Boxoffice-October.02.1978

. .
Filmrow
•
14th
^,
"
M I N N E A P O L I S
J^r. and Mrs. M. Meschke are the new
owners of the Sundowner Drive-In
Theatre. Bowman. N.D. The situation previously
was owned by Jim Svihovec. Spearfish,
S.D. visitors: Norm
.
Olson of the Park Theatre in Park Rapids
and Jim Fraser of the Auditorium. Red
Wing.
"The Wiz," a road-company presentation,
was a sell-out hit on the stage of the Orpheum
Theatre recently. Public response
to the musical was closely watched smce
the film version is due in November. That
response was totally enthusiastic. Also
scanned was audience composition—and
to out be 75 per cent white
that turned
and 25 per cent black, a mix which m
this area indicates total acceptance.
Audrey Hagen, supplementary clerk at
the Warner Bros, branch here, left on vacation
September 16. her travels including
California, where she planned to visit
relatives, and then a swing back to Reno.
Nev.
Gary VViebusch, Columbia brancn salesman,
returned from a most satisfactory
to announce that title.
Paramount's "Up in Smoke." the Cheech
& Chong film dealing with pot. was given
the sneak-preview treatment at all Twin
Cities theatres where it was to play. The
picture bowed September 29.
The 10-Hi Drive-In in St. Cloud, part of
the Ross theatre circuit, was among
the victims of a severe windstorm that swept
through the area in mid-September. One
observer said the drive-in was "demolished."
Lion's Gate Films tied in with the local
Donaldson's department store to stage an
invitational premiere showing of "A Wedding,"
the event held September 28 at the
Skyway III Theatre here. The picture opened
the next day. Among its performers are
some actresses from the Twin Cities area
—and one of these is Mary Seibel. She's
the daughter of Ev Seibel. formerly with the
Minnesota Amusement Co. here and a
veteran area film business figure.
Josh Logan Doing Double
Duty on Promotion Tour
From Mideastern Edition
CLEVELAND—Producer Josh Logan
is in town doing double duty. He is here
to publicize his new
Josh Logan
self, states thai
^
book, "More Stars,
Real People and Me,"
and he will be the
speaker at the sixth
annual luncheon for
the Woodward Hospital,
which treats
psychiatric and alcoholic
disorders.
Logan, who has
been the victim of this
type of illness himhe
has been helped by
hastens to add he cannot
medication for others.
lithium but he
sales swing through South Dakota . .
Roy Smith, head of Associated Film Distributors,
recommend tht
"a good summer—and "That is a job for a doctor." he says.
calls
it
now we're looking forward to a good fall." "There is no business like show business,"
Smith has set a Wednesday (18) saturation
Logan believes. "I don't
people
know about
are
break for "Alaskan Wilderness Family." depressives. but half the in it
blanketing North Dakota. South Dakota manic. The great thing about the industry
and Minnesota, including the Twin Cities.
that if you have something to offer,
Another saturation is set for a second feature
you are accepted."
November 3—but Smith wasn't ready He started his career at the beginning
of
Design — Sales
Installation — Service
the Depression with the University Players
in New York. "I was sharing an apartment
with James Stewart and Henry Fonda,"
he said. "We were all struggling for
work."
Logan has obtained the rights to a book
set in Australia titled "Careful, He Might
Hear You" about two aunts bickering as
to which of them should bring up a sixyear-old.
"If I can find the right actress.
I'd like to produce it." he said.
At the luncheon, Logan was asked to
sign a copy of his book for a young person
considering the theatre as his career. "This
is what I usually write for people thinking
of going into the theatre." Logan said: " 'If
anything tries to stop you from going into
"
the theatre—let it!'
3tvc
6- e^a sf Xai^^' P.O. Box 16036
Minneapolis, Minn.
(612) 920-2910
55416
'Hanging' Dangles, Bui
'House' High in M'polis
MINNEAPOLIS—The annual •September
Slump" was in full reign—and the only
new arrival went right down the tubes.
"Hanging on a Star" opened on seven
screens ... and was left hanging with a
mere 50. The summer holdovers gradually
were running out of gas, but bucking the
trend were the leggy "Heaven Can Wait."
still an angelic 315 in a 12th flight at the
Park Theatre, and "National Lampoon's
Animal House." surprising all local screen
observers by continuing to clobber all rivals
with a 425 in a sixth scamper at the Skyway
II.
(Average !s 100)
Edina I, Terrace—Revenge ol the Pink Panther
(UA), 9th wk ""
-
^ •
Edina II—Cat and Mouse (Oua:t't Fi1t,s),
^^
Hopkrnl'skyway I-Fcul Play (P..a), 8.h wk ::::i40
Movies at Burnsville—Coming Attractions (SH),
^^
Park—Heaven Can Wait (Para), l.:t!. vk 315
Skyv^ay II—National Lampoon s Animal House
Sky"way'ilI-!-Shame of the Jungle (SR), 2nd wk 155
Southtown—Grease (Para)
3 theatres—Eyes oi Laura Mars
wk ^-^- 135
(Ool), btn wk /o
4
110
theatres-Hooper (WB), 8th wk
4 theatres-The Inheritance (SR 3rd wk 95
7 theatres—Hanging on a Star (SR) 5U
'Rocky Horror' Proves It's
A Winner in Belmar, N.J.
From Eastern Edition
BELMAR, N.J. — "The Rocky Horror
Picture Show," which proved a midnight
winner at the Belmar Cinema this summer,
will continue to show during the fall and
winter. After 15 weeks of Friday and Saturday
night showings at midnight and at 2
a.m., Michael Frankel. owner of the theatre,
said he will continue the run to see if
"Rocky Horror" is only a summertime phenomenon
or if it has enough fans to sustain
showings during the fall and winter.
Frankel said it is the biggest cult film
ever to play at his 300-seat cinema. Many
nights, he added, the demand for tickets
was so great that extra late-night performances
have been added, which has required
the staff to remain at the theatre until 5
and 6 a.m. The only real problem the film
created was the necessity for staffers to mop
up about 40 pounds of rice and six barrels
of trash each "Rocky Horror" performance.
Sound and
1
Projection Service
Nationwide — on all brands.
RCA Service Company, A Division of RCA
7620 Gross Point Road. Skokie. Ill 60076
Ptione (312) 478-6591
ri]VERA91A IS m SHOW
Bl'SUVESS m HAWAII TOO
WTien you come to Waikiki,
don't miss the famous Don Ho
Show ... at Cinerama's
Reef Towers Hotel.
'""tlAf
REEF •WAlKIKlTt)W-KR OF THE REEF
REEF TOW-ERS • EIXJEWATER g^
NC-2