Boxoffice-January.13.1964

. . Page

JANUARY 13, 1964

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If everyone looks happy while John Wayne as McLintock is giving his wife Katherine (Maureen

O'Hara) a long-deserved spanking, it is because they thought she had it coming. The scene

is from "McLintock!" United Artists release which was voted the December BOXOFFICE Blue

Ribbon Award as the most outstanding that was also family entertainment .

15.

mONAL EXECUTIVE EDITION

IcMini IKt StcliontI Nm Pagtl of All Edilioni

foreword Spohfl

d;«i...j B...li

Starring

Sta

Screenplay t)^

OVERIHE CREATES

fiU

A Stanley Baker

Cy Endfield Production

TECHNICOLOr

TECHNIRAMr

THE ZULU SHOWMANSHIP CARAVAN

IS THUNDtRING ACROSS THE COUNTRY!

NEW YORK -DECEMBER 16 • CHICAGO - DECEMBER U

SAN FRANCISCO -JANUARY 6 -LOS ANGELES-JANUARY 7

DALLAS- JANUARY 8 ATLANTA -JANUARY 9 • - KANSAS CITY -JANUARY 10

jgA^P

BOOfC IT NOW FROM

m m^

J|ggl^g ^ ^W ^

The world will never be

the same CQmn wFebruary *

Bob's on the road to paternity in the only

Hope movie that took

Neliemiah Persoff

JohnMcG

ey Sliaugiinessy

MUSIC BY Dominic Fiontiefe

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER EUGENE VALE

''"""''by Arthur Marx and Bob Fisher and Charles Lederer

STORY BY Eugene Vale

produced BY Hall Barllett

•

directed by Jack Arnold

M-GMis on the MOVE!

irg

eas%

I Offices:

F^c^ (^t/iel/ldtwn 7-ictuie /ndu4t>i//

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lished in Nine Sectional Editions

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or-in-Chiei and Publisher

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fl^N U A R

- 84

1 3,

1964

No. 12

BANNER YEAR IN

RECORD GROSSES during ChrLstmas

^ week and for the two weeks following

have created an air of the highest

optimism this industry has seen in many

a day. And, what is more, there are numerous

signs of still further encouragement,

leading to a strong belief that this

business resurgence indicates a renaissance

of the motion picture is under way.

Good pictures — and not necessarily

"big" ones—are, basically, the cause for

this feeling of jubilation. All the current

hits, apparently, have been made with entertainment

as their principal objective,

encompassing the gamut from comedy of

the slapstick variety to serious drama.

This has caused people, again, to talk

enthusiastically about motion pictures

and to spread the word-of-mouth praise

of what they have just seen to their

friends.

We have heard this from so many and

has engendered an

to the confidence we always

varied sources that it

added fillip

have had for the superiority of our motion

pictures over any other medium of

entertainment. The enthusiasms with

which the public seems now to be viewing

films are a far cry from what, not too

long ago, was derision.

However, some other things—some of

which we had previously commented on

in these pages to the trade—are being

voiced by the ticket-buyers, many of

whom were among "the lost audience."

Among these "other things," was the

most-often expressed complaint about distribution

and/or exhibition policies that

are denying these individuals (who can

be multiplied into the thousands) the opportunity

of seeing many of the fine pictures

among the current releases. Even

though some have been playing for three

weeks running, there just isn't the available

time to catch them all; and, then,

there is the fast playoff in umpteen theatres

at one shot—and they are gone.

One of the complainants on this score

was a banker who said that he and his

wife were great movie fans and were

highly pleased that so many good pictures

were currently being shown. But

they couldn't see them all. "We used to

be able to catch a picture we missed when

it played a drive-in, later. But we can't

do even that any more, since the drive-ins

are playing them all at the same time."

Reverting to our opening thesis of

THE MAKING

sighting signs of encouragement and renewed

confidence, we point to the already

announced and long list of coming attractions—and

we do not use that term

loosely—that are in the immediate offing

and which are lined up through 1964 and

well beyond. It would be ever so much

better, if these strong attractions were

not bunched up together, but would be

judiciously spaced. That would keep up

the momentum and further build up the

public enthusiasm for moviegoing. Too,

it would eliminate the stretches of halfempty

houses that but dampen the ardor

of what the good attractions generate.

Maybe some of this will be overcome

by the new technological developments

that recently have come to the fore, and

others that are in the offing. Much progress

has been made in the past two or

three years in improving the physical

attractiveness of theatre structures, in

comfort, in sight and sound and in convenience

for attendance, such as parking

facilities. This is all to the good, not only

in individual instances but for the industry

as a whole. This has been proved

by the fact that, even though there were

some lapses in the quality of product during

1962 and 1963, there was a rise in exhibition

income. So, with the product outlook

so very much improved for the ensuing

year, the betterment foreseen, both

in gross income and attendance, should

set a new record in 1964.

It won't be all milk and honey, to be

sure. But the sound of the upbeat talk,

not only from patrons but from within

the industry, itself, is going to make it

much more so than would otherwise be

the case. There are many evidences of a

greater interest among exhibitors and

distributors in talking UP what they've

got to sell; and stars, producers and directors

traveling hither and yon to give

so much backing through personal appearances

and via radio and television

plugs at the point-of-sale. This has been

highly effective and indications are that

this effort will be steadily increased.

Yes, good product, coupled with good

and enthusiastic showmanship — the

basic ingredients for success in this business—bring

out the best in all of us, all

along the line!

(X^Ai^

Jacobs,

JOE LEVINE ADDRESSES NEW YORK SHOWMEN—More than 250 exhibitors

attended the first conclave of Joseph E. Levine's "Zulu Showmanship Caravan"

recently held in New York. Levine, at lectern, is shown above addressing the showmen.

Also on the dais, left to right: Robert R. Weston, Embassy vice-president in

charge of world advertising, publicity and exploitation; Carl Peppercorn, Embassy

vice-president and general sales manager; Martin Davis, Paramount advertisingpublicity

vice-president; Leonard Lightstone, Embassy executive vice-president;

James Perkins, Paramount International president, and George Richardson, Paramount

Pictures treasurer.

Chet Friedman Succeeds

Roger Ferri at NSS

NEW YORK—Roger Ferri has resigned

as director of advertising and publicity for

National Screen Service

and has been succeeded

by Chester W.

Ferri

Friedman.

joined National

Screen last Januai-y

and was appointed

advertising and publicity

director in May.

Friedman started

in the business as an

usher in the Paramount

Theatre in

New York and then

Chester Friedman

held managerial

posts with Paramount Publix in Des

Moines, Omaha and Houston, subsequently

holding executive posts with the RKO,

Saenger, Schine and Interboro circuits. In

1943, he became Round Table editor for

the Motion Picture Herald and editor of the

Showmandiser section of Boxoffice in 1947.

He joined MGM Pictures of Canada in

Rock Hudson First Star for Oscarcast

HOLLYWOOD—Rock Hudson has become

the first star named to the cast of

the 36th annual Academy of Motion Pictures

Arts and Sciences Oscar presentation

ceremonies, to be held April 13 from

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, according

to producer George Sidney. Jack Lcmmon

will be master of ceremonies for the

show, which will be carried over the combined

radio and television facilities of ABC.

Texas Drive-In Convention

In Dallas February 11-13

DALLAS—The 12th annual convention

of the Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners

Ass'n will be held Febraary 11-13 at the

Statler Hilton Hotel here. Al Reynolds,

Dallas, president of the association, said

this week that an attendance of over 500

persons is expected from Texas and neighboring

states as well as from Illinois, New

York, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa and

Massachusetts.

Principal speakers, Reynolds said, will

include James Nicholson, president of

American International Pictures, who will

keynote the opening session. Other industry

executi\es to be featured will include

Edward S. Redstone, Boston, president of

the National Ass'n of Concessionaires; John

Rowley, Dallas, president, Theatre Owners

of America, who will speak at the February

12 luncheon meeting; and Texas Lt. Gov.

Preston Smith, also a drive-in theatre

owner, who promised to attend the presidential

banquet and dance the final evening

unless pressing duties detain him in

Austin.

Coca-Cola will sponsor the presidential

dinner-dance, Reynolds said, while American

International plans a breakfast, as does

1953 and later headed his own public relations

firm in Toronto.

Before joining National Screen, Ferri

had been with 20th Century-Fox for many Pepsi-Cola Co. National Screen Service will

years in such posts as midwestern exploitation

manager, national exploitation diture

Advertising Service Co. of New

sponsor an event and so will the Motion Picrector,

studio publicity director, sales promotion

director and editor of Dynamo, the

Orleans.

company's house organ. He is a former newspaper

man in Providence, Boston and New

York and was publicity and advertising director

of the Shea and Emery circuits.

United Artists to Participate

In Texas Drive-In Conclave

NEW YORK—United Artists will participate

in the annual Texas Drive-In Theatre

Owners convention February 11-13

and will .set up a booth at the Statler Hilton

Hotel in Dallas as part of the exhibitor

meeting.

A public address system will be installed

in the booth to broadcast soundtrack recordings

of current and future UA relca.scs.

This is being arranged to attract the conventioniiiR

showmen to the UA stand.

Brochures and free copies of paperback

editions of the company's films will be

passed out to the exhibitors.

Levine Heads 'Zulu'

Showmanship Meets

LOS ANGELES—The fourth meeting in

Joseph E. Levine's cross-country "Zulu

Showmanship Caravan" was held here

Tuesday il>, with 125 exhibitors attending

a mormng screening of "Zulu" at the Lido

Theatre and a luncheon at the Beverly

Hills Hotel, hosted by the Embassy Pictures

president. Earlier meetings in the

caravan had been held in New York, Chicago

and San Fiancisco, and subsequent

sessions with exhibitors were held last

week in Dallas (8i, Atlanta (9i and Kansas

City (10).

Levine expressed his confidence in the

future of the American film industry and

asserted that Hollywood had made its

comeback, making "more hit pictures in

1963 than in any previous year and 1964

looks like a still bigger year.

"Fewer and fewer pictures prepared in

Hollywood are being made abroad," he continued.

"The industry's center is Hollywood

and will remain so as long as Hollywood

observes an open door policy toward

world talent."

Levine predicted that the current year

will see a resurgence of pictures with

strong feminine roles and added. "Hollywood

has recovered from runaway jitters

and is entering a long period of more jobs

and prosperity."

Accompanying Levine on the caravan

were Stanley Baker, star and producer of

"Zulu"; Cy Endfield, director and co-producer;

Carl Peppercorn, Embassy vicepresident

and general sales manager;

Robert R. Weston, vice-president in charge

of world advertising, publicity and exploitation;

Ed Apfel, director of advertising;

Jules Needebnan, western division

manager, and Erwin Douglyn, western sale.s

representative.

With George Jessel acting as emcee,

Endfield and Baker were introduced from

the podium at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Jack

Karp and Marty Rackin, Paramount Studio

toppers, also were introduced.

Many top exhibitors, distributors and

heads of circuits were at the luncheon.

These included Sherrill Corwin. Robert

Selig, William Thedford. Paul Schreibman,

Paul Lyday, Pete Latsis. Jack Case, Bob

Goodfried, Bert Pirosh. Leo Miller, Jack

Myhill, Neil Blumberg. Al Bruno. Leonard

Schwartz, Ted Minsky, Frank Sohner, Fred

Roe, Jack Carter. Chan Wood. Art Gordon,

Bernard Donnenfcld, "Red Herman

Cohen and Martin Tenser.

Erwin Lesser to Handle

'Servant' for Landau

NEW YORK — Erwin Lesser,

formerly

general sales manager of Lopert Films and

more recently head of his own company.

Brigadier Film Associates, has joined the

Landau Co. where he will be in charge of

domestic sales for "The Servant." This will

be the initial picture to be offered by the

newly formed Landau Releasing Organization,

which will concentrate on the distribution

of important international films in

the United States.

Lesser previously was associated with Ely

Landau as general sales manager of the

theatrical film division of National Telefilm

As.sociatcs, which Landau headed.

8 BOXOFFICE ;

; January 13. 1964

. Mm

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HAT PUUS'EM

The murderer who

plunged him into the

- whole fantastic

chain of

events...

His Hotel.

Jack

; tie imlieon.

Cam Ktert

5ii jiieitnaan.

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Case, Bob

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Leonard

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FOR MID-JANUARY FROM 20th!

mhHiie

Pradiim) tiy WALTER SELTZER

SAM WAMMHKEB-W.EMJIDER KNOX

Diiecled tn GUY HAMIITON

Smmltt lir KEITH WATEHHOUSE mi WILLIS HAIL- f lom s novel In HOWAFO FAS'.

Urac by IBNEL BART • CiNEMASCOPg

and

NGC Holds Sessions

On Terrific Twelve'

LOS ANGELES — Sixlt'eu of National

General Corp.s top theatre managers —

serving as advertising "field representatives"—held

a thiee-day series of screenings

and workshop sessions with studio

advertising-publicity heads here, starting

as a followup to the company's

Tuesday 1 7 • ,

"Terrific T\\'elve" picture-selling program.

The program, successfully initiated last

year, is aimed at extracting maximum

grosses from top pictui'es and concentrates

on monthly picture-selling campaigns in

each of the circuit's 217 theatres in 16

states.

In announcing continuation of the program.

Robert W. Selig. NGC vice-president

and general manager of theatre operations,

said. "We have facts and figures that prove

our theory of 'extracting the absolute maximum'

from pictures that the public wants

to buy is completely sound. We have proved

it at the only place where authentic, documented

evidence can be found—at om' boxoffices

across the nation.

"We have carried out our program with

the help of our top theatre exploitationshowman

managers who have served as

field representatives thi-oughout the year.

This has increased grosses of a dozen boxoffice-potential

pictui'es by approximately

10 per cent. Over the past year, our- 'Terrific

Twelve' policy added an estimated one

million dollars to om- theatre grosses."

The three-day meetings included screenings

of product and workshop sessions with

advertising-publicity heads of Universal,

Disney, United Artists. American International

and Embassy Pictures.

Paul Lyday. NGC ad-pub director, said

theatre managers selected to serve as field

representatives are men hand-picked for

the job because of their past records of

selling pictui-es on the local level. "These

showmen," he said, "will conduct area

meetings with their fellow managers to set

up local promotional campaigns on each

of the project pictmcs."

Field representatives in attendance include

H. G "Buddy" Brown, Boulevard, Wichita, Kas.;

LcRoy Nichols, Fox, Joplin, Mo.; Roy Hill, Fox Midwest

Theatres, Konsos City, Mo.; John Tello, Babcock,

Bilhngs, Mont.; Russell Page, Fox, Sterling, Colo.; Steve

Moscr, Esquire, Denver; Rex Hopkins, Orpheum, Portlond.

Ore.

From California: Phil Phillips, Tower, Ooklond; Donald

Crook, Fox, Stockton; Phil Quinn, Balboa, Son

Diego; Horry Froncis, Crest, Long Beoch; Vaughn Taylor,

Fox, Anaheim, Phil Cothcrall, Fox, Polos Verdes;

Bob Coftom, Academy, Posodeno; Williom Kotzky, Fine

Arts, Beverly Hills, ond Al Bogotch, Lido, Los Angelei

Also ottcnding were William H. Thedford, Pacific

Coast division manager; district monogers Bob Smith,

Bob Weeks and Harold Wyott; Pete Lotsis, press relations

director, ond Joe Bleck, Terrific Twelve advertising

coordinator

Warner Bros, to Observe

'Razz Goldstein Week'

NEW YORK—The week of February 22

will bo known as "Raz/, Goldstein Week"

as the wlndup in Warner Bros.' five-month

sales drive, which began on September 29.

The drive, offering $35,000 in cash prizes,

Is pushing "4 for Texas," "Mary, Mary,"

"America America," "Dead Ringer," "Palm

Springs Weekend other Warner releases

of the fall-winter season.

The company's Albany and Charlotte

branches are In first and second places, respectively,

In the cumulative standings,

with only a single jxjrcentage point separating

them.

David Home Named AIP

V-P and Foreign Chief

NEW YORK—David Home has been appointed

vice-president of American International

Pictures in

charge of foreign distribution

by James H.

Nicholson, president,

and Samuel Z. Arkoff,

executive vicepresident.

Pi-ior to

joining AIP,

^_ Home

** ^'^^ executive vice-

*tiu.

^^k.*^VIIVW.

president of Titra

Sound Corp.. as well

^^^^^^^^

^^^^L m ^^^^ as member the

^^^^^ i^^B board of directors. He

David Home

will succeed Samuel

L. Seidelman, who resigned

late in December.

Before joining Titra, Home was with

Film Classics as vice-president in charge of

foreign sales and, prior to that, with Allied

Artists as assistant to Norton Ritchie, the

foreign chief. He also was with the foreign

departments of RKO Radio Pictures and

Warner Bros. Home headed his own export

company for seven years.

CDA Preparing 200 Prints

For Saturation Bookings

MOBILE. ALA. — Saturation bookings

and advertising for early 1964 releases received

top priority discussion when key

personnel of Cinema Distributors of

America assembled here January 10 for the

first executive meeting of the new year.

M. A. Ripps, president, came here directly

from New York where he had been

conferring with processing laboratories regarding

initial print orders for the company's

late January, February and March

saturations. Ripps said that the initial

order will be about 200 prints. CDA will

release their new science-fiction horror

feature, "The Flesh Eaters," followed by

"Fat Black Pussy Cat."

Attending the home office meeting, in

addition to Ripps, were Robert Steuer, executive

vice-president; Clayton Pantages,

general sales manager: Madolyn Babb, secretary-treasurer;

Daniel Loventhal, chief

counsel; Pat Moore, western sales manager,

and Ross Wheeler, eastern sales manager.

AIP Planning Christmas

Film Package for 1964

HOLLYWOOD — American Internationa!

Pictures will prepare a special Christmas

release package for 1964. according to

James H. Nicholson, president, and Samuel

Z. Arkoff, vice-president, who said the

decision was based upon boxoffice results

noted during the Christmas school holidays

and a study of the types of pictures playing

during the holiday season.

"The survey indicates that audiences

prefer action-adventure spectacles and

light horror comedy which are strictly

escapist entertainment during this season,

rather than heavy drama and message

stories," the AIP executives said. For the

recent holidays AIP released "The Comedy

of Terrors," the combination of "Goliath

and the Sins of Babylon and "Samson

and the Slave Queen." "Pyro—The Man

Without a Face" and "Summer Holiday."

AA Division Meeting

On Upcoming Product

NEW YORK — Ernest Sands, general

sales manager of Allied Artists, held a twoday

meeting of the company's division

managers Wednesday and Thursday (8. 9)

to discuss plans and sales approaches for

upcoming product. Sands talked about the

special handling of several of the featm'es

and discussed plans for the campaigns for

"The Naked Kiss," "Never Put It in

Writing," "The Strangler" and "The Thin

Red Line."

Special sessions were also held with Harold

Roth, sales executive for Samuel

Bronston Productions, on future plans for

"El Cid" and "55 Days at Peking." Also

attending the meetings were Edward

Morey, vice-president: Nat Nathanson. assistant

general sales manager: Roy M.

Brewer, manager of exchange operations;

Jack Bernstein, general sales manager of

Allied Artists of Canada; John Dervin,

New York sales executive: Harold Wirthwein,

western division head; J. E. Hobbs,

southern division manager: J. A. Prichard,

southwestern division head, and Frank

Thomas, midwestern division manager.

AA Conducting a Contest

For 'Soldier in the Rain'

NEW YORK—Allied Artists is conducting

a contest open to all exhibitors in the

United States and Canada for the best exploitation

campaign on "Soldier in the

Rain." A four-page pamphlet explaining

the details is available at AA branches.

The wimiing exhibitor will receive an

all-expense-paid trip for himself and a

guest to New York for two days and two

nights. Among the highlights of the trip

will be an opportunity to sit in on the

Jackie Gleason TV show and rehearsals.

Embassy Pictures to Enter

Television Film Production

NEW YORK—Embassy Pictures will expand

its cntertaiimient activities into the

production of filmed programs for television.

Joseph E. Levine. president, said Embassy

had concluded negotiations with the

American Broadcasting Co. for its initial

series. "Hercules." which will be shot on location

in various parts of the world, with

a new star in the title role. The series,

budgeted at more than $4,000,000, will consist

of 32 one-hour shows the first season,

Levine said.

The "Hercules" series will be followed by

others, including programs based on Casanova

and D'Aitagnan. one of the heroes of

"The Three Musketeers."

Levine announced that Embassy was

offering a catalog of 48 features, including

30 in color, for television.

William Ainsworth Dies;

Former Allied Head

POND DU LAC. WIS—Former National

Allied States Ass'n president William Ainsworth

died here at the age of 71. His

career in exhibition began in Fond du Lac

in 1915 and he remained active until just

a few years ago. He also served as president

of the Wisconsin Allied organization

as well as president of the national

association.

His wife Florence Is among his survivors.

10 BOXOFFICE January 13. 1964

management

son,

LINCOLN

operates

. midwestern

''Eliii;

Cooper Foundation

m Elects New Officers

— Cooper Foundation, which

a chain of theatres in several

states, reorganized its adminiistrative

staff and elected new officers as

11964 began. R. E. Campbell of Lincoln was

elected to the newly created post of chairiman

of the board with duties similar to

those formerly performed by the president,

a post which Campbell has held for ten

years.

Elwood N. Thompson of Lincoln was

[elected president in a newly created post

with full-time responsibilities for general

of the Foundation. Thompprominent

Lincoln business and civic

leader, is resigning from his post as senior

vice-president of the National Bank of

Commerce Trust and Savings Ass'n, where

he has served since 1961 when the First

Trust Co. was merged with the bank. He

will remain as a member of the bank board

and as chairman of its trust advisory

committee.

Roger V. Dickeson, counsel for the

Cooper Foundation, and for the last four

months acting general manager, will retui-n

to full-time law practice with the

firm of Mason, Knudsen, Dickeson and

Berkheimer, which continues as counsel for

the Foundation. He assumed the general

manager post left vacant when Kemieth

Anderson resigned to enter the production

business in southern California four

months ago.

Elected to the newly established post of

vice-president for operations was George

Gaughan, for eight years a managing executive

of the Foundation's theatres. Another

new post of assistant vice-president

for operations was filled by the election of

Herman Hallberg, also with Cooper Theatres

management for the past four and

one half years.

Thompson is a member of the Foundation

board as is Campbell, who heads the

board of Miller and Paine, Lincoln department

store. Other Foundation board members

are C. Wheaton Battey, Lincoln

banker: William Putney, insm'ance man;

J. Lee Rankin. New York attorney; T. A.

Sick, Lincoln insurance man and

Van Home, Omaha businessman.

E. N.

Cooper currently operates recently constructed

Cinerama luxury theatres in

Omaha, Minneapolis and Denver, which

are famous for their identical and unique

circular design. Other Cooper theatres are

operated in Lincoln. Omaha, Greeley,

Grand Junction, Pueblo and Colorado

Springs in Colorado and Oklahoma City.

In late November, the Foundation opened

its newest Cooper Theatre in Colorado

Springs.

Joan Crawford Is Touring

13 Cities for Her Film

NEW YORK—Joan Crawford, star of Columbia's

January release, "Strait-Jacket,"

left Monday i6) on a nationwide tour to

promote the film, which opened Wednesday

(8) in hundreds of situations throughout

the U.S.

Miss Crawford will spend 13 days on tour

and visit New York, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis,

Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and

Toronto to meet with editors, radio-TV

commentators and columnists in each city.

Btitish 'Tom Jones Sweeps

Best Ten Lists; 'Hud' Close

By FRANK LEYENDECKER

NEW YORK—"Tom Jones," the British

comedy being released in the U.S by United

Artists-Lopert, swept the motion pictui-e

"best field" list for 1963 by being named

"best picture of 1963" by the New York

Film Critics, heading the "best ten" of the

National Board of Review and being included

in the "best ten" pictures of the

year by every single New York daily newspaper,

the Times, the Herald Tribune, the

Daily News, the New York Post, the

Jom-nal-American and the World-Telegram,

in most of which it headed the lists.

However, "Hud," the Hollywood picture

made by Paramount, came close behind by

being on every best ten list, including the

six daily newspapers, plus the National

Board of Review, even if it did not head the

lists as did "Tom Jones."

TWO MORE UA FILMS HIGH

Two other 1963 pictm'es. the Hollywoodmade

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,"

produced by Stanley Kramer and distributed

by United Artists, and "The L-

Shaped Room," British film distributed in

the U.S. by Columbia Pictures, were on the

majority of best ten lists, the former being

named by the Times, the Daily News, the

Post, the Journal-American and the World-

Telegram, and the British picture being on

the lists of the Times, the Daily News, the

Journal-American and the World-Telegram,

as well as the National Board of Review.

In each case Judith Crist of the

Herald-Tribune failed to include these, her

list being predominantly foreign-made pictures,

such as "Winter Light" and "The

Sound of Ti'umpets."

Also on the majority of the best ten lists

were "America America," made in Greece

in English for Warner Bros, release, and

"8 '2." the Italian-language picture being

distributed by Embassy Pictures. The

former was listed by the Times, the Herald-

Tribune, the Journal-American and the

World-Telegram while the Federico Fellini

picture was on the lists of the Times, the

Herald-Tribune and the Daily New's, as well

as the National Board of Review, which

named it "best foreign picture of the year."

THREE OTHERS ARE STRONG

Among the pictm-es which were on thi-ee

of the "best ten list" were "Lilies of the

Field," produced in Arizona by Ralph Nelson

for United Artists release; "Heavens

Above," a British comedy distributed by

Janus Films, and "How the West Was

Won," the MGM-Cinerama production.

Sm-prisingly, the world's most expensive

film which has been playing two-a-day exclusively

to date, was cited by only two

papers, Bosley Crowther's list for the Times

and Rose Pelswick's list in the Journal-

American. Of the other pictm-es which were

on two "best ten" lists, the only Hollywoodmade

pictui'e was Universal's "To Kill a

Mockingbird," which actually was on some

of the 1962 lists. Others which were on two

lists included the Italian-made "The Leopard,"

distributed by 20th Century-Fox, and

"This Sporting Life" and "Lord of the

Flies," British pictures distributed in the

U.S. by Continental

Thus United Artists, with three pictm-es

on the majority of lists, and Paramount,

Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros, and Embassy

Pictures, releasing pictures which

made highly respectable showings, can

boast of "best ten" listings in their future

advertising campaigns.

'81/2' and 'Tom Jones' Win

IFIDA's Top Awards

NEW YORK — The Independent Film

Importers and Distributors of America has

voted its Joseph Burstyn Award to Federico

Fellini's "8 '2" as the outstanding foreign

film of 1963. The IFDA English Language

Award went to United Artists' "Tom Jones"

for which Tony Richardson was voted the

best director of a foreign picture. Albert

Finney won the top honor as the best actor

in a foreign production.

Runners-up for the Burstyn Award,

named for the pioneer film importer, were

"Four Days of Naples," MGM, and "The

Suitor," Atlantic Pictm-es. The English

language runners-up were "The L-Shaped

Room." Royal-International, and "Mondo

Cane," Times Film.

Following Richardson as best director

were Federico Fellini for "8 '2" and Bryan

Forbes for "The L-Shaped Room." Finney's

runners-up for acting were Marcello Mastroiamii

for "8I2" and Richard Harris for

"This Sporting Life," Continental release.

Brigitte Federspiel was voted best actress

in a foreign film for her performance in "A

Stranger Knocks." a Trans-Lux release.

Runners-up were Leslie Caron for "The L-

Shaped Room" and Margaret Rutherford

for MGM's "Murder at the Gallop.

The technical dubbing award was won by

Titra Sound Co. for "Divorce—Italian

Style," followed by Peter Riethoff for his

work on "Sundays and Cybele" and by K.

Gordon Murray for "Little Boy Blue."

Union Films' "Marc Chagall" won the

Kingsley Short Subjects Award, runners-up

being Colmnbia's "The Critic" and Janus'

"Dylan Thomas."

The awards will be presented formally at

the IFIDA dinner dance at the Americana

Hotel on January 21.

Filmways Shows Increase

In 3-Month Net Profit

NEW YORK—Filmways, Inc., and subsidiary

companies reported a net income

of $70,331 for the three months ended November

30. This compared with a net of

$44,880 for the same period of 1962. Filmways,

which produced "Boys' Night Out,"

recently completed "The Americanization

of Emily."

Revenue from motion picture production

and television films dm-ing the thi-eemonth

period amounted to $2,512,383

compared with $2,990,185 in the same three

months last year. Earnings per share were

12 cents and eight cents, respectively.

BOXOFFICE January 13, 1964

Type A704-the uniform

magnetic sound recording film

HEAR THE DIFFERENCE: "R-type"

binder— an entirely new, smoother,

homogeneous oxide layer— reduces tape

noise and intermodulation distortion.

Extremely tough, wear-resistant, but

without abrasiveness, it minimizes oxide

build-upon recordingand pick-up heads.

With its high chemical stability, it

makes for long life, prolonged usefulness

of the recorded library.

And, most important, new "R-type"

binder permits uniform oxide coatings of

superb magnetic characteristics. Its high

output and low print-through result in

excellent reproduction quality— more

vibrant highs, a more natural balance

between highs and lows.

EDGE SLITTING exerts great influence on ultimate

audio quality; uneven tracking introduces

intermodulation distortion. Note loose particles

on rough guiding edge shown in photomicrograph

of conventional film at left compared to

evenness of EASTMAN Magnetic Sound Recording

Film at right.

SEE THE DIFFERENCE: Printed on the

back of the new Type A704 film is the

permanent legend "Eastman KodakCo.,"

together with a series of dispersion numbers.

This "Life-Time Coding" provides a

convenient, accurate means of indexing

film by content, a useful reference for

logging of optimum bias settings, re-use

and purchase data. What's more, it is

your assurance of highest quality.

PERFORATING affects audio fidelity. Note the

superior perforations of the Eastman product at

right compared to the uneven perforations of

conventional film at left. Eastman perforating

is known for quality, for conformance to high

standards and for rigorous uniformity.

AVAILABLE NOW: 16, 171/2 and 35mm

widths in a complete range of cores and

windings. For further information about

EASTIVIAN IVlagnetic Sound Recording

Film, Type A704, as well as the new

EASTIVIAN Sound RecordingTapes, write:

MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTS SALES DEPT.

EASTIVIAN KODAK COMPANY, Rochester, N.Y. 14650

: January

111

YOUNGSTER'S DREAM COME TRUE'

Energetic Young Fund Drive Worker

Permitfed to Visit Rogers Hospital

a long way from Biloxi, Miss., to the

It's

Will Rogers Hospital in Saianac Lake.

N.Y.

but 10-year-old Joey Lamousin made

it. It was a dream come true.

The beginning was the summer of 1963

when Gene DeFallo. manager of Gulf

Slates' Beach Drive-In Theatre, asked a

Lions Club Little League baseball team to

help with his Will Rogers Fund Drive.

Victor Joseph Lamousin m was one of

those boys, and Joey showed a deep interest

in his assignment. He became inquisitive

about the work at the hospital. Joey was

the hardest worker of the lot. On his own,

he collected over $125. At a party which

DeFallo gave for the boys, Joey said that

someday he'd like to "visit that wonderful

hospital."

THE "WORD WAS PASSED"

That word w^as passed to Gulf States

Theatres' president. T. G. Solomon, who in

turn contacted J. E. "Ned" Shugrue, executive

director of the Will Rogers Memorial

Fund. Solomon suggested that Joey

be brought to the hospital for a visit.

The Lamousin family had moved to

Plattsburg, N.Y. But even that move did

not clear the way for young Joey.

Shugrue advised Solomon that "such a

visit poses a problem that cannot be

solved." (Youngsters under the age of 14 are

not permitted as visitors in institutions for

patients with communicable diseases.)

In a letter to Solomon expressing thanks

for his efforts to arrange a visit for Joey,

Mrs. Lamousin said, "I have explained to

Joey the rea.sons why he cannot visit the

hospital. He understands. But, of course,

was disappointed. I have promised him a

trip to Saranac Lake. With a view from

the outside we'll satisfy his desire to see the

hospital and, perhaps, when he is older,

he will be permitted to see the inside

of the Research Laboratories and other

parts of the hospital.

"It was a pleasure, a new exeprience and

at the same time a rewarding experience

for Joey to work for such a wonderful

cause. I have never seen anything impress

Joey as much as the Will Rogers Hospital

Fund Drive. It was a gratifying experience

to .see my son take such an interest in the

Drive."

YOUTH RESTRICTIONS WAIVED

Later communication from Shugrue said,

"We were able to waive the youth restrictions

at Will Rogers on a Public Invitation

Day last week and this afforded the opportunity

to receive young Joey Lamousin

in to the Medical Rotunda, the Medical

Library and the Clinical Laboratories.

"Accordingly, we invited the Lamouslns

—and presented Joey with a Will Rogers

Award Statuette as evidence of our recognition

and appreciation for what he did In

Blloxl, M1.SS.

"Attached is a print of Joey receiving

the statuette from our superintendent of

nurses, and of hLs family."

This Christmas letter was received by

young Joey from the Will Rogers Hospital:

"Dear Joey:

"Here are photographs we made of you

and your wonderful parents and sister at

A nurse at the Will Rogers Memorial

Hospital presents a Will Rogers Award

Statuette to 10-year-old Joey Lamousin

for his untiring work in collecting

more than $125 for the hospital.

Will Rogers Hospital last week.

"We hope these, and your Award Statuette

of Will Rogers will help you to long

remember our appreciation for what you

did in Biloxi for this hospital.

"Our compliments to you for reaffirming

our faith and appraisal of the good character

of American boys. You worked hard

and unselfishly to help people who are hospitalized—and

to help medical researchers

who are striving to overcome and to prevent

serious lung and chest diseases.

"Thank you, and please accept our very

best wishes for the Bright Future you so

richly deserve."

Yes, it's a long way from Biloxi to Saranac

Lake, but Joey Lamousin made it.

'The Directors' Short

For National Release

HOLLYWOOD—Following the initial tryout

engagement here at the Pour Star, the

documentary short subject, "Tlie Directors"

will go into national release, it was announced

by Life Magazine publisher C. D.

Jack.son. Made originally as a short for

promotion purposes by Life staffers, it is

expected that the success of the film has

prompted Life to go all out on a regular

series. Boxoffice learned here.

Since March of Time by the same group

in the late 30k nothing along these lines

has come out of the Luce publishing empire.

Lester Schoenfeld is the distributor.

More Than 500 Locations

Ask for Fight TV Rights

NEW YORK—More than 500 locations

have requested licenses from Theatre Netw'ork

Television for the pre.sentation on

closed circuit tt'levision of the Sonny Liston-Casslus

Clay heavyweight championship

fight on February 25.

Nathan L. Halpern. president of TNT,

said applications had been received from

conventional theatres, drive-ins. arenas,

auditoriums, ball parks, race tracks and

hotel ballrooms in more than 200 cities in

the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Kirk Douglas, Edw. Lewis

Form Production Company

NEW YORK—Kirk Douglas, currentl

starring on Broadway in "One Flew Ove

the Cuckoo's Nest." has formed Dougla

and Lewis Productions with Edward Lewis

his producer for the past five years, as

division of Kirk Douglas Enterprises t<

produce motion pictures, television am

legitimate shows.

Under the seven-year partnership agree

ment with Lew'is, Douglas plans a $15,000,

000 over-all program for 1964-65 which wil

include the movie version of "Cuckoo'

Nest." tentatively scheduled to start production

late in 1964; "Montezuma." s

multi-million dollar spectacle similar ir

scope to "Spartacus" and "The Vikings,"

and an adaptation of the novel. "Seconds,'

to be made in conjunction with Joht

Frankenheimer Productions.

Lewis, who has just completed the piC'

turization of "Seven Days in May" for the

Kirk Douglas company, which was produced

in conjunction with Frankenheimer

and Seven Arts, to be released by Paramount

in February, will also be on loan,

out to the Mirisch Co. and Frankenheimer.r

to act as producer on "The Confessor," to

start in mid-1964 with Henry Fonda and

Tony Curtis starred. Douglas and Lewis

have also commissioned Kenneth Kesey,

author of "Cuckoo's Nest." to write an

original, as yet untitled, for the firm's

agenda in late 1964.

Since 1955, Kirk Douglas Enterprises,

through its companies, Bi-j'na Productions,

Joel Productions and Eric Productions,

have made 12 features, including "Spartacus,"

"The Vikings," "Lonely Are the

Brave" and four in which Douglas did not

appear. Lewis, who had film and TV background,

was signed by Douglas in 1956

writer-producer and became vice-president

of Douglas' fimi in 1958.

Technicolor Services

Into Aeronautics Field

HOLL"YWOOD — The research

and development

division of Technicolor Corp.

was the successful bidder to provide photographic

services for the National Aeronautics

and Space Administration and

lunar landing program, it was revealed

Monday (6i by Patrick J. Frawley jr.,

chairman of the board and chief executive

officer of Technicolor.

The firm will provide complete management

services for the installation, operation

and management of a photographic

laboratory to be constructed at the new

launch operation center at Merritt Island,

Fla.

"We feel that the contributing factors

leading to this important assigmnent are

due to our many years of research and

development pioneering in the photographic

and processes methods." Frawley

said. "Technicolor is pleased to add this

important program to its expanding military

and government activities."

Italian Film to MGM

NEW YORK World distribution rights.J

with the exception of Italy, have been acquired

to "Hercules. Samson and Ulysses"|

by Metro-Goldyn-Mayer. The English language

film was filmed in Eastman Colorl

and wide screen in Italy by Internazionale

Cinematografico Distribuzione.

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BOXOFFICE :

13, 1964

'OiU.

. . This

. . "McLintock!"

—

Patrick!

. . . The

. . The

. . Not

—

. .

'Mdintockl' (UA) Is Voted December

Boxoffice Blue Ribbon Award

By VELMA WEST SYKES

J^ATIONAL SCREEN COXJNCIL members voted "McLintock!" the December Blue

Ribbon Award as the most outstanding of those releases for the month which was

also entei'tainment suitable for the whole family. The rollicking, boisterous comedy in

which John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara star has no subtleties and few inhibitions

but manages to entertain in old-fashioned slapstick style that substitutes mudwallowing

for pie-throwing. Produced by Michael Wayne under the direction of

Andrew V. McLaglen, a third Wayne i

also appears in it. The comedywestern

utilizes fist-fights and spankings instead of gun-toters stalking each othesdown

deserted streets— all in tongue-in-cheek fashion.

Our reviewer had this (in part) to say Pilot Duke rides again in this

about it in Boxoffice, issue of November socko, comic spoof of early horse-opera

18 of last year:

epics, with Wayne again tall in the saddle.—Joanne

"A laugh riot, packed with appeal, this

Sequin, WBEN-TV, Buffalo.

magnificent Michael Wayne produced The best fun picture we've seen in ages

film should pull patrons on the recommendations

is "McLintock!" I think the two fight

of those who pass on the scenes, played for laughs, are classics.

word. There is special excitement for Ann D. Kenny, Parents' Magazine .

western fans—riding, shooting, rodeos, Good, rollicking fun here for all ages.

Indians, brawls, broad humor, love in-

Maureen O'Hara almost steals the show.

terest, music and herds of cattle . . .

Although the story line is merely the

vehicle on which to hang the rollicking

comedy events, it does, on the whole, add

a new dimension to western filmmaking."

Good Family Fun

NSC members conmiented about the

winning picture on their ballots:

"McLintock!" is good family fun in the

usual John Wayne manner. Even my

youngest got a bang out of this one.—Jay

Monsen, Radio KSUB, Cedar City, Utah

... I had to vote for "McLintock!" when

my 7-year-old went back to see it four

times."—Frank Rossiter, Savannah Morning

News.

Nothing but entertainment plus m "Mc-

Lintock!"—A. B. Covey, Alabama TOA,

Montgomery . is just

good fun—enough slapstick to whip its

shortcomings and also action to delight

the youngsters. Good visual impact.

Grant Marshall, Burlington (Iowa>

Hawkeye.

"McLintock!" is a good family western

with action, comedy and John -Wayne.

Marvin A. Brock, Texas Tech College,

Lubbock . is good, relaxed fun

and a fine western satire in the bargain.

—Warner Twyford, Norfolk Virginian-

—James K. Loutzenhiser, M.D., USPHS,

Kansas City . for the sophisticates

—just for those who like to laugh.—Herb

Kelly, Miami News.

Hands down, it's "McLintock!" Here

In Idaho Falls "McLintock!" played to

capacity crowds for weeks. The long lines

looked like the old days of movieland.

Melvin Richardson, KID-TV, Idhao Falls

best in a long time.—Jeanette

Mazurki, Glendale News Press . . . While

typical John Wayne fare, this is none the

less entertaining for all ages.—Bob

Badgley, Sacramento Union.

"McLintock!" is so outstanding in film

entertainment that it fulfills the National

Screen Council's requirements to win the

Boxoffice Blue Ribbon Award.—Virginia

R. Collier, District of Columbia MP & TV

Council . . . John Wayne's latest western

more or less satirizes stereotyped adventures

in the pioneer west. It is not quite a

click but a good, clean try.—Mrs. Kenneth

C. Wilson, San Francisco MP & TV

Council.

Best entertainment for the family is

"McLintock!"—but on a rather weak list.

—Robert Sokolsky, Buffalo Courier-Express

. . . This is real entertainment.

Ralph L. Smith, Bartlesville Examiner

Enterprise.

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•

"^'i

FIERY KATHERINE McLINTOCK (MAUREEN O'HARA) LAYS

DOWN THE LAW TO DRAGO. PLAYED BY CHILL WILLS

THIS IS A FREE-FOR-ALL FIGHT. WITH THE INDIANS

IN IT WINDING UP MOSTLY AS PUZZLED ONLOOKERS

JOHN WAYNE AS McLINTOCK IS GLAD MAUREEN HAS A

HARD TIME KEEPING HER DIGNITY IN THIS SITUATION

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The Cast

McLintock

John Wayne Matt Douglas jr

Katherine McLintock .... Maureen O'Hara Bunny Dull

Louise Warren Yvonne De Carlo Ben Sage

Davey Elk

Devlin Warren

Patrick Wayne

Puma

Becky McLintock Stefanie Powers Agard

Birnbaum

Jack Kruschen Matt Douglas

Drago

Chill Wills Governor

Jerry Van Dyke

Edgar Buchanan

Bruce Cabot

Perry Lopez

Michael Pate

Strother Martin

Gordon Jones

Robert Lowery

Producer

Michael Wayne

Director

Andrew V. McLaglen

Original Screenplay

James Edward Grant

Cinematographer .... William H. Clothier

Film Editor

Otho Lovering

Sound

Jack Solomon

Production Staff

Music

Frank DeVol

Color by Technicolor

Original Songs:

"Love in the Country"— Music by

Frank DeVol, lyrics by "By" Dunham;

"Just Right for Me"— Music and

lyrics by "By" Dunham

This award is shen each month by the

National Screen Council on the basis of outstafldino

merit and suitability for family

entertainment. Council membership comprises

motion picture editors, radio and TV film

commentators, representatives better films

councils, civic, educational and exhibitor oroanjzations.

. . Steve

. . Samuel

. .

. . . "The

. . . Joseph

. . The

. . Gene

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. .

'i^MfcuMd ^efrcnt

^HEN EDWARD LEWIS fiiiishes

production

of "The Confessor" and starts

on the Mirisch Co. -John Piankenheimer

deal, his new Douglas-Lewis production,

"Seconds," based on young Lewis J. Carlino's

screenplay of the David Ely book,

which was bought for $75,000, will then

take its place in the production line. The

story concerns an "organization," which

gives one a new start in life. First

the group arranges for one's apparent

death, and then all is clean on the

new slate. Carlino is a young University of

Southern California student, who is in the

avant-garde area of playwriting. "Cuckoo's

Nest," slated for Douglas-Lewis' first start

when Douglas leaves the play in May, for

his film commitment, may send a company

to England, and possibly the west coast,

although Douglas will be replaced by another

star. In this busy life, the planning

of the blockbuster film, "Montezuma," will

come into 1965 or later shooting . . . "How

to Murder Your Wife" will be filmed in

Hollywood, in March, for a United Artists

release. Jack Lemmon has been signed by

George Axelrod. playwright, whose hits include

"The Seven Year Itch," and "Will

Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" This first

original screenplay by Axelrod will be directed

by Richard Quine, w'ith Axelrod acting

as "Mr. Moneybags," the term for producers,

used on the backlot. Gordon Carroll

will act as executive producer in the

Lemmon starrer Parker comes

home again to

the 20th Century-Pox lot,

with his first epic appropriately titled

"John Goldfarb, Please Come Home."

Richard D. Zanuck, vice-president in

charge of production chores for the westside

lot, announced the romantic, satirecomedy,

based on the best-selling novel by

William Peter Blatty. will star Shirley

MacLaine, in the multi-million-dollar budgeted

production. Blatty wrote the screenplay

for his own Doubleday published

novel, which will come in under Steve

Parker Productions, Inc.

All of a sudden the property, "Don

Quixote," written centuries back, has become

a hot item. Though there are already

eight films in distribution based on the

Cervantes classic, a Broadway play is being

written as a musical, with Dale Wassemian

teamed with talented W. H. Auden, on book

and lyrics, with a film production following.

A. Ronald Lubin is al.so trying to put

a Don Quixote deal together, and this

column has knowledge of several people

who would like to play the lead, including

John Carradine, French actor Jacques

Tati and Rex Harrison . Puller

Is working on the screenplay of "The

Charge at San Juan," his next Independent

release. How he will get to use Mr. Castro's

Island, Cuba, for the story of the Spanish-

American War situation will make a good

foUowup. Puller is writing the story

The completed .script

on Metro-Ooldwyn-

Mayer's "Muscle Beach" has been turned

over to studio head Robert Wcitman. by

Ira Wallach. This is not to be confu.sed

with "Mu.scle Beach Party" of American

International Pictures. MGM's releasing

By SYO CASSYD

. . . Walter

schedule will include an independent production

to be made by Alain Delon. "Have

I the Right to Kill? " will be directed by

Alain Cavalier, who wrote his own story

w-hich Jean Cau screenplayed

Bien has been handed the first draft of a

.screenplay by writers Paul Rosner and

Steve Gold, which is based on the original

story "Galloway." Under the SIB banner,

Bien counts this as the first of three to be

produced in 1964, other than his cartoon releases

and industrials.

Martin Ransohoff is busy on several

projects at MGM, where he is finalizing

plans for his Pilmways, Inc., setup. He

completed the production for the Culver

City studio of "The Americanization of

Emily," and soon goes to work on the Columbia

deal, "The Sandpiper." Following

this "The Loved One," which Tony Richardson

will direct, and John Calley will

produce, is being supei-vised by Ransohoff,

with no release deal announced. Jules

Dassin has one in the can, "Topkapi,"

which he produced and directed for Filmways.

The latter stars Melina Mercouri

Spaceman or Don't Blast Me Off"

is the title of a feature which Bert O. Gordon

will produce and direct from an original

story by Robin Estridge and Gordon

L. Cohen has "The Loners," an

original by James B. Doherty, signed for

his Vegan Productions, with Las Vegas as

the locale, with filming set in 1964 .

Richard Burton and Joseph Sirola will coproduce

a film, although Burton will not

appear in it. The novel, from which "A

Separate Piece" originated, was written by

John Knowles. No writer has been assigned

for the screenplay which will locale

in an English school. Some of our New

England schools around Boston are closely

akin to British schoolgrounds and will be

used for shooting of Blarney"

is an appropriate title for William Beem's

first change from an actor to a producer's

role on a picture. The Peter Foy screenplay

will go into production soon ... A

Perlbcrg-Seaton story about a World War

II background is slated for early 1964

shooting. The title of the Rod Taylor-

James Garner costarring deal is "36

Hours." MGM is the base for the

production.

"The Battle of the Villa Fiorita," the

best-selling, contemporary story of two

children who refuse to be victims of a divorce,

a Book of the Month Club selection,

has been purchased by Jack L. Warner for

Warner Bros. The deal for the Rumer

Godden book, which is to be Delmer Daves'

next production for Warner, was handled

by the H. M. Swanson agency, a local Hollywood

firm . Berlin Wall is the

setting for a script for his original "A Boy,

a Ball and a Hole in the Wall," by James

Henaghan, who is doing his writing remotely

from Spain. The film will be shot

in Germany . Nelson, at MGM.

where he is preparing "The Hank Williams"

story for Samuel Katzman's Pour

Leaf Productions, has acquired for his own

company all rights to "The Valiant Tailor."

an original story, and adaptation. ba,sed on

the legendary Grimm Fairy Tale, which has

been revi.sed by Jeanne Leander. into a

musical form . Broadway hit. "Plain

and Fancy." will be director Bill Hobin's

first feature-length motion picture under

his Mizpah Productions banner.

Jack Warner gathered in British-actor

Jeremy Brett, on a five-year non-exclusive

contract calling for one picture a year, following

his first Hollywood stint in "My

Fair Lady." Brett, known overseas for his

work on stage, screen and video, is a singer

and dancer, as well as a dramatic actor .

Barbara Eden is George Pal's choice for

"The Disappearance," his new property by

David P. Harmon, based on the Philip

Wylie book. Miss Eden faced Pal's

cameras in "Seven Paces of Dr. Lao," recently

completed on the MGM lot . . .

"Mickey One" is the name of the Columbia

release to star Warren Beatty in Arthur

Penn's production. The young star plays

a nightclub comedian, w-ith role written m

screenplay by A. M. Surgal . Maria

Alberghetti plays in "The Oldest Story,"

from a novella by William Saroyan, wellknown

playwright Ford rolls

his independent production at the end of

this year, also starring . . . Jeriy Lewis

signed up the long and short of Hollywood,

with Peter Lorre and John Carradine both

set for roles in "The Patsy." Glenn Corbett

moves from "Route 66," to the feature side

of the Columbia lot, w'here he heads the

cast of Art and Jo Napolean's "Surfing

Wild," with filming scheduled for February.

Joan Crawford has been signed by Robert

Aldrich for one of the two feminine roles

in a stoi-y which concerns a cousin returning

to her hometown when her family

mansion is about to be razed. Titled, "What

Ever Happened to Cousin Charlotte?" the

film, according to Aldrich. is definitely not

a sequel to "What Ever Happened to Baby

Jane?" Henry Farrell wrote both screenplays.

Miss Crawford, a well-known business

woman, gets a percentage of the

profits, and a salary . has

taken an option on Vic Lundin for a second

feature following his stint as costar in

"Robinson Crusoe on Mars" ... A costar

role in Jerry Bresler's Columbia release

"Major Dundee." has been garnered by

Michael Anderson jr., son of the famed

playwright and director, with the 19-year

old actor playing opposite Charlton Heston

and Richard Harris. His other starring

roles have been in MGM's "The Out-of-

Towners" and Disney's "The Castaways"

and "The Sundowners."

George Cukor is plamiing to film Compton

MacKenzie's novel. "Sinister Street," as

the first production for his independent

company. Last time out. in 1935. Cukor

did a Mackenzie story with Katharine Hepburn

and Cary Grant as stars . . . Benton

Film Productions. Ltd.. the Anthony Mann

independent company, has selected "The

Unknown Battle," a Norway-based story on

a hero of that nation, as one of the first

Ruddy will

produce "Daffy" and "Arabella," the

Brando Pcnnebakor duo which comes under

Universal's experimental New Horizon type

of film.

to be directed by Mann .

16 BOXOFFICE :

: January 13. 1964

ai'Taiv

iiui/'Piaij

Falcon Has Four More As Ticket -Buyer, Once Tradepaper

'Companion Features'

HOLLYWOOD—James S. Burkett, president

of Falcon Pictures and veteran filmm

a k e r, has announced

four addit

i o n a 1 "companion

James S. Burkett

features" for 1964 to

follow "The Man

Who Couldn't Walk,"

which opened last

week in Los Angeles

in a multiple-run

with MGM's "V.I.P.S."

The other features

are "The Great

Armored Car Swindle,"

"Nine Miles to

Noon," "Third Stop

. . . Danger" and "Too Young to Love."

Falcon Pictures is a newly formed American-Canadian

company with headquarters

in Beverly Hills. Burkett has appointed

Harry Stern general sales manager.

At a recent luncheon-screening of "The

Man Who Couldn't Walk," Stern said that

exhibitors need indoctrinating with a fresh

viewpoint on classification of "second features."

He said that the "second feature"

image is too close to the kind of entertainment

that is supplied free to the TV fans,

and expressed the need for film buyers and

exhibitors to get behind the double-feature

programs plamied by giving due credit and

space to the "companion feature," designed

to provide satisfying entertainment and

complete the theatre experience of the

ticket buyers. All references to second featm-es

should be eliminated and the term

"companion feature" used for more appeal

in attracting patronage.

Burkett's activities with Falcon will be

devoted to obtaining the kind of "companion

feature" product that will contain

wholesome, exploitable subject matter. He

said his Canadian partners are joined with

him in a common goal to supply exhibitors

with this type of product, in full assm--

ance that the boxoffice future is bright

and the need for such product is at hand.

Falcon product will be handled by a national

distribution organization of independent

franchise representatives. Morris

Safier, an executive with Falcon and a

veteran film distributor, will supervise distribution

in exchange areas from Denver,

west.

Signature Films to Reissue

'Scarlet Letter' of 1934

NEW YORK—Signatm-e Films has acquired

complete ownership and world rights

to the 1934 version of "The Scarlet Letter,"

according to Samuel M. Sherman, president.

The Nathaniel Hawthorne novel had

been produced five times for the silent

screen, but the 1934 adaptation was the only

sound version.

Sherman said that the success of reissues

of this nature had been established and

that the serious following for screen classics

of the 1930s indicated the timing to be right

for the picture to be shown again.

Heading the cast of the 1934 production

were Colleen Moore, Hardie Albright, Henry

B. Walthall, Alan Hale, William Farnum

and Betty Blythe. It was produced independently

for Metro-Goildwyn-Mayer release.

fj,7o^^ ^//g^s o Season's Films

Editor's Note: The author of this article

is a former tradepaper representative who

spent many years as a reviewer, editor and

writer on trade topics. Now in another

field, he presents, herewith, his observations

as a ticket-buying customer.

By RALPH COKAIN

THOSE WHO VIEW movies in the line of

duty are generally mindful of the companies

releasing them. They can, if they

wish, consider the quality of a season's output

in terms of one company's parade of

hits, another's run of failures. Their moviegoing,

by invitation and assignment, exposes

them to the good, bad and mediocre,

and a company is soon judged by its

product.

Paying patrons, on the other hand, guided

by story, star, favorable reviews, wordof-mouth,

or merely a spontaneous desire to

see a movie, may neither know nor care

from whence it came.

As one who approaches the boxoffice

with admission in hand, our curiosity overcame

us a few days ago and we decided

to take stock of our moviegoing—the pictures

we had seen and the companies behind

them.

productions between De-

We counted 15

cember 1962, and October of this year (not

a full 12 months, because our moviegoing

activity has been curtailed the past few

weeks). A far cry from the movie-a-week

record that used to indicate normal attendance

for most people, but not a bad

average in the light of frequency of release,

quality, want-to-see and convenience

of attendance.

We saw these films, not altogether because

of favorable reviews or recommendations

by others, but also because, for us,

there was something attractive about them

—in magnitude, stars, story treatment or

subject matter. In a case or two, our own

curiosity led us to the ticket window.

"In Search of the Castaways," for instance,

commanded our attention, not in

expectation of outstanding entertairunent,

but for the charm and irresistible appeal

of Hayley Mills.

Marlon Brando, as an American envoy to

a southeast Asian country in "The Ugly

American," aroused om- curiosity because

we found it difficult to imagine Brando

in a role that appeared to have a semblance

of normal human warmth.

Whatever in the world would induce one

to see "Cleopatra"? We can't imagine. All

we know is that our tickets were placed

in a safe deposit box six months before

the New York premiere.

Advance publicity on the Tennessee location

shooting, coupled with interest in

the screen adaptation of James Agee's "A

Death in the Family," propelled us to

Philharmonic Hall during the recent Film

Festival to see "All the Way Home."

"The Birds," of course, for Alfred Hitchcock,

as though since infancy we had been

admonished, "Don't you dare miss that

Hitchcock pictm-e, or you'll get no supper!"

We approached "ZV2" cautiously. Oh, of

course, it would be unique in the Federico

Fellini manner; we had no doubt of that.

But would it also be vague and puzzling?

Our curiosity was too much, our resistance

tumbled, and we saw our one foreign

film of the year.

Why "Hud"? The title, on first encounter,

seemed slightly repulsive; but admiration

for the talents of Paul Newman, and the

highly laudatory reviews, turned the trick.

Thinking back on those 15 productions,

the pleasure and satisfaction most of them

afforded us, our inquisitive mind had to

identify the firms behind them. They

may not surprise those who pride themselves

on their knowledge of motion pictures.

Nonetheless, we found them interesting,

particularly because, out of the 15,

eight companies were represented.

Scoring on this basis, then, three runners-up

were responsible for one picture

each. Alphabetically, they were Buena-

Vista ("Castaways"), Columbia ("Lawrence

of Arabia") and Continental ("David

and Lisa").

Tieing for second place, with two pictures

each, were Embassy ("Long Day's

Joui-ney Into Night" and "81/2"), Paramount

("Hud" and "All the Way Home"), 20th

Century-Fox ("Cleopatra" and "The Longest

Day," in its regular run) and United

Artists ("A Child Is Waiting" and "Irma

La Douce").

With seven companies and 11 pictures

accounted for, we checked distribution of

the remaining four on our list. "Freud"

(to which was later appended "The Secret

Passion"), "The Birds," "The Ugly American"

and "To Kill a Mockingbird" all bore

one banner — Universal. One company,

therefore, topped the list with 27 per cent

of our year's screen fare.

We were pleased to discover that so

many companies were represented. Perhaps

that is an indication of our changing time.

As of this moment, there are 11 pictures

on our future moviegoing list.

There are fom- runners-up this time,

with one film each. They are Buena-Vista

("The Incredible Journey"), Paramount

("Seven Days in May"), 20th-Fox ("The

Man in the Middle") and United Artists

("Ladybug, Ladybug").

Columbia and Universal are in a tie

for second place, with "The Cardinal" and

"Under the Yum Yum Tree" representing

the former, and "Captain Newman, M.D."

and "Charade" doing the honors for the

latter.

Alone at the top is MGM, which distributed

nary a one of our pictures seen

this past year. The count of three includes

"The V.I.P.s" (which will be "Daughter

of the V.I.P.s" if we don't get around to

our neighborhood theatre pretty soon),

"The Prize" and "Sunday in New York."

Having read in the financial pages a day

or two ago that MGM suffered losses this

past fiscal year, we would like to think

that om- choice of three from this company

might be a good omen.

Correction

David Levin is the manager of the RKO

Keith Theatre in Syracuse, N.Y., and the

person responsible for the Santa Glaus cutout

Wishing Well used at Christmastime

in behalf of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital,

as depicted on the Boxoffice cover

December 23.

BOXOFFICE :

: January 13, 1964 17

BOXOFFICE BAROMETER

This chart records the performance of current attractions in the opening week of their first runs in

the 20 key cities checked. Pictures with fewer than five engagements ore not listed. As new runs

ore reported, ratings are added and averages revised. Computation is in (erms of percentage in

relation to normal grosses as determined by the theatre manogers. With 100 per cent as "normal,"

the figures show the gross rating above or below that mark. (Asterisk

* denotes combination bills.)

—

Charade/ and 'Tom Jones

Continue

Torrid Boxoffice Pace in New York

NEW YORK — The Radio City Music

Hall, with "Charade" and the annual Nativity

stage pageant, in its fifth week, and

"Tom Jones." bigger than ever in its 13th

week at Cinema I. especially since the picture

has been acclaimed as "best" by the

New York Film Critics, were tops. The

week even had the biggest Saturday take

in the history of Cinema I.

Also big were "Move Over, Darling," in its

second week at the Aster: "The Sword in

the Stone." strong in its second week at

the RKO Palace, and several of the pictures

in the art spots, including "To Bed ... Or

Not to Bed." in its second week at the

Coronet Theatre, where it broke the house

record; "The War of the Buttons," in its

third week at the Little Carnegie, which

was above the second w-eek. "The Easy

Life." in its second big week at the Festival,

and "America America." in its third week

at the Paris. Also holding up well were the

two-a-day pictm-es, "The Cardinal." in its

fourth week at the DeMille; "It's a Mad,

Mad. Mad. Mad World." in its eighth week

at the Warner Cinerama; "Cleopatra," in

its 30th week at the Rivoli, and "Best of

Cinerama." in its second week at Loew's

Cinerama.

Holding up w-ell enough were two Paramount

releases. "Love With the Proper

Stranger." in its second week at Loew's

State and the east side Mm-ray Hill, and

"Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" in its

second week at the Victoria, "4 for Texas,"

in its second week at the Paramount, and

"The Victors," in its third week at the

Criterion and the east side Sutton Theatre.

With all the Times Square pictures going

into their third or fourth weeks, the only

new picture to open since late December was

"Moderate Cantabile," which started at the

east side Fine Arts January 6.

(Average Is 100)

Astor—Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 160

Baronet Billy Liar (Confl), 3rd wk.

' 165

Beekmon— Lowrence of Arabia "

(Col), return run

-Ith wk ,25

Carnegie Hall Cinema Der Rosenkavolier

(Showcorp), 2nd wk. ot two-a-day 140

Cinemo I Tom Jones (UA-Lopert), 1 3fh wk 250

Cinema II Ladybug, Ladybug (UA), 2nd wk. 120

f Take A Tip From Me

I Exploit More In 'M'

And Remember To Gel Your

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PITTSBURGH

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Pittsburgh 19, Pennsylvania

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505 Pearl Street

Buffalo, New York

TL 3-3857

. . Tom

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E-4

BUFFALO

Producer of 5-Part Film

Meets with Reade-Sterling

NEW YORK—Pierre Roustang. producer

of the new Walter Reade-Sterling release,

tentatively titled "The World's Greatest

ALBANY

^he second annual joint installation of officers

and

phe Harte, a 300-seater in the town of

directors of the Variety

Tent

Hoosick Falls,

7 and the Women's

dark since 1961. is

League

being

relighted on the 17th by Joe Sher-

of Variety

Swindles." arrived

will be held Sunday a9i

from Europe Wednesday

1 I

in the clubrooms.

Anthony

8 discuss

distribution

Kolinski is chairman,

and

with Nate

promotion

for the

man for Friday-through-Monday operation.

Dickman and

French pictm-e

Barbara Quinlivan

with Saul It

last was operated by Charles Harte.

as cochairmen.

Turell. Reade-Sterling

Joseph Harmon president.

of Niagara Falls

Roustang

will also

Sherman, who lives in Fair Haven. Vt., rims

will be

confer

toastmaster.

with

Outgoing

Irving

Chief Barker

Wormser the Capitol in Whitehall and the State in

and

Dickman

Sidney G. Dcneau.

will give an

vice-president

account and Mechanicville, and has an auction business

in a theatre building at Fair Haven.

of his stewardship

and

general sales manager of

the

following will be

Continental

installed:

distribution division.

He started

chief

presenting

barker.

films at

Thomas the latter

W. Fenno; first assistant,

Kolinski; second

The five-part film was directed

assistant. Albert

by for six weeks.

Claude Chabrol,

J. Petrella: who

property master, Ron

made the Paris

L. Ruth: sequence,

dough

"The

Frank

guy. Myron

Man Lynch,

Gross. To Who MGM

Sold

salesman,

the

reported

Eiffel

be installed Tower":

the

by the Women's

Ugo concession stand

Gregoretti,

League are Giannina

who

Pappalardo.

"The

made

new Northway 83

the

Naples

Drive-In.

episode.

Plattsburgh,

president: Barbara

Travel

has been

Orders";

completed

Quinlivan and

Mary

Roman

the

Polanski,

point

Pappalardo.

who made

where indoor

the

vice-presidents;

Amsterdam

sequence,

work can continue.

Helen

Lynch,

Borman. "The Diamond

who has stayed at

treasurer; Rita

Necklace";

the motel

Inda, financial Jean-Luc operated

Godard,

secretary, Ada

who Hyman Krinowitz—

directed

Dine,

the

corresponding Morrocan

who will

secretary

and

run the

episode, and 850-car

Horikawa,

airer—thinks it

Ethel Taylor, who directed

can be

recording secretary.

Seberg and

the Tokyo completed in

episode. Jean

time for an April

Jeanpremiere.

Pien-e

When

Cassel are among

Lynch visited the Will

the leading

Rogers Hospital

Bonnie Sciuk is selling space for the players.

at Saranac Lake several weeks ago

journal Tent 7 is putting out for the

with

upcoming

Variety International convention

Fred Kloepfer. Universal salesman,

he found the recently redecorated lobby

here

. Fenno will attend the Variety 2 Foreign-Made Pictures

very attractive. Patients about to leave included

meeting in New York for newly elected

James Jordan, an assistant to

Acquired

chief

barkers ...

Eldorado

Sid Cohen, president

Martin,

general sales manager for Universal;

H. E. Goldberg, a Universal New

Allied of New York, was in Miami

NEW

to attend

YORK—Eldorado Films, Inc., has

the National Allied board

acquired

session . . . Paul

"Sword of El Cid '

"Black York salesman, and George Schaefer.

Wall was home recuperating from

Duke" for

United States and

illness

Canadian

. Conried theatrical and Helen Wisper,

will television

present an

distribution. The

MGM booker, was confined

evening of Shakespearean pictures are

readings in the

English

her

versions, home

in by a heavy

color, produced

in Italy

cold . .

Boland Theatre in Lackawanna

A new

the

cooperative

concession stand

features

has

with

been built at

evening of the 18th.

Spanish the producers.

Plattsbm-gh Drive-In. operated by Ruterill

David Bader,

Shea's

executive

and DuMont

Teck vice-president Albany

remains of

Variety

closed with the projectionists

demanding

Eldorado, Club

said the

has

deal was

discontinued

the forerunner

sponsorship of Camp

wages and other of an expansion

things program

Thacher after

for

22 years.

the

management company.

No decision has

rejects . . . Bob The films

yet

Sokolsky

were

been

acquired through

made on a

of the Sefo

new charity.

Courier-Express,

Films

A recent

declaring International,

item in this

that

long column

films

active in

the

incorrectly

Italian

stated that

local screens during 1963 film market.

the camp sponsorship had been continued

"were either first rate or very much the It is understood

opposite,"

that

names Eldorado

temperature often gets

his

has

ten

options

down below

best as follows:

To another

zero in

seven Watertown.

Kill a

features and the

for

Mockingbird, exposure

shrinkage

Lilies of the Field,

in 1964.

The The theatre

Longest company advertising in

Day, David recently

the

and acquired

the French

Watertown

Lisa, The

paper before

Devil's Eye, The production, "Lcs

Christmas

Cardinal, Loups

was just coincidental

Sundays and dans la Bergere,"

Cybele, The

now and not a

Black

French

result of a

Fox,

dialog

26-below

A Child Is Waiting and frigid

English blast,

titles,

and The which as indicated

will

Incredible

Journey.

dubbed

recent item.

this year.

The

A "Fantasia" benefit McFadden Amusement

performance will

Corp., which

be held at the

sells amusement Hellman Theatre devices

the and

night

equipment,

of the 21st

filed

for

a bankruptcy

the petition ... Joe Garvey,

manager,

Richard

Northeastern

G. Yates

New

Forms York Speech Center.

reports

Representatives

the

matinee business

on "The Sword

Film Sales

in the Stone"

Company

the center arranged the showing at a luncheon

set records

at the Granada Theatre, with long

NEW

with

lines

YORK—

Dave Weinstein of

Richard

the

Hellman

Yates, who resigned

December

forming

Foundation.

from morning till early evening

Reserved seats are

as eastern

and general

sales manager

. . . Annette Funicello is scheduled

admission tickets

to be

MGM-TV, has formed Richard G

$2.

here February 11 in behalf of Yates

"Merlin

Film Sales. Inc., which will specialize

Jones." booked at the Granada in all

. . . Eleanor

phases of television and theatrical Grove Completes

Paradeis, accountant with First National programming 'Victors'

sales.

Film Co. from 1920 to 1935, when she

Yates,

became

director of Pamo Film Exchange

who is the son of Herbert

Assignment

J. Yates,

for Columbia

former president and board chairman of NEW YORK— Izzy Grove, former middleweight

boxer, has completed his assign-

died.

Republic Pictures, had been with MGM-TV

since 1959. From 1945 to 1959. he had been ment of directing a phase of Columbia

with Republic in various

Sidney

capacities.

Pictures' exploitation

E. Stern

campaign

Dies

"The

51; Throughout World War II. Yates was in Victors" in the five New York City

Former N.

the J. Allied

U.S.

Head

Army as a captain in the Pacific boroughs and ten surrounding counties with

SOUTH area of

ORANGE, N.J.-Sidncy

oi^erations. E. Stern,

He is a graduate of tie-in store signs personally hailing the arrival

of the picture.

former Choate

president School

of Allied Theatre

and Culver

Owners

Military Academy

of New Jersey, and

died Wednesday

an alumnus of

(8i Williams

College. Under Grove's direction,

more than 200

heart attack at Orange stores

Memorial Ho.spital

and many hotels in the metropolitan

area prominently displayed welcoming

He was 51 years old.

Stern was president of the Columbia Lehman Joins Trans-Lux

Amusement Co. and vice-president

messages for the film. The campaign included

participation

of the NEW

by department stores,

Drivc-ln

YORK—Klaus J.

Theatre

Lehman,

Operating

who has specialty shops,

Corp., operating

theatres

restaurants,

worked hotels

with CBS and

Television

in New and

Jersey

with

and

other retail Connecticut.

establishments

Donahue in the

& Coe,

opening

has

also was

been named a director of

production

most cases, signs

the Robert

"The Victors."

Treat

supervisor

were

for

Savings and Loan

Trans-Lux Television

Ass'n In Newark.

personalized with

He was

the store

Corp. by Sidney name and included

and

Ginsberg,

a graduate assistant

of Lehigh to the

University a personally the

signed

president. message

Lehman's

applauding

the arrival of

fir.st

Yale Drama assignment

School.

will

the

"Mack Columbia relea.se.

& Mycr for

Survivors

Hire."

are

200

his comedy

wife. Charlotte, and

Grove took

two shows

charge of

now

an ai-my of

sons,

production,

Edwin and

which will

William.

ready for national .syndication in Januarv.

handbill distributors which passed out promotional

literature on "The Victors."

BOXOFFICE

: January 13, 196/

'"''^

named

•

01 i

NEW

The

'20th-Fox Names Polaty

.^K

^- i! •.fai

-'-^

;

^^^- Far East Field Head

'""''*

YORK—Geza Polaty. who served

ionii

as general manager for United Artists in

ISSl, is (u I

liy Joe tiv,! 'Japan from 1958 until last year, has been

Far East field supervisor, with

^ Charles headquarters in Tokyo, for 20th Century-

Pox by Seymour Poe. executive vice-president.

'^' Haven, vi

Polaty's appointment is part of the

»aiihes;;;;

"new look" for foreign distribution, with

^aiPaiiH,,

W ai

each territory to be administered by a supei-visor

in the field, started by Poe last

tie Y

year.

new plan started when Franci.sco

•-iir, Rodriguez w-as named Latin American su-

.'eponrf'

^••Northnys; pervisor. with headquarters in Mexico City.

^ ta compif.; and Karl Knust was named to the Latin

''•

'wk tan (v. desk in New York. Polaty's counterpart in

New York will be named shortly. Poe said.

ijci I

jif (3 anii sen- Polaty. who was born in Hungary, is now

in New York for indoctrination at the home

:; can t^

t April prejiitroffice

before taking up his Tokyo duties.

He held various sales positions with Warner

R(wp^ p..

Wijl

Bros, for a decade, starting in 1948,

and. prior to that, was an independent producer

in Germany. Spain and South Africa.

I ssasam lo a

'Man's Favorite Sport?'

^er to Cr,.-

« tersal S-; Set for Miami Jan. 30

NEW YORK—Universal's "Man's Favorite

Sport?" starring Rock Hudson and Paula

Prentiss, will have its world premiere in

Miami January 30 to launch a series of

Florida openings, according to Hem'y H.

"Hi" Martin, vice-president and general

sales manager. The picture will be nationally

released in March.

!SOi5liipolCar.;

.Vo decisioE k:

Miss Prentiss will be in Florida for ten

chanty. A ree:;

days of advance promotion and she will

wtly suted ttia:

also participate in the world premiere activities

tec coDDcae:

in Miami on opening day. The

: geli don b--

Florida opening was launched with the appearance

of a special float in the New

IS the staia:-

•Jie WatertoK

Year's Eve parade as part of the festivities

in connection with the Orange Bowl

m ;iLt toL'.c:-

of a 26-beloii

football game. The same float will be used

: a scent item, i

during the Gasparilli Festival in Tampa.

srfoaance lilif

hcaietlieiiiErtI

Directors Guild Approves

p.-esaiutiTes

Merger of N. Y. Union

raj-aialffiii'

HOLLYWOOD — Merger of lATSE Assistant

Directors Local 161 in New York

a; the Hellaii:

with Directors Guild of America has been

okayed by the membership of DGA, after

having previously been approved by the International

offices of the lATSE and the

Victors'

membership of Local 161, according to

olunibia president George Sidney. Although DGA

bylaws provide a 60-day period for voting

on such proposals, the necessary majority

was attained in an unprecedented three

weeks from the date of submission. Milton

Pelsen. president-business manager of

Tori Cit!

Local 161, and his staff, will move to DGA's

New York headquarters immediately.

jiiiiiiltheiigure

It'll

jjjeinetroi

eOBpaisn

Feldman and Beatty Plan

'Pussycat' for

NEW YORK — Charles K. Feldman's

Famous Artists Productions and Warren

Beatty Productions have concluded negotiations

with United Artists for the distribution

of "What's New, Pussycat?" in

which Beatty will star. The pictm-e will go

into production early in 1964.

Beatty recently completed "Lilith" for

Robert Rossen, which Columbia Pictures

will release in 1964.

BROADW A'f

gARNEY BALABAN, president of Paramount,

and George Weltner, executive

vice-president, left Monday ( 6 > for Hollywood

for one of their periodic studio conferences.

Russell Holman, eastern production

representative, flew to Hollywood

Tuesday to .join them. * * * Si Seadler left

for Mexico City to hold conferences with

MGM officials participating in the MGM

Operetta and World Heritage series and

Eugene Jacobs. United Artists southern

division manager, left Wednesday 1 8 1 for

two days of meetings with branch personnel

in Atlanta while James R. 'Velde, UA

vice-president, returned to the home office

the same day following a series of meetings

with branch personnel and exhibitors in

the Washington area.

•

David A. Lipton, Universal Pictures vicepresident

in charge of advertising and publicity,

is here from Hollywood for a week of

conferences with home office executives on

1964 releases. * * * John Liddiard, west

coast sales manager for Embassy Pictures

T'V. is in New York for home offic.3

meetings.

•

Julie Andrews, who completed her starring

role in "The Americanization of

Emily." at MGM. planed back to England

Wednesday i8i with her husband, producer-designer

Tony Walton and Hermione

Baddeley. who finished up her role in

MGM's "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," is

also en route back to England. * * ' Here

from England are John Schlesinger, director

of "Billy Liar," currently playing the

Baronet, for newspaper and radio-TV interviews

on the Continental release, and J.

Lee Thompson, director of "What a Way to

Go!" for 20th Century-Fox, who is back to

complete the editing for the pictui-e's release

in June. * * • Alain Delon. French

star of MGM's "The Love Cage." got in

from Paris Sunday 1 5 > to do location scenes

at the Americana Hotel and also do press

interviews.

•

Times Square has a new block-long sign,

put up by Dino De Lam-entiis, the Italian

producer, to herald his forthcoming Biblical

epic, "The Bible," to start production in

1964. This is the first time the 270x60 foot

sign over both the Astor and Victoria theatres

between 45th and 46th streets has

been used for a picture not completed and

not scheduled to be released in either theatre,

according to Robert W. Dowling,

president of City Investing Corp.. owner of

the sign. * * Ethel Terry, fonner TV

actress, has joined with Josh Meyer in the

talent department of the Harold D. Cohen

agency.

Italy Honors Leo Jaffe

NEW YORK—The government of

Italy

presented its Meritorious Order of Commendatore

of the Republic of Italy to Leo

Jaffe, executive vice-president of Columbia

Pictures in a ceremony at the Italian Consulate-General

here Friday '3i. The honor

was conferred on Jaffe by Italian President

Antonio Segni for Jaffe's efforts in

fui'thering Italian-American relations in

the sphere of motion pictures. Jaffe was

notified of the award by Giuseppe Togni,

Italian minister of industry and commerce.

Add New Cinerama Houses

In Philippines and Japan

NEW YORK—Cinerama. Inc.. added two

theatres in foreign countries and one in

the Philippines to its list of houses throughout

the world in the past few weeks, according

to B. G. Kranze, vice-president.

The new Roman Super-Cinerama Theatre

in Manila, which has 1,486 seats,

opened December 28 with "How the West

Was Won," which has a big advance sale

for 1964. The Sho Chi Ku Central Theatre

in Tokyo opened in January with Stanley

Kramer's "It's a Mad. Mad, Mad, Mad

World," the second Cinerama house in that

city. "Mad World" will also open in Osaka

in March, to bring the total number of

Cinerama theatres in Japan to six. Ki-anze

also said that negotiations have been completed

for a Cinerama theatre in Nagoya, to

open early in 1964.

Negotiations also have been completed

with an independent exhibitor in Liverpool

for the conversion of his Abbey Theatre

to Cinerama, this bringing the total

of Cinerama houses in the British Isles to

nine, three in London, two in Birmingham,

one each in Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester

and Liverpool and one in Dublin,

Ireland, Kranze said.

Negotiations have also been completed

with the Cathay Organization of Singapore

for the erection of a new theatre in that

city. The house, already under construction,

is expected to open in the late spring

of 1964.

Cinerama to Open More

Theatres in Spain

NEW YORK—Cinerama, Inc., has completed

negotiations for two more Cinerama

theatres in Spain, a second one in Madrid,

expected to open about February, and another

in Barcelona, expected to open in

April 1964.

"How the West Was Won," the MGM-

Cinerama production, has been playing in

Cinerama theatres in Madrid and Barcelona

since Easter 1963.

Complete 2nd Production

In India in English

BOMBAY. INDIA—Production has been

completed on Stratton Productions' "The

Guide." filmed in English by Ted Danielewski

and coauthored by him and Pearl S.

Buck, this being the second feature in

English, the earlier one being "The Householder,"

released in November by Royal

Films International, subsidiary of Columbia

Pictures.

"The Guide," which was filmed in Pathe

Color, stars Dev Anand in the title role

with Waheeda Rehman playing opposite.

Embassy Pictures Acquires

Italy's 'Ape Woman'

NEW YORK—Joseph E. Levine's Embassy

Pictui-es has acquired the new Italian

comedy. "The Ape Woman," starring Annie

Girardot and Ugo Tognazzi, for distribution

in the U.S. early in 1964.

Filmed in Italy under the title "La Donna

Scimmia," the picture was directed by

Marco Perreri, Perreri and Tognaz.zi were

director and star, respectively, of Embassy's

current release, "The Conjugal Bed."

BOXOFFICE :

: January 13, 1964

E-5

. . Warner-Pathe

. . MGM

. . The

: January

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Starts 6-Month

bverseas Sales Drive

NEW YORK — Universal branches and

listributors overseas will honor their company

president with a Milton Rackmil sales

Irive, a 26-\veek international sales comjetition,

according to Americo Aboaf, viceoresident

and general sales manager.

The theme of the drive will be "A Salute

*" ;o Leadership," as a global tribute to Rack-

iliwtk"

iTiil's leading Universal to new heights of

°"" """•"

success. The 45 Universal branches in Europe,

Latin America, the Far East and Australia

will participate in the drive, which

jets under way the first week in January

''f ZOtti Cfi!;t.- and will run until the end of June. The

Dsy.

^ k:. pictures to be released during this period

' si'tej,;.. .jyiii include "Charade," "Captain Newman,

"The Chalk Garden," "The Brass

"Bedtime Story," "Wild and Won-

.: derful," and "Man's Favorite Sport?"

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Union Films Acquires 4

Foreign-Made Features

YORK—Union Film Distributors,

^which is operating under the new owner-

IfShip of a group headed by Joseph Auer-

has acquired four foreign-made features

for distribution in 1964.

are "The Gentlemen Prom the

East," a French film directed by Jean

iCharles Dudremet, with Jean Marais and

Genevieve Page starred; "Holiday in Hell,"

a French film produced by Gilbert de

Goldschmidt, with EHina Labourdette and

'.Georges Poujouly starred: "Happiness Is

for Tomorrow," a film directed by Henri

.Fabiani with Jacques Higelin and Irene

iChabrier, and "Sun Kissed," produced with

the cooperation of five nations, Germany,

.Prance, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland,

the direction of Alexander Swiagenin

with underwater sequences by Rudolf Gygi.

Kevin McClory Plans Film

Of Fleming's 'Thunderball'

NEW YORK—Kevin McClory, the actor

who owns the film rights to Ian Fleming's

"Thunderball," the only one of the James

Bond novels not controlled by Harry Saltzman

and Albert R. Broccoli, is currently negotiating

with these producers, who may

be associated with him in the film .he

plans to make.

McClory, who plans to make the film in

the Bahamas early in 1964, won the rights

to "Thunderball" as part of his settleinent

in a London court case. If no deal is inade

with Saltzman and Broccoli, McClory will

featiu'e a "new James Bond" instead of

Sean Connery, who played the role in "Dr.

No" and "Prom Russia, With Love," both

for United Artists release, the latter to be

shown in the U.S. in April 1964.

Universal Conducting Sales

Meetings in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY — Universal's Latin-

America sales conference will be held here

this week, with Milton R. Rackmil, president,

and Americo Aboaf, vice-president

and foreign manager, in attendance. Also

attending from New York are Ben M.

Cohn, assistant foreign manager, and

Joseph I. Mazer and Alex P. Black, foreign

department executives.

This is the fifth of a continuing series of

regional overseas conferences which began

with four European meetings in December.

PITTSBURGH

The theatre being constructed in the new

Donaldson Crossroads Shopping Center

on Route 19 between Mount Lebanon

and Washington will be named the Plaza.

The seating capacity will be 700, according

to Norman Mervis, general manager

for Associated Theatres. The initial contractor

ran out of money and the shopping

center development company took

over this project and expects to have it

ready for opening by mid-March or Easter

Sunday.

The Pennsylvania legislature convened

January 7 at Harrisbui'g, and the West

Virginia legislature, with 22 topics listed,

opened on the 8th at Charleston . . . The

first tradescreening of the New Year was

held by UA on the 2nd, and the feature

was "The Pink Panther." Last and best

pictm-e screened in 1963 also was a UA

release, "Tom Jones," winner of the National

Board of Review . . . The Regent.

Beaver Falls, will offer on stage January

24-25 the Pittsburgh Savoyards production

of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera

"Ruddigore" . Isabella Young Neyland,

80, died in Erie. Surviving are her

husband B. G., formerly operator of the

Folly Theatre there.

A proposed renewal plan at Erie for the

downtown lOth-llth, State and Peach

block would retain such landmark buildings

as the Strand Theatre, Telephone,

Meiser, and YMCA ... At Washington, Pa.,

the Chamber of Commerce went on record

opposing the city's proposed 10 per cent

amusement tax which was included in the

1964 budget. The association has opposed

the levy since it was introduced in December.

The city council, with two new

inembers, takes over this week and the

budget may be changed. One of the new

members is William C. Wilson, manager of

Associated 's Penn Theatre here.

Holiday cards were received from many

friends in the industry and we wish to

acknowledge a few—from Mr. and Mrs.

George Tice, Earl R. Beckwith, Louis J.

Stanson, Charles and Dale Warner, Glenn

and Mary Easter, Bertha and Goi-don Gibson,

Joe Bugala, Adam Goelz, Vince

Josack and Gordon Lane. Josack, partially

paralyzed, resides at 1031 N. Whitley Ave.,

Apt. 10, Hollywood 28, Calif., and Lane,

who was a projectionist in the original

Nickelodeon, makes his home at 301

Meyers Ave., Meyersdale, Pa.

Fromkess to Make 'Party'

As Third for AA Release

NEW YORK—Leon Fromkess will produce

"The Party" in March as his third

picture for Allied Artists release. He has

signed Jerry De Bono as writer and Allen

Barron as director of the picture, both

signed through the Shiffrin-Litto Agency.

Fromkess is negotiating with Carol Lynley

to star.

Fromkess' first for Allied Artists, "Shock

Corridor," was written, produced and directed

by Samuel Fuller and his second,

"The Naked Kiss," is now in the final editing

stage, with Constance Towers, Michael

Dante and 'Virginia Grey starred. These

will be three of the five he and Sam Firks

are to make for AA distribution.

Children's Matinee Theatre

At Reade-Sterling House

NEW YORK— Films made in England

by the Children's Film Foundation and assembled

by the Walter Reade-Sterling organization

as a "Children's Adventure Series,"

are being presented Saturday mornings

in two four-week series, starting December

21 at the 34th Street East Theatre.

Two performances are being held each

Satmday, at 10 a.m. and 12 noon. The

first series presented "Circus Friends,"

"Soap Box Derby," "One Wish Too Many"

and will conclude with "The Salvage

Game" February 1. The second series presented

"John of the Fair," "The Dog and

the Diamond," "Five Clues to Fortune"

and will conclude February 8 with "The

Last Rhino."

The Children's Foundation," a nonprofit

organization, was established in 1951.

Jerome I. Liotta and Ralph T. Desiderio

are directors of the Children's Matinee

Theatre.

Paramount to Distribute

Parade Films Overseas

HOLL'YWOOD—Parade Pictures, headed

by Robert Patrick and Riley Jackson, have

concluded a deal whereby Paramount Pictures

wiU distribute several Parade releases

in a number of foreign territories. "East of

Kilimanjaro" will be distributed in Japan,

the Par East, Australia and the Latin

American countries. "Cavalry Command"

and "Ballad of a Gunfighter" wUI be distributed

in the same territory.

Howard Nicholson, former Paramount

Pictui-es branch manager in Memphis, has

joined Parade as sales manager in the

Memphis territory and will set up key dates

for the latter two features in that section

of the U.S. J. William Piper, Donald

Nathan and George Hoff handled the

negotiations for Paramount.

The Arthur Davis Co. of Tokyo, headed

by Arthur Davis, will be Par East sales representative.

Puerto Rican Chain Opens

Two Theatres on Island

SAN JUAN, P.R.—Commonwealth Theatres

of Puerto Rico, Inc., opened the Ambassador,

luxury first run, on December

25 after complete reconstruction and redecoration,

it was announced by Rafael

Ramos Cobian, circuit head.

Also on December 25, Commonwealth

opened Puerto Rico's first drive-in, in

Ponce, the island's second largest city, on

the southern coast. In 1964, Commonwealth

will enter the commercial real estate

field upon the completion of a 12-noor

office building, with two adjoining theatres,

in the center of San Juan's business district,

Santurce, Cobian said. This will be

ready by the faU of 1964.

A Reissue Multiple Run

LOS ANGELES—Walter Reade-Sterling-

Continental, which is handling the reissue

of "Wuthering Heights," is setting up a

limited multiple run of the Samuel Goldwyn

classic here.

Mrs. Sybil Burton of the new Establishinent

Theatre Co. of New York, organization

for the presentation of plays and motion

pictures, serves as its casting director.

BOXOFFICE :

13, 1964

E-7

sun.

. .

. . SW's

. . Harry

. . Among

. . Fred

: January

. . George

WASHINGTON

Citnilarity in choosing the ten top films

in 1963 was evident in the selections

of the three local critics. Jay Carmody

Richard Coe iPost> and James

O'Neill jr. iNewsi. All agreed on Tom

Jones. Lawrence of Arabia. Hud and To

Kill a Mockingbird. Other selections; S'o.

David and Lisa. How the West Was Won,

The L-Shaped Room. Lilies of the Field.

The Great Escape. The Leopard. This

Sporting Life. Knife in the Water. Heaven's

Above. Dr. No and The Playboy of the

Western World.

The Ulman Theatre at Salisbury was a

holiday casualty — destroyed by a blaze

from an overheated furnace. The Ulman.

built in 1888. was leased by Peninsula

Theatres and had been booked by Harley

Davidson of Independent Theatres .

Davidson's son Duane. who composes music

as well as books theatres, will get his

Cantatas 1, U and IV performed at the

Graz Opera in Vienna. Austria, in April

by American soprano Valerie Goodall. She

premiered Davidson's cantata at a concert

of the National Ass'n for American Composers

and Conductors at the Pan American

Union here last spring.

George Stevens jr., USIA motion picture

director, retui-ned from Hollywood, where

he spent the holiday season with his parents,

in time to speak before the Woman's

National Democratic Club luncheon on

the 6th on "Our Official Movie Image

Abroad!" He supplemented his address

with the screening of the USIA film, "The

Five Cities of June." This film, narrated

by Charlton Heston. deals with five unrelated

events during June 1963. USIA

has submitted it to the Academy of Motion

Pictui-e Arts and Sciences for documentary

awards consideration in the 36th

annual academy awards.

Ed Rosenfeld resigned as manager of the

Washington and Baltimore Trans-Lux theatres

and has taken possession of two

Waynesboro, Va., theatres, the Cavalier and

the Wayne. Rosenfeld thinks he will like

it better traveling to his own theatres in

Virginia. "Lucky, that's how I feel," he

exclaims.

Sam Galanty has appointed Jesse Smith

as head booker at Columbia and Charles

Hurley has also been added to the staff as

booker. Hurley, who was hospitalized several

weeks, said it was "touch and go"

but that he is "bouncing back very nicely."

He was formerly with Boxoffice Attractions.

Pittsburgh AA exchange manager Dave

Silverman was a holiday house guest of

Robert J. FoUiard, local Continental manager.

Folllard was a bit vociferous over

IKA

NOW!

SICIIELMAN FILMS

614— 9th St., N.W., Washington 1, D.C

Phone: (Arco 202) 638 6528

the excellent business which "Lord of the

Flies" was doing at the T-L Playhouse. An

Arlington boy. 13-year-old Nicky Hammond,

plays Robert in this motion picture

which Washington broker Dana Hodgdon

coproduced. Nicky is the son of Col. and

Mrs. T. W. Hammond jr. He received no

salary during the filming, but 10 per cent

of the movie's profits w'ill be divided between

the 30 boy actors.

Bill Friedman has resigned as booker and

buyer for the Sidney Lust circuit. He will

announce his plans for the future later.

NORTH JERSEY

rdward Batlan, manager of the Ritz.

Elizabeth, who recently retm-ned to

that post after recuperating from an illness,

suffered a relapse and again is in

Fitkin Hospital in Belmar. near his home.

His condition was listed as satisfactory.

Fred DeAngelis. manager of the Regent.

Elizabeth, also an SW house, has assumed

control of both the Regent and Ritz for

the present assisted by Joe Dotro . . . Mike

Rush, assistant at the Regent for many

years, has resigned. No replacement had

been named.

In Union City, newly appointed SW Lincoln

manager Paul Reynaud resigned to

leave for Florida with his wife due to her

ill health. Replacing Reynaud is Myer Witlow,

with Skouras for many years, who

recently managed the new Closter Theater,

Closter. which was opened last summer.

Witlow and his wife live in North Bergen.

Replacing him at the Closter was another

veteran Skouras manager, John Lorenz.

Newcomers to the SW organization arc

Norman Silverman, a former Skouras man

in Long Island, and Bob Davan, who joins

the industry for the first time. Silverman

at the Oritani. Hackensack. while Davan

has been appointed to fill an assistant

manager vacancy at the Stanley Theatre.

Jersey City.

Elaine Hausser has joined Fabian at the

Bellevue, Upper Montclair. where she will

work with Manager Dick Murphy. Employed

with Fabian for the past 12 years.

Mrs. Hausser was manager of the State

Theatre in Altoona. Pa., which was closed

indefinitely last month . Oxford.

Little Falls, a weekends-only operation, was

opened for the full holiday week by Manager

Carl Jablonski . Wiener,

manager of the Wellmont. Montclair. was

recently awarded two $500 prizes by MGM.

one for a successful promotion of the MGM

Operetta series and the other on the World

Heritage films.

The Visit' Is Completed

By 20th-Fox in Rome

ROME—"The Visit, the "

20th Century-

Vo\ drama produced by Julien Derode with

Ingrld Bergman. Anthony Quinn and Irina

Demich, was completed at Cinecitta late in

December and will be distributed by I lie

comjiany in mid-1964.

Bernhard Wicki. who directed, is now doing

the post-production scoring and dubbing

in Paris on the picture, w'hich Is based

on Friedrlch Duerrenmatt's Broadway

stage .success, which starred Alfred Lunt

and Lynn Pontanne

BALTIMORE

"l/ariety Tent 19 held its installation o)

officers and induction of new members

Sunday il2i at 10:30 a.m. at the Holiday

Inn. Northwest. Along with renewing

old acquaintances and welcoming new

members, the club hosted a brunch at II

o'clock. Former Chief Barker Bill Howarc

was chairman.

Ritz Enterprises, having sold the Ritl

Theatre Building, has moved its offices

to the circuit's Earle Theatre, 4847 Belair

Rd. . Baltimoreans attending

MGM's screening in Washington of new

product were Aaron Seidler, head of Affiliated

Theatres; Irwin Cohen, film buyer

and booker; John Recher, Hicks-Baker

Theatres, and Leon Back, head of Rome

Theatres.

Mike Klein, WB representative in this

territory, was given a party at the home

of Tom Cosgrove. also of Warner Bros.,

to celebrate his birthday . A,

Brehm. general manager for Edmondson

and Elkridge drive-ins. was in Washington

on business . Schmuff. executive

of Dui-kee Enterprises, and Jack

L. Whittle, executive director of Allied Mo

tion Picture Theatre Owners of Maryland,

were in Florida this week to attend an Al

lied committee meeting.

JF Theatres, headed by Jack Frucht

man. has taken over the Regent Theatre,

a 1.500-seat house formerly operated by

Henry Hornstein. who has been in semiretirement

for several months. The present

policy is to continue.

'Becket' Starts Roadshow

Engagements in March

NEW YORK—Paramount will release

Hal Wallis' "Becket" as a two-a-day re

served seat attraction in eight exclusive

70mm engagements in the United States

and Canada in March.

Charles Boasberg. Paramount general

sales manager, reported that the pictm-e,

which stars Richard Burton and Peter

O'Toole. would have its world premiere in

New York on March 11 at Loew's State

Theatre. The other bookings are the Warner

Beverly, Los Angeles: Eglington. Toronto:

Cinestage. Chicago; United Artists,

San Francisco: Seville. Montreal: Gary,

Boston, and Ontario. Washington.

The film will be shown on a schedule of

ten performances weekly, with matinees on

Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Universal to Distribute

British Film Musical

NEW YORK Universal Pictures has

concludi'd negotiations to handle the distribution

of "The Dream Maker." a musical

in color produced in England by British

Lion Films and Magna Film Distributors,

for the U.S. and Canada, according to

Henry H. "Hi Martin, " vice-president and

general sales manager.

"The Dream Maker," which was produced

by Norman Williams under the title "It's

All Happening," stars Tommy Steele, teenage

recording favorite, with Michael Medwin

and Angela Douglas featured.

A February release is planned.

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BOXOFFICE :

13. 1964

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New Writers Contract

Covers Three Years

HOLLYWOOD — Agreement on a

contract

covering theatrical screen writers was

announced over the weekend following a

17-hour final negotiating session between

representatives of Writers Guild of

America West and major studios.

James R. Webb and Melville Shavelson,

chairmen of the screen writers negotiating

committee, and Charles Boren, executive

vice-president of the Ass'n of Motion Picture

Producers, said the contract, effective

December 13, is for three years, with a

provision for reopening after two years on

only the question of minimum salary rates.

This issue was omitted in the negotiations

just concluded in the interest of avoiding

any material increase in the cost of making

films in the United States, guiM negotiators

said. Major items in the agreement provide

for:

Reopening on 1. the question of pay

television.

2. Expanded coverage with respect to

original screen story material.

3. Additional payment to a screen writer

when his original screen material is used as

the basis for a television series.

4. More specific definition of requirements

on writers credits.

5. Broader arbitration coverage.

6. Enlarged publication rights.

7. Definition of a number of technical

details.

Representing the writers, in addition to

Webb and Shavelson, were Allen Rivkln,

president of the screen branch of WGA;

Michael Franklin, executive director, and

Georgia Hanni, resident counsel.

Representing the producers with Boren

were Alfred P. Chamie, AMPP secretarytreasurer;

Eugene Arnstein, Allied Artists;

Edmund DePatie, Arthur Schaefer and

Peter Knecht, Warner Bros.; Bonar Dyer

and Spencer Olin, Disney; Frank Ferguson

and Roy Metzler, 20th-Fox; Anthony

Frederick, Morris Weiner and Marshall

Wortman, Universal; Saul Rittenberg and

E. C. Delavigne, MGM; Bernard Donnenfeld

and Emmet Ward, Paramount; Gordon

Stulberg and MUo Mandel, Columbia;

Maui'ice Benjamin and Edward Rubin,

AMPP counsel.

Gary EUingsworth of the California

State Conciliation Service sat in on the

fmal negotiating session.

Newsreels to Space Age

HOLLYWOOD—Jim Morgan, president

of Space Age Productions, has closed a deal

for use of the entire Pathe News library

of short subjects, newsreel footage and

other film material shot over the years.

Museum Requests Print

On J.F.K. Coverage

HOLLYWOOD—The Hollywood Museum

requested the National Broadcasting Co. to

supply a print of the television coverage of

the events beginning with the assassination

cf the late President Kennedy on November

22 and continuing through his funeral.

However, the cost of the film copy was

enormous for the Museum's budget, running

to around $10,000 for the 71 hours,

36 minutes of material.

A print has been donated the Library of

Congress by NBC, and at least history is

preserved, according to Sol Lesser, president

of the Museimi, who was concerned

that the video tapes of the event would be

reused, and the picture lost. The Museum

expects eventually to get a print of the

film.

TV Film Company Sets

Up 11-Million Budget

HOLLYWOOD—A production

budget of

$11,000,000. highest in the history of the

cartoon business, has been scheduled for

this year by Hanna-Barbera. The company

now has ten television shows on the air.

and the next season will have 13 'A hours

a week on television, network and syndication.

In the past seven years, H-B has produced

780 cartoons, all of which were sold

to networks or syndication.

Writers Dinner March 9

HOLLYWOOD — The Writers Guild of

America West will hold its 16th awards

dinner March 9. Nominations for the

screen honors have been sent out for the

best written American comedy, best written

American drama and the best written

American musical.

John Musgrave to MPRF

HOLLYWOOD—John Musgrave, former

controller at Samuel Goldwyn Productions,

has been appointed director of business

management at the Motion Picture Relief

FMnd by president George Bagnall.

Writing "Mamie' Score

HOLLYWOOD—Bernard Herrmann was

signed by Alfred Hitchcock to compose an

original musical score for his currently

shooting "Marnie," starring Tippi Hedren

and Sean Connery for Universal release.

Discuss "Secret' Premiere

HOLLYWOOD—Stephen Boyd and producer

Robert Joseph, who handled the

20th-Fox "The Third Secret," in which

Boyd stars, conferred regarding the April

premiere in this country.

New European Chance

For U. S. Producers

HOLLYWOOD—Producer-director Robert

Aldrich, upon his return from two and

a half weeks of distribution conferences

abroad, reported that insuffcient financing

for nat'.ve production in Europe has

created a vast market there for the right

knd of American features. The growth of

the Common Market, under which subsidies

will be eliminated for producers to

avoid competition, has made money hard

to get. Thus, in most areas, according to

Aldrch. few pictures are being made and

there are. as a consequence, great opportunities

for American fi'ms to fill this

vacuum. He stressed the fact that they do

not want the light, frothy comedies or

farces.

Several weeks ago. Aldrich announced

plans to make a series of pictures in the

$250,000 budget group. Such fi'ms. he feels,

would do well in this market. However, the

situation involves a totally new distribution

attitude on the part of U.S. companies,

which, Aldrich stated, are "reluctant to

change their pattern and give producers

money to make the kind of pictures that

can fill this market. The industry is

losing a bet in not taking advantage of

business that is there." Aldrich is now preparing

Henry Parrell's "What Ever Happened

to Cousin Charlotte?" No release

deal has been set. His last film is the

current "4 for Texas."

New Limelite Comedies

Making Silent Shorts

HOLLYWOOD—Limelite Comedies, newproduction

company, has been formed at

7471 Melrose. It is shooting silent comedies

of short length with music. June Ward,

child actor David Carr and Bill Moore top

the cast of the first film, which has been

completed, and are now at work on the

second two-reeler. Leo Markus is producerdirector

of the company and has scheduled

theatrical release of six of the comedies

for its first season starting in 1964.

Sues Dimension 150, Inc.

LOS ANGELES—A suit has been filed in

superior court against Richard H. Vetter,

Carl Williams, Louis de Rochemont and

Dimension 150, Inc., by Edmund Vettie.

who alleges a breach of contract which

called for an exclusive representatiori' and

commission on sales.

A Title Change

The title of A. C. Lyles' recent Paramount

release "Stagecoach to Hell." has

been changed to "Stage to Thunder Rock."

laffl*! ''•

BOXOFFICE January 13, 1964

.W-1

: January

BACKSTAGE WITH CASSYD

^N INCREASING amount of attention is

being given by the studios and filmmakers

to cinematography schools. Most

young producers of the new genre have

college backgrounds, and when they have

something to say they direct their remarks

to their own kind.

Leo C. Rosten, psychologist, writer and

lecturer, who wrote the novel from which

"Captain Newman, M.D." is based, and

Da\id Miller, the director of the Universal

release, attended a recent class on films

conducted at USC by Arthur Knight, motion

picture critic for the Saturday Review.

Unlike the usual female tea and lecture

brigade, Rosten and Miller faced an alert

audience eager to discuss filmmaking motivations

and techniques, and a frank and

lively session followed.

At another time. Frank and Eleanor

Perry seminared with a UCLA group when

they were in Hollywood for the opening

of their "Ladybug, Ladybug," and discussed

their production with Screen Writers Guild

members at a screening.

This frank discussion by filmmakers like

the Perrys. Rosten and Miller with interested

and informed audiences is setting a

new pattern in this center of production.

It is distinctly a healthy development, it

shows an intellectual growth.

The other side of this expansion of interest

in filmmaking in college is the importance

this means for movie attendance.

Students in the three major universities

in southern California, the private colleges

and in junior colleges are estimated to

number around 250,000. Practically all are

between the ages of 18 and 25, the segment

which is the major target of industry

efforts to stimulate theatregoing. Thus, the

studios and the creative folk are moving in

the right direction when they establish

contacts with the college groups.

If one looks at the new breed which came

out of World War II and learned moviemaking

by using GI Bill of Rights grants to

go to college, among the noteworthy names

is Burt Kennedy. Kennedy, who writes and

directs, recently brought in "Mail Order

Bride" for MGM ahead of schedule.

Kennedy was raised in the tradition of

the theatre by his parents, who were old

vaudevillians. Following war service, young

Kennedy studied at the Pasadena Playhouse,

where he picked up some of the

tricks. He made a move into television. He

likes to direct a small story against a big

background. He says Keir Dullea was a

problem but Buddy Ebsen was easy to work

with.

Asked if he liked directing his own script,

he suggested "you can get real lazy, when

you direct your own." This bright young

guy feels that television has made crews

much happier: they don't have to stand

around during takes, and get used to working

together more efficiently and rapidly.

Another man with a college background,

one who studied to become a teacher and

wound up in show business following a

stint as an officer in the Army, is A. Ronald

Lubin. A USC man, he went the talent

agency route, handling the varied details,

all the way from buying literary properties

to peddling talent. An artist now at packaging

and producing, Lubin, like other

college-trained men, is very expressive, and

has a fine grasp of the theoretical, as well

as practical, aspects of handling people.

Lubin feels that one of the great problems

of getting a more steady stream of

films from the creative breed of independent

producers who number in the hundreds

—men who are seeking to put excitement

into productions— is the antiquated system

of distribution and bookkeeping prevaler^

ni the film business.

Lubin s method is to spend plenty of tim^

to develop a package—a story, with write:

star, director, etc., pacts. His cost is un

usually confined to the story, which he

buys outright. Thus he is able to presen

a low-cost package deal to the studia

calling for them to finance the treatment

If the studio decides this is unsatisfactory

little property-developing expense has beer

incurred.

Lubin says he likes to deal with the

majors, explaining he finds their high

overhead is compensated for by dealing

with top talent in all departments, real big'

time men who bring out the finest in film-i|

making. Lubin is an admirer of excellence

He believes a system that closely control

hidden expenses will assure high retui-ns oi

properties costing a few million dollars,

provided a more honest shake is given t(

the producers.

Among the "new breed" producers hi

considers real hot, are Martin Jurow, Ala:

Pakula, Millar and Turman, Bob Aldric

and Kubrick and Harris. Lubin predicted!

that his "Simon Bolivar" production, which

is to be made in what he termed a la

"Lawrence of Arabia," with its tremendous!

breadth and scope, will be a winner.

The short subjects branch of the Academy!

of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has

faced a scarcity of domestic nominees. Each

year, foreign entries have outnumbered

those produced in the U.S., and even in

quality the shorts from abroad have been

by far the best. The inferiority of material

nominated by U.S. producers, both numerically

and artistically, has been shockingly

inferior.

But this year, we were happy to see that

our entries for the first time have taken

a turn for the better. Viewing shorts is a

different experience than screening features.

As a member of the short subjects

branch, we have had the pleasure of attending

the annual shorts screenings. It is

like going to a still picture gallery where

one rarely identifies himself with the paintings

on display, such as usually happens

when viewing a feature.

Shorts production is not centered in

Hollywood. These come from all parts of

the country, in lengths ranging from ten

minutes to more than a half hour. Tliis is

not surprising, a check of sales of professional

sound cameras will show. In the past

20 years more than 30,000 such cameras

have been sold to government agencies,

universities, broadcast stations, etc.

Pensions to 2.020

HOLLYWOOD—Mark Bushner, administrator

of the Motion Picture Industry Pension

Plan, disclosed that 2.020 industry

workers are receiving retirement payments

and that over $6,000,000 in benefits have

been paid since Jan. 1, 1963, when the plan

made its first monthly allotment. Nearly

26,000 industry workers are covered.

ITBI.K IST,S KNTKKTAI.N BLIND C'lIILDKKN— .Mcmbors of the Puhlitists

A.ss'n, lATSK Local 81K, in Iliillywood. play

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America:. Internatronal

PH.E5EN"

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VINCENT

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rrMts NICHOLSON Z^^l',, ^

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Hobert S.

Parnell

6 Second Avenue

tie 1, Washington

MAin 4-6234

DENVER

Chick Lloyd

2145 Broadway

Denver 5, Colorado

TAbor 5-2263

SALT LAKE CITY

Fred C. Palosky

252 East First South

Salt Lake City, Utah

DAvis 2-3601

LOS ANGELES

N. P. Jacobs

1918 So. Vermont Avenue

Los Angeles 7, California

REpublic 1-8633

SAN FRANCISCO

Hal Gruber

255 Hyde Street

San Francisco 2, California

PRospect 6-4409

——

—.

— — — — —

28th

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—

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LA Record-Pace Attendance Carries

Over Into Second Holiday Stanza

LOS ANGELES—Boxoffice records were

smashed here when grosses continued their

pace for the second consecutive week in the

holiday sessions. Jerry Lewis' "Who's Minding

the Store'? opened strong at the Paramount.

"Tom Jones." playing at three

houses including the Statewide Picfair, continued

strong. "Love With the Proper

Stranger," at the Village, showed great

pulling power with a strong 450. "The Victors,"

causing some controversy, continued

a strong 300 at the large Fox Wilshire.

(Averoge Is 100)

Boldwm, Crest, Hillstrcet, Ins—The Sword in the

Stone (BV), 2nd wk 1 00

Beverly—America America (WB), 2nd wk 290

Ctiinese—Charade {Univ). 2nd wk 320

Cineromo

World

It's a Mod, Mad,

(UA-Cineroma:, 9th wk

Mad, Mod

Capacity

Egyptian The Cardinal

Fine Arts—The Three Lives

Col), 3rd wk

of Thomasino

280

(BV),

3rd wk,

100

Four Star— Kinns of the Sun (UA), 3rd wk 65

Hollywood Paramount Captain Newman, M.O.

(Univ), 2nd wk 155

Move Over, Darhng

Hollywood, El Rey, Loyolo

(20th-Fox), 2nd wk 75 1

Lrdo Ladybug, Lodybug (UAl 4th wk 90

Los Angeles, A l-crn^4 for Texas ,WB), 2nd wk. . .

Muse Hall— The Ceremony UA), 2nd wk 90

Pontages—Cleopatra (?Oth-Fox

, wk 280

Orpheum-Vcg.e-Picfo.r Tom Jones (UA-

Lopert), 2nd wk 320

P,x. Vyarren Who's Minding the Store? (Para) 130

Villoge Love Wifh the Proper Stronger (Para),

2nd wk 450

240

Worner Beverly The Prize fMGM), 2nd wk .

Wornsr Hollywood How the West Was Won

(MGM-Cinerama), 45th wk 195

Wilshire—The Victors (Col), 2nd wk 300

Record Grosses Greet 19G4

At Portland First Runs

PORTLAND— The New Year got under

way here with some record grosses. The

Broadway hit a five-year record with Universal's

"Charade" and the 409-seat Guild,

playing MGM's "The Prize" turned away

crowds Saturday i4i, with a total of 863

patrons, including standees, seeing the story

Lee ARTOE DELUXE

REPLACEMENT PARTS

CONTACTS

Engineered to

STRONG LAMPHOUSES

MIGHTY 90 - EXCELITE - UHI - SUPER 135

Contoct Aiiombly, Port No 9083S-6-7 21.9?

Lower Contoct, all sizes 6.99

Upper Contact, oil sizes 10 99

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Port No. 90835-6-7

Engineered to

ASHCRAFT

Contoct Astambly

LAMPHOUSES

RCA— WIDE ARC— SUPER HIGH, OYNARC, CINtX

Contact Aiiembly, Port No. AG-J J9.99

Upper Contact, Port No. AC-3 6 99

Lower Contoct, Port No. AG-3B 4.99

Poiitivc Corbon Rotating Head Aiiembly 2S 99

Speciol Reooir. Port No. CX101-CXI02 ContocH 19 99

W-4

940 BELMONT AVE. CHICAGO 14

of a U S. Nobel Prize winner. Every estimate

was high, the Guild topping percentages

with 250 per cent.

Broadway— Charade lUniv), 2nd wk

Fox, Divisirn 5:reet Dnvc-ln— 4 for

200

Texas (WB);

The Man From Galveston (WB), 2nd wk 200

Guild— The Prize (MGM), 2nd wk 250

Hollywood -It's a Mod, Mad, Mad, Mad World

!UA-Cinerama), 3rd wk 200

Irvington, 104th Street Move Over, Darling iCol);

lye Bye Birdie (Col), 2nd wk 200

Lourolhurst Kings of the Sun (UA), Summer

Holiday (AlP) 200

Music Box, Amphitheatre, Super 99 Drive-In Who's

Minding the Store? (Para); Last Train From Gun

Hill (Para), reissue, 2nd wk 200

Orpheum The Sword in the Stone (BV), 2nd wk.. ,200

Paramount—Cleopatra i20th-Fox), 28th wk 200

Bountiful San Frctncisco Holidays

For 12 First-Run Theatres

SAN FRANCISCO — This was a smash

holdover week, with fine product drawing

high percentages at a dozen first-run

houses. Capacity houses for most all performances

in the holiday week were reported

at the Orphemii for "It's a Mad.

Mad. Mad, Mad World" and at the United

Artists for "Tom Jones." "The Cardinal."

at the St. Francis, was up over the first

week while "The Sword in the Stone"

dropped slightly in the second week at the

Paramount. "Murder at the Gallop" was

holding strong at the Presidio.

Embossy Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox), 2nd wk.. .150

Esquire- Who's Minding the Store? (Paro), 2nd wk.. .125

Fox-Warfield— 4 tor Texas ;WB), 2nd wk 275

Golden Goto Charade (Univ), 2nd wk 375

Metro— 8V2 (Embassy), 8th wk 175

Orpheum— It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

(UA-Cinoramo), 4th wk 800

Paramount The Sword in the Stone (BV), 2nd wk.. .150

Murder at the Gallop (MGM), 2nd wk 200

Presidio

Stage Door Lowrence of Arabia (Col), rerun,

3rd wk 150

St Francis—The Cardinal (Col), 3rd wk 200

Unted Artists—Tom Jones (UA-Lopert), 3rd wk 600

Vogue Knife in the Woter (Kanawha), 3rd wk 250

"Move Over, Darling' 200

Leads Seattle Features

SEATTLE — "Move Over. Darling," the

only new film among a field of holdovers,

topped them all with a strong 200 per cent in

its first week at the Coliseum. Most were

holding up well, how'ever. after their holiday

introduction got them off to successful

starts. At the Blue Mouse. "The Prize"

wound up with 140 per cent: at the Orpheum.

"Charade" also completed a good

second week, with 175: and Disney's "Sword

in the Stone" pulled 150 for its second week

at the Paramount. Still doin?? good business

was "Irma La Douce, pulled 135 for

its 24th week at the Music Box.

Denver Two-Week Gross

May Have Set City Record

DENVER- Business continued to be great

over the New 'Vear's holiday. Many industry

ix'oplc believe that the two-week holiday

ijrriod .set ii Denver first-run record for

coinbini-d iTos.ses. Exhibitors were further

fliri'ic'd by urossi's continuing strong followini;

the vueiition period.

A.,;,lin Charade Di.iv). .'rul wk 180

..-nil.- Move Over, Darling (20lh-Fox), 2nd wk... 180

Kings of the Sun UA), moveover, 2nd wk.. 100

Crest

Denham Cleopatra 20th-Fox), 28th wk 110

Denver— The Sword in the Stone BV), 2nd wk 200

Esquire— The Conjugol Bed Embassy) 125

International 70 -The Cordinol (Col), 2nd 180

Paramount— 4 for Texas (WB), 2nd wk 180

Towne—The Prize (MGM), 2nd wk 250 „

1*1

Vogue— Lord of the Flies (Cont'l), 2nd wk 400

Merger Pact Announced

By Two Large PR Firms

HOLLYWOOD — Agreement to merge

within 60 days has been reached by two

public relations firms, Cleary-Straus-Irwin

& Goodman and McFadden & Eddy Associates.

The new organization will be

known as McFadden. Strauss, Eddy. Irwin

& Goodman, with major domestic offices

in Los Angeles and New York and European

headquarters in London. Paris and

Rome. The company also will maintain an

office in Palm Springs and affiliated offices

across the country.

Frank McFadden. John Strauss. James

Eddy and Ben Irwin will head the Los

Angeles office. Frank Goodman. CSIG

eastern vice-president, will be in charge

of the New York office. All employes of

the merging companies will be retained.

Exploitation of 'Middle'

Laid Down at 20th-Fox

HOLLYWOOD—Publicity directors from

five circuits attended a screening at the

20th-Fox studio of "Man in the Middle,"

then heard Walter Seltzer, the producer;

Parry Lieber. studio publicity head, and

Eddie Yarborough. fieldman, describe exploitation

for the release—utilization of

stars Barry Sullivan. Keenan Wynn and

Prance Nuyen. analysis of the ads, and

coordination of exhibitor activities.

The film will open January 29 in 41 theatres

in this area.

Participating were Jack Case and Lennie

Schwartz, Pacific Drive-Ins; Paul Lyday

and Joe 'Vleck, Fox West Coast: Hany

Wallace and Bruce Coi-win, Metropolitan

Theatres: John Simes, Statewide: Dick

Herman, Sero Drive-Ins: Bill Teawell. San

Diego, and Bernice Livingston, ad agent.

Miss Nuyen will work the eastern seaboard.

Sullivan the west and Wyrm the

south.

Ground Suit Blocking

Museum Construction

HOLLYWOOD— A piece of ground opposite

the Hollywood Museum is reportedly

blocking start of construction on the new

building. A superior court returned a judgment

here for $11,750 for Steve Anthony's

undivided half-interest in the property.

The Los Angeles County authorities will

now ask the district court of appeals to

affirm the judgment so that work can

start. Anthony is reportedly discussing taking

the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Plan Rex Harrison Festival

HOLLYWOOD — Metropolitan Theatres

has under consideration a proposal to hold

a Rex HarrLson film festival at the State

Theatre in Santa Barbara early next year,

similar to the festival now being conducted

in London by Briti.sh Film Institute.

A Martin Film for Olympics

HOLLYWOOD—Dean Martin is helping

raise funds to send American athletes to

the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo by doing a

short film which will be shown on television

and in theatres.

BOXOFFICE January 13. 1964

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SIS, Eddy, inrt

The National Theatre Supply offices on

Filmrow were robbed over the weekend

Df several thousand dollars in merchandise

ind valuables, according to manager Lloyd

Dwenby . Filmrow regulars

gathered at the Beverly Hills Beefeaters

restaurant to welcome Bob Carpenter, new

CJniversal manager, and Jimmy Whiteside.

new Columbia chief. Kudos went to Abe

Swerdlow on his recent promotion to Uniirersal

district manager.

Jeannette Bank, longtime secretary to

^»fk and tn Morris Sudmin. manager at 20th-Fox. reaii

signed . from vacations were Bill

WasseiTOan. UA salse manager. DickCariBd

alliliated of

negie. manager at UA. and M. J. E. McCarthy,

manager for Allied Artists . Jack

Y. Bermans had a triple big time on New

- oead ta; u

Year's. Berman and his wife Jean celebrated

their 35th anniversary and their

&»iiiat, csic

ii be son Lester was married and they had a

in char

house-warming party in their new home

ill employe!

- Alex Coopernians of Regency Film

lie retair.ed.

Distributors celebrated their 20th wedding

anniversary . Goldberg, Aladdin

Enterprises, celebrated a birthday on New

Year's, as did Harold Wirthwein, Allied

tfl'FoX Artists district manager, Joe Moss. Chunkteam

I.nE

E-Nut Co., entered an Inglewood hospital

aronine at b

for leg surgery . wife of Ed Zane

in the Miiiic,

of the Filmore Theatre, also was to undergo

;:, tie prate

an operation . Brewer, AA exchange

operations was at the

chief, local

ir, fieanbe &

office . . . Harry Ulsh, Bishop Theatres;

^-utilization c

Vincent Miranda, Lyric at Huntington, and

erat WvEi a:;

Ernie Martini, the River at Oildale, were

c! the al

. . Herb

. .

: January

[liyilitt

SAN FRANCISCO

I>obert Reagan, 46, chief engineer of Dayco

Electronics, died here recently after a

heart attack. Reagan was well known in the

industry throughout the country, and had

been with Dayco since the inception of the

firm seven years ago. He is survived by his

wife and two children. Mrs. Reagan was in

a hospital ill at the time of her husband's

death.

Lyie A. Bramson. Alexander Film Co. executive,

and his wife Grace returned from a

sales convention in the south, reporting

that 1963 revenue from screen advertising

was the highest in the past ten years .

"The Prize" will open at the Embassy Theatre

the 22nd . Jack. Los Angeles, was

on the row ... In booking and buying were

James Lemos of Benecia and John F. Aquila

from Santa Helena.

Plan for Oscar PR

HOLLYWOOD—The first meeting of the

public relations coordinating committee for

the 36th annual awards presentation of the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

was held to plan public relations

activities for the Oscar show April 13.

UCLA Opens New Theatre

HOLLYWOOD—UCLA Theatre Arts presented

"Sunday in New York" Friday

• 10 1 to inaugurate its new theatre, with

Everett Freeman, producer of the film, answering

questions from the all-collegiate

audience after the showing.

UIRE 'EM AND

'^rn KEEP *EM COMING w'ifli

^^P Timely Event Shows

PLUGGED WITH

Sf-^TRAIIER$

FROM THAT 'KNOWHOW COMPNtV

liiiinw

ns HYDi STRIIT.SAN FRANCISCO (f) CAIIFORNU

Andy Williams Making

'Rather Be Rich' Tests

HOLLYWOOD—Andy William.s of the

television show checked into Universal

studios for wardrobe and makeup tests and

prerecordings prior to beginning his screen

debut opposite Sandra Dee in "I'd Rather

Be Rich."

Producer-director Robert Wise has set up

special casting offices in London and New

York, as well as using the studio, to assemble

a cast for "Sound of Music" for

20th -Fox. Stuart Lyons is operating the

European end, based in London, while

Allen Shane and Michael Shuertliff are

doing the scouting in New York. Julie

Andrews has already been signed as the

feminine star.

Writer Claim Rejected

HOLLYWOOD—Norman Krasna won a

$1,500,000 damage suit filed by the late

Valentine Davies and continued by the

writer's widow Elizabeth. A jury in Superior

Judge Shirley M. Hufstedler's com-t

found no oral agreement between Davies

and Krasna, as was claimed. Davies had

calmed he submitted a script, "Love Must

Go On," to Krasna, and charged it was the

basis for Krasna's play, "Who Was That

Lady I Saw You With?"

Bank Sues 3 Companies

HOLLYWOOD—The Chemical Bank &

Trust of New York demands $15,083 in a

suit filed in the superior court against National

Pictures Corp., Alco Pictures Corp.,

20th-Fox Film Corp., Edward L. Alperson

and Alperson jr. The action Involved

guarantees on loans In connection with

three films, Magnificent Matador, I,

Mobster and September Storm.

Carthay Reopening in March

HOLLYWOOD — The Carthay Circle

Theatre is reopening late in March, probably

with Samuel Bronston's "Fall of the

Roman Elmpire." The theatre will light up

January 25 for a one-shot screening of "A

Debt of Blood," Armenian film produced

under the Haik Motion Picture Productions

banner.

Robert Mulligan directed Paramounfs

"Love With the Proper Stranger" from an

original screenplay by Arnold Schulman.

Start BOXOFFICE coming..

n 3 years for $10 (SAVE $5)

2 years for $8 (SAVE S2) D

year for S5

n PAYMENT ENCLOSED Q SEND INVOICE

THEATRE

These rates for U.S. Canada, Pan Amcnco only. Other countries: $10 a year.

STREET ADDRESS

TOWN STATE ZIP NO

NAME

POSITION

BOXOFFICE — THE NATIONAL FILM

82S Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64124

•i

WEEKLY

$15M0 to '63 Charity

By Tent 32 Women

The Women of Variety Tent 32 of

San Francisco has contributed SIS.OCO

to the club's major charity, the Blind

Babies Foundation, in 1963. The money

represents proceeds of the Variety

Blind Babies Bazaar, which is operated

by the Variety women. Cutlines with a

photo, in the January 6 issue of

Boxoffice, showing .Maude Harvey presenting

a check to Jack Marpole, Tent

32 chief barker, said the amount was

$1,000. This was incorrect—the figure

should have been $10,000. Previously

the Women of Variety had turned over

$5,000.

The 1963 contribution brought to a

total of $72,400 the San Francisco

Women of Variety have turned over

to the Blind Babies facility in II

years since the auxiliary was organized.

Two Dealers Merge

In San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO—Two leading theatrical

equipment companies of San Francisco announced

the merger of their enterprises, effective

January 1.

The business partnership of Walter G.

Preddey and Robert O. Bemis has combined

with Western Theatrical Equipment Co.

With years of experience combined both of

the firms feel they will be able to offer better

and faster service. No change In personnel

has been announced, according to

Robert O. Bemis.

The new firm, under the name of Western

Theatrical Equipment Co., will be located at

187 Golden Gate Ave., the Walter G. Preddey

address for many years. The telephone

number of the former Walter G. Pi-eddey

firm will be retained—UNderhill 1-7571.

William S. Cunninghcan

HOLLYWOOD — William Smith Cunningham,

publicist at MGM. died recently

at the age of 60. He was born in Lima,

Ohio, joined the staff of the Columbus,

Ohio. Citizen after graduation from Ohio

State University. He came to Los Ai\geles

in 1943 as chief of the Los Angeles bureau

of the Office of War Information. After

the war he joined the publicity department

at Paramount, and four years ago became

a member of the MGM publicity department.

Survivors include his w^ife Betty.

Tiomkin in USAF Auxiliary

HOLLYWOOD — Composor-conductor

Dimitri Tiomkin has boon made an honorary

member of the auxiliary branch of Uie

USAF as a gesture of recognition and appreciation

for his efforts in behalf of the

Civil Air Patrol.

First Film Story Sale

HOLLYWOOD — Fay Baker, author of

"Idonea Darling's War," made her first

story sale to Larsen Productions, as a Vera

Miles starring vehicle, and was simultaneously

signed to write the screenplay.

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BOXOFFICE :

13, 1964

. . Arnold

. . Rex

. . Harold

mo Courtney Dies;

Exhibitor at Clovis

CLOVIS, N.M.—Elmo Courtney, a lifelong

exhibitor and longtime officer of the

New Mexico Theatre Ass'n. died here

recently after an illness of several months.

The 50-year-old Courtney had been

manager in this city for Frontier Theatres

for 25 years, supervising the State and the

Lyceum. Prior to 1938, he was manager of

a Frontier house at Olney, Tex. He was

serving his second one-year term as president

of the New Mexico Theatre Ass'n. He

was first elected president in July 1962, and

re-elected last June. Prior to that he served

as secretary-treasurer of the NMTA for

nine consecutive terms.

He is survived by his wife and one

daughter.

PORTLAND

goxoffice takes over the Christmas-New

year holiday period smashed records in

at least three theatres here. A five-year

search of records at J. J. Parker's Broadway

revealed no pictm'e approached Universal

"Charade." according to Ron 'Webster,

executive secretary to Mrs. J. J.

Parker. The Guild turned patrons away

Saturday i4> for "The Prize"; both the

Irvington, playing 20th Century-Pox's

"Move Over, Darling," and Cinema 21 with

'Under the Yum Yum Tree" reported nearcapacity

turnout.

Stan Smith, Irvington Theatre, has

booked United Artists' "Tom Jones" to

follow "Move Over, Darling" . Hopkins,

Fox-Evergreen manager for Portland,

represented the circuit's Oregon and 'Washington

theatres at the National General

Corp. clinic in Los Angeles.

James Selvidge, manager of the Ridgemont,

7720 North Greenwood Ave. is sponsoring

two new film series. Old films obtained

through New York's Museum of

Modern Art, whose liberary of early movies

is most extensive, will be shown each

Wednesday and Thursday evenings

through February 27. Included in this

series are. The Beginnings, The Great

Ti-ain Robbery, Mary, Queen of Scots,

Washday Troubles. A Trip to the Moon,

Rescued by Rover, Early Mack Sennett,

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Nosferatu,

The Joyless Street, The Last Laugh,

Potemkin. Passion of Joan of Arc, and

A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY—Joining: Vera L. Cockrill, owner and director of

the Denham Theatre, in cake-cutting ceremonies celebrating the Denham's 50th

Anniversary was Thomas Currigan, mayor of Denver, and members of her managerial

staff. Left to right are James Latham, assistant manager; Mayor Currigan

and Mrs. Cockrill; William VanDeventer, assistant to president, and Robert Clark,

house manager. The Denham Theatre has remained one of Denver's principal entertainment

centers since its opening. Originally owned by the Shuberts, the theatre

boasted a very fine stock company and for many years presented many great

names in legitimate theatre entertainment and vaudeville. Mrs. Cockrill came to

Denver with her husband, the late Dave Cockrill, from Salt Lake City in 1934 to

take over the Denham operation. Three years ago, she completely renovated the

theatre to accommodate motion picture spectaculars.

Metropolis. The second series will stress

French product and includes 11 French

features, 2 British and 1 American, to be

combined in seven double-bills that will

play for two weeks each, through April.

Dave Dunkle, 20th-Fox salesman, returned

to work after a vacation . . . Helen

Reynolds, secretary at Saffles Theatre

Service, spent Christmas in eastern

Washington.

Sterling et al Dismissed

In State Antitrust Suit

SEATTLE—an antitrust suit against

the Sterling Theatres Co., brought last

June by state attorney general O'Connell,

"4 for Texas," the 'Warner Bros, comedy,

holds at the Fox through January 14 with

Columbia's "The Cardinal" expected to

follow . . . Ticket sales for the appearance

at the Auditorium here of "The Sound of was dismissed in superior com't. O'Connell

Music" national touring company are reported

as brisk. The stage show is the first Sterling was guilty of monopolistic prac-

asked a $375,000 civil penalty, contending

big Broadway-type musical to open here in

tices. The court held that the 1961 Consumer

Protection Act, under which the suit

1964. It is scheduled for January 20-25,

with two matinees . Marks, was brought, includes a provision exempting

the theatre company, since it is sub-

Journal entertainment editor, just back

from a Hollywood area visit, headed for

ject to the federal Sherman antitrust act.

Weeki 'Wachee Springs. Fla.. to attend the Other defendants dismissed from the suit

Warner Bros. "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" included 'William Forman, owner of United

underwater premiere.

Drive-In Theatres; Columbia Pictures.

MGM, Paramount, 20th-Fox, United

Artists, Universal and 'Warner Bros.

SEATTLE

Gordon Keeping in Touch

BOISE, IDA,—Harry A. Gordon, former

exhibitor here, has subscribed to Boxoffice

because "I'd like to stay in touch with the

industry." Gordon, who owned and operated

the Rialto, closed that theatre last May

15 due to problems arising out of competitive

bidding, day-and-dating in the drive-in

and lack of good product with universal appeals.

The Rialto, which had seen 35 years

of operation as a motion pictm'e house, was

torn down, the property sold and converted

into a parking lot.

Stanley Adams produced a seasonal bestselling

album, "Chanukah Carols."

DENVER

The brightest spot on the Row is National

Theatre Supply which has lighted up

Marlon Brando was in town for a

. . .

short

Jimmy Stewart and his family

visit . . .

are winter sporting at Aspen .

Newell, salesman for MGM. and Sam Dare,

branch manager for Columbia, were winter

vacationing . McCormick, Skyline

Theatre, Canon City, will be a Denver resident

for the next few months while he

represents his district in the state legislature.

Recent visitors to the Row were Marlin

Butler. Tesuque Drive-In, Albuquerque,

NM.; Joe Machetta, Emerson. Bi-ush; Sam

Feinstein. Lincoln. Limon; John Schultz,

Cody, Cody, Wyo.; Larry Starsmore, 'Westland

Theatres, Colorado Springs; Ray

Troyer, Gem, Hugo; Carman Romano, Rex,

Louisville; R. L. Stanger, Evans Drive-In,

Denver, and Art Goldstein, Uptown,

Denver.

Organ Music for 'Empire'

HOLLY-WOOD—Director Anthony Mann

will sponsor a four-week tour in the U.S.,

starting in February, of Richard Chilton,

famous organist of John the Baptist

Church in London, who recently recorded

on tape the sounds of the cathedral's organ,

now being integrated by composer-conductor

Dimitri Tiomkin. into the score of

"The Fall of the Roman Empire."

ENDLESS

Savt Carbon Coit

^^n

^^ ^^^^|

—

: January

Investment Opportunity

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You have a stake in that investment.

You can protect it by joining with other leading

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prudence and diligence and responsihilily liial are

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free economy.

When you bring the Payroll Savings Plan into

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to enroll—you are investing in the skills of tomorrow's

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Don't pass this investment opportunity by. Call

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^U^^

in your plant... promote the PAYROLL SAVINGS PLAN for U.S. SAVINGS BONDS &^})

The U. S. Government does not pay for this advertisement, T}ie Treasury Department thanks^ for their palrlotLsm, The Advertising CouncU and this magazine.

BOXOFFICE

W-8 BOXOFFICE :

13. 1964

—

— —

Grosses Stay High

At KC First Runs

KANSAS CITY—First-run grosses were

only slightly below the record business reported

during the holiday season. "Move

Over, Darling" continued strong in its second

stanza at the Fox Plaza with 310 per

cent after an opening week of 380 per cent.

"Sword in the Stone" in its second week

at the Pox Uptown and Granada rated high

with 285 per cent, following a record 410

per cent for the first week. Other top attractions

were "The Cardinal." "Cleopatra"

and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad. Mad World,"

all holdovers. "The Prize" brought good attendance

for a second week at Durwood's

Roxy following a record 400 per cent for the

opening week.

(Average Is 100)

Brookside—The Cardinal (Col), 2nd wk 260

Ccipn Cleopotro (20th-Fox), Sth wk 250

Empire It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

(UA), 3rd wk 250

Isis, Vista, Fairway, Avenue, Centre, Waldo,

Englewood, Dickinson, Overlond, Hiway 40,

Boulevard, 63rd St., Shawnee, Leawood, Fairyland,

New 50 Who's Been Sleeping in My

Bed.' (Para), plus assorted 2nd runs 135

Kimr The Devil and the 10 Commandments

(Union), 2nd wk 150

Paramount—4 for Texas (WB), 3rd wk 100

Plozo Move Over, Darlinn (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 310

Rockhill—The Suitor (Atlontic), 2nd wk 100

Roxy—The Ploio (MGM), 2nd wk 150

Uptown, Gronodo The Sword in the Stone (BV);

Disneyland After Dark (BV), 2nd wk 285

Missouri-Illinois Assn

Giving Champagne Party

ST. LOUIS—The Missouri-Illinois Theatre

Owners Ass'n will sponsor a gala champagne

luncheon party

Monday (

, starting

at 12:30 p.m. in

the Chase Hotel to

install a new slate of

officers headed by

Prank P 1 u m 1 e e,

F a r m i n g t o n.

Mo., president; St.

L o u i s a n s Jimmy

James, vice-president

and secretary, and

Jim Damos, treasurer.

Retiring

president,

Frank Plumlee Wesley Bloomer,

Belleville, 111., moves to chairman of the

board, Thomas James, St. Louis, is honorary

board chairman, and Pete Gloriod,

Poplar Bluff, is sergeant at arms.

The arrangements committee is headed

by Bess Schulter with Jimmy James, Phil

Nanos, Tom Williamson, George Phillips,

Paul Danesch, Ronnie Krueger, Ray Parker.

H. E. McManus, Herb Hartstein and

Charles Goldman, all St. Louisans, as

members.

Planned as an all-play and no-speeches

event, Ray Parker will serve as emcee. The

invocation will be offered by Thomas

James, and Bill Williams, Union, Mo., will

present a plaque to Bloomer.

Early returns on reservations indicate a

full house, necessitating a move from the

Regency room to larger accommodations

in the Chase Club at the hotel. Leaders

from all branches of the industry from all

parts of the country are expected, plus a

delegation from Farmington.

Paul Danesch, managing director of the

Cinerama, will present each luncheon guest

a complimentary ticket good throughout

the engagement of "How the West Wa,s

Won."

Reservations, at $3.50 a person, may be

made by sending a check to MTTO, 3301

Lindell Blvd., St. Louis 3, Mo.

'Tom Jones' 250 Top Mark

Among Chicago First Runs

CHICAGO — Good weather and good

product rounded out the week's business

with a continuance of substantial grosses

in many situations. Among the leaders were

"Charade" in the third week at the Chicago:

"The Sword in the Stone" in the

third week at the Roosevelt: "The Cardinal"

in the third week at the Woods, and

"Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" in the

second week at the Loop Theatre and Esquire

on the near north side. "Tom Jones"

in the thii-d week at the Michael Todd

Theatre was again a top grosser.

Carnegie The Conjugal Bed (Embassy),

7th wk 75

Chicago Charade (Univ), 3rd wk 190

Cinema— Lord of the Flies (Cont'l), 7th wk 115

Loop Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?

Esquire,

(Pare), 2nd wk 95 1

McVickers— It's o Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

(UA-Cinerama), Sth wk 180

Michael Todd Tom Jones (UA-Lopert), 3rd wk.

Oriental— Kings of the Sun (UA), 3rd wk

..250

175

Roosevelt The Sword in the Stone (BV), 3rd wk. . .200

State Lake Cleopotro (20th-Fox), 28th wk 145

Town—My Life to Live (Union), 3rd wk 130

United Artists—4 for Texas (WB), 3rd wk 170

Woods—The Cardinal (Col), 3rd wk

World Playhouse My Life to Live (Union),

210

3rd wk 155

Striptease (SR), 2nd wk

"Move Over, Darling' 300

Leads Indianapolis Upsurge

INDIANAPOLIS — It was a prosperous

New Year, at least during the first week.

for the city's first-run theatres. Two new

attractions, "Move Over, Darling" and

"Charade," were great: "How the West Was

Won" showed renewed vigor and "Cleopatra,"

now on a week-to-week basis, drew

many people who had kept putting off

seeing it. Pleasant weather through the

weekend helped.

Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox) 300

Circle

Enc=re Promises! Promises! (Noonan); Mile

1 25

Esquire Lord of the Flies (Cont'l), 2nd wk 120

Indiana- How the West Was Won (MGM-

Cineramo), 30th wk 225

Keith's—Charade (Univ) 250

Loew's—The Priie (MGM), 3rd wk 125

Lyric—Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 28th wk 150

Lyon Joins Ad Dept.

Of Commonwealth

KANSAS CITY—Harold B. Lyon, former

managing director of the Paramount Theatre,

is now affiliated

Harold B. Lyon

with Commonwealth

Theatres as assistant

to M. B. Smith, vicepresident

and advertising

director. Lyon

served with the Paramount

Theatre in

Kansas City for 13

years, starting in January

1951.

Beginning his theatre

career 38 years

ago in Omaha at the

Riviera Theatre, now

the Paramount, Lyon remained there for

one year, then went to Minneapolis and

St. Paul, where he was situated for two

years. His career in the theatre field has

taken him through many of the states.

Prom Minnesota, he went to New York

with Publix Theatres, predecessor to the

AB-Paramount Theatres circuit and its affiliates.

He then was transferred to the

west coast, where he supervised operations

of Publix houses in California, Washington,

Oregon, Idaho and Utah.

Lyon returned to Omaha as assistant

manager of the Paramount Theatre after

several years, then in succeeding years

was assigned to theatres in Youngstown,

Ohio, Indianapolis and Miami. He returned

to the midwest to join Central States

Theatres, headquartered in Des Moines,

and saw service at Central States houses

in Burlington, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids,

Iowa, in Moline, 111., and at the Des Moines

Theatre in Des Moines.

In his spare time, Lyon is a song writer.

He has written a theme song for the Weeki

Wachee, Fla., live mermaid underwater

show under the title of "At Weeki Wachee.'

The song was accepted as the official

theme of the show and it was recorded

on the AB-Paramount label. Lyon composed

"At Weeki Wachee" without ever

having seen that major tourist attraction.

He wrote the lyrics after reading descriptive

material sent him by Louis J. Finske,

head of Florida State Theatres, Jacksonville,

Fla., which operates the attraction,

and Jack Mahon, managing dii'ector of the

springs. Finske, incidentally, formerly was

in the theatre business in Kansas City

with the late Frank L. Newman.

Approximately 250 leading representatives

of the national and world press, radio

and television will have an opportunity to

hear Lyon's song featured in the underwater

ballet when they visit the springs

January 17 for the first underwater presentation

of a motion picture, "The Incredible

Mr. Limpet," Warner Bros, film

starring comedian Don Knotts, who will

attend the premiere.

Lyon also has sold a ballad for the recording

of "Did You Cry?" He contracted

with the Jennings music publishing company

and the Foremost record firm for

release of the song which he wrote in 1944.

The number 13 is lucky for Lyon, Landon

Laird recently wrote in the "About Town"

column in the Kansas City Times. Lyon

was the 13th child in a family of 13 children.

His father nicknamed him Baker's

Dozen and gave him the middle name of

Baker. This year marks his 13th as a resident

of Greater Kansas City. It also marks

his 13th year as a published song writer.

The title of his song, "At Weeki Wachee,"

has 13 letters. Frank Blasco, the music

publisher, inadvertently sent him the first

13 copies of the song instead of the promised

12. Since Laird's published comments

on number 13 being lucky for Lyon, last

week coincidentally he was assigned the

13th space on Commonwealth's parking lot.

,«."«

BOXOFFICE

: January 13, 1964 C-1

. . Mrs.

Julie i

. . Eleanor

. . Reube

: January

—

. .

KANSAS

CITY

^he Motion Picture Ass'n of Greater

Kansas City will hold a board of directors

meeting at the Executive Motor

Hotel. 13th and Washington, Monday il3i.

The meeting, which will be conducted by

Doug Lightner. president, will start with a

luncheon. Election of officers and reports

on several projects will be on the agenda.

Lightner announced that more than $400

was collected and a heap of clothing,

household articles and food was generously

donated in answer to MPAs request to aid

a needy family at Christmas time. Bill Jeffries.

Colimibia Pictures office manager.

was in charge of the wearables and food.

A widowed mother with five children and

a hospitalized grandmother were benefited.

The I'nited Theatre Owners of the Heart

of America has scheduled a luncheon meeting

of the board of directors for Wednesday

1 15 1 at Hotel Continental. Parlor E on the

fifth floor. Norris Cresswell. UTO executive

secretary, announced. President Paul Ricketts

will report on plans for the annual

Show-A-Rama convention, membership

and other business . P.

Breckenridge, daughter of Cresswell. is

looking for the

"'"-

THE

WORLDS

FINEST

THEATRES

RELY ON

HURLEY

SCREENS;

RIGHT SCREEN

RIGHT PRICE?

SUPEROPTICA

SUPERGLO

MATTE WHITE

ol.ty pro,

u mdtpt.

9^17 N«rtl

^heiethe GHOULS are

•1

ic where thtOlWM

every shroud has a

silver lining

wl^en old

fiends get together

for a real

Wast of

grave robbery..-

poisoning and

multiple mayhem!

Ameri can International

PHE5ENTS

KftRLOFF...a

fiend in nee<

is a fiend

indeed'.

mim

THE

'.f

.PANAVlSl^N

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PETEI^^

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..averv

reluctant

-rn^ . SAMUEL ^^«KOFfANJrr''-i

yrMls H. NICHOLSON .

-Z^^^'-'

,W0?ST0URNeOR-«>CHA«0MM"^^O

r{s WtR ^

) NTACT YOUR jflfnEn.Lcnn ^L^-JntEJinjjution^ exchange

CHICAGO

Sam Seplowin

1301 So. Wabash Avenue

Chicago 5, Illinois

WEbster 9-2000

INDIANAPOLIS

Tom Goodman

411 Illinois BIdg.

Indianapolis, Indiana

MEIrose 4-4952

KANSAS CITY

John Wangberg

215 West 18th Street

Kansas City 8, Missouri

HArrison 1-2324

ST.

LOUIS

George

Phillips

3301 Lindell Blvd.

St. Louis 3, Missouri

JEfferson 3-6397

. . The

. . News

. . Chicago

. . During

. . Jimmy

. .

. . . Local

. . . Harry

. . . Jerry

. . The

CHICAGO

. . .

Joseph Turnbull, manager of the Michael

Todd Theatre, now showing "Tom

Jones." will marry Dolores Luthje in

March . Media folk received "nuclear

bomb effects computers" as a part

of the publicity campaign for "Dr. Strangelove

or: How I Learned to Stop Won-ying

and Love the Bomb." due for a late winter

opening here December, the

censor board reviewed 69 movies. 19 of

which were foreign, and adulted 4, rejected

6 and ordered cuts in 30 "Goody"

Goddamote was able to leave the hospital

and will welcome words of cheer from

friends at his room in the Rienzi Hotel. 606

West Diversey. Phone: Lincoln 9-6252.

Balaban & Katz will close "Cleopatra" at

the State Lake soon to get ready for the

opening of "The Victors" early in February

. Studebaker Theatre will open

for "Seven Ways of Love," with Joseph

Gotten and his wife. Patricia Medina .

Gary Grant has been a frequent visitor

here to see Dyan Cannon, who is appearing

in "How to Succeed in Business Without

Really Trying" . Stewart and his

wife Gloria were in town for their annual

medical checkup.

Bob Bachman, general manager of L&M

Management Co., vacationed in Florida .

Si Lax of Embassy Pictures here appointed

Arnold Monnette as salesman. The company

has established offices at 1301 South

Wabash . producer Allan David

is starting the new year as radio-TV director

for Sander Rodkin. local ad agency .

Jane Wyman was a between-trains visitor.

She was en route to New York City.

. . .

Peter Rosian, regional sales manager for

Universal, who underwent surgery, is convalescing

at his home in Cleveland

— Our "20th" Year —

CANDY-POPCORN

SEASONING — BOXES — BAGS

For Theatres and Drive-ins

— SEND FOR NEW —

COMPLETE PRICE

C-4

Distributors

For

ORANGE CRUSH and

FULL LINE SYRUPS

POPCORN BUTTER CUPS

LIST

We Carry Full Line Hot & Cold Cups

Freight Poid on Orden of $125.00 or More

KAYLINE

CANDY COMPANY INC.

Chicago S, III.

Take A Tip From Me

I Exploit IMore in '64'

And Remember To Gel Your

SPECIAL

TRAILERS

From Dependable

FILMACK

Richard Balaban is chairman of the Variety

Club of Illinois installation dinner to

be held in the Pick-Congress the 15th.

James Carreras. first assistant chief

barker of Variety International, will fly in

from San Francisco for the event, and chief

Rotus Harvey will plane in from London

critics were invited by Warner

Bros, to take a film junket to the premiere

of "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" at

Weeki Wachee Springs, Fla.

Chicago Used Chair Mart, headed by Sar

Levinsohn. will re-cover 1.300 seats in th

Arlington Theatre at Indianapolis

Harold Abbott jr.. of Abbott Theatre Equipment

Co. vacationed in Arizona .

Dane of Filmack and husband Mauij

celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversg

Goldstone and Kermit Russlu

of Russell Films hosted a tradescreenilg

of "Tiara Tahiti" and "In the Doghous|

. . . Teitel Film Corp is making arrangements

to re-enter the film cleaning industry

with a formula invented by A. Teitel

a number of years ago.

INDIANAPOLIS

fjarry Kodinsky, VIC representative, will

officiate at the annual installation

ceremonies of the local Variety Club, to be

held following a dinner in the clubrooms

D. Allen, former MGM publicist,

stopped briefly en route from Cincinnati

to Chicago. He now is with a public relations

firm handling promotion for motion

pictures, records and talent.

The Belmont Theatre here has installed

a new Walker screen from NTS to replace

one ruined when the janitor fell through

it . . . NTS also installed carpet in the

auditoriums of the North View Junior and

the North Central high schools.

Guests of the Screen Council at a recent

luncheon at the Manger Motel on

December 30th were Bob Sokol, manager of

Loew's Theatre: Erwin J. dumb, John

Stern, Don Mott and Candy Bowen, all of

Greater Indianapolis Amusement Co.; Mrs.

Marc J. Wolf and Norma G^raghty, Variety

Club auxiliary.

Lake Park, Iowa, Theatre

Damaged in $75,000 Fire

From North Central Edition

LAKE PARK, IOWA—The State Theatre

was severely damaged in a recent fire

which originated next door in the furnace

I'oom of a bowling establishment, Al Myrick,

a past president of National Allied

States A.ss'n, has advi.sed Boxoffice.

A fire wall helped contain the blaze,

the Lake Park exhibitor reported, but still

the roof of the theatre building was burned,

the scats ruined and extensive damage

caused to the building and equipment. A

department store in the theatre building

was a total loss, as were the adjacent

bowling firm and cafe. Loss caused by

the fire was estimated at $75,000. according

to Myrick.

Future iJlans for the theatre and department

store are undecided, accoi-ding to

Myrick.

Arthur Completes Its

Renovation of Granada

ST. LOUIS—Remodeling has been completed

on the Granada Theatre, owned by

Arthur Enterprises, making it a key area

theatre of the circuit, according to Ed

Arthur, president. Another theatre, the Hi

Pointe, has been remodeled as a de luxe

art theatre. Arthur Enterprises is also preparing

to break ground for a drive-in on

Highway 270 and West Florissant roads.

The company owns 18 theatres in the St,

Louis area.

ST.

LOUIS

^he Schonett Theatre at Sesser. 111., has

been reopened. It had been closed since

May of 1963 . MGM exchange is

revising its IBM system. Office manager

Mike Bizio and teletyp>e operator Joyce

Crowell will spend a few days in Dallas

learning the new system.

Herman Gorelick. Crest Films, spent a

few days in Kansas City visiting exhibitors

The Missouri-Illinois Theatre

. . . Owners Ass'n is planning a Champagne

luncheon on the 20th in the Regency room

of the Chase Hotel. The occasion is the

installation of the new slate of officers.

Following the liuicheon all the guests are

invited to Martin's Cinerama Theatre for

the current feature by Paul Danesch, managing

director.

Dual Theatre Is Slated

In Baltimore Center

From Eastern Edition

BALTIMORE — Vice-president

iBtar

Howard

Wagonheim of Schwaber Theatres, owner

of the Playhouse, Five West and other theatres,

announced plans to build new dualBfesdon

theatres at the Yorkridge Shopping Center

on York road north of suburban Towson.

Ground has been broken for the theatres,

which are to be named Cinema 1 and

Cinema 2. They are scheduled for early

spring openings.

One will have a seating capacity of about

780 and the other 408. They will be erected

side by side: have two lobbies and one boxoffice.

Wagonheim said the policy is not entirely

definite at present but that one film might

be shown oii the hour at both houses or

each may show a different film. They may

be art films—or they may not

ENDLESS

^BHB

BURNS THE ENTIRE VilmMH

POSITIVE ROD iM^tma^

So>t Corbon Coil ^^ ^^^^B

fcRockti

iftHortonl

HextT-o:

sits

fonada

:";>a'rttlie

•-•- !» a Of

^ lorida Theatremen

To Hear Roy Cooper

JACKSONVILLE — Roy Cooper of San

?rancisco, head of Westside Valley Theatres

and an assistant

to the president of

the Theatre Owners

of America, is scheduled

to address a

morning gathering of

the Motion Picture

Exhibitors of Florida

lie I' l^ytKL^^^^^

here at the audi-

/|j I' Vv^SH*^^^^ ^^^^

torium of the George

Washington Hotel

January 14, according

to Horace Denning of

this city, Dixie Drivein

Theatres executive

Roy Cooper

MPEOP program chairman.

ta The gathering will start with a closed

Joyt

meeting of the MPEOF board of directors.

Hem-y Glover, MPEOF president and owner

of the independent Largo Theatre, Largo,

. mil will preside. Cooper will address a general

membership meeting set to open at 10 a.m.

;Ttfa The only other event scheduled Is a lunch-

-='

1 Ctacfid'eon in the George Washington dining room

at 12:30.

i^a 01 o:

a3 the

inter

prssideiit

: Ttestrts,

awiijsii

:PM£NT

'f:l

Marshall, Ark., Theatre

Destroyed in Noon Fire

MARSHALL, ARK.—The Marshall theatre

and three other business places on the

south side of the square were destroyed by

fire recently, one fireman losing his life and

another being seriously injui'ed.

Everett McKim and Rufus Horton had

been fighting the fire on the theatre roof

)wa:; when warned that the roof was about to

k; fall. While they were descending a ladder

It! against the theatre's west wall, that wall

t; collapsed on them. McKim died later in a

:> Little Rock hospital and Horton was taken

to the Horton hospital with a fractured hip

and possible internal injm-ies.

The theatre had not been used for some

eari time and no one was in it when the fire

broke out in a feed mill behind the theatre.

!>)": A tractor being used for power backfired

and caught fire about noon.

Tampa Cinerama Theatre

Closed by FST Circuit

TAMPA, FLA.—The Palace Theatre has

been closed by Florida State Theatres. The

Tampa Tribune said that Louis Finske,

president of the circuit, "would offer no

comment on the closing and referred all

questions to the chain's west coast division

manager. Bob Harris. Harris had already

declined comment."

The Palace started as a vaudeville house

but was converted several years ago as the

only Cinerama theatre on the state's west

coast. However, the final screen offering

at the Palace was a conventional feature,

"Under the Yum Yum Tree."

Bill Dozier Leaves Gems

From Western Edition

HOLL"YWOOD—William Dozier has resigned

as director and senior vice-president

of Screen Gems productions. He indicated

he would reactivate his Greenway

Productions, for a joint development of

television productions with SG as distributor.

Atlanta Downtown Section

And Theatres

Editor's Note: The following article

describing the doicntown section of

At ant a as "the biggest shoppirig center

in the world" is reprinted from the

Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The

writer. Doris Lockerman, relates the

downtown Atlanta theatres are sharing

the prosperity.

Who says downtown Atlanta is deserted

at night? Who says we roll up the streets

and buzz out to the suburbs, the golf

courses, the lakes?

Not the theatre people. They know better.

They count the money. All over the

naf.on investors are mourning the demise

of the downtown theatre palace, but not in

Atlanta. Special pictures (like Cleopatra,

The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur) gross

more money in this city than any in

America, including New York.

Now, with expressway connectors opening

up more avenues in every direction,

far-sighted theatre people foresee the day,

not long away, when downtown Atlanta

will be 30 minutes away for two million

people. "The biggest shopping center in

the world" somebody has dubbed it, looking

forward.

In response to already booming business

and in anticipation of more to come, five

downtown theatres are now in the process

of answering the accusing charge of the

recent booklet "The Mess 'We Live In" by

investing $2 million in new construction,

renovation and beautification.

The Fox Theatre, third largest in the

United States and perhaps the most prosperous,

has installed a new marquee, a new

outside sign, giving its outside a facelifting

and its inside a new paint job. Wilby-

Kincey Theatre Service Corp., which operates

the Pox and Roxy theatres, recently

CHECK FOR WOMPI—Tom Sawyer,

president of Jacksonville's Motion Picture

Charity Club, is shown handing a

Christmas check for $1,489.50 to Mary

Hart, WOMPI finance chairman in that

city. The money was for services

rendered by WOMPI to the MPCC last

November in its sponsorship of the midway

attractions at the Jacksonville Agricultural

and Industrial Fair, which

attracted a gate of 150,089 persons. The

MPCC is using its proceeds from the

fair for equipping its new Handicapped

Children's Park, scheduled to open in

the summer of 1964 and WOMPI is

also

earmarking funds for the same project.

Booms

Share Prosperity

announced a plan to replace the 5,000 seats

in its capacious auditorium.

When "Cleopatra" was ready to be distributed.

20th -Fox gave it to the theatre in

each city expected to draw the largest

crowds. In many communities comparable

in size to Atlanta, the much-publicized picture

opened in suburban houses. In Atlanta

only c'ovvntown was considered and

"Cleopatra's" run at the Roxy has proved

to be one of the three best engagements in

the United States.

Before it opened, the Roxy had installed

new seats, new carpeting, redecorated its

lobby and changed its facade to a more

modem design.

Underlining its own confidence in Atlanta's

potential as a moviego'ng city. Martin's,

a large theatre cha'n, has put its considerable

investment in local downtown

projects. The old Rialto at Forsyth and

Luckie has been replaced with a modern

picture palace at a cost of almost $1 million.

Realizing that roadshows are most successful

"where the spenders are." the same

theatreman came to town and built Martin's

Cinerama on Peachtree.

A complete i-emodeling and redecorating

job. including a complete seating change,

will be undertaken soon at Loew's Grand.

which has already put up a new marquee

and remodeled its front.

Before long, theatre owners believe,

downtown Atlanta will compare favorably

with Fifth Avenue, the Loop, and the Great

White Way.

Construction Start

Near in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE — Ground-breaking is

scheduled near midmonth for the 1,000-

seat. $350,000 Broadmoor Theatre, which

will be built at the Broadmoor Shopping

Center by Theo Cangelosi. R. Frank Cangeloii

and Charles Myer. owners of Broadmoor

Village. Completion is to be by October.

The de luxe theatre will be leased to the

owners of the Baton Rouge Gordon Theatre

—Gordon. Randolph and Guy Ogden and

their mother. Mrs. Gilbert Faulk. The new

Broadmoor is to be the city's most modern

theatre, featuring such services as cliild

care, a smoking or rocking lounge, a TV

lounge and other special facilities. Theatre

plans call for a unique method of acoustics

and air conditioning conceived by Herbert

Mathes, considered by many as the father

of the modern shopping center theatre.

Plans for the Broadmoor are by Bodman.

Murrell. Landry and Webb, architects, with

design, decor and other creations credited

to Bodman.

Reopens Greer Theatre

GREER. S. C.—Fulltime operation has

been resumed at the Grant Theatre on East

Poinsett street by the lessee, H. P. Mc-

Manus. The exhibitor recently completed

remodeling and redecorating the theatre

and new carpeting was installed throughout.

BOXOFTICE ;

: January 13, 1964 SE-1

. . . Benton

. . Martha

. .

. . . HAPPY

Carolina

. . Oscar

. . William

. . "Um

. . Mabel

. . Cheryl

: January

and

ATLANTA

pilnirow was deserted by exhibitors during

the days that snow and ice covered the

area, closing the main highways into town

Bros. Film Forwarding Co. was

under an added handicap during the bad

weather with several inspectors off ill. Effie

Jamison was suffering with pneumonia, as

was Ola Higgins, and Estelle Welch also

RCA and Brenkert

Parts Available Thru Us

THE QUEEN FEATURE SERVICE, INC.

1912V] Morris Avenue Phone 251-8665

Birmingham, Alabama

was incapacitated. Ruby Tumlin and Bobbie

Harvey were back on the job Monday

i6i.

Rosa Lee Peck of the AIP staff reports

her husband underwent an eye operation on

the third . Jean Pryor resigned

at AIP and went to Miami where she is to

be married and make her home . . . Thelma

Johnson, secretary to the AA manager, W'as

home ill.

Columbia holiday vacations included

Grace Wooley. secretary, who journeyed to

Birmingham for Christmas and returned

to work Monday 161; Herb Legg, salesman,

and Lamar McGarity, sales manager .

Harry Katz of Kay Films and Dixie Litho

was in Alabama ... V. J. Bello, of AIP

planned a trip to Birmingham . . . Da:

Dooley, new booker at MOM, is a transfe;

from the Jacksonville office.

R. J. Barnes, who has drive-ins in Knoxville.

and his family went to Lake City

to visit relatives over the holidays. . . .

Bob Feigan, auditor for MOM, returned

to the home office after more than a week's

work here. . " Giessler, who hasj

been plagued with the virus, traveled a;

far south as Hiway 1 would take on a holi

day vacation. He's with Wil-Kin.

C, H. Simpson and his son Jimmy made

several quick trips to Chattanooga and

Knoxville in connection with the new Riviera

Theatre there. Manager Hugh Rainey

reports construction is progressing w^ell and

the Rivieria vvill open January 22.

Louise Brooks, retired AIP worker, Strieker

ill the last of November, is recuperating at{

home. . Howell of Capitol City

Supply returned home just before Christ-j

mas from Will Rogers Hospital.

[

R. E. Andrews, Carver Theatre at RomeJ

was in town booking. . Brown re-|

signed from the Universal booking department

to await the birth of her first child,!

due in February . . . The holiday season isl

over and the exchanges are busily working!

to make 1964 the biggest and best year fori

the world of motion picture entertainment,!

NEW YEAR!

CHARLOTTE

n bout 70 exhibitors from North and SouthI

Carolina were invited by MGM Man-I

ager Amos Boyette to attend a luncheon!

here, and see "Viva Las Vegas" and "Company

of Cowards" at screenings in the|

Plaza Theatre and the 20th-Fox screening!

room . Holiday, Paramount|

manager, and his wife had as their guests!

E. D. Deberry of New York, southern division

sales manager, and Mrs. Deberry.

A. B. Craver, manager of the Plaza,

underwent surgery . Long of the!

Columbia staff spent the Christmas holl-l

days with her daughter and family in New|

York state . . . Sympathy to Marion Childress

on the death of her mother Susie I

Moyle Carter December 31 . . . Tommy|

Booking Service 1 Jane White!

Cramores Dri-Syrup is in a glass by itself,

in flavor, in sales, in profits

Here's the adc-typc bc\crage thai has created the kind of buying action and reaction

needed to build sales volume and profits. Why? Because it has a refreshing,

invigoraling flavor that satisfies a customer's desire for a thirst-quenching drink.

t Cramores Dri-Syrup beverage mix offers you more than volume building taste

qualities, too. It is ea.sy to prepare, easy to serve and is packaged in easy-io-store

portion-packed, foil-lined bags. You simply add the contents to water in your

dispenser, cool and serve. H Fortified with Vitamin "C", Cramores

Dri-Syrups are available in ten pt>pular flavors— orange, lemon,

pink lemon, lime, grape, orange-pineapple, fruit punch, cherry,

strawberry and black raspberry H See why Cramores is in

a class by itself.

Contact your local distribuit>r now.

CRAMORE PRODUCTS, INC.

Poini Plcisant Beach, New' Jersey

l^ ^

became parents of a daughter named Jamie |

Marie. The Whites have two other children,

Tommy jr. and Sheila.

Scott Lett, Howco. and wife vacationed!

Elizabeth Brawshaw,[

in Sarasota Fla. . . .

Howco cashier, returned to work after an|

absence of several weeks due to illness .

Irene Monohan. Howco. has returned home I

after a visit to her son Ken and family in I

Washington. She was accompanied by herf

mother Mrs. Cleaver.

Over 100 hounds from the South Surrey!

Drag Pack were used in UA-Lopert's "Tom|

Jones."

Ill 00 KING SERVICE 33^

231 S. Churck SI., Chariott*. N. C.

FRANK LOWKY . . . TOMMY WHITI

PHONE FR. 5-77i7

SE-2

BOXOFFICE :

13, 1964

«^«niiaiia

VlteetheGHOUlSare

ic«.hMethero»|sl

every shroud has a

silver

liends

for a real

lining

«hen old

get together

blast of

grave robbery. •

poisoning and

multiple mayhem!

LORRt--

a casket

easel

onal

Interr^at,

American

'01

THE

.PANAVISPN

ST*RWNa

VINCENT

PETE^ PETEH-^

..^"^W

ii5iEBfWN'BmW»

rrMts H. NICHOLSON ci^^^;

rtrB^xTE«

bNTACT YOUR Ji/nanlaarL. mC^lJnXewiatu^naL exchang

ARLOTTE

Walter Pinson

311 So. Church Street

Chorlotte 2, N. C.

FRanklin 5-5512

MEMPHIS

Charles Arendall

399 So. Second Street

Memphis, Tennessee

JAckson 6-8328

ATLANTA

W. M. Richardson

193 Walton Street, N.W.

Atlanta 3, Georgia

MUrray 8-9845

JACKSONVILLE

C. L. King

137 Forsythe Street

Jacksonville 2, Florida

Elgin 6-5737

NEW ORLEANS

Mamie Dureau

215 S. Liberty Street

New Orleans, Louisiana

;

Memphis Prediction:

End to Censors in '64

MEMPHIS— "Next year." wrote Edwin

Howard, amusements editor of the Press-

Scimitar, in his Front Row. "may see the

end of what for four decades has been the

nation's most whimsical motion picture

censorship."

Two court tests of Memphis censorship

(5)

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ore master touches of decoratorort

combined with practical, built-in

service-ability.

This enduring elegance

is rewarded in enhanced boxoffice, yet

there is never a premium charged for

this priceless MASSEY talent.

for

Whether

mail order seat or back cover or

an entire seating rehabilitation, let

MASSEY give you their suggestions.

Your show need never be interrupted.

now featuring

MASCOFOAM SEAT CUSHIONS

More durable, more comfortable, safer

Fire & moth-resistant, won't lump, sag or

mat. Moulded to "hreatfie" and may be

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MANUFACTURERS:

Foam rubber A pring '^u-.hions; coverings

MDISTRIBUTORS:

Upholstery fabrics, gerwrol seat supplies.

ASSEY

SEATING CO.

are crawling toward some kind of conclusion.

One involves the French-made, "I Spit on

Your Grave," which has a Memphis setting

and a racial hatred theme. Merits of this

film come up when William Kendall, manaser

of Studio Theatre, faces trial in

ciiminal court January 27 on a charge

covered by a law passed in 1858. which was

int nded to prevent showing of obscene

films. Kendall has been indicted and is free

under $500 bond.

The other comes before U.S. Judge Bailey

Brown early next month and asks that th?

censorship laws of Memphis be declared

unconstitutional. The film involved is Embassy's

"Women of the World." The censoitoird

banned it from Memphis. Howard

predicted that "Women of the World"

would be shown in Memphis after the court

battle is over.

Charley Turner Wins

MPCC Golf Honors

JACKSONVILLE — The Motion Picture

Char ty Club of this city staged its second

annual all-day golf tournament at the

Jacksonville Beach Golf Club recently

under the general chairmanship of Carl

P oyd of Leesburg. head of Floyd Theatres.

Cochairmen were Fred Mathis, Paramount

manager, and Jennings Easley, MGM office

manager.

Following the tournament, Manuel Pope

hosted a cocktail party and banquet for his

MPCC guests at the Fisherman's Net

Restaurant, with Fred Mathis serving as

master of ceremonies. More than $1,000

worth of sporting equipment and cash

prizes were awarded to golf contestants at

the banquet.

Top prize winner was Charley

Turner, MGM salesman. Other major

prizes went to Henry Harrell, 20th-Fox

manager: Bob Capps, MGM manager: Mike

Seravo, Warner salesman: Bob Bowers,

Allied Artists manager, and Ernie Pellegrin,

Columbia office manager. Jim Kirby,

Floyd Theatres film buyer, presented gifts

to Mathis and Easley for their organization

of the tourney.

Special guests of the MPCC were John

and Paul Murphy, executives of Loew's

Theatres of New York, and Walter Johnson,

city manager of Jacksonville Beach.

Prizes were donated by Florida State Theatres,

Kent Theatres, Floyd Tlieatres,

Dixie Drive-In Theatres, Bailey Theatres

of Atlanta. Smith Management Co.,

Meiselman Theatres. Claughton Tlieatres.

Jerry and Louie Gold of Pahokee. Sheldon

Mandell of the local Five Points Theatre,

and Earl Turbyfill, independent booker.

Participants from exhibition w'ere MPCC

President Tom Sawyer. Harvey Garland.

Bob Baum, Sheldon Mandell. Fred Kent.

Walter Powell, Herman Allen. Carl Floyd,

Jim Part'ow, Harold Spears, Earl Tiuby-

Jack Kirby, Horace Denning and Mar-

fill.

'hall Fling. From distribution were Rick

Beasley, Henry Harrell. George K. Preidel,

Bob Bowers. Charley Turner. Hubert

Weeks, Jennings Easley, Bob Capps, Bill

McClure, "Buck" Robuck. Byron Adams,

Fred Mathis, Dick Regan, John Tomlinson.

Mike Seravo, Ed McLaughlin, Ernie Pellcgrin,

Dave Roper. Judson Moses. Buford

Styles, Dave Harris. Bob Stevens, Art Levy.

Steve Formato and Al Rook.

"The Wheeler Dealers," an MGM release,

stars Lee Remlck and James Garner.

Exhibitor L. A. Stein

Dies in California

JACKSONVILLE— Louis Alfred "Lukie

Stein, a pioneer motion picture theatre cir

cuit owner in botl

Florida and Georgia

died unexpected!

December 15 in i

Pasadena. Calif., hos

pital. He had dividec

his residence for thi

last ten years betweei

this city and Arcadia

Calif.

- -"' At the time of hr

death, his theatrf

holdings consisted o

L. A. Stein indoor and drive-ir

operations in sever

South Georgia communities. Known for

many years as one of the most famous C

Southern showmen, he was a former presi

dent of the Motion Picture Theatre Owner'

of Georgia and was long an active leader ir

many phases of southern exhibition.

Funeral services for Stein were con

ducted at the Jacksonville Jewish Centei

December 18 by Rabbi Arnold Turetsky

assisted by Rabbi Sidney M. Lefkowitz.

Survivors include his wife Beth: a

dauf'hter. Mrs. Robert Farber of this citv,

his son Joel, Gainesville: two sisters, Mrs

Sam Witten and Mrs. Sam Lazarus, both

of this city: three brothers. Ben of this city

Frank of Orlando and Joseph of Miami

torst

) a '

. . John

. . San

. .

. . Marty

ii'tiii

Censors of Maryland

Banned 13 Qui of 1,313

I .taold i\iretsi!5

titj

!ti Detroit los

:.'5e for 1964 Vs

u From Eosterr Edit

BALTIMORE — The Maryland State

- bolBoard of Motion Picture Censors reviewed

•^^ 1,313 films in its 1963 fiscal year, ordered

^'Eii cuts in 45 and banned 13. The latter included

three untitled 16mm pictures.

The 47th annual report did not list the

ct'.-.Jilbanned titles, but they were: Her Bikini

'* ior tl Never Got Wet, The Immoral West, Girl

KififGang, Nudist Playground, Scanty Panties,

. . . Beverly

. . . United

. . Jane

. . Anna

. . H.

. . Among

. . Edgar

. .

. . . Horace

. . Mr.

. . H.

•

January

. . Catherine

lie

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; buyins

NEW ORLEANS

T aiarus Theatres, which recently tui'ned 20th-Fox who had retired two years ago

over its Coliseum to United Theatres

Theatres annual after-Christmas

here, continues to operate the Center on

matinee at CarroUton Theatre for nuns

Canal street. Discharry. which disposed of featured "The Cardinal." Preminger, on his

invitational preview of

its Carver and Circle to United, continues visit here for the

to operate the Lincoln at 2514 Washington his movie at the RKO Orpheum, granted

Ave. C. Clare Woods appointed Sidney Cospelich,

United Theatres the privilege to present the

who has been at the Clabon, as ace film for the Sisters in Orleans, St.

supervisor of the trio of newly added houses Bernard and Jefferson parishes at the request

Blocker, secretary to President

of Msgr. Henry Bezou, superintendent

Woods at United, reports Ruby Conrad, w-ho of the archdiocese schools who attended the

manages the Nola, was home three days preview.

nursing a pulled muscle, then went on a

week's vacation in the circuit's new vacation

Frank Pasqua, accompanied by his young

schedule. Amelia Cardova, the relief son, was the lone exhibitor on filmrow after

manager, was home a week with her daughter

Film Inspection Service has

Christmas . . .

Maria, home from school.

taken over distribution of Continental

Films prints in this exchange territory . . .

Gulf States Theatres closed the Navy Point

Theatre in Warrington, Fla. indefinitely

effective January 1.

"7 Days in May" received a warm reception

at a screening arranged by Paramount

at the Tiger Theatre . . . Christmas was a

day of great cheer at local theatres, as the

festive spirit and good films brought excellent

patronage at practically all theatres

in town. Christmas Day openings included

"Move Over, Darling" at the Saenger,

"Charade at the Joy, "Who's Minding the

Store?" at 16 neighborhood theatres and

drive-ins, and "4 for Texas" at the Orpheum.

"Kings of the Sun" was at Loew's

State. The art houses also reaped a harvest

of greenbacks with such offerings as

"Mouse on the Moon" and "Lord of Flies."

Even the neighborhood houses were busy.

Sympathy to Gladys Villars and members

of the Vlgnolles family on the recent death

of Eva 'Vlgnolles, 63, former employe of

Take A Tip From Me

Exploit More In *64'

And RMiembtr To Get Your

SPECIAL

TRAILERS

From OepeRdabI*

FILMACK

Wallace C. Turner of 'Vinegar Bend, Ala.,

conferred with Page Baker of Theatre

Owners Service on bookings for his Citronelle

lAla.i Drive-In . the few

other exhibitors seen around were Claude

Bourgeois of Biloxi and Ira Olroyd, Teche

at Franklin . J. Ballam of Hodges

Theatre Supply wound up a two-week stay

at the store and is back on the road .

Warner exchange staffers gathered at the

home of Manager Lucas Conner on the last

Saturday night of 1963 to bid farewell

to salesman Ed Fitzgerald, who has moved

to Atlanta to take over the WB manager's

post . McDonnell, Paramount staffer,

was back after a vacation, as was E. E.

Shinn, salesman. Jane was given a gold engraved

wrist watch by Paramount at Christmas

in recognition of her 25 years of service

Totora, secretary to Paramount

Manager Bill Briant, is sporting an

engagement ring.

Charles A. Phillips, Jonesville, La., publisher

who switched to exhibition at the

Delta Theatre there, died on a hunting trip

at the age of 67. Survivors include his wife

and three daughters . Doerr and

Claude Bourgeois of B&D Theatres have

appointed John Nobles as manager at

Slidell in charge of the Arcade and Deluxe

theatres. Bourgeois also reported that Her-

Big Snow at Orleans

Is No. 1 Attraction

New Orleans—New Year's was the

snowiest day in this southern city in a

century, and it cost theatres, and business

in general, plenty.

Nearly everybody, it seemed, from 6

to 66 dropped all thought of indoor entertainment

as to romp and frolick in

the 3.8-ineh white blanket which most

of them had seen only in pictures.

Others who tried to go somewhere

gave up when their cars slipped and

skidded around in the slick surfaces the

drivers were not used to.

Theatres enjoyed excellent business

all week after Christmas, but it slipped

away down New Year's night and the

next day during the snow. However,

business picked up after the Sugar

Bowl game, which attracted 80,000.

Only two theatres, the RKO Orpheum

and Loew's State gave New Year's

Eve midnight shows, and they fell below

expectations.

Ban!

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Senic

man Hoda, manager of the A&G Theatre

Ralpt B. )lJ

at Bay St. Louis, won the circuit's Big

ItMcLendon 1

Profit drive which extended through De

cember. B&D operates seven theatres, pluf !*''-'

pre-Ctirist:

roller rinks in Biloxi and at St. Claude and*'

•lie Junior Cha

Charbonnet here. Periods when the theatre

Miitin Tlieatre

business is good offset by far periods when

roBBsiers. resi

it is bad. Bourgeois commented.

Tsm saies, \

Maud O'Bryan, columnist of the Times

Ireew

Picayune and States-Item, suggests that

Cindy Carol and Cliff Richard be starred ^ffli enjoyea i

together in a film for the teenage crowd

•Jifaties under

during 1964. The two were in "Summer

Holiday," which registered high grosses at

the Saenger through Christmas week

liene

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and 5-

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Nosacki

jerBeman

jfdingCliarles

111; Mary Kay

Meridian 1

Irts Theatre li

-itr.ct

Items passed along by Herb Mipro of

Transway: Ray Allen cut the schedule at ByDetroil

the 67 Drive-In at Texarkana to weekends

only on the 6th ... J. P. Serio has closed DEmoiT-i

the Century at Morganza until Easter, an

annual practice I. Hodges of the !M of I

Fox in Livingston has put the theatre up ?ost 311 ot thi

for sale or lease . . . A. L. Royal Theatres

closed the Rebel in Meridian on the 4th samjer for

Benoit purchased the Lake infn'

Lake Arthur from L. A. Richard . . . J. E, Brtnient of

Adams has cut to weekends at the Dixie

Drive-In at Columbia, Miss.

coMu

-Sled lice-

Start BOXOFFICE coming..

D 3 years for $10 (SAVE $5)

D 2 years for $8 (SAVE $2) Q

D PAYMENT ENCLOSED Q SEND INVOICE

THEATRE

year for $5

These fQfcs for U.S., Canada, Pan-America only. Other countries: $10 a year.

STREET ADDRESS

TOWN STATE ZIP NO

NAME

POSITION

BOXOFFICE — THE NATIONAL FILM

825 Van Brunt Blvd ,

Konsas City, Mo 64124

WEEKLY

Robert Steuer. executive vice-president offctin, fonjei

Cinema Distributors of America here, was )& Frederiji

in New York to confer with Clayton Pan- Wcker, WW

tages, CDA sales manager, on release of jlimen, f\)j

"The Flesh Eaters." Pat McGee, western njs, w. j.

sales director, returned to his home in Den- roBthfyjjj

ver for the holidays, following trips to Los te

theatrica

An.nelos and San Francisco . toiiihrttirei

Bonneval of the UA staff was re-elected ws,

president of Local F57: Catherine D'Alfon- Tnisteeseb

so, 'Warners, was named secretary: Anna iiirtots.botii

C. Liggett, MGM, treasurer: Joe Springier, «ella,,etit

WB, business agent: Lillian Gracianette,

UA, and Armand Portie, MGM, sergeants at 111

arms, and Lcona Schmltt, UA, vice-presi- ^'*Wl

dent.

Ileadilers

H. A. Arara, MGM, manager and wife.

attended the wedding of their son Thomas,

a licutonant. at Fort St. Joe, Fla., on December

30 . and Mrs. Bill Reites and

their four children returned to their home

m Tampa after spending the Christmas

week at the home of Bill's parents, Ruth

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SE-6

BOXOFFICE :

13, 1964

•'Tnipiaii

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Sloan

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««*ol business

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ai they d

tile m Iheati

r. "Jk circuit's Bi

eites, NTS bookkeeper, and husband

rancis.

Harry Thomas of Gulf States Theatres

ade the round of exchanges spreading the

jmpany's annual Christmas cheer among

le bookers. Also playing Santa Claus to

le bookers was Giddens & Rester Theatres

f Mobile.

Geri Faia, former secretary to Bob Corbit

f Paramount Gulf Theatres, now with

ilmack in Chicago, was back for a week's

olidaying with kith and kin . . . L. C. Craig

f the Ocean City, Pla., drive-in took over

operation of the Palms Theatre at Fort

-le

/alton, formerly operated by the late Tom

arrow. Bill Cobbs Theatre Booking Servje

is buying and booking . . . Maxine

ievelo. parttime worker at Exhibitors Coperative

Service, has given up her job

idefinitely.

Irene Gorka, roadshow and group sales

ublicist with the Mike Todd Theatre in

hicago and MGM's "Ben-Hur," now is

/ith the Martin Cinerama Theatre here,

ifhere she succeeded Mrs. Jewel Toups.

'aul Nosacka is the new assistant to Maniger

Herman Gantry at the Cinerama, suc-

:eeding Charles LaCosta, resigned . . . Don

md Mary Kay motored to the country

lome of Mary's mother, Mrs. Jackie Ploor.

lear Meridian for the Christmas holidays.

Ralph B. Mann, manager for Fred T.

M throiish ft|McLendon Theatres at Andalusia, Ala., resorts

more than 1,000 cans of food obtained

a; Si, Claude aafit" a pre-Christmas matinee sponsored by

:; rta tie ;he Junior Chamber of Commerce at the

t.hes'

:' 'x penodi

Martin Theatre there. The show, for the

wiie:

(foungsters, resulted in skyrocketing conession

sales. Mann offered an Elvis Presley

photo free with each purchase of a con-

ra of the TuM

'li*

cession during "F\in in Acapulco" and

Idird be itam again enjoyed a concessions boom. The 13

•ii 'jxmt cto"

theatres under Mann's supervision concents

Is "SiMue trated on their concessions business during

a managers contest held in December,

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Easter, a:

Bill Fouchey Elected

By Detroit Post 371

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DETROIT—William Fouchey of the Fine

Arts Theatre has been elected commander

for 1964 of Russell Johnson Theatrical

Post 371 of the American Legion. He succeeds

George Fredericks, former theatre

manager for Associated Theatres who is

now candidate for commander of the Department

of Michigan. Fredericks

former state vice-commander and former

district commander.

Elected vice-commander was Jack Dickstein,

former theatre manager; adjutant,

Dick Frederick; finance officer, Clifford

Vericker, WWJ-TV; historian, Earl Mc-

Glirmen, Fox Theatre, and sergeant at

arms, W. J. "Pop" Stolz, recently retired

from the Music Hall. Named to administer

the theatrical blood bank were Owen

Blough, retired, and Max Kolin of the Telenews.

Trustees elected are Bob Henri and Lloyd

Burrows, both of the Fox Theatre, and Sam

Cornelia, retired.

Albuquerque Paper Asks

Readers to Vote on Films

ALBUQUERQUE—A general balloting to

select the ten best and ten worst motion

pictures shown in Albuquerque during the

past year has been undertaken by daily

Tribune film editor Fred Bonavita, who

had the pubhc make the choices.

FILM WOMEN PLAY SANTA—Shown here is a handful of the 350 or more

youngsters from needy families housed in the Florida avenue housing project, who

were the guests of Women of the Motion Picture Industry of New Orleans at a

Christmas party held at the Famous Theatre. Santa Claus is Phillip, the husband

of WOMPI Lee Nickolaus. Left to right are Delia Jean Favre, Eugenie Copping

(party chairman) Josie Ory, producer and director of the Variety Show, Mrs.

Nickolaus and Marie C. Berglund, WOMPI president. Mrs. Ory led the youngsters

in a songfest of carols. Other entertainment preceding the visit by St. Nick was the

showing of a feature length comedy and cartoons. The kids were also treated to

for each one.

popcorn and candy, plus a gift

Adams Theatre

Downtown Detroit

Opens After $250,000 Updating

From Mideast

Edition

DETROIT — The Adams Theatre reopened

Christmas Day after closing ten

aays for completion of a $250,000 remodeling

program. The house features a striking

rotating name tower atop the marquee,

that is probably the most brilliantly lighted

spot in central Detroit.

The Adams project brings a syndicate

of three exhibitor groups who operate 24

indoor suburban and three drive-in theatres,

into the central downtown area for

the first time. The owners are Adolph and

Irving Goldberg of Community Theatres,

who will operate this house; Wisper &

Wetsman, and Detroit Suburban Theatres

family).

The group combined for the first time

with the opening of the new suburban Terrace

Theatre early this year. The Terrace is

being operated by the Sloans.

The Adams is one of the oldest downtown

theatres, built over 45 years ago and

opened with the Vaughn Glaser Players as

a legitimate theatre. It was operated for

years by United Detroit Theatres or its

predecessors, and for over 30 years by the

Harry and Elmer Balaban interests, from

whom the present syndicate took over

about six months ago. Malcolm "Mickey"

Rose, formerly of UDT, is manager of the

house.

Redesigning of the theatre marks the

first public venture of the new firm of E.

Sloan & Co., foimded by Eugene Sloan, one

of the owners of the Sloan circuit. He has

been active in building activities for some

years, and is forming the new company

to serve as design consultants, specializing

in the motion picture field.

The two-sided marquee is topped by a

revolving three-sided tower, two stories

high. The tower-marquee combination has

a total height of four stories. The theatre

name appears on each side, in triple neon

tubing on two sides and in scintillating

lamps on the third, and rotates five times

a minute, giving 15 changes of field. Batteries

of 40 floodlights are focused on the

tower.

The theatre seating has been reduced to

1,450, a cut of 200, to allow more placement.

The screen had been enlarged 15

feet. The interior treatment is soft teal

blue with gold accents. Special decorative

castings give an accent to the lobby railings

and to the ceiling area of the unique

tunnel which leads from the lobby, under

a public alley, and into the auditorium,

actually in another building on the other

side of the block.

Professional and contracting credits:

architect, Ted Rogvoy; general contractor.

Eugene Sloan; interior decoration. Sam

Garfinkel; marquee and tower. Mills & Co..

Ferndale; electrical. Detroit Commercial

Electric; mechanical work, including air

conditioning. Thermal Engineering; lighting

fixtures. Lightolier. Inc.; mural by La

Verne, lobby plantings, by David Huff.

Sam Arnold, well known public relations

man, is directing a strong promotional program

to create a new image for this modern

house, exemplifying the belief of these

showmen investors in the future of the

central city section.

MCA Building Topped

In Ancient Ceremony

From Western Edition

HOLLYWOOD — Following a centuries

old custom, "topping out" ceremonies were

held on the MCA Tower building at the

Universal City lot when the last 30-foot

steel beam carrying signatures from employes

was raised in place. Lew Wasserman,

Edward Muhl, Albert Dorskind and

stars and starlets looked on.

"i BOXOFFICE :

: January 13, 1964

. . 12-year-old

. . Listed

. . Mrs.

: January

lit

MIAMI

£]ach year the women's department of the

Miami News pays tribute to Dade

County's outstanding women for their community

loyalty and leadership during the

last 12 months . among the six

women who top the list for their achievements

in their fields for 1963 is Lillian

Claughton. president of Claughton Theatres

and owner of the Urmey Hotel and the

Silver Sands motel in the Miami area. Says

the newspaper article: "In spite of her busy

business career Lillian has always found

time for humanitarian causes and community

betterment. She was organizing

chairman of the women's committee of

Variety Hospital, served as president of the

women's division of the Miami-Dade

Chamber of Commerce, and serves on the

board of directors of the American Cancer

Society. Last year Lillian was elected

president of the Greater Miami Hotel Assn.,

the second w^oman in its history so honored."

Jerry Lewis, always a favorite with

youngsters, got "stood up" on a recent Saturday

afternoon — at least his film did.

Promptly at 1:30 p.m. the Coral Theatre

in Coral Gables emptied of all youngsters,

leaving the comedian to do his wisecracking

on celluloid to an audience of empty chairs.

The reason, of course, for the exit onto

Ponce de Leon avenue was the Junior

Orange Bowl parade and nobody wanted to

miss that! It was seen by some 55,000 spectators,

after which many of them packed

the Coral Gables Youth Center for the annual

Junior ball.

Warner Bros, will premiere its "Incredible

Mr. Limpet," Theodore Pratt's fantasy

about a man who discovers he could live

like a fish, at Weeki-Wachee this month.

Author Pratt and some 250 movie critics

will view the movie under sea level in the

famed clear water springs of Weeki-

Wachee. The premiere activities will start

on the 16th at Port Paradise Villas at

Crystal River and continue for four days.

G. Milton Rubin, attorney for the estate

of Harry and Belle Heller, is reported to

have channeled $1,000 to the Variety Children's

Hospital building fund. The Variety

Hospital is the project of the local Variety

Tent 33 . Kurt Russell came

to Miami to be honorary marshal of the

King Orange Jamboree parade on New

•year's Eve. Kurt portrays the title role in

the television Jaimie McPheeters series. He

rode in a poster-bedecked convertible as one

Lee ARTOE DELUXE

REPLACEMENT PARTS

REFLECTORS

/Engineered to

8" SIMPLEX

$22.00

l3'/2" BRENKERT

$23.50

14" PEERLESS

$22.00

16" ASHCRAFT $43.00

I672" STRONG $40.00

940 BELMONT AVE. CHICAGO 14

of the visiting celebrities who headed the

glittering serpentine of floats.

Columbia Pictures' Harry Foster has produced

many film shorts featuring the

beauties of Florida and would like to do it

again—but in a bigger and better style in

his current "Wonders of ... " musical travel

series which have already glorified many

places. Before leaving Florida to return to

New York to make plans for a shooting

schedule to start January 15, Foster

screened a pair of his Travelarks for a hundred

or so city officials and hotel owners

at a luncheon. There is something called

"local" financing which Poster's representatives.

Jay Kashuk Associates, must arrange

before the widescreen color cameras

and sound tapes can start rolling here. The

luncheon was the launching pad for the

project.

J. B. Watts closed the Grand in Cameron

G. T. Mitchell cut his

indefinitely. . . .

shows at the Star Drive-In, Tallulah for the

winter . Henry Lazarus motored to

Hot Springs for Christmas holidays.

The opening of Stanley Kramer's comedy

spectacular, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad

World in Florida State Theatres' specially

equipped new Sheridan Theatre on Miami

Beach introduced moviegoers to the newly

developed Cinerama single-lens projection

system. The new system enables patrons

to enjoy the ultimate in widescreen projection

which provides a remarkably clear

image and erases the three-panel effect of

earlier Cinerama productions.

The Miami Beach Opti-Mrs. got the

Stanley Kramer blockbuster "It's a Mad,

Mad, Mad, Mad World," into local orbit at

the Sheridan Theatre December 19, but

according to a columnist in the Miami Herald

concerning the event, they were a little

over-optimistic about stars who planned to

come here and help in the launching.

Florida State Theatres, says the columnist,

still had a lot of hoopla on Godfrey road,

where the Sheridan Theatre is located, with

searchlights lighting up the sky, music, etc.

Damita Jo, in town for a Doral Beach hotel

Shell room opening, and other recording

and supper club stars attended, plus city

officials and cafe society figures—in their

best bib and tuckers and minks. But some

of the expected celebrities had to bow out.

Edie Adams was a possibility right up until

the first of the week and had tentatively

accepted to Florida State Theatres' Harry

Botwick, but had to decline. Milton Berle

and his wife, who also made tentative

plans to be on hand, had to bow out, the

paper reports. Berle, however, is expected

to be down during the run of the film,

since he opens at the Eden Roc January

31. Buddy Hackett. another star of the

film, will play the Diplomat in March, and

probably will appear with the comedy film

at a later date.

Technicolor Chiefs Confer

From Western Ettition

HOLLYWOOD — Dr. Giulio Monteleoni.

i;eneral manager of Technicolor Italiana.

and Mike Allan, managing director in

Great Britain, conferred here with Technicolor

chairman Patrick Prawley, president.

Melvin H. Jacobs, executive vice-president,

Edward E. Ettlngcr and other officials.

Wometco

Constructing

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BOCA RATON, FLA.—An Easter opening

the goal for the plush theatre being constructed

at the Fifth Avenue Shopping

Center for Wometco Enterprises. Ground

was broken for the 1.100-seat theatre December

"It will cost over three quarters of a

million oollars." said Keith Hendee, general 4e Sia*

manager for Wometco in Broward and Galveston

Palm Beach counties, "and it will have the 0i

most modern electronic sound and projection

iiiii

equipment."

jfiissions

Deep cushioned pushback seats will be

installed on the main floor and rocking

chair seats in the loges. Specialized zone

5:!h

air conditioning will maintain an even

temperature at all times, according to

Hendee.

A feature at the groimdbreaking ceremony

w-as the placing of a time capsule in

the cornerstone. The time capsule, to be

,;-;;c.

opened in 25 years, contains newspapers

published the day of the groundbreaking

and predictions by prominent persons in

the area on what will have transpired between

1963 and 1988. Dr. Kenneth B. Williams,

president of Florida Atlantic Univer-

lt.Fi

sity here; Louis Wolfson. vice-president of

Wometco Enterprises; city and county officials

were among those persons writing

down what they see in the future.

Wometco Says 1963 Profit

Will Be Above 1962

MIAMI — Earnings of Wometco Enter

prises. Inc.. for 1963 will rise to about $1.25

a common share from $1,831,254. or $1.05

a share, in 1962, Mitchell Wolfson, president.

toM the Wall Street JoiuTial.

Per-share figures for both years are adjusted

for a recent 20 per cent stock

dividend.

Wometco's business is primarily in the

fields of television and radio stations, mot

on picture theatres and soft drink

bottling.

Wolfson said he expected Wometco's

earnings growth in 1964 to continue at the

current rate. "We would have had at least i

a 10 per cent increase in sales and earn- \

ings this year without acquisitions." the I

executive said. "But including our acquisit'ons

our net income is running about 17 '2

per cent ahead of last year and should continue

at that rate."

Wometco recently refinanced an existing

$4.5 million loan by obtaining a $9 million

loan from a large insurance company for 18

years at 5.65 per cent interest. The $4.5

million loan had carried a 6'8 per cent

interest rate. The additional revenue was

used partly toward the purchase of the

Nashville Coca-Cola bottling plant and

party to increase working capital.

'Starfighters' Premiere

Is Held at Victorville

From Western Eilition

VICTORVILLE. CALIF.—A premiere

"The Starfighters." an Air Force story

about modern jet pilots flying the ultrasoivc

F104. was held in Victorville. the

home of the George Air Force base where

the film was shot. Full cooperation of the

USAP permitted scenes in color and wide

screen to be made of the dramatic plane.

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SE-8

BOXOFFICE :

13. 1964

three

m''opsaii

HOUSTO

T^emolition has been conyileted on the

famed Pleasure Pier at>Galveston, which

at one time housed a movie theatre . . .

Candy Barr. wlio is living in semiretirement

in Texas, is being seen on the screen of the

Paris in "Strippers Round the World."

A meeting of managers in the Texas zone

of the Stanley Warner Theatres was held

in Galveston with some 40 theatre supervisors

from Texas, Oklahoma City and

Memphis in attendance. Conducting the

discussions were officials from the New-

York headquarters of the circuit. According

to Albert H. Reynolds, SW zone manager

with headquarters in Dallas, said

plans were outlined for the forthcomhig

spring and summer season.

Glamor-Wrapped Hollywood Theatre

Trans-Texas Gift to Fort Worth

fflillirealiiE

Dorothy Farrar of Houston is one of fom-

Texas beauties seen in "4 for Texas" at the

Majestic. The other three are Kay Coleman

of San Antonio, Gayle Baker of Fort

Worth and Janet Keith of Dallas.

H. C. Federer Retires

At State Theatres

OKLAHOMA CITY—H. C. Federer, who

started in 1917 as an usher at Amarillo,

retired at the beginning of the year as

president of State Theatres, which operates

the State and Center in downtown Oklahoma

City. John Harvey, who came to

Oklahoma City three years ago from

Corpus Christi (prior to that southern

Louisiana and Chicago > years ago,

has been named general manager pending

a July board meeting, when he will be

named vice-president. Federer, in a retirement

statement, said there will be a trend

back to the downtown area.

Federer, left, is seen giving the keys to

Harvey in the accompanying picture.

"Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to

Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb," a Columbia

release, will have simultaneous world

premieres in London, New York and Toronto.

Southwestern Theatre Equipment Co., Inc.

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At the grand opening of the remodeled Holly^vood Theatre in Fort Worth, Earl

Podolnick, president of Trans- Texas Theatres (in tuxedo), is seen cutting the

ribbon at the Christmas night opening, assisted by his family and other company

executives. Left to right, front row: Jimmy Brassell, head booker; Podolnick; his

wife and Jay and Marina Podolnick. and Norm Levinson, general manager and

advertising-publicity director. Behind them are Gene Welch, assistant booker; Dick

Empey, assistant advertising director, and Harry Gaines, manager of the Hollywood.

FORT WORTH—This city's brightest

and happiest Christmas package was the

Hollywood Theatre, gift-wrapped in the

latest in theatre glamor and comfort and

bearing an impressive price tag—more than

$150,000.

These words, paraphrased from a newspaper

account of the event, announced the

Christmas Day reopening of Trans-Texas

remodeled showcase on West Seventh

downtown, its first renovation since it

first opened in 1929, 34 years ago.

"Nothing was spared—neither time nor

money—by Trans-Texas Theatres to make

the Hollywood the most magnificent and

beautiful downtown motion picture theatre

in Texas," circuit officials declared.

The initial attraction was "4 for Texas."

First patrons found an eye-catching marquee

"The last word in street razzle-dazzle,

also:

New foam-cushioned seats, up to four

inches wider than the theatre's old seats,

with seat rows spaced wider apart to give

more leg room. Sacrificed to give this

added comfort were 400 seats.

A boxoffice off the street, inside a

beautiful new lobby, the newest New Look

in theatre design.

To amuse patrons while waiting for

features to start, there is a new television

lounge equipped with GE color television.

There are chic new lighting fixtures

throughout—sent to the scrap heap were

four 2,300-pound chandeliers which had

hung from the ceiling for 34 years.

New carpeting is a cheerful blue with a

snowflake design.

Bringing warm glances of approval were

the spacious new lobby and restrooms, with

all new furnishings and fixtures. Vending

machines dispensed soft drinks with

chopped ice in the cup.

The remodeling began three months ago

under the direction of Earl Podolnick, president

of Trans-Texas. Other officers are

Wroe Owens, vice-president; Noiin Levinson,

general manager and advertising-publicity

director: J. E. Brassell. head booker:

J. A. Lewandos, treasurer: Dick Empey,

assistant advertising director, and Gene

Welch, assistant booker. Harry Gaines is

manager of the Hollywood.

The opening night festivities started with

an outside concert by the 100-piece Castleberry

High School Lion band as klieg

lights lighted the red-carpet scene for the

crowd of first-nighters and invited personalities.

Announcers from KXOL did a

three-hour broadcast from the lobby, doing

interviews and descriptions, and coverage

was given by four local television and

seven radio stations.

Two thousand helium filled balloons were

released at the theatre front, with free

tickets in most of them.

Streets around the new Hollywood were

blocked off to handle the thousands of people,

with 12 patrolmen assigned to control

the traffic.

After the formal opening festivities at

the theatre, Trans-Texas hosted a party at

the Worth Hotel for invited guests and

theatre officials.

The downtown area of Fort Worth and

other live cities will continue to thrive,

Podolnick believes.

"The $150,000 or more we are spending

on the Hollywood is an investment in

downtown Fort Worth. It's happening all

over Texas—downtown districts are pick-

( Continued on following page)

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BOXOFFICE :

: January 13, 1964 SW-1

. . Mr.

OKLAHOMA

yjje suggest all theatremen make sure to

read the article on the motion picture

industry in the December 20 issue of Life.

The writers really tell us where we are

going. This correspondent has been in the

motion picture industry since 1910 and has

seen many changes, but after all the dust

had cleared, business went on as usual. We

are very optimistic about the future of this

business, but some of the writers in LIFE

are just a little pessimistic. Anyhow, we

feel that it is good reading and we can all

form our own conclusions about the future

of our business.

Dewey Gibbs and his wife Sue want to

take this New Year opportunity to thank

all the industryites that attended the

going -away party given them on last November

7 at Twin Hills Golf and Country

Club. They have been unable to thank each

one in person. Any one wishing to write

the Gibbs can address them at Postoffice

Box 177, Woodville, Miss.

News from Barton Theatres. Mr. and Mrs.

Harold Combs and their children Hal, Kim

and the twins Mike and Mark spent the

Christmas holidays in Grand Rapids,

Mich., where those that were old enough

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onal

KIVRLOFF...a

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a fiend

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LORRE ••

a casket

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THE

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.nmOVV

rMHBONE

..a very

reluctant

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BROWN...

he digs

graves

the most!

m^nih-^A

JimEn.Lcan.

at ^/ztannaiLunal

DALLAS

Don Grierson

2011 Jackson Street

Dallas 1. Texas

Riverside 8-4964

OKLAHOMA CITY

Lois

Scott

H. E. McKenna

708 West Sheridan

Oklahoma City, Okla. 73102

CEntral 2-3038

13.1*

. . Jake

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. .

. . Gregory

. . The

1 1

DALLAS

C.vmpathy to Jack Stanley, Warner Bros.

booker who faced a double tragedy during

the holidays. Fh-st his infant daughter

died, then on the following Sunday his

father was stricken . . . Lou Walters of

Walters Sales and Service emphasizes the

Drive-ln

Indoor

Theatre

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wide coverage of Boxoffice, a fact he has

experienced as a result of orders he received

through his Boxoffice ads. Recent letters

includes one from Bangkok, Thailand, reo.uestlng

a list of equipment he has available,

and information on other services.

Another letter contained an order for theatre

equipment for a town in Africa.

E. D. "Debbs" Hayle of the Jefferson

Amusement Co. staff here suffered a nosebleed,

caused by a ruptured blood vessel,

which necessitated a week's treatment in a

hospital . Elder of Modern Sales

and Service spent the weekend bird hunting

near Wichita Palls with Romer Bullington

. Simmons underwent

twin operations. He's at Baylor.

John Fagan of the Buna Vista Drive-In

at Borger was at the home of his parents

near here to recuperate from an illness

before returning to his theatre duties .

H. R. "Buck" Buchanan. Paramount

booker, had planned to spend the Christmas

holidays in Oklahoma City with his

family but pulled a ligament in his back

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in an accident and spent the time in bi

instead.

Jimmy Skinner of Modern Sales and Se

ice supervised the installation of new sea

and carpeting in the Hollywood Theatre

Port Worth, which Ti-ans-Texas Theatr

remodeled at a cost of more than $150,0i

and reopened on Christmas Day

Guinan, Paramount booker, spent tl

weekend in Atlanta attending a speci

meeting of the WOMPI International con

mittee on bylaws. Present were Nell Mi(

dleton, Atlanta; Gene Barnette, Ne

Orleans; Myrtle Parker, Charlotte,

Mary Heuelsen, Kansas City.

SAN ANTONIC

Jess Arnold. 46, was found dead of a gur

shot wound on a ranch just southwei

of Austin on January 2. Arnold wrote tb

screenplay for "The Eagle and the Hawk

a w-estern. Bob Hope had bought Arnold

humorous sketch, "The Man Who Cura

the Common Cold" . Peck, wir

nsr of an Academy award as the best acU

of 1962 for his role in "To Kill a Mocking

bird," will be the honor guest at the 19f

Headliners Club awards party to be held i

Austin February 1. Peck will be accoir

panied to Austin by his wife Veronique.

Mab ri;tiW«:L

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. . . Vivian

. . Pew

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—

ike 'Good Old Days'

At Milwaukee Houses

MILWAUKEE — A quick glance at the

figures below might give one the impression

that the "good old days" are back with us.

With but a few exceptions, it will be noted

that 250s and 300s predominate. New Year's

Eve packed houses helped balance out. Each

and every exhibitor spoken to was highly

enthusiastic about his holiday business.

(Average is 100)

Cinema It's a Mod, Mad, Mod, Mod World

(UA-Cineramo), 2nd wk 250

Cinema II Move Over, Dorling (20fh-Fox), 2nd wk. 200

Downer The Suitor (Atlantic) 125

Moyfair—Take Her, She's Mine (20th-Fox), 3rd wk. 250

Palace Kings of the Sun (UA), 2nd wk 175

The Sword in the Stone (BV) 300

Riverside

Strand Cleopotro '20th-Fox), 25th wk 125

Times—A Pair of Briefs (Davis) 100

Towne—Charade (Univ) 300

4 for Texas (WB) 250

Prosperous New Year Start

For Minneapolis Theatremen

MINNEAPOLIS—The new year was rung

in on a prosperous note locally as balmy

weather and large Hennepin avenue crowds

combined to make the first week of 1964 an

enthusiastic one for Mill City exhibitors.

The second sensational week for "Move

Over, Darling" at the Gopher, a resounding

300 per center, indicated that Doris Day is

well on her way to repeating her favorite

role for theatremen, that of Boxoffice

Champ. Reliable "How the West Was

Won," 180 at the Cooper, chic "Charade,"

160 at the Mann, and "The Sword in the

Stone," 150 at the Academy, all continued

notable holiday successes.

Acodemy The Sword in the Stone (BV), 2nd wk. . .150

Century Cleopatra {20th-Fox), 28th wk 70

Cooper— How the West Was Won (MGM-

Cinerama), 43rd wk 180

Gopher Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox), 2nd wk...300

Lyric— 4 for Texas (WB). 3rd wk 170

Monn—Charade (Univ), 2nd wk 160

Orpheum Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (Para). .1 lu

State—The Cardinal (Col), 3rd wk 80

Suburban World The Ploygirl and the War

Minister (Union) 100

World The Prize (MGM), 2nd wk 120

'Sword in the Stone' Triples

Average at Omaha State

OMAHA—Three doubles and one triple

were scored by Omaha theatres dm-ing the

New Year holiday period. The pacesetter

was the State Theatre, where Disney's "The

Sword in the Stone" brought many turn

away crowds. The Orpheum went strong

a second week with "4 for Texas" and

"Charade" boomed the New Year's Eve

houses. The Indian Hills Cinerama Theatre

reported a surge in grosses for the 31st week

of "How the West Was Won." The figures

were gratifying, particularly in view of the

fact thousands were glued to the tube to

watch the University of Nebraska bop Auburn

in the Orange Bowl.

Admiral Kings of the Sun (UA); The Mouse on

the Moon (Lopert) 1 60

Cooper The Prize (MGM) 1 70

Indian Hills— How the West Was Won (MGM-

Cineramo), 3 1 st wk 220

Omaha The Cordinal (Col), six days;

Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox), one day 200

Orpheum 4 for Texas (WB), 2nd week, six days;

Charade (UnivJ, one day 220

State The Sword in the Stone (BV) 320

Kiddies Party in Winsted

From New England Edition

WINSTED, CONN.—Five merchants, in

cooperation with radio station 'WBZY and

the Strand Theatre, sponsored a free holiday

kiddies party, the morning's prizes

topped by giveaway of a bicycle.

OMAHA

J^ussell Brehm of the Center Drive-In Theatres

Corp. was among the approximately

8,000 Nebraskans who migrated to

Miami to watch the University of Nebraska

football team win the Orange Bowl game

over Auburn. Many avid Husker fans who

are in the film business were unable to go,

including Walt Jancke of the Lincoln Varsity

Theatre, who attended all the regular

season games. Walt's office has been remodeled

and over his desk is a beautiful

picture of his son's Doberman dog . . . The

State Theatre is back in operation in

Lincoln after remodeling.

Frank Hollingsworth of the Holly Theatre

at Beatrice was back in Nebraska from

Fresno, Calif., but planned to return to the

west coast after the first of the year. Mrs.

Hollingsworth remained in Pi-emont with

their daughter and her family. Jack Harris,

formerly of Salina, Kas., is managing the

Holly . Roberts, who has the Ritz

Theatre at Cambridge, has closed it until

mid-JanuaiT for complete remodeling,

renovating and reseating. He has purchased

the building which houses the

theatre.

Vem Brown, 81 -year -old veteran of the

mov.'e business who returned to Iowa about

a year ago to take over operation of his

theatre at Missouri Valley, was in town last

week and made the observation that "business

is wonderful." He stopped on the Rowbefore

making a swing through Logan,

Woodb'ne, Pisgah, Dunlap and Mondamin,

all good customer communities in the Missouri

Valley area, to plug his coming

attractions.

Mrs. Hazel White, wife of Carl White of

Quality Theatre Supply Co., was in Rochester

for a checkup at the Mayo clinic . . .

Mrs. Helen Pippet, former exhibitor who

had theatres at Clay Center and Blue Hill,

Neb., was in town to purchase some floor

matting at Quality for her store . . . The

Rosebud Theatre at Franklin and the

Minden Theatre at Minden have been temporarily

closed since the death of owner

George Hall.

Phil March, veteran exhibitor at Wayne,

Neb., is one of the incorporators of Golden

Egg, a new enterprise at Wayne. The corporation

has purchased a three-acre site

and will build a 32x300-foot laying house,

as soon as weather permits, for the production

of high-quality eggs.

Elsa and Adolph Rozanek, skillful ballroom

dancers and exhibitors at Crete, were busy

last week. They appeared on the Eddy

Haddad show in Omaha in the afternoon,

then on the Joe Martin show in Lincoln

that evening . exhibitors were in

town last week. Those on the Row were Al

and Leonard Leise of Randolph and Hartington.

Neb.: Sid Metcalf, Nebraska City:

S. J. Bac'ver, Harlan, Iowa, and Vern

Brown of Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Dick Hartford, young exhibitor at Valley,

is working out some special shows with the

cooperation of the Chamber of Commerce

Schertz, Buena Vista secretary,

was on vacation last week . Jim

Metzler, Tekamah exhibitor, visited Theatre

Booking Service . Muse Theatre

on the edge of the downtown district

received nice compliments on the redecorating

done by Mr. and Mrs. William Skolnik,

who purchased the building recently.

Adrian Mueting, who has the Rialto at

Pocahontas, Iowa, flew to Florida for New

Year's and the Orange Bowl activities . . .

Eddie Osipowicz, operator of the Ritz Theatre

at Correctionville. Iowa, is building

a new house. He has it all enclosed so he

can continue operations this winter . . .

C. N. "Bud" Robinson jr., exhibitor at

Blair, flew to Colorado Springs for a National

Guard activity.

David Waller, exhibitor at Lake View,

has been holing out in a garage doing

mechanical work . . . Bill Burke of Theatre

Booking Service is still home recuperating

from a recent illness.

Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni

appear in the riskiest assignment of their

careers in scenes of Embassy's "Yesterday,

Today and Tomorrow" being shot on and

alongside the Milan-Bergamo auto expressway.

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STREET ADDRESS

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POSITION

Boxoffice — the national film

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weekly

BOXOFFICE :

: January 13, 1964 NC-I

. . Movieville's

. . . The

. . Patrice

. . Add

MINNEAPOLIS

^anager Bob Whelan of the Academy Theatre

converted his filmhouse to live theatre

for "Never Too Late," the Bill Bendix

starrer which ran through January 11. The

Academy will revert to films for the rest of

the month while its sister house, the

Orpheum. hosts the two following plays in

the Minneapolis Theatre Guild season.

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and

"How to Succeed in Business Without

Really Trying" .

Inger

Stevens will visit the Twin Cities during

the last week of January as a guest of the

St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Local neighborhood exhibitors are staggering

happily to the bank with the returns

from a highly successful Christmas

vacation patronage backboned by the

kiddies. The neighborhoods went all out

this year in providing the youngsters with

plenty of matinee showings and the extra

work and time spent in the last three weeks

have paid off handsomely. The daily blocklong

double lines of mothers and kids waiting

to get into the downtown Academy to

see "The Sword in the Stone" were a big

boost for local first-run business, too.

Members of North Central Allied Theatre

Owners are being urged to get their bids in

without delay on the Allied States buying

plan now in development stages. Legal

forms are in the process of being drawn up.

The unit has voted to publish a booking

manual to be available to members free of

cost for delivery at the Spring meeting.

THE FIRST THING TO SAVE

FOR YOUR OLD AGE IS

Put first ihiiif^s first. Form tlie

/i/e-saving liahit. Have an annual

}ifaltli clifckiij) once a year, every

year. Thai way, your doctor can

detect cancer in its early and

more curaljje stage. Start your

new saving plan now, with a

jihone call to your doctor!

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

'F*

Non-members may purchase the book for

a nominal sum .

to next year's

competition for the local entertainment

dollar the 50-ccnt price cut in high school

tickets recently adopted by the Tyrone

Guthrie Theatre for the 1964 season.

John Stradcutter, projectionist at the

Belle Plaine. Minn., theatre, was killed by

an autmobile near Le Seur. He was 54

years old ... At a recent meeting of the

crew of the Variety Club of the Northwest.

Gil Nathanson. president of Detroit Lakes

Amusement Co.. was elected chief barker,

succeeding Don Schwartz. The Tent 12

meeting was designated Moe Levy Night in

honor of the retirement of the 20th-Pox

manager.

Lou Kosek has reopened his Sibley Theatre

in Winthrop. with a six-day, twochange

policy effective through the winter

community spirit runs strong in

Bonesteel. N. D., where reopening of the

shuttered local movie house will be undertaken

as a community project under sponsorship

of the American Legion post.

MILWAUKEE

^ot a moan was to be heard from any exhibitor

in the Greater Milwaukee area

New Year's Eve. Downtow-n, and even out

in the neighborhoods, long lines were observed.

One exhibitor said: "Some of my

regular patrons took one look at the long

line and decided to go downtown, only to

come all the way back and join the line

anyway. Guess most of us had lines for

each performance." Optimism for 1964

appears to have gained a foothold with

exhibitors.

Christmas visitors from Hollywood included

Mr. and Mrs. Milt Rackmil. Rackmil

is president of Universal. Milt's wife

and Mrs. Noreen Block are sisters.

Brooks Stevens, local industrial designer,

has been named director of the 1964 March

of Dimes for Milwaukee county. Other

committee heads include Mrs. S. V. Abramson,

president of the Better Films Council

of Greater Milwaukee, and Mrs. Raymond

J. Pfeiffer. who is affiliated with

the council Wymore, the last

wife and widow of Errol Flynn, opened at

the Swan Theatre here as star in "Pal

Joey." She said when she went to Hollywood

as a Warner Bros, "discovery," she

went there as a musical performer and

"fell into the trap of dramatic roles."

Shed a tear for Joe Reynolds, manager

of the Towne Theatre who had the "red

cariX't treatment all lined up for Daniel

Mann. Hollywood director, in advance of

"Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" slated

to open at the Towne. On being notified

that Mann would be unable to appear due

to illness, it became necessary for Joe to

cancel out all his reservations and notify

individually scores of guests, the newspapers,

radio and TV stations.

UA's "Lilies of the Field" wa.s produced

and directed by Ralph Nel.son

Joseph E. Levine Partner

In Establishment Theatre

Fr;m Eastern Edition

NEW YORK—The Establishment Theatre

Co.. Inc., a permanent producing organization

for the presentation of plays

and motion pictures, has been formed in

New York by Joseph E. Levine. president of

Embas.sy Pictures, producer Ivor David

Balding, and writer-actor Peter Cook.

Mrs. Sybil Burton will serve as adviser

and as casting director for the new organization.

Mrs. Burton is an active member

of the artistic board of directors for the

Establishment Theatre Co.. a group which

includes John Bird. Cook. Alan Delynn,

John Fortune. Jeremy Geidt. Jean vanden

Heuvel and Levine, Serving on the executive

committee of the organization will be

Levine. Balding and Cook.

As permanent home for the Establishment

Theatre Co.. which plans an extensive

schedule of plays production, a new, 199-

seat theatre will be built above The

Stroller'.s—Establishment at 164 East 54th

St, The new legitimate theatre, which will

include a licensed bar, is scheduled for

opening in January. Ed Wittstein and Jules

Fisher are the designers and Robert

Sayles the architect of the new playhouse.

Levine and his Embassy Pictures also will

establish a scholarship fund at a university

to be named later to encourage the

development of new talent in the performing

arts. Recipients of the scholarship

fund will be assured involvement in productions

of ETC.

Kilgore Amusement Signs

To Operate Cincy Guild

From Mideast Edition

CINCINNATI—A move which is of particular

interest to art film patrons has

been made to continue improvement of

programing of movies at the Guild Theatre.

Willis Vance, veteran showman, owner of

the theatre property and building and head

of the company operating the house,

signed a five-year operating contract with

the Kilgore Amusement Co.. 1634 Central

Parkway.

The contract, effective January 1. carries

an option of renewal for five years at the

end of the first five. Under the new setup,

Edward Salzberg of Screen Classics, will

book and buy for Kilgore. Salzberg has

been on Filmrow for many years and has

had years of experience in movie distribution.

He also is an art film authority with

nationwide contacts on art movies and

foreign pictures.

The new deal will give the Guild wider

selection of pictures for exhibition with

continuance of present promotion and

management by personnel now running the

theatre.

Take A Tip From Me

I Exploit More In '64'

And RMnember To Gat Your

SPECIAL

TRAILERS

From Dependabit

FILMACK

NC-2 BOXOFTICE January 13, 1964

American Intcrnatior

VINCBNT

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MILWAUKEE

. . Columbia's

'ii

LINCOLN

This was the Dan Flanagans' turn to have

Christmas Day dinner for Mrs. Flanagan's

family. If all the group had gone

over to Dans 84th and O Drive-In that

night for the "Wives and Lovers" and "New

Kind of Love" double bill, the open airer

would have had another 40 persons in its

Christmas audience. On hand were Mrs.

Flanagan's brothers and sisters, Mrs. Ben

Gad?ken of Johnson. Mrs. Bob Pierce of

Omaha. Wilfred VoUertsen of Chandler,

Ariz., LeRoy 'VoUertsen of Brock. Ken 'Vollertsen

of Talmadge, plus their wives and

husbands and some 20 children, as well as

the hostess' parents, Mr. and Mrs. Armin

'VoUertsen of Talmadge. Helping the Flanagans

were their five sons and daughters.

The 84th and O, hit by zero-clinging

temperatures arriving in mid-December,

went on a five-night week by closing Monday

and Tuesday nights.

It was very, very cold outside but pretty

hot and smoky at Cooper's Stuart Theatre

soon after the 1 p.m. daily op>ening recently.

The smoke filling the first floor theatre

auditorium came from the basement of the

Stuart building where some equipment

operating the office building elevators went

out of order. Patrons had to clear the theatre

until the smoky atmosphere also was

cleared.

Most movies shown at the Nebraska penitentiary

are free but some cost inmates

money on a regular basis. Thi.s custom has

resulted in $1,561 being accumulated and

given by the penitentiary men to Cedars

Home for Children during the past 16

months. The last Cedars movie, for example,

netted $107 for the home fund.

Cedars, called a Home Between Homes

for boys and girls, is operated by a community

board with many of its personnel

being members of the original sponsoring

Sertoma Club. The children finding a home

here temporarily may be from broken

families, orphaned or in trouble with juvenile

authorities.

Given a front-page spot and provoking

smiles was a montage of two signs visible

in a downtown Lincoln block in a current

evening paper. It indicated it's a little

difficult to believe anything you read. One

sign was National Bank of Commerce's

corner service of time, temperature and tomorrow's

weather forecast. It recorded "14

degrees at 9:47 a.m." and predicted "cold"

as tomorrow's weather. The other adjacent

sign was the Varsity Theatre's marquee on

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which it read "Summer Holiday, title

the current picture.

While Walt Jancke and his wife munched

on the German chocolate cake and German

cookies given him by the Varsity janitorial

couple, the two looked out at snowclad

Lincoln and thought of a favorite

dog Holly swimming in the Pacific. Holly

belongs to their son and daughter-in-law.

who recently moved to Santa Barbara.

They report Holly has taken to ocean

swimming like a fish. About the cake and

cookies: they've become a traditional gift

to Walt after ten consecutive Christmas

season presentations. They're authentic,

being made annually by Luise Marzok who.

with her German husband Vinzenz Marzok.

have formed the janitorial couple at the

Varsity for that number of years.

DBS MOINES

Y'ariety Club members: mark January 25 on

your calendars as the big date for a

gala inaugural ball! C. A. Caligiuri, Paramount

manager, will be installed as chief

barker at festivities slated to get under

way with a cocktail hour at the Holiday

Inn South at 7 p.m. Dinner is set for 8:30

p.m.. to be followed by an evening of

dancing at the beautiful Holiday Inn Yacht

Cub. Come early and anchor all yachts

in Gray's Lake. Absolutely no docking of

yachts or fishing allowed at the indoor

pool! Prior to the inaugural event, Caligiuri

plans to attend a regional Variety

meeting on the 15th in Chicago.

Norman Holt of Warners was hospitalized

for a short spell but plans were that he

would be feeling fit before the New Year

was very old .

"The Cardinal"

went into its third week locally, with

raves from young and old who saw it . . .

Laurel Nelson, exhibitor from Gowrie, paid

an early '64 visit to the Row.

Laurens, Iowa, is readying its theatre for

reopening in the near future. Dr. John

Hodges recently was elected to head the

Community Theatre Corp. Plans for renovating

include replacement of 150 seats.

In the final days of the old year, many

Iowa theatres were the scenes of annual

"Free Kids Shows," with merchants playing

Santa for an afternoon of cartoons, Disney

and candy. At Council Bluffs, the Nonpareil

newspaper sponsored a "Tired Shoppers

Show" at the Strand.

Perils of Progress on the Open Road:

Wally Stolfus, Iowa City theatreman, was

on Interstate 80, headed for Davenport,

when a wrong turn at a cloverleaf interchange

put him off course and en route to

Dubuque. It can happen to anyone. The

recently opened .segment of the Des Moines

freeway finds many local motorists wandering

around East Des Moines, having

overshot a shortcut exit to the westside loop

Congratulations to Jan Rumcr and

husband, parents of a new male exemption

Jan is former secretary to Central Statesman

Larry Day.

The Des Moines Tribune recently paid tribute

to A. H. Blanks Children's Zoo. a

reality soon because of his $150,000 gift

Abbott Schwai-z was 1

to the city . . .

from Minneapolis.

Jaycees at Marengo have launched

P/1'

project to reopen the theatre there, closefor

several years. A drive has been unde

way to raise $4,000 to take over the the

atre building and renovate it by mid

January. The Jaycees pledged $1,000 an

if the drive proves successful, a loan ma

be secured for another thousand. It wi

take $6,000 in all to do the job.

Nebraska '63 Popcorn ysin

Crop Far Under 1962

OMAHA — Nebraska in 1963 produce'

only 34 per cent of the popcorn it pro

duced in 1962, according to estimates b:

the State-Federal Division of Agricultura

Statistics. The 1963 estimate was 16,800,

000 pounds compared with 49,400,00

pounds the previous year. However, th'

crop was well -matured and of good qualitj

The crop was the lowest since 1955 am

well under the five-year average produc

tion of 41,303,000 pounds. The 1963 har

vested total of 8,000 acres was dowi

from the 19,000 in 1962 and the five-yea

average of 18.520.

The good quality crop averaged 2.10(

pounds an acre, 500 below 1962 but onl;

90 pounds less than the five-year average

First Use of Panavision

Camera on 'Lord Jim'

From Western Edition

HOLLYWOOD—Columbia's "Lord Jim.'

now on location in Hong Kong, is beinj

filmed with Panavision's revolutionar;

lightweight 70mm Reflex motion pictun

camera. It marks the first commercial usi

of the Panavision camera, the result o:

two years of intensive research, accordinj

to Robert E. Gottschalk, Pana\isior

president.

The all-magnesiimi camera, whlcJ

weighs only 30 pounds and represents a re

search investment of more than $250,000

has the ability to view through the actua

lens that is recording the picture on th(

film at the time the picture is being taken

As a result, unlike conventional equipment

•scenes and special effects can be captured

quickly and easily when the camera is com

bined with Panavision's new electronic

zoom lens.

Gottschalk emphasized the lightweight

camera is the world's only camera of its

type and its unique features greatly increase

the flexibility of 70mm film.

Sam Seidelman Resigns

Fi.rn Eastern Edition

NEW YORK—Samuel L. Seidelman has

resigned as vice-president in charge of foreign

distribution of American International

Export Corp.. subsidiary of American International

Pictures.

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iPAY TV RALLIES THIS WEEK

Xardinar Opening

Leads in Detroit

DETROIT— "The Cardinal" at the Madison

was far ahead — of the other two top

openings of the week "All the Way Home"

at the outlying Trans-Lux Krim and

"Kings of the Sun" at the Michigan, The

newcomers successfully reversed the recent

pattern in which holdover product mostly

led the field and brought the honors back

downtown again.

(Average Is 100)

Adams—Closed for remodeling.

Fox Samson and the Slave Queen (AlP), Goliath

ond the Sins of Babylon (AlP), 2nd wk 105

Grand Circus—Take Her, She's Mine (20th-Fox),

6th

Madison The Cardinal (Col) 190

Mercury— Under the Yum Yum Tree (Col), 7th wk. . .125

Michigan— Kings of the Sun (UA) 1 30

Polms Flipper (MGM); Captain Sindbad

(MGM), reissues 1 05

Trans-Lux Krim— All the Way Home (Para) 150

Poloce Kings of the Sun (UA), 2nd wk 110

Twin Drive-ln Cry of Battle (AA), War is Hell (AA) 100

Valley—Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox), 2nci wk. . . . 1 35

Four Cleveland First Runs

Triple Average in Holido'ys

CLEVELAND — "Happy Days Are Here

Again!" with every first-run theatre going

far above average, some up to three times

average business. All this in the face of a

weekend blizzard which blitzed traffic overnight

and most of the next day. And most

of the hits were holdovers!

Allen—4 tor Texas (WB), 2nd wk 140

Colony All the Way

Continental

Home (Pora) 2nd wk 310

My Name Is Ivan (Sig Shore), 2nd wk. 130

Heights, Westwood The Suitor (Atlantic), 2nd wk,. .125

Hippodrome Move Over, Dorling (20th-Fox),

2nd wk 175

Ohio The Sword in the Stone (BV), 2nd wk 300

Poloce It's a Mad, Mod, Mad, Mod World

(UA-Cineromo), 2nd wk 300

State The Prize (MGM) 300

THREE MIDEAST CENTERS

Booth Local 199 Elects

Dwight F. Erskine Again

DETROIT — Dwight F. Erskine of the

Woods Theatre in Grosse Pointe was reelected

president of projectionists local 199

for a two-year term. Others elected, mostly

re-elections, are: vice-president, Melvin

Donlon, Beverly Theatre: financial secretary-treasui-er,

Joseph Sullivan, Fox Theatre:

recording secretary. Jack Lindenthal,

Grand River Drive-ln; business representative,

Roy R. Ruben: new directors Fred

Warendorp of the Mai-Kai Theatre at Livonia,

Garrett Lamb of Music Hall, and

John Tabor, and trustees Jack Colwell of

Family Theatre, Edgar Douville of Westown

Theatre, and James Day of Music

Hall. Named delegates to the lATSE were

Roy R. Ruben, Dwight P. Erskine, Joseph

Sullivan, and Ralph L. Ruben.

'Man in Middle' Goes

To Detroit Suburbs

DETROIT—The midwestern premiere of

20th-Fox's "Man in the Middle" has been

scheduled for the Mai Kai Theatre in suburban

Livonia for January 22 by Nick

George, circuit owner, and Bennett Goldstein,

20th-Fox manager.

The film will also open simultaneously at

the Trans-Lux Krim Theatre in Highland

Park, normally a semiart theatre.

This booking is considered especially

significant as a possible step toward the

long-heralded movement of major first

runs away from the downtown district to

outlying theatres. The Mai Kai was opened

just a year ago and has normally played

subsequent runs, while the Krim is customarily

classed with the major first runs

of Detroit, like the Mercury Theatre, also

several miles out, although the Krim follows

closer to an art policy in its bookings.

"This move is undoubtedly portentous of

future film release patterns in metropolitan

Detroit, " a spokesman for Goldstein said.

"Mr. George, in wresting the 20th-Fox release

for his Mai Kai Theatre, is unquestionably

flinging the gauntlet at established

release patterns, and, by his action in putting

up a large advance cash guarantee, indicating

a strong determination to become

a major first-run exhibitor."

The Krim also was successful in its bid

for UA's "Tom Jones," guaranteeing a gross

which assures the distributor a whopping

$75,000. The film is slated to open at the

Krim in February. Managing director

Kingdom Brown expects it to run about

three months.

Billposters 94 Elects

DETROIT—George Goddard has been

re-elected president of Local 94 of the International

Alliance of Billposters and

Billers. Other officers are John St. Peter,

vice-president: George Kapano, secretarytreasurer;

Willard Wood, chairman of the

board of trustees, and Casper Frederick,

business agent.

Detroit on Tuesday, Then

At Cleveland and

Cincinnati

DETROIT—Exhibitors in three exchange

areas—Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati

will get the opportunity to learn the facts

on pay television at three rallies on successive

days this week as follows:

TUESDAY, January 14, at Detroit,

starting at 11 a.m. in the Variety clubrooms

in the Tuller Hotel.

WEDNESDAY, the 15th, at Cleveland,

11 a.m. in the Cleveland screening

room.

THURSDAY, the 16th, in Cincinnati,

11 a.m. ui parlor 6 at the Sheraton

Gibson Hotel.

CHIUDHOUSE AT ALL RALLIES

Arnold Childhouse, chairman of the

California Crusade for Free TV, will be the

principal speaker at all three rallies. He

will give a first-hand eyewitness report and

answer crucial questions concerning pay

television and its danger to theatre exhibition.

Allied Theatres of Michigan, headed by

Milton H. London, executive director of National

Allied; Jack Armstrong, president of

National Allied, and Marshall Fine, Ohio

ITO president and National Allied chairman,

have sent out bulletins urgently urging

all exhibitors in the four-state area to

attend one of the rallies and get the answers

to such questions as the following:

How does pay TV threaten your theatre

investment and your livelihood?

What is the lowdown on the subscription

TV situation in California?

SEEK SOURCE OF MILLIONS

How did the promoters of pay TV raise

more than 22 million dollars within a few

hours on October 10?

What is behind the 117 million dollar

lawsuit against theatre owner and exhibitor

associations?

How soon will pay TV come to Detroit?

To Cincinnati? To Cleveland? To your city?

What can you do to protect yourself?

The rallies are for all exhibitors regardless

of affiliation. They are to acquaint exhibitors

with the subscription television

situation as it is developing in California

and enlist support in having the issue of

free TV vs. pay TV placed before the California

voters in next November's election.

"If subscription TV succeeds in Los

Angeles and San Francisco, other areas

can't be far behind and this could very soon

put first-run motion pictures product on

pay TV prior to being offered to motion

picture theatres," the Allied leaders feel.

"Our best bet is to join together and help

California exhibitors stop this threat. It is

important that drive-in as well as hardtop

theatre owners participate."

An article by Lois Dickert suggested the

story of UA's "Ladybug, Ladybug."

Attendance Records Tumble

During Cincinnati Holidays

icivision

CINCINNATI—The overall average attendance

rdfim'

at all first-run theatres in this

city for New Year's Week was the highest

for a like period in the last four- years,

despite a record dumping of snow New

Year's Eve. With the exception of two newcomers,

all films were holdovers from

Christmas week, a record breaker itself.

Also another record has been established.

It is the first time that suburban houses

have played first runs during the Christmas-New

Year's weeks. It is thought,

though not positive, at the present time,

that the Keith has established a new house

record with BV's "The Sword in the

Stone" and by its concession stand which

did a land-office business.

Albee Charade (Univ), 2nd wk 135

Ambassador, Ctakley, Drive-ln Who's Been

Sleeping in My Bed? (Para), 2nd wk 190

Capitol— It's a Mad, Mod, Mod, Mod World (UA-

Cineromo), 3rd wk 175

Esquire The Conjugal Bed (Embassy) 125

Ferguson Drive-ln, 20th Century Who's Minding

the Store? (Paro), 2nd wk 1 75

Grand Cleopatra (20fh-Fox), 28th wk 90

1 ite lighWii

y cjaera of

Guild—The Small World ot Sammy Lee 'Seven

Arts), 2nd wk

Hyde Pork The Conjugal Bed (Embassy)

1 70

125

Keith The Sword in the Stone (BV), 2nd wk 275

Jjlllll'5-

BOXOFFICE January 13, 1964

ME-1

. . W.

. . Sidney

. .

. . . Floyd

. . Clayton

. . Julian

. .

. . . Wally

. . . Phil

: January

DETROIT

Qarl P. Easlick has taken over film buying

for his own theatre, the Elite at Laingsburg

. . . Richard and William Beechler

have reop)ened the Clinton at St. Johns .

Russell Chipman has taken over and reopened

the Saranac at Saranac, fonnerly

operated by Wayne Stebbins, and the

Callier at Belding. formerly operated by

Kenneth L. Wisman . L. Thomason

has reopened the Wexford at Manton .

Ray V. Rule has closed the Alco at HarrisvlUe

Jack Repp has closed the Decatur

. . . Theatre at Decatur.

The capacity of the Stardust Drive-In,

operated by Price Busters discount department

stores at Grand Rapids, has been increased

to 780 cars Berman,

manager,

announced plans for converting

the first-run Downtown Theatre into a

theatre-restaurant for 2,500 people—just

25 years ago, the Detroit News recalls. Oldtimers

remember the venture faUed to last

and the building was torn down long ago

. . . Jack Thompson of Paramount is finding

rabbits in his backyard, conveniently

close to his barbecue pit—plus pheasants

from the neighboring cemetery.

Dave Kaplan, head of Theatrical Advertising,

is celebrating his first grandchild's

Take A Tip From Me

I Exploit More In '64'

Aid RifflMnker To Get Year

SPECIAL

TRAILERS

Frem Deputfakle

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2310 Coil Detroit 1. Mkh.

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DETROIT POPCORN CO.

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Corn - Seoioning font Salt

DI8TI11BUTOH8 W ClUCTOItr POPCORN M.KCHINES

5633 Grona River Av» Phorve TYlei 4-6912

Detroit 8. Micti Nigtits-UN 3- MAS

birth—John Beleutz, son of Dave's daughter

Diane. John is a great-grandson of the

late Phil Kaplan, founder of the old Filmrow

firm . Wilkinson, lately of

the Mai Kai Theatre in Livonia, is plenty

busy getting adjusted to his new post at

the Mel in Melvindale, succeeding the late

Chester J. Williams.

Ark Lanes took three points from National

Carbon to widen their lead to five full

games in the Nightingale Club Bowling

League. Theatre Equipment took three

from National Theatre Supply. High

scorers were Jack Colwell, 195, 576; Ed

Waddell, 213, 561; Maurice Beers, 194,561;

William Fouchey, 258, 553; John Ondejko,

201, 537; Fred Warendorp, 204, 531; R.

Valiquette, 189, 516; Matt Haskin, 184, 516;

Carl Mingione, 207, 513; D. Lewis. 185, 510;

C. Gates, 198, 503; Francis Light, 181, 503.

The prize turkeys went to Waddell, Haskin.

Valiquette. Warendorp and Haskin. Second

prizes went to Colwell, Fouchey, Gates, W.

Roberts, and G. Lamb. Secretary William

Bradley is figuring on another doubleheader

bowling session.

Fire between the holidays was reported at

the New Gaiety Theatre, formerly operated

as the Bijou for many years, with damage

confined to a storeroom and contents .

Nicholas Tsoukalas, projectionist at the

Roxy, who is a noted dancing master In his

off-hours, sent greetings with a picture of

his fine family of seven . Lefkowitz

of L&L Concessions spent much of his

time at Flint, getting the new Dort Drive-

In concession under way for the p>ost-

Christmas opening

The Lancaster Theatre in River Rouge

has been closed by Don Lancaster, son of

the late Thomas Lancaster, one of the

metropolitan area's earliest exhibitors. The

folding of this theatre reminded filmites

of Shakespeare's famed lines about "Old

John of Gaunt, time-honored Lancaster"

H. Guy has also closed the Bliss

Theatre at Blissfield and Russell Taylor

has closed the Gem at Hale for the winter.

The Holiday season was bright by greetings

from many good friends, among them

Tom McGuire of Oak Park, Sam Abbott of

Hollywood, the A. Milo DeHavens of 'Venice,

Calif.; Helen and Walt Corey, who also

left our town for Columbus; Mrs. Harry T.

Jarvis, able and dedicated leader of the

THE BIG COMBINATIONS

COME FROM

Allied Film Exchange Imperial Pictures

102* ro« BalMna

Detroit, Mkb.

Greater Detroit Motion Picture Council;

Joe and Roger Ellul, doing a fine father

and son job at the heart of the city; Walt

Disney, with a year of magic; Woodrow

Praught's staff at United Detroit Theatres,

with an attractively novel idea in

packaging; Bill and Yvette Graham from

their new venture at the Lincoln Theatre;

Jim Hare and his fine family, from their

headquarters at Lansing; Jack Thompson

of Paramount, with a real Scots touch;

Gert and Dette Schneider of the Stratford

Theatre, in their own inimitable way;

Daniel J. Lewis, formerly of Cooperative

Theatres, now of Sherman Oaks, Calif.,

with the great message of peace in many

tongues and modes; Marjorie Rice of

Un^ed Arti-sts; Herb Eschback of the News,

with an oldtime bookmark; Char'.es N.

Agree, theatrical architects; warm-hearted

greetings from Mildred of the Christensen

Dot and Joe Lee, from way down in

office;

Miami Beach; Lucille Beal, a cozy corner

from the Fox Theatre building staff, and

a worthy UNICEF contribution from Saul

Shiefman.

CINCINNATI

C. Naegel, formerly with American International,

has joined the Frank L.

£J

Weitzel Booking Service Co. as salesman

Allen, who was with the Chakeres

Theatres for about ten years, has rejoined

the circuit after a ten-month stint

with the Alexander Enterprises.

Ray Nemo, Columbia exploiteer, was in Indianapolis

escorting Joan Crawford, who is

starring in "Strait-Jacket." The film is

scheduled for an early release in this area

Chakeres, president of Chakeres

Theatres, was in the home office in Springfield

for a few days last week before returning

to his winter home in Miami

Beach, Pla.

Among Filmrow visitors were E. T. Denton,

Owensville. Ky.; Ohioans Jim Chakeres,

Washington, C. H.; Charles Williams,

Oxford; Jim Herb, Dayton; John

Vlachos, Harrison; Grant Frazee and Nick

Condello. Springfield.

Sinatra Appeal Big Help

DETROIT—Fresh evidence of

the effectiveness

of the motion picture theatre

screen in presenting an important civic or

charity message was given by success of the

Tuberculosis and Health Society in its annual

Christmas Seal campaign, which ran

ahead of a year ago here. An important

part of the promotion was a screen trailer

which featured Frank Sinatra, with an appeal

to buy the Christmas Seals. The selection

was unusually timely because the appearance

of the trailer was remarkably

coincident with recent events involving

the kidnaping of his son. About 30 theatres

in the Detroit area presented the trailer.

CARBON ARCS .

. . for finest Projection . . . Compocf

Xenon Arcs

* Brighter Light on Screen

• Longer Burning per Carbon

* More Economical . . .

CARBONS. INC.

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hi Cintmeccaniea

BOONTON. N.J.

products

^noff POWER SUPPLIES

bf Chrittit

ME-2 BOXOFTICE :

13, 1964

mete

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multiple mayhem!

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need

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LORRE

PRICE...

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JhriEnlcnn ^C^lJniennaiionaL exchange

DETROIT

Jack

Zida

1026 Fox Building

Detroit 1, Michigan

woodward 2-7777

CLEVELAND

Rudy Norton

2108 Payne Arcnue

Cleveland 14, Ohio

MAin 1-9376

CINCINNATI

Don

Duff

1634 Central Parkwoy

Cincinnati 10, Ohio

621-6443

jmiar"

. . Jimmy

. . Victor

. . RKO

. . Ben

. . . Irene

. . Another

. . Betty

. . Nat

. . Bob

Puerto

. . Buzz

. . Jean,

. . The

. . Jack

Two More Shop Center Theatres Are

Opened by Broumos in Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN — Two new shopping

center theatres, the Boardman Plaza and

the Lincohi Knolls Plaza, were formally

opened here December 20.

The Boardman Plaza Theatre was dedicated

the evening before to the 1936 graduating

class of South High School, where

John G. Broumas of Silver Spring, Md.,

president of the 45-house Broumas circuit,

went to school and was graduated in 193G.

All members of the class were invited to

the opening to see "Who's Been Sleeping in

My Bed?" In addition, the audience m-

cluded theatre executives from Washington

and Cleveland, Youngstown area exhibitors,

and representatives of the press and

radio.

The fiim was the New Year's Eve attraction

at both Plaza theatres.

Both houses have 799 seats. The Boardman

Plaza has full Norelco 70 iTodd-Ad

equipment with .stereophonic sound. The

Lincoln Knolls Plaza Theatre is equipped

for Cinemascope projection. The opening

feature at both houses was "Pun in

Acapulco."

Broumas has operated the State Theatre

in downtown Youngstown since July.

The number of outlets in the chain is expected

to reach 80 in its current expansion

program. Recent openings have expanded

company operations as far south as Florida

and north to upper New York State. Twelve

new shopping center theatres are now

under construction, in addition to a third

in Youngstown, in the Liberty Plaza,

.scheduled to open in January.

G. N. Limbert of Youngstown is vicepresident

in charge of construction for

Broumas Theatres in the Ohio-New York-

Pennsylvania area, and will maintain his

headquarters at the Boardman Plaza Theatre

here. William Petrych. manager of

the State, is city manager of the four local

Broumas theatres.

COLUMBUS

Camuel T. Wilson, theatre editor of the Columbus

Dispatch, will attend the underwater

premiere of Warners' "The Incredible

Mr. Limpet" at Wcekie Wachee, Fla.,

starting the 16th . Rea, who sponsors

the Free Christian Drive-In on weekends

during the summer, was named one

of the ten Men of the Year here by the

Columbus Citizen-Journal. The newspaper

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Theatre Equipment Supply Dealer:

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TICHNIKOTi CORP. 63 Srabnng St., B'klyn 31. N.Y.

called Rea "A Showman for the Lord." Admission

is free to religious films shown at

the drive-in but a freewill offering is accepted.

Rea makes up any deficits out of

his pocket.

"The Prize" was held for a second week at

Loew's Ohio. "Charade" went into a third

week at RKO Palace . Grand,

now in a tenth month of "How the West

Was Won," noted that the Cinerama western

spectacle is far and away the longrun

champion in the three-year history of

Cinerama here.

Entertainment personalities Warner Baxter,

Elsie Janis, James Thurber and Howard

Thurston were included in the list of 12

Columbus natives honored by inclusion in

the new Columbus Hall of Fame in City

Hall. Photographs of the 12 line the walls

of the City Hall lobby. The project was

inaugurated by Mayor W. Ralston Westlake.

Manager Ed McGlone of RKO Palace announced

that the theatre will be among the

first of a selected group of RKO houses

from coast-to-coast to undergo complete

modernization. It will be renamed RKO

International 70. And will be able to show

all size films, except Cinerama, which will

continue at RKO Grand . . . Columbus

friends of William S. Cunningham mourned

his recent death in Hollywood. He was

formerly theatre editor of the old Columbus

Citizen. Since 1943 he had been in Hollywood,

first with the Office of War Information

and later with Paramount and

MGM publicity staffs.

Ken Prickett, executive secretary of the

Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, has

returned to w'ork after successful treatment

for emphysema at Will Rogers Hospital.

CLEVELAND

T ew Horwitz of the Washington circuit announced

his engagement to Doris Jones,

assistant in a law firm which represents

several golfing celebrities, at a family

party held in his home on Christmas Eve.

The marriage will take place late this

winter or early spring . Joel, Loews

Theatres head booker, conferred here with

Arnold Gates, local Loew's manager.

Mark P. Essick, son of Jack Essick of

Modern Theatres, took over the lease of

the University Theatre at 107th street and

Euc'id, effective December 28. and immediately

opened the "Asylum of Horrors"

stage show, followed after a week by "Take

Her, She's Mine and "Comedy of Terrors."

The younger Essick and partner John

Smith also leased the Capitol at 65th street

and Detroit avenue.

Henry Greenberger of Community Theatres

has moved to a convalescent home to

retupcraU.' . Gattuso, manager at

the Palace for five years, has been named

manager of the new SouUigate Theatre

which win be oix-ned in the Soutligate

Shopping Center -soon . . . "Tom Jones" will

open at the Ohio February 20 . . . Joe

Shagiin of Fo.ster Theatres In Youngstown

came to Cleveland the other day, called

the weather "too cold" and started ba

home within an hour.

Shelly Sherman. UA booker, resigned a)

went to Miami where she joined the Gord

Murray organization . MUl

formerly of Richmond, Ind., opened t

Capitol Theatre and the Van Del Drive

at Delphos, Ohio . Nathanson, Alii

Artists sales chief, stopped here briefly

the way west to confer w-ith Martin Gra

green, new AA manager . moth

of Jack Lewis, returned to Clevelai

Ciinic and is "doing all right."

The Ohio at Loudonville was opened

mid-December by Mrs. Utterbuck for wee

ly Saturday show'ings . Grand

Dunkirk was burned to the ground recent

Kalada of the General Theatr

staff prepared a Christmas play for Chun

of the Mother of God on West 25th stre<

It had a cast of 50 . Blitz is resigi

ing at Paramount as booker to join Colur

b'a as salesman, effective the 27th .

Whitey Skody was still undergoing tests

Huron Road Hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Weiss. Ohio Theati

Supply, had a very pleasant three-we

^^d

ton,

—

——

2 Mil

Jimmy Fund Exceeds

$500,000 8th Year

BOSTON — For the eighth consecutive

^'' "^nx year, the Variety Club of New England and

v!ii '?i-

''"**. a the more than 600 New England theatres

'Onelly played leading roles in raising more than

a half million dollars for the Jimmy Fund

"''^'teGr

lEotliin 1963. The last drive topped the 196'2

^le Grand'

'•''fa'oiniitKj,

-• toeral Ttit^

Oi- play for Chu,

Was,

iamt ttef.jf

"•JK!o Cortezi

'^mmi

Oetelil campaign by more than $70,000.

Participating with the motion picture industry

groups in the drive were the Boston

Red Sox and Milwaukee Braves baseball

teams, law enforcement agencies of New

England, the Little Leaguers and the public

at large. Drive leaders were William S. Koster,

Joseph E. Cronin. Ted Williams, Curt

Gowdy. James F. Mahoney, Hector Pelletier,

Tom Sullivan, Judge Edward Powers

and Bob Emery.

Audience collections were taken at the

theatres for the Jimmy Fund which is used

to support research and operations at the

Children's Cancer Research Foundation

center in Boston.

J-i'^mala Otj, J

Christian Science Church

Buys Former Loew's State

- -ti WorW.

Hi BOSTON—The former Loew's State Theatre,

sold by the then northeast division

manager, Charles E. Kurtzman, to the

Catholic Archdiocese of Boston in 1959 and

renamed Donnelly Memorial Theatre, was

sold by the archdiocese to the Christian

Science Church. Negotiations have been

proceeding for some weeks and papers were

filed immediately after the new year.

No sale price has been disclosed for the

property, which includes two theatres, the

3,300-seat former State, and the tiny upstairs

F^ne Arts Theatre, which is being

operated as an art house, currently playing

"Mui'iel," and shops, stores and offices.

The theatre was used by the archdiocese

for concerts, ballet, opera and religious

•ie 1920s will gd

t'. the death iA films. The property at 209 Massachusetts

8 V, Men. He « Ave., in the Back Bay section of Boston,

was assessed at $1,140,000 when sold to the

sjcbstarsoU

FsncislBiBl archdiocese and was constructed at a cost

iaiciiftEdwaif of $2,000,000.

The Christian Science Church had origijQjjjg

Holli nally wanted the property when Loew's

-uraJisroin' to decided to sell in 1959. but was outbid. The

Christian Science Church headquarters, the

•yea^^

icd December

ijj jjjujiijl !

'iin lioiises, I I

Mother Church, is in the same area of Boswith

beautifully landscaped grounds

blocks of gardens and buildings. It is

understood that the former Loew's &(jftte

ors are his "i building will eventually be razed to maki

garden area for the church

Music Box Reopened

NEW BRITAIN — The long-shuttered

Music Box Theatre has reopened with a

weekend foreign film policy.

The screenplay of Paramount's "Circus

World" was written by Ben Hecht.

Some Boston Theatre Records Broken

In Outpouring of Holiday Patronage

BOSTON — The holiday

week brought

some of the biggest percentages to the

Boston boxoffice. With huge crowds for

New Year's Eve, the motion pictui-e business

scored its highest percentages, far

ahead of previous years, exhibitors reported.

Roadshow pictures ran extra shows

which built business for the week way up.

Some house records were broken. With the

big pictures locked in, there were few openings

this week. "The Prize" was the biggest

of the openings at the Orpheum with a high

average situation. "Take Off and Live"

opened above average at the Pilgrim.

Records were broken at the Beacon Hill

with "Tom Jones," in its second week, and

at the Saxon for "The Cardinal," in its

fourth week. A near record was established

at the Memorial for "Charade" in its second

week. "Mad World," in its eighth week at

the Boston, had the biggest business dm'ing

the holiday week than at any time dui'ing

its run, and bigger than opening. Outlook

for the motion picture business in Boston

in 1964 is considered "excellent" on the

basis of the business racked up. A dull legit

season, with few shows in town, has helped

film houses here and exhibitors are mighty

pleased with results obtained.

(Average Is 100)

Astor Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (Para),

2nd wk 160

Beacon Hill Tom Jones (UA-Loperf), 3rd wk 350

Boston It's a Mad, Mod, Mod, Mad World

(UA-Cinerama), 8th wk 250

Capri Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox), 2nd wk ... .150

Center Blood Feost (Boxoffice Spec); Victim (5R)..150

Cinema, Kenmore Square—To Bed Or Not

to Bed (Cont'l), 2nd wk 200

Exeter— Any Number Can Win (MGM), 2nd wk 160

Gary Cleopatra (20th-Fox), moveover, 8th wk 175

Memorial Charade (Univ), 2nd wk 275

Music Hall—The Sword in the Stone (BV), 2nd wk. . .225

Orpheum—The Prize (MGM), 2nd wk 210

Paramount— 4 for Texos (WB), 3rd wk 150

Pilgrim—Take Off and Live (5R); Harold Lloyd's

World of Comedy (Cont'l) ISO

Pork Square Ladies Who Do (Cont'l),

"'"

2nd wk 175

(Col),

4th wk

'Charade' Still Showing Strength

As New Haven Holdover

NEW HAVEN — Universal's "Charade,"

held over day-and-date at the Stanley

Warner Cinemart and the Redstone Milford

Drive-In, scored a whopping 220 in its

second week.

Crown-Manioc (Col); The Old Dark House

(Col), reissues 80

Lincoln Murder ot the Gallop (MGM), 2nd wk 90

Loew's College Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox). .. .115

Charade

Milford Drive-ln, Cinemart

(Univ),

2nd wk 220

Paramount Who's Minding the Store? (Para) 105

jger Sherman 4 for Texas (WB), 2nd wk 85

halley—Cleopatro (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 190

osses Well Above Average

For Most Hartford Films

HARTFORD — Universal's "Charade,"

MGM's "The Prize" and Paramount's

"Who's Minding the Store?" are pacing the

town.

Cine Webb—The L-Shoped Room (Col), 3rd wk.

100

150

140

Elm—The Sword in the Stone (BV), 2nd wk.. .

E, M. Loew's—The Cordinol (Col), 2nd wk

Loew's Palace Move Over, Darling (20th-Fox),

2nd wk

.130

Loew's Poll—Charade (Univ), 2nd wk 180

Rivoli— Ladies Who Do (Cont'l); Mr. Hulot's

Holiday (Cont'l), reissue 135

Strand— 4 for Texas (WB), 3rd wk 70

Nutmeg Owners Form

New Theatre Firm

NEW HAVEN — Leonard Sampson and

Robert G. Spodick, partners in the Nutmeg

circuit, independent Connecticut operation,

have incorporated another theatre firm to

be known as Amity Theatre, listing 10,000

shares ipar $10), commencing business,

$1,000. The business address is 1 Lincoln

St., New Haven, home office for Sampson

& Spodick, operators of the Lincoln

Allyn—Who's Minding the Store? (Para);

Lafayette (Moco), 2nd wk

.175

Art Cinema Zazie (Seneca); Intimate Relations

(5R) 100

Burnside—The Prize (MGM), 2nd wk

Cinerama— How the West Was Won (MGM-

155

Cmeroma), 29th wk 80

and Crown, New Haven; Pine Arts, Westport:

County Cinema, Fairfield and Norwalk,

Norwalk. The unit is shortly to start

building another indoor theatre in Wilton.

Incorporators of the Amity Theatre are

Sampson, Spodick, Clara P. Sampson and

Pearl B. Spodick.

Young Airer Patron Wins

Keystone Sweepstakes

FRAMINGHAM, MASS. — Miss Sandy

Brown, 31 Rice Rd., Wayland, was presented

a Keystone camera and projector

by Wendell F. Clement, manager of the

Natick Drive-In, and Fred Pitts, proprietor

of the Fitts Photo Shop, as winner of the

Keystone Sweepstakes.

The special promotion was jointly sponsored

by the drive-in and the photo shop

in November, with the contest open to all

patrons of the theatre.

Dinner Theatre Plan Out

SPRINGFIELD—Wally Beach,

ex-Trans

Lux Theatre manager in New York, now

producer at West Springfield's Storrowton

Music Pair, has shelved plans for a dinner

theatre in the Agawam Shopping Center.

At the same time, he has dropped plans to

produce a series of one-night stage attractions

at the downtown first-run Paramount

Theatre.

CARBON ARCS .

. . for finest Projection . . . Compact

Xenon Arcs

Brighter Light on Screen

• Longer Burning per

* More Ecos

CARBONS. INC.

January 13, 1964

ejTI^OI^ products

XnTSayr LAMPHOUSES •

by Cinemeccanica

BOON TON. N.J.

irFtoJ^ POWER SUPPLIES

fcy

Chriitie

NE-1

Surprisingly Large Crowds Thus Far

For Winter Shows at Conn. Airers

By ALLEN M. WIDEM

theatres. If anything, 1964 should see a

HARTFORD — Moving into midwinter. pronounced pattern of additional merger

of independent and circuit interests. Just

I Exploit More In '64' who will start the pace is yet to be determined.

Lockwood & Gordon again distinguished

1963 drive-in operations with a fine display

of community endeavors, geared by

Hartford district manager Bob Tirrell's

efforts. This included audience-participation

games and gimmicks, particularly in

the preperformance moments at the L&G

East Windsor. East Hartford. Sky-Vue and

Torrington drive-ins.

Fred Koontz III, resident manager at the

L&G Waterford Drive-In, again had top

cooperation from shoreline region automobile

dealers, providing display of new

models.

Arthur M. Moger, New England district

exploitation representative for American

International Pictures, escorted John Ashley

of AIP's deservedly top-grossing "Beach

Party" on an intensive appearance schedule

throughout the state; autographing sessions

proceeded despite adverse weather in

large cities and tiny hamlets.

At the moment. Brooks LeWitt, owneroperator

of the Berlin Drive-In, is providing

free coffee after 10 p.m. on weekend nights.

The plan has met with encouraging audience

response, many patrons having expressed

appreciation for the rather unique

and novel drive-in gesture in the cold of

winter

NEW HAMPSHIRE

I Take A Tip From Me

Connecticut drive-in theatres equipped

with free, electric in-car heaters have recorded,

surprisingly enough, resoundingly

strong boxoffice performance.

Despite disheartening snow storms and

attendant ills, the dozen-plus underskyers

continuing to operate through the winter

months have found weekend trade, in particular,

well above average. Spokesmen willing

to discuss this newest trend cite the top

calibre of available product as the prime

factor influencing attendance figures.

Moreover, less of the heretofore "backbiting"

urge on the part of certain outdoor

interests—the trend to point up better concession,

better screen quality, et al, as perhaps

opposed to the next drive-ins—has

gratifyingly enough appeared this winter.

There's more institutional copy appearing

in newspaper ads and for this the more farseeing

theatre owners are indeed appreciative.

Connecticut's 40 drive-ins, during 1963,

experienced good boxoffice patterns, although

drive-in men were quick to qualify

this atmosphere with the need for topquality

product to maintain the sustaining

pace.

Not so surprisingly, too, there has been

no indication whatsoever from any quarter

of this state pointing to any future drive-in

theatre construction

The feeling holds that Connecticut is

saturated, at the moment, with drive-in

Aid Ramtrnker To Gal Your

SPECIAL

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KARLOFF...a

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NTACT YOUR JhnEilcnn

A ^niannationaL exchange

American International Pictures of Boston

46 Church Street

Boston, Massachusetts

Phone: Liberty 2-0677 or 78

Branch Manager: Harvey Appell

. . . The

with

. . Allen

. . Industry

. . . William

The

. . Joseph

HARTFORD

Diehard \Viison, manager of Lockwood

& Gordon's East Windsor Drivein.

is vacationing after filling in for the

holidaying Audrey Rushon of the L&G

Windsor Plaza. Doug Amos, the circuit's

general manager, leaves on holiday in mid-

January.

The marquee at the East Windsor Drivein

is being used dui-ing winter months ( the

theatre is shuttered until spring to carry

local announcements as a good will gesture

Windsor Parent-Teachers Club is

sponsoring a series of five Saturday matinees,

which started January 4. at the Windsor

Plaza.

Hartford visitors: Ellis Gordon, statesrights

distributor: Eddie Ruff and Mel

Safner. Edward Ruff Associates; James M.

Totman. SW zone manager, and Chester

L. Stoddard. New England Theatres.

Alt Moger, American International field

exploiteer. will have a book published in

March . M. Widem. Hartford Times,

returned from Washington. DC. . . . George

E. Landers. E. M. Loews, hosted Tom

Tryon's family at "The Cardinal" screening.

The Tryons live in suburban Wethersfield

. . . Bernie Menchell. Outdoor

Theatres Corp. of Connecticut, was a New

York business visitor.

Providence,

Norman Pader, MGM field exploitation

man, completed a four-city tour

Worcester. Springfield and Hart-

ford i

Kerstin Jonsson. in conjunction

with MGM's "The Prize."

Filmrow sources insist that major interests

have been "scouting Bisliop's Corner

in West Hartford, one of the best-rated

shopping districts in metropolitan Hartford,

for a possible theatre site.

The district, which includes Lord &

Taylor among prominent retail outlets, has

no theatre at the moment. The Shulman

Central, a 1.000-seat subsequent run, is a

mile away.

James Collins, district manager for Smith

Management Co.. conferred here with Alfred

Alperin, Meadows Drive-In resident

manager . pioneer M. J.

"Mickey" Daly returned from New York

booking meetings for his Spanish-language

Daly, the only one of its kind in Connecticut.

Richard Arlen will play his 227th film role

in UA's "The Best Man."

Want To Save Money?

You may find just the equipment or

service you ore looking for in the

CLEARING HOUSE

Published evei-y week In BOXOFFICE

More Duties Are Assigned

To SW's Alfred G. Swett

NEW HAVEN—James M. Totman. Stanley

Warner New England manager, has

given Alfred G. Swett additional responsibilities

as managing director of the newly

constructed, de luxe Cinemart Theatre in

the suburban Hamden Shopping Mart.

Swett. based at the SW zone offices here

for the past two years, will continue to

supervise the zone flagship, the downtown

Roger Sherman Theatre. He also will direct

advertising and publicity for SW first-runs

in the New England states.

Swett. formerly Lynn. Mass., district

manager for SW, at one time served as the

circuit's Albany district manager.

MAINE

H fire has closed the Opera House, the

only movie theatre in Millinocket. and

there were no immediate indications when

the establishment might be repaired and

reopened. The blaze, which occurred December

26. started in partitions near the

projection booth, according to fire chief

Chris Clark. It was apparently caused by a

short circuit.

The recently revised curfew ordinance

which became effective in the Lewiston

area December 20 specifies that the curfew

for youngsters 17 years of age and under

will be from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.. instead of

the previous 9:15 p.m. deadline. Approximately

a year ago, the youth commission

started a review of the old ordinance and

made a series of recommendations to the

police commission, which approved the new

version of the ordinance July 30.

New Screen Installation

For SW Hartford Strand

HARTFORD— Stanley Warner plans to

close the 1.500-seat Strand for three days

prior to the January 17 world premiere of

Continental's Wonderama attraction, "Mediterranean

Holiday," to permit installation

of a new screen measuring 60 feet wide and

20 feet high.

William Decker, Hartford resident manager,

is to host top industry figures and

press representatives at a Staller Hilton

dinner prior to a January 16 invitational

screening.

Harry K. McWilliams of the Continental

exploitation staff arrived to work on advance

promotion.

NEW H >\\/ f W

rirslli

Tn the first exchange policy of its kin

in Connecticut, the independent Rivol

Hartford, is accepting phone reservation

for the Bailey Whalley, New Haven, exclu

sive Connecticut engagement of 20th-Pox

"Cleopatra. film has yet to be sched

uled for a Hartford opening.

An exhibition of paintings by Sybil Gold

smith of Darien opened at the Sampson <

Spodick County Cinema, Fairfield, in con

junction with Universal's "Charade"

Henry Cohan, manager of the Perakc

Theatre Associates' Beverly, Bridgeport, 1

recipient of the Bridgeport Black Roc

Section Businessmen's merit citation fc

contributions to the community's well

being. He annually hosts highway and tiaf

fie safety shows for children.

Sal Adorno jr., owner-operator of th

Middletown Drive-In. Middletown. is book

ing the underskyer again himself. For

while, bookings were assigned to independ

ent servicer Frank Ferguson . {

Boyle. 51. court reporter for the Norwic

Bulletin, died suddenly. Prior to joining th

newspaper eight years ago. he had worke

for Loew's Theatres for 28 years, most re

cently as manager of Loew's Poll. Norwicl

S. H. Fabian, president; Harry Kalmini

general manager, and Nat Peldman. assist

ant general manager, all of the Stanle

Warner Management Corp., were in fror

New York for meetings with James M. Tot

man, zone manager.

Sampson & Spodick's Nutmeg circuit ha

installed a new screen and soimd facilitie

at the first-run County Cinema. Fairfiel

Elder, eastern division manage

for Loew's Theatres, met with Sidney E

Kleper, Loew's College.

Jack Webb Sues Warners

On His Contract Rights

From Western Edition

HOLLYWOOD—Jack Webb, fired De

cember 20 by Warner Bros, as head of th

television department, has filed suit de

manding that the studio pay him $3,00

weekly for the more than two years he say

his contract runs, and asks rulings o

other terms of the contract, principally o

his right to work elsewhere and on th

studio's right to call him back to work J

so desires.

Perakos Completes Swing

j^^^^^ ^ j^.^^

NEW BRITAIN -Spene P. Perako.s. vici'

president and general manager of Perakos

Theatre Associates, completed a swing of

circuit installations across northern Connecticut.

Coffee for Airer Patrons

BERLIN. CONN t)\vni'r - manager

Brooks LeWitt of the Berlin Drive-In is

serving free coffee after 11 p.m. these

winter nights.

Screens Lassie Reissue

STAMFORD. CONN.—A reissue. "Lassie

Comes Home," costnrring Roddy McDownll

und Elizabeth Taylor, was screened at the

Stamford Jewish Center. Members weri'

charged 60 cents; nonmcmbers, 90 cents.

BOSTON- Jacob Moger. father of Al

Moger. exploitation chief of American In

ternational Pictures Boston branch, die

following a long illness January 2. He wa

associated v.ith his son in the advertlsin

business in Boston.

ENDLESS

BURNS THt ENTIRI

POSITIVE ROD

Sovt Carbon Coit

—

— —

—

including

• such

. . . the

...

^f^ First 1964 Week Big

*I 0! its

°'=*eSainpsoi

AFaufieHjjj

Throughout Montreal

MONTREAL—Leading Montreal cinemas

enjoyed good boxoffice business in first full

week of the new year, the programs proving

attractive enough to have most of the

theatres regularly well-filled with patrons

celebrating the coming of the new year.

still

"Cleopatra" at the Alouette continued to

attract good crowds after some 28 weeks of

showing and at the Cinerama's Imperial

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad. Mad World" proved

Oi very attractive.

e Pen

Alouette Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 28th wk Excellent

tern

Avenue Heavens Above (SR)

Good

Copitol Who's Minding the Store? (Para) Good

Cinema Place Ville Mane The Conjugal Bed

i«n! citation

(IFD), 2nd wk Excellent

Dorvol Theatre The Incredible Journey (BV),

tomiii

2nd wk

Good

'•Jiglii

Imperial— It's a Mod, Mad, Mod, Mad World (UA-

Cineramo) 3rd wk Excellent

Kent The Leopord (20th-Fox) Good

Loew's

wk The Wheeler Dealers (MGM), 2nd Good

"•operator

PolQce Toke Her, She's Mine (20th-Fox) Good

55 Days ot Peking (AA), 9th wk Good

Westmount The Haunting (MGM)

Good

M lliinself.

'•mi to li

fnortojoiaiii!

^0, he had we

2S years,

«'s Poll, Sore

T Hany Kalii

at Peldman, as

111 o! the Stai

'o:?, nre m i

liihJanesSI.I

Siianeg cirtiiit

Lid sound facili;

taenia, Fairfi

ndiTiflonmaiii

e: v.th

Rights

'Good' to "Excellent' Grosses

Non^ For Toronto Holiday Fare

TORONTO—Holdovers featured this week

at major theatres as holiday business continued

at a high level. Among the best were

"Tom Jones" at the Hyland, with newspaper

critics classing it as outstanding: "The Cardinal,"

at the Tivoli: "It's a Mad, Mad,

Mad, Mad World," at the Carlton, and

"Charade" at the Uptown. After two weeks

of "Kings of the Sun," Loew's turned to

"The Prize" while the Imperial played a

new one "4 for Texas" to follow "Who's

Minding the Store?" which took a second

week at the Nortown.

t, fired

_ itiici o!

siiii

ttomrl

;: fa-her o:

.wencst

itos

a tie *"

Carlton— It's a Mad, Mod, Mad, Mad World (UA-

Cinerama), 2nd wk Excellent

Hollywood Take Her, She's Mine (20th-Fox),

2nd wk

Good

Hyland

Imperial—4

Tom Jones (UA-Lopert),

for Texas (WB)

2nd wk Excellent

Very Gooa

Loew's-The Prize (MGM) Very Good

Nortown Who's Minding the Store? (Poro),

2nd wk

Good

Tivoli—The Cardinal (Col), 2nd wk Excellent

Towne The Conjugal Bed (IFD), 2nd wk Good

University- Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 29th wk. ..Very Good

Uptown Charade (Univ), 2nd wk Excellent

Booming Attendance Makes

Holidays Happy in Vancouver

VANCOUVER—Motion pictm-e exhibition

was a booming business throughout the

Christmas holidays with lineups all over

the city for all types of shows.

Capitol—Take Her, She's Mine (20th-Fox),

2nd wk

.Good

Odeon—The Cordinal (Col), 2nd wk

Orpheum The Incredible Journey (BV), 4th

wk Very Good

Stanley Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 26th wk

Good

Strond Windjammer (Cineromo), reissue, 8th wk.. .Good

Studio Women of the World (IFD), 2nd wk Good

Vogue, six other theatres Chorade (Univ),

2nd wk

Good

Stanley Fisher, Detroit,

Is Film History Expert

From Mideast Edition

DETROIT—Stanley Fisher, former MGM

salesman, is becoming recognized as an authority

on the early days of the motion picture

business, with his second published

correction in recent weeks of statements

about film history in the local newspapers.

Fisher challenged a feature story in the

Detroit News, In connection with the remodeling

of the Adams Theatre, referring

to the first Majestic Theatre as being "on

Woodward across from Hudson's."

Actually the Majestic was located a block

north between Grand River and Clifford.

BOXOFFICE January 13, 1964

Three-Fourths of Films Being Shown

In Quebec Province Are in French

MONTREAL — According to a survey

made by Montreal's French daily La Presse,

75 per cent of the motion picture productions

shown in Quebec province are now

in the French-language, compared to only

25 per cent in the years preceding World

War II.

Citing figures from Unifrance Film of

Montreal, and also the National Film

Board, La Presse reports that of a total

of 417 films appearing on Quebec screens

in the last year < television), 151

were produced in the U.S., 103 in Prance,

61 in Britain and 44 in Italy. Thus French

films were in a strong second place.

For previous years, the percentage of

French-language films in distribution was:

18 per cent, 1958; 15.2 in 1959; 21 in 1960,

20.5 in 1961 and 24 per cent in 1962.

DOMINATES AREA EXHIBIT50N

La Presse noted that Famous Players

Canadian-United Amusement Corp., controlled

by Paramount Pictures Corp. of the

U.S., dominates exhibition in this city and

province. The FPC-UAC interests operate

35 of the 57 motion picture theatres in

Montreal and 5 of the most important

showplaces in the province. In the last

week of September, for example. La Presse

reports, 23 first-run theatres in this city

all operated by UAC, with a total of 28,600

seats, were showing French-language films,

and their combined boxoffice receipts for

that week represented approximately onethird

of the motion picture theatre receipts

in Quebec province. These theatres showed

product almost exclusively made in the

U.S. or distributed by U.S. companies.

However, a UAC change in policy is welcomed

by La Presse, which notes that the

United Amusement Corp. group has begun

to show American films carrying French

subtitles, as in the case of "55 Days at

Peking" cm-rently at the Seville, thus

giving recognition at last to a longstanding

fact—that this city and province is dominantly

French in its language and culture.

Consolidated Theatres, a subsidiary of

UAC, also has converted the Princess on

St. Catherine, longtime English-language

house, to all French under the name of

Le Parisien.

ODEON ACCOUNTS FOR ONE-TENTH

The article mentions that the Odeon

circuit, which controls the Rex Theatre

at St. Jerome, the Capitol at St. Johns,

the Palace in Verdun and seven theatres

in Montreal proper, accounts for about

one-tenth of all movie theatre receipts of

the province.

Distributing almost all the French films

in Quebec until recently was Compagnie

France-Film headed by J. A. Seve. Now

in this growing field are Atlas Films and

others. Cie France Film owns the Capitol

in Chicoutimi: five theatres named Paris

in Hull, Trois-Rivieres, St. Hyacinthe,

Sherbrooke and Quebec City, the Pigalle at

Quebec City, and the Bijou and St. Denis

theatres in Montreal.

The Cine-Art Film Co., headed by Michel

Costom, operates Le Canadien, the

Laval, and the Plaza in Montreal which

show mainly European films dubbed in

French. Cine-Art late last summer opened

a small art house on St. Catherine street

east called the Festival Theatre which

presents art films from Europe. The Laval

Theatre recently was taken over by

United Amusement, but Cine-Art plans to

open other theatres in Quebec province

along the plans of the Festival Theatre

here.

The Leo Choquette circuit of Montreal

operates 20 cinemas in the province, and

represents about 5 per cent of the total

provincial market.

There are other independent distributors,

as Copa Films, Cinepix, etc.,i which

comprise a minor portion of the economy,

although they play a very important role.

Art Film Co., for instance, has supplied

product for such art houses as L'EIysee and

the Comedie Canadienne, booking films

either from Europe or Asia.

Montreal Gazette Lists

Its Ten Best Pictures

MONTREAL — "The L-Shaped Room"

heads the "Ten Best films shown on local

screens last year in the estimation "^f

Harold Whitehead, critic and entertainment

pages editor of the morning Gazette.

His list, with his descriptions:

1. "The L-Shaped Room" ... a near

. . . hilarious

perfect film with a near perfect performance

from Leslie Caron.

2. "Divorce—Italian Style"

.)ob of comedy by Marcello Mastroianni.

3. "Billy Budd" ... a beautiful little film

about truth and innocence trying to come

to grips with mendacity and evil. Peter

Ustinov and Terence Stamp were memorable.

4. "Elektra Greek tragedy in a

brooding production on its home ground;

Irene Papas was superb as the vengeancethirsty

Elektra.

5. "Loneliness of the Long Distance

Runner" ... a strange poetic film about a

Borstal boy exercising a freedom no one can

take away from him. Tom Courtenay was

the runner.

6. "8 ',2"

tion to the year and again Signore Mastroi-

anni proved himself a master of cinema

acting.

7. "Lawrence of Arabia"

. . . introduced

fine new actor, Peter O'Toole and some

of the most magnificent scenery ever seen

in a film.

"Trial and Error a small, timid

little film that never really made itself

known. In it, Peter Sellers and Richard

Attenborough played two lost souls who

comfort each other.

9. "Monkey in Winter," a French production

which offered a magnificent performance

by the old master Jean Gabin.

10. "Hud," ... an excellent western with

a keen-edged piece of acting by Paul Newman.

New Heaters at Twin Pix

From New England Edition

NEW HA-VTEN—The Lockwood & Gordon-

E. M. Loew jointly operated Candlelite

Twin Pix Drive-In has installed newheaters.

K-1

efore

FPC Fourth Quarier

Continues Uptrend

TORONTO—Grosses of Famous Canadian

Theatres, which operates the largest

circuit in Canada, in the first eight weeks

of the final quarter of 1963 continued

ahead of last year.

R. W. Bolstad. president and managing

director, in announcing payment of the

quarterly dividend of 25 cents a share to

stockholders of November 27 record, announced

nine-month earnings totaled $1.-

897,500 this year, compared to $1,597,862

last year. Net profit profit on sale

of fixed assets! equalled 83 cents a share

this year against 78 cents last year.

The message to stockholders reported

that FPC has taken over operation of the

Golden Mile Theatre in the local shopping

center ol (hat name. Other developments

were reported.

Government authority was obtained to

acquire radio station CKKW in Kitchener,

which marks FPC's first investment in

radio entertainment.

A 50 per cent stock interest in Associated

Broadcasting Corp., which has a franchise

for distribution of background music by

Muzak for all of Ontario except the cities

of Windsor and Sarnia, and including Hull,

Que., and Sault Ste. Marie. Mich., was acquired,

effective October 1. Allan F.

Waters, owner of radio station CHUM, Toronto,

owns the other 50 per cent and is

president and general manager of Associated

Broadcasting.

"Our community antenna systems continue

to develop satisfactorily," Bolstad reported.

FPC and its affiliated United

Amusement Corp. of Montreal recently acquired

a substantial interest in Cable TV

there, which operates the largest community

antenna system in Canada.

The results of another new venture, Eidophor

large screen closed circuit telecasts of

the Toronto Maple Leafs' away-from-home

hockey games in nine theatres in Toronto,

Hamilton, St. Catharines and Oshawa, indicate

there wiU be "considerable variation

in receipts from game to game, depending

on the standing in the league of

the opposing team, but the average is high

enough to lead us to believe that this new

medium of theatre entertainment has great

promise for theatres and for the owners

and promoters of sporting events of all

kinds," Bolstad reported.

Join McDermott Staff

From Western Edition

HOLLYWOOD — Anthony DiMarco and

Roy C. Guyver have been appointed vicepresidents

of the McDermott Co. Pat Mc-

Dermott of the national public relations

firm, said DiMarco will direct all creative

services and Guyver will head administration

and personnel.

Toronto Critic Selects

His Ten Best Pictures

TORONTO—Credit for selecting the ten

best features of 1963 ahead of other critics

went to Frank Morriss of the Toronto Globe

& Mail who placed "Tom Jones" at the top

of his list, saying it was head and shoulders

above other pictures of the year with the

exception of "Lawrence of Arabia."

Other pictures listed by Morriss but not

in order of merit were: To Kill a Mockingbird,

Hud, The Great Escape, Sparrows

Can't Sing, This Sporting Life, The L-

Shaped Room, Lilies of the Field and All

the Way Home.

For best actor he chose Rex Harrison for

his role in "Cleopatra" and for best actress

it was Barbara Windsor in "Sparrows Can't

Sing."

Prompt theatre service

iSHOMlSateJs^ha^

every shroud has a

silver lining ^hen old

fiends get together

tor a real biast of

grave robbery...

poisoning and

muitipie mayhem!

KARLOFF...a

fiend in need

isaiiend

indeed 1

PRICE...

a grave sort

of fellow!

LORRE--

a casket

easel

Internat.

onal

American

'01

THE

TERB9RS

„PANAVlSloN%oW^

STARRING

RIVTHBONE

...a verv

reluctant

corpse 1

BROVIN...

he digs

graves

the mostl

^peCM

C,UEST STAR

10'

BfflN'

NICHOLSON

)^MtS H. ^^^ BAXTER

)^CQUES TOURNEUR-R>CH^«0-^^'^^^°'^

ITACT YOUR Jimem-can. Ml IJntanjwLtionaL

exchange

TOD

:^nge BIdg.

t oria St.

1, CANADA

BILL ELMAN

5800 Monkland Ave.

MONTREAL, CANADA

ASTRAL FILMS

ST.

ERNIE

WHELPLEY

162 Union St.

JOHN, CANADA

LIMITED

MORLEY MOGUL

435 Berry Street

WINNIPEG, CANADA

SYD SNIDERMAN

3811 Edmonton Troil

CALGARY, CANADA

ABE

FEINSTEIN

2182 W. 12th Are.

VANCOUVER, CANADA

play

. .

TORONTO

The first 1964 session of the Ontario legislature

will open the 15th but the program

of measures to be considered has not

been announced. Tax reductions are not

expected

The opening of the Elektra, formerly the

Lux. by George Loandarten, made the tenth

foreign-language film theatre in Toronto,

six of which offer Italian pictures, three

'including the Elektra i films from

Greece and the tenth, the Revue, managed

by William Bolonier. has a Germanlanguage

film policy.

The Avon, a former neighborhood cinema

of 325 seats at 1092 West Queen, has been

taken over by Status Theatre Productions

for the presentation of stage plays and

rental to other organizations. The Avon has

been closed for months. .

The recently opened Tepee Drive-In on

the Liverpool road staged a dusk-to-dawn

showing of five features on New Year's Eve.

This ozoner boasts an indoor auditorium

ENDLESS

IJM

BURNS THE ENTIRE ^^VttnWl^l

POSITIVE ROD

H^^lji||H

Sox Corbon Coit ^^ ^^^^^^

—

• ADLINES & EXPLOITIPS

• ALPHABETICAL INDEX

• EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY

• FEATURE RELEASE CHART

• FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST

• SHORTS RELEASE CHART

• SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS

• REVIEWS OF FEATURES

• SHOWWANOISING

IDEAS

THE GUIDE TOMBETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S - B U I L D I N G

Ladies Day Catches

On Fast at Detroit

Ladies Day has quicldy become an accepted

tradition for downtown Detroit on

Wednesdays. Introduced with special promotion

recently by United Detroit Theatres,

it has won the hearty cooperation of

William Brown, president of the Fox Theatre,

and of Adolph and Irving Goldberg,

operating the Adams. These, with the

quartet run by United Detroit—the Michigan,

Madison, Palms and Grand Circus

constitute all of the city's regular downtowai

first rans.

The general policy of all the participating

theatres is a 50-cent admission for women

until 5 p.m. The UDT advertisements offer

the extra bonus of "prizes and surprises."

In addition, the circuit lists eight nearby

leading restaurants, with addresses, each

offering special Ladies Day luncheons.

The Adams is offering an added inducement

for the girls— "free coffee and

donuts."

The Fox, like the Adams, offers free coffee

and doughnuts, and has extended the

Ladies Day promotion in two dimensions as

well—by keeping the 50-cent admission for

wopren woprer throughout the evening shows

1, and by offering free admission fd?

^X'childn children for the day "when accompanied by

lady."

Francis DeZengremal, manager of the

Holland Theatre in Beliefontaine, Ohio,

sold four Christmas kiddy shows, as did

James Macris, Ashland, at Ashland, Ohio.

Both are Schine theatres.

Drop-In Demonstrated by Skydivers

In Skydivers' Premiere Campaign

Taking advantage of the spectacular new

sport of skydiving, on which "The Skydivers"

is based, Crown International Pictures

and the Aero Drive-In, San Diego, set

up an effective series of stunts to herald

the opening of the first feature on the

perilous pastime.

Piece de resistance of the exploitation

was a skydiving exhibition which saw members

of the San Diego Skydivers Club drop

from 15,500 feet into a 75-second free fall

before opening their chutes to land on

target.

The "drop-in" demonstration was held

at nearby El Cajon on the Sunday before

the opening. A soundtrack promoted the

film and its opening. The San Diego Union

ran a 5-col., 13-in. news photograph of the

event.

Another major exploitation gimmick was

a television program starring a feminine

skydiver in a demonstration of parachuting

^equipment. She plugged the film and told

audience to look for her in shopping

BIS where she would give away toy

parac^tes, 100 of them containing free

Trading Stamps Prove

passes^ the theatre. The successful giveaway

apmiick was a continuing feature of

Boxoffice Stimulant

pre-odRiing and after-opening exploitation.

A snapshot (too dark for reproduction) Mome and Marilyn McRae, married skydiving

from Vincent S. Wiggin, manager of the

team and the parents of six chil-

Opera House Theatre in Bath, Me., shows fen, appeared with the picture. They also

the theatre with this copy on its marquee: vere successful space-grabbers in San

"Thrill of It All . . . Friday 8:40 p.m. ii-ancisco with the opening of the picture

. . . Free lOM Stamps," plus a banner ti

underneath, "PLAID 10,000 STAMPS."

[Crown International has detailed the

Wiggin reports: "Cash giveaways were

ipaigns in San Diego for use by other

ti-ied, but for the same amount of money,

ibitors and has established liaison with

and less. Plaid stamps in telephone numbers

can be given away, which seems to

lydiving clubs throughout the country.

have a much greater appeal to the theatregoing

public."

_j:very Friday night is trading stamp giveaway

night at Opera House.

Wiggin made the stamp deal with George

Sheidy of the MacDonald Plaid Stamp Co. ferry Sherman, publicity-advertising dilor

for Sinclair Paint Co., has made

of Maine.

available 34 billboards extending from

Orange County to San Francisco Valley,

The Rotai-y Club of Hamilton, N.Y.,

bought a Christmas show from Larry Mcand

25 bus placards to studios and producers

to plug films. The first to get the

Allister, manager of the State.

promotion will be Allied Artists' "Soldier

in the Rain" in February. The only requirement

on the part of Sinclair, donating

the space, is use of the line, "Sinclair

Skydiver landing in an exploitation stunt for "The

Skydivers." A demonstration by San Diego Skydivers

Club preceded opening at the Aero Drive-In

there.

lint Billboards to Feature Film a Month

Paints Make Every Artist a Painter." The

picture of a can of Sinclair paint also will

be spotted in the comer of the ad. The

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Jan. 13, 1964 — 5 —

company, with a nine-month lease of the

boards, will offer the deal to one picture a

month.

Preparing art work for the tiein are Universal,

Paramount and 20th-Fox. The

latter has space for "What a Way to Go."

Two Rentals to Gloss Firm

Tom Williams has come through with

two rentals at the Vernon Theatre, Mount

Vernon, Ohio, November 6, 11 to the Pittsburgh

Plate Glass Co.

. . $350

Radio Station Grabs Zany Promotion

For

Yum Yum/ a Girl Watchers Club

The idea is simple and pertinent to the

film—a Girl Watchers Society.

Interstate Theatres publicist Hal Cheatham

and his coworkers blew up this stunt

into a fine promotion for "Under the Yum

Yum Tree" at the Majestic Theatre in

Dallas.

First there was a concrete object, a $400

Treasure Chest of Judy Lee Jewelry i costume'

in a beautiful vanity case, which was

promoted. Then a radio station, KLIF, was

brought in by means of a "contest"—join

the Society of Girl Watchers and take a

chance on winning the jeweh-y chest and

case.

The KLIF copy:

The KLIF Yum Yum Contest is the absolute funniest

... a chonce for you to win the title of "The Official

KLIF Girl Watcher." Naturally the contest is open to

men only, but some gal will wind up as the big winner

. . . some gol-wQtchin' man in Dallas is going to

win o S350 Treasure Chest of Judy Lee jewelry (costume)

in o beautiful vanity case. And this is all you

hove to do to take a chonce on winning. Eoch afternoon

between 4 and 6 p.m. there will be on official

KLIF Yum Yum Girl Wotchers booth at Interstate's Esquire

Theatre. Simply step up ond fill out a cord

then listen to the Charlie-Horrigan show

. . .

Monday the

25th. You could be the winner so hurry, contest closes

Friday, November 22nd.

Rememtier this contest is for men only and the

prize will make that gal you most like to watch the

happiest girl in town worth of Judy Lee jewelry

in a lovely block vanity cose will be presented to the

KLIF Yum Yum champion girl watcher. Register today

ot any Intcrstote theatre between 4 and 6 p.m.

Note the men could apply at any Interstate

theatre in the city. This assured

maximum convenience, and maximum mileage

out of the stunt. Each Society of Girl

Watchers "membership" card (approximately

5x2 '2 inches! included a stub which

w-as to be filled out and deposited at the

Interstate theatre. The wimier of the $350

jewelry chest and $50 vanity case was decided

by a diaw.

Watching for a Girl

This photo, taken at radio station KLIF's "Yum Yum"

Girl Watching booth in the Esquire Theatre in Dallas,

was reproduced in two-column size in the News with

the "WATCHING FOR A GIRL" caption. The boy is

Dean Cain and the girl is Kirby McDaniel. Only men

could join the Girl Watching contest.

An official KLIF "Yum

Watchers booth was opened

at the E.squire Theatre duri)

at which the boys were invit,

and join the Society of Girl

demonstrate their technique/

Audiences of two radio stations in Denver, KVDU and KDAB, were treated to an old fashioned mud battle

in a promotion inspired by a scene in "McLintock!" which was showing ot the Paramount Theatre there.

Disc jockeys from the Denver University station KVDU challenged the dccjoys from KDAB to the mudslinging

contest, which was stogcd in front of the theatre and broadcast, glob by glob, over the two

stations. John Dobson, manager for United Artists m Denver, rcferecd the battle in the costume he wore

OS on cxtro in the picture Kle is seen at left holding his hot in the air. Referee ruled the mud battle

o drow, which wos highly unpopular with the contestants, oil of whom joined forces to toss Dobson in the

trough of mud.

Staffers at Drive-In

In Halloween Dress

The staffers of the Valley Drive-In at

Montclair, Calif., got a lot of fun out of

Halloween, no doubt of that.

The staffers dressed up in costiunes for

the occasion ... to the amusement of both

themselves and the customers.

A number of patrons decided to go home

and get their cameras to photograph the

hilarious crew.

Michael A. Nagel. manager of the theatre

for the company headed by William. H.

Oldknow, also of Dallas. Tex., forwards a

couple of panels of the snapshots, but poor

lighting resulted in prints not good for reproduction.

The Oldknow company also operates the

Mission Drive-In at Pomona and the

Robidoux in Riverside.

Radio and Stores Assist

Giveaway of Rambler

The Reade-Sterling Community Theatre

in Kingston, N.J., recently presented a

"Rambler Giveaway Night" in cooperation

with the local Rambler dealer, a group of

merchants and radio station WABZ. Heavy

sustained newspaper advertising supported

the promotion. One insertion was aimed at

persons registering for the car giveaway

but unable to be present. "Listen to

WABZ" was the suggestion. Names and

addresses of cooperating merchants were

given in a number of ads.

Another promotion for this always welladvertised

theatre was a Saturday matinee

featured by the giveaway of a bike (boy's

or girl's to a lucky youngster, through the

courtesy of a hardware store. Jo-Jo, the

clown, appeared on the stage.

'Cleo' Tickets for Stamps

Adopted at Albuquerque

Seats to "Cleopatra" are being made

available in Albuquerque for merchandise

trading stamps distributed by Barber's

supermarkets. Theatre patrons can receive

one regular admission ticket worth $2.50

for three-fiftlis of a book of Top 'Value

trading stamps. .-,.^.- ^

The arrangement was worked out by Lou

Avolio, manager for Frontier Theatres, and

Ralph Girard, advertising manager for the

grocery chain, with an assist from the

Denver office of Top Value stamps. "Cleopatra"

is playing at Frontier's 1,000-seat

Sunshine Tlicatre in Albuquei-que. The

ten supermarkets are cari-ying advertising

displays plugging the picture.

Ad Draws 845 Orders

An ad which Ed Sesjuin, director of

B & K advertising and publicity, placed

in the Cliicago Tribune's Sunday Visitor

section on "Cleopatra" at the State Lake

Theatre pulled 845 ticket orders from 264

towns in ten states. Each order averaged

three to four tickets for "Cleopatra." The

ad, a full three-columns wide, pictured

Elizabeth Taylor flanked by Rex Harrison

and Richard Burton, with Miss Taylor

saying, "Just say you love me like B & K

loves the ChicaRo Tribune." The Visitor

is circulated only beyond Chicago and

suburbs to some 300,000 Chicago-oriented

families.

— B — BOXOFTICE Showmandiser :: Jan. 13, 1964

—

Institutional Signs:

Use Them in Lobby

By ALLEN M. WIDEM

Institutional promotion copy, an oftenignored

facet of theatre operation, is

front-and-center at tiie 1,900-seat, downtown

Allyn. a first-i-un supeiTised by Ray

McNamara, the Hartford, Conn., manager

for New England Theatres, the AB-PT

regional affiliate.

Rather than insert "paper" here or there

in the lobby on product many weeks, if not

months away, McNamara prefers to use

one and two-line promotional messages, all

geared to remind the patron, both regular

and occasional, that the Allyn is indeed to

the fore of quality screen entertainment in

Connecticut's capital city.

Over the lobby doors, and in separate

frames near the doorman, appear messages

that are changed with faithful regularity.

McNamara, aware that messages displayed

for too lengthy a time span tend to wear

out a patron's patience, culls suggestions

from employes and even customers, for the

proper and fitting phrase.

DON'T TALK DOWN—OR UP!

"We don't want to talk down, nor do we

wish to talk up for people when it comes to

institutional copy," McNamara remarked in

his comfortably cluttered office. "When

somebody sees a message in the theatre

lobby, we want the gesture to mean something;

in effect, bring a few more dollars,

eventually if not now, into our boxoffice.

That's the intent and purpose."

The best demonstration of promotional

messages "getting across" is found in occasional

conversation, with business leaders

and opinion-makers at Rotary Club

luncheons which McNamara attends.

"I think it means something to the

Allyn—and to the industry as well—when

a $75,000-a-year executive comes along to

me before the Rotary Club luncheon at

the Statler Hilton and reminds himself

and me—that he has seen a humdinger of

a promotion message instead of the conventionally

concocted reader frame while

passing through the Allyn lobby."

SOME MESSAGES

Messages, to wit:

Allyn Theatre—Home of Superlative Entertainment

You'll Find Top Family Entertainment

Here at the Allyn!

We Don't Like to Boast—But Allyn Entertainment

Is Pine Entertainment!

Mainly About Movies—Primarily, Predominantly

Superlative Entertainment!

You'll Remember the Allyn—Home of

Movies of Distinction!

McNamara conducts sessions with his

sei-vice staff every Sunday morning, hearing

gripes, suggestions, ideas, and, in the

process, reminding his crew that the theatre's

prestige is as good as the sei-vice accorded

its patrons, be they regular or

casual. From these sessions, too, come the

basic ingredient of a future Allyn institutional

ad copy layout.

Moreover, when a sei-vice aide sees a line

of his in a display frame, he gets the impression,

certainly, that what he does in

the Allyn isn't of small consequence. He's

part of a team.—and that's what McNamara

calls showmanship!

Putting Animation in 'McLintock' Displays

The large 18-foot display

of John Wayne

whamming Maureen

O'Hara, across his knee,

high above the marquee

of the Uptown Theatre

front in Kansas City,

attracted thousands of

eyes to the "McLintock!"

theatre front because of a

bit of animation. Maureen's

petticoat was made

of real material, which

fluttered in the breeze, as

also did her hair.

Note the giant float at

the lower left hand side of

the picture. The 15-foot

rider's levis were loaned

by the H. D. Lee Co., the

manufacturer. The float

was drawn all over town

by a jeep furnished by

Kansas Jeep Sales.

The displays were arranged

by Carl Stewart,

Uptown manager, and

Bernie Evens, United

Artists.

'Mail Early Lines on Nose of Marquee;

Critic

Plugs Used Other Times of Year

A timely use for an extra part of the

theatre marquee—the nose—was repeated

again this last Chiistmas season by three of

the downtown houses owned and operated

by Frontier Theatres in Albuquerque, N.M.

For the past five years, the nose section

of the three theatres—the Sunshine, Kimo

and State—has been used to plug the annual

Christmas campaign of the U.S. Post

Office to "mail early."

Copy on the marquee at the Kimo is:

"Santa's on the Way, Don't Delay, Mail It

Right Away."

The Sunshine has this to say: "Help the

Post Office Make Yours a Truly Merry

Christmas, Mail Early and Often."

On the State, which has a real brief

nose: "Shop Early, Mail Early."

Lou Avolio, city manager for Frontier,

says the gesture gives the theatres something

to fill up the extra space with, and

also provides a seasonal message.

Displays went up the first week of December

and remained in place until shortly

before Christmas.

The other 11 months of the year, the

space is used to carry critics' comments on

the films, or to give an extra plug to the

picture being shown.

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Jan. 13, 1964 — 7 —

Mary in Briefs!

Jim Darby, manager of the New England

circuit's Paramount Theatre in New Haven, Here's o way to use the "nose" of your marquee and

announcer comes in with, "See Mary Peach plugging early mailing, always a holiday favorite

in 'A PAIR OP BRIEFS.' " subject of the post offices.

put a bit of humor in a radio slogan for his still get across a brief Christmas message. Three of

campaign on "A Pair of Briefs." It starts the indoor theatres operated by Frontier in downtown

off with the sound of a gong and then the

Albuquerque carrying pre-Christmas messages

XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY

S-

lABOUT PICTURE SI

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL

Invasion of the Star Creatures! lAIPi—

Bob Ball, Frankie Ray, Gloria Victor, What

a lot of baloney! Such a waste of time,

film and effort. The title was good, but

was it a spooky film? Nope! A comedy!!

Closed the first night. Very little business

the second. Played Thur., Fri. Weather:

Warm.—A, Madril, La Plaza Theatre, Antonito,

Colo, Pop 1,255.

BUENA VISTA

Big Red (BV)—Walter Pidgeon, Gilles

Payant, Emil Genest, We had many fine

compliments on this picture which we

might add was well attended by the family

set. The color and scenery in this one are

wonderful. Personally, I can't see very

much of a difference in a Disney picture

and some of the fine product Allied Artists

used to put out, such as "Snowfire" and

so on. Played Sat., Sun.—Harry Hawkinson

jr., Orpheum Theatre, Marietta, Minn.

Pop. 380.

Summer Magic iBV)—Hayley Mills, Burl

Ives, Dorothy McGuire. Disney name, as

usual, brought in better than average business.

Not up to "Savage Sam," but good.

This picture outgrossed "Sam" in cities,

but small towners and ranchers like horses

and dogs and Indians better than music.

Played Thurs., Fri., Sat.—Bill Curran, Ramona

Theatre, Kremmling, Colo. Pop. 900.

COLUMBIA

Diamond Head i

Col i—Charlton Heston,

Yvette Mimieux, George Chakiris, France

Nuyen, James Darren. A very good picture,

but it fell flat at the boxoffice. Some

beautiful scenery of Hawaii which is a very

good asset of this pictui-e. George Chakiris

very good in this. Would like to see more

of him. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Warm.

—James Hardy, Crescent Theatre, Jasonville,

Ind. Pop. 2,500.

Gidget Goes to Rome iCol)—James Darren,

Jessie Royce Landis. Cesare Danova.

In my opinion, the poorest Gidget yet. My

gross bears me out. Played Sun. through

Wed. Weather: Good.—E. A. Reynolds,

Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn, Pop.

2,108.

Ring-a-Ding Rhythm i

Col )—Helen Shapiro,

Craig Douglas, Felix Felton, Seventyeight

minutes of trash. No comments.

Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Nice.—

Paul Fournier, Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard,

N. B. Pop. 2.150.

'SiaTi Saying Plenty/

Exhibitor Urges

Sorry that my report.s have been neglected.

We read BOXOFFICE from

cover to cover, first starting with

what the exhibitor has to say. Now is

the time to pitch in and start saying

plenty—and doing plenty—and maybe

we'll sell plenty of popcorn.

Villa Theatre,

Malta, Mont.

ves (Para)— Debbie Reynolds.

Cliff Robertson, Eileen Heckart. A picture

to be proud of, a picture you'll be proud

of showing. Debbie was wonderful and so

were the kids. Everyone happy as they left