Boxoffice_May.09.1960

Advance
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CHICAGO
Oolomon and Sheba" and "Subway in the
Sky" were on the inaugural bill of the
new 53 Outdoor Theatre. Perfume was
given to the first thousand women arriving
at the boxoffice. pens to the first
thousand drivers, and all kids received
balloons and sno-cones . .
"Scent of
•
Mystery" closed at the Cinestage Saturday
i7>. Mike Todd jr. plans to keep the
house dark until "Exodus" opens in the
fall.
Effective Thursday il2i the Loop Theatre
will start showing featurettes and
short subjects, thus eliminating competition
with larger houses for the top product
.. ticket sales for "Can-
.
Can" zoomed following a new series of ads
which carried comments of the local critics.
Weekends are sold out until mid- June. A
benefit performance has been scheduled
for June 10 by the Citizens for Kerner—
Judge Otto Kerner, who is running for
governor.
Solly Ciano, Warner Bros, talent chief,
was at Northwestern University to see the
Waa-Mu show in rehearsal, and at the
Goodman Theatre . . . Isabelle Cooley and
Sonya Wilde were in for press, radio and
television sessions in advance of "I Passed
for White" at the Roosevelt Theatre . . .
A thousand beauty operators attended the
Century Theatre invitational preview of
"Five Branded Women." which will open
at the B&K State Lake on the 12th . . .
Irving Tomach, MGM publicist, was in
New York for conferences and to attend a
preview of "Bells Are Ringing."
Burt Lancaster, producer and star of
"ofF-nights".
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J7I0 Oakfn SI.
CO.
• UokU, llllnolt
"Elmer Gantry"; Dick Brooks, the director,
and actor Hugh Marlowe flew an uncut
print here for a preview at the United
Artists Theatre before 1,800 patrons. Lancaster
spoke from the stage ... A 25th silver
anniversary sales drive is being conducted
from May 1 to September 3 by the
employes of the Alliance Amusement Co. in
honor of President S. J. Gregory .
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Grayce Parnass, with the now defunct
RKO exchange, is now affiliated with the
American City Bureau in the Prudential
building. The bureau is a fund-raising organization.
Superior court Judge Grover Niemeyer
has ordered the sale of the Fine Arts
building, which houses the World Playhouse
at 400 South Michigan Ave., and the
proceeds divided between the owners. Bessie
Simon and Arnold Schwartz. Mrs. Simon
brought the court action. The building is
valued at about $1,300,000 by Mrs. Simon's
attorney
. . Joseph Berenson, head of
National Theatre Advertising Co., left on
a business trip to St. Louis and into Texas.
American Seating Co. declared a common
stock dividend of 40 cents a share, payable
June 6 . . . Dick Grey, porter at 20th-Fox
for the past 37 years, died . . . Al Klinenberg,
booker of 20th-Fox, served as foreman
on the grand jury the past month .
The Teatro de las Americas at Ashland
and Madison, formerly the American Theatre,
will open the 12th with Spanish films
and a stage show. John Rossen, who has
been at the Cinema Annex and the Senate
theatres, will operate the house.
The Crawford Theatre at Pulaski and
Madison started a Spanish language program
on Friday and Saturday nights .
Mike Kassel of Continental was in Indianapolis
to set up subsequent run breaks of
"Room at the Top" . . . John Kemptgen,
manager for MGM in Milwaukee, conferred
with William Devaney
. . .
Joseph Cozzi
left Valiant Films to join Warner Bros, as
city salesman. He succeeds Ben Eisenberg,
resigned.
A World Film Festival
CHICAGO—The first weekend "World
Film Festival" at the Clark Theatre in the
Loop will be held May 13-15, when six
films representing six countries will be
shown—La Strada, The Last Bridge, Cry.
the Beloved Country, Wild Strawberries,
Eighth Day of the Week and Man Escaped.
Thomas Trant. 65, Dies
CHICAGO—Thomas Trant, 65, manager
the last 40 years of the Illington and Marshall
Square theatres, died. Survivors are
elude a niece and two nephews.
"Pepe's Diary," chronicle of activities of
Columbia's "Pepe," is being sent to exhibitors
around the country.
Ohio ITO Conveniion
To Open October 11
COLUMBUS — The annual
convention
of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio
will be held at the Deshler-Hilton Hotel
here October 11-13, it was announced by
Ken Pi-ickett, executive secretaiy, follow^ing
a meeting of the board of directors.
The convention will be ballyhooed under
the slogan, "Come to Columbus on Columbus
Day."
Marshall Fine, president of the Ohio association,
reported on the National Allied
Board meeting in Chicago. Ohio is expected
to have the 1962 National Allied
convention in Cleveland. Fine said.
Georgetown Asks Odeon
Rebuild Burned Theatre
TORONTO—Suggesting that the fad of
watching television has lost appeal, a committee
of Georgetown and area citizens
headed bv Mrs. A. Guest has petitioned
Odeon Theatres to rebuild and operate the
Roxy Theatre in Georgetown which was
burned out in May 1958. The petition has
2.076 signatures. The population has grown
to 10.000.
Local merchants have been adversely affected
by the lack of a theatre as a drawing
attraction and a focal point for social
events and parents have said they do not
wish to send their children to theatres in
other towns.
An Odeon Theatres spokesman said that
theatre construction, curtailed during the
decline in attendance, now would be active
again if there were no provincial entertainment
tax which takes approximately
10 per cent of every boxoffice dollar.
Four Filmgroup Features
For Russian Release
HOLLYWOOD — Four Roger Connan
Filmgroup productions have been selected
by the Soviet MinistiT of Cultm-e for release
The quartet were the only films
chosen from a field of 20 submitted in
that category. Negotiations are bemg finalized
in London by Inong Allen, president
of Ast-ral Films of Canada, who represents
various producers in foreign markets.
The foui- Filmgi-oup releases chosen for
Russian distribution are "Wasp Woman,"
"Beast Fi-om Haimted Cave," "Ski Ti-oop
Attack" and "Battle of Blood Island."
Allen reported Soviet interest in sciencefiction
and action subjects was "large
since Lunik widened hoi-izons." He aJso
said that the Ministry of Culture "purchases
arc made only for intrinsic audience
interest and witliout regai-d to pi-oduction
costs, aotoi- or company names."
^onfufUaC
BOONTON, N. J.
Large Core
Greater Crater Area
means
MAXIMUM LIGHT
Eveniy Distributed
,
In Illinois— Koylint- Company, Chlcogo—Wcbiter 9-4643
Poromcl Electronics, Chleogo—Avenue 3-4422
In Missouri—Missouri Thcotro Supply Compony, Konsos City—BoUU
morc 1-3070
Notionol Thcotre Supply, St. Louis— Jefferson 1-6350
C-4
BOXOFFICE :; May 9. I960