Boxoffice-December.17.1962

1
. . Mateo
. . . "The
. . Another
. . Actor
. . Cinema
Each Film Has Good
Points: Ray Willie
I
Continued from page SW-5
Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Galveston
and Arlington—42 houses in all.
Willie's job is one that does not allow him
to stay in one spot long. He travels around
the circuit seeing to the operation of theatres:
is in New York four or five times a
year and frequently goes to the west coast
and the motion picture studios to discuss
properties.
The theatreman personally screens every
motion picture Interstate books. Most of
these are seen in the Interstate screening
room in the Majestic building.
It is common knowledge Texas is very
important to the motion picture exhibitors
boxoffices. "We have had more world premieres
than anyone outside of New York
or Hollywood," Willie states.
The importance of Texas as an exhibition
area has led to close and important
associations with the celebrities and executives
of the motion picture world. This can
be illustrated by the recent "Hatari!"
Safari that visited Dallas. The caravan of
stars, headed by John Wayne, had not
plamied to visit any southern cities. But
Willie called Wayne with a request the stars
visit Dallas. They did.
Willie describes Dallas as the hub of the
motion picture business in the south. Most
of the distribution of films in this area is
done through Dallas offices. In discussing
the future of the motion picture business,
Willie is optimistic.
"People like to get out and go to theatres,"
he says, "and there are more theatres
being built all the time." As for future
product, "Producers are going in for family
pictures a great deal right now," he says.
"But I think there Is a place for pictures
of different types."
Summing up some of the pleasures of his
long, still most active career, Willie points
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to "the many fine friends and contacts I
have made over the years with producers
and stars" as a satisfaction.
"The current hottest topic in the motion
picture trade is 'Cleopatra.' I expect it to
be the biggest grossing film in history,"
says Willie. "Elizabeth Taylor is the biggest
boxoffice draw. And I think she's a
great talent."
As he does with most every other film,
Willie will be off for New York or Hollywood
for an advance screening of "Cleopatra"
as soon as it is finished.
SAN ANTONIO
A/Tike Tensor of Crown Int'l and Robert
O'Donnell, General Films, Dallas, were
in the Austin-San Antonio area recently.
They also made stops in several Gulf Coast
towns together before returning to Big D
and Camargo Trio, who have
played theatrical dates around Texas and
Mexico, are currently billed at the Rickshaw
here on North Main avenue . . . Sherwin
Fellezs. a six-foot. 220-pound giant,
was in the Alamo City to promote the
forthcoming Columbia release, "Diamond
Head" which is scheduled to start at the
Majestic here February 21. Fellezs has a
part in the picture.
Audie Murphy is due in from Hollywood
for "The Longest Day" premiere at the
Woodlawn Theatre the latter part of the
month .
Chill Wills was in San
Antonio recently and appeared on a telecast
for the Warm Springs Foundation
along with several other personalities from
the entertainment world. Incidentally,
Wills is a native Texan and hails from
Segoville, not far from Fort Worth.
The Aztec, Interstate's number two house
here, which has been having single runs
heretofore, switched to a double bill the
day before Pearl Harbor Day, and brought
in "We'll Bury You!" and "13 West Street"
on the same program to satisfactory business
. timely picture, "The War
Lover," was playing the ace Interstate
house, the Majestic . Art's flagship
house, the Texas, dual billed "The
Sky Above—the Mud Below" and "Breaking
the Language Barrier" for an exclusive
south Texas showing here.
Zachary Scott, Austin's own movie star,
has a prominent role in Paramount's "It's
Only Money" which is a current release
Music Man" closed its fifthweek
holdover engagement at the Laurel,
a Cinema Art neighborhood house here. It
recently had a big first run at a downtown
Handy-Andy Supermarkets
theatre . . . here gave discount tickets to
school teachers and their students who
made purchases at any of the stores around
town. The tickets were good to see "We'll
Bury You!" which was playing the Aztec.
Al Zarzana who is a partner in the Al-
Ray Theatres, Houston, was in the Alamo
City booking Mexican pictures for his
Bayou City houses . . . Both film booking
offices will be closed on Christmas Day.
We wish one and all the best of everything
for the New Year.
United Artists' "A Child Is Waiting" was
produced by Stanley Kramer and directed
by John Cassavetes.
stands
for
Breast Self-Examination
—something that any woman can—and
every woman should— do at home once
a month.
Millions of American women are now
using this practical, easy method for
detecting signs that might mean
cancer. If such signs are found, they
should be brought to the attention of
a physician immediately.
The life-saving film, "Breast Self-
Examination' produced by the American
Cancer Society, demonstrates
how women can examine their
breasts. See it now! Call your
local American Cancer Society
Unit for more information and
material on this subject.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
This space contributed by Che publisher
BOXOFFICE
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BOXOFFICE :: December 17, 1962 SW-9