Boxoffice-January.23.1978

JANUARY 23, 1978
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The Story of the World's First Pregnant Man.. .It's inconceivably funny!
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Billy Cryslal
Alex Rocco
Adam Ande'son
John Andersonio
Edward Ansara
Gmo ArdilO
Lawrence Bame
Sarverio BarOiete
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E
NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
iblished In Nine Stctional Editions
BEN SHLYEN
ditor-in-Chiei and Publisher
PH M. DELMONT ..Managino Editor
IRIS SCHLOZMAN ...Business Mir.
y BURCH Equipment Editor
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JE MOUER.N THEATRE Section Is
ided in issue eacJi one month.
querque: Chuck Mittlesladt. P.O. Boj
114 Station C 87108. Tele. 265-
)78, 265-1791.
dU: Genevieve Camp, 166 Lindbergh
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Imore: Kate Savage, 3607 Springdale,
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eedham, Mass. 02192. Tele. (617)
14-1657.
alo- Edward F. Meade, 760 Main St..
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est, Windsor, Ont. N9A 6Y8.
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llcatlon No 082260.
NUARY 2 3, 1978
112 No. 16
THERE
Me TuZie
e^ im mo^i&fv T^etuAe yncLd^
PERSON -TO -PERSON
.ARE NUMEROUS wrongs with
current policies and practices, both on
tlie part of distribution and exhibition: however,
the concept of going to
the public or seeking
redress through governmental agencies has
failed in the past to bring about settlement of
trade disputes between exhibition and distribution.
And, some current approaches may not
prove to be effective; what now seems to be the
objective is to correct so-called wrongs induced
by the consent decrees, which came about
through previous exhibitor demands.
There is no denying that exhibitors, particularly
in the smaller situations, are in a tight
squeeze for quality product; that film rental
demands have put the profitable acquisition of
such product out of reach for countless hundreds
of such situations; that this denial lias, in turn,
had its effect on theatre attendance, which also
has been felt by merchants in every community
so affected. Perhaps enforcement of the consent
decrees by the Department of Justice would
accomplish what was originally intended by
their enactment. But strong efforts in the recent
past have been unavailing and pressure on Congress
to exert pressure on the Attorney General
may be just as unproductive of the desired results.
At any rate, such effort will take time
considerable time—and. where the need for the
relief sought is the greatest, it may be too late.
While there is a public interest from the standpoint
of availability of pictures and their pricing,
we question the advisability of bringing thein
int

—
Albeck Takes Reins at United Artists ^ver' Has $25,850,802
Aiter Resignation of Five Executives
NEW YORK—Andy Albeck has been
appointed president and chief executive officer
of United Artists Corp., effective immediately,
it was announced Tuesday (17)
by John R. Beckett, chairman and president
of Transamerica Corp., UA's parent company.
James Harvey, based in San Francisco,
will be chairman of UA.
Albeck. 56. succeeds Eric Pleskow, who
submitted his resignation as president and
chief executive officer of UA Friday (13).
The announcement of Pleskow's exit was
made by Arthur B. Krim, chairman of UA.
who stated that in view of the resignation,
he and Robert S. Benjamin, chairman of the
finance committee of UA, had conveyed to
Transamerica management their intention
to resign from the board of directors of
Transamerica and to sever their connections
with UA. All indicated the effective dates
of their resignations would "await discussion
with Transamerica management, looking
toward effecting an orderly transition."
'InconipatibiMties'
Regretted
Pleskow, Benjamin and Krim stated rearets
at "the incompatibilities" which had
caused these steps to be taken but said they
were leaving UA in what they described as
"the healthiest condition in its 59-year history."
They emphasized they were "particularly
pleased that in 1977, UA established
a new all-time industry record for global
theatrical revenues," noting that "there is
in place a complete program of pictures
for 1978 which promises to make (it) an
even more successful year than 1977."
William Bernstein, senior vice-president
for business affairs, and Mike Medavoy,
senior vice-president for production, Tuesday
(17) announced their resignations as
officers of United Artists Corp. Both said
they were "discussing with UA an effective
date" for their departures "in order to aid
in the transition period."
Rissner Succeeds
Medavoy
Albeck Thursday (19) announced the appointment
of Danton Rissner as UA senior
vice-president in charge of West Coast prodtiction,
effective immediately, succeeding
Medavoy. A UA vice-president in charge of
East Coast and European productions since
June 1974, Rissner previously was stationed
in London as UA executive in charge of
European production, duties which he assumed
in 1972 when serving as a production
executive with Warner Bros. He joined
Warners in 1969 after affiliation with International
Famous Agency and its predecessor
company, Ashley Famotis Agency.
Rissner will operate from UA's Culver
City. Calif., headquarters. Albeck disclosed.
Concurrently. Albeck announced the appointment
of Dean Stolber as UA vice-president
of business affairs, effective immediately,
succeeding Bernstein. Stolber served
in UA's legal department from 1969 to
1973, when he was appointed executive
assistant to Bernstein. He became director
of business affairs in November 1977.
Prior to joining UA, Stolber, 33. enjoyed
a busy career as a professional actor on the
Broadway stage and in TV.
Albeck has been with UA 29 years, having
originally joined the company's international
department where he functioned in
the area of operations. After filling a number
of key posts, he was named assistant
treasurer of United Artists Corp. in 1970.
In 1972 he became vice-president of UA
and its subsidiary. United Artists Broadcasting.
In 1973 he was made president of
UA Broadcasting and in 1976 was named
senior vice-president, operations.
Transamerica's Beckett, in publicizing
Albeck's appointment, stated: "Andy Albeck's
promotion underscores our announced
policy that there will be no change in the
philosophy or the methods of operation of
UA. The company has established industry
records in theatrical revenues, reaching an
all-time high in 1977. Moreover, Albeck's
appointment indicates the depth of management
at UA and will provide a continuity
in the quality of management operation
that
has made UA an acknowledged industry
leader."
New Marquee System to Be
Introduced at S-A-R 21
KANSAS CITY—Show-A-Rama 21 will
be the site for the introduction of a new
attraction board that has the capability of
flashing changing messages. This could include
film titles, personalities, catch-phrases
and even key art. star photos and logos.
This development can be programed to
make the information change continually,
but making it constantly available to potential
patrons. The usability of such attraction
marquees is indicated by their installation in
sports arenas, banks, motels, etc.
Messages are transcribed by a remote system
which is complete with optical reader
and a keyboard similar to a typewriter.
Show-A-Rama will present the first application
of this innovation in the theatre industry.
Stewart Harnell, National Screen Service
general sales manager, announced that the
imit (which is a virtual message center) developed
by American Sign & Indicator will
be introduced for theatre applications at
Show-A-Rama 21 during a breakfast cohosted
by NSS. National Theatre Supply
and American Sign March 16 at the Crown
Center Hotel in Kansas City.
MacLeod to Score "Stingray'
HOLLYWOOD — Composer Murray
MacLeod will write an original score and
contribute the title song to "Stingray,"
comedy filmed entirely in St. Louis.
Gross in First 24 Days
New York— "Saturday Night Fever"
grossed $25,850,802 in the first 24
days of its premiere engagements in 726
theatres, it was announced by Frank
Mancuso, vice-president-domestic distribution
for the motion picture division
of Paramount Pictures Corp.
In its first week at 726 theatres, "Saturday
Night Fever" reported $6,506,-
454. The second week, at the same
number of theatres, the boxoffice returns
totaled $7,750,444. For the third
week, the gross was $6,922,844.
A Robert Stigwood production,
"Saturday Night Fever" stars John
Travolta and introduces Karen Lynn
Gorney as Stephanie. Produced by
Robert Stigwood with Kevin McCormick
as executive producer, the film
was directed by John Badham from a
screenplay by Norman Wexler.
20th-Fox Marketing
Huddle Held on WC
HOLLYWOOD—Key sales and promotional
executives of 20th Century-Fox participated
in an innovative three-day marketing
meeting which began Tuesday (17) with
company president Alan Ladd jr. keynoting
the sessions, which outlined exploitation
plans for five new films and five current
releases.
New features set for national release are:
"An Unmarried Woman," "The Driver,"
"The Fury," "A Wedding" and "Damien
Also on the agenda were the
the Omen II."
current films "Star Wars," "The Turning
Point," "Julia," "The World's Greatest
Lover" and "High Anxiety."
Sales representatives participating were
Peter S. Myers, vice-president of domestic
distribution; John Peckos, vice-president and
general sales manager; Morris Stermer, assistant
general sales manager; Victor Beattie,
Canadian general manager; John Catanaro.
Western division manager; Franklin
Osborne, Eastern division manager; Ray
Russo. Central division manager; Bruce Snyder.
Atlantic division manager; William B.
Williams. Southern division manager, and
Robert Cheren. Los Angeles branch manager.
Publicity and promotion executives present
were: John Friedkin. vice-president of
worldwide publicity and promotion; Bob
Dingilian. vice-president of national publicity
and promotion; Mike Hutner, director
of national publicity; Eddie Kafafian, director
of promotion and special projects;
Hal Sherman, national coordinator of field
advertising, and Pat Hutchinson, marketing
services.
Division publicity and promotion managers
participating were Nico Jacobellis,
Eastern; Larry Dicckhaus. Central; Doug
Oudcrkirk. Southern; Pat Dwyer. South
Central; Nancy Willen. Western, and Dianne
Schwalm. Canadian.
BOXOmCE :: January 23. 1978

Texas Exhibitors Pledge
$66,000 to EXPRODICO
DALLAS— Exhibitors attending a recent
luncheon here hosted by NATO of Texas
pledged $66,000 to EXPRODICO.
Ross Campbell, a vice-president of the
National Ass'n of Theatre Owners and an
independent theatre owner in Sheridan.
Wyo.. spoke on behalf of EXPRODICO.
He told the assemblage that exhibition "has
reached a point where it is cither EX-
PRODICO or EX-exhibitor. with the shortage
of quality product and high film terms
taking their toll of theatres."
The objective of EXPRODICO, Campb;ll
emphasized, is to increase film product
by making as many as six quality pictures a
year: to have a wide base of exhibitor membership
in the production company; to have
uniform membership fee policies; to have
established film rental policies for member
theatres, and to reinvest in a continued
flow of badly needed pictures for the market
ṄATO and NITE units, he reminded, are
working to raise $3,000,000 in exhibitor
money by Tuesday (31) or the EXPRODI-
CO plan will expire.
Brandon Doak. president of Texas
NATO, urged all Texas exhibitors to participate
in the EXPRODICO program. Theatremen
throughout the state may obtain
detailed information by calling or writing
NATO of Texas. 1512 Commerce. Suite
208. Dallas 75201, telephone (214) 747-
7884,
Paromount's 'Duellists'
Premieres in New York
NEW YORK—Paramount Pictures' "The
Duellists." an Enigma production starring
Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel. began
its American premiere engagement Friday
(13) at the Fine Arts Theatre in New York
City, it was announced by Frank Mancuso,
vice-president, domestic distribution, for
the motion picture division of Paramount.
Directed by Ridley Scott and produced
by David Puttnam. "The Duellists" was the
winner of the Critics Prize at this year's
Cannes Film Festival. The screenplay by
Gerald Vaughan-Hughes is based on Joseph
Conrad's story. "The Duel."
"The Duellists" also stars Albert Finney,
Edward Fox. Cristina Raines. Robert
Stephens. Tom Conti. John McEnery and
Diana Quick.
The production will be distributed in the
U.S. and Canada by Paramount Pictures
and throughout the rest of the world by
Cinema International Corp.
Jack Volenti to Address
ShoWesT 78 Delegates
HOLLYWOOD—Jack Valenti. president
of the Motion Picture Ass'n of America,
will be a featured speaker at the annual
ShoWesT convention to be held at the Hotel
del Coronado in Coronado, Calif.. February
12-14.
Valenti will speak Tuesday morning. February
14. at the business session.
20th-Fox Is Nominated for 79 Globes;
13 UA Features Are in Competition
By RALPH KAMINSKY
HOLLYWOOD—Twentieth
Century-Fox
led the field with 19 nominations in the
annual Golden Globes Awards competition,
sponsored by the Hollywood Foreign Press
Ass'n, with four of its pictures vying for
the "best" rating. United Artists was a
strong second with 13 nominations, including
two for best picture.
Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros,
tied for third with six nominations each.
Warners also shared credits on two other
nominations because of joint projects with
Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer.
Three Fox Dramas Named
Three 20th-Fox pictures were nominated
for best drama — "Star Wars." "The Turning
Point" and "Julia." Its "High Anxiety"
also won a nomination in the best comedy
or musical picture category. Other 20th-
Fox nominations included two for best
actress in a drama; one for best actor in a
comedy; two for best supporting actress;
four for best supporting actor; three for
best director; two for best screenplay, and
one for best original musical score.
United Artists received two nominations
in the best comedy or musical categories
for "Annie Hall" and "New York, New
York." Woody Allen contributed three individual
nominations to the UA total, being
named for best actor in a comedy or musical,
best director and in the best screenplay
category, sharing the latter honor with collaborator
Marshall Brickman.
Other pictures nominated in the drama
category were: "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind" (Col) and "I Never Promised
You a Rose Garden" (New World Pictures).
Also nominated in the best comedy or
musical category were "The Goodbye Girl"
(WB) and "Saturday Night Fever" (Para).
Italian
Film Gets Nod
First Artists found itself competing
against itself in the best foreign film category
with two entries: "That Obscure
Object of Desire" and "Pardon Mon Affaire,"
both from France. Other nominees
were "Cria." a Jason Allen release from
Spain; "A Life Ahead" (WB), from France,
and "A Special Day" (Cinema 5), from
Italy.
Other nominations were:
drama: Anne Bancroft, "The
Best actress,
Turning Point" (20th-Fox); Jane Fonda,
"Julia" (20th-Fox); Diane Keaton, "Looking
for Mr. Goodbar" (Para); Gena Rowlands,
"Opening Night" (Faces Productions), and
Kathleen Quinlan. "I Never Promised You
a Rose Garden" (New World).
Best actor, drama: Richard Burton,
"Equus" (UA); Marcello Mastroianni, "A
Special Day" (Cinema 5); Al Pacino, "Bobby
Deerfield" (Col/WB); Gregory Peck,
"MacArthur" (Univ), and Henry Winkler.
"Heroes" (Univ).
Best actress, comedy or musical: Sally
Field, "Smokey and the Bandit" (Univ);
Diane Keaton, "Annie Hall" (UA); Marsha
Mason. "The Goodbye Girl" (WB); Liza
Minnelli. "New York. New York" (UA),
and Lily Tomlin. "The Late Show" (WB).
Best actor, comedy or musical: Woody
Allen, "Annie Hall" (UA); Mel Brooks,
"High Anxiety" (20th-Fox): Robert De
Niro, "New York, New York" (UA); Richard
Dreyfuss, "The Goodbye Girl" (WB),
and John Travolta, "Saturday Night Fever"
(Para).
Best actress in a supporting role: Joan
Blondell. "Opening Night" (Faces); Leslie
Browne. "The Turning Point" (20th-Fox);
Quinn Cummings. "The Goodbye Girl"
(WB); Ann-Margret, "Joseph Andrews"
(Para); Vanessa Redgrave. "Julia" (20th-
Fox). and Lilia Skala. "Roseland" (Cinema
Shares/ International Distributor Corp.).
Best actor in a supporting role: Mikhail
Baryshnikov, "The Turning Point" (20th-
Fo.x); Peter Firth, "Equus" (UA); Alec
Guinness, "Star Wars" (20th-Fox), and Jason
Robards and Maximilian Schell, both
for "Julia" (20th-Fox).
Best original song: "Down Deep Inside,"
from "The Deep." music. John Barry, lyrics.
Donna Summer and John Barry; "How
Deep Is Your Love." from "Saturday Night
Fever." music and lyrics, the Bee Gees;
"Nobody Does It Better," from "The Spy
Who Loved Me," music, Marvin Hamlisch,
lyrics, Carole Bayer Sager; "Theme From
New York, New York," music, John Kander,
lyrics, Fred Ebb, and "You Light Up
My Life," from "You Light Up My Life,"
music and lyrics, Joseph Brooks.
Best director: George Lucas. "Star Wars";
Woody Allen. "Annie Hall"; Herbert Ross.
"The Turning Point"; Steven Speilberg,
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and
Fred Zinnemann, "Julia."
Best screenplay: Woody Allen/ Marshall
Brickman. "Annie Hall"; Arthur Laurents,
"The Turning Point"; Alvin Sargent,
"Julia"; Neil Simon. "The Goodbye Girl."
and Steven Spielberg. "Close Encounters of
the Third Kind."
Best original score: John Williams for
both "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters of
the Third Kind": the Bee Gees. "Saturday
Night Fever"; Marvin Hamlisch. "The Spy
Who Loved Me." and Al Kasha/ Joel
Hirschhorn. "Pete's Dragon." Walt Disney
Productions.
'End of the World' Debut
In NYC Set for Jan. 29
NEW YORK—Lina Wertmuller's "The
End of the World in Our Usual Bed in a
Night Full of Rain." starring Giancarlo
Giannini and Candice Bergen, has its world
premiere Sunday (29) at Loews' Tower East
in New York. Written and directed by
Wertmuller, the Warner Bros, release is her
first film in English and also her first since
the widely acclaimed "Seven Beauties."
BOXOmCE :: January 23. 1978

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—
Columbia Pictures Begins Operations
With a Restructured Field Ad System
HOLLYWOOD—Columbia Pictures began
operating Monday (9) under its restructured
field advertising system which
incorporates the addition of six recently
hired fieldmen and the appointment of Don
Barrett to the newly created post of national
director of field advertising.
The addition of the six permanent fieldmen
bolsters the previously existing positions
held by Jack Scanlan in Los Angeles
and the Northwest territories and Abe
Kroneberg in New York. The system will
make it possible for one person to handle
all promotional details which, in the past,
were farmed out to different agencies in
each city where a film played.
With Scanlan and Kroneberg continuing
in their positions, Columbia now has divided
the country into eight sections to promote
its product. The new fieldmen and their
territories are:
Jerry Downey, Chicago. Detroit, Milwaukee,
Omaha, St. Louis, Kansas City, Louisville,
Indianapolis and the Minnesota region;
Linda Goldenberg, based in Philadelphia,
handling Pittsburgh, Washington,
D. C, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati,
Columbus, Dayton and Toledo; Stan White
in Dallas/ Fort Worth will cover Houston,
Denver, Oklahoma City. Salt Lake City,
San Antonio and Tulsa; Joel Poss in At-
AIP Has Lower 9-Month
Revenues and Earnings
BEVERLY HILLS—Beverly Hills-based
American International Pictures reported
total
revenues, net income and earnings per
share for the nine months ended Nov. 26,
1977, of $39,247,000. $2,773,000 and
$1.11, respectively. The prior year's comparable
results were $40,367,000, $2,073.-
000 and 81 cents, respectively.
The current nine-month period included
the recognition of $1,413,000 tor 57 cents
per share) of extraordinary income from the
settlement of litigation with the federal government
regarding tax refund claims resulting
from the realization of investment tax
credit on motion pictures produced by the
company during the period Sept. 1, 1961,
to Feb. 27, 1971.
Foreign theatrical and worldwide nontheatrical
revenues increased during the
current period, partially offsetting a 6 per
cent decline in domestic theatrical revenues.
TV revenues were lower primarily because
only two network contracts were recognized
in this period, compared to four such
contracts during the comparable period last
year.
Total expen.scs increased slightly. A larger
percentage of revenue was from independently
produced product resulting in
higher payments to producers. These costs
were not offset by lower amounts payable
to participants and amortization of owned
films. During the third quarter, management
reassessed its estimates of revenue
lanta will handle Memphis. New Orleans,
Miami/ Fort Lauderdale. Orlando, Tampa
and St. Petersburg; John Markle in Boston
will cover Hartford, New Haven. Worcester
and Providence, and Leo Pillot, headquartered
in Buffalo, will coordinate special
projects and will have a "rover" assignment.
Improved relationships with exhibitors is
expected to be one of the benefits of the
new structuring, since fieldmen will be present
to work directly with theatre managers
in coordinating media advertising and promotion.
The fieldmen also will be able to
develop a better familiarity with Columbia
product with early information on releases
and the company's production schedules.
Emphasis on TV promotion will be one
of the main areas for the fieldmen. who will
sell
local outlets and syndicated shows, using
color slides, film clips and other specially
prepared material.
The first release to receive the new treatment
will be Columbia's "The Boys in
Company C." which will receive nationwide
service from the fieldmen. The picture will
be aided by personal-appearance tours of
the film's three principals—Stan Shaw,
Michael Lembeck and Andrew Stevens
who are set to tour the Philadelphia territory
and then go to Chicago and Detroit
for further promotion.
affecting amortization, recovery of distribution
costs and payments to participants.
These revisions increased income before
provision for income taxes and extraordinary
income by $1,313,000 and offset provisions
established during the first two
quarters of this nine-month period.
Widmark Named to TV Jury
HOLLYWOOD—Richard
Widmark will
be the American member of the international
jury for the International Television
Festival of Monte Carlo, February 9-18.
Academy Nominations
Announcement Feb. 21
Beverly Hills—Nominations for the
50th annual awards of the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will
be announced at 9 a.m. (PST) Tuesday,
February 21, Howard W. Koch, Academy
president, has disclosed.
The announcement will be made in
the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre at (he
Academy's headquarters in Beveriy
Hills with Koch and motion picture
celebrities
officiating.
This year's Oscar presentations will
be held Monday, April 3, at the Dorothy
Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles
Music Center. The event will be
telecast live
by ABC-TV.
'Star Wars' Is Judged
No. 1 Sci-Fi Picture
By RALPH KAMINSKY
HOLLYWOOD — "Star Wars" was
named the best science-fiction picture and
won in 13 other key categories to give 20th
Century-Fox a dominant role in the annual
awards presented Saturday (14) by the
Academy of Science-Fiction, Fantasy and
Horror.
American International's "The Little Girl
Who Lives Down the Lane" won the best
horror film award and its star Foster was
named best actress. George Burns won the
best actor award for his role in "Oh, God!",
which also won top honors for Warner
Bros, as the best fantasy film.
"Star Wars" shared two of the awards
with its space competitor. Columbia Pictures'
"Close Encounters of the Third
Kind." George Lucas and Steven Spielberg
tied for the best director award for their
work in "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters,"
respectively. John Williams won the
best music award for his work in both the
space films.
Alec Guiness was named best supporting
actor for his role in "Star Wars" and Susan
Tyrell was selected best supporting actress
for her work in "Bad."
Other "Star Wars" awards included: John
Dykstra, special effects; Rick Baker and
Stuart Freeborn, makeup; John Rollo. costumes;
George Lucas, writer; Gilbert Taylor,
cinematography; Ben Burtt and Don
MacDougall. sound; Paul Hirsch, Marcia
Lucas and Richard Crew, editing; Norman
Reynolds and Leslie Dilley, art directors,
and Roger Christian, set decorator.
Other winners were Ray Harryhausen,
for best stop-motion animation for "Sinbad
and the Eye of the Tiger"; Richard Albain.
a career award for best executive achievement,
and Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles
Times film critic, for best film criticism.
Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Charles
"Pete" Conrad headed the list of presenters,
which also included Richard Benjamin,
Paula Prentiss, Ray Bradbury. Buster
Crabbe, Melinda Dillon. Mark Hamill,
Charlton Heston, Piper Laurie, Christopher
Lee, Wolfman Jack and "Lord Darth Vader"
in the costume he wore in "Stars
Wars."
Field Co-Stars Third Time
With Reynolds in 'Stuntman'
BURBANK. CALIF.—Producer Hank
Moonjean has announced the casting of
Sally Field in "Hollywood Stuntman." Her
co-starring role with Burt Reynolds in the
Warner Bros, release will be her third teamup
with the star, following the highly popular
"Smokey and the Bandit" and the upcoming
United Artists release "The End."
Jan-Michael Vincent also stars as a rival
stimtman in the feature which begins principal
photography Tuesday (31) under the direction
of Hal Nccdham. Lawrence Gordon
is the executive producer of "Hollywood
Stuntman."
8 BOXOmCE :: Januarv 23, 1978

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BOXOFnCE :; January 23. 1978

New MGM Building Planned as Home
For Studio's Entire Film Library
CULVER CITY—Marking the first permanent
construction project to be initiated
at Metro-Goldvvyn-Mayer during the past
20 years, a $1,500,000. two-story building
will be erected early this year to house
MGM's massive film library, considered to
be among the finest in the motion picture
industry, as well as the printing materials
of other producers and distributors which
do business with MGM Laboratories.
Heralding the new building as a significant
development in the efficient operation
of studio facilities. Frank E. Rosenfelt.
MGM president and chief executive officer,
stated: '"New permanent construction on
our 44-acre lot is another positive step forward
by MGM. Everyone at MGM is proud
to be part of our continuing growth and
expanding endeavors in the areas of filmed
entertainment."
Office for Laboratories
The 52.000-square-foot structure will
contain, in addition to film handling and
storage services, all the offices of the MGM
Laboratories as well as the key elements in
film shipping, receiving and negative cutting,
according to Roger Mayer, MGM administration
vice-president and executive
vice-president of MGM Laboratories.
MGM Film Services, a corporate department
responsible for the logistics of all
MGM product in all gauges and languages,
will share the building. This centralization
will facilitate the entire procedure of ordering
and shipment of MGM product for theatrical,
nontheatrical and TV in the domestic
and international markets.
Razing Starts
Next Montli
Razing of existing buildings—two inoperative
sound stages and the old Film Services
building—will begin in February.
Construction, expected to require nine
months for completion, will commence during
March or April 1978. The new building
will be connected to the adjacent film laboratories
via an overhead passageway, thus
centralizing all facilities involving film processing,
handling and storage.
The building will feature four projection
rooms, film storage areas, shipping and receiving
sectors, a negative cutting department,
raw stock storage, a conference room
for outside customers and offices for the
MGM Laboratories" executive staff, MGM
Film Services personnel, engineering and
accoimting units.
Concurrent with this announcement,
MGM also disclosed the successful completion
of a concentrated five-year program
to retrieve all of MGM's printing materials
from aroimd the world, thereby placing all
of the studio's total film product imder a
single roof. Nearly three-fourths of the second
floor of the new building will be devoted
to filing and storing every existing
foot of MGM print material, including 2.-
000 feature films, domestic and foreign versions,
TV adaptations, trailers, film clips,
featurettes, 16mm copies, title overlay versions,
multilingual soundtracks, short subjects,
films edited for airlines and MGM's
extensive library of TV productions. Much
of this material has been retrieved by the
studio's Film Services Department from
areas throughout the U.S. and Canada as
well as Germany. Italy. Austria. France.
England. Spain. Australia. Denmark. Latin
America and the Orient.
New Screen Personalities
Expected at TEXPO 78
DALLAS—The TEXPO '78 convention
committee announced that delegates to the
conclave to be held later this month will
have the opportunity to see several new
film personalities. According to a NATO
of Texas spokesman, "There is a good possibility
that Donny and Marie Osmond will
be present for Inter Planetary Pictures to
plug three upcoming features being produced
by the Osmonds."
New World Pictures and Crown International
Pictures also have expressed the
possibility that they will introduce new film
personalities at TEXPO '78.
An attendance of approximately 700 is
expected at the three-day confab, which
opens Tuesday (31) in Dallas, the spokesman
added.
Universal Film Retitled
NEW YORK—"Five Days From Home"
is the new title for Universal's action-adventure
drama formerly called "The Long Escape."
All-Time High 3-Week
Billing for Columbia
Burbank—Columbia Pictures has
achieved the biggest three-week domestic
billing in the history of the company
with a total billing of $31,379,-
125 for the weeks of December 14-20,
December 21-27 and December 28-
Tuesday (3). The net film rental total
is primarily the result of the record
business of "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind," which grossed $39,198,-
564 at the boxoffice in that period.
(Through Tuesday (3), the total boxoffice
gross for "Close Encounters of
the Third Kind" was $40,275,491.)
Of the $31,379,128 total billings.
$29,438,701 represents "Close Encounters."
Columbia's previous three week billing
record was June 23 to July 13 with
$16,704,080, led by the opening weeks
of "The Deep," the company's biggest
grossing film until "Close Encounters."
'American Wax' Filming
Completed in 35 Days
HOLLYWOOD—"American Hot Wax,"
an Art Linson production, has completed
principal photography ahead of schedule at
Paramount Studios here. Floyd Mutrux directed
the 40-day shooting schedule to a
35-day wrap. Tim Mclntire stars as famed
deejay Alan Freed in the story about the
early days of rock 'n' roll. Chuck Berry.
Jerry Lee Lewis and Screamin' Jay Hawkins
all guest-star as themselves for the climactic
"Big Beat Show" at the Brooklyn Paramount.
The film was shot entirely in Los Angeles,
with the Wiltern Theatre being transformed
into the Brooklyn Paramount for
three weeks of shooting, while as many as
eight cameras captured the rock show.
Other scenes were made in downtown Los
Angeles and Pasadena, with two weeks of
filming on the Paramount sound stages.
William Fraker served as director of photography
and John Kaye supplied the screenplay.
"American Hot Wax" will be distributed
in the U.S. and Canada by Paramount
Pictures Corp. and throughout the rest of
the world by Cinema International Corp.
Starline Will Be Known
As New World of Texas
DALLAS—Starline Pictures, Dallas, independent
distribution company, this month
will be renamed New World of Texas. Starline
president James A. Prichard and his
son Jim will handle all New World Pictures
product, not only in the Dallas area, but
also in Oklahoma City, New Orleans and
Memphis.
New World recently unveiled a $30,000,-
000 slate of 20 feature films, scheduled to
be released in 1978.
Bob Rehme. vice-president and general
manager of New World. Hollywood, is expected
to announce the new distribution
arrangement and also to present a preview
of the company's '78 product at TEXPO
'78.
Virgin Islands Location
Set for Kirtman Feature
NEW ROCHELLE. N.Y.—Leonard Kirtman,
president of International Film Industries,
has announced plans to produce
"Growin' Up Ain't Easy," the first of ten
films scheduled for 1978. To be lensed in
the Virgin Islands in February or March,
the film is the love story of a young woman
of about 16. searching for her parents with
the aid of a Billy Jack type. The incredible
obstacles they encounter against the Caribbean
backgroimd form the basis for the plot
of the
picture.
Thriller' for UA
HOLLYWOOD—Gabriel Katzka and
Steven Bach will serve as executive producers
on "Thriller." which W. D. Richter
has written and Michael Wadlcigh will direct.
Neil Canton and Frank Marshall will
produce the psychological mystery for
United Artists.
10 BOXOFFICE :: January 23. 1978

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BOXOmCE :: January 23, 1978 11

Osmond Distribution
Sales Huddle
Participants in the first national sales conference held at Osmond Distribution
Co.'s new $4,000,000 motion picture studios in Provo, Utah. The huddle, organized
in conjunction with Inter Planetary Pictures, focused on upcoming theatrical film
projects.
BEVERLY HILLS — Osmond Distribution
Co., in conjunction with Inter Planetary
Pictures, hosted its first national sales conference
at the Osmonds' new $4,000,000
motion picture-TV studios in Provo, Utah,
last month to discuss upcoming Osmond
theatrical film projects.
Reed R. Callister of Osmond Distribution
Co. and Max A. Keller of Inter Planetary
Pictures officiated at the conclave, which
centered on the marketing and distribution
plans for "The Great Brain," the fall fulllength
theatrical motion picture of a projected
Osmond three-picture package for
1978 release.
"The Great Brain," which stars Jimmy
Osmond, is a family film based on the
award-winning series of books "The Adventures
of the Great Brain." The feature,
produced by Richard Bickerton, is now in
post-production, with a national release set
for July.
Among sub-distributors attending the
conference were Wayne Chappell, Ellis
Gordon, Bill Glazer, Rick Rice, Jeff Ruff,
Dennis Glenn, James Pritchard jr.. John
Shipp, Jerry Persell, Gary Persell, Marvin
Friedlandre. Irving Lomis, Ross Wheeler
and Jim Payne.
Inter Planetary Pictures is a Beverly Hillsbased
independent theatrical distribution
company headed by Micheline and Max A.
Keller, husband-and-wife attorney team.
February Release Planned
For Film of 'F D.R.' Show
HOLLYWOOD—"F.D.R.," a film
adaptation
of Robert Vaughan's one-man stageshow
about the late President, will be released
as a theatrical motion picture nationally
February 16.
FOR THE BiST MERCHANT SCREEN ADS
CALL
"THE ntOFESStONMS"
MOTION PICTURE SERVICE CO.
us HYDE STREET. SAN FRANCISCO. CA. 94102
(415) i73r«162 SERRY KARSKI t JACK GREEN
Joseph E. Levine Launches
'Magic' Location Lensing
HOLLYWOOD — The triumverate of
Joseph E. Levine, director Richard Attenborough
and writer William Goldman have
joined forces again, this time on "Magic,"
a unique love story starring Anthony Hopkins,
Ann-Margret and Burgess Meredith,
which began production Monday (9) on
location near Ukiah in northern California.
Levine, Attenborough and Goldman, who
teamed last year on the spectacular "A
Bridge Too Far," which also included Hopkins
in its all-star cast, have combined
again for another dramatic but more romantic
film. "Magic," adapted by Goldman
from his own best-selling novel, uses the
flash of show business with the tenderness
and tragedy of a love story corrupted Dy
madness.
Joseph E. Levine and Richard P. Levine
are the producers of the Joseph E. Levine
Presents production, with C. O. "Doc"
Erickson serving as executive producer.
MGM Slates 'Brass Target'
As Major '78-79 Release
NEW YORK—Richard Shepherd, Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer senior vice-president and
worldwide head of theatrical production,
announced that MGM will bring to the
screen, as one of its major releases for the
1978-79 season, "Brass Target," highly controversial
suspense drama that places the
suspicion of criminal conspiracy on the
death of Gen. George S. Patton.
Sophia Loren will head a large cast of
U.S. and international stars in the Arthur
Lewis-Berlc Adams production, which also
will include John Cassavetes, Max von
Sydow, Patrick McGoohan and George
Kennedy in the role of Gen. Patton.
John Hough will direct "Brass Target,"
with Arthur Lewis producing. Alvin Boretz
has written the screenplay based on the
Frederick Nolan novel "The Algonquin
Project."
Filming is scheduled to get under way in
March 1978.
ShoWesT 78 Reports
Sold-Out Tradeshow
SAN DIEGO—Convention officials report
that the ShoWesT "78 tradeshow was
sold out as of the first of the year and,
pointing to the growing popularity of the
event, registration at that time was up over
50 per cent. Co-sponsored by the National
Ass'n of Concessionaires, Theatres West and
the Theatre Equipment Ass"n, ShoWesT '78
is scheduled to be held at the Hotel del
Coronado, Calif., February 12-14.
The event marks the fourth consecutive
year that the combined convention-tradeshow
has been held in the San Diego area.
Tentative plans call for ShoWesT '79 to be
held in Las Vegas in order to accommodate
larger tradeshow and a bigger contingency
a
of delegates from the three co-sponsoring
organizations.
Al Lapidus, ShoWesT's co-chairman this
year and the NAC chairman of the board,
has disclosed that the 1978 registration was
up 450 delegates, as compared to last year's
total, with only a month left before the
event. Delegates have registered from 30
states, as well as from the western provinces
of Canada. Delegates attending ShoWesT
'78 will represent top management echelons
from all
areas of the concession and theatre
industries.
Robert W. Selig, ShoWesT '78 co-chairman
and executive of Pacific Theatres in
Los Angeles, stated that the convention will
have the "strongest and broadest sponsorship
yet from major and independent film
companies." Tradeshow chairman Jerry Ireland
of Lapidus Popcorn Co., Los Angeles,
pointed out that, due to an increased demand
for booth space, he has compiled a
"waiting list" of companies in the event of
a last-minute cancellation.
George Aurelius, convention coordinator
based in San Diego, said that singer-dancer
Lilibet Stern, "Miss ShoWesT '78," will
serve as the official convention hostess, participating
in the opening ceremonies, tradeshow
and other activities.
Boxoiiice Int'l Combo Is
Playing in Five Cities
HOLLYWOOD—Harry Novak, president
of Boxoffice International Film Distributors,
announced that multiple openings
began Wednesday (4) for an action-suspense
combination, "Hitch Hike to Hell" and
"Kidnaped Coed." The duo debuted in
Jacksonville, Atlanta, Washington D. C,
Phoenix and Hawaii.
"Preliminary results," said Novak, "indicate
that this combination will be as big as
'The Child' and 'Axe,' on which we are
using more prints than ever before."
Larry Bishop in 'Big Fix'
UNIVERSAL CITY—Producers Carl Borack
and Richard Dreyfuss announced the
signing of Larry Bishop for a featured role
in Universal's "The Big Fix," currently
filming in Los Angeles.
12 BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978

Paul Rice Now President
Of Mercury, Miller CofB
KANSAS CITY—Paul Rice, vice-president
of Mercury Film Co., was elected
Paul Rice Bev Miller
president of the firm at a special meeting
of stockholders held here Thursday (12).
Associated with Mercury for the past six
years, Rice is one of the major stockholders
of the company. Bev Miller, founder
and president of Mercury Film for 15
years, now becomes chairman of the board
of the film-distribution firm.
Mercury Film vice-presidents Mary-
Margaret Miller and Russell P. Borg were
re-elected, while Mrs. Beatrice Young, in
addition to her duties as secretary-treasurer
of the company, was elevated to the position
of vice-president. William E. Rice,
newest Mercury stockholder, was appointed
to the board and elected a vice-president.
Moved to
Suburban Site
Mercury Film is located in the Ranchmart
Shopping Center, 95th and Mission,
Prairie Village, Kas., where offices were
relocated five years ago following a move
from Old Filmrow. Several other motion
picture distribution and exhibition companies
followed Mercury's lead in moving to
the southwestern suburban site.
Mercury distributes film in five states:
Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and
southern Illinois. It handles releases for
Dimension Films. Cannon, Independent International,
Hemisphere, Group M. NMD,
SRC, EMC, Russ Meyer, Gail, 808, Variety,
Fine, Anonymous, Goldstone and
many other smaller organizations.
Big
Year Expected
In a joint statement Miller and Rice said
they feel this will be Mercury's "biggest
year in volume" due to several factors, but
principally because of the continuing shortage
of product from majors as they continue
to specialize in multimillion-dollar high-percentage
blockbusters, plus a greater number
of new and larger-budgeted pictures available
from independent producers and distributors.
Rice stated, "The companies which will
make the greatest strides and profits for
themselves as well as the exhibitors will be
the ones raising their budgets and distributing
higher-quality pictures. We have many
coming this year and we are negotiating for
others. We have great expectations for our
first release, "Elegant John and His Ladies."
starring Henry Fonda, Eileen Brennan
("The Last Picture Show") and Susan
Sarandon (The Other Side of the Mountain")."
MOTION PICTURES RATED
BY THE CODE & RATING
ADMINISTRATION
The following feature-length motion pictures
have been reviewed and rated by the
Code and Rating Administration pursuant
to the Motion Picture Code and Rating
Program.
Title Distributor HaUng
The Astrologer (Interstar Dist.)
Coma (UA)
Goodbye Franklin High (Cal-Am) PG
Leopard in the Snow (New World) PG
Let's Make a Dirty Movie
(BLC Services)
\r\
Operation Thunderbolt
(Cinema Shares)
PG
The Other Side of the Mountain
Part II (Univ) PG
Save Our Beach (Cal-Am)
\r\
[r]
PG
Director Mark Rydell Is
Signed to Meg 'The Rose'
NEW YORK—Mark Rydell has been
signed to direct the motion-picture debut
of stage and recording star Bette Midler in
the Marvin Worth-Aaron Russo production
"The Rose," a 20th Century-Fox film
scheduled to go before the cameras in
March, it has been announced by Alan
Ladd jr., president of 20th Century-Fox
Pictures.
Rydell's directorial credits include "Cinderella
Liberty," "The Reivers," "The Cowboys"
and "The Fox."
The director has checked in at 20th-Fox
and immediately will begin preparation on
the musical love story set against the background
of the late '60s. Miss Midler, whose
rise in show business has been meteoric,
will essay the role of a singing star of the
era.
'Omen 11' Starts Filming
On Location in Israel
NEW YORK—"Damien—the Omen 11"
has completed principal filming in this country.
The 20th Century-Fox suspense thriller
began location filming in Israel Tuesday
(17) for two weeks.
Starring William Holden, Lee Grant and
Jonathan Scott-Taylor, the film is being
produced by Harvey Bernhard and directed
by Don Taylor. The screenplay by Stanley
Mann, Michael Hodges, Al Ramrus and
John Shaner is from a story by Bernhard.
Hal C. Davis Dies at 63;
President of the AFM
NEW YORK— Private funeral services
were held for Hal C. Davis, president of
the American Federation of Musicians, who
died Wednesday (11). He was 63 years of
age.
Davis also was vice-president of the AFL-
CIO and a member of the National Council
on the Arts. The recipient of the 1975
Democratic Heritage Award of the American
Jewish Committee, Davis was on the
boards of the Muscular Dystrophy Ass'n.
of America and the World Jazz Ass'n. He
was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia,
the honorary musical society.
He leaves his wife Marion of the home,
Brielle, N.J., and two daughters, Joyce Davis
Smith of Los Angeles and Ruth Davis
Ayres of Pitsburgh.
Globe Presenters Named
HOLLYWOOD—Judy Solomon, president
of the Hollywood Foreign Press Ass'n,
announced that Henry Winkler, Richard
Harris, Cheryl Ladd and Cantinflas will be
presenters at the Golden Globe Awards
ceremonies, to be held Saturday (28). The
four stars are the first presenters to be
named for the annual event, which is sponsored
by the HFPA.
Coming for 1978
''Gail Palmers Erotic
Adventures of
Candy
STARRING
CAROL CONNORS
Star of
Deep Throat
as seen announcing
"The Gong Show" (Daytime)
Jan 16, 19, 23, 25 and 29
* Rated X *
Contact: Caribbean Films West
6315 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, California 90028
(213) 465-8677
BOXOmCE :: January 23, 1978 13

—
Smifh, Weisbord Like Offices in NYC,
Place Accent on High-Quality Films
By JOHN COCCHl
NEW YORK—One of the newest film
production companies around. Smitfi-Weisbord
Productions. Ltd., is located in New
York because its partners prefer it. Earl R.
Smith II, who has been involved in the creation
of ten corporations and partnerships
and currently is associated with five other
companies aside from Smith-Weisbord, also
is connected with veteran executive Seymour
Malamed, with whom he has arranged
financing for such films as "Robin
and Marian." "The Big Bus" and "St. Ives."
Producer and personal manager Jeffrey
Weisbord comes from a show business family,
has a solid background in the film world
and is in contact with many major talents.
The partners had been working in the
real estate division of Paine. Webber, Jackson
& Curtis (known prominently by its first
two names) when they became friends.
Gradually, they realized that they had many
things in common, among which was a desire
to become film producers. Of that desire
was born Smith-Weisbord. which was
formed in early 1976 and operates while its
founders actively are pursuing other ventures.
The partners admit that they may
not agree on everything but say that they
will not undertake any project in which
they don't fully believe.
Smith, an expert in tax-shelter financing
(which, incidentally, is still available for
corporate investors), is a film buff who feels
that it is no burden to operate in New York.
He and Weisbord will travel to California
whenever necessary and also keep in close
contact with foreign interests. They are concerned
with obtaining intelligent and original
material and with making entertaining
and stimulating films of high quality.
They have two projects under way: "The
Frame-Up," by Nicholas Meyer and Michael
Pressman, and "The Brazil Run," by
Ken Roberts and Oliver Stone. For the latter
property, they have engaged screenwriters
David and Howard Rayfiel. brothers,
to collaborate for the first time on a
screenplay. The locale already has been
changed to central Africa because of difficulties
involved in filming in Brazil, so a
title change is forthcoming. The film-to-be
is described as the story of an intelligence
agent who attempts to get away from the
agency about which he knows too much.
A first draft is due from the Rayfiels in
February and major stars and a director
are being sought. The partners emphasize
that this will be more than an adventure
feature and also state that investment in
the project is under way. Preliminary informational
talks with various distributors already
have begun.
"The Frame-Up" sounds like a winner:
it will be a film-within-a-film caper comedy
about two young men who try to make a
CHANGE OF PACE—Earl Owensby, upper left, president of Shelby, N.C.-
based EO Corp., is transformed by film director Worth Keeter III for the title role
in "Wolfman," EO's next project. Now in preprodiiclion, the horror feature represents
a change of fare for EO Corp. A June completion date has been scheduled
for "Wolfman," which also will .star Brown Lee Davis and German actor Gunther
Forester. A story set in the 1900s, the lensing all will lake place at Owensby's
studio facilities. A PG rating is anticipated.
movie about robbing a valuable painting
from New York's Metropolitan Museum.
When a producer turns them down, the intrepid
pair decide to do the job themselves
and to shoot a film of the real robbery.
How they get away with it forms the basis
for the story. Individual financing is being
negotiated now for the $1,500,000 budget
and Smith and Weisbord hope to start shooting
here in late spring or early summer.
Movies should entertain. Weisbord maintains,
while Smith states that he wants to
bring forth quality product beyond the level
of TV which can make a point at the same
time. They want to do only a limited
amount of films per year—but to do them
right. Other projects are now in the works.
Univ. Holding 4-Day
Marketing Session
UNIVERSAL CITY—Sales and exploitation
plans for 17 films which Universal Pictures
has slated for release are under discussion
at a four-day marketing session
which opens Monday (23) for its advertising
and promotion representatives from around
the country, with Charles M. Powell, vicepresident
in charge of advertising, publicity
and promotion, presiding.
Seven films to be screened for the discussions
are "Gray Lady Down." "House
Calls." "The Other Side of the Mountain
Part II." "Almost Summer." "Blue Collar,"
"Nunzio" and "Five Days From Home."
Segments from ten other films which
still are in production or post-production
also will be screened. They are "Jaws 2,"
"The Wiz." "The Greek Tycoon." "The
Deer Hunter." "The Big Fix." "I Want to
Hold Your Hand." "FM." "National Lampoon's
Animal House," "The Promise" and
"Paradise Alley."
Universal top staffers participating in the
sessions are advertising, publicity and promotion
vice-presidents Bob Rains and Buddy
Young: national promotion manager Kevin
Genlhcr; West Coast publicity manager
Frank Wright; creative national advertising
manager Dale Gourlie: production advertising
manager Jack Kerness. and Bob Faber.
Pete Emmet. Steve Ellman. Karen Balkin
and three representatives of the D'Arcy-
MacManus & Masius Agency. Julie Bass,
John Mogee and Ann Bogis.
Others attending are Jerry Evans, executive
in charge of Eastern advertising; Jerry
Juroe, East Coast publicity manager; Bob
Sherwood, Eastern advertising manager;
James Glaser. New York field representative;
John litis and Paula Jamrock of Chicago;
Jack Wodell and Bob Goodwin, San
Francisco; Fredell Pogodin. Philadelphia;
Bill Burton. Dallas; Barry Carnon. Toronto,
and Mike Parver. Atlanta.
'Buckstone County Prison'
Rights Acquired by FVI
HOLLYWOOD—Film Ventures International
has acquired distribution rights to
"Buckstone Cotmty Prison,"
Earl Owensby 's
with release set for March 30. The film
was made under the title of "Seabo."
14 BOXOmCE :: January 23, 1978

CALENDARofEVENTS
JANUARY
S M T W T F S
12 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
FEBRUARY
S M T W T F S
12 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28
JANUARY
28, Golden Globe Awards presentation, Hollywood
Foreign Press Ass'n's 35th salute, International
Ballroom, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, Calif.
31 -Feb. 2, TEXPO '78, Fairmont Hotel, Dallas.
FEBRUARY
12-14, ShoWesT 78, Hotel del Coronado, Coronado,
Calif.
21, Academy Award nominations to be announced,
Samuel Goldwyn Theatre, Acodemy Building, Beverly
Hills, Calif.
MARCH
2-19, Los Angeles International Film Exposition

M ^J^olluwood i^eport mi
f
m
Only four feature films began shooting in
December. 1977, as compared with fifteen
production starts in the previous month and
seven in December, 1976. Three of those
begun last month are independent productions
of widely varying subject matter, including
one musical, one spy story and a
unique political drama.
UNIVERSAL
Paradise Alley. Sylvester Stallone wrote
the screenplay and also is directing and starring
in this story about three brothers who
grow up in the '"Hell's Kitchen" area of
New York City. Filming started in New
York December 6, with additional shooting
also scheduled for Hollywood. Others in the
cast are Armand Assante, Lee Canalito, Ann
Archer, Joyce Ingalls, Kevin Conway, Amy
Eccles and Terry Funk. Ronald A. Suppa
and John Roach are the producers.
INDEPENDENTS
Charles Band Productions
Fairy Tales. Producer Charles Band's
"sexy musical" went before the cameras December
12 in Los Angeles under the direction
of Harry Tampa. Sy Richardson and
Professor Irwin Corey head the cast, and
Anne Gaybis and Martha Reeves also will
appear. The screenplay is by Frank Ray
Perilli and Franne Schacht. and Daniel Pearl
is the director of cinematography.
Mires Cinematografica (Roma)
Covert Action. David Janssen and
Arthur Kennedy star in this feature which
began filming December 5 in Rome, with
additional shooting slated for Greece. Others
in the cast are Corinne Clery, Maurizio
Merli, Stefano Satta Flores, Ivan Rassimov,
Carlo Romanelli and Giacomo Rossi Stuart.
Romolo Guerrieri is directing the screenplay
by John Crowther, Vittorio Schiraldi and
Mino Roll. Gibi Milesi is the producer.
Robert L. Munger Productions
Born Again. Shooting began on location
in Washington, D. C, December 14 on the
screen adaptation of the book by Charles
Colson, Nixon aide involved in the Watergate
scandal. Filming also will be done in
Los Angeles and at a prison site. Dean Jones
stars as Colson. Others in key roles are Anne
Francis, Dana Andrews, Jay Robinson, Raymond
St. Jacques, George Brent, Sen. Harold
Hughes, Harry Spillman, Scott Walker,
Robert Gray, Arthur Roberts, Ned Wilson,
Dean Brooks, Peter Jurasik, Christopher
Conrad and Stuart Lee. Irving Rapper is directing
from the screenplay by Walter
Bloch. Robert L. Munger and Frank Capra
jr. share producing responsibilities.
* -:: *
Mulberry Square Productions'
'Double McGuffin' to Begin
Producer-director Joe Camp and his Mulberry
Square Productions began shooting
Tuesday (17) on "The Double McGuffin,"
starring Er.aesl Borgnine, George Kennedy
and EIke Sommer. Also in the cast are Lisa
Whelchel and Dion Pride. Filming is scheduled
on locations in Atlanta, Savannah and
Charleston
create her
. . .
stage
Glenda
role in
Jackson will
playwright
re-
Hugh
Whitemore's "Stevie" for the Bowden production
shooting for First Artists since
Monday (16) at EMI Elstri Studios . . .
Producer Michael Douglas also began shooting
Monday (16) on "Eyewitness" (previously
announced as "The China Syndrome").
James Bridges is directing a cast headed
by Jack Lemmon. Jane Fonda and Douglas
. . . Gold Coast Productions, newly formed
to finance films in the South, has set a
May 15 start for "The Awakening," based
on the novel by Kate Chopin about the
South in 1898. Jane Alexander will star,
with Edwin Sherin directing the screenplay
by John and Carl Bellante. Filming will be
on location in New Orleans and Grand
Isle . . . Warbrook Productions, formed by
Gene Warren and Peter Brooke, plans two
feature projects. "Whatever Happened to
World War III?" and "Gold of the Fox."
Warren, an Oscar-winner for the special
effects in "The Time Machine," will function
as producer for the company, and
Brooke will write the scripts and direct . . .
Producer Earl Owensby will begin principal
photography Monday (30) at his EO Studios
in Shelby. N. C, on "Wolfman," which he
says will be his most expensive production
to date. Owensby will play the central character
in the film, written by Worth Ketter
III, who also will direct.
Levine Is Lensing Goldman's
'Magic/ Toplining Hopkins
Producer Joseph E. Levine began lensing
"Magic" Monday (9) on location near
Ukiah, Calif. William Goldman's screenplay,
a story of romance, madness and trick
endings, is being directed by Richard Attenborough.
Anthony Hopkins stars as a ventriloquist
who searches out the girl he once
loved, played by Ann-Margret. Burgess
Meredith plays Hopkins' agent . . . "Cloud
Dancer," a Melvin Simon production, goes
before the cameras on location in Phoenix
February 13, with David Carradine starring
and Barry Brown serving as producer-director.
Simon will be executive producer of
the adventue-love story about aerobatics in
which Carradine is a pilot. The script was
written by William Goodhart . . . Producer
Erin Paul has set a Monday (23) start in
London for "There Are No lO's," a Onethruten
production which will consist of
nine vignettes dealing with the romantic
involvements of nine women. Robin Sherwood
has been signed by executive producer
Todd Bartholomew to play the role of "8"
in the film . . . Seymour Borde and Associates
will begin shooting within the next
30 days on location in Malibu on "Summer
Camp Reunion," to be directed by Jerry
Schafer . . . "The Concision" will begin
principal photography February 6 for producers
David Sheldon and Larry Sugar, with
James McNamara as executive producer.
Maximillian Schell, Susan George and Glenn
Ford will star. Sheldon will direct the screenplay
by J. Blevins Pommer, based on her
novel "The Seeding of Diane Fenner."
Douglas, Lemmon and Fonda
Feature Now 'Eyewitness'
Producer Michael Douglas has signed A.
Wilford Brimley for a role in "Eyewitness,"
which began shooting Monday (16) . . .
Anne Archer will play a taxi dancer in
Universal's "Paradise Alley" . . . Trevor
Howard will star with Glenda Jackson in
"Stevie," a First Artists-Bowden produc-
tion . . . Fritz Weaver was cast in the role
of Oscar Porcari sr.. in Universal's "The
Big Fix." Larry Bishop also has a featured
role . . . Amy Stewart appears in a cameo
role in United Artists' "Revenge of the Pink
Panther"
star with Burt Reynolds in "Hollywood
Stuntman," the Burt Reynolds-Lawrence
Gordon production set to start shooting
Tuesday (31) for Warner Bros, release . . .
Ed Lauter has a starring role in "Magic,"
produced by Joseph E. Levine and now
shooting in northern California . . . Christina
Reynolds has been cast in the main
female role in Earl Owensby's "Wolfman"
. . . Geoffrey Lewis will have a featured
role in "Silver Saddle," now shooting on
location in Almeria. Spain.
Bumstead Signed as Designer
For 'Same Time, Next Year'
Producer Walter Mirisch has signed Henry
Bumstead to be production designer for
. . .
Universal's "Same Time, Next Year," set to
begin filming late this month with Robert
Mulligan directing and Ellen Burstyn and
Alan Alda starring in Bernard Slade's adaptation
of his own Broadway hit . . . Mark
Rydell has been named to direct "The
Rose," starring Bette Midler in her first
screen role for 20th Century-Fox . . . Henry
Mancini and lyricist Leslie Bricusse will
team on two songs for separate films being
scored by Mancini, "It's All in the Mind"
for Universal's "House Calls," and "Move
'Em Out" for United Artists' "Revenge of
the Pink Panther" Producer William
Dancer has signed Harlan Bamiff to write
the score for "Little Girls Blue." set for
release in the spring.
Ron Miller Is Exec. Producer
Of Disney's 'Crime Fighters'
Walt Disney Productions plans a start
this simimcr on "Crime Fighters," a comedymystery
written by Mike Barrie and Jim
Mulholland. Kevin Corcoran and Chris Hibler
will be co-producers, and Ron Miller will
be executive producer . . . Producers Michael
Jaffe and Ike Jones began principal
photography Monday (9) on location in
Louisiana on "A Woman Called Moses,"
. . . Executive
Sequoia West
starring Cicely Tyson . . .
West Productions has been formed by David
McGonagle and Jeanne Snyder to produce
"Red Tears," an original screenplay by Mc-
Gonagle. James Leiand Cook will be executive
producer and Hubie Kerns and Albert
Cole will share producing chores
producer Louis Arkoff has
named
Bill Butler editor for American International's
"Our Winning Season."
16 BOXOFnCE January 23, 1978

. . . Spielberg
. . Best
. . .FRANCOIS
Xlose Encounters of the Third Kind' (Col)
Wins Blue Ribbon A word for December
By DANIEL WILLIAMS
QOLUMBIA'S UFO EPIC "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" seems destined to
continue Steven Spielberg's success streak. The writer-director's first film since
"Jaws," it opened to lecord-breaking grosses and currently is listed in the Boxoffice
Barometer as drawing 847 per cent of average business. The film also has been universally
praised by critics and was described by some members of the National Screen
Council as "an almost religious experience." The feature was rated PG by the MPAA
and A2 by the NCO.
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
was reviewed in the November 21 issue
of Boxoffice, where it was stated in part:
"This has been one of the most eagerly
awaited films in recent years. It delivers in
every respect to audiences and critics and
will especially deliver at the boxoffice. It
is a brilliant blending of fact, science-fiction
and fantasy . . . superb on all counts,
with major credit going to writer-director
Steven Spielberg for having guided the
massive undertaking of the project so expertly
. . . Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr,
Melinda Dillon and Francois Truffaut play
the major roles with conviction. Outstanding
photography was directed by Vilmos
Zsigmond and production design by Joe
Alves is beautiful and eye-catching . . .
But above all it is the visual effects by
Douglas Trumbull and sound effects by
Frank Warner and their respective crews
that stand out."
Selected comments from the December
ballots of the NSC follow:
Breathtaking . . . Thrilling
Stunning! Beautiful! Breathtaking! The
best film so far this year. I was nearly
moved to tears by the beauty of its final
sequence. TTiis movie is as adorable as
a child's face or a mother's love. See it.
Jerry Fitzgerald, Tyler (Tex.) TV-Star
is an entertainment wizard
and 'Close Encounters' is dazzling fun.
Jacqui Tully, Arizona Daily Star, Tucson.
The most realistic and uplifting film of
its kind yet made. A sci-fi milestone.—Jim
Moorhead, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Evening
Independent . movie of 1977. An
incredibly thrilling (the word is used advisedly)
experience. I suspect it will be an
alltime classic, ranking with the best
Hollywood has produced.—Gene Pack.
KUER-FM, Salt Lake City.
The invaders from outer space are benign,
the special effects spectacular, the
finale almost religious in its ritualistic
ecstasy.—Earl J. Dias, New Bedford
(Mass.) Standard-Times . . . The type of
movie that will have you checking the sky
once you leave the theatre. A fantastic
movie.—Guy H. Giampapa, WXNE-TV,
Needham, Mass. . . . We've come a long
way since Flash Gordon in relating to the
aliens coming. The characterizations were
a little weak, but when that Mothership
. . . Wow,
what a finish! I'm ready!
Christopher Albright, WWNO Radio, New
Orleans.
The special effects will win the Academy
Award this year. In just one instance
—when the space ship rose over the mountain—I
shook my head in utter disbelief.
The audience responded to this scene with
much reaction—and how does it sound
when hundreds of people say "Wow!" at
the same time?—Gene Silver, teacher. Oak
Park and River Forest High School, Oak
Park, III. . . . Spielberg's humanitarianism
and spirituality make "Close Encounters"
a moving movie. The last thirty minutes
are awesome and a wonderment.—Fred
W. Wright, freelance journalist, Reddington
Beach, Fla.
Steven Spielberg has created one of the
most fulfilling, ingenious and totally satisfying
pictures of all time. It's nice to see
people exiting theatres crying, not from
high movie prices, but from experiencing
something truly beautiful. In my opinion,
everyone should have a "close encounter"
of the Spielberg kind!—John Larsen, Star-
Free Press. Oxnard, Calif.
Absolutely splendid—one of the year's
two or three greatest achievements on
screen. Spielberg manages to be both
touching and vastly exciting at the same
time. Kudos too, to Douglas Trumbull and
to John Williams, whose marvelous score
contributes to the film's evocation of starry
wonder and childlike innocence.—Jim
Shertzer, Winston-Salem (N. C.) Journal
... A technically stunning film with a
timely message of peace.—Philip Wuntch,
Dallas Morning News . . . Bound to become
a classic!—Sumner Rand. Orlando
(Fla.)
Sentinel Star.
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini
An airport traffic control crew follows the path
of an unidentified flying object as a routine task.
French investigator Lacombe (Francois Truffaut)
watches in av/e as a spaceship approaches to land.
The international scientific teams react to the
spectacular maneuvers of the arriving Mothership.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH
Roy Neary Richard Dreyfuss
Ronnie Neary
Teri Garr
The Cast
Claud Lacoiuhe .
Julian Guiler
Truffaut
Melinda Dillon
Produced by Julia Phillips,
Michael Phillips
Written and
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Production Staff
Director of
Plioioi^raphy ViLMOS Zsigmond
Filmed in
Panavision
Color bv MetroColor
This award is given each month by the National
Screen Council on the basis of outstanding
merit and suitability for family entertainment.
Council membership comprises motion
picture editors, radio and TV film commentators,
representatives of better films councils,
civic, educational and exhibitor organizations.
BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978 17

^
BOXOFFICE
BAROMETER
This chart records the performance of current attractions in the opening week of their first runs in
the 20 Icey cities checl(ed. Pictures with fewer thon five engogements are not listed. As new runs
are reported, ratings are added and averages revised. Computation is in terms of percentage in
relation to average grosses as determined by the theatre managers. With 100 per cent as average,
the figures show the gross ratings above or below thot mork. (Asterisk * denotes combination bills.)

'High Anxiety' Is
New York's Leader
NEW YORK—Temperatures were very
low, yet "High Anxiety" lived up to its name
by continuing as number one: 685 for the
third week average at Cinema 3 (660) and
the Sutton (710). "The Turning Point"
jumped to second place from fourth, with a
450 in the ninth Coronet week. "Operation
Thunderbolt." an English-language film
from Israel on the Entebbe raid, captured
third spot with a 410 opening roimd at the
Guild.
The outdoor film "Sasquatch" was fourth,
its opening week average of 405 at the New
Embassy dwarfing the fact that it opened on
showcase a couple of days after debuting
here. "Julia" was down to fifth place (from
second last time), still big with an even 400
in the 15th outing at Cinema I. Down from
third to sixth place went "That Obscure
Object of Desire," a nice 385 in the ninth
round at Columbia II.
Just below the top attractions was "Maraschino
Cherry," a sexer averaging 370 at
two houses.
On showcase, the weather took its toll.
Yet, both "Saturday Night Fever" and
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" managed
to gross around $750,000 each this
round. "The Choirboys" and "Which Way
Is Up?" also scored.
Cinema I Julia (20lh-Fox), 15th wk -"On
Cinema 11 Padre Padrone (Cinema 5), 3rd v^k 240
Cinema 3, Sutton High Anxdety (20lh-Fox),
3rd wk 650
Columbia II—That Obscure Objecl of Desire
(First Artists), 9th wk 385
Coronet—The Turning Point (20th-Fox), 9th wk 450
Eastworld, Rialto I Maraschino Cherry
(Mature Pictures), 3rd wk 430
Festival— 1900 (Para'), 10th wk 100
55th Street Playhouse El Paso Wreddng Corp.
(Gage), 2nd wk 280
Guild Operation Thunderbolt (Cinema Shares) ...410
New Embassy Sasquatch (North American) 405
Pans The Man Who Loved Women (Cinema 5),
2'0
8th wk 105
12th
Plaza
wk
Iphigenia (Cinema 5),
Rialto II Feelings (Kemel Enterprises), 3rd wk. 260
68th (Quartet Films),
10th _ 140
Street Playhouse—Mr. Klein
wk
'Saturday Night Fever' Captures
Baltimore First Run Leadership
BALTIMORE—"Saturday Night Fever."
the Paramount offering in its fourth week
at the Patterson I, moved into first place in
the ratings race. "Uneasy lies the head that
wears the crown." however, and "Fever"
cannot rest on its laurels as a quartet of
challengers are within reach of the leader's
250 average. "The Gauntlet." Warner Bros.
release, is mustering a strong bid with a 220
at Liberty I and Glen Burnie Mall, but just
ten points back, at the Senator and Liberty
II. is 20th Century—Fox's appealing "The
Turning Point." Well within striking distance
of these three are a pair of entries
bracketed at 200. 20th-Fox's "The World's
Greatest Lover" and Paramount's "Looking
for Mr. Goodbar."
Cinema 1, Paramount Telefon (UA). 3rd wk 95
Cinema II—Semi-Tough (UA), 8th wk 110
Glen Burnie Mall, Liberty 1 The Gauntlet
(WB), 3rd wk 220
Liberty 11, Senator—The Turning Point
(20th-Fox), 3rd wk 210
Mini-Flick I Looking for Mr. Goodbar (Para),
3rd wk 200
Mini-Flick II Marianne Bouquet (SR), 3rd wk 100
Patterson I Saturday Night Fever (Para),
4th wk 2'0
TINSELTOWN CAME to
the Cily of Brotherly Love as Linda Goldcnberg, Columbia's
regional promotional director staged a Hollywood-style premiere for "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind" in cooperation with Don Davidson, advertising and
promotion chief for Philadelphia-based Sameric Theatres. Klieg lights, red carpet
and celebrity interviews by WYSP's Jerry Abair highlighted the event (left). Among
the stars in attendance was Garry Maddox of the Phillies who was greeted by
Davidson (right).
Patterson II Star Wars (20th-Fox), 30th wk
PIayhouse^I900 (Para), 2nd wk
Towson The World's Greatest Lover
(20-Fox), 3rd wk
'Star Wars' Musical Show
Slated for Spectrum Bow
PHILADELPHIA—A "Star Wars" musical
extravaganza is being planned for
March at the 19.500-seat Spectrum, local
150
2on
sports and entertainment arena. Planned as
a benefit for the All-Star Forum series,
which brings classical artists to the city, the
sci-fi musical spectacle is the joint effort of
Moe Septee, leading concert and theatrical
promoter here who also serves as managing
director of the All-Star Forum, and Larry
Magid and Alan Spivak. who head up Electric
Factory Concerts, which produces all
the rock shows at the Spectrum.
The proposed concert will feature a universe
of laser beams and a large orchestra
playing the music of "Star Wars" and other
sci-fi movie spectacles. It will be an indoor
version of the "Star Wars" concert staged
last fall at the Hollywood Bowl with Zubin
Mehta conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
'Kiddie Porn' Ban Passed
TRENTON, N.J.—The state senate gave
final approval to a bill designed to prevent
the "kiddie porn" industry from getting established
in New Jersey. The bill passed
this week by a vote of 29-0 and now awaits
the signature of Governor Brendan T.
Byrne since it had been passed earlier by
the General Assembly.
The measure would make it a high misdemeanor
for anyone, including parents, to
photograph or film a child under 16 engaged
in a sexual act. The legislation lists
explicit sexual acts and nudity, if it is "to
be depicted for the purpose of sexual stimulation,"
as subject to prosecution if they involve
children under 16 years of age. Persons
who sell such photographs or films also
would be subject to prosecution under the
bill.
Robert Mulligan will direct "Same Time,
Next Year."
Pittsburgh Retains
Tax on Admissions
PITTSBURGH—The city council feathered
the nest of all members (all Democrats),
plus the mayor, and offered no relief
for movie theatres, which had asked for
exemption from the city's unique and deadly
10 per cent amusement admissions tax:
they passed the fatty budget for 1978 with
the movie tax as part of the package and
gave very large salary increases to the
mayor and to themselves, staff, department
heads,
etc.
Pittsburgh is the only city in the commonwealth
permitted to collect a 10 per
cent amusement tax.
Downtown theatres have suffered for
many years because of the amusement tax
which was permitted via the commonwealth's
general assembly many years ago
as a temporary emergency measure and
which is renewed just before New Year's
Day each year, being by far the easiest levy
to collect by the city big spenders, who always
look out first for No. 1—themselves.
While the council was passing the $147,-
200,000 tax budget, Allegheny County
Commissioners enacted the 1 per cent hotelmotel
occupancy tax. the revenue from this
measure starting Jan. 1, 1978, going to a
fund to try to offset deficits of operation
when the convention center, now early in
construction, is opened in two years. Operation
and maintenance of the complex
which they acknowledge is a failure while
still not built, will be shared by city and
county taxpayers, who had no say in the
matter.
Welcome J.M. Schoenhardt
SALT LAKE CITY—Welcome to
Jonathon
Michael Schoenhardt. newly arrived 8
pound, 1 1 ounce son of Michael and Denice
Schoenhardt. Jonathon arrived at 3:15 a.m.
December 29. Dad works at Universal Theatre
Supply.
BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978 E-1

BROAD\f\/Ay
OPERATION THUNDERBOLT" had
gala invitational
premiere Monday evening
(16) at the Guild Theatre. Distributor
Cinema Shares International extended invitations,
under the sponsorship of His Excellency
Israeli Ambassador Simcha Dinitz.
Members of the Israeli delegation to the
United Nations and some of the actual survivors
of the Entebbe raid and rescue attended.
.\ reception at the new discotheque
New York, New York (formerly Jimmy's
and also formerly Toots Shor's) followed.
Among the dignitaries and celebrities attending
were Mayor Koch, Bess Myerson.
former Mayor John Lindsay and his wife,
"Thunderbolt" co-producer and director
Menahem Golan, Lynn Redgrave, TV
weatherman Storm Field, NBC president
Herb Schlosser and hostages Cynthia Zeger
and Julie Harston.
Arnold Friedman of Cinema Shares said
that all 24 of the company's subdistributors
were in town to attend sales meetings on the
new film.
•
Martin Newnuin. executive cUrector of
Will Rogers Meiiwriol Fiimi. spent a busy
end of the week. He was guest speaker at
the Morion Picture Bookers cliih of New
York luncheon at Rosoff's Thursday 119)
and the next day he hehi forth at a similar
function at the Drake Hotel, this one sponsored
by Will Rogers. Several important
announcenients were made.
•
Leonard Kirtman, president of International
Film Industries of New Rochelle, will
be a co-sponsor of the NITE convention in
Atlanta, Ga., Wednesday (25). He is meeting
with NITE head Tom Patterson and
with theatre owners of the Southeastern region
to present his innovative proposal for
financing of the ten features he is to produce
this year, Patterson already has indicated
that he felt support would be forthcoming
and that he stresses the need for
good product at reasonable terms.
•
"Senegal: Fifteen Years of African Cinema,
1962-1977" will run Thursday (26)
through February 27 at the Museum of
Modern Art. Some 39 films will be spread
a
over 20 programs and will include a complete
retrospective of the internationally acclaimed
Ousmane Sembenc and some of
the early works of Puulin Soumanou Vieyra.
the first filmmaker from Black Africa. Also
included is "Kaddu Beykal" (News From
the Village) from Senegal's first woman
filmmaker. Safi Faye, in its American premiere.
Sembene's most recent work. "Ceddo,"
a controversial film which has not been
seen even in Senegal, also will be presented.
•
"Blue Country," Jean-Charles Tacchella's
first film since the hit "Cousin Cousine,"
will have its American premiere Sunday,
February 5 at the 68th Street Playhouse.
Quartet Films is distributing the French
comedy in this country. Starring is Brigitte
Fossey, famed for her work as a child in
the classic "Forbidden Games" (1952) and
currently in Truffaut's "The Man Who
Loved Women." She portrays an independent
urbanite who finds that country folk
searching for the relationships and sophistication
of the big city.
•
Warner Bros.' "Starship Invasions" has
had its landing delayed again. Originally set
to open at Blue Ribbon houses Friday (20)
and then pushed back to Friday (27). the
new science-fiction thriller is now due to
arrive February .-1. Robert Vaughn and
Christopher Lee star in the Hal Roach Studios
presentation, with special effects by
Warren Keillor.
•
Showcases Wednesday (18): "The Turning
Point" (mini), "Star Wars" (mini).
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind,"
"Which Way Is Up?", the acclaimed Canadian
film "Outrageous!", "The World's
Greatest Lover," "The Gauntlet," "Equus,"
"The Choirboys," "Saturday Night Fever"
and North American Productions' "Sasquatch."
Opening Friday (20) were "Semi-
Tough" and "The Goodbye Girl," which
had been on mini-showcase.
L««
ARTOE REFLECTORS
1P/''-J3'//-14".D,AMET«i^
Q- ... $50.00
,
I6"-I6'/l"'0IAMETER
$81.50
J AMERICAN MADE
^ Lee ARTOI
TLA Cinema's Winter Film
Series Program Announced
PHILADELPHIA — "The Lion Roars,"
a 12-week festival of MGM films, will be
presented every Monday and Tuesday from
(9-10) through March 27-28 by the TLA
Cinema for its winter program. It will be a
double feature for both nights, each week,
with the early feature ref)eated at the late
showing.
The series gets under way with "Grand
Hotel" and "Dinner at Eight" on (9-10).
Booked for January showings are "An
American in Paris" and "Gigi" (16-17),
"Pride and Prejudice" and "A Tale of Two
Cities" (23-24), "The Wizard of Oz" and
"National Velvet" (30-31).
The repertory film house, located in an
extended center city area, also is programing
a 19-week series continuing through
May of "Great Plays On Film" for showings
only on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. For
th:s series, TLA is offering a special $10
card admitting the bearer to any ten of the
19 scheduled films. "A Doll's House" starts
the series on (8) with follow-ups for the
first two months including "Julius Caesar"
(22). "Uncle Vanya" (29), "Cat on a Hot
Tin Roof" February 5, "The Importance of
Be!ng Earnest" February 12, "Miss Julie"
February 19 and "A Man for All Seasons"
February 26.
Now in its second year, TLA Cinema
will continue, with seperate admission, the
midnight showings of "The Rocky Horror
Picture Show" on Fridays and Saturdays.
"Youth-oriented films like "National Velvet,"
"A Day At the Races," "An American in
Paris" and "Knights of the Round Table"
will be featured for Saturday afternoons,
starting (7) with "Kim."
For its sixth annual New Year's Eve
Party and All Night Movie Marathon, the
TLA Cinema had scheduled eight features,
starting with "Sex Madness" and carrying
on through "Reefer Madness," plus shorts,
cartoons and TV commercials. A free Discount
Ticket Book, a $15 value good for
admission to any 10 film shows, except on
Friday and Saturday nights, was to be given
to every patron who stayed for the entire
marathon show.
As a special holiday offer this months,
two Discount Ticket Books were offered,
20 admissions for $20.
PERSONALIZED,
CROSSPLUGS, ANIMATED
COLOR DATESTRIPS
SPECIAL BONUS OFFER!
kStudioS;
INC.
1327 S. WABASH AVE. CHICAGO, IL. 60605
(312) 427-3395
SPECIAL BROCHURE UPON REQUEST
Scott Stoneback Forms Firm
ALLENTOWN, P.'\.—Scott R. Stoneback,
formerly with Robin Miller Filmaker
in neighboring Bethlehem, Pa., formed his
own fullservice film, videotape and audiovisLial
production firm here as the Media
People, Inc., in sLiburban Alburtis. Pa. He
will serve as president of the corporation.
Stoneback has served as producer, director
or production supervisor for more than
50 commercial, industrial, theatrical and
docimientary films. Other principals in the
Media People, Inc., include Steve Smith,
director of photography: Dan Ara Barlieb,
script and continuity director; Linda Rosato,
commercial art director: and Tom Wehr,
technical art and music director.
E-2 BOXOFFICE :: January 23, 1978

WASHINGTON
Qnowstornis on Friday the 13th had residents
of this area slip-sliding to the
movies as well as to work in Filmrow offices.
In fact. Highway Film Delivery drivers
were running ten hours behind schedule.
according to Timothy Teagan, HFD southern
manager. Ice slicks, drifting snow and
slow-moving highway equipment delayed
deliveries of films to theatres throughout
the surrounding four-state area. It was
pointed out by Dan McClafferty of Molitch
Film Service (warehousers) that the delivery
schedule was not heavy due to exhibitors'
holding of Christmas programs. HFD and
Molitch both are subsidiaries of Clark
Transfer of Burlington, N. J., headed by
president Mathew Molitch.
New Universal branch manager Steve
Turner screened "Other Side of the Mountain—Part
at the MPAA Friday (13).
Turner was assigned here only a few months
ago and advanced to branch manager upon
Alex Schimel's retirement at the end of the
year . . . Also screened the same day was
Warner Bros.' "Capricorn One." Branch
chief Charles Jordan hosted at the K/B
MacArthur.
John Colloca, Sunn Classic branch manager,
returned from a Dallas sales meeting
the company held Monday (9) to Friday
(13). Dave Garber, formerly at the Boston
exchange, is Colloca's assistant.
Back to the hospital for further surgery
is Don King, president of the Town Theatre
Group, owners of the B. F. Keith's,
Town and Penn theatres. King's assistant
Walter Gardner finds it "quite difficult"
operating without King.
Seymour Hoffman, District Theatres president,
faced two resignations at the first of
the year, those of William R. Hoyle, advertising
and publicity director, and Blanch
Elliott, circuit secretary. Hoyle had been
with the circuit 41 years, Elliott 31 years.
Wheeler Films, the local distributor for
Group I's popular X-rated film "Liz," has
set a six-situation bow for the film February
1. Wheeler also has set a wide-break unspooling
for Sanrio Productions' animated
children's film "The Mouse and His Child,"
beginning February 7.
A Pacific International Enterprises release,
"The Late Great Planet Earth," narrated
by Orson Welles, is being four-walled
in 21 neighborhood theatres. Star critic
Tom Dowling wrote that Welles, in consenting
to narrate the film, was "reaching
a new nadir of shamelessness" and that
filmmaker Robert Amram depicted "Babylon
destroyed by tanks from World War
II."
James Garner's daughter Gigi has been
selected as queen of the 1978 Shenandoah
Apple Blossom Festival. A student at the
University of California, she also has been
assisting her father with the production of
his IV series "The Rockford Files."
Eddie Kessler, local producer-writer, will
debut "The Eddie Kessler Show" Thursday
1 26) on WHAG-TV in Hagerstown, Md. The
60-minute color program will star Tab
Hunter and also will preview motion picture
attractions. Sponsors, according to Kessler.
include distributors, exhibitors, sports centers,
dinner theatres and miscellaneous businesses.
The American Film Institute's
"Factfile,"
an ongoing scries of reference ptiblications.
has added six new titles: "Movies and TV
Nostalgia," "Film Music," "Animaition."
"Third World Cinema," "Film/Television:
A Research Guide" and "Film/Television:
Grants. Scholarships and Special Programs."
New Year Finds Dwindling
Number of Local Theatres
PHILADELPHIA—The new year finds
that the city's neighborhood motion picture
theatres continues to dwindle. In 1939, during
the industry's heyday, there were more
than 200 neighborhood houses operating
within the city limits. With the departure of
the Roxy Theatre in the Roxborough section
of the city, and the Midway Theatre
in the Kensington area, the new year finds
fewer than 16 independent "traditional"
theatres still operating in neighborhoods,
many with an X-rated film policy.
The neighborhood slack has been taken
up by the Sameric Theatres and Budco
Quality Theatres chains locally based, and
General Cinema Corporation, which are
now operating movie complexes of two to
five screens in neighborhood shopping centers.
The Midway Theatre, a key run neighborhood
house, closed last October and
was the last of 16 theatres once located in
Kensington. The 2,724-seat theatre, opened
in 1932 at a cost of $l.-'i million, will be
converted into a complex of retail stores.
The Roxy Theatre, with its 1.800 seats all
located on the main floor, was opened in
1927 and was the flagship for the independent
theatre circuit of the Felt brothers,
Fred and Abe. It was also a key nm house
and featured mighty Wurlitzer organ concerts.
Live Shows to Broadway
PITMAN, N.J.—Clayton Piatt, who has
been operating the Broadway Theatre here
since 1971, will bring top name country
and western talent to the de luxe picture
temple. Once the leading vaudeville and motion
picture theatre in South Jersey,
originally opened on May 29. 1926, the
Broadway Theatre still has its ornate ceiling
design, its elegant side boxes, rhinestone
velour curtain, and a three-bank Kimball
pipe
organ.
While still operating as a first-run film
house, Piatt is encouraged by his test booking
of Donna Fargo for a late November
show. As a result, he has scheduled Freddy
Fender, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Don Williams
for performances early this year. The
theatre has
1,120 seats.
^W

. . "Equus"
PITTS BURGH
Fve F. EInian, after a half-century in the
film industry, is calling it quits and
will be honored at a luncheon Thursday
(26) at 12;30 p.m. at the Old Allegheny Restaurant.
Employed by several film distributors
during these many years. Eve has been
with S. Perilman Films for the past decade
as assistant manager, secretary and booker,
with considerable sales experience, too.
Meercy B. VVeiner, NATO secretary, handling
reservations for the luncheon honoring
Mrs. Elman, states that Eve is "retiring
from the rat race to join the human race."
In honoring Eve Elman, we look back
50 years to Old Filmrow. which was in the
1000 block of Forbes Street (now Forbes
Avenue), having been burned out of former
quarters on Penn Avenue by a blaze in
which many of the film workers tragically
died. On Forbes, most film exchanges were
located within the Seltzer Building and
there we encounter Eve on the second floor.
We recall many others in the Seltzer
Building, including at that time, Walt Thomas.
Joe Kaliski. Roy Haines, *Sam Wheeler,
Anthony Jim, *Hilda Lissmann, John Maloney,
*George Ball, Harry Goldstein, Ben
Kalmenson, Dave Ferguson. Andy Cherry
*George Tice, Joe Hanny, 'Lou Hanna.
Paul Qualtrough, *Dave Silverman, Harry
Milstein, Jim Sharkey, Harry Silverberg,
Abe Schnitzer, *Dave Brown, Ed Morton.
Henry Smith, John Hollis, Eddie Wheeler.
Eddie Fontaine. Bill Kupper, Harry Pasco,
Harry Grelle, * Paul Reith, Harry Stahl,
Fred Solomon, Paul Krumenacker, *Angelo
Marino, John Gribble. Bill Grainer. Minnie
Silverberg. Ira Cohen, Eddie Moran,
Alice Ziegler, John McGreevey and Bert
Stearn.
In adjoining buildings were Jim Alexander,
Sam Fineberg. Hymie Wheeler, Al
Weiland, F. Elmer Hasley, Harry Reamer,
George Sallows, Abe. Sam and Mannie
Steinberg, 'Ben Stahl, Mort and Art England,
Ted Miller, Addie Klein, Kitty Kane,
*Jake Pulkowski, etc. Those marked with
an asterisk * survive, a few still active in
the film industry.
Bob Finkel, TV outstanding producer of
this city, following telecasting of his classic
vaudeville two-hour network program "People's
Command Performances." has "Rock
and Roll Sports Show" upcoming. His mother
Mrs. William Finkel continues to make
her home here .
went on screen
at the Manor ... "A Special Day" comes to
Squirrel Hill following "Julia" . . . Craig
Russeirs "Outrageous!" out of Canada is
CINERAMA IS IN
SHOW BUSINESS IN
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki,
*^°"'* "^'^^ *^^ famous
filli^idlM
[H^n^ Don Ho Show. .
. at
iHffmsl Cinerama's Reef Towers Hotel.
IN WAIKIKI: REEF IIEFJF TOWERS EOGEWATW
•
entertaining Pitt-CMU students at Kings
Court.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court is considering
the ancient Blue Laws which the Commonwealth's
general assembly has refused
to amend or abandon on at least six different
occasions, the high court now hearing
pleas of two supermarket chains for legal
openings on Sundays. Controversial laws of
1794 are inconsistent and are enforced discriminately
(at least 48 of Pennsylvania's 67
counties permit Sunday openings) and Paul
A. Manion, attorney for the store chains,
shows that porno materials can be sold on
Sundays, but not Bibles—the laws are an
illogical hodgepodge of exceptions and contradictions
that has confused prosecutors,
courts, etc. An amendment in 1935 permitted
movie theatres to open at certain
hours Sundays where voters in political subdivisions
approved the issue via referendum.
Plainclothes detectives raided three northside
magazine stores and arrested six proprietors
and employees under a new state
law enacted December 26 which prohibits
sales of magazines, etc.. which has to do
with sexual abuse of children.
Penn Hills council fired public safety director
Norman Haywood who abused his
position in harassing and illegal raids at
news-magazine stores, etc.
Cinemette discontinued the showing of
commercial advertisements at all theatres.
Public turned on the theatres and didn't
patronize the disappointing Christmas season
films.
.
February 1 will find "High Anxiety" on
screen at the Fiesta and Showcase Cinema
East . . Stage company of "The Robber
Bridegroom" was caught in the snows in
Virginia and West Virginia and didn't gel
here for a Heinz Hall performance ... A
new agreement with Eqiiibank is said to
make possible Penguins pro hockey remaining
here next season ... At Titusville.
$191,000 is being expended upon improvements
at the Crawford County fairgrounds
. . . Annette Haven, who testified here
before a federal grand jury regarding production
and distribution of f)orno movies
and who received exoneration for such testimony,
was the star at both the Art Cinema
and Garden, respectively in "V-The Hot
One" and "Black Silk Stockings."
Atlantic
for January features Alan Trustman's
"Who Killed Hollywood?" You
People will still want
should read this . . .
to go out writes George Anderson, local
. . . Each
radio and newspaper cinema critic, in
answer to the predictions that movie theatres
face obscolescence by 1985
issue of New Canadian Film, published five
times annually, seems to contain less English.
Archival film footage from Germany,
France and the USA is combined with
Marcel Ophuls' to give Pittsburgh the premiere
of "Memory of Justice," running 278
minutes to be seen in the Carnegie Institute
lecture hall the evenings of January 25 and
27—Ophuls will appear between the two
showings on January 26 to discuss his films
and materials ... U of Pitt will offer free
exhibitions of "Video Variations" (1972)
at 4, 6:30 and 8 p.m., February 6. This is a
historic tape event.
Princess Grace (former Grace Kelly of
Philadelphia) will make her first American
stage appearance since 1952 when she comes
to ^he local Carnegie Music Hall February
26 and 27. Her initial poetry readings are
tributes to International Wildlife. Monacon
Princess will repete her readings in Minneapolis,
Philadelphia. Washington. D.C.,
Princeton and Harvard Universities.
(Editors Note: At the Pittsburgh correspondent's
direction, his copy is being
printed exactly as received.)
Display Has 'Pete's Dragon' Waggin'
PHILADELPHIA — A unique display,
featuring an animated cutout figure of the
Elliott character from "Pete's Dragon" was
created by Reuben T. Gordon, well-known
local commercial and sign artist, for the
Northeast Cinema 4. one of the five screens
in the Northeast Cinema I-II-III-IV-V complex
in the Korvette Shopping Center here.
Extending 35 feet across the front of the
lobby, the method used in creating the animated
action is unique in that there is no
physical connection to a motor or drive. In
addition, Gordon decorated the theatre's
refreshment stand with the likeness of
Dragon."
"Pete's
Paul Vogel Dies at 62
EAST LIVERPOOL. OHIO—Col.
Paul
W. Vogel, 62, area theatre owner, died at
his home after surviving a heart attack
January 7. His widow Sissy French Vogel
said he was ill only about ten minutes.
Showman and lifelong resident of East
Liverpool and Wellsville area, with brothers
Jack of Salem and Theodore (Hank) of
Baltimore, he was a veteran in movie ownership
and management.
Father of the Vogel brothers, the late
Clarence Vogel, pioneered Drive-In Theatres
in the mideast.
Col. Vogel served with the 82nd Airborne
Division during WWII and later with
the 100th Infantry Reserve Division. He
was president of Vogel Theatres in Ohio
and Maryland; brother Jack also is a Pennsylvania
exhibitor. Holder of many military
awards, he was active in reserve officers programs,
American Legion, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, Riverside United Presbyterian
Chiu-ch. Wellsville; East Liverpoor Country
Club and Variety Club Tent 1.
Surviving in addition to brothers in exhibition
and his widow is a daughter, Kelly
Ann Vogel at home. Services were conducted
January 9 with full military honors.
(Editors note: Copy printed exactly as received
in accordance with Pittsburgh correspondent's
directions.)
Mark Robson will produce and direct
"Avalanche Express."
E-4 BOXOFFICE :: January 23, 1978

:
Sundays
! "The
PHILADELPHIA
II s a result of a change in the federal copyright
laws imposing copyright liability
on cable TV companies, Blue Ridge Cable
TV, Inc., Stroudsberg, Pa., was given permission
to increase its monthly rate from
$5.95 to $6.10 for its 8,000 subscribers in
Monroe Coimty, Pa.
The slide and tape-augmented talk show,
"Fifty Years of Showboat" at the Free Library
on Logan Square in center city, will
conclude on Sunday (22) with the free
showing of the 1936 film version of "Showboat."
United Artists Broadcasting, linked with
United Artists Pictures, has sold its radio
station WWSH-FM here to Cox Broadcasting
Corp., Atlanta-based radio-TV chain,
for $4,200,000.
A free public series of films will be presented
on Tuesday nights at the University
of Delaware's Student Center, Newark,
Del., as part of a program on native American
culture. The series opens with two
documentary films, "The Forgotten American"
and "The New Indians."
Malcolm P. Rosenberg, prominent local
attorney, has been named executive chairman
of the Variety Club Telethon by Hank
Milgram, president of Variety Club of Philadelphia.
He will work closely with Mayor
Frank L. Rizzo and businessman Jack Pearson,
who are co-chairmen of Telethon "78,
a 19-hour fund-raiser starting February 4,
at
10 p.m. on WPVI-TV here?
Donna Baum, promotion director for
Budco Quality Theatres, hosted a morning
screening for the media critics of "The
One and Only" at the Top of the Fox
Screening Room.
Frank Carroll, Warner Bros, branch manager
here, invited the local area exhibitors
to a trade screening of "Capricorn One" at
the Fox Theatre. A comment report on the
film was prepared by Irv Blumberg, War-
promotion chief here.
ner Bros,
Linda Goldenberg, Eastern regional director
of field operations here for Columbia
Pictures, arranged for the preview showing
of "The Boys in Company C" at the Top of
the Fox Screening Room.
Great Plays on Film Series
PHILADELPHIA — Great Plays on
Film, an 18-week series, will be screened
on Sunday afternoons at the TIA Cinema.
The city's leading repertory film house located
in an extended center-city area, started
the series on Sunday (22) with "Julius
Caesar." Other theatrical works transferred
to the screen that are scheduled to be shown
at 3 p.m. include "Uncle Vanya"
(29), "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (Feb. 5).
Importance of Being Ernest" (Feb.
12), "Miss Julie" (Feb. 19),''"A Man for All
Seasons" (Feb. 26).
March screenings include "The Trojan
Women" (5), "Marat Sade" (12). "Pygmalion"
(19), "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
(26). In April: "The Caretaker" (2), "Long
Day's Journey Into Night" (9), "Romeo and
Juliet" (16), "Phaedre" (23), "Under Milk
Wood" (30). The 18-week series will conclude
with "Arsenic and Old Lace" (May
7), "The .Sea Gull" (May 14), and "The
Playboy of the Western World" (May 211.
Varied Forms of Pay TV
Threatening Theatres
PITTSBURGH — Centre Video's Gil
Lucas says that CATV with a pay TV channel
for first-run motion pictures is possible
this year for apartments in this city, as well
as townhouse complexes, hotels, etc., via
MDS (Multiple Distribution System). Subscriber's
receivers are equipped with unscrambling
devices to interpret signals radiating
from a north-side transmitter.
CATV, per .se, may be two years in the
future for Pittsburgh but for multiple complexes
with antenna (and no cable) MDS
could be placed in operation within a few
months.
Telemine, not new but coming on strong,
could arrive here before MDS. This is the
cassette projection system used in hotels
and motels throughout the country which
show movies for the entertainment of guests,
who watch on in-room TV sets. This system
is being licensed and franchised by Telemine,
offering apartment tenants and hotelsmotels
eight new films monthly via the
building wires. Each film is available many
times each month on different days and
at different time periods (as are pay TV
movies on CATV).
With Telemine, there is no censorship; the
films do not go out over the air, there is
no outside cable connection and the FCC
is not involved in any way. For $8 a month,
subscribers with a roomful of guests may
view eight new motion pictures in multiple
exhibitions, depriving theatres of admissions,
damaging restaurant patronage, store
sales, public transportation, garages, parking
lots and other businesses.
The automatic videotape cassette player
for residential use was a big Christmas seller.
Owners can record their own shows or tape
shows off their TV set for replay as many
times as desired; in addition, they can record
video shows when they aren't at home.
Further, commercial tapes of shows may
be purchased at a reasonable price, thus
making possible a virtual theatre in the
home.
Another big seller has been the TV-projected
seven-foot picture equipment—or
lens kits may be purchased for approximately
$15, enabling do-it-yourselfers to
assemble a video projector. Such a setup is
a supplement, of course, to any telecasting
by microwave, cable or other type of video
transmission, all of which offer films. Literally,
everyone is in exhibition—and many
are in production, too.
Both "The Godfather" and "The Godfather,
Part 11" were Oscar winners as best
pictures, "The Godfather" in 1972 and
"I he Godfather, Part II" in 1974.
Adult Bookstore to Fight
Zoning Permit Rejection
DOYLESTOWN, PA.—A zoning permit
to show X-rated films was denied an adult
book store here because it was too close to
a school. However, the attorney for the
French Adult Book Store has charged censorship
in an appeal this week. Paul Shalita,
attorney for the store, argued before
the panel of three judges of the Bucks
County Court that the Bristol Township
Zoning Board acted illegally last May in
rejecting a zoning application to show X-
ratcd movies in
the existing store.
"This is really an attempt at censorship
through zoning laws and that is now permissible,"
said Shalita. The store is situated
two blocks from a church and a quarter mile
from an elementary school. The zoning
change was requested because the showing
of films would change the store's classification
from retail to a place of amusement.
Shalita argued that zoning boards are restricted
in their authority and can only establish
certain provisions.
"Morals is the issue," argued Bristol
Township Solicitor Leonard Sokolove. He
acknowledged that he knows no Pennsylvania
legal precedent that hinged entirely on
the issue of morality, as far as book stores
are concerned, but argued the case is similar
to a restaurant being denied a liquor license
if located too close to a church or school.
Sokolove said the case was part of the
township's effort to control pornography.
He argued that since movies would convert
the store, which has been in business for
about a year, into an amusement area, the
township had the right to control that activity
when it denied the zoning change last
May.
Judge William Hart Rufe III said a key
question in arriving at the opinion to be
made is how the addition of X-rated movies
develops a danger that is any different from
the store's present sale of pornographic
books and material for more than a year at
the same location.
'Boys in Company C Set
For Feb. 1 NYC Opening
NEW YORK—Columbia Pictures' "The
Boys in Company C," starring Stan Shaw,
Andrew Stevens, James Canning, Michael
Lembeck, Craig Wasson and Santos Morales,
will open February 1 at the Loews'
State II, Loews' Cine and the Bay Cinema
theatres in Manhattan.
Directed by Sidney J. Furie and produced
by Andre Morgan, "The Boys in Company
C" is an original screenplay co-scripted by
Rick Natkin and Sidney J. Furie. Raymond
Chow served as executive producer. "The
Boys in Company C" is a Golden Harvest
production.
Medford Library Hosts MGM Film
MEDFORD. MASS. — MGM's "Northwest
Passage," 1940 release, was shown as
a free attraction at 6:45 p.m. on a recent
SatLirday night by the Medford Public Library.
BOXOmCE :: January 23. 1978 E-5

NORTH JERSEY
TJA's Hjway in Fair Lawn, managed by
Bill Leff, closed a week ago to undergo
conversion into a twin operation. The former
1.000-seat house is expected to reopen
in mid-February with two units of approximately
450 seats each.
The Brftok Theatre in Boundbrook has
been acquired by Andy Sullivan from Richard
Nathan, it was announced recently. It
is the second area house in the past two
months to be taken over by Sullivan from
Nathan. The other was the State in Boonton.
Originally opened over 50 years ago.
the 1.000-seat Brook had been run by Nathan
since last June. Prior to that, the house
had been closed several months, after having
been operated many years by Gladys
Moorecraft. as well as other independents.
For a number of years, the Brook had been
part of Skouras Theatres. In addition to the
Brook and State. Sullivan also operates the
Westficld in Wcstfield. Chatham in Chatham
and Manville in Manville.
Reopening of the Fabian in Paterson as a
triplex, originally set for Christmas, again
has been postponed, it was announced recently,
due to delays in construction. The
reopening is now slated for mid-February.
Closed since September 1977, the former
2.800-seat Fabian, will be reopened by Theatre
Management Associates, with two 500-
seat units on the ground floor and one
1.000-seat house in the balcony area.
Despite reports to the contrary, the 452-
seat Art Theatre in Irvington. closed since
last summer, remains shuttered. Recent reports
had indicated that an independent
theatre owner planned to take over operation
of the house which, for several years
prior to its closing, had presented X-rated
films exclusively. The X-rated film policy
had produced numerous complaints from
city officials, as well as local citizen groups,
and had led to the eventual closing of the
theatre. Irvington has three other theatres
in operation: the Chancellor and Castle.
both run by Murray Steinberg, and Paul
Petsrson's
Sanford.
Walt Disney's "Pete's Dragon" is scheduled
to open exclusive area engagements
at UA's Bellevue in Upper Montclair and
General Cinema's Woodbridge in Woodbridge
February 10. Presently at the Bellevue
is an exclusive run of Neil Simon's "The
Goodbye Girl," now in its fifth week at
the Upper Montclair showplace . . "That
.
Obscure Object of Desire" was held for a
fourth week in an exclusive area showing
at UA's Teaneck in Teaneck, managed by
Abdul Rahim.
The New ,Iersey
Motion Picture & Television
Development Commission recently
named Joseph Freidman as its new executive
director. A resident of Montclair, Freidman
has had more than 25 years experience
in the marketing of feature-length
motion pictures. His annual salary was set
at $35,000, plus fringe benefits. This salary
will be re-evaluated at the end of six
months, it was noted. Commission chairman
Sidney Kingsley, who forged the creation
of the state's film and TV commission,
estimated the commission will attract
12 major motion picture's into New Jersey
by the end of July.
So far, major studios have shot "Eyes
at the Jersey City Armory; a film adaptation
of "Hair" on the Pulaski Skyway, and
"Slow Dance in the Big City" at Newark's
Symphony Hall. Kingsley added that major
studios also have plans to shoot films m
Cape May, Atlantic City, Hoboken and
Englewocd. He estimated these productions
will bring $3,700,000 into the state. Kingsley
also made mention of the fact that the
commission recently hammered out an
agreement with several AFL-CIO locals and
has been given assurance by the Teamsters
Union that the cameramen, technicians and
steelworkers employed in studio film productions
in New Jersey will keep their costs
competitive with New York City labor
unions.
Lenas' new Willowbrook Cinema 3,
part
of the Willowbrook Quad, has instituted a
new price policy of $1.50 for all seats at
all times . . . "Rocky" will be shown for
the first time next month on UA-Columbia
Cablevision of New Jersey via its Home
Box Office channel. As of December 1977.
the Academy Award-winning film still was
being shown in numerous subsequent-run
and neighborhood houses throughout this
area. The January program for Home Box
Office, mailed to all subscribers at the end
of December, was the first to advertise
"Rocky" as UA-Columbia's "premiere attraction"
for February.
Fred Guiles Hosts Film Fest
LANCASTER. PA.—Film historian and
author Fred L. Guiles will stage a film festival
in conjunction with a film course on
"Hollywood and American Life" which he
will be teaching at Franklin and Marshall
College here. More than 300 students are
scheduled to take part in the special monthlong,
sixth annual term program which is
offered to students on a voluntary basis.
Guiles is the author of "Norma Jean,"
"Hanging on Paradise" and "Marion Davies,"
all "dealing with the film industry and
its stars. The film festival will consist of ten
noted feature films which will be scheduled
in conjunction with the course.
Complex Plan Includes Theatre
NEW KENSINGTON, PA.—A theatre
is included in the planned $1,700,000 cityowned,
three-story parking complex on
Fourth Avenue, between Seventh and
Eighth streets. Funding will be provided by
a city bond issue and a 918,000 grant from
the Federal Economic Development Administration.
The project will provide parking
for 478 cars on the top two floors.
This service is for shoppers as well as visitors
and employees of the Citizens General
Hospital. In addition to the garage and theatre,
a 24-lane bowling alley, restaurant and
professional medical service offices will be
located in the complex.
Special Film-TV Course
Set for February Start
PHILADELPHIA—Two special film and
video courses will be taught next month at
the midtown Walnut Street Theatre. "Close
Encounters: Exploring Human Relationships
Through Film," will be presented on
Wednesday evenings, starting February 15.
Dealing with social issues through films,
the course will be taught by William Van-
Wert. professor of comparative literature
and film at Temple University here, and
Sarah Kay Cohen, columnist for the Philadelphia
Inquirer.
The video program. "Looking at
Video,"
starting February 16 and presented on alternate"
Thursdays, will be conducted by
John Hanhardt, film and video curator at
the Whitney Museum of American Art,
along with Beryl Korot and Joan Jonas,
video artists, who will discuss the nature of
video art and how it differs from films.
The film course, which will take a $12
fee, includes screenings, lectures and discussions,
a workbook of program notes and
suggested readings. Funded in part by a
grant from the Public Committee for the
Humanities in Pennsylvania, "Close Encounters"
is part of the year-long series of
film programs offered at the Walnut Street
Theatre, restored several years ago as the
nation's oldest legitimate theatre.
Films to be viewed in connection with the
course include "Three Women," "A Safe
Place." "Welcome to L.A." and "A Thousand
Clowns."
Various Records Are Set
By 'Star Wars' Playdates
HARRISBURG, PA. — "Star Wars."
which started its run here last summer and
departed as winter got under way. left behind
new records for area theatres. At
the Eric Twin East Park Center, linked with
Sameric Theatres, "Star Wars" closed its
record run December 20. The 26-week run
was a record for a single theatre since the
facility was converted into twins.
The long-run record for the Eric Theatre,
before it became a twin, was the 72-
week engagement of "The Sound of Music."
However, "Star Wars" also may be the local
record-holder in dollars paid at the boxoffice,
since the ticket prices have escalated
greatly since "The .Sound of Music" was
released.
"Star Wars" easily shattered the longrun
records at UATC's Camp Hill Theatre,
a twin in the suburban Camp Hill Shopping
Center. Opened two weeks after the start at
the in-town Eric Theatre, "Star Wars"
rocked up 24 weeks, easily shattering the
previous records held by "The Exorcist,"
with 15 weeks, and "Jaws," with 16 weeks.
Another record-holder for the Harrisburg
area is "M A*S H," which played 30 weeks
at the now-defunct State Theatre. Since that
time, the motion picture pattern here has
been changed dramatically. In addition to
the closing' of the State Theatre, the State
and Uptown theatres have been demolished.
E-6
BOXOmCE :: January 23, 1978

. . . Spiro
BALTIMORE
Trwin R. Cohen, R/C Theatres' boss,
home
from the hospital with a cast on his
. . . Associated
leg as a result of the unfortunate accident
we reported on last week
Pictures" Phil Glazer and family back from
a Caribbean-South America Cruise aboard
the Queen Elizabeth II. Glazer reported that
his company's releases "Marianne Bouquet."
"Hitchike to Hell." "Kidnapped Coeds."
"Girls for Rent." "Teen Age Cow Girls"
and "Through the Looking Glass" are all
doing well.
The county bill to restrict drive-in operations
was tabled Tuesday (3) . . . Multiview
Cable Co.. of Aberdeen. Md.. the sole
CATV outfit in Harford County, came before
the county council to request a rate
increase from $6.95 to $7.95 a month and
not only failed to get their request (it was
put off) but earned a scathing blast from
council pres'dent Habern W. Freeman. He
accused the CATV outfit of making promises
it never kept in order to get special
privileges and legal exemptions from county
ordinances. George W. Bohn. Comcast
Corp.. Philadelphia, executive (they manage
Multiview). claimed that FCC requirement
changes legitamized the local cable
TV operation's current policies.
Charles Colson announced that the proceeds
from the film based upon his book
"Born Again" will go to the Prison Fellowship
fund he started in Washington. D. C.
Malas. a native son and star of
the New York City and San Francisco
operas, sang at Dundalk High School Wednesday
(4) as part of the Dundalk Concert
Ass'n series . . . Eugene Williams Jr.. 8.
Columbia. Md.. is now a member of the
cast of the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow."
The McDonogh School student began
in TV commercials and is now doing documentaries
and dramatic roles . . . Bengie's
Drive-In. Essex, was held up by two men.
one of them armed. Thursday evening (5).
The bandits escaped with $100. Larry A.
Wolfe, 17. cashier at the Hank Vogelowned
ozoner, told Baltimore County police
that the pair hit the boxoffice about 10:15
p.m.
David Frost will be the guest speaker at
Har Sinai Donor Dinner, "Har Sinai Salutes
Its Presidents." April 30. Tickets for
the affair to be held at Bluecrest North are
priced at $50 a person. This marks Frost's
local
debut.
Lyric Theatre Foundation Trustees asked
for a one-year extension of the June 30
deadline for raising $2,500,000 to meet a
matching state grant. After explaining the
fund-raising problems to acting Governor
Blair Lee III. he agreed to ask the general
assembly to yield to the request. Russell C.
Wonderlic, foundation vice-president, said
that they had received 12 gifts totalling
$867,255.
Amy Evans Gauge, 93, related that her
voice was the first to be heard in synchronization
with a film when, m IVOS. she recorded
Bishop's "Hark, the Gentle Lark."
in Paris, for Pathe. Her singing spanned
two centuries as she won an outdoor singing
festival in Cardiff, Wales, as a 14-year-old,
in 1899. Her career rose steadily after that
and she later married a leading baritone
from Scotland. Eraser Gange. Mrs. Gange's
gentle,
sparkling reminisces were featured in
a recent Sunday Sun Profile (8).
Security Square Cinema contirbuted a
free 10 a.m. showing of "Nickelodeon" starring
Burt Reynolds, Ryan and Tatum
O'Neill, to the Mall's "Ladies Day" Tuesday
(10).
Maryland Court is Asked
To Lift 'Deep Throat' Ban
BALTIMORE—North Cinema Inc.. has
asked the circuit court to lift the threeyear
old ban on "Deep Throat." The move
came after a court of appeals decision overturned
the state obscenity law.
The petition, filed by attorney William E.
Seekford. will be scheduled for hearing after
the opposing party, in this case the state
attorney, enters his reply. There is a mandatory
15-day grace period for the state to
submit its rebuttal.
Bon-Jay Sales. Inc and Central Sales have
also filed circuit court petitions to have an
injunction against their activities removed,
as a result of the latest appeals court ruling.
Their materials were seized during a
police
raid last year and the state has asked permission
to destroy the confiscated items because
they are allegedly obscene.
The state's highest court ruled against
Maryland's anti-obscenity code in a case involving
a Charles street adult bookstore
clerk. The bench said that clerks could not
be prosecuted while adult film theatre projectionists
were not. It went on to overturn
the entire state anti-obscenity law in its ruling.
"Deep Throat" had run the gamut of
legal alternatives between 1974 and 1975
before it was finally banned statewide.
In unrelated action in the city council,
Norman Lauenstein introduced Bill 164
which calls for the elimination of drive-ins
whose screens are visible from the road.
This is sure to generate a wide response
across the state.
NJ Bans Kiddie Porn
TRENTON. N.J.—The state
has banned
the sexual exploitation of children in pornographic
motion pictures and photographs.
Governor Brendan T. Byrne this week
signed the bill prohibiting "kiddie porn."
The measure, sponsored by assemblyman
Donald DiFrancesco, Republican of Union
County, prohibits the filming or photographing
of children under age 16 engaged
in prohibited sexual acts or simulation of
sexual acts. Violators would be charged
with a hieh misdemeanor.
'Triple Exposure' Unites
Radio Station, Magazine
BALTLMORE—WLPL 92F.VI has become
the pioneer station in the U.S. to tie
in with Gig Magazine's unique "Triple Exposure"
point-of-sale promotion.
Gig Magazine is a relatively new national
monthly tabloid catering to pop music
and 20 to 30 year old adults. Publisher Sam
Chase, former editor-in-chief of Billboard,
developed a creative means of increasing
consumer awareness and expanding the na-
circulation of Gig. His merchandising
tional
idea was to design a counter display that
jointly promotes Gig. Camel Filter Cigarettes,
and the leading rock radio station in
each market.
WLPL 92FM, Baltimore's most popular
Top 40 station for persons 12 to 24 in both
Arbitron and Pulse rating services, is the
first station to link up with Sam Chase's
"all-music" magazine. WLPL will assist Gig
in its distribution of the counter displays to
music/record stores, department stores and
mass merchandisers. 92FM also will promote
the magazine's contents and its sale
each month. The station also intends using
some of the articles for the basis of a rockoriented
newscast. WLPL was recently
selected by Billboard Magazine as the East
Coast finalist for Top 40 Radio Station of
the Year in major market competition. The
station is formatted by Bill Parris. recipient
of Billboard's heralded Top 40 Program Director
of the Year award. WLPL is a subsidiary
of United Broadcasting Company,
Inc.. owned by Richard Eaton.
Famous Has Mixed Results
On Reserved-Seat Policy
TORONTO—Famous Players,
which has
been experimenting with a reserved-seat
policy here, reports "mixed results." The
Cinema at the Toronto-Dominion Centre
has been charging $5 per seat for special
previews of selected action pictures since
September 19. The feature is shown once
daily instead of the usual four or five times.
Seats may be reserved more than a month
in advance. This policy, it was hoped, would
attract "the patron who wants people to
know he saw the movie before anyone else,"
according to Michael Brugel, house manager.
The first offering, "Portrait of the Artist
as a Young Man," brought quite satisfactory
results, with approximately 60 per cent
of the theatre sold out through a one-month
run. "Equus" has failed to attract similar
response.
Famous Players says it has no intention
of extending the reserved-seat policy to
other houses, even though it should prove
to be successful in the long run.
A spokesman for the circuit said: "At
most, one house per city can support this
kind of operation. To begin with, it's a
small audience looking for this special treatment
of a film. Also, it's tough to find the
right kind of movie. We know it has to be
artistic, something a bit above the mainstream
intellectuallv."
BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978 E-7

Cancer is often curable.
The fear ofcancer
is often f^tal.
Some people are so
afraid of cancer they won't
go to the doctor when they
suspect something's wrong.
Or even for a routine checkup.
They're afraid the doctor
will "find something!'
This fear can prevent them
from discovering cancer
in the early stages when it is
most often curable.
There are over
3,000,000 people alive today
who have had cancer.
If that surprises you, it
Cancer is highly curable.
shouldn't.

. . Dane
SALT LAKE CITY
The Osmonds' production of "The Great
Brain." starring Jimmy Osmond, originally
was scheduled for a June 12 release;
however, it has been moved back to July
12. The release is being delayed to coincide
with Utah's Pioneer Days celebration. Distribution
in this exchange area is being coordinated
by Crest Film Distributors, phone
number (213) 652-8844.
Interstate Amusement Theatre Inc., Twin
Falls. Idaho, announced that they will
build a quadplex 12 miles north of their
base city to be named the Jerome Cinemas.
Opening day is scheduled for March 15.
The estimated cost is $900,000 with each
auditorium to have a 300-seat capacity. The
equipment will come from Universal Theatre
Supply, insuring the best, most modem
facilities for the patrons. Larry Roper is the
architect and Perc Peterson, the general contractor.
Interstate operates units in Twin
Falls. Shelby. Conrad and Cutbank, Mont.
The Jerome will give the circuit 18 screens.
Theatre policy will be day and date first run
engagements.
Roy Roper, Interstate Amusement manager,
and his wife Kathy, were in town on
business . . . Glen Peterborg, Grand Theatres,
Preston, Ida. manager, was also up on
an official visit . . . Trolley
Theatres Inc..
a local circuit, ofwned a Triplex at the
corner of 7th East and 5th South, here,
with a total of 1,415 seats. The general
contractor was Stacey & Co. The hardtop is
called Trolley Corners and gives that company
14 screens in the valley. General man-
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Salt Lake City, Utah 84115
801-466-7642
ager Mike Place announced that Cal Christensen
will manage the new complex. He
had managed the Trolley Family Center in
the south end of the Valley.
Cooper Highland Theatres opened its second
twin theatre complex. Elks 1 & 2. in
the State Street-South Temple neighborhood
. Denick, national sales manager
for Christie Electric Corp., was in town
on business . . . "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind" is sweeping aside boxoffice
records here and across the nation.
Bill Scholl Is Retiring
As UA Publicist in LA
LOS ANGELES—Bill Scholl, United
Artists field publicity supervisor for Los
Angeles, will retire at the end of January
1978 following a 25-year association with
the company, it was announced by Gabe
Sumner, senior vice-president for advertising,
publicity and promotion.
Sumner stated, "Bill Scholl has been a
highly valuable and creative member of
our department for a quarter of a century
and during this period has made many important
contributions in his area of expertise.
We are extremely sorry to see him
leave the company but wish him the best
of luck for his well-earned retirement."
Scholl indicated that
after he has savored
the luxury of retirement, he expects to take
on special assignments and campaigns in
advertising, publicity and exploitation for
the Western territory.
Winner of the Publicists Guild's "Outstanding
Fieldman" award two consecutive
years— 1974 and 1975— Bill Scholl came to
United Artists with impressive credentials.
He had been on the publicity staff of Universal
Pictures, was a fieldman for RKO
Pictures and served as advertising-publicity
director for the Fox Theatre in Detroit.
Denver Grosses Are
All Above Average
DENVER— Led by "Close Encounters of
the Third Kind," for the fourth week, local
product all registered above average statistics
at the ticket window. "The Goodbye
Girl" and "The Choirboys" were second
and third with a herd of films bunched up
close behind. The lowest note on the register
was a 110 shared by a pair of entries
and that is not too shabby. Perhaps the gory
manner in which Dallas dismembered the
Broncos is driving folks to the movies;
whatever the reason, local exhibitors are not
looking the "gift horse in the mouth."
(Average Is lOO)
Century 21—The Turning Point (20th-Fox),
3rd wk. ...-
2S0
Centre—The Gauntlet (WB), 3rd wk -175
Cherry Creek, Villa Italia—The Goodbye Girl
(WB), 3rd wk 350
Colorado Four—Outrageous! (SR), 8th wk — 110
Colorado Four—Equus (UA), 3rd wk 110
_
Cooper—Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(Col), 4th wk 750
Cooper Cameo, Lakeside Which Way Is Up?
(Univ), 3rd wk 275
Flick Cinema—That Obscure Object ol Desire
(SR), 3rd wk 150
Four theatres—Pete's Dragon (BV), 4th wk 200
Four theatres—Grayeagle (AIP), 3rd wk _...115
Four theatres—Saturday Night Fever (Para),
4th wk 170
Four theatres—Semi-Tough (UA), 8th wk 160
Four theatres—Telefon (UA), 4th wk 140
Four theatres—The Choirboys (Univ). 3rd wk 290
Tamarac Six—lulia (20th-Fox), 11th wk 210
University Hills 1 S 2—The World's Greatest
Lover (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 250
Thornton Returns to
Oakland
HOLLYWOOD—James Thornton, producer
for New California Pictures, is returning
to the home office in Oakland,
Calif., for preproduction on an upcoming
release. Thornton also is a producer for
Topar Films, Beverly Hills-based production
distribution company.
"Same Time, Next Year" will star Ellen
Burstyn and Alan Alda.
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BOXOmCE :: January 23, 1978 W-1

Hollywood
LEONARD SPIGELGASS and William
Liidwig have been named writers for
the annual Academy Awards show to be
held April 3 at the Los Angeles Music
Center. The assignment on the Oscar show
will be the sixth for Spigelgass and the fifth
for Ludwig. One or two other writers will
do special material for the show, according
to Howard W. Koch, producer of the program.
*
Frank Welles, president of Warner Bros.,
has been named chairman of the American
Film Institute's Life Achievement Award
dinner, which this year will honor Henry
Fonda for his contributions to the motion
picture industry. The dinner will be held
March 1 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and
will be videotaped for national telecast on
the CBS-TV network.
•
Paramount's "American Hot Wax," an
Art Linson production of a Floyd Mutrux
film has completed principal photography
five days ahead of schedule at the studio.
•
Principal filming in this country has been
completed on 20th Century-Fox's "Damien
—the Omen H," suspense thriller starring
William Holden, Lee Grant and Jonathan
Scott-Taylor. The screenplay was written
by Stanley Mann, Michael Hodges. Al Ramrus
and John Shaner, from a story by Harvey
Bernhard. Producer Bernhard and director
Don Taylor begin location filming in
Israel Tuesday (17) for two weeks.
*
John DeCuir has been named art director
for the annual Academy Awards program,
the sixth year he will serve in this capacity.
He has won three Oscars and received a
total of 1 1 nominations for his achievements
in art direction,
•
New World Pictures' "Dersu Uzala" has
been named "Best Film of 1977" by the
French Cinema Critics. Maxim Munzuk,
star of the film, was named best actor.
•
Pat Hines has been appointed advertisingpublicity
director for Topar Films. She will
PERSONALIZED,
Happenings
handle the campaign for "Night of the
Askari." "SS Girls" and "Un Borghese Piccolo
Piccolo."
•
Producers Sydney Rose and Tony Klinger,
director Jeff Stein and Bill Curbshley,
manager of the Who music group, arrived
in Los Angeles Thursday (12) to meet witb
potential distributors regarding U. S. distribution
rights to their $4,000,000 "The
Kids Are Alright," a rock 'n' roll disaster
movie about the Who.
•
Director Daniel Mann, Costa-Gavras and
Roger Corman were guest speakers Wednesday
(11) in Banff, Canada, at the first
annual seminar sponsored by the newly organized
Motion Picture Institute of Canada.
*
Glenn Ford has been named to the honorary
board of advisers of the Self-Initiated
Conservation Movement (SICM). a non-partisan
organization serving as a liaison between
energy information sources and the
general public.
•
Principal photography has been completed
on the William Dance production of
"Little Girls Blue," directed by Jennifer
Ray.
*
John Cassavetes' "Opening Night," a
Faces Distribution Corp. release, will open
the annual Berlin International Film Festival
February 22, with Cassavetes and his wife
Gena Rowlands, who stars in the film, attending
the screening.
•
Members of the Hollywood-Los Angeles
WOMPI Club will hold their first business
meeting of the new year Tuesday (24) at
the Smoke House restaurant in Burbank.
The main business will be to select a nominating
committee which will name a slate
of officers for the April
•
election.
Walt Disney Productions will be presented
with the Motion Picture Showman Award
by the Publicists Guild of America at its
annual luncheon March 31. The company
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•
"Mr. Mean," Fred Williamson's new film,
premiered Friday (13) at the Orpheimi Theatre
in New Orleans.
•
Roy Rogers underwent triple bypass
heart surgery Saturday (14) and was reported
doing "just fine" at Little Company of
Mary Hospital in Torrance, Calif.
•
Paul Mart has left his position as chairman
of the board and general sales manager
of Key Film Corp. to reactivate his
Paul Mart Productions, which he had operated
as a distribution company from 1950
to 1973. Jeanne Stanfield moves up to the
sales manager post at Key Films after two
years as booker. Mart's first project will
be "The Carousel Horse." a co-production
with AIOK Pictures of London.
Astronaut John Swigert
Is RMMPA Guest Speaker
DENVER—John L. Swigert jr. was the
guest speaker at
John L. Swigert Jr.
the monthly meeting of the
Rocky Mountain Motion
Picture Ass'n
held at the Continental
Broker Restaurant,
Tuesday (17).
Swigert was on the
ill-fated Apollo 13
lunar flight crew
which was slated to
land on the moon in
1970. The mission
was aborted 55 hours
into the flight because
of a malfunction in the oxygen system.
The astronaut spoke on energy and lessons
learned from the moonflight. His talk
was followed by a question and answer
period. He is a member of a number of
professional and scientific organizations and
has been awarded many medals and citations.
Prior to his selection for the space
program he had been an engineering test
pilot for North American Aviation and
Pratt & Whitney. His service career includes
a tour with the Air Force in Japan as a
fighter pilot. He also served with the Massachusetts
and the Connecticut Air National
Guard units, logging 7.900 hours of flight
time with 6,430 hours in jets.
Derrel Dye Signs Lease
For 99E Auto Movies
STOCKTON, CALIF.—The operation
known as 99E Auto Movies, located at 3999
North Wilson Way, Stockton, was dissolved
effective Dec. 15, 1977.
Derrel Dye, who has taken a long-term
lease on the theatre, has assumed full ownership
responsibilities for the facility, according
to an announcement made December
12 by Iris Graham, office manager.
W-2 BOXOFnCE :: January 23, 197S

he Distributors of Jk< \^
njTgT;
JMJL
would like to congratulate the eleven other pictures
ranked among the 'TOP 12 HITS' " during the last quarter
'LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR'
"HEROES"
"OH, GOD!"
"JULIA"
"YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE"
"DAMNATION ALLEV
"FIRST LOVE"
"BOBBY DEERFIELD"
"THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACV
"VALENTINO"
"A PIECE OF THE ACTION"
'As per Boxoffice Magazine/December 19. 1977
We are also pleased to announce the release of
five motion pictures during 1978:
"AT LAST. . .AT LAST!"
For release Februaiy 1978
"CONVENTION GIRLS"
For release March. 1978
"NAKED RIDER"
Presently establishing boxoffice records
"BANJOMAN"
Currently in release
"FANTASIES'
For release Christmas, 1978
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FILM CORPORATION
BOXOFHCE ;: January 23, 1978 W-3

;
DENVER
Jlon Montgomery, manager of the Eagle
Theatre. Chadron. Nebraska, and his
wife Kathy started out the New Year in
grand fashion with the arrival of their newson.
Anthony Blake Montgomery arrived a
few moments after midnight to be the first
the New Year. The story
child born there in
was featured in local newspapers,
Paul Rodriguez, who started as
a manager-trainee
for Commonwealth Theatres at
the Elks Theatre in Rapid City. South Dakota,
has now been promoted to the manager's
post in the Grand Theatre. Rocky
Ford, Colorado . . . Ron McClure, who
operates the Trout Cinema, a 16mm theatre,
in Laramie. Wyoming has taken over
the operation of the Cinema West Theatre,
Sinclair, Wyoming.
In Denver to set dates were George
Kares. Summitt Tlieatre. Breckenridge.
Colorado; Neal Lloyd, Westland Theatres.
Colorado Springs and Frank McLaughlin
of De Lux Theatres.
The Rocky Mountain Motion Picture
Ass'n recently held a tremendously successful
benefit screening for young Tripp Badger,
son of Wally Badger who is the salesman
in the local United Artists branch. Tripp,
who had suffered severe burns in a fire, is
now well on the road to recovery and a.skcd
that we convey his appreciation in the following
letter: "I would like to thank all of
the people in the motion picture industry
for being so GREAT!" The letter is signed
"Love Always. Tripp Badger." To Tripp
Badger we reply "Sincere best wishes for
continued recovery and all of us hope that
you will have an excellent New Year."
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
continues to break records. The opening
week of the engagement at the Cooper Theatre
here in Denver set an all-time record.
The second week of the engagement December
21-27 broke that record and the
third week, December 28 to Tuesday (.^)
then broke the record set in each of the
two previous weeks.
Harry Golden, who had been in circuit
exhibition, has opened a theatre in Windsor,
Colorado. The hardtop is known as the
Four Winds Theatre and will be operating
on a split-week policy.
Frank Norris, manager of Denver Shipping
and Inspection Bureau, is retiring after
many years in the business. Norris was in
distribution in the midwest prior to coming
to Denver to open and operate Denver Shipping.
Alan Castle has been moved up to
the managership of the facility.
Dominic Linza, who operates the Isis Theatre.
Aspen. Colorado was in town to set
dates. Linza reports that the snow depth in
the ski areas is unusually good with skiers
.
out on the slopes in record numbers . .
Warner Bros, held a Friday night screening
of "Capricorn One" at the Center Theatre
in downtown Denver.
SAN FRANCISCO
Lowell High School graduate
Carol Channing
was presented the key to the city
by Mayor George Moscone. The ceremony,
which took place in front of the Curran
Theatre, was to celebrate Miss Channing's
opening here in "Hello, Dolly!"
Gary Schaffner was here to meet with
exhibitors about playing the new Bob Dylan
film. "Renaldo & Clara." The picture will
open at the Castro Theatre here in mid-
February and will be shown at a benefit for
the Pacific Film Archive in the Paramount
Theatre, also in February.
At the request of director George Lucas,
performances of "Star Wars" at the Cinema
21 Theatre now are preceded by the classic
Warner Bros, cartoon, "Duck Dodgers in
the 24V2 Century." (The cartoon also makes
an appearance in "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind.")
Recent exhibitor screenings included New
World's "A Little Night Music" and "A
Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich." Also,
AIP's "Holocaust 2000." Paramount's "The
One and Only," and "Adolph and Marlene,"
from Pacific Film Enterprises.
"Eraserhard," a film by David Lynch
which was partially sponsored by the American
Film Institute, opened an exclusive
northern California engagement in midnight
shows at the Roxie Theatre.
PORTLAND
H B.
"Mac" McClinchey, National Screen
Service Corp. branch manager, celebrated
his 45th year in the motion picture
industry recently. He has been with NSSC
for 38 years and had been with Paramount
the previous seven years. Congratulations,
"Mac"!
Screenings at the Jewel Box were "A Hero
Ain't Nothing But a Sandwich," New World
. . . "Portrait of
Pictures; "Contest," Far West Films; "Inheritance,"
Pete Tolins . . . The Northgate
Theatre sneak previewed "Billion Dollar
Hobo" starring Tim Conway and Will Geer
along with "Oh, God!"
Shunkin" was the new Japanese film at the
Kokusai Theatre.
Would you believe 1,535 entries in Fun
magazine's "Pete's Dragon" coloring con-
test? That was the official count. The adult
winners received a three-day, two-night
package at a swank hotel: either the Plaza
International in Vancouver, B. C. or the
Chateau Victoria, Victoria, B.C. The top
ten winners all received recordings of the
hit's soundtrack. The Buena Vista release
continues to pull 'em in at the SeaTac Mall,
Renton Village, Bellevue Overlake, Seattle
Aurora and Tacoma Villa Plaza Cinema as
well as the Everett Theatre in Everett.
The patriarch of sci-fiers, "Star Wars,"
still registering impressive figures at the UA
Cinema 150 downtown while the upstart
"Close Encounters of the TTiird Kind" continues
to prove itself a worthy contender for
all-time, all-everything honors, at the King
Theatre.
Also doing great business are "The
World's Greatest Lover" at the UA Cinema
70 and Everett Mall; "The Turning Point"
at the Varsity; "Julia" at the Guild 45th;
"Which Way Is Up?" at the Seattle Aurora,
SeaTac Mall and Bellevue Overlake; "The
Goodbye Girl" at Cinerama; "Semi-Tough"
at the Coliseum, SeaTac Mall and Crossroads
Twin; "Dersu Uzala" at the Harvard
Exit; "The Gauntlet" at the Town and
Everett Mall and "Saturday Night Fever"
at the Music Box.
John Kitts is the new branch manager at
Universal where staffer Robin Murray resigned
Friday (13) to await a "blessed event."
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W-4 BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978

KANSAS CITY
Cnow—about four to six inches of the
stuff—fell early Monday morning (16).
causing traffic snarls and cautious drivers.
How did it affect the intrepid folks on
Filmrow who fought their way to work?
Sharon Richeson. Topar films, offers one
example. Departing her suburban Lenexa,
Kas., homestead at 6:45 a.m.. she finally
arrived at work at 9:50 a.m. the very same
morning. Whew!
When the Justice Department passed its
ruling last year which eliminated splits and
required bids in virtually all situations, the
workload naturally increased for both exhibitors
and distributors. Now the load
seems to be taking its toll. Informed sources
report that all windows in the the 16th floor
offices of American Multi Cinema must be
locked to prevent Midwestern film buyer
Ed Durwood from inadvertently stepping
outside for a quick free-fall when the bids
are brought into his office via wheelbarrow.
Some people are never satisfied. Carmen
Blake, National Screen Service secretary,
is a prime example. When a winter storm
dumped nearly six inches of snow on Kansas
City last week, you'd think she would
have been satisfied—but no! She and her
husband left Friday (20) for—you guessed
'er, Chester—Colorado's ski slopes around
Keystone for a long skiing weekend. They'll
probably leave in July to vacation in Death
Valley, too.
Condolences to Mercury Film's Russ
Borg and his wife on the death of Miss
Dorothy D. Hunt. Mrs. Borg's sister, Thursday
(12). Miss Hunt was the director of
elementary education for the North Kansas
City School District before her retirement
in 1969. She began her teaching career in
1923 and became a principal the following
year. She was appointed director of elementary
education in 1945. Miss Hunt was
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a life member of the National Educational
Ass'n. and the Missouri State Teachers
Ass'n. She was a member of the Clay County
and National Retired Teachers Ass'n and
'Close Encounters'
Pi Lambda Theta honorary education sorority,
as well as the Ass'n of Supervisors
in Curriciiltim Development.
Cold weather did not deter at least two
out-of-town exhibitors from visiting Kansas
City last week. Paul Eye came to town from
Applcton City and Bob Buscher visited the
exchanges on a trip up from lola, Kas.
Tuesday (17) was a milestone in Terrie
Dunn's hectic, jet-setting life. The Bucna
Vista secretary celebrated her 21st birthday
on that date. Embellishing the traditional
21st birthday celebration was a cake provided
by her fellow (and perhaps a shade
envious?) Buena Vistaites.
Let it snow!"
Increased Filmmaking
Noted in Chicagoland
Five
CHICAGO—In totaling up the moviemaking
activity here for 1977. a comparison
can be made to the filming which took place
in the Windy City during the first two
decades of this century.
Today, most people will not remember
or be familiar with those days when thousands
of nickelodeon melodramas and slapstick
comedies were turned out in Chicago,
Three theatres—Looking lor Mr
primarily at the Essanay Studios on the
city's north side. Stars of the time were
Francis X. Bushman. Beverly Bayne, "Which Way' Regains Slim
Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson. Wallace Lead in Chicago With 500
Beery and Ben Turpin.
This year once again. Chicago was the
setting for several big-budget productions.
Included were "Damien: the Omen II." starring
William Holden; "A Piece of the Action"
with Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby;
Robert Altman's "A Wedding." and "The
Fury," starring Kirk Douglas.
Lucy Salenger, head of the Illinois Office
of Motion Picture & Television Services, is
score of 500 at
credited for bringing producers and scriptwriters
here. She doesn't confine her efforts
solely to Chicago. She attempts to interest
moviemakers in all areas of Illinois. "The
Awakening Land." starring Elizabeth Montgomery
and Hal Holbrook, was filmed in
and around Springfield, 111.
Nine theatres—The Goodbye Girl (WB),
3rd wk -
CINERAMA IS IN
SHOW BUSINESS IN
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki,
Ten theatres—Saturday Night Fever
rgi^ Don Ho Show, .at
Ten
[b?]]?^ Cinerama s Reef Towers Hotel.
IN WAIIOKI: BEEF REEF TOWEHS EDGEWATEH . .
Kansas City Leader
KANSAS CITY—Winter finally arrived
in Kansas City but failed to dent the boxoffice
take at most theatres. "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind" snowed the
opposition with an even 1,000, almost
double the gross of runner-up "The Goodbye
Girl" which skated to a nifty 540. Snowballing
to the 300-bracket were "Semi-
Tough," 350; "Saturday Night Fever," 340;
•Pctc's Dragon," 305, and "Star Wars" at
an even 300. Only three entries found it
tough sledding as the remainder of the firstruns
tobagganed along between 100 and
270. The refrain heard from local exhibitors
may well be "Let it snow. Let it snow.
(Average Is 100)
Embassy—Julia (20th-Fox), 11th wk 180
Fairyland—Exhibition (SR) 100
Fairyland—Fun House (SR) 50
Fine Arts—A Special Day (SR), 3rd wk 270
Five theatres—The Gauntlet (WB), 3rd wk 125
theatres—Saturday Night Fever (Para),
4th wk 340
Four theatres—Semi-Tough (UA), 3rd wk 350
Four theatres— Telefon (MGM-UA), 4th wk 85
Gladstone—The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover
(AlP), 3rd wk 80
Glenwood—Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(Col), 4th wk 1,000
Glenwood— Star Wars (20th-Fox), 33rd wk 300
Midland—Which Way Is Up? (Univ). 3rd wk 265
Plaza—The Goodbye Girl (WB), 3rd wk 540
Seven thea'lres—Grayeagle (AIP), 3rd wk 150
Six theatres—Pete's Dragon (BV), 4th wk ..305
Three theatres—The Choirboys (Univ), 3rd wk 165
Goodbar (Para),
8th wk 160
Three theatres—The World's Greatest Lover
(20lh-Fox), 3rd wk 160
CHICAGO—Repveated snowstorms are
not conducive to increasing attendance at
theatres, but there really was no reason to
complain about the week's business. In fact,
there were even reports of higher grosses
for "Semi-Tough" at the Bremen 1: 'The
Choirboys" at Diana 1. and "The Goodbye
Girl" at Diana 3. "Which Way Is Up?" regained
the lead by holding its stunning
the State Lake while "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind" slipped to
a 470 average at ten theatres, despite singlesituation
highs of 675 and 650. "Saturday
Night Fever" still held third place with 445.
Carnegie—The Turning Point (20th-FDx),
9th wk 275
Cinema—1900 (Para), 4th wk 200
Eleven theatres—The Gauntlet (WB), 3rd wk 210
Five tlieatres—The Choirboys (Univ), 3rd wk 180
Five theatres—Teleion (MGM-UA), 3rd wk 165
255
Roosevelt—The Incredible Melting Man (AIP),
3rd wk 275
Seven theatres—Pete's Dragon (BV), 4th wk 235
Seven theatres—Semi-Tough (UA), 4th wk 200
State Lake—Which Way Is Up? (Univ), 9th wk 500
Ten thecrtres—Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(Col), 4th wk 470
(Para),
4th wk 445
theatres—The World's Greatest Lover
(20th-Fox), 3rd wk 200
Water Tower 1—Julia (20th-Fox), 11th wk 300
Water Tower 4—Oh, Godl (WB), 15th wk 250
MID-CONTINENT Theatre Supply Corp.
1800 Wyandotte, Kansas City, Mo. 64108
Phone (816) 221-0480 W. R. "Bill" Davis, Mgr.
PROMPT • EFFICIENT
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BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978 C-1

. . Avco
CHICAGO
city,
J^ickey Rooney, who has many times substantiated
his professed loyalty to this
for a week concentrated on publicizing
Buena Vista's "Pete's Dragon." The hypo
for this current BV film occurred on NBC-
TV's "Bubble Gum Digest." a program
featuring youngsters. Since the program has
been top-rated for some time, it can be assumed
that "Pete's Dragon" received some
widespread exposure. Rooney always is a
draw when he appears in any of this city's
theatres. During the forepart of 1978 he will
return to Drury Lane Theatre in "Ali Baba
and the Forty Thieves" and "Hide and
Seek."
Welcome to Wanda Melendez, who joined
Warner Bros, as a clerk, and to Cecelia
Garcia, who serves as Milwaukee cashier
. . . K. C. Brynelson. Indianapolis biller
for Buena Vista, vacationed in Arizona . . .
Sam Kaplan, president of Kaplan-Continental
Pictures, was welcomed back following
hospitalization for several weeks.
Wni. Lange & Associates now holds the
sub-distributorship of "The Kentucky Fried
Movie" in the local and Milwaukee territories.
Formerly, this film was handled by
. . . Retired pros always
the United Film Distribution organization,
now headed by Richard Hassanein as president
nationwide
are warmly greeted by industry members.
This is especially true when Sam Seplowin
makes rare visits since giving up the reins
two years ago.
Worldwide Films, represented in this area
by S-K Films, has had a good bit of success
with "Tunnelvision." This satirical feature
recently was brought back to a number of
metropolitan theatres. Participating in the
showings are the Bremen in Tinley Park,
the Portage and Riviera in this city and a
number of Marcus circuit properties in the
Milwaukee territory. Grosses are remarkably
good.
Allied Artists Pictures Corp. staffers are
going strong in setting up preopening campaign
activity for "The Betsy." Arrival date
is February 10.
Levitt-Pickman's "Groove Tube." which
PERSONALIZED,
was out of release in the Midwest territory
during most of 1977. is being set up for
engagements in the spring of 1978. A sizable
TV and newspaper campaign will back
the return of this comedy. New prints will
be provided for the return engagements,
according to Sid Kaplan, head of S-K Films,
who is supervising the 1978 returns.
Rick Rice, president of Mid-America Releasing
Co., continues with strategic office
openings as he sets up distribution operations
irT Cincinnati. Al Giaubinger will serve
as branch manager of this office located at
636 Northland Blvd. Sheri Engle. who has
been serving as Indianapolis booker for
Buena Vista, joins the new Mid-America
office in Cincinnati. Mid-America also is
opening an office in Denver, which will be
headed by Ilene Bursteen. formerly of Paramount
Pictures, as branch manager.
Robert Altman's "A Wedding," filmed
here during the summer of 1977. will become
an integral part of fashion show
programs to be staged by one of the city's
This year. Carson,
major department stores.
Pirie, Scott & Co. will offer a full month
of fashion shows, gift seminars and etiquette
services relating to the film, which will be
released for public viewing this spring.
Starting this month, Carson's Wedding
Services salutes the cast of the film as it
highlights the many ways in which any
wedding can use Carson's to insure a picture-perfect
production. Says Altman. "I
can't give enough credit to Carson. Pirie,
Scott & Co." Altman used the store service
for bridal fashions, wedding gifts and specific
script consultation on the wedding ceremony
to insure authenticity in the comedy
about the marriage of two families.
Louis Marks, M&R Amusement Co., said
early figures indicate that house records
were set with the openings of "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind" and "Saturday
Night Fever" at the company's Old Orchard
and Evergreen theatres . . . "Star Wars."
which has grossed in the higher brackets
during its exceptionally long run. started an
exclusive showing in 70mm at the Plitt Oakbrook
Theatre . . . William Lange, president
of Wm. Lange & Associates, took his wife
Roni and four sons to St. Maarten for the
holidavs.
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. . .
With a move to new and larger quarters
at 2616 West Grand Ave., Chicago Used
Chair Mart has put in a new line of fabrics
for chairs. Dave Schatz, head of the company,
extends an invitation to anyone who
can take the time to inspect the new facilities
. . . David Levy, division manager.
New World Pictures, hosted a screening of
"A Little Night Music" The Daily
News' critic, David Elliott, discussing "Saturday
Night Fever." said: "It's one of those
movies in which even the cheap touches
vibrate."
George A. Kappus, known to be the oldest
exhibitor in the country until his death
December 15. would have been 103 years
of age on his next birthday. April 3. Kappus
entered exhibition in 1912 as a partner in
the old Tiffin Theatre. Later, he was a
member of the partnership which built the
York Theatre in Elmhurst. While Kappus
had been retired during the past few years,
he served as president of the Tiffin & York
Theatre Co.
Variety Club Tent 26 members Sunday
(8) honored the memory of the late Arthur
M. Holland. For more than 25 years, Holland
worked energetically in behalf of the
tent's charitable projects. The event, which
began at noon, was held at La Rabida
Children's Hospital and Holland's name was
placed on the plaque in the Research Center
with others who have been similarly
honored posthumously. Chairman of the
Arthur Holland Memorial Fund Committee
is Victor Bernstein.
Milton Levins, central division manager
for Avco Embassy, says he has been amazed
at the response from exhibitors in connection
with the Joan Rivers film "Rabbit
Test." Levins has just returned from the
Cincinnati and Cleveland areas where the
movie is set for showings .
Embassy's
central division office was the recipient
of special commendation from the
home office for outstanding effort . . .
The
same company's other upcoming release is
"The Manitou," about an Indian evil spirit
which returns to a different and modern
world.
Congratulations to
Tom Lightburn. He is
. .
transferring from United Artists' sales department
here to the company's Vancouver
office as branch manager . UA's "Semi-
Tough" has been showing attendance increases
in some theatres in shopping mall
areas. Meanwhile a campaign is under way
for the February opening of "Coma." a
story about hospital life and procedures.
American International Pictures has had
a winner in "The Incredible Melting Man"
which had been showing on an exclusive
basis at the Plitt Roosevelt Theatre in the
Loop. It opened a saturation break Tuesday
(10) . . . Looking ahead to March 10.
AIP's "Mean Dog Blues" opens in this area
with a big newspaper and TV campaign.
Universal Pictures hosted a screening of
its "Other Side of the Mountain. Part 2."
1975"s "The Other Side of the Mountain"
will be recalled as one of the success! ul
movies of that year.
C-2 BOXOFHCE :; January 23, 1978

Current plans will bring the premiere of
"A Wedding" to Plitt's near north Esquire
Theatre April 28. Indications are that
this event will be very colorful and may be
led by producer-director Robert Altman
and Carol Burnett. Mrs. Lester Armour,
whose Lake Bluff estate was used for the
greater part of the filming, has arranged
for the opening to be a benefit sponsored
by the women's board of the Rehabilitation
Institute.
Jack H. Lieb, 7L a newsreel cameraman
during World War M, died in Florida. Lieb
had owned a studio at 200 East Ontario
St. here. His career as a filmmaker and
photographer spanned 50 years, beginning
at MGM in New York. He was chief of
the MGM Midwest bureau from 1937 until
1946. when he formed his own production
company. He is survived by his wife Rosamund,
son Warren, daughter Mrs. Betty
Marshall, five grandchildren and a brother.
Jack Eckhardt, who has been active in
the film industry since 1926, has decided
to find out what it's like to spend some
leisure time on activities other than marching
on the line every day. He is resigning
from Wm. Lange & Associates after two
years.
Jack started working for Ascher Bros.
Theatres, owners of the Lane Court, Portage.
Admiral and other Chicago movie
houses, and subsequently went to work for
Wm. Fox, who owned the Monroe Theatre.
In 1934, Jack started with Fox Film
Corp., remaining in this post until 1957.
His next connection was with Continental
Distributing Co., where he was division
manager. Later he held the same post with
Cinemation. He already had been entertaining
ideas about easing up a bit when he
joined the Lange organization two years
ago.
Jack Eckhardt will not, it can be assumed,
just fade away.
Triple plaudits to Dennis Hutchin. new
assistant in the Plitt Theatres publicity/
advertising department. As manager of the
Plitt Scottsdale Theatres, he was a strong
believer in promotions for each film. For
his effort in helping to launch "The Lincoln
Conspiracy" he recently won top honors
in a contest conducted by Sunn Classic
Pictures.
In the contest. Sunn Classic offered 22
winners cash prizes of $500 each, and four
grand prizes of a three-day vacation in San
Diego. It was a happy surprise when Dennis
opened a telegram to read. "You have
been chosen by Sunn Classic Pictures. Inc.
as one of the top winners in the U.S. in
'TTie Lincoln Conspiracy' contest. You will
be receiving a check for $500 and information
regarding your three-day trip to San
Diego. We thank you for putting your extra
effort into Sunn's picture and for proving
that showmanship does increase
grosses." Signed Charles E. Sellier jr.. president.
Howard Cohen, head of Future Features,
hosted a screening of "Sweater Girls." This
'50s feature will be a spring arrival.
Boxoffice figures for "Saturday Night
Fever" do not exactly call for a need to set
up special promotions. But Jerry Bulger
and his staff at Plitt Theatres have arranged
for a publicity stunt which promises to
give
this popular Paramount feature added prestige.
Contests are being set up in ten discotheques
to line up outstanding dancers. The
top ten finalists will have a chance to compete
at one of Chicago's current "in" places.
Faces, for $500 in cash prizes.
Ralph Rosenberg succeeded Dennis
Hutchin as manager of the Plitt Scottsdale
Theatres in the South Bend, Ind., area.
20th Century-Fox brings back "Damnation
Alley" and "3 Women" for multiple
runs during the latter part of the month,
and "High Anxiety" arrives for first showings
starting February 3.
Dave Schatz, president of Chicago Used
Chair Mart, was awarded a contract to refurbish
the chairs at the North Side Murphy
Auditorium, which is managed by
F. Adaer.
Robbers were responsible for a dampening
effect on Schatz' 1978 contracts for
chair work. Secure locks proved no barrier
to thieves who carried out several pieces of
new equipment, as well as a telephone
answering machine which now has been
replaced for customer convenience.
United International Films, headed by
Jack Dionne, was appointed national distributor
by the New Studio Film Corp. for
"The Alpha Incident." A tale about a virus
strain which comes to earth with the return
of a missile which has been to Mars, the
film opens first in the southern territory in
early March. Producer-director Bill Rebane,
a former Chicagoan, headquarters in Wisconsin
where he made the film last summer.
Stars are Ralph Meeker, Stafford Morgan,
Buck Flowers and Paul Bentzen.
Facets IMultiniedla is rcmindmg moviegoers
of some tllnis which might have been
forgotten even though they are considered
classics. One is "So 1st Das Leben (Such Is
Life)" which was made in Prague in 1929
by the German Karl Junghans. Another is
"The Cloak" by Grigori KozinLsev and
Leonid Trauberg, made in 1926. These will
be followed by "The Mother and the
Whore" by Jean Eustache; "The Wages of
Fear," an adventure classic by Clouzot;
"Paris Belongs to Us," by Jacques Rivette,
and Max Ophuls' historical romance "Lola
Montes."
Louis E. Atkinson, who was a member of
lATSE Local 110, died recently.
According to reports from the Illinois
Film Office, Robert Redford soon is to
start filming "A Place to Come To" here,
based on Robert Penn Warren's novel about
a college professor. And Lucy Salenger,
head of the office, notes that Paramount
(Continued on next page)
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Kansas 66749
BOXOmCE :: January 23, 1978 C-3

ST. LOUIS
gTAR WARS," which opened at the Creve
Coeur December 23, will be moving
out for the exclusive engagement of Mel
Brooks' latest comedic effort. "High Anxiety,"
Friday. February 3. Brooks outdoes
himself in this spoof of Alfred Hitchcock
thrillers which he produced, co-authored,
directed and was lyricist-composer-singer as
well as star. Hitchcock reads the introduction
to the movie in which Madeline Kahn,
Harvey Korman and Cloris Leachman are
co-starred. Howard Morris and Charlie Callas
also are among the fun-makers. Brooks'
song "High Anxiety" provides the theme
and John Morris wrote the score for the
film, which includes great location shots in
San Francisco. Critic Gene Shalit rates the
zaniness superior to "Blazing Saddles."
Mid-America Theatres held a managers'
meeting to discuss promotion of "Can I
Do It 'Til I Need Glasses?" which opens
Friday. February 3, at the Paddock. South
City. 4 Seasons. Twin City, Crystal City,
and Nameoki, 111.
Anthony Nelle, world renowned dancer
and choreographer at the Muny Opera 16
years ( 1 944"- 1 960). died Dec. 31. 1977. at
his home in Gowanda. N.Y. at the age of
83. During his long career. Nelle was associated
with RKO in Hollywood, produced
several German movies and directed operas,
revues and musical comedies on the stage.
For ten years he was director of the Anthony
Nelle Dance Studio in Gowanda.
where he is survived by his wife Marget
Donaldson Nelle.
According to the Globe Democrat-Copley
News Service, a series of short films will be
making a comeback on the bill of fare in
some of the nation's theatres. A half-dozen
short films under ten minutes in length have
been chosen for the project, with more to
be added if it wins support. Adding the
shorts to the regular program at no additional
admission price is the idea of Robert
Wise, one of 26 members of the National
Council of the Arts. His idea was endorsed
by NATO.
The six films were chosen by a panel of
five experts in the industry: exhibitor Richard
Brandt, filmmaker Ed Emshwiller, critic
Pauline Kael and directors Francis Ford
Coppola and Martin Scorsese. They believe
the added attraction will bring the work of
little-known filmmakers to the general public.
Preview tests in Washington and Maryland
showed that more than 90 per cent of
the audience voted to see more such films.
United Artists and Warner Bros, have agreed
to distribute the pilots. Anyone interested
in having a film considered for the project
theWtre equipment
"Everything for the Theatre"
339 No. CAPITOL AVE., INDIANAPOLIS, IND.
may contact the Foundation for Independent
Video and Films in New York City.
Popular KPLR-TV's entertainment
critic
Gentry "Sugarplum" Trotter recently turned
30 (so he says) and was given quite a bash
by KMOX Radio's Jack Carney at the Bel
Air Hilton Hotel downtown. Among the
guests were KPLR-TV manager Hal Protter.
KMOX-TV manager John McKay. Bel Air
prexy Norman Probstein. Muny Opera
executive William Culver III. Muny Opera
public relations man Jerry Berger. radio
interviewer Harry Fender, onetime Follies
star. City Judge Morris Rosenthal and his
wife and Sheriff Ben Goins. Trotter said
that for him. 30 is "only the beginning and
not the end as in the newspaper business!"
"The Wiz," hip all-black version of "The
Wizard of Oz" and winner of seven Tony
awards, is the attraction at Kiel Opera
House through Sunday (29). The film version
is being made by Universal with Sidney
Lumet directing . . . Neil Simon's "California
Suite," with Robert Reed. Elizabeth
Allen and Warren Berlinger. opens at the'
.American Theatre Tuesday (31) and will
run through February 12.
Midwest Retail Property
Lures West Coast Money
AMES. IOWA—California investors, including
entertainment "names" Steve Mc-
Queen, Paul Newman. Jack Nicholson,
Sammie Cahn and Sergio Franchi, have
formed the Midwest Centers, an investment
operation.
The group purchased a half interest in
the Lincoln Center here for $1,242,000
and also bought a half interest in the building
that houses the Target store in Cedar
Rapids, the latter appraised in the neighborhood
of $1,500,000. They also bought
into shopping centers in Joplin. Mo., and
Norman, Okla. The Ames realtor who manages
the Lincoln Center for the owners revealed
that Mace Rich Real Estate of Santa
Monica. Calif., owns the other half of the
two Iowa properties.
"Lights of New York," the first all-talking
motion picture, was shown for the first
time July 6, 1928, at the Strand Theatre in
New York City.
CHICAGO
(Continued from preceding page)
will be shooting "Dick Tracy" here this
summer.
Maggie Daly, Tribune columnist, said producer
Jay Weston told her that he intends to
shoot his next picture here. He said, "I made
up my mind after Frank Yablans had
nothing but excellent experiences in shooting
'The Fury.' Now I have to find a Chicago
counterpart for New York's Central
Park, then we expect to start filming in
April and May. The picture is 'The Night
of the Juggler' and we hope to have Gregory
Peck and Kirk Douglas in the starring
roles of Luther Boyd and Police Lt. Gypsy
Tonnelli." The novel and film script were
written by Maggie's brother-in-law Bill Mc-
Givern. a former Chicagoan.
Dave Schatz reports that the Chicago
Used Chair Mart recently completed recovering
theatre chairs for the Kontos brothers
in Sterling—at both of their theatres, the
. . . Schatz
State and the Sterling. Chairs at the State
Theatre also were respaced
additionally reports that Chicago Used Chair
Mart has completed its move to a new location
at 2616 West Grand Ave. here, with
a new easy-to-remember phone number:
(312) 235-1111. The company has doubled
the area of its old location and customers
are invited to stop in to see the new "factory,"
Schatz says.
Carolina NATO Meeting
Was Organization's 65th
CHARLOTTE—The meeting held early
last month by NATO of North and South
Carolina was that organization's 65th annual
session, BoxomcE was advised by Lila
McClelland, executive secretary of the exhibitors'
group.
The initial report, sent to Boxoffice by
NATO from Charlotte, listed the meeting
as the association's 64th annual gathering.
Back-to-back Oscars for best actor of the
year were won by Spencer Tracy: in 1937
for "Captains Courageous," in 1938 for
"Boys Town."
EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE NEW .
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and other exclusive products for the '80s
For new theatres or modernization, contact
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8421 Gravois Road St. Louis, Mo. 63123
Phone 314-352-2020
WE SPECIALIZE IN ALL LEASING & FINANCING PLANS
C-4 BOXOFTICE :: January 23, 1978

Fuqua Industries
Is Second in Ga.
ATLANTA—Locally-based Fiiqiia Industries
became Ihe second largest corporation
in Georgia, behind the Coca-Cola Co.. when
it formally took over National Industries
Inc. of Louisville, Ky. Fuqua is now a billion-dollar
operation. Both participants in
the merger are members of the New York
Stock Exchange.
A Fuqua spokesman said that the tenminute
meeting to finalize the merger ". . .
went pretty much as expected. There were
no problems at all." The meeting was held
at 10 a.m. and. within the hour, papers
were signed here and the deal was finalized
when National filed in Kentucky, their state
of incorporation and Delaware, Fuqua"s
state of incorporation. National Industries'
stockholders has approved the transaction
last week.
The resulting company had $1,600,000.-
000 in sales last year and National had
$1,000,000,000 in revenue. The latter is primarily
involved in marketing and transporting
petroleum products, operating discount
department stores and manufacturing and
distributing Cott soft drinks. Fuqua is a
diversified, leisure-oriented firm with major
operations in trucking, sporting goods, lawnmowing
equipment and real estate. They
also own and operate the Martin Theatre
Co., Columbus, Ga. with 200 locations
numbering 300 screens in ten southern
states.
The merger agreement provides payment
programs in cash for certain National shareholders
as well as a one-for-one common
stock exchange of Fuqua holdings for National
interests.
Picture Palace is Sought
By Folks in Ashburn, Ga.
ASHFORD, GA.— While theatres around
the country are being shuttered or turned
into parking lots, a small town in Georgia
is looking for a picture palace that is looking
for a home. Thorn Kolesa of the Turner
County chamber of commerce said that
more than 500 residents have returned
queries about the desire for a cinema. All
but one replied in the affirmative.
Kolesa, who is assisted by Trina Arnold,
said that the affirmative replies have come
from yoimg and old alike. The older residents
note that they stopped going to the
pictures because the distance to the nearest
theatre was too great an obstacle. The
younger set was just generally enthusiastic
about the prospect of a house in Ashburn.
The county project chief reported that
they are already in contact with a firm that
was interested in Turner County and Kolesa
added, "They want more information about
the area."
A screen in Turner County would be a
nice New Year's present for the residents'
and could prove a profitable venture for an
enterprising exhibitor.
Robert Shaw, Lee Marvin and Mike Connors
will star in "Avalanche Express."
Stone Plans Innovative
Approach in Carolinas
CHARLOTTE—Herman Stone, vicepresident
of Charlotte-based Consolidated
Theatres, is the new
president of the North
& South Carolina Theatres
Ass'n.
Stone is known as
.111 executive who typilies
"a Horatio Alger
success story," since
he launched his career
working as an
usher. He advanced to
ticket-taker, theatre
Herman Stone , ,,
manager and then
went on to even more responsible executive
positions, learning all the formats of show
business.
As the new president of the organization,
one of Stone's first innovations will be a
proposal to the board of directors of the
North & South Carolina Theatres Ass'n that
memberships be accepted from distributors
as well as independent bookers. Such an arrangement,
he avers, would bring about the
airing of mutual problems and expedite
their solutions. Further, the resultant insight
and understanding would create stronger
Lmity within the NSCTA, Stone declares.
'Full Speed Ahead' Rule
For New Orleans WOMPI's
NEW ORLEANS—The WOMPI's ended
the year without any visible let up in their
awesome pace. If anything, the ladies put on
what track folks call a closing burst of
speed. The month of December saw them
register 190 service hours.
The bulk of the time was logged by
members in service to such worthy organizations
as the Eucharistic Missionaries,
Hickory Heights and the Abbe Nursing
Home. They also supported the WYES-TV
auction and Charity Hospital, to name a few
laudable activities that drew active WOMPI
participation.
Scarcely stopping to draw a breath the
"Bayou Belles" have drawn up plans for the
current year. A project high on their list
is a visit to Hickory Heights where their
Mardi Gras Salute will kick off Ihe carnival
season.
The ad sale for the cookbook is over
and that publication should be out soon.
Anyone who wishes a copy may contact
any of the local WOMPI's. The January
"closed" meeting is slated for Tuesday (24)
at Shoney's Restaurant. The December
Christmas meeting at the Beverly was attended
by 45 members, according to reports.
* * SINCE 1924 * •
MERCHANT ADS-SPECIAL TRAILERS
Trailerettes-Daters
COLOR^BLACK & WHITE
PARROT FILMS, INC.
P.O. BOX 541 DES MOINES, IOWA • 50302
PHONE 15151 288-1122
'Semi-Tough' On Top
Of Memphis' Ratings
MEMPHLS— Most of the offerings at local
theatres made a strong showing at the
boxoffice. United Artists' "Semi-Tough"
held down the number one spot with a
lusty 725 average at three theatres. Also
showing well at three houses were "Pete's
Dragon." 430; "The World's Greatest Lover,"
565, good for Ihe runner-up spot and
"The Gauntlet," 340. At a pair of cinemas,
"Saturday Night Fever" showed a healthy
310 while, on single screens, "Julia" hit 375,
"The Choirboys" registered 310 and "Looking
for Mr. Goodbar" logged a 210. All in
all.
a good week here.
(Average Is 100)
Malco Quartet 3 Julia (20th-Fox). 9th wk 375
Paramount I, Raleigh Springs 2 Saturday Night
Fever (Para), 2nd wk 310
Plaza 2—The Choirboys (Univ) 210
Ridgeway Four 4 Looking lor Mr. Goodbar
(Para), 6lh wk 410
Three theatres Pete's Dragon (BV), 2nd wk 430
Three theatres The World's Greatest Lover
(20th-Fox) 565
Three theatres Semi-Tough (UA) 725
Three theatres—The Gauntlet (WB) 340
Three theatres Telefon (UA), 2nd wk 90
Theatre Grosses in New Orleans
Get Boost From Super Bowl Fans
from
NEW ORLEANS— Football filberts
across the nation made the annual hegira
to the Super Bowl held at New Orleans'
Superdome. this year. The influx of big
spenders boosted many areas of the local
economy and picture palaces got their share
of the loot. Grosses reflected across-theboard
high averages, led by 20th Century-
Fo.v's "The Turning Point" with a scintillating
SOO. "The World's Greatest Lover,"
another 20th-Fox opus, was in the runner
up slot with a tasty 650. Winding up in third
was Universal's "The Choirboys" at an impressive
600 level.
In the van were "Semi-Tough," 450; "Saturday
Night Fever," 425; "Bare Knuckles"
and "Telefon" each tallied 200 and "Grayeagle"
hit a solid 175. All in all, "Superweek"
was just that for this city's exhibitors.
Lakeside 1, Plaza 1— Semi-Tough (UA). 7th wk 450
Lakeside 3 The Choirboys (Univ), 3rd wk 600
Lakeside 4—The Turning Point (20th-Fox),
3rd wk 800
Orpheum—Bare Knucltles (SR) 200
Plaza 4, 'Westside I Grayeagle (AIP). 3rd wk 175
Robert E, Lee The World's Grestest Lover
(20th-Fox), 3rd wk 650
Three theatres—Teleion (UA), 4!h wk 200
Three theatres Saturday Night Fever (Para).
4lh wk 425
FINER PROJECTION -SUPER ECONOMY
i

—
John Krimsky Discloses Little-Known
Facts About Classic Film Production
By LOIS BAUMOEL
PALM BEACH—Well-known film and
theatrical producer John Krimsky was in
Palm Beach Thursday (5) through Saturday
(7) to explain the difficulties of producing
the avant-garde 1933 film version
of "Emperor Jones." appearing at the Norton
Gallery of Art for the kick off of the
gallery's third International Film Classics
series.
Krimsky. who is now a resident of
Sarasota, Fla.. told this reporter he was
"weaned on Boxoffice. It's the hihle for
men in the industry,"" he said.
His first venture was in 1932 when, with
partner Gifford A. Cochran, he acquired
the rights from Germany for the distribution
of "Maedchen in Uniform"" in the
Western Hemisphere. Here was a picture
directed and performed by women, almost
unheard of at that time. Cochran (who died
earlier this month) and he purchased the
picture for $2,200 and it earned $1,300,000
for them. Having enjoyed both financial
and artistic success in this project, Krimsky
started searching for something else to produce.
Richard Madden, agent for Eugene
O'Neill, told the producer that Samuel
Goldwyn was offering $75,000 for the
screen rights to "Emperor Jones."" However.
Goldwyn planned to have Lawrence Tibbett
perform the leading role in blackface.
When Krimsky flew down to see 0"Neill
and offered $25,000 for the same rights
but promised to have it performed by black
actors with Paul Robeson playing the leading
role of Brutus Jones— the author sold
the rights for one-third the amount offered
by Goldwyn. It was the first all-black film to
play U.S. houses.
Krimsky founded the first "Play of the
Month Club" in New York City and it
lasted six or seven years. He also acquired
the rights to "Threepenny Opera."" which
starred Robert Chisholm as Mack the Knife.
It was a flop after only 13 performances
at the Empire Theatre. It was not until
PERSONALIZED,
years later that "Threepenny Opera" became
a success.
Krimsky was offered a contract with
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as associate producer,
with "an office next to the ladies' room."'
After a year of nothing to do but watch the
glamorous superstar actresses walk by, he
asked to be released from the deal. He then
went to 20th-Fox Studios as an assistant to
the executive producer for all Shirley Temple
and Will Rogers films.
During the next 20 years, Krimsky entered
the field of film advertising, handling
accounts for Buchanan, Paramount, MGM
and Howard Hughes. "Countless of those
ads were placed in Boxoffice."" he added.
Krimsky now devotes the major portion
of his time to lecturing and he tours extensively
with "Emperor Jones"" and "Maedchen
in Uniform."" The slim, knowledgeable
man predicted: "Smart money, in years to
come, will invest in the arts, particularly
motion pictures."'
'Showmanship 78' Contest
To Be Conducted by Odeon
TORONTO—Odeon Theatres continues
to stress the importance of showmanship
and a few days ago announced a "Showmanship
'78 Contest"' which is open to circuit
theatre managers, assistants and trainees
across Canada.
Individual district managers will judge
all entries in their own areas and cash
awards will be presented for best efforts
on a quarterly basis. At year's end. final
judging will be conducted at the home office
to determine the grand-prize winners.
The most effective use of showmanship
throughout the year will be rewarded by a
two-week holiday for two in Hawaii, with
a color TV or a stereo sound system going
to runners-up.
While Odeon Theatres has stressed the
importance of showmanship over the years,
this contest is expected to stimulate even
greater interest throughout the circuit and,
at the same time, provide additional recognition
for managerial personnel.
CROSSPLUGS, ANIMATED
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NEW ORLEANS
Sddie Addison, United Artists, and his
wife Frances returned from a stay at
the posh Ala Moana Hotel in Honolulu
via Los Angeles where they witnessed the
Rose Bowl game and chatted with United
.\rtists' executives about upcoming product.
One of the films discussed was "The Big g
Sleep"" in which Robert Mitchum portrays |
the Phil Marlowe
|
Mitchum would consider a promotional tour
|
if New Orleans was on the itinerary.
George Peppard will publicize the picture
"Five Days From Home."" Friday (27). The
opus was lensed in the Shreveport area and
Peppard is both star and director. During
his stay here he will serve as grand marshal
of the
Hestia Carnival parade.
Creole-land was inundated with pigskin
pecans here for Super Bowl XII. Luminaries
from films. TV, stage, politics and youname-it
were as plentiful as shrimp during
"Superweek."" A special, national telecast,
"Supernight at the Superbowl." was presented
with Joe Namath, football's fabulous
number 12, Paul Williams, sporting number
1/2 and Andy Williams (he didn't have a
number, so he must have been on the injured
reserve list) as tri-hosts. The show
glowed with superstars.
Maine Lawmakers Consider
Entertainment Tax Bill
AUGUSTA, ME.—A proposed measure
before the state legislature would benefit
Maine's tourist-oriented communities by allowing
them to tax entertainment and
amusements.
The bill would permit any Maine community
to establish its own tax and take up
to five cents out of every dollar spent on
entertainment.
Jerome Plante, town manager of Old
Orchard Beach, remarked: "This is really
just enabling legislation. It would make it
legal for a community to have such a tax.
What they want to charge or even if they
have one at all will be decided by the community."
ASCTECHNICAL SERVICES
CORPORATION
P.O. Box 5150 • Richardson, Texas 75080
SEHVING THE NATIONS EXHIBITORS SINCE 1937
TOTAL BOOTH SERVICE, SOUND,
PROJECTION, PARTS, INSTALLATION
AND MAINTENANCE
Wnle or call collect 214-234-3270
— STAR TREATMENT SERVICE
CINERAMA IS IN
SHOW BUSINESS IN
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki,
fe||jgjj^ don't miss the famous
[5^^ Don Ho Show. . . at
[oma
j
Cinerama's Reef Towers Hotel.
IN UnDWI: REEF -ISEF TOWERS- EDGEUMTER
SE-2
BOXOFFICE :: January 23, 1978

THEATRE MEN — play
the only game in town where
EVERYBODY WINS!!!
INTERNATIONAL FILM INDUSTRIES
THE FORWARD LOOKIMC COMPANY
GROWING UP
Presents in 1 978 ...
Schedule of Winners

JACKS ONVILLE
Cunny Greenwood, Eastern regional manager
for the Navy Motion Picture Service
aiid former member of Jacksonville's
Filmrow, visited in Jacksonville December
19 to 21. From here, Sunny traveled to
Tampa for a Christmas vacation and family
reunion. Relatives from Georgia, New-
York, Illinois and Virginia gathered for the
gala
event.
Kent Theatres, home-based in Jacksonville,
reopened their Halifax Theatre in Daytona
as a deluxe twin during the Christmas
holidays with "Looking for Mr. Goodbar"
and "The Choirboys." The theatre has approximately
400 seats on each side. Reopening
of the theatre meant a promotion for
manager Steve Cahoon. who was former
manager of the Main St. Drive-In here.
The father of Marian Goewey, wife of
Kent's city manager Bill Goewey. passed
away on Christmas eve in Chicago. Our
sympathy to their family on the loss of a
loved one.
Visitors from the cold north converged on
the St. Petersburg home of Ruby and Ed
Novak, Kent Theatres, for the Christmas
holidays. Soaking up the sunshine and
warmth of our state were Ruby and Ed's
daughter, son-in-law and grandchild from
Wapaca, Wisconsin and friends from Ohio.
Everyone journeyed to Hollywood, Florida
to visit the Novak's granddaughter who is
attending college there.
In town for the Gator Bowl Game were
C. Heyward Morgan and family, exhibitors
from Greenville, South Carolina. Needless
to say, they were pulling for a Clemson win
but their efforts were in
vain.
Other visitors in Jacksonville during the
holidays included Bobby Capps jr. and
Mark Link, former residents and members
of Filmrow, Both now live in Chicago.
The flu bug has really hit the local Filmrow
offices as well as most of Jacksonville.
Each office reports at least one or more
staffers absent due to the illness.
United Artists has a new sales trainee.
John McKcnna, who started at the local
office in late November. He is being trained
by veteran Filmrow salesman Walter Johnson,
who also took him on a recent trip to
view the new theatres in Live Oak, Florida.
They viewed the new Live Oak Twin Theatres
owned by Sidney Pink, the remodeled
Alimar Twin Theatres owned by Russell
Johnson and the new twin drive-in owned
by Leonard Vaughn. They also visited other
west Florida situations on their tour.
FLORIDA THEATRE -
EQUIPMENT
& SUPPLY COv INC.
EVERYTHINC VOU NEED FOR YOUR THEATRE"
1966 N.E 149th St. • N. Miami, Fla., 33181
Tel: (3051 944-4470
Walter Johnson from United Artists states
that their office billed a record $7,000,000
for 1977, with "Rocky" and "The Spy Who
Loved Me" contributing most of the income
. . . Wayne Chappell was in Jackson-
calling on local film buyers.
ville
On their calendar of community service
projects for the month of January, the
WOMPrS listed a bingo party for the residents
of the Florida Christian Health Center
on Saturday (14). The WOMPI'S provided
homemade refreshments and bingo
prizes as well as their sunny dispositions to
help cheer these deserving people.
Frances Conner, from Universal, and her
husband Buddy have sold their trailer and
are anxiously awaiting the completion of
construction on their new house in Callahan
which should be some time in April.
The first WOMPI board meeting of the
new year was held on Tuesday (10) at the
Universal Office at One Regency Place. It
seems attendance at the board meetings has
increased since the they are being held at
various locations instead of one set place,
because Filmrow has spread from downtown
into many outlying malls and other
locations . . . WOMPI finance chairman
and treasurer, Marsha Weaver, says the local
club earned at least $300 from the
staffing of a concession booth at the Gator
Bowl on December 30, with 16 WOMPI'S
and friends participating. With the help of
Nick Lewis, the WOMPI'S made an additional
$100 on their Rose Bowl Pool. The
winners were Paul Simmons with $40, Horace
Denning, Bob Fulford and Doc Cawthon
with $20. This money is earmarked to
be used for the various charitable projects
undertaken by the WOMPI'S.
The WOMPI treasury was also fattened
by a check in the amount of $33.30 from
the managers of Kent Theatres through their
donation of Butterful popcorn box coupons.
The Kent managers send these coupons to
WOMPI Joyce Malmborg who in turn sends
them in for redemption. The WOMPI'S
would also like to to express their thanks to
these Kent Theatre managers for their continuing
support.
Patricia Sherman is a new member of the
20th Century-Fox accounting department,
replacing Karen Smotherman who resigned.
Welcome aboard, Patricia!
WOMPI Joyce Malmborg made a
Christmas
visit to see the group's adopted grandmother.
Mrs. Estelle Greene, who has been
transferred to the Riverside Convalescent
Center. She also made a visit to the Riverside
Presbyterian House to see a friend of
Ruby Novak's who lives there. Marion
Goewey of Kent Theatres made two precious
Christmas stockings filled with goodies
for Joyce to take to these two shut-ins and
they were received with much pleasure.
Jacksonville's two newspapers are combining.
The Saturday morning Florida
Times Union and the Saturday afternoon
Journal are now the brand new Saturday.
The first issue of this new paper was December
31 and it seemed to be received
very well. The Saturday is a morning paper
and it's packed with everything to make
weekends more full and more fun than ever.
It has all of the best columns, features and
comics of the two papers and an entertainment
and leisure guide called Tempo.
As a special feature during the visit of ,1
the fans and team members of Clemson and
Pittsburgh for the Gator Bowl game on
December 30, the Florida Times Union ran
a special section on news from home for the
bowl visitors. I am sure our many visitors
i
appreciated this added bit of Southern hospitality.
,
WOMPI treasurer and finance chairman
Marsha Weaver announced that 73 people
attended the Christmas Appreciation Luncheon
on December 14 at the Ramada Inn i|
South where Stan Davis was selected as the
WOMPI Man of the Year and Joyce Malmborg
was selected as WOMPI of the Year.
i
The luncheon was enjoyed by all and the
committee in charge of the event is to be
commended. The food was delicious, the
decorations lovely and the programs were
very cute. Charlie King played Santa Claus
and handed out the Secret Pal Christmas
gifts. The luncheon had a very festive air
and really started the Christmas season off
with a bang.
WOMPI community service chairman
Julie Williams reports the WOMPI'S had
their projects.
a very busy December with all
A total of 129 hours were spent by the
WOMPI'S during December participating in
the following projects: American Cancer
Society gift wrapping booths at two shopping
centers, stuffing stockings for the Salvation
Army, attending luncheon at Florida
Christian Health Center, purchasing and
wrapping gifts for the Central Riverside
Park Therapeutic Recreation Center. Christmas
dance for handicapped teenagers, answering
letters to Santa Claus for the Post
Office, visiting Mrs. Greene, gathering gifts
for the Mental Health Association's "Project
Cheer," preparing Christmas packages for
two foster daughters, and special Christmas
party for residents of the Florida Christian
Health Center.
Winners Get Sci-Fi Books
PHILADELPHIA — While it's generally
movie passes that are the giveaway for a
promotional film contest, Don Davidson,
advertising and promotion chief for Sameric
Theatres, chose books as the contest prizes
in a tie-up for "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind," playing at the Sameric Theatre
hire. Readers of "The Drummer," weekly
amusement paper with a special edition distributed
on all the college campuses in the
area, were invited to send in their own
"close encounter" in 100 words or less.
In a three-day tie-in with Hourglass
Books, center-city book store, the person
with the most original "close encounter" received
a set of 12 of the best sci-fi books
ever printed.
SE-4 BOXOFFICE :; January 23, 1978

m
Scheduled
For Release
July, 1978
1 t
This mule will kick you
off your Blazing Saddle!
Angela Richardson • Richard Webb • Dee Cooper • Cathy Carricaburu •
Doodles Weaver • Noble "Kid" Chissell • Frank Otterman
Writ-ten and Directed By Donald R. Von Mizener
Produced By Robert F. Slatzer
Animated By John Paul Jones
Associate Producer Ross Howkins
Harry Weed Productions
822 North La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, Californio 90069 • (213) 652-5254

ATLANTA
V "ini
Corbett, branch manager for Film Ventures
Distributing Co., which moved its
headquarters to the West Coast, has moved
to new quarters. The new address is 2200
Centurv Parkway, Suite 874. Atlanta,
30345, and the telephone number is (404)
321-0950. This branch serves the Atlanta,
Jacksonville. Memphis and New Orleans divisions
of the company. Assisting Corbett
are Patricia Whitman, booker, and Sally
Arnett in the accounting department.
Joel Poss, now head of Columbia Publicity,
also has moved to new headquarters at
2600 Century Parkway, Suite 379, Atlanta.
30345. and their telephone number is (404)
321-3190. Barbara Upshaw is Poss' administrative
assistant.
Burt Reynoltls' comedy "Smokey and the
Bandit" is reported to have grossed $12,-
000.000, which makes it the second best
moneymaker of the year, following only
"Star Wars." It is now being released overseas
and that imdoubtedly means more earnings
for Reynolds. It was filmed largely in
Georgia. Reynolds is already imder contract
to appear in a sequel. Sally Field and Jackie
Gleason, his co-stars in "Smokey," have
been signed for repeat performances. Reynolds
is said to have made the film for a
token salary, but with a contract calling for
large percentage of the profits. Sally and
Jackie will benefit because they will get a
percentage contract this time. Reynolds has
completed another comedy, "The End." in
which he stars with Miss Field. He also will
appear in "Storm Warning," prior to doing
the sequel to "Smokey."
Filmrow was saddened by two deaths in
the past week. Elizabeth W. "Pat" Brown,
who retired Jan. 2, 1976, from Warner
Bros., after 54 years in the industry; and
James Bradford, the brother of Marguerite
Stith, a WOMPI for many years, who has
her own film booking agency. Mrs. Brown
started with Vitagraph June 19, 1922, moved
to First National and then to Warners
where she spent many years and made many
friends.
800 Lambert Drive N.E.
Atlanta, Go. 30324
(404) 8760347
Bradford, 49, worked for the Wrigley
Gum Co. until his retirement. He is survived
by his wife and three sons; his mother,
Pearl Bradford; a brother. Henry Bradford;
and his sister, Ms. Stith. Boxoffice extends
sincere condolences to the bereaved families.
Once more the critics have labored and
come forth with their Ten Best Motion Pictures
of the Year selections. We give you
only the titles of their choices: Barbara
Thomas, Journal amusements editor: "Star
Wars," "Close Encounters of the Third
Kind," "The Turning Point." "Annie Hall,"
"Oh, God!," "Cria!," "Julia." "The Goodbye
Girl," "Pardon Mon Affaire" and "La
Grande Bourgeoise." Honorable Mention:
"Black Sunday." La Turkeys: "Exorcist II:
the Heretic," "March Or Die," "The Choirboys,"
"Orca," "New York, New York,"
"Damnation Alley." "The Eagle Has Landed,"
"A Bridge Too Far," "Valentino" and
"Cassandra Crossing."
Scott Cain, Atlanta Journal columnistcritic:
"Star Wars," "Annie Hall," "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind," "The Turning
Point." "Providence," "The Spy Who
Loved Me," "Slap Shot," "Sorcerer," "Oh,
God!." "Julia" and "La Grande Bourgeoise."
Not top ten. but enjoyable: "New York,
New York," "The Deep," "A Bridge Too
Far," "The Rescuers," "Valentino," "Damnation
Alley," "White Buffalo," "Voyage
of the Damned," "Cross of Iron," "Pumpig
Iron," "Nasty Habits," "The Slipper and
the Rose" and "The Eagle Has Landed."
Les Losers: "3 Women," "Looking for Mr.
Goodbar," "The Gauntlet," "Andy Warhol's
Bad." "The Car," "March Or Die."
"Exorcist II: the Heretic," "The Lincoln
Conspiracy," "Suspiria" and "Fun With
Dick and Jane."
A newcomer to the list, Michels Ross
Baird: "Annie Hall," "I Never Promised
You a Rose Garden," "Julia," "The Late
Show," "Looking for Mr. Goodbar,"
"Scenes From a Marriage," "The Spy Who
Loved Me," "Star Wars," "3 Women" and
"The Turning Point."
Now compare the above with the New
York Times' Vincent Canby's selections
listed in alphabetical order: "Annie Hall,"
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind." "Effi
Briest," "The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty
Kick," "Handle With Care," "The Late
Show," "The Man Who Loved Women,"
"Star Wars," "Stroszek" and "That Obscure
Object of Desire."
WIJHill, Inc.
"Everything for your theatre— except film"
Z^\i
800 S. Graham St.
Charlotte, N.C. 28202
(704) 334-3616
Trade press screenings at Century Cinema
Corp.'s facility included "The One and
Only," Paramount Pictures; "Blue Sunshine,"
distributed by Chappell Releasing
Co.; "The Other Side of Midnight," 20th
Screened at Films Incorporated's
Century-Fox . . .
Preview Center were "The One
and Only," for Michael Parver; "The
World's Greatest Lover," 20th Century-
Fox; and "The Goodbye Girl," Universal.
Glenn Siinonds, American International
Pictures' Atlanta branch manager, twisted
his knee and had to spend a few days at
home. AIP is poised to release two strong
pictures, "Grayeagle," a charles Pierce production,
which began circulation December
20, and "Mean Dog Blues," a Bing Crosby
Productions film, set for distribution February
10.
Joel Poss was on hand at Akers Mill
Square Saturday (7) to preside at the major
studio sneak preview of "Casey's Shadow,"
a Columbia production starring Walter Matthau.
An, NBC-TV film about Martin Luther
King jr., which has been criticized by some
of his former associates, authentically captures
the "pain and humor" of the civil
rights movement. United Nations ambassador
Andrew Young, an Atlantan, says. "It
won't stand up to a lot of imagery of history,
but it is basically what happened," he
said at a news conference arranged by NBC.
"It is not a documentary of the civil rights
movement, or the Vietnam conflict protest,
but it puts all of those together in a sweeping
history and I think it's authentic." said
Yoimg, a former civil rights worker who is
portrayed in the six-hour drama. The film
"King," is scheduled for viewing February
12-13-14 and stars Paul Winfield as the slain
civil rights leader and Emmy-winner Cicely
Tyson as Coretta King. Abby Mann, who
won an Oscar for his adaptation of "Judgment
at Nurcnburg," wrote the script and
directed the film. After reading a script
copy last summer, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy,
who led the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference after King was killed in
1968. said that the movie "portrays Dr.
King as a very weak and cowardly sort of
leader. It even implies that once Dr. King
thought he might have to resort to violence."
Marquee changes: Greenbriar, South De-
Kalb. Parkaire Twin, Suburban Plaza and
Georgia Twin, "The Other Side of Paradise,"
Toco Hill and North Springs, "Mac-
Arthur," Canton Corners. "Rollercoaster,"
Tower Place 6, "A Brief Vacation," Omni
6, "Audrey Rose," Atlanta, Ben Hill, Broadview
and Cinema 75, "Which Way Is Up?"
Cobb Center, Omni 6, Parkaire, Lenox
Square, South DeKalb, Suburban Plaza,
Westgate. Roswell Twin, Buford Highway,
Georgie Twin, Old Dixie and Mableton,
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SE-6 BOXOFFICE :: January 2.1, 1978

i
Expressway.
j
!
and
!
Martin's
I
show
I
I
I
and
j
\
Phipps
"Sasquatch." Northeast Expressway. South
North Starlight. Lithia, Roose-
I velt and Bankhead drive-ins. "Mustang:
House of Pleasure." Silver Screen. "To Have
Have Not" and "Key Largo."
Riallo Theatre staged one floor
Saturday (14) plus Generation Inter-
national Pictures "Petey Wheatstraw," starring
Jimmy "Funky Tramp" Lynch, Leroy
Skillet and Wildman Steve, with all
seats priced at $3.
Plaza 2 staged a sneak preview of
Warner Bros.' "Capricorn One" Friday night
(13) on the same bill with "The World's
Greatest Lover."
Marjorie Short, of Boston, showed "Kudzu,"
her short film, Tuesday (10) at the
Independent Media Artists of Georgia Center.
The film was nominated for an Academy
Award for best short subject last year
and she described her experiences with the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
with distribution of the film. She
appeared in a panel discussion on "Finding
an Audience for Your Film." Leo Dratfield,
vice-president of acquisition for Films
Inc., of New York, also offered advice on
distribution for independent filmmakers and
screened selected short films his company
has distributed. Films Inc.. one of the largest
distributors of independent films in the
United States, has an agecny in Atlanta.
A film on environmental art. "Artpark
People." was shown Sunday (8) at the High
Museum of Art. The film docimients an
earthwork project carried out in Buffalo,
N.Y., and follows the construction of earthworks
and environmental sculptures by several
artists. Art critic Brian O'Dougherty
interviewed artists about their projects and
the camera picks up the visitors perceptions
and delight on opening day. The film, shown
in the Museum's Hill Auditorium, was open
to the public and admission was free.
Deborah Winters, the Hollywood newcomer
who starred four years ago as Gary
Grimes" girl friend in "The Class of '44,"
and then disappeared, is staging a comeback
in a motion picture for TV. It is titled
"Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo" and stars
Claude Akins. Bert Remsen and Pat Hingle
in a tale of killer spiders terrorizing an
American town.
The Atlanta Chapter of the National
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
(NARAS) will stage a Grammy Awards
Party February 23, the night of the awards
show on TV, at the Standard Club on
Standard Drive. The evening will feature
cocktails, dinner, viewing the awards show
and dancing afterwards. The general public
is invited and those interested should contact
Tom Long at 875-1440,
Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co.. recently announced
that it will spend $400,000 underwriting
a scientific expedition along the Nile
River in Egypt, the country that recently
pledged to support the Atlanta company's
efforts to get off the Arab League's boycott
list. The new archaeological and geological
project, dubbed the Theban Expedition, was
announced at a news conference in New
York's Brooklyn Museum, which set up
what is to be a long-term project, the first
two years of which will be paid for by
Coke.
The works of H.G. Ranch, a young German
artist, were on exhibit in the lobby of
the main library at the University of Georgia
in Athens through Wednesday (IS) after
which the exhibit moved to the Cioethe Institute
at the German Cultural Center. 400
Colony Square, where it will stay until February
10. Rauch has been seen in America
through his work on the op-ed page of the
New York Times and in magazines such as
Look. Venture, Harper's and Sports Illustrated.
A short motion picture film is included
in the Atlanta showing during the
time the exhibition is on displa\ at the
Goethe Institute.
Expenditures for goods and services by
General Motors reached an all-time high in
Georgia during 1977. V.P. Sutt. chairman
of GM's Plant City Committee, said that
payrolls in the Atlanta area exceeded $219.-
000,000 this year. $35,000,000 more than
the previous high set in 1976. Sutt also
said GM spent more than $102,000,000
with Georgia suppliers in 1977, GM Division
facilities located in Doraville and Atlanta
produced more than 400.000 new cars
and trucks dining the calendar year. Sutt
added.
Once more the Theatre of the Stars winter
play season's offerings are featuring
stars of stage and screen in six outstanding
plays selected for showing to devotees of
the stage. Opening this year's season Tuesday
(10) was Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit."
starring Hope Lange and Michael Allinson.
The second play, Emlyn Williams' "Night
Must Fall." will star David McCallum and
Sylvia Sidney, starting Tuesday (24). The
rest of the plays and stars are Lana Turner
in "Bell, Book and Candle." Feb. 7-19; Sada
Thompson in a new comedy. "The Housekeeper."
February 21-March 5; an all-star
regional cast will be seen in a premiere
drama, "Masterpiece," March 7-19; and the
final offering will be Lyle Waggoner in
Neil Simon's comedy. "Come Blow Your
Horn," March 21-April 2.
"The Work of Luis Maza, Stage Designer,"
is the title of an exhibit at the Handshake
Gallery in the Summit Building, 401
Peachtree Street, and it is getting a great
deal of attention. The show, which will run
through February 26. includes everything
from models, renderings and drawings, to
full-size stage sets complete with props and
costumes, Maza has been in Atlanta since
1960 when he and Richard Monroe started
the Pocket Theatre. He spent six years designing
for that theatre and four years as a
designer and teacher at Spelman College.
In 1971 he served as resident designer for
the Alliance Theatre. A year later he opened
his own studio on Courtland Street where
he has created and built sets for most of the
performing arts groups in the Atlanta area,
for TV commercials and such places as
Underground .Atlanta and the World of Sid
and Marty Krofft.
Rik Barnes, a former salesman with the
Jack Vaughan agency has joined the National
Screen Service sales department under
Robert Sedlak. regional manager of the Atlanta
territory.
Harry Clark, president of the Clark Film
Releasing Co., based in Jacksonville, paid a
visit to the Atlanta branch, before moving
on to New York, where he huddled wtih
producers and filmmakers.
DeAngelis' Theatre
A Novel Experiment
RALEIGH. N.C.— rhe Fitzgerald's opened
at the Falls Village Shopping Center
December 21. Named in honor of the literary
legends. F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald,
it represents an exciting, new concept in
family film entertainment. It is the only
center of its kind in the Southeast.
The theatre includes The Screening Room
where you can eat, drink and be merry in
one of the 130 luxuriously upholstered seats
of yellow and burnt auburn, with the lighting
carrying out this motif. The Room is
equipped with Dolby Sound. The Sound
Stage has a 395-seat capacity. The chairs
are Massey-made rockers that blend with
the green, yellow and brown decor of the
theatre. There are 13 strategically-placed
speakers surrounding the auditorium, complemented
by Dolby sound reduction which
makes this an effective, sophisticated audio
system that contributes immeasurably to the
viewer's pleasure.
The lobby is a tasteful blend of earthtone
wood highlighting Parisian murals. Off of
the lobby is the Critic's Corner where you
can debate the merits of the films over a
glass of your favorite bubbly or while you
are enjoying an appetite-satisfying meal.
Two gallant gladiators of the gridiron are
the owners of the posh cinema experience,
Lou and Dick De Angelis, while John Reed,
holder of a master's degree from State College,
manages the operation with a flair.
The grand opening was fully in keeping
with the philosophy of The Fitzgerald's as
invited guests from Charlotte were welcomed
at the airport by Reed, who escorted them
to the Sheraton Hotel by limousines, then on
to the theatre for cocktails, dinner and a
special preview of "Semi-Tough." The
guests were: Charlie and Doris Hunsuck.
the Francis Gormleys. W. A. "Bill" Mc-
Clure, Harold Duckworth, Steve Smith. Boh
Hefner. Jean Hensley. George and Janette
Royster and your correspondent, Charlie
Leonard (one of the nicer fringe benefits).
Gov't Aid for Theatres
MONTREAL— Persons attending any of
the 100 theatres that are members of the
Ass'n of Canadian Theatres will, in the
future, be given a postcard and requested
to fill it in for mailing to the Canadian
government. The direct-mail campaign is
designed to secure larger grants and greater
support for theatres which "contribute to
Canadian culture, national unity and the theatre
movement in general."
BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978 SE-7

CHARLOTTE
Uernian Stone, Consolidated Theatres vicepresident,
announced the promotion of
John Garner to Spartanburg. S. C. city manager.
Garner will supervise the Pinewood
Cinemas 1 and 2 as well as the Thunderbird
Drive-In. He will also manage the Pinewood.
He had been manager of the Midway Drive-
In. Fayetteville, N.C.
Bill Simpson, Simpson's Distributing
Corp., screened "Roseland" at Car-mel before
a very receptive audience. He will
saturate the release February 10 with 50
prints . . . Janet McElween. Charlotte Booking,
daughter of Piedmont Theatres' Clara
Finlayson, is back in Presbyterian Hospital
with the flu.
Ken MitciieU, Howell Theatres GM from
Smithfield, N.C, was in town visiting Filmrow
and the theatre supply companies . . .
Screenings at Car-Mel: "The Billionaire
Kid," Craddock. Atlanta: "Unmarried Woman,"
20th Century-Fox; "The Chosen" plus
a trailer on "Here Come the Tigers," AIP
. . . Filmrow visitors: A. Foster McKissick
and Fred Curdts. executives with Fairlane-
Litchfield Theatres. Easley. S.C; The Fullers—Jack
sr, and Jack jr.. Irvin-Fuller Co.,
Columbia, S. C; Harry Osteen, Anderson,
S.C; Rudy Howell, Howell Theatres; Bill
Pleass, Asheville, N.C; Bill Hendrix, Reidsville
Amusement Co.. Reidsville. N.C; Art
Farmer, Lenoir, N.C: Roy Champion and
Marion Borkin, Starlite Amusement Co.,
Wilson, N.C; Phil Nance, Sun Valley Theatres,
Raleigh and Cary, N.C; Del Carty,
WRAL, Raleigh. Frank Jones, Southern
Booking Service Co., visited Florence, S.C,
I.umberton. N.C. and Concord. N.C.
Roy Loftic will be the new manager at
Spartanburg's Thunderbird Drive-In, said
Herman Stone, Consolidated Theatres v. p.
Stone, who is also the new president of the
North & South Carolina Theatres Ass'n. will
preside over that group's board meeting
Tuesday (.11) at the association's offices.
R. T. Belcher, Twin States Booking, recuperating
at home after surgery at the
Presbyterian Hospital. We all wish him well
and look forward to seeing him back in
Glenn Grove, Gro-Mar
harness soon . . .
public relations, is back at his desk after a
week-long bout with the flu . . Weekly
.
top grossers: "Close Encoimters of the Third
Kind." Park Terrace; "The Goodbye Girl,"
South Park; "Which Way is Up?," Eastland
Mall and Carolina; "Saturday Night Fever,"
Eastland Mall.
The Christmas greeting published in the
December 19 issue of Boxoffice erroneously
carried the old address of Ace Film
230 S. Tiyon St., Suite 362, Chorlotte, N.C.
Frank Lowry . . . Bill Cline
PKone: (704) 377-9341
Distributors, Inc. Wc should have published
their current address which is Suite 1035,
230 South Tryon Street. Our apologies to
Charlie Mincey who called to straighten us
out.
Raleigh Filmgoers
Have 24 Theatres
RALEIGH, N.C—With a flock of new
theatres having opened here in the week before
Christmas— eight, to be exact—the Raleigh
area now has more movie houses than
any other region in North Carolina: 24
screens compared to Charlotte's 21.
The most formidable of the new movie
exhibition places is Imperial Cinema Four
at Cary Village Square shopping center.
The complex, consisting of the first fourscreen
theatre setup in the local area, was
dedicated December 23. The event featured
a concert by the Little German Band of
Raleigh and Cary, and a film-cutting with
Nancy Caroline Elliott, Miss Wake County
of 1978, and Harold D. Ritter, Cary mayor
pro tem, as participants. Several federal,
state and local officials attended the exercise.
The theatre complex, owned and operated
by Nance Enterprises Inc. of Raleigh, has a
total seating capacity of 1,300. with two of
the theatres each seating 425 people, and
the other two each seating 250. Construction
costs for the 18.000-square-foot facility
were in excess of $500,000.
Philip N. Nance, president of Nance Enterprises,
currently operates Cinema I and
Cinema II at Mission Valley shopping center
in Raleigh. Homer Lynch, who has
worked for Nance at Mission Valley, is
manager of the Imperial Cinema Four,
which generally will show four separate
films, with staggered show times.
A week before its opening, the complex
was previewed by media representatives,
public officials and other friends of the
owners at a gala party where the guests had
their choice of four shows: "The Turning
Point," "The World's Greatest Lover,"
"Telefon" or "Grayeagle."
The Tower I and Tower II twin theatres,
in the new Tower shopping center on U.S.
64 East just beyond Raleigh, were built by
Raleigh attorney and developer Arthur
Sandman and North Hills Inc. for ABC
Southeastern Theatres. Lewis Tew is manager.
The Tower theatres were dedicated December
18 to William G. Enloe, longtime
Raleigh city councilman, mayor and a district
manager for ABC Theatres. Enloe died
in 1972.
About 1,800 persons turned out for the
dedication program, which included the
screening of short subjects and cartoons.
Paul Hoover, who served on the city council
with Enlow, was master of ceremonies.
Certainly the most striking and original
of the new theatre setups is one called
The Fitzgeralds (named for novelist F. Scott
Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda). It opened
just before the holidays in the Falls Village
shopping center on the Falls of Neuse
Road across from the North Ridge Country
Club.
Builders and owners are Amedo and Lou
DeAngelis, Raleigh restaurant executives.
John Reed is manager.
The complex features a conventional theatre,
a posh restaurant, and a unique screening
room—the first of its kind in the state
—with plush love seats, and an opportunity
to buy food, beer and wine during film
showings.
The new theatres share a large lobby that
includes a refreshment area but has separate
waiting areas and restrooms. Each theatre
seats 475 persons.
Last spring, the owners of the Cardinal
in North Hills and the Terrace in the Colony
shopping center became twins by building
new cinemas adjacent to their existing
houses.
With first class film product far from
plentiful today, and in view of the large
guarantees being demanded by the filmmak-
Raleigh can expect more multiple book-
ers,
ings, with the same movie playing on several
screens. Movies are also expected to
stay around longer. Happily, most of the
new Hollywood films now will play here.
US District Judge Voids
NC's Anti-Porn Statute
RALEIGH, N.C— U.S. District Court
Judge Franklin T. Dupree jr. recently
struck down a section of a new North Carolina
anti-pornography law that allows
prosecutors to permanently bar sex shops
from selling or exhibiting obscene materials.
In a lengthy opinion Thursday (5), Dupree
said this provision is unconstitutional
because it allows prosecutors to prevent the
sale
or exhibition of books and movies that
judges have not ruled obscene. As a result,
prosecutors could be barring material that is
not obscene and is protected by the First
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Dupree
said. This would be an impermissible
prior restraint on speech, he added.
Robert P. Gruber, an assistant attorney
general who represented the state in a lawsuit
over the statute, said Friday (6) that
Dupree's opinion makes the new law "essentially
ineffective."
"That section was the guts of the statute.
We're considering appealing it," Gruber
said.
The lawsuit was brought by owners of
sex-oriented businesses in Fayetteville who
claimed that the law was unconstitutional.
A similar suit is pending in U.S. District
Court in Charlotte. Judge Dupree's opinion
is not binding on Judge James B. McMillan,
who will be rendering the Charlotte decision.
The anti-obscenity law was enacted by the
1977 General Assembly in an effort to discourage
sex-oriented businesses.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officers have
continued to raid and close up bookstores
and theatres in Fayetteville, Dinham, Jacksonville
and Wilmington. They say—and so
do prosecutors and a spokesman for the attorney
general's office—that the state court
is not bound by the federal court ruling. A
federal court opinion is not the law of the
land until it is upheld by the Supreme Court,
thev contend.
SE-8 BOXOFFICE :: January 23, 1978

. . . The
HOUSTON
The Elvis ConvenfioQ held in Houston the
past weekend included film footage of
. .
Elvis' earliest television appearances including
clips from the Dorsey Brothers. Ed
Sullivan and Steve Allen programs. The
convention was held at the Capitan Theatre
Houston premiere of "We All
Loved Each Other So Much" was held at
the Briargrove Three Theatre . The Westchase
5 is showing a double bill of the
screen's greatest stoiies of romance, "Love
Story" and "First Love."
Eric Gerber of the Houston Post reported
that no one's ever accused Houston of being
New York, or vice versa, but the discrepancies
between its film fare and our own certainly
give one pause. For instance, Andrew
Sarris, the film critic for NYC's Village
Voice, just came out with his 1977 Ten Best
Films list. Take a look: Bunuel's "That
Obscure Object of Desire," Fassbinder's
"Effi Briest," Altman's "Three Women,"
Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," "The Late
Show," "A Women's Decision," "Looking
for Mr. Goodbar," "Outrageous!." "Cria."
and "Strozek." Five of those films, half of
his list, haven't even played here yet.
Chances are only two will (the Bunuel and
"Strozek").
Among the new films scheduled to open
here are "Jabberwalk" at the following
drive-ins: Gulfway, Irvington, King Center,
Telephone Road. Thunderbird and McLendon
Triple and at the Allen Center indoor
theatre. "69 Minutes" at the Allen Center 3.
Airline. Gulfway 2. McLendon Triple.
Parkway. Pasadena. Telephone Road 2.
Thunderbird 2. Tidwell and Town & Country;
"The Young Cycle Girls" at the Festival
6. Westchase 5. McLendon Triple, Irvington,
Parkway, Telephone Road 2 and
Thunderbird 2 and the double bill of "The
Creatures" and "House of Insane Women"
at the indoor theatres: Allen Center, and
drive-ins: Airline, King Center, Pasadena.
Telephone Road. Thunderbird. McLendon
Triple and Town & Country.
Eric Gerber, Houston Post film writer, has
listed his choices for the highs and lows
of Houston's 1977 screen scene. As Gerber
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wrote "I've just gone through a list of films
that played Houston this year (about 100)
and cither snarled or smiled at the various
titles." Here's the facial breakdown (in no
particular order). Smilers: "Between the
Lines," "Annie Hall," "The Late Show,"
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "I
Never Promised You a Rose Garden,"
"Sorcerer," "Star Wars," "Julia," and "Saturday
Night Fever." The Snarlers included
"The Sentinel." "The Car," "Viva Knicvel."
"Thieves." "Airport '77." "The Gauntlet."
"Kingdom of the Spiders/ Empire of the
.'\nts/Day of the Animals/Tentacles/Orca."
"Last Remake of Beau Geste," "Bobby
Deerfield." "Happy Hooker Goes To Washington,"
"Damnation Alley." "Fire Sale"
and "Black Sunday."
The Rice Media Center screened "The
Blue Angel," "Three Women," "Little
Women" and "Diabolique."
Court Overthrows Ban
On Adult Showhouses
DALLAS—A U.S. District Court in Dallas
has ruled that a University Park ordinance
controlling the location of an adult
movie house is unconstitutional.
The suit challenging the ordinance was
filed last July by the Fine Arts Theatre,
which operates in Snider Plaza adjacent to
the Southern Methodist University campus.
The ordinance prohibited exhibition of
adult-type motion pictures within 500 feet
of an area zoned for a church, school, parks
or residence.
The judge ruled that the ordinance violated
free speech and equal protection. He
noted that under the ordinance, "one brief
showing, one glimpse of a bare breast or
buttock, allows the city engineer to revoke
a theatre's license. If this does not trench
too broadly on protected speech and impose
prior restraints, nothing does."
SANTA'S HARDWORKING HELP-
ER is Mar) Crump who played a kej
role in the Dallas WOMPI's Christmas
efforts. The presents of clothing she is
holding were bonnd for the Merrilac
Day Care Center, one of several organizations
that benefited from the
ladies' humanitarian efforts.
Minimum Wage Changes
Outlined by Texas NATO
DALLAS—Effective Sunday (1), Texas
exhibitors began paying a minimum wage
of $2.65 per hour. The exemption still exists,
however, for theatre companies grossing
less
than $250,000 annually.
This exemption figure will be raised to
$275,000 after July 1, 1978, and then will
be hiked to $325,000 as of July 1. 1980,
according to NATO of Texas.
Exhibitors can continue the part-time student
rate at a scale 15 per cent lower than
the minimum, which amounts to a $2.25
hourly wage.
Theatre companies grossing less than
$250,000 still are required, under state law,
to pay $1.40 minimum per hour to theatre
employees.
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BOXOmCE :: January 23. 1978 SW-1

1
DALLAS
puneral services were held Sunday (8).
for
veteran film man J. H. 'Alex" Alexander
who died Saturday (7) of pneumonia.
Alexander started with 20th Century-Fox in
November 1925 as a shipper, later becoming
a booker and a salesman before his retirement
in 1962.
He had suffered for some time with emphysema
and at one time was a patient at
the Will Rogers Hospital in Saranac Lake,
N.Y.
His retirement years had been made
colorful by his many hours reminiscing
about his many years in the film industry.
He read the Boxoffice and any other reading
material he could get his hands on related
to the industry. Just this Christmas he
was the happy recipient of a nice Christmas
Basket and letters from his former Fox employees.
In the basket was a T-shirt from
"Star Wars" and he was so proud of it they
could hardly get him to take it off long
enough for them to launder it.
Burial was at Alexander. Tex. Survivors
include his daughter Mrs. Gweynn Leacherwood
of Dallas and a son Don Alexander
of Washington.
Another industry retiree, Theophilus de-
Boer, better known as "Ted," 83, of 9454
Dartridge, died in a Dallas hospital on Friday
(6). Memorial services were held at 1
a.m. Monday (9) at Chapel East of Hillcrest
Mausoleum on Northwest Highway.
DeBoer was retired comptroller for Interstate
Theatres in Dallas, where he had
worked 22 years. After retirement he recorded
tapes and records for Lighthouse for
the Blind.
Survivors include his wife Elloiusc P.
deBoer of Dallas, and his daughter Delores
Tarlton of Houston.
Mrs. Pat McCoy, of Paramount Pictures
Corp. attended services Wednesday (11) in
.Athens, Ga. for her brother-in-law Jody
Swindle.
It was in the home of her sister Helen
and late brother-in-law Jody that she has
spent a portion of her vacation for the last
several years and this sudden death came
as a great shock to her and the family.
Linda Wliite, daughter of Juanita White,
was released from the hospital Thursday
(12) and is recuperating at the home of her
mother, 805 Shady Lane, where she is to
get complete rest to build up her blood
count which is much too low. We extend
our best wishes to Linda and hope she will
regain her full
strength before too long.
Tiie Film Industry Directories are in the
hands of the printer and should be ready
for distribution at the TEXPO "78 convention
which will convene Tuesday (31), February
1 and 2 at the Fairmont Hotel. Be
sure to stop at the WOMPI booth to get
your directory.
James R. Pricliard of New World Films is
certainly seeing the world without joining
the Navy. He just returned from a trip to
Chicago and now is in Cincinnati meeting
with Phil Borack to attend a seminar on
"Harper Valley PTA" which will have a
national break on May 24.
Following that he will make a trip to
New York where he will meet with Mel
Maron of Cinema Shares and with Richard
Hassanein for a seminar on their release
"Tinarera" for United Films. Upon his return
from New York he will leave for California
to visit Frank Moreno of First Artists
Pictures.
Prichard is quite enthusiastic about the
outlook for the new year as he expects it
be the biggest year in the history of the
company.
Dimension Pictures held an invitational
tradescreening Wednesday (18) in the ABC
Interstate Screening Room, of their forth-
Pinkston Sales & Service
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coming production "The Redeemer . . . Son
of Satan!" The picture will be released locally
through Eric Distributing Co.. 10830
No. Central Expressway.
Congratulations are in order for Walter
Littlejohn. who recently was named city
manager for ABC Interstate's Forth Worth
Theatres. He'll retain his other two hats as
Ridglea manager and circuit ad/ pub chief.
The new face in the manager's office at
the Belaire, Fort Worth, is Charles Humphrey
of Tyler, replacing Benny McCormack,
who is now with a Dallas theatre.
The clever publicity man for Noret Theatres.
Guy V. Speck, has another good
thing going with the "Mickey Mouse Kid
Show for the March of Dimes." Further
details with illustrations will soon be made
and we hope to cover this tie-in promotion
in an issue of Boxoffice's Showmandiser
section. The movie to be shown in conjunction
with the drive will be "Huckleberry
Finn." Knowing Guy's ability to make the
most of every promotional campaign it will
no doubt be a patron-getter with free local
radio and TV coverage as well as newspaper
coverage. Good luck. Speck.
In spite of the terrible weather we are
having in this area just now. Pacific International
is well pleased with the results of
their new release "Across the Great Divide"
which opened Friday (6) in Texas and New
Mexico and in Arkansas and Tennessee on
Friday (13).
The Thursday (19) meeting of WOMPI
will be a business meeting at which time
election of a nominating committee will be
held. In addition to that, Lee Wise, convention
chairman will give a report on the
progress made toward the 25th anniversary
convention and seek the aid of each and
every member in working toward the success
of this endeavor.
At this time WOMPI stopped their own
convention work to do typing for the 'Variety
Club to help get out letters relating to
their forthcoming telethon. If you see a
bunch of cross-eyed girls walking around it
is from typing so many addresses from such
a large stack of lists.
Linda White, daughter of Juanita White,
is in Methodist Hospital having come
through a successful major operation. Cheer
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SW-2 BOXOFnCE :: January 23, 1978

cards would mean much to her, she is in
room 364, Methodist Hospital, 301 W. Colorado.
Dallas, Tx., 75222.
The Women's Convention Committee oi
the Southwest Regional Convention of motion
picture exhibitors TEXPO '78, will
salute the 50th anniversary of the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the
hospitality suite during the convention on
Tuesday (31)-February 1-2. Show people in
the Southwest are proud to honor Oscar
because Oscar symbolizes the mark of
quality in motion pictures. Oscar is a winner
at the boxoffice and Oscar's namesake
was a Texan, the name suggested by
Margaret Herrick in honor of her uncle
who lived in Texas at the time. The women
have great plans for this salute and urge
all ladies within the industry to attend the
convention and visit the hospitality suite.
Filmmaker Discusses Film
Ratings With Eric Gerber
HOUSTON—A few weeks back, Dallas
filmmaker Joe Camp was talking about the
plight of the G-rated film as family entertainment,
it was reported by Eric Gerber,
Houston Post film writer.
Regardless of what many people think.
Camp said, it's the PG film that the whole
family goes to see, not the G-rated efforts.
They aren't nearly as well attended, drawing
an almost exclusively juvenile audience.
Camp knows of what he speaks. His Mulberry
Square outfit produced the highly
successful "Benji." It was G-rated and it
made a lot of money, but that was four
years ago. Following in those G-rated pawprints
came "For the Love of Benji" and
the camel comedy "Hawmps." Neither
matched the success of "Benji" (in fact,
"Hawmps" was downright disappointing).
Camp now believes that a G-rating is
actually a deterrent to the young adult audience,
pointing to the decision of "Star Wars"
to take a PG instead of a G rating.
"It's a shame, but it's a fact of life and
something that producers of family pictures
are going to have to come to grips with,"
he declared.
Well, after hearing that from Camp, I
must say his recent announcement about
Mulberry Square's first "adult picture"
came as no surprise.
The film, which begins shooting at the
end of this month, is called "The Double
McGuffin" and stars George Kennedy.
Ernest Borgnine and Elke Sommer.
Film buffs might recognize the Hitchcock
reference in the title (a "McGuffin" is
the linchpin of his mystery-thrillers) and
Camp describes the forthcoming movie as
"sort of a combination of early Hitchcock
and 'The Sting." "
The advertising tagline for "Double Mc-
Guffin" says, "It's Saturday. The boys are
playing a little game. The winner gets to
live."
Whew, Hope Joe doesn't get carried away
in his decision to go from G to PG and
wind up in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
land.
"LUCKY BILL" CURTIS, vicepresident
of ABC Interstate Theatres,
won the WOMPrs "Basket of Cheer"
at the December 15 drawing. The basket
was truly full of "cheer," enough
to keep Bill in high "spirits" for the
rest of 1978. If the weather should turn
told in Dalla.s, Curtis can spare some
of the lovely elixir to be used as antifreeze.
We're sure his car wouldn't
object, after all, cars enjoy a good time
too, don't they Bill?
'Phantom Killer' Picture
Is the Target of Lawsuit
TEXARKANA, TEX. — Mark Melton
Moore, the brother of the first victim of
Texarkana's "Phantom Killer" has filed a
$1,300,000 lawsuit against the makers and
distributors of a film which allegedly depicts
his sister's death.
Moore said in the lawsuit that the movie
"The Town That Dreaded Sundown" has
intruded upon his physical and mental solitude
by bringing back into the public's eye
a tragic and painful segment of his life.
Defendants in the suit are Charles B.
Pierce Film Enterprises, Inc. and American
International Pictures, Inc.
The 1946 shooting of Sally Ann Moore
was the first of four unsolved killings by
the "Phantom Killer." Moore filed the suit
December 28 in Bowie County.
The suit also says Moore's death was depicted
in the movie in a particularly bloody
and gruesome manner offensive to the public
decency and in a manner that was not
true.
PERSONALIZED,
OKLAHOMA CITY
^'"'•''t'lias-New Year's attractions in Tulsa
and this city are doing such outstanding
business and setting so many records
that "Beyond and Back," the new entry at
the Apollo Twin and Reding 4. here, and the
Spectrimi Twin and Plaza 3, Tulsa, is the
only newcomei of the screen scene.
Jerry Fink of the Tulsa World staff said
that he has seen so many films trying to
catch up that the titles are confusing him
and he asked "Is there a movie in town
called 'Waiting for Mr. Goodbye Girl While
Having Close Encounters With the World's
Greatest Semi-Tough Gauntlet Over the
Telefon?' " After that he claims he went to
see "Oh. My God! The Choirboys Light Up
My Life With Saturday Night Fever." He
concluded that "By the time this is over
I'm not going to know 'Which Way Is
Up?' "
Max Hanim, Hankins and Mt. Scott
drive-ins, Lawton, brought his sister Marcy
Hamm in and introduced her to the distribution
folks. It was her first trip of this
nature and she revealed that she has several
new ideas to boost business at the Ramona
Theatre in Frederick which she operates.
Her father, Volney, has been too busy
to get up this way since he bought the Durant
Theatres from Video.
Funeral services were held here Monday
(16) for R. H. Buckalew, the father of Jim
Buckalew of Video Theatres' home office.
He was the owner of Buck's Sleep Shop
until his retirement. In addition to Jim the
surviving next of kin are his daughter Mrs.
Margaret J. Roberson, his sons R. H. Ill
and R. L. and nine grandchildren. Our sincerest
condolences to the bereaved family.
Dan Wolfenbarger, Evelyn Theatre and
Prairie Drive-In, Dumas, Texas; E. G, Nicholas.
Canadian Theatre. Purcell and
Charles Townsend, Thunderbird Twin,
Miami, as well as the Allred Theatre and
Pryor Drvie-In, Pryor; were in town to buy,
book and pick up supplies.
Universal will distribute "Same Time,
Next Year," a Mirisch Corp. production.
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BOXOFHCE :: January 23. 1978 SW-3

. . Al
. . Wally
SAN ANTONIO
fl benefit showing of "Close Encounters of pay for what they want to see. Movies.
the Third Kind" was held at midnight Drury said, are what he enjoys most. Currently.
Drury is scheduled to make a movie
Friday (20) at the Century South Six Theatres.
Proceeds of the showing went to the in the Big Bend National Park in April.
Kennedy High School Athletic Booster Titled "The Crater County Wars." Drury
Ass'n. Pre-sale tickets were $2 . . . Steve will be playing a small town sheriff who
Bohan has been named assistant manager becomes involved with two warring drug
of the Wonder I & II theatres. Bob Narowitz
is manager as well as city manager of Drury also recently purchased the U.S.
factions moving drugs across the border.
the ABC Interstate Theatre. Inc., operations rights to a Canadian-made gothic horror
here . Zarzana. Houston, of Texas story starring Hal Holbrook titled "Rituals."
National Theatres, was in the city to see his The movie should be test marketed in February.
Almeda Theatre, which is part of the circuit.
TNT operates in San Antonio. Houston,
Fort Worth and Dallas.
Bob Polunsky, whose Flicker Footnotes
appear in the San Antonio Light, on the air
The San Pedro Triple Screen Outdoor and on television, was in Dallas where he
Theatre held over its five feature bill of interviewed Gene Wilder, Carol Kane and
Woody Allen hits. The screen fare consisted Dom Deluise about "The World's Greatest
of "Annie Hall," "Love & Death," "Sleeper."
"Bananas" and "Evei^thing You Al-
is being shown at the Wonder and UA
Lover," a film written by Wilder and which
ways Wanted to Know About Sex and Were Movies 4 . . . Two Francois Truffaut films
Afraid to Ask." There was only one showing
of each film with the first starting at mos Theatre, the city's only repertory the-
were brought back for a showing at the Ol-
7:30 p.m. and the last at 1:35 a.m. atre. They included "Day for Night" and
.
KTFM-FM sponsored midnight shows this "Jules and Jim" . Taber was in
week included at the Northwest Six "Rocky to present his Safari Show at the La Villita
Horror Picture Show" in its 18th week. Assembly Hall. On the screen were "Less
"The Goodbye Girl" and "The Gauntlet" Time Between Bites" and "Bucks 'N Gobblers,"
and at the Century South Six it was "The
Choirboys" and "The Gauntlet. All seats
Among the new films scheduled to open
went al $1.50 and passes are accepted for
here: "The Turning Point" at the Central
the showings.
Park Fox 3; "Death Rage" at the San Pedro.
Mission, Town Twin, Judson 4, Aztec
Louis Reile, S.M. executive-director of
the International Fine Arts Center of the 3, Capitan and Movies 4; the double bill of
Southwest (IFACS) sponsors of Hemisfilm "69 Minutes" and "Sex With a Smile" at
'7S on February 6. 7 and 8. said that films the Aztec 3. Judson 4, Mission Twin and
have been received from Canada. China, the San Pedro and "The Incredible Melting
Netherlands, Italy. France and other coimtries.
including the USA. From this collec-
South 6, San Pedro and Varsity . . . Special
Man" at the Central Park Fox 3, Century
tion of film the program committee is busy film showings include those by the San
with plans for three evenings of enjoyment. Antonio Film Society in Chapman Auditorium
at Trinity University including
This same committee also mentions the
probability of paying tribute to Charlie "Strike" on Tuesday (17); "The Merry
Chaplin on one of the nights of Hemisfilm Widow" on (24) and "The Bicycle Thief"
'78, with the films of that great comic. The on (31); "Barry Lyndon" was shown Thursday
and Friday (19-20)). Thursday-Satur-
showings will be held in the C.E.C. Auditorium
of St. Mary's University. Admission day (26-28) the Erotic Film Festival, with
will be free.
"All the Loving Couples" and "The Harrad
Experiment" at Coates Center in Trinity
James Drury is currently in San Antonio University and "Farewell, My Lovely" on
starring as Oscar Madison in Neil Simon's Tuesday (24), "The Thin Man" on Wednesday
(25), "Charlie Chan at the Opera" on
play "The Odd Couple" now playing at the
Fiesta Dinner Playhouse. He is also well Thursday (26) and Tuesday (31) "The Falcon
Takes Over" at the Fiesta Room of
known for his portrayal of "The Virginian"
on TV. Relating his disappointment in television
programming, Drury said TV has delege.
Loflin Student Center, San Antonio Colgenerated
into a money-making machine
and he has no interest in the medium. Drury
sees a bright future in cable TV where people
can buy what they watch and therefore Branch Manager for UA
Robert Schein Named NY
NEW YORK—Robert Schein has been
appointed
CINERAMA
New York branch manager for
IS IN
United Artists, effective immediately, it was
SHOW BUSINESS IN
announced by Al Fitter, senior vice-president
for Domestic sales. He succeeds Robert
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki,
Burke, who was named metropolitan district
don't miss the
IjjIjj^Hl
famous
manager.
IhawaisI Don Ho Show. . . at
Schein, who joined UA as a salesman in
mL^li Cinerama's Reef Towers Hotel. 1976, previously had been New York
IN WAIKIKI: HHIf . HHT TOWERS EDGEWATBt . branch manager for Bryanston Films.
TEXPO 78 Opening
Is Drawing Nearer
DALLAS—Of the 24 spaces available
on the NATO TEXPO '78 Carrousel, 22
have been contracted for with others to be
closed shortly.
Those already committed are: Dimension
Pictures, Universal Pictures, Paramount,
Pacific International Enterprises, J. C. Mc-
Crary and Associates, Grimes Film Booking
Co., Universal Amusement Co., Dai-Art
Film Exchange, Crump Distributors, Allied
Artists. Sack Contemporary Film Co. and
United Artists Corp.
In the next issue of Boxoffice we will
give you more complete coverage of the
convention. From all indications it promises
to be a most valuable convention from the
standpoint of screening coverage, available
product with the the "now" approach and
a number of new innovations which should
be most helpful to all in attendance.
Registrations are coming in nicely, in fact
they are well ahead of last year's pace.
New Adult Theatre Zoning
Law Adopted in Galveston
GALVESTON, TEXAS.—The city council
recently approved an ordinance requiring
adult movie theatres to locate in three specified
zones, with some added restrictions and
specific use permits.
These facilities will be allowed only in
heavy industrial, light industrial and central
business districts, but cannot be closer than
500 feet to any residential area, any two
pool halls, liquor stores or bars.
They cannot be within a 1.000 foot radius
of another adult theatre, regular theatre,
church school, public park or other recreational
area where minors congregate.
City planning director Bruce McClendon
told the council his department had made
a check and determined the ordinance provides
for an adequate number of sites
in the
city for these facilities.
The ordinance, which is to become effective
in about two weeks, also rescinds one
adopted last month which banned any general
repair, remodeling or renovation of
buildings in the central area of the city between
19th and 26th Streets and Avenues
A and I.
Parker Visits Grandchild
DALLAS—Tom Parker, president of Topar
Films, arrived here from his Beverly
Hills, Calif., headquarters to visit a recently
born grandchild. The infant's birth made
Parker a grandfather for the 11th time.
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SW-4 BOXOmCE :: January 23, 1978

. . Garett
DES MOINES 'Slar War' Takes MINNEAPOLIS
T^ubinsky Bros.: Congratulations are due
Tim West as his wife Beverly just informed
him he will be a father some time
in August or September. This will be their
first
child.
Universal: Margaret Umphress. cashier,
became a grandmother for the fifth time
as her daughter Paula presented her with a
bouncing baby boy Thursday (12) . . . Anna
Lee Poffenberger. contract clerk, is the
proud new owner of a "75 Plymouth Fury.
Fire Levels Odeon-Morton
Circuit's Roxy in Regina
REGINA. SASK.. — Two days before
year's end, fire virtually destroyed a city
block of businesses, including Odeon-Morton's
Roxy Theatre. The 666-seat auditorium
here was one of two Regina hardtops
operated by the Winnipeg-based circuit. Its
demise leaves only the company's 687-seat
Odeon Centre, located across the downtown
street from the burned-out house, operating
in the Regina Inn complex.
Odeon-Morton operates one other theatre
in Saskatchewan, the 606-seat Odeon in
Saskatoon, together with nine screens in the
Winnipeg area.
The Roxy first was opened in 1935 by
Isadore Einhorn and it was operated by him
until 1966, when the building was leased to
Odeon-Morton Theatres.
James G. Fustey, Odeon-Morton general
manager, indicated that a decision regarding
a Regina replacement unit would be
made within a few weeks.
L609 Canadians Worked
In Filmmaking in 1976
OTTAWA— In 1976, 298 private-sector
producers and motion picture laboratory
operators grossed $79,100,000, according to
Statistics Canada. Filmmaking earned $53.-
700,000 and $19,100,000 cam^e from laboratory
operations. A total of $6,400,000 was
realized from all
other operations.
Salaries and wages paid to 1.609 employees
totaled $17,600,000, Statistics
Canada said.
High Rider' Is Scheduled
For Lensing Next Summer
OTTAWA — Montreal producers
Susan
Lewis and Howard Ryshpan have announced
a summer 1978 start of production
on a film titled "High Rider," described as
"Canada's first western." Ken Annakin is
slated to direct the feature, budgeted at
more than $4,000,000. in western Canada.
The film will deal with the story of former
slave John Ware, who drifted to Alberta
following the Civil War in the U.S. and
became a celebrated rancher and rodeo
champion.
The script for "High Rider" was written
by Colin Turner, English-born Montrealer.
Off Again in Mpls
MINNEAPOLIS—A remarkably strong
Saturday night (7) helped bolster holdover
grosses .
. . and
the evening's grosses were
the strongest single-day figures of the entire
holiday season. Exhibitors were both delighted
and puzzled: Why the sudden flood
of customers? The most probable reason
was that this was the last day of the school
holidays here—and that the two earlier Saturdays
had been Christmas Eve and New
Year's Eve, nights when throngs would be
busy elsewhere.
A lone newcomer suffered from lack of
promotion and an overabundance of competition:
"Aces High" opened at five theatres
and was tagged for a speedy departure with
a feeble 35. "Close Encounters" and "Semi-
"
Tough continued to rule the ticket roost,
with "The Goodbye Girl" also in that winning
circle. But for real legs, look to "Star
Wars." In the 33rd week of its original run
at the Park Theatre, it profited enormously
from that "magic" Saturday night and
bounced from a 275 all the way up to 375,
a fabulous feat.
(Average Is 100)
Brookdale, Movies at Eden Prairie Which Way
is Up? (Univ), 3rd v^k. 100
Campus, Suburban World Outrageous] (SR),
2nd wk 110
Cooper Cameo Looking lor Mr. Goodbar
(Para), 8th wk 280
Edina I Allegro Non Troppo (SR), 3rd wk 45
Edina II—A Special Day (SR), 3rd wk 100
Five theatres Aces High (SR) 35
Four Iheatres Grayeagle (AIP), 3rd wk 50
Mann—Telefon (UA), 41h wk 95
Movies at BurnsviUe, Northtown The Choirboys
(Univ), 3rd wk 110
Park—Star Wars (20th-Fox), 33rd wk 375
Skyway I—The Goodbye Girl (WB), 3rd wk 400
Skyway II, Southdaie The Gauntlet
(WB), 3rd wk 195
Skyway III—lulia (20th-Fox), Ulh wk 200
Three theatres Close Encounters of the Third
Kind (Col), 4th wk 435
Threetheatres Saturday Night Fever (Para),
4th wk - 243
Three theatres—Semi-Tough (UA), 3rd wk 410
Three theatres World's Greatest Lover
(20th-Fox), 3rd wk 115
World The Turning Point (20th-Fox),
3rd wk 215
Critic
Names "Worst' Films
PITTSBURGH — George Anderson,
newspaper and radio movie editor, names
as the worst movies of 1977: "Exorcist II:
the Heretic," "Valentino," "The World's
Greatest Lover." "Thieves," "Fire Sale,"
"The Sentinel," "Grand Theft Auto," "The
Other Side of Midnight." "Orca" and
"Nasty Habits."
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Making Movies Sound Better
c l^e^£1
Fire hit .Marvin Manns Highland theatre
in St. Paul Friday (6). and city fire
officials called it arson. There was little
doubt of that. The theatre had been plagued
by a series of smaller fires, including blazjs
in restroom and lobby trash receptacles
for several days. And there had also been
a bomb-threat phone call. Mann had notificld
St. Paul fire and arson officials and
also had used extra personnel to police the
premises. But to no avail. The blaze broke
out during a kiddie-matinee showing of
Journey to the Land of Oz." Some three
dozen customers and all employees safely
evacuated the theatre as flames shot up the
curtains and consumed the screen. Smoke
damage was extensive but no dollar estimate
was put on the toll. Mann noted it was "the
first first I've had in 35 years in the business."
The Highland, located in a "silk
stocking" district, is closed indefinitely.
Mann indicates he now might convert it
to a twin or triplex operation.
Janelle Armstrong of the General Cinema
crew here gave birth to a daughter Sunday
(8), who weighed in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce,
and who measured 21 inches. The newcomer
was promptly named Brenna Christine
Armstrong . Gentilini is the new
owner-operator of the Time Theatre, Chisholm,
Minn., previously run by Sanfrid H.
Johnson.
Filmrow Visitors: Judd King, Dells Theatre,
Dell Rapids, S.D.: Al Bergman, Bay,
Ashland, Wis.; Gene Grengs, Hollywood,
Eau Claire, Wis. . . . The wife of Joe Rosen,
Paramount branch salesman, underwent
special surgery on an eye. New surgical
techniques were employed. Rosen said and
the indications are the operation was a
success.
The flu bug has been romping through
the film offices here, hand in hand with
some kind of cold virus. The result has been
a round of ailing Filmrowites and afflictions
ranging from sniffles to sore throats to
hoarseness. Lorna Hartnett at the Paramount
branch was answering the phones in
a whisper. It all sounded so suggestive, one
caller said: "I rate this conversation R."
Wliispered Lorna: "Darn, I was hoping for
an X!"
^^o
P.O. Box 16036
Minneapolis, Minn. 55416
(612) 920-2910
BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978 NC-1

—
'<
Eagle River Citizens
Sent Soaring
By 20th Century-Fox Crew's Visit
By WALLY L. MEYER
EAGLE RIVER, WIS. — Shortly before
Christmas 1977. movie stars and film crew
engaged in mailing the film "Damien
Omen II." the $6,500,000 sequel to "The
Omen." had pulled out of Eagle River. Wis.,
for Israel, there to wind up the film's final
scenes.
Ever since that previous Easter weekend
of 1977. when news broke that the Eagle
River area was being selected for location
filming during an important portion of the
20th Century-Fox production, and that as
many as 70 movie stars, supporting cast,
cameramen and production people would
be staying for nearly a month in local hotel
accommodations, the local citizenry had
been in an excited state.
Who was coming actually, who were the
stars? Well, there would be Bill Holden.
Lee Grant and London's child actor Jonathan
Scott-Taylor. Also Lew Ayres, Nicholas
Pryor, Robert Foxworth and Lukas Donat.
As early as September, a part-time office
for 20th-Fox was set up to work on such
matters as arranging for housing, assembling
needed vehicles, setting up an aerial
courier service so that films could be rushed
to Hollywood for processing and synchronizing
with sound. By the end of October
the office had expanded to full-time status
as further arrangements were made to ensure
outdoor heating for the cameras and
personnel, to hire stand-ins and other film
extras from the community for spectator
and crowd scenes. Also to work out necessary
details with the proper local authorities.
Meanwhile, shooting for "Omen II,"
which had begun in Chicago, had moved
on to Lake Geneva. Wis., where several
scenes were to be shot at the Northwestern
Military & Naval Academy (called Davidson
Academy in the movie). A 70-member
crew was set up on location at the school's
60-acre lake shore campus where Damien.
the 14-year old youngster who comes to
realize he is the anti-Christ, and his cousin
PERSONALIZED,
are enrolled as students.
For a period of ten days, there were takes
and re-takes as the 150 cadets were rehearsed
and photographed in marching formation
scenes. Daniel .A. Snow, headmaster
of the Academy, as well as 70 other extras
hired from among the school's staff, their
families and local people, became involved
in a sword ceremony which proved to be a
particularly complicated scene. Some other
scenes included an opening day at school,
a football game, and a formal military ball.
Of course, the cadets loved it all but were
to learn in time that all classes canceled
during the filming would be made up on
subsequent Saturdays.
For their services the extras were paid
$25 per day as well as furnished meals which
were prepared by cooks hired by 20th-Fox.
The cadets, however, were unpaid with other
arrangements apparently being made
with academy officials.
The movie-making returned briefly to
Chicago, then moved to Eagle River to the
majestic and stately former Mayor Kelly
estate on Catfish Lake of the Eagle Chain
which production manager Leo F. Rafner
had earlier selected while on a site hunting
search in the company of the local chamber
of commerce secretary and newspaper editor,
Dan Satran jr. The major scene to be
filmed here would show an ice-skating party
and hockey game with someone (Lew Ayr;s)
falling through the ice. This required professional
scuba divers under the ice and
other stunt men assisting while cameramen
operated underwater cameras. This one scene
involved ten principal actors and 20 local
extras.
It is estimated that financial benefits to
the Eagle River area from the filming totaled
some $300,000 not counting personal
expenditures by the stars and members of
the film crew who did their personal and
Christmas shopping here. Producer Harvey
Bernard, who released the figures during a
press conference, pointed out that his wife
"hasn't stopped buying since wc got here."
Clothes, he was asked? "No. antiques, she
CROSSPLUGS, ANIMATED
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k Studios,
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1327 S. WABASH AVE. CHICAGO, IL. 60605
(312) 427-3395
SPECIAL BROCHURE UPON REQUEST
has discovered some excellent ones here,"
he answered.
The Vilas County News-Review and
Three Lakes News stated in its editorial on
December 15th. "Twentieth Century-Fox
has packed up the cameras, film, lights and
props and returned to Hollywood . . the
.
stars and staff, at least for a period of three
weeks, brought more excitement and glamour
to the north than it has known for some
time." That the production was a bonanza
to Eagle River and the northwoods recreation
area was likewise mentioned: "It pumped
a lot of additional dollars into the economic
flow of late November and early
December, But perhaps of even more lasting
value will be the publicity. For news
media to report that the Eagle River area
was selected because the studio felt it was
the closest major winter sports and recreation
center to Chicago is of inestimable
value." The lengthy editorial concludes:
"20th Century deserves the thanks of the
community and a warm welcome to return
again."
Following a brief Christmas recess, the
filmmakers gathered in Israel to shoot on
location in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and some
archaeological diggings. This, too, has now
been completed and all that remains is special
effects work needing to be done in
Hollywood.
At the conclusion of the filmmaking. Bill
Holden told a reporter he had joined the
cast of "Damien" because he liked the script
and because he had never appeared in "this
sort of movie which is so popular."
Premiere date for the film is June 6,
197S. exactly two years after the opening
of "The Omen" (which one syndicated
movie critic, Marilyn Beck, had labeled
"last year's— 1976—surprise blockbuster").
The date of June 6 is also significant because
Damien was born at 6 a.m, on June
6. bearing the mark of three X's!
Young Theatre Supply Co.
Rated a 'Roaring' Success
WASHINGTON, D,C,—Roar
Industries
here was founded early in 1970 and, as it
approaches birthday No. 7, owner-operators ,
Robert and Fran Roth are pleased with their
growth. The company specializes in theatre
and general decorator supplies.
The name of the company is derived from
the name of its president, Robert Andrew
Roth, according to vice-president and "Gal
Friday," Fran (who somehow finds time to
be a housewife and mother).
Fran has a theatre background, since her
father was Abe Dickstein, vice-president of '
sales for 20th Century-Fox in New York
for almost 20 years. At one time his boss
was Darryl Zanuck who is ranked by many |i
among the pantheon of Hollywood deities.
She noted that, while her dad worked in
"The Big Apple," they lived in Teaneck,
N.J. and that she worked for Fabian Theatres,
leaving that circuit to work for Loew's
hotel division where she met her husband.
Roar is located at 3001 Veazey Terrace,
Washington, D,C, 20008, and can be
reached by telephone at (.^01) 652-7058,
NC-2 BOXOFFICE :: Januarv 23. 1978 (

j
ing
!
seats
[
Manager
'
;
cial
!
"Movie
I
1
ment
'.
I
I revealed
!
Srmed
. . . don't
MILWAUKEE
with a search warranl on Monday
(9). Milwaukee vice squad officers
I seized an allegedly obscene film from the
Parkway Theatre, 3417 W. Lisbon Ave., according
to Vice Squad Capt. James Marx
and as reported in the Journal. It was also
by Marx that three films had been
seized Friday (6) from the Princess Cinema
on 3rd St. between Wells and Wisconsin.
Fans Can't Dodge Cold Either'"
is the headline over a front page story in
I the Journal (9) which told of the disappointof
moviegoers who had decided that
the extreme cold would not deter them from
seeing the film. "Oh, God!" at the Brown
Port Theatre in Fox Point on Sunday afternoon
(8). An added incentive was the spe-
bargain admission of $1..S0 good until
5 p.m. However, a faulty timer in the theaire's
furnace cut off the building's heat and
the patrons eventually decided that watch-
a movie while you are shivering in your
was no fun.
Wallace Konrad, who also manages
the Spring Mall and Mill Road Triplexes,
arranged to give free tickets to those
who left early. Moviegoers weren't the only
cold ones around the city and state. Temperatures
dropped to below zero throughout
the state and north westerly winds for
several days had been creating a wind chill
factor ranging from 35" to 50' below.
Art Heling, AIP's local branch office
manager, hosted a trade showing of "The
Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover" starring
Broderick Crawford, Celeste Holm, Dan
Dailey and Jose Ferrer on Thursday afternoon
(5) at the Centre Screening Room, 212
W. Wisconsin Ave. The PG-rated, 116-minute
uncensored story concerning America's
"top cop." was filmed on actual locations
inside FBI headquarters in Washington,
D.C. No local opening date for the film has
been set as yet.
Keeping Up With Filmrowites: Just married
on January 1st, 1978. was Joyce Lindberg
who for many years worked for United
Artists Theatres of Wisconsin and its predecessor.
Prudential Management Corp. In
recent years she had handled publicity and
advertising and then managed the Southgate
and Mayfair theatres. Her new name is
Joyce Leeman, her husband is an accoimtant
for a local music store and school. Dorean
Sherd, manager of Southgate Theatre
and a longtime friend of Joyce's, was the
witness at the wedding ceremony. Both
CINERAMA IS IN
SHOW BUSINESS IN
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki,
don't miss the famous
'[jlUl^jjUN
Don Ho Show. . . at
iHE?^ Cinerama's Reef Towers Hotel.
IN WAIKIKI: REEF REEF TOWERS EOGEWATER
women have in the past been named first
place winners in the annual showmanship
awards bestowed by United Artists.
Pat Meuret, who managed movie theatres
in Wausau. Chicago and .Milwaukee before
moving to Marshfield, Wis., to join Rogers
Cinema, Inc. a couple of years ago, is presently
working on his own. While managing
the Oriental Landmark Theatre on Milwaukee's
east side for about two years, Pat inaugurated
the very successful "Movies at
Midnight" (films and live stage show) entertainment
format which has continued to
draw crowds there as well as to movie
houses located elsewhere around the state.
Fred Coppo, veteran showman who in recent
years managed the now-shuttered Tower
Theatre, Brown Port and finally the
Riverside (as an assistant manager), has
reportedly moved to
Florida.
"Effective Jan. 1, 1978, we are officially
known as the Chilton Cinema 1 Theatre,"
is the message an enthusiastic Jim Norton,
manager and operator, directed "to the residents
of the Calumet County Area" at the
top of his display ad in the Chilton Times-
Journal, local weekly. "We feel that we
can now call ourselves number 1 in the
eyes of the moviegoers of the Calumet
County area," he continues. "We are an
indepedent exhibitor, which means that we
book and buy movies from all the film companies
and have the advantage of knowing
how well the movies have done financially
in the larger cities before we play them.
Which means ... we play all the winners!
"We offer to you the same movies that
you hear about in the big cities, shortly
after they play there and at reduced admission
price. We think that makes good sense
you? We've proved to you that
you don't have to drive to the big cities to
see the big movies. And you've proved to
us that small towns can and do support good
movies at a local theatre.
J. P. N. Productions is bringing Hollywood
to the small towns in a relaxed atmosphere—the
way it was meant to be. Catch a
movie when you can, come as you are.
P.S.: If you're interested in a particular
movie (new or old), see us. call us or drop
us a line." Happy New "Vear, Jim Norton
& Staff, Chilton Cinema I, P.O. Box 222.
Chilton, WI 53014 Phone: 849-9565. (Editor's
note: Chilton has a population of
around 3,000).
One young Wisconsonite whose work
with a camera is being seen these days in
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind," is
21 -year-old Scott Squires of Monticello. Following
two years of picture taking for his
hometown weekly newspaper. Squires left
Monticello. a town of about 6,000 and
eventually landed in California looking for
a job in the movie business. He worked as
a film technician but he was aiming at special
effects. Then about two years ago he
got a job with Future General Corporation
of California, a subsidiary of Paramount
Pictures that specializes in creating special
effects.
For the past year and a half. Future General
had been working on "Close Encounters"
and Sqirires has done much filming of
the "little things that most moviegoers won't
even notice." He developed the technique
for the creation of clouds which flying saucers
fly through in the movie. After much
experimentation, he combined fresh water
and salt water and divided the two by glass.
Squires recounted to Mark Peterson of the
Waterloo Courier. Squires next injected
mixed tempera paints. "Clouds were created
because the salt water would mix the paints
up.
In the filming, we used 2,000 gallon vats
of fresh and salt water to create the right
effect," he explained. The young cameraman
also operated an animation camera and
worked on a matte camera as a special assistant
to Doug Trumbull who had created
many of the technical innovations for
"2001: A Space Odyssey."
Squires revealed there are about half a
dozen miniatures in "Close Encoimters."
Trees are a quarter of an inch tall, mountains
only two feet tall, but they look so
authentic, people won't realize they are
miniatures. Squires said. His name appears
at the end of the movie being credited as
a camera assistant.
Four Baltimore Hospitals
Get Variety Women Gifts
BALTIMORE—Variety Club Tent 19
men and women teamed up and young
patients at four local hospitals benefited
from their largesse last month. The four
facilities were the Provident. City, University
and Johns Hopkins hospitals. The
most prized of the donations were the stuffed
dolls and animals made possible through
the cooperation of the Fairfield Processing
Corp.. Danbury. Conn. The Variety ladies
and their male supporters also gave money,
ice cream, coloring books and playing cards
for the use of the patients.
A lion's share of the credit must also be
given to the state's National Grange which
held a contest on behalf of the charitable
work in conjunction with Fairfield.
Shirley Jean Measures, director of consumer
marketing and direct liaison between
the company and the farm organization,
played a key role in this endeavor and offered
the opinion that "Giving hospitalized
children these stuffed articles is an exciting
and worthy project." Shirley Jean was a
member of the old "Our Gang" comedies
cast.
Leading the drive for Variety were Amy
Krone, a board member who handled publicity,
and board member Lorraine Weisman.
chairman of philanthropies. Chairmen
for the specific hospitals were Pearl Higger.
University; Charlotte Snyder, first vicepresident,
and Phil Weinberg (representing
Tent 19). City Hospital: Barbara Goldberg,
president, and Norma Weisblatt. 2nd
vice-president. Johns Hopkins: Krone and
Weisman, Provident. A total of 22 ladies
look an active part as Santa's helpers.
BOXOFFICE :: Januarv 23. 1978 NC-3

Feed it.
Nurture it.
Keep it strong.
What can you do to lielp?
Give America a iiand in
managing tiie national debt.
Install and promote a Payroll
Savings Plan in your company.
Then show your employees
why buying U.S. Savings Bonds
the systematic way— by easy
payday allotments—makes
sense to 10 million Payroll
Savers.
Savings Bonds are the least
inflationary way for America
to borrow money.
In fact, they're a cornerstone
of U.S. debt financing.
They're also a proven, popular,
patriotic way for your people
to save a few bucks.
Get in on the action.
Write Director of Sales, Department
of the Treasury, U.S.
Savings Bonds Division, Washington,
D.C. 20226.
The American Eagle is a
proud symbol of our nation.
Help keep it flying.
\
Take stock in America.
U.S. Savings Bonds
*».'.»•»''"*
© The V S Government does not pay for this odLertisement It is presented as a public service m cooperation utth The Deparlrnent of The Treasury and The AdvertiMing Council.
NC-4 BOXOFFICE :: January 23, 1978

NJ Film Commission
Enjoys Early Gains
TRENTON, N.J.—Although the new
state Motion Picture and Television Development
Commission is now less than three
months old. commission chairman Sidney
Kingsley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright,
said that four or five motion pictures
will be in production in New Jersey
this summer, and next simimer "it will be
double or triple that." Organized last year.
Kingsley reported that several films have
already been shot "and we've already
brought handsome money into the state."
Kingsley estimated every dollar spent
shooting a film in a community returns
$3.70 through sales generated locally. On
the production calendar already set for the
new year. Kingsley said, a major MGM
motion picture, with a $3,000,000 to $4,-
000,000 budget, is scheduled to be shot in
Hudson County early this year using 400 to
500 extras.
New Jersey, he said, also will play host
to Carlo Ponti for about three weeks this
spring when he shoots a movie starring
Karen Black, Lee Van Cleef and Eddie
Albert jr. Kingsley said the film will include
a high-speed chase involving several
locally-purchased cars.
Kingsley pointed out that New Jersey has
"that freshness that producers are looking
for." The state's "great geological variety"
and proximity to New York also has great
appeal to producers. In the past year. United
Artists spent three weeks shooting "Slow
Dancing in the Big City" in Newark, ending
with a session in Newark Symphony Hall
for which 3,000 local residents were hired
as extras.
Scenes from "Sorcerer" were lensed in
Elizabeth last summer, generating more than
$200,000 for the local economy; and
thousands of dollars were pumped into the
Hudson County economy when scenes from
the Faye Dunaway movie, "Eyes," were shot
at the Jersey City Armory,
Almost all the American films made between
1889 and 1920 were shot in the state's
Bayonne, West Orange and Fort Lee. The
nation's first moving picture of W. H. Dickson
greeting Thomas Edison was made in
New Jersey in 1889, while the first feature
film, "The Great Train Robbery," was shot
in West Orange.
Globe Promotes Robert Manning
BOSTON—Robert Manning of the advertising
staff of the Boston Globe has been
promoted to divisional sales manager, his responsibilities
encompassing entertainment
advertising.
TECHNICAL SERVICES
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P.O. Box 5150 • Richardson, Texas 75080
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CINCINNATI
Qn the marquees: Mid States'
houses were
offering "Pete's Dragon," Northgate,
Princeton. Maricmont and Florence Mall:
"1900," Studio cinemas; "Close Encounters
ol the Third Kind," Carousel and Florence
Mall; "The Gauntlet," Skywalk, Tri-Coun-
Iv, Valley, Northgate, Covedale and Florence
Mail; "Which Way Is Up?", Valley,
Princeton and Northgate; "Semi-Tough,"
Times and Tri-Coimty, and "The World's
Greatest Lover," Kenwood Mall, Northgate
and Florence Mall.
First-run films at Showcase cinemas were:
"The Choirboys," "Telefon," "The Goodbye
Girl," "Saturday Night Fever" and,
continuing a record-breaking run, "Star
Wars."
Showcase cinemas sneaked "Love at
Sight" Saturday (7).
First
International Flavor For
Hemisfilm 78 Film List
SAN ANTONIO—The new year has
signaled the arrival of entries from four
countries to compete in the 12th annual
Hemisfilm Festival to be held in San Antonio
February 6, 7 and 8. Deadline for
films, ranging from commercials to features,
was Monday (16), Any filmmaker in the
world was eligible to submit films. There
was no limit to the number of films submitted
by any one filmmaker or country.
The latest countries to file films with the
Hemisfilm '78 office are the Republic of
China, Canada, West Germany and France.
China's "Diary of Di Di," a feature,
marks the third film of this length entered
by that nation. Canada has multiple entries
including the latest "Henry Ford's America"
and "The Ugly Little Boy." West Germany
has submitted Werner Herzog's "The
Great Ecstasy of the Sculptor Steiner."
France has many films entered, including
the last two "Vive le Tour," by Louis Malle
and "Imprint," a short film by Jacques
Cordon.
Both Italy and India are presently negotiating
multiple entries.
Executive-director Louis Reile says his
office has received dozens of films by U.S.
filmmakers, with many, many more being
processed at this writing.
National judging is headed by novelistscenarist
Sherry K. Wagner, and includes
Prof. George Wead, filmmaker, James Buchanan,
formerly with the Texas Film Commission
and Dr. John Igo, poet, novelist and
critic.
CINERAMA IS IN
SHOW BUSINESS IN
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki,
don't miss the famous
glj^jUml
rg^^Jjl Don Ho Show. . . at
[ Bofias J Cinerama's Reef Towers Hotel.
IN WAIKIKI: REEF REEF TOWEKS EDGEWATER
Forest City Cinema
Grosses Still
High
CLEVELAND—Weekly figures indicated
that the city's motion picture theatres were
enjoying a fruitful period at the boxoffice
windows as averages ranged from 115 for
United Artists' "Telefon" to 1,075 for Columbia's
"Close Encounters of the Third
Kind." "Saturday Night Fever," the Paramount
release, held second with a 750 while
lour films were in the 400-500 range. Put
it all together and this spells "P-R-O-F-
I-T-S." and isn't that what it's all about?
(Average Is 100)
Five theatres The Choirboys (Univ), 2nd _wk 185
Five theatres Close Encounters of the Third
Kind (Col), 3rd wk 1,075
Five theatres—The Goodbye Girl (WB).
2nd wk 455
Five theatres Telefon (UA), 3rd wk- - 115
Five theatres Saturday Night Fever (Para),
3rd wk 750
Four theatres The World's Greatest Lover
(20th-Fox), 2nd v/k 180
Seven theatres—The Gauntlet (WB), 2Tid wk 415
Seven theatres Semi-Tough (IJA), 2nd wk 440
Six theatres Pete's Dragon (BV), 3rd wk 300
Two theatres The Turning Point (20th-Fox),
2nd wk 435
Village Theatre—JuUa (20th-Fox), 10th wk 200
Veteran Theatre Organist
Stan Todd Is Dead at 58
CINCINNATI — Funeral services were
held Wednesday (II) for Stan Todd, onetime
theatre concert organist and most recently
proprietor of the Shady Nook Restaurant,
located on U,S. Route 27 near
Oxford, Ohio. Todd died Monday (9) at
Ft, Hamilton Memorial Hospital in Hamilton,
Ohio, after suffering a stroke late Saturday
(7), He was 58 years of age.
After studying with theatre organist Jess
Crawford. Todd toured the nation playing
in such showhouses as New York's Paramount
and also served as an organist on
WLW Radio's "Moon River" program. He
recently had been invited by the American
Theatre Organ Society to play a "Moon
River Revisited" concert at Cincinnati's
Emery Theatre in March.
Operator of the Shady Nook Restaurant
18 years, Todd had equipped it with a theatre
organ which was said to he the largest
of its kind in the world being used for entertainment
in a restaurant. The console
came from the old Chicago Theatre, while
other parts were secured from the WLW
Radio studio organ, Todd had made the 38-
rank organ rebuilding an ongoing project.
He leaves his wife Virginia who said
she plans to continue to operate the Shadv
Nook.
Vivien Leigh, who played Scarlett O'Hara
in "Gone With the Wind" in 19.^9, won
an Oscar in 1951 as best actress for her role
in
"A Streetcar Named Desire,"
We can handle it!
':ZrT'
'n'eerond
Coll:
(304) 344-4413

Paste this inside your medicine cabinet.
P
-I
Cancer's seven
warning signals
1. Change in bowel or bladder habits.
2. A sore that does not heal.
3. Unusual bleeding or discharge.
4. Thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere.
5. Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing.
6. Obvious change in wart or mole.
7. Nagging cough or hoarseness.
If you have a warning signal, see your doctor
TMrs sPAr:E cdntributed by the publisher as a public servicc.
American Cancer Society
J
ME-2 BOXOFHCE :; January 23, 1978

'
Goodbye
'
Artists"
t
"Semi-Tough's"
I
Jack
!
about
I
i
thus
'
Martyr
I
. . Bob
CLEVELAND
T arry Crowley, Sportservice Corp., fell on
a patch of ice and injured his back.
Larry, who now has a new secretary
Beverly Gibson, is at his desk everyday
earning consideration for the weekly
award . . . Margaret Crowley's
daughter transferred from DePauw to Toledo
University maintaining her major in
nursing.
Kauffman, Cinepix, is optimistic
the forthcoming Rob Rich release,
"Elvis," He has the same outlook for
Cougar's "Starbird" and "Sweet William."
Kauffman is the territorial distributor for
both companies . Kaplowitz, United
branch manager, is pleased with
grosses and is looking forward
to the opening of UA's "Equus" at
the Village and Berea.
Andy Gnienberg, Warner Bros, local honcho
smiling over the performance of "TTie
Girl" and reporting that "The
Gauntlet" is holding better than previous
Clint Eastwood epics . . . Morrie Zryl and
Jay Schultz, Selected Pictures, left cloudy
Cleveland for sunny Cincy on business , . .
Al Glaubinger. ex-UA division leader and
recent retiree couldn't stand inactivity and
is back in harness for Mid-America Releasing
Corp. in Cincinnati handling independent
product for that town and Indianapolis
from his office at 636 Northland
Blvd.
Tony Laurie just returned from visiting
his wife and son in Arizona. Warner Bros.'
head booker reports that his spouse believes
that Arizona is a paradise. Louis
Pratts did a superb job wearing "two hats"
while Tony was away . . . Mark Bladd, UA
p.r. director in Detroit, called to say that
Monday
author Robin Cook would be here
(16) to discuss the new release "Coma."
Mark had to be in New York so your Boxoffice
correspondent got to be Cook's escort.
Talk about fringe benefits!
The Cedar Lee theatre will show a twoweek
series of Charlie Chaplin's feature
films next month . . . The Cleveland foundation
has awarded the Great Lakes Shakespeare
Festival $30,000 for a major production
during this coming season ... A
murder and mayhem film series is proving
to be a big drawing card at the New Repertory
Theatre . . . Cedar-Lee
completed a
nine day. sci-fi film fest composed of four
twin bills and two midnight shows.
The Cleveland Play House had as a special
event a puppets'-eye-view of culture:
Shakespeare. Tennessee Williams. Kabuki
and ballet. Internationally renowned puppeteer
A. George Latshaw staged the event.
He has done a great deal of work in motion
pictures and tv including credits for
films such as MGM's "Lili."
Lee Guthrie, now of Manhattan but a
Cleveland Heights resident for a decade,
was in town to push her first book "The
Lives and Loves of Cary Grant" . . . Case
Western Reserve University announced that
in addition to its regular series, it will present
a free. Sunday afternoon run entitled
"An .Alfred Hitchcock Retrospective."
Movie Critics Can't Hurt
A Film, Says Spielberg
MILWAUKEE — Film director Steven
Spielberg, maker of "Close Encounters of
the Third Kind." a motion picture dealing
with UFOs. told a Journal movie critic that
a film's commercial success is not hampered
by a critic's advance criticism.
Said Spielberg. "One critic or all critics
cannot dent a movie's playoff with the public.
They can't sway or detract people from
a movie they want to see."
Adding that he reads all the reviews
because he "loves criticism." Spielberg nonetheless
told Dominique Paul Noth "even
their favorite reviewer in their jerkwater
paper in the small town of 300 doesn't make
any difference if the public wants to see that
film. The public loves to discover films."
When Noth asked if too much advance
publicity might "spoil some films." the director
replied: "That's one of the reasons
I didn't want too much advance word on
"Close Encounters.' I'd rather have mysterious
speculation."
Now that "Close Encounters"" is in the
theatres. Spielberg surmised he"ll be getting
all kinds of scripts dealing with ESP and
the occult.
What do you feel about the "sequel
fever?" he was asked. The director, who
also was responsible for "The Sugarland
Express"" and "Jaws,"" answered: "It"s a
business, like anything on Wall Street. If
hot dogs are selling this year, they 11 try
selling foot-long hot dogs until people want
hamburgers."
So. will there be a sequel to "Close Encounters?"
The director admitted he had
one in mind. 'Til write and produce it but
I think I would get someone else to direct
it." he said. "I didn't make the sequel to
•Jaws.' despite a $1,000,000 offer. If I
couldn't come up with a good story. I didn't
want to make a film just for money."
PERSONALIZED,
'Pete's Dragon' Boosted
By Mid-States Theatres
CINCINNATI— Elliott the Dragon came
to town breathing fire and inflamed local
film addicts. Part of the blame for the love
affair with the giant lizard must be laid at
the door of Mid-States Theatres who released
"Pete's Dragon" in the land of the
Reds and the Bengals.
Don Wirtz set an Elliott the Dragon
coloring contest with the Post. Three age
brackets were established but the grand
prize winner was 10-year-old Sharon Dils
whose crayon magic won her a five-foot,
stuffed Elliott. Now if that doesn't jam up
a gal's boudoir. Each group champ earned
tour ducats to
thj Disney spectacular.
Three of the make-believe behemoths
were also awarded on the Bob Braun TV
show during his annual Ruth Lyons Christmas
fund drive. Braun's show is seen here,
in Dayton, in Columbus, in Indianapolis and
in Lexington.
WLW radio sponsored a housewives'
matinee that enabled its domestic engineer
listeners to view the Buena Vista release.
If all this wasn't enough, some 60,000 Boy
Scouts were in town at the Convention
Center and they received more than 25,000
fan cards. The cards were also distributed
to houses showing the film: the Florence,
Mariemont and Princeton.
But Elliott's crew did not stop here.
Capitol Records ret up displays in all the
Burger Chef outlets and local record departments.
Now how do you miss a
vivacious seven-foot dragon?
smiling,
Jack Helsley Big Bye-Bye
RICHMOND, VA.—The Richard Times-
Dispatch carried a three-column art break
on an unusual marquee lettering; Chris
Snea. newly-appointed manager of Loews
Theatre here, bid his predecessor farewell
with the marquee front the day Jack Helsley
left reading, "'GOODBYE JACK HELS-
was named manager of the four-auditor-
LEY, GOOD LUCK IN DALLAS." (Helsley
ium Loews' Park Central Quad, newlyopened
in Dallas). A newspaper photographer
"happened by." with resultant press
break.
CROSSPLUGS, ANIMATED
COLOR DATESTRIPS
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Filmaok StudioS;
INC.
1327 S. WABASH AVE. CHICAGO, IL. 60605
(312) 427-3395
SPECIAL BROCHURE UPON REQUEST
BOXOFHCE :: January 23, 1978 ME-3

The only handicap to hiring us
is not {knowing where to find us.
You won't find guys like us selling
pencils on street corners. We're tation. Its function is not only to ence and skills required.
Department of Vocational Rehabili-
to be filled. The background, experi-
skilled, able-bodied workers. We're evaluate a person's disabilities and He'll be more than happy to put
industrial designers. Salespeople. to help him rehabilitate himself. you in touch with the right people
Secretaries. Managers. Accountants.
Technicians. Blue collar and allows him to fulfill his capabilities. People who will appreciate the op-
But to help place him in a job that for your company or organization.
white collar.
If you are interested in tapping portunity to help your company
Unfortunately, though, too many your state's supply of hard-working, grow. Who w'rll work to their fullest
of us are unemployed.
capable men and women, write to potential. And help your company
And the irony of it is, it's not that your State Director of Vocational — and our nation — prosper.
men and women like yourself don't Rehabilitation. His office is located
Write: Director, State Department
want to hire us. It's simply that you in your state capital.
don't know how to go about it.
Tell him what kind of business of Vocational Rehabilitation at your
Every state in this country has a you're in. What job openings need state capitol.
iyiE-4 BOXOFFICE :: January 23. l^Vb

Beantown Film Fare
Is 'Out of Sight'
BOSTON—The New York stock
market
should look so good! The reported grosses
for Boston's film offerings are almost out
of sight. The lowest reading was a respectable
110 recorded by 'The World's Greatest
Lover." At the top of the list is the
newest rising star, "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind" with an average of 800 at two
theatres. We've used up all the adjectives
we know in describing "Star Wars," suffice
to say that in its 33rd week it hit 600. "The
Turning Point" matched that figure. "Saturday
Night Fever" blew the mercury out
of the thermometer with an impressive 500
average. Despite the fabled New England
winter, hardy Yankees are going to the
movies in droves, and that ain't bad.
(Average Is 100)
Beacon HUl— 1900 (Para), 3rd wk 220
Charles 1—Star Wars (20th-rox), 33rd wk 600
Cheri 1—The Turning Point (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 600
Chen 11, Chestnut Hill 11 The Goodbye Girl
(WB), 3rd wk 350
Chen 111 Semi-Tough (UA), 8th wk 130
Chestnut Hill 1, Cinema 57 1 Close Encounters
ol the Third Kind (Col), 4th wk 800
Cinema 57 II, Circle Cinema III—Saturday Night
Fever (Para), 4th wk -500
Circle Cinema I, Pi Alley The World's Greatest
Lover (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 110
Circle Cinema II, Gary—The Gauntlet (WB),
3rd wk —160
Exeier A Special Day (SR), 4th wk 180
Orson Welles One Sings. The Other Doesn't
1
(SR), 6th wk -145
Orson Welles 11 Let Joy Reign Supreme (SR),
wk
5th
Savoy 1 Pete's Dragon (BV), 4th wk
Savoy 11 Telelon (UA), 4th wk
Saxon The Choirboys (Univ), 3rd wk
130
135
130
185
'Close Encounters' Pacing
New Haven First Run Films
NEW HAVEN— It was another holdover
week entirely in the first-run bloc, pacesetters
including Columbia's "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind" (475, fourth
week. Redstone Showcase 5), Paramount's
"Saturday Night Fever" (300, repeating
previous week's figure, also at Showcase 5).
Cinemart I, Millord 11 The World's Greatest
Lover (20th-Fox). 3rd wk 250
Cinemart II, Milford 1 Pete's Dragon (BV),
4th wk 175
Showcase I Saturday Night Fever (Para),
4th wk 300
Showcase II—Semi-Tough (UA), 3rd wk. -- ...250
Showcase 111 Close Encounters oi the Third
Kind (Col), 4th wk _..475
Showcase IV The Gauntlet (WB), 3rd wk 250
Showcase V—Telelon (MGM-UA), 4th wk 130
York Square Cinema—Julio (20th-Fox),
11th wk. 120
Hartford's First Runs Are
Still Showing Big Profits
HARTFORD—A states-rights. X-rated
double-bill, comprised of "Joy" and "Expose
Me Lovely," at the Ernest A. Grecula Art
Cinema, was sole new show in town; the
holdover bloc continued to perform well,
most especially Columbia's "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind." with a
strong 550, fourth week at the Perakos Elm
and UA East 3. The Grecula program hit
a brisk 200.
Art Cinema loy (SR). Expose Me Lovely (SR) 200
Atheneum Cinema— A Special Day (Cinema 5),
3rd wk 110
Cinema City 111, Mall—Which Way Is Up?
(Univ), 3rd wk - 165
Cinema City IV, UA West 111—The Turning Point
(20th-Fox), 3rd wk _ 150
Elm, UA East 1 Close Encounters ol the Third
Kind (Col), 4th wk 550
Showcase 1— Telelon (MGM-UA), 4lh wk 125
Showcase 11 The Goodbye Girl (WB),
3rd wk _ ...175
Showcase 111— Semi-Tough (UA), 3rd wk 2C0
Showcase IV The Gaurdel IWB). 3rd wk 190
Showcase V— Saturday Night Fever (Para),
4lh wk 275
Three theatres- Tele's Dragon (.BV) 4:h wk 175
Three The Choirboys i(Jniv), 3rd wk 185
Three theatres— The World's Greatest Lover
(20th-Fox), 3rd wk ;35
Vincent Price Spearheads
Recognition for Theatre
BOSTON — Stage, screen and TV star
Vincent Price submitted the name of the
Colonial Theatre to the Boston Landmarks
Commission for consideration as a landmark
and for inclusion on the national
register. Price played the house in his oneman
show "Diversions and Delights."
Price, who has an international reputation
as an art connoisseur in addition to
his renown as an actor, said that he admires
fine architecture, remarking that he
had helped save an important old theatre in
Columbus. Ohio from bulldozers.
He hoped that, by lending his name to
the push, he might start the machinery for
official recognition. "It is one of the grand
theatres," commented the actor, adding the
observation that the fact it still is a playing
theatre would indicate that the Colonial
is in no immediate danger.
The sought-after designation involves two
categories: the building is formally declared
to be a landmark and the name of
the theatre is added to the listing in the
national register. The joint actions then
preclude the possibility of alterations to the
edifice that would be considered out of
character. In turn, this would mean tax
benefits for the Colonial as well as the
possibility of grants should renovations be
necessary similar to those made when the
late Sam Schwartz was the manager.
The Colonial was designed by the eminent
American architect Clarence Blackball,
at the turn of the century. Herman Schladermundt,
the artist who painted the Library
of Congress mosaics, executed the
theatre's ceiling frieze. The 1,700-seat house
opened in 1900 with "Ben Hur."
The feeling here is that focusing attention
on the Colonial will help spotlight
other theatres worthy of similar consideration;
the Savoy, operated by Sack's, formerly
B. F. Keith's, where Ambassador
Joseph Kennedy had his offices when he
operated a circuit; the Paramount; the
former Mayflower; the Gary, at one time
the Plymouth, a legitimate theatre; the
Saxon, which was once a legitimate theatre
also, when it was the Majestic, and the
Music Hall, nee Metropolitan, which was
modeled after the Opera Comique in Paris.
Boston theatres are, indeed, an integral
part of the history of the city which is
world-renowned as America's historical
capital.
Acton CATV Deal Set
ACTON, MASS.—The Acton Corp.
has
reached agreement for sale of three CATV
systems in three states to subsidiaries of
Cablentertainment Inc. for $9,000,000 in
cash and short-term notes. The CATV systems
are situated in Zanesville and Dresden,
Ohio; Cameron and Glendale, W.Va.; and
Rochester. Pa.
New Paul Pelerson
Film Service Bow
BOSTON— Paul Peterson began fulltime
association with Inn-Room Movies of Massachusetts
the first of the year. He had
foimded the company two years ago to introduce
in-house films systems to hotels,
apartment complexes and hospitals.
The prominent independent distributorexhibitor
resigned as trcasiuer-general partner
of NFB Film Distributors at the end of
the year. He hud hegim NFB together with
Dick Waite. seven years ago and was most
recently associated with Harvey Appell. former
AIP branch manager. Appell and his
wife Rita will take over the operation of
NFB in New England.
Peterson said that Inn-Room programming
will consist mainly of recent films
which have completed their theatrical rim
and which are available from most motion
pictiue companies. These are shown via
closed-circuit systems, on videotape, without
any charge to the guests/ patients.
Accounts have already been opened in
several Bay State communities including
Danvers, Springfield, Hyannis and South
Yarmouth with exceptionally positive feedback
from the patrons. The veteran industry
expert noted that big studio thinking has
done a 180-degrec turn over the past few
years. They now offer their product to residential
complexes and to private parties in
a wide range of formats with reduced
charges envisioned as systems improve. He
slated that all of this mitigates against the
small theatre owner.
Peterson concluded that one cannot halt
progress and the current environment bodes
well for Inn-Room. He hoped the many nice
people he had met throughout his career
will keep in touch with him. His headquarters
is Inn-Room Movies of Mass., Inc.,
1167 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington. Mass.
Redstone Circuit Building
PROVIDENCE—The Redstone Showcase
5.
Seekonk. has completed the addition
of a sixth auditorium. With five screens, the
plex already was the largest such cinema development
in southeastern New England.
The Redstone Showcase 8, West Springfield.
Mass., is largest plex in the six-state region.
As previously reported in Boxoffice. the
Redstone circuit is proceeding with plans to
expand the Showcase 5. East Hartford.
Conn., to same number of screens presently
at Seekonk.
Ten Best
Films Listed
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.—Frances Taylor.
Newhouse News Service, selected these
"ten best" films of 1977. according to one
of her recent columns in the Springfield
newspaper: "Looking for Mr. Goodbar,"
"Fun With Dick & Jane." "The Late
Show." "The Spy Who Loved Me." 'Annie
Hall." "Black and White in Color." "Julia."
'The World's Greatest Lover." "Saturday
Night Fever" and "Short Eyes."
BOXOFHCE :: January 23. 1978 NE-1

Caspar
. . Dave
|
BOSTON
gob Malcolinson, Universal Theatre Supply,
stated that plans are under way to
reorganize the theatre seating division. Included
in the plans is an entirely new concept
in theatre seat covers. More announcements
relevant to the improvements will be
made through Boxoffice in the near future.
Chris Joyce, general manager of Interstate
Theatres, announced that the circuit
has installed the Dolby Sound System in
their Cape Cod Mall Cinema Centre's Cinema
1. The new equipment includes three
new speakers and four new surround speakers.
Ron Adams, an audio visual engineer,
supervised the installation with engineers
from the Dolby main office handling the
tuning. Manager Warren Johnson said that
it was apparent from the applause that the
filmgoers appreciated the new equipment.
He added that the opening grosses set a new,
all-time record.
Bob Hope was in for a one-nighter at the
Sheraton Boston hotel. Emceeing a lumberman's
convention he reeled off 65-minute"s
worth of one-liners for the audience of
2.300. each of whom payed $20 for the
privilege of attending.
Alert, robust Jim Beckerly was in and
around the film district recently lining up
equipment for the installation of a new
sound system and booth at the RKO-Boston
Theatre at the corner of Essex and Washington
Streets. It is due to reopen early next
month.
Princess Grace of Monaco will appear
at the Loeb Drama Center. Cambridge, in
a staged reading of "Birds, Beasts and
Flowers." There will be two performances
on March 7 and 8. Tickets for the unique
event were sold out within 90 minutes after
they went on sale.
Now-it-can-be-told department: Lovable
and lovely Lynn Nelson. Allied Artists"
booker, left for an indefinite stay in Rome.
She will be missed by those who dealt with
her officially or as friends. She will be missed
more by this correspondent . . . Lynn is our
granddaughter.
Dick Beaucheniin,
Brandt Studio Theatre
PERSONALIZED,
manager in Newburyport, Mass., won a 17-
inch color TV set as fourth prize in a drawing
held during the Motion Picture Pioneers
Foundation banquet at the Beverly Hill Hotel
.. .
Urban. Columbia branch
manager, and A. Alan Friedberg. Sack Theatres
"president, hosted a sneak preview of
"Casey's Shadow" starring Walter Matthau
at the Sack Cheri I. Friday (6). In from
the West Coast for the event were Bob Cort.
Columbia vice-president in charge of publicity
and exploitation; Dave Forbes. Cort's
assistant and Don Barrett, head of field operations.
Eddie Conii. former owner of Massachusetts
Theatre Supply, one of the Hub's bestknown
and liked film men. was in town to
bid one and all "adieu" for the winter. He
and wife Mary are migrating to warmer
southern climes . Teitelman. Allied
Artists district manager here, is happily
looking forward to the world premiere of
their new release. "The Betsy" to take place
February 9 in Detroit.
Patriot Cinema's Brookiine Plaza Cinema
held a belated Yule party for employees
December 30 at the Club Max (nee Playboy
Club). The staffers went home and
changed clothes after work before the rendezvous.
Those on the late shift went to
Ken's in Copley Square for their party.
One and all agreed it was the best way to
share Christmas and New Year's good cheer.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
IToldln^ over across the Granite State; Columbia's
"Close Encounters of the
Third Kind." Warner Bros.' "The Goodbye
Girl" and "The Gauntlet." Universal's
"Heroes" and "The Choirboys," 20th Century-Fox's
"The World's Greatest Lover,"
Buena Vista's "Pete's Dragon." and United
Artists' "Telefon."
Richard J. Wilson, SBC Management
Corporation vice president, was a visitor at
the circuit's Newington Mall 4.
"Captain's Paradise' a Free Showing
SOMERVILLE, MASS. — The West
Branch Library hosted a free 6:30 p.m.
showing on a recent Tuesday of "Captain's
Paradise." United Artists 1953 release.
CROSSPLUGS, ANIMATED
COLOR DATESTRIPS
SPECIAL BONUS OFFER!
k Studios,
INC.
1327 S. WABASH AVE. CHICAGO, IL. 60605
(312) 427-3395
SPECIAL BROCHURE UPON REQUEST
VERMONT
Qontinuing holdovers across the state: Co
lumbia's "Close Encounters of the
Third Kind," Paramount's "Saturday Night
Fever" and "Looking for Mr. Goodbar,"
Universal's "Heroes," Warner Bros.' "The
Gauntlet," 20th Century-Fo.\'s "The World's
Greatest Lover" and Buena Vista's "Pete's
Dragon."
A Vermont group strongly opposed to
pornography reportedly stuffed the ballot
box with photocopied forms listing failure
of the 1977 state legislative session to adopt
an anti-pornography measure as last year's
top news story and, as a result, the Burlington
Free Press, largest newspaper in
Vermont, decided not to publish results of
a readership poll on what constituted the
ten biggest news stories of the year. A
spokesman for the 50.000-circulation daily
said that Williston-based Citizens for Decency
had cast about half of the ballots received.
"Because of the minimal response]
(the paper said the figure was a skimpy
53) and the serious questions about the
validity of the survey." the newspaper noted.
"The Free Press is not publishing the
reader vote results." Instead, the paper opted
for a listing of the top ten stories selected
by its editorial staff. The outbreak
of "Legionnaires disease" in Vermont rated
first.
:
Walter Bernstein, screenwriter of United
Artists' "Semi-Tough." in a Vermont newspaper
interview, remarked: "I grew up interested
in drama. The theatre was always
a place of reality for me and the movies a
place of fantasy."
|
"1 was nurtured on 'Grand Illusion.'
Bernstein continued. "No movie meant
more to me
."
. .
Bernstein admitted he had his ups and
downs as far as producer response to script
writing is concerned: "When I finished the
script ("Semi-Tough"). David Merrick
wanted to fire me. But United Artists and
(director Michael) Ritchie said no. They
offered to buy Merrick out, but he wanted
too much money. So I did another draft
based on criticism from UA and what
Ritchie and I wanted to do. Merrick read
that and came around and said, 'Look, I
don't like it. but everyone else does, so let's
go-' "
Howard A. Michaels Named
RANDOLPH. MASS. — Howard A.
Michaels, president of Automatic Vendors
Inc., has been elected to the board of directors
of the National Automatic Merchandising
Ass'n.
CINERAMA IS IN
SHOW BUSINESS IN
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki
*^°"'* "^'^^ '^^ famous
Rlfffi/CA'
[hawaiiI Don Ho Show. .
JHOTELsJ Cinerama's Reef Towers Hotel.
.
at
IN WAIKIKI: REEF REEF TOWERS EDGEWATER
NE-2 BOXOFHCE :: January 23. 1978
"

. . The
. . , .Same
HARTFORD
Httorney Joseph I.. Shuliiian of the Shulnian
exhibition family, who died in
1976. left an estate valued at $1,186,000
according to an inventory accepted by the
Hartford probate court. A lifelong art collector,
he left $200,000 and his collection
of works to the Wadsworth Athcncum and
gifts of $5,000 to $10,000 to 19 museums,
colleges and libraries with which to purchase
boks or works of art in memory of
his wife. Pauline. Some $64,000 was left to
15 religious and charitable institutions, and
also bequests to relatives and fri.-nds. with
remainder of the estate in the Joseph L.
Shulman Foundation. He was predeceased
by his father. Max. and brother. Maurice.
both long active in area exhibition.
Media focus in other parts of the country
on boycotting and picketing of Warner
Bros.' "Oh. God!" by religious factions led
the Hartford Courant to survey area clergy
for their opinions. Orthodox Rabbi Abraham
N. AvRutick of West Hartford said
that the plight of leading man John Denver,
branded a lunatic in the film, "is typical
of a problem today in the religious
world where people talk about God, but
don"t believe in God." At the same time.
Rabbi AvRutick told the newspaper that he
found the George Burns starrer entertaining
and basically inoffensive. adding. "I
wouldn't send anybody with a philosophical
mind to it."
The West Hartford Public Library has
been hosting a series of 7:30 p.m.. Thursday,
free showings, titles including Sir Charlie
Chaplin's "Gold Rush" and "Pay Day."
(UA, 1925. and FN. 1922. respectively,
releases): "West Side Story" (UA. 1961);
"Moby Dick" (WB. 1956): "Thirty-Nine
Steps" (GB. 1935); "Cat on a Hot Tin
Roof" (MGM. 1958). in the lower-level
Webster Hall.
The Montville town recreation department
screened "The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer." the late Dav d O. Selznick's 1938
release, on a recent Friday afternoon at
1 p.m. in the Camp Oakdale Community
Center: admission was 25 cents
children aged five and over.
and open to
A man and a woman held up the Redstone
Showcase Cinemas 5, 936 Silver Lane.
East Hartford, and escaped with an undetermined
amount of money the other night.
Police said that the holdup occurred at
about 10:30 p.m. as an employee was collecting
receipts from the ticket booths. The
man involved was armed with a handgim.
After taking the money, the couple ran
outside and into a nearby car.
The SBC Cinema City 4. Hartford, hosted
a benefit showing of 20th-Fox's "The
Turning Point." The proceeds went to the
Hartford Ballet Company school scholarship
fund. The screening was followed by a
champagne reception.
The Redstone Showcase Cinemas 5 ran
a "business personals" newspaper classified
ad tied to recorded phone message promotion
for Warner Bros.' "The Goodbye
Girl."
The Hartford Advocate, weekly leisuretime
and comment publication ran its annual
yearend film supplement with contributors
including Peter Socrates Perakos.
Wesleyan University junior and son of Peter
G. Perakos jr., assistant general manager
of Perakos Theatres Associates, and Mrs.
Perakos. Young Perakos remarked; "Always
alert to a bankable trend, the film industry
is now gearing up: scores of movies are in
production, hundreds of millions of dollars
arc being invested, and some of the most
talented actors and directors in Hollywood
are being committed to—you guessed it
science-fiction."
The same supplement quoted SBC vice
. . are like the
president Richard J. Wilson: "Now we're in
the era of the intimate theatre. All these new
multiple-theatre complexes .
neighborhood theatres of years ago. During
the '50s and '60s. the big theatres seated
about 1.500 or so: now. it's 300 to 500.
"And there are changes." Wilson continued.
"Humans are creatures of comfort.
They've got to be as comfortable in a theatre
as in their own homes. So we've got
plush, cushioned seats, climate control, a
clearer picture and better sound."
George Grizzard wrapped up his first role
at the Hartford Stage Company as the leading
man in "Past Tense." a contemporary
play, and headed for Mexico. He had completed
a part in United Artists' "Comes a
Horseman" co-starring Jane Fonda. Sterling
Hayden, James Caan and Jason Robards.
prior to coming here.
An employee of Redstone Showcase 5
was robbed of an undetermined amount of
money at midnight on a recent Sunday. Police
reported that the employee was making
a deposit at the Constitution Bank & Trust
Company. No one was hurt.
MAINE
. . .
Qn Maine marquees: Columbia's "Close
Encounters of the Third Kind." Buena
Vista's "Pete's Dragon." Universal's "Heroes."
Warner Bros.' "Oh. God!" and "The
Gauntlet." United Artists' "Telefon." Paramount's
"Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and
"Saturday Night Fever." 20th Century-
Fox's "The World's Greatest Lover"
Cinema City. Westbrook. playing "Pete's
Dragon." is advertising $1.25 admission
for children at all times . . New statesrights
.
product openings: "Barbie's
Fantasies"
and "Teenage Sorority Girls."
E.M. Loew's Fine Arts Twin Cinemas,
.
. . . "Nanook
Portland, playing "The Choirboys." auditorium
two, is tadvertising: "Contains StufI
You Won't See on TV" Paris
Cinema, brought in recent Warner release.
"One on One." charging $1.50 admission
for all patrons at all times
of the North." the 1922 silent classic, was
screened at the College of the Atlantic Auditorium.
NEW HAVEN
flaymond Ka>ars:kj, former area director
for defunct Jerry Lewis Cinemas, and
his wife Rina. filed a voluntary petition for
bankruptcy for their Four Seasons Dinner
Theatre. Higganuni. listing liabilities of $2.-
069.616. and assets of $1,800. The largest
listed unsecured creditors include Hartford
National Bank & Trust Company. Middletown
branch. $400,000: Mechanics & Farmers
Savings Bank. Bridgeport. $500,000:
and Minnesota Title Company. Phoenix.
Ariz.. $750,000.
The New Haven Register's film critics,
Marsha Rabe-Cochran and Bob Eimicke,
published a joint "Ten Best Films of 1977"
listing, comprised of "An American
Friend," "Annie Hall," "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind," "Handle With Care,"
"The Late Show," "The Man Who Loved
Women," "The Marquise of O .."
. . "Padre
Padrone," "Stroszek" and "That Obscure
Object of Desire."
Walhngford's Paul Mellon Arts Center,
on a recent Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.,
screened two silent films. "The General,"
with the late Buster Keaton, and "The Immigrant,"
with the late Sir Charlie Chaplin.
Admission was $2.
More free film showings: Cinema 5's
"Z." 1969 release co-starring Yves Montand
and Irene Papas, on a recent Thursday
(8 p.m.) at the Westport Public Library
distributor's 1975 release. "Pumping
Iron," with Arnold Schwarzenegger,
world bodybuilding champion, on a recent
Friday (8 p.m.). Greenwich Library (admission
was restricted to Greenwich residents,
incidentally) . . . "The Good Earth." MGM
1937 release co-starring the late Paul Muni
and Luise Rainer. on a recent Friday (3
and again at 7:30 p.m.). Silas Bronson Library.
Waterbury.
Columbia's "Lawrence of Arabia," costarring
Peter O'Toole and Sir Alec Guinness,
was shown on a recent Friday night
(8:30 p.m.) at the Unitarian Church in
Westport, the showing followed by a wine
and cheese party. Admission was $2.50,
general public: $1.50. students and senior
citizens.
Judy B. Weinreb to Post
With Eddy's of Boston
BOSTON— Eddy's Theatres of Boston
president Edward W. Eider annoimced that
Judy B. Weinreb has joined the organization
and will be responsible for press releases,
promotional work and tradescreenings.
She will work with Al Oddi and Mark
Wise in these areas and also be involved
with bookings and advertising.
Ms. Weinreb is an honors graduate in
English from the University of Toronto,
holding a post-graduate degree in education.
She has been involved in professional
theatre in Toronto, where she taught media
and drama in several high schools.
BOXOFFICE :: January 23. 1978 NE-3

RHODE ISLAND
fjatl Clancy had another WBRU-linked
promotion, screening UA rerun. "Everything
You Always Wanted to Know About
Sex." Woody Allen starrer, at the Midland
Cinema. Midland Mall, on a weekend night
at midnight, charging $2 for all seats. The
show, as predecessor programs, was billed
as "WBRU Mad! Mad! Mad! Midnight
Show!"
The Fairlawn. Pawtucket. played UA rerun.
"Tom Sawyer" (Arthur Jacobs') 1973
musical version) at kiddie matinees, charging
$1
for youngsters.
The New England Power Co.. has purchased
a 32-acre tract, containing the Westerly
Drive-In. for a reported $170,000.
with the utility understood to be thinking
about keeping the underskyer in operation
on a year-to-year basis. The parcel of land
is adjacent to some 360 acres New England
Power bought last fall. A corporate spokesman
said that New England Power is reluctant
to phase-out the drive-in. "Under
consideration." he said, "is leasing the property
to the former owner or another cinema
operator."
William K. Gale, Providence Journal-
Bulletin entertainment editor, and Michael
Janusonis. the newspapers" entertainment
writer, came up with their choices for both
quality and non-quality screen attractions of
1977. Gale cited "Rocky," "Cousin. Cousine,"
"Annie Hall." "The Spy Who Loved
Me." "Valentino." "Slap Shot," "Harlan
County. USA." "Star Wars." "New York,
New York," "Black Sunday" for quality.
He called "Close Encounters of the Third
Kind," however, "the most over-publicized
movie of the year." He said "The Lincoln
Conspiracy" was "basically a plot against
good acting, directing, camerawork, etc."
He concluded: "And then we had the film
which reminds me of that old Henny
Youngman joke: "Take 'Bobby Deerfield.'
Please."
Janusonis liked "Annie Hall," "Star
Wars," "Rocky," "The Late Show," "The
Turning Point." "Black and White in Color."
"Islands in the Stream." "Black Sunday,"
"Outrageous!" and "Three Women."
He disliked "A Bridge Too Far." "Exorcist
H: the Heretic," "The Last Remake of
Beau Geste." "The Sentinel." "Cassandra
Crossing," "Bobby Deerfield," "First Love,"
"Welcome to L.A.." "Final Chapter-Walking
Tall" and "The Town That Dreaded
Sundown."
SPRINGFIELD
The Parkway Drive-In, North Wilbraham.
is not advertising on a low-key level:
such hard-hitting copy as "The Drive-In
Theatre That Keeps You Warm. All Winter
Long!"" is supplemented by these words:
"Hot! In-Car Heaters Available! Heated
Restrooms & Snack Bar!" A striking approach,
worthy of emulation by other underskyers.
Recent film-programs: "Black
Caesar," "Hell Up In Harlem, "Bamboo
"
Gods & Iron Men" and "Street Gangs of
Hong Kong." on one show. Universal's "The
Car." "The Last Remake of Beau Geste"
and "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution" on another
show.
Dan Jenkins, who wrote the 1972 bestseller
that served as source material for
United Artists" "Semi-Tough."" told the
Springfield newspapers in an interview that
he has come around to the belief that just
because the film is not an exact reproduction
of the novel, it is not. therefore, a
faulty film. "It has spirit and flavor."' he
said. "It's better than I thought it would
be.""
The Christmas Day passing of Sir Charlie
Chaplin led a Tyringham man to search
through a trunk of show business memorabilia
collected by his grandfather. The material
found by Donald Davis included a
letter to grandfather Robert Grau from
Chaplin in appreciation for impressario
Grau"s scheduled series of articles for the
Billboard Magazine. Sir Charles wrote, in
part: "How happy I am to bring a ray of
sunshine into the dull gray lifes (sic.) of
those who need it most, and if I can bring
but one laugh to the countenances of those
less fortunate than ourselves my work and
hardest efforts are rapid a thousand fold
and all my work is worth while (sic.)"" The
letter was written on the stationery of the
Charlie Chaplin Music Publishing Company
of Los Angeles and included a picture
of a very youthful Chaplin in the upper
right corner.
The staying power of UA"s "The Spy
Who Loved Me." even in subsequent-run
status, was strong, with the Paris Cinema.
West Springfield, engagement extended indefinitely.
The suburban cinema, incidentally,
has a $1 admission charge in effect for
all patrons at all times.
Connecticut Film Pioneer
Maurice H. Bailey, Dies
NEW HAVEN—Connecticut exhibition
pioneer Maurice H. Bailey. 83, died recently
at the New Haven-Yale Hospital.
President of the companies operating the
Shubert. Crown, Whitney, Westville and
Whalley Theatres, he also served as president
of Central Associates and the Atlas
Corp. real estate firms.
The survivors include his wife Lilyan;
three daughters Mrs. Rita Gwin. New
Haven; Mrs. Joyce Kaye. Jacksonville. Fla.;
and Mrs. Ginger Begun. Woodbridge; a
brother, Samuel, of North Miami. Fla.; a
sister, Mrs. Rose Sugarman, New Haven;
and seven grandchildren.
Burial was in B"nai Jacob Memorial
Park. Westville.
He was long active in Connecticut exhibition,
serving in various executive niches with
the Motion Picture Theatre Owners (MPTO)
of Connecticut and its successor organization,
the Connecticut Ass"n of Theatre
Owners (CATO). Bailey, a familiar figure at
exhibition gatherings, was a firm spokesman
for the independent theatre owner-operator
ranks, contending time and again tha
what is good for one component of the in
dustry is good for the other components.
If memory serves, he last voiced somi
pertinent remarks anent. modus operand
at a CATO luncheon session at the Picca
dilly Restaurant in New Haven. The June
gathering had as guest speaker Sumner M
Redstone, president of Redstone Theatres
the latter"s Connecticut holdings include tht
Showcase 5. Orange (suburban New Haven
and Showcase 5 (soon to be six). East Hart
ford. Bailey urged exhibition solidificatior
of effort, in essence a joining together of ex
hibition ranks, both independent and cir
cuit, for the common good.
Attorney Herman M. Levy, legal
counse
for CATO. and earlier, counsel for tht
then Theatre Owners of America (TOA). la
beled Bailey as one of the pace-setters ii
independent exhibition. "His was a voice tc
be listened to," Levy said. "Exhibition wil
be poorer with his passing."
Leonard Sampson and Robert C. Spodick
long-time partners of Bailey in Connecticu
exhibition holdings, called him an industn
statesman, an exponent of "putting one':
best foot forward at all times."
"Maurice understood this industry," Spo
dick said, "as few people have been abk
to do. He had a grasp of rapport, of cama
raderie. that bespoke a lifelong fondness fo
motion picture exhibition. Always speakin;.
quietly, he acted more than he talked. Wher
there was a job of community relations o
industry goodwill to be done, Maurice wa;
right there, with meaningful ideas, to helj
mend bad feelings, give true insight intc
what something meant, and could mean tc
exhibition. He will be sorely missed."
Sampson cited Bailey's constant willing
ness to "do just a little more" for Nev
Haven, the city in which the exhibitior
executive had lived for so many years. A
one-time elected city official, Bailey was ac
live in Jewish community work and knev
New Haven, its rich, its middle class anc
its poor. In short, an exhibitor with ar
awareness of the community in which he wa;
doing business.
Exit. Maurice H. Bailey.
NEW BRITAIN
The Planville Town Recreation Departmeni
sponsored free
showings of Buena Vis-
. . .
ta's "Blackbeard's Ghost" (1968 release) anc
"Gus" (1976 release) at the Plainville Junioi
High School . . . Warner Bros.' "Never Toe
Late" (1965) was screened as a free attraction
for residents at the Woodmere Health
Care Center. Southington The Southington
Public Library screened 20th Century-Fox's
1937 adaptation of "Heidi" with
Shirley Temple as a "Family Movie Night"
attraction; admission was free.
From the "50 Years Ago Today" column
Bristol Press: "The Bristol Theatre properties
have been incorporated, which includes
the Cameo Theatre, the Colonial Theatre
and the Bristol Theatre. The incorporator;
in each company are: D.A. Peters. L.M
Gordon and A.H. Lockwood."
NE-4 BOXOFFICE :: January 23, 1971

'Mohammad' Bows Despite
Moslem Flap in Toronto
EDMONTON—The opening here Friday
(13) of "Mohammad. Messenger of
God" at Landmark Cinemas' Jaspt'r Theatre
followed a controversy similar to the
one which met the film's release in the
U. S.. although neither as violent nor tragic.
Toronto Moslems had objected to the
film's depiction of their prophet Mohammad,
as had members of the religious organization
worldwide, causing the Famous
Players circuit to cancel the film's bookings
in Toronto.
An item in the Edmonton Journal December
30 speculated that Famous Players'
cancellation of the film would mean "a
strong possibility it won't be shown in Edmonton
at all." Famous Players operates
six hardtops and three drive-ins in this area.
A subsequent item dated Tuesday (3)
announced Landmark's intention to open
the film here, and quoted the circuit's Bob
Corless as saying "It's a beautiful fihn."
Odeon Announces Winners
Of 'Rose' Promo Contest
TORONTO—Odeon Theatres has announced
the winners in a promotion contest
on behalf of "The Slipper and the Rose," a
competition which was open to theatre managers
only. Th: contest was held in cooperation
with Universal Films and offered three
cash prizes for the best overall exploitation
campaigns for the promotion of the feature.
First prize of $500 went to Bob Johnson,
manager of the Centre Theatre in Winnipeg,
while the second prize of $300 was won by
Jim Powley, manager of the Fairlawn Theatre
in Toronto (Powley recently was promoted
to the head office).
The third prize of $200 was awarded Dan
Baker, manager of the Hyland Theatre.
London, Ont.. who later was transferred to
the post of manager at the new Westmount
Centre, a twin theatre in the same city.
According to Odeon, "Campaigns submitted
were creative and effective, with variations
of showmanship that drew considerable
public attention to the film."
ACTRA Softens Ruling
On Non-Canadian Talent
TORONTO— In an apparent softening of
the controversial decision made last September
by the Ass'n of Canadian TV and
Radio Artists (ACTR.A). the union has
agreed to negotiate disagreements over the
number of work permits for imported talent
requested by a Canadian producer. ACTRA
will consult the Canadian Ass'n of Motion
Picture Producers.
The previous decision,
barring any recognized
Canadian production receiving investors"
tax breaks from using more than twonon—Canadian
performers, had caused heated
discussions and some performers' walkouts,
disrupting the industry here.
ACTRA now considers the two-permit
limit a "guideline" rather than a "hard-andfast"
rule.
Boothman Les Sprague of Saint John
Recalls Pioneer Days of Industry
EDMONTON—A bylined article in the
Journal by John Cunningham, datelined
Saint John. N. B.. tells the familiar story of
a veteran projectionist's recollections of the
pioneer days of the industry. The story is
reprinted in part below:
Les Sprague of Saint John was drawn to
the movies the first time he saw those hazy
figures jiggle across the screen. By the time
he was 14, he was already at work cranking
the projector at Saint John's Gem Theatre.
"They needed a guy who was small enough"
to work in the cramped alcove that served
as a projection room.
The year was 1916 and movies were king.
Moviegoers lined up to watch Charlie Chaplin's
jittery antics in single-reel films that
lasted about ten minutes. The admission
price was 15 cents or a quarter at most.
Kids got in for a nickel on Saturdays.
And from his post high above an eager
theatre crowd, Les Sprague became part of
it
all.
In those days the time a film ran was
often at the whim of a theatre manager. If
there was a big lineup outside waiting to
pay admission. Sprague was told to crank
a little faster. "Sometimes people who were
walking looked like they were running."
The only time that speed really mattered
was during the scenes with subtitles. The
cranker had to see that the slow readers
had time to get the message before rolling
on . . . Later, he became a full-fledged projectionist
and it was serious business. Film
was highly flammable. There was a constant
risk that film exposed to hot projection
lamps would burst into flame. The projectionist
had to be trained to prevent film
from catching fire, and if it did, to cut off
the lamps before panic set in.
Sprague estimates he has shown 5,000
miles of motion picture film. He has worked
as a projectionist, usher, theatre manager
and newsreel cameraman.
He recently was honored by the Canadian
Picture Pioneers for his 61-year association
with the industry. He has seen films develop
through the era of the silent movies, the
coming of the talkies. Technicolor, the
three-dimensional craze and CinemaEcope.
He recalls the sensation when it got
around in I9IS that swimming star Annette
Kellerman was to appear in a film in a
wet bathing suit. When the film hit the
screen, the swimmer was so far away from
the camera "she looked about the size of
a matchhead."
Sprague got into talking movies when
most New Brunswick theatre owners regarded
them as a flash in the pan. He
worked for a group of local promoters
who went into the business of renting equipment
for movies complete with sound. The
equipment "weighed a ton" and was supposed
to be portable enough for one-night
stands through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia
and Newfoundland.
But the coming of talkies was not all
good news. "It was a dark day for musicians.
The Capitol had an orchestra and it
put most of those fellows out of work."
During the newsreel era. he recalls the
projectionists' nightmare when the Pathe
newsreel rooster was on the screen and an
MGM film was about to be shown. The
newsreel ended with the rooster crowing
and the feature film started with the MGM
lion's growl. There was always the danger
the Pathe sound would stay on too long so
that the fierce MGM lion would get on the
screen and crow.
Newsreels have special memories for
Sprague and again he got in on the ground
floor.
He bought a movie camera, made contacts
with newsreel producers and reported
to them when anything of international
significance happened here ... In 1939
Sprague was staying in Halifax at the Queen
Hotel the night that fire at the hotel claimed
38 lives. After a 20-foot jump to safety,
he telephoned his brother to send down his
movie camera by airplane. Within hours he
had his film.
Sprague says he believes movies of the
'30s, '40s and '50s were the best. "It was
good wholesome entertainment. They were
good stories and well made. And the films
didn't condone breaking the law. The bad
guy always got his deserts."
is the executive director of the Institute of
Man and Resources.
LaVerne Moran Is Exiting
Position at Topar Films
HOLLYWOOD—LaVerne Moran. executive
assistant to Tom Parker, president of
Topar Films, Beverly Hills-based production
and distributing company, is leaving
that post
after a year.
Ms. Moran has decided to devote her full
time to her wrilina career.
Wells Appointed to NFB Alexander Cann Dead at 74
OTTAWA—Andrew Wells of Charlottetown
is a recent appointment to the Nation-
Cann. 74. in Sydney. Australia was report-
EDMONTON—The death of Alexander
al Film Board for a three-year term. Wells
the Journal December 22. Canad-
ed here in
ian-born Cann moved to Australia in 1942.
after working as an actor and cameraman
in Hollywood. A news correspondent during
World War II. he filmed the American
forces landing in the Philippines.
Mattapoisett Sees 'King
Kong'
MATTAPOISETT, MASS. — "King
Kong," the 1933 RKO release, was shown
as a free attraction on a recent Friday night
at 8 p.m., by the Mattapoisett Free Public
Library.
BOXOmCE :: Januarv 23, 1978 K-1

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Unreeling of Holiday Releases Hypos
Boxoffice at Most Calgary Theatres
CALGARY—The exhibition scene here
apparently picked up some sparkle from the
champagne used for New Year's Eve toasts,
moviegoers throughout the city
since grosses changed from strictly blah to
better than average. The breaking of new
product seemed to titillate the appetite of
with the result
that a number of situations reported
excellent business after weeks of making-do
with "good" or "fair." As in almost all locations,
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
brought out hordes of UFO fans as well as
the curious: the widely acclaimed "The
Turning Point" was, indeed, a "turning
point" at the boxoffice of the Uptown 2,
and "Pete's Dragon" was anything but a
drag at the Palace, delighting both moppets
and accompanying adults. "The Choirboys,"
which novelist Joseph Wambaugh swears is
OLit of time with his philosophies (as expressed
in the book), enjoyed an excellent
first stanza at the Grand 1. All in all, 1978
proved to be a welcome change of pace for
the theatremen of Calgary during its first
week.
Brentwood, Westbrook 1 Record City (AFD) Poor
Calgary Place 1— Teleion (UA) Good
Calgary Place 2—Semi-Tough (UA) Excellent
Chinook The World's Greatest Lover
(BVFD) , Good
Grand 1 The Choirboys (Univ)
Excellent
Grand 2 Heroes (Univ), 8th wk Very Good
Market Mall 3, 4— Grayeagle (AFD) Fair
Market Mall 5, 6 Saturday Night Fever (Para),
2nd wk „ Excellent
Marlboro Square 2, Westbrook 2 Poco . . .
Little Dog Lost (Astral) - Poor
Marlboro Square 3 Damnation Alley (BVFD) Fair
North Hill, Uptown 1— Close Encounters of the
Third Kind (Astral) Excellent
Odeon Why Shoot the Teacher? (AFD) .Good
1
Palace Pete's Dragon (BV) Excellent
Palliser Squar- The Gauntlet (WB) Excellent
Towne 1
Blue The Goodbye Girl (WB) Good
Towne Red Which Way Is Up? (Univ) Fair
Uptown 2—The Turning Point (BVFD) Excellent
Holiday Releases Lure Many
Edmontonians Into Cinemas
EDMONTON — Theatre screens here
were considerably brighter after the new
year got under way, with much of the fare
that bowed during the holiday season reporting
excellent business at the boxoffice.
t
fiti
LHGTRONICS LTD.
ANNOUNCES THE
Nonetheless, the overall exhibition picture
in this prairie city was somewhat on the
soft side, with a couple of films — "Damnation
Alley" and "Which Way Is Up?"—
pulling only a "poor" rating in the first
week. Two others "Telefon" and "The
Goodbye Girl." attracted only enough patrons
at the Westmount cinemas to score
a "good" on the Barometer. Such a mixed
bag, of course, defied analysis—but the difference
shown by Edmontonians perhaps
could be charged off, like everything else,
to the cold weather (certainly a credible rea-
,
son).
Capitol Square 1 Saturday Night Fever
(Para),
Capitol
2nd wk
Square 2—Semi-Tough (UA)
Excellent
Excellent
Capitol Square 3 The World's Greatest Lover
(BVFD) - Very Good
Garneau Looking lor Mr. Goodbar (Pcra),
6th wk Excellent
Jasper Red Record City (AFD)
Londonderry A— Pete's Dragon (BV)
Excellent
Fair
Londonderry B Grayeagle (AFD) Fair
Meadowlark, Odeon 1 Close Encounters
of the Third Kind (Astral) - Excellent
Paramount The Gauntlet (WB) Excellent
Plaza 1—Damnation Alley (AvFD) Poor
Aialto 1 The Choirboys (Univ) Very Good
Rialto 2 The Turning Point (BVFD) Very Good
Towne Cinema Which Way Is Up? (Univ) Poor
Westmount A—The Goodbye Girl (WB) Good
Westmount B Telefon (UA) Good
Holiday Releases Stimulate
Theatre Grosses in Toronto
TORONTO—Theatre screens here brightened
considerably the first week of 1978
and the audiences were noticeably larger.
The attraction of new product was too much
for cinema buffs to resist, so cold weather
or not, they hit the sidcwalls to line up to
see the blockbusters that were packing 'em
in almost everywhere in the Western Hemisphere.
In contrast to the somewhat dull
week which preceded the current period,
the Barometer was sprinkled with plenty of
"excellent" and "very good" boxoffice
grosses, providing a solid base for the optimism
that pervaded local exhibition circles.
Five Theatres The Choirboys (Univ) Very Good
Hollywood The Turning Point (BVFD),
2nd wk -._ Excellent
Hollywood Pete's Dragon (BV)
Very Good
Imperial Grayeagle (AFD) _Good
INAUGURATION OF OUR
THEATRE PRODUCTS DIVISION
KEN McDonald, manager
1760 SARGENT AVENUE
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
R3H 0C7
A Full Range of Theatre Equipment and Supplies
• ORCON XENON LIGHTING SYSTEMS • HURLEY SCREENS
• ORCON PROJECTORS & PLATTER SYSTEMS • EPRAD FILM TRANSPORTS
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• RAULAND BORG PROFESSIONAL SOUND SYSTEMS
HALLcraft skilled technical staff provides engineering, design, layout, installation,
assembly and service.
Reconditioned equipment available from stock.
24 HOUR SERVICE - (204) 786-5846
Imperial The Gauntlet (WB) Excellent
Imperial Oh, GodI (WB), 8th wk Very Good
Imperial Semi-Tough (UA), 6th wk Very Good
Imperial The Private Files ot J Edgar Hoover
(AFD)
- Good
International Mr. Klein (AFD), 2n dwk Good
Plaza The
Plaza—Julia
Goodbye
(BVFD),
Girl
12th
(WB)
wk
Very Good
Very Good
Six Theatres The World's Greatest Lover
(BVFD) Very Good
oi
Kind (Astral), Excellent
Towne A Special Day (AFD), 3rd wk Very Good
University Looking ior Mr. Goodbar (Para),
10th wk - Very Good
Three Theories Close
2nd wk
Encounters the Third
Uptown Saturday Night Fever (Para),
3rd wk. - Excellent
Uptown Teleion (UA), 2nd wk Fair
Uptown Opening Night (PR), 2nd wk Poor
York—Which Way Is Up? (Univ) Good
Winnipeg Boxoffices Retain
That Merry Holitday Jingle
WINNIPEG — Holiday week business
continued very strong, with "Close Encounters
of the Third Kind" turning in nearrecord
returns at
the downtown Odeon. Virtually
all houses reported excellent returns.
The only exceptions were "Which Way Is
Up?" (second week) and "Looking for Mr.
Goodbar." which slowed slightly in its seventh
stanza.
Capitol The Gauntlet (WB), 2nd wk Excellent
Colony Looking lor Mr. Goodbar (Para),
7th wk Very Good
Convevntion Centre Heroes (Univ),
2nd wk Excellent
Garden City Pete's Dragon (BV),
2nd wk Excellent
Garrick I—Which Way Is Up? (Univ),
2nd wk -- Good
Garrick II The Choirboys (Univ),
2nd wk
..Excellent
Grant Park The Goodbye Girl (WB),
2nd wk - Excellent
Metropolitan Semi-Tough (UA),
2nd wk Excellent
Northstar I The World's Greatest Lover (BVFD),
2nd wk Excellent
Northstar II—Telefon (UA), 2nd wk Excellent
Odeon Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(Astral), 2nd wk -.- Excellent
Polo Park Saturday Night Fever (Para),
3rd wk Excellent
'Excellent' Still the Name
Of the Game in Vancouver
VANCOUVER— In spite of glorious
weather for midwinter, most people stayed
in town during the New Year's weekend.
Consequently, theatres continued to harvest
excellent returns from the spate of blockbusters
on city screens.
Capitol 6—Telefon (UA), 2nd wk Excellent
Capitol 6 Semi-Tough (UA), 7th wk Good
Capitol 6 Saturday Night Fever (UA),
3rd wk Excellent
Capitol 6 The World's Greatest Lover (Para),
2nd wk Excellent
Capitol 6 Looking for Mr. Goodbar (Para),
1th wk Good
Coronet The Choirboys (Univ), 2nd wk Excellent
Downtown The Gauntlet (WB), 2nd wk. ...Excellent
Odeon—Which Way Is Up? (Univ),
2nd wk Excellent
Park The Turning Point (BVFD), 2nd wk Excellent
Stanley Pete's Dragon (BV), 2nd wk Excellent
Vogue Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(Astral), 3rd wk Excellent
Yule Blockbusters Continue
To Lure Montreal Filmgoers
MONTREAL—The new year had a
very
satisfying start as cinema operators here
watched audiences for current attractions
steadily increasing in numbers. There was,
in fact, only one film (French dialog) in
town that rated only "good" all the others
scoring "very good" or "excellent." Holiday
releases continued to be magnets for patrons,
keeping long lines in front of many
boxoffices despite the rigors of winter.
A'water Close Encounters of the Third Kind
(Astral), 3rd wk Excellent
Avenue The Goodbye Girl (WB),
2nd wk Excellent
Cinema The Turning Point (BVFD),
2nd wk, Excellent
Claremont Looking for Mr, Goodbar (Para),
11th wk Very Good
Palace—The Gauntlet (WB), 2nd wk. Excellent
K-2 BOXOFFICE ;: January 23. 1978

j
I
I
among
during the holiday week were screened,
,
other places, at the Provincial Mui
i
December
I Hall
'
group
;
Barry
Place du Canada—The Choirboys (Univ)
2nd wk „ ,-Very Good
:
Place ViUe Mane Una Giornaia Particolaro
(AFD), 3rd wk Very Good
Loews—Saturday Night Fever (Para),
3j.^ T^k Excellenr
Loews—Semi-Tough (UA), 7th wk Very Good
Loews—Telefon (UA), 2nd wk Very Good
Van Home—Pete's Dragon (BV), 2nd wk Excellent
Yoflt—The World's Greatest Lover (BVFD),
2nd wk. Very Good
French Films
Berri L'Espion Qui M'Aimais (UA). 3rd wk Good
Champlam—La Guerre des Eloiles (BVFD)
2nd wk Excellent
.
Parisien— Pour L'Amour de Benji (Sag),
2nd wk. Very Good
Parisien—L'Animal (Mai), 10th wk Very Good
Parisien—Une Joumee Particuliere (AFD),
3rd wk Very Good
Parisien—La Prof du Bahut (PR),
3rd wk. Very Good
CALGARY
H mazing, isn't it, how so many Walt Disney
features lend themselves to promotions?
There are several going on in our territory
in conjunction with "Pete's Dragon."
Continuing here is the contest for the best
drawing of Elliott the Dragon, which is
sponsored by the local "Buckshot Show" on
CFCN-TV each weekday. Also on this show
is a daily drawing of names for various
prizes, including an LP record of the music
from the film.
In Edmonton there is a big sweepstakes
drawing sponsored by the Sunkist Growers.
Official entries can be deposited at a number
of stores in Edmonton or mailed lo
jPalm Springs. Calif. Five first prizes are
'offered, each a 7-day vacation for a family
[of four to Disneyland, with $500 spending
[money. There are 500 second prizes of
plush toys of the dragon. Third prize (1.000
of them) is the Capitol Records soundtrack.
IThis sweepstakes is in conjunction with Dis-
'ney Productions. The feature currently is
I
playing at the Londonderry "A" Theatre.
The contest is open to U. S. or Canadian
residents, with only one prize to any family.
But what a nice prize to win!
Extra Hoodies for Edmonton film buffs
seum. "Munster Go Home" was offered on
29 and "The Brass Bottle" Dejcember
31. The Citadel Theatre in Zeidler
finished three of its series: the Fellini
ended with "Fellini Casanova" December
29; Wednesday (4) the Great Love
Stories were completed with "Elvira Madigan,"
and "Cabaret" wound up the Great
Musicals presentation Thursday (5).
A new addition to the local staff of Ambassador
Films is Shirley Ellithorpe of this
CINERAMA IS IN
SHOW BUSINESS IN
HAWAII TOO.
When you come to Waikiki
^^^^ "T^'ss the famous
SPfiilW
hawamI Don Ho Show. . . at
hotels; Cinerama's Reef Towers Hotel.
IN WAIKIKI Rf FF -
RFJF TOWERS FJXiEWATFB
city. This is a brand new venture for Shirley
who. to date, is enjoying single bliss. Welcome,
Shirley; enjoy your work with us . . .
Spencer, former booker with Ambassador
Films here, now is living back in
Winnipeg.
The Motion Picture Institute of Canada
hosted a Canadian Film Industry Seminar
in Banff Centre from Tuesday (10) to Sunday
(15). Featured were panel sessions, informal
discussions, case studies and screenings,
while prominent film figures from
around the world were scheduled to appear,
including Roger Corman. Silvio Narizzano.
David (Tronenberg. Costa-Gavras. Gordon
Stuiberg, Al Johnson, Mordecai Richler,
Fil Frazcr and James Domville. Some of the
topics under discussion were "Why a Feature
Film Industry for Canada?—Creative
Relationships" (the relationship between
producer and director); "Budget Forms" (a
workshop to develop a standard budget
form for the Canadian film industry); "The
Exploitation Approach" (how to succeed as
an independent producer/distributor in
Hollywood); "The Stage"; "Themes' Screenplays."
and "Agents: the New Decision
Makers of the Industry?" Several films were
to be screened during the seminar and the
presentations were followed by case study
examinations or panel discussions. Among
the films shown were "Why Shoot the
Teacher," "Panique" and "Rabid." plus a
preview of an unannounced new major release.
Odeon Theatres of Canada is involved in
a nationwide TV game show seen each
weekday on CTV. One of the prizes on
"It's Your Move" consists of passes to
Odeon Theatres.
Moving into a new home over the holidays
was the Vern May family. Vern, booker
for UA. found a nice way to start the
New Year.
A very happy climax to 1977 was a
Christmas Eve wedding for Marilyn Susan
Ross and John Usborne. both of Calgary.
Susan is the daughter of Sophie and Hector
Ross, the latter a nationally known figure
in the film industry. The beautiful wedding
was held in the Ross home with only friends
and family in attendance, including John's
parents who flew over from Sussex, England.
Susan and John will make their home
here following a ski-holiday honeymoon.
Most sincere congratulations to the young
couple!
The petrochemical industry and the
Worker's Compensation Board have combined
to produce a series of five training
films on hydrogen sulphide, supplementing
the highly successful "Three Minutes to
(Continued on next page)
VANCOUVER
\X7hile the rest of Canada shivered and
froze, the lower west-end corner of
British Columbia enjoyed marvelous weather
during the festive season—and while
crowds jammed the theatres and skating
buffs crammed the higher slopes, 130 hardy
souls braved the elements Boxing Day for
a swim in Nanaimo. Over 950 congregated
at English Bay here for the annua! "Polar
Bear Swim" Sunday (I) . . . Ivan Ackery, in
Honolulu, talking to Theo Ross via phone,
opined that there were at least twice that
number of Vancouverites sipping coconut
milk through a straw and strumming their
guitars at Waikiki.
The holiday season provided Variety Club
Tent 47 with a nice start for the 1978 telethon
when the currently hot Heart group,
which got its start in this city, turned its
end of a Coliseum concert over to Variety
to kick off the annual video effort. The
quoted gross would indicate at least $25,000
for the fund. Meanwhile, the Jack Wasserman
drive through the columns of the Sun,
also to go into funds for the Crippled Children's
Hospital, reached its $150,000 target.
The busiest Variety member during the
holidays was barker Harry Haupt who, with
numerous volunteers from the Transit Unit,
driving buses donated by British Columbia
Hydro, convoyed retarded, handicapped, ill
and senior citizens from all over the lower
mainland to attend the Christmas activities
staged for them. The biggest, of course, was
the big cabaret in the Commodore. The 900
guests were catered to by manager Drew
Burns, with McDonald's, CFUN and CKLG
providing most of the goodies.
Women of Variety held their annual meeting
and elected the same slate
of officers as
last year for another go-round. President is
Carol Fader, with Heidi Rempel as first
vice-president; Barbara Stewart, second
vice-president; Diane Andrews, third vicepresident;
Vi Hosford, treasurer, and Alpha
Van Soldt. secretary . . . Variety's committee
for special entertainment events is chaired
by canvasman Bobby Ackles. with Camellia
Gauthier of Variety Women, and they
have chosen to assist and direct day-to-day
operations of various events, with a spring
activity for children's groups now under consideration.
(Continued on next page)
5$ WATCH PROJECTION IMPROVE
^^^
^^
oci'/A ^^0
^ NEW TECHNIKOTE
5 SCREENS
^
S
^ JET
J^ XRL (LENTICULAR) ^^
^SS
JET WHITE WHIIt&ftAKLt^l/Lni
& PEARLESCENT *"
Available from your authorized
Theatre Equipment Supply Dealer
TECHNIKOTE CORP. 63 Seobrino St., Bklyn 315. N. Y J
BOXOFFICE :: January 23. 1978
K-3

. . The
CALGARY
(Continued from preceding page)
Live." The films, recently premiered, combine
drama, entertainment and himior to
catch the interest of viewers and to fix firmly
in their minds the safety messages that
w'll reduce casualties caused by the gas.
The films are "Harry's Hot Permit" (10
minutes), "The Green Man" (20 min); "The
Supervisor" (20 min.); "Detection H2S"
(10 min.), and "W. C. B. Wide World of Rescue"
(10 min.). All of these films, as well as
"Three Minutes to Live" can be purchased
outright from their producer. Filmwest Associates
of Edmonton.
It was ever thus: While numbers of people
scream for good family movies and even
go so far as to write scathing letters to the
editors of local papers from time to time,
these same people evidently fail to support
good family movies where it counts, at the
boxoffice. Over the Christmas holidays four
theatres here presented family style pictures.
Market Mall 3 and 4 ran "Grayeagle,"
which had an Adult rating from the
Alberta censor board but w:is, nevertheless,
. . . Little Dog Lost";
suitable for family viewing. Odeon 2 screened
"The Bells of St. Mary^s," and Westbrook
2 went with "Poco
both were classified as Family. All of the
pictures ran for a week, starting just before
Christmas, but public response was so poor
that all of the films were taken off.
And so. for attempting to satisfy a very
vocal portion of Calgary's moviegoers the
four aforementioned theatres took a beating
at the boxoffice. Who can blame them when
it's back to crime, sex. or whatever it takes
to bring out the paying customers?
Thomas P. F. Hoving Will
Head Film Center Project
ALBANY—The New York state
government
still has the final say, of course, but
on-going developments point promisingly to
long-range upgrading of the Astoria, L.L,
film center once "home" for Paramount
Pictures (see earlier Boxoffice stories).
The State Council of the Arts has approved
a $300,000 proposal for film center
cultural programs and appointment of
Thomas P. F. Hoving as its $20,000-a-vear
management consultant. The Hoving agreement
covers a six-month period at the moment.
The former director of New York's
Metropolitan Museum of Art is to be assisted
by his wife Nancy in the new project.
Under consideration are a cinematheque,
archives, a program to preserve perishable
black and white films, a children's motion
picture theatre and a rehearsal space for
performing arts groups.
The more optimistic people involved with
the long-range development look to resumption
of film production on a sc.ile to be con
sidered competitive with Hollywood ouipiii
VANCOUVER
(Continued from preceding page)
Local audiences have designated two new
male stars as favorites in the last few weeks.
The post "Happy Days" group, growing up
like their hero, have made Henry Winkler
a heavy favorite in the boxoffice sweepstakes.
His "Heroes," fresh from a long run
on Granville, was held over in the Haida.
Broadway 1 and West Vancouver Odeon 2
. . . Critics and public alike are going strong
. .
for John Travolta, who is very big in "Saturday
Night Fever," playing in the Capitol
6 and Guildford Town Centre . The patrons
of the art centers are enjoying "Allegro
Non Troppo." now in its third week at
the Varsity, and "1900," held over in the
Denman Place . latest retrospective
in the Broadway 1 is the James Dean series.
Playing two-day stands are "Rebel Without
a Cause," "East of Eden" and "Giant."
Harry Dressier is Feted
PHILADELPHIA—Harry Dressier was
given a retirement party by the Philadelphia
Motion Picture Associates Foundation Tuesday
(10). He is retiring after 50 years in the
motion picture industry, the last 30 years in
film sales with Paramount Pictures Distributing
Corp. here. Only 50 guests were
invited to attend the luncheon, one for each
year in the industry.
EVERY
WEEK
Opportunity
Knocks
BOXOFFICE
• CLEARING HOUSE for Classified Ads
• SHOWMANDISER for Promotion Ideas
• FEATURE REVIEWS for Opinions on Current Films
• REVIEW DIGEST for Analysis of Reviews
Don't miss
any issue.
K-4 BOXOFFICE :: January 23, 1978

Tncontinental
B O K o r F 1 C E
O O K i N CUJB
The plus and
Running tixn* Is
denotes
white.
admitted (parental guiby
parent
P,°?f°/"*;^,ri A",'n ^-general
Motion Picture Ass-n (MPAA) ratings: lfil-««°»'°' °"fi°°T'ad^.S^ed' i^?es\ accompanied
dance suggested); -restricted, with persons under 17 °°' °°5"calholic Ollice for Motion Pictures
or adult guardian: «— persons
(NCOMP) ratings: Al—unobjeclion -tie lo'r
-^l^^r-'^rl^"^^^-
'°^.H^ ri'lerv'ati-ot:
lescents; AS-unobjectionable "'« 1<
'°'c°Jl:ldeJi.Vd'"°B\fJdcas°^'^rS'-FlSn
B-obieclionablo m 'commission. NaUoncl Counc.
par for all
see FEATURE CHAHT.
orChurchesCBFC). For Ustings by company.
„ the summary H is rated 2 pluses, = os 2 m.nuses.
H Very Good; + Good; - Fair; - Poor; = Very P°°'-
pfVltW DIGEST
AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX
— S a
Alice in the Cities
,00-77 4-
1+
(110) Melo (b&v.) ..While Screen 6-20-77
4992 Alice, Sweet Alice 7g IB +
(lOS) Ho-D AA U-28-77 IH -r
11-2S-77 +
Alica (75) Doc
Alleoro Non Troppo (85) An-C _
„ t, pr 4-
(© and b&w) Specialty 8-22-77 PG +
4971 American Frienii, The .
„ c -7-7 i? U-
(127) Melo N Yorker 9- 5-77 A2 ++
4994 Another Man, Another Chance
(136) R-w-D "
„/l, v;
4982 AX. (75) Sus-Ho
Boxoffic. 10-?4.77 B I+
—B—
4968 Bad News Bears in Breaking Training.^ ^ ^_^^ ^^ ^^
The (97) C
c 5 77
4943 Beast, The (100) Sex F .Jason Allen 5- 2_77
.
-
499S Best way. The (85) C-D Specialty 1-2-78
4971 Blue deans (80, C-D^-.^Peter Mil er 9- 5;77^^^
4978 Bobby Deerfield (123) H-u i-ui xu
5000 Boys^n,Con,pany_C, The ^^^ ^_ ^_^^ ^
4958Brio.eJooJ^ar,^A
^^ 6.20-77 PG A3
Butterfly (Reviewed as "Butterflies
for Lunch")
(92) Sex C Le'S"" Time
,1 11-28-77 ,1,77
By the Blood of Others
(95) D Jos"''
,n im7
10-10-77
Chac (95) Do7*~.
Libra 9-26-77
4999 Checkered Flan or Crash
^^,^ ^_ ^^^ ^^ ^3
4999 Choirboys. The (liy) >• " "
4990 Close Encounters of the Third Kmd (135) SF-D "' ^^'' ^^
Conversation Piece
(122) Melo New Line
a a
8-8-77 iBi IB
4947 cousin Angelic,
^^^ ,,„„ 5.15.77 A3
J3son Allen
^^^
Cri:ri'l5>D;.
6-20-7^/J
Cross of Iron (119) War D . . Emb 5-23-77 m B
. •
4949
—0—
4985 D=-^;';°"^^;'J>' 2oth-Fox 11- 7-77 PG A3
4954 Day of the Animals, The
(97) Ho-D fil'"
4960«Deep, The (123) Sus-Ad ..
Demise of Father Mouret, The
(U Faute dc I'Abbc Mouret)
(90) D
4984 Demon (95) Sus-Ho-D
4977 Desperate Living
(90) C-F
New Line
(75) Sex C Bunnco Films 11-28-77
4991 Duellists. The (100) Hi-Ad Paia 11-28-77
3+
2+1-

REVIEW DIGEST
AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX
++ Very Good, + Good; ± Fair; - Poor; = Very Poor. In the summory ++ is rated 2 pluses, — as 2 minuses.
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APACHE FILMS
The Best of Laurtl & Harcfy (90) .
BEEHIVE PRODUCTIONS
The Raw Report (70) Sex C.AusT?
Curves Ahead! (51) ..Sex C..0ct77
(Joldif-Bear, W.F. Margold
Carnal's Cutics (BO) Sex C. Dec 77
Girl on Her Knees D.. Aug 77
(^ris Chittell. Jacqueline Laurent
Easy Come, Easy Go C. .Nov 77
Remus Peets. Heidi Kappler
CANNON GROUP
The Happy Hooker Goes
to Washington June 77
CENTRAL PARK FILM
Superbug. Super Agent ..C. Sept 76
Andy Warhol's Young Dracula
(105) C-D..Nov76
MISCELLANEOUS
Stewardesses/
Naughty Stewardesses
(85/102) Sex.. Aug 77
Superbug, the Wild One . C .Mar 77 In Search of Dracula Ho-D..Aug77
New House on the
Horror of the Zombies ..Ho. .Aug 77
Left
Ho-Sus Nov 77 Cinderella 2000 Sex C. Sept 77
Charge of the Model Ts . .C Nov 77 High School Girl ...Sex D.. Sept 77
People Who Own the
Battle Command (100) .Ac. Sept 77
Bank Ho-Sus .. Nov 77 House of Psychotic Women/
Super Wheels C. Dee 77
CINEMA 5
We All Loved Each Other So
Much (124) © and
biw
C-D..June77
Vlttorlo Gassman, Nino Manfred!
Outrageous! (100) . . .C-0. .Aug 77
Craig Rus.sell, Hollls McLaren
Volcano (100) © and b4w ...Doc.
COUGAR RELEASING
Starbird and Sweet William
(90) Ad.. Nov 77
A. Martinez. Dan Haggerty
Messiah of Evil (90) ...Ho. .Nov 77
Michael Greer, Marlaraia Hill
Legend of Sea Wolf
(90) Ad..Nov77
Chuck Connors, Barbara Bach
Poopsie (96) Dec 77
Sophia Loren. Marcello MastrolannI
Loralie Legend (85) ... Ho. .Jan 78
Tony Kendall
Escape From Angola
(92) Ad.. Feb 78
Stan Brock, Anne (ToIIbn
Dirty Pictures/Hassled Hooker
(92/92) Sex..
Irene Papas/Terence Hill
Sisters of Satan/Dr. Jekyll and
the Werewolf (85/91) Ho.
Anne Heywood
Saga of Dracula/Vengeance of
the Zombies (85/91) Ho..
Sexorcists (92) Sex..
Leigh Heine. Steve Vincent
Till Death (89) Sus.
Keith Atkinson, Belinda BalasM
FIRST ARTISTS RELEASING
Pardon Mon Affair*
(107) C. .June 77
.lean Rochefort, Victor Lanoux,
Anny Duperey
That Obscure Object of Desire
(100) C-D..Nov77
Fernando Rey, Carole Bouquet.
Angela Molina
Apr 78
Speedtrap (101) , . . Ac-Ad . .
Joe Don Baker, Tyne Daly
FLORA RELEASING
Wacky Taxi (79) Aug 77
Prank Sinatra Jr.. John Astin
Mastermind (90) Aug 77
Zero Mostel. Bradford Dlllmnn
Seeds of Evil (90) Sept 77
Joe Dfillr^ttndro, Katharine
Houghton
Keep My Grave Open (85) ..Oct 77
Camilla Ciirr. Gene Ross
No Way Back (91) Oct 77
Fred Williamson, Charles Woolf
GOLDSTONE FILMS
Pel.
Kung Fu Master— Bruce Lee Style
Shanghai Connection
Vampire Beast Craves Blood
Cops Is Cops
Ten Fingers of Death
Kung Fu Brothers
Curse of the Devil
Date
Muffin Macintosh
Rumps ... Is There One In HEMISPHERE PICTURES, INC.
Your Past? Sex C. Fell 78 Hanky Fanky Sex
Willing Wives Sex..
Terror From Under the
JOSEPH BRENNER
House Sus-D .
Naked Sacrifice ...Ad-D.
HOLLYWOOD INT'L
The
CAMBIST
New Erotic Adventures of
FILMS
Casanova (85) . . Sex- Ac . . Aug 77
Swedish Minx (99) C. June 77 John Holmes, Susan Silver
Maria Lynn, Ble Warburg
Fantastic Orgy (80) . .Sex D. . Dec 77
Iris Medliu
Jungle Blue (83) Sex Apr 78 C.
INDEPENDENT-INT'L
Girls' Hotel/Nurses for Sate
(93/84) Sex-Ac .. June 77
Blood in the Streets
(111) Ac-Sus..June77
Females for Hire/Hard Women
(89/86) Sex-Ac. .July 77
The Chorus Girls C-D..July77
Blazing
They're Coming to Get You
(90/88) Ho.. Oct 77
The Lonely Woman
(84) Sex D.. Oct 77
Glna Lollobrlglda
Game Show Models
(90) Sex D. .Nov 77
Rac Sperling
Crazy House (87) C. Dec 77
Frankle Howerd, Ray MUland
The Groove Room
(83) Sex C. .Jan 78
Sue Longhurst
Uncle Tom's Cabin
(108) Ac-D..Jan78
Night of the Howling Beast
(87) Ho. .Jan 78
Paul Naschy
Nurse Sherri (86) Ho.. Mar 78
Ooffrey Land
Lucifer's Women
(88) Sex-Ho..Mar7S
Larry Hankin
KEY INTERNATIONAL
The Father Kino Story
(115) Ac-D ..Sept 77
Richard Egan, Rlcardo Montalban
Run for Blue (86) .W-Doc..Sept77
Rex Allen. Tanya Tucker
LIMA PRODUCTIONS
Little Miss Innocence
(80) Sex D.
MFI
DISTRIBUTORS
..D.
7 Sins on 6th Street .
An Affair In Cannes ...D.
The Abductor
..Cr.
A Man of
Convictions
..Cr.
Fog
.D
Ralces
May 77
.Aug 77
Oct 77
. Nov 77
Dec 77
. Feb 78
. D . . Mar 78
MULBERRY SQUARE

• ADLINES * EXPLOITIPS
• ALPHABETICAL INDEX
• EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY
• FEATURE RELEASE CHART
• FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST
• SHORTS RELEASE CHART
• SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS
• REVIEWS OF FEATURES
• SHOWMANDISING IDEAS
BOXOfflCf
mmmn
THE GUIDE TO
BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S - B U I L D I N
As part of the promotion for the Los
Angeles premiere of Cinema Share International's
"Roseland," more than
5,000 roses were distributed at active
Westwood locations by Ron Boswell.
right, manager of the UA Westwood
Theatre, and his staff. Each rose had
a flier attached announcing the playdate
and other pertinent information.
A sound truck toured the city playing
the soundtrack from "Roseland." as
well as giving frequent playdale plugs.
At stops, dancers in ballroom attire
paid tribute to choreographer Patricia
Birch's skill in coordinating the dance
sequences in the motion picture. "Roseland."
directed by James Ivory and
produced by Ismail Merchant, stars
Geraldine Chaplin. Joan Copeland.
Teresa Wright, Lou Jacobi. Christopher
Walken, Don DeNatale, Lilia Skala and
David Thomas.
Univ.'s 'Which Way Is Up?' Bollyhooed
Via Massive Radio Blitz, Giveaways
Promotion officials of Universal Pictures
are estimating that the studio's "Which
Way Is Up?" is benefiting from a recordbreaking
$1,500,000 in free airtime garnered
by the holiday openings of the film.
Ballyhoo included sneak previews tied in
with ticket giveaways, T-shirts and single
records plugging the release.
A total of 337 radio stations across the
country participated in the hoopla for the
sneak previews and the giveaways, which
saw 20,000 tickets, 15,000 T-shirts and 20,-
000 records handed out during a two-week
period, an air blitz that broke the records
set by the "Car Wash" promotion last
year.
In the T-shirt giveaway, officials point
out that the end result put 15,000 "walking
billboards" on the streets. This, of
course, was in addition to the radio spots
which announced the availability of the
shirts.
Tickets to the sneak previews were given
out by 278 radio stations which either
conducted phone-in contests or passed out
ducats at shopping centers or other hightraffic
areas.
Some of the promotion highlights were:
In San Mateo, Calif., the entire announcing
staff of KSOL Radio, plus the station's
character "Freddy Filthrich," made personal
appearances at the theatre.
In San Diego, KGB's "radio chicken"
went to the theatre to promote the opening,
with deejays talking about the event on the
air for a week afterward.
In Cincinnati, the radio promotion was
integrated with the Lighthouse disco, located
near the University of Cincinnati, with
a theatre pass handed out to anyone bringing
an orange to the discotheque Friday,
December 9.
In Baltimore, WFBR played two slidewhistle
records, one an up-scale, the other
a down-scale, and listeners were asked
"Which Way Is Up?" to win tickets to the
sneak.
In Tucson, KTKT's roving ambassador
gave out 100 T-shirts and 50 records to
cars bearing the station's bumper sticker, resulting
in 150 air plugs.
'You Light Up' Boosfed
Via Free Radio Hoopla
A tie-in
with WWUN Radio, top 40 rock
station, by George Pritchett of Ogden Perry's
Ellis Isle Cinema II, Jackson, Miss.,
garnered widespread publicity for Columbia's
"You Light Up My Life." Passes for
two to see the film were awarded in an
over-the-air contest and the area was saturated
with fliers plugging "You Light Up
My Life" whteh were given away with the
radio station's "Hit List." Another tie-in
with WJDX Radio backed up the ballyhoo
with more theatre tickets awarded as prizes.
"Which It'i/.v Is Up?" T-shirts were handed out by the celebrated KGB chicken
in San Diego, with the radio station plugging his appearances at shopping centers,
schools, etc., a dozen times daily. The famous fowl also made a personal (?) appearance
at the theatre for a special station-promoted sneak preview of the Universal
release.
BOXOFHCE Showmandiser :: Jan. 23, 1978 — 1 —

p.romo
fluaaets
Kurt J. Noack of General Cinema
Corp.'s Cinema I and II in the North Park
Shopping Center, Davenport, Iowa, designed
a flier to tubthump "The Last Remake
of Beau Geste" and had 1,000 printed.
The fliers were distributed two weeks
before the opening at various malls, parks
and discos by two ushers, one dressed in
Beau Geste style and the other attired in
typically Arabian garb. One week in advance
of the playdate, KSTT Radio held
an on-the-air contest and gave away 50
pairs of theatre passes. Value of the airtime
was estimated at $750—and the entire campaign
proved to be a great promotion.
•
Herb King of the Eastgate Cinema 4,
Shreveport. La., lined up a spate of giveaways,
promoted through a tie-in with
KBCL Radio, to promote the playdate of
"Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo." Top prize
was a used Volkswagen (cost of which was
$600, with the tab picked up by the local
VW dealer); second prize was tickets for
two to Disney World, plus $100 spending
money, and third prize was a year's pass to
Eastgate Cinema 4. Other prizes included
theatre passes, Baskin Robbins ice cream,
Frisbees, remote-controlled truck, free
Cokes, records, stuffed teddy bear, Herbie
T-shirts,
etc.
•
A private screening of the independent
film "Indian" was held at Plitt's Regency
Theatre in Salt Lake City to publicize the
documentary. The picture, which was
scheduled for exclusive showings in a Plitt
house a few weeks later, was well received
by local media representatives and persons
involved with Indian leaders.
More and more mall and shopping center theatre managers are going all-out to
promote films with lobby displays, contests and various types of exploitation which
tend 'o attract patron participation and interest. At the Plitt Scottsdale Theatre in
South Bend, Ind., "The World's Greatest Waterbed" was placed on display to plug
the opening of "The World's Greatest Lover." WRBR-FM. Radio 104. aided in
supporting the gimtnick with 40 spots per week during the run of the motion picture.
The $1,400 waterbed was given to the theatre free of charge by the House
of Waterbeds. Several thousand entries indicated the promotion was a popular one
and a winner is to be drawn front the names which piled up on the floating bed.
Ozoner Uses Multi-Hypo
For Run of 'Star Wars'
To announce the bow of 20th-Fox's "Star
Wars" at the Dallas Motor-Vu Drive-In at
Dallas, Ore., assistant manager Jerry Cotter
enlisted the aid of two of the motion picture's
most recognizable characters, Darth
Vader (Ceola Ames) and Princess Leia
(Debby Bennett). Since a ready-made costume
was not available, local artist Jim
Ames constructed a Vader mask using photographs
as a "pattern."
The outfit was complete with working
lights on the belt and a "breathing voice"
was taped to heighten the illusion.
The duo made appearances in regional
high-traffic areas to generate word-ofmouth
and also worked in the ozoner, with
the princess washing patrons' windshields
under the watchful eye of Lord Vader. Other
theatre staffers wore masks depicting the
aliens seen in the film.
As a result of the personal appearances,
grade school teachers invited Darth and
Princess Leia to visit classrooms, which delighted
young "Star Wars" fans. An eightminute
clip from the picture was shown,
after which the princess (now played by
dcanna Raines) fielded a qucstion-andanswer
session. Autographs and pictures
with the students followed.
Warner Bros.' "The Pack" proved to
be a real boxoffice winner when it
played the Nappanee Theatre. Nappanee,
Ind. Besides, the title was a "natural"
to promote at the house owned
and operated by Larry L. Patterson.
With manager J. L. Jones and key staffer
Kelly Rhodes, Patterson worked out
an effective advertising stunt by distributing
the title letters across the theatre's
facade, with each placed in an individual
display case. Rounding out the promotion
were bumper stickers and window
cards exhibited around town.
8 — 2 — BOXOFTICE Showmandiser :: Jan. 23, 1978

. Many
13843
343
P.O.
;S: 50c per word, minimum S5.00 CASH WITH COPY. Four consecutive insertions tor price
ee. When using a Boxolfice No. figure 2 additional words and include $1.00 additiona
cost of handling replies. Display Classified, $38.00 per Column Inch. No commission
red CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy and answers
X Numbers to BOXOFFICE, 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64124.
=CL£flRlfl6 HOUSf
HELP
WANTED
>EHVISOR lor group ol drive-ins
on open immediately in Midwest
[ent opportunity tor right man who
ponsible and thoroughly experienced
lull details to District Manager
Box 577, Rock Island, 111 61201.
LD SERVICE TECHNICIAK lor Northmulliple
theatre chain. South Jersey
Extensive travel Engineering deor
electro-mechcmical skills required,
r booth and HVAC background. Sl'l,-
$16,500 plus car. Reply Boxoilice,
NAGER—Rie. 35 Drive-ln Theatre,
N. Immediate opening. Must be
•1, I.
ienced All employee benefits. Send
lete resume to District Manager, Red-
Theatres, P.O. Box 64, Valley
m. N.Y. 11582.
Y MANAGER—small town 70 miles
Washington, D.C. Must be experii.
Immediate opening. Good salarv
iding upon experience, Boxoffice 4027
NAGERS. indoor and drive-in, to join
ng independent circuit in country.
in beautiiul, prosperous quad-cities
of Iowa and Illinois. Top salary
ail employee benefits to serious and
insible men and women. Year round
oyment with advancement Telephone
Von lor interview (309) 787-5961.
OR HUSBAND/WIFE team
)IVIDUAL
idoor and drive-in theatres. Midwest
Good salary plus good oppportun-
5end full particulars including salary
ed to Boxoilice, 4034.
PLICATIONS now being acccepted
lositions of drive-m theatre managers
1978 Spring opening. Good starting
y with insurance program, including
Cross/Blue Shield. Contact Bob Breier,
Armstrong Circuit. Inc., P. O Box
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402.
,IVE-IN MANAGER—will negotiate
y with experienced man. No booking
idvertising- Independent Midwest ciryear-round
position, 8 months in
;-in and 4 months in hardtop. Replies
in confidence. State experience, age,
)hone number. Boxoffice, 4035.
FILMS FOR SALE
nm FILMS. Postcard brings barg'itn
Inao Films, P O. Box 143, Scranton.
18504.
nm CLASSICS. Ccrtalog 25c. Mcnbeck,
-B Wakonda Drive, Des Moines, Iowa
1.
lEVIEWS ol coming attractions (1930-
). 16mm sound. Collectors or revival
;es. SASE brings free list. Boxoffice,
FILMS WANTED
ANTED: 35mm trailers 1930-1977, anntity,
L. Brown, 6763 Hollywood Blvd
ywood. Calif, 90028,
BOOKS
TC MANUAL OF THEATRE MANAGE-
"IT. Twenty-four special chapters. Buythe
Theatre. Building the Theatre. The
nchise Theatre. Principles ol Air Conditng.
Projection and Sound Equipment,
ding the Drive-In. Operating the Coniion.
Censorship. Employee Relations,
ing and Booking. The Circuit Execu-
more. For your copy ol our
[essional hardcover edition, send $20
ck or money order to Ralph 1. Erwin,
ilisher. Box 1982, Laredo, Texas 78040.
LOOKING
FOR A JOB?
try the "Positions Wanted"
column of Boxoffice's
"Clearing House" page
XOFHCE :: January 2.^. 1978
EQUIPMENT FOR
SALE
TICKET MACHINE— Automaticket 3-bank
electric witti coin changer. Excellent condition,
$650 00 (816) 523-2599, Boxoilice,
4016
SIMPLEX E-7 projection booth. Simplex
soundhead, enclosed bases, XL dual sound
system, St-.ong arc lamps and rectiliers,
ail in excellent condition, ready for shipping,
$2,500,00 (816) 523-2699. Boxoilice
4019-
8 EIKI EX1520, 16mm projectors, com-
Diete. Operate on 300 went ozone free
Xenon lamp. Guaranteed 1000 hours. All
projectors have been completely overhauled.
Included with each projector: 1
extra cam tank, 1 extra amplifier, 1 Xenon
bulb. $1,000,00 each. Inquire (702) 736-4952
or write LVC Management, 5115 Industrial
Rd. 409, Las Vegas, Nev. 89118.
2 EIKI EX5020 16mm projectors. Operate
on 1000 watt Xenon bulb. Completely overhauled.
Come with 1 extra amplifier, 4
5000 ft, reels. $2,000.00 each, Inquire (702)
736-4952 or write LVC Management, 5115
Industrial Rd-. 409, Las Vegas, Nev. 89118,
TICKET MACHINE repair service— fast
repairs, lower than lactory prices. J. ED
Service Co. (617) 839-4058.
MAGNARC LAMPS, 2 pair late model
with 4-tube rectiliers and/or 3 phase, 70
amp generator. Excellent operating condition
when removed, $795 00 per set, Boxolfice,
4024.
1 PAIR BRENKERT BX-IOO mechanisms
Also two Ashcraft Super-High lamphouses
lefl Logan, Mitchell, S,D, 57301.
I6mm SUPER international savings,
Tradeins welcome, Norelco FP 16 with
Strong Lumex 1600 Watt lamphouse, like
new, $7,500,00. Pair Kalcirt/Victor model
1600 Xenon machines with 900 watt lamphouse,
changeovers, etc., $4450,00 Eastman
25 with 2500 watt Strong Xenon,
$7,500.00. Kalart 70-25MC3 Marc 300 comcomplete,
demo, $1,395.00, Kodak Pageant
AV126TR, like new, $395 00. B&H 399,
$195.00. B&H 302 Opt/Mag Rec/Play,
$475.00. tntemcrtional Cinema Equipment
Co
,
NW 19th Avenue, Opa-Locka,
Florida 33054.
35mm THEATRE SPECIALS: Buy-Sell-
Trade. Pair Strong X-25 Xenons complete
$3,750.00 Pair Slrong X-IB Xenons, $2,-
995,00, Pair Simplex SHIOOO soundheads,
rebuilt, $1,395,00, Pair RCA 9050 soundheads,
rebuilt, $1,195,00, Pair Brenkert BX
80's, $895. Pair Century, rebuilt, $$2,995 00
Pair XL's, rebuilt, $3,400,00, Much, much
more. What do you need? Free list International
Cinema Equipment Co,, 13843
NW 19th Avenue, Optf-Locka, Florida
33054.
HOLMES 3Smm portable projection system.
Baby Strong llOV ore lamps, adjustable
stands, omplifier. Ideal for home or
screening room. Pair, $2,500,00. (816) 523-
2699, Boxoffice, 4026,
TICKET MACHINES — 3-bank Automaticket
General Register, rebuilt— like
new, $495,00 each. Dominion Theatre
Equipment Co Railway
,
St,, Vancouver,
B,C. (604) 682-1848,
COMPLETE THEATRE. 4
new. Simplex projectors,
automoted, etc. Drapes,
cession, 344 Americon r
500,00. (302) 798-4421.
years old, like
Xenon lamps,
curtain, con-
>d seals, $22,-
1 PAIR NORELCO 35-70mm's with spore
inlermiltont. Strong Constellotion lamps,
reels, spore parts and clusters, $4,500.00.
1 poir 1000 W, Xelron lomphouses and
rectifiers, $2,500 00, Contact Richard,
Thalia Theatre, (212) 222-2370, 2:00 p.m.
through 11:30 p.m
BARGAINS, 4 - 2000 ft. magazines, $50
each, $200 00. 2 - Stondord Simplex projectors,
$400,00 set, 2 - 3-point pedestal,
$175 00 set. 2 - RCA MI 9010 soundheods
with solar cells, $700.00 set. 2 Brenkert
Enorc lamps, $500 00 set. 2 Kni-Tron 6
tube 3-phase 70A rectifiers, $400,00 set
Buy all lor $2,000 00, Boxoilice, 4028^
SIMPLEX SUPERS, E-7 and XL, soundheods
SHIOOO, booths stort $1,500.00. Le-
Trob, 189 Linden Avenue, Son Bruno, CA
94066.
AUTOMATED 110 seater, request pictures.
Movie, Box 701, Thomas, OK 73669
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
CENTURY 35mm proiector heads, model
C, with changeovers and drives, pair
$1,995.00, CineVision, 1677 TuIIy Circle,
N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30329, (404) 321-
6333.
8B9 AMERICAN BODIFORM seats, like
new. Pair E-7 Simplex projectors, bases,
lenses, Peerless lamps. Holiday Theatres,
16033 Ventura Blvd. Encmo, CA 91436
(213) 788-0566.
EQUSPMENT WANTED
WE PAY good money lor used equipment,
Texas Theatre Supply, 915 S. Alamo,
San Antonio, Texas 78205,
WANTED: Century, Simplex. TECO, Box
706, Matthews, NC 28105.
TOP CASH PAID lor Xenon lamphouses,
soundheads, projectors, lenses and portable
projectors- What have you? STAR
CINEMA SUPPLY, 217 West 21st Street,
New York 10011 Phone (212) 675-3515,
THEATRES FOR SALE
WORLD'S LARGEST THEATRE broker
lOE JOSEPH, Box 31406, Dallas 75231. (214)
363-2724,
PALESTINE, TEXAS, population 20,000
Indoor, land and building Copocity 760
with balcony. Brick. Excellent condition.
$36,500 00. Anita Gibson, PC Box 1307.
Palestine, Texas 75801, (214) 723-1148.
DRIVE-IN THEATRE OPERATIONS —
Triple in Loncoster, Single m Polmdole,
73 miles from Los Angeles. 50% interest—
$300,000. Cosh, terms, trade Real property
also ovailable in Lancaster. Audit on
request. Coll after 4 p.m. (213) 996-2806,
THEATRE. 200 Seats, drive-In 250 speakers.
North Missouri town, 2,300. Terms
Boxoffice. 4031.
FOR SALE OR LEASE
2 YEAR OLD drive-in theatre near Texorkono,
250 cars. Excellent price, will deal
No X's, (214) 690-1937.
FOR RENT &/0H SALE. 500 cor capacity
drive-in theatre, year-round operation,
US. Virgin Islands. Contact (201) 322-6767,
ALBANY, NEW YORK (town of Colonie)
twin 500 seot theatre with 8 acres of land.
Recently renovoted Turn Key operation.
For sale at $500,000,00 or lease at $1,800,00
per month, owner linoncmg available,
Conloct Mr, Tamer, Molfot-Hollis Realtors,
645 New Loudon Road, Lathom, New York
12110 or phone (518) 785-8504.
275 SEAT INDOOR. Will sell or lease to
responsible party only. Deposit required.
Call Area (803) 984-2188 or write Theotre,
P. O, Box 830, Laurens, S.C. 29360,
THEATRES
FOR LEASE
3 THEATRES for lease in beautiful Northwest
Owner retiring, Roxy Theatre, Box
35, Eotonville, Wash, 98328
THEATRES WANTED
THEATRES, DRIVE-INS, buy or lease
Towns ol 5,000 - 12,000, Missouri, Arkcnsos,
Oklahoma, Kansas. Replies confidential,
Boxolfice, 4032,
THEATRE WANTED on lease, leose-purchose
or purchose orrangement, Boxoffice,
4036,
WANTED to leose or buy operating theatre
in or near Kentucky. Reply Boxoffice,
4033.
WANT to lease or rent movie theatre in
Chicago (312) 384-1130
MARQUEES, SIGNS
DESIGNED, ENGINEERED, BUILT,
ERECTED, MAINTAINED on Lease or pur
chase plan. Bux Mont Electricol Advertising
Systems, Horshom, Po. (215) 675-1040
THEATRE SEATING
THEATRE SEATING upholste-
TOPS IN
ing anywhere— seat covers made to order
—finest materials—low prices—we buy and
sell theaire chairs, Chicago Used Chai'
Mart, 2616 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, 111.
60612. (312) 235-1111.
SPECIALISTS IN THEATRE SEATING.
New and rebuilt theatre chairs lor sale
We buy and sell old chairs. Travel Irom
coast to coast. Secrting Corporation ol
New York, 247 Water Street, Brooklyn
N. Y, 11201. Tel. (212) 875-5433 (reverse
charges)
THEATRE CHAIRS New-rebuilt-used-rockers
and late model chairs. Choir recovering.
Seat covers and labrics. New and
used theatre equipment. Hayes Seating
Co., Inc., 6600 loy Road, East Syracuse.
N. Y. 13057. (315) 432-1901.
THEATRE SEATSbacks
and bottoms,
minor clean-up. Off
sas, $6.00 each or
2699. Boxoffice, 4015.
-500 thickly padded
maroon velvet, need
floor, Rogers, Arkanbest
offer. (816) 523-
BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE! Used
rebuilt or new theatre choirs. Seat covers
made to order, most fabrics. We buy used
choirsl Call us-WESTERN SERVICE &
SUPPLY INC Box 1259, Denver,
,
Colorado 80201. (303) 534-7611.
RECONDITIONED used chairs, On-locotion
refurbishing, instoUotion ond staggering
Sewn seat covers, all mokes. We buy
used seating onywhere. Entire theotre
equipment available. Frost Seoting, 80
Copeland St ,
Quincy, Moss, 02170. Tel.
(212) 875-5433. Reverse charges.
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Dolby'makes films sound better
(daily
j
( DAILY )
Thurs.. Dec 29. 1977 15
$24J Mil B.O, For Entounters'
In first 2 Weeks Of Nat1 Break
Close Encountera Of The Third Kind" haa. after two full
weeks of national release plus two month-long prerelease engagements,
amassed a domestic t»xoffice of J24.896.317. according
to Columbia Pictures-
Breakdown of that gross through Tuesday (27) Includes Jl.-
076,927 from early dates at Cinerama Dome here and Zlegfeld.
NY.; then $10,114,936 from first week of wide release In 270
houses starting Dec 14; now another tl3.903.4M In most recent
full week ended Dec. 27 from 571 houses (of which 301
opened Dec 211
Col has provided the following list of important playdate results
for first two weeks of wide release. Where indicated, a
new house record was set . also indicated is where second week
bo broke a first week house record.
Theatre
14-day B.O.
Coronet. S.F, '•• K13,233
Cooper. Denver •" $188,293
Paramount. Hlwd $173,697
Cinema 21. San Diego •• $171,988
Waikiki. Tri. Honolulu $166,392
Americana Four. Southfield. Mich $162,172
Hastings. Pasadena •• $156,468
anema KW. Santa Clara $155,347
Medallion. Dallas •" $154,094
Wonunco Dadeland Twm. So. Miami • $145,863
163d St .
Miami • $141,158
River Oaks Twin. Calumet Oty. Ill • $140,890
Woodfield Twin. Schacumberg. 111. • $137,144
Old Orchard Twin. Skokie •• $134,304
Sacramento Inn $125,506
Ksquire. Chi $123,386
Samcric. Phills $123,002
King. Seattle $122,457
Eastgale Tri. I'lirtUuul $120,219
Alabama. Houston • $120,154
Evergreen Twin. Evergreen Park. III. • $I1S.021
Sack ."iT. Boston $115,842
Cinemadome 21. Orange •• $115.77H
Ridglea. R, Worth $114,486
Glenwood Twin, Overland Park. Kansas •• $111,375
South Coast Twin. Co.ita Mesa *• $109,300
Northwest Six. San Antonio •• $107,719
Parkway Tri. Las Vegas $105,836
Indian Hills. Omaha • $100,451
Uiews Town & Country Three. Houston •• $98,990
Parkeast. Orlando • $98,549
UA Four. Berkeley • $96,724
La Keina. Sherman Oaks •• $94,808
Plaza. Moorestown. N J, •• $90,665
Loews Saks Twin. Houston • $87,113
I'A Movies Four. Fresno • $86,759
Southland Triplex, Hayward $83,209
Millbrae. Millbrae • $83,156
Georgetown. Indianapolis •* $81,044
Notes * House Record
" 2d week broke 1st week house record
Star Wars" still holds Coronet record with
$231,6X6 in first 14 days.
In addition, among 16 additional playdates which In two
weeks grossed less than $80,000, house records (or, second
week broke first week house record) were achieved In 15 of
them.
Reprinted with permission trom Dai'v Variety Dec 29 ig?''
Dolby^equipped theatres
Making Films Sound Better
• IE Hi^S^IMAl
Noise Reduction - Higti Fidelity
S. INC. 731 SANSOME STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. 941 1 1 [41 5] 392-0300