Boxoffice-April.13.1959

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MINNEAPOLIS
(grosses of "The Shaggy Dog" have been
double those of "Old Yeller" in every
one of its opening engagements in the
territory, according to Avron Rosen, Buena
Vista branch manager Helmerson.
Universal salesman in southern Min-
.
nesota, has resigned to join Reid H. Ray
Film Industries in St. Paul as salesman
in his same territory Tom Burke of
. . .
Theatre Associates has recuperated after
an operation in California Richardson,
manager's secretaiT at Paramount,
.
will be maiTied April 18 to Bob Ki-etlow
Roy Miller, Universal manager, was
in MUwaukee for two days calling on the
Swirnoff & Marcus circuit, which operates
in Lacrosse, Wis.
Exhibitors on the Row included Mel
Wycoff. Minot, N. D.; Paul PeiTizo. Blue
Earth. Minn.; Bernie Larkin, Madelia,
Minn.; Clint Norene, Frederic, Wis.; Joe
Matuska, Jackson. Minn.; Ernie Schweigert.
Miller, S.D., and Al Fritz, Watertown,
S. D. Sichelman, Columbia
.
auditor, and William Devaney, MGM division
manager, were in . . .
William Payne
closed his Verndale (Minn.) Theatre for
the summer when the nearby Staples
Drive-In opened.
city .salesman.
Dick Rolling, booker at Columbia, has
been transferred to Des Moines as office
manager and booker. He had been with
Columbia in Minneapolis since 1954 and
also was a booker at Warners and 20th-
Fox ... All drive-ins in the Twin Cities
now are open for the sea.son. The latest
to open ila.st Wednesday) was the group
operated by Minnesota Entertainment Enterprises
and the 7-Hi.
Jim Eshelman, until recently the manager
of the Strand and Tower theatres in
St. Paul, has left with his wife on a trip
to Europe which will keep him abroad
until mid-May. After his return, he wiU
join the Harold Field organization here and
become managing director of the neighborhood
Uptown November 1 when Field takes
over the house .
Cesar Romero
was due here this month to talk to women
about fashions.
Laverne Boerner, secretary at Independent
Film Service, was vacationing in New
York and New Jersey ... A "red cai-pet
preview" was held at the World. St. Paul,
and a length of crimson cai-peting actually
was rolled across the sidewalk, according
to Roy Prytz, manager. Previewed was
"The Doctor's Dilemma," as an addition to
the theatre's regular attraction, "The Journey."
Harlan Blake, manager of the Gopher,
w:i,s .swamijod with calls after columnist
Cedric Adam.s of the Minneapolis Star
mentioned that he was looking for a
shaggy dog for a few days to help promote
"The Shaggy Dog" which opened at the
house April 8. All dog owners were told to
bring their dogs down to the theatre the
opening day where one was selected for the
job. Each dog owner was given a complimentary
ticket to see the pictm-e.
'Last Mile' Credit Suit
Started by John Wexley
HOLLYWOOD — John Wexley has filed
suit for $150,000 damages, claiming breach
of contract for failure to give him screen
and advertising credit as author of the
stage play, "The Last Mile" in the recent
United Aitists film version. Named as defendants
were UA, R. S. Productions, Max
J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky; and
the Fox West Coast and Pacific
Drive-In
circuits which exhibited the picture here.
The writer claimed that he was entitled
to screen and ad credits as the sole author
of the original play on which the film is
based.
Previously, the credit situation was submitted
to the Screen Writers Guild for arbitration
and the union ruled that Wexley
was entitled to credit as the source of the
original work.
According to Wexley's complaint, when
he sold the play's interests to R. S., his
credit was guaranteed as part of the deal.
In the current version, screenplay credit
In a reshuffling of top management at
I
20th-Fox in Una with national policy),
M. A. Levy, formerly division manager,
became Minneapolis branch manager; Jack is given to Milton Subotsky and Seton I.
Cohan, former branch manager, was transferred
to St. Louis as a salesman; Jack 1932 version, filmed by Tiffany Pi'oduc-
Miller. Miller did the screenplay on the
Kelvie. former office manager, is now a tions. in which Wexley's play was credited.
booker, and Harold Lundquist, former assistant
to the division manager, is now
NCA Convention June 9
MINNEAPOLIS—The annual convention
of North Central Allied has been scheduled
tentatively for June 9, according to
Frank Mantzke, NCA president. It will be
held at a Minneapolis hotel yet to be selected.
Don Lyons New Boxoiiice
Correspondent in Mpls.
Minneapolis — Donald M. "Don"
Lyons, a ten-year veteran in writing
for business and industrial publications,
is the new BOXOFFICE correspondent
in the Minneapolis exchange
area. He succeeds veteran Les
Rees, who asked to be relieved of his
duties because of ill health.
Trade magazine reporting was
started originally as a sideline with
him about 14 years ago while he was
working on the editorial copy desk of
the former Minneapolis Times.
A graduate of the school of journalism
of the University of Minnesota, he
also has worked on the editorial staff
of the Minneapolis Star and the advertising
promotion staff of the St.
Paul Dispatch and Pioneer-Press. \t
one time he was associate editor of
Greater Amusements, regional industry
publication.
He headquarters at 72 Glenwood
Ave. Minneapolis, where news, subscriptions
and ads may be sent. His office
telephone number is FEderal
5-2203; home phone is TAylor 4-3178.
'Al Capone' Premiere
Held in Penitentiary
ST. PAUL—More than 600 prisoners at
the Minnesota state prison at Stillwater
near here were at the upper midwest premiere
of "Al Capone" which was held behind
the prison walls. Several visiting state
legislators and a corps of press and radio
observers also were on hand for the preview
April 2.
The picture was screened for the other
half of the prison population April 9. At.
the close of the screenings inmates were
a.sked for their opinion of the picture.
The reaction was similar to that of any
i
other audience. Typical comments were:
"I thought the acting was great. I
wouldn't advise showing it to teenagers."
"I thought this pictui-e was of top qual-
... A lesson can be gained in morals."
ity
"I thought it was a very good production,
but I think it will tend to lead more
men into crime because it showed the
profit of crime and not the cost of all
the good years of a man's life spent In
prison. "
"Al Capone" was a dividend on the
prison schedule; usually pictures are shown
Saturdays and are picked by an Inmate
committee, according to Warden Douglas
Rigg. But Warden Rigg had seen the film
and thought it would be a good one fori
the prisoners.
Rigg said he was more interested in getting
a free film for the iimiates than in'
showing them any kind of object lesson.
They get enough information on crime
from newspapers, he said.
The preview showing was the "brainchild"
of local film publicist Morrie Steinman,
who is handling exploitation for "Al
Capone" in this area. The screening received
extensive publicity in Minneapolis
and St. Paul newspapers and over Twin
Cities radio stations. A reporter from
WCCO interviewed some of the prisoners
as to their opinions of the pictm-e, and
these were broadcast on the station's news
programs.
The story also was sent out nationally
by the United Pi-ess International bureai
in Minneapolis.
Rooney Asks His Release
From CBS-TV Contract
HOLLYWOOD—Mickey Rooney has re
quested release from his five-year CBS-TV
contract effective May 31, according to his
personal manager Red Doff. The contract,
which gave the network exclusive call on
his services, still has three years to run.
Under the deal. Rooney was to have starred
in a series for the network, but reportedly
did not like the properties offered by CBS.
The Roonoy-Doff-Prymau Enterprises
moves into the telefilm production field
with "The Lariat Kid," teenage-slanted
western starring Johnny Weissmuller jr.
Robbed by Fence Vaulter
PALMDALE. CALIF.—The Jet Drive-In
lost $111 in cash to a robber who held up
Nancy Lee Uino. the cashier. The gunman
took the money, vaulted a nearby fence
and escaped in a waiting car.
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BOXOFFICE April 13, 1959