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was "The Brink's Job" and slated for a liiture
appearance is the re-re-release ol
"Smokey and the Bandit."
Doing better in Lincoln than up in Oma
ha for Douglas Theatres is Sally Fields
"Norma Rae." The popularity of the film
in a relatively non-union city such as Lincoln
is surprising, but Livingston feels that
much of the sophistication of the Lincoln
audiences is underrated. He feels that the
movie-viewing populace is a good deal more
intelligent and discriminating than they are
given credit for being.
Looking forward to a star-studded summer,
the Plaza 4 and Cooper/ Lincoln Theatres
are basking in the proposed line-up of
films they have booked. On tap are "Manhattan,"
"Beyond the Poseidon Adventure,"
•players," "Butch and Sundance; the Early
Years," "Moonraker," "In-laws," and
"Bloodline."
Currently "The Promise" has been doing
wings, in a holding pattern, for the Plaza is
Home," the other runaway from
the Academy Awards presentations. "The
China Syndrome" is still doing relatively
well at the Cooper, now playing four weeks.
Some Omaha-Lincoln Douglas Theatre
news finds ex-84th & O manager Doug
Kinney now managing Omaha-Bellevue's
South Cinema 4, and Tom Stackhouse, previously
manager at the South Cinema 4,
calling the shots for the Q-Cinema 4
in Omaha.
MINNEAPOLIS
Qne man's meat is another man's poison
and that applies to Iheatremen. Beautiful
spring weather with temperatures pushing
well into the 70s engulfed the region
and house-locked citizens fled into the
out-of-doors, both for their gardening and
golfing and for their moviegoing. Drive-in
business boomed while the hardtops wilted.
It's traditional—but it still hurts.
The new face on Filmrow is that of Kris
Cayou, secretary to American International
branch manager Tom Viste. Viste, meanwhile,
has a "green thumb" from ink that
•rubbed off all the bucks he's counted with
a dynamite combination. "Last Hou-se on
the Left," "The House that Vanished" and
"Don't Look in the Basement" were booked
at five drive-ins April 11-17 and hauled in
$35,000. That was followed by a threeday
move-over on three ozoner screens
which grossed $21,000. Viste now has five
sets of prints but warns: "Bookers better
call quickly because everyone wants this
lineup!"
"The Champ" continues to swing hard in
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
Mary-Margaret Miller, wife ..f Bo Miller, one of the founders of Show-A-Rama,
awards money to two of the winners in the drawing held at Show-A-Rama and
sponsored by Variety Club Women Tent 8. The winners are Glen Dickinson (left),
owner of Dickinson Theatres. Kansas City. $50 and Richard Smith of Sniith Theatres
in Marysville. Mo.. $50. Tony Dipardo, Kansas City bandleader, who is not
pictured, won $50. The drawing benefitted the children's charity projects.
reasonably well at the Plaza while "A Perfect
Couple" has been a -big disappointment
for them. "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"
has been doing excellent business and Walt Badger, United Artists branch boss.
the Twin Cities, much to the delight of
"The Deer Hunter" has been sold out every And it's performing proportionately stronger
evening since opening last week. Naturally in Si. Paul, where moppet star Ricky Schroder
has been generating quite a bit of copy.
five Academy Awards is bound to
help the picture even more. Also in the And since the Academy Awards, Badger here and two in St. Paul.
notes, "Coming Home" has been bringing
home the bacon, sizzling at each situation.
Carl Olson, United Artists division manager,
and Al Fitter, UA vice president and
general sales manager, were here from New
York City April 25-26. One of their purposes
was to weigh the possibility of a move
of the UA branch out of its current offices
in the Mann Theatre Building to the Plill
Theatre Building, right across the street on
Hennepin Avenue.
UA branch boss Badger announceil a
change in branch hours which he hopes will
be an added convenience to customers. The
branch has operated daily from 8 a.m. lo
4 p.m., but now it will be open from 8:.3()
10 4:30. Badger set a special screening of
"Voices" for May 18 at the Campus Theatre
The invitational showing will be al midnight.
Things aren't left till the last minute by
I'rank Zanotti, who heads the Universal
branch. "The Jerk," the forthcoming Steve
Martin comedy, has been booked for the
Skyway Theatre here and the Grandvicw
and The Movies at Maplewood in St. Paul
for a Dec. 21 bow. "Running." the next
Michael Douglas picture, also has been set.
It will open Nov. 2 at the Cooper Cameo,
Southdale, Northtown and The Movies al
Burnsville here and at the Har-Mar in St.
Paul.
A new twin theatre will open May 16 in
Pipestone, Minn., the Quarry 1 and 2. I. ail
die D. Kozak, Estherville, Iowa, is the owner
and will be doing his own buying anti
booking.
Randy Gentzkow has taken over the Scenic
Theatre. Lisbon, N.D., formerly run by
Phyllis Krchnavy.
Dean Lutz, Avco Embassy branch man
ager, set a 50-print territory wide break for
"Phantasm" May 11. Also set by Luiz:
"Winter Kills" for May 18 at three theatres
in Minneapolis and two in St. Paul, and
"Goldengirl" for July 27 al five houses
"Sunnyside," starring Joey Travolta, will
be screened May 8 at 1:30 p.m. at the Plill
Scieening Room by Al branch manager
Tom Viste. Viste also announced "The
Amityville Horror" will blossom July 27.
"Meteor" will land Oct. 19.
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