TO LORD

L
the K-B Cinema's current attraction. Brut
Productions' "Nasty Habits," which is based
on Muriel Spark's jape entitled "The Abbess
of Crewe," wrote (in part): "What ha
been left (in the movie) is a sort of matel
the nun to the Watergate villain game. I
requires very little effort to figure that Sis
ter Winifred (Sandy Dennis) is John Deai
or that the world-traveling Sister Gertrud
(Melina Mercouri) is Henry Kissinger. Th
hope here is that the grasped identities wi!
leave audiences with a sense of their owi
Watergate prowess. The result is, at bes (
precious; at worst, wordy."
NATO TOPPERS HONORED—Marvin Goldman, left, president of the National
Ass'n of Theatre Owners, and Paul Roth, fourth from left, past chairman of
the board and past president of national NATO, were honored at a recent luncheon
held at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. Also shown above are: Wade Pearson,
second from left, president of NATO of District of Columbia; Irwin Cohen,
third from left, president of NATO of Virginia, and Leon Back, right, president,
NATO of Man land. Both Goldman and Roth were presented plaques in appreciation
ni their "fine work on behalf of theatre owners while serving in the top post
of our national organization." The luncheon was sponsored jointly by NATO of
Virginia, NATO of District of Columbia and NATO of Maryland.
WASHINGTON
yhe Eederation of Motion Picture Councils,
which was founded by the Motion
Picture Ass'n of America when it
affiliated
film councils throughout the U.S., will hold
its 22nd annual conference at the Holiday
Inn of San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge
Monday (25) through Thursday (28). Hosting
the conference will be the East Bay
Motion Picture and Television Council, assisted
by members of the Northern California
Coordinating Council. Mrs. Joseph
(Marie) Baker of Soquel, Calif., president,
will preside. Baker wrote in the current
issue of FMPC Newsreel: "Many interesting
programs are planned so that each representative
will have a wealth of information
woocboy con/truction
555 CHESTNUT STREET • CEDARHURST • NEW YORK 11516
516
to take back to her respective council." The
agenda includes the election of officers. This
writer, Virginia R. Collier, as president of
the District of Columbia Motion Picture
and Television Council, is a charter member
of FMPC.
The 26th annual convention of the National
Cable Television Ass'n opened in
Chicago at the Conrad Hilton Hotel Sunday
(17) and will continue through Wednesday
(20). NCTA's theme is "The Choice of
Twelve Million Families." The cable industry's
meeting will feature programs on paycable,
technical developments in satellites
and fiber optics and an overview of federal
regulatory developments. In addition, more
than 100 companies are exhibiting hardware
and software services.
Jack Valenti, president of MPAA, and
Mrs. Valenti hosted an invitational showing
of "Raggedy Ann & Andy" at the AFI
Theatre Saturday afternoon (9). Invitees
were government administrators and congressional
leaders and their children.
Among those in the capacity audience viewing
the 20th Century-Fox animated musical
release, now playing at 12 suburban theatres,
were: Secretary of Health, Education
and Welfare Joseph A. Califano jr. and
Under Secretary of HEW Hale Champion;
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts;
Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia; Sen. John C.
Danforth of Missouri; Sen. John A. Durkin,
New Hampshire; Sen. Gary W. Hart, Colorado;
Sen. Bob Packwood, Oregon, and
AFI director George Stevens jr. . . . The
Post's Judith Martin said of "Raggedy Ann
& Andy": "It fulfills what most adults seem
to expect from entertainment suitable for
a family outing ... It makes sweet statements
in favor of friendship. It is pretty.
It is tuneful."
Star film critic Tom Dowling, reviewing
Amy Carter, America's First Daughter, ;
a Disney fan. According to Harry Howai
Buena Vista branch manager, since Pres
dent Jimmy Carter's administration begai
there has been an increase in White Housi
requests for Walt Disney films . . . Atj
other Disney production for BV releai
started to roll at the Burbank studio Moi
day (11) with twice-Oscared Bette Dav
making her debut for Walt Disney Produ
tions in "Return From Witch Mountain
Ms. Davis recently was honored with tl
AFI Life Achievement Award.
Jerome Sandy, American Internation
Pictures branch chief, upon his return fro|
his company's "super" sales meeting
Tucson, Ariz., reported riding those hors
had made him bow-legged! Sandy, howevt
also had other news to report. Film d
tributors' phased withdrawal from Filmrc r.
for suburban territory again asserted itsd
in AIP's exchange move Saturday
(!,
AIP's new address is: 5400 C Eisenhow'-
Ave., Alexandria, Va. 22304. The new tef
phone number is (703) 370-3400. The ne;
location is appealing to Sandy—it is larg
and with enough space for a shipping rooi.
Murray Baker, former division manag"
for A. Stirling Gold, closed the office he:
and all communications are directed to ti
firm's New York home office, 1350 Aven:
of the Americas . . . Ernest S. Johnstc,
head of his own advertising and publico
agency, and assistant Tom Thor attended!
Mulberry Square Productions sales semirfl
in Dallas, Tex., Thursday and Friday (7,
1
Shep Allen, a showman for almost a ha
century, retired from District Theatres af
20 years as supervisor for the circuit's 7
theatres Friday (1). A native of Chica;',
Allen's initial local employment was |
years ago as manager of the Howard, H
toric black theatre, presenting live ent
tainment. In 1946, when District Theats
acquired the Lichtman circuit, which vJ
operating the Howard, Allen continuedii
his same position as theatre-circuit sup"-
visor. Allen's retirement, at 85. was nod
by a luncheon at the Watergate Terr;e
Restaurant, where his friends and assci«
ates saluted him.
Photo Plugs 'Slap Shot'
PITTSFORD, N.Y.—Frank Lindkap
of Loews Theatres planted a two-colu tl
color photo of Paul Newman and feat"e
story spanning two pages in conjunct n
with the upstate New York premiere >f
Universal's "Slap Shot" at Loews' Pittsf'd
Theatre.
E-4 BOXOFFICE April 18, 1ft