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DETROIT
Tt was good to have word from Ann O'Donnell,
who for many years was with Excellent
Pictures, Albert Dezel and others,
and rated as the only feminine branch
manager. She's now ensconced at Fort
Lauderdale . . . Hy Bloom, supervisor for
the Sloan circuit, says plans are still to
open the new Terrace Theatre in May
despite construction delays because of the
long cold spell.
BOWLING
DETROIT—The Projectionists Local 199
took a one-point lead in the Nightingale
Club Bowling League by winning all four
from hard-luck National Theatre Supply.
Theatre Equipment kept pushing up, taking
three from National Carbon to slide
into second spot, and Altec grimly held on
to fourth by taking three from Amusement
Supply. The new ratings:
Teom W L Teom W t
Local 199 40 28 Altec 34 34
Theatre Equip't. 39 29 Ams't Supply ...31 37
Not. Corbon 38 30 NTS 22 46
High rollers: Julius Pavella, 232-213, 581;
Francis Light, 212, 557; Boy Thompson,
196-191, 555; Edgar Douville, 206, 551; Eddie
Waddell, 203, 538; Matt Haskin, 196,
536; Bill Fouchey, 516.
Robert Bloch was talking to himself
when he made the 4-5-7 split. John Lasko's
7-8 was the big one. Little Joe Forest made
a pair of hard splits, the 3-7 and the 4-6.
Roy "Plus" Thompson did right to get
Jack "Minus" Thompson to the left so he
could talk to him and win. Report has it
that Jack Lindenthal fell off a ladder and
hurt his ankle. Busy secretary Floyd Akins
says every man in the league went into the
March of Dimes tournament.
Ex-Theatreman Dies
DETROIT—George "Obie" O'Brien, 60,
former owner of the Au Gres Theatre at
Oscoda, died January 19 after a short illness.
He was a member of the Detroit
Federation of Musicians, and also worked
in Detroit as an organist. There were no
immediate survivors.
Service
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Downtown Head Urges
Entertainment Boost
COLUMBUS—Entertainment facilities in
the downtown section should be expanded,
said Robert K. Levy, chairman of the
downtown ai-ea committee. Levy also advocated
more cultm-al and convention centers
in a redevelopment of the area.
He noted that plans to construct extensive
apartment buildings in the Market-
Mohawk slum clearance area adjacent to
the downtown "should bring people within
walking distance of entertainment, jobs
and stores." Levy said the committee
should seek the establishment of a combined
transportation complex and encourage
business firms to expand their downtown
facilities. He advocated an "active
sales campaign" to bring in new firms
which would generate new employment.
He said the committee will assist the
state in bringing the proposed State House
underground parking garage into reality
and added that one of the aims of the committee
should be development and improvement
of the Scioto river front section of
downtown.
Levy said the committee is "ready, willing
and able to assist the proper officials
in the development of a downtown plan."
Minneapolis Century Near
End of Cinerama Lease
MINNEAPOLIS—Cinerama will wind up
its operation of the Centmy Theatre, which
it has been leasing from Mimiesota Amusement
Co., March 11, it was announced here.
The Century had been showing a rerun of
"South Seas Adventure" prior to bringing
back "Search for Paradise" January 15 to
finish out the theatre's operation under the
Cinerama lease.
Meanwhile, work is progressing on Cinerama's
new showplace on Wayzata boulevard
in suburban St. Louis Park being built
by Cooper Foundation Theatres of Lincoln,
Neb. It is not likely that the new theatre
will be opened until the next Cinerama
film, "How the West Was Won," is released.
The film tentatively is scheduled to
be released in July.
Minnesota Amusement Co. will take over
operation of the Century (probably in
April) and operate it as a first-run house,
according to Charles Winchell, MACO
president. The exact policy is yet to be determined,
Winchell said.
'Viridiana' Release Set
NEW YORK—Luis Brunuel's "Viridiana,"
produced in Spain with Francisco
Rabal and Silvia Pinal in the leads, will
be distributed in the U. S. by Kingsley
International. The pictui-e, which won the
Grand Prize at the 1961 Cannes Festival,
will open at the Paris Theatre following
the run of the cm-rent "La Belle Americaine."
Gregory Peck plays the starring role in
Universal's "To Kill a Mockingbird."
DEMBEK CINEMA SERVICE
Film Buying ond Booking — Mimeogrophing
Complete Service for the Exitibitor
926 Fox Theatre BIdg. Detroit 1, Mich.
Phone woodward 1-6347
Ft. Wayne-Made Film
Given Gala Premiere
FORT WAYNE—The first feature film
made by Galbreath Pictures, "Night of
Evil," was world-premiered in the Embassy
Theatre Saturday and Sunday, January 27,
28, with all proceeds going to local charities
under the sponsorship of the Central Lions
Club.
The film was made by Richard Galbreath,
maker of industrial films, in Fort
Wayne during the summer of
1960, and is
based on the life story of Dixie Ann Dikes,
a beauty queen who landed in jail for attempted
robbery. Many local people and
business firms cooperated in the production.
Classic Paintings Rouse
Action Against Theatre
WILLOW GROVE, PA.—The Art Cinema
Theatre here, owned by Melvin J. Fox, is
involved in a dispute with the Upper Moreland
township commissioners over the
question of obscenity. The township has
objected to Fox's display of three classic
paintings. The paintings were featured in
a display case outside the theatre.
As a result, theatre Manager Jay Ayrton.
26, of Willow Grove, was charged with
displaying an obscene poster. The poster
advertised "Forbidden Paradise." At a
hearing, attorney Robert K. Duffy showed
the commissioners prints of the three classic
paintings and demanded to know if
they "arouse immoral thoughts."
Justice of the Peace John C. Bready
was consulted by the commissioners on
whether they should answer the question.
He advised that they should.
Duffy then directed his question to
Commissioner Francis Sargent. Sargent
first replied, "Anything nude is obscene."
But Duffy forced an admission fixsm Sargent
that the pictures "arouse nothing in
me." Commissioner M. R. Turner, who
started the whole thing, also said he was
similarly unmoved by looking at the pictures.
Turner testified that he brought the
charges after receiving complaints from
many township residents. The poster, he
said, is in violation of the township sign
ordinance. Sargent said he had also received
many complaints about the film
display.
Duffy countered by quoting passages
from the U. S. Supreme Court's definition
of obscenity and asked for dismissal of the
charge.
Township solicitor H. Lyle Houpt suggested
a ten-day recess for study of the
high court definition and the justice of
the peace recessed the hearing, saying he
would rule on the case after the study is
completed.
55-Year Industry Career
Ending for J. R. Boice
WARSAW, IND.—J. Ralph Boice of the
Boice Theatre is retiring from show business
after 55 continuous years in it.
He has sold his Boice Theatre to Max
and Barbara Patterson, who previously
operated the Mermaid Theatre at North
Webster. Both also had been associated
with Boice in his theatre operation for
many years.
iyiE-4
BOXOFFICE February 5, 1962