Boxoffice-January.03.1966

6
. . Roy
. . December
SAN FRANCISCO
Fair Lady" opened at popular prices
J^Jy
in its first multiple-release run at the
Esquire and Empire theatres December 22.
Another long-running hit "The Sound of
Music" went into its 10th month at the
UA showing special holiday matinees
daily December 18—Sunday (2).
A Christmas feature, 250 minutes of
continuous so-bad-it's-funny cavorting by
"Batman," was held at the Presidio. This
is the serial put out in 1943 with all 15
chapters spliced end-to-end.
Children's holiday films: "Willy McBean
and His Magic Machine" ran December
15-21 at two S.P. theatres. At the Surf, a
"Children's Film Series" ran on Saturday
afternoons December 4, 11, 18. The last in
the series will appear Saturday and is
called "And Now Miguel." Among the other
Saturday specials were "The Emperor's
Nightingale," narrated by Boris Karloff
and played by Czech puppets; "The Snow
Queen" and a program of eight unusual
short films including some of UPA's best
shorts and films from the Canadian National
Film Board.
These children-oriented films should
please various area motion picture-TV
council members. On December 14, 200
women from the Marion County council
turned out for a very successful filmluncheon-fun
id) day.
The Berkeley council gathered December
for his Saturday kiddie shows. He holds a
lifetime membership in the Albany PTA
because of his outstanding work with children,
is an honorary citizen of the city of
Albany, and presently presides over the
Albany Chamber of Commerce.
Premieres: The controversial "Battle
of the Bulge" premiered in northern California
December 22 at the Golden Gate
Cinerama before a full house, a press club
benefit. Celebrities on hand were Eartha
Kitt and Russell Nype, who were appearing
in "Owl and the Pussycat" at the Geary
Theatre. George Dusheck of the Examiner
wrote that controversial or not, this was
"one helluva war movie."
John Wasserman of the Chronicle gave
Tops in Quality and Service
Send your next order to us!
GERRY KARSKI,
PRES.
Jerry Lewis a terrific build-up in his latest
picture "Boeing Boeing," which opened
December 22 at the Alexandria and El
Rancho Drive-In . 23 author
Irving Stone attended the gala premiere
showing of "The Agony and the Ecstasy"
at the Fox Parkside. It was for the benefit
of his old alma mater's alumni association
(Lowell High School).
Also premiering was Federico Fellini's
first color picture "Juliet of the Spirits,"
at the Music Hall and New Clay.
Ray Syufy opened his Cinema 21, a remodeled
version of the old Marina Theatre,
with "The Spy Who Came in From the
Cold" . Cooper of West Side-Valley
Theatres took off for Hawaii December
27 with his wife and two 10-year-old
grandchildren. He should be back Thursday
1 ) before hopping aboard a plane for
New York and the first NATO board meeting
on Monday ilO). Also representing
northern California exhibitors at the meeting
will be Richard Mann of Theatre Management.
Homer Tegtmeier returned to the city
December 20 after being away five weeks.
He inspected theatres on the East Coast
and in some Southern cities, where, he
says, most new theatres are being built in
shopping centers. He and his wife stopped
off in Jamaica for ten days before heading
for home.
Many San Francisco theatre people
mourn the death of Bob Apple, who was
with Fox West Coast here for more than
25 years. He died of pneumonia December
13 to pay tribute to William Garren who is
giving up operation of the Albany Theatre
in Albany after 25 years. A luncheon was
held in his honor at the home 15 in
of Mrs. Earl
Los Angeles, where he had been transferred
Sykes and was attended by council
recently.
members
and by theatre managers of the
Berkeley-Albany area. Council members
appreciate Garren's cooperation in holding
summertime matinees for children and
W-B
^> 125 HYDE ST SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF 94102
W. G. Cooke Leases
New Reno Theatre
RENO, NEV.—Construction is to start
Saturday ( 15 ) on a 750-seat showcase theatre
in the Keystone Square Shopping
Center for lease and operation by the
Centre Theatre Corp. Cost of the new theatre,
which will be known as the Centre,
is estimated at $200,000 and completion
is expected by May 1.
President of the Centre Theatre Corp. is
William G. Cooke, who for the last two
years has operated the Sage Theatre,
Gardnerville, and formerly was owner and
operator of the Tower Theatre and Motor-
In in Reno.
Other officers of the Centre Theatre
Corp. are Ray Handley, vice-president, and
Mrs. William G Cooke, secretary and
treasurer.
April Opening Planned
For Theatre in Carmel
CARMEL, CALIF.—Completion of the
Village Theatre at Dolorest Street and
Seventh Avenue is scheduled for April.
Ground was broken for the 414-seat cinema
early in December.
Designer of the $110,000 structure was
Kipp Stewart. The architect is George
Willox and the contractor is Geyer Construction
Co.
New Modesto Theatre
For Redwood Circuit
MODESTO. CALXF.—A 600-seat motion
picture theatre is to be built in the new
Briggamore Square Shopping Center on
McHenry Boulevard between Briggamore
and Bonen avenues. Construction, costing
approximately $200,000, is scheduled to
start in the near future and be completed
early next year, according to a joint announcement
made by Redwood Theatres,
owners and operators of the local State
and Covell theatres, and Quintana, Inc..
Linn C. Alexander, chairman of the
board, developers of the shopping project
The de luxe theatre, planned and designed
by Ainsworth and McClellan, architects,
and William B. David & Associates,
theatre designers of San Francisco, will be
centrally located within the complex and
its surrounding parking area. It will be
equipped for all types of picture projection,
from conventional 35mm and Cinema-
Scope to 70mm and Dimension-150. with
an advanced stereophonic sound system.
Among the many modem patron conveniences
will be a climate-controlled
heating and ventilation and automatized
confection service from banks of vending
machines.
A special attraction, first-run, film
policy will prevail, presenting such motion
pictures as "My Fair Lady," "Those
Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines"
and "The Agony and the Ecstasy"
and the outstanding foreign and domestic
art films. The policy is also expected to
include Saturday matinees with programing
for children.
'Othello' Hard-Ticket
Run Opens February 2
HOLLYWOOD — Laurence Olivier's
"Othello" grossed $35,857 in its Oscarqualification
run here at the Pantages
Theatre, from December 15 to 21. The
regular two-a-day hard-ticket run opens
on February 2. in approximately 29 situations.
This type of special is in the same
category as "Hamlet" and "La Boheme."
While no scale has been announced, prices
will range from approximately $1.75 up to
$3. depending on the location and type
of house.
Glen G. Hobbs Takes Over
Stockton Managerial Post
STOCKTON, CALIF.—Glen G. Hobbs.
assistant manager of the Survant Theatre,
Glasgow, Mont., the last five years, has assumed
his duties as manager of the Stockton
Esquire and Stockton theatres for the
Westland circuit.
Hobbs had served in the Air Force prior
to taking the position with the Glasgow
theatre, his first industry job. Before entering
service he had been employed by the
Anderson Roofing Co. of Glasgow.
Gaston Hakim Represents
Times Film in West
From Eastern Edition
NEW YORK—European Producers International,
Ltd., headed by Gaston Hakim,
has been named official representative for
Times Film Corp. Hakim, whose offices
are in Los Angeles, will service the 13
western states.
BOXOFFICE :: January 3. 1966