Boxoffice-November.24.1956

NOVEMBER 24, !9f6 

ntlic en une /n&tc&n, MctuAe 

COLONEL H. A. COLE, 

veteran of more than 

35 years of service 

to 

exhibitor associations, 

will be honored at 

Allied's national convention 

to be held in the Colonel's 

hometown, Dallas, next 

week. Exhibitors from all 

sections of the country will 

be present to pay tribute 

to the long-time campaigner 

for the independent 

theatreman. 

Allied 

Convenes 

On Important 

:-(Ci5 OS seccnd-class motter of fHc Host uttice af Nonsas 

''0 Published weekly by Aisociofed "ublicofions, 

Vijr, Brunt Blvd., KonsQS City, Mo. Subscription rates: 

lun.i E.J tton, S3.00 per year; Notional Edition. S7.50. 

NAL EXECUTIVE EDITION 

Sectional News Pages of All Editions 

Industry Problems 

Page 8 .

"Beautiful Geisha girl born to make man happy" says the rascal Sakini. 

Captain Fisby is "being made happy" by Lotus Blossom as he telephones 

his irate Colonel to report that all is under control in the Okinawan 

village 

he has come to supervise. 

{Left to right: Machiko Kyo, Glenn Ford, Marlon Brando) 

U 

THIS 

SCENE MADE 

STONE -FACE 

ED SULLIVAN ^WM 

ROAR WITH 

' 

iVi i 

SLAUGHTER! 

So he's made the trailer to tell the world 

about M-G-M's "THE TEAHOUSE 

OF THE AUGUST MOON"!

f 

M-G-M 

proudly pr€f€rt+j: 

v 

V 

TWO BIG 

TRAILERS 

SELL M G Ms 

f} 

TEAHOUSE 

IN ADVANCE I 

5-MINUTE EXPLOITATION FILM 

1. "OPERATION TEAHOUSE" 

The intimate story of how the famed 

Pulitzer Prize play was filmed. A special 

camera crew was sent to Japan to make 

EMASCOPE 

and 

FROCOLOR 

candid-camera footage of the beautiful 

native backgrounds, with appealing inside 

shots of the stars, director, producer and 

hundreds of villagers. It's a sure-fire 

ô- starring 

ticket-seller. Run it as far in advance as 

possible prior to the regular trailer. 

SPECIAL REGULAR TRAILER 

2."ED SULLIVAN LAUGHS" 

This specially narrated trailer is one of the 

Screen Play by 

JOHN PATRICK 

Based on a Book by VERN J. SNEIDER 

ond the Play by JOHN PATRICK 

Directed by 

DANIEL MANN 

Produced by 

JACK CUMMINGS 

cleverest you've ever put on your screen. 

Ed Sullivan capitalizes on his ''stone-face" 

reputation in a hilarious selling job for 

this great entertainment. 

(Available in Magnetic Stereophonic, Perspecta Stereophonic or 1-Channei Sound)

! 

Next Week 

Warner Bros, flood 

the boards with the 

most spectacular 

full-month 

teaser 24-sheet 

posting in its 

showmanship 

HISTORY 

"^SS^^^^ -''T 

:::::::::::::::3*»»3M

STERN UNION 

INTIRNATIONAL 

tCRVlCC 

Check ihcclauofK-rvKcdciirMi; 

otKvfwnc rhc mc»sagc will be 

tent at the full rate 

BUDDY ADLER 

STUDIO 

TEENAGE REBEL OPENINGS WONDERFUL. AT OPENING IN ATLANTA MORE TEENAGERS 

AND PEOPLE UNDER THIRTY THAN HAVE EVER BEEN IN THEATRE. MANY OTHER THEATRES 

REPORTING SAME EXPERIENCE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE. HARRY BALLANCE ADVISES THIS 

PICTURE IS THE GREATEST SURPRISE OF THE YEAR FOR US AND WE STRONGLY FEEL YOU 

SHOULD TAKE EVERY ADVANTAGE OF THE BOX OFFICE FIGURES BY LETTING, 

INDUSTRY KNOW THAT WE CAN MAKE SLEEPERS , 

PICTURE IS WELL RECEIVED. 

TQl 

f. 

)IANAPOLIS REPORTS 

LTIONAL RETURNS. 

ADDITIONAL ENTHUSIASTIC 

IS COMING IN FROM LOS ANGELES, NORTHWEST, TEXAS, SAN FRANCISCO. 

ilJSAS CITY, CLEVELAND AMONG OTHERS. DETROIT REPORTS PICTURE 

[NGING BACK LOST AUDIENCE AND BRINGING 

AUDIENCE AS WELL. 

ALL THRILLED 

HOPE THAT OTHERS OF THIS TYPE 

FORTHCOMING NEXT YEAR. BEST REGARDS. 

Teenage 

THE NEW SENSATION OF THE INDUSTRY FROM 20th CENTURY-FOX 

starring 

uj|ljrp|i 

and three stars of the future 

Natwch BETIY LOy KEIM • WARREN BERLINGER - DIANE JERGEI 

Produced by Directed by Screenplay by 

^â 

CHARLES BRACKETI EDMUND GOULDING - WALIER REISCH and CHARLES BRACKEII ÎNEMa! 

'

' 

i < i'i |)» «|jKiV';* 

"* Ni^jjuuw 111^ ' 

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'/yjagija^S* 

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY 

Publislitd in Nine Sectional Editions 

BEN 

SHLYEN 

Editor-in-Chief and Publisher 

DONALD M. MERSEREAU. .Associate 

Publisher & General Monager 

NATHAN COHEN. .Executive Editor 

JESSE SHLYEN .... Managing Editor 

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IVAN SPEAR Western Editor 

I. L. THATCHER. .Equipment Editor 

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tn 

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NOVEMBER 2 4, 1956 

Vol. 70 No. 5 

0. 

UR comment last week prompted a 

staff member to bring to our attention copies of 

BoxOFFiCE dating back nine years almost to the 

day. This was because the editorials therein 

dealt with the same problems—still in the "unsolved" 

file— public relations and internal relations. 

They have remained unsolved, because, 

then, as now, the industry has remained disunited. 

Now, as then, talk goes on advocating 

"united industry action" and "100 per cent unity 

among the nation's exhibitors." But that's as 

far as it goes— just talk. And we've done a lot 

of it ourselves—for much longer than nine 

years— pleading for ACTION that will bring 

about the unity which the industry must have, 

if it is to go forward. 

Except for quoting a few current and recent 

remarks made by exhibitor and distributor leaders, 

anything else we might say would be little 

different from what we have said many times before. 

So, because it pretty much sums u|) the 

situation, here is a rerun of our editorial from 

the issue of October 11, 1947: 

Last week we discussed public relations from the 

standpoint of the industry's efforts through its exhibition 

and distribution branches to create a 

greater public appreciation of the motion picture, 

the theatre and the industry. The groundwork 

seems to have been well laid in this program for 

improving the industry's external relations. Each 

exhibitor and each distributor knows the job he 

must do as an individual; each branch its separate 

job; and there is acknowledgment that the efforts 

of the tvro must be coordinated to achieve the best 

results for the vrhole of the industry. 

But what is to be done to improve the relationship 

WITHIN the industry—between exhibitors 

and distributors? What about a greater respect 

on the part of one for the other? Are they alwcrys 

to fight like cats and dogs? Must there always 

be name-calling cmd bickering in the bartering for 

product? And why must there be bartering for 

product at all? Why can't pictures be bought and 

sold on a basis that brings good returns—to exhibitor 

and distributor alike—on good pictures and 

proportionate returns on those of lesser value? 

Well, it's a long story. But it can really be 

summed up like this: The seller wants "all that 

the traffic will bear" for his product; the buyer 

wants it for as little as possible. 

A few times there have been efforts on the part 

of astute sales managers to narrow the points of 

difference. And there has been some progress made. 

But something always seems to throw the machinery 

out of gear. The mercurial aspects of this 

business, perhaps, are to blame. But there are 

other causes—some external, but mostly internal. 

It's a strange commentary on a business, when 

retailers admit that they don't put forth their best 

efforts to build up patronage, because their efforts 

are not properly revrarded in profits. It's a sad 

state of affairs for an industry, when the retailer's 

profits must come from buying cheap rather than 

from selling well. Yet there is a large segment 

of this business that works that way. Exhibitors 

TIME FOR ACTION! 

spend so much time haggling with distributors, 

they lack the time to do a proper job of selling to 

the 

public. 

But how can this condition be remedied? 

One major distributor several years ago put into 

effect what it called "the sliding scale" in its percentage 

deals. That looked like the right ticket, 

but it needed some refinements. Recently another 

major distributor announced what appeared to be 

an adaptation of the sliding scale in the direction 

of one phase of "refinement." From time to time 

exhibitor organizations hcnre submitted plans of 

their own for percentage pictures. The most recent 

is that of the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent 

Theatre O'wners. Somevrhere betwêen this 

proposal and that of the distributors there is the 

right formula that vrill serve as the permanent 

answer to the long-standing exhibitor question: 

"How much of my gross should be paid for film 

rental?" 

When this formula is arrived at, when a plan of 

standard procedures for the selling and buying 

of motion pictures comes into effect, it will be discovered 

to have many advantages over the present 

"lel's-argue-this-over" formula. For, as the PCCITO 

claims, it may furnish the "incentive to exhibitors 

to give pictures greater exploitation, more theatre 

playdates. longer runs and increased national 

grosses." 

In most every business, some formula has been 

devised which works satisfactorily for the parties 

involved, and allows a reasonable profit for all. 

If this industry would establish such a working 

arrangement, there is nothing that would do more 

to improve business relations, and the business 

itself. 

The manufacturer of almost any product has a 

definite method of offering his commodity to the 

wholesaler or retailer. And the retailer knows to 

the decimal point what he can spend for product 

and for the various phases of his operation. Down 

through the years, through continuous association 

in business deals, and a willingness to get together 

to work out mutual problems, these smooth-operating 

formulas have been developed. This same kind 

of procedure must come to distributor-exhibitor relations—a 

practical, standarized, open-book kind 

of buying and selling which will end, once and for 

all, the endless bickering and dissatisfaction and 

distrust—and allow everybody to return to the real 

task at hand, SHOWMANSHIP. 

It would be too much to expect that any plan 

would at once be adopted on a nationwide scale. 

But how about giving it a test—a real test—in 

a number of typical situations in several areas 

around the country? That would call for not 

dropping it, when the first obstacle is encountered—but 

pushing on and, through trial 

and error, arriving at the solution so long 

sought and so urgently needed. 

\JL^ /OMuL/tyV^^

SHOR AGAIN URGES TOP-LEVEL 

MEETING, WITH LAWYERS BARRED 

Bid for Cooperation 

Made on the Eve of 

Allied 

Convention 

DALLAS—On the eve of Allied's annual 

convention, Ruben Shor, the association's 

president, again called for a top-level industry 

conference, at which the distribution 

companies will be represented by their 

presidents—and with legal counsel barred. 

PLAGUED WITH PROBLEMS 

"Our business has been plagued with its 

problems for many years, and there has been 

many a futile attempt to correct them. It 

is my belief," he declared in a preconvention 

statement, "that this can never come to pass 

without putting the business back in businessmen's 

hands, and keeping the lawyers out of 

it. 

"Given an opportunity, any general sales 

manager, down to most branch managers, can 

make a business-like deal for his company 

to the mutual advantage of that company 

and the exhibitors involved." 

Shor said he was certain that, by using 

business intelligence, many millions of dollars 

would be saved without recourse to law. 

He pointed out that it was just two years 

ago that a conference between exhibitors 

and the presidents was suggested as the best 

method "to get to the bottom of most of the 

troubles." This suggestion was first made by 

Al Lichtman. 

"But what happened? Exhibitors agreed 

and tried to follow through, but the legal 

departments said 'No, this would be illegal." 

No one else found this sort of conference illegal—not 

the Department of Justice, the 

Senate Small Business Committee, or any 

lawyers outside of the industry," Shor declared. 

The Allied chief said it was not difficult 

to understand the reasoning of the legal departments 

of the film companies. "If such 

a conference would be held, they might themselves 

be relegated to the position to which 

they belong in this business." 

HELP FROM EXHIBITORS 

At a top-level conference, such problems 

as production costs, castings and other producer-distributor 

matters could be discussed 

thoroughly, Shor said, adding that he was 

certain exhibition would do its share to solve 

them. 

"But, let's save this industry from the 

legalites who try to keep the pot boiling to 

make themselves essential. Let's stop the 

situation where you must have a lawyer to 

conduct your business, before it is too late. 

Let's practice showmanship instead of law." 

Shor, along with other officers of Allied 

and members of the board of directors, began 

a preconvention conference Saturday (24) 

at the Statler Hilton Hotel here. The board 

will meet for three days, prior to the opening 

of the convention Tuesday. Under the constitution 

and bylaws of Allied, It is the board 

of directors which makes policy decisions and 

(Continued on page 9) 

The Colonel in 

Col. Cole Not Honorary; 

He Earned it in World War I 

DALLAS—The title 

in Colonel H. A. Cole's 

name is not an honorary one. In World War 

I, he enlisted in the army even though he 

was over the draft age and his eyes were no 

where near the 20/20 standard of perfection. 

He started as a buck private, went through 

officers training school, and became a 

gunnery instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, 

was mustered out with the rank of lieutenant 

colonel. 

He has been manning the guns ever since. 

For, once out of the army, and into the role 

of motion picture exhibitor, he was pitched 

headlong into the battle of the film world. 

He put himself in the front lines and has 

been there ever since. 

PLANS TO SLOW DOWN 

When Allied States Ass'n holds its annual 

convention here Tuesday, Wednesday and 

Thursday (27-29), the front line service which 

the Colonel has given to the cause of the 

independent exhibitor will be honored. He is 

bowing out of the strenuous life, as an Allied 

leader on the national level; and his exhibitor 

associates from many sections of the 

country are coming to Dallas to pay their 

respects. 

The Colonel didn't start out to become an 

exhibitor. He worked as a train dispatcher, 

lumber mill operator and insurance agent 

before he went into service. When the war 

ended, his brother, H. S. Coje, still in France, 

wrote him to start looking around for a good 

business in which they could work as partners. 

In Ranger, Tex., then a booming oil town, the 

Colonel surveyed the situation, and decided 

the two best deals were a restaurant and a 

motion picture theatre. So the Cole brothers 

opened a theatre and cafeteria with H. A., 

strangely enough, taking the cafeteria, and 

H. S. the showhouse. This was a satisfactory 

arrangement, until the Colonel decided he 

Allied Reported Ready 

To Meet With COMPO 

New York—From all outward indications, 

it looks like Allied States Ass'n has 

a mind to return to membership in the 

Council of Motion Picture Organizations. 

Some weeks ago, Ruben Shor, Allied's 

president, announced he would name a 

committee to consider Allied's role in future 

COMPO activities. On Thursday 

(22), Emanuel Frisch of New York, member 

of the COMPO committee assigned to 

Allied negotiations, said formal meetings 

with an exhibitor committee to be named 

by Shor will be held soon. 

This was taken as an indication that 

action on the matter will be taken at th^ 

Allied convention in Dallas. 

Service 

WENT TO WILL HAYS 

A man of action, he went direct to Will 

Hays, then president of the Motion Picture 

didn't like getting up at 5 a.m. to open up, 

and persuaded his brother they ought to sell 

out, and look elsewhere for a movie house, 

where there wasn't a matinee until 2 p.m. 

They found an Opera House in Marshall, 

Tex., which they acquired. In Marshall, too, 

the Colonel had his first tussle with a 

dominant competing circuit, and where he 

first decided to organize independent theatremen. 

Producers and Distributors Ass'n, and asked 

him to give him the names of 20 lively independent 

exhibitors who might organize to do 

the same work for the small theatremen as 

the MPPDA did for the producers and major 

circuits. The late W. A. Steffes and H. M. 

Richey were two of the men whom he contacted, 

and who joined him m forming a 

national association. The big fight then was 

to eliminate the World War I federal admission 

taxes, and it was Colonel Cole who 

was the man who directed that fight—just 

as 20 years later he was to lead the fight to 

eliminate the World War II admission tax. 

The Colonel was one of the prime movers 

in developing the exhibitor case which 

prompted the Department of Justice to bring 

its big antitrust suit against the major film 

companies. Abram P. Myers, general counsel 

and board chairman, credits him with this 

role in the history of Allied published on the 

occasion of Allied's 20th anniversary. Colonel 

Cole, with R. J. O'Donnell, originated the 

successful Movietime U.S.A. campaign. He 

was co-chairman with Pat McGee in the 

successful fight on the federal admissions 

tax, and directed countless other exhibitor 

campaigns through the years. 

The Ctolonel by no means intends to let the 

testimonial convention retire him from an 

active role as an exhibitor. He has theatre 

properties in Bonham, Tex., and, forward 

looking as always, he not long ago had the 

A. Sindlinger research organization make the 

most thorough analysis not only of his 

situations, but of the town itself. The Colonel 

not only learned a lot of new things about 

his own business, but the town's merchants 

found out a lot of things about what was 

wrong with their business methods. Today, 

the Colonel and merchants, working together, 

have brought a lot of new ideas and enthusiasm 

to a community that had been threatened 

with a downgrade future. 

Five Films From Figaro 

NEW YORK—Figaro Films, Inc., in which 

National Broadcasting Co. holds an interest, 

will produce five features in 1957 for United 

Artists release. Walter Wanger will produce 

three and Joseph Manklewlcz will write and 

direct the other two. 

BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956

PuUcScciU 

Loew's First Quarter Earnings 

Will Show Sharp Increase 

For the period ending November 22, the 

company reports, earnings will be approximately 

30 cents against five cents for the 

same period of the prior year; for the year 

ended August 31, the estimated earnings will 

be approximately 90 cents, compared with 

$1.03 for the previous year. 

Richard Crooks Elected Director 

Of Loew's, Inc., by the Board 

New member is a partner in stock exchange 

firm of Tliomson and McKinnon; he served 

as chairman of the board of governors of 

the stock exchange from 1951 to 1954; Loew's 

directors also declared a quarterly dividend 

of 25 cents per share payable December 24 

to stockholders of record on December 6. 

Film Company Dividends 

Up Slightly in October 

Totaled $1,714,000 for the month, as against 

$1,695,000 a year ago, according to the Commerce 

Department; increase attributable to 

jump in dividend paid by Columbia Pictures 

and to a special 4,000 stock retirement dividend 

paid by Roxy Theatre, New Yorls 

British Exhibitors Propose 

Finance by Government 

Cinematograph Exhibitors Ass'n asks Board 

of Trade for direct government financing of 

production, rather than dependence on a 

statutory levy on theatres. 

Predicts Heavy Fox TV Film 

Programming Within 3 Years 

It will 

reach 20 hours weekly and gross up 

to $80,000,000 yearly, Ely Landau, president 

of National Telefilm Associates, tells Radio 

and Television Executives Society; 20th -Fox 

recently acquired a half interest in NTA film 

network. 

• 

National Film Service 

Re-Elects Officers 

Combined meeting of the board and stockholders 

in Chicago renames James Clark, 

president; Chester Ross, executive vice-president; 

M. H. Brandon, vice-president and 

treasurer; Ira Stevens, general manager, and 

Clint Weyer, secretary. 

Eastman Kodak Votes Record * 

Wage Dividends to 51,000 

Bonus totals $35,700,000; also declares 60- 

cent cash dividend and 25-cent extra on 

common, regular $1.50 quarterly on preferred, 

common stock dividend of 5 per cent 

or one share for each 20 held. 

Al 

Stocker Retires; 

Succeeded by Carl Mos 

New York—After 21 years as eastern manager 

of The Modern Theatre Section of BOXOFFICE, 

A. J. Stocker has retired and is currently enjoying 

Carl R. Mos A. J. Stocker 

the sunshine in Florida. He has been succeeded 

by Carl R. Mos, who joined the BOXOFFICE staff 

lost July. 

Mos has had varied experience in the fields 

of advertising and selling, both in and out of the 

motion picture industry. He entered the latter as 

advertising copy writer for Universal Pictures in 

New York, which company he also served in key 

posts in London and Hollywood. Later he became 

assistant advertising manager of Fox Theatres and, 

with the unification of the film and theatre departments, 

was placed in charge of tradepaper 

advertising for 20th Century-Fox. 

Mos then was with RKO Radio Pictures for more 

than ten years, leaving the post of assistant advertising 

manager to join Quigley Publications as 

associate editor of the Better Theatres Refreshment 

Merchandising Department, after which he 

rejoined 20th Century-Fox on a special assignment. 

AB-PT to Make Use 

Of Warner Studios 

HOLLYWOOD—Leonard H. Goldenson, 

president of AB-PT, and Jack L. Warner, 

head of Warner Studios, jointly announced 

here Wednesday (21) that arrangements have 

been made for the AB-PT television network 

to avail itself of the facilities of the Warner 

Burbank Studios. New cutting rooms and 

other mechanical facilities will be expanded 

by the AB-PT television programs, which 

will continue to originate in Hollywood. 

Activities will pertain only to filmed programs. 

Warners emphasized the deal with 

AB-PT is on a non-exclusive basis, permitting 

the studio to make similar deals with other 

organizations. 

Two new video programs will be launched. 

One at the studio will be a weekly hour show 

—a new type western series. The other will 

be a pair of two half-hour shows—a mystery 

series and adventure stories. 

Robert Lewine, vice-president in charge 

of ABC-TV programs, and William T. Orr, 

currently heading Warner-PT telefilm activities, 

were in on the conference. 

RCA Awards Fellowships 

NEW YORK—Nine university graduate 

students from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, 

Illinois, Florida and Wisconsin have 

received RCA fellowships for advanced studies 

in engineering and dramatic arts during the 

1956-57 academic year, according to Dr. C. B. 

Jolllffe, vice-president and technical director 

of the Radio Corp. of America. 

Schulberg Bros. Start 

New Producing Firm 

NEW YORK—Budd Schulberg, who has a 

stockpile of from 40 to 50 short stories which 

can be adapted for the screen, will produce 

five features for the newly formed Schulberg 

Productions in the next three to four 

years. Schulberg, son of the famous B. P. 

Schulberg, who produced many notable pictures 

in the 1920s and 1930s, will be president 

of the new firm and his brother, Stuart 

Schulberg, will be executive vice-president. 

Budd Schulberg has just completed "A 

Face in the Crowd," for which he wrote the 

script for Elia Kazan, who produced it in 

New York at the Gold Medal Studios in the 

Bronx. He and Kazan also collaborated on 

"On the Waterfront," which was also produced 

in New York for Columbia release and 

won the Academy Award in 1954. His brother, 

Stuart, has been producing pictures in Germany 

for N. Peter Rathvon, the last being 

"Special Delivery," which was also released 

by Columbia in September 1955. 

The first picture for Schulberg Productions 

will be from Budd Schulberg's original story, 

"In the Everglades," which will be made 

largely on location in Florida starting in the 

spring of 1957. Following this will be "Eighth 

Avenue," a story of Manhattan, which will 

also be filmed on location—but in New York 

City. The three other features will be: "Pasa 

Doble," from the 50-minute TV drama which 

was done on Omnibus and starred John 

Cassavetes, which will be expanded into a 

full-length film; a picture which will deal 

with the Puerto Rican migration to Manhattan, 

and a film version of Schulberg's 

"The Disenchanted," which may first be produced 

on the Broadway stage by William 

Darrid. 

Grad Sears, Industry 

Veteran, Dead at 59 

NEW YORK—Gradwell L. Sears, 59, a 

pioneer in the motion picture industry and 

retired president of the 

United Artists Corp., 

died Thanksgiving Day 

of lung cancer and 

pulmonary complications. 

Sears had retired 

in 1950 after 

heading United Artists 

several years. He had 

joined UA in 1941 as 

V i 

c e-p resident in 

charge of sales and became 

president in 1946. 

Sears entered the industry 

Gradwell L. Sears 

in 1919 follow- 

ing service in World War I. He became a 

salesman for World Film Co. in New York, 

then St. Louis and afterward was with 

various distributing companies. In 1920 he 

joined First National Pictures and went to 

Chicago as a salesman. Later he became 

branch manager in Cleveland, then Chicago, 

1925-28. 

He was also affiliated with Warner Bros, 

as southern and western division sales manager 

from 1931 to 1937. He became vicepresident 

of Vitagraph (Warner) in 1935, 

then general sales manager, 1937-41 and 

president of Vitagraph from 1938 to 1941. 

He was a native of Hannibal, Mo. 

10 BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956

Majors Win Chicago 

Suit Over Rentals 

CHICAGO—A jury in U. S. district court 

Monday (19) rendered a verdict for the defendants 

in a $2,103,000 antitrust suit brought 

by the landlord of the Tower Theatre against 

eight major distributors and Balaban & 

Katz. It had deliberated four hours. The 

trial started October 23 and lasted four 

weeks and two days. 

The owners of the Tower Theatre, leased 

and operated by Balaban & Katz on a percentage 

lease basis, lost their claim for additional 

rentals on the ground that the circuit 

and the distributors conspired to play 

the Tower behind the B&K Tivoli Theatre 

and the Piccadilly Theatre operated by H. 

Schoenstadt. 

Among the New York executives testifying 

were A. Montague, William Saunders, 

William C. Gehring, Roy Haines, Charles M. 

Reagan and E. C. Raftery. The distributors 

were represented by John J. Faissler and 

not ex- 

B&K by Samuel Block. An appeal is 

pected. 

Zenith Still Producing 

That Pay-TV Propaganda 

CHICAGO—E. F. McDonald jr., president 

of Zenith Radio Corp., who has been comparatively 

silent in recent months on the 

subject of subscription television, holds out 

hopes for a home boxoffice for TV in a report 

to stockholders this week. 

McDonald said that the telecasting of the 

MGM feature "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" in 

Los Angeles last month "has done more to 

prove what Zenith has been saying for the 

past ten years and what we demonstrated 

in our Chicago 1951 Phonevision test, than 

any other event that has occurred to date." 

His contention is that, if a 10-year-old feature 

can outdraw programs on three competing 

network stations, top current pictures 

on subscription television can attract even 

greater audiences. 

"To get the fine, new costly motion pictures 

on TV, television must have a boxoffice," he 

said. "If subscription television is approved 

by the FCC and offers two or three fine 

movies a week, plus other costly features 

advertisers can't sponsor, then home television 

will be the complete entertaimnent 

medium, and more TV receivers will be sold." 

McDonald reported sales and earnings of 

the Zenith Radio Corp. declined from 1955 

totals during the nine-month and thirdquarter 

periods ended September 30. The 

nine-month figure was $3,890,765 or $7.90 a 

common share, compared with $5,004,069, or 

S10.16 a share, for the 1955 period. Sales were 

$100,568,265, compared with $108,468,108. 

In this third quarter Zenith earned $1,359,- 

11 on sales of $35,197,330, compared with $1,- 

78,008, on sales of $37,012,406 for the 1955 

eriod. 

Sumner Leaves Paramount 

NEW YORK—Gabe Sumner, promotion 

specialist for Paramount for the last six 

years, has resigned, effective Friday (30), to 

enter business for himself as special press 

lison of entertainment and industrial acfcounts. 

He also will handle the New York 

ôpenings for certain independent producjtions. 

Before joining Paramount, Sumner was 

ssociated with the Schine circuit. 

RKO Expecting 25 Films 

For 1957 Production 

NEW YORK—RKO Radio Pictures will 

produce 15 or 16 pictures during the coming 

year, and hopes t o 

make eight to ten outside 

deals for independent 

films, for a total 

production schedule of 

about 25 features. This 

word was brought back 

by Daniel T. O'Shea, 

president, on his return 

from a four-week 

stay at the studios. 

O'S h e a conferred 

with William Dozier, 

vice-p 

Daniel T. O'Shea 

resident in 

charge of production, 

discussing upcoming production and looking 

over features recently completed. RKO, he 

said, does not intend to increase its filmmaking 

plans beyond the projected 15 or 16 

features, but Indicated an exception might 

be made if some unusual properties were presented. 

As Dozier recently returned from a tour 

of the Far East, discussions between the 

RKO president and the production chief concerned 

picture-making not only in this 

country but abroad. The company will make 

a minimum of five abroad next year. 

At the same time, Walter Branson, vicepresident 

in charge of worldwide distribution, 

revealed that RKO will release 14 films 

during the first six months of 1957. These 

BUDDY ADLER HONORED—Twentieth-Fox 

executive producer Buddy Adler 

is seen holding a Special Merit Medal 

for his Cinemascope production of "Anastasia" 

from Parents' magazine. The 

presentation was made in Hollywood the 

past week. The award, to be spotlighted 

in the magazine's January issue out next 

month, cites the high production and entertainment 

calibre of the drama starring 

Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner and Helen 

Hayes. "Anastasia" world premieres December 

13 at New York's Roxy Theatre 

in a benefit for Judson Health Center. 

films represent an investment of more than 

$33,000,000, and include the long-publicized 

John Wayne picture, "Jet Pilot," which was 

produced when Howard Hughes was head of 

the RKO organization. The film has been 

slotted for a February 20 release. 

The lineup includes: 

January 9; "Public Pigeon No. I," starring Red 

Skeiton, Vivion Blaine ond Janet 'Blair. 

January 16: "The Young Stranger," starring Kim 

Hunter, James MacArthur and Jomes Daley. 

January 30: "I Married a Woman," with George 

Goisel, Diana Dors and Adolphe Menjou. 

February 6: "That Night!" a Galahad production 

starring John Seal, Augusta Dobney and Shepperd 

Strudwick. 

February 20: "Jet Pilot," starring John Wayne 

and Janet Leigh. 

February 27: "Run of the Arrow," Samuel Fuller 

production, starring Rod Steiger and Sarita Monteil. 

March 13: Two science-fiction features, "The 

Cyclops," with James Craig, Gloria Talbot and Lon 

Chaney jr.; and "X the Unknown," with Dean Jogger, 

filmed in England. 

March 27: "The Day They Gove Bobies Away," 

starring Glynis Johns and Cameron Mitchell. 

April 3: "Torzan and the Lost Safari," with Gordon 

Scott, a Sol Lesser production. 

April 17: "The Lady and the Prowler," a John 

Farrow production, starring Diana Dors, Rod Steiger 

and Tom Tryon. 

May 22: "The Girl Most Likely," starring Jane 

Powell, Cliff Robertson, Keith Andes, Kaye Bollard 

and Tommy Noonan. 

June 12: "The Violators," a Galahad production, 

starring Teresa Wright and Cameron Mitchell. 

In addition to these, RKO will have four 

pictures for late 1956 release—"Bundle of 

Joy," with Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher; 

"The Silken Affair," starring David Niven 

and Genevieve Page; "Man in the Vault," 

starring Anita Ekberg, William CampbeU 

and Karen Sharpe; and "Guilty," an English 

murder story based on actual fact, with John 

Justin and Barbara Laage. 

Clark Gable Film to Head 

December List for UA 

NEW YORK — "The King and Four 

Queens," Russ-Field's CinemaScope-De Luxe 

Color film starring Clark Gable, heads the 

list of four United Artists features for December 

release. 

Eleanor Parker stars with Gable and Jo 

Van Fleet, Jean Willes, Barbara Nichols and 

Sara Shane are also in the cast. The other 

pictures are: "The Wild Party," a Security 

Pictures film, starring Anthony Quinn with 

Carol Ohmart, Jay Robinson and Arthur 

Franz; "Dance With Me Henry," produced 

by Bob Goldstein starring Bud Abbott and 

Lou Costello with Glgi Perreau and Mary 

Wickes, and "The Brass Legend," also a Bob 

Goldstein presentation, with Hugh O'Brian, 

Nancy Gates and Raymond Burr starred. 

New Astor Release Set 

NEW YORK—Astor Pictures will release 

"Hour of Decision," starring Jeff Morrow, 

December 1, according to Fred Bellin, president. 

The most recent Astor releases were: 

"Men of Sherwood Forest," released in September, 

and "Passport to Treason," released 

in June. "Hour of Decision" will be followed 

by "The Black Tide," starring John Ireland, 

and "Stranger in Town," starring Alex Nicol, 

both in 1957. 

BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956 II

CATHOLIC LEGION OF DECENCY REPORTS 

Objectionable Films Dip; 

'Lurid' Ad Copy in Rise 

NEW YORK—There was a marked drop in 

the number of objectionable motion pictures 

produced in the United States last year, the 

Catholic Legion of Decency reported this 

week. At the same time, however, Bishop 

William A. Scull/, chairman of the Episcopal 

committee on motion pictures, warned that 

"lurid" advertising and the "intensity" of 

offensive motion pictures "offered serious 

concern." 

Bishop Scully read his report to Catholic 

bishops of the United States meeting in 

closed session at the Catholic University of 

America. 

"Although the number of films in the objectionable 

classification showed a decrease," 

the bishop noted, "the intensity of objectionability 

in both theme and treatment of a 

large segment of our American-made films 

offered serious concern to the members of 

the hierarchy." 

The report also declared that "moral retrogression" 

had also been noted in advertising. 

Many films are exploited "which, through 

lurid and salacious details, incite the baser 

nature of man and are alien to his rational 

nature as a child of God. 

"This grievous violation of decency and 

obvious dishonesty through misrepresentation 

(already noted by trade and secular journalists) 

calls for immediate remedy by the 

motion picture industry, lest our films here 

and abroad be characterized as a complete 

glamorization and deification of the flesh," 

the bishop declared. 

During the past year the Legion reviewed 

and classified 328 motion pictures of which 

269 were domestically made and 59 were from 

abroad, Bishop Scully reported. 

Of American films, 88 or 32.71 per cent 

were A-I (morally unobjectionable for general 

patronage); 117 or 43.5 per cent were A-II 

(morally unobjectionable for adults) ; 62 or 

23.05 per cent were B; and one produced 

without a motion picture code seal was C 

(condemned). One movie, "Storm Center," 

was separately classified. 

Ten foreign films, or 16.95 per cent, received 

A-I typing; 24, or 40.68 per cent were A-II; 

18, or 30.51 per cent were B, and seven, or 

11.86 per cent, were condemned. 

Last year, 92 American films, or 33.45 per 

cent, rated B classification, while four were 

condemned. At the time the Legion noted the 

largest percentage of offensive films in its 

history. 

No Coverage by Film 

Of Olympic Games 

NEW YORK^The Olympic games opened 

Thursday (22) at Melbourne, Australia, 

minus film coverage by the American, British, 

Canadian and European motion picture and 

television companies. It is extremely unlikely 

that there will be any before the games end 

December 8. TV news and sports programs 

will report the games only by spoken reports 

and still photographs. There will be no theatre 

newsreel coverage. 

Negotiations with the Melbourne Olympic 

Committee had been in progress for a year. 

The news film organizations offered to 

form a pool to film the games at their own 

cost and agreed to limit the use of such 

film to a maximum of three minutes in any 

one newsreel or newscast up to a total of 

nine minutes a day. They also offered to 

provide the committee free of charge with 

a complete copy of their coverage of the 

games, giving the committee full rights to 

sell the film commercially or to distribute 

it otherwise. 

The committee would have had the right 

to dispose of the newsreel rights in countries 

not covered by the British, American and 

European pool. The news film organization 

also would have paid the committee for 

whatever film they wished to use in their 

programs. 

The committee ruled that the organizations 

could have only three minutes of film 

free on any one day, that the amount of film 

sent from Melbourne would be limited and 

therefore restricting the selection of events. 

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Films to Be Shown Free 

To Hungarian Refugees 

NEW YORK—The 5,000 refugees arriving 

from Hungary will be shown American 

motion pictures denied them behind the Ii'on 

Curtain. The ten major distributing companies 

have agreed with the suggestion of 

Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture 

Ass'n of America, that free films be 

provided them at Camp Kilmer, N. J., where 

they will be temporarily housed. 

All films now playing the regular military 

camp circuit will be made available through 

the facilities of the Army and Air Force 

Motion Picture Service with the blessing of 

the MPAA member companies. 

Johnston noted that he had just returned 

from the Iron Curtain countries and that 

he knew how much the refugees want American 

motion picture entertainment, which 

they haven't been able to enjoy since the 

beginning of World War II. 

"We welcome this opportunity," he said, "to 

help these unfortunate victims of totalitarian 

aggression." 

Rank Names 3 

Directors 

To Succeed Krim of UA 

LONDON—W. M. Codrington, William E. 

Jenkins and Col. Sir Leonard Ropner have 

been added to the boards of the J. Arthur 

Rank Organization, Odeon Associated Theatres, 

Odeon Properties and General Cinema 

Finance Corp. They succeed Arthur B. Krim, 

president of United Artists, who resigned as 

a director of the Rank Organization and its 

subsidiaries when UA sold its Odeon holdings. 

New Rank U. S. Company 

To Start by Easter 

NEW YORK—The J. 

Arthur Rank Organization's 

new distribution company, which 

will service U. S. theatres with Rank and 

other British as well as Continental product, 

will be in operation by Easter, according to 

Kenneth Hargreaves who will be president 

of the organization. Hargreaves, who was 

here for a short visit, primarily in search 

of an apartment, returned to London on 

Wednesday (21) and will move his family 

here from England in March. He also went 

to the coast for a few days of conferences 

with Alfred Daff, executive vice-president 

of Universal Pictures. 

To be known as Rank Film Distributors 

of America, Inc., the new company will have 

an American sales manager to supervise the 

contemplated six offices. The sales chief 

has not been named as yet. Geoffrey Martin, 

now in charge of Rank's overseas public relations, 

will head up the advertising-publicity 

department in New York. Hargreaves 

said that the British Treasury had approved 

the setting aside of an undisclosed amount 

of dollars for the establishment of the U. S. 

company. 

The Rank Organization, Hargreaves said 

here last week, is being geared for biggerbudgeted 

pictures and product with international 

appeal. Initial concentration will be 

on pictures with the largest revenue potential. 

Hargreaves discounted reports that John 

Davis, managing director of all of Rank's 

amusement enterprises, had accused U. S. exhibitors 

of boycotting British pictures. He 

said that Davis had questioned the business 

judgment of some American exhibitors in 

refusing to play British product, but there, 

too, he said, the situation had changed. 

Rank has no plans to acquire U. S. theatres, 

Hargreaves said, although he may make 

booking arrangements with theatres in cities 

where difficulties arise in getting product 

played. Rank now has a one-year lease on 

the Sutton Theatre in New York, with options 

for additional one-year periods over a fouryear 

period. Hargreaves said he believed the 

new organization would lessen the reluctance 

now shown by American exhibitors to 

play British films. 

Hargreaves currently is managing director 

of Rank's domestic distribution in England 

and is assistant managing director of the 

Rank groups as a whole. He will resign his 

British posts to accept his new U. S. post. 

Rank now has a backlog of 14 or 15 pictures, 

of which 70 per cent are suitable for this 

market, Hargreaves said. The company now 

is making about 20 pictures a year. The arrangement 

whereby Universal may select 

product from two lists of Rank pictures for 

U. S. distribution will continue. 

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Reserve It 

Now for New Year's Eve... from COLUMBIA!

COLUMBIA'S CHRIi 

! 

EN IF YOU HAV 

FOR YOUR MOST IMI 

lOT ON THE HEELS OF THAT 

SENSATIONAL 

HERE'S THE BIG, BIC^SEAAMVIOvfE 

CLOCK",.. 

WITH THE NATION'S TOP ROCK 'N' ROLL STARS! 

,>-.î.-^..CT^,,,e«^»-,j,^^,lMIft,^..v;7^-,Jva3^v.,. - 

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The kings of ROCK are roUin' back 

to the screen ... in their BIGGEST 

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w,th 

JOVADA AND JIMMY BALLARD 

written by ROBERT E. KENT and JAMES B. 

GORDON • Produced by SAM KATZMAN 

Directed by FRED F. SEARS • A CLOVER PRODUCTION 

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^MAS PACKAGE 

IIRTANT AUDIEN< 

AND FOR A SOCK TEEN-AGE* COMBO SHO>V- 

BOOK^ROCK" ^VITH 

HE SHOCKING 

* 

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY STORY 

IHAT'S NEVER BEEN TOLD BEFORE I 

THE STARK TRUTH 

ABOUT TEEN-AGE GANGS! 

THEIR WARS! 

THEIR GIRLS! 

THEIR CRIME- 

SCHOOLS! 

I 

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l.. 

Laurie Michael leny Jiobeft 

with CARROLL- GRANGER • JANGER • BLAKE and FREDDIE BELL AND HIS BELLBOYS 

Screen Play by LOU MORHEIM and JACK DeWITT • Based on the Novel by FRANK PALEY • Produced by SAM KATZMAN 

Directed by FRED F. • 

SEARS A CLOVER PRODUCTION

Marquee As an Election Scoreboard a Big Draw 

OAKLAND—L. J. "Bucky" Williams, 

manager of the Peerlex Theatre here, 

learned on election night that the theatre 

marquee can be a potent community 

attraction, if you introduce some new 

angles. His new angle was an election 

scoreboard—and despite the speed with 

which radio and television can transmit 

news, the utilization of the marquee as 

a device to keep the public informed of 

election results turned out to be a tremendous 

draw. 

Williams tied up with station KROW 

to get the election returns. He installed 

a direct line to the station, which had 

Associated Press wire service. As this was 

Cash and Hollywood Trip 

Offered in UA Contest 

NEW YORK—A prize of $2,500 in cash and 

a free trip to Hollywood for two will be 

awarded to the showman who stages the 

best campaign for Russ-Pield's "The King 

and Pour Queens." According to Roger H. 

Lewis, United Artists' national advertisingpublicity-exploitation 

director, this will be the 

biggest cash award ever offered to exhibitors 

in connection with a local campaign contest. 

Lewis said that the competition is open to 

every theatre in the United States and 

Canada, regardless of size, which plays the 

Clark Gable-Eleanor Parker picture prior 

to next June 1. The feature will be UA's 

Christmas release. 

Robert Waterfield, Jane Russell, Gable and 

Lewis will join a panel of motion picture 

trade press editors to select the "king of 

showmen." The panel will consist of Al Steen, 

BOXOFFICE; Winfleld Andrus, Film Daily; 

Al Bloom, Greater Amusements; Walter 

Brooks, Motion Picture Herald; Ralph 

Cokain, Showmen's Trade Review; Jack Harrison, 

Hollywood Reporter; James D. I vers. 

Motion Picture Daily; Mel Konecoff, The Exhibitor; 

Al Picoult, Harrison's Reports; Morton 

Sun-hine, Independent Film Journal, and 

Mo Wax, Film Bulletin. 

Judging will be based solely on ingenuity, 

originality, practicability, coverage and 

efficiency, Lewis said. Neither the amount of 

money spent on the campaign nor the comparative 

boxoffice returns will be evaluated. 

All rules will be in the press book. 

The picture Ls a king-size western, with 

many exploitable angles for promotional campaigns 

in all situations. 

the lastest service available, the Peerlex 

scoreboard ran about 500,000 votes ahead 

of TV and radio newscasts. Downtown 

crowds apparently felt they were getting 

later returns on the scoreboard, and the 

Peerlex results drew big crowds on all four 

corners of the busy intersection of 12th 

and Broadway. 

Posting of results started at 5:30 p.m., 

with changes made frequently to hold the 

interest of the crowds. At 10:30 p.m., 

when it appeared certain that Eisenhower 

had won, the IKE WINS letters went up, 

and Williams retired for the night. The 

public affairs contribution won him and 

the theatre a lot of goodwill. 

NTA Plans Sales Campaign 

For 20th-Fox TV Package 

NEW YORK—Plans for the sale of the 

film package recently acquired from 20th 

Century-Fox are being set up by Harold 

Goldman, vice-president in charge of sales 

of National Telefilm Associates. He has begun 

a series of meetings with regional salesmen. 

The first meeting was held in Chicago November 

15, 16 with E. Jonny Graff, midwest 

vice-president, and Allen Ash and P. Moore 

of the Chicago office. It was also attended 

by Don Swartz and Gerald Corwin of the 

Minneapolis office and Charles McNamee 

and Charles Ritt of the Memphis office. 

T'he second meeting also lasted two days. 

It began Monday (19) in the Los Angeles 

office. Attending were Edward M. Gray, 

coast vice-president of sales, Peter Rodgers, 

Jerome Kurtz and Martin Ratner. 

Harold Morgan Quits ABC 

To Join Ad Agency 

NEW YORK—Harold L. Morgan jr., vicepresident 

and controller of American Broadcasting 

Co., will resign December 31 to join 

McCann Erickson, Inc., advertising agency. 

He is the third company officer to resign 

within a month. The others are Robert Kintner, 

president, and Ernest Lee Jahncke jr., 

vice-president in charge of station relations. 

Joan Blondell in 'Desk Set' 

HOLLYWOOD—Joan Blondell has been 

signed for a role in 20th-Fox's "Desk Set." 

U-I Sales Sessions 

AtSiudioDec.3-10 

HOLLYWOOD — Universal-International 

is planning a weeklong sales executives conference 

at the studio starting December 3. 

It is to be attended by the company's sales 

heads from all sections of the country and 

Canada. Announcement of the conclave 

was made by Charles J. Peldman, vicepresident 

and general sales manager, who 

will preside. 

The meetings, which also will be attended 

by east and west coast advertising-publicity 

executives, are designed to brief the delegates 

on the company's pictures to be released 

during 1957, to review sales policies 

and to outline promotional plans. 

Following the conference here, the division 

sales managers will hold a series of 

regional meetings with district managers, 

branch managers and salesmen in Los Angeles, 

Kansas City, Chicago, New Orleans, 

Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Washington to 

reach every member of the sales organization. 

Milton R. Rackmil, president; N. J. Blumberg, 

chairman of the board; Alfred E. Daff, 

executive vice-president; Edward Muhl, vicepresident 

in charge of production; and David 

A. Lipton, vice-president, will join the sales 

executives at the meetings. 

In addition to Feldman, home office brass 

in attendance will include F. J. A. McCarthy, 

assistant general sales manager; P. T. Dana, 

eastern sales manager; Foster M. Blake, 

western sales manager; Henry H. Martin, 

southern sales manager; and James J. Jordan, 

circuit sales manager. District managers 

who will participate include Barney Rose, 

San Francisco; Robert N. Wilkinson, Dallas; 

Lester Zucker, Kansas City; Manie M. Gottlieb, 

Chicago; James Frew, Atlanta; P. F. 

Rosian, Cleveland; and Joseph Gins, Boston. 

A. W. Perry, president of Empire-Universal 

which distributes U-I's pictures in Canada; 

Mark Plottel, Empire-Universal sales manager; 

and M. J. Isman, eastern district manager, 

also will attend. 

Charles Simonelli, eastern advertising and 

publicity department manager, and Robert 

Gillham, vice-president of Cunningham and 

Walsh, U-I's advertising agency, will join 

the west coast advertising-publicity executives 

headed by Lipton and including 

Clark Ramsay, executive assistant to Lipton; 

Jack Diamond, studio publicity director; 

George Lait, assistant studio publicity director; 

Archie Herzoff, studio advertising 

and promotion manager; and James Raker, 

studio advertising department head. 

Van Myers Named Head 

Of NAC 1957 Convention 

NEW YORK—Van Myers, director of 

concessions 

for Wometco Theatres, has been 

made 1957 convention and tradeshow chairman 

of the National Ass'n of Concessionaires. 

The convention and tradeshow will be held 

in November 1957 at the new American Hotel 

near Miami at the same time that Theatre 

Ekjuipment and Supply Manufacturers 

Ass'n and Theatre Owners of America hold 

their conventions and trade.shows there. 

Myers has been a frequent speaker at the 

association meetings, and has contributed 

many articles to BOXOFFICE. 

Lee Koken. NAC president, and Bert Nathan, 

board chairman, said 250 exhibit spaces 

will be available for rental. 

16 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

: November 

24, 1956

ind we've just moved to 711 Fifth Avenue 

COLUMBIA PICTURES 

CORP. 

NEW YORK 22. NEW YORK PLAZA 1-4400

Columbia's New Home 

Recalls Modest Start 

NEW YORK—By the time this issue of 

BOXOFFICE reaches subscribers, Columbia 

will be operating out of its new headquarters 

building at 711 Fifth Ave. The last of the 

executives personnel was being moved at the 

weekend from the old address at 729 Seventh 

Ave. 

The moving was done piecemeal over a 

period of two months. It was bringing 

together the personnel of Columbia Pictures, 

Columbia Pictures International and Screen 

Gems, television subsidiary from five scattered 

locations to consolidation on eight and 

a half floors in the new building. The annual 

stockholders meeting was scheduled for the 

first day of full-scale operation in the new 

location. 

BEGAN AT 1600 BROADWAY 

Review the business locations of Columbia 

and you trace the history of the industry. 

More than 36 years ago the company had its 

genesis at the CBC Film Sales Co. at 1600 

Broadway. Harry and Jack Cohn then had 

only seven on their staff. From the single 

room there the Cohns sold their first film, 

a two-reel comedy titled "They Did It on 

$8 Per." A year later it sold its first feature, 

"Heart of the North," starring Roy Stewart 

and Louise Lovely, through states rights 

exchanges. 

One of the original employes was Rose 

Slaten, now in charge of the New York cutting 

and shipping department. In 1922, a 

teenager was hired as an office boy. Today, 

fourth in seniority in the company, A. 

Schneider is first vice-president and treasurer. 

By 1924, Harry Cohn had taken charge of 

production and studio operations in Hollywood, 

the company had changed its name to 

Columbia and the states rights field had been 

abandoned in favor of the establishment of 

franchises in key cities. In that year, three 

persons joined Columbia who are still with 

it. They are Rube Jackter, now assistant 

general sales manager; Harry Foster, now in 

charge of eastern production, and Rose Hand, 

now chief telephone operator. 

AT 729 7TH AVE. IN 1929 

The Columbia feature schedule reached 16 

a year in 1926 and the company began to 

open its own branch offices. Three years 

later, over-crowding caused transfer of the 

home office to the 11th floor of 729 Seventh 

Ave. Jack Cohn and 14 others who made the 

move are still with Columbia. 

Despite the depression, Columbia had to 

add space three times in a year. By the 

summer of 1935, it had air conditioned all its 

three floors, the first home office to be so 

equipped. A year later, a fourth floor was 

added and employes increased to almost 400. 

Twenty years later, the staff had doubled and 

again there was a space emergency, and additional 

space was rented In four other 

buildings. 

Columbia bought the buUding at 711 Fifth 

Ave. in February 1955. Harry J. Taklff was 

put in charge of renovation. He removed 

practically everything but the shell of the 

buUding. 

The floors were built up again, the ceilings 

lowered for installation of the giant 100-ton 

fiijL 

, '11 

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Columbia's new headquarters. 

plus air conditioning system and heating 

ducts, and recessed lighting was placed in 

the sound-conditioned ceilings. A modern 

electrical system employing the latest duct 

iystem was installed. The entire plumbing 

system was replaced. 

The lobby was completely redecorated in 

black-and-white marble. An employe dining 

room was built. The board room has a 

modem kitchen and the conference rooms 

of four other departments have attached 

pantries. 

The decor on each of the nine floors of 

the 16-floor building is modern, with wall 

colors, drapes, furniture, lighting fixtures and 

floor covering carefully planned to synchronize. 

Tlie color scheme varies on each floor. 

There are such diversified features as stained 

wood paneling, brick in modernistic design, 

leather, grass-cloth and other fabrics and 

materials to achieve the utmost in beauty 

and luxury. Some of the decorating is still to 

be finished. 

There are two preview rooms, one with 60 

seats on the executive floor and a smaller 

one for Screen Gems. Later there will be an 

imposing preview theatre seating more than 

100 on the top floor and penthouse. Five 

high-speed autotronic elevators, needing no 

operators, will be installed in a couple of 

months. Work will begin soon on the 12th 

and 14th floors, which will be rented. 

Luxury retail establishments occupy the 

street level facing F^fth Ave. in keeping with 

the character of the neighborhood. 

Columbia space is divided as follows: 

Second floor, Screen Gems story and title 

departments; third floor, dining room, service, 

purchasing, print and production departments 

and film editing rooms; fifth, medical, tabulating 

and personnel departments; sixth. 

Screen Gems; seventh, accounting department; 

eighth, Columbia International; ninth, 

advertising-publicity department and anti- 

French Distribution 

Plan Called Unsound 

NEW YORK—A strong objection to 

trust division of legal department; tenth, 

sales and allied departments; 11th, executive 

offices, legal department and preview theatre. 

establishment 

of an exchange system for the exclusive 

distribution of French films in the 

U. S. has been voiced by Jean Goldwurm, 

president of Times Film Corp., distributor 

of foreign films. He called the idea unsound. 

Goldwurm said he had been asked at a 

recent meeting in Venice to help establish 

a system, for which the French industry was 

to provide $500,000 in subsidies, and that independent 

American distributors of foreign 

films at the meeting who are supporting the 

plan are overlooking obvious drawbacks. 

"Certain distributors," he said, "would 

have the French producers believe the proposed 

organization could handle first run 

engagements for a ten per cent fee and subsequent 

runs for 20 per cent, but they themselves 

have been unable to work on this margin 

in the past. To operate on this basis 

a vast volume of quality pictures would be 

needed to blanket the market, and where 

would such product come from?" 

In that connection, Goldwurm recalled 

that no picture was judged worthy of the 

Grand Prix award of the Venice Film Festival 

this year. 

"It has been our experience," he said, 

"that about 600 handpicked, key-run engagements 

represent some 80 per cent of 

the national potential for a foreign picture 

on the American market, so I can't see where 

an expenditure of $500,000 will increase that 

potential. Moreover, the cost of servicing 

less important engagements would be so 

great that the ultimate result would not warrant 

such financing." 

Goldwurm cited "the failure of one foreign 

government-sponsored organization 

which spent a fortune trying to promote 

Italian pictures to the American mass audience." 

He argued in favor of special treatment 

for foreign pictures. 

Stage Is Set for Annual 

Film Pioneers Dinner 

NEW YORK—The stage is 

set for the 18th 

annual dinner of the Motion Picture Pioneers 

which will be held at the Hotel Waldorf 

Astoria here next Friday (30). Sol A. 

Schwartz, general chairman of the dinner, 

has promised there will be "less speeches and 

more fun" at this year's affair. Several innovations 

and a number of surprises are in 

store, he said. In addition to displays utilizing 

photographs of more than 350 Pioneers, 

several gimmicks are planned to make this 

event the most outstanding in the history of 

the organization, Schwartz stated. 

This year's dinner will be a tribute to 

Robert J. O'Donnell, selected as the "Pioneer 

of the Year," for service to the industry. 

On the dais, in addition to O'Donnell, will 

be Barney Balaban, Harry Brandt, Jack 

Cohn, George Dembow, Ned Depinet, Gus 

Eyssell, William J. German, Leonard Goldenson, 

John J. O'Connor, Judge Ferdinand 

Pecora, Sam Pinanski, E. V. Richards, jr., 

Sam Rinzler, Herman Robbins, Sol Schwartz, 

Spyros P. Skouras, Joseph Vogel, Karl Hoblitzelle, 

Charles Freeman, William O'Donnell, 

Michael Todd, Edward P. Curtis, Eric Johnston, 

Si Fabian, Leopold FYiedman, Nate J. 

Blumberg, Milton Rackmil and Father Sylvester 

McCarthy. 

18 BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956

New Green Sheet Policy 

Is to Review Reissues 

NEW YORK—The PUm Estimate Board ol 

National Organizations, which Issues ratings 

of films semi-monthly, will change its policy 

to review reissues of 35mm entertainment 

films, starting with "Rebecca," 20th Century- 

Pox film. 

The avowed purpose is to "alert younger 

audiences to fine pictures which have stood 

the test of time, and to call the attention 

of older fans to outstanding films which they 

might appreciate seeing again." 

The issues are known as "the green sheets." 

They are sponsored by the Motion Picture 

Ass'n of America to go to 21,000 universities, 

libraries, schools and civic groups. The 

editorial board is composed of 13 national 

organizations with a total membership of 

more than 40,000,000 women. 

In its November 15 report, three out of a 

total of 11 pictures are rated for family audiences. 

They are "Lovers and Lollipops" 

(Trans-Lux), also rated outstanding and 

recommended for children's programs; 

"Secrets of Life" (Buena Vista) and "The 

7th Cavalry" (Col). 

Seven are rated for adults and young people. 

They are: "Giant" (WB), also rated 

outstanding; "Julie" (MGM), "Reprisal!" 

(Col), "Sharkfighters" (UA), "Teenage 

Rebel" (20th-Fox), "

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STUCK HER NECK OUT, AND WON 

A Novice in Exhibition, Barbara Hanley 

Opens Milwaukee to Controversial Films 

By WILLIAM NICHOL 

MILWAUKEE—When Barbara Hanley applied 

for her first job as a motion picture 

theatre manager several weeks ago—and got 

It, as manager of the Coronet Theatre— the 

first picture booked into the house was a 

highly controversial film already officially 

banned in Milwaukee. 

Perhaps, there's a special woman's way of 

handling such matters, but today the film, 

"The Game of Love," is playing at the 

Coronet, the Milwaukee Journal has come out 

strongly against censorship of any kind, the 

motion picture commission which originally 

banned the picture may have to change its 

mode of operation, and the procedure which 

Mrs. Hanley followed in obtaining both 

official and lay approval of the policy she 

has laid down for the theatre is likely to 

be followed by other exhibitors in town. 

Pressure groups and censorial bodies have 

plagued the local exhibition scene in recent 

years, "The Game of Love" had been 

denounced by several alderman after it had 

been screened for the motion picture commission, 

and the commission had recommended 

that the film be banned, although 

the commission has only advisory powers. 

Mrs. Hanley decided it was time to find 

out whether controversial pictures could be 

shown in a town, without having to bow to 

pressure groups. Having had no previous 

experience in motion picture exhibition, she 

felt this was a make or break try. If she 

won, police threats and pressure group 

attacks which had local exhibitors shying 

clear of so-called controversial films, would 

end. It was worth a try. 

Fully aware of the fact that if every one 

turned thumbs down on the picture, her 

hopes for remaining on the job seemed 

mighty feeble. Thus, she made it a point to 

arrange for a screening, and invited some 

600 patrons from all walks of life to secure 

a good cross-section response. 

The night before the screening, an an- 

22 

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BETWEEN THE LINES 

By AL STEEN 

Random Thoughts 

\A7'ONDER if there isn't an industry 

angle in what Plymouth is doing. 

The motor car company has put cab drivers 

to work promoting its 1957 models. In 15 

cities, the company gives the cabbies an 

incentive to ask passengers this question: 

"Have you seen the new Plymouth yet?" 

If the passenger is a Plymouth "mystery 

rider," planted by the company, the cabbie 

collects $5. 

• • • 

That was a terrible pun we heard at 

Lindy's the other day. It seems a gangster 

rubbed out his entire mob and buried them 

in a single coffin. He put all his yeggs in 

one casket. 

• • • 

What happened to the committee that 

TOA president Ernest Stellings was going 

to appoint to get arbitration on the road? 

Could it be that the rumors are true that 

TOA has given arbitration the kiss of 

death? 

• • • 

Gotta giggle out of a quip in Pilmack 

Trailer's "Inspiration." A farmer asked his 

neighbor how his crops were. "Waaal," 

drawled the other, "the filling station and 

the hot dog stand ain't doin' so good, but 

they'll hold us over to spring when we 

open our drive-in theatre." 

The nmiors still are kicking around that 

Stanley Warner will have a financial interest 

in AB-PT's production venture. If 

the Department of Justice lets SW invest, 

why not let it produce as well? It's being 

noised around that the government will be 

asked to revise the decrees to permit just 

such action. 

Films on TV 

H COUPLE of Sundays ago. Jack Gould, 

television editor of The New York 

Times, discussed the program crisis on 

television, pointing out that prime network 

evening time was now being given to motion 

pictures. He stated that, so far, most 

of the films presented on television have 

been pre-1948 product. But, he added, it is 

no secret that feature-length pictures now 

being shown in theatres will make their 

way to the home screen. The next-tocome 

will be the post-1948 features. 

Continuing, Gould said: "Because TV is 

obviously approaching its testing time, it 

must ask itself whether the whole revolution 

in the theatrical arts represented by 

the magic of electronics Is going to add up 

to merely one small readjustment: moving 

the motion picture theatre from downtown 

into the living room." 

Commenting on Gould's article, the Motion 

Picture Ass'n of America remarked: 

"Here is one of TV's outstanding writers 

who in so many words is admitting that 

the best television has to offer today are 

pre-1948 feature pictures. Even the industry's 

most severe critics must admit 

that Hollywood's product in the past eight 

years has shown great improvement in 

scope, color, sound, as well as subject matter. 

"One can only conclude that the motion 

picture entertairmient playing in the theatres 

of the United States must necessarily 

be far superior to anything being 

offered on the TV screens. Truer today 

than ever before is the slogan: 'Your motion 

picture theatre offers you your best 

entertainment buy.'" 

Paramount TV Deal 

PARAMOUNT, which is just about the 

last holdout against releasing its features 

to television, may take the big jump 

shortly. Previously, the company had sold 

a part of its short subjects backlog to TV, 

but, at the time, gave no intimation as to 

its policy on the features. 

It is understood that Paramount has a 

deal pending, and close to consummation, 

whereby some of its library will go on the 

air. The first of the group will be the 

Pine-Thomas pictui-es—approximately 40 

in number. There are some legal entanglements 

but the lawyers now are 

working on overcoming the snags and the 

possibilities are that Paramount will make 

an announcement shortly. With all other 

companies having made television deals, 

it's quite obvious that Paramount couldn't 

sit on the sidelines and watch the money 

flow into its competitors' coffers. 

The AB-PT Project 

n NUMBER of exhibitors to whom we 

talked this week in regard to the entry 

into production by American Broadcasting-Paramoimt 

Theatres all seemed to 

have the same answer. It will be good to 

have more pictures on the market, but 

"do we need more moderately-budgeted 

pictures?" Apparently there is no dearth 

of "average" pictures; what is needed is 

more "big" pictures, according to the showmen. 

On the other hand, 20th Century- 

Fox has found that some of the lesserbudgeted 

pictures are money-makers for 

both the exhibitors and the company and 

is so convinced that there is a demand for 

them that it has closed a deal with Robert 

Lippert to make 25 films in that category. 

Anyway, the AB-PT move has aroused a 

lot of interest and it will be an interesting 

experiment to watch. 

More Daify-Nitions 

Ccreen Play: Two flies on a summer 

door. 

House Record: 

A gross exaggeration. 

Saturation Booking: Rained out. 

COMPO: Coyne, O'Etonnell, McCarthy, 

Pinanski, Others. 

UA Fieldmen's Meet 

In NY November 29 

NEW YORK—United Artists will launch a 

fieldmen's convention November 29 to bring 

together exploitation 

representatives from 

every territory in the 

U. S. and Canada, according 

to Roger H. 

Lewis, national director 

of a d v e r t i s- 

ing, publicity and exploitation. 

The threeday 

session at the 

Park Sheraton Hotel 

wUl be the first of its 

kind held by UA and 

will unveil plans for 

Rog:er H. Lewis 

new promotional procedures 

and set a detailed exploitation program 

for the company's 48 releases for 1957. 

Max E. Youngstein, vice-president; William 

J. Heineman, vice-president in charge of 

distribution; Lewis and Mori Krushen, exploitation 

manager, will participate in the 

meetings. The field sales force will be represented 

by James R. Velde, general sales 

manager; Milton E. Cohen, eastern division 

manager, and Al Fitter, western division 

manager. 

Other executives who will conduct various 

phases of the fieldmen's meet are: Alfred E. 

Tamarin, assistant national director of advertising, 

publicity and exploitation; Mort 

Nathanson, publicity manager; Joseph Gould, 

advertising manager; Leon Roth, west coast 

publicity coordinator; Lige Brien, director of 

special events, and Samuel Cohen, foreign 

publicity manager. 

10 Companies Contribute 

$50,000 to Hospital 

NEW YORK—Ten major producing-distributing 

companies will contribute $50,000 

to the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital through 

the Motion Picture Ass'n of America. This 

has been an annual gift. 

In acknowledging the contribution, A. 

Montague, president of the hospital, said: 

"The major companies are showing in a 

very substantial way their willingness to support 

and maintain their Will Rogers Memorial 

Hospital and Research Laboratories. 

This year's gift again proves that each and 

every one of the ten major companies are 

squarely behind the hospital and that they 

recognize the worth and the need for the service 

rendered to 'our own' employes and 

their families. We are indeed grateful to the 

MPAA for this help and, as in the past, it 

will carry us well along our serious way toward 

bringing healing to our industry people 

and restoring them to useful lives." 

Judge Palmieri to Handle 

N. Y. Antitrust Actions 

NEW YORK—Industry suits involving the 

consent decrees will from now on be handled 

by Judge Edmund L. Palmieri in Federal 

District Court. The assignment became 

known November 15 when he presided at a 

hearing on a petition by Stanley Warner Theatres 

to take over the Majestic Theatre in 

Providence, R. I., from Comerford Theatres. 

It is a first run house. Judge Palmier! has 

asked the Justice Department for its views. 


here's 

BOXOFFICE 

action plus 

BOXOFFICE 

drama and romance! 

"Because of its nameweighted 

cast, unstinting 

production values and 

an honest attempt to 

circumvent formula 

situations . . . can be 

evaluated several cuts 

above the average." 

"A lively Western . . . and 

a lively triangle . . . 

There are assets to sell 

and exhibitors will know 

how to sell them." 

—M. P. Daily 

—Boxoffi.ce 

"A superior Western 

drama ... for it has some 

splendid characterizations 

and is wellconstructed 

for thrills 

and suspense." 

— Showman's 

Trade Review 

'Three popular, attractive 

and accomplished 

performers head the cast 

... A good story and 

interesting characters." 

—M. P. Herald 

'This is tense, superior 

outdoor fare, bolstered 

by excellent performances 

. . . Should have wide 

appeal." 

—M. P. Exhibitor 

RKO MOlO PICTURES PDESENTS 

1 

_^^ 

• 

J 

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ANOTHER IVIONEY SHOW FROIVI THE NElMf RKO 

Music by DIMITRI TIOMKIN

— 

*fôitcfMiMd ^CfK^ 

Several Top Purchases 

Of Stories Reported 

If Hollywood scriveners do not enjoy a 

prosperous holiday season as they loll beside 

their swimming pools and wash their 

Cadillacs (only the poorer scripters do their 

own washing), it is not the fault of the men 

who make motion pictures. The gentlemen 

who hold production pursestrings were unusually 

liberal in laying out substantial sums 

for literary properties that ultimately will find 

their way into theatrical celluloid. Irwin 

Shaw's widely read novel, "The Young Lions," 

went to 20th Century-Fox after at least two 

other studios reportedly had engaged in 

spirited bidding for its acquisition. Plans are 

to have Al Lichtman, who last year resigned 

as 20th-Fox's sales head, produce the picture 

. . . "The Accident," a novel written 

by Dexter Manners, was purchased by Columbia 

and has been assigned to Michael 

Blankfort as his initial production for that 

studio. He, collaborating with Lewis Meltzer, 

is writing the script ... A Saturday Evening 

Post yarn, "Mr. Pharoah and the Sheba," by 

Vivian Connell, was bought by Dudley Pictures 

and will be filmed in Cuba as a theatrical 

release. The film is to be made under 

a recently negotiated Dudley-Banfiac (Cuban 

Financial Syndicate) deal . . . Another purchase 

by Dudley involved "The Voodoo Eye," 

adapted by Thelma Schnee from an original 

story by Harry Essex titled "The Dune 

Roller." "Eye," which will be directed by 

Richard Carlson who also stars, and produced 

by Richard Goldstone, will be filmed in Haiti 

in color in early February, and will be a twofeature 

package, with the second feature to 

be announced shortly . . . "Never So Few," 

a first novel by Tom Chamales of high adventure 

in the Burma campaign of World 

War II, has been purchased by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 

in galley proofs and assigned to 

producer Sam Zimbalist. Its setting is the 

building of the Burma Road and jungle 

fighting in that remote area . . . Producer 

Lindsley Parsons purchased the screen rights 

to "Rio Bravo," a novel by Gordon Shirreffs, 

and will star John Ericson in the adventure 

romance. With John H. Burrows as associate 

producer. Parsons will put the screenplay 

before the cameras for Allied Artists next 

May. Much of the Cinemascope and color 

film will be shot at Kanab, Utah. 

Allied Artists to Release 

Nacirema Package Deal 

Seemingly the independent fabricators of 

film fare are coming to the conclusion that 

the so-called package deal serves the dual 

purpose of making their respective efforts 

more lucrative and of best alleviating the 

widely bemoaned shortage of product that 

confronts subsequent run and rural community 

exhibitors. There can be no doubt 

that the success enjoyed by James Nicholson 

By IVAN SPEAR 

of American International Pictures, and several 

others. In recently pursuing .such tandem 

program techniques, has led to an obvious upsurge 

in Its pursuit. 

Nacirema Productions and Allied Artists 

have closed a deal whereby Nacirema will 

produce a double-bill feature for that company, 

"The Golden Disc" and "Hot Rod 

Jamboree." Norman Herman will produce 

for Nacirema, with production slated to start 

in January. 

"The Golden Disc," from an original story 

by Sam X. Abarbanel with screenplay by William 

Copeland, depicts the rise and fall of a 

rock and roll sensation in the singing field, 

while "Hot Rod Jamboree" will depict the 

adventures of the wild-wheeling younger set. 

Third Bullfight Feature 

On Boetticher's Slate 

El Toro apparently is destined to be a 

permanent zoological fixture on theatrical 

motion picture screens. Director Budd Boetticher 

and Carlos Arruza, widely known matador, 

have concluded a deal whereby Boetticher 

will produce and direct "The Carlos 

Arruza Story," with the Mexican bull fighter 

coming out of retirement to make his film 

debut portraying himself. Film will mark 

the third with bull ring background to be 

directed by Boetticher. Predecessors were 

"The Bullfighter and the Lady" and "The 

Magnificent Matador." And that's a lot of 

bull. No release has been set. 

Roger Gorman to Produce 

One for Woolner Bros. 

This young fellow Roger Corman sure 

enough gets around these days. He's busier 

than the proverbial cat making his own pictures, 

despite which he has been signed to 

produce and direct "Female Fury," which will 

be the second feature to be made by Louisiana 

exhibitors Larry and Barney Woolner for 

their newly formed Woolner Bros. Productions 

company. 

"Female Fury," an original by Corman and 

Barney Woolner, will be filmed in Cuba in 

January. Locations there will be Havana and 

the ancient city of Trinidad. Story time is 

approximately 100 years ago. 

Ernest Borgnine Rejects 

Role for 'Sweet Smell' 

"Marty"—Ernest Borgnine, that is, wants 

no part of the "Sweet Smell of Success." He 

has turned down the role in that picture, 

being produced in the east by Hecht-Hill- 

Lancaster, a part for which he had been 

previously and definitely announced. Over 

Borgnine's refusal to accept the assignment, 

regret was expressed by H-H-L executives. 

They said that they feel he has defaulted 

on his contract and indicated that they 

intend to maintain their legal rights. 

Fielding Signs Joel McCrea 

For 'Gunslinger' Lead 

Producer Sol Baer Fielding has signed Joel 

McCrea to topline "The Gunslinger," screen 

rights to which he just purchased. It is a 

short story by Howard Barry which appeared 

in the Saturday Evening Post. Film will be 

made under the banner of Fielding Productions 

which recently completed "Trooper 

Hook" for United Artists release. 

Locale of "The Gunslinger" is Wyoming in 

the 1870s. No release has been set for the 

feature. 

To Reveal 

Nominations 

For Oscars on Feb. 18 

In view of the fact that this year the 

nominating ceremonies will not be 

telecast, the nation's showmen will 

be interested in learning that nominations 

for the 29th Annual Awards of the 

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and 

Sciences will be officially revealed on 

Monday, February 18. As in other years, 

exhibitors will undoubtedly take advantage 

of the announcement in setting 

bookings—most especially of reissues 

and in their exploitation. 

All pictures represented by the nominees 

will be screened for Academy members 

during the last week of February 

and the first three weeks of March. 

The Academy's board of governors had 

voted earlier this year not to televise the 

coming nominations. 

The Awards presentations, to be held 

on Wednesday, March 27, will be carried 

over the combined television and radio 

facilities of the National Broadcasting Co. 

with Jerry Lewis serving as master of 

ceremonies. 

George Abbott to Produce 

'Damn Yankees' in 1957 

stage producer George Abbott has drawn 

another, but not surprising, filmmaking assignment 

at Warners. He will produce "Damn 

Yankees," a Broadway musical, screen rights 

to which were acquired by that company 

sometime ago. It will face the cameras early 

in 1957. The picture will be produced by Abbott 

in association with Frederick Brisson, 

Robert E. Griffith and Haiold S. Pi-ince, the 

same production group that is now launching 

another musical, "The Pajama Game," which 

is in rehearsal at the Burbank lot and goes 

before the cameras this month with Doris 

Day and John Raitt heading the cast and 

Stanley Donen directing . . . It's a lot of 

money even if he doesn't get it, but according 

to his press agent Yul Brynner has been 

offered $1,000,000 from Stanley Kreshower of 

Felbrook Productions of New York to star in 

"The Great Grimaldi," a story of the 

European crying clown. Brynner, interested 

in the story, has indicated willingness to accept 

the deal if his schedule can be worked 

. . . George 

out. By whom and when "Grimaldi" will be 

distributed was not revealed 

Davis, president of the Society of Motion 

Picture Art Directors, has been appointed 

head of the RKO studio art department to 

replace Al D'Agostino, who announced his 

resignation from the post because of ill 

health. 

'Outlaw Queen' Is Added 

To Globe's Schedule 

Globe Releasing Corp., of which Theodore 

J. Ticktin is president and veteran Sam 

Nathanson general manager, has acquired 

distribution rights to "Outlaw Queen," produced 

independently by Ronny Ashcraft and 

which stars Harry James and Andrea King. 

"Queen" will go into general release during 

December and brings to three the number of 

features currently carrying the Globe banner. 

The other two are "Holiday Week" and "The 

Go-Getter." 

28 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

: November 

24, 1956

The Friendly Persuader 

Arthur DeBra, the Industry's Contact With the Nation's 

Women's Groups, to be Honored by Them for His Work 

NEW YORK—Arthur DeBra, director of 

the community relations department of the 

Motion Picture Ass'n of America, will be feted 

by the General Federation of Women's Clubs 

December 6 at its Washington, D. C. headquarters. 

Eric Johnston, president, and other 

MPAA officers have been invited to attend. 

The gathering will note DeBra's long association 

with the group and their joint 

success in establishing friendly relations between 

the industry and the women of the 

nation. Now feminine criticism of motion 

pictures is reported at a low ebb compared 

to what it was in earlier years. Instead, 

many thousands of clubwomen are cooperating 

on both the national and local levels 

in promoting films they deem especially 

worthy. Exhibitors are turning to them in 

increasing numbers for promotion aid. 

Besides being a promotion specialist, De- 

Bra also rates as a troubleshooter for the 

MPAA, handling many assignments over the 

years. He has been one of those sparking 

the fight against censorship, not on the legislative 

end but by building sentiment among 

the women against it, and he has just been 

drafted to help promote the business building 

program of the MPAA. 

DeBra's early record did not point in the 

direction of the motion picture industry at 

all. His father was a clergyman, college 

president and noted educator. In 1910 he 

won a Rhodes scholarship, the youngest successful 

candidate up to that time, but his 

father insisted he study for the ministry, 

and he entered Union Theological Seminary, 

graduating with honors in 1916 and at the 

same time receiving his Ph. D. in psychology 

and education at Columbia. He next did 

neurological research work and began the 

study of medicine. 

Code Revision Decision 

Expected in Early Dec. 

NEW YORK—A final decision on a 

revised production code may be reached 

at a meeting of the board of 

the Motion 

Picture Ass'n of America early in December. 

A spokesman for the MPAA reported 

that progress continues to be 

made by the drafting subcommittee, consisting 

of Robert J. Rubin of Paramount, 

Raymond Bell of Columbia and Paul 

Quinn of RKO. 

The subcommittee reported Monday 

(19) to the top code committee, composed 

of Barney Balaban of Paramount, 

A. Schneider of Columbia and Daniel 

T. OShea of RKO. O'Shea was unable 

to attend. The subcommittee was asked 

to rewrite some clauses. It was believed 

that committee agreement could be 

reached in time for presentation to the 

board early in December. No details on 

revisions have been made public, but one 

is expected to give wider scope to films 

dealing with narcotics. 

ARTHUR DEBRA 

Troubleshooter for the MPAA 

After service in the medical field in the 

army in World War I, he held responsible positions 

with the Red Cross. Will H. Hays, 

president of the Motion Picture Distributors 

of America, forerunner of the MPAA, and 

Col. Jason Joy, an aide, persuaded him to 

take over the public relations department. 

His first job was answering protest mail with 

the assistance of the late Lamar Trotti, then 

with the MPDA and later a famous Fox 

script writer. 

DeBra and Trotti conceived the idea of 

classifying the complaints according to subject 

matter. Those dealing with divorce went 

in one grouping, those dealing with murder 

in another, and so on. They then drew up a 

list of "don'ts" and "be carefuls" for the 

aid of producers. When Abram F. Myers as 

Federal Trade Commissioner presided in 1927 

at hearings on trade practices, the suggested 

prohibitions were included in the Commission's 

report. 

That was really the genesis of the production 

code. The Rev. Daniel A. Lord and De- 

Bra assembled the "don'ts" and the ten 

commandments into the first draft of the 

code, according to MPAA records. Afterwards, 

others developed the code. 

Col. Joy went to Hollywood in 1926 as the 

first code administrator and DeBra then 

became head of the newly formed public 

relations department. He concentrated on 

enlisting the cooperation of the national 

chairmen of the women's councils, opened 

the channels for their appreciation of good 

pictures and taught them to look for production 

techniques in pictures as well as 

moral quality. He appeared frequently before 

many organizations. 

A national conference of clubwomen and 

ministers was held in New York in 1929. The 

women wanted a Hollywood representative 

and named Mrs. Alice Ames Winter. Later, 

the problem arose of two reviewing groups. 

one on the coast and one in New York. Johnston, 

who became president in 1945, decided 

against the duplication in 1949, and the 

coast unit was disbanded. 

Clubwomen now regularly review motion 

pictures. They seek the best among them to 

recommend to members. The setup has been 

organized as far as possible so that clubwomen 

in a certain area will be notified when 

a selected pictiu'e is to be shown. It works 

out pretty well despite varying release 

dates. 

The clubwomen obtain much of their information 

from semi-monthly reviews of pictures 

by a national film estimate board. 

Those are joint estimates arrived at so far 

as possible by all concerned. They are 

popularly known as the "green sheet." About 

21,000 copies are mailed, quite a few to exhibitors. 

The various women's organizations 

also review independently of each other. 

Again, the reviews are constructive rather 

than critical. 

DeBra also has to his credit the origin of 

Teaching Films Custodian, an organization 

that provides teaching aids through film 

clips. The green sheet also carries educational 

information. He also mails out an 

occasional brochure suggesting how and why 

special pictures should be supported. The 

last one dealt with "Friendly Persuasion." 

DeBra has been honored by such associations 

as membership in the Girl Scouts public 

relations advisory committee, public relations 

advisor to Artists for Victory during 

the war and membership in the program and 

policy committee of the public relations division 

of the National Ass'n of Manufacturers. 

It's quite a record for a man who taught 

English literature in college, studied for the 

ministry, became a psychologist and studied 

medicine. 

'Anastasia' Benefit Set 

For Roxy December 13 

NEW YORK—"Anastasia," the 20th Century-Fox 

Cinemascope picture in which Ingrid 

Bergman returns to the American 

screen after seven years, will open at the 

Roxy Theatre December 13, with all proceeds 

going to the Judson Health Center. 

The opening will also commemorate Dr. 

Eleanor A. Campbell's 35 years of public 

service to the Judson Health Center. 

Yul Brynner and Helen Hayes are costarred 

with Miss Bergman in "Anastasia," 

which was produced in Paris. Copenhagen 

and London by Anatole Litvak. 

Continue Discussions 

On Business Building 

NEW YORK—Procedures to be worked 

out in connection with the business building 

program of the Motion Picture Ass'n of 

America were discussed Monday (19) by 

Roger H. Lewis, chairman of the MPAA advertising-publicity 

directors committee, with 

Kenneth Clark, MPAA vice-president. 

Further suggestions are being awaited from 

Hollywood which is advocating a jubilee plan 

to include all industry promotional ideas. 

When that is received, work will begin in 

earnest again. 

To Screenplay 'Female Fury' 

HOLLYWOOD—Jack Dewitt will screenplay 

"Female Fury" from an original by Barney 

Woolner and Roger Corman, which Gorman 

will produce for Woolner Bros. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956 

29

I 

: 

»^^ INDUSTRY PROFILE 

Sa¥SJSSii«!g 

Dr. Frayne: Sound Recording Expert 

With a Long Record As an Educator 

NEW YORK—Dr. John George Prayne 

kissed the Blarney Stone in 1954, but his 

many friends and associates say it wasn't 

necessary. He was already a good conversationalist 

and public speaker, and trying to 

add anything to his talents in those fields 

was like trying to gild the lily. He also has 

quite a record as an educator as well as an 

engineer in the field of sound recording. 

The president of the Society of Motion 

Picture and Television Engineers for the 

1955-56 term is active as engineering manager 

for the Hollywood division of Westrex 

Corp., a post he has held since 1949. Somehow 

he finds time to fill both responsible positions. 

He also has found time to build with his own 

hands a cabin retreat in the mountains at 

Lake Arrowhead, and to help neighbors organize 

the Strawberry Plats Water Ass'n 

to solve the local water supply problem. To 

continue: He will demonstrate his ability as 

a square dance caller, and has done so at 

SMPTE conventions. He gives illustrated 

lectures about a trip he made around the 

world. 

CAME TO U. S. IN 1914 

Dr. Prayne was born in Ireland of Norman 

and Huguenot stock dating back to the Norman 

invasion of 1170. He won a scholarship 

in a secondary Irish school, came to the 

U. S. in 1914 and served in the U. S. Signal 

Corps in 1918-1919, ending his World War I 

service as a second lieutenant. 

At the Signal Corps radio laboratories at 

Port Monmouth, his commanding officer was 

the late Major Nathan LeVinson. Ten years 

later, while at California Tech. he again met 

Major Levinson, then in charge of the Hollywood 

operations of Electrical Research 

Products, set up by Western Electric to 

handle talking pictures, and he joined the 

staff. Major Levinson later became Warner 

Bros, sound director. He credits the major 

with having been Influential in inducing the 

industry to adopt sound. He has certainly 

had a lot to do with sound himself. 

Dr. Frayne is an avid proponent of better 

initial training for motion picture technicians 

and of continued education throughout 

their careers. He can be said to have 

entered the field of education when he became 

an instructor in mathematics at the 

University of Minnesota, receiving his doctorate 

in 1922. From 1922 to 1928 he was 

physics professor at Antioch College, then 

a research fellow at the California Institute 

SXfcQ/ THEATRE ADVERTISERS 

BOX 795- OMAHA I. NEBRASKA 

of 

Dr. John G. Frayne of Westrex gets a 

special greeting at the Colombo, Ceylon, 

airport while on a round-the-world trip 

visiting company engineers. With him is 

a local exhibitor. 

Technology. 

He helped the Motion Picture Research 

Council organize a series of lectures which 

led to the textbook, "Motion Picture Sound 

Engineering," then a follow-up, "The Elements 

of Sound Recording," written in collaboration 

with Dr. Halley Wolfe of Westrex. 

He is chairman of the SMPTE educational 

committee and was directly responsible for 

starting the whole SMPTE educational 

program. He was recently made a member 

of the Board of Review of the cinema school 

at use. 

He developed, in coordination with G. R. 

Crane of Westrex, the integrating sphere 

densitometer for which Electrical Research 

Products received an Academy Award in 1953. 

Another main contribution was development 

of the intermodulation technique of distortion 

measurements, the basic work on which 

was done by R. R. Scoville of Westrex and 

for which they received an Academy Award 

in 1953. He received. In cooperation with 

Dr. V. Pagliarulo, the SMPTE Journal Award 

in 1940 for a paper on the effects of ultraviolet 

light on variable density recording 

and printing, and in 1947 he received the 

SMPTE Progress Medal Award. He has ten 

Western Electric patents. 

ON GLOBAL TRIP IN 1954 

Dr. Prayne went around the world in 1954, 

visiting local engineering personnel in Westrex 

offices and meeting various celebrities. 

It was unusual for a far-flung company like 

Westrex to let a top engineering expert personally 

bring overseas engineers up-to-date 

on new sound recording techniques. The trip 

gave Dr. Prayne the opportunity to re-visit 

his birthplace in County Wexford, Ireland, 

renew acquaintances with members of his 

family and relatives living there and kiss 

that Blarney Stone. 

Dr. Prayne lives in Pasadena, Calif. He 

is the father of three married children. In 

1953 he was the grandfather of four. He adds 

"I don't know the score since then." Clare 

Lane Prayne, his wife, is actively Interested 

in politics. She attends SMPTE conventions 

with him and works on the ladies' committee. 

He is first vice-president of the Hollywood 

unit of the Optimist Club. 

Dr. Prayne has been active in SMPTE 

affairs since 1931 and has served as chairman 

of its Sound, Progress, Journal Award 

and Progress Medal Award committees. In 

addition, he is a fellow of the society and has 

been coast chairman, a governor, editorial 

vice-president and executive vice-president. 

And still he found time to build that mountain 

retreat! 

The deep affection which SMPTE members 

have for him was shown at the 80th 

convention in Los Angeles when the 600 attending 

rose in his honor and sang "Auld 

Lang Syne." 

20th-Fox in Global Search 

For Talent Candidates 

HOLLYWOOD — Twentieth 

Century-Pox 

talent scouts are scheduled to leave within 

the next 60 days to cover the globe in an 

attempt to discover new candidates for the 

studio's $l,000,000-a-year talent-training 

program. Buddy Adler disclosed Thursday 

(15) night, prefacing the first presentation 

of the project at the Westwood plant. 

Among the exhibitors getting behind the 

company's search for fresh talent is Elmer 

Rhoden, president of National Theatres, who 

has turned over all the chain's houses in 

California for tryouts. 

Stressing the current need for new faces, 

Adler made a direct appeal to the studio's 

producers, directors and writers in the 

audience to take advantage of the project 

and seriously consider any promising newcomers 

they might see among the 17 presented 

on film that evening. 

Supervised by Spyros P. Skouras, Adler, 

and veteran dramatic coach Ben Bard, the 

talent-training program is comprised of three 

parts: a young group of trainees with professional 

experience, who will participate in 

the regular eight-week presentations; a class 

of young hopefuls without previous training, 

who will be put through a three-month 

course; and a group of offbeat character 

people, who will be trained and then presented 

in scenes for benefit of the studio 

casting department only. 

Lesser Reports Bookings 

Of 1st Canadian Feature 

NEW YORK—Irving M. Lesser, president 

of Motion Picture Distributors, has arranged 

for the first bookings of "Oedipus Rex," color 

film directed by Tyrone Guthrie and produced 

by Leonid Kipnis. It features Stratford, 

Ontario, Festival players and is the first 

feature film to be produced in Canada. 

It will open January 7 at the 55th Street 

Playhouse here. Other theatres booking it 

are the MacArthur in Washington, D. C, 

Five West in Baltimore and Shady Oak In 

St. Louis. 

More 'Julie' Bookings 

NEW YORK—MGM reports more than 100 

bookings of "Julie," Arwin Production starring 

Doris Day, which opened in Cincinnati 

and then was shown in other Ohio cities 

ahead of regular release. New bookings are 

by theatres in Chicago, Philadelphia, Springfield, 

Dubuque, Milwaukee and Mhineapolis, 

and at least 50 more are expected within two 

weeks, according to MGM. 

30 BOXOFFICE : : November 

24, 1956

More Inclusive Code 

Aim oi Film Censor 

BALTIMORE—C. Morton Goldstein, chairman 

of the Maryland Board of Motion Picture 

Censors, has asked the state legislative 

council to study possible broadening of the 

censorship codes. He said the Maryland attorney 

general's office is considering what 

can be done to broaden definitions of obscenity 

and use of narcotics. 

At present, said Goldstein, the censor 

board is "acting strictly as lawyers" in applying 

current censorship laws. He added: 

"Personal opinions matter little under current 

laws, which strictly define grounds upon 

which films may be banned, and judicial 

rulings." 

Goldstein said there are several decisions 

before the courts today which may bring 

this thing to a head. He noted that New 

York court rulings on "The Garden of Eden" 

and "Lady Chatterley's Lover" may be especially 

important. 

The state's legislative council is waiting 

for a decision from the court of appeals on 

"Naked Amazon," a film which shows complete 

nudity, before taking further action. 

Certain portions of the film were deleted by 

the censor board but after an appeal by the 

producer, Judge Joseph R. Byrnes ruled the 

cuts should not have been made under the 

existing law. The case was taken to the 

higher court by the attorney general. 

Order Licensing 'Eden' 

To Be Appealed in NY 

ALBANY—^The State Department of Education 

will appeal the decision of the appellate 

division ordering the Board of Regents 

to license "The Garden of Eden," Dr. Charles 

A. Brind jr., head of the law division and 

counsel to the regents, revealed. 

Brind, who argued the case on the appeal 

brought by Excelsior Pictures Corp., in conmenting 

on the concurring memorandum by 

presiding Justice Sydney F. Foster to the effect 

the state film law is "already a dead 

letter," said the legislature had preferred, 

instead to save it. This, Brind said was 

shown In the enactment of the FitzPatrick 

bill in 1955—after the XT. S. Supreme Court 

had overturned a regents' decision that "La 

Ronde" was not licensable because it was immoral. 

Previously, the high court had 

knocked out "sacrilegious" as a ground for 

denying a license in "The Miracle." 

The department's appeal cannot be argued 

before the January term of the court of appeals. 

It was this tribunal's decisions which 

four other justices of the appellate division 

had cited as a reason an "intermediate appellate 

court" should not strike down an 

entire statute as unconstitutional. 

Behind the decision by the regents to appeal 

the "Garden of Eden" ruling is the belief 

the state's top court may not sustain the 

appellate division. If the court of appeals 

rules otherwise, the censoring situation will 

at least have been clarified. 

Two types of legislation to replace or 

amend the present statute are reported already 

under study. Either or both presumably 

could be introduced in bill form, if the 

court of appeals invalidated the licensing 

law. 

UA's "Trooper Hook" is based on a Collier's 

magazine story by Jack Schaefer, author of 

"Shane." 

Titles of Iron Curtain 

Films to Be Kept Secret 

UA Promotes Tunick 

To Eastern Manager 

NEW YORK—Gene Tunick, United Artists 

branch manager in Philadelphia since 1954, 

has been promoted to 

eastern district manager 

by WUliam J. 

Gene Tunick 

Heineman, vice-president 

in charge of distribution. 

Tunick will 

headquarter in Philadelphia 

and manage 

the operations of UA's 

Boston, New Haven, 

Philadelphia, Buffalo 

and Cleveland exchanges. 

The eastern district 

jg supervised by MUton 

E. Cohen, eastern and southern division manager. 

Tunick, who is 36, entered the industry in 

1941 as a shipper at the RKO exchange in 

Cincinnati. After World War II, he rejoined 

RKO in Cincinnati as a booker and was promoted 

to salesman in 1945. He came to Eagle 

Lion in 1949 as New York sales manager and 

was promoted to Indianapolis branch head 

in 1950. He left the industry in 1953 and 

took over the post of UA Philadelphia 

branch manager in 1954. 

Virginia Meeting 

To Stress Promotion 

meeting of 

RICHMOND, VA. — The annual winter 

the Virginia Motion Hcture Theatre 

Association, scheduled for January 16 

at the Jefferson Hotel here, will concentrate 

on promotion and showmanship, according 

to Seymour Hoffman, president. A feature 

of the sessions will be a discussion of "Why 

the Picture Did Business for Me." 

A two-hour forum with a panel of expert 

exploitation, promotion and advertising 

men of Virginia theatres wUl be held in 

the afternoon. These men, Hoffman said, 

will relate their own experiences in promoting 

sleepers, naturals and other pictiu-es 

which did outstanding business. 

Association members have been asked to 

keep a record of their best promotion stunts 

and ads and the ways in which they developed 

business over a two-month period 

and to report on them during the forum. 

Cash prizes wUl be awarded to those judged 

the best. 

NTA Head Discusses TV 

NEW YORK—Ely A. Landau, president 

of National Telefilm Associates and the NTA 

Film Network, spoke on "The Network Concept 

of Tomorrow" at the Wednesday (21) 

luncheon meeting of the Radio and Television 

Executives Society. He recently concluded 

product deals with 20th Century-Pox 

and Desllu Productions. 

NEW YORK—Titles, sjniopses, pressbooks 

and prices on films to be offered Iron Curtain 

countries by member companies of the Motion 

Picture Export Ass'n will be sent to Marc 

Spiegel, European manager, within a few 

days, but will not be made public here, it 

was learned after a meeting of the MPEA. 

No reason was given for keeping them secret. 

Spiegel will give the Information early in 

December to government representatives in 

Prague, Warsaw and Bucharest, and no more 

than five films will be selected from the list 

of each company. The lists total about 200 

films. United Artists is negotiating apart 

from the MPEA. 

The MPEA considered a number of matters 

at its last meeting. Invitations were received 

and forwarded to member companies for 

participation in the Carmes Festival, which 

will open May 2 and run five days. Each 

country will be permitted to show only one 

feature. Last year countries producing more 

than 50 features were allowed two entries 

and those producing fewer features one 

feature. 

Mexico has asked Hollywood participation 

in a celebration of the 25th aimiversary of 

the talking pictvu-e, to start December 3 and 

run six days. 

Denmark exhibitors have notified the 

MPEA they are willing to pay 40 per cent on 

American films. The ceiling is now 30 per 

cent. However, there is still an argument on 

the percentage to be paid on holdovers. 

The Philippine government has eliminated 

its import quota. Irving Maas, MPEA vicepresident, 

who is there, reported he hoped 

for more permissive usage on blocked funds. 

Brazil will reach an early decision on granting 

price increases on widescreen and longrun 

films to 18 cruzeiros for first run, 15 for 

second run and 13 for third run. 

In Japan, the MPEA is negotiating for 

release from import permit pacts limited to 

five years. Leo Hochstetter of the MPEA will 

visit the Malay States from Tokyo soon to 

study new, prohibitive import duties first 

hand. 

Kreisler Ends Business 

Trip to Iron Curtain 

NEW YORK—Bernard Kreisler, president 

of International Film Associates Corp. of 

New York, returned Wednesday (21) from 

a business trip during which he negotiated 

agreements for the first showings of 11 

Hollywood features since World War II in 

Moscow, Warsaw, Prague and Bucharest. 

He also concluded agreements in four west 

European countries. He was abroad nine 

weeks. 

Kreisler and his wife, Madelyn, were in 

Budapest during the early days of the revolution. 

They organized and led an automobile 

caravan that escaped to Vienna. 

To Film "Honeymoon in Hell' 

NEW YORK—Walter Bibo, president of 

Excelsior Pictures Corp., has purchased the 

screen rights to Frederic Brown's science-fiction 

novel "Honeymoon in Hell." Kenny 

Delmar has been engaged as associate producer, 

and production in Hollywood will 

start in March 1957. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956 31

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Elvis Presley Film Attracts Kids; 

Thanksgiving Holiday Boosts B'way 

NEW YORK—Thanksgiving Day gave the 

expected boost to the popular first run pictures 

along Broadway with the vacationing 

school youngsters packing into the Paramount 

on the holiday and the weekend to see Elvis 

Presley in his first film, "Love Me Tender." 

However, business fell off at the night shows. 

Others popular with the young set were: 

"Teenage Rebel," which was the best in 

months in its first week at the Globe, and 

"The Opposite Sex," which was strong in 

first week at the Capitol. 

"The Mountain" also had a good opening 

week at the Astor, where Robert Wagner 

puUed in the younger fans and Spencer Tracy 

attracted the adults. Holdovers still going 

strong included: "Giant," good in its sixth 

week at the Roxy, the first time the gross 

fell below the $100,000 mark; "The Solid Gold 

Cadillac," which had a great fourth week at 

the Victoria, and the two-a-day pictures, 

"The Ten Commandments" at the Criterion 

and "Around the World in 80 Days" at the 

Rivoli, both absolute capacity in their second 

and fifth weeks, respectively. "Seven 

Wonders of the World" got a holiday boost 

in its 32nd week of two-a-day at the Warner 

Theatre. 

"Oklahoma!" also did well in its third week 

of continuous-run performances at the Mayfair, 

although down from the opening weeks, 

as was "Friendly Persuasion" in its third 

week at the Radio City Music Hall. "Death of 

a Scoundrel" also fell off in its second week 

at Loew's State. 

In the art spots, the leaders are still: "La 

Strada," in its 18th week at the Trans-Lux 

52nd St.; "The Silent World," in its eighth 

week at the Paris; "The Snow Was Black," 

its 

in its fifth week at the Baronet; "Lust for 

Life," in its ninth big week at the Plaza, 

and "Wee Geordie," in its seventh week at 

the Little Carnegie. 

Another art house attraction, "The Magnificent 

Seven" opened at the Guild November 

19 following a 17-week run for "Private's 

Progress." "Secrets of Life" also opened November 

20 at the Sutton, replacing "The 

Grand Maneuver." which ran seven weeks. 

(Average Is 100) 

Astor—^The Mountain (Para) 1 30 

Boronet The Snow Was Black (Continental), 5th 

vvk 1 35 

Copitol—The Opposite Sex (MGM)! ..'.'..'.'.'..'.'.'. ]25 

Criterion—The Ten Commondments (Para), 2nd 

wk. of two-o-dcy 250 

Fine Arts Morcelino (UMPO), 4th wk 120 

55th St. Vitteloni (Janus), 4th wk 1 40 

Globe Teenage Rebel (20th-Fox) 145 

Guild Private's Progress (DCA), 17th wk 105 

Little Carnegie— 'Wee Geordie (Arthur), 7th wk. . . 1 25 

t-oew's State Death of a Scoundrel (RKO), 2nd 

wk 120 

Moyfair—Oklahoma! (20th-Fox), 3rd wk. of continuous-run 

1 40 

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Normondie The Rock (MGM), 2nd wk 100 

Polace-—Judy Garland vaudeville show, 8th wk...200 

Poromount Love Me Tender (20th-Fox) 150 

Paris The Silent World (Col), 8th wk 150 

Plozo Lust for Life (MGM), 9th wk 1 60 

Radio City Music Hall Friendly Persuosion (AA), 

plus stage show, 3rd wk I 20 

Rivoli Around the World in 80 Days (UA), 5th 

wk. of two-a-day 200 

Roxy (slant (WB), plus ice revue, 6th wk 150 

Sutton The Grand Maneuver (UMPO), 7th wk...H0 

irans-Lux 52nd St. 'La Strada (Trans-Lux), 18th 

wk 130 

Victoria The Solid Gold Codilloc (Col), 4th wk.. .140 

Warner—Seven Wonders of the World (SW), 32nd 

wk. of two-a-day 145 

World Woman of Rome (DCA), 2nd wk 12U 

'Giant' Registers Strong 250 

Second Week in Buiialo 

BUFFALO—"Giant" continued to be the 

giant attraction as it tacked up a big 250 for 

a second week in the Paramount, with the 

weekend turning in a mammoth gross. "War 

and Peace" was quieting down in its third 

week at the Century, ending up with 115. 

"Run for the Sun" at Shea's Buffalo reported 

a 110. "Friendly Persuasion" in Basil's 

Lafayette was good for 135. 

Buffalo Run for the Sun (UA) 110 

Center Tension at Table Rock (RKO); Beyond a 

Reasonable Doubt (RKO) 100 

Century War and Peace (Para), 3rd wk 115 

Cinema Private's Progress (DCA) 105 

Lafayette Friendly Persuasion (AA) 135 

Paramount Giant (WB), 2nd wk 250 

'Giant' Sets House Records 

In First Baltimore Week 

BALTIMORE—The big news from boxoffices 

was that "Giant" broke all weekend 

records at the Stanley. At slightly increased 

admissions, the picture drew capacity crowds 

despite 

a pouring rain throughout the film's 

first Saturday here. "Giant" ran up a gross 

of 300, far ahead of other local first runs, 

only one of which reached the 100 mark. 

Century Because of Eve (Hallmark); She Shouldo 

Sold 'No' (Hallmork), 4th wk 100 

Cinema Papa, Mamo, the Moid and I (Col. Int'I). 95 

Film Centre Oklohomo! (Magna), 37th wk 75 

Five West Private's Progress (DCA), 5th wk.... 90 

Hippodrome ^Friendly Persuosion (AA), 2nd wk.. 95 

Little Fantasia (BV) 90 

Moyfair ^Dakota Incident (Rep); Zanzabuku 

(Rep) 90 

New—^The Sharkfighters (UA), 2nd wk 85 

Playhouse The Mountain (Para), 4th wk 90 

Stanley Giont (WB) 300 

Town You Can't Run Away From It (Col) 95 

'Giant' Outperforms 

Field at Pittsburgh 

PITTSBURGH—"Giant," in its second week 

at the Stanley, grossed a record 250, 

than twice the total gross of the city's 

other theatres. 

or more 

three 

Fulton Between Heoven and Hell (20th-Fox), 2nd 

wk 70 

Harris Rebecca (20th-Fox), reissue, 4 days 60 

Penn Julie (MGM) 90 

Stanley Giant (WB), 2nd wk 250 

RKO Appoints Undurraga 

Its Chilean Manager 

NEW YORK—Alejandro Undurraga has 

been named RKO manager for Chile by Walter 

Branson, vice-president in charge of 

worldwide distribution. He replaces Ludovice 

Kohn, resigned. 

Undurraga is a veteran of the Chilean 

industry. He was Peruvian manager for 

Universal-International 11 years. Before that 

he represented several American distributors 

in Chile, including RKO. 

Berke Completes Feature 

In N. Y. for UA Release 

NEW YORK—William Berke has finished 

producing and directing "Street of Sinners" 

here. It is a blackand-white 

action film 

William Berke 

about a rookie cop and 

juvenile delinquency, 

shot in 1.85-1 ratio 

and running 85 minutes. 

United Artists 

will release it early in 

tlie spring. The stars 

are George Montgomery 

and Geraldine 

Brooks. Philip Yordan 

wrote the original 

screenplay. 

Berke previously produced 

and directed "Four Boys and a Gun" 

for UA release. In the past he has made 135 

features for Paramount, RKO, Columbia, Republic 

and other companies, and has been 

responsible for a number of popular television 

series. 

Berke found theatrical production in this 

city no more expensive than in Hollywood 

and production for TV cheaper. He used an 

all-New York crew that he found highly expert 

and cooperative, and he also praised city 

cooperation. He said that much new talent 

can be found in New York that can supply 

the screen with needed new personalities. 

Skouras Theatres Gives 

Syosset Gala Opening 

NEW YORK—Skouras Theatres gave its 

newest addition, the Syosset Theatre at Syosset, 

Long Island, a gala opening Tuesday (20) 

that the town will long remember. It was a 

benefit show for the United Syosset Aid 

Program and directors of the organization, 

Louis Waters, town supervisor, and members 

of the Town Board joined in dedicating the 

new building. Spyros S. Skouras, president, 

and other circuit executives were present. 

The picture was "Oklahoma!" in Todd-AO. 

Many stars of the entertainment world attended, 

among them Gene Nelson and Rod 

Steiger, who played in the picture, and Joan 

Roberts, who played the lead in the original 

stage production and appeared in "High 

Button Shoes." 

Other stars were Randy Merriman, of radio 

and television, Adelle August of radio and TV 

and now under contract to Columbia, Robbin 

Hood, MGM recording star, and Bunny 

Roberts of radio station WKBS, who was 

master of ceremonies. The station broadcast 

the event. 

The Syosset is equipped with the first 

Wonderlite screen manufactured by Raytone 

Screen Corp. After more than a year of 

experimentation, Raytone claims a formula 

which gives a modified high grain with the 

light distribution characteristics of a Matte 

White screen. 

George Abbott will begin production of 

Warner's "Damn Yankees" early in 1957. 

ELVIS PRESLEY FAN PHOTOS! 

iinUv (Minimum Orttr 1,000) • 

)Blut and Wtiitt 

Glossy S»«ck •*'^ F.O.B. Detroit 

'^''S'ri.rr THEATRICAL 

uroari 

I 

| 

ADVERTISING CO. 

^^^^ Detroit 1, Mich. 


: November 

24, 1956

BROADWAY Pledge $94,000 to Federation 

n n exhibitor on Filmrow was heard to say he 

was not opposed to rock 'n' roll but that 

he much preferred rock 'n' rye. • • * Burt 

Ennis, publicity director of the Altec Companies, 

is back in New York from the Coast. 

Under his new setup, Burt will sort of commute 

between here and the California offices. 

* Dick Karp has resigned as the radiotelevision 

contact for 20th Century-Fox to 

join the Donohue & Coe ad agency. * • * Dan 

O'Shea, president of RKO Radio, is back in 

New York after a month of studio huddles. 

* * All proceeds from the re-release premiere 

of "Rebecca" at the Normandie went to the 

Federation of the Handicapped. Attending 

the debut were David O. Selznick, Betty Lou 

Keim and Warren Berlinger. • • * Somebody 

pulled a boo-boo in making the giant 

sign for "Oklahoma!" at the Mayfair Theatre. 

The title was spelled wrong and in making 

the change 20th-Fox staged a letter-correcting 

ceremony which pulled space in the 

press. It couldn't have been a press stunt 

in the first place, could it? * * * Charlotte 

Silverman, secretary at MGM's Minneapolis 

exchange, is in town on vacation. « * * f. 

E. Johnston, production manager for Figaro, 

Inc., and his assistant, Rosemary Matthews, 

hopped off for Saigon to prepare for the 

filming of "The Quiet American." 

f 

There were wedding bells on Thanksgiving 

Day for Ernest Pelson and Blanche Stewart. 

Pelson is regional auditor for Buena 

Vista. The knot-tying was in Philadelphia. 

• * • And TV producer Walt Framer and 

his wife announced the engagement of their 

daughter, Jill, to Stephen Morris. • * • Harry 

Brandt will serve as coordinating committee 

chairman for the entertainment industry 

tribute to Jimmie Durante on March 17 at 

the Hotel Waldorf Aastoria. 

9 

Barney Balaban, Paramount president; 

Jerry Pickman and other company executives 

were congratulating themselves for their 

foresight in buying the screen rights to "Li'l 

Abner" before the smash opening at the St. 

James Theatre, which they attended as did 

Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, 

Dinah Shore and George Montgomery and 

Nanette Fabray. * * • Lancaster, who was 

here for location shooting on "Sweet Smell 

of Success," his new Hecht-Hill-Lancaster 

picture, returned to Holljrwood shortly after 

the opening but Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison 

and Martin MUner, Hollywood juvenile 

who headed east just to test for the picture 

—and got it—remained in Manhattan 

through Saturday (24) to complete their 

scenes. * * * Nancy Malone, who is featured 

in the current Broadway hit, "Major Barbara," 

was signed for "The Violators," which 

she was able to film during the daytime 

shooting here by Galahad Productions. 

Gene Kelly, who produced, directed and 

starred in "The Happy Road" in France for 

MGM, got in from Paris November 19 and 

left immediately for the coast. Jerry Colonna 

also arrived from England via plane. * * * 

Joanne Gilbert, who plays her first dramatic 

role in Universal's forthcoming "The Great 

Man," is here from the coast to promote 

the film and Natalie Schafer is back from 

Hollywood after making "Oh Men! Oh 

Women!" for 20th Century-Fox. She will 

publicize "Anastaisia," in which she also 

Charles B. Moss, third from left, is amusement division chairman of the Federation 

of Jewish Philanthropies, which is raising a sum for the 1956-57 drive. Others 

at the Hotel Plaza special movie industry party, left to right: Harry Brandt, Emanuel 

Frisch, Salim L. Lewis, president of the Federation and gTiest speaker; Barney Balaban, 

Malcolm Kingsberg: and Adolph Schimel. All except Moss and Lewis are former division 

chairmen. 

NEW YORK—Industry leaders who attended 

the special Federation of Jewish Philanthropies 

of New York party at the Plaza 

Hotel November 15 pledged $94,000 to start 

the 1956-57 division campaign. Salim L. 

Lewis, Federation president, made a plea to 

the motion picture industry to raise $35,000 

more than the $214,000 given the Federation 

by the film men last year. 

Charles B. Moss, president of B. S. Moss 

appears. • * • Roy Rogers and Dale Evans 

led the procession in the annual Macy's 

Thanksgiving Day parade and Buster Crabbe, 

former film star, now "Captain Gallant" on 

TV, was also in the two-mile line of march. 

* * ' Ralph Meeker is also in New York to 

promote RKO's "Run of the Arrow," in 

which he is costarred. 

Leon Ames, former MGM contract player 

who has been playing the title role in "Life 

With Father" on TV, was in New York for 

discussions on Screen Actors GuUd business 

—Ames being the vice-president. Another 

former film star now active in TV, Dane 

Clark—he stars in the "Wire Service" series 

—planed to London to film an episode there. 

* * • Robert Young and Jane Wyatt, former 

film stars now on TV's "Father Knows Best," 

also came east to make guest appearances 

for the popular series. 

w 

Nate Blumberg is in town from a sixweek 

tour of South America. The Universal 

board chairman will stay here about a week 

and then hop off to California. * • * Ella 

Kazan completed shooting "A Face in the 

Crowd" at the Gold Medal studio in The 

Bronx last week, after the final shot, the 

cast and crew had more shots—at a big party 

which Kazan hosted. • • • Maurice "Red" 

Silverstein, is off on a junket to London, 

Rome and Paris. He's the liaison between 

MGM and its independent producers. * * • 

Another traveler: Jack Harris, vice-president 

in charge of film buying for Walter Reade 

Theatres. Jack and the Mrs. are back from 

a three-week combination business and 

pleasure trip to Europe. * • * Bob Taplinger, 

Warner Bros.' vice-president and ad chief, 

is at the studios after holding staff meetings 

Corp., who is the amusement division chairman, 

lauded the fine start the movies industry 

had made in behalf of the Federation 

and its 116 humanitarian agencies. The 

1956-57 campaign of the Federation of Jewish 

Philanthropies is seeking $18,000,000 to maintain 

its network of hospitals, child care and 

family agencies, homes for the aged, community 

centers and camps that annualy 

serve more than 620,000 New Yorkers of all 

races and creeds. 

at the home office where he told the personnel 

that they should not be worried about 

staff changes. * * * Si Fabian and Sam 

Rosen have been huddled behind closed 

doers for weeks. Rumors are that they are 

discussing the possibility of a sale of Stanley 

Warner to a financial group and/or the 

purchase of Hazard Reeves stock in Cinerama. 

New Columbia Sales Drive 

To Honor Lacy Kastner 

NEW YORK—A Columbia Pictures International 

sales drive honoring president Lacy 

W. Kastner will start Monday (26) and run 

to May 25, 1957. Separate quotas will be set 

up for each territory in connection with billings 

and number of playdates. Sub-branches 

which reach their quotas wiU also receive 

awards. 

It will be the first drive to honor Kastner. 

Jack Cohn, Columbia executive vice-president, 

was honored in the l£ist drive conducted 

by the company. 

Republic's Backroom 

To NFS in Frisco 

NEW YORK—National Film Service has 

taken over the backroom work of Republic 

Pictures' San Francisco branch. James ClEirk, 

NFS president, said this was the 21st takeover 

of Republic backrooms and the second this 

month. On November 10, NFS took over the 

backroom of Republic's Washington exchange. 

In late October, the Boston exchange was 

shifted to the film service organization. 

Republic now maintains its own physical 

handling facilities in 12 cities. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956 33

— 

ALBANY 

•The proposed erection of a 700-car 

drive-in 

theatre on New Scotland road in the 

town of New Scotland is being vigorously 

opposed by a group of citizens organized as 

the Residents Committee for Zoning. Robert 

C. Conahan, who lives in Slingerlands, said 

he planned to build the automobiler on a 30- 

acre plot about a mile west of the toll gate 

intersection in Slingerlands, and the drivein 

would adjoin Heldervale, a community 

of high grade homes. Petitions claim the 

drive-in would cause "serious depreciating of 

property, add greatly to already dangerous 

traffic and create a serious moral problem." 

"Theatre do business with — good pictures, 

and we are getting them 'Giant,' 'Love Me 

Tender,' 'War and Peace' to mention three," 

said Bernie Myerson, Fabian buyer-booker, 

during a visit here from New York. These, 

plus "Friendly Persuasion" and "The Ten 

Commandments," were tabbed by a Schine 

circuit topper as the reason "we are going to 

do business." He called attention to the 

fact a void had been created in the supply 

market through the curtailed production 

schedules of RKO and Republic. "Give us one 

or two good ones from each of those distributing 

companies, and it would help; without 

them we are hurt." Would an audienceconduct 

problem be created with "Tender," 

film starring Elvis Presley, darling of the 

teenage crowd? "We love those teenagers 

when they are in our theatres," he replied 

with a smile. 

The Orris in Massena has been reopened 

under the management of John Billia. 

Closed some months ago by Joe Agresta, the 

theatre is undergoing refurbishing, including 

the installation of Cinemascope, salesmen 

report. Billia leased the Palace in Fort 

Covington to Kenneth Therrien, its projectionist. 

Billia owns that house . . . Mrs. 

Stephanie Nestick, in charge of the Strand 

concession stand for Tri-State Automatic 

Candy Corp., is recovering at her home from 

an operation recently performed in St. 

Peter's Hospital. 

The Big Brother end of the Variety Club's 

annual Denial Day drive for Camp Thacher 

will be launched at a meeting of chairmen, 

under the direction of Lewis A. Sumberg, on 

the 29th. Public collections for the summer 

camp will be made during January, according 

to present plans. The Big Brothers—merchants 

and other public-minded citizens 

agree to sponsor a two-week vacation for a 

needy boy at the Helderberg base on Thompson's 

Lake. 

A "Shower of Gifts" night on the 27th will 

formally close the celebration of the 25th 

anniversary for Fabian's Palace. Manager 

Bill With has arranged with local merchants 

for the distribution of gifts valued at $700. 

Harry lAinont, president of Lament Theatres, 

and wife will leave via automobile January 

6 for Florida and remain until May 1 

In the Port Lauderdale, Miami and Key West 

areas . . . Alan Iselin featured a "bonus" 

price of 35 cents a person from 5 to 6:30 at 

an Early Bird show In Auto-Vision, East 

Greenbush, Sunday. Scale prevailed from 5 

to 6:30 p.m. . . . The Albany area had its first 

snowfall of the season on the 18th when several 

drive-ins gave their final performances. 

NBW ALBANY OFFICERS—The 

Albany 

Variety Club has elected its 1957 

officers. Seated, left to right, are Norman 

Weitman, U-I manager, first assistant 

chief barker, and Al Kellert, pen 

in hand, chief barker. Standing are Irwin 

Ullman, second assistant; Aaron Winig, 

property master, and Max Zuckerman, 

dough guy. Winig was re-elected to his 

post. 

Erly Co. Asks Permit 

For Thealre-Ozoner 

ALBANY—The long-rumored construction 

of a drive-in on upper Washington avenue, 

near the state thruway entrance and within 

the city limits of Albany, took a big step forward 

this week when Erly Realty Development 

submitted an application to Mayor 

Erastus Corning for permission to build a 

combination indoor-outdoor theatre on land 

it owns in that section. 

Donald L. Lynch and Julian B. Erway, associates 

in the realty firm, said they plan 

to make the indoor house available to the 

Albany department of education and as a 

civic hall for other groups. Lynch is Albany 

County clerk, and Erway is a former district 

attorney and state senator. 

Estimated cost of the project is $350,000. 

Occupying about 20 acres of the 50 owned 

by the development company, it is in the 

neighborhood of the Thruway Motor Hotel 

which Hellman Enterprises is building on land 

leased from Erly. 

The new drive-in will have a capacity of 

1,200 cars and will be equipped with in-car 

heatres. The indoor theatre will be air conditioned. 

Lynch said. 

Other features are to include a play area 

for children and a sports area for adults. 

In the letter to Mayor Corning, the developers 

explained they plan a bonded babysitters 

service for patrons, and a cafeteria. 

Auburn School Promotion 

For Selected Pictures 

AUBURN, N. Y.—The local board of education 

has decided to distribute reduced rate 

tickets to chosen motion pictures through 

the public schools. Dr. Charles G. Hetherington, 

superintendent of schools, will decide 

which films will be promoted in this manner. 

Lou S. Hart, manager of Schine's Auburn 

Theatre, appeared before the board meeting 

at which the decision was reached to cooperate 

In the ticket distribution. 

BUFFALO 

ni Glaubinger, former sales manager at 

United Artists in Boston, will be the 

new UA manager here, effective December 

1. Glaubinger succeeds Stanley Kositsky, 

who will become manager of the Philadelphia 

office. Gene Tunick, who had been the 

Philly exchange head, has been appointed a 

district manager . . . Art Moger, Warners, 

was here to work on "Giant," current at the 

Paramount, and on "Baby Doll," set for the 

downtown Center Christmas week. 

Sidney S. Kulick of Bell Film Exchange, 

New York City, was here to see exhibitors. 

He also journeyed to Rochester, Syracuse and 

Schine headquarters in Gloversville . . . David 

J. Kane, Allied Artists exploiteer, was here 

to assist Bill Brerton, Basil circuit ad-pub 

chief, on a publicity and ballyhoo campaign 

for "Friendly Persuasion," current at the 

Lafayette, the Basil flagship. 

"Motion pictures will be better than ever 

during the coming year," declared George H. 

Mackenna, general manager of the Layfayette. 

He said that theatre managers 

throughout the country agree with this prediction. 

"Hollywood, realizing that modern 

facilities for other types of entertainment 

must be reckoned with, has not been idle," 

added Mackenna. "Fabulous sums have been 

spent on improved stories, actresses and 

actors, Cinemascope, Technicolor, Vista- 

Vision and other improvements." 

Three Jamestown men, who took a gallon 

jug of wine into the downtown Paramount 

to celebrate their viewing of "Giant," received 

a "giant" break the other day by 

Judge Willis G. Hickman. The judge dismissed 

their public intoxication charges but 

warned them that the escapade was in "bad 

form." The trio was arrested after refusing 

to heed warnings that drinking was not allowed 

in the theatre. 

When Walt Disney's "Secrets of Life" was 

shown at the Eckel Theatre in Syracuse, the 

work of a prominent Syracuse educator was 

on display for a second time this year. To 

complete the true life adventure film on 

nature in everyday action, Disney purchased 

1,000 feet of film from Dr. Edward M. Harlow, 

a semiretired professor of wood technology 

at New York College of Forestry. Harlow's 

motion picture techniques were 

previously shown to the public last June 

in "Animal World." 

Richard T. Kemper, zone manager for 

Dipson theatres and commodore of the Buffalo 

Yacht club, and Mrs. Kemper will be 

honored December 8, when the club gives 

its 76th annual Commodore's Ball in the ballroom 

of the Buffalo Statler . . . Bill Boyd, 

former screen star and the Hopalong Cassidy 

of TV fame was here the other evening for 

a two-hour personal appearance with his 

horse Topper, at the 174th armory. 

Ben E. Bush, a member of Variety Tent 

7, will head the March of Dimes campaign 

again. Reappointment of the general chairman 

of the 1956 campaign has been announced 

by James J. Oddy, chairman of the 

Buffalo and &ie County chapter of the 

National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. 

RKO's "Death of a Scoundrel" was written, 

directed and produced by Charles Martin. 


: November 

24, 1956

. . The 

f 

NEWARK 

. . . Jack 

•The Newark Drive-In opens at 5:15 p.m. 

on Sundays and screens its Kartoon 

Karnival at 6 o'clock, a full hour preceding 

the regular two-feature program 

Wilson, assistant manager of the Route 

3 Drive-In, Rutherford, was transferred to 

the Livingston Drive-In as concession manager 

. . . Lew Liss, former manager of the 

Alwood Theatre, is now with a Florida 

theatre. His replacement is Harry Shein, 

formerly with the Clifton Theatre, Clifton. 

Congratulations to Carl D. Kester, manager 

of the Clairidge Theatre, Montclair, upon 

the arrival of his first child, Carl David 

Kester jr. . . At the Clairidge, the new assistant 

. 

is Kenneth Martin, recently of the 

U. S. Marine Corps. Patrick Kean was his 

predecessor. On Tuesday (27) a fashion 

show sponsored by a local dress shop will be 

staged at this theatre. Free, sponsored kiddy 

shows are planned for December 24 and December 

31 ... At the local Stanley Theatre, 

manager Jack Conhaim has planned several 

sponsored shows for Christmas week. 

Wednesday (21) the Maplewood Theatre 

was used for a pep rally by Columbia High 

School students prior to their big Thanksgiving 

game. Proceeds from this game were 

donated to the Teen council, comprised of 

high school students, to promote a scholarship 

fund for a worthy, needy student. 

Henrietta Baron, cashier of the Newsreel 

Theatre, was sidelined by illness. Taking 

her place was Henrietta Rackenberg . . . 

Sponsored kiddy shows. Lions Club benefits, 

Christmas merchant tie-ups and a Hadassah 

benefit are among scheduled events at the 

Milburn Theatre under the direction of Morton 

M. Bratter, manager . Cranford 

Theatre, Cranford, staged a big kiddy show 

MEET ON 'ANASTASIA' BENEFIT PLANS—Plans for the sale of tickets to the 

benefit world premiere of 20th Century-Fox's "Anastasia" in CinemaScope, December 

13 at the Roxy Theatre for the Judson Health Center, were formulated at a committee 

meeting in New York last week. Pictured at the conclave, left to right: Edward E. 

Sullivan, 20th Century-Fax publicity director; Ward Melville, chairman of the premiere 

committee; Dr. Eleanor A. Cambell, whose 35th anniversary with Judson is being 

marked by the opening; Mrs. Pryor Henry Kalt, chairman of the women's committee; 

and WilUam MlUer, house manager, Roxy Theatre. Ingrid Bergman, Yul 

Brynner and Helen Hayes star in the Buddy Adler production, directed by Anatole 

I/itvak. 

on November 23 and 24 . . . Fifteen turkeys, 

given from the stage of the Union Theatre, 

Union, were part of the Thanskgiving promotion 

here . . . Manuel Lima, manager of 

the Newark Drive-In Theatre, was enjoying 

a brief vacation. 

The recently reopened Essex is progressing 

nicely, reported Joseph Green, owner. The 

theatre, in a "tough" neighborhood of Newark, 

is having no problem with its patrons. 

Record Fox Billings Honor Silverstone 

A policy of four shows a week has proven 

successful and the redecorated surroundings 

undoubtedly Influence the behavior of the 

customers. During the kiddy matinees, a 

uniformed matron Is on hand to take care 

of any children who cause trouble. 

The Baronet Theatre, 59th and Third 

avenue. New York, has displayed a macaw 

in the lobby since it opened its doors as a 

Walter Reade Theatre five years ago. This 

macaw known as Baron, died last month at 

the age of 79. His successor is Baron n, 21 

months old, flown from Brazil and specially 

trained to be friendly and soft-spoken. He 

has a life insurance policy for $500. He spans 

three feet from the top of his scarlet head 

to the tip of his bright yellow-green tail and 

is perched on a stand in the lobby of the 

theatre. Baron II has been trained to say 

"hello" and "good evening" to patrons, enjoying 

the distinction of being an official 

greeter. 

Emanuel D. Silverstone, at the unusual art show held in his honor, views the contributions 

from 20th-Fox International offices in Germany, Greece and Holland. 

NEW YORK — Twentieth 

Century-Pox 

has reported that the week of November 

11-17 produced the greatest amount of billings 

for any single week in the history of its 

international and inter-American organizations. 

The week was dedicated to Emanuel D. 

Silverstone, vice-president and general sales 

manager of the international division. It was 

part of the 1956 sales drive of the two groups, 

known as the Overseas Olympics Drive. 

Besides coming through in a business way 

for Silverstone, each overseas manager supplied 

a caricature of him drawn by a local 

artist and representative of the country. They 

were displayed at the home office. 

ATONJ Beefsteak Pcorty 

Set for December 13 

NEW YORK—The beefsteak party and gettogether 

of Allied Theatre Owners of New 

Jersey, an annual event, will be held December 

13 at the Ritz Restaurant Passaic, 

N. J. All branches of the industry are invited 

and it is a matter of record that scores attend. 

Sid Stern, president, has promised "an 

evening of superb food and fun." The party 

will follow a business meeting. 

Excelsior Film Opens 

NEW YORK—Êxcelsior Pictures will distribute 

"Angels of Darkness," produced in 

Italy by Guiseppe Amato, in the U. S. The 

picture, which stars Linda Darnell and 

Anthony Quinn, American stars, and Valentina 

Cortesa, Lea Padovani and Giulletta 

Maslna, opened at the Rialto Theatre 

Wednesday (21). 

BOXOFnCE : 

: November 24, 1956 35

. . 20th-Pox 

PITTSBURGH 

p 

Elmer Hasley, East Pittsburgh Indoor 

and Conneaut Lake outdoor exhibitor, suffered 

a heart ailment and was confined under 

an oxygen tent for four days in Meadville 

Hospital. He returned to his Regent 

Square home here for Thanksgiving and was 

reported in greatly Improved health . . . 

Max and Martha Shulgold of Crown Film 

Co. depart early in December for a two-week 

vacation in Florida, not New York as reported 

here . tradescreened "The 

Desperadoes Are in Town," (19), and the reissue 

"The Third Man," (21), but there was 

no Elvis Presley. "Love Me Tender" print 

came in and the Manager Nat Rosen looked 

at it, but no one else got a peek as the 

barricades were up and all doors were locked. 

Joe Wayne has returned to the Warner 

Pictures as north and main line salesman, 

succeeding David Weir, who resigned to go 

. . . 

into business for himself as wholesale distributor 

for the J. B. Williams Co. Wayne 

had been a Warner booker prior to joining 

UA here as a salesman several months 

ago . . Raymond Showe of Theatre Candy 

Co. was in New York visiting his aged father 

Leona Theatre, Homestead, staged a 

Children's Hospital Old Newsboys' Fund 

rally under the Press Seek Hawkins Club 

setup. Hosts to the kiddies were John Glaus, 

manager, and the Associated circuit. 

The Garby Theatre, Clarion, bid for increased 

patronage by giving away ten big 

turkeys (19) ... Kathryn Bates resigned at 

the Associated circuit headquarters with Leila 

Her remaining in the reception office . . . 

John Coussaulis, Indiana, Pa., manager for 

the Manos circuit theatres, who was on 

Pilmrow this week, said when the MGM pictures 

are telecast by the Johntown station 

the Indiana theatres are empty. He detailed 

to us titles, stars, playing time, etc and 

SEild, "It's murder!" 

Disc Jockey Honored 

PITTSBURGH—Exploiting "Friendly Persuasion," 

the Sun-Telegraph announced Jay 

Michael, WCAE, as winner of the contest in 

which the public names the disc jockey with 

the most "Friendly Persuasion." He received 

1,790 ballots; Abbie Neal, WAMO, was second, 

and Barry Kaye, WJAS, third. 

Offer Discotuit on Book Tickets 

WHEELING, W. VA.—The Grove, Riverside 

and Airport drive-in theatres In this 

area are advertising "Books of Happiness" 

theatre tickets as Christmas gifts. Good anytime 

at the outdoor theatres, the 

book tickets, 

valued at $26, are offered for sale at 

only $9.20. 

Starring in RKO's "Death of a Scoundrel" 

are George Sanders, Yvonne De Carlo and 

Zsa Zsa Oabor. 

SAM FINEBERG 

TOM McCLEARY 

JIM ALEXANDER 

84 Van Broam Street 

PITTSBURGH 19. PA. 

Phone EXprets 1-0777 

MoTln Art Bitlir Tlaw E»«r • Haw*! Your EqulpintntT 

McKeesport Altmeyer 

Now a Women's Shop 

McKEESPORT, PA.—The Old Altmeyer 

Theatre, Fifth at Blackberry Alley, now is 

the site of the newly expanded Jaison's 

women's shop. Billed as a family theatre 

about the turn of the century, pop could 

take mom and the eight kids to the show for 

only a dollar. 

The Altmeyer was this city's first continuous-run 

theatre, with programs changed 

Mondays and Thursdays. It housed an ice, 

light, storage and heating plant. The boxoffice 

and marquee have been replaced with 

a modern, 52-foot herculite glass and a bare 

steel beam canopy that projects into the 

inner lobby. This old house was actually 

the second one that the town knew under 

the name of Altmeyer. Its predecessor was 

located on the site of the present Penn Mc- 

Kee Hotel and was considered "swankier" 

than Altmeyer No. 2 for it was a stage for 

alltime great legitimate stage actors. Both 

had been owned by George Altmeyer. The 

first theatre was destroyed by fire February 

8, 1896, and the second Altmeyer Theatre 

also went up in flames on the same date 

24 years later. 

George Altmeyer joined with John P. Harris, 

Pittsburgh movie magnate who pioneered 

the Nickelodeon with his brother-in-law 

Harry Davis, and bought the hotel on Fifth 

and Blackberry Alley. He turned the entire 

building into an amusement house, booking 

five vaudeville acts and a feature or two on 

the early motion picture screen. 

Mrs. Gene Connelly Dead 

PITTSBURGH—Mrs. Minnie Leonard Connelly, 

who died recently in her home in the 

Ruskin apartments, was the widow of the 

prominent theatrical leader, Eugene Lemoyne 

Connelly, who coined the word "Nickelodeon" 

for the late Harry Davis and John P. Harris 

when they opened the world's first all-motion 

picture show here on Smithfield street at an 

admission price of five cents. Gene Connelly 

was a beloved showman, who in his youth as 

a newspaper reporter had covered the Johnstown 

flood. For years he managed the Davis 

Theatre in the golden age of vaudeville and 

he was associated with the Harris Amusements 

for about two score of years. 

Bob Hood 

PITTSBURGH—Robert Hood, 58, for five 

years assistant manager of the Garden Theatre 

on the north side, died November 19 

of a heart attack while en route in a police 

ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital. 

A singer at WJAS in the early days of radio, 

he collapsed in his apartment at 910 W. 

Diamond street. 

To Renew Amusment Tax 

PITTSBURGH—T'he city will hold its line 

on the five special taxes. Ordinances for renewal 

of the wage, mercantile, amusement, 

personal property and real estate transfer 

taxes were introduced at a council session, 

and it is almost assured these five taxes will 

remain the same for 1957. A public hearing 

on the tax ordinances, including the longestablished 

a 10 per cent amusement levy, will 

be held Monday (26), in council chambers. 

Ordinances imposing the special taxes must 

be passed by December 1, 30 days before they 

go into effect, according to law. 

Old Newsboys Beneiit 

At Pittsburgh Dec. 13 

Pittsburgrh—Press Old Newsboys agfain, 

as usual at this season, will see the premiere 

of a Warner film at the Stanley 

Theatre. The date is Thursday, December 

13, and the feature to be exhibited for 

this special benefit showing- will be Alfred 

Hitchcock's "The Wrong Man," which will 

not make its regular run at the Stanley 

until after the first of the year. Tickets 

for the premiere are available only 

through the Old Newsboys themselves. 

Again this year, a dozen Pittsburgh 

models will be in the lobby to welcome 

contributors to the fund drive for 

Children's Hospital. In the entire fund 

campaign, not one penny is taken out 

for expenses of any kind: every penny 

contributed will help crippled children. 

Pittsburgh Teamsters 

Try to Stop Film Pickups 

PITTSBURGH—Recently the teamsters 

union reportedly set a deadline for November 

19 after which time only teamster members 

could pick up film at the exchanges. 

Attempts have been made at other times 

to stop individual exhibitors, members of 

their family, manager or employes from 

stopping at the film exchanges to pick up 

licensed films, but nothing ever came of such 

attempts. November 19 was just another 

very quiet Monday on Filmrow and at the 

back doors. Then reports were that the 

teamsters had delayed its deadline and that 

November 22 would be the day, this being 

Thanksgiving when the exchanges are closed 

except for the service departments which 

are open half-day. 

Representatives of other services which can 

and do handle film, Railway Express, Parcel 

Post, Air Express, etc., have not arbitrarily 

stated that film must be handled by their 

facilities; only the teamsters of Local 211 

have pressured exhibitors to turn over film 

hauling to them. The teamsters also tried 

in recent months to line up Filmrow employes, 

now affiliated with AFL-IATSE in 

Local B-11 service department workers, 

and Local F-11, office employes. Ti-uckers 

union 249, also handling film in the city 

area, is not believed to be tied in with teamsters 

211. 

Richmond Shopping Center 

Completes New Theatre 

RICHMOND—Grand opening of the Willow 

Lawn Theatre, a 900-seater managed by 

Tom Connell, was celebrated here November 

15. The theatre is located in the Willow 

Lawn shopping center and offers free parking 

on the center's mammoth parking lot. 

The Willow Lawn is equipped with a large 

widescreen; stereophonic sound system and 

push-back seats. Opening night ads billed 

the new situation as the "Theatre of the 

Future." The theatre was built by the Willow 

Lawn Shopping Center ajid the Richmond 

Willow Lawn Corp., headed by a group of 

Washington businessmen. 

Film 'Quiet American' in Saigon 

P. E. Johnston of Figaro, Inc.. will prepare 

for the filming of UA's "The Quiet American" 

in Saigon, Vietnam. 


: November 24, 1956

Variety Tenl 11 Gives 

Plaque to Pat Boone 

WASHINGTON—Variety Tent 11 held its 

21st annual dinner dance Saturday (17), with 

more than 500 persons present. Pat Boone, 

22-year-old singing star, was given a plaque 

as the "personality of the year" in show business 

for 1956. He is the eighth personality to 

receive this award. Others were Al Jolson, 

Arthur Godfrey, Joe E. Brown, Perry Como, 

Jane Froman, Eddie Fisher and Steve Allen. 

At the head table were the Boones, his 

parents, Mr. and Mrs. Archie Boone; Orville 

Crouch, chief barker of Tent 11; Marvin 

Goldman, chairman of the dinner dance 

committee and new chief barker for 1957; 

Hirsh de La Viez, chairman of the entertainment 

committee; Nathan D. Golden, international 

heart chairman; Ralph Pries, international 

representative; Jack Beresin, chairman 

of the Variety International executive 

board and a past international chief barker; 

Edward Emanuel, sceond assistant international 

chief barker; Dr. Norman Gerstenfeld, 

the Rev. Gilbert V. Hartke and Dr. 

Charles W. Lowry, Variety chaplains. 

A special treat was the appearance of Ruth 

Wallis, nationally known singer and entertainer 

and the Justin Lawrie Singers. Eddie 

Gallaher of station WTOP-TV was master 

of ceremonies. The plaque was presented 

to Boone by Chief Barker Crouch. 

The dance is the climax each year to the 

club's annual fund-raising drive. The tent 

over the years has expended more than half 

a million dollars for local charitable projects. 

A total of $115,800 has been given for an 

outpatient's clinic called the Variety Club 

Carter Barron Memorial Clinic at the 

Children's Hospital. The tent also has given 

dental clinics and cardiac clinics to local 

hospitals and institutions. It has spent more 

than $5,000 yearly for shut-in movies. 

In recent months, the club has given substantial 

contributions to the Glaucoma clinic 

at Episcopal Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, 

to the March of Dimes, Metropolitan Police 

Boys Club, United Givers Fund, Kaufmann 

Camp for Boys and Girls, Washington Hearing 

Society and many others. It recently 

supplied new screens and projection equipment 

for the Home for Incurables and Glenn 

Dale Sanatorium. 

Disc Jockeys Play Host 

To New York Teenagers 

NEW YORK—Fifteen hundred teenagers 

saw "The Ten Commandments" at a 

special 

matinee Friday (23) at the Criterion Theatre 

as guests of sponsors of Murray Kaufman, 

radio station WMCA disc jockey, and 

top recording artists. 

It was the first project of the newly formed 

National Council of Disc Jockeys for Public 

Service, whose aim is to build a better 

young America. 

Introduce Amusement Tax Ordinance 

LATROBE, PA.—The borough council 

looked into its empty pockets at a meeting 

this week and then came up with the following 

ordinance: "A tax of 7% per cent of 

the established price charged against admissions 

to moving picture theatres, shows, 

theatrical presentations, sports events, and 

all activities to which admissions are 

charged." 

IN LINE FOR RUBE—Manager Ben Caplon enlisted the support of visitinir exhibitors 

at the Washington Columbia exchange in the Hey Rube sales drive honoring 

Rube Jackter. Left to right: Caplon, Harold Wood, Neighborhood Theatres, Richmond; 

Sam Galanty, Columbia division manager; Sam Blendheim, Neighborhood; Samuel 

Northington, Century Theatre, Petersburg, Va., Frank Stover, Alexandria Amusement 

Co., and Dave Kamsky, Neighborhood. 

Aaron Seidler Elected 

BALTIMORE 

1 ent ly Utliet ijarker 

Wedley Clark is the new assistant to Manager 

Joel Lewis at the Hve West. Clark 

BALTIMORE-Variety Tent 19 has elected 

replaces Jean Fernandes, who resigned . . . 

Aaron Seidler as chief barker for 1957. Other 

jjarry Bauer, projectionist at the State, remembers 

voted into office included Bud 

j^j.^^^ ^^^^ j^^m Mercy Hospital, where 

AARON SEIDLER 

Silverberg, first assistant; Bill Howard, second 

assistant; Oscar Kantor, doughboy, and 

Sol Goodman, secretary. 

The new board of directors includes, in addition 

to the officers, Al Zlatin, Henry Woodruff, 

Spaulding Albert, Joseph Garfink, Milton 

Stark and Mike Rendelman. The last 

mentioned also was named as delegate to the 

Variety convention. Mitchell Rosenfeld and 

Joe Phillips were chosen as representatives of 

associate members. 

Opens After Remodeling 

GLASGOW, KY.—The newly remodeled 

Plaza Theatre here has resumed its regular 

operating schedule, its reopening feature being 

"Moby Dick." The theatre building has 

undergone extensive work since its closing 

earlier in the year. 

he was treated for an heart ailment . . . 

August Buchheit sr., Mayfair Theatre projectionist, 

has a new daughter-in-law. His 

.son August jr. was married Saturday (17) at 

St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church. 

Irving Blumberg of the Warner Philadelphia 

office was here for the opening of 

Norman Clark, film critic for 

"Giant" . . . 

the Baltimore News-Post, returned from a 

week's vacation spent along the shores of 

Owen Schnapf, 

Maryland's Magothy River . . . 

manager of the McHenry, spent his day off 

visiting relatives in Pennsylvania . . . Walter 

Gettinger, part owner of the Howard has returned 

from a business trip through Virginia. 

WASHINGTON 

pilen McDonnell received her first credit this 

week on Fox Movietonews . . . Sid Marlieb 

of Alex Harrison's office in the 20th-Fox 

home office, was a Washington visitor . . . 

Branch Manager Ira Sichelman and his 

family spent the holiday weekend in Cleveland 

visiting the David Rosenthals . . . Salesman 

Harry Valentine celebrated a birthday 

as did Glenn Norris, midwestern and Canadian 

sales manager. 

The father of Bill Smythe, Fox Movietonews, 

died recently . . . RKO exploiteer 

Hank Howard was a visitor . . . Branch Manager 

Joe Brecheen visited Baltimore exhibitors 

. . . MGM booker Ida Barezofsky is 

vacationing in Miami Beach . . . Paramount 

salesman George Kelly celebrated a birthday 

. . . Joe Oulahan visited Filmrow . . . Tom 

Halligan came in from Williamsburg, Va. 

MGM's "The Teahouse of the August 

Moon" will open in 12 key cities Jan. 4, 1957. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 24, 1956 

37

A&KcUm defiant 

By ANTHONY GRUNER 

TXriTH the appointment of Kenneth Hargreaves 

as president of Rank Film Distributors, 

Inc., the Rank Organization has 

opened its battle for a share of the U. S. film 

market. Hargreaves, who since 1951 has been 

responsible for Rank's distributing organization 

in the United Kingdom, has been given 

a free hand to conduct his U. S. operations, 

and will certainly open up a number of 

branch offices "to insure adequate national 

distribution." Arrangements have been made 

with National Film Service, Inc., to carry 

out the physical distribution of prints. 

RFDA may also acquire a number of theatres 

where they are found necessary "to 

insure adequate outlets for Rank product." 

A lease has been taken on the Sutton, a 600- 

seater in New York, effective from May 1. 

Hargreaves can rely on at least 20 films a 

year coming from the Rank Organization 

apart from product made by independent 

British producers whose films RFDA is 

prepared to distribute in the U. S. market 

on the same terms as Rank pictures. The 

first four films to be made available under 

this new releasing setup will be Powell and 

Pressberger's 1956 Royal Film "Battle of the 

River Plate"; A. J. Cronin's "The Spanish 

Gardener" with Dirk Bogarde; the Ken 

More film "Reach for the Sky" and the war 

film dealing with the battle in Malaya with 

Peter Finch "A Town Like Alice." 

Hargreaves takes over his new position at 

once and is expected to set up permanent 

residence in New York by the middle of next 

month. Accompanying him as publicity and 

public relations chief will be Geoffrey Martin, 

a post he has occupied with J. Arthur 

Rank Overseas Film Distributors. He met 

the U. S. press to announce his plans last 

week. 

* * 

Warwick Pictures, probably the most 

financially successful independent motion 

picture company in Great Britain, is to enter 

television production. Irving Allen revealed 

BLUE RIBBON WINNEIt—Derek Bond 

presents Herbert Lorn with the BOX- 

OFFICE Blue Ribbon Award for bis performance 

as Napoleon in "War and 

Peace" on BBC's television progrram, 

"Picture Parade." The film was chosen 

aa the liest family film for September. 

It is released in Great Britain l>y AB- 

Pathe. 

that talks had begun with interested American 

sponsors for four series of teleplays. They 

would be: "The White Hunter," based on 

stories from the African jungle; "The Black 

Knight," adapted from an original character 

created in the former Alan Ladd feature 

of the same name; "Interpol" stories, 

taken from the files of the International 

Criminal police, and an unnamed subject with 

an Indian background similar to that of 

"Zarak." Warwick already is starting to make 

pilot films for all these subjects. They will 

not need to worry too much about background 

material. The company's two features, 

"Safari" and "Odongo," will provide 

sufficient material for the "White Hunter." 

Ladd's "Black Prince" would give them sufficient 

footage for their proposed TV series 

with the same name, while there is plenty 

of stock available from the newly completed 

major Cinemascope feature, "Zarak" and the 

forthcoming Warwick production, "Interpol." 

• • « 

The annual report of the British Film 

Production Fund shows that seven companies 

took over £100,000 out of the fund for the 

year ending July 26, 1956. Five of the companies—Jarfid, 

British Lion, Associated 

British-Pathe, Independent (John Woolf) 

and Eros—were British. Two—Columbia and 

20th Century-Fox — represented Anglo- 

American production in this country. Columbia 

received the highest total of the 

American companies with £234,891, followed 

by Fox with £103,992. Other earnings for 

American companies were: Paramount, £29,- 

429; United Artists, £20,114; Republic, £17,- 

027; Warner, £8,860; MGM, £8,876 and RKO 

Radio, £4,658. Heading the British list was 

Jarfid with £661,783, followed by British Lion 

with £348,467 and AB-Pathe £259,622. 

The figures from the fund show that earnings 

of U. S. companies are moving up 

steadily. Columbia, for example, received 

10 per cent of the total earnings of the fund, 

and 20th-Pox 5 per cent. It is estimated that 

the U. S. companies as a whole are now taking 

slightly more than 20 per cent of the 

Eady money available to makers of British 

films. Figures for next year should be substantially 

higher, for 20th-Fox, which is 

now very active in production, RKO, and 

United Artists. Some British producers are 

saying that, unless the total available monies 

in the fund are increased, the independent 

film producer making a medium-sized budget 

picture will not have a chance of reaping 

any benefit from the fund at all. 

* * * 

Not only are movies getting better than 

ever, but, in London, at least, so are the 

premieres. Thanks to the prepublicity given 

to the industry In the press and on television, 

thousands of Londoners are becoming 

regular "premiere fans." And last week their 

enthusiasm knew no bounds at the premiere 

of "War and Peace" at the Plaza Theatre. 

With the arrival of Audrey Hepburn and Mel 

Ferrer from Paris to attend the evening's 

performance, Fleet Street jumped Into instant 

action and almost swept the Middle 

East crisis and Hungary off the front page. 

On the night itself, hundreds of famous 

celebrities crammed the theatre to watch the 

film version of Tolstoy's great novel. It was 

past 1 a.m., when the iBist of the excited 

CONGRATULA'nONS—Kenneth 

Hargreaves, 

right. Is congratulated on his 

appointment as president of Rank Film 

Distributors, Inc., by Tony Gruner, left, 

of BOXOFFICE as Geoffrey Martin, publicity 

and public relations chief for Rank, 

looks on. 

and happy audience had left the theatre. 

Even then, there was still a large crowd 

outside the Plaza waiting to catch a glimpse 

of Miss Hepburn and her husband. "War 

and Peace," handled in this country by AB- 

Pathe, was given a superlative sendoff by 

a premiere handled with great organizational 

ability and plenty of showmanship. 

• * * 

With the whole nation disturbed by the 

recent events in the Middle East and Hungary 

and black headlines announcing yet 

another new political crisis, London has 

been a gloomy city during the last fortnight. 

But a shapely blond known as Miss Diana 

Dors, somehow, managed to provide a little 

light relief for the nation's press. Miss Dors, 

who had just finished filming two pictures 

for RKO Radio, "I Married a Woman" and 

"The Lady and the Prowler," arrived in town 

and under the benevolent eye of RKO's 

British drumbeater, David Jones, answered 

a vital question that had been troubling the 

hearts of millions. Would she return to her 

husband Dennis Hamilton? The answer 

seems to be "yes," judging by the fact that 

she has now cancelled her single reservation 

at the Dorchester Hotel and is residing, very 

happily according to all reports, with business 

manager husband Hamilton in their 

luxurious pent-house overlooking the Thames. 

In these troubled times, it is good to know 

that Diana and Dennis have not forgotten 

the boxoffice importance of a happy ending. 

• « * 

Twelve million BBC viewers were introduced 

to 

BOXOFFICE on "Picture Parade," 

the BBC's Film Program last week, when 

Herbert Lom was interviewed by Derek Bond 

in connection with his performance as Napoleon 

in the Paramount film "War and 

Peace." After a clip from this Henry Fonda- 

Audrey Hepburn starring production had 

been screened, Bond then gave Lom a pleasant 

surprise. He presented to the actor the 

BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award and wished 

him every success both on behalf of publisher 

Ben Shlyen and the British Broadcasting 

Corp. 

• * * 

Sir Henry French, director general of the 

British Producers Ass'n expects to announce 

the name of the first full-time president of 

his association early next month. 


: November 

24, 1956

NEWS AND VIEWS THE PRODUCTION CENTER. 

(Hollywood Office— Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd., Ivan Spear, Western Manager 

j 

Photoplay Awards 

To Be Given Feb. 7 

magazine plans 

to hold its Gold Medal Awards dinner at the 

Beverly Hills Hotel February 7. TTiirty-six 

years ago the publication initiated the kudos. 

In 1944 the present method of selecting the 

winners was established through a scientific, 

year-long poll of the nation's fOmgoers. 

Honored last year were Jennifer Jones, 

William Holden and 20th-Fox's "Love Is a 

Many-Splendored Thing." Among the recent 

winners are Bing Crosby, Greer Garson, 

Ingrid Bergman, James Stewart, Jane 

Wyman, Betty Hutton, John Wayne, Doris 

Day, Mario Lanza, Susan Hayward, Gary 

Cooper, Marilyn Monroe, Alan Xâdd and June 

HOLLYWOOD—Photoplay 

Allyson. 

* • * 

Motion Picture Permanent Charities moved 

to its new headquarters, the Samuel Goldwyn 

Permanent Charities building, at 463 North 

La Cienega Blvd. Ground for the $75,000 

structure, donated by Goldwyn, was broken 

last June. Formal opening, at which film and 

civic notables are expected to be present, is 

scheduled for early December. 

Meanwhile, MPPC announced a total of 

20,200 subscriptions for $1,014,130 at its second 

report luncheon. At the same period in the 

campaign last year, $993,353 from 18,554 

donors had been reached. 

Allied industries division of MPPC began 

its current contribution year with 732 subscriptions 

for $24,500, an increase of $8,500 

over the same period the previous year. This 

segment of the organization is comprised of 

film and equipment supply companies, officers 

of craft unions and guilds, AMPP, Central 

Casting, Western Costume, etc. 

* * • 

Twenty-nine university students from 18 

foreign nations visited major Hollywood 

studios as guests of the international committee 

of the Ass'n of Motion Picture Producers. 

The tours were arranged in cooperation 

with the Los Angeles Red Cross, which 

sponsored International Students Week, a 

program to acquaint foreign students with 

the cultural, social and industrial facets of 

the community. Divided into five groups, the 

students visited MGM, Paramount, 20th-Fox, 

U-I and Warner Bros. 

Cornel Wilde and Jean Wallace plan to 

devote eight weeks to a nationwide personal 

appearance tour to exploit their forthcoming 

independent film, "The Fastest Man on 

Earth." The stars of the automobile racing 

yarn expect to use the same car which wins 

in the film's final sequence. Prior to the 

feature's release abroad, Wilde and Miss 

Wallace plan to repeat the tour in England 

and on the continent. 

Officiating at the dedication of Warner 

Bros, recently completed western town at the 

Burbank studios were Eugene Biscailuz, 

sheriff of Los Angeles County; Clint Walker, 

star of WB's Cheyenne television series, and 

Dani Crayne, who appears in "Shoot-Out at 

Medicine Bend," the first motion picture to 

be filmed in the new frontier setting. 

• » * 

Executive board of the Screen Producers 

Guild is scheduled to meet Monday (26) at 

the 20th-Fox studio cafe, it was announced 

by Samuel G. Engel, SPG president. The 

board expects to hear reports from Frank P. 

Rosenberg of the aims and objectives committee; 

Harriet Parsons, chairwoman of the 

public relations committee, and Carey Wilson, 

Milestone committee chairman. 

Eva Marie Saint, Pat Boone 

Are Signed at 20th-Fox 

HOLLYWOOD—Eva Marie Saint has been 

signed to a multiple-picture contract and 

singer Pat Boone to an exclusive term pact 

at 20th-Fox, according to executive producer 

Buddy Adler. 

Miss Saint's first assignment will be Adler's 

production, "A Hatful of Rain," with Don 

Murray as co-star, to be directed by Fred 

Zinnemann. Boone's film debut will be with 

Terry Moore in "Bernardine." 

PLAQUE FOR STACK—Robert Stack 

received an award honoring- him for "the 

best male performance of 1956," from 

Bessie Little, editorial director of Goodman 

Publications, who flew to Hollywood 

from New York to make the presentation. 

The kudos honoring the actor's 

portrayal in U-I's "Written On The 

Wind" was made on behalf of Screen 

Stars magazine. 

Teahouse' Telecast 

Ballys New Product 

HOLLYWOOD—Deviating from tradition, 

MGM used the KTTV telecast of the premiere 

of "The Teahouse of the August 

Moon" at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. 

Tuesday t20) to promote forthcoming product 

instead of selling the time to a commercial 

sponsor. Shirley Thomas and Bill Welsh 

interviewed stars and dignitaries in attendance 

at the event. 

Luminaries present included: 

Anna Maria Aiberghetti 

Eddie Albert 

Ben Alexander 

June AMyson 

Pier Angeli 

Jean Pierre Aumont 

Lita Baron 

Eva Bartok 

Joon Bennett 

Edgar Bergen 

Ann BIyth 

Ernest Borgnine 

Rosemarie Bowie 

Rory Calhoun 

Chorles Coburn 

Richard Conte 

Dani Crayne 

Robert Cummings 

Vic Damone 

Doris Day 

Laroine Day 

William Demarest 

Kirk Douglas 

Leo Durocher 

Taina Elg 

Leif Erickson 

John Ericson 

Eddie Fisher 

Glenn Ford 

Steve Forrest 

Lisa Gaye 

Dolores Gray 

Von Heflin 

Paul Henreid 

Tab Hunter 

Ina Ray Hutton 

Anne Jeffreys 

Danny Kaye 

Howard Keel 

John Kerr 

Angela Lansbury 

Oscar Levant 

Jerry Lewis 

Peter Lorre 

Gordon MacRoe 

Freddy Martin 

Ann Miller 

Colleen Miller 

Ricardo Montalban 

Liliane Montevecchi 

George Montgomery 

Agnes Moorehead 

J. Carrol Noish 

Kim Novak 

Margaret O'Brien 

Maureen O'Hara 

Jack Owens 

Luano Patten 

Marisa Pavan 

Tony Perkins 

Dick Powell 

Eleanor Powell 

Donno Reed 

Debbie Reynolds 

Eva Marie Saint 

Jocques Sernas 

Norma Shearer 

Dinah Shore 

Robert Stack 

Mark Stevens 

Venetia Stevenson 

Barry Sullivan 

Russ Tamblyn 

Danny Thomas 

Claire Trevor 

Vera-Ellen 

Jesse White 

Chill Wills 

Marie Wilson 

Marie Windsor 

Dana Wynter 

To stimulate interest in the premiere of 

RKO's "Bundle of Joy" at the Egyptian Theatre, 

December 21, starting immediately, ten 

other United Artists theatres will cross plug 

the event via a special trailer. 

Extra bleacher seats for 250 Eddie Fisher 

Fan Club members are to be installed for 

the invitational affair. 

Alex March Moves 

HOLLYWOOD—Alex March, former producer 

of the Studio One Summer Theatre 

for CBS television, who has been headquartering 

in New York since September 

when he was signed by RKO as a producer, 

has moved his headquarters to the studio to 

continue his operations assembling material 

for a program of films for television to be 

made by RKO starting early next year. 

BOXOFFICE :: November 24, 1956 39

SOME OF THE WHEELS—A few of the persons who were responsible for the 

success of Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" posed together when that 

Paramount release was treated to a gala premiere at the Stanley Warner Beverly Hills 

Theatre. Left to right: Yul Brynner, producer-director DeMille, Anne Baxter, Charlton 

Heston and Dr. William Lindsay Young, national vice-president of the National Conference 

of Christians and Jews. 

AFTRA Demands It 

Okay 

Video Assignments 

HOLLYWOOD — American Federation of 

Television and Radio Artists members in 

Hollywood were advised not to accept radio 

or TV assignments without prior AFTRA approval. 

The warning was issued together 

with an emergency meeting call for Tuesday 

(20) night, when membership was scheduled 

to vote either to accept current negotiations 

or to authorize strike action. 

Meanwhile, AFTRA talks with networks, 

local stations, advertising agencies and independent 

producers continued. Among the 

controversies involved is the TV staff announcer 

pact with the networks, which 

threatens to upset a national agreement 

reached earlier. 

* * * 

Five theatrical motion plctiu-es and five 

filmed television series have been nominated 

for best film editing of the year by the 

American Cinema Editors to vie for the third 

annual ACE Critics Awards, to be decided by 

the vote of the press. 

Feature films nominated and their respective 

editors are: "Oklahoma!" Gene Ruggiero 

and George Boemler; "Picnic," Charles 

Nelson and William A. Lyon; "The Bad Seed," 

Warren Low; "The Eddy Duchin Story," 

Viola Lawrence and Jack Ogilvie, and "War 

and Peace," Stuart GUmore and Leo Catozzo. 

Filmed TV series nominated and their respective 

editors are Father Knows Best, 

Richard Pantl; Pour Star Playhouse, Bernard 

Burton, Samuel E. Beetley, Desmond 

Marquette, Roland Gross and Lester Orlebeck; 

Jane Wyman Theatre, Daniel A. 

Nathan; ScWitz Playhouse of Stars, George 

Amy, Joseph Gluck, Sam Gold and John 

Hall, and The Loretta Young Show, Joseph 

T. Dervln and Philip Cahn. 

Announcement of winners and presentations 

will be made at the ACE Critics Awards 

cocktail party, scheduled for December 6 in 

the Cadoro suite of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. 

• • • 

According to word from John L. IDales, oational 

executive secretary of the Screen Actors 

Guild, negotiations with Roland Reed 

have been completed and arrangements made 

for Reed to pay residual payments due actors 

in four television series, namely: My Little 

Margie, The Stu' Erwin Show also known as 

Trouble with Father, Space Ranger and 

Waterfront. 

Pending approval by the SAG board of directors, 

Roland Reed TV, Inc., has been removed 

from the guild's unfair list. 

* * * 

Television Producer William Self, one of 

the members of the National Society of TV 

Producers recently integrated into the Screen 

Producers Guild, has been appointed to the 

aims and objectives committee of the SPG, 

headed by Prank Rosenberg. Self will also 

serve on the Milestone Award committee, 

chairmanned by Carey Wilson. Former 

NSTP member John Loveton has been selected 

for the SPG public relations committee. 

AA Signs Darria Massey 

HOLLYWOOD—Allied Artists has signed 

Darria Massey, 20-year-old Irish-Italian 

actress, to a term contract. 

FIND NEW FACES—On hand 

LET'S 

to help launch 20th-Fox's multimilllondoUar 

talent hunt were, left to right, 

actor-producer Dick Powell, Mrs. Powell, 

actress June Allyson, and executive producer 

Buddy Adier, watching the first 

presentation of the 20th-Fox talent training 

program at the studio's new $4,000,000 

theatre. 

'Jet Pilot' Is Included 

In RKO '57 Releases 

HOLLYWOOD—"Jet Pilot," starring John 

Wayne, the stratospherically priced aviation 

epic which has been adorning the shelves at 

at RKO studio for several years and which is 

a holdover from the former Howard Hughes 

owner.ship, is finally going to get off the 

ground. 

It will be one of 14 films, representing a 

total expenditure of $33,000,000, to be released 

by RKO during the first six months of 1957. 

Announcement of the distribution program 

was made by Walter Branson, vice-president 

in charge of worldwide distribution, following 

conferences in Hollywood with Daniel 

T. O'Shea, president, and William Dozier, 

vice-president in charge of production. The 

claim is made that the group of releases represents 

the strongest product lineup ever 

presented by RKO during a corresponding 

period. 

Red Skelton's Technicolor comedy, "Public 

Pigeon No. 1," heads the parade for 1957, 

being scheduled for a January 9 release. 

The remainder of the release schedule follows: 

The Young Stranger, Jan. 16; I Married 

a Woman, Jan. 30; That Night! Feb. 6; 

Jet Pilot, Feb. 20; Run of the Arrow, Feb. 

27; The Cyclops, March 13; X the Unknown, 

March 13; The Day They Gave Babies Away, 

March 27; Tarzan and the Lost Safari, April 

3; The Lady and the Prowler, April 17; The 

Girl Most Likely, May 22; The Violators, 

June 12; Escapade in Japan, July 3. 

RKO will release four more pictures during 

1956, including Bundle of Joy, The Silken Affair, 

Man in the Vault, and Guilty. 

Ernest Borgnine Seeks 

Court Order on 'Sweet' 

HOLLYWOOD—Some of the impact was 

taken out of Hecht-Hill-Lancaster's announcement 

that it intended to pursue its 

alleged legal rights, concerning Ernest Borgnine's 

refusal of a role in "Sweet Smell of 

Success"—as reported elsewhere in 

this issue 

—when Borgnine beat HHL to the punch by 

initiating 

court action ordering the company 

to show cause why he must accept the part. 

Reportedly, "Marty" indicated he would 

accept the "Sweet" role if he approved the 

script. 

Restraininf; order is the latest round in 

Borgnine's tiff with HHL. He recently filed 

suit for $142,500 damages and requested release 

from his contract. 

Psychiatric Yarn Bought 

HOLLYWOOD—"Prom Out of the Darkness" 

by Howard Estabrook has been purchased 

by independent producer Stephen 

Apostolof, who has inked Estabrook to write 

the screenplay. Apostolof, who just completed 

"Journey to Freedom" with a cast of new 

faces, plans to follow the same policy with 

"Darkness," which deals with the treatment 

of mental and emotional illnesses under modern 

methods of mental hygiene. 

SDG Banquet Feb. 2 

HOLLYWOOD — The Screen Directors 

Guild plans to toss its annual banquet February 

2 in the Biltmore Bowl, when the 

annual award, for the best megging Job 

of the year will be presented. 


24, 1956

" 

Long Holidays Set Up 

By AFL Film Council 

HOLLYWOOD—It's 

apparently going to be 

a long yuletlde period for toilers in the celluloid 

vineyards. The Hollywood AFL Film 

Council, composed of unions and guilds representing 

more than 24,000 employes in the 

motion picture industry, have voted unanimously 

to recommend a proposal by the major 

motion picture studios which will allow 

a four-day Christmas holiday, Saturday, December 

22, through Tuesday, December 25, 

and a three-day New Year's holiday, Sunday, 

December 30, through Tuesday, January 1. 

Charles Boren, Ass'n of Motion Picture 

F>roducers vice-president for industrial relations, 

attended the AFL Film Council meeting 

and presented the proposal as a suggestion 

which the major studios would be willing 

to adopt if all unions and guilds approve. 

Under the plan, the Monday before Christmas 

Day, December 24, would become a 

premium time day and in its place, the following 

Saturday, December 29, would be a 

straight time day and the studios would be 

open. Similarly, the Monday before New 

Year's Day, December 31, would become a 

premium time day and the following Saturday, 

January 5, would be a straight time day 

with the studios open. 

The council's resolution recommended that 

all unions and guilds approve the plan and 

that independent and television film producers 

do likewise. 

Big Santa Claus Parade 

In Hollywood on 29th 

HOLLWOOD—Santa Claus plans to ride 

his sleigh down Hollywood Boulevard Thursday 

night (29), according to A. E. England, 

president of the Hollywood Chamber of 

Commerse and chairman of the Santa 

Claus lane executive committee which includes 

Irwin Ross, president of the Hollywood 

Merchantors Ass'n and Robert L. 

Pringle, prexy of the Hollywood Property 

Owners Ass'n, sponsoring organizations for 

the event. 

Ted Linderman, parade committee chairman 

announced that the decision to change 

the parade time from Sunday afternoon to 

Thursday night was made to cooperate with 

the wishes of the churches in the community. 

"Joy to the World" has been adopted as 

the theme of Hollywood's salute to the 

Christmas season. 

Filming in Cuba 

HOLLYWOOD—"Mr, Pharaoh and the 

Sheba," a Saturday Evening Post story by 

Vivian Connell, has been purchased by 

Dudley Pictures and will be filmed in Cuba 

as a theatrical release. The film is to be 

made under a recently negotiated Dudley- 

Banfiac (Cuban Financial Syndicate) deal. 

The story is a suspense comedy having to 

do wth a jewel thief. Winston Miller has 

been signed to do the screenplay. 

Role to Emile Myer 

HOLLYWOOD — Character actor Emile 

Myer has been signed by Hecht-Hill-Lancaster 

for a role in "Sweet Smell of Success" 

in support of Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. 

i|r~OR decades various branches of the 

motion picture industry have seemed 

J I"* 

eager to demonstrate their apparent 

belief that the time honored never-the-twainshall-meet 

conclusion 

was reached especially 

for them. Nor has 

such determination 

been dulled by recent 

action—or, rather, the 

deplorable lack thereof 

—on the myriad suggestions 

that have 

remedies for 

been projected as possible 

filmdom's current doldrums. 

There is, however, 

Charlton Heston one theory for business 

building that is not hobbled by divisional or 

geographical prejudices and differences of 

opinion and upon the effectiveness of which 

production, distribution and exhibition 

masterminds are in agreement. That is the 

ticket-sales impetus that results from the 

personal appearances of Hollywood luminaries. 

There's no doubt that well organized P. A. 

tours of stars have proven to be the promotional 

technique that has elevated many 

motion pictures to grosses that transcend 

those indicated by their respective entertainment 

merits. Moreover, they have been sufficiently 

numerous during recent, lean seasons 

so as to have their newsworthiness somewhat 

dimmed. 

But when a well established trouper hits 

the P. A. trail on behalf of a feature that 

has been generally and loudly acclaimed as 

one of the probable top-grossing, long-lived 

photoplays of all time, it becomes noteworthy, 

per se. 

The actor and picture in point are Charlton 

Heston and Paramount's "The Ten Commandments." 

Heston is currently undertaking 

a two months P. A. tour—including 

key cities in Europe—in connection with the 

Cecil B. DeMille $13,500,000 masterpiece. He 

is making the trek at his own request and, 

more arrestingly, without pay. His junketing 

has been planned to generate the maximum 

in impact and prestige. The star is making 

no theatre stage appearances, rather utilizing 

his time to re-indoctrinate persons who have 

lost the habit of theatre going; and to insure 

that in the minds of the vast audiences due 

to see "Commandments" he is identified 

with what is possibly the most important film 

role ever depicted. The main portion of the 

actor's tour will be consumed in appearances 

before civic and religious organizations. Television 

will be kept at a minimum, all field 

men being instructed to limit Heston's video 

schedule to a limited number of important 

shows. 

Here then is a hinterlands invasion that 

materially transcends the Immediate aims of 

the average undertaking of its ilk. Obviously, 

at this time, "Commandments" requires little 

by way of ballyhoo designed to stimulate 

today's ticket sales. That's because the milestone 

photoplay during the next year or more 

will be on exhibition in a comparatively few 

cities and theatres and, in those limited 

situations, it will undoubtedly command 

capacity patronage. 

Resultantly the Hestonlan barnstorming's 

long range accomplishments will precipitate 

principally an improvement in the over-all 

public relations of motion pictures—which 

makes the undertaking all the more praiseworthy. 

There's another W-prodnct facet of Heston's 

crusade. Many observers of the Hollywood 

scene, including this space, have during 

recent months bemoaned the possibility that 

the actor's effectiveness in the pivotal role 

of Moses in the DeMille epic—for all of its 

dignity, awesomeness and excellence—^might 

be somewhat discounted l>ecanse of his repeated 

appearances on mediocre television 

programs. Heston admittedly subscribes to 

such ttieorizing and logically expects that 

ills carefully-planned tours will succeed in 

completely offsetting any damage that might 

have been done. 

Further on the same subject, there's the 

ironical case of Clark Gable, who has been 

among the most emphatic and articulate of 

those top actors who hold that too frequent 

video appearances by screen stars hazardously 

jeopardize their theatrical magnetism. 

Gable, reflecting an admirable courage of his 

convictions, has consistently rejected all offers 

from television, and no doubt some of those 

bids were temptingly lucrative. 

A few weeks back, KTTV, the local TV 

station that is telecasting Metro's "mighty 

library" of backlog features, scheduled the 

first one of them in which Gable starred, an 

engrossing adventure film titled "They Met 

in Bombay." The station's drum beaters with 

understandable opportunism and showmanship 

used every available media—even unto 

banner-towing helicopters—to blazen the 

message: "Clark Gable in His First Television 

Appearance." 

Apparently, if you can't lick 'em, you have 

to jine 'em, whether you want to or not. 

In a recent advertisement on behalf of the 

King Brothers' "The Brave One," that intrepid 

trio of filmmakers indulged in attempted 

jocundity by referring to "a banker 

from whom we are not trying to borrow 

money ." 

. . 

And thereby was spawned the year's most 

unnecessary statement. Everyone knows that 

the bankers are trying to borrow money from 

the Kings—Frank, Morry and Hymie, that is. 

From Teet Carle's Paramount praisery a 

self-disparaging note informing that "Coproducers 

Bill Perlberg and George Beaton 

are pondering permanent 'wind insurance.' 

Bob Goodfried is well qualified to underwrite 

the policy should it materialize. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 24, 1956 41

C^cêcuUae 

East: I*rior to his departure for New York, 

Daniel T. O'Shea, president of RKO, declared 

that the company plans fco turn out about 

15 or 16 pictures during 1957, but would like 

to make outside deals iox an additional eight 

or ten releases from independent producers. 

• * • 

West: 

Walt Disney returned from Gotham. 

* * * 

West: C. V. Whitney planned to fly from 

New York to spend several months on the 

coast, supervising preparations for the group 

of pictures on his company's 1957 production 

schedule. 

« * • 

East: David O. Selznick planed to Gotham 

for huddles with 20th-Fox toppers in connection 

with plans for "A Farewell to Arms" 

and the reissues of "The Third Man" and 

"Rebecca." 

• « 

West: Producer Lindsley Parsons is 

scheduled to leave for Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 

to make preliminary arrangements for filming 

"The Incredible Yanqui" there for Allied 

Artists next year. 

* • • 

East: Walter Branson, RKO veepee In 

charge of distribution, departed for New York 

following confabs with President Daniel T. 

O'Shea and Vice-President WUliam Dozier. 

While at the studio, Branson also screened 

new product. 

• • • 

East: Arthur Fellows, executive production 

associate for David O. Selznick's "A Farewell 

to Arms," planed to Rome to set up shooting 

facilities and locations for the picture, scheduled 

to roll in February. 

* * * 

East: 

Leon Both, publicity coordinator for 

^njCuoeU.^ 

United Artists on the west coast, is scheduled 

to hop to New York, where he plans to participate 

in a meeting of UA field men. 

* * * 

East: Milton R. Rackmil, U-I president, 

flew back to New York following a series of 

parlays with studio executives. He plans to 

return to the coast for the company's sales 

executives conference which opens December 

3. 

Latin Americans at Studios 

HOLLYWOOD — Thirteen newspaper editors 

from nine Latin American countries 

were entertained by the international committee 

of the Ass'n of Motion Picture Producers 

at a luncheon held at Paramount 

studios, after which the visitors were divided 

into groups and taken on tours of Columbia, 

MGM, Paramount, 20th-Fox and Warners. 

The newsmen were in Hollywood as part of 

a nationwide tour sponsored by the Department 

of State. 

Cast in 'Bernardine' 

HOLLYWOOD—Terry Moore, 20th-Fox 

pactee, has drawn the femme lead in 

"Bernardine," which Henry Levin will direct 

for Producer Samuel G. Engel. 

Film to Soap Company 

HOLLYWOOD — From Don Fedderson 

comes word that "Date with the Angels," 

starring Betty White with Bill Williams, 

has been sold to the Proctor & Gamble Co. 

for release next summer on NBC-TV. The 

half-hour situation comedy series was written 

by George Tibbies. 

Suit Stems From Arrest 

Of Drive-In Customer 

SONOMA, CALIF.—Wiley Hubert Brown of 

El Verano has filed a $25,000 suit alleging 

"malicious prosecution" against Maris Andersens 

and Kay-Von Drive-In of Napa. The 

complaint stated that on May 4 Brown was 

seated in an automobile at the theatre when 

Andersens, the theatre manager, had him 

arrested on a charge of disturbing the peace. 

Brown was taken to the Napa county jail, 

the suit relates, and was held in jail from 

about 9 p.m. May 4 until 2 p.m. May 6, when 

he posted $50 cash bail. 

On May 11, Brown pleaded innocent of the 

charge of disturbing the peace and demanded 

a trial by jury. Before a trial scheduled August 

29, the charge was dismissed by the court, 

the complaint said. Brown's suit asks $15,000 

for damages he claims resulted from the incident 

and $10,000 as punitive and exemplary 

damages. 

M. J. Hamilburg President 

Of Reorganized TV Firm 

HOLLYWOOD—The telepix partnership of 

Gene Autry, Mitchell J. Hamilburg and Armand 

Schaefer, which has been doing business 

as Flying A Productions, has been reorganized 

into a corporation with Hamilburg 

as president. Schaefer is executive vicepresident 

and treasurer; Autry, vice-president; 

Ina (Mrs. Gene) Autry, secretary, and 

Philip Cobey, assistant secretary-treasurer. 

At the first meeting of the new corporation, 

a budget of $2,500,000 was set for the coming 

year's production, including two new filmed 

television series and 26 stanzas each of the 

organization's two continuing vidpix, Annie 

Oakley and Buffalo BiU jr. Winning of the 

West, one of the new teleseries, is scheduled 

to roll Monday (26). 

All Flying A product will be distributed 

through CBS-TV sales department. 

Filmed Audience Comment 

To Promote 'Pretty Baby' 

HOLLYWOOD—U-I will undertake a new 

gimmick in connection with its selling campaign 

on its new teenage story, "Rock, Pretty 

Baby!" 

For the first time on record, the studio will 

utilize filmed audience comments from the 

sneak preview as part of the regular theatrical 

trailer and in television spots. The film 

will also be utilized for special screenings. 

With a foreword by Charles J. Feldman, vicepresident 

and general sales manager, the 

footage will be shown to U-I's entire sales 

force, plus exhibitors throughout the country. 

FILMROW SANTAS—"Christmas socks for every box!" declare Mmes. Stan 

Brown, M. J. E. McCarthy, Roy Reld and Robert Kronenberg- as they prepare for their 

second annual "Tin Can Luncheon" to aid deserving families of Variety Boys Club 

members. Again this year the luncheon, scheduled for December 6, will be held 

at the home of Mrs. Lloyd Ownbey, with Mmes. O. N. Srere, Morton Scott, W. H. 

Turpie, Morris Borgos and Bernard Wolf In charge. The women of Variety anticipate 

receiving sufficient canned goods from members and guests to augment the turkey-'n'- 

trimmingg already secured for their project of supplying Christmas food baskets to 

100 fMuiUes who otherwise might go without. 

'Accident' to Columbia 

HOLLYWOOD — Columbia Pictures purchased 

"The Accident," a novel about an 

atomic scientist, by Dexter Masters, and 

added it to the production slate of Michael 

Blankfort, who will collaborate on the script 

with Lewis Meltzer. 

Title 

Changes 

Cross Up (UA) to STREET OF SINNERS. 

West of Abilene (Regal, 20th-Pox) to THE 

STORM RIDER. 


24, 1956

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—— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

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PHOENIX 

XJarold Stetson, manager of the PaJms Theatre, 

a unit of the Arizona Paramount 

Chain, has resigned. He is going to San 

Bernardino and join his brother Albert in 

running the theatre they own there, the 

West Coast Theatre. Harold has been in the 

theatre business here for more than 25 years. 

His successor at the Palms will be Gene 

Balyer, formerly manager of the Sombrero 

Theatre. Gene started with Fox Theatres in 

Tucson. Coming here. Gene first managed 

the Vista, a Fox theatre, and then the Sombrero, 

an independent house. Albert Herkert 

Is the new assistant manager of the Palms. 

This is his first venture in theatre business. 

He was in the banking business in the east 

at one time. 

Arizona Paramount had an invitational 

screening of "Friendly Persuasion" on November 

13. Mabel Mitchell, publicist for the chain, 

sent out over 400 invitations to a cross section 

of Phoenix people. TTie response was 

very good. According to cards signed by the 

people who saw the picture, it was very well 

received. They liked the fact that it could 

be enjoyed by the whole family. 

Manager Sam Bagrwell prepared for a 

Thanksgiving opening for the Elvis Presley 

starrer, "Love Me Tender." Bagwell and Dick 

Smith, regional manager, ordered all theatre 

furniture and movable objects stored because 

they are afraid of damage from the 

Presley fans . . . The Paramount, Rialto and 

Strand theatres now have free parking at a 

lot close to the three Paramount chain theatres. 

Patrons can park there after 6 p.m. 

on weekdays and all day Sunday. Parking 

in the downtown area has been a problem for 

these theatres and the new arrangement 

should certainly help. 

$200,000 Theatre Contract 

Awarded in LA Suburb 

GARDEN GROVE, CALIF.—Contract has 

been awarded for construction of a new theatre 

building, flanked by seven stores, in this 

town near Los Angeles for Dewey Venner. 

Cost will be approximately $200,000. Contractor 

Arthur B. Moody will use the tilt-up 

construction method to erect the structure. 

Designed by Carlson and Middlebrook, 

Garden Grove architects, the showcase will 

be air conditioned and will be equipped with 

a forced-air heating system. The adjoining 

parking lot will provide an area of 9,100 

square feet for patrons of the theatre and 

the seven stores. The name of the theatre has 

not been announced. 

Norman Taurog Signed 

HOLLYWOOD—Norman Taurog has 

been 

inked by Producer Robert Waterfield to direct 

"The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown," a Russ-Pield 

independent venture for United Artists release. 

'Commandments in Los Angeles Start 

Ties 'Giant' for Gross of 300 

LOS ANGELES—Opening here of Paramount's 

"Tlie Ten Commandments," which 

started its two-a-day, reserved-seat, advanced-admissions 

run following a gala premiere, 

added a new bright spot to the local 

first run compilations. But despite that Its 

first week was reported at a smashing 300 

per cent of normal at the lone showcase at 

which it is being exhibited, the Cecil B. De- 

Mille colossus did nothing more than share 

top honors with "Giant," which in its fifth 

week recorded a phenomenal paralleling 300 

per cent figure. Among conventionally 

booked newcomers, a tandem bill, "Back From 

Eternity" and "Teenage Crime School" topped 

the field with 185. 

(Averoge Is 100) 

Chinese Giont (WB), 5th wk 300 

Downtown Paramount Back From Eternity (RKO); 

Teenage Crime Scliool (Manhattan), reissue. . . .185 

Egyptian You Can't Run Away From it (Col), 

2nd wl

I 

THEATRICAL 

I 

2310 

. . Joe 

; 

SAN FRANCISCO 

1*6 Joy Theatre in Earlimart has been 

leased and will be operated by Alex 

Smith and Rob Roberts, both residents of 

Earlimart. The new operators will do their 

own booking and buying. The house was 

formerly booked by General Theatrical . . . 

The west coast premiere of the third Cinerama 

film, "Seven Wonders of the World," 

which was sponsored by the Press & Union 

League Club at the Orpheum Theatre November 

20, featured colorful prepremiere activities. 

Rim and television star Mercedes 

McCambridge and stunt flyer Paul Mantz 

who did the flight sequences in both the first 

and third Cinerama productions, were among 

the celebrities attending the civic dinner 

sponsored by the San Francisco Chamber of 

Commerce and the PULC and the premiere 

itself. The University of California band, 

under the direction of James Berdahl, played 

in front of the theatre. 

The Woodland theatres will cut their performances 

from two to one complete performance 

during four nights of the week. 

Both the State and the Yolo plan to keep 

the schedule during the winter . . . The Roseville 

has closed indefinitely. Fred Curtice, 

local manager for General Theatrical Co., 

said shortage of pictures coming out of Hollywood 

caused the company to decide on the 

temporary shutdown. He said that it is 

hoped to reopen the showhouse some time 

next year and that nothing will be done in 

the meantime with the building. 

The Gateway Theatre in Merced celebrated 

its fourth birthday . . . The Mariposa Theatre 

in Mariposa has had a face lifting. The 

theatre has a new coat of paint in flamingo 

The screen at the Pic 

and Alpine blue . . . 

Theatre in Crescent City was almost cut to 

shreds recently, according to Tom Stewart, 

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THEATRE EXCHANGE CO. 

260 Kearney St 

San Francisco 8, Calll 

manager of the theatre. Stewart had gone to 

the theatre on Monday morning and discovered 

the vandalism. The screen, valued at $600, 

had been cut to shreds with a knife. Stewart 

told police that the screens at both the Pic and 

Mecca theatres were cut during the last 

month. Neither Stewart nor the police could 

give any plausible reason for such an act to 

be committed. Seat coverings in both theatres 

also have been cut. It was also discovered 

that the candy till at the Pic had been 

robbed of $3 in small change left there the 

night before. 

Celebrities visiting here included Alfred 

Hitchcock, who was secretly scouting Sausalito 

for the locale of his next thriller; Harry 

James and his wife Betty Grable, Fred Mac- 

Murray and his wife June Haver and Sonja 

Henie . . . Clark Gable and his wife were in 

Sacramento for a screening of "A King and 

Four Queens" at the Esquire Theatre. Thirty 

executives of United Artists were in attendance 

. . . Pat Patterson, film distributor, returned 

home following a lengthy western 

jaunt . . Jesse Wells, Western Theatrical 

. 

Equipment, had a bad cold but braved it and 

remained at work . . . Mickey Biggio, formerly 

of 20th-Fox, gave birth to a baby girl. 

The Nubeiber Theatre, Nubeiber, was sold 

to Prances Hawkins. Former owner was Dolin 

Southard. The same policy at the theatre will 

continue . Boyd, formerly of the California 

Theatre at Kerman, was along the Row 

saying hello to his many friends and is now 

engrossed in the business of raising cotton. 

Say his friends, "Pretty soft" . . . Eugene 

Klein of U-I, Joe Planigan of 20th-Fox and 

Al Adolph, Republic, returned from the Colosseum 

of Motion Picture Salesmen convention 

in St. Louis. 

John Coyne, MGM assistant manager, is 

recovering nicely and is up and about but not 

back to work yet . . . C. J. Chapman, formerly 

of the Redwood circuit, is getting along nicely 

following his illness and looks fit as a fiddle 

. . . Visitors to the Row include R. E. Degener, 

Winters Theatre, Winters; Al Stanford, Oaks 

Drive-In, Paso Robles, and Ernest Landry, 

Weed Theatre, Weed . The Boulevard Theatre 

in Elk Groove 

. . 

will be doing its own 

booking and buying starting January 12. The 

house is owned by C. T. Armenbson and was 

formerly booked by Ed Rowden. 

LA City Council Presents 

Honor to Cecil DeMille 

HOLLYWOOD—Cecil B. DeMille was honored 

in a resolution given to him by the city 

council of Los Angeles on Tuesday (20). Attending 

the ceremony was also Y. Frank 

Freeman, vice-president of Paramount in 

charge of the studio. 

Referring to DeMille as "this great elder 

statesman of the motion picture industry," 

the resolution was presented by councilman 

Earle D. Baker and signed by all members of 

the council. 

To Portray Napoleon's Wife 

HOLLYWOOI>-Marie Windsor will portray 

Napoleon's wife Josephine in "The Story of 

Mankind," which Irwin Allen is producing 

and directing in Technicolor. 

Pacific Corp. Enters 

FWCvs.BelairSuil 

LOS ANGELES—O'Keefe & Associates' 

Belair, the new 1,050-car drive-in completed 

: 

recently in the suburban San Bernardino area 

and whose opening was delayed because of a 

court hassel over first run product, opened 

its gates on Wednesday (21 1 with the 20th- 

Fox feature, "Love Me T'ender," the widely 

touted Elvis Presley picture. 

Despite this indication of having won the 

first round of the battle, the Belair apparently 

isn't completely out of the legal 

woods. 

A petition has been filed by Pacific Drive- 

In Theatres Corp., operator of the Baseline 

and Tri-City drive-ins in the same area, to 

intervene in Fox West Coast's declaratory 

relief action against the Belair. 

Pacific contends its two ozoners are in 

competition with the O'Keefe operation and 

that the three drive-ins are entitled to buy a 

prior run over each other. Pacific also makes 

the claim that drive-ins are more competitive 

to each other than to conventional theatres, 

and that while asking for a prior run over 

O'Keefe's installation. Pacific should also 

have the right to play day and date with 

Fox West Coast's California Theatre in San 

Bernardino. 

PWC initially sparked the precedential 

legal action on October 31 when it sought 

declaratory relief from the Belair on the 

grounds its California Theatre was competitive 

with the drive-in and that O'Keefe was 

threatening the company and film distributors 

with antitrust action if it were not 

granted the right to play day and date with 

first run San Bernardino. 

Attorneys for FWC have indicated they will 

not oppose the Pacific's petition on any 

technical ground, as they feel all claims ought 

to be passed upon by the court. However, they 

contend the California Theatre is entitled to 

negotiate for a prior run, not only over the 

Belair but also over Pacific's Tri-City and 

Baseline. 

Lyle Wing to Half Moon Bay 

As Patio Theatre Mgr. 

HALF MOON BAY, CALIF.—The Patio 

Theatre has a new manager, Lyle Wing, who 

comes here with a long background of theatre 

management and operation. A native of 

Iowa, he was assistant manager of the Trans- 

Lux Theatre in Washington, D. C, and upon 

coming to San Francisco helped to open the 

State Theatre, a Paramount Theatres unit. 

He then went to the Paramount and the St. 

Francis theatres where he served as assistant 

manager. For the past year he has managed 

the Sea-Vue in Pacific Manor. 

Wing is in search of a house here where 

he and his wife Mary and their five children, 

Jeanlce, Eric, Christine, Kearin and Kyle, 

can live. Tlie new manager described the 

Patio as "one of the finest theatres I've 

seen," and expressed a desire to bring first 

run pictures to Half Moon Bay. 

To Score 'Purple Harvest' 

HOLLYWOOD—David Raksln has been 

assigned to write the score for MGM's "The 

Purple Harvest." Jeffrey Hayden directed 

and Edwin H. Knopf produced. 

44 BOXOFFICE : : November 24, 1956

SEATTLE 

rjel Osterhoudt, owner of the Des Moines 

Theatre, Des Moines, returned from a 

two-and-a-half week trip to Wolsey, S. D., 

where he visited his daughter Juanita Better. 

He was accompanied by his oldest daughter 

Billie Jean. While there he went pheasant 

hunting. Osterhoudt recently has increased 

the size of his theatre building with an addition 

that now houses a druggist, optometrist, 

barber shop, dentist and doctor. 

Northwest Releasing will again be distributing 

public service films for the telephone 

company at no charge to exhibitors, 

starting January 1. The first films will be 

in Superscope and color and will average 

KIO0-12 minutes in length. Dates can now be 

Pteit for any time after the first of the year. 

Northwest Releasing is also handling General 

Electric films, the latest of which is "Together 

Again." It is free to exhibitors . . . Art Greenfield, 

Universal manager, flew to New York 

to see his ailing mother, but she died before 

his 

arrival. 

Zollie Volchok is planning on spending a 

week or two in Los Angeles toward the end 

of the month, where he will talk to producers 

and representatives as well as various 

agencies for live talent . . . Tentative dates 

are being set by Northwest Releasing for 

spring attractions, including Louis Armstrong 

in Canada, Lionel Hampton and his band 

and Duke Ellington. 

Juel Lang, former manager of the Grand 

Theatre, Bremerton, sold a 22-minute color 

subject on Mount Rainier to the U. S. Information 

Cass Smith of Ham- 

Service . . . 

rick and Jack J. Engerman of Northwest 

Releasing, braved the squalls and white caps 

of Puget Sound on a recent Sunday in a 16- 

foot open boat and returned home soaked 

but victorious with a six-pound black mouth 

salmon and a six-pound ling cod . . . Jack 

Leewood, from the Allied Artists studio 

publicity department, Hollywood, and Jim 

Schiller, the Allied Artists Los Angeles exchange, 

were in Seattle. 

The women's auxiliary of Variety Club held 

a garden show at Rhodes department store 

and did very well . . . Mrs. Lucy Saffle, president 

of the women's auxiliary, called a board 

meeting at Fredericks . . . Variety Club sponsored 

a luncheon Wednesday (21) at the 

Colony Club to welcome Benny Goodman to 

Seattle . . . Harry Stone, well-known theatreman, 

died Tuesday (13). At the time of his 

death he was manager of the Temple Theatre, 

Tacoma. 

Jack J. Engerman, Northwest Releasing, 

returned from a trip to Spokane, and partner 

Zollie Volchok is back from Portland and 

Vancouver, B. C, where both were advancing 

the Benny Goodman show . . . Dick Rockey, 

Columbia booker, is leaving for Army duty 

Monday (26). His position will be filled by 

Darlene Bates . . . Gordon Wallinger, Allied 

Artists salesman, returned from a trip 

through the Yakima Valley . . . AA Manager 

Ed Cruea is back from Portland . . . Columbia's 

"You Can't Run Away Prom It" 

opened at the Fifth Avenue Wednesday (21), 

the day before Thanksgiving. 

Soon to be on the market is a carbon saving 

invention, the brainchild of theatreman Del 

Osterhoudt. Called the Wa-Dell carbon saver, 

Osterhoudt has used his device with great 

REAL CR-A-A-AZY—Fan club 

members 

dig it the most as they get a look at 

newly unveiled 20-foot cut-out photograph 

of singer Elvis Presley at the 

Downtown Los Angeles Theatre. Fox 

West Coast Theatres and 20th Century- 

Fox studio publicists joined in stunt, calling 

attention to teenage idol's first motion 

picture, "Love Me Tender." Promotion 

paid off with art breaks and stories 

in local papers as well as coverage on 

television news programs. 

success since 1954 in other theatres as well as 

his own house . . . Filmrow visitors included 

Jim Hoffner, Shell Theatre, Tacoma; Sid 

Dean and his son, Lakewood and Rex, Tacoma; 

Bing Fournier, B&B, Grayland; Bill 

Evans, Centralia; Mrs. Marie E. Wariver, 

Colonial, Grand View; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Johnson, 

Spokane; August Aubert, Aubert, Connel; 

Ernie Rettkowsky, Alki, and Barney Rose, 

U-I division manager. 

DCA Opens Branch Office 

For San Francisco Area 

SAN FRANCISCO—Distributors Corp. of 

America, independent film distributing group, 

has opened offices here under the district 

management of Hugh Braly. Joe Emerson, 

former manager here for RKO, has been appointed 

manager of the DCA office. Edna 

McCarthy, formerly of the Ed Rowden booking 

and buying office, has been named executive 

secretary. DCA product formerly was 

distributed through Favorite Films. 

The new offices are located at 369 Turk St. 

Bennett Cerf in Trailer 

HOLLYWOOD — Bennett Cerf, author, 

publisher and regular panelist on the What's 

My Line? television show, will appear on 

motion picture screens in a special trailer 

MGM is preparing for "The Little Hut." Cerf 

will both narrate and act in the ten-minute 

trailer. 

Outdoor Season Ends in Havre 

HAVRE, MONT. — Owner-manager Emil 

DonTigny has put his Sunset Drive-In Theatre 

here into "cold storage" for the winter 

season, with a big thank you to the many 

outdoor theatre patrons who gave the Sun- 

support this past summer and fall. 

set their 

Gross-Krasne Sets Up 

Video Sales Outlet 

HOLLYWOOD—Having arrived at the 

decision that producers of television films 

must undertake their own distribution in 

order to enjoy maximum returns from their 

output, Gross-Krasne, fabricator of the O. 

Henry video half-hour shows, is currently 

setting up its own nationwide sales organization. 

Offices have already been opened in 

New York, Chicago and St. Louis. Jack 

Gross, who in partnership with Phil Krasne, 

and formerly both a theatre operator and 

producer of theatrical film fare, compares the 

situation to that which confronted the distributors 

of motion pictures many years ago 

and which resulted in the major companies 

operating their own branches rather than 

entrusting their pictures to independently 

owned exchanges. 

Krasne declared that six to seven salesmen 

concentrating on one series of telefilms can 

produce as much revenue as a staff of 30 

peddlers who represent the TV distributors 

who handle a multitude of programs. In this 

connection, he stated that G-K has already 

secured $1,000,000 worth of bookings on the 

O. Henry subjects from only about 65 of the 

approximately 250 TV markets available. The 

company has already completed 16 of the 

half-hour shows of the program that calls 

for 39 subjects the first year. Krasne declared 

further that his observations Indicated 

that the bulk of any TV producer's revenue 

comes from 70 to 80 of the 250 markets. 

While concentrating most of its efforts on 

television and the operation of the California 

Studio, which it owns, G-K is still keeping 

its finger in the making of films for theatrical 

exhibition. Its first one, "Please Murder Me," 

was released by Distributors Corporation of 

America as will be the completed "Monster 

from Green Hell." The outfit owns the U. S. 

and Canadian rights to "Woman and the 

Hunter," made in Africa by Kenya Productions 

and starring Ann Sheridan and 

David Farrar. No distribution deal has been 

set for this one, and the same goes for 

"Pawnee," toplining George Montgomery and 

Lola Albright. 

Okay Site for Big Drive-In 

In Humboldt Co„ Calif. 

ARCATA, CALIF.—Site and layout plans of 

the new proposed drive-in theatre to be constructed 

by Maribel Theatres have been approved 

by the Humboldt County planning 

commission, clearing the way for work to 

begin immediately. Mrs. Walter Bell, owner 

of the Bel-Air Drive-In on Old Areata road 

and the Humboldt Drlve-In at Fortuna, said 

the new theatre will be situated just north 

of Areata off highway 101. The new outdoorer 

is scheduled to be finished early in January. 

A two-story central building will house 

projection equipment, rest rooms and offices, 

Mrs. Bell said, while a specially designed 

snack bar will be equipped to serve light refreshments 

or full course dinners. The screen 

tower will be 66 feet high and 117 feet wide. 

A modem playground with amusement devices 

is planned for children. 

Walter W. Bell, secretary of Maribel Theatres, 

said the project will cost about $125,000. 

The company recommended the expansion, he 

said, after a study of the growth of Industry 

and home ownership in the district. 

BOXOFFICE : : November 

24, 1956 45

. . Frank 

; 

DENVER 

Qhapter 10 of the Women of the Motion 

Picture Industry helped in the muscular 

dystrophy telethon in which John Reed King 

and Virginia Graham were here to assist. 

Dates for WOMPIs to remember include November 

26, board meeting at the MGM exchange; 

November 28, song session, Variety 

clubrooms; December 7, Christmas party. 

Irene Canino heads the Christmas party committee 

and has promised something out of 

the ordinary. Tillie Challc is filling the finance 

chaii-man job and Pat Frieler is the 

new extension chairman. 

A. B. Hillyard, recently from Amarillo, Tex., 

is building a 300-seat theatre at Ouray to 

be in operation about the first of the year. 

It will be named the Chipita . . . Local reports 

indicate the block containing the Tabor 

may be demolished to malce way for a shopping 

center . . . Joe Jacques, head of National 

Theatre Calendar Co., was pictured in the 

Post along with many of his relics of French 

battlefields. 

Terry Carpenter, owner of the Motorens, 

Terrytown, Neb., and the one who tried unsuccessfully 

to nominate Joe Smith for the 

vice-presidency at the Republican convention 

in San Francisco, was elected to the Nebraska 

legislature . . . Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Hatke, 

owners of Reversible Sign Co., are back from 

an extended business trip to the west coast 

. . . Marylee King, booker at Buena Vista 

since the exchange was established here, has 

resigned to care for her husband, who suffered 

a stroke some months ago. The job 

goes to Mayreta Knight, recently with KGMC. 

Mrs. John Vos, wife of a Paramount salesman, 

is recuperating following an operation 

at Presbyterian Hospital . . . Lester Zucker, 

Universal district manager, was in for conferences 

with Mayer Monsky, local manager 

. . . C. P. Weber, projectionist at the Paramount 

screening room, underwent surgery at 

St. Luke's Hospital. 

Regrgie Shirk, salesman for Western Service 

& Supply, is out in the territory on his 

first road trip in his new job . . . Ted Halmi, 

freelance publicity man, went to Casper, 

Wyo., to coordinate the campaign on 

"Friendly Persuasion," which runs at the 

Rialto ... In for a sales meeting with members 

of the local staff of National Theatre 

Supply were Walter E. Greene, president. 

New York; Lloyd Ownbey, district manager, 

Los Angeles; R. L. Bostick, district manager, 

Memphis, and Ray Miller, manager at Salt 

Lake City. Sitting in on the meetings were 

Joe Stone, local manager, and Dick Lutz, 

assistant. New processes and new engineering 

developments were under discussion. 

The recent blizzard through Wyoming and 

Nebraska was reminiscent of the 1949 blizzard. 

Several theatremen had tickets for the 

Oklahoma-Colorado football game at Boulder, 

Colo., but were unable to use them . . . Joe 

Giovanni, assistant manager at the Lincoln, 

Cheyenne, has quit to put in his full time 

preparing for a teaching career. 

Magdelene Staub, longtime employe of 

Pox Intermountain, was back on the job 

pinch-hittlng for Dorothy Harrington, secretary 

to Robert Sellg, district manager, while 

Dorothy took a vacation. 

William SoutUr, recently with Fox Mid- 

. 

west, Springfield, 111., has been named city 

manager for Fox Intermountain Theatres at 

Ogden, Utah, where he succeeds Ted Kirkmeyer, 

who moves to Salt Lake City as manager 

of the Uptown . John Maznis has resigned 

as manager 

. 

of the Egyptian, Delta, 

Colo., and filling in temporarily is Dick Little, 

assistant at the Tabor, Denver, also a Fox 

Intermountain house. 

Si Saunders, Fox Intermountain Theatres 

booker, is recuperating at home following an 

operation 

. H. Ricketson jr., National 

Theatres general manager and president 

of Fox Intermountain Theatres, was in 

for talks with Robert Selig, division manager. 

Harry Stone, Tacoma 

Hamrick Aide, Dies 

TACOMA, WASH.—Harry N. Stone, manager 

of John Hamrick's Temple Theatre and 

for many years a familiar figure in the theatre 

business, died unexpectedly last week 

(13) at his home in the Park Towers apartments. 

Born in Los Angeles, he came to Tacoma 

and for several years owned his own commercial 

art studio where he did contract 

work for major local theatres, besides managing 

some of the local houses. In 1928, he 

moved to Butte, Mont., as district manager 

for Fox Intermountain Theatres. Later, he 

moved to California in the employ of National 

Screen Service, and later was at the Los 

Angeles branch. 

Three years ago, he returned to Tacoma 

and became manager of the Temple Iheatre. 

He was a veteran of World War I, a member 

of Tacoma Elks lodge, 

the Variety Club, 

the signpainters union and the Episcopal 

Church. 

Surviving are his wife Irene; a brother 

James, in Los Angeles, and a sister, Mrs. 

Adelaide Bonar, New York City. 

PORTLAND 

The downtown theatre district was jammed 

with top fare. Reports over the weekend 

indicated record crowds were on hand to 

view such pictures as "Giant" at the new Fox, 

where the picture set an opening week record 

"Love Me Tender" at the Orpheum; "Oklahoma!" 

at Parker's Broadway; "The Mountain" 

and "Come Next Spring" at the Paramount; 

"Friendly Persuasion" at the Liberty 

and "Lust for Life" at the Guild. Overflow 

from the showing of "Giant" at the Fox 

jammed most houses Saturday night (17). 

Both "Giant" and "The Girl He Left Behind" 

at the Orpheum, put on special extra-late 

performances to take care of the crowds. 

"Giant" let out at 3 a.m., Dean Matthews said. 

MGM officials George A. Hickey, western 

sales manager, and Irving Helfont, assistant 

sales manager, were in town conferring with 

Louis Amacher of the branch office here. 

Explolteer Allan Welder also was in town 

working on "Lust for Life" and "Julie" . . . 

Victor Perry, film actor and nightspot entertainer, 

made his northwest debut at Amatos 

here. On hand for the opening was Mae 

Williams, Hollywood personality who flew 

here for the debut . . . Also on the bill is 

Frieda Kagiya, Japanese film star and 

concert vocalist, in her first nightspot 

engagement in the United States. 

LOS ANGELES 

yariety Tent 25 Monday (19) elected a new 

crew including insurance man John 

Benedict; Jack Berman, head of Aladdin 

Theatres; Steve Broidy, president of Allied 

Artists; E. E. "Red" Hughes of the seating 

company bearing his name; John Lavery. 

Fox West Coast attorney; Spencer Leve, 

PWC; Lloyd Ownbey, vice-president. National 

Theatre Supply Co.; Mort Scott, Republic's 

TV division; O. N. "Bill" Srere, Srere-Metzger 

circuit; Forrest Tucker, actor, and Bernie 

Wolf, branch manager. National Screen Service. 

The crew plans to meet soon for election 

of officers from among the group. 

At the Filmrow Club's annual dance, 

scheduled for December 22 in the Sunset 

room of the Ambassador Hotel, the hostesses 

will be Sally Green, RKO; Harriet Charlsworth, 

Warner Bros.; May Freedman, Fox 

West Coast; Ray Winnick, MGM; Jennie 

Bence, WB, and Min Steinberg, Lippert Pictures, 

it was announced by Chairman Milt 

Frankel. 

When the Red Cross chest X-ray mobile 

unit was stationed on the Row Monday, 

Tuesday and Wednesday (19-21), the number 

of persons who took advantage of the service 

far exceeded last year's tiu-nout . . . Bob 

Beretta, former salesman for the National 

Theatre Supply Co., celebrated his 80th 

birthday . . . United Artists salesman Max 

Katz is on vacation in Las Vegas. 

Joe Greene, former manager of the Harbor 

Drive-In near San Pedro, has been made 

manager of the new Belair Drive-In in the 

San Bernardino area. Wes Wald succeeds 

Greene at the Harbor . . . Anticipating future 

expansion, the Bevelite C^., theatre equipment 

supplier, purchased property next door 

to their present location. 

Sonney Amusement Co.'s new dualer, 

"The 

Wild and Wicked" and "Downhill Alley," has 

been booked day and date in four United 

Artists theatres, including the State; UA, 

East Los Angeles; UA, Inglewood, and 

Capitol, Glendale. 

Al Blumberg, National Screen Service 

salesman, is on a swing through Arizona . . . 

UA salesman Andy Heederik is on a kite 

run . . . Fred Mercy jr.. First National Theatres, 

was down from Yakima, Wash., booking 

and buying from Harry Stern of IFE . . . 

Milt and Doddie Smith were in from Santa 

Paula performing similar chores for their 

drive-in . . . San Francisco exhibitor Ralph 

Dostal was visiting on the Row. 

To Debut in Thousand' 

HOLLYWOOD—Carol Morris, under contract 

to U-I because of having been named 

Miss Universe last summer, will make her 

film debut in "The Man of a Thousand 

Faces." During the past several months Miss 

Morris has been studying In U-I's talent 

workshop, taking dramatic, diction and 

dancing lessons. 

Exercise Witney Option 

HOLLYWOOD—Republic has exercised 

option for the services of director William 

Witney for another year. Witney has been 

with the company since Its inception in 1935. 

Its 


New Ll. Gov. Ed Long Education Day Thought: Friends' 

To Be Feted by MITO Words, Not Ads, Guide Teenagers 

ST. LOXnS—State Senator Ed V. Long of 

Clarksville, Mo., who was elected lieutenant 

governor of Missouri by a very large majority 

over his Republican opponent, will be honored 

at a meeting of the officers and directors 

of the Missouri-Illinois Theatre Owners 

in the Lindell room of the Melbourne Hotel 

here at 11:00 a.m., December 4. President 

L. J. Williams, Union, Mo., will preside. 

Luncheon will be served during the meeting. 

Senator Long, who has been president pro 

tern of the Missouri Senate, owns the Senate 

Theatre, Elsberry, Mo., and the Trojan Theatre, 

Troy, Mo. He is a member and director 

of MITO. Senator Long also is prominent 

in banking, insurance and investment circles. 

He will assume his new duties as lieutenant 

governor of Missouri early in January. 

At the December 4 meeting, the MITO 

officers and directors will discuss plans for 

a series of regional gatherings to be held 

during 1957 in both Illinois and Missouri, as 

well as for the 1957 annual meeting to be 

held at Kingsway Hotel September 16, 17. 

Three Theatres Reopened 

In St. Louis Territory 

ST. LOUIS—Theatre reopenings continued 

to dominate the local scene. The Lincoln 

Theatre, Charleston, 111., a unit of Frisina 

Amusement Co., reopened on Thanksgiving 

Day. Another Frisina unit, the Clark at Mattoon, 

111., also is reopening. 

The Capitol Theatre, McLeansboro, 111., a 

unit of Dickinson Operating Co., Mission, 

Kas., will close December 2, while the Valencia 

Theatre, Macon, Mo., operated by Pirtle 

Amusement Co., Jerseyville, 111., also will 

close on that day. The Pirtle firm has the 

McLean at McLeansboro, and Dickinson has 

the Macon at Macon. The closings will give 

each circuit one of the cities without opposition. 

The State Theatre, Roodhouse, 111., owned 

and operated by Clarence Denny, reopened 

November 10. 

Locally, the Parker's Skyline Drive-In in 

St. Louis county closed for the season. 

Olney, 111.. Elks to Build 

Grill on Theatre Site 

OLNEY, ILL.—The Elks lodge here has decided 

to build a modern grill on the Elks 

Theatre location on Kitchell avenue. The 

theatre was built in 1910 in the building that 

still houses the lodge. It was used extensively 

in the late vaudeville days and for years after 

World War I was used as a film house. 

Its use as a motion picture theatre terminated 

in 1955 when it was closed by the 

Frisina Amusement Co. 

Fire Destroys Theatre 

NEW BERLIN, ILL.—Cause of the $50,000 

fire which destroyed the Rodee Theatre and 

an adjoining market here has not been determined. 

The fire, which threatened to engulf 

the entire business block, was confined 

to the theatre and market, which were destroyed. 

The fire was discovered by a state 

police sergeant and a night watchman, who 

reported hearing an explosion from the theatre 

building at about 12:15 a.m. 

Dave McCullough, projectionist at the Tower Theatre, left photo, shows Southwest 

High School students the 70mm Todd-AO film he projects for "Oklahoma!" 

which the students stayed to see as a fitting climax to their Education Day tour of 

Filmrow. Right photo: Head cameraman at United Film Service Co., Harry Tackett, 

was trying to get the 28 Van Horn and Manual high school students to relax so 

that individual shots could be made of them during a tour of the plant on Education 

Day. One of the students is shown reacting to his antics. 

KANSAS CITY—Teenagers don't pay any 

attention to newspaper advertising in choosing 

motion pictures they attend. This rather 

startling view was expressed in a Business 

Education Day meeting between a group of 

motion picture representatives and 18 students 

from Southwest and Manual high schools 

here last Thursday (15). 

Some said they read film reviews in local 

papers and in magazines; others declared 

word-of-mouth was the major factor in selection 

of their screen fare—if a friend had 

seen a picture and liked it, "one could hardly 

wait to go." 

The pupils were transported to Filmrow by 

Joe Redmond of Fox Midwest, co-chairman 

with Arthur Cole of the day's program; Hugh 

Siverd, Plaza Theatre manager; Harry Bills, 

Apollo manager, and Finton Jones jr., industry 

insurance executive. 

At the first stop in the Paramount screening 

room, Cole commented there was much 

the film men and the youthful group could 

learn from each other. For example, what 

kind of pictures do young people like best? 

In answer to this, the girls objected to so 

much violence in pictures. The tastes of 

other sudents just about ran the full scale. 

Cole pointed out that the exhibitors' major 

problem is to get people in for the first showing—it 

is the opening night that he is primarily 

concerned about. One of the girls said 

she thought the advertising on "Teenage 

Rebel" was misleading, making it sound like 

a second "Blackboard Jungle." She said her 

friends who saw it were disappointed because 

it wasn't, and others who failed to see 

it would have enjoyed it, if they had not been 

misled by the advertising. Redmond agreed 

she had a point there. 

Cole next brought up the problem of theatre 

rowdyism. He put it to them this way: 

"If you had your money invested in a theatre, 

and your living depended on it, what 

would you do if the rowdy behavior of teenagers 

was keeping adults out of your theatre 

and you were losing money because of them?" 

Some of the young people squirmed and admitted 

they "used to act up" when younger. 

Then they said it was a mistake to hire teenagers 

as ushers, because some of them took 

themselves pretty seriously and this just made 

the kids mad and resulted in their getting 

louder. 

— One boy said usherettes were no use 

at all "They just come down the aisle giggling 

and say, 'You mustn't do that.' " Sad to 

relate, not one teenager seemed to feel it was 

a situation which needed correction in their 

own group, with the responsibility resting on 

them and their parents instead of the theatre 

management. 

Several commented that since rowdjîsm is 

not a problem in downtown theatres, it arises 

partly from the fact that instead of going 

to see the show, many young people Just go to 

be with the gang, using the theatre as a 

neighborhood meeting place. 

Larry Klein, office manager of Universal, 

talked briefly about the distribution angles 

of motion pictures. 

"This is not the glamorous side of pictures," 

he admitted. "It Is, however, the practical 

side that enables you to see a desired picture. 

There are about 450 theatres served out 

of the Kansas City exchange, and there are 

only about eight or ten prints of each picture 

available in this area. There axe about 14 

competitive distributors who have about 400 

pictures a year to sell. Many theatres have 

three changes a week, which means they have 

to have 150 pictures a year. You are going 

up to our offices now and see that it takes 

quite a staff to keep the distribution angle of 

this business functioning properly." 

After going through the Universal offices, 

where the students saw booking operations 

and film inspection, they were taken to Exhibitors 

Film Delivery & Service Co. where 

Abbott Sher took them out to the docks and 

showed them some of the trucks and machinery 

which shuttles film from one theatre 

to another over the western part of Missouri, 

all of Kansas, and small segments of Nebraska, 

Colorado and Arkansas. 

Sher showed them the film lined up on 

(Continued on following page) 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 24, 1956 47

. . Regenia 

KANSAS CITY 

f^larence Schultz, president of Consolidated 

Agencies, is leaving with Mrs. Schultz for 

Mason City and other Iowa points to arrange 

for individual operations of theatres the 

corporation has been operating. His health 

makes this procedure necessary. Recently the 

firm sold its Wichita theatres and terminated 

its operation of the Claco Drive-In. Only a 

skeleton force will be maintained to keep the 

corporation alive. 

. . 

Willis Shaffer, city manager of Fox Midwest 

theatres at Hutchinson, Kas., has been 

elected governor of Rotary International District 

179 for 1957 and 1958. Jack Winningham, 

salesman for National Screen Service, 

brought in the report . Laura Scheid, who 

has been at Missouri Theatre Supply the last 

three years, has transfeiTed to Exhibitors 

Film Delivery . . . Peggy Jackson is the new 

boxoffice statement clerk at MGM. Jim 

Witcher, office manager, is in St. Joseph 

Hospital, where he was operated on for a 

back injury. He will convalesce for several 

weeks at home after his hospital release. 

That was a nice industry story that Joe 

Redmond of Fox Midwest engineered in the 

Kansas City Star for Business-Education Day 

—front page, no less, with a photo farther 

back . . . Jim Long, district manager, spent 

Thanksgiving with his father in Milwaukee 

. . . Bill Rector, manager of the Strand at 

Salina was a weekend visitor in town . . . 

Sandra Murray, 19-year-old daughter of C. C. 

Murray, Wichita city manager, is showing 

her girl friends an engagement ring . . . Edd 

OUR BUSINESS IS SOUND' 

'pred 7ft. 

PHONE 3-7225. 

7

— 

— 

— 

— — 

— 

— 

. . The 

'Secrets of Life' Hits 

225 in Kansas City 

KANSAS CITY—"The Secrets of Life," 

playing first run in the neighborhood Brookside, 

and "Giant" in the Paramount in its 

second week were the town's big grossers. 

"Julie" did only average at the Midland, 

but was held for another week and "Everything 

but the Truth" with a Davy Crockett as 

support disappointed at the four Fox houses. 


Brookside Secrets of Life (BV) 225 

Glen King of Virtue (Jewel) 110 

Kimo Letters From My Windmill (Tohan) 100 

Midland Julie (MGM); Zonzobuku (Rep) 100 

Missouri This Is Cinerama (Cinerama), 23rd wk. .310 

Paramount Giant (WB), 2nd wk 285 

Rockhill—"1984" (Col) 120 

Roxy You Can't Run Away From It (Col), 3rd 

wk 75 

Tower Oklahoma! (Todd-AO), 5th wk 150 

Tower, Uptown, Esquire, Fairway and Granada 

Everything but the Truth (U-l); Davy Crockett 

and the River Pirates (BV) 85 

Vogue You Know What Sailors Are (UA), 2nd wk. 

of return engagement 90 

Chicago Grosses Steady; 

•Bullfight' Leads at 310 

CHICAGO—The boxoffice picture remained 

steady. Holdovers held their own, and five 

newcomers did normal business. 

Carnegie High Society (MGM) 190 

Chicago Giant (WB), 4th wk 220 

Esquire Strange Intruder (AA) 

1 95 

Grand—The Rock (MGM); The Noked Hills (AA). .210 

Loop Secrets of Life (BV), 2nd wk 215 

Monroe ^Port Afrique (Col;) Cha-Cha-Cho Boom! 

(Col) 195 

Oriental Teenage Rebel (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 210 

Palace Cineromo Holiday (Cinerama), 78th wk. . .225 

Roosevelt Toward the Unknown (WB); The Bold 

and The Brave (RKO), 2nd wk 210 

State Lake War and Peace (Para), 7th wk 210 

Surf Private's Progress (DC A), 3rd wk 205 

United Artists ^Friendly Persuasion (AA), 4th wk. .215 

Woods The Opposite Sex (MGM), 5th wk 195 

World Playhouse Bullfight (Janus), 3rd wk 310 

Ziegfeld The Grand Maneuver (UMPO)... 200 

3 to Weekend Policies 

BELLEVILLE, ILL.—The Bloomer Amusement 

Co. said that effective December 1, the 

Starlite Drive-In at Alton, the Skyview at 

Belleville and the Centralia at Centralia 

will operate on weekends only through the 

winter. The Cahokia Drive-In at Alorton 

between Belleville and East St. Louis will 

operate fulltime, since it Is equipped with 

in-car heaters. 

Rio Is First Again! 

With The New 1956-57 Popcorn Crop 

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buy it now at its peak of perfection. 

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Deluxe Golden Hulless 1° "^ $490 

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EVERYTHING FOR THE THEATRE 

St. Louis TJieatre Supply Company 

Mrs. Arch Hotler 

3310 Olhr* Stnat, St. Louis 3, Me. 

Telephon* JEfferson 3-7974 

RCA TbMtra Supply DmIot 

ST. LOUIS 

C'ddie Koehr, office manager, National 

Screen, was in St. Anthony's Hospital for 

medical treatment for malaria fever . . . 

Albert Magarian, manager of the Deluxe Theatre 

in East St. Louis, was in Christian Welfare 

Hospital in East St. Louis, suffering from 

pneumonia. He was under an oxygen tent 

and his condition was critical . . . Mr. and 

Mrs. Jim Willard of Centralia, uncle and aunt 

of Myra Stroud, managing secretary of Missouri-Illinois 

Theatre Owners, were in St. 

Louis November 17, 18 as part of their golden 

wedding anniversary celebration, visiting 

Myra's mother while in town. A daughter, 

Mrs. Mildred Crane, Vero Beach, Pla., arranged 

the visit to St. Louis. 

Marvin Goldfarb, Denver, district manager 

for Buena Vista, was in Monday (19) on a 

delayed visit to the local branch . . . Meyer 

Kahan, owner and manager of the Harry 

Kahan Film Delivery and local representative 

for National Film Service, his wife and their 

two children were in Chicago for a national 

gathering of National Film Service. The 

gathering was expected to hear all about the 

National Film Service deal with 11 major 

distributors for a single joint film depot in 

New Haven, Conn., the first centralized operation 

of its kind in the country. 

. . . 

Exhibitors seen along Fllmrow included Bill 

Collins, DeSoto; Bernard Temborius, Lebanon; 

Loren Cluster, Salem; Larry Spalding, 

Flora; Catherine Beckemeyer, Trenton; Bill 

Zimmermann, Warrenton . . . Harry C. 

Arthur jr. has returned from the west coast 

The visit of Larry Spalding, Flora, to 

Filmrow was his first in about three years. 

He looked wonderful, having added about 40 

pounds, since he was hospitalized several 

months ago. 

Clarence Ritzier, MGM office manager, will 

return to work November 26 from his vacation 

...CD. Hill, manager, Columbia, 

joined that company as its St. Louis manager 

on July 11, 1931, Gus Kerasotes, Kerasotes 

Theatres, Springfield, 111., recalled at the recent 

Columbia luncheon here. C. D. made 

his first visit to the Kerasotes office for Columbia 

three days later and closed a deal 

for available product. The circuit has been 

playing practically all Columbia product since 

that time. 

Bud Edele, United Artists manager, 

amended his vacation plans to spend a few 

days at Nassau, Bahama Islands . . . F. J. 

"Mike" Lee, United Artists district manager, 

visited Minneapolis and Milwaukee . . . Donald 

R. Tolliver, owner of ToUiver's 460 Drive- 

In east of Carmi, 111., after closing the drivein 

for the season, is spending the winter as 

manager of the North Andrews Drive-In at 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 

Tlie American Theatre, only stage show 

house, will reopen December 3 with an engagement 

of the musical comedy, "The Boy 

Friend." The house will be dark for two 

weeks . Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo 

will appear at the Kiel Auditorium the nights 

of December 10-12. 

The dollar volume of department sales in 

St. Louis and the remainder of the Eighth 

Federal Reserve district dropped below the 

October 1955 level last month, the Federal 

Reserve Bank reported. In St. Louis the 

decline was 2 per cent and 1 per cent for 

the district. Sales dropped 7 per cent below 

. . 

the September 1956 level last month, when 

adjustments were made for seasonal factors. 

Sales here the week ended November 10 fell 

off 4 per cent . The Salzburg Festival motion 

picture of its production of Mozart's 

opera, "Don Giovanni" was scheduled to 

open in both the Pageant and Richmond 

theatres on Friday (23). 

Illinois Tax Collections 

Hit $45,259,820 in Oct. 

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.—October tax collections 

of Illinois totaled $45,259,820, an increase 

of $3,211,578 over that month in 1955, 

State Revenue, Director Richard J. Lyons has 

reported. For the first ten months of the 

year, tax collections amounted to $445,804,570, 

an increase of $62,243,506 over the same period 

last year. Illinois sales tax collections in 

October amounted to $22,920,676, an increase 

of $1,056,167 over that month last year. City 

sales tax collections in 832 municipalities 

totaled $3,907,917 for September. By November 

9 the number of cities inflicting such 

taxes grew to 875. 

Benefit Group Elects 

KANSAS CITY—At a recent election, the 

Commonwealth Theatres Employes' Benefit 

Ass'n elected the following Board of Directors: 

L. W. Morris, Phil Blakey, M. B. Smith, 

J. D. King, Wally Kemp, Doug Lightner, Dale 

Stewart. The new directors then met and 

elected the following officers: Doug Lightner, 

president; M. B. Smith, vice-president; F. L. 

Moore, secretary-treasurer. Lightner is a division 

manager headquartered at Columbia, 

Mo. Smith is a division manager and also 

director of publicity and advertising, headquartered 

in the home office as is P. L. Moore, 

who is also secretary-treasurer of Commonwealth 

Theatres. 

A.A. THEATRE CONCESSION 

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BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956 

49

I 

THEATKICAL 

24 

CHICAGO 

Ct&nford Kohlbergr, owner of the Starlite 

Drive-In, will again continue operations 

through the winter. He has added another 

new feature, pizza, for which pizza ovens 

have been installed and a corps of cooks 

hired to do the baking. Kohlberg is also introducing 

4 p.m. matinees on Thursdays, 

Saturdays and Sundays. His prime interest 

in inaugurating the additional shows is to 

give students a chance to see a full show and 

yet be home by 8:30 . . . John Thompson, 

publicist for Columbia here, returned from 

Champaign, 111., where he opened "Silent 

World." 

Tom Dowd, a member of the managerial 

staff at the Ziegfeld Theatre and midwest 

general manager for UMPO, was called to 

New York because of his father's illness . . . 

The Villa Theatre, operated by Henry Eirenberg 

as a Spanish theatre, has been completely 

revamped inside and out. A new 

24-HOUR f 

service: 

iBWIIHIIinBlilllHIIIIi llinilllBIIIHBIIIIIBIIIIII IIIIBIIIIIl 

i CHAIR REPAIRS 

I 

I 

& UPHOLSTERING 

"BEFORE OR AFTER THE SHOW" 

Telephone Collect 

HA-7-0900 

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1 1 39 $. Wobosh 

Chicago 5 

IFENSINI 

SEATING COMPANY 

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front, floors, seats, washrooms and other 

front-to-back remodeling give it the appearance 

of a new theatre. 

Harry Phillips of Ace Seating & Upholstering 

Co. reported that the Times Theatre, 

closed sometime ago, is being converted 

into a dance hall by the HoUiday 

Dance Club. Seats which Phillips removed 

from the Times have been installed at the 

Roseland. Phillips also just completed reupholstering 

seats in the Belmont Theatre 

. . . "Teahouse of the August Moon" had a 

big opening at the Woods Monday (19). Jack 

Eigen, disc jockey on WNBQ and WGN-TV, 

handled lobby interviews. 

The Variety Club of Illinois will hold a 

Christmas party for children of members in 

the clubrooms in the Congress Hotel December 

22. Chief Barker Jack Kirsch has 

appointed William Margolis and Dick Sachsel 

chairmen in charge of arrangements . . . 

It appears that the State Lake Theatre is in 

for a series of "war-type" films. After "War 

and Peace," the State Lake opened with 

"Attack!" Following "Attack!" "The Girl He 

Left Behind" comes to this theatre . . . Ray 

Thompson, manager of the Chicago Theatre, 

left for a vacation in Florida . . . Daniel T. 

O'Shea, president of BKO; David O. Selznick 

and Dore Schary, production head at 

MGM, were visitors here at the same time. 

If LaSalle street brokers don't often have 

the opportunity to visit paralleling State 

street to attend the Chicago Theatre they 

are certainly aware of the theatre's existence 

and one of its forthcoming attractions. November 

19 a 65-foot "Baby Doll" sign took 

over the entire west wall of the Hotel Sherman 

on LaSalle street. It all came about 

after Pat Hoy, president of the Sherman- 

Ambassador hotels, spotted the huge "Baby 

Doll" sign on Broadway. He decided to bring 

it here and in order to have it prominently 

erected, he donated the Sherman Hotel wall 

on LaSalle street. The film, "Baby Doll," will 

open at the Chicago December 26. 

Harry Phillips, head of Ace Seat & Upholstery 

Co., is counting his many blessings 

despite the fact that a robber forced him 

to give up $180 in cash. After Phillips showed 

what he thought was a whimsical and hardto-please 

customer the complete display of 

seats, he felt a gun pressed to his stomach 

and orders were heard to turn over all the 

cash he had on hand. As the robber ran out 

with his loot, he shot his gun several times, 

aiming at Phillips. Had it not been for the 

fact that Phillips ducked at the right time, 

one of the bullets might easily have struck 

him. It all happened on PUmrow in broad 

daylight. 

BOWLING 

KANSAS CITY—PUmrow League teams 

had the following standings at the end of 

the games played Friday (16): 

MEN'S 

WOMEN'S 

Team Won Lost Team Won Lost 

Alley Rats... 33 11 Manley Ppprs.ZZVa Id/, 

Shreve's ....24V2 I'Vi Finton Jones. 21 12 

Monley Ppcrn.24 20 Monley lnc...20Vi 121/] 

Steeple Chose . 20 Borg&Klm.W 14 

KCT's 22 22 Hrtmn's Hrm.14 19 

Dixie Piets.. IBI/a 251/, New50D-l..13 20 

HILo 5 17 27 Dixie Ent 12 21 

Mode 0'Day..13 31 101 Service. . .10 23 

The Finton Jones team went to St. Joseph 

Saturday morning (17) and bowled In the 

Missouri State Women's Tournament. 

Chicago Tent Elects 

Louis Reinheimer 

CHICAGO—The following officers and 

crew for 1957 were elected by members of 

the Variety Club of Illinois, Tent 26, at the 

annual meeting November 17. Officers: Louis 

Reinheimer, Rose-Bowl, chief barker; Nat 

Nathanson, Allied Artists, first assistant 

chief barker; William Margolis, Harlem 

Globetrotters, second assistant; Harry Balaban, 

H&E Balaban, dough guy; Sam Levinsohn, 

Chicago Used Chair Mart, property 

master; Jack Kirsch, Allied Theatres of Illinois, 

international canvasman. 

Canvasmen are Robert Conn, 20th-Fox; 

Charles Cooper, Theatre Concessions Co.; E. 

L. Goldberg, Paramount; Jack Rose, Indiana- 

Illinois Theatres; Ralph Smitha, Essaness 

Theatres; Dave Wallerstein, Balaban & 

Katz. Five past chief barkers who will automatically 

serve with the crew are Joseph 

Berenson, National Theatre Advertising Co.; 

John J. Jones, Jones & Schaefer; Jack 

Kirsch, Allied Theatres of Illinois; Irving 

Mack, Pilmack; Manuel Smerling, Confection 

Cabinet Corp. 

Elected as delegates to the 1957 Variety 

International convention in New Orleans in 

April were Jack Kirsch and Louis Reinheimer. 

Alternates are Sam Levinsohn, Irving 

Mack, Dick Sachsel and Mayer Stern. 

Date of the installation of the new officers 

and crew will be fixed by the current crew 

at its final meeting in December. 

St. Louis Loge to Elect 

Officers December 1 

ST. LOUIS—The last regular meeting in 

1956 of the St. Louis Colosseum Loge 19 is 

scheduled to be held at the Melbourne Hotel 

at 1:45 p.m. December 1. 

The principal matters on the agenda include 

the reports of the loge's delegates to 

the 1956 annual meeting of the Colosseum 

held at the Kingsway Hotel here November 9, 

10 at which the organization voted to affiliate 

with the lATSE and also to reject a proposed 

insurance program because it would 

require the raising of dues in a substantial 

amount. The national organization also voted 

to seek a new wage and working agreement 

with the distributors to replace the existing 

contract which expires early in 1957. 

The St. Louis loge will elect its 1957 officers 

at the meeting, and will discuss and vote on 

loge local dues to be collected for 1957. 

Album From 'Scoundrel Death' 

RCA Victor will cut an album from the 

Max Steiner score for "Death of a Scoundrel," 

RKO film. 

SAVE MONEY 

ON PREVUES 

Use Filmack's 

New. Deluxe 

Us* as Prevues, Advance or Cross Plugs! 

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many circuits! FILMACK okid'c*.* III. 

50 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956

— 

Memphis Censors Ban 

'Baby Doll' Showing 

MEMPHIS—The Memphis board of censors 

banned the first Hollywood film of 1956 

when showing of Warner Bros.' "Baby Doll" 

was prohibited. "Baby Doll," made at Benoit, 

Miss., early last year, was banned as "immoral," 

said Mrs. B. F. Edwards, member 

of the censor board. 

This was the first Warner film banned 

in Memphis since "Rope," which was banned 

about six years ago. A reissue of "Saratoga 

Trunk," was prohibited from being 

shown by the late Lloyd T. Binford, former 

chairman of the board, because of the personal 

life of Ingrid Bergman, star of the 

film. Mrs. Edwards was the only board 

member to see "Baby Doll." Mrs. St. Elmo 

Newton sr. and Mrs. Walter Gray, other 

board members, did not attend the screening. 

These three women now constitute the 

board of censors. Binford resigned January 1 

and Avery Blakeney, the fifth member, 

resigned later. They were not replaced. A 

citizens committee recommended that the 

board be abolished. However, the mayor 

and commission let the three women continue 

as a board. 

Actually this board of three had banned 

one picture previously this year, but it 

was not an American film. It was a foreignmade 

picture, "Sins of the Borgias," which 

had not been booked in Memphis and probably 

wouldn't have shown here anyway. 

Mrs. Edwards, asked why she banned "Baby 

Doll," at first said "no comment." Then, 

pressed for an answer, said it was "immoral." 

Joe Young, manager for Warner Bros., 

said Mis. Edwards told him she would send 

a letter setting our her reasons for the ban. 

"I talked it over with the district office in 

Dallas," said Young. "They will handle the 

matter. I don't know what we will do." 

"Baby Doll" was produced and directed 

by Elia Kazan, who won the Academy Award 

in 1954 with "On the Waterfront." It was 

based on a short story by Tennessee Williams, 

noted playwright from Columbus, Miss. 

Edwin Howard, amusements editor of the 

Press-Scimitar, who saw the screening of 

"Baby Doll," said: "It's a sort of comedy. 

It's all right for adults." 

Memphis BO Levels Off 

As Holdovers Wobble 

MEMPHIS—"War and Peace" nosedived 

from 130 in its third week to 95 in Its fourth, 

the only below-average business reported. On 

the other hand, three newcomers just made 

the grade, all scoring an even 100 per cent. 


Maico You Can't Run Awoy From It (Col), 

2nd wk 

] 00 

Palace The Shorkfighters (UA) 100 

Stote ^Flight to Hong Kong (UA); Huk (UA).!!!lOO 

Strand The Mountain (Para) 100 

Warner War and Peace (Para), 4th vik.'. '.'.'.'..'. 95 

Fred Young Supply Firm 

And Roy Smith Co. Unite 

ATLANTA—Fred W. Young, weU-known 

concession wholesaler who has been in the 

theatre supply business for many years as 

head of the Atlanta Popper Supply Co., announces 

a merger of Atlanta Supply and the 

Roy Smith Supply Co. of Jacksonville, Fla. 

The merger will give both companies the advantage 

of greater buying power. Young said. 

Heres All-Fresh 

Approach: Circuit 

Names Green Hand Theatre Manager 

MIAMI—An inovation in 

theatre management 

is being tried out by Wometco executives 

at the Sunset 

Art Theatre. The 

"experiment" is 33- 

year-old Jack Winters, 

who, though he has 

had advertising, radio- 

TV, motion picture 

production, publicity 

and public relations 

experience, got his 

first look at a theatre 

manager's office when 

they handed him the 

key and said in effect, 

Jack Winters "Take it away; it's 

all 

yours." 

Exhibitors all over the country have felt 

that a "new, fresh approach" is needed for 

the successful operation of motion picture 

houses; at least in the smaller ones. How to 

inject this freshness into managements already 

trained along certain lines and more 

or less set in methods and thinldng, has 

been a question. 

Wometco selected a young man of specific 

abilities and training, gave him a few basic 

rules on the mere mechanics of how to open 

and close the house and when and where to 

file reports, etc., and, as Winters expresses 

it, "They are waiting to see if maybe I can 

do things nobody's told me can't be done." 

HAS POSITIVE ATTITUDE 

Said Harvey Fleishman, district manager 

of the circuit: "In Jack, we found a personable 

young man with an interesting business 

background. Most important he has had no 

experience in managing a motion picture 

theatre, which means he hasn't a preconceived 

idea of what can't be done. His attitude 

can't help being positive, and from 

him we hope to find a much-needed commodity—new 

ideas. Winters has been given 

a comparatively free hand in developing the 

Sunset Art Theatre as a business promotion 

and at the same time, fulfilling its obligation 

to the community as a public institution." 

The circuit went so far as to keep Winters 

from any contact with any "old hands around 

the place" who might give him advice or 

offer their own experiences to go by. As Winters 

expressed it, "When they turned the 

theatre over to me it sure felt lonesome 

around here." He says he's very grateful for 

the encouragement given him from circuit 

heads, including that from Walter Klements, 

who has successfully managed the Mayfair 

Art Theatre and built up a special patronage 

over past years. 

For several days, Winters said, he just 

walked around trying to get his sea legs. 

Whether they'll work or not he doesn't know, 

but he has a basket full of ideas to start out 

with, and a program of surprisingly long 

range. 

Impressed with Wometco's meticulous 

housekeeping ways, and convinced that appearances 

count more than most people think, 

he hopes to keep his staff just as enthusiastic 

as he is about attractive personal appearance 

achieved through neatness and 

grooming. The theatre must follow suit, he 

says, in its appearance, too. In fact the personality 

of the Sunset must be impressed on 

its neighborhood. 

Because of the Sunset's proximity to the 

university and its pioneer status in the community, 

he thinlis his first efforts ought to 

go toward making it Icnown what sort of a 

theatre the Sunset is, now that it is under 

the Wometco banner and is no longer a 

bang-bang shoot-'em-up house. Therefore 

the new manager is out and about shaking 

hands like a politician. Police, firemen, civic 

clubs, community officials, parents, students 

—Winters is out telling them that the Sunset 

Art is their theatre, will be run in a firstclass 

manner, with comfort and good entertainment 

the aim. 

THEATRE WAS IMPROVED 

When the Sunset was acquired in 1955 by 

Wometco, new sound and projection equipment 

was installed, accommodating Cinema- 

Scope, VistaVision, stereophonic sound et 

al. The air conditioning equipment was overhauled 

and improved; the auditorium was 

refinished with special acoustic materials to 

improve sound; the foyer and lobby were redecorated 

completely; additional ground for 

free parking was purchased, and a special 

entrance made to the lot from the Dixie 

Highway. This highway has lately been 

made a super-thoroughfare. 

The final touch was the construction of 

a tastefully decorated and comfortable lounge 

where patrons can visit with friends or wait 

for the show to begin. Guests are offered 

coffee, tea and even cigarets as a courtesy. 

Every two weeks the walls are hung with a 

different exhibit of paintings by some Miami 

artist. In keeping with the new policy, it 

some months ago added "Art" to its name. 

HANDLES OWN ADS 

"Turning over the reins of a business to a 

green hand," says Winters, "may seem worthy 

of a raised eyebrow." However, Winters is 

not inexperienced in the basically important 

qualifications. Therefore, he is being given 

the opportunity to handle his own advertising 

and publicity program, within whatever 

limits the circuit deems appropriate. They 

were partly influenced in this by Winters' 

handling of an earlier promotion campaign 

between the newspaper for which he worked 

at the time, and the renovated and reopened 

New Regent Theatre of the PST circuit. This 

campaign was a featured story in BOXOP- 

PICE at that time. 

Above all. Winters is anxious to justify 

Wometco's confidence in their "experiment" 

as well as their progressive leadership in the 

entertainment field. 

Stan-Max Receives Charter 

CHARLOTTE, N. C—A charter of incorporation 

has been granted to Stan-Max, Inc., 

to produce, rent, sell and display motion pictures, 

vaudeville performances and all types 

of entertainment—authorized capital stock 

$100,000; subscribed stock $3 by Elmer Rouzer, 

Emily Ducey and Carlton Fleming, all of 

Charlotte. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 24, 1956 SE 51

NEW RELEASES 

ATLANTA 

BELA LUfiOSI 

BRIDE 

OF 

THI 

MONSTER 

/O 

H O WC„0 

m 

ATLANTA - CHARLOTTE 

JACKSONVILLE 

- MEMPHIS 

. . 

ôl. T. E. Orr, former head of Amusement 

Enterprises, returned to his home in Attalla, 

Ala., following a stay at the Ponce de 

Leon Hospital . Mrs. Mary Bridges, Martin- 

Thompson circuit booker, is recuperating after 

surgery at the Georgia Baptist Hospital. She 

is not expected back at her desk until approximately 

the week before Christmas . . . 

Mitchell Little, formerly of Charlotte, is the 

new salesman at Kay Film. 

WOMPI President Jackie Cowart and her 

husband returned from a Florida fishing trip 

with friends . . . Martin circuit booker Lois 

Cone and her husband returned from a week's 

vacation at Stilson, Ga. . . . Constance Bennett, 

who has appeared in more than 80 films 

since 1924, was here two days recently, for a 

presentation of "The Best of Steinbeck" at 

the Tower Theatre. The production is scheduled 

to open on Broadway in January . . . 

Mrs. Frances Raegan, who formerly operated 

the Roxy at Selma, Ala., with her late husband, 

visited for several days with Mrs. 

Juanita Elwell, Bailey circuit booker . . . The 

Piedmont (Ala.) Drive-In will operate on 

weekends only starting December 1, according 

to L. H. Howell, owner. 

Universal Manager Bill Kelly jr. and 

booker Ernest Cremer have returned from 

Nashville where they conferred at the Orescent 

and other offices . . . Louise Bramlett of 

Wil-Kin Theatre Supply will attend the 

North and South Carolina Theatre Owners 

convention in Charlotte (25-27) . . . The 

daughter of Mrs. Opal Tate, also of Wil-Kin, 

was married Saturday (24) to Stephen Greene 

. . . UA booker Lynda Burnett and Gail 

Hobson, daughter of Prichard Hobson of 

Capitol Releasing Corp. spent the weekend at 

Colquitt, Ga. . . . Mrs. Bemice Fricks, Howco 

booker, spent the weekend with her parents 

in Albany, Ga. . . . Mrs. Leila Hall, secretary 

at Columbia, returned from Savannah 

where she visited her daughter and family 

. . . Helen Holland, Martin circuit, visited her 

home in Murphy, N. C. 

Blng Crosby planed in from New York following 

his appearance on the Ed Sullivan 

show, and met Phil Harris, the band leader. 

Crosby and Harris were on their way to 

Augusta for a round of golf at the Augusta 

National Golf Club. They were to remain In 

this area a week. Another film and TV favorite, 

Douglas Fairbanks jr., was here during 

the week to be installed as a director of 

Scripto, Inc., maker of pens and pencils. 

Betty Dryden, assistant cashier at UA, and 

her husband returned from a vacation in 

Magdalena and Albuquerque, N. M. . . . UA 

telephone operator Dottie Southerland, vacationed 

in Chattanooga . . . R. C. Cobb, circuit 

operator of Fayette, Ala., was on the 

Row buying and booking for his new Sky-Hi 

Drive-In at Moulton, Ala., which opened 

Tliursday (22) . . . Mr. and Mrs. Bernie 

Shapiro, Southern Poster Printing, left on a 

three-week business and vacation trip. Their 

first stop was Chicago to attend the Showmen's 

League International convention. From 

there they will travel to Las Vegas and Hollywood. 

Cleo Shingler of the Buena Vista staff will 

enter the Georgia Baptist Hospital December 

R. L. McWiUiams, 

4 for surgery . . . Howco salesman, and his wife became the 

parents of a baby son recently . . . Starting 

December 1, Joe Hart takes over the buying 

and booking for the Bel-Air, Colonial, Donelson 

and Warner Park drive-ins at Nashville. 

Chick Kurtz will book all the short subjects. 

They will operate from their office in the 

Maxwell House Hotel, Nashville. A. C. Cowles, 

who has been handling the accounts, is retiring 

from the film business after 35 years, 

to devote full time to his real estate interests. 

Johnnie Harrell, Martin circuit executive, 

and his wife spent Thanksgiving weekend at 

Lincolnton, home of Mrs. Harrell's mother. 

Filmrow was well represented at the annual 

Georgia Tech-Georgia U. freshman 

football game on Thanksgiving at Grant 

Field. This was the 24th annual benefit 

football game for the Scottish Rite Hospital 

for Crippled Children . . . Bob Moscow, operator 

of the Rialto Theatre, has a new 

hobby. He has bought a boat (2 baths, no 

less) and is going to school studying navigation. 

Patsy Printz, his secretary, says she is 

going to buy a Commodore cap for him for 

Christmas . . . Vacationing from Republic 

was Sybil Hudson. The new clerk there is 

Helen Thomas. 

Jean Mann, U-I office manager's secretaj"y, 

attended the convention of Christian 

Churches of Georgia recently . . . James 

Reynolds of Madison and Union Point recovered 

from an illness, and was in conferring 

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with his agent, Al Rook ... An overflow of 

exhibitors were on hand for the tradescreening 

of "Love Me Tender," starring Elvis 

Presley . . . Scott Lett, district manager for 

Howco Exchanges, headquartering in Charlotte, 

was a visitor. 

Exhibitors on the Row booking were: 

Howard Brooks, Parkway Drive-In, Maryville, 

Tenn.; R. M. Kennedy, Kennedy Theatres, 

Birmingham, president of Alabama Theatre 

owners Ass'n.; Jay Solomon, Independent 

Theatres, Chattanooga; J. C. Balkom, 

Gray, Gray, Ga.; Ernest Ingram, Ashland 

and Lineville, Ala.; Mrs. Juanita Pemberton 

and Mrs. Juanita (Junior) Foree, Lakemont 

Drive-In, Alcoa, Tenn.; Hoke Smith, Warm 

Springs Foundation, Warm Springs, Ga.; W. 

W. Fincher, Fincher Theatres, Chatsworth; 

W. W. Hammonds, Marshall Drive-In, Albertville; 

H. P. Vinson jr.. Sundown Drive-In, 

Columbia, Tenn.; Dave Hamilton, Hamilton 

Drive-In, Fort Payne, Ala.; Paul Engler, 

Engler Theatres, Birmingham, and T. W. 

Brett jr., Arcade, Sandersville. 

Stein Theatres Assigns 

R. N. Thomas to Ashburn 

ASHBURN, GA.—R. N. Thomas, formerly 

of Blackshear and Nashville, has been named 

manager for Stein Theatres here. He has replaced 

T. A. McDougal, who was transferred 

to Jacksonville, Fla. Thomas is to manage 

both the Turner and the Joy Drive-In. He 

has been associated with Stein Theatres for 

the past three years. Mrs. Thomas and 

daughter Patsy are living in Tifton, and 

Thomas said the family hopes to become established 

in Ashburn eventually. 

Earl Calhoun Is New Mgr. 

BENTON, KY.—Earl Calhoun of Hickman 

has been named manager of the Benton Theatre 

and has already started on the job. He 

has been in the theatre business for seven 

years. Calhoun is married and has moved 

his family to Benton. He said he hopes to 

improve the entertainment level of pictures 

to be shown at the theatre. 

SERVICE 

and 

COURTESY 

For oyer 20 years 

OUR WATCH WORD 

•CENTURY :SS'sb'u''ND' STRONG lS5'ps 

CONCESSION EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES 

STANDARD THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

215 E. Washinjton St. 

GREENSBORO, N. C. 

219 So. Church St. 

CHARLOTTE, N. C. 

30 YEARS OF DEPENDABLE SHOWS 

H. G. ARENSON 

3450 SELWYN AVE., CHARLOTTE, N. C. 

A/woys A Pleasing Boxoffice Attraction 

:IIIKINI tlRVICE^ 

135 Brevord Court, Charlotte, N. C. 

FRANK LOWRY — JOHN WOOD 

PHONE FR. 5-7787 

CHARLOTTE 

•Phe WOMPI monthly meeting was held at 

the Variety Club with President Viola 

Wister presiding. Program chairman Nancy 

Wilson introduced 14-year-old Jo Ann Helms 

of the 4-H Club, who told of her experiences 

at camp this summer at Manteo, N. C. Jo 

Ann's trip was sponsored by WOMPI. Hazel 

Miller, service chairman, reported on plans 

to give a Thanksgiving dinner to a needy 

family and help old people in nursing homes. 

Vera Ledbetter, Meiselman Theatres, won the 

door prize donated by Tlielma Culp of Warner 

Bros. The centerpiece was furnished by U-I. 

Evelyn Robinson, U-I, won the prize for 

guessing the WOMPI of the month, who was 

Mac Wess, Allied Artists. Newest member 

Emma Sheppard, Allied Artists, was introduced. 

Late vacationers at MGM included Walter 

Thomas, booker; Blance Carr, cashier; Betty 

Beatty, bookers clerk, and Ruth Hunter, boxoffice 

statement clerk . . . MGM shipper Bill 

Lemmond jr. and his wife are parents of a 

baby daughter, Denise Lynn . . . Jeff Richards, 

touring the country on behalf of "The 

Opposite Sex," was a visitor at the airport in 

Charlotte Sunday while en route to Richmond, 

Va. 

Robert Hames, Paramount, attended the 

salesmen's Colosseum convention in St. Louis 

. . Exhibitors visiting on Filmrow included 

Harry Cooke, Center, Mount Olive; George 

Duffy, Orpheum, Oxford; Mr. and Mrs. Carl 

Queen, Shelby Drive-In, Shelby; Jack Foust, 

Lantern Drive-In, Silvery Valley; Pete Webb, 

Webb, Shelby; A. C. McSwain, Red Springs, 

Red Springs, and S. F. Lee, Duplin, Warsaw, 

all of North Carolina, and Everett Olsen, 

Sumter Drive-In, Sumter, S. C. 

Blaze Postpones Opening 

Of McElroy Art House 

SHREVEPORT'—A blaze of undetermined 

origin completely gutted the auditorium of 

the newly remodeled Centenary Theatre, 

postponing indefinitely the theatre's scheduled 

reopening. Tom Dunn, general manager of 

the McElroy Theatres, said the Centenary 

was to have opened this month as a fine arts 

theatre. 

The late Saturday night blaze destroyed 

the theatre's screen, curtains, stage equipment 

and 700 seats. The auditorium's freshly 

painted walls and ceiling were charred and 

the projection equipment and concession 

stand suffered smoke damage. Fire department 

officials said the blaze apparently 

started on the stage near the picture screen. 

Fresh paint on the walls, they said, probably 

caused the flames, once started, to "flash" 

through the auditorium. 

The theatre's announced curtain raising 

feature, "Richard HI" was moved to another 

McElroy theatre, the Glenwood, on Line avenue. 

A host of patrons, including some 

youths who had walked several miles to see 

the film at the Centenary, were being directed 

to the Glenwood throughout the afternoon of 

the scheduled opening day. Pending determination 

of the fire loss, Dunn said no immediate 

plans had been made for reopening 

the theatre. 

Goetz Pictures, Inc., will film "Sayonara" 

in Japan for Warner Bros, with Joshua Logan 

directing. 

G.L. Brandon Renamed 

Tent 20 Chief Barker 

MEMPHIS—Variety Tent 20 has re-elected 

its three top officials and selected eight 

others as officers and board of directors 

for 1957. G. L. Brandon, vice-president 

and general manager of Film Transit, was 

re-elected as chief barker for another year. 

Alton Sims was re-elected first assistant 

chief barker, and Pordyce Kaiser second 

assistant. 

Others on the new board and their offices: 

Joe Keifer, dough guy; Jack Lustig, property 

master; Carl Shorter, Conrad Bach, G. W. 

Simpson, E. P. Doherty, Sy Morrell and 

W. P. Slayton, directors. 

New officers take over January 1. 

Heres Your Chance 

to 

get in the 

BIG 

MONEY 

Be Sure 

to Play 

As a screen 

game, Hollywood takes 

top honors. As a boxoffice attraction, 

it is without equal. It has 

been a favorite with theatregoers for 

15 years. 

Write today for complete details! 

Be sure to give seating or car 

capacity. 

HOLLYWOOD 

AMUSEMENT 

COMPANY 

3750 Oakton St. 

Skokie, Illinois 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 24, 1956 S3

JACKSONVILLE 

Jôcal drive-in owners are competing heavily 

for late Saturday night crowds. Capt. and 

Mrs. Hans G. Vige had a four-feature program 

of Jesse James pictures at the Pinecrest; 

T. E. Bell threw in three features at the 

Wesconnett; Carl Carter had four features 

at both the Airbase and Ribault, plus the 

singing Hilton Sisters, Siamese twins, on 

stage at the latter drive-in; Tubby Watson's 

Oceanway had three features in an "all-color 

show," and Joe Musleh's Lake Forest came 

out with a midnight double bill . . . Loew's 

Normandy, managed by Jim Carey, is a 

straight second run drive-in and accents early 

night showings with a strong appeal for 

children to visit its playground. Downtown, 

Pity the 

Poor 

Woiking^ 

SitHng, sitting, sitting 

and working all day long. 

Then, the "date" suggests a 

movie . . . you can bet the 

Woiking Goil thinks of comfort 

first. Your patrons like to relax and 

feel "at home" these days. That's 

why we're so busy replacing worn, 

torn, broken theatre seats for so many 

exhibitors. All work done while the 

show goes on . . . prices surprisingly 

low. Call for a free estimate, today. 

WRITE, WIRE or PHONE 

ALpine 5-8459 

MANUFACTURERS 

^^roam Iliilil»'r 

j^Bt Sprint: 

l^v 

^^W Cushions, l);ick 

and seat covers. 

*^ DISTRIBUTORS 

Upliolstery 

fabrics and 

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supplies. 

theatre seat 

seruice ra. 

160 Hermitage Ave 

Nashville, 

Tennessee 

'ai& 

Bill Korenbrot featured a Saturday night 

double-horror show at the first run Imperial. 

After a week's swing through his south 

Florida territory, Buford Styles, U-I manager, 

said that T. E. Brittain's new Brittain Plaza 

Theatre at lampa eclipses any other large 

theatre of the state in modernity and 

functional design. It is centered in a new 

suburban shopping area with parking spaces 

for more than 2,000 cars . . . Bob Stevens, 

Buena Vista salesman, has closed the Buena 

Vista office in the Florida Theatre building 

and plans to go into the television film sales 

field with a major network . . . New manager 

of the Jacksonville Theatre Go's Beach 

Theatre is A. J. Abbaddess of Jacksonville 

Beach, who replaced Jesse Marlowe, now a 

resident of Georgia. 

An extensive promotional campaign reached 

a climax with the Thanksgiving opening of 

"Love Me Tender" at the Florida Theatre. 

Jim Levine gained the cooperation of Elvis 

Pi-esley fan clubs and a leading radio station 

for an Elvis Presley Day exploitation stunt 

in a large downtown restaurant . . . Herb 

Roller, Edgewood Theatre manager, was engaged 

in promoting the giveaway of a midget 

sports car with the support of a group of 

Edgewood merchants . . . "War and Peace" 

rolled into the ponderous second week of its 

first run here . . . Alert Hoyt Yarbrough, 

manager of the Matanzas Theatre, St. Augustine, 

came into town with news that the St. 

Cecelia Music Society is sponsoring and selling 

tickets for a series of four operatic films 

at the Matanzas. 

The Tampa Theatre, managed by Norris 

McCoUum, hit the front pages with a feature 

story about a group of children stealing a 

life-size cutout of Elvis Presley from the 

theatre's lobby . . . Norm Levinson, MGM 

publicist, has another interesting issue of his 

"Leo's Sunshine Info" off the press. Any 

exhibitor who follows through with only a 

portion of Norm's suggested exploitation 

should gain public acceptance for "The 

Opposite Sex," "Lust for Life," "Julie" and 

"The Teahouse of the August Moon," all of 

which are covered in the November 14 issue 

of 

Norm's publication. 

Frencli Harvey, FST advertising chief. Is 

back at work after undergoing a successful 

operation in a New Orleans hospital . . . The 

WOMPI held a November dinner meeting at 

Moore's restaurant, with Sarah Keller presiding 

. . . Visiting exhibitors were James 

Partlow, Orlando; Jim Ochs, Dania; Jerry 

Fender, Brunswick, Ga.; Cliff Bailey, manager 

of the DeSoto Theatre, Arcadia, who 

spent some time in a local hospital; Jack 

Fitzwater, Tampa, and Harlow Land, Mayo 

. . . Bill Beck was experimenting with a 48- 

cent bargain matinee at the first run Five 

Points Theatre during the showing of "Secrets 

of Life" . . . Many local theatres were successfully 

selling slick-paper reproductions of 

Elvis Presley photographs at boxoffices and 

candy stands. 

Heads Planning Commission 

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARK.—M. S. 

McCord, president of United Theatres, Is the 

new chairman of the metropolitan area planning 

commission. 

Carolina TOA lo Pick 

Miss Filmrow of 1957 

CHARLOTTE — Social highlight of the 

44th annual convention of the Theatre 

Owners of North and South Carolina here 

next week (25-27) will be the crowning of 

Miss Filmrow of 1957. Following the pattern 

set last year, each exchange has one girl 

in the Miss Filmrow contest. 

Exhibitors attending the convention will 

vote by secret ballot for their favorite. The 

new Miss Filmrow will be crowned Monday 

night (26) in the hotel balhoom and will 

be given many gifts during the activities of 

the president's banquet Tuesday night. 

Vieing for the Miss Filmrow title this year 

are Patricia Elliott, National Screen Service; 

Mildred Warren, 20th-Fox; Virginia Porter', 

Columbia; Viola Wister, Howco; Jonnle 

Johnston, Allied Artists; Mattie Lou Harris, 

Astor; Karen Stevens, MGM; Mary Psomadakis. 

United Artists; Billie Harris, Republic; 

Mary Ellen Furr, Universal; Myrtle Parker, 

Paramount, and Dorothy O'Keefe, RKO. 

The contestants were entertained at a 

luncheon in the Variety Club recently by 

Mrs. Verdah Looper, Miss Filmrow of 1956, 

and Mrs. Lucille Price, executive secretary 

of TOA of North and South Carolina. 

NOW with TWO conyenient locaihm for 

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JACKSONVILLE 

54 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956

. . From 

MEMPHIS 

fôtton picking money and good weather 

brought a slight Increase in theatre 

H. G. 

business in the trade territory . . . 

Walden, Bay, Red Bay, was in town from 

Alabama . . Lyle Richmond, Richmond, 

. 

Senath. and E. G. Vandiver, Palace, Kennett, 

were here from Missouri. 

W. F. Ruffin jr., Ruffin Amusements Co., 

Covington; M. E. Rice, jr.. Rice, Brownsville; 

G. H. Goff, Rustic, Parsons, and Louise 

Mask, Luez, Bolivar, were here from West 

Tennessee . Arkansas came Don 

Landers, Harrisburg; Moses Sliman, Lux, 

Luxora; John Staples, Carolyn, Piggott; K. 

H. Kinney, Hays, Hughes; William Elias, 

Murr and Elias Drivein, Osceola; Mrs. Faye 

Lamb, Reyno, and Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Hltt, 

Palace at Bentonville and Apollo at Springdale. 

From Mississippi came Mrs. Ethel Lobdell, 

Talisman, Rosedale; Bern Jackson, Ellis, 

Cleveland; Mrs. E. S. Gullett, Benoit, Benoit; 

Joe Davis, Globe, Drew; Mrs. Grady Green, 

Union, Grenada; Mrs. Marvin McCuiston, 

Princess, Booneville; Mrs. J. C. Noble, Temple, 

Leland; Theron Lyles, Ritz, Oxford; A. N. 

Rossis, Roxy, Clarksdale; and Joe Wofford, 

Eupora, Eupora. 

Malco Theatres closed the Audubon Drivein, 

Henderson, Ky., for the season . . . 

Lexington Amusements Co. closed Laco 

Drive-In, Lexington . . . United Theatres 

closed the Rocket Drive-In, Magnolia, Ark., 

for the season . . . Tom Kirk, booker, 

said that the Carlisle Drive-In at Bardwell, 

Ky., had been closed until spring. 

Close West Paducah Airer 

WEST PADUCAH, KY. — The Bel-Air 

Drive-In near the Paducah municipal airport 

has been closed for the season. M. E. 

Renfrew is the owner. 

Florida's 

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320 So. Second St. Memphis, Tenn. 

BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956 

Miami Theatres Praised 

For Halloween Shows 

MIAMI—Amusement editor George Bourke 

gave three cheers publicly for the local motion 

picture theatres that planned special 

shows to keep the children "off the streets 

and out of your hair" during the Halloween 

season. Nearly all Miami theatres shared in 

the program. 

In addition to their regular Saturday (27) 

children's matinee, Wometco's Essex, Tower, 

Parkway and Surf featured a Halloween costume 

parade on the stage. Cash prizes were 

awarded for the best costumes. Florida State' 

Theatres scheduled pre-Halloween shows the 

same date. An ad enlived with witches and 

bats heralded a double scare bill at the 

Regent. More of the same was booked for 

midnight at the Coral. 

An early Sunday evening (28) Halloween 

party was given for children at the 27th 

Avenue, North Dade, Boulevard and Coral 

Way drive-ins. Festivities began with a costume 

parade, judges awarding cash to the 

best costumes. Apple bobbing followed, also 

balloon blowing and baby bottle drinking. 

The Golden Glades Twin Drive-In planned 

its Halloween party for the witching night 

itself. Fun began at an early hour with plenty 

of tricks and treats and a basket of prizes. 

NEW ORLEANS 

•Phe Statellne Theatre, Stateline, Miss., will 

reopen early in December. The Manager 

is H. C. Auvil. The theatre will have two 

changes weekly, Sunday-Monday and Saturday 

. . . The Hut Theatre, Marrero, has been 

O. J. Meyers of the Printz Theatre, 

closed . . . 

Basile, La., has appointed J. G. Broggi to do 

the booking and buying for this theatre. 

The Ritz Theatre, Hattiesburg, Miss., was 

sold by D. Edwards to A. L. Royal of Royal 

Theatres, Meridian, Miss. . . . Around P*ilmrow 

were A. L. Royal, Royal Theatres, 

Meridian, Miss.; Mrs. A. E. Foster, Foster 

Theatres, Port Sulphur and Violet, La.; W. 

Shiell, Marrero Drive-In, Marrero; Ed Jenner, 

drive-in theatre. Laurel, Miss.; E. W. Ansardl, 

Buras, Buras; Levon Ezell, Ritz and Pix, 

Pascagoula, Miss,; Bernie Rosenthal, Joy, 

Alexandria; William Sendy, Patio, Jefferson 

Parish, and Kenner, Kenner; Frank De- 

Graauw, Bob, Franks and Lafitte drive-ins, 

Abbeville; C. H. Crossley, Ritz, Royal and 

Starlite drive-in. Laurel, Miss.; Weldon Limmroth, 

Giddens & Rester Theatres, Mobile, 

and Richard Guidry, Jet Drive-In, Cutoff, 

La. 

. . . 

The Pal Theatre, Chatham, La., has closed 

The office of the Pike Booking Co. in 

McComb, Miss., was destroyed by fire. The 

booking books were saved, but it is not known 

if other records are intact. Other information 

to the extent of the damage is unknown at 

the present . . . WOMPIs will be spending all 

the leisure time dressing dolls for their 

annual Christmas party. About 225 girls from 

orphan homes in the city wUl receive dolls. 

Will Move Okla. Drive-In 

CLEVELAND, OKLA.—John Sanders, local 

theatre owner, is making plans to open a 

drive-in theatre here. He recently purchased 

an outdoor theatre at Drumright and intends 

to move it to Cleveland. 

Floyd B. Peek Appointed 

City Purchasing Agent 

LITTLE ROCK, ARK.—Floyd B. Peek, 

owner and manager of the Garland Theatre 

here for more than seven years, has been 

named city purchasing agent for Little Rock. 

He had been office manager for a local bottling 

firm for the last two years. He is a 

brother of J. Eldon Peek of Oklahoma Theatre 

Supply Co., Oklahoma City. 

Submits Winning Application 

Harry Dierman, manager of the RKO Orpheum 

Theatre in Marshalltown, Iowa, submitted 

the winning application for Jean Seberg 

who will play the title role in UA's 

"Saint Joan." 

qIf you can evenly distribute 

the wear of your seats over 

the entire house, by easily 

interchanging seats and backs 

...chances are—your seats are 

ûtenmtionaf! 

Write, wire or phone — 

Theater Seat Service Co., 

160 Hermitage Avenue, 

Nashville, Tennessee 

Phone: Alpine 5-8459 

or 

^TitenmtlonafSEAT division of 

UNION CITY BODY CO., INC. 

Union City, Indiana 

55

. . "They 

MIAMI 

^harles Simonelly, U-I's publicity director, 

is expected to honeymoon at a local hotel 

this month . . . Free Elvis Presley photos are 

being given to patrons at 11 of Wometco's 

theatres . . . Tom Hayes cooked up an early 

evening Kiddles Kartoon Kamival at Bernstein's 

Le Jeune Drive-In. 

"We don't know just how much we made 

but it will be above $11,000." Jack Bell gave 

this estimate after the benefit performance of 

"Around the World in 80 Days," a one evening 

only showing. The picture is scheduled to 

open regularly at the Sheridan early in 

December. A local Christmas charity was the 

beneficiary . . . Ernie Carlngi, now a promising 

U-I contractee, was picked out of the cast 

of a local theatre group by a Hollywood agent, 

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and Caringi didn't know he was being 

watched. 

Ed Edelson is supervising installation of 

Cinerama at the Roosevelt Theatre, Miami 

Beach . . . Conrad Nagel was in town to 

make TV films at Rainbow Studios. He plans 

to be here a few days each month for the 

next ten months. The series being made is 

"A Song Is Born," directed and produced by 

Walter Reesce and written by Ruth Brigham 

Reesce, who wrote the Miami Miscellaneous 

column for INS for many seasons. 

Sonny Shepherd says the main office of 

Wometco has been inundated with mail from 

protesting fans who do not wish to see Elvis 

Presley killed off in the forthcoming movie, 

"Love Me Tender," opening at the Carib, 

Miami and Miracle. 

When Shepherd decided 

to take a sampling of opinion he didn't know 

(or did he?) what he would start—a "spare 

Presley" avalanche. "Throw the unhappy 

ending in the river," says one letter. Others 

read, "Ovx Dream Boat mustn't die"; "Your 

theatres will float away in a flood of tears 

if you let Elvis die"; "Better stock your concession 

stands with handkerchiefs." Adolescent 

adulation, says Shepherd, predominates. 

Earlier this year, photographer Stan Wayman 

shot several dozen rolls of film when 

Presley made an in-person appearance at 

FST's Olympia Theatre. Wayman has already 

sold photo layouts of Presley to two issues 

of Photoplay and to the current Silver Screen 

Magazine . . . Carib, Miami and Miracle 

theatres are giving away Elvis Presley notebook 

stickers. 

Mike Todd and Elizabeth Taylor came to 

town for the Florida premiere of "Around the 

World in 80 Days." Pans created pandemonium 

at the airport, according to newspaper 

reports. Todd and Miss Taylor appeared 

at the Sheridan and people who could 

not get tickets thronged the street in front 

of the theatre. Kleig lights swept the sky. 

Jack Bell, head of the Lend-a-Hand charity, 

welcomed and thanked the 1,178 first nighters 

for their assistance. Louis Finske, state head 

of FST, and Harry Botwick, regional general 

manager, represented the circuit, one of the 

sponsors of the benefit. 

The filmed travelog, "A Guided Tour of 

Florida," was shown in color before 500 representatives 

of the travel industry at their 

annual convention in Ormond Beach. The 

second half of the film is devoted to Miami 

and Miami Beach . . Michael Brown, 

. 

formerly executive producer for Reela (now 

specializing in film processing only) has 

become vice-president of Scope, a midwestern 

film operation which plans to make the 

Miami area its new home base. 

Irving Sherman, of the Shubert Theatre 

. . FST's Christmas 

office in New York, plans a theatre ticket 

agency in Miami Beach . . . Clifford Giesseman, 

assistant national director of exhibition 

for Cinerama, is in town for the first showing 

of "This Is Cinerama" . 

opener at three theatres is to be "Teahouse 

. . . After closing a 

of the August Moon" 

summer home, Milofran, in Asheville, Mrs. 

Mitchell Wolfson has returned to Miami 

Beach. 

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Free candy at three Claughton neighborhoods 

was the sweet-tooth special for a 

recent Saturday. The Trail opened at 9:30 

for a three-hour session, presenting Dell 

comic books to eager small fry . . . FST 

scheduled kiddies matinees at four neighborhoods, 

with five hours of entertainment at 

the Shores . . . Wometco had kid matinees 

at seven neighborhoods. An extra at the 

Parkway, Surf and Rosetta was a yo-yo contest 

on stage. Extra at the Strand was a 

stage feature, Glenn and Mickey in person. 

The Miracle had a king-size children's 

matinee, with the additional stage event of an 

Elvis Presley contest. Prizes went to winners 

for look-alike, sing-alike performances. The 

Sunset Art Theatre also scheduled a children's 

matinee . . . Loew's Riviera scheduled a 

special feature for the Saturday children's 

trade, featuring adventure plus five color 

cartoons. 

A film of shoplifters in action is scheduled 

for showing at a store security clinic here. 

It is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce 

. were nothin' but hound 

dogs." This was Mel Haber's comment In 

describing the three teenagers who swiped 

a seven-foot cutout of Elvis Presley from the 

lobby of the Carib Theatre recently. Haber, 

assistant manager of the luxury house, said 

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Evenly Distributed i 


24, 1956

he and his chief usher, John Reinhard, 

chased the dungaree-clad youngsters four 

blocks before losing them in a parking lot. 

Haber says if the Presley fans will return 

the cutout, he will not only forgive them but 

will award them theatre tickets and some 

Elvis pin-ups. 

Four Current Films Rate 

Among Ail-Time Top Ten 

DETROIT—Four new process films, deliberately 

planned for long run showings, have 

alieady achieved rankings among the top ten 

sound pictures of all time for sustained boxoffice 

records. "This Is Cinerama," "Cinerama 

Holiday," "Oklahoma!" and "Seven 

Wonders of the World" form the quartet of 

high current grossers, according to Paul 

Strickland, a local student of motion pictures. 

Strickland's report is based on a detailed 

study of available leading reports going back 

to May 1929, virtually the start of the talking 

picture. Each week he takes the top 15 

pictures, as furnished by tradepaper reports 

and calculates the number of weeks that each 

has appeared in this select group for his 

rating table. 

Ranking of the top ten since 1929 follows: 

This Is Cinerama 129 

Cinerama Holiday 88 

Gone With the Wind 74 

Oklahoma! 47 

Best Years of Our Lives 33 

Snow White - 31 

The Red Shoes. 30 

Fantasia 29 

The Great Ziegfeld 28 

Seven Wonders of the World 26 

Anticipating a record of under 25 weeks for 

'War and Peace," Strickland predicted that 

two other current films, "Around the World 

in 80 Days" and "The Ten Commandments" 

will each rate over 35, indicating a currently 

healthy state of attractions by this new rating 

system. 

The longest run from 1929 to 1936 was 22 

weeks, made by "All Quiet on the Western 

Fi-ont." Strickland has broken down his records 

to show individual company attainments. 

Thus, for RKO, he reported the following 

among the top 75 over the 27-year 

period, in addition to those in the top ten: 

Hans Christian Andersen, 23; The Outlaw, 

22; Wonder Man, 19; Pinocchio, 18; Joan of 

Arc, 18; The Bells of St. Mary's, 15; The Life 

of Walter Mitty, 15; Citizen Kane, 15, and 

The Bishop's Wife, 15. 

Covington Moves to Pare 

Local Admission Tax 

COVINGTON, KY.—The city council's finance 

committee has voted to aid downtown 

theatre operators in their struggle to make 

It recommended that the exemp- 

ends meet. 

tion from the city's 3 per cent admissions tax 

be increased from 50 to 90 cents of ticket 

price, in conformity with similar action previously 

taken by the federal government. 

Councilman Carl W. Rich, who was serving 

as a temporary member of the committee, 

said the downtown theatre operation was a 

"sick industry that needs help." And any 

[lelp, he added, that can be given will help in 

Morts to keep the central business district 

live and prosperous. 

Joseph L. Mankiewicz will write and direct 

The Quiet Hour" for Figaro, Inc., to be 

eleased by United Artists. 

Florida Film Studio 

Increases Its Staff 

MIAMI—Rainbow Pictures, motion picture 

producing company in this area and largest 

such company in the south, has increased its 

staff of personnel as a first step in an 

expansion program. 

Walter Reesce, president, named Prank 

Brodock general sales manager, Oscar Barber 

chief editor and director, and Willard Jones 

in charge of production. Studios are in 

Miami Beach and South Miami. 

'Our entire program," said Reesce, "merely 

reaffirms my belief in South Florida as a 

strategic center for motion picture films. 

When we opened our studios here in 1948, I 

said that this was a perfect spot for the 

motion picture industry, and our tremendous 

increase in production each year has justified 

that faith. 

"We have very big plans to be announced 

in the near future, which will lure more bigtime 

productions from Hollywood and New 

York to Miami. I still say you can't beat this 

location—as long as you can back it up with 

the finest in equipment and know-how, which 

we have proved to the industry." 

Two of the new members of Rainbow are 

moving over from Reela Films, Oscar Barber 

having resigned Reela a month ago to join 

Rainbow and Brodock when Reela stopped 

production. 

Brodock moved to Florida in 1951, after 17 

years as an account executive with Jam 

Handy. Barber is a native of Atlanta, where 

he was for a number of years associated with 

the Strickland Film Co. as chief technician. 

Jones came to Rainbow direct from Station 

WSYR-TV in Syracuse, N. Y. 

Tent 33 Barker Eisenberg 

Names 1 1 New Crewmen 

MIAMI—Chief Barker Sig Eisenberg has 

appointed 11 new members of the governing 

crew for Tent 33, who join five holdover 

members for 1957 terms. 

The new appointees are George MacLean, 

president of Funland; Jesse Weiss, owner of 

Joe's Stone Crabs; Harvey Fleischman, 

Wometco district manager; George Hoover, 

president of Theatre Associates; Bob Green, 

personnel manager of Wometco; Wallace Mc- 

Crory, president, Clay, McCrory and Sorgatz; 

Paul Bruun, amusement editor, Miami Beach 

Sun; Harry Botwick, FST district manager; 

Jack Bell, columnist, Miami Herald; Abe 

Allenburg, managing director, Miami Colonial 

Hotel, and Luther Evans, sports writer, Miami 

Herald. 

General Theatres Circuit 

Acquires Two Drive-Ins 

CLEVELAND—S. P. Gorrel and Leonard 

Mishkind of General Theatres have extended 

their holdings in the outdoor entertainment 

field by purchase of the Auto Drive-In at 

Canton and the Sky Way Drive-In at Malvern 

from Tom Manos and W. E. Gross. 

The circuit is now comprised of seven conventional 

theatres and two drive-ins. The 

indoor theatres are the Detroit, Garden, 

Southern, Lyceum and Olympia, Cleveland; 

the Orr, Orrville, and the Community, Cadiz. 

RESEARCH BUREAU 

for 

MODERN THEATRE PLANNERS 

ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORMATION 

The MODERN THEATRE 

PLANNING INSTITUTE 

825 Van Brunt Blvd. 

Kansas City 24, Mo. 

Gentlemen: 

11-24-56 

Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU 

to receive information regularly, as released, on 

the following subjects for Theatrp Planning: 

D Acoustics 

G Air Conditioning 

n Architectural Servic* 

D "Black" Lighting 

D Building Material 

D Carpets 

G Coin Machines 

G Complete Remodeling 

G Decorating 

G Drink Dispensers 

G Drive-In Equipment 

G Other Subiecta.. 

Theatre 

Seating Capacity... 

Address 

City 

State 

Signed 

G Lighting Fixtures 

G Plumbing Fixluree 

n Projectors 

G Projection Lamps 

G Seating 

G Signs and Marquees 

G Sound Equipment 

G Television 

D Theatre Fronts 

Q Vending Equipment 

Postage-paid reply cards for your further convenience 

in obtaining information are provided in The MODERN 

THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of 

each month. 

[ BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956 57

Delta Air Lines Gives 

$225,000 Bonus in U. S. Savings Bonds 

De/ta AiJ^ lines, inc. 

GENERAL OFFICES • ATLANTA AIRPORT • ATLANTA. OEOROIA 

TO; 

FRCM: 

All Members of Delta Family 

President and General Manager 

This has been a difficult but successful year. 

Each of 

us has had a hand in our accomplishments. 

Again we want to share our good fortune with all our 

people and it is a pleasure to announce that all personnel 

with more than six months of service as of May 24, 1956, will 

receive a $50.00 U.S. Savings Bond. All personnel vdth six 

months of service or less as of that date will receive a $25.00 

U.S. Savings Bond. The total value of these bonds will be 

about $225,000.00. 

The bond is both a share in our achievements and an added 

expression of appreciation for your contrihution t^ them. 

C. E. WOOLMAN 

President and 

General Manager 

DELTA AIR LINES 

If you are wondering whether your employees would 

prefer Savings Bonds to Cash . . . take a quick glance 

at these figures: 

. . . 8,000,000 Americans enrolled in the Payroll Savings 

Plans of 40,000 companies invest $168 Million per month 

in U. S. Savings Bonds. 

. . . 40,000,000 Americans hold $41 Billion (cash value) 

in Series E and Series H Savings Bonds ... a huge reservoir 

of future purchasing power. 

. . . 67% of all Series E Bonds that matured up to June, 

1956— more than $21 Billion — are being held by their 

owners under the automatic extension program. 

Join Delta Airlines — and many other fine companies — 

give your Bonus in Bonds- the gift that grows. Savings 

Bond Division, U.S. Treasury Department, Washington 

25, D. C. 

The United States Government does not pay for this advertising. The Treasury Department 

thanks, for their patriotic donation, the Advertising Council and 

BOXOFFICE 


I.alias WOMPI Starts 

Goodwill Screenings 

DALLAS—In line with the Women of the 

Motion Picture Industry's objective of building 

goodwill for the industry, the Dallas club 

has inaugurated a series of screenings with 

the cooperation of the distributors, the 

WOMPI acting as hostesses to representatives 

of various women's clubs. The first screening 

was held at 20th Century-Fox with vice-president 

Billie Webb, booker at Fox, acting as 

hostess, assisted by Grace Folsom, president 

of the local WOMPI. The picture screened 

was "Teenage Rebel." 

Members from more than 20 women's clubs 

present were very enthusiastic about the idea 

of the screenings. Comment cards were passed 

out and one suggestion from the group was 

that sometimes titles were misleading. They 

felt that everyone should see "Teenage Rebel," 

as it is a good family-type picture and one 

that both adults and teenagers would find 

enjoyable. 

After a tour of the film exchange, Including 

vaults, shipping and inspection departments, 

the guests were served punch and 

cookies in the 20th-Fox recreation room. 

Tarpon Springs Theatre 

Assists Youth Program 

TARPON SPRINGS—The Tarpon I'heatre 

is planning to have a rock and roll time for 

teenagers from 1 to 2 o'clock every Saturday 

afternoon. Local merchants are sponsoring 

the program and a foUowup dance beginning 

at 8 p.m. The dance will be chaperoned and 

music provided. Both entertainments are free 

to every boy and girl between the ages of 13 

to 19. 

The afternoon program will consist of top 

tunes of the day played by a disc Jockey from 

one of the radio stations in the area. He also 

will act as master of ceremonies. Other unusual 

features of the afternoon program will 

be demonstration of new dance steps by 

authorized dance instructors, home talent, 

and unusual acts. 

Paul Lycan, theatre manager, is offering 

this program in conjunction with the "entertainment 

for youth" drive being sponsored 

by local merchants. In addition he is 

planning a cartoon carnival for younger 

children in the morning, and this, too. Is to 

be sponsored by local industry. 

Shuttered Airer Suffers 

Severe Vandal Damage 

MIDLAND, TEX.—Vandals recently destroyed 

between $2,000 and $3,000 worth of 

equipment at El Rancho Drive-In Theatre 

on the Rankin highway, Sanford Hodge, 

> general manager of the Midland Theatres, 

said here. Damaged were projection equipment, 

75 speakers, popcorn and snowcone 

- machines, the screen tower and neon signs. 

Hodge said the loss was discovered during 

* a weekly inspection. The theatre has been 

closed about a year, although plans are 

being made to reopen it early In 1957 with 

a new widescreen. 

Term First Heard at Fulton. Mo. 

Irwin Allen, producer of Warners' "The 

Story of Mankind," plans to u»e a recordiag 

of Winston Churchill's speech at Pulton, Mo., 

where the term 'Iron Ciutain" was first heard. 

MPAA Issues Stiff Reply to Attack 

On Industry in Syndicated Column 

NEW YORK—The editor of King Features 

Syndicate has received a highly critical letter 

from Manning Clagett of the Motion Picture 

Ass'n of America in reply to its nationally 

syndicated column by Margaret Latrobe 

headed "Where Should We Stop in Censorship 

of Movies" and published in the Bridgeport 

(Conn.) Post October 31. 

Clagett wrote that the column was "one of 

the most grotesque examples of inaccurate 

journalism" he had ever known, and he additionally 

called it "obscene" because it "represents 

an indictment by generalization that 

is so unfair, so thoroughly un-American in 

its viciousness and its careful avoidance of 

names and documentation that it calls out 

for protest." 

He made five points, as follows: 

1. "She says a purpose of the motion picture 

code is to screen out 'smut and blatant 

sex.' The quotes are hers, with the rotten 

technique of implying that it is a quote from 

either the production code or from some 

qualified representative of the code office. 

She doesn't say who is being quoted and 

thereby uses an unfair method of trying to 

make her point." 

2. "She says that a 'published report' states 

that the members of the code 'do not enjoy 

their work.' She does not state who said it 

and she did not once call or get in touch 

with anyone from the code administration." 

3. "She again uses the technique of quotes 

— 'unwholesomely immoral'—as a description 

of 'foreign films' with no thought of who said 

it and further that this is a reason for the 

code 'establishing separate standards so that 

foreign films may portray different moral 

habits, and freely.' These are her quotes and 

she has used another technique of setting 

up a straw man and then knocking it over." 

4. "This is so grotesque and unfair that it 

almost baffles description and comment. She 

says: ' . . . perversion, brutality and quaintly 

unorthodox morals are injected into movies 

to as great an extent as producers believe the 

code will hold still for.' No names, no documentation—just 

a mass indictment." 

5. "The rest is so obscene in Its Unfairness 

and its un-American generalization and mass 

indictment that it hardly bears repeating 

—she even goes beyond just talking about 

motion pictures (unnamed, of course) and 

even goes whole hog and talks about the 

motives of producers (not one did she name 

or claim even to have talked to). For mcample, 

she says producers of motion picture 

are 'wallowing in vice and loving every ninute 

of it,' 'revel in the niceties of suggestive 

theme,' 'bulbous trollops are publicized as 

ideals of womankind.'" Clagett continued: 

"It is a surprise that King Features would 

allow such Inaccuracies to be circulated. It 

is a surprise that King Features would permit 

its facilities to be used to indict by generalization 

an entire medium of communication. 

"It is not surprising, I suppose, that no 

names were used. It would be libel. 

"There is no possible excuse for a column 

so completely filled with inaccuracies. If 

Margaret Latrobe or anybody at King Features 

had taken the trouble to call any responsible 

person in the motion picture industry, 

they would have learned the truth 

and fast. This would have been the fair way 

to do things. We are still willing to give 

Margaret Latrobe the truth if she should 

want it. If she is interested, would you ask 

her to get in touch with us?" 

Installs New Snack Bar 

PANAMA CITY, 

FLA.— A new stainless 

steel snack bar has been installed at the 

Bud Davis Drive-In. The remodeling of the 

old concession stand brought an addition of 

20x20 feet, bringing the total floor space 

to 1,000 square feet. The theatre is owned 

and operated by Bud Davis. 

NEW DALLAS CREW—The new crew and officers posed for this photo following 

the annual election of Variety Tent 17 of Dallas. Top row, left to right: Duke Clark, 

Jack Underwood, Clyde R«mbert (retiring- chief barker), Jake Elder, John K. Hioks, 

Ben Gold, Ed Gall. Bottom row: Charles Weisenberg, second assistant; W. L. Marshall, 

property master; Edwin Tobolowsky, new chief barker; Don C. Douglas, first assistant, 

and M. J. Rachofsky, dough guy. Not shown are Alex Reese and Paul Short, members 

of the crew. 

BOXOFnCE : 

: November 

24, 1956 sw 59

MOSe-ING 

THROUGH 

r* V. OAVER is one of the oldest exhibitors 

In the country, experience-wise, and was 

probably the first exhibitor to run a drivein 

theatre. His total experience in show 

business covers 43 years, all in central and 

west Texas theatres. 

The drive-in idea worked out strictly by 

accident. In 1921 Caver owned a theatre on 

the CX>manche square and, with a sudden 

burst of prosperity in the area, he decided to 

close and remodel in view of the extra ticket 

sales in the offing. It was prior to the talkies, 

and his projectors were mounted on mobile 

bases that permitted them to be used in 

any direction. After deciding that Comanche 

needed some sort of entertainment during the 

shutdown, he secured a permit to erect a 

screen on the courthouse. After reversing the 

projectors the picture was thrown through a 

large window across the street to the screen. 

At the time the pavement area was expanded 

to touch the building for parking. And he 

advertised that all showings were free to the 

public. 

"They came in their old canvas-topped 

Fords and parked bumper to bumper," he 

said. "To my knowledge, it was the first 

outdoor movie where people watched the picture 

from their cars." 

Thirty-five years later. Caver is associated 

with Phil Isley in two Port Worth drive-ins, 

the Riverside and Westerner, and the Avenue 

in Dallas, where he maintains his office. 

Caver began in the show business at 

Stephenville in 1913, and he stayed there 

until he went into the Army in 1918. After 

the war, in 1920, he went to Comanche. 

"We had a postwar boom for three years 

and I couldn't get anybody to work for me," 

he told us. "I even had to cut and haul my 

own wood and then cut it into firewood to 

heat the theatre. I was doing a gross of 

between $700 and $800 a week in those days. 

The admission was only 20 cents." 

Later on a depression hit and the gross 

Central & West Texas 

.By EARL MOSELEY. 

dropped to less than $200. In those days 

he occasionally hung a sign on the door reading: 

"Gone Fishing—Be Back Saturday." 

Caver came to Dallas in 1928 and operated 

the old Trinity In Oak Cliff. 

"I thought it was the prettiest theatre I 

had ever seen," he said. "It had upholstered 

seats, organ and an electric sign. But we had 

another depression and I went into the equipment 

business for a couple of years in a store 

located behind National Theatre Supply 

where Southwestern Theatre Equipment used 

to be." 

Afterward, Caver bought the Rita from the 

late P. G. Cameron. The 600-seater had been 

opened as the Columbia (it was on Columbia 

avenue in east Dallas) as one of the first 

Dallas suburban theatres, part of the old Poy 

circuit. He also operated a theatre in Honey 

Grove, which he later sold. 

In 1947, he made plans to build the Avenue, 

an ultramodern sub run, less than a block 

from his Rita, and opened it in 1948. Caver 

moved the projection equipment from the 

older theatre into the new one, thus the Rita 

was replaced. It was then that Isley became 

his partner. 

Caver has a policy of fading the picture 

and sound at the end of the feature for a 

brief pause before the shorts begin. 

"Most features need to be faded at the 

end to give the audience a rest before you 

go into the next subject," he explained. 

Caver also figures his schedules differently 

than most theatres. The main floor readings 

(boxoffice, doorman etc.) are figured to the 

nearest five minutes back, to allow for any 

slight gains in the actual running times and a 

more convenient time for the patrons to 

remember when calling the theatre. 

• • * 

Even Walter Winchell will have to agree 

that every columnist needs a reliable critic 

to keep him in line. Although we are far 

from the WW class, nevertheless we have one. 

5 ASSOCIATED 

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And there is one conyenientif located to gh» YOU 

dependable, FAST SEkVICE on all your concession supplies 

with TOP QUALITY PRODUCTS! 

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Box 2207—Phone Riverside 6134 

HOUSTON— 725 White Oak Drive 

Box 4154—Phone CApitol 8-1164 

SAN ANTONIO— Merchants Transfer & Storage Co. 

923 S. Flores—Box 9095—Phone CApitol 6-8221 

LUBBOCK— B & H Warehouse, Inc. 

1405 Ave. A—Box 1506—Phone POrter 5-7773 

FORT WORTH —Binyon O'Keefe Storage 

Co. 

70 Jennings Avenue—Phone EDison 3351 

ASSOCIATED POPCORN DISTRIBUTORSJnc. 

302 S. HARWOOD PHONE RI-6134 DALLAS, TEXAS 

We like it fine because we know he has to 

read our stuff in order to pass on it. 

Our favorite critic is Price J. Lawson, projectionist 

at Lone Star's Belknap Drive-In at 

Fort Worth, whom we have known personally 

for a number of years, or ever since we went 

to work together in Phil Isley's Plaza in 

Brownwood in late 1945. 

Although Lawson was a married man with 

two children then, he was called "The ICid" 

by the boys out there; that is, until we 

showed up. We really clipped the title from 

him, because we were still in our teens and 

single. Naturally we received a lot of advice 

from everybody. But in typical late teenage 

fashion, we really didn't pay as much attention 

to some of it as we should have. 

(Now married with two children we can see 

that). 

However, Lawson was a little different from 

the average run. He has never been the kind 

to beat around the bush. We now think an 

awful lot of him and treasure his comments. 

Not only with this column series; verily, in 

our Brownwood days together, he helped 

supervise our love life and even loaned us 

money! We split up when he went to Fort 

Worth in 1947, but he still kept track of us. 

We had moved to Dallas and were married 

in 1949. Who but Lawson was first to come 

over and check on the situation? Less than 

a year later he returned again just prior to 

the birth of our first daughter, with Norman 

E. Strieker, another very good projectionist 

friend of ours, to see how everything was 

progressing. Still later, when we moved back 

to Brownwood in 1953, only a few days later 

he was johnny-on-the-spot to see how we 

were doing. 

We came to Cleburne later and started this 

column last February for which he immediately 

had comments. Recently, he mentioned 

the column to us again. His comment: 

"Mose, you are in a rut! You use the 

same people over and over. Why do you do 

it?" 

Well, we thought over the situation and 

here is the only solution and explanation: 

We have no intention of slighting any exhibitor 

or projectionist who has something 

on the ball. And we never have. Our time 

has always been limited, especially so since 

we took over the Dallas representation for 

BOXOFFICE, and much of our hinderlands 

material comes to us through the mails. 

Therefore, we are limited to write about the 

exploits of showmen who keep in touch. 

We realize only too well that showmen are 

handicapped in some instances in keeping us 

posted on new developments around their theatres, 

as much as we are in keeping in touch 

with them. However, if they will take the 

time to write us, they have always found that 

we are interested. Ask any of them. 

Any other showman could write the same 

material I have here with ease, and perhaps 

better. To the Lawson-point: Let's see if you 

can. Write to us at box 432, Cleburne. Take 

the time! Lawson wants new names. 

Lawson's experience goes 'way back yonder. 

He worked for Isley in Oklahoma before he 

went into east Texas theatres, and to Stephenville. 

He is a member of Local 330 and has 

done a lot of stage work too in this area. 

Scored in Stage Production 

Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Henry 

Jones, Eileen Heckert, Evelyn Varden and 

Joan Croydon, all of whom scored in the 

stage play, "The Bad Seed," have re-created 

their original roles in the Warner picture. 

60 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956

! 

People who go places like a light refreshment... 

I 

That's why Pepsi-Cola is America's 

fastest growing soft drink 

And Pepsi means more drinks per gallon—more profit per drink, too! 

Pepsi-Cola Company, 3 West 57th Street, New York 19, New York 

BOXOFTICE : 

: November 

24, 1956 61

HOUSTON 

êan Gibbon, on leave 

from 20th-Fox and 

the Boulevard Theatre, was in town visiting 

friends and relatives before he shoves 

off for Germany. He will also visit his 

parents in Oklahoma before heading for New 

York and embarkation. He has a new rating 

—Private E2—no less . . . Our Harold Dean 

is enthusiastic over his regularly received 

BOXOPFICE. "It's like talking over the 

phone to your friends," he said, "hearing 

what's happening to everybody." 

"Galveston" a new story by Niven Busch 

which has for its climax the 1900 hurricane 

and flood, has been put into screenplay form. 

Producer Edmund Grainger is reported to be 

making arrangements in the Gulf area. Pllming 

is to be done in color and almost entirely 

on actual locales. 

The Hempstead Drive-In was burglarized 

for the eighth time this year eetrly Tuesday 

(13), according to Manager Jimmy Harris. 

The thieves ransacked the place but the only 

loss was about $50 from the cigaret machine 

. . . E. L. Pack, Steve Bakavich and Kenny 

Morris from the Lone Star circuit visited 

their Houston Theatres recently. 

Mrs. Ann CoUicotte is the new parttime 

bookkeeper for Varioty Tent 34 . . . Kenny 

Bagwell's little daughter Kathy, stricken with 

bulbar polio, was reported improving. She's 

at St. Joseph's Hospital. Kenny is from 

KXYZ radio station and a Variety stalwart. 

. . 

. 

Damaees to the Baytown Bay Theatre and 

other places there were paid by parents of 

the teenage boys responsible. The justiee of 

peace then dismissed charges against tke 

boys . The Tower Theatre is running two 

ads on the same page now, one telling haw 

many days left to see "Oklahoma!" and the 

other saying, "Houston Won't Turn 

Loose!" You demanded it, it says 

. 

here, 

. 

so 

we're holding over for a 22nd week. But Uie 

public is still admonished that days of the 

engagement are numbered . . . "Giant" is in 

its second week at the Metropolitan Tkeatre 

. . . "Lust for Life" finally had to move out 

of the River Oaks Theatre so "Cocklesh«ll 

Heroes" could move in. 

in 

^ Wf&am 

the WORLD of TOMORROW! 

1000 YEARS 

AFTER THE H-BOMB! 

-V hî lis 

iNWiSlOlll 

GERALD MOHR 

PEGGIE CASTLE 

DAN O'HERLIHY 

^ 

NOW 

BOOKING 

FROM 

EMPIRE 

PICTURES 

DISTRIBUTING CO. 

Formeriy 

LIPPERT PICTURES 

2011 Jackson St. 

Dallas, Texas 

Phone: Rl 2-8055 

FOR 

OKLAHOMA 

AND 

TEXAS 

2^ 

Fred Nahas, KXYZ, spoke on "Teenage 

Mania—1956" to the civics departmeiit of the 

Woman's Club . . . Post fashion editor Virginia 

McCallon, wife of Loew's State's Hc«ier 

McCallon, was in Los Angeles attending a 

fashion .show sponsored by the California 

Fashions Creators. 

. . 

Roy Gothard is the new manager of the 

Red Bluff Drive-In, according to Bill Stone 

of the Capitan. He succeeds Ray Puller, who 

left the theatre to work for Sanitary Mattress 

Co. Gothard came here from the Grove 

Thealjre in Dallas . Roy O'Hara, manager 

of the Granada Theatre, was on a three-dsuy 

trip to visit his mother and family in Greensville. 

Franklin Jones resigned as manager at the 

Pasadena Drive-In. He was replaced by Floyd 

Prater from Fort Worth. Jones was manager 

of the South Park Theatre, a Jefferson 

Amusement Co. house in Beaumont, before 

coming to Houston. 

Bryan Amusement Co.'s Bill Schulman, 

Bryan, is walking on air these days—he aad 

his wife Christine axe expecting in the spring 

. . . Harold Mitchamore, Market St. Drive-In, 

took advantage of one of the first days »f 

the hunting season to go hunting. What 

Another hunter in the industry Is 

else? . . . 

Ruby Gibson, Navaway Theatre. She took 

off for Austin to join friends. Fôm Austin, 

the party left for Kerrville for a week's 

hunting. 

South Houston Theatre had its first kiddies 

show Saturday (17) at 12 o'clock. Grady 

Goodwin recently took over that house, with 

F. W. Stilwell of La Marque, from Long Theatres. 

Stilwell was in town on business . . . 

Houston Popcorn Co.'s Augie Schmitt was In 

Bryan on business . . . Albert Rains, Korn 

circuit, returned Friday night (16) from a 

business trip to Dallas . . . Avalon Art Theatre 

signed a year's contract with a downtown 

firm for a billboard ad as big as all eutdooss 

at the corner of San Jacinto and Lamar . 

. . 

The Variety Boys Olub members were victorious 

in a statewide Boys Club of America 

contest in Laredo. All of the boys will receive 

trophies. 

Dense Fog Blots Out Airers 

MUSKOGEE, OKLA.—Both local 

drive-In 

theatres were "out of business" election n%ht 

when a .screen-blanketing fog decended at 

dark. The dat» was described as "purely 

coincidental"—anyway, everyone went home 

and followed election returns Instead of attending 

the outdoor theatres. 

62 BOXOFTICE : 

: November 

24, 1958

. . The 

Tent 22 and Its Auxiliary 

Elect Board Members 

OKLAHOMA CITY—Board of directors for 

1957 for both Variety Tent 22 and its auxiliary 

have been elected. 

Members of the Variety Club board include 

Paul Townsend, Ed Thorne, Paul Rice, Robert 

Busch, Olen Nuckols, Harry McKenna, 

E. R. Slocum, C. F. Motley, Jake Guiles, 

Oklahoma City; Earl Snyder jr. and Brownie 

Akers, Tulsa. 

Members of the auxiliary board are Mrs. 

Milton Kamber, Mrs. Delbert Cravens, Mrs. 

Michael Comer, Mrs. M. L. Foster, Mrs. L. 

A. Newcomb, Mrs. Dudley Tucker sr., Mrs. 

James H. Fintress, Mrs. L. M. Macarty, Mrs. 

A. D. Smith, Mrs. William H. Lewis and 

Mrs. Robert Busch. 

Both boards will meet soon to elect officers 

for 1957. 

OKLAHOMA CITY 

T B. Nutter and Roosevelt Fleming have dissolved 

their partnership. Nutter is now 

sole owner of the East Side Theatre in Oklahoma 

City . Pines Theatre, Tecumseh, 

recently leased by Betty Barton, has been 

closed . . . L. E. Brewer, Pauls Valley, was 

on Filmrow for the first time since the auto 

accident which hospitalized him several weeks 

. . . 

age. He was still wearing a cast on his leg 

Another exhibitor back after several 

weeks absence was Dana Ryan, Pawnee, who 

has been busy campaigning. Ryan ran for 

state senator in his district and lost by an 

extremely narrow margin. 

Two screenings have been slated by Universal 

at the Pox screening room. "Pour 

Girls in Town," starring George Nader and 

Julie Adams, in Technicolor and Cinema- 

Scope, will be seen at 10:30 a.m. Monday (26). 

"Rock, Pretty Baby," starring John Saxon 

and Sal Mineo, is to be screened at 10:30 

a.m. December 3. 

Exhibitors on Filmrow included Houston 

Burns, Apache; Mrs. C. W. Duncan, Wetumka; 

E. B. Anderson, Norman; Eddie Jones, 

Tulsa; Bill Jones, Sand Springs; Truman 

Ellerd, Blanchard; R. R. McCoy, Edmond; 

Leonard White, Weatherford; Claud Thorp, 

Ryan; Doc Lumpkin, Sentinel; Kay Miller, 

Amett; Melvin Butler, Salina; A. R. Walker, 

Broken Arrow; Cliff Lance, Rlngling; John 

Buffo, Hartshorne, and Bernard McKenna, 

Norman. 

Robert W. Kunce Assigned 

To Dallas Cinerama Post 

DALLAS—Robert W. Kunce, former manager 

of the 5,000-seat Fox Theatre in San 

Francisco, has been assigned as house manager 

of the local Melba Theatre, the Southwest 

installation for Cinerama since the summer 

of 1954. 

Kunce, a native Californian, was associated 

with Pox West Coast Theatres from 1951 until 

accepting his present position. He began his 

theatrical career as a costumer for the San 

Francisco Opera Co. He later conducted a 

small opera company at Oakland, Calif. 

During Kunce's service with the U. S. Army, 

he was stationed at Heidelberg, Germany. 

Richard Adler will serve as musical consultant 

on Warners' "The Pajama Game." 

BUTTERFLY' ROWS IN AUSTIN—At the special 

premiere of "Madame Butterfly" 

at the Trans-Texas circuit's Texas Theatre in Austin, invited guests were greeted by, 

in photo at left, Harold C. "Buster" Novy, Trans-Texas Austin city manager who is 

moving to Dallas to assist his father; Lonis Novy, president of Trans-Texas circuit, and 

Glenn Fannin, Dallas distributor for IFE, producer of the picture. In photo at right, 

Louis Novy was escorted to the premiere by his oldest granddaughter Blossom Podolnick. 

Tom Miller, mayor of Austin, proclaimed the week as Good Music Week in connection 

with the opening. 

Largo, Fla., Assignment 

For Ralph Langston 

LARGO—Ralph Langston of Tampa has 

been named manager of the Largo Theatre. 

Prior to coming here, Langston was manager 

of the three Floyd drive-ins in Tampa and 

St. Petersburg. He went to the Floyd theatres 

from Sarasota, where he had been connected 

with the Ringling Bros, circus. He was chief 

of police of the circus when it disbanded. 

He also served several years in the criminal 

investigation division of the army military 

police. 

Langston is making plans to improve the 

Largo with better shows and other features 

to attract folks away from their TV sets. 

Turns on Good Samaritan 

FORT WORTH—A 12-year-old boy took 

$50 from the cashier's office at the Cowtown 

Drive-In one night recently, after the night 

manager let him see the show free and 

gave him 50 cents to buy food. Police arrested 

the boy a few minutes after the theft 

at the Greyhound bus station, where he 

purchased a half-fare ticket to Los Angeles. 

The manager. Bob Bassard, a Carswell 

airman who works at the theatre part time, 

said the boy was in the office warming 

himself while Bassard sold tickets outside. 

He missed the money after the boy left. 

BUFFALO 

3409 Oak Lawn, Room 107 

COOLING 

To E. Chicago Assignment 

CHESTERTON, IND. — Jack Albertson, 

former manager of Lewin-Blieden, Inc., has 

been named manager of the Voge Theatre in 

East Chicago, succeeding Hal Malone who resigned 

because of illness. 

"Our customers appreciate 

the prompt and efficient shop work they 

get at the Oklahoma Theatre Supply." 

OKLAHOMA THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

628 West Grand Ave. Telephone: RE 6-8691 

Oklahoma City 2, Okla. 

•astest Service^ 

In SOUTH TEXAS on 

NATIONAL CARBONS 

INDEPENDENT THEATRE SUPPLY 

2750 E. Houston CA 6-3508 Son Antonio 

EQUIPMENT 

BUFFALO ENGINEERING CO., INC Dallas, Texos 

BOXOFnCE : 

: Noveml)er 24, 1956 

63

2310 

. . Hardin 

DALLAS 

prank Starz, 

advertising head of Interstate 

Theatres, announced that "Giant" is 

doing a tremendous business in all theatre 

openings throughout the state thus far. 

Although there has been some speculation 

over the controversy the film might cause 

with Texas audiences because of the various 

ways Texans were presented in the film, there 

have been no serious fuss and feathers reported, 

other than theft of a few stills featuring 

James Dean. This can be blamed on his 

fan cult, no doubt. By and large, "Giant" 

was doing the best business since the opening 

of "The Robe" at the Palace in 1954. Starz 

reported that Allied Artists' "Friendly 

Persuasion" was opening over the circuit on 

one or the other Thanksgivings in Texas. 

With the split Thanksgiving celebration by 

schools and offices here (22 and 29), most 

exhibitors were expecting to do extra business 

on both Turkey Days, remembering that 

Thanksgiving is generally the best grossing 

holiday for the indoor theatres . . . Elston 

Brooks, amusement columnist for the Port 

Worth Star-Telegram, recalled an ad that 

came out about a popular Thanksgiving film 

in 1939—the year when FDR first decreed the 

second Thanksgiving. It showed a nervouslooking 

turkey eyeing the title: "Each Dawn 

I Die." 

Col. H. A. Cole and C. O. Wise have been 

very busy lining up the program for the coming 

Allied Theatre Owners convention. Robert 

Morrell, who is in charge of the meeting this 

SAVE WONEY( 

ON PREMUESi 

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Photos and 

OH Stage 

Talk 

Use Filmack's 

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$15 

each 


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" "' 

I 

i 

SAN ANTONIO 

irirginia Lou Holstein and Gentry Lee Floyd 

will be married here on Christmas, according 

to wedding announcements in local 

Sunday papers. The bride-to-be is the daughter 

of Mark M. Holstein, local U-I sales representative 

The Aztec brought in "Julie" 

. . . for a midweek opening. Texas' own Dorothy 

Malone held the love interest in "Tension at 

Table Rock" on the same program with "Beyond 

a Reasonable Doubt" at the Texas for 

a midmonth opening. 

Richard Widmark and local Interstate publicist 

Jack Charlman are look-a-likes . . . 

Frank Sturchio, former musical director for 

U-I studios, Hollywood, returned from a recent 

business trip to Austin . . Several 

. 

hundred people waited in a block-long line 

the first Sunday afternoon to see "Giant" at 

the Majestic. It was the largest turnout the 

theatre has had in months. The picture was 

a second week. 

held for 

I Billy Quy Buckelew, erstwhile Interstate 

STheatres employe, has been promoted to 

sergeant from detective in the San Antonio 

police department . . . Mexfilms' "Yo Fui 

Novio de Rosita Alvirez" was billed as 

"courtin' an' feudin' a la Mexicana" at the 

Alameda for a Veterans Day opening. 

Richard Rodriguez, chief of service at the 

Majestic for some time, left for Los Angeles 

where he now is working by day and studying 

dramatics by night . . . Mrs. J. L. Greenwood 

has recovered from the flu. Her husband 

is manager of the Joy here. 

Rubin A. Calderon, former official of Azteca 

Films, now is president of Domain Film 

Studios, Mexico City . . . Mrs. Ethel Wales, 

manager of the restaurant at the Twin Screen 

Drive-In, is getting many fine compliments 

on her home cooking from the patrons who 

frequent that spot. Incidentally, her husband 

is Manager H. Tommy Wales of the dual 

ozoner ... An early morning fire did $500 

damage on the 15th floor of the Majestic 

Theatre building. 

iin 

George Kaczmar, manager of the Empire, 

is running a series of television advertisements 

on KENS-TV plugging current pictures 

playing this Trans-Texas house . . . San 

Antonio's fourth television station, KONG- 

TV is expected to start telecasting on January 

21. It will be an ABC affiliate. 

Abe Pullen, who once managed the Fredericksburg 

Road Drive-In, has been re-elected 

as a board member on the Good Government 

League here . . . Henry Bergman, manager 

of the State, returned from a visit to 

Laredo where he and the missus celebrated 

their golden wedding anniversary. Many 

happy returns to two wonderful people. 

Tommy Powers, manager of the Texas has 

booked a rock and roll stage show to augment 

the screen attraction Saturday (24) 

afternoon. Powers said that if the teenagers 

turn out for the initial vaudefilm program, 

the theatre plans to have these weekly matinees 

regularly. At least, these daytime live 

shows will let the youngsters rock and roll 

the daytime and stay off the streets late 

M night. 

Ruben Ayala and Jessie Ramirez of Azteca 

Films, went fishing ait Lake McQueeney 

Visiting the local exchanges were Eloy 

Garza, Airport Drive-In, Rjobstown; Abel 

Cortinas, Roxy Drive-In, Santone; Joe Solis, 

Ranch Drive-In, Alice; Miguel Benitez sr., 

and his two sons. Junior and Hector of the 

Benitez circuit, Weslaco; Mateo Vela, the 

Azteca, Houston, and Manuel Womble, the 

Royal, La Feria. 

Jose Garcia, who reopened his National 

Theatre, Asherton, for the winter, was also 

in booking, as were Frank Fletcher, the Ritz, 

Houston, and Senor Muniz, Airport Drive-In, 

Robstown . . . Clasa-Mohme here gave its 

new release, "Con Quien Andan Nuestras 

Hijas" a one-day advance preview Friday 

(16) in the Alameda at increased admission 

prices. Business was brisk from the opening 

at 10 a.m. until closing time. 

Opens His Drive-In Safe 

When Mechanism Fails 

KANSAS CITY—Beverly Miller "cracked" 

his own safe at the Cowtown Drive-In at St. 

Joseph recently. After a former safe, containing 

$650, had been purloined several 

weeks ago, another safe was purchased and 

installed in concrete two feet high, two feet 

wide and two feet deep, anchoring it to the 

floor and to the wall. 

"So we were back in business," Miller said. 

"Then I get a call from the assistant manager 

that he can't open the safe. A safe expert 

wanted $35 so I jumped into the car and 

drove up to try my hand at safe-cracking. 

Going on the theory that some jar had 

thrown the mechanism out of balance, I took 

the combination, and began trying for the 

next number on each one. By the process of 

elimination, I finally hit on the right one and 

the safe opened. Just call me Houdini. 

"Then I called the safe expert so he could 

set the safe for a new combination, and could 

not help remembering that Captain Kidd had 

a grim way of dealing with the men he assigned 

to that kind of job." 

JoHet Rialto Baby-Sits 

For Shopping Mothers 

JOLIET, ILL.—Mothers downtown shopping 

on a recent Friday, which was a special 

bargain day in retail stores, were invited to 

leave their children in the Rialto Theatre 

from 9 o'clock until noon, through the 

courtesy of the Joliet Ass'n of Commerce. 

A feature film and seven Disney cartoons 

made up the program. Ten Red Cross Gray 

Ladies were stationed in the theatre to supervise 

the children. 

Legion Converts Old Theatre 

PRYOR, OKLA.—The old Castle Theatre 

here is being completely altered by the 

American Legion which purchased the building 

recently for a new Pryor Legion "hut." 

New upper rooms will serve as a Legion and 

auxiliary meeting hall, and the big auditorium 

will be used for public gatherings. A 

new level concrete floor has replaced the old 

inclined floor of the auditorium. 

Permits Use of His Voice 

Winston Churchill has granted permission 

for use of his voice to producer-director 

Irwin Allen in a sequence in Warners' "The 

Story of Mankind." 

SMlBlEAO 

f or 



MODERN THEATRE 

Tiie 



Kanscs City 24, Mo 

Gentlemen: 

11-24-56 



the lollowing subjects for Theatre Planning: 

n Acoustics 

n Lighting Fixtures 

n Air Conditioning Q Plumbing Fixtures 

D Architectural Service 

j-, 

projectors 

n "Black" Lighting 

n Building Material 

n Carpets 

n Coin Machines 

D Complete Remodeling 

D Decorating 

n Projection Lamps 

n Seating 

n Signs and ^larquees 

Sound Equipment 

Television 

n Drink Dispensers D Theatre Fronts 

D Drive-In Equipment Vending Equipment 

n Other Subjects 

Theatre 

, 

Seating Capacity- 

Address 

City 

State 

Signed 


in obtaining information are provided in The MODERN 


each month. 

80X0FFICE : 

: November 

24, 1956 

65

EDWIN J. THOMAS fQ,iUqit hy, Fabian Bachrach 

". • . added over 20,000 employees 

to The Payroll Savings Plan." 

"The Savings Bond Program—like any other program in 

a corporation — will succeed only if it has the complete 

support of top management. Recently the Goodyear 

Tire & Rubber Company added over 20,000 employees 

to the Payroll Savings Plan, attaining an overall participation 

of over 71%. While the drive itself was successful 

I feel the job is only half done. Now we are 

installing a program to maintain this high peak of participation. 

Such a program will constantly keep the 

merits of the program before each employee, encouraging 

him to provide his own security through this 

effortless plan of saving." 

EDWIN J. THOMAS, President 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Inc. 

What is the percentage of employee participation in 

your Payroll Savings Plan? If it is less than 50%, get in 

touch with Savings Bond Division, U.S. Treasury Department, 

Washington, D. C. Your State Sales Director 

will be glad to help you increase your participation to 

60% or higher. A phone call, telegram or letter to 

Savings Bond Division, U. S. Treasury Department will 

bring a prompt response. 

The United States Government does not pay for this advertising. The Treasury Department 

thanks, jor their patriotic donation, the Advertising Council and 

BOXOFFICE 


f 

Twin Cities Lyceum 

Settles Trust Suit 

MINNEAPOLIS—Another exhibitor million 

dollar antitrust conspiracy damage suit 

against major distributors here, the second 

within a month, has been settled out of court. 

This time owners of the local Lyceum, 

legitimate showhouse which formerly also 

played pictures occasionally, and the distributor 

defendants have reached an agreement 

that will avert a trial. Settlement 

terms haven't been disclosed. 

Like those in similar suits here, the 

plaintiffs alleged they were discriminated 

against by the defendant distributors. When 

Ben Berger took over the lease two years ago, 

the Lyceum quit bidding for pictures. 

A few weeks ago the independent suburban 

St. Louis Park settled its antitrust action 

against the defendant distributors, et al, out 

of court with the theatre receiving an earlier 

clearance than its competing Minnesota 

Amusement Co. theatre, with which it had 

been bidding in the earliest 28-day slot. 

Two suits that did come to trial here resulted 

in a split, the exhibitor in one winning 

a $135,000 judgment and the defendant 

distributors emerging victorious in the other. 

Only one of these suits still remains on 

the local federal court calendar, that of the 

independent neighborhood Hollywood which 

is seeking more than a million dollars in 

damages. 

TV Films Are Advertised 

In Theatres Section 

MINNEAPOLIS — KMGM-TV here, in 

which MGM Pictures has acquired a 25 

per 

cent interest and which soon will start 

showing the MGM pre-1948 backlog, has 

been advertising its feature picture showings 

in the newspaper amusement display sections 

along with the theatre ads. The TV 

station last Sunday used a three-inch single 

column ad on the theatre page to plug the 

televising of United Artists' "Act of Love," 

emphasizing that it was "a full length feature 

movie" and that Kirk Douglas was its 

star. The ad asked readers to see details on 

the TV page. 

KMGM-TV plans to run a different MGM 

picture every night of the week. It will have 

about 725 of these pictures, according to its 

announcement. Negotiations currently are 

going on with several national advertisers for 

possible sponsorship. The two-way local deal, 

whereby MGM films go to a TV station and 

the picture producer acquires an interest in 

the station, is the third of its kind nationally. 

Gopher at Minneapolis 

Lands 'Teahouse' 

MINNEAPOLIS—The Gopher, owned by 

Ben Berger, has landed "Teahouse of the 

August Moon," for opening on Christmas day 

for what's expected to be a long run. MGM 

previously has sold other important pictures 

to the independents, including "Gaby," 

"Bhowani Junction," "Somebody Up There 

Likes Me" and "Lust for Life," which have 

gone to the Gopher or Ted Mann's 400-seat 

World. 

Under a splitting of product deal the two 

local RKO theatres do not bid against the 

Minnesota Amusement Co. for MGM pictures. 

Clarence Holtze Honored 

On 25th Anniversary 

TOMAH, WIS.—The week ending Saturday, 

November 17, was a memorable one for 

Clarence Holtze, manager of the local theatre, 

and for theatre patrons as well. The weeklong 

celebration was planned and staged by 

Marcus Theatres to mark Holtze's 25th anniversary 

as manager of the Marcus houses here. 

The "party" really got under way Tuesday 

night (13) when Holtze was honored in a 

stage presentation, with many local and 

state dignitaries present. The film offering 

was "Teenage Rebel." On Friday night, every 

teenager attending the showing of "Young 

Guns" and "Congo Crossing" was given a 

large glossy photograph of Elvis Presley. 

Saturday night's special feature was the 

awarding of a washer-dryer combination, 

presented through the courtesy of Central 

Hardware. At the Sunday matinee, every 

child attending was given free ice cream and 

on Sunday evening, all the adults received 

door favors. 

Mr. and Mrs. Holtze came to Tomah from 

La Crosse in 1931, at which time Holtze assumed 

management of the State Theatre. 

As the Marcus theatre interests here expanded, 

Holtze assumed new duties and is 

now manager of the Erwin which was built 

in 1947 and the Tomah Outdoor Theatre, 

which was built in 1953. The Holtzes have 

four children, a son who is a certified public 

accountant in Milwaukee, a daughter who is 

a student at Luther college in Decorah, Iowa, 

and two daughters at home. 

'Richard III' Is Failures- 

Early TV Run Blamed 

MINNEAPOLIS—There's no doubt in the 

minds of film folks here that the pretheatre 

release of "Richard III" to television damaged 

its boxoffice chances substantially here. 

Although highly lauded, the picture did a 

very disappointing business at the local World 

at advanced admission prices and was yanked 

after only nine days. 

Ted Mann, World owner, had bought it last 

year after its sensational triumph on video, 

but held back its presentation here until 

schools got in full swing this fall. It was 

thought the colleges and schools would provide 

heavy patronage for it. The 400-seat 

highly successful World was believed to be an 

ideal spot for the picture and $1.25 after 5 

p.m., instead of the customary 90 cents, 

wasn't thought to be out of line. 

In view of the fact that the University of 

Minnesota has a 20,000 enrollment and there 

are a half-dozen other colleges hereabouts, 

boxoffice expectations were high for it. 

Sure of 

Allied Sessions 

MINNEAPOLIS—It's believed to be a virtual 

certainty that the 1957 National Allied 

States covention will come here. Polled by 

President Ben Berger, North Central Allied 

directors expressed their desire to host the 

meeting. Berger said he's confident he can 

induce Allied directors to name Minneapolis 

as the 1957 convention city, when they meet 

in Dallas next week. 

Reopens Nebraska Theatre 

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NEB.—A. E. 

Thacker hacs reopened the State Theatre for 

weekends only. The theatre had been closed 

since spring. Thacker also operates a local 

bowling alley and roller rink. 

10 Retired Boothmen 

Feted in Milwaukee 

MILWAUKEE—About 200 projectionists, 

theatre owners, managers and associates 

gathered early Thursday (15) to honor ten 

retired "members of the booth." 

Each year, Glenn Kalkhoff and Oscar 

Olson, president and business manager, respectively, 

of projectionists Local 164, whip 

up some sort of affair. Casting about for 

an appropriate objective this year, they came 

up with the idea of honoring the veterans. 

The affair was arranged for midnight, since 

the projectionists on the late-hour shift had 

to be considered, too. So, promptly at the 

stroke of 12, the festivities got under way, 

with Harold J. Fitzgerald, Roy Bernier and 

Arnold Brumm sharing the emceeing honors, 

which took place at Machinists Memorial 

Hall. 

Fitzgerald retired about a year ago as head 

of the Fox Wisconsin circuit. Bernier, longtime 

projectionist and public relations man, 

now is associated with the Telenews Theatre. 

Brumm, in addition to family connections 

with the Ritz Theatre, is an executive 

with the E-Z Paintr Corp. 

Following a big supper, the oldtimers were 

introduced and in turn recalled some of the 

things which took place long ago. Presented 

with gold passes good to any theatre in Milwaukee 

were John Black, Bill Bodenstein, 

John DeLorenzo, Ed Meadower, John Jahnz, 

Joe Greene, Herman Trampe, Armour Langson, 

Jerry Washicheck and Rudy Willert. 

Greene and Chet Miller, both with 27 years 

of service at the Riverside, also were given 

gold watches. 

Opinions on the state of affairs and the 

quality of present-day films varied. Contrary 

to prevailing assumptions that the 

"movies are better than ever," John Black, 

68, one of the first projectionists here, said: 

"If you ask me, I think we had better pictm-es 

in the old days! What they're showing 

now is a lot of junk." Black started his career 

at the old Theatorium, the first nickel theatre 

in Milwaukee. Black was the first projectionist 

there when the house opened in 

1906. 

"In the old days," Black continued, "you 

needed about five hands. We had one projector 

that we had to grind by hand, while 

we were handling the light with the other. 

Today, the projectionist's job has become an 

automatic process." 

Because of an illness which has kept him 

at home, Black hasn't been able to see many 

of the newer films. "Nevertheless," he commented, 

"I watch television and run into 

many of the old movies I projected on the 

screens of various Milwaukee theatres. But, 

when they come on, I turn 'em off. Brother! 

I saw 'em enough when I was working." 

Black retired in 1953. 

Building Contract Is Let 

For New S. D. Theatre 

HERREID, S. D.—The contract for erecting 

a new theatre building here has been let 

to Funk & Opp, contracting firm from Eureka. 

The building will be 120 feet long and 36 

feet wide, constructed of lightweight concrete 

blocks. Representatives of the firm said cold 

weather would not cause any undue delay 

on the project. 

BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956 NC 67

D E S 

MOINES 

. . 

•The Warner exchange was closed here Tuesday 

(13) afternoon during the funeral of 

Herbert Blass, which was held in Minneapolis. 

His death was a shock to his many Pilmrow 

friends . . . Betty and Ralph Olson (DCA and 

Universal) attended the recent Iowa-Ohio 

State game. They went with a group of 

friends on a chartered bus . Mable Magnusson, 

Universal, also went to Iowa City by 

train to see the game and spend the weekend 

with her son and daughter-in-law . . . Evelyn 

Tellis, Universal, was back at her desk, recovered 

from a recent illness . . . Lou Levy 

held a second screening for "Everything But 

the Truth," new U-I film which Lou thinks 

has absolutely everything! 

Dave Gold, 20th-Fox exchange manager, 

had screenings for the Elvis Pi-esley picture 

"Love Me Tender" at both screening rooms 

on Thursday (15). The picture opens here 

the day before Thanksgiving and it is expected 

that teenagers will mob the theatre 

on their holidays from school to see their 

idol . . . Chuck lies, assistant chief barker 

for Variety Tent 15, has taken over the duties 

of Frank Rubel during Rubel's absence while 

he vacations in Florida. A meeting was held 

Monday (19) at the Standard Club and an 

election of officers is scheduled for December 

3, also at the Standard Club. 

Dorothy Pobst announces the date for 

the 

I

ji Distributor Threats 

i At Late Flat Rentals 

MINNEAPOLIS—Blind checking of local 

neighborhood houses on flat rental pictures 

has been resumed by some of the film companies 

here evidently on home office instructions 

and in the belief that the theatres 

have been getting by too cheaply on their 

deals. 

Worried exhibitors have been further worried 

by the distributor threats to discontinue 

such flat deals even in the cases of very late 

runs. 

It's a cause for resentment among these 

small theatre owners who insist they're having 

rough going under any circumstances and 

need an occasional ten-strike profit on pictures. 

An instance being cited by the theatre 

owners of a particular film company's alleged 

"unreasonableness" and "high handedness" 

concerns a picture that was played on 

a twin bill four days at a late availability 

local neighborhood house which has been having 

a difficult time staying in the black. The 

picture's rental was $35—the same amount as 

was paid for the second feature—and the 

blind check revealed a four-day $400 gross. 

The branch manager of the company distributing 

the top feature was furious because 

the rental was less than 9 per cent of the 

gross. Putting the exhibitor on the carpet, 

he angrily told the latter there'll be no more 

flat pictures. In vain the exhibitor tried to 

justify the rental on the grounds that the 

show actually cost him 70 per cent, or nearly 

20 per cent of the gross. 

Marcus, Iowa, Subscribes 

All Additional Stock 

MARCUS, IOWA—The campaign to sell 

additional stock in Greater Marcus, Inc., 

which operates the Marland Theatre, has 

been completed with outstanding success. 

With a goal of $5,000 set, the new stock sales 

totaled 

$5,400 and, an additional $97 was received 

in donations in small amounts. 

ITie theatre corporation, headed by Earl 

Davis, organized the stock drive to procure 

additional capital with which to liquidate 

mortgages against equipment. The corporation 

originally planned to furnish a building 

only, for a private operator to run a theatre. 

After several operators failed to make a go of 

the project, the corporation, in order to keep 

a theatre in the community, took over the 

business, assuming several thousand dollars 

in debts against the equipment. Much of the 

indebtedness was paid off, the monthly payments 

were too large to be met from the theatre's 

receipts, since payments on a building 

loan were also being made. 

Every bit of equipment in the theatre is 

now debt free and the corporation feels 

certain that the profit from the theatre will 

be sufficient to retire the indebtedness against 

the building. 

N. Loup, Neb., Upturn 

NORTH LOUP, NEB.—The Strand Theatre, 

which has been running on a four-day 

week, will remain open six days weekly during 

the winter months, according to Stanley 

Brown, owner and manager. Brown took 

over the theatre just one year ago, and reports 

that business has been good. North 

Loup, with a population of about 600, is located 

in the central part of the state. 

OMAHA 

tJeggie Gannon, operator of the Sky Theatre 

at Schuyler, reported that goose hunting 

was good around that area. He spoke with 

first hand information . . . Roy Warfield and 

Merle Hofeldt of the Gordon Twin Drive-In, 

South Sioux City, were caught in a howling 

snowstorm on the Missouri River. T'heir 35- 

horse outboard staggered under the weight of 

two hunters loaded with their limit of ducks 

and a cargo of snow and ice but took the men 

safely to land. 

. . . 

Walt Bradley, veteran exhibitor at Neligh, 

was home after a checkup at the hospital. His 

wife was carrying on operations at the New 

Moon ... A goodly number of exhibitors have 

been coming in town to see "Giant" at the 

Orpheum. Warner chief Frank Hannon said 

it probably will go out into the territory after 

the first of the year Hob Hirz, manager 

of the Cass Theatre at Plattsmouth, was still 

recuperating at home after a heart attack. 

E. B. Colwell, new operator of the theatre at 

Pawnee City, and his wife made their first 

visit to Filmrow and saw a screening of 

"Three Violent People" . . . Helen Elder of 

Fort Calhoun has joined the Allied Artists 

staff as booker's stenographer . . . Frank 

Janicek, 20th-Fox shipper, was hospitalized 

at St. Joseph's . . . The doorman at the 

Omaha said he had not heard such favorable 

comment in many moons as those by 

fans after seeing "Friendly Persuasion" . . . 

Paul Fine of Western Theatre Supply and his 

wife have been having the time of their lives 

taking care of their baby granddaughter Kim. 

Virgil Kula is now operating the Nance 

Theatre at PuUerton. Cliff Shearon, the 

former exhibitor at Fullerton and Genoa, has 

established residence in California . . . 

Dorothy Weaver, 20th-Fox assistant cashier, 

said she and her husband took a busman's 

holiday recently. They made short trips to 

nearby towns and at every place they went to 

see a motion pictm-e . . . Jan Vodicka, Warner 

cashier, reported that her father, John 

Starrett, was seriously ill at St. Joseph's Hospital. 

Axel Sorenson, exhibitor at Beresford, S. D., 

came to Columbia salesman Ed Cohen's 

rescue and loaned Ed a pair of overshoes 

when the Omahan got caught in a blizzard. 

Cohen's troubles ran in pairs. Shortly before 

he tangled with the storm, a car went off the 

highway and splattered a big brick gate pillar 

in his driveway. 

. . 

TilUe Becker, UA contract clerk, announced 

her engagement to Donald Cleal of Omaha. 

They plan to be married at Kountze Memorial 

Church in January . Pat HaUoran 

of Buena Vista, Jay O'Malin of United Artists 

and Glenn Slipper of National Theatre 

Supply made the special train trip to Lincoln 

for the Nebraska-Baylor football game . . . 

Visitors on Filmrow included Nebraskans Sid 

Metcalfe, Nebraska City; Howell Roberts, 

Wahoo; Mr. and Mrs. Dick Lysinger, Ravenna, 

and Phil Lannon, West Point; lowans John 

Newcomer, Shenandoah; C. C. Moore, Dunlap, 

and Dick Johnson, Red Oak, and South 

Dakotan E. C. Lund, Viborg. 

Variety Tent 16 has scheduled a stag dinner 

at the 11-Worth Grill December 3. On 

December 9 the Omaha tent will hold an election 

and dinner dance. 

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BOXOFFICE : : November 24, 1956 

69

I 

I 

THEATRICAL 

23,0 

MILWAUKEE 

Fave, Oconto, has agreed to introduce such 

a bill in the state senate to which he was 

.recently elected. 

MINNEAPOLIS 

n nita Colby has been visiting friends in this 

area. She is just as glamorous as she was 

back in 1935 when her beautiful face appeared 

on 32 covers of national magazines 

in one month. In one year, she appeared on 

the cover of 360 major magazines. She has 

modeled, spent some years in motion pictures, 

on radio and TV and was at one time 

an executive assistant to the head of I*aramount 

studios. She and a couple of other gals 

are now involved in selling a newspaper 

women's page service. 

The Tower and Oriental theatres, by special 

permission and arrangement with Ted Mack 

and the Original Amateur Hour, added ten 

top talent amateur acts to the regular 

double feature program. The finalists were 

auditioned by Ted Mack talent scouts for 

network ABC amateur hour. It was a tie-in 

sponsored by Merlin Motors and emceed by 

Jack Denton of station WISN . . . The West 

Theatre, Green Bay, is running a Cinema Art 

Series. The pictures are "The Ladykillers," 

"The Last Ten Days," "TTie Proud and the 

Beautiful," "Rififi" and "La Strada." Season 

tickets are selling for $3.40, with single admissions 

at 85 cents. 

Mrs. Barbara Hanley, who parlayed her 

first stint as a theatre manager into headlines 

recently, seems to have solved the controversial 

film problem for the industry in 

this area. As new manager at the Coronet, 

showing the "Game of Love" film for adults 

only, she apparently has hit the jackpot . . . 

The Towne Theatre did a land office business 

with "The Unguarded Moment," featuring 

Esther Williams as a school teacher. It 

being the week of the school teacher's convention 

naturally didn't hurt things either. 

. . 

An effort will be made soon to enlist the 

aid of the Small Business Administration's 

services in reopening one of the shuttered 

theatres in this area . The Wisconsin Federation 

of Women's Clubs in a session at the 

Pfister Hotel here went on record advocating 

a firm law which would sweep obscene comics 

and literature from the newsstands and book 

racks of the state. Assemblyman Reuben La 

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Tent 6 at Cleveland 

Renames Chief Fine 

CLEVELAND—Marshall Fine was reelected 

chief barker of Variety Tent 6 at 

general meeting held Saturday in the Hollenden 

Hotel clubrooms. Also re-elected were 

Dan Rosenthal, United Artists manager, as 

assistant barker and Jim Leavit of U-I 

first 

as treasurer. Will Dougherty of WJW-TV 

succeeds Milton Grant as second assistant 

barker. 

The new crew is composed of Irwin Shenker, 

Berlo Vending Co.; Irwin Pollard, Imperial 

Pictures; Leonard Greenberger, Shaker 

Theatre; Will Dougherty, WJW-TV; I. J. 

Schmertz, 20th-Fox manager; Jerome Safron, 

Columbia manager; Sam Weiss, 20th- 

Fox local sales manager; Dan Rosenthal, 

United Artists manager; Iêroy Kendis, Associated 

Theatres; James Leavit, U-I; Sam 

Schultz, Allied Artists manager; Henry 

Greenberger, Community Theatres; Ted Levy, 

Buena Vista district manager, and Jack Silverthorne, 

managing of the Hippwdrome. 

Delegates to the Variety convention are 

Fine, Jack Silverthorne and Rosenthal with 

Schultz and Dougherty as alternates. 

'80 Days' Detroit Opening 

To Aid Rome Boys Town 

DETROIT—The opening night of "Around 

the World in 80 Days" in Todd-AO at the 

United Artists Theatre will be a benefit show 

for Boys Towns of Italy, according to Dillon 

M. "Dee" Krepps, managing director of the 

theatre. Arrangements were completed during 

a three-day visit by Mrs. Julia Skouras, 

national chairman. 

Mrs. Skouras is the wife of George P. Skouras, 

president of United Artists Theatres and 

of Magna Theatre Corp., distributor of "Oklahoma!" 

As a result of the Detroit plans, a 

boys town will be built near Rome. Eight 

other boys towns are already operating in 

Italy. The ninth will be known as Detroit 

Boys Town. 

A strong organization for promotion of 

the new Todd-AO feature is being set, headed 

by industry and labor leaders. Chairmen of 

the ticket sales committee are Henry Ford II 

and Walter Reuther. 

Downtowners Plug Roads 

YOUNGSTOWN—Three first run downtown 

theatres, the Palace, Warner and Paramount, 

helped in the successful passage of an $8,800,- 

000 bond issue on November 6 to finance a 

metropolitan expressway program. The three 

houses showed a shorts film the week before 

election day, urging passage of the arterial 

highway measure. E. C. Prinsen, manager of 

the Palace; Jack Hynes, manager of the 

Paramount, and Frank Savage, manager of 

the Warner, all agreed that the bond issue 

would provide a much-needed improvement 

for the city. 

BOWLING 

DET'ROIT—The Nightingales went into a 

tie for the lead this week. 

Team Won Lost Team Won Lost 

Not'l Supply... 15 9 Amus't Supply.. 11 13 

Not'I Corbon...15 9 Altec 10 14 

Ernie Forbes 14 10 Local 199 7 17 

Top scores were: Ralph Haskin 212, total 

552; Jack Colwell 208, 550; Sherman Lambly 

202-200, 541; Frank Scheuer 200, 525; Francis 

Light 191; Edgar Douville 190. 

IBOXOFFICE : 


Martin G. Smith Affitms 

Theatre Future Bright 

By FRED OESTREICHER 

COLUMBUS—The testimonial dinner for 

Martin G. Smith, honoring his 43 years of 

service to the industry, was the highlight of 

the 21st annual convention of the Independent 

Theatre Owners of Ohio held at the 

Deshler-Hilton Hotel here last week (13,14). 

Twenty-two of those years were spent as 

president of the Ohio association, 19 of them 

in consecutive years, serving from 1921 to 

1923 and from 1925 to 1952. He is still a 

member of the board of directors. 

FYom 1944 to 1945 he was president of 

Allied States Ass'n. He started in business 

in Toledo in 1913 in association with the late 

James A. Beidler sr. He is still associated 

with James A. Beidler jr. in the operation of 

two Toledo theatres and has an interest in 

two others in that city. 

loastmaster was Abram F. Myers, Allied 

general counsel. Said he: "If there is one 

thing that stands out in Martin Smith's 

character it is his independence." Myers paid 

high tribute to his devotion to the cause of 

independent theatremen and the state and 

national associations, giving him credit for 

many of the gains made by exhibitors over 

the years. 

Said Mr. Smith in reply: "I wish I could 

live up to all the nices things you have said 

about me. You people didn't have to do this 

... but I like taking bows. I stiU think this 

is a great business. There's toil and strife 

and abuses . . . but I've never observed any 

business that did not have troubles. You can't 

make money without trouble. Patrons will 

HEADS 

DAYTON VARIETY—Walter 

Beachler, president of United Fireworks 

Mfg. Co., has been elected chief barker of 

Variety Tent 18 of Dayton, succeeding 

Thomas H. Ryan. Other officers include 

Harry Good, first assistant chief barker; 

Paul Swinger, second assistant; Sylvan 

Fred, dough guy, and Abe Rosenthal, 

property master. Board of canvasmen includes 

WUliam E. Clegg, James E. P. 

Sullivan, Grover Mitchell, Robert Gump, 

Robert Keyes and Roy Wells. 

ME 

come back to the theatres that deserve to 

be called theatres. This business has a 

bright future for those who stay in it." 

Glowing tributes were paid Smith by 

speakers who included Horace Adams, ITO 

president; Nathan Yamins, Boston, and 

Ruben Shor, Cincinnati, president of Allied 

States. Others at the speakers' table at the 

dinner included Ed Ornstein, president of 

Kentucky Allied; Irving Dollinger, New 

Jersey, treasurer of Allied; Burton Robbins, 

National Screen Service, and Jay Emanuel, 

tradepaper publisher and Pennsylvania exhibitor. 

GIVEN SET OF LUGGAGE 

Smith was presented with a set of luggage 

and a scroll signed by all delegates. 

During the course of toastmaster Myers' 

remarks, he unveiled colored blowups of 

Smith. One, taken when the guest of honor 

was a young man, was snapped "some time 

in the latter reign of Edward VII or early in 

the reign of George V," according to Myers. 

The other photo is a recent one. 

Congratulatory wires from industry leaders, 

friends and associates were read at the din- 

Delegates showed special interest in the 

Texteel "No Cut" seat bottoms display. The 

vandal-proof steel mesh bottoms are manufactured 

by the American Texteel Co., Bellefontaine, 

Ohio. The bottoms are used by 

American Zenith, Irwin, International, Heywood-Wakefield 

and American Bodi-Form. 

The Ohio Bell Telephone Co. had a display 

of its new automatic answering service. The 

new Simplex curved film gate was on display 

at the convention. 

Mrs. Elsie Loeb, loved member of the trade 

and Cleveland BOXOFFICE correspondent, 

was unable to attend the convention because 

of the illness of her aged mother. The convention 

passed a resolution extending "sincerest 

wishes for the recovery of her mother 

and the hope that next year our assembly 

will again be honored with her presence." 

VISITS AT CONCLAVE 

Manning "Tim" Claggett, Washington 

representative of the Motion Picture Ass'n, 

was a convention visitor. "Tim" was In Columbus 

last year, aiding in the fight to kill 

state censorship. 

Harry Schreiber, former Columbus RKO 

city manager and now manager of Franklin 

County Veterans Memorial Auditorium here, 

renewed friendships with delegates. 

Among women registered at the convention 

were Mrs. Martin G. Smith, Toledo; Mrs. 

Louis Wiethe, Cincinnati; Mrs. C. M. Boyer, 

Willard; Mrs. Edward Ramsey, Plymouth, 

and Violet Dane, Chicago, of Filmack. 

Judge Hoy Russell of Millersburg was chairman 

of the resolutions committee and Park 

Belden, Akron, was chairman of the nominating 

committee. 

Al Sindlinger, industry research analyst, 

revealed that he started his career as an 

usher at the State, Uhrichsville, Ohio. After 

graduation from Ohio University at Athens, 

he opened the Palace at Marion, Ohio. 


71

— 

— —— 

Martin G. Smith Feted 

At ITO Convention 

(Continued from preceding page) 

Peter Wellman, Girard, said his son 

Thomas is attending Ohio State University 

Law School in Columbus. 

Among the registrations: 

CLEVELAND 

Leonard Greenberger Louis Weitz 

Henry Greenberger Frank Mosek 

Morshall Fine 

Al Sunshine 

Horace Adams 

CINCINNATI 

Fred Barthel 

James McDonald 

Wayne Barthel 

Herman Hunt 

Joseph Lee 

Louis Wiethe 

Frank Muss jr. 

Elmer Shard 

William 

J. A. Conn 

Larry Huber 

Boracjk 

COLUMBUS 

Jerry Knight 

Al McClain 

Milton Yassenoff 

Fred Marzetti 

Walter Kessler 

Edward McGlone 

Fred Oestreicher 

Charles Sugarman 

Bernard Ginley 

M. C. Burnett 

TOLEDO-—James A. Beidler, Al Boudouris, Martin 

G. Smith 

GIRARD—Peter Wellman 

AKRON—Park Belden 

ZANESVILLE—C. E. Huprich, Dale Tysinger 

PLYMOUTH—Edward Ramsey 

MARTINS FERRY—Louis Eick 

BELLAIRE—C. G. Velas 

MINGO JUNCTION—Mike Kendrach 

ELYRIA—Marvin Fronkel 

MILLERSBURG— Blair Russell, Hoy Russell 

LORAIN—John P. Tender 

NILE5—Ben Braudie 

WARREN—Leon Enken jr. 

TROY—Chris Pfister 

PAINESVILLE—Harold Kay 

NELSONVILLE—Leiand Krieg 

HAMILTON—George Turlukis 

HARRISON—John Vlachos 

PLYMOUTH—Jay Brown 

DAYTON—William E. Clegg, Roy E. Wells, Robert 

G. Gump, Harry D. Good 

NEWARK—F. E. Price 

BUCYRUS—Olen F. Martin 

72 

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TIFFIN—Edward Soeffecool, Howort W. Shults 

WILLARD—C. M. Boyer 

UPPER SANDUSKY— Leo T. Jones 

EAST LIVERPOOL—Lawrence Black 

PORTSMOUTH—Phil Zeller 

BOWLING GREEN—Jack Armstrong 

MARIETTA—George Wolfe jr. 

NORTH BALTIMORE—Ernest Walter 

WOODSFIELD—Glen Fliehman 

VANDALIA—Fred J. Krimm 

OTHER STATES 

NEW YORK— H. Barnett, Jack Servies, Burton E. 

Robbins, Jim Naughton 

PHILADELPHIA—James Corriveau, Henry Rolnick 

CHICAGO—Dick Whetstone, Violet Done, Irving 

Mack 

WASHINGTON—A. F. Myers 

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.—R. L. Lee 

CHETEK, WIS.—Bob Gannnon 

TOLEDO 

Teather- jacketed youths evidently aren't the 

only trouble-causers in theatres. In 

Youngstown, two young women gun toters 

were fined $10 and costs for using their 

weapons in a downtown theatre. The weapons 

were squirt guns and the women were squirting 

water on theatregoers. They pleaded 

guilty to charges of disturbing the peace. The 

fines were suspended, and the culprits 

promised not to do it again. 

Milton Lewis, manager of the Princess Theatre 

here, left on a three-week vacation 

jaunt . . . Harry T. Breclc, doorman at the 

Paramount here for more than a year, died 

recently . . . Voters at Lisbon, cast their 

ballots in favor of repealing an ordinance 

which imposed a 3 per cent admissions tax 

on the local theatre and on high school 

athletic contests. The vote was 894 to 758. 

Buddy Nolan, who won a devoted following 

during the many years he played the organ 

at the downtown Embassy Theatre in Port 

Wayne, visited the home town while on 

vacation and presented organ interludes on 

Friday and Saturday (16, 17) during the 

matinee and evening shows. Nolan now 

makes his home in California . . . The Lyric 

Theatre in Greenfield has been shut down 

by the Ohio division of factory and building 

inspection because of noncompliance with an 

order issued to the owner of the building, 

Mrs. S. T. Gray, to make specified improvements. 

Mr. and Mrs. Paul L. Orebaugh had 

been operating the theatre under lease. 

The Colonial Theatre, in Akron, which 

boarded up its stage after a dispute with the 

APL stage employes union a year ago, and 

announced it would no longer offer stage 

shows, has made arrangements to bring road 

companies into the Goodyear Theatre. Shea 

Theatre Corp., which owns the Colonial, has 

booked "The Pajama Game" for the Goodyear 

Tlieatre for three days, with tickets for 

the show being sold at the Colonial. Other 

current roadshows are also being considered 

for the house, said Robert W. Rhodes, manager 

of the Colonial. 

Run Jonancy, Ky„ Theatre 

JONANCY, KY.—Mr. and Mrs. Burl Osborne 

have taken over operation of the Virgie 

Theatre here. 

Milt Zimmerman's Father Dies 

DETROIT—Fred Zimmerman, 83, father 

of Milton Zimmerman, manager for Columbia, 

died November 12 In Minneapolis, where 

he made his home. His wife and other chUdren 

also survive. Interment was at Minneapolis. 

'Oklahoma!' in Scope 

Tops in Cleveland 

CLEVELAND—With the available first 

run 

programs reduced to five from the customary 

seven, two outstanding pictures had tremendous 

weekend business with good followup attendance. 

"Oklahoma!" was a smash hit at 

the Stillman where it registered a very high 

300 per cent, while "Giant" in its second 

week at the Allen held to a strong 155 per 

cent. This, in spite of the newspaper blackout 

which has tied up all local dailies for the last 

two weeks. In the neighborhoods, "Bullfight" 

had a good 140 per cent opening week at 

the Heights Art Theatre, where a large mailing 

list supplements newspaper advertising, so 

that the loss of newspaper space was not so 

serious as it is to the conventional theatres. 


Allen Giont (WB), 2nd wk 1 55 

Hippodrome—Teenage Rebel (20th-Fox) 1 00 

Heights Art ^Bullfight (Jonus) 1 40 

Ohio—The Mountoin (Para), 2nd d.t. wk 85 

State—The Shorkfighters (UA) 90 

Stillman Oklohomo! (20th-Fox) 300 

"Giant' Dominates Detroit 

With 300 Opening Week 

DETROIT — "Giant" was off to a terrific 

opening at the Michigan Theatre but business 

generally started on what appeared to be a 

preholiday slump. The second week of "Oklahoma!" 

in Cinemascope, after 36 weeks of 

the Todd-AO version, rated 100. 

Adams—The Power and the Prize (MGM) 75 

Broadway-Capitol—The Killers (U-l); The Sleeping 

City (U-l), reissues 80 

Fox—The Unguarded Moment (U-l); Showdown at 

Abilene (U-l) 80 

Madison Rosanna (Jacon); Forbidden Cargo 

(Jacon) 80 

Michigan Giont (WB) 300 

Palms—The Man From Del Rio (UA); Flight From 

Hong Kong (UA) 100 

United Artists Oklahoma! (20th-Fox), 2nd wk...l00 

'Persuasion' Big Boxoffice 

In Cincinnati Opening 

CINCINNATI — The Keiths attraction, 

"Friendly Persuasion," set a new high for 

recent pictures playing in this theatre, reaching 

225. This indicated the picture will continue 

in the theatre for several weeks. In 

other downtown houses grosses were mediocre 

and new shows were scheduled for the pre- 

Thanksgiving week. 

Albee The Shorkfighters (UA) 100 

Grand A Cry in the Night (WB); The Amazon 

Trader (WB) 95 

Keiths Friendly Persuasion (AA) 225 

Palace Curucii (U-l) 110 

Ben Rosen Is Re-Elected 

Tent 5 Chief Barker 

DETROIT—Ben Rosen, manager of Confection 

Cabinet Corp., was re-elected chief 

barker of Detroit Variety Tent 5. 

Other new 

officers are William Wetsman, Wisper & 

Wetsman Theatres, and John Pival, manager, 

WXYZ-TV, assistant chief barkers; 

Milton Zimmerman, Columbia manager, 

dough guy; and William Clark, Clark Theatre 

Service, property master. 

Elected to the board were Irving Bellnsky, 

circuit operator; Walter Norrls, Butterfield 

Theatres; Joseph Lee, manager, 20th-Fox; 

Ernest Winstanley, WXYZ; Dale Silverberg, 

Doner Agency, and Pierre LaMarre, 

Cooperative Theatres. 

Ernest T. Conlon, former executive secretary 

of Allied Theatres, was elected first 

life member of the board. 

BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956

. 

CLEVELAND 

pd Shulman arranged to open the Westwood 

in Toledo Wednesday (21) as the tenth 

link in his chain of art theatres The 

. . . 

hypnotism act, feature of the Martin G. 

Smith testimonial banquet at the ITO convention, 

made a hit, especially when the 

victims included Jack Armstrong of Bowhng 

Green, Phil Enken of Warren and Ernie Walter 

of North Baltimore. 

Northern Ohio exhibitors seen at the various 

ITO meetings included Henry Greenberger, 

Leonard Greenberger, Marshall Pine, 

Al Sunshine, Jack Gertz, Nat Barach, 

Irving Marcus of Cleveland; Leo Jones, Upper 

Sandusky; Frank Slavik, Mount Gilead; 

Park Belden, Akron; Ed Ramsey, Plymouth; 

C. M. Boyer, Willard; Marvin Prankel, 

Elyria; Glen Fliehman, Woodsfield; Peter 

Wellman, Girard: Judge Hoy Russell and 

Blair Russell, Millersburg; J. A. Beidler, 

Abe Ludacer, Fred Lentz, Al Boudouris, Justin 

Knopp, Howard Schultz, all of Toledo; 

Jack Armstrong, Bowling Green; Phil Enken, 

Warren; John Tender, Lorain; Ben Broudy, 

Niles. 

Fritz Witteborg of the Grove Theatre, Columbus 

Grove, pulled out of Columbus early, 

bound for Green Bay, Wis., where he will take 

charge of a hotel owned by his brother. The 

Grove, open only on weekends, was left in 

the hands of a manager . . . 

Norman 

Wheaton, onetime manager of the Telenews 

In Cleveland, has been appointed manager 

of the State in Cuyahoga Falls, succeeding 

Ron Failes. 

Election Day was a big day for Walter 

Lastition of the SkyWay Drive-In, Warren. 

That's the day he became the daddy of his 

first born, a son . . . Carl Long has leased the 

Eastwood in Toledo, from Smith & Beidler. 

He previously managed the house for S&B 

. Duke Hickey, XJ-I publicist, has moved 

. . . Carl, 

from the busy outer office to a private office 

which is being redecorated 

son of Casey Wein, business agent for locals 

F5, B5 and B6, an engineer on the destroyer 

USS Cassin Young, is in the Suez Canal 

area ... J. J. Maloney, central division manager; 

assistant Charles Dessen and short 

subject sales manager William Zoellner were 

at 

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FILMACK'S!.\,Tt 

: November 

24, 1956 

Lou Ratener has closed his Montrose and 

Magic City drive-in, and will leave on the 

30th with his family to spend the winter 

in St. Croix, Virgin Islands where he is active 

in the real estate business. Before 

leaving, however, he contracted for the 

erection of a new concession building, complete 

with the latest cafeteria equipment, 

for the Montrose Drive-In . . . Charlton Heston 

was in town for the Thursday (15) opening 

of "The Ten Commandments" at Loew's 

Ohio. He appeared on radio and TV and 

in the theatre lobby. 

Frank Murphy, Loew's Theatres division 

manager, established a Saturday 9:30 a.m. 

showing for the duration of the engagement 

for adults who cannot conveniently attend 

the 2 p.m. matinee. The scale is $1.50-$1.25. 

Harold Kay, manager of the Lake in 

Painesville, won the top editorial spot in the 

Painesville Telegraph for his cooperation 

with the Rotary Club for a benefit show for 

retarded children, a project sponsored annually 

since 1947 by Rotary. Kay donates 

the house and aU services for the benefit . . 

. 

Those two blowups of Martin Smith unveiled 

at the testimonial dinner in Columbus 

last week, were made and presented through 

the courtesy of National Screen Service. 

COLUMBUS 

/ârl Scultz, former manager of the St. 

Clair at Indianapolis, has been named 

manager of the Uptown, downtown subsequent 

run house. He succeeds Donald Hooten, 

appointed manager of RKO Grand . . . 

The 

Indianola, north side neighborhood situation 

operated in recent months by Charles Sugarman 

as an art house, is up for sale or lease. 

Sugarman continues to operate the art World 

oak, east side neighborhood house 

formerly operated by Ted Pekras, is now 

being used as a meeting hall by religious 

revival groups. 

"Giant" opened to big business at RKO 

Palace . . . Loew's Ohio has booked "Lust for 

Life" for November 29. It was rumored earlier 

that this MGM feature might play a local art 

house . . . Maurice Jackson, WTVN disc 

jockey, was sponsor of a mass movement of 

central Ohio teenagers to the Troy (Ohio) 

Arena for the November 24 appearance of 

Elvis Presley, starred in "Love Me Tender." 

The RKO Palace here will play the Presley 

film soon. Jackson has chartered 100 buses 

which will shuttle the Presley fans to Troy. 

Jackson said he expects up to 7,000 patrons. 

Jackson said the venture is a nonprofit one. 

Lou HoUeb, operator of the In Town Auto 

Theatre in suburban Whitehall, is visiting 

relatives in Chicago and plans to vacation in 

Florida. 

Fox at Detroit Presents 

Benefit for B'nai B'rith 

DETROIT—For the second time in ten 

days, the Fox Theatre on Tuesday pulled out 

its regular show to present a special oneperformance 

attraction—this time a benefit 

show for B'nai B'rith, which virtually filled 

the huge 5,500-seat house. With seats scaled 

from $5 up to $25, the gross could be estimated 

at around $50,000 for the special benefit. 

Only a few days before, the house was host 

to Adlai Stevenson in one of his final preelection 

speeches. This is the first occasion 

in the memory of oldtlmers when this 

house was used in this manner for special 

public meeting purposes, marking an innovation 

in operation policy. 

"The Story of Mankind," a Warner Bros. 

CINCINNATI 

Invitations are out to Variety members and 

their wives to a screening and buffet 

supper in the clubrooms Saturday night (24) 

The screening at 8 o'clock must be limited 

to the first 80 people who make reservations 

with Helen Pollins, ME 1-1571, or the clubrooms, 

PA 1-3966. Those who caimot attend 

the screening may come for the hot buffet 

supper at 10:30. 

Frank Weitzel has added to his buying accounts 

the Charles Behlen circuit in Ohio and 

Kentucky . . . Theatre Owners Corp. is booking 

and buying for the new Riverview Drive- 

In at Hamilton, owned by W. A. Fraley. This 

new ozoner opened Thursday (15). It will not 

operate during the winter . . . Tom Hill of 

the Ernst Co., Covington and Florence, Ky., 

was confined to his home for several days 

with a cold. 

Ross Filson, president of the State Amusement 

CO., Point Pleasant, W. Va., left for 

South Dakota for a week of pheasant hunting 

Charles Bowles of RussellviUe, Ky., was 

on the ROW. Bowles informed the exchanges 

he is building a new drive-in at Beattyville, 

Ky. Other visitors were Steve Vradelis, Dayton; 

Manny Marcus, Indianapolis; Jim Denton, 

owingsville, Ky.; Walter Wyrick, Carlisle, 

Ky.; George Turlukis, Hamilton; Charles 

Williams, Oxford; Gary Jenkins, Beattyville, 

Ky. Many of the Ohio exhibitors were absent 

from the Row, as they were attending the 

ITO convention in Columbus. T'here was a 

large contingent of local exhibitors and exchange 

men at the convention. Among these 

were Mr. and Mrs. Louis Wiethe, F. W. Huss 

jr., William Borack, WilUam Onie, Vance 

Schwartz, James McDonald, John Vlachos, 

Herman Hunt and Robert Morrell. 

Wilbur Hetherington, UA booker, completed 

his second week's vacation . . . Pete Nlland, 

retired UA West Virginia salesman, visited 

friends in his former territory . . . 

Myron 

Klein joined the WB sales staff as sales 

representative for the Ohio and West Virginia 

territories . . . Eleanor Inkrit and Anne Keck 

of WB personnel spent the weekend in 

Chicago enjoying the sights Nancy 

. . . 

Ballard, Fox inspectress, resigned. She was 

replaced by Joy Kaufelt. 

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73

. . . Phil 

DETROIT 

0on McKenzie, owner of the Richard Theatre 

at Flint, has an informal letterhead 

on notepaper, with a musical note nearing 

the legend, "A Note From Don McKenzie" 

Final closing of the Plaza at Lansing brought 

nostalgia to oldtimers. This house went back 

to the very early days. The late W. J. Hall, 

owner, and his son-in-law, Harvey Devine' 

were known to have one of the most complete 

files of film reviews from BOXOFFICE 

in the state . . . John Langrill, onetime 

owner of the theatre at Prescott, now with 

the Detroit Edison accounting department 

and your scribe had a Veterans' Day visit. 

— 

RESEAT OR RENOVATE 

Professionol work on Seat 

Renovation—factory trained 

crew. Your chairs recovered, 

using Foom Rubber or New 

Springs. Metal ports refinished 

in Bal

— 

— 

— 

— — — 

f 

SW Chain Purchases 

Providence House 

NEW HAVEN—Stanley Warner Theatres 

has purchased the Majestic Theatre in downtown 

Providence. 

The Majestic, which has more than 2,000 

seats, was obtained from the Commerford 

circuit. The sales price was not disclosed. 

The acquisition will be operated as part of 

the SW New England zone, which has headquarters 

here. 

Harry Feinsteln, zone manager, said present 

plans call lor "extensive alterations." It 

was not immediately known whether it would 

be necessary to close the Majestic during the 

improvement program. 

The sale has been approved by the department 

of justice (15). 

The property was inspected by Harry Kalmine, 

SW general manager; Frank Damis, 

assistant general manager; Felnstein and 

James Totman, assistant zone manager, in 

advance of the closing. 

New Haven Film Building 

Purchased for $440,000 

NEW HAVEN—The Film Center building 

here, doomed for a new crosscity highway, 

has been sold for $440,000. 

The eight-story structure, also known as 

the Kilfeather building, was formerly owned 

by the Hofwal Co. of New York City. The 

sale was made to the state highway department. 

A major part of the local exchange district 

is housed in the building, which is 

scheduled for demolition in the spring. 

Among industry companies with offices there 

are MGM, Columbia, RKO, National Theatre 

Supply and Fishman Theatres. 

Filmrow will be relocated in a $500,000 

building which National Film Service is constructing 

in suburban Hamden. This site is 

expected to be completed by early spring. 

In addition to the Rim Center building, 

the crosscity highway will also wipe out the 

Paramount, 20th-Fox and U-I exchanges. 

Dayville, Conn., Residents 

Petition Against Airer 

HARTFORD—Some 450 voters in the town 

of Killingly, Conn., have signed a petition in 

support of a group of Dayville, Corm., residents 

opposing construction of a drive-in in 

the latter community. 

An application filed here with state police 

commissioner by Erwin Neumann of Woodstock 

indicates that the site of the proposed 

venture is on the west side of Route 12, 400 

feet north of the intersection of routes 12 and 

101, familiarly known as Dayville Four Corners. 

Under the state police ruling, any persons 

objecting to outdoor theatre construction in 

Connecticut may voice their arguments at a 

hearing here. No hearing date has been set 

as yet on the Neumann project, however. 

Son to Peter Perakos Jr. 

HARTFORD—Peter Perakos jr., 

son of the 

president of Perakos Theatre Associates, became 

father of his first child, a son. Perakos 

jr. is office manager and assistant to the 

general manager of Perakos Theatre Associates. 

Sam Goldstein Says 

New Films are Great 

Springfield—Sam Goldstein, Western 

Massachusetts chain president, is not a 

man to keep things to himself when he 

feels he has something to say, and recently 

he discoursed on the subject of 

old motion pictures and new television. 

If film fans want the oldies, they sit 

in front of their home screens, Goldstein 

said, and added that, as far as his 

chain was concerned, the public demand 

for motion pictures of yesteryear has 

dwindled to the point where you can no 

longer find it. 

"They can stay home and get plenty 

of old films for nothing," said the Western 

Massachusetts chief, whose organization 

is expanding its house holdings in 

this area, as well as in Vermont and 

New Hampshire. He also declared that 

any fear that TV would put theatres out 

of business has been dispelled as far as 

he and his associates are concerned. 

Goldstein takes the opposite view to 

some of the gloom hounds, who are muttering 

about "retrenching" and more 

closed houses, and says that the latest 

pictures are drawing capacity houses and 

that most places with which he has direct 

contact are doing good business. 

Several Conn. First Runs 

Shift Their Schedules 

HARTFORD—Operating schedules of several 

first run situations in Connecticut have 

been changed. 

Sperie Perakos, general manager, Perakos 

Theatre Associates, says the Hi-Way and 

Beverly, first run spots in Bridgeport, are 

now showing their main features only once 

nightly — at about 8:15 p.m. — Mondays 

through Fridays, with the co-feature screened 

twice, at about 6:45 and 9:45. Both theatres 

run continuous performances on Saturdays, 

Sundays and holidays, however. 

At Norwich, Conn., Ed Lord has dropped 

daily matinees at the first run Midtown, 

with doors now opening at 5 p.m., and continuous 

screenings from 5:15 p.m. The 

Stanley Warner Palace, same city, is no 

longer running matinees, either, on weekdays. 

Alfred Alperin Launches 

Italian Film Festival 

HARTFORD—Alfred Alperin has started 

a six-week Italian Film Festival at the Rialto, 

Windsor Locks, Conn., with Italian releases 

featured on Tuesday nights. 

Public response will influence continuation 

of the series, according to Alperin. 

Society or club reservations may be made 

with Alperln's office prior to the announced 

dates. 

Bookings: November 13, "Bellisima"; November 

20, "Little World of Don Camillo"; 

November 27, "Bread, Love and Dreams"; December 

4, "Maddalena"; December 11, "Riviera," 

and December 18, "The Return of Don 

Camillo." 

Back After Operation 

HARTFORD—Bernie Menschell, president, 

Bercal Theatres, Inc., has returned to his 

desk, following surgery. 

Another 'Giant' 250 

Scored in Boston 

BOSTON—For the first time in the history 

of the Metropolitan Theatre, a film's 

second week was as strong as its first. The 

film was "Giant." The second week included 

Veterans Day with holiday prices. Nearly all 

downtown theatres reported big business over 

the weekend. The two-a-day shows, "Oklahoma!" 

and "Seven Wonders of the World," 

each played an extra matinee on the holiday. 

The advance sale of "The Ten Commandments," 

opening I'uesday (20), was good. 

"Richard III," at the Exeter Street, had an 

auspicious opening first week. 


Astor The Solid Gold Cadillac (Col), 6th wk 110 

Beacon Hill ^Fantasia (BV), 6th wk. split with 

Rif ifi (UMPO) 115 

Boston Seven Wonders of the World (SW), 

nth wk 115 

Exeter Street Richard III (Lopert) 140 

Kenmore La Strada (Trans-Lux), 6th wk 90 

Memorial Tcenoge Rebel (20th-Fox); Stagecooch 

to Fury (20th-Fox) HO 

Metropolitan Giant (WB), 2nd wk 250 

Paramount and Fenway Friendly Persuasion (AA); 

Calling Homicide ( AA) 1 50 

Saxon Oklahoma! (Magna), 9th wk 125 

State and Orpheum You Can't Run Away From It 

(Col); He Laughed Lost (Col), 2nd wk 80 

"Giant' Scores High Mark 

Of 220 at Hartford 

HARTFORD — "Giant" proved a boxoffice 

giant at the Strand, opening with 220 per 

cent to pace all other local houses. The second 

week of "Private's Progress" at the Art 

took second place honors with 140, while 

third place went to another holdover, "You 

Can't Run Away Fôm It," in its second week 

at the E. M. Loew. 

Allyn Runaway Daughters (AlP); Shake, Rattle 

and Rock! (AlP) 90 

Art—Private's Progress (DCA), 2nd wk 140 

E. M. Loew You Can't Run Away From It (Col); 

Suicide Mission (Col), 2nd wk 1 25 

Palace Angels With Dirty Faces (WB); Crime 

School (WB), reissues 75 

Parsons ^The Lusty Men (RKO); Terror ot Midnight 

(Rep), reissues 90 

Poll Tension at Toble Rock (RKO); Finger of 

Guilt (RKO) 110 

Strand Giant (WB) 220 

Teenage Rebel' Leads 

In Providence 

PROVIDENCE—"Teenage Rebel," playing 

at the Majestic, rolled up a respectable 130 

to lead all first run houses. "Private's 

Progress," being screened at the Avon Cinema, 

reported 105 to gain the runnerup spot. 

No theatres were too far off the pace in a 

week that was highlighted by record-breaking 

cold and warm weather. Post-election 

business showed a slight upturn in all fields 

of endeavor and the subnormal cold did much 

to bring up boxoffice grosses. Many drive-in 

fans sought the comfort of conventional motion 

picture houses. 

Albee These Wilder Years (MGM) 90 

Avon Private's Progress (DCA) 105 

Loew's The Shorkfighters (UA) 100 

Majestic Teenage Rebel (20th-Fox) 130 

Strand You Con't Run Awoy From It (Col) 90 

'Run Away' and 'Doubt' Score 

Top New Haven Grosses 

NEW HAVEN—The two Loew's houses did 

outstanding business. "You Can't Run Away 

From It" was shifted from the Poll to the 

College for a holdover. 

College Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (RKO); 

Murder on Approval (RKO) 110 

Paramount—Curucu, Beast of the Amazon (U-I); 

The Mole People (U-I) 75 

Poll You Con't Run Awoy From It (Col); Suicide 

Mission (Col) 1 40 

Roger Sherman The Girl He Left Behind (UA); 

Rebel in Town (WB) 80 

BOXOFFICE November 24, 1956 NE 75

BOSTON 

lôri Krushen, UA director of exploitation, 

spent two days here on the new Clark 

Gable film, "A King and Four Queens." He 

visited the newspapers, accompanied by Joe 

Mansfield, local UA tubthumper . . . For 

"Shake, Rattle and Bock," Joe Levine of Embassy 

Pictures invited 70 local disc jockeys 

to a special screening, followed by cocktails 

and dinner at the Boston Club . . . Charles 

Kurtzman, northeast division manager of 

the testi- 

Ijoew's Theatres, was chairman of 

monial dinner for Walter Brown, president 

of the Boston Garden, at Hotel Somerset 

Saturday (17). The affair was a benefit for 

the Society for Retarded Children, which 

Brown has supported heartily. 

As Interstate Theatres Corp. did not renew 

the lease on the Conlston Theatre, Newport, 

N. H., the former manager, Ersley 

Blanchard, is now operating the theatre for 

the owners of the property. He is doing his 

own buying and booking. 

Martha Ferris Kenney, for 31 years secretary 

of the Boston Film Board of Trade, 

which went out of existence two years ago, 

is now secretary for District Manager Al 

Herman in new offices of Distributors Corp. 

of America (DCA), 50 Melrose St. . . . Joe 

Rathgeb, booker at Metro, was married No- 

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Boy State Amusement Enterprises, Inc. 

250 Boylston St., Room 306 

Boston 16. Mass. Tel. KE 6-5255 

vember 10 to Marguerite Mary Hayes at the 

Gate of Heaven Church, South Boston. A 

reception was held at the Meadows in PYamingham. 

After a wedding trip to Florida, the 

couple will live in Squantum, Mass. 

New England Theatres is no longer operating 

the Colonial Theatre in Haverhill. The 

theatre was sold to the Watts Realty Corp. 

of Boston, identified as a "holding company." 

The closing of the Colonial leaves only two 

theatres in Haverhill. One is the Paramount, 

operated by Zeitz Theatres of New Bedford; 

the other one is the Strand, recently acquired 

by Ernest Warren of Needham. New 

England Theatres offered the Colonial 

property for several months and at one time 

considered selling the rear section of the 

theatre to be torn down for a parking lot. 

The status of the Ctolonial at this writing is 

not certain although it is rumored that Zeitz 

Theatres is planning to operate it as another 

first run house. 

The management of the Beacon Hill Theatre, 

in playing the French film "Rififi," decided 

against using the original French version 

and substituted the "dubbed" version because 

of the excellence of the voice interpretations 

... To stimulate business at the second 

run Park Theatre, Fall River, 1,000 free 

passes were handed out among the various 

factories in the city. The management reported 

favorable reaction to the stunt. 

Francis O'Neil, for several years manager of 

the Paramount, Rutland, Vt., has resigned 

and is replaced by FYank N. Kelley, former 

manager of the Colonial, Haverhill, Mass. 

Both houses were operated by New England 

Theatres until November 14 when the circuit 

gave up the lease on the Colonial. They 

are continuing to operate the Paramount, 

Rutland. 

Joe Solomon of Bryn Mawr, Pa., pleaded 

guilty in Salem district court to presenting 

an immoral film, "Birth of a Baby," at the 

Middleton, Mass. Drive-In. Judge George B. 

Sears ordered the film destroyed and fined 

Solomon $1,100 for distributing the film. He 

also had confiscated 300 booklets pertaining 

to the film. State police halted the show at 

the drive-in after many complaints from parents 

and the public. 

Bay State Amusement Enterprises has 

moved to new office quarters at 250 Boylston 

St., room 306. Stanley Rothenberg heads the 

company ... It was over a year ago that 

Louis Sternburg was stricken with bulbar 

polio and was so critically ill that his life 

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lODERN THEATRE PLANNERS 

'Giant' Sets New Records 

Who 

are 

you? 

or 

or 

mr. in-befween? 

DOAOrrlCE — Nationally extensive- Locally intensive 

whoever you are, circuit executive, 

/ymn. . 

ja/wt.cJUi' 

drive-in or indoor theatre operator, booker 

or buyer, film 

salesman or equipment 

dealer, (and wherever you are) you will find 

it 

pays to read the Sectional 

Editions of BOXOFFICE. 

• 

In New England Houses 

NEW HAVEN—"Giant" set opening day 

records at four units of the SW New England 

zone. 

Grosses on opening day at the Roger Sherman 

here, the Strand in Hartford, the Warner 

in Worcester and the Capitol in Springfield 

established new highs, according to 

zone manager Harry Feinstein. The film is 

being shown at advanced prices. 

At the Roger Sherman, the WB production 

was seen by capacity audiences the first 

two days, a Wednesday and Thursday. On 

the third day, Friday, more than 70O wouldbe 

ticket buyers were turned away. 

Feinstein said that on the basis of early 

business, "Giant" will play all situations for 

two to four weeks. 

Gerald G. Graham Elected 

To SMPTE Governing Board 

MONTREAL—Gerald 

G. Graham, director 

of technical operations for Canada's National 

Film Board, has been elected to the board of 

Governors, Society of Motion Picture and 

Television Engineers, for a two-year term, 

starting Jan. 1, 1957. 

John G. Frayne, SMPTE president, in announcing 

Graham's election, said it was the 

first instance in which a citizen of a country 

outside the U. S. had become a governor of 

the society. 

J. Wilmer Blincoe Given 

Ky. Colonel Commission 

CENTRAL CITY, KY.—J. 

Wilmer BUncoe, 

western Kentucky exhibitor, has been commissioned 

a Kentucky colonel by Gov. Albert 

B. Chandler. Presentation of the commission 

was made at a joint meeting of the local 

Lions and Lioness clubs at the Greenville 

Country Club, Greenville, Ky., recently. 

Blincoe operates drive-in theatres here and 

at Owensboro, Ky. 

Discuss Reopening Plans 

LANCASTER, MO.—Although still at the 

discussion stage, plans to remodel and reopen 

the theatre here have been advanced by 

a number of local businessmen and other interested 

citizens. It is estimated that about 

$2,500 must be raised to acquire the equipment 

and put the theatre into satisfactory 

running order. The theatre would be operated 

on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday 

nights, with a free show on Saturday 

afternoons. It has been suggested that the 

needed money might be raised among local 

businessmen and that each person who makes 

a donation would be asked to purchase two 

tickets each week so that the theatre might 

keep going. 

Paul Amadeo in Hospital 

HARTFORD—Paul Amadeo of the Pike 

Drive-In has been a patient at St. Francis 

Hospital. 

Hartford Ozoner Shutters 

HARTFORD—The Canaan Drlve-In has 

closed for the season. 

New York television actress and model, 

Kathy Nolan, will play a leading role in 

UA's "The Trial of Benjle Gait." 

78 

BOXOFFICE : 

: November 24, 1956

t$16 

— 

— 

— 

Big Toll TV Future 

Seen by FPC Chief 

TORONTO—President J. J. Fitzgibbons of 

Famous Players Canadian spoke with enthusiasm 

here about coin-box television and its 

prospects. His comments followed the recent 

adoption of a policy by the Canadian Broadcasting 

Corp., the government agency, under 

which a move has been made to sanction 

small TV outlets to be operated by private 

interests. 

"Pay-as-you-see TV has a tremendous 

future," declared Fitzgibbons. "We know 

through surveys that if the viewer is offered 

topflight entertainment uninterrupted by 

commercials, he'll be glad to pay the $1 or 

so it will cost." 

Fitzgibbons was speaking with reference to 

the pre-pay system for which Famous Players 

holds a 25-year franchise of International 

Telemeter Corp. through the chain's subsidiary 

Trans-Canada Telemeter. Famous 

Players also holds a 50 per cent interest in 

private TV stations at Kitchener, Ont., and 

Quebec City. 

Famous Players also has stepped into the 

picture by applying for licenses to operate 

community antenna systems for subscribers 

at Kenora, Ont., North Battleford, Sask., and 

Vernon, B. C. In the meantime, the CBC 

has approved plans for privately operated low 

power TV stations at Argentia, Nfld., and 

Kamloops, B. C. They will use CBC canned 

programs. Other community systems, using 

cables into homes, have been established in 

various centers and require no government 

license. 

18 Barkers Nominated 

For Variety Tent Crew 

TORONTO—Eighteen barkers were nominated 

for the 1957 crew of Toronto Variety 

Tent 28 compared with a list of 21 nominations 

a year ago, according to Property 

Master Lou Davidson. Eleven will be elected 

and it is expected that Nat A. Taylor will 

move up to the office of chief barker in 

succession to Dave Griesdorf at the termination 

of 1956. 

In alphabetical order the candidates on 

the ballot comprised Herb Allen, George Altman, 

C. J. Appel, Joe Bermack, Ralph Dale, 

Louis Davidson, J. J. Fitzgibbons, jr., Chester 

Friedman, Paul Johnston, Dan Krendel, Larry 

Mann, George H. OuUahan, Ernest M. Rawley, 

Hugh Sedgwick of Hamilton, Phil Stone, Nat 

Taylor, J. A. Troyer and Jules Wolfe. 

Marcus Loew Adds Bonus 

To Quarterly Dividend 

TORONTO—Marcus Loew's Theatres, with 

head offices in Toronto, has added a bonus 

of $1 to the regular $1 dividend for the final 

quarter of 1956, both payable December 31 to 

shareholders of record December 7. The company 

operates two theatres in Toronto and 

one in lx)ndon, Ont. 

Famous Players Canadian Corp. has given 

notice of Dividend 91 in the regular amount 

of 37% cents for the fourth quarter of the 

year payable December 13 to common shareholders 

as of November 22, making the regular 

total $1.50 for 1956. The stock is trading at 

at Toronto and Montreal. 

IBOXOFFICE November 24, 1956 

Patrick J. Hogan Retires 

As Paramount Manager 

ST. JOHN—Patrick J. Hogan has retired 

as manager of Paramount's local branch. He 

was hired by the late 

S. R. Kent, general 

manager of Famous 

Players Laskey Corp. 

in January 1921 as a 

student with Paramount's 

sales training 

school in New York 

City. Prom there he 

i ent to Paramount in 

Toronto as a salesman, 

where he remainiid for 

nearly two years. 

Patrick J. Hogan 

In September 1922, 

he took over the St. 

John branch as manager and has been there 

since. Hogan is a partner with Famous Players 

in St. John, Nfld., where it operates the 

Capitol, Paramount, Star and Cornwallis 

theatres. He will continue in the booking and 

supervising of these theatres. Pat is married 

and has four children. He will continue to 

reside in St. John. 

Robert R. Murphy will take over the post 

of manager from Hogan. He comes from the 

Paramount Montreal office where he was 

manager. 

Heavy Birth Rate Reason 

For Big Airer Success 

TORONTO—In a review of drive-in developments 

for 1956, Clare J. Appel, executive 

director of the Motion Picture Distributors 

Ass'n of Canada, said that the country's 

heavy birth rate had resulted in extensive 

family patronage. Drive-ins are a boon to 

parents who cannot afford a baby-sitter. 

"They just pile the family into the car and 

off they drive," he said. 

The first drive-ins made their appearance 

in Canada in 1948 when 13 opened in Ontario 

and one in British Columbia and the 

list has grown to 231. Total gross revenue 

for last year reached $5,749,623. 

The breakdown by provinces showed Ontario 

had the largest number of drive-ins 

at 89; Alberta was next with 51. The remainder 

are divided among other provinces, with 

the exception of Quebec which has maintained 

a ban on car theatres. Total car capacity 

is 95,712. 

Toronto Circle to Start 

New Stage Show Policy 

TORONTO—The Circle, 750 seats, In 

Toronto's north end will soon cease to be a 

motion picture theatre and will reopen December 

27 with a stage policy under the 

auspices of Stan Jacobson of Premiere Productions. 

The first attraction will be "Uncle 

Willie," starring Sammy Sales. 

Before reopening, the stage will be enlarged 

to accommodate live productions and 

dressing room facilities will be installed. The 

Circle, which is currently showing the British 

film, "Private's Progress," has been operated 

for years as a unit of 20th Century Theatres. 

According to rumors, the Alexandra Co. of 

Toronto is negotiating for Loew's Uptown, 

2,743 seats, for the presentation of road stage 

shows, but confirmation is lacking. 

The screenplay for Warners' "The Girl He 

Left Behind" was written by Guy Trosper. 

K 

'Cadillac' Third Week 

Still Leads Toronto 

TORONTO—Holdover engagements were 

featured at nine theatres. The leaders were 

"The Solid Gold Cadillac" at Shea's for a 

third week and "War and Peace" in its 

seventh week at the Imperial. "Oklahoma!" 

at the Tivoli continued to be the long-distance 

champion at 30 weeks. 


Eglinton, University Teenage Rebel (20th-Fox), 

2nd wl^ 95 

Hyland Rebecco (20th-Fox), reissue, 3rd wk 100 

Imperial War and Peace (Para), 7th wk 110 

Loew's Attack (UA), 2nd wk 100 

Nortown The King ond I (20th-Fox), 4th wk 100 

Odeon Between Heaven and Hell (20th-Fox) . . . . 110 

Shea's The Solid Gold Cadillac (Col), 3rd wk 115 

Tivoli Oklahoma! (Magna), 30th wk 105 

Towne Lust for Life (MGM), 2nd wk 105 

Uptown The Rock (MGM) 110 

"Bad Seed' Is Top Grosser 

In Vancouver Opening 

VANCOUVER—The Armistice Day weekend 

was a tonic for show business, with little 

spwrt action currently. Midnight shows all 

did well and Monday was a big day. T'he 

standout newcomer was "The Bad Seed." 

"War and Peace" in its fourth and final week 

held well and moved over to the Strand to 

make way for "Giant." 

Copitol The Bod Seed (WB) Very Good 

Cinema 

Orpheum 

The First Traveling Soleslady (RKO). 

War and Peace (Poro), 4th wk 

Fair 

Good 

. . 

Paradise Fighting Trouble (AA); Secret of 

Treasure Mountain (Col) Average 

Plaza Huk (UA), Flight to (UA). . . .Fair 

Hong Kong 

Strand The Opposite Sex (MGM), 2 days Fair 

Studio The Extra Day (IFD); The Love 

Match (IFD) Fair 

Vogue The Solid Gold Cadillac (Col), 3rd 

wk 

Average 

Montreal Exhibitors Face 

Another Toll TV Threat 

MONTREAL—Local exhibitors have been 

loath to express themselves again on the 

question of pay-as-you-see-television cropping 

up once more from Famous Players 

Canadian Corp., the company which operates 

some 400 motion theatres throughout Canada. 

Members of the Quebec Theatres Owners 

Ass'n reiterated statements made at the 

recent hearings of the royal commission on 

broadcasting. At that time they stated 

through their president, Joseph Strauss of 

Empire Theatre of Montreal, that the association 

was "very much against pay-as-yousee-television" 

and that it would adversely 

affect their business. 

Generally, individual motion picture 

theatre 

operators say that the system, if ever 

allowed, would radically change the affairs 

of the private exhibitors and of the whole 

industry. 

T'he reaction in Montreal was "a wait and 

see" attitude. At Toronto, it was stated that 

coin-box television is ready, just awaiting 

official sanction, and that the most enthusiastic 

boosters of the pay-as-you-see plan 

is Famous Players Canadian Corp. The 

reason for such a stand is that Famous 

Players holds a 25 -year franchise for Canada 

on the system through its subsidiary, Trans- 

Canada Telemeter. 

J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous 

Players Canadian Corp., was reported as saying 

that pay-as-you-see TV has a tremendous 

future and that his company, through 

surveys, found that if viewer is offered topflight 

entertainments he will be glad to pay 

the fees. 

79

ST. JOHN 

ITeading the annual United Jewish Appeal 

dinner and drive here were J. M. Franklin 

and son Mitchell of the F&H circuit; 

Mitchell Bernstein and son Morty of the B&L 

circuit; Joe Lieberman, partner of B&L; A. 

I. Garson, president of Garson Theatres, and 

Sam Babb of F&H . . . Anne McMillan, 

assistant 20th-Fox booker, soon will take a 

three-month leave of absence to visit her 

parents and relatives in Belfast, Ireland. It 

will be her first visit since leaving there three 

years ago. 

Malcolm E. Walker has sold his Roxy Theatre 

in Shubenacadie, N. S., to Russel Hatfield, 

projectionist of the Garrick Theatre, 

Halifax, N. S. This makes the fourth theatre 

of the Walker circuit to be sold or closed 

in the last year . . . The Bernstein & Lieberman 

Vogue Theatre, McAdam, N. B., will operate 

on the last three days of the week only. 

The B&L Capitol in Hartland, N. B., and 

Capitol, St. George, N. B., are now open only 

on weekends. 

A mammoth stamp exhibition worth over 

$100,000 was held in the Admiral Beatty Hotel 

here by the St. John Stamp Club of which 

-

. 

f 

VANCOUVER 

After construction delays the new theatre at 

Pruitvale in the interior, which started 

in April 1955. was opened by the Premiere 

Theatre Co. It is a 390-seater and will be 

managed by Roy Winfield. The Premiere is 

the fruit town's first 35mm house. It was 

equipped by Perkins Electric of Vancouver 

. . . The 

Starlight Theatre at Qu'Appelle, 

. . . 

Sask, owned by C. D. Stranger, has closed, 

Dan 

leaving the town without a theatre 

Gunther is the new owner of the Lanigan 

Theatre, Lanigan, Sask. Former exhibitor 

was S. Bjnarason . . . The Oak, Brandon, 

Man., was sold by Cy Braunstein to A. Reider 

of that town. It Is a 390-seater and the only 

independent in the wheat community. 

Len Keen, former manager of the Odeon, 

Ladysmith, on Vancouver Island, was moved 

to the Odeon, Haney, in the Fraser valley, 

replacing Steve Allen, who now is in charge 

of the Plaza, Victoria . . . Cec Cameron, who 

returned from Hollywood after being in 

charge of a theatre there, is back with 

Famous Players and has been appointed temporary 

manager of the Columbia, New Westminster, 

succeeding Jack McNicol, who is 

moving to California after being with FPC 

for 20 years . . . Anne Thompson, who has 

been with Odeon circuit since it started, is 

the dean of women managers in western 

Canada and still is doing a toprate job as 

manager of the suburban Park here. 

The CBC has approved two western Canada 

TV stations, one at Kamloops, B. C, and 

another at Medicine Hat, Alta. This is in 

addition to the new TV outlet at Victoria, 

B. C. . . . Don 

Foli, Studio projectionist, is 

very proud of his son Lea, who is one of the 

most brilliant violinists in Canada. He is 

a member of the Vancouver Symphony and 

recently was a featured soloist at a Vancouver 

Symphony concert. He is 22 ... A local 

syndicate has taken over operation of the 

new LaSalle from pioneer operator Sam 

Lechtzier, who is the biggest operator of 

bowling alleys in Canada. Lechtzier still 

owns his downtown building for the operation 

of his theatre chairs and carpet division. 

Sam is leaving for Europe on a buying 

trip in December. 

Penny arcades and licensed drinking 

places in the theatre area have been subject 

to "organized visits" with the RCMP, which 

has seized approximately 100,000 feet of obscene 

film . . . First prize in the Yorktown 

International film festival held in the 

Saskatchewan city recently went to "The 

Shepherd," a Canadian-made documentary 

produced by the National Film Board. Runnersup 

were the Russian-made "On the 

Shores of Lake Issik-Kul" and a British production, 

"Heart of England." 

'Gun' Is Show of Week 

TORONTO—The latest show of the week at 

eight local units of Famous Players featured 

"The Fastest Gun Alive." The theatres were 

the Alhambra, Beach, Capital, College, Palace, 

Parkdale, Runnymede and St. Clair. One J. 

Arthur Rank group, the Danforth, Humber 

and the Cooksville Roxy, held "Guys and 

Dolls" for a second week, while the Odeon, 

Pairlawn and Colony showed "Between 

Heaven and Hell." 

Astor at Toronto Closes; 

No Reopening Details 

TORONTO—The 650-seat Astor, an independent 

house on Yonge street under the direction 

of Fred Fink for a lengthy period, 

has closed. A large sign on the theatre front 

expresses appreciation for past patronage 

and mentions a reopening, but no details have 

been made available. 

An organization called "Canadians for 

United Nations" had recently started a series 

of Sunday night film shows at the Astor with 

the screening of "Two Cents Worth of Hope," 

but further arrangements are not revealed. 

TORONTO 

Pwo representatives of the film industry 

have been accorded official recognition by 

the city of Toronto in the presentation of gold 

cufflinks bearing the crest of the municipality. 

One is Cecil B. DeMille, producer of "The 

Ten Commandments," and the other is Arch 

H. Jolley, executive secretary of the Motion 

Picture Theatres Ass'n of Ontario . . . The 

students at the Variety Village Vocational 

School for crippled boys are rehearsing "A 

Christmas Carol" as a special entertainment 

for the yuletide season. The performances 

will be given December 18, 19 in the school 

hall. Chief Barker Dave Griesdorf said installation 

of the 1957 crew of Tent 28 will 

take place at a dinner dance December 13 in 

the Sign of the Steer restaurant. Joe Bermack 

heads the committee for advance sale of 

tickets and the price is $5 per person. 

Ed Wells, former executive director of the 

Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Ass'n, 

was greeted by many friends when he visited 

Toronto's Filmrow following his recent serious 

operation . . . Manager Ken Davies and staff 

of the Odeon at London, Ont., were given a 

plaque by Steve McManus, Ontario district 

manager of the JARO chain, in recognition of 

courtesy and personal service provided by 

employes of the theatre. Incidentally, the 

stage of the London unit is being enlarged for 

rock and roll live performances November 

28, 29. 

A new member of the Motion Picture Theatres 

Ass'n of Ontario is William Keller, proprietor 

of the Dell at Durham, Ont. . . . James 

A. Cowan, a veteran of the film business in 

Toronto, has become a director of S. W. 

Caldwell, Ltd., which recently bought the 

Rapid Grip & Batten studio in the Queensway, 

which originated as a J. Arthur Rank 

Canadian producing enterprise. 

Tom McKnight, former Famous Players 

manager at London and Welland, is showing 

slow but definite recovery from injuries received 

in an automobile accident last summer 

at Welland . . . Al Iscove, recently with 

Canadian Paramount Pictures, is now a salesman 

for 20th-Fox here after a brief try in 

real estate . . . WUllam Redpath, long with 

General Films, Toronto, was bereaved in the 

death of his aged mother. 

Tent Theatre Slated 

TORONTO—A tent theatre with a capacity 

of 2,000 is set for Toronto in 1957, according to 

John H. Ring, producer and organizer, who 

was identified with a similar operation near 

Buffalo, N. Y., last summer. The tent is 

scheduled to open next June on a site in 

the northern outskirts close to Highway 401. 

RESEARCH BUREAU 

for 



The MODERN THEATRE 



Kansas City 24, Mo. 

Gentlemen: 

11-24-56 



the following subjects for Theatre Planning: 

n Acoustics 

Air Conditioning 

n Architectural Service 

n "Black" Lighting 

D Building Material 

n Carpels 

n Coin Machines 

n Complete Remodeling 

n Decorating 

n Lighting Fixtures 

Plumbing Fixtures 

^ projectors 

D Projection Lamps 

n Sealing 

^ Signs and Marquees 

Sound Equipment 

D Television 

n Drink Dispensers D Theatre Fronts 

n Drive-In Equipment D Vending Equipment 

n Other Subjects 

Theatre 

Seating Capacity.. 

Address 

City 

State 

Signed 


in obtaining information ore provided in The MODERN 


each month. 

BOXOFFICE : 


81

^? cstm^^âm 

MONTREAL 

T ocal and district exhibitors reported business 

generally picking up. The colder 

weather and more attractive programs have 

attracted better audiences, a survey showed. 

However, while grosses are increasing slightly, 

operating costs were also caught in a parallel 

upward trend. Personnel wages reflected a 

considerable upward tendency, as did taxes, 

licenses and general operating expenditures. 

Romeo Goudreau, well known as a film 

salesman for 13 years for Paramount, has 

been promoted to branch manager of the 

company. Goudreau is replacing Robert 

Murphy, who held the position here three 

years. Murphy has been transferred to St. 

John, N. B., as manager of the company's 

office in the Maritime province, replacing Pat 

Hogan, who resigned. Goudreau started as a 

poster clerk with Paramount in 1943. He is 

a resident of Montreal and father of three 

children. 

Columbia Pictures announced it will distribute 

during next February a science-fiction 

serial of 15 chapters, "The Monster and the 

Ape." It will be released to first run theatres 

. . . "Cinerama Holiday," at the Imperial Theatre 

here, entered its 33rd week at time of 

writing. The Alouette Theatre, situated near 

the Imperial and presenting "Oklahoma!" in 

Todd-AO, has been playing for 27 weeks. It 

is reported that the "Oklahoma!" run will end 

by Sunday (25) . . . The Ahuntsic, Beaubien, 

Cremazie, Passetemps, Electra, Laval, Villerey, 

Mercier and Vogue theatres here and the 

Palace of suburban Verdun, all affiliated in 

Poto-Nite, are currently offered $6,200 cash. 

Exhibitors visiting Filmrow included J. A. 

Aboussafy of the "Au Bon Cinema," Mont 

Joli; Yvan Morin, Prosper, St. Prosper; J. B. 

Jolicoeur, Opera House, Coaticook; Yvon 

Gilbert, Prontenac, St. Gedeon de Beauce; 

Maurice Duhamel, manager of the local Auclair 

circuit, and Joseph Strauss of the local 

Empire Theatre. 

OTTAWA 

T>uss Simpson of Renfrew, general manager 

of the Ottawa Valley Amusement Co., is 

in line for the 1957 presidency of the Motion 

Picture Theatres Ass'n of Ontario after serving 

for some years as a director and vicepresident. 

Before joining the independent 

theatre circuit in Eastern Ontario, Simpson 

had been Toronto branch manager for Paramount 

Pictures . . . "War and Peace" has 

completed its fourth week in Ottawa—two 

weeks at the FPC Capitol before being transferred 

to the Regent. 

When the British comedy "Geordie" opened 

at the Centre, Pembroke, Manager Don Dickerson 

had a detachment of the Second Battalion 

Canadian Guards parade to the the- 

. . . 

atre with its pipe band. The regiment is 

stationed at nearby Camp Petawawa 

Free shows for juveniles were presented 

Saturday morning (17) in the auditorium of 

the National Museum at 9:30 and 11. The 

feature was "Swiss Family Robinson." As a 

result of these free programs, local exhibitors 

complain they are unable to conduct morning 

shows in the theatres. Youths who go to the 

museum also fail to attend the afternoon 

performances at a theatre. 

Manager Ernie Warren, who had a long 

run with "Born Yesterday" at the Elgin five 

years ago, appears to have a repeat with "The 

Solid Gold Cadillac," held for a third week 

. . . Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent has announced 

the establishment of a Canada 

Council on Culture under government 

auspices with a fund of $100,000,000, the chairman 

of which is expected to be Brooke Claxton, 

a vice-president of the Metropolitan Life 

Insurance Co. No mention has been made of 

the promotion of motion pictures by the 

council as a form of Canadian culture. 

In its series of "Tonight at 8:30" performances 

every second Monday night the Odeon 

at Peterborough, managed by George Sheppard, 

had the Russian picture "Moussorgsky" 

as its latest attraction, all seats at $1. 

Val and Bud Mercier Plan 

Ste. Genevieve Drive-In 

STE. GENEVIEVE, MO. — Val Mercier, 

Perryville, Mo., and his brother L. A. "Bud" 

Mercier of Fredericktown, Mo., are planning 

to build a drive-in theatre near Ste. Genevieve, 

Mo. The only theatre in Ste. Genevieve, 

the Orris, 500-seater, has been dark since 

August 30. It had been operated by Martin 

Operle for a number of years. L. A. Mercier 

operates the Mercier Theatre and the Hi-Y 

Drive-In at Fredericktown, while Val Mercier 

has the Mercier Theatre in Perryville and the 

Hilltop Drive-In near St. Marys, Mo. 

''^M'W^BMS^^MM^W^MMM^^MM0M^^SS^M?MW}MMW^W^Mii?^^M^fMMM?i0lM^ 

BOXOFFICE reaches 

the 

I 

right 

" 

people... 

FIRST 

in Total Circulation 

(21,659) 

in 

CLASS A* Circulation 

(15,751) 

*Class A circulation counts tliose who make buying decisions 

in tlie exhibition field, such as theatre owners 

and managers, circuit executives, film buyers and 

bookers. BOXOFFICE has 5,061 more class A subscribers 

than the No. 2 film tradepaper. 

. and is read 

by more of them 

— by far — than 

is any other film 

tradepaper! 


: November 

24, 1956

^1 

'nil 

aii.r 

„..) 

• ALPHABETICAL INDEX 

• AD LINES & EXPLOITIPS 

• BOXOFFICE BAROMETER 

• EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

• FEATURE RELEASE CHART 

• FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST 

miimn 

• REVIEWS OF FEATURES 

• SHORTS RELEASr CHART 

• SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS 

• SHOWMANDISING IDEAS 

THE GUIDE TO § BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S - B U I L D I N G 

Deejays Go on Stage 

At Tender' Opening 

The Oriental Theatre in Chicago provided 

a special treat for patrons at the 

opening of "Love Me Tender," which introduces 

Elvis Presley to the screen. Seven 

of the city's TV and radio disc jockeys 

appeared on the stage, and later in the 

lobby for autograph signing. 

The jockeys 

were Jim Lounsbury, Eddie Hubbard and 

Steve Schickel of WGN, Jim Mills of 

WMAG, and Spider Webb, Reed Farrell 

and Patrick O'Riley of WATT. 

In response to an invitation from the 

B&K circuit, youngsters competed in the 

lobby of the Norshore Theatre in an Elvis 

Presley impersonation contest. It was such 

a successful event that B&K arranged a 

second Presley contest at the Marbro 

Theatre. 

'Commandments' Volume 

Available for Tieups 

Publication of a word-and-picture 

story-telling volume, "The Ten Commandments," 

in a direct tieup with the Cecil B. 

DeMille production, has been announced 

in New York by Gilberton Co. 

With a first printing of 1,000,000 copies, 

the paper-bound book of color drawings 

on nearly 100 pages is being put on sale 

at bookstores, newsstands, department and 

stationery stores and other retail outlets 

throughout the country. 

The inside back cover of the cartoonstyle 

volume is devoted to the film and 

carries photographs of Charlton Heston 

as Moses and Yul Brynner as the Pharaoh. 

The chapters in the Gilberton Classics 

Illustrated edition are devoted to Oppression 

in Egypt, Early Life of Moses, God 

Calls Moses, the Plagues, Exodus, the Commandments 

and the Tabernacle. 

The front 

cover is given over to a painting in full 

color of Moses on Mount Sinai receiving 

the Ten Commandments. 

Price of the book is 35 cents. 

Gives Away Fake Money 

When Nyman Kessler, manager of the 

DeWitt Theatre, Bayonne, N. J., played 

"Meet Me is Las Vegas" and "The Creature 

Walks Among ITs," he gave out a facsimile 

of money advertising that one picture was 

a "jackpot" of happiness, romance and joy, 

while the other was a "jackpot" of excitement. 

COPY FOR TEA' REWRITTEN 

FOR SMALLER SITUATIONS 

Midwestern Circuit Aims to Improve Grosses 

Noting that "Tea and Sympathy" is not 

doing the business in the small towns that 

it should, the Commonwealth circuit head 

office at Kansas City, has sent our rough 

sketches of several ads to replace the pressbook 

layouts. 

The regular mats are used with new 

copy. New copy suggestions follow: 

Teaser ad—CERTAINLY . . . THIS ONE 

IS CONTROVERSIAL!! It deals with a 

delicate and different subject . . . yet the 

artistry of the people who produced it . . . 

and the stars themselves . . . Lift This 

One Into High Conversation! 

Day before ad—SHOCKING? PERHAPS 

. . . YET YOU'LL WONDER . . . How this 

one was ever written! Here's a story . . . 

a very real story . . . that will bring forth 

strong comment . . . BUT . . you'll say 

. 

'Old Movies on TV 

Reprinted in Ad 

When Thomas Leonard, of the State 

Theatre, RhJnelander, Wis., received his 

copy of the November 10 issue of BOX- 

OFFICE, the first thing to hit his eye 

was a feature headed: "Watch Old 

Movies at Your Own Risit, Denver Critic 

Warns." The first thing he did after 

reading the story was to make a trip to 

the office of the Rliinelander Daily News 

and arrange to have the entire column 

feature reprinted as a display advertisement. 

The feature dealt with a column written 

by Thompson R.. Watt, radio-TV 

editor of the Denver Post, who told his 

readers that the reason TV viewers 

looked at old movies at their own risk, 

was that it took two and a half hours to 

run a 90-minute film with commercials 

—and besides "Movies are better than 

ever just as certain as This is 1956 and 

That was 1948." 

At the bottom of the column, Leonard 

added: "You are right, Mr. Watt. There 

is nothing to take the place of a wonderful 

new movie on a giant theatre screen. 

Why not take the family to the State 

Theatre tonight? You will be glad you 

did." It appeared in the hometown paper 

November 14. 

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : Nov. 24, 1956 

— 291 — 

it's entertainment with a WALLOP—^The 

Management. 

Opening day ad—THIS COULD BE THE 

MOST PROVOCATIVE MOVIE . . . You've 

seen in many moons ... for it 

was one of 

the most controversial stage plays ever to 

hit Broadway!!!! However . . . you'll talk 

about it, too . . . 'cause it's a delicate subject 

that turns into fine entertaiimient. 

The illustration suggested in all three 

ads is the woods scene—the boy looking 

at the recumbent Deborah Kerr. 

Teaserettes Offered 

By Filmack Compony 

Irving Mack announced Filmack Trailer 

Co., Chicago, has produced a new "Teaserette" 

trailer service, three frame trailers 

with art, hand lettering, star and scene 

photos from the picture, with an added 

selling pitch given by an offstage voice, 

which directs immediate attention to the 

screen. Major circuits are already using 

this service, Filmack said, adding Teaserettes 

may be used in place of regular 

trailer service, as cross-plugs, and for 

selling the picture well in advance. Filmack 

is out with a timely, fully animated Christmas 

Club film which exhibitors can sell 

to banks to advertise Christmas clubs on 

theatre screens. 

Photo Tieup Pays Off 

A tieup with a photographer offered free 

photos of children who came to the De- 

Witt Theatre, Bayonne, N. J., with one 

paid adult admission. The setup, arranged 

by Manager Nyman Kessler, provided 

several hundred sittings for the photographer 

and boosted theatre business considerably, 

as each patron taking advantage 

of the offer received a free color photograph. 

Car Gilt at Season End 

Bob Schwartz has concluded a seasonlong 

promotion at his Lake Drive-In, 

Waterbury, Conn., with awarding of a 

Packard car.

First Family Day Promotion Fills 

Paramount^ Seattle^ for Cinerama 

Promotion of the Cinerama productions 

stands out as strikingly successful 

in all situations where the process has 

been installed. Creative and aggressive, 

the Stanley Warner Cinerama Corp. 

program of advertising-exploitation 

aims directly at the selected, potential 

customers—special groups, students, 

teachers, etc.—in contrast to mass appeal 

ads, circulars, radio and TV 

schedules. An example is the first Family 

Day at the Paramount Theatre in 

Seattle, which was sold out week's in 

advance for "This Is Cinerama," the 

first production in the Cinerama process. 

Above is a view of the audience of 

nearly 1,400 members of the Puget 

Sound Naval Shipyard Recreation Ass'n 

of Bremerton, Wash., awaiting the cue 

from Don Holdren, managing director 

(left of the console) , to Frank Steffen, 

sound technician, to start the performance. 

Also standing near the booth 

is Egan Rank, manager of special services, 

who carried out the Family Day 

production. Warren A. Slee is manager 

of the Paramount. 

Exploitable Material in Magazines 

Audrey Hepburn as star of Paramount's 

forthcoming "Funny Face," is spotlighted 

in the November issue of Coronet. For 

two months before shooting began on this 

musical in which she co-stars with Fi-ed 

Astaire, Audrey studied with dance master 

Lucien Legrand of the Paris Ballet. 

During this period Coronet photographers 

captured the delightful pixie quality that 

has endeared her to millions of fans. 

will 

• • • 

A feature replete with full-color art 

appear on "The Ten Commandments" 

. in the November 27 issue of Look. Titled, 

"Mr. DeMille and Moses," the article describes 

how producer-director Ete Mille "retraced 

the prophet's steps in Egypt." 

• • • 

Some 196 secondary schools throughout 

the U. S. to date have requested quantities 

of the .special Seventeen "War and Peace" 

brochure designed to stimulate student 

discussion of the Paramount film based 

Leo Tolstoy's literary masterpiece. 

Seventeen-at-School, subsldary publication 

subscribed to by high school homemaking 

teachers, is promoting the brochure which 

offers a textual summary of the picture's 

technical and physical achievements. It 

also provides a pictorial recapitulation of 

Tolstoy's 1,500-page story, using stills 

from the production. 

• * • 

In a promotional "first" of its kind for 

the Ladies' Home Journal, the magazine 

in its November issue features "Hollywood 

Diary," Jessamyn West's story of her experiences 

during the filming of her book, 

"Friendly Persuasion," at Allied Artists. 

Miss West served as technical advisor on 

the William Wyler production which stars 

Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire and'Marjorie 

Main. 

Ralph Stltt, 

former Columbia publicist, 

has been added to the Filmack Trailer 

Co. staff in charge of theatre advertising 

and editing Inspiration, Filmack publication. 

Theatre Rented to Dairy 

For Halloween Party 

The Harris Theatre, Findlay, Ohio, managed 

by Bill Dworski, was rented to the 

San-a-Pure Dairy Co. for a Saturday 

morning Halloween show. The rental price 

also covered 100 window cards distributed 

to stores by dairy drivers, 750 Halloween 

masks and trick-or-treat bags, 2 000 gummed 

labels carrying a dairy ad and used 

on the masks and bags, the cost of the 

film show and personnel plus a little 

profit. 

The dairy also advertised in the local 

newspaper with a 60-inch ad and gave 

three plugs a day on the dairy-sponsored 

radio show. 

The theatre reserved the right to sell 

tickets to any patrons who wanted to see 

the show and did not have the necessary 

milk hoods, and the house made over $50 

in this medium and did very well at the 

concession stand, according to Dworski. 

In return, the theatre ran the dairy 

trailer two weeks in advance, plugged the 

dairy at the regular kiddy shows and from 

the stage and had a kiddy parade with the 

masks and bags, photos of which were displayed 

in the lobby later. 

For "War and Peace," Dworski had the 

Bantam book distributor place 200 11x14 

cards and 22x28 sheets carrying the playdate 

in spots normally inaccessible to theatre 

advertising. The cards and sheets were 

furnished free by Bantam books. In return 

the theatre ran a short trailer plugging 

Bantam books. Schools and colleges 

in Findlay and nearby areas were covered 

with study guides and coupons. 

Bulletins to Teachers 

Ballyhoo 'War & Peace' 

Two Syracuse, N. Y., board of education 

bulletins to teachers and principals gave 

strong recommendations to "War and 

Peace" when it played at Keith's in that 

city. 

The bulletin tie-ins were made by 

Keith's Manager Sol Sorkin. The first 

bulletin gave the opening date of the picture, 

the running time, and added: 

"From advance information that has 

been brought to our attention it would 

seem that this picture is worth calling to 

the attention of your sudents." 

The second bulletin, a week later, gave 

the same recommendation, the Legion of 

Decency rating and said that a special 

student discount ticket had been prepared 

for distribution to junior and senior high 

school students. 

Ambulance Tieup Used 

Manuel Lima, manager of the Newark, 

(N. J.) Drive-In, tied up with an ambulance 

squad to have an ambulance and 

crew stationed at drive-in before and during 

the run of "Diabolique." A sign placed || 

beside the ambulance read, "This am- ^* 

bulance will be waiting here at Newark 

Drive-In Theatre for you Just in case you 

can't take the thrills and suspense of one 

of the year's best mystery films, etc." 

— 292 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser 

: : Nov. 24, 19SS

" 

PUniNG OVER FILM IN 

BIG WAY ON SECOND RUN 

Roy Metcalfe Draws on Own Ideas and Skills in Extensive 'Alexander' Campaign 

At left, Roy Met- 

,-:i 

'^ 

LOOKING FOR 

Mil WORLDS 

TOCOHQUER 

XT ^^^R^ 

calfe Is shown in his 

Alexander 

costume 

peering through a 

telescope he set up 

in front of the Times 

Theatre. 

Right: 

Metcalfe, a handyman 

with a paint 

URI Afeancfer The Great 

WE HEVIR LOST A BATTLE 

brush, made up his 

own signs, using 

adaptations of story 

copy to fit the window 

and other tieups 

available. 

"1 

The problem of exploiting a picture on 

the second run level was soundly whipped 

in a three-point 

campaign used by 

Roy H. Metcalfe, 

Times Theatre, Cedar 

Rapids, Iowa, with 

his playdate of "Alexander 

the Great." 

"By the time a 

manager gets to look 

through a press sheet 

for his second run 

booking, most all of 

Roy Metcalfe the tieups nationally 

are no longer available to him," Metcalfe 

said, "or he finds that the merchants he 

must contact are no longer interested in 

a picture that has already played downtown." 

So, for his playdate, Metcalfe added: "I 

laid away my press sheet and made up my 

own rules that I would have to follow with 

a picture that had the cream off the top." 

As the three points in his campaign, 

Metcalfe adopted "the three great universal 

appeals—to the mind, the heart and 

the senses." 

For heart appeal Metcalfe used a postcard 

mailing campaign on cards sent him 

from a friend in Iran. For several weeks 

Metcalfe clipped the list of forthcoming 

marriages from the daily paper and had 

the theatre cashier, in her spare time, 

write the following message to the brides to 

be: 

CARDS ARE MAILED 

"Congratulations from this 

that has known great men like 

distant land 

Alexander. 

I know your Jim is the greatest guy in the 

U. S. A. and I don't know when I have 

heard of an engagement that is so perfect. 

When you return from your wedding trip, 

be sure to see 'Alexander the Great' Times 

Theatre." 

Using the same type copy, cards also 

were sent to a selected mailing list of men. 

The cards were wrapped and mailed to the 

friend in Iran, who stamped them and 

mailed them back. 

Metcalfe tied up with all 42 local barber 

shops through the barbers union and the 

shops printed guest slips (i'/axS'/a) to give 

their steady shave customers. Copy on the 

guest cards read: 

"TO MY CLEANSHAVEN FRIEND. 

Did you know that Alexander the Great 

started the fashion of beingr cleanshaven? 

He said a beard gave the enemy 

a handle to catch one by, particuarly in 

hand to hand fighting. As your barber, 

who thinks that you are great and only 

he can give the kind of shave you like, 

be my guest at the Times Theatre to see 

'Alexander the Great.' 

Each shop paid for the guest tickets 

turned in at the theatre. 

As appeals to the mind, Metcalfe set up 

an Alexander the Great quiz contest 

through the Coe College newspaper. The 

college is located just two blocks from the 

theatre. The last week of the contest, 

Metcalfe had one of the Coe students wear 

the Alexander costume at the college football 

game and hand out contest blanks. 

Gifts from parts of the world which 

Alexander the Great conquered were displayed 

in the theatre lobby under the title, 

"Alexanderama." 

The Karnival Klub TV show on KCRG- 

TV sponsored a coloring contest for smallfry 

and Metcalfe furnished first prize, a 

C. H. Greaves, manager of the Winter Garden 

theatre in Brisbane, Australia, places money 

in safe rigged up for a "To Catch a Thief" 

promotion. The safe, in the outer vestibule, was 

arranged with a buzzer and red lights spelling 

the film title, which sounded and flashed 

on when anyone came near. 

BOXOFFICE Showmondiser : : Nov. 24. 1956 — 293 — 

bicycle, which he promoted from a local 

store. A man in Alexander costume appeared 

on the show to talk with the Karnival 

Klub characters. 

"To appeal to the senses, Metcalfe tied 

in with Curtiss Candy Co. and promoted 

free five-cent Munchie's. These were 

handed out at the door by Metcalfe at 

the children's show on the Saturday before 

the picture opened. 

In a tieup with a pest control concern. 

Metcalfe had a window display centered 

by a big sign, reading: "Like 'Alexander 

the Great' we never lost a battle," etc. 

During the run of the picture, Metcalfe 

created quite a sensation with an impulse 

stunt in which he donned the Alexander 

suit himself, set up a telescope on the 

sidewalk in front of the theatre and invited 

passersby to take a look at Mars. 

TELESCOPE STUNT REVIVED 

A standee beside the telescope read: 

"Looking for new worlds to conquer. Take 

a peek at Mars," with a plug for the picture 

at the bottom of the sign. 

"It was just a natural," said Metcalfe, 

"to get the sign ready and stand out there 

during the break and ask people if they 

had seen how close Mars was tonight." 

All in all, Metcalfe said, cost of the campaign 

was Umited to $10 for the costume 

rental, about $5 on the cardboard used for 

signs, plus the postage on the postcard 

mailing list. 

Bob Tuttle at Lenawee 

One of the last special promotions at the 

Lenawee Drive-In north of Adrian, Mich., 

before it went under wraps for the winter 

was a stage show put on in cooperation 

with the high school kids, a sort of funfest 

with gimmick passes, crying towels, 

etc. Bob Tuttle, who started with the competing 

Sky Drive-In in 1950, sold out there 

to William G. Jenkins, his partner, and 

took over the Lenawee with Don Swenk. 

Free LoUypops to Kids 

Eddie O'Neill, district manager for 

Brandt Drive-In Theatres, gave away free 

loUypops to youngsters on opening night of 

"The Last Wagon" at the Portland (Conn.) 

Drive-In.

ENGLISH SHOWMEN TELL EM AND SELL EM 

WITH CEREMONIES, TIE-INS AND DISPLAYS 

Thisdisplay, in the lobby of the Regent at Chatham, Englond, features Heinz baby foods and illustrations 

and copy for "The Baby and the Battleship." It emphasizes that showmanship knows no nationality 

—you got to tell 'em in order to sell 'em. 

At a cost of £7-13-6d (approximately 

$23), G. Williams, manager, and G. Pemble, 

assistant, put over an adequate campaign 

in Chatham County Kent, England, 

for "The Baby and the Battleship" 

at the Regent Cinema, an Associated British 

Cinemas house. 

The comedy describes what happens 

when a baby is smuggled aboard a battleship, 

and parts of the film were filmed 

aboard HMS Birmingham, which at the 

time was undergoing a refit at Chatham. 

So the first step in the promotion was to 

arrange an opening night ceremony with 

officers and members of the Birmingham 

crew as guests. 

Sea Cadets formed a guard of honor at 

the Regent, Navy police were on duty 

while Admiral Sir Frederick Parham and 

staff, the Birmingham delegation and the 

mayors of three towns arrived at the 

opening. The local Chatham Observer published 

a photo of the distinguished group. 

The Regent showman also went after the 

baby angle and had lobby and store displays 

tieing in with the film of Heinz baby 

foods, the Marmet perambulator, and Johnson's 

baby shampoo. Also there was a 

display of sailors' imiforms and a nautical 

exhibit at the theatre, the latter of models, 

etc.. from the local Navy installation. 

Reports, with tearsheets, on the activities 

of Williams and Pemble Indicate they are 

managers who cheer a circuit supervisor's 

heart. Culled from the reports are the 

following itenis. 

For "My Teenage Daughter"—Two local 

girls in jeans and checked shirts handed 

out circulars to shoppers. 

"The Searchers" — Attention of the 

youngsters focused on this through a 

coloring contest (two western riders on 

horseback) in the local newspaper. 

"Viva Las Vegas" (Meet Me In Las 

Vegas)—MGM Pictures, Ltd., London, Is 

conducting a United Kingdom contest for 

a "Miss Las Vegas," with entries due before 

Feb. 28, 1957. The winner will receive a 

free trip via TWA to Las Vegas, Nev., and 

back. The Regent distributed plenty of 

booklets on this contest. 

"Yield to the Night"—Circulars, window 

display copy, etc., asked the question, 

"Would you hang Mary Hilton?" and 

asked the public to drop slips into a box 

in the Regent foyer indicating their decision. 

Art work featured star Diana 

Dors. 

"It's Great to Be Young" — Highway 

safety tieup on the title, 

A feature of the 18th birthday celebration 

of the Regent was the presentation of 

special prizes to patrons. The gifts, promoted 

from local merchants, were given 

by specially printed tickets affixed to the 

seats, with the name of the article printed 

on them. 

Two birthday cakes made by a local 

bakery, were presented to the youngest 

members of the nursing staff from All 

Saint's Hospital, Chatham, and the 

youngest member of the T. S. Arethusa. 

Big 'Tender' RCA Mailing 

One hundred thousand copies of a color 

display sheet on "Love Me Tender" are 

being distributed by RCA Victor to department 

and music stores in hundreds of 

cities as part of a promotion on the 20th- 

Fox production. Illustrated with a scene 

still from the picture showing Elvis Presley, 

the eye-catching display accessory, 

measuring 12"xl4", spotlights the availability 

of the rock 'n' roll singer's recording 

of the film's title ballad. 

Standard Materials Used 

An effective advance lobby display was 

arranged completely from standard accessories 

and production stills for "Unguarded 

Moment" by Howard Hlgley, manager of 

the Allen at Cleveland. 

Costume Contest Held 

At Halloween Party 

EHmer N. DeWitt, city manager for Mailers 

Theatres in Defiance, Ohio, gave his 

annual Halloween midnight show a different 

twist this year when he had a costume 

contest on stage at the Valentine 

Theatre. 

Each year the Defiance Lions Club holds 

a Halloween night parade, usually attended 

by about 10,000 persons. This year 

some 16,000 saw the parade. Since this 

provides a natural opportunity for a Halloween 

midnight spook show, DeWitt has 

always staged one. This year he invited 

all the costumed people to wear their costumes 

to the theatre and be judged on 

stage. 

He had three local people judge the contest 

and gave a $25 cash award to the winner. 

"Although we always do well on this 

midnight show," De Witt said, "this year 

was the best yet. Each patron who wore a 

costume had to buy a ticket just like all 

other patrons. However, they were given 

passes to a future show." 

'Reach for Sky' Grosses 

In Small Ontario Town 

Geoff Jones, manager of the Roxy at 

Newmarket, Ont., reports "great business" 

on a six-day run of "Reach for the Sky," 

which is considered very unusual in his 

small city of 5,000 population. 

Promotion was started three weeks in 

advance with a 24-sheet on the Roxy lobby 

wall and a 40x60 standee bearing newspaper 

clippings from U. S., England and . 

*« 

| 

Canada on the story of Douglas Bader, 

famous legless Canadian Air Force wartime 

ace. Goeff heard that the Paul Brickhill 

book from which the film was made 

was on the curriculum of the local high 

school and college, so he talked over his 

booking with the officials, with the result 

that picture news, etc., was broadcast to 

teachers and students. Many student parties 

and "scads of parents" later attended 

the Roxy showing. 

Film Titles on Floats 

The feature of a four-day third annual 

(Clarion County Autumn Leaf Festival in 

Clarion, Pa., was the Tournament of Leaves 

parade. Among the 20 floats, all of which 

had movie titles, were floats Somebody Up 

There Likes Me, The Man With the Golden 

Arm, Song of the South, On the Waterfront, 

Going My Way and The Searchers. 

Merchants held Harvest of Values sales, 

and events Included a square dance, pancake 

festival and pancake flipping race, 

free boat rides, airplane tours, ball and 

religious 

services. 

Spread on Susan Harrison 

Susan Harrison, who has just been , 

signed for a starring role in "Sweet Smell 

of Success" by Hecht & Lancaster, is the 

subject of a two-page color layout in the 

November issue of Seventeen. The film Is 

for United Artists release. 

a 

* 

— 294 — BOXOrnCE ShowmandlBer : : Nov. 24, 1M6

Has Built Annual Contest 

Into Major Town Event 

Manager Walter Bennett of the Capitol 

in Vernon, B. C, is reaping rewards from 

a community -minded project he launched 

ten years ago. Each year, Bennett stages 

a Miss Vernon beauty contest, with the 

winning entrant assured a trip to Van- 

^ couver plus many valuable prizes. In Van- 

' 

° '^ 

couver she represents Vernon in the Pacific 

National Exhibition. Until this year 

Bennett had been staging the contests on 

his own, but they have proved so popular 

that this year the Board of Trade joined 

in, putting up $100 as spending money for 

the winner while in Vancouver. 

The whole program takes about six weeks 

of planning and promotion. The Vernon 

(News supports the campaign with stories 

^ 

and pictures of the contestants. The competition 

proper is held on the stage of the 

theatre, with the mayor in attendance, 

and the paying customers doing the voting 

on ballots provided by the theatre. 

Naturally the house is jam-packed on that 

evening. 

Bennett this year was successful in promoting 

nearly $300 worth of wearing apparel, 

luggage and other gifts from local 

merchants for Miss Vernon. 

Patrons Are Hypnotized 

In Stunt for 'Bridey' 

Freeman the Hypnotist, a well-known 

Miami Beach mentalist, put on an evening 

stage performance and hypnotized a group 

of volunteers on stage at the Cameo Theatre 

as part of Manager Gordon Spradley's 

campaign for "The Search for Bridey 

Murphy." 

Freeman recently was awarded a citation 

from First Army headquarters for his 

efforts in military installations and has 

previously received several other Army 

recognitions. His appearance at the Cameo 

drew newspaper mentions and a photo and 

story in the News prior to opening. 

The Miami Beach Sun also plugged the 

"experiment" on stage at the Cameo. 

Spradley also had a spectacular front for 

the picture. Huge lettering across the 

width of the lobby above the boxoffice 

facing the street stressed the reincarnation 

theme. 

Movie Plug by C oi C 

Sal Adorno sr. of M&D Theatres, Middletown, 

Coim., had the Chamber of Commerce, 

scheduling new downtown promotion, 

include this paragraph in ads: "And 

while shopping downtown, you will find 

it convenient to do your banking, see your 

doctor, pay utility, insurance and other 

bills . . . enjoy food at downtown restaurants, 

or see a good first run movie." 

Pewee Gridders Are Guests 

Anthony Massella, Loew's Palace, Meriden, 

Coim., invited local midget footballers 

as his guests at a screening of the 

featurette, "Peewee Pigskin," featuring important 

phases of Meriden's junior football 

program. 

STOCK CERTIFICATE THROWAWAY HEADS 

NEW HAVEN CAMPAIGN FOR CADILLAC 

'MOlUWY-PAULDOyr.!/-. 

VALUES! 

Inspired by the Ox 

Signs similar to the above appeared at several stores in New Haven during "The Solid Gold Cadillac" 

campaign. The same tieup theme was corried out in ads and store displays. 

A stock certificate throwaway was a big 

feature of the campaign staged by Manager 

Sid Kleper for "The Solid Gold Cadillac" 

at the Poll, New Haven. Kleper had 

2,000 stock certificates imprinted, with full 

credits, and headed "$1,000,000 Laughs." 

Copy read: 

"This certifies that ... is the owner of 

1,000,000 laughs, redeemable when he sees 

Judy Holliday as the blond who gives big 

business the business and Paul Douglas as 

by two-inch header. The company okayed 

use of its front windows for two 15x3-foot 

streamers and its side windows for two 

8x3 -foot streamers. 

Copy on the streamers gave full theatre 

credits and tied in with the idea of "Solid 

gold values, inspired by the Columbia picture." 

Gold Paint and Foil Point 

the tycoon with Wall street to Wall street Up 'Cadillac' MarqUOO 

carpeting in 'The Solid Gold Cadillac 

In addition, Kleper secured the front 

window at Basche stockbrokers for a de 

luxe display. 

Since Judy Holliday, star of the picture, 

was at the Shubert opening her new stage 

play, Kleper arranged to have her crown 

the king and queen of the Harvest Ball. 

Several good newspaper breaks resulted. 

As part of the Harvest Festival parade. 

Kleper had an available gold Cadillac with 

a blonde model. The car was appropriately 

bannered. 

In the Elm City Clarion, Kleper offered 

a guest admission to anyone who had a 

playbill from the original stage hit, "The 

Solid Gold Cadillac." 

The Kane Furniture Co. ran a full page 

ad before opening, with an eight-column 

by four-inch header, and a half page concurrent 

with playdate, with a four-column 

Gold painted title letters hailed The 

Solid Gold Cadillac" at Loew's State In 

Syracuse, N. Y. The large Cadillac in the 

24-sheets was cutout and mounted on the 

lower part of the marquee letter panel. 

Manager Sam Gilman also covered the 

overhead banner hung from the soffit 

with gold foil making a scintillating background 

for the title. 

For "Bandido," Gilman used a six-pony 

hitch stagecoach with two pretty Mexican 

girls, in native costumes, as passengers. 

Balloon Up for '80 Days' 

The original balloon used in filming 

sequences in "Around the World in 80 

Days" was on display at Florida State circuit's 

Sheridan Theatre in Miami for the 

benefit opening of the film for Lend-A- 

Hand. 

Aid to Do It Yourself Ad Men 

A new pressbook feature, a "Roll "Vour Own-Do It Yourself" advertising mat, 

has been created by 20th-Fox as an exhibitor aid in setting campaigns best suited 

for local conditions. 

Appearing initially in the "Love Me Tender" campaign manual, currently 

being distributed to theatremen, the showmanship unit contains an assortment of 

poses of rock and roll star Elvis Presley, in different sizes, alone and with Debra 

Paget, plus assorted title lines and billing copy. 

In announcing the new mat, available through National Screen Service, the 

company stated: "Nobody has a patent on ideas or layouts. More often we can 

remember the smart theatre manager has 'rolled his own' and come up with ads 

that topped the New York smart boys. If you feel that creative urge, this section 

is for you." 

BOXOFTICE Showmandiger : : Nov. 24, 1956 — 295 — 

1

BOXOFFICE 

BAROMETER 

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 fire engagements are not listed. As new runs 

are reported, ratings are added and averages revised. Computation is in terms of percentage in 

relation to normal grosses as determined by the theatre managers. With 100 per cent as "normal," 

the figures show the gross rating above or below that mark. 

S?S'^^ 

3 S 

1 E

Feature productions by company in order of reieos*. Number in square is national release dote. Running 

time is in porentlieses. © is for CinemoScope; (% VistoVision; ® Superscope; Ki Noturamo. Symbol ii 

denotes BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award; g color photography. Letters and combinations thereof indicate 

story type: (C) Comedy; (D) Drama; (Ad) Adventure-Drama; (CD) Comcdy-Dramo; (M) Musicol; (W) Western. 

(Complete i(ey on next page.) For review dotes and Picture Guide page numbers, see Review Digest. 

ÊATURE 

CHART 

ALLIED ARTISTS | i° 

a Atomic Man, The (78). SF. .5612 

Geiie Nelson, Faith Domergue 

m Indestructible Man (70) Ho.. 5613 

Lon Chaney, Majlan Carr , 

O ©World Without End 

(SO) © SF..5607 

Hugh Marlowe, Nancy Qites

. 

. 

. W 

. 

. 

I 

Our 

. D. 

.D. 

. 

. 

FEATURE 

CHART 

. 

. 

. 

Th* Key to latter! and eombinotlonf tharaof Indicating story type: (Ad) Adventure-Drama; (Ac) Actlon- 

Dromo; (An) Animated-Action; (C) Comedy; (CD) Comedy-Drama; (Cr) Crime-Dromo; (DM) Drama 

with Music; (Doc) Documentary; (D) Drama; (F) Fantasy; (FC) Force-Comedy; (Ho) Horror-Drama; (Hi) 

Hittorlcal-Droma; (M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (OD) Outdoor-Drama; (SF) Science-Fiction; (W) Western. 

REPUBLIC 

20TH-FOX 

UNITED ARTISTS | ^. 

UNIVERSAL-INT'L 

»- ficz 

WARNER BROS. 

SS OCome Next Spring 

(92) D..5505 

Steie Cochran, Ann Slierldan 

GMagic Fire (90) . . . OM . . 5503 

S . 

Yronne De Csrlo, Carlos Thoiiipson 

Bl OMavericli Queen, Tlic 

(87) D..5507 

Macdonald Carey, Patricia Medina 

DTerrorit Midqight (70) . My. .5536 

Seott Brady, Joan Vohs 

@0n the Threshold of Space 

(96) © SF.. 605-6 

Guy Madison, Virginia Lelth 

V)OMan in the Gray Flannel 

Suit, The (152) ©..D.. 606-4 

Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, 

Fredrlc March, Mailsa Paran 

ORevolt of Mamie Stover, The 

(93) © D.. 608-0 

Jane Russell, Richard Egan 

©Mohawk (79) OD. 609-8 

Scott Brady, RIU 0am, 

Neville Brand 

©Hilda Crane (85) © D. .611-4 

Jean Simmons, Jean Pierre Aumont, 

Guy Madison 

©Never Say Goodbye (96) . .0. .5613 

iiock Hudson, Cornell Borchers 

©Red Sundown (81) W. .5614 

Rurv Calhoun. Martlia Hyer 

World in My Corner (82) . .D. .5612 

Dana Andrews, Linda (Slstal 

.\udle Murphy, Barbara Rush 

Sea Shall Not Have Them, The ©Touch and Go (85) C . . 5681 

(91) Ad.. 5606 Jack llav\khis, Margaret Johnston 

.Michael Redgrave, Dirk Bogarde 

Ghost Town (75) W..5610 

Kent Taylor, Marian Orr 

Patterns (83) D..5612 

Van Heflin, Beatrice Straight 

©Comanche (87) © W. .5611 

©Alexander the Great 

(141) © D..5621 

Richard Burton, (Haire Bloom, 

Fredrlc March (Prerelease) 

Timetable (79) Cr. .5609 

.\Lirk Stevens. Felicia Farr 

Broken Star (82) W..5614 

Howard Duff, Lita Baron 

Creeping Unknown (78) . . . SF . . 5620 

Brian Donlevy, Margla Dean 

Kettles in the Ozarks (81) . .C. .5615 

Marjorie Main, Arthur Ilunnlcutt 

©Backlash (84) W . . 5616 

Richard Wldmark, Donna Reed 

Creature Walks Among Us, The 

(78) SF..5617 

Jeff Morrow, Leigh Snowden 

Miss Brooks (85).. 

Bve Arden, Don Porter 

.C..515 

a River Changes, The (91).. D.. 513 

Rossana Rory, Harald Maresch 

m steel Jungle, The (86) . . . D . . 514 

Perry Ltipcz, Beverly Garland 

m 

Miracle in the Rain (107) 0. .512 

Jane Wyman, Van Johnson 

H ©Serenade (121) DM.. 516 

.Mario Lanza, Joan Fontaine, 

Scrlta Montell, Vincent Price 

a)®Ma\rtficli Queen 

(90) (g) W..5509 

Barabara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan 

S3 OZanulHiiiu (64) 0oc..5508 

Lewis Cotlow's African Safari 

gSOCircus Girl (S8). 

Special production 

.D..5506 

aODaiiota Incident (88) .W. .5510 

Linda Darnell, Dale Bobertson 

fS OThunder Over Arizona 

(75) (g) W..5511 

Skip Homeler, Krlstlne Miller 

JIOLisbon (90) (g) D..5512 

Bay Mllland, Maureen O'Hara 

3 Strange Adventure, A 

(70) D..5537 

Joan Erans, Ben Cooper 

ODaniel Boone, Trail 

Blaier (90) Ad.. 5513 

Bruce Bennett, Lon Chaney 

SJ Scandal, Inc. (92) 0..5514 

Robert llutton. Patricia Wright 

ilt Man Is Armed, The 

(70) Ac. 5538 

Dane Clark. May Wynn 

a Above Ui the Waves (..).D.. 

Jolin Mills, John (jregson 

m OWoman's Devotion, A 

(•) 

D.. 

Ralph Meeker, Janice Rule 

Si QTears for Simon (..).D.. 

Dtvld Farrar. JuUa Arnall, 

Darld Knight 

OCongress Dances, The 

(..) © M.. 

Johanna Mats and Oernan cast 

Qln Old Vienna (..) M.. 

Helm Boettlnger, Robert Kllllck 

O Accused of Murder 

(•) ® 0.. 

Darld Brian, Vera Ralston 

@23 Paces to Baker Street 

(103) © My.. 607-2 

Van Johnson, Vera Mites 

©Proud Ones. The (94) ©.W. .610-6 

Robert Ryan, Virginia Mayo 

©D-Day the 6th of June 

(106) © D.. 612-2 

Robert Taylor, Dana Wynter, 

Kdmond O'Brien, Richard Todd 

©Abdullah's Harem (88) .CO. .6U-0 

Gregory Ratoff, Kay Kendall 

©Massacre (76) W.. 614-8 

Dana Clark, Marta Roth 

«^©King and I, The 

(133) ©55 DM.. 615-5 

Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner 

(Special engagements) 

Barefoot Battalion (63) ... D. .617-1 

Maria Costl, N'lcos Fermas 

(Reriewed 5-6-64) 

©Bigger Than Life (95) ©..620-5 

James Mason, Barbara Rush 

©Queen of Babylon (100). .0. .616-3 

Rhonda Fleming, Rlcardo Montalban 

©Bus Stop (96) © C. 618-9 

.Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, 

Arthur O'Connell, Eileen Heckert 

©Last Wagon, The 

(109) © W.. 619-7 

Richard Wldmark, Felicia Farr 

©Best Things in Life Are 

Free, The (104) ©..M.. 625-4 

(^rdon MacRae. Ernest Borgnlne, 

Sheree North. Dan Dalley 

©Between Heaven and Hell 

(94) © D.. 621-3 

Robert Wagner, Cameron Mitcbell 

Stagecoach to Fury (76) (g.W. .623-9 

Forrest Tucker, Marl Blanchard 

Teenage Rebel (94) ©.CO.. 622-1 

Ginger Rogers, Michael Rcnnle 

Love Me Tender (94) ©.00. 624-7 

Richard Egan, I>ebra Paget, 

Blvls Presley 

©Oklahoma! (105) © H.. 

Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones 

Desperadoes Are in Town, 

The (72) ® W. 

Robert Arthur , Kathy Nolan 

Black Whip, The (..) ©^WT! 

Hugh Marlowe, Coleon Gray 

©Anastaiia (..) © D.. 

Ingrld Bergman, Yul Brynner 

©Girl Can't Help It, 

The(..) © 

M.. 

Torn Bweil, Jayne Mansfield 

©Oasis (. .) ® D. 

Mlchele Morgan, Cornell Borcbers 

Women of Pitcalrn It. (. ).D. 

©Seawife © D . 

Itlchard Burton, Joan Collins 

Crime Against Joe (69) . .My. .5615 

John Bromrietd, Julie London 

©Quincannon, Frontier Scout 

(S3) 

W..5616 

Tuny Maitln, Peggie Castle 

©Foreign Intrigue (100) . .0. .5626 

Robert Mitchum, Genevieve Page 

Unidentified Flying Objects 

(91) Doc. 5625 

©Kiss Before Dying (90) © D. .5622 

Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter 

Nightmare (89) D..5627 

iJdw. G. itoblnson, Kevin McCarthy 

©Star of India (84) Ad. .5623 

Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace 

Black Sleep, The (S3). .. .Ho. .5617 

Basil iiathbone, Bela Lugost 

Shadow of Fear (76) . . . .My. .5630 

Mona Freeman, Maxwell Reed 

©Trapeze (105) © D..5629 

Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, 

Gina Loliobrigida, Katy Jurado 

Johnny Concho (86) W..5631 

Frank Sinatra, Phyllis Kirk 

Killing, The (83) Cr..5624 

Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray 

Rebel in Town (78) W. .5618 

John Payne, Ruth Roman 

Emergency Hospital (62) . . .0. .5619 

Margaret Lindsay, Walter Reed 

Hot Cars (60) Ac. .5636 

John Bromfield. Joi L,ansing 

©Huk (88) D..5635 

George .Montgomery, Mona Freeman 

©Run for the Sun (98) ©.Ad. .5633 

Richard Wldmark, Jane Greer 

©Beast of Hollow Mt. 

(80) © Ho.. 5637 

©Ambassador's Daughter, The 

(102) © CO.. 5632 

Olivia de Havlliand, J. Forsythe 

©Bandido (91) © Ad.. 5634 

Robert Mitchum, Ursula Thless 

Gun Brothers (79) W. .5638 

Buster Crabbe. Ann Robinson 

Boss. The (87) D . . 5641 

John Payne, William Bishop 

Attack! (106) D..5640 

Jack Palance, Eddie Albert 

Flight to Hong Kong (88) . . D . . 5639 

Rory Calhoun. Barbara Rush 

. 5643 

Man from Del Rio (85) . 

Anthony Quinn, Katy Jurado 

©Sharkfighters (73) ©..Ad.. 5644 

Victor Mature, ICaren Steele 

©Running Target (..).... D. .5642 

Arthur Franz, Doris Dowllng 

Peacemaker (83) W..5646 

©Revolt at FL Laramie 

(..) W..5647 

Gregg Palmer, Frances Helm 

Gun the Man Down (78) . .W. .5645 

James Arness, Angle Dickinson 

Anthony QuInn, Carol Ohmart 

Hinky Dinky Parity Vms C. 

Five Steps to Danger My. .Jan 

Mickey Rooney, Wally Cm 

Sterling Hayden, Ruth Roman 

Man in Question, The D . ©Boy on a Dolphin ® 0. Big Boodle, The Ad.. Jan 

Ella Raines. Derek Farr 

Clifton Webb, Alan Udd, 

Errol Flynn, Rossana Rory 

OOsccola OD . Sophia Loreii 

©Monte Carlo Story CD . . Jan 

Jaaea Craig, UU Milan 

©Island in the Sun © D.. Marlene Dietrich, Vlttorlo D« Slca 

Affair in Reno D . James .Masion, Joan Fontaine, Crime of Passion D . 

Jolin Lund, Doris Singleton 

Dorothy Dandrldge, Harry Belafonte Barbara StanwTCk, Sterling Hayden 

Duel at Apache Wells (g) W. ©Restless Breed, The W.. ©Pride and the Passion ® D. 

Ben Cwjper. Anna Marta Albwgbettl Scott Brady, Anne Bancroft 

Cary Grant, Sophia Loren 

Hell's Crosiroadi 'g . ©True Story of Jess* James, 

Haiiiday Brand. The W.. 

Stephen McNally, Peggie Caatle 

The © D. Joseph Cotten. Vlveca Undfors 

®S«ollcri of the Fornt (g) OD. Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter 12 Angry Men D. 

Vera Ralston, Rod Cameron 

Three Brave Men © D.. Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb 

Ray Mllland, Ernwt Borgnlne Bachelor Party D . 

©Heaven Known, Mr. Ailiion 

I ton Murray, Carolyn Jonei 

© 0.. Showdown Creek W . 

Deborah Kerr, Robert MItchun John Derek, Carolm Craig 

. 

©King & Four Queens 

(..) W.. 

Clark Gable, Eleanor Parker 

Dance With Me, Henry (..).C.. 

Bud Abbott, Lou Costello 

Wild Party ( . . ) D . 

Price of Fear, The (79) .... D . . 5618 

Merle Uberon, Lex Barker 

©Day of Fury, A (78) W. .5619 

Dale Robertson, Mara Corday, 

Jock Mahoney 

©Star in the Dust (80) . . 

Jolin Agar, Mamie Van Doren 

Outside the Law (81) Cr..5621 

Ray Danton, Leigh Snowden 

©Rawhide Years, The (85). W. .5622 

Tony Curtis, Colleen Miller 

©Congo Crossing (87) Ad.. 5623 

Geo. ge Nader, Virginia Mayo 

©Toy Tiger (88) CD. .5624 

Jeff Cliandler, Tim Hovpy 

Behind the High Wail (8S).D..5629 

Tom Tully, Sylvia Sidney 

©Simon and Laura (91) ®.C..56S2 

Peter Finch, Kay Kendall 

Francis in the Haunted House 

(80) C..5625 

Mickey Rooney, Virginia Welles 

©Away All Boats (114) ®.D..5626 

Jeff Chandler, George Nader 

©Walk the Proud Land 

(88) © W..5627 

Audie Murphy, Anne Bancroft 

©Raw Edge (76) 0D..562S 

I've 

Rory Calhoun, Yvonne De Carlo 

Lived Before (82) . . . . D . .5632 

Jock Mahoney, Leigh Snowden 

Edge of Hell (76) D..5633 

(Rev. as 'Tender Hearts" 2-26-55) 

Hugh Haas, Francesca de Scaffa 

©Pillars of the Sky 

(94) © 0D..5630 

Jeff Chandler, Dorothy Malone 

©Showdown at Abilene (80) .W. .5631 

Jock Maiioney, Martha Hyer 

©Unguarded Moment, The 

(95) D..5701 

Esther Williams, George Nader 

Mole People, The (78) . . . Ho. .5702 

John Agar, Cynthia Patrick 

©Curucu, Beast of the 

Amazon (76) Ho. .5703 

John Bromfield, Beverly Garland 

©Everything But the Truth 

(83) CD.. 5704 

Maureen O'Hara, John Forsytbe, 

llm llovey 

©Written on the Wind D..Jan 

Rock Ibidson, Lauren Bacall 

Dorotby Malone, Robert Stack 

©Four Girls in Town © D.Jan 

George Nader, Julie Adams 

Rock, Pretty Baby M..Jan 

Sal Minco, Jolin Baion 

Great Man, The D..Feb 

Jose Ferrer, Julie London 

©Istanbul ® Ad.. Feb 

Errol Flynn, Cornell Borchers 

©Gun for a Coward ©....W.Mar 

Frod MacMurray, Jeffrey Hnnler 

©Battle Hymn © O.Mar 

Rock Hudson. Martha Hyer. 

Dan ittiryea. Anna Kashfi 

©Mister Cory © O.Mar 

Tony Curtis. .Martha Hyer 

. 

E Goodbye. My Lady (95) . 

.517 

Brando de Wilde, Walter Brennan 

©Searchers. The (119) ®.. 00.. 518 

John Wayne, .Natalie Wood, 

Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles 

. . OD. .521 

g] As Long as You're Near Me 

(101) D..519 

0. W. Fischer, Maria Schcll 

©Animal World (82) Doc . . . 520 

a 

Nature feature (photography plus 

animation) 

IS ©Moby Dick (116) . 

Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, 

Leo Gcnn, Orson Welles 

(Special fngagements only) 

[g ©Santiago (93) Ad . . 

524 

Alan I^dd. Rossana Podesta, 

Lloyd Nolan 

M 

Satellite in the Sky 

(85) © SF..525 

Kieron Moore, Lois Maxwell, 

Donald Wolflt 

VI ©Seven Men From Now 

- 

(78) W..526 

Randolph Scott, Gail Russell 

m ©Burning Hills, The 

(94) © W..601 

Tab Hunter, Natalie Wood 

©Amazon Trader. The 

'in 

(43) Featurette 4910 

. . 

John Sutton, Marte Fernanda 

mCry in the Night, A (75). D.. 602 

Fximond O'Brien. Natalie Wood 

H Bad Seed, The (127) .603 

. 

Nancy Kelly. Patty McCormack 

m 

i ©Toward the Unknown 

(115) 0-«'4 

William Holden, Virginia Lelth 

Girl He Left Behind, The 

(103) C..605 

Tab Hunter, NaUUe Wood 

S ©Giant (195) D..606 

Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, 

James Dean, Jane Withers 

Baby Doll ( ) D • 

Karl 

. 

Maiden, Carroll Baker, 

Ell Wallach, Mildred Dunnock 

©Spirit of St. Louis © 0.. 

James Stewart, Siielia Bond 

©Buffalo Grass W.. 

Alan Udd, Virginia Mayo 

Wrong Man, The 0- • 

Henry Fonda. Vera Miles 

©Old Man and the Sea © 00. 

Spencer Tracy 

©Sleeping Prince, The CD. 

Marilyn Monroe. Uurence Olivier 

Face in the Crowd. A 0. 

Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal 

3 Leaves of a Shamrock CD 

. 

Denis O'Dca. Noel Purcell 

©Night Does Strange Things. CO.. 

Ingrlci nergman, Mel Ferrer 

Top Secret Affair CD.. 

Siisin llavwnrd. Kirk llougiaa 

BOXOFFICE BookinGmde 

: 

: Nov, 24. 1966

.D. 

. May 

. 

) 

. 

. 

Nov 

FEATURE CHART 

^HORTS CHART 

INDEPENDENT 

n 

—'« 

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 

Day the World Ended (SO) ®..SF..Dec55 

Kicbard Denning;, Lori Nelson 

Phajitom From 10,000 Leaaues 

(80) SF. .Dec 55 

Kent Taylor, Cathy L)oulis 

Oklahoma Woman (73) D.. May 56 

Kichurtl Denning. Peggie Castle 

Female Jungle (71) D..Jun56 

Jayne Mansiield, Lawrence Tierney 

Girls in Prison (S7) Ac. Jul 56 

liichard lieiining, Joan Taylor 

Hot Rod Girl (75) Ac. Jul 56 

Ijjri Nelson. Joim Smith 

The She-Creature (77) Ho . . Auo 56 

.Maria English, (tester Morris 

It Conquered the World (75) SF. . Auo 56 

I'eter Graves. Beverly Garland 

Shake, Rattle and Rock (77) M . . Nov 56 

Ka!s liomino, Lisa Gaye 

Nov 56 

Runaway Daughters (88) D . . 

Maria £nglish, Tom Conway 

ARLAN 

Living North, The (74) Doc. 

Filmed in Lapl;uid; native cast 

(l^glish narration) 

ASSOCIATED 

FILM 

Last of the Desperadoes (71) W.. Dec 55 

James Craig, .Margia L)ean 

Two-Gun Lady (76) W.. Dec 55 

I'eggie Ca.stle. William Talman 

Wild Dakotas (73) W.. Feb 56 

liiil Wi.liams, Coieen Gray, Jim Davis 

Blonde Bait (71) D.. Apr 56 

Beverly Miciiaels, Jim Davis 

Three Outlaws, The (74) ®235. .W. . May 56 

Neville Brand, Bruce Bennett, Alan Hale 

Frontier Gambler (..) W.. Oct 56 

Jolin Bromfield, (Coieen Gray 

ASTOR 

Dynamiters, The (74) D.. Apr 56 

Wayne Morris, Simone Silva 

Fear (82) D.. May 56 

Ingrid Bergman, Mathias Wieman 

Passport to Treason (SO) Md..Jun56 

Itod Cameron, Lois Maxwell 

©Men of Sherwood Forest (77) . . Ad . . Sep 56 

Don Taylor, Eileen Moore 

BANNER 

©Wetbacks (86) AC. .May 56 

Lloyd Bridges, Nancy (Jates 

BUENA VISTA 

©Littlest Outlaw, The (75) D . . Feb 56 

Pedro Armendariz, Andres Velasquez 

©Great Locomotive Chase (85) ®. D. Jul 56 

Fess Parker, Jeff Hunter 

©Davy Crockett and the River 

Pirates (81) Ad.. Jul 56 

Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen 

CONTINENTAL 

Night My Number Came Up (94) . .D. .Feb 56 

Michael Redgrave, Alexander Knox 

©Udykillers, The (93) D.. Mar 56 

Alex Guinness, Ocii Parker, Katie Johnson 

Ship That Died of Shame (91) . .Sep 56 

Richard Attenborough, George Baker 

©Secrets of the Reef (72) Doc. Oct 56 

Undersea chronicle 

DOMINANT 

Walk the Dark Street (74) Md.. 

Chuck Connors, Don Ross, Regina Gleason 

DCA 

Wages of Fear (106) D . . Feb 56 

Yves Montand, Oiarles Vanel 

Please Murder Me (76) D.. Mar 56 

.Angela Lansbury, Raymond Burr 

Frisky (98) CD. .Apr 56 

Gina LoUobrlglda, Vlttorlo De Slca 

Woman of Rome, The ( . ) D . . 56 

Gina Lollobrigida, Daniel Gelin 

©Jedda the Uncivilized (88) O..Jun56 

Narla Kunogh, Robert Tudewali 

Private's Progress (99) C. .Sep 56 

Richard Attenhorough, Dennis Price 

EDEN 

One Way Ticket to Hell (65) . . . .0. .Feb 56 

Non-professional east 

EMBASSY 

Wiretapper (SO) D . . Feb 56 

Bin Williams, Georgia Lee 

Godzilla, King of the Monsters 

(80) Ho.. Apr 56 

Raymond Burr, Japanese cast 

(English dialog and narration) 

GIBRALTAR 

©Fury in Paradise (77) D.. 

Peter Thompson, Rea Iturbide 

Silent Fear (66) D.. 

Andrea King, Peter Adams 

IFE 

©Lease of Life (93) D.. Jan 56 

Robert Donat, Kay Walsh 

(English dialog) 

©Madame Butterfly 

(114) Filmed Opera. .Jun 56 

Kaoru Yachigusa. Nicola Fllacuridl 

(Italo-Japanese; English commentary) 

JACON 

.osanna (72) D. .Jun 56 

Russana Pode^ta, Crox Alvarado 

(Dubbed in English) 

Midnight Episode (78) C. .Aug 56 

Stanley ilulloway. Leslie Dwyer 

Forbidden Cargo (83) Ac. Sep 56 

.Nigel Patrick, Elizabeth Se.lais 

JANUS 

Bullfight (76) Doc .Jul 56 

English narration 

LOUIS deROCHEMONT 

Heleji Keller in Her Story (formerly 

The Unconguered") (55). Doc .Apr 56 

.Narrated by Katherine Cornell 

MAGNA 

Jklahoma! (150) T-AO DM.. Oct 55 

Gurdon .MacKae, Shirley Jones 

TOP PICTURES 

©Frontier Woman (80) W . 

Cindy Carsun, Lance Fuller, Ann 

. 56 

Kelly 

TRANS-LUX 

©Dance Little Lady (87) D.. Mar 56 

Mai Zetierli.'ig, Terence .Morgan 

Lovers and Lollipops (85) CD.. Apr 56 

Luri March, Gerald O'Loughlin 

WOOLNER BROS. 

Swamp VJomen (75) .D. .Apr 56 

Beverly Garland, Marie Windsor, C. Mathews 

REISSUES 

BUENA VISTA 

©Fantasia (81) M . . Feb 56 

(Superscope added, with 4-track sound and 

stereophonic sound. 

©Song of the South (95) M . . Feb 56 

Ruth Warrick, Bobby Drlscoll, Luana Patten 

DCA 

Brute Force (96) D . . Jun 56 

Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo 

Naked City (96) D.. Jun 56 

Howard Duff, Barry Fitzgerald 

MGM 

Stratton Story, The (106) D . . Feb 56 

James Stevurt, June Allyson 

©Three Musketeers (126) D.. Feb 56 

Lriina Turner, Gene Kelly, Van Heflin 

©Northwest Passage (126) D.. Mar 56 

Spencer Tracy, Robert Long, Ruth Hussey 

©Vearling. The (128) D.. Mar 56 

G. I'eck, J. Wyman, (Haude Jarman jr. 

©Annie Get Your Gun (107) M.. Jun 56 

Betty Hutton, Hovârd Keel, Louis (Îhern 

Boom Town (116) D . Oct 56 

. 

C ark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr 

PARAMOUNT 

©Streets of Laredo (92) W. .May 56 

William Holden. Macdonald Carey 

Two Years Before the Mast (98) . . D May 56 

. . 

Alan Ladd, Brian Donlevy, William Bendix 

©Whispering Smith (89) W.. May 56 

Alan Ladd, Robert Preston, B. Marshall 

RKO 

Big Sky, The (112) 0D..Apr56 

Kirk Douglas, Dewey Martin, E. Threatt 

Flying Leathernecks (102) D.. May 56 

.lohn Wayne, Robert Ryan, Janls Carter 

Lusty Men (113) D.. May 56 

Susan Hayward, Robert Mltchum 

King Kong (100) F-Ad..Jun56 

Bruce Cabot, Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong 

I Walked With a Zombie (69) .. .Ho. .Jun 56 

Frances Dee, James Ellison, Tom Conway 

Citizen Kane (119) D.. Jul 56 

Orson Welles, Joseph Gotten 

20th-FOX 

Third Man, The (105) D.. Aug 56 

Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Valll 

Rebecca (127) D . . Oct 56 

Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine 

UNITED ARTISTS 

High Noon (85) W. .Jun 56 

Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Katy Jurado 

UNIVERSAL-INT'L 

©Tap Roots (109) D. May 56 

Van Heflin. Susan Hayward, Ward Bond 

©Kansas Raiders (SO) W.. May 56 

Audie Murphy, Tony Cîrtis, B. Donlevy 

Killers, The (102) D.. Sep 56 

Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, 

Edmond O'Brien 

Sleeping City, The (85) My. .Sep 56 

Richard Conte, Coieen Gray, Alex Nlchol 

WARNER BROS. 

Distant Drums (101) W.. Jun 56 

Gary Cooper, Marl Aldon 

Dallas (94) W..Jun 56 

Gary Cooper. Ruth Roman 

COLUMBIA 

CANDID MICROPHONE 

(One-Reel Specials) 

8551 Subject 3, Series 2 (ll)Sep55 

8552 Subject 4, Series 2 

(10

SHORTS 

CHART 

Short subiects, listed by compony, in order of release. Running time follows title. First is notional release 

month, second the dote of review in BOXOFFICE. Symbol between dates is roting from BOXOFFICE 

leview, ^ Very Good. -+- Good, :t Fair. — Poor. = Very Poor. Photography: Color ond process as specified. 

* 

oca 

.1. 

S16-4 0ne Quack Mind (7). Sen 56 

S16-5Mice Paradise (7)... Sep 56 

Sie-6 Once Upon a Rhyme 

(8) Sep 56 

S16-7 Hold the Lion Please 

(7) Sep56 

Sie-SUnd of Ust Watches 

(9) Sense 

S16-9T0 Boo or Not to Boo 

(7) Sep 56 

316-10 As the Crow Lies 

(6) Sep 56 

S16-11 Slip Us Some Redslcin 

(7) Sep 56 

S16-12 Boo Scout (S) Sep 56 

CASPER CARTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

B15-1 Red. White & Boo (6) Oct 55 + 1-28 

B15-2 Boo Kind to Animals 

(6) Dec 55 1-21 

815-3 Ground Hog Play (6) . Feb 56 3-17 

B15-4 Dutch Treat

T 

It'SlfffL 

cssaa 

ALLIED ARTISTS 

Crashing: Las Vegas (AA)— 

Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Mary 

Castle. These clowns are always 

good for the second feature and 

everyone gets a good laugh. We 

could use more little comedies 

or musicals of this length—one 

hour. Played Thurs., Pri., Sat. 

Weather: Good.—Mrs. Elaine S. 

George, Star Theatre, Heppner, 

Ore. Pop. 1,648. 

Treasure of Ruby Hills (AA)— 

Zachary Scott, Carole Mathews, 

Barton MacLane. We didn't get 

in on much treasure, but it was 

a nicely done little western In 

bleak old black and white, Just 

the shade of the shadows in the 

corner of dang near every front 

room in town. Who wants money 

anyway? I love my work. My 

health gets more robust weekly 

and Melba gets sweeter with 

every passing day. Oh, yeah, wo 

doubled this with "High Society," 

and turned all Blng's fans away 

mad. The Bowery Boys had it 

first, though, so why should folks 

get mad? Only the ones that 

never come here would be silly 

enough to think I could get 

old Bing so darn red hot. Played 

Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot.—Bob 

Walker, Uintah Theatre, Pruita, 

Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

World Without End (AA)— 

Hugh Marlowe, Nancy Gates, 

Nelson Leigh. Did okay and made 

money, but did not see it, as I 

was away. Anyway, it drew well. 

Played Tues., Wed.—W. L. Stratton. 

Lyric Theatre, Challis, Ida. 

Pop. 728. 

BUENA VISTA 

Davy Crockett and the River 

(BV)—Pess Parker, Bud- 

Pirates 

dy Ebsen, Jeff York. Another 

good picture from Disney. Drew 

above average in spite of rain. 

Picture has lots of laughs and 

is good family entertainment. 

Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. 

Weather: Rain.—W. L. Strattcn, 

Lyric Theatre, Challis, Ida. Pop. 

728. 

COLUMBIA 

End of the Affair, The (Col)— 

Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, 

John Mills. Would have been 

just perfect to have ended this 

affa'r in Fruita with, and then 

you'd have had me left off these 

sheets for good. It almost got 

the job done. Oh, yeah, I left out 

UGH! Played Wed., Thurs. 

Weather: Hot.—Bob Walker, 

Uintah Theatre, Pruita, Colo. 

Pop. 1,463. 

Special Delivery (Col)—Joseph 

Gotten, Eva Bartok, Niall Mac- 

Ginnis. A little tinting could have 

helped this otherwise completely 

entertaining comedy. When great 

shows like this flop, I hate to 

join you folks on the back pages. 

I don't like to cry the blues, for 

Time magazine just loves to pick 

up the bad reports—never the 

good ones—and that doesn't help 

any of us. But the EHHS editor 

keeps asking why? So, here's 

how. If a snooper from Time 

picks up this copy, just ask anyone 

who knows Walker and 

they'll say he's runnerup for the 

world's championship liar. I 

could have eaten high on the 

hog with this back in the days 

before TV and when they still 

used money in these parts. 

Played Pri., Sat. Weather: Hot. 

—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, 

Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,643. 

Trio Does Well 

This was the first day we 

had taken over operation and 

the previous exhibitor-owner 

had scheduled MGM's "Gaby" 

with Dezel's "Lonesome Trail" 

and a late show of Columbia's 

"Over-Exposed." It was the 

niglit before Labor Day and 

all through the "house" the 

ears were parked, no room for 

a mouse. The trio did well and 

in the concession we set a 

nine-year record for business, 

thanks to the cooperation of 

the Berlo people, who took 

over with us. 

ROBERT B. TUTTLE 

Lenawee Auto Theatre 

Adrian, Mich. 

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER 

Guys and Dolls (MGM)—Marlon 

Brando, Jean Simmons, 

Prank Sinatra. And we tried to 

run this for four days when two 

would have been one too many. 

No one interested in the picture 

that must have cost some dough 

that might not have been wasted 

on four or five nice little pictures. 

I wouldn't pay to see this myself, 

but I did. Don't go for the thing 

if you are in a small town. In 

fact, don't.—Mayme P. Musselman, 

Roach Theatre, Lincoln, 

Kas. Pop. 1,636. 

Meet Me In Las Vegas (MGM) 

—Dan Dailey, Cyd Charisse, Paul 

Henreid. A good enough picture 

that really did show off the 

gambling center of the country, 

and there were some entertaining 

parts that were enjoyed by a 

fair crowd. So, if you need a picture 

to fill any playdate, you 

won't go too far wrong with 

"Vegas." Played Sun., Mon. 

Weather: Nice.—Mayme P. Musselman, 

Roach Theatre, Lincoln, 

Kas. Pop. 1,636. 

Swan, The (MGM)—Grace 

Kelly, Alec Guinness, Louis 

Jourdan. Very well liked. Had 

a good Sunday and a fair Monday 

with this presentation. We 

heard one or two who failed to 

appreciate it, but the majority 

gave it a good word. But we can 

put on a simple horse drama and 

outgross these two to one. Played 

Sun., Mon. Weather: Nice.—Carl 

W. Veseth, Villa Theatre, Malta, 

Mont. Pop. 2,095. 

Tribute to a Bad Man (MGM) 

—James Cagney, Irene Papas, 

Don Dubbins. Also a tribute to 

some new faces, who, in this case, 

are well placed and well taken 

care of, but, alas, it seems as 

though the old Saturday afternoon 

standby is starting to do 

more thinking and less fightin". 

Played Thurs.-Sat. — Lew Bray 

jr.. Queen T'heatre, McAllen, Tex. 

Pop. 26,000ṖARAMOUNT 

— 

Court Jester, The (Para) 

Danny Kaye, Glynls Johns, Basil 

zS. 

XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

Rathbone. I don't know why, but 

this didn't do business. Danny 

Kaye was excellent, and the production 

was good. Played Wed., 

Thurs. Weather: Good.—Mel 

Danner, Circle ITieatre, Waynoka, 

Okla. Pop. 2,018. 

Man Who Knew Too Much, The 

(Para)—James Stewart, Doris 

Day, Brenda DeBanzie. A fine 

show, which pleased average 

business. You just could not ask 

for a better show. It's a little 

bit too long—two hours. Played 

Sun., Mon. Weather: Good—E. 

M. Preiburger, Dewey Theatre, 

Dewey, Okla. 

Man Who Knew Too Much, The 

(Para)—James Stewart, Doris 

Day, Brenda DeBanzie. This was 

a good suspense picture and did 

extra business. I think the popularity 

of the song Doris Day sings 

helped a lot. The entire cast was 

excellent. Played Sun., Mon., 

Tues. Weather: Good.—Mel Danner, 

Circle Theatre, Waynoka, 

Okla. Pop. 2,018. 

Pardners (Para)—Dean Martin, 

Jerry Lewis, Lori Nelson. Martin 

and Lewis usually do reasonably 

well here, but not so with this 

one. Guess the weather has been 

so nice lately they are not going 

to movies. Played Sun., Mon., 

Tues.—Ken Gorham, Town Hall 

Theatre, Middlebury, Vt. Pop. 

3,614. 

Trouble With Harry, The 

(Para)—Edmund Gwenn, John 

Forsythe, Shirley MacLaine. It 

is hai'd to understand the dialog 

of some of the actors and it really 

didn't matter too much because 

there just weren't any patrons 

anyway. How smart do you have 

to get or how wide awake to lay 

off this kind of tripe? It must 

be the answer to a cjuick 

closing for us. Played Fri., Sat.— 

Mayme P. Musselman, Roach 

Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Pop. 1,636. 

Vagabond King, The (Para)— 

Kathryn Grayson, Oreste, Rita 

Moreno. Reasonably good. Acting 

very fine, but did not appeal too 

much to students, so attendance 

was off. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. 

—Ken Gorham, Town Hall Theatre, 

Middlebury, Vt. Pop. 3,614. 

RKO RADIO 

Lusty Men, The (RKO)—Reissue. 

Susan Hayward, Robert 

Mitchum, Arthur Kennedy. This 

reissue was a new one for me and 

a good rodeo picture. Drew very 

well and pleased all, and the 

boxoffice was happy, too. Played 

Sun., Mon. Weather: Good.— 

W. L. Stratton, Lyric Theatre, 

Challis, Ida. Pop. 728. 

Slightly Scarlet (RKO)—John 

Payne, Rhonda Fleming, Arlene 

Dahl. A good gangster show in 

color, with a nice cast, but it 

failed to draw. Business was 

poor and I understand from other 

exhibitors that it failed to draw 

for them also. Played Sun., Mon. 

Weather: Good.—E. M. Preiburger, 

Dewey Theatre, Dewey, 

Okla. 

Thing From Another World, 

The (RKO)—Reissue. Kenneth 

Tobey, Margaret Sheridan, James 

Young. This is a reissue and I 

was agreeably surprised by the 

lABOUT PICTURES! 

business it did. Best Friday- 

Saturday in a long time. Kids 

seem to want horror pictures. 

Played Fri., Sat. Weather: CJood. 

—E. M. Freiburger, Dewey Theatre, 

Dewey, Okla. 

REPUBLIC 

Jaguar (Rep)—Sabu, Barton 

MacLane, Chickita. Good jungle 

picture for Friday-Saturday in 

black and white. No superduper 

but it sure pleased the kids—gang 

of them. Played Fri., Sat. 

Weather: Good.—E. M. Preiburger, 


Okla. 

Twinkle In God's Eye, The 

(Rep)—Mickey Rooney, Coleen 

Gray, Hugh O'Brian. Mickey Is 

getting to be the spittin' image 

of another Rooney we thought so 

much of not long back. This program 

was well liked. Wonder how 

Mickey and Judy in some good 

old "corn" would go over? And 

speaking of "country bumpkin" 

shows, who has them? Played 

Sun., Mon. Weather: Snappy fall 

weather.—Carl W. Veseth, Villa 

Theatre, Malta, Mont. Pop. 2,095. 

CENTURY- FOX 

20th 

steamboat Round the Bend 

(20th-Pox)—Reissue. Will Rogers 

Anne Shirley, Irvin S. Cobb. 

Traded a new clinker for this and 

what few we had really got a big 

bang out of Stepin Petchit and 

the boat race again. Will Rogers 

was a welcome sight and brought 

back fond memories of Pox's best. 

Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Nice. 

—Mayme P. Musselman, Roach 

Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Pop. 1,636. 

A Dozen More 

Such a pleasure to please 

folks so completely as we did 

with "The Living Desert." 

Don't think I ever gave them 

more for so little. Enough came 

to make it worth going back 

so far to buy. Wish I had a 

dozen more just as good. 

Uintah Theatre 

Fruita, Colo. 

BOB WALKER 

UNITED ARTISTS 

Barefoot Contessa, The (UA)— 

Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart, 

Edmond O'Brien. Came mighty 

close to having to do without 

shoes myself after this one. 

Played it back in July just ahead 

of the last time I pounded this 

EHHS mistake-maker. Had the 

walks all painted with barefoot 

tracks leading to our doors. Just 

my luck we had three months of 

drought and no rain came to 

erase the memory of a great 

show and a terrible boxoffice 

shellacking. Played Wed., Thurs. 

Weather.: Dry and hot.—Bob 

Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita, 

Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

Golden Mask, The (UA)—Van 

Heflin, Wanda Hendrix, Eric 

Portman. This little double "B" 

had moments of entertainment 

that made it worth using on a 

double. Think the title "Assassin" 

scared more than its share away 


BOXOFFICE BookinGuido : : Nov. 24, 1956 

11

THE EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

(Continued from preceding page) Julie Adams, William Demarest. 

from seeing this. Did average for I feel like calling the folks I love 

now, but that means we don't pay the best some uncomplimentary 

an installment on the mortgage names for being stupid enough to 

anymore. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: 

Dry.—Bob Walker, Uintah offering. Damn, when folks pass 

resist this wonderful Uttle family 

T'heatre, Fruita, Ciolo. Pop. 1,463. up product like this, this thing 

Kiss Me Deadly 

could get serious. I 

(UA)—Ralph 

had to practically 

Meeker, Albert Dekker, 

quit fishing 

Paul 

altogether 

Stewart. They 

this season. 

did! Played Wed., 

Played Sun., Mon. 

Thurs. Weather: How Weather: Hot. — 

could Bob Walker, 

I 

care?—Bob Walker, Unitah 

Uintah 

Theatre, 

Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Pop. 

1,463. 


Night of the Hunter, The 

Rawhide Years, 

(UA) 

The (U-D— 

— Robert Mltchum, 

Tony Curtis, 

Shelley 

Colleen Miller, 

Winters, Lillian Gish. For 

Arthur Kennedy. 

the 

Nothing to brag 

folks who about, 

like this and 

sort 

business 

of a story, 

certainly 

this was good. 

below par. 

It's spell-binding 

Played Sun., Mon., 

and tense. I sat through it and 

Tues.—Mickey and Penny Harris, 

thought Gem 

it great, 

T'heatre, 

but the 

Gibsland, 

cash 

La. Pop. 

customers 1,085. 

were scarce and we 

had some walkouts. It's not a Toy Tiger (U-D—Jeff Chandler, 

film for heroes-on-horseback or Laraine Day, Tim Hovey. A very 

the mighty original Americans. entertaining picture for all members 

of the family. Business not 

This picture and MGM's "Saadia" 

hold our house record for low good, but picture excellent. Played 

receipts. And the film came from Sun., Mon., Tues.—Ken Gorham, 

the exchange with breaks spliced Town Hall Theatre, Middlebury, 

with black tape! WOW! Played Vt. Pop. 3,614. 

Tues., Wed. Weather: Fine.— 

Carl W. Veseth, Villa Theatre, WARNER BROS. 

Malta, Mont. Pop. 2,095. 

Goodbye, My Lady (WB)— 

Trapeze (UA)—Burt Lancaster, Walter Brennan, Phil Harris, 

Gina LoUobrigida, Tony Curtis. Brandon DeWilde. Good dog and 

Doubled with "The Houston boy picture, which failed to draw. 

Story" (Col) for the second best Needed more star power. Walter 

in percentage film draw this faU. Brennan is a fine actor, but not 

We were able to pay the film bill strong enough to carry a show 

and have enough to pay the help by himself. Those who came 

and the advertising linage. Played were pleased. Played Sun., Mon. 

Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Weather: Good.— E. M. Freiburger, 


Good.—R. B. Tuttle, Lenawee 

Auto Theatre, Adrian, Mich. Pop. Okla. 

18,393. 

Lone Ranger, The (WB)—Clayton 

Moore, Jay Silverheels, Lyle 

UNIVERSAL-INTERNAT'L Bettger. Well produced. A wow 

Chief Crazy Horse (U-D— for kids and the adults liked it, 

Victor Mature, Suzan Ball, John too. Good feature for Friday- 

Lund. Well, we killed another Saturday bookings. Played Fri., 

noble Redman without any complaints 

from the folks who still ner. Circle Theatre, Waynoka, 

Sat. Weather: Good.—Mel Dan- 

like movies with Indians. With a 

Okla. Pop. 2,018. 

gimmick I used we had big McConnell Story, The (WB)— 

houses, but the gimmick took 50 Alan Ladd, June Allyson, James 

per cent of the take, so our Whitmore. Real good family type 

leavings didn't much more than biography of Captain Joe Mctake 

care of Universal and the Connell, the Air Force's first 

freight. Anyway, we found out triple jet ace. Ran with three 

there are still more folks around cartoons. Played Sun., Mon. 

than we've been seeing regularly. Weather: Mild.—Lew Bray jr., 

Played Pri., Sat. Weather: Hot. Queen Theatre, McAllen, Tex. 

—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, Pop. 26,000. 


Moby Dick (WB) — Gregory 

Francis in the Haunted House Peck, Richard Basehart, Orson 

(U-D—Mickey Rooney, Virginia Welles. This is a fine motion picture, 

but classic stories just don't 

Welles, James Flavin. Didn't 

break any records, but it was go here, so business was off. The 

gratifying to listen to the uproarious 

laughter from the throng spectacular and exciting. This 

battle with the giant whale is 

of youngsters. Played Sun., Men. would be better for action-type 

Weather: Good,—Mrs. Elaine S. houses. Played Sun., Mon. 

George, Star Theatre, Heppner, Weather: Warm.—Dan Killman, 

Ore. Pop. 1,648. 

Wolcott Theatre, Wolcott, Ind. 

Johnny Dark (U-I) — Tony 

Pop. 778. 

Curtis, Piper Laurie, Don Taylor. Serenade (WB)—Mario Lanza, 

"Just like Cinerama," they said, Joan Fontaine, Sarita Montiel. I 

as we dished out the seasick pills must have seen worse business, 

to the giddy gals. Boy, this was but I don't know when. Played 

doozie in anybody's book. It had Tues., Wed. Weather: Good.— 

everything but customers to enjoy, Mrs. Elaine 8. George, Star Theatre, 

Heppner, Ore. Pop. 1,648. 

It with me. I think the title 

smacked of the gangster era and Target 

hurt 

Zero 

the 

(WB) — 

take. It's Richard 

the most realistic 

movie Charles 

I ever hope to throw 

Conte, Peggie Castle, 

on 

Bronson. 

the 

Customers lilted It. 

front wall. Played Wed., Very 

Thurs. 

good cast, ably 

Weather: 

headed by 

I don't believe Richard Conte, 

It, but 

a likeable 

it says 

and 

here It showered. convincing actor. 

—Bob 

Story of 

Walker, 

small 

Uintah Theatre, body of men and a 

Fruita, 

nurse In wartorn 

Korea. Played Tues., Wed.— 

Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

Private War of Major Benion, Frank Sabln, Majestic Theatre, 

The (U-I) — Charlton Heston. 

An olphabeticol index by country of origin and by titi* of currant 

foreign-mode product, together with on interpretive onalysii of lay and 

trodepress reviews. Symbols ond terminology are the some as thos* 

employed in REVIEW DIGEST. Except where specified, foreign-longuag* 

films carry English titles. 

FEATURES DIGEST. 

ARGENTINA 

> 1 

n. 

Darli Riter (90) Melodrama. .Times 4-28-S6 ± 

AUSTRIA 

@Don Juan (S5) Opera film. 

7- 7-56 -f 

BRITAIN 

Annei Who Pawned Her Harp (73) Com.. .Dom'nt. 

Chance Meeting (94) Drama Pacemaker 

Court Martial (105) Drama Kingsley 

©Dance Little Udy (87) Melodr Trans-Lux 

Front Page Story (95) Drama Ass'd Art's 

Green Scarf, The (96) Drama Ass'd Art's 

His Excellency (84) Drama Brenner 

©Kid for Two Farthinus, A (91) C-D Lopert 

©Malie Me an Offer (88) Comedy Dominant 

©Richard III (162) ® Shakes. Drama Lopert 

Teckman Mystery, The (90) Mys Ass'd Art's 

©Wee Geordie (94) Comedy Geo. K. Arthur 

FRANCE 

Adorable Creatures (108) Comedy Cont'l Dis 

Diabolique (107) Horror-Drama UMPO 

Doctors, The (92) Drama Kingsley 

©French-Cancan (93) Cos. Musical tiMPO 

French Touch, The (84) Farce-Corn Times 

Fruits of Summer (102) Comedy Ellis 

Game of Love, The (108) Drama Times 

©Grand Maneuver, The (107) Rom. Comedy. UMPO 

Heartbreak Ridge (86) Documentary-Dr Tudor 

Holiday for Henrietta (103) Farce-Cofli Ardee 

Inside a Girls Dormitory (100) Mystery Ellis 

Letters From My Windmill (116) Comedy. .Tohan 

My 7 Little Sins (98) Comedy/Songs Kingsley 

One Step to Eternity (94) Drama Ellis 

Papa, Mama, the Maid & i (94) Com. ..CoL Int'l 

Proud and the Beautiful (94) Drama Kingsley 

Rififi (118) Crime-Suspense Drama UMPO 

Sheep Has 5 Legs (93) Farce-Comedy UMPO 

Snow Was Black, The (105) Drama Cont'l Dis 

GREECE 

4+ >+l- 

GERMANY 

Emperor's Waltz (107) Comedy/Songs Casino -f -f + 5+ 

Last 10 Days, The (113) Drama Col. Int'l 5-12-56+ tt + + + + 7+ 

Barefoot Battalion (63) Drama 20th- Fox 5- 6-54 -f 4- -f -f tt -f 7-|-

An Interpretive onolysis of lay ond trodepress reviews. The plus and minus signs indicate 

degree of merit. Listings cover current reviews, updated regulorly. This department serves 

also as an ALPHABETICAL INDEX to feoture releases. Symbol U denotes BOXOFFICE 

Blue Ribbon Award Winner. Photography: © Color; ©CinemaScope; (V VistaVision; S) Superscope; 

® Naturomo. For listings by company, in the order of release, see Feature Chart. 

Review digest 

AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX 

'+ Very Good; + Good; — Fair; — Poor; — Very Poor. In the summary ++ is rated 2 pluses, — as 2 minuses

REVIEW DIGESr 

T+ Very Good; + Good; — Fair; — Poor; = Very Poor. In the summary ++ is rated 2 pluses, = as 2 minuses. 

i971©Maoic Fire (94) BiOB.-Drama Rtp 5-12-56 ± 

2000 Majnificent Rouijhnecks (73) C-Dr...AA 8- 4-56 ± 

2021 Man From Del Rio (82) Western UA 10-20-56 + 

1957 yOMan in the Gray Flannel Suit 

(153) © Drama 20lh-Fox 4- 7-56 +t 

1895 Man With the Golden Arm. The 

(119) Drama UA 12-17-55 ++ 

1970

Opinions on Current Productions 

Symbol © denotes color photography; ® 

I 

is ClnemoScope; ® Vista Vision; 

Comedy 

The Great American Pastime F Ratio: 

1.S5-1 

MGM (710) 89 Minutes ReL^Dec. '56 

Exhibitors desirous of playing clean, wholesome family 

entertainment will find this comedy dealing with Little 

League baseball right up their alley. However, the film is 

more often mildly chucklesome where it might have been iagn\ 

hilarious, despite the valiant efforts of Tom Ewell, that- '"'^^^ 

likable and completely natural "average guy" comedian. ''^"" 

Playing up Anne Francis and Ann Miller, Instead of the 

baseball angle, which many women patrons shy away from, 

should give it a stronger appeal for general audiences. 

Written by the late Robert Benchley's son, Nathaniel, and 

directed by Herman Hoffmann, the story devotes more footage 

to the jealous, interfering parents of the young players 

than it does to baseball action, which is the more amusing. 

Rudy Lee turns in a good acting job as a Little League star 

and several of the tiny players contribute some cute tricks 

on the ball field. Ewell's homely, freckled face and discouraged 

attitude win as many laughs as do the run-ofthe-mill 

plot situations. Ann Miller cuts a trim figure, as 

always, and does a first-rate acting job as a widow with a 

young son on the team and Anne Francis does well enough 

as Ewell's tolerant wife. Produced by Henry Berman. 

Tom Ewell, Anne Francis, Ann Miller, Rudy Lee, Dean 

Jones, Raymond Winston, Judson Pratt, Raymond Bailey. 

Rumble on the Docks 

Columbia (124) 82 Minutes 

F 

Ratio: 

1.85-1 

Drama 

Rel. Dec. '56 

This junior edition of "On the Waterfront" continues to 

dramatize the teenage crime wave and exposes some of the 

elements which have brought it about. James Darren is 

starred and handles himself as well as anyone could, given 

the same story material with its traditional overtones. More 

virile-looking than the late James Dean, he lacks the latter's 

sensitivity, but is one of the most likely contenders for 

Dean's juvenile crown. His supporting cast is good, action 

scenes are tense and the direction by Fred F. Sears has a 

taut fluidity which keeps the audience In the mood of the 

picture. Michael Granger as th'e gangster union leader gives 

the role authority and Edgar Barrier as the crippled, em- {i^,;,, 

bittered father is forceful. The teenage "rumbles" are well ium,' 

staged, but the ease with which Darren is persuaded to perjure 

himself seems a little forced, particularly when his girl 

friend and members of his gang quickly change his mind. 

This can hardly stand alone in first run houses, but on a 

double bill or in the neighborhoods, has weekend possibilities. 

A Clover production by Sam Katzman. 

James Darren, Laurie Carroll, Michael Granger, Jerry 

Janger, Robert Blake, Freddie Bell and Bellboys. 

The Last Man to Hang F 

Ratio: Drama 

1.66-1 

Columbia (117) 75 Minutes Rel. Nov. '56 

A better- than-average British-made courtroom drama, 

with a fair amount of suspense and several fine character 

portrayals, this will make a good supporting dualler generally 

' 

although it's not strong enough for single billing, even in 

the art spots. Tom Conway has starred in a score of action 

films and Elizabeth Sellars was in Hollywood for "Desiree" 

and "Prince of Players," but their marquee draw is mild. 

Produced by John Gossage, the story is based on Gerald 

Bullett's novel, "The Jury," and at least half of the action 

takes place in the jury room or during the trial of a man 

accused of his wife's murder. Much of the story is in flashback, 

showing what led to the supposed crime, but the most 

interesting vignettes deal with the private lives of those 

chosen for the jury—a varied group but all of them interesting 

types, played by Margaretta Scott and 11 others including 

Victor Maddern, the latter the only one who holds for "not 

guilty" and who manages to convince the others. Directed 

by Terence Fisher, who manages to sustain interest until 

the implausible denouement, which finds the corpus delicti 

still alive. Conway and the attractive Miss Sellars both turn 

in capable acting jobs and Freda Jackson is outstanding as 

a vindictive housekeeper. 

Tom Conway, Elizabeth Sellars, Eunice Gayson, Raymond 

Huntley, Freda Jackson, Hugh Latimer. i.oo^ ka C 

Feature reviews 

Superscope. For story synopsis on each picture, see reverse side. 

Love Me Tender F 

Ratio: Outdoor Drama 

2.55-1 © 

20th-Fox (624-7) 94 Minutes ReL Nov. 22, '56 

Regardless of what might be individual reactions to the 

pelvic gyrations and peculiar talents of Elvis Presley, inescapable 

is the conclusion that the motion picture initially 

featuring an entertainer who, with a mere flip of his hip, 

can set millions of bobby soxers squealing and squirming, 

cannot conceivably miss filling to capacity every theatre into 

which it is booked. Exhibitors displaying the feature need 

not give a second thought to the business it is certain to 

attract. If they have anything at all about which to worry, 

it should concern itself with what might happen to the 

physical features of their properties as a result of the exuberance 

of the youthful audiences attracted thereto. Over 

and above the precedential magnetism of the Presley name, 

the film has considerable to offer generally. It projects a 

story, which goes a bit haywire in only a few situations, 

into which Presley's tuneful contributions—he sings four 

numbers—are interpolated with more plausibility than is 

usually the case in comparable situations. There are good 

toplining names and commendable performances throughout. 

Under Robert D. Webb's able direction, even Elvis does 

a fair bit of trouping. David Weisbart produced. 

Richard Egan, Debra Paget, Elvis Presley, Robert Middleton, 

William Campbell, Neville Brand, Mildred Dunnock. 

Rock. Pretty Baby 

F 

Ratio: 

1.85-1 

Musical 

UniT.-Int'l (5707) 94 Minutes Rel. Jan. '57 

Let the squares—presumably everyone who has attained 

the ripe old age of 25—who might be prone to take a dim 

view of this tuneful symposium of adolescent pecadillos 

remember that time-honored admonition, if you dofl't like 

it, don't knock it. The younger generation will probably 

consider the feature the utter end and resultantly should 

patronize it in toe-tapping, shrieking mobs. Inasmuch as 

that leather jacket contingency constitutes a high percentage 

of today's picture patrons, there is every reason to 

opine that the film will attract capacity business to most 

pads (houses, to you) into which it Is booked and regardless 

of which end of a tandem booking it adorns. The 

screenplay, written by Herbert Margolis and William Raynor, 

to serve as a framework for the rock 'n' roll gymnastics, 

carries a dual theme—chlck-meets-cat (boy and girl) and the 

home life problems posed by today's younger generation. 

The yarn is a bit thin, but it refreshingly stresses over-all 

wholesomeness and youthful exuberance rather than vicious 

delinquency. Performances by a dominantly new-faces cast 

are good as is Richard Bartlett's direction. Production values 

by Edmond Chevle are atmospherically adequate. 

Sal Mineo, John Saxon, Luana Patten, Edward C. Piatt, 

Fay Wray, Rod McKnen, John Wilder, Alan Reed jr. 

Running Target F ^85°! 

°"''°l°'''"' 

United Artists (5642) 83 Minutes Rel. Nov. '56 

A moderately exciting and suspenseful outdoor chase 

film, with philosophical undertones, this will make a satisfactory 

supporting dualler generally. Name value is mild, 

although Arthur Franz is a familiar face through his 

featured roles in "Eight Iron Men," "The Caine Mutiny" and 

many action melodramas. Produced entirely on location in 

the Colorado hills by Jack Couffer for Canyon Pictures, the 

picture is well photographed in De Luxe Color, which adds 

scenic beauty, as well as realism. With only ten players arid 

no sets required, this must be a modest-budget entry. As 

directed by Marvin R. Weinstein, the young sheriff-hero 

(Franz) is depicted as a complex character with an understanding 

for the feelings of the escaping convicts he is 

pursuing. Despite this handicap, Franz manages to make 

his role believable. Doris Dowllng, the only woman in the 

picture, plays a hardened young female who softens up only 

in time for a romantic fadeout, which seems dragged in. 

Richard Reeves is convincing as a sadistic, trigger-happy 

bar owner whose prize possession is a costly sporting rifle 

with a telescopic sight-—the other roles are comparatively 

minor ones. A song "Summer Game" (the original title 

of the picture) Is heard over the title credits. 

Arthur Franz, Doris Dowling, Richard Reeves, James 

Anderson, Myron Healy, Gene Roth, James Pamell. 

The reviews on these pages may be filed for future reference in any of the following ways: (1) in any standord three-ring 

loose-leof binder; (2) Individually, by company, in any standord 3x5 card index file; or (3) in the BOXOFFICE PICTURE 

GUIDE three-ring, pici

R 

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adiines for Newspaper and Program 

IS 

2C

' 

ngwood, 

] 

ienced 

Qfjj 

fejl'ES: 15c per word, minimum $1.50, cash wilh copy. Four consecutive insertions tor price 

wthree. CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy and 

ft answers to Box Numbers to BOXOFFICE, 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo. • 

POSITIONS WANTED 

[Manager 26 years experience all phases theatre 

rii-atlon. Wife cashier or concessions. Honest, 

-er, reliable. Best of references. Available 2 

'is notice. Prefer Florida. Boxoffice, 7342. 

pro.'ectJonist, sound engineer available. 27 

-s experience, desires booth shift and small 

Hit to service. Reply, Boxoffice, 7346. 

'Mature and energetic manager, thoroughly ex- 

In alt phases. Emphasizing exp'oitation 

concessions promotion. Would like job anyrc. 

Boxoffice, 7350. 

HELP WANTED 

House manager or experienced assistant that 

\vs llic.-itre operation for eastern Virginia area, 

fer young man in twenties or thirties. Air 

il previous experience, salary, draft status and 

it.-il details. All replies will be Iiept connt'al. 

Write, Bo.xoHcc, 7333. 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED 

Excellent coated Projection Lenses—many 

brand new! Wnllensak "Sunray", Series I: 2", 3", 

3H", 3%", 0-. S%", 6". %•— $35 pair. 

Superllte, Series III C coated: 2%", 3". 3%"— 

$150 pr. Trades lalten. Write or telephone order 

today. Dept. cc. S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corporation, 

602 W 52nd Street, New Yort 19. 

Equipment buy of lifetime! Super Simplex 

pro.ectors, LL-3 pedestals, 18" magazines, Magnarc 

lamphouses. National 40 amp. Rectifiers, coated 

lenses, changeovers. Simplex "E" sound system. 

Complete oiit'it, excellent condition, $3,500. Time 

deals available. Dept. cc, S.O.S. Cinema Supply 

Corp . 602 W. 52nd St., New York 19. 

Simplex SP portables i;ke new, cost $2,823 

lumpcle Mith all accessories. Sell, $1,800. Also 

lialr l!a!lantyrie model 6 sound heads used four 

months, cost $700, sell $300. Boxoffice, 7331. 

Projectionist for medium size operation that 

Hs booth equipment located In eastern Vlrla. 

For sale: Entire theatre equipment Including 

air-conditioning and 550 upholstered seats. Lost 

Air mall qualifications, salary, draft 

marital background and references. Write, 

lease. i;oxoff;ce. 7337. 

tiis. 

;offlce, 7334. 

Afanted: E.Kperienced non-union projectionist In 

!e mirl-west city. Salary comparable to union 

le. Give complete qualifications, experience and 

»mmcndations first letter. Boxoffice, 7335. 

Aggressive, experienced exploitation minded 

lager wanted. Job now open. Apply giving 

information as to experience, references and 

ent photo. Also house manager. Apply, Niv 

;atre. Muskegon, Mich. 

Neeil married operator, maintenance, etc. No 

)zers. Night shows and two matinees. Send 

illficalions and photo. State salary wanted. 

! wife for cashier if qualified. Main Theatre, 

\ 71. Berryville, Ark. 

Manager wanted for fine indoor sukirban house 

large city. State qualifications and experience, 

soffice, 7351. 

Wanted frojectioniEt fur full time job. nonon. 

Salary $1.50 per hour plus custodial work 

desired. Park Theatre. North Vernon, Ind. 

ADVERTISING PROGRAMS 

Good month'y program adverlisint pays for 

elf. Samples from Central Advertising Ser.ice. 

X 775, Davenport, Iowa. 

EQUIPMENT WANTED 

Wanted; Used speakers, all makes and quantities. 

Ite. Boxoffice, 7332. 

(Wanted: One used PD 50 B.illantyne sound 

lister amplifier, less cabinet, double channel 

PC. Boxoffice, 7336. 

Want to gi»e a pipe organ a good home. Happy 

i dismantle in LA area. Milt Larsen, 929 S. 

Los Angeles 19, Calif. 

Wanted, used theatre booth equipment. Frank 

isers, 602 W. Jackson, Paris. 111. 

Wanted, complete drive-in theatre equipment. 

>xoffice, 7341. 

Wanted used, late type projection booth equlpent. 

for ca.sh. Boxoffice. 7353. 

For sale entire theatre equipment. 600 uphol- 

.stered chai.s, projector, sound system, power unit, 

sound heads, lied.vood Theatre, Bogalu.sa, La. 

For sale! Equipment! Piojcctlon, screen and 

lowers, concessions. Will deliver, install and 

finance. Nice paying drive-lns Ky. resort area. 

Also boats and cruisers. Box 471, Calio, 111. 

For sale, complete theatre equipment, good 

condition, priced right for quick sale. Boxoffice. 

7355. 

New magnetic mixer system at used equipment 

price. Never been used, $525. Mid-South Theatre 

Bqii pment Co., 502 S. Second. Memphis. 

Tenn. 

For sale, Manley floor model popcorn machine. 

good condition. Clayborn Tipton. Monette. Ark. 

For sale, 50-ton York Air-conditioner! Reasonable. 

Ace Seating Co.. 1140 So. Wabash Ave, 

Chicago 5. 111. Phone: WEB. 99328. 

STUDIO AND PRODUCTION 

Kliegi 5000W studio spots on stands. $300 

a)ue, $175: B & H studio camera sound recoding 

liead, $1,995; new tripod triangles, $16.95: 

.'.erosol dulling spray, kills annoying glare and 

lilghlights. $1.59; Auricon pro-200 16mm sound 

cameras, complete, $1,600 value. $795: Mitchell 

35mm Standard tracking camera, $995; Jloviolas 

from $195: Hallen synchronous magnetic 16mm 

recorder, $1,495 value, $605; American Cl'icmatographer's 

handbooks, '^ price, $2 50. Dept. cc, 

S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp., 602 W. 52nd St., 

New York 19. 

THEATRE TICKETS 

Prompt Service. Special printed roll tickets. 

100.000. $31.05: 10,000. $9,90; 2.000. $5.70. 

Karh rliaiige in admission price. Including change 

in color. $4.00 extra. Double numbering extra. 

F.d.B. Kansas Oty, .Mo. Cash with order. 

Kansas City Ticket Co., Dept II, 109 W. 18lh 

St.. Kansas City, Mo. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Incorporate Your Business in Delaware! New or 

old. Charter cost little. Do business anywhere. 

Quickest! Write for lvochure-21B. Faultless 

ganization, 684 N. Sangamon St., Chicago 22, 

111. 

THEATRES FOR SALE 

Theatre sales! Texas, Oklahoma. Mi&wuri. 

.\rkans:is. Colorado, Kansas. Ralph Erwin, Licenced 

litoker. 1443 South Trenton. Tulsa. 

West coast theatres tor sale. Write for list. 

Ihtatre E.\change, 260 Kearney St.. S:in i-'randsco 

S, Cal;f. 

CUfliilllG HOUSE 

Only drive-in county seat, south Alabama town 

4 000. .Nearest competition 25 miles. Opened July 

1956. Absentee owner. Total price $12,500. 

Te:ms.. Olin Evans "Theatres, Florala, Ala. 

Theatres for sale, drive-in and indoor house. 

.\o opposition, best equipment, both CInemaScoped. 

Owner recently deceased. Box 217. Yates Center. 

Kas. 

Outstanding o, portunity in Texas. 3 drlve-lns 

l:i fast gro lug industrial city, population almost 

doubled since 1950, on'y drive-ins In 25 miles, 

inciudes 27 ac es of valuable land, nice home on 

property, excellent year around profitable operation. 

60{r, 500 and 350 speakers, paved, top condition. 

Take 5 times 1954 or 1955 net profit, there 

is no catch or gimmicks, have more important 

interests that demand attention. No lease, 20% 

down to light party, balance in 8 to 12 years. 

Write, lioxofrice, 7239. 

CaLersfield. Calif, tor sale or lease. 000-seal 

theatre hiiilding and equipment. Excellent condi;ion. 

Large parking lot. Write, 1804 Hodges 

Ave., Bakersfieid, Calif. 

400-car drive-in, 3 years old. Cinemascope. 

Notiiing leased, 13 acres. Only drive-In In 

county. 2 apartments. Major highways. $63,000. 

$18,000 wi;! handle. Klsslmmee Drive-In, 

Kissimmce, Fla. 

Theatre, Oklahoma. Widescreen, Cinemascope. 

County seat, large farming area, cattle land, new 

nil field. Popuation 1,700. TV reception poor. 

Celling because of health. Boxoffice, 7340. 

A> conditioned theatre, modern apartment, 

good business. All equipment, brick building, 

$4,500. Have other Interests. Boxoffice. 7343. 

For sale or lease. Drive-in theatre, 300 cars, 

modern, well-located, established 8 years. Southvest 

Virginia. Excellent de;il for wide awake 

par;y. Write, Boxoffice, 7345. 

Greatest d:i.e-in theatre opportunity ever 

offered! This theatre located with drawing 

potential of 1^ million people in major city 

of south. Now equipped with 700 speakers, with 

add tional room for twinning with 600 more 

speakers. Snack bar already completed with 

(ioi:b e set of restrooms. Ttiis drive-In now 

playing behind availability, but If twinned can 

play seven days ahead of regular drive-in availabil 

ty. This drive-in now top grosser in area and 

if moved ahead on availability can be top grosser 

in the south. Theatre grossed $150,000 first 

ye;ir of operation. Year round operation on land 

leased for 18 years, price $140,000. Owner selling 

because of other conflicting business. Only 

responsib'e financial persons need apply. Boxo'fice. 

7350. 

For sate, only theatre. 600 seats, Cinema- 

Scoped. Popu'ation 1.500. six other small towns 

to draw from. Brick and block bui'ding and equipment, 

$22,000. Investment back In less than 4 

years. Owner Leaving state. Boxoffice, 7354. 

For sale, theatre In no thwest Iowa. 

THEATRES WANTED 

Wanted to buy or lease several drive-in theatres 

in Cleveland or Pittsburgh area. All 

I correspondence treated with strictest confidence. 

Write giving details. Boxoffice, 7349. 

THEATRE SEATING 

Chair supplies, parts for ail chairs. Fen.iii 

Seating. Chicago 5. 

Repairing and reupholstering in your theatre 

Fensln Seating, Chicago 5. 

New spring seats for all chairs. Fensln Setitlii!:. 

Chicago 5. 

Patch-o-seat cement, permastone anchor cement. 

Kensin Seating, Chicago 5. 

Seat coverings, sewed combination, all .st,iles 

Fensin Seating, Chicago 5. 

Plastic leatherette, ail colors, send sample. 

Fensin Seating. Chicago 5. 

Upholstery fabrics, all types, send sample. 

Fensln Seating. Chicago 5. 

Cash for your old theatre chairs. Fensin Seating, 

Clilcago 5, III. 

Professional reupliolstering. Factory trained crew, 

''ree eslinnile anywInTe. l'"or sale: 5.000 good 

used chairs, all types. OGI.E.SBY EdIllP.MENr 

Co.. 20350 Grand Uiier, Detroit. KEllwoud 3 874(1 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—NEW 

Attention Holmes users! l.OOOW T-20C13 Mog. 

efocus lamps $25.00 dozen ($3.95 each); Interittent 

movements $24.50; Star sprocket assembly 

10.00; sound lens $9.95; EE14070 vertical drive 

ft w/5 gears, bearings $9.75; 2,000' maga- 

-. niiper & lower (rebuilt) $25.00 set. Dept. 

> OS. Cinema Supply Corp, 602 W. 52nd St., 

York 19. 

If DHIVE-m THEATRE EQUIPMENT 

Antitheft Device for speakers gives complete 

Totectiiin for only 57c per speakerl Exhibitors! 

*rotect your speakers now against costly and 

epeated losses. In use now throu-thotit U. S. 

ipeaker Security Co., Dept. 623. Willow Aie. 

t ITlh St., Iloboken, N. J. 

ÔXOFFICE : : November 24, 1956 

POPCORN MACHINES 

Popcorn machines, all maKes and styles. Reiilacement 

kettles for all poppers. Complete replacement 

ut;lt fits most machines, $185. 120 

So, llalsted, Ciiicago, 111. 

BUSINESS STIMULATORS 

Bingo, more action! $4.50M cards. Other 

games available, on-off screen. Novelty Games Co.. 

106 Rogers Ave.. Brooklyn, N. Y. 

CinemaScoi:e lenses $399 pair, Neumade 4x14" 

ire reels $2.50, double cashier program clocks 

6.50, 400-watt spotlites $8.50, 1,000-2,000' 

Gmm reels $2.50. Expert projector rebuilding. 

V.edo Theatre Supply, 3916 Secor. Toledo, Ohio. S. Lafayette Park Place, Los Angeles 5, Calif. 

Build attendance with real Hawaiian orchids 

Few cents each. Write Flowers of Hawaii, 670 

Bingo-die-cut cards. Increase your boxoffice 

75 to 100 numbers, $4.50 per M. Best Cards. 

Premium Products, 346 West 44lh St., New York 

36. X. Y 

Stecial offer! Comics! $14.95 per 1,000. 

liegiil.ir 10c approved Issues without cove:s. ROB 

Philadelphia. Remittance with order. Ellis 

Specialties, 800 Brighton, Philadelphia, Pa.

TRAILER MADE 

EVERY THIRD CUSTOMER! 

TRAILER COST?... 

AVERAGING LESS THAN THE PRICE OF ONE ADMISSION TICKET DAILY! 

Survey after survey by independent, reliable sources proves conclusively 

that trailers SEW UP ONE-THIRD of the motion picture audience 

. . . and it COSTS BUTTONS when compared to other expenses 

and what they achieve. 

WOMAN'S HOME COMPANION 

Survey showed 31 per cent went to the movies because of TRAILERS! 

SINDLINGER 

nm\onf\i,\C/^^ service 

C J fHifi na/ir Of rni innuswr 

Survey showed 34.2 per cent went to the movies because of TRAILERS! 

NATIONALTHEATRES CIRCUIT IN 21 STATES 

Survey showed 43 per cent went to the movies because of TRAILERS! 

'TtalUt5 — Âoi4/ntcn ^5 ôcko SaUsmen /

Boxoffice-November.24.1956

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