Boxoffice-May.07.1979

^:ST BORGNINE- GEORGE KENNEDY & ELKE SOMMERrrl [^^lON PML
"f '0 TALL JONES • LYLE ALZADO
•
greg hodges • lisa whelchel • rod browning • himed . panavision" cobr bv cfi ^
W JOE CAMP and RICHARD BAKER • Screenplay, Produced and Directed by JOE CAMP
WORLD PREMIERE IN DALLAS JUNE 7
• MAY 7, 1979
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE EDITION
Including All Sactional News Page
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DAMON CHRISTIAN'S
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YOU WILL BELIEVE. A
A WOMAN CAN TAKE ANYTHING!
starring "HUSTLER" centerfold Deseree Cousteau
Released ttirough Tenaha TImpson Releasing. Inc.
1800 N. Highland Ave. Suite 401 »o"y>^

'aidPrexy,Relocalion Annual JnderSfudybyNATO 'Stars of the Year' Banquet
r«„. c / ; cl >i n ,.. ,
By RALPH KAMiNSKY ^-Ops bucccsstul Stiow-A-Roma Week
West Coast Edilo:
HOLLYWOOD—NATO piesidcnl A.
kin Fricdbcrg is studying a budgel pro-
)sal that might point the way for the cx-
group to hire a fulitime, professional
I~ibitor resident and move its headquarters lo
Vashington, D.C.
But an early "scanning" of the biidgL-l
lans submitted by Wilham Kartozian, chairlan
of the Theatre Assn. of California, in^
icates that "it may not be entirely realist ic,"
riedberg said.
"He makes certain assumptions thai have
3 be looked into. It can be very premature
t this time to talk about it," Friedberg said.
Kartozian refused to respond to Boxofrce
eries on his budget proposal. Frequent
fforts to reach him by telephone auki\
/ith his secretary saying that "he said he
as no comment to make on the subject."
Friedberg expressed a "complete willingess
to explore the possibilities." The idea
or a paid president and the proposal lo
nove the NATO headquarters out of New
"ork City to the nation's capital was pro-
•osed more than three years ago by Call
ornia members of NATO, but was re~
And in 1977 NATO of California
ithdrew from the organization.
T was in favor of it when it was consid
red and i ejected," Friedberg said, poiniiii;;
ut that at that time he was not a menihcr
f the administrative team of NATO.
"I still favor the concept of a paid execu-
(Continued on page 6)
North Carolina 13th State
To Pass Blind Bid Ruling
North Carolina is the latest state to
pa.ss anti-blind bid legislation, becoming
effective July 1. The bill passed the
House on April 3, 102-6, and the Senate,
47-0, on April 25.
The margin of victory in North
Carolina is reported to be the largest
in any state where a bill of this type
has passed.
Herman A. Stone, president of
NATO of North and South Carolina.
Inc. expressed appreciation to attorney
William W. Staton of Sanford, N.C.
and to W. Sanford Jordan of Martin
Theatres, Raleigh, N.C. for their efforts
in working for passage of the bill.
North Carolina is the 13th state to
pass anti-blind bidding legislation. Gov.
Bill Clinton vetoed the blind-bidding
bill in Arkansas April 23. In Ohio,
Judge Robert Duncan has set July 2 as
trial date for the test case of the constitutionality
of the law in that state.
I>ublUbed weeklj-, eicept one ksue at year-end, by
Vance I»iibllshlng Corp., 825 Van Brunt Blvd.. liansas
nty. Missouri 64124. Subscrlptlnn rates: Sectional
Edition, $15.00 per year, foreign, $25.00. National
Executive EMltlon: $25.00, foreign. $30.00. Single
copy, T 5c. Second class postage paid Kansas aty,
at
Mo. BOXOFFICE Publication No. (USPS 062-260)
OXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
KANSA.S CriY — .Show-A-R;
wound up four days of equipment i
product screenings and technical s
exhibits,
ieminais
Banquet
April 26 with a celebrity-filled
With the Stars.
The prime rib feast was the climax of
convention activities that included both major
and independent film companies, along
with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, convening
to take pride in past accomplishments
and preview the future. In addition
to the convention's standard array of activities,
delegates were treated to such surprises
as a giant six-foot cigar awarded to Entertainer
of the Century George Burns and the
appearance of a real "electric horseman" to
plug Columbia's upcoming release.
The black-tie banquet Thursday evening
was attended by over 1,000 exhibitors and
industry personnel.
Cannon
Following the introduction of celebrities
seated at the head table. Paramount was
honored as Film Company of the Year for
releasing more product than any other distributor,
Frank Mancuso, senior vice-president
in charge of domestic distribution,
accepted the citation.
After the meal, Terrence Malick, director
of "Days of Heaven," and Alan Carr, producer
of "Grease," accepted their Director
of the Year and Producer of the Year
awards, respectively. Carr told guests about
his new film, "Discoland," with the Village
People.
Christopher Reeve was honored as
International
Star of the Year. In his brief speech,
Reeve sa'd he was grateful for the reaction
shown to him here in the Midwest, since
his acting travels had kept him on the
coasts.
Dyan Cannon, Academy Award nominee
for her role in "Heaven Can Wait," received
the Female Star of the Year award. Earlier
shj made a truly Hollywood entrance
through the crowd, smiling and waving as
the diners applauded and flashbulbs popped.
Ms. Cannon observed that "the exhibitor
is really the one that does as much creating
as the creator. They're the ones who are out
in the front line selling it."
She observed that movie stars should
.someday throw a party for theatre owners
in recognition of their support.
The Male Star of the Year award was
presented to Alan Alda, whose appearance
ai the convention was uncertain three davs
nelorc Ihc convention began. Alda. whose
Mini roles include "Paper Lion," "Jenny,"
"California Suite" and "Same Time, Next
Year," is most famous as Hawkeyc
CBS-TVs "M-- A*S*H."
on
The actor announced the August release
of his
Universal film ".Senator," the story of
a successful politician and his difficulties in
maintaining a happy private life. "You can't
buy a politician these days," he quipped,
•But you can rent them."
During the Wednesday luncheon sponsored
by Crown International and Thomas and
Shipp, Mark Tenser of Crown leceived an
award honoring his organization's 20th anniversary
as an independent film company.
In presenting the award to Tenser, NATO
president A. Alan Friedberg thanked him
for the "continuity of product . . . that has
left us with more dollars than some of the
epics."
Need for Support
Friedberg said that exhibitors "have a
selfish interest in supporting independent
distribution. If we don't support them, we
can't cut off the evils (blind bidding) we
deal with."
Tenser thanked the convention for the
plaque and added, "You need to support
us. You don't know what the market's going
to be next year. But we'll still be in the
business."
Following a screening of tradereels from
Crown's 1979 product. Chip Rouse, editor
of BoxoFFicE, presented the Honored Showman
awards to Ed Myers, manager of the
Frontier Theatre in Lima, Ohio, Arnold
Simmons of the Huron Theatre in Pontiac,
Mich., and Tony Bruguiere of the Santa
Rosa Cinema in Florida,
Dreams Come True
Avco Embassy hosted the Thursday morning
breakfast, during which moderator Darrell
Manes introduced Show-A-Rama's Female
Star of Tomorrow, Susan Anton. Portions
of Avco's "Goldengirl," starring Miss
Anton, were screened, in addition to clips
from other Avco products. The star compared
her current experiences in the entertainment
industry to those of Cinderella, exclaiming.
"All of my dreams are coming
true."
The Thursday luncheon, hosted by Warner
Bros., included a surprise appearance by
"Superman" star Christopher Reeve. After
an introduction of Warner VIPs. the focus
shifted to Martin Stone, head of Mid-America
Cinema, who awarded Show-A-Rama's
Male Star of Tomorrow citation to Mark
Harmon. Harmon, the son of football legend
Tom Harmon, will be seen in Warner's
"Beyond the Poseidon Adventure,"
The crowd was so thick at one point during
the convention that one exhibitor was
overheard to remark, "A pickpocket would
have a field day here." "What can he steal
from our wallet" replied one conventionweary
delegate. "We've been here a week."

, ,
is spearheading an effort to
\
t
THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY
Published in Five Sectional Editions
WILLIAM C. VANCE
Publisher
JOHN F. BERRY
Assoc. Publishw/National Sales Manager
CHARLES F. ROUSE III
Editor
Executive Editor
BEN SHLYEN
MORRIS SCHLO'ZMAN ...Business Manajer
HARVEY SHARP Circulation Direc or
GABY BURCH Equipment Ed, or
JONNA JEFFERIS Assocate Edi or
STUART A. GOLDSTEIN Associate Editor
RON SCHAUMBURG Associate Edi or
JIMMY SUMMERS Associate Edi or
KEVIN KIOUS Associate Editor
RALPH KAMINSKY Weil Coast Editor
JOHN COCCHI East Coast Editor
ADMINISTRATIVE
VANCE HERBERT A.
Chairman
B. JOHN ONEIL Pfnip, 166 Lindbergh Drive, N.E.
Baltimore: Kate Savage, 3607 Spcingdale, 21216.
Boston: Ernest Warren, 1 Colgate Hoad, Needbam,
Mass. 02192. Tele. (617) 444-1657.
Buffalo: Edward K. Meade, 760 Main St., 14202.
TeJe. (716) 864-16P5.
CharlotU; Chas. J. Leonard Sr., 319 Queens ltd.,
282U4. Tele. (704) 333-0444.
CWcago: Frances B. Clow, 176 North kenllworlh.
Oak Park, lU. 60302. Tele. (312) 383-8343.
Cincinnati: Tony B. Rutherford, Box 362, Huntington,
W. V». J57U«. Tele. (304) 535-3837.
Cleveland: Blaln. Fried. 3255 Urenway Rd. 44122.
Tele. (216) 991-3797.
UaUas: Mable Guinan, 5927 Winton, 75206.
Denver: Bruce MarshaU, 2881 S. Cherry Way, 80222.
Des Moines: Cindy Vlers, 4024 E. Maple, 50317.
Tele. 266-9811.
Hartford: AUen M. Widem, 30 Pioneer Drive. W.
Hartford 06117, Tele. 232-3101.
Indianapolis: Robert V. Jones, 6385 N. Park, 4Bzi0.
Tele. (317) 251-5070.
Jacksonville; Robert (iirnwall, 3233 College St.,
32205. Tele. (904) 389-5144.
Louisville: Susan U. Todd, 8409 Old Boundary Rd.,
Mera'pifJ:' BUI Minkus, 1188 Perkins Rd. 38117. Tele.
(901) 683-8182.
Miami Martha Lununua, 622 N E. 98 St. 33138.
MUwaukee: Wally L. Meyer, 301 Heather Lane, Fredonla.
Wis. 53021. Tele: (414) 692-2753.
Minneapolis: Bill DleJU, SI. Paul Dlspatcb, 63 E.
401 St., St. Paul, Minn. 56101
New Orleans: Mary Greenbaum, 2303 Mendez St.
Oklahoma aty: Eddie L. Greggs, 410 South Bldg..
2000 Classen Center, 73106.
Pabn Beach: Lois Baumoel, 2860 S. Ocean Blvd., No.
316, 33480, Tele. (305) 588-6786.
PhUadelphla: Maurle H. Orodenker, 312 W. Park
Towne Place, 19130. Tele. (215) 567-4748.
Pittsburgh: R. F. Kllngensmlth, 1^16 Jeanette, WUkinsburg
15221. Tele. (412) 241-2809.
Portland, Ore.: R»bt. Olds, 1120 N.E. 61st, 97213.
St. Louis: Kan R. Krause, 818A Longacre Drive,
63132. Tele. (314) 991-4746.
Salt Lake City: Keith Perry, 264 E. 1st South, 84111.
Tele. (801) 328-1641.
_ _ ^ ,
Ban Antonio: Gladys Candy, 519 Cincinnati Ave. Tele.
(512) 734-P527. 78201.
San Francisco: David Van, UATC, 172 Golden Gate
Ave., 94102. Tele: 928-3200.
Seattle: Stu Goldman. Apt. 404, 101 N. 46th St..
98103. Tele. 782-S833.
Toledo: Anna Kline, 4330 Willys Pkwy., 43612.
Tucson: Gib Clark, 433 N. Grande, Apt. 5, 85705.
Washington: Virginia R. CoUier, 5112 Connecticut
Ave., N.W. 20008. Tele. (202) 362-0892.
IN CANADA
Calgary; Maxlne McBear., 420 40th St., S.W., F3C
IWl. Tele. (403) 249-6039.
Montreal: Tom Cleary, Association des Proprletalres
de Cinema du Quebec, 3720 Van Home, Suite 4-5,
No. H3S 1R8.
Ottawa: Garfield "WUlle" Wilson, 758 Ralnsford Ave.,
KJK 2K1. Tele. 746-6660.
Toronto: J. W. Agnew, 274 St. John's Rd., MOP 1V5.
Vancouver: Jimmy Davie, 3345 W. 12. V6K 2R8.
Winnipeg: Robert Hucal, 600-232 Portage Ave., K3C
OBI.
IF
FEAST TO FAMINE AND BACK AGAIN
THE PROFUSION of product reel
footage previewed at Show-A-Rama
22 is a true indication, the quantity as
well as the quality of films scheduled for
release the remainder of the year and
into next indeed looks bright.
Production again appears to be on the
upswing after several comparitively lean
years in terms of product availability and
resulting business at the boxoffice.
In recent years exhibitors have found
themselves caught between the proverbial
rock and a hard spot what with a
dearth of sufficient product, staggering
film rentals and all the little nuances associated
with distribution agreements.
Although official figures are not immediately
available, an examination of more
than 30 of the larger film studios and
distributors reveals over 130 full-length
features at the moment either in a postproduction
phase or ready for release
sometime in the next 12 months.
The same companies also report an
equivalent number of attractions planned
for the near future. To say the least, this
is a healthy outlook.
But exhibition has been party before
to such talk and similar boom periods in
the industry.
Due in large part to the cyclical nature
of our business, we have mixed feelings
about the long-range state of affairs concerning
production and exhibition.
Though we are pleased with what we
see at present being done by the studios
in the way of film production, our optimism
is somewhat guarded. Perhaps the
oft-quoted expression "You can't see the
forest for the trees" best describes our
concern.
Granted, the outlook for exhibition
may look encouraging in the short
scheme of things, but what we are concerned
about is what lies beyond that vision.
The continued success of exhibition is
undeniably predicated on its ability to
engage quality films that will attract
moviegoers to the theatre in consistent
numbers. By simple deductive reasoning,
it becomes increasingly clear that such
an ideal state can be sustained only if
the flow of product is in sufficient supply
to give the exhibitor a workable choice.
Contrary to what some would like;
believe, inflation's ubiquitous swath i
also reached the filmmaking busin;
As production costs continue to soar e;
upward, film companies, as we see it,
faced with two basic alternatives: 1
lower the production budget on some:
all film projects, or 2) cut back proci
tion schedules. It is likely, in fact higl
probable, that we will see the latter
fore the former. After all, history spe
for itself.
In an effort to head off some of
problems faced by exhibition during
predictable down cycles in the Indus
EXPRODICO was conceived. EXPRO
GO'S prime objective was simple: exh
tion should be able to control its (
destiny by subsidizing and directing
own program of film product. Sevi
years in the making, EXPRODICO :
its chief spokesman, Tom Moyer, v
forced into premature demise when
hibitor pledges fell short of the ne
sary funding requirement. There are
eral reasons given for EXPRODIC
short-lived experience, the most noti
of which is exhibitors questioning
bonafide need and value of such a
;
gram.
Now Tom Patterson, president of
National Independent Theatre Exhibi
(NITE) ,
erate membership support for ano
exhibitors' cooperative, TOFCO, wl
not surprisingly stands for Theatre C
ers Film Cooperative. Like Moyer's
]
for EXPRODICO, TOFCO's objectiv
to end distribution abuses by allo\
exhibitors more of a say in crea
product and establishing fair boo;
terms.
Whether or not exhibitor organizat
or the like can work out the inhe
problems associated with such an
deavor and still deliver quality filn
subject to the test of time and the £
tiny of the industry.
Regardless, such efforts should be
couraged and not go unrecognized i
hibition expects to fortify its positic
the industry. Final judgment rests ii
most critical hands of all: movie{
themselves.

fOR TH£
RECORD
Hunter Murtaugh has been appointed
viee-president/music for Paramount. Murtaugh
is mow headquartered for both motion
picture and television production.
Tom Campanella has been appointed
vice-president/ national advertising for the
motion picture division of Paramount.
Frank Bodo has been appointed director
ol production finance for the motion picttne
di\ision of Paramount.
Julia Kaminski has been appointed director
of legal information services for United
Artists.
Andrew Grucnberg, Cincinnati branch
manager for Warner Bros., has been named
the company's acting branch manager in
Boston, replacing Roger Hill who is on an
extended leave while recuperating from serious
injuries.
Victor SaJant has been appointed audiloi
of Variety International Pictures.
prank Mancuso has been named executive Vivian Cooper has been named director
management Lorimar Productions.
services for of
vice-president of distribution and marketing
for the motion picture division of
Paramount Pictures. In this newly created
Mancuso
George Justin has joined Orion Pictures
position, effective immediately, executive production manager.
as
will continue to be responsible for the domestic
Lawrence D. Foldes has been appointed
distribution of Paramount films and
chairman of the Academy of Science Fiction.
will also assume overall responsibility for
Fantasy and Horror Films.
the company's motion picture marketing
group, which includes advertising, publicity Roger Brooke was appointed group managing
and promotion.
director and member of the board of
EMI.
Louis S. Arkoff, vice-president of American
Nanette Leonard has been named marketing
International, is leaving his executive
coordinator for United Artists' "Moonraker"
post with the company to enter the field of
independent film production, which he will
pursue on a mon-exclusive basis. Arkoff has J. Anthony Young has joined Lorimar as
been a production vice-president at the company
for the past six years and has functioned
as executive in charge of production
vice-president of finance.
Bonnie Rothbart has been named manager
of the MGM motion picture research
on a number of AI productions.
library.
Lonnie Halouska has joined the legal department
of Warner Bros.
John P. Vinnedge has been named administrations
and operations manager for American
Cinema. Glenn R. Zinser has taken
over the position of comptroller.
Titles & Takes
"Hair" has drawn .$502,523 at the Ziegfeld
Iheaire in five weeks and $229,388 at
six theatres in one week in New York. The
Milos Forman film pulled in $237,922 at
the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles in five
weeks and $245,1 IS in four weeks in Boston.
"Coming Home" (UA) grossed $2,526,-
000 in national post-Oscar engagements in
one week.
"Blazing Saddles" (WB), in rerelease,
grossed $1,164,612 in 333 theatres in four
branches, bringing the total take to date to
$5,192,884. In 17 theatres in Metropolitan
New York the film took in $510,030 in its
second week. In the Atlanta exchange, playing
in 110 theatres, the gross was $325,610,
while the New Orleans exchange gross was
$198,481 in 88 theatres and the Memphis
gross in 64 theatres was $130,501.
COMING
fUuaaai
Warner Bros.' "Boulevard Nights" has
pulled in $2.2 million in roughly 100 theatres
during its first 17 days of release.
American International's "Love at First
Bite" grossed a total of $8,322,193 in its
first 24 days of release on 702 screens. Biggest
week so far of the release was the
fourth, which saw grosses of $3,254,008.
Picture was on over 900 screens May 4.
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Right on target for a
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BOXOmCE :: May 7, 1979

Pool Shark Cast of 'Bullet'
Learns
To Hustle on Camera as Well as Off
By RALPH KAMINSKY
West Coast Editor
HOLLYWOOD—Next winter, when director
Robert Ellis Miller comes to town to
then, if Coburn invites you for a friendly
game, stay clear of him, too. And the same
goes for Omar Sharif, Ronee Blakely and
Bruce Boxleitner. They've all become pool
sharks. So be warned.
All this came out April 19 on Stage 25
MGM where Miller was winding up his
at
Hollywood shooting on "The Baltimore Bullet."
Miller invited the press to chat with
the cast and have a few drinks in the completely
equipped and utterly realistic barroom
used in the picture.
In the next two days he would complete
his Hollywood shooting on the movie about
a couple of pool sharks before moving to
New Orleans for two weeks of filming.
Ten Great Professionals
The windup at MGM was a pool tournament
in which the competitors were ten of
the world's greatest professionals. Competing
were Lou "Machine Gun" Butera,
technical
advisor on the film and teacher to the
with Ray Martin, Steve Mizerak, Pete
stars,
Margo. Alan Hopkins, Jim Rempe, Mike
Segal, Irving Crane, Jim Mataya and Richie
Florence.
The tournament was described in the film
by Willie Mosconi, who has a role as the
narrator.
During the long days of shooting, with
everyone on the set for 12 or more hours
daily, there had developed the kind of warm
friendships that made life easy for Miller
and added a quality to the film that "you
just can't get any other way," according to
Miller.
One of the highlights
that tipped him off
to the rapport came when the professional
pool sharks burst into a spontaneous ovation
for Coburn when, as part of the filming,
he sank a four-cushion shot, a difficult
feat for anyone.
"They just stood up and cheered." Miller
said.
Coburn and Boxleitner developed a
friendly relationship that "shows through on
ballyhoo his new movie, don't let him talk the screen," Miller reported. "They're supposed
you into an innocent little game of pool.
to be buddies in the picture, a couple
Take it from James Coburn: "He'll murder
of hustlers who are out to challenge Omar
you. Don't play pool with him." Bui Sharif, the big time gambler who knows
how
to psyche out his opponents."
'Better at Bridge'
Under Butera's tutelage Coburn and Boxleitner
became experts with the cue stick.
Sharif hardly needed any lessons, it turned
out. "He's modest about it, but he's one of
the world's top rankers in billiards," Miller
confided. "He underestimates himself, but if
he really tried he'd be better at it than he
is at bridge."
"We didn't need actors to cover for the
pro sharks," said Miller. "They're fearless.
I gave them lines and they carried off their
scenes without fear. They give the picture a
lot of reality. They're wonderful," the director
said.
The FilmFair production is "a big, broad
comedy that also is an action picture.
There's a tongue-in-cheek feel to it, and yet
underneath the comedy there's a sense of
reality—and without that feeling of reality
you just can't get good comedy," Miller
said.
Adding the essential touch of authenticity
to
the realistic ballroom were dozens of pictures
lining the walls. The pictures were not
mere props. Miller assured, "Everyone of
them belong to the pool professionals. They
brought them here out of their homes.
They're wonderful people for doing that."
305 Student Films Enter
65th Annual Competition
BEVERLY HILLS. CALIF.—A total
305 films were submitted by student filmmakers
from colleges and universities
throughout the country in the sixth annual
student film awards competition, according
to Howard W, Koch, president of the Academy
of Motion PiclLire Arts and .Sciences,
Ki

Photo Highlights
Scenes From Show-A-Rama
(Left) Director of the Year Tcrrence Malick and Sylvia Slcnie,
wife of Martin Stone, president of Mid-America Cinema;
(Above) Producer of the Year Allan Carr and Miss Show-A-
Rama, Christine LaBruzzo.
(Above) Singer-actress Susan Anton signs autographs; (Left)
Ageless George Bums, Entertainer of the Century, and part of
his surprise gift from Columbia Pictures.
Honored Showman winners (from right) Ed Meyers, Chip Rouse (right), editor of Boxoffice, and Mark
Lima, Ohio, radio-TV promotion; Tony Bruguiere Tenser, president of Crown Int'l.; Arnold Simmons,
(center*. Mary Esther, Fla., off-site promotion, with Pontiac, Mich., winner of best print promotion.
Photos hy
Fred Siihahi
ami
Cil I'iiilar
Dick O'Rear, chairman of the board of Coninionwealth Theares,
honors the Man of Steel. Christopher Reeve, as Int'l Star
of the Yi
MC Fred Broski. left, and Peter Fonda
at Casino Supper following screening
iUliJl^U^

Roger Corman Honored in New York; VCI Awards to NBA,
His Low-Budgefers Lead to Success
By JOHN COCCHI
East Coast Editor
NEW YORK—Roger Corman, president
of New World Pictures, was honored with
a two-week retrospective of his films at
Joseph Papp's Public Theatre here March
6-18. Corman appeared at the theatre to
cial hatred which has been called his best
work at a director. In addition, Corman
was promoting Papp's efforts in presenting
the art of the cinema at the theatre.
Handling Corman's publicity was the
Ruth Pologe Levinson Group. For many
years, Levinson was assistant national director
of advertising, publicity and exploitation
for American International Pictures,
which had released many of Corman's earlier—and
some of his best—features.
On Thursday night, Corman made his
entrance directly after a showing of "The
Intruder." in which William Shatner stars
as a bigot who stirs up a small Southern
town which is being forced to integrate the
high school.
Many Locals Cast
One member of the audience was enthusiastic
in proclaiming that the film had been
shot in her home town, Charleston, Mo.,
while Corman pointed out that Sykeston
and East Prairie were other locales used in
the state.
Many local people were cast in supporting
parts and some trouble was encountered
because of the theme, which was antibigotry.
The Shatner character was patterned
after that of a segregationist named
John Kasper. who made headlines in 1957.
Although admitting the film was flawed,
Corman said that he thought a great deal
of "The Intruder." which he co-produced
with brother Gene (latter has a featured
role as one of the rednecks), from a novel
and screenplay by Charles Beaumont. The
initial reviews were favorable and the Venice
Film Festival showing was quite enthusiastic,
yet the film constituted his first
failure.
Corman knew a man named Mike Ritz,
who had taken the film "Bayou," which
had been a 1957 United Artists release,
and retitled it "Poor White Trash." With a
new campaign, this film grossed around $5
participate in a question-and-answer session
with his fans on the evenings of March 14 million, while it had been unsuccessful before.
Ritz then took "The Intruder," orig-
and 15.
Shown were a documentary, "Roger Corman:
Hollywood's Wild Angel" (1977) and pany called Pathe America, and rechristeninally
distributed through a shortlived com-
"The Intruder" (1962), a feature about raed
it "I Hate Your Guts," with similar sensational
selling. However, it still didn't do
anything at the boxoffice.
Praise for Assistants
Corman revealed a warm personality as
he answered all the questions, many put
forth from a fan's point of view. He had
for those who had toiled on his early
praise
low-budget films, made in two to seven
days for $50,000 or less.
He once shot three films back-to-back in
Puerto Rico in a month's time, although the
classic example of the Corman method
would seem to be "The Terror" (1963), a
horror pic starring Boris Karloff and a yet
unappreciated Jack Nicholson. Filmed in
two days with generous footage from other
pictures, leftover sets and a cast of five, the
picture managed to be effective for all its
shortcomings. The Poe-Vincent Price films
were also discussed and praised.
New World Pictures was formed, said
Corman. so that he could retain control
over the films he produced. The pressures
of running the company are such that he
has not directed a film since "Von Richthofen
and Brown" (UA 1971), although he
hopes to be able to direct again within the
next year or two and leave some of the
business details to his staff.
New World will release the new Francois
Truffaut film. "Love On the Run,"
fifth of the series dealing with Antoine
Doinel and starring Jean-Pierre Leaud in
the role he originated as a boy in "The 400
Blows" (1958). This film had its American
premiere .April 6 at the Coronet here.
Gmeiner at Conclave
NEW YORK.—Variety Clubs International
will present a special award to commissioner
Lawrence O'Brien of the National
Basketball Assn. in recognition of the
NBA's cooperation with Variety's work in
behalf of handicapped and underprivileged
children.
The NBA selected VCI for public service
announcements on the CBS telecasts of its
1978-79 basketball games in which appeals
are made by the commissioner. Julius ("Dr.
J.") Erving, Jack Lemmon. Walter Matthau
and Monty Hall, western hemisphere
co-chairman of VCI.
The award will be presented to O'Brien
at the 52nd annual VCI convention, which
will be held from May 19 to May 24 at
the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans.
The 1978 International Humanitarian
Award will be presented to Hermann
Gmeiner for his dedicated service in helping
neglected and homeless children throughout
the world, announced Eric D. Morley.
president of the show business organization.
This award will also be presented to
Gmeiner at the concluding banquet at the
convention of VCI May 23.
CLEARING HOUSE
THEATRE REMODELING
ASCO Auditorium Services
Theatre refurbishing—designing—acoustical
wall covering—seat reiurbishing—custom
seat covers—screens, frames, main act
curtains, black masking conversion systems.
Materials and labor supplied. Call
(617) 769-6680. Endicott St., Bldg 25, Norwood,
Mass. 02062.
DRIVE-IN THEATRE CONSTRUCTION
SCREEN TOWEHS INTERNATIONAL: Ten
Dav ST-en Installation, screens resurfaced.'
(817) 642-3591. Drawer P. Rogers,
Texas 76569.
DRIVE-IN THEATRE SCREENS painted
and repaired in Tex., Okla,, N, Mex Ark,,
,
and La. Gene Taylor, P.O. Box 3524, Shawnee,
Ks. 66203 . (913) 631-9695.
THEATRE SCREEN RENOVATION to enhance
quality of your picture. Renew old
screen with our process. New screens also
installed. Dazzling Construction, (516) 581-
4653.
BUSINESS STIMULATORS
BUILD ATTENDANCE with real Hawaiian
orchids. Few cents each. Write Flowers
of Hawaii, 670 S. Lafayette Place, Los
Angeles, Cal U. 90005.
SALU IE—The board of directors of (he
Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers
congratulates I.co Jaffe, chairman of the board of Columbia Pictures Industries,
on receiving the Anti-Defamation League award at their semiannual
meeting. Attending were (left to right) Charles Reagan. Martin Quigley
Jr., Richard Walsh, John Broumas, Martin Levine, Ralph Pries, Leo Jaffe, B. V.
Sturdivant, Sherill Corwin. M. J. Frankovich, Martin H. Newman, Ben Marcus,
Burton Robbins, Bernard Myerson, Harry Buxbaum, Norman Gluck and Salah
Hassanein.
BINGO CARDS DIE CUT: 1-75, 1500 combinations
in color. PREMIUM PRODUCTS
339 West 44th St., Now York, N.Y. 10035.
(212) 246-4972.
THEATRE MONTHLY CALENDARS, weekly
programs, heralds, bumper strips,
daily/weekly boxoffice reports, time
schedules, passes, labels, etc. Write lor
samples, prices. Dixie Lltho. Box 882, Atlanta,
GA 30301.
More Classified Listing
On Inside Back Cover
May 7. 197'

j
[
Moore
'
May
'
Tickets
I
13 Feature Premieres
Part of Seattle Fesl
SEATTLE—The Moore Egyptian's fourth
innual international film festival begins
May 10 and v/ill run through June 6. It will
,ave a blockbuster schedule of 81 feature
ilms and 33 shorts, representing 26 counties
and including 13 American premieres.
Its three festival directors arc Rajeeve Gup-
!a, Dan Ireland and Darryl MacDonald.
Opening the event will be George Roy
Hill's "A Little Romance" at 8 p.m., May
10. with a $5 ticket fee including a party
aftei wards.
Initial festival regular attraction on May
I I will be "Fedora" at 7 p.m., followed by
ihe American debut of Anthony Harvey's
new western, "Eagle's Wing."
The world premiere of the year's most
[eagerly awaited new science-fiction film,
Ridley Scott's "Alien" is scheduled for midnight
May 24. Because "Alien" will be
shown in 70mm and six-track Dolby stereo,
ithat screening will be held at the UA cine-
'raa 150, about six blocks away from the
because it will open in that theatre
25.
for the "Alien" world premiere
will be sold separately for $4. Admission for
regular evening performances for the festival
is $3.50 per film. Admission to matinees
'
and midnight shows is $2.50, except for the
documentary marathon, which will cost
$3.50.
Full series tickets, admitting the holder to
all films except "Alien," are $65, or $55
for students and Seattle Film Society members.
Partial series tickets, good for any six
films except "Alien," are $15. or $13.50 for
students and S.F.S. members.
Universal's 'Walk Proud'
Still Slated for June Release
NEW YORK — Universal's "Walk
Proud," a contemporary love story set
against the background of a Los Angeles
street gang, will be released in New York,
as scheduled, in- June. The film, starring
Robby Benson, centers on a young man's
growing up and his successful efforts to
break away from the gang to which he had
belonged.
A Turman-Foster production, produced
by Lawrence Turman and directed by Robert
Collins from an original screenplay by
Evan Hunter, "Walk Proud" co-stars Henry
Darrow, Pepe Serna, Ji-Tu Combuka and
Lawience Pressman. Elmer Bernstein wrote
the
score.
'Star Wars' Toy Products
Still Hot After Two Years
HOLLYWOOD—Two years after its release,
"Star Wars" continues to be a hot
item in the merchandising field.
20th Century-Fox reports that the Kenner
'79 toy catalogue set aside 45 pages to boost
ihe "Star Wars" toy line, including eight
new action figures added to the list of chairacters
up for sale.
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
Laurel Group, a Mini-Conglomerate,
Offers Romeros 'Dawn of tfie Dead
By JOHN COCCHI
East Coast Editor
NEW YORK—Between April 20 and
Muy 11, 90 percent of the major markets
in the country will have been saturated by
"Dawn of the Dead."
Touted as the long-awaited sequel to the
low budgeted black-and-white horror classic
"Night of the Living Dead" (1968), the
new film is in color and employs all the
current advances in special effects to make
the monsters real.
The film is also the latest in the line of
offerings from the New York-based The
Laurel Group, headed by producer Richard
P. Rubinstein and director-writer
George A. Romero, creator of the original
•Dead."
Six Years Old
The Laurel Group, in operation for six
years, is a mini-conglomerate. Apart from
producing films (its recent vampire pic
"Martin" is in release through Ben Barenholtz'
Libra Films), it has made sports profiles
for ABC Television (including the first
outside sports special purchased by the network,
"Juice on the Loose," on O. J. Simpson);
operates a publishing division which
runs the gamut of authors from Dick Gregory
to J. B. Priestley, and it imports foreign
films, such as "I^ Secret," "Where There's
Smoke" and "Ten Little Indians."
While Laurel and Libra share office
space,
the companies collaborate on various
films but work independently of each other.
Rubinstein says that Laurel has operated
outside
the mainstream and has made "better
films." He terms his producer-director
relationship with Romero more in the European
style and points out that Romero has
a rare total creative control as an independent.
X Ratings Condemned
Both men support the ratings but condemn
the X as not having the "dignity" of
a designation for non-explicit yet adult
material. "Dawn" is unrated but a disclaimer
prohibits anyone under 17 from seeing
the film because of the violence. Any unrated
film would automatically qualify as
an X, the only rating which can be selfapplied.
Romero and Rubinstein both applaud
the chains that booked their "Dawn."
At a press luncheon for "Dawn," Romero
retaliated against those who accused
him of making "trash disguised as art" by
saying that his film "isn't disguised." He
feels that "Dawn" is both allegory and
satire on our consumer society while being
a traditional horror film.
He deliberately adopted a comic book
look to the film, even to the extent of making
the 3M "blood" appear to be unrealistic.
Romero considers "Dawn" more of a
pop culture feature, whereas "Night" was
tongue-in-cheek. In both, he felt any explanation
of the dead returning to life would
be irrelevant.
A few years ago, Romero met socially
with a group of investors from Oxford
Development, owners of the Monroeville
Mall near Pittsburgh. In touring the shopping
complex, Romero, true to his Pennsylvania
heritage, decided that the site would
be ideal for "Dawn."
He wrote an outline, completing the
script two years later in Rome and getting
together with Italian horror filmmaker
Dario Argento, who co-financed "Dawn."
Argento. credited as script consultant, also
helped with the creation of the music (played
by The Goblins) and worked on the effects.
Tom Savini, also in the film as an
actor, contributed makeup and cosmetic
special effects.
Once the Mall was obtained as a shootirig
site in which all but the opening sequences
take place, the army of technicians
and actors used the premises on an 11
p.m. to 7 a.m. schedule, after store hours.
The logistics for moving equipment and
zombies in and out were staggering.
Four Main Actors
Four main actors appear throughout:
Gaylen Ross as a TV technician, David
Emge as her lover and a TV helicopter pilot.
Ken Force and Scott Reiniger as Philadelphia
SWAT policemen. The Zombies
were recruited from the production crew,
local residents and visiting writers, executives,
and so on.
Among the undead are Chris Steinbrunner,
author of "The Films of Sherlock
Holmes" and other books in the horrorfantasy-mystery
vein; David Bartholomew,
writer for Cinefantastique and the Film
Bulletin; Ed Perchaluk, Independent Film
Journal; Tom Pasavant, Playboy; Evelyn
Reynolds, Newsday, and Chet Flippo,
Rolling Stone.
"Dawn" is a presentation of Herbert R.
Steinmann and Billy Baxter, in association
with Alfredo Cuomo and Claudio Argento
and is being released in the U. S. by United
Film Distributing Co.. a subsidiary of
United Artists Theatre Circuit. Plitt, Mann,
Loews, RKO and AMC theatres are involved
in the playdates.
Woody Allen's 'Manhattan'
On 420 Screens by May 16
NEW YORK—Woody Allen's "Manhattan,"
which opened at seven theatres in New
York and 20 in the Los Angeles area on
April 25, will be shown in approximately
420 theatres coast-to-coast by May 16. The
national booking schedule calls for an additional
264 during the week of May 2; 110
during the week of the 9th and another 19
starting the week of May 16.
"Manhattan," which was directed by
Allen who also co-authored the film with
Marshall Brickman, stars Allen, Diane Keaton,
Michael Murphy. Mariel Hemingway
and Meryl Streep.

International Harmony Plans Films
That Appeal to FM Radio Listeners
Bv JOHN COCCHI
NEW
East Coast Editor
YORK—International Harmony
here is a distribution company of recent
vintage (tounded in 1974, distiibuting films
since 1976) which is geared to youth-onented
product in the comedy vein.
According to president Stuart S. Shapiro,
it caters to the market which prefers FM
radio, that is, the audience that made "National
Lampoon's Animal House" and "Up
in Smoke" major hits.
An example is International Harmony s
double billing of "Tunnel Vision" and
"Shame of the Jungle" for an R-rated comedy
program. Both films (the latter is an animated
feature) use the talents of members
of the "Saturday Night Live" TV show.
Shapiro, who is aided in his company by
of marketing Steven Menkin, a
director
former actor (he starred in "Hair" off-
Broadway and appeared on the soap opera
"AH My Children") and office manager
Dawn Hanrahan. began the company in
partnership with Gary Legon. who now
produces such films as "Chalk."
Organized Rock Comcerls
I H. started out by organizing rock concerts
and albums (as Rock 'n' Road) until
acquiring "Tunnel Vision." a satire of television
featuring Chevy Chase, and "Tarzoon.
Shame of the Jungle," made in Belgium
by Michel Gast. Latter film was
dubbed into English with the voices of John
Belushi and Johnny Weis&muller Jr. and
was first booked under that title. The similarity
to Tarzan was challenged by Edgar
Rice Burroughs' widow and the soundtrack
had to be redone. Four minutes were cut
to earn an R from the original X version.
As "Tarzoon." the animated feature played
St Louis. Las Vegas. Tucson and Kansas
City, while as "Shame." it did great
business in such territories as San Francisco
and Minneapolis. "Tunnel Vision" was first
released successfully by World Wide Enter-
COMING SOON...
A
BIGGER
and
BETTER
BOXOFFICE
..>inment. from which International Harmony
acquired it. Now. Shapiro feels, the
combo is ready for the drive-in and summer
markets.
For June-July, the company will have a
Neil Young concert film, "Rust Never
Sleeps," with Dolby stereo, in fifteen major
markets beginning with Washington, D. C.
A soundtrack album will be released on the
Reprise/Warner Bros, label.
Firesign Theatre.
Formerly a partner in Douglas Records,
Shaprio produced a posthumous Jimi Hendrix
album. He considers himself an expert
in FM radio promotion and uses this outlet
to a great extent. Handling his radio promos
are Peter Shanaberg and Morrie Eisenman
of Selluloid Promotions in California. They
have worked on campaigns for "The Fantastics
Animated Film Festival," "National
Lampoon's Animal House" and "Love At
First Bite." Also on the West Coast is Norman
Smith, national sales coordinator for
International Harmony.
Business For Independents
There is a big future in rock films, says
Shapiro, who also thinks that it will be a
business for the Independent rather than the
major distributor. The majors tend not to
promote these films as well as the indies.
'Goldengirr lo Bring
Gold to U.S. Olympics
HOLLYWOOD—Avco Embassy Pictures
will premiere "Goldengirl" June 18 in
Washington. D. C. as a special fund raising
event for the benefit of the U. S. Olympic
Committee.
The screening at the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts will be attended
by top Olympic athletes and major
stars as well as Washington officials, according
to Bob Rehme, executive vice-president
and chief operating officer.
Men Forever'
"Goldengirl" stars Susan Anton in her
debut a beautiful and mysterious
'J
film as
Upcoming are "Cocaine Cowboys," a Olympic triple gold medal contender. James
spoof directed by Ulli Lommel (of "Tenderness
of the Wolves") with the unlikely combination
Coburn also stars as a sports star merchandising
whiz.
of Jack Palance and Andy Warhol,
and "J Men Forever," a black and white
camp presentation of old Republic serials
with new dialogue and a rock score, as revised
by Phil Proctor and Andy Bergman of
EMI Now Directs, Manages
Spacevision 3-D Process
HOLLYWOOD—EMI Films has taken
over management and direction of Spacevision,
a subsidiary of Capitol Records
which is developing a "breakthrough" in
three-dimensional motion pictures, according
to Lord Delfont, chairman and chief executive
of EMI Film and Theatre Corp.
The process is applicable to all film and
video projects, according to Spacevision
president Alan Weber, and it will be used
to develop future 3-D feature presentations.
It also will be used for special attractions at
theme parks and leisure centers as well as
theatre in Marineland, Fla.
presentations in the commercial and indus-
world.
trial
WMI's Spacevision presentation, "Sea
Dream," will be screened at the Cannes
Film Festival. The feature is on permanent
exhibition at a large screen quadrophonic
EMI's Central Research Laboratories in
Ideally. Shapiro would like to have three
the United Kingdom will direct the research
or four concert films a year for his company.
He credits I.H.'s unbroken string of
and development. Derek Leithead. a director
of EMI Film and Theatre Corp. will supervise
Spacevision in the UK and Europe froni
successes to their promotions. The increasingly
popular midnight movie concept is a
his London office. Weber will work out of
long shot in his estimation.
the EMI Films offices in Beverly Hills.
Diversifying. International Harmony is
now in pre-production on "Film Festival."
a satire by Tony Hendra, Ted Mann and
Sean Kelly of National Lampoon, to be coprodu:ed
in Alberta, Canada and New York
Distributed by Laurel
as a co-production with Second City of
Toronto. It has an option on "White Man PITTSBURGH—The Laurel Group of
Meets Big Foot," a film project by R. New York City has completed negotiations
Crumb and is working on a show/ film/ recckagj
of the musical "Robin Hood." program book for distribution with
with MW Communications to produce a
"Dawn
'Dawn of the Dead' Book
'Moments' at Cannes Fest
NEW YORK— Moshe Mizrahi's "Moments"
was selected as an entry in the "uncertain
regard" official category of the
theatres and selected book store
Cannes Festival 1979. Written and directed
by Michal Bat Adam, the Israeli-French coproduction
was produced by the Academy doing blockbuster business in
Award director Mizrahi ("Madame Rosa")
of the Dead."
MW principals William Wilson and Robert
Michelucci plan initial distribution to
all United .Artists theatres, with additiona
distributior
scheduled.
George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead,'
a sequel to "Night of the Living Dead," i!
Europe unde
the title "Zombie" and was released nation
,llv April 20 bv United Film Distributioi
BOXOFFICE 7. 197

1
Director Romero Asks Avco to Release The Onion Field';
^^l^^^^^"^^^ SCOITSDALE. ARIZ.—A $2 Million Advertising Campaign Set
re-evaluation
ol the Motion Picture Assn. of Ameiica's
i.iting system is long overdue, according to
lirector-producer George A. Romero, who
spoke before a group of motion picture
exhibitors at the mid-winter NATO meeting.
"Times change," stated Romero, "and it
would have been foolish to believe that
movies could remain unaffected by the
change and torment in our society over the
last
12 years—the time span of our self-imposed
code."
Romero said that the MPAA rating system
is and has been a model program to
some extent: "We (the industry) can be
proud to be self-regulated. However, if it
was working that well, we wouldn't have
the problems we are now having."
Romero's main complaint is that there
are no defined guidelines that determine
whether a film should be PG or R. The
guidefKists between ratings have constantly
been blurred—relaxed, tightened or appealed.
He asked that in order to achieve
genuine public acceptance, guidelines must
be set so that there is understanding and
acceptance on the part of the public.
Romero has asked the entire industry
both exhibition and distribution—to establish
"a truly effective system that can be
defended philosophically, morally, and legally;
to take a hard look at the system
mechanism and to be sure that it is as
close to 100 percent effective as it can be
made."
He asked, most importantly, that the
films be so designated that the public may
know what it is going to see, thereby affording
freedom to the filmmaker and
avoiding any threat of government intervention.
Romero advocated a category for adult
films which would not have the stigma
which the present X category implies. He
maintained that present connotation of the
X category diverted adult films, which are
not pornographic, into the R category.
In summation, Romero called for a
realistic restructuring of the entire rating
system and a redefining of the code.
Cinema Radio Contracted
For 23 More Drive-Ins
Twenty-three new Cinema Radio Sound
System installations have been constracted
by drive-in operators across the country, it
was announced by Fred Schwartz, president
of Cinema Radio Corp.
Topping the list will be additional installations
for the United Artists Theatre Circuit
at three of the chain's East Coast theatres.
Portland, Ore., exhibitor Tom Moyer,
who already has five Cinema Radio installations,
has contracted for two additional
units.
As many as 50 additional Cinema Radio
installations are now in final contractual
stages, according to Schwartz.
By
RALPH KAMINSKY
West Coasi Editor
HOLLYWOOD—Avco Embassy Pictures
is gearing itself for an initial .$2,000,000
launch of its newest acquisition, Joseph
Waumbaugh's "The Onion Field." The true
story concerns the kidnapping of two Los
Angeles police officers, the murder of one
of them and the longest criminal trial in the
history of California to convict the killers.
"The Onion Field" will be released October
3, opening in Los Angeles and New
York in a carefully planned campaign that
will lead gradually into spreading it into
major cities. "It's a serious film and we're
going to handle it in a serious way," declared
Bob Rehme, executive vice president
and chief operating officer of Avco.
'No BUnd Bids'
"We're so e.xcited about the picture we
decided to call a press conference to announce
we got it," Rehme said during a
press luncheon at a swank restaurant.
Rehme assured exhibitors that "there will
be no blind bids on this picture. We want
to show it to exhibitors and let them see
what they're getting. That's how proud we
are of it."
With the release scheduled for the fall,
Rehme pointed out that, "We have a lot of
time for a proper campaign. We have a lot
of ideas to work on."
Working from its worldwide distribution
agreement with Waumbaugh's Black Marble
Productions, Avco will show the film at the
Cannes Film Festival May 17 and 20. looking
for foreign sales and deals with foreign
distributors.
'Better Than Book'
"The script is better than the book, and
Joe wrote both of them," Rehme declared.
Waumbaugh's well-publicized disillusionment
at Hollywood's treatment of his books
had driven him to regain rights to "The
Onion Field" from Columbia Pictures which
had held the book until the ex-cop filed a
$.3,200,000 suit in February 1978. The
company agreed to sell him the rights and
the suit was dropped last May.
"I'm very happy," Waumbaugh said of the
Avco deal. "We showed the picture yesterday
to the tough guys at Avco and it made
them cry," he said. Added Rehme: "They
were real upbeat tears."
"Nothing has been changed from the
book," Waumbaugh declared. "All the
names are the same—the killers, the lawyers,
even the judges." Even the casting was done
with an effort to find faces to fit those of
the paiticipants in the sensational event. "I
wanted the public to live 'The Onion Field'
experience the way I did." he declared.
"The Onion Field" was written after
Waumbaugh, a policeman, became concerned
over the effect the kidnapping and killing
had over Officer Karl Hettinger. The
young officer saw his buddy murdered, escaped
the killers in a harrowing chase, and
then had to cope with the aftermath of peer
judgements over his conduct, plus the trauma
of recalling the experience in the numerous
trials that followed apprehension of the
killers.
Waumbaugh and his wife, Dee, raised the
financing for the film from 30 investors
mostly friends—even getting $25,000 from
one of his former police buddies. When the
production went $200,000 over budget,
Waumbaugh sold an apartment house he
owned. "After all, who wants to own an
apartment house," he said in an aside.
'Bare-Bones Budget'
The $2,400,000 budget was a "bare-bones
budget," according to Walter Coblenz who
produced the film. He pointed out that
Waumbaugh had not taken any payment for
film rights to the book, nor for his work
in writing the screenplay. If those costs had
been added to the film and if the production
had been made by a major studio with
its usual 10 percent overhead charges, the
budget easily could have been upwards of
$4,500,000 as a "rock bottom," Coblenz
pointed out.
Now Waumbaugh's main concern is to
see that every investor—many of them his
friends— "gets his money back before I get
a
penny."
Starring in the Karl Hettinger role will
be rising star John Savage, who has made
his mark in "Hair" and especially "The
Deer Hunter." "We got him for wholesale,"
Waumbaugh commented, since the young
actor was signed before either of his other
pictures propelled him into the upper brackets.
Ronnie Cox will play the role of Detective
Pierce Brooks who was the chief investigator
in the case and now is police
chief in Eugene, Ore.
Others in the cast are James Woods, portraying
the convicted murderer Gregory
Powell and Franklyn Scales as convicted
murderer Jimmy Smith. Each actor has an
uncanny resemblance to the actual characters
they portray, and Waumbaugh demonstrates
that with side-by-side photographs of
the people.
Other roles are handled by Richard Herd,
who starred as chairman of the board of
the company operating a nuclear plant in
"The China Syndrome," Ted Danson, Diane
Hull, Priscilla Pointer, Beege Barkett.
plus 45 other performers who are relatively
unknown and thus add to the realism that
Waumbaugh, Coblenz and director Harold
Becker sought.
'Scared Straight!' Honor
TEMPE, ARIZ.—The National Press
Photographers Assn. and the Department of
Mass Communications at Arizona State University
bestowed a Best Documentary award
on "Scared Straight!", touted as the first
television documentary' ever to win an
Academy Award.
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
11

MGM has entered into a long-term agreei
ment with Franco Zeffirelli and Dyson Loj
|
j
1^ J^olluwood i^eepon m
^
Bruce Dern has been signed to star in
Middle Age Crazy, comedy-drama about the
problems faced by American man after his
40th birthday. Picture will go before the
cameras in July.
FILM PROJECTS
Writer-producer Andrew J. Fenady plans
to begin filming May 14 on The Man with
Bogart's Face. Script is from Fenady's own
novel about a man who hero-worships Humphrey
Bogart to the point of having plastic
surgery to look like him. He then legally
changes his name and opens an office in
Hollywood as a private eye. Robert Day
will direct on. locations in Hollywood and
Catalina Island.
Universal Productions Canada will make
its first feature film. The Silence of the
North, starring Ellen Burstyn. Filming is
scheduled to begin in September on location
in Alberta and Ontario. Secomd unit photography
began late in April. Allan King
will direct. Robert Baylis and Allan King
and In Pursuit of Historical Jesus.
Howard Rothberg is developing four feature
projects for Lorimar Films under a
multi-picture deal he signed with the company.
Some Kind of Lizard is an intennational
sleuth spoof. The Murder League is
a comedy. With or Without Roller Skates
is also a comedy, and an original screenplay,
still untitled, is being developed by
Henry Olek.
Filming has begun on Key West Crossing,
with Chuck Workman directing from his
own script. In the cast are Stuart Whitman,
Robert Vaughn and Albert Salmi.
Rehearsals on UniversaLs The Return of
Maxwell Smart began April 23. Producer
Jennings Lang has scheduled a May 7 starting
date on the $8,000,000 feature. Clive
Donner is directing. Script is by Arne Sultan,
Bill Dana and Leonard B. Stern. Don
Adams will star.
Filming began April 23 on Universal's
Esther, Ruth and Jennifer. Andrew McLaglen
is directing with Roger Moore and
James Mason starring. Jack Davies wrote
the script. Elliot Kastncr is producing.
EMI films has signed Mitchell Cannold
and Andrew Meyer to produce The Wonful
Adventures of Paul Bunyan with their
recently formed Noah's Ark production
company. Dennis Lynton Clark has written
the screenplay, based on the book by Louis
Untermeyer. Special effects designer John
Dykstra has been signed to serve as consultant.
FEATURE
CASTING
Michael Ontkean has replaced John
Heard in 20th-Fox's Willie & Phil, set to
roll May 17 in New York. Ray Sharkey and
Margot Kidder are also starring.
Allan Rich will portray a crusty New
York actor's agent and Robin Sherwood
has signed for a feature role in MGM's Captain
Avenger.
John Friedrich and Gary Springer have
signed to play college students in United
Artists' A Small Circle of Friends. Picture
produce with Murray Shostak set as
will
executive producer.
being directed by Rob Cohen on location
is
Quinn Martin Film Productions has in Boston.
scheduled Six Against the Rock as its first Jane Seymour has been signed to star
feature film. Glenn Ford, Joe Don Baker, with Christopher Reeve in Universal's
Stacy Keach
true story about
and Sam Elliott
Alcatraz. Cliff
star
Gould
in the
will
Somewhere in Time. The Rastar Films production
is slated to begin photography this
month. Seymour will portray Elise, a beautiful
write the script from the novel by Clark
and talented actress. Screenplay is by
Howard. Richard Lang will direct.
Richard Matheson.
Unionport Road Productions, formed by
Tim Mclntire. whose last association with
Lecmora Thuna, plans to begin shooting
Robert Redford was as composer for "Jeremiah
screenplay.
next spring on her original
Blackout on Rodeo Drive.
Johnson," rejoins Redford for a
straight acting assignment in Brubaker. Mclntire
Sunn Classic Pictures will complete four
will be ringleader of a group of har-
features for theatrical release during 1979.
Beyond Death's Door
dened criminals working against the reforms
First to lense will be
attempted by Redford, cast as the warden.
directing.
Angela Punch has been signed by producers
Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown
to make her American film debut in The
Island. Michael Cainc also stars.
Gary Springer has been signed to co-star
with Brad Davis, Karen Allen and Jameson-
Parker in UA's A Small Circle of Friends.
Picture is currently before the cameras in
Boston.
Michael and Patrick Roman, identical
twin actors, have completed llicir roles in
Fatso. Both actors arc
lour months old.
TECHNICAL
ASSIGNMENTS
vel for the development of motion picture I
properties. Their first project will be Africa
Run, based on an original screenplay by
Willis
Hall.
Stuart Rosenberg has replaced Bob Rafelson
as director of Brubaker. The 20th-Fox
feature stars Robert Redford.
I
Alex North will write the score for John
1
Huston's Fire Blood. Picture is a co-production
of Ithaca Productions and Anthea
Films of Munich.
Marvin Paige has been signed as casting,
director on The Man with Bogart's Face.
Shooting is set to begin May 14 with Robert
Day directing.
Fred Mintz has been named associate
producer on Quinn Martin Film Productions'
Six Against the Rock. :
Valley Hoffman has been named post
i
production supervisor on Guyana, Crime of
the Century. Principal photography has
|
been completed on the Rene Cardona Jr./
Alfonso Lopez Negrete feature.
,
ACQUISITIONS
Libra Films Corporation: U.S. distribution
of The Consequence. American premiere
will be in San Francisco in June.
Universal City Studios Inc.: From Summa
Corp., eight Howard Hughes films: including
The Conqueror, Hell's Angels, Jet
Pilot and others.
Fiilm Ventures International: Five Films
Stuart Rosenberg is directing.
Richard Mulligan has signed for a starring
role in Scavenger Hunt. The Melvin
Simon production is now shooting on loca-
for release in fall: The Shape of Things to
tion in Pasadena. Michael Schultz is directing.
Come, Survival Run, Cardiac Arrest, Fifth
Anthony Perkins will portray the leader Floor and Klondike Fever.
of an international band of extorters in
Universal's Esther, Ruth and Jennifer. Andrew
McLaglen is directing on location in
DISTRIBUTION
Galaway, Eire.
Bob E. Hannah will play Patsy Cline's
husband in Universal's Coal Miner's Daugh-
American International: worldwide distribution
for Something Short of Paradise.
ter.
Michael Lombard will play a sanitation Avco Embassy Pictures: Foreign distribution
rights to kiss in Attack of the Phan-
department foreman in Fatso. The 20th-Fox
comedy is now filming with Anne Bancroft toms. Picture is a $2,000,000 TV movie
featuring the rock group in their acting
debut.
NMD Film Distributing Co.: How to
Score With Girls, for worldwide distribution.
Bauer International: U.S. and Canadian
rights to Coming of Age, Far From Home
and Diary of a Lover. Aldo signed for
American distribution by Bauer: The Thiid
Walker, starring Coleon Dewhurst and William
^^i
Shatner.
The Cannon Group: National distribution
American Nitro and Incoming Freshman.
12
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979

THB PROMOTION AND MERCHANDISING
Send news of adyertising campaigns and publicUy to STU GOLDSTEIN, MERCHANDISING EDITOR
Plitt Stages Xhamp'
Of a Contest in LA
Plitt Theaters, MGM and Chrysler-Plymouth
pulled off a champ of a contest.
Throughout March, Chrysler-Plymouth dealers
throughout Los Angeles and Orange
GUIDE
Count Dracula at a Dallas Disco
One of Transylvania's most renowned cilizens
was in Dallas April 19 for a unique
appearance at a local discotheque.
George Hamilton, who plays the suave,
sophisticated Count Vladamir Dracula in
American International's "Love at First
Counties distributed entry blanks in their
showrooms for the double-barreled give-
Bite," appeared in full Transylvania gaib
da 'Vinci International in Dallas.
away. prize was a natural: a 1979 Plymouth
First at
Champ.
On Saturday morning, April 7, hundreds
of contestaints assembled at the Century Plaza
Theatre in the ABC Entertainment Center
for a private screening of "The Champ,"
His appearance was part of a promotion
sponsored by KNUS-FM 99 that included a
dinner date and dancing with Hamilton.
Most Unusual Encounter
courtesy of Plitt and MGM. They were also
drawing and
KNUS gave tickets away to female listeners
over the age of 18 who called and
there to witness the first prize
announcement by "Champ" co-star Arthur
executive secretary of
described their most unusual romantic encounter.
Hill. Lewis J. Jabro,
The calls were taped and later
the Chrysler-Plymouth Dealers Assn.. was
played over the air.
also on hand, as were MGM project director On the morning of April 19, disc jockey
Tony Hoffman and Plitt advertising director
Jack Schell selected at random a name from
Bob Artz.
the women who called as the contest winner.
The name was announced in a unique
simulcast with KNUS and The Charlie Rose
Show on KXAS-TV in Fort Worth, where
Hamilton was appearing as guest host.
The winner, Lauri Pulliam of Dallas, was
picked up by limousine at her home and
taken to the Loews Anatole Hotel, where she
had dinner with Hamilton at L'Entrecote.
After dinner, the couple—with Hamilton in
costume—was whisked away to dance and
meet newspaper photographers at da Vinci,
then returned to the hotel before Ms. Pulliam
was taken home by the limousine.
Glenn, Bozell & Jacobs Public Relations
Count Didciila {George Hamilton) with
American Multi Cinema's Sandy
Franklin. Hamilton appeared in full
Transylvanian garb at a Dallas club to
promote his film.
assisted American International with the
promotion and publicity in Dallas and Fort
Worth.
'Champ' co-star Arthur Hill awards a
1979 Plymouth Champ to the winner
of putt's promotional give-a-way.
The Plitt Century Plaza Theatre had promoted
the opening of the film several weeks
in advance. With the cooperation of MGM,
the theatre displayed posters throughout the
ABC Entertainment Center and the Century
City Shopping Center. Thirty thousand "I'll
be the Champ" buttons were distributed
throughout the center and during the Los
Angeles International Film Exposition. The
audience the campaign reached at the exposition
alone was estimated at some 105,000.
Auburn, Ala.: How to Stage a World Premiere
Publicizing a film without distributor support
can be tough. A national premiere for
a picture without such support is even
tougher. But the "Village Theatre in Auburn,
Ala^, did it, and the results were outstanding.
Twentieth-Fox's "Norma Rae" was
filmed last summer in Opelika, Ala., just
seven miles from Auburn. Early attempts
were made to secure a major national premiere
in Auburn but technicalities prevented
the appearance of any of the major
stars. Manager Donnie Stone decided to
stage his own premiere regardless. With the
assistance of the local Chamber of Commerce,
the premiere was held, utilizing the
local folk who had parts in the film.
Opening night was a fanfare of activity
with the local stars arriving at the theatre
in chauffeur-driven Lincoln Continentals.
Radio station WFRI-FM was on hand for
live interviews amd Columbus TV station
Channel 9 sent their news team to cover
the event.
The grosses were proof of the premiere's
success. Auburn outgrossed ever)" situation
in the South on the first weekend, giving
ain excellent example of the power of local
initiative.
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser ;; May 7, 1979
13

BOXOFFICE
BAROMETEF
425
This chart records the performance of current attractions in the opening week of their first runs in
the 20 key cities checked. Pictures with fewer than five engagements are not listed. As new runs
ore reported, ratings are added and averages revised. Computation is in terms of percentage in
relation to overage grosses as determined by the theatre managers. With 100 per cent as average,
the figures show the gioss ratings above or below that mark. (Asterisk * denotes combination bills.)
1 Agatha (WB)
K ui - z
=^
-
^ o
5° S"^«£>3^°S !2ui

[
Greta
[
ka"
'•
I
The
l
\ ernor's
I
1
merce
•
Universal's
i' background
!
will
'
which
NEW YORK WASHINGTON
UNITED ARTISTS has two current winners
with Woody Allen's "Manhattan" manager. unreeled for exhibitors
^^illiani ZoetLs, 20th Century-Fox branch
and Billy Wilder's "Fedora" packing them "Breaking Away," at the MPAA May 2.
Slairing Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid,
in at various theatres. While the Allen film
was designed to be laughed at and touched
by, the same is not necessarily true for "Fedora,"
a sardonic and often bitter look at
the old and the new Hollywood. Film buff
Robert Kent reports that the audience at
Cinema Studio 1 for the Wilder film was
laughing in all the wrong places prompting
the thought that this could be a camp attraction.
Far from being perfect. "Fedora" is
'
not a total flop dramatically and should be
viewed as a serious work, at least by those
who are still able to take their movies seriously.
Of course, no one can argue with
success,
or can one
Governor Hugh L.
•
Carey has aniioitiiccd
ihc appointment of Francis T. Vincent Jr.
i/.v (I member of the New York State Motion
Pid lire anil Television Advisory Board for
a term expiring March 8. 1980. Vincent, of
New York City, is president and chief e.xeciiiive
officer of Columbia Pictures Indiistncs.
Inc.
The board has been created by the Gov-
Executive Order and operates within
the New York State Department of Com-
to encourage and promote the development
of the film and television industry
in the state.
•
"Walk Proud," set against the
of a Los Angeles street gang,
open here as scheduled in June. Robby
\
Benson and Sarah Holcomb star in the story
[
of a youth's romantic involvement and his
f efforts to break away from the gang to
he had belonged. After the problems
in the wake of Paramount's "The Warriors"
and Warner Bros.' "Boulevard Nights," also
about street gangs, it was feared that similar
events could occur with the new film's debut.
•
The revival scene: Last of the series of
f
Garbo bills in the Carnegie Hall Cinema
series will be on May 13 with her
last two films and only comedies, "Ninotch-
(1939) and "Two Faced Woman'
1 1 94 1), both also starring Melvyn Douglas.
Regency Murder Mystery Mayhem
series continues through next week, ending
with a May 17-19 booking of Hitchcock's
"Psycho" (I960} and Brian De Palmas Sisters"
(1973). A 20th Century-Fox tribute
begins on May 20 through Mav 22 with "In
Old Chicago" (1939) and '-Roxie Hart"
(1942) and continues until July 7.
"Loudspeaker," a play by the late John
Howard Lawson, ended its
run on May 6 at
The Van Dam Theatre. A political playwright
and screenwriter (1938's "Blockade"),
Lawson was one of the Hollywood
Ten who was blacklisted in 1948. Starring in
the play, originally presented in 1927, was
John Baird, brother of reviewer Lewis Archibald.
Jackie Earl Haley and Dan Stern, the film's
commercial area playdalcs begin Aug. 3,
according to head booker LaVerne Boswell.
Jennifer O'Neill stopped off here to promote
"The Innocent." Produced in Rome
by the late Italian director Luchino Visconti,
the film opened at the Pedas Outer Circle
Sept. 27. O'Neill's portrayal in the movie
was described by the Post's Henry Allen as
"a lively performance amid the art-film
sluggishness, like the smell of a cup of col-
Ice amid the frangipani."
Woody Allen's "Manhattan," a United
Artists release, had a four-theatre unveiling
May 2, and seemed to be very well received.
After 37 weeks of continuous showings
in the Pedas Circle Theatres, Franco Brusati's
"Bread and Chocolate" has been rebooked.
Handled locally by independent distributor
Herbert Schwartz, the film is now
playing in the KB circuit's Cerberus and
Baronet theatres. The Post's Gary Arnold
has called it a "wit*y, compassionate social
comedy ."
. .
Schwartz's New World Pictures of Washington
has set "Star Crash" to open in the
entire Washington exchange (approximately
100 situations) May 25 with "tremendous
media coverage," according to Schwartz.
"French Detective," a
French police story
starring Lino Ventura, began an exclusive
engagement (unrated) at the KB Janus April
27.
Oscar-winner Christopher Walken opened
in UA's release "Last Embrace," which also
stars Roy Scheider and Janet Margolin, in
an area multiple booking May 2.
Doug Potash, United Artists branch chief,
in his invitation to exhibitors for a screening
of "Fiddler on the Roof," pointed out that
the picture, "(which is) one of the most
successful films in UA history, is returning
to the screen in Dolby stereo." Potash had
the tradescrcening in Dolby stereo at MPAA
on the evening of May 1.
Mollis Alpert, editor of the American
Film Institute's magazine, American Film,
will be teaching during May and June a sixsession
course on "Creativity in Film:
Screenwriting." Also in API's lecture/seminar
series is Albert Ihde, president of the
Washington Film Group, who will teach a
two-part "Intro to Film." And the API
Theatre has scheduled a film series of Hollywood's
courtroom dramas and a Vincenio
Minnelli retrospective.
George Romero, director of "Dawn of the
Dead." while here April 26 and 27. attended
a critic's luncheon hosted by Ted and Jim
Pedas, owner/operators of the Circle Theatres.
Romero also attended a midnight sneak
of his creation at the Embassy Circle.
"Dawn of the Dead." distributed locally by
Wheeler Film Co.. opened commercially at
two Circle theatres May 4. Among other
scheduled playdates for Wheeler Film product
are: Cal-Am's "Racquet," summer opening,
and Film Ventures International's
"Hometown U.S.A.." a May opening in the
Richmond area.
Charles T. Jordan, Warner Bros, branch
manager, invited exhibitors to bring a guest
to his recent tradescrcening of "A Little Romance"
at the Motion Picture Assn. of
American theatre. The film will unreel here
commercially May 9.
'Breaking Away' Welcomed
By Bloomington Audience
BLOOMINGTON, IND. — "Breaking
Away," a 20th Century-Fox film shot entirely
in Bloomington, received enthusiastic
praise from the audience of more than 3,000
who attended the premiere April 21. Present
at the premiere were Steve Tesich. who
v/rote the screenplay, and Peter Yates, the
director.
In gratitude for their perseverence in
seeing
the movie through from idea to feature
film, the Indiana University Foundation
honored both Tesich and Yates in pre-movie
ceremonies. Yates is the third recipient of
the foundation's distinguished service award.
Tesich and Yates also received lU watches.
Release of the film was set for Aug. 3,
but has been moved up after audience reaction
tests in New Orleans, Phoenix, Denver
and Bloomington. Yates said the Hoosier
audiences may be able to see the movie as
early as July 11.
3-Screen Addition Planned
For Mid States' Continent
COLUMBUS—The present four-screen
Continent Cinema complex on Busch Boulevard,
operated by Mid States Theatres of
Cincinnati, plans to expand to seven screens.
Don Wirts, general manager, said negotiations
have been completed with the owners,
and the architectural plans would be finalized
about May I. A construction completion
target of late summer has been set.
When the expansion is completed, this will
be the largest theatre complex in Columbus.
Twin Cinema Part of Plan
SOUTH HADLEY. MASS.— Plans for a
$3,000,000 shopping/ recreation/office complex
off Rte. 202, to include a twin cinema,
have been announced by Andre P. Theroux
of H. Theroux & Sons Construction Inc.
The 18-acre site, across from the Flaming
Pit Restaurant and adjacent to the Had-
Icy Village Apartments, is to include the
cinema twin, a restaurant, a supermarket, a
14-court racketball facility, 15 to 20 specialty
shops and professional offices.
Theroux indicated that the 200,000-
square-foot development is to be in a parklike
setting, with clusterlike buildings.
BOXOFHCE May 7, 1979 E-1

i
New York
(Average weekly grosses lollovv
FIRST RUN REPORT
theatre)
All About Gloria Leonard (Evart).
World ($8,000), 15th wk 8.460
An Almost Perfect Affair (Para).
Trans-Lux East (8.500). 1st wk. . .17.900
Fedora (UA). Cinema Studio I (5.000).
2nd wk 14.000
The French Detective (Quartet),
68th Street Playhouse (5,000),
7th wk 8.100
Get Out Your Handkerchiefs
(New Line). Paris (9,000),
19th wk 14,.^45
.lust Like at Home (New Yorker),
Cinema Studio II (4,000),
2nd wk 4.200
A Little Romance (Orion-WB). Sutton
(9.000), 1st wk 23,000
Love on the Run (New World), Coronet
(9.650). 3rd wk 15,800
Manhattan (UA), 7 theatres,
1st wk 400,()()()
A Portrait of the Artist as a
Young Man (Mahler), 1st wk.
Guild (6.700) 10.565
Embassy (6.100) 12,700
Saint Jack (New World), Cinema I
(10,400), 1st wk 35,000
Cleveland
Ashanti (WB), 1 theatre, 2nd wk 70
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Univ),
5 theatres, 3rd wk 235
The Champ (UA), 5 theatres, 2nd wk. 355
The China Syndrome (Col). 6 theatres,
5th wk 235
The Deer Hunter (Univ). 5 theatres.
1st wk 560
Disco 9000 (SR), 2 theatres, 1st wk. . . 185
Firepower (SR). 3 theatres, 1st wk 165
Get Oat Your Handkerchiefs (SR),
Cedar Lee Theatre, 5th wk 95
Hair (UA), 6 theatres, 3rd wk 115
Halloween (SR), 6 theatres, 6th wk. . . .275
Hurricane (Para), 6 theatres, 1st wk. . . 90
The Promise (Univ), 3 theatres, 1st wk. 265
Superman (WB). 3 theatres. 18th wk. . .360
Cincinnaf'i
Ashanti (WB). Showcase. 3rd wk 200
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
(Univ), 3 theatres. 4th wk 350
The Champ (UA), 3 theatres, 3rd wk. . .600
The China Syndrome (Col), 3 theatres.
6th wk 400
Dawn of the Dead (SR), Showcase,
1st wk 450
The Deer Hunter (Univ), 3 theatres,
9th wk 750
Fa.st Break (Col), 3 theatres, 6th wk. . .275
Hair (UA), Showcase, 4th wk 225
Hurricane (Para), Showcase, 2nd wk. . .200
The Innocent (SR), 2 theatres, Isl wk. 250
Love at First Bite (AI), Showcase,
2nd wk 500
.Murder hy Decree lA\\.ol. I'liULCto
5lh wk^
Showcase,
Norma Rae (20th-Fox),
6th wk
.200
The Promise (Univ), 4 theatres.
2nd wk 500
Richard Pryor—Live in Concert (SEE).
Skywalk. 10th wk 200
Same Time, Next Year (Univ),
Showcase, 1 1 th wk 200
Superman (WB), 2 theatres, 19th wk. . .400
Hartford
Buck Rogers in the 2Sth Century
(Univ). 3 theatres, 4th wk 165
The Champ (MGM-UA), Showcase
V. 3rd wk 140
The China Syndrome (Col). 3 theatres,
6th wk 235
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Showcase
n, 7th wk 250
Hair (UA), Showcase III, 4th wk 300
Halloween (Compass Infl), Showcase
VL 6th wk 200
Hurricane (Para). Showcase L
2nd wk 185
Little Blue Box (SR), Art Cinema.
2nd wk 225
Love at First Bite (AI), Showcase IV,
2nd wk 200
Norma Rae (20th-Fox), Cinema City
IV. Elm II. 5th wk 175
Picnic at Hanging Rock (Atlantic
Releasing). Atheneum Cimema.
3rd wk.^ 100
The Psychic (Group I), 3 theatres,
2nd wk 235
Buffalo
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
(Univ). 2 theatres. 3rd wk 100
The Champ (UA). 3 theatres. 2nd wk. . .250
The China Syndrome (Col).
3 theatres, 5th wk 175
The Deer Hunter (Univ), 1 theatre,
8th wk 250
Hair (UA), 3 theaters, 4th wk 100
Halloween (Compass), 1 theatre,
nth wk 125
Hurricane (Para), 2 theatres, 1st wk. ... 150
Norma Rae (20th-Fox), 1 theatre,
6th wk 100
Richard Pryor—Live in Concert
(SEE), 1 theatre, 7th wk 90
Superman (WB), 2 theatres, 18th wk. . . 90
The Warriors (Para). 1 theatre,
10th wk 80
Columbus
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Univ),
Cinema North, 4th wk 200
The Champ (UA), 2 theatres, 3rd wk. . .290
The China Syndrome (Col), 4 theatres,
6th wk 150
Dawn of the Dead (SR). Raintree.
1st wk 500
The Deer Hunter (Univ), 2 theatres.
9th wk 315
Fast Break (Col). 2 theatres, 5th wk. .
I he Great American Chase (WB),
. 90
3 theatres. 2nd wk 165
Hair (UA). 2 theatres. 4th wk 190
Hurricane (Para), Raintree, 2nd wk. ..300
Norma Rae (20th-Fox), 3 theatres,
2nd wk 175
The Promi.se (Univ), 2 theatres,
3rd wk 250
Richard Pryor—Live in Concert (SEE),
Continent, 9th wk 300
Silent Partner (SR), Raintree, 4th wk. . .500
Superman (WB). 2 theatres, 19th wk. . .140
New Haven
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
(Univ), Milford II, 4th wk 135
The Champ (MGM-UA), Showcase V,
3rd wk .125
The China Syndrome (Col), Cinemart
11, Milford I, 6th wk 200
The Deer Hunter (Univ). Showcase
II, 7th wk 250
Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (New
Line Cinema), Lincoln, 1st wk 300
Hair (UA), Showcase III, 4th wk 225
Halloween (Compass Int'l), Showcase
IV, 6th wk 185
Hurricane (Para), Showcase I,
2nd wk 200
Love at First Bite (AI), Cinemart I,
1st wk 250
Norma Rae (20th-Fox), York Square
Cinema, 2nd wk 225
Take All of Me (Group I), Milford
Twin Drive-In I, 1st wk 225
PHILADELPHIA
tentative plans are under way to bring a
major film festival to Philadelphia next
year. Dr. Stuart Samuels, one of the principal
organizers, said that the preliminary
ideas for the festival called for a concentration
on the films of one particular country,
probably France, with major French
actors and directors coming to Philadelphia
to discuss their work.
City officials of Chester, stung by constant
complaints that
in
the only movie theatre
the community shows only X-rated films,
are negotiating to purchase the center-city
theatre. City councilman Michael MacNeilly.
at the council meeting last week, said
that they are trying to "work out a pro
gram" imder which purchase of the Boyd
Art Theatre, the city's only operating movie
house, will lead to changing its "adult film
policy to
family-type fare."
Jerry Frebowitz has established Video
House Entertainment Co. in suburban Bala
Cynwyd, Pa., for the distribution of motion
pictures and video cassettes.
Douglas J. Keating of the Philadelphia
Inquirer sees "Ashanti" as a "second-rate
Western, set in Africa." For Joe Adcock of
the Bulletin, the film is "one of total idiocy."
The locally based chain of Silo stereo,
sound and appliance stores has lease dthe!
Centurv Twin Thealies in the nearby
Moorcstown (N.J.) Shopping Mall. The*
E-2 BOXOFFICE May 7. 197^

I
houses
'
In
,
decline,
'
, relli
;
until
I Max
1 United
[screens have been dark and Silo, with a
'ten-year lease, will convert the movie
to another unit in the Silo chain.
another retail transaction here, the onetime
movie theatre building at 917-25 N.
Second St. has been purchased by a cyclonr
fencing operation.
The coniniunity effort to help save and
restore the Warner Theatre in West Chester.
Pa., an art deco palace that has fallen into
recently received a boost with a
benefit concert featuring the Duke Ellington
Orchestra conducted by Mercer Ellington.
Lawrence Toppman of the Atlantic City
Press reviewed "Hair" and said Milos Forman
produced "a barbed, ironic view of the
IMdOs that few other directors would have
hud the insight, imagination or inclination
to make."
Ernest Schier of the Philadelphia Bulletin
thinks it's "outrageous" for Franco Zeffito
remake the 1931 tearjerker "The
Champ." "Outrageous, because it tampers
with the long memories of filmgoers, and
outr.igeous, because ours is not exactly an
,igj of innocence." Schier called "A Perfect
Couple" an "essentially trivial film ... an
amiable, well-made minor film that suggests
! (director Robert) Altman is only vamping
he's ready for his next film."
Miller, regional promotion chief for
Artists, had the Philadelphia Daily
News give out T-shirts promoting "Hair,"
which opened at the SamEric Theatre. In
a random drawing of coupons mailed in by
readers, 50 multi-colored "Hair" shirts were
sent to the winners.
BALTIMORE
! (Continued on following page)
"Qonsidering all the talent that went into
the remake of 'Hurricane,' one marvels
at the fact that it has turned out so badly."
writes Lou Cedrone, movie critic for the
Evening Sun. "It moves like a leaky boat,
leaving a wake of dialogue that brings
laughter . .
."
The Tenth Annual Baltimore International
Film Festival has been announced for
May 9-22. The sponsor is the Baltimore
Film Forum, 516 N. Charles St., and the
theatre used will be The Playhouse, 25 ih
and Charles streets. It is a Schwaber World
Fare Cinemas house.
"Dawn of the Dead" opened April 20 at
The Hippodrome (along with "Ashanti").
Joppatowne Cinema, The Movies, Randallstown
and Ritchie Cinema.
Cable television companies are taking a
sudden interest in Anne Arundel County
after years of allowing cable franchises to
gather dust. The county council April 16
granted a franchise to Rau Broadcasting to
provide services to a broad swath in the
center of the county which includes the
Crofton, Millersville, Severna Park and
Cape St. Claire areas. The president of
the company, Lloyd S,
Smith, said he could
be ready to offer cable service to some customers
within a year.
1
Spotlight on New England
SPRINGFIELD
f^ichard Frcednian, Newhonse News Serv
ice, was not impres,sed with "Huriicane."
His dispatch to The Morning Union
lamented; "For a reported $20,000,000
Dino DeLaurentiis has brewed himself the
proverbial tempest in
a teapot."
The same tritic quoted veteran tliespiaii
Burgess Meredith on the merits of upcoming
"The Great Bank Hoax," which also
stars Richard Basehart, Ned Beatty and
Michael Murphy: "It isn't easy to get a major
studio to pay attention to a small-budget
picture. The French used to make movies
like this, and so did the English in the great
Ealing Studios days. There's no reason wc
can't."
VERMONT
The Mallclts Bay Drive-In, suburban Burlington,
resumed full-time operations
for 1979, scheduling a double-bill. X-rated.
from the statesrights field ("Little Girls
Blue" and "Erotic Adventures of Candy").
The Sunset Drivc-Iii, suburban Burlington,
had the first four-feature underskyer
bill in northern Vermont for 1979— Paramount's
"Up in Smoke" and "American Hot
Wax," plus "Speed Trap" and 'Satan's
Cheer Leaders," with a "special price" of
$5 per carload in effect.
NEW HAVEN
^ave Brown continues to demonstrate how
a small-town exhibitor indeed can be
all things to all people. In addition to running
a regular program of Hollywood output
at the Edmond Town Hall Theatre,
Newtown, Brown also schedules topical programs.
As witness, a Newtown Animal Welfare
Society-sponsored evening on a recent
Thursday (8 p.m.); a motion picture, "Endangered
Predatois," was shown. Admission
was $2.
Bob Einiicke, New Haven Register, called
Universal's "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"
a "shrewd and palatable adventure, a
gaudy and lowdown B picture to occupy a
rainy afternoon for children and adults. A
respectful tribute to the Buster Crabbe
serial . .
."
HARTFORD
fwentieth-Fox's "Norma Rae" drew a rave
from Janice Trecker in the West Hartford
News; " 'Norma Rae' is an unusual picture,
tough without being brutal and dramatic
without slipping into melodrama. For
Sally Field, it has provided a magnificent
opportunity: she has used it to reveal an
actress at the height of her powers."
Anemic Cinema Corp., 25 Powers Court.
Westport 06880. filed a certificate of dissolution
(going out of business) with the office
of the Connecticut Secretary of Stale.
nORCESTER
n nicrican International slotted mid-Massachusetts
premiere of "Love at First
Bite" into the Redstone White City Cinemas
2 . . . Mid-Massachusetts undenskyers opened
for the warmer weather with $5 per
carload (regardless of number of passengers)
very much evident in on-going policy.
NEW BRITAIN
phe DeSantis Kensington Cinema, which
has been on a 99 cents admission
policy, increased the charge to $1.50 for
showings of Warner Bros.' "Every Which
Way But Loose."
BOSTON
gack Theatres is expanding again by twinning
theatres, with 45 screens in the
offing. The latest is the twinning of the two
larger houses in the Natick complex. Cinemas
I and II, now underway. The recently
opened Natick Cinemas III and IV remain
in operation during the renovation period.
The six cinemas reopen June 15 with
"Prophecy." "Butch and Sundance: The
Early Days," "In Laws" and "Rocky II."
Francis E. Charles, 49, retired vice-president
of General Cinema Theatre Corp.,
Chestnut Hill, Boston, died April 24 in Peter
Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston. Surviving
arc his wife, a son, a daughter and a
brother.
Sack Theatres still wants to continue in
the Icgil field triggered by the success of
"Man of La Mancha" last summer, and has
booked the company of "Grease" for the
4.400-seat house for May 1-13. The film
chain, which is expanding to 45 screens in
Massachusetts, also seeks to book legit productions
into the Savoy Theatre, which it
once owned, and sold to Sarah Caldwell's
Opera Company.
Under teims of the sale to the Opera
Company. Sack has the right to present
stage shows when the theatre is not being
used. A. Alan Friedberg. president of Sack.
said part of the sales agreement was that
Sack could book the house with shows when
it was dark, but he now says he fears Caldwell
will keep the theatre dark from May
25. final day of her opera season, until
sometime next March when the new season
begins.
Joan Collins will star in "The Bitch" as a
wealthy woman who "keeps" the manager of
a night club.
MOVIE PROGRAMS
, .
,
USE MOVIE HERALDS AND PROGRAMS
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BOXOFHCE May 7, 1979
E-3

movie marathon featuring four anj
CINCINNATI
gpringfield-based Chakeres Theatres reopened
its 21 Ohio and Kentucky outdoor
screens with a first-run engagement of
•Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" and
•The Great Train Robbery." Good weather
brought •sunshine"" to the boxoffice. according
to spokesman Jack Oberleitner. Meanwhile,
same company has initiated a giant
Pepsi and popcorn campaign using "The
Bigger, the Better'" as their slogan. Top
managers and concessionists
uses for increased sales.
cash bon-
Showcase Cinemas recently held a midnight
prevuc of "'Dawn of the Dead," the
sequel to the cult favorite "•Night of the
Living Dead." In conjunction with WEBN-
FM. the promotion included nurses on duty
in the lobby and ambulances stationed in
front of the complex . . . just in case a
patron became overcome by the gory goiings-on.
New additions to the Chakeres Theatre
family are Mike Glass, Bill Canton, Raymond
Barrett, Noah Penix, Gregg Scott,
and Tim Ahern. Sally Morgan is the new
co-op advertising secretary in the Springfield
main office.
AI's "Love at First Bite" opened to "near
blockbuster"' business at Cincy's two Showcase
houses.
1978's Best Foreign Film, "Get Out Your
Handkerchiefs." debuted recently at 20th
Century, while Visconti"s "The Innocent"
was on tap at Carousel and Studio.
Regent and State Theatres, Springfield.
Ohio, have now completed the installation
of new heating and air conditioning systems.
The Enquirer's Tom McEl fresh labeled
••Dawn of the Dead" "an obscenity of violence
designed in rank greed to prey for
profit on the most flaccid of televisionlobotomized
minds." The plot' "Just rancid,
relentless, repulsive killings." Performances
"You have to have actors before you can
have performances."
Screenings: UA's new Woody Allen comedy,
"Manhattan."
A new trial date has been set for the landmurk
challenge to Ohio's anti-blind bidding
law, The case is now set to open July 2.
Mid America Theatre Service moved to
new quarters, effective April 30. Their new
address is: P.O. Box 11047. 6020 Harrison
Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45211. Telephone
513-574-1550. Bennett Goldstein asks that
the correct box number be used on mail in
order to insuic delivery.
E-4
Writer Alleges Abuse
Of Children at 'Davra'
LEXINGTON, KY. — Wood Simpson
writing m the Lexington Herald discussed
••Dawn of the Dead," a movie sans rating
which is being enforced as an R. Critic
Simpson's complaint with management of
the Crossroads Cinema is that parents are
being allowed to bring their children to see
"Dawn of the Dead."
••Sitting in the audience the other night
at
the Crossroads Cinema was a serious test
of my faith in the First Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution and the film rating code,
which jointly confer the privilege of exhibiting
a film like 'Dawn of the Dead' in the
presence of young children," Simpson said.
" -Dawn of the Dead' features gross,
hardcore, repetitive acts of cannibalism. It
is easily the sickest film I have ever seen.
But hearing the horrified screams of small
children in the audience, mixed in with the
nervous laughter of their parents sent a chill
up my spine. These parents, to put it bluntly,
are abusing their children, abusing their
mimds in ways that may, years from now,
have awful consequences for them.
"Well, I protest. I protest on behalf of
these youngsters. And I call on the management
of this theatre to—at the very leastwarm
parents at the door of the unsuitability
of this film for childron or—^better
still
prohibit their attendance."
voluntarity
Concluding. Simpson asked for theatre
owners to "accept the responsibility for ensuring
that children are not exposed to
harml'ul films," adding that "parents should
be very careful about taking their children
to R-rated films and should inquire of the
theatre management before doing so.
'•The sad truth is that too may children
are being given the impression too soon that
violence is the way to solve problems,"
Simpson said.
Akron Vice Squad Starts
Crackdown on Porn Films
AKRON, OHIO—Akron vice detectives
have launched a new crackdown on allegedly
pornographic films, after a recent Ohio
Supreme Court decisions overturned an earlier
one that held the city's pandering obscenity
ordinance unconstitutional. Until the
high court ruled on this measure, there had
been no enforcement for the past several
months.
On April 9, detectives confiscated a film,
"Debbie Does Dallas," at the Art Theatre.
Lee Kramer, manager, said the house closed
down that evening after the film was seized.
The next night six films were confiscated
from two theatres, the Astor on 131 S. Main
and the Main at 278 S. Main. Six employees
at the three theatres were issued summonses
and charged with
pandering obscenity.
Woman Vents Anger on D-I
FALL RIVER, MASS.—A Somerset.
Wilbur Eckard Dies at 73
ASHLAND, OHIO- Wilbur S. Eckard.
73. owner and operatoi- of the Ashland Mass., woman who has been opposing ihc
Bernice. X-ratcd policy at the Family Drive-In 1 he
died April 8. His wife,
Drive-In,
two sons and a daughter survive.
was charged with attempted arson, nia
aire,
licious mischief and breaking and entering
at the underskyer. She was due to appear
in
Fall River Disrtict Court. Police reported
that an employee of the drive-in (whose lij
cense Frances Robidoux, 38, was petitioning
the selectmen to revoke) found a door
damaged and a flammable liquid splashed
on a building.
Attacks in Theatre Areas
Cause Film Cancellations
PHILADELPHIA—After watching an;
all-night
ti-establishment and martial arts films at the
midtown Milgram Theatre, some of
^
the'
movie patrons went on a crime spree resulting
in
the cancellation of a repeat of the allnight
program on a second night. Not only
were five persons injured early Saturday
morning (April 21) in four beatings and robberies
following the all-night film festival,
but the Milgram Theatre itself was reportedly
left in shambles.
Starting at midnight and continuing until
6 a.m., four features were offered, including
Richard Pryor's "Which Way Is Up". "Exit
the Dragon. Enter the Dragon," "The
Human Tornado" and Fred Williamson in
"Boss Nigger."
The next day a man standing in line to
attend the screening of "Phantasm" at Budco's
Golman Theatre, just a few blocks away
in center city, was attacked and robbed byj
four youths.
PHILADELPHIA
(Continued from previous page)
Philadelphia premiere for "The Opium
War," the first film out of Red China, was
the weekend viewing at the Walnut Street
Theatre Film Center.
Desmond Ryan of the Philadelphia Inquirer
finds •Love at First Bite" as being
"neither funny nor frightening. It is merely
frightful."
City representative and director of commerce
Joseph A. LaSala has announced thai
the world premiere of "•Rocky 11"' here or
June 8 will be followed by a sparkling gak
at the Philadelphia Art Museum for th(
picture's stars and the select audience. Pro
ceeds of the gala will benefit the Polia
Athletic League (PAL). Mayor Frank S
Rizzo expressed his pleasure with thi
planned premiere for which arrangement
were made by Carl Ferrazza, executive di
rector of promotion for United Artists
Robert Arnold, advertising director of Bud
CO Theatres; Lewis Klein, chairman of PAL
and the staff of the city representative'
office and the Art Museum.
The J. I. Rodale Theatre in Allentowr
which features a repertory company fc
Broadway stage productions throughout th
year, will convert the playhouse to a movi
house for a spring film series at the end c
the month.
BOXOmCE :: May 7, 197

f!
i
admissions
,
Spadero,
;
banquet
[
Midnight
'
, held
, —
'
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'
^'
SAN FRANCISCO
H
Jerry Collins, 67. died April 23. He had
been active in the film industry for the
past 40 years as a buyer at UATC, Scro
Amusement, Fox West Coast, Syufy Bmtcririses
and independently. Survivors include
his wife Dorothy, who is the branch manager's
secretary of United Artists, three
sons and two daughters.
Branch manager Jim Mooney and salesmen
Tony Grabowy and Tom Muller of the
Universal branch were in New Orleans
April 30-May 4 for a sales meeting.
Daria Martinez, who has been head cashier
at Paramount for five years, is the new
booker at Warner Bros., replacing Celia Velasco
who has returned to Los Angeles.
1979-80 WOMPI officers will be Tillie
president; Liana Figane, first vice-
president; Maureen Devine, second vicepresident:
Ramona Wascher, secretary, and
Marji Rykowski, treasurer. The installation
( )
will be at Orontes June 20.
I
show programs with separate
are reaching the saturation stage
with nine theatres (Balboa, Market Street
Cinema, Coliseum, Egyptian, Ghirardelli.
,
Presidio, Roxie, Serra and Strand theatres
[
in San Francisco) having them on the weekend
of April 27-28.
Funeral services for Roy Cooper were
April 30 at Sinai Memorial Chapel.
Metro 2 (2,700) 3.366
Goneva Drive-In 3 (5,400) 2.593
'M^gm
gBp^
Plaza 1 (6.200). Norma Rae (20th-Fox), rngM
6th wk 4.271 ,^^
Phantasm (Avco), Balboa 1 (4,200). wm'-^---^.
4th wk 2.1^-1 ;
^
Picnic at Hanging Rock (Atlantic). " <
Lumiere (3,850), 1st wk 9.7 V)
The Promise (Univ), UA Stonestown II
(4,050), 3rd wk 5,799
Same Time, Next Year (Univ), Cinema
21 (8,600), 11th wk 6,275
Superman (WB), Northpoint (11.800).
19th wk 16.35S
Tourist Trap (Compass). St. Francis 1
(5,200). 1st wk 2.913
Wifemistress (Quartet). Stage Door HEAR! HEAR!—George Hamilton
(4.600), 5th wk 8.523
(right), who stars in the role of Dracula
in American International's comedy
Hollywood
^onny Saland and Elliot
Happenings
Geisinger of Professional
Films Inc. will produce a
television featurette dealing with behindthe-scenes
highligjhts in the making of Blake
Edwards' "10" for Orion Pictures. Also included
will be interviews with stars Dudley
Moore and Julie Andrews.
Buddy Rogers will introduce a 90-minute
film salute "1929: An All Talking, All Singing,
All Dancing Year," to be shown May 9
at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences as this year's first in a series of
retrospective screenings at the Academy.
Free admission for Academy members and
the public.
pMt%^T
Vincent Price, his wife, actress Coral
Diikt
r/nJM KUN Biowne, Edith Head, James Galanos and
Betsy Bloomingdale will be among trend-
DCDftDT
setters taking part in the "Ultimate Chic
J nCtWn i West" course in fashion and style to be
_l
m\m, presented for two months beginning June
. 4 by the College of Continuing Education
San Francisco .„ ,p,^. University of Southern California.
(Average weekly grosses follow theatre) jhe session will be held at Hershenson Hall
Boulevard Nights (WB), Geneva at the Temple Stephen S. Wise in Los Ange-
Drive-In (5.400), 5th wk 1,961
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Univ),
les.
*
4th wk. Woody Allen's "Interiors." a United
Coliseum (7.400) 3.580 Artists release, has been awarded Spain's
UA Stonestown 1 (4,040) 5,204 "Sant Jordi" prize as best picture of the
St. Francis 2 (5,200) 3,753
The Champ (MGM/UA). Metro
wk (10.200). 3rd 6.799
The China Syndrome (Col). Coronet
i^^^^mi _•»*#*.••.
(14.900). 6th wk 26.06S
"H^B "l^^r
H^^^ ThAatrA Q\/Qf^mQ
(10.800). 9th wk 22.035 1^
'
neauc oysiemb
^*^
The Deer Hunter (Univ). Alexandria 1
Dirt (American Cinema). 1st wk. 1
Alexandria 2 (4.500) 4.55.S
, I
'
J,
film "Love At First Bite," toasts the
memory of the greatest Dracula of
them all, Bela Lugosi, in ceremonies
held on the site of Lugosi's Walk of
Fame star on Hollywood Boulevard.
Joining in the toast (left) is William F.
Hertz, president of the Hollywood
Chamber of Commerce and director of
theatre operations for Mann Theatres.
year by Radio Nacional de Espagna. Top
film critics in Barcelona serve as the awards
jury.
•
Henry Fonda went home April 20 from
Cedars Sinai Medical Center after minor
surgery on an arthritic hip. A hospital
spokesman said a few malignant cells were
detected in the actor's prostate gland during
surgery to clear a urinaiy block but
that further treatment would not be necessary.
Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley declared
April 27 "A Little Romance" Day in Los
Angeles in a citation that pointed out the
film was "the first motion picture to be
produced by the Orion Pictures Co." The
film, the mayor declared, is "a return to the
type of movies which made Hollywood and
Los Angeles the entertainment capital of the
world." "A Little Romance" premiered thai
day at the Plaza Theatre in Westwood.
^
S: 'ottS . ,5,4„o, :::::: ;.;:S
// M ffl[^3P3 EP BF^
Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (SR).
Clay (4.100), 11th wk 6,788
^
'
" '^ '
"-'
"th wL- ''.'.''"'.'. ".'""' .1.8.8 ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT
Hurricane (Para). Royal (9.600).
Design Construction Equipment Interiors
2nd wk 10.132
Last Wave (SR). Bridae (4.200), Filbert Company 1100 Flower St.. Glendale, Calif., 91201 1213)247-6550
^.
5th wk
8.981 Filbert Northwest 2503- 152nd Ave N.E, Redmond. Wa, 98052 (206)885-0200
Love at First Bite (AD, 3rd wk.
Alexandria 3 (4.500) 6,126
BOXOFFICE :; May 7, 1979
[T
W-1

. . "The
. . Opening
TUCSON
"Qalifornia Dreaming" premiered April 28
at Tucson Drive-In. Showcase and Oracle
View quad . Silent Partner" was
sneak previewed April 28 at Showcase . . .
"Love at First Bite" began April 28 at Cineworld
and Oracle View 4.
KWFM Radio special midnight show
April 27 and 28 was "The Last Waltz," with
all seats $3 . . . "Buck Rogers in the 25th
Century" was held over for its fifth and
final week at Cineworld . . . "The Champ"
was still in there at Oracle View quad for
holdover fourth smash week.
First Tucson showing of "Inframan" and
"Superman" took place April 1 1 at DeAnza
Drive-In . . . "Halloween" came early this
year to the Coronado . at the
Tucson 5 Drive-In, Cineworld and Oracle
View quad April I 1 was "Bedknobs and
Broomsticks" . . . Held over at DeAnza
Drive-In was "Phantasm."
Reviewer Tully Tossed Out
Of TM Theatres' Showcase
TUCSON—The lid was clamped tight
on The Airzona Daily Star's movie critic
Jacqi Tully"s effort to review "The Bell Jar"
April 27 at TM Theatres of Tucson's Showcase
on Speedway Boulevard.
Tully had settled comfortably in her seat
for the 5:15 p.m. show when the manager
approached and quietly requested her to
leave. The Star earlier had been forewarned
that Tully would not be tolerated at any
TM theatre.
In lieu of TM owner Merton and son
Jeffrey Weiner's unavailability for official
comment, Ernie Hoffman, TM's ad manager,
explained, emphasizing he did not express
TM's official position; "I think her
opinions are biased." said Hoffman. "They
are Jacqi Tully's opinions; they are not to
me a reviewer's opinions—someone who
should be stating a quality of a film good
or bad on the basis of an impartial review."
Specifically, Hoffman continued: "Jacqi
goes far more into detail than most reviewers."
Asked to mention a specific review.
Hoffman answered "I'd have to do some
research on it to pick out specific points."
Ruffled over the incident, Frank John-
FILMACK IS
1st CHOICE
WITH
SHOWMEN
EVERYWHERE
son. Stai managing editor, said, "banning a
critic from a public place of entertainment
is reprehensible. In this case it appears that
Ms. Tully is being punished for being a
throughtful and truthful reporter. Movie
criticism and movie industry reporting are
major portions of her responsibilities to the
Star and its readers. She will continue to
fulfill that role despite such overt attempts
at censorship as instigated by TM Theatres
management."
Tully's picture hung in the Showcase boxoffice
adjacent to a notation ordering employees
to refuse her admission. luily said
apparently the Showcase manager failed to
recognize her at first. She said he said he
was only following orders; according to
Tully he further explained that management
has the right to refuse admission to anyone,
the standard notation on many theatre ticket
stubs.
Arizona's Mystery Gunman
Shoots Drive-In Cashier
CASA GRANDE. ARIZ. — Considered
Ihe ciyhth
^hooting victim of Casa Grande's
iinsicrioiis yiinman is 22-year-old Lily C.
G.ucia. .1 cashier at the Desert Drive-In
Jheatre. Watching a movie during a lull,
April 26, Mrs. Garcia responded to a knock
at the booth door only to be shot without
warning, bullets entering her head behind
her right ear and her right shoulder. She
collapsed after running from the booth for
20 feet.
A witness chased the suspect, described
as a medium build. Mexican-American with
dark wavy hair, across the street where the
assailant escaped in an older-model, white
pickup, avoiding a police roadblock.
At last report Mrs. Garcia was in good
condition at Hoemako Hospital.
SEATTLE
C F. Burns and Raylah Holleman ol the
S.F. Burns Co. here were able to attend
the Show-A-Rama 22 convention in Kansas
City. They have returned to town, along
with Sterling Recreation Organization's Bob
Bond, lb Johanson and Fun magazine's Stu
Goldman.
Niinierous executives from Paramount
ORDER FROM FILMACK
WHENEVER YOU NEED
SPECIAL FILMS
CROSS PLUGS,
MERCHANT ADS,
SPECIAL AN-
NOUNCEMENTS
FILMACK STUDIOS, INC.
60605 312-427-^3395
Pictures were on hand for the sneak preview
of "Prophecy" at the Cinerama Theatre
April 21. The theatre closed after matinee
showings of the regular film. "Murder by
Decree," reopening at 7:30 p.m. for the
8:00 sneak preview followed by a showing
of "Murder by Decree." The theatre was
completely sold out long before the sneak
hit
the screen.
American Interiiational's Love at First
Bite" was featured in vivid colors on the
cover of Fun magazine's April 18 edition.
It opened two days later to fine grosses
at Sterling's Lewis & Clark. John Danz.
Lake City and Lynn Four theatres as well
as at Tom Moyer's downtown Everett Tri-
Cinema.
Openings: "Firepower," the first Ironi
Associated Film Distributors, April 27 at
the .Seattle Aurora. Bellevue Oveilake, Renton
Village and Everett Mall cinemas, the
SeaTac 6 Cinema and in the Sno-King and
Duwamish drive-ins; "The Children of Sanchez"
at the Uptown April 27, and in
70mm and six-track stereo, "The Exorcist"
at the Cinerama Theatre for the first lime
in
Seattle.
The original "The Thief of Bagdad" weni
into the Guild 45th April 25.
Tom Moyer's Bellevue Crossroads Quail
was open showing "Buck Rogers in the 25lli
Century," "Good Guys Wear Black," "Com
ing Home" and "Invasion of the Bod\
Snatchers." Meanwhile in Everett. Moyer's
new Tri-Cinema was going full blast with
"Love at First Bite," "The Deer Hunter"
and "Good Guys Wear Black "
Bravura Films hosted a "10th Anniversary
Extravaganza" at the JWA screening
room April 12. with cocktails, lavish hors
d'oeuvres and the screening of 80 minutes
of its films, including a brief retrospective
of "landmark" productions, a short animated
film "Once Upon a Fishook" which is a
work in progress and Part I of "Secrets of
an Alien World" which will be shown on
national television later this year. The company,
with offices in The Cannery, has ambitious
plans for the production and distribution
of features and shorts.
Dina Bachelor Resigns
As Head of Film Office
PHOENIX—April 20 was Dina Bache-.
lor's last day as motion picture coordinator
for the city of Phoenix.
Ms. Bachelor will be relocating to Newport
Beach, Calif., to manage a division of'
Center Industries, a professional rccruitingj
firm with corporate offices in Phoenix.
j
"The last four years and a resulting $14J
million dollars of filming activity in 1978i
in the city of Phoenix has to be one of thei
most rewarding projects of my career," said
Dina. "This industry is growing at an evenj
faster pace than anticipated, with $.^ million;
dollars accoimted lor in the first quarter of,
1979 from commercials and documentaries;
alone."
Luci Alvarado has been assigned to coordinate
shooting iictivity in Phoenix under
BOXOFFICE :: Mav 7. 1979

'
the direction of Frank Fairbanks, assistant
to city manager.
"Phoenix is looking at the reahty of becoming
the third-largest filming center in
U.S., according to the Producers Assn.
Hthe
of America," says Dina. "And I feel very
privileged to have played a part in that
,
F' growth."
Matai Chiefs Protest
'Hurricane' Portrayal
HONOLULU—A week after Dino Lauren
li is" production of "Hurricane" from
Paramount opened at the Royal Theatre in
Waikiki, a group of Samoan chiefs (Matai)
.iiiircd in their native lava lavas and chanting
as they marched held a peaceful protest
in front of the theatre for two hours.
Two television stations, reporters from
newspapers and radio covered the picketing.
just after the first-night performance had
begun.
The protest was sponsored by the Samo-
;in Council of Chiefs and Orators in Hawaii
and the Service for Hawaii (Tautua Mo
Samoa) organization. The council sponsors
the annual celebration of Samoan Flag Day
in Hawaii and advocates the preservation
of Samoan culture.
The group is headed by High Chief Fialaugaluia
K. Salanoa. Tautua Mo Samoa's
president is Gus Hannemann and his was
the first organization to be cited by the
.American Samoa Legislature for their efforts
in behalf of the Samoan people.
Hannemann stated that the Samoan culture
was being misrepresented and distorted
to the fullest in the movie version of Laurentiis'
"Hurricane." "As depicted on the
screen, the image of the Samoan and especially
the Matai was full of mockery and
deceit," said Hannemann. "We are against
the showing of the movie around the
world."
HONOLULU
J^ovietiine Films' •Death Dimension. "
cmrcntly
1
at the King downtown and
is Royal Sunset Drive-ins, a production by
Oscar L. Nichols, with Harold "Oddjob"
Sakata and Myron Biiice Lee, all of Honolulu.
Lippert Personnel Shifts
In California Announced
SAN FRANCl.SCO -Robert L. lippert
Jr., presidont of the theatre chain bearing
his name, has announced several changes
in field and main office personnel.
The company is in the final stages of
complete reorganization. In keeping with
policy of promotions from within. Gene
O'Neill, former manager of the circuit's
Arden Fair 4 in Sacramento, has been elevated
to district manager for the Sacramento
area.
O'Neill will oversee operation of the Arden
Fair and Village Cinemas in Sacramento,
the Yuba City Drivc-In (formerly Autoseel
and the Marysville Drive-ln (formerly
Sierra).
In Southern California, Naomi Vcnablc,
manager of the Indio Twin, has been made
city manager and will oversee the Aladdin
and Deserf theatres and the Indio Twin.
Also in Southern California, Bob Maness,
recently manager of the Colorado 4 in Denver,
has taken over the Americana 6 cinemas
in Panorama City.
In a field-to-main office move, Donald
Crawford, who has served the circuit as
manager in Denver, Oakland and Hayward
has been promoted to director of advertis
ing.
If it's
Tom Peterson, former manager of Gen
eral Cinema's Sun Valley in Concord, re
places Crawford at the Hayward .5 cinemas
just anyone,
anyplace will do.
If it's
someone important,
say "Meet me
at the Derby
Ricky Schroder ("The Champ") was
scheduled to arrive to begin his role in
Walt Disney's "The Last Flight of Noah's
Ark" on Kauai Island.
The storm over Dino De Laiiientiis'
"Hurricane" continues. Following wide coverage
by the media and the press, the Samoan
protesters headed by Gus Hanneman
of Service for Samoa and the Samoan Chiefs
met with Frank Miller, president and general
manager of Royal Theatres Ltd. The
peaceful picketing was held in front of the
Royal Theatre in Waikiki.
The Samoan group requested that the piclure
not be shown anymore, and Miller explained
that contractual obligations with
Paramount, have to be met.
mmi^^
"Meet me at the Derby."
RESERVATIONS:
Hollywood & Vine HOllywood o_s]5I • V\/ilshire & Rodeo BRadshaw 0-2311.
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979

\
DENVER
_^vco set a Friday night sneak screening
of "Phantasm" at the Buckingham 5
and Thornton 3 theatres. The new Gary
Busey picture "Fooling Around" was sneaked
at the Cherry Creek Cinema.
Visiting the exchanges were Jack McGce.
Judith Theatre. Lewistown. Montana, and
Neal Lloyd. Westland Theatres. Colorado
Springs.
John Burton of the Nile Theatre in Mitchell.
Nebiaska has been hospitalized. John's
v/ife Margarite is handling the theatre during
his absence.
Ken Newbert, branch manager for Columbia
Pictures, has resigned. Newbert had
managed the local branch office for just
about a year prior to his resigning and is
expected to announce a connection within
the industry shortly.
Fun magazine devoted their April 18
cover to the opening of American International's
"Love at First Bite" which started
April 20 in the Lynn Four, Lake City. John
Danz and Lewis & Clark theatres.
FIRST RUN
REPORT
Denver
Agatha (WB), Cooper Cameo,
8th wk 65
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
(Univ). 6 theatres, 3rd wk 110
The Champ (UA), 2 theatres, 3rd wk. .280
The China Syndrome (Col).
Continental. 6th wk
l-'^O
The Deer Hunter (Univ).
Colorado 4, 9th wk 300
Hair (UA). Colorado 4, 4th wk 280
Hurricane (Para). 3 theatres,
2nd wk 90
PETERSON
THEATRE
455 Bearcat Drive
Times Square Park
SUPPLY
Salt Lake City, Utoh 84115
801-466-7642
Norma Rae (20th-Fox). 2 theatres,
5th wk 70
The Promise (Univ), 4 theatres,
3rd wk 110
Same Time, Next Year (Univ),
Cooper, 11th wk 100
Superman (VVB), Century 21.
18th wk
1-''
Stigwood Is Awarded
Showmanship Prize
HOLLYWOOD—Robert Stigwood, whose
motion picture hits include the boxoffice
smashes "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever,"
was awarded the Showmanship Award
of the Publicists Guild of America at its annual
luncheon April 6 at the Beverly Wilshire
Hotel.
The award was accepted by Robert Frost,
substituting for Stigwood who was in England.
Tony Habeeb, publicity director for
Irwin Allen Productions, received the Bob
Yeager Award, given to a guild member
for his outstanding coimtributions to the organization.
Regina Gruss, publicity director of Marble
Arch Productions, was presented with the
Les Mason Award, given annually to a
guild member whose "high professional
standards rebound to the credit of the guild
and publicists." British actor Anthony Hopkins
made the presentation.
Cecil Smith, Los Angeles Times and
Times-Mirror Synidate TV columnist, was
honored with the annual Press Award, with
actress Penelope Milford making the presentation.
Montana Theatre Owners
Assemble in Missoula
MISSOULA. MONT. — The Montana
Assn. of Theatre Owners recently held its
annual meeting at the Village Inn here. Attending
were exhibitors from throughout
Montana as well as the neighboring states
Poison.
Also re-elected were Rich Snyder, Wolf
Point, president; Patsy Skogen, Ronan, secretary
and Larry Flesch, Shelby, vice-president
and treasurer.
Others serving on the board are Norman
Costen, Harvre; Tom Mines. Kalispell; Dave
Wiesbeck, Libby; Peyton Terry, Glasgow;
Myron Bean, Choteau and Dean Osteraner,
Great Falls.
John Roberts Elected
President of RMMPA
DENVER—John Roberts, general manager
Wolfberg Theatres here, has been
elected president of the Rocky Mountain
Motion Picture Assn. (RMMPA) effective
July 1, 1979.
President-elect Roberts has long been
chairman of RMMPA's legislature commit-
,
ice. This year Biruce Young, Commoni
wealth Theatres, was selected to serve with
Roberts on the committee.
,
RMMPA Luncheon to Hear
Successful News/Adman
DENVER—A kmcheon meeting of the
Rocky Mountain Motion Picture Assn. to,
Sam Lusky
be held May 22 willj
feature Sam Lusky, a
man who has packed
two successful careers
into one lifetime. His
topic will be "What
Makes Sammy Run"
He was a prize winning
reporter and featured
columnist on
the Rocky Mountain:
News before becoming
its city editor.
Since 1961 he has been a major force in
the Rocky Mountain area with his own advertising
and public relations agency. The
luncheon will be held at the Continental
Broker. 235 Fillmore St.
Children's Programs Part
Of Denver Int'l Film Fest
DENVER— Eight children's programs
will be included in the second Denver International
Film Festival, May 4-17. More
than 150 events are scheduled at the Ogden,
Esquire and Flick theatres during the
festival.
The children's program is sponsored by
of Wyoming, Idaho and Utah. Several distributors
from the Denver and Salt Lake will be shown on two weekends at the
the Pepsi Cola Co. of Denver. The films
City exchanges were also in attendance. Ogden and Esquire. Each program consists
Elected to a three-year term on the board of a feature length film and a short subject
and will begin at 11:30 a.m.
of directors of MATO were Dion Smith of
Laurel, Mont., and Lanny Wagner of Billings.
Re-elected was Howard Pickerell of scribed the children's films as
Terry Thoren, festival co-director, de-
"personal,
entertaining, warm and human. The films
reflect the best qualities inherent in theii
audience," he said.
The May schedule at the Ogden will feature
the Denver revival premiere of Alexander
Korda's 1942 production of "Th<
Jungle Book," directed by Zoltan Korda
The film remains unsurpassed for its fan'
tasy, adventure and appeal to the children
according to Thoran.
Salt Loke • Boston • Dolios • New Yoik
NIVERSAL THEATRE SUPPLY
- HOME OFFICE -
254 Eoit lit Scurh, Solt Lake City, Utah 84111
BOXOFFICE :; May 7, 197

i
Qrchids
'
j
'
CHARLOTTE
to J. P. Davis of Southgate-High
Point theatres. High Point. N. C. Several
weeks ago wc told you about him anci
his
successful operation of his theatres with-
OLii resorting to sex; now he's working with
a local church and is allowing them to use
ihc
theatre on Sunday mornings for the next
3 months while the church is remodeled.
Robbie McClure, son of Bob and Tena
(Variety Films), spent a week with them.
.11x1 returned to the Universal Studio to start
proJuction on a new film.
"C.H.O.IVI.P.S." (American International)
was screened this week and will be Southern
Booking's first family film of the summer.
It's the story of a computerized crime-fighting
robot in the body of a cuddly shaggy
dog. and has numerous possibilities
for special
gimmicks that will help to enhance the
boxoffice grosses.
Steve Smith (Independent Theatres) took
J
I a swing through Winston-Salem, Greens-
I boro and Raleigh. N. C. while Nancy, his
wife, tended shop.
Screenings at Car-Mel: "Boulevard
Nights" and "Over the Edge" (Warner
Bros.); "Patrick" (Tar Heel Films); "The
Glove" (New World Pictures, Walter Powell.
Atlanta, Ga.): "Americathon" (United
Artists Corp., product reel), and "Game of
Death" (Columbia Pictures).
A tradescreening of "Last Embrace"
(United Artists) took place at the Richland
Mall. Columbia, S.C.
New pictures on the marquees: "Tilt"
(Capri Theatre), "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"
(Capri). "Serena" (Cinema Blue).
Mr. & Mrs. Percy Osteen of Osteen Theatres.
Anderson, S. C. are in town setting
up bookings and discussing future product
with his booker and buyer R. T. Belcher
(Twin States Booking) and also attended
Warner Bros.' new picture "Beyond the
Poseidon Adventure" at Car-Mel screening
room.
Top grosses of the week: "The Champ"
(Charlottetown Mall II), "The Deer Hunter"
(Eastland Mall 3), "China Syndrome" (Charlottetown
Mall I and Eastland Mall 1),
"Coming Home" (Park Terrace II) and
"The Promise" (Eastland Mall II and Park
Terrace
I).
Sneak preview at Tryon Mall II. Meatballs"
(Para.).
It'll be sorriclhing like old home week
when director Martin Ritt visits Raleigh,
N.C. Ritt has always been fascinated by the
South. His Southern-flavored films include
"Conrak," "Sounder" and "Norma Rae."
That film, which stars Sally Field, is based
on the experiences of Crystal Lee Sutton,
who helped organize the J. P. Steven textile
mill in Roanoke Rapids. N. C. But it wasn't
a chance to promote "Norma Rae" (showing
at Tryon Mall, Charlotte, N.C.) that
convinced Ritt to come south to speak at
the North Carolina Film Festival, to be held
May 4-5 in Raleigh.
It turns out Ritt went to Elon College
near Burlington and Raleigh, and a few of
his old class mates talked him into attending
the festival.
PALM BEACH
J^n invitational local premiere of "The
Innocent" April 12 at the West Palm
Beach Mall was arranged by the promoters
of Luchino Visconti's R-rated motion picture
and attracted a stellar crowd of Palm
Beachers. Ancky Johnson, referring to Jennifer
O'Neill, said, "I came to see my sons
ex-girlfriend" and following the film Mrs.
Johnson added, "I certainly got to see a lot
of Jennifer." Terry Garrity. author of "The
Sensuous Woman." was on hand for the
opening. Robert J. Kaplan, American distributor
of the film also attended the special
screening. Ralph Bluemke. entertainment
critic for Palm Beach Entertainment,
wrote. "Visconti has surely made this his
most visually beautiful film. The sheer opulence
of the locations, settings and costumes
are alone worthy of the price of admission.
This is probably his most effective outcry
against moral and social decay."
Eartha Kitt, international star of theatre,
films. TV and recording, has been in the
area for the shooting of the motion pictuie
"The Last Resort." While here. Ms. Kitt.
whose cat-like communication has made her
famous, found her film schedule permitted
her time to repeat her Tony-award nominated
role as Sahleem-La-Lume in a threeweek
run of "Timbuktu" at the Parker Pla>house,
which began April 17.
De l.aurenliis "blew it" and that "Paramount
has a niultimillion dollar Titanic on
its hands. 'Hurricane' cuts a swath that's
more washout than wipcout. It couldn't
have been a more laughable love story if
he put King Kong in a string bikini and had
him surl into a .Samoan sunset," the critic
wrote.
Philip Kenny, 1 8, West Palm Beach, managed
to correctly predict almost all the right
Oscar winners in the Palm Beach Post's
Academy-Av/ard contest. Kenny correctly
selected six winners in the seven-category
contest and has seen only two of the major
movie contenders. A senior at Forest Hill
High School, Kenny usually sees about 30
movies a year. Of the citrrent crop of
contenders he'd seen only "Midnight Express"
and "California Suite" — "because of
the rising cost of tickets. I wanted to see
a lot more, birt I couldn't afford it. Most of
the time I wait until they come to the dollar
houses—$3.50, that's a pretty hefty
price." This year Kenny can afford to see
as many movies as he chooses as he won a
pass for a year of free movie admissions.
Pic's Fabulous Bonus Offer:
You Buy 200 Packs* im.ii v.iu. $70.00
"2 Large coils per pack, retail 35c
You get FREE - 16 Packs .
. .fm.ii v.iu. 5.60
Total RMII V.IU. $75.60
Your Cost 200 Packs (21c each) .... .$42.00
Your Profit $33.60
Screenings this week at Car-Mel:
"C.H.O.M.P.S." (American International).
"Nocturna" (Charlotte Film Co.) and "Encounter
With Disaster" (Sunn Classic).
"Hurricane," from Pai amount, opened at
Cinema 70. Budco Twin City and Cross
County 8 on April 13. Bob Michael. Palm
Beach Post Times film critic, said that Dino
Plus FREE
Attractive Promotional Material/-
704 333-9651
CTS
L^karlotte Ukealre J^ui
Full Line Theatre Supply House
229 S. Church Street • P. O. Box 1973
• Charlotte, N.C. 28201
BOXOFTICE May 7, 1979 S-1

. . . "Dawn
. . "Dreamer."
. . "Love
. .
j
]
|
I
j
MIAMI
"pietch," the story of a reporter who uncovers
a drug ring, will shoot in Florida
but not in South Florida. The producers
have said they will work in the Fort Myers
area, and not in Miami as previously
planned. Production of another big-budget
film seems headed towards Miami, at least
for a week or two. It is called "The Last
Countdown." and will star Kirk Douglas
and Suzanne Somers. The Douglas family,
including son Peter who will produce, wants
to shoot scenes at Homestead Air Force
Gary Chason, Universal Studios casting
director, put out a call for local actors "with
something strange about them." such as
scars, missing teeth and features that were
out of balance. He needed such people to
play $100-a-week pirates in a movie called
"The Island," to be filmed on Antigua in
May. "The Island" concerns a race of demented
people, about 300 strong, who live
on an isolated secret island in the Caribbean.
Because of centuries of inbreeding,
these strange people, descended from 18th
century pirates, are a dying clan. Their only
business is plunder and murder; for they
remain pirates, attacking any ship or pleasure
boat that comes within range of their
boats.
Womefco Theatres, according to their
publication "On Target," is conducting a
summer concession contest. The 12-weeklong
contest runs from June 12 through
September 3. The three first prizes are a
weekend for two to Disneyworld, including
hotel and tickets to the park; the three second
prizes are $100 cash; and the three
third prizes are $50 cash.
A bonus for the manager with the best
sales promotion contest idea is also offered.
Each manager is to send in his ideas for
promotions that will increase sales at the
concession units. The three ideas selected by
the committee to be used will get the three
managers a weekend off, plus a dinner for
two. These entries are to be in no later
than May 25 and sent to the attention of
Jack Mitchell, Wometco official.
Film producer Ivan Tors, whose Ivan
Tors Studios were located in North Miami
until he left the area about seven years ago,
v/as back recently to scout sites for two
films, parts of which will be shot here. One,
for MGM. is titled "The .Sea Dragon of
Lock Ness"; the other is called "Bates Island,"
and is being done for ABC-TV. Tors
left Miami and closed his studio here in
1971, when, he says, interest in family films
began to lag. Since then he has spent his
time on lecture tours, filming specials on
animals and making science fiction films.
Most of the underwater scenes of "The Sea
Dragon of Loch Ness" will be shot in
Miami's surrounding waters, the rest in Scotland.
Tors expects a June starting date.
"The China Sydrorae," currently playing
in the area, has attracted 120.000 Floridians
since it opened about three weeks ago. According
to John Huddy. entertainment editor
of the Miami Herald, it has become a
focal point for a bitter dispute between
those who favor the use of nuclear power
and those who oppose it. Huddy says the
film also provokes deeper questions about
the role of film, the accountability of art, the
responsibility of fiction to truth, and the
role movies sometimes play in influencing
public opinion during heated social and
political debates. He says that "such is the
power of a movie that some scientists wonder
whether ten years from now, people will
confuse the film scenario and the Harrisburg
near-accident. Which will represent
reality in the public mind"
The Rex Theatre in Little River, a northeast
section of Greater Miami, has undergone
a change. Formerly an adult-movie
house at 7974 N.E. Second Avenue, it has
changed its name and ownership. Instead
of skin flicks, the New Rex Theatre is showing
French language films to audiences composed
of Haitians, Canadians and other
French-speaking groups. George Daniel, a
broker for Royal Caribbean Realty in Miami,
is subleasing and managing the house.
Daniel has said that he h'a.s had the idea of
opening a French movie theatre ever since
the French and Haitians started coming to
Miami. Daniel himself is a native of Haiti.
Chairman of the Haitian American Community
Assn. of Dade County, Daniel says
that more than 25,000 Haitians live in Dade
County, with the largest portion in Little
River. More than 200 persons attended the
theatre's opening in March to see the film
"Mains d'Acier Furie Chinose" (Hand of
Q.eorge Ellis' Film Forum and the Atlanta
Goethe Institute are preparing another
treat for Atlanta foreign film buffs. They
will see a selection of six recent German
'Everything for your theatre—except
®
film"
800 Lambert Drive N.E.
800 S. Graham St.
Atlanta, Ga. 30324
Chorlotte, N.C. 28202
(404) 876-0347
(704) 334-3616
films, four of which were screened at the
Berlin Film Festival. The twn-week event
from April 30 through May 1 1 marks the
third time the forum and the institute have
cosponsored a German Film Festival.
Two special previews were held here recently.
They were 20th-Fox's "A Perfect
Couple," screened at AMC Tower Place 6,
Arrowhead and North DeKalb Twin, and
MGM's "The Champ," shown at Cobb Center,
Lenox Square, National Four and Perimeter
Mall.
. . . "Boulevard Nights,"
Marquee Changes— "Murder By Decree,"
Loew's 12 Oaks Twin, National Four,
South DeKalb Mall Quad and Town &
Country Twin
Cinema 75. Suburban Plaza Twin, Arrowhead,
AMC Omni 6 and two drive-ins,
.
. . . "Wifemistress."
Northeast Expressway and North Starlight
of the Dead," Phipps Penthouse,
Stonemont and Town & Country
"Chinatown Kid." Rialto
Rhodes. North DeKalb
Akers Mill.
Twin and Southlake . . . "The Shout." The
Screening Room . at First Bite,"
Biiford Highway Twin, Cobb Center 4,
Greenbriar Mall Twin, Old Dixie Twin,
Parkaite Mamm Twin and South DeKalb
Mall Quad . AMC Omni 6,
National Four. AMC Tower Place 6. Mableton
Tiiple and North 85 Twin drive-in . . .
"California Suite" (99 cents). Toco Hill . . .
"Blazing Saddles." Buford Highway, Rosewell
Village. Douglasville and Lawrenceville.
JACKSONVILLE
"\X7e aim to accommodate—Not ALIENate"
is the creed for Kent Theatres'
circuit wide contest this summer. First, second
and third prizes total $750 and will be
awarded to the theatres exhibiting the best
teamwork in providing a superior operation.
According to J. Cleveland Kent, president
of the Kent circuit, the purpose of the contest
is ". . . to reaffirm and recognize the
importance of service to our patrons. Judg-
entertainment dollar, service and well run
theatres certainly will be the deciding factor
when pictures are on multiple runs," Kent
fiu-thor stated.
Ed Potash of United Artists Theatres,
Cherry Hill, N.J. was in town April 18 and
19 to consult with Wamen Teal, who has
just recently set up a new office for United
Artists.
The "Rocky Horror Picture Show" is a
common midnight occurrence in many
towns in Florida. The midnight cult, gen- t
erally credited with starting in New York,
\
S-2 BOXOFFICE May 7, 1979

;
"A
'
I
ipread quickly to Miami and had already
'ijaycd about nine months there before il
ipened in Jacksonville and now on April
'.Olh marked a celebration of year-long midlight
shows at Plitt's San Marco Theatre.
Perfect Couple" is the "best, most in-
'entive Robert Altman picture in a couple
years." says Stan Franklin, Florida Times
Jnion entertainment staff writer. "Thai's
101 10 it's say the to equal 'Nashville,' 'Mc-
:abe and Mrs. Miller' and •M*A*S*H,' but
liter such recent disappointments as the
nerpopulatcd 'A Wedding' and the disasrous
'Quintet,' 'A Perfect Couple' may not
le perfect, but it is a fresh, satirical poke at
he old boy-meets-girl-and-they-fall-in-love
novics. It has the spark of wit and satire
hai is the mark of Robert Altman."
Walter Powell of New World Pictures,
Atlanta, was in Jacksonville on April 18
.-ailing
on exhibitors and friends.
The first item of business at the WOMPl
iieeting held April 24th was the election
if officers for the 1979-80 year. Mary Ellen
IJoyd was elected as president for a second
crm. .Serving with her will be Nell Haack
IS first vice president, Sandy Easley as secind
vice president. Fay Weaver as recordng
secretary. Tanya Russel as correspondng
secretary and Edwina Johnston as treasjrer.
The new officers will be installed at a
jala installation banquet on June 16th.
DALLAS
ug Lightner Jr. has been appointed general
manager of Noret Theatres Inc.
After 15 years of experience with Common-
(Avco), Loews, 1st wk. .
Frank Gagnard reviewing "Hair": 'Hair'
"
two movies—an hour-and-a-half of loosely
2nd wk.
of Iron
200
.250
is
connected musical numbers somewhat in Circle
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Robert E.
wealth Theatres and having held virtually
Broadway original,
the wobbly mold of the every position within operations, Lightner
wk 600
now takes on the task of overseeing 31 and half-an-hour of concluding tight narrative.
Towards the end, one tends to forget
screens. His last three positions with Commonwealth
Lee, 8th
The Fifth Musketeer (Col), Loews.
Plaza. wk
were as city manager in Carls-
that the film is a musical. It plays more
1st 200
bad. N.M., Sante Fe, N.M. and in Oklahoma
like 'A Tale of Two Cities.' But there's one Halloween (Compass), Loews,
5th wk 300
City, Okla.
thing that the film consistently is, and that's
Norma Rae (20lh-Fo.x). Plaza,
erratic."
Officers for the 1979-80 term were elected
April 19.
4th wk
(SEE),
200
at the WOMPI luncheon on Richard Pryor in Concert All Filmrow was saddened to hear of
The new slate is composed of president.
Orpheum. 7th wk 600
the passing of Mrs. A.E. Foster, a veteran
Mary Crump; first vice president. Suzanne
Same Time, Next Year (Univ).
of many years in the industry. Mrs. Foster
Cook; second vice president, Evelyn Bills; operated the Foster Theatre in Port Sulphur, Lakeside, 10th wk 100
lecording secretary. Lorena Sigler; corre-
La.
Superman (WB). Lakeside, .225
12th wk. . .
sponding secretary, Elvira Golden; treasurer,
Marjorie Stanfield; and the current president,
Claudia Patterson, will remain on the
board for another year as director.
Ramon Medrano has closed a deal
through Joe Joseph to take over the Kaufman
Pike Drive-ln, Dallas. Medrano also
the in Dallas, the bought Arcadia Meadowbrook
in Ft. Worth and a theatre in El Paso
and in Waco.
THEATRE—
Bob Boovy of Texas Cinema Corp. says
that TCC sold the Majestic Theatre and
Starlite Drive-In, both in Stephenville, to
Jack L. Hall. All previous bookings submitted
by TCC on those theatres arc still
in effect and TCC will reportedly continue
to represent Hall as a booking agent only.
NEW ORLEANS
Ladies of Variety Tent 45 will help at the
annual International Convention May
19-24 by working in the hospitality room,
helping with registration and by serving on
the telephone committee and as guides.
A! Shea, New Orleans Guide movie critic,
leviewed "Hair" and wrote, "Academy
Award director Milos Forman has not so
much opened up 'Hair' to the movie lens;
he has, through a tender and often touching
screenplay by Michael Weller, given 'Hair'
the substance, the humanity, the humility
and the vulnerability it so lacked onstage in
its original frisky, filthy and fake form."
In his review of "Buck Rogers in the 25th
Century" he writes, "Except for the special
effects which are indeed special and a great,
glowing tribute to George Lucas' 'Star
Wars.' 'Buck Rogers' is dull, sophomoric and
more than downright silly."
Marqitee changes: return engagement of
"Bonnie and Clyde," Lakeside and Westside
theatres; "The Last Wave" at the Lakeside
Cinema; and an early Bruce Lee fihn found
in the Chinese archives. "The Real Bruce
Lee.
New titles this week: "The Promise";
"Tilt"; "The Passage"; "A Perfect Couple";
"Hair," and "The Champ."
Richard Dodds, writer for Times-Picayune,
in his review of "The Champ" remarks,
"Despite updating, the story remains mawkish,
and the attempts to elicit tears are unabashed.
Early scenes move slowly, though
the pace quickens after Voight decides to
go back into the ring. There is an air of
competency surrounding all aspects of the
film, but little is outstanding. Voight works
hard at his role, but finally seems miscast.
His appearance is too patrician, and the
thick New York accent rings false. Young
Schroder is cute (too cute) and he indicates
an acting ability while demonstrating an
undeniable ability to cry on cue. There
are moments when Voight and .Schroder
overcome the limitations of script and roles,
and create a credible and moving bond
between father and son. It is the strength
and intensity of this relationship that generates
most of 'The Champ's' emotional
heat, and this is what could ultimately win
audiences over."
Congratulations to Dick Salkin. branch
manager of Buena Vista, who has announced
his engagement and plans to be wed
within the year.
FIRST RUN
REPORT
New Orleans
Agatha (WB). Lakeside, 6th wk 75
The Champ (MGM), Plaza, 2nd wk. . . .350
The China Syndrome (Col), Plaza,
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BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
S-3

SAN ANTONIO
garen Sassnian, a housewife, was the grand
prize winner in the San Antonio Light's
annual Academy Awards contest. She didn't
see even one of the nominated movies. Her
prize was a season pass or its equivalent to
every major theatre chain in San Antonio.
The five second prize winners will receive
ten tickets each. A number of contes-tants
correctly guessed all winners and the grand
prize winner and runners-up were selected
in a drawing from the names of all those
who selected the right Oscar winners.
Groups participating in the contest were
Braha Theatres. General Cinema Theatres,
PJitt Southern Theatres, Santikos Theatres
and United Artist Theatres.
A "Tilt" contest is being conducted at the
three United Artist Theatres, the Movies-4,
Cine Cinco and Ingram-6, with a pinball
machine as the grand prize. Details and entry
forms are at each theatre boxoffice and
no purchase is required to enter the contest.
Bob Polunsky, film critic, said "Take
Down" was "a historical first. It's the first
PG-rate movie released by the Walt Disney
studios. The reasons for the rating are obscure,
however, because 'Take Down' is
still a good family film in every respect.
Unlike most Disney films there is one word
of profanity in it but the characterizations
are down-to-earth, realistic and warmly human."
Concerning "Tilt." Polunsky said it is
"off-center. It might have been a good picture
if it hadn't taken itself so seriously. As
it stands, it's funny in spite of itself.
"Tilt does have plenty of rock music and
and stock characters to appeal to those
young people who get a kick out of playing
pinball machines." About "Hurricane," Polunsky
said the storm scene is "one of the
best ever photographed. The plot, however,
isn't developed. The biggest flaw was in the
pairing of Dayton Ka'ne and Mia Farrow
in the" leads. The best part of the show is
the 25 minute hurricane sequence at the
end. It's
beautifully done, although the 'survival
epilogue' following it makes it look
somewhat silly in perspective. After all, isn't
it only logical to see some wreckage and a
few bodies after such a holocaust"
W. B. Carson, division manager for Plitt
Southern Theatres, with headquarters in
Dallas, was a visitor here to discuss matters
with Fred McClellan, city manager for the
circuit in San Antomio where they operate
the Wonder I and II and the Broadway.
Don Coscarelli, writer/ director, was in
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(713) 654-1461 - Office
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Projection & Sound Equip.
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312-427'3395
San Antonio on a promotional visit in behalf
of "Phantasm" which opened at the
UA Movies-4.
New titles appearing on the marquees of.
indoor and outdoor theatres include "Murder
by Decree," "Once in Paris," "Dawn
of the Dead," "The Dark," "The Children
of Sanchez" plus "The Last Hard Man,"
and the double bill of "Los Caballos de
Aguilar" and "Las Noches de Paloma.
Teddy Castellano, branch manager of Azteca
Films Inc., the largest distributing com-i
pany of Mexican films in the United States,,
has announced 14 major film releases for
the summer, all produced in Mexico, which;
soon will be playing in theatres in Dallas.
Houston, West Texas, El Paso, Corpus!
Christi, San Antonio and Rio Grande Val-|
ley.
;
Santikos Theatre Inc. has instituted an
inflation special on Monday nights at thel
San Pedro Triple Screen Outdoor. Varsity
Outdoor Theatre and Mission Twin Outdoor
Theatres. It is called Dollar Night. Admission
is $1 per person and children under
12 get in free.
San Antonio Spotlighted
In U of T Film Series
SAN ANTONIO—Films ranging from
the first movie to win an Academy Award
to one recently made in San Antonio will
be studied in a special April film series at,
the University of Texas-San Antonio.
•'San Antonio in the Movies" featured as
its first film "The Alamo." starring John
Wayne, on April 5.
"Wings." filmed in this area and released
in 1926, was shown April 12. This was the
first movie to win an Oscar.
On April 19. the movie "Viva Max" starring
Peter Ustinov, was scheduled. "The
Adventures of Jody Shannon." recently produced
locally, will be screened April 26.
All the movies are free and open to the
public. Films will be screened in the UTSA
Humanities Business Building.
The film series highlights the UTSA
course, "San Antonio as Seen Through Its
Art and Film from 1850 to the Present."
HOUSTON
piitt Southern Theatres Inc., which oper
ates the Alabama, Briargrove 111. Clear
lake II. Noithshore. Parkview and Wood
lake HI in Houston, plans to build thre*
new triple screen movie theatres in Hous
ton in the next 18 months. With over 40(
screens nationwide. Plitt reportedly is th
largest independent theatre circuit in th
country.
New film titles include "Rock 'n' Rol
High School." "Hometown U.S.A.." "Le
Joy Reian Supreme," "Love at First Bite,
••Once in Paris," "The Best Way." "Harpe
Valley PTA." "The Innocent," "Midnigh
Express," "Phantasm," "Picnic at Hangin
Rock" and "Watership Down."
Previews screened March 30 were "Th
Champ," "A Perfect Couple" and •'Tilt."
S-4
BOXOFFICE :; May 7. 197

fr
'
"
'
I
.
.
.
Kansas City
(Average Is 100)
AslKiiiti (WB), Midland, 3rd wk 65
UiicU Rogers in the 25th Century
d'niv), 5 theatres, 4th wk 150
I he Champ (UA), 3 theatres, 3rd wk. 170
. .
111- ( hiiia Syndrome (Col),
FIRST RUN REPORT
'^''
3 ihcalrcs, 6th wk
iMn Which Way but Loose (WB).
Metro North, Ranchmart. 18th wk. ..110
Firepower (Associated Film). Empire,
3rd wk 20
(;c» Out Your Handkerchiefs (SR).
. . 60
Fine Arts. 1st wk 23.5
Hair (UA), Midland, Oak Park,
4th wk ^^
Hurricane (Para), 6 theatres, 2nd wk.
Love at First Bite (Al). 6 theatres.
2nd wk.
Malibu High (SR). 6 theatres, 1st wk,
.245
.105
Murder by Decree (Avco), Embassy,
5th wk
60
Norma Rae (20th-Fox). Plaza,
Watts Mill, 6th wk 100
The North Avenue Irregulars (BV).
Ranchmart, 10th wk 9''
Phantasm (Avco). 9 theatres, 1st wk. .370
.
The Promise (Univ), 4 theatres.
'^'^
3rd wk
The Real Bruce Lee (SR),
3 theatres, 1st wk " ''
Same Time, Next Year (Univ),
I
Glenwood. 9th wk 25
Minneapolis
Agatha (WB), Park, 8th wk 45
Ashanti (WB), 7 theatres, 1st wk 40
The Bell Jar (Avco), Skyway III.
4th wk 45
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Univ).
4 theatres. 4th wk 85
The Champ (MGM), 3 theatres,
)
3rd wk 155
The China Syndrome (Col). Cooper.
Southdale, 6th wk
200
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Mann,
9th wk '40
Every Which Way But Loose (WB).
Northtown. Southdale, 18th wk 60
The Great American Chase (WB). Movies
^
at Eden Prairie, Terrace, 2nd wk. ... 70
Hair (UA). Skyway II. 4th wk
Halloween (Compass), Brookdale East.
Edina II. 12th wk
Hurricane (Para), 3 theatres, 2nd wk. .
.
Love at First Bite (AIP), 4 theatres,
1st wk
Murder by Decree (Avco), Hopkins,
8th wk
Norma Rae (20th-Fox), Edina I.
6th wk
The Promise (Univ). Cooper Cameo.
Movies at Burnsville. 3rd wk.
Richard Pryor—Live in Concert (SEE).
Skyway I, 3rd wk
Superman (WB). Brookdale. Southtown
19th wk
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
Chicago
Agatha (WB), Water Tower. 8th wk. .
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Univ)
4 theatres, 4th wk
The Champ (UA). 8 theatres. 3rd wk. .
The China Syndrome (Col). 1 1
theatres.
6th wk
Circle of Iron (AE), 4 theatres,
3rd wk
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Esquire,
7th wk
Firepower (AFD), 16 theaties, 1st wk.
Hair (UA). 10 theatres. 5th wk
Hurricane (Para). 10 theatres. 2nd wk.
The Innocent (AN). Cinema. 3rd wk. .
Love at First Bite (AI). 10 theatres,
3rd wk
Love on the Run (SR). Carnegie.
2nd wk
The Real Bruce Lee (SR), 3 theatres.
2nd wk
Superman (WB), 4 theatres, 18th wk. .
Wifemistress (SR). Carnegie, 2nd wk. .
ST.
LOUIS
275
175
150
J^ichele Rappaport, producer of "Old Boyfriends."
and director of the film Joan
Tewkesbury (who wrote "Nashville") were
iin' town for interviews prior to the April 25
opening of the Avco Embassy romantic
comedy at Crestwood. Village, Esquire,
Woods Mill and the Namcoki in Granite
City, III.
In iU reivew of "Hair" currently at
Westport
and Ronnie's 6, the Clayton Citizen
states that though the movie will not achieve
the notoriety of the stage play, "the cinematic
version of the '60s blockbuster is a
lot of fun. The songs and choreography carry
the same exuberance as those from the
play."
"Circus Daze" is the time of the Variety
Club Women's 19th annual Fun-for-Funds
Frolic May 5 in the Khorassan Room of the
Chase-Park Plaza Hotel. The ballroom will
be converted to
a "big top" and the Variety-
costumes :ontnbute
will
to
ncnt loll owing the dinner.
Tickets at $20 each way may be ordered
by calling 576-6688. Funds from the annual
affair arc distributed among nine children's
charities. To date Variety Club women have
raised more than $250,000 lor local projects.
"Manhattan," Woody Allen's latest effort,
opened May 4 at the Varsity, Ronnie's 6,
Cypress Village and in Illinois at Fairview,
Fairview Heights and Eastgate, Alton.
Crown's action-drama revolving around
drag racing, "Burnout." began a multiple
showing May 2 . . . Also in wide multiple
in the areas is "Boulevard Nights." a contemporary
glimpse of the Chicano community
of Los Angeles with its cruising
youths and their conflicts.
Celebrating its anniversary is "Woodstock"
on the screen at the Brentwood in
an exclusive engagement. It should attrucl
an audience of those who have heard about
the forerunner of rock 'n toll concerns but
who were too young to see it as well as
those who want to enjoy again the performances
of the groups it brought to fame.
"Battlestar Galactica." which in its initial
Canadian release outgrossed "Star Wars," is
scheduled to open May 18 at Halls Ferry.
Des Peres, Ronnie's and Cinema 4. The
film is enhanced by Universal's Sensurround
sound system which places the audience
right in the middle of the holocaust.
Charles Vaden, Columbia branch manager
in Detroit, was in town on a brief visit.
He lunched with Jerry Banta of Thomas &
Shipp. Vaden was a member of the MGM
staff here for a number of years when Banta
was in
charge of sales.
"Autumn Sonata," with Ingrid Bergman
and Liv Ullmann. is back in town at the
Djs Psres and Hi Pointe.
Pictures opening here May 1 1 are "California
Dreaming" and "Blazing Saddles," a
reissue.
"Grease," which is in rerelease, will open
May 18.
DEM^
1^
If
I
I
[IolbV
Potts 3 and 5
Stack Platters
Hector Elizondo, Nina Van Pallandt. Bill
Duke and K. Callan have been cast in
"American Gigolo."
P rePBAD STEREO iQ
Christie Lamphouscs & Consoles
Ballantyne-Strong-Hanovia
Replacement Package Plan
For the best at less, contact John or Mike.
Ringold Cinema Equipment Co.
8421 Gravois Road. St. Louis, Mo 63123.Phone 314-352-2020
MW-1

CHICAGO
Fven though the Gateway Theatre is undergoing
extensive remodeling work, the
new "owner, the Pohsh Alliance Assn., announced
the presentation of "Land of Promise.'"
The 15-day program. launched by the
Chicago International Film Festival in cooperation
with the Copernicus Foundation,
features films from Poland as a special tribute
to Andrzej Wajda. Director Wajda has
been described by Time magazine as one
of the world's foremost stage aind film directors.
Films to be shown include "Everythmg
for Sale." "Kanal," "Landscape After Battle"
and "Man of Marble." All films are
in 35mm and in Polish with English subtitles.
The proceeds will benefit the Copernicus
Cultural and Civic Center, which is
being established to serve the Polish-Americam
community and, in. fact, the entire Chicago
area.
L & S Theatre Corp. and the Tiffin Theatre
Corp. moved to new and larger headquarters
at 7106 N. Western Ave.. Chicago
60669. A new telephone number will be announced
shortly. Both companies are headed
by Leo Freedburg.
Barbara Gillespie, manager of the Tiffin
Theatre, says "Beyond the Door. Part 2"
rated especially good business,
it
even though
arrived without the usual advance publicity
during a week when attendance everywhere
dropped because the first days of
spring had people spending time outdoors.
Richard Stern booked two first run dramas
at his 3 Penny Cinema: "Mado" and
"A Woman at Her Window." Director is
Claude Sautet, who may be remembered for
"Jean, Francois, Paul and the Others," and
Michel Piccoli is the star.
The Francis Parker Cinema, which has
been quiet for the past months, is now back
in business with a program of Japanese
films. Featured are "Yellow Handkerchief"
and "Crimson Bat."
Plitt Theatres Inc. is using extensive newspaper
advertising to tell moviegoers about
the return of "The Exorcist" to the State
Lake Theatre in the Loop. This is on exclusive
engagement in 70mm and full stereo.
Facets Multimedia Inc. will present a new
children's film festival in May. The program,
which highlights animated musicals,
starts
off with "Make Mine Music." This is
a ten-part fantasy with such musical sequences
as "Martins and the Coys," "Casey
at the Bat." "Peter and the Wolf." "Gulliver's
Travels," Hoppity Goes to Town" and
Sinbad the Sailor."
About eight years ago, a group of Indians
took over an abandoned Nike missile
site in Chicago's Belmont Harbor in protest
to government disregard of their needs.
They were taking a stand in behalf of jobs,
housing and good schools for their children.
The settlers drew considerable attention, but
little or no results.
However, through the efforts of a young
local filmmaker by the name of Jerry Aronson.
the set of incidents was kept alive in
a 30-miinute film entitled "The Divided
Trail: A Native American Odyssey." This
was one of five films nominated for an
Academy Award in the documentary short
subject
category.
Facets Multimedia introduced what was
considered a most interesting film: Orson
Welles' 1976 film, "F for Fake." Welles
uses the story of two men called hoaxers
by many—Cliffort Irving (who wrote about
Howard Hughes) and Elmyr de Hory, Irving's
friend and recognized art forger.
The 12th annual Variety Club Celebrity
Ball was held April 20 at the Chicago Marriott
Hotel. Restauranteur Arnie Morton
was honored for his outstanding contributions
to Variety Club children's charities.
Mr. Morton and Barbara Eden were
crowned as King and Queen of Hearts.
Both Governor Thompson and mewly elected
Mayor Jane Byrne issued proclamations
designating April 12-21 as Variety Club
Week in Illinois and Chicago.
"Firepower," an action thriller from Associated
Film Distribution, opened in Chicago
area theatres on April 20. This is a
fictional story of an illegal attempt by the
U.S. government to return to America for
trial a multi-millionaire industrialist who is
wanted on criminal charges. To accomplish
this effort, the government enlists the help
of an ex-syndicate hit man. Stars are Sophia
Loren, James Coburn, Jerry Fanon and
O. J. Simpson. Filming was done in the
Caribbean, Washington, Miami and New
York.
KANSAS CITY
Robert R. Jackson, 54. was killed in a
collision April 23 near Warsaw. Mo. Jackson
was a shipper with Universal Film Exchange
for the past ten years. Funeral services
were held in Liberty. Mo.. April 26.
Ralph J.
Webber, former secretary-trcas-
urer with Dickinson Operating Co., passed
away April 23. He had been with Dickinson
for 23 years until he retired in 1976. He
belonged to Variety Tent 8 and was former
treasurer of the now-defunct Motion Picture
Assn.
Canine Star Thrills
Hospitalized Children
Young patients at
Children's Mercy Hos-|
pital, 24th at Gilham in Kansas City, Mo..=
had a special celebrity visitor recently when
i
the mongrel star of American Intemationiil'si
"C.H.O.M.P.S." dropped by to entertain,
The visitor was Hank, a 22-pound siWer.i
black and beige mutt who plays the role oP
"Rascal." the world's first computerized
watchdog.
LINCOLN
^ith the arrival of spring in the frigid
winterized Midwest, the drive-in theates
are starting to cover from the snow
and freezing temperatures. Last weekend
Douglas Theatre's 84th & Drive-In played
a hit combination of "Up in Smoke" and
"Looking for Mr. Goodbar." while the Dubinsky
Bros.' Starview offered "Corvette
Summer" and "Convoy."
David Livington, vice-president of Douglas
Theatres, sees this summer as a good
year for the drive-ins. He feels the outlook
and product look very promising. His enthusiasm
is perhaps keyed by Kevin
Graham, the 84th & O's new manager,
Graham is a past assistant manager at the
downtown Douglas 3 Theatres. 84th & C
opened with a big promotion for "Foul
Play" which included Lincoln Radio Statior
KHAT.
This weekend Graham is taking advan
tage of the disco craze by bookimg "Sat
urday Night Fever" followed by a big discc
contest. The event is co-sponsored by radi<
KFRX and Team Electronics is installini
special speakers and sound equipment
Judges for the contest will be the FR>
Chicken and members of the Dance Empo
rium. a local dance studio, with trophic
being awarded to the best dancers ^com
and third show on the billing are "Goin
South" and "First Love."
With the popularity of Jon Voight afte
winning the best actor Academy Award fo
"Coming Home." Smith hopes for an ovei
flow on^Voight's new film "The Champ.
Radio station" KFMQ and Cinema Theatre
are giving away "Champ" posters to hel
promote the film. "Same Time. Next Year
is still holding its own also at the Cinemi
THESFTTIE EQUIPMENT
'Everything for the Theatre"
,. CAPITOL AVt, IMOtANAPOLIS, IND.
At the Douglas 3, Dave Livingston reac
ily admits that the sleeper "Halloween" h£
been a lite-saver for them the past fe'
weeks. The picture is finally ending its ru
this week and will be replaced by "Hurr
cane." although Livingston admits that I
hates to see it" go. Also new at the Dougli
MW-2
BOXOFFICE :: May 7,
19'.

,
\
winning
I
) I
.-
1 "Coming
'
. now
[j j
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.
m \mmm
MW-3

|
'
M I
L)N A U KEE
Three-.vear terms have been won by officers
and board members of Motion Picture
Projectionists Local 164 as a result of balloting
at a meeting in mid-April. Harold
Eifeit was elected to another term as business
manager. Other results: Carl Earner,
president; Randy Grass, vice-president;
Harvey Black, treasurer; Tom Pignegui, secretary.
Executive board members include
Robert Medower and William Breuchel.
Eifert urged all unions and organizations
in the Milwaukee area to contact his office
for highly trained projectionists for all film
showings, trade shows, and more. The oil ice
number is 463-4240.
Gimbels Stores in the Milwaukee urea
have a "Remember Mom" contest with a
choice of one of seven prizes for Mom to
the winners. The first 50 entrants at each
store receive two passes to Warner Bios."
new movie "A Little Romance." starring
.Sir Laurence Olivier.
Ruby Isle Theatre in Brookfield, Milwaukee
suburb, noted in its listing in the local
daily's movie guide: "Girls, bring your guy
free to the 7:15 or 9:15 show with the Monday
newspaper ad." The attraction was
"Every Which Way But Loose."
The Towne Theatre in Whitewater, Wis.,
had a tie-in with members of the Whitewater
Volunteer Fire Dept. which sponsored
a free movie for kiddies April 14. The film,
"Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown" was
given two showings at 1 and 3 p.m.
Sheldon Klinian, owner and operator of
the Palace Theatre in Spooner, Wis., again
donated the theatre for the use of the Assn.
for Mental Health in Washburn County as
it presented its spring variety show on stage
April 18. The show is presented twice a
The Council's annual spring kmcheon, to
be held May 9, will again feature the naming
of the winner in the Theatre Man of
the Year Award, as well as the winner of
a special scholarship presented annually to
an outstanding student in theatre arts at
Marquette University. The event is to be
held at the Wisconsin Club.
"The Opium War," first feature film to
be released from mainland China in 25
years, was shown at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
four times April 10-11.
The film was produced at the Shanghai
Film Studio in the People's Republic of
China and was directed by Chen Chun IL
A full length motion picture, "The Opium
War." tells the story behind the 1840s struggle
between the British and Chinese, how
the emperor eventually resisted British domination
and rallied the peasants to oust the
British and halt the drug trade. There are
scenes which take place in the Forbidden
City and Forbidden Palace, the only time
any filming has been allowed there. The
showings were open to the public; admission
was $L
Ford Theatre in Waterford. Wis., had
"Kiddie Matinee" at 2 p.m. on Saturday
and Sunday of the first weekend in April,
inviting kids to win a giant four-foot tall
bunny.
Vilas Theatre in Eagle River is being split
in half, and a photo in the local newspaper
"Vilas County News-Review" shows the
owner and operator Alma Conway studying
the ha If-completed remodeling plans. A
new screen and new seats had been installed
while the walls (seen in the photo background)
feature acoustical wall drapery accented
by cedar columns. The second half
year as a fundraiser, and Sheldon and his
of the theatre is expected to be finished
wife, Gertrude, assist with stage settings,
in the first week in May.
lights and the boxoffice.
A second photo in the newspaper shows
The 23 Outdoor near Ripon. Wis., had a Ms. Conway pointing to a sign (that she
"Special Friday the 13th" movie offer which and her husband, Steve, had painted) set
included the screening of three flicks: "Last above a VW Beetle as promotion for the
House on the Left," "Last House Part H," film, "The Love Bug." Herbie was on display
be
and "House on the Hill." The offer was:
in front of the theatre and could "Free driver's pass to all who remain seen driving around town to publicize the
thiough the entire program."
movie beins shown at the time.
THEAT ,^
ItRIHTIHO
SERVING
THEATRES
COAST TO COAST
SINCE 1955
WINDOW CARDS /calendars/programs
^( ^JIPadvertising CO.
BOX 626, OMAHA, NE. 68101 402 453
Walt Blaney, manager of the Marc Twins
Cinema in Menomonee Falls, a Milwaukee
suburb, had a tie-in with Post M of Travelers
Protective Assn. for a special benefit
with the movie "Support Your Local Sheriff"
on March 23. This was a "no school"
day for the Falls primary schools, and two
showings were arranged, at 1 1 a.m. and 1
p.m. TV personality "Farmer Vic" Hellman
was on hand to greet the young moviegoers.
Tickets were $1, with the proceeds going to
TPA charities, which are centered on youth
activities and safety. One of the associa- '
tion's objectives is to help the newly re-
,
constructed Halloween parade.
'
Blaney is urging local townspeople to be
patient instead of traveling great distances I
to see the big films. "Wait a few weeks and
see all the finest movies at the beautiful i
Marc Twins Cinema, Main St., Menomonee
Falls," he states in a recent newspaper display
ad that is topped with the eye-catching
"Movies-Movies-Movies: Only $2, children
only $1.25. Why pay more"
Milwaukee area theatres showing George
C. Scott's "Hardcore" have added this warning
note in their newspaper listings: "The
subject matter of this movie may be considered
shocking and offensive." The R-
lated film is being screened at Capitol Court
Cinemas. Skyway Cinemas, Centre Twins,
Spring Mall and Movies Northridge.
The Isle Theatre in Cumberland, Wise,
had a tie-in with the Cumberland Chamber
of Commerce for a "Free Chamber Matinee"
on Saturday morning recently. A news
item appearing in the local weekly quoted
a chamber spokesman as stating: "Parents,
leave your children at the movies while you
shop in 'Wisconsin's Island City.' " The
theatre's newspaper display ad invited "all
area youngsters." Two feature films were
shown, but their titles were not revealed.
LL Supply Co. Sold
To Bayless, Toohey
KANSAS CITY—Bob Flemming. former
owner of L & L Supply and Equipment
Co.. recently announced the sale of that
firm to Alan (Skip) Bayless.
Bayless reportedly has moved the business
from its Southwest Boulevard location
here to 3160 Terrace in the Downtown
Industrial Park. He said the new location
"is more conducive to our operation anc
affords us the opportunity for growth anc
expansion."
Gregg Toohey, formerly of Omaha, Neb.
joined Bayless as a partner in the newlj
acquired firm last January. The two part
ners have a combined total of 20 years ex
pericnce in the concession supply business
the firm reports.
According to Bayless and Toohey, plan
call for the expansion of concession sup
plies into a "one-stop shop concept," includ
ing an expansion of services to include foo(
and fiozen products.
The firm is an authorized distributor fo
Crclors and Gold Medal and offers equip
mcnt, parts and supplies for most conccs
sion equipment.
MW-4
BOXOFHCE :: May 7, 197

.Very
. .Very
.Very
Montreal
Ashanli (WB). Loews 2.
1st wk Very Good
The Champ (UA), Loews 1,
2nd wk Excellent
The China Syndrome (Astral),
Atwater, 4th wk Excellent
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Place du
Canada, 5th wk Excellent
Hair (UA). York, 2nd wk
Excellent
Halloween (Astral), Cinema de
Paris, 9th wk Very Good
Norma Rae (BVFD), The Cinema.
4th wk Very Good
The Passage (UA), Palace, 1st wk, . . .Good
The Promise (Univ), Bonaventure,
2nd wk Good
Superman (WB), Loews 3,
17th wk Very Good
The Warriors (Para), Loews 4,
9th wk
Very Good
French Language Films
Le Bonheur Renait (UA),
Champlain, 1st wk Good
La Cage Aux Folles (UA), Parisien
1, 3rd wk Very Good
Le Ciel Pent Attendre (Para),
Parisien 4, 9th wk Very Good
Doux, Dur et Dingue (WB), Berri,
1st wk Very Good
Drole d'Em Brouille (Para).
Parisien 2, 1st wk Good
LaFuitea 4 Partes (PR),
Parisien 3, 1st wk Very Good
Moeurs Cachees de la Bourgeoisie
(Para), Parisien 5, 2nd wk. . Good
Va Voir Maman, Papa Travail (PR),
Le Dauphin, 1st wk. Very Good
Vancouver
Agatha (WB), Capitol, 7th wk Good
Ashanti (WB), Downtown,
1st wk E.vcellent
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
(Univ), Coronet, 5th wk
Excellent
The Champ (UA), Vancouver
Centre, 2nd wk Very Good
The China Syndrome (Astral),
4th wk
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Vogue,
n
•*^siet. 2nd wk. .
Good
The Champ (UA), Elgin,
1st wk E.xcellent
The China Syndrome (Astral),
St. Lauient, 3rd wk Excellent
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Elmdale,
4th wk
Excellent
The Great Train Robbery (UA), Little
Elgin, Cinema 6, 8th wk Good
Hair (UA), Nelson,
1st wk. Very Good
Murder by Decree (AFD). Capitol
Square. 9th wk Good
Norma Rae (BVFD). Place de Villc,
4th wk Very Good
The North Avenue Irregulars (BV),
Rideau, 4th wk
Good
Same Time, Next Year (Univ),
St. Laurent, 7lh wk Very Good
Winnipeg
Black and White in Color (PR).
Festival. 1st wk Average
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
(Univ). 3 theatres. 2nd wk. . Good
The Champ (MGM-UA),
Metropolitan, 2nd wk ..Excellent
The China Syndrome (Astral), Odeon,
1st wk Excellent
The Deer Hunter (Univ), Garrick II,
5th wk
Excellent
Every Which Way But Loose (WB),
Northstar II, 17th wk Good
Fast Break (Astral), Convention Centre,
9th wk Very Good
Hair (UA). Colony, 2nd wk Excellent
Hardcore (Astral), 6th wk. Good
Hurricane (Para). Northstar I.
1 St wk Very Good
The North Avenue Irregulars (PR).
Garden City. 5th wk Very Good
Same Time, Next Year (Univ),
Grant Park, 9th wk
Very Good
Servants & Mistresses (PR),
Downtown, 1st wk Average
Wild Pleasures (PR), Downtown,
1st wk Average
Canadian Film Corp.
Seeks Big Productions
MONTREAL—The Canadian Film Development
Corp. is deliberately setting its
sights on helping multi-million-dollar mov!e
productions that will attract private investment
and foreign sales, says an official of
the federal agency.
Richard Woods, the agency's new deputy
director, said recently that the corporation
wasn't cutting off support to small-time filmmakers
catering primarily to Canadian
tastes. But the agency will be investing only
in films that are likely to make a profit, he
said.
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
K-1

j
,
CALGARY
^ri-Media Studios Ltd. piesident Alan
Waldie has announced the expansion
of the company's shareholder base and the
possibility of going public in the fall. The
company's number of shareholders has increased
from eleven to 18. Late in October
Tri-Media purchased 312 acres of land
about one mile west of Calgary. The company
plans to build a multi-million dollar
residential, industrial and commercial complex
on the site. Since then the company
has also purchased an additional 320 acres
of land, including a recreation area, a golf
course and trailer park. The first part of the
project involves the construction of a movie
and television studio valued at $8 million.
Completed plans for the complex will include
a major hotel-entertainment project,
a shopping center and an exclusive residential
housing development. It was expected
that the company would look for funding
for the movie studio from the Alberta
Opportunity Company. Waldie now says
that plans call for any capital investments
for such construction to be raised by remortgaging
the company's land holdings.
Negotiations are under way with the Municipal
District of Rockyview and other
provincial regulatory bodies before the presentation
for approval of a detailed plan for
the Tri-Media project. "Right now we are
trying to get a clarification with respect to
having the land re-zoned for residential,
commercial and industrial purposes at the
same time and if all goes well we could get
under way by June or July," Waldie said.
That is a somewhat later start than had been
planned.
The Film Classification Services of the
province of Saskatchewan viewed and classified
a total of 31 features during March.
There were no films in the General category,
13 in the Adult classification, seven
in the Restricted Adult group and the remaining
eleven were given a Special X tag.
Of those, 14 must carry warnings: "scenes
& violence warning" for "Naked Over the
Fence"; "language warning" on "Richard
Piyor—Live in Concert"; "not suitable for
children" goes with "Marquis of O" and
"Norma Rae"; "violence warning" is for
"Beyond the Law," "Of Flesh and Blood,"
"Legacy" and "Zoltan—Hound of Dracula";
"scenes warning" goes with "Can You
Keep It Up for a Week," "Emmanuelle &
Francoise," "Fruit Is Ripe," "Runaway
Hormones," "Summer Camp" and "Taste
of Hot Lead." Two of the Special X-rated
features were also banned from exhibition
in any drive-in theatres: "Can You Keep
It Up for a Week" and "Taste of Hot
Lead".
Ken McBean, Landmark Cinemas of
Canada, flew to the interior of neighboring
British Columbia for i few day's business
with theatres along the Okanogan Valley.
A large number of theatres in both Edmonton
and Calgary took advantage of the
Easter weekend to offer special shows. In
Canada Easter Monday is a holiday for all
government offices and a number of businesses
follow suit. This gives a lot of people
a four-day weekend and the drive-in theatres
took the opportunity to have a Thursday
and a Sunday dusk-to-dawn program.
The Twin One and Two in Edmonton ran
five features for both events, as did Calgary's
Stampede and 17 Avenue. The Towne
Cinema in Calgary screened "The Rocky
Horror Picture Show" as a midnight special
on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and
played to sell-out crowds each night. Studio
82 in Calgary ran "Jesus Christ Superstar"
and "Ben Hur" on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday evenings and matinees on Friday
and Sunday. Alberta Culture in Edmonton
.showed a special Good Friday film at the
Provincial Museum theatre, and a matinee
and evening screening of "The Ten Commandments."
During late April the National Film Theatre/Edmonton
screened several films at the
Citadel Theatre, including "Isadora" (Great
Britain, 1968), directed by Karel Reisz with
Vanessa Redgrave and Jason Robards:
"Zorba the Greek" (Greece/ USA, 1964),
starring Anthony Quinn and Irene Papas
and directed by M. Cacoyannis; "Sounder"
(USA, 1972), directed by Martin Ritt and
starring Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield;
"The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars and
Motor Kings" (USA, 1976). starring Billy
Dee Williams and directed by John Badham;
"Mon Oncle Antoine" (Canada,
1971), starring Jean Duceppe and Jacques
Gagnon under the direction of Claude
Jutra; "Ti-Cul Tougas" (Canada, 1976), directed
by Jean-Guy Noel and starring
Claude Maher and Micheline Lanctot; "Una
Giornata Particolare/One Special Day"
(Italy/Canada, 1978), starring Sophia Loren.
and John Vernon under the direction of
Ettore Scola: "II Generale Delia Rovere/
General della Rovere" (Italy, 1959) by Roberto
Roselini with Vittorio de Sica; and
"Umberto D" (Italy, 1952), directed by
Vittorio de Sica and starring Carlo Battisti
and Maria Pia Casilio.
The Canadian Film Editors Guild has
elected the following members to the executive
committee for 1979: president, Vince
Hatherly, cfe; first vice president, John
Fryd, cfe; second vice president, Al Streeter,
cfe; treasurer, Donald Ginsberg, cfe;
secretary, Havelock Gradige, cfe; directors.
Jim Hopkins, cfe, Bryan Ravok, cfe. Mike
MacLaverty, asso, Steve Fanfara. affil.
George Ritter resigned as executive director
of the Motion Picture Institute of Canada
on April 30. At that time, Ritter's twoyear
contract with the MPIC expired. Ritter
said he thought the MPIC had gained
strength in the two years since it was
founded. One of great achievements of the
MPIC, Ritter said, is the dialogue initiated
and maintained among the members.
"There's no question but that heightened
understanding among the members of each
other's problems and points of view has
been a major factor in the success of the
MPIC." he said.
Hopping into the Easter spirit. Famous
Players advertised their books of gift
certificates
as the ideal gift for Easter for persons
of any age group. Window cards in theatres
and ads in both local papers (Calgary and
Edmonton) were used to get the campaign
VANCOUVER
Vancouver celebrated the 85th anniversary;
of the first public showing of motion
pictures with fitting boxoffice tributes from
each phase of the industry. The Ridge Theatre
had its regular monthly midnight extravaganza
devoted to "The Rocky Horror
Picture Show" cult and the drive-ins were
packed from dusk to dawn with marathon
movie patrons.
On Granville Street crowds flocked to the
15 first-run screens racking up six "e.\cellents,"
one "very good" and eight "goods"
during the day. Academy Award winner!
"The Deer Hunter" set a new record in its'
fifth week at the Vogue. "Superman" also
;
bounced up in its 17th week at the Capitol'
6 while newcomers "Coming Home"
•
(brought back to the Capitol 6 after nine;
big weeks last year) and "Ashanti" at the
Downtown were also doing "excellent."
;
The industry lost yet another from the
dwindling band of veterans whose experience
goes back to the silent movies recently
when George Hislop died at age 75. He
started in the shipping room of the old
Universal Films in the early '20s and later
moved to Fox. After 40 years with them he
managed Victoria Film Services for several
years until he retired.
Lloyd Pritchard, manager of Victoria
Film Services, reports that the company
survived a hectic pre-holiday week without
losing its cool. Shipments were at a maximum
because the drive-ins were running
additional shows and there was a large
number of prints arriving from the East
lequiring mounting and servicing before
going to their destinations.
Although this territory has never gone in
for special campaigns during the Academy
Awards nomination period, radio CHQM
did run a contest this in year tying awards
of a year's passes to theatres of the Odeon
circuit. Film critic Les Wedman gave detailed
information on the various nominees
and their accomplishments and the campaign
had a good response. The Ridge,
which has a large number of dedicated film
buffs as regular patrons, clo.sed
for the night
of the awards.
A total of 170 films will be unreeled during
the National Film Board's three monthlong
Anniversary Festival, which ends June
29. The anniversary is for the board, whose
work has achieved worldwide recognition
during the past 40 years. The festival's remaining
schedule will be:
BOXOFFICE :: May 7. 1979

One of the key films to be suppressed and
then laundered was a significant NFB docu-
Program 6. May 7-11: I.ATTITUDES The new category would be placed between
mentary containing the first film of Mao's
the present "Restricted" category, struggles in China.
This group of films presents a broader understanding
which bans attendance by any parton under
the ordinary
of the world for
viewer who may have been outside Canada.
Rare Footage
18, and the "Adult Entertainment" "category,
Program 7, May 14-18: FRAGILE
which is intended as a guide to parents Rare footage of the Red scare eta and
EARTH
aind others concerned with content. The new interviews with the survivors was a taut and
Program 8, May 22-25: OLD MOVIES grading would allow attendance of young dramatic segment of "Has Anybody Here
The documentary in Canada may be said to people only if accompanied by an adult. Seen Canada," an often humorous 90-minute
have had its official beginning in 1939 with No decision has yet been made as to the
Board
yet unnamed
NFB documentary about
on CBC
Canadian
television
the formation of the National Film age margins applying to the as movie-making broadcast
under John Grierson. This program is devoted
NFB
category, and opinions were sought from April 3.
the managers because it was agreed that the The show covered the period from 1939
to the work of the during its
early days, 1939-53.
Piogram 9, May 28-June 1: ODDITIES,
IRONIES, SATIRES & SUBJECTS OF
DEEPER SIGNIFICANCE
Program 10. June 4-8: QUEBEC, QUE-
BEC
Program 11, June 11-15: KIDS ARE
PEOPLE TOO
Program 12, June 18-22: THE GOLD
Program 13.
SEEKERS
June 25-29: THE GOLD
S1:EKERS of films profiling the athletes
and athletic events of the 1976 summer
Olympics,
TORONTO
Ctarting with summer "79 product, Walt
Disney films will be distributed by
Paramoumt Films in Canada, as announced
jointly by Charles Good, vice president and
general sales manager for Buena Vista Distribution
Company and Robert Lightstone,
President of Paramount Films Distribution
Ltd.
Frank Mancuso has been named executive
vice president, distribution and marketing,
for the motion picture division of
Paramount Pictures.
In this newly-created position, Mancuso
will continue to be responsible for the domestic
distribution of Paramount films and
will also assume overall responsibility for
the marketing group, which includes advertising,
publicity and promotion. The appointment
is effective immediately.
"Meatballs," the Canadian feature filmed
last summer in northern Ontario, is to be
released in this country and the United
States by Paramount for an estimated $3
million. This somewhat follows the pattern
set by "Running." with the North American
theatre rights for the film being picked up
by Universal. Canadian distributors are up
in arms over both transactions and the fact
that better deals have been offered by Paramount
and Universal for this basically Canadian
product coupled with the fact that
both films were at least partially financed
by the Canadian Film Development Corporation.
The Metro Toronto Theatre Managers'
Association believes in going directly to the
source. For their regular April luncheon
meeting they invited Don Sims, chief of the
Ontario Film Censor Board. The main item
of discussion was the proposed new legislation
setting up a third designated film category.
policing of the new legislation would largely
fall on them.
Movie admissions now cost less in this
province. The latest Ontario budget has lowered
its amusement tax on theatre tickets
priced at $3.50 or less, and rather than raising
prices or continuing to pay the tax, both
Famous Players and Canadian Odeon have
lowered prices to $3.50 from the $.75
which had been in effect for the past two
years.
The new Cineplex opened here with eight
films instead of the ten originally planned.
Rather thain the usual ribbon, a length of
film was cut in three places by Nat Taylor.
Garth Drabinsky and Harry Mandell, coowners
of the $2'/2 million mini-cinema
complex, to mark their official opening. Nat
Taylor spoke confidently of extendimg this
new theatre concept to Kitchener and other
Canadian cities.
Judith Ann Carson has been appointed
director of publicity for Paramount Films
Distribution Ltd.
Ms. Carson comes to Paramount with a
wide background in media and marketing
publicity, having held publicist responsibilities
for the Young People's Theatre in this
city, associate editorship for Showbill magazine,
and being assistant to the Minister of
Government Services (Ontario).
This year, -the Ontario Variety Club's seventh
annual Bike-A-Thon had royal commendation.
On his recent visit to this city.
Prince Charles, himself a barker of Tent
1026 (the Variety Club of Great Britain,
largest in the world) wished success to the
local club in its efforts to raise $500,000
for the several children's charities which it
supports.
Canada Film Industry
Felt Red Scare Impact
MONTREAL—Not having either a
thriving
Hollywood or a Senator Joe McCarthy,
it would seem unlikely that Canada's tiny
post-war fihn community was ever subjected
to the Red scare. Not so.
In those years lists of alleged communist
sympathizers, secret tribunals, and guilt by
association rocked the fledgling National
Film Board. Casualties included film commissioner
John Grierson, movie-makers and
their films.
to 1953—at first glance not a particularly
glorious time for Canadian movies. For example,
in 1946 the United States produced
422 feature films. Burma made 46 and English
Canada came up with "Bush Pilot."
At 32, John Kramer has edited a dozen
major films for the NFB including he Oscarnominated
"Volcano: An Inquiry Into the
Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry" which
he co-directed with Donald Brittain.
Their latest documentary traces the evolution
of the NFB from a wartime propaganda
agency to a creative force, the beginnings of
Quebec's feature film industry and the
steady domination of Canadian movie
screens by Hollywood.
'Politics
of Filmmaking'
Kramer admits he wanted the film to
show "something of the politics of filmmaking."
And with carefully-selected film clips and
Brittain's irreverent wit. the show does little
to enhance the reputation of MacKenzie
King, Lxster Pearson, CD. Howe and other
big-shot Ottawa Liberals of the period.
For instance, at a time when every other
developed nation had enacted legislation to
stop Hollywood movies from totally dominating
their theatres, Canadian cabinet ministers
accepted invitations to Hollywood
where they looked like awe-struck schoolboys.
Persistent
Voice
One of the few peisistent nationalist
voices who tried in vain to get a break
for Canadian movies was Quebec filmmaker
Paul L'Anglais who made popular movies
in French and English.
L'Anglais wistfully reflects on his failure
to get a hearing in Ottawa: "I'm afraid I
was a Franco voice in the desert, a Waspish
English desert at that."
As for Kramer, he says he sees an obvious
parallel between the situation his film
depicts and the current state of Canadian
culture.
"To say a laissez-faire attitude is possible
is ridiculous when you're dealing with an
unequal partner," he commented after a
screening of the documentary.
"So you look to the politicians for an
understanding of the situation and the history
of the country shows it isn't there."
Four More Screens in Texas
From South Edition
ARLINGTON. TEX.— .\ movie theatre
will be developed on a two-and-a-half-acre
site adjoining the Forum 303 Shopping Mall
here by Alpert Corp.. developer of Forum
Mall, and American Multi Cinema, the
Kansas City-based multi-cinema operations.
BOXOFFICE :: May 7, 1979
K-3

Toronto Bypassed by Foreign Film
Distribs;
By J. W. AGNEW
Toronto Correspondent
TORONTO—With the opening of the
new Cineplex here, this city certainly becomes
the leading Canadian marketplace
for foreign films. And yet, until now at
least—according to a weekend Star item
by Dorothy Mikos—Toronto has failed to
attract
Cineplex May Alfer Trend
top-rated films from other countries.
'"We certainly don't get anything like the
cream of the crop here anymore." stated
Gerald Pratley of the Ontario Film Theatre,
the busiest outlet for foreign films locally.
"Seventy-five per cent of the films shown
at the festivals are interesting and wellmade,
but not one-Jtenth of them will be
shown here. Truffaut's "The Green Room"
has been available for ages, for instance, as
has been an excellent Finnish movie, 'The
Year of the Hare.' We see nothing from
India, despite the success of Satyajit Ray's
"The Chess Players' at the Festival of Festivals.
We see nothing from Germany.
Greece, Hungary, Finland, Japain."
Four Showings
The Ontario Film Theatre, in the Ontario
Science Centre, has four showings weekly,
changing nightly. Last year, Pratley presented
a series of new films from Germany,
Greece, Finland and Bulgaria, in addition
EVERY
to special screenings of films briefly available
in Canada, such as Japan's "Where
Spring Comes Late."
One opinion is that foreign distributors
are their own worst enemies, as many of
them look upon- the lucrative North American
market as the fatted calf.
""There's no doubt that many producers
have unrealistic financial expectations,"
stated Linda Beath of New Cinema. "They
think they're going to make millions, and
they price themselves right out of the market."
Unique Position
Ms. Beath is in a unique position, as she
owns her own theatres, the Festival and the
Fine Arts—both having healthy balance
sheets. "Happiness is owning your own theatre,"
she confirms. "In a lot of ways, the
situation here is better than it has been for
a long time."
Another important factor is that many
foreign films are not booked here until, or
unless, they receive favorable New York
reviews. A prime example is "Diablo
Menthe," which was shown with good reviews
at last year's Festival of Festivals.
However Beath is holding back its commercial
showing here until it opens in New
York.
"Recent successes such as 'Bread and
Chocolate.' 'Handkerchiefs' or 'Cousin.
WEEK
Opportunity
in
Knocks
Cousine' would not have done as well without
New York reviews," Linda Beath stated.
" 'Pourquoi Pas' is a good case in point. It
had a modest three-week run here. I'll rerelease
it after it plays New York and it'll
do much better."
Sharon Singer of Dabara Films agrees
with this, but says that it's partly a self-fulfilling
prophecy. "A film opens but because
it's unknown the exhibitor doesn't want to
spend a lot of money on it. It isn't promoted,
and its closes. People don't go, because
they don't know what to expect.
"Most foreign films are general audience
films these days anyway. Nobody is making
experimental films anymore. American films
dictate the standards of films that other
countries produce. These are not daring
times."
'Syndrome' Writer No!
Surprised by Accident
From Midwest Edition
CHICAGO — "Everyone seemed astonished
at the coincidence that the accident at
Three Mile Island happened eleven days
after the movie was released. But we were
not."
So declared Michael Grey, who wrote the
screenplay for "The China Syndrome."
Grey spoke to a group at the Oak Park-
River Forest High School. Grey told his
audience, "We knew the accident was going
to happen. We knew it because of the meticulous
research we had done over the
years."
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.
BOXOFTICE :: May 7, 1979

.
Across
. United
BOXOFFMCE BOOKMNCUIDE
JONNA JEFFERIS, Bookinguide Editor
interpretive analysis oi lay and tradepress reviews. Running time is in parenth
The plus and
te degree of merit. Listings cover current reviews regularly. Symbol
BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award. All iilms are color except those indicated by (h&v,
white or (© and b&w) ior color and black & v le. Motion Picture Ass'n (MPAA) ratings: m —general
audiences; PC!—all ages admitted (parental g' once suggested); [r]— restricted, with persons under
17 not admitted unless accompanied by parent dult guardian; (X^—persons under 17 not admitted.
Reviews assigned "N" poge numbers will be found in the National (front) section of BOXOFFICE.
^EVIiW DIGEST
AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX
H Very Good; + Good; ± Fair; - Poor; = Very Poor.
roted 2 pluses, — os 2 minuses.
the Great Divide (103)
OD-Ad PIE 2- 5-79 B|
Agatha (104) D WB 2-19-79 PG
!Ashanti (117) Ac-Ad WB 4-23-79 (H
Attack of the
Killer Tomatoes (86) Ho-C
M ..Four Square Productions 11- 6-78 PG
(97) World 10- 9-78 PG
World 9-11-78 PG
I Battlestar Gallactica (125)
SF-Ac
Univ
Caddie (107)
D ....Australian Fil
8-79
5107 California Dreaming
(92) C-D Al 4.23-79 S
5086 California Suite (103) C ... Col 1- 8-79 PG
5074 Caravans (123) Ad-D Univ 11-13-78 PG
5108 Champ. The (la) D MGM-UA 4-23-79 PG
5088 Children of Sancliez, Tlie (lU)
D Lone Star 1-15-79 IS
5100 China Syndrome, Tlie
(122) Sus-D Col 3-18-79 PG
5092 Circle of Iron
(102) F-Ac-Ad Av
5093 Class of Miss MacMichael, The
(92) C
5070 Comes a Horseman
5-79 m
.Brut 2-12-79 H
(118) W-D UA 10-30-78 PG
5069 Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride
(87) Ho Dynamite 10-30-78 El
5097 Dark, The
(92) SF Film Ventures 3- 5-79 IS
5109 Dawn of the Dead
(127) Ho-D ,
5061 U Death on the Nile
Film 4-30-79
(140) My Para 9-25-78 PG
5080 Deer Hunter, The (183) D . . Univ 12-11-78 IB

REVIEW DIGEST
AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX W Very Good; ^ Good; ± Fair; - Poor; = Very Poor. the summary ff is rated 2 pluses, - as 2 minuses.
i :
: i ]

ill
1
Hi
ill
fa
slit
•ON g gs

Feb
The
Apr
]
. . . Hi-D
MISCELLANEOUS
ANALYSIS FILM RELEASING \
Little Mermaid (71)
Legenil of tlie Nortliwest
(S3)
(96) ..
HOLLYWOOD INT'L
Come Under My Spell
(84) Se
Lusty Princess (82)
Pel.
Date
Jan 79
Rei Date
NEW YORKER FILMS
Peppermint Soda May 79
Newsfront (UO) . . .June 79
Bill Hunter, Gerard Kenneily
The Tree of Wooden Clojs
(175) Hi-D.. June 79
Woyzeck July 79
Orchestra Rehearsal
(70) DM.. Aug 79
Against the Grain Sept 79
Don Giovanni Nov 79
BACKSTREET-BEEHIVE-
HOLLYWOOD INT'L
Lust Flioht 2000
(78) Sex C-D..Nov78
Vltkt Ullck. Pat Manning
FRED BAKER FILMS, LTD.
Jusl Crazy About Horses
(93) Doc. Dec 78
The Black Goddess Jan 79
INDEPENDENT ARTISTS
When the Screaming Stops
(94) He-F..No»78
The Black Six (90) .Ac-D. . . 79
Mean" Joe Greene, Carl Eller
INT'L HARMONY, INC.
NMD FILM DISTRIBUTING CO.
The Carhops (88) June 78
The New Adventures of Snow White
(76) July 78
BEEHIVE PRODUCTIONS
Carnal's Cuties
(76) Sex C. Apr 79
Pat Manning, Janet Sands,
Frisco King. U'illlam Margold
Curves Ahead!
(78) Sex C.Jui
The Lady Wants I
TramB Sex C. July 79
Dirty Deadlines
(74) Sex C. Oct 79
CAPRICAN THREE, INC.
Hookers
Ti^)'
Sex C-D..July
Carrarflne. Bnife Falrbalm
CARIBBEAN FILMS WEST
(Sail Palmer's Candy Goes to
Hollywood Sex CI
Carol Connors. John Leslie
CINEMA 5
Viva Itallal (87) C. July 78
Vlftorlo Oassman. Ugo TognazzI
CINEMA SHARES
Jacob Two-Two Meets the
Hooded Fang
(80) F-CD..Sept7S
Alex Karras, Stephen Rnsenhprt
Point the Finger of
Death Ac . 79
Shaolin Death Squad ...Ac Feb 79
Fists of Bruce Lee
(99) Ac. Mar 79
Bruce U
COUGAR RELEASING, LTD
loe Panther (93) A*. Sept 78
Brian Keith, Itlcariln Montaltian
Lejend of Sea Wolf
(90)
Ad.. Sept 78
(TllJCk Cnnnore. Darhi
Astral Fartor (93) . . . Sus. . No» 78
Elke Sommer, UoIitI Koxworlh
Poonsle (95) C..Det78
Sophia lx>ren. Marrello Ma-iti

Opinions on Current Productions
All Ulma levicwod here are in color, unless otherwise specilied aa blacl

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adiines for Newspapers and Program
THE STORY: "Aii Almost Perfect Affau" (Para)
Keith Carradine arrives at Cannes hoping to show his
fii-st film at the festival. The film is confiscated by the ^^o
Customs Office untU a censor can see it. He rmis into I...
Monica Vitti. the wife of an international fihrmiaker
iRaf Vallonei who knows the ropes, and she persuades
her husband to cut the red tape. Soon Carradine and
Vitti are in the thi-oes of an affair while all around them
the colorful atmosphere of Cannes holds sway. Vallone
watches the affair develop and does nothing to stop it.
After Customs releases Can-adine's film, he screens it for
Vitti and their affair takes a tm-n for the worse. She
tells him his movie is no good. He doubts her love and
they part in a huff. He decides to win her back and "kidnaps"
her in a motorboat, which runs out of gas far from
port. They come close to a reconciliation by the next
morning when her stepson Chi'istian De Sica rescues
them. Can-adine is ready to give up his self-centered
attitude. Vitti wavers in her affectioirs, but finally opts
to stick with her husband.
EXPLOITIPS:
Play up the glamom- of the Cannes Film Festival as a
background for the romance of Carradine and European
star Monica Vitti.
CATCHLINES:
He's Younger. She's Richer. He Has a Girlfriend. She
Has a Husband ... At the World's Most Glamomous Film
Festival—That's an Almost Perfect Beginning.

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