1^

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. . Noting
'Sweei Bird' Is Okay
In Hartford Opening
HARTFORD— Ast-or's
-Les Liaisons Dangereuses"
went into a fourth Cine Webb
week. "Sweet Bird of Youth" was above
average as a starter in Loew's Poli.
(Avcroge Is 100)
Allyn Summer and Smoke (Para); Brushfirc!
(Para) 80
Art Cinema Mon Petit (Casino); Look Bock
in Anger (WB), revival 90
Cine Webb Les Liaisons Dongereuses (Astor),
4th wk
Cineroma— Seven Wonders of the World
135
(Cineroma), 2nd wk
E. M Loews—Wolk on the Wild Side (Col),
150
2nd wk 110
Loew's Paloce The Guns of Novorone (Col);
Two Women (Embassy), revivals 80
Loew's Poli— Sweet Bird of Youth (MGM)
Rivoli— Purple Noon (Times); Man in the Moon
120
(Trans-Lux), revivals, 2nd wk 100
Strand Splendor in the Gross (WB); Fanny
(WB), revivols 80
'Premature,' Backed Strongly,
Clicks for 225 in Boston
BOSTON—Lone new entry, "The Premature
Burial," was racking up a big, high
above average score at the Paramount,
backed with a spinning exploitation program.
Business picked up at the downtown
film houses with end of the transportation
strike which crippled last weekend receipts.
"The Outsider" was good and above average
at the Memorial in its second week.
"Les Liaisons Dangereuses" is still way
above average in the third week at the
Beacon Hill. "Doctor in Love" was smartly
above average in the second week at the
Kenmore. The Metropolitan closed to pictures
last week while it was hosting the
Metropolitan Opera company. "Four Horsemen
of the Apocalypse" was fine and above
average at the Orpheum in its fourth week.
"Judgment at Nuremberg" was holding
good and above average in its eighth week
at the Saxon. "West Side Story" was still
lofty above average at the Gary in its 23rd
week.
Astor—El Cid (AA), 16th wk 130
Boston South Seas Adventure (Cineroma),
reissue, I 4th wk
1 00
Beocon Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Hill
(Astor), 3rd wk 170
Copri Light in the Pioiia (MGM), 3rd wk. . 145
Exeter Murder She Said (MGM), 6th wk. .. 145
Fenway—Angry Silence (SR), 2nd wk 125
Gory—West Side Story (UA), 23rd wk 200
Kenmore Doctor in Love (Governor), 2nd wk. 160
Metropolitan—Closed this week, hosting
Metropolitan Opera
Memorial ^The Outsider (U-l), 2nd wk. . . 240
Paramount The Premature Burial (AlP) 225
Orpheum The Four Horsemen ot the Apocalypse
(MGM), 4th wk. . .
135
Pilgrim The Guns of Navarone (Col), return run' 120
Soxon Judgment at Nuremberg (UA) 9th wk 150
Stote—The Maiden (SR), 2nd wk. .
125
'View' Stays a 4th Week
In New Haven Whalley
NEW HAVEN—Continental's "A View
Prom the Bridge" was held for a fourth
Whalley week.
. 100
Loew's
Paramount
College
The
Sweet Bird
Outsider
of Youth
(U-l);
(MGM)
Nearly a
Nosty Accident (U-l)
Roger Sherman The Premature Buriol (AIF')-
90
Siege on Hell St. (AlP) 90
Whalley A View From the Bridge (Cortt'l),
4th wk
1 00
Promotes Awards Page
NEW BEDFORD, MASS.— Morris Simms,
city manager here for New England Theatres,
promoted a full page on the Academy
Awards in the Sunday rotogravme section
of the New Bedford Standard-Times.
Hollywood Seeks Better
Story, Acting Standards
HARTFORD—The American motion picture
industry, long acknowledged supreme
in technical aspects, is now striving valiantly
to improve story and acting content.
Allen M. Widem, Hartford Times
amusements editor-coliunnist, told the
Winsted Lions Club at a dinner meeting.
"It's very easy indeed." he said, "to point
at Hollywood's shortcomings in adaptation
of best-sellers and the like, but one must
remember that motion picture-making is
the most demanding in the creative ai-ts
and, more often than not. the end result
just does not measure up to initial expectations.
"When we talk of Hollywood and its constant
efforts." he continued, "I'm reminded
of the pessimist's remark when seeing a
half-filled glass of water. He says, 'The
water is half-gone.' The optimist would
say. 'There's still a half glass of water!' "
The speaker was introduced by John
Scanlon III. operator of the Strand. Winsted.
WB 25th Anniversary
Drive Honors Kumins
BOSTON—The Bill Kumins Silver Anniversary
Drive is underway here, continuing
through June 16.
Exhibitors were surprised to learn that
Warner Bros, exchange Manager Bill
Kumins is currently celebrating his 25th
year with the company. The news came in
the form of a letter from the Warner salesmen
and bookers, announcing the drive.
Although an oldtimer in experience, the
popular Warner exchange manager is a
comparatively yomig man, highly respected
by New England exhibitors. He is active
in many industry activities, presently president
of the Boston Cinema Lodge.
According to bookers and salesmen in
his office, this di'ive was initiated by them
on a local basis and is not connected with
any national company drive.
"There are no prizes to be won, only the
satisfaction of a job well done for a most
deserving guy." was the way they put it.
The enth'e Boston office, salesmen, bookers
and the stenographers, too. are combing
the territory for playdates for the Bill
Kumins Silver Anniversary Drive.
VERMONT
The Burlington Drive-In has been advertising
itself as "the drive-in that brings
to this area most of the Academy Award
shows." A recent attraction was "Breakfast
at Tiffany's," winner of four Academy
Award nominations . that "spring
is bustin' out all over." in its newspaper
advertisement heralding the event, the
Mountain View Drive-In in Winooski reopened
for its new season April 6.
Louis Baxter Promoted
NEW HAVEN—The Nutmeg circuit
has
named Louis Baxter as assistant to Donn
logha, supervisor of the Fine Arts, Westport,
and Norwalk. Norwalk. Baxter succeeds
Wallace Cardwell. resigned.
Chester Stoddard
Heads NE Theatres
BOSrcJN -Chester L. Stoddard, who has
been with New England Theaties Corp. for
over 36 years, since 1933 in the Boston area,
has been named president of the American-
Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres affiliate
by Edward L. Hyman. AB-PT vice-president.
Stoddard succeeds Robert Sternberg,
who resigned last week.
Stoddard, who moves up from his post
of division manager, entered the industry
as an usher with Balaban & Katz in
Chicago and moved to New York as assistant
manager of the Broadway Paramount
when it opened. From theie. Stoddard
moved up to head the personnel training
for the Publix Circuit, installing the
"
famed "Publix Service in hundreds of the
company's theatres. For two years. Stoddard
was attached to the personal staff of
Sam Katz, who headed the organization
from the Paramount building in New York.
Wm. Shields Joins Firm
Operating Park Arts
WORCESTER—William Shields, head of
the Shields Realty Co.. Worcester, is a new
figure in operations of the Park Ai-ts Theatre.
He now shares an interest with David
Massad, James Finneran, Frank Carrozza
and John Manoog, who acquired the art
film outlet in 1961.
Thomas Donaldson Dies;
Long Boston Distributor
BOSTON—Thomas J.
Donaldson, president
of Academy Film Distributors, died
recently in a Boston hospital. Death was
due to a cerebral hemorrhage.
Donaldson, who is survived by his wife
Alba, formerly was sales manager for Universal-International
and MGM exchange
manager here.
More Jobs in Vermont
MONTPELIER—Vermont went into its
eighth week of high-level unemployment,
although joblessness in the state shows
signs of leveling off. The department of
employment secm-ity said high level unemployment
claims total 5.992, or 8.3 per
cent of the insured working force.
Books Clown Stage Show
SPRINGFIELD. MASS.—Vincent Blais of
the Forest Park Phillips booked Albert
Montefalco. known professionally as "Mr.
Sweep, the Clown." for a children's show
April 21. Montefalco was at one time manager
of the Kounaris-Tolis Roxy Theatre.
New^ Britain. Conn.
Concessions Bar Opened
SPRINGFIELD. MASS.—The Memorial
Avenue Drive-In has opened its newly constructed
snack bar. The facility is completely
tiled and heated.
Stage Show at Sub-Run
WATERBURY. CONN.—The sub.sequentrun
Carroll played a stage show, featuring
the Isley Bros. band, at $2 top.
BOXOFFICE April 16. 1962 NE-1