of St. Louis." Gurney is to make<br />
television, radio and press appearances to<br />
talk of his past association with Lindbergh<br />
and tell of his assignment as technical adviser<br />
on "Spirit," the Leland Hayward-Billy<br />
Wilder production starring James Stewart.<br />
New TV Series to Be Based<br />
On Sam Houston's Life<br />
Television is doing its best to maintain<br />
possibly surpass—the propensity toward biographical<br />
subjects that has for so many<br />
years been a bulwark of the production of<br />
motion pictui-es for theatrical exhibition.<br />
Now it's Sam Houston who is going to be<br />
the hero of a new half-hour telefilm series,<br />
to be produced by Briskin Pi-oductions for<br />
Screen Gems under the title. "The Man<br />
From Texas." The new programs will be<br />
based upon events in the life of the soldier,<br />
statesman and hero, and the setting will be<br />
America's expanding frontier during the mid-<br />
1800s.<br />
William Hawks Signs Pact<br />
To Produce for MGM<br />
William Hawks, who recently departed a<br />
payroll of 20th Century-Fox to re-enter the<br />
independent production field, has had a<br />
change of mind and plans and has signed<br />
a multi-picture pact with Metro-Goldwyn-<br />
Mayer, under which his first assignment will<br />
be to make "The Law and Jack Wade," which<br />
is scheduled as a Robert Taylor starrer.<br />
28 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
HOW TO WIN NEW PATRO<br />
And Cultivate the Movie-Going Habit<br />
TAKE ADVANTAGE ... of the growing photoplay-discussion<br />
movement in the schools. Use these low-priced Study Guides prepared<br />
by the founder and leader of the movement. Dr. William Lewin, author<br />
Photoplay Studies<br />
XBITtUHRlC. lUjA<br />
A lil'mt to THE DlRCl'SSION<br />
ANU APPRECIATION OK<br />
of "Photoplay Appreciation in American High Schools" and co-author of<br />
"Standards of Photoplay Appreciation,"<br />
I rsT<br />
I'OR '<br />
IFF<br />
EVERY SCHOOL ... in your vicinity will be grateful to you for<br />
a supply of these beautifully illustrated, authentic guides to the appreciation<br />
of selected motion pictures to<br />
help build community interest in them.<br />
(Size 6x9,<br />
16 pages.)<br />
REACH THE HOr4ES ... of your area through your teachers<br />
and students by supplying these guides to all classes in drama, literature<br />
and history. Let students take the booklets home for their parents and<br />
DAVID MASZKl.LA<br />
family members to<br />
read.<br />
WIU.IAM l.RWIN. I'hlJ,<br />
(Sample Cover)<br />
HERE'S WHAT TO DO<br />
1. Determine the number of Study Guides you require to get the fullest<br />
coverage of all your schools. Use the order form below, allowing sufficient<br />
time for delivery and distribution.<br />
2. Contact school Audio-Visual Directors and Principals for distribution<br />
of the Study Guides for classroom discussion.<br />
Study Guides Are Now Available On<br />
"LUST FOR LIFE"<br />
"WAR AND PEACE"<br />
"FRIENDLY PERSUASION"<br />
THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET'<br />
"FULL OF LIFE<br />
USE THIS ORDER BLANK<br />
TO:<br />
PUBLICATION PRESS, 4804 East 9th St., Kansas City 24, Mo.<br />
Single<br />
copies are 30c<br />
25 lots, 25c a copy<br />
50 lots, 20c a copy<br />
100 lots, 15c a copy<br />
250 lots, 12c a copy<br />
500 lots, 10c a copy<br />
1,000 lots, 8c a copy<br />
2,500 lots, 7c a copy<br />
5,000 lots, 6c a copy<br />
Theatre<br />
SEND<br />
copies of the illustrated Study Guide on<br />
(name oi picture)<br />
Playdate<br />
Prices F.O.B. Kansas City,<br />
Mo.<br />
Street Address<br />
Check or money order must accompany order<br />
Please advise bow io ship. Allow 7 days<br />
for rail express and parcel post, 2 days<br />
Town<br />
Signature of Manager<br />
State<br />
for air express.<br />
Ship Via D Air Express D Rail Express D Parcel Post<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957<br />
29
More on Handling Hoodlumism<br />
Call -the -Parents Technique<br />
With a New Twist Works<br />
MACON, MO.—The call-the-parents<br />
technique<br />
of dealing with rowdyism and vandal-<br />
SECOND ACCOUNT:<br />
This group of<br />
ism<br />
boys<br />
in was<br />
theatres,<br />
caught<br />
which has<br />
by<br />
come<br />
me<br />
to the fore<br />
personally, with<br />
in<br />
at least<br />
recent months,<br />
a dozen fresh<br />
was given<br />
eggs<br />
a new twist last<br />
in their<br />
week<br />
hands<br />
by<br />
ready to<br />
Paul<br />
throw at<br />
Campbell, manager<br />
an opportune<br />
moment. I<br />
of the Dickinson<br />
collected<br />
circuit's Macon<br />
from their<br />
Theatre<br />
hands<br />
here.<br />
five or six eggs<br />
In<br />
and asked them if<br />
this instance,<br />
there<br />
there<br />
were<br />
is a tie-up with any more.<br />
the The answer<br />
principal was no.<br />
of the high<br />
However,<br />
school but, instead<br />
several eggs<br />
of sending<br />
were dropped<br />
the<br />
and broken<br />
letter to the<br />
on the<br />
parents, the<br />
floor<br />
members<br />
under their seats and<br />
of the<br />
the next<br />
juvenile troupe<br />
morning<br />
involved were the janitor<br />
given a<br />
found the<br />
chance<br />
egg<br />
to read<br />
carton<br />
the<br />
containing<br />
letter first, then several<br />
decide more<br />
whether<br />
unbroken eggs.<br />
they would behave<br />
They also<br />
in the<br />
possessed<br />
future.<br />
oranges.<br />
Campbell believes his method will<br />
work, and recommends it to other theatremen.<br />
THIRD ACCOUNT:<br />
The We do not have curtains in<br />
exhibitor<br />
front of<br />
explains<br />
our<br />
his method in letters large<br />
sent<br />
Cinemascope screen,<br />
to Glen<br />
which cost<br />
Dickinson<br />
over<br />
jr. and to parents.<br />
$2,000, and I told the boys I was holding them<br />
The letter to Dickinson follows:<br />
responsible as a group if they caused any<br />
Enclosed, is a self-explanatory damage. letter in<br />
No eggs were thrown. However,<br />
connection with the repercussion<br />
during a black<br />
of the<br />
out several<br />
Dr.<br />
glass salt and<br />
Jekyll stage show.<br />
pepper shakers were thrown in total darkness<br />
After writing the<br />
striking<br />
letter I could<br />
patrons in<br />
not come<br />
the audience and one<br />
to the decision to send was shattered<br />
it or not, so I consulted<br />
the high school<br />
on the stage. These salt and<br />
pepper shakers<br />
superintendent.<br />
were reported He<br />
stolen from the<br />
was very glad I came to him with<br />
Bungalow Cafe earlier<br />
this<br />
in<br />
problem<br />
the evening supposedly<br />
and felt that it did concern the<br />
by this group.<br />
school.<br />
Not all of these boys are in school, and FOURTH<br />
one<br />
ACCOUNT:<br />
of the fathers is a screen advertiser.<br />
Another is in the U.<br />
During<br />
S. Air<br />
the show there<br />
Force,<br />
were several<br />
but is only<br />
young<br />
about 19. However, Macon high<br />
since that<br />
school students<br />
time<br />
assisting<br />
I have<br />
the<br />
decided not to mail<br />
show<br />
the<br />
troupe who were<br />
letters,<br />
attacked,<br />
but<br />
slugged<br />
to have<br />
and<br />
them come in and had<br />
talk<br />
pepper<br />
to me and<br />
thrown in their eyes<br />
read<br />
while<br />
the<br />
coming<br />
letter themselves, and<br />
up the aisle<br />
make<br />
from back stage. This<br />
their own<br />
was reported<br />
to<br />
decision if they want to have<br />
continue<br />
happened<br />
to come when they reached<br />
to<br />
the show or not<br />
the<br />
and<br />
point<br />
assure me<br />
where this group of<br />
there boys<br />
will<br />
was<br />
never be any more seated.<br />
disturbance from them.<br />
The superintendent has already called in<br />
the<br />
FIFTH ACCOUNT:<br />
school boys and talked to them. One or<br />
two at a time, they At least<br />
are<br />
one, possibly<br />
coming more<br />
in<br />
of these boys,<br />
to see me<br />
now. Actually there was carrying<br />
were<br />
a large<br />
only push-button<br />
three<br />
knife.<br />
or The<br />
four<br />
who planned this thing<br />
one and<br />
known, displayed the rest<br />
a knife became<br />
of mentioned<br />
involved.<br />
type in the lobby to the roadshow manager<br />
This is the<br />
before<br />
first time<br />
the I have<br />
show began<br />
ever had<br />
and was<br />
any<br />
heard in<br />
trouble of<br />
witness<br />
this nature<br />
to say,<br />
and I think<br />
he would use the knife<br />
this on<br />
is the<br />
the<br />
best way to handle it. Prom "MONSTER" if<br />
now<br />
he<br />
on<br />
was bothered.<br />
all the<br />
kids will<br />
It is<br />
know that we<br />
hard to<br />
won't<br />
report the amount<br />
tolerate<br />
of disturbance<br />
each individual boy caused. They<br />
any<br />
rowdyness.<br />
came as a group so they are charged as a<br />
The letter written to parents by Manager group.<br />
Campbell:<br />
This theatre will not tolerate such violent<br />
It is with regret that juvenile<br />
I have to inform delinquency,<br />
you<br />
property destruction<br />
that your son is barred from<br />
and endangering<br />
attending<br />
other patrons, now or in<br />
the Macon Theatre for<br />
the<br />
a period<br />
future.<br />
not less than<br />
six months from this date.<br />
I feel that barring these boys for a .sixmonth<br />
It has taken me since Monday night<br />
period is<br />
January<br />
14 to make this decision.<br />
punishment as they could have very easily<br />
a very fair and lenient<br />
been prosecuted for property destruction had<br />
FIRST ACCOUNT:<br />
I not caught them before the show started.<br />
On Monday night January<br />
There are<br />
14 we<br />
no<br />
presented<br />
hard feelings on my part<br />
a stage show and your<br />
toward<br />
son any of<br />
entered<br />
the<br />
the<br />
boys<br />
theatre<br />
because of this incident<br />
but, I<br />
in a very loud and rowdy manner do think it is<br />
in company<br />
a matter that should<br />
of 11 or 12 other boys.<br />
not<br />
Almost<br />
go unattended.<br />
all of the group<br />
were smoking cigars<br />
If<br />
and<br />
any names have<br />
cigarets been<br />
in the<br />
excluded or falsely<br />
seated section of the<br />
included it is<br />
lower purely<br />
auditorium by accident.<br />
endangering<br />
the If<br />
lives of some<br />
you<br />
two<br />
would care to<br />
to<br />
discuss<br />
three<br />
this matter<br />
hundred other patrons.<br />
with<br />
They were<br />
me personally, I called<br />
would be glad to talk<br />
down for this by<br />
with<br />
an you at<br />
attendant, any time.<br />
and later<br />
some of the group re-lit their cigars and<br />
cigarets making it necessary for me to<br />
personally call them down and explain they<br />
were violating a very strict state fire law<br />
PAUL CAMPBELL<br />
The letter also carried a notation that<br />
copies were being sent to the school superintendent<br />
and the high school principal.<br />
CALENDARqeEVENTS
'<br />
New Scotland. N. Y„ Airer<br />
Opening Planned for May<br />
NEW SCOTLAND, N. Y.—Opening date<br />
for the Mayfair Drive-In, under construction<br />
here, is scheduled for "somewhere around<br />
May 12 to 15," according to Robert C. Conahan<br />
of SUngerlands. The 700-car situation,<br />
the building of which indirectly started New<br />
Scotland residents to push for zoning, will be<br />
given its final touches as soon as there is a<br />
break in the weather, he added.<br />
Conahan stated that while he was aware<br />
of activities by protesting residents of the<br />
nearby Heldervale section, no pressure had<br />
been exerted on him directly to abandon the<br />
project.<br />
The town of Bethlehem also<br />
was the scene<br />
of a recent controversy about the building of<br />
a drive-in by Klein Theatres. An order<br />
restraining its town board from interfering<br />
with the completion of an ozoner, started before<br />
the board acted to interdict drive-ins,<br />
was recently issued by Official Referee<br />
Christopher J. Heffernan. That theatre is<br />
slated for opening in May, too, according to<br />
Filmrow reports.<br />
The Heldervale residents last fall circulated<br />
petitions in both towns to prevent Conahan's<br />
drive-in from opening. After one<br />
said to have contained more than 600 signatures<br />
had been presented, the New Scotland<br />
town board established a seven-member<br />
planning commission, to study zoning. One<br />
or more improvement associations have been<br />
since established to bring zoning to New<br />
Scotland, an Albany suburb.<br />
Longtime Showman Now<br />
In Atomic Boat Work<br />
ELIZABETH. N. J.—Following two years<br />
of study in preparation for the post. Edward<br />
J. Kane, long a manager for Stanley Warner<br />
Theatres, resigned at the Regent here and<br />
moved to New London, Conn., to join<br />
Electric Boat Division of the General<br />
Dynamics Corp., as a technical aide, a job<br />
covered by government security regulations.<br />
Kane had been with SW 31 years. The<br />
Electric Boat Division turned out the nation's<br />
first atomic-powered submarines, the Nautilus<br />
and the Sea Wolf.<br />
Supervisors, managers and assistant managers<br />
of the circuit gave Kane a farewell<br />
luncheon at the Carteret Hotel. Kane has<br />
moved to New London with his wife; two<br />
sons. James and Jeffrey: a daughter, Mrs.<br />
Nancy Wagner. Another son Roger, is in<br />
the Army in Germany.<br />
Frederick DiAngelis, manager of the Fabian<br />
in Hoboken, succeeded Kane at the Regent.<br />
Walter F. Diehl Promoted<br />
To lATSE Head's Aide<br />
PHILADELPHIA—Walter F. Diehl. international<br />
representative for the International<br />
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes since<br />
1954, has been promoted to assistant international<br />
president by Richard F. Walsh,<br />
president, following a unanimous vote of<br />
approval by the general executive board.<br />
Diehl, a member of the Moving Picture<br />
Operators, Local 182, Boston, since 1933.<br />
served that organization for eight years as<br />
business agent before joining the international<br />
staff. He was active as a field man<br />
throughout New England until last fall, when<br />
he was assigned to the New York office.<br />
Greenman and Bruno<br />
Swap Theatre Posts<br />
New York—There's been a baseball<br />
trade in Loew's Theatres. Harry Greenman,<br />
for the last 11 years manager of the<br />
Capitol on Broadway, has moved over to<br />
the oirouifs flagship, Loew's State, as<br />
manager. .\nd James Bruno, manager of<br />
Loew's State, has taken the helm at the<br />
Capitol.<br />
N.Y. Assembly Considering<br />
Antibomb Threat Bills<br />
ALBANY—The Assembly Codes committee<br />
is considering two bills dealing with bomb<br />
threats and false information concerning<br />
such.<br />
Sponsored by Assemblyman Walter Gladwin,<br />
Bronx, one bill provides that "a person<br />
who communicates in any manner with the<br />
public authorities pertaining to threats to<br />
place or plant bombs shall be guilty of a<br />
misdemeanor."<br />
The other bill reads, "Any person who<br />
gives false information, in person or by telephone,<br />
to the effect a bomb will be exploded<br />
or that any other serious hazard exists in<br />
any school, theatre, auditorium, assembly<br />
hall or other places used for public gathering<br />
shall be guilty of misdemeanor."<br />
As amendments to the penal law, both bills<br />
would take effect immediately.<br />
Theatres in Albany. Troy, New York and<br />
other cities have experienced numerous bomb<br />
threats during recent months. In some cases,<br />
theatres have been evacuated after false<br />
phone calls.<br />
Sunday Blue Law Bill<br />
Would Exempt Movies<br />
HARRISBURG—Co-sponsored by Leo Mc-<br />
Keever and Albert E. Strausser, a bill introduced<br />
into the House of Representatives this<br />
week would force the closing of retail business<br />
establishments on Sundays in the Keystone<br />
state. There would be about 10 exceptions<br />
to the prohibition. They are public<br />
utilities, hotels, gasoline stations, sports<br />
events, places of amusement, medical and<br />
dental offices, drugstores and restaurants.<br />
Sunday movies would be permitted after 2<br />
p.m. in sub-divisions where the voters have<br />
approved such exhibition.<br />
Censor Bill<br />
Under Study<br />
HARRISBURG—Now in the Pennsylvania<br />
House of Representatives law and order committee<br />
is a new bill to revive operation of a<br />
censor board. Reps. Leo. J. McLaughlin (D-<br />
Alleghenyi and Walter Kamyk (D- Allegheny)<br />
introduced the measure. The original<br />
1915 film censor law was declared unconstitutional<br />
by the state supreme court in<br />
March 1956. During the 1955-56 session the<br />
house approved a similar bill which died in<br />
the<br />
senate.<br />
Columbia Votes Dividend<br />
NEW YORK—Columbia has declared its<br />
regular quarterly dividend of 30 cents a share<br />
on the common stock, payable April 30 to<br />
stockholders of record March 29.<br />
High Maryland Coua<br />
Gets Obscenity hmt<br />
BALTIMORE—A definition of "obsctn^-<br />
and a ruling on the constitutionality of Maryland's<br />
censorship law was asked in the court<br />
of appeals at Annapolis in an appeal by the<br />
state board of censors on a Baltimore decision.<br />
In the local court. Judge Joseph Byrnes had<br />
reversed the board's order that certain scenes<br />
be eliminated from "Naked Amazon" before it<br />
could be shown in Maryland. The censors<br />
ordered elimination of all scenes wherein<br />
natives appeared nude below the waist on<br />
grounds they were "obscene." The ruling said<br />
•the showing of nudity ... in a pseudo-documentary<br />
... is calculated to arise sexual<br />
desires of substantial numbers of people."<br />
Times Films Corp., makers of the color film,<br />
contend the film .shows Brazilian Indians in<br />
their daily activities and was carefully edited<br />
so that "intimate parts of the body cannot<br />
be seen."<br />
A lawyer for the filmmakers said the censor<br />
board's order resulted in elimination of all<br />
scenes depicting the Camayura Indians and<br />
in effect "cuts the heart out of the film."<br />
The film has been passed by the Motion Picture<br />
A.ss'n of America.<br />
Judge Byrnes, who viewed the entire film<br />
once, and the eliminated scenes twice, held<br />
that the scenes did not fall within prohibition<br />
of the censorship act. The censors asked the<br />
high court to reverse this decision and to<br />
deny the film company's claim that the<br />
censorship law violates the constitutional provisions<br />
of free speech and free press.<br />
The appeal judges did not view the film<br />
but heard arguments from both sides before<br />
taking the case under advisement.<br />
Sindlinger Gives Talk<br />
To Market Research<br />
NEW YORK—Albert E. Shidlinger, president<br />
of Sindlinger & Co., business analysts,<br />
addressed a luncheon meeting of the Market<br />
Research Council at the Yale Club Friday<br />
(151.<br />
Sindlinger explained his company's new<br />
Audience Action Concept" and how, by<br />
measuring the previous day's activity among<br />
a sampling of the public, coupled with a new<br />
kind of progressive questioning, his company<br />
has come up with an entirely fresh approach<br />
to measurements of media effectiveness. The<br />
accuracy record of Sindlinger & Co. in the<br />
motion pictm-e field has made it possible for<br />
its client list of theatres to grow, during the<br />
course of a 90-week period, from 16 to over<br />
1,600, he said.<br />
Morris Stein<br />
In $3,000,000<br />
Sues Majors<br />
Action<br />
NEW YORK—Morris Stem, operator of the<br />
Corona Theatre, Queens, has filed a $3,000,-<br />
000 antitrust suit in Federal Court against<br />
the eight major distributors, their subsidiaries.<br />
Century Theatres, the Marcus Loew<br />
Booking Agency and the Loew's Theatre<br />
Realty Corp. charging conspiracy to discriminate<br />
against the Corona in favor of other<br />
theatres in the neighborhood.<br />
Stein acquued the Corona in 1956 under<br />
a leasing ar^-eement which promised him<br />
certain availability of product, his suit stated.<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957<br />
E-1
Lincoln's<br />
Holiday<br />
On B'way; 'Can't<br />
NEW YORK—The Lincoln's Birthday holiday<br />
for the school children and many of the<br />
adult office workers boosted the fii'st run<br />
business on Broadway, particularly for "The<br />
Girl Can't Help It," new pictui'e at the Roxy,<br />
and several of the long run holdovers. The<br />
only other new fUm, "Tlxree Violent People,"<br />
also had a good opening week at the Globe.<br />
Among the pictures which did better business<br />
than the preceding week were "The<br />
Wings of Eagles," in its second at the Radio<br />
City Music Hall, where it will stay only a<br />
thu'd—until "The Spirit of St. Louis" opens<br />
there February 21; "Lust for Life," "La<br />
Strada" and most of the art house attractions,<br />
and, of course, the two-a-day films, which<br />
added special holiday performances. These<br />
were "Ai-ound the World in 80 Days," in its<br />
17th week at the Rivoli; "The Ten Commandments,"<br />
in its 14th at the Criterion, and<br />
"Seven Wonders of the World," in its 44th<br />
at the Warner Theatre.<br />
The Times Square pictures which held up<br />
well enough included: "Edge of the City,"<br />
in its second week at Loew's State; "The Iron<br />
Petticoat," second at the Mayfair, and the<br />
final weeks of "The Rainmaker," which was<br />
replaced at the Astor by "Full of Life" February<br />
12, and "Written oh the Wind," which<br />
was replaced by "Battle Hymn" at the<br />
Capitol February 15. The only other new<br />
film was "Gold of Naples," Italian picture at<br />
the Paris.<br />
Both "La Strada," which has been nominated<br />
for an Academy award, in its 30th<br />
week at the Trans-Lux 52nd Street Theatre,<br />
and "Lust for Life," in its 21st week at the<br />
Plaza, again did turnaway business in the<br />
evenings. Others were: "The Great Man,"<br />
still great in its sixth week at the Sutton;<br />
"Tempest in the Flesh," very big in its fourth<br />
week at the World, and "Albert Schweitzer,"<br />
a documentary which is getting favorable<br />
word of mouth and had a terrific third week<br />
at the tiny Guild Theatre. "Oedipus Rex"<br />
also did well in its fifth week at the 55th<br />
Street Playhouse.<br />
(Average Is 100)<br />
Astor—The Rainmoker (Para), 9th wk ) 05<br />
Baronet—Don Giovanni (Festival), 7th wk 110<br />
Capitol—Written on the Wind (U-l), 5th wk 115<br />
Central—Mom and Dad (HP); She Shouido Said<br />
No (HP), 2nd wk 1 50<br />
Criterion—The Ten Commandments (Para), 14th<br />
wk. of two-o-day 200<br />
Fine Arts—Richard III (Lopert), 2nd wk. of continuous<br />
run 1 20<br />
55th St.—Oedipus Rex (Lesser), 5th wk 120<br />
Globe—Three Violent People (Para) 125<br />
Guild—Albert Schweitzer (Indep), 3rd wk 185<br />
Little Carnegie—Wee Geordie (Times), 19th wk. . .110<br />
Loew's State— Edge of the City (MGM), 2nd wk. . .125<br />
Mayfair—The Iron Petticoat (MGM), 2nd wk 125<br />
Normandie—Rhapsody in Blue (Dominant), reissue<br />
105<br />
Paromount—Top Secret Affair (WB), 2nd wk....l20<br />
Palace— Jerry Lewis vaudeville show 175<br />
Paris—We Are All Murderers (Kingsley), 5th wk.. . 1 10<br />
IT WON'T TAKE A FULL PACE AD<br />
TO TELL YOU<br />
vilmiack<br />
. .<br />
«y„„m»^r«<br />
630 Ninth Av*. NEW YORK, N.Y.<br />
1327 S. Wobaih CHICAGO, ILL.<br />
,<br />
Boosts<br />
Help If<br />
Business<br />
Good<br />
Ploza—Lust for Life (MGMJ, 2 1 st wk 1 60<br />
Radio City Music Hall—The Wings of Eagles<br />
(MGM), plus stage show, 2nd wk 125<br />
Rivoli—Around the World in 80 Days (UA), 1 7th<br />
vvk. of two-a-day 200<br />
Roxy—The Girl Con't Help It {20th-Fox), plus<br />
ice revue 1 40<br />
Sutton—The Greof Man (U-l), 6th wk 135<br />
Trans-'Lux 52nd— La Strada (Trans-Lux), 30th wk. . 160<br />
Victoria—Baby Doll (WB), 8th wk 140<br />
Warner—Seven Wonders of the World (SW), 44th<br />
wk. of two-a-day 145<br />
World—Tempest in the Flesh (Pacemaker), 4th wk.l 35<br />
Big Holdovers Overshadow<br />
Others at Baltimore<br />
BALTIMORE—Most of the first run attractions<br />
were holdovers, and for the most<br />
part they did well. Of the newcomers, "Top<br />
Secret Affair," and "Don't Knock the Rock"<br />
on a bill with "Rumble on the Docks" were<br />
disappointing.<br />
Century—Anastasia (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 225<br />
Cinema—We Are All Murderers (Kingsley), 2nd wk.l GO<br />
Film Centre—Around the World in 80 Days (UA),<br />
8th wk 250<br />
Five West—Wee Geordie (Times), 7th wk 90<br />
Hippodrome—The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 4th wk 1 00<br />
Little—Storm Over the Nile (Col) 95<br />
Mayfair—Written on the Wind (U-l), 7th wk 90<br />
New—The Ten Commandments (Para), 8th wk...350<br />
Playhouse—The Great Man (U-l), 3rd wk 90<br />
Stanley—Top Secret Affair (WB) 85<br />
Town—Don't Knock the Rock (Col); Rumble on the<br />
Docks (Col) 85<br />
'Secret Affair' Grosses<br />
150 As Buffalo Leader<br />
BUFFALO—Business was pretty good all<br />
along the line this week. "Anastasia" held up<br />
well in a third week at the Buffalo. "The<br />
Ten Commandments" did fine in its eighth<br />
stanza at the Century. "Top Secret Affair"<br />
hit 150 at the Paramount and "Bundle of<br />
Joy" had 130 in the Center. Good show<br />
weather over the weekend helped boxoffices.<br />
Buffalo— Anostosia (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 100<br />
Center— Bundle of Joy (RKO) 1 30<br />
Century—The Ten Commandments (Para), 8th wk. 135<br />
Cinema—The Great Man (U-l) 115<br />
Lafayette—Written on the Wind (U-l), 5th wk...l25<br />
Paramount—Top Secret Affair (WB) 1 50<br />
'Anastasia' Continues<br />
To Lead in Pittsburgh<br />
PITTSBURGH—After a month on view at<br />
the Harris Theatre, "Anastasia" continued as<br />
top grossing attraction in the Golden Triangle.<br />
Fulton—The Girl Can't Help It (20th-Fox), 2nd wk. 70<br />
Horns—Anastasia (20th-Fox), 4th wk 125<br />
Penn—The Iron Petticoat (MGM) 110<br />
Stanley—Three Violent People (Pora) 75<br />
UN Officials at Reception<br />
For Hungarians at Roxy<br />
NEW YORK — United Nations officials,<br />
civic and relief organizations representatives<br />
and social figures attended a special reception<br />
for Hungarian refugees at the Roxy<br />
Theatre Friday
.rJ^iJ,:.:<br />
For Sharp, Straightforward^<br />
Focus • • • # ^<br />
That's<br />
right -to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
I<br />
I<br />
t<br />
\<br />
CENTURY curved gates are patterned crfter<br />
the<br />
Vwell known CENTURY film trap and gate. The<br />
new curved gate features solid, fixed film trap<br />
shoes. This sturdy precision design provides positive<br />
positioning of the film, therefore positive<br />
focus. The aperture plate was designed as an<br />
integral part of the film trap which serves to<br />
maintain the correct focus.<br />
PERFORAIANCE PROOF: Nofe f/ie fo»owing //pica/<br />
exhibitor comments:<br />
"Marked improvement on edge-toedge<br />
focusing. Excellent results,<br />
both color and black and white<br />
were tested with equally good results.<br />
Most noticeable on newsreels."<br />
King Theatre, Honolulu<br />
. . . and many more.<br />
"The in and out<br />
of focus effect has<br />
been all but eliminated,<br />
particularly<br />
on previously<br />
buckled film."<br />
Miracle Mile Drive-in,<br />
Ohio, U.S.A.<br />
See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid to better<br />
dr^^^^^K motion picture projection.<br />
-^Ir @ I Century Projector Corp.<br />
• * f ^"^ ^<br />
NEW^ YORK 19, N. Y.<br />
..? .<br />
.,J-:i..l .-..M<br />
DISTRIBUTED<br />
^"^<br />
BY<br />
Amusement Supply Co.<br />
346 West 44th St.<br />
New York 18, N. Y.<br />
J. F. Dusman Company<br />
12 East 25th St.<br />
Baltimore 18, Maryland<br />
Buffalo Theatre Equipment & Seating Inc.<br />
505 Pear! St.<br />
Buffalo 2, New York<br />
Albany Theatre Supply Co.<br />
443 North Pearl St.<br />
Albany 4, New York<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957<br />
E-3
B R O A D W Ay<br />
/^VERHEARD at Moriarity's restaurant:<br />
"An egotist is an I-dropper." * * * And a<br />
waitress at the 51st Street Schraffs thought<br />
that the RKO picture "Stage Struck" was<br />
about a careless pedestrian in a western<br />
town. * Abe Goodman, '' advertising director<br />
*<br />
of 20th Century-Fox, returned Monday (41<br />
from a western division sales pow-wow. * * *<br />
Ditto on the same day: Max Youngstein,<br />
United Artists vee-pee, who held sessions in<br />
Hollywood on the company's production program.<br />
* * * Altec's A. J. Rademacher and M.<br />
G. Thomas were making a swing of midwest<br />
area operations and stopped off in Cincinnati<br />
for the Allied drive-in conclave. * * * Speaking<br />
of Altec, Fried-Reiss advertising agency<br />
will handle the company's activities in the<br />
motion picture, industrial and commercial<br />
fields. Bert Ennis will create the copy and<br />
Barry Nova will be account executive. * * •<br />
Keeton Arnett has resigned as vice-president<br />
of Allen B. DuMont Laboratories to become<br />
executive vice-president of the Chamber of<br />
Commerce of Greater Philadelphia. • ' ' Nat<br />
Kalcheim, executive of the 'William Morris<br />
office, will serve as chau-man of the entertainment<br />
committee for the industry tribute<br />
to Jimmy Durante at the Waldorf Astoria on<br />
March 17. Eddie Cantor and George Jessel<br />
will be co-narrators of the show business<br />
cavalcade at the dinner.<br />
mount gadabouts: exploitation chief Herb<br />
Steinberg to Dallas; Morris Lefko to Charlotte,<br />
and Charley Boasberg skated back from<br />
Toronto. ' * * Al Lewin, producer of "The<br />
Living Idol" for MGM, came in from Hollywood.<br />
» • * From Paris we learn that a baby<br />
son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Andre Hakim.<br />
She is the former Susan Zanuck, daughter of<br />
the Darryl Zanucks. Hakim is a producer.<br />
The two glamorous stars of "Oh. Men! Oh,<br />
Women!" Ginger Rogers and Barbara Rush,<br />
are in town to publicize the 20th Century-<br />
Fox comedy, which will open at the Roxy<br />
February 21. Ginger also appeared on the<br />
Perry Como TV show Saturday (16) and<br />
the following day will throw out the first<br />
ball at the World Championship Tennis<br />
match at Madison Square Garden. * » *<br />
Richard Widmark, who completed his role<br />
of the Dauphin in "Saint Joan" in London,<br />
is back in America to start his own production<br />
of "Time Limit," also for United Artists<br />
release, March 15. Rip Torn, New York TV<br />
actor, has been signed for a major role in<br />
this and will leave shortly for Hollywood.<br />
• * *<br />
Gary Cooper and his beautiful wife<br />
are in Manhattan to see "Tunnel of Love,"<br />
"A Visit to a Small Planet" and other new<br />
Broadway shows.<br />
UA Home Office Adds<br />
Another Full Floor<br />
NEW YORK—United Artists is taking over<br />
the entire 11th floor at 729 Seventh Ave.<br />
that was occupied by the Columbia executives<br />
offices, bringing its total space in<br />
the building to six floors. Columbia is now<br />
at 711 Fifth Ave.<br />
The 11th floor will house the board room,<br />
personnel department headed by Norman<br />
Hasselo, Jules Chapman's branch operations<br />
staff, the television sales department headed<br />
by John Leo, foreign accounting under Sidney<br />
Landau, some units of the advertisingpublicity-exploitation<br />
accounting department<br />
under Jack Rothenberg and the mail,<br />
mimeograph and teletype departments.<br />
When renovation is complete, the 12th<br />
floor, occupied by the advertising-publicityexploitation<br />
staffs, wUl be altered to provide<br />
for a staff expansion that has been<br />
going on for two years.<br />
United Artists is also taking over 650 square<br />
feet on the fourth floor for a new telephone<br />
switchboard facility, which will increase the<br />
load capacity for both house and outside<br />
calls and will eliminate the use of separate<br />
house phones.<br />
Occupation of the 11th floor will start in a<br />
few days. The first units to move in will<br />
be branch operations, personnel, foreign accounting<br />
and TV sales.<br />
h<br />
Back at the console of the Radio City<br />
Music Hall organ is Richard Leibert. Dick<br />
has been on a coast-to-coast concert tour<br />
giving organ recitals while on a leave of<br />
absence. * * • Which reminds us of the story<br />
about the editor who had to join the musicians<br />
union because he put out a company's<br />
house organ. * * * Charley Casanave is back<br />
in town after opening a Fred Astaire Dance<br />
Studio in Houston. Charley is president of<br />
Astaire's vast dance studio organization. The<br />
Houston setup is the first acquired by Texas<br />
Interstate circuit on a franchise basis.<br />
Good scouts: Morey Goldstein, Ben Kalmenson,<br />
Hugh Owen, Charley Reagan and<br />
Ed Walton. They are additional co-chairmen<br />
of the motion picture committee of the annual<br />
campaign for the New York Council of<br />
Boy Scouts of America. The committee is<br />
headed by Russ Downing, Rube Jackter and<br />
Paul Lazarus, jr. * * * Who worries about<br />
old stories? Bus loads of students go to the<br />
55th Street Playhouse daily to see "Oedipus<br />
Rex." A feller named Sophocles wrote the<br />
yarn only 2,500 years ago. * • * Want to be<br />
a screenplay writer? City College is offering<br />
courses at night classes. Philip Freund, veteran<br />
script writer and novelist, is the teacher.<br />
It was a half-holiday in the film business<br />
on Lincoln's birthday and a lot of home office<br />
folk were seen going on a busman's<br />
holiday—to Broadway theatres. • • • The<br />
home offices will be closed all day Friday<br />
(22) to celebrate Washington's birthday.<br />
* * * Producer Howard Koch hopped in for<br />
home office huddles with UA executives on<br />
"Voodoo Island," "Phaxoah's Curse" and<br />
"Revolt at Fort Laramie." » * * Russell Holman,<br />
Paramount eastern production manager,<br />
was back from Hollywood. • * * other Para-<br />
Roslyn Brand, who was with the RKO publicity<br />
department for the past several years,<br />
most recently working with Alan Bader,<br />
magazine contact, has a new job with Stearn<br />
Publications, publisher of fan magazines.<br />
* * * A Lincoln's birthday present for Sid<br />
Retchetnik of the Warner Bros, home office<br />
publicity department was a six-pound,<br />
six ounce boy, born to Mi's. Raisa Retchetnik<br />
at Doctors Hospital. Named Richard Ben,<br />
this is the couple's second child. * » * Walter<br />
Reade jr., who started Thomas Brandon's<br />
series of notable French films at the Baronet<br />
Theatre Friday (15), invited the heads<br />
of all bakers' ajssociations and bakers' unions<br />
to attend the lead-off picture, "The<br />
Baker's Wife," on opening night.<br />
Jerry Pickman, Paramount vice-president,<br />
was host at a luncheon and screening of<br />
"Fear Strikes Out" at Toots Shor's Monday<br />
111). Attending were sports writers of magazines,<br />
newspapers and wire services. The<br />
honor guest was Jimmy Piersall, Boston Red<br />
Sox outfielder, on whose life the picture is<br />
based. * * * Kaiser, Sedlow & Temple, Inc.,<br />
newly formed creative service for film advertising,<br />
has opened headquarters at 21 E.<br />
40th St. ' * Will Lindy's miss one of its<br />
best customers now that Harry Greenman<br />
has moved from the Capitol to Loew's State?<br />
* * * Allied President Julius Gordon, in town<br />
this week from his Beaumont, Tex., home,<br />
said the only trouble with New York was that<br />
he never can keep an appointment on time.<br />
He's always dashing—dashing—dashing.<br />
Max Cohen, president of Cinema circuit<br />
who went to Europe last fall to scout a new<br />
theatre television system, says perfection has<br />
been reached insofar as a 3x4-foot screen<br />
in concerned, but experimentation is continuing.<br />
* * * Meanwhile, experiments are<br />
continuing on 20th-Fox's Eidophor in The<br />
Bronx. * • * Edgar G. Shelton jr., former director<br />
of the U. S. National Security Training<br />
Commission, has joined American Broadcasting-Paramount<br />
Theatres, as assistant to<br />
Robert H. Hinckley, vice-president and director<br />
in charge of the Washington office.<br />
* * « Mario DiPalma, expediter in 20th-Pox's<br />
publicity department, received a Bachelor of<br />
Arts degTee from Queens College. He<br />
majored in dramatic arts. * * * Warners' Gil<br />
Golden to Boston. * * * Director Archie Mayo<br />
off to Europe to scout locations for Allied<br />
Artists' "Beast of Budapest." • * * Competition<br />
for the eighth annual Robert J. Flaherty<br />
documentary film award has been<br />
opened by City College's Institute of Film<br />
Techniques which now is accepting applications<br />
from filmmakers.<br />
A well-known industry trencherman, who<br />
can murder two steaks at a sitting, must be<br />
thinking about turning to a liquid diet. He<br />
recently wrote that he "imbibed some suki<br />
yalci" with representatives of the Japanese<br />
film industry. We ate ours, and with chopsticks<br />
yet! * • * Dave Golding, vice-president<br />
of Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, was in town<br />
on promotion plans for "The Bachelor Party."<br />
* * Also here for HH&L is Elliott Witt,<br />
treasm-er and general manager. » • * Mori<br />
Krushen, UA exploitation chief, is smart. He<br />
headed for Miami—but strictly on business.<br />
Maybe he read about the coming cold wave.<br />
* * * Milt Cohen, UA's eastern and southern<br />
division manager, came back from the<br />
south. * • » Meanwhile, A. Schneider, first<br />
vice-president and treasurer of Columbia<br />
Pictures, and Leo Jaffe, vice-president,<br />
headed for the Hollywood studios. * * ' Richard<br />
Carlton, sales vice-prexy of Trans-Lux<br />
Television, is back from a midwest and far<br />
west tour.<br />
(<br />
E-4<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
. . Francis<br />
.<br />
. . Albert<br />
'<br />
Memorial Services Held<br />
For Irving Evans, 44<br />
NETW YORK—Memorial services were held<br />
February 9 for Irving Evans. 44, vice-president<br />
and assistant managing director of<br />
Radio City Music Hall, who died two days<br />
before after a long illness. He became assistant<br />
stage manager of the former Center<br />
Theatre in Radio City in 1932 and in 1933<br />
was transferred to the Music Hall, becoming<br />
stage manager in 1936. In 1952 he was<br />
made vice-president and assistant managing<br />
director.<br />
He was a nephew of Sir Jacob Epstein.<br />
American-born British sculpter, and a<br />
brother of Abner Dean, cartoonist and author.<br />
After entering Harvard at the age of 14. he<br />
left before graduation to study the theatre<br />
in London and Paris, attended the Sorbonne<br />
and was associated with the English<br />
Players in Paris in 1931-32.<br />
He leaves his wife, the former Ludmilla<br />
Selihoff, a former ballet dancer at the Music<br />
Hall; two daughters. Lynn and Jennifer: his<br />
mother. Mrs. Deana Evans, and two sisters.<br />
Ethel Dean and Mrs. Lawrence Herbert,<br />
both of this city, in addition to his brother.<br />
James M. Ashcraft Dies;<br />
Former MGM Fieldman<br />
PHILADELPHIA—James M. Ashcraft. 77.<br />
whose last position in the entertainment field<br />
was field representative for MGM in the<br />
Philadelphia ten-itory. died early in February<br />
at the Dunwoody Home here.<br />
Ashcraft became publicity representative<br />
and then per.sonnal representative for D. W.<br />
Griffith after serving as advance man and<br />
company manager for various stage shows.<br />
He brought "Birth of a Nation" to Broadway<br />
for Griffith and later took Griffith's "Heart;<br />
of the World" to London. In 1929. he was<br />
named director of publicity for Sono-Art and<br />
later he held publicity po.sts with Paramount.<br />
Columbia and MGM before retiring 12 years<br />
ago.<br />
SYRACUSE<br />
M'early 1,000 filmgoers were evacuated from<br />
two downtown theatres recently after<br />
telephone warnings that bombs had been<br />
planted in the buildings. Involved were the<br />
Schine Paramount and Loew's State. Squads<br />
of police joined ushers in searching through<br />
the theatres but failed to turn up any explosive<br />
devices. Harry Unterfort of Schine<br />
and Sam Gilman of Loew's asked patrons to<br />
step into the lobbies for a brief intermission.<br />
Authorities said the telephone threats were<br />
apparently the work of crackpots.<br />
. . . David Susskind.<br />
Barbara Rush, 20th-Fox star, on a personal<br />
appearance tour for her new film. "Oh, Men!<br />
Oh, Women!" stopped here to make an afternoon<br />
appearance at the Post-Standard 13th<br />
semiannual fashion show in War Memorial<br />
Auditorium February 12. Also on the program<br />
as featured singer was Dorothy Collins<br />
of "Your Hit Parade"<br />
producer of "Edge of the City." spent several<br />
days here. He spoke at the Kiwanis Club<br />
luncheon, was interviewed by press and radio<br />
and appeared on television. Sam Gilman of<br />
Loew's was host and Steve Pirozzi of the<br />
MGM Buffalo office handled the promotion.<br />
BUFFALO<br />
Joseph E. Lippert, for the past five and one<br />
half years chief of service at the Center<br />
Theatre, during which time he attended<br />
Canisius College from<br />
which institution he<br />
graduates in June, has<br />
been appointed assistant<br />
manager at the<br />
downtown AB-PT first<br />
run. While attending<br />
Canisius, Lippert was<br />
'-- k a member of the<br />
^ ^^^^ KOTC in which he<br />
^^^^^^M has been commis-<br />
^^^^^^<br />
^<br />
sioned a second lieu-<br />
^^i^^^^ tenant in the Quartermaster<br />
Corps. Lippert<br />
Joseph E. Lippert<br />
succeeds J. Richard<br />
Smyth, who has entered the Army. Smyth<br />
was assistant manager at the Seneca Theatre<br />
for several years, later becoming treasurer<br />
at the Paramount, then assistant at the<br />
Center . Maxwell, office manager<br />
at the Buffalo RKO exchange for some 31<br />
years, has been named office manager at the<br />
local exchange of United Artists. Fran<br />
started with RKO-Pathe in Buffalo as an<br />
assistant shipping clerk and advanced to<br />
shipper, assistant booker, booker, salesman<br />
and office manager. Fi'an recently was<br />
elected dough guy of Variety Tent 7. The<br />
Buffalo RKO office closed Friday (8) when<br />
the employes held a farewell party. Jack<br />
a<br />
Chinell. RKO manager and with RKO for<br />
quarter of a century, has not as yet announced<br />
his future plans. Howard McPherson,<br />
a member of the RKO sales staff, has<br />
joined the local 20th-Pox sales staff.<br />
Tab Hunter was in Buffalo Monday (11) to<br />
do some tub-thumping for "The Spirit of<br />
St. Louis," in behalf of which he is making<br />
a crosscountry toiu-. Tab arrived at the airport<br />
at 10 a.m. and was welcomed by city<br />
officials and Bell Aircraft Corp. executives.<br />
There was a luncheon in his honor at noon<br />
in Hotel Statler which was attended by Paramount<br />
Theatres executives. Warner Bros, officials.<br />
Bell executives and newspaper folks.<br />
In the afternoon Tab was interviewed by<br />
radio and TV personalities and posed for a<br />
series of photos on how a screen star takes<br />
on a press agent job. which is to be used in<br />
the roto section of the Sunday Courier-Express.<br />
Tab also was interviewed by local<br />
drama editors. Art Moger of the Warner<br />
Bros, exploitation forces, was here with Tab.<br />
Gil Golden, Warner Bros, advertising manager,<br />
was a Buffalo visitor Tuesday (12) when<br />
he sat in with Arthur Krolick, Charles B.<br />
Taylor and Edward Miller at the executive<br />
offices of the Buffalo Paramount Corp. and<br />
discussed plans for the world premiere of<br />
Ingrid Bergman's new picture, "Paris Does<br />
Strange Things," which will be shown for the<br />
first time anywhere at the Paramount Theatre<br />
in downtown Buffalo, starting Friday (22)<br />
While in Buffalo, Gil visited local newspaper<br />
offices and was interviewed by television and<br />
radio personalities.<br />
Television is proving a real force in the<br />
motion picture education of the younger generation,<br />
one of Hollywood's youngest producers<br />
said in Buffalo the other day. The<br />
producer is Lewis Blumberg, 33, of United<br />
Artists, who visited Buffalo in connection<br />
with "The Big Boodle," set for next month<br />
in Shea's Buffalo, "While telt<br />
spectators much more discrii:<br />
they see an actor or actress they real.y<br />
they are perfectly willing to leave homt ;.i>.;.<br />
come out to a movie theatre to see him.<br />
Blumberg said. "And if an actor has not<br />
appeared in a film for several years, TV,<br />
through back releases, helps to keep the coming<br />
generation informed of his abilities," said<br />
the producer. Blumberg's case in point is<br />
Ei-rol Flynn, who has not appeared in a new<br />
American-made film for five years. Yet, a<br />
spot poll of today's youth shows a definite<br />
acquaintance with the actor, he said.<br />
Eugene Tunick, United Artists district manager,<br />
was in Buffalo for conferences with<br />
Buffalo Manager Al Glaubinger. Both lunched<br />
with Art Krolick, district manager. Paramount<br />
Theatres . Smith, a native of<br />
British Honduras, is the new manager of the<br />
Playhouse Theatre in Canandaigua. Smith<br />
is a former mayor of Belize, capital of Honduras<br />
... In connection with MGM months,<br />
February, March, April and May, local MGM<br />
bookers Betty Kaye and Virginia Callahan<br />
have sent to exhibitors an attractive mimeographed<br />
valentine, reading: "Please don't<br />
keep me in suspense. Don't you think that<br />
this makes sense. Let me know what dates<br />
are mine, and you will be my valentine."<br />
A former Buffalonian, Edmund J. Baumgarten,<br />
formerly associated with the Buffalo<br />
Industrial Bank, now heads Regal Films,<br />
which looms as a major independent producer<br />
because of an alliance with 20th-Fox<br />
Film Corp. It has contracted to deliver a<br />
total of 25 features in 1957. Three of Regal's<br />
works already have been presented in Buffalo,<br />
"Stagecoach to Fury," "The Black<br />
Whip" and "The Quiet Gun," which just<br />
closed a week's stay in the Paramount Theatre.<br />
Baumgarten left the Buffalo Industrial<br />
Bank in August 1942 to join the Lockheed<br />
aviation organization in the Los Angeles area.<br />
Soon after the wax, he joined the Bank of<br />
America, handling film company loan service.<br />
In that field, he met Robert Lippert, who<br />
made Baumgarten vice-president of four of<br />
his companies. When Lippert discontinued<br />
production activities, Baumgarten went into<br />
filmmaking on his own, turning out several<br />
features. Then came the plans which developed<br />
into Regal Films.<br />
Copy-Art Labs Expanding<br />
Into Photo Reproduction<br />
NEW YORK—JJK Copy-Ai't photo laboratory<br />
is expanding into the field of photo reproduction<br />
and has opened a newly equipped<br />
18.000-foot laboratory which can turn out<br />
more than 52,000 still pictures each work day,<br />
according to James J. Kriegsmann, president.<br />
Joseph G. Aurrichio, formerly with RKO<br />
as supervisor of the still department, has been<br />
made vice-president in charge of sales, and<br />
Irving Kroll, who has been with Kriegsmann<br />
for 20 years, is production head. Among the<br />
stars photographed by Kriegsmann are Frank<br />
Sinatra, Perry Como. Vic Damone, Martha<br />
Raye and Anne Jeffreys and Robert Sterling.<br />
Borrowed for 'Ross Story'<br />
Edward Small has borrowed Dianne Foster<br />
from Columbia Pictures to star in UA's "The<br />
Barney Ross Story."<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 E-5
. . The<br />
. . Dave<br />
. . Dave<br />
.<br />
William<br />
.<br />
.<br />
. . Milo<br />
PITTSBURGH<br />
James G. Balmer observed his 48th anniversary<br />
in the amusement industry this<br />
week. All of these<br />
years have been spent<br />
with the Harris<br />
Amusement Co. here.<br />
Jim got his stai-t as<br />
secretary to the late<br />
.<br />
. . .<br />
beloved Harry Davis,<br />
who with his brotherin-law<br />
the late John P.<br />
Harris opened the<br />
world's first nickelodeon<br />
here on Smithfield<br />
street 52 years<br />
ago Perry James G. Balraer<br />
(NSS) Nathans are vacationing<br />
in Bermuda<br />
Gandoll.<br />
exploiteer, and UA parted company .<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rachiele. local exhibitors,<br />
plan a motor holiday to Phoenix, Ariz., starting<br />
early in March .<br />
Smith. Shadyside<br />
Theatre manager, lost his father<br />
Norbert Stern, who heads Associated Theatres,<br />
returned here after vacationing in<br />
Miami.<br />
.<br />
Keta Boyle resigned at WB. She's the<br />
daughter of Orlando "Slam" Boyle. 20th-<br />
Fox booker Floyd Klingensmith, Tarentum<br />
outdoor<br />
. .<br />
exhibitor and formerly a Columbia<br />
salesman, and other old grads of<br />
Columbia University greeted their new<br />
football coach, Aldo "Buff" Donelli at a<br />
luncheon of Lion alumni in the Variety<br />
Club . . . The Ladies Theatrical Club hosted<br />
a Valentine party for the Variety Club's<br />
weekly family night Friday (15) . . . George<br />
R. Herrington will be honored February 23 at<br />
a testimonial of VFW buddies. He is department<br />
head of the Military Order of the<br />
Cootie and very active in veterans affairs<br />
throughout Pennsylvania. George is a son<br />
of the late Fred J. Herrington, who was this<br />
area's independent exhibitor leader for four<br />
decades.<br />
David C. Silverman, RKO manager until<br />
this company folded last week and a 30-year<br />
local employe of RKO, this week entered into<br />
Al Schwalberg's new Artist-Producers Associates,<br />
Inc., as district manager with headquarters<br />
here. He will supervise sales in Cleveland,<br />
Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Washington<br />
and Pittsbm-gh. Silverman completed his<br />
RKO duties last weekend in conferences with<br />
Francis Guehl and Peter Quiter of U-I's local<br />
exchange, which has taken over sales of<br />
RKO product . Tliomas, Cinerama<br />
coordinator at the Warner Theatre, is a<br />
grandpop for the first time with the birth<br />
of a daughter to the David L. Thomas juniors.<br />
Cecelia Kieselbach, with RKO for 27 years<br />
until this company folded, has retired. Antonette<br />
Marlinga, secretary to RKO office<br />
manager Paul Reith, has joined the Paramount<br />
staff; Catherine Del Tondo, another<br />
RKO gal, goes to Crucible Steel, and Dorothy<br />
SAM FDMEBERG<br />
TOM McCLEARY<br />
JIM ALEXANDER<br />
84 Van Braam Street<br />
PiTTSBURGll 19, PA. i<br />
Phone Express 1-0777 |<br />
Meviei Ar« BrtHf Thyn Evg Haw's Your Eouipnunt? ^<br />
Palgutta. formerly of RKO, has joined Safety<br />
First Appliance Co. Florence Katz, RKO,<br />
was expected to join Pittsburgh Plate Glass<br />
Co. . . . Charles Mergen, AA salesman, was to<br />
be released from Shadyside Hospital this<br />
weekend. A heavyweight, 358 pounds, he<br />
blacked out several weeks ago at an auto<br />
agency and fell, sustaining a broken right<br />
shoulder and face lacerations. He will be<br />
grounded at home for another couple of<br />
weeks.<br />
Max Sliulgold was in New York. Reports<br />
were that he and his wife Martha, both veterans<br />
in the business, plan the sale of their<br />
Crown Film Co. . . . Frank B. Crayne, 70, well<br />
known in the movies in the 1920s, died February<br />
4 at Greene County Memorial Hospital.<br />
Waynesburg, after a brief illness. In his later<br />
years he raised prize winning flowers as a<br />
hobby at the family farm near Waynesburg<br />
. . . Pittsburgh's proposed ban on billboards<br />
will be argued at a public hearing by the<br />
Sympathy to<br />
city council February 20 . . .<br />
Marie Isler on the sudden death of her<br />
brother. Marie is withdrawing from Filmrow<br />
with the folding of the RKO exchange where<br />
she was switchboard operator.<br />
Industry reports are that Harvey Emerman,<br />
former Erie exhibitor, turned down a proposed<br />
out-of-court settlement in his antitrust<br />
civil action in federal court. Emerman,<br />
now residing in Miami Beach, entered this<br />
action approximately 15 years ago . . . Clyde<br />
S. Waugaman was on Filmrow and reported<br />
that he had darkened his Strand, Apollo, except<br />
for one change of show Friday-Saturday.<br />
He continues in the printing and publishing<br />
business in Vandergrift . K.<br />
Ruse, 56, part owner of an outdoor theatre<br />
near Morgantown, which is now out of business,<br />
was indicted in federal court this week<br />
for income tax evasion.<br />
Franlt J. "Bud" Thomas, theatre booker,<br />
and wife Helen, pai-ents of two sons, are on<br />
the stork's list and the Filmrow gals are suggesting<br />
names for either a daughter or another<br />
son . . . Bill Mansell, WB district manager,<br />
visited at the local office with Jack<br />
Kalmenson. Paul Krumenacker, etc. . .<br />
.<br />
Mrs. Joseph Shapiro, wife of the Mount<br />
Union exhibitor and merchant, was in West<br />
Penn Hospital here for surgery.<br />
Pittsburgh Film Service, inspecting and<br />
shipping organization operated by George<br />
. . .<br />
F. Callahan jr., of Exhibitors Service Co.,<br />
has laid off David Ferguson, shipper, and<br />
four inspectors, Ann Perkins, Clara Ray,<br />
Helen Turner and Cel Miller . . . New stenographer<br />
at the WB exchange office is Marcia<br />
Caplan The Bedford Theatre, Bedford,<br />
which went dark about a year ago.<br />
has been dismantled and remodeled into a<br />
store.<br />
The 1957 outdoor theatre season's approach<br />
came to mind suddenly this week when Tom<br />
Wood showed up on Filmrow to book early<br />
season attractions for weekends, opening<br />
March 22 at the Hi-Way in Latrobe; March<br />
29 at the Odin in Greensburg and the Carrolltown<br />
in Carrolltown . . . Eddie Mackins,<br />
MGM booker, has been in and out of the<br />
hospital and back there again within the<br />
past several weeks . . . Filmrow inquiries these<br />
days center around the Maple Drive-In anti-<br />
Variety Tent 1 Adopts<br />
Its 16th Foundling<br />
Pittsburgh—Variety Tent 1 adopted its<br />
16th baby in 29 years at a dinner in the<br />
Ankara night club Sunday attended by<br />
500 barkers, wives and guests. The dinner<br />
honored Ray Scott, television huckster<br />
and outgoing chief barker. Dominic<br />
Navarro, contractor, received the club's<br />
Humanitarian plaque from Norman Mervis<br />
who represented the award committee.<br />
Last year this plaque was given to Dr.<br />
Jonas Salk, discoverer of the polio vaccine.<br />
All baby girls adopted by the club are<br />
named Catherine Variety Sheridan and<br />
this one carries the identification, VIII<br />
Ithe eighth). The first baby given this<br />
name was found abandoned in the Sheridan<br />
Square Theatre in East Liberty.<br />
That was about 29 years ago and it<br />
marked the founding of the Variety<br />
Club. Tent 1 also has adopted eight<br />
boys. All come from and are kept at<br />
Roselia Foundling Home until privately<br />
adopted. Harry Kodinsky is Tent 1 chief<br />
barker for 1957.<br />
trust civil action which was reactivated recently<br />
with the taking of depositions from<br />
local film executives in New York, and inquiries<br />
and gossip regarding new monopoly<br />
actions reported as being prepared.<br />
A high quality art honor came to Marie<br />
Manos this week when one of her oil paintings<br />
went on view at the National Academy<br />
of Art in New York City. Wife of Alexander<br />
Michael Manos. junior executive of the<br />
Mike Manos circuit, Marie's oils have been<br />
exhibited in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia . . .<br />
The State, Clymer, was booked to reopen<br />
February 15 after more than two years of<br />
darkness, according to the new managers,<br />
H. Carl and Roger McGary of Smithton.<br />
Jean Demma of National Screen, who as<br />
a child resided a few steps from this establishment<br />
on Van Braam street, and Phil<br />
Vito have announced their engagement.<br />
Shulgolds, Pittsburgh<br />
Selling Crown Film Co.<br />
PITTSBURGH—Crown Film Co. will be<br />
acquired March 1 by Screen Guild. Max and<br />
Martha Shulgold of Crown said this week that<br />
the deal has been consummated and that they<br />
will retire from the business after March 1.<br />
Crown has been an independent distributing<br />
outfit here for seventeen years. Screen Guild<br />
is headed by Bert Stearn. who also heads<br />
Cooperative Theatre Service, and is managed<br />
by Milton Brauman.<br />
Max Shulgold is a veteran in the film<br />
industry here and had served various companies<br />
until he went independent with his<br />
own business. Max and Martha operated<br />
their Crown office without additional help,<br />
except for shipping. They plan to sell thenhome<br />
here and move to Miami Beach.<br />
The Crown product numbers upwards of<br />
90 feature pictures, many of them reissues.<br />
Screen Guild directors held several meetings<br />
recently and they are set to stage another<br />
session February 18. They have been negotiating<br />
to take over Exploitation Productions, another<br />
independent exchange now located in<br />
the Atlas Theatre Supply building.<br />
I<br />
E-6 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
. . Mrs.<br />
. . The<br />
. . Salesman<br />
. . Geraldine<br />
. . Republic<br />
. . MGM<br />
. . Howard<br />
,<br />
. . Ben<br />
WASHINGTON<br />
The VVOMPI Of Washington held its monthly<br />
luncheon meeting in the Commodore<br />
Hotel Tuesday. Robert R. Richmond spoke<br />
on civil defense . . . Jessie Garst, Martinsville,<br />
Va., came in to buy and book for her Roxy<br />
Theatre, Martinsville and Castle drive-ins<br />
. . . John Anderson, formerly with RKO, now<br />
is associated with Allied Artists as bookers<br />
Mrs. Milton Lipsner, wife of the<br />
clerk . . ,<br />
Allied Artists manager, has been ill with<br />
pneumonia . Jimmy Sper is still<br />
m Mount Alto Hospital .<br />
southern<br />
Division Manager Rudolph Berger returned<br />
to his office.<br />
Universal District Manager Joe Gins was<br />
a Washington visitor. He and Branch Manager<br />
Harold Saltz took a trip to Charlotte,<br />
Gus Lynch, Schine ai'ea manager,<br />
N. C. . . .<br />
was in Salisbury, Md. Schine is turning over<br />
operation of the Ritz Theatre, Salisbury, to<br />
Costin Cordery February 15 . . Paul Wise,<br />
.<br />
manager of the Arcade Theatre, Cambridge,<br />
Md., says that wedding bells will ring for him<br />
and his gal this summer.<br />
Teddy ShuII, Peerless Pictures, was struck<br />
by a taxicab at the corner of 2nd and New<br />
Jersey Avenue, N.W. on Tuesday night while<br />
en route from Baltimore to his office. He is<br />
in Casualty Hospital in serious condition.<br />
Catherine Davis, Warner Bros., who was hospitalized<br />
for some time following injuries received<br />
at the same crossing, now is recuperating<br />
at home . Saul is in Sibley<br />
Hospital after undergoing surgery . . . Ben<br />
Bache went to Norfolk and Newport News,<br />
Va.<br />
Nelia Turner, 20th-Fox cashier, who celebrates<br />
a birthday next week was honored at<br />
the weekly Soroptimist Club luncheon on<br />
Wednesday and was given a gift and corsage<br />
. . . Projectionist Frank Blake celebrated a<br />
birthday on Friday . booker<br />
Esther Katzenell Augsburg will soon become<br />
a mother-in-law. Her son Ted, who is attending<br />
Los Angeles City College will maiTy<br />
Donna Thoreson February 22 . . . Reba Le-<br />
Moyne celebrated her fourth wedding anniversary.<br />
.<br />
Clark Davis, District Theatres, reports that<br />
"The Ten Commandments," which is playing<br />
at the Booker T Theatre, is doing capacity<br />
business parking lot in the rear of<br />
the Lincoln Theatre is nearing completion.<br />
It will hold 65 cars . Lucille Brown was<br />
. .<br />
out for several days due to illness in her<br />
family . Fred Beiersdorf, wife of the<br />
former Warner Bros, manager, flew in from<br />
Dallas, Tex., to spend several weeks with<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Clark Davis. She brought<br />
greetings from Fred to all his Washington<br />
friends.<br />
Rent Cut to $20,000<br />
READING, PA.—The rent paid by Loew's<br />
on its Indiana Theatre here has been reduced<br />
by the owners to $20,000 a year.<br />
Three Major Code Changes<br />
Explained by DeBra<br />
WASHINGTON—Three major changes in<br />
the production code of the Motion Picture<br />
Ass'n of America were stressed by Arthur<br />
DeBra, director of Community Relations of<br />
the MPAA, in an address before the Februai-y<br />
ineet.ng of the Washington Motion Picture<br />
Council.<br />
DeBra said that the three major changes<br />
in the code are new safeguards in show'-<br />
ing narcotics addicts on the screen; new<br />
treatment of kidnaping, and complete elimination<br />
of the taboo about screen treatment<br />
of miscegenation.<br />
Otherwi.se, he said, the present code is<br />
virtually unchanged from what it was before<br />
the revisions. He characterized the revised<br />
code as a "liberalization" of the former code<br />
and asserted that the whole area of movie<br />
.subjects has been broadened, making a<br />
brighter prospect for new pictures and the<br />
entire motion picture industry.<br />
He covered, in his speech to the wellattended<br />
meeting, the history of the production<br />
code from the inception and said<br />
that he was very proud to have been among<br />
those who helped to formulate the original<br />
code. He emphasized that the motion pictui'e<br />
industry, from the time sound pictures<br />
began, has maintained a high moral and<br />
ethical guide for its movies, thus making<br />
legal censorship unnecessary.<br />
Mrs. Virginia RoUwage Collier presided at<br />
the meeting.<br />
BALTIMORE<br />
n bill has been introduced in the state legislature<br />
at Annapolis calling for a $1<br />
minimum wage law for all employes, including<br />
ushers, doormen, cashiers and all theatre<br />
help. The Allied Motion Picture Theatre<br />
Owners of Maryland has instructed its representative<br />
at Annapolis to ask for an exemption<br />
for the theatre industry. Jack L. Whittle,<br />
is chairman of the legislative committee<br />
for the Allied group.<br />
Two local subsequent run houses have refused<br />
to show "Baby Doll." Vernon Currier,<br />
manager of the Aiu-ora, and Sol Goodman,<br />
owner of the Ideal, stated they were willing<br />
to cooperate with a Holy Name Society request<br />
. . . Rodney Collier, manager of the<br />
Stanley, and wife celebrated theii' 31st wedding<br />
anniversary . Wagonheim,<br />
vice-president of the Schwaber Theatres, was<br />
in New York last weekend . . . John Mentzle<br />
returned to the Cinema Theatre staff after<br />
a seige of grippe.<br />
Walter Gettinger, film booker and part<br />
owner of the Howard, and wife were in New<br />
York seeing latest Broadway shows . .<br />
.<br />
Maurice Hendricks of the Hicks-Baker Theatres<br />
was in Washington on business.<br />
PHILADELPHIA<br />
Tn addition to the regular feature, .i. .<br />
Doll," Sley's Viking sneak previewea "'.?:-.<br />
Secret Affair." Audience comment was very<br />
good . Zimmerman, former managtr<br />
of William Greenfield's Carmen Theatre,<br />
now closed, is performing the same chores<br />
for Gerson & Fertel's Overbrook Theatre . . .<br />
Members of the industry who are hospitalized<br />
are Ralph Gorman jr., Stanley Warner<br />
booker; Ferd Furtunato, Universal booker;<br />
Robert Hanover, former lessee of Byrd Theatre,<br />
and Pete Maguzzu, Williamsport exhibitor.<br />
A pretty Philadelphia girl named Marion<br />
Randall, who did not have the slightest idea<br />
she would ever be going to Hollywood less<br />
than a month ago, is all set now for her<br />
film debut. Miss Randall started work last<br />
week at the 20th-Fox Studios in the film<br />
production of the Broadway play, "Desk Set,"<br />
which will star Spencer Tracy and Katharine<br />
Hepburn. All of it happened for Miss<br />
Randall since January 2 and the Hollywood<br />
offer came as a complete surprise for her.<br />
On that night she appeared on Television's<br />
Kraft Theatre show and was summoned for<br />
a screen test right after the program. She<br />
boai'ded a plane the next morning, had the<br />
test two days later and was chosen for the<br />
role two days after that. She is the daughter<br />
of Mr. and Mrs. Roland R. Randall of the<br />
Alden Park Manor Her acting career began<br />
in summer stock and she has been doing<br />
television parts for two years.<br />
Rep. Louis Amarando's bill in the state<br />
legislature to limit first run showings to no<br />
more than six weeks threw a jolt into the<br />
smaller first run picture houses. Under the<br />
cm-rent setup they have to bid so high for<br />
pictures that it would be impossible to get<br />
their money out of them without a long run.<br />
Due to the closing of the local RKO exchange,<br />
salesman Jack McFadden has joined<br />
the forces of Columbia and will handle its<br />
upstate territory. Pat Beck, also formerly<br />
of RKO, will handle the upstate territory<br />
for United Artists.<br />
Cashing in on the present rock and roll<br />
craze, Warner Bros, booked into the Liberty<br />
Theatre in North Philadelphia an "in-person"<br />
rock and roll review, giving three performances<br />
a day on its stage. The unit<br />
featured many well known rock and roll<br />
musicians, comedians, singers and dancers.<br />
It was originally booked for Monday and<br />
Tuesday, but business was so big the show<br />
was held over several other days. The same<br />
outfit plays Warner Bros. Stanley Theatre,<br />
Chester, Saturday . . . Paramount's comedy<br />
star George Gobel, along with 12 others,<br />
was honored by the Philadelphia Golden<br />
Slipper Square Club, for accomplishments in<br />
diverse fields, at a dinner at the Sheraton<br />
Hotel. Gov. George M. Leader was the<br />
principal speaker. The awards covered virtually<br />
every activity in the nation. Gobel<br />
won the award in the TV field.<br />
JonnAfMC<br />
BOONTON, N. J.<br />
Large Core<br />
Greater Crater Area<br />
means<br />
.MAXIMUM LIGHT<br />
^ven\y Distributed<br />
in Pennsylvonio—Blumberg Brothers Inc., Philadelphia—Lombard 3-7240<br />
Notional Theatre Supply, Philadelphia—Locust 7-61 56<br />
Superior Theatre Equipment Company, Philadelphia<br />
Rittenhouse 6-1420<br />
Projector Carbon Company, Torentum—Acodemy<br />
4-3343<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 E-7
"<br />
^(Md(M ^CflWt<br />
"THE ALL Industi-y Tax Committee has submitted<br />
its claim for entertainments tax<br />
relief to the chancellor of the exchequer in<br />
the amount of £2L0OO.O0O. A comprehensive<br />
document giving details of the case was last<br />
week released to the tradepress. Among proposals<br />
made by the AITC was that tax<br />
should be calculated on a seat basis with a<br />
tax free allowance applicable to all seat<br />
prices and a percentage on the excess payable<br />
as tax and levy: that the statutory levy<br />
should be increased to £5.000,000 a year as<br />
against the government's proposal of £5,000,-<br />
000 for the first year and a figui-e between<br />
£2,000,000 and £5,000,000 for the remainder<br />
of the statutory period; and that a tax free<br />
allowance plus percentage retained in the<br />
industry together with special relief for small<br />
exhibitors should be adequate to meet the<br />
industry's needs is another point in the<br />
document.<br />
Based on the estimated gross takings for<br />
1956-57, the submission shows that the £21,-<br />
000,000 tax relief and £5,000,000 for the production<br />
fund, film hire would take £29.700,000<br />
instead of £23,100,000; the exhibitors share<br />
would be £55,200,000 instead of £43,000,000 and<br />
after deducting wages and overheads £15,300,-<br />
000 instead of £3,100.000. There is no doubt<br />
about it that the AITC has done a first-class<br />
job, both in providing a wealth of statistics<br />
and in the careful manner in which the campaign<br />
for relief has been conducted both<br />
in and outside the House of Commons. All one<br />
needs now, is a statement from the new<br />
chancellor, Peter Thornycroft, saying that<br />
he accepts the ATTC's recommendations.<br />
* :^ *<br />
Wardoiu: Street has been buzzing lately<br />
with many rumors on proposed changes in<br />
ownership of film and distribution companies.<br />
Following the takeover of the Paramount<br />
Newsreel Laboratories by the Rank<br />
Group, the grapevine said that Rank would<br />
handle Paramount's distribution of feature<br />
product over here. Fred Hutchinson, Paramount's<br />
managing director, waited a couple<br />
of weeks but in the end, flesh and blood<br />
could stand no more. Last week he issued a<br />
statement saying: "There has never been<br />
any proposal of such a nature and nothing<br />
is further from the thoughts of Paramount."<br />
No sooner had Hutchinson's statement been<br />
fully circulated, when the grapevine said<br />
that Warner Bros, was negotiating with AB-<br />
Pathe to handle the distribution of both<br />
Allied Ai-tists and Associated British Picture<br />
Corp. product. It is believed that in<br />
this instance, while discussions have made<br />
some progress. Allied Artists has stated that<br />
it does wish Pathe to give up the distribution<br />
of its product and so negotiations have been<br />
stalemated for a time.<br />
* « *<br />
Twentieth Century-Pox successfully has<br />
contested the right of Gala Film Distributors<br />
to use the name of Anastasia or any other<br />
combination of words, including "Anastasia"<br />
in the latter's film, which is based on the<br />
story of Anna Anderson's claim to be Anastasia,<br />
the daughter of the Czar. Fox had<br />
heard that at the completion of its film,<br />
"Anastasia," with Ingrid Bergman and Yul<br />
Brynner, Gala was proposing to issue its<br />
own version in black and white with the<br />
By ANTHONY GRUNER<br />
same name. When Justice Roxburgh in the<br />
chancery division had representatives of the<br />
plaintiff and defendant before him, he said<br />
he didn't see why the defendant should not<br />
exploit by means of a film the public interest<br />
which had been aroused, and subject<br />
to these restrictions affecting the title of the<br />
film he would grant the injunction he had<br />
indicated.<br />
* * •<br />
There has been plenty of film and headlines<br />
over the debate in the House of Lords<br />
on the cinematograph films bill. Lord Lucas<br />
of Chilworth, in particular, has been getting<br />
his money's worth in front page stories, although<br />
none of his amendments have been<br />
accepted by the government. Last week he<br />
tried to secure a reduced percentage for<br />
American sponsored British films. This was<br />
turned down. The following day Lord Lucas<br />
said he had been informed by an American<br />
producer friend of his that British actors<br />
were not popular as leading men, as they<br />
didn't know how to make screen love. His<br />
Lordship added however they were very<br />
much in demand as character actors. Most<br />
of the available British leading screen artists<br />
gave a howl of wrath and were free in their<br />
comments about Lord Lucas the following<br />
day when interviewed by the various columnists.<br />
Producers and directors also came<br />
to the aid of the English leading men, pointing<br />
out that some of the most popular international<br />
stars were British, including<br />
James Mason, Richard Burton, Michael Rennie<br />
and Stewart Granger. This did not daunt<br />
Lord Lucas at all. So far, he has spoken<br />
on four amendments and everyone expects<br />
him to put his foot on to many other delicate<br />
issues before the films bill is finally passed<br />
by the Lords.<br />
* « •<br />
Sir David Eccles, president of the Board<br />
of Trade, finally has given way to industry<br />
pressure and will provide parliamentary time<br />
for a debate on quota legislation. Producers,<br />
renters and the trade unions have all been<br />
pressing for the government to allow an opportunity<br />
for the matter to be discussed in<br />
the House of Commons. Last week Eccles<br />
revealed that while he didn't propose to publish<br />
the views that had been expressed to<br />
him on quota legislation, he would consult<br />
the Films Council and all sections of the<br />
industry about detailed amendments to the<br />
quota procedure.<br />
* * *<br />
The meetings between the British Film<br />
Producers Ass'n and the trade unions is<br />
making considerable progress in working out<br />
methods to increase productivity and cut<br />
down unofficial stoppages. The two sides<br />
have discussed the spread-over of production<br />
in film studios and the possibility of<br />
establishing a casualization fund within the<br />
industry. It was recognized, employment in<br />
film production is less in the winter months<br />
than in the summer months. It was also<br />
agreed that for important films for which<br />
exterior shootings were essential there were<br />
even good reasons for such pictures being<br />
produced in the summer rather than in the<br />
winter. As it was felt that the total employment<br />
at all film studios in each quarter<br />
had not been fully revealed, the extent to<br />
which employment fell during the winter<br />
months figures should be calculated by the<br />
BFPA so that the joint parties can consider<br />
the full effect of winter on film employment.<br />
It may well lead to the British film<br />
industry agreeing to spread film production<br />
more evenly over the whole year than is<br />
the case at present and thus reducing<br />
casualization in the industry.<br />
* * *<br />
As part of the drive to get patrons interested<br />
in the activities of J. Arthur Rank<br />
cinemas the Group is to open up a number<br />
of dancing schools in the key Odeon and<br />
Gaumont theatres in various parts of the<br />
country. They w'ill be known as the Victor<br />
Sylvester dancing schools after the name of<br />
the world ballroom dancing champion himself,<br />
who is chairman of the Imperial Ass'n<br />
of Teachers of Dancing. Sylvester's radio<br />
and TV dancing clubs have been popular<br />
with millions of listeners and viewers over<br />
here. First of the schools will be opened<br />
at the Lewisham Gaumont on February 26,<br />
followed by another at the Kilburn State on<br />
March 12. The man who will project the<br />
scheme and organize the Victor Sylvester<br />
schools, is a TV personality, Maurice Jay,<br />
famous for his formation teams. The Rank<br />
Organization already operates ten ballrooms<br />
apart from its 500 Odeon and Gaumont theatres.<br />
They are among the newest and most<br />
modern in the world.<br />
New Film on Hungary<br />
Is Released by USIA<br />
WASHINGTON—"A Nation in Torment,<br />
which pictures Russia's trickery in dealings<br />
with the Hungarians and its distortions of<br />
facts before the United Nations, was released<br />
this week by the U. S. Information<br />
Agency for theatrical showings. The tenminute<br />
film has been translated into more<br />
than 30 languages.<br />
The Agency's first documentary release on<br />
the Hungarian revolt was the ten-minute<br />
subject, "Hungarian Fight for Freedom."<br />
Also being shown is a 20-minute motion picture,<br />
"Revolt of a Generation," which points<br />
up the Communists' failure to capture and<br />
hold the loyalty of Hungarian youth.<br />
Two other films on the Hungarian situation<br />
are being prepared by the USIA for<br />
overseas distribution. One will show how<br />
numerous Fi-ee World countries have opened<br />
their doors to Hungarian refugees who fled<br />
Communist terrorism. Tlie other film will<br />
document the rescue and resettlement in the<br />
United States of a typical Hungarian family.<br />
RKO Acquires 12 Features<br />
For Distribution Abroad<br />
NEW YORK—RKO has acquired 12 features<br />
for distribution abroad. The steppedup<br />
activity includes the releasing of seven<br />
Allied Artists films in Germany, four Lux<br />
Italian pictures for Central America, Mexico<br />
and Brazil, and the re-release of Samuel<br />
Goldwyn's "Marco Polo" in Latin America<br />
and Central America.<br />
Lopert Films in 2 Houses<br />
NEW YORK—The double bill<br />
composed of<br />
"The Lost Continent," Italian-made feature<br />
in Cinemascope, and "The Red Balloon,"<br />
prize-winning French film, will open simultaneously<br />
at the Victoria and Pine Arts<br />
theatres March 11. Lopert Films is releasing<br />
the pictures as a package in the U. S.<br />
E-8 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
'<br />
NEWS AND VIEWS OF THE PRODUCTION CENTEPC<br />
(Hollywood Office— Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Ivan Spear, Western Manager)<br />
RKO Plans Midyear<br />
Start on 'Galveston'<br />
HOLLYWOOD—From two sources came<br />
news indicating that RKO is not as moribund—as<br />
a production outfit that is—as the<br />
dispensers of gloom have been so vehemently<br />
declaring ever since the venerable company<br />
closed the deal providing that its domestic<br />
distribution is to be handled by U-I.<br />
July 1 has been definitely determined as<br />
the starting date for "Galveston," Niven<br />
Busch having completed the revisions on his<br />
original screenplay. A director will be signed<br />
for "Galveston" within the next ten days,<br />
and conversations are currently being held<br />
with top actors to portray the leading roles<br />
in the Edmund Grainger production. Filming<br />
will be in color and photographed largely<br />
on actual locales of the story, which has for<br />
its climax the devastating hurricane and<br />
flood of Sept. 8, 1900.<br />
From New York, comes word that the<br />
company has put into motion an intensive<br />
campaign of promotion and exploitation on<br />
"Stage Struck," starring Henry Fonda, Susan<br />
Strasberg and Joan Greenwood, and currently<br />
being filmed on location and at Production<br />
Center Studios in Gotham. As pai't<br />
of the ballyhoo, RKO has invited about 100<br />
newspaper critics and amusement editors<br />
from key cities to New York, where they will<br />
watch the picture being shot.<br />
Meanwhile, one of the more mercurial subjects<br />
supplying grist for the ever-active<br />
Hollywood rumor mill concerns the future<br />
status of RKO's cavernous studio on Gower<br />
street and its companion film factory, RKO<br />
Pathe studio in Culver City. At midweek,<br />
it was evident that an opinion was to be<br />
reached sometime within the next ten days<br />
as to whether or not one or both of these<br />
properties would be sold—in which event,<br />
RKO as a production organization would<br />
rent office and sound stage space from the<br />
new owners—or whether they would continue<br />
as a part of the O'Neil industrial empii'e<br />
and would operate as rental lots, which<br />
is already the status of the Culver City plant.<br />
Lead to Dorothy Malone<br />
HOLLYWOO D—Dorothy Malone was<br />
handed the lead opposite Robert Taylor in<br />
MGM's "Tip on a Dead Jockey," which goes<br />
before cameras next month with Richard<br />
Thorpe directing, Edwin H. Knopf producing.<br />
FAN MAG KUDOS—Kim Novak,<br />
It has been reported rather generally that<br />
at least two firm offers have been submitted<br />
for purchase of the physical properties and<br />
that Daniel O'Shea, RKO president, was due<br />
in Hollywood to give them analysis and consideration.<br />
Columbia<br />
star, is shown in the top photo<br />
accepting Photoplay magazine's Gold<br />
Medal Award at that publication's annual<br />
awards dinner staged in Hollywood. Miss<br />
Novak was voted by Photoplay's readers<br />
to be the most popular actress of 1956.<br />
Rock Hudson was similarly selected in<br />
the male category and is shown in the<br />
photo below accepting his award from<br />
actor Ernest Borgnine who emceed the<br />
affair.<br />
MPRC Is Adding Another<br />
Field Man to Its Force<br />
HOLLYWOOD—The Motion Picture Research<br />
Council is implementing its theatre<br />
assistance program by adding another field<br />
representative to its staff.<br />
Qualifications for the job include a working<br />
knowledge of projection systems as a<br />
basis for advertising theatres, willingness<br />
to travel for approximately two-thirds of<br />
the year and ability to meet and discuss<br />
problems confronting the theatre owner.<br />
Interviews of prospective candidates will<br />
be conducted through next week at the<br />
council's<br />
offices.<br />
Champion & Bartlelt<br />
Plan Four Features<br />
HOLLYWOO D—Two of Hollywood's<br />
younger filmmakers have joined forces in the<br />
establishment of a new independent company<br />
with plans for making four modestly budgeted<br />
features within the next 15 months. They are<br />
John Champion, who recently terminated his<br />
connection with MGM with the announced<br />
purpose of re-entering the independent field<br />
in which he wa.s active before his affiliation<br />
The latter was<br />
w^ith MGM, and Hall Bartlett.<br />
most recently affiliated with Earlmar, the<br />
company which is a partnership between<br />
actor Jeff Chandler and his agent, Meyer<br />
Mishkin. In that connection he functioned<br />
as producer on Earlmar's initialer, the current<br />
"Drango." Prior to that, Bartlett produced<br />
"Navajo," "Crazy Legs" and "Unchained."<br />
First venture of the newcomer setup will be<br />
"Zero Hour," previously announced by Bartlett,<br />
which is being readied for a March<br />
camera start. Subsequent pictures will be<br />
"The Joe Foss Story," also a Bartlett property,<br />
and "Gunfight," a western, and "Line<br />
of Fire," a police story, both of which had<br />
already been announced by Champion.<br />
Associated with Bartlett will be Sam Weiler,<br />
who is one of the former's partners in BB&W<br />
Productions, an organization in which actor<br />
Ernest Borgnine is the third owner. That<br />
plans making "The Promoter,"<br />
company still<br />
which will have no relationship to the Champion-Bartlett<br />
setup. No release has been<br />
established for any of the pictures.<br />
Role to Georgann Johnson<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Georgann Johnson was<br />
selected by Jame? Cagney fcr the leading<br />
feminine role in Paramount's "Short Cut to<br />
Hell," her first film. Cagney will make his<br />
directorial debut with "Short Cut." Georgann,<br />
an Iowa girl who graduated from Northwestern<br />
University, starred with Jack Lemmon<br />
on Broadway in "Room Service."<br />
Thanks by Charlton Heston<br />
HOLLYWOOD—At a luncheon men<br />
the Hollywood Women's Press Clu''<br />
1 12). Charlton Heston was gUP<br />
ac-<br />
In December, he won the club'<br />
award as "the most coopera'<br />
Inasmuch as he was on n<br />
tour at that time and<br />
cept the kudos, ' '<br />
thanks to memV<br />
Sated<br />
To Portr(7 afe Manager<br />
HOLLYIVOOD—Isabel Jewell has been<br />
handed the role of a cafe manager in 20th-<br />
Fox's<br />
".Bernardine."<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 W-1
ZojecutUte.<br />
East: Joseph and Ii'ving Tushinsky, president<br />
and vice-president of SuperScope, Inc.,<br />
left for Tokyo to establish offices and processing<br />
facilities for servicing of the Far<br />
East film companies with the firm's widescreen<br />
process.<br />
» * *<br />
West : Pi'oducer Alan Pakula retiu'ned from<br />
New York, where he huddled with Paramount<br />
toppers in connection with release and exploitation<br />
plans for "Pear Strikes Out."<br />
* * *<br />
East: Jack Diamond. U-I studio publicity<br />
dii-ector, planed to Marietta, Ohio, for the<br />
world premiere of "Battle Hymn," after which<br />
he expected to go to New York for a series<br />
of home office conferences on publicity campaigns<br />
for forthcoming U-I releases.<br />
* * *<br />
West: George Lait, U-I assistant, studio<br />
publicity director, returned after a five-week,<br />
24-city tour, during which he acquainted<br />
newspaper editors with upcoming product.<br />
*<br />
East: Jack M. Warner, executive of Warner<br />
Bros, television division, is on a trip through<br />
the midwest and east in connection with the<br />
TV commercial and industrial film department.<br />
« * *<br />
East: James H. Nicholson, president of<br />
both Sunset Productions and American International<br />
Pictures, plans to leave Sunday (17)<br />
for Toronto, Boston and New York in connection<br />
with "Rock All Night" and "The<br />
Undead." He will be accompanied by Samuel<br />
Z. Arkoff, AIP vice-president. AIP's general<br />
sales manager Leon Blender expects to leave<br />
the same day for exhibitor and distributor<br />
meetings in Washington and Philadelphia.<br />
* * *<br />
East: After a series of conferences with<br />
MGM executives on the distribution and exploitation<br />
of "The Living Idol," Albert Lewin,<br />
the film's producer-director, departed for<br />
press conferences in Chicago.<br />
^nxiyaeU.^<br />
East: David Golding, vice-president in<br />
charge of advertising and publicity for Hecht-<br />
Hill-Lancaster, headed for New York to meet<br />
with United Artists home office toppers on<br />
promotion plans for "The Bachelor Party."<br />
• * «<br />
East: Henry Ginsberg was scheduled to<br />
fly to New York, where he planned to meet<br />
with author Edna Ferber and with Warner<br />
Bros.' home office executives on further<br />
domestic and foreign distribution plans for<br />
"Giant."<br />
* * *<br />
East: Producer Leland Hayward flew to<br />
New York for conferences with Warner Bros,<br />
executives on the national release of "The<br />
Spirit of St. Louis" and to attend the Gotham<br />
premiere of the picture at Radio City Music<br />
Hall on Thursday (21).<br />
'Sugarfoot/ Hour TV Show,<br />
To Be Started by WB<br />
HOLLYWOOD—"Sugai-foot," the first of<br />
the four new one-hour television series<br />
scheduled for filming by Warner Bros. TV<br />
division, will begin rolling immediately.<br />
Starring WB contract player Will Hutchins,<br />
"Sugarfoot" is being produced by Art Silver<br />
and directed by Leslie H. Martinson. It will<br />
mark the third full-hour series produced by<br />
the studio, the others being Conflict and<br />
Cheyenne.<br />
Additionally, WB is planning two half-hour<br />
series, the first of which. The Amazon Trader,<br />
is scheduled to go into production the latter<br />
part of the month on location in the Amazon<br />
Basin.<br />
To 'Spook Chasers' Cast<br />
HOLLYWOOD — David Condon, Jimmy<br />
Murphy, Eddie LeRoy, Percy Helton and Bill<br />
Henry have been added to Allied Artists'<br />
"Spook Chasers" cast.<br />
Awards Fete March 7<br />
For Best Film Plays<br />
HOLLYWOOD — At the ninth annual<br />
screen writers awards dinner, to be held<br />
March 7 at the Moulin Rouge, kudos are to<br />
be presented to members of the screen writers<br />
branch of the Writers Guild of America,<br />
West, who wrote the best film fare in 1956,<br />
Selected from 258 theatrical motion pictures<br />
produced in this country during that<br />
year, five pictures in each of three categories<br />
have been nominated eis follows;<br />
Comedy: "Around the World in 80 Days,"<br />
screenplay by James Poe, John Farrow and<br />
S. J. Perelman, from the Jules Verne novel:<br />
"Bus Stop," screenplay by George Axelrod,<br />
based on the play by William Inge; "Full of<br />
Life," scripted by John Fante from his own<br />
novel; "The Solid Gold Cadillac," screenplay<br />
by Abe Burrows, from the play by<br />
Howard Teichmann and George S. Kaufman;<br />
"The Teahouse of the August Moon," screenplay<br />
by John Patrick, based on a book by<br />
Verne J. Sneider and the play by John<br />
Patrick.<br />
Drama: "Baby Doll," story and screenplay<br />
by Tennessee Williams; "Friendly Persuasion,"<br />
screenplay by Michael Wilson (this<br />
credit did not appear on the screen in accordance<br />
with Article 6 of the Screen MBA,<br />
but was determined by an arbitration committee<br />
of the WGA), from the book by<br />
Jessamyn West; "Giant," screenplay by Fred<br />
Guiol and Ivan Moffat, from Edna Ferber's<br />
novel; "The Rainmaker," screenplay by N.<br />
Richard Nash, based on his Broadway play;<br />
"Somebody Up There Likes Me," screenplay<br />
by Ernest Lehman, based on the autobiography<br />
of Rocky Graziano, written with<br />
Roland Barber.<br />
Musical: "Carousel," screenplay by Phoebe<br />
and Henry Ephron, music by Richard<br />
Rodgers and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein<br />
II, from the Theatre Guild Production<br />
based on Ferenc Molnar's "Lilliom,"<br />
as adapted by Benjamin F. Glazer; "The<br />
Eddy Duchin Story," screenplay by Samuel<br />
Taylor, story by Leo Katcher; "High Society,"<br />
screenplay by John Patrick, based on Philip<br />
Barry's play; "The King and I," screenplay<br />
by Ernest Lehman, music, Richard Rodgers<br />
and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein<br />
II, from the musical play based on "Anna<br />
and the King of Siam" by Margaret Landon;<br />
"Meet Me in Las Vegas," story and<br />
screenplay by Isobel Lennart.<br />
Perle Mesta to Speak<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Perle Mesta, former ambassador<br />
to Luxemburg, the renowned<br />
"hostess with the mostest," plans to grace<br />
the dais at the Screen Producers Guild Milestone<br />
banquet to be held at the Beverly<br />
Hilton Hotel, Sunday (17). Participating in<br />
the honors to be bestowed upon Walt Disney,<br />
she will speak on the international aspects<br />
of his career and the national goodwill his<br />
pictures have gained abroad.<br />
WELCOME GERMAN STAR—O. W. Fischer, left,<br />
Germany's top-ranking screen<br />
star, was welcomed to Hollywood with an elaborate cocktail party given for him by<br />
June Allyson, N. J. Blumberg, chairman of the board of Universal Pictures, and Edward<br />
Muhl, U-I vice-president in charge of production. Fischer is in Hollywood to make<br />
his American film debut as Miss Allyson's costar in U-I's "My Man Godfrey," modernized<br />
version of the William Powell-Carole Lombard comedy hit of 20 years ago.<br />
New UPA Series Set<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Columbia and XJPA have<br />
signed a new deal calling for four of the<br />
cartoonery's new series, titled UPA's Pair of<br />
Shorts, to be produced this year for 1957-58<br />
distribution. Under terms of the pact. Pair<br />
of Shorts will be distributed worldwide by<br />
Columbia, initially for theatrical release and<br />
subsequently for television programming.<br />
W-2 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
Six Shows Sold Out<br />
At 'Bailie' Premiere<br />
HOLLYWOOD— All six scheduled performances—two<br />
in each of three Shea circuit<br />
theatres—for the world premiere of U-I's<br />
"Battle Hymn," Thursday il4) in Marietta.<br />
Ohio, were completely sold out in advance.<br />
Rock Hudson, Dan Duryea and Jock Mahoney,<br />
the film's stars, and Col. Dean Hess,<br />
whose life is the basis for the story, planned<br />
to participate in the debut festivities, making<br />
personal appearances at the sextet of performances.<br />
* « •<br />
Paramount has scheduled an April world<br />
premiere of "The Buster Keaton Story" at<br />
Prairie. Okla.. which Keaton considers his<br />
home town, despite the fact that he spent<br />
most of his early years touring in vaudeville.<br />
The comedian, whose life the biofilm depicts,<br />
expects to attend the feature's bow along with<br />
Donald O'Connor, who portrays him in the<br />
picture. Also planning to attend the event<br />
are press and television newsmen from key<br />
cities throughout the country.<br />
New Grifford Co. to Film<br />
Quixote Series for TV<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Don Quixote will be the<br />
initial effort of the newly formed Grifford<br />
Productions, of which Gordon S. Griffith is<br />
president and Robert Bradford vice-president.<br />
Slated for filming in color. Quixote Ls<br />
planned as a nationally syndicated TV series,<br />
consisting of 39 half-hour weekly segments.<br />
John Carradine has been inked to star<br />
in the series, which is to be lensed on location<br />
in Spain.<br />
* • •<br />
Briskin Productions. Inc.,<br />
announced Daniel<br />
Boone as another new half-hour telefilm<br />
series which it will produce for Screen<br />
Gems. Columbia Picture's TV subsidiary. It<br />
will be based on the life and adventures of<br />
the American pioneer and frontiersman<br />
identified by its title.<br />
* « «<br />
Serge Krizman, newly elected president of<br />
the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors,<br />
disclosed plans for 26 half-hour dramatic<br />
episodes of a television anthology series<br />
based on Nostradamus, famed 16th century<br />
seer, and his now-classic prophecies. Titled<br />
the Voice of Nostradamus, it is designed so<br />
that each segment will deal with one of the<br />
clairvoyant's prognostications covering the<br />
years 2000 through 3797.<br />
* * •<br />
Anne Baxter has been signed by Revue<br />
Productions to make her dramatic television<br />
debut as the star of "The Bitter Choice" on<br />
the General Electric Theatre. In the vehicle,<br />
she will portray a compassionate army nurse<br />
who, as a means of therapy, must force all<br />
her patients to resent and dislike her.<br />
* * *<br />
Actor-director Paul Henreid has been<br />
signed to pilot "The Vicious Circle" for Alfred<br />
Hitchcock Presents.<br />
* * •<br />
Allen H. Miner has been signed to direct<br />
"The Vigilantes," a segment of the Wells<br />
Fargo vidpix series for Revue Productions.<br />
Two to 'Hot Spell' Cast<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Toni Sommers and Marjorie<br />
Jackson have been added to the cast<br />
of Hal Wallis' "Hot Spell" at Paramount.<br />
AT<br />
hand is a copy of the San Quentin<br />
News, bi-weekly newspaper published<br />
by and for the inmates of the formidable<br />
state institution which the editors of<br />
the News term the "Bastille on the Bay."<br />
And a right sprightly, well-written journal<br />
it is. Presumably Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's<br />
publicists magnanimously arranged for members<br />
of Hollywood's press corps to receive<br />
an i.ssue of the prison periodical because Leo<br />
was shooting—you should pardon, pliss. the<br />
expression—a feature within its grim walls.<br />
a fact of which the editors of the News took<br />
generous cognizance. For the sake of the<br />
record—an' that's another disquieting term<br />
for the San Quentinians—the opus is "The<br />
House of Numbers," being produced by<br />
Charles Schnee and directed by Russell Rouse.<br />
Jack Palance—who else?—is toplined.<br />
If business gets any tougher, what with<br />
mergers, shutterings and how come you got<br />
a pink slip?, a few drum beaters and their<br />
Cinemania newsmen contacts may become<br />
regular readers of the News or, at least, its<br />
poor farm counterpart.<br />
There might be a chore for a headshrinker<br />
in the fact that Bill Blowitz, of the independent<br />
space-snatching firm of BIowitz-Maskel,<br />
and a fellow who couldn't fight his way out<br />
of a paper bag, is impresarioing the publicity<br />
for two upcoming epics about ring champions.<br />
"The Jack Dempsey Story," which Sam<br />
Wiesenthal is to make for a yet-to-be-determined<br />
release, and "The Barney Ross Story,"<br />
which Edward Small is fabricating for United<br />
Artists, have both been entrusted to the<br />
more-or-less tender Blowitzian touch.<br />
Maybe it stems from Breezy Bill's deepseated<br />
propensity toward extending his neck.<br />
And inescapable is the arresting originality<br />
evident in the selection of the pair of abovelisted<br />
titles. Once upon a time, there was a<br />
picture about a maestro of fisticuffs that<br />
wasn't tagged "The So-'n'-So Story." That<br />
rule-proving exception was Metro's "Somebody<br />
Up There Likes Me."<br />
Joint Estimates of Current Entertainment<br />
Films is a periodically pubhshed brochure,<br />
subsidized by the Motion Picture Ass'n of<br />
America, and undertaking to supply a labyrinthical-keyed<br />
consensus of opinion from<br />
various organizations that appraise features.<br />
Despite the dignity of the religious and educational<br />
groups from which it gathers data,<br />
the editor sometimes leads with his chin. As<br />
concerns United Ai'tists' "The King and Four<br />
Queens," it is stated, "Estimates Agree;<br />
Strictly synthetic sex studs this strictly<br />
synthetic Western."<br />
If it's synthetic, it's a gelding.<br />
When the Southern California Motion Picture<br />
Council singled out a group of current<br />
features for its awards of outstanding merit,<br />
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer publicists rushed out<br />
a newsworthy release listing the honored pictures,<br />
those coming from their studio as well<br />
as the films from other companies. That<br />
handout was widely printed and, of course,<br />
stressed the MOM titles.<br />
Subsequently, the space snatchers from<br />
Paramount, Warner Bros., Universal-International<br />
and RKO anti-climactically and<br />
repetitiously broadcast the same information,<br />
but in each case, limited it to their own<br />
respective offerings. Those handouts were<br />
wicketed.<br />
So Leo's larruping lionets enjoyed a substantial<br />
slice of bread upon the waters.<br />
Although the year is still in its infancy,<br />
freelancer Alex Evelove is a heads-on bet to<br />
win recognition for having perpetrated 1957's<br />
worst pun.<br />
Anxious Alex, in captioning a newsless item<br />
anent Roger Corman taking a crew to<br />
Marineland to record submarine sound effects,<br />
blazoned;<br />
"Life with Fathom"<br />
Someone in Teet Carle's Paramount pralsery<br />
has developed a distinct and disturbing Diamond<br />
Jim Brady complex. Broadcast trivia<br />
regarding the currently shooting "Hot Spell"<br />
seems to specialize in food—and in prodigious<br />
proportions. One such item concerned itself<br />
with 2,800 pounds of candy procured from the<br />
Newberry store to dress a five and dime<br />
counter scene. Still another relates how the<br />
cast consumed 30 pounds of cold cuts, six<br />
gallons of potato salad, nine stalks of celery<br />
and three gallons of ice tea for a dining<br />
room scene.<br />
Perhaps the Carlean caterwaulers should<br />
be checked for tape worms, lest the jittery<br />
stockholders crack down on such prolific<br />
purveyance of provender.<br />
Bob Goodfried is exempt, per se. Not only<br />
does he have the lean and hungry look of a<br />
Cassius, but he's too busy trying to revive<br />
the myth that "Paramount is seriou.sly considering<br />
staging a gigantic pre.ss preview of<br />
Punny Face' in Paris"; that hoary fantasy<br />
that has had Jimmy Stan- packing and unpacking<br />
his bag for lo! these many months.<br />
William Fawcett, who boasts A. B., M. A.<br />
and Ph. D. degrees, has been cast as an<br />
illiterate hillbilly in Mervyn LeRoy's "No<br />
Time for Sergeants" at Warner Bros., inform<br />
Bill Hendricks' tub thumpers, just to illustrate<br />
that, personal performances to the<br />
contrary, they have an appreciation of the<br />
benefits of higher education.<br />
And from the same Burbanklan blurbers, a<br />
twist on the venerable mother-in-law joke<br />
in the intelligence that, "Director Raoul<br />
Walsh's brother-in-law visited him for the<br />
first time in five years and was promptly put<br />
to work in . . . 'Band of Angels,' the film<br />
Walsh is making in Baton Rouge."<br />
Now that it has been established that<br />
nepotism, that loudly decried quality which<br />
flourished during the industry's most prosperous<br />
days, has been revived, hopm can again<br />
spring eternal.<br />
BOXOFnCE :: February 16, 1957 W-3
—<br />
—<br />
—<br />
——<br />
—<br />
—<br />
WB)<br />
—<br />
—<br />
—<br />
—<br />
—<br />
——<br />
Eighth Week of '80 Days' Holds Lead<br />
In Los Angeles; Other Scores Down<br />
LOS ANGELES—Inasmuch as the only two<br />
new bills to find then- way to the screens of<br />
local first run theatres were definitely on the<br />
r.onconsequential side—and reported business<br />
in kind—the big league attractions that have<br />
been dominating the southland's grossing<br />
reports for so many weeks encountered no<br />
difficulty in maintaining their individual<br />
and collective top dog positions. "Around<br />
the World in 80 Days," in its eighth frame,<br />
was still way out in fornt with 370 per cent.<br />
Exceeding its previous week's take was "The<br />
Ten Commandments," which scored 235 in<br />
its 13th canto.<br />
(Averoge Is 100)<br />
Beverly Canon La Strada (Trans-Lux), 1 5th wk. 85<br />
Carthay Circle Around the World in 80 Doys<br />
(UA), 8th wk 370<br />
Chinese Anostosio (20th-Fox), 7th wk 135<br />
Egyptian Bundle of Joy (RKO), 8th wk 50<br />
Fine Arts Wee Geordie [Times), 4th wk 115<br />
Four Star The Rainmoker (Poro), 8th wk 100<br />
Fox Beverly, New Fox, Warner Downtown Rock,<br />
Pretty Boby (U-l); The Night Runner (U-l).... 75<br />
Fox Wilshire Men in Wor (UA), 3rd wk 90<br />
Hawaii, Hillstreet, Wiltern Three Violent People<br />
(Para); Secret of Treasure Mountain (Col),<br />
2nd wk 55<br />
Los Angeles Three Brave Men (20th-Fox); The<br />
Women of Pitcairn Island (20th-Fox), 2nd wk. . . 40<br />
Pontages The Barretts of Wimpole Street (MGM),<br />
2nd wk 65<br />
Paramount Downtown Rock 'n' Roll Jamboree<br />
(Studios); Daniel Boone, Trailblozer (Rep).... 45<br />
Paramount Hollywood Written on the Wind<br />
(U-l), 8th wk 120<br />
Vogue Baby Doll (WB), 7th wk 75<br />
Warners Beverly The Ten Commondments<br />
(Poro), 1 3th wk 235<br />
Warners Hollywood Cinerama Holiday (Cinerama),<br />
65th wk 90<br />
'Silent World' Top Grosser<br />
In Slow Portland Week<br />
PORTLAND, ORE.—Attendance hit a low<br />
here with the top grosser, "The Silent World,"<br />
in a third week at the Guild.<br />
Broadway Oklahomal (Magna), 14th wk 120<br />
Fox Top Secret Affair (WB) 1 20<br />
Guild ^The Silent World (Col), 3rd wk 150<br />
Liberty The Iron Petticoat (MGM), 2nd wk 115<br />
Orpheum The Wrong Mon ( 110<br />
Paramount Three Violent People (Para) 100<br />
Only Bill<br />
"Westward Ho'<br />
Held at Denver<br />
DENVER—"Westward Ho, the Wagons,"<br />
in its third week at the Aladdin, was the only<br />
film held. "Top Secret Affair" with "Peacemaker"<br />
at the Paramount also proved a good<br />
money-getter.<br />
Aladdin Westward Ho, the Wagons (BV),<br />
3rd wk 125<br />
Centre The Wrong Man (WB), 2nd wk 85<br />
IT WON'T TAKE A FULL PACE AD<br />
TO TELL YOU ^<br />
.<br />
„V«YOUTh.FAS«ST<br />
630 Ninth Ave. NEW YORK, N.Y.<br />
1327 S. Wabash CHICAGO, ILL.<br />
THEATRE<br />
FOR SALE<br />
Eastern Washington, small town.<br />
$10,000 down. Others. Write for<br />
list.<br />
THEATRE EXCHANGE CO.<br />
5724 S.E. Monrot St 260 Kearney St.<br />
Portland 22, Oregon San Francisco 8. Calif.<br />
Denham<br />
Denver<br />
Bundle<br />
Three<br />
of<br />
Brave<br />
Joy (RKO), 3rd wk<br />
Men (20th-Fox); Black<br />
85<br />
Whip<br />
(20th-Fox) 80<br />
Esquire Three Cases of Murder (Assoc. Artists) 85<br />
Orpheum Slonder (MGM); Great American Pastime<br />
(MGM) 80<br />
Paramount Top Secret Affoir (WB); Peacemaker<br />
(UA) 150<br />
Fifth and Sixth Week Holdovers<br />
Score Best in San Francisco<br />
SAN FRANCISCO— Still perking their ways<br />
into the top money were the fifth week of<br />
"Anastasia" at the Fox with 150 per cent and<br />
the sixth week of "The Teahouse of the<br />
August Moon" at the Loew's Warfield with<br />
140 per cent. The rest of the first run houses<br />
showed average receipts.<br />
Fox Anastasia (20th-Fox), 5th wk 150<br />
Golden Gate Four Girls in Town (U-l); Above Us<br />
the Waves (Rep) 100<br />
Loew's Warfield The Teahouse of the August<br />
Moon (MGM), 6th wk 140<br />
Paromount Three Violent People (Pora); Rumble<br />
on the Docks (Col) 100<br />
St. Francis Top Secret Affoir ( WB) 1 00<br />
United Artists— Five Steps to Danger (UA); Gun<br />
Brothers (UA) 75<br />
'Oklahoma!' in 15th Week<br />
Leads at Seattle<br />
SEATTLE—"Oklahoma!" in its 15th week<br />
dropped slightly at the Blue Mouse to 160,<br />
but continued to lead the fu-st run lineup.<br />
Mouse Oklohomo! (Magna), 15th wk 160<br />
Blue<br />
Coliseum Three Violent People (Para) 90<br />
Fifth Avenue Top Secret Affair (WB) 120<br />
Music Box The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 6th wk 135<br />
Music Hall The Wrong Man (WB), 2nd wk 100<br />
Orpheum Gun for a Coward (U-l); Deoth of o<br />
Scoundrel (RKO), 2nd wk 85<br />
At Navy Base Theatres<br />
HOLLYWOOD— Spearheading the Washington's<br />
Birthday openings of MGM's "The<br />
Wings of Eagles" in 350 situations around the<br />
country. Maureen O'Hara and Admiral John<br />
Dale Price, technical adviser on the picture,<br />
departed for personal appearances at the<br />
three naval air stations: Chicago, on Wednesday<br />
(131; Pensacola, Fla., Thursday, and<br />
Norfolk, Va., Friday.<br />
'Rebel' Ahead in March<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Switching his production<br />
schedule. Producer Norman Herman of Nacirema<br />
Productions will have "Rebel on Wheels"<br />
precede "The Golden Disk," with the former<br />
to be put before the cameras in March for an<br />
Allied Artists release. "Disk" will be given<br />
a late April starting date.<br />
Mary Astor to 'Hairpin'<br />
HOLLYWOOD—After 30 years, Mary Astor<br />
is returning to Paramount studio where she<br />
once was starred. She has been cast in<br />
"Devil's Hairpin," in which Cornel Wilde<br />
and his actress-wife Jean Wallace will be costarred.<br />
Wilde will also produce and direct<br />
the film.<br />
George Paris Gets Role<br />
HOLLYWOOD—George Paris has been asssigned<br />
a role in Hecht-Hill-Lancaster's<br />
"Sweet Smell of Success." Alexander Mackendrick<br />
is directing, James Hill producing.<br />
Akim Tamiroff to<br />
'Badge' Role<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Veteran character actor<br />
Akim Tamuoff has been signed by U-I for<br />
a starring role in "Badge of Evil."<br />
Victor Gottlieb Sues U-I<br />
Over Studio Discharge<br />
HOLLYWOOD—A suit seeking damages of<br />
$3,000 has been field in municipal court by<br />
musician Victor Gottlieb against U-I. Gottlieb<br />
alleges he was discharged from his job<br />
solely because he invoked the Fifth Amendment<br />
in appearing before a recent congressional<br />
probe into averred Red activities<br />
in the film capital.<br />
Gottlieb questions the validity of U-I's<br />
statement that he was let out for "good and<br />
sufficient reason." The plantiff maintains<br />
that his Red probe appearance was not a<br />
legitimate basis for dismissal within the<br />
meaning of the studio contract.<br />
Before the House Un-American Activities<br />
Committee on April 26, 1956, Gottlieb testified<br />
he was not at that time a member of the<br />
Communist party. When asked if he had been<br />
a member in the past, he refused to answer,<br />
invoking the Fifth Amendment.<br />
Local 47, American Federation of Musicians,<br />
is supporting Gottlieb in his suit.<br />
DeMille on Speaking Trip<br />
With Dallas First Stop<br />
HOLLYWOOD—As the initial engagement<br />
on his three-week speaking tour, Cecil B.<br />
DeMille addressed the Dallas Council on<br />
World Affairs at the Baker Hotel, Dallas<br />
Tuesday
For Sharp, Straightforward^<br />
Focus • • • # ^<br />
comrrp<br />
That's<br />
right -to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
I<br />
I<br />
t<br />
CENTURY curved gates qxq patterned after the<br />
well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The<br />
new curved gate features solid, fixed film trap<br />
shoes. This sturdy precision design provides positive<br />
positioning of the film, therefore positive<br />
focus. The aperture plate was designed as an<br />
integral part of the film trap which serves to<br />
maintain the correct focus.<br />
PERFORMANCE PROOF: Note the foJ/owing typ/ca/<br />
exhibifor commenfs:<br />
"hKarked improvement on edge-toedge<br />
focusing. Excellent results,<br />
both color and black and white<br />
were tested with equally good results.<br />
Most noticeable on newsreels."<br />
King Theatre, Honolulu<br />
. . . and many more.<br />
"The in and out<br />
of focus effect has<br />
been all but eliminated,<br />
particularly<br />
on previously<br />
buckled Film."<br />
Miracle Mile Drive-in,<br />
Ohio, U.S.A.<br />
See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid to better<br />
DISTRIBUTED<br />
-CTOc^-<br />
Southwest Theatre Supply Co.<br />
3750 East Van Baren<br />
Phoenix, Arizona<br />
Interstate Theatre Equipment Co.<br />
1923 N. W. Kearney 2419 Second Avenue<br />
Portland, Oregon Seattle, Washington<br />
Pembrex Theatre Supply Corp.<br />
1969 South Vermont Ave.<br />
Los Angeles 7, Colifornia<br />
Walter G. Preddey Co.<br />
187 Golden Gate Ave.<br />
San Francisco 2, Caiitornia<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957<br />
W-5
. .<br />
Theatre Business Is Good, ^o^ angeles |<br />
_ AAembers J^embers of Variety Tent 25 met Monday<br />
f<br />
(11) to honor their newly elected chief<br />
barker. O. N. "Bill" Srere, at the first session<br />
over which he presided . . . Fred Getting Better—Lippert<br />
Stein<br />
SAN FRANCISCO — Theatre business is<br />
good and there is every Indication that it<br />
dent filmmaking company. Globe Enterprises,<br />
declared that his association with Lippert<br />
will get better during the remainder of 1957. had completely mitigated the prejudice that<br />
said Robert Lippert, head of the theatre he, like most creators in the industry, had<br />
circuit bearing his name, in his address of appreciation<br />
at the testimonial dinner given ness.<br />
felt toward the exhibition branch of the busi-<br />
to him here Thursday (7) in observance of Others among those present were E. J.<br />
the 15th anniversary of the Lippert Theatres.<br />
DeRose, Lippert Theatres executive; Ray<br />
Baumgarten, president. Regal Films; James<br />
The function was attended by more than Duddy, district manager, Lippert; J. E. Erickson,<br />
branch manager, 20th-Fox; Hal Gruber,<br />
100 employes of his circuit, as well as production,<br />
distribution and financial associates manager. Favorite Films; S. J. Gardner,<br />
from this community and southern California,<br />
where Lippert currently spends a pert employe; Al Grubstick, Warner Bros.;<br />
MGM branch manager; Emma Gold, Lip-<br />
large portion of his time while pursuing his Frank Galvin, Golden State Theatres executive;<br />
C. F^ank Harris, United Artists<br />
newer activities, the production of motion<br />
pictures.<br />
branch manager; Mel Hulling, Allied Artists<br />
Lippert started his circuit with the Grand district manager; Abe Karski, Gerald Karski,<br />
Ray Kaliski, Martell Kaliski, Albert<br />
Theatre in Richmond, Calif., Feb. 7, 1942.<br />
"Last year," he related, "our circuit showed Kessler, Leslie Kessler, Irving Kay, Clarence<br />
its biggest profit and all signs point to a Laws and Elwood Laws, partners, Lippert<br />
new high in boxoffice receipts in 1957. We Theatres; Lloyd Lamb, Redwood Theatres<br />
are constantly expanding and we now have executive; James Leslie. Lippert Theatres<br />
plans for the building of one or two new executive; James Myers, Allied Artists manager;<br />
George Mitchell, Republic manager;<br />
theatres in southern California during the<br />
next 18 months."<br />
Barney Rose, district manager. Universal;<br />
Occupying places at the speakers' table, Ted Reisch, U-I manager; James Reed, Bolton<br />
Theatres executive; J. L. Stevenson,<br />
along with the guest of honor, were members<br />
of his family; Samuel Fuller, who periodically Paramount manager; F. J. Schiendler, RKO<br />
has produced and directed for Lippert manager; Al Shmitken, Warner manager; E.<br />
throughout the past several years; J. Earl W. Stokes, Lippert Theatres district, manager;<br />
Plato Skouras, Regal Films executive;<br />
"Doc" Henning, one of the partners in his<br />
theatre activities; George M. Mann, president.<br />
Redwood Theatres and a business as-<br />
Harold Wirthwein. AA western division man-<br />
Herman Wobber. 20th-Fox ex;ecutive, and<br />
sociate; Robert Lippert jr., manager of his ager. " •"'<br />
newest showcase in the Los Angeles area,<br />
the La Habra of that suburban city, and<br />
Charles J. Maestri, general manager of the<br />
Lippert chain. Henning, Mann and Maestri SEATTLE<br />
were speakers, and each glowingly reviewed<br />
their long years of association with the circuit<br />
head.<br />
Children's Orthopedic Hospital by the<br />
H luncheon was held Wednesday at the<br />
Puller, now president of his own indepenthe<br />
west's largest<br />
Variety Club to acquaint members of radio,<br />
TV and allied press publicists with the club's<br />
work in the children's heart clinic . . .<br />
Reville Kniffin, 20th-Fox assistant district<br />
manager, was in from Los Angeles .<br />
"<br />
^ speaker supply<br />
Jack J. Engerman, Northwest Releasing, covered<br />
Salt Lake, Edmonton, Calgary, Winni-<br />
BallantijnE<br />
f dealer<br />
peg, Butte and Spokane in advance of the<br />
Fats Domino "Biggest Show of Stars >,'of<br />
1057" and the Victor Borge "Comedy in<br />
BALLANTYNE SPEAKERS<br />
Music" show. Borge will be presented by<br />
STRONG LAMPS<br />
Northwest Releasing and Hugh Beckett.<br />
BALLANTYNE PROJECTORS<br />
Jim Brooks, 20th-Fox office manager, has<br />
HOBART GENERATORS<br />
been discharged from the hospital and is<br />
convalescing at<br />
BALLANTYNE SOUND<br />
home , . . Filmrow visitors<br />
included Joe Lilqulst of the Almo, Colville;<br />
WILLIAMS SCREENS<br />
R. E. Gillespie of the Rio, Burlington; A. P.<br />
REDI-MADE CORDS<br />
Gollofon, Concrete; Howard Wood, Kettle<br />
Palls, and Mr. and Mrs. George Ekman, Blue<br />
SPEAKER CONES<br />
Ox, Shelton.<br />
MARQUEE LETTERS<br />
More than 1,100 attended a screening of<br />
JUNCTION BOXES<br />
"The Ten Commandments" held Tuesday<br />
evening (5) at the Egyptian Theatre for civic,<br />
business and religious leaders, and radio,<br />
newspaper and TV representatives. The film<br />
was also previewed Saturday morning (9) at<br />
glenn e. koropp the Fifth Avenue by a group of 900 nuns<br />
from the Puget Sound area. The picture is<br />
3600 San Ysidro Way Sacramento 25. Calif,<br />
write, wire - or phone IVanhoe 9-0941 slated to open at the Fifth Avenue on the<br />
21st.<br />
Enterprises, in taking over the Ritz Theatre,<br />
South Pasadena, from the Jimmy Edwards<br />
circuit, revealed plans to completely refurbish<br />
the house. Meanwhile, Fred Stein,<br />
who heads the organization bearing his name,<br />
has entered Cedars of Lebanon Hospital for<br />
a checkup.<br />
After a couple of years in<br />
the Chicago office<br />
of Modern Film Distributors, from which<br />
he lectured in the midwest on the company's<br />
"Mom and Dad," Tom Tobin has been transferred<br />
to the Los Angeles branch of MFD<br />
to perform a similar function, thereby augmenting<br />
the work which has been handled<br />
in this area solely by Patrick O'SuUivan.<br />
Richard Brandt and George Ross, president<br />
and vice-president in charge of sales, respectively,<br />
for Trans-Lux, planed from New<br />
York to confer with Morris Safier, western<br />
division manager, to establish a sales policy<br />
on the general release of "La Strada" . . .<br />
Gabe Barnett, accompanied by his wife,<br />
headed for Honolulu to set up an office to<br />
handle his King Midas sports car theatre<br />
giveaway promotion which has been utilized<br />
by various exhibitors in this country.<br />
. . . Salesmen<br />
. .<br />
Herb Turpie, western district manager for<br />
the Manley Popcorn Co., went to Albuquerque.<br />
N. M., to meet with B. J. McKenna, the<br />
company's general manager<br />
currently covering their respective Arizona<br />
territories include George Tripp, Warner<br />
Bros.; Jules Needleman, Columbia, and Ben<br />
Wendel Bjorkman,<br />
Taylor, Allied Artists . . .<br />
Buena Vista, has returned from Arizona .<br />
Hugh Braly, Distributors Corp. of America,<br />
headed for Denver on business . Bob Kronenberg.<br />
Dominant Pictures,<br />
. .<br />
planed to New<br />
York . . . George Ingham, who operates a<br />
booking service, went to Yuma to huddle<br />
with Wayne Arnold and Marvin Bell, who<br />
are planning a 1,000-car drive-in in that<br />
city ... Ed Lachman, president of the Lorraine<br />
Carbon Co. and owner of the State<br />
Theatre. Boonton, N. J., arrived from New<br />
York.<br />
Booking^ and buying on Filmrow were Lloyd<br />
Katz, Nevada Theatre Corp.. Las Vegas, who<br />
met with Jerry Persell of DCA; Burt Kramer.<br />
Village Theatre, Coronado; Milt and Dode<br />
Smith, Santa Paula Drive-In; Jack Lowenbein.<br />
Academy. San Diego; Joe Markowitz.<br />
La Paloma, Eiicinitas; George Diamos and<br />
George Cavelaris, Lyric in Bisbee, Ariz., and<br />
Henry Slater, Chula Vista Drive In.<br />
Don Conley to Buena Vista<br />
In Seattle Sales Post<br />
NEW YORK—Don Conley, formerly a<br />
salesman and branch manager for RKO in<br />
Des Moines and other branch cities, has been<br />
named sales representative for Buena Vista<br />
in the Seattle area by Leo F. Samuels, president.<br />
Conley will make his headquarters in<br />
Seattle under the direction of Jesse Chinich,<br />
western division sales manager. His activities<br />
will be supervised by Wendell Bjorkman,<br />
Buena Vista west coast district manager.<br />
W-6 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957<br />
fl
. . Theatre<br />
John<br />
. . The<br />
DENVER<br />
T ynn "Red" Fetz, manager of the shipping<br />
and inspection section of the Denver Film<br />
Center, has disappeared. He was last seen<br />
February 5 when he cashed a $30 pension<br />
check at a bar near his home in North Denver.<br />
His car was found on Broadway two<br />
days later with a two-day accumulation of<br />
parking tickets. The car was locked. At this<br />
writing it is feared that he has met with<br />
foul play. Always a hard worker, he would<br />
not leave the business he has built up by<br />
merely leaving town.<br />
Al Brandon, one of the salesmen let out<br />
when RKO merged with Universal, has gone<br />
into the insurance business. Harold Copeland<br />
has left for a trip that will take him to<br />
Tucson, Ariz., and then to California, and if<br />
he does not locate a job en route he might<br />
return to Denver. Mike Stewart, New Mexico<br />
salesman, will remain in Albuquerque and<br />
will try and make connections there . . . Ted<br />
Halmi, film publicist, went east on matters<br />
connected with Hungarian relief.<br />
Marvin Goldfarb, district manager for<br />
Buena Vista, went to Kansas City and St.<br />
Louis on business . . Tillie Charl, Paramount<br />
.<br />
cashier, who was hospitalized as the<br />
result of a fall at home, is recovering and<br />
will be back at work soon . . . John Mc-<br />
Gettigan, Paramount auditor, was at the<br />
local exchange . . . John Allen, MGM district<br />
manager, was in from his Dallas headquarters<br />
for conferences with Henry Friedel,<br />
branch manager.<br />
Claude Newell, MGM booker, was on a<br />
two-week leave, doing a stint with the Aii-<br />
Force Reserve at Lowrey air field . . . E. E.<br />
Jameson sr. of Kansas City, owner of Denver<br />
Shipping & Inspection Bureau, was in conferring<br />
with Frank Norris, manager ...CM.<br />
Bitsel, RCA sales representative, Los Angeles,<br />
was here conferring with Sam Langwith,<br />
owner of Western Service & Supply.<br />
Irene Canino, cashier at Republic, and her<br />
mother had a rather harrowing experience<br />
one evening as they retui'ned from a downtown<br />
style show. They were held up as<br />
they arrived at their garage, the stickup man<br />
taking their money and Irene's new car as<br />
well. The car was found shortly by Denver<br />
police and had not been harmed.<br />
James and Lillian Micheleti celebrated their<br />
25th wedding anniversary last week with an<br />
open house. He is a salesman for MGM . . .<br />
Merle Gwinn, who has been operating the<br />
Zorn, Benkelman, Neb., for several years, has<br />
closed the house . folk seen on<br />
Filmrow included Frank Aydelotte, Fort Collins;<br />
Glen B. Wittstruck, Meeker; Mr. and<br />
Mrs. George Kelloff, Aguilar; Thomas<br />
Knight, Riverton, Wyo., and Harry Mc-<br />
Donald, Torrington, Wyo.<br />
Title Changes<br />
I Married Joseph Stalin (20th-Fox) to<br />
CRIME OF THE CENTURY.<br />
The Haunted (Col) to NIGHT OF THE<br />
DEMON.<br />
The Most Wanted Woman (Col) to HALF<br />
PAST HELL.<br />
The Attack of the Saucer Men (AIP) to<br />
INVASION OF THE SAUCER MEN.<br />
Utah Bill Permits<br />
County Aid for TV<br />
SALT LAKE CITY—A former theatre exhibitor<br />
currently is one of the leaders of a<br />
group attempting to get legislative action<br />
which would place television in remote Utah<br />
communities. The ex-showman, John Rowberry<br />
of Cedar City, was one of the proponents<br />
of a bill that would allow communities<br />
to use recreation funds for establishment<br />
of television translator systems in areas currently<br />
without TV.<br />
The measure has passed the state senate<br />
and currently Is being argued in the house.<br />
As it stands now, the bill would allow<br />
county commissioners to use funds for recreation<br />
purposes to establish the translator<br />
systems, to puj-chase property and to set up<br />
facilities for putting m television. The funds<br />
for recreation are raLsed from taxes.<br />
Some communities located a distance from<br />
transmitting facilities have TV through<br />
community-owned systems, but the service<br />
is available only to those who pay the connecting<br />
fee and the service. Under the translator<br />
system, television would be available<br />
to the communities in which the county commissioners<br />
decide to use the recreation funds<br />
without toll fee.<br />
Although theatre exhibitors did not appear<br />
at a public hearing on the bill, it is believed<br />
they are opposed to the measure. Daily<br />
newspapers of the state are opposed to it.<br />
Argument of the former group is that taxes<br />
were not used to build theatres in any communities<br />
so why should they be used for<br />
establishing television facilities. Newspapers<br />
have expressed a fear of "socialization" if<br />
the bill passes.<br />
Rowberry operated theatres at Cedar City<br />
prior to selling out a few years ago to the<br />
Yergensens.<br />
Two LA Papers Turn Down<br />
Ads on Japanese Film<br />
LOS ANGELES—Because the word "prostitution"<br />
was used, the Los Angeles Times<br />
and the Herald-Express newspapers rejected<br />
advertising copy on the Japanese-made film.<br />
"Street of Shame," which was scheduled to<br />
open Friday (15) at the Vagabond Theatre<br />
of which Sydney Linden is manager.<br />
Meanwhile, the Mirror-News and Examiner<br />
had not ruled for or against similar copy<br />
which Linden submitted to them.<br />
Inasmuch as the feature deals with legalized<br />
prostitution in Japan, Linden argued,<br />
"How can you sell it if you don't use the<br />
word prostitution? . . . how else can I describe<br />
it?"<br />
"We have this trouble from time to time,<br />
but the papers use similar copy from other<br />
theatres," the manager stated. "When I asked<br />
them about it, they informed it 'slipped by,' "<br />
complained Linden.<br />
The manager asserts "Shame" Is an adultsonly<br />
film and no minors will be admitted<br />
to the Vagabond during the picture's run.<br />
To Portray Army Generals<br />
HOLLYWOOD-<br />
-For Bryna Pi'oductions'<br />
"Paths of Glory<br />
" Adolphe Menjou and<br />
George Macready have been signed to porarmy<br />
generals. Scheduled<br />
tray two different<br />
to roll March 20 in Munich, Germany, the<br />
film toplines Kirk Douglas, who heads Bryna.<br />
SALT LAKE<br />
Uelen Garrity Yorke, for_T,e; ;<br />
director for Intermountain X,
. . Hy<br />
. . Al<br />
SAN FRANCISCO<br />
Qharles M. ThaU, former Pox West Coast<br />
Theatres executive who retired in 1946,<br />
has resigned as executive<br />
secretary of<br />
Northern California<br />
Tlieatre Ass'n, which<br />
position he has held<br />
for the past ten years.<br />
His successor will be<br />
announced by the exhibitor<br />
organization in<br />
the near future.<br />
Mrs. Eva McAlexander,<br />
wife of the<br />
Tower Theatre manager<br />
in Willows, died<br />
Charles M. Thall<br />
after a short illness.<br />
In addition to her husband, she is survived<br />
by a daughter, Mrs. Joseph Halasz of Santa<br />
Clara, and a son Terry, manager of the<br />
Colonial Theatre in Sacramento . . Ai-thur<br />
.<br />
Rodriguez, chairman of the Crockett Community<br />
Council, announced a civic movement<br />
to reopen the Lanai Theatre to help<br />
cure the city's juvenile problem, which has<br />
been on the upswing since the theatre<br />
closed December 4.<br />
Novato builder John Novak's bid to<br />
rezone<br />
a 12-acre site for a drive-in theatre in Novato<br />
won a favorable recommendation from<br />
the Marin County planning commission. It<br />
now goes to county supervisors for final action<br />
... A dispute over reopening of the<br />
Granada Theatre, owned by T. & D. Jr. E:iterprises,<br />
began before the flames died down<br />
following an explosion and fij-e. Homer Le-<br />
Ballister, manager of the Granada which<br />
was next door to the demolished Elks Club,<br />
maintained that the theatre was not damaged.<br />
However, the mayor ordered the theatre<br />
padlocked.<br />
According to James Bell, there will be no<br />
change in personnel operating the State, Alta<br />
and Midway theatres which were recently<br />
taken over by the United Theatres Co. from<br />
Roy Cooper Theatre Co. of San Francisco.<br />
The sale took place January 16 . . . Damages<br />
as high as $20,000 were estimated at Alameda's<br />
old Strand Theatre on Park street<br />
the scene of a fom--hour blaze. The cause<br />
of the fire, which took 27 men some four<br />
hours to extinguish, was attributed to an<br />
electrical failure.<br />
The Golden Gate Theatre benefited by a<br />
promotional wave for "Battle Hymn.' The<br />
mayor proclaimed opening week of the film<br />
as An' Force Week for the city and county<br />
a parade along Market street was scheduled<br />
for opening night; one day will see the<br />
swearmg in of new Air Force recruits at the<br />
City Hall: a gala junket was sent to the Navy<br />
air force station in Colorado Springs for local<br />
newspaper critics and city officials to<br />
preview the film, and an informative display<br />
was arranged by the Air Force in the lobby<br />
of the theatre.<br />
Jim Barry, Western Theatrical Equipment,<br />
has posted the high game .score to date in<br />
the Variety Club Bowling League, with Char-<br />
He Owens of National Screen Service posting<br />
the high series. Attendance this year In<br />
the league has been fine . . . Mln Levy,<br />
Tower Pictures, fell down the back steps of<br />
her home and ended up in the French Hospital<br />
. . . Eddie Jacobs, for 25 years in the<br />
Golden Gate Theatre building as elevator<br />
operator, is in the St. Francis Hospital. He<br />
would enjoy hearing from his many friends.<br />
Dolores Barusch, Earusch Advertising<br />
Agency, promoted for her client, the President<br />
Theatre, a four-column spread in one<br />
of the local dailies . . . Charlie Feldman, general<br />
sales manager for U-I, conferred here<br />
with Barney Rose . Glick, Republic<br />
studios, was in town to attend his son's<br />
wedding. Hy and local Manager George<br />
Mitchell got together . Shmitkin, Warner<br />
Bros., returned from a branch managers<br />
meeting in Seattle . . . Visitors on the Row<br />
included Joseph Cotten and Gloria Swanson<br />
from Hollywood; Barney Gurnette, Salinas,<br />
where he operates the Crystal Theatre;<br />
Howard Hill, Hill Drive-In at Riverdale, and<br />
BUI Wagner, Antioch.<br />
The Orosi Theatre in Orosi has been closed<br />
by John Terrill . . . The Cove Theatre, Orange<br />
Cove, has been taken over by M. E.<br />
Beaner from John Terrill . . . The Graybill<br />
Theatre at San Miguel closed January 6.<br />
JARO Officials<br />
Survey<br />
Filmrow Office Sites<br />
LOS ANGELES — Establishment of west<br />
coast headquarters for the J. Arthur Rank<br />
Organization, a long-contemplated move, approached<br />
culmination with the arrival here<br />
of Kenneth Hargreaves, general sales manager,<br />
and Irving Sochin, domestic sales manager,<br />
who have been surveying available sites<br />
on local Filmrow that can be rented to<br />
house the new office. Its function will be to<br />
supplement the activities of the New York<br />
office of the British production and distribution<br />
firm with direct attention to the territory<br />
west of the Rockies.<br />
Rank product has been distributed<br />
throughout this territory by United Artists,<br />
U-I and Republic. While no declaration has<br />
been forthcoming regarding future plans, it<br />
is generally thought that this releasing setup<br />
will continue to obtain, for the time being<br />
at least, and that the new office will<br />
function principally in a promotional and<br />
sales supervisory capacity.<br />
PORTLAND<br />
^heatre row here gave a testimonial dinner<br />
for Dick Lange, former RKO branch<br />
manager who had completed 27 continuous<br />
years in the show business when the exchange<br />
closed February 1. The dinner, held at the<br />
Western Club Friday evening (15), was attended<br />
by Filmrow business associates, exhibitors<br />
and members of the press, radio and<br />
TV. Committee members included Jack Partin,<br />
Roy Brown, Dick Colbert, C. F. Powers,<br />
Mark McDougald, Jack Lovett, Dale Wilkins<br />
with Archie Holt as chairman.<br />
Johnny Cummings, RKO salesman, moved<br />
to San Francisco to join Favorite Films.<br />
Richard Landau Scripts 'Dope'<br />
Bel-Air Productions has signed Richard<br />
Landau to work on the screenplay of "Dope<br />
Ship," a United Artists' release.<br />
Concessionaires to Meet<br />
In Las Vegas Feb. 28<br />
LAS VEGAS—"How to Increase Your<br />
Profits in '57" will be the theme of the twoday<br />
second annual western regional conference<br />
sponsored by the National Ass'n of<br />
Concessionaires (formerly Popcorn & Concessions<br />
Ass'n 1, Feb. 27-Mar. 1, at the Sands<br />
Hotel here, according to NAC Second Vice-<br />
President and conference chairman Harold<br />
F. Chesler. Theatre Candy Distributing Co.,<br />
Salt Lake City.<br />
Featured speakers will be NAC boai'd chairman<br />
Bert Nathan, Theatre Popcorn Vending<br />
Corp., Brooklyn, N. Y., whose subject<br />
will be "What to Look for in a Good Concession<br />
Operation in a Drive-In," and NAC<br />
President Lee Koken, RKO Theatres, New<br />
York City, who will discuss "Concession<br />
Stand Management Techniques for Conventional<br />
Theatres." Also on the program will<br />
be William E. Smith, the Popcorn Institute,<br />
Chicago, and NAC Executive Vice-Pi'esident<br />
Thomas J. Sullivan, describing "Effective<br />
Popcorn Merchandising With Promotional<br />
Aids."<br />
One day will be devoted to seminars where<br />
particular topics relating to popcorn promotion<br />
and concession operation will be<br />
discussed in detail. There will be an equipment<br />
clinic, where manufacturers of concession<br />
equipment will explain and demonstrate<br />
it.<br />
The Coca-Cola Co. will sponsor the conference<br />
luncheon February 28 and the Pepsi-<br />
Cola Co. will play host to a cocktail party<br />
March 1. All members of the theatre and<br />
concession industries are invited to attend.<br />
Advance registrations are being accepted by<br />
Chesler at his office. Theatre Candy Distributing<br />
Co., P.O. Box 2023, Salt Lake City,<br />
Utah.<br />
Bill Sackheim Promoted<br />
To Screen Gems Director<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Producer William Sackheim<br />
has been promoted to executive head of<br />
a new Screen Gems department in which he<br />
will be du'ector of program development, concentrating<br />
on creation, guidance and development<br />
of new programs which Columbia's<br />
television subsidiary decides to produce.<br />
Milton Pickman, vice-president of Briskin<br />
Productions, who is in charge of programming,<br />
will continue to function as packager<br />
of the independent deals. Sackheim will work<br />
directly with Irving Briskin.<br />
Charles R. Daggett Dies<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Funeral rites<br />
were held at<br />
the FLi-st Unitarian Church for Charles R.<br />
"Chuck" Daggett, Columbia publicist who died<br />
Sunday (3) at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital<br />
of nephritis. Prior to his Columbia<br />
affiliation, Daggett had been head of publicity<br />
for UPA and for John Sutherland Productions.<br />
Surviving are his wife, mother, two<br />
brothers and a daughter.<br />
Frederick Loewe Added<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Frederick Loewe has been<br />
pacted by Producer Arthur Freed to write the<br />
score with Alan Jay Lerner for MGM's "Gigi,"<br />
their first collaboration since making Broadway<br />
history with "My Fair Lady," for which<br />
Lerner wrote the book and lyrics and Loewe<br />
the score..<br />
t^<br />
W-8 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
WB)<br />
—<br />
Grosses Hold Firm<br />
On Chicago's Loop<br />
CHICAGO—With business up or continuing<br />
at previous satisfactory levels, hopes ran<br />
high for a solid spring. Five newcomers<br />
shared gross honors with holdovers, with<br />
special mention going to "Rock, Rock, Rock"<br />
at the Monroe and "Canyon River" at the<br />
Roosevelt. Big holdover was "Full of Life."<br />
which upped grosses in the second week at<br />
the Chicago Theatre.<br />
(Averoge Is 100)<br />
Cornegie— Anostosio (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 190<br />
Chicago— Full of Life Col), 2nd wk 240<br />
Esquire— Everything But the Truth (U-l), 2nd wk. 200<br />
Grond— Istanbul U-l), Thunder Over Arizona<br />
(Rep) 200<br />
Loop—The Brove One (RKO), 3rd wk 210<br />
McVickers—The Ten Commandments (Para),<br />
1 1th wk 345<br />
Monroe Rock, Rock, Rock (DCA); Dynomiters<br />
(Astor) 200<br />
Oriental—The Girl Con't Help It (20th-Fox),<br />
2nd wk 190<br />
Palace—Seven Wonders of the World (Cineroma),<br />
9fh wk 350<br />
Roosevelt— Rock, Pretty Baby lU-l); Canyon<br />
River ( AA) 200<br />
State Lake—The Iron PeMicoat (MGM), 2nd wk. .215<br />
Surf—Simon and Laura (U-l), 2nd wk 185<br />
United Artists—The Wrong Man I 1 95<br />
Woods—The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 12th wk 205<br />
World Playhouse— La Strodo (Trans-Lux), 7th wk. 200<br />
Ziegfeld—Only the French Can (UMPO), 7fh wk, .185<br />
'Barretts' Stirs Only<br />
Minor Kaycee Interest<br />
KANSAS CITY—The local public turned a<br />
cold shoulder to the new version of "The<br />
Barretts of Wimpole Street" playing at the<br />
Midland Theatre. "Friendly Persuasion"<br />
played to good patronage in its second week<br />
in the Uptown and goes into its third week<br />
there, playing first week in the other three<br />
Fox houses.<br />
Esquire, Fairway and Granada—Three Brove Men<br />
(20th-Fox), The Black Whip (20th-Fox) 110<br />
Kimo— Rififi (UMPO), 2nd wk 200<br />
Midland—The BorreMs of Wimpole Street (MGM) 75<br />
Missouri—This Is Cinerama (Cinerama) 35th wk. 325<br />
Paramount—The Big Land (WB), five days of<br />
2nd wk 95<br />
Rockhill—Tempest in the Flesh (Pacemaker) .... 1 25<br />
Roxy—Utah Blaine (Col) 75<br />
Uptown— Friendly Persuasion (AA), 2nd wk 1 40<br />
'Commandments' 2nd Week<br />
Firm in Indianapolis<br />
INDIANAPOLIS—A pleasant sunny afternoon,<br />
the first in a couple of months, had<br />
more people on the highways than in theatres<br />
and cut down on the week's boxoffice<br />
prospects. But "The Ten Commandments"<br />
continued to set a sensational pace in its<br />
second week at the Lyric, and "Baby Doll" did<br />
extra good business at the Esquire, where it<br />
also played its second week. "Top Secret<br />
Affair" at the Indiana, was leader among the<br />
new attractions. "The Barretts of Wimpole<br />
Street" at Loew's was disappointing.<br />
Circle—Seventh Covolry (Col); Odongo (Col). 90<br />
Esquire—Baby Doll (WB), 2nd wk 150<br />
Indiana—Top Secret Affair (WB); A Woman's<br />
Devotion ( Rep) 1 00<br />
Loews— Barretts of Wimpole Street (MGM); Great<br />
American Pastime (MGM) 85<br />
Lyric—The Ten Commandments (Par), 2nd wk.,.250<br />
BOWLING<br />
KANSAS CITY—Bowling standings after<br />
Friday (8i games were:<br />
MEN<br />
Team Won Lost<br />
Alley Rots 54 30<br />
K. C. T's 52 32<br />
Monley P'c'n 50 34<br />
Steeplechase 42 42<br />
Dixie Picts .371/2 46' •<br />
Shreve's ... .36 '/j<br />
Mode O'Day. 34<br />
47Vj<br />
SO<br />
Hi Lo 5 30 54<br />
WOMEN<br />
Team Won Lost<br />
Monley Pprs 43'/! 19'/j<br />
2<br />
Finton Jones 39 24<br />
Monley Inc. 36'<br />
Borg & Kim<br />
33 30<br />
Klortmon's 28 35<br />
New SO D-l 27 36<br />
Dixie Ent. 24 39<br />
101 Service 20 43<br />
Free Lunch Available From Boolh<br />
At KMTA Convention on Tuesday<br />
KANSAS CITY—Many of the display booths<br />
will operate on a proof-of-the-pudding basis<br />
at the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Ass'n convention<br />
February 26, 27 at the Pickwick Hotel.<br />
As Woodie Latimer of L&L Popcorn and<br />
Chris Bean of Hollywood Servemaster said:<br />
"You can have a free lunch of nutritious<br />
food with us Tuesday." The L&L booth will<br />
serve such free items as E-Z Way coffee.<br />
James River barbecued beef in sandwichas<br />
and hot dogs from the Roto-Grille. Regal<br />
Poppers, operated by Gus and George Kopulos,<br />
will serve Sweden ice cream, Sno-Crop<br />
fish steaks and an orange drink.<br />
Mickelberry's food products will serve chilifranks,<br />
regular franks and cooked<br />
-'N<br />
-*•<br />
Big Boost to United List<br />
In RKO Merger With U-I<br />
KANSAS CITY—Bob Herrell of the United<br />
Film Exchange will distribute about 75 features<br />
and 50 short<br />
subjects not included<br />
aS^<br />
Bob Herrell<br />
in the RKO-Universal<br />
recent integration.<br />
Some of these are newfilms<br />
which have never<br />
been released, such as<br />
"Finger of Guilt" and<br />
"Cartouche," in which<br />
Richard Basehart<br />
stars. Others are older<br />
films, including four<br />
of the Tarzans. The<br />
short subjects do not<br />
include the Disney-<br />
RKO shorts, as these are being handled by<br />
Buena Vista. The United list runs from one<br />
to three reels.<br />
Herrell said United was also being considered<br />
for handling some of the future RKO<br />
productions. "Naturally, I am pleased to have<br />
such a fine array of pictures for distribution<br />
in this area," Herrell added.<br />
Central Shipping will service the product<br />
as it does other pictures distributed through<br />
United.<br />
Citizens Co., Brazil, Ind.<br />
Sells a Theatre for Store<br />
BRAZIL, IND.—Stanley A. B. Cooper, president<br />
of the Citizens Theatre Co., has announced<br />
the sale of the Lark Theatre building<br />
at 8-10 East National Ave. to A. J. Chassel<br />
of Brazil. Chassel, who left for a Florida<br />
vacation following the purchase, indicated he<br />
plans extensive remodeling of the building<br />
for use as a retail store.<br />
The Lark has been closed since February<br />
1954 with the exception of several months'<br />
part-time operation last spring. The Lark was<br />
constructed in 1922 by the Citizens company.<br />
Cooper said there were not a sufficient<br />
number of outstanding films to operate a<br />
second theatre in Brazil.<br />
"In major cities with large populations to<br />
draw from, big hit attractions can be held<br />
over for several weeks' playing time, thus requiring<br />
a fewer number of pictures to operate<br />
each theatre." Cooper stated. "We have<br />
found that the moviegoing public of our community<br />
prefers a top selection of pictures with<br />
hamburgers,<br />
as well as display many othei of h.<br />
company's large variety of meat pioduc^;.<br />
Manley, Inc., will serve popcorn as well as<br />
Coca-Cola, the latter to display its Ice-O-Bar<br />
soft drink machine. Bottled Coca-Cola will<br />
also be available in the company's own booth.<br />
Also to be served are Dr Pepper and Pepsi-<br />
Cola. Howard Strum will display his machine<br />
for milk shakes and the Nestle company will<br />
serve hot cocoa and chocolate bars.<br />
By the lime exhibitors have eaten their<br />
way around the booths Tuesday they should<br />
have a better idea of how to handle their<br />
own conce.ssion bars and please the theatregoing<br />
public.<br />
Don Burnette is the president.<br />
several changes of program each week. Before<br />
the advent of TV, Hollywood studios<br />
tinned out more than 500 pictures each year.<br />
At present there are le.ss than half that many<br />
pictures being produced with emphasis on<br />
quality rather than quantity. It is our present<br />
policy to purchase the finest product available<br />
for Brazil and concentrate this cream of<br />
the crop in one theatre, the Cooper."<br />
TOA Officials to Address<br />
loint MITO-UTOI Meet<br />
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.—A joint meeting of<br />
the Missouri-Illinois Theatre Owners and the<br />
United Theatre Owners of Illinois, both affiliates<br />
of TOA, will be held at the Leland<br />
Hotel here March 6, according to George<br />
Kerasotes, secretary and general manager.<br />
Kerasotes Theatres of Springfield, who also<br />
is board chaiman of UTOI and chairman of<br />
the executive committee of the TOA.<br />
The gathering will kick off with a luncheon<br />
session to be keynoted by S. H. Fabian,<br />
treasurer of TOA. It is probable that L. J.<br />
Bill" Williams, president of MITO, and<br />
Ralph Lawler, president of UTOI, also will<br />
speak at this luncheon session, which will be<br />
a dutch treat affaii-.<br />
The joint meeting is scheduled to take the<br />
fullest advantage of a three-day gathering<br />
of TOA officers and board members in Chicago<br />
on March 3-5. It will be possible for the<br />
rank and file member.s of UTOI and MITO<br />
to have fii'st-hand reports on what took<br />
place at the Chicago sessions and benefit<br />
from talks by the top men of the national<br />
organization. Those w'ho indicated an intention<br />
of attending the Springfield meeting in<br />
addition to Fabian, are the following executives<br />
and committeemen of the Theatre Owners<br />
of America: Ernest G. Stellings. TOA<br />
president, and head of Stewart & Everett<br />
Theatres of Charlotte, N. C; Herman M.<br />
Levy of New York and New Haven, general<br />
counsel; Albert Pickus. Stratford, Conn., a<br />
vice-president, and Walter Reade jr., a member<br />
of the finance committee. There is also<br />
a possibility that John W. Keller II, Columbia<br />
Amusement Co., Paducah, Ky., and a vicepresident<br />
of TOA, may attend. Tom Bloomer<br />
of Belleville and Paul Krueger of St. Louis,<br />
both members of TOAs executive committee,<br />
have tentative plans for being here on March<br />
Eileen Heckart plays the role of an alcoholic<br />
in Paramount's "Hot Spell."<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16. 1957 C-1
,<br />
St.<br />
. . Paramount<br />
. . Ralph<br />
ST.<br />
LOUIS<br />
IJerman Gorelick and George Phillips,<br />
owners<br />
of Realart Pictures of St. Louis,<br />
were back from a quick trip to New York<br />
City for business conferences . . . Don Toliver,<br />
owner of Toliver's 460 Drive-In at Carmi, 111.,<br />
was due back from Florida. The Toliver<br />
family has been residing in Florida and he<br />
may take a page from the book of Loren<br />
Cluster of Salem, 111., by flying back and<br />
forth during the drive-in season. Just a<br />
couple of hours each way . . . Eddie Clark,<br />
Metropolis, 111., is vacationing Deep in the<br />
Heart of Texas .<br />
Snyder, manager.<br />
Rendezvous Drive-In, Flora, 111., has been<br />
vacationing in California and Texas.<br />
Hall Walsh, district manager, Warner Bros.,<br />
Bona, St. Louis manager, called<br />
booker, Frisina Amusement<br />
and<br />
on<br />
Lester<br />
Jimmy FrLsina,<br />
Co., at Springfield . . . Loren Cluster,<br />
Cluster circuit, will fly from Miami to Salem,<br />
III., to make arrangements for the reopening<br />
of the Cluster Drive-In early in April . . .<br />
William C. Earle, manager. National Theatre<br />
Supply, has returned home from the Missouri<br />
Baptist Hospital. He is recovering from an<br />
attack of pneumonia earlier in the year.<br />
The O'Learys—Emmett, with Harry Kahan<br />
Film Delivery Service, and Ruth, on leave of<br />
absence from her duties with Republic Pictures—are<br />
the parents of a new son, Patrick<br />
O'Leary Pictures in association<br />
with Arthur Enterprises hosted a press<br />
.<br />
preview of 'The Ten Commandments" at the<br />
Missouri Theatre Monday night (11). Civic,<br />
educational and religious leaders also were<br />
among the invited guests . . . The Missouri<br />
House has defeated a proposed constitutional<br />
amendment to permit a Missouri governor<br />
to serve two consecutive terms. This action<br />
puts Lt. Governor Ed V. Long of Clarks-<br />
\<br />
A.A. THEATRE CONCESSION<br />
Distributors . . .<br />
SUPPLY<br />
CO.<br />
• CASTLEBERRY'S FOODS<br />
• CANDIES • POPCORN<br />
• SEASONING<br />
• PAPER ITEMS<br />
1538 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louii 10, Mo.<br />
Phone MOhowk 4-9579<br />
EVERYTHING FOR THE THEATRE<br />
Louis Theatre Supply Company<br />
Mrs. Arch Hosier<br />
3310 Olive Street, St. Louis 3, Mo.<br />
Telephone JEfferson 3-7974<br />
RCA Theatre Supply Dealer<br />
•SELECT" FOUNTAIN SYRUPS<br />
DRINK DISPENSERS<br />
Select Drink Inc.<br />
4210 W. Florissant Ave.<br />
St. Louis IS,
AN EDITORIAL<br />
"ONE OF THE FINEST<br />
and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of<br />
Hollywood in some time . . •<br />
" Tull of Life' is neither sexy nor a dirty motion picture.<br />
It dwells on a delicate and realistic subject yet it does<br />
it in a way that is completely wholesome and a person<br />
leaves the theater feeling good instead of feeling that he<br />
has just finished a jaunt through a fetid sewer.<br />
"We haven't a doubt in the world that the people who<br />
see the film Tull of Life' will enjoy every minute of it<br />
and will<br />
emerge from the theater knowing they have<br />
seen one of the finest<br />
and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of Hollywood in some time."<br />
JUDY HOLLIDAY \<br />
RICHARD CONTE<br />
I ESTHER MINCIOni • JOE DeSANTIS • SILVIO MINCIOHI<br />
ScfMfl Play by JOHN fMiJt • e«M
. . . The<br />
. . During<br />
CHICAGO<br />
Joseph Fuelner of H&E Balaban found his<br />
desk piled high upon returning from a vacation<br />
. . . N. J. Sonday, Kansas City representative<br />
for Filmack Ti-ailer Co., spent a<br />
week in the home base studios.<br />
Gloom felt at RKO when the office closed<br />
February 8 was alleviated by the numerous<br />
job offers made to members of the local exchange<br />
by several companies within the industry<br />
and organizations unrelated to the<br />
theatre. Florence Lipschitz, RKO receptionist<br />
and switchboard operator for 20 years,<br />
said that two weeks prior to closing she was<br />
busy recording positions to be considered by<br />
members of the staff. Florence decided to<br />
accept a position with the American College<br />
of Chest Physicians. Ralph Banghart, midwest<br />
field representative and exploiteer.<br />
joined the publicity staff at United Artists.<br />
Melba McCauley went with the Teitel Film<br />
Corp., and Charlotte Tornau is now associated<br />
with Buena Vista. Wally Dorff plans to take<br />
a trip to Hawaii before settling on plans for<br />
the future. Martha Stengle will spend a<br />
couple of weeks in Las Vegas, and Juanita<br />
Andrews will vacation in Florida before making<br />
a job decision.<br />
Hand in hand with good business, visiting<br />
stars added a spark to the films showing in<br />
Loop theatres. One of the most popular<br />
visitors was Rock Hudson, who appeared in<br />
two of the highest grossers in recent weeks,<br />
"Giant" and "Written on the Wind." While<br />
here, Hudson crowned Sandra Lee as Miss<br />
Illinois Air Power of 1957. He then went to<br />
Marietta, Ohio, College to receive an honorary<br />
degree for his portrayal of Col. Dean<br />
Hess in "Battle Hymn." (Hess once taught at<br />
the college.) "Battle Hymn" opens at the<br />
Chicago Theatre February 21. Barbara Rush,<br />
on tour in behalf of "Oh, Men! Oh, Women!"<br />
did a sizable amount of plugging for this film,<br />
which opens at the Oriental February 22.<br />
Another visitor was Al Morgan, author of<br />
"The Great Man," which is doing big busii<br />
CHAIR REPAIRS<br />
I<br />
I<br />
& UPHOLSTERING<br />
"BBFOkE OR AFTER THE SHOW"<br />
Telephone Collect<br />
HA-7-0900<br />
I<br />
I<br />
1 139 $. Wobash<br />
Chicago 5<br />
mis<br />
IFENSINi<br />
I SEAT I N G COMPANY |<br />
alUBIIIIIHIIIIIBIIIiaillllHIIIIIBIIIIIBIIIIIBIIIIIHIIIIIBIIIIIBIIIIIBIIIIIBIIIIIBIIc^<br />
ness at the Esquire Theatre. Robert Ryan<br />
and Aldo Ray were to arrive here the<br />
18th to publicize "Men in War," which was<br />
previewed at the Glenview naval air station.<br />
Just paying friendly calls were Yul Brynner<br />
and Mr. and Mrs. Gary Cooper.<br />
Twelve of the country's outstanding rhythm<br />
and blues and rock and roll entertainers will<br />
headline the first stage show of the year here<br />
at the Regal Theatre, operated by B&K. The<br />
show opens February 22 for one week, with<br />
such record stars as Joe Turner, Ai-thur Pi-ysock,<br />
Screamin' Jay Hawki:is and Tab Smith<br />
and his orchestra. The Regal stage show will<br />
be presented on continuous daily and evening<br />
performances in conjunction with "Drango."<br />
Just as outdoor theatres are making preparations<br />
to reopen for the 1957 season, Filmack<br />
Trailer Co. President Irving Mack announced<br />
that a new 1957 promotion catalog soon will<br />
be mailed to all drive-in theatres in the<br />
country. Mack said the catalog is a 16-page<br />
booklet covering the field of drive-in merchandising<br />
and exploitation from opening to<br />
closing "and everything in between." He<br />
added that included in the ticket-selling<br />
ideas designed to stimulate drive-in business<br />
are season-opening welcome trailers, holiday<br />
fireworks displays, institutional buildups,<br />
giveaways, refreshment promotions, anniversary<br />
suggestions, suggestions to young<br />
parents, and the potential money-making<br />
merchant's intermission clock trailer which<br />
has proved its helpfulness to drive-ins in the<br />
past. Also included are several exploitation<br />
stunts.<br />
First drive-in to announce reopening in<br />
the Chicagoland area was the Sunset. It resumed<br />
1957 operations on February 15 with a<br />
double bill of "Hollywood or Bust" and<br />
"Drango." Others are adding new innovations<br />
and polishing up, but will hold back<br />
until it is quite safe to assume there will be<br />
no more snowfall . January, the<br />
censor board reviewed 80 films, of which 19<br />
were foreign pictures. One was rejected.<br />
There were none placed in the "adults only"<br />
category, but 13 cuts were ordered.<br />
Charles Bourdelais jr. of the Coca-Cola Co.<br />
visited the Filmack Studios between planes<br />
McVickers Theatre, continuing to do<br />
a "landslide" business with "The Ten Commandments,"<br />
scheduled 9:30 a.m., 2:30 and<br />
8 p.m. showings for Lincoln's Birthday. The<br />
same program will be carried out for Washington's<br />
Birthday.<br />
The Ziegfeld Theatre will stage the midwest<br />
premiere of "The Miracle of Marcelino"<br />
for the benefit of St. Joseph's Home for the<br />
Friendless. Tom Dowd of the management<br />
set up arrangements for the affair . . . When<br />
Eddie Cantor passed through the city on his<br />
way to Miami Beach and the February 16<br />
birthday tribute to him, he attended an<br />
Israel bond luncheon party in his honor.<br />
Opera House February 26 and March 5. Six<br />
nationally known sales executives will be<br />
featured each night in this series, launched<br />
by Walter Wanger, Arthur H. Motley, president<br />
of Parade Publications, and Jamison<br />
Handy of Jam Handy Studios.<br />
Kansas City MPA Chief<br />
Names Committees<br />
KANSAS CITY—Ed Hartman, president of<br />
the Motion Picture Ass'n of Greater Kansas<br />
City, has announced his committee appointments<br />
for the year and called a meeting of<br />
committee men for March 4 in the clubroom<br />
of Columbia Pictures. The business session<br />
will be at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet luncheon<br />
served in the clubroom.<br />
Committee appointments include six major<br />
committees. They are:<br />
Entertainment: Harry Gaffney, chairman:<br />
Ab Sher, Ralph Adams, Howard Thomas.<br />
Public Relations: Joe Redmond, and Don<br />
Walker, Harold Lyon, Tom Baldwin.<br />
Charity and Welfare: Arthur Cole, and Russ<br />
Borg, Dick Orear.<br />
Membership: Dick Durwood. and Gene<br />
Snitz, Don Foster, Bud Truog.<br />
Legislation: Dick Brous. and Jesse Shlyen,<br />
George Baker.<br />
Promotion and Planning: Fred Souttar, and<br />
Joe Neger, Tom Bailey. Winston Brown, B. J.<br />
McKenna.<br />
'Delinquents' Premiere<br />
At Kansas City on 19th<br />
KANSAS CITY—A red-carpet<br />
premiere of<br />
Kansas City-made "The Delinquents" is<br />
scheduled for the Uptown Theatre Tuesday<br />
(19). Elmer Rhoden jr., who heads Imperial<br />
Productions, produced the picture, using 22<br />
locations in the greater Kansas City area and<br />
local talent, except for three imports from<br />
Hollywood; Tommy Laughlin, Peter Miller<br />
and Dick Bakalyan. Rosemary Howard, a<br />
local high school gu-1, played the feminine<br />
lead.<br />
Monday morning's Kansas City Star carried<br />
a feature story, with photograph, of<br />
young Rhoden in conference with 20 school<br />
editors of high school and college papers at<br />
the Catholic Community Service. The picture,<br />
which was banned in Memphis, is being<br />
released through United Artists.<br />
'Commandments' at KC<br />
KANSAS CITY—A Hollywood type of premiere<br />
was held at the Roxy Theatre of "The<br />
Ten Commandments" Thursday (14) night.<br />
The women of B'nai Jehudah sponsored the<br />
event to raise funds to furnish the congregation's<br />
quarters in a new building containing<br />
a religious hall, social hall and chapel.<br />
Seats were not reserved but the loge area<br />
tickets sold for $10 and others for $5. "The<br />
Ten Commandments" opened an indefinite<br />
engagement on Friday (15 1 at the theatre.<br />
It started showing at the Electric Theatre<br />
in Kansas City, Kas., on Thursday night.<br />
i<br />
630 Ninth *v«. NEW YORK, N.Y.<br />
1327 S. Wabash CHICAGO, ILL.<br />
Lester Stcpner, manager of the Evanston,<br />
said that new booth equipment just installed<br />
gives patrons better, brighter and sharper<br />
pictures. The theatre is also getting new<br />
seats. And, a further feature to lure patrons<br />
is the addition of free parking facilities. The<br />
Evanston now has space for 3,000 cars . . .<br />
The Sales Executives Club is sponsoring the<br />
closed circuit Tell-Sell productions at the<br />
Former Moose Secretary<br />
FORT WAYNE, IND.—Harold Bridge, recently<br />
appointed manager of the Paramount<br />
Theatre by Frank J. Benedict, vice-president<br />
of Quimby Theatres, was secretary for the<br />
Moose lodge here six years and then served<br />
more than a year as manager of the Little<br />
Cinema Theatre.<br />
C-4 BOXOFFICE February 16. 1957
I<br />
For Sharp, Straightforward^<br />
Focus • • • # ^<br />
wmifp<br />
That's<br />
right -to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
I<br />
I<br />
\<br />
\ CENTURY curved gates ore patterned tffter the<br />
^ \well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The<br />
new curved gate features solid, fixed film trap<br />
shoes. This sturdy precision .design<br />
provides positive<br />
positioning of the film, therefore positive<br />
focus. The aperture plate was designed as an<br />
integral part of the film trap which serves to<br />
maintain the correct focus.<br />
PERFORMANCE PROOF: Note the following typical<br />
exhibitor comments:<br />
"Marked improvement on edge-toedge<br />
focusing. Excellent results,<br />
both color and black and white<br />
were tested with equally good results.<br />
Most noticeable on newsreels."<br />
King Theofre, Honolulu<br />
"The in and out<br />
of focus effect has<br />
been all but eliminated,<br />
particularly<br />
on previously<br />
buckled film."<br />
Miracle Mile Drive-in,<br />
. . . and many more. ohio, U.S.A.<br />
See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid fo better<br />
motion picture projection.<br />
Century Projector Corp.<br />
H£\N YORK 19, N. Y.<br />
^rV^'-^^-i rtiiAi ;.
. . . Herb<br />
. . . Don<br />
. . . Missouri<br />
. . Chick<br />
. . Mrs.<br />
. . Nadine<br />
. . Doc<br />
. . . Dick<br />
KANSAS CITY<br />
Tim Velde, general sales<br />
manager for United<br />
. . Capitol Flag Banner's business<br />
. . Charles<br />
Artists, is holding a sales conference here<br />
Tuesday (19) with Ralph Amacher, manager<br />
Stulz, Columbia salesman in the<br />
Salina territory, was in for a special sales<br />
meeting last Saturday and Monday<br />
Beverly Miller postcards from Mexico<br />
. . .<br />
how<br />
he and Mrs. Miller are enjoying<br />
&<br />
life below<br />
the border .<br />
barometer reports these high: "The Tea-<br />
house of the August Moon," "The Wrong<br />
Man," "Oh, Men! Oh, Women!" .<br />
Rees, manager of the Sherman Theatre and<br />
the Goodland (Kas.) Drive-In for Commonwealth,<br />
was re-elected treasurer of the Goodland<br />
Chamber of Commerce recently.<br />
HEAT PROBLEMS<br />
with Bausch & Lomb's<br />
NEW BALcold<br />
Reflector<br />
...and it Saued. MoHCt^, too-!<br />
• No more heat filters<br />
• Reduced unit, cleaning and maintenance<br />
costs<br />
• Less heat at film gate than with<br />
any available reflector-heat filter<br />
combination<br />
O No heat damage— Cool aperture plate<br />
Assures you repeat business— because<br />
BALcold Reflector's flawless projection<br />
pleases your audiences<br />
. . . and it saves you money over your<br />
present reflector-heat filter combination.<br />
STEBBINS THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO.<br />
1804 Wyandotte<br />
GRand 1-0134<br />
Kansas City 8, Mo.<br />
SCOTSMAN ICE MACHINE<br />
MISSOURI THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
115 West 18th St.<br />
Baltimore 1-3070<br />
Kansas City 8, Mo.<br />
RCA THEATRE SUPPLY DEALER<br />
MR.<br />
EXHIBITOR!<br />
NOW IS THE<br />
TIME TO INSTALL<br />
FOX HOLE SPROCKETS<br />
GET THEM WHILE AVAILABLE<br />
SHREVE THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
217 West 18th HA 1-7849 Kansas City, Mo.<br />
. . .<br />
Marvin Goldfarb, Buena Vista district manager,<br />
came in from Denver and accompanied<br />
Tommy Thompson. BV representative for St.<br />
Louis and Kansas City, to St. Louis<br />
Clyde Badger of Stebbins Theatre Equipment<br />
Co. reports business has been picking up the<br />
last few weeks .<br />
Charles H. Ridgway.<br />
mother of Mrs. George Baker, died at the<br />
age of 91 Friday (8i. She was the widow of<br />
a Kansas state senator and had made her<br />
home with her daughter for many years . . .<br />
Perry Loromor, formerly with Commonwealth<br />
at Belleville, is now assistant manager of the<br />
Blair Theatre at Smith Center . Lowe<br />
has again closed his Royal Theatre at Sterling.<br />
Lowe finds it hard to operate the theatre<br />
at a profit on an absentee-owner basis.<br />
He lives at Lebanon, Mo.<br />
Larry Klein, Universal office<br />
manager, reports<br />
John Wangberg, former RKO salesman,<br />
has joined the Universal sales<br />
staff, replacing G. S. "Pat" Pinnell. Pinnell<br />
covered the Wichita area and resigned to<br />
accept a position as district manager for a<br />
publishing company in Texas. Klein said<br />
Joe Horn is here assisting with the integration<br />
of RKO pictures with Universal. The<br />
billing and collecting for the Disney RKO<br />
shorts will be handled by the Kansas City<br />
branch of the National Film Service. Buena<br />
Vista will do the booking for them.<br />
R. L. McWhorter, district sales manager for<br />
Coca-Cola, is maldng a trip to New Orleans to<br />
Louis Patz, dis-<br />
attend a sales meeting . . .<br />
trict manager of National Screen Service,<br />
and Mi's. Patz have moved to the Locarno<br />
apartments on the Plaza . Popichele,<br />
former biller at RKO, is now with<br />
Dixie Enterprises, operated by Harry Gaffney<br />
Walker, publicist for Warner Bros.,<br />
has been in town for nearly three weeks now,<br />
an unusually long period in which he became<br />
re-acquainted with his family. He left this<br />
week for St. Louis to start promotion plans<br />
for "The Spirit of St. Louis."<br />
. . .<br />
Lewis Henderson has resigned as bookkeeper<br />
for 20th-Fox and accepted the job of<br />
manager of the Jayhawk Theatre in Kansas<br />
City, Kas. Gloria Foster has replaced him at<br />
20th-Fox . Evens, publicist, is on a<br />
trip with Robert Wagner, star of "The True<br />
Story of Jesse James" Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Clarence Schultz have returned from a trip<br />
to California ... A production crew for the<br />
Alexander Film Co. arrive in Kansas City<br />
the week of the 18th to shoot an on-the-spot<br />
production for a TWA test strip . . . Howard<br />
Strum reports his milk-shake machine has<br />
been sold to the Electric Theatre at St.<br />
Joseph, the State at Jefferson City, the<br />
Boulevard and the New 50 drive-ins.<br />
Frank Thomas, manager of Allied Artists,<br />
reports a Playdate Drive for the month of<br />
May. Also that Mark Richman, who played<br />
the young romantic lead in "Friendly Persuasion,"<br />
is appearing in the Victoria Theatre's<br />
stage presentation of "Hatful of Rain"<br />
exhibitors seen recently on Filmrow<br />
include Mr. and Mrs. C. R. James, Butler;<br />
Komp Jarrett, Nevada: Elmer Bills, Salisbury;<br />
Harley Fryer, Lamar; Glen Hall, Cassville;<br />
Ed Harris, Neosho; Glenn Jones, Gravois<br />
Mills; Mrs. John Brandt, Plattsburg; Doc<br />
Lowe, Lebanon. Kansas exhibitors included<br />
Mrs. William Bancroft, Ottawa; Tal Richardson,<br />
Coffeyville; Wendell Donohue, Topeka;<br />
Louis Stein, Parsons; Marty Landau, Horton;<br />
Mrs. J. Snyder, Oakley; R. L. Fite, El Dorado.<br />
Word on Filmrow is that Marty Landau of<br />
Horton, Kas., and associates have taken over<br />
the Frontier Drive-In at Atchison. Former<br />
owners were Charles Potter and Harold Lux.<br />
The drive-in has been open about six years<br />
Orear, executive vice-president of<br />
Commonwealth Theatres, is vacationing in<br />
Phoenix ... J. A. Camey plans to reopen the<br />
Community House Theatre in Humansville,<br />
Mo., in March . . . Bill Silver of Cameron, Mo.,<br />
had a big city mishap recently. His life-size<br />
standee of Elvis Presley was stolen from the<br />
lobby of his Silver Theatre and he ran an ad<br />
offering a $5 reward for its return. The theft<br />
also rated a front-page story in the local<br />
paper.<br />
Publicists on Committee<br />
For Sweepstakes Vote<br />
KANSAS CITY — Don Walker, Warner<br />
Bros, exploiteer, has been made chairman<br />
of COMPO's Academy Awards Sweepstakes<br />
for the field men in this area. Working with<br />
him aa'e Chick Evens of 20th-Fox, Bernie<br />
Evens of MGM and Jim Castle of Paramount.<br />
Tom Bailey, MGM manager, is distributor<br />
chairman and the exhibitor chairmen<br />
are M. B. Smith of Commonwealth<br />
Theatres and C. E. Cook, Maryville, Mo.,<br />
exhibitor.<br />
The Durwood, Mid-Central and Commonwealth<br />
circuits are participating as well as a<br />
number of independent theatres.<br />
Buys Out Drive-In Partner<br />
PITTSFIELD, ILL.—The Clark Drive-In<br />
Theatre located at Summer Hill on US 54 between<br />
here and Louisiana, Mo., has been<br />
taken over entu'ely by Russell Armentrout of<br />
Louisiana. Armentrout purchased the halfinterest<br />
previously held by Roger Moyer.<br />
The drive-in is scheduled to open for the<br />
1957 season in about six weeks. It has been<br />
closed since last October.<br />
'•OUR BUSINESS IS SOUND'<br />
PHONE 3-7225.<br />
TOPEKA<br />
THEATRE SERVICE CO., INC.<br />
827 Wayne Topeka. Kansas<br />
RELIABLE SOUND SERVICE PAYS<br />
Dealers in BALLANTYNE<br />
COMPLETE LINE OF CONCESSIONS<br />
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES<br />
L & L<br />
POPCORN CO.<br />
114 West 18th St. Kanscs City, Mo.<br />
Everything for the Stage<br />
• CURTAINS • TRACKS • RIGGING • STAGE<br />
LIGHTING • HOUSE DRAPERIES<br />
GREAT WESTERN STAGE EQUIPT. CO.<br />
1324 Grand Kansas City, Missouri<br />
C.6 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
. . Ted<br />
. . Russ<br />
. . Wolf<br />
. . Manny<br />
INDIANAPOLIS<br />
Chicago Tent Installs Officers<br />
Tim Cleary, who quit as Syndicate Theatres<br />
manager at Wabash to join the RKO<br />
sales staff here a week before termination of<br />
services notice was gjven RKO employes, is<br />
going to Detroit for 20th-Fox . . . Barbara<br />
Thompson, also formerly with RKO, has replaced<br />
Sizanne Wells as contract clerk at<br />
20th-Fox here .<br />
Brentlinger, former<br />
RKO manager, has an unar.nounced connection<br />
with another film company in the<br />
city . . . RKO booker Al Chew and office<br />
manager R. E. Stevens haven't landed yet.<br />
Brenner, who quit as Universal's Ken-<br />
Bill<br />
tucky salesman a few weeks ago to go into the<br />
insurance business, has retui-ned to Universal<br />
as city salesman . Marcus has gone<br />
to Florida for tw'o weeks, Trueman Rembusch<br />
for two months. Rembusch expects to make<br />
two or three quick trips back on business,<br />
however . Mendelssohn, Indianapolis,<br />
and Preston Stoner, Centerton. exhibitors,<br />
have returned from Florida vacations.<br />
. . . R. W. Bonebrake has<br />
. . . Pete<br />
Most drive-ins in the area are getting ready<br />
to reopen betw'een March 1 and 15. The<br />
Pendelton Pike Drive-In. only one here with<br />
in-car heaters, reports business has been good<br />
this winter. Dr. M. Sandorf's Twin and Joe<br />
Cantor's Lafayette Road have stuck it out<br />
on weekends only<br />
taken over the Warren at Williamsport,<br />
formerly operated by Abe Baker<br />
Fortune has booked the Aj'tur Toscanini film,<br />
"Hymns of the Nation," first run at the<br />
Cinema and is plugging for carriage trade<br />
with ads in the Indianapolis Symphony<br />
orchestra programs.<br />
The weather was hard on exploitation plans<br />
last week. Barbara Rush was grounded in<br />
the east and arrived by train at 5 a.m.<br />
Thursday for a packed schedule of personal<br />
appearances and interviews on behalf of<br />
"Oh, Men! Oh, Women!" Al Morgan, author<br />
of "The Great Man," was due Wednesday but<br />
had to cancel at the last minute.<br />
. .<br />
.<br />
International Variety representative Bob<br />
Bostwick was here from Memphis Tuesday<br />
. . . Buck Stoner, Paramount district manager,<br />
visited the exchange here Thursday<br />
and Friday The Variety Club held the<br />
first in<br />
.<br />
a series of card parties and buffets<br />
Saturday night. The parties will be switched<br />
between Saturday and Sunday nights until<br />
members make up their minds which they<br />
prefer, according to entertainment chairman<br />
Marc Wolf addressed a meeting<br />
of the Indiana Federation of Clubs on the<br />
film industry here Friday,<br />
To Reopen Goodman, Mo., Rio<br />
GOODMAN. MO.—Donald C. Nelson has<br />
announced plans for the early reopening of<br />
the Rio Theatre, a 300-seater.<br />
Irving Gertz will direct the music on Allied<br />
Artists' "Storm Out of the West."<br />
CHICAGO—Some 125 barkers attended the<br />
Variety Tent 26 installation of officers ceremony<br />
here recently. The new officers and<br />
crew are pictured above.<br />
Front row, left to right: Sam Levinsohn,<br />
property master; Nat Nathanson, first assistant<br />
chief barker; Jack Kirsch, retiring<br />
chief barker; Jack Rose, installing officer;<br />
Lou Reinheimer, new chief barker; Harry<br />
Balaban, dough guy; Joe Berenson, past chief<br />
barker; Lou Goldberg, dli'ector. Back row:<br />
Dave Wallerstein, director; William Margolis,<br />
second assistant chief barker; Sylvan Goldfinger,<br />
toastmaster; Ralph Smitha, director;<br />
Jack Brickhouse, prominent Chicago radio<br />
and television sportscaster, who acted as<br />
guest speaker; Charles Cooper and Robert<br />
Conn, directors.<br />
The 1957 committees of Tent 26 also have<br />
been named. They are;<br />
Budget and finance—Jack Rose, chairman;<br />
Manie Gottlieb, co-chairman.<br />
Membership—William Mai-golis, chairman;<br />
Jack Kirsch, co-chairman; Ben Lourie, Harris<br />
Dudelson, Israel Zatkin, Phil Miller, Joe<br />
Berenson.<br />
House—Lou Goldberg, chairman: Harry<br />
Better Films Group Hears<br />
Pres. Williams of MITO<br />
ST. LOUIS—L. J. Williams, MITO president,<br />
was the guest speaker at a meeting of<br />
the Better Films Council of Greater St. Louis,<br />
in the Scruggs Auditorium, Friday morning<br />
(15). He touched on the need for such organizations<br />
as the Better Film Council, which was<br />
the first such group in the world, for the overall<br />
good of the film industry, especially the<br />
exhibition business.<br />
Doug Amos Back on Duty<br />
HARTFORD—Doug Amos, general manager<br />
of Lockwood & Gordon Theatres, back<br />
from a vacation trip to Havana, Mexico City<br />
and Acapulco, visited regional L&G installations<br />
February 4, accompanied by District<br />
Manager William Dougherty.<br />
Odon, Ind., Ritz to Other Use<br />
ODON, IND.—The old Ritz Theatre on east<br />
Main street is being remodeled for use as a<br />
commercial business, said Bill McGovern, one<br />
of the owners of the building.<br />
Waldei-s, co-chairman; Leon Lee, Al Raymer.<br />
Entertainment and program — Co-chairmen,<br />
Dick Sachsel, Paul Marr, Sylvan Goldfinger,<br />
Marcus Glaser.<br />
Decorations — Joe Berenson, chairman:<br />
Harry Blumenthal, co-chairman.<br />
Welfare—Lou Abramson and Sam Gertz,<br />
co-chairmen.<br />
Reception — Charles Cccper, chairman;<br />
Dudley Gazzolo, John Semadalas.<br />
Banquet—Nat Nathanson, chairman; Al<br />
Simon, co-chairman, Irving Davis.<br />
Publicity—Ben Katz, chairman; William<br />
Margolis, Herb Ellisburg.<br />
Bulletin—Dan Goldberg, chairman.<br />
Heart — Dave Wallerstein, Jack Kirsch,<br />
Johnny Jones, Mannie Smerling.<br />
Sports—Harry Balaban, chairman; Bob<br />
Conn.<br />
Law—Seymour Simon, chairman.<br />
LaRabida collections—Ralph Smitha, chairman;<br />
Irving Mack, co-chairman.<br />
Joe Swedie fund—Mannie Smerling, chairman.<br />
Ways and means—Johnny Jones, Dave Wallerstein,<br />
Jack Kirsch, Bill Margolis.<br />
READ BOXOFFICE WANT ADS!<br />
24-HOUR r<br />
service:<br />
THEATRE EQUIPMENT<br />
442 N. ILLINOIS ST., INDIANAPOLIS, IND.<br />
•'Everything for the Theatre"<br />
M. Frome As Police Lieutenant<br />
Playing the important role of Police Lieutenant<br />
Dempsey in United Artists' "The Fuzzy<br />
Pink Nightgown" will be Milton Frome.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 C-7
I OXOFFICE<br />
,<br />
I<br />
THoweA /ine Seet&t^UK Se^,.HO}N ABOUT YOUR THEATRE?<br />
To win public favor, your theatre needs:<br />
PATRON<br />
COMFORT<br />
CHARM of COLOR<br />
HARMONY of<br />
DESIGN<br />
Improvement<br />
"^<br />
PAYS-<br />
DO It<br />
\ NOW!<br />
MODERN<br />
THEATRE<br />
Theatre improvements are reported<br />
in detail in the monthly<br />
Modem Theatre section ol<br />
BOXOFFICE. The hows and<br />
whys are detailed and pictured<br />
to make them easy for you to<br />
use in your own theatre, for<br />
your own local needs.<br />
Be sure to read this big, wellplanned<br />
section, issued the<br />
first Saturday of each month.<br />
The information offered is invaluable<br />
for any progressive<br />
exhibitor.<br />
Improvements are cm investment that pays.<br />
Many a closed house lacks only the extra appeal<br />
of color, design and patron comfort.<br />
Thousands of passive ticket buyers can be<br />
changed into enthusiastic supporters by extra<br />
eye appeal, comfort appeal of an improved<br />
modem building.<br />
BOXOFFICE, from every angle, gives you<br />
information you need and inspires you with<br />
courage to do as others ore doing to make<br />
your business hum.<br />
Keep up with the times—ahead of the demands. The<br />
public is flocking back to pictures, disappointed with other<br />
forms of entertainment. Is your house clean and wholesome,<br />
attractive at ail times?<br />
Always out front<br />
with leadershipplans—<br />
methods<br />
C-8 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957<br />
S
Memphis Subs Open<br />
But Strike Goes On<br />
MEMPHIS— All Memphis neighborhood<br />
theatres were back in operation this week,<br />
but the strike which closed five of them for<br />
about a week continues. Owners of all but<br />
five of the houses operated their own projection<br />
booth machines when the union<br />
walked out February 4. Those five theatres<br />
continued to remain closed for about a week.<br />
Pickets were put in front of the theatres<br />
by the union. Owners reported business about<br />
the same in most cases and a little off in<br />
some instances.<br />
The Memphis Neighborhood Theatre<br />
Owners Ass'n made a public statement at<br />
week's end. It read, in part:<br />
HIGHEST BOOTH SALARY<br />
"The Memphis neighborhood motion picture<br />
machine operators receive by far the<br />
highest operators' salaries in comparable and<br />
larger southern cities," the statement read.<br />
"Their basic weekly salary is $112 for around<br />
four hours work each night plus matinee on<br />
Saturday and Sunday. Overtime usually I'uns<br />
this up to $120 or $130 and frequently much<br />
higher . . .<br />
"Memphis neighborhood theatres were<br />
willing to pay this considerably higher salary<br />
as long as they were able, but for the last<br />
four years they have been negotiating for relief.<br />
This year theatres requested a 25 per<br />
cent reduction which still would have left<br />
Memphis neighborhood salaries considerably<br />
higher than those in other southern cities.<br />
This relief was not only refused, but no<br />
compromise rate reduction was offered by the<br />
operators.<br />
"In a last effort to keep harmony, theatres<br />
offered to pay $2.52 per hour plus time<br />
reduction, which would give operators over<br />
$100 per week plus overtime.<br />
"Finally, the operators were told on Jan.<br />
21, 1957. that the theatres could no longer<br />
afford to pay the old salary and that they<br />
would pay it only through Feb. 3, 1957. Theatres<br />
offered to pay $2.52 per hour plus time<br />
and one half for overtime (10 per cent decreasei<br />
commencing Feb. 4, 1957. This would<br />
amount to over $100 per week minimum.<br />
"All this the operators obviously have rejected<br />
by refusing to work for this salary.<br />
Theatres stand ready and willing to negotiate.<br />
Until a settlement can be reached,<br />
some theatres will be operated by theirowners<br />
or key personnel. Some others will<br />
close temporarily.<br />
SYMPATHETIC TO U>aON<br />
"The neighborhood theatres are actually<br />
sympathetic to the position of the operators<br />
because regardless of how high a person's<br />
income is it's hard to take even a small cut<br />
during rising costs. Also, these men have<br />
been friends and co-workers, and it's regrettable<br />
when friends can't compromise a serious<br />
problem.<br />
"The theatres feel that except for the pay<br />
issue the operators are friendly, too, and<br />
understand and are sympathetic to the theatres'<br />
problems. The theatres hope that the<br />
operators will be appreciative of the many<br />
years during which they received the highest<br />
neighborhood operators' salaries In the south<br />
and will reciprocate by accepting a little less<br />
at this time while the theatres are in trouble<br />
—at least until more big movies are available<br />
causing business to improve."<br />
STAR VISITS CHARLOTTE—Touring<br />
southern key cities on behalf of saturation<br />
openings for U-I's "Gun for a Coward,"<br />
Fred MacMurray is seen here In<br />
Charlotte with Ernest O. Stellings, Theatre<br />
Owners of America president and<br />
head of Stellings-Gossett Theatres.<br />
William Bolen, 64, Dies;<br />
South Alabama Showman<br />
JACKSON, ALA.—William Locke Bolen,<br />
64, .south Alabama theatre circuit operator<br />
and one of the pioneers in the industry in<br />
this state, died in his office here.<br />
Bolen, who got his start in the theatre<br />
business in 1912, died on the eve of his 65th<br />
birthday. A director for Allied Theatre Association,<br />
Bolen was an active civic worker<br />
and in 1950 was chosen for the Civitan Club's<br />
first Man of the Year award.<br />
Bolen operated the Jackson, Grove Hill<br />
and Thomasville theatres. Survivors include<br />
four sisters and two brothers.<br />
Storm Blows Down Tower<br />
KEY WEST, FLA.—A sudden storm blew<br />
down the screen tower of the new Riviera<br />
Drive-In being readied on Stock Island just<br />
off Key West. The tower was under construction,<br />
so the contractors have taken<br />
means of making it stronger to withstand<br />
heavy winds.<br />
the best source of supply for the finest<br />
in approved<br />
equipment<br />
Memphis Mayor Plans<br />
To Name 2 Censors<br />
MEMPHIS— Instead of aboUshing the<br />
Memphis censor board, in line with a citizens<br />
committee recommendation about a<br />
year ago. Mayor Edmund Orgill now plans<br />
to increase its strength from three present<br />
members to the full five members allowed by<br />
law. The mayor made his intentions known<br />
this week.<br />
"While we haven't gone into the matter<br />
as thoroughly as we should," the mayor said,<br />
"I feel that all of the commissioners think<br />
there should be a board of censors. And,<br />
while I think the three ladies who have been<br />
carrying on have done a satisfactory job, it<br />
probably would be advisable to add two more<br />
members so they can share the work and it<br />
won't be so burdensome on just a few."<br />
Mrs. B. F. Edwards, acting chairman, and<br />
Mrs. Walter Gray and Mrs. St. Elmo Newton<br />
sr. make up the present board.<br />
The city code provides for a total of five<br />
members, but there have been two vacancies<br />
for months since the resignation of Avery<br />
Blakeney and the late Lloyd T. Binford.<br />
Attorney John Apperson, Dr. Donald<br />
Henning, Dr. Payton Rhodes, John A.<br />
Osoinach and Dr. M. W. Lathram jr. made<br />
up the citizens committee which recommended<br />
that the censor board be abandoned.<br />
Apperson. prominent lawyer, documented<br />
his report with what he said was legal proof<br />
that "previous restraint censorship" as<br />
practiced by the Memphis board is unconstitutional.<br />
His report said that if a test<br />
case is taken to the Supreme Coui't, the committee<br />
believed the board would be declared<br />
unconstitutional.<br />
Vacation at Clear^vater<br />
CLEARWATER, FLA.—Peter Perakos sr.<br />
and John Perakos, assistant general manager<br />
of Perakos Theatre A.ssociates of New Britain,<br />
Conn., are enjoying a midwinter vacation at<br />
Clearwater.<br />
.^MASCOP^<br />
k. ^RtOPHONIC SO<br />
^IDC SCREEH'<br />
everything<br />
for the<br />
theatre<br />
except film<br />
wil-kin tiieatre supply, inc.<br />
atlanta, ga. • charlotte, n. c.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 SE-1
=^^<br />
—<br />
Dance to Replace Dinner<br />
At Texas Airer Session<br />
DALLAS — Plans neared completion this<br />
week for the Texas Drive-In Theatre Ass'n<br />
convention at the Adolphus Hotel here<br />
also decided that the officers of the association<br />
would be presented at the dance. The<br />
dance is not planned as a formal affair, but<br />
February 25-27. The planning committee announced<br />
that instead of the banquet usually dress if they like.<br />
women are encouraged to attend in evening<br />
held on the final night of the convention, A fur stole will be awarded as a door prize<br />
this year a dance would be held on the roof to one of the women, and a Polaroid land<br />
of the Adolphus.<br />
camera will be the door prize for one of the<br />
With Eddie Josephs, association president, men, a gift from Southwestern Theatre<br />
presiding at a committee meeting here, E. L. Equipment Co.<br />
Pack, activities chairman, and his committee Additional activities also are promised at<br />
SE-2<br />
TEXAS DRIVE-IN<br />
THEATRE<br />
OWNERS ASS'N CONVENTION<br />
WITH<br />
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS IN OKLAHOMA. LOUISIANA<br />
AND MISSISSIPPI<br />
Will<br />
Be Held At<br />
ADOLPHUS HOTEL, DALLAS, TEXAS<br />
FEBRUARY 25-26-27<br />
Constructive Business Sessions<br />
intermingled<br />
with<br />
Good Fellowship and Fun<br />
WIRE, PHONE OR WRITE<br />
FOR YOUR RESERVATIONS - A/OM/<br />
TO:<br />
OR:<br />
ADOLPHUS HOTEL. DALLAS<br />
TEXAS DRIVE-IN THEATRE OWNERS ASS'N.<br />
P. O. BOX 1015. AUSTIN. TEXAS<br />
Entertainment Daily for the Ladies<br />
the convention for the women. A bridge room<br />
will be set up in the Adolphus and Mrs. Tim<br />
Ferguson will act as hostess. On Wednesday<br />
(27), Interstate Theatres will play host to<br />
the women at a matinee performance of<br />
•Around the World in 80 Days."<br />
Registration will begin Monday (25) at<br />
1 p.m., and a cocktail party, sponsored by<br />
MPA and others, will be held at 7:30 that<br />
evening.<br />
On Tuesday, social events will include a<br />
luncheon sponsored by Coca-Cola, a 2:30<br />
screening by 20th-Fox for the women and a<br />
7 p.m. cocktail party hosted by Pepsi-Cola.<br />
NEW ORLEANS<br />
^ew Orleans Variety Tent 45 celebrated the<br />
hearts and lace season with a Valentine<br />
party and square dance Saturday evening (9).<br />
About 72 members and guests attended the<br />
light-hearted affair.<br />
In the past 15 months or so, some 125 theatres<br />
have been closed in the New Orleans<br />
film exchange territory. Closures have occurred<br />
in Alabama, Florida, Ai'kansas and<br />
Mississippi, as well as in Louisiana itself.<br />
In town booking recently were Eldon<br />
Llmmroth of Giddens & Rester Theatres,<br />
Mobile, and Richard Guidry of the Jet Drivein<br />
at Cutoff, La. . . . Eddie Kaffenberger of<br />
Paramount has been promoted to booker<br />
from the position of shipper which he had<br />
held for the past two years.<br />
WOMPI members met Tuesday (12) at the<br />
New Orleans Hotel for their monthly luncheon,<br />
which, on this occasion, was followed<br />
by a closed business meeting.<br />
Center at Winston-Salem<br />
Renovated and Reopened<br />
WINSTON-SALEM, N. C. — The Completely<br />
renovated Center Theatre has been<br />
reopened here by Family Cinemas. The house<br />
formerly was the Colonial.<br />
Improvements at the theatre include virtual<br />
reconstruction of the balcony, which will<br />
be reserved for Negro patrons: installation<br />
of new seating, carpeting, curtains and a<br />
widescreen; repainting and installation of a<br />
new front. Manager of the house is Charles<br />
Utley, who came here several months ago<br />
after Family Cinemas pui-chased the old<br />
Colonial.<br />
'Anastasia' Opening Hits<br />
240 Per Cent at Memphis<br />
MEMPHIS— "Anastasia" gave Malco more<br />
than twice average attendance during its<br />
first week and was held over.<br />
(Average Is 100)<br />
Malco Anastasia (20th-Fox) 240<br />
Palace The Greot Man (U-l) 80<br />
State The Girl Can't Help It (20th-Fox), 3rd wk. 100<br />
Strand Dance With Me, Henry (UA), The<br />
Brass Legend (UA) 85<br />
Warner Naked Paradise (AlP); The Flesh and<br />
the Spur (AlP) 115<br />
J. O. Biddle Leases House<br />
JASPER, FLA.—James O. Biddle. owner of<br />
the Jasper Fay Theatre, has leased the theatre<br />
in the new Valdosta Castle Park shopping<br />
center and will run it in conjunction<br />
with the Fay Theatre. The Valdosta is a<br />
brand new house and seats 1,000 with ample<br />
parking space in the shopping center.<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
AN EDITORIAL<br />
Fort Lauderdale Daily News<br />
AND SENTINEL<br />
THE GORE PUBLISj<br />
"ONE OF THE FINEST<br />
and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of<br />
Hollywood in some time . . •<br />
" 'Full of Life' is neither sexy nor a dirty motion picture.<br />
It dwells on a delicate and realistic subject yet it does<br />
it in a way that is completely wholesome and a person<br />
leaves the theater feeling good instead of feeling that he<br />
has just finished a jaunt through a fetid sewer.<br />
"We haven't a doubt in the world that the people who<br />
see the film Tull of Life' will<br />
enjoy every minute of it<br />
and will<br />
emerge from the theater knowing they have<br />
seen one of the finest<br />
and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of Hollywood in<br />
some time."<br />
JUDY HOLLIDAY<br />
RICHARD CONTE<br />
FULL OF FA5VIJLY FUN<br />
intfoducioi<br />
BACCALONI<br />
irioi ESTHER MINCIOni • JOE DeSANTIS SILVIO MINCIOHI<br />
•cn*n Pl*y by JOHN FANTE B*Md on th« Novel by JOHN FANTE<br />
by FRED KOHLMAR • MrNtad by RICHARD QUINE • A COLUMBIA PICTURE<br />
k V
. . . The<br />
. . Bob<br />
,<br />
. . Georgia<br />
. . Buying<br />
—<br />
ATLANTA<br />
niabama Theatre Owners Ass'n President<br />
R. M. Kennedy, who operates theatres<br />
in Montgomery, Selma and Jasper. Ala.,<br />
Eliabethton. Tenn.. and Greensboro. N. C,<br />
on a recent visit to the Row seemed encouraged<br />
over the improvement in business dur-<br />
Heres Your Chance<br />
to<br />
get in the<br />
BIG<br />
MONEY<br />
Be Sure<br />
to Play<br />
As a screen<br />
game, Hollywood takes<br />
lop honors. As a boxoffice attraction,<br />
it is without equal. It has<br />
been a favorite with theatregoers for<br />
15 years.<br />
Write today for complete details!<br />
Be sure to give seating or car<br />
capacity.<br />
HOLLYWOOD<br />
AMUSEMENT<br />
COMPANY<br />
3750 Oakton St.<br />
Skokie, Illinois<br />
ing the last several weeks . Theatres<br />
executive Roy M. Avey was vacationing<br />
on a Caribbean sea cruise. Avey and Dr.<br />
Floyd McRae flew to Miami where they were<br />
met by William K. Jenkins. Georgia Theatres<br />
chief executive. From Miami, the three<br />
flew to Nassau where they boarded Jenkins'<br />
80-foot oceangoing yacht, the Willie Kaye.<br />
Avey expects to be back in his office about<br />
the last week in February.<br />
.<br />
Mrs. Nell Middleton, secretary to publicist<br />
Judson Moses at MGM, has returned from<br />
a week spent at Georgetown, S. C. She visited<br />
her sister, Mrs. J. O. Guerry, who became the<br />
mother of a baby boy recently . . . Russell<br />
Holder of Rockwood Amusement. Nashville,<br />
made one of his rare visits to the Row. He<br />
was introducing his new field man. Bud<br />
Hughes, also of Nashville and<br />
booking for the Hiway 21 Drive-In at<br />
Savannah, is now being handled by owneroperator<br />
Gus Hayes.<br />
Actor John Howard arrived here Thursday<br />
(7) for a two-day visit. Howard has appeared<br />
in many motion pictures and now<br />
stars in Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal. NBC-<br />
TV program, seen here over WSB-TV. He<br />
was accompanied by his wife, Eva Ralf,<br />
formerly a prima ballerina of the Berlin State<br />
Opera . Hossee and Milton Brockett<br />
of Crescent Amusement Co., Nashville, were<br />
here on a three-day buying and booking<br />
Agnes Hurt. Republic inspector,<br />
trip . . .<br />
entered Georgia Baptist Hospital for surgery.<br />
WOMPI President Jackie Cowart has<br />
entered Piedmont Hospital for surgery. Mrs.<br />
Cowart, secretary to Martin executive, Johnnie<br />
Harrell, expects to be on leave approximately<br />
six weeks recuperating. At the<br />
WOMPI board meeting held Monday (4) at<br />
the Variety Club. Mi-s. Cowart appointed<br />
the following officers and committee chairmen:<br />
Marcelle Davis, recording secretary;<br />
Frances Hopkins, history-scrapbook chairman;<br />
ELrnestine Carter, finance chairman;<br />
Nell Middleton, publicity chaii'man; Sarah<br />
Vinson, social chairman and Helene Grovensteen,<br />
chaplain. The local WOMPI club<br />
entertained the members of the Salvation<br />
Army Girls Club at a valentine-bingo party<br />
at the Bankhead clubrooms on Thursday (14 1.<br />
Al Morgan, formerly with CBS and NBC-<br />
TV. and author of the book "The Great Man"<br />
which Jose Ferrer directed and starred in,<br />
wa.s here recently. He was taken on a tour<br />
of TV, radio and newspaper offices for interviews<br />
by Ben Hill, U-I's district press agent<br />
sister-in-law of Martin booker Lois<br />
Cone, Mrs. "Tot" Joy, was at Emory Hospital<br />
for treatment.<br />
Georgia exhibitors visiting the Row were<br />
C. A. Withrow, Odum; Herman Abrams,<br />
Richland and Lumpkin; Non-is Stephens,<br />
Grand and Screven Drive-In, Sylvania; Alton<br />
Odum, Ritz and Harlem, Thomaston; R. E.<br />
Andrews. Carver, Rome, and Nat Williams<br />
jr., Interstate Enterprises, Thomasville.<br />
Other visitors were Juanita Bellville and<br />
Juanita "Junior" Force, Lakemont Drive-<br />
In, Alcoa, Tenn.; Phil Bradley, 41 Drive-In,<br />
Chattanooga: Bob Word, Word Theatres,<br />
Scottsboro, Ala.; J. W. Riley, Tennessee Eastman<br />
Recreation Club, Kingsport, Tenn.;<br />
John Moffitt. Moffitt Theatres, Montgomery,<br />
Ala.; Phil Richardson, McLendon Theatres,<br />
Union Springs, Ala.: W. W. Hamond jr..<br />
operator of the Marshall Drive-In. Albertville.<br />
Bowline Drive-In. Decatur, and Wilson<br />
Drive-In, Florence, Ala.; Henry Webb,<br />
Marengo, Demopolis, Ala.<br />
FABULOUS<br />
IS CALLING YOU .<br />
FLORIDA<br />
. .<br />
. . . if you are a top iheatre<br />
manager<br />
• Must be tops<br />
• Must be aggressive<br />
• Must know how to get business<br />
• Must NOW be doing good<br />
Write Box 7388 c/o BOXOFFICE<br />
Send photo, recommendations. Tell us about<br />
your experience, age, church and organizations<br />
you belong to.<br />
Salary no object IF you can produce<br />
Come and Find<br />
In<br />
Opportunity<br />
Beautiful Florida<br />
m Booiii Officf<br />
Experience — Industry Integrity<br />
ALBERT E.<br />
160 Walton st. n.w<br />
tel. Jackson 5-8314<br />
p.o. box 1422<br />
atlanta,<br />
ga.<br />
ROOK<br />
vehv»<br />
SPECIAL TRAILERS<br />
ste'JJS.'-f^<br />
Quality and Service<br />
Serving theatres in the South for 36 years.<br />
13 cents per word<br />
Lowest Cost Anywhere<br />
STRICKLAND FILM CO.<br />
220 Pharr Road, N. E. Atlanta<br />
q<br />
i<br />
JannacdC<br />
BOONTON, N. J.<br />
Large Core<br />
Greater Crater Area<br />
means<br />
MAXIMUM LIGHT<br />
Evenly Distributed<br />
in Florida—Joe Hornsfein, Inc., Miomi— Franklin 3-3502<br />
in Louisiana— Hodaes Theatre Supply Com pony. Inc., New Orteons<br />
Tulane 8356<br />
Johnson Theatre Service, New Orleans—Raymond 3562<br />
Notionol Theatre Supply, New Orleans—Tulane 4891<br />
in Tennessee—Tri-State Theotre Supply, Memphis—Jackson 5-8240<br />
SE-4 BOXOFFICE ;: February 16, 1957
For Sharp, Straightforward^<br />
Focus • • • # -v<br />
That's<br />
right -to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
I<br />
I<br />
I<br />
% CENTURY curved gates are patterned ofter the<br />
^ ^well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The<br />
new curved gate features solid, fixed film trap<br />
shoes. This sturdy precision design provides positive<br />
positioning of the film, therefore positive<br />
focus. The aperture plate was designed as an<br />
integral part of the film trap which serves to<br />
maintain the correct focus.<br />
PERFORMANCE PROOF: Nofe fhe following typical<br />
exhibitor comments:<br />
"Marlted improvement on edge-toedge<br />
focusing. Excellent results,<br />
both color and black and white<br />
were tested with equally good results.<br />
Most noticeable on newsreels."<br />
King Theatre, Honolulu<br />
"The in and out<br />
of focus effect has<br />
been all but eliminated,<br />
particularly<br />
on previously<br />
buckled film."<br />
Miracle Mile Drive-in,<br />
. . . and many more. ohio, U.S.A.<br />
See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid to better<br />
kJ^K^ - k motion picture projection.<br />
^T^^ I Century Projector C<br />
•> ^^ '<br />
NEV(/ YORK 19, N. Y.<br />
ORP.<br />
DISTRIBUTED<br />
Alon Boyd Theatre Equipment Co. Joe Hornstein, Incorporated<br />
P Box 362 Shreveport, Louisiana<br />
Standard Theatre Supply Co.<br />
273 Flogler St.<br />
Miami,<br />
Florida<br />
Queen Feature Service,<br />
215 E. Washington St.<br />
Greensboro North Corolino<br />
219 South Church 1912V2 Morris Ave.<br />
St.<br />
Charlotte, North Carolina Birmingham 3 Alabama<br />
Inc.<br />
Capital City Supply Co.<br />
161 Walton Street, N. W.<br />
Atlanta, Georgia<br />
Tri-State Theatre Supply<br />
318 South Second St.<br />
Memphis 3, Tennessee<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
February 16, 1957<br />
SE-5
; 160<br />
;<br />
.<br />
. . Mrs.<br />
MEMPHIS<br />
\XT F. Ruffin sr. and W. F. Ruffin jr., who<br />
operate a chain of theatres and driveins<br />
in Tennessee and Kentucky, were in<br />
Scott Lett, Howco<br />
Memphis on business . . .<br />
sales manager, Charlotte, was a visitor at<br />
the company's Memphis exchange . . . Charl-<br />
6ENn£MEN<br />
f/ie sotufion to<br />
our probfem<br />
.'<br />
If<br />
worn,<br />
torn theatre sects<br />
are cutting down your<br />
boxoffice take, you do have<br />
a problem. We can refreshen . . .<br />
refurbish . . . and repair those<br />
seats with no interruption of<br />
your show schedule.<br />
And you'll<br />
be pleasantly surprised at how<br />
little it costs. Inquire today.<br />
MANUFACTURERS<br />
Fo.Tm Uiibber<br />
t S p r i n E<br />
Cushions, back<br />
:- and seat covers.<br />
DISTRIBUTORS<br />
Upholstery<br />
fabrics and<br />
general<br />
Write, Wire, or Phone<br />
ALpine 5-8459<br />
seating<br />
supplies.<br />
theatre seot<br />
» iMlHieilil^^:<br />
:My- Division ol MSSSEY SEATING Company<br />
;;|;:;gi :<br />
Hermitage Avenue<br />
, NwhyJIle,. -Tennessee<br />
. ;,<br />
:<br />
COMPLETE LINE<br />
THEATRE EQUIPMENT and<br />
CONCESSION SUPPLIES<br />
TRI-STATE THEATRE SUPPLY<br />
320 So. Second St. Memphis, Tenn.<br />
ton Heston. who plays Moses in "The Ten<br />
Commandments," was in Memphis briefly.<br />
The film was shown at a trade screening and<br />
will open February 21 at Strand Theatre.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
J. E. Thompson, owner, has closed the<br />
Pangburn Theatre, Pangburn, Ark., until<br />
spring . . Chickasaw Amusements Co., has<br />
closed the Milan Theatre at Milan, Tenn. . . .<br />
Exhibitors Services announced the West<br />
Point Drive-In, West Point, Miss., was closed<br />
for the season Jesse Plunk, former<br />
owner, has resumed ownership and operation<br />
of the Pike Theatre at Murfreesboro, Ark.<br />
. . . J. W. Morrison, owner, has<br />
.<br />
Artemis Gray, manager, has closed the<br />
Skylark Drive-In at Newport, Ark., for a<br />
few weeks<br />
gone into a weekend only operation of Lake<br />
County Drive-In, Wynnburg. Tenn., until<br />
spring . . C. R. Gray, owner, has closed the<br />
Prescott Drive-In, Prescott, Ark., until April<br />
The Ritz Theatre, Magnolia, Ark., has<br />
5 . . .<br />
closed ... A. A. Tipton, owner, has closed<br />
the New Theatre at Caraway, Ark. . . R. P.<br />
.<br />
Beith, owner, has closed the Ferguson Theatre<br />
at Ferguson, Ark., for repairs and will<br />
open March 1.<br />
Alvin Tipton, Tipton Theatres at Caraway,<br />
Monette and Manila: Lloyd Hutchins, Maxie,<br />
Trumann; E. E. Reeves, Palace, Oil Trough;<br />
Gene Thompson. Cave, Cave City, and Victor<br />
Webber, Kensett, were among visiting<br />
H. G. Walden. Bay.<br />
Arkansas exhibitors . . .<br />
Red Bay, Ala., was in town . . . From<br />
Mississippi came John Carter, Whitehaven<br />
Drive-In, Grenada, and 41 and Trace driveins<br />
at Amory: Jessie Moore, Ritz, Crenshaw;<br />
Frank Heard, Lee Drive-In, Tupelo; Mr. and<br />
Mrs. L. P. Folen, Palace, Tunca; B. F. Jackson,<br />
Delta. Ruleville; Vince Dana, Crescent,<br />
Belzoni, and Joe Davis, Ellis, Cleveland.<br />
Paul Harrington, Calvert Drive-In, Calvert<br />
City, Ky., and Lyle Richmond, Richmond,<br />
Senath, Mo., were in town . . . Tennessee's<br />
visiting exhibitors included A. B. Garrett,<br />
Starlite Drive-In, Union City; Norman<br />
Fair, Fair, Somerville; Louis Ma;sk, Luez,<br />
Bolivar, and Mrs. M. M. West, Center,<br />
Centerville . . . Fi-ed MacMurray and his<br />
wife June Haver were in Memphis for a<br />
couple of days. MacMurray appeared at the<br />
Strand Theatre where he signed autographs<br />
in the lobby matinee and night as his new<br />
picture, "Gun for a Coward," opened there.<br />
June quit the movies, Fred said, just because<br />
she wanted to and he was sure happy<br />
about it "because it's so nice to come home<br />
in the evenings and know she is going to<br />
be there." MacMurray had lunch with ten<br />
winners of a Strand Theatre-Press-Scimitar<br />
contest which required women to write letters<br />
on why they would like to dine with<br />
Fred MacMurray.<br />
'Commandments' to Bow<br />
LITTLE ROCK — "The Ten Commandments"<br />
opens at the Capitol here on February<br />
27 with a reserve-seat policy. The<br />
house, which is equipped for Todd-AO. was<br />
expected to have "Around the World in 80<br />
Days," in this month, but this has been<br />
postponed until April.<br />
Elvis Presley will sing ten original songs<br />
written especially for him in Paramount's<br />
"Loving You."<br />
To Change Drive-In Name<br />
ARCADIA. FLA.—John Jacksen jr., owner<br />
of the DeSoto Drive-In on the Brownsville<br />
road, has taken legal steps required by<br />
Florida's fictitious name law to have the<br />
name of the theatre changed to Arcadia<br />
Drive-In.<br />
Florida's fIRST Supply House<br />
NEW ADDRESS . . .<br />
206 MEMORIAL HIGHWAY<br />
TAMPA, FLORIDA<br />
NEW PHONE . . . 8-5189<br />
NEW CONVENIENT PARKING<br />
for Our Customers<br />
Visit us at our new building<br />
UNITED THEATRE SUPPLY CORP.<br />
206 Memorial Highway<br />
Tompa, Florida Phone 8-S189<br />
Moil Address: Box 375, Tampa 1, Fla.<br />
NOW with TWO conyenient locations for<br />
BETTER than EVER service to you<br />
DIXIE<br />
THEATRE SERVICE<br />
& SUPPLY COMPANY<br />
YOUR BALLANTYNE DEALER<br />
1010 North Slappey Drive<br />
P D. Box 771<br />
Albany. Georgia<br />
Phone: HEmlock 2-2846<br />
95 Walton Street, N.W.<br />
P. 0. Box 858<br />
Atlanta, Georoia<br />
Phone: WAInut 4118<br />
COMPLETE THEATRE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES<br />
Prompt, Courteous Service 'Round the Clock<br />
SERVICE<br />
and<br />
COURTESY<br />
For over 20 yeofs<br />
OUR WATCH WORD<br />
•CENTURY I'uV'io.To STRONG l^S'ps<br />
CONCESSION EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES<br />
STANDARD THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
215 E. Washington St.<br />
GREENSBORO, N. C.<br />
219 So. Church St.<br />
CHARLOTTE. N. C.<br />
30 YEARS OF DEPENDABLE SHOWS<br />
H. G. ARENSON<br />
3450 SELWYN AVE., CHARLOTTE, N. C.<br />
Always A Pleasing Boxoffice Attraction<br />
135<br />
IMKWS SERVICE<br />
Brevard Court, Charlotte, N. C.<br />
FRANK LOWRY — JOHN WOOD<br />
PHONE FR. S-7787<br />
SE-6 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
CHANGE<br />
. . . TO<br />
Your "WATER-HOG<br />
FLUSH TOILETS<br />
LICK THE DROUGHT<br />
SAFEWAY FLUSH toilets<br />
Flush With ONE QUART of Water<br />
SERVING OVER 50% OF<br />
NEW YORK STATE'S<br />
If<br />
You Don't Use 16 Men<br />
to Do One Man's Work<br />
...WHY Use 16 Quarts<br />
of<br />
Water When One<br />
Quart Will Do the Job!<br />
NIAGARA<br />
FRONTIER<br />
DRIVE-IN<br />
THEATRES<br />
Water Recirculating, Timed FLUSH<br />
SYSTEM for Critical<br />
SHORTAGE AREAS<br />
Night/y<br />
WATER<br />
Water Use -WOO Car Drive-In -250 GaL<br />
You Name the Per Cent of Water You<br />
Wish to Save I<br />
SAFEWAY<br />
WRITE TODAY... NOW!<br />
SANITATION COMPANY<br />
BOX 34 BUFFALO 15, NEW YORK<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 SE-7
. . Weeks<br />
. . Two<br />
. . Maurice<br />
. .<br />
JACKSONVILLE<br />
IJarry Botwick, busy supervisor of Florida<br />
State Tlieatres operations in the booming<br />
south Florida gold coast area, came in<br />
for a day of hui-ried conferences with home<br />
Bob Daugherty, ailing<br />
office leaders . . .<br />
I.<br />
you can evenly distribute<br />
the wear of your seats over<br />
the entire house, by easily<br />
interchanging seats and backs<br />
...chances are—your seats are<br />
Xutemationaf!<br />
Write, wire or phone —<br />
Theater Seat Service Co.,<br />
160 Hermitage Avenue,<br />
Nashville, Tennessee<br />
Phone: Alpine 5-8459<br />
or<br />
^utenrntionafsEAT division of<br />
UNION CITY BODY CO., INC.<br />
Union City, Indiana<br />
general manager of the Floyd Theatres circuit<br />
in central Florida, left his Haines City<br />
home for a complete physical checkup in a<br />
noted New Orleans clinic . . . Thomas P.<br />
Tidwell, 20th-Fox local manager, is now<br />
occupying a bright new office in the 20th-<br />
Fox building on Bay street.<br />
Jimmy Hobbs, Allied Ai'tists executive from<br />
Atlanta, came in to make arrangements for<br />
the opening of a Jacksonville exchange in<br />
the near future. Several former members<br />
of the RKO staff will form the nucleus of<br />
the Allied Artists local organization. They<br />
are George Andrews. Alice Yeargan. Mayce<br />
Beall and Jerry Wardlow. Bob Bowers was<br />
reported to be on his way here from Houston,<br />
Tex., to manage the exchange . . . Gene<br />
Hudgens, former RKO office manager, has<br />
joined Byron Adams' staff at United Artists<br />
in the same capacity . other RKOers<br />
have found employment in the local industry:<br />
Dorothy Edrington with 20th-Fox and La-<br />
Dene Mauldin with Warner Bros. . . Approaching<br />
.<br />
motherhood brought about Har-<br />
riett Gunter's resignation from the 20th-Fox<br />
staff.<br />
At the invitation of Col. John Crovo, president<br />
of the Motion Picture Council, Ed<br />
Chumley, Paramount manager, addressed the<br />
civic group on the subject of "The Ten<br />
Commandments" at a luncheon meeting in<br />
the Hotel Seminole .<br />
Shaaber,<br />
projection booth expert formerly with Wil-<br />
Kin Theatre Supply, has joined the Roy<br />
Smith staff to advise exhibitors regarding<br />
the proper utilization of carbons and equipment.<br />
Jack Fitzwater, Bay-Lan Theatres supervisor<br />
in Tampa, suffered from an acute attack<br />
of bursitis in his right elbow ... On<br />
Sunday, Feb. 10, 1907, or 50 years ago, the<br />
Savoy Theatre was opened at the city's<br />
main intersection of Main and Forsyth<br />
streets with a single admission price of five<br />
cents. A skyscraper now occupies the spot<br />
which still is in the heart of the theatrical<br />
district.<br />
.<br />
. . .<br />
.<br />
Florida business visitors from New York<br />
were Sidney Markley, Paramount executive,<br />
and George Walder, sales manager for Lorraine<br />
Carbons of unseasonably<br />
warm weather have continued without intsrruption<br />
and have forced operators of indoor<br />
theatres to use their air conditioning<br />
systems instead of their heating plants<br />
Tampa exhibitor Pete J. Sones was traveling<br />
over the state in a new Plymouth<br />
A teenage hotrod club supplied Herb Roller.<br />
Edgewood Theatre manager, with a sidewalk<br />
hotrod exhibit when he played the<br />
AIP combination of "Hot-Rod Girl" and<br />
"Girls in Prison."<br />
FOR BOXOFFICE ATTRACTIONS<br />
n<br />
MIAMI<br />
'pST managerial changes include the<br />
transfer<br />
of Jack Miller to the first run Gables<br />
from the Shores: James Puller, from the<br />
Regent to the Shores; David Payne, into the<br />
Colony from the Boulevard, with Tom Braun<br />
pinch-hitting at the Boulevard; Fred Hughes<br />
to the Regent from the Olympia, and John<br />
Calio, formerly with the Brandt circuit, to<br />
an assistant's post at the downtown Florida.<br />
Disney cameramen have completed a<br />
tour<br />
of Fort Lauderdale, the results of which will<br />
be screened on the Sunday TV show in September.<br />
Chief Cameraman Ray Jewell said<br />
the pictures are to be incorporated in a 90-<br />
minute travelog on Florida's Gold Coast,<br />
entitled "Winter Wonderland." The yacht<br />
center at Lauderdale was used, six sections<br />
of the Intra-Coastal waterway and New<br />
River, and parts of the downtown area. Three<br />
days of shooting were scheduled for Miami<br />
Beach before the crew returned to California.<br />
. . .<br />
Walter Kesce of Rainbow Pictures is on the<br />
lookout for a one-armed actor between 30<br />
and 40 years of age. Wants him for a documentary<br />
Manager Jack Winters of the<br />
Sunset Art Theatre reports on two well<br />
satisfied customers who attended every performance<br />
of "Madame Butterfly," just concluding<br />
a much-lauded run at both the Mayfair<br />
and Sunset. Customers were two crickets<br />
who chirped happily in time with the music.<br />
Though diligently sought, the musical pair<br />
could not be found or ejected. However, the<br />
following picture "War and Peace," left them<br />
speechless.<br />
When Fred MacMurray appeared at the<br />
Carib, Miami and Miracle theatres, patrons<br />
received a surprise dividend when Guy Rennie<br />
came on stage and introduced Mac-<br />
Mm-ray's wife, June Haver, the actress . . .<br />
"Seven Wonders of the World" will open<br />
soon at the Roosevelt, succeeding "This is<br />
Cinerama."<br />
— ^au. deceive. . . .<br />
• QUALITY • SERVICE<br />
and<br />
• SATISFACTION<br />
when you entrust your business to:<br />
THE QUEEN FEATURE SERVICE, Inc.<br />
Complete Theatre & Drive-In Equipment<br />
& Supplies<br />
1912-1/2 Morris Avenue Phone ALpine 1-8i65<br />
Birminghom 3, Alabamo<br />
IT WON'Y TAKE A FULL PAGE AD<br />
TO TELL YOU ^<br />
.<br />
PIC<br />
The Profitable Insect Repellent<br />
ROY SMITH CO.<br />
365 PARK ST. JACKSONVILLE<br />
ATLANTA - CHARLOTTE<br />
JACKSONVILLE - MEMPHIS<br />
The FASTEST o.<br />
r,VES YOU<br />
TRAltER<br />
I.<br />
S*'**^^'" ANYWHERE<br />
Tan get anywhere_<br />
SERVICE YOU<br />
630 Ninth Ave. NEW YORK, N.Y.<br />
1327 S. Wobaih CHICAGO, III.<br />
SE-8 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
k<br />
Final Dance Slated<br />
At Texas Conclave<br />
DALLAS — Plans neared completion this<br />
week for the Texas Drive-In Theatre Ass'n<br />
convention at the Adolphus Hotel here<br />
Februai-y 25-27. The planning committee announced<br />
that instead ol the banquet usually<br />
held on the final night of the convention,<br />
this year a dance would be held on the roof<br />
of the Adolphus.<br />
With Eddie Josephs, association president,<br />
presiding at a committee meeting here, E. L.<br />
Pack, activities chairman, and his committee<br />
also decided that the officers of the association<br />
would be presented at the dance. The<br />
dance is not planned as a formal affair, but<br />
women are encouraged to attend in evening<br />
dress if they like.<br />
A fur stole will be awarded as a door prize<br />
to one of the women, and a Polaroid land<br />
camera will be the door prize for one of the<br />
men, a gift from Southwestern Theatre<br />
Equipment Co.<br />
Additional activities also are promised at<br />
the convention for the women. A bridge room<br />
will be set up in the Adolphus and Mrs. Tim<br />
Ferguson will act as hostess. On Wednesday<br />
,(271, Interstate Theatres will play host to<br />
the women at a matinee performance of<br />
-Around the World in 80 Days."<br />
Registration will begin Monday (25) at<br />
1 p.m.. and a cocktail paily, sponsored by<br />
MPA and others, will be held at 7:30 that<br />
evening.<br />
On Tuesday, social events will include a<br />
luncheon sponsored by Coca-Cola, a 2:30<br />
screening by 20th-Fox for the women and a<br />
7 p.m. cocktail party hosted by Pepsi-Cola.<br />
East Texas Co. Session<br />
Hosted by Sam Turner<br />
NACOGDOCHES. TEX.—T. C, Collins of<br />
Los Angeles, field man for the Victor Cornelius<br />
Advertising Co.: William T. Strother of<br />
Dallas, National Theatre Supply; Robert<br />
Martin, sound and projection engineer for the<br />
circuit, and Harry O'Neal, refrigeration engineer,<br />
addressed the semiannual meeting of<br />
managers of East Texas Theatres here recently.<br />
The host was Sam E. Turner, East<br />
Texas Theatres and Jefferson Amusement<br />
Co., of Nacogdoches.<br />
Attending managers and city managers<br />
were Emil Coldewey of Yoakum, O. Z. Horton<br />
of Conroe. J. R. Preddy and John Labosky of<br />
Lufkin, Stockton Thompson af Nacogdoches,<br />
T. W. Horton of Henderson, W. L. Gelling of<br />
Marshall, W. G. Rike of Gladewater. Robert<br />
Lugenbuhl of Jacksonville, James Pryor of<br />
Rusk, Knox Lamb of Kilgore, and A. M. Avery,<br />
T. L. Dickey and B. E. Bazer, all of Longview.<br />
Jim O'Donnell Sells Share<br />
In A&O Co. to Roy Avey<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY—Jim O'Donnell has<br />
sold his interest in A&O Booking Service<br />
and Theatre Calendar Service to Roy Avey.<br />
A&O Booking Service has been renamed the<br />
Theatre Booking Service and will stay in the<br />
same location. Theatre Calendar Service will<br />
continue under its same name at its same location.<br />
O'Donnell has set up the Jim O'Donnell<br />
Booking & Theatre Service at 708 West<br />
Grand, phone REgent 6-0911. He is now<br />
booking for the theatre at Booker, Tex., and<br />
for<br />
the Time Theatre at Wetumka.<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
:<br />
: February<br />
16, 1957<br />
Long Service a New/ Job Handicap<br />
\ last get-together of employes of KKO Pictures southwestern division office was<br />
at this farewell luncheon on February 1 in the private M&M Club in the Merchandise<br />
Mart in Dallas. All but two of the employes attended (somebody had to keep the store<br />
and thev kept the office open). Last day for salesmen was February 1; others left<br />
the 8th" when the office clo.sed. Sol M. Sachs, southwestern division manager, is<br />
standing at left in the photo.<br />
DALLAS—A local landmark among film<br />
exchanges tor more than a quarter of a<br />
century, RKO Pictures, clo.sed its southwestern<br />
division office Friday (8i. Only two<br />
employes. E. K. Dalton, head booker and office<br />
manager, and Adeline Franklin, cashier,<br />
will be retained temporarily on the RKO payroll<br />
to liquidate RKO's interests before U-I<br />
assumes bookings on a percentage basis.<br />
Sol M. Sachs. RKO district manager and a<br />
30-year RKO employe in the distribution end,<br />
has accepted a post as manager for Allied<br />
Artists, succeeding W. E. Finch who resigned.<br />
Rosa Browning came along with<br />
Sachs as secretary. Sachs' endeavors lately<br />
have been to secure employment for his 26<br />
employes, and he happily reported that more<br />
than one-half of them had been placed elsewhere.<br />
The last day for the exchange's five<br />
film salesmen was Friday (1), when 25 of<br />
the local office's personnel had a farewell<br />
luncheon together in the private M&M Club<br />
in the Merchandise Mart, which houses the<br />
RKO offices.<br />
Sachs said his staff enjoyed the last group<br />
get-together and that his "very loyal employes<br />
felt very optimistic about being placed<br />
elsewhere." Despite the placement of 15<br />
RKO workers in new jobs, there was an<br />
undercurrent of bitterness and heartbreak<br />
among the staffers over the "sellout." Many<br />
of the local exchange's employes had more<br />
than 25 years of service with the distribution<br />
outlet. Adeline Franklin, cashier, had 33<br />
years service: Miss Browning, 31 years, and<br />
Clara Sawyer, 29 years.<br />
Adding salt to the wounds, prospective employers<br />
calling to inquire about absorbing<br />
RKO employes to their payroll would fir.5t<br />
ask "How old is she (or he)?" With a full<br />
background in film distribution, one veteran<br />
woman worker for RKO said prospective employers<br />
say, "We could certainly use a person<br />
with your experience, but we don't hire<br />
women over 45."<br />
So what good is experience? She bitterly<br />
remarked; "What are these people to do?<br />
They can't shoot themselves, but one would<br />
think they were like horses after they reach<br />
a certain age. They, and their experience in<br />
film booking, should be forgotten?"<br />
Former RKO employes and their new affiliations:<br />
Tom Luce, Dominant Pictures: Rosalie<br />
Ponce, Southwestern Equipment Co.:<br />
Kathleen Heath and Virginia Jones, National<br />
Screen Service: Carol Weir. U-I; Lou Stone<br />
and Charlie Bridges, MGM; Leslie Hancock,<br />
Warner Bros.; Sarah Quinn, 20th-Fox; Vickie<br />
Nelson, Paramount; Mable Guinan, Exhibitor<br />
Pictures Co.; Marion Stilwell, Cinema Arts<br />
Iheatres; Bernice Moore, Ted Lewis Booking<br />
Agency; Muriel Helms, Chance-Vought Aircraft<br />
Corp., and Peggy Harris, who'll join a<br />
wholesale clothing outlet in the Merchandise<br />
Mart here.<br />
Vandalism Liability<br />
On Parents to Solons<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY—Full 100' i<br />
support<br />
by Oklahoma exhibitors of a new measure to<br />
recommended by Red Slo-<br />
curb vandalism is<br />
cum, executive director of United Theatre<br />
owners of Oklahoma, in a bulletin dispatched<br />
to members after the February board<br />
meeting.<br />
The measure, senate bill 85, would make<br />
parents liable for damages caused by juveniles,<br />
with a $100 limit on the liability. Slocum<br />
said the limit should be $300.<br />
"This is the most favorable bill to private<br />
industry and business and should be supported<br />
100 per cent by every theatre owner<br />
and manager in Oklahoma," he said. "While<br />
we do not concur in the $100 amount of liability,<br />
since from our experiences we feel that<br />
$300 is certainly not an um-easonable amount<br />
for wilful destruction, we do feel there is a<br />
great need for this law."<br />
Enclosed with the bulletin were maps .showing<br />
the names of the senators and state representatives<br />
and the districts they represent.<br />
Exhibitors were asked to write their senators<br />
and representatives, giving facts and<br />
figures on local vandalism, and asking for a<br />
favorable vote on the measure, with a $300<br />
liability limit.<br />
Jim Barton Shifted<br />
LAWTON, OKLA.—Jim Barton, assistant<br />
manager of the Video-Wilbern Theatres in<br />
Duncan, Okla., has been transferred to Lawton<br />
as assistant manager of the five Lawton<br />
theatres of the Video company.<br />
SW-1
. . Rex<br />
. . . Bob<br />
. . . Aztec<br />
. . "Around<br />
. . KXYZ's<br />
. . Charles<br />
HOUSTON<br />
JJoy Rogers writes his old pal Rex Van, manager<br />
of Variety Tent 34, to say he was<br />
headin' for Houston and the Fat Stock Show.<br />
They will celebrate the silver anniversary of<br />
that gathering this year . was much<br />
in evidence at the recent auto show, pinclihitting<br />
behind the scenes. Other Variety-ers<br />
doing a job were advertiser Mike Conti and<br />
Bill Jones of Jones Apothecary, chairman of<br />
the beauty contest: entertainment chairman<br />
Mack Howard; Chief Barker Paul Boesch.<br />
Fred Nahas, KXYZ, did his usual top job of<br />
emceeing. An unusual setup was a penthouse<br />
bandstand in the shape of a grand piano suspended<br />
above the stage. Fred introduced the<br />
fire marshall who decorated headliner Guy<br />
TEXAS DRIVE-IN<br />
Mitchell with a badge making him a district<br />
fire chief—saying that as hot as Guy was it<br />
would take more than a fii'e department to<br />
Caught watching the<br />
put out the fire . . .<br />
show were Majestic Theatre Manager John<br />
Arnold, Lowell Bulpitt of the Boulevard Theatre,<br />
Dick Wygant of the Heights Theatre,<br />
and Grady Goodwin who is the new salesman<br />
for Motion Picture Advertising.<br />
Bob Bowers, Allied Ai'tists, has been made<br />
manager of that film company's new exchange<br />
in Jacksonville, Fla. He left Sunday<br />
1 10) to take over. For about a year Bob has<br />
been living in Bellaire with his wife Sara<br />
and family. Of the Bowers' four children, two<br />
THEATRE<br />
OWNERS ASS'N CONVENTION<br />
WITH<br />
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS IN OKLAHOMA. LOUISIANA<br />
AND MISSISSIPPI<br />
Will<br />
Be Held At<br />
ADOLPHUS HOTEL. DALLAS. TEXAS<br />
FEBRUARY 25-26-27<br />
Constructive Business Sessions<br />
intermingled<br />
with<br />
Good Fellowship and Fun<br />
WIRE, PHONE OR WRITE<br />
FOR YOUR RESERVATIONS - NOW<br />
TO:<br />
OR:<br />
ADOLPHUS HOTEL. DALLAS<br />
TEXAS DRIVE-IN THEATRE OWNERS ASS'N.<br />
P. O. BOX 1015. AUSTIN. TEXAS<br />
Entertainment Daily for the Ladies<br />
are now at home. Sammy attends Pershing<br />
junior high, little Debra hasn't started school<br />
yet. Bob jr. is in the Navy and Patricia is<br />
enrolled at Baylor. It'll be about a month<br />
before Bob can move the family to Jacksonville,<br />
he said. In 17 years in the industry<br />
Bob has made many friends. "Tell everybody<br />
I hate to leave, but do appreciate the<br />
new appointment," Bob said. Prior to joining<br />
AA Bob was with MGM and then Warners,<br />
and lived in Memphis and then Dallas<br />
before coming to the Houston area.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
Willie Katcliff's Epsom Drive-In now has<br />
an eight-unit show running four and a half<br />
hours. Pix run from "Strip-Strip Ahoy" to<br />
"3ust-a-Rama" the World in<br />
80 Days" went into its ninth week at the<br />
Tower Theatre on Westheimer Up on<br />
Gray at the River<br />
. . .<br />
Oaks "War and Peace"<br />
had a three-week run Fred<br />
Nahas, heading a group of local business men,<br />
has been named to represent Zenith Radio<br />
Corp. on behalf of subscription TV in this<br />
area. Pieter van Beek, of Zenith Corp., emphasized<br />
that the operation is dependent<br />
upon authorization of the FCC.<br />
Actress Jane Russell has been back in<br />
Houston to spark a membership rally for the<br />
Harris county chapter of W.A.I.F. With her<br />
this time was David Brian, TV's Mr. District*<br />
Attorney, and long-time business associate<br />
Mark Sheridan, 20th-Fox<br />
Edyth Lynch . . .<br />
southwest district manager, was a visitor at<br />
the local exchange last week.<br />
SAN ANTONIO<br />
Ceen along the rialto: William O'Donnell,<br />
president of Cinema Art Theatres, Dallas;<br />
Wayne Taylor, MGM, Dallas; John<br />
Rosenfield, amusements editor of the Dallas<br />
Morning News, and Robert Bixler, Paramount<br />
exploiteer, Dallas . A. Wolfe,<br />
manager at the Prince, said he has viewed<br />
more pictures on television during the advent<br />
of video than he has on theatre screens in<br />
the last<br />
15 years.<br />
.<br />
Al Lowrey, advertising manager for "The<br />
Ten Commandments," was in to handle the<br />
group sale of tickets for the picture, whicii<br />
opens at the Aztec February 14. The advance<br />
sale opened here ten days before the roadshow<br />
engagement with blocks of tickets selling<br />
at reduced prices for school groups, religious<br />
organizations and other civic leagues<br />
May, onetime Interstate Theatres<br />
employe here some years ago, was a recent<br />
visitor in town. He now resides in Corpus<br />
Christi . . T. L. Harville, Rio, Alice, and<br />
Esteban Fraga, Azteca, Natalia, were in the<br />
Alamo City booking and buying Mexican<br />
pictures.<br />
Herman Craver, Tower Pictures, Dallas,<br />
called on exhibitors in the San Antonio territory<br />
Louis Cuellar, who has been assistant<br />
. . . booker for Clasa-Mohme here for the<br />
last few years, resigned to take a position<br />
with the Bexar County tax commissioners office<br />
here. His position at C-M will be filled<br />
when a suitable replacement can be found<br />
Manager Norman Schwartz and his<br />
assistant Richard Vaughan donned tuxedos<br />
the roadshowing of "The Ten Command-<br />
for<br />
ments."<br />
Starring in United Artists' "The Quiet<br />
American" are Audie Murphy, Michael Redgrave<br />
and Claude Dauphin.<br />
SW-2 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
AN EDITORIAL<br />
"ONE OF THE FINEST<br />
and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of<br />
Hollywood in some time...<br />
" 'Full of Life' is neither sexy nor a dirty motion picture.<br />
It dwells on a delicate and realistic subject yet it does<br />
it in a way that is completely wholesome and a person<br />
leaves the theater feeling good instead of feeling that he<br />
has just finished a jaunt through a fetid sewer.<br />
"We haven't a doubt in the world that the people who<br />
see the film 'Full of Life' will enjoy every minute of it<br />
and will<br />
emerge from the theater knowing they have<br />
seen one of the finest and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of Hollywood in some time."<br />
JUDY HOUIDAY<br />
\<br />
RICHARD CONTE<br />
^^m^^m<br />
im($<br />
OF FAMILY FUN<br />
V,<br />
Mnducki BACCALONI<br />
•n ESTHER MINCIOni • JOE DeSANTIS • SILVIO MINCIOTTI<br />
ScraMi Pliy by JOHN FANTE BtttO on Hm NomI by JOHN FANTt<br />
ky FMEO KOMLMAK • Dtractad by RICMARO QUINt A COLUMBIA PICTURC
. . The<br />
. . Seen<br />
. . . Truman<br />
. . Don<br />
. . Walter<br />
1<br />
. . . Luke<br />
. . Wayne<br />
. . Roy<br />
. . Heywood<br />
DALLAS<br />
D J. O'Donnell, vice-president and general<br />
manager of Interstate Theatres, will<br />
serve as local chairman of the entertainment<br />
industry tribute to Jimmy Dixrante. Highlight<br />
of the tribute will be a banquet March<br />
17 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, sponsored<br />
by the Jewish Theatrical Guild, with<br />
proceeds to various industry charities . . .<br />
Col. H. A. Cole, veteran board chairman of<br />
Allied Theatre Owners of Texas, moved his<br />
upstairs office at 20IP2 Jackson St. here to<br />
a street-level location directly across Jackson<br />
to the McLendon building, 2008 Jackson. Now<br />
the colonel won't have to climb a staii-way.<br />
"Rififi," French art film which opened the<br />
Trans-Texas circuit's refurbished Pine Arts<br />
Theatre here January 29 for a one-week run,<br />
has been held over—deferring "Lady Chatterley's<br />
Lover" .<br />
Coronet has booked a<br />
revival of "Mutiny on the Bounty" for February<br />
21. Starring Clark Gable, Franchot<br />
Tone and Charles Laughton, film runs two<br />
hours and 15 minutes. Art house currently<br />
has "Rebecca" in a revival run.<br />
The suburban Wilshire had "Friendly Persuasion"<br />
in a thu'd week holdover . on<br />
XETr,»-^riUST 11 TJX<br />
WWa^^Asr WIJIIML^^SM<br />
THE SERVICE YOU WANT<br />
THE SERVICE YOU GET<br />
IS<br />
on vour Special Trailers from<br />
niDTIOD PICTURE SESU CE Go.<br />
12s HYDE ST. SAN FRANCISCO (2), CALIF.<br />
Gerald L. Karski.... President<br />
BUFFALO<br />
3409 Oak Lawn, Room 107<br />
COOLING<br />
Filmrow were Mark Cole, Cole Theatre,<br />
Rosenberg; Sonny Martini, Martini Theatre,<br />
Galveston; Jack Lilly, Palace at Commerce,<br />
and A. E. McClain, Rowley Theatres manager<br />
in Hillsboro.<br />
Over at Buena Vista the other morning<br />
Sebe Miller and Margarette Rowland put on<br />
their gum shoes and chased a purse-snatcher<br />
around the Row. A man came into the office<br />
and made off with Mary Heather's purse.<br />
Sebe almost caught him. too. Said Sebe: "I<br />
don't really know what I'd have done with<br />
him it I had caught him!" Mary got her<br />
purse back but the culprit is still on the<br />
loose. Margarette recently became mother of<br />
a baby daughter. Miller reported that H. A.<br />
Daniels had done four times normal business<br />
at his Palace in Seguin during his run of<br />
"Secrets of Life" by sending special delivery<br />
notices to every school teacher in town advising<br />
them of the booking . . . Douglas Desch<br />
returned from a trip to Oklahoma City and<br />
reported no word had been received yet in<br />
regard to the Disney shorts formerly handled<br />
by RKO going through BV. However, Central<br />
Shipping is still protecting all dates<br />
booked prior to RKO's demise, but no new<br />
bookings are being taken. Columbia is currently<br />
filling two-reeler dates set by RKO<br />
but with their own product.<br />
. .<br />
Columbia set up a Salk vaccine clinic in the<br />
exchange Tuesday (12 1 for every employe<br />
who wished to have the shots. Columbia also<br />
extended an invitation to the employes at<br />
Warners for the service. WB is located right<br />
behind them on Park . Penn and<br />
Tom Luce have been busy calling on accounts<br />
for Dominant . The Empire exchange has<br />
Exhibitors Service<br />
a new front paint job . . .<br />
will handle "Rock, Baby, Rocket" which was<br />
filmed locally ... Ed Brinn, MGM salesman,<br />
has been on the Row most of the week . . .<br />
UA's "Gun the Man Down" has three minutes<br />
of dialog prior to the title.<br />
Herber Theatre Equipment reports several<br />
theatre ownership and management changes;<br />
Mr. and Mrs. M. D. Harris have taken over<br />
the Wakea at New Boston. Mrs. Harris is the<br />
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Otts of the<br />
Wakea at Waskom . Fuller sold his<br />
Roxy Theatre at San Angelo to Marian Cole,<br />
effective the 10th. Fuller announced no plans<br />
for the future . . . W. J. Van Wyk sold his<br />
Pix at Centerville to Fred Allen Hill and<br />
Harris Campbell and has moved to Waco<br />
White has taken over the Texas<br />
at Knox City. He has increased the size of<br />
EQUIPMENT<br />
BUFFALO ENGINEERING CO., INC Dallas, Texas<br />
SAVE MONEY ON SIMPLEX PROJECTOR REPAIRS<br />
WRITE FOR MY SPECIAL<br />
DEAL ON PARTS & LABOR<br />
NEW<br />
ADDRESS<br />
» LOU WALTERS<br />
I 1<br />
854S San Fernanda<br />
DA 10341 Dallas, Texas<br />
i<br />
2200 Young St.<br />
DALLAS,<br />
TEXAS<br />
. . .<br />
his concession stand for better business<br />
Jim Hodges has moved the Panther at<br />
Normangee . Muse took over the Star<br />
at Teague and Fail- at Fairfield from Harris<br />
Theatres .<br />
Jamison has rebuilt and<br />
reopened his Jamison at Port O'Connor after<br />
a December fire.<br />
Lou Walters, who has gotten far-reaching<br />
results from his classified ads in BOX-<br />
OFFICE, believes that distance is no barrier<br />
after spending 40-odd years in the equipment<br />
business and would be very happy to help<br />
any exhibitor or projectionist solve or advise<br />
on his equipment problems, deals and sales.<br />
Walters also wanted to make it clear that he<br />
has no connection with any equipment dealer<br />
here but works independently for any of<br />
them and for the exhibitor direct. The<br />
farthest point his BOXOFFICE ad has<br />
Simmons<br />
reached is Cincinnati .<br />
took time out to buy his secretary, Mildred<br />
Fulenwider, a cup of Java.<br />
Franli Starz, in charge of Interstate's publicity,<br />
got his picture in a local paper by presenting<br />
the first pair of new-priced ducats<br />
for small-fry at the Tower. The junior admission<br />
has been reduced for "Around the<br />
World in 80 Days" ...CO. Wise, Phil Isley's<br />
general manager, announced that the circuit<br />
had acquired J. G. Long's Theatre at Pasadena,<br />
and land has been purchased on Jensen<br />
Drive at Houston for a super drive-in . . .<br />
. . .<br />
C. D. Leon was in town from Abilene<br />
Lone Star Theatres has set in Astor's fourteenage-feature<br />
combination.<br />
Roy Ashburne, Strand, Chillicothe, was<br />
ecstatic over the fishing in his area. They<br />
have a new kind of fish there, it seems, which<br />
is red and shaped like a bass. Some say it is<br />
a salt water red fish . . . Others seen on the<br />
Row: Mr. and Mrs. O. L. Smith, Alamo and<br />
Longhorn Drive-In, Marlow, Okla.; W. E.<br />
Bruce, Princess, Whitesboro; Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Arthur Caywood, Brady Theatres; Lois Mc-<br />
Cullough, manager for Hollis Boran; Mr. and<br />
Mrs. J. T. Hitt, Plaza, Bentonville, Ark. (formerly<br />
of Hico); Ray Leathers, Paducah;<br />
Bryan Blythe, Van at Van; Phillip Tidball,<br />
Isis and Parkaire Drive-In, Fort Worth; Jeff<br />
Austin, Strand. Frankston; Jerry Jobe, Dixie,<br />
Sulphur Springs; E. B. Whorton, Rule and<br />
Tower at Rule and Fort Keith, and Palace<br />
and Brazos Drive-In at Granbury.<br />
Mrs. M. B. Miller of Ennis died from cancer.<br />
Her husband is the owner of the Village<br />
Drive-In there as well as being principal of<br />
one of the local schools. Mrs. Miller was ill<br />
three years and left eight children.<br />
. . . Alec<br />
Bob Euler, who manages the Col. H. A.<br />
Cole theatres at Bonham, came in to meet<br />
his wife who had been visiting their daughter,<br />
Pat Hildebrand, who lives at Midland. His<br />
brother Ed works for Herber Theatre Equipment<br />
Supply . . . C. V. Caver was on the Row<br />
to pick up carbon for his Avenue . . . Harvey<br />
Bretel, projectionist at Cinerama, became the<br />
father of a son. He already has a daughter<br />
White is now managing the Grove<br />
for Phil Isley replacing Dan Hulse<br />
Barr manages the Inwood, Tony Todora went<br />
to the Village for Interstate.<br />
Sterling Sales & Service, Inc.<br />
Phone Rl 7-3191<br />
SW-4 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
7 GREAT<br />
DOUBLE BILLS<br />
BOOK THEM NOW<br />
at<br />
EMPIRE PICTURES<br />
DON GRIERSON<br />
DUTCH CAMMER<br />
1<br />
EMPIRE<br />
PICTURI<br />
COMPANY<br />
2011 JACKSON ST.<br />
RIVERSIDE 2-8055<br />
DALLAS, TEXAS<br />
BOB O'DONNELL<br />
HERA^AN BEIERSDORF<br />
2 ^(/Pm^ffffefJmmS<br />
m^sm<br />
U.S.<br />
i- ""e WORID of TOMORROW!<br />
CITIES VANISH BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES.<br />
INVAS|0||
'•<br />
i^HHI<br />
!<br />
—<br />
Chas. Manley to Speak<br />
At UTOO Gathering<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY—An additional speaker<br />
will be added to the program of the United<br />
Theatre Owners of<br />
Oklahoma general<br />
membership convention<br />
March 6. 7 in<br />
Oklahoma City. Directors<br />
voted at their<br />
February meeting to<br />
invite Charles Manley<br />
nf Manley Popcorn Co.,<br />
Kansas City, to address<br />
the convention.<br />
m f<br />
In addition, board<br />
members heard reports<br />
^^°"'<br />
Charles Manley "^00 executive<br />
director E. R. "Red"<br />
Slocum on progress of convention plans and<br />
on legislation now before the legislature that<br />
will affect the motion picture business.<br />
The board also reviewed a problem presented<br />
at previous meetings — policy of some<br />
film companies locally to withhold pictures<br />
from drive-ins. Earl Snyder reviewed the<br />
steps taken in this matter. He said two companies<br />
involved had been contacted, and both<br />
had replied—one satisfactorily.<br />
A request from COMPO asking the UTOO<br />
board's approval on the Academy Awards<br />
Sweepstakes was considered. The board voted<br />
to set the request aside and leave the matter<br />
to the discretion of the individual operators.<br />
Some 20 board members attended the meeting.<br />
Earl Snyder, chairman, presided in the<br />
absence of President Bernard McKenna, who<br />
Attention<br />
Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle<br />
Exhibitors<br />
Announcing<br />
(formerly of A. & O. Theotre Booking Service)<br />
HIGHLY QUALIFIED TO<br />
ASSIST IN ALL PHASES<br />
OF YOUR BUSINESS.<br />
Located on Filmrow<br />
was in Cincinnati attending the National<br />
Allied drive-in convention as UTOO representative.<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY<br />
^ooper Foundation Theatres has sold the<br />
Plaza Theatre here to Sidney Cohen of<br />
Theatre Service Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah,<br />
Tlie Plaza had been closed for several weeks.<br />
Prior to closing. Cooper Foundation operated<br />
the theatre as an art house, showing principally<br />
foreign films. In other theatre changes,<br />
Mel J. Dowling has closed the Palace at<br />
Eufaula, and Mi's. W. G. Wren, who recently<br />
took over the Majestic at Temple, Okla.. has<br />
decided to close the theatre.<br />
Closing of the RKO office in Oklahoma<br />
City has affected ten workers. R. B. Williams,<br />
manager, will go to Florida for a belated<br />
vacation. After that, his plans are indefinite.<br />
Dan Snyder, RKO office manager,<br />
for the time being will work at the Universal<br />
office to help familiarize U-I staffers with<br />
RKO's files, pictures, etc. Catherine Clark,<br />
former RKO head booker, will go to work at<br />
Warner Bros. here. Other workers have no<br />
definite plans as yet.<br />
Universal screened "The Incredible Shrinking<br />
Man" Monday (111 in the 20th-Fox<br />
screening room and 20th-Fox screened "Storm<br />
Rider" and "Smiley" the previous Monday<br />
. . . C. A. Gibbs, Columbia manager, is back<br />
. . .<br />
from a sales meeting in New Orleans<br />
Visiting in Oklahoma City were Warner Bros.<br />
Division Manager W. O. Williamson jr. of<br />
New York and District Manager Grover Livingston<br />
of Dallas.<br />
Exhibitors seen on Filmrow included<br />
Leonard White of Weatherford; Bill Jones,<br />
Sand Springs; Earl Snyder, Tulsa; Clint<br />
Applewhite, Carnegie; Claud Thorp, Ryan;<br />
E. B. Anderson, Norman; O. K. Kemp, Poteau;<br />
M. J. Dowling, Eufaula; Earl Rains, Fort<br />
Cobb; Henry Simpson, Bristow; Eddie Jones,<br />
Tulsa; H. D. Cox, Binger; Dana C. Ryan,<br />
Pawnee; Bill Slepka, Okemah, and Dick<br />
Crumpler, Checotah.<br />
High Dallas Civic Award<br />
To Karl Hoblitzelle<br />
DALLAS—Karl Hoblitzelle, president of Interstate<br />
Theatres, last week was awarded the<br />
Distinguished Civic Service award by the<br />
Greater Dallas Planning Council. Hoblitzelle,<br />
known for half a century as a leading showman,<br />
businessman, financier and philanthropist<br />
here, is also chairman of the board of<br />
the Republic National Bank of Dallas. Inscription<br />
on the trophy reads; "In recognition<br />
of long and distinguished service in the<br />
building of a Greater Dallas."<br />
In announcing Hoblitzelle as the winner,<br />
speaker John E. Mitchell jr. called him "the<br />
man of a lifetime, not of just the year . . .<br />
His civic, cultural and philanthi-opic activities<br />
are aw^e-inspiring. He has a dedicated mind,<br />
heart and pocketbook, and has long been a<br />
champion of the underprivileged."<br />
Tent 22 to Entertain<br />
UTOO Delegates<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY—Variety Tent 22 is<br />
making preparations to entertain exhibitors<br />
and their wives arriving in town for the<br />
UTOO convention March 6, 7 at a fun night<br />
event on March 5.<br />
Co-chairman of the event, which will include<br />
special entertainment and a hors<br />
d'oeuvres hour, are Bob Busch and George<br />
Fisher. Fun night is being planned as a welcome<br />
for exhibitors in town for the UTOO<br />
convention.<br />
Olen Nuckols, chief barker, also has announced<br />
the completed list of committees for<br />
1957. They are:<br />
Bookers (membership)—C. F. Motley, main<br />
guy; Paul Rice, co-main guy; C. B. Akers and<br />
Earl Snyder.<br />
Privilege (house rules and regulations)<br />
Harry McKenna, Ed Thorne, Morris Loewenstein.<br />
Sports and pastimes—Jake Guiles, Charles<br />
Hudgens, John Wilkinson and Prank McCabe.<br />
Side show committee (clubroom, entertainment<br />
and activities) —Robert Busch, Dave<br />
Hunt and Warren Patton.<br />
Billers (publicity!—Gordon Leonard. L. O.<br />
Peak and E. R. Slocum.<br />
Heart committee—Paul Townsend, C. R.<br />
Guthrie and R. Lewis Barton.<br />
Welfare committee—Sam Brunk, Don Tullius<br />
and Earl Snyder.<br />
Fund-raising— E. R. Slocum. L. W. Kilfoy,<br />
Fred Sanders and Bill Lewis.<br />
Law committee—H. S. Griffing and Bill<br />
Lewis.<br />
Mac H. Wood, 53, Dies<br />
GUSHING, OKLA.—Mac H. Wood. 53-yearold<br />
manager of Cushing's three theatres, died<br />
of a heart attack recently at his home. Wood,<br />
a native of Brady, Tex., had been associated<br />
with the Video theatres for more than 25<br />
years. He came to Cushing from Frederick,<br />
Okla., a year ago.<br />
"Our customers appreciate<br />
the some day delivery of orders. Only a<br />
tremendous stock con assure this service."<br />
i<br />
708 W. Grand Ph. RE 6-0911<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY,<br />
OKLA.<br />
Location in Saigon, Vietnam<br />
Joseph L. Mankiewicz, producer of "The<br />
Quiet American," is in Saigon, Vietnam,<br />
making final arrangements for the location<br />
shooting of the film to be released to UA.<br />
OKLAHOMA THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
628 West Grand Ave. Telephone: RE 6-8691<br />
Oklahoma City 2, Okla.<br />
SW-G BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
!<br />
People who go places like a light refreshment<br />
That's why Pepsi-Cola is America's<br />
fastest growing soft drink<br />
And Pepsi means more drinks per gallon-more profit per drink, too!<br />
Pepsi-Cola Company, 3 West 57th Street, New York 19, New York<br />
i<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 SW-7
—<br />
For Sharp, Straightforward^<br />
Focus • • • # ^<br />
That's<br />
right — to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
\<br />
CENTURY curved gates are patterned after the<br />
well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The<br />
new curved gate features solid, fixed film trap<br />
shoes. This sturdy precision design provides positive<br />
positioning of the film, therefore positive<br />
focus. The aperture plate was designed as an<br />
integral part of the film trap which serves to<br />
maintain the correct focus.<br />
PERFORMANCE PROOF: Note the following typical<br />
exhibitor comments:<br />
"Marked improvement on edge-toedge<br />
"The in and out<br />
focusing. Excellent results, of focus effect has<br />
both color and black and white<br />
were tested with equally good results.<br />
Most noticeable on newsreels."<br />
King Theatre, Honolulu<br />
. . . and many more.<br />
been all but eliminated,<br />
particularly<br />
on previously<br />
buckled film."<br />
Miracle Mile Drive-in,<br />
Ohio, U.S.A.<br />
See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid to better<br />
motion picture projection.<br />
Century Projector Corp.<br />
NEW YORK 19, N. Y.<br />
*^' •-- -' "ftw.'-j-..<br />
DISTRIBUTED<br />
BY<br />
Hardin Theatre Supply Co.<br />
714 South Hampton Road<br />
Dallas 11, Texos<br />
SW-8<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
:: February 16, 1957
Dubuque, Iowa, Avon<br />
To Close on April 1<br />
DUBUQUE. IOWA—A royal landmark on<br />
Dubuque's Main street will cease to exist on<br />
April 1. It is the Avon Theatre. When fu-st<br />
built in 1908. it was christened the Princess.<br />
It was then the latest in theatre architecture.<br />
A newspaper article appearing the day before<br />
the theatre opened proclaimed:<br />
"In this theatre, Dubuque has a structure<br />
that is attracting the interest of the theatrical<br />
architects of the country. It is the most<br />
complete and perfect building according to<br />
the modern ideas of theatre architecture<br />
that it is possible to design."<br />
That was 49 years ago. Today, the theatre's<br />
doors are closed forever. Its infancy was during<br />
the time of vaudeville. Its death comes<br />
in the rock and roll era of today. A multitude<br />
of eras spanned the years in between.<br />
And the Princess, later the Avon, housed<br />
entertainment which reflected those eras.<br />
The final end for the theatre will come<br />
April 1 when razing operations begin. It will<br />
make way for the new J. C. Penney department<br />
store.<br />
William Bradley built the theatre and,<br />
less than a year after it opened, leased it<br />
to Harvey Fulton, on behalf of the Standard<br />
Amusement Co. Then, in 1916, James Yiannias,<br />
now general manager of Associated<br />
Theatres, leased the house and has had the<br />
theatre since. At the time Yiannias took over<br />
the Pi'incess, the theatre no longer had<br />
vaudeville acts. He tried to revive them in<br />
1927, but was not too successful. M. F. Stangl,<br />
now a projectionist at the State Theatre,<br />
was employed as projectionist at the theatre<br />
from 1915 to 1956.<br />
The Princess, and later, the Avon, had its<br />
ups and downs. First it was a nickelodeon,<br />
then a first run house, later, a second run<br />
house. In 1956, the Princess began to falter,<br />
running only second time around movies<br />
three days a week. April 1, it will falter for<br />
good.<br />
Variety Seeks V2 Million<br />
For Its Heart Hospital<br />
MINNEAPOLIS—The Variety Club will<br />
resume<br />
its drive to raise $500,000 to finance a<br />
fifth floor for the heart hospital on the University<br />
of Minnesota campus. Chief Barker<br />
Sim Heller at a dinner meeting told members<br />
approximately $70,000 toward the goal already<br />
has been accumulated. The federal government<br />
will contribute a goodly share of the<br />
money needed to defray the cost.<br />
The additional floor will permit an extension<br />
of heart research work.<br />
There was a big turnout last Saturday night<br />
for the auxiliary's Valentine party and several<br />
hundred dollars were realized. This money<br />
will go to buy additional hospital TV sets and<br />
for gifts for children patients.<br />
New Lamberton 0^vne^<br />
LAMBERTON, MINN.—Elmer Vollmer has<br />
taken over operation of the Berton Theatre<br />
following purchase from O. B. Dahlgren of<br />
Walnut Grove, who continues to operate a<br />
theatre there. Vollmer, a native of Lamberton,<br />
and his family moved into the theatre<br />
apartments. The Berton had been owned<br />
by Dahlgren 15 years.<br />
Theatremen Enter Pleas<br />
Against Five-Cent Levy<br />
LINCOLN, NEB. — Amusement industry<br />
representatives turned out in force to oppose<br />
a bill before the Nebra.ska unicameral legislature<br />
which would establish a five cents per<br />
head amusement tax in the state. The bill<br />
was tabled.<br />
The measure was introduced in the unicameral<br />
legislature by Senator "Terrible Terry"<br />
Carpenter, who dreamed up the "Joe<br />
Smith for vice-president" gag at the Republican<br />
national convention and who, himself.<br />
is a drlve-in theatre owner among his many<br />
busine.ss interests.<br />
The big industry turnout at the hearing<br />
on the bill before the revenue committee,<br />
followed a plea by the Allied Independent<br />
Theatre Owners of Iowa, Nebraska and Midcentral<br />
and other organizations. The Allied<br />
bulletin pointed out that the proposal would<br />
amount to a 50 per cent tax on a ten-cent<br />
admission or 10 per cent tax on a 50-cent<br />
admi.ssion ticket.<br />
In the hearing, theatremen contended that<br />
the tax would just about sink the industry,<br />
which already had been dealt a severe blow<br />
by television.<br />
Speaking for the Nebraska Theatre Owners<br />
Ass'n, Robert R. Livingston of Lincoln,<br />
association president, said that "motion picture<br />
theatres have been harder hit in the<br />
last two years than any other type of amusement."<br />
He noted that three film exchanges<br />
out of eight in Omaha had gone out of business.<br />
Livingston said the cause of the decline<br />
is the increase in the number of television<br />
sets in the family home. He reported that<br />
Zorn in Benkelman Dark;<br />
E. Merle Gwin to Denver<br />
BENKELMAN, NEB. — The Zorn Theatre<br />
has been forced to close its doors because<br />
of insufficient patronage. E. Merle Gwin,<br />
owner, said dwindling patronage had made<br />
continued operation of the business impossible.<br />
Television competition was credited with<br />
cutting attendance here until the operation<br />
of the business was not only unprofitable<br />
but for the past two years had failed to meet<br />
expenses.<br />
Gwin, who came to Benkelman in 1948<br />
after buying the business from Mrs. Marie<br />
Zorn, has accepted a position in Denver and<br />
the family plans to move there as soon as<br />
school is out in May.<br />
The inroads on theatre attendance by television<br />
was felt locally almost with the coming<br />
of Channel 6 at Hayes Center. Gwin was<br />
determined to close the theatre at this time<br />
last year after several profitless months of<br />
operation preceding the new year. Local business<br />
people, in an effort to keep the theatre<br />
in operation, joined together in presenting<br />
a free show each month to bolster the theatre's<br />
revenues. Continued loss of patronage,<br />
however, and the resulting loss in the expense<br />
of operation of the theatre made the<br />
continuation of the theatre's operation impossible.<br />
Gwin is known in the film industry as a<br />
67 per cent of the homes in the state now<br />
have television, 87 per cent in Douglas Coimty<br />
(Omaha) have sets and 81 per cent in<br />
Lancaster County (Lincoln).<br />
Opponents to the bill included Lincoln<br />
City Attorney Jack Pace, who claimed the<br />
bill might be unconstitutional as regards to<br />
taxing governmental subdivisions. He said<br />
the activities it would involve include dancing,<br />
swimming, golf and amusements planned<br />
at the city auditorium.<br />
A. Q. Schimmel, president of the Lincoln<br />
Baseball Club, said an amusement tax would<br />
be "most injurious" to the club, an affiliate<br />
of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He said the tax<br />
could not be passed on to the purchaser of a<br />
ticket because the price does not change. He<br />
said the tax "could possibly eliminate baseball<br />
in Lincoln" and elsewhere over the state.<br />
Others who protested the Carpenter bill<br />
included Ed Schultz, secretary of the State<br />
Fair board: R. C. Patterson, state adjutant<br />
of the American Legion, who said it would<br />
cut down the number of Junior Legion teams,<br />
and Howard Kennedy of Broken Bow, drivein<br />
and four-wall theatre owner, who told<br />
the committee flatly "the tax would put us<br />
out of business."<br />
Senator Carpenter was the only person<br />
appearing for the bill. Before the hearing<br />
started, he circulated an amendment proposal<br />
which would exempt many amusements,<br />
would provide that the tax wouldn't<br />
apply on any amusement of 50 cents and<br />
would exempt certain charities.<br />
The revenue committee voted 5-to-2 to<br />
temporarily table the bill.<br />
capable businessman and exhibitor. Since<br />
coming to Benkelman in 1948, he built the<br />
Zorn Theatre into one of the finest theatres<br />
in the area, making many physical improvements<br />
in the plant and exhibiting the newest<br />
films. The theatre had a following from<br />
all surrounding towns and maintained a large<br />
mailing list of regular out-of-town customers.<br />
Whenever something new developed in the<br />
industry, he was the first to bring it to<br />
local theatregoers. He maintained the best<br />
in projection equipment and his sound system<br />
was the finest in the area. He was the<br />
first to show three dimension features and<br />
pioneered CinemaScope in the territory, being<br />
the first theatre in a hundred-mile circle to<br />
oring the new process to its patrons.<br />
Theatre Aide Gets Point<br />
V\^rong; Check for $11,000<br />
BISMARCK, N.<br />
D.—Theatre manager Bob<br />
Rosen was thankful that his English assistant,<br />
John Sayer, was working with dollars<br />
and not the English pounds which are worth<br />
almost $3 each.<br />
Reason is that Sayer was making out the<br />
payroll checks for theatre employes and his<br />
pen slipped, and Rosen signed a check for<br />
$11,000 instead of $1,100.<br />
Fortunately the slip was discovered before<br />
the check was cashed.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 NC-1
. . Sophie<br />
. . Jim<br />
. . Lynn<br />
. . Omaha<br />
. . Norman<br />
. .<br />
OMAHA<br />
\X7 F. Horstman is reopening the Princess<br />
Theatre at Odebolt, Iowa, which had<br />
been closed since December. Also reopening<br />
is the De Lux Theatre at Kingsley. Iowa,<br />
operated by Lee Bainbridge . has<br />
been a busy spot for exploiteers: Harry Rice<br />
has been working on Columbia's "Full of<br />
Life" which opens at the Brandeis February<br />
20. and Sam Hart has been setting up<br />
"Battle Hymn." Universal has scheduled a<br />
special screening of "Battle Hymn" at the<br />
Orpheum for the Omaha Council of Church<br />
Women and other religious groups.<br />
Georgia Rasely, exhibitor at O'Neill, reported<br />
unusual success with her tieup of<br />
school participation in showing "War and<br />
Peace" with cooperation of the school superintendent<br />
. Hemengway has been<br />
named assistant booker at Columbia, replac-<br />
White of<br />
ing Martin Hoberman .<br />
Quality Theatre Supply now has a parttime<br />
cast" for his knee injured recently in<br />
an auto accident. He can remove it at night,<br />
but must wear it around the house daytime.<br />
Filmrow Local 47 has scheduled its annual<br />
party for February 20 at the Sparetime steak<br />
house . Volker of the Film Depot<br />
staff has been released from Methodist Hospital<br />
after treatment for a virus infection.<br />
Dorothy Weaver. 20th-Fox assistant cashier,<br />
reported her mother, Mrs. Helen Grabert,<br />
«VcAiTRAItEB<br />
630 Ninth Ava. NEW YORK, N.Y.<br />
1327 S. Wabash CHICAGO, ILL.<br />
74, is hospitalized at Methodist with a fractured<br />
hip . . . Bob Hirz. Warner office manager,<br />
said his son Jon and daughter Mary Jo<br />
have a handful of new pets, triplet lambs<br />
born on theu- grandfather's farm near Murray<br />
. Nielson, former RKO manager,<br />
and his wife are vacationing in Phoenix.<br />
. . .<br />
Al Gardner, former Warner salesman and<br />
former owner of the theatre at Logan, Iowa,<br />
flew into Omaha in his new three-place<br />
plane from Texas for a visit. Gardner is now<br />
in the newspaper business near Waco .<br />
Mrs. Elaine Farris has replaced Rita Miller<br />
as booker's stenogTapher at Warners<br />
George Regan. 20th-Fox manager, was fogbound<br />
in Sioux City last week. Weather<br />
which grounded all planes was so soupy he<br />
was delayed on his trip home by car.<br />
Mons Thompson, former exhibitor at St.<br />
Paul, visited Omaha on his trip back from<br />
the northwest. Other visitors on Filmrow<br />
included lowans Charles Vickers. Mapleton;<br />
Dick Johnson and Prank Good. Red Oak;<br />
Nate Sandler. Missom'i Valley: Mrs. Mona<br />
Pace, Malvern: W. F. Horstman. Odebolt:<br />
Lee Bainbridge. Kingsley: Jamie Booth, Harland.<br />
and Nebraskans Leonard and Al Leise,<br />
Hartington and Randolph: Howard Kennedy,<br />
Broken Bow'. and South Dakotan George<br />
March. Vermillion.<br />
January Chattel Peak<br />
MINNEAPOLIS—In January there were<br />
6.785 chattel mortgages and conditional sales<br />
contracts filed here, reflecting purchases on<br />
so-called "easy payments" of such items as<br />
television sets, autos, etc. The number of such<br />
chattel mortgages and conditional sales contracts<br />
were the highest for any one January<br />
since 1941. when there were 7.561. It compares<br />
with the highest—8,151 in January 1930,<br />
when the big depression was starting to make<br />
itself<br />
Sound and<br />
Projection<br />
No matter what equipment you are now using, you'll profit by<br />
consulting with WESTERN for—<br />
PARTS, SERVICE and TECHNICAL "KNOW-HOW<br />
felt.<br />
Problems ?<br />
to keep those patrons coming with<br />
O^nx^ed SCREEN PRESENTATION<br />
Let us show you the<br />
many advantages of<br />
nationally-famous<br />
WESTERN<br />
THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
214 N. Fifteenth. Omaha. Neb. .. Phone: Atlantic 9046<br />
RCA EQUIPMENT<br />
and SUPPLIES<br />
Everything in<br />
Theatre<br />
Equipment<br />
and<br />
Supplies<br />
UA Combo Opens Well<br />
At Minneapolis<br />
MINNEAPOLIS— Aside from "The Big<br />
Land" and the "Wild Party"-"Four Boys and<br />
a Gun" combination, and the holdovers,<br />
particularly "Anastasia" and "Teahouse of<br />
the August Moon" in their seventh weeks, the<br />
Loop going was slow. "Slander," doing badly,<br />
only completed six of its seven State days.<br />
(Average Is 100)<br />
Gopher—Teahouse of the August Moon (MGM),<br />
7th wi^ i25<br />
Lyric—Wild Party (UA). Four Boys and a Gun<br />
(UA) 125<br />
Orpheum—Gun For a Coward (U-l) 90<br />
Pan—The Wrong Man (WB), 2nd wic 100<br />
Radio City—The Big Land (WB) 100<br />
State—Slander (MGM) 70<br />
World— Anastasia (20th-Fox), 7th wk 150<br />
'Teahouse' Into<br />
Seventh Week<br />
After Sixth Week Score of 110<br />
OMAHA—The alltime record run at the<br />
State Theatre is being extended still further.<br />
"The Teahouse of the August Moon." which<br />
smashed the mark when it was held for a<br />
sixth week, has been held for a seventh week<br />
and there is a chance it will go another. The<br />
sixth week receipts totaled 110 per cent. None<br />
of the other downtown offerings reached<br />
average.<br />
Brandeis— Don't Knock the Rock (Col); Rumble<br />
on the Docks (Col) 85<br />
Omaha—Three Brave Men (20th-Fox) 85<br />
Orpheum—The Wrong Man (WB) 80<br />
State—The Teahouse of the August Moon (MGM),<br />
6th wk no<br />
Surge of Films to TV Does<br />
No Harm to Boxoffice<br />
MINNEAPOLIS—The boxoffice takes here<br />
are holding up well in the face of the telecasting<br />
of pre- 1948 MGM and 20th-Pox<br />
pictures, now going into their second month<br />
on the air. Charles Winchell. Minnesota<br />
Amusement Co president-general manager,<br />
commented;<br />
"I see no indication that our business has<br />
been affected adversely since video started<br />
shooting away with the better and newer<br />
film product and its big exploitation campaigns<br />
in behalf of such attractions. When<br />
we have the attractions we still enjoy good<br />
and normal gi'osses, the same as before the<br />
TV advent of such pictures. My conclusion<br />
is that the ranks of video watchers haven't<br />
been swollen appreciably, if at all. although,<br />
perhaps, there have been shifts in TV audiences.<br />
"There's no way of telling exactly, but I<br />
don't believe that we're losing any more<br />
customers or that more people than before<br />
are being kept away from the theatres."<br />
Sells<br />
Theatre Building<br />
GENEVA. NEB.—Marguerite Freeman, who<br />
operates Marguerite's Shop here, has purchased<br />
the Rialto Theatre building from Mr.<br />
and Mrs. Tom Ewalt, who had owned it for<br />
11 years. Ewalt will continue to operate the<br />
theatre with the present employes, Mi-, and<br />
Mrs. Harry Goold and Martin Burroughs.<br />
Part of the building is occupied by the Jacox<br />
jewelry and clothing store.<br />
Leaves Main Street Dark<br />
LAUREL. NEB.—The Laurel Theatre closing<br />
has left a huge dark spot nightly on<br />
Main street. John Calcavecchia, operator,<br />
said he had done everything in his power<br />
to keep the theatre going but the financial<br />
drain was too great.<br />
'i<br />
i<br />
NC-2 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
.<br />
AN EDITORIAL<br />
"ONE OF THE FINEST<br />
and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of<br />
Hollywood in some time . .<br />
" Tull of Life' is neither sexy nor a dirty motion picture.<br />
It dwells on a delicate and realistic subject yet it does<br />
it in a way that is completely wholesome and a person<br />
leaves the theater feeling good instead of feeling that he<br />
has just finished a jaunt through a fetid sewer.<br />
"We haven't a doubt in the world that the people who<br />
see the film Tull of Life' will<br />
enjoy every minute of it<br />
and will<br />
emerge from the theater knowing they have<br />
seen one of the finest<br />
and one of the most heart-warming<br />
pictures to come out of Hollywood in some time."<br />
JUDY HOLLIDAY<br />
RICHARD CONTE<br />
FAMILY FUN<br />
I ESTHER MINCIOm • JOE DeSANTIS • SILVIO MINCIOTTI<br />
SCTMn Pl«y by JOHN FANTE • B.IM1 on th. NonI by JOHN FANTE<br />
Prodund by FRCD KOHLMAfI • DIrwtwl by RICHARD QUINE A COLUMBIA PICTURE
. . . "Anastasia"<br />
. . Charlene<br />
. . Kathryn<br />
. . Royce<br />
D E S<br />
MOINES<br />
The special screening: of Paramount's "The<br />
Ten Commandments," held February 8<br />
at the Uptown Theatre, had all the earmarks<br />
of a first night performance! The theatre,<br />
temporarily closed by Tri-States, was lighted<br />
NATIONAL<br />
THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
W. R. DAVIS<br />
Phone ATlontic 8-3097<br />
1120 High St. Des Moines 9, Iowa<br />
again for the event. Executives from Filmrow<br />
and the theatre circuits, exhibitors, and representatives<br />
from radio, television and the<br />
press, as well as civic organizations, were in<br />
attendance. Mr. and Mrs. Don Hicks and<br />
Jerry Bloedow, who is handling promotion<br />
for the picture, were in the lobby to greet<br />
guests. Plans are to sell blocks of seats to<br />
organizations for evening performances when<br />
the film opens at the Paramount March 7.<br />
All seats for the evening show will be reserved.<br />
The flu bug, which is prevalent in Des<br />
Moines has hit several Pilmrowers. Among<br />
•<br />
• Our Sound Service is under the<br />
direction of H. L. Jepson.<br />
•<br />
•<br />
• Our Modern Repair Shop will repair<br />
your Standard and Super Simplex,<br />
Century and Motiograph Projectors.<br />
John McCallum in charge<br />
Our Sales Department is luider the<br />
direction of Dick Sutton.<br />
OWNERS<br />
R. G. FAULDS ESTATE<br />
A. E. THTF.T.E<br />
DES MOINES THEATRE SUPPLY CO.<br />
1121-23 High Street Des Moines, Iowa Phone CHerry 3-6520<br />
the sufferers last weekend were Ralph and<br />
Betty Olson of Universal and DCA, respectively!<br />
. Cannon has resigned<br />
her position at Universal, and Edna Cloonen.<br />
former RKO cashier, has taken over her<br />
duties . Volk has her longawaited<br />
grandchild—another boy—making it<br />
three grandsons for Kathryn. U-I inspector.<br />
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Kubby plan a trip to<br />
Denver. Colo., within the next few weeks to<br />
see their new grandson . Winkelman,<br />
manager of the Charles Theatre in<br />
Charles City, has gone to the Mayo Clinic<br />
m Rochester for a checkup. Mrs. Winkelman<br />
accompanied him to the Minnesota hospital<br />
began its third week at the<br />
Ingersoll Theatre here and continued to<br />
draw good crowds.<br />
Memorial Glidden, Iowa<br />
Is Reopened by Legion<br />
GLIDDEN. IOWA—The Glidden Memorial<br />
Theatre reopened again the first of the<br />
month with "Kettles in the Ozarks."<br />
Decision to open the theatre was made at<br />
the regular January meeting of the Merle<br />
Hay American Legion. The theatre has been<br />
closed since last summer.<br />
Numerous requests have been made for the<br />
theatre to resume operation. Once again Pat<br />
Bruning assumed the major responsibility<br />
for<br />
booking movies, and managing the theatre.<br />
Other Legion members volunteered to<br />
stand ready to help out with the managerial<br />
duties.<br />
In reopening the theatre, the Legion emphasized<br />
that the movies can continue only<br />
as long as they are supported by the community.<br />
The Legion post cannot afford to<br />
operate the theatre at a lo.ss. If people in<br />
the community desire a theatre, it must be<br />
supported by attendance of adults as well<br />
as children and students.<br />
Two shows a week will be booked, one for<br />
Thursday and Saturday and another for<br />
Sunday and Monday.<br />
Once again Glidden business men will do<br />
their part in support of the theatre by purchasing<br />
about $100 worth of Booster tickets<br />
per month. Any other people in Glidden or<br />
the surrounding community who want to<br />
purchase tickets on a monthly basis to help<br />
assure continued operation of the theatre<br />
should contact Manager Pat Bruning or Bob<br />
Van Horn at the bank.<br />
Theatre Tickets Prizes<br />
In Chuckle Ad Contest<br />
AMES. IOWA—The Ames Daily Tribune<br />
has started a "chuckle ad contest" in which<br />
any reader may win a free ticket for Ames<br />
shows. Participants will get a lot of chuckles<br />
out of it and each day three acceptable<br />
"chuckle ads" will earn free tickets to the<br />
New Ames, Collegian or Varsity theatres. The<br />
rules for the contest are as follows:<br />
1. Read the want ad section of the Tribune<br />
and, using three, four or five lines from various<br />
ads, put together an amusing advertisement.<br />
Whole lines must be used.<br />
2. Paste the ads from which you have used<br />
whole lines on a sheet of paper, underlining<br />
the lines to be used.<br />
3. Write your name and address on the<br />
sheet of paper and bring or mail to the<br />
Tribune.<br />
J<br />
NC-4 BOXOFFICE :: February 16. 1957
For Sharp, Straightforward^<br />
Focus • • • # ^<br />
That's<br />
right -to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
I<br />
I<br />
I<br />
CENTURY curved gates are patterned c
MILWAUKEE<br />
fJarry Boesel, Fox Palace Theatre manager,<br />
was in the throes of promoting "The<br />
True Story of Jesse James." Already accomplished<br />
was the promotion of a three-column<br />
feature article on Bob Wagner, star of the<br />
film, in the Milwaukee Journal green sheet.<br />
However, the highlight of the exploitation<br />
in addition to arranging a press luncheon<br />
the Schlitz Brown Bottle was<br />
for the star at<br />
his pulling out all the stops in gathering an<br />
immense crowd of teenagers at the theatre<br />
to welcome Wagner.<br />
Joe Reynolds, manager of the Towne Theatre,<br />
also was busy. His guest was Yul Brynner<br />
at a meeting for the press at the Warner<br />
screening room. Brynner had a rather active<br />
day, since in addition to radio and TV<br />
appearances, he spoke at Marquette University's<br />
Memorial Hall in connection with<br />
the crime commission prevention week, sponsored<br />
by the commission, police officials,<br />
school, church and civic groups.<br />
The possibility of showing religious films<br />
in neighborhood theatres is being studied by<br />
a committee of the Lutheran Church-Missouri<br />
synod. The Rev. Herman W. Gockel,<br />
one of the committee members, commentea<br />
thusly on the matter: "For more than a<br />
generation, the church has been bewailing<br />
the influence which the neighborhood motion<br />
picture has had on the mmds and hearts<br />
of those who attend it. Might it be that the<br />
church could make a positive contribution<br />
to the American community by availing itself<br />
of this admittedly influential medium and<br />
exerting its influence for good?" There are<br />
a8 Missouri synod churches in the Milwaukee<br />
area.<br />
Another contribution pertaining to motion<br />
pictures comes from the Rev. John W. Cyrus,<br />
minister of the First Unitarian Church. In<br />
his most recent sermon from the pulpit, he<br />
said: "Censor.ship mistakes the nature of<br />
the moral problem of this or any other age.<br />
Censorship Is an effort to control the intake<br />
of eyes, ears and minds! It is an effort of<br />
a few to determine what the many shall or<br />
shall not see, hear, think or feel." His reaction<br />
was in connection with an effort being<br />
made to create a board of censors or<br />
its equivalent to safeguard the local film<br />
going public.<br />
Milwaukee has had its bomb scare, too.<br />
A call was made to both police headquarters<br />
and the Riverside Theatre boxoffice at 8:25<br />
p.m. Satui'day i2) that a bomb would go off<br />
at 8:30 p.m. The film, "The Teahouse of the<br />
August Moon," was being shown and it was<br />
impossible to search the theatre in five minutes,<br />
so Manager E. J. Clumb ordered the<br />
picture stopped, and announced to the viewers,<br />
some 2,000 in attendance, that a package<br />
of great value had been lost and that the<br />
police would search for it. The theatre was<br />
not cleared, and after the search, the picture<br />
was resumed. It was a moment for Clumb<br />
which called for some fast thinking.<br />
600 Kids Flee Fire<br />
HURON. S. D. — Six hundred children<br />
marched out of the Huron Theatre here on<br />
a recent Saturday afternoon without disorder<br />
or injury when fire swept the interior<br />
of the building. The theatre owner, projectionist<br />
and a high school boy usher took<br />
charge of the situation immediately after<br />
discovery of the fire. The interior of the<br />
building was destroyed.<br />
Three Raise Admissions<br />
MEDFORD, WIS.—Theatres in this area,<br />
the Avon here, the Colby at Colby and the<br />
Abby at Abbotsford, have increased admission<br />
prices. All three houses set adult prices,<br />
for patrons over 18, 60 cents, and children's<br />
tickets for youngsters under 12, at 20 cents.<br />
The Avon's price for students—the 12-17 age<br />
group— is 40 cents, while the Colby and Abby<br />
have 45-cent student admission prices.<br />
'^rf?.yj''^}^. SIOUX CITY, IOWA—The ^J"^,!^,"^Y Hollywood<br />
..<br />
Theatre<br />
and the 75 Drive-In of Sioux City have<br />
been taken over by Irwin Dubinsky of Lincoln,<br />
Neb. Dubinsky also has the West O<br />
Street and Skyview drive-ins in Lincoln. The<br />
Hollywood and 75 Drive-In formerly were operated<br />
by the Affiliated Theatres of Sioux<br />
City.<br />
Michael Redgrave has joined the cast of<br />
UA's "The Quiet American" on location in<br />
Saigon. Vietnam.<br />
HANDY SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM<br />
BOXOFFICE:<br />
825 Van Brunt Blvd.. Kansas City 24, Mo.<br />
Please enter my subscription to BOXOFFICE, 52 issues per year (13 of which contain<br />
The MODERN THEATRE Section).<br />
D S3.00 FOR 1 YEAR D $5.00 FOR 2 'reARS $7.00 FOR 3 YEARS<br />
n Remittance Enclosed D Send Invoice<br />
THEATRE<br />
STREET ADDRESS<br />
TOWN<br />
NAME<br />
STATE<br />
POSITION<br />
John Waller, 79, Stricken;<br />
Osceola, Iowa Showman<br />
OSCEOLA, IOWA—John Waller, owner of<br />
the Lyric and leading Osceola businessman<br />
for 40 years, died recently at the Clarke<br />
County Hospital. He was 79 years old. Waller<br />
was a pioneer in the motion picture business<br />
in this community, having first owned the<br />
Lyric before World War I. He sold the business<br />
and was gone for a few years, returning<br />
in the early '20s. A few years later he built<br />
the modern theatre building on the west<br />
side of the square.<br />
In addition to his motion picture interests,<br />
he was very active in civic affairs. He was<br />
president of the Clarke County State Bank<br />
for many years, president of the Osceola<br />
school board for a number of years, chairman<br />
of the Osceola water works board of trustees<br />
from its organization, charter member of the<br />
Osceola Rotary Club, active member of the<br />
Chamber of Commerce and before its organization,<br />
active in other business clubs,<br />
member of the Odd Fellows Lodge and of<br />
the Christian Church.<br />
Survivors include his wife and two daughters,<br />
Mrs. Marjorie Hutte and Mrs. Carmen<br />
Byers, both of Osceola.<br />
The Clarke County State Bank has started<br />
a fund to buy an oxygen tent for the Clarke<br />
County Hospital as a memorial to Waller.<br />
Builds Kid Matinees<br />
MANNING, IOWA—Marion Young, new<br />
owner of the Crystal, is promoting the cooperation<br />
of the Manning Chamber of Commerce<br />
and business firms in behalf of Saturday<br />
matinees for the youngsters. Young, his<br />
wife and daughter Nancy moved here from<br />
Anamosa following purchase of the theatre<br />
from J. Fred Dethlefs, who had closed the<br />
house because of illness.<br />
AA Files in Wisconsin<br />
MADISON, WIS.—Allied Ai'tists Pictures of<br />
Illinois, a Delaware corporation, has registered<br />
with the secretary of state here to do<br />
business in Wisconsin, "to manufacture and<br />
deal in all kinds of still and motion pictures,<br />
picture records and files, etc." The application<br />
shows a capital stock of 100 shares of<br />
common of no par value all paid In.<br />
Close Eau Claire Badger<br />
EAU CLAIRE. WIS.—After 31 years in operation,<br />
the Badger Theatre here has closed.<br />
The house was owned by the Louise Homes<br />
estate and it will be remodeled into a twostory<br />
office building. It was operated by the<br />
Minnesota Amusement Co.. which gave up<br />
the lease voluntarily. The theatre was opened<br />
in 1925 as the Wisconsin Theatre.<br />
Ticket-Taker, 83, 111.<br />
MINNEAPOLIS—Andrew Murdock is absent<br />
from his post at the State. The 83-yearold<br />
ticket-taker was taken suddenly ill and<br />
is in Swedish Hospital. During his four years<br />
with the theatre. Murdock never missed a<br />
single day. except last summer when he took<br />
a vacation trip to his native Scotland.<br />
'Shadow,' Story of Blind Girl<br />
A blind girl and a circus magician to whom<br />
she is married are the central characters in<br />
UA's "The Shadow." a circus story.<br />
NC-6 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
. . Frank<br />
. .<br />
Hialeah Optimists Fete<br />
Essex Manager Oakerson<br />
HIALEAH. FLA.— Walton Oakerson. manager<br />
of the Essex Theatre, has been awarded<br />
a plaque for his "outstanding youth work<br />
over an extended period" by the Hialeah Oplimlsts<br />
Club. Oakerson. known to everyone<br />
as "Oakie," has a long career of pleasing,<br />
placating and sometimes reprimanding youngsters,<br />
and his influence and good work has<br />
gone with the tots into their teens. Through<br />
his understanding of and appeal to youngsters<br />
and teenagers, he brought the theatre's regular<br />
Saturday matinee attendance up over the<br />
1.000 mark.<br />
Oakerson's interest in youngsters began<br />
with his theatre work, but has led him into<br />
broader fields to the point where he is<br />
frequently called upon by officers of the<br />
juvenile divisions of police departments for<br />
consultation and assistance.<br />
Foreign Film Series Pays<br />
At Columbia Sub Run<br />
COLUMBIA. S. C—A neighborhood theatre<br />
carefully planned for-<br />
here has found that a<br />
eign film series stimulates wide interest and<br />
pays off at the boxoffice.<br />
The Five Points Theatre has entered another<br />
year of semimonthly Columbia Fine<br />
Films Committee programs in a tie-in with<br />
local citizens that Manager Robert Scott says<br />
has been mutually beneficial.<br />
The citizens group selects the film titles<br />
it feels should be played. It submits the titles<br />
to Scott and he makes arrangements to play<br />
the pictures. Then, the committee contacts<br />
the local newspapers and other publicity<br />
sources in advance of playdates.<br />
It adds up to SRO business on nights when<br />
dated films would be playing to scant crowds.<br />
Austin Palmer Shifted<br />
To Clermont by Martin<br />
WILDWOOD. FLA.— Austin Palmer, city<br />
councilman and fire chief of Wildwood. submitted<br />
his resignation when other duties<br />
called him to leave the city. Palmer has<br />
served as manager of the Martin Theatre for<br />
a number of years and now has been transferred<br />
to Clermont, where he will manage<br />
the Lake Theatre and Clearview Drive-In.<br />
Tillman Watson of Clermont will replace<br />
Palmer as manager of the Martin.<br />
Bridgewater Capitol<br />
Is Destroyed by Blaze<br />
BRIDGEWATER, N. S.—The Capitol Theatre<br />
was destroyed by fire. The 620-seat house<br />
was the largest of the two theatres operating<br />
in this town of about 4.000 population. The<br />
other is the 475-seat Avon. Both are owned<br />
by the SFA Ltd. of which Arthur A. Fielding<br />
is president. The fii'e was discovered on Sunday<br />
morning, and the cause as yet undetermined.<br />
Named to CofC Board<br />
HARTFORD—Lou Cohen, manager of<br />
Loew's Poll, has been named amusement industry<br />
delegate to the retail trade board of<br />
the Chamber of Commerce for 1957.<br />
HARTFORD—Harry Goldstein, eastern exploitation<br />
manager for Allied Artists, conferred<br />
with Ray McNamara, Allyn Theatre, on<br />
regional bow of "Blonde Sinner."<br />
MINNEAPOLIS<br />
T ocal exchange managers and film salesmen<br />
at a Brotherhood Week rally planned a<br />
campaign to sign up exhibitors, theatre and<br />
exchange employes for contributions during<br />
February 17-24. Tom Burke and Hy Chapman<br />
are exhibitor and exchange chairmen .<br />
S. D. Kane. North Central Allied executive<br />
counsel, anticipates a large attendance at the<br />
annual convention here March 1, 2. A committee<br />
headed by Vice-President E. L. Peaslee<br />
is seeking a presidential candidate to succeed<br />
Ben Berger who is stepping out after<br />
11 years. Berger was due back from a Florida<br />
vacation Saturday (16 1.<br />
Fay Dressell and Fred Finnegan, former<br />
RKO branch manager and head booker, are<br />
considering several job offers . . . Don<br />
Swartz. film distributor, was in New York<br />
lining up product . Braden, former<br />
Ringling Bros, circus press agent, was in<br />
and out of town in the interest of "The Ten<br />
Commandments" which will open at the<br />
Lyric here with a Minneapolis League of<br />
Catholic Women's benefit February 21. The<br />
tickets will range from $5 to $50 . . Ted<br />
.<br />
Mann, circuit owner, returned from a California<br />
visit with his family who are wintering<br />
there.<br />
E. G. Fitzgibbons, Paramount exploiteer,<br />
was here w'orking on "The Rainmaker" which<br />
goes into Radio City February 22 . . . Allied<br />
Artists ran large co-op newspaper ads for<br />
the nine local neighborhood houses where<br />
"Friendly Persuasion" opened last week . . .<br />
Film actor Robert Wagner is due here on<br />
the 18th in connection with "The True Story<br />
of Jesse James" in which he stars.<br />
Wisconsin Rapids Palace<br />
To Be Recreation Center<br />
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WIS.—The Kruger-<br />
Walrath Realty Corp., which recently pui--<br />
chased the Palace Theatre building at 141<br />
Third Ave. South, is remodeling the structure<br />
for conversion into a ballroom and recreation<br />
center.<br />
Tlie ballroom, which will accommodate 400<br />
persons, will be available for public and private<br />
dances and for group sales conferences,<br />
demonstrations, banquets, wedding receptions<br />
and all types of parties. The basement has<br />
been leased to Mr. and Mrs. William Leder<br />
for use as a recreation parlor. They will install<br />
facilities for billiards and other games<br />
and a soda fountain.<br />
Blair State Shuttered<br />
BLAIR, WIS.—The State Theatre here has<br />
been closed by Fi'ank Lesmeister, owner and<br />
manager, after nine years of operation. Lesmeister<br />
said he had been considering closing<br />
the house since last fall when business became<br />
poor.<br />
A Candidate for Supervisor<br />
MANITOWOC, WIS. — John Buran. tor<br />
many years manager of the Opera House<br />
here and now manager of the Rivoli in<br />
two Rivers, is a candidate for supervisor in<br />
the Seventh ward there. He has been a resident<br />
of this county for 36 years.<br />
Giorgia Moll, a German-Italian beauty, has<br />
been signed by Joseph Mankiewicz for the<br />
role of Phuong in "The Quiet American."<br />
RESEARCH mm<br />
for<br />
MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS<br />
ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION<br />
The MODERN THEATRE<br />
PLANNING INSTITUTE<br />
825 Van Brunt Blvd.<br />
Kansas City 24, Mo.<br />
Gentlemen:<br />
2-16-57<br />
Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU<br />
to receive inlormation regularly, as released, on<br />
the lollowing subjects lor Theatre Planning:<br />
D Acoustics<br />
n Air Conditioning<br />
n Architectural Serrica<br />
D "Black" Lighting<br />
D Building Material<br />
n Carpets<br />
G Coin Machines<br />
n Complete Remodeling<br />
Decorating<br />
D Drink Dispensers<br />
D Drive-In<br />
Equipment<br />
D Other Subjects..<br />
Theatre<br />
Seating Capacity...<br />
Address<br />
City<br />
State<br />
Signed<br />
n Lighting Fixtures<br />
n Plumbing Fixtures<br />
Projectors<br />
n Projection<br />
Lamps<br />
n Seating<br />
n Signs and Marquees<br />
n Sound Equipment<br />
n Television<br />
D Theatre Fronts<br />
n Vending Equipment<br />
Postage-paid reply cords for your further convenience<br />
in obtaining information are provided in MODERN<br />
The<br />
THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of<br />
each month.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 NC-7
Do You Have<br />
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE?<br />
Read the<br />
Inside<br />
Back Cover of<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
Regularly<br />
Do You<br />
Need<br />
Need<br />
Help?<br />
f<br />
Do<br />
You<br />
Equipment?<br />
Want to<br />
LEASE?<br />
Do You Have<br />
CONFECTIONS<br />
IJde<br />
For Sale?<br />
tL<br />
J<br />
Do<br />
Want a Job?<br />
Do You Have<br />
A THEATRE FOR SALE?<br />
You Want<br />
To Buy a Theatre?<br />
CLEARING<br />
O/<br />
ONLY<br />
15c<br />
PER WORD<br />
4 insertions<br />
for the<br />
price of 3<br />
/uiit olJJiSL /loluyn Luduni, Jrdwiliu<br />
HOUSE<br />
• • • • /n<br />
E<br />
NC-8 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
—<br />
Variety No. 3 Installs<br />
New Officers for '57<br />
CINCINNATI— Al the annual joint installation<br />
dinner dance of Variety Tent 3 recently,<br />
William Onie, local exhibitor, was installed<br />
as chief barker and Mrs. Arthur Van<br />
Gelder wa-s installed as president of the<br />
auxiliary.<br />
Also installed were Ruben Shor, fii-st assistant<br />
barker; Nathan S. Wise, second assistant:<br />
Saul Greenberg, secretary; James<br />
McDonald, dough guy, and directors Noah<br />
Schechter, Jim Joseph, Abe Mains. Stuart<br />
Jacobson, Jack Kalan and Bernard Dabney.<br />
Past chief barkers are Robert C. McNabb,<br />
Edward Salzberg, Herman Hunt, Vance<br />
Schwartz and Allan Moritz.<br />
For the auxiliary Mrs. Jack Finberg was installed<br />
as first vice-president; Mrs. Abe<br />
Strauss, second vice-president; Mrs. Jerry<br />
Wall, secretary; Mrs. Charles Wolfson,<br />
treasurer, and directors include Mrs. Phil<br />
Fox, Mrs. Robert Jacobs, Mrs. Saul Greenberg,<br />
Mrs. Allan Moritz, Mj-s. William Onie,<br />
Mrs. Morris Dennis. Mrs. Abe Maius, Mrs.<br />
Jack Onie, Mrs. Harry Pollins and Mrs. Nate<br />
Wise. Mrs. Herman Hunt is the immediate<br />
past president.<br />
George Hoover, executive director of<br />
Variety International from Miami, Pla., was<br />
here for the event. Robert C. McNabb, outgoing<br />
chief barker, was given a portable<br />
TV as a gift, and Mrs. Hunt received a<br />
portable radio. Mrs. Hunt was ill and unable<br />
to attend. Her gift was accepted by her<br />
husband.<br />
Films More Objectionable<br />
Columbus Paper Charges<br />
COLUMBUS—Filmmakers "have considerably<br />
over-reached themselves" in the making<br />
of objectionable motion pictures since the<br />
general decline of censorship, said the Columbus<br />
Dispatch editorially.<br />
"We have a feeling that censorship bills<br />
introduced recently in the Ohio legislature<br />
will find support in a good many quarters<br />
ordinarily opposed to censorship of any<br />
kind," said the Dispatch.<br />
"We are instinctively opposed to censorship<br />
of any sort and we do not believe that arbitrary<br />
cen.sorship ever finally solves any<br />
problem," continued the editorial. "There<br />
are too many imponderables involved in any<br />
creative work—a movie, play or a book— to<br />
lay down arbitrary standards that will satisfy<br />
everyone.<br />
"Nevertheless, so long as a minority of<br />
moviemakers continues to confuse liberty<br />
with license and to turn out pictures which<br />
affront the ordinary decencies in the eyes<br />
of so many moviegoers, we fear they stand<br />
in increasing danger of fastening an unwanted<br />
censorship on the whole industry."<br />
The Dispatch said that "more producers<br />
have defied the production code by releasing<br />
pictures without the code seal and the<br />
recent revisions in the code have been in<br />
the direction of more, not less, leeway for<br />
questionable screenfare." The newspaper<br />
said the caliber of films shown in Ohio<br />
"measured by the decency yardstick has<br />
deteriorated notably." The paper said "more<br />
objectionable pictures have been shown and<br />
some have reached a new low in vulgarity,<br />
salacity, obscenity and too-frank depiction<br />
for general audiences of themes and situations<br />
entirely unsuitable for the young."<br />
Art Film Is 'Critics Movie That u/es<br />
At Boxoffice/ But Outlook Improves<br />
TOLEDO—Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein,<br />
the renowned Russian cinematic dramatist,<br />
might quiver in pain at the description of<br />
ABE LUDACER<br />
an art film as "a critic's movie that drops<br />
dead at the boxoffice." But that's the<br />
practical summation of the art film's drawing<br />
power from Abe Ludacer, manager of the<br />
Loew's Esquire, which has been booking the<br />
offbeat films for the last year, reports the<br />
Toledo Blade.<br />
Early in 1956, Ludacer convinced the Loew's<br />
management that it should try an experiment:<br />
change the Esquire from a commercial<br />
motion pictui-e theatre to an art film house.<br />
FIRST LOEWS ART HOUSE<br />
Loew's agreed, and the Toledo theatre became<br />
the first art house in the organization's<br />
chain.<br />
Into the Esquire poured prize-winning films<br />
from the sound stages of the most talented<br />
filmmakers in the world— "Gate of Hell"<br />
from Japan, "Hill 24" from Israel, "The<br />
Great Adventure" from Sweden, "Aida" from<br />
Italy, "Diabolique" from Fl'ance, "Doctor in<br />
the House" from Britain and "Marty" from<br />
Hollywood.<br />
What happened at the boxoffice.<br />
"Let me put it this way," said Ludacer.<br />
"We just didn't make money. There is a<br />
great market in Toledo for art films, and<br />
people want this kind of picture. But it has<br />
been a confusing experience. One of the basic<br />
principles of this business always has been<br />
that if you have a good movie, you do good<br />
business."<br />
He said that high overhead, downtown<br />
parking difficulties and apathy have been<br />
contributing factors to the unenthusiastic<br />
public response.<br />
On one occasion, he recalled, his house sent<br />
out 3,000 reduced admission tickets to university<br />
students. Less than 100 cashed in the<br />
tickets, he said, adding:<br />
CRITIC RAVES NO CRITERIA<br />
"When the New York critics rave about a<br />
film, you may just as well keep the boxoffice<br />
closed most evenings."<br />
Still, the experience has not been entirely<br />
discouraging. Ludacer said the Esquire will<br />
continue showing art films indefinitely.<br />
The relationship between art films and poor<br />
boxoffice receipts in the American motion<br />
picture market has caused businessmen who<br />
own theatres to tread gingerly. In Toledo,<br />
a Summit street house that featured art films<br />
closed after six months.<br />
Kent Nitz, manager of the Westwood Art<br />
Theatre on Sylvania avenue, said that Toledo<br />
was carefully investigated before his theatre<br />
was opened last Thanksgiving.<br />
The Westwood is part of a ten-theatre Midwest<br />
chain of art film houses. Nitz reported<br />
that response so far has been "very fine" to<br />
showings of "The Ladykillers" from Britain,<br />
"Rififi" from France, the Soviet Union's<br />
"Stars of the Russian Ballet" and "The Bed,"<br />
a joint European-American release.<br />
The Westwood offers patrons extra added<br />
attractions in the form of free coffee, free<br />
parking, an exhibit of impressionistic paintings<br />
on loan from the Town Gallery and<br />
ultramodern lobby furniture.<br />
Nitz said that "Toledo has great potential<br />
for patronizing anything that stimulates<br />
artistic appreciation."<br />
He said that patrons come from as far<br />
away as Adrian, Mich., Waterville, Bowling<br />
Green and Fostoria, indicating there is a<br />
"kernel" of patronage in small towns as well<br />
as Toledo.<br />
"In a city with a population of 250,000, we<br />
estimate a potential audience of 1/250," Nitz<br />
said. "We have been satisfied with our Toledo<br />
patronage."<br />
Perhaps the most satisfactory long-range<br />
experience with art film showings has been<br />
at the University of Toledo.<br />
Inaugurated in 1946, the Gold series showings<br />
have won increasing popularity each<br />
year, said Prof. James L. Hofford, chairman<br />
of the university's film society.<br />
Patrons are invited to view the films on a<br />
membership basis, a charge of $4.80 for eight<br />
films.<br />
The university has sold 700 membership<br />
tickets for its showings this season, and expects<br />
an even bigger response in the future.<br />
Profits from the 16mm showings have been<br />
plowed back into new theatre equipment<br />
projectors, speakers, screen, drapes and curtains.<br />
"Our experience has shown that the audience<br />
for art films is on the upswing. Many<br />
people seem to want something better than<br />
the average commercial film. All signs point<br />
to a bright future."<br />
Michigan Showmen Urged<br />
To Back Allied Group<br />
DETROIT — Michigan exhibitors were<br />
urged to place every effort back of unified<br />
work for common industry objectives In a<br />
plea by Bernard L. "Bud" Kilbride, secretary<br />
of Allied Theatres of Michigan. Kilbride<br />
noted the recent victory of Allied in<br />
court in defeating the state use tax on theatre<br />
advertising rentals.<br />
"Like all successful businessmen you<br />
recognize the value of organization," Kilbride<br />
told exhibitors. "But we all know fellow<br />
exhibitors who try to save pennies by throwing<br />
away dollars. They actually seem willing<br />
to submit to oppressive, discriminatory taxes,<br />
regulations and restrictions, rather than to<br />
invest a few pennies a day to support their<br />
protective trade association. In harming<br />
themselves, they harm all of us."<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 ME-1
. . Visitors<br />
. . Irving<br />
. . John<br />
. . . Shaker<br />
CLEVELA<br />
Cam Galanty, Columbia division manager,<br />
was in town calling on exhibitors . . .<br />
Eleanor Rushworth. until this weekend secretary<br />
to Hatton Taylor, whose title was RKO<br />
district manager, is all set iji a new nonindustry<br />
M. B. Horwitz. head<br />
secretarial job . . . of the Washington circuit, and his wife are<br />
spending a few days in Martinsville, Ind. . . .<br />
Harold Raives, Schine circuit Ohio district<br />
manager, is spending his vacation as far- away<br />
as possible and still remain in the States.<br />
He's in Key West, Fla. . . . Edward Graves,<br />
booker, who has been absent from the local<br />
scene since last fall, has joined the Columbia<br />
booking department. Graves was formerly<br />
with 20th-Pox and RKO . Campbell,<br />
Columbia booker, resigned.<br />
The first week in February was a busy one<br />
for M. H. Fritchle. manager of the Oliver<br />
Theatre Supply Co. During that period he<br />
celebrated Mi-s. Fritchle's birthday (3), his<br />
own birthday (7i and the first anniversary of<br />
moving into their new ranch home . . . Cloverleaf<br />
Drive-In, Cleveland, is overhauling its<br />
concession building. It's being remodeled and<br />
converted for cafeteria service by Manley,<br />
Inc., which is supplying the new equipment.<br />
Gene Vogel of Confection Cabinet Corp.<br />
reports that his son Richard M. has completed<br />
a year of residency in hospital administration<br />
at the Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia,<br />
and returned to Columbia University<br />
for his final semester . Field, projectionist<br />
at WJW-TV and a former theatre<br />
operator, was a Filrm-ow visitor, catching up<br />
on the latest news . this week included<br />
Walter Steuve, Findlay; Frank Slavik,<br />
Mount Gilead: Helene Ballin, Harry and Mrs.<br />
Foster, Joe Shagi'in, Youngstown; Leo Jones,<br />
NOW IS<br />
THE<br />
time to check<br />
your projectors<br />
and sound<br />
i<br />
equipment!<br />
Have You Seen The<br />
SIMPLEX XL<br />
PROJECTOR?<br />
Haye You Seen The<br />
SIMPLEX<br />
EXCELITELAMP?<br />
It will pay you to take<br />
3 little time and see<br />
them.<br />
NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY<br />
212S Payne Ave. Phone: PRospett 1-4613<br />
Cleveland 14, Ohio<br />
•• *.<br />
ONE DAY SERVICE — On Request!<br />
Taarams<br />
Covering ONE or TWO WEEKS*<br />
THEATRICAL ADVERTISING CO.<br />
7310 CASS AVE. • DETROIT I, MICH.<br />
WRITE FOR 5RMPLES'Wa.l-7i;8<br />
Upper Sandusky; Jerry and Sandy Steel,<br />
Oberlin.<br />
Maj, Paul Vogel, Liberty Theatre, Wellsville,<br />
is back in civvies after a month's tour<br />
of duty at Camp Meade, Md., as instructor at<br />
Command & General Staff College . . . Bill<br />
Gross, Columbia city salesman, had a third<br />
grandchild when a son was born in Luthern<br />
Hospital to the wife of his son George,<br />
whose family now lists one girl and two boys<br />
Square Travel Service, operated by<br />
Ray and Jack Essick, is presenting a series of<br />
travel matinee programs at the Colony Theatre.<br />
First offering, "Ireland," will be shown<br />
Wednesday (20) at 2 p.m. Subsequent programs<br />
listed are "Solo Safari to South Africa,"<br />
filmed and narrated by Mildred Capron,<br />
March 13, and "Solo Khumbu" of the Himalayas,<br />
with Norman G. Drhyenfurth as narrator,<br />
April 3.<br />
PTA Group Blames Parents<br />
For Behavior of Children<br />
CLEVELAND—Parents are to<br />
blame when<br />
their children misbehave in motion picture<br />
theatres, was the concensus of a special committee<br />
of the Cleveland Heights Parent-<br />
Teachers Ass'n meeting here to consider the<br />
problem of teenage behavior in theatres.<br />
Parents were charged with failure to teach<br />
theii' children respect for authority, respect<br />
for property, respect for other people's rights.<br />
In consequence, the first effort to correct this<br />
situation will be a parent-education program<br />
to be recommended to the Heights PTA<br />
council.<br />
If the council approves the program, letters<br />
will be sent to all parents m the community<br />
to make them aware of the problem and to<br />
ask their cooperation in solving it.<br />
Fred Holzworth, manager of the Beach<br />
Cliff Theatre, has reduced weekend commotion<br />
by his own method of discipline.<br />
"When children become unruly," says Holzworth,<br />
"we bar them from the theatre until<br />
they bring their parents to me for a conference.<br />
This method usually accomplishes our<br />
purpose. I don't think youngsters are bad.<br />
They're just mixed up. They get out in a<br />
crowd and act like children. Then when they<br />
are called on the carpet they want to be<br />
treated like men."<br />
Other managers claim they have adult as<br />
well as juvenile problems. "What," says one<br />
of them, "can we do with adults who insist<br />
upon holding a conversation while the picture<br />
is in progress? I have had such patrons.<br />
I ask them, as politely as possible, to lower<br />
their voices so as not to distm-b other patrons.<br />
And what happens? They are indignant as<br />
a rule. With such adults as parents, what can<br />
you expect of their youngsters?"<br />
Brotherhood Week Activities<br />
Means of promoting Brotherhood Week in<br />
the New York area will be marquee and lobby<br />
displays, showing a Brotherhood film, brochures,<br />
and soliciting membership contributions.<br />
Theatre Owners Corp.<br />
Renames Officers<br />
CINCINNATI — Theatre Owners Corp.<br />
stockholders met at the Variety clubrooms<br />
here Tuesday i5) and elected officers for the<br />
coming year. This year is the llth anniversary<br />
of the company. Officers re-elected<br />
include Herman H. Hunt, president; Willis<br />
Vance, first vice-president; Maurice Chase,<br />
second vice-president: F. W. Huss jr., secretary;<br />
Gordon Pape, treasurer, and James W.<br />
McDonald, general manager and assistant<br />
sicretary-treasurer.<br />
Completing the board of directors are<br />
Howard Ackerman, Elstun Dodge, David<br />
Weinig, Jerome Kunz, C. J. Weigel, all of<br />
Cincinnati, and John Hewitt, Bethel.<br />
The original officers are still with the organization<br />
after 11 years, with the exception<br />
of Ralph Kinsler, who retired from the industry<br />
several years ago.<br />
Theatres Owners Corp. is a buying, booking<br />
and service organization for motion picture<br />
theatres. It now represents 50 theatres<br />
tiiroughout the Ohio, Kentucky and West<br />
Virginia areas.<br />
First Cinerama Show Train<br />
Brings 450 From Fostoria<br />
CLEVELAND— Cinerama's first show train<br />
rolled into Cleveland Saturday (9) with 450<br />
people from Fostoria who came to see "This<br />
Is Cinerama," now in its 13th week at the<br />
Palace and to enjoy a full day's entertainment.<br />
This included a special reception given<br />
by Mayor Anthony Celebrezze and representatives<br />
of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce,<br />
shopping and sightseeing time, a "star<br />
party" at the Carter Hotel where they met<br />
Cleveland's top baseball and hockey players<br />
through the courtesy of the retail merchants<br />
board; dinner at the Carter Hotel and then<br />
attendance at a 7:30 performance of "This<br />
Is Cinerama," after which all were taken in<br />
chartered buses to the terminal in time for<br />
the train's 10:15 p.m. departure.<br />
Max Mink, managing director of the Palace,<br />
says this Is the first of Cinerama show trains<br />
planned to bring to Cleveland groups from<br />
all towns within a 125-mile radius of Cleveland.<br />
Sentenced for<br />
Robbery<br />
TOLEDO—A 15-year-old youth, George Mc-<br />
Incriw, was ordered committed to the boys<br />
industrial school after he admitted in juvenile<br />
court that he participated in a holdup at the<br />
Colony Theatre on January 17. He was paroled<br />
last August from boys industrial school<br />
after serving for auto theft. His companion,<br />
19-year-old James Perkins, was bound over<br />
to the grand jury on charge of robbery. They<br />
took between $50 and $100 at gunpoint from<br />
theatre cashier Carol Hartman, 17.<br />
i<br />
Jonrv^txMC<br />
BOONTON, N. J.<br />
Large Core<br />
Greater Crater Area<br />
means<br />
MAXIMUM LIGHT<br />
in Ohio—AKRON THEATRE SUPPLY Inc., Akron—Franklin 6-2480<br />
NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY, Cleveland— Prospect 1-4613<br />
OHIO THEATRE SUPPLY Co., Cleveland— Prospect 1-6545<br />
OLIVER THEATRE SUPPLY Co., Cleveland—Tower 1-6934<br />
Even/y Distributed J<br />
ME-2 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
For Sharp, Straightforward^^<br />
Focus • • • # ->.<br />
That's<br />
right -to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
v<br />
\<br />
CENTURY curved gates are patterned after the<br />
^well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The<br />
new curved gate features solid, fixed film trap<br />
^^<br />
shoes. This sturdy precision design provides positive<br />
positioning of the film, therefore positive<br />
focus. The aperture plate was designed as an<br />
integral part of the film trap which serves to<br />
maintain the correct focus.<br />
PERFORMANCE PROOF: Note the following typical<br />
exhibitor comments:<br />
"Marked improvewenf on edge-toedge<br />
focusing. Excellent results,<br />
both color and black and white<br />
were tested with equally good results.<br />
Most noticeable on newsreels."<br />
King Theatre, Honolulu<br />
. . . and many more.<br />
"The in and out<br />
of focus effect has<br />
been all but eliminated,<br />
particularly<br />
on previously<br />
buckled film."<br />
Miracle Mile Drive-in,<br />
Ohio. U.S.A.<br />
See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid to better<br />
I<br />
^-^ _ k motion picture projection.<br />
t'^ I Century Projector C ORP.<br />
•<br />
r ^**^ '' NEWf YORK 19, N. Y.<br />
_J<br />
DISTRIBUTED<br />
Akron Theatre Supply Co.<br />
980 North Main St.<br />
Akron 10, Ohio<br />
Theatre Equipment Co.<br />
1206 Cherry Street<br />
Toledo 2, Ohio<br />
Hadden Theatre Supply Co.<br />
209 South Third St.<br />
Louisrilie 2, Kentucky<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957<br />
ME-3
. . . During<br />
. . Jim<br />
. . Therese<br />
i<br />
CINCINNATI<br />
lyjany Kentucky and West Virginia towns<br />
suffered heavy losses from the recent<br />
flood, and it was not until the waters receded<br />
and the task of cleaning up began<br />
that the extent of losses was known. Two<br />
Kentucky drive-ins were practically washed<br />
out—the Auburn at Cumberland, owned by<br />
O. G. Roaden. and the Lycinda at Fusonia,<br />
for which Floyd Morrow of Louisville does<br />
the booking and buying. The mud reached<br />
over the speakers. Barbourville, Ky., was 60<br />
per cent flooded. In Hazard and Pi-estonburg,<br />
Ky., business sections were practically<br />
wiped out. Corbin, Ky., Princeton, Bluefield,<br />
Logan, Matewan and Delberton, W Va.. all<br />
were hard-hit.<br />
A few Kentucky exliibitors were in to attend<br />
the Allied States drive-in convention.<br />
They included James Dempsey, Starlight<br />
Drive-In and Town Theatre, Danville, who<br />
also has the Twin Hills Drive-In, Han-odsburg:<br />
Dick Johnson. Family Drive-In, Lexington,<br />
and Gene Combs, Grandvue Drive-<br />
In, Hazard, whose theatre was flooded out<br />
the recent Allied drive-in convention,<br />
Mrs. William Onie was hospitality<br />
chairman at the Variety clubrooms and her<br />
graciousness accounted in large measure for<br />
the enthusiasm of the women toward the<br />
convention's social events.<br />
Mrs. W. T. Ellswick, whose husband operates<br />
the Belle Theatre, Belle, W. Va., returned<br />
home after a month's confinement in the<br />
hospital with injuries suffered in an automobile<br />
accident. Their daughter also was<br />
injured, but her stay in the hospital was<br />
shorter.<br />
G. C. "Spotsy" Porter, exhibitor of Beckley,<br />
^|LNIA«i^<br />
630 Ninth Ava. NEW YORK, N.Y.<br />
1327 S. Woboih CHICAGO, III.<br />
W. Va., is back at his desk after a week's stay<br />
in the hospital, where he underwent a<br />
physical examination . Shanklin of<br />
Honceverte, W. Va., is vacationing in Hot<br />
Springs, Ark. . . . The mother of John Groves<br />
of the Groves Theatre, Summersville, W. Va.,<br />
died recently.<br />
Lee Heidingsfeld, manager for RKO, took<br />
over February 9 as manager in this area for<br />
Buena Vista. Heidingsfeld was with RKO for<br />
ten years, and not many months ago was<br />
promoted from city salesman to branch manager.<br />
Under his management, the local<br />
branch came in first on short subject billings<br />
and fii-st in the group total billings in the Dan<br />
O'Shea drive. Buena Vista will temporarily<br />
be located in the office of States Film Service,<br />
until a permanent location on Filmrow<br />
is found. Lee went to Chicago for a meeting<br />
with Harris Dudelson, Buena Vista division<br />
manager.<br />
Some of the other RKO employes have<br />
made other connections. Robert Coleman, city<br />
salesman, has left the film industry, and is<br />
now salesman for Seinsheimer Paper Corp.<br />
Marcella Ollie, manager's secretary, will do<br />
secretarial work for the local Cincinnati<br />
Post classified advertising section. Joan<br />
Clemens is joining the force of U-I as<br />
stenographer. Evelyn Nieheisel will join UA<br />
as availability clerk. Office manager Leonard<br />
Katz, bookers Bob Camery and Bob Cooper,<br />
salesman Dave Litto, Don Womack, Heywood<br />
Mitchusson, cashier Thelma Osborne and<br />
several of the office personnel have not<br />
made new connections yet.<br />
Sam Galanty, district manager, Columbia,<br />
was in the city conferring with Manager<br />
Phil Fox. Also in were New York attorneys<br />
Sam Reice and Dan Rothenberg. Columbia<br />
auditor Gene Sisselman is currently working<br />
in the exchange<br />
. . . Harold Moore, exhibitor<br />
at Charleston, W. Va., and Jim Rogers,<br />
Beverly Theatre, Huntington, came in with<br />
Columbia salesman Charles Palmer Monday<br />
and returned with him the same night.<br />
R. L. Gaines, Riverview Drive-In, Carrollton,<br />
Ky., was making the rounds of the exchanges<br />
preparatory to reopening his theatre<br />
. . . Tom Sutton, manager of the Judy<br />
Drive-In, Judy, Ky., and his wife left for a<br />
three-week stay in Florida . . Chalmer<br />
.<br />
Bach, exhibitor at Eaton, was a Filmrow<br />
Timmy and Tommy, Twin 18-<br />
visitor . . .<br />
year-old sons of Ross Williams, city salesman<br />
for UA, are visiting their sister in Florida.<br />
Timmy drove down with Pate Niland,<br />
retired UA West Virginia salesman, and<br />
Tommy went down by bus.<br />
Al Kucin, 20th-Fox auditor, arrived here<br />
recently . . . U-I staffers were impressed with<br />
Col. Dean Hess, who visited the exchange<br />
during his stay in the city to plug "Battle<br />
Hymn," which world premiered in Marietta,<br />
Ohio, Col. Hess's home town, Thursday (14).<br />
Hess has won renown for his efforts in behalf<br />
of the Korean war orphans, and proceeds of<br />
the premiere will be donated to orphanages<br />
in Korea . Kimbrell, U-I head<br />
inspector, is back at work after a recent<br />
hospital stay for treatment of an ulcer condition<br />
. . . William Garner, salesman for<br />
DCA, traveled through the territory.<br />
James Barton Plans<br />
New De Luxe Airer<br />
CLEVELAND—James J. Barton, former<br />
state representative and one of the principal<br />
owners of the Pearl Road Drive-In which was<br />
built two years ago in Cleveland on property<br />
owned by Barton, has another extensive<br />
project in view. He plans to build a de luxe<br />
drive-in with complete adult and juvenile<br />
recreational facilities in West Richfield at<br />
Broadview road and Route 21. Estimated cost<br />
of the project is $250,000. It will include, in<br />
addition to the outdoor theatre, a swimming<br />
pool, baseball diamonds, a picnic area and a<br />
juvenile playground. This part of the project<br />
will be available to the public all day.<br />
Construction will start as soon as the West<br />
Richfield township has approved rezoning the<br />
48-acre tract of land. Hearing on the application<br />
for rezoning was set for Friday (15) in<br />
the West Richfield town hall. On the basis<br />
of returned postcards to the residents of the<br />
area, no opposition is anticipated inasmuch<br />
as the township stands to profit by the project<br />
by providing, without cost to the taxpayer,<br />
a wholesome recreational atmosphere for<br />
adults and children, an increase in surrounding<br />
land values and additional employment<br />
to be used in both the theatre and recreational<br />
areas.<br />
MID-WEST THEATRE SUPPLY CO., INC.<br />
I<br />
1638 CENTRAL PARKWAY CHERRY 1-7724 CINCINNATI 10, OHIO<br />
Finest RCA Equipment<br />
fat Drive-Ins<br />
NEW NEW NEW<br />
RCA IMPAC SPEAKERS<br />
RCA SUPER CINEX LAMPS<br />
Whatever You Need — We Can Supply It.<br />
Barton, who at onetime was manager of<br />
the West Side Drive-In in Cleveland, a Phil<br />
Smith operation, has designed the new West<br />
Richfield project.<br />
BOWLING<br />
DETROIT—Ernie Forbes Theatre Supply<br />
holds an impressive but precarious lead in the<br />
Nightingale Club Bowling League:<br />
Teom Won Lost<br />
Ernie Forbes.. 441/2 231/2<br />
Not'l Carbon. 38 30<br />
Altec 35 33<br />
Team Won Lost<br />
Not'l Sup.. . .341/2 331/2<br />
Amus't Sup.. .26 42<br />
Local 199 26 42<br />
Ralph Haskin rolled 224 and a 583 total to<br />
set a new second high for the season in his<br />
division, while Carl Mingione with a 225 tied<br />
Jack Colwell for high single in the first division<br />
and scored 549 for three games. Other<br />
high scorers were Jack Colwell 192, total 549;<br />
Armstrong 195, 521; Matt Haskin 204; R.<br />
Valiquette 200; Nick Forest 197; Roy Thompson<br />
521 ; Eddie Waddell 521.<br />
I<br />
ME-4 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
—<br />
. . . Phil<br />
. . Robert<br />
. . Eddie<br />
. . Jack<br />
. . Bernard<br />
. . Decision<br />
ITO Chief Calls Meeting<br />
Of Truck and Branch Men<br />
CLEVELAND—Horace Adams, president of<br />
the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio,<br />
has asked Cleveland and Cincinnati branch<br />
managers, bookers, exhibitors and film carriers<br />
to attend a meeting in Columbus at the<br />
Deshler-Hilton Hotel on March 6 "to work out<br />
problems confronting us today."<br />
Adams urged attendance at the meeting<br />
"since I think it is incumbent upon all of us<br />
to listen to any suggestions for the good of<br />
our respective businesses."<br />
The letter did not state what specific<br />
problems are to be discussed, but it is sui--<br />
mised within the industry, that they refer<br />
to the relationship of print shortages to some<br />
reduction in film delivery service in areas<br />
where many theatres are closed.<br />
Louis Gross, president of the Film Haulers<br />
Ass'n of Ohio, has suggested to Adams that.<br />
in the interet of economy of time and money<br />
and for a quicker solution of problems, northern<br />
Ohio industry members meet in Cleveland<br />
and southern Ohio industry members meet in<br />
Cincinnati. Gross points out that the problems<br />
in the two areas are not identical and<br />
a statewide meeting might cause confusion<br />
rather than solution.<br />
Adams was out of the city and could not<br />
be reached either for a statement as to the<br />
reason for the meetings or for hLs reaction<br />
to the Gross suggestion of two area meetings<br />
instead of one.<br />
Sentence H. R. Hurvitz<br />
TOLEDO—Hyman R. Hurvitz. a former<br />
temporary manager of the Loop Theatre, was<br />
given a one to ten year sentence in the Ohio<br />
penitentiary by Common Pleas Judge Tom D.<br />
Stahl in connection with the theft of $1,578<br />
from the boxoffice. He worked for the theatre<br />
six weeks in 1953.<br />
RESEAT OR RENOVATE<br />
Professional work on Seat<br />
Renovation— factory trained<br />
crew. Your chairs recovered,<br />
using Foom Rubber or New<br />
Springs. Metal ports refinished<br />
in Baked Enamel— -like<br />
new. Estimates anywhere.<br />
In Stock—Used<br />
PRICED FOR QUICK SALE<br />
2,500 Full Upholstered<br />
1,000 Squab Seat<br />
HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD SEATING<br />
20356 CRANO RIVER<br />
DITROJT,<br />
MICHIGAN<br />
KENWOOD I-I740<br />
SERVICE-QUALnyPRlCE<br />
COLD CHIPS<br />
Pototo Chlpf Exeluilvely for the Thaolr* Trade<br />
VETERAN FOOD PRODUCTS, INC.<br />
13231 Conont Avenue Detroit 12, Mich.<br />
Phone TWInbrook 3-4393<br />
L O L THEATRE CONCESSION<br />
INCREASED PROFITS - DECREASED WORRIES<br />
PERSONALIZED SUPERVISED SERVICE<br />
DRIVE-IN AND INDOOR THEATRES<br />
2937 St. Aubin Detroit 7, Mich.<br />
Temple 133S0<br />
DETROIT<br />
. . .<br />
•Theatre change notes — The Broadway<br />
Strand at Union City, operated by Mr.<br />
Reed of Athens, is switching to independent<br />
booking . . . Walter W. Fisher is switching<br />
plans and keeping the Galewood at Grand<br />
Rapids open . . . Stanley J. Marz is inaugurating<br />
a three-day operation, Sunday through<br />
Tuesday only, at the State In Saginaw<br />
Irving Golden should be listed as operator<br />
of the Irving in Detroit, rather than his<br />
father John Golden .<br />
to dismantle<br />
the Temple was reversed and the<br />
house was reopened by Mike Czaplicki, with<br />
John Dembeck of Cooperative Theatres doing<br />
the booking.<br />
Dave Glover is again listed as owner of<br />
the Apollo Theatre, succeeding William<br />
Moore Butler has reopened the<br />
.<br />
near-downtown Arcade, a Negro house<br />
formerly operated by Louis Spann jr. and<br />
Donald Lovewell Herbert Boshoven's<br />
. . .<br />
Family at Grand Rapids, booked by Joseph<br />
Busic. now is closing three days, Monday<br />
through Wednesday . . . Morton W. Dennis'<br />
Strand at Paw Paw is closing Wednesdays<br />
through Saturdays until April 1 Harry<br />
. . .<br />
Levinson's Hollywood at Petoskey closed.<br />
The Madison at Grand Rapids, operated<br />
by Joseph Cutler and booked by Joe Busic,<br />
is closing permanently . . .<br />
Wisper & Wetsman's<br />
big Tuxedo in Highland Park is adopting<br />
a policy of closing Mondays through<br />
Yom- scribe was at the opening<br />
Thursdays.<br />
of this big neighborhood, a ceremonial event,<br />
in the early '20s . . . Dudley O. Gregory is<br />
closing the Crystal Theatre at Beulah, booked<br />
by Floyd Chrysler . . . Martin Friedman of<br />
Artists-Producers Associates was on the local<br />
visitors list . . .<br />
Operator William Gagnon<br />
was in St. Joseph's Hospital for<br />
following an automobile accident . . .<br />
Thomas<br />
MacFarlane. operator at the Adams, was in<br />
injuries<br />
Providence Hospital for a checkup.<br />
Nightingale notes—Floyd Akins reports a<br />
splitting good day for splits—Richard Connell<br />
made the 5-10. Roy "Minus" Thompson<br />
the 3-6-7. Ray Gagnon the 2-5-7. Stewart<br />
Aplin the 6-7-9-10. William Bradley the 5-7,<br />
and Edgar Douville, for probably the first<br />
time in the league history, made the 5-7 three<br />
times . . . Burt London is out of bowling for<br />
a while, having sliced off a big chunk of his<br />
finger Waddell, coming in from<br />
.<br />
Walled Lake in the big snow, missed the<br />
first game, and his ball was so cold you could<br />
hardly pick it up without getting frostbite<br />
Bea Douville, visitor of the day, was all<br />
rigged out like a teddy bear in new furs.<br />
Recent exchange visitors were Jack and<br />
George Ryser of the Bohm Theatre. Albion;<br />
Tom McCleaster. 20th-Fox district manager;<br />
Douglas Moose of the May, Montrose, and<br />
Hatton Taylor, RKO district manager and<br />
former manager here . . . Lloyd Krause, RKO<br />
manager, went off to New York to confer<br />
about the big changeover in the exchange<br />
Stanton and Ernie Ziegler. U-I<br />
salesmen, are both sporting new four-door<br />
Plymouth sedans.<br />
projection room .<br />
Norm Waters, RCA service man, was over<br />
to visit Joe Sullivan at the Film Exchange<br />
Zide. head of Allied<br />
Film Exchange, is back from a short<br />
trip to Cleveland .<br />
Samuels, manager<br />
of the Jolly Roger Drive-In, is subbing<br />
at the Allen Park in Allen Park for a month<br />
while the manager vacations . . . Dwig'.:i<br />
Smukler, son of Jack Smukler, opera' n-<br />
the Jelly Roger, was host for some 2(.<br />
borhood children at a party on his<br />
birthday. The Smuklers, Jack, Gladys, and<br />
Dwight, are putting on special bciT-f'<br />
clown shows for children.<br />
Books 'Rain' Stage Play<br />
TOLEDO—Tlie 3,400-seat Paj-amount, Toledo's<br />
largest film house, has booked the legitimate<br />
play, "A Hatful of Rain," for Thursday,<br />
Friday and Saturday, March 7-9. Vivian<br />
Blaine is the star.<br />
MOTIOGRAPH<br />
MOTOR-<br />
GENERATORS<br />
THEATRE EQUIPMtNT CO.<br />
106 Michigan St., N.W.<br />
Grand Rapids 2, Mich.<br />
Tel. Gleedole 4-8853 'Nights « Sundoyt J-J41J'<br />
OUTSTANOINO<br />
CRAFTSMANSHIP AND Er^CINttRINO<br />
* SEAT UPHDLSTERING OUR SPECIALTY •<br />
lleavy-Diity Aiitomollve Materials<br />
Sewed Seat Covers Made-to-Order<br />
All sizes, all colors, most reasonable<br />
SERVICE SEATING CO.<br />
1507 W. Kirby<br />
Detroit B. Mich. TYIer 7-8015<br />
RCA<br />
Dealer<br />
See Us Now . . .<br />
Whatever you need—<br />
we can supply it.<br />
You con olwoyt ___.^^<br />
depend on RCA<br />
^RNIE FORBES<br />
214 W. Montcalm<br />
Woodward 1-1122<br />
Theatre Supply<br />
Detroit 1, Mich.<br />
CONFECTION CABINET CORP.<br />
NATIONWIDE<br />
Over 30 ^ean of Outstanding Service<br />
In Indoor and Outdoor Theatres<br />
3000 W. Davison Ave. Detroit 38, MIeh.<br />
Phone TOwniend 9-4500<br />
Service Port* R«pol»»<br />
DETROIT POPCORN CO.<br />
l«EADY-TO-EAT POPPED CORN<br />
Corn - Seasoning - Boxes - Salt<br />
DISTRIBUTORS OF CRETORS' POPCORN MACHINES<br />
5633 Grand River Ave. Phone TYler 4-6912<br />
Detroit 8, Mich. Nights- UN 3-1468<br />
\<br />
/<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16. 1957<br />
ME-5
—<br />
—<br />
— — —<br />
I Hh<br />
. . . Confection<br />
Long-Term Holdovers<br />
Stay Big in Detroit<br />
DETROIT— Business held up nicely in most<br />
houses downtown, with the United Artists<br />
run of "Around the World in 80 Days" scoring<br />
320 in its sixth week.<br />
(Average Is 100)<br />
Adams The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 6th wk 110<br />
Broadway Capitol The Block Legion (WB); Crime<br />
School (WB), reissues 80<br />
Fox— Anasfasio (20th-Fox); The Block Whip (20th-<br />
Fox), AtU wk 140<br />
Madison The Ten Commandments (Para),<br />
wk 250<br />
Michigcsn Top Secret Affair (WB); Accused of<br />
Murder (Rep) 90<br />
Palms Written on the Wind (U-l); Running<br />
Target (UA), 3rd wk 100<br />
United Artists Around the World in 80 Doys<br />
(UA), 6th wk 320<br />
"Anastasia' Scores 250<br />
In Cincinnati Opening<br />
CINCINNATI—The big news was "Anastasia,"<br />
which reached a neat 250 at Keiths,<br />
the largest gross in the theatre since "Guys<br />
and Dolls." With the exception of "The Ten<br />
Commandments," other grosses were fair.<br />
Albee Baby Doll ( WB), 2nd wk 110<br />
Grand The Ten Commandments (Para), 7th wk. . .200<br />
Keiths Anastosio (20th-Fox) 250<br />
Palace Gun for a Coward (U-l) 100<br />
"Commandments' 12th Week<br />
Still Tops in Cleveland<br />
CLEVELAND — With holdovers as the<br />
standard yardstick for popular approval, all<br />
of the local downtown theatres, with only<br />
one exception, played extended runs, ranging<br />
from two weeks for "Anastasia" to 12<br />
weeks for "Ten Commandments" and "This<br />
Is Cinerama." During the entire 12 weeks,<br />
"The Ten Commandments" has held top<br />
place with the public, with 565 per cent during<br />
the holidays as the peak score, and with<br />
280 as the low score. "Written on the Wind"<br />
did more business at 140 in its third week than<br />
it did in its second week at 135 and held a<br />
fourth week. "The Teahouse of the August<br />
Moon" went into its eighth and final week at<br />
the Stillman. "Anastasia" scored a strong 145<br />
in its second week and held over.<br />
Allen Written on the Wind (U-l), 3rd wk 140<br />
Hippodrome Anastasia (20th-Fox), 2nd wk. . 145<br />
Heights Art La Stroda (Trans-Lux), 5th wk 140<br />
Ohio The Ten Commandments (Para), 12th wk..330<br />
State Three Violent People (Para) 90<br />
Stillman The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 7th wk 85<br />
COLUMBUS<br />
. .<br />
The secretary of the Independent Theatre<br />
Owners of Ohio and Manager Walter<br />
Kessler of Loew's Ohio appeared before a committee<br />
of the Ohio legislature considering a<br />
bill to make parents financially responsible<br />
for acts of vandalism by their children. Kessler<br />
spoke in support of the measure .<br />
Barbara Rush, featured in "Oh. Men! Oh.<br />
Women!" was guest of honor at a luncheon<br />
held at<br />
ager Ed<br />
the Columbus Press Club with Man-<br />
McOlone of the Palace as host . . .<br />
Managers Robert Sokol of Loew's Broad and<br />
Walter Kessler of Loew's Ohio were to greet<br />
David Susskind. producer of "Edge of the<br />
City" on his local visit Monday (11) for<br />
radio, press and television interviews.<br />
Loew's Broad is scheduled to have the first<br />
central Ohio showing of Cecil B. DeMille's<br />
'The Ten Commandments" early in March.<br />
Arrangements for the booking were made<br />
in a conference of Paramount and Loew officials,<br />
including Edward DeBerry, manager<br />
of the Cincinnati Paramount exchange:<br />
Ralph Buring, Paramount district advertising<br />
representative; Martin C. Burnett,<br />
Loew's central division manager; Sokol,<br />
Kessler and Fred Oestreicher, Loew's publicity<br />
manager.<br />
"Baby Doll" moved to the Grand after<br />
two big weeks at the Palace . . . "Anastasia"<br />
was held for a second week at Loew's Ohio<br />
Cabinet Corp. has installed<br />
a Foodmobile, first in use in local driveins,<br />
at the In-Town Auto Theatre, managed<br />
by Lou Holleb. The junior-sized trailer dispenses<br />
hot dogs, hamburgers, candy, coffee,<br />
hot chocolate and soft drinks . . . Manager<br />
Walter Kessler of Loew's Ohio was named<br />
theatre representative on the local civic<br />
and business committee for Brotherhood<br />
Week.<br />
Col. Dean Hess of Marietta, Ohio, whose<br />
life story is told in U-I's "Battle Hymn," was<br />
awarded the governor's plaque in recognition<br />
of his unselfish work with Korean orphans.<br />
Hess, unable to be in Columbus for the<br />
presentation, was to be introduced from the<br />
rostrum of the Ohio House of Representatives.<br />
The Ohio legislature approved a resolution<br />
praising Hess. World premiere of<br />
"Battle Hymn" was held February 14 at<br />
Marietta.<br />
HANDY SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM<br />
BOXOFFICE:<br />
825 Van Brunt Blvd.. Kansas City 24. Mo.<br />
Please enter my subscription to BOXOFFICE. 52 issues per year (13 of which conlain<br />
The MODERN THEATRE Section).<br />
n S3.00 FOR 1 YEAR Q SS.OO FOR 2 YEARS D S7.00 FOR 3 YEARS<br />
D Remittance Enclosed Q Send Invoice<br />
FHEATRE<br />
STREET ADDRESS<br />
TOWN<br />
NAME<br />
STATE<br />
POSITION<br />
Line at Opening of 'Doll'<br />
Despite Catholic Ban<br />
SPRINGFIELD, OHIO—About a score of<br />
patrons waited in line February 6 for the<br />
opening of "Baby Doll" at the Regent Theatre.<br />
Michael H. Chakeres, vice-president of<br />
Chakeres Theatres, said representatives of<br />
several local Catholic organizations had conferred<br />
with him about the showing. He said<br />
they seemed to be pleased when he told them<br />
the local theatre had revised the film's advertising<br />
to try to eliminate the objections<br />
to purported sexiness and had banned children<br />
under 16 from seeing the film.<br />
Chakeres said about 25 or 30 cards and<br />
letters from local Catholic high school students<br />
had been received by the theatre chain<br />
on the two days preceding the opening of<br />
the controversial film. He said they all were<br />
"nice in tone."<br />
"They said mostly that they can't come to<br />
see 'Baby Doll,' but that we have had some<br />
fine pictures in the past and that they hope<br />
they can come again to see more fine pictures,"<br />
Chakeres said.<br />
A line at the boxoffice is not a usual event<br />
in Springfield nowadays.<br />
Admission until 6 p.m. is 65 cents for the<br />
"Baby Doll" run, compared to the regular<br />
admission of 50 cents. Evening admission for<br />
the engagement is 90 cents, compared to<br />
regular admission of 75 cents.<br />
Twin Drive-In Trust Suit<br />
Settled Out of Court<br />
CINCINNATI—The antitrust action of the<br />
S&S Amusement Corp. and its Twin Drive-<br />
In against Warner Bros, and the Oakley<br />
Drive-In, owned by Midstates Theatres, has<br />
been settled out of court. The settlement<br />
resulted in the Oakley and the Twin being<br />
granted a 21-day day-and-date availability<br />
without clearance over any other theatres.<br />
S&S. headed by Ruben Shor, had charged<br />
Warner Bros, and the Oakley with conspiring<br />
to establish a monopoly in exhibition of<br />
quality films after their first runs in downtown<br />
theatres.<br />
New Ann Arbor Theatre<br />
To Be Named the Campus<br />
ANN ARBOR, MICH.—The 1,026-seat<br />
theatre<br />
being constructed in the 1200 block on<br />
South University avenue by Butterfield Theatres<br />
will be named the Campus, according to<br />
Gerald H. Hoag. local Butterfield manager,<br />
who said circuit executives at Detroit had<br />
selected the name from among those submitted<br />
by 135 entries in a name contest.<br />
Seven local residents selected Campus and<br />
will receive passes ranging up to a full year<br />
for the first prize winner.<br />
Hoag said officials hope the new Campus<br />
will be completed and opened early next<br />
month.<br />
H. H. Meyers Elected<br />
TOLEDO—Harold H. Meyers, Maumee, formerly<br />
an executive with Kasco Mills, has<br />
been elected treasurer of the American Floor<br />
Surfacing Machine Co., Toledo. He is a certified<br />
public accountant and from 1949 to 1956<br />
served as secretary, treasurer and manager<br />
of Kasco MUls.<br />
i<br />
ME-6 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
Charge on Weekends<br />
For New Smoking Room<br />
Chicago—The Glen Theatre has announced<br />
some "rules and regulations"<br />
in connection with the use of its new<br />
smoking lounge. It is proving to be extremely<br />
popular and has only 20 seats.<br />
Patrons under 21 are not admitted. The<br />
lounge will be used Sunday through<br />
Thursday without extra admission, but<br />
a .service charge is in effect on Friday,<br />
Saturday and on holiday nights. Patrons<br />
view the film from behind a glass wall.<br />
Townsfolk Back Opening<br />
Of Edgerton Charve<br />
EDGERTON, OHIO—The Charve Theatre,<br />
about ten years ago. closed last summer<br />
built<br />
without a ripple of protest from the townsfolk.<br />
But after they found out that a closed<br />
theatre affects almost all of the merchants,<br />
they decided to band together and put it<br />
back In business. So, last Wednesday night,<br />
the Charve reopened with great fanfare.<br />
Backed by the local civic organizations .such<br />
as the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club,<br />
Edgerton Garden Club, Mothers Club, Boy<br />
Scouts and retail merchants, a campaign was<br />
launched, and 5,700 admission tickets were<br />
sold in advance of the opening, completely<br />
filling the theatre for two performances.<br />
Charles and Virginia Lewis of Edgerton will<br />
operate the theatre. And the local merchants<br />
and organizations will back the project because<br />
they learned that people will go out of<br />
town for their entertainment and are tempted<br />
to patronize out-of-town merchants.<br />
'Horizon' Test Showings<br />
At 2 Cleveland Houses<br />
CLEVELAND— "Lost Horizon" will be test<br />
shown in Cleveland at the Mayland and<br />
Beach Cliff theatres. Sam Galanty, Columbia<br />
division manager, says the 20-year-oId<br />
picture will play spot engagements in variou.s<br />
sections of the country to see what the public<br />
response is. Upon the result of these test<br />
engagements. Columbia will base its sales<br />
policy.<br />
Cleveland film editors, who saw the picture<br />
at a screening, were enthusiastic. Said W.<br />
Ward Marsh of the Plain Dealer, " 'Lost<br />
Horizon' is quite as good entertainment today<br />
as it was in 1937." Stan Anderson of the<br />
Press said, "This revival of a 20-year-old hit<br />
will be the best 'escape' fare on the local<br />
screens."<br />
Heidingsfeld Joins BV<br />
NEW YORK—Lee Heidingsfeld, former<br />
RKO branch manager for RKO in Cincinnati,<br />
has been named salesman there for<br />
Buena Vista by Leo F. Samuels, president.<br />
He will work under Harris Dudelson, midwestern<br />
district manager.<br />
Now in Ohio Prison<br />
TOLEDO—Hyman R. Hurwitz, who was<br />
wanted in at least six cities on embezzlement<br />
charges, is serving a sentence in the<br />
Ohio penitentiary of one to ten years for<br />
embezzling $1,578 from the boxoffice of the<br />
Loop Theatre in 1953, when he was employed<br />
as temporary manager.<br />
James T. Flynn Saves<br />
Three Kids in Fire<br />
NEW HAVEN—James T. Flynn, former<br />
fire department theatre inspector in this city<br />
now employed at Loew's Palace in Meriden,<br />
heroically saved three children in a fire<br />
which took five lives in an apartment building<br />
adjoining the Palace.<br />
When the first alarm came in, Flynn went<br />
out and quickly sized up the situation. He ran<br />
back to the theatre and brought out a 30-<br />
foot stagehand's ladder. Placing it again.st<br />
the burning building, he made three trips<br />
into the structure, carrying a child down<br />
each time.<br />
Flynn stayed on the job the remainder of<br />
the night, keeping watch on the theatre.<br />
Doors and skylights were left open to ventilate<br />
the Palace, which escaped with only slight<br />
water damage in the front lobby.<br />
About 200 persons were evacuated, without<br />
panic after smoke pushed into the theatre.<br />
Anthony Masella, manager, originally<br />
went on stage and told patrons there was a<br />
fire nearby and that they should not be<br />
alarmed if they detected smoke.<br />
Ohio Audio-Visual Center<br />
Given Larger Quarters<br />
COLUMBUS—The audio-visual division of<br />
the state department of education, one of the<br />
largest film exchanges in the world, is moving<br />
from the state office building to the Scott<br />
Krauss building. Front and Maple streets,<br />
where the exchange will have greater floor<br />
space.<br />
The division, which distributes nearly 4.000<br />
films per week to schools and colleges, formerly<br />
was financed by censor fees. The division<br />
occupies space formerly used by the<br />
state division of film censorship, which was<br />
closed two years ago. Electronic equipment<br />
used by the state highway department will<br />
be installed in the exchange quarters.<br />
Two Writers Signed to Do<br />
Two Bowery Comedies<br />
HOLLYWOOD—Producer Ben Schwalb has<br />
signed Elwood Ullman and Jack Townley to<br />
write two original Bowery Boys comedies<br />
which he will put before the Allied Artists<br />
cameras this year with Huntz Hall starred<br />
and Stanley Clements featured. Ullman will<br />
do the screenplay for "Looking for Danger,"<br />
to roll in April, and Townley will author "I<br />
Love Lucifer," which goes into production in<br />
June.<br />
Jim Levitt Elected<br />
CLEVELAND—Jim Levitt, U-I city salesman,<br />
was elected president of the local Colosseum<br />
unit at a meeting of the group held<br />
last week. Other officers elected are: vicepresident,<br />
Judd Spiegle of Republic and secretary-treasurer,<br />
Dorsey Brown of Loew's.<br />
Son to D. Irving Long<br />
LOUISVILLE—A baby boy, named Dennis,<br />
was born January 31 at Norton Infirmary<br />
here, to Mr. and Mrs. D. Irving Long. The<br />
father is the president of the Fourth Avenue<br />
Amusement Co. here, controlling a circuit of<br />
theatres in Indiana and Kentucky.<br />
RESEARCH BUREAi<br />
f or<br />
MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS<br />
ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION<br />
The MODERN THEATRE<br />
PLANNING INSTITUTE<br />
825 Van Brunt Blvd.<br />
Kansas City 24, Mo.<br />
Gentlemen:<br />
2-16-57<br />
Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU<br />
to receive information regularly, as released, on<br />
the lollowing subjects lor Theatre Planning<br />
n Acoustics<br />
Air Conditioning<br />
Architectural Service<br />
G "Black" Lighting<br />
G Building Material<br />
Q Carpets<br />
G Lighting Fixtures<br />
G Plumbing Fixtures<br />
G Projectors<br />
G Projection<br />
G Seating<br />
G Coin Machines ^ ^igns and<br />
G Complete Remodeling<br />
G Decorating<br />
Lamps<br />
.' larqueea<br />
Sound Equipment<br />
G Television<br />
G Drink Dispensers G Theatre Fronts<br />
Q Drive-In Equipment G Vending Equipment<br />
G Other Subjects<br />
Theatre<br />
Seating Capacity .<br />
Address<br />
City<br />
State<br />
Signed<br />
Postoge-poid reply cards for your further convenience<br />
m obtoining information are provided in The MODERN<br />
THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of<br />
'>ach<br />
month.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 ME-7
..-.,^*---<br />
'\.<br />
LxN<br />
\<br />
-X.<br />
Sgftgi^'<br />
-yoM w«<br />
Take advantage ol the tremendous buying power of BOXOFFICE readers.<br />
Reach this wonderful market at a cost you can afford. Tell and sell to the<br />
many buyers in your own territory who are always in the market for<br />
something. Practically every exhibitor you know reads BOXOFFICE. If<br />
you need help in wording your message, ask us.<br />
No charge.<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
Published Weekly in 9 Sectional Editions<br />
ME-8 BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
—<br />
—<br />
——<br />
—<br />
—<br />
'Anaslasia' Hits 150<br />
Third Boston Week<br />
BOSTON — "Ana-stasia," completing its<br />
third stanza, led the field, going for a fourth<br />
week at the Keith Memorial. "Albert<br />
Schweitzer" held well in its second week at<br />
the Exeter Street. "Top Secret Affair" was<br />
the strongest of the new product.<br />
(Average Is 100)<br />
Astor—The Ten Commandments (Pora), 11th<br />
wk 120<br />
Beacon Hill Secrets of Life (BV), 3rd wk 80<br />
Boston Seven Wonders of the World (SW), 23rd<br />
wk 100<br />
Exeter Street— Albert Schweitzer (Hill). 2nd wk,..120<br />
Kenmore Lust for Life (MGM), 11th wk 80<br />
Memoriol Anostosio (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 150<br />
Metropolitan Top Secret Affoir (20th-Fox);<br />
Accused of Murder (Rep) 100<br />
Pilgrim Don't Knock the Rock (Col); Rumble<br />
On the Docks (Col), 2nd wk 135<br />
Saxon Oklahoma! (Magna), 21st wk 90<br />
State and Orpheum The King ond Four Queens<br />
(UA); Rebel in Town (UA), 2nd wk 80<br />
"Rainmaker," "Terrace' Combo<br />
Leads Hartford With 140<br />
HARTFORD—The combination of "The<br />
Rainmaker" and "The High Terrace" opened<br />
here with the best gross of the week, a resounding<br />
140. U-I's "The Great Man" was<br />
the only downtown holdover.<br />
Allyn The Rainmoker (Poro); The High Terrace<br />
(AA) 140<br />
Art—The Bod Seed (WB); Friendly Persuosion<br />
(AA) 70<br />
E M. Loew Nightfall (Col); As Wicked as They<br />
Come (Col)<br />
Palace Angels of Dorkness (Excelsior); Man of<br />
90<br />
Africa (Dominant) 80<br />
Persons The Great Man (U-l); The Light Touch<br />
(U-l), 2nd wk 120<br />
Poll Oklahomal (20th-Fox) 115<br />
Strond The Wrong Man (WB); Noked Gun (ARC) 1 10<br />
All New Haven Pictures<br />
Score Above Average<br />
NEW HAVEN—Business boomed at the<br />
downtowners, with all key houses reporting<br />
above average receipts. Even "The Teahouse<br />
of the August Moon," in its third and final<br />
week, shared in the week's prosperity. The<br />
leader was "Oklahoma!" which increased<br />
receipts at the 3,000 seat Loew's Poll by 70<br />
per cent.<br />
College The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 3rd wk 1 05<br />
Paramount The Rainmoker (Poro), Yoqui Drums<br />
(AA) 130<br />
Poll Oklahoma! (20th-Fox) 1 70<br />
Roger Sherman The Wrong Man (WB); The<br />
Boss (UA) 120<br />
Four Snowstorms in Week<br />
Cut Providence Grosses<br />
PROVIDENCE—Four snow and ice storms<br />
during the week cut deeply into attendance.<br />
Despite the storms, "Naked Paradise" grossed<br />
125, to lead all local first runs. Following<br />
closely was "A Kid for Two Farthings" at the<br />
Avon Cinema, with 115. Holdovers did not fare<br />
too well. "The Teahouse of the August Moon,"<br />
playing for a third week at Loew's State,<br />
reported just average business, while "Anastasia,"<br />
being held a third week at the Majestic,<br />
dropped to 70.<br />
Albee Naked Paradise (AlP) 125<br />
Avon A Kid for Two Farthings (Lopert) 115<br />
Loew's The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 3rd wk 100<br />
Majestic Anastasia (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 70<br />
Strand Ride the High Iron (Col) 80<br />
Tab Hunter in Hartford<br />
HARTFORD—Actor Tab Hunter was<br />
interviewed by local drama desks February<br />
8 as part of regional promotion for "The<br />
Spirit of St. Louis" arranged by Art Moger<br />
of the Warner Bros, exploitation department.<br />
Hunter has been on a key city tour.<br />
INDUSTRY PROFILE<br />
Charles Gaudino Says Showmanshi<br />
Is<br />
Theatremans Greatest Asset<br />
By ALLEN M. WIDEM<br />
SPRINGFIELD — Charles Gaudino, enterprising<br />
manager of Loew's Poll Theatre<br />
here, nas had as<br />
diversified training<br />
as any showman in<br />
America.<br />
The Connecticut<br />
native first went to<br />
work for L o e w' s<br />
back in 1938 as a<br />
porter at the College<br />
Theatre, New<br />
Haven. Ben Cohen,<br />
who was to later<br />
become a U-I executive,<br />
was man- Charles Gaudino<br />
ager at the College.<br />
Gaudino served in turn as fireman,<br />
usher, chief of staff, and finally student<br />
assistant manager. The following year<br />
found him at the sister Poll Theatre in<br />
New Haven, working under Manager Robert<br />
Russell and assistant Nat Rubin.<br />
He became assistant manager of Loew's<br />
Bijou, also in New Haven, in 1940. The<br />
Bijou manager was William Elder and<br />
staffers included Mike Piccirillo and<br />
Frank Manente. Piccirillo progressed to<br />
Loew's Lexington, New York, and then to<br />
Hartford theatres: Manente became a<br />
manager in Loew's midwest division.<br />
Gaudino served with the U. S. Marine<br />
Corps for four years in World War II,<br />
seeing action in three major invasions<br />
Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu<br />
Island.<br />
"The last<br />
named was the toughest," he<br />
recalled. "It seemed that the Japs threw<br />
everything, includmg the whole Sixth<br />
avenue elevated structure, at us in that<br />
one battle."<br />
At Peleliu, as Gaudino's unit hit the<br />
beach, Jap mortar fire hit four buddies,<br />
leaving Gaudino with only shrapnel<br />
wounds. As mementos of his South Pacific<br />
experience, he owns a P^residential citation,<br />
five battle-participation stars, a<br />
Presidential unit citation and the Purple<br />
Heart. Gaudino also received a meritorious<br />
promotion in action.<br />
"I recuperated nine months down at<br />
Proposed Film Censorship<br />
Assailed in Providence<br />
PROVIDENCE—The Rhode Island<br />
branch<br />
of the American Civil Liberties Union has<br />
registered strong opposition to the proposed<br />
local motion picture and theatrical licensing<br />
ordinance. Milton Stanzler, Providence correspondent<br />
for the union, said in a statement<br />
forwarded to Mayor Walter H. Reynolds that<br />
the ordinance is unconstitutional under terms<br />
of a "prior restraint" decision of the U. S.<br />
Supreme Court.<br />
"The American Civil Liberties Union<br />
n<br />
strongly opposes the ordinance recently introduced<br />
in the city council," he said. "An<br />
examination of the ordinance reveals that<br />
it violates the guarantees of the First Amend-<br />
Melbourne, Australia, and then spent another<br />
month over in New Zealand just<br />
eating. But the biggest kick was a parade<br />
in which our First Marine Division was<br />
given the distinction of serving as honor<br />
guard for General Blamey, chief of Australian<br />
Aj-my units, at Melbourne."<br />
Gaudino returned to the U.S. in 1945,<br />
going to work again for Loew's Theatres,<br />
both in New Haven and Bridgeport.<br />
He left the Loew ciicuit in 1946 to become<br />
a manager for the Strand Amusement<br />
Co., independent Bridgeport ciixuit.<br />
The showmanship flair of Loew's continued<br />
to occupy a fond spot in his memory,<br />
however, and in 1951 he returned to<br />
a Loew theatre, the Poll in Bridgeport, as<br />
assistant to manager Matt L. Saunders.<br />
In 1952, he was shifted to Loew's Pol ,<br />
New Haven, now managed by Morris<br />
Rosenthal, and in 1954 he made the jump<br />
to present status. He had functioned at<br />
Loew's Poll, Springfield, in the past as a<br />
relief manager.<br />
For Saunders and Rosenthal, Gaudino<br />
has only the highest praise.<br />
"They are of the experienced school of<br />
management," Gaudino said, "and they<br />
imparted to me many important aspects<br />
of handling a theatre that would not be<br />
brought to attention of a newcomer to<br />
the business. I have a lot of respect for<br />
the veterans in our industry and believe<br />
they have contributed vitally to the development<br />
of what we know today is required<br />
showmanship to sell our product<br />
and services."<br />
While managing Loew's Poll and participating<br />
in numerous exploitation campaigns,<br />
Gaudino has not overlooked cooperation<br />
with the Springfield Chamber<br />
of Commerce. He is a member of that organization<br />
and serves on the convention<br />
and visitors bureaus.<br />
Modest, unassuming, Gaudino expresses<br />
great faith in the future of the motion<br />
picture theatre. "This is still a great industry,"<br />
he asserts, "and it's up to theatremen<br />
in the field, in particular, to remind<br />
regular customers, as well as potential<br />
theatregoers, that this is true."<br />
ment and is an attempt to give power to a<br />
few men, namely the bureau of licenses, to<br />
determine the type of motion pictiu-es and<br />
plays the people shall view.<br />
Stanzler, an attorney, asked the city<br />
council<br />
to arrange a public hearing before acting<br />
on the proposed ordinance, which has been<br />
referred for committee study.<br />
The proposal would permit denial of 11-<br />
cen.se to any show deemed "ob.scene," "indecent,"<br />
or "immoral," terms a Supreme<br />
Court opinion declared were too general for<br />
establishing clear, precise standards.<br />
Screen Tunny Face'<br />
NEW HAVEN—Paramount's "Funny Face"<br />
was shown to area exhibitors at a special<br />
early afternoon pre 'lew in the Lincoln.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 NE-1
. . . "The<br />
. . The<br />
. . Perakos<br />
. . Ernie<br />
. . Ted<br />
PROVIDENCE<br />
I>hode Island's hoax bomber is still at large.<br />
His latest strike was at the Newport<br />
Strand. Two calls from him emptied the<br />
theatre for 15 minutes while police made a<br />
thorough search. The first call was to police<br />
headquarters. A call received at 7:17 p.m.<br />
was more di'amatic. The caller said "Pay<br />
attention! At 7:30 a bomb will go off in the<br />
Strand." Five minutes later an operator at<br />
the Newport telephone exchange received a<br />
similar call, which was traced to a booth<br />
in the Armed Services YMCA. Police picked<br />
up four civilians, who were released after<br />
questioning. After the theatre was searched,<br />
the performance was resumed.<br />
"The Proud and the Beautiful" was shown<br />
first in Rhode Island at the Avon Cinema<br />
Teahouse of the August Moon"<br />
held for a second week at Loew's State;<br />
"Anastasia" a third week at the Majestic<br />
. . . Bill Ti-ambukis, Loew's State manager,<br />
returned to his desk following a minor operation.<br />
WJAR-TV recently took a full page in<br />
the radio-television supplement of the Sunday<br />
Joiu-nal to present its "Movie Calendar<br />
of the Month." The layout simulated a normal<br />
calendar page, with day-by-day programing<br />
of motion pictures to be televised<br />
over the station. Something like three or<br />
four motion pictures are beamed out every<br />
day during the month. Approximately 100<br />
different films are to be televised dm-ing<br />
February<br />
. Sunday Journal is now<br />
featuring a complete section to television<br />
and radio. Devoting, by far, more free plugs<br />
to these two forms than to motion pictures,<br />
it is bound to arouse the ire of motion picture<br />
theatre owners and operators already<br />
irked by the discrepancy between free space<br />
accorded motion picture theatres as against<br />
television and radio.<br />
New Policy at Perakos Unit<br />
HARTFORD — The Eastwood Theatre in<br />
East Hartford, has changed matinee operating<br />
houj-s, with performances now starting<br />
at 1:30. Doors open at 1:15, Mondays through<br />
Fridays. The Eastwood is part of Perakos<br />
circuit.<br />
Third Term to Lider<br />
As lENE President<br />
BOSTON—Edward W. Lider was re-elected<br />
president of Independent Exhibitors of New<br />
England, a unit of National<br />
Allied, for a<br />
third term, at the annual<br />
meeting of the<br />
unit, Tuesday (12) at<br />
Edward W. Lider<br />
the Hotel Bradford.<br />
Other officers elected<br />
were Melvin B. Safner<br />
of Central Falls,<br />
R. I., first vice-president;<br />
Edwin Fideli of<br />
Worcester, second vicepresident;<br />
Henry Gaudet<br />
of Laconia, N. H.,<br />
secretary; Julian Rifkin,<br />
Boston, treasurer. Norman Glassman of<br />
Lowell was re-elected chairman of the board,<br />
and Nathan Yamins of Brookline was reelected<br />
national delegate, with Lider as alternate.<br />
Carl Goldman was reappointed executive<br />
secretary of the unit.<br />
Directors elected were Leslie Bendslev, Ray<br />
Feeley, Ned Eisner, Leonard Goldberg, Ai--<br />
thur K. Howard, F^ank LePage, Walter<br />
Mitchell, Daniel Murphy, Sam Resnik, Ted<br />
Rosenblatt, Andrew Tegu, David Hodgdon<br />
and Joseph Jarvis.<br />
Hartford Editor Welcomes<br />
Withdrawal of Newsreels<br />
HARTFORD — Writing editorially under<br />
the title, "Fadeout for Newsreels," the Hartford<br />
Courant, morning daily, commented:<br />
"The showing of cuiTent events in motion<br />
picture houses never did achieve big public<br />
favor. Lately this sort of film aperitif has<br />
been relegated more and more to oblivion.<br />
The latest of the newsreels to be withdrawn<br />
is Paramount News, which discontinues on<br />
February 15. Paramount's withdrawal underscores<br />
an inclination within the film industry<br />
that news, be it ever so spectacularly<br />
capsuled, is doubtful fare for the entertainment<br />
seeker. Even so, some five years ago<br />
most of the country's 19.200 theatres considered<br />
news the right sauce for the double<br />
feature. But television has greatly scotched<br />
this. Now the industry indicates that less<br />
than half of the theatres show newsreels.<br />
"This retrenchment will probably cause<br />
groans in some quarters. But the more progressive<br />
in the motion picture industry will<br />
say good riddance to any part of the program<br />
that drags its feet. And if newsreels were<br />
withdrawn next week, it's unlikely the public<br />
would show any great distress. The story is<br />
the thing and so let's get on with it. Fact,<br />
apparently, belongs elsewhere."<br />
HARTFORD<br />
pred R. Greenway and Jack Keppner of<br />
Loew's Tlieatres planned to host Walt<br />
Disney cartoonist Roy Williams at a press<br />
luncheon as part of the "Cinderella" promotion.<br />
The attraction is slated to open later<br />
this month at Loew's Palace . . . Tom Tryon,<br />
local actor, has been signed for his fourth<br />
Hollywood role. He will star in "Short Cut<br />
to Hell," a Paramount melodrama marking<br />
James Cagney's directorial debut. Tryon previously<br />
appeared in AA's "Screaming Eagles,"<br />
Paramount's "The Scarlet Hour" and "Three<br />
Violent People" and RKO's "The Lady and<br />
the Prowler."<br />
A sizable delegation from the regional<br />
amusement industry will attend the March<br />
17 testimonial dinner honoring Jimmy Durante<br />
in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-<br />
Astoria Hotel, New York . Dorau<br />
started a new tableware giveaway at the<br />
Newington, Newington . Theatre<br />
Associates booked a dual revival bill, consisting<br />
of "High Society" and "Sabrina," into<br />
the subsequent run Arch St. Theatre, New<br />
Britain.<br />
Jimmy PiersaU, the baseball player, was a<br />
guest at the Connecticut Sportswriters Alliance<br />
dinner at Hotel Statler, with newsmen<br />
interviewing him about Paramount's upcoming<br />
"Fear Strikes Out," which concerns<br />
Piersall's life. He enthused, "It clears up<br />
the situation concerning my father, whose<br />
sole aim was to make a big league player<br />
out of me. The TV show left a bad taste<br />
concerning him, which the motion picture<br />
corrects. It makes me happy, because I want<br />
you all to know that everything my father<br />
aid, he did for me."<br />
. .<br />
"The Dark Wave," 20-minute featurette for<br />
the campaign against epilepsy, was booked<br />
into Lockwood & Gordon's Strand, Winsted<br />
Actress Gene Tierney found Hartford<br />
to<br />
.<br />
be a rather warm city February 5. While<br />
riding in her car, a short circuit in the<br />
cigaret lighter caused the vehicle to catch<br />
fire. A fire fighting unit responded and soon<br />
had the blaze under control.<br />
The St.<br />
Sebastian PTA took over the M&D<br />
.<br />
. . .<br />
Middlesex Theatre in Middletown February<br />
4, 5 for benefit performances Holt<br />
of Loew's circuit was in town; another visitor<br />
was Dave Jacobson, Jason Theatrical<br />
Enterprises, Torrington The Moosup,<br />
Moosup, has new policy of distributing a free<br />
gift to a lucky lady every Friday and Saturday<br />
night. The independent theatre also<br />
has started a kitchenware giveaway on Monday<br />
nights.<br />
i<br />
Let Us Do Your Office Bookkeeping Work<br />
We can save you the headaches of all your<br />
paper work ot a small cost per theotre.<br />
Call or Write<br />
Bay State Amusement Enterprises, Inc.<br />
250 Boylston St., Room 306<br />
Boston 16, Mass. Tel. KE 6-5255<br />
Strand at Willimantic<br />
Relighted as the Cameo<br />
HARTFORD—The Strand Theatre at Willimantic.<br />
operated under numerous banners<br />
over the years, has been renamed the Cameo<br />
and relighted by Frank Lasala and Kenneth<br />
Spargo. Spargo formerly served as assistant<br />
manager of the Warner Garde in New London.<br />
Willimantic has two other theatres—the<br />
Stanley Warner Capitol and Jason Theatrical<br />
Enterprises' Gem, both first run.<br />
Ed Lord Planning Fill-in<br />
On Yantic at Norwich<br />
HARTFORD—An application to fill in a<br />
portion of the east branch of the Yantic<br />
river at Norwich for a distance of about 330<br />
feet south of the city line has been filed<br />
with the Army engineers by Edward P. Lord,<br />
eastern Connecticut theatre operator, and<br />
treasurer of the Lord Mfg. Co. No comment<br />
was available from Lord as to the use he<br />
intends to make of the area. With the exception<br />
of a small parcel of land. Lord owns<br />
the property between Falls avenue and the<br />
river. The fill will create a lot of almost<br />
one quarter of an acre.<br />
NE-2 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
For Sharp, Straightforward^<br />
Focus • • • ^<br />
., . vj^>,<br />
That's<br />
right -to<br />
keep your picture<br />
sharp, run your<br />
film through the<br />
NEW CENTURY<br />
CURVED GATE.<br />
I<br />
I<br />
i<br />
CENTURY curved gates are patterned erfter<br />
the<br />
well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The<br />
new curved gate features solid, fixed film trap<br />
shoes. This sturdy precision design provides positive<br />
positioning of the film, therefore positive<br />
focus. The aperture plate was designed as an<br />
integral part of the film trap which serves to<br />
maintain the correct focus.<br />
PERFORMANCE PROOF: Nofe the following typical<br />
exhibitor comments:<br />
"Marked improvement on edge-foedge<br />
"The in and out<br />
focusing. Excellent results, of focus effect has<br />
both color .and black and white been all but eliminated,<br />
were tested with equally good re-<br />
particu-<br />
sults. Most noticeable on newsreels."<br />
King Theofre, Honolulu<br />
and many more.<br />
larly on previously<br />
buckled film."<br />
Miracle Mile Drive-in,<br />
Ohio, U.S.A.<br />
See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid to better<br />
motion picture projection.<br />
Cektury Projector Corp.<br />
NEW YORK 19,<br />
L^<br />
DISTRIBUTED<br />
Massachusetts Theatre Equipment Co.<br />
20 Piedmont St. Boston 16, Mass.<br />
Phones: LI. 2-9814 — LI. 2-0356<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 NE-3
. . On<br />
. . Jed<br />
. . During<br />
. . The<br />
BOSTON<br />
TJen Rogers, former manager and film salesman<br />
in this territory, has established<br />
offices at 462 Statler Bldg. for distribution<br />
of Dominant Pictures, a series of Warner<br />
Bros, combination hits. His new number is<br />
Hancocic 6-4930. Prints for Connecticut are<br />
handled by the New Haven Film Service;<br />
for the other five New England states by<br />
Film Exchange Transfer Co.<br />
An art policy for every other Wednesday<br />
has been established at Lockwood & Gordon's<br />
Playhouse, Scituate, where Alex Francis-Smith<br />
is manager. As extracui-ricular activity,<br />
"Smithy" took 20 local Boy Scouts<br />
on a tour of the theatre. The project was<br />
so successful that he received requests from<br />
neighboring towns to duplicate the tour.<br />
Maurice "Fishy" Green of Middlesex<br />
Amusement Co. and his wife are in Hollywood,<br />
Fla., for six weeks . his return<br />
from Cincinnati, where he attended Allied's<br />
drive-in convention with several other exhibitors<br />
from New England, Edward W. Lider,<br />
president of Independent Exhibitors of New<br />
England and general manager of Yamins<br />
Theatres, was congratulated by friends on<br />
his election as secretary of National Allied.<br />
Larry Wallace, head of concessions for E. M.<br />
Loew drive-ins, has been engaged by the<br />
owners of the Town House restaurant as<br />
manager. This attractive eating spot in the<br />
heart of the theatrical and business districts,<br />
was closed by fire in November 1954. It has<br />
been completely redecorated and refurnished<br />
by the owners, E. M. Loew and Michael<br />
Redstone. The contractor was Julius J. Conviser,<br />
brother of Ben Conviser, head of concessions<br />
for American Theatres Corp. Interior<br />
decorating was handled by the Bostton<br />
firm of Larkin and Glassman. When<br />
the drive-in season begins, Wallace will return<br />
to his regular position with the Loew<br />
circuit. No replacement for him at the Town<br />
House has been named as yet.<br />
"Private Censorship in Movies and TV" was<br />
discussed Fi'iday (8), in the first Harvard<br />
Law School Forum's series of discussions for<br />
1957. Speakers were Godfrey Schmidt, professor<br />
of law at Fordham University and<br />
president of AWARE, and Patrick Murphy<br />
Malin. executive director of the American<br />
Civil Liberties Union. The moderator was<br />
Prof, Benjamin Kaplan.<br />
Personnel at the RKO exchange placed at<br />
date of writing were: Bill Cuddy, office manager,<br />
to U-I: Vera Palady, Cuddy's secretary,<br />
to Welch Candy Co.; Harry Smith,<br />
booker, to the Adams Theatre, Dorchester,<br />
as manager for owner Al Loiu'ie; Beth Donnelly,<br />
booker's stenographer, to Affiliated<br />
Theatres Corp.; June Talisman, stenographer,<br />
to Columbia Pictures; Isabel Mc-<br />
Grath, booker's stenographer, to the Ai-my<br />
Quartermaster Corps in Natick; Janet Tobin,<br />
biller, to Spencer Sales Corp. Already<br />
announced were the placements of Joe Longo,<br />
publicist, to U-I to assist Bucky Harris<br />
on a temporary basis and Jean Stuhl, receptionist,<br />
to United Artists.<br />
Bob McDonough, former Paramount shipper,<br />
was back as an assistant booker after<br />
four years in the Air Force . Prouty,<br />
well known theatre manager here and now<br />
. . . Mr. and Mrs.<br />
at the State Theatre, Toledo, announced the<br />
birth of his son David<br />
George Neagle, Met Theatre, Lisbon Falls,<br />
Me., are the parents of a son, Thomas, their<br />
fourth child, born at Central Maine Hospital<br />
After successful surgery at the same<br />
. . .<br />
hospital, Jim Pollard, owner of the Community<br />
in Auburn, Me., was back on the<br />
Lucien DesCouteaux, Rex Theatre,<br />
job . . .<br />
Manchester, N. H., made one of his rare<br />
visits to the district when he took in the<br />
Sportsmen's show.<br />
Bill Kumins, Warners manager, announced<br />
that the local branch won first place in<br />
one of the divisions of the recently completed<br />
Roy Haines Drive. There was general rejoicing<br />
at the news and more elation when<br />
the bonus checks arrived. Ralph lannuzzi,<br />
district manager, deserves orchids of all<br />
kinds, as all four of his branches placed<br />
first in the four different prize divisions<br />
for a 100 per cent record.<br />
VERMONT<br />
Wolus Jones, head cartoonist for the Walt<br />
Disney studios, made a personal appearance<br />
at Grant's store in Burlington on the<br />
afternoon of February 2. Children, especially<br />
. . . The<br />
invited to the event, were asked to participate<br />
in a "Cinderella" coloring contest<br />
judiciary committee of the State Senate has<br />
thrown its weight behind a rewritten bill<br />
aimed at reducing juvenile vandalism by<br />
holding parents legally responsible for damage<br />
done by their minor children. The committee<br />
reduced the size of the fine that could<br />
be imposed under the proposed law from the<br />
original $500 to $300. The measure is sponsored<br />
by Senator Crawford of Orleans County.<br />
Two Theatremen Named<br />
To Civic Service Posts<br />
NEW HAVEN—Two theatre executives here<br />
were named to<br />
important community service<br />
positions last week.<br />
Louis A. Brown, director of advertising and<br />
publicity for Loew's Poli-New England Theatres,<br />
was elected to a two-year term as a<br />
director of the retail division of the Chamber<br />
of Commerce. He is believed to be the<br />
first theatreman ever to be chosen for this<br />
post.<br />
James M. Totman, assistant zone manager<br />
of Stanley Warner Theatres, was named<br />
chairman of the membership committee at<br />
the New Haven YMCA. An active Y member,<br />
Totman headed the highly successful annual<br />
membership drive last fall.<br />
New Haven U-I Leads East<br />
In Charles Feldman Drive<br />
NEW HAVEN—The U-I exchange here is<br />
currently in first place in the eastern division<br />
in the company's seventh annual<br />
Charles L. Feldman Drive. Nationally, the<br />
branch stands fifth among 32 U-I exchanges.<br />
Manager Alec S.chimel won the drive's<br />
"Man of the Week" award, the third time<br />
he has achieved this honor since 1955. He<br />
received a handsome scroll and a portable<br />
television set.<br />
Standings and awards are based on the<br />
percentage increase in billing quotas.<br />
NEW HAMPSHIRE<br />
"Twice recently the Rochester Courier recalled<br />
earlier days of motion picture<br />
theatres in the area. In a feature story Eben<br />
Smith pointed out that the fu-st motion picture<br />
ad for the old Gem theatre, in the<br />
Hartigan block in Rochester, appeared in December<br />
1907. "We are showing three reels,<br />
3,000 feet of film," the ad read. "These pictures<br />
do not hurt the eyes, as they are projected<br />
from one of the best machines made.<br />
On account of the long show we are obliged<br />
to give only two performances an evening.<br />
Matinee every afternoon at 3." In a "25<br />
Years Ago" column, the Courier reported:<br />
"What is believed to be an innovation in<br />
moving picture houses in northern New England<br />
is the installation of sound transmission<br />
equipment in the Capitol Theatre in<br />
Concord. * • * A full row of seats in the balcony<br />
was wired for earphones and arrangements<br />
were made to supply the instruments<br />
to hard-of-hearing patrons."<br />
The Manchester town board has passed a<br />
curfew ordinance which will keep children<br />
under 16 off the streets after 10 p.m. The<br />
ordinance, which had strong backing from<br />
the police department, will go into effect<br />
after it has been published for two successive<br />
weeks.<br />
BRIDGEPORT<br />
IWrildred Papp, assistant manager at the<br />
. . .<br />
Beverly, was out of the hospital following<br />
surgery The Sunday Post is now<br />
spotting its theatrical pages ahead of television<br />
Manager Michael J.<br />
and radio . . .<br />
Carroll of the American was sending postcards<br />
from Mexico . Warner sneaked<br />
"Top Secret Affair" . . . Jerome Conboy,<br />
projectionist at Loew's Majestic, is a year<br />
older.<br />
Benjamin Ehrllich, artist for Loew's theati'es<br />
here, is learning to play the electric<br />
organ . the run of "Oklahoma!"<br />
at Loew's Majestic, Manager Harry A. Rose<br />
offered free admission to anyone arriving at<br />
the theatre in an auto bearing Oklahoma<br />
license plates . . . Manager Matt Saunders<br />
of Loew's Poll planted a coloring contest in<br />
the Post for "The Wings of Eagles."<br />
First Theatre Bomb Scare<br />
Experienced in Holyoke<br />
HOLYOKE. MASS.—More than 1,000 patrons<br />
filed out of the Victory Theatre Sunday<br />
evening (3) when authorities cleared<br />
the building following a bomb tip to police.<br />
Manager AI Page, with assistance of police<br />
and firemen, opened the exits after a stage<br />
announcement had advised patrons of the<br />
situation. The building was cleared in a few<br />
moments. Search of the theatre failed to<br />
find a bomb.<br />
This was the fom'th hoax here this year,<br />
previous ones having been in the city hall<br />
and two high schools.<br />
Florida Vacation for Perakos<br />
HARTFORD—Peter Perakos sr.. president,<br />
and John Perakos, assistant general manager,<br />
Perakos Theatre Associates, are vacationing<br />
at Clearwater, Fla.<br />
I<br />
NE-4 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
Maritime Testimonial<br />
For Patrick Hogan<br />
ST. JOHN—Members of the Maritime Exhibitors<br />
Ass'n. Maritime Motion Picture<br />
Pioneers and the Maritime<br />
Film Board<br />
honored Patrick J.<br />
Hogan, veteran film<br />
manager and exhibitor<br />
on his recent retirement<br />
after 34 years as<br />
manager of the local<br />
Paramount Film Service.<br />
The testimonial<br />
dinner was held in the<br />
Admiral Beatty Hotel<br />
here February 5.<br />
The rooms were decorated<br />
Patrick Hogran<br />
with fish nets<br />
and card displays with humorous phrases of<br />
Newfoundland. Hogan's birthplace and location<br />
of the four theatres he operates with<br />
Famous Players as a partner. Irish and Newfoundland<br />
songs were played and sung with<br />
speeches made by Les Sprague, president of<br />
the Maritime Motion Picture Pioneers; I. J.<br />
Davis, president of the Maritime Film Board,<br />
vice-president of New Brunswick; F. Gordon<br />
Spencer, for the Maritime Exhibitors Ass'n;<br />
General Manager Lee April on behalf of<br />
Odeon-Maritimes; Manager F. Harrison<br />
Howe, Paramount Theatre; James Mitchell,<br />
manager of the Capitol Theatre; Joe Lieberman,<br />
partner, B&L Theatres; S. A. Babb,<br />
Franklin & Herschorn Theatres; A. A. Fielding,<br />
Bridgewater, N. S., president of the SFA<br />
circuit, and Joseph LeBlanc, Shediac, who<br />
spoke on behalf of the Independent Exhibitors.<br />
Hogan was presented with a portable typewriter<br />
and an engraved desk set by Reginald<br />
G. March, retired 20th Century-Fox manager.<br />
The dinner was chaired by P. Gordon Spencer.<br />
Eric Golding. local MGM manager, was<br />
in charge of arrangements. Many telegrams<br />
from all parts of Canada and the USA were<br />
read.<br />
Hogan will book the Capitol, Cornwall,<br />
Paramount and Star in St. John's, Nfld., and<br />
outpost theatres with headquarters here.<br />
Canadian Mulls Idea<br />
Of Telecasting a Birth<br />
OTTAWA — The Canadian Broadcasting<br />
Corp. is toying with the idea of booking a<br />
British film for its television network which<br />
shows the birth of a baby in what has been<br />
called a demonstration of natural birth. A<br />
CBC spokesman said: "If we feel it Is worthwhile<br />
telecasting and we can find time for it,<br />
it will be shown." The information is apparently<br />
intended as a feeler for public reaction.<br />
This would be the second birth on CBC<br />
television, however. In an Eskimo picture on<br />
a recent Sunday afternoon, one sequence<br />
showed the birth of a child in an igloo, the<br />
woman being assisted by a grandmother. It<br />
was intimated that the CBC was unaware of<br />
the incident in the documentary and there<br />
were no published objections.<br />
"Purple Hills' in Decca Records<br />
The Toppers, quartet on the Arthur Godfrey<br />
show, have recorded "The Purple Hills"<br />
from RKO's "Run of the Arrow," for Decca<br />
Records.<br />
Voll' Ban to Stand; Stirs<br />
Protests at Vancouver<br />
VANCOUVER—The banning of "Baby Doll"<br />
in British Columbia by provincial censor R. W.<br />
McDonald and the appeal boai-d recently,<br />
after McDonald had approved the film early<br />
in January, cannot be contested. Attorney<br />
General Bonner commented in Victoria.<br />
"I don't think the statute permits overriding<br />
decisions of the appeal board," he said.<br />
That's the word he'll pass on to Warner<br />
Bros. here, producer of the film, if an appeal<br />
should be made to his department.<br />
TOO MUCH CRITICISM<br />
McDonald said he changed his mind because<br />
"too much publicity" had been given<br />
the picture, which aroused caustic criticism in<br />
the newspapers and other quarters.<br />
The Vancouver Sun, in an editorial, commented:<br />
"Reasons offered by the B.C. movie censor<br />
for approving 'Baby Doll," then reversing himself<br />
and banning it, suggest that movie censorship<br />
itself ought to be abolished. The<br />
criminal code provides penalties for exhibiting<br />
obscene or indecent movies just as it<br />
does against obscenity or indecency in books,<br />
magazines, radio, television or for that matter,<br />
newspapers.<br />
"Anyone can bring charges against the exhibitor<br />
of a movie likely to harm the minds of<br />
the underaged or the moronic adult. Then<br />
the courts would decide by full reasonable<br />
processes whether the movie was obscene<br />
within the law as laid down by Parliament.<br />
"It could be argued that this would leave<br />
many movies too free to exercise baleful influence<br />
on the young before anyone got<br />
around to launching court proceedings. This<br />
could be guarded against however by a review<br />
system which merely labeled movies as adult<br />
entertainment and possibly under categories<br />
for public guidance.<br />
"Like all censorship, present movie censorship<br />
tends to extend itself. The 'Baby Doll'<br />
ban for instance isn't based on the nature of<br />
the picture but on what has been written<br />
about it and said about it elsewhere.<br />
"The censor has decided to punish the public<br />
by depriving them of a picture written by<br />
a top-ranking U. S. playwright because he has<br />
decided that written discussion had made it<br />
•notorious' and might cau.se people to go to<br />
see it for the 'wrong motives."<br />
BAN DUE TO COMPLAINTS<br />
" 'Baby Doll' wasn't banned because of the<br />
kind of picture it is. It was banned because<br />
of the number of times the censor's telephone<br />
rang."<br />
The Vancouver Film Society likewise criticized<br />
banning of the picture.<br />
"From what we've read in the book and<br />
about the movie," said President John Averill,<br />
"I don't think any of the members of the Vancouver<br />
Film Society would be especially interested<br />
in seeing it. But what we object to<br />
is banning a film, not for the film itself but<br />
for its publicity. And on that basis we are<br />
sending a protest to the censor and to Attorney<br />
General Robert Bonner.<br />
"We feel that most adults in British Columbia<br />
are capable of making their own<br />
decisioias."<br />
The film society is hoping that interest in<br />
the topic will bring about a revision of legislation<br />
concerning motion pictures.<br />
"It is quite an old act," Averill said. "I believe<br />
it goes back at least 30 years. People<br />
and pictures have changed in that time. It's<br />
time the act was revised and brought up to<br />
date."<br />
"Baby Doll" has been banned in two other<br />
provinces—Alberta and New Brunswick.<br />
Morris Stein Named<br />
Pioneer Chief Again<br />
TORONTO—Directors of the Canadian Picture<br />
Pioneers, now in its 17th year, meeting<br />
in the board room of Famous Players here,<br />
re-elected Morris Stein president and R. W.<br />
Bolstad as vice-president. George Oullahan<br />
was named secretary-treasurer to succeed<br />
Tom Daley, manager of the University Theatre,<br />
Toronto. Oullahan. who is with the<br />
Oscar R. Hanson organization, was co-ordinator<br />
of the recent annual meeting and banquet<br />
of the Pioneers at the King Edward<br />
Hotel.<br />
Committee chairmen include the following:<br />
membership, Len Bishop; public relations,<br />
Claire Appel; annual golf tournament, Dan<br />
Krendel; awards dinner, George H. Oullahan;<br />
annual meeting. Archie Laurie, and counsel,<br />
David J. Ongley, all of Toronto.<br />
The benevolent fund, which operates anonymously<br />
in the assistance of present or former<br />
representatives of the industry in Canada,<br />
is handled by a permanent board of trustees<br />
headed by O. R. Hanson, honorary president.<br />
Ernie Rawley Given Party<br />
By Variety of Toronto<br />
TORONTO—Barkers of Variety Tent 28<br />
gave a sendoff to Ernest M. Rawley, a canvasman<br />
for many years, prior to his departure<br />
for New York City to become executive<br />
director of a new theatre organization.<br />
Len Bishop, manager of the Toronto Hollywood,<br />
directed the lusty program which included<br />
a presentation to Rawley, who was the<br />
winner of the club's Heart award in 1951.<br />
Rawley resigned recently as manager of the<br />
Royal Alexandra.<br />
The Variety Club has secured alleys at<br />
Leaside bowling center, 832 EgUnton Ave. East,<br />
for the use of barkers and families every<br />
Sunday at 1 :30 p.m., arrangements for which<br />
were made by Joe Bermack, chief trundler.<br />
Nat Taylor, chief barker, said teams are<br />
being organized for a Variety bowling league.<br />
Fire in Theatre Basement<br />
OTTAWA—The Cinema de Paris in suburban<br />
Gatineau Point suffered a loss of $1,000<br />
and two men required hospital attention when<br />
a can of gasoline ignited in the basement of<br />
the theatre last week. The theatre was not<br />
operating at the time and firemen kept the<br />
flames confined to the basement. Treated for<br />
burns were Raymond Berlinquette, 27, and<br />
Jacques Champagne, 20.<br />
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957<br />
Z-1
. . Mr.<br />
—<br />
—<br />
—<br />
—<br />
ST. JOHN<br />
J^oug King:, manager of the Odeon Strand<br />
and Kent theatres here, had a shocking<br />
experience at the Kent during a Sunday midnight<br />
performance. Four hoodlums under<br />
the influence of liquor jumped him. King,<br />
a wiry young man, defended himself well.<br />
One vandal was hospitalized: another with<br />
the assistance of the theatre staff, was held<br />
for the police. King came out of the fracas<br />
with a multiple fracture of the nose and<br />
bruises. Local theatres have been plagued<br />
with so-called "leather jacket" toughs, now<br />
banned by most theatres.<br />
Morris Stein, Toronto and eastern division<br />
manager of Famous Players Canadian Corp.,<br />
and Maritime District Manager James Mc-<br />
Donough, Halifax, spent a few days here with<br />
Manager Harrison Howe of the Paramount:<br />
James Mitchell, manager of the Capitol: Gordon<br />
and Gerald Spencer, president and secretary<br />
of the P. G. Spencer Co. They also<br />
visited PP partner W. W. O. Fenety, operator<br />
of the Capitol and Gaiety, Frederickton,<br />
N. B.<br />
"Giant" held two weeks to solid boxoffice<br />
in the FP Capitol, Halifax. "Baby Doll"<br />
folded after one week in the Odeon Casino,<br />
Hyland and Garrick. This picture was advertized<br />
as "restricted for children under 16<br />
years of age" . and Mrs. Arthur<br />
Mitchell announced they will build a theatre<br />
in Port Elgin to replace the Mayfair, recently<br />
destroyed by fire.<br />
Patrick J. Hogan, recently retired manager<br />
of Paramount Film Services, was tendered<br />
a testimonial dinner February 5 at the<br />
Admiral Beatty Hotel by the Maritime Allied<br />
Exhibitors Ass'n in conjunction with the<br />
Motion Picture Pioneers and Film Board of<br />
Trade. A large turnout honored the popular<br />
"Pat." He has been nicknamed "Mr. Newfoundland."<br />
Twentieth Century-Fox Manager Gordon<br />
Lightstone jr., notified exhibitors that effective<br />
with "The True Story of Jesse James"<br />
projectors will have to use "small sprockets."<br />
Fox is providing the branch with a certain<br />
number of all-purpose Cinemascope parts<br />
that will properly project on four-track<br />
stereophonic or optical equipment, provided<br />
the equipment has small sprockets. The<br />
majority of Maritime theatres will have to<br />
make conversion.<br />
Exhibitors here for the Patrick J. Hogan<br />
testimonial dinner on the occasion of his<br />
retirement as Paramount manager, visited<br />
Filmrow to book and buy. They were Lloyd<br />
Mason, Capitol, Springhill: Joe LeBlanc,<br />
Capitol, Shediac; Harry Adkins and Romeo<br />
Nowlan, Pine, Richibucto, and Roxy,<br />
Buctouche: A. A. Fielding, president of the<br />
SFA circuit, operator of the Avon, Bridgewater,<br />
Bijou and Capitol, Digby, N. S. . . .<br />
Also booking and buying was J. P. Kiley of<br />
Montreal and St. John's, Nfld., owner of the<br />
Nickel and York, St. John's. Kiley also books<br />
and buys for several outpost theatres in<br />
Newfoundland.<br />
The Atlantic Theatre, owned by Atlantic<br />
Theatres, Ltd., Sheet Harbor, N. S., Reg<br />
March, president, has been added to the<br />
long list of Maritime theatres that have<br />
closed. The Keneric, Chester, N. S., operated<br />
by Eric Redden, is now operating on Fridays<br />
and Saturdays, as is the Souris Theatre,<br />
Souris, P.E.I, owned by C. N. Richards . . .<br />
Bill Shaw has resigned from the St. John<br />
Evening Times Globe newspaper to become<br />
assistant to Manager E>oug PCing of the<br />
Odeon Strand and Kent, St. John.<br />
. . . "The<br />
Samuel A. Babb of the Franklin & Herschorn<br />
circuit has been re-elected president<br />
of the Saint John Stamp Club<br />
Battle of the River Plate," showing day and<br />
date in the Odeon Casion and Hyland, Halifax,<br />
N. S., received much free newspaper<br />
publicity. The Halifax Mail-Star inserted<br />
two full columns and four pictures on the<br />
film. The port of Halifax during World War<br />
II was the port from which convoys moved<br />
with troops and supplies to Europe. The<br />
Graf Spee around which this opus is built,<br />
terrorized the sea lanes until her last battle<br />
at the mouth of the River Plate in South<br />
America against three British cruisers.<br />
"Gold Rush' Continues<br />
TORONTO—"The Gold Rush" continued at<br />
the International Cinema, leading local offbeat<br />
theatre, for an eighth week, which was<br />
announced as last stanza of the revival run.<br />
Film Covers Ross'<br />
Career<br />
United Artists' "The Barney Ross Story"<br />
covers Ross' career in the ring, as a Marine<br />
Corps hero and as a desperate man winning<br />
a battle over drug addiction.<br />
HANDY SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM<br />
BOXOFFICE:<br />
838 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24. Mo.<br />
Please enter my subscription to BOXOFFICE. 52 issues per year (13 cl which contain<br />
The MODERN THEATRE Section).<br />
D S3.00 FOR 1 YEAR Q $5.00 FOR 2 YEARS D S7.00 FOR 3 YEARS<br />
D Remittance Enclosed Send Invoice<br />
THEATRE<br />
STREET ADDRESS<br />
TOWN<br />
NAME<br />
STATE..<br />
POSITION<br />
Holdovers Go Strong<br />
On 9 Toronto Screens<br />
TORONTO—The 1957 miracle of holdovers<br />
continued at Toronto's ace theatres, all but<br />
one of which offered an extended engagement<br />
during the past week, the single new<br />
picture being "The King and Four Queens"<br />
at the Odeon Carlton.<br />
(Average Is 100)<br />
Eglinlon, Towne Friendly Persuasion (AA), 8th wk.lOO<br />
hotlywood. Palace, Runnymede Anostasio (20th-<br />
Fox),4thwk 1]0<br />
Hyland The Silent World (Col), 2nd wk. 110<br />
Imperial Giant (WB), 5th wk 105<br />
Loews The Teahouse of the August Moon<br />
(MGM), 7th wk 100<br />
Norfown The Opposite Sex (MGM), 2nd wk 100<br />
Odeon ^The King and Four Queens ( UA) 110<br />
Tivoli Oklohomo! (Magna), 42nd wk 100<br />
University The Ten Commandments (Paro),<br />
12th wk<br />
1 10<br />
Uptown Written on the Wind (U-l), 6th wk.. . ! !lOO<br />
Snow and Freezing Air<br />
Hits Vancouver<br />
VANCOUVER—Snow and freezing temperatures<br />
affected business here, but strong<br />
product helped in some situations. "Anastasia,"<br />
"Friendly Persuasion" and "Bumble<br />
on the Docks" were the leaders.<br />
Capitol Anostasio (20th-Fox) Excellent<br />
Cinema Friendly Persuasion (AA), 4th d.t. wk. . .Good<br />
Orpheum You Con't Run Away From It (Col). Fair<br />
Plaza ^Rumble on the Docks (Col), Utah Blaine<br />
(Col) 9 days Good<br />
Strand ^The Girl He Lett Behind (WB) Fair<br />
Studio Private's Progress (IFD), 4th wk .... Average<br />
Vogue The King and Four Queens (UA) fair<br />
VANCOUVER<br />
Tvan Ackery, Orpheum manager, made the<br />
newspapers twice. A newsreel dealing with<br />
the mad bomber in New York is believed to<br />
have been the incentive for a local bomb hoax.<br />
A boy called the Orpheum and said a bomb<br />
was planted in the theatre. Police searched<br />
the house but found nothing. A second story<br />
related that Ackery was given the Vancouver<br />
traffic and safety award "in recognition for<br />
his work in child safety."<br />
. . .<br />
. .<br />
Frank Soltice, manager of the Pines Drivein<br />
at Penticton, was in town after a Mexico<br />
holiday doing his booking-buying for the new<br />
season The annual meeting of British<br />
Columbia Exhibitors Ass'n Monday (11) at<br />
the Georgia Hotel considered further reductions<br />
of the tax on theatre admissions. Owen<br />
Bird is president. "Oklahoma!" in Cinema-<br />
Scope was previewed for the visiting exhibitors<br />
at the Vogue Sunday . Work has started on<br />
Walter DiUadaugh's Colville Theatre in Colville,<br />
Sask. The 250-seater will<br />
first 35mm house.<br />
be the town's<br />
Bill Hale, 80, member of projectionists Local<br />
299, Winnipeg, who retired to live in Sydney,<br />
B.C., on Vancouver Island, died there recently<br />
Two, three and four-house daydate<br />
. . . bookings by the two major circuits in<br />
this area are said to be working out better<br />
than anticipated, and will become a steady<br />
Lew Parry, president of Parry Films,<br />
diet . . .<br />
North Vancouver, returned from the annual<br />
meeting of the Ass'n of Motion Picture Producers<br />
& Laboratories of Canada in Toronto.<br />
Daniel Angel, UK producer, in association<br />
with 20th-Pox will produce "The Sheriff of<br />
Fractured Jaw," a comedy starring Kenneth<br />
More, in western Canada this summer.<br />
K-2<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957
. . . Georges<br />
. . Phil<br />
. . Press<br />
. . Warner<br />
. . Among<br />
RESEARCH BUREAU<br />
for<br />
AAODERN THEATRE PLANNERS<br />
ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION<br />
The MODERN THEATRE<br />
PLANNING mSTITUTE<br />
825 Van Brunt Blvd.<br />
Kansas City 24, Mo.<br />
Gentlemen:<br />
2-16-57<br />
Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU<br />
to receive information regularly, as released, on<br />
the lollowing subjects for Theatrp Planning:<br />
D Acoustics<br />
Q Air Conditioning<br />
Q Architectural Serric*<br />
n "Black" Lighting<br />
D Building Material<br />
D Carpels<br />
D Coin Machines<br />
Q Complete Remodeling<br />
n Decorating<br />
D Drink Dispensers<br />
D Drive-In Equipment<br />
D Other Subjects<br />
Theatre<br />
Seating Capacity..<br />
Address<br />
City<br />
State<br />
Signed<br />
n Lighting Fixtures<br />
n Plumbing Fixtures<br />
n Projectors<br />
D Projection Lamps<br />
n Seating<br />
D Signs and Marquees<br />
n Sound Equipment<br />
Television<br />
D Theatre Fronts<br />
n Vending Equipment<br />
Postage-paid reply cards for your further convenience<br />
in obtaining information are provided in MODERN<br />
The<br />
THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of<br />
each month.<br />
MONTREAL<br />
r\ V. Rosen of Toronto, general manager of<br />
IFD. vLsited the company's offices here<br />
to confer with Jo Oupcher, local district manager<br />
. Karibian, owner of the Pine<br />
Theatre of Ste, Adele, was in the southern<br />
United States. Karibian motored to Miami,<br />
where he met his wife and son at the airport<br />
Langlois, manager of the Cinema<br />
Magog, a Leo Choquette ciixuit theatre, died<br />
suddenly at Magog. Langlois, 48, is survived<br />
by his wife. He was well known in Quebec<br />
Province motion picture circles. Before becoming<br />
manager of the Cinema Magog, he<br />
was manager of the Champlain Theatre at<br />
Cap-de-la-Madeleine. Funeral services and<br />
burial were at Quebec City.<br />
Dominion Sound Equipments has made<br />
available to its employes and employes of<br />
Northern Electric Co., 8mm motion picture<br />
cameras and projectors. Dominion Sound recently<br />
took on this new line, selling the Bauer<br />
8mm movie camera, a German product, and<br />
the Bell and Howell 8mm camera and projector,<br />
made in Canada. Arrangements were<br />
for employes to purchase this equipment on<br />
a payroll deduction plan. Dominion Sound<br />
also carries a line of 16mm cameras and projectors,<br />
both sound and silent type.<br />
Boxoffice returns continue highly satisfactory<br />
in a number of local theatres, showing<br />
"good" programs. For instance, the first run<br />
Capitol was showing for the second week,<br />
"The Ten Commandments" (billed as a film<br />
for the entire family so children under 14<br />
were allowed in the theatre). At Loew's.<br />
"Giant" held for five weeks and at the Avenue<br />
Theatre, the British-produced "Reach for<br />
the Sky" featuring Kenneth More and Muriel<br />
Pavlow, was in a fourth week.<br />
. . Cine<br />
Radio City Theatre also reported good boxoffice<br />
returns with European features, "La<br />
Rancon du Plaisir," starring Eva Stiberg and<br />
Bengt Logardt, and "Panique au Cirque" with<br />
Harry Piel and Elisabeth Wendt .<br />
France Distribution, announced that "Obsession,"<br />
a color film featuring Michele Morgan<br />
and Raf Vallone is continuing to obtain good<br />
public response . Bros, announced<br />
that it will release soon for Montreal and<br />
Quebec Province showing the highly controversial<br />
"Baby Doll." Another forthcoming<br />
WB release is "The Wrong Man," starring<br />
Henry Fonda. The latter film is scheduled<br />
for its local debut in March at the Palace<br />
Theatre . and interested exhibitors<br />
saw a special screening of "Une Fille Nommee<br />
Madeleine" in the Odeon Co. office here.<br />
The film, already showing here, has been<br />
subject of "raves" by all. The customers' response<br />
was "excellent."<br />
. . .<br />
Good response is invariably shown to film<br />
programs of the Fine Arts Museum. Its committee<br />
has announced that in response to<br />
public demand it will rescreen a colored film<br />
Sam<br />
on the life of Leonardo da Vinci<br />
Jacobs, sales representative for Allied Artists,<br />
recently called on H. Lemoine of the Bijou<br />
Theatre at Megantic . visiting exhibitors<br />
were A. Robert of the Palace Theatre,<br />
Granby, along with his manager-booker,<br />
John Massicotte; Gonzalque Tremblay, Capitol,<br />
Chicoutiml; J. R. Martin and his brother<br />
S. J. D., Royal Theatre, East Angus.<br />
Rip Torn, New York television actor, plays<br />
a major role in United Artists' "Time Limit."<br />
Huge Theatre Skji ifeV- li*<br />
At Exhibition Pa<br />
TORONTO—Canadian National Extubr:;o'-.<br />
managers announced an ultramodern pern.^.anent<br />
theatre for all types of entertainment<br />
w-ould be opened at Exhibition Park next July<br />
at a cost of $1,000,000.<br />
The structure, which will seat 1,325 Is already<br />
well advanced but its purpose had been<br />
kept under cover pending negotiations for<br />
touring shows for which it will be available 11<br />
months of the year. The facilities include<br />
motion picture equipment. It will be called<br />
the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.<br />
Jack Arthur, former Famous Players executive<br />
and a member of the Canadian Picture<br />
Pioneers, is expected to manage the new<br />
house. In the meantime Arthur is building<br />
up the grandstand show for the 1957 exhibition<br />
August 23-September 7. Bob Hope is<br />
mentioned as headliner while Ringling Bros.<br />
Barnum & Bailey Circus has been signed for<br />
matinee performances during the week of<br />
August 26.<br />
Trading Stamps at Theatres<br />
OTTAWA—The legality of trading stamps<br />
as a premium for merchandise sales has become<br />
a public is.sue in Canada. The subject<br />
reached the floor of the House of Commons,<br />
where it was brought out that the theatres at<br />
Fort William, Ont., where Famous Players<br />
and Odeon units are operated, had introduced<br />
trading stamps, one of which is given with<br />
each paid admission. When eight stamps are<br />
collected, the patron is entitled to one guest<br />
ticket.<br />
Six for Adults in Ontario<br />
TORONTO—Six features have been classified<br />
as adult entertainment by the Ontario<br />
Board of Censors as follows: Four Boys and a<br />
Gun, The Great Man, Guilty, Runaway<br />
Daughters, Wicked As They Come and A<br />
Woman's Devotion. Chairman O. J. Silverthorne<br />
confirmed that "Baby Doll" had been<br />
given the classification of "restricted" which<br />
means patrons must be 18 years of age or<br />
over.<br />
''ek.A<br />
} FOR SALE s<br />
YES! 10,000 LATE MODEL<br />
USED OR RECONDITIONED<br />
Also new British-Luxury<br />
THEATRE<br />
Chairs available<br />
CHAIRS<br />
Spring edge steel bottom seot cushions ond<br />
fuUy upholstered backs—spring bock types olso.<br />
Carpeting, osphalt, rubber. Vinyl tiles ond<br />
linoleum.<br />
WE ARE FACTORY AGENTS-<br />
AT BARGAIN PRICES<br />
Drop US a line—we will give you photogrophs<br />
and full information.<br />
"LA SALLE"<br />
RECREATIONS, Ltd.<br />
rtieatre Chairs, Carpet. Linoleum and Tile Division.<br />
945 GRANVILLE ST., VANCOUVER<br />
2 MARINE 5034-5428<br />
^^<br />
BOXOFFICE :: February 16, 1957 K-3
. . Steve<br />
. . . David<br />
. . Don<br />
. . For<br />
. . The<br />
TORONTO<br />
Joseph Paul, manager of the Paramount at<br />
Brantford, has been named one of the<br />
three members of a panel which will discuss<br />
"Censorship—Good or Evil" at a meeting February<br />
27 at the Brantford YMCA. Others on<br />
the panel are Thomas Blower, deputy police<br />
chief, and Cyril Sanders, editor of the daily<br />
Brantford Expositor . York, a staffer<br />
of the Toronto Globe and Mail, has been appointed<br />
amusement commentator, succeeding<br />
Alex Barris, now with the Telegram.<br />
. .<br />
Ginger Rogers is due here February 20 in<br />
advance of "Oh, Men! Oh, Women!" it was<br />
announced by Pete Myers, Canadian general<br />
manager of 20th-Fox . Hamilton and To-<br />
NEWS...<br />
While It's<br />
Hot!<br />
'From,..<br />
HOLLYWOOD<br />
NEW YORK<br />
WASHINGTON<br />
and<br />
ALL POINTS IN BETWEEN<br />
about<br />
PICTURES and PEOPLE<br />
,<br />
You'll Relish<br />
Style in<br />
the<br />
Which<br />
It Is Served<br />
Every Week in n<br />
BOXOFFICE<br />
Nationally Extensive . . .<br />
. . . Locally<br />
.<br />
Intensive<br />
ronto theatremen gave a farewell party at<br />
the Royal Connaught Hotel, Hamilton, in<br />
honor of Mel Jolley who resigned as manager<br />
of the Hamilton Century to reside with his<br />
family at Anaheim near Los Angeles, Calif.<br />
The Toronto delegation included Dan Krendel<br />
of Pamou.s Players, Steve McManus of Canadian<br />
Odeon and Jack Fitzgibbons, Theatre<br />
Confections.<br />
Ken Davies of the Odeon at London featured<br />
a one-night engagement of a local<br />
group. Lloyd Wright's Radio Rangers, during<br />
the engagement of "The King and Four<br />
Queens" .<br />
Dickinson of the London<br />
Hyland held "Friendly Persuasion" for a second<br />
week, after a move over from the Odeon<br />
where it played three weeks. "Friendly Persuasion"<br />
stayed for a seventh week at the<br />
Hamilton Century, now managed by Paul<br />
Turnbull, late of the Hamilton Downtown.<br />
The same picture had five weeks at the Capitol,<br />
Peterborough.<br />
in later years .<br />
J. J. Fitzgibbons, Famous Players president,<br />
spent several days in St. Michael's Hospital,<br />
Toronto, for a rest and checkup. Al Troyer,<br />
veteran head office executive of Famous<br />
Players, was in the same hospital for surgery<br />
E. Stewart, 78, owner for many<br />
years of the former Red Mill at Hamilton,<br />
died in St. Peter's Infu'mary after a long<br />
illness. Born in Kincardine, he had managed<br />
trade exhibitions in the Hamilton armories<br />
. . Morris Stein, eastern division<br />
manager of Famous Players, left on a<br />
four-week vacation in Florida. Manager Vic<br />
Nowe conducted a sneak preview of "Full of<br />
Life" at the Toronto Odeon.<br />
Radio Set Sales Up. While<br />
TV Total Slips in Canada<br />
OTTAWA—A Canadian government trade<br />
report for 11 months of 1956 to November 30<br />
shows a consistently downward trend in sales<br />
of television sets but an increase in the absorption<br />
of radio receivers. In the television<br />
field, the number of sales last November<br />
dropped to 61,396 from 112,099 which was the<br />
total for the same month in 1955. For the<br />
January-November period of 1956 total TV<br />
sales were 548,632, compared with 680,445 in<br />
the 11 montlis of the previous year for a drop<br />
of approximately 130,000.<br />
Last November radio sales climbed to 90,517<br />
from the 72,700 total in the 1955 month. The<br />
ll-month sales in 1956 totaled 623,636, compared<br />
with 545,047 in the previous year's<br />
period.<br />
Stag at New Glasgow<br />
NEW GLASGOW, N. S.—Henry McNeil<br />
and Prima Davision have continued as managers<br />
of the Roseland, Academy and Jubilee<br />
theatres and the Highland Drive-In. local<br />
units in the Odeon Garson circuit, following<br />
the retirement of A. I. Garson and the purchase<br />
of his interests in the maritimes by<br />
Odeon. Lionel J. April is Maritime manager<br />
for Odeon.<br />
Calgary Drive-In Leased<br />
CALGARY — Chestermere Drive-In, Ltd..<br />
has taken over management of the Crescent<br />
Theatre on a five-year lease, and it will be<br />
operated in conjunction with the Lakeshore<br />
Drive-In next summer, according to Pi'esident<br />
Paul Hanson.<br />
OTTAWA<br />
jWratinee shows have been dropped, except on<br />
Saturdays and holidays, at the Elmdale,<br />
a local unit of Regional Theatres, Toronto,<br />
of which Ralph Dale is general manager.<br />
Manager Howard Binns of the Elmdale is<br />
featuring the Hollywood contest one night<br />
weekly . "A Lamp Is Heavy" at the<br />
Odeon, Manager Jim Chalmers invited the<br />
nurses of Civic and General hospitals as his<br />
guests for a performance. Dui'ing the run of<br />
the picture, which has a nursing theme, William<br />
Zuro, an artist of nearby Stittsville, had<br />
an exhibition of his paintings in the foyer<br />
and mezzanine.<br />
Manager William Parrent of the O'Brien at<br />
Pembroke turned over the theatre Sunday<br />
night (10) for the first of a series of concertos<br />
by the Canadian Legion band there . . . Visiting<br />
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edmond<br />
Cloutier of Ottawa, was Suzanne Cloutier,<br />
prominent as a film and stage actress in England<br />
and France. She was accompanied by<br />
her husband Peter Ustinov, and their two<br />
children.<br />
After three weeks at the Capitol, "Giant"<br />
moved over to the Regent and Capitol Manager<br />
T. R. Tubman brought in "The Teahouse<br />
of the August Moon." Ernie Warren held<br />
"The Gold Rush" for a third week at the<br />
Little Elgin . height of something or<br />
other occurred at the independent Rialto here<br />
with the featuring of a "delinquent program,"<br />
consisting of "Women Without Names," "The<br />
Night Holds Terror" and "Bad Blonde."<br />
The National Film Board staged a series of<br />
free shows on five nights at the National Research<br />
Council theatre. February 6-14 in cooperation<br />
with the Ottawa Film Council . . .<br />
In observance of the fifth anniversary of the<br />
accession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne,<br />
Manager Jim Chalmers of the Odeon played<br />
the colorful featurette, "Trooping the Color,"<br />
a JARO release.<br />
Associates and Aldrich<br />
Working Five Writers<br />
HOLLYWOOD—With the signing of Teddl<br />
Sherman to develop an original comedy, the<br />
Associates and Aldrich Co. currently has five<br />
writers working on as many ventures. David<br />
Chantler is scripting a story identified as<br />
"Project X"; Robert Condon is working on<br />
"And Two If by Sea," which is slated for<br />
late winter lensing in New York; Oscar Millard<br />
is doing the screenplay for "Until Proven<br />
Guilty," and Halstead Welles is working on<br />
screenplay of John O'Hara's short story, "Now<br />
We Know."<br />
'Moby Dick' at FPC Houses<br />
TORONTO—The FPC combination of nine<br />
local theatres for the Show of the Week featured<br />
"Moby Dick." The nine-unit group of<br />
Nat Taylor's 20th Century Theatres had a<br />
week's whirl with "Odongo." The Fairlawn<br />
and Colony joined with the downtown Odeon<br />
in the presentation of "The King and Four<br />
Queens" while another Odeon combination of<br />
four houses, the Danforth, Humber, Hyland<br />
and Cooksville, enjoyed a second week of<br />
"The Silent World."<br />
RKO's "Run of the Arrow" was produced,<br />
written and directed by Samuel Fuller.<br />
K-4 BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
_ \<br />
'"'<br />
• ALPHABETICAL INDEX<br />
• ADLINES & EXPLOITIPS<br />
• BOXOFFICE BAROMETER<br />
• EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY<br />
• FEATURE RELEASE CHART<br />
• FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST<br />
• REVIEWS OF FEATURES<br />
• SHORTS RELEASE CHART<br />
• SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS<br />
• SHOWMANDISING IDEAS<br />
THE GUIDE TO i BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S B U I L D I N G<br />
It's Results That Make<br />
Showman a Champion<br />
How does a theatre manager win a showmanship<br />
award? Well, here's what Alan<br />
Bamossy, city manager of Fox Intermountain<br />
Theatres in Great F^lls, Mont., had to<br />
do to be recognized as the outstanding<br />
showman in his district during the past<br />
quarter.<br />
"Flesults mean most," Jack McGee, division<br />
manager for Pox, said when asked<br />
how the managers are judged. "Al produced<br />
real results with his campaigns and<br />
other phases of theatre operation."<br />
Next point on which managers are<br />
judged for these quarterly awards is maintenance<br />
of theatre. "We found his house<br />
clean as a pin every time it was inspected<br />
—the ushers and other help were neat, the<br />
restrooms were always clean and the theatre<br />
was an inviting place," Jack observed.<br />
Showmanship by Al brought real results.<br />
A week before Christmas he gave away a<br />
McGee reported.<br />
Al also lined up an art film series for<br />
Chevrolet sedan and trailer, which he<br />
promoted without cost and through cooperation<br />
of the local merchants. The contest<br />
started eight weeks before the car<br />
was to be given away. Emring a time when<br />
bad grosses might normally be expected,<br />
business was good and grosses were excellent,<br />
the Rainbow Theatre in Great Falls. He<br />
obtained a half dozen art films and sold<br />
series of tickets to the showings. This resulted<br />
in near-capacity houses.<br />
Bamossy also has been active in community<br />
enterprises, such as Community<br />
Chest drives. Red Cross and the March<br />
of Dimes. He has cooperated in every way<br />
in keeping his theatres show places and<br />
gathering places for the community. He<br />
is not a Montana native. He was moved<br />
to Great Palls from North Platte, Neb.<br />
Prior to that, he was with Fox at Rawlings,<br />
Wyo.<br />
His "outstanding showman" distinction<br />
was accompanied by a plaque. He also<br />
will be a guest at the meeting of district<br />
managers in California next year.<br />
Joe Mlklos, Stanley Warner Embassy,<br />
New Britain, Conn., discovered that DCA's<br />
"Rock, Rock, Rock!" features a New Britain<br />
drummer, Hermie Dressel. The latter<br />
was invited to do a drum solo on stage<br />
opening night at the Embassy, with the<br />
local press covering.<br />
Gunslinger Event Fills Matinee<br />
A juvenile gunslinger contest brought out<br />
50 contestants and a houseful of kids at<br />
a recent Saturday matinee at the Sparks<br />
Theatre, Sparks, Nev. The contest was set<br />
up by Manager William Strange and his<br />
assistant Val Dage, who also acted as master<br />
of ceremonies for the contest. '<br />
The weekly Sparks Tribune carried<br />
details<br />
of the contest, along with a contest<br />
entry blank on the front page of the pa-<br />
Uses Old Gimmick in Ads<br />
Harry Rosenberg of the Centre, St.<br />
Catharines, Ont., dug up an old gimmick<br />
he had used several years ago and used<br />
it to promote "The Slave." Rosenberg used<br />
ads which read: "Will Definitely Be<br />
Shown!" The Centre Theatre wishes to<br />
announce that IN SPITE OF RUMORS<br />
TO THE CONTRARY, the sensational motion<br />
picture, 'The Slave' will definitely be<br />
shown in this city. It will start Monday<br />
at the Centre Theatre, and admittance will<br />
be restricted to adults of 18 years of age<br />
or over only."<br />
'Curtain 8:40' Series<br />
A Wednesday night "Curtain at 8:40"<br />
series was inaugurated recently at the<br />
Community Theatre, Morristown, N. J.,<br />
with excellent results. Madeleine Palmieri,<br />
manager of the Walter Reade Theatres<br />
house, set up an interesting lobby display<br />
on the series, using imprinted paper top<br />
hats with the titles of the films on a lobby<br />
drapery. All shows were sponsored by a<br />
local fund raising group, and free coffee<br />
was served in the mezzanine at each performance.<br />
BOXOFFICE Showmcmdiser : : Feb. 16, 1957 37 —<br />
pti , aiiti cuiitr-stants were limited to youngsters<br />
from six to 11 years old.<br />
Prizes were provided for each entrant<br />
and grand prizes were given to the winners<br />
of each division: (1) 6 and 7-yearolds;<br />
(2) 8 and 9-year-olds, and (3) 10<br />
and 11 -year-olds. Judges of the event were<br />
the chief of police and the fire chief.<br />
Youngsters were asked to bring their<br />
own "shooting irons."<br />
U-I Pre-Selling 'Battle'<br />
Among Protestants<br />
NEW YORK—Universal-International has<br />
launched a nationwide pre-seUing campaign<br />
for "Battle Hymn" among Protestant religious<br />
groups, in cooperation with the general<br />
department of United Church Women of the<br />
National Council of Churches of Christ and<br />
the Christian Herald.<br />
Dr. Poling has filmed a special commentary<br />
on the U-I picture for showing at preview<br />
screenings being set up for church leaders<br />
in key cities. More than 20,000 leaders' kits,<br />
containing "Battle Hymn" lesson and poster<br />
material, along with letters from Dr. Poling<br />
and Col. Dean Hess, are to be distributed at<br />
the screenings for subsequent use in Sunday<br />
School, vestry and other church activities.<br />
The guide material being provided for religious<br />
leaders by U-I also includes copies of<br />
the six-page gatefold brochure Issued by the<br />
Motion Picture Ass'n of America, via Arthur<br />
DeBra, director of community relations.<br />
Universal-International Is also launching<br />
the personality tours In connection with the<br />
picture's world premiere In Marietta, Ohio,<br />
for the Washington's Birthday weekend.<br />
Jock Mahoney and Dan Duryea, who are costarred<br />
with Rock Hudson, started their key<br />
city tours Feb. 4 and Hudson the 10th.
P«r<br />
70 INCREASE MIDWEEK BUSINESS<br />
Vncle George Introduces Novel Plan;<br />
Newspaper and Merchants Cooperate<br />
BEECH GROVE, IND.—"Uncle" George<br />
Marks, who has been operating the Grove<br />
Theatre on weekends only since it was reopened,<br />
has launched a Midweek Movie Club<br />
plan designed to open the theatre two of the<br />
other four days—Wednesday and Thursday.<br />
Marks credits a January 19 BOXOFFICE<br />
editorial, "Let's Fill 'Em Up," with moving<br />
him to take action on this plan which he<br />
had been considering for some time as a<br />
possible solution to a small-town theatre's<br />
poor midweek attendance.<br />
"Your editorial on the midweek problem<br />
moved me to action, with what results, we will<br />
know later," Marks wrote to Ben Shlyen,<br />
publisher of BOXOFFICE. "I had been kicking<br />
this idea around for a long time, patterned<br />
somewhat after the Community Concert<br />
Series, which sells tickets to concerts in advance.<br />
Most of the time the buyers have no<br />
idea of who or what they are going to see.<br />
If they don't buy a series ticket in advance,<br />
however, they cannot buy a single ticket at<br />
the door the night of an individual performance.<br />
To avoid such disappointment, they<br />
buy the series ticket. Perhaps I'm a dreamer<br />
to think people will cherish motion pictures<br />
that much, but with the incentive of a price<br />
saving, it might work."<br />
Marks' "price saving" incentive is to offer<br />
Midweek Movie Club memberships to adults<br />
for $1 and to children under 12 for 50 cents.<br />
In retm-n, members will be admitted to the<br />
Grove Theatre on each Wednesday or Thursday<br />
for a month. Only membership ticket<br />
holders are to be admitted on these nights, no<br />
single admission tickets being sold on Wednesday<br />
or Thursday at the Grove boxoffice.<br />
Marks' first challenge was to sell the idea<br />
to his local newspaper editor, then to the<br />
Beech Grove merchants—enlisting the aid of<br />
all these forces in selling the club plan to the<br />
5,685 citizens of Beech Grove, a community<br />
a few miles southeast of Indianapolis.<br />
"I got my editor, Louis Luckenbill and his<br />
associate, Don Powers, enthused about the<br />
idea," said Marks. "The result was a front<br />
page story."<br />
Luckenbill and Powers, who well-remembered<br />
the dark days in Beech Grove when<br />
the Grove Theatre had been shuttered on a<br />
seven-day basis, saw good reason for giving<br />
Marks a four-column front page story under<br />
a two-line head.<br />
Stressing that inauguration of the Midweek<br />
Movie Club plan depended upon sale of 500<br />
tickets, the story carried in their Perry<br />
Township Weekly said that the plan would<br />
benefit everyone.<br />
"Patrons will benefit by lower prices," said<br />
the newspaper's story. "The theatre will<br />
benefit by knowing it has sufficient audiences<br />
to keep the theatre open; the community will<br />
benefit by having an open theatre, a place<br />
When 45 Beech<br />
Grove, Ind., merchants<br />
and citizens<br />
ran this ad<br />
CALLING ALL CITIZENS!<br />
in the local paper<br />
YOU CAN HELP NOW TO<br />
to support his new<br />
midweeli policy<br />
idea, "Uncle"<br />
George built more<br />
Keep the<br />
goodwill by sending<br />
each sponsor a<br />
"thank you" letter.<br />
THEATRE<br />
OPEN<br />
IT WILL BE EASIER THAN<br />
TRYING TO REOPEN IT IF FORCED<br />
TO CLOSE<br />
By Joining The Mid-week Movie Club Plan<br />
ANDATTHESAMETIME ENJOY GRE+T MOVIES AT BARGAIN PRICES!<br />
lUL Hl.'R(-H\SP A MEMBERSHIP DICOUNT llCKt-f K'OR (I ID . Far Wulu' OR »/ i QiilA<br />
r.nL-idf. U THIS TlOrr WILL \OMlT 10LI fO THE aRO\% E\ER\ WEDNESDAY OR<br />
IMIHM>\> l.mUNbMONTH.TIIISBRINGS THE f BICE UF h\CM \DMtSSION TO 2S, FOR<br />
ADLLTS - 1>',f Tu KIDDIES. MID-WEEk SMO«5WILL E.\r) NO LVTf-R TH.\N9 3(1 P M HILT<br />
AL)L LI>HM (l\1t \S.LATE^S7.» \NDSEE \lX)MPl-ETESHO\V \S THE FIRST FEATURB<br />
WILLDt HtrtATtD .SINGLE TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD -O.NLY THOSE WITH A MIt>-<br />
»EtK DIbCOL NT TICKET IMLL BE \DMITTEU.<br />
.TlCt*tTSO-NS\LE AT GROVE THEATRE!<br />
SOc prr Monih Umkt 12<br />
8u) \out Tiduu Today uid Ulp Franwu Bach C*n«<br />
YOUR TICKET NOWl<br />
f^ oi^rptiL»u*» »;m« mnr Tf" 4.1. • um<br />
>;=?§?" .-— V.r-?<br />
6R0VE<br />
HERE'S HOW<br />
PARENTS:<br />
THE FOLLWING MERCHANTS AND CipZENS URGE YOU TO BUY<br />
where wholesome entertainment Is available<br />
to children, teenagers and grownups.<br />
"If the theatre remains closed four days a<br />
week it puts the responsibility of maintaining<br />
a theatre in Beech Grove on business done on<br />
weekends. In other words, three-day operation<br />
is required to do what normally takes<br />
seven. If the weekend operation cannot do<br />
enough to pay for the seven, the theatre<br />
would have no alternative but to close its<br />
doors. Those who remember Beech Grove<br />
without a theatre undoubtedly do not want<br />
this to happen again."<br />
PARENTS' SUPPORT URGED<br />
Beech Grove merchants also well-remembered<br />
the business repercussions to the town<br />
during the days when the Grove Theatre had<br />
been shuttered. When the Perry Township<br />
Weekly editors, at Marks' suggestion, set out<br />
to sell a full page cooperative ad supporting<br />
the Midweek Movie Club plan, 45 merchants,<br />
officeholders and prominent citizens of the<br />
town quickly pledged themselves to pay for<br />
the ad. It appeared in the January 31 issue,<br />
outlining the plan and especially urging parents<br />
to buy membership cards for their children<br />
because the theatre provides a safe place<br />
off the street and a wholesome environment<br />
in which neither necking nor rowdyism are<br />
permitted by Marks.<br />
"Whatever the outcome of the plan," wrote<br />
Marks in a followup letter to BOXOFFICE,<br />
"it is generating considerable comment in our<br />
Immediate area. Our weekend business has<br />
picked up, due, I believe, to the extra comment,<br />
publicity and interest in our efforts.<br />
THEATRE PATRONS RETURNING<br />
"Another immediate result is this: patrons<br />
stop to compliment us on our show and they<br />
add, T hope your midweek plan works.'<br />
Others stop and tell us, 'This is the first<br />
time I've been out to a motion picture in<br />
months, but we thought we'd come down and<br />
see what all the fuss was over.' They, too, are<br />
complimentary, and, I hope, new patrons."<br />
Marks started the sale of membership<br />
tickets at his boxoffice. Following appearance<br />
of the cooperative ad in the local newspaper,<br />
however, the participating merchants volunteered<br />
to put the membership tickets on<br />
sale in their respective establishments to<br />
help Marks sell the 500 memberships that will<br />
enable him to inaugurate the new Wednesday-Thiu-sday<br />
policy.
Weekly Ads Stress Big Screen^ Big Pictures,<br />
Big Stars
RESTORING UFl TO CLOSED THEATRE<br />
Joe Green Offers Potential Audience<br />
What It Wants, and Friendliness<br />
DOROTHY SHENSA MILLER<br />
The problems of reopening a theatre<br />
which has been shut down for any length<br />
of time are as varied as the locations of<br />
theatres in general. Last October 11, Joe<br />
Green and Ted Reisfeld bought the Essex<br />
Theatre in Newark, N. J., after it had been<br />
closed for eight months. Besides the usual<br />
task of redecorating throughout, going<br />
over the heating system and repairing it,<br />
and fixing broken display cases, and reseating<br />
the entire house, the new owners<br />
had to acquaint themselves very accurately<br />
with the type of moviegoer who would<br />
come to the Essex.<br />
Rrst of all, the Essex is located less than<br />
a half mile from the center of Newark, but<br />
it is not in a residential area. The people<br />
who do live in the vicinity, are in lowincome<br />
brackets and about 80 to 90 per<br />
cent of the patrons are colored. But Green<br />
didn't feel that these facts were handicaps.<br />
NOT A MATTER OF COLOR<br />
"People are people," he said, "and it is<br />
our busines to provide them with entertainment."<br />
Before the actual reopening,<br />
circulars were distributed throughout the<br />
neighborhood, posters were displayed in<br />
front of the closed theatre and in various<br />
stores, and a great deal of advertising was<br />
done in the Negro newspapers. The marquee<br />
carried an announcement of the opening,<br />
several weeks prior to the date. The<br />
outside front was brightened up with paint<br />
and given a new look and posters told<br />
about the "new policy" of three changes<br />
of features a week—with continuous daily<br />
shows from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.—admission,<br />
adults—50 cents; children, 25<br />
cents.<br />
The Essex seats about 1,000 and it<br />
wasn't easy to fill it to even near capacity<br />
during those first few weeks after its reopening,<br />
but trailers on the screen, explaining<br />
the change in policy, as well as<br />
the signs and ads, soon proved their worth.<br />
After four weeks, Green and Reisfeld saw<br />
Joe Green, manager of the reopened Essex<br />
Theatre in Newark, N. J., points to a coming<br />
attraction sign in the lobby.<br />
signs of increasing business.<br />
Green, however, was quick to see several<br />
problems pertinent to the Essex, which<br />
might never occur in other theatres. First<br />
of all, a great many children came unattended.<br />
He realized how order might get<br />
out of hand, so a motherly type woman<br />
was hired as a sort of baby sitter. All<br />
unattended children are seated in the balcony<br />
and the attendant, attired in a white<br />
uniform, manages to keep them quiet, to<br />
caution the trouble-makers or oust them,<br />
and to comfort and care for those who<br />
are frightened or get hurt. This one particular<br />
feature has proven very successful<br />
and the increased number of kiddies coming<br />
to the shows offsets the cost of the<br />
"specialized" sitter.<br />
In a theatre of this kind. Green admits<br />
that a manager must be completely unbiased,<br />
and should treat the patrons with<br />
respect and understanding. A reciprocal<br />
attitude is created in the customers.<br />
Green is aware of the type of films his<br />
audience seeks. "No horror shows—or<br />
spooky ones—or pictures ridiculing their<br />
race. They love comedy and adventure and<br />
my big problem is in getting enough movies<br />
for them. They like coming to the movies<br />
and know their stars and pictures—and<br />
are a most appreciative audience."<br />
Green also pointed out that advertising<br />
must be geared to the interest of the<br />
patrons; in this case, emphasizing adequate<br />
heating during winter months and<br />
comfortable cooling during the summer.<br />
A small candy counter in the lobby has<br />
been very successful, with hot dogs a very<br />
popular item, as well as peanuts and dixie<br />
cups. The people are permitted to take<br />
their food to their seats and they are<br />
quite careful about littering. A porter is<br />
constantly going up and down the aisles<br />
with a broom and dustpan, removing litter.<br />
IN THEATRES 25 YEARS<br />
Green, a 25-year veteran in the theatre<br />
business, formerly owned many theatres<br />
in the New York area. He has this to say<br />
about closed theatres and their reopening:<br />
"Any theatre that had a potential audience,<br />
and lost it, must have some reason<br />
for its decline. Find the reason—and you'll<br />
be able to reopen with a successful operation."<br />
In the case of the Essex Theatre, Green<br />
the<br />
gives his audience what they want in<br />
way of pictures, he provides a friendly atmosphere,<br />
and makes the people feel<br />
wanted. He also believes that the man who<br />
establishes personal contact with the theatregoers,<br />
such as he has, can make a success<br />
of it.<br />
stress SOO-Car Parking<br />
Morris Keppner and Barney Tarantul,<br />
partners in the Burnside Theatre at East<br />
Hartford, Conn., have redesigned the theatre<br />
signature cut for their daily newspaper<br />
ads to stress parking facilities.<br />
Burnside's space for 500 cars is not equaled<br />
by any area suburban theatre.<br />
For 'Sinners' in Hartford<br />
Ray McNamara, Allyn Theatres at<br />
Hartford, Conn., and Harry Goldstein, exploiteer<br />
for Allied Artists, joined forces<br />
on "Blonde Slimer" as follows:<br />
Distributed 3,000 teaser cards on downtown<br />
streets, and offered guest tickets for<br />
ten longest listings of attractions starring<br />
Diana Dors via newspaper contest.<br />
at<br />
i<br />
II<br />
IS THUTRE<br />
RttUURlYy<br />
TO BRING \0U THE<br />
GBMKSr HOllYWOa)<br />
IIIMS KmMM<br />
TluiTWiuwitlbe...<br />
Yo«' Hcl.<br />
PLEASAlyfEYHWTED<br />
INTH£WINT£R<br />
DUlGHmJUYOOOIID<br />
X INSUMiVim<br />
TOKEIPTHIS<br />
Vital in promotion of a theatre reopening is impressing on the potential<br />
customers the "new polices" which have been fixed as foundation of the<br />
campaign to bring back the customers. Here signs are prominently displayed<br />
over the door to the auditorium section in the lobby of the Essex in Newark,<br />
N. J., constantly reminding the patrons about the policy of the reopened<br />
house and its screen attractions.<br />
40 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Feb. 16, 1957
University Sponsors<br />
Art Festival Event<br />
Paul Gifford Anglim, for two years organizer<br />
of the Pox Intermountain Theatres<br />
Film Festivals, recently set up film<br />
festival events for four Ubah and Idaho<br />
}<br />
towns for the Intermountain Theatres circuit.<br />
The festivals were set up at Logan<br />
and Provo, Utah, and Boise and Twin Falls,<br />
Ida.<br />
At Logan. Anglim and Robert Hodges,<br />
manager of the Capitol Theatre, secured<br />
the sponsorship of the department of fme<br />
arts at Utah State College for the film<br />
festival. The department went all-out with<br />
each section taking a special part of the<br />
program as a class project.<br />
The music department arranged a short<br />
concert, the art department designed and<br />
executed a special program for the evening<br />
of the festival, and a special committee<br />
rounded up an art exhibit of 27<br />
paintings for the theatre lobby. A group<br />
of faculty wives poured tea and served<br />
other refreshments during a social hour<br />
held before the showing.<br />
Hodges said the townsfolk were highly<br />
enthusiastic about the festival and on the<br />
second program, he reported more than<br />
500 subscriptions sold and an attendance<br />
of over 1,000 for the one night, one-showing<br />
affair.<br />
The series opened with "The Sheep Has<br />
Five Legs." then "Rififi," and wiU be followed<br />
with "Wages of Fear," "The Ballet<br />
of Romeo and Juliet," "Alda" and "Um-<br />
I. berto D." Six programs are sold for $4.50,<br />
" with students prices at $3. Single admissions<br />
are $1.<br />
Nipon Writing on Letter<br />
For 'Madame Butterfly'<br />
Manager Walter Klements of the Mayfair<br />
Art Theatre in Miami sent out letters<br />
decorated with Japanese characters to his<br />
mailing list of patrons to promote<br />
"Madame Butterfly," which also opened at<br />
the Sunset Ai-t and Cameo theatres.<br />
Composer Mana Zucca, a resident of<br />
Miami gave the following quote to be used<br />
over her name in advertising: "Rnest production<br />
of this opera I have ever seen. I<br />
shall never forget it."<br />
The signed letter read:<br />
Illustrious<br />
One:<br />
I do not know what the Japonese characters on<br />
this page mean, but if they were written by someone<br />
who hod seen Puccini's "Madame Butterfly,"<br />
they would surely be words of praise for this magnificent<br />
production.<br />
If you are a lover of grand opera, you too, will<br />
sing the praises of this exquisite motion picture in<br />
glorious color, sung by the world's greatest operatic<br />
voices, with the finest Italian and Japanese<br />
cast.<br />
And even if you are not an opera fan, you will<br />
be thrilled by this tender love story, narrated in<br />
English. Plan to see it for rich, rewarding entertainment.<br />
"Madame Butterfly" is showing at the Cameo,<br />
Sunset and Mayfair Art Theatres starting today,<br />
for a week's engagement.<br />
Short Subject Promotion<br />
Wins January Citation<br />
Lou Liss<br />
Jim Morin<br />
Two showmen, who figured prominently<br />
in the general exploitation of individual<br />
have been awarded BOXOFFICE<br />
pictures,<br />
Showmandiser Citations of Honor. The Citation<br />
awards were based on contributions<br />
to Showmandiser published in January.<br />
Outstanding in the general exploitation<br />
field was the work of Charles Kerwin, Tivoli<br />
Theatre, Brisbane, Australia, who, in<br />
promoting the British film, "A Town Like<br />
Alice," saw to it that every segment of<br />
the public knew about the program. In a<br />
tieup with an oil company, Kerwin worked<br />
out 45 different ways of telling Brisbane<br />
people about the picture and stimulating<br />
their desire to see it. Showmandiser page<br />
22.<br />
Robert L. Mannel, Theatre Del Mar. Santa<br />
Cruz, Calif., won an award in the same<br />
category for his work on "Friendly Persuasion."<br />
Page 14.<br />
For his timely promotion of a short subject,<br />
Paul Reynaud, Capitol Theatre, Union<br />
City, N. J., won an award. Capitalizing<br />
on the current popularity of Lawrence<br />
Welk, TV favorite, Reynaud asked his U-I<br />
exchange to get a print of a four-year-old<br />
reel, "The Modernaires," featuring Welk.<br />
With the booking of the short subject,<br />
Reynaud projected the Welk angle into a<br />
five-way local tieup with area music shops,<br />
beverage dealers and a Dodge agency. The<br />
result was 40 per cent more than the<br />
gross that could be anticipated normally<br />
for the two feature films the Capitol was<br />
showing. Page 1.<br />
F. Harrison Howe. Paramount, St. John.<br />
N. B., won an award in the teenage promotion<br />
category for the lobby disc jockey<br />
sessions he innovated for "Love Me Tender."<br />
The no-cost promotion was set up<br />
BOXOFFICE Showmcmdiser :: Feb. 16, IBM — 41 —<br />
Jack M. Sherier Harrison Howe<br />
with a local radio station conducting a<br />
half-hour disc jockey session in the theatre<br />
lobby during the playdates. Page 8.<br />
A special award went to Walter Kessler,<br />
manager of Loew's Ohio Theatre, Columbus,<br />
Ohio, for his successful juvenile control<br />
program, which he calls, "Operation<br />
Juvenile." P(age 16.<br />
Jack M. Sherzer, Beverly Theatre,<br />
Brooklyn, N. Y., won an award in the field<br />
of public relations with his 25th anniversary<br />
party for patrons, which included the<br />
serving of hot franks, fancy cookies, hors<br />
d'oeuvres, interviews with patrons and<br />
giveaways. Page 10.<br />
Also in the field of public relations, an<br />
award went to J. W. Beach, Appalachian<br />
Theatre, Boone, N. C, for his program directed<br />
at building goodwill among area<br />
school teachers. Page 21.<br />
Jim Morin, Cooper Theatre, Brazil. Ind.,<br />
won an award in the merchant cooperation<br />
field with a trailer-pass program he instituted.<br />
Page 9.<br />
Lou Liss, Lincoln Theatre, Miami Beach,<br />
Fla., received an award in the display category<br />
for the huge front display he used<br />
to promote "Baby Doll." The 28-foot front<br />
had 20x6-inch boxed letters painted in<br />
red glow paint which<br />
caught the eye from<br />
many blocks away.<br />
Page 20.<br />
Elmer DeWitt, manager<br />
of Mailers Theatres,<br />
Defiance, Ohio,<br />
received an award<br />
for his successful telephone<br />
sales campaign<br />
on a theatre<br />
stage show. Page 17. Paul Reynaud<br />
p<br />
M^'<br />
Robert L. Mannel Elmer DeWitt J. W. Beacli
BOXOFFICE<br />
BAROMETER<br />
Thit chart records the performance of current attractioni in the opening week of their first runt in<br />
the 20 key cities checi(ed. Pictures with fewer than five engagements are not listed. As new runs<br />
are reported, ratings are added and averages revised. Computation is in terms of percentage in<br />
relotion to normal grosses as determined by the theatre managers. With 100 per cent as "normal,"<br />
the figures show the gross rating above or below that mark.<br />
Anastasia (20th-Fox) 300 275 190 230 200 130 165 200 220 250 300 250 150 180 120 210 300 216<br />
Baby Doll (WB) 210 225 175 320 200 250 275 250 220 150 230 200 145 200 225 218<br />
1 Bundle of Joy (RKO)
^ A %M M E 1^ y «• D V V<br />
Feature productions by company in order of release. Number in square It national release date. Running<br />
time is In parentheses. ^ Is tor CInemoScope; ^ VlitaVlsion; % Superscope; H Noturamo. Symbol V.i<br />
denotes BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award; ^ color photography. Letters ond combinations thereof indicate<br />
story type: (C) Comedy; (D) Dromo; (Ad) Adventure-Drama; (CD) Comedy-Droma; (M) Musical; (W) Western.<br />
(Complete key on next page.) For review dotes ond Picture Guide poge numbers, see Review Digest.<br />
ALLIED ARTISTS<br />
M Crime in tlie Stretts<br />
| U<br />
(91) Cr..5614<br />
John CassAvetes. James Wbltmore<br />
El ©Nalced Hills. The (73) OD. .5605<br />
l>ail(j Wayne, Keenan Wynn<br />
gj King of the Coral Sea<br />
(74) Ad .5617<br />
Chips liatferty. lima Adey<br />
a ©First Texan (82) ©..W..5615<br />
Joel McCrea. Felicia Farr<br />
n ta u<br />
Feature chart<br />
.H
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.W.<br />
.W.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.D.<br />
.<br />
FEATURE<br />
CHART<br />
TiM Kay to IcHera and eombinotlons thereof Indicating story type: (Ad) Adventure Drama; (Ae) Action<br />
Drama; (An) Animoted-Action; (C) Comedy; (CD) Comedy-Dromo; (Cr) Crime Drama; (DM) Oro"?!<br />
with Mutic; (Doe) Documentary; (D) Drama; (F) Fantasy; (FC) Force-Comedy; (Ho) Horror Dromo; (HI)<br />
Historical Drama; (M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (OD) Outdoor Drama; (SF) Science-Fiction; (W) Western.<br />
REPUBLIC<br />
aeDakota Incident (88). W.. 5510<br />
Linda Darnell, Dale Kobertson<br />
(S OThunder Over Arizona<br />
(75) ® W..55U<br />
Skip Homeler. Krlstlne Miller<br />
SDOLisbon (90) (g) D..5S12<br />
Ray Mllland, Maureen O'Hara<br />
O Strange Adventure, A<br />
(70) D..5537<br />
Joan Evans, Ben Cooper<br />
m (JiDaniel Boom, Trail<br />
Blaief (76) Ad.. 5513<br />
Bruce Bennett, Lon Cbaney<br />
SS Scandal, Inc. (79) D..5514<br />
Robert Button, Patricia Wright<br />
Man Is Armed, The<br />
(70) Ac. 5538<br />
Dane Clark. May Wynn<br />
m Above Ui (he Waves (92) . D . . 5601<br />
John Mills, John GregsoD<br />
{S (^Woman's Devotion, A<br />
(88) D..5602<br />
Ralph Meeker, Janice Rule<br />
glOAccused of Murder<br />
(73) ® D..5603<br />
David Brian, Vera Ralston<br />
a ©Tears for Simon (91) . . D . . 5604<br />
David Farrar, Julia Arnall,<br />
Daild KnIghf<br />
SS ©Congress Dances, The<br />
(90) © M..<br />
Johanna Matz and (German cast<br />
@ Duel at Apache Wells<br />
(..) ® W..<br />
Jim Davis, Anna Maria Alberghettl,<br />
Ben Cooper<br />
Q] ©Affair in Reno (..) (g)..D.<br />
John Lund, Doris Singleton<br />
Man in Question, The D<br />
Enia Raines, Derek Farr<br />
Hell's Crossroads (g) D<br />
Stephen McNally, Peggie Castle<br />
©Spoilers of the Forest ® OD<br />
Vera Ralston, Rod Cameron<br />
©In Old Vienna M.<br />
Heinz Roettlnger, Robert KnUck<br />
©Stockade ® OD<br />
Ray Mllland<br />
20TH-FOX<br />
©0-Day the 6Ui of June<br />
(106) © D. .612-2<br />
Robert Taylor, Dana Wynter,<br />
Edmond O'Brien, Richard Todd<br />
©Abdullah's Hartm (88) . CD .. 613-0<br />
Ciregory Batoff, Kay Kendtll<br />
©Massacre (76) W. .614-8<br />
Dana Clark, Marta Rot*<br />
^©King and I, The<br />
(133) ©55 DM.. 615-5<br />
Deborah Kerr, Yul Bryoner<br />
(Special engagaaenta)<br />
Barefoot Battalion (63). . .0. .617-1<br />
Maria (Tostl, Ntcos Fermas<br />
(Reviewed 5-
. .SF.<br />
Ad.<br />
. D<br />
Sep<br />
.<br />
.<br />
. D.<br />
. . Nov<br />
FEATURE CHART<br />
^HORTS CHART<br />
INDEPENDENT g tl<br />
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL<br />
Oklahoma Woman (73) i) W..Jun56<br />
lUchard litniilng, Peggie C«stle<br />
Female Jungle (71) D..Jun56<br />
Jayne MansTleld. Laurence Tterney<br />
©Gunslinoer (83) W. .Jun 56<br />
Juhn Ireland. Beicrly Garland<br />
Girls in Prison (87) Ac. .Jul 56<br />
lik'hard Denning, Joui Taylor<br />
Hot Rod Girl (75)'. Ac. Jul 56<br />
I^ri Nelson. John Smith<br />
rhe She-Creature (77) Ho .. Aug 56<br />
. .<br />
Maria English, Chester Morris<br />
Aug 56<br />
It Conquered the World (75). .<br />
Peter (;r;nes, Beverly Garland<br />
Shake, Rattle and Rock (77) M. Not 56<br />
Fats liuiuino. Lisa Gaye<br />
Runaway Daughters (90) Nov 56<br />
Marlu Bngllsh, Lance Fuller<br />
©Naked Paradise (80) Ac. Jan 57<br />
KIchard Denning. Beverly Garland<br />
©Flesh & the Spur (80) Ac Jan 57<br />
John Agar. Maria Bnglish<br />
ARLAN<br />
Living North. The (74) Dm .<br />
Filmed In Lapland: native cajt<br />
(t>)gllsh narration)<br />
ASSOCIATED FILM<br />
Wild Dakotas (73) W.. Feb 56 TOP PICTURES<br />
Hill WllUaras. Coleen Gray. Jim Davis SFronticr Woman (80) W. .Jul 56<br />
Blonde Bait (71) D.. Apr 56 Cindy C.l^^on, l^ncc Fuller, Ann Kelly<br />
Beverly Michaels. Jim Davis<br />
Three Outlav»s, The (74) ®235. W. May 56 TRANS-LUX<br />
Neville Brand, Brute Bennett, .\lan Hale<br />
3Daiice Little Lady (87) D.. Mar 56<br />
M.il Zetlerling. Terence<br />
Frontier Gambler (70) W.<br />
Morgan<br />
.Jul 56<br />
Lovers<br />
John Brorafleld, Coleen Gray<br />
and Lollipops (85) CD.. Apr 56<br />
LnrI<br />
Naked Gun, The (70) W.. Nov 56<br />
March, Gerald OXoughlln<br />
Wlllard Parker, Mara Corday, B. MacUine WOOLNER BROS.<br />
ASTOR<br />
©Swamp Women (75) D.. Apr 56<br />
Dynamiters. The (74) D. Apr 56 Bivcrly GarLind. Marie Windsor, C. Mathews<br />
Wayne Morris, Slmone SUva<br />
Fear (82) D . . May 56<br />
Mathlas<br />
Passport to Treason (70)<br />
ingrld Bergman, Wleman<br />
Md..Jun56 REISSUES<br />
Bud Cameron, Lois Maiwell<br />
©Men of Sherwood Forest (77) . .Sep 56 ALLIED ARTISTS<br />
Don Taylor. Eileen Moore<br />
(73)<br />
Dec 56<br />
Rose Bowl Story, The D..DKS6<br />
.Maisliall Thonipsun, Vera Miles,<br />
Hour of Decision ( . ) . . .<br />
Jeff Morrow. Haiel Court<br />
N.it.ilie Wood<br />
BANNER<br />
©Wetbacks (86) AC. May 56<br />
COLUMBIA<br />
Uoyd Bridges. Nancy ©Ten Tall Men (97) Ad..No
.Jul<br />
.<br />
. . +<br />
SHORTS<br />
CHART<br />
Short subjects, listed by company. In order of release. Running time tollows title. First Is national releose<br />
month, second the dote of review in BOXOFFICE. Symbol between dates is rating from BOXOFFICE<br />
review. ^ Very Good. + Good. ^ Fair. — Poor, s Very Poor. Photography: Color and process as specified.<br />
S16-9TO Boo or Not to Boo<br />
(7) Sense<br />
S16-10 As the Crow Lies<br />
(6) Sep 56<br />
S16-11 Slip Us Sorae Redskin<br />
(7) Sep 56<br />
516-12 Boo Seoul (S).... Sep 56<br />
CASPER CARTOONS<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
B15-1 Red, White & Boo (6) Oct 55 + 1-28<br />
B15-2 Boo Kind to Animals<br />
(6) Dec 55 + 1-21<br />
B15-3 Ground Hog Play (6) . Fell 56 -f 3-17<br />
B15-4 Dutch Treat (6) Apr 56 -|- 5-26<br />
B15-5 Penpuin for Your Thouphts<br />
(7) Jun56-f 7-21<br />
B15-6 Line of Screanimage<br />
(6) Aug 56 + 11-17<br />
(1956-57)<br />
B16-1 Fripht From Wrong<br />
(6) Nov 56<br />
616-2 Spooking About<br />
Africa (6) Jan 57 ....<br />
GRANTLAND RICE SPORTLIGHTS<br />
R15-1 Sporting Dogs Afield<br />
(9) Oct 55 + 10-22<br />
R15-2A Nation of Athletes<br />
(9) Nov 55 -(- 1-28<br />
R15-3 Animal-Sports Quiz<br />
(9) Feb 56 -I-<br />
3-24<br />
R15-5 Carolina Court Champs<br />
(10) Mar 56 + 5-26<br />
R15-4 Winter Wonder Trails<br />
(9) Apr 56 +6-9<br />
R15-6 Men Who Can Take It<br />
(9) Jun56 -f 7-21<br />
HERMAN & KATNIP<br />
(Technicolor Cartoons)<br />
H15-1 Mousieur Herman (6) Nov 55 + 1-21<br />
H15-2 Mouseum (6) Feb 56 4- 3-17<br />
HlS-3 Will Do Mousework<br />
(6) Jun56 -f 7-21<br />
H15-4 Mousetro Herman (6). Aug 56 + 10-13<br />
(1956-57)<br />
H16-1 Hide & Peak (6) Dec 56 + 2-9<br />
NOVELTOONS<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
P15-3 Kitty Cornered (6) . . Dec 55 + 1-21<br />
P15-4 Sleuth but Sure (6). Mar 56 -f 5-26<br />
P15-5 Swab the Duck (6) . May 56 9-15<br />
P15-6 Pedro & Lorenzo (6). Jul 56 + 10- 6<br />
(1956-57)<br />
P16-1 Sir Irving and Jeamet<br />
(7) Oct 56 + 11-17<br />
P16-2 Lion in the Roar (6) . Dec<br />
P16-3Pe5t Pupil (6) Jan 57<br />
POPEYE CARTOONS<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
E15-3 A Job for a Gob (6) . Dec<br />
56 -f 2-9<br />
55 + 1-21<br />
E15-4 Hlllbilling & Cooing<br />
(6) Jan 56 -f 1-21<br />
E15-5 Pooeye (or President<br />
„, , Apr 56 + 5-26<br />
E15-6 Out to Punch (6) . . .Jun 56 -f 7-21<br />
E15-7 Assault & Flattery (6). Jul 56 10- 6<br />
E15-8 Insect to Injury (6) . .Aug 56 + 11-17<br />
(1956-57)<br />
E16-1 Parlez Vous Woo (6). Oct 56 + 11-17<br />
E16-2 I Don't Scare (6).. Nov 56+ 2-9<br />
E16-3 Haul in One (6).... Dec 56<br />
TOPPERS<br />
M15-1 Three Kisses (10) Oct 55 + 12- 3<br />
M15-2 Reunion in Paris(lO) Nov 55 4- 1-28<br />
M15-3 Animals a la Carte<br />
(10) Jan 56 ± 1-21<br />
M15-4 There's Gold in Them<br />
Thrills (10) Mar 56 — 3-31<br />
M15-5 Ups and Downs (9) . May 56 + 5-26<br />
M15-6 Herman Hickman's Football<br />
Review (10) Aug 56 + 12-15<br />
VISTAVISION SPECIALS<br />
V15-2VV Visits Panama<br />
(10) Jun 56 + 7-21<br />
V15-1 Bing Presents Orcste (10) .4+10-6<br />
V15.3 VV Visits Gibraltar<br />
(10) Aug 56 H 10-13<br />
V15-4 VV Visits Austria<br />
(17) Oct 56 H 12-15<br />
RKO RADIO<br />
BROWN-KIRKWOOD<br />
REISSUES<br />
53. 601 Heart Troubles (16). Sep 55<br />
63.602 Put Some Money In the Pot<br />
(17) Nov 55<br />
EDGAR KENNEDY REISSUES<br />
63.501 No More Relatives<br />
(IS) Sep 55<br />
63.502 How to Clean House<br />
(18) Oct 55<br />
63.503 Dig That Gold (17). Nov 55<br />
63.504 Contest Crazy (17). Dec 55<br />
GIL LAMB REISSUES<br />
63.301 Groan and Grunt (17) Sep 55<br />
63.302 Bashful Romeo (16) . Oct 55<br />
LEON ERROL REISSUES<br />
63.701 Wife Tames Wolf (17) Sep 55<br />
63.702 Dad Always Pays<br />
(18) Oct 55<br />
63.703 Sdoo* Speaks (19) . . Nov 55<br />
63.704 In Room 303 (17).. Dec 55<br />
MY PAL REISSUES<br />
63.201 Dog of the Wild (21) Oct 55<br />
63.202 Pal, Canine Detective<br />
(22) Nov 55 ....<br />
RAY WHITLEY REISSUES<br />
63.401 Musical Bandit (16) Oct 55<br />
63.402 Bar Buckaroos (16). Dec 55 ....<br />
SCREENLINERS<br />
64.206 Fortune Seekers (8). Feb 56 + 3-24<br />
64.207 We Never Sleep (8). Mar 56 + 4-28<br />
64.208 Where Is Jane Doe?<br />
(8) Mar 56 + 4-28<br />
64.209 Merchandise Mart<br />
(8) Apr 56 + 4-28<br />
64.210 Phonies Beware (8). May 56 +7-7<br />
64.211 Emergency Doctor<br />
(8) Jun 56 9-15<br />
64.212 Law & The Lab (8) . 56 + 9-15<br />
(1956-57)<br />
74.201 The Dikes (10) Sep 56 ...<br />
74.202 Lonely Guardian<br />
(11) Oct 56 + 12-15<br />
74.203 Struggle in the<br />
North (10) Nov 56 1-12<br />
74.204 White Peril (S) Dec 56 + 1-12<br />
74.205 Beach of Nazare<br />
(8) Jan 57 ....<br />
74.206 Winter Woodsman<br />
(9) Feb 57 ... -<br />
SPECIALS<br />
73.101 Alert Today-Alive<br />
Tomorrow (I51/2) . . .Sep 56<br />
73.102 Born to Fight (15). Oct 56 +<br />
....<br />
1-12<br />
73.103 Alaska Lifeboat (21) Nov 56 ff 1-12<br />
SPORTSCOPES<br />
64.303 Bonefish and Barracuda<br />
(8) Oct 55 + 12-10<br />
64.304 Canadian Carnival (8) Nov 55 + 1-14<br />
64.305 Headpin Hits (8).. Dec 55+ 1-14<br />
64.306 Island Windjammers<br />
(8) Jan 56 + 3-24<br />
54.307 Ski-Flying (8) Feb 56 + 4-7<br />
64.308 Canadian Lancers<br />
(8) Mar 56 + 4-28<br />
64.309 Striper Time (9)... Apr 56+ 4-28<br />
64.310 Races to Remember<br />
(8) May 56 + 6-9<br />
64.311 Four Minute Fever<br />
(9) Jun 56 ±7-7<br />
(1956-57)<br />
74.301 Aqua Babes (9) Aug 56 + 9-15<br />
74.302 Ice Climbers (8).. Aug 56<br />
74.303 Canoeman's Holiday<br />
(8) Sep 56<br />
74.304 Big Blue Goose (8). Oct 56 + 12-15<br />
74.305 High Dive Kids (8) . Nov 56<br />
74.306 Holland Sailing (9) . . Dec 56 + 1-12<br />
SPORTS SPECIALS<br />
73.901 Football Highlights<br />
(15) Dec 56 + 1-12<br />
73.801 Basketball Highlights<br />
(..) Apr 57<br />
WALT DISNEY CLASSICS<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
74.101 Hockey Champ (7).. Aug 56 ....<br />
74.102 Pluto at the Zoo<br />
(8) Aug 56<br />
74.103 Donald's Tire<br />
Trouble (7) Sep 56<br />
74.104 Purloined Pup (7).. Oct 56<br />
74.105 Billposters (8) Oct 56<br />
74.106 Pluto's Playmate (8) Nov 56<br />
74.107 Donald's Snow Fight<br />
(7) Dec 56<br />
74.108 Society Dog Show<br />
(8) Dec 56<br />
WILDLIFE ALBUM<br />
73,001 World in a Marsh<br />
(22) Nov 56 H 12-15<br />
20th CENTURY- FOX<br />
CINEMASCOPE SPECIALS—COLOR<br />
7603-4 Adventure in Capri<br />
(9) Feb 56 + 4-21<br />
7608-3 Land of the Bible<br />
(21) Apr 56<br />
7605-9 Hunters of the Sea<br />
(9) May 56<br />
7609-1 The Dark Wave (23) Jun 56 ff 6-9<br />
7607-5 Cowboys of the Maremma<br />
(9) Jun 56<br />
7604-2 Pigskin Pewecs (9). Jul 56<br />
7606-7 Honeymoon Paradise<br />
(9) Aug 56<br />
7a0.9 Hunting the Netchik<br />
(9) Oct 56 + 2-9<br />
7611-7 Spirit of the Race<br />
(9) Nov 56 + 2-9<br />
7612-5 Catching Sea Creatures<br />
(9) Dec 56 2-9<br />
7613-3 Outpost Korea (7) . Dec 56 + 2-9<br />
TERRYTOONS<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
5601-0 The Clockmaker's Dog<br />
(7) Jan 56 4-21<br />
5602-8 Miami Maniacs (7) . Feb 56 + 5-26<br />
5603-6 Hep Mother Hubbard<br />
(7) Mar 56 ± 5-26<br />
5604-4 Baffling Bunnies (7) Apr 56<br />
TERRYTOON-CINEMASCOPES<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
5631-7 Park Avenue Pussycat Jan 56 ....<br />
5632-0 Uranium Blues (7).. Feb 56 + 4-28<br />
5633-3 Scouts to the Rescue<br />
(7) Mar 56 ± 5-26<br />
5634-1 Oceans of Love (7) . Apr 56<br />
5635-8 Lucky Dog (7) May 56 + 12-15<br />
5636-6 Police Dogged (7).. Jun 56<br />
5637 4 Brave Little Brave<br />
(7) Jul 56 12-15<br />
563S-2 Cloak & Stagger<br />
(7) Aug 56 12-15<br />
TERRYTOON TOPPERS<br />
(Technicolor Reissues)<br />
5605-1 Wolfs Pardon (7). May 56<br />
5606-9 Felix the Fox (7).. Jun 56<br />
5607 7 The Lyin' Lion (7)..JulK<br />
5608-5 Paint Pot Symphony<br />
(7) Aug 56<br />
5609-3 Kitten Sitter (7) ... Sep 56<br />
5610-1 Flying Cups & Saucers<br />
(7) Oct 56<br />
5611-9 One Note Tony (7). .Nov 56<br />
5612 7 Mystery in the Moonlight<br />
(7) Dec 56<br />
UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL<br />
CINEMASCOPE FEATURETTE<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
2600 The Nat "King"' Cole<br />
Musical Story (18) H 12-10<br />
COLOR PARADE<br />
2675 Olympic City (9) May 56 + 4-7<br />
2676 Invitation to New York<br />
(91/2) Jul 56 ± 7-7<br />
2677 On the Boardwalk<br />
Aug 56<br />
(. .)<br />
2678 Hula Happy (9) Oct 56 + 1-19<br />
3671 Holiday<br />
(1956-57)<br />
in the Hills (9) + 1-19<br />
3672 Valley . .<br />
ff 1-19<br />
3673 Frozen Frontier (9) + 1-19<br />
of Two Faces (10)<br />
MUSICAL FEATURETTES<br />
2657 Cool & Groovy (15).. May 56 +6-9<br />
2658 Rhythms With Rusty<br />
(15) Jun 56<br />
2659 Mirth & Melody (15). Jul 56 + 9-15<br />
2660 Bright & Breezy (16) .Aug 56<br />
(1956-57)<br />
3651 Riddles in Rhythm (15) . 1-19<br />
3652 Skylarkin' Time (15) + 1-19<br />
VARIETY VIEWS<br />
2691 Alert to Danger (9) ..Jan 56 +6-9<br />
2692 Brooklyn Goes to Paris<br />
(9) Feb 56 * 4-7<br />
2695 Everybody Dances (9). Jul 56 ff 10- 6<br />
2696 Screwball Sports (9). Aug 56 ± 9-15<br />
2597 Brooklyn Goes to<br />
San Francisco (9). Sep 56 ff 10- 6<br />
WALTER LANTZ CARTUNES<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
2612 Pigeon Holed (6) . . . . Jan 56 2613 After the Ball (6) Feb 56 +<br />
2614 Get Lost (6) Mar 56<br />
2615 Ostrich Egg and I (6) Apr 56 +4-7<br />
3-3<br />
3-3<br />
2616 Chief Charlie Horse<br />
(6) May 56 + 3-31<br />
2617 Room and Wrath (6) . .Jun 56 ± 7-7<br />
2618 Woodpecker From Mars<br />
(6) Jul 56 + 7-7<br />
2619 Hold That Rock (6).. Jul 56<br />
2620 Talking Dog (6).... Sep 56<br />
2621 Calling All Cuckoos<br />
(6) Sep 56 9-15<br />
2622 Niagara Fools (6) Oct 56 11-17<br />
2623 Arts & Flowers (6). Nov 56 + 10-13<br />
(1956-57)<br />
3611 Woody Meets Davy<br />
Crewcut (7) Dec 56 ....<br />
3612 Fowled Up Party (7).. Jan 57<br />
3613 Red Riding Hoodlum<br />
(7) Feb 57<br />
3614 Plumber of Seville (6) 1-19<br />
3615 Box Car Bandit (6) 1-19<br />
3616 Operation Cold Feet (6).... + 1-19<br />
WALTER LANTZ REISSUES<br />
2634 Scrappy's Birthday<br />
(7) May 56<br />
2635 Wild & Woody (7)... Jun 56<br />
2636 Drooler's Delight (7) .Jul 56<br />
WARNER BROS.<br />
3910 24. Hour Alert (30) U. S.<br />
Force Short (3 reels) .<br />
BLUE RIBBON HIT PARADE<br />
(Technicolor Reissues)<br />
Doggone Cats (7) .. . .Sep 55<br />
3301<br />
3302 Rattled Rooster (7) . . Oct 55<br />
3303 Fair and Wormer (7). Nov 55<br />
3304 Mousemerized Cat (7) . Nov 55<br />
3305 Foghorn Leghorn (7).. Dec 55<br />
3306 Bone, Sweet Bone (7). Jan 56<br />
ft 12-31<br />
BUGS BUNNY SPECIALS<br />
3723 Knight-Mare Hare (7). Oct 55<br />
3724 Roman Legion- Hare<br />
(7) Nov 55+ 1-28<br />
3725 Bugs Bonnets (7) Jan 56 + 3-31<br />
3726 Broomstick Bunny (7). Feb 56+ 4-21<br />
3727 Rabbitson Crusoe (7). Apr 56<br />
CLASSICS OF THE SCREEN<br />
3101 Small Town Idol ' (29) .Sep 55<br />
3102 It Happened to You<br />
(IS) Dec 55 ff 2-25<br />
3103 Dog in the Orchard<br />
(20) Nov 55<br />
COLOR<br />
SPECIALS<br />
3001 Movieland Magic (19). Oct 55<br />
3002 Golden Tomorrow (17). Nov 55 +1-7<br />
3003 Behind the Big Top<br />
(18) Dec 55<br />
3004 They Seek Adventure<br />
(19) Jan 56 + 3-17<br />
3005 Out of the Desert (19) Feb 56 ff 3-31<br />
3006 Copters & Cows (17) Mar 56 . ff 4-21<br />
.<br />
JOE<br />
McDOAKES COMEDIES<br />
3401 So You Want to be a Vice-<br />
President (10) Oct 55 + 12-31<br />
3402 So You Want to be i<br />
Policeman (10) Dec 55 + 1-28<br />
3403 So You Think the Grass<br />
Is Greener (10) Jan 56 + 3-31<br />
3404 So You Want to Be<br />
Pretty Mar 56 + 4-21<br />
MELODY MASTER BANDS<br />
(Reissues)<br />
3803 Ozzie Nelson & Orch.<br />
(10) Dec 55<br />
3804 Carl Hoff & Band (10) Feb 56<br />
3805 Borrah Minevitcb (10) .Apr 56 ....<br />
MERRIE MELODIES—LOONEY TUNES<br />
(Technicolor)<br />
3701 Dime to Retire (9). Sep 55 ff 1-14<br />
3702 Speedy Gonzales (7).. Sep 55 +1-7<br />
3703 Two Srents Worth (7). Oct 55 + 1-14<br />
3704 Red Riding Hoodwinked<br />
(7) Oct 55 ....<br />
3705 Heir Conditioned (7). Nov 55+ 3-3<br />
3706 Guided Muscle (7) Dec 55 ....<br />
3707 Pappy's Puppy (7)... Dec 55+ 2-25<br />
3708 One Froggy Evening<br />
(7) Jan 56 + 3-24<br />
3709 Too Hop to Handle<br />
(7) Jan 56 + 4-7<br />
3710 Weasel Stop (7) Feb 56 it 3-31<br />
3711 High & Flighty (7).. Feb 56+ 4-28<br />
3712 Rocket Squad (7) Mar 56 ff 4-21<br />
3713 Tweet & Sour (7) Mar 56<br />
3714 Heaven Scent (7) Mar 56<br />
3715 Mixed Master (7) Apr 56<br />
3716 Gee Whiz-z-z-2 (7)... May 56<br />
SPORTS PARADE<br />
3501 Picturesque Portugal<br />
(9) Jan 56 ± 1-7<br />
3502 Fish Arc Where You<br />
Find Them (10) Jan 56 +4-7<br />
3503 Green Gold (10) Feb 56 ft 4-28<br />
3504 Crashing the Water<br />
Barrier (10) Mar 56 + 4-28<br />
WARNER VARIETIES<br />
3601 An Adventure<br />
(9)<br />
to Remember<br />
Oct 55 + 1-14<br />
3602 Shark Hunting (9) Nov 55<br />
3603 Faster and Faster (9) . Dec 55 + 4-7<br />
3604 Ncckin' Party (9) Mar 56<br />
3605 I Never Forget a Face<br />
(. .) Apr 56<br />
WARNERCOLOR SCOPE GEMS<br />
(Two Reel)<br />
3211 Journey to the Sea<br />
(18) Sep 55 ff 3- 3<br />
(One Reel)<br />
3220 Heart of an Empire<br />
(9) Sep 55 ± 2-18<br />
3222 Ski Valley (9) Sep 55 + 2-25<br />
3221 Springtime in Holland<br />
(9) Dec 55 ....<br />
INDEPENDENT<br />
©On the 12th Day (20)<br />
George K. Arthur ft<br />
The Face of Lincoln (16) Cavalcade ff<br />
The Bespoke Overcoat (37)<br />
George K. Arthur +<br />
©London's Country (18)<br />
British Information Service.<br />
©East Anglian Holiday (26)<br />
British Information Service.<br />
©Festival in Edinburgh (14)<br />
British Information Service.<br />
©Jungle Search (25)<br />
British Information Service.<br />
Operation Noah (28)<br />
+ 6.<br />
+ 7<br />
+ 7<br />
It 7<br />
U. S. Army Engineers + 7<br />
©Man in Space (33) Buena Vista, ff 7<br />
©West Country Journey (26)<br />
British Information Service. + 7<br />
Ballet Girl (23) Brandon ff 10<br />
10 BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Feb. 16, 1957
-11. li<br />
—<br />
—<br />
—<br />
m<br />
XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY<br />
lABOUT PICTURESI<br />
It \v<br />
^<br />
ALLIED ARTISTS<br />
Big Combo, The (AA)—Cornel<br />
Wilde, Richard Conte, Brian<br />
Donlevy. Here's one of those nice<br />
little $7.50 sleepers we used to<br />
buy from Monogram. Only, now<br />
AA makes 20 pictures a year, instead<br />
of 50, and gets $17.50 each<br />
for the 20. I used to be able to<br />
double them at the $7.50 price<br />
and make money. Now, I double<br />
them at this price and if AA<br />
isn't making money on them,<br />
then we'd do better ignoring each<br />
other. It's a nice little program<br />
picture about cops and gangsters,<br />
but TV crowded us marquee<br />
renters out of the field.<br />
that nowadays we're in the business<br />
of selling juvenile delinquents<br />
new and better ways of<br />
being more delinquent. Played<br />
Fri., Sat. Weather: Snow.—Bob<br />
Walker. Uintah Theatre, Fruita,<br />
Colo. Pop. 1463.<br />
It seems<br />
BUENA VISTA<br />
Fantasia (BV)—Animated features.<br />
Long hair music plus animation<br />
put the thing over and<br />
it did okay. It was nice to get<br />
a four-track print again. First<br />
one In eight months. Can't even<br />
get Mr. Skouras to send one.<br />
Played Wed.-Sat. Weather: Cold.<br />
—Jim Fraser, Auditorium Theatre,<br />
Red Wing, Minn. Pop. 10,645.<br />
COLUMBIA<br />
Cockleshell Heroes (Col)—Jose<br />
Ferrer, Trevor Howard, Victor<br />
Maddern. It caught my fancy<br />
and I enjoyed the movie, plus<br />
the Digest story. Sure it is English,<br />
but they had their heroes,<br />
too! Businesswjse, it was a big,<br />
big flop—one of the biggest eggs<br />
in years. I hope Columbia checks<br />
us once—maybe then? Played<br />
Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Wintry<br />
and snow.—Ken Christianson,<br />
Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D.<br />
Pop. 913.<br />
Combat Squad (Col)—Reissue.<br />
John Ireland, Lon McCallister,<br />
Hal March. Put this in the only<br />
place it could possibly fit—with<br />
a dualler on Friday-Saturday.<br />
Some of the younger fry came<br />
out to see what it was aU about<br />
and evidently liked what they<br />
saw, for no one left during the<br />
show. Put it with Howco's "Thunder<br />
Pass," an average little western,<br />
for a pretty good program.<br />
Weather was fine, no opposition<br />
to speak of, and first-of-themonth<br />
checks had come in, to<br />
all add up to better than average<br />
business. My business has been<br />
up a little since the first of the<br />
year. Hope it holds. Played Fri.,<br />
Sat. Weather: Pine.—I. Roche,<br />
Vernon Theatre, Vernon, Fla.<br />
Pop. 610.<br />
He Laughed Last (Col) —<br />
Frankie Laine, Lucy Marlow. Anthony<br />
Dexter. I don't know how<br />
to explain the lack of patronage.<br />
The picture wasn't a special, but<br />
there was color, some Frankie<br />
Laine songs (the present hi-fi<br />
craze here) and a pretty good<br />
cast, but on a weekend double<br />
bill, we lacked quite a little of<br />
breaking even and the price of<br />
this picture didn't hurt. Played<br />
Fri., Sat. Weather: Cold.—Mayme<br />
P. Musselman, Roach Theatre,<br />
Lincoln, Kas. Pop. 1,636.<br />
Odongo (Col)—Rhonda Fleming,<br />
Macdonald Carey, Juma.<br />
Better than average jungle yarn<br />
with Technicolor. Would have<br />
been better Thursday-Friday-<br />
Satuiday. Don't pass it. Played<br />
Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather:<br />
Good.—Paul Ricketts, Ness Theatre,<br />
Ness City, Kas. Pop. 1,612.<br />
Cant Run Away<br />
"June AUyson and Jack Lemmon<br />
are absolutely great!"<br />
is a typical comment on "You<br />
Can't Run Away From It."<br />
Others are, "Best comedy I've<br />
seen in many a year!" "Why<br />
don't they make more movies<br />
like this one?" "This one has<br />
a little bit of everything and<br />
a purely fantastic story!"<br />
Maybe it wasn't fantastic, but<br />
our patrons "escaped" their<br />
everyday cares and laughed<br />
their way into 95 minutes of<br />
sheer enjoyment. People, so<br />
I've been told, like to get away<br />
from it all and "escape," if I<br />
may use the term, to a completely<br />
different world. I've<br />
also been told by our patrons,<br />
they do not care for the realistic<br />
types of movies that make<br />
them think of their own cares.<br />
So, play it, fellow showmen<br />
you can't run away from it!<br />
F. A. PHILLIPS<br />
Nortown Theatre<br />
Flint Mich.<br />
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER<br />
Bhowani Junction (MGM) —<br />
Ava Gardner, Stewart Granger,<br />
Bill Travers. Played on Sunday-<br />
Monday-Tuesday to average business.<br />
Some liked it and some did<br />
not. Business better than we expected.<br />
— Marion F. Bodwell,<br />
Paramount Theatre, Wyoming,<br />
111. Pop. 1,496.<br />
Fastest Gun Alive, The (MGM)<br />
— Glenn Ford, Jeanne Crain,<br />
Broderick Crawford. This works<br />
up a lot of suspense along about<br />
the middle of this passable show.<br />
Only thing lacking was the color.<br />
Some of my farmers missed the<br />
point at the end, when Glenn<br />
Ford buried his past in the grave.<br />
Ford is always a good crowdpuller<br />
around these parts. I would<br />
recommend this for any day of<br />
the week. Played Fri., Sat.<br />
Weather: Good.—I. Roche, Vernon<br />
Theatre, Vernon, Fla.<br />
High Society (MGM) — Bing<br />
Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra.<br />
Fine picture that brought<br />
some extra customers. We're gonna<br />
miss our Grace. Wish she had<br />
stayed around. Lots of gals can<br />
raise babies, but not many look<br />
so good on our front wall. Played<br />
Tues., Wed. Weather: Good.—<br />
Paul Ricketts, Ness Theatre, Ness<br />
City, Kas. Pop. 1,612.<br />
High Society (MGM) — Bing<br />
Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra.<br />
One of the best we have<br />
played for years. Business good<br />
and everyone loved it. Played<br />
Sun., Mon., Tues.—Ken Gorham,<br />
Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury,<br />
Vt. Pop. 3,614.<br />
High Society (MGM) — Bing<br />
Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra.<br />
Not a small town show. Due<br />
to icy roads, the business was<br />
way below average. Played Sat.,<br />
Sun. Weather: Icy and cold.<br />
Harold Smith, Dreamland Theatre,<br />
Carson, Iowa. Pop. 613.<br />
Power and the Prize, The<br />
(MGM) — Robert Taylor, Elisabeth<br />
Mueller, Burl Ives. The<br />
Warner brothers would have<br />
loved this one when they were<br />
teaching movies to talk, for a<br />
lot gets said in this one for sure.<br />
If the dialog weren't interesting,<br />
this would fall by the way. as<br />
there's not much else but talk<br />
to keep it going. It pleased the<br />
folks who like a lot of good acting<br />
and don't care whether<br />
there's action or not. Business<br />
would have been most disappointing<br />
if it weren't the kind<br />
we've grown to expect in these<br />
days of poor folks' depression<br />
and big folks' prosperity. Played<br />
Wed., Tliurs. Weather: Snowy.<br />
Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre,<br />
Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463.<br />
These Wilder Years (MGM)—<br />
James Cagney, Barbara Stanwyck,<br />
Walter Pidgeon. Good!<br />
Cagney's best and a pleaser.<br />
Gained a little each night, so<br />
someone must have talked. Played<br />
Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather:<br />
Warming.—Paul Ricketts, Ness<br />
Theatre, Ness City, Kas. Pop.<br />
1,612.<br />
PARAMOUNT<br />
Hollywood or Bust (Para)<br />
Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Anita<br />
Ekberg. One of the best of the<br />
Martin and Lewis pictures. Too<br />
bad they decided to split up.<br />
Played Thurs., Fri., Sat.—Ken<br />
Gorham, Town Hall Theatre,<br />
Middlebury, Vt. Pop. 3,614.<br />
Hollywood or Bust (Para)<br />
Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Anita<br />
Ekberg. Good, but not much business.<br />
I am glad the team Is<br />
splitting up. They are getting<br />
stale. Think my customers would<br />
rather see Jerry Lewis alone anyway.<br />
Played Sun.-Wed. Weather:<br />
Cold.—Jim Fraser, Auditorium<br />
Theatre, Red Wing, Minn.<br />
Submarine Command (Para)<br />
Reissue. William Holden, Nancy<br />
Olson, William Bendix. William<br />
Holden and cast do a mighty fine<br />
job in an old, but good, one. Do<br />
you want a really good second<br />
feature? Try this one on for size<br />
and be pleased with the fine<br />
results you will get. Coupled it<br />
with a topnotch western for Sunday<br />
through Tuesday crowd that<br />
loved it. There is something about<br />
these old war stories that the<br />
public still likes. If the public<br />
likes 'em, play 'em. That's the<br />
way we feel, and it is paying off.<br />
Played Sun. - Tues. Weather:<br />
Cold.—F. A. Phillips, Nortown<br />
Theatre, Flint, Mich. Pop. 100,000<br />
plus.<br />
RKO RADIO<br />
Back From Eternity (RKO)—<br />
Rod<br />
Robert Ryan, Anita Ekberg,<br />
Steiger. Good thriller except for<br />
a rather gruesome ending, but<br />
offhand, I can't think of a better<br />
one. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs.<br />
Weather: Good.—Paul Ricketts,<br />
Ness Theatre, Ness City, Kas.<br />
Cash on Delivery (RKO) —<br />
Shelley Winters, John Gregson,<br />
Peggy Cummins. Winters should<br />
have stayed home. I never saw a<br />
gal with so little to offer using<br />
it so badly. A really cute story<br />
mired deep in the triteness of<br />
some Englishmen's attempt to<br />
poke fun at their bankers<br />
(Americans) while at the same<br />
time attempting to imitate some<br />
of the cute sequences of a good<br />
American comedy. With a story<br />
like someone dreamed up, I'd<br />
say the guys that tried to movie-<br />
Ize it goofed. Played Fri.. Sat.<br />
Weather: Snowy.—Bob Walker,<br />
Uintah Theatre, Fi'uita, Colo.<br />
Pop. 1,463.<br />
Great Day in the Morning<br />
(RKO)—Virginia Mayo, Robert<br />
Stack, Ruth Roman. A very entertaining<br />
picture in beautiful<br />
color and Superscope, but positively<br />
no draw at the boxoffice.<br />
I think the picture would draw<br />
better with a more appropriate<br />
title. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat.<br />
Marion F. Bodwell, Paramount<br />
Theatre, Wyoming, 111. Pop. 1,496.<br />
REPUBLIC<br />
Carolina Cannonball (Rep) —<br />
Judy Canova, Andy Clyde, Ross<br />
Elliott. The glee that this stirred<br />
up amongst more folks that we've<br />
been seeing on most Friday-Saturdays<br />
was reminiscent of the<br />
golden days when we could buy<br />
40 or 50 little sleepers a year<br />
from Monogram and Columbia<br />
for $7.50 or $10 a throw and make<br />
enough to keep the wolf away.<br />
Five years ago, I'd never have<br />
thought of doubling a Canova as<br />
good as this one, nor a good Roy<br />
Rogers, but time marches on, and<br />
here I am putting them both on<br />
the same bill. This is a goodie<br />
for country folk, "ifen" you're<br />
still open out there in the country.<br />
Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Snow.<br />
—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre,<br />
Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463.<br />
Pulled 'em In<br />
A really rough war picture,<br />
"Attack!" really pulled them<br />
in. Very good ad material<br />
available. Use it properly and<br />
you'll do all right.<br />
JIM FRASER<br />
Auditorium Theatre<br />
Red Wing, Minn.<br />
CENTURY-FOX<br />
20th<br />
Best Things in Life Are Free,<br />
The (20th-Fox)—Gordon Mao-<br />
Rae, Dan Dailey, Ernest Borgnine.<br />
Enjoyable musical with<br />
some nostalgic lines for us "oldsters."<br />
The "Birth of the Blues"<br />
number was better for looking<br />
than listening. Looked like a<br />
Gene Kelly production number,<br />
vintage "An American in Paris."<br />
Picture okay and well liked.<br />
Played Sun., Mon., Tues.<br />
Weather: Good.—Paul Ricketts,<br />
Ness Theatre, Ness City, Kas.<br />
Pop. 1,612.<br />
(Continued on following page)<br />
BOXOFnCE BookinGuide :: Feb. 16, 1957 11
^"^<br />
EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY<br />
(Continued from preceding page)<br />
Dark Wave (20th-Fox)—Short<br />
subject. Twentieth-Fox has a 20-<br />
minute Cinemascope short subject<br />
which deals with epilepsy<br />
among childi-en. This is an excellent<br />
short and I advise that<br />
every exhibitor show this subject.<br />
This short should be sold to the<br />
schools, so every child and parent<br />
could see it. If you could screen<br />
it for the superintendent of<br />
schools and some PTA members,<br />
it will sell itself. I failed to sell<br />
it, as I didn't know about its potential,<br />
but I expect to bring it<br />
back at a later date. You will<br />
have many good comments from<br />
your patrons after you show<br />
"Dark Wave." Don't pass this up<br />
by all means. Played Wed., Thm-s.<br />
—Mel Danner, Circle 'Theatre,<br />
Waynoka, Okla. Pop. 2,018.<br />
Last Wagon, The (20th-Fox)—<br />
Richard Widmark, Felicia Farr,<br />
Susan Kohner. This is an excellent<br />
picture and will do business.<br />
It failed at Wautoma. Weather<br />
was just too cold. Has been below<br />
zero 17 straight days. I'll bring<br />
this back in the summer. Played<br />
Pri., Sat. Weather: Very cold—<br />
23 below zero.—Duane EUickson,<br />
Park Theatre, Wautoma, Wis.<br />
Pop. 1,376.<br />
UNITED ARTISTS<br />
Ambassador's Daughter, The<br />
(UA) —Olivia DeHavilland, John<br />
Forsythe, Myrna Loy. Real enjoyable<br />
comedy that didn't get<br />
the business it deserved. Comments<br />
good. Played Sun., Mon.<br />
Weather: Good.—Paul Ricketts,<br />
Ness Theatre, Ness City, Kas.<br />
Pop. 1,612.<br />
Attack! (UA)—Jack Palance,<br />
Eddie Albert, Lee Marvin. After<br />
reading the critics' reports, I<br />
was expecting this picture to do<br />
better than average business. It<br />
turned out to be a big disappointment.<br />
It was a good war picture,<br />
but very weak in star value. Personally,<br />
I think it would have<br />
been better in Cinemascope and<br />
in color. Played Thurs., Fri.,<br />
Sat.—Marion F. Bodwell, Paramount<br />
Theatre, Wyoming, 111<br />
Pop. 1,496.<br />
Sharkfighters, The (UA)—Victor<br />
Mature, Karen Steele, James<br />
Olson. Don't pass this one. Nobody<br />
has done a better job with<br />
color and Scope. A little too<br />
short, but has all the ingredients<br />
for success. Played Thurs. -Sat.<br />
Weather: Cold. — Jim Praser,<br />
Auditorium Theatre, Red Wing,<br />
Minn. Pop. 10,645,<br />
UNIVERSAL-INTERNAT'L<br />
Benny Goodman Story, The<br />
(U-I)—Steve Allen, Donna Reed,<br />
Berta Gersten. Temperatures at<br />
20 below zero each night killed<br />
this one. The music was grand.<br />
Steve Allen perfect as Benny.<br />
Believe I'll try to get it back later.<br />
Played Fri., Sat., Sun.—Prank E.<br />
Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka,<br />
Mont. Pop. 929.<br />
Day of Fury, A (U-D—Dale<br />
Robertson, Mara Corday, Jock<br />
Mahoney. No better and no worse<br />
than some of the other westerns<br />
I've played recently. Dale Robertson<br />
is the big name draw here<br />
and he turns in a creditable per- .<br />
formance. Nice color and good<br />
12<br />
support from the rest of the cast<br />
make for a fair feature. Nothing<br />
big here, though. Played Sun.,<br />
Mon. Weather: Fine.—I. Roche,<br />
Vernon Theatre, Vernon, Fla.<br />
Pop. 610.<br />
Light Touch, The (U-D—Jack<br />
Hawkins, Margaret Johnston, Roland<br />
Culver. Good cast and very<br />
well done, but not terribly exciting.<br />
Business poor in spite of<br />
the fact Jack Hawkins usually<br />
is very popular with students.<br />
Played Sun., Mon., Tues.—Ken<br />
Gorham, Town Hall Theatre,<br />
Middlebury, Vt. Pop. 3,614.<br />
PiUars of the Sky (U-D—Jeff<br />
Chandler, Dorothy Malone, Ward<br />
Bond. We usually do business<br />
with Jeff Chandler, but when you<br />
mention Indians or show them on<br />
the advertising, there it goes! A<br />
good enough picture, but would<br />
have done much better on a<br />
weekend even at the present<br />
time. My patrons are all waiting<br />
for the big pictures. So am I.<br />
The ones that are, "It has been<br />
doing business." Played Sun.,<br />
Mon. Weather: Cold.—Mayme P.<br />
Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln,<br />
Kas. Pop. 1,636.<br />
Pillars of the Sky (U-D—Jeff<br />
Chandler, Dorothy Malone, Ward<br />
Bond. Very good picture that<br />
didn't do the business it should<br />
have. Played Sat., Sun. Weather:<br />
Cold.—Harold Smith, Dreamland<br />
Theatre, Carson, Iowa. Pop. 613.<br />
Showdown at Abilene (U-D—<br />
Jock Mahoney, Martha Hyer,<br />
Lyle Bettger. Excellent horse<br />
opera with a setting laid after<br />
the end of the Civil War. Played<br />
to average business, due to the<br />
weather. Used a cartoon and replay<br />
on "Tennessee Plowboy,"<br />
really a good western short for<br />
our situation. Played Saturday.<br />
Weather: Cold and damp.—D. W.<br />
Trisko, Runge Theatre, Runge<br />
Tex. Pop. 1,055.<br />
Walk the Proud Land (U-D—<br />
Audie Murphy, Anne Bancroft,<br />
Charles Drake. This feature<br />
brought the lowest gross for three<br />
days of any picture that has<br />
played here in 13 years. It is<br />
worthy of showing any time or<br />
place. The drouth, plus TV, our<br />
mortal enemy, is really rough.<br />
Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather:<br />
Good.—Leonard J. Leise, Roxy<br />
Theatre, Randolph, Neb. Pod<br />
1,029.<br />
WARNER BROS.<br />
Animal World, The (WB)—<br />
Documentary. A sweetheart of a<br />
picture, and what color! Everyone<br />
will thoroughly enjoy this<br />
picture. Played Pri., Sat.—Ken<br />
Gorham, Town Hall Theatre,<br />
Middlebury, Vt. Pop. 3,614.<br />
Lone Ranger, The (WB)—<br />
Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels,<br />
Lyle Bettger. Good average<br />
grosser. Outdid "The Searchers"<br />
by $20. At long last, a nice clean<br />
show, no sex, no excessive brutality,<br />
and many comments proved<br />
this point. One mother said she<br />
would send her youngsters often<br />
if the shows were like this one.<br />
It proves there is too much violence<br />
and brutality generally in<br />
screenfare. Weather: Good.—<br />
Leonard J. Leise, Roxy Theatre,<br />
Randolph, Neb. Pop. 1,029.<br />
FOREIGN<br />
ARGENTINA<br />
FEATURES.<br />
Foreign-language productions by native country listed alphabetically<br />
by title, followed by running time. Dote shown is issue of BOXOFFICE<br />
in which review appeared. Nome of distributor is in parentheses.<br />
Eerlewed<br />
Dark River (E8) 4-2S-56<br />
(Times) . .H. Del CanU, &. Benetti<br />
AUSTRIA<br />
©Don Juan (90) 7- 7-56<br />
(Tillies) . .Ceiare Duiora, Josef Melurad<br />
BRITAIN<br />
Angel Who Pawned Her Harp (73).. 4-28-56<br />
(Domiiuuit) . .Diane Cllento, Telli Arlner<br />
Appointment in London (96) 12-31-55<br />
(Assoc. ArtisU) . .D. Bafarde, Dinab Btaerldaii<br />
Oiance Meeting (94) 8-27-55<br />
(Pacemaker). .Odlle Vermis, David Knlgbt<br />
(^urt Martial (105) 10- 1-55<br />
(Klngalej) . David Nlren, Martiret Lelfbtoo<br />
Cure for Love, The (97) 11-26-55<br />
(Assoc. ArtisU) . . B. Donat, Asberaoo<br />
Benee<br />
Eight O'clock Walk (87) 8-20-55<br />
(Asso. Arts)..R. Atteidrareueh, C. O'Domiell<br />
Four Againtt Fata (84) 9-10-55<br />
(Assoc. Artists).. A. Neagle, Michael WUdini!<br />
Front Page Story (95) 7-23-55<br />
(Assoc. ArtlsU) . .Jack Hawkliu, Eva BarUk<br />
Game of Danger (88) 11- 5-55<br />
(Assoc. Artists) . .Jack Warner, Veronica Hurst<br />
Green Scarf, The (96) 4-23-55<br />
(Assoc Artists) . .M. Bedfrave, A. Todd<br />
His Excellency (84) 4-28-56<br />
(Brenner) . .Brlc Portman, CteU Parker<br />
Intruder, The (84) 2-12-55<br />
(Assoc. Artists) . .Jack Hawkins, Dennis Price<br />
OKid for Two Farthings, A (91).. 4-28-56<br />
(Lopert) . .Celia Jebnsoo, Diana Dors<br />
©Make Me as Offer (88) 4- 7-56<br />
(Dominant) . .Peter Flncli, Adrlenne (^orrl<br />
©Richard III (162) ® 3-17-56<br />
(Lopert) . .Laurence OUvler, Ralph Blchardson<br />
Room in the House (96)<br />
(Oibralter).. Patrick Barr. Marjorle Bbodes<br />
Teckman Mystery, The (90) 11-19-55<br />
( Assoc. Artists) . . Margaret Lelghton, J. Justin<br />
©To Paris With Love (78) 4-30-55<br />
(Ckintinental). .Alec Guinness. Odile Versols<br />
True and the False, The (SO) 4-23-55<br />
(Helena Davis) . .Signe Basso, Wm. Langford<br />
©Wee Gcordie (94) U-10-56<br />
(Times).. Bill Trarers, Alastalr Sim<br />
©Will Any GentlemanI (84) U- 5-55<br />
(Stratford) . . Oeorge Oole, Veronica Hurst<br />
EGYPT<br />
Hamido (122) 5-21-55<br />
( Gould).. Hoda Soultan, farld Cbavky<br />
FRANCE<br />
Adorable Creatures (108) 1- 7-56<br />
(Cont'l Dls.). .Martlne Carol, E. Peulllere<br />
Diabolique (107) 3- 3-56<br />
(UMPO) . .Simone Signoret, Paul Meurlsse<br />
Diary of a Country Priest (95) 7-31-55<br />
(Brandon) . .C. Uiydu, N. Maurey, A. Oulbert<br />
Doctors, The (92) 1- 5-57<br />
(Klngsley) . . Raymond Jeanne Moreau<br />
Pellegrld,<br />
Fruits of Summer (104) 8-11-56<br />
(Ellis) ..Edn-lge Feuillere, Henri (Xilsol<br />
Game of Love, The (108) 2-19-55<br />
(Times) . .Pierre- Michel Beek, Edwlge Feuillere<br />
©Grand Maneuver, The (107) 12-8-56<br />
(UMPO) . .Mlchele Morgan. Gerard PhlUpe<br />
Heartbreak Ridge (86) 6-11-55<br />
(Tudor) . .Real French troops In Korea<br />
Holiday for HenrietU (103) 5-21-55<br />
(Ardee) . Dany Robin, Michael Auclalr<br />
Inside a Girls Dormitory (102). . . .U-17-56<br />
(Ellis) . .Jean Marais, Francoiae Amoul<br />
La Sorciere (97)<br />
(BSlis) . .Marina Vlady, Maurice Sonet<br />
Letters From My Windmill (116).. 4-21-56<br />
(Tohan)..Daiely, Henri Vilbert. Bells<br />
©My Seven Little Sins (98) 6-23-56<br />
(Kingsley) .Maurice Cbevalier, Delia Scale<br />
One Step to Eternity (94) 1-28-56<br />
( Ellis )..D. Darrleu!!, M. Auclalr, C. Calvet<br />
©Only the French Can (93) 8- 4-56<br />
(imPO) . .Jean Oablo, Prancoiae Anno]<br />
Papa, Mama, the Maid and I (94) . . U-U-56<br />
(Ool Int1)..Femand Ledouz. Oaby UorUy<br />
©Pantaloons (93)<br />
(UMPO) . .Fernandel. Carmen Sevllla<br />
Proud and Beautiful, Tin (93) 9- 1-56<br />
(Efiicalev) . .Hlebele Morgan. Gerard Phlllpe<br />
Oiflfl (llBt 9-29-56<br />
(UMPO) . .Jeu Berrals, Carl Uotaner<br />
Sheep Has Five Legs, The (93) 11-26-56<br />
(UMPO) . .Fernandel, Francolse Amoul<br />
Snow Was Black, The (105) 1-12-57<br />
(Cont'l Dls) .. Daniel Oelln. Marie Mansart<br />
We Are All Murderers (US) 2-16-57<br />
(Kingsley) . .Marcel Mouloudji. Raymond Pel- £<br />
legrin \<br />
GERMANY<br />
Diary of a Lover (96)<br />
(Grand Prize).. 0. W. Fischer, Maria ScheU<br />
Forester's Daughter. The (105)<br />
(Casino).. Johanna Matz, Will (luadflieg<br />
Last Ten Days, The (113) 5-12-56<br />
(Col Infl) . . Albin Skoda, Tobisch<br />
Lotte<br />
Sergeant's Daughter, Tlie (97)<br />
(Ca.slno) . .Johanna Matz, Jan Hendrlks<br />
Sunderin (SO) 1-22-55<br />
(Prod. Reps.) . . Hlldegarde Neff. G. FroetaUeta<br />
ISRAEL<br />
Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (102) 12- 3-55<br />
(Cont'l Dls. ).. Michael Wagner. Haya Hararlt<br />
ITALY<br />
Alone In the Streets (80)<br />
(Carroll) . .Story of street vaUa<br />
Bed, The (101) 8-13-55<br />
(Oetz-Klngsley) . .R. Todd. Dawn Addains<br />
Four Ways Out (77) 1- 1-55<br />
(Carroll) . .Gina Lollobriglda, Renalto Baldinl<br />
Hello Elephant (78) 1-29-55<br />
(Arlan) . .Vlttorlo de Sica, Sabu<br />
©House »f Ricordi (112) 6- 30-56<br />
(Manson) . .Paolo Stoppa. Marta Toren<br />
La Slrada (115) 11- 3-5«<br />
(Trans-Lux) . .Anthony Quinn. (liulietta<br />
Maslna, Richard Basehart<br />
©Maddalena (90) 10- 8-55<br />
(IFB).. Marta Toren, Glno Ccrvl, J. Seraai<br />
Lulgl<br />
Mademoiselle Gobette (78) 4- 9-55<br />
( IFB) . . Silvana Pampaninl. Pavesa<br />
Return of Don Camillo (110) 7- 7-56<br />
( IFB) .. Fernandel. Odo Cervl<br />
©Riviera (SS) 11-10-56<br />
(IFE) . .Marline Carol. Raf Vallone /<br />
Too Bad She's Bad (95) 1-21-56 V<br />
(Getz-Klngsley) . .Sophia Loren, V. De Sica<br />
Umberto D. (89) 12-31-55<br />
(Eilw. Harrison) . .C. Battlsta. M. CaslUo<br />
Vitteloni (103)<br />
(Jamis-API). .F. Interlenglii, Franco Fabrlzi<br />
White Sheik, The (86) 12-1-56<br />
(Janus-API) . .Alberto Bordl, Brunella Bovo<br />
JAPAN<br />
©Gate of Hell (Jigokumon) (89).. 1- 8-55<br />
(Harrison k Davidson) . .M. Kyo, Hawgawa<br />
©Golden Demon (95) 6-23-56<br />
(H;irrlson) . .Fujiko Yamamoto, Jun Negand<br />
Hiroshima (85) 7-30-55<br />
(Cont'l Dls.)..Isuzu Yamada, M. Tsukida<br />
Imposter, The (89) 11-26-55<br />
(Brandon) . .Utaemon Ichlkawa, Chlkako Mltagl<br />
Masnificent Seven, The (155) 1- 5-57<br />
(Ctol Infl) . .Takashi Shlmura, Yoshlo Inaba<br />
©Phantom Horse, The (90) 8- 4-56<br />
(Harrison) . .Ayako Wakao. Yukohlko IwaUre<br />
©Samurai (100) U-19-55<br />
(Jacon) . .Toshlro Mlfune. K. Yacblgusa<br />
©Yang Kwei Fei (95) 11-17-56<br />
(Buena Vista) .. Mactaiko Kyo. M. Mori<br />
MEXICO<br />
This Strange Passion (82) 12-31-55<br />
(OmnifLms). Arturo De Cordova, D. Oareei<br />
RUSSIA<br />
©Romeo and Juliet Ballet (96) 9- 1-56<br />
(Toban)<br />
. .Gallna Ulanova. Yuri Zhdanov<br />
SPAIN<br />
Marcelino (90)<br />
(UMPO)..PabUto Calvo. Bafael Blvelles<br />
SWEDEN<br />
Naked Night, The (82) 7-21-56<br />
(Times) . .Harriet Anderssoo. Ake Qroenberg<br />
One Summer of Happiness (92) .... 7-16-55<br />
(llmes-FIln]) . .UUa JacobsoD. Folke Sundqulst<br />
YUGOSLAVIA<br />
Legends of Anika (85)<br />
(Grand Prlie) . .Mllens Dapeevlc. B. (klbk<br />
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Feb. 16, 1957<br />
^
Opinions on Current Productions<br />
^EATURE REVIEWS<br />
Symbol O dcnotei color photography; ® CInemaScop*; ® ViitoVlslon; (D Supeneopc; (g Naturomo. For story synopsli on each picture, h« rovers* ilde.<br />
C "1 r? Ratio: Comedy-Drama<br />
bmiley r 2.55-1 ©<br />
/" 20th-Fox (703-9) 97 Minutes ReL Jan. '57<br />
A gentle, most heart-warming, tale of life in the bush<br />
country of Australia, this is ideal family fare for the neighborhood<br />
houses, mainly because its title character is a courageous,<br />
freckle-faced nine-year-old, played in completely i;<br />
engaging and natural fashion by CoUn Peterson. In addition<br />
to being too leisurely for the first runs and the action<br />
houses, the only marquee name is Ralph Richardson, the<br />
noted British film star who is currently starring on Broadway<br />
in "Waltz of the Toreadors." Produced and directed<br />
in Australia by Anthony Kimmins for London Films and<br />
superbly photographed in CinemaScope and Technicolor, the<br />
picture is always a treat for the eye, but is generally unexciting<br />
for adults during its first hour, being much like a<br />
"Tom Sawyer" tale. The first note of real conflict arrives<br />
during the latter part of the film and the actual climax<br />
has both suspense and thrills—even if they do come rather<br />
late. Richardson's role of the Baptist minister is comparatively<br />
minor, but he gives it distinction and "Chips" Rafferty,<br />
Australian favorite, is excellent as the local policeman,<br />
who also supplies the romantic Interest with pretty Jocelyn<br />
Hernfield.<br />
Ralph Richardson, John McCallum, Colin Peterson,<br />
"Chips" Rafferty, Jocelyn Hernfield, Charles TingwelL
FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploltips; Adiines for Newspaper and Programs<br />
THE STORY:<br />
"Revolt at Fort Laramie" (UA)<br />
U. S. cavalrymen defending Fort Laramie, Wyo., against<br />
Red Cloud's warring Sioux are dangerously divided Into<br />
Yankee and Rebel factions by outbreak of the Civil War.<br />
Major John Dehner, a Virginian and fort commander, plots<br />
with several non-cons and men to take over the fort. Before<br />
they can act, President Lincoln orders that all troops wlthj of<br />
southern sympathies be allowed to return home. Dehner 'allv<br />
turns over command to Captain Gregg Palmer, the Yankee<br />
who is in love with Dehner's niece, and leads about 25<br />
group at a creek bend near the fort. Captain Palmer leads<br />
the Yankee cavalrymen to rescue of the Rebels. Under<br />
Major Dehner, the Yankee-Rebel forces make a final successful<br />
stand against Red Cloud, but the major is killed.<br />
EXPLOITIPS:<br />
Encourage Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and woodcraft groups<br />
to build models of Fort Laramie, with passes for the best<br />
models, which will be displayed in store windows . . . Offer<br />
guest tickets to all kids bringing in an Indian head penny.<br />
CATCHLINES:<br />
Rebels, Yankees and Sioux Clash in a Whirlwind of Fighting<br />
Fury . . . Within Fort Laramie, Rebels Plotted Against<br />
Yankees and Yankees Against Rebels—While Outside Lurked<br />
Scalp-Hunting Sioux!
63<br />
"nr TTP CrTIT/TfT<br />
JT Li U U Ulilll Y IKjLm<br />
Listed herewith, alphabetically by companies, are all of the feature pictures<br />
reviewed in BOXOFFICE during 1956. This is designed as a further convenience<br />
for Picture Guide users, the page numbers being the key to reviews kept therein. Between quarters. Review<br />
Digest pages serve as a cumulative P. G. index for feature pictures.<br />
P.O. Page<br />
Everything But the Truth 2029<br />
Four Girls in Town 2033<br />
Francis in the Haunted House 1989<br />
Great Mon, The 2034<br />
Gun for a Coword 2044<br />
I've Lived Before 1993<br />
Kettles in the Ozorks, The 1 946<br />
Light Touch, The (Reviewed as "Touch and Go") 195S<br />
Mole People, The 2028<br />
Never Soy^Goodbye 1929<br />
Outside the Low 1962<br />
Pillars of the Sky 2002<br />
Price of Fear, The 1954<br />
Row Edge 1999<br />
Rawhide Years, The 1 978<br />
Red Sundown<br />
' 1927<br />
Rock, Pretty Boby 2031<br />
Showdown at Abilene 2005<br />
Simon and Lauro 1993<br />
Star in the Dust 1 966<br />
There's Always Tomorrow 1912<br />
Toy Tiger 1964<br />
Unguordcd Moment, The 2006<br />
Walk The Proud Land 1992<br />
World in My Corner 1926<br />
Written on the Wind 201 5<br />
QUARTERLY<br />
INDEX<br />
TO<br />
PICTURE GUIDE REVIEWS<br />
First, Second, Third iqcc January<br />
and Fourth Quarters ••»'^0 through December<br />
Warner Bros,<br />
Amazon Troder, The 2006<br />
Animal World, The 1965<br />
As Long as You're Neor Me 1994<br />
Baby Doll 2035<br />
Bad Seed, The 1996<br />
Burning Hills, The 1998<br />
Cry in the Night, A 2004<br />
Giant •<br />
2024<br />
Girl He Left Behind, The 2025<br />
Goodbye, My Lady 1957<br />
Lone Ronger, The 1 908<br />
Miroele in the Roin 1926<br />
Moby Dick 1989<br />
Our Miss Brooks 1929<br />
River Changes, The 1932<br />
Santiago 1983<br />
Sotcllite in the Sky 1987<br />
Searchers, The 1 952<br />
Serenade , 1949<br />
Seven Men From Now 1 992<br />
Steel Jungle, The 1942<br />
Toward the Unknown 201<br />
Wrong Man, The 2042<br />
Miscellaneous<br />
Adorable Creatures (Cont'l Dis.) 1914<br />
Angel Who Pawned Her Horp, The (Dominant) 1967<br />
Bullfight (Pocemoker-Jonus) 2026<br />
Dork River (Times) 1966<br />
Diobolique (UMPO) 1940<br />
Gloss Tomb, The (Lippert) 1920<br />
Crowded Porodise (Tudor) 1987<br />
Don Juan (Times) 1989<br />
Forbidden Cargo (Jocon) 1987<br />
Fruits of Summer (Ellis) 2001<br />
Godzilla, King of the Monsters (Embassy) 1 971<br />
Golden Demon (Morrison) 1985<br />
Grond Maneuver, The (UMPO) 2035<br />
His Excellency (Brenner) 1968<br />
House of Ricordi (Monson) 1988<br />
Inside a Girls Dormitory (Ellis) 2029<br />
Kid for Two Forthings, A (Lopert) 1968<br />
La Strodo (Trans-Lux) 2025<br />
Lodykillers, The (Cont'l Dis.) 1946<br />
Last Ten Days, The (Col. Int'l) 1971<br />
Lease of Life (IFE) 1910<br />
Letters From My Windmill (Tohan) 1 965<br />
Lovers ond Lollipops (Trons-Lux) 1981<br />
Lum ond Abner Abroad (Howco) 1943<br />
Madame Butterfly (IFE) 1975<br />
Moke Me on Offer (Dominant) 1957<br />
My Seven Little Sins (Kingsley Int'l) 1986<br />
Naked Amazon (Times) 1982<br />
Naked Night, The (Times) 1994<br />
One Step to Eternity (Ellis) 1921<br />
Only the French Can (UMPO) (Reviewed as French Cancan) 1999<br />
Papa, Momo, the Maid and I (Col. Int'l) 2028<br />
Phantom Horse, The (Harrison) 1999<br />
Proud ond the Beautiful, The (Kingsley Int'l) 2008<br />
Return of Don Comillo, The (IFE) 1990<br />
Richard III (Lopert) 1948<br />
Rififi (UMPO) 2013<br />
Riviera (IFE) 2027<br />
Romeo and Juliet Ballet (Tohon) 2007<br />
Rosanno (Jocon) 2015<br />
Secrets of the Reef (Cont'l Dis.) 201<br />
Seven Wonders of the World (Stonley Warner) 1 964<br />
Ship That Died of Shome, The (Cont'l Dis.) 201<br />
Sins of the Borgias (Aidort) 1967<br />
They Who Dare (Assoc. Artists) 1 943<br />
Too Bad She's Bod (Getz-Kingsley) 1917<br />
Walk the Dork Street (Dominant) 2000<br />
Wee Geordie (Times) 2027<br />
Wetbocks (Banner) 1982<br />
White Sheik, The (Janus-API) 2033<br />
Wiretapper (Embossy) 1918<br />
'2011 l'<br />
%)<br />
THF<br />
Allied Artists<br />
P.G. Page<br />
Betrayed Women 1927<br />
Blonde Sinner 2038<br />
Calling Homicide 2022<br />
Canyon River 2001<br />
Come On, The 1933<br />
Crime in the Streets 1962<br />
Cruel Tower, The 2039<br />
Dcodliest Sin, The 2025<br />
First Tcxon, The 1984<br />
Friendly Persuasion 2017<br />
Hold Bock the Night 1995<br />
Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1936<br />
Magnificent Roughnecks 2000<br />
Naked Hills, The 1995<br />
Navy Wife 1979<br />
No Place to Hide 2020<br />
Screaming Eagles 1976<br />
Strange Intruder 2010<br />
Three for Jamie Down 1991<br />
Thunderstorm 1 985<br />
World Without End 19S0<br />
Young Guns, The 2003<br />
American-International<br />
Day the World Ended, The I'lO<br />
Girls in Prison 2009<br />
Gunslinger 2000<br />
Hot Rod Girl 2009<br />
Phantom From 10,000 Leagues, The 1914<br />
Astor<br />
Dynamiters, The !?81<br />
Feor 1991<br />
Men of Sherwood Forest 2019<br />
Passport to Treoson 2026<br />
Buena Vista<br />
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates 1994<br />
Great Locomotive Chose, The 1976<br />
Secrets of Life 2022<br />
Westward Ho, the WogonsI 2039<br />
Yang Kwei Fei 2030<br />
Columbia<br />
Autumn Leaves -<br />
J9'3<br />
Battle Stations ''j'<br />
Blockjock Ketchum, Desperodo '»»•<br />
Cho-Cha-Cha Boom! 2014<br />
Cockleshell Heroes '"J<br />
Don't Knock the Rock 2044<br />
Eorth vs. the Flying Saucers<br />
J"<br />
'<br />
Eddy Duchin Story, The '»'»<br />
Full of Life 2040<br />
Fury at Gunsight Pass '''5<br />
Gamma People, The Toif<br />
Harder They Foil, The J'**<br />
He Laughed Lost J'"<br />
Hot Blood<br />
1941<br />
Houston Story, The '»"*<br />
Joe Mocbeth<br />
"J J<br />
Jubal 1958<br />
Last Man to Hang, The 2032<br />
Miami Expose "997<br />
1
85<br />
7<br />
9<br />
P.G. Page<br />
Nightfall 2036<br />
"1984" 1992<br />
Odongo 2030<br />
Over-Exposed 1938<br />
Port Atrique 201<br />
Reprisal! 201<br />
Ride the High Iron 2043<br />
Rock Around the Clock 1 950<br />
Rumble on the Docks 2032<br />
Safari 1961<br />
Secret of Treasure Mountain, The 1975<br />
7lh Cavalry 2023<br />
Silent World, The 2022<br />
Solid Gold Cadillac, The 2005<br />
Spin a Dork Web 2014<br />
Storm Center 1997<br />
Storm Over the Nile 1974<br />
Suicide M ission 2027<br />
Uranium Boom 1938<br />
Werewolf, The 1982<br />
White Squaw, The 2021<br />
You Can't Run Away From It 2019<br />
Zarak 2040<br />
DCA<br />
Jeddo the Uncivilized 2007<br />
John and Julie 2035<br />
Please Murder Me 1934<br />
Private's Progress 2001<br />
MetTo-Goldwyn-Mayer<br />
Bhowani Junction 1969<br />
Catered Affair, The 1968<br />
Fastest Gun Alive, The 1986<br />
Forbidden Planet 1949<br />
Forever Darling 1 928<br />
Gaby 1955<br />
Great American Pastime, The 2032<br />
High Society 1996<br />
Invitation to the Dance 1974<br />
Iron Petticoot, The 2042<br />
Julie 2018<br />
Last Hunt, The 1932<br />
Lust for Life 2010<br />
Meet Me in Las Vegas 1924<br />
Opposite Sex, The 2014<br />
Power and the Prize, The 2011<br />
Rock, The 1 964<br />
Ransom! 1909<br />
Slander 2043<br />
Somebody Up There Likes Me 1990<br />
Swan, The 1963<br />
Tea ond Sympothy 2018<br />
Teahouse of the August Moon, The 2023<br />
These Wilder Years 1996<br />
Tribute to a Bod Man 1953<br />
Paramount<br />
Anything Goes 1916<br />
Birds and the Bees, The 1956<br />
Court Jester, The 1925<br />
Hollywood or Bust 2038<br />
Leather Saint, the 1 978<br />
Man Who Knew Too Much, The 1970<br />
Mountain, The 201<br />
Pardners 1988<br />
Proud and Profone, The 1 980<br />
Roinmaker, The 2038<br />
Scarlet Hour, The 1963<br />
Search for Bridey Murphy, The 2020<br />
Ten Commandments, The 2020<br />
That Certain Feeling 1980<br />
Three Violent People 2041<br />
Vagabond King, The '.]<br />
War and Peace 2009<br />
2008<br />
RKO-Radio<br />
Bock From Eternity 2007<br />
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 2012<br />
Bold and the Brave, The 1 953<br />
Brain Machine, The 1942<br />
Brave One, The 2013<br />
Bundle of Joy 2037<br />
Cash on Delivery 1920<br />
Conqueror, The 1940<br />
Death of a Scoundrel. 2026<br />
Finger of Guilt 2033<br />
First Traveling Saleslady, The 2004<br />
Glory 1913<br />
Greet Day in the Morning 1973<br />
Man in the Vault<br />
] 2042<br />
Murder on Approval !l981<br />
Postmark '.<br />
for Danger !l921<br />
Slightly Scarlet 1937<br />
Tension ot Toble Rock 201<br />
Woy Out, The 1961<br />
Whilo the City Sleepi 1970<br />
of<br />
llv<br />
for<br />
Any<br />
Republic<br />
P.G. Page<br />
Above Us the Waves 2041<br />
Come Next Spring 1 925<br />
Dakota Incident 1 998<br />
Doctor at Sea 1 937<br />
Fighting Chance, The 1983<br />
Lisbon 1997<br />
Magic Fire 1971<br />
Maverick Queen, The 1970<br />
No Man's Woman 1956<br />
Stranger at My Door 1966<br />
Terror at Midnight 1967<br />
When Gangland Strikes 2034<br />
Woman's Devotion, A 2034<br />
Zanzabuku 1972<br />
20th Century-Fox<br />
Abdullah's Horem 1985<br />
Anastosia 2044<br />
Best Things in Life Are Free, The 2016<br />
Between Heaven and Hell 2021<br />
Bigger Than Life 2012<br />
Black Whip, The 2040<br />
Bottom of the Bottle, The 1923<br />
Bus Stop 2003<br />
Carousel 1 936<br />
D-Day the Sixth of June 1 977<br />
Desperados Are in Town, The 2030<br />
Girl Can't Help It, The 2041<br />
Hilda Crone 1969<br />
King and I, The 1990<br />
Lost Wagon, The 2008<br />
Lieutenant Wore Skirts, The 1 908<br />
Love Me Tender 2031<br />
Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, The 1957<br />
Man Who Never Was, The 1928<br />
Massacre<br />
Mohawk<br />
1 979<br />
1952<br />
On the Threshold of Spoce 1 944<br />
Proud Ones, The 1977<br />
Queen of Babylon, The 2003<br />
Revolt of Mamie Stover, The 1 969<br />
Teenage Rebel 2024<br />
23 Paces to Baker Street 1974<br />
United Artists<br />
Alexander the Great 1958<br />
Ambassador's Daughter, The 1998<br />
Around the World in 80 Days 2024<br />
Attack! 2011<br />
Bondido 2004<br />
Beast of Hollow Mountoin, The 2005<br />
Block Sleep, The 1984<br />
Boss, The 2006<br />
Brass Legend, The 2037<br />
Broken Star, The 1 930<br />
Comanche 1 945<br />
Creeping Unknown, The 1961<br />
Crime Against Joe 1945<br />
Donee With Me, Henry 2037<br />
Emergency Hospital 1954<br />
Flight to Hong Kong 2017<br />
Foreign Intrigue 1975<br />
Gun Brothers 2011<br />
Gun the Man Down 2036<br />
Hot Cars 2002<br />
Huk 2002<br />
Johnny Concho 1991<br />
Killer Is Loose, The 1923<br />
Killing, The 1 976<br />
King ond Four Queens, The 2039<br />
Kiss Before Dying, A 1980<br />
Let's Moke Up 1930<br />
Man From Del Rio 2021<br />
Monfish 1933<br />
Nightmare 1973<br />
Patterns 1955<br />
Peacemaker, The. . . r 2029<br />
Quincannon, Frontier Scout 1965<br />
Rebel in Town 1988<br />
Run for the Sun 1995<br />
Running Target 2031<br />
Shadow of Fear 1984<br />
Shorkf ighters. The 2023<br />
Stogecooch to Fury 201<br />
Star of India 1972<br />
Three Bod Sisters 1912<br />
Timetable 1935<br />
Trapeze 1978<br />
"UFO" 1972<br />
Wild Porty, The 2036<br />
Universal-In ternational<br />
Away All Boots 1973<br />
Bocklosh 1941<br />
Battle Hymn 2043<br />
Behind the High Woll 1986<br />
Creature Walks Among Us, The 1947<br />
Congo Crossing 1983<br />
Curucu, Beast of the Amazon 2028<br />
Day of Fury, A 1962
j<br />
I<br />
|<br />
lATES: ISc per word, minimum S1.50, cash with copy. Four consecutive insertions for price<br />
)f three. CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy and<br />
» answers to Box Numbers to BOXOFFICE, 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24. Mo. •<br />
cuemne<br />
POSITIONS WANTED<br />
Projectionist: 25 ytJir-i exiit-rieiift-. Go anyrhere.<br />
Kennelli Doty. Itansom. Kas.<br />
Projectionist, prefer job in soutll or west. Inloor-i<br />
or outdoor theatre. Sober, reliable, can<br />
[ive references. Available March 15. 1957. Boxjlfici'.<br />
7410.<br />
HELP WANTED<br />
Manaoer, dri»e-in theatre midwest city. Year<br />
jround employment. Iteferences. Bosoflicc, 7397.<br />
Tile Pacific coast is experiencing the iaruesl<br />
population tronth In the country. Our circuit<br />
Is cru»ln8 »ltl' It. "lib new theatres and allied<br />
amii~i'ment facilities recently opened and under<br />
construction. We need responsible, forward-look-<br />
Int manageis. of siipcivLsory potential, with promotional<br />
tapabilltles. State aje, marital status,<br />
education and experience In reply. Boxofflce 7398.<br />
Wanted, drive-In manager fur Springfield, Worcester,<br />
Mass. area. State (pjalificatlons to .Mrs.<br />
Frances W. Ilaiding, 22 Clnirch St.. Boston, Mass.<br />
Outdoor Mgr. Must be experienced. .Nine month<br />
opeiatlon, full year job, vacation, group Insurance<br />
for family. Tell all first letter. Heferences used<br />
only Willi permission. F. W. Harding, 22<br />
Church St., Boston, Mass.<br />
Wanted manager for first run metropolitan<br />
theatre 111 large upper midwest situation. Tills is<br />
a good paying job for small circuit. We aie<br />
especially interested in an experienced man f. om<br />
a small town who Is looking for advancement and<br />
Is vulUng to work. Boxofflce, 7413.<br />
Hous<br />
GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED THEATRES FOR SALE THEATRES WANTED<br />
Reconditioned automatic curtain controls: Va!-<br />
len medium (liny w/'^lll' motor $7y.5U; ADC<br />
heavy duly w/ii.111" motor $99.50. Quantities<br />
limited, order no». llept. cc, S.O.S. Cinema<br />
Supply Corp.. i;il2 W. 52nd SI.. New Vorkl9.<br />
St., New York 19.<br />
For sale cheap: 300 to 400 good used chairs.<br />
box spring cushions. Write P.O. Box 29. Chanute.<br />
Kas.<br />
Complete theatre equipment, all good condition<br />
and late models, no junk. Sacrifice for ca,sb, you<br />
name price. Washington Stale. Boxofflce, 7400.<br />
For sale, two .Motiograph SlI 7500 sound reproducers.<br />
Century heads, Motiograph lamps comlilete<br />
with rectifiers, amplifiers and sound system<br />
1-12 capacity storage cabinet. 1,000 watt slide<br />
lirojector, 1 steel woik bench. 1 candy case and<br />
concession stand combined. Also Vallen curtain<br />
track. Contact. Floyd B. Peek, 4510 W. 29th St..<br />
Utile Hock, Ark. I'honc: MOhawk 3-4080.<br />
Bargain, cair Simplex IKW arcs. Super heads,<br />
rectifiers. Motiograph soiiiul comp!ete. I'an.itar<br />
Cinemascope and matching lens. Mauley popcorn<br />
in.ichine. All in good condition. Asking $3,700<br />
make me an offer, Boxofflce, 7 404.<br />
Wanted, two experienced and exploitation minded One (only) Simplex semi-pro projector wiih<br />
diive-ln managers. Manos Enterprises, Inc., Toronto,<br />
heavy base, amplifier, two speakers, 110 volt<br />
Ohio.<br />
rectifier, carbon arc lamp. $250 FOB Cleveland.<br />
National Tlieatre Supply Co.. 2128 I'ayne Ave.,<br />
Manager wanted for first run indoor theatre Cleveland. Ohio.<br />
In large midwestern clly. I'refer man with ability<br />
Stars sensational savings! 11%", ISV^", 14"<br />
as sign w.lter and exploitation experience. Give full<br />
refeelors, good condition, $5.00: RCA rotary<br />
Inlormation first letter. Salary $81) to $100 Inchid<br />
stabilizer siiiindheads, rebuilt, $350 pair: Ballanlyne<br />
ng percentage on concessions. Write in con-<br />
amplifle;, reconditioned, $165: liCA<br />
fidence. Boxoffioe. 7412.<br />
PO-230 smmd system, refnndiiioned. $1,475. Big<br />
savings on everything. What do you needy Star<br />
Cinema Supply. 021 West 55lh St., New York 19.<br />
Wanted experienced managers, also student<br />
managers for training for conventional and<br />
driie-ln theatres operated by large New England<br />
ci.cuit. Write, Boxofflce, 7420.<br />
Man and wife to look after small drlve-ln and<br />
ciuu'e^sliui in New Mexico. Heallhtiil. high, dry<br />
cllm.ile. .Must he honest and willing. No booking<br />
or buying. Give full details and salary<br />
V anted. Boxofflce. 7421.<br />
THEATRE TICKETS<br />
Prompt Service. Special printed roll ilcheta<br />
100.000. $31.95: 10.000. $9.90: 2.00U. $5.70,<br />
Kach change In admission price. Including ciiangr<br />
III color. $4,00 extra. Iloiible numbering extra,<br />
F,0,11 K:in,5as City. Mo, Cash with order<br />
liansas City Ticket Co,, llept 11, 109 W 18th<br />
St., Kansas CltJ, .Mo,<br />
BUSINESS STIMULATORS<br />
Bingo, more action! $4.50.M cards. Other<br />
games aiaiialjle. on-off screen. Novelty Gainea Co.,<br />
106 Itogers Ale , Brooklyn, N. V.<br />
Build attendance with real Hawaiian orehlds<br />
Few cents each. Write Flowers of Hawaii, 670<br />
S. Lafayette Park Place. Los Angeles 5, Calif.<br />
Bingo-die-cut cards. Increase your hnxoffice,<br />
75 to 100 numbers, $4,50 per .M. Best Cards,<br />
Premium Products. 346 West 44lh St.. New York<br />
36. N. Y<br />
STUDIO<br />
AND PRODUCTION<br />
Neumade automatic film cleaning machines,<br />
new surplus. $425 value, 35mm $295, 16mm<br />
$345; Mitchell. Belliowell studln cameras, from<br />
$995; Kliegl o.OOOW studio spots on st,ind. $300<br />
value, $159.50; New tripod triangles. $16.95<br />
Moviolas from $195; Ameiican Cinematographer's<br />
iiandhooks, V, price, $2.50. Dept. cc, CO.S.<br />
Cinema Supply Corp., 602 \V. 52nd St.. New<br />
York 19,<br />
BOOKS<br />
Don't operate wastefully in these tough times!<br />
Hundreds of ways to save money, all based on<br />
practical theatre experience, are yoiiis in the<br />
"Master Guide to Theatre Malnteinmce." E:ich<br />
one of them may be worth far more to you Ihan<br />
the $5.00 the book costs. Send for yoiii copy<br />
today. Cash with order, no COD's. Boxofflce<br />
Book Dept., 825 Van Brunt Bhd,. Kansas City<br />
24, Mo.<br />
BOXOFFICE i: February 16, 1957<br />
Simplex "Standard" mechanisms and double<br />
bearing movements. Guaranteed, bargain. Lou<br />
Walters Ilepair Service. 8548 San Fernando,<br />
ilallas,<br />
Texas.<br />
For Sale. Multiplex 45 gal. Root Beer barrel<br />
used four months only, complete with coirrpressor,<br />
carbonator. circulating pump, two faucets, root<br />
beer and Coke. Cost $700, best offer over $450.<br />
Boxofflce. 7415.<br />
theatre sales! iialph i^rwiii. Licensed Broker,<br />
1443 iSouth Trenton, Tulsa.<br />
West coast theatres lor sale. Write for iisi.<br />
Theatre Exchanee, 260 iCearney St.. San Francisco<br />
Excellent coated projection lenses, some brand 8. Calif.<br />
new! Wollensak. "Siniray" series 1: 3^", 5",<br />
Excellent opportunity! 3 drive-ins In Texas In<br />
5'/i". 6". •%". $35 pair. Superlitc series III<br />
fast growing iiidiistiial city, population gained<br />
c'' coated 2-'Ji", 3", S%". $150 pair. Otiiers<br />
40% since 1950, only drlve-lns In 25 miles. Includes<br />
27 acres of v;iliiable land, two nice homes<br />
available, tell us your needs. Trades taken. Depl.<br />
cc, S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp,, 602 W. 52nd<br />
on properly, one witli swimming pool, excellent<br />
GENERAL EQUIPMENT—NEW<br />
New Century generators at used prices! 100/200<br />
amp, onv W/15HP motor. $995: 150/150 amp.<br />
42/84V W/20HP motor $1,095; generators complete<br />
w/panel, rheostats. Dept. ec. S.O.S. Cinema<br />
Supply Corp., 002 W, 52nd St, New York 19.<br />
SCREENS<br />
Silver Screen, 12-6x25, $125 (frame $25) like<br />
new. used one month, repl.-iced with larger size.<br />
Also 13x21 and 10x16. Theatre Accessories &<br />
Supply Co., Box 205. lloosevelt. New York.<br />
raMs<br />
DHIVE-IN THEATRE EQUIPMENT<br />
Building a drive-in? Ballantyne has plans and<br />
equipment at big savings. Itie Ballantyne Company,<br />
1712 Jackson St., Omaha 2, Neb.<br />
EQUIPMENT WANTED<br />
35, 16 films, equipment.<br />
Carl Leigh. Ada, Ohio,<br />
buy, sell, trade.<br />
Wanted, BOO used de luxe theatre chairs and<br />
complete modern booth equipment before September<br />
1957. Nelson Logan, Mitchell, S. Dak.<br />
ye.ir around opeiaiion. 600, 500 and 350 speakers,<br />
paved, top condition. Very attractive price, no<br />
lease, 20 ^i down to right party, balance in 10<br />
to 15 years. Have conflicting Interests, must sell.<br />
Write Boxofflce, 7383.<br />
For sale, must sell at once, sacrifice, 325-nii<br />
drive-in, CinemaScope screen 125x65-foot. \Vrlie<br />
or call Frank Neofolls, Rt. 5, Lexington. V:i.<br />
Phone: liobart 3-2522.<br />
500-seat theatre & 300-car drivc-ln. Kan^^as<br />
county seat. Sell one or both with or wllhiiiil<br />
leal estate. Consider percentage lease to experienced<br />
theatie man, -No reasonable offer refused.<br />
Owner has other interests. Boxofflce. 7401.<br />
Theatre for sale, Florida, downtown Jacksonville.<br />
500 seats. ancmaScope cnulpment. Good<br />
condition, low oveihcid. excellent lof:ition, iieillitg<br />
over $12,000 yearly. I'ossihililles for tremendous<br />
increase with proper maiiagemont. I'liee. $15.0011,<br />
terms. Phone Elgin 4-4020, or write. I!, C I'l il<br />
1432 Main St.. .lacksonilUe. Fla,<br />
For sale 200-car drive-in. $16,500, $5,000<br />
will handle. Sid Brown. Oshknsh, Neb.<br />
For Sale or lease only drive-in theatre in<br />
Superior. Wisconsin, population 35.000. 500-cai<br />
capacity. Inquire Samuel P. Halpern, Attorney,<br />
1032 Mid'and Bank Bldg., Minneapolis. Minn.<br />
Two theatres In north central Arkansas, 25<br />
miles apart. Fireproof hiiiliilngs, 500 seats, ali<br />
conditioned and CinemaScope. Boxofflce. 7402.<br />
Sunshine Florida coastal large city. 425 sea's,<br />
CinemaScope, air-conditioned, priced low for quick<br />
sale. Boxofficc. 7406.<br />
650 seat theatre and small drive-in Central<br />
Kansas county seat town. Population 2.500. Other<br />
interests reason for selling. Boxofflce, 7409,<br />
550 seats completely air-conditioned and<br />
equipped. Good condition. Illness reason for<br />
selling. Makes good money. I'earce Theatre Erpiipment<br />
Corp., 320 W. Flagler St.. Miami. Fla.<br />
For sale: Limberlost Drive-In Theatre located<br />
(leneia. Inil. Fully equipped. Mail sealed<br />
at<br />
bids hcfiue March 15 and for infurmatlon contact.<br />
Eli iiiibach. Geneva. Ind. Phone; 5-5247,<br />
Linngrove. Ind. Rights reserved to reject any<br />
or all bids. Wilbur Meller, inviier. Waiiseon, Ohio.<br />
Plione: 5936.<br />
For lease or sale, 400-car drlve-ln theatre<br />
located Augusta, Ca., army town. Terms right.<br />
Write owner, P. 0. Box 9215, Charlotte, N. Car.<br />
For sale, 425-car drive-in. Kentucky county<br />
seal. All or one half. CinemaScope. modern.<br />
Iieaiilifiil landscaping. Good reason for selling.<br />
35mm features. Independent producer desiares<br />
Boxofflce, 7410.<br />
discontinue distribution phase. Western, drama,<br />
to<br />
For Sale, 260 car drive-ln, midwest only drlveln<br />
county of apprnximaleiy 15.000 population,<br />
roadshows. Own some standby features or open<br />
and independent exchange for $25 up. 40 prints<br />
liberal terms. De luxe stand, 72' wide screen.<br />
Write. Box 4272. Sarasota. :ivailalile. i''la.<br />
Season starts March 15. Act now, Boxofflce.<br />
7417.<br />
POPCORN MACHINES<br />
Popcorn macliiiies. all maKes and styles. Re-<br />
.ilacenieni Kettles fur all poppers Complete replacenieiu<br />
ui.ll rils most machines. $185, 120<br />
So, ll.Uileil. Clm-agiL 111,<br />
REPAIRING<br />
Your speakers (cones), microphones, driver-units<br />
(horns) completely rebuilt. Western Electronics<br />
Co., 3311 Houston Ave., Houston 9, Texas.<br />
Large Texas city diive-in, 1,000 speakers, excellent<br />
local ion. Could be made into a twin. Cost<br />
over $200,000, owner must sacrifice $110,000.<br />
Also, drive-in theatre in town over 67.500<br />
populatiiin. Out of state owner must sell. Boxof.ice.<br />
7414,<br />
500 seat house and 360-car drive-in. Both<br />
CinemaScoped. All year operation. No other<br />
theatres in ciiunly. J. C. Camp. Cairo. Ga.<br />
For sale 300 seat theatre, CinemaScope, excellent<br />
equ'pment. in heart of Red River Val.ey.<br />
Bargain tor quick sale. Roxy Theatre, Portland.<br />
N Dak.<br />
Only theatre agricultural town 2,500 popiil..<br />
lion. Irrigation, perpetual harvest, near Phoenix.<br />
Arizona. CinemaScope, 320 seats, fully equipped,<br />
$15,000 for all. building and valuable lot. $5,000<br />
cash, or will lease. Other interests force sacrifice.<br />
Boxofflce, 7419.<br />
THEATRES FOR LEASE<br />
Will lease new, most beautiful, $65,000 theatre<br />
northeast Iowa. Boxofflce, 7403.<br />
Theatres Wanted! Texas, Oklahoma.<br />
Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Lonisiatu. liaitui<br />
Erwiii, Broker, Tulsa.<br />
Cash for good paying outdoor drive-in. Slate<br />
full details. Groat's Mobile Homes, R. D. 4,<br />
Scotia. New York.<br />
Drive- in theatre wanted, Florida Sell soft<br />
ice cream machine. 1018 50tli St. Soutli, Tampa,<br />
Fl.i.<br />
Experiencetl showman will lease non-compctltlve<br />
indoor theatre suitable for family operation.<br />
Prefer Memphis trade territory. Boxofflce, 7418.<br />
Wanted to lease, theatre and/or dilve-in or<br />
both preferably in Texas. Box 468, Linden, Texas.<br />
THEATRE SEATING<br />
Chair supplies, parts for all clialrs. li'cnslo<br />
Seating. Chicago 5,<br />
Repairing and reupholstering In your theatre<br />
l-'ensin Seating, Chica go 5.<br />
New spring seats for all chairs. Fensin Seating,<br />
Chicago 5 ___^<br />
Patcho-seat cement, permastone anchor cement.<br />
Fensin Se.iting, Chicago 5.<br />
Seat coverings, sewed combination, ali styles.<br />
I'^-nsIn Seating. Chicago 5.<br />
Plastic leatherette, all colors, send sample.<br />
Fensin Seating, Chicago 5,<br />
Upliolstery fabrics, all types, send sample,<br />
Fensin Seating. Chicago 5.<br />
Cash for your old theatre chairs, Fensin Seating,<br />
Cliicago 5. Ill,<br />
Professional reupholstering. Factory trained crew.<br />
I''ree estimate anywhere. For sale: 5.000 good<br />
used chairs, all types, OGI.F.SBY FdlilPMENT<br />
Co., 20356 Grand River. Ilelrolt. KEiiwood 3-8740,<br />
Several lots of late type chairs. Bargain price.<br />
Write for ex.icl photo. Chicago Used Chair Mart.<br />
829 S, State SI,. Chicago 5. ill.<br />
25"x26" plastic leatherette, good quality, SSc<br />
each, 27"x27" for spring edge. 65c each.<br />
Chicago Used Chair Mart. 829 8. State St..<br />
Chicago-<br />
Handy Ad Order Blank<br />
BOXOFFICE.<br />
825 Van Brunt Blvd.,<br />
Kansas City 24. Mo.<br />
For tho $ inclosed, print<br />
my Want Ad limes, al<br />
rate of 15 cents a word (or 4 insertions<br />
at the price oi 3).
For the best chance to<br />
draw a full<br />
top card was, is<br />
house, your<br />
and will<br />
continue to be trailers. At<br />
the very least, trailers will<br />
produce a healthy flush at<br />
the box-office-and the<br />
cost is a joke when compared<br />
to other advertising<br />
media.<br />
mjwm.,\0iem SERVICE<br />
\J pmzfBoar of meinousntr<br />
SINDLINGER<br />
Survey showed 34.2 per cent went to the movies because of TRAILERS!<br />
NATIONALTHEATRES CIRCUIT IN 21 STATES<br />
Survey showed 43 per cent went to the movies because of TRAILERS!<br />
'TtaiUt6 mm ^kou/men *i Socko Sale5men I<br />
i