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. Page<br />

1957<br />

/he iuAe e^ 'ike m&to&rL fictuAe<br />

Sophia Lorcn and Alan Ladd, against the background of an ancrcnt<br />

Greek temple, ore shown in o scene from "Boy on a Dolphin," the 20th<br />

Century-Fox production which hos been awordcd the BOXOFFICE Blue<br />

Ribbon Award for May by the Nationol Screen Council , 26<br />

i^^^-^^^^d


BINGO!


BRAVO<br />

"Excellent! This looks like another winner for Crosby and<br />

producer Siegel."<br />

-showmens trade review<br />

"Easily one of the Year's Best Pictures. A real story about<br />

real people." -Hollywood reporter<br />

"A picture with heart and charm. Never have tears and<br />

laughter been so wonderfully blended."<br />

-boxoffice<br />

"Producer Sol C. Siegel has delivered another fine production<br />

particularly appealing to women."<br />

-daily (Coast) variety<br />

"High rating! Hard hitting! Adds up to box-office! Sneak<br />

preview audience had a wonderful time." -m. p. exhibitor<br />

"Warm, winning entertainment .<br />

. . Crosby<br />

can take bows."<br />

—film bulletin<br />

INGER STEVENS •<br />

M-G-M presents A SOL C. SIEGEL PRODUCTION<br />

BING CROSBY<br />

MAN ON FIRE<br />

Co-Slarring<br />

MARY FICKETT E.G.MARSHALL<br />

•<br />

w,.h MALCOLM BRODRICK • RICHARD EASTHAM<br />

Screen Play by RANALD MocDOUGALL<br />

laied on o Story by MALVIN WAID ond JACK JACOBS<br />

Directed by RANALD MacDOUGALL .


f^<br />

RODGERS &<br />

HAMMERSIEIN'S<br />

r CONTINUES<br />

TO MAKE<br />

BOXOFFICE HISTORY!<br />

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN<br />

ri<br />

GORDON MacRAE- cm GRMME- SHIRLEY MS-<br />

CHARLOITE GREENWOOD • EDDIE ALBERI • JAMES WHIIORE<br />

ARTHUR iii'NBLOWJr/ FRED ZiNNEMANN<br />

'?<<br />

Screenplay by SONYALEVIEN and WILLIAM LUOWIG<br />

X-«i)j^S^ /dik?-^'<br />

^ l^^jjjj PRODUCTION<br />

DancesSUgedbyMSDiMIll!<br />

• DISTRIBUTED BY 20th CENTURY FOX


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e rcc^ o^t/ie //lotion rcct(4Jie /ndoAt^<br />

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY<br />

BEN SHLYEN<br />

Published In Nine Sectional Editions<br />

Editor-in-Chief and Publisher<br />

CXJNALD M. MERSEREAU Associofe<br />

Publisher & General Manager<br />

NATHAN COHEN.. Executive Editor<br />

JESSE SHLYEN. .. .Managing Editor<br />

HUGH FRAZE Field Editor<br />

AL STEEN Eastern Editor<br />

IVAN SPEAR Western Editor<br />

I. L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor<br />

MORRIS 5CHL0ZMAN Business Mgr.<br />

Published Every Saturday by<br />

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1 L<br />

,<br />

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Section. Telepliuiii- in<br />

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manager. Telephone DUnkiri: 8-2286.<br />

i<br />

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1177 .\/ ' l: l'h«rie REpublic<br />

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The .MOliElt.N TllEATHB Section Is Included<br />

in Uie first Issue of each month.<br />

Atlanta: .Martha Chandler. 191 Walton MV.<br />

Albany: J. S. nmncrs, 21-23 Walter Ave.<br />

BaltiniMi ': :: Stanley Thea.<br />

Blrmin,'<br />

The News.<br />

Boston llir 2-1141.<br />

Charli 2-1254.<br />

,<br />

Clnclnn . Carrahen.<br />

Clevelanil: I'.hk- Loib, K.iirnmunt 1-0046.<br />

Columbus: Fred Oestrelchcr, 646 Elioades<br />

Place.<br />

Dallas: BUI Barker. 423 Nimltz St..<br />

WH 21958.<br />

Denver: Jack Rose. 1645 Lafayette St.<br />

Des Moines: Russ Schoch. Rcgistcr-Trlbiuie.<br />

Detroit: II. F. Reves. Fox Theatre Bldg.<br />

Hartford: Allen M. WIdem. CH 9-8211<br />

Indianapolis: Corbin Patrick. The Star.<br />

Jacksonville: Robert Cornwell. San Marco<br />

Theatre.<br />

Memphis: Null .\dams. 707 Sprhig St.<br />

Miami: Kitty Ilarvvood. 66 S. Hibiscus.<br />

Mllvtaukee: Wm. Nlchoi. 2251 S. Laytoii<br />

Blvd.<br />

Minneapolis: Les Rees. 2123 Freemont Sq.<br />

New Orleans: Beverly Balancle. 5500<br />

Dauphin.<br />

Oklahoma City: Joyce Outhler. 1744 NW<br />

17lh St<br />

Omaha: Irving Baker. 911 N. 5Ist St.<br />

Philadelphia: Norman Shlgon. 5363 Berk<br />

Pittsburgh: R. F. Klingensmlth. 516 Jeannette.<br />

VVilkinsburg. aiurchiU 1-2809.<br />

Portland. Ore.: Arnold Marks. Journal.<br />

St. Louis: Date Barrett, 5149 Rosa.<br />

Salt Lake City: Pearson. Deseret News.<br />

II.<br />

San Antonio: Les Ketner. 230 San Pedro.<br />

San Francisco: Gall LIpman. 2g7-28th<br />

.Vie.. SKyUne 1-4355; Advertlshig:<br />

Jerry .Nowell. Howard Bldg.. VU 6-2522.<br />

In Canada<br />

Montreal: Room 314. 625 Belmont St.<br />

Jules<br />

Larochelle.<br />

St. John: 43 Waterloo. Sam Babb.<br />

Toronto: 1675 Bayrlew Ave.. WUlowdale.<br />

Ont. W. filadish.<br />

Vancouver: Lyric Theatre Bids.. Jack Droy<br />

Winnipeg: Barney Brooker. 157 Rupert.<br />

Member Audit Bureau of Circulations<br />

H>itcred as Second Class matter at Post<br />

Office. Kansas City. Mo. Sectional Edition.<br />

J3.00 per year: National Edition. $7 50.<br />

JUNE 15, 1957<br />

Vol. 71 No. 8<br />

CHANGES ARE IN ORDER<br />

y\ \\\ ,li.Mns.^ioii of uliat may be<br />

the causes lor [lie low grosses, heaviest stre.ss<br />

seems to be placed on the general public's alleged<br />

disinterest in anything but top-calibre product. All<br />

of llie wide variety of external factors are<br />

brought out but, for the most part, the internal<br />

factors are either overlooked or glossed over.<br />

True, the so-called blockbusters have the power<br />

to pull peo]ile out of their homes and away from<br />

television sets, hobbies, sports, and the great<br />

\ariety of diversions to which they devote their<br />

leisure time. But, as has so often been proved in<br />

the past, the picture alone—no matter how good<br />

or how big—is not all that is needed to entice<br />

more people to go more often to the movies.<br />

It is one thing to say, "Give 'em blockbusters<br />

and they'll come in droves." But it's quite another<br />

matter to make enough of such pictures to keep<br />

up a steady pace of patronage to meet the needs<br />

of this .52-week-a-year business. These peaks of<br />

patronage are fine—but it's the deep valleys in<br />

between that need building up.<br />

Theie is no denying that strong product is the<br />

keystone to business betterment. Promotion will<br />

help. But what about programming, pricing<br />

and parking? These, often and much too frequently<br />

of late, have been cited by patrons as<br />

deterrents to their going to the movies. Change<br />

in these policies and practices long has been in<br />

order. But, for one reason or another, they seem<br />

to grow worse instead of getting better.<br />

It is widely admitted, both in exhibition and<br />

distribution circles, that one of the principal<br />

causes for patronage loss is the multiple dayand-dating<br />

practice of the larger cities and the<br />

too-fast ])lay-off of product. This is especially<br />

true in the instance of the better pictures, which<br />

are taken out of circulation while they still have<br />

substantial want-to-see potentials. Yet, nothing<br />

has been done to remedy the condition.<br />

Alternating of runs, a reasonable and orderly<br />

clearance pattern to increase the public's choice<br />

and extend life of product, could open up this<br />

Ixiltleneck. which would, at the same time, afford<br />

opporluiiity for change and improvement in<br />

|)rogramming. This would benefit all branches<br />

of the business, with by-products such as possible<br />

elimination of the print shortage problem<br />

and its attendant difficulties, among other things.<br />

Pricing and jiarking are somewhat linked<br />

-rihci. W li.-liicr admission prices are too high,<br />

iii,i\ Im (litrrmined by the parking costs which,<br />

ill in:iii\ ]il.ii IS. have skyrocketed. We remember<br />

that, when downtown admission prices were 40<br />

cents top in a certain midwest city and parking<br />

fees were 15 cents, the theatres refunded the<br />

|)arking cost to patrons. Now that admission<br />

prices are 90 cents and higher in the same city<br />

;iikI parking for three hours costs up to 75 cents,<br />

to-<br />

such arrangement isn't as feasible. Hut one<br />

astute theatre operator has made deals with<br />

closeby parking stations on a 30 cent-per-car<br />

basis which he reports has increased his attendance.<br />

Another thing, a refund of this kind,<br />

usually results in added revenue for the concessions<br />

stand. But, whether or not this is the case,<br />

eliminating the [larking cost removes one of the<br />

big patronage deterrents. There are other ways<br />

of solving this problem, to be sure, but this could<br />

The business-building campaign which will<br />

soon be implemented is expected to introduce a<br />

nuinber of new or improved methods of enticing<br />

patronage. The various proniotional ideas<br />

already decided upon and those to be developed<br />

will surely get people going to the movies again.<br />

But the big job of keeping them coming will be<br />

up to the exhibitors. On their efforts at the local<br />

level<br />

will depend the extent of the success of the<br />

over-all national campaign and what it will mean,<br />

individually, to each of them.<br />

Merchandising inotion pictures is a many-sided<br />

task, especially in these times. It embraces not<br />

only the ability to offer good product, but also<br />

how that product is offered, both before and<br />

after people come to the theatre. Since present<br />

methods have been found wanting, change most<br />

certainly is<br />

in order.<br />

A Man to<br />

Remember<br />

William F. llodgers, ulio has g>,nc to his reward,<br />

has left to the motion picture industry a<br />

legacy from which it can derive great benefit, if<br />

only it will carry on his endeavors to improve<br />

the relalionshii)s between exhibitors and distributors.<br />

Throughout his long tenure as vice-president<br />

and general sales manager of Metro-Goldwyn-<br />

Mayer, Bill Rodgers earned the admiration, respect<br />

and affection of the people of this business<br />

through his beliefs in and acts of consideration<br />

and fairness. More than any other individual in<br />

the past score of years, he sought to alleviate the<br />

misunderstandings between buyer and seller and<br />

thereby to solidify and give strength to the entire<br />

industry. Accordingly, he was a stauiich advocate<br />

of arbitration, in the establishment of which he<br />

saw the means to create a climate of lasting<br />

goodwill. It is to be hoped that tliis estate will,<br />

before very long, be attained.<br />

\£c^x^ /mJLf^y)^^


12<br />

SBA AGREES TO CONSIDER LOAN<br />

APPLICATIONS UP TO $250,000<br />

Payable in Ten Years; Will<br />

Appraise Property and<br />

Grant 90% of Value<br />

NEW YORK—The Small Business Administration<br />

will accept theatre mortgage<br />

loan applications up to $250,000, payable<br />

UP TO 90^c LOANS<br />

Barnes told Harling that the SBA would<br />

appraise the value of the real property and,<br />

if the liquidating value, in event of default,<br />

was sufficient to repay the loan, the SBA<br />

would grant an application up to 90 per cent<br />

of the appraised value. If the real property<br />

was not sufficient according to this formula,<br />

a lesser appraisal, plus a good earning record,<br />

would suffice. Conversely, an application<br />

could be submitted on a good earning record<br />

and real property which did not fully measure<br />

up to appraisal purposes. In other words,<br />

Harling said, Barnes was particularly concerned<br />

with the ability of the applicant to<br />

repay, in the event the loan had to be liquidated.<br />

Monday's meeting was one of several at<br />

which Harling had pressed TOA's contention<br />

that the SBA rules and regulations should be<br />

clarified, revised and expanded. Others at<br />

the session were W. N. Engels and Philip Mc-<br />

Callum, counsel to the Administration.<br />

When Harling was asked why there were<br />

so few applications presented to the SBA by<br />

theatremen, he said the necessity of first<br />

having to obtain a written turn-down that<br />

the borrower was not a good credit risk was<br />

"unpalatable" to all exhibitors. He stated that<br />

if this provision was eliminated, the Administration<br />

would receive hundreds of applications.<br />

Barnes said this requirement was<br />

governed by statute. Harling contested this<br />

on the ground that, while the banking act<br />

could be interpreted to mean this, it was<br />

negated by the General Welfare and Economy<br />

clause which seeks to promote and aid<br />

all small business.<br />

ARE -GREATLY HEARTENED'<br />

Commenting on Barnes' report, TOA stated:<br />

"The officers of TOA are greatly heartened<br />

by the clarified position taken by the SBA,<br />

because for the first time the doors have been<br />

opened to theatre owners to apply for mortgage<br />

loans in amounts up to $250,000 to mature<br />

in ten years. It should be pointed out<br />

that TOA, while pleased with this new enlightened<br />

policy, nevertheless, will still pursue<br />

every course to obtain approval of all the<br />

recommendations set forth in its memorandums<br />

to the Administration and the Senate<br />

Banking and Currency Committee."<br />

National Interest Shown<br />

In Georgia Convention<br />

in ten years, in accordance with the rules<br />

ATLANTA, GA.—The film industry will<br />

and regulations of the SBA. This was reported<br />

Wednesday<br />

have its eye on the annual convention of<br />

1 1 by Philip P. Harling,<br />

chairman of the SBA committee of<br />

Motion Picture Theatre Owners and Operators<br />

of Georgia to be held June 24 and 25<br />

Theatre Owners of America, following a<br />

in the Dinkier Plaza Hotel for two big reasons:<br />

meeting of Harling and Wendell Barnes,<br />

SBA administrator, in Washington on Monday<br />

(10).<br />

1. The association will announce results of<br />

the six-month Newspaper Awards Contest<br />

which has brought a rich harvest of news and<br />

feature stories in daily and weekly newspapers<br />

throughout the state—and ijidicate<br />

just how exhibitors in other states can undertake<br />

a similar project.<br />

2. Albert Sindlinger, industry analyst, will<br />

make public findings of a thi'ee-month study<br />

made on behalf of the Georgia association on<br />

the outlook for theatre business in the next<br />

The convention promises to be one of the<br />

most important ever held by the Georgia<br />

group. The theme is "A Look Into the Future,"<br />

and the program has been prepared to<br />

give theatremen an idea of what to expect in<br />

the several years. The keynote address will<br />

be delivered by Ernest G. Stellings, president<br />

of Theatre Owners of America the afternoon<br />

of June 24, following the Newspaper Awards<br />

Republic Puts $1.5 Million<br />

Into New Studio Projects<br />

HOLLYWOOD—Herbert J.<br />

Yates, president<br />

of Republic Pictures, has announced an appropriation<br />

of $1,500,000 for new studio construction<br />

and equipment to accommodate the<br />

increasing demands of independent theatrical<br />

and television production.<br />

The amount will cover building and equipping<br />

of six new sound stages and 22 new cutting<br />

rooms which will bring the total of<br />

stages to 28 and cutting rooms to 72.<br />

While Yates expressed considerable optimism<br />

for an even greater expansion in the future<br />

of Republic and its Consolidated Film<br />

Laboratories, there was nothing in the announcement<br />

that indicated any plans for immediate<br />

resumption of activity in the making<br />

of theatrical features for Republic as such.<br />

Sen.Thurmond Introduces<br />

Bill to Ban Toll TV<br />

WASHINGTON—Sen. Strom Thurmond<br />

(D., S. C.I introduced legislation Tuesday<br />

(11) to prohibit installation of pay-asyou-see<br />

TV in the American home. It<br />

would also prevent public toll TV tests.<br />

He said there was no proof that the system<br />

would provide better programs.<br />

luncheon. Exhibitors from many state associations<br />

w'ill be here to hear the report on<br />

the Awards in order to institute similar competitions<br />

in their areas, according to J. H,<br />

Thompson, president.<br />

Winners of the daily and weekly contests<br />

will receive all-expense paid trips for two to<br />

Hollywood. Second prizes of $250 Savings<br />

Bonds and 30 honorable mentions will be<br />

given.<br />

Monday afternoon, A. D. Padgett of the<br />

Wilby-Kincey circuit will discuss "Product to<br />

Come," and Milton J. Shapp will speak on<br />

the cable theatre. Tuesday's breakfast session<br />

will bring honors to exhibitors who have<br />

been in business for 25 years or more, and 80<br />

Southeast 25-year theatremen have already<br />

registered for the event. Tuesday's sessions<br />

will include talks by Charles Simonelli of<br />

U-I on advertising and promotion; Mike<br />

Simons of MGM on community relations;<br />

Herman Levy, TOA general counsel; Sindlinger<br />

and Mayor Hartsfield and Governor<br />

Griffin.<br />

A cocktail party and buffet will be held<br />

Monday evening and the Pi-esident's dinner<br />

will be held Tuesday night.<br />

AFL Film Council Urges<br />

FCC to Okay Toll TV<br />

HOLLYWOOD — On the theory that payas-you-see<br />

video would result in an increase<br />

in motion picture production and employment,<br />

the Hollywood AFL Film Council,<br />

composed of unions and guilds representing<br />

more than 24,000 employes in the motion<br />

picture production industry, called on the<br />

Federal Communications Commission on<br />

Tuesday (11) to authorize "at the earliest<br />

possible moment" wide-spread public tests<br />

of subscription television ser\ace.<br />

Following a report by a special council<br />

committee which has been studying all aspects<br />

of the matter for many months, the<br />

council unanimously adopted a resolution declaring<br />

"it appears probably that subscription<br />

television would greatly increase the<br />

number of new motion pictures produced in<br />

this country, thus increasing employment<br />

many-fold."<br />

The Film Council also held that subscription<br />

television service could "give the<br />

public better entertainment, culture and<br />

education in the home than is possible with<br />

the present form of television supported solely<br />

by advertising," and charged that opponents<br />

of the system "are unwilling to give the<br />

public the opportunity to test and decide<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957


A White Paper Is Issued<br />

ALLIED REPORT BLAMES COMPO<br />

IN DISPUTE OVER MEMBERSHIP<br />

Says Present Management<br />

"Goes Over the Heads" of<br />

Exhibitor Organizations<br />

By SUMNER SMITH<br />

NEW YORK—National Allied is circulating<br />

a "white paper" to prove that in the<br />

dispute over its return to membership in<br />

the Council of Motion Picture Organizations,<br />

"it was COMPO. not Allied, that<br />

slammed the door."<br />

The pamphlet states as a main reason for<br />

its publication a desire to "scotch in advance<br />

the misrepresentations that so often accompany<br />

any controversy involving exhibitors<br />

and distributors."<br />

QUESTION EXHIBITOR BENEFIT<br />

It adds that the most important reason "is<br />

to raise for the careful consideration of subsequent<br />

run and small-town exhibitors the<br />

question whether COMPO in recent years has<br />

been conducted in their interest, and especially<br />

whether under the conditions laid<br />

down by A. Montague and his associates,<br />

they can hope to benefit from COMPO in the<br />

future."<br />

In the latter connection, the pamphlet<br />

mentions the business-building program to<br />

be supervised by COMPO, especially its Audience<br />

Polls and Academy Awai-ds Sweepstakes<br />

phases, which it doubts have aided any but<br />

metropolitan key houses. It reports replies<br />

to regional questionnaires, all but one of which<br />

said that the phases were "a total failure so<br />

far as the subsequent run and small-town<br />

exhibitors are concerned." also takes note<br />

It<br />

of plans by Allied to conduct some form of<br />

contest of its own. Irving Dollinger is to report<br />

at the next meeting of the boai-d.<br />

The pamphlet reaches the following conclusion:<br />

• "Unfortunately, some salesmen, quite a<br />

few of them, in their zeal to collect dues for<br />

COMPO have advised exhibitors that if they<br />

belong to COMPO it is unnecessary to remain<br />

in or support the exhibitor associations. This<br />

would be bad under any circumstances; it is<br />

intolerable when it is considered that the exhibitor<br />

a.ssociations through their national<br />

affiliations are constituent members of<br />

COMPO—the masters and not the servants<br />

of that agency.<br />

ALLIED CLAIMS BACK SEAT<br />

• "COMPO will never function properly<br />

and in accordance with the intendment of<br />

its founders so long as it persists in going<br />

over the heads of the established exhibitor<br />

organizations, seeking to enlist the support of<br />

their members for projects about which they<br />

have not been consulted or which they oppose."<br />

The pamphlet is titled "Why Allied States<br />

Ass'n Is No Longer a Member of COMPO."<br />

After reviewing the organization of and need<br />

for COMPO, now "greater than ever before."<br />

Columbia Employes in Memorial to Jack Cohn<br />

.4. Montague, president of Will Rogers Hospital and a vice-president of Columbia,<br />

shows Mr,s. Jeannette Cohn. widow of the late Columbia executive, a picture of the<br />

sterilizer donated to the hospital by employes. Looking on are Lillian Stark, chairman<br />

of the fund-raising committee; Ralph Cohn, son of Jack and vice-president of<br />

Screen Gems, and A. Schneider, first vice-president and treasurer of Columbia.<br />

NEW YORK—The home office employes<br />

of Columbia and Screen Gems have donated<br />

a "Heinicke Typhoon Washer" to the Will<br />

Rogers Memorial Hospital in memory of the<br />

late Jack Cohn, co-founder and long-time<br />

executive vice-president.<br />

The presentation was made to A. Montague,<br />

president of the hospital and also Columbia<br />

it attributes Allied withdrawal to a failure to<br />

function according to original design. It<br />

blames COMPO for not supervising the antitoll<br />

TV campaign because of distribution opposition<br />

to such a campaign, and charges a<br />

•frittering away of COMPO's nest egg with<br />

no major projects in the work" when Allied<br />

withdrew in the fall of 1955.<br />

Steps toward reconciliation are described.<br />

Past statements by "apologists" for Robert<br />

W. Coyne and by "critics of Allied" that<br />

"Allied demands Coyne's scalp as the price<br />

of its re-entry into COMPO" are denied. It<br />

is stated that there is no opposition to the<br />

retention of Coyne as special counsel "if the<br />

proper steps were taken to confine his activities<br />

to projects authorized by the executive<br />

committee."<br />

As to reconciliation efforts in December<br />

1956, Allied states its position was as follows:<br />

• Conduct of COMPO to be immediately<br />

supervised by the president or triumvirate.<br />

vice-president, by Lillian Stark of the print<br />

department, who was chairman of the committee<br />

which collected the funds. Also attending<br />

the ceremony were Mrs. Jack Cohn;<br />

one of her sons, Ralph M. Cohn, president and<br />

general manager of Screen Gems, and A.<br />

Schneider, Columbia first vice-president and<br />

treasurer.<br />

A plaque mounted on the sterilizing unit, to<br />

be used in the hospital laboratory, reads:<br />

"Presented to Will Rogers Memorial Hospital<br />

by home office employes of Columbia Pictures<br />

Corp., in memory of our executive vicepresident<br />

and friend. Jack Cohn— 1957.<br />

• Coyne to have no authority except that<br />

delegated to him.<br />

• The president or triumvirate to watch<br />

expenditures and institute economies.<br />

• No dues collections by film salesmen in<br />

any area unless approved by the local exhibitor<br />

of<br />

organization.<br />

• When finances warrant, the employment<br />

an executive vice-president.<br />

• Allied would prefer a president, if a<br />

qualified industry figure will accept the post,<br />

but will accept continuation of the triumvirate.<br />

The pamphlet says that an AUied board<br />

meeting in February received a telegram<br />

from Samuel Pinanski, a member of the<br />

triumvirate, containing "fulsome praise" of<br />

Coyne, asserting that the present COMPO<br />

management should be continued and adding<br />

(Continued from page 10)<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957


From 20th CENTURY-FOX starring<br />

Eva Marie S.4!NT/Don MURRAY/Anthony FRANCIOSA/ Lloyd NOLAN/


SOON<br />

FROM<br />

20fh...<br />

anoffier<br />

greaf<br />

event<br />

in<br />

fhe<br />

year<br />

of fhe<br />

blockbusfers.'<br />

I'JDDYADLER/FRED ZINNEMANN/ MICHAEL VINCENTE GAZZO,ndALPRBD HAYES<br />

B««-H on Ihf PI thf Brc,adwa> Stage I


First New York Demonstration<br />

Of Telemeter in Mid-July<br />

System will be shown on a small scale in<br />

the Paramount home office, probably as a<br />

closed circuit hookup from one part of the<br />

building to another in order to point up how<br />

it operates; showings may last several days.<br />

Musicians Union Re-Elects<br />

James Petriilo As Head<br />

National convention of American Federation<br />

of Musicians in Denver renames leader<br />

for 18th time without opposition; other officers<br />

also renamed without opposition; 1.228<br />

delegates from 652 locals attend conclave.<br />

Philadelphia Theatre Men<br />

Gain and Lose in Court<br />

Judge Grim denies motion to dismiss antitrust<br />

action over extended special showings<br />

of "The Ten Commandments" but refuses to<br />

enjoin Paramount from continuing them;<br />

suggests distributors testify on reasonableness<br />

of proposed change in unusual clearance<br />

pattern,<br />

Three Censor Bills Face<br />

*<br />

Pennsylvania Solons<br />

Measures now before General Assembly,<br />

advanced by the Senate law and order committee;<br />

bills would not authorize blanket<br />

censorship, but a proposed board would review<br />

films on complaint.<br />

*<br />

RKO Foreign Revenue Is Up<br />

30 Per Cent Over 1956<br />

That is a good reason why reports that<br />

company will withdraw from foreign distribution<br />

are false. Thomas O'Neil, president, says<br />

on return from coproduction discussion in<br />

Europe.<br />

k<br />

Japan Unblocks $3,600,000<br />

Oi U.S. Picture Earnings<br />

Check received in New York at weekend<br />

drawn on reserve fund; will be split among<br />

MPEA companies in proportion to their contributions<br />

to the fund; $6,600,000 additional<br />

loaned Japan for electric power development.<br />

*<br />

MPEA Calls Representative<br />

From Philippines to N. Y.<br />

Lee Hochstetter to arrive Tuesday and present<br />

full report on the crucial business situation<br />

there, Ei-ic Johnston, president, says<br />

after Thursday board meeting; embargo on<br />

films to Spain reaffirmed,<br />

•<br />

J. Arthur Rank Is Elevated<br />

To the British Peerage<br />

Queen bestows honor on internationally<br />

known motion picture executive for his many<br />

public services; he becomes a baron with the<br />

title of lord and will sit in the Hou.se of<br />

Lords.<br />

Important Step by the MPAA<br />

Exhibitors, Independents<br />

To Code Appeals Board<br />

NEW YORK — The appeals board of the<br />

Production Code Administration will be en-<br />

Kirged to include exhibitor and independent<br />

producer representation. This decision was<br />

reached Thursday (13) at a meeting of the<br />

board of the Motion Picture Ass'n of America<br />

which al.so reaffirmed its strong support of<br />

tlie Code.<br />

The appeals board formerly consisted of<br />

ten members—Eric Johnston, MPAA president,<br />

and the nine MPAA directors. The as-<br />

.sociation now has decided to add "a matching<br />

number of members appointed from exhibition<br />

and from production outside the<br />

.MPAA membership." That will raise the<br />

total to 20.<br />

The new appeals procedure provides that<br />

any MPAA member refusing to abide by a<br />

decision of the appeals board faces expul-<br />

,


FIL]VI<br />

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presents]


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From the front pages of the world . . . inspiring naval action steeped<br />

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spelled the death of a dark raider . . . and a rendezvous with destiny!<br />

PURSUIT OF THE GRAF SPEE<br />

JOHN GREGSON<br />

• ANTHONY QUAYLE • PETER FINCH<br />

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Color by Technicolor<br />

The true inside story of Scotland Yard's<br />

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women who live in constant fear every<br />

moment their men are on a case.<br />

THE THIRD KEY<br />

with JACK HAWKINS<br />

Delectable DIANA DORS and TV's genial "HEY<br />

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AS LONG AS<br />

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EASTMAN COLOR<br />

li o<br />

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I<br />

KENNETH<br />

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in<br />

In<br />

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He laughed at life's touf<br />

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his gay, reckless pilots<br />

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winning battles in tl<br />

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Rugged ANTHONY STEEL hides a savage secret in<br />

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Bewitching new Italian beauty, ANNA MARIA SANORI<br />

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is the lovely Arab girl who flaunts the rigid code<br />

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THE BLACK TENT<br />

Color by Technicolor<br />

VistaVision<br />

ANTHONY STEEL and JAMES ROBERTSON JUSTICE in<br />

the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of a great<br />

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OUTtVeCLOUDS<br />

winner from the man who deligtited you with 'The Lady-<br />

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A human story that will lift up your<br />

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crack your funnybone! Sparked by the<br />

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wayward child . . .called<br />

JACQUELINE<br />

JOHN GREGSON and KATHLEEN RYAN<br />

^


. .<br />

.<br />

A handful of women and children relentlessly driven by fhe<br />

Japanese through the jungle of Malaya. Nevil Shute's<br />

world best-selling novel. Unforgettable, sun-searing journey,<br />

that separated the dream of love with a nightmare<br />

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A TOWN LIKE ALICE<br />

starring VIRGINIA McKENNA and PETER FINCH<br />

=12 I<br />

Tough, taut, action-packed thrille<br />

timely as today's newspaper . . . expos<br />

ing the lational under<br />

TRIPLE<br />

DECEPTION<br />

Handsome, new screen idol Michael<br />

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charmer. VistaVision Color by Technicolor<br />

S e/> t ^ . >.•=<br />

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DIANA DORS ... the delectable morsel of torso .<br />

and TVs peach of a gal, "HEY JEANNIE" CARSON ,<br />

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wrapped up with the preposterous perfect pet.<br />

AN ALLIGATOR<br />

NAMED DAISY<br />

..with JAMES ROBERTSON JUSTICE of "Doctor In<br />

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STANLEY HOLLOWAY<br />

VistaVision.<br />

Color by Technicolor<br />

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE<br />

NEW DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?<br />

Here's the lusty, love-happy<br />

answer thru the lively eyes of<br />

nurses. . . . They know their<br />

minds ... but not their hearts!<br />

THE GENTLE TOUCH<br />

Color by Technicolor<br />

A super-charged story 'mid the colorful<br />

scenic wonders of sunny Italy. A<br />

violent sequence of events. . casting<br />

its threatening shadows . . . tiighlighted<br />

by the world's most ttirilling<br />

international road race.<br />

CHECKPOI<br />

ANTHONY STEEL at the wheel<br />

and after the girls!<br />

EASTMAN COLOR<br />

^^<br />

'The<br />

From the best-selling novel by A. J. Cronin<br />

Against a violent background of a sensit<br />

gardener's friendship with the son of a<br />

lonely, jealous hearted Consul emerges a<br />

colorful, haunting classic ..<br />

brilliantly portrayed. ,. ^<br />

"^A<br />

SPANISH GARDENER<br />

starring DIRK BOGARDE<br />

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r by Technicolor .<br />

NOW IN<br />

PRODUCTION AT PINEWOOD STUDIOS<br />

ROD STEIGER 5 greatest starring role as the crooked<br />

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ACROSS THE BRIDGE<br />

by Graham Greene<br />

HELL DRIVERS<br />

The tough, action crammed story of truck drivers<br />

who ride with death ... for high stakes.<br />

Starring STANLEY BAKER, PEGGY CUMfvllNS and HERBERT LOM<br />

5q_ O<br />

!LLJ S<br />

GO oe<br />

HONY OOIIE STANLEY JAMES ROBERTSON<br />

EEL- VERSOIS- BAKER- JUSTICE ,n<br />

"CHECKPOINT''<br />

CRAIG -ARNALL-DEBANZIE- BATES ,n<br />

in Eastman Color<br />

"TRIPLE DECEPTION"<br />

Maurice Denham Michael Medwin<br />

Color by Technicolor VistaVision<br />

.<br />

Lee Patterson Paul Muller<br />

David Kossoff • Gerard Oury • Geoffrey Keen<br />

Original Screenplay by Robin Estridge<br />

Screenplay by Robert Buckner & Bryan Forbes<br />

'ntuctt by Betty E. Box Directed by Ralph Thomas PtaSucta - • by Vivian A. Co« Directed by Guy Green<br />

A Michael Balcon Producdon<br />

ANTHONY ROBERT OAVID MARGO<br />

STEEL- BEATTY- KNIGHT -LORENZio<br />

"OUT OF THE CLOUDS "Eastman color<br />

lames Robertson Justice Eunice Gayson Gordon Marker<br />

Produced i Oirecied by Michael Relph & Basil Dearden<br />

Asiociaie Producer Eric<br />

Williams<br />

Screenplay by John Eldridge & Michael Relph<br />

Made al Ealing Studios


and here to serve you-The RANK ORGANIZATION in AMERIC/<br />

r<br />

JOHN DE COSTA<br />

Branch Manager - Los Angeles


ARBITRATION OF AVAILABILITIES<br />

A MAJOR GOAL OF ALLIED UNITS<br />

Ohio-New England Units<br />

Want Traditional Patterns<br />

Of Clearances Assurred<br />

WASHINGTON—A pattern appeared to<br />

be forming this week on what Allied States<br />

Ass'n will be asking in the drafting of a<br />

film industry arbitration system.<br />

The big push, it now appears, will be on<br />

a provision dealing with availability of pictures.<br />

CALL FOR REGULATIONS<br />

At the convention of Independent Exhibitors.<br />

Inc.. the New England affiliate of Allied,<br />

and at a meeting of the board of directors of<br />

Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, resolutions<br />

were adopted calling for regulatory provisions<br />

on the availability of pictures.<br />

New England exhibitors want the arbitration<br />

system to include arbitration of print<br />

problems which create delayed availabilities<br />

and the so-called merchandising engagements<br />

and other variations of the prereleasing practices<br />

which "ignore the historical availabilities<br />

of first and subsequent run theatres."<br />

The.se were two of four paints contained in<br />

a resolution on arbitration adopted at the<br />

convention of Independent ESihibitors, Inc.<br />

The convention urged Allied's representatives<br />

on the arbitration negotiations boai-d to<br />

seek "efficiency at low cost" with the system<br />

to be administered by members of the industry<br />

and not strangers to it.<br />

As to specific trade practices, in addition<br />

to the arbitration of print problems and prereleasing<br />

practices, the resolution asked that<br />

the plan permit the arbitration of the increase<br />

or decrease of length of clearances as<br />

well as establishment of new clearances.<br />

"And finally," voted the convention, it<br />

wanted an arbitration system which would<br />

"be fair and reasonable for all parties, enabling<br />

any exhibitor, distributor or producer<br />

to seek a peaceful solution to these problems."<br />

CITE A LACK OF PRINTS<br />

At the Ohio board meeting, the directors<br />

declaj-ed that lack of prints and other contributing<br />

factors to delayed availabilities<br />

"have completely upset the clearance pattern"<br />

in the state among subsequent run, smalltown<br />

and drive-in theatres.<br />

The directors sent their resolution to members<br />

of the national association's negotiating<br />

group.<br />

Krassner Now Supervising<br />

DeMille Film Group Sales<br />

NEW YORK—Ted Kras.^ner has been made<br />

supervisor of group .sales of "The Ten Commandments"<br />

by Charles Boasberg. head of<br />

worldwide sales of the Paramount picture,<br />

succeeding Oscar A. Morgan, now supervisor<br />

of re-release sales. Krassner will also continue<br />

as assistant to Boasberg and Morris<br />

Lefko, sales executive of the unit at Paramount.<br />

See Conciliation Plan<br />

Ready for Adoption<br />

NEW YORK— A formula for conciliation<br />

is expected to be adopted here next week<br />

when the industry's joint committee on arbitration<br />

and conciliation is scheduled to resume<br />

its meetings in the offices of the Motion<br />

Picture Ass'n of America on Monday (17i.<br />

The same group, with the po.ssible exception<br />

of Mitchell Wolfson of Miami, will be present.<br />

The conciliation drafting committee has<br />

been meeting periodically since the previous<br />

sessions recessed on May 15. This group<br />

consists of Herman Levy, general counsel of<br />

Theatre Owners of America: Adolph Schimel,<br />

general counsel of Universal and representing<br />

the distributors, and a representative of Allied<br />

States Ass'n.<br />

Distribution is showing particular interest<br />

in the plans for conciliation. As one sales<br />

manager said. "We see conciliation reducing<br />

the need for arbitration proceedings in many<br />

instances." He added that conciliatory<br />

measures could do a great deal in solving<br />

local problems of a minor nature, with arbitration<br />

being resorted to in handling major<br />

disagreements.<br />

The arbitration machinery committee, set<br />

up to formulate methods of procedure, will<br />

make a report to the over-all committee on<br />

its recommendations. The report had not been<br />

completed at the weekend because the committee<br />

members were awaiting certain legal<br />

clarifications, but it was expected that the<br />

report would be ready before the meetings<br />

ended. This committee consists of Joseph<br />

Alterman of TOA and Wilbur Snaper of<br />

Allied.<br />

Although it is expected that a conciliation<br />

plan will get off the ground at next week's<br />

conferences, hopes to solidify an arbitration<br />

plan are not so strong. However, it is believed<br />

that some headway will be made, with more<br />

meetings apparently necessary.<br />

One Clearance Case Goes to Court;<br />

And Another Suit Is Threatened<br />

Exhibitors, in group actions, this week took<br />

one controversy over availability to the courts<br />

and threatened to go to court on another.<br />

The court action, in Philadelphia, was a<br />

move by 11 exhibitors to force Paramount to<br />

send "The Ten Commandments" into release<br />

by way of established clearance patterns in<br />

the area. The threatened court step came<br />

from New Jersey Allied in a protest to a newclearance<br />

policy established in the state by<br />

20th Century-Fox.<br />

A Philadelphia Command<br />

H. Koff, A. M. Ellis Theatres Co., Main Line<br />

On "Ten Commandments"<br />

Theatres. Inc., 209 Drive-In Theatre Corp.<br />

PHILADELPHIA—Eleven theatre exhibi-<br />

and Downtown Amusement Co.<br />

tors have filed suit in district court for eastern<br />

district of Pennsylvania to enjoin Paramount<br />

Film Distributors Corp. from licensing<br />

"Tlie Ten Commandments" to five theatres<br />

at the conclusion of the film's 30-week run<br />

at the first run Randolph Theatre.<br />

Plaintiffs demand that tiie film be made<br />

available for key run exhibition 28 days after<br />

completion of the first run showing, in accordance<br />

with the usual distribution pattern<br />

for "key-run" theatres and that the defendant<br />

be enjoined from imposing an arbitrary<br />

clearance or executing a distribution plan as<br />

outlined in its letter of May 21 to key-run<br />

theatres.<br />

In the letter, Ulrik Smith, Paramount<br />

branch manager, pointed out that the company<br />

had decided to limit the picture to five<br />

theatres on a key-run basis and that competitive<br />

bids would determine the theatres.<br />

Plaintiffs claim that if the film is distributed<br />

through bidding, public interest in<br />

the film would be lessened, the exhibitors<br />

would suffer loss and damage, and the public<br />

would be deprived of seeing the film in<br />

theatres it normally patronizes.<br />

Plaintiffs were Fi'ied Management Co.,<br />

Harry L. Dembow, N. Herman Bornstein,<br />

Milton Amusements, Inc., William Goldman<br />

Theatres, Inc., Ridge Theatre Corp., Melvin<br />

N.J. Allied Threatens<br />

Suit Over Clearances<br />

NEW YORK- Allied Theatre Owners of<br />

New Jer.sey is considering court action over<br />

a new clearance policy by 20th Century-Fox.<br />

New^ Jersey Allied charged that 20th-Fox had<br />

moved up the clearances on drive-ins and<br />

some conventional theatre? in New Jersey,<br />

but had not granted the same improved clearances<br />

to its member theatres.<br />

Drive-in clearances were moved from 21<br />

days to 14 days and, for some hard-tops from<br />

14 days to ten days. However, it is claimed<br />

that many of the unit's member theatres<br />

are being kept at 21 days after first run.<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957<br />

15


STARRING - COStarring<br />

JAMES mm AUDIE MURPHY DAN<br />

DIANNEWTER ELAINE STEWART-BRANDON


NIGHTPASSAGE<br />

.r^^rov-o'"<br />

oio?.'<br />

«ith JAI U. iLll I Lll Music by DIMITRI TIOMKIN • A UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL PICTURE if<br />

I AY n n IDDCIil<br />

Directed by JAMES NEILSON • Screenplay by BORDEN CHASE • Produced by AARON ROSENBERG<br />

-(& ov*v^^^'


$30,000,000 'Pride and Passion<br />

Gross Is<br />

Seen by Stanley Kramer<br />

NEW YORK—Two and a half years and<br />

$4,000,000 after Stanley Ki-amer started to<br />

prepare "The Pride and the Passion." the<br />

picture is about to take its place among the<br />

blockbusters of the era. And United Artists,<br />

which will distribute the production, has set<br />

aside another $2,000,000 for its promotion.<br />

Kj-amer. who spent 18 months in Spain<br />

filming the C. S. Forester novel, discussed<br />

its production and distribution plans with<br />

the trade press Friday (7). aided and abetted<br />

by George Schaefer, his business representative.<br />

Discussing the boxoffice potential of "The<br />

Pride and the Passion." Ki-amer said that in<br />

light of today's maa-ket for big pictures, it<br />

possible to anticipate a world gross of $30,-<br />

000.000 or more. If it rates as a "must see,"<br />

then it will approximate the gross for which<br />

he is looking.<br />

Schaefer said that early bookings would<br />

350 cities cover about selected in the United<br />

States and that the first engagements, following<br />

the simultaneous premieres in New York.<br />

Chicago and Los Angeles late this month,<br />

would be limited to cities with a population<br />

of 100.000 or more. All domestic engagements<br />

will be on a continuous run basis. Schaefer<br />

said there would be an advanced admission<br />

price policy in the special situations. The<br />

Capitol Theatre in New York will establish<br />

a $2.50 top, as will the Fox WiLshire in Los<br />

Angeles. The State Lake in Chicago will<br />

raise the price to $2.<br />

Kramer reported that almost $500,000 had<br />

been spent in advance publicity. To sustain<br />

is<br />

George Schaefer, left, and Stanley<br />

Kramer discuss "The Pride and the Passion"<br />

at a tradepress reception in New<br />

York last week.<br />

the impetus of the promotional drive, Kramer<br />

will make a tour of 12 or 13 cities, and Gary<br />

Grant, who costars in the film, will visit<br />

eight other cities.<br />

Kramer described his experiences with "The<br />

Pride and the Passion" as an "adventure in<br />

picture-making." A crew of 50 persons went<br />

to Spain eight months before the cameras<br />

started to roll. Seven thousand period military<br />

uniforms had to be made, plus thousands<br />

of other pieces of wardrobe. Shooting<br />

was in 38 locations and 78 tmcks, trailers<br />

and buses were utilized to transport the<br />

troupe.<br />

lost Audience Returns to Decatur;<br />

But They're Free-Loading 'Censors<br />

DECATUR. GA. — What constitutes a<br />

quorum of the Decatur Better Films Council?<br />

A fair question, says Fred G. Storey, and he<br />

asked the city council for an answer this<br />

week.<br />

Storey, a circuit operator, owns the Decatur<br />

Theatre here. When the city council<br />

established a better films committee to look<br />

into motion pictures on exhibition in the<br />

town, he offered no great objections. But<br />

when he counted as many as 45 persons in a<br />

single week representing themselves as members<br />

of the committee, he adopted a "no look"<br />

policy and announced his doors were closed<br />

to film council members.<br />

The city immediately charged Storey with<br />

hampering the work of the council, but the<br />

exhibitor came right back and said he couldn't<br />

afford to have his theatre filled with official<br />

picture-testers, many of whom were abusing<br />

the privilege of membership. If there's a lost<br />

audience in Decatur. Storey has regained it.<br />

but unfortunately they all seem to be on the<br />

free-loading list. The ordinance creating the<br />

committee authorized a membership of 33<br />

residents.<br />

Mrs. Thomas J. Gordon, chairman of the<br />

committee, told the city commission that her<br />

group could no longer'function because of the<br />

theatre's repeated refusal to let members<br />

enter unhampered. She said the city ordinance<br />

guarantees committee members "free<br />

access, anytime, anyplace where a film is<br />

exhibited."<br />

The ordinance regai'ding the Better Films<br />

Committee very plainly states that it is the<br />

committee's duty "to review the first showing<br />

of every motion picture." Storey contends<br />

that "the first showing" is when the picture<br />

is booked and exhibited for the first time at<br />

the Decatur Tlieatre.<br />

The committee interprets it to mean the<br />

"first .showing of each movie each evening."<br />

In addition to being refused admittance to<br />

the theatre, members of the committee were<br />

asked to fill out "detailed questionnaires."<br />

The cards were needed "in order to get a list<br />

of their names." said Storey. He added that<br />

no official listing of committee members was<br />

supplied him until last week. Mrs. Gordon<br />

said one member is assigned to attend the<br />

movie each day as the committee is interested<br />

in the conduct of children as well as the content<br />

of the motion picture.<br />

Storey charged that checking on the conduct,<br />

of children in the theatre had "nothing<br />

in the world to do with the ordinance which<br />

allowed the committee to screen pictures."<br />

French Add a Touch<br />

Of Gangsterism<br />

NEW YORK—The French haven't dropped<br />

their taste for the light, sexy movie yarn,<br />

but the new crop of motion pictures coming<br />

tiom the Gallic filmmakers contains a greater<br />

l)roportion of gangster and suspense stories<br />

than normal, and more tales on weird .sub-<br />

.jects.<br />

This is the word from the French Film Office<br />

here, established to spur interest in<br />

French film exhibition in this country.<br />

MANY STARS KNOWN IN U.S.<br />

In addition to the new subject interests,<br />

more than half of the 22 picture in production<br />

either have stars who are already familiar<br />

in the United States or are becoming<br />

known in this country through important art<br />

house films. These stars include Charles<br />

Boyer. Martine Carol. Mischa Auer. Brigitte<br />

Bardot. Rossana Podesta. Dany Robin. Martita<br />

Hunt. Jean Gabin. Vittoria de Sica and<br />

Daniel Gelin.<br />

"The Spies" ("Les Espions"), which deals<br />

with an asylum for the insane, was directed<br />

by H. G. Clouzot. who made "Diabolique,"<br />

and the British Martita Hunt, the German<br />

Curt Jurgens, the American Sam Jaffe and<br />

Vera Clouzot and Peter Ustinov, are starred.<br />

Luis Saslavsky directed "The She-Wolves"<br />

("Les Louves"t by the authors of "Diabolique."<br />

with Micheline Presle and Fi-ancois<br />

Perier; Denys de la Patelliere directed "Retour<br />

de Manivelle." a melodrama with Daniel<br />

Gelin and Peter Van Eyck; Yves Allegret directed<br />

"Watch Out. Little Girls" ("Mefiez-<br />

Vous Fillettes"), starring Antonella Lualdi<br />

and Robert Hossein; Christian- Jaque has<br />

"Nathalie" before the cameras with his wife.<br />

Maitine Carol, starred and Mischa Auer featured,<br />

and Henri Decoin is directing "Anyone<br />

Can Kill Me" r'Tous Peuvent me Tuer")<br />

with Anouk Aimee. Peter Van Eyck and<br />

Eleanora Rossi-Drago—all of these are in<br />

the gangster or suspense category.<br />

OTHERS IN PRODUCTION<br />

Other French films in production include<br />

"Blonde Smoke" ("Fumee Blonde"), a comedy directed<br />

by Robert Vernay; "La Bigorne, Corporol of<br />

France " starring Rossana Podesta and Francois<br />

Perier' "Strip Tease Follies," a musical with Philippe<br />

Nicaud and Dora Doll; "Ostrich Eggs" ("Les Oeufs de<br />

L'Autriche ') with Pierre Fresnay and Simone Renant;<br />

"He's Crozy" ("II Est Fou"), a_ comedy with Roger<br />

Pierre; "Three Days to Live'<br />

a detective drama with Danif<br />

'Les Miserables,"<br />

starnn Jean Gabin, Bourvi<br />

anielle Delorme;<br />

"Love Is at Stake" (" mour Est en Jeu") produced<br />

by Marc Allgret wi Robert Lamoreux starred;<br />

"Eight Won<br />

lack" ("Huit Femmes en Noir"),<br />

a detective<br />

ith Elina Lobourdefte and Christer<br />

just signed by 20th Century-<br />

Fox for "A Certain Smile"; "The Mon Who'll Die<br />

Tomorrow" ("L'Homme Qui Mourra Demoin"), with<br />

Dany Robin and George Marchal.<br />

Also "Give Me My Chance" ("Donnez-Moi Mo<br />

Chonce"), a comedy with Nodine Tallier; "The Blonde<br />

of the Tropics" ("La Blonde Des Tropiques") with<br />

Ceha Cortez; "The Breath of Passion" ("Le Souffle du<br />

Desir"), a drama with Jacques Castellol; "Three Sailors<br />

on a Spree" ("Trois Marines en Bordee"),^ o<br />

comedy with Pierre Stephen; "The Girl of Fire" ("La<br />

Fille de Feu") an odventure film with Erno Cnso;<br />

"Goho," an adventure film; "The Parisienne," a<br />

comedy with Brigitte Bardot, Charles Boyer and<br />

Henri Vidal; "More Dead Than Alive" ("Plus Mort<br />

Que Vif") a drama with Philippe Lemaire; "Casino<br />

De Paris," a musicol comedy with Coterina Volente,<br />

popular recording star, and Vit<br />

"Living Water" ("L'Eau Vive"), a<br />

Audret.<br />

Soon to start are: "Boiling Pot" ("Pot Bouille"),<br />

to be directed by Julien Duvivier, starring Gerard<br />

Phihpe, just bock from his U. S. visit, ond Dannielle<br />

Darrieux; and a feature film anthology, "The Stors<br />

Never Die," with great Gallic actors of the recent<br />

past, including Roimu, Louis Jouvet, Harry Baur,<br />

Marguerite Moreno and Jules Berry.<br />

ith<br />

Pa<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


i.. ana s^ntaa/ii^Ud^kedd in Salt Lake City,<br />

Boston, Baton Rouge, Biloxi, Savannah<br />

pil^in first openings everywhere !<br />

»nafring<br />

UNIVERSAL- INTERNATIONAL<br />

^)eSS^^mSiL<br />

presents<br />

lAMMYand the BACHELOR<br />

TECHNICOLORS<br />

IF^IIFNIFI^FN • WAITFR RRFNNAM mala POWERSSIDNEY BLACKMERMILDRED NATWICK«.Fa Wr<br />

LLuLlL lllLLuLli linU Lll UllLnilnll d«c«»,joseph pevney-sc^^^^oscar brodney.^«««*,ro5S huntef


Ben Hur to Be MGM's Nexf Film<br />

To Get Camera 65 Treatment<br />

A trio of BOXOFFICE executives at the tradepress conference called by Joseph<br />

K. Vogel, Loews president to outline company production plans. Left to right:<br />

Donald Mersereau, associate publisher and general manager of BOXOFFICE; Vogel;<br />

Ben Shlyen, publisher of BOXOFFICE; Al Steen, eastern editor; and Charles M.<br />

Reagan. Loew's vice-president and general sales manager.<br />

NEW YORK—"Ben Hur" will be the next<br />

MGM pictm-e to be produced in the company's<br />

Camera 65 process, following the release of<br />

"Raintree County." President Joseph R.<br />

Vogel and Charles M. Reagan, vice-president<br />

and general sales manager, announced at a<br />

press conference that "Ben Hur" would go<br />

into production early next year in Africa<br />

and Italy.<br />

Camera 65 was used for the fii-st time in<br />

the production of "Raintree County," which<br />

was produced at a cost of $6,000,000, and will<br />

be made available in the print size best<br />

adaptable to a particular theatre. Theatres<br />

now equipped for Todd-AO may prasent the<br />

picture without any additional equipment. It<br />

also can be exhibited in CinemaScope under<br />

NSS to Handle MGM's<br />

Trailers After Sept. 1<br />

New York—MGM will discontinue the<br />

production and distribution of its own<br />

trailers and beginning September 1,<br />

trailers for all of the company's releases<br />

will be handled by National Screen<br />

Service. MGM started the making of its<br />

own trailers about 15 years ago.<br />

Charles Reagan, vice-president and<br />

general sales manager, said the move<br />

was made after careful consideration of<br />

the best interests of MGM's customers<br />

and the company.<br />

"Our decision is the result of a consensus<br />

of opinion here that the step is in<br />

line with the economics of our business<br />

today," Reagan said. "Therefore, we believe<br />

it only logical that we avail ourselves<br />

of the facilities of National Screen<br />

Ser\'ice for the most practical trailer<br />

distribution<br />

to our customers, particularly<br />

since we are satisfied that its<br />

be maintained."<br />

quality will<br />

the same arrangement.<br />

However, the picture<br />

is said to be best suited for the PhiUips projectors,<br />

manufactured by the Dutch industrial<br />

concern.<br />

"Raintree County" was acquired by MGM<br />

about ten years ago when the novel won first<br />

prize in a contest sponsored by the company<br />

which paid $250,000 for the rights. The book<br />

became a best seller and a Book of the Month<br />

Club selection. The picture will be introduced<br />

first on a roadshow, advanced admission<br />

price policy. It will open fii'st in New<br />

York. Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia<br />

and San Francisco following its<br />

world premiere in Louisville late in September.<br />

Publicity penetration has been effective,<br />

according to Si Seadler, advertising manager,<br />

and Dan Terrell, publicity manager, with national<br />

magazine breaks during production<br />

and many more keyed to the forthcoming<br />

openings. A national campaign will follow<br />

the<br />

premieres.<br />

Adults, Young People<br />

Rating to 11 Features<br />

NEW YORK—No films are rated as family<br />

entertainment of 14 reviewed in the June 1<br />

listing of estimates of the Film Estimate<br />

Board of National Organizations. It has been<br />

a considerable time since there has not been<br />

at least one family film listed.<br />

Eleven are rated for adults and young<br />

people. They are: "Bail Out at 43,000" (UAi,<br />

"Beyond Mombasa" (Col), "Break in the<br />

Circle" (20th-Foxi, "The Garment Jungle"<br />

(Coll, "The Iron Sheriff" (UA), "The Lonely<br />

Man" (Parai, "Sierra Stranger" (Col),<br />

"Something of Value" (MGMi, "The Way<br />

to the Gold" (20th-Fox), "Fury at Showdown"<br />

(UA) and "War Drums" (UAi.<br />

Three are rated for adults. They are: "The<br />

Burglar" (Col), "The Little Hut" (MGMi<br />

and "Untamed Youth" (WB),<br />

Sindlinger Predicts<br />

30% Boxoifice Rise<br />

WINCHENDON. MASS. — Business thi.s<br />

summer will be astronomical, and "there is a<br />

30 per cent increase in grosses right around<br />

the corner for you to grab," Albert Sindlinger,<br />

industry analyst, cheerfully predicted at the<br />

convention here last week of Independent<br />

Exhibitors, Inc., the New England arm of<br />

Allied States Ass'n.<br />

"We have never known the kind of success<br />

which is ahead of us," he said.<br />

He warned the theatremen that they had<br />

better learn the "chemistry" of why some<br />

people go to the movies and some do not. The<br />

same goes for producers and distributors, he<br />

said.<br />

"Don't blame it all on television. Whatever<br />

TV does in the future, it will never take the<br />

place of a darkened theatre. There is a difference<br />

between sitting in a living room<br />

watching a box and sitting in a darkened<br />

theatre where a patron can be easily 'personally-identified'<br />

by the actors and actresses<br />

on the screen."<br />

One of the main reasons for Sindlinger's<br />

conviction that there will be a big spurt in<br />

movie interest and attendance this summer<br />

is the public's disillusionment with old movies<br />

on TV.<br />

"Many patrons who do not patronize the<br />

theatre often have been remembering the<br />

films they saw years ago as being tops. When<br />

they see them again on television, they<br />

realize how much pictures have improved<br />

over the years. This all adds up to more interest<br />

in current films."<br />

Columbia's 39-Week Net<br />

Off From Prior Period<br />

NEW YORK—Columbia Pictures' net earnings<br />

for the 39 weeks ended March 30 dropped<br />

$351,000 from the company's profit in the corresponding<br />

39 weeks of the previous year.<br />

The net profit for the last 39 weeks was<br />

$1,504,000, while the profit for the same period<br />

ended March 31, 1956, was $1,855,000, the per<br />

share earnings being $1.18 and $1.49, respectively.<br />

The net profit before taxes in the two<br />

periods was $2,858,000 and $3,314,000, respectively,<br />

while estimated federal, state and<br />

foreign taxes for the respective periods were<br />

$1,354,000 and $1,459,000.<br />

The earnings per share of common stock<br />

after preferred stock dividends, for both the<br />

current and prior years, were based on the<br />

1.122,800 shares which were outstanding on<br />

March 30 of this year.<br />

Special 'Tammy' Promotion<br />

NEW YORK—Special promotional material<br />

on "Tammy and the Bachelor." Universal-<br />

International film, has been gotten out by<br />

Arthur H. DeBra of the community relations<br />

department of the Motion Picture Ass'n of<br />

America. It is being mailed to many civic<br />

organizations.<br />

Color TV Test Successful<br />

MILWAUKEE— Sales of color television<br />

sets increased by almost 800 per cent in this<br />

city during a five-week "Carnival of Color"<br />

designed as a test for a nationwide color TV<br />

promotion campaign, according to the Radio<br />

Corp. of America.<br />

BOXOFFICE


Oklahoma Vandals Law<br />

Brings Early Results<br />

Oklahoma f ity—The new state law<br />

which makes parents liable for damage<br />

caused by their minor children—in force<br />

for less than two weeks—has already<br />

been successfully enforced. E. K. Slocuni.<br />

director of Cnited Theatre Owners of<br />

Oklahoma, in a bulletin to members reported<br />

that the first payoff was made<br />

this week to an Oklahoma City theatre.<br />

Two boys did a lot of destructive damage<br />

to the theatre and when the parents<br />

were confronted with the new law and a<br />

bill from the management, they immediately<br />

paid for the damage in full,<br />

Slocum said he understood a similar<br />

bill in Michigan has reduced vandalism<br />

by minors by about 50 per cent.<br />

Dinner Honoring Montague<br />

To Be Attended by 1,200<br />

NEW YORK—Twelve hundred member.s ol<br />

the industry and leader.s in medical and civic<br />

fields are expected to attend the A. Montague-<br />

Will Rogers Hospital testimonial dinner<br />

Wednesday il9) at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.<br />

The dinner will recognize the many years of<br />

contribution.s by Montague, president of the<br />

hcspital. to the woi-k of the hospital and its<br />

research laboratories. There will be a gala<br />

program of entertainment.<br />

Harry Brandt, general chairman of the<br />

event, has reported acceptances from the following;<br />

Charles A. Alicoate, Rrchard W. Alfschuler, Robert<br />

S. Benjamin, Jock Beresen, Richard Brandt, Jackie<br />

Bright, Robert W. Coyne, George F. Dembow, Ned E.<br />

Depinet, Russell V. Downing, Gus S- Eyssell, Charles<br />

J. Feldmon, Alan Freedman, William Goxton, William<br />

J. Germon, Leonard H. Goldenson, Maurice Goldstein,<br />

Julius M. Gordon, Abel Green.<br />

Also, Roy Homes, Alex Harrison, William J. Hetneman,<br />

J. Robert Hoff, Rube Jockter, Leo Jaffee, Horry<br />

M. Kalmine, Paul N. Lazarus |r., Mrs. Margie Lewis,<br />

Arthur L. Mayer, Dr. Edgar Mayer, Joseph A. McConville,<br />

Robert Mochrie, William Morris jr., Jomes Mulvey,<br />

John J. O'Connor, R. J. O'Donnell, E. K. O'sheo,<br />

David V. Picker, Somuel Pmanski, Mortin Quigley jr.<br />

Also, Milton R. Rackmil, Walter Reade jr., Charles<br />

M. Reagan, Som Rinzler, Herman Robbins, John H.<br />

Rowley, Ben Shiyen, A. Schneider, A. W. Schwolberg,<br />

Fred J. Schwortz, Sol A. Schwartz, Harold Sharp,<br />

Ned Shugrue, M. A. Silver, Noble Sissle, Ernest 6.<br />

Sfellings, Morton Sunshine, Som Switow, James R<br />

Velde, Richard F. Walsh ond Murray Weiss.<br />

Harold Raives Is Dead;<br />

Schine's Chief Booker<br />

GLOVERSVILLE. N. Y. - Harold Raive.s,<br />

55, chief booker and head of the Cleveland<br />

office for Schine's Ohio and Kentucky theatres,<br />

died of a heart attack Sunday (9).<br />

He had been with Schine Circuit for 20<br />

years in variou.s capacities as theatre manager,<br />

New York state booker and Kentucky<br />

division manager. Prior to his affiliation<br />

with Schine he operated theatres with his<br />

father in New York City and upper New York<br />

state.<br />

Burial was Tuesday from McDaniers<br />

Funeral Home. Cleveland.<br />

Romantic Film Is Titled<br />

NEW YORK—The 20th Century-Fox romance<br />

with music starring Pat Boone and<br />

Shirley Jones will have the title of "April<br />

Love." Production in Cinemascope and De<br />

Luxe Color wUl start later this month in<br />

Kentucky, with Heniy Levin directing.<br />

N. J. Allied Members Report:<br />

'Modernization Held Back<br />

By High Film Rentals<br />

A Survey Is<br />

Held on Current Theatre Problems<br />

NEW YORK—New Jersey exhibitors reported<br />

this week that they do not keep their<br />

theatres a.s modern as they would like, and<br />

they blame high film rentals for their failure<br />

to keep up appearances.<br />

Ninety- eight per cent of theatres run by<br />

members of Allied Theatre Owners of New<br />

Jersey, in a survey just completed, said that<br />

the big bite taken by rentals was the chief<br />

cause for the lower housekeeping standards.<br />

The statewide study was based on a 90 per<br />

cent return of questionnaires, in which exhibitors<br />

were asked for information on a<br />

great variety of problems and operational<br />

procedures.<br />

Despite reported cutbacks on operating in<br />

smaller situations, 90 per cent of the theatres<br />

are open seven days a week. Most of the<br />

theatres—80 per cent—go after kiddie business<br />

by staging matinees as a regular Saturday<br />

afternoon policy. As for late shows, 95<br />

per cent said these were unprofitable and<br />

out. Five per cent classified their theatres as<br />

class houses. 20 per cent as commercial-industrial,<br />

25 per cent as industrial. 15 per cent<br />

residential, and 10 per cent resort.<br />

The big majority agreed that the best boxoffice<br />

days wei-e, in the following order: Saturday,<br />

Sunday. Friday. Wednesday. Tuesday,<br />

Monday and Thursday.<br />

Ninety-one per cent reported gross admissions<br />

up nine per cent over the last quarter<br />

but attendance down 11 per cent. As for the<br />

print situation. 92 per cent claimed it was<br />

getting worse. As for print quality, repwrts<br />

were evenly divided on its being no worse<br />

and becoming poorer. Sales drives were not<br />

approved of by 92 per cent, but 78 per cent<br />

have supported them.<br />

Children's admissions ranged from 20 to<br />

35 cents, with by far the most of them at 25<br />

cents. Adult matinee admissions ranged from<br />

100% Exhibitor Backing<br />

For TV Film<br />

Clearance<br />

New York—New Jersey .Allied members<br />

are 100 per cent for a clearance system<br />

for feature films released for home viewing.<br />

In addition, 96 per cent of the exhibitors,<br />

answering an N. J. .\llied questionnaire,<br />

said they believed that the release<br />

of old films to television will become<br />

increasingly damaging to them.<br />

On the question of television shows<br />

produced by major film companies. 95 per<br />

cent felt the producers were doing themselves<br />

more harm than good. ,\s for TV<br />

appearances by movie stars, 75 per cent<br />

of the exhibitors favored appearances of<br />

top ranking players to plug their pictures,<br />

but 8,T per cent were opposed to their<br />

going on dramatic or musical shows.<br />

25 to 75 cents, with the great majority of<br />

them at 40 cents. Adult evening admissions<br />

ranged from 30 to 90 cents, with the vast<br />

majority at 65 cents. Sundays and holidays<br />

ranged from 30 to 90 cents, with most at 75<br />

cents. Eight per cent had teenage admissions.<br />

On the subject of advertising, 82 per cent<br />

felt there should be less national and more<br />

local-level advertising by distribution, 82 per<br />

cent felt that television ads have helped the<br />

boxoffice, 90 per cent i-eported adversely on<br />

radio ads and seven per cent reported the<br />

use of window cards.<br />

Commenting on newspapers, 95 per cent<br />

believed them unfair in their "theatre versus<br />

television policy." Fifty per cent of the New<br />

Jersey papers have TV on the same page and<br />

65 per cent give TV time schedules but not<br />

theatre times. Only 40 per cent have Sunday<br />

papers. Forty per cent felt that the day before<br />

opening was the best day to advertise,<br />

and 60 per cent voted for the day of opening.<br />

As for trailei's, 95 per cent use them and<br />

72 per cent use talking trailers. National<br />

Screen Service supplied 93 per cent of them.<br />

Television was rated the chief competition<br />

by 98 per cent of those reporting. Next came<br />

"better runs than their own" with 70 per cent,<br />

local sporting events with 50 per cent, and<br />

lower admission prices with 22 per cent.<br />

Others mentioned were bingo, evening schools,<br />

a lack of parking space and no baby sitters.<br />

Under the heading of refreshments, cola<br />

drinks were reported the most popular. Ten<br />

cents was charged by 75 per cent of the exhibitors<br />

and five cents by 25 per cent. Popcorn<br />

was sold by 98 per cent, with 70 per cent<br />

selling ten-cent bags and 30 per cent selling<br />

15-cent bags. Ice cream was sold by 85 per<br />

cent. The best seller was chocolate covered<br />

stick. Other sales w-ere as follows: frankfurters,<br />

two per cent: cigarets, 21 per cent:<br />

nuts, four per cent: chewing gum, five pei<br />

cent:. Seventy-five per cent of the exhibitors<br />

used a theatre concessionaii-e. The remainder<br />

operated their own stands. Only 50 pcicent<br />

approved candy prices of six and 12<br />

cents as oppo.sed to five and ten cents.<br />

A three-day convention was favored by 81<br />

per cent, with 75 per cent voting for the<br />

Concord Hotel at Lake Kiamesha, N, Y.. 20<br />

per cent for Atlantic City and five per cent<br />

for Now York<br />

N.J. Exhibitors Re-elect<br />

Stern and Dollinger<br />

NEW YORK -Sidney Stern was re-elected<br />

president of Allied Theatre Owners of New<br />

Jeisey Tuesday (111 and Irving Dollinger was<br />

continued as board chairman. Other officers<br />

elected are Howard Herman and John Harwan.<br />

vice-presidents: A. Louis Martin, treasurer,<br />

and Richard D. Turteltaub. secretai-y.<br />

The other directors ai'e Henry Brown. Petei-<br />

Adams. Dan 'Buddy" Sheer and John Fioravanti.<br />

June 15. 1957


FEATURE REVIEW<br />

The touch of West Indies color in "Island in tlic s<br />

'Island in the Sun<br />

20th Century-Fox<br />

By FRANK LEYENDECKER<br />

TN HIS first independent production for<br />

20th Century-Fox release, Darryl F.<br />

Zanuck again has tackled courageously a<br />

controversial subject dealing with racial<br />

problems—and given it a lavish production,<br />

magnificent camerawork and a top-flight<br />

cast to insure boxoffice success.<br />

Alec Waugh's novel about the human relationships<br />

between white and colored people<br />

in the British West Indies was a best-seller<br />

and this faithful picturization should create<br />

as much new.spaper comment and audience<br />

discussion as did Zanuck's "Pinky," "The<br />

Snake Pit" and "Gentleman's Agreement" of<br />

a few yeai's back. With a cast headed by Harry<br />

Belafonte, currently the nation's biggest<br />

night club and T'V attraction, as well as top<br />

recording artist, plus Dorothy Dandridge of<br />

"Carmen Jones" fame and the marquee value<br />

of James Mason, Joan Fontaine and Joan<br />

Collins, it should do smash business— except<br />

in certain parts of the South, where legislation<br />

and many exhibitors are against films<br />

showing colored people mixing with whites.<br />

However, the resultant newspaper publicity<br />

may increase interest in the picture in other<br />

parts of the country.<br />

Actually, Director Robert Rossen has shown<br />

no romantic clinches between the two mixed<br />

couples in the story—the handsome West Indian.<br />

Harry Belafonte, and the blonde Joan<br />

Fontaine and the dark-skinned Dorothy Dandi-idge<br />

and the British John Justin. The<br />

first two decide to remain apart, but the<br />

others take a chance on finding happiness<br />

together back in England. Rossen has handled<br />

these relationships splendidly so that only a<br />

few inordinately hard-shelled patrons might<br />

object.<br />

In addition to these two romances, the<br />

screenplay by Alfred Hayes includes two<br />

more sub-plots—an estate owner who is insanely<br />

jealous of his young wife, and the<br />

governor's visiting son who is attracted to a<br />

wealthy young resident—but Rossen keeps the<br />

many story skeins disentangled and maintains<br />

audience interest throughout the twohour<br />

film.<br />

In Zanuck's own words, this is "a bold<br />

picture on an unorthodox subject" but, primarily,<br />

it is a tremendously colorful and<br />

beautifully scenic film made on an island in<br />

the British West Indies, where F. A. Young's<br />

Cinemascope and De Luxe Color photography<br />

creates striking views of the 'wide beaches,<br />

the tropical fruit and flowers, the wharfsides<br />

and the sugar cane fields, as well as street<br />

scenes crowded with natives in a carnival<br />

mood. As "Three Coins in the Fountain"<br />

boosted tourist trade to R«me, so this will<br />

increase travel to the West Indies.<br />

Although James Mason and Joan Fontaine<br />

are both long-standing marquee names, it is<br />

Harry Belafonte who will incite the greatest<br />

audience excitement. He gives a convincing<br />

portrayal of a self-made, politically ambitious<br />

West Indian, not a particularly sympathetic<br />

role, but his fans will be grateful that he<br />

sings the title tune (his own composition)<br />

over the screen credits and a Calypso chant<br />

during the action. Dorothy Dandridge also<br />

turns in a nice acting job as the educated<br />

native girl.<br />

Joan Collins has a more colorful and di'amatic<br />

role than does Miss Fontaine, but both<br />

are capable enough even if a lovely and<br />

promising newcomer, Patricia Owens, will<br />

attract more audience attention and the<br />

regally handsome Diana Wynyard contributes<br />

the most inmpressive histrionic moments.<br />

Mason is excellent, as always, and such stalwart<br />

British actors as Michael Rennie, John<br />

Williams, Basil Sydney, John Justin and<br />

Ronald Squire are perfectly cast.<br />

But, again<br />

Twentieth Century-Fox<br />

by arrangement with Darryl f. Zanuck Producpresents<br />

"ISLAND IN THE SUN"<br />

Running time: 119 minutes<br />

CREDITS<br />

Produced by Darryl F. Zonuck. Directed by<br />

Robert Rossen. Screenplay by Altred Hayes. From<br />

the novel by Alec Wough. Music, Malcolm Arnold<br />

conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.<br />

Director of F. photography, A. Young. Second<br />

unit photography, John Wilcox. Art director, William<br />

C. Andrews. Film editor, Reginald Beck.<br />

Production managers, John Palmer, Ernest Holding,<br />

Assistant director, Gerry O'Hora. Continuity,<br />

Margaret Shipway. Costume designer, David<br />

Ftolkes. Cinemascope lenses by Bausch & Lomb.<br />

Color by De Luxe.<br />

THE CAST<br />

Fleury Maxwell James Mason<br />

Mavis Joan Fontaine<br />

Margot s'eafon Dorothy Dandridge<br />

Jocelyn Joan Collins<br />

Hilary Michael Rennie<br />

Corsor%<br />

Mrs. Fleury Diana Wynyard<br />

Colonel Whittingham John Williams<br />

Euan Templeton Stephen Boyd<br />

Sylvia Patricia Owens<br />

Julian Fleury Basil Sydney<br />

David Archer John Justin<br />

The Governor Ronald Squire<br />

Brodshaw Hartley Power<br />

Dovid Boyeur Harry Belofonte<br />

it is another newcomer, the ruggedly handsome<br />

Stephen Boyd, who will win the most<br />

attention from the feminine patrons.<br />

The story is laid on a small West Indies<br />

i.sland where the politically ambitious<br />

native. Harry Belafonte, is scorned by James<br />

Mason, an arrogant land-owner, who decides<br />

to run against him in the local elections.<br />

Mistakenly jealous of his young wife. Patricia<br />

Owens, Mason murders an Englishman. Mason's<br />

sister-in-law, Joan Fontaine, becomes<br />

romantically interested in Belafonte whUe<br />

Mason's sister, Joan Collins, falls in love with<br />

Stephen Boyd, the governor's son, before she<br />

suspects she has colored ancestry. Some of<br />

these romances are resolved happily, but<br />

Belafonte convinces Joan Fontaine that they<br />

should not fight racial prejudice.<br />

'Cinerama-South Pacific'<br />

To Be Next in Medium<br />

NEW YORK — "Cinerama-South Pacific"<br />

will be the next Cinerama production under<br />

a deal concluded Tuesday (11) by Nathaniel<br />

Lapkin. first vice-president of Stanley Warner<br />

Corp.. and Carl Dudley, president of Dudley<br />

Pictures Corp. Pioduction started Wednesday<br />

(121 in Hawaii.<br />

According to Lapkin, this will be the most<br />

ambitious Cinerama picture to date. It has<br />

a five-month shooting schedule. A 26-man<br />

production crew, on board the 140-foot<br />

schooner Te Vega, will traverse the course<br />

charted by Captain Cook in his voyages of<br />

discovery. It will make landings in Tahiti,<br />

Samoa, the New Hebrides, Australia and New<br />

Zealand.<br />

In preparation of the script, Dudley, who<br />

covered 67 countries with a camera, has under<br />

development a series of "audience participation"<br />

sequences unlike anything hitherto<br />

presented by Cinerama, Lapkin said.<br />

Walter Thompson, one of the directors of<br />

"This Is Cinerama" and "Seven Wonders of<br />

the World," will be associated with Dudley<br />

on the directorial side. Richard Goldstone<br />

will be associated with the production.<br />

Hecht-Hill-Lancaster Co.<br />

Signs Sir Carol Reed<br />

NEW YORK—Sir Carol Reed will direct<br />

three pictures for Hecht-Hill-Lancaster<br />

tlrrough a contract just signed. The first<br />

be "The Rock Cried Out," based on the<br />

will<br />

Ray Bradbury story, which will be made<br />

later in the year for United Artists release.<br />

Bradbury is in London working with Reed<br />

on the .screenplay.<br />

The second will be "Kimberly," a story of<br />

the African diamond mines based on the<br />

Robert W. Krepps novel, "Tell It on the<br />

Drums." Philip Yordan is doing the screenplay.<br />

That will also be a UA release.<br />

The third film will be based on an original<br />

idea suggested by Reed. The action<br />

takes place in five countries, including the<br />

U. S.. and the film will be shot in the actual<br />

locales.<br />

Helen Morgan Film Retitled<br />

NEW YORK—"Both Ends of the Candle"<br />

has been set as the final title for "The Helen<br />

Morgan Story," the forthcoming Warner<br />

Bros, picture starring Ann Blyth as the<br />

famous singer. Paul Newman and Richard<br />

Carlson are costarred and Rudy Vallee and<br />

Walter Winchell make guest appearances in<br />

the picture which was directed by Michael<br />

Curtiz.<br />

22<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


STELLINGS HAILS NEW SPIRIT<br />

OF HARMONY WITHIN INDUSTRY<br />

Applauds Distribution Aid<br />

To Distressed Theatres;<br />

Sees Arbitration a Fact<br />

OLD POINT COMFORT, VA. — 'T am<br />

happy to tell you today that the attitude<br />

and feeling which<br />

exist in oiu' industiy<br />

is probably<br />

the most harmonious,<br />

most progressive<br />

and most coopeiative<br />

it has<br />

ever been," Ernest<br />

G Stellings, president<br />

of Theatre<br />

Owneis of America<br />

told the annual<br />

convention of the<br />

Vuginia Theatre<br />

Owners Ass'n at<br />

the Chamberlain<br />

„. Hotel Wednesday<br />

^ ^,^<br />

Ernest Stellings ^.„^<br />

Stellings also credited distribution through<br />

TOA with having aided several hundred<br />

distressed small-town theatres. He repeated<br />

his backing of an arbitration and conciliation<br />

system within the industry and discussed the<br />

business-building program.<br />

SPIRIT OF CONFIDENCE NEEDED<br />

"When I was elected president eight months<br />

ago," Stellings said, "we recognized that the<br />

chasm between exhibition and distribution<br />

was widening week by week, all for no apparent<br />

good sound reason. It was our belief<br />

that before we could accomplish too much<br />

for the benefit of the industry in general,<br />

and exhibition in particular, it would be<br />

necessary to bring all segments of the industry<br />

closer together in a spirit of harmonious<br />

confidence.<br />

"Even I do not know just how this was<br />

accomplished, except that through friendly<br />

contacts with distribution executives they<br />

were convinced that TOA was unselfish, determined<br />

and completely desirous of working<br />

with the entire industry in an effort to bring<br />

about an all-out cooperative effort to attack<br />

the problems confronting us. We exhibitors<br />

are exceedingly grateful to all those who assisted<br />

us. because without all segments of the<br />

industry working together nothing could be<br />

accomplished. This was the first step in the<br />

TOA program adopted in September 1956."<br />

TOA PLAYS A ROLE<br />

Stellings went on to say that TOA had<br />

been engaged in an activity which, while<br />

important, had had little publicity.<br />

"With the shortage of product and the demands<br />

for higher terms and longer playing<br />

time," he said, "many small-town theatres<br />

have been squeezed to the point where they<br />

were ready to throw in the towel and forget<br />

our business. In my earlier meetings with distribution<br />

officials, the dire need of these<br />

small-town exhibitors was brought to their<br />

attention.<br />

"I was convinced that this industry could<br />

Business-Building Radio<br />

Tests to Start July I<br />

NEW YORK—The first tests of the radio<br />

phase of the industi-y's business-building<br />

campaign are expected to get under way July<br />

1 in Rochester, N. Y., and Denver. In the<br />

former city an exhibitor committee has already<br />

been formed to work in cooperation<br />

with the advertising-publicity directors committee<br />

of the Motion Picture Ass'n of America.<br />

The same progress is expected within<br />

a few days in Denver where, because it is a<br />

di.stribution center, it is expected there will<br />

also be a distribution committee.<br />

Rodney Bush of 20th Century-Fox has already<br />

completed the Rochester arrangements.<br />

Herb Steinberg of Paramount will leave at<br />

the weekend for Denver. They received the<br />

assignments as members of the committee<br />

headed by Roger H. Lewis of United Artists.<br />

Bu.sh reported on his return Wednesday<br />

(12 1 that the Rochester exhibitor committee<br />

consists of Jay Golden, division manager of<br />

RKO Theatres, chairman; Francis Anderson<br />

of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres,<br />

Lester Pollack of Loew's Theatres and<br />

Carl Dickerson of the Schine circuit.<br />

Also at the meeting with the exhibitors<br />

were Arthur Krolick, division manager of<br />

AB-PT, and Harry Unterfort, Schine division<br />

manager.<br />

Bush met with executives of four radio stations<br />

and explained the purpose of the drive.<br />

The emphasis will be on the use of disc<br />

jockeys. They will be provided with spot<br />

announcements and will be free to "translate"<br />

not benefit by any closed theatres. I believed<br />

and have so informed distribution officials<br />

that they would be better off having a smaller<br />

sum in the way of film rentals coming from<br />

a theatre than to have no income at all, if<br />

these theatres were forced to close.<br />

"A number of these cases were called to<br />

the attention of distribution. In every instance,<br />

distribution was ready and willing to<br />

do what they could to be of assistance to<br />

these distressed theatres.<br />

"This is the first opportunity I have had<br />

to .say that I am happy and proud at the<br />

way in which the various distributors have<br />

followed through on their promises. They<br />

have fulfilled their expressed desires and<br />

have delivered 100 per cent. It is only fitting<br />

that a public acknowledgement of their cooperation<br />

and interest be made at this time.<br />

"I do not know just how many theatres<br />

have been affected, but I suspect that directly<br />

or indirectly this TOA activity has<br />

been beneficial to several hundred. All of us<br />

say, 'Thank you Mr. Distributor.' "<br />

them into their own type of language and<br />

delivery. All spots will be live, none transcribed.<br />

The target date of July 1 was set<br />

for the start of the drive.<br />

Steinberg has .scheduled a Tuesday (18)<br />

meeting with Denver exhibitors and distributors.<br />

He will meet with radio station executives<br />

the next day, outline the campaign and<br />

show suggested spots. There are 17 radio<br />

stations in the area from which a selection<br />

will be made.<br />

The Lewis committee did not meet Wednesday<br />

112) as planned because of the inability<br />

of some members to attend. The<br />

tentative date of Monday (17 1 was set. In the<br />

meantime, committee members are closely<br />

studying a presentation to be made to editors<br />

and publishers by members of the industry,<br />

prepared by Oscar Doob, consultant. Members<br />

said they were impressed with the presentation.<br />

Visits to editors and publishers to "sell"<br />

the industry and correct misconceptions about<br />

it will be made only in those areas where exhibitors<br />

request them.<br />

Robert S. Ferguson of Columbia, chairman<br />

of a committee to recommend personnel for<br />

drive offices to be set up in New York and<br />

Hollywood, said Wednesday (12t that few<br />

applications had been received. The committee<br />

was set up the week before. Its other<br />

members are Phil Gerard of Universal-International<br />

and Al Tamarin of United Artists,<br />

As to arbitration and conciliation, Stellings<br />

said "considerable progress" was being<br />

made and that the conciliation portion<br />

had been approved in principle for presentation<br />

in New York Monday (17 1. He spoke<br />

out strongly in support of arbitration as well.<br />

He hoped to see a complete system "on the<br />

way in the very near future."<br />

Stellings also predicted that "sometime this<br />

summer" TOA contributions to<br />

the businessbuilding<br />

program will become evident with<br />

the beginning of the drive.<br />

"This will be the most important industry<br />

effort in which all segments have ever joined<br />

forces and finances," he said.<br />

Funeral Services Held<br />

For Jacques Kopfstein<br />

NEW YORK— Funeral services were held<br />

Wednesday (12i for Jacques K.ipfstem, 65,<br />

motion picture executive, who died the day<br />

before in Lenox Hill Hospital after a long<br />

illness. Interment was in Old Mount Carmel<br />

Cemetery in Queens.<br />

Kopfstein was well known through his associations<br />

with Astor Pictures and .^tlai;';.<br />

Television Corp.<br />

BOXOFFICE ;: June 15, 1957 23


.MODERN<br />

(and<br />

in TECHNICOLOR® for the<br />

first time)<br />

r^


i/IUSICAL<br />

J<br />

...EXCITING STORYI<br />

I<br />

THE<br />

SEVEN<br />

SONGS<br />

SINGS MAKE<br />

A PROMOTION<br />

FIELD DAY...<br />

"LOVING YOU"<br />

"HOT DOG"<br />

"LONESOME COWBOY"<br />

LET ME BE YOUR TEDDY BEAR"<br />

'GOT A LOT OF LOVING TO DO"<br />

"MEAN-WOMAN BLUES"<br />

'LET'S HAVE A PARTY"<br />

J<br />

PARAMOUNT PRESENTS<br />

Lvis Presley<br />

lizABETH Scott<br />

Wendell Corey<br />

HAL WALLIS<br />

PRODUCTION<br />

-^**<br />

Directed by<br />

Screenplay by<br />

HAL KANTER • HERBERT BAKER and HAL KANTER<br />

From a Story by Mary Agnes Thompson<br />

TPPI-IMIPri' PP


. . This<br />

. . Certainly<br />

. .<br />

'Boy on a Dolphin' (20th-Fox) Is<br />

HOPING TO SHARE SEA TREASURE: PIERO GIAGNONI.<br />

SOPHIA LQREN, LAURENCE NAISMITH, JORGE MISTRAL<br />

May Blue Ribbon Award Winner<br />

By VELMA WEST SYKES<br />

J^ATIONAL Screen Council members voted "Boy on a Dolphin" (20th-Fox) the BOX-<br />

OFFICE Blue Ribbon Award for May. Ancient Greek temples in their scenic Aegean<br />

Sea settings are accented by color photography, adding appeal to a dramatic story with<br />

historic overtones. The contrast between a covetous desire for possession and a regard<br />

for a country's right to keep its own traditional treasures, is well drawn. The Greek<br />

peasant girl's moral struggle between her desire for an education for her young brother<br />

and a growing sense of personal obligation to honor her country's pride in keeping its<br />

own art objects, adds interest. The romantic development is well handled, as are all<br />

acting roles, from Alan Ladd to young Piero Giagnoni. Sophia Loren's swimming scenes<br />

have natural charm, but are unique and arresting, depending more on the underseas<br />

beauties of flora and fauna rather than personal "cheesecake" shots. Clifton Webb<br />

carries off his role with his typical suave sang-froid.<br />

The picture has done excellent business in<br />

key cities, judging by first run reports,<br />

grossing an average of 158 per cent, and as<br />

Detroit Motion Picture Council.<br />

"Boy on a Dolphin" is such a colorful,<br />

different kind of story. I felt I was really<br />

CLIFTON<br />

WEBB.<br />

HE PIECE. WITH SOPHIA LOREN-<br />

UNSCRUPULOUS ART CONNOISSEUR<br />

high as 240 per cent in Los Angeles in its<br />

fir.st week. Reviewed in the April 20 issue<br />

of BOXOPFICE, this comment was made:<br />

"Jean Negulesco . . . gets the utmost in<br />

suspense out of the somewhat predictable<br />

story and. if he lets the camera linger on<br />

the striking locales and interrupts the plot<br />

for charming native music and folk dancing.<br />

it adds to the audience enjoyment."<br />

Comments from NSC members stressed<br />

the various entertainment features which<br />

the picture has, as shown by these few<br />

publislied here:<br />

The fine underseas shots in "Boy on a<br />

Dolphin" and the fine work of Sophia<br />

Loren, is most enjoyable, with Miss Loren<br />

stealing the show. It is a very entertaining<br />

feature. Ladd and the rest of the cast are<br />

fine.—Frank Grosjean. Shreveport Journal<br />

... A magnificent production in which<br />

Sophia Loren is excellent and the Greek<br />

folk dances in native costumes are beautiful.<br />

It is fine entertainment for the entire<br />

family—Mrs. Arthur D. Kerwin, Greater<br />

visiting Greece, with its picturesque settings.<br />

—Mrs. Paul Gebhart, Cleveland Cinema<br />

Club . picture was beautifully filmed.<br />

—Mrs. Leslie T. Barco, Better Films Council<br />

of Greater St. Louis . this is<br />

an educational travel picture.—Mrs. B. C.<br />

Christopher, Campfire Girls, Kansas City.<br />

A beautiful picture of Greek life and<br />

ancient culture.—Mrs. Arretus P. Burt,<br />

Greater St. Louis BFC ... I didn't read<br />

the book but thought the movie exciting.<br />

The art work was outstanding.—Ruth Henderson,<br />

Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Me. .<br />

Superb .scenery and the story well done.<br />

Mrs. George F. Wilson, General Federated<br />

Women's Clubs, Easton, Pa.<br />

The scenery, color, acting, casting and<br />

story are excellent. Those not too familiar<br />

with Greece will take away much knowledge<br />

and obtain an understanding of the<br />

customs of these people.—Mrs. W. Lashley<br />

Nelson jr., 1st vice-president. Federation of<br />

Motion Picture Councils, Upper Darby, Pa.<br />

;HE0L0GIST ALAN LADD (SEATtU) IS<br />

DRAWN TO THE GREEK PEASANT GIRL<br />

James Calder Alan Ladd<br />

Victor Parmalee Clifton Webb<br />

Phaedra<br />

Governvient Man<br />

Sophia Loren<br />

Alexis Minotis<br />

Rhi) Jorge Mistral<br />

Dr. Hawkins<br />

Laurence Naismith<br />

Niko<br />

Miss Dill<br />

PiERO Giagnoni<br />

Gertrude Flynn<br />

The Cast<br />

Greek Folk Dances and Songs<br />

Society "Panegyris"<br />

Dora Siratou. Director<br />

Fivos Anoyanakis, Artistic and<br />

Music Director<br />

YiANNi Fleury, Choreography<br />

William B. Baldwin Charles Fawcett<br />

Mrs. Baldwin Charlotte Terrabust<br />

Miss Baldwin<br />

Margaret Stahl<br />

Chief of Police<br />

Orestes Rallis<br />

Production Staii<br />

Produced by<br />

Samuel G. Engel Assistant Directors Eli Dunn,<br />

Directed by Jean Negulesco<br />

Carlo Lastricati<br />

Screenplay by<br />

Ivan Moffat, Music Conducted by Lionel Newman<br />

DwiGHT Taylor<br />

Sound<br />

W. D. Flick,<br />

From the Novel by<br />

David Divine<br />

Harry M. Leonard<br />

Music<br />

Hugo Friedhofer<br />

Orchestration Edward B. Powell<br />

Director of Photography<br />

Milton<br />

Song ''Boy on a Dolphin":<br />

Krasner. A.S.C.<br />

Based<br />

Art Direction<br />

Lyle R. Wheeler.<br />

on Tin Afto. Music by<br />

Takis Morakis<br />

Jack Martin Smith<br />

Set Decorations<br />

Bruno Avesani. Greek Text by<br />

J. Fermanglou<br />

Uco Pericle American Lyric by..PAVL Francis Webster<br />

Special Photographic Effects<br />

Color by<br />

De Luxe<br />

Ray Kellogg /Interiors Photographed at Cinecitta<br />

Film Editor William Mace Studios. Rome. Italy/<br />

ihis Award is given Each month by the National Screen Council on the basis of outstandino merit<br />

suitability for family entertainment. Council membership comprises motion picture editors, radio<br />

i repiesentatives of better film councils, civic and educational organizations.


'<br />

I00K


, Ohio,<br />

I<br />

c I Automobile<br />

On the Tele-Movies Scene:<br />

Offer Text of a Model<br />

Tele-Movies Ordinance<br />

COLUMBUS—A standard ordinance form,<br />

which exhibitors may use in applying for<br />

franchises to build and operate a cable theatre<br />

system in a community, was distributed<br />

to members of Independent Theatre Owners<br />

of Ohio this week.<br />

Tlie model ordinance is similar to one recently<br />

sent to Allied members in Indiana. It<br />

may be u.sed by exhibitors in any community<br />

by merely inserting the name of the town<br />

where indicated. The text follows:<br />

ORDINANCE NO<br />

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF<br />

OHIO. GRANTING TO<br />

AND ITS SUCCESSORS AND AS-<br />

SIGNS, A FRANCHISE TO BUILD, CON-<br />

STRUCT, LOCATE. MAINTAIN AND OP-<br />

ERATE AN ELECTRONIC HOME THEATRE<br />

SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF<br />

OHIO, AUTHORIZING THE USE, RIGHT.<br />

PRIVILEGE. POWER. AND AUTHORITY<br />

TO CONSTRUCT. MAINTAIN. OPERATE,<br />

AND REMOVE IN, OVER, AND ACROSS<br />

THE STREETS, AVENUES, PARKWAYS,<br />

AND PUBLIC PLACES THE NECESSARY<br />

EQUIPMENT FOR THE OPERATION OF<br />

SUCH ELECTRONIC HOME THEATRE<br />

SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF<br />

OHIO; PROVIDING FOR THE REGULA-<br />

TION THEREOF: ALSO PROVIDING FOR<br />

THE PROPER INSURANCE AND FRAN-<br />

CHISE FEES<br />

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON<br />

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF<br />

OHIO:<br />

SECTION 1. That there is hereby granted<br />

by the City of Ohio, (hereinafter<br />

called City) to the (hereinafter<br />

called Grantee), and its successors and<br />

assigns, for a period of twenty-five (25) years<br />

from the effective date of this Ordinance,<br />

the right, power, authority, and privilege to<br />

build, construct, equip, own, maintain, and<br />

operate in the present and future streets,<br />

ailey.s, and public places of the City of<br />

Ohio, wires, lines, poles, arms, cables,<br />

appuricnances, fixtures, and other apparatus<br />

for the purpose of operating, conducting, and<br />

extending to the citizens of the City of<br />

and the inhabitants thereof,<br />

an Electronic Home Theatre System. There<br />

is hereby granted the further right, privilege,<br />

and authority to the Grantee to lease, rent,<br />

or in any other manner obtain the use of<br />

such towers, poles, lines, cables, and other<br />

equipment and facihties from any and all<br />

holders of public licenses and franchises<br />

within the corporate limits of the City of<br />

Ohio, and to use such towers,<br />

poles, lines, cables, and other such equipment<br />

and facilities, subject to all the existing<br />

and future ordinances and regulations of<br />

the City.<br />

There is also hereby granted the right to<br />

buy, purchase, lease, erect, equip, maintain,<br />

own, or operate such plants, machinery,<br />

equipment, or buildings as are necessary to<br />

maintain and operate such Electronic Home<br />

Theatre System; the right to buy, hold, own,<br />

or lease any and all real estate necessary to<br />

conduct such business; the right to connect<br />

with other Electronic Home Theatre System<br />

lines and cables, within the City; and such<br />

other and further rights as ai-e granted and<br />

necessary, proper, and enjoyed by Electronic<br />

Home Theatre Systems.<br />

Commonwealth in a Bid<br />

For Tele-Movies Right<br />

Garden City, Kas. — Commonwealth<br />

circuit, which operates more than<br />

100 theatres in the Midwest, this week<br />

applied for a franchise to Install and run<br />

a cable theatre system in this community.<br />

The circuit asked for a 20-year franchise,<br />

with a two-year grace period for starting<br />

operations. Shelby Bourne, local manager,<br />

said the circuit also was seeking<br />

franchises in Manhattan and Great<br />

Bend, Kas.<br />

In applying for the cable theatre<br />

permit. Commonwealth joined such top<br />

Midwest and Southwest circuits as Video<br />

Independent Theatres, Frontier Theatres,<br />

Interstate, United Theatres and United<br />

Rowley in the field of entertainment for<br />

which Video has coined the tradename,<br />

Tele-Movies.<br />

SECTION 2. The Grantee shall, at all<br />

times, malce and keep full and complete plats,<br />

maps, and records showing the exact location<br />

of all Electronic Home Theatre System equipment<br />

located and used by the Grantee in the<br />

City of<br />

Ohio.<br />

SECTION 3. The Grantee shall defend the<br />

City against any lawful claim for injury to<br />

any property caused by the Grantee in the<br />

construction or operation of its property; and<br />

in the event of such determination of such<br />

liability shall indemnify the City. The<br />

Grantee herein, its successors, and assigns,<br />

shall indemnify and hold harmless the City<br />

of Ohio, from any and all liabilities,<br />

claims, demand, or judgment growing<br />

out of any injury to any person or property<br />

as the result of the violation or failure on the<br />

part of the Grantee, its successors, and assigns,<br />

to observe its proper duty, or because<br />

of negligence in whole or in part arising out<br />

of construction, repair, extension, maintenance,<br />

or operation of its equipment of any<br />

kind or character used in connection with<br />

this permit.<br />

SECTION 4. All installation of equipment<br />

shall be of a permanent nature, durable and<br />

installed in accordance with good engineering<br />

practice, and of sufficient height to comply<br />

with all existing City regulations, ordinances,<br />

and state laws so as not to interfere<br />

in any manner with the rights of the public<br />

or individual property owner, and shall not<br />

interfere with the travel and use of public<br />

places by the public, and during the construction,<br />

repair, or removal thereof, shall not obstruct<br />

or impede traffic.<br />

SECTION 5. The City of Ohio,<br />

reserves the right of reasonable regulation of<br />

the erection and construction of any work<br />

by the Grantee and to reasonably designate<br />

where such works and construction are to<br />

be placed. The Grantee shall, when requested<br />

by the City, make minor changes in its equipment<br />

to conform to the reasonably necessary<br />

requirements of small localized areas. Such<br />

changes to be effected within a reasonable<br />

time after request is made.<br />

SECTION 6. The Grantee shall have the<br />

right to assign this permit, subject to the<br />

approval of the Common Council of the City<br />

of<br />

Ohio.<br />

SECTION 7. The Grantee shall procure<br />

and furnish and file with the City Clerk the<br />

following insurance policies:<br />

(a) Workmen's Compensation insurance in<br />

accordance with the laws of the State<br />

of Ohio.<br />

(b) Public Liability insurance with limits<br />

of not less than $25,000 to any one person<br />

and $50,000 to any one accident.<br />

liability insurance with<br />

limits of not less than $25,000/$50,000<br />

property damage and public liability.<br />

(d) Property damage insurance with a limit<br />

of not less than $5,000 for any one<br />

singular<br />

accident.<br />

SECTION 8. This permit may be forfeited<br />

by the City upon the failure or refusal of<br />

the Grantee, its successors and assigns, to<br />

observe the terms and provisions of this permit.<br />

Such forfeiture may be exercised by<br />

service of notice upon the Grantee of failure<br />

to observe the terms hereof and upon the refusal,<br />

within said ninety-day period, to eliminate<br />

and obviate such failure or violation.<br />

SECTION 9. The Grantee shall pay to the<br />

City of Ohio, as a permit fee<br />

and as compensation for the rights and<br />

privileges enjoyed hereunder, the sum equal<br />

to .../"r of its total gross receipts received by<br />

Grantee from its customers within the City<br />

of Ohio. Such fee shall be paid<br />

annually and the payment thereof shall be<br />

due on or before the day of January of<br />

each succeeding year. This payment shall<br />

be in lieu of any other tax or increased rate<br />

of tax. or other imposed assessment or charges<br />

except ad valorem taxes.<br />

SECTION 10. This franchise is to be exclusive<br />

for the period of twenty-five (25)<br />

years with an option for a renewal of said<br />

franchise for a like period of time at the expiration<br />

of<br />

the period hereinbefore set out.<br />

SECTION n. If any section, sentence,<br />

clause or phase of the ordinance is for any<br />

reason held illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional,<br />

such invalidity shall not affect the<br />

validity of the ordinance and any portions in<br />

conflict are hereby repealed.<br />

Cable TV Systems Going<br />

Into 1 and 2-Channel Tov/ns<br />

PHILADELPHIA — Even though television<br />

broadcasting is reaching into more and more<br />

communities, the number of "fringe reception"<br />

areas is Increasing rather than diminishing,<br />

Jerrold Electronics Corp. declared<br />

in its annual report issued this week.<br />

Only communities completely blacked out<br />

from TV reception were once considered<br />

fringe areas, Milton Shapp, president, pointed<br />

out, whereas the rapid acceptance of television<br />

has now enlarged the fringe area concept<br />

to include communities "once satisfied<br />

with one or two-channel reception but which<br />

now feel isolated without full television network<br />

coverage."<br />

The result, said Shapp, is that the community<br />

antenna system industry, originally<br />

founded to introduce TV to completely<br />

blacked out communities, is now extending<br />

its services into areas which can pick up one<br />

or two channels directly on rooftop antennas.<br />

There are now more than 550 community<br />

antenna systems, extending TV reception to<br />

more than 1,500,000 viewers from coast to<br />

coast. In the year ending Feb. 25, 1957,<br />

Jerrold installed systems in 25 new cities.<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15. 1957


ATLANTA, RIALTO • CHATTANOOGA, STATE • KNGXVILLE, RIVIERA •<br />

BIRMING-<br />

HAM, EMPIRE • CHICAGO, CHICAGO • ELGIN, CROCKER<br />

•<br />

CEDAR RAPIDS,<br />

PARAMOUNT • DAVENPORT, CAPITOL •<br />

ROCK ISLAND, FORT<br />

•<br />

FORT WORTH,<br />

WORTH • DALLAS, PALACE • WICHITA FALLS, WICHITA • AMARILLO, STATE<br />

SAN ANTONIO, MAJESTIC • AUSTIN, PARAMOUNT • BUFFALO, LAFAYETTE<br />

TROY, PROCTOR • WATERTOWN. TOWN •<br />

LOWELL. DRIVE IN • CLEVELAND.<br />

HIPPODROME • COLORADO SPRINGS, CHIEF • GREELY. CHIEF • CHEYENNE,<br />

PARAMOUNT • SANTA FE, LENSIC • LOS ANGELES. MULTIPLE RUN<br />

•<br />

LOS<br />

ANGELES. WILTERN • HOT SPRINGS, MALCO •<br />

FAYETTEVILLE. UARK<br />

• JONES-<br />

BORO. STRAND • HARTFORD. E. M. LOEW •<br />

LAWTON. RITZ •<br />

NEW YORK. ASTOR<br />

ROCK ISLAND. PORT • CHARLOTTE. MANOR •<br />

GREENVILLE, FOX<br />

•<br />

FAYETTE-<br />

VILLE, CAROLINA • WILMINGTON, COLONY • ST. PAUL, ORPHEUM<br />

•<br />

WASHING-<br />

TON, TRANS LUX • PHILADELPHIA, STANLEY •<br />

COLUMBIA, PALMETTO<br />

•<br />

SPAR-<br />

TANBURG, PALMETTO • EVANSVILLE, GRAND •<br />

MIAMI, MIAMI •<br />

BRIDGEPORT,<br />

HIGHWAY • SALT LAKE CITY, VILLA •<br />

BIRMINGHAM, MELBA •<br />

MONTGOMERY,<br />

EMPIRE . MACON, BIBB • MEMPHIS. MALCO • PEORIA, MADISON •<br />

WAUKEGAN,<br />

GENESEE • DES MOINES, DES MOINES • WATERLOO, PARAMOUNT • DALLAS,<br />

MAJESTIC • EL PASO, PLAZA • WACO, WACO • TYLER, TYLER<br />

•<br />

HOUSTON,<br />

MAJESTIC • GALVESTON, STATE • SAN FRANCISCO, PARAMOUNT • ALBANY,<br />

PALACE • SCHENECTADY, PROCTOR • SPRINGFIELD. BIJOU •<br />

CINCINNATI,<br />

KEITH • DENVER, DENVER • PUEBLO, CHIEF • GRAND JUNCTION, MESA<br />

•<br />

CAS-<br />

PER. AMERICA • DETROIT, PALMS STATE • SAN DIEGO, SPRECKLES • LOS<br />

ANGELES, HOLLYWOOD •<br />

FORT SMITH, MALCO • JACKSON, MALCO<br />

•<br />

OWENS-<br />

BORO, MALCO • OKLAHOMA CITY. CENTER<br />

•<br />

PITTSBURGH. J. P. HARRIS<br />

PORTLAND. FOX • MILWAUKEE. WARNER • DAVENPORT, CAPITOL • GREENS-<br />

BORO. CENTER • RALEIGH. VILLAGE • WINSTON SALEM. FLAMINGO DRIVE IN<br />

MINNEAPOLIS. ORPHEUM •<br />

NEW ORLEANS. ORPHEUM •<br />

SEATTLE. 5th AVENUE<br />

CHARLESTON. GLORIA -DURHAM, CAROLINA -TAMPA, PALACE -MIAMI, CARIB-<br />

BEAN • MIAMI, MIRACLE •<br />

STRATFORD. BEVERLY •<br />

SALT LAKE CITY. UPTOWN<br />

THEY'LL<br />

PUT<br />

OUT<br />

A<br />

ONE!<br />

:^AsK the .----r.-r«-' \n\ng t^®<br />

ce\ebrat\on<br />

in tV^e V ear s<br />

RITA HAYWORTH M?. ROBERT MITCHUM !<br />

1 JACK LEMMON<br />

^in^Doymii^Loy/<br />

TECHNICOLOR


. . . Being<br />

. . After<br />

. .<br />

^oU^ffw^ ^eftont<br />

Two More Independents<br />

Sign MGM Contracts<br />

Continuing to augment its stable of independent<br />

filmmakers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer<br />

booked two erstwhile members of the Universal-International<br />

stable to long-term,<br />

multiple-picture contracts. They are Albert<br />

Zugsmith and Aaron Rosenberg.<br />

Zugsmith, one of filmdom's more prolific<br />

producers, turned out seven features for U-I<br />

last year, including "Tlie Incredible Shrinking<br />

Man," now in release, and "Badge of<br />

Evil," "Pylon," "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"<br />

and "The Female Animal." He will<br />

function at MGM under the banner of Albert<br />

Zugsmith Pi'oductions.<br />

Rosenberg spent eight years with U-I and,<br />

among the many movies he turned out during<br />

that span, made six starring James Stewart.<br />

His most recent entry, "Night Passage,"<br />

toplined Stewai-t and Audie Murphy and will<br />

have its national release next month. Other<br />

Rosenberg productions include "To Hell and<br />

Back" and "The Glenn Miller Story." He<br />

has set up Ai'cola Pictares as his unit at<br />

MGM.<br />

Neither Zugsmith nor Rosenberg have as<br />

yet revealed what their respective initial enterprises<br />

for the Culver City film foundry<br />

will be.<br />

Television Beating Films<br />

To Jeanne Eagels Story<br />

Once more that ol' debbil television is<br />

beating the theatrical screen to the punch in<br />

the presentation of a story property.<br />

Fryman Enterprises, a newly formed unit<br />

headed by Red Doff—and in which Mickey<br />

Rooney reportedly has a substantial interest<br />

—made it known it has secured video rights<br />

to the life of the late Jeanne Eagels and has<br />

•I KI1;MJLY' award—Producer-director<br />

William VV'yler, rig:ht, receives congratulations<br />

from Gregory Peck after<br />

Wyler's "Friendly Persuasion," which Allied<br />

Artists is releasing, won the coveted<br />

Cannes Film Festival's golden palm award<br />

as the best motion picture of 1956. Peck<br />

and Wyler will be associated in the making<br />

of "The Big Country" later this year.<br />

By IVAN SPEAR<br />

begun negotiations whereby such a teleplay<br />

may reach the living room squawk boxes as<br />

an entry in CBS-TV's Playhouse 90 series.<br />

That's all well and good—but there's a fly<br />

in the ointment. Not long ago Columbia<br />

finished filming "Jeanne Eagels," a biography<br />

of the same actress, with Kim Novak in the<br />

title role, and scheduled the opus for theatrical<br />

distribution this fall.<br />

The case parallels that confronting<br />

Warners, which lists as an upcoming release<br />

"Both Ends of the Candle," starring Ann<br />

Blyth as the torch-singin' Helen Morgan.<br />

Video viewers will recall that the same<br />

Playhouse 90 recently telecast "The Helen<br />

Morgan Story."<br />

Light Holl'ywood Week<br />

For Story Purchases<br />

Strictly from hunger was the literary<br />

market—and, along with it, the writers and<br />

purveyors of story fodder to Cinemania. Only<br />

two sales were recorded during the period.<br />

Picked up by 20th Century-Fox was "The<br />

Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker," a comedy by<br />

Liam O'Brien that had a Broadway run a<br />

few years back. In the stage version it toplined<br />

Burgess Meredith, but the Westwood<br />

studio hasn't as yet gotten around to casting<br />

the projected filmization thereof . . . Gramercy<br />

Pictures, the independent unit headed by<br />

Ar-thur Gardner, Jules Levy and Arnold Laven,<br />

acquired screen rights to "Claire," a<br />

script by Pat Fielder with a gambling background.<br />

Role in Cowboy Feature<br />

To an Indian Actress<br />

An offbeat entry in the casting category<br />

was the selection by Columbia of Anna<br />

Kashfi, a native of Indian who came to Hollywood<br />

via London, for the stellar femme role<br />

opposite Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon in<br />

the tentatively-titled "Reminiscences of a<br />

Cowboy." Columbia borrowed La Kashfi from<br />

her home studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, for<br />

the as.signment.<br />

Over at Universal-International Studios<br />

the powers that be picked Gilbert Roland to<br />

star with Jock Mahoney in "The Western<br />

Story." which is—you guessed it—a galloper<br />

filmed by producer-director Charles<br />

Marquis Warren for 20th-Fox release,<br />

"The Copper Sky," a frontier drama, has<br />

Coleen Gray as its feminine topliner.<br />

Story of California Set<br />

Next for C. V. Whitney<br />

As a third entry in his American series,<br />

C. V. Whitney has picked "The Young Land,"<br />

a story of California in the 1950s, and scheduled<br />

it for camera work beginning in July.<br />

Under the banner of C. V. Whitney Pictures.<br />

Inc., "Land" will mark the first starring<br />

role for Pat Wayne, son of John Wayne. The<br />

opus will be produced by Patrick Ford from a<br />

script being prepared by Norman S.<br />

Hall.<br />

L B.<br />

Mayer, Cummings<br />

Form Production Unit<br />

Plans have been finalized whereby L. B.<br />

Mayer Enterprises, Inc., and Jack Cummings<br />

Productions,<br />

Inc., will pool their<br />

resources in<br />

creating<br />

the screen version<br />

of the Broadway<br />

stage success,<br />

"Paint Your Wagon."<br />

Cummings is now<br />

hunting studio<br />

space and beginning<br />

casting activities,<br />

while John<br />

Lee Mahin and<br />

Louis B. Mayer William L u d w i g<br />

are putting finishing touches on the<br />

screenplay. The musical score will include<br />

new songs by Alan Jay Lerner and<br />

Frederick Loew.<br />

Negotiations are under way as concerns<br />

distribution, photographic and<br />

color processes, and the selection of a director.<br />

Rehearsals tentatively will get<br />

under way in July.<br />

A Big-Shot Promotion Set<br />

For Kramer's New Film<br />

As ballyhoo for the end-of-Jmie opening of<br />

Stanley Kramer's "The Pride and the Passion,"<br />

United Artists release due to premiere<br />

in Beverly Hills, a giant five-and-a-half ton<br />

replica of an 1810 Spanish cannon made its<br />

appearance at a busy Beverly Hills intersection<br />

and will remain there until the<br />

Kramer film makes its bow. Tliereafter the<br />

gun will begin a nationwide tour, ending at<br />

the Boy Scouts Valley Forge Jamboree late<br />

in July.<br />

As his next directorial assignment at<br />

Columbia, Richard Quine drew "The Roses,"<br />

a Lewis J. Rachmil production to be shot in<br />

Italy beginning later this summer. It's a<br />

romantic drama based on a French short<br />

story .<br />

launching their Broadway<br />

comedy, "L'il Abner," Norman Panama and<br />

Melvin Frank have returned to their offices<br />

at Paramount and are readying two outdoor<br />

adventure dramas, "The Jayhawkers" and<br />

"The Transfer," for lensing this year. Under<br />

the banner of Triad Productions, Panama<br />

and Frank co-authored both yarns, with<br />

Panama to meg "The Transfer" and Fi'ank to<br />

handle direction of "The Jayhawkers" .<br />

Associated Artists Productions inked a fourpicture<br />

releasing deal with Columbia, under<br />

which the first two properties will be "Let's<br />

Go Steady," starring Carol Lee Ladd, Harold<br />

Lloyd jr. and Melinda Markey, and "Between<br />

the Thunder and the Sun," toplining Susan<br />

Hayward.<br />

On the musical front, Metro-Goldwyn-<br />

Mayer booked recording artist Nat "King"<br />

Cole to vocalize the opening and end title<br />

music of "Raintree County," while Universal-<br />

International set rock-'n'-roller Fats Domino<br />

for a specialty number in "The Big Beat"<br />

. . . British megaphonist Sir Carol Reed<br />

signed a three-pictm-e deal with Hecht-Hill-<br />

Lancaster under which his first piloting job<br />

will be "The Rock Cried Out," to be followed<br />

by "Kimberly," a story of the South African<br />

diamond mines.<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


BETWEEN THE LINES<br />

By AL STEEN<br />

-Appreciative -Audience<br />

pHE following was lifted from The Wall<br />

Street Journal:<br />

A critic was lecturing to a women's club<br />

on the cinema. "And." he wound up, "that's<br />

what we get these days. I ask you. is this<br />

all they have to write about? An escaped<br />

convict gets into a home, holds the wife<br />

and children as hostages: fire burns down<br />

an orphanage: a man robs the employer in<br />

oi-der to gamble, flees to Monte Carlo,<br />

breaks himself but not the bank and jumps<br />

off a high cliff into the sea: two pals love<br />

the same girl and one shoots the other; a<br />

man fights his way into the apartment of<br />

a beautiful model, abducts her in a car and<br />

they both plunge over a cliff at 80 miles an<br />

hour. Oh, why go on? Why indeed? And<br />

now, ladies, are there any questions?"<br />

"Oh, my yes." said a thrilled voice.<br />

"Where is it playing?"<br />

John Ford Says—<br />

DIRECTOR John Ford says that 'The<br />

Rising of the Moon" is the best picture<br />

he's ever made and. if so, that's saying a<br />

mouthful. The picture, a Warner Bros,<br />

release, actually is made up of three short<br />

stories, written for the screen by Prank<br />

Nugent and based on the works of three<br />

Irish authors. Lady Gregory, Frank O'Connor<br />

and Martin J. McHugh,<br />

Ford retui-ned from Dublin last week<br />

after attending the world premiere at the<br />

Dublin International Film Festival. He met<br />

with the press at Sardi's Monday when he<br />

expressed the opinion that this was his<br />

best. However, he spent most of the time<br />

telling what a good time he and Nugent<br />

had in Ireland, about the Irish actors who<br />

A drive-in operator friend of ours was<br />

telling us the other day about a<br />

real cheap-skate patron of his. This patron<br />

puts instant coffee in his mustache<br />

and then goes to the concession booth and<br />

asks for a glass of hot water.<br />

This same exhibitor said that some years<br />

ago he had an usher who had the makings<br />

of a real showman. One of the newsreel<br />

clips showed a six-day bicycle race and so<br />

the kid put up a sign reading: "Fastest<br />

Leg Show in Town."<br />

An industryite just back from a visit<br />

to Hollywood tells us that the need for<br />

new talent is getting right serious. He<br />

said that one studio out there had hired<br />

a plastic surgeon to create new faces.<br />

Proponents of subscription television<br />

have a theme song ready in case they get<br />

government approval for their baby. The<br />

title is "The Sweetest Story Ever Toll-ed."<br />

Spyros Skouras told the 20th Century-<br />

Fox stockholders recently that Eidophor,<br />

the big screen theatre television system<br />

which his company has been developing,<br />

would be ready for use by this time next<br />

year. If so, 20th-Fox may have a competitor<br />

in J. Arthur Rank. It's reported that<br />

one of the Rank subsidiaries has been<br />

working quietly on a similar system and<br />

has been making some rapid progress. The<br />

Rank gadget may be introduced in this<br />

country before the end of the year.<br />

Detroit Circuit Seeks<br />

Young Film Reporter<br />

DETROIT — United Detroit Theatres is<br />

promoting a contest "to find a youngster<br />

who is interested in movies and show busi-<br />

average about $29 a<br />

Indoor-Outdoor<br />

week and how Nugent<br />

ness." giving<br />

bought up enough him—or—her cloth to make an<br />

50<br />

opportunity<br />

suits.<br />

^OW that Piudential Playhouses' allweather<br />

drive-in on Long Island has<br />

mentator. Qualifications include some knowl-<br />

to get actual experience as a film<br />

Somebody asked him<br />

com-<br />

if he had quit making<br />

westerns. "Never! he<br />

been in operation for more than a month,<br />

cried. When edge about film stars and the ability to<br />

somebody else suggested that he make a express<br />

we were curious<br />

opinions<br />

as to which theatre—the<br />

about actors, stories and<br />

western in Ireland, he didn't think it was songs.<br />

indoor or the outdoor—got the most patronage.<br />

So we phoned Seymour Seider,<br />

funny. "You can't kid westerns," he said. The first place winner will receive a 13-<br />

"A lot of people have tried but they never week contract as the WXYZ Teenage Reporter,<br />

to handle this section of the popular<br />

circuit executive, and popped the question<br />

paid off."<br />

to him.<br />

Mickey Shoor show as a junior edition ot<br />

"Right now," he said, "the outdoor portion<br />

of the project gets the biggest play, but<br />

years by tlie veteran<br />

Show World Commentator, presented for<br />

Casual<br />

Dick<br />

Comment<br />

Osgood. The<br />

when summer is over, we expect that the<br />

winner will also receive a year's scholarship<br />

patrons will prefer the auditorium. But J^ P^W years ago, Skouras Theatres filed<br />

to Wayne State University.<br />

we still get a good crowd<br />

an $85,000,000 antitrust suit<br />

in the hard-top."<br />

against The contest is open to youngsters from<br />

the distributors, On only two occasions<br />

the largest<br />

has the outdoor<br />

individual film 13 to 18, in the important movie going age<br />

suit<br />

theatre been "fogged<br />

on record. After<br />

out." In such<br />

the first<br />

cases,<br />

flurry of brackets. Entry blanks are secured from any<br />

the patrons have<br />

excitement that followed<br />

their choice of taking a<br />

the news break, theatre in the circuit, or a dealer for Webcor.<br />

"fog pass" and coming<br />

nothing<br />

back some<br />

more was heard<br />

other<br />

about it and then which is tied in on the contest. Each entrant<br />

is<br />

night<br />

there<br />

or going<br />

were requii'ed to<br />

into the indoor theatre. In<br />

some rumors take<br />

that the<br />

considerable<br />

action had<br />

pains with<br />

the entry, thereby assuring<br />

most<br />

been<br />

cases, however.<br />

dropped.<br />

development of<br />

Seider said, the patrons<br />

The<br />

an intelligent interest in fUms.<br />

go into the enclosed<br />

other day we<br />

A threeminute<br />

script, plus a taperecording and<br />

asked<br />

section.<br />

George Skom-as<br />

Currently, when patrons want<br />

what happened to the litigation<br />

to get<br />

and if it photograph, are required, along with signed<br />

home were still alive.<br />

early, they naturally He replied<br />

attend the<br />

very emphatically<br />

inside<br />

parental approval.<br />

in<br />

theatre.<br />

the affirmative, stating that he Runnerup prizes include a Webcor recorder<br />

had given depositions over an eight-month valued at $199.50; a Webcor phonograph: and<br />

period. He said the case definitely would 17 prizes consisting of a record album plus<br />

go to trial, but he didn't know when.<br />

a pair of ducats to any UDT house.<br />

Buena Vista Conventions<br />

Set for August 26 Week<br />

NEW YORK—Buena Vista will hold its<br />

second national sales convention, combined<br />

with its first international sales convention,<br />

the week of August 26 at the Burbank studio<br />

of Walt Disney, according to Leo F. Samuels,<br />

general sales manager.<br />

Attending delegates will discuss activities<br />

in their individual districts and give a collective<br />

survey of the national situation. There<br />

will be screenings of "Perri," fii-st Ti-ue-Life<br />

Fantasy, and "Old Yeller." starring Dorothy<br />

McGuire and Fess Parker; rushes of "The<br />

Light in the Forest," starring James Mc-<br />

Arthur; sequences from "Sleeping Beauty."<br />

all-cartoon feature, and special short subjects.<br />

London Variety Sponsors<br />

'Prince and Showgirl'<br />

NEW YORK— -Tlie Piince and the Showgirl"<br />

will open in London June 25 at the<br />

Warner Theatre. It will be a "Sit With the<br />

Stars" benefit sponsored by the Variety Club<br />

of Great Britain and Warner Bros, for the<br />

Actors' Orphanage and the Variety Club<br />

Heart Fund for Under-Pi-ivileged ChUdren.<br />

The stars will be seated throughout the theatre<br />

instead of being concentrated in the<br />

circle.<br />

Microwave Stock Offering<br />

NEW YORK—Microwave A.sso.:ites, Inc.,<br />

in which American Broadcasting-Paramount<br />

Theatres has a one-third stock interest, has<br />

notified the Securities and Exchange Commission<br />

of a proposed public offering of 50,-<br />

000 shares of common stock. It would be used<br />

to reduce debts and loans and for working<br />

capital.<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957


So,<br />

OU %!<br />

%,<br />

fn,<br />

ed.<br />

«l fo,<br />

X J<br />

There's only one<br />

Marilyn Monroe but there<br />

isn't one Marilyn tAonroe picture<br />

that teases and tickles like<br />

Mi^v'ily'^ MOn^pe<br />

."^uri^PkCe Olivier<br />

'lin^iyilfSI 1 1*^1<br />

TECHMCOLOR®<br />

with SYBIL THORNDIKE Screen Play by TERENCE RA TTIGAN Produced and Directed by LAURENCE OLIVIER Executive Producer MIL TON H GREENE<br />

A FILM BY MARIL YN MONROE PRODUCTIONS. INC. and L. O P. L TD. presented by WARNER BROS.


Her biggest picture<br />

is now at the nation's<br />

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WARNER BROS:<br />

WORLD PREMIERE<br />

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MUSIC HALL


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WRITE TODAY TO SUPURDISPLAY 1324 West Wisconsin Avenue • Miiwaul


June<br />

A NEW ERA FOR EXHIBITORS<br />

SEEN WITH CABLE THEATRE<br />

Will Increase Audiences.<br />

Milton Shapp Tells<br />

Virginia Ass'n<br />

(More fonvention News on Page 23)<br />

OLD POINT COMFORT. VA.—The Jerrold<br />

cable theatre, when stripped of its<br />

electronic complexity, "is just another step<br />

in the exhibitor's 'battle of bulge'—his<br />

continuous effort to push out the bulging<br />

walls of his theatre to encompass ever<br />

larger audiences at one film showing."<br />

Milton J. Shapp. president of the Jerrold<br />

Electronics Corp., told some 250 exhibitors<br />

and guests at the annual Virginia Motion<br />

Picture Theatre Ass'n convention here this<br />

week.<br />

EXPL.\INS BARTLESVILLE TEST<br />

Shapp, speaking at the Wednesday (12<br />

morning session, explained the Bartlesville,<br />

Okla., test installation of cable theatre, and<br />

added:<br />

"If this cable theatre installation . . .<br />

proves financially as successful as every preliminary<br />

study indicates, then I can assure<br />

you that cable theatre will open a new era of<br />

motion picture exhibition to the theatre<br />

owner of America. For it will weld together<br />

the showmanship, exhibition talent and<br />

business experience of the motion picture<br />

industry with the technological magic of coaxial<br />

cable television distribution. And in<br />

the center of this great development, in the<br />

hub of every cable theatre in the country,<br />

will stand the motion picture exhibitor."<br />

Shapp pointed to the fact that the nickelodeon<br />

gave way to the large entertainment<br />

emporium on Times Square. Then, with the<br />

di-ive-in, he said, three walls came tumbling<br />

down, but the one remaining wall—the<br />

screen—still acts as an effective limit to<br />

the theatre size. Now. he said, cable theatre<br />

extends the theatre walls to encompass an<br />

entire city.<br />

He said that the motion picture exhibitor<br />

of today is caught in the economic backlash<br />

of the television industry. "This gigantic<br />

entertainment medium which devours audience<br />

and product with a rapacious appetite<br />

is squeezing the motion picture exhibitor in<br />

an economic pincer. For television is deftly<br />

strangling the two economic lifelines of motion<br />

picture exhibition— the flow of audience<br />

into the theatre and the flow of product into<br />

the projection booth.<br />

PREDICTS DRIVE-IN RECORDS<br />

Shapp predicted that the cable theatre will<br />

quickly repeat the record of drive-ins and<br />

draw new audiences to motion picture entertainment.<br />

"This audience is the 'stay at home,'" he<br />

said, 'who is imprisoned within his home<br />

either by habit or by family responsibilities.<br />

He is the suburbanite with a young family.<br />

He is the parent who cannot cram the youngsters<br />

into the four-wheeled living room and<br />

transport them to the nearest drive-in. or<br />

the parent who cannot afford separate admission<br />

for each member of the family at<br />

N. y. Theatres May Have<br />

Won Fight Against Tax<br />

NEW YORK—Local exhibitors may have<br />

won their campaign for the abolition of the<br />

city's 5 per cent amusement tax. A factfinding<br />

committee appointed by Mayor Wagner<br />

in February reported Thursday (13 1 that<br />

the New York theatre business is in a "precarious<br />

economic condition" and needs "every<br />

possible assistance."<br />

The 20-page report found the tax a substantial<br />

burden. It noted that the theatres<br />

already pay federal admission taxes, city<br />

sales and real estate taxes and municipal license<br />

fees. It made no specific recommendations.<br />

When the mayor appointed the committee,<br />

he said it would report only on the<br />

facts.<br />

The committee found that the exhibition<br />

industry here is "sick." It said it cannot increase<br />

its market because of the competition<br />

of television, free admissions to TV theatres<br />

the downtown theatre. He is the chap who<br />

just doesn't want to go to all the trouble of<br />

going out to the movies.' "<br />

"This is your lost audience." he continued.<br />

•This is the audience which cable theatre<br />

promises to recapture. In addition, cable<br />

theatre we believe, will draw a new audience<br />

to the traditional four-wall theatre. For<br />

cable theatre will introduce to the American<br />

living room the suave, stylish and sophisticated<br />

Hollywood which has become a part of<br />

American folklore, an image which has been<br />

Syd Gates Is Elected<br />

President of VMPTA<br />

Old Point ( omfort. Va.— Syd Gates of<br />

Norfolk was elected president of the Virginia<br />

Motion Picture Theatre Ass'n at<br />

its annual convention here this week.<br />

Gates, who will sen-e for a two-year term,<br />

succeeds Seymour Hoffman, who was<br />

given an engraved silver tray at the closing<br />

banquet.<br />

Other officers elected were R, G. Flonary of<br />

Richland; Morton Thaihimer jr., Richmond, and<br />

F. M. Westfoll, Martinsville, vice-presidents; Roy<br />

Richardson, Suffolk, secretary; William Doike jr.,<br />

Woodstock, treosurer; Robert Borton jr., Richmond,<br />

counsel; Carlton Duffis, Richmond, execu-<br />

Dircctors elected for the coming yeor ore<br />

past presidents Morton G. Tholhimer, Sidney L.<br />

Bowden, Leonord Gordon and Seymour Hoffmon.<br />

Directors elected by districts are: first congressional<br />

district, Jerome Gordon and William Josper,<br />

second, Sidney Gates ond Jeff Hofheimer;<br />

third, Floyd Stowls ond Ben Somma; fourth, F.<br />

M. Westfoll and W. H. Hester; sixth, W. W.<br />

Grist jr. and Jock Ramsey; seventh, William<br />

Daike pr. ond Denver Aleshire; eighth, D. H.<br />

Covington and Beniamin T. Pitts; ninth, R. G.<br />

Flonary |r. ond Howard C. Chitwood; tenth,<br />

Wade Peorson ond Fronk B. Stover. Also added<br />

to the board were Poul Roth, John Broumos and<br />

Kerry<br />

Crockett.<br />

and other kinds of amusements. Increased<br />

admission prices would be no remedy, the<br />

committee reported. It noted a reduced number<br />

of theatres and reduced payrolls.<br />

"All the evidence, " it said, "points to the<br />

need for giving the industry every possible<br />

assistance in finding a solution to its problem."<br />

City officials have estimated that the<br />

amusement tax would yield $11,000,000 in the<br />

fiscal year ending June 30. 19.58. They were<br />

doubtful if it could be exempted in favor of<br />

the theatres while continued on other amusement<br />

enterprises.<br />

The report stated that the number of picture<br />

theatres decreased from 191 in Manhattan<br />

in 1946 to 151 as of April 1 last, from<br />

204 to 142 in Brooklyn, from 82 to 71 in the<br />

Bronx, from 94 to 76 in Queens and from 15<br />

to eight in Richmond.<br />

the best salesman for<br />

the motion picture industry."<br />

Registered at the convention:<br />

VIRGINIA<br />

WOODSTOCK—William DaIke ir.<br />

RICHLAND— R, G. Flonary |r.<br />

RICHMOND—Seymour Hoffman, Ben Somma, Morton<br />

Tholhimer |r.. Doniel Komsky, Victor Zinder,<br />

Floyd Stowls, Robert Borton, Paul Mezzy<br />

NEWPORT NEWS—William Josper, Julian Gordon,<br />

Leonard Gordon, Bryant Dobson, Jesse Lee Hyott,<br />

Herbert Morewitz, Dove Gorvin, Johnny Bofemon<br />

FAIRFAX— Jack Foussett, Bob Hunnell<br />

ASHLAND— D. H. Covington<br />

CLARKSVILLE—Oliver Chondler jr.<br />

FRANKLIN—Hal Lyon<br />

ARLINGTON—^Wode Pearson<br />

CULPEPPER—T, I, Martin<br />

LEXINGTON—Charles Goodnight<br />

COVINGTON—Jock Rumsey<br />

NORFOLK— Earle Westbrooke, E. J. Hutcheson, Syd<br />

Gates, W. T. Marshall, Lee Hofheimer, Jeff Hofheimer,<br />

Jim Barham, Sidney Bowden, G. P. Stogie<br />

FREDERICKSBURG—^Horry Rath, Paul Roth<br />

SUFFOLK—Roy A. Richardson<br />

PETERSBURG—Albert Bernstein<br />

LURAY—D. F. Aleshire sr., D. F. Aleshire |r., A. E<br />

Bradley<br />

VIRGINIA BEACH— J. K. Crockett<br />

FRIES—W H. Hester<br />

LYNCHBURG— Z. Austin, Willis Grist<br />

LOVINGSTON— J. H McClellan<br />

SOUTH NORFOLK— B. A. Hoyes<br />

WAYNESBORO—Ellison Loth<br />

MARTINSVILLE— F. M. Westfoll<br />

WASHINGTON, D, C.—Jennings Rondolph, Joseph<br />

Wolsh, Alvin Johnson, Mortin Coopersmith, Sid<br />

Zins, Phil Ershler, Joke Flax, T. N. Mudd, Julian<br />

Brylowski, Fronk Cules, Arthur McConn, Francis<br />

Storty, Horry Vogelstein, Rolph Binns, Don Cole,<br />

Ben Backe, William Michaleson, Jerry SorxJy, Ben<br />

Coplon, Miles Simons, Horry Balintine, Erwin Lust,<br />

John Rose, Fritz Goldschmidt, Elmer McKinley,<br />

Tom Monnix, Herb Gillis, Herb Bennin, Iro Sickelman,<br />

Abe Dickstein<br />

CHARLOTTE, N. C.—Ernest Stellings<br />

PHILADELPHIA, PA.—Milton Shopp<br />

VANDERGRIFT, PA.—Clyde Voughomon<br />

GREENSBORO, N. C—J. W. Markmon, Lawsor,<br />

Ronkin<br />

CHEVY CHASE, MD.—John C. Broumos, W. C. He'<br />

NEW YORK, N. Y.—George Roscoe, Fronk Dout<br />

Herb Bornett<br />

ATLANTA, GA.— Philip H. Freeman, H. M. Rutled.i<br />

BALTIMORE, MD.—Jim Bullington, Victor DoCesort<br />

Simpson Pike, L. P. Sieber, Don Atkinson<br />

TOWNSON, MD.—Mildred Wolsh<br />

WAYNE, PA.—M. M. Coffey<br />

BOSTON, MASS.—Joe Gins<br />

BOXOFFICE<br />

:<br />

15. 1957


y<br />

The D-l' and 'Wayward Bus Start<br />

Off Strong; 'O.K. Corral' Holds Up<br />

Moyfoir- The Girl in the Kremlin (U-l);<br />

Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm (U-<br />

New— Desk Set (20th-Fox), 2nd wk..<br />

Playhouse 12 Angry Men !UA), 8th w<br />

Stanley Gunfight at the O.K. Corral<br />

2nd wk<br />

Town— The Little Hut (MGM), 3rd wk..<br />

Weekend Weather<br />

"Ideal'<br />

Knocks Buffalo First Runs<br />

BUFFALO—The fij-st ideal Sunday of the<br />

summer hit town last week and the w'eekend<br />

business was off all around. "The Wayward<br />

Buffalo The Woyword Bus (20th-Fox) 90<br />

Center Desk Set (20th-F«ix) 95<br />

Century Around the World 80 Days 90<br />

in (UA)..<br />

Cinema—The King and I (20th-Fox), return<br />

engagement, 3rd wk 85<br />

Lafayette Joe Butterfly (U-l) 85<br />

Paramount—Gunfight at the O.K. Corrol (Para)<br />

2nd wk 90<br />

HOIDOVER STILL DIt.WVS— ( rowds ii>iUiiiued to be attracted to the Sutton<br />

Theatre in New York for the second weeks showing of "The Third Key," the Scotland<br />

Yard drama starring Jack Hawkins. The film is a Michael Balcon-Ealing<br />

Studios production for the Rank Organization.<br />

Pittsburgh Grosses Sag;<br />

"Gunfight' Scores 110<br />

PITTSBURGH—Leading grosser of the<br />

week was the Penn Theatre's "Gunfight at<br />

the O.K. Corral."<br />

Fulton—Desk Set (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 50<br />

Horns—The Woyword Bus (20th-Fox) 65<br />

Penn Gunfight at the O. K. Corral (Paro) . . . . 1 1<br />

Stanlev A Face in the Crowd (WB) 70<br />

NEW YORK—Two new Broadway first<br />

runs, "The D.I." and "The Wayward Bus,"<br />

had strong opening weeks at the Paramount<br />

and Victoria theatres, respectively, while<br />

"Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" held up exceptionally<br />

well in its second week at the<br />

Capitol, all of these benefiting by pleasant<br />

weather and crowds of visiting New Yorkers.<br />

"A Face in the Crowd" did comparatively<br />

better in its second week at the Globe than<br />

the opening stanza, which was slightly disappointing<br />

in the face of the opening night<br />

ballyhoo. "Designing Woman" also held up<br />

well enough in its foui'th and final week at<br />

to capacity business or almost sellout trade.<br />

"Around the World in 80 Days" was again<br />

absolute capacity in its 34th week at the<br />

Rivoli; "The Ten Commandments" was strong<br />

with one extra Saturday morning show added<br />

in its 31st week at the Criterion, and<br />

"Seven Wonders of the World" still did well<br />

in its 61st week at the Warner, with no succeeding<br />

Cinerama picture set.<br />

In the art spots, "The Third Key," second<br />

Rank picture at the Sutton, is strong, better<br />

than "Reach for the Sky." the first Rank<br />

fDm there, and "Torero" in its third week at<br />

the Pine Arts; "The Green Man," in its<br />

SPECIAL<br />

TRAILERS<br />

FILMACK<br />

lk^^W.'BTBl>l!ffWmmtf<br />

NUF"<br />

SED!_<br />

third week at the Guild; "The French They<br />

Are a Funny Race," in its third week at the<br />

Baronet, were among the other foreign-made<br />

pictures that continued to big business. Even<br />

"La Strada" continued to attract trade in<br />

its 47th week at the Trans-Lux 52nd St..<br />

where the final weeks are announced.<br />

Two important new films opened on Wednesday<br />

and Thursday (12. 13). They were<br />

"Island in the Sun" at the Roxy and "The<br />

Prince and the Showgirl" at the Radio City<br />

Music Hall. Also new were two Sophia Loren-<br />

Vittorio de Sica films from DCA, "The Miller's<br />

Beautiful Wife" and "Scandal in Sorrento."<br />

the Radio City Music Hall, where the total<br />

(Average Is 100)<br />

take was close to $600,000. and "Something of<br />

Astor Something of Value (MGM), 5th wk 120<br />

Value" did good busines.s in its fifth week at<br />

Baronet The French They Are o Funny Race<br />

(Continental), 3rd wk 125<br />

the Astor.<br />

Capitol Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (Para),<br />

Some of the other Broadway holdovers<br />

2nd wk 150<br />

Criterion The Ten Commandments (Para)<br />

were way down, especially "Joe Butterfly," 3l5t wk. of two-G-day 140<br />

which lasted only part of a second week at<br />

Fine Arts Torero (Col Int'l), 3rd wk 150<br />

5th Avenue The Naked Eye (Films Rep.), 8th wk. 125<br />

55th Street—Three Feet in a Bed (Janus), 3rd wk. 125<br />

the Mayfair, and "Desk Set," which was<br />

very mild in its fourth and final week at the<br />

Globe A Face in the Crowd (V/B), 2nd wk 140<br />

Guild The Green Mon (DCA), 3rd wk 140<br />

Little Cornegie Nona (Times), 9th wk Ro.xy. "Monkey on My Back" also dropped<br />

115<br />

to average in its second W'eek at Loew's State.<br />

Loew's State Monkey On My Bock (UA), 2nd wk. 100<br />

The three two-a-day attractions continued<br />

Mayfoir Joe Butterfly (U-l), 2nd wk 95<br />

Normandie For Whom the Bell Tolls (Para),<br />

reissue, 5th wk<br />

] 00<br />

Palace Boilout at 43,000 (UA), plus vaudeville 110<br />

150<br />

Poramount The D.I. (WB) .<br />

Pans Gold of Naples (DCA), 17th wk. 110<br />

Plaza Lust For Life (MGM), 38th wk 115<br />

Radio City Music Hall Designing Woman (MGM),<br />

plus stage show, 4th wk 120<br />

Rivoli Around the World in 80 Days (UA),<br />

34th wk. of two-a-day 200<br />

Roxy Desk Set (20th-Fox), plus Tommy Sands on<br />

stage, 4th wk no<br />

Sutton The Third 150<br />

Key (Rank), 2nd wk<br />

Trans-Lux 52nd La Strada (Irons-Lux)<br />

St.<br />

2nd wk 120<br />

Victoria The Woyword Bus (20th-Fox) 150<br />

Warner Seven Wonders of World the (SW),<br />

61 St wk. of two-a-day<br />

1 40<br />

World The Devil's General (Times), 8th wk...llO<br />

at the O.K. Corral" showed best grosses.<br />

"The Green Man" at an art house drew well.<br />

Century The Wayward Bus (20th-Fox), 2nd wk. 95<br />

Cinema The Magnificent Seven (Col), 2nd wk.. . 85<br />

Film Centre Around the World in 80 Days (UA),<br />

25th wk 130<br />

Five West—The 125<br />

Green Man (DCA)<br />

Hippodrome The Garment Jungle (Col); The<br />

Burglar (Col) 95<br />

Little Reor Window (Para); To Catch a Thief<br />

(Para), reissues 90<br />

Industry Golf Tournament<br />

Attended by 150 Players<br />

TUCKAHOE. N. Y.—Almost 150 golf players<br />

teed off in ideal weather conditions for<br />

the sixth annual Film Industry Golf Tournament,<br />

sponsored by New York's Cinema IiOdge<br />

of B'nai B'rith at the Vernon Hills Country<br />

Club Thursday il3).<br />

The number was swelled to approximately<br />

250 for the banquet, funfest and prize awarding<br />

ceremonies at the Club in the evening.<br />

More than 100 prizes donated by industry<br />

companies and individuals were distributed<br />

as door prizes at the banquet. These were<br />

in addition to the prizes for proficiency In<br />

golf.<br />

The committee for the tournament included:<br />

Marvin Kirsch, Harold Rinzler, Abe<br />

Dickstein and Joe Rosen as co-chairmen and<br />

Norman Robbins, Milt Livingston, Jack Hoffberg,<br />

Cy Seymour. Bob Shapiro, Cinema<br />

Lodge president, Burt Robbins. Alan Robbins.<br />

Charles Alicoate and Don Mersereau of BOX-<br />

OFFICE.<br />

Skouras Plans Promotion<br />

On Three Faces of Eve'<br />

NEW YORK—Details of a specialized distribution<br />

and promotion program for "The<br />

Three Faces of Eve" were outlined Wednesday<br />

1 12<br />

1 Spyros P. Skouras. president, at<br />

a home office meeting of sales, promotion<br />

and international executives. He termed it<br />

"one of the most important motion picture<br />

subjects ever turned out by the studio."<br />

Skouras said the picture, which introduces<br />

Joanne Woodward as a star, will open fu-st<br />

Holdover Grosses Slump;<br />

"World' Leads With 130<br />

in New York late in the summer and then<br />

be released<br />

BALTIMORE—Holdovers and double<br />

across the country in a<br />

features<br />

comprised most<br />

way to<br />

take full<br />

of the first run<br />

advantage of promotion<br />

fare<br />

via magazines,<br />

here. As a result, boxoffices were<br />

newspapers,<br />

only<br />

radio and television.<br />

fairly<br />

bu.sy. Of those in a second week, "Gunfight<br />

Lou Miller Dies<br />

NEW YORK—Lou Miller of Allied Artistscontract<br />

approval department dropped dead<br />

of a heart attack at the 19th hole during the<br />

industry golf tournament Thursday il3i. He<br />

had had a heart ailment for several years.<br />

Miller was with RKO contract department<br />

from 1925 to 1956. He was 64 years old.<br />

E-2 BOXOFFICE :: June 15. 1957


BROADW Ay<br />

•THE press and industi-yites were taken for<br />

a sail on the Christian Radich, one of<br />

the few square-rigged ships left in the world,<br />

on Saturday i8). She's the school ship for<br />

the Norwegian Merchant Marine and Louis<br />

de Rochemont has been shooting "Cinemiracle<br />

Adventure" aboard her. The ship<br />

left Norway last December and, after unloading<br />

the party at King's Point, .she headed<br />

back for Norway. The picture should be as<br />

thrilling as the cruise. Among those aboard<br />

were Russell Downing. Bob Rothafel. Al<br />

Steen. Mike Beck. Martin Quigley jr., Mel<br />

Konecoff and that Hoosier. Herb Shriner.<br />

" * Max Fellerman. vice-president and general<br />

manager of Lopert Films, and Mis. Fellerman<br />

flew to Europe Wednesday (12) to<br />

look over foreign product for possible exhibition<br />

in Lopert's New York and Washington<br />

theatres. They will visit England, France and<br />

Italy, returning on the Liberie on July 4.<br />

• • • Joseph R. 'Vogel. president of Loew's,<br />

Inc., is in Hollywood on his eighth trip since<br />

taking over the top spot,<br />

Leopold Friedman, president of Loew's Theatres,<br />

is on the coast taking a gander at forthcoming<br />

product. Mrs. Fi-iedman is with him<br />

• • • Bob Hope is cutting short his European<br />

stay in order to be present at the world premiere<br />

of "Beau James" at the Astor The-<br />

State, featuring (yd Charisse. star in the film, had the city of Norfolk. Va., agog.<br />

A .MONKNTOIS KVKNT—."MCIM'S wiirkl premiere of "Silk Stoikines" at Loew's<br />

atre June 26. * * " Joseph Hazen, paitner of There was a concentration of naval craft there and full use of it for publicity purposes<br />

was made by. top, left to right: Tom Baldridge, mid-Atlantic press repre-<br />

Hal Wallis, is on the coast for product conferences,<br />

* • * Win Barron, who used to do sentative; Milton Kaufman, manager of the State; Orville Crouch, division zone<br />

the narration for the Canadian edition of manager, and Emery Austin, exploitation head. Below: the decorated theatre and<br />

Paramount News, used to come to New 'Vork street is shown.<br />

every Monday from Toronto for the chore,<br />

so his arrivals and departures weren't news.<br />

Pictures International, is on an extended featured role in "'Sabrina Fair," al the North<br />

But he was in town this week for the first<br />

business trip to London, Paris and Rome. * '<br />

time since the newsreel was suspended. Win<br />

Jersey Playhouse, Fort Lee, N. J., early in<br />

Rudolf Bach has been appointed DCA sales June. * * * Sal Mineo, star of Allied Artists'<br />

is ad-publicity director for Paramount in<br />

representative in the Albany and Buffalo "Dino," is confined to his Bronx home for<br />

Canada. * * *<br />

James E. Perkins, executive<br />

territories.<br />

veepee of Paramount International, returned<br />

George ' Roth, vice-president the next few weeks while undergoing treatment<br />

for an eye infection. ' * * Burgess Mere-<br />

'<br />

of Ti-ans-Lux Distributing Corp.. will be<br />

Friday from London. ^ - * Another arrival<br />

spending next week in Dallas, New Orleans, dith, who plays the title role in Universal's<br />

from Europe was Howard Dietz. vice-president<br />

of Loew's. who has been vacationing<br />

Cleveland and Pittsburgh. " * Charles J. "Joe Butterfly," made completely in Japan.<br />

Feldman, vice-president and general sales went to Washington and Newport News to<br />

abroad. * • ' Ditto Thomas O'Neil and Walter<br />

manager of Universal Pictures, is due back participate in the openings there and addressed<br />

the Japan Society in New York on<br />

Branson of RKO.<br />

in New York next week from a six-week tour<br />

of the Orient.<br />

the making of pictures in that country.<br />

Arthur DeBra of the Motion Picture Ass'n<br />

of America went to St. Francis Hospital.<br />

Jean Seberg. star of "Saint Joan" and Otto Cyd Charisse, star of MGM's "Silk Stockings,"<br />

returned to the coast Wednesday <br />

Poughkeepsie, N. Y., for a checkup and a<br />

Preminger. producer-director of the United<br />

series of tests this week. He recently resigned<br />

Artists film, arrived June 12. Miss Seberg after attending the world premiere al Loew's<br />

as director of the MPAA's community relations<br />

department and now is a consultant.<br />

planing in from Los Angeles and Preminger State, Norfolk. * * ' Eva Marie Saint, star<br />

flying in from Paris. » * * Gene Kelly, star of "A Hatful of Rain" for 20th-Fox, headed<br />

Taylor Mills of the MPAA public relations<br />

of MGM's "The Happy Road," arrived from back for the coast June 7. * * * Erin O'Brien,<br />

division also was on the sick list this week.<br />

the coast the same day for activities in connection<br />

with the benefit opening at the Plaza Hollywood to prepare for her second lead<br />

recently signed by Warner Bros., went to<br />

• * • Max Herschmann, eastern sales manager<br />

of Filniack Trailer Co.. is recuperating at his<br />

Theatre June 20. Also from MGM, Inger in "Marjorie Morningstar, " to be produced by<br />

Long Island home after undergoing surgery<br />

Stevens, who plays opposite Bing Crosby in MUton Sperling. ' ' ' David Wayne, who just<br />

at St. Joseph's Hospital. Par Rockaway. N. Y. "Man on Fire," came in from the coast for completed "Sad Sack," starring Jerry Lewis,<br />

* ' Munio Podhorzer. president of United interviews to promote the film.<br />

German Film planed to New York and sailed for Europe on<br />

Enterprises, is off for a sixweek<br />

European trip to acquire new German for United Artists, returned from Rome June MGM cameraman, was also abroad.<br />

Dauphin, starred in "The Quiet American" the Liberie June 11. Joseph Ruttenberg.<br />

pictures for release in the U. S. next<br />

mi<br />

year. 13 after completing the final shooting. • * •<br />

• * • Charles Boasberg. sales head for "The Nunnally Johnson, writer-producer-director Ray Milland and his wife arrived from England<br />

and proceeded on to Hollywood. ' ' '<br />

Ten Commandments." back from Dallas. ' • * for 20th-Fox. returned from abroad on the<br />

Two extra showings of "Seven Wonders of Liberie June 10. Julie Harris, stage-screen Edwin Zabel, president of Bel-Air Pioductions,<br />

and Herbert Baerwitz, legal counsel for<br />

the World" have been slated for the Warner actress, and her stage producer husband<br />

Theatre on July 4. • ' * Halsey Raines of Manning Gurian returned from London on the company, came in from Europe. * ' *<br />

MGM's publicity department, hais returned the America.<br />

Producer-director Stanley Kramer is in town<br />

from a vacation down south.<br />

to promote his "The Pi-ide and the Passion."<br />

• * •<br />

Carlelon Carpenter, former MGM star, who Seymour Krawitz off to Venezuela to<br />

Wynn Loewenthal, formerly with RKO was featured in "Hotel Paradiso," starring supervise the premiere of "Around the World<br />

Radio Pictures and the Film Daily, has joined Bert Lahr. has been upped to starring status in 80 Days" in Caracas. • ' * Norton Ritchey,<br />

the publicity staff of Warner Bros. Pictures. with Angela Lansbury and John Emery. • • * president of Allied Artists International, is in<br />

• ° • Bernard Zeeman. treasurer of Columbia Marjorie Gateson, film and TV player, had a London and will cover the Continent later.<br />

June 15, 1957


. . The<br />

. .<br />

. .<br />

ALBANY<br />

lyjorris Klein postponed the opening of his<br />

Jericho Road Drive-In at Bethlehem.<br />

south of Albany, from Thursday il3i to Friday<br />

(14). "Battle Hymn" headlined the opening<br />

bill. The automobiler, recently completed,<br />

accommodates 400 and 500 cars. Its availability<br />

is the same as that of neighboring airers,<br />

according to Pilmrow. Morris' younger<br />

brother, Raphael, and his mother, Frieda,<br />

are associated with him in the venture. The<br />

Kleins also operate ozoners in Castleton,<br />

Hud.son and Hunter.<br />

Guests at a sneak preview of "This Could<br />

Be the Night" at the Palace included a number<br />

who had received invitation cards through<br />

Forrest Willis and WOKO. Willis had<br />

plugged the special MGM screening on his<br />

morning show for two weeks. It was reported<br />

200 passes were awarded in this promotion.<br />

The comedy starring Jean Simmons and Paul<br />

Douglas drew a steady stream of laughs from<br />

a fairly good-sized evening audience. Eddie<br />

Susse, MGM resident manager, arranged the<br />

preview with Elias Schlenger, Fabian division<br />

manager, and Bill With, Palace chief.<br />

Schlenger attended. "Designing Woman" was<br />

the regular feature.<br />

"The Ten Commandments" will play a<br />

summer engagement of two weeks minimum<br />

at Walter Reade jr.'s Congress in Saratoga.<br />

It will open a four-week run at Fabian's<br />

Plaza, Schenectady, in July June<br />

meeting of Local F-43, comprising office<br />

workers in local exchanges, was a dinnerparty<br />

at Larkin's, attended by 26 members.<br />

Nancy Di Sorrento of Warners was arrangements<br />

chairman. Monthly se.ssions of the<br />

union will be resumed in the fall<br />

Mrs. Charlotte Lansing, Warner assistant<br />

cashier, will take a September vacation in<br />

Florida.<br />

Active and successful in the art theatre<br />

field of Rochester and Buffalo is Morri.s<br />

Slotnick, nephew of Sam Slotnick, operator<br />

of indoor and outdoor theatres in the Syracuse<br />

area and lessee of the Lyric in Waterford.<br />

"Morry" is also a nephew of Morris<br />

Slotnick, formerly active as a theatreman<br />

around Utica. The younger Slotnick, associated<br />

with Cinema Theatres in Rochester<br />

and Buffalo, volunteered to run the Webster,<br />

Rochester, for Max Fogel, after the latter<br />

suffered a heart attack last January. He<br />

did so until Fogel recovered. Scheduled as<br />

a witness on behalf of Fogel in the trial<br />

before U.S. District Court Judge James T.<br />

Foley here of the Webster Rosewood Corp.<br />

antitrust suit against Schine Theatres, Slotnick<br />

ran into a plane delay at Syracuse.<br />

When he arrived at the Federal Building, the<br />

case had just been closed. However, by<br />

stipulation, Francis T. Anderson, attorney for<br />

plaintiff, entered into the record testimony<br />

which Slotnick would have given. James<br />

O. Moore jr., counsel for the Schine defendants,<br />

agreed to this,<br />

"Poppo," the television clown, advertised as<br />

an added feature at the recent premiere of<br />

a new playground at Alan Iselin's Auto-<br />

Vision, East Greenbush, is Marty Ross, local<br />

video-i-adio personality and brother of Herb<br />

Schwartz, Columbia manager. The Knickerbocker<br />

News printed a picture of the bearded,<br />

baggy-pants clown, with several of the attending<br />

children. Supervisor George Moore<br />

of East Greenbush and Iselin. A playground<br />

safety sign was conspicuous in the photograph.<br />

Ross has done the clown regularly on<br />

a WCDA-TV program but had never made<br />

such an appearance at a drive-in. He had<br />

"played" supermarkets. Iselin's young daughter<br />

was among those suggesting the engagement<br />

of "Poppo," who worked among the<br />

kids at the Auto-Vision. A mechanical<br />

merry-go-round is one of the playground's<br />

highlights, according to word on Filmrow.<br />

Sid Kulick of Bell Film Exchange arrived<br />

from New York to call on local accounts.<br />

He was selling "Angels of Darkness," starring<br />

Linda Darnell, and Moderne advertising<br />

shorts. Kulick planned to attend the annual<br />

B'nai B'rith golf tournament and dinner in<br />

New York, then return here for Variety's<br />

yearly tournament and dinner at Shaker<br />

Ridge Country Club June 24<br />

Antoinette, projectionist at the Stanley<br />

Warner Strand, and Al Antoinette, boothman<br />

at Fabian's Palace, received condolences on<br />

the death of their mother. Al Antoinette is<br />

an officer of the operators union.<br />

The James E. Strates Shows opened a 12-<br />

day engagement on the Albany-Troy road<br />

circus grounds (just below the Watervliet city<br />

line I. The 50-car carnival usually draws big<br />

business on its local stand and adversely affects<br />

theatre patronage. It features children's<br />

matinees Wednesday and Saturday .<br />

Stephen Weitman. younger brother of U-I<br />

Manager Norman Weitman, was graduated<br />

from Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass.,<br />

June 9. He wiU enter the New York University<br />

School of Dentistry in the fall. Stephen,<br />

who visited here several months ago,<br />

will pass the summer in a lifeguard's role at<br />

Grossinger's in the Catskills. Attending the<br />

graduation exercises were his mother and<br />

father, brother, and other relatives.<br />

A second former RKO employe has joined<br />

the staff of a going exchange. Zygmund<br />

Chmielewski is now assistant to head shipper<br />

Jim Tunney at U-I. Chmielewski served<br />

with Clark Film Service for a time. U-I's<br />

print load required an assistant shipper, accordiiig<br />

to Manager Norman Weitman.<br />

Kallet's Shopping Center Theatre at De<br />

Witt did fine business with "Around the<br />

World in 80 Days," according to a report<br />

from the Oneida headquarters of the circuit.<br />

"Ma and Pa Kettle" proved a good grosser<br />

for Kallet situations in Deposit, Port Henry,<br />

Ticonderoga and Canastota . . . Vacationers<br />

included: Harry Aranove, Warner booker,<br />

who flew with his wife to Miami: Tony Lombardo,<br />

U-I booker, who trekked to Atlantic<br />

City. U-I staffers leaving in mid-July for<br />

two-week aways will be: Ethel Anameier,<br />

manager's secretary: Mrs. Ruth Winkowski.<br />

switchboard operator: Jim Tunney, head<br />

shipper.<br />

Max Westebbe, former RKO manager, visited<br />

Filmrow. He filled a special assignment<br />

at the Smalley Theatre offices in Cooperstown<br />

after the RKO exchange was closed.<br />

Westebbe had long experience in the foreign<br />

field—including one stretch as RKO manager<br />

in the Netherlands and Belgium and<br />

another in the Philippines before coming to<br />

Albany more than a dozen years ago. He<br />

underwent bombing by the Nazis at Rotterdam<br />

during World War II. Westebbe does<br />

not care to return to the foreign end of<br />

industry<br />

operations.<br />

Minimum Wage Rales<br />

In N.Y. to Be Studied<br />

ALBANY—Minimum wage rates for ushers,<br />

cashiers, porters, cleaners, matrons, doormen<br />

and ticket-takers in motion picture theatres<br />

of New York state will be studied by<br />

a minimum wage board which Industrial<br />

Commissioner Isador Lubin expects to name<br />

soon. The present "floors" for these categories<br />

were fixed by an order which took effect<br />

April 21, 1951.<br />

The State Labor Department has for some<br />

months been re-examining, via wage boards,<br />

the minimums in fields for which rates are<br />

fixed. The amusement and recreation industry<br />

is next on the slate for consideration.<br />

The amusement and recreation industry<br />

board, when appointed, will meet with Commissioner<br />

Lubin and will chart a course of<br />

study.<br />

The recommendations of the board will<br />

be taken under advisement by Commissioner<br />

Lubin, who will make the final decision and<br />

set an effective date for any new order.<br />

The current rates are: ushers, 55 cents an<br />

hour in New York City, plus Nassau and<br />

Westchester Counties, and 50 cents elsewhere<br />

in the state: cashiers, matrons, cleaners<br />

and porters, 75 cents in communities of<br />

more than 50,000 population, 70 cents, from<br />

10,000 to 50,000. and 65 cents, under 10,000;<br />

doormen and ticket-takers, 70, 65 and 60<br />

cents, respectively.<br />

For all other types of employment in amusement-recreation,<br />

the minimum scale is fixed<br />

at 75 cents an hour.<br />

A bill introduced by Senator Nathaniel T.<br />

Helman, Bronx Democrat, at the last session<br />

of the legislature, would have required<br />

the industrial commissioner to establish a<br />

minimum wage order requiring the payment<br />

to motion picture theatre employes of 75 cents<br />

an hour for ushers and usherettes, 85 cents<br />

for doormen, and 95 cents for cashiers. It<br />

was not reported from the labor committee.<br />

Paper Will Support<br />

Camp Thacher Drive<br />

ALBANY—The Times-Union, in a Sunday<br />

story under a four-column caption that it<br />

"Joins Variety in 'Save Camp Thacher'<br />

Drive," promised that it would publish the<br />

name of "every individual or organization<br />

making a contribution to the campaign."<br />

The Hearst paper explained that it was<br />

joining the Variety Club in the special di'ive<br />

because of a conviction that "Albany's underprivileged<br />

boys become better citizens as the<br />

result of supervised activities at a summer<br />

camp." Goal of the effort, chairmanned by<br />

Jules Perlmutter, is $12,000.<br />

Contributions to the Camp Thacher fund<br />

may be sent in care of the Times-Union,<br />

Chief Barker Al Kellert had stated Tent<br />

9's annual Denial Week, which normally produces<br />

sufficient money to finance two-week<br />

free vacations for approximately 300 needy<br />

boys, had fallen "far short" of the $15,000<br />

objective "because of numerous other area<br />

fund drives at the same time." Kellert<br />

pledged that "regardless" Camp Thacher will<br />

be opened July 1.<br />

In the last 15 years, the Variety Club, the<br />

Times-Union reported, had raised more than<br />

$155,000 to provide free camping for some<br />

3,600 boys.<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957


. . Frank<br />

. . Jack<br />

. . James<br />

. . The<br />

. Gloria<br />

. . Buffalo<br />

. .<br />

. . Randall<br />

. , The<br />

. . Elmer<br />

Marilyn Monroe Attends<br />

'Showgirl' Benefit<br />

NEW YORK—Marilyn Monroe, star of<br />

"The Prince and the Showgirl," and Mayor<br />

Robert F. Wagner, headed the celebrities<br />

Marilyn Monroe and Jack L. Warner,<br />

in New Yorli attend the benefit world<br />

premiere of "The Prince and the Showgirl,"<br />

in which Miss Monroe stars with<br />

Laurence Olivier, for the Free Milk Fund<br />

for Babies. Inc, at Radio City Music Hall<br />

Thursday (13).<br />

who attended the special 9 p.m. performance<br />

of the Warner Bros, release at the Radio<br />

City Music Hall Thur.sday (13 > for the benefit<br />

of the Free Milk Fund for Babies. Inc.<br />

Following the performance, the benefit<br />

ticket-holders attended a champagne supperdance<br />

in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-<br />

Astoria Hotel, which had Emil Coleman and<br />

his orchestra supplying the music. Tickets<br />

were priced at $50 each.<br />

Other notables on hand included:<br />

Gene Kelly, Momie Van Doren, John Raitt, Ava<br />

Gardner and Andy Griffith with such Broadway stars<br />

OS Rosalind Russell, Ethel Merman, Fredric March,<br />

Rex Harrison, Walter Pidgeon, Beotrice Lillie, Bert<br />

Lohr and Judy Holliday attending the supper-dance<br />

offer their stoge performances.<br />

Others present included:<br />

Hon. Winthrop W, Aldrich, Vincent Astor, Bernard<br />

M. Boruch, Mrs. Irving Berlin, Sherman Billingsley.<br />

Bob Considine, Countess Irene Cittodini,<br />

Duchess de Talleyrand, Morton Downey, Hope Hampton,<br />

Jomes A. Farley, Bernard F, Gimbel, Mrs. Clarence<br />

Mackay, Perle Mesta, Gilbert Miller, John<br />

Ringling North, Baroness Rothschild, Leonora Warned,<br />

Mrs. Cornelius Vonderbllt Whitney, Mrs. Clork<br />

Willioms ond Robert Young.<br />

Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, founder and president<br />

of the Milk Fund, was choirman of the benefit<br />

ond Mrs. Robert F. Wagner was honorary chairman.<br />

Serving os co-chairmen were: Mrs. Jack L. Worner,<br />

Mrs. Edgor Leonard, Mrs. Ralph K. Robertson,<br />

C. Breed, Ma<br />

TV and radio facilities which covered the<br />

benefit and the champagne supper-dance<br />

afterward included: NBC-TV, CBS-TV, Voice<br />

of America, Monitor, NBC, and Tex and Jinx,<br />

NBC, as well as 100 independent stations.<br />

Rites for Ben Wirth<br />

BUFFALO<br />

prank Lindoamp, manager of the RKO Palace<br />

in Rochester, has discovered anew<br />

the relationships between entertainment<br />

prices and the clothes that people wear.<br />

"The Ten Commandments." current at the<br />

Palace, is an advance price film, and the old<br />

customers are showing up with a new look.<br />

One of them explained to him: "If we're going<br />

to pay these stylish prices, we might as<br />

well look stylish" . S. Savage. 66,<br />

of Palm Beach Shores, Fla., former manager<br />

of the Buffalo Universal Pictures branch<br />

back in 1919, died in Florida. Savage was<br />

born in Detroit and moved to Buffalo with<br />

his parents at the age of three. He established<br />

the old Como theatre on South Park<br />

avenue in 1907. Later the Como was converted<br />

into a bowling alley, then a tavern<br />

night club. Later Savage opened the Abbott<br />

At one time he owned four Buffalo<br />

theatre.<br />

theatres. Savage was appointed Buffalo<br />

manager for Universal in 1919 and nine years<br />

later took over the management of the<br />

Buffalo and Albany offices for Columbia.<br />

is Surviving his wife Gertrude of Palm<br />

Beach<br />

Shores.<br />

Mrs. Thelma Willo.\, former secretary to<br />

Jack Chinell when the latter was manager<br />

at RKO. is now a booker's .secretary at the<br />

Buffalo U-I branch Green of<br />

.<br />

Brantford. Ont., Canada, is a new contract<br />

clerk at U-I . Kelly. U-I office manager,<br />

has been passing out stogies because<br />

of the arrival of a baby boy, named Darrow<br />

Kelly . Neumister, shipper at U-I<br />

is anticipating and his wife is expecting .<br />

Ike Ehrlichman, U-I manager, had his .son<br />

on a fishing expedition at Indian Falls last<br />

weekend and gave the younger Ehrlichman<br />

some important fisherman rules, such as always<br />

carrying an "elastic ruler" . . . Carole<br />

Michaels. 19-year-old honey blonde of Washington.<br />

New York and U-I Pictures and a<br />

Maryland University student, was in Buffalo<br />

the other day to do some tub-thumping for<br />

"Joe Butterfly," carrent at Basil's Lafayette.<br />

According to the Basil circuit and ad-pub<br />

chief Bill Brereton, Carole is the most charming<br />

saleswoman of many a movie moon.<br />

Elmer Lux, past chief barker of Variety<br />

Tent 7, and Marvin Jacobs, chairman of the<br />

Tent 7 heart committee, are among the Industryites<br />

who will attend the annual Ad<br />

Club cruise this year at Scaroon Manor on<br />

Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks June 19-23.<br />

Murray Whiteman, past chief barker of<br />

Variety, has recovered sufficiently that his<br />

doctor has advised him to take a trip to<br />

Florida for complete recuperation. He left<br />

for the sunny southland last Monday. Whiteman<br />

recently underwent a checkup in Millard<br />

Fillmore Hospital . Kallet Shoppingtown<br />

Theatre in Dewitt, N. Y., where "Around<br />

the World in 80 Days" is the current attrac-<br />

tion, is advertising "parking for 5,000<br />

NEW YORK—Funeral .services were held<br />

something pretty nice to offer patrons.<br />

cars,"<br />

The<br />

Thursday il3i for Ben Wirth, 52, head of the<br />

big space is made possible becau.se the theatre<br />

part of the huge Shoppingtown Plaza.<br />

Stanley Warner Corp real estate department,<br />

is<br />

who died two days before at his home after<br />

a long illness. He was in the real estate "Picnic" and "The Eddy Duchin Story"<br />

department for 27 years, first with Warner<br />

Bros. He leaves his wife Ruth, son Howard,<br />

was the double bill at three drive-ins. Lakeshore,<br />

DeWitt and North, near Syracuse the<br />

daughter-in-law Diane, two grandchildren other night. The films were advertised as<br />

and two brothers and two sisters.<br />

Award winning pictures Theatre<br />

Equipment & Seating supplied the following<br />

Trevor Bardette is a member of the equipment for the Super 50 Drive-In at Balston<br />

featured cast of Columbia's "The Hard Man."<br />

Lake. N. Y., according to Carl E. Bell.<br />

manager of the company's office; Ashcraft<br />

Super Cinex lamps, Ballantyne MX-2 dual<br />

channel sound and Dub'l Cone speakers,<br />

Century water-cooled projectors with cui-ved<br />

gates and Bausch & Lomb lenses.<br />

Three oldtime pictures were shown last<br />

weekend in the Dryden Theatre in George<br />

Eastman House in Rochester. They were<br />

"Jezebel." .starring Bette Davis; "A Fool<br />

There Was," with Theda Bara, and "Fric<br />

Frac," a Fi-ench film with English titles and<br />

starring Michel Simon and Arletty, with Fernandel<br />

C. Satterwhite jr, has<br />

been appointed .superintendent of the paper<br />

sensitizing division at Kodak Park Works of<br />

Eastman Kodak, Ivar N. Hultman, Eastman<br />

vice-president and plant general manager<br />

announces . F. Lux, past chief<br />

barker of Tent 7, was the principal speaker at<br />

the luncheon of the Main Street Ass'n the<br />

other day in<br />

Hotel Lafayette, which was presided<br />

over by George H. Mackenna, president<br />

of the as.sociation and general manager of<br />

Basil's Lafayette. Lux. president of the Buffalo<br />

Redevelopment Foundation, said many<br />

steps are being taken to put new life into<br />

Buffalo's downtown section.<br />

SYRACUSE<br />

To publicize the coming of "Love in the<br />

Afternoon" French actress Denise Dorin<br />

was in the city for a couple of days giving<br />

radio, TV and press interviews. The film<br />

will open July 10 at RKO Keith's, according<br />

to Sol Sorkin, manager ... "A Face in the<br />

Crowd" contest was conducted with newspaper<br />

readers invited to identify themselves<br />

in crowd pictures to win two S25 bonds. The<br />

contest was run by RKO Keith's in conjunction<br />

with the Post-Sandai'd.<br />

Bob Randall, assistant manager of Loew's<br />

Theatres, is deferring his honeymoon 'till<br />

vacationtime . local summer theatres<br />

are getting ready to open. A straight play<br />

will be presented for the first time at the<br />

Lyric Circus at Skaneateles when "The Teahouse<br />

of the August Moon" opens June 18.<br />

At the Country Playhouse in Fayetteville.<br />

the coming shows will include stars Dorothy<br />

Lamour, Joan Bennett and Marilyn Maxwell.<br />

Lions to Curb Vandalism<br />

In Reopened Theatre<br />

WILSON. N. Y—The Wilson Theatre here,<br />

clo.sed last month after Francis Tate, ow^ner,<br />

reported several instances of damage, which<br />

he attributed to teenagers, reopened Friday<br />

(14) with members of the local Lions Club<br />

acting as monitors.<br />

Since the theatre was closed, the marquee<br />

has carried posters reading: "Teenagers<br />

Closed This Theatre.<br />

Charlton Bulmer, president of the Lions,<br />

said members prefer that children remain<br />

in Wilson to attend motion pictures,<br />

"With this in mind we have offered to assist<br />

with the operation of the theatre on<br />

weekends when young people attend in large<br />

numbers," Bulmer continued. "Members will<br />

set a work schedule at a meeting to be held<br />

before the opening."<br />

The theatre has been equipped with a newscreen<br />

and has been rejuvenated, Tat€ said.<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15. 1957


''<br />

. .<br />

Committee<br />

. . Paramount<br />

. . May<br />

. . The<br />

. .<br />

. .<br />

. . Tony<br />

. . Jack<br />

. . Clay<br />

.<br />

. .<br />

PITTSBURGH<br />

Tack Kalmenson Week will be a special book-<br />

ing event August 25-31, honoring the local<br />

Warner Bros, manager John (Harris)<br />

.<br />

McGreeveys were at Dartmouth College when<br />

son Tom received his master's degree in<br />

chemistry for the "National<br />

.<br />

Newt" Williams noon luncheon June 27 at<br />

the Park Schenley includes Lou Hanna, Bert<br />

Stearn. Dave Silverman and Bill Scott . . .<br />

Chuck Mason, formerly here with SW cii--<br />

cuit, "Dinty" Moore booking agency, his own<br />

booking service and with UA. now is a member<br />

of the SW northeastern zone booking department<br />

at Hartford, and later will handle<br />

similar duties at the circuit's Boston suboffice<br />

under zone manager Harry Feinstein,<br />

also a former Pittsburgh showman.<br />

Three months ago B. F. Moore. SW district<br />

manager, appeared before the Ambridge<br />

school board and urged that the amusement<br />

tax which yields some $14,000 annually for<br />

the school system be reduced or eliminated,<br />

as the theatre industry showed distress signals.<br />

He said that the "bad season" was approaching<br />

for indoor theatres as the outdoor<br />

theatres "reap the harvest" in summer<br />

weather. However, the levy will be continued.<br />

Estimated income for the Ambridge school<br />

district in its budget this week includes an<br />

estimate of $13,500 to be received for the new<br />

school year from the board's amusement tax.<br />

Gabe Rubin calls attention to the report<br />

that "Around the World in 80 Days" at the<br />

Nixon has played at reduced rates and he<br />

marks this as incorrect. However, group rates<br />

are available to substantial purchasers .<br />

Sam Wheeler, filmman here who has operated<br />

an independent exchange at Washington,<br />

D. C, for a number of years with his son<br />

Ross, was here for the 81st birthday of Mrs.<br />

Wheeler's mother. Sam visited oldtime Filmrow<br />

friends and spent much of his time with<br />

his brother, local film salesman Hymie<br />

Wheeler of XJA . Weir. WB booker,<br />

resumed duties after recuperating from an<br />

operation.<br />

Rudy and Sam Navari were hosts to a<br />

number of East Borough and township Cath-<br />

ABC Drive-In Theatre on Route 88 between<br />

Baden and Conway recently introduced a new<br />

show starter, a 16mm cartoon exhibition<br />

furnished by Ed Keys of Cincinnati . . . The<br />

20th-Fox exchange annual picnic was enjoyed<br />

last Monday afternoon at the Daniel<br />

farm off McKnight road . V. Hake,<br />

former local 20th-Fox manager and in recent<br />

years Paramount managing director in<br />

Australia and New Zealand, presided as chairman<br />

of the London conference on the international<br />

presentation of "The Ten Commandments"<br />

. Morocco's new drivein<br />

under construction in the rear of his Blue<br />

Dell swimming pool on Route 30 in North<br />

Huntington township, will be licensed and<br />

booked by Frank J. "Bud" Thomas. Atlas<br />

Theare Supply building. The concrete block<br />

screen is completed except for painting and<br />

the 75x75-foot concession building is under<br />

roof; most of the grading is completed and<br />

wiring is progressing. Grand opening is<br />

looked for before July 1.<br />

.<br />

Joe Wayne, WB salesman, is enjoying this<br />

weekend in New York visiting friends . . .<br />

Columbia Theatre, Kittanning, featured<br />

Bobby Spiker and his Krazy Kats on stage .<br />

Screen Guild here now is releasing the product<br />

of Republic, American International,<br />

DCA, RKO, EPI, Warner Bros, reissues,<br />

Lippert product Kaufman has<br />

settled down with offset pz'inting busi-<br />

his<br />

ness, ADV Agency, in two rooms on the first<br />

floor of the Atlas Theatre Supply building<br />

next to the Bud Thomas booking office . . .<br />

Bill Thomas. U-I fashion designer, was here<br />

to exploit "Tammy and the Bachelor" .<br />

Variety Club Tent 1 telethon on KDKA-TV<br />

last Thur.sday-Sunday brought in about $100,-<br />

000.<br />

Hampton Township Denies<br />

Wildwood Road Permit<br />

four<br />

PITTSBURGH—For the second time in<br />

months Hampton township supervisors<br />

rejected a rezoning proposal to permit a<br />

"recreation center district" on Wildwood<br />

Road near North Park where a drive-in theatre<br />

would be constructed. More than 125<br />

persons attended a hearing in the Hampton<br />

High School to protest the proposal. The<br />

hearing was marked by bitter denunciation<br />

of lurid films shown in some outdoor theatres<br />

olic nuns for a special matinee screening of<br />

around Pittsburgh.<br />

"Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" at their Eastwood<br />

Theatre.<br />

Rev. Francis R. Stifter, pastor of St. Catherine<br />

Catholic Church in Wildwood, issued<br />

A Filmrow visitor from the west coast was a scathing denunciation of the kinds of films<br />

Joe Moritz. fonnerly a Verona exhibitor, who<br />

later went into exhibition in Los Angeles .<br />

shown at drive-ins.<br />

theatres are known<br />

He said these outdoor<br />

as "pa.ssion pits" for the<br />

Former city exhibitor Dave Fineman is a worst teenage elements. "Do we want the riffraff<br />

producing agent for the Carsten Agency and<br />

of lower northside coming out here?"<br />

Father Stifter asked. Paul A. Smith, engineer<br />

recently he was the guest of Paul Revere<br />

Life Insurance Co. at Wentworth-by-thesea.<br />

and real estate man, estimated all property<br />

is di-scontinuing its within a mile would depreciate 15 per cent<br />

N. H. .<br />

district office here July 1, and Howard Min- in value if the township supervisors would allow<br />

the proposed rezoning. A petition with<br />

.sky is moving to Philadelphia. Ann Cohen,<br />

who has been Minsky's secretary, will move 328 names opposing a drive-in theatre was<br />

her office upstairs to be secretary to Manager<br />

read by J. Kenneth Andrews.<br />

Eugene Jacobs. Kay Grotticelli, man-<br />

ager's secretary, moves into the booking department;<br />

Harry Passarell, booking and of-<br />

Luncheon ior Newt Williams<br />

PITTSBURGH—Film industry friends of<br />

fice manager, will remain office manager and<br />

"National Newt" Williams will give him a<br />

assume duties of cashier; Helen O'Connell<br />

luncheon June 27 at the Park Schenley, adjoining<br />

the SW Schenley Theatre. Oakland<br />

becomes assistant cashier. Jacobs recently<br />

replaced Dave Kimelman, who had been employed<br />

Representative of the theatre equipment<br />

by this company for 36 years.<br />

business here for 43 years, 30 years with<br />

district.<br />

National Theatre Supply, Newton F. Williams<br />

has retired, with Harry Russell, salesman under<br />

Williams for 11 years, succeeding him as<br />

NTS branch manager. William Scott of Allied<br />

Artists is handling luncheon tickets.<br />

Three Censor Bills<br />

Before Pa. Solons<br />

HARRISBURG—Three censor bills were<br />

before the Pennsylvania General Assembly,<br />

advanced by the Senate law and order committee.<br />

Efforts to revive censorship in the<br />

Keystone State gained headway during the<br />

last fortnight with agreement between the<br />

administration and Republicans and Democrats<br />

in the Senate. Amendments and revisions<br />

were di-afted by the state Justice Department.<br />

The bills would not authorize<br />

blanket censorship, but the proposed board<br />

would review films on complaint. Persons<br />

convicted of exhibiting films violating the<br />

law would be liable to $500 fines and jail<br />

terms of one year.<br />

bills Active for the various are sponsors<br />

Sen. William J. Lane (D., Washington);<br />

Sens. John H. Dent iD.. Westmoreland) and<br />

Hugh J. McMenamin (D., Lackawanna), and<br />

Sen. Rowland B. Mahany, Republican floor<br />

leader. The legislature's problem is the choice<br />

of the various bills aimed at reviving a state<br />

cen.sor board. Members are asked to select<br />

the one that they believe meets possible tests<br />

of legality before the U. S. Supreme Court<br />

which has ruled previous censorship boards<br />

in Pennsylvania and several other states unconstitutional.<br />

Solons Hold Up Action<br />

On Tax Law Amendment<br />

HARRISBURG—The controversy over Republican<br />

slashes in Pemisylvania Gov. George<br />

M. Leader's budget was a possible reason for<br />

holdup of House of Representatives action on<br />

the Senate bill which amends the enabling<br />

act of 1947 and would disallow enactment<br />

and collection of a 10 per cent amusement<br />

tax in political subdivisions of the state. The<br />

Senate passed the bill several weeks ago, 42<br />

to 4. the 4 negative votes being from Davie<br />

Lawrence Democrats of Pittsburgh. Some<br />

exhibitors believe if the House passes the bill,<br />

the governor will veto it, if cuts in his budget<br />

are not restored.<br />

For a decade 300 political subdivisions of<br />

the state have enacted and collected the<br />

discriminatory amusement levy which has<br />

helped to close hundreds of theatres in<br />

Penn.sylvania, and which has seriously damaged<br />

all amusement businesses. Senate Bill<br />

446 was amended to include elimination of<br />

the local amusement taxes where drive-in<br />

theatres are concerned. Formerly the<br />

measure applied to hardtop theatres and did<br />

not include ozoners, although originally the<br />

bill did not discriminate between indoor and<br />

outdoor theatres.<br />

Back to Tarentum as Mgr.<br />

TARENTUM, PA.—Thomas A. Morris has<br />

returned here as manager of the Stanley<br />

Warner Harris Theatre. After a short stint<br />

here in 1955. he was transferred to the Nittany<br />

at State College, Pa. Tom, who has been<br />

with SW since 1948, will move into the apartment<br />

above the theatre with his wife Margie<br />

and their two children, Deborah, 3, and<br />

Thomas jr., six months.<br />

Stanley E. Clemens, 34, Dies<br />

GAULEY BRIDGE, W. VA.—Stanley E.<br />

Clemens, 34-year-old owner and operator of<br />

the Gauley Theatre, died at his home here<br />

recently after a short illness.<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


. . . Home<br />

. . . Cliff<br />

. . John<br />

with<br />

. . Washington<br />

. . MGM<br />

. .<br />

. .<br />

. .<br />

I<br />

'^<br />

. . Charles<br />

. . James<br />

. . Mahoning<br />

WASHINGTON<br />

Ray Powell, manager of the SW Warner<br />

Theatre in West Chester, died at the West<br />

Chester Hospital after a long illness . . . It's<br />

a baby boy for Mr. and Mrs. Al Strulson. He's<br />

the 20th Century-Fox salesman.<br />

Joseph Kirner, 54, motion picture operator<br />

for Warner Bros., died at the Orpheum Theatre<br />

in Germantown, where he worked. Surviving<br />

aie his wife Sarah, three .sons, Charles,<br />

Earl and Edward, and a daughter Sally Ann.<br />

Rodney Collier Shifted<br />

To SW District Chief<br />

BALTIMORE— After 23 years as manager<br />

in costume and in person for a .sendoff of<br />

"The Silent World" at his Cameo Theatre.<br />

After tearing down several buildings in the<br />

rear of the theatre, the Cinema is completing<br />

its own parking lot for patrons. It will<br />

accommodate approximately 80 cars.<br />

PHILADELPHIA<br />

'Thv VVOMI'I of Washington held an installation<br />

The Belmont Theatre in West Philadelphia<br />

(if llio Stanley Theatre, Rodney Collier is<br />

being transferred to has been sold for a nonthealncal enter-<br />

dinner at the Elks Club Tuesday<br />

evening (11 the following officers installed:<br />

Cyd Charisse, star of "Silk Stock-<br />

t Wiishington to become<br />

president, Thelma Powell; vice-<br />

* a district manager for ings," was the guest of honor for the opening<br />

jf<br />

presidents, Mary Louise Parry and Madeline<br />

""'^^ Stanley<br />

/<br />

Warner of two new scientific productions in the Fels<br />

1<br />

Ackerman; recording secretary, Ethel Curtis;<br />


. . . the<br />

. . Manual<br />

7i^€lA^la^t


of<br />

"<br />

HOLLYWOOD<br />

NEWS AND VIEWS OF THE PRODUCTION CENTER<br />

Hnllmrood Office—Suite 219 at 6404 HoUi/irood Blvd.. Ivan Sprar. Wrst(<br />

Augment Film Crews<br />

For Island' Debut<br />

HOLLYWOOD—For world premiere coverage<br />

on Thursday 1 13 1 Darryl F. Zanuck's<br />

"Island in the Sun" at Grauman's Chinese<br />

Theatre, Arthur DeTitta, west coast head of<br />

Muvietonews. planned to bring in extra crews<br />

from San Francisco and Seattle to augment<br />

the Los Angeles crew.<br />

A special filmed report of the film's debut<br />

was to be rushed to New York for showing<br />

on Ed Sullivan's CBS show Sunday (16i.<br />

Released by 20th-Fox, 'Island" was filmed<br />

in the British 'West Indies and stars James<br />

Mason. Joan Fontaine, Dorothy Dandridge,<br />

Joan Collins, Michael Rennie and Harry<br />

Belafonte.<br />

MGM's "The Happy Road." produced and<br />

directed by its star. Gene Kelly, under his<br />

Kerry banner, is scheduled to be premiered<br />

at New York's Plaza Theatre on Thursday<br />

1 201, with all proceeds to be donated to<br />

Manhattan's French Hospital.<br />

Kelly plans to fly east for the film's bow,<br />

to which celebrities of screen, stage, television,<br />

radio, society and civic life have been<br />

invited.<br />

Regular continuous performances of "Road<br />

are to begin the following day, Friday i21i.<br />

In conjunction with the w^orld premiere<br />

of MGM's "Silk Stockings" on Friday (7)<br />

at Loew-'s Theatre in Norfolk, Va., Cyd<br />

Charisse, who stars in the musical with Fred<br />

Astaire and Janis Paige, made a personal<br />

appearance and participated in a number of<br />

activities linked with the film's engagement.<br />

Named "Sweetheart of the Navies," Miss<br />

Charisse was officially acclaimed at the International<br />

Naval review of 18 navies and<br />

met officers and sailors of some of the 105<br />

ships in the navies during a special tour.<br />

"Band of Angels," Warner Bros." motion<br />

picture version of Robert Penn Warren's<br />

best-selling novel of the Civil War, is scheduled<br />

to make its bow this summer at the<br />

New York Paramount Theatre. Filmed largely<br />

on location in Louisiana, "Angels" stars<br />

Clark Gable and Yvonne DeCarlo.<br />

Kicking off a nationwide campaign to<br />

capitalize on the fame of the late Jimmy<br />

Walker, mayor of New York during the Roaring<br />

Twenties, Paramount has selected Wednesday<br />

il9i. Walker's birthday, for joint<br />

celebrations in Manhattan and Los Angeles,<br />

highlighted by previews of "Beau James." the<br />

Mel Shavelson-Jack Rose production.<br />

Titanus Films' "The Monte Carlo Story,"<br />

HONORED FOR 'SPIRIT' — Currently<br />

cast as an army corporal in Warners'<br />

"Darby's Rangers," actor Murray Hamilton<br />

is shown admiring the BOXOFFICE<br />

Blue Ribbon Award he received when the<br />

National Screen Council selected "The<br />

Spirit of St. Louis," also a Warner release,<br />

as the "best picture of the month for the<br />

whole family" to go into distribution during<br />

.\pril. Produced by Leiand Hayward<br />

and megged by Billy Wilder. "Spirit"<br />

toplined James Stewart as Charles A.<br />

Lindbergh. Hamilton portrayed his pal,<br />

Bud Gurney. in the opus.<br />

starring Marlene Dietrich, Vittoria DeSica<br />

and Ai-thur O'Connell, released through United<br />

Artists, will have its first U. S. showing at<br />

the Fine Arts Theatre here beginning Friday<br />

(281<br />

Batjac Completes First<br />

Calamity Jane TV Show<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Markin-; tlie company's<br />

second project in the field ol filmed television,<br />

Batjac Productions completed the first<br />

show in a new half-hour western teleseries<br />

titled Calamity Jane, produced by Donald<br />

Barry and directed by Frank McDonald.<br />

Selected to portray the famous frontier gal<br />

was Elaine Davis.<br />

Plans for the production of a new TV series,<br />

Lisbon, which will star Dennis O'Keefe and<br />

will be filmed in Portugal, were announced<br />

by Gordon S. Griffith and Robert Bradford,<br />

heads of the recently organized Grifford<br />

Productions. Alvin Ganzer has been signed<br />

to direct the entire group of 39 half-hour<br />

shows, which will be filmed at the Tobis<br />

Studios in Lisbon, beginning in August. Wilton<br />

Schiller and Jack Laird will write the<br />

SDG Renames Sidney<br />

To His Seventh Term<br />

HOLLYWOOD — George Sidney was reelected<br />

to his seventh term as president of<br />

the Screen Directors Guild of America at the<br />

annual membership meeting Friday i7> night.<br />

Highlights of tlie session were the pre.sentation<br />

by Sidney of the first SDG annual award<br />

for direction of a foreign film to Federico<br />

Fellini ("La Strada"i and an honorary life<br />

membership to onetime silent film megaphonist<br />

and veteran actor Donald Crisp, with<br />

John Ford making the presentation.<br />

Other officers elected were Rouben Mamoulian,<br />

first vice-president; George Stevens,<br />

.second vice-president: Lesley Selander, treasurer,<br />

and John Sturges, secretary.<br />

New board members for a two-year tern,<br />

are Delmer Daves, Cecil B. DeMille, Henry<br />

King, Mark Robson, George Seaton, King<br />

Vidor, George Waggner and Don Wei.ss. Remaining<br />

on the board are David Butler, Tay<br />

Garnett, Mamoulian, Leo McCarey, H. C.<br />

Potter, Selander, Sturges and Fred Zinne-<br />

Emmett Emerson was elected president of<br />

the assistant director's council of the guild:<br />

Dick Moder, first vice-president: Ridgeway<br />

Callow, second vice-president; Jack R. Berne,<br />

secretary and Mark Sandrich, treasurer.<br />

New council members elected for two years<br />

are Eugene Anderson jr.. Rex Bailey, Jack<br />

R. Berne, Callow, Carter De Haven jr., Moder.<br />

Sandi-ich, Eric Stacey. Continuing on the<br />

council for another year are William Beaudine<br />

jr., John E. Burch, Walton Carter, Ben<br />

Chapman. Francesco Day, Emer.son. Austen<br />

Jewell and Arthur Lasker.<br />

Juanita Hall Signed<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Producer Buddy Adler<br />

booked Juanita Hall, the original Bloody<br />

Mary of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South<br />

Pacific," to recreate her role for the 20th-<br />

Fox picturization ol the dramatic musical,<br />

which Joshua Logan will direct, with Mitzi<br />

Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi costarred.<br />

Pier Angeli to Star<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Portraying a<br />

trapeze artist.<br />

Pier Angeli will star with Danny Kaye<br />

in MGM's "Merry Andrew." being produced<br />

by Sol. C Siegel and directed by Michael<br />

Kidd. It is slated to roll July 1<br />

Gramercy Adds 'Claire'<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Arthur Gardner, Jules<br />

Levy and Arnold Laven have added "Claire,"<br />

a screenplay by Pat Fielder with a gambling<br />

background, to their Gramercy Pictures production<br />

schedule.<br />

BOXOFFICE :; June 15. 1957 W-1


C^ecuiiijLe ^n^uueUni<br />

West: Aftei- attending the world premiere<br />

of U-I's "Tammy and the Bachelor" in New<br />

Orleans, Charles Simonelli, U-I's eastern advertising<br />

and publicity department manager,<br />

planed in for a series of conferences at the<br />

studio with Vice-President David A. Lipton.<br />

West: Morey R. Goldstein, Allied Artists<br />

vice-president and general sales manager, arrived<br />

from New York for huddles anent release<br />

plans for upcoming pictures.<br />

West: William Dozier, RKO vice-president<br />

in charge of production, returned from<br />

Europe, where he visited the company's exchanges<br />

and distribution representatives in<br />

London, Paris. Madiid and Rome and also<br />

discussed proposed eoproduction deals for<br />

RKO with Continental production companies.<br />

Before coming back to the coast, Dozier<br />

stopped off in New York for parleys with<br />

Daniel T. O'Shea, RKO president.<br />

East: Aboard the Queen Elizabeth, Edwin<br />

H. Knopf departed tor England. In London,<br />

he plans to discuss with Carol Reed filming<br />

of "Black Virgin of Gold Mountain." which<br />

he recently sold to Reed. Next Knopf plans<br />

to head for Paris to confer with Mel Ferrer,<br />

who will direct his production of "Venus and<br />

the Cat." Accompanied by his wife, Knopf<br />

then expects to go to Switzerland to write<br />

and prepare for the fall filming of "Venus."<br />

West: Joseph Hazen arrived from New<br />

York for confabs with his partner Hal Wallis<br />

on productions plans.<br />

West: Producer Robert Bassler returned<br />

from Gotham meetings with Max Youngstein<br />

and other United Artists executives on release<br />

plans for his "Gunsight Ridge."<br />

West: Leopold Friedman, Loew's Theatres<br />

president, arrived from New York on<br />

a combination vacation and look-see at new<br />

product, both major and independent. On<br />

his return trip to Gotham, he plans to visit<br />

cities in which his company's theatres are<br />

located.<br />

West: Stanley Kramer returned from<br />

New York, where he participated in press<br />

interviews and television appearances in connection<br />

with the Capitol Theatre opening on<br />

the 28th of "The Pride and the Passion."<br />

which he produced and dii-ected for United<br />

Artists<br />

distribution.<br />

West: Director Henry King, after three<br />

months in Mexico and two weeks in France<br />

filming Darryl F. Zanuck's "The Sun Also<br />

Rises." returned to 20th-Fox studios to supervise<br />

the cutting and editing of the production.<br />

West: Producer Robert Aldrich is back<br />

from New York, where he was working with<br />

UA toppers on release exploitation plans for<br />

"The Ride Back."<br />

West: Director John Sturges and cinematographer<br />

James Wong Howe departed for<br />

Honolulu to prepare for location filming of<br />

"The Old Man and the Sea," Leland Hayward's<br />

forthcoming production for Warner<br />

Bros. Hayward plans to join them shortly.<br />

: West Fred Zinnemann returned from the<br />

Belgian Congo, where he has been scouting<br />

locations for "The Nun's Story," which he<br />

will direct for Warners.<br />

West: Harry L. Mandell, vice-president of<br />

AB-PT Pictures, returned from Gotham,<br />

where he was conferring with home office<br />

executives regarding the newly negotiated<br />

deal providing for release of AB-PT product<br />

by Republic Pictures Corp.<br />

June 28 London Opening<br />

Is Set for 'Big Show'<br />

NEW YORK — A special international<br />

version of "The Big Show." 20th Century-Fox<br />

product feature, will<br />

have its Eui'opean<br />

premiere June 28 at<br />

the Carlton Theatre,<br />

London, and set for<br />

showings in all major<br />

cities in the world, according<br />

to Murray Silverstone.<br />

president of<br />

the international company<br />

and Intra-American<br />

Corp.<br />

Silverstone will leave<br />

June 19 for London<br />

Murray Silverstone and Paris to complete<br />

arrangements for presentations with Albert<br />

Cornfield, supervisor for England and Europe.<br />

Other key showings will be held in Paris,<br />

4: 9, July Frankfurt, July and Rome, July 17.<br />

Silverstone said he will attend all.<br />

After the London premiere, "The Big Show"<br />

will be shown in the British provinces, appearing<br />

in Cardiff, July 3; Dublin, July 4;<br />

Birmingham, July 5: Glasgow, July 8; Newcastle.<br />

July 9; Leeds. July 10; Manchester,<br />

July 11, and Liverpool. July 12. Exhibitors,<br />

media representatives and civic and religious<br />

leaders will then see it in Belgium, Sweden,<br />

Switzerland, Holland, Greece. Egypt. Portugal.<br />

Norway, Denmark, Finland and Israel.<br />

Silverstone said that showings will start at<br />

about the same time in all Latin American<br />

countries, the far east, Australia. New Zealand<br />

and South Africa.<br />

The international version features Spyros<br />

P. Skouras. president; Buddy Adler. executive<br />

producer, and Silverstone in descriptions of<br />

the company's 55-picture schedule for the<br />

coming year.<br />

Title Changes<br />

Tender Fury (WBi to THE SEVEN TEN-<br />

DER FURIES.<br />

Burst of Vermilion iPara) to COMAN-<br />

CHERO.<br />

The Islander lU-Ii to RAW WIND IN<br />

EDEN.<br />

Lafayette Escadrille (WBi to WITH YOU<br />

IN MY ARMS.<br />

No Place to Die (AAi to MAN FROM<br />

MONTEREY,<br />

Smoke Cancels Program<br />

DUNSMUIR. ORE. — Smoke from burning<br />

lint and dust around flue pipes in the Dunsmuir<br />

Masonic Temple caused cancellation of<br />

an evening's show in the California Theatre<br />

located in the building. Mrs. Anna McClintock.<br />

theatre manager, was of the opinion<br />

that theatre .seats and possibly the screen<br />

would have to be cleaned because of the<br />

smoke. Little or no actual fire damage occurred.<br />

Calif. Press Women<br />

Honor Doris Day<br />

HOLLYWOOD—Doris Day was to be presented<br />

an honorary lifetime membership in<br />

the California Ass'n of Press Women at their<br />

annual Golden Flame luncheon Saturday<br />

(15) at the Ambassador Hotel, marking the<br />

first time an actress has been so honored by<br />

the organization. The award was voted Miss<br />

Day for "her cooperative attitude toward the<br />

Cedric Francis, head of Warner Bros.' short<br />

subjects department, has received a special<br />

awards medal from the Freedom Foundation<br />

at Valley Forge for the short, "Down Liberty<br />

Road."<br />

Crown and Helprin Form<br />

New Production Company<br />

NEW YORK—Alfred Crown has resigned<br />

as vice-president of Allied Artists in order<br />

to form a partnership with Morris Helprin<br />

for the production of pictures for both theatres<br />

and television. The new organization<br />

will be known as Barbizon Productions Corp.<br />

and will have its headquarters in New York.<br />

Crown has been a vice-president of Allied<br />

Artists for the last two years, handling many<br />

of the company's co-production deals. Previously,<br />

he was president of Moulin Pi-oductions,<br />

vice-president of RKO Pictures and<br />

vice-president of Samuel Goldwyn Productions.<br />

Helprin formerly was president of London<br />

Films Productions and for many years was<br />

Western Hemisphere representative for Alexander<br />

Korda.<br />

Expressing regret in Crown's resignation.<br />

Steve Broidy. AA president, in a personal<br />

message to Crown said he was happy that<br />

he was getting to do the thing he wanted<br />

to do. adding. "May I take this opportunity<br />

to extend my gratitude for your efforts on<br />

behalf of Allied Artists and my very best<br />

wishes for success in your undertaking."<br />

Screen Producers Guild<br />

Names Committee Head<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Selected by the Screen<br />

Producers Guild boai-d of directors as the<br />

new season's committee chairmen were Frank<br />

McCarthy, public relations; Walter M. Mii'-<br />

isch, aims and objectives, and Pandro S. Berman,<br />

finance.<br />

Re-elected as committee chairmen were<br />

Louis F, Edelman, membership, and Samuel<br />

J. Briskin. negotiations.<br />

Additionally. President Samuel G. Engel<br />

announced that Carey Wilson has been appointed<br />

editor of the SPG Journal and that<br />

William H. Wright will continue as editor of<br />

the guild's<br />

newsletter.<br />

Brian Donlevy Signed<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Undertaking the part<br />

a gunfighter, Brian Donlevy will star with<br />

Glenn Ford, Jack Lemmon and Anna Kashfi<br />

in Columbia's tentatively titled "Reminiscences<br />

of a Cowboy," to be directed by Delmer<br />

Daves and produced by Julian Blaustein.<br />

of<br />

W-2 BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


Disney Signs Stars<br />

For 'Ghosl' Serial<br />

HOLLYWOOD—Teenaged actors Tim Coiisidine<br />

and Tommy Kirk have been inked to<br />

star in Walt Disney's forthcoming serial,<br />

"The Mystery of Ghost Farm." which will be<br />

presented in 14 consecutive segments on Disney's<br />

Mickey Mouse Club ABC-T'V program<br />

for the 1957-58 season.<br />

Considine and Kirk will portray two teenagers.<br />

Frank and Joe Hardy, who become involved<br />

in a number of exploits at a "ghost"<br />

farm.<br />

Signed for featured roles in the same serits<br />

were Russ Conway and Sara Selby. who will<br />

e.ssay the roles of private detective Fenton<br />

Hardy and Aunt Gertrude, respectively.<br />

Filming is slated to get under way this<br />

month under the direction of Robert G.<br />

Springsteen. Jackson Gillls scripted.<br />

Local Censorship Is Only<br />

Second Best. Pastor Says<br />

MEMPHIS— "Movie producers aren't justified<br />

in making dirty films just because it<br />

means a dollar at the boxoffice," Dr. W. J.<br />

Cunningham, pastor of St. John's Methodist<br />

Church, told 80 members of Better Films<br />

Council at the monthly meeting.<br />

Localized censorship, however, is "only<br />

second best," the minister said. "If America<br />

is to protect the morals of its motion pictures,<br />

censorship must be at the place of production."<br />

Better Films Council announced its Movie<br />

of the Month selection as "The Spirit of St.<br />

Louis." Mrs. Harry B. Allen is president and<br />

Mrs. Clarence Hossley is review committee<br />

chairman.<br />

Inexpensive Light Meter<br />

Is Developed by MPRC<br />

HOLLYWOOD — An inexpensive and accurate<br />

screen brightne.s.s meter which can<br />

be operated without any special training has<br />

been developed by the Motion Pictuj-e Research<br />

Council. The device, it is claimed,<br />

will enable theatres to make regular check.s<br />

of screen light so that they can furnish<br />

studios with pertinent and accurate information<br />

on print density for release prints.<br />

Previous meters have been too expensive for<br />

general use.<br />

Associated Chain Plans<br />

To Add Two Indoorers<br />

LOS ANGELES — As.sociated Theatres,<br />

which operates ten motion picture houses<br />

and ozoners in the southern California area,<br />

plans to add two hardtops to its chain during<br />

the next several weeks. One theatre will be<br />

near San Diego.<br />

The circuit, headed by Sam Decker. Alfred<br />

J. Olander and Edward Ashkins, has .set the<br />

Earie J. Johnson Booking Service to handle<br />

booking; and buying of product.<br />

Signs Herschel Dougherty<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Walt Disney has signed<br />

Herschel Daugherty to direct his live-action<br />

Technicolor feature. "Light in the Forest,"<br />

starring James MacArthur. Based on Conrad<br />

Richter's novel, it was scripted by Lawrence<br />

E. Watkin.<br />

lir-'OR some inexplicable reason. Time<br />

Jr^ magazine has always taken a dim and<br />

jaundiced view of motion pictures and<br />

the Hollywoodians who work in and on them.<br />

Down through the years, this obviously<br />

prejudiced perspective has reflected itself in<br />

critiques, articles and even in the occasional<br />

cover story that the publication has devoted<br />

to one or another of Cinemania's acting<br />

Recently that acidity again was displayed<br />

in the news journal's spacious Television and<br />

Radio department in a glaringly-inconsistent<br />

article that undertook to establish that the<br />

making of motion pictures for theatrical exhibition<br />

has developed into a mere and<br />

meager adjunct to video. Most of the comparisons<br />

and statistics set forth in the Time<br />

symposium were too ludicrous to warrant<br />

much consideration. There was, however,<br />

one statement that invites passing comment,<br />

to wit:<br />

"The best new creative talent that the<br />

movies can find comes from TV: such directors<br />

as Delbert ("Marty"! Mann. 37, John<br />

("The Young Stranger") Frankenheimer,<br />

28, Robert ("Fear Strikes Ouf'i Mulligan,<br />

30, such writers as Rod ("Patterns"! Serling,<br />

32, Reginald ("Twelve Angry Men"i<br />

Rose. 36, and Paddy (."The Bachelor Party" i<br />

Chayefsky, 34.<br />

"By contrast, the old Hollywood of the<br />

movie studios seems staled by age, caution<br />

and fear."<br />

Ironically enough, the same issue of the<br />

periodical, in its comparatively niggardly<br />

Cinema department, listed "the most popular<br />

movies in the U. S. last month." A dozen<br />

contemporary features were named. In only<br />

one instance—and that was the 12th in the<br />

lineup—did one of the "best new creative"<br />

men above listed have anything to do with<br />

the making thereof. The inconsistency is<br />

magnified through a gander at this trade<br />

journal's weekly reports on top-grossing pictures<br />

and, on a broader plane, by reviewing<br />

the hit films of 1956 as tabulated in its recently-published<br />

annual issue, BOXOFFICE<br />

BAROMETER.<br />

In view of which, those whose livelihoods<br />

depend upon the production and exhibition<br />

of theatrical celluloid should be happy that<br />

"the old Hollywood . . . staled by age, caution<br />

and fear" can still muster the talents of<br />

enough decrepit, prudent and apprehensive<br />

creators to produce the moneymakers.<br />

But while it is impossible at this point to<br />

believe—as the Time article indicated—that<br />

pressive. engros,sing videoplay, ably directed,<br />

adequately enacted and, over-all, noteworthy<br />

in view of the mechanical and productional<br />

limitations of the medium through which<br />

it was projected. Tracing the career of the<br />

torch singer who was part and parcel of the<br />

saga of the torrid '20s, the offering had about<br />

it an aura of realism unleavened by attempts<br />

to provide a "happy" ending.<br />

Now, out at the Burbank studio of the<br />

Freres Warner, they have completed a loudlytouted<br />

and unusually promising feature utilizing<br />

the same theme. Produced as "The<br />

Helen Morgan Story," it underwent a change<br />

in tag—just after the Playhouse 90 presentation,<br />

by the way—and is now known as "Both<br />

Ends of the Candle." Essaying the role of the<br />

nightclub thrush is Ann Blyth and the offering,<br />

a Martin Kackin production in CinemaSeope,<br />

was directed by no less a personage<br />

than Michael Curtiz. Cast in support of Miss<br />

Blyth are Paul Newman and Richard Carlson,<br />

both established names that can help<br />

measurably as marquee bait.<br />

With .such an array of established talent<br />

and proven filmmaking knowhow, there can<br />

be little doubt that a well-above-average<br />

photoplay will result.<br />

Whether the earlier TV treatment of the<br />

subject will function as an annoying hurdle<br />

in its promising financial path or will serve<br />

to whet the appetites of<br />

viewers to patronize<br />

the theatrical screen version—which has to<br />

be bigger and better, per se—time alone can<br />

reveal.<br />

NAMES IS NAMES<br />

Chuck Moses informs that "Johnny Western<br />

has been cast for a role in Bel-Air Productions'<br />

'Fort Bowie.' "<br />

Those industryites who have been hoping<br />

and praying for unrestricted pay-as-youview<br />

television as the solution to all of filmdom's<br />

woes will find pause for thought in the<br />

report that the Vermont Federation of<br />

Women's Clubs has voted to ask Congress to<br />

ban any form of pay TV that would blackout<br />

channels used for free home reception.<br />

The outfit's contention that "no charge,<br />

direct or indirect, from any source whatsoever"<br />

should he imposed on the video-viewing<br />

public was scheduled for discussion at a<br />

slated national convention this month of the<br />

General Federation of Women's Clubs down<br />

in Asheville. N. C.<br />

While the action taken by the Vermont<br />

clubwomen and the possibility of its extension<br />

may at this writing be considered little<br />

more than a wilderness voice, it nevertheless<br />

indicates that public opinion may erect<br />

many formidable hurdles in the path of<br />

coin-in-the-slot video to delay its becoming<br />

the tail is wagging the dog, nonetheless there the universal entertainment medium its vociferous<br />

are ever-increasing manifestations that that<br />

disciples are prophesying.<br />

posterior appendage can be troublesome and<br />

is not to be ignored.<br />

\ recent example: As an entry in its Playhouse<br />

90 scries of dramatic offerings, CBS<br />

Intelligence<br />

flackery of Arthur<br />

from the<br />

Supermouse<br />

catch-as-catch-can<br />

Jacobs reveals<br />

that it is handling—and the term is<br />

telecast a 90-minute biographira! drama<br />

based on the life of Helen Morgan. With looseJy used— publicity for "Sleep No More,"<br />

an Associated Dragon opus to be lensed in<br />

Polly Bergen in the title role, it was an im-<br />

England and Spain.<br />

Despite which. Spring street bookies will<br />

BOXOFFICE W-3<br />

lay two to one that Artful Arthur and associates<br />

will continue to slumber on undisturbed.


I Am<br />

.<br />

. . Deitz<br />

. . Jumping<br />

. .<br />

7wo World Pictures Are Big Scorers<br />

In L.A.; 'Gunfight' Stays Strong<br />

LOS ANGELES—Launching of Cinerama's<br />

"Seven Wonders of the World" gave local<br />

first run business a shot in the arm as it<br />

registered 240 per cent in its initialer. However,<br />

"Around the World in 80 Days" could<br />

not be nudged from top position, scoring 360<br />

in its 25th stanza. But the hard-ticket attractions<br />

were not the only ones which racked<br />

up impressive grosses. In its second week.<br />

"Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" tallied 205.<br />

while "Something of Value," in its first canto,<br />

clocked in at 185.<br />

(Averaae Is 100)<br />

Be^erly Canon— Gold of Naples (DCA), 7th wk 75<br />

(UA)<br />

Carthoy Cirr'e Around the World in 80 Days<br />

25th wk 360<br />

Set (20th-Fox), Chinese—Desk 4th wk 60<br />

Egyptian, Paramount Downtown, Wiitern A Face<br />

the Crowd (WB); Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend<br />

in<br />

(WB), 2nd wk<br />

Rey—Albert<br />

50<br />

El Schweitzer (DeRochemont), 3rd<br />

,<br />

Fme Arts—The Bachelor Party (UA), 9th wk<br />

Four Star The Baby and the BaHleship (DCA);<br />

a Comera (DCA), reissue, 2nd wk<br />

Fox Wilshire, Loyolo, Vogue, Worners Downtowr<br />

Public Pigeon No 1 (U-l), Mon Afraid U-l)<br />

Hillstreet, Ins, Uptown The Oklohomon (AA),<br />

Badmen (AA)<br />

Lost of the<br />

Hollywood, Los Angeles The Wayward Bus (20th-<br />

Fox); in Break the Circle (20th-Fox), 2nd wk<br />

New Fox, Ritz, State The Little Hut (MGM); Sierro<br />

Stranger (Col), 2nd wk<br />

Pontages Something of Value (MGM)<br />

Paramount Hollywood Gunfight at the O.K. Corral<br />

(Poro), 2nd wk<br />

Vogobond Lady Chatterley's Lover (Kingsley),<br />

7th wk<br />

-The Ten Commar<br />

Drners<br />

(Par.<br />

Bi<br />

30th wk<br />

d Seven Wonder<br />

'80 Days' and "Corral' Stay<br />

Strongest in Denver<br />

DENVER —"Around the World in 80 Days"<br />

stayed at the Tabor, going into its fifth week,<br />

and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" got a<br />

third week at the Denham. "War Drums" at<br />

the Lakeshore Drive-In and "Joe Butterfly"<br />

at the Paramount headed the other two bills<br />

that were above average.<br />

Denver Beyond Momboso (Col); Ten Toll Men<br />

Lakeshore Drive-In War Drums (UA); Dance<br />

With Me Henry (UA)<br />

Orpheum Garment Jungle The Burglar<br />

(Col);<br />

(Col)<br />

Poramount Joe Butterfly (U-l); The Cruel Tower<br />

4th<br />

World 80 Days (UA)<br />

120<br />

Fox—The Wayward Bus (20th-FQx) 120<br />

Golden Gate—The Oklohomon (AA) 70<br />

Paramount—Gunfight of the O.K. Corral (Poro) 250<br />

Froncis—A Face the Crowd (WB) 100<br />

St. in<br />

United Artists— Monkey on My Bock (UA) 100<br />

Little Vorfield The Hut (MGM), 2nd wk 120<br />

"loe Butterfly' a Perky 130<br />

At Seattle Music Hall<br />

SEATTLE —Although Mike Todd's brainchild<br />

continued to monopolize the outsize<br />

percentages, "Joe Butterfly" opened well at<br />

130, and "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral"<br />

scored 120 in its second week.<br />

Blue Mouse Around the World in 80 Days (UA)<br />

8th wk 300<br />

Coliseum Gunfight ot the O.K. Corral (Para);<br />

Fear Strikes (Poro), Out 2nd wk 120<br />

. Fifth Avenue—The Lonely Man (Para); Buster.<br />

Keaton Story (Para) 100<br />

Music Box Torzon and the Lost Safori (MGM) .110<br />

1<br />

Music Hall—Joe Butterfly (U-l) 30<br />

Long Run Pictures Hold<br />

Top Scores in Portland<br />

PORTLAND—"Around the World in 80<br />

Days" retained its lead as the boxoffice<br />

champion here, with an estimate of 325 per<br />

cent at the Broadway.<br />

Broadway—Around the World in 80 Days (UA) 325<br />

Fox—Garment Jungle (Col) 90<br />

Guild Wee Geordie (Trans-Lux), 5th wk 165<br />

Liberty Little The Hut (MGM), 2nd wk 110<br />

Orpheum Oklohomo! (20th-Fox) 85<br />

Paramount Gunfight at the O.K. 150<br />

Corral (Para).<br />

'Johnny Tremain' Due<br />

Al Boston on June 26<br />

NEW YORK—Walt Disney's "Johnny Ti-emain"<br />

has been booked for Boston in an 18-<br />

theatre day-and-date opening at Boston June<br />

26 by Irving Ludwig. Buena Vista general<br />

sales manager; James V. O'Gara. eastern division<br />

manager, and Herb Schaefer, northeastern<br />

district manager.<br />

The 18 theatres, including the downtown<br />

Mayflower and principal suburban and neighborhood<br />

houses, have a total of 27,000 seats.<br />

Charles Levy has gone to Boston with exploiteers<br />

Bob Dorfman and Ed Hale to direct<br />

the promotion campaign.<br />

M&R Freight Terminal<br />

Is Opened in Omaha<br />

OMAHA—Rapid Film Service of Gi'and<br />

Island and Mills Film Tiansport of Lincoln<br />

opened the M&R Freight Terminal at 414<br />

North Fourteenth St. here.<br />

Manager of the Omaha terminal is Chet<br />

Waterman, who had been with Film Ti-ansport<br />

of Omaha since 1940.<br />

Glenn Mills is the owner of the Mills company.<br />

Dick and Nick Lysinger are operators<br />

of Rapid transfer. Both have been in the<br />

LOS ANGELES<br />

pilmrow Club plans to hold its annual picnic<br />

July 27 at Crystal Springs in Griffith<br />

Park. All members are invited to attend<br />

with their families O. N. "Bill" Srere,<br />

. . .<br />

.<br />

.<br />

chief barker ot Variety Tent 25, presided over<br />

both the crew meeting and membership session<br />

Lloyd Miller<br />

held Monday ilOi . . . & Associates of the 99 Drive-In and South<br />

Chester ozoner, ha-s taken over the Terrace<br />

Drive-In from Scott Theatres, Inc. It is<br />

. . Richard<br />

located in the Bakersfield area<br />

Stockton has acquired the Congress Theatre<br />

in Los Angeles from Milt Lefton<br />

Jim Boyd, who operates a theatre supply<br />

company on the Row, opened his 400-car<br />

Lake Drive-In at Big Bear.<br />

.Accompanied by his wife, Al O'Keefe,<br />

O'Keefe & Gamble circuit, is visiting New<br />

york and Washington, D. C., on a combined<br />

business and pleasure trip . . . Warner Bros,<br />

exploitation chief Max Burkett returned<br />

from a northern California trek . . . Jerry<br />

Persell, DCA manager, departed for Phoenix<br />

on business . Newlund, president of<br />

Tater Products Co.. accompanied by Walt<br />

Clayton, the organization's eastern representative,<br />

met with Hollis Wood, purchasing<br />

agent of the Sero Amusement Co. Wood has<br />

since left for Salt Lake City to check concessions<br />

in his outfit's theatres in that area.<br />

M. J. E. McCarthy, manager of Allied Artists<br />

exchange, returned to his office following<br />

a two-week vacation, which he spent in<br />

northern California and Oregon . . . Wendell<br />

Bjorkman, district manager for Buena Vista,<br />

is vacationing . off a diving<br />

board. Republic Pictures Manager Jack Dowd<br />

pulled a ligament in his leg and hence is<br />

walking with the aid of a cane.<br />

Booking and buying along Filmrow were<br />

Harry Agron. Apache Drive-In, Tucson:<br />

George Diamos and George Caveloris. Lyric<br />

in Bisbee, Ariz.; Bob Berken, Ken Theatre,<br />

San Diego, and Al Stetson, West Coast Theatre,<br />

San Bernardino.<br />

film transport business 27 years.<br />

"Corral' Hits Sizzling 250<br />

Tlie three companies. Film Ti-ansport of the publication and the necessary ballots will<br />

In First Frisco Week<br />

Omaha, Rapid and Mills formerly were in be distributed at theatres before playdates.<br />

SAN FRANCISCO—A blasting 250 per cent the same building at Eleventh and Davenport<br />

M&R<br />

The winner will receive an Austin car, a<br />

set the Paramount Theatre management into<br />

seven-day flying trip to the Bahamas for<br />

streets. is now a licensed freight carrier<br />

happy grins when the first week of "Gunfight<br />

two people and "a nontransferable lifelong<br />

and more room was needed for its op-<br />

erations.<br />

at the O.K. Corral" tallied up the<br />

lease to Ava-Ava Island" in the South<br />

gro.sses. Second spot honors were far behind<br />

Pacific. To be awarded as consolation<br />

with 120 per cent going to the opening week<br />

prizes are 20 sets of table silverware.<br />

of "The Wayward Bus" and the second week Word Circuit to Operate<br />

of "The Little Hut."<br />

Arabian in Arab, Ala.<br />

ARAB, ALA.—The Arabian Theatre, which Eight Classed 'Adult'<br />

has been leased to Word Tlieatres of Scottsboro<br />

TORONTO—Eight features have been clas-<br />

by Haden Whatley, was reopened by<br />

the new operators after remodeling which<br />

involved changing of the front to provide<br />

more lobby space.<br />

With the reopening of the Arabian, which<br />

has been in operation about ten years, the<br />

new owners closed the Ritz which has been<br />

open about 20 years. Whatley leased the<br />

theatre to devote full time to other business.<br />

A 'Little Hut' Contest<br />

TORONTO—A countrywide limerick contest<br />

for the promotion of "The Little Hut"<br />

has been launched by the Canadian Home<br />

Journal, a monthly magazine published at<br />

Toronto, in conjunction with MGM of<br />

Canada. Entry blanks are obtainable from<br />

sified adult entertainment by the Ontario<br />

censor board as follows: "Attack of the Crab<br />

Monsters," "The Delinquents," "Hit and<br />

Run." "Lizzie." "The Man Who Turned to<br />

Stone," "No Time to Be Young," "The River's<br />

Edge" and "The Undead." A ninth picture,<br />

"Forbidden Women," has been restricted to<br />

adult patronage, meaning persons 18 years<br />

and over.<br />

W-4<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


. . The<br />

. . The<br />

. . Verne<br />

. .<br />

SAN FRANCISCO<br />

Irving M. Levin, division direrldr. San<br />

Francisco Theatres, chief barker of Variety<br />

Tent 32 of Northern CaUfornia, received<br />

additional duties as he was named to Mayor<br />

George Christopher's committee to entertain<br />

navy men during San Francisco's Fleet Day.<br />

Over the Flag Day weekend i<br />

June 13-16) more<br />

than 14 navy vessels fill the port with naval<br />

personnel filling both San Francisco and the<br />

East Bay. Levin arranged with the major<br />

number of the Market Street theatres to allow<br />

uniformed servicemen to enter at junior<br />

rates. Several art houses also offered this<br />

price relief.<br />

torio de Sica film. The only picture to top<br />

the Italian feature is the famous ''La Ronde"<br />

which played a 21-week engagement in 1951.<br />

Tlie new picture beat out the longtime second<br />

place holder "Trio," also a 1951 entry.<br />

F. VV. Galvin, division manager of United<br />

California Theatres, was named a member of<br />

a volunteer committee to publicize the United<br />

Crusade's fall campaign . Victory Theatre<br />

in Henderson treated the Girl Scouts<br />

and Brownies of Boulder City to a free movie<br />

as a reward for selling Girl Scout cookies and<br />

peanuts. The Scouts were supposed to have<br />

attended the free show at the El Portal in<br />

Las Vegas but because of other commitments,<br />

the troop leaders were granted the special<br />

privilege in Henderson,<br />

Evelyn Tutt. secretary to Charles Doty of<br />

Fox West Coast, and for many years with the<br />

theatre circuit, is very nearly beside herself<br />

with justifiable excitement. Her son Robert,<br />

who formerly worked for FWC, is returning<br />

to make his home here from his station in<br />

Beruit, Lebanon, where he was associated<br />

with Pan American Airways<br />

celebrities here recently included Groucho<br />

Marx; Alan Ladd, his wife Sue and his<br />

daughter and son; Fred MacMurray and wife<br />

June Haver, and George Sanders. Bing Crosby<br />

flew in from Hollywood to participate in the<br />

second annual Marty Welch Invitational Golf<br />

Tournament, and chalked up a 77.<br />

Michael Todd jr., w'as in town on a tour to<br />

cities where his father's "Around the World<br />

in 80 Days" is playing. He was accompanied<br />

by Bill Doll, recently made a vice-president<br />

of the Todd organization . Zeesman.<br />

partner with John Bowles in Motion Picture<br />

Purchasing, is a mighty proud man. Verne's<br />

three teenaged daughter-s—Diane Marie. Darlynn<br />

Louise and Sharon Judy— all graduate<br />

this month from high school.<br />

.<br />

period . . .<br />

The Pix Theatre at Pixley. August Panero,<br />

has closed temporarily Molino Theatre<br />

in Porterville closed for an indefinite<br />

Trudy Kleiser, PBX receptionist<br />

at Republic, is ill at Mount Zion Hospital .<br />

Bob Broadbent, city manager North Coast<br />

Theatres, was vacationing.<br />

Visitors to the Row included Mr. and Mrs.<br />

Andrew Alverez who are doing theii- own<br />

booking and buying for their Castroville Theatre<br />

in Castroville. The account formerly was<br />

Lloyd Franklin Renamed<br />

New Mexico TOA Head<br />

SANTA FE—Some 80 members of the New^<br />

Mexico Theatre Ass'n met at the La Fonda<br />

Hotel here this week


.<br />

. . Georgia<br />

. . Gene<br />

. . Other<br />

. . Clink<br />

. .<br />

SEATTLE<br />

prank Sinatra gave Seattleites a sock performance<br />

Sunday night at the Civic<br />

Auditorium. For more than an hour he sang<br />

pieces selected to suit his vocal style, backed<br />

by a recording-studio orchestra, plus Frank<br />

D'Amore as master of ceremonies and Hal<br />

Loman and two blonde dancing partners.<br />

The show, playing to a near-capacity audience,<br />

was promoted by the Volchok-Engerman<br />

team.<br />

The women of Variety Tent 46 made over<br />

$800 for the Variety Club Children's Heart<br />

Clinic at their recent special preview party<br />

held at the Green Lake Theatre . . . Harold<br />

G. Tomsett. representative of British Overseas<br />

Airways, was in town last week from<br />

New York to make arrangements for Variety<br />

Club members wishing to attend the Variety<br />

International convention to be held in London<br />

in May of 1958.<br />

Lindsley Parsons, producer, has been in<br />

Portland for two weeks for shooting of his<br />

film, "Portland Expose" . . . H. Neal East,<br />

Paramount western division sales manager,<br />

was in town from Los Angeles . . . Frank<br />

Jenkins has been working on second runs of<br />

"The Ten Commandments" out in the Western<br />

territory, the first being at the Grand<br />

Theatre in Bellingham, -July 2.<br />

Allied Artists' "Love in the Afternoon"<br />

has been set for the Music Box here July 3<br />

and the Orpheum, Portland, July 10 . . .<br />

Paramounfs "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral"<br />

did so well in its first week at the Coliseum<br />

that it was held over for a second week.<br />

The Orpheum Theatre here, has closed for<br />

a 30-day period to permit renovation .<br />

Hannah Tragger, Paramount cashier, returned<br />

from a week's vacation . . . Metro's<br />

"Man on Fire" was previewed at the Music<br />

.<br />

.<br />

.<br />

Hall Hulton. AA cashier, is<br />

back on the job after her wedding trip<br />

The local Paramount offices are undergoing<br />

complete renovation and redecorating, as<br />

Lonie has<br />

well as adding space<br />

left his booking job with AA to accept a<br />

position with National Screen Service.<br />

Variety Tent 46 is sponsoring a coupon book<br />

deal, to go on sale June 17th for a period of<br />

three weeks, in which a $150 value is offered<br />

for only $3.00. Tickets include theatres, race<br />

track, ball park, skating rink, restaurants,<br />

night clubs, and fen-y trips. The books are<br />

available from Variety Club . Wineholt,<br />

former manager of the Music Hall, has<br />

been named Hamrick assistant city manager.<br />

He replaces Cass Smith who left for<br />

southern California which he hopes will be<br />

beneficial to his children's asthmatic condition.<br />

Will Grieme was in town from his Vitaphone<br />

and drive-ins at Wenatchee. and the<br />

Omak Theatre, Omak . Filmrow<br />

visitors included Gene Grosbeck; Harry Wall.<br />

Lewiston. in at Saffles for booking; Ralph<br />

Stout, in from his Grange Theatre: and<br />

Darrell Sanders, over from his Cameo Theatre,<br />

Tacoma.<br />

200-Car Montana Airer<br />

Opened by Herb Bonifas<br />

CHINOOK. MONT. — Chinook's newest<br />

enterpri.se. the Red Rock Drive-In Theatre,<br />

was opened to the public recently for the<br />

first time by Herb Bonifas. The Red Rock,<br />

which will accommodate 200-cars, is equipped<br />

with RCA sound and has a Cinemascope<br />

screen. The snack bar is completely modern<br />

with facilities for dispensing popcorn, hot<br />

dogs, soft drinks and coffee. Admission<br />

prices are 70 cents for adults, 50 cents for<br />

students and 20 cents for children.<br />

DENVER<br />

r?ASfl®_rBiTTR[l<br />

SPECIAL<br />

TRAILERS<br />

niMACK<br />

nniM.ii.ui.i,i.imj,iin,iai.ii<br />

Improve at Jamestown<br />

JAMESTOWN. N. D.~Jamestown Theatres,<br />

headed by Burr W. Cline and Margaret C.<br />

Ludwig, widened the screen to 76 feet and<br />

reopened the Grand Theatre in mid-May.<br />

Cline. operator of the Star Theatre and<br />

Sunset Drive-In. bought the Grand from the<br />

Minnesota Amusement Co. Cline came to<br />

Jamestown in 1935 as manager for the MAC<br />

circuit of the Opera House. In 1949. Cline<br />

and L. J. Ludwig formed the Jamestow^l<br />

Theatres and built the Sunset Drive-In.<br />

HANDY<br />

BOXOFFICE:<br />

825 Van Brunt 31


. . Both<br />

PORT LAND<br />

AAichael Todd jr. and Bill Doll of Michael<br />

Todd enterprises were in town on the<br />

northwest leg of a nationwide tour of theatres<br />

playing Todd's "Around the World in<br />

80 Days." The two were guests at a luncheon<br />

at the Aero Club attended by Tom Walsh,<br />

J. J. Parker, executive assistant: Herb Royster,<br />

Broadway manager; Herb Larsen, Oregonian<br />

motion picture editor, and Arnold<br />

Marks. Oregon Journal motion picture editor.<br />

.M\a.n Weider, MGM exploiteer, was in<br />

working on "Something of Value." set for<br />

the Liberty. Ben Crosby of KWJJ is arranging<br />

a statewide radio saturation campaign<br />

for "Man on Fire." Key towns in Oregon<br />

participated in MGM's i.sland giveaway contest<br />

for "The Little Hut." Weider said. Winners<br />

in the nationwide contest will be announced<br />

in September . Herb Larsen<br />

of the Oregonian and Arnold Marks of the<br />

Journal went to Seattle to interview Jean<br />

Seberg. star of "Saint Joan."<br />

The Portland Chamber of Commerce is<br />

setting up a special committee to encourage<br />

the filming of motion pictures and television<br />

pictures in the northwest. Unusual scenery<br />

and facilities are readily available, the chamber<br />

points out.<br />

Spray Company Adds<br />

Jet<br />

Salesman Al Lamson<br />

BOSTON— Albert O. Lamson, has been appointed<br />

eastern sales-service representative<br />

for Jet Spray Corp.,<br />

Boston, manufacturer of<br />

electrically refrigerated drink dispensers.<br />

William H. Jacobs, president, said: "Mr.<br />

Lamson's appointment is another step forward<br />

in our integrated marketing program<br />

which combines all service and sales activities<br />

under a central department. Our increased<br />

service should greatly help our jobbers<br />

in their relationship with their customers."<br />

Lamson comes to Jet with over eleven<br />

years of experience in sales and engineering<br />

problems. He formerly was a sales engineer<br />

for Lempco Products, Inc.. Cleveland, manufacturer<br />

of automotive machine shop equipment.<br />

Previously, he was a sales representative<br />

for W. J. Connell. Boston, automotive<br />

wholesaler and distributor of parts and equipment,<br />

and with Grinold Auto Parts, Hartford.<br />

Conn.<br />

Lamson will make his headquarters in<br />

Waterbury from where he will cover the New-<br />

England and Middle Atlantic states.<br />

To Meg Bowery Entry<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Megging chores on Allied<br />

Artists' "Looking for Danger" were handed<br />

to Austen Jewell. Ben Schwalb is producing<br />

this feature, which is the 46th in the Bowery<br />

Boys comedy series, starring Huntz Hall and<br />

Stanley Clements. The .screenplay was written<br />

"oy Ehvood UUman,<br />

Wm. Pavlik Owner Now<br />

PRESTON, ONT.—The Park, the only theatre<br />

here, has been sold by Theatre Holding<br />

Corp. of Toronto to William Pavlik of Kitchener,<br />

who has started an improvement program<br />

at the house.<br />

Portland AA Office<br />

Hosts Producer<br />

PORTLAND—The Allied Artists office here<br />

played host to Producer Lindsley Parsons and<br />

his a.s.sociate John H. Burrows at a exhibitors<br />

luncheon at Bergs Chalet here Friday i7i.<br />

The producers of "Portland Expose" w-ere on<br />

location here for a week. Hosts were Ed<br />

Cruea, Seattle AA manager, and R. C. Carlson<br />

of the Portland office.<br />

Parsons and Burrows praised the cooperation<br />

they received in the Portland area<br />

pointing to the "let's get the job done first"<br />

spirit they encountered everywhere. Par-sons<br />

also gave a hand to the local technicians employed<br />

for camera and sound work.<br />

The picture, which will be rushed for release<br />

by August 15 holds something of a<br />

record. Parsons said. Thirty minutes after<br />

a planeload of players and technicians<br />

landed at Portland international airport here,<br />

the first scenes were shot. The exteriors had<br />

been selected a week before by Pai-sons, Burrow.s<br />

and Director Harold Schuster. Final shot<br />

was made Saturday afternoon at the anport<br />

just before the players and crews left for<br />

Los Angeles.<br />

Portland Civic theatre actors, local radio<br />

and TV men. were picked for minor roles.<br />

Even members of the police and fire departments<br />

appeared. Little difficulty was experienced<br />

in making the picture. Despite the<br />

theme of the picture—how a tavern operator,<br />

a family man, gets involved in labor racketeering—police<br />

and labor executives were most<br />

cooperative. Parsons says he was hoping for<br />

.some kind of legal action to give the pictm-e<br />

a further touch of national publicity. So far,<br />

nothing is forthcoming along that line.<br />

Guests at the luncheon included Jesse<br />

Jones of Jones theatres; M. M. Mesher, Paramount<br />

Theatre; Tom Walsh, Parker Theatre;<br />

Art Adamson and Mark MacDougald, Adamson<br />

Theatre; Ray Brown and Andy Anderson.<br />

United Theatres, and other exhibitors.<br />

Martin Theatres Changes<br />

Name of Its TV Station<br />

COLUMBUS. GA. — Officials of Martin<br />

Theatres of Georgia have changed the call<br />

letters of the company's channel 28 TV station<br />

here to WTVM. The station formerly<br />

was called WDAK-TV.<br />

Channel 28 made its bow Oct. 6, 1953 and at<br />

that time was owned 50-50 by Martin Theatres<br />

of Georgia and Radio Columbus, operator of<br />

WDAK radio. On Mar. 15. 1954. the Martin<br />

circuit acquired 75 per cent of the TV station,<br />

and in April 1957 channel 28 became a<br />

full-fledged member of Martin Theatres.<br />

Officers of WTVM are E. D. Martin, president;<br />

R. E. Martin, vice-president, and C. L.<br />

Patrick, secretary-treasurer. E. D. and Roy<br />

Martin own and operate motion picture theatres<br />

in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee,<br />

with Patrick as general manager.<br />

Guy Tiller, formerly with Atlanta Newspapers,<br />

Inc., and TV station WLWA in Atlanta,<br />

was named general manager of WTVM<br />

Grandson for Geo. Landers<br />

HARTFORD—George E. Landers, division<br />

manager for E. M. Loew's Theatres, and hi.s<br />

wife became grandparents for the fourth<br />

time, when a baby boy was born to Dr. and<br />

Mrs. Ben Vicas of Burlingame, Calif. Mrs.<br />

Vicas was the former Marilyn Landers.<br />

RESEARCH BUREAU<br />

for<br />

MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS<br />

ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION<br />

The MODERN THEATRE<br />

PLANNING mSTFTUTE<br />

825 Van Brunt Blvd.<br />

Kansas City 24, Mo.<br />

Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU<br />

to receive information regularly, as released, on<br />

the lollowing subjects for Theatre Planning:<br />

n Acoustics<br />

n Air Conditioning<br />

D Architectural Service<br />

n "Black" Lighting<br />

D Building Material<br />

D Carpets<br />

n Lighting Fixtures<br />

\J Plumbing Fixtures<br />

^ projectors<br />

D Projection<br />

° S^"''"'<br />

Lamps<br />

n Coin Machines ^ ^igns and Marquees<br />

Sound Equipment<br />

D Complete Remodeling<br />

D Decorating<br />

El Television<br />

n Drink Dispensers D Theatre Fronts<br />

n Drive-hi Equipment n Vending Equipment<br />

n Other Subjects<br />

rheolre<br />

,<br />

Seating Capacity..<br />

Address<br />

City<br />

State<br />

Signed<br />

Postage-paid reply cards for your further convenience<br />

in obtainiflg injormotion are provided in The MODETTN<br />

THEATRE Section, published with the first Issur of<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15. 1957


JOHN I. COllYER Porfroil fay fabian Bachrach<br />

"75% of B. F. Goodrich Employees . .<br />

Save $9,000,000 Per Year'<br />

"B. F. Goodrich people are proud of their many years<br />

of participation in the Payroll Savings Plan. 75% of our<br />

employees are members of the Plan, with payroll deductions<br />

of $9,000,000 a year.<br />

"Thrift is one of the keys to our continued prosperity.<br />

It builds security for the family, retards inflation and<br />

stabilizes the purchasing power of the dollar. I am<br />

proud that Ohio is a leader in this worthwhile endeavor<br />

and that it has been my privilege to serve since 1950<br />

as State Chairman of the Payroll Savings Advisory<br />

Committee."<br />

jq^^^ j coLLYER, Chairman<br />

The B. F. Goodrich Company<br />

A simple person-to-person canvass that puts a Payroll Savings<br />

Application Blank in the i.ands of every employee is all you<br />

have to do to install the Payroll Savings Plan or build employee<br />

participation in your present plan. Your State Sales<br />

Director is ready to help you. Write today to Savings Bond<br />

Division, U. S. Treasury Department, Washington 25, D. C.<br />

The United Slates Government does not pay for thi^ advertising. The Treasury Department<br />

thanks, for their patriotic donation, the Advertising Council and<br />

BOXOFFICE<br />

W-8 June 15, 1957


: June<br />

. Pitcher<br />

Manager<br />

. , . , Ralph<br />

'O.K. Corral' Ups Take<br />

In 2nd Chicago Week<br />

CHICAGO— Grosses tor several films which<br />

were strong in the initial week took something<br />

of a nosedive, but "Gunfight at the<br />

O.K. Corral" at the United Artists scored<br />

a neat increase at the boxoffice during the<br />

second week. Newcomers showing promise<br />

were "The Little Hut" at the Woods: "Pantaloons"<br />

at the Ziegfeld and "Dragstrip Girl"<br />

plus "Rock All Night" at the Garrick.<br />

(Averoge Is 100)<br />

Knows, Mr. Allison Carnegje Heoven (20th-Fox) 185<br />

Chicago—The D.I. (WB), 2nd wk 210<br />

Esquire— Loser Takes All (DCA) 195<br />

Gorrick Dragstrip Girl (AlP), Rock All Night<br />

(AlP) 200<br />

Grond The Deodly Mantis iU-l); The Girl in the<br />

Kremlin (U-ll 195<br />

Loop— This Could Be the Night (MGM), 3rd wk. . .185<br />

McVickers—The Ten Commandments (Poro); 28th<br />

wk 285<br />

Monroe— Monster trom Green Hell (DCA); Half<br />

Human (DCAi ?nd ^k 180<br />

Onentol—The Wayward Bus 20th-Fox), 2nd wk. . .200<br />

Palace Seven Wonders of the World (Cinerama),<br />

26th wk 315<br />

Roosevelt The Lonely Mon (Poro); Dragoon<br />

( Wells Massacre AA) 1 95<br />

in State Loke A Foce the Crowd (WB), 2nd wk. 190<br />

Surf— Gold of Naples ,DCA), 4th wk 185<br />

Todd's Cinestoge Around the World in 80 Days<br />

(UA), 9fh wk 355<br />

United Artists Gunfight at the O.K. Corrol<br />

(Pora), 2nd wk 220<br />

Woods The Little Hut (MGM) 210<br />

World Playhouse The Naked Eye (Film Representations),<br />

2nd wk 1 90<br />

Ziegfeld Pantaloons (UMPO) 195<br />

Rain and Storms Continue<br />

To Cut Kaycee Attendance<br />

KANSAS CITY — The holdovers were<br />

doing well here and the first weeks of most<br />

other first run pictures went above average.<br />

Storms in the area and rain about showtime<br />

cut the attendance, however, particularly<br />

Tuesday night when the city was alerted<br />

for tornadoes forming over the city itself. No<br />

serious damage was done outside of that to<br />

the boxoffice take on that night.<br />

Glen and Dickinson The Ride Back (UA), The Big<br />

Caper (UA) 110<br />

Kimo Invitotion<br />

Midland— Beyond<br />

115<br />

to the Dance MGMl; 3rd wk.<br />

Momboso iCol), Hellcats of the<br />

Navy (Col'<br />

Missouri—Cinerama<br />

90<br />

50<br />

Holiday jCineroma), 13th wk 1<br />

Paramount—Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (Para),<br />

2nd wk . 90<br />

Fox); The River's Edge (20th-Fox) 105<br />

Mo. Assembly 'Stands Pat'<br />

On Controversial Bills<br />

Rockhill Figaro, the Barber of Seville (Artists Producers<br />

Assoc ) 90<br />

Roxy The Ten Commandments (Para), 16th wk .150<br />

Tower—Around the World in 80 Days (UA), 2nd<br />

wk 500<br />

Uptown, Fairway and Granado China Gote (20th-<br />

JEFFERSON CITY—The recently terminated<br />

session of the Mis.souri General Assembly<br />

is being characterized as a "stand<br />

pat" body for its flat rejection of. or failure<br />

to act upon, these proposed measures:<br />

A move to repeal the King-Thompson act<br />

which bars public utility strikes, elimination<br />

of daylight saving time on a statewide basis,<br />

a minimum wage law, legalization of horse<br />

and dog racing and at-the-track parimutuel<br />

betting, a proposal to create a state department<br />

of public safety and fire prevention<br />

that would have regulatory powers over public<br />

places including motion picture theatres,<br />

a bill to permit bingo games for the benefit<br />

of charities, a bill to permit a governor to<br />

succeed himself, one to bar any discrimination<br />

by restaurants, hotels, theatres and<br />

dance halls and a bill to require an industry<br />

to hire a Negro if his qualifications for a<br />

job were greater than those of a white applicant.<br />

MPA Plans Big Evenf<br />

In Picnic Ball Game<br />

KANSAS CITY—What promises to be one<br />

of the most enjoyable industry events in this<br />

area will be the picnic which the Motion<br />

Picture Ass'n of Greater Kansas City is having<br />

at Wildwood Lakes on June 24. Not only<br />

are members urged to bring their families and<br />

as many guests as desired, but the local<br />

Women's Organization of the Motion Picture<br />

Industry (WOMPIi chapter has also been<br />

invited. Tickets are $1 each for adults and<br />

50 cents for children. Each group is asked to<br />

furnish its own food in basket picnic style<br />

or accommodations may be had at the restaurant<br />

in the park. Tlie activities will start<br />

at 2 p.m. and include horseshoe pitching,<br />

swimming, miniature golf, boating, dancing<br />

and shuffleboard. There will be draw prizes<br />

and prizes for horseshoe pitching.<br />

The grand event of the picnic, however,<br />

will be the ball game between exhibitors and<br />

distributors. The lineup for this is as follows:<br />

Distributors Position Exhibitors<br />

Don Foster 1st Base Chet Hilton<br />

Frank Thomas 2nd Base Dick Brous<br />

jr.<br />

Al Adier 3rd Base.. Dickinson<br />

Howard Kinser Shortstop. Adams<br />

Tom Boldwin Left Field Harold Hume<br />

Ralph Amacher Center Field Jim Lewis<br />

Morey Relder Right Field .... Stan Durwood<br />

Roscoe Thompson. Elmer Rhoden jr.<br />

Joe Neger Ed Hartman<br />

Horry Gaffney Utility Bev Miller<br />

Tom Bailey Bat Boy Fred Souttar<br />

Leon Robertson Umpire Joe Manfre<br />

Tickets for the event may be obtained from<br />

Harry Gaffney of Dixie Enterprises, Howard<br />

Thomas of Warner Bros., Abbott Sher of<br />

Exhibitors Film Delivery or Ralph Adams of<br />

Fox Midwest. That ball game alone ought<br />

to be worth three times the admission price!<br />

Harwald to Manufacture<br />

Movie-Mite Projector<br />

CHICAGO — The Harwald Co., Inc. of<br />

Evanston, 111., has taken over the manufacture<br />

and distribution of the Movie-Mite 16<br />

mm sound projector from the Calvin Co. of<br />

Kansas City, Mo. The Harwald company<br />

has been manufacturing products for the<br />

photographic and audio-visual fields since<br />

1946.<br />

One of the first steps to be taken by Harwald<br />

is the establishment of an improved<br />

;ind more extensive nationwide service organization,<br />

as well as closer relations with<br />

photo dealers. The Movie-Mite was recently<br />

re-engineered and now has such advanced<br />

features as a curved film gate, single lamp<br />

for both sound and picture, and automatic<br />

safety trips which stop the machine automatically<br />

if a loop is lost.<br />

Truman to Talk at Lyric<br />

On Theatre Anniversary<br />

BOONVILLE. MO. — Former Pi-esident<br />

Harry S. Tiuman has accepted the invitation<br />

to make the rededication talk at the<br />

100th anniver-sary of the Lyric Theatre (Thespian<br />

Halli on July 2 at 7 p.m. The Fox Midwest<br />

house has many historic associations,<br />

such as serving as a ho.spital and as Union<br />

troop headquarters during the Civil war battle<br />

of Boonville. Truman's talk will be along<br />

historical lines, and Governor Blair and other<br />

state officials will<br />

attend.<br />

'80 Days' Bow Benefits<br />

Symphony Orchestra<br />

ST. LOUIS—The St. Louis premiere of<br />

Mike Todd's "Around the World in 80 Days"<br />

netted the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra<br />

more than $6,500 the night of June 4. The picture<br />

was presented in a special benefit performance<br />

at the Esquire Theatre on Clayton<br />

road in Richmond Heights with the house<br />

scaled at $5 general admission and loge seats<br />

$10.<br />

Mike Todd and the owners of the Esquire<br />

decided to give the first night's receipts to<br />

the St. Louis Symphony Society which has a<br />

drive on to raise $225,000 to support the<br />

orchestra through the 1957-58 season and to<br />

wipe out a deficit from the past season. The<br />

$6,500 from "Around the World in 80 Days,"<br />

puts the funds raised past the $200,000 mark.<br />

NEAR CAPACITY CROWD<br />

The premiere brought out a gala audience<br />

of some 1.500 persons, practically capacity<br />

for the de luxe suburban first run house. Included<br />

were many civic and social leaders.<br />

Before the show a dance orchestra played<br />

on the sidewalk in front of the theatre, as<br />

"Indians" and persons from all around the<br />

world in authentic costumes cavorted on a<br />

large truck parked in Clayton road.<br />

The ceremonies prior to the opening of the<br />

picture in the theatre were very brief. Alfred<br />

Fleishman, board chairman of the<br />

Symphony Society, was presented and spoke<br />

briefly from the stage, thanking the owners<br />

of the Esquire and Mike Todd, producer of<br />

the picture, for the benefit performance. Todd<br />

cabled regrets from Cannes. France, at being<br />

unable to attend the local premiere, and extending<br />

wishes for the success of the Symphony<br />

Society's fund drive.<br />

William J. Heineman. UA vice-president<br />

in charge of distribution, and James R. Velde,<br />

general sales manager, headed a party of 30<br />

to the benefit premiere. They were in St.<br />

Louis for a two-day sales conference at Hotel<br />

Chase on June 5 and 6.<br />

EXPLOITATION BY BEKGER<br />

Jerry Berger. who handles advertising and<br />

publicity for the Esquire Theatre, in cooperation<br />

with William Zalken, Symphony Society<br />

secretary, did a terrific advance exploitation<br />

and advertising campaign for the benefit and,<br />

of course, for the regular engagement of the<br />

picture that opened on June 5. Included in<br />

the campaign was a visit to St. Louis by<br />

Mike Todd jr. He attended a special luncheon<br />

at the Anheuser-Busch executive offices and<br />

saw the world's largest brewery. He visited<br />

the City Hall and received the key to the<br />

city from Mayor Raymond R. Tucker and also<br />

made personal appearances on local television<br />

stations and was interviewed by several<br />

prominent radio disc jockeys. The daily<br />

newspapers also carried featured interviews<br />

from Todd.<br />

Sam Levin, co-owner, and Howard Zulauf,<br />

manager of the Esquire, report a fine advance<br />

sale of tickets for "Around the World<br />

in 80 Days" through some six weeks or more<br />

since they were placed on public sale. The<br />

St. Louis engagement marks the first time<br />

the feature has been shown in a 35mm version.<br />

All other engagements thus far have<br />

been only in the Todd-AO 70mm.<br />

Filming of "The Islander" will start<br />

Italy in the middle of June.<br />

BOXOFFICE ;<br />

15, 1957


. . . LeRoy<br />

. . Alice<br />

. . Ray<br />

. . Dennis<br />

. . Mrs.<br />

. .<br />

Larry<br />

. . Stebbins<br />

. .<br />

. . . Dolores<br />

. . Mrs.<br />

. . The<br />

. . Bernice<br />

. . Connie<br />

. . Few<br />

KANSAS CITY<br />

f*eoTge Roth, sales manager for Trans-Lux<br />

. . .<br />

Pictures, was in town "Heaven<br />

Knows, Mr. Allison" was a record-breaker<br />

here in eight drive-ins over the Decoration<br />

Day weekend, reports Howard Kinser, 20th-<br />

Fox sales manager. "It lifted the spirits of<br />

the exhibitors because it showed them what<br />

could be done with the right picture and<br />

still<br />

a decent break in the weather," he commented.<br />

Harry Wood is winding up the audit<br />

in the local office. Joe Bondank, booker,<br />

is going on what Kinser suspects will be a<br />

"honey-do" vacation — "honey, do this,"<br />

"honey, do that." Lena Orr, head inspector,<br />

comes back from her three weeks and Irene<br />

Sharp starts on hers from that department.<br />

Fox Midwest managers are concentrating<br />

on the big push for Rhoden Weeks, June 26<br />

—July 9, an annual event . . . Jess Spain,<br />

manager of the Vista Theatre, is the father of<br />

a daughter born May 24 in St. Mary's Hospital,<br />

whose name is Peggy Ann . . .<br />

Tyndall<br />

Lewis, manager of the Gillioz Theatre at<br />

Springfield, Mo., and family were fortunate<br />

not to be hurt in a recent auto accident<br />

Nichols, manager of the Regent<br />

Theatre at Wellington, Kas., has a new approach<br />

by using a single column, editorialized<br />

message in the local paper which is proving<br />

effective . Ann Uhrmacher is the<br />

new secretary in L. E. Pope's office . . .<br />

Chief Auditor Lindy Mayberry has his third<br />

son now with the recent ai-rival of Delbert<br />

Neil Mayberry.<br />

"The James Dean Story," produced and<br />

directed by George W. George and Robert<br />

Altman, has been acquired by Warner Bros,<br />

for distribution. This is of special interest<br />

to Kansas Citians for Altman is a local boy<br />

and has worked here for the Calvin Co. and<br />

with Elmer Rhoden Jr., president of Imperial<br />

Productions for whom Altman wrote and<br />

directed "The Delinquents." His sister Joan<br />

Altman is assistant producer at Imperial<br />

Productions. The parents are Mr. and Mrs.<br />

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B. C. Altman of 624 Porte Cima Pas, Santa<br />

Fe Hills.<br />

Jim Long-, Fox Midwest district manager,<br />

reports the midwest premiere of "Bernardine"<br />

will be the entertainment feature of the<br />

celebration of the 100th anniversary of the<br />

Lyric Theatre (Thespian Halli at Boonville,<br />

Mo. There will also be some Hollywood personalities<br />

attending whose names will be announced<br />

later . . . Warner Bros, is entertaining<br />

a home office auditor, C. Mendelson<br />

L&L Popcorn reports the sale of a<br />

Servette popcorn waiTner to the city for use<br />

in Swope Park .<br />

Glen Cooper of<br />

Dodge City, Kas., was reported ill.<br />

Uorothie Warneke, Buena Vista office secretary<br />

and booker who recently broke a hip.<br />

is up on crutches and with a telephone in<br />

her room, going ahead with as much of her<br />

work as she can handle at the hospital. She<br />

called to say she has been deeply touched and<br />

is grateful for the cards, flowers, messages<br />

and visits from friends who heard about her<br />

bad luck Montee, Pox Midwest<br />

.<br />

manager at Liberal, Kas.. has been elected<br />

pre.sident of the local Lions Club and will<br />

attend the convention in San Francisco .<br />

Leon Robertson returned from a trip into<br />

his FMW district, calling on managers in<br />

Topeka, Atchison, Marysville, Clay Center<br />

and Concordia, Kas.; Beatrice, Neb., and<br />

Council Bluffs, Iowa.<br />

Bill Jeffries, office manager at Columbia,<br />

says the saturation bookings on "The Giant<br />

Claw" with "The Night the World Exploded"<br />

have brought more than the usual number<br />

of headaches. When the 40 prints on each<br />

one, 80 prints in all. arrived a few days<br />

ahead of the booking date, they still had to<br />

be mounted and had not been censored. Of<br />

Columbia's five inspectors, one was on vacation<br />

and another was off sick, so Central<br />

Shipping was called on to help get the<br />

prints in shape to ship out to the scheduled<br />

theatres. You see, distributors have their<br />

troubles, too.<br />

Zella Faulkner, office secretary for KMTA,<br />

admits to being "all shook up" after tripping<br />

over a hefty brief case someone set down<br />

behind her just before she stepped back<br />

Carter, Paramount booker, has<br />

resigned and has indicated he will probably<br />

. return to Memphis Theatre<br />

Equipment reports the Dwight Theatre at<br />

Dwight, Kas., is being reopened by the local<br />

Booster Club. The theatre's equipment came<br />

in to Stebbins for checking. A popcorn<br />

machine was furnished Herb Jeans of the<br />

Parkade Drive-In at Columbia, Mo., for the<br />

local Cosmopolitan Club.<br />

Ray McKitrick, Universal salesman, brings<br />

word that Cle Bratton ran a "western marathon"<br />

on a recent Saturday at his Chief<br />

Drive-In in Council Grove — four westerns<br />

on one program. The results were so good<br />

that he plans to repeat it. Which calls attention<br />

to the fact that the triple feature<br />

is quite common now and one exhibitor ran<br />

five features on one program which lasted<br />

until almost .sunup, but there were still cars<br />

on the ramps Klein, U-I office<br />

manager, came back from Florida with a<br />

fine tan and some good fish stories. He<br />

says Mrs. Klein accompanied him on his<br />

deep sea fishing trips in both the Atlantic<br />

and the Gulf, but under protest. However.<br />

every time she threw out her line, a fish<br />

grabbed the hook, so she wasn't bored.<br />

They tell us Mrs. Ernie Block has a fine<br />

vegetable and flower garden in the back of<br />

the Nemaha Drive-In at Sabetha, Kas., which<br />

she and her husband operate . . . Second<br />

generation workers on Filmrow now include<br />

Danny Patz at National Screen Service, son<br />

of Lou Patz, district manager, and Jimmie<br />

Jeffries, at Columbia, son of Bill Jeffries,<br />

office manager. Danny is in the shipping<br />

room at NSS and Jimmie is office boy at<br />

Columbia . flowers in the window at<br />

NSS add an aesthetic note to the front office<br />

. Joe Woodward, whose husband<br />

died recently in Milwaukee and was well<br />

known here, visited the Buena Vista Tommy<br />

Thompsons.<br />

Vern Skorey, 20th-Fox salesman, is beaming<br />

and passing out cigars because of his<br />

first granddaughter, Joanne, born June 2 to<br />

his daughter, Mrs. Robert Darby and Mr.<br />

Darby of Edmonton, Alta., Canada. Grandma<br />

Skorey is "on the set" and will remain for<br />

several weeks . Powall, shorts<br />

booker at Commonwealth, is back at her<br />

desk after an attack of vii-us pneumonia<br />

Kneib of Fox Midwest is home<br />

from the hospital and expects to be back<br />

on the job soon .<br />

EUsman is the<br />

new office girl at Capitol Flag & Banner<br />

Co. Nat Hechtman's son Elliott is now at<br />

the Kansas University Medical center in<br />

the<br />

research department. The Capitol's busine.ss<br />

bai-ometer registers these: "Desk Set,"<br />

"Love in the Afternoon," "Joe Butterfly,"<br />

"Island in the Sun."<br />

Current vacationers include these from<br />

National Screen Service; Kenneth Clark,<br />

head shipper, to New Orleans; Anna Mae<br />

Clark, clerk, to Memphis; Virginia Pi-ee,<br />

stock clerk, to Colorado Springs. Marge<br />

Wilson, assistant cashier at Warner Bros.,<br />

went to Grand River. Mo.; and Marie Neely.<br />

switchboard operator at Universal; Jean Miller<br />

(Mrs. John I, secretary at Columbia, is<br />

toui-ing the east with her husband, stopping<br />

at points like Niagara Falls outof-town<br />

exhibitors are seen often on the<br />

Row these days. Among Missourians reported<br />

last week are J. Leo Hayob, Marshall;<br />

Elmer Bills, Salisbury; Mr. and Mrs. Ken<br />

Winkelmeyer, Boonville; Frank Weary jr.,<br />

Henrietta.<br />

. . .<br />

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Moss of the Ellinwood<br />

Theatre, Ellinwood, Kas., celebrated their<br />

tenth wedding anniversary June 5<br />

Penny Golden, daughter of Ed and Mrs.<br />

Golden of the Golden Booking Agency, had<br />

honors showered on her last week. She was<br />

elected treasurer of the student council at<br />

SCOTSMAN ICE MACHINE<br />

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Everything for the Stage<br />

• CURTAINS • TRACKS • RIGGING • STAGE<br />

LIGHTING • HOUSE DRAPERIES<br />

GREAT WESTERN STAGE EQUIPT. CO.<br />

1324 Grand Kansai City, Missouri<br />

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June 15, 1957


. . Mr.s.<br />

. .<br />

. .<br />

j<br />

Southwest High School, sweetheart of the<br />

Delta Sigma fraternity and president of<br />

Theta sorority. Penny will be a senior at<br />

Southwest next fall. Bonnie Golden, the<br />

elder daughter, is home from Kansas University<br />

and will attend summer school at<br />

Kansas City University.<br />

Jack Braunagel of United Theatres,<br />

formerly drive-in manager at Commonwealth<br />

Theatres, recently shot a hole-in-one while<br />

playing golf at the North Little Rock Country<br />

Club.<br />

Boris Bernardi, managing director of the<br />

Missouri Theatre which is operated by Cinerama,<br />

went to Holl>'^^•ood to visit his brother<br />

on his vacation. Now word has been received<br />

here that he entered the Leland Hospital<br />

there for surgery after a physical checkup.<br />

John Dobson, United Artists salesman, was<br />

one of three national winners in the second<br />

lap of the company's "Prize Twelve" Playdate<br />

Contest. Bud Ti-oug won second place<br />

in the salesman awards and Robert DeJarnette<br />

was a runnerup in the bookers competition.<br />

James R. Velde. general sales manager,<br />

announced the winners. Dobson receives<br />

a top cash award.<br />

C. C. Murray. Fox Midwest manager from<br />

Wichita, came in for the trade screening of<br />

"Around the World in 80 Days" at the Tower<br />

Theatre. Murray's daughter Sandra has set<br />

the date for her marriage in August .<br />

Tornado warnings in the area last week, even<br />

though no tornadoes struck, did not help business<br />

. . Bill Mclntire. Columbia booker,<br />

was on vacation Lorel Reagan of<br />

Butler, Mo., and Mrs. Fi-ed Davis. Girard.<br />

Kas., were recent Pilmrow visitors .<br />

Frank Oschwald, painter who works for several<br />

of the circuits and others, fell off a ladder<br />

at his home, 4933 Westwood Terrace, and<br />

broke his leg. The accident happened the day<br />

before Decoration Day and he is in St. Luke's<br />

hospital for repairs.<br />

John Gordon Tonge Dies;<br />

39-Year-Old MGM Booker<br />

KANSAS CITY — John Gordon Tonge<br />

sr., a booker at MGM, died Saturday (8) at<br />

the Smithville Community hospital after a<br />

week's illness. He was only 39 years old and<br />

started to work for Exhibitors Film Delivery<br />

in 1936. remaining through 1941 as a shipper.<br />

department of MGM and went Into the armed<br />

In January 1942 he came to the shipping<br />

services in December 1943, returning to<br />

MGM in September 1945.<br />

He became a booker with the company in<br />

April 1951 and has been in that capacity<br />

ever since. Everyone on Filmrow, where he<br />

was very popular, was shocked by his death.<br />

He is survived by his .son John Gordon Tonge<br />

jr., of the home at Gashland and by his<br />

mother, Mrs. Hazel Tonge, his maternal<br />

grandmother and two sisters, all of San Diego,<br />

Calif. His wife, Mrs. Effic Tonge. has been<br />

dead about eight years.<br />

Cashier Is Robbed of $200<br />

By Man Believed Armed<br />

ST. LOUIS—Wanda Garri.son. cashier of<br />

the Varsity Theatre. 6610 Delniar Blvd. in<br />

University City, was robbed of $200 the night<br />

of June 1 by a man who held his hand under<br />

a coat as if he were holding a pistol. After<br />

obtaining the money he ran east on Delmar<br />

boulevard.<br />

The circumstances were similar to those<br />

connected with a robbery at the Fox Theatre<br />

on Grand boulevard in St. Louis some weeks<br />

ago. Theatre cashiers are under orders from<br />

the owners not to take a chance, since the<br />

robber "may really have a gun and use it."<br />

Miss Garrison told police she did not .see a<br />

gun but it could easily have been concealed<br />

from view.<br />

In TV Promotion Post<br />

WICHITA—Ken Finlay, who managed the<br />

Modjeska Theatre in Milwaukee for Fox<br />

Wisconsin until the house was sold to the<br />

Gran Amusement Co., is introducing some<br />

motion picture theatre merchandising techniques<br />

in the television field here. He has<br />

joined Dale Larsen, promotion director of<br />

KT'VH, an affiliate of CBS, on some special<br />

promotional programs. Before joining Fox<br />

Wisconsin, Finlay was with the Alliance<br />

circuit, managing the Fond du Lac in Fond<br />

du Lac,<br />

Wis.<br />

Reopens for Part Week<br />

MARQUETTE, KAS. — R. L. Dickison of<br />

Lindsborg has reopened the Strand Theatre<br />

here on a four-day-per-week policy, with<br />

two changes. The days it will be open are<br />

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with<br />

two showings on Saturday and Sunday nights.<br />

The reopening was May 24. Business arrangements<br />

for the theatre's opening were<br />

made with Adolph Hoop, owner.<br />

Georde Nader will play the male starring<br />

role opposite Hedy Lamarr and Jane Powell<br />

in U-I's "The Female Animal,"<br />

DON'T MISS<br />

Name Prize Winners<br />

In Realart Drive<br />

ST. LOUIS —The winners of the Exhibitors<br />

Participation Playdate Drive of Realart Pictures<br />

have been announced by Herman Gorelick<br />

and George Phillips, owners of the independent<br />

film exchange. The prize campaign<br />

which ended June 1 was inaugurated<br />

as part of the tenth anniversary celebration<br />

of the exchange. The winners were .selected<br />

by Myra Stroud, managing secretary, Missouri-Illinois<br />

Theatre Owners, with the aid<br />

of Mrs. Grace Puccione, owner of the local<br />

Apollo Theatre, and Tom Williamson of<br />

Bloomer Amusement Co., Belleville, 111, The<br />

prizes included a brief case, pen and pencil<br />

set, cigaret lighter, golf bag, golf balls, billfolds,<br />

camera and watch band.<br />

Winners in the contest were: Robert Spurlock,<br />

Kay Theatre, Karnak, 111.; Randy Pedrucci,<br />

Frisina Amusement Co., Springfield,<br />

111.; F. F. Glass, Alton Theatre, Alton, Mo.;<br />

Howard Spies. Midwest Theatras, Kirkwood:<br />

Audreanel Freeman, McCutcheon circuit.<br />

Biytheville, Ark.; W. M. Griffin, Rodgers<br />

Theatres, Cairo, 111.; Andrew Dietz, Cooperative<br />

Theatres, St. Louis; Louis Jablonow,<br />

Jablonow-Komm Theatres, Clayton; Harry<br />

Horning, Turner-Farrar Theatres, Harrisburg,<br />

111.; Leon Hoofnagle, Commonwealth<br />

Amusement Corp., Kansas City; Ftank<br />

Plumlee, Edwards & Plumlee Theatres,<br />

Farmington; David G. Arthur. St. Louis<br />

Amusement Co.; Fred Kinsel. Lindina Theatre.<br />

Edina; Lester R. Kropp. Fred Wehrenberg<br />

Theatres. St. Louis: Gregory Zotos,<br />

Roosevelt Theatre, St. Louis; Russell Armentrout,<br />

Armentrout circuit, Louisiana: Harry<br />

Plaikos, Regal Theatre, St. Louis; Bernard<br />

Palmer, Columbia Amu.sement Co., Paducah,<br />

Ky.; Harry Blount, Plaza Theatre, Potosi;<br />

Ben Beckett, Park Theatre, 'Valley Park;<br />

Forrest Pirtle, Pirtle circuit, Jer.seyville. 111.;<br />

Frank Glenn. Melody Drive-In. Tamaroa.<br />

111.; John Giachetto. Frisina Amusement Co..<br />

Springfield. 111.; Ray Parker. Parker circuit.<br />

Brentwood; and Tom Bloomer. Bloomer<br />

Amusement Co., Belleville, 111.<br />

THE BIG PICNIC<br />

Monday, June 24<br />

Wildwood Lakes<br />

Roytown, Mo.<br />

Starts at 2 p.m.<br />

Sponsored by the Motion Picture Ass'n of Greater Kansas City<br />

FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY AND THEIR<br />

FAMILIES<br />

Bring Your Own Basket of Food<br />

Goffney Leases Airer<br />

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, MO. — The Pines<br />

Drive-In, which has not been open this .season,<br />

has been leased by Commonwealth Theatres<br />

to Harry Gaffney who reopened it FYiday<br />

night il4i. The outdoor theatre has<br />

been completely renovated. Gaffney operates<br />

Dixie Enterprises, which include the distribution<br />

of some independent pictures and booking<br />

for other exhibitors.<br />

t<br />

BASEBALL, HORSESHOE PITCHING, SWIMMING,<br />

MINIATURE GOLF, BOATING, DANCING<br />

TICKETS: $1.00 FOR ADULTS, 50c FOR CHILDREN<br />

t Can Be Obtained at Any Kansas City Film Exchange<br />

June 15, 1957


at<br />

i<br />

I<br />

I<br />

. . . Edna<br />

ST.<br />

LOUIS<br />

pddie Cantor was here June 8-10 appearing<br />

at the Stix, Baer & Fuller department<br />

store on Monday (10 1 2 p.m. to autograph<br />

copies of his book "Take My Life," the autobiography<br />

of his 50 years in the show business.<br />

While here he was guest of Arthur<br />

B. Baer. SBF president, at his home in Ladue.<br />

Pete Goodman, Globe-Democrat staff writer,<br />

talked to Eddie and received this classic comment<br />

on TV: "Television writers are like<br />

drunks in a shooting gallery. Many of its<br />

performers are grade school kids thrown into<br />

a university and their bosses are businessmen<br />

in a showmen's world." TV's growing<br />

pains seemed to concern him most.<br />

Ben Lass, National Screen salesman, believes<br />

he owes his life to the quick thinking<br />

of a Negro truck driver. Ben's car was<br />

demolished when it was hit head-on by a<br />

speeding motorist attempting to pass the<br />

truck on a rise. The truck driver, realizing<br />

the situation, swerved his truck to provide<br />

enough clearance to allow the passing machine<br />

enough room to avoid a more direct hit<br />

with Ben's car. Ben escaped with a dislocated<br />

elbow and some minor cuts. He spent the<br />

night at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount<br />

Vernon, near where the collision occurred.<br />

RIO IS YOUR<br />

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UA District Chiefs<br />

Meet in St. Louis<br />

ST. LOUIS — Sales policies and distribution<br />

plans for summer and fall releases,<br />

particularly "The Pride and the Passion,"<br />

highlighted a United Artists district managers<br />

meeting at the Chase Hotel here June<br />

5 and 6. William J. Heineman, vice-president<br />

in charge of distribution, and James R.<br />

Velde. general sales manager, presided at the<br />

sessions held in the Colonial room.<br />

On Tuesday (4i Heineman and Velde headed<br />

the UA contingent at the premiere showing<br />

here of "Around the World in 80 Days"<br />

which UA is distributing for the Mike Todd<br />

organization.<br />

On Wednesday i5i prominent exhibitors<br />

and executives of this trade area were entertained<br />

at a luncheon and cocktail party.<br />

Among the guests were Richard P. Brous of<br />

Fox Midwest Theatres and Ralph Adams<br />

from Kansas City, George and Louis Kerasotes<br />

111.,<br />

of Springfield, Edward B., James H.<br />

and David G. Arthur and J. Strainer of<br />

Arthur Enterprises; John Meinardi, district<br />

manager here for Fox Midwest Theatres:<br />

Jimmy Frisina of Frisina Amusement Co.,<br />

Springfield: Howard Zulauf and Sam Levin<br />

of the Esquire Theatre in Richmond Heights:<br />

Russ Bovim, district manager of Loew's, Inc.:<br />

Frank Hensen and Don Baker. Loew's State<br />

and Loew's Orpheum theatres here: L. J.<br />

Williams, MITO president of Union, Mo.:<br />

Lester R. Kropp of Fred Wehrenberg Theatres:<br />

Tommy James, Charles Goldman,<br />

Joseph and Louis Ansell, all of St. Louis:<br />

Lou Jablonow of Jablonow-Komm Theatres<br />

in Clayton, Howard Spies of Mid West Theatre<br />

in Kirkwood and Tom Bloomer and<br />

Tom Williams of Bloomer Amusement Co.<br />

in Belleville, 111.<br />

The UA men attending the two-day gathering<br />

included Al Fitter, western division manager:<br />

Milt Cohen, southern division manager,<br />

and George Schaefer. producer's representative,<br />

all of New York City: Charles ChapUn,<br />

Canadian district manager from Toronto:<br />

George Pabst, southern district manager.<br />

New Orleans: Sid Cooper, central district<br />

manager, Washington: Gene Tunnick, eastern<br />

district manager, Philadelphia: Ralph<br />

Clark, western district manager, Los Angeles,<br />

and Fenton J. "Mike" Lee, midwest district<br />

manager of St. Louis. Exchange managers<br />

present included Ralph Amacher, Kansas<br />

Joe Imhof, Milwaukee: Herb Bushman,<br />

City:<br />

Minneapolis: D. V. McLucas, Omaha: Harry<br />

Goldman, Chicago: Ed Biglow, Indianapolis,<br />

and Durand J. "Bud" Edele, St. Louis. Also<br />

there were John Murphy, buyer for Loew's<br />

Theatres, New York: Prank Marshall, Warner<br />

Bros, buyer. New York: Carl Olson. UA<br />

office manager from Des Moines, and Kermit<br />

Carr of Goldberg Theatres in Omaha.<br />

Switch to Ozoners<br />

ST. LOUIS — Exhibitors in three Missouri<br />

communities have closed their indoor theatres<br />

and opened their drive-ins for the<br />

season. Theatres involved are the Horstman<br />

in Chaffee, the Vita in Warrenton and the<br />

Cuba in Cuba.<br />

Two Close in Illinois<br />

ST LOUIS—Recent theatre closings in<br />

this film trade territory have included the<br />

Rivoli in Norris City. 111., and the Vogue in<br />

Palestine. 111.<br />

Screening Room Occupies<br />

New St. Louis Quarters<br />

ST, LOUIS — The .Art Theatre and Screening<br />

Room has been moved from the old<br />

RKO Radio building to new quarters in the<br />

20th Century-Fox film exchange building at<br />

3330 Olive St.<br />

Charles Guggenheim & Associates, who<br />

purchased the Art Theatre and Screening<br />

Room from the w^idow of Ruby S'Renco several<br />

montlis ago. apparently could not reach<br />

satisfactory terms with the real estate representative<br />

of MGM for quarters in the RKO<br />

Radio building, so had to seek new space for<br />

its offices and the screening room. The<br />

20th Century-Fox building contained a<br />

screening room seating some 50 persons, only<br />

about half of the old Art Theatre, but since<br />

the theatre withdrew from the art picture<br />

field a couple of years ago, the smaller seating<br />

capacity is sufficient for the average<br />

trade screenings of the motion pictures of<br />

various distributors. John Wilson continues<br />

in charge of the screening room.<br />

In the move to the new location. Charles<br />

Guggenheim & Associates take over the front<br />

office space on the ground floor formerly<br />

occupied by Harry Kahan Film Delivery<br />

Service and also some storage space in the<br />

rear of the building also formerly used by<br />

the Kahan organization. In the meantime<br />

Kahan Film Delivery office has been moved<br />

across the front floor to space in the quarters<br />

of another ground floor tenant of the<br />

building.<br />

In the meantime MGM is making arrangements<br />

to move into the old RKO Radio<br />

exchange building the latter part of June.<br />

Space in this building is considerably less<br />

than now being used by MGM at<br />

3010 Olive<br />

St. This move is in keeping with the economy<br />

program instituted by Joseph R. Vogel. president<br />

of Loew's, Inc.<br />

St. Louis Circuit Drops<br />

Suit Over 'The Mutiny'<br />

ST. LOUIS—Tlie antitrust .suit filed by the<br />

St, Louis Amusement Co. Oct. 27, 1954, against<br />

Columbia Pictures, Loew's, Inc.. and Loew's<br />

State Theatre Co. was dismissed by the plaintiff<br />

in U. S. Judge George H. Moore's court<br />

May 29 without prejudice. This means that,<br />

if it so desires, the St. Louis Amusement Co.<br />

could relnstitute a similar action. Counsel<br />

explained that it was decided not to proceed<br />

with the litigation at this time.<br />

The suit was instituted in an endeavor to<br />

restrain the defendants from exhibiting "The<br />

Caine Mutiny" at Loew's State Theatre in<br />

October 1954. instead of in the plaintiff's St.<br />

Louis Theatre,<br />

Ronald Reagan Awarded<br />

Degree by Alma Mater<br />

EUREKA, ILL. — Screen star Ronald<br />

Reagan, speaking at the commencement of<br />

his alma mater. Eureka College, here, said<br />

that the motion picture industry has "whipped<br />

communism" but now faces other "dangers."<br />

He said Hollywood has become a<br />

"target" for "those people in this country<br />

who seek to regulate and interfere."<br />

Reagan's alma mater conferred an honorary<br />

degree of doctor of humane letters on<br />

the actor, citing him for "real understanding<br />

and courage in recognizing and exposing<br />

Communists and their influence" during his<br />

term as president of the Screen Actors Guild.<br />

RESEARCH BUREAU<br />

(or<br />

MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS<br />

ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION<br />

The MODERN THEATRE<br />

PLANNING INSTITUTE<br />

825 Van Brunt Blvd.<br />

Kan.sas City 24, Mo.<br />

Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU<br />

to receive iniormation regularly, as released, on<br />

the following subjects for Theatrp Planning:<br />

n Acoustics<br />

D Air Conditioning<br />

n Architectural Serrica<br />

n "Black" Lighting<br />

D Building<br />

Mortorial<br />

n Carpets<br />

D Coin Machines<br />

n Complete Remodeling<br />

n Decorating<br />

D Drink Dispensers<br />

D Drive-In Equipment<br />

n Other SubjocU..<br />

Theatre<br />

Seating Capacity...<br />

Address<br />

City<br />

State<br />

Signed<br />

n Lighting Fixtures<br />

D Plumbing Fixtures<br />

Projectors<br />

n Projection<br />

Lamps<br />

n Sealing<br />

n Signs and Marquees<br />

n Sound Equipment<br />

D Television<br />

n Theatre Fronts<br />

n Vending Equipment<br />

Postage-paid reply cards for your further convenience<br />

in obtaining information are provided in The MODERN<br />

THEATRE Section, published with the firet issue of<br />

each month.<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15. 1957 C-5


. . Robert<br />

. . Max<br />

. . The<br />

. . . The<br />

. Condolences<br />

. . "Albert<br />

. . Stopover<br />

. . Sam<br />

. .<br />

. . Mike<br />

CHICAGO<br />

The State Lake Theatre is making preparations<br />

for an upbeat in business with a new<br />

product lineup including "The Prince and<br />

the Showgirl," "The Pride and the Passion"<br />

and "Jeanne Eagels" .<br />

Pearl, formerly<br />

with the Paradise Theatre, died this<br />

month .<br />

Hughes is the new president<br />

of the American Federation of Film Societies<br />

. . . Norman Pyle. publicist for MGM<br />

here, has been setting up special screenings<br />

of "Something of Value" for the press, columnists<br />

and disc jockeys. The film opens at<br />

the Woods July 2. . . . Sam Gorelick, head of<br />

Rank FDA offices here, has completed negotiations<br />

for the opening of "Reach for the<br />

Sky" at the State in Minneapolis, and at the<br />

Riviera in St. Paul.<br />

Early summer vacationers on Filmrow include<br />

Frances Schultz of Albert Dezel; William<br />

Devaney, MGM manager, and Dorothy<br />

Zatkin,<br />

Waddell of the MGM staff here ... I.<br />

general manager of the Schoenstadt circuit,<br />

entertained his daughter Carol here for a fewdays<br />

and then accompanied her to New York<br />

where she will stay for the summer. Miss<br />

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End." arrived<br />

Zatkin was a student at the University of<br />

Illinois last year Schweitzer,"<br />

.<br />

ing in "Beginning of the<br />

which closed a substantial run of five weeks<br />

liere Sunday night (16i for the world premiere<br />

at the Roosevelt Theatre on Wednesday<br />

(191. This film, with "The Unearthly."<br />

at the Carnegie Theatre, is going into distribution<br />

throughout the Chicagoland area next<br />

was the first of the product released in June week.<br />

by the recently formed AB-PT Pictures Corp.<br />

headed by Irving H. Levin. "Beginning of Before leaving Chicago for his new- post in<br />

the Columbia Pictures home office, John<br />

the End" has been set for saturation booking<br />

on Friday (21i in 80 theatres throughout the<br />

states of Illinois and Indiana.<br />

Thompson spent a week in Milwaukee and<br />

Minneapolis to set up publicity in connection<br />

with "Jeanne Eagels." He was accompanied<br />

"Around the World in 80 Days" at Todd's by Ted Galanter who was here to represent<br />

Cinestage continues to do business at a peak<br />

rate week after week. To accommodate<br />

George Sidney, producer of the film.<br />

Lake Theatre<br />

The<br />

August opening at the State<br />

heavy requests for seat reservations, two extra<br />

shows will be given on July 4 and on<br />

will coincide with the New York City opening<br />

were extended to Marie<br />

Kruppa of MGM on the death of her mother<br />

Fj-iday, July 5. at 2:30 p.m. and also on Satui-day,<br />

June 29. at 10:30 a.m. Additional<br />

Evanston Theatre is highlighting<br />

showings set up for the Memorial Day weekend<br />

"The King and I." "Friendly Persuasion,"<br />

were booked to capacity.<br />

"The Teahouse of the August Moon" and<br />

"Designing Woman" in its annual film festival<br />

which opened Friday (14i.<br />

Filmack Trailer Co. is combining cartoon<br />

shorts in a film to entertain kids at supermarkets<br />

while their mothers shop. Other<br />

news at Filmack concerns Bernie Mack and<br />

Ted Liss. who spent the week in St. Louis<br />

calling on ad agencies and other film users.<br />

And Everett Miller, who celebrated his ninth<br />

year with Filmack visitors<br />

.<br />

were Orson Welles and Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy<br />

Stewart. All three were en route to New York.<br />

At this point it seems quite certain that<br />

"The Ten Commandments" will stay at the<br />

McVickers Theatre at least until New Year's.<br />

Now in its 29th week, the epic has enjoyed<br />

an average of $20,000 a week. More than<br />

500,000 people have attended performances<br />

in a period of 28 weeks. In a special discount<br />

plan for the summer school vacation,<br />

tickets are to be available for children in<br />

the elementary and high school grades, in<br />

groups of 30 or more.<br />

Sophia Silbert, AA publicist, arrived here<br />

from France and will concentrate on exploitation<br />

in behalf of "Love in the Afternoon."<br />

The film is scheduled for opening at<br />

the Chicago Theatre the early part of July<br />

Clark Theatre has introduced a $5<br />

ticket book. Called the "Cinebook." it earns<br />

the buyer a free single admission coupon given<br />

separately with every Cinebook purchased.<br />

Made up of coupons totaling $5, good any<br />

time, the Cinebook is suggested for a gift<br />

item. For large orders the Clark offers<br />

quantity discounts, such as 12 books for $50<br />

and 25 for $100.<br />

Max Herschraann, eastern sales manager<br />

of Filmack Trailer Co., recently underwent<br />

surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital in Far<br />

Rockaway. N. Y. He is now- recuperating<br />

at his home on Long Island . Kaplan,<br />

general manager for Albert Dezel. returned<br />

from a w-eek's business trip in St. Louis .<br />

"Johnny Tremain." which opens at the<br />

Roosevelt Theatre on July 3, is already set<br />

for subruns on July 26. Armour & Co.. has<br />

been giving away "Johnny Ti-emain" medallions<br />

with every purchase of Ai-mour's packaged<br />

hotdogs. The medallions, which are the<br />

size of a 50-cent piece, carry a photo of "Rab<br />

Silsbee and His Musket" as w-ell as an inscription<br />

showing the name of "Walt Disney<br />

Productions," They can be attached to a<br />

key ring or neck chain.<br />

Children between the ages of four to 16<br />

are having a chance at winning prizes including<br />

bicycles, sports equipment and movie<br />

tickets by entering a color contest in con-<br />

nection with the opening of "Beginning of<br />

the End" at the Roosevelt Theatre. The<br />

contest is sponsored by Balaban & Katz and<br />

the Edgewater Uptown News. The co-sponsors<br />

offer a total of 110 prizes to contest<br />

winners Ford of MGM is ill in<br />

St. Luke's Hospital. The predictions are<br />

that he will have to remain there for several<br />

weeks.<br />

A daughter, Kim Lauren, was bom to Mr.<br />

and Mrs. Stanley Bresler June 6 at the Edgewater<br />

Hospital. The new baby is now the<br />

fourth generation of the ice cream family.<br />

This is the couple's first child.<br />

William F. Brooker, who has been headquartering<br />

in Atlanta as publicist for Columbia,<br />

has been transferred here, succeeding<br />

John Thompson, who has been sent to New<br />

York to work on "Pal Joey."<br />

Arnold Brown of National Film Service in<br />

New York City arrived here to help set up<br />

initial operations in connection with the<br />

company's new offices at 407 South Dearborn<br />

St.<br />

Piatt. Lustgarten Named<br />

Vice-Presidents of B&K<br />

CHICAGO — Nathan M. Piatt<br />

and Harry<br />

Lustgarten have been appointed vice-presidents<br />

of the Balaban & Katz Theatres of<br />

Chicago, it was announced by David B. Wallerstein.<br />

president of B&K. Arthur Goldberg,<br />

previously appointed a vice-president, continues<br />

in that capacity. Both of the new<br />

officers have been associated with B&K for<br />

many years. Piatt is in charge of the operation<br />

of all the theatres in the city and suburbs.<br />

Lustgarten heads the company's film<br />

buying department.<br />

Again Heads Dimes Drive<br />

SPRINGFIELD. IIL — John D. Giachetto<br />

of the Frisina Amusement Co., has been appointed<br />

chairman of the 1958 March of Dimes<br />

di-ive. He has served in this capacity for the<br />

last nine years.<br />

Leased to Little Theatre<br />

FORT WAYNE — The Palace Theatre,<br />

slated for razing to make room for a downtown<br />

parking lot. has been leased by the<br />

Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, which will give<br />

plays there the coming season. The Palace is<br />

owned by the Harrison Theatre Realty Corp.<br />

Airer Fence Blown Do-wn<br />

CHAMPAIGN. ILL. — A high wind, described<br />

as a "very i.solated tornado," tore up<br />

about 300 feet of fencing at the Widescreen<br />

Drive-In on Route 45. Fi-ank Stewart, owner,<br />

and some of his employes w-ere closing the<br />

airer at 1:30 a.m. when the wind struck.<br />

THEATRE EQUIPMENT<br />

442 N. ILLINOIS ST., INDIANAPOLIS, IND.<br />

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I<br />

Disney Men in Session<br />

From 20 Countries<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Representatives of Wall<br />

Disney's merchandising division from 20<br />

all countries in quarters of the globe held<br />

a week-long meeting at the Disney studios<br />

in Burbank. It was the first convention for<br />

overseas representatives held in this country,<br />

and the fourth since the early 1930s.<br />

The first international convention was held<br />

in Milan in 1947. the second in Stockholm in<br />

1951. and the third in Pai-is in 1953. Today.<br />

Di.sney character merchandise is distributed<br />

in 30 countries outside the United States.<br />

Theme of the local se.ssions was the importance<br />

of coordinating television with<br />

merchandising as a potent aid to TV sponsors.<br />

Delegates were given a ground-floor view<br />

of the complex Disney operation, heard from<br />

Disney executives on various phases of production,<br />

and saw upcoming new features<br />

such as "Johnny Tremain." 'Perri." "Old<br />

Yeller" and "Sleeping Beauty."<br />

Tliose attending included Dr. Alberto Goldberg.<br />

Argentina: Jaime Gouzy. Colombia:<br />

Walter A. Granger, Australia: Jorgen S.<br />

Jorgensen. Denmark: Andre Vanneste. Belgium:<br />

B. Van de Velde. Holland: Dr. Enrico<br />

Rimini. Brazil: E. J. Davis, England: Clement<br />

P. Saila. Canada: Armand Bigle, France;<br />

Santos L. Acevedo. Spain: K. Melzer. Germany:<br />

F. W. Kendall. Hong Kong: Kailash<br />

C. Jain. India: J. W. Holmes. Italy; Sten<br />

Blomqvist. Sweden: Carlos Bustamante Paz,<br />

Mexico: E. Charlaff, Union of South Africa;<br />

M. Alevy. Venezuela, and Vincent H. Jefferds,<br />

New York.<br />

Theatre Bomb Hoax Fails<br />

To Panic Theatre Crowd<br />

ST. LOUIS— About 200 per.sons attending<br />

the Melba Theatre here quietly left the theatre<br />

for about 30 minutes the night of May<br />

26 while some 12 policemen from the Magnolia<br />

district police station searched the<br />

house for a bomb reported to be "set to explode<br />

at 9 p.m." No bomb was found, so the<br />

patrons were allowed to return.<br />

About 8:40 p.m. manager Bernard Schwantner<br />

reported to the police that the cashier<br />

had just received a telephone call from a<br />

man who said that a bomb in the theatre<br />

would explode in 20 minutes. When asked<br />

to leave the theatre, the audience wa.s<br />

simply told the house was being cleared to<br />

permit a police inspection.<br />

Schwantner told police he had forced two<br />

teenage boys to leave some time earlier in the<br />

evening, because they were making a disturbance.<br />

He, of course, was not sure that<br />

the fake call came from them. A similar fake<br />

call about a bomb in another theatre in the<br />

northern part of the city occurred some<br />

weeks ago. Teenagers were blamed for that<br />

fake call.<br />

To Set Up Three Stories<br />

HOLLYWOOD — Lou Morheim. David<br />

Chandler and Sam Newman have been assigned<br />

by Sam Katzman to prepare three<br />

stories for his forthcoming Clover Productions<br />

slate at Columbia. Morheim will develop<br />

an original, "The Last Bhtzkrieg," story<br />

of World War II. Chandler will prepare a<br />

teenage story. "Girls on the Loose."<br />

U-l Sets Promotion on 12 A/ew f/7ms<br />

CHICAGO — Promotional plans on 12 new<br />

U-I relea.ses. set to open first run in coming<br />

months in 21 or more neighborhood Chicago<br />

area theatres, were discussed in Chicago this<br />

week at a meeting between U-I and theatre<br />

representatives.<br />

Seen viewing some of the pictures involved,<br />

including "Night Passage," are, seated, first<br />

row. left to right; Hem-y Kemp, Ralph<br />

Smitha, general manager, and Charles Shapiro,<br />

all of Essaness Theatres. Second row:<br />

Howard Lambert, Adelphi Theatre; Ralph<br />

Heyland, Englewood Theatre; Mike Stern,<br />

Colony; Sol Horwitz. Allied Theatres; I. B.<br />

Padorr, Byrd. Thu-d row: Dick Darby and<br />

Jerry Glickman. 66 Drive-In, La Grange: Bill<br />

Charukas and Ted Stevens, Montclare Theatre;<br />

George Kappus and Lee Apfelbeck,<br />

York Theatre. Elmhurst. Fourth row: Jack<br />

Billish. Belmont Theatre: Si Griever, Griever's;<br />

Ron Kuhlman. Harding & Pickwick<br />

Theatres: Ray Howard. Y&W Management<br />

Corp.: Herb Wheeler, Stanley Warner Theatres;<br />

Jack Kirsch, Allied Theatres; Herb<br />

Martinez, Universal assistant manager; Ward<br />

Day, Universal salesman, Chicago. Fifth<br />

row: I.sadore Zatkin, Piccadilly Theatre:<br />

Carl Goodman and Maurie Tillis, Marshall<br />

Square Theatre; Jack Bai-ger and H. Stevens,<br />

State Theatre, Roseland; Fi'ank Arena, Twin<br />

Theatre. Oakland; Joe Stern, Colony Theatre.<br />

Standing in the last row left to right<br />

are Ben R. Katz, Universal midwest press<br />

representative: Charles Simonelli. Universal<br />

eastern advertising and publicity department<br />

manager: Lou Berman, Universal manager;<br />

Manie Gottlieb, Universal district manager;<br />

Jeff Livingston, Universal eastern advertising<br />

manager.<br />

The 12 pictures involved are: "Night Passage,"<br />

"Interlude," "Tammy and the Bachelor,"<br />

"Joe Butterfly," "Public Pigeon No. 1,"<br />

"Kelly and Me," "The Midnight Story," "The<br />

Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm," "Run of<br />

the Arrow," "That Night." "Man Afraid"<br />

and "Joe Dakota."<br />

The 21 theatres participating in these first<br />

run showings are the Harding, Colony, Adelphi,<br />

Belmont, Englewood, Byrd, Irving,<br />

Rhodes, Highland, Montclare, State (in<br />

Roseland area), Marshall Square and the<br />

Picadilly, all in Chicago; the Pickwick in<br />

Park Ridge, Lake in Oak Park, North Avenue<br />

Outdoor in River Grove, ABC Outdoor in<br />

Posen. the "66" Drive-In in LaGrange, the<br />

York in Elmhurst, the Tivoli in Downers<br />

Grove, and the Twin Drive-In m Oak Lawn.<br />

Members of the executive coordinating<br />

committee are Jack Kirsch, president of Allied<br />

Theatres of Illinois; Ralph Smitha. general<br />

manager, Essaness Theatres; Dick Felix<br />

of the Vogue and Adelphi theatres; Jack<br />

Barger of the State Theatre (Roseland). and<br />

Dick Darby of Smith EInteiTJrises.<br />

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June 15, 1957


ATLANTA<br />

Delta Air Lines Gives<br />

$225,000 Bonus in U. S. Savings Bonds<br />

Delta A^^Lnes, inc.<br />

GENERAL OFFICES •<br />

AIRPORT • ATLANTA. GEORGIA<br />

TO:<br />

All Members of Delta Family<br />

FKM: President and General Manager<br />

This has been a difficult but successful year.<br />

Each of<br />

us has had a hand in our accomplishments.<br />

Again we want to share our good fortune vdth all our<br />

people and it is a pleasure to announce that all personnel<br />

with more than six months of service as of May 2A, 1956, will<br />

receive a $50.00 U.S. Savings Bond. All personnel with six<br />

months of service or less as of that date will receive a $25.00<br />

U.S. Savings Bond. The total value of these bonds will be<br />

about $225,000.00.<br />

The bond is both a share in our achievements and an added<br />

expression of appreciation for your contrilm^on ti them.<br />

C. E. WOOLMAN<br />

President and<br />

General Manager<br />

DELTA AIR LINES<br />

If you are wondering whether your employees would<br />

prefer Savings Bonds to Cash . . . take a quick glance<br />

at tliese figures:<br />

. . . 8,000,000 Americans enrolled in the Payroll Savings<br />

Plans of 40,000 companies invest $168 Million per month<br />

in U. S. Savings Bonds.<br />

. . . 40,000,000 .\mericans hold $41 Billion (cash value)<br />

in Series E and Series H Savings Bonds ... a huge reservoir<br />

of future purchasing power.<br />

. . . 67% of all Series E Bonds that matured up to June,<br />

1956 — more than $21 Billion— are being held by their<br />

owners under the automatic extension program.<br />

Join Delta Airlines — and many other fine companies —<br />

give vour Bonus in Bonds — the gift that grows. Savings<br />

13ond Division, U.S. Treasuiy Department, Washington<br />

25, D. C.<br />

The United Stales Government does not pay Jot this advertising. The Treasury Department<br />

thanks, jor their patriotic donation, the Advertising Council and<br />

BOXOFFICE<br />

C-8 BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957


. . . Visiting<br />

. . Rand<br />

lHUrJiiriliiili<br />

. . Two<br />

. .<br />

MEMPHIS<br />

T} S. Chapman is the new owner of New Theatre.<br />

Tuckerman, Ark. Chapman bought<br />

the New from Mrs. Elza Coe. He will book<br />

and buy in Memphis . . . J. D. Shepherd jr.,<br />

owner of the Bluff Theatre at DuValls Bluff,<br />

has reopened his Cozy Theatre at Hazen. Ark.,<br />

which had been closed for several months .<br />

H. S. Weir, owner, has closed the Gem Theatre<br />

at Saltillo, Miss. . . . Manager Ai-thur<br />

Groom entertained the winning team of Cynthia<br />

Milk Fund school girls with a theatre<br />

party to see "The Little Hut." Second team<br />

was given a theatre party at the Warner<br />

by Manager Slim Arkin to see "A Face in the<br />

Crowd." The girls "tagged" Memphians to<br />

raise funds to provide milk the year-around<br />

in the Press-Scimitar's annual tag day.<br />

A charming young woman was in Memphis<br />

to sell "Love in the Afternoon." Irene Graziella<br />

of Hollywood was quick to explain that<br />

"Love in the Afternoon" was a film opening<br />

soon at the M;Uco Theatre. She is a press<br />

agent . Theatre. Pocahontas, Ark.,<br />

has closed for the summer . father-son<br />

teams of exhibitors, C. W. Tipton and his<br />

son Alvin, owners of Tipton Theatres at Caraway.<br />

Manila and Monett, Ai-k., and John<br />

Lowrey and his son Jack, owners of the<br />

Lowrey and Main theatres at Russellville,<br />

Ark., were Memphis visitors.<br />

John Staples, Carolyn, Plggott; Moses Sliman.<br />

Lux, Luxora; William Elias, Murr and<br />

Elias Drive-In. Osceola: K. H. Kinney. Hays,<br />

Hughes: Orris Collins, Capitol, Paragould,<br />

and W. C. Sumpter, LePanto Drive-In, Lepanto,<br />

were among visiting Ai-kansas exhibitors<br />

. . . From Mississippi came Mi's. J. C.<br />

Noble, Temple, Leland: Frank Heard, Lee<br />

Drive-In. Tupelo: Leon Rountree, Holly at<br />

Holly Springs and Valley at Water Valley:<br />

C. N. Eudy, Houston, Houston: John Carter,<br />

Whitehaven Drive-In at Grenada and 41<br />

Drive-In and Trace Drive-In. Amory: Mrs .E.<br />

S. Gullett. Benoit. Benoit: C. J. Collier, Globe,<br />

Shaw, and Vince Dana. Crescent, Belzoni.<br />

Lyle Richmond, Richmond, Senath. Mo.,<br />

and Whyte Bedford. Marion and Ford Drive-<br />

In. Hamilton, Ala., were booking in Memphis<br />

Tennessee exhibitors included<br />

W. F. Ruffin jr.. Ruffin Amusements Co.,<br />

Covington: H. N. Haddad, Munford, Munford:<br />

Amelia Ellis, Ellis Drive-In, Millington;<br />

Louise Mask, Luez, Bolivar; Mr. and Mrs.<br />

Ernest S. Pollock, Strand, Hohenwald, and<br />

W. O. Taylor, Uptown, Dresden.<br />

Recent Universal Purchases<br />

In seeking unusual .


. . Emery<br />

CHARLOTTE<br />

T Francis White, Howco Productions, has returned<br />

to his office after spending some<br />

time in Hollywood supervising production of<br />

new pictures . . . Scott Lett. Howco, is back<br />

in his office after an illness of about ten<br />

days . Wister, amusements editor<br />

for the Charlotte News, left Friday for Hollywood<br />

where he will visit the studios and sets<br />

of various productions now under way. Viola<br />

and Emery Wister attended the annual dairyman's<br />

breakfast at the Barringer Hotel recently.<br />

Five thousand persons lined Mount Airy<br />

Main street Saturday to welcome Broadway<br />

stage and motion picture actor Andy Griffith<br />

on his return home. The Griffiths have<br />

bought a home on Roanoke Island near<br />

Manteo and plan to spend a great deal of<br />

time in their native North Carolina. Griffith<br />

was in Charlotte Sunday in order to appear<br />

on the stage of the Carolina Theatre at 4<br />

p.m. and at 9 p.m. to plug his first motion<br />

picture, "A Pace in the Crowd." Griffith<br />

made a name for himself on Broadway in<br />

"No Time for Sergeants."<br />

Mary Ellen Hartsell, Howco, spent the<br />

weekend at Myrtle Beach. S. C. . . All<br />

.<br />

Charlotte film e.\changes were closed for the


. . Indoor<br />

accompanied<br />

Levine, Florida: John Thomas. Empress; Bill<br />

Korenbrot, Imperial; Tim Crawford, Arcade,<br />

and Herb Roller, Edgewood.<br />

The Jacksonville Theatre Co., headed by<br />

Fred Kent, used institutional ads in local<br />

new.spapers to announce the complete renovation<br />

of its Beach Theatre, Jacksonville<br />

Beach, at the beginning of the summer season.<br />

Improvements to the theatre included<br />

the installation of new seats . . . Singer Gene<br />

Austin was the drawing card of the week at<br />

the new Storyland U. S. A., a commercial<br />

play area for children on the Expressway in<br />

nearby Arlington . and outdoor theatres<br />

of the area experienced a severe slump<br />

in business the night of June 8 when several<br />

small but destructive tornadoes wrecked<br />

buildings and felled trees in scattered parts<br />

of Duval County. The twisters came during<br />

a time of torrential rains and newscasters of<br />

radio and television stations played up the<br />

storms for all their news value.<br />

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MIAMI<br />

T illian C (laiighton, owner of the theatre<br />

circuit which bears her name, was elected<br />

second vice-president of the Dade County<br />

Unit of the American Cancer Society. Mrs.<br />

Claughton is the first woman to hold .such<br />

high office in the local chapter . . . Wayne<br />

Rogers, manager of Claughton's Trail, is on<br />

vacation. He is taking a "shantyboat cruise"<br />

through Florida. Acting in his behalf at the<br />

Trail during his absence is assistant Alex<br />

Moffatt.<br />

Pat Taylor, Claughton's advertisement<br />

artist, is leaving on vacation, planning to<br />

visit New York and in the Carolinas . . . Harry<br />

Gabriel, manager of Wometco's Parkway, has<br />

revived an old theatre custom, the playing<br />

of an organ. Gabriel is well qualified for the<br />

job as he was once the featured organist in<br />

the 1920s and 'SOs in some of the largest theatres<br />

in Brooklyn. New York. Newark and<br />

Jersey City. As happened to other musicians<br />

of the era. he was replaced by electronic devices.<br />

Now Gabriel has turned the tables, and<br />

•so far it appears to be having happy results.<br />

Mack Herbert is admitting women free to<br />

the Bard<br />

i by an escort and a<br />

copy of the cui-rent ad', for the combination<br />

burlesque film and stage show . . . Brandt's<br />

Lincoln has a big special front up for "The<br />

D.I." . . . The Mayfair Art Theatre has a<br />

showing of watercolors and oils in its large<br />

inner lobby. Later the exhibition moves to<br />

the Parkway.<br />

Not one reply to the Herald amusement<br />

editor's recent querry on how people felt<br />

about seeing now dead stars on television in<br />

old motion pictures voiced an objection. For<br />

years, the editor said, theatre operators felt<br />

that death of a featured player meant loss<br />

at the boxoffice. Local comments were to<br />

the<br />

effect that on the contrary, viewing old films<br />

made patrons feel that old friends of the<br />

screen had not died after all. One correspondant<br />

said she was catching up on a lot of<br />

pictures she had missed in the past. "I would<br />

rather spend $2 a week to see four old pictures<br />

than to pay the same price to see one<br />

or two new pictures," one person declared.<br />

The pocketbook thief, who has been operating<br />

in Miami Beach theatres, was finally<br />

caught by police. A woman patron caught<br />

him in the act of extracting money from her<br />

purse which she had placed on the empty<br />

seat beside her. The thief always threw his<br />

coat over the seat back and then reached<br />

for the purse under cover. The method had<br />

been exposed some time ago in Herb Rau's<br />

newspaper column, and patron.s were alerted.<br />

Agents of embattled Fidel Castro of the<br />

Cuban revolutionaries have lined up several<br />

cameramen who are to film a propaganda<br />

and arms plan, the films to hit the U.S. TV<br />

networks. According to information received<br />

by Herb Rau, former amusement editor of<br />

the Miami Daily News, somewhere in Florida<br />

is a cache of arms destined for Castro, a<br />

small stock valuable mostly for i)ublicitv purposes.<br />

It is to be run to Cuba by boat, not<br />

yet secured, but it must be a 40-footer and<br />

fast enough to elude U.S. patrol boats and<br />

Cuban naval vessels. The run will take<br />

about a week over a devious route and the<br />

entire operation will be filmed by cameramen<br />

w-ho are not employed by any U. S. organization.<br />

Main problem is in finding a sympathetic<br />

boat owner who'll part with a boat<br />

which he may never see again.<br />

f with minimum<br />

maintenance — your seats can<br />

be kept in first class "company<br />

coming" condition . . .<br />

chances are — they are<br />

^utemationaf!<br />

Write, wire or phone —<br />

Massey Seating Company, Inc.<br />

160 Hermitage Avenue,<br />

Nashville, Tennessee<br />

Phone: Alpine 5-8459<br />

"JuteniationafSEAT division of<br />

UNION CITY BODY CO., INC.<br />

Union City, Indiana<br />

jr^M/VM^^^ Greater Oatl^Area<br />

^<br />

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Thcofrc Supply Comp<br />

6356<br />

Thcotrc Sc-vicc, New -Raymond 3562<br />

i—Tulone 4891<br />

ckson 5-8240<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957 SE-3<br />

3


95<br />

Phone:<br />

I certoinly<br />

. . European<br />

. . . Joe<br />

. . The<br />

. . Mrs.<br />

. . J.<br />

ATLANTA<br />

nctor Peter Graves and Pi-oducer Mike<br />

Ripps were on hand for the opening of<br />

"Bayou" at the Empire. Birmingham, Wednesday<br />

(51. Graves is the star of the picture<br />

and Ripps the producer. Johnnie Douglas and<br />

Harry Curl of the Acme Theatres, operator<br />

of the Empire. Melba and Lyric theatres,<br />

worked out a round of radio, television and<br />

newspaper interviews for the duo. Graves<br />

said he had never seen such coverage before.<br />

Ripps. 31-year-old Mobile. Ala., drive-in operator,<br />

said he is going to dispel the ideas<br />

for SPECIAL ShoWttUmslufi<br />

TRAILERS<br />

IITIIIPICTIIE SERVICE Ci.<br />

125 HYDE ST. SAN FRANCISCO (2). CALIF.<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 />

Walton Street. N.W.<br />

1010 North SlaDpey Drive<br />

P 0. Box 771 P. 0. Box g58<br />

Albany, Georgia Atlanta. Georgia<br />

Phone: HEmlock 2-2846 WAInut 4118<br />

about a "backward" South which Tennessee<br />

Williams has been fostering. Following the<br />

opening of the pictiu-e in Birmingham, Ripps<br />

and Graves came here where Ripps conferred<br />

with United Artists Manager W. C. "Bill"<br />

Hames and sales manager R. W. Tarwater.<br />

They visited the exchange where Graves<br />

busied himself autographing for employes.<br />

"Bayou" is a story about the Cajun country<br />

in Louisiana. The Graves left here for Miami<br />

where they will spend a few days before<br />

journeying back to their home in Los Angeles.<br />

Andy Griffith, North Carolina's contribution<br />

to the recording industry. Broadway<br />

stage and motion pictures, was here for a<br />

day in advance of his latest picture. "A Face<br />

in the Crowd." He had just come from his<br />

home in North Carolina where a homecoming<br />

celebration in his honor was held. He also<br />

addressed the state legislature . . . Ray Conner,<br />

managing director for the last 15 months<br />

of Cmerama here, will move to another Cinerama<br />

post at the Roosevelt Theatre in Miami<br />

Beach. He joined the Cinerama management<br />

in 1952— five years and foiu- cities ago. Now<br />

he is looking enthusiastically at his fifth<br />

city. Moving from place to place, however,<br />

is no novelty to Conner, who started his<br />

career at<br />

17 at Indianapolis.<br />

The Municipal Theatre Under-the-Stars<br />

gets under way July 9, with "Plain and<br />

Fancy." This attraction will be followed by<br />

"The Pajama Game" . dancer<br />

Irene Graziella was a recent visitor here.<br />

She was here to plug "Love in the Afternoon."<br />

SPECIAL TRAILERS<br />

Quality and Service<br />

ving theotres in the South for 36 yec<br />

13 cents per word<br />

Lowest Cost Anywhere<br />

STRICKLAND FILM CO.<br />

220 Pharr Road, N. E. Atlonta<br />

Miss Graziella has done command performances<br />

for King Farouk, King Faisal, and<br />

King Saud. She has been a featured can-can<br />

soloist in Paris and the Latin Quarter in<br />

New York.<br />

Patricia Harrison, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.<br />

J. H. Harrison, is en route to Europe where<br />

she will spend the summer traveling with a<br />

student tour. She sailed from New York<br />

Monday (3). Her father is vice-president<br />

and general manager of Wilby-Kincey Theatres<br />

. . . Wendell McCoy, formerly of the<br />

Town Theatre. Jackson, is convalescing at the<br />

Allen Sanitarium . P. J. Henn sr., is<br />

recovering from a heart attack at the Providence<br />

Hospital. Murphy, N. C. Mrs. Henn is<br />

the wife of the operator of the Henn Theatre<br />

at Murphy. Daughter Betsy is in the same<br />

hospital recovering from ptomaine poisoning.<br />

Pierce Savin finished a 50-year tour in the<br />

film business on May 31. He wound up<br />

with Allied Artists, formerly Monogram. He<br />

was given a going-away party by the office<br />

force and was given a present . E. Martin,<br />

owner and operator of the Grand Theatre and<br />

Jem Drive-In, Montezuma, Ga., closed both<br />

houses last week to take his employes on his<br />

sixth annual deep sea fishing trip. The party<br />

motored to Panama City. Fla., where Martin<br />

had two chartered boats waiting for the outing.<br />

Those enjoying the trip were Mr. and<br />

Mrs. W. C. English. Bobbie Ozier, Mrs. Amelia<br />

Satterfield, Mrs. Mary Meadows, Mr. and<br />

Mi-s. Ed Thomas, Melvin Barker, Wister W.<br />

Ellis<br />

and Ed Dixon.<br />

. . .<br />

The Jet Drive-In, Montgomery, has not yet<br />

reopened following a recent storm which blew<br />

the screen tower down, according to owner<br />

H. P. Rhodes . Joyce Ann Drive-In,<br />

Cleveland. Ga.. was taken over recently by<br />

Charles Iverster. This drive-in was formerly<br />

owned by John E. Ashe and the buying and<br />

booking handled by Al Rook of the Film<br />

Booking Office Executive Johnnie Harrell<br />

and bookers Mildred Castleberry and Lewis<br />

Owans have returned from a district meeting<br />

held at Milledgeville, Ga.<br />

10.000 LATE-TYPE CHAIRS AVAILABLE<br />

FOR LESS THAN V2 NEW-CHAIR COST!<br />

Comfort And Durability Will Beat Any New Chair<br />

We can also<br />

rebuild<br />

your own chairs<br />

Serving Loew's, Shubert's, and<br />

many other independents for over<br />

36 years. Recent installations:<br />

Colonial,<br />

Milford, Conn.; Shubert's<br />

Golden and Belosco Theatres,<br />

N. Y. City; Criterion, Broodway,<br />

N. Y. C; Loew's, Nashville, Tenn.;<br />

Holiday, York, Pa.;<br />

Olympic, Utica,<br />

N. Y.; Boyd, Lancaster, Po.<br />

Write, Wire<br />

or Phone—<br />

NICK DIACK.<br />

WHAT AN EXHIBITOR THINKS WHEN<br />

WE FINISH A TYPICAL JOB:<br />

Dear Mr.<br />

Diock:<br />

Charles MacDonald's<br />

HOLIDAY THEATRE<br />

York, Pa.<br />

) want to ttiank you for thie wonderful job you did<br />

on the chairs. They are beautiful.<br />

A lot of people in the business have seen the chairs,<br />

and they ore oil raving about the superb workmanship.<br />

appreciote not only the work but also the<br />

wonderful service which you gave me.<br />

With kindest personal regards, t remain,<br />

(signed;<br />

CHARLES MacDONALD<br />

EASTERN SEATING CO.<br />

138-13 Springfield Blvd. Springfield Gardens 13, New York Phone: lAurelton 8-3696<br />

The buying and booking: for the Midway<br />

Drive-In. Sevierville. Tenn., is now being<br />

handled by Exhibitors Service Co., according<br />

to Tom Lucy and Bill Kelly. This drive-in is<br />

owned by A. L. Wilson of Greeneville, Tenn.<br />

Hart has severed his connection with<br />

the Condra Amusement Co., Nashville, Tenn.,<br />

and C. H. "Chick" Kuertz has been appointed<br />

general manager. Kuertz was visiting here<br />

this week buying and booking for the Bel-<br />

Air, Colonial and Warner Park drive-ins,<br />

Nashville, which are operated by this firm.<br />

flLdl BOOHIdG OfflCf<br />

Experience Industry — Integrity<br />

ALBERT E. ROOK<br />

160 waiton St. n.w.<br />

m<br />

^^^ it^^l^^^^^<br />

tel. Jackson 5-8314 st^t^^'^i^^}-<br />

p.o. box 1422<br />

atlanta, ga.<br />

SE-4<br />

BOXOFFICE


Buy 309,000 Tickets<br />

To Okla. Exposition<br />

OKLAHOMA CITY—What is believed to<br />

be the biggest single ticket purchase in the<br />

nation's history was made here June 7 when<br />

IGA grocery stores of Oklahoma purchased<br />

309.000 tickets to the grandstand shows of<br />

the Oklahoma Semicentennial Exposition.<br />

FIRST 'ZIEGFELD FOLLIES'<br />

The purchase by the grocery group represented<br />

nearly 39 per cent of the 800.000<br />

tickets available for the 70 grandstand performances<br />

that will be presented at the exposition<br />

June 14-July 7.<br />

The grandstand shows are being presented<br />

by Grandstand Operations of New York,<br />

Nick Matsoukas, president. Matsoukas hired<br />

Lou Walters to stage the productions. Fii'St<br />

of the productions. June 14-20. is the "Ziegfeld<br />

Follies." with Mickey Rooney and Dorothy<br />

Lamour as stars. Oklahoman Patti Page<br />

headlines the show June 21-23. A Broadway<br />

Latin Quarter" production with star Johnny<br />

Ray is slated June 24-30. Running July 4 to<br />

the exposition's end will be the McGuire Sisters<br />

in "Follies Parisienne." In addition, a<br />

bevy of Latin Quarter beauties will be featured<br />

in each production.<br />

Purchase price of the block of tickets was<br />

not disclosed, but it is believed to be well over<br />

SIOO.OOO.<br />

The IGA stores plan to give the tickets<br />

away to customers—one ticket free with each<br />

S19 in accumulated cash register tapes. Another<br />

Oklahoma grocery chain. Standard-<br />

Humpty Dumpty supermarkets, already had<br />

begun selling tickets to the exposition itself<br />

at a reduced rate with sales of $5 or more.<br />

Of the 309.000 tickets bought. 154,000 are<br />

for the Lou Walters nighttime extravaganzas.<br />

The remaining 155.000 tickets are for the<br />

afternoon shows which include thrill shows,<br />

hot rod derby and a rock 'n' roll show.<br />

Promotors of the Oklahoma Semicentennial<br />

Exposition are hoping it will draw a crowd<br />

of at least 1.500.000 during its 3'j-week run.<br />

To this end they've been publicizing the event<br />

nationally for more than a year. However,<br />

Oklahoma's capricious weather—which last<br />

spring rained out several days of the "Atoms<br />

for Peace" exhibition here—is being watched<br />

anxiously.<br />

RAIN HAMPERED PLANS<br />

An unusual amount of rain during May<br />

and June, which caused widespread flooding<br />

in the state, proved costly in time and money<br />

for the exposition. Many display areas fell<br />

behind schedule on construction during the<br />

weeks of rainy weather. The week before the<br />

exposition weather was dry and hot.<br />

Theme of the exposition is "Arrows to<br />

.^toms. " which is carried out in the big "Arrows<br />

to Atoms" tower on the exposition<br />

urounds. When lit at night, the tower can<br />

be seen for<br />

miles.<br />

Exposition includes large displays on<br />

science. International House lin which many<br />

foreign countries, including Russia, will be<br />

represented by exhibits', Boomtown, U. S. A.<br />

—a complete oil "boomtown." including actual<br />

chilling of an oil well: parade of industry, a<br />

!.\shion center, automotive and tran.sportation<br />

show, travel exhibit, sports and hobby show,<br />

Teentown, Foodorama land, a photography<br />

display, a carnival midway and many special<br />

events.<br />

Variety Tent 34 Into New Quarters<br />

Which Feature South Seas Decor<br />

John Wilkinson Wins<br />

Variety Golf Match<br />

OKLAHOMA CITY—For the third<br />

year in<br />

a row. Johnny Wilkinson. Oklahoma City insurance<br />

man. won the annual 'Variety Club<br />

golf tournament, held June 4 at the Meridian<br />

Golf and Country Club.<br />

Winner of the $100 drawing at the club's<br />

dinner dance, held following the golf tournament<br />

at the Biltmore Hotel Civic room, wa^<br />

Leonard B. Reeve of Oklahoma City. Red<br />

Slocum, chairman of the drawing, reported a<br />

$3,819 profit, which goes to the Variety Club<br />

charity fund for its health centers.<br />

Some 48 golfers entered the 'Variety Club<br />

tournament. Bill Maddox and Jake Guiles<br />

tied for second place.<br />

Commonwealth Observes<br />

25th Year in Creston<br />

CRESTON. IOWA—Tlie Uptown Theatre<br />

and the Skylark Drive-In Theatre in Creston<br />

joined in observance of the 25th anniversary<br />

of the Commonwealth Theatre Corp. here<br />

through May and June, according to<br />

John Newcomer, manager of the two theatres<br />

here.<br />

The Commonwealth organization came to<br />

Creston in March 1932 when the Strand<br />

Theatre was acquired as the fourth theatre<br />

in<br />

the growing group.<br />

Is Given 2-Year Sentence<br />

In Enid Theatre Burglary<br />

ENID. OKLA.—Richard James Butricks<br />

jr., 19. pleaded guilty in district court of<br />

charges of second degree burglary and was<br />

sentenced to two years in the state penitentiary.<br />

Butricks, a projectionist at the Trail<br />

Drive-In Theatre, pleaded guilty before District<br />

Judge Tom R. Blaine of prying open a<br />

door at the theatre's concession stand and<br />

taking $20 in cash.<br />

Denison House Remodeled<br />

DENISON, TEX.—Lonnie Legg, manager<br />

of the Superba Theatre here, is basking in<br />

the compliments of patrons on the recently<br />

completed remodeling and decoration job to<br />

the theatre. The Superba was founded more<br />

than a quarter of a century ago by the late<br />

B. Legg. Since his passing, the family of<br />

three boys and their mother have carried<br />

on the business in a highly successful manner.<br />

Leo Weston Is Manager<br />

HARTFORD—Leo Weston, former Hartford<br />

salesman, has been named manager of<br />

the National Screen Service Connecticut<br />

branch, replacing Adolph Edmonds, promoted<br />

to NTS New York branch.<br />

HOUSTON—Variety Tent 34 has completed<br />

its switch from the downtown Montague Hotel<br />

to quarters above Ding How restaurant<br />

litrl'<br />

Variet\ ( liib Chief Barker Paul BoeMh<br />

IS shown huddlinf; with restaurateur<br />

i-elix Tijerina in the new \ ariet.v quarters<br />

on South Main street, about Boys Club<br />

affairs.<br />

on South Main street with the advantages<br />

seeming to far outweigh any disadvantages.<br />

Members with downtown offices within walking<br />

distance will miss its easy accessibility at<br />

Rusk and Fannin, but tor the many more who<br />

had to drive to town and pay for hourly parking,<br />

it<br />

is a decided blessing. There is plenty of<br />

free parking space!<br />

There also is benefit for all in the wide<br />

range of food available at all times and at all<br />

prices. Waiters from the restaurant below<br />

take the orders and serve the food.<br />

At first glance it may seem that the new<br />

clubrooms are small. They are considerably<br />

smaller than the old ones, but that very compactness<br />

makes for a feeling of warmth and<br />

friendliness. These rooms, most recently the<br />

Tahiti Club, are done in a South Seas decor.<br />

Two rooms are separated by open bamboo<br />

poles and ornamental wood formations in<br />

red, with the bar, card tables and several<br />

small cocktail tables on one side. The other<br />

larger room has green leather upholstered<br />

booths along either side, with tables in the<br />

center, a small dance floor and bandstand at<br />

one end.<br />

The walls have a bamboo-like finLsh. There<br />

are tree-limb containers filled with ivy along<br />

the walls, and a planter, all lighted underneath.<br />

The office is small, but adequate. And there<br />

are two roomy storage rooms for office materials<br />

and liquid refreshment.<br />

With all its small intimacy, it will easily<br />

seat 100. said Manager Rex Van. So far, there<br />

have certainly been a lot more customers in<br />

and out during the daylight hom-s . . . There<br />

are the pleasant familiar faces of secretary<br />

Marie Shaw and. behind the bar, Ben White<br />

and Weldon HoUoway.<br />

Topping it all are two other familiar figures.<br />

Beaming down upon the dance floor is<br />

one large top-hatted Variety barker. The<br />

other one, backed with the red entrance door<br />

downstairs, barks out a welcome to all com-<br />

BUFFALO COOLING EQUIPMENT<br />

3409 Oak Lown, Room 107 BUFFALO ENGINEERING CO., INC Dallas, Texoj<br />

June 15. 1957


. . Oskar<br />

DALLAS<br />

Toe F. Rodriguez, who has operated the Panamericano<br />

exclusively with Spanish-language<br />

films for the last 15 years, was puzzled<br />

over the source of the story featured in the<br />

local press that the Commercial Recording<br />

Co. was taking over the Maple avenue building<br />

for its own purposes, resulting in the cancellation<br />

of his lease. Rodriguez said this is<br />

not possible because he is the owner of the<br />

building and all outside occupants lease from<br />

him. He has no plans to discontinue operation<br />

of the city's only Mexican house. To<br />

the contrary, he plans added improvements<br />

this summer. The local press ran a retraction<br />

and gave a detailed story of some of<br />

the<br />

theatre's forthcoming attractions and the<br />

number of weekly programs.<br />

Alfred N. Sack, owner of the Coronet,<br />

opened "Tempest in the Flesh" prior to leaving<br />

here to enter his wife in a hospital at<br />

Boston, Mass. Mrs. Sack suffers from a heart<br />

condition and had to have a serious operation<br />

five years ago. Sack passed along an ironic<br />

tale before he left concerning one of the<br />

former owners of his popular art cinema.<br />

While it was being operated as the familytype<br />

Gay and having much trouble keeping<br />

its doors open, he had contacted the exhibitor<br />

to play a date on his "Open City" for two<br />

days. It did more business than the house<br />

normally did in a week and a half and was<br />

heldover an extra day. Sack later bought the<br />

house and remodeled it for a straight art<br />

policy, which has been operated successfully<br />

ever<br />

since.<br />

Barbi Putman, dancer and singer and<br />

daughter of Fred Putman, director of the<br />

Century Theatre on<br />

Long Island, N. Y., has<br />

was a record that released<br />

June 10. It is on<br />

Web a label and entitled<br />

"Mailman Bring JV '» ^^<br />

Me No More Blues"<br />

and "Georgie Porgie." "^ ^c^<br />

Miss Putman's father<br />

formerly managed theatres<br />

in Port Arthur,<br />

Tex., for the Jefferson<br />

Amusement Co. of<br />

Beaumont and before<br />

that wa^ in Virginia.<br />

»5-""'''<br />

l'""";>n<br />

In his early days he was a sUge huulci.<br />

a screen game,<br />

HOLLYWOOD takes fop<br />

honors. As a box-office attraction,<br />

it is without equal. It has<br />

been a favorite with theatre goers for<br />

over 15 years. Write today for complete details.<br />

Be sure to give seating or cor capacity.<br />

HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO.<br />

3750 Oakton St. • Skokie, llliuh<br />

Charles B. Landrum, manager of Isley's<br />

Kiest Boulevard Drive-In, was away from his<br />

.<br />

job a few days because of a serious ear infection.<br />

The condition, caused by a fungus<br />

growth, has bothered him for the last 15<br />

years Korn's Lisbon staged a<br />

benefit Thursday (6i for the Lisbon Dad's<br />

Club showing "Crazylegs" and with $450 in<br />

prizes donated by south Oak Cliff merchants<br />

awarded between showings. It was reported<br />

that enough tickets had been sold prior to<br />

showtime to outfit the football team next<br />

year. Manager Oliver B. King booked the<br />

MAGOPTICAL SPROCKETS<br />

FOR ALL PROJECTORS<br />

(Narrow tooth sprockets will be a "must" soon for many pictures.)<br />

ALSO


. . Manuel<br />

. . One<br />

. . Maurilio<br />

. . Delman<br />

. . The<br />

SAN ANTONIO<br />

T ocal members of the press, radio, television<br />

and advertising media were treated to a<br />

trade screening of "The Great Man" at the<br />

Josephine Theatre Tuesday (4) morning.<br />

It opened its regular run at this ace neighborhood<br />

house Thursday (61 . . . R. M. Bisland,<br />

manager of Carnegie Hall, New York<br />

City, and William O'Donnell, executive of<br />

the Cinema Art Theatres, Dallas, were recent<br />

weekend visitors in San Antonio . . . Williani<br />

Allen of Toddy Pictures, Dallas, was in town<br />

ahead of the "Killers All" at the Empire.<br />

George Kaczmar, manager of the Empire,<br />

billed a week of horror films, running two<br />

pictures every day for a full week . . . Free<br />

8x10 photographs of the late James Dean<br />

were given away w'ith each admission ticket<br />

during the showing of "Giant" at tlie Circle<br />

81 Drive-In here . hardtop and one<br />

drive-in are still closed in San Marcos. Tliey<br />

are the Texas and King Drive-In. One theatre<br />

in Austin is still dark. It is the Iris, an<br />

Eddie Joseph situation.<br />

The Obrero Theatre is being dismantled to<br />

make way for a new parking lot on West<br />

Houston street . . . Visiting along theatrical<br />

rows were Mrs. Francisca Cana.s of the Azteca<br />

Theatre, Harlingen: Jose Ruiz, Teatro<br />

Azteca, Lockhart: Rene Benitez, Benitez circuit,<br />

Weslaco; Maurilio Amaya, Teatro<br />

Amaya, Poteet: Mateo Vela, Teatro Maya,<br />

Houston.<br />

The Varsity Theatre near the campus, held<br />

a kids Disneyrama show Saturday (8) admitting<br />

all children for 25 cents each . . . The<br />

Paramount .sold Cinderella gla.ss slippers in<br />

a special booth set up in the lobby during the<br />

run of "Cinderella" at the ace Interstate<br />

house.<br />

Presence of New Yorkers<br />

In 'Face' Is Emphasized<br />

NEW HAVEN — Irving Hillman of the<br />

Stanley Warner Roger Sherman stressed the<br />

presence of numerous New York personalities<br />

in "A F^ce in the Crowd" via newspaper ads.<br />

Such people as Bennett Cerf. Faye Emerson.<br />

Betty Furness. Virginia Graham. Burl<br />

Ives. Sam Levenson. John Cameron Swayze,<br />

Mike Wallace. Earl Wilson and Walter<br />

Winchell are "among the faces in the crowd."<br />

No DST at Denver<br />

This Year, at Least<br />

Denver—Dayliftht savinss has lost<br />

again in Denver, where it was knocked<br />

out, at least for this year. The backers<br />

of the proposition withdrew their demands<br />

that the city council pass a DST<br />

it<br />

law, or put to a vote at a special election,<br />

after the city attorney ruled the<br />

council had no legal right to impose daylight<br />

savings time on any but city<br />

employes.<br />

City Attorney Banks said that time<br />

was a matter for state action, and the<br />

DST plan was defeated in the legislature<br />

earlier this year. Proponents say they<br />

will try and get the matter on a special<br />

election that is scheduled for later this<br />

year, with DST to lake effect next year<br />

if okayed by the voters.<br />

Bill Silver Wins Again;<br />

Columbia Trip to NY<br />

CAMERON. MO.—Bill Silver may have bad<br />

luck breaking arms but he and Mrs. Silver<br />

are lucky at winning<br />

^H^HMHHBB trips. The operators<br />

^HPPHH^HH of the Silver Theatre<br />

Hold Get-Acquainted Show<br />

OPELIKA. ALA. — Thf Auburn-Opelika<br />

Drive-In held its annual spring got-acquainted<br />

offer this month. On two ni'^ht.s<br />

everyone got in free and there were frei<br />

gifts for children. Only condition was that<br />

each adult attending would purchase one<br />

ticket good for any other show in April.<br />

Reopen St. James Rowe<br />

The Rowe Theatre,<br />

ST. JAMES, MO. -<br />

which was gutted by fire almost a year ago.<br />

was reopened recently after rebuilding. Mrs.<br />

Jesse Nelson is manager.<br />

HOUSTON<br />

Oouthwestern Theatre Equipment's Tom<br />

Vincent was in Dalla.s on business. Secretary<br />

Muriel Wilkinson went to the Pasadena<br />

General Hospital for an operation. Alex<br />

McKinzie was holding down the front de.sk<br />

lor<br />

the time being.<br />

The Houston Independent Theatre Ass'n<br />

met June 7 at 10 a.m. in Jack Farr's Trail<br />

Drive-In concessions room. Free coffee and<br />

doughnuts were served, with Manager T. J.<br />

Cheney hosting. Most important action taken<br />

was to amend the constitution to change the<br />

name of the organization to Greater Houston<br />

United Theatre Ass'n. At the three consecutive<br />

readings of this proposed amendment<br />

prior to this action it was explained that the<br />

reason for such a change was to clarify the<br />

membership-status of the a.s.sociation. The<br />

word "independent." some felt, might be confusing<br />

to potential members. For wliile all<br />

local theatremen participating do operate<br />

their theatres independently, many of them<br />

are owned by circuits. The next meeting of<br />

the association will be June 21, with Tidwell<br />

Drive-In Theatre's Cotton Griffith as host.<br />

It will be held at 10 a.m. June 21 at Sonny<br />

Look'.s<br />

restaurant.<br />

[Hp iBhI ^""^ ^^^ Cameo Drive- Sam Landrum, first vice-president of Jefferson<br />

Amusement Co., Beaumont, was in<br />

Wi |Hn In have received word<br />

^^P that they have won an Houston on business . Trail Drive-In is<br />

fm all-expense trip to New having eight cii-cus acts, "All live and in person,"<br />

at 7 p.m., with a)l kids under 12 free.<br />

Yoik from Columbia<br />

Pictures. Silver's It's with the Martin and Lew^is "Three Ring<br />

Wonders of Manhatt<br />

a n "<br />

Circus" , Theatre is having another<br />

late show, with feature starting at<br />

Santa Cerda ha.s replaced Mrs. Gloria<br />

• showmanship<br />

Quintanilla at the switchboard in the local J^<br />

campaign, which he 11;15. A return of "Young Man With a<br />

Azteca office . Quintero of the<br />

submitted, was judged Horn."<br />

Azteca back office is spending a vacation in<br />

the outstanding entry<br />

Monterrey, Mexico . Amaya of<br />

Bill Silver f,-om west of the Mississippi<br />

by Maurice Grad, Columbia shorts for some time now- by the new'ly named<br />

.\ beauty contest, which has been planned<br />

the Amaya, Poteet, has gone to Guadalajara.<br />

Mexico, for his vacation.<br />

subjects sales manager.<br />

Greater Houston United Theatre A.ss'n has<br />

According to a letter<br />

In<br />

from Grad received about jelled. The committee, composed of<br />

.Austin, Carole B. Heliums, daughter of<br />

Interstate<br />

by Silver,<br />

City Manager<br />

he and his wife will be the guests Yale and Broadway Theatres' Alvin Guggenheim,<br />

chairman, with Horwitz Theatres' Fred<br />

William E. Heliums,<br />

of<br />

and<br />

the Hotel<br />

Robert New York for their<br />

Bryant,<br />

four-day<br />

football star, were married<br />

recently. Another<br />

stay. The suggestion is<br />

wedding made that Silver<br />

Cannata. and Loew's State Theatre's Homer<br />

of note was<br />

plan his<br />

the daughter of manager<br />

Manhattan visit prior to October<br />

McCallon. expects to be in a position to pre-<br />

1,<br />

L. Craddock of the<br />

.sent<br />

Ritz Theatre, who wa.s wed<br />

and that he give a four weeks' notice<br />

a full plan shortly.<br />

of his<br />

to an Austinite<br />

preferred<br />

recently.<br />

date so<br />

"Fi-enchy"<br />

that<br />

Barr, lATSE<br />

arrangements<br />

member,<br />

can be<br />

was on made for his<br />

the<br />

entertainment.<br />

sick list . . . Harold "Buster"<br />

Novy, city manager<br />

In October of 1955 the Silvers<br />

of Trans-Texas won a free<br />

Joseph Murdock Dies<br />

Theatres,<br />

trip<br />

Dallas, was to the<br />

an Austin<br />

West Indies through<br />

visitor . . . John<br />

a Food Fair MANSFIELD, OHIO—Joseph E. Murdock.<br />

Bustin,<br />

contest at amusements a supermarket.<br />

editor<br />

Evidently their 66. manager of the Ohio Theatre here for<br />

of the Austin American-<br />

Statesman, was<br />

motto is enter contests<br />

out and see the world. the last four years, died recently in Akion<br />

of the city on his threeweek<br />

vacation.<br />

City Hospital following surgery. His wife<br />

Hazel and a son John, both of Mansfield,<br />

PROJECTOR :<br />

survive.<br />

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BOXOFFICE June 15. 1957 SV/.3


"Got A Load On Your Mind? I Haven't"<br />

Nothing gives employees a more luxurious, satisfied<br />

feeling than that of financial security. And nothing is<br />

easier for them to achieve when you provide the convenience<br />

of automatic Payroll Savings Plan.<br />

EVERYBODY BENEFITS<br />

Security hreeds coniidence— and confidence stimulates<br />

job interest and results in steadier people who are far<br />

more efficient in their work. Receiving those crisp Bonds<br />

at regular intervals along with their paycheck is an<br />

added inducement for employees to stay on the job.<br />

Moreover, when you install the Payroll Savings Plan<br />

in your company, you promote not only the security of<br />

your personnel but the security of your company and<br />

your country. Over forty million Americans have over<br />

40 billion dollars invested in United States Savings<br />

Bonds — a backlog of purchasing power for the future.<br />

EASY TO INSTALL<br />

If your company does not now have a Payroll Savings<br />

Plan, or if employee participation is less than 50%, a<br />

letter to: Savings Bonds Division, U.S. Treasury Department,<br />

Washington. D. C. will bring prompt assistance<br />

from your State Director. He will provide application<br />

cards, promotional material, and as much personal<br />

help as you need.<br />

The United Sfafes Government does not pay for this adverfhtng. The Treasury Deparfment<br />

thanks, for their patriotic donation, the Advertising Council and<br />

BOXOFFICE<br />

SW-4 BOXOFFICE :. June 15. 1957


Four More N.D. Towns Benny Benjamin Feted in Milwaukee<br />

And Tent 14 Sets '80 Days' Premiere<br />

Drop Daylight Time<br />

MINOT. N. D.—Alter less than a month of<br />

daylight saving time, four more of North<br />

Dakota's larger towns have switched back to<br />

standard time. This brings the total of<br />

towns dropping the fast time within the last<br />

fortnight to 13. Many more are expected to<br />

fall in line.<br />

Repeal follows agitation for the return to<br />

standard time by residents and people in the<br />

surrounding territory. Three other large<br />

towns, including Bismarck, the state capital.<br />

and Jamestown, also rejected it recently.<br />

In Minot last week the city council, which<br />

by resolution had put DST into effect by a<br />

one-vote margin, deferred action on a proposal<br />

to drop it. Reason for the failure to<br />

act was the absence of a number of aldermen.<br />

The matter will come up again at the<br />

council's next meeting in early July. The<br />

sentiment within the city and in the surrounding<br />

agricultural territory seems strong<br />

for a return to normal time.<br />

A suit brought by the city's only outdoor<br />

theatre and Earl Beck, its manager, to knock<br />

the fast time is pending in district court and<br />

proposition of attending them, explains<br />

Marks.<br />

This plan already has proved its merits,<br />

he claims. It was tried in one of the territory's<br />

towns with "Friendly Persuasion" the<br />

attraction and. in the opinion of all concerned,<br />

greatly stimulated patronage, according<br />

to Marks.<br />

Business Outlook Good<br />

.MI.NNEAPOLIS—The business outlook for<br />

this area is "reassuring." according to the<br />

Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank's latest<br />

report. Mid-May rainfall, which stimulated<br />

lush growth of range and pasture grass, hurt<br />

the drive-ln theatres, but boosted farmers'<br />

spirits generally and is the principal reason<br />

for the bank's optimism, the report states.<br />

It's pointed out, among other things, that<br />

record high wages have stimulated consumer<br />

spending, as reflected in department store<br />

sales and bank debit figures equal to or<br />

higher than last year.<br />

MILWAUKEE — The Variety Club of<br />

Wisconsin Tent 14 is really getting down to<br />

club, for a two-fold purpose.<br />

First, to honor William D. Benjamin,<br />

Screen Guild, who is retiring. And second,<br />

to whip things into shape for a gigantic<br />

premiere of "Around the World in 80 Days"<br />

at the Strand Theatre. Tickets will sell from<br />

business. On the evening of May 28, practically<br />

the entire active membership gathered<br />

at Fazio's on Jackson street, swanky supper<br />

$10-$50. with all proceeds going to the Variety<br />

Mount Sinai epilepsy fund. Judging from<br />

the manner in which things worked out, (nobody<br />

got by the door on the way out without<br />

committing himself to a certain number of<br />

tickets) the fund will be off to a good start.<br />

SPHEERIS IS EMCEE<br />

Once the feedbag was disposed of, the<br />

testimonials came thick and fast in the<br />

is general direction Benny, as he more<br />

of<br />

popularly known. John G. Kemptgen, manager<br />

at Loew''s, called upon by master of<br />

ceremonies Andy Spheeris, chief barker,<br />

is expected to be heard by the district court<br />

in July. The court had refused a temporary started it off.<br />

restraining order.<br />

Estelle Steinbach, Strand Theatre manager<br />

and only woman present, quietly slipped<br />

It's alleged that the council action in enacting<br />

DST by resolution was in violation of out.<br />

the state constitution.<br />

Kemptgen said he knew every one in the<br />

room joined him in wishing Benny godspeed<br />

in his chosen retirement, and assumed that<br />

AA Devises Plan to Build he would be falling back on his former habits<br />

of days gone by.<br />

Business in Small Towns<br />

Benny, it seems, is an accomplished outdoorsman,<br />

particularly when it comes to<br />

MI>rNEAPOLIS—Taking a leaf from 20th-<br />

Fox and other companies that have gone on hunting and fishing. Thus, many of the<br />

record to help small-town exhibitors remain highlights of his past revolved around his<br />

in business. Allied Artists here has devised activities in this field of sports.<br />

a plan of its own. It's the brainchild of Irving<br />

Marks, branch manager.<br />

ed out, involved one particular hunting trip,<br />

The spell-binder of the evening, as it turn-<br />

For any exhibitor in a town up to 5,000 wherein the family dog was taken along.<br />

population booking a certain number of its "It's 4 o'clock in the morning, mind you,"<br />

pictures in a single month. Allied Artists, related George Devine. Allied Artists, "and<br />

when furnished with a mailing list by the dark as all getout." On arrival at the spot<br />

exhibitor in question, wull write and send to .selected from which the bombardment would<br />

all those persons on the mailing list a personal<br />

letter aimed at bringing them into the out of the car. "An' that's the last we saw<br />

take place, Benny, Devine and the dog got<br />

theatre to see the AA pictures.<br />

of that dog the rest of the day!" he moaned.<br />

The letter will list the pictures and their "Cold! Dark! Well, Benny went one way,<br />

playdates and try to sell the receiver on the and I the other. We had to bring home that<br />

mutt, or there'd be war in Benny's camp that<br />

night, with the kids, especially. So there we<br />

were: 'Here. Prince! Here Prince! Hyah, Boy!'<br />

Other hunters in the area, meanwhile were<br />

getting as far away from us as possible, wuth<br />

us making all that noise. We spent the whole<br />

day looking for that purp. Back once more<br />

to the car. and just about willing to give up<br />

the search, along came two hunters, and<br />

trotting beside them as meekly as you please,<br />

was that ... of a dog."<br />

DOG'S .'VBSEXCE EXPLAINED<br />

After the official greetings were taken<br />

care of. Benny asked how they happened<br />

to have the dog with them. Said one of the<br />

hunters: "Don't rightly know, pardner.<br />

Reckon he got a whiff of me the minute he<br />

jumped from your car and lit out in my<br />

direction. He followed me around all day.<br />

'Course. I fed im."<br />

The way I>evine tells it, the dog was even<br />

reluctant to leave the great outdoors for the<br />

trip back home. "Well, we got back home<br />

without getting in a bit of hunting, but I'll<br />

never forget that plaintive wail of Benny's:<br />

•Hyah, Prince! Here, Prince!'"<br />

Others who likewise did a neat job of<br />

comparing notes of bygone days included<br />

Ben Marcus, who heads the circuit bearing<br />

his name; John Schuyler, president of Delft<br />

circuit, and Morrie Anderson, who has taken<br />

over Benny's responsibilities at Screen Guild.<br />

Each in turn, however, returned to his<br />

objective, mainly to stress the fact that Benny<br />

was always the first to offer his services<br />

for any project under way, and could be<br />

counted upon to see it through to a successful<br />

conclusion. He was given a set of traveling<br />

BE^^^IY EXPRESSES GRATITUDE<br />

When it came time for Benny to acknowledge<br />

the many kind things said of him, he<br />

found it difficult to get started. Face flushed<br />

and with a lump in his throat, he finally<br />

stammered: "I tell ya, fellas. I just don't have<br />

the words at my command. But it reminds<br />

me of a meeting I had in Chicago prior to<br />

my taking over this business. Fi-equently,<br />

I would interrupt, to ask if soandso was still<br />

in Milw-aukee, good '. friend of mine."<br />

. .<br />

Finally, the gentlemen said, 'how come you<br />

continually refer to all those guys as your<br />

friends? You know how^ it is, you're lucky<br />

if you can use the fingers on one hand to<br />

name them.'<br />

"Well, I just happened to think of those<br />

words a few moments ago. Now, I know how<br />

many friends I really have. And all I can<br />

manage to say is thank you from the bottom<br />

of my heart."<br />

The balance of the session was then devoted<br />

towards breathing life into the forthcoming<br />

premiere of "Around the World in 80<br />

Days."<br />

Among those present were Robert L. Bostick,<br />

vice-president of National Theatre Supply,<br />

Memphis, Tenn. Said he: "I only wish<br />

I could properly convey, as international<br />

representative of Variety Clubs, to other<br />

tents what I have witnessed here tonight.<br />

And I refer both to the touching testimonial<br />

in Benny's behalf, as well as the allout approach<br />

to the premiere you're working on."<br />

PEP TALK BY TRAMPE<br />

Oliver Trampe, Film Service,<br />

former chief<br />

barker, then took over and pleaded that the<br />

membership get on the ball. In fact, it was<br />

his suggestion that Harold Pearson, executive<br />

secretary for Allied Theatre Owners Ass'n.<br />

be posted at the door to "accept" formal<br />

"offers" committing each member to a given<br />

number of tickets.<br />

Andy Spheeris called for an active participation<br />

of each and every member of the<br />

club. He reminded them that "... there<br />

are 800 seats in the Strand Theatre. Already<br />

we have on file a number of calls for the<br />

S50 seats; more of course, for the $10 ones.<br />

We must interest every business and civic<br />

official we can contact in this humanitarian<br />

gesture of Variety. Get them over to the<br />

clinic! Acquaint them with the seriousness<br />

of the clinic's efforts. Already, that staff is<br />

overtaxed and they've hardly begun!"<br />

William Fawcett will play the Tijuana<br />

schoolteacher in Columbia's "The Tijuana<br />

Stoi-y."<br />

June 15, 1957


. . Marjorie<br />

. .<br />

DES MOINES<br />

N<br />

orman Holt, Warner salesman, is on his<br />

two-week vacation . . . Lois Ann Lattimore,<br />

biller at Warners, is spending her vacation<br />

at home . Schulze is the<br />

new PBX operator at Warners . . . WOMPI<br />

held a luncheon at the home of Universal<br />

booker Tlielma Washburn on June 8. Nineteen<br />

members attended the event which was<br />

a moneymaking project for national convention<br />

which will be held next October . . . Clara<br />

Helvig, Universal inspector, is vacationing .<br />

Don Hicks, Paramount branch manager, is in<br />

California on his annual vacation visit.<br />

Harry Dearmin has put tickets on sale for<br />

the premiere of "Saint Joan," to be held<br />

June 25 at the RKO Orpheum Tlieatre in<br />

Marshalltown. Dearmin said the 914 premiere<br />

tickets would be sold on a first come, first<br />

served basis, with no seats reserved other<br />

than those for the Seberg family and possibly<br />

other visiting dignitaries. The gold premiere<br />

tickets sell for 90 cents and will be good only<br />

for the one night. The film will run a week<br />

following the premiere. The picture will also<br />

open at other RKO theatres around the state<br />

June 26. The film is the first made by Miss<br />

Seberg. who graduated from Marshalltown<br />

High School only a year- ago.<br />

Marlene Eenhuise is the new bookers clerk<br />

at MGM replacing M:-s. Myrna Brown, who<br />

has resigned to await the stork . . . Harlan<br />

Miller, Des Moines Register columnist, recently<br />

wrote in his column "I'm told that<br />

92.3 per cent of customers at drive-in theatres<br />

are young married couples with 1, 2 or 3<br />

kids asleep in the backseat and that in our<br />

chilly spring one Des Moines drive-in played<br />

to more people than all our roofed theatres<br />

combined!"<br />

Top Milwaukee Spot<br />

Won By 'Lonely Man<br />

MILWAUKEE — While "The Ten Commandments"<br />

was registering better business<br />

in it.s 17th week than in its 16th and "The<br />

Wayward Bus" held up well in a second week.<br />

"The Lonely Man," new Jack Palance-Anthony<br />

Perkins problem western, bowed in at<br />

a solid 150 per cent. These straws in the<br />

wind were bringing some overdue encouragement<br />

to the downtown houses.<br />

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Pop-Up Troys<br />

$12.50<br />

Carroll Shoppers Given<br />

Free Theatre Tickets<br />

CARROLL. IOWA—Women shoppers<br />

who<br />

buy in Carroll will get free theatre tickets as<br />

16 Carroll stores join with the Carroll theatres<br />

in launching the June Movietime Jubilee.<br />

Bill Ai-ts. manager of the Can-oil theatres,<br />

is furnishing the 16 participating stores<br />

with tickets to give to their women customers<br />

along with special values advertised by those<br />

stores in conjunction with the event.<br />

The free tickets are good for 18 different<br />

shows during June, and will be given out by<br />

the stores on Friday.<br />

Reopen Dunlap Theatre<br />

DUNLAP, IOWA—The Dunlap Theatre reopened<br />

May 30, according to C. C. Moore,<br />

owner and manager. The theatre has been<br />

closed for several weeks due to an injury suffered<br />

by Moore in January. There will be<br />

two changes of pictures a week, with the theatre<br />

being closed on Wednesday nights.<br />

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. . Among<br />

. . Mrs.<br />

. . Bill<br />

. . Walter<br />

. . Mona<br />

. . The<br />

. .<br />

OMAHA<br />

MILWAUKEE<br />

pari Couden, exhibitor at Sidney, Iowa,<br />

brought the big motor for his cooling<br />

system to Omaha, had it overhauled and reinstalled<br />

it in the Sidney Theatre. No sooner<br />

was the job done than lightning came down<br />

the wires and. pow—the motor is back in<br />

Omaha being rebuilt . . . Norm Nielsen, U-I<br />

salesman, is up and around in good .shape<br />

following a circulatory operation on his legs.<br />

He even got in some golf with the Filmrow<br />

linksters.<br />

.<br />

.<br />

Walter Bradley, Neligh exhibitor, was hospitalized<br />

again recently Hanson.<br />

U-I stenographer, and her husband were<br />

. vacationing in Colorado United<br />

Artists staff got a "wish you were here" card<br />

from Tillie Cleal. contract clerk, postmarked<br />

Chicago Earl Kerr of Pine, Colo.,<br />

whose husband operates theatres in Iowa and<br />

Missouri, w^as in Omaha last week with her<br />

children to visit her parents.<br />

Jim Robinson, operator of the State Theatre<br />

at Elk Point, S. D.. reported a fire damaged<br />

his locker plant ... Ed Cohen, Columbia<br />

salesman, is now the proud possessor of a<br />

Siamese cat—but still prefers dogs. A friend<br />

moved to Canada and left the Cohens the pet.<br />

and has made two phone calls to see how it<br />

IS getting along . Tamen. Vermillion.<br />

S. D., exhibitor, is back from a trip to St.<br />

Paul. Minn., to bring his family home . . .<br />

Harry Fisher, former U-I salesman, visited<br />

the exchange last week . . . Opal Woodson,<br />

UA office manager, will attend a reunion of<br />

her high school graduating class at Moberly,<br />

Mo., June 22.<br />

.<br />

.<br />

Heinie Saggau, exhibitor at Denison, Iowa,<br />

opened his summer home at Park Rapids,<br />

Minn. other exhibitors who went<br />

north to fishing spots in Minnesota were Mr.<br />

and Mrs. Alfred Klemme of the Norca at<br />

Acron. Iowa; Richard Max. Sidney. Iowa,<br />

and Bob Holdrege. who has the State Theatre<br />

at Shenandoah Creal, operator<br />

of the Center Beacon theatres in<br />

and<br />

Omaha, reported his mother has returned<br />

home from the hospital.<br />

Morgan Reynolds has reopened his theatre<br />

at Elwood . . . S. R. Notham announced that<br />

the Vogue at Remsen, Iowa, would close down<br />

July 1 . . . Members of the Film Industry<br />

Golf League were surprised to see Lowell<br />

Kyle. 20th-Fox salesman, show up with an<br />

ax as an extra club in his bag—for those<br />

woods shots. Kermit Carr of the Goldberg<br />

Theatre circuit won the handicap competition.<br />

Mary Frangenberg, 20th-Fox cashier, said<br />

she and Rosemary Caples teamed in doubles<br />

to make the prize list in the National<br />

Women's Bowling Congress at Dayton .<br />

Don McLucas, UA manager, returned from a<br />

district meeting at St. Louis . . . Exhibitors<br />

on the Row included R. V. Fletcher, O'Neill;<br />

Phil March. Wayne: Jim Travis, Milford;<br />

Paul Tramp. Oxford; Adolph Rozanek.<br />

Crete; Earl Dowden, Sidney; Scotty Raitt,<br />

Genoa; Bob Kruger, Sioux City, and Frank<br />

Good. Red Oak.<br />

Paul Fine's Sister Dies<br />

OMAHA— Paul Fine, owner of<br />

the Western<br />

Theatre Supply Co., was called to Chicago<br />

by the death of his sister Sarah Fine. Services<br />

and burial were in Chicago.<br />

NKW I ^ riioAioil D— riiomas Martin,<br />

left, Idiinii inaiiauiMK director of the<br />

Radio City Theatre in Minneapolis, recently<br />

was upped to Minneapolis city<br />

manager for Minnesota Amusement Co.,<br />

supervising the Radio City. State, Lyric,<br />

I'ptown and Rialto theatres. At right,<br />

Fred Bachman, former manager of the<br />

Paramount, St. Paul, was boosted to city<br />

manager there, directing both the Paramount<br />

and Riviera.<br />

Harlan Blake Is Praised<br />

By AIP Head for Bally<br />

MINNEAPOLIS — Harlan Blake, manager<br />

of the local Loop first run Gopher, is the<br />

proud possessor of a letter from Leon P.<br />

Blender. American International general<br />

sales manager, congratulating Blake for doing<br />

"such a great job" in promotion of AIP's<br />

twin bill "Dragstrip Girl" and "Rock All<br />

Night."<br />

"Your splendid campaign resulted in a terrific<br />

gro.ss," Blender wrote to Blake, "and I<br />

know we would not have been so rewarded<br />

without the tremendous effort you put forth.<br />

"The excellent showmanship you have displayed<br />

could not have merited anything but<br />

the fine results.<br />

"It all goes to demonstrate again that showmanship<br />

is not dead and how effective and<br />

successful it can be. You have given it new<br />

life in its functional practicability."<br />

Businessmen to Reopen<br />

Melrose, Wis., Theatre<br />

MELROSE. WIS.—Plans are being made<br />

for the Rose Theatre to reopen here. A group<br />

of local businessmen have arranged with<br />

H. W. Rucker. owner of the building, for a<br />

lease of the theatre and equipment for a<br />

year. Rucker is already at work with a crew<br />

of men cleaning and repainting the building.<br />

Pi-esent plans call for two changes of shows<br />

each week with shows on Wednesday. Saturday<br />

and Sunday. The Wednesday night show<br />

will be free to everyone and is sponsored by<br />

the businessmen of Melrose.<br />

Vaudeville Film Program<br />

Slated for Radio City<br />

MINNEAPOLIS — Charlie Winchell, Minnesota<br />

Amusement Co. president-general<br />

manager, has booked into the local Radio<br />

City Theatre the week of July 11 the first<br />

vaudeville-film show that house or any Minneapolis<br />

theatre has had in more than four<br />

years.<br />

The occasion will be the week of the Shriners<br />

national convention here and it'll be a<br />

case of Shriner for the Shriners because Herb<br />

Shriner, the comedian, will be the headliner,<br />

along with the Jimmy Dor.sey band.<br />

/"•aryl Manhardt, 15-year-old daughter ol<br />

Vic Manhardt. equipment dealer, .showed<br />

her five-gaited hour.se Deep Secret at the<br />

Wisconsin Riders & Exhibitors Ass'n meet<br />

here. It was a benefit show, which brought<br />

over 348 entries. One exhibitor has a sterling<br />

silver saddle said to be worth about $20,000.<br />

Names of some of the horses? Elvis Presley,<br />

Marilyn Monroe and Liberace. Miss Manhardt<br />

learned to ride with the Girl Scouts.<br />

Latest acquisition to Johnny Mednikow's<br />

staff at National Screen Service here is Harriet<br />

Ackmannn, who is handling the booking<br />

and related duties. Harriet says Al Camillo.<br />

manager at the Fox Wisconsin Theatre,<br />

learned of the vacancy and followed through<br />

with a recommendation, which resulted in<br />

her getting the job. She had been with Fox<br />

Wisconsin Amusement Corp. for over ten<br />

years, doing secretarial and booking work.<br />

Gifts worth 50 cents or more from widely<br />

known persons in the entertainment field,<br />

politics and government, the church and industry<br />

were auctioned off here at a benefit<br />

picnic. Gifts w^ere obtained by writing to the<br />

donors who included Roy Rogers. Dale Evans.<br />

Red Skelton. Perry Como. Mrs. Eisenhower<br />

and many others. The event was held at<br />

Pius XI High School June 9. with more than<br />

350 gifts auctioned off.<br />

Exhibitor's 2-Year-Old Son<br />

Is Would-Be Globetrotter<br />

SCHUYLER. NEB.—Reggie Gannon, exhibitor<br />

at the Sky Theatre, and Mrs. Gannon,<br />

are convinced son Shane wiU be a world<br />

traveler when he grows up—at the age of<br />

two he's already .shown the desire to go places.<br />

Shane and his younger brother Stephen<br />

climbed into their dad's station wagon parked<br />

in a lot near the theatre. Somehow or other<br />

Shane put it in gear, turned the switch and<br />

away they went.<br />

The journey was short. The car went<br />

straight across the street, jumped a curb<br />

and came to rest against a building. The<br />

car was slightly damaged, the children were<br />

unhurt.<br />

WLOL Seeks TV Permit<br />

MINNEAPOLIS—The Minnowa Broadcasting<br />

Co., headed by N. L. Bentson. president,<br />

owner-operator of WLOL here, plans a<br />

television station in the vicinity of Fairmont,<br />

in the southern part of the state.<br />

Application for authorization ali-eady has<br />

been made to the FCC. Bentson says arrangements<br />

have been made which would<br />

assure the programming of a maximum number<br />

of top network shows through an agreement<br />

with KELO-TV, Sioux Falls. S, D,<br />

Latter is affUiated with NBC, CBS and ABC<br />

networks. Channel 12 is being sought.<br />

DRIVE-IN SPECIALS<br />

|


. . . Al<br />

. . . Herb<br />

. . The<br />

. . The<br />

. . There<br />

MINNEAPOLIS<br />

Qn his present tour to boost "The Delicate<br />

Delinquent." Jerry Lewis will come to<br />

Minneapolis with other performers July 18.<br />

the day when it opens here at Radio City.<br />

to appear on the theatre's stage for three<br />

shows. Lewis and his company will fly into<br />

this city from Milwaukee. He played a week's<br />

engagement at the same house sometime ago<br />

with Dean Martin and drew terrific crowds<br />

O'Keefe. a former Universal assistant<br />

general sales manager and now a west<br />

coast theatre circuit owner, was here on a<br />

vacation visit with his family and friends, including<br />

LeRoy J. Miller, local U-I manager<br />

Buschman. United Ai-tists manager<br />

is back from a sales meeting in St. Louis.<br />

A letter from D. E. Smith, manager of the<br />

HoUy^vood Theatre. Eau Claire. 'Wis., tossing<br />

bouquets at Bob Favaro. MGM exploiteer<br />

here, for his work in Eau Claire in behalf of<br />

"Designing Woman." has made Favaro very<br />

happy. Sent to Favaro's boss Emery Austin,<br />

head of MGM pubhcity. it was published in<br />

the MGM house organ. Smith congratulated<br />

Favaro for his excellent work and Austin for<br />

having such "a topdrawer talent with ambition<br />

to carry out his numerous ideas."<br />

Among other things, wrote Smith: "It was<br />

pleasant to meet a man who was optimistic<br />

about the industry's future."<br />

SPECIAL<br />

TRAILERS<br />

FILMACK<br />

ikuM.umijiijijiaarBiii<br />

>1(.N IOK WORLD—Todd-.AO equipment<br />

for the opening of ".Ground the<br />

World in 80 Days" June 28 is being installed<br />

at the Alvin Theatre in Minneapolis.<br />

The above photograph shows<br />

the signing of the contract by Ted<br />

Mann, left, owner of the new Alvin, and<br />

Doug Netter, vice-president of Todd-AO.<br />

This is the 38th Todd-AO instaUation in<br />

the United States.<br />

played twin bills last Sunday. Relating howdaylight<br />

saving time is hurting the ozoners.<br />

Will Jones in his Minneapolis Morning Tribune<br />

column said that a heavily advertised<br />

midnight twin horror show drew only 50 cars<br />

Navarre, three of the Twin Cities 12 drive-ins.<br />

Flying Cloud rarely has had to have a late<br />

show because of the patronage drouth.<br />

.<br />

,<br />

The local Miss Universe is being chosen at<br />

a contest staged at Excelsior Amusement<br />

Park St. Paul downtown first run<br />

Strand has broughc back during the past few<br />

weeks "The Red Pony" and "The Fighting<br />

The Minnesota Amusement Co. held its first<br />

Kentuckians" on one twin bill and "Mutiny<br />

Sunday night sneak preview at the State<br />

on the Bounty" and "Boys Town" on another<br />

last Sunday, showing Bob Hope's newest,<br />

Hilltop, Flying Cloud and<br />

Navarre, three of the Twin Cities 12 drive-ins.<br />

"Beau<br />

traction,<br />

James," along with<br />

"Gunfight at the<br />

the regular<br />

OK. Corral,"<br />

at-<br />

in<br />

its second week at the house and due to be<br />

moved over to the Lyric for a third downtown<br />

stanza. Advertised in the Sunday newspaper,<br />

the .sneak prevue boosted Sunday attendance<br />

at the showhouse considerably.<br />

"Wee Geordie," having its St. Paul first run<br />

at the neighborhood fine arts Grandview, is<br />

in its third week there . . . Difficulties encountered<br />

by the architects in remodeling the<br />

Alvin. mow the Academy) for "Around the<br />

World in 80 Days" and pictures to follow will<br />

delay the opening of the Mike Todd smash hit<br />

until some time in July.<br />

HANDY SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM<br />

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THEATRE<br />

STREET ADDRESS<br />

TOWN<br />

NAME<br />

STATE..<br />

POSmON<br />

Avalon Theatre Suit<br />

To Trial Sept. 10<br />

MINNEAPOLIS — Federal district court<br />

trial has been set for September 10 in the<br />

antitrust suit brought by circuit owners Abe<br />

Kaplan and Charlie Rubenstein against the<br />

major distributors.<br />

The plaintiffs are asking $500,000 triple<br />

damages, claiming that their local neighborhood<br />

Avalon Theatre here was discriminated<br />

against on clearance in favor of a competing<br />

Paramount house. This is the only<br />

remaining such suit on the court calendar<br />

here.<br />

Lee Loevenger. the plaintiffs' attorney, won<br />

a S125.000 judgment for exhibitors Saul and<br />

Martin Lebedoff in a similar action against<br />

the film companies.<br />

Rock-Roller in Deluxer<br />

Gets Raised Eyebrows<br />

ST. PAUL— Bill Diehl, Pioneer Pi'ess-Dispatch<br />

critic, was moved to wonderment when<br />

Minnesota Amusement Co.'s Paramount,<br />

this first town's leading run theatre, booked<br />

for the first time a twin bill comprising a<br />

rock and roll film, "Untamed Youth," and a<br />

picture not considered tops, "A Cry in the<br />

Night."<br />

No rock and roll picture ever had been<br />

booked into the Paramount before the Diehl<br />

in his review expressed the belief that the<br />

showhouse would lose face "in thus lowering<br />

its standards."<br />

"We've always considered the Paramount<br />

theatre as a sort of grande dame of the Loop<br />

movie houses," WTOte Diehl. "She's an elegant<br />

place, massive, sedate. But the old girl<br />

has kicked off her high-button footwear and<br />

slipped into saddle shoes. She's shucked<br />

her dignified attire and wriggled into snugfitting<br />

jeans in slating a rock 'n' roll movie.<br />

Now wouldn't that jar your mother's preserver.<br />

"And then to have a minor drama in addition<br />

to the rock 'n' roll thing. If it seems<br />

to you that the theatre has lowered its head<br />

and is running pell-mell toward a brick wall,<br />

it seems that way to us, too.<br />

"Those in the know, however, point out<br />

there's always a lack of good movies just<br />

before a holiday— and Memorial Day is coming<br />

up .<br />

has been an extreme shortage<br />

of product which should begin to ease<br />

shortly. In fact. Hollywood has a series of<br />

blockbusters getting some finishing touches.<br />

In the meantime we have the plight described<br />

here today."<br />

Kid Shows Start in Perry<br />

PERRY, IOWA—The first four summer<br />

series kiddy matinees, being held by the Perry<br />

Theatre in cooperation with the PTA, was<br />

slated for Wednesday, June 12, according to<br />

Bernard Bisbee, theatre manager. Season<br />

tickets for the complete series of eight movies<br />

will sell for Sl.OO.<br />

Partners Bu'y in Cascade, Iowa<br />

CASCADE, IOWA—Gary Less and Clarence<br />

Bye reopened the Cascade Theatre here the<br />

last of May after it had been dark for several<br />

months. Their first show was rewarded with<br />

quite liberal patronage, and if interest continues,<br />

the theatre will be able to remain in<br />

operation.<br />

NC-4<br />

BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


Cinema Club Installs<br />

Mrs. Elna Gebhart<br />

CLEVELAND — Mrs. Elna Gebhart was<br />

installed as president of the Cleveland<br />

Cinema Club at its annual meeting Wednesday<br />

i5i in the Higbee Auditorium. Mrs.<br />

Edward P. Carran, former president of the<br />

Cleveland Federation of Women's Clubs, was<br />

the installation officer. Mrs. Gebhart succeeds<br />

Mrs. Sally Swisher, who retains an<br />

active interest in motion pictures as a member<br />

of the board of directors of the Motion<br />

Picture Council of Cleveland.<br />

Other officers elected for the coming year<br />

and duly installed are: first vice-president.<br />

Mrs. Lillian Strong; second vice-president,<br />

Mrs. Sara Hamilton: secretary, Mrs. Marjorie<br />

Lawrence: treasurer, Mrs. Henrietta<br />

Sweitzer.<br />

REVIEWED 89 FEATURES<br />

Mrs. Gebhart has devoted many years to<br />

the study and promotion of motion pictures.<br />

During the past year she reviewed 89 features<br />

for a weekly column she authors in the<br />

Leader, covering Willowick, Wickliffe, East<br />

Lake and Timberlake. Her approach to all<br />

pictures is constructive. "If you can't say<br />

something good about a picture, don't say<br />

anything about it other than its type and<br />

cast," she explains. Her program for the<br />

coming year will include plans to make the<br />

public motion picture conscious and to reestabUsh<br />

interest in pictures as the "best<br />

and cheapest entertainment available."<br />

The origin of the Cleveland Cinema Club<br />

dates back to 1915, according to Bertelle Lyttle,<br />

club historian and one of its founders.<br />

"We started as a small committee to reform<br />

pictures at their source in an effort to combat<br />

state precensorship for which the church<br />

representatives were clamoring. In this move,<br />

we coined the now well worn plirase, 'better<br />

films.' We worked as a committee of the<br />

Cleveland Federation of Women's Clubs to<br />

establish standards for screen entertainment.<br />

And it was from this committee work that<br />

the Cleveland Cinema Club was finally organized<br />

in 1917. Since that time we have<br />

been steadfast in our efforts to promote better<br />

films, to establish an appreciation of<br />

films as an art and to inaugurate the special<br />

children matinees. We met strong resistance<br />

from theatre owners and managers when we<br />

first proposed our plan for specially selected<br />

Saturday matinee programs, but eventually,<br />

by consistent effort, we got our plan almost<br />

universally adopted in Cleveland."<br />

SOLD ON MA'nXEE IDEA<br />

Many theatre managers now are sold on<br />

the idea of specially selected Saturday matinee<br />

programs that they bew^ail a shortage<br />

of available suitable product, claiming that<br />

distributors are reluctant to book for a single<br />

matinee showing a picture they think should<br />

play a run. In some neighborhoods, however,<br />

the special Saturday matinees have outlived<br />

their usefulness. Only this week the<br />

Astor Theatre discontinued them altogether.<br />

In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Gebhart<br />

paid special tribute to Frank Murphy, Loews<br />

Theatre division manager, for extending the<br />

courtesy of his theatres to members following<br />

the regular club meetings. Mrs. Florence<br />

Craig, Cuyahoga County librarian, closed the<br />

meeting with a review of the book by Jessamyn<br />

West on which the prize-winning picture,<br />

"Friendly Persuasion," was based.<br />

Highway Dept. Must Okay<br />

Maintenance of Traffic<br />

COLUMBUS—Ohio drive-in theatre o\niers<br />

who wi-sh to assure maintenance of traffic<br />

during highway contruction must obtain<br />

contractural approval from the Ohio Highway<br />

Department before construction contracts<br />

are let, according to the Independent<br />

Theatre Owners of Ohio.<br />

"Contracts are let with clauses providing<br />

for maintenance of traffic w'hen the department's<br />

division engineer so approves," said<br />

the ITO. "Once the contract is let without<br />

such a clause, nothing can be done. Any<br />

relief sought must come before the contract<br />

is<br />

let.<br />

"In taking land from a drive-in theatre<br />

owner, or any other property owner, the price<br />

paid will reflect not only the actual value of<br />

the property but the residual value of the<br />

remainder." said the ITO.<br />

The ITO pointed out that if the drive-in<br />

is on a county or township highway, the State<br />

Highway Department has no jurisdiction.<br />

Variety Golf Outing<br />

June 24 at Detroit<br />

DETROIT — The 'Variety Club of Detroit<br />

will hold its annual golf outing on June 24,<br />

at the Tam O'Shanter Country Club on<br />

Orchard Lake road. Milton Zimmerman,<br />

manager for Columbia Pictures, and Irving<br />

Belinsky, owner of the Eastwood Theatre,<br />

are co-chairmen for the event.<br />

The Variety golf outing traditionally represents<br />

the high spot of the summer social<br />

season for Filmrow, and is expected to draw<br />

a strong attendance from home and district<br />

offices, as well as upstate exhibitors and<br />

local Filmrow personnel.<br />

Palms Theatre Building<br />

Is Sold to Bagley Corp.<br />

DETROIT — The Francis Palms building<br />

on Woodward avenue, including the first run<br />

Palms Theatre, has been purchased from the<br />

Palms Realty Co. by the Bagley Building<br />

CoiTj. for a sum reported at $2,000,000. The<br />

new firm, which also operates the United<br />

Artists Theatre building, is under the presidency<br />

of Samuel J. Lang. The Palms Theatre<br />

is operated by United Detroit Theatres.<br />

Louis Mitchell Adds Two<br />

DETROIT — Louis Mitchell, operator of<br />

an independent film buying and booking<br />

service, is adding the General Custer Drive-<br />

In at Monroe, operated by Ben J. Robins,<br />

former Universal manager, and the Dexter<br />

Theatre in Detroit, to his accounts. The<br />

Dexter operation is being taken over by John<br />

Brown, son of the late pioneer Harry Brown,<br />

on behalf of the Brown family. Mitchell also<br />

continues to book for the Palmer Park Theatre<br />

in Highland Park, in which he is a<br />

partner with Raymond Schreiber, circuit<br />

operator.<br />

Edward LaGuille Dies<br />

DETROIT — Edward LaGuille, longtime<br />

member of lATSE Local 199, died recently<br />

in Receiving Hospital following a heart attack.<br />

He was projectionist at the RKO<br />

Uptown Theatre, now the Six Mile Uptown,<br />

in Highland Park, retiring about a year ago.<br />

ITOO Okays Hold Off<br />

On Joining COMPO<br />

COLUMBUS —The board of directors of<br />

the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio ha.s<br />

approved unanimously the action taken by<br />

the National Allied board in notifying<br />

COMPO that Allied would withhold reaffiliation<br />

with that organization pending another<br />

conference between Allied's committee and<br />

that of COMPO.<br />

The Ohio board also endorsed the National<br />

board's position on the matter of the<br />

Department of Justice "which has been very<br />

freely interpreting the consent decrees but<br />

seemingly always against the independent<br />

exhibitor." The National Board had authorized<br />

contact with a Congressional cominittee<br />

which is contemplating an investigation of<br />

the antitrust division of the Justice Department.<br />

The Ohio board also requested Allied's<br />

negotiating committee on arbitration to include<br />

among the subjects to be arbitrated<br />

the question of delayed availabilities. The<br />

dii-ectors pointed out that lack of prints or<br />

other causes of delayed availabilities have<br />

"completely upset the clearance pattern" in<br />

the state among subsequent run, small town<br />

and drive-in theatres.<br />

The Ohio board passed a resolution expressing<br />

"sincerest sympathy" to Mrs. William<br />

F. Rodgers on the recent death of her<br />

husband. Several board members said he<br />

was "the best friend that exhibitors ever<br />

had in distribution" and he was "the kind<br />

of individual whom the industry could ill<br />

afford to be without."<br />

Annual convention of ITOO will be held<br />

December 3, 4 at the Fort Hayes Hotel here.<br />

400 Petitioners in Suit<br />

Against Chakeres Airer<br />

SPRINGFIELD — A Fairborn man representing<br />

more than 400 petitioners has filed<br />

suit in Greene County common pleas court in<br />

Xenia against Bath township trustees for<br />

their part in rezoning requested by Chakeres<br />

Theatres.<br />

The theatre chain, which has home offices<br />

here, had asked rezoning of about 20 acres<br />

of land from agricultural to commercial use<br />

in order to build a drive-in theatre. Bath<br />

township trustees ordered the rezoning May<br />

1, the suit said. The plat is along the west<br />

side of Airway road north of the intersection<br />

of Airway road and the old Dayton-Yellow<br />

Springs road. It is close to the huge Wright-<br />

Patterson Air Force Base.<br />

Earl Grover of 9014 Ravenswood Ave., in<br />

Fairborn instituted the suit. Chakeres Theatres<br />

is not named in any way as defendants.<br />

Airer Patron Wounded<br />

AKRON — A 30-year-old patron of the<br />

Summit Drive-In, Mrs. Patricia Ann Satteson,<br />

suffered cuts w'hen a shot—source<br />

unknow-n—shattered the car winaow next to<br />

her. She and her husband and baby were<br />

at the drive-in to see a double horror bill,<br />

but instead of seeing both films, she was<br />

taken to Akron General Hospital for treatment<br />

of arm and shoulder cuts from the<br />

smashed glass. Sheriff's deputies conceded<br />

they could not find the place from which the<br />

shot was fired.<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957 ME-1


. . . Joe<br />

. . .<br />

Dave<br />

. . Ernie<br />

DETROIT<br />

Qtto Ebert, new manager for J. Arthur Rank,<br />

is establishing a home in Birmingham,<br />

bringing his family back from Westwood.<br />

Boston suburb, about Saturday (15) . . .<br />

Stanley Russell has returned to the Film<br />

Building for the censor's office. He will review<br />

films for local release . . . Murray<br />

Schlanger, Fox salesman, returned from a<br />

weekend at his home town, Riverdale, N. Y.<br />

Lee and Jack Sturm of Fox were<br />

off for a sales meet at Cleveland . . . Gloria<br />

Hunter, Lee's secretary, was vacationing at<br />

Miami<br />

. Ziegler and Phil Stanton<br />

of Universal were vacationing in New York<br />

and Cincinnati respectively.<br />

Mary Zemla, veteran inspectress at RKO<br />

and National Film Service, joined the Paramount<br />

Recent visitors included<br />

staff . . .<br />

the Beechler father and son team. Cash and<br />

Dick, from Charlotte; John Whyte of Pinconning;<br />

and Mrs. Ellen Haden, Dundee<br />

Newman has returned from his<br />

RESEAT OR RENOVATE<br />

Professional work on Seat<br />

Renovation factory trained<br />

crew. Your chairs recovered,<br />

using Foam Rubber or New<br />

Springs. Metal parts refinshed<br />

m Bal


. . . Coming<br />

. . . The<br />

I<br />

. .<br />

. . Ted<br />

. . Frank<br />

CLEVELAND<br />

Tack Sogg, MGM manager, was in Cincinnati<br />

for the graduation of his son Alan from<br />

the medical school of the University of Cincinnati<br />

. . . M. B. Horwitz flew to New<br />

Haven for the graduation from Yale of his<br />

grandson Stuart Miller . . . Joe Rembrandt,<br />

Center-Mayfield Theatre owner, was in<br />

Evanston, 111., for the graduation of his son<br />

Neil from Northwestern University .<br />

Nate Schultz was in Philadelphia to see his<br />

son Jay receive his diploma from U of P's<br />

Wharton School of Business Administration<br />

down the educational ladder,<br />

Barbara Leavitt, daughter of Sandy Leavitt<br />

of the Washington circuit, graduated into<br />

junior high school in Shaker Heights.<br />

Some 50 industry members and friends of<br />

Lewis Horwitz assembled Tuesday in the<br />

Town and Country restaurant for a bachelor<br />

dinner preceding his maiTiage June 13 to<br />

Janet Pi'ice. The ceremony took place in<br />

the Park synagogue at 7;30 p.m., with Rabbi<br />

Cohn of the Park synagogue and Rabbi<br />

Rosenthal of the Heights Temple officiating<br />

Astor Theatre, a unit of the Washington<br />

circuit, has discontinued its Saturday<br />

matinees due to lack of attendance. The<br />

neighborhood children reportedly prefer to<br />

play outdoors and special children's programs<br />

prove no attraction to them.<br />

Allied Artists "Calypso Joe" and "Hot Rod<br />

Rumble" gets a multiple run opening in nine<br />

local neighborhood houses starting June 19.<br />

Theatres involved are the Mayland, Keith's<br />

105th. Beach Cliff, Mapletown, Parma, Shore,<br />

Madison, Ezella and Lorain-Fulton . . The<br />

French star, Denise Dorin, will be in Cleveland<br />

June 16-20 to fill radio and television<br />

commitments to promote "Love in the Afternoon."<br />

To date, 15 air spots have been lined<br />

up for the actress, as well as a personal appearance<br />

to be announced. "Love in the<br />

Afternoon" opens in Cleveland July 10 at<br />

the Allen Theatre. It also opens on that<br />

date at the Strand, Akron; Ohio, Canton:<br />

Warners, Youngstown; on the 11th at the<br />

Grand. Steubenville; on the 18th at the<br />

Quilna, Lima; Ohio, Lorain; Ohio, Marion,<br />

and on the 19th at the Madison, Mansfield.<br />

Joe Robins, head of the Robins Amusement<br />

Co. of Warren, is in line for get well<br />

cards at the University Hospital in Cleveland.<br />

He recently underwent an operation<br />

and reportedly doing all right . . . Walter<br />

is<br />

Steuve Findlay, exhibitor, made his first forage<br />

on Mmrow since he and his appendix<br />

I<br />

Personalized Film Buying & Booking<br />

• Styled to Your Individual Situation<br />

409 Film BIdg. CItvelond<br />

Phones:<br />

SUp^i" 1:^222<br />

.-9B12<br />

, Ohii<br />

recently parted company . Schiessl,<br />

one of the owners of the Pearl Road Drive-In.<br />

died. The theatre was built in 1955 by James<br />

J. Barton, Herbert Ochs and Ben L. Ogroii.<br />

Last year it was sold to Frank Schiessl and<br />

Alfred Stromeier. Barton retains ownership<br />

of the land which is leased to the theatre<br />

owners. Surviving Schiessl are his wife Use<br />

and a son John. Burial took place in Sharon,<br />

Pa.<br />

Barbara Salzman of Academy Him Service<br />

left for a three-month tour of Europe . . .<br />

Lee Lefton, formerly of Academy Film Ser-<br />

vice, has been appointed sales manager for<br />

the Manger Hotel Levy, Buena<br />

Vista district manager, will attend company<br />

a<br />

meeting shortly on the west<br />

coast.<br />

Otto Braeunig Joins DCA<br />

In Cleveland Expansion<br />

CLEVELAND — Arthur Goldsmith, district<br />

sales manager for Distributor.s Corp. of<br />

America covering the Cleveland and Pittsbm-gh<br />

areas, effective July 1, will open his<br />

own offices in 220 Film building. At that<br />

time the franchise arrangements between<br />

DCA and Imperial Pictures with which DCA<br />

now shares office space, will have been concluded.<br />

Otto Braeunig is joining Goldsmith in this<br />

new expansion move, thus bringing together<br />

again two old friends who have worked together<br />

for over 30 years. Both of them were<br />

members of the local RKO branch where<br />

Goldsmith w'as city salesman for 31 years<br />

and Braeunig was auditor and office manager<br />

for 33 years.<br />

DCA has 36 features available for release<br />

during the coming season. Goldsmith said, a<br />

majority of them being American produced<br />

with American stars.<br />

Goldsmith and Braeunig are concentrating<br />

on a multiple area premiere July 17 of<br />

"Monster From Green Hell" and "Half<br />

Human." "With 36 dates in key situations<br />

in the Cleveland territory already set, we<br />

anticipate the biggest saturation booking<br />

record in local history," Goldsmith and<br />

Braeunig declare. There will also be a<br />

saturation advertising campaign for this<br />

double horror bill, according to Art Goldsmith,<br />

under the personal direction of Terry<br />

Turner. Campaigns have been set up in<br />

Youngstown, Toledo and Cleveland on television,<br />

radio and in newspapers. The dual<br />

horror program just completed a 72-theatre<br />

multiple run in the Cincinnati exchange<br />

territory.<br />

James H. Welch, 102. Dies;<br />

Retired Theatreman<br />

DETROIT — James H. Welch, possibly the<br />

country's oldest retired exhibitor, died here<br />

this week at the age of 102. The Welch<br />

family generally operated as a unit, including<br />

Mrs. Mary Welch, wife of the deceased,<br />

who died four years ago, and their son William<br />

James Welch, who survives.<br />

Epic a Brilliant 250<br />

In Cleveland Final<br />

CLEVELAND—Business at the Ohio Theatre<br />

for the 29th and final week of "The Ten<br />

Commandments" zoomed up to the highest<br />

it has been in the past 13 weeks, hitting a<br />

250 per cent rating in its downtown fadeout.<br />

Also sensational was the business at the Hippodrome<br />

where "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral"<br />

rose to 210 per cent, highest since Easter<br />

week when the attraction was "Heaven<br />

Knows, Mr. Allison." The lovers of art films<br />

turned out in numbers this week, giving<br />

"Figaro, the Barber of Seville" at the Lower<br />

Mall and "Vitelloni" at the Heights Ai't theatres,<br />

better than average grosses.<br />

(Average Is 100)<br />

the Crowd (WB) Allen A Face in 95<br />

Hippodrome Gunfight ot the O.K. 210<br />

Corral (Para)<br />

Lower Mall Figaro, the Borber of Seville (Artists<br />

Producers Associates) 110<br />

Ohio The Ten Commandments (Pora), 29th and<br />

final wk 250<br />

State The LiHIe Hut (MGM) 90<br />

Stillmon The Seventh Sin (MGM) 85<br />

Heights Art— Vitelloni (APl-Jonus) 120<br />

. .<br />

"Corral' Opens Strong<br />

With 225 in Detroit<br />

DETROIT—Local first run business took<br />

real spurt compared recent doldrums,<br />

a to<br />

with the strong opening of "Gunfight at the<br />

O.K. Corral" at the Palms, while "The Little<br />

Hut" sparked business at the Adams.<br />

Adams The LiMIe Hut (MGM) 125<br />

Broadwoy-Copitol The Deadly Mantis (U-1), The<br />

Girl in the Kremlin (U-l)<br />

Fox—Kronos (20th-Fox), She<br />

85<br />

.100<br />

Devil (20th-Fox).<br />

Madison—The Ten Commandments (Para), 28th<br />

wk 180<br />

A Face in the Crowd (WB); The Young<br />

Michigon<br />

Stranger (U-l) 90<br />

Palms Gunfight at the O.K. Corrol (Para);<br />

Crime of Passion UA) 225<br />

United Artists-Around the World in 80 Days<br />

(UA), 23rd wk 185<br />

'Corral' and "Little Hut'<br />

Solid in Cincinnati<br />

CINCINNATI—The Albee Theatre reached<br />

a figure of 135 w^ith "Gunfight at the O.K.<br />

Corral" and the Palace, 125, with "The Little<br />

Hut"—a slight improvement over recent previous<br />

grosses.<br />

Albee—Gunfight at the O.K. Corrol (Poro) 135<br />

Grand Spring Reunion (UA); Revolt at Fort<br />

Laramie (UA) 90<br />

Keiths—The Wayword Bus (20th-Fox) 110<br />

Palace—The Little Hut (MGM) 125<br />

! DRIVE-IN SPEAKERS !<br />

TO FIT<br />

Priced<br />

from<br />

9 MODELS<br />

EVERY NEED<br />

S395 to S3OO<br />

NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY<br />

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 />

BOXOFFICE June 15, 1957


'<br />

1 1 rv^<br />

CINCINNATI<br />

p:c-jci- iisa l.-coiae Viusoc cssilier, Parirujoont.<br />

Single Publicity Unit<br />

B«»crt C- 3IrXaM^ att-Foa: mt.mge-r. ir..;<br />

BesDett Gaiii^Seiia. w«re im CIieT^iaad far ..<br />

w~^-~<br />

Proposed lor Films<br />

dstract sales DaneeiJiag coioauicTesi by CHenn<br />

Siaam.- m Ms Marae- 3tom& cecilrai aod Camsiiain. dmsiioia aasn- DE-Taorr — A progrsm oa coasis.teQt local<br />

Agra-, sjaa TtesEi McCl«sster tJistrart maxtSigeT exptoiiatsoin of vinstaHj- sH screea {troduct.<br />

.. . - ABiay C^iffiiia. sEage, amO'ticin pB^:mre carried omt ttosjugh a sSugle local puUliatT<br />

liifQce,<br />

amci reouiFci saair. wss wss adranced tliis we^ by Arthur<br />

Jaere foi- iitkj pe-rsciiasil<br />

ipipearaaaices at ttite RSO Psiace TTieaane in Heraog Jr_ screen publicist<br />

MauaectMia iKitia tise aew WartBer Bros^ pairnaire,<br />

~A Faee- m Stse G&aw>d,'* Gritatti has Hessog sa&l tt can. be duplJcated elsewh^*<br />

-If ttie proposed plan works oat here,"<br />

aitd -sroiffiSd simultaaeoasly prorlde a basis for<br />

tjae feaSfflare role.<br />

?tm!Ia.r ^.stitatioiEial pub&rity. which may be<br />

^s^cs r«5xir-ai—is.« Pari -lieinrs. OiijirciCL.<br />

FtMfcKT Mgkt r.) a fire- ;. -<br />

".r.i fijT trade csrgsiiiEatioQS ttke<br />

fmse lass sil :£» Pirasioci:^<br />

A jied. TOA and MPAA.*<br />

sai^senss-^al perMd uzxeiI tfcs<br />

.--It anany pictares are played withel*3iina:ec.<br />

FCirutEtairely- n- ^. .-_.-- , -.. — , ..L^c-5.t of special esptoltatKsi. Hera>?<br />

rOC- is Ci: w r«aii^-s- Sail DeoiciH. ed - - . SEi BcESsn. ITA pmiauiciiy ne-pnesea;a- cLced tiie pcoblems of the present esptoira:;--"<br />

Etre froim PfeT Toefe. '«^s sn. tte oiiy. irariing set up; -Segiocsai aiai h3\« so much terr.-<br />

SaaauiDe. oca oj: ;i!!i- pisxTZig^s la :±s- Ssmnasse oc c£» rueir UA pacnsxe-- -Badieicc Psr-y,- Ecsry, so many films, they m.ast pert'orc^f<br />

arcs. DsjE?. TSgj- ire ^Tr^aiT^ft-TTg- ^<br />

snarring Dec MnErrsy 'Oif -Bsts SMp" fasae). spread thernsetrBs r^ Advance men wcrk<br />

SaaiagysMcm.<br />

aa X«t Tact sfsre: wiiadn. liaer ''^^ Tbf pickaxe- opaaaea W«£niese6s&j- iI2'' m tbe agaiiEt tjase. pins the hsTyi'^-~rr that no matter<br />

h0«r familiar arlth the territory, they can-<br />

resaJe 3. Vn^mr'- SesTu&y . . . SiS Lrry.<br />

HKO Psiaceaoc<br />

be ss efScsKit as if rooted in a comparty<br />

'srss pteEffiifid Star<br />

3CHr«4 Ttewes. UA bEQer. ^ laa be msirial<br />

SatHTTiij- '2Si' So Wal^ Mergantiial a bocakaai<br />

asmii-FQis . , . tJA ts r^sssiag sise ressae<br />

He stressed the indastrymde trend to-rard<br />

unity in action: "IKstrtbators have began to.<br />

?^i.-7infaTT;re. Trunin •~'Vrt-HTT.T'TTT HOdgS' -^r^n ""BarefOOtand<br />

are espiaring. cocsolidaticsi and streamlinins<br />

of exchanges. Competing eshibittjrs<br />

apasai a: die- ATcee. sjaa '^•^m-mj Cuatesa." frocn. istiici liiey are a^Kcsiaf<br />

aaci tae<br />

iais ressilns. Ttie CQCE&aiiai3a£i siao"" sssned<br />

BaidiKiiar,^ Tfinjcin. jjiesicc. ins?<br />

are gettii^ together in ctwperatiTe eioearors."<br />

'TiiarssBsy IS '<br />

a TTrmTirfnJip fisss njEE M a ruEH&er of cfeire-aa<br />

Hersoe's baac twan inclinied:<br />

imeacres m oatennibos Jtene 12 and opened in<br />

Cainsstent promo tson for every top-faflled<br />

TauSBEE rajnunEnEre ur-iizs in liie iocs! OsisaaS<br />

kfce Jnesr Ucrrg-lE. Qcy Ha^g. Ky_ crsnec<br />


Xorral' Draws 150<br />

In Boston Opening<br />

BOSTON—Warm sunshine over the hohday<br />

weekend hurt downtown theatres but driveins<br />

flourished during the holiday period.<br />

"Gunfight at the OJC. Corral" led the field<br />

of new products w'hile "Around the World"<br />

continued strong among the holdovers.<br />

"Reach for the Sky" was average in its first<br />

week.<br />

(Average Is 100)<br />

Astor—The Ten Commondments ;Paro), 28th wk. 95<br />

Beacon Hill— Reach tor fhe Sky (RFDA) 100<br />

Boston—Seven Wonders ot the World (SW),<br />

40th wk 90<br />

Exeter Street- The Gold of Noples<br />

Kcnmore—The Bachelor Porty (UA),<br />

Mcmorrol— Desk Set 20th. Fox;, Love<br />

DCA), 5th wk. 85<br />

7th wk 120<br />

Lottery<br />

(Cont'l) 2na ^^^ 75<br />

Metropoliton—Gunfight ot the O.K. Corral (Para) 150<br />

Paramount ond fenwa\ — A Face the Crowd<br />

in<br />

(WB), Lost of the Bod Men AA) 70<br />

Saxon—Around the World in 80 Doys (UA),<br />

7th wk 375<br />

State and Orpheum Monkey on my Back (UA);<br />

Wor Drums UA) 70<br />

Second Week of 'Corral'<br />

Gets 180 in Hartford<br />

HARTFORD—"Gunfight at the O.K. Corral"<br />

was the big news here, chalking up an<br />

impressive 180 in its second week at the<br />

Meadows.<br />

Allyn This Could Be the Night (MGM), Tears<br />

for Simon (Repl 90<br />

V L.%- Calypso E Hcot Wove C:', The<br />

85<br />

Burglor<br />

Moc<br />

;<br />

Gunfight ot the OK Corrol (Para);<br />

. 1 Lure the Swomp v.k ot 180<br />

The Womon<br />

They Almost Lynched<br />

Poll— Designing Woman<br />

Rep , reissue<br />

(MGM), Love<br />

90<br />

Lottery<br />

Xontncnta 115<br />

Stror'-— Monkey on My Bock (UA); The Colditz<br />

Story DCA) 85<br />

Hut' and 'Commandments'<br />

Tie for Providence Lead<br />

PROVIDENCE — "The Ten Commandments."<br />

playing for a seventh week at the<br />

Strand, and 'The Little Hut" at LoeWs State<br />

shared top honors this last week with 110.<br />

All other first runs dropped under average<br />

figures. A brief spell of unusually warm<br />

weather sent many fans to the outdoor houses.<br />

Albee The Deadly Mantis (U-l); The Girl In<br />

the Kremlin (U-l) 70<br />

Loew s—The Little Hut (MGM) 110<br />

Moiestic-A Face in the Crowd (WB) 80<br />

Strand The Ten Commandments (Poro), 7th wk. 110<br />

'Corral' Hits 160 in New Haven<br />

During Its Second Stanza<br />

.NEW HAVEN— Gunliu'ht at the OX. Corral"<br />

did a hand.some 160 at the downtown<br />

Paramount during a .second week.<br />

College—The Delinquents (UA); Hit and Run (UA) 90<br />

Pc.'-~~— Gunfight of the O.K. Corral (Para);<br />

Mon Atrold 2nd wk 160<br />

The Dcik 20th-Fox); P Set Breok in the<br />

C.rclc 120<br />

Untomcd Youth (WB); The<br />

Joseph O'Neill Assistant<br />

At Meadows Drive-In<br />

HARTFORD — Joseph O'Neill has been<br />

named assistant to Jo.seph Bresnahan, resident<br />

manager here for Smith Management<br />

Co.'s 2,070-car capacity Meadows Drive-In.<br />

At the .same time, John Heath has been promoted<br />

to student assistant manager.<br />

The Meadows, Connecticut's largest outdoor<br />

facility, is the only unit in Connecticut<br />

to remain open 12 months a year, providing<br />

free, electric in-car heaters during cooler<br />

evenings.<br />

Highlights of the lENE Convention<br />

WINCHENDON, MASS.—Tlie Independent<br />

Exhibitors, Inc., of New England, meeting at<br />

Toy Town Tavern here June 3, 4, heard addresses<br />

by several prominent industry men.<br />

The head table dais at the opening meeting<br />

Tuesday was made up of Edward W. Lider,<br />

general chairman: Michael Redstone and<br />

Nathan Yamins, co-chairmen; Irving Dollinger<br />

and speakers Jay Emanuel, Daniel<br />

Aaron of Jerrold Electronics Corp., and Albert<br />

Sindlinger of Sindlinger & Co., industry<br />

analyst.<br />

Aaron spoke on the cable theatre medium<br />

and said that Video Theatres plans to initiate<br />

operation of its Bartlesville, Okla., cable theatre<br />

on Labor Day, with plans to offer three<br />

separate channels for Tele-Movies. One will<br />

carry a package of 13 first run motion pictures<br />

monthly. A second channel will provide<br />

a background music, news, weather<br />

and time service, and the thii-d channel will<br />

carry "the best in reruns." The entu-e package<br />

is being sold to subscribers for $9.50 per<br />

month.<br />

Emanuel called the industry "the most<br />

litigation-beset business in<br />

the country" and<br />

asked, "While the legal departments are so<br />

busy, how^ can we carry through an arbitration<br />

system?" He called for stronger exhibitor<br />

organization and added, "We certainly<br />

need more good thinking in our business, both<br />

on the paj-ts of producers and exhibitors."<br />

Manley held the premiere showing of its<br />

new completely automatic popcorn machine.<br />

When filled with raw corn, seasoning and<br />

salt, the machine operates automatically.<br />

question asked by exhibitors was, "Howsoon<br />

First<br />

can we get one and how much?" Ly-<br />

man O. Seley, Manley division manager, answered,<br />

"These machines are not for sale, but<br />

will be offered to qualified exhibitors under<br />

the 1957 Manley sales promotion program."<br />

In answer to the question, "What do we have<br />

to do to qualify?" Seley said "Give us an opportunity<br />

to make a merchandising survey of<br />

your theatres." Attending the two-day convention<br />

with Seley from Manley were John<br />

Stone, New England resident manager; Irving<br />

Dunn, New York and Pennsylvania area<br />

manager, and Al Brousseau, sales engineer.<br />

The Coca-Cola Co. was well represented.<br />

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Grinager, regional<br />

sales manager: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Okun.<br />

national Uieatre representative; John Fitzgerald,<br />

New England theatre representative;<br />

Hank Rapsis, New England location analyst,<br />

and Frank O'Brien, bottler representative,<br />

were in attendance.<br />

From RCA, W. E. Cheesman, field sales<br />

representative, came in from New York.<br />

"<br />

Ralph "Red Pierce. New England Altec repre-<br />

.sentative: Kenneth Douglass jr., vice-president<br />

of Capitol Theatre Supply Co., and A. B.<br />

West, New England manager of National<br />

Carbon, were on hand for the two-day meetings.<br />

John Crawford, national theatre representative<br />

for Pepsi-Cola, was host at the<br />

huge cocktail party preceding the banquet.<br />

Dave Fox and Arthur Porter of Major Theatre<br />

Equipment Co. brought the equipment<br />

for the special screenings on Monday.<br />

During the banquet. Bob Waldman. who<br />

was sitting at the table with Al Lourie and<br />

Nat Buchman, was called to the telephone.<br />

He returned in a radiant mood. He had just<br />

received word that his daughter. Mrs. Anne<br />

Dick, had given birth to<br />

twin girls.<br />

Arriving with Daniel Aaron, director of<br />

public relations for Jerrold Electronics Corp..<br />

were Fred Green from the New York office<br />

and Melvin Gray, Boston representative.<br />

With Bill Patton. sales manager of Globe<br />

Ticket Co., was Nelson Hart, sales representative<br />

. . . Hood's ice cream had a huge display<br />

on the veranda of the tavern. George E. Ryan,<br />

director of theatre sales, and Bob Judge, theatre<br />

representative, were on hand.<br />

There were two interesting displays from<br />

the Lovitt Enterprises of Pltchburg, both<br />

demonstrated by Kenneth Progin, treasurer,<br />

and his brother Charles, salesman. One, a<br />

coin-operated milk shake dispenser is called<br />

a Shake-a-Mat and the other is a new<br />

manually operated machine especially designed<br />

for drive-in theatres.<br />

The cocktail party hosted by Pepsi-Cola,<br />

with Jack Crawford in attendance, was a gay<br />

affair-, with exhibitors, distributors and suppliers<br />

and their wives mixing in a spirit of<br />

good fellowship. Many industryites drove<br />

up to Winchendon from Boston and surrounding<br />

cities to attend the Pepsi-Cola<br />

cocktail party, w-hich preceded the banquet.<br />

Seated at the head table at the banquet<br />

were Carl Goldman: Lt. John Flynn, military<br />

aide to Governor Furcolo; the Rev. Wilfred<br />

Tisdell, Norman Glassman, Irving Dollinger,<br />

Nathan Yamins, Edwaid Lider. Kenneth<br />

Mayer and Michael Redstone. The golfing<br />

prizes for the various tournaments were<br />

handed out by Lider. Winners were Joe<br />

Matthieu. Maurice Green. Edwin Fedeli.<br />

Larry Herman, Melvin Safner, Joseph Gins,<br />

Lloyd Clark. The door prizes, which consisted<br />

of gifts donated by vai-ious companies, were<br />

handed out to the lucky winners by Kenny<br />

Mayer, who was emcee for the evening.<br />

The list of industryites attending the convention<br />

is a long one. Besides the above<br />

mentioned, there were Al Lourie, Henry<br />

Govoni. Warren Nichols. Myer Feltman.<br />

Maurice Safner. Ben Greenberg, Winthrop<br />

Knox jr., Harry Browning. Joe Cohen. Al<br />

Fecke. Ben Abrams. Jerry Callahan, Bob<br />

Sternburg, Frank Lydon, Robert Robie, Leslie<br />

Bendslev, Bill Canning, Roland Gomes. Irving<br />

and Alan Bloom, Abe Weiner, Stan DavLs,<br />

Nat Buchman. Mel Davis. Irving Shapiro.<br />

Welden Waters. Johnny Peckos. Mike Zaman,<br />

Frank Keller, Bill Graham, Phil Engel, Sam<br />

Berg. Martin Berman, Maynard Sickles,<br />

Fred Stoloff, Max Finn. Phil Berler, Irving<br />

Green, George Kraska, Judson Parker, Harold<br />

Levin, James Stoneman, Ted Fleisher, Mai<br />

Green, Julian Rifkin, Paul Kessler, Bill<br />

Koster, Floyd Fitzsimmons, Harry Segal, Ray<br />

Kiniry, John Downing, Dave Grover, Ernest<br />

Warren, Herbert Schaefer, Florio Simi, Joe<br />

Lourie, Joseph Margolis, Al Daytz, Mickey<br />

Daytz, Harry Rogovin, Tom O'Brien, Arthur<br />

Howard, Seth Field, Roy Burroughs. Bill<br />

Kumins, Herb Gaines. Ken Robinson. Sidney<br />

Rudnick. Walter Mcintosh. Phil Lowe, Gei-ald<br />

Shea, Ray Smith, John Mahoney, Manny<br />

Youngerman, Jack O'Brien. George Sextdn,<br />

Paul Fiazier and others.<br />

BOXOFFICE<br />

NE-1


. . The<br />

. . The<br />

. . Leo<br />

. .<br />

. . . Latest<br />

. . The<br />

. . Lockwood<br />

. . Perakos<br />

. .<br />

NEW HAVEN<br />

/^alvin L. Martin, 83. former owner and operator<br />

of the Princess Theatre, one of<br />

the first film houses at Waterbury, died June<br />

1 in his Thomaston home. He built the<br />

Princess in 1913, operating the venture until<br />

1922. Martin later went into the manufacturing<br />

field . . . "Perfectly air conditioned" line.s<br />

are beginning to appear in four-wall theatre<br />

advertising throughout the exchange territory.<br />

The New Haven Drive -In Theatre team<br />

seems to be en route to a victorious season<br />

in the North Haven Little League for 1957.<br />

The youngsters carrying the theatre banner<br />

have been chalking up win after win .<br />

Doug Amos, general manager, Lockwood &<br />

Gordon Enterprises, was in town on a weekend<br />

visit, conferring with area drive-in managers.<br />

Pvt. James Darby jr., son of the Paramount<br />

Theatre manager, has been assigned to military<br />

police school at Camp Gordon, Ga. In<br />

civilian Ufe, he was a patrolman with the<br />

New Haven police department . independent<br />

Strand, Mystic, ran this ad on<br />

Monday (3) : "Half price night—any person<br />

presenting this ad will be admitted free when<br />

accompanied by an adult ticket purchaser!"<br />

The Center Drive-In, Derby, proclaimed<br />

its booking of UA's "The Bachelor Party" as<br />

"World Drive-In Premiere!" . Ricci<br />

booked two Spanish features into his Capitol,<br />

Meriden. for an evening's program, under<br />

sponsorship of that city's St. Rose Spanish<br />

society . Young Israel of New Haven<br />

sponsored a film showing June 11 at the<br />

Bailey Whalley Theatre for benefit of building<br />

fund and youth activities program.<br />

The Connecticut Savings Bank used a onecolumn<br />

photo of Frank Ferguson. Bailey Theatres,<br />

in an endorsement ad for newly opened<br />

branch office services. Ad quoted Fergu.son:<br />

"Having the new OSB office at Whalley and<br />

Norton will be a great boon to this particular<br />

Beat the Rainwith<br />

the one-piece, snap-on<br />

MOV-E-VUE Rain Visor<br />

Eliminotes windshield wiping<br />

Clips on and off in 20 seconds<br />

Fits all cars— Rolls up for storage<br />

90% of all Connecticut Drive-In<br />

Theatres Sell 'em with Great Success.<br />

Write:<br />

We Supply FREE Trailer<br />

PIONEER SALES CO.<br />

P.O.<br />

Box 899 Waterbury, Conn.<br />

area" . downtown Crown booked a<br />

reissue bill, consisting of MGM's "Boys Town"<br />

and "Green Dolphin Street" . . . Lou Moscow,<br />

treasurer at the legitimate playhouse,<br />

the Shubert, has been a patient in room 722<br />

east. Grace-New Haven Community Hospital<br />

outdoor competition is opening of<br />

Cowboy Valley. Route 81, Killingly, described<br />

as an authentic frontier town. Admission:<br />

Adults, 75 cents; children, 50 cents. Daily<br />

hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.<br />

Israel Bonds Group<br />

To Honor B. Hoffman<br />

NEW HAVEN — B. E. Hoffman of Connecticut<br />

Theatre circuit and a leading New-<br />

Haven civic worker has been designated to<br />

receive the 1957 Shomrim award of the New<br />

Haven committee for Israel bonds.<br />

The award, initiated this year, will be<br />

presented annually "for dedicated and devoted<br />

service to the community, to Judaism<br />

and to the state of Israel."<br />

The award will be in the form of a plaque<br />

specially designed in Israel, attesting to the<br />

recipient's exemplary efforts in behalf of the<br />

new state's economic welfare and is named<br />

after the Hebrew word for "guardian" or<br />

"protector."<br />

A testimonial dinner honoring Hoffman<br />

is slated for the New Haven Jewish Community<br />

Center June 24 at 6:30 p.m.<br />

In addition to his membership on the<br />

national board of governors of the Israel<br />

bond organization, Hoffman has been active<br />

for more than 25 years with the New Haven<br />

Jewish Welfare Fund and has served on the<br />

board of directors of the New Haven United<br />

Fund and its predecessor community chest<br />

campaigns. At one time, he was chairman of<br />

the membership campaign of the New Haven<br />

Jewi.sh Community Center.<br />

Two L&G Drive-ins Begin<br />

Midweek Stimulants<br />

HARTFORD~Two area Lockwood & Gordon<br />

outdoor theatres have embarked on a<br />

plan to improve midweek attendance.<br />

The duo— the East Hartford and East<br />

Windsor drive-ins—have begun distribution<br />

of two-for-one tickets through a number of<br />

suburban Hartford merchants. The latter<br />

purchase tickets at prevailing boxoffice<br />

prices and then offer same to their customers<br />

as a sales inducement. Number of tickets<br />

handled in this fashion was not revealed by<br />

L&G.<br />

At the same time, the East Windsor has<br />

started a Bumper Club, distributing several<br />

hundred automobile bumper strips to regular<br />

patrons. This entitles the driver of the vehicle<br />

concerned to free admittance on Tuesday<br />

evenings only, with remainder of adult<br />

passengers charged regular admission.<br />

First Rank Picture Booked<br />

Into Hartford Theatre<br />

HARTFORD — Tile regional premiere of<br />

Rank's "Reach for the Sky" has been slated<br />

for later this month at the Allyn Tlieatre.<br />

Ray McNamara, Allyn manager, and his<br />

assistant, William F. Murphy, are anticipating<br />

an extensive promotion campaign, including<br />

service tie-ups.<br />

"Reach for the Sky" is the initial release<br />

under the Rank banner.<br />

HARTFORD<br />

T ou Brown, director of advertising-publicity,<br />

Loew's Poli-New England Theatres, recently<br />

hospitalized, came through the city<br />

looking fit again. He huddled with Lou<br />

Cohen, Loew's Poll, and Fred R. Greenway,<br />

Loew's Palace, on upcoming promotion . . .<br />

Abe Bernstein, field exploiteer for UA, worked<br />

on "Bailout at 43,000" with Joe Bresnahan,<br />

Meadows Drive-In. He left for points south<br />

upon completion of the campaign . . . Hector<br />

Frascadore, E. M. Loew's Farmington<br />

Drive-In, is now screening main feature first<br />

on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.<br />

Ernie Grecula of the State, Torrington, departed<br />

from normal subsequent run bookings<br />

with the first Torrington showing of Allied<br />

Ai-tists' "Blonde Sinner" and "Tlie Deadliest<br />

Sin" . & Gordon booked a midnight<br />

horror show into the Waterford Drive-<br />

In, Waterford . circuit's Southington<br />

Di-ive-In has a new policy of showing<br />

the main feature first on Tuesdays and<br />

Thursdays ... A Willimantic dance school<br />

took over the Stanley Warner Capitol for a<br />

dance recital the evening of June 11.<br />

Ed O'Neill of Brandt Drive-In Theatres reports<br />

a new policy of screening the main<br />

feature first on Wednesdays and Thursdays<br />

... An eai'ly bird policy went into effect<br />

June 5 at the Perakos Eastwood, East Hartford.<br />

The main featui-e is being shown at<br />

11:45 a.m. on Wednesdays only, as an added<br />

convenience for second-shift industrial workers,<br />

according to house manager Tom Grace,<br />

Comic Henny Youngman was booked into<br />

the Connecticut federation of labor convention<br />

for June 11 at the Statler Hotel .<br />

Hartfordite Ed Begley, last on the screen<br />

in UA's "12 Angry Men," has replaced Paul<br />

Muni as star of the longtime Broadway melodrama,<br />

"Inherit the Wind." This property is<br />

eventually intended for filming.<br />

Name lohn Dougherty<br />

HARTFORD— Sperie Perakos. general manager<br />

of Perakos Theatre Associates, has announced<br />

the appointment of John Dougherty,<br />

formerly manager of the Ait Cinema, Bridgeport.<br />

Conn., to a similar post at the first<br />

run Beverly Theatre, Bridgeport, replacing<br />

Don Felix, who has left the circuit to become<br />

manager of E. M. Loew's Milford. Conn.,<br />

Drive-In.<br />

Leaves $781,382 Estate<br />

HARTFORD—Allen C. Morrison, former<br />

Hartford theatre owner, left an estate of<br />

$781,382, according to an inventory admitted<br />

to probate by Judge Russell Z. Johnston. All<br />

of it is in stocks, none in the amusement<br />

field. Morrison at one time owned the Majestic<br />

Theatre, now the E. M. Loew's, and<br />

the Princess in the downtown area.<br />

Authorized to Sue State<br />

HARTFORD—The state senate has ap-<br />

a bill authorizing the Elmwood Theatre<br />

proved<br />

Corp., New Britain, to sue the state for drainage<br />

damage allegedly caused to its Hi-Way<br />

Theatre property near the Bridgeport-Stratford<br />

town line because of operations of the<br />

state highway department.<br />

NE-2<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957


. . Lyman<br />

Five Airers Combine<br />

In $20,000 Giveaway<br />

FALL RIVER. MASS.— Area residents are<br />

invited to share in the $20,000 award in prizes<br />

offered by the Route Six Family Drive-In<br />

Theatres, including the Bay State in Seekonk.<br />

Somerset in the town of tiie same name,<br />

the Westport, Dartmouth and Fairhaven.<br />

All of these open-air theatres are located<br />

on route six which passes through Bristol<br />

County cities and towns and extends to Cape<br />

Cod.<br />

TheatJ-e patrons are invited to detach and<br />

fill in stubs which appear in ads announcing<br />

the contest in the press. These<br />

stubs on which name.s and addresses are<br />

written are deposited in containers at snack<br />

bars of various drive-ins.<br />

All occupants of automobiles, 12 years of<br />

age and over, can register for the gifts<br />

through August 31. Weekly and monthly<br />

awards will be made plus thi-ee grand prizes<br />

which include a 1957 Plymouth auto, a Beetle<br />

boat with motor and trailer and a one-week<br />

stay for tw^o persons in Florida.<br />

Names of the weekly and monthly winners<br />

will be posted at the participating drive-ins.<br />

Tuesdays are bonus nights at the participating<br />

theatres and on that day. patrons may<br />

deposit one or more stubs with their names<br />

and addresses on them. On other nights, only<br />

one stub is accepted from each person.<br />

It is not necessary to be present on award<br />

nights to receive the gifts, as the winners<br />

will be notified by mail. Participation in the<br />

contest does not obligate anyone to buy an<br />

admission ticket. Good neighbor award tickets<br />

or stubs are available for the asking at all<br />

boxoffices.<br />

Sponsors of the contest expect the promotion<br />

will substantially increase drive-in attendance<br />

during the summer.<br />

Mass. High Court Reverses<br />

Convictions on 'Garden'<br />

BOSTON, MASS.—The film, "Garden of<br />

Eden." is not obscene as a matter of law,<br />

the full bench of the Massachusetts Supreme<br />

Judicial Court ruled on June 4. The court<br />

overturned the convictions of Antone T.<br />

Moniz, projectionist, and Benjamin Rogers,<br />

salesman, who were found guilty of exhibiting<br />

an allegedly obscene film at the Embassy<br />

Theatre, Fall River, last fall, and ruled the<br />

question of obscenity was one to be decided<br />

by a jury. Judge Harry Kalus in a lower court<br />

had ordered guilty verdicts to Moniz and<br />

Rogers after he had ruled "Garden of Eden"<br />

was obscene.<br />

Gives Fair Guest Ducats<br />

NEW HAVEN—Sal Adorno jr.. owner and<br />

general manager of the Middletown, Conn.<br />

Drive-In. distributed guest tickets to the Durham<br />

fairgrounds performances featuring<br />

TVs "Wyatt Earp" to winners of drive-in<br />

playground competitions, including ropejumping,<br />

bean-bag shooting and the like.<br />

'Baby Doll' Re-Booking<br />

NEW HAVEN — Sampson-Spodick-Bialek<br />

disclosed plans for a reissue booking of the<br />

controversial "Baby Doll" into its first run<br />

art film house, the Lincoln, for later this<br />

month.<br />

'Johnny Tremain' to Open<br />

In 17 Sub Run Houses<br />

BOSTON— All exhibitor eyes will be focused<br />

June 26 on the new sales plan of Buena<br />

Vista Film Distribution Co. in handling its<br />

new film "Johnny Tremain," opening on<br />

that date in the greater Boston area in 17<br />

theatres which normally play on a 21 -day<br />

The only exception to this situation<br />

availability.<br />

is the St. George, Fi'amingham,<br />

which<br />

enjoys a first run availability in that city.<br />

Theatres involved are the Mayflower, Boston,<br />

an American Theatres Corp. house, and<br />

six other ATC theatres, as well as houses<br />

in Brookline, Quincy, Waltham, Norwood,<br />

Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Cambridge,<br />

Maiden and Lynn. No drive-ins are included<br />

in the plan. Each theatre has booked the film<br />

for one full week and the dates selected were<br />

made to coincide with the beginning of the<br />

school vacation period.<br />

This new merchandising plan of Buena<br />

Vista has long been advocated by Samuel<br />

Pinanski, president of American Theatres<br />

Corp., in an effort to bring to the industry<br />

more modern marketing methods. He has<br />

been constantly urging distributors to experiment<br />

with day and date bookings in desirable<br />

outlying theatres as well as the big<br />

first run show-eases in the cities.<br />

Exceptional publicity and promotions will<br />

be included in the Buena Vista plan, with<br />

strong radio, TV and newspaper activities<br />

backing up the bookings.<br />

Seekonk Drive-In to Bow<br />

For Year-Around Showing<br />

FALL RIVER, MASS.—The Seekonk Family<br />

Drive-In, newest addition to the Lepes-<br />

Zalkind Drive-In Theatres circuit and located<br />

on a 40-acre tract between Highland<br />

avenue and the Rhode Island line in Seekonk,<br />

is expected to welcome its first patrons in<br />

September.<br />

It will be one of the first drive-ins to be<br />

operated in New England on a 52-week basis.<br />

The same management is putting the finishing<br />

touches to its new drive-in in Tiverton,<br />

the Ponta Delgada. Operations there<br />

are due to .start at the end of this month.<br />

The Seekonk theatre will include in-car<br />

heaters and its capacity will be upwards of<br />

1.700 cars.<br />

Richard B. Rubin of Newton is the con-<br />

.sulting engineer for the theatre. The ground<br />

excavation work w-as started by the C. Brito<br />

Construction Co. of Bristol. R. I.<br />

Paramount's 'Lonely Man'<br />

Booked at Hartford Airer<br />

HARTFORD— Paramount, which normally<br />

Dpens first run product at the Allyn. has<br />

sold "The Lonely Man," Jack Palance starrer,<br />

to the Meadows Drive-In, for a late June<br />

opening.<br />

Another Paramount release, "Gunfight at<br />

The O.K. Corral," also had it,s Hartford premiere<br />

recently at the Meadows.<br />

Takes Public Relations Position<br />

HARTFORD—Samuel J. Friedman, veteran<br />

New York theatre and motion picture publicist,<br />

is again functioning as public relations<br />

director at the Oakdale Musical Theatre,<br />

strawhat theatre unit at Wallingford. Hollywood<br />

wTiter Glen AUvlne is resident publicist.<br />

BOSTON<br />

Qerald Shea, president of the Shea circuit,<br />

and Roy Smith, vice-president, attended<br />

the banquet at Toy Town Tavern of Independent<br />

Exhibitors. The Shea circuit operates<br />

nine theatres and a drive-in in the<br />

New England ai'ea. The drive-in, the Lsland<br />

Park, is at Manchester, N. H., and is operated<br />

with an amusement park.<br />

In Needham, an enterprising town, officials<br />

are attempting to beautify land off May<br />

street and through the Needham Historical<br />

Society, have issued an appeal for volunteers<br />

to help in the project. Only a few civilian<br />

volunteers have been assisting in the work,<br />

with the major manpower being recruited<br />

from the soldiers at the local Nike Battery.<br />

Ernest Warren, who owns the Paramount<br />

Theatre in the town, wanted to do his bit for<br />

the civic project and in a thank-you note to<br />

the army personnel, included $75 worth of<br />

passes to be handed out to the soldiers who<br />

were volunteering their services.<br />

Diane Comi, young daughter of P. Edward<br />

Comi of the Massachusetts Theatre Equipment<br />

Co., is studying ballet with Mme. Vasilaiskas<br />

and w^as starred in the ballet "Coppelia,"<br />

which was presented by the students<br />

at New England Mutual Hall . O.<br />

Seley, division manager of Manley, and Mi's.<br />

Seley will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary<br />

June 30, while Irving Dunn, New<br />

York district manager for Manley, and his<br />

wife will observe their 16th wedding anniversary<br />

June 16 . . . Mrs. C. F. Russell sr.,<br />

whose son Connie jr. operates theatres in the<br />

Bangor area, is a patient at the Maine General<br />

Hospital, Bangor.<br />

Moger Guest Columnist<br />

BOSTON— Art Moger. Warner Bros. New<br />

England field representative, again has been<br />

chosen to act as guest columnist for Neal<br />

O'Haras syndicated "Take It From Me" column,<br />

which appears in the Ti-aveler here.<br />

This is the fifth season that Moger has been<br />

selected to do the column, which is serviced<br />

to more than 110 newspapers by McNaught<br />

Syndicate. Moger also is the only motion picture<br />

writer to be selected.<br />

H. L. Needles Recuperates<br />

HARTFORD—Henry L. Needles, former<br />

Hartford district manager, Warner Bros. Theatres,<br />

has returned to his suburban Wethersfield<br />

home, following surgery at the Hartford<br />

Hospital.<br />

FOR SALE<br />

OR LEASE:<br />

Hamilton Theatre and building, consisting of<br />

three stores and large offices on Bowdoin<br />

Street, Dorchester, Mass. Seoting capocity<br />

600 with your own booth equipment installed.<br />

Theatre could be converted into a bowling<br />

alley or roller-skating rink.<br />

Contact ARTHUR FINN<br />

TWinbrook 4-3000<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957 NE-3


. . Several<br />

. . Another<br />

. . The<br />

. . Roger<br />

PROVIDENCE<br />

p M. Locw's Providence Drive-In is using<br />

newly installed outdoor sound equipment<br />

with its stage attractions. The airer recently<br />

presented a special midnight horror show,<br />

sented the fii-st Rhode Island screenings of<br />

'Monster From Green Hell" and "Half<br />

Human." Departing from their past procedure<br />

of running cooperative advertising,<br />

the individual operations inserted separate<br />

ads in the local newspapers.<br />

Both the Liberty here and Hollywood, East<br />

Providence, were shuttered recently. The latter<br />

situation is now being used as the site of<br />

several oldtime auction sales. Both are<br />

Homes' houses . English-type bicycle<br />

giveaway was announced by the Lonsdale<br />

Drive-In, which on the holiday eve<br />

presented a two-hour rock and roll show on<br />

stage. Bennie Woods, with a supporting cast<br />

of 20, was the feature attraction . . . The<br />

Quaker Drive-In in nearby XJxbridge recently<br />

presented something of a marathon<br />

show. Pour full-length features combined<br />

with five cartoons kept many patrons in the<br />

house for approximately seven hours.<br />

Fireworks Added Attraction<br />

HARTFORD—Livio Dottor, manager of the<br />

Plainville Drive-In, added a fireworks display<br />

to his June 7 program. Regular admission<br />

scale prevailed.<br />

SPECIAL<br />

TRAILERS<br />

FILMACK<br />

k^iti.umi>iJi;.iJ.M^wim^<br />

•NUF<br />

SED!_<br />

Weingarten Stresses Need<br />

For Dialog Restraint<br />

HARTFORD — MGM producer Lawrence<br />

consciously or unconsciously will resent this<br />

treatment."<br />

NEWHAMPSHIRE<br />

n bout 1,000 Manchester school safety patrol<br />

leader.s attended a free show at the State<br />

Theatre in Manchester June 8 under sponsorship<br />

of the Manchester police department,<br />

Merchants National Bank and the N. H. division<br />

of the American Automobile Ass'n.<br />

This is a semiannual program given in<br />

of recognition the patrol leaders daily contribution<br />

of effort in behalf of their classmates.<br />

The patrol leaders wore belts and<br />

badges to gain admission to the theatre. The<br />

show started at 9; 15 a.m.<br />

The Palace Theatre in Manchester was<br />

turned over to the Gloria Messier dance<br />

studio the night of June 3 for the presenta-<br />

tion of the studio's pupils in their fifth<br />

annual dance revue. There was an admission<br />

charge of $1.10. tax included kids<br />

got their money's worth at the Variety<br />

Theatre in Manchester June 7 when the<br />

managemeirt offered five color cartoons as<br />

an extra attraction. The Variety's admission<br />

prices are 15 and 25 cents.<br />

Harry Goldstein in New Haven<br />

NEW HAVEN—Harry Goldstein of the Allied<br />

Ai-tists eastern exploitation department<br />

visited James F. Darby, Paramount. New<br />

Haven, and Ray McNamara, Allyn, Hartford,<br />

ahead of "Calypso Joe" and "Hot Rod<br />

Rumble" openings.<br />

VERMONT<br />

T^orthfield is to be without motion pictures<br />

Weingarten, interviewed by Allen M. Widem,<br />

Hartford Times, asserted that Hollywood's for the first time in 50 years and the<br />

growing cognizance of the need for mature blame has been placed squarely on television.<br />

entertainment has given rise to the necessity The Savoy Theatre, hit by declining patronage<br />

caused by TV. is closing, it was an-<br />

with two screen features of the spook variety<br />

for constant monitoring of what is charitably<br />

and a big stage revue with a cast of 32. Perry<br />

nounced by the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Roy D.<br />

termed "salty dialog."<br />

Borelli, prominent TV personality, with a 20-<br />

Weingarten added: "It's all well and good<br />

Brown. The theatre was built 35 years ago.<br />

piece orchestra, highlighted the well-attended<br />

An outdoor theatre, operated by the Browns<br />

for some filmmakers to assert their questionable<br />

independence and allow the exces-<br />

show . neighborhood houses and<br />

in Richford, will continue its shows this<br />

drive-ins, including the Park, Palace, Uptown,<br />

Quonset Drive-In, Cranston Auto Theing<br />

July 1 as director of educational ser-<br />

summer . Albright, who is retirsive<br />

use of smutty conversation in what is<br />

essentially an adult property. Good taste<br />

atre and Community, Centerdale, jointly previces<br />

for the Motion Picture Ass'n of America,<br />

demands that conversation never get down<br />

will reside with his family in Rutland after<br />

to the level of gutter talk, for the audience<br />

HANDY<br />

giving up the post. He has been appointed<br />

honorary consultant on motion pictures to<br />

the Library of Congress.<br />

A public showing of "Nanook of the North."<br />

famous documentary film on Eskimo life,<br />

was held for two days by the Cinema Art<br />

Club of Burlington. Mrs. Margherita Mausoff,<br />

who knew the Flahertys, producers of<br />

the film, commented on the picture at one<br />

of the showings. A color cartoon, "Brotherhood<br />

of Man," was also on the program.<br />

Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Pic-<br />

ture Ass'n, delivered the commencement address<br />

at Middlebury College, Middlebury,<br />

William J. Murphy, 66,<br />

Monday (10) .<br />

well known among theatre operators in the<br />

area, died m Rutland Hospital after a month's<br />

illness. He retired last February as local<br />

display advertising manager of the Rutland<br />

Herald after having beeii connected with the<br />

newspaper since 1916.<br />

'La Strada' at Fairfield<br />

NEW HAVEN—The Academy Award winner,<br />

"La Strada," continued to chalk up an<br />

admirable roster of Connecticut bookings, including<br />

theatres that normally do not play<br />

art imports. The Community, Fairfield, was<br />

a recent booking, showing the film on a<br />

double bill with 20th-Fox's "The River's<br />

Edge," at regular prices.<br />

Leaves Public Activity<br />

HARTFORD—George LeWitt, veteran Connecticut<br />

exhibitor, retired from public life<br />

when his term on the board of finance and<br />

taxation in nearby New Britain expired June<br />

1. LeWitt plans to concentrate on his business<br />

activities in Connecticut.


Three NFB Staffers<br />

Assigned New Jobs<br />

MONTREAL — Staff changes involving<br />

three senior members of the National Film<br />

Board's distribution branch were announced<br />

here.<br />

Robert Monteith, goes to Chicago to head<br />

the NPB office there. A native of Scotland,<br />

he joined the board in Ottawa four years<br />

ago.<br />

W. Dean Smith, previously head of the<br />

Chicago office, has returned to a new position<br />

as television representative in the board's<br />

commercial division here. Smith, a native<br />

of Hamilton, Ont., joined the board in Halifax<br />

in 1951 and was Nova Scotia supervisor<br />

for the board when he went to Chicago in<br />

1955.<br />

Jean-Jacques Chagnon of Montreal, with<br />

the board since last year, will succeed Monteith<br />

as distribution branch administrative<br />

officer.<br />

T. R. Tubman Helps Set Up<br />

Business for Young Man<br />

OTTAWA—Throush the interest of Manager<br />

T. R. Tubman of the Capitol, a graduate<br />

of Variety Village Vocational School at<br />

Toronto is now established in business for<br />

himself as a watchmaker in a small store on<br />

Bank street in a section of the Capitol Theatre<br />

building.<br />

The rehabilitated man is 26-year-old Donald<br />

Thompson, who operates his trade while<br />

seated in a wheelchair. Formerly a motor<br />

mechanic, Thompson was stricken with poliomyelitis<br />

and was so crippled that he spent<br />

nine months in Ottawa Civic Hospital, later<br />

undergoing treatment in Lyndhurst Lodge,<br />

Toronto.<br />

Next he was admitted to Variety Village<br />

where he learned watchmaking. Following<br />

graduation he returned to Ottawa where he<br />

obtained a job with a jewelry firm, but this<br />

employment came to an end when he got<br />

in touch with Tubman at the Famous Players<br />

theatre. The outcome was the conversion<br />

of a corner of tiie theatre building at treet<br />

level which had once been used for a stairway<br />

and telephone booths.<br />

Thompson Is married and has two children.<br />

Tubman is a member of Toronto Variety.<br />

Rules Against CBC<br />

TORONTO—In a 33-page judgment handed<br />

down June 7, Chief Justice McRuer of the<br />

Ontario Supreme Court ruled that the Federal<br />

Government's Canadian Broadcasting<br />

Corp. is not exempt from the provisions of the<br />

criminal code governing the observance of<br />

Sundays. The CBC had contended that, as a<br />

"crown company," it was not affected by<br />

Sunday restrictions, but it now faces a To-<br />

Guilty of Robbery<br />

TORONTO— After being identified by Manager<br />

Jack R. Steele as the man who forced<br />

him at gunpoint to open the safe of the<br />

Odeon at Brantford October 13. Edw-ard<br />

Saska, 26. 'Woodstock, Ont., was found guilty<br />

of armed robbery by the county grand jury<br />

in the court session June 5 at Brantford.<br />

Saska. who had secured SI.300 in the theatre<br />

holdup, was remanded to June 18 for sentence.<br />

Manager Wins Marathon<br />

ST. JOHN—Tom Mackey, manager of<br />

the Franklin & Herschorn Mid-Way<br />

Drive-In, Sydney. N. S., again has won<br />

laurels as a long distance runner by winning<br />

the coveted feature, the Canadian<br />

Legion six-mile race in Cape Breton, N. S.<br />

It was a double celebration for Mackey<br />

and his friends, as the win came on his<br />

29th birthday.<br />

A native of Belfast, Ireland, he came to<br />

Canada three years ago. His first employment<br />

was with the F&H circuit. After<br />

the Mid-Way closes for the season Mackey<br />

takes up the post as assistant manager in<br />

the Mayfair and Dundas theatres at Dartmouth,<br />

N. S.<br />

Tom gets his daily exercise at the drivein<br />

checking the field and speakers and<br />

jogging over the 12-acre area. His 38-<br />

year-old brother Noel, now living in Edmonton,<br />

Ala., also is a noted marathoner.<br />

Tom is shown at right in the photo receiving<br />

his award from a Canadian Legion<br />

member at Cape Breton.<br />

Six FPC Theatres Unite<br />

For 'King' Show of Week<br />

TORONTO—There were only six Famous<br />

Players theatres for the Show of the Week<br />

this time, the feature being "The King and<br />

Four Queens." The sextette included the Alhambra.<br />

Beach, Capitol, College, Parkdale<br />

and St. Clair.<br />

The Prince of Wales, Donland and Beaver<br />

united for "Friendly Persuasion." while another<br />

trio, Hollywood, Palace and Runnymede,<br />

played "Desk Set." The usual eight units<br />

of 20th Century Theatres featured the Show<br />

of Shows program topped by "Beyond a<br />

Reasonable Doubt."<br />

The J. Arthur Rank theatres had the following<br />

combinations: Odeon, Fairlawn and<br />

Colony for "The Burglar"; Danforth, Humber<br />

and Colony, "12 Angry Men," and the Hyland<br />

and Christie, the reissued "The Jolson Story."<br />

TV Set Sales Slump<br />

OTTAWA—The Canadian government has<br />

issued a statistical report which says that<br />

sales of television sets "slumped" to 105,035<br />

in the first three months of 1957 from the<br />

total of 141,958 for the first quarter of last<br />

year. For Maich the turnover of TV sets<br />

dropped to 28,823 from 37,379. At the same<br />

time, the sales of radio receiving sets for the<br />

1957 period climbed to 155,699 from 129,156 in<br />

the three months last year.<br />

Six Holdovers Strong<br />

On Toronto Rialto<br />

TORONTO—Six attractions were held over,<br />

the record breaker in this respect being<br />

"Oklahoma!" in its 59th week at the Tivoli.<br />

The pick of the new offerings was "The<br />

Little Hut" at Loew's. One of the brace of<br />

reissues, "For Whom the Bell Tolls," stayed<br />

for a third week at the University.<br />

(Average Is 100)<br />

Yongfze Incident Eglinfon, Towne (DCA), 2nd<br />

wk<br />

too<br />

Hollywood Desk Set (20th-Fox) 105<br />

Hyland The Jolson Story (Col), 100<br />

reissue<br />

Imperial Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (Poro), 2nd<br />

wk 100<br />

Locw s—The Little Hut (MGM) 110<br />

IJ rtMAji Funny Foce (Para), 100<br />

2nd wk<br />

,1 The Burglar (Col); Spin a Dork Web<br />

C-D 105<br />

Fi. -Ii Oklahoma! (Magna), 59fh wk 100<br />

Uni.criity—For Whom the Bell Tolls (Para), 3rd wk. 96<br />

Uptown—The Tattered Dress (U-l), 2nd wk 100<br />

Top Vancouver Rating<br />

Won by "Little Hut'<br />

VANCOUVER— Exhibitors are blaming the<br />

present citywide boxoffice slump on a record<br />

hot weather spell, lack of good product and<br />

daylight saving. The latter gives more time<br />

to folks to tend theh- lawns and gardens, diverting<br />

their interest from current screen fare.<br />

The current week was almost a record low,<br />

with two of the dow^ntown deluxe theatres<br />

pulling their pictures after only showing them<br />

four days. Only picture to weather the slump<br />

was "The Little Hut," which was given an<br />

ace campaign at the Orpheum,<br />

Capitol The Brave One (RKO), 4 days Poor<br />

Cinema The Great American Pastime<br />

(MGM)<br />

Moderate<br />

Orpheum The Little Hut (MGM) Good<br />

Paradise Bailout at 43,000 (UA), Revolt ot<br />

Fort Laramie (UA) Moderate<br />

Plaza—Monkey on My Back (UA); Iron Sheriff<br />

(UA)<br />

Moderote<br />

Strand Lizzie (MGM); Hot Summer Night<br />

(MGM)<br />

Moderate<br />

Studio Lo Poor<br />

Strodo (SR)<br />

l/ogue Abandon Ship (Col), 4 doys Poor<br />

Business on the Upswing<br />

At Winnipeg First Runs<br />

WINNIPEG — First run business here<br />

showed a gradual but definite Improvement<br />

as at least four of the new entries boasted<br />

business and none was more than<br />

good solid<br />

ten points below'<br />

average.<br />

Airport Drive-In, Rose, Plaza, Palace and Grand<br />

Rock, Rock, Rock (DCA); Three Outlaws<br />

(AFRC)<br />

Good<br />

Capitol—The Little Hut (MGM) Good<br />

Gaiety Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (20th-Fox);<br />

Boy on a Dolphin (20th-Fox) Moderate<br />

Garrick—Four Girls in Town (U-l); Istanbul (U-l) Fair<br />

Lyceum The Quiet Gun (20th-Fox); Oosis<br />

(20th-Fox)<br />

Moderate<br />

Metropolitan The River's Edge (20th-Fox) . . . . Good<br />

Odeon The Tottered Dress (U-l) Good<br />

Valour The Gold Rush (UA), 2nd wk Fair<br />

Toronto Star Sponsors<br />

Theatre Yo-Yo Contests<br />

TORONTO—The Toronto Daily Star is<br />

spon.soring a series of yo-yo competitions at<br />

Saturday matinee performances in ten Famous<br />

Players theatres here, which will lead<br />

up to the championship finals on Saturday<br />

(22).<br />

The newspaper has donated many prizes<br />

for the four weekly preliminary contests and<br />

there will be grand awards at the finish. The<br />

following theatres are featuring the stunt;<br />

Alhambra, Beach, St. Clair, Capitol, College,<br />

Nortown, Palace, Parkdale, Runnymede and<br />

Oakwood,<br />

June 15, 1957


. . Morey<br />

. . Bob<br />

. . Lome<br />

. . Gerry<br />

. . The<br />

10<br />

. . According<br />

. .<br />

MONTREAL<br />

.<br />

Jean Beliveau, star center on the Montreal<br />

Canadians hockey team was the guest<br />

honor at the Motion Picture Pioneers<br />

of<br />

dinner in the Mount Royal Bey's<br />

Theatre of Thetford Mines, one of Leo<br />

Choquette's houses, was destroyed by fire.<br />

The modern, 500-seater was leveled by the<br />

off. Fox manager, flew to Toronto for a<br />

conference with head office executives.<br />

Destounis, former manager of the Belmont,<br />

succeeded Fleming at the Strand.<br />

"Obsession," stan-ing Michele Morgan and<br />

Raf Vallone, is reported doing outstanding<br />

business in showings throughout Quebec . . .<br />

1,090,173, consisting mostly of vacationists<br />

and visitors to the Dominion.<br />

The pictures are screened at regular intervals<br />

at summer resorts, hotels and national<br />

parks across the country. The Canadian<br />

Government Travel Bureau at Ottawa<br />

Sam Kunitsky, UA manager, was in Shawinigan<br />

Falls and Three Rivers . . . Mrs.<br />

Marilyn Brunstrum, boxoffice clerk at<br />

Warners, has resigned to accompany her<br />

husband who has been transferred<br />

also<br />

to Niagara<br />

has 115 appropriate film releases in its<br />

Falls, Ont. . Hamat, UA, was in the<br />

library in the United States as tourist lure.<br />

Abitibi area . Stein, 20th-Fox, was<br />

on the Gaspe coast . Fleming, Haas to Direct 'Summer'<br />

popular manager of Strand Theatre for a HOLLYWOOD—U-I has set Charles Haas<br />

number of years and who about a year a.go to direct "Summer Love," a William Grady<br />

won a fortune in English Derby sweepstakes, jr. production which will star John Saxon<br />

resigned to enter another field. Jimmy and Judy Meredith.<br />

TORONTO<br />

prior to the Canadian general elections Monday<br />

1 1, the Odeon was the scene of a<br />

Quebec's ministry of transport has prepared Sunday mass meeting under the auspices of<br />

for widespread showing a colored film entitled,<br />

"Stop," to be used as part of depart-<br />

the Civil Service Federation of Canada when<br />

2.000 government employes protested against<br />

ment's fight against traffic accidents . . .<br />

the postponement of long-promised salary increases<br />

until after the countrywide voting<br />

At the exchanges were J. Aboussafy of Au<br />

.<br />

fire which burned down nine other business Bon Cinema, Mont Joli; Paul Desjarlais, A committee of the Ontario Mental Health<br />

establishments.<br />

Brandon, St. Gabriel de Brand: G. Langevin, Ass'n has been formed, with Mrs. R. F.<br />

Tracy at Tracy and the Salle Paroissiale of<br />

Porter and Dr. Reva Gerstein as chairmen<br />

Two Cine-Odeon theatres here, the Electra Bale du Fevre, and Georges Champagne, to plan for the premiere of "Around the<br />

and Villeray, simultaneously presented "Les manager of a circuit at Shawinigan Falls.<br />

World in 80 Days" in Todd-AO at the Tivoli<br />

Pirates des Mers du Sud," the French-dubbed<br />

the first week of July. Committee members<br />

"Long John Silver" . . . Phil Geller, 20th-<br />

Fox manager at Winnipeg, stopped<br />

Summer Tourists Program include Mrs. Sam Fingold, Mrs. Isadore<br />

at the<br />

Smith, Mrs. Charles S. Chaplin and Mrs. I.<br />

local office . . . Mrs. Jacqueline Kieffer, Set Up by Canada NFB<br />

Appleby. For the 800th<br />

French<br />

performance of<br />

secretary to Jo Oupcher. district OTTAWA—The National Film Board, government<br />

film agency, has again organized its afternoon.<br />

"Oklahoma!" at the Tivoli last<br />

manager of IFD, will leave soon on<br />

Saturday<br />

a threemonth<br />

Manager Fred Trebilcock<br />

trip to Paris to visit her<br />

gave<br />

parents. summer tourist program through which last souvenir books<br />

Mrs. Kieffer and her<br />

on the<br />

husband have Todd-AO<br />

been<br />

production to<br />

year there were 12,275 showings of travel and all patrons.<br />

in Canada for five years . Chern-<br />

other pictiues to an aggregate audience of<br />

Clyde Gilniour, film columnist of the Toronto<br />

Evening Telegram, has gone to Europe<br />

on a news assignment .<br />

. . Employes of J.<br />

Arthur Rank theatres in the Toronto area<br />

attended a family party in the Odeon Simday<br />

when they enjoyed a buffet supper and<br />

saw two forthcoming pictures. A similar<br />

party was held in the Odeon at London, Ont.,<br />

with Manager Ken Davies looking after arrangements.<br />

The features shown were "Fire<br />

Down Below" and "Doctor at Large."<br />

Phil Ristow, projectionist at the theatre in<br />

Weston, Ont., has an unusual hobby—the<br />

training of monkeys, six of them. And it's<br />

not a stunt for "Monkey on My Back" . . .<br />

Lionel Lester, president of the Motion Picture<br />

Theatres Ass'n of Ontario, secured nice<br />

business for one week at his Studio Cinema,<br />

Toronto, with a first run of "Don Giovanni."<br />

He also operates the Playhouse in Hamilton.<br />

Station CFPL-TV in London, Ont., owned<br />

REGULAR THEATRE SERVICE<br />

Regular theatre service is more than ever essential to protect your large<br />

investment in screen, sound and projection equipment. And DSEL is the<br />

logical choice for Canadian exhibitors— branches in every large centre<br />

with large stocks of replacements for regular and fast emergency service.<br />

Avail yourself of this quality service from Canada's oldest and largest<br />

theatre service organization.<br />

For complete details talk it over with your local DSEL<br />

mmm Wm<br />

representative.<br />

l^m^k Limited<br />

HE,AD OFFICE: 4040 St. Catherine Street West, Montreal<br />

BRANCHES AT: St. John's, Nfld., Halifax, Saint John,<br />

Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London,<br />

North Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver.<br />

by the London Free Press, is playing pictures<br />

like a theatre. The film programs last week<br />

were "Green for Danger," two nights: "Fighting<br />

Man of the Plains." two nights, and "Doll<br />

Face" on Friday night<br />

.<br />

to Toronto<br />

gossip, Ernest Rawley, former manager<br />

of the Royal Alexandr-a in Toronto for many<br />

years, may return to this city if a booking<br />

office he manages in New 'York City is<br />

merged with another agency there.<br />

WINNIPEG<br />

Associated Theatre Services booking and<br />

buying set up has taken over the booking<br />

and buying for the Roxy Theatre in<br />

Wawa, Ont. Charlie Krupp of Associated ad-<br />

\ises that there are now 55 theatres in the<br />

Winnipeg territory doing all their booking<br />

and buying through Associated.<br />

David Rothstein of the Rothstein Theatre<br />

circuit of Winnipeg was installed as the<br />

grand master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of<br />

Manitoba Thursday (6i . . . Syl Gunn, branch<br />

manager for Paramount, and salesman Alf<br />

Glass, returned from Toronto after spending<br />

a few days at a home office convention.<br />

The 'Viking village in Norway, used in UA's<br />

"The Vikings," will be historically exact in<br />

every detail of its construction.<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957<br />

i


. . . Manager<br />

. . . The<br />

. . The<br />

. . . The<br />

. . Mark<br />

. . Art<br />

. . The<br />

. . UA's<br />

VANCOUVER<br />

TJrent Kelly, Odeon manager for the past<br />

six years, resigned and has moved with<br />

his family to Van Nuys. Calif. . . . Ivan<br />

Ackery. Orpheum manager, gave -'The Little<br />

Hut" a bang-up campaign which paid off at<br />

the boxoffice. It was the only picture to do<br />

any business during the recent record hot<br />

spell . . . Earl McMillan of the Studio was<br />

on vacation south of the border . . . Frank<br />

Sinatra and his troupe played two performances<br />

at Exhibition Forum to turnaway business.<br />

A $33,000 fire gutted the Mandarin<br />

Gardens in Chinatown. Charlie Nelson, former<br />

manager of the State Theatre, was a<br />

half owner of the night club.<br />

Ernest Watts, doorman at the Odeon-<br />

Vogue is one of Vancouver's oldest doormen.<br />

He is a veteran of the Boer War. Bill Cuthberson,<br />

who has spent the past few years in<br />

Western Canada and the U. S. A. doing newspaper<br />

work, has been added to the NFB<br />

headquarters staff. Exhibitors report early<br />

morning business remains very light and<br />

matinees are on the slow side, with the biggest<br />

increases shown on the weekends. Suburban<br />

houses are hit exceedingly hard by TV,<br />

with all matinees disappearing from schedules<br />

except for the kiddies matinees on Saturdays.<br />

They disappear in the summer.<br />

Neighborhood houses are faihng to hold to<br />

last year's levels.<br />

Shelah Relic is now film editor of Parry<br />

Films studio in North Vancouver. The West<br />

Coast Booking Ass'n reports new members are<br />

Len Johnson, Lougheed Drive-In, Burnaby,<br />

and the new drive-in at Williams Lake.<br />

WCBA now does the booking for 13 ozoners.<br />

The Starlight, Nanaimo, Ruskin and Cassidy<br />

drive-ins operate only on weekends. Wally<br />

Hamilton, president of Trans Canada Films,<br />

reports that I. E. Hamilton is now secretarytreasurer<br />

of the firm and that business is<br />

brisk with the company, mostly TV films.<br />

Now closed are the Port, Port Coquitlam,<br />

and the Moody, Port Moody, both victims of<br />

the inroad of TV, which has ruined the film<br />

business in the Eraser Valley. The area gets<br />

good reception from stations at Seattle and<br />

Bellingham, Wash. The Capitol, Kamloops,<br />

is also slated for closing. The West Coast<br />

Theatre Service has taken over the advertising<br />

departments of both Warner Bros, and<br />

EJmpire-Universal films, with offices on Filmrow.<br />

Lois Johnson. Empire-Universal secretary,<br />

was married to Wallace David.son and<br />

honeymooned in Nevada and California. Gordon<br />

Dalgleish, owner of Cinema Sales Co.,<br />

returned from a successful business trip<br />

covering Alberta and Saskatchewan theatres.<br />

Added to the "adult entertainment" list by<br />

the B. C. censors were "The Bachelor Party,"<br />

"Abandon Ship," "Monkey on My Back,"<br />

"Lizzie." and "Hot Summer Night" ... A<br />

newspaper entertainment editor, returning<br />

from a visit to the new auditorium built by<br />

the Alberta government in Edmonton at a<br />

cost of $4,500,000, said: "It is probably one of<br />

the largest theatres in North America with<br />

just about the worst acoustics on the continent."<br />

Theatre employes and film building workers<br />

unions have still to reach agreements on<br />

wage scales, w^orking conditions, fringe benefits<br />

and other points with two theatre circuits<br />

and the film distributors. At last reports,<br />

the negotiators were far apart . . . Sensationalism<br />

in film titling has defeated its own<br />

ends by this times, but cinemagoers patronizing<br />

"A Man Is Ten Feet Tall" are said to be<br />

crowding in, eager to get a good look at the<br />

character they've spent so many evenings sitting<br />

behind, according to Punch, London.<br />

OTTAWA<br />

•Phe second theatre in eastern Ontario to take<br />

up bingo as a sideline is the Roxy at Cornwall<br />

where Robert Hubbert is manager. The<br />

bingo nights are on Monday and Thursday<br />

with games being played during an intermission<br />

of the film program. The bingo cards<br />

are sold at the door for 25 cents each and the<br />

proceeds are designated for the Community<br />

pn-esh Air Camp Ass'n. Previously the Star-<br />

Top Drive-In near Ottawa inaugurated bingo<br />

on Thursday nights under the sponsorship of<br />

the Ottawa South Lions Club.<br />

Gladys L. Rosewall of Ottawa was the winner<br />

of an oil painting by H. Scotty Renaud<br />

which was exhibited in the lobby of the<br />

Odeon, when she gave it the title of "Tranquility"<br />

in a name-guessing contest. Manager<br />

Jim Chalmers of the Odeon now has a collection<br />

of paintings by Norma McClellan on<br />

display in the foyer and lobby of the theatre<br />

Ernie Warren has new programs<br />

at the two Elgins in Ottawa following three<br />

weeks of "The Green Man" at the Little<br />

Elgin and two weeks with "The Bachelor<br />

Party" at the Main Elgin.<br />

Nicholas Monsarrat of Ottawa, author of<br />

"The Cruel Sea" which was made into a J.<br />

Ai-thur Rank feature, has purchased a new<br />

plea.sure boat . federal government has<br />

picked two pictures, "Newfoundland Scene"<br />

and "A New Future Lies North," for screening<br />

in the Canadian building at the International<br />

Exposition at Brussels, Belgium, next year<br />

embassies in Ottawa are busy with<br />

preparations for the International Film Festival<br />

July 8-20 at Stratford, Ont. Among the<br />

latest prints to be received are "The Devil's<br />

General" from Germany and "Torero" from<br />

Mexico, while several films have been flown<br />

from Canberra. Australia.<br />

Shirley Jocelyn, cousin of Marlon and<br />

Jocelyn Brando, has been given a role in<br />

motion pictures, playing in Columbia's "Decision<br />

at SundowTi."<br />

HANDY<br />

ST.<br />

JOHN<br />

'The Bedford Theatre in Bedford, a suburb<br />

of Halifax, has closed permanently. It<br />

was owned and operated by William Purcell<br />

Modern Theatre in Madawaska, Me.,<br />

owned by the B&L circuit will close down the<br />

middle of June . Gaiety Theatre in<br />

Minto, N.B., owned by Jack O'Rourke has<br />

closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.<br />

Preparations are being made in Saint John<br />

for the forthcoming Israel bond drive which<br />

will be in tribute to the late Joseph M.<br />

Franklin who was Maritime chairman of<br />

Israel bonds. Active on the committee arc<br />

S. Mitchell Bernstein, his son Morton and<br />

Joshua Lieberman of the B&L circuit; A. I.<br />

Garson, formerly partner of the Garson-<br />

Odeon Theatres; Mitchell Franklin, Mrs. J. M.<br />

Fi-anklin and Sam Babb of tlie P&H Theatres.<br />

With the RCAJ holding its annual convention<br />

in St. John, with over 300 delegates at-<br />

.<br />

tending, the FP Capitol Theatre showed the<br />

two air force pictures "Dam Busters" and<br />

"Out of the Clouds." The F&H Mayfair<br />

played "Reach for the Sky" St.<br />

John office with Izzy Davis, manager, and<br />

Bill Campbell, salesman and booker, has been<br />

holding the lead the past few months in the<br />

third group of the Jim Velde Sales Drive<br />

which started in September and ends the end<br />

of June Plottel of Toronto, general<br />

.<br />

manager for Empire-Universal and RKO<br />

visited their St. John office of which Jack<br />

Bellamy is manager, calling upon exhibitors.<br />

Congratulations were offered to Eric Golding.<br />

MGM St. John manager, on becoming the<br />

granddaddy of a baby girl. Eric's daughter<br />

Joy is the wife of Jimmy Sprague. salesman at<br />

Warner Bros. St. John office . . . Wedding<br />

bells are ringing for Joan Raymond, advertising<br />

clerk at MGM on June 22 to Gerard<br />

McHugh ... A party was held and a purse<br />

presented to Shirley Dougherty, MGM cashier,<br />

who is leaving. She is being replaced by<br />

Mi-s. Laura McGuire. former cashier at Columbia<br />

. Fielding, president of the<br />

SFA circuit, visited Filmrow.<br />

Relates Stor'y of Newspaperman<br />

In Columbia Pictures' "The Tijuana Story,"<br />

Paul Coates relates the story of an Incorruptible<br />

newspaperman.


: June<br />

V^^P>"'<br />

^N<br />

-you -rtHUii J&a:<br />

Take advantage oi 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 ore 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. No charge.<br />

BOXOFFICE<br />

Published Weekly in 9 Sectional Editions<br />

BOXOFFICE :<br />

15, 1957


'I<br />

iHE<br />

I<br />

MARLON<br />

GLENN<br />

TOE<br />

'<br />

• ALPHABETICAL INDEX<br />

• AOLINES & 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§BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S - B U I L D I N G<br />

— See It The Second Time Free-<br />

Dear Patrons:<br />

DOUBLE<br />

FUN!<br />

MARLON BRANDO<br />

i<br />

GLENN FORD i<br />

> oponing day<br />

any subsequent perfo<br />

BRANDO<br />

FORD<br />

MACHIKOKYO | MACHIKO KYO.<br />

I<br />

rey^riOUSE rB^House<br />

j<br />

OF THE<br />

OF rue<br />

Conl.nuou. Sund.,— 1 :00-3:47.6: 35-9:22<br />

SPECIAL' Matinee Monday on<br />

TKi» Picture at 2:00<br />

SUNDAY thru r _/ V ^ ' iWlli^<br />

THURSDAY UL^±^3l!2m<br />

IT'S ON THE HOUSE—<br />

Here's a reproduction of the two-column ad<br />

in which Charles Reed, manager of the Fox<br />

Theatre in Hays, Kos., advertised a stunt<br />

he presents onnuolly. He picks a suretoplease<br />

attraction and heads his ad with an<br />

endorsement of the picture and the explanation<br />

that the doorman will admit the patron<br />

on his second trip to the attraction. Note<br />

how Reed assures them of double fun by<br />

duplicating in the ad two single column<br />

displays on the film side by side.<br />

Store Tieups Boost Receipts<br />

The nei.Khborhood Jeffrey Theatre in<br />

Chicaso set up a series of exploitation tieups<br />

with neighborhood merchants for<br />

forthcoming productions including "Heaven<br />

Knows. Mr. Allison" and "Designing<br />

^ Woman." The program, which involves<br />

store window posters, plugger pamphlets<br />

passed out by merchants, etc.. were<br />

considered responsible for more than<br />

doubling the week's business for the films.<br />

Couple in Small Town Theatre Depends<br />

On Ideas-Here're Few That Worked<br />

Wherever exhibitors get together there<br />

is one question that is sure to bob up,<br />

"What are you doing to get people in your<br />

theatre?" Mickey and Penny Harris, who<br />

operate the Wakea Theatre in New Boston,<br />

Tex., report their answer invariably is,<br />

"Anything we can think of." They describe<br />

a few of the things they have tried in the<br />

•past few months in the following paragraphs.<br />

MUSTER NIGHT CLICKS<br />

The local National Guard needed a place<br />

to hold its recent Muster Night since its<br />

regular meeting place, the school auditorium,<br />

was occupied with a basketball<br />

tournament. Remembering the old saying,<br />

"If you can't fight 'em. join'em." the Harrises<br />

did just that, and arranged for a<br />

Muster Night at the Wakea Theatre. The<br />

affair was well planned by local groups,<br />

including a parade by the high school band<br />

and the guardsmen to the theatre.<br />

Local florists decorated the stage, and<br />

refreshments were served. The New Boston<br />

Industrial Committee paid for the band<br />

members tickets for the show that followed<br />

the Guard ceremonies, so a better than<br />

average crowd were paid customers that<br />

night, and the publicity helped, too.<br />

New Boston merchants sponsored a Miss<br />

New Boston contest. Each store sponsored<br />

one girl; all the girls being presented on<br />

stage at the theatre. The merchants all<br />

paid for the advertising, stage decorations<br />

and for a watch that was given to the<br />

winner. The audience selected the winning<br />

girl by ballot, and this brought a big crowd<br />

since everyone came to vote for a particular<br />

girl.<br />

P.\KTY FOR PTA LEADERS<br />

"We believe the following idea Has meant<br />

more to us in the goodwill it has created<br />

than anything we have done. " the Harrises<br />

report. "We give a theatre party each<br />

month for the class which has the most<br />

parents present at PTA meetings in the<br />

schools in our vicinity. We have had many<br />

children come to our theatre who have<br />

never been here previously, and there are<br />

always enough parents who come with the<br />

children to more than pay for the time and<br />

effort in doing this. Concessions, too, always<br />

pick up on these nights.<br />

"On one of our off-nights we let a Sunday<br />

School class sponsor a show to help<br />

pay for the work we were doing in the<br />

nursery. The members .sold tickets in advance<br />

with the paper and the chuixh bulletin<br />

telling about the show and urging all<br />

to buy tickets and attend. The cla.ss and<br />

the theatre both came out profitably.<br />

"A new supermarket in town sends out<br />

5.000 heralds by mail each week. They<br />

ran a mat on 'Gun for. a Coward" on their<br />

heralds telling where and when it was<br />

showing and offering a coupon good for<br />

20 cents on an adult ticket to see this film.<br />

They paid 10 cents on every coupon that<br />

came in at the boxoffice. We got a lot of<br />

extra advertising on the picture in this<br />

way.<br />

MANY PRIZES FOR KIDS<br />

"We are having a special Kids Day show<br />

each Saturday ahead of the regular show.<br />

We give away many small prizes and have<br />

as many games and contests as time will<br />

permit, everything from drinking from<br />

baby bottles, spelling bees, talent contests,<br />

to the old standby of blowing the biggest<br />

bubble and such. Pi-izes in each sack of<br />

poF>corn has certainly increased sales there.<br />

Also give suckers with cold drinks—this<br />

discourages buying candy and spending of<br />

concession money for some item on which<br />

there is more profit.<br />

"We try anything we hear of that might<br />

increase attendance. Some of them help<br />

some of them don't, but one never knows<br />

until you try it. All we need now are some<br />

more ideas!"<br />

Tickets for 'Cinderella'<br />

Are Sold in the Schools<br />

When Herman Kopf played "Cinderella"<br />

at the Milford. Milford. N. Y.. he arranged<br />

with the school principal lor a special<br />

matinee at 2:30 on Monday for all kids in<br />

the first seven grades. The principal further<br />

agreed to let the cashier sell tickets<br />

in the school from 11:30 to 1:30 on the<br />

morning of this special showing. This resulted<br />

in a very successful matinee, with<br />

hundreds of tickets being sold.<br />

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: June 15. 1957 141


Vacation Idea Built on Shorts Runs Ten Weeks<br />

The main lobby of the Capitol Theatre in Union City, N. J., during "Around the World in 10 Weeks" promotion.<br />

The written report forwarded by Paul Reynauld, manager<br />

of the Capitol Theatre in Union City, N. J., on his<br />

great "Around the World in 10 Weeks" series of travel<br />

shorts and featurettes became separated from his scrapbook<br />

containing photographs of his theatre displays. The<br />

report reached us first. A first reading convinced us his<br />

promotion was so good that we immediately prepared the<br />

story and used it on the front page of Showmandiser last<br />

week, not knowing photos were available.<br />

Several of his displays, reproduced herewith, show<br />

that Reynauld's execution of his idea was as thorough<br />

and as skillful as his conception was timely, in all, a truly<br />

exceptional feat in showmanship.<br />

At top is the scene that greeted patrons as they reached<br />

the lobby ... an 18-foot outboard motor boat, a large<br />

cutout of a gob, a Paris booth with two manikins, a tropical<br />

scene with a large tropical bird (at right) with the famous<br />

"I Am a Movie Fan" printed on a poster beneath a easel<br />

at left listing the giveaway of Capitol records (500 of them)<br />

and merchandise from ten merchants—the whole scene<br />

festooned with streamers. Elsewhere were booths from<br />

Argentine, Italy, Sicily, etc., all with suggestive posters,<br />

where some 20,000 promoted travel booklets Vv^ere given<br />

away, each with the Capitol Theatre imprint.<br />

The scene at left below is the "castle" front Reynauld<br />

constructed at a cost of $30. Note the two cutout guards.<br />

Patrons went through the opening as they entered the big<br />

inner lobby. The ticket-taker's stand may be seen in the<br />

doorway.<br />

The smaller photo shows one of the displays that literally<br />

filled every nook and corner of the theatre for the tenweek<br />

series. The huge lifesover, the signs are well calculated<br />

to inspire one with the travel itch.<br />

Each unit extended through six days, the "vacation"<br />

reels being in addition to the regular bookings. Giacomo<br />

Rondinella, Italian singer, was obtained for a one-night<br />

appearance at the Capitol during the Italian week, which<br />

featured an Italian Variety show and a WarnerColor short<br />

on Italy. For this, Reynauld even had some of his displays<br />

prepared in the Italian language.<br />

As the accompanying photos indicate, the success of<br />

the vacation idea depended, in this case, on the thoroughness<br />

with which Manager Reynauld created the proper<br />

vacation atmosphere in the theatre.<br />

Left photo shows entrance to inner lobby, and right another lobby display.<br />

— 142 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: June 15, 1957


DRIVE-IN THEATRE REPORT<br />

(Third in a Series of Four installments)<br />

mmm<br />

Descriptions of Theatres Analyzed in June 1 Showmandiser Section<br />

it)<br />

~ Although the concessions business is a<br />

major profit factor at the drive-in theatre,<br />

the findings of the survey could give only<br />

an over-all "fair" rating to the drive-ins<br />

studied. Unfortunately, most managers appear<br />

somewhat indifferent to such factors in<br />

good concessions management as cleanliness,<br />

quality and selection of food items, proper<br />

VII. CONCESSIONS<br />

pricing, effective sales promotion, and hiring<br />

and training good personnel. It is altogether<br />

too often rationalized by managers<br />

that they are theatremen and not concessionaij-es.<br />

What they apparently forget is<br />

that the first purpose of business is profit.<br />

And, as long as concessions is part of the<br />

business, it should be exploited to its utmost<br />

capacity, just as is the picture, or any<br />

other service of the theatre.<br />

Following are<br />

our comments and suggestions<br />

for Improvements at the drive-ins<br />

visited. While they are made in relation to<br />

specific situations and conditions, many of<br />

them undoubtedly can be related to drive-in<br />

operations elsewhere.<br />

DRIVE-IN "A" (350 cars. 8,300-popuIation<br />

agricultural area).<br />

Friendly service is a big factor here, and<br />

patrons noticed it.<br />

Efficiency suggestion: Place an insulated<br />

bag, large enough to hold a half dozen orders<br />

' ->( of French fries and several orders of fried<br />

'l"' chiclcen, adjacent to the deep fry equipment<br />

at intermission time. This will prevent<br />

all those unnecessary trips to the<br />

freezer.<br />

Point of sales displays: Impulse buying is<br />

an important factor at the concessions<br />

counter. Let your products be seen. Try to<br />

have lifelike illustrations of foods and other<br />

concessions items on available display areas.<br />

Suppliers should be able to provide all the<br />

materials needed.<br />

We suggest use of a wall menu, large<br />

enough so it can be read easily. In addition<br />

to listing the standards, the menu should<br />

publicize "specials," food and drink combinations<br />

which supply variety to the bill of<br />

fare. A chicken dinner. French fries and a<br />

coke could sell for 85 cents to 90 cents—<br />

saving to everyone and a profit to the theatre.<br />

This "special" can be used to encourage<br />

"supper at the drive-in" as patrons<br />

will become used to checking the menu for<br />

the economy package deals.<br />

To focus attention on the menu, a turret<br />

lamp should be hung from the ceiling a few<br />

feet from the wall, to spotlight the menu offerings.<br />

Coffee: Although this is a small profit<br />

item, it is an added convenience to the<br />

patron, particularly in the colder months.<br />

Actually, it may sometimes be the availability<br />

of a hot cup of coffee which will keep him<br />

in the drive-in and bring him to the concessions<br />

is<br />

building. It an item which should<br />

be promoted, and on evenings when the<br />

weatiier is cool, the taped concessions message<br />

can include an invitation to "warm up<br />

with some of our delicious hot coffee."<br />

DRIVE-IN "B" (650 cars, 100,000 population<br />

in basically agricultural area, in five-drivein<br />

theatre situation).<br />

There is a need at this drive-in for more<br />

suggestive selling. If a patron asks for a<br />

hamburger or a hot dog, he should be asked<br />

if he would like a drink with it. At present,<br />

when a patron asks for a drink, the attendant<br />

usually asks, "Large or small?" It<br />

is suggested that the sales person, moving<br />

toward the large cup, ask, "Large?" This<br />

simple psychological approach can increase<br />

profits on beverages considerably. The attendant<br />

is allowing the customer to make<br />

the decision, but is completely guiding him.<br />

The cashier should always ask "Is that<br />

all?" The counter at that point should<br />

always contain a display of peanuts, candy<br />

and other tid-bits which can be picked up<br />

as impulse items.<br />

Napkins and straws: These are conveniences<br />

W'hich must be provided. Patrons complain<br />

otherwise. Although Drive-In "B" had<br />

a package of flat napkins behind the counter,<br />

there were no napkin liolders on the counter.<br />

It is burdensome and time consuming for<br />

Attractive counter pieces and display cards are<br />

available from many suppliers, to help dress up<br />

concessions areas. The one above is a recent<br />

promotion distributed by The Popcorn Institute.<br />

employes to reach for these napkins and<br />

distribute them. Beverages are dispensed<br />

in paper cups filled with finely crushed ice.<br />

Without a straw, drinking becomes cumbersome,<br />

as the ice continuously slips toward<br />

the face. The customers have complained<br />

about the failure to provide straws. A minor<br />

irritant but enough of one to eliminate.<br />

Speaker in Concessions: As the screen cannot<br />

be seen from the concessions area, it is<br />

recommended that a speaker be placed in<br />

the building, so patrons can retain some<br />

continuity of what is going on on the screen.<br />

Notice of closing: The concessions service<br />

should not be closed without notice to the<br />

patrons. 'Not only is there a loss of sales, but<br />

ill-feeling is generated when a patron makes<br />

a trip to the concessions building and finds<br />

it is closed. As the stand now closes when<br />

the last feature starts, an announcement<br />

should be made at that time informing customers<br />

the concessions counter would close<br />

in ten minutes.<br />

Carhop services: More than 75 per cent of<br />

patrons interviewed indicated they would<br />

welcome carhop service, and in most cases<br />

approval was given emphatically. This service<br />

can be provided rather inexpensively, depending,<br />

of course, on the method of operation<br />

installed. There are various systems<br />

which can be used—but one which is ab-<br />

.;^.<br />

,


solutely not recommended is to have the<br />

car hops knock on windows to inquire<br />

whether the patron wants anytliing.<br />

An inexpensive method which might be<br />

tried, is having the patron turn on his dimers.<br />

This is strong enough to attract the<br />

attention of the gii'l, and yet not bright<br />

enough to bother other patrons. A more<br />

expensive, but practical system, is to have<br />

a small bulb on the speaker post which would<br />

light up and stay lit until the call was<br />

answered.<br />

Whatever the system, training the girls is of<br />

extreme importance. Since they are in continuous<br />

contact with the customers, it is<br />

imperative that before they begin work they<br />

get instruction in: courtesy, friendliness,<br />

proper approaches, the use of an oral menu,<br />

selling pointers, how to take down orders and<br />

DRIVE-IN "C" (400 cars; one of seven<br />

drive-ins in 165,000 population, university<br />

area).<br />

A large concessions area, such as the one<br />

operated at this drive-in, needs lively colors<br />

to create an atmosphere. Beware of ths<br />

drab concessions area! Adding color is a<br />

simple device, but it creates an atmosphere<br />

of lively activity, and this element of excitement<br />

is essential to good showmanship.<br />

Color is what is needed at Di-ive-In "C." The<br />

concessions layout is large. There is a nice<br />

brick counter and the metal trim is bright.<br />

But everywhere else the colors are dull. The<br />

floor, now a dark concrete, could be livened<br />

up with a layer of bright asphalt tiles. Walls<br />

and posts could be given a splash of bright<br />

color. Eye-catching menus spotted in a few<br />

places would also help.<br />

There are other ways of giving the impression<br />

that business is rushing, that showmanship<br />

is alive. An example: At the end<br />

of the concessions line, where the cash register<br />

is located, the management has placed<br />

a candy counter. Atop the counter are a<br />

couple of well-filled trays, but in the display<br />

space below there are only a few bars of<br />

candy, packages of gum and other uninviting<br />

items. The patron gets the impres.sion<br />

that the merchandise has been there for a<br />

long time. A smaller case, loaded with<br />

sweets, would make the same amount of<br />

merchandise fresh and attractive.<br />

Another contributing factor in giving the<br />

concessions the cold look is the absence of<br />

equipment in operation. Take the situation<br />

at Drive-In "C": Popcorn is prepopped and<br />

the machine, large and handsome in appearance,<br />

is down at intermission time. Nearby<br />

is the area where Sno-Cones are prepared<br />

and kept in trays. This area is in constant<br />

use in the summer months, but in the winter<br />

it is empty and creates a dreary sight. A<br />

substitute service for this area should be<br />

created in the winter months. The popcorn<br />

machine should be in operation, certainly<br />

during intermission.<br />

Displays should not remain static. It takes<br />

prepare the checks.<br />

extra effort to shift or change them, but a<br />

The survey indicates carhop service can change every three or four weeks will get<br />

greatly increase sales. It can create a demand<br />

customers into the habit of looking to see<br />

for the big-ticket items such as chicken what's being promoted. These displays need<br />

and shrimp dinners, de luxe hamburgers, etc.,<br />

as customers will be relieved of the walk to<br />

not be limited to the interior of the concessions.<br />

Attractive boards can be placed outside<br />

the building along the traffic route the concessions building and carrying back<br />

to<br />

dinners for the family.<br />

the concessions. Windows are a convenient<br />

place for colorful drawings.<br />

Once the concessions building gains life<br />

from mass display of merchandise, colorful<br />

decorations, equipment which is in operation,<br />

and bright attractive displays, the drive-in<br />

is bound to experience a rise in sales.<br />

DRIVE-IN "E" (400 cars, oil-agricultural<br />

town of 12,000 in three drive-in theatre situation).<br />

This concessions area is an example of<br />

how to put bounce into the operation. The<br />

entire color scheme is gay and warm. Different<br />

colored lights are strung along the room.<br />

The walls are filled with attractive sales<br />

promotion pieces. Some are from suppliers,<br />

others are home-made. One corner displays<br />

a group of antiques. In another corner<br />

is a collection of cowbells, hung from the<br />

ceiling. The kids are welcome to bang on<br />

them, if they wish. To keep the crowd moving,<br />

there are three aisles of traffic—one<br />

for patrons who want the dinner specials,<br />

another for the popcorn-hot dog and smaller<br />

item crowd, and a third for the beverages.<br />

The management stresses cordiality. The<br />

personnel is instructed to greet patrons<br />

cheerfully. During the intermission, the<br />

manager talks to patrons over the p.a.<br />

Come on In<br />

Ha^L<br />

system, using a mobile microphone in the<br />

concessions building. He talks about the<br />

food and drinks, adds a bit of local gossip or<br />

reports on a news event of the moment, or<br />

interview's some of the customers. To sum it<br />

up, the manager gets to know all of his<br />

patrons by name, talks with them on every<br />

occasion, and thus provides a very warm atmosphere<br />

in his theatre. Result: Patrons<br />

like to go to the concessions area.<br />

VIII. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES<br />

COMFORT STATIONS: Restrooms<br />

generally<br />

need to be kept cleaner than they are.<br />

Patrons repeatedly complained on this point.<br />

Mirrors should be placed in both men's and<br />

women's washrooms, and receptacles should<br />

be large enough to handle paper towels and<br />

other waste materials. Receptacles, with<br />

swinging openings, are recommended so that<br />

used paper is never seen. Some washi-ooms<br />

did not have deodorizers. In most of the<br />

rooms, no effort was made to keep them attractive,<br />

and in some, urinals and basins<br />

were permitted to remain in a state of disrepair<br />

and uncleaned. The drive-in restroom<br />

should be checked for cleanliness and<br />

for continuous availability of towels and<br />

other supplies, on a regular basis, as carefully<br />

as in an indoor house.<br />

PLAYGROUNDS: The most important<br />

suggestion that can be offered, when offering<br />

playground facilities, is "Do it right."<br />

Make the grounds attractive, the facilities<br />

varied and safe, and let the public know about<br />

it. On appearances, the playground should<br />

look like it is made for fun and enjoyment.<br />

When fenced, the fence should be gaily<br />

colored, or certainly not less than a coat of<br />

white paint. The surface should be watched<br />

for broken areas, rocks, debris. E^'idences of<br />

this neglect were found. Equipment should<br />

be checked frequently. At one of the most<br />

elaborate play areas, the elephant slide was<br />

broken and splintered, baby swings were<br />

loose, nails on some of the play wagons<br />

needed to be hammered back in place—evidence<br />

that no manager should take it for<br />

granted that the equipment is being cared<br />

for properly.<br />

Where play equipment is extensive and the<br />

area is large, it is recommended the facilities<br />

be utilized for daytime extra-profit activities.<br />

The drive-in is a wonderful place for birthday<br />

parties or other types of kiddie outings. The<br />

concessions department could cater these affairs.<br />

It is also possible that this type activity<br />

can be developed in cooperation with<br />

church and civic groups. There are any number<br />

of ways to develop this service for profits<br />

and for public relation values.<br />

We wish to point out that the ideas and<br />

thoughts expressed in this study, if properly<br />

instituted, can show favorable results with an<br />

increase in profits. There are tw'o variables,<br />

of great significance, namely, time and<br />

money. We have not, by any means, suggested<br />

any vast extravagances. A number of<br />

the recommendations, however, will cost<br />

money, some more than others. We feel,<br />

though, that in proportion to the capital<br />

worth of a theatre, the suggestions are not<br />

out of line.<br />

Time is important, because results may not<br />

be realized in a short period of time. Some<br />

of the suggestions are long range plans.<br />

."ind, finally, a word of caution: "An idea<br />

not wholeheartedly accepted, supported and<br />

followed through, is an idea not even tried."<br />

144 BOXOFFICE Showmandis June 15, 1957


I Smiley<br />

rp<br />

Geishas Serve Tea<br />

In Colberl's Lobby<br />

Beulah F. Sutton of the advertising department<br />

of Rosenbaum Theatres office<br />

at Florence, Ala., forwarded "with pleasure"<br />

the above photo on a lobby promotion<br />

arranged by Manager Elkins at the Colbert<br />

Theatre in Sheffield, Ala., because, as she<br />

explains, "it was exactly that with the patrons<br />

as well as the management."<br />

Elkins had his usherettes dress in an<br />

oriental attire, with accentuated eyebrows,<br />

chopsticks in their hair, etc., and they<br />

served hot tea at the low table seen in the<br />

photo. The local newspaper publicized the<br />

film as "Hilarious—Year's Best Comedy,"<br />

under a two-column heading. There also<br />

was a street ballyhoo.<br />

In spite of the fact that "Giant" was<br />

showing at other theatres, reports Miss<br />

Sutton, "Teahouse" was satisfactory, indeed,<br />

at the Colbert.<br />

The teabags were donated by the local<br />

Ki'oger store.<br />

Teachers Give 'World' Plug<br />

After Special Showing<br />

Teachers in both public and parochial<br />

schools were special guests of W. J. Towey,<br />

manager of the Strand Theatre, Waterloo,<br />

Iowa, for a Saturday morning screening<br />

of "The Silent World." providing a<br />

topnotch publicity break for the picture.<br />

The teachers were handed hterature on the<br />

picture and in turn, told their students to<br />

be sure to see the picture.<br />

"One teacher at a certain school," Towey<br />

said, "even wrote, 'Go to the Strand Theatre<br />

and see "The Silent World," ' on the<br />

blackboards of all the rooms. Best part<br />

of all is that they didn't erase it immediately,<br />

but let it stay during the entire<br />

engagement."<br />

A Military Show!<br />

Theatre Rewards Safety Patrols<br />

The School Safely Patrol in Au.stin. Tex., became 22 years old this year, willi a<br />

record to be proud of—during all that time not a single child has been killed or in-<br />

.jured at a street crossing where the patrols were on duty. Jeff Wolf, manager of<br />

the Chief Drive-In, one of the four Trans-Texas Theatres units in Austin, suggested<br />

the patrols should be given a "merit award."<br />

Earl Podolnick. Trans-Texas city manager, agreed. The result was the recent<br />

presentation of Merit Award passes, good for admission to the Chief and Burnet<br />

drive-ins and the Capitol and Texas theatres (all Trans-Texas), to 1,465 members<br />

of the safety patrols in 49 elementary and junior high schools of Austin.<br />

Podolnick did not realize the citywide implication of the award when he contacted<br />

the police traffic department for cooperation in setting it up, but it soon appeared<br />

that "this was the most appreciated gesture ever made to the children of<br />

Austin."<br />

•The newspapers, radio and TV stations quickly got behind the theatre proposal,<br />

and soon Podolnick was receiving personal invitations to distribute the award<br />

passes at special assemblies in the schools.<br />

Trans-Texas is expanding the plan. The Merit Award passes (in cellophane.<br />

pocketlx)ok size) can be used continuously until September 1, when they are voided.<br />

Prom then until March 1 will be "another eanring period" for which the eligible<br />

patrol members will receive other passes good until the end of the school year.<br />

From then the process is to be repeated.<br />

"We have made nearly 15.000 children very, very happy and proud of their work,"<br />

comments Podolnick.<br />

New Paint Machine Tied<br />

In 'Carousel' Campaign<br />

Arthur Fitch, manager of the Paramount<br />

in Kentville, N.S., tied in with a local hardware<br />

store to plug the introduction of a<br />

new paint machine developed by B&H<br />

Paint Co., and "Carousel."<br />

Three weeks in advance the store<br />

launched its publicity, with announcements<br />

that the new "Carousel" machine would be<br />

unveiled on the stage of the Paramount.<br />

Good window displays, made up from sixsheets<br />

were placed in the hardware store,<br />

also a local music store two weeks in advance.<br />

Specially prepared cards were<br />

spotted in every downtown window, and a<br />

huge baiuier was suspended across the back<br />

of the theatre and later moved to the<br />

front lobby.<br />

Five days before opening, the hardware<br />

store mailed out 7,000 heralds; also ran a<br />

page ad with a banner headline plugging<br />

th8 pic and the theatre. On opening day<br />

the paint company engaged a comely lass<br />

to be "Miss Carousel," and she appeared<br />

on the stage to announce the winners of a<br />

contest based on lucky numbered heralds<br />

distributed to the audience. A photo of<br />

the gal appeared in the following day's<br />

newspaper.<br />

Encourages Good Grades<br />

Sam Fi-adkoff, manager of the Picfair<br />

Theatre at Beverly Hills, Calif., encourages<br />

the smallfry to get good grades in school.<br />

The Whalley Theatre in suburban New<br />

If a child gets all As and Bs he or she is<br />

Haven, Conn., featured a "Military Holiday<br />

Show" on Memorial<br />

given<br />

E>ay. Frank Ferguson,<br />

promotion chief, stressed the day afternoon kiddy shows. All As gets a<br />

a pass to two weekly Picfair Satur-<br />

line,<br />

"Southern Military vs. West Point," in youngster a pass to four kid performances<br />

newspaper ads for "The Strange One" and which feature adventure films, cartoons,<br />

"The West Point Story."<br />

and are PTA approved.<br />

BOXOFFICE Showmandis 145 —<br />

Co-Op Pass Gimmick<br />

Promoted on 'Allison<br />

A pass giveaway—250 in all—was worked<br />

in on a co-op ad deal by the Liberty Theatre<br />

at New Kensington. Pa., for "Heaven<br />

Knows. Mr. Allison," and plenty of attention<br />

was directed on the film, the participating<br />

merchants, and the Marines. The<br />

deal was good for nearly two co-op pages,<br />

one full and the other shy by a few inches.<br />

The banner lines were: "New Kensington<br />

Wants You to See This Picture . . . Win<br />

Fi-ee Passes to 'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison.'<br />

Total of 150 to be Given Away . . . Count<br />

the number of times the word MARINE or<br />

MARINES appear on this page, and mark<br />

the number here—and bring the entire<br />

page to any one of the merchants listed<br />

below. Each merchant will give away one<br />

free pass to the first 15 presenting the correct<br />

answer."<br />

Ten merchants had ads on the full page,<br />

each giving away 15 passes. Ten other merchants<br />

appeared on the nearly full page,<br />

and each gave away 10 passes.<br />

The film ad occupied a space measuring<br />

7 col. 11 inches on each page. Merchant<br />

copy was<br />

written around the Marines.<br />

Moss From River Frames<br />

Front Displays on 'Tarzan'<br />

Manager B. E. Smiley added a bit of<br />

realism to his front displays on "Tarzan<br />

and the Lost Safari" at the Dixie Theatre<br />

in Scotland Neck, N. C, by raking in some<br />

moss from a nearby river and framing his<br />

displays in the gi-een water vegetation.<br />

forwards a photo of the front<br />

which lacks the sharp definition necessary<br />

for reproduction.)


*<br />

1<br />

BOXOFFICE<br />

BAROMETER<br />

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©Daniel<br />

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Scandal,<br />

I<br />

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I<br />

Above<br />

I Lawless<br />

The Abductors (..)... .Ac .<br />

if Is My Partner (. .) . D.<br />

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D<br />

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. . .D.<br />

FEATURE<br />

CHART<br />

Th« k«y to letters and combinotlons thereof indicating story type: (Ad) Adventure Drama; (Ac) Action<br />

Drama; (An) Animated-Action; (C) Comedy; (CD) Comedy. Drama; (Cr) Crime Dramo; (DM) Dromo<br />

with Music; (Doc) Documentary; (D) Drama; (F) Fantasy; (FC) Farce-Comedy; (Ho) Horror Drama; (Hi)<br />

Historical Drama; (M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (OD) Outdoor Dromo; (SF) Science-Fiction; (W) Western,<br />

REPUBLIC<br />

20TH-FOX<br />

UNITED ARTISTS ^ 1° UNIVERSAL-INT L s<br />

U WARNER BROS<br />

Boone, Trail<br />

Blazer (76) Ad.. 5513<br />

Bruce Benwett, Chaney<br />

Lon<br />

. . . . Inc. (79) D. .5514<br />

Hubert Hutton, Patricia Wright<br />

Is Man Armed<br />

(70) Ac. 5538<br />

Dane Cl.irk, May Wynn<br />

Us the Waves (92) D. .5601<br />

John Mills. John Gregsor<br />

©Accused of Murder<br />

(73) ® 0.5603<br />

David Brian, Vera Ralstojl<br />

1<br />

©Tears for Simon (91) . .0 . .5604<br />

David Farrar, Julia Arnall.<br />

David Knight<br />

J ©The Congress Dances<br />

(90) © IVI..5605<br />

Johanna Matz and German cast<br />

i Duel at Apache Wells<br />

(69) (g) W..5606<br />

Jim Davis, Anna Maria Alberghettl,<br />

Ben Cooper<br />

©Between Heaven and Hell<br />

(94) © D.. 621-3<br />

Robert Wagner, .Mitchell<br />

Cameron<br />

The Black Whip (77) ®.W. .628-8<br />

Hugh Marlowe, (Joleen (Jr»y<br />

©Anastasia (105) ©.... D. .627-0<br />

Ingrld Bergman, Yul Brynner<br />

©The Girl Can't Help It<br />

(99) © M. 629-6<br />

Tom Ewell, Jayne Mansfield<br />

©Oasis (84) © D. .632-0<br />

Michele Morgan, Cornell Borchers<br />

Momtn of Pitcairn Is. (72). D. 631-2<br />

3 Brave Men (89) ©.... D. .701-3<br />

Ray Mllland, Ernest Borgnlne,<br />

Frank Liovejoy, Nina Foch<br />

©Smiley (97) © OD.. 703-9<br />

Ralph Richardson, Oilps Ralferty,<br />

Colin Peterson, John McCallum<br />

©The True Story of Jesse<br />

James (92) OD. .704-7<br />

Robert W.igner, Jeffrey Hunter<br />

©Oh, Men! Oh, Women!<br />

(90) © C. 706-2<br />

Dan Dailey, Ginger Rogers<br />

The Boss (87) D..5641<br />

John Payne, WjiUam Bishop<br />

Attack! (106) D..5540<br />

J,ick Palance, Eddie Albert<br />

Flight to Hong Kong (88) D , . . .<br />

5639<br />

Itory Calhoun, Barbara Rush<br />

Man from Del Rio (85) . .5643<br />

Anthony Qujnn. Katy Jurado<br />

Teenage Rebel (94) ©..CD. 622-1<br />

g] ©A Woman's Devotion<br />

Ginger Kogeis, MIcIiael Rennle ©Sharkfighters (73) ©..Ad.. 5644<br />

(88) D . . 5602 Love Me Tender (90) ©OD.. 624-7 Victor M.ilure, Karen Steele<br />

Ralph Meeker, Janice Rule<br />

Richard Bean, Debra Paget, ©Running Target (83) . . .5642<br />

Elvis Presley<br />

Arthur Franz, Doris Dowliiig<br />

^©Oklahoma! (140) ©..M. 630-4 The Peacemaker (S3) W..5646<br />

Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones<br />

James Mitchell, Rosemarie Bowe<br />

The Desperados Are in Town<br />

Gun the Man Down (78) . .5645<br />

(72) ® W.. 626-2 James Arness, Angle Dickinson<br />

Robert Artliur, Kathy Nolan<br />

©The King & Four Queens<br />

(90) W..5701<br />

Clark G.ible. Eleanor Parker<br />

Dance With Me Henry (80). C. 5650<br />

Bud Abbott, Lou Costello<br />

The Wild Party (82) D. .5648<br />

Anthony Quinn, Carol Olimart<br />

The Brass Legend, (79) . W. .5549<br />

Hu gh O'Brlan, Nancy Gates<br />

Five Steps to Danger (80). My, .5705<br />

Stfrling Haj'den, Ruth Roman<br />

The Halliday Brand (77) . .W. .5703<br />

Joseph Cotleo, Viveca Lindfors<br />

The Big Boodle (83) . . . . Ad. .5704<br />

Errul Fljun, Rossana Rory<br />

Four Boys & a Gun (73) . . Ac .5702<br />

Friuik Sutton, Tarry Green<br />

Drango (91) OD,.5706<br />

Jeff Chandler, Joanne Dru<br />

Tomahawk Trail (60) . . . . W . 5708<br />

John Smith, Susan (^minings<br />

Crime of Passion (84) D..5709<br />

Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Flayden<br />

Men in War (102) D..5712<br />

Robert Rvan, .\ldo Itay<br />

Voodoo Island (78) AD.. 5710<br />

Boris Karloff, Beverly Tyler<br />

Pharaoh's Curse (66) . . . . Ho. .5711<br />

Mark Dana, Ziva Itodann<br />

.<br />

©Pillars of the Sky<br />

(94) © 0D..5630<br />

Jeff Chandler, DoroUiy Malone<br />

©The Unguarded Moment<br />

(95) D..5701<br />

Biither Williams, George Nader<br />

The Mole People (78) . .5702<br />

Jolui Agar, Cynthia Patrick<br />

©Curucu, Beast of the<br />

Amazon (76) Ho. .5703<br />

John Btomfleld, Beverly Garland<br />

©Everything But the Truth<br />

(83) CD. 5704<br />

Maureen 0'Hara,_John Forsythe.<br />

'11m Hovey<br />

©Written on the Wind (99) D. .5705<br />

Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall<br />

©Four Girls in Town<br />

(94) © D..5706<br />

George Nader, Julie Adams<br />

Rock, Pretty Baby (94) . . .M. .5707<br />

Sal Mineo, John Sa.xon<br />

©The Light Touch (S5) . .C. .5783<br />

(Rev. as "Touch and Go" 3-31-66)<br />

Jack Hawkins, Margaret Joluiston<br />

The Great Man (98) 0..5708<br />

Jose Ferrer, Dean. Jagger,<br />

Koenan Wyim, Julie London<br />

M ©Toward the Unknown<br />

(115) D..604<br />

William Holden. Virginia Leltb<br />

©Giant (201) D..606<br />

Elizabeth Taylor, Hudson,<br />

Rock<br />

James Dean, Jane Withers<br />

m Baby Doll (114) CD.. 607<br />

Karl Maiden, Carroll Baker,<br />

Ell Wallach, Mildred Dunnock<br />

IDTop Secret Affair (100). CO.. 609<br />

Susan Hayward, Kirk Douglaa<br />

©The Big Land (93).. W.. 610<br />

a<br />

Alan l-add, Vligtnla Mayo<br />

Hell's Crossroads<br />

I (g)<br />

(73) D..5608<br />

Stephen McNally, Peggie Castle<br />

Spoilers I of the Forest<br />

(68) ® 0D..5609<br />

Veia Ralston, Rod Cameron<br />

fjl The Man in the Road<br />

(83) Ac. 5610<br />

Ella liaine-s Derek Fan-<br />

©Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison<br />

(106) © D..710-'<br />

Deborah Kerr, Robert Mltchum<br />

Spring Reunion (90) . . . .CD. .5715<br />

Betty Hutton. Dana Andrews<br />

Hit and Run (84) D..5718<br />

Cleo Moore, Hugo Haas<br />

©The River's Edge<br />

The Bachelor Party (94) . .5722<br />

(87) © OD. 708-8 l>on Murray. Carol.vn Jones<br />

Itay Mllland, Anthony Qulnn Fury at Showdown (75) . .5719<br />

,j©Boy on a Dolphin<br />

John l)erek, Caroljn Oaig<br />

(111) © D.. 714-6 12 Angry Men (95) D..5723<br />

A. Ladd, C. Webb, S. Loren<br />

Henry Fonda, l«e J. C^ibb<br />

Kronos (78) ® SF. 712-0 The Iron Sheriff (73) . . .W. .5720<br />

Barbara Lawrence, John Emery<br />

Sterlhig Hayden, Constance Ford<br />

She Devil (77) ® Ac. 713-8 ©War Drums (75) 0D..5713<br />

Marl Blanchard. Albert Dekker Lex Barker, Joan T.iylor<br />

Badlands of Montana<br />

(75) ® W.. 716-1 The Ride Back (79) D..5726<br />

©The Restless Breed (81) W.. 718-7 Anthony Quinn. William Conrad<br />

Scott Brady, Anne Bancroft<br />

Bailout at 43,000 (78) . .5727<br />

Way to the Gold (95) © Ad. .717-9 .lohn Payne, Karen Steele<br />

Sherce North, Jeffrey Hunter Monkey on My Back (93) . . D . . 5729<br />

China Gate (96) © Ac. 715-3 Cameron Mitchell, Dlanne Foster<br />

Nat "King" Cole, Gene Barry Gun Duel in Durango (73). W.. 5721<br />

©Desk Set (103) ©... .CD. .719-5 George Montgomery, Ann Robin-<br />

Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn<br />

Wayward Bus (86) ©.... D .720-3<br />

Han Dailey, Jayne Mansfield<br />

Lure of the Swamp<br />

(..) ® Ac. 722-9<br />

Willard Parker, M. Thompson<br />

Two Grooms for a Bride<br />

(.71) C. 705-4<br />

©Island in the Sun<br />

(125) © D.. 721-1<br />

M;ison, J. Fontaine. Belalonte<br />

H.<br />

©Bernardine (..) © C/M.. 723-7<br />

J. Gaynor, P. Boone, T. Moore<br />

Hatful of Rain (..) © D.,<br />

Eva Marie Saint, Don Murray<br />

©An Affair to Remember<br />

( .) © C-D,,<br />

ary Grant, Deborah Kerr<br />

©Revolt at Ft. Laramie<br />

(73) W..5647<br />

Gregg Palmer, Frances Helm<br />

The Delinquents (81) Ac .5714<br />

Tom Lttughlin, Peter MUIer<br />

Sweet Smell of Success<br />

(..) 0..5733<br />

Rnrt Lincaster, Tony Curtis<br />

The Monster That Challenged<br />

the World (83) . . . . Ho. .5735<br />

Saint Joan (110) D.,5732<br />

Kiohard \Vidmaik, -lean Suherg<br />

Bayou (88) Ac.<br />

The Vvipire (..) Ho. .5736<br />

The Big Caper (84) Ac. 5724<br />

©The Pride and the Passion<br />

(..) ® D..<br />

Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, Frank<br />

©Gun for a Coward<br />

(88) © W..5711<br />

Fred MacMurray, Jeffrey Hunter,<br />

Janice Rule, Chill \Wlls<br />

^©BattlB Hymn (111) © D..5712<br />

Rock Hudson, Martha Hyer,<br />

Dan Duryea, Anna Kashfi<br />

©Mister Cory, (92) ©....D..5713<br />

Tony Curtis,<br />

Martha Hyer<br />

e Incredible Shrinking Man<br />

(94) SF,.5715<br />

Grant Williams, R.indy Stuart<br />

The Young Stranger (84) . .D. .5717<br />

(KKO)—James MacArthur, James<br />

Daly, Kim Hunter, James Gregory<br />

Man Afraid (84) © D..5720<br />

George Nader, Tim Hovey, Phyllis<br />

Thixter<br />

The Kettles on Old MacDonald's<br />

Farm (82) C..5721<br />

Marjorle .Main, Fenneily<br />

Parker<br />

©Public Pigeon No 1 (79),. C,<br />

(RKO)..Red Skelton, Janet Blair<br />

©Joe Butterfly (90) © ..C..5723<br />

Audie Murphy, Keenan Wynn, Burgess<br />

Meredith<br />

©Tammy and the Bachelor<br />

(89) © C-D.. 5724<br />

Debbie Reynolds, Leslie Nielsen<br />

©Paris Does Strange Things<br />

1<br />

(86) CD.. 611<br />

Iiigrid Bergman, Mel Ferrer<br />

m


Auo<br />

Nov<br />

. Sep<br />

. Feb<br />

. . .D.<br />

. Apr<br />

. Dec<br />

Jan<br />

May<br />

May<br />

Mar<br />

FEATURE CHART<br />

INDEPENDENT<br />

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL<br />

lANUS<br />

Girls in Prison (87) Ac. Jul 56 Bullfight (76) Doc<br />

Huh, ml lit-iiriiiig. Joan Taylor<br />

English narration<br />

Hot Rod Girl (75) Ac. Jul 56<br />

Lorl Nelson, Jolm Smith<br />

JOSEPH BRENNER ASSOC.<br />

riie She-Creature (77) Ho..Au||56<br />

Drew Pearson Reports on tlie Holy<br />

.M;irla English. Chester Monb<br />

Land (60) Doc.<br />

It Conquered the World (75) .SF. . . . . 56<br />

Peter Graves. Beverly Garland<br />

LOUIS deROCHEMONT<br />

Shake. Rattle and Rock (77) . . . M. .Nov 56 ©Albert Schweitzer (80) Doc. Mar 57<br />

F;its I>omijio. Lisa Gaye<br />

Runaway Daughters (90) D . . Nov 56<br />

.Maria English. Lance Fuller<br />

MOTION PICTURE DIST'RS<br />

QNaked Paradise (SO) Ac Jan 57 ©Oedipus Rex (88) D.. Jan 57<br />

UiclKird Kenning. Beverly Garland<br />

(StratfurJ. (Int., Festival players)<br />

©Flesh & the Spur (80) W. Jan 57 RANK FILM DISTRIBUTORS OF AMER.<br />

John Agar, Maria English<br />

Reach for the Sky (123) D.. Jun 57<br />

Voodoo Woman (75) Ho. .Mar 57 Kenneth Mure. .Muriel Pavlovv<br />

Maila English. Tim Conway<br />

©Checkpoint (82) D. .Jun 57<br />

Undead. The (75) Ho. Mar 57 Anthony Steel. Odile Ver.sois<br />

I'limela Dirncan. Hlchard Garland<br />

©Value for Money (83) Cyi C. Jul 57<br />

Draostrip Girl (75) Ac. Apr 57 Diana Dors. John Greg.son<br />

l'"ay Spain. Steven Terrell<br />

QTriple Deception (85) i» ....D.Jul 57<br />

Rock All Night (75) M. Apr 57 Miiltuj Craig. Julia Arnall<br />

Dick .MUler and the Platters<br />

lOut of tlic Clouds (75) D..Jul 57<br />

ASSOCIATED FILM<br />

,\iiil y Steel. Robert Bcalty<br />

Three Outlaws, The (74) ®235. .W. May 56 Tlie Third Key (83) D.. Jul 57<br />

Neville Brand. Bruce Bennett, .Man Hale .luk llmvkins. Dorothy AILsuri<br />

Frontier Gambler (70) W. Jul 56 TOP PICTURES<br />

John Bromfield, Coleen Gray<br />

Frontier Woman (80) W. Jul 56<br />

Naked Gun. The (70) W.. Nov 56 Cindy C.u-son, Lance Fuller, Amx Kelly<br />

Willard Parker, ,Mara Corday, B. .MacLane<br />

TRANS-LUX<br />

ASTOR<br />

©Dance Little Lady (87) D.. Mar 56<br />

Passport to Treason (70) Md..Jun56 Mai Zellerllng, TereiKe Morgan<br />

Itod Cameron, Uls Maxwell<br />

©Men of Sherwood Forest (77) . .Ad. .Sep 56<br />

Hon Taylor, Eaieen Moore<br />

Hour of Decision (70) D . . Jan 57<br />

Jeff iMorrow. Ilazel Court<br />

Stranger in Town (74) D.. May 57<br />

\\a Nlcol, Colin Tapley. Anne Paige<br />

BUENA VISTA<br />

©Davy Crockett and the River<br />

Pirates (81) Ad .Jul56<br />

Fess Parker. Budd)' Ebsen<br />

©SecreU of Life (70) Doc 56<br />

©Westward Ho, The Wagons<br />

(86) © 0D..Dec56<br />

Fess Parker, Katlileen Crowley<br />

If All the Guys in the World<br />

(95) Ac -May 57<br />

CONTINENTAL<br />

Ship That Died of Shame (79) . .0 . .Sep 56<br />

Richard Attenborough, George Baker<br />

©Secrets of the Reef (72) . . . . Doc .Oct 56<br />

Undersea chonicle<br />

©Love Lottery, The (82) C. Feb 57<br />

l>avid Niven, Peggy Gumming<br />

©Raising a Riot (91) C. May 57<br />

Kenneth .More, Mandy Miller<br />

DCA<br />

©Jedda the Uncivilized (88) . . . .D. .Jun 56<br />

.Narlii Kumogh. Robert TudewaU<br />

Private's Progress (99) C 56<br />

Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price<br />

Woman of Rome (93) D.. Sep 56<br />

GUia Lollobrlelda, Daniel Gclln<br />

Rock, Rock. Rock (85) M.. Dec 56<br />

Alan Freed. Frankle Teenager-<br />

Lymon t<br />

©John and Julie (82) C. Feb 57<br />

Constance Cummings. Hyde-While<br />

WllTred<br />

Colditz Story (97) D.. Feb 57<br />

Jolm Mills. Eric PorLman<br />

Unnatural (90) D. Feb 57<br />

Hildegarde Neff. Stroheim<br />

Eric Von<br />

Widow (87) D.. The Feb 57<br />

Patricia Hoc. Aklm Tamiroff<br />

Gold of Naples (107). .Episode Dr.. Mar 57<br />

Vittorio de Sica. Sllvana Mangano, Sophia<br />

Loren. (lUlian-langii.ige; Bng. titles.)<br />

©Baby and the Battleship (96) . .0. . Mar 57<br />

John Mills. Richard .Utenborough<br />

Bermuda Affair (87) D.. Mar 57<br />

Kim Hunter. Gary Merrill<br />

©Loser Takes All (88) ©. . . CD. Mar 57<br />

(Jlynis Johns. Kossano Brazzi<br />

Hell in Korea (82) D. Apr 57<br />

Stanley Baker. George Baker<br />

©Don Giovanni (157) Opera Film. Apr 57<br />

Cesare Siepl. Lisa DcUa Casa<br />

Battle Hell (112) D. May 57<br />

(Formerly "Yangtze Incident "i<br />

Richard Todd. Aklm Tamirolf<br />

EDEN<br />

One Way Ticket to Hell (65) . . . . D . 56<br />

Non-profesaional cast<br />

©Man of Africa (75) OD..<br />

Frederick Bijuerecda. Violet Mukahuerza<br />

EMBASSY<br />

Monsters<br />

Godzilla. King of the<br />

(80) Ho Apr 56<br />

Raymond Burr. Japanese ca.st<br />

(Bngliib dialog and narritioo)<br />

JACON<br />

Rosanna (72) D. Jun 56<br />

Koasana Podesta, Qox .Uvarado<br />

(Dubbed tai English)<br />

Midnight Episode (78) C. .Aug 56<br />

Stanley llolloaay, Leslie Dwycr<br />

Forbidden Cargo (83) Ac. .Sep 56<br />

Nigel Patrick, Elizabeth SeUirs<br />

Lovers and Lollipops (85) CD. .Apr 56<br />

Ix)ri March, Gerald O'Uughlin<br />

WOOLNER BROS.<br />

©Swamp Women (75) D . 56<br />

Beverly (larhuid, Marie Windsor. C. .MatJiews<br />

REISSUES<br />

ALLIED ARTISTS<br />

Rose Bowl Story. The (73) D . 56<br />

Marshall llionipsun. Vera Miles,<br />

Nalaiio Wood<br />

BUENA VISTA<br />

Cinderella (75) An.. Feb 57<br />

COLUMBIA<br />

©Ten Tall Men (97) Ad.. Nov 56<br />

Hurt Lancaster. Jodv Lawrance<br />

Rogues of Sherwood FVest (80) .Ad. . Nov 56<br />

Juhn Dereli. Diana Lynn. Alan Hale<br />

MGM<br />

Tale of Two Cities (128) D.. Nov 56<br />

lion.ild Colman. Elizabeth Allan<br />

Mutiny on the Bounty (133) . .Dec 56<br />

diaj-Ies Laughton. Clark Gable<br />

Green Dolphin Street (141) . . . . D . 57<br />

Lana Turner. Van Ueflin. Doiuia Reed<br />

Boys Town (96) D.. Jan 57<br />

Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney<br />

Gaslight (114) D . . Apr 57<br />

Ingrid Bergman, (Jiarles Boyer<br />

Postman Always Rings Twice, The<br />

(114) D.. Apr 57<br />

l,an.i Turner. Jotin Garfield<br />

The Bride Goes Wild (98) C Jun 57<br />

.tune Allysun, Van Jolinsuii<br />

Our Vines Have Tender Grapes<br />

(106) D. .Jun 57<br />

Edward (J. Hobinson. Margaret O'Brien<br />

PARAMOUNT<br />

©For Whom the Bell Tolls (130) D.. May 57<br />

(iary Cooper. Ingrid Bergman. A. Tamiroff<br />

REPUBLIC<br />

The Red Pony (89) D.. Apr 57<br />

Robert Mitdium. Myrna Loy, L. Caihem<br />

The Woman They Almost Lynched<br />

(90) D.. Apr 57<br />

Juhn Lund. Audrey Totter. B. Donievy<br />

©The Quiet Man (129) ...... CD. . 57<br />

20th-FOX<br />

Rebecca (127) D.. Oct 56<br />

Laurence Olivier. Joan Fontaine<br />

UNIVERSAL-INT'L<br />

Killers, The (102) O.Sep 56<br />

Burt LaJicasler. Ava Gardner.<br />

Edmond O'Brien<br />

Sleeping City. The (85) My. Sep 56<br />

Richird Conte. Coleen Cray. Alex Nicul<br />

yi^ARNER BROS.<br />

©East of Eden (U5) D.. Mar 57<br />

J,im.-.s Dean. Julie Harris. Jo Van Fleet<br />

©Rebel Without a Cause (111) . . D. . 57<br />

James Dcm. Natalie Wood, Sal .Mlnco<br />

Jim Thorpe, Ail-American (105) . . D. .May 57<br />

Burt Lancaster, Charles Blckford<br />

The Winning Team (98) D. May 57<br />

Doris Day, lion&ld Reagan, F. L,OTejoy<br />

Bright Leaf (110) D . . May 57<br />

Gary Cooper, Laureo Baeall<br />

The West Point Story (107) .. . D. . 57<br />

James (^agney, V. ^layo, Doris Day<br />

Strangers on a Train (101) D. .May 57<br />

Farley Granger, Ruth Roman<br />

Young Man With a Horn (101) . .0. .May 57<br />

Kirk Douglas. Lauren Bacill, Doris Day<br />

FOREIGN FEATURES.<br />

Forei9n-langua90 productions by notive country listed olphebetlcolly<br />

by title, followed by running time. Dote shown is Issue of BOXOFFICE<br />

in which review appeared. Nome of distributor is in parenthasei.<br />

ARGENTINA


May<br />

Oct<br />

.Jun<br />

May<br />

KhORTS chart :;<br />

^^^^<br />

Short subjects, listed by company, in order of releose. Running time follows title. First<br />

nth, second the dote of review in BOXOFFICE. Symbol between dotes is roting from BOXOFFICE<br />

review, ff Very Good. + Good, rt Fair. — Poor. = Very Poor. Photogrophy: Color and process as sp ecifie d.<br />

BUEHA<br />

ViSTA<br />

LIVE-ACTION FEATHRETTES<br />

(In Color)<br />

(20)..Jun57 006S Wetback Hound H 5-25<br />

00o9 The Story of Auybura,<br />

U.S.A. (10)<br />

0049 Samoa (31) (4-rcel)<br />

WALT DISNEY CLASSICS<br />

(Technicolor Reissues)<br />

74101 Hockey Champ (7)..Aub56<br />

at 74102 PUito the Zoo (8) Aua 56<br />

74103 Donald's Tire Trouble<br />

(7) Sep 56<br />

74104 Purloined Pup (7). Oct 56<br />

74105 BiHiioiters (8) Oct 56<br />

74106 Pluto's Playmate Nov 56<br />

(8)<br />

74107 Donald's' Snow Fight<br />

(7) Dec56<br />

Society 74108 Dob Show<br />

(g) Dec 56<br />

Donald's 74109 Gold Mine<br />

(7) Jan 57<br />

74110 T-Bonc for Two (7). .Feb57<br />

of 74111 Dumbcll th« Yukon<br />

(7) M»r57<br />

74112 Bone Trouble (9).. Mar 57<br />

74113 Window Cleaners (8'/2><br />

COLUMBIA<br />

ALL-STAR COMEDIES<br />

1475 Paidon My NiohUhirt<br />

(I6I/2) Nov 56 + 1<br />

ASSORTED FAVORITES<br />

1421 Clunked in the Clink<br />

(16) Sep 56<br />

1422 When the Wife's Away<br />

(17) Oct 56<br />

1423 She Took a Powder<br />

(I6I/2) Dec 56<br />

1424 Nervous Shakedown<br />

(151/2) J'" 57<br />

1425 A M«s in a Mess<br />

(I51/2) Feb 57<br />

1426 Hot Heir (161/2)..- Apr 57<br />

CANDID MICflOPHONE<br />

(One-' Reissues)<br />

1551 Subiect 3, 3cr,a 3<br />

(10/2) Sep 56<br />

1552 Subject 4, Series 3<br />

(11) Dec 56<br />

1553 Subject 5, Series 3<br />

(IOI/2) Jan 57<br />

1554 Subject 6, Series 3<br />

(10) Mar 57<br />

1555 Subject 1, Series 4<br />

(10) May 57<br />

CAVALCADE OF BROADWAY<br />

(Reissues)<br />

1951 Cafe Society (11) . . . .Sep 56<br />

1952 Blue Aooel (IOI/2) . . . Nov 56<br />

1953 Village Barn (I01/2) Dec 56<br />

. .<br />

1954 Leon & Eddie's (11). Feb 57<br />

1955 The Versailles (11).. Feb 57<br />

19S5 The China Doll (11) Apr 57<br />

CINEMASCOPE FEATURETTES<br />

(Technicolor)<br />

8441 Vi/ntiilers of Manhattan<br />

(16) Feb 56-1+<br />

8442 April In Portugal (20). Apr 56<br />

(1956-57)<br />

1441 Wonders of New Orleans<br />

(19) Jan 57<br />

1442 Wonders of Washington.<br />

D. C. (18) Apr 57 4+<br />

Arrivedcrci Roma Jun 57<br />

1443 (19)<br />

COLOR FAVORITES<br />

(Technicolor Reissues)<br />

1601 Leave Us Chase It<br />

(6i,'2) Sep 56<br />

1602Toi)sy Turkey (6/2) .. .Oct 56<br />

1603 Silent Tweitnjcnt<br />

(6I/2) Nov 56<br />

1604 Coo-Coo Bi'd Dog (6) Nov 56<br />

1605 Concerto in B-Flat<br />

Mijior (8) Dec 56<br />

Robin Hoodlums Jan 57<br />

1606 (7)..<br />

1607 Fowl Brawl (6) Feb 57<br />

1608 Magic Fluke (7).... Feb 57<br />

1609 Cat-Ta5tro(jhv (6) ... Apr 57<br />

1610 Punchy De Leon (61/2) Apr 57<br />

1611 Wacky Quacky (6)... May 57<br />

1612 Grape Nutty (6) Jun 57<br />

1613 Swing, Monkey, Swing<br />

(8) Jun 57<br />

COMEDY FAVORITES<br />

1431 Scooper Dooper (18).. Oct 56<br />

1432 Jiggers, My Wifel (IS) Nov 56<br />

1433 Sheepish Wolf (171/2).Dec56<br />

1434 Wiiere the Pest Begins<br />

C17) Jan 57<br />

1435 Stage Frights (IS)... Mar 57<br />

1436 Rlr. Wright Goes Wrong<br />

(19) Jun 57<br />

MR. KAGOO CINEMASCOPE SPECK<br />

1751 Trailblazer Magoo (6). Sep 56<br />

1752 Magoo's Problem Child<br />

(6) Oct 56<br />

1753 Meet Mother Magoo<br />

(6/a) Dec 56 +<br />

1754 Magoo Goes Overboard<br />

(S) Feb 57 -f<br />

1755 Matador Wagoo (6) . .May 57 -j-<br />

1756 M.igoo Breaks Par<br />

(. .) Jun 57<br />

SCREEN SNAPSHOTS<br />

1851 Hollywood Stars at a<br />

Parly O'/j) Dec 56<br />

Hollywood Star 1S52 Night<br />

(lU) Feb 57<br />

1853 Waif International Ball<br />

(9) Mar57<br />

1854 The Walter WInchell<br />

Party (9) Apr 57<br />

Meet the Photoplay<br />

1855<br />

Winners (..).... May 57<br />

lS65Mocambo Party (..).. Jun 57<br />

SERIALS (15 Chapters)<br />

8120 The Sea Hound Sep 55<br />

8140 Perils of the Wilderness. Jan 56<br />

8160 Monster & the Ape... Apr 56<br />

8180 Blazing the Overland<br />

Trail Aug 56<br />

Hop Harrigan Nov 56<br />

1120<br />

Bill 1140 Congo Mar 57<br />

1160 The Green Archer Jun 57<br />

STOOGE COMEDIES<br />

(1956-57)<br />

1401 Hot Stuff (16) Sep 56<br />

1402 Scheming Schemers<br />

(16) Oct 56<br />

1403 Commotion on the<br />

Ocean (17) Nov 56<br />

1404 Hoofs & Goofs (I51/2) Jan 57<br />

1405 Muscle Up a Little<br />

Closer (17) Feb 57<br />

1406 A Merry Mix-up (16). Mar 57<br />

1407 Space Ship Sappy (16) Apr 57<br />

1468 Guns A-poppin' (..) Jun 57<br />

WORLD OF SPORTS<br />

1801 Asphalt Playground<br />

(10) Oct 56<br />

1802 Midget Musclcmen<br />

(9/2) Nov 56<br />

1803 Tee Topnotchers (10) Dec 56<br />

1S04 Sharpshootin' Sportsmen<br />

(9) Jan 57<br />

1805 Flying Horses (9) . . . . Feb 57<br />

1806 Winged Fury (IQi/j) . . Apr 57<br />

1807 Panama Playland (..) May 57<br />

1M7<br />

12-15<br />

11-17<br />

12-15<br />

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER<br />

CINEMASCOPE CARTOONS<br />

C-831 Muscle Beach Tom (7) Sep 56 -f 7-21<br />

C 832 Millionaiie Droopy (7) Sep 56 + 7-21<br />

C-S33 Downbeat Bear (7)... Oct 56 -f 7-21<br />

C-834 Blue Cat Blues (7) Nov 56 -f 2-9<br />

. .<br />

C-840 Grin & Share It (7)<br />

C-841 Feedin' the Kiddie<br />

(8) Jun 57 6- 8<br />

C-S4? Scat Cats


ALLIED ARTISTS<br />

Crashing Las Vegas iAA)^Leo<br />

Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Mary Castle.<br />

I do'nt know about you guys, but<br />

I am tired out at seeing these<br />

boys and for the first time they<br />

failed to draw. I didn't think this<br />

one came up to "Dig That Uranium"<br />

at all. Played Wed.<br />

Weather: Very nice. — Harry<br />

Hawkinson, Orpheum Theatre,<br />

MarietU, Minn. Pop. 380.<br />

COLUMBIA<br />

Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado<br />

(Col)—Howard Duff, Victor Jory.<br />

Maggie Mahoney. We were late<br />

running this good western, but<br />

did not hurt business. Outdrew<br />

it<br />

some of the new ones. I would<br />

if suggest, you haven't shown<br />

this yet, play it by all means, and<br />

advertise to the limit. Played<br />

Fri.. Sat. Weather: Warm.—L.<br />

Brazil Jr., New Theatre, Bearden,<br />

Ark. Pop. 961.<br />

Eddy Duchin Story, The (Col)<br />

—Tyrone Power, Kim Novak,<br />

James Whitmore. 'What a story!<br />

What color! What music! But<br />

what a boxoffice. Guess these<br />

people never heard of Duchin<br />

and they sui-e did not hear him<br />

here. Played Sun., Mon. Weather:<br />

Fair.—Joe and Mildred Faith,<br />

Linn Theatre, Linn, Mo. Pop. 758.<br />

My Sister Eileen ( Col )—Janet<br />

Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Betty Garrett.<br />

I guess this picture is good,<br />

but it just didn't jeU here. I<br />

thought it was good, but apparently<br />

my patrons thought differ-<br />

;; ently, because not too many of<br />

them turned out to see it. We did<br />

have strong opposition both<br />

nights, which perhaps didn't help<br />

too much. However, I think it<br />

would not be a very strong drawing<br />

card anyway Played Fri.. Sat.<br />

Weather: Good.—F. L. Murray,<br />

Strand Theatre, Spiritwood, Sask.<br />

Tall T, The (Col)—Randolph<br />

Scott, Maureen O'SuUivan. Richard<br />

Boone. Ju.st another Randolph<br />

Scott western. Our people<br />

don't think much more of him<br />

than folks used to think of Gene<br />

Aulry and Roy Rogers, and the<br />

story is always the same one,<br />

with little variations. Would make<br />

a good weekend double bill if<br />

Columbia didn't want too much<br />

for them to double bill. Played<br />

Tues., Wed.. Thurs. Weather:<br />

B.<br />

Rain.-Mickey and Penny Harris.<br />

rolled in the aisles when Jerry<br />

BUENA VISTA<br />

Wakea Theatre, New Boston,<br />

Pop. 2.688.<br />

said he was going to milk the<br />

cow and her milk would be warm<br />

Tex.<br />

Cinderella iBV)—Reissue. Animated<br />

because she had been out in the<br />

feature. Believe the job<br />

hot sun all day. Played weekend.<br />

of TV advertising which Disney One of Best<br />

Weather: Cool.—Sam Holmberg,<br />

gives his movies should prove<br />

Regal Theatre, Sturgis, Sask.<br />

"The Spirit of St. Louis" is<br />

that it does pay off. Any Disney<br />

Leather Saint, The (Para) —<br />

excellent. James Stewart does<br />

movie does a nice business here,<br />

such a wonderful job that he<br />

Paul Douglas, John Derek, Jody<br />

even a rerelease. such as this one.<br />

Lawrance. Running it about 17th<br />

seems like Lindbergh himself.<br />

The children love it, teenagers<br />

run in the county on a solo, even<br />

This is one of the best pictures<br />

have played in several<br />

bear it, some adults come with<br />

though it was bank night, gave<br />

I<br />

their chUdren. Played Sun.. Mon.<br />

this nice famUy feature more of<br />

years. Terms are high on this<br />

and<br />

a hurdle than it deserved. Business<br />

one. but I believe worth it. Did<br />

Weather; Rain. — Mickey<br />

Penny Harris. Wakea Theatre,<br />

was about as so-so as usual<br />

in several<br />

the best business<br />

New Boston, Tex. Pop. 2.688.<br />

for these less than lush times.<br />

months.<br />

Song of the South tBVi—Reissue.<br />

Ruth Warrick, Luana Pat-<br />

Butler Theatre<br />

My goodness, I just recollected<br />

W.WNE GOODWIN<br />

It's nice to have folks praise a<br />

prize fight story for a change.<br />

Bobby Driscoll. Zlp-pa-deedoo-da,<br />

Ind.<br />

this stUl sets my tired<br />

ten, Butler,<br />

this bucked graduation night and<br />

Memorial night, so it's more of a<br />

old heart asingin'. The years<br />

haven't dimmed the color or unzip-pa-dee-doo-daed<br />

the songs Bad Day at Black Rock (MGM)<br />

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER brawler than I realized. Played<br />

Wed., Thurs. Weather: Nice. —<br />

Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre,<br />

and from the booth it shows up —Spencer Ti'acy, Robert Ryan,<br />

Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463.<br />

as still Mr. Disney's greatest. I Anne Pi-ancis. Ran this in the<br />

Rainmaker, The (Para) — Burt<br />

liked it the first time last week of school, so just threw<br />

best,<br />

Wendell Corey. Very good.<br />

shows seemed when<br />

though. Sure is funny how much the doors open for all school kids, Lancaster, Katharine Hepburn,<br />

Fine<br />

vacation show," but still<br />

there were customers. This just had a pretty good gross from<br />

and Katharine<br />

southwest,<br />

barely made its way and in no adults. A good show. Played Wed.,<br />

better all a "free<br />

performances by Burt Laneaster<br />

Hepburn. The<br />

way helped make up for the last Thurs. Weather: Rain.—Joe and story takes place in the<br />

but still will not completely<br />

horrible beating I had from a Mildred Faith, Linn Theatre,<br />

satisfy<br />

Disney show. One more<br />

your western fans. The<br />

like it Linn, Mo. Pop. 758.<br />

and somebody's either gonna get<br />

adults will enjoy this much more<br />

Julie (MGM)—Doris Day, Louis<br />

cheaper or he's gonna get<br />

than the kids and teenagers.<br />

left<br />

Jourdan, Barry Sullivan. This is<br />

out again. Playd Sun., Mon.<br />

Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather:<br />

a very good show and everytime<br />

Weather: Lovely. — Bob Walker,<br />

Good.—Wayne Goodwin, Butler<br />

I've played MGM product I've<br />

Theatre, Butler, Ind.<br />

Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo.<br />

had good crowds, as it this was<br />

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide June 15, 1957<br />

time. Tlris .show held my patrons'<br />

attention every minute. Some,<br />

however, said the excitement came<br />

at the end. If you have not<br />

played it, give it a try. Played<br />

Sat., Sun. Weather: Very nice.—<br />

Harry Hawkinson, Orpheum Theatre.<br />

Marietta, Minn. Pop. 380.<br />

Opposite Sex, The (MGM) —<br />

June AUyson, Joan Collins, Dolores<br />

Gray. It is a darn good<br />

show, but did not do as well as<br />

expected. Sure does please the<br />

ladies, though. Played Tues.,<br />

Wed., Thurs. Weather: Okay.—<br />

W. L. Stratton, Lyric Theatre.<br />

Chains, Ida. Pop. 728.<br />

Ransom! (MGM)—Glenn Ford,<br />

Donna Reed. Robert Keith.<br />

Highly dramatic. Good adult entertainment.<br />

Suspense, all they<br />

XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY<br />

Hollywood or Bust (Para) —<br />

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Anita<br />

Ekberg, Why these boys had to<br />

split up, I guess they only know,<br />

but they sure were money in the<br />

pocket for us, anyway. They<br />

seemed to bring better crowds<br />

with every picture, but maybe<br />

Lewis will do okay on his own. In<br />

our opinion, this was their best.<br />

Laughs by the dozen, with Jerry's<br />

good corn charm. They darn near<br />

REPUBLIC<br />

Roogie's Bump (Rep) —Robert<br />

Marriot, Ruth Warrick, Robert<br />

Simon. The way they laughed at<br />

the trailer I was tempted to ask<br />

the city for a policeman to help<br />

me keep the crowds from smashing<br />

the boxoffice. Guess they<br />

got enough fun out of the trailer,<br />

for the lines never did form. This<br />

is a cute, though at times woefully<br />

draggy, little time killer.<br />

Doubled with "Idaho" to about<br />

average business. Reminds me of<br />

some of the nice little living<br />

room shows I've watched the fewtimes<br />

I've been trapped in a<br />

friend's TV dungeon. Played<br />

Fri., Sat. Weather: Nice. — Bob<br />

Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita,<br />

Colo. Pop. 1,463.<br />

lABOUT PICTURESi<br />

its own more than most have<br />

been doing. Played Sun., Mon.<br />

Weather: Showers.—Bob Walker,<br />

Uintah Theatre, Fruita, Colo.<br />

Desperados ."^re in Town, The<br />

(20th-Foxi — Robert Ai-thur,<br />

Kathy Nolan, Rhys WiUiams.<br />

They must havs been in town<br />

and forbidden everyone to go to<br />

the show. A straight run-of-themill<br />

western with no name stars<br />

for drawing power. In our opinion,<br />

P.N.P this one if you bought<br />

it. We doubled this with a Roy<br />

Rogers, "Sunset in the West."<br />

Rogers must have been away too<br />

long, as he didn't draw any kids<br />

either.—Sam Holmberg, Regal<br />

Theatre, Sturgis, Sask. Pop. 640.<br />

Love Me Tender (20th-Fox) —<br />

Richard Egan, Debra Paget, Elvis<br />

Pi-esley. Everybody laughs at<br />

him and he laughs all the way<br />

to the bank. So did we. They<br />

may ridicule him, but the point<br />

is they come to see him. More<br />

boys than girls. Played Sun., Mon.<br />

Weather: Pair.—Joe and Mildred<br />

Faith, Linn Theatre, Linn,<br />

Mo. Pop. 758.<br />

Three Brave Mei> (20th-Fox)—<br />

Ray Milland, Ernest Borgnine,<br />

Frank Lovejoy. Nice show, but<br />

the poorest grossM- in ages and<br />

ages. It would be a good .show to<br />

let some group sponsor. It just<br />

didn't sell by itself. Played<br />

Thurs., Fri.. Sat. Weather: Warm.<br />

—Jim Fi-aser, Auditorium Theatre.<br />

Red Wing, Minn.<br />

Three Young Texans (20th-<br />

Fox)—Mitzi Gaynor, Keefe Brasselle,<br />

Jeffrey Hunter. Fair western<br />

in color. Scenery and color<br />

good, story a little weak, but the<br />

young fry loved it and the older<br />

fry didn't complain. Drew very<br />

well it<br />

considering the chance<br />

had with cold and rainy weather.<br />

I have only played this one night<br />

as yet, but we liked it here and<br />

you won't go wrong with this one.<br />

Not big, but at least entertaining<br />

to all except the high brows.<br />

—F. L. Murray, Strand Theatre,<br />

Spiritwood, Sask. Pop. 355.<br />

Wonderiul<br />

It's<br />

One of the best of this or<br />

any other year, "Heaven<br />

Knows, Mr. Allison" is original<br />

and wonderful. By far<br />

the best thing Mitchum has<br />

ever done. The people liked<br />

this one very much and told<br />

others about it. This is what<br />

it takes to have a hit nowadays.<br />

We are giving this one a<br />

second run soon.<br />

could ask for. Glenn Ford well<br />

ED SCHOENTH,\L<br />

liked. Business good. Played Fri.,<br />

Sat., Sun.—Frank E. Sabin, Majestic<br />

Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Bus Stop (20th-Fox)—Marilyn<br />

20th CENTURY-FOX Empress Theatre<br />

Fremont, Neb.<br />

Monroe, Don Murray, Arthur O'-<br />

PARAMOUNT<br />

Connell. Stop right where you UNITED ARTISTS<br />

Far Horizons, The (Para) — are. Marilyn, you done got yourself<br />

another captive! I've panned<br />

12 Angry Men (UA) — Henry<br />

Fred MacMurray, Charlton Heston.<br />

Donna Reed. This show drew this gal for all I'm worth, but<br />

Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley.<br />

One of the best and most human<br />

a very good crowd and the show after each picture I get to feeling<br />

pictures of the year, or of any<br />

was very well liked. You almost more sheepish. I gotta admit it's<br />

other year. Those who saw it<br />

have to give Paramount a little off-screen tactics that get<br />

were most enthusiastic, but the<br />

credit for the clear and sharp picture<br />

which always seems to go<br />

After this little<br />

with VistaVision. Very beautiful<br />

scenery also. Played Wed.<br />

Weather: Rain.—Harry Hawkinson.<br />

Orpheum Theatre, Marietta, well. She to be actress!<br />

Minn. Pop. 380.<br />

We didn't bank a lot, but it held (Continued on following page)<br />

her<br />

me so het up. title is very misleading. Most<br />

job, I gotta admit the gal really<br />

people thought it a western from<br />

can act. She's wonderful in this<br />

the title. — Kenneth M. Gorham,<br />

and no blond could be dumb Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury,<br />

enough to play a dumb blond so<br />

Vt. Pop. 3,614.<br />

had an


'<br />

'iitiiuied<br />

Manson<br />

.Times<br />

.Tohan<br />

EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY<br />

from preceding page)<br />

UNIVERSAL-INTERNAT'L<br />

All That Heaven Allows lU-I)<br />

—Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson,-<br />

Agnes Moorehead. When you<br />

have Jane Wyman and Rock<br />

Hudson, what more can you ask.<br />

A very good picture with color<br />

that pleased all who came, but<br />

weather was against us. We were<br />

sure glad that we played it. With<br />

this combination of these two<br />

stars, it's bound to be good. A<br />

great pictm-e from a great company<br />

that pulls through with<br />

darn near every pictm-e good for<br />

the small town. Played weekend.<br />

Weather: Cold. —Sam Holmberg,<br />

Regal Theatre, Sturgis, Sask.<br />

Battle Hymn (U-I) — Rock<br />

Hudson, Martha Hyer, Dan Duryea.<br />

A wonderful movie with<br />

many comments about what a<br />

truly outstanding show this is.<br />

Didn't do big business due to<br />

being end of school week, but<br />

everyone who came enjoyed it.<br />

Played Sun., Mon.—Mickey and<br />

Penny Harris, Wakea Theatre,<br />

New Boston, Tex. Pop. 2,688.<br />

Brave One, The (U-I i—Michel<br />

Ray, Rodolfo Hoyos, Elsa Cardenas.<br />

Original, different, heartwarming<br />

entertainment, deserving<br />

it<br />

the Academy Award re-<br />

ceived as the best story. It will<br />

entertain any group. Quality<br />

merchandise. Hard to sell, but<br />

you can guarantee that the folks<br />

will like it. Played Thurs., Fi-i.,<br />

Sat. Weather: Fair.— Ed Schoenthal.<br />

Empress Theatre, Fremont,<br />

Neb. Pop. 14,762.<br />

Female on the Beach (U-I)—<br />

Joan Crawford, Jeff Chandler,<br />

Jan Sterling. I guess everyone<br />

liked this one all right. It must<br />

be awfully old, though, and I<br />

know that as soon as I get caught<br />

up with U-I, I'll be minus one<br />

company. This show pleased the<br />

adults and I think probably the<br />

women went for it more than the<br />

men. Business was good. Played<br />

Wed. Weather: Rainy. — Harry<br />

Hawkinson, Orpheum Theatre,<br />

Marietta, Minn. Pop. 380.<br />

Four Girls in Town (U-I) —<br />

George Nader, Julie Adams, Sydney<br />

Chaplin. Good enough show,<br />

but didn't draw. Played Wed.,<br />

Thurs. Weather: Good. — Mel<br />

Danner, Circle Theatre, Waynoka,<br />

it. A really good story, also.<br />

Play it. You can make dough off<br />

it if bought middle bracket. Played<br />

weekend. Weather: Good. —<br />

Sam Holmberg, Regal Theatre,<br />

Sturgis, Sask. Pop. 640.<br />

Star in the Dust (U-Ii — John<br />

Agar, Mamie Van Doren, Richard<br />

Boone. A nice little colored timekiller<br />

that I don't suppose has<br />

gotten anyone under a marquee<br />

Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall,<br />

Robert Stack. This is a great<br />

movie. It's not for kids, but the<br />

adults sure did get a bang out of<br />

it. It fell flat for me, but had<br />

played all around me and so was<br />

not the fault of the picture. It<br />

was just great! Played Sun., Mon.<br />

Weather: Partly cloudy and wet.<br />

—Victor Weber, Center Theatre,<br />

Kensett, Ark. Pop. 1,000.<br />

WARNER BROS.<br />

Baby Doll (WBi-Karl Maiden,<br />

Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach.<br />

We got stung, but I am sure the<br />

customers got stung worse. The<br />

worst picture we have played in<br />

many a moon. Sure wish they<br />

had banned it in Saskatchewan.<br />

Played midweek. Weather: Cool.<br />

—Sam Holmberg, Regal Theatre,<br />

Sturgis, Sask. Pop. 640.<br />

Our Miss Brooks (WB)—Eve<br />

Arden, Gale Gordon, Don Porter.<br />

Just the usual Our Miss Brooks.<br />

This program came over the air<br />

sometime ago, but is now taken<br />

off, at least in Canada. This was<br />

one of the most appreciated programs<br />

on the ail', and believe<br />

me, it was just the same as a<br />

picture. Good old Eve Arden. She<br />

has brought us many an enjoyable<br />

evening in the years her<br />

program came over the air, and<br />

now finally made me some<br />

money to pay off the mortgage.<br />

Thanks to Warners, this was better<br />

than a lot of their bigger<br />

ones. Gross 140 per cent. Played<br />

Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. —<br />

P. L. Mui-ray, Strand Theatre,<br />

Spiritwood, Sask. Pop. 355.<br />

Santiago (WB) — Alan Ladd,<br />

Rossana Podesta, Lloyd Nolan.<br />

Wow! This junk just left on the<br />

film truck and sure am glad.<br />

As long as I have been in the<br />

business I have not hit a poor<br />

weekend picture like this. I didn't<br />

think Ladd would let us down,<br />

but I guess he just got a poor<br />

picture. No business and a very<br />

poor picture. Played Sat., Sun.<br />

Weather: Warm. — Harry Hawkinson,<br />

Orpheum Theatre, Marietta,<br />

Minn. Pop. 380.<br />

Searchers, The (WB) —John<br />

Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera<br />

Miles. No picture you can run<br />

FOREIGN FEATURES DIGEST<br />

n olphobeticol index by country of origin and by title of current<br />

ireign-mode product, together with on interpretotive onolysis of Icy ond<br />

odepress reviews. Symbols ond terminology ore the some os those<br />

nployed in REVIEW DIGEST. Except where specified, fort<br />

Ims carry English titles.<br />

ARGENTINA<br />

ilillli<br />

Dark River (90) Melodrama Times 4-28-56 ± ++ 3+1-<br />

AUSTRIA<br />

± + 6+1-<br />

©Don Juan (85) Opera film Times 7-7-56-+ + tt<br />

BRITAIN<br />

Anjel Who Pawned Her Ham (73) Com...Dom'nt 4-28-56 -f ± + ± 4+2—<br />

Drama Kingsley 10- 1-55 + 8-t-<br />

Court Martial (105) +<br />

©Dance Little Lady (87) Melodr Trans-Lux 12-24-55 +<br />

-H-<br />

±<br />

-H-<br />

+<br />

-H-<br />

+ -H 6+1—<br />

His Excellency (84) Drama Brenner 4-28-56 ± ± + 3+2-<br />

©John and Julie (82) Comedy-Dr Dominant 12- 8-56 + + 5+<br />

+ ++<br />

Farthings, ©Kid Two A (91) C-D....Lopcrt 4-28-56+ +f 10+<br />

+ (+ for<br />

©Make Me an Offer (88) Comedy Dominant 4-7-56+<br />

-H<br />

± ±<br />

-H-<br />

+ -1+ 6+2-<br />

©Richard III (152) ® Shakes. Drama Lopert 3-17-56 ff + !+++++ ++11+<br />

©Wee Geordie (94) Comedy Times 11-10-56 + + + + tt tt 8+<br />

FRANCE<br />

Adorable Creatures (108) Comedy. .. Confl Dis 1-14-56+ ± ++ ± + 6+2-<br />

DiaboliQue (107) Horror-Drama UMPO 3- 3-56 (+ ± -H + -H 10+1-<br />

++<br />

Doctors, The (92) Drama Kingiley 1- 5-57 ± ± + •(+ 5+2—<br />

Fruits of Summer (102) Comedy Ellis 8-11-56+ ± + + ± — 5+3-<br />

' ++ + + - 5+1-<br />

Gamc of Love, The (108) Drama Times 2-19-55+<br />

©Grand Maneuver, The (107) Rom. UMPO 12- 8-56 + Comedy + + ++ -H 7+<br />

Heartbreak Ridge (86) Documentary-Dr Tudor 6-11-55+ + -H- 14 + 7+<br />

Holiday for Henrietta (103) Farce-Corn... Ardee 5-21-55+ + + ++++ + S+<br />

Inside Girls a Dormitory (100) Mystery Ellis 11-17-56 ± -H 3+1—<br />

La Sorcicre (97) Drama Ellis 3-9-57+ + 6+<br />

+ 4+ +<br />

Letters From My Windmill 4-21-56+ tt + -H -H- 9+<br />

Comedy (116)<br />

©My 7 Little Sins (98) Comedy/Songs. Kingsley 6-23-56 ± + +<br />

+<br />

+ + (+ 7+1-<br />

One Step to Eternity (94) Drama Ellis 1-28-56+ ± + + 4+1-<br />

©Only the French Can (93) Cos. Musical., UMPO 8-4-56+ ++ ± + ++ 7+1-<br />

©Pantaloons (93) Comedy Satire UMPO 5-4-57+ ++ + ++6+<br />

Papa. the (94) Col. -ft Mama, Maid & Com., Infl 11-10-56 + + 6+<br />

I tt<br />

Proud and the Beautiful (94) Drama. .., Kingsley 9-1-56++ + ++ ± + ++ 9+1-<br />

Rififi (119) Crime-Suspense Drama UMPO 9-22-56++ ++ + ++ ++ 9+<br />

©Royal Affairs in Versailles<br />

(152) Historical Drama Times 5-4-57+ + + + 4+<br />

Sheep Has 5 Legs (93) Farce-Comedy, .., UMPO 11-26-55+ + + + ++ 6+<br />

Snow Was Black, The (105) Drama, ,, .Cont'l Dis 1-12-57 ++ + + + + 6+<br />

Are All Murderers ,.. Kingsley ++ ++ ++ We (118) Drama 2-16-57 ± 7+1-<br />

GERMANY<br />

+ ++3+<br />

Dairy of a Lover (96) Comedy Grand Prize<br />

Emperor's Waltz (107) Comedy/Songs Casino + + +3+<br />

Last 10 Days, The (113) Drama Col. Int'l 5-12-56+ ++ + + + + 7+<br />

GREECE<br />

Barefoot Battalion (63) Drama 20th-Fox 5-6-54+ + + + ++ + 7+<br />

INDIA<br />

Awara (The Vagabond) (100) Drama... Hoffberg ± — 1+2—<br />

1« (90) Drama URO ± + 2+1-<br />

ITALY<br />

Bed, The (101) Episodes Getz- Kingsley 8- 13-55 + + ± ± 4+2-<br />

Gold of Naples (107) Episode Drama OCA 4-13-57 ++ ++ + ++ ++ 9+<br />

will give better satisfaction. Does Hello, Elephant (78) Comedy-Drama Arlan 1-22-55+ ± -^ ++ + 6+1-<br />

very well at the boxoffice and ©House of Ricordi (117) Drama/Music. . 6-30-56+ + + r^ ++ ++ 9+<br />

will make money. You can't keep La Strada (115) Drama Trans-Lux 11- 3-56 ++ ++ +t + + ++ 10+<br />

them away. Played Tues., Wed., ©Madame Butterfly (114) Opera Film IFE 5-26-56+ + + + + ++ 7+<br />

Okla. Pop. 2,018.<br />

Thurs. Weather: Okay. — W. L. ©Maddalena (90) Drama IFE 10- 8-55 + ± =t + ++ 6+2-<br />

Rock, Pretty Baby (U-I) —Sal Stratton, Lyric Theatre, Challis, Return of Don Camillo (115) Comedy IFE 7-7-56+ ++ + + + + 7+<br />

Mineo, John Saxon, Luana Patten.<br />

Oh, yes, they came, they Pete Kelly's Blues (WB) —Jack Too Bad She's Bad (95) Comedy. Getz- Kingsley 1-21-56+ it ++ + it 6+2-<br />

Ida. Pop. 728.<br />

©Riviera (88) Drama IFE 11-10-56 it + + 3+1-<br />

saw, they liked every minute of Webb, Janet Leigh, Edmond Umberto D. (S9) Drama Harrison 12-31-55 ++ i+ + + it 7+1-<br />

O'Brien. Mr. Webb had better Vitteloni (103) Satiric Drama Janus-API 2-9-57+ ff +t ff — 7+1-<br />

trade in his cornet for a gun and White Sheik, The (86) Farce-Comedy. .Janus-API 12- 1-56 ± ± ff 4+2-<br />

a badge. He's a detective by<br />

JAPAN<br />

reputation and they will not pay ©Gate of Hell (89) Drama, Harrison & Davidson 1- 8-55 ++ ++ ff ff +f ff 12+<br />

to see him in another type role. ©Golden Demon (95) Drama Harrison 6-23-56+ ff + ff ff 8+<br />

Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Fair. Hiroshima (85) Documentary-Drama, Cont'l Dis 7-30-55+ it —<br />

—<br />

+ + 4+2—<br />

Joe and Mildred Faith, Linn Imposter, The (89) Cost. -Drama Brandon 11-26-55 ± — it 2+3-<br />

Theatre, Linn, Mo. Pop. 758.<br />

Magnificenl Seven, The (155) Dr Col. Infl 1-5-57+ + ff ff ff 8+<br />

Untamed Youth (WBi—Mamie ©Phantom Horse, The (90) Drama Harrison 8-4-56+ + ff ff ff 8+<br />

Van Doren, John Russell, Lori ©Samurai (100) Drama Jacon 11-19-56 + +f + + + ff 8+<br />

Nelson. Did better than average ©Yang Kwei Fei (95) Costume Dr..Bueria Vista 11-17-56 ± + + + + 5+1-<br />

that wasn't already a-goin', but business. Suited the teenage<br />

it's as good as the entertainment crowd as it has some rock and<br />

RUSSIA<br />

they've got in the living room roll numbers wliich are the fad ©Boris Godunov (105) Opera Film Artkino + ± 2+1-<br />

and it's wider and prettier, so at present. Mamie Van Doren ©Romeo & Juliet Ballet (%) Tohan 9- 1-56+ ft + + ff 7+<br />

no one's going to say it ain't does a good job in the role of<br />

worth 40 cents. I guess the<br />

SPAIN<br />

sister to Lori Nelson. The girls<br />

average crowd we had on bank<br />

Marcelino (90) Drama<br />

are picked up<br />

UMPO<br />

for hitch-hiking<br />

ff ff ff ff 8+<br />

night this w-eek was pleased. and placed on a cotton farm to<br />

Played Wed.. Thurs. Weather:<br />

SWEDEN<br />

work out their sentences with<br />

Rain, Naked Night.<br />

frost, scattered<br />

The (82) Drama Times<br />

showers.<br />

7-21-56+ + + ± + 5+1—<br />

other young people. Played Sun.. One Bob Summer of Happiness Walker, Uintah (103) Drama. .<br />

Theatre,<br />

7-16-55+ ff ff ff 7+<br />

Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. —<br />

Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463.<br />

Wayne Goodwin. Butler Theatre, YUGOSUVIA<br />

Written on the Wind (U-D — Butler, Ind., Pop. 1,914.<br />

Legends of Anika (85) Fantasy Grand Prize 2: + 2+1—<br />

E E<br />

s<br />

u BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: June 15, 1957


?<br />

Opinions on Current Productions<br />

Symbol Q denotes color photogrophy; © CinemoScope; Vj VistoVision; (f) Su<br />

^EATURE REVIEWS<br />

reverse<br />

side.<br />

Night Passage<br />

F ^Z °"T T'<br />

Univ.-Infl ( ) 90 Minutes Rel. Aug. 57<br />

first Universal's feature in Technirama. the Technicolor<br />

,e7 ,<br />

ifiici- widescreen process which brings the backgrounds into sharp<br />

focus, is a top-grade, action-filled outdoor drama with two<br />

of U-I's biggest stars. James Stewart and Audie Murphy, •>- i<br />

who broke records with "The Glenn Miller Story" and "To "?,^ |<br />

Hell and Back," respectively. In addition to the magnificent<br />

Colorado scenery, which i.s often breathtaking in its beauty<br />

and will create audience comment, the picture has an interest-holding<br />

plot, which builds up to a blazing shooting<br />

climax, taut direction by James Neilson and a fair share<br />

of romance—what more could audiences want? Stewart<br />

gives his customary laconic, completely convincing performance<br />

as an honest, forthright railroad employe, who<br />

even sings and accompanies himself on a guitar for "You<br />

Can't Get Far Without a Railroad." a Dimitri Tiomkin-<br />

Ned Washington tune. Murphy plays his first unsympathetic<br />

role as Stewart's gunman brother—he still looks too boyish<br />

for a deadly killer—and does well enough but Dan Duryea.<br />

as a hardened, snarling outlaw, and Brandon deWilde.<br />

as an orphaned boy who gets mixed up with the killers, are<br />

outstanding. Dianne Foster is pleasing as the love interest.<br />

Aaron Rosenberg produced.<br />

James Stewart, Audie Murphy, Dan Duryea, Dianne<br />

Foster, Jay C. Flippen, Elaine Stewart, Brandon deVVilde.


FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adiines for Newspaper and Programs<br />

THE STORY: "Beau James" (Para)<br />

Hope, as Walker, a playboy politician, is induced by<br />

Walter Catlett. portraying Gov. Al Smith, to run for mayor<br />

of New York City. Hope likes the idea, but is afraid that his<br />

separation from his wif-e, Alexis Smith, might defeat him.<br />

A reconciliation is effected and he is elected. But the reconciliation<br />

is short-lived and Hope soon meets up with Betty 1<br />

Compttn (Vera Miles), a dancer, and a romance results.<br />

Hope is re-elected and, to celebrate, takes Miss Miles to a<br />

party, an act which is regarded as political suicide. Although<br />

he is cleared of corruption in oSfice, he ultimately resigns,<br />

gets a divorce and sails for Europe with Miss Miles.<br />

EXPLOITIPS:<br />

Tie up the song "Will You Love Me in December as You<br />

Did in May," which Walker wrote, with the picture. Newspapers<br />

will provide front pages of their issues telling of the<br />

Seabury investigation. Walker's romance with Betty Compton,<br />

his resignation, etc. These could make interesting lobby<br />

displays.<br />

CATCHLINES:<br />

Bob Hope in a New Kind of Role ... He Burned His<br />

Fingers on the Toast of the Town ... He was the Personality<br />

Kid of Politics . . . You'll Roar at What They Roared<br />

at in the Roaring Twenties ... He Was at Home in City<br />

Hall or Bistros . . . Romance and Politics—They Couldn't<br />

Mix.


'<br />

Opinions on Current Productions<br />

Feature reviews<br />

Symbol Q denotes aScope; ^ VistoVision; (|) Superscope; # Noturomo. For story synopsis<br />

The Curse of Frankensfein A ":^i<br />

"°"" ^'""'<br />

Warner Bros. ( ) 83 Minutes Kel. July 20, '57<br />

Horror is piled on horror in this British film about the<br />

iest i<br />

ifiio: evil son of Frankenstein who, following in his father's footsteps,<br />

creates a moronic, murderous human monster.<br />

,,<br />

Corpse and sections of dead human bodies have been "ms ..<br />

seen before on the screen, but seldom if ever to the degree -'<br />

shown here. The film is only for audiences with strong<br />

stomachs and sensation-seekers. Since it is in Eastman<br />

Color, all of the goriness is brought out in detail. There<br />

are scenes of bodies hanging from gallows and of cadavers<br />

in coffins, and the operations performed bv Baron Frankenstein<br />

in joining segments of different bodies together<br />

to produce what he hopes will be a superior man but who<br />

turns out to be a monster are somewhat more than hinted<br />

at. The final result is a completely repulsive creature. The<br />

cast, headed by Peter Ctishing as the baron and Robert<br />

Urquhart as his unwilling friend, performs capably at all<br />

times, but the players are not known in this country. The<br />

backgrounds, most of the interior laboratory type, are good.<br />

Michael Carreras was executive producer, Anthony Hinds<br />

producer and Anthony Nelson-Keys associate producer. Terrence<br />

Fisher directed.<br />

Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Hazel Court, Robert<br />

Vrquhart, Valerie Gaunt. Noel Hood. Marjorie Hume.


. .<br />

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adiines for Newspaper and Programs<br />

THE STORY:<br />

"Value for Money' (Rank)<br />

When John Gregson inherits his father's fortune, he also<br />

inherits the latter's caution with cash. His narrow outlook<br />

frustrates his financee, Susan Stephen who rejects his<br />

proposal until he changes. On a trip to London. Gregson<br />

meets a dancer, Diana Dors, who believes him to be poor.<br />

;<br />

He invites her to his Yorkshire town and she wakes up to<br />

the fact that he is wealthy. Although he has proposed to<br />

her, he can't take her extravagance and when he tries to<br />

break off, both Miss Dors and Miss Stephen sue for breach<br />

of promise. But after complications, he decides that Miss<br />

Stephen is his choice.<br />

EXPLOITIPS:<br />

The notoriety that Diana Dors has had in the U. S. should<br />

be put to work in centering advertising attention on her. A<br />

swimming pool sequence opens possibilities for swim suit<br />

tie-ups. The title offers bank cooperation on the premise<br />

that thriftiness and penny-pinching are not the same. Travel<br />

agencies might provide window pictures of Yorkshire, locale<br />

of the story.<br />

CATCHLINES:<br />

He Had Money to Burn, But Only in His Pockets .<br />

The Heir Was Given the Air Until Blonde Hair Stepped In<br />

. . . It's a Bundle From Britain—a Bundle of Sheer Joy.


I<br />

writing,<br />

1 character.<br />

'<br />

:<br />

• !•><br />

\<br />

rr<br />

i;<br />

lis<br />

::<br />

^<br />

I . 20350<br />

.<br />

RAIXS: 15c per word, minimum $1.50, cash with copy. Four consecutive insertions for price<br />

oi 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 />

POSITIONS WANTED<br />

Experienced drive-in and conveniional Iheatre<br />

manager. Knovis booking, buying, esploiution,<br />

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Boxofrice 7S02.<br />

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Write, Boxofflce 7503.<br />

Experienced executive available September for<br />

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—Booking—liuying—tixplollatlon—Excellent business<br />

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seeks good con-<br />

Projectionist, 28 years, married, sober, reliable.<br />

If Interested phone person to person.<br />

Garfield 1-8370 collect. .Available short notice,<br />

desire warmer, drier climate, sinn^ victim. References.<br />

rh:irsc-n.r .imi ;iliilitv \.lilr«s 9507<br />

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carefully- 1 m<br />

HELP WANTED<br />

Representative wanted. Exdu.sive turritory available<br />

to sell co-operative advertising In conjunction<br />

with Theatre Out-Door Frame Service. Experience<br />

in advertising or specialty selling preferred, but<br />

not essential. Liberal commission plan assures high<br />

eirnlngs to qualified man after short training<br />

period. Car required. Write or wire at once:<br />

Romar Vide Company, Chetek, WU.<br />

Charley DUler, Cripple<br />

Theatre Manager for small first run art situation.<br />

Must have at least some theatre experience<br />

and a flair for publicity and advertising. Modest<br />

salary to start. Good future depending on ability<br />

of individual to produce profits. Willis Vance,<br />

Guild Theatre. I'eebles Corner. Cincinnati 6. Ohio.<br />

nanager wanted in New Jersey<br />

' -'-al opportunity for aggressive man; many<br />

including retirement plan: group inri.l<br />

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or Call KELLogg 1-1600.<br />

v<br />

Stiiilent Managers. We can place a couple of<br />

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5 a tireer. Our organization can offer many<br />

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I'red Souttar, Uptown BIdg., K-ansas<br />

Theatre Manager: Indiana location. Exill-around<br />

man with good reference for<br />

All year around job. $100-<br />

lily group ins. Boxofflce 7510.<br />

Experienced projectionist and part-time manager<br />

for drUe-in. Sober, honest, with references.<br />

$300 00 month. Southern New Mexico. Boxofflce<br />

T50fl.<br />

Experienced projectionist for new drive-in. Honil.<br />

luslern Kansas location. Write Melbourne<br />

narks. Center Theatre. Oakley. K.insas.<br />

M.inajer. "a,ASS" neighborhood. Fort Worth,<br />

lAperlencc necessary. State salary reand<br />

qualifications. Boxofflce 7516.<br />

Manager—night operation. Experience<br />

mg. Have good references. Oul-of-town<br />

l.ilary $100. Replies confidential. Box-<br />

DRIVE-IN THEATRE EQUIPMENT<br />

$3,495 Buys Complete Equipment! Super Simplex.<br />

Krcnkert. RCA or Motiograph AA projection<br />

and siHind—ail excellent condition. Time deals<br />

11. Send for deulls. Bept. cc—SOS.<br />

' .< ipply Corporation. 602 W. 52nd Street.<br />

device for speakers: Complete proonly<br />

64 cents per speaker! Secure<br />

against costly and repeated losses,<br />

lers from co.ist to coa.st are happy!<br />

Willow Are.<br />

Drivein Theatre Tickets! 100.000 l"x2" special<br />

printed roll tickets. $31.95. Send for samples<br />

or our special printed stub rod tickets for drtve-<br />

Ins. Safe, distinctive, private, easy to check.<br />

Kansis nty Ticket Co.. Dept. 10. 109 W. 18th<br />

81 iKilmrnwt K:insK Hty 8. Mo.<br />

BOXOFFICE :: June 15, 1957<br />

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED<br />

S.O.S Buys Complete Supply Dealer's Stock!<br />

.Miignarcs, $.'ia5 pair—others from $200, all excellent<br />

condition; Strong (i tube rectifieis (like<br />

new): g5A. 220V single phase. $505.00 pr.:<br />

80A 220V, 3 ph, $495.00; 70A 220V. 3 ph,<br />

$495.00; Generators w/control panel, rheostats<br />

50/lOOA rebuilt, $395.00; 70/140A (rebuilt)<br />

$495.00; 100/200A (new) $995.00; 150/150<br />

(new) $995.00; 36 new Motiograph in-car speakers,<br />

all<br />

for $150.00; Motiograph K mechanisms<br />

is as $50.00 ca.; lOOW spotlights w/bulb on<br />

telescoping stand, excellent. $39.50. Dept. cc<br />

SOS. Cinema Supply Corporation, 602 W. 52nd<br />

Street, New York 19.<br />

4" EF Kollmorgen F1.9 Supcrsnaplight lenses,<br />

factory rebuilt. New guarantee. List, $460. Our<br />

price, $175 pair. Ask for list of booth equipment<br />

bargains. Atsco, 980 North Main, Akron,<br />

Two reconditioned Caibon Arc Spot Utes complete<br />

with new rectifiers. Moon Lite Drive-In,<br />

Box 97, Mooreiiead, Minn.<br />

Complete booth for sale by owner. Two Century<br />

CC Projectors. Strong 40 Amp. Lamps. KCA<br />

sound, etc. (jood condition; available after June<br />

7th. Hugh Robinson, 1615 Bist Seventh. Okmulgee.<br />

Oklahoma.<br />

Lenses for Sale; Pair 4" BF Snaplite, 1 year<br />

old. like new, $75. with shade tubes. Pair $5.75<br />

Ross series 2. $35. Wanted: Pair 6" Snaplite.<br />

Park Theatre. Columbia Falls. Montana.<br />

Used Motiograph 90 ampere arc lamps. $500<br />

pair. National Theatre Supply Company. 2128<br />

PaiTie Avenue, (^eveland 14, Ohio.<br />

2'/n". F1.9 series Z super solmar lens, $150:<br />

3". Fl.G super cinephor TV lens, $150;<br />

Superscope anamorphic. $250: drinkolator carbonated<br />

drink machtae. $175. Mid-South Tlieatre Supply<br />

Co.. 502 South Second, Memphis, Tenn.<br />

Motiograph and Simplex magazines, 16 inch<br />

and 18 inch, perfect condition. (Jimplete sets $35.<br />

Arcs, lamps, pedestals, picture heads. Motiograph<br />

and Simplex. Very reasonable. Call or write. Abbe<br />

Films and Equipment Co., 4-17 West 44th Street,<br />

New York, N. Y. Telephone PLaza 7-2219.<br />

DeVry projectors, amplifier. Strong KW lamps,<br />

Kollmorgen widescreen lenses, seats. Cinemascope,<br />

side lights, widescreen, safe. What's your offer?<br />

Boxofflce 7415<br />

Ccmuletp the:itre equipment, Empress Theatre.<br />

The G..,nii The.ntre at Albany. N. Y. is being<br />

d.il, .Ml theatrical equipment for sale.<br />

1.500 plus cushioned seats, screen, electrical fixtures,<br />

etc. Phone or write; Becker the Wrecker.<br />

Inc. Foot of Green Street. .Mh.iny. N' Y. 5-9911.<br />

GENERAL EOUirMFlNT<br />

NEW<br />

',' ,. it


IVIENT!<br />

SU<br />

IM<br />

BIG<br />

IVIOIMEY!<br />

m-<br />

COSlA-GREGORy<br />

hKh 1 ml ROBERT H. HARRIS • COREY ALLEN<br />

U 1 1 LU U l\ I Screenplay by MARTIN BERKELEY Produced by<br />

THOMAS HOWARD • PINE • Directed by ROBERT STEVENS • A.Pine-Thomas Production

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