r

AA
'Kwai' 2B0 Dominates
Good Boston Week
BOSTON lluldoviih. luiii iiiid .inow
dropped avrrago somrwhat twluw Iht peaks
•tialntrd during the holidays but bUAmr.\&
still was sattilactury in many situations
Ther* »aa only one new proKrum among tl>e
13 of(rrrd to local tlipnLrfKocn> during liw
%t*k but itnly Lhrro showings ft-ll below
avrragr marks "The Brldgr on the River
Kwal" was the city leader, although In Its
thu-d week, with the fine rating of 360 per
cent.
(Av«iog« It 1001
AttOf— Ralntrx CounlY MGM). 13th »k 80
Baocon Hi Old T«ll*r iBV). Jrd wk 140
•etfon—SMKk tor r«r«4iM SWV Rth wk 7S
{••fv Street—Tk* AAnUabl* Crkkten CoP
4th ak I I 1>
Go'^— Tk# Irld^* on th« Itlvar Kw«i iCoO.
3rj «k 260
K*n—And Cad Cra««ad Woman « 'vyi av).
VtJ -k I SO
Po^ J^-o^n' I Wat a T««n«9a Frankonttaln
AlP llaad af Drala .*-!>. 8S
Pol- KIm TkatB lar Ma 20ttvFox). rortr Gum
(JOttt-fro.i 90
Rogar Sh»»—y% -Saransra 'WB' 185
Whall«>—Araand t«ia WorW In iO D«T1 (l/A),
34th .h
. .200
'Peyton Place' Still Leading
Hartford in Big Second Week
iI.\RTf"C)Kl> !'.•>•.. .11 Place." Sayonara"
and And Ood Created Woman" were doing
excellent holdover business. "Peyton Place"
leading the field with 310 "Sayonara." In ItA
fourth week. regUtered 180 The third week
of "And Ood Created Woman" was good for
176
Alt>'v I Wat a T*«na«a rrankanttala (AlP):
>lai« a< O'acala A'P |)
Aft—Wa An AM Marda^on •.^jxr, 100
I M Ldww And C«d C'oatad Waman
|K>not>«. 1' r .. I ;j
oloea- Tka •alon on that
da!f Tlie place, however, ha* been chuiiKed
to the Hotel Bradford
EMwurd W. Udcr, presldrnl. Nurinun Olii.ssnian,
chairman of the board, and Carl Goldman,
coordinator, have set up a full day'.s
schedule of drlve-ln activities for New ESigland
theatre owners.
George Kraska Quits;
In Industry 26 Years
BOSTON—George Kraskn. publicist at Embassy
Pictures Corp., Is retiring from the
business but will continue to act in an ad-
GEORGE KRASKA
vlsory capacity for E^bas.sy He and Mrs.
Kraska are motoring to Tampa. Fla., for
the winter, and will return to New England
In June
Kraska Is nationally known as the man
who Introduced the foreign film to Baston
audiences. In 1922 he hired Symphony Hall
for weekends to show foreign language pictures
Later, with Mrs. Henry Jewel t. he
took over the Repertory Theatre for weekly
showings. When that theatre was .sold In
1039. he signed a lease for tlie FMne Arts
Theatre During the next 15 years, until
World War II forced him to clone his doors
through lack of European product, he .showed
many "flrsU" In the film classics field After
the war. Kraska made a name for hlm.self as
the artistic exponent of the best In French.
German. Italian, Ru.vilan and Chinese films
Before joining Embassy Pictures In 1053.
Kraska had managed various art theatres
in the city and had distributed In this country
a skiing short. "Miracle on Skis " When
Joseph E Levlne. president of Embajisy Pictures,
a-Oced Kraska to join hLs organlzaUon,
It was for only one film, the reLwue of "Duel
in the Sun."
Theatres Are Making
Progress on Parking
NKW HAVKN Iheutrcmen in Hartford,
New Huvcii and Bridgeport, the Atatc'.i
major
cities, us well as In smaller situations, not
only are talking but are doing something
about the problein o( oflslrect parking
LoeW.s Poll thealri's In the three cities
have tied up with cooperative parking lot
operators, and are advertising via .screen
trailers and newsputxT s|>ace reduced fees
for theatre putroas Hurry F. Shaw, division
manager, reported there has been some discernible
patron reaction
In Hartford, Ted Harris, managing director
of the 3.800-seat State, largest combination
rilm-vaudcvllle theatre In Connecticut, has
added the line, "1,000-Car Oarage on Nearby
Church Street!" to his newspaper space. He
long has .stres.sed adjacent parking facilities,
but the recent opening of the city-owned
1.000-car garage has loomed importantly in
patron conversation.
A look at some of the state's 20 dally newspapers
will reveal some of the present-day
thinking. Most circuit and Independent exhibitors
contacted by BOXOFFICE along
Fllmrow admit that a majority of their
patrons are vitally concerned with parking
i
building .several
space and will query cashiers about such
facilities when phoning In for film data. One
.specific result has been sizable activity, particularly
In improved relations with nearby
parking lot operators on the part of theatre
owners.
Moreover, huge supermarket parking lots,
heretofore disregarded during after-dark
hours, are now being lighted and offered to
theatre patrons as added courtesy and as
evidence of chalnstores' striving to remind
potential customers of continued goodwill.
The Strand In Plainvllle and the Luxor in
Unlonvllle. for example, also have been advertising,
"Plenty of free parking."
Ray McNamara. manager of the downtown
AB-PT All.vn. Hartford, was fortunate recently.
Owners of a business block adjoining
the theatre tore down the structure In favor
of a huge, one-level parking plaza, with
indications of "pigeonhole"
levels atop, with vehicles moved by automatic
crane' to follow, if sufficient patronage occurs
during regular Monday through Friday
business hours. As matters stand, the lot is
practically de.serted during early evening, and
All>Ti patrons, heretofore in a hectic .search
for vehicle space on streets and distant lots."
can now drive comfortably into the lot. and
then walk a few steps to the Allyn's main
lobby!
Trade Group Elects Shovirman
HARTFoItD Viiucir, 11 Cipuano of Perakos
Theatre Associates has been elected
president of the .suburban Elmwood Business
Assn He manages the dr luxe Bm Theatre,
ELV S PRESLEY E •HOTOS
• MINEO
• BOONE • DEAN
r-iia
)8IJ