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'Anaslasia' Hits 150
Third Boston Week
BOSTON — "Ana-stasia," completing its
third stanza, led the field, going for a fourth
week at the Keith Memorial. "Albert
Schweitzer" held well in its second week at
the Exeter Street. "Top Secret Affair" was
the strongest of the new product.
(Average Is 100)
Astor—The Ten Commandments (Pora), 11th
wk 120
Beacon Hill Secrets of Life (BV), 3rd wk 80
Boston Seven Wonders of the World (SW), 23rd
wk 100
Exeter Street— Albert Schweitzer (Hill). 2nd wk,..120
Kenmore Lust for Life (MGM), 11th wk 80
Memoriol Anostosio (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 150
Metropolitan Top Secret Affoir (20th-Fox);
Accused of Murder (Rep) 100
Pilgrim Don't Knock the Rock (Col); Rumble
On the Docks (Col), 2nd wk 135
Saxon Oklahoma! (Magna), 21st wk 90
State and Orpheum The King ond Four Queens
(UA); Rebel in Town (UA), 2nd wk 80
"Rainmaker," "Terrace' Combo
Leads Hartford With 140
HARTFORD—The combination of "The
Rainmaker" and "The High Terrace" opened
here with the best gross of the week, a resounding
140. U-I's "The Great Man" was
the only downtown holdover.
Allyn The Rainmoker (Poro); The High Terrace
(AA) 140
Art—The Bod Seed (WB); Friendly Persuosion
(AA) 70
E M. Loew Nightfall (Col); As Wicked as They
Come (Col)
Palace Angels of Dorkness (Excelsior); Man of
90
Africa (Dominant) 80
Persons The Great Man (U-l); The Light Touch
(U-l), 2nd wk 120
Poll Oklahomal (20th-Fox) 115
Strond The Wrong Man (WB); Noked Gun (ARC) 1 10
All New Haven Pictures
Score Above Average
NEW HAVEN—Business boomed at the
downtowners, with all key houses reporting
above average receipts. Even "The Teahouse
of the August Moon," in its third and final
week, shared in the week's prosperity. The
leader was "Oklahoma!" which increased
receipts at the 3,000 seat Loew's Poll by 70
per cent.
College The Teahouse of the August Moon
(MGM), 3rd wk 1 05
Paramount The Rainmoker (Poro), Yoqui Drums
(AA) 130
Poll Oklahoma! (20th-Fox) 1 70
Roger Sherman The Wrong Man (WB); The
Boss (UA) 120
Four Snowstorms in Week
Cut Providence Grosses
PROVIDENCE—Four snow and ice storms
during the week cut deeply into attendance.
Despite the storms, "Naked Paradise" grossed
125, to lead all local first runs. Following
closely was "A Kid for Two Farthings" at the
Avon Cinema, with 115. Holdovers did not fare
too well. "The Teahouse of the August Moon,"
playing for a third week at Loew's State,
reported just average business, while "Anastasia,"
being held a third week at the Majestic,
dropped to 70.
Albee Naked Paradise (AlP) 125
Avon A Kid for Two Farthings (Lopert) 115
Loew's The Teahouse of the August Moon
(MGM), 3rd wk 100
Majestic Anastasia (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 70
Strand Ride the High Iron (Col) 80
Tab Hunter in Hartford
HARTFORD—Actor Tab Hunter was
interviewed by local drama desks February
8 as part of regional promotion for "The
Spirit of St. Louis" arranged by Art Moger
of the Warner Bros, exploitation department.
Hunter has been on a key city tour.
INDUSTRY PROFILE
Charles Gaudino Says Showmanshi
Is
Theatremans Greatest Asset
By ALLEN M. WIDEM
SPRINGFIELD — Charles Gaudino, enterprising
manager of Loew's Poll Theatre
here, nas had as
diversified training
as any showman in
America.
The Connecticut
native first went to
work for L o e w' s
back in 1938 as a
porter at the College
Theatre, New
Haven. Ben Cohen,
who was to later
become a U-I executive,
was man- Charles Gaudino
ager at the College.
Gaudino served in turn as fireman,
usher, chief of staff, and finally student
assistant manager. The following year
found him at the sister Poll Theatre in
New Haven, working under Manager Robert
Russell and assistant Nat Rubin.
He became assistant manager of Loew's
Bijou, also in New Haven, in 1940. The
Bijou manager was William Elder and
staffers included Mike Piccirillo and
Frank Manente. Piccirillo progressed to
Loew's Lexington, New York, and then to
Hartford theatres: Manente became a
manager in Loew's midwest division.
Gaudino served with the U. S. Marine
Corps for four years in World War II,
seeing action in three major invasions
Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu
Island.
"The last
named was the toughest," he
recalled. "It seemed that the Japs threw
everything, includmg the whole Sixth
avenue elevated structure, at us in that
one battle."
At Peleliu, as Gaudino's unit hit the
beach, Jap mortar fire hit four buddies,
leaving Gaudino with only shrapnel
wounds. As mementos of his South Pacific
experience, he owns a P^residential citation,
five battle-participation stars, a
Presidential unit citation and the Purple
Heart. Gaudino also received a meritorious
promotion in action.
"I recuperated nine months down at
Proposed Film Censorship
Assailed in Providence
PROVIDENCE—The Rhode Island
branch
of the American Civil Liberties Union has
registered strong opposition to the proposed
local motion picture and theatrical licensing
ordinance. Milton Stanzler, Providence correspondent
for the union, said in a statement
forwarded to Mayor Walter H. Reynolds that
the ordinance is unconstitutional under terms
of a "prior restraint" decision of the U. S.
Supreme Court.
"The American Civil Liberties Union
n
strongly opposes the ordinance recently introduced
in the city council," he said. "An
examination of the ordinance reveals that
it violates the guarantees of the First Amend-
Melbourne, Australia, and then spent another
month over in New Zealand just
eating. But the biggest kick was a parade
in which our First Marine Division was
given the distinction of serving as honor
guard for General Blamey, chief of Australian
Aj-my units, at Melbourne."
Gaudino returned to the U.S. in 1945,
going to work again for Loew's Theatres,
both in New Haven and Bridgeport.
He left the Loew ciicuit in 1946 to become
a manager for the Strand Amusement
Co., independent Bridgeport ciixuit.
The showmanship flair of Loew's continued
to occupy a fond spot in his memory,
however, and in 1951 he returned to
a Loew theatre, the Poll in Bridgeport, as
assistant to manager Matt L. Saunders.
In 1952, he was shifted to Loew's Pol ,
New Haven, now managed by Morris
Rosenthal, and in 1954 he made the jump
to present status. He had functioned at
Loew's Poll, Springfield, in the past as a
relief manager.
For Saunders and Rosenthal, Gaudino
has only the highest praise.
"They are of the experienced school of
management," Gaudino said, "and they
imparted to me many important aspects
of handling a theatre that would not be
brought to attention of a newcomer to
the business. I have a lot of respect for
the veterans in our industry and believe
they have contributed vitally to the development
of what we know today is required
showmanship to sell our product
and services."
While managing Loew's Poll and participating
in numerous exploitation campaigns,
Gaudino has not overlooked cooperation
with the Springfield Chamber
of Commerce. He is a member of that organization
and serves on the convention
and visitors bureaus.
Modest, unassuming, Gaudino expresses
great faith in the future of the motion
picture theatre. "This is still a great industry,"
he asserts, "and it's up to theatremen
in the field, in particular, to remind
regular customers, as well as potential
theatregoers, that this is true."
ment and is an attempt to give power to a
few men, namely the bureau of licenses, to
determine the type of motion pictiu-es and
plays the people shall view.
Stanzler, an attorney, asked the city
council
to arrange a public hearing before acting
on the proposed ordinance, which has been
referred for committee study.
The proposal would permit denial of 11-
cen.se to any show deemed "ob.scene," "indecent,"
or "immoral," terms a Supreme
Court opinion declared were too general for
establishing clear, precise standards.
Screen Tunny Face'
NEW HAVEN—Paramount's "Funny Face"
was shown to area exhibitors at a special
early afternoon pre 'lew in the Lincoln.
BOXOFFICE February 16, 1957 NE-1