PG^

Tent 35 Installs
Welcoming speech by M. J.
"Mike" Fronkovich, president of
Variety
Internotional, at the onnual
instollotion luncheon of
Variety Club of New York, Tent
35. (I. to r.) Preston Robert
TiKh, president of Loews Corp.;
Moyor Abraham Beame, honorory
life member of Variety;
Bernard Myerson, former chief
barker of Variety ond president
of Loews Theatres; Martin H.
Newman, incoming chief barker
and executive vice-president of
Century
cuit.
BROADWAY
J^AME" HAS RECORDED the biggest
opening week for an Easter attraction
in the 42-year history of Radio City Music
Hall, where the Warner Bros, musical starring
Lucille Ball is having its work! premiere
engagement.
The next record-breaker on Broadway
expected to be Paramount"s "The Great
is
Gatsby," which begins a five-theatre run
Wednesday (27).
•
Cinema Lodge 1366 of B'liai B'liili has
become the first industry lodge to accept
female membership, in recognition of the
fact that women are becoming equal with
men in position and compensation in manyareas.
The first three new members accepted
under the new development are Ruth
Levinson, Eastern advertising head of
American International Pictures; Ava Leighton,
general sales manager of Audubon
Films, and Gladys Robhins, personnel
manager of Avco Embassy Pictures. The
lodge's goal is 50 female members by
April 17 and a general appeal to all eligibles
currently is being made.
•
Universal's Goldie Hawn starrer, "The
Sugarland Express," was promoted here by
co-star Michael Sacks, who met with the
local press in behalf of the film. The actor
currently is appearing off-Broadway in the
play "Moonchildren" and previously starred
Football-star-turned-aotor O. J. Simpson
received sports' Life Saver of the Year
Award for 1973 and a Triumph TR6 sports
car at a press luncheon Friday (22) at
74-75 Officers
Mamma Leone's Restaurant. He flew in
from Oroville, Calif., where he has been
on location for his first major motion picture.
"The Klansman," which stars Richard
Burton and Lee Marvin.
•
John Fioredda has been named Brooklyn
and Staten Island division manager for
United Artists Eastern Theatres, .succeeding
.sons. Fioredda joined UAET four years
ago us a.ssistant manager at Brooklyn's
Walker Theatre, becoming its manager t\vo
years
ago.
•
Jerry Baker, who resigned for health rea-
Filmmaker Jonas Middleton states, "Contrary
to popular belief, the quality X-rated
film is not a thing of the past." He points
to the high grosses of his "Illusions of a
Lady" at two theatres here and predicts
that the success of this Andrea True starrer
and of "The Devil in Miss Jones" will
result in more high-quality erotic films.
•
Through April 15, ihe Museum of
Modern Art is presenting the first of a
three-part retrospective of the Soviet silent
cinema. The cycle is being offered by special
arrangement with Gosfilmofond, the
Soviet State Film Archive, and the Pacific
Film Archive of the Univer.sity Art Museum
at Berkeley, Calif. Program notes and
a synopsis accompany each film, since many
are being shown with the original Russian
titles and have not been translated into
English. Among the films are "The Death
Ray" (1925) by Kuleshov cmd Pudovkin;
"Ar.sen, the Bandit" (1923), V. Barsky, and
"Strike" (1925), Sergei Eisenstein.
for Universal in "Slaughterhouse-Five."
Also starring in "The Sugarland Express."
a Zanuck/ Brown production, are Ben Johnson
and William Atherton.
Openings: "The Super Cops" arrived
Wednesday (20) at the Criterion, 86th
•
David Merrick, producer of Parainount's Street East and 34th Street East theatres.
"The Great Gatsby," is guest speaker Ron Leibman and David Selby star as the
Thursday (28) at the National Academy real-life Brooklyn policemen nicknamed
of Television Arts and Sciences' drop-in Batman and Robin in the MGM film, released
luncheon at the Pub Theatrical Restaurant.
by United Artists. Twentieth Century-
He will address the gathering just one day
after his film debuts at five theatres around
Fox's
at Trans-Lux
"Conrack"
East
opens
and Loews'
Wednesday
Cine.
(27)
AIP's
town.
"Foxy Brown," starring Pam drier as the
•
lady who busts up a vice ring, debuts April
•
5 at the Cinerama and RKO 86th Street
Twin II. Wednesday, April 10, Warners'
'Our Time," set in 1955 New England,
hciiins at the Sutton and Columbia's black
western "Thomasine & Bushrod," starring
Max Julien and Vonetta McGee, has its
world premiere at the Penthouse and the
busy RK.O 86th Street. April 17, Israel's
"The House on Chelouche Street" has its
American premiere at the Columbia II.
•
Dennis Fine, former publicist with Columbia
Pictures, is now operating in that
capacity for the public relations firm of
Solters/ Sabinson/ Roskin.
•
In the magazines: Time Magazine Monday
(18) contained a cover story on "The
Great Gatsby Supersell," including four
full pages of color photos. The April issue
of .Seventeen Magazine names 20th Century-
Fox's "Conrack" as "Movie of the Month"
and contains reviews of "Thieves Like Us."
"Man on a Swing," "Digby—The Biggest
Dog in the World," "Blazing Saddles" and
"Vanishing Wilderness."
•
Showcases for Wednesday (20): "Crazy
Joe"; "Don't Look Now"; "The Chinese
Mechanic," a new kung fu film, and AIP's
double bill "Sugar Hill" and "Little Cigars."
Friday (22) "Catch My Soul" began at
showca,se houses.
Latin-American Festival
Offered at AFI Theatre
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Twenty-two new
or recent releases from seven Latin-American
countries comprise the first major
Festival of Latin-American Cinemas, which
started Sunday (17) at the American Film
Institute Theatre, Kennedy Center, and
continues through April 15. The festival was
mounted in association with the Washington
Performing Arts Society's "Tribute to
the Arts of the Americas" and with the
assistance of the OAS, Latin-American
embassies and overseas producers.
The films were selected by AFI film
programing manager Michael Webb. Argentina,
Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and
Venezuela are represented by motion pictures
that range in content from historical
epics to lighthearted comedies and from
docimientaries to social satires.
Approximately half the films are new
to the U.S. and nearly all are in the original
Spanish or Portugese, with English subtitles.
Eric Weissmann Exits WB
To Resume Law Practice
NEW YORK^Eric Weissmann has
submitted
his resignation, effective .April 15,
as vice-president in charge of business affairs
and secretary of Warner Bros, in order
to resume partnership in the law firm of
Kaplan, Livingston, Goodwin, Berkowitz
& Selvin. He will continue to be associated
primarily with the entertainment field.
In accepting the resignation, chairman
of the board Ted Ashley and president
Frank Wells expressed their regrets at the
loss to the company and voiced their wishes
for success in his re-affiliation. Weissmann
has gratefully acknowledged a
happy association
with Warner Bros., which he joined
.Sept. 1, 1972.
E-2
BOXOFFICE :: March 25, 1974