TO LORD

—
!
:
MINNEAPOLIS
Ifeniicth Newbert, who has been a salesman
at Columbia's San Francisco exchange,
has been named to the post of Columbia
branch manager in this city. He was
to assume his new office Monday (ID.
Newberl succeeds the late Bill Wood.
FOmrowites were saddened to learn of
the death of veteran exhibitor Mrs. Edna
Polaschek, Star Drive-In, Mahnomen. The
new operator of the Star is Herbert Ahmann.
Tim Richer! has returned to home base
as manager of the Plitt Chateau Theatre,
Rochester, after a three-week stint in
Minot. N.D.. training George Tobin. Tobin
is the new manager at the Plitt Empire Theatre
in Minot. The assignment handed a
thrilled Richer! his first plane trip.
Linda J. Moore has joined the Plitt North
Central Theatres staff here as secretary to
Sam Plitt has been trans-
Lou Calamari . . .
ferred from St. Paul city manager for the
circuit to district manager of the Plitt circuit
in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.
The chorus of "happy birthday" at the
Avco Embassy branch here was for Denise
Wester, secretary to branch manager Jerry
Landesman. Denise is now (do you tell a
lady's age?) 20 . . . Linda M. Garner, manager
of the Plitt Lake Theatre, Fairmont,
announced her engagement to Bruce Ebeling
of Fairmont, with the nuptials set for
Saturday (23).
Old-timers (from the Minnesota Amusement
Co. days) were saddened by the news
that Art Molstad, retired manager dating
back to the pre-MACO era, died recently
in Albert Lea. Molstad was manager of the
present Plitt State Theatre in Eau Claire,
Wis., immediately prior to his retirement
and before that was manager for MACO
theatres on Minnesota's Iron Range.
Filmrow visitors: Mel Edelstein, Hibbing
Drive-In, Hibbing; Ray Vonderhaar, Tentilino
Enterprises, Alexandria, and Ron
Greely, Kim-Hi Drive-In, Kimball.
United Artists Theatre Circuit is planning
another cinema complex in the metropolitan
area. The Movies at Burnsville will debut
August 5, according to present plans.
The number of seats will total 1,304. The
Burnsville installation will be located in a
new shopping center in the Twin Cities
suburb. This will mean that UATC units
will completely ring Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Already in operation are the Movies at
Maplewood (six screens); the Movies at
Cottage Grove (three), and the Movies at
Eden Prairie (five). The Movies at Burnsville
is slated to have four screens, giving
UA a total of 18 screens in the metro area.
The Englcr circuit,
based here, has leased
the Chief 1 and 2 theatres, located in suburban
Columbia Heights, from Jerry Herringcr
Steve Felperin, Columbia branch
. . .
chief, was delighted with the hefty grosses
posted by "A Star Is Born" in the film's
tirst sub-run—at five theatres here and at
one in St. Paul.
Jim Payne of
Midwest Entertainment reports
that "The Van" is "mopping up" in
its initial dates in South Dakota. "We
booked 'The Van' in the Sioux Falls TV
orbit—with the same campaign and the
same theatres as 'The Pom Pom Girls,'
which was a smash. To date,
the grosses are
running 125 per cent over 'The Pom Pom
Girls' and in some cases higher. The grosses
are fantastic. In other words, we're doing
anywhere from 25 to 40 per cent better
than with 'The Pom Pom Girls." " The picture,
R-rated, is a Crown International release.
Cinemaland Operating
Edina's Yorktown Duo
MINNEAPOLIS—Marvin Mann, president
of Cinemaland, announced Friday (1)
that his firm had taken over operation of
the Yorktown I and II theatres in suburban
Edina, Minn. The four-year-old twin is located
in the Yorktown Fashion Mall at 71st
and York Avenue South. Present plans for
the theatre are to operate it as an art and
specialty house with "class" American and
foreign films.
The acquisition of the Yorktown I and
II gives Cinemaland two twin theatres in
Edina, the other being the Edina I and II,
acquired in October 1976 and then closed,
remodeled and reopened Dec. 22, 1976.
Cinemaland also operates theatres in Hibbing,
Stillwater, Columbia Heights (all in
Minnesota) and La Crosse, Wis.
The opening attractions at the Yorktown
I and II were an exclusive second-run of
"Bugsy Malone" and "All the President's
Men."
Buying and booking, advertising and promotion
all are being handled by Jim Payne
of Midwest Entertainment.
'Micronesia' Ends Series
LINCOLN—Chris Borden narrated his
film "Micronesia" at 2, 5:45 and 8:15 p.m.
March 22-23 at the Cooper/ Lincoln Theatre,
54 and O streets. The presentation was
the final offering in the 1976-77 travel and
adventure film series co-sponsored by the
Cooper/ Lincoln and the women's division
of the chamber of commerce. Showings
were open to the public.
EQUINE ELEGANCE — Snitzlefritz,
a pony, was togged out with a
hat and promotional signs on his sides
to ballyhoo the showing of "The Three
Caballeros" at the Plitt Lake Theatre,
Fairmont, Minn. The promotion was
staged by manager Linda Marie Garner.
The pony is shown as he walked
through the streets of Fairmont—and
he later gave rides to eager youngsters.
Five-Cent Admission Fee
Recalled by Milwaukeean
MILWAUKEE — Oldtime moviegoe
were given a chance to reminisce when
J
south side Milwaukeean told of going to tt-
8th Street Theatre where Gilda Gray (fart
ed "shimmy queen" born in Milwauke,
had danced.
When he was a child. James Borzych,,
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fire department lieutenant, said that he ai
«jaff
Ins sister paid a nickel each to enter
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movie house after being instructed by the
mother to stay until they had seen ever,
thing "and then come home."
It was very dark inside, Borzych t
called, and he said, "I took my sister do\,
the long incline, feeling my way along,
found a seat for her and sat down besi:
her. All kinds of people kept coming i
and the manager would walk up and doM
the aisles saying: 'Who wants to doul;
up?' He'd give a candy bar to kids w>
would sit together so he could get mo
people into the house. I doubled up wi
one kid and my sister another. WhenI
noticed we'd seen the picture on the scn,i
before, I told Grace we'd better go aJ
I felt for her hand. We started making