Boxoffice-September.04.1978

"^
MILWAUKEE
gtar Wars" was gelling last-ditch showings
at a dozen Milwaukee area theatres
and many others around the state for the
final days of screening before Thursday (7).
According to a report in the local daily, the
original "Star Wars" will be pulled out of
all the nation's theatres after that date for
at least a year. Well, all the nation's theatres
"save one in Portland. Ore., whose management
made a shrewd contract that prevents
Fox from retrieving the print as long
as 'Star Wars' attendance stays above a
certain level."
Whereas all the other movie houses were
continuing to screen the regular 35mm
film, the Southlown Theatre had for the
final week an exclusive showing, for the
first time in Milwaukee, of a 70mm print
which with "6 channel stereo sound — provides
large,
crisp images and a greater sense
of three dimension."
Manager Wayne Fitzner of the Avalon
Theatre on Milwaukee's South Side, where
300 kiddies were attracted to the first special
Sunday ""Star Wars" matinee with door
prizes and Darth Vader on the stage, tells
BoxoFFKK that the second Sunday drew at
least 500. The tall, imposing Darth Vader
was being portrayed by Bruce Dumbrowski.
presently manager of a shoe store in the
area. But. confides Wayne, "he's heading
for "show biz' and expects to come in with
us here at the theatre some day soon."
At the Chilton Cinema I in Chilton, Wis.,
the matinee performance of "Star Wars"
on the final Sunday in August saw the "live
in person" appearance of Chewbacca (the
Wookie), one of the film's characters. An
announcement made in the theatre's newspaper
display ad staled: "JPN Productions
and Boogie Time Productions in association
with 20th Century-Fox presents Chewbacca
. . . between I and 1:30 p.m. before the
1:30 matinee showing of 'Star Wars.' All
scats are only $1.25. Don't miss it."
A photo on the front page of the Chilton
Times-Journal issued a few days later
showed Chewbacca standing at the entrance
lo the Chilton Cinema 1, surrounded by
excited youngsters. The photo caption read:
JOHN TRAVOLTA
t";^
gloss' STOCK! FAN PHOTO lOOO^Fo"'
THEATRICAL ADV. CO. ??'"€?,'
1529 ABERDEEN PLACE
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICH. 48013
Onler-
313-333088
"I he Wvmkic shook hands uiili mmiic .iiid
picked up others in the line of moviegoei^
wailing to see the winner of seven Academy
Awards."
Chewbacca also was slated for a personal
appearance at the "Super Sunday Matinee'
at 12:30 only at the Avalon Theatre Sundas
(3). Admission for adults was S2, SI for
those under 12 and those over 60.
The Mayfair Theatre on Milwaukee's far
west side had a tie-in with the Tosa First
Savings Club for a free presentation of the
film "Man of La Mancha" on a recent
Thursday morning. Due to the ticket demand,
a second showing was arranged for
Friday morning, also at 10 a.m. The free
movie tickets were available at the First
National Bank in Wauwatosa.
A college course designed to study the
techniques, traditions and purpose of romantic
movies has been inaugurated at the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to begin
during September. To be taught by Dominique
Paul Noth, newspaper movie critic,
it will be held Monday nights and include
the showing of such romantic films as
"Charge of the IJght Brigade" (1936). "Seventh
Heaven" (1937) and "Brief Encounter"
(1946). Before and after the screening ol
each movie there is class discussion and
evaluation. The classes wind up December
4 with "Ryan's Daughter" (1970).
New runs: "Who Is Killing the Great
Chefs of Europe?" has had its opening day
here pushed back a week to October 6 at
Southridge. Mill Road and Skyway. Meanwhile,
"Somebody Killed Her Husband"
has been booked to open Friday (29) at
Northtown. Spring Mall and Southgate.
A local newspaper book critic says of
"Air Force One" by Edwin Corley (Doubleday,
$8.95): "If ever a novel had movie
written all over it, this one does. It's a very
visual story about the president's official
airplane and what takes place on a flight
to Montana." This is the way Bill Hibbard
of the Journal views this novel "of jet suspense"
and filmmakers undoubtedly will be
alerted to it. Hibbard calls it "a first rate
suspense yarn" and says the author "plots
skillfully and writes tautly and realistically
... He is a pilot himself and has flown in
Air Force One, aiul has lived .iiul worked
with its crew."
TCA Pictures, headed by Steve Vagnino,
has acquired rights to "Junkelville," an
original
screenplay by Ben I.cvin.
STR()N(. I AMI'MOISE RKTIRES
—The King Ihialre in Belle Plains,
Iowa, was built in 1930 and has been
in continuous operation vwr since with
the original lamphouse. a .Strong Mogul.
Howe>cr. the owners recently decided
lo update the theatre and iiLvtall
an automated system. Ste>e MaiLsneM
(left) and Jeanne .Mansfield are shown
here with the nc« Strong l.ume-X system
which was obtained from Slipper
Theatre Suppl> in Omaha, Neh.
Retired Exhibitor Simms
Gets Feature Exposure
NEW BEDFORD, MASS. — Morris
Simms, now in his 70s and retired from
active exhibition, was subject of a feature
story appearing in the Standard-Times. His
last exhibition lie. ending five year^ ago,
was as manager of the RKO-Stanley Warner
College Theatre, Storrs, Conn.
He managed the Olympia Theatre ("one
of the most beautiful theatres in the country."
he told the newspaper) here lor 34
years. Growing up in Brockton, he worked
at odd jobs for the Brockton Theatre, assuming
the niche of assistant manager upon
Brockton High .School graduation in 1923.
"There," the newspaper story said, "he
met singing star Jeanctte McDonald, who
appeared with her sister in an act called
the McDonald Sisters': he met J.ick Benny,
Ginger Rogers, featured in a song and
dance act with her husband, Siiphic Tucker,
Lawrence Tibbels, Nelson Eddy— the names
go on and on.
"In 1928 Simms came to New Bedford
as manager of the Olympia Iheatre and a
year later added the Capitol Iheatre in the
North End to his responsibilities. But when.'
as the Capitol was essentially a movie theatre,
the Olympia a-flected vaudeville in its
heyday in a glittering panorama of music
and drama, acrobatics and animals, ballel.
full-length operettas and musicians."