Boxoffice-August.02.1976

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BOXOFFICE ;: August 2. 1976
i
KANSAS CITY
JJovo Air Freight, which for so long has
been identified with Exhibitors" Film
Delivery, now has separated from EFD and
occupies new quarters at Kansas City International
Airport. John Romp continues
to handle film business for Novo at 682
Mexico City Ave.. Kansas City International
Airport. Kansas City, Mo. 64153. The
new telephone number is 243-5666.
Women of Variety Tent 8 delivered a
tantalizing entertainment package on behalf
of charity recently. A busload of Filmrow
revelers spent July 24 at the races at
the Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack in Omaha. According
to those participating, the trip was
immensely pleasurable. At the track, the
Filmrow group could count several $50 to
$100 winners among its members, as well
as one $1,000 winner. Sharon Richeson,
Midwest Films, was chairman of the event,
and she deserves a special congratulation
for a successful affair, along with Commonwealth's
Ruby Schultz, who co-chaired the
event. En route, several participants distinguished
themselves above and beyond the
call of duty: ad man John Rooker, who
proved himself to be a crackerjack bartender;
Columbia's balding (but lovable)
Don Stidham, who led the marathon songfest
on the trip back from Omaha, and Joe
Vandola, acquaintance of Warner Bros.'
Terry Gray, who emceed the entire affair
with flair. Perhaps even more important
than the good times is the fact that the
promotion raised over $400 for the crippled
children's charity fund.
Carol Hobbs, 20th-Fox secretary, has a
brand new silver and black Hornet automobile,
the result of diligence, hard work
and an end-of-the-model-year trade-in.
Carol also reports that co-workers Sherry
Hanzel and Beverly Brown could not
scrounge up dates Friday night, July 23, so
they wound up taking each other to the
Beach Boys concert at Royals Stadium.
Filmrow was hit July 26 by an activist
environmentalist who apparently decided
to start removing automobile pollution. By
means of .skillful maneuvering, the "carsmasher"
managed to bash in both the front
and rear ends of David Darr's vehicle,
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which was parked on Wyandotte near the
Universal exchange. Damage to the Key
International executive's car was estimated
at $1,000 (very roughly), while the hitand-ruin
driver escaped with (principally)
a police citation. The collision expert had
no liability insurance, of course. However.
David takes the philosophical view that
since the car was for sale anyway, he
now is in an improved position to negotiate
a really good deal with someone who
would like to acquire transportation with
an instant $1,000 markdown. Too, he is
building closer relationship and improving
communications with Filmrow secretaries,
etc., who apparently cringe at the thought
of David walking home in mid-90s temperatures.
Forty years ago, according to the column
by that name in the Kansas City Times
July 26, the sizzlin' summer of '36 offered
cool cinema entertainment. "Blonde Bombshell"
Jean Harlow was appearing in "Suzy"
at the Loew's Midland with co-stars Cary
Grant and Franchot Tone. Shirley Temple
was tap-dancing her way to fame and fortune
in "Poor Little Rich Girl" at the Uptown.
Out south the Plaza was featuring
"Private Number" (for the "adult film"
devotees, of course) with Robert Taylor
and Loretta Young. At the Tower Theatre
on 12th Street Robert Young and Betty
Furness were clowning around in Damon
Runyon's "Three Wise Guys." It's interesting
to note that the latter couple had this
lighthearted interlude, in view of the fact
that they later moved on to serious endeavors,
such as selling refrigerators and
doctoring in a friendly, neighborly way.
Screenings at Commonwealth: "Street
People" (AIP). July 27, and "The Way He
Was" (Key Int'l), July 28.
Bob Maddox, Garnett, Kas.. exhibitor
and full-time worm-herder, underwent an
appendectomy three weeks ago but recuperated
with such remarkable rapidity that
he was visiting distributors last week on
Filmrow . . . Jim Hanlon. Universal booker,
is vacationing out of town this week.
Paramount branch manager Mike Klein
and sales representative Jerry Stella were
in Chicago for a district sales meeting July
Secretary Michelle Manners is
20-21 . . .
the midst of a two-week vacation, during
in
which time she intends to go no farther
than the swimming pool.
Lil Emert has joined Key International
Films here as district manager's secretary,
it was announced by David Darr, who holds
that Key executive post in Kansas City.
New to the motion picture industry. lil
most recently worked as secretary to the
president of a bank in Independenct, Kas.
David says "she's really a beneficial addition
to Key"—and besides he likes having
someone around who's been on speaking
terms with all that money!
Chicago Celluoid Society
Reels Rare Film Series
(Continued from page C-1)
in
the next bunch through the door on the
left."
The evolution from Grace Lutheran
Church to Facets auditorium began when
the Lutheran congregation disbanded in
1974 and the church building was rented
out to various art, theatre and social groups.
When the former pastor was reassigned
to a parish in Florida, the building as a
whole went up for rent. Facets beat out the
struggling-to-regroup Lutherans and a Guru
Maharaj-Ji transcendental meditation sect
for the church. It includes a small screening
room, office space and a large projection
booth that doubles as a theatre rehearsal
hall.
Facets volunteers did all the remodeling
work themselves, including disinfecting
washrooms, repainting walls, building a
movie screen and coating floors with a protective
layer of polyurethane. "The people
who sold it to us said we were crazy, that
we'd all get asphyxiated and die," Stehlik
laughed. But you don't kill off Facets Multimedia
volunteers that easily.
Somehow the church setting is appropriate
for this bunch, who seem to run on inspiration,
faith and dauntless determination.
They understand all too well the expensive
problems of running film series but never
allow themselves to be intimidated.
The new center opened officially Saturday,
March 6, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
and a reception with the month's
visiting filmmaker, the Czechoslovakian Jan
Kadar.
David Thompson of Niles
Honored in Tradepaper
CHICAGO—David Thompson, production
manager of Fred A. Niles Communications
Center's videotape division, is the
subject of a profile in the June issue of
Millimeter. He speaks for Niles as well as
the industry in the special feature "Close-
Up."
Thompson foresees a lessening of the
"West Coast Syndrome" and a rediscovery
of Chicago film and videotape capabilities.
"Being a film house first puts Niles in
a viable position to corner a share of the
commercial videotape production market,"
he added. "We have the lights, sets, props
all the film grip equipment here, and the
people—lighting, audio, etc. We have a
visible philosophy that really tries to incorporate
the whole film experience into the
videotape experience."
Thompson is particularly proud of Niles'
latest acquisition, a CDL PEC 120 Time
Code editing system.
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