Theatres m Ky. and W. Va. Are Hard Hit by Flood CINCINNATI—Many Kentucky and West Vii-ginia theatremen this week- were cleaning mud and debris from their theatres in the wake of the. disastrous floods of the Big Sandy and Kentucky rivers, "th^ ' waters receded rapidly, but the job of cleaning up the mud remained. Many theatres in the area had resumed operations by midweek, but the fact that hundreds of homes and business establishments were hard hit by the flood waters was expected to have its effect on theatre attendance. Worst flood damage thus far reported in the theatre industry was at the Auburn Drive-In, Cumberland, Ky., owned by O. G. Roaden, who said it would take about $30,000 to put the house back into operation. The Lycinda Drive-In, Fusonia, Ky., for which Floyd Morrow of Louisville does the booking and buying, was damaged greatly. At least 100 speakers were lost. The Lycinda had been operating during the winter, but it is not now known when it will be reopened. The town of Hazard, Ky., was almost entirely under water, and the Family and Virginia theatres, owned by L. O. Davis, have not yet reopened, but are expected to within a few weeks. Ii-onically, the Virginia Theatre marquee advertised "Away All Boats" when the flood crest reached the bottom of the mai-quee. The Grandvue Drive-In at Hazard, owned by Eugene Combs, was flooded and Davis' Neon Theatre, Neon, Ky., also was affected by the floods. The Weddington Theatre, Pikeville, Ky., was under ten feet of water. This house is owned by Joseph and Sam Isaacs, whose Corlee Theatre, Cumberland, also was in the flood water. The Martin Theatre, Martin, Ky., built with an entrance to the balcony, was able to continue to operate as patrons came to the theatre in boats. The Martin is owned by Lawrence Keathley. The Corbin, Ky., Hippodrome, owned by L. Merenbloom, was not flooded, but the roads were and it was necessary to deliver the film by boat. In Barbourville, Ky., the Knox Drive-In and Mitchell Theatre, owned by Paul T. Mitchell, were affected. Tlie Strand, Prestonburg, Ky., owned by Lawrence Keathley, and the Abigail Theatre, owned by H. T. Allen, were in the flood water, but have now reopened. In West Virginia, the Matewan Theatre, Matewan, owned by Fi'ank Allara has not been reopened, but is expected to open soon. The Guyan Theatre, Logan, W. Va., owned by the Nebold-Keesling circuit, was affected, but has reopened. Also reopened are the theatres in Williamson, W. Va. The Cinderella Theatre here is owned by Louis and Mannie Shor and Hyman Banks. Williamson was under ten feet of water during the flood. TOA Asks Data on Foreign Films for New Directory NEW YORK—Theatre Owners of America has asked all distributors of foreign films to supply by the weekend exact information about their product for inclusion in a special monthly directory TOA will send its members. The first mailing is set for late in this month. The data sought follows : Picture title, name of stars, running time, black-and-white or color, type of entertainment, language, title or dubbed, year originally released. Legion of Decency rating and production code seal. A list of company exchanges and sub-distributors with addresses was also requested. Ernest G. Stellings, president, mailed the request. He noted that the recent TOA convention and foreign film fair had proved of great interest to exhibitors, but that no single source of information existed for exhibitors who want data on available foreign and independent product. Promoting Plan With Brokerage Firms To Use Theatres During Idle Hours SEATTLE—Joe Daniels, veteran Seattle booking agent with a business extending over the coast and mountain states, is promoting a plan under which the nation's motion picture theatres would be converted during idle morning hours into stock brokers' board rooms. Persons interested in following stock market reports would pay a small admission, probably 50 cents, to watch the projected tapes of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, and the Dow Jones Service. Brokerage houses would be encouraged to set up branch offices in the same theatres to handle purchases by direct telephone with main offices. Daniels has sent literature to 1,850 corporations and 600 brokerage offices in the U. S. and is preparing a fuller exposition of his plan to be sent to 200 financial editors and writers. Locally, he is negotiating for the use of the Music Box Theatre and he is also negotiating for houses elsewhere in Washington and Oregon. He would operate Washington and Oregon houses personally and would sell copyright on his idea to other operators to whatever extent such a copyright is salable. The copyright has been applied for. Daniels plans to publish a full-page ad in Seattle newspapers February 25 to announce the "Grand Opening, Wednesday, February 27th" at the Music Box Theatre of "The Stock Market Theatre." Hours would be from 6:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Neva Patterson Is Signed HOLLYWOOD—Neva Patterson has been signed by 20th-Fox for featured roles in both "The Desk Set" and "An Affair- to Remember." Edward W. Lider Asks Ban of 'Delinquents' BOSTON—A second trade screening of "The Delinquents," United Artists release, was scheduled by Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England and the New England Drive-In Ass'n, following receipt of a telegram from Max Youngstein, UA vice-president, advising Edward W. Lider, president of both New England groups, that UA will go ahead with release plans for the picture. Lider earlier had sent a wire to Arthur B. Krim, United Ai-tists president, requesting that the Imperial Productions film be withdrawn from release. Lider, admitting that he had not seen the picture and was basing his objections on trade screening reports, declared that the film "has many objectionable scenes; particularly one scene, in which violence and vandalism at a drive-in theatre is shown." Decision for a second screening this week of "The Delinquents" was reached at a Tuesday morning (12> meeting of the drive-in association board and an afternoon meeting the same day of lENE members. Lider, circuit heads and drive-in theatre operators who had not viewed the first screening were to attend the second showing. The text of the wire from Youngstein to Lider: "Your wire re 'The Delinquents' has been turned over to me. This picture was produced by Elmer Rhoden jr., an exhibitor and operator of a most important circuit of regular theatres as well as 35 drive-ins. This picture also has the approval of Elmer Rhoden sr., president of National Theatres. "This picture also has a Motion Picture Ass'n Code Seal as well as an acceptable rating by the Legion of Decency. I spoke to Rhoden. He wants you to communicate directly with him at Imperial Productions, Kansas City, Mo. We are, of course, proceeding with the release of the picture." Elmer Rhoden Jr. Comments On Lider Film Protest KANSAS CITY—Elmer C. Rhoden jr., advised of Lider's request for the withdrawal of "The Delinquents," expressed regret that the lENE president had taken such action without personally viewing the film. Rhoden added that he intended to show the picture in all drive-in situations of the Commonwealth circuit, of which he is president. "While I will admit that 'The Delinquents' is probably extremely brutal," Rhoden said, "it must be remembered that this is an exploitation picture, the type people are paying to see today. "I am surprised that Mr. Lider would make such a statement without seeing the picture. It is very seldom that a true showman can book a picture he can go out and exploit, without it being, to the audience, a nambypamby picture. If theatres are to exist today they must have programs which cannot be seen on television. Evidently everything Mr. Lider wishes in a picture can be seen by any of his patrons free today on TV." "As for my own theatre company," Rhoden continued, "it will play and properly exploit this picture to get the most from the boxoffice dollar. We have 35 drive-ins, including two of over 1,000-car capacity and on down to 200 and 300-car drive-ins in small towns. I don't expect any opposition from my independent drive-in friends in the Kansas-Missouri teiTitory." IG BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957
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- Page 1 and 2: Ft /ne TuAe m me /vi&to&n. Mctu/ie
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7 GREAT DOUBLE BILLS BOOK THEM NOW
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! People who go places like a light
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Dubuque, Iowa, Avon To Close on Apr
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Charge on Weekends For New Smoking
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