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!Tri-States Launches
Jackpot Sales Drive
MOINES — Tii-States Theatres
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launched their Hit the Jackpot Drive here
August 16, 17, the campaign to continue
until the end of the year.
This drive will consist of several phases,
the two most important being the best
overall job of local selling and exploitation
of pictures in the period and the best
overall job of selling new screen faces.
iThese two phases will be the major factors
in determining the winning manager, who
will be awarded a jackpot of prizes.
The Hit the Jackpot Contest within the
circuit was created to step up the local
level selling of new faces in the Tri-States
area in conjunction with the desire of Ed
iHyman, vice-president of American Broadcasting-Paramount
Theatres, to place spercial
emphasis on new faces during this
September-to-yearend drive.
During the two-day meeting stress was
'placed on the proper analyzing and selling
of pictures in the Tri-States territory.
Numerous ideas for exploiting new screen
faces and bringing them to the attention
iof the public were discussed.
iPickus and Levy Hail Penn.
Censorship Law Decision
NEW YORK—The mling that Pennsylvania's
censorship laws were invalid has
been hailed by Albert M. Pickus, president
of Theatre Owners of America, and Herman
M. Levy, general counsel.
said the action of the Pennsyl-
;vania courts was another major step to-
Iward the eventual complete elimination of
motion picture censorship. He said he reialized
while the decision may still be ap-
;pealed by the state Attorney General, the
lower court action was, nevertheless, an
example of what can be accomplished by a
junited industry effort to "rid itself of a
Inoxious problem."
Europe, where he currently is on
[business, Levy termed the decision "most
Igratifying." He cited it as an example of
what an industry can and should do to
ifight off unjustifiable attacks, adding that
the "law was born in haste and in anger
:and was motivated by a desire to control
the industry."
"It should have been, as it was, found
|imconstitutional," Levy said. "It is now
hoped that the United States Supreme
Court will soon grant the industry, when
,it rules this fall on the Chicago Times
!Film case, the same complete freedom
|from prior censorship that is enjoyed by
jradio, by television, by books and by pub-
'lications, so that legislators everywhere
itnay know finally that attempts to stifle
pnr industry through prior censorship are
;to be abandoned."
)To RKO for Rerelease
YORK—Theatrical and television
jrights to two Abbott and Costello pictures
ihave been acquired by RKO Radio Pictures.
iThey are "Abbott and Costello Meet Capitain
Kidd" and "Jack and the Beanstalk."
The films will be placed in theatrical re-
'release by independent distributors handling
RKO Radio theatrical product.
also has obtained the television
distribution rights to "New York Confidential,"
a Warner Bros. 1955 release.
'Sons and Lovers,' 'Ocean's IT Bow
At Minneapolis With Big 350 Marks
Z, ~ _, MINNEAPOLIS — Two newcomers,
tnCOUrage best, ineme -oceans H" at the RKO Orpheum and
Of
"Sons
Milwaukee
and Lovers" at the
Council
Suburban World,
really packed in the customers. Both had
MILWAUKEE— A breakfast session at ratings of 350 per cent. "Ben-Hur." in
the Wisconsm Telephone Co., on October its 26th week at the Academy, had another
3, will mark the kickoff of a series of Mil- big rating of 700 per cent. All other offerwaukee
County Better Films Council jngs were average or above,
meetings during the coming year. The (Average is 100)
theme for this year, according to incoming Academy—Ben-Hur (mgm), 26th wk 700
president Mrs. S. V. Abramson, is "En-
^'''".°— '\V''.u^''c-" ^v"'" 'r^^'-'u-i v;;^;/,' ' •
ISS
„„,, .. T, ^ ., ~v. Gopher All the Fine Young Cannibals (MGM)... 100
courage the Best. The program was Lync— Portroit in Block (U-i) ....170
planned by a committee headed by Mrs. Orpheum— Oceon-s 11 ( . 350
T^v,^ -D T-> !.„„„ V, P°"—The Lost World (20fh-Fox
1 , 2nd wk 150
John B. Derksen, who is also vice-presi- st. Louis Pork— Poiiyonno (SV), 7th wk 175
dent. On her committee, are Mmes. Ray- state—Psycho (Poro), 5th wk uo
Sons and Lovers (20th-Fox)
. . . .350
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