im

1
. . Sperie
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Opposite Age Segments Are Targets
Of Perakos Associates' Campaign
By ALLEN M. WIDEM
summertmic doldrums.
NEW BRITAIN. CONN— Perakos Theatre
Henry Cohan, manager of the Beverly.
Associates, leading independent Con-
Bridgeport, long interested in child safety
necticut circuit, is out to garner additional and community-minded management, sold
family trade by catering to the direct opposites
of the age element—youngsters and dren's safety program, tied in with "Stop!
Shopper's Fair on sponsorship of a chil-
oldsters.
Look! and Laugh!" Columbia release of a
Sperie Perakos, progressive - minded, Harry Romm production, to aid observance
energetic PTA general manager, told
of traffic and highway safety
BoxorncE in an interview that Senior measures.
Citizen Clubs, providing reduced admission
Gratifyingly. a capacity audience of
rates, are in effect for three situations 1.800 children attended. The program, in
—the Eastwood. East Hartford: Elm. West addition to providing appropriate screen
Hartford, and Strand. Thompsonville—on entertainment, was a poignant reminder
the strength of one year's patronage reaction
that all members of the contemporary
at the Palace. New Britain. American family must be made to observe
At the same time. Children's Festival of
Happy Pictures is under way at the aforementioned
safety first.
The Bridgeport city police and the De-
theatres, plus the Hi-Way and partment of State Police sent representa-
Beverly. Bridgeport, on Tuesday afternoons tives to the program and WNHC-TV
durin? the summer months, the circuit (Channel 8i. the ABC-TV outlet for Connecticut,
thinking that youngster patronage, admittedly
provided coverage.
declining in the midst of tremendous Sperie Perakos told Boxoffice: "We
leisure-time competition from beaches and must continue to have the strength of
country resorts, can be encouraged given our own convictions and belief in the medium
proper attention.
of motion pictures, providing this
To additionally lure the youngsters on type of stand-out programs as communityconscious
Tuesdays, the theatres advertise distribution
presentation, not only in the
of free balloons. A child collecting larger cities but in the small towns as
four different colored balloons is then admitted
well. Work to integrate the theatre into
as guest of the theatre management the town's scheme of living and you've
at a fifth performance.
got a nucleus of sound, promising showmanship,"
Playing Buena Vista's "Pollyanna" on
the circuit. Sperie Perakos specified distribution
of free balloons and souvenir dog
tags and trinkets.
HARTFORD
These Tuesday matinees are also pitched
to adults: advertising notes that parents
can leave their children for three hours 1
gill Brown of the UA home office exploitation
to 4 p.m. I of supervised, wholesome, airconditioned
force returned to this territory for
entertainment.
"Elmer Gantry," following extensive, saturation
promotion for "Macumba Love
"
More significantly, merchant cooperation
has been constantly manifested Mrs. Ruth Colvin. Loew's Palace, played up
throughout the state. In bulk of the Tuesdays
the cast presence of Peter Falk in "Murder,
kiddies show towns, local businesses Inc." promotion. Palk is a former Hart-
step forward with admirable alacrity to fordite and was active in Little Theatre
provide items for free distribution, the business
acting here.
thinking asserting that constant re-
Bill Decker, Stanley Warner Garde, New
minders, through the medium of a motion London, had an aide circulating through
picture theatre, can indeed bolster lagging the crowd at the annual Miss New London-
Miss Ocean Beacli pageant at Ocean Beach
Park, carrying a sandwich sign to plug Columbia's
"Strangers When We Meet."
; a screen gome,
HOLLYWOOD takes top
honors. As a box-office attraclion,
it is without equal. It has
been a favor . with theatre goers for
over 15 years. Wrilo today for complete detoils.
Be sure to give seating or cor capacity.
HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO.
3750 Ookron Sf. * SVokic, Illinois
Several thousand persons viewed the ceremonies
. . . Bill Murphy. Lockwood & Gordon's
Cine Webb. Wethersfield. invited
student nui-ses to preview a screening of
Governor's "Carry On. Nurse." He also
distributed thousands of teaser cards
throughout suburban Hartford.
Fred Koontz, L&Gs East Windsor Drive-
In. provided free fire engine rides as added
youngster inducement August 12 ... A
touring company of "My Fair Lady" will
open the 1960-61 legitimate season at the
Bushnell Memorial Auditorium September
19-24 at $6.50 top . Perakos.
Perakos Theatre Associates, visited Vince
Capuaiio. Elm. Elmwood. and Tom Grace.
Eastwood. East Hartford.
Sam Capuano in 'Priest'
HARTFORD — Character actor Sam
Capuano flew to St. Louis to join location
troupe of UA's "The Hoodlum Priest."
Connecticut Governor
Urges Jimmy Support
HARTFORD — Connfcticut Governor
Ribicoff issued the following official statement
in conjunction with the current
Jimmy Fund Drive, film industry-Boston
Red Sox-backed campaign for the Children's
Cancer Research Foundation:
"Th? Jimmy Fund offers all of us a new
opportunity to demonstrate our determination
that no child stricken with cancer
shall live in hopelessness and no parent in
despair.
"It is the strong supporting arm of the
Children's Cancer Research Foundation.
New England institution with a worldwide
reputation which since its founding has
made the care and treatment of cancerafflictsd
children its special concern and
eradication of this scourge through research
its all-important goal.
"August 7 to September 7 has been set
aside as Jimmy Fund Time— a period when
each of us can. through his contribution,
speak what is in his heart not only for
today's afflicted children but for those of
the future whom we would keep well and
happy.
"With faith in the generosity of Connecticut
residents. I am confident that
our contributions to the Jimmy Fund
during this period will add substantially to
ths growth and progress of the Children's
Cancer Research Foundation in this most
humane work.
$20,000 limmY Fund Goal
For Connecticut Airers
NEW HAVEN—Sperie Perakos. general
manager of Perakos Theatre Associates,
and president of the Connecticut Drive-In
Theatres Ass'n. arranged for industry
pioneer Ned E. Depinet to address the
Tuesday i23i luncheon meeting of the
Connecticut drive-in men at Sanford Barn,
East Haven.
Connecticut ozoners collected $14,000 for
the Jimmy Fund in 1959. Drive-in men
now anticipate a minimum goal of $20,000
for 1960.
Putnam, Conn., Bradley Aims
At Double '59 Collection
PUTNAM. CONN.— Wilbur "Bill" Neumann
of Interstate of New England's
Bradley Theatre, started a campaign to
possibly double the $581.82 collected last
year for the Jimmy Fund, the annual campaign
of the Children's Cancer Research
Foundation.
Tom Tully in Re-Takes
HARTFORD—Actor Tom Tully will report
back to the Columbia Los Angeles
studios upon completion of his current
"
"Paint Your Wagon strawhat theatre tour
for retakes on "The Wackiest Ship in the
Army." theatrical film in which he is costarred
with Jack Lemmon. Ricky Nelson
and Hartfordite Mike Kellin. Tully told
Allen M. Widem of the Hartford Times in
an interview session here. A late 1960
release is anticipated.
Airers Offer Pony Rides
NEW HAVEN—The Middletown and
Portland drive-ins are advertising free
pony rides for kiddies on Friday nights.
NE-2 BOXOFFICE August 29, 1960