Boxoffice-April.07.1958

. . only
TEXAS DRIVE-IN
THEATRE ASS'N NEWS
ASSOCIATION TRAILER FREE TO PAID-UP MEMBERS
DALLAS — The Texas Drlve-In Theatre
Owners Ass'n trailer "Not to be Shottii on
Television for Seven
Years" will be Riven
nee to every drive-in
member who has paid
his 1958 dues, Eddie
Joseph, president, has
announced.
This policy will remain
in force until
April 30. and all a
member has to do is
send a postcard or note
to the association office,
Eddie Joseph
1710 Jackson
Street, Dallas, and the
free trailer will be sent on its way.
Originally, the association set a price of
$4 on the trailers which read: "Not one of the
1958 feature pictures, despite any rumor to
the contrary, will be seen on free-TV, toll-
TV, cable-TV or any other form of TV for
seven years . in motion picture theatres
will you .see 1958's .superb pictures in
all their splendor!"
Joseph al.so announced that in response to
many requests for copies of the association's
bulletin, the complimentary mailing lists will
be expanded. Requests for t.he newsy bulletin
have come from manufacturers, suppliers
and others interested in drive-ln activities.
The association office also reported that it
has received many complaints from drive-in
owners because distributors are holding up
availability of big pictures. This is a matter,
Joseph pointed out, which was considered in
a resolution adopted at the January convention.
This resolution protested the practice of
major distributors in delaying the availability
of top quality pictures to suburban theatres
and di-ive-ins by roadshowing them and giving
them other special handling w-hich hold
up the flow of product to subsequent runs.
The Cinderella Drive-In, Dallas, reopened
under new management. Bill Sargent, Ed
Bowen and Ted Lewis are the new owners.
A three-week remodeling included new screen,
new .-speakers, new sound system, and new
concessions. The 950-car space is to be served
by 950 speakers.
Columnisf Likes Glamor
Wifh His Drive-Ins
Houston—Hubert T. Roussel of the
Houston Post likes the idea of putting
glamor and luxury in the drive-in theatre.
Apparently with the new milliondollar
Sharpstown Drive-In here in mind,
he commented the other day:
"What we see now, in the upsurge of
the costly drive-in, is an effort to get
right batk t the don't-bother-to-dress
policy of the old-time movie, and yet to
hold in the scheme the glamor and luxury
of the cinema palace. This is a sensible
recognition of the economic and
social realities of the day. which have
made formal theatre attendance both a
costly and a complicated thing for the
family."
Roundabouf Texas with
The Pleasant Drive-In Theatre, Mt, Pleasant,
was purchased by Robert Palmer, copublisher
of the Titus County Ti-ibune and
the Lone Star Ti-ibune. The theatre was
owned by Mrs. Robert Sleigh and Mrs. Kenneth
Sleigh. According to another newspaper
report a week earlier the theatre had
been purcha.sed from the Sleighs by Mr, and
Mrs. Robert B. Palmer. (Wonder who owns
it!i.
* * *
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Beshear had an opening
day for the Sinton Drive-In. Sinton, which
was dedicated to the Boy Scout relocation
fund. Proceeds from the two nights showing
went to the current Boy Scout drive.
Kenneth M. McParland jr., owner and
manager of the Pines Drive-In Theatre of
Nacogdoches (since 1952 1 has, in addition to
his theatre work, accepted an appointment
as the local agent of the Equitable Life Assurance
Society of the United States.
* * +
The Trail Drive-In Theatre of Malakoff,
Tex. received a nice two-column spread in its
local paper, Tlie Malakoff News. Tlie story
was just about the drive-in itself and had no
reference to the current production at the
drive-in, but stressed the advantages of
patronizing drive-in entertainment— ".
you can enjoy the privacy and comfort of
your own car without having to dress up.
You can adjust the sound to suit youi-self
with the individual speaker. You can go to
the concession stand for those show snacks
without disturbing other patrons."
* * *
The Gidney Talley Enterprises have purchased
the Medina Valley Drive-In Theatre
from Mr. and Mrs. Clark Sadler. The Sadlers
will continue to operate the drive-in
and will enlarge the screen for Cinemascope.
* • *
James May of Dallas, district manager for
Rowley United Theatres, Inc., presented
Henry M. Stewart, assistant manager of the
Texas, Plaza and Campus Drive-In theatres
in Sherman with a diamond-encrusted pin in
recognition of his 24 years of service recently.
Stewart joined the company in 1934 as a
projectionist at the old Ritz Theatre.
* * i-
Because of the weather, Roland Duus announced
that the Oak Drive-In Theatre,
Coleman, will be shut down. The Cole-Anna
Drive-In will continue to operate on its present
schedule.
* *
The Scenic Drive-In Theatre in Brady, has
been leased by Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Bell of
Sunray. Mrs. Katherine Kirkeby and R. A.
Erickson of Abilene are owners of the drivein.
Bell has been in the theatre business some
27 years. The theatre was built in 1950 by
the late O. M. (Kirk) Kirkeby and Erickson,
and has been managed for the last two years
by Oscar Dietz. Kirkeby and Erickson have
two drive-in theatres in Abilene—the Crescent
and the Tower Twin.
Outdoor Exhibitors
J. R Euler. manager of the drive-in in
Bonham resigned as theatre manager to accept
a position with the McClendon Corporation.
• * «
Burglars recently broke open the door of
the snack bar at the 271 Drive-In Theatre in
Paris, Allen Poole manager, reported.
Mrs. A. W. Willis Praised
By San Saba Residents
SAN SABA. TEX.—Mrs. A. W. Willis, who
became manager of the Frontier Theatres
circuit Palace and Con-al Drive-In here last
May upon the death of her hu.sband. has
been getting considerable praise from local
residents for her work in keeping motion
pictures in this community.
The Palace Theatre, one of the older local
busines.ses, began its operation around 1912
as the Majestic. In 1928 the building was remodeled
and the name was changed to the
Palace. The Corral Drive-In opened in 1952
one mile south of town with a capacity of
198 cars.
Mi-s. Willis and her husband were married
in Temple in 1925 and subsequently Uved in
Navasota, Bryan and Crowell before coming
here. She has two daughters and one son,
four grandsons and two granddaughters. Mrs.
Willis is a member of the Baptist Church and
has a hobby of putting together jig-saw puzzles,
some of which she frames and gives to
friends. One puzzle, with over 2,000 pieces, is
under glass in her home. However, she says
that her masterpiece contained over 5,000
pieces.
Looking to the future, Mrs. Willis sees
nothing but brightness. She says. "The pictures
are better and we have more in color,"
adding. "No, television has not hurt the
movies here."
Putting the (Hand) Cart
Before the Horse (Opera)
Fort Worth—There are drive-ins with
ramping provisions for private aircraft,
with docks for cruising boatsmen (in resort
areas) with hitching posts for patrons
who come on horseback. But at the
South Side Drive-In in Fort Worth,
there's a customer who comes by railroad
handcar.
The KMT railroad tracks run behind
the South Park. Every now and then, a
railroading patron chugs up in a motorized
handcar, pulls the car off the track
and goes into the theatre. He says he's
from Waco and when he hears of a horse
opera he's missed, he just puts the handcar
on the track and away he goes. Absolutely
the truth, vouches Jack Gordon,
entertainment editor of the Fort Worth
Press, who published the item recently.
SW-4 BOXOFFICE AprU 7, 1958