TO LORD

i
-
DETROIT
Cleveland Woman Happily
Remembers 'China Night'
105
The largest single-day gross for the Main
rheatre in Royal Oak was scored during
the first Saturday of the engagement of
Disney Productions' "Freaky Friday." according
to Bob Anthony, owner of the independent
750-seat house. Also, this theatre
never before had played a picture longer
than five weeks, so a second record was
broken when "Freaky Friday" was held for
a full seven-week engagement. Upon checking
grosses of all nine area theatres exhibiting
the Disney hit. Anthony found the Main
rheatre was the top grosser for the sevenweek
period.
A special preview of "Black Sunday" was
held at the Northland Theatre March 30
prior to the kickoff of the multiple run in
ten suburban theatres.
One of the popular columns in the News
published the following question from a
teenager: "1 paid $3.45 recently to see a
movie. I am 15 years old. If I am considered
an adult, why can't I see adult movies?" If
anyone has any answers to this query, let's
hear them.
A local reader of the News wrote the
"Personal Contact" column recently. A
Mrs. F.K. of this city asked: "Why don't
the movie houses downtown declare a Men's
Day? It's always Ladies' Day there and
women get the discount—but men must pay
full fare. I'm sure that if just one theatre
adopted this idea, its profits would go up.
In case you are wondering, I'm. female."
(Editor's note: Thanks, Mrs. F.K. We needed
that!)
A Free Press editor recently commented:
"The Detroiters who are attempting to recycle
the grand old National Theatre in the
downtown area may well benefit from a
new economic fact of life. Rehabilitating an
. .
old building often is cheaper than starting
from the ground up . The owners of the
Fox Theatre Building on the fringe of
downtown Detroit should be interested in
the story of the Chicago old Century Theatre
in the New Town sector. The Fox Theatre
people are emptying the beautiful old
building on Woodward, with the exception
of the first floor. This theatre was a showplace
of its day!"
The Fine Arts Theatre, a couple of blocks
north of the Fox Theatre, is in complete
disarray. Operating as a grind house (and
various other phases of operation) during
the past declining years, it has started showing
the "old-time" westerns with Gene
Autry. "My Pal Trigger" (with Roy Rogers),
Wild Bill Hickock in "Red Ryder," etc. The
management hopes to stimulate interest in
the old films among members of "the new
generation" and play on the nostalgia of the
"ciders." lime will tell. So far. the manager
has been unavailable for comment.
Memory of Graf Zeppelin
Awakened by 'Hindenburg'
DETROIT—The "Contact 10" column
of the Detroit News recently published a
letter from a Roseville reader who said:
"The movie 'The Hindenburg" brought
back memores for me but my recollection
is a bit fuzzy. I must have been about five
years old when the Graf Zeppelin flew over
Detroit in the early '30s. I'm sure I saw it
twice either on the same day or the day
after. Was I dreaming or what?"
The editor of the column answered: "If
you were about five, it probably was Oct.
16. 1933, a beautiful sunny day when the
Graf Zeppelin came to Detroit unannounced
in the course of a sightseeing trip
over the Midwest. Lunchgoers downtown
stopped in the streets and 'gazed steadily
upward at the imminent risk of their lives
in traffic' as one contemporary account
said. The Graf followed Michigan Avenue
in from Ypsilanti. swung southward at
Dearborn, floated above Greenfield Village
and the Ford plant, then headed eastward
about a half-mile north of the river.
"In 15 minutes the airship was circling
the Penobscot Building. Crossing Woodward,
the Graf went north beyond Grand
Circus Park, swung west again and turned
south to pass directly over the Detroit
News. Then she crossed the river to Windsor
and disappeared in the haze toward
Lake Erie. That's probably the day you
remember but she also visited the city the
night of Aug. 28, 1929.
"She left Chicago at 5:50 p.m. that day
and attracted great attention from the
ground as she passed over Three Rivers,
Sturgis, Coldwater, lonesville, Moscow,
Chelsea and Ann Arbor before arriving
above the downtown area at 9:40 p.m. when
she was illuminated by searchlights atop
the old Union Trust Building.
"Her appearance was such an event that
the Cass Theatre interrupted its show to
permit the audience, actors and chorus girls
to see the 776-foot craft floating serenely
above the city. It's doubtful, though, that
your memory goes back that
far."
Incidentally, for buffs who may wonder
what disaster befell the Graf Zeppelin, none
did. The airship made hundreds of crossings
between South America and Germany
during the 1930s and finally was retired
be f ore the outbreak of World War II in
1939. According to reports, the dirigible
was disassembled so that aeronautical engineers
could inspect its framework for
stress
factors and metal fatigue.
(Continued from page ME-2)
bushel baskets in which they had been
wrapped and stored for at least 45 years.
We couldn't save the yellowed paper. It
just disintegrated.
"I say last because all told we gathered
together about eight sets (different patterns)
and all were services for eight with
many having extra cups and such. It all
started when I was about eight years old.
My mom and dad lived with her mother
and father on Trowbridge Avenue within
easy walking distance of the theatre. Yes,
walking. Everyone did it in those days.
"Anyway, going to the movies was the
ladies' only recreation other than church,
affairs. So when china nights started, it was
an extra bonus. Since I always went along
they simply paid adult fare for me and so
each evening we received three pieces. And
the movies themselves — 'A Star Is Born,
'Imitation of Life'—and the stars— Ginget
Rogers. Ruby Keeler and a frightful image
of my first glimpse of 'Frankenstein.' 1
never did get to see that movie until I grew
up.
"My family looked to the future whet
there would be lots more of the famih
coming along. It was natural to put togethe
as many sets as we could. After all. dishe.
are easily stored. No spoilage—a little ye!
lowing, maybe, but okay for first startin
out a newly married state. So I've alread
used two, my sister and niece one each
"Now two delightful hostesses (newl<
moved to Lakewood within the last tw
years) are both using the last two sets fc I
company entertaining and being very hi
morons and being very proud about the,
origin.
"I doubt that those gimmick nights ev<
will return. Today there is golf, bowlin
tennis and such for women to participa'
in—and the old Lyceum today is strict
adult 'porno.' "
Problems of Exhibitors
Outlined for Rotarians
HOLLYWOOD — Sherrill C. Corwi'
chairman of the board of Metropolitan Tb
atres. provided an overall view of motii
picture theatre operations as a guest speak
at the Century City Rotary Club lunch*;
Wednesday (6) at the Century Plaza Hot.
Corwin explained the concern express!
by many exhibitors over the shortage }
product, especially the reduced flow of fill*
from major studios, which, he pointed o'.
feel the effects of inflation when budgets
their new pictures.
Corwin reviewed exhibitor contents
that there is a need for a more continues
flow of product to the theatres instead
I
the "feast and famine," which now occ s
during peak seasons. He also discussed e
film buying problems faced by exhibits
and pointed out that many theatre owns
believe they could not stay in business w>
out the profits from their snack bars.
[t*»i H
ID -
v
rafl
to 5
iron
i.,ar»<
rlihd
kit (bo
IWHIkt
fol\j
110! ' f|
ME-4
BOXOFTICE :: April 18. 1'