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WASHINGTON
^eorge Stevens jr., director of the American
Film Institute, estimates that AFI
.vii! make approximately S225.000 from the
recording of the "AFI Salute to James Cagney."
including foreign TV rights. AFI presented
Cagney with a cassette tape machine
and a recording of the banquet held Wednesday
(13) at the Century Plaza Hotel, Los
.Angeles. The festivities were aired by CBS-
TV Monday evening (18).
Jack Valenti. president of the Motion Picture
Ass'n of America, told the Posfs Tom
Shales at the AFI premiere of "Huckleberry
Finn" that it may take as long as four
months to name a successor to Dr. Aaron
Stem, chairman of the nine-member rating
board. He further stated: "The man gets
to be in contact with the finest creative
brains in the country. And he gets to see 500
movies a year" . . . Kenneth Clark, executive
vice-president of MPAA. was special
assistant at the "Jack Valenti Salute" given
by the Texas State Society in the Regency
Room of the Shoreham Americana Hotel
Sunday (24). Liz Carpenter, who was Mrs.
Lyndon B. Johnson's press director when her
late husband was in the White House, emceed
the Valenti tribute-brunch.
Alex Schimel, Universal branch manager.
moved his exchange Saturday (16) to 6801
Kenilworth Ave.. Riverdale. Md. 20840.
The new phone number is (301) 699-3200,
Schimel said that for the time being his
shipping department will remain at the old
East Park Triplex Is
Announced by Stieler
EVANSVILLE. IND.— Paul V. Stieler of
Victory Theatres announced that construction
of a triplex at 800 South Hebron, to be
called East Park, would begin this month.
Target date for completion of the triplescreen
movie house is June.
Stieler said his brother Rudy of Guthrie
May & Co. would handle the general construction
work, with the cost estimated at
approximately $600,000.
Victory Theatres operates the downtown
Victory and a twin-theatre in North Park.
Lotte Lenya Visits FSU,
Makes Three Appearances
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — Lotte Lenya,
the semi-retired singer and actress from
New York who had a featured role in the
motion picture "From Russia With Love,"
was a visitor at Florida State University for
appearances.
The widow of the world-famous Kurt
Weill, German-born composer, Lotte Lenya
presented awards to young fencers competing
at F.ST for the Junior Olympics, read
selections by librettist-poet Bertold Brecht
to a German-language class and sang selections,
including parts of Weill's "The Threepenny
Opera," for student groups.
. Century-Fox had a
.ldd^c^^
screening of "Conrack" at the RKO-SW
Uptown Theatre Saturday morning (16).
The invited guests were teachers in nearby
Maryland and Virginia elementary schools.
Debbie Bemheinier, president of DB5 Associates,
has named Marty Zeldman as her
assistant. Zeldman formerly was with National
General's Detroit office.
George Kelly and Jack Howe. Paramount
branch manager and office manager-chief
booker, respectively, returned from their
companies' global marketing convention in
Beverly Hills. Also attending from this
area were: Paul Roth, president of Roth
Theatres and president of national NATO:
Marvin Goldman, a senior partner of K-B
Theatres; Al Allsbrook, general manager of
Landover Mall 6 theatres, and. from Baltimore,
Jack Fruchtman, president of JF Theatres,
and the Durkee circuit's Fred
Schmuff.
Betty Kelly, Wheeler Films, president of
the WOMPI Club, is back at her home recuperating
after hospitalization . . . The
annual WOMPI installation dinner will be
held June 1 at the Sheridan Inn, Lanham.
Md.. according to Doris Sims, Wheeler
Films, a
past WOMPI president.
Paul Winfield, featured in "Conrack" and
"Huckleberry Finn," said on a recent visit
that he dates Cicely Tyson, his co-star in
"Sounder."
Folly Theatre Is Given
Reprieve by KC Council
KANSAS CITY — The shuttered Folly
Theatre, 12th and Central, near the downtown
convention center site, won a reprieve
from the city council Friday (8) when that
body voted to give interested persons 120
days to raise money to acquire and restore
the landmark building. The Folly was in
danger of being demolished by its owner,
.•\nnhar Associates of New York, but the
council ordinance prohibits the owner from
purchasing the necessary permit for razing.
Councilman Arthur Asel said he had
"a sense of history" in connection with the
showhousc. He said years ago he was backstage
while a stripper was working and the
dresser she had been handing her clothes
to left. "I didn't know what was happening
and suddtinly somebody pushed me into the
wings and the next thing I received was
some of her underthings," Asel related.
.'\ member of the group trying to restore
the Folly, Mrs. Joan Dillon, said she was
hopeful of raising the funds to acquire the
building. The owner's sale price, she stated,
was .$1 million.
According to Sal Capra, Kansas City
councilman, the city has condemnation powers
and since the theatre is near the convent'on
center site, he suggested the city should
take some action. Charles B. Wheeler jr.,
mayor of Kansas City, said the cost of convention
center land would give some idea
of a
fair price.
Basil Kazitoris Decides
To Close Sunset Ozoner
WASHINGTON. D.C. — The Sunset
Drive-ln at Baileys Crossroads, Va.. has
ceased to be a profitable operation, according
to manager Basil Kazitoris, since
X product was found to be objectionable
by the community and was prohibited by
the Fairfax Circuit Court. Slate law interdicts
visibility of X-rated movies at an
ozoner and the Sunset's wire mesh fence
tends to expose the film to nonpatrons.
So, Kazitoris. desiring to get any such
legal matters against him dropped, went to
circuit court Monday (11), with his attorney,
and agreed to close the airer within
40 days.
The Sunset, therefore, will be torn down
and a store will be built on the site.
BALTIMORE
(Continued from preceding page)
International's PG-rated "Taste of Hell" is
set for May 22 in Waynesboro, Staunton
and Harrisonburg. Va. The film will be
heavily promoted via TV. radio and newspapers.
Phil was in Washington. D.C. Friday
(15) checking over the new facilities at
his shipping room.
Alan Nethen, vice^resident of Claude
Neon Signs, and his wife Phonda are the
proud parents of Allison, their second child
and second daughter, born January 12 at
Greater Baltimore Medical Center.
News from General Cinema: Maryland
district manager John Quinn. who also manages
the York Road Cinema and Perring
Plaza Cinema, was out of town for a weekend
. . . Richard Fitzpatrick recently exited
his post as manager of the York Road Cinema
. assistant manager at the York
Road is Bob Bates.
Robert Vaughn, who appeared at the Mechanic
Theatre in "The Real Inspector
Hound." told the press he would "like to
do more movies." Vaughn said he especially
would like to do a film version of "Hamlet."
The actor departed here for Beverly Hills.
Calif.,
to wed his fiancee Linda Staab.
Entry applications for Baltimore Film
Festival V are now being accepted. Applications
are available by writing to Baltimore
Film Festival V. P.O. Box 7186. Baltimore
21218. .'Ml films to be entered must arrive
by April 2.
Actor Gets Emergency Sewing Kit
From Southeastern
Edition
TEXARKAN.\— Donald O'Connor, actor-singer-dancer,
recently was presented
an emergency sewing kit by Mrs. Herman
W. Belk. Mrs. Belk had seen O'Connor's
nightclub act in Hot Springs. Ark., and during
his dance routine he did the splits, also
splitting his trousers. O'Connor asked if
there was a seamstress in the house and
Mrs. Belk volunteered and made emergency
repairs backstage.
BOXOFHCE :: March 25, 1974