Boxoffice-December.08.1956

DECEMBER 8, 1956 

The new 1,400-seat Syosset Theatre on the Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, Long 

Island, was formally opened November 20. Owned by the Skouras Theatres Corp., 

the Syosset boasts a four-acre parking lot at the side of the building for its patrons. 

The theatre is 100 per cent fireproof, being constructed of brick, cast stone and 

marble, with interior walls covered with noninflammable glass cloth fabric. 

econd-closs matter ot the Post Office ot Kansas 

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ML EXECUTIVE EDITION 

Sictional News Pagts of Alt Editions 

IN THIS ISSUE: 

Til 

lODIEN 

TilAmi 

SECTIONi

J3 ^- 

LUST FOR LI FE 

'i 

NATIONWIDE 

OFFICE HIT! 

The Story Thus Far! Your Theatre Can 

Write The Next Glowing Chapter! 

CURRENT ENGAGEMENTS: 

NEW Y0RK-3rd Month. All time record! 

BEVERLY HILLS, CAL.-3rd Month. Equalling all-time tops! 

OAKLAND, CAL.-3rd Month. Equalling all-time tops! 

MADISON WIS.-3rd Week. Very Big! 

PORTLAND, 0RE.-3rd Week. Fine business! 

CINCINNATI-3rd Week. Excellent! 

MINNEAP0LIS-3rd Week. Terrific! 

ROCHESTER, N. Y.-3rd Week. Big! 

BOSTON— First 4 days all-time house record! 

ST. L0UIS-2nd Week. Excellent! 

ATLANTIC CITY-2nd Week. Big! 

GREENSBORO, N. C.-2nd Week. Very Big! 

DURHAM, N. C.-Close to "Guys And Dolls"!

! 

COMPLETED ENGAGEMENTS: 

WASHINGTON, D. C.-8 Weeks. New M-G-M record! 

SAN FRANCISCO-8 Weeks. 2nd biggest in house history! 

DETROIT- 7 Weeks. One of the biggest! 

PITTSBURGH- 7 Weeks. Record-breaking run! 

BALTIMORE-6 Weeks. Very Big! 

ÂNSAS CITY, M0.-5 Weeks. Record-breaking run! 

XHICAGO-S Weeks. 2nd highest M-G-M record! 

BUFFALO— 5 Weeks. Excellent engagement! 

SAN DIEGO-4 Weeks. Fine business! 

SEATTLE-4 Weeks. Fine business! 

ATLANTA-4 Weeks. Fine business! 

SALT LAKE CITY-3 Weeks, 5 days. Top M-G-M grosser! 

HOUSTON-3 Weeks. Fine business! 

DENVER-2 Weeks, 5 days. Ditto! 

DALLAS-2 Weeks, 5 days. Ditto! 

MILWAUKEE-2 Weeks. Ditto! 

M-G-M pretenl* 

i„ CINEMASCOPE end METROCOLOR 

KIRK DOUGLAS 

-O 

LUST FOR LIFE 

UST FOR LIFE 

Co-Starring 

ANTHONY QUINN 

JAMES 

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With 

sc,..n pipy by 

Dir.ci.dby 

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BROWN 

EVERETT SLOANE 

NORMAN CORWIN 

ftaied on the Novel by IRVING STONE 

VINCENTE MINNELLI 

p,.d„c.db, JOHN HOUSEMAN 

COULD WELL WIN 

ACADEMY AWARD 

^ 

-BOB MURPHY 

in Minneapolis Tribune 

III 

11 

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{Available in Magnetic Stereophonic, 

Perspecta Stereophonic or 1 -Channel Sound) 

You'll hear it more and more about 

M-G-M's most honored picture!

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Ahead of 'em all for the holidays- or any day!

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our Stars ForA 

Joyous Christmas 

One of the most important dramatic 

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ANASTA8TA 

COLOR by DE LUXE 

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starring 

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f JAYNE MANSFIELD 

EDMOND O'BRIEN 

The nation's sensation! 

The hottest name in show business.' 

LOVE ME 

TENDER 

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starring 

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fore... in 20Ws entire liistory!

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Vol. 70 No. 7 

BRIGHTENING THE OUTLOOK 

9.N his keynote address at the Allied 

States Ass'n convention in Dallas last week, 

Roy L. Kalver, who is president of the Allied 

Theatre Owners of Indiana, sounded a number 

of constructive notes. While he called attention 

to conditions and practices that have made theatre 

operating difficult, particularly for smalltown 

exhibitors, he was not fearful of the future. 

In fact, his talk was titled "There Is a Future, 

If You Prepare For It." 

That admonition put it right up to each 

individual exhibitor to survey his own situation 

and to act according to the dictates of the requirements 

in his own community; to face up 

to the challenge of competition, the general 

demand of the public for betterment of products 

and services and, to the best of his ability, 

meet it all along the line. 

In part, Mr. Kalver said: 

"While we envisage 

the survival of the motion picture theatre, it is 

inevitable that changing conditions must bring 

changes to our mode and philosophy of operation. 

The public today deinands the best of 

everything and we cannot lag behind modern 

merchandising by presenting our wares in unattractive 

and obsolete surroundings. We must 

present a bright and shining face to our customers; 

our housekeeping must be immaculate; 

our sound and projection impeccable; our service 

efficient and courteous. It is very possible 

that our time-honored methods of policies and 

programming must be altered. Even in small 

communities, the rigid and fixed policies of a 

given number of weekly changes may be rejected. 

Length of run, number of performances 

daily, admission prices, imaginative programming—there 

must be an intelligent reappraisal 

of all these factors, to keep flexible and upto-date." 

That's sound advice, concurred in by many 

another thinking showman and industry executive. 

In recent months, others have spoken in 

similar vein and, apparently, these words of 

counsel have fallen upon attentive ears. Evidences 

show not only a determination on the 

part of exhibitors "to meet the challenge" but, 

also, their confidence in this industry and in 

their future as a part of it. 

What many of them have done to give substance 

to that confidence breaks through the 

beclouded atmosphere like so many rays of 

sunshine. In brightening up their theatres, they 

are kindling a new spirit within their communities, 

as well as within themselves; they are 

instilling a new interest among patrons for their 

theatre and its offerings; and, with the proper 

showmandising effort to keep up this interest, 

they will ensure their future in this business. 

In citing improvements gleaned from a check 

on recent reports, we are aware that there still 

are many theatres, particularly in the small 

towns, that are experiencing difficult times. We 

do not wish to imply that theatre closings have 

come to an end. For, as long as there is a 

theatre business—or any other business, for 

that matter—there will be those that will fall 

by the wayside, whether because of faulty management, 

operational policies or conditions over 

which they have no control. 

Be that as it may, we see reason to take ujibeat 

note of such a report as appears elsewhere 

in this issue that some 129 theatres have undergone 

extensive remodelings in the past four 

months—more than double that of a previous 

four-month period. In the recent $100,000 refurbishing 

of the Criterion Theatre in New 

York; the $80,000 investment in house improvements 

by the Beverly Theatre, Beverly 

Hills, Calif.; and the opening of such a large 

and fine theatre as the Syosset in Syosset, Long 

Island, there is further good evidence of continuing 

confidence in this business on the part 

of people who have long been in it. 

Further, we gleaned from just one recent 

issue of BoxoFFiCE, almost two score items of 

similar good news stemming from 11 different 

states. Twelve indoor houses were reopened, 

one new one was opened and eight new driveins 

started operations. Two of the reopenings 

were with the cooperation of merchants of Herrold, 

S. Dak. and Ulen, Minn. Stanley Warner 

reopened three houses in New England—the 

Rialto, South Norwalk, Conn., the Modern at 

Lawrence, Mass., and the Waldorf at Lynn, Mass. 

An independent house at Beverly, Mass., also 

was reopened. The new house, above referred 

to, was the Northgate at Memphis, Tenn. The 

new drive-in projects were installed at Syracuse, 

N.Y., Fairfax, Va., Palm Springs, Calif., Atlanta, 

Ga., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Greeley, Colo., 

London, Ky., and Seekonk, Mass. 

In the face of the gloom spread far too much 

in the public prints about theatre shut-downs, 

the foregoing certainly presents a brighter picture. 

There can be more such activity where 

pace is kept with the changing times and conditions. 

And, by keeping flexible and up-todate, 

as Mr. Kalver suggests, the "good going" 

can be kept going. 

Inspiration 

In all theatres of the Greater Union circuit 

of Australia, of which Norman Rydge is head, 

this motto hangs on the wall: 

"Whosoever is satisfied with what he has 

done has reached his culminating point. 

"A man's destiny is NOT TO BE DIS-SATISFIED, 

BUT FOREVER UN-SATISFIED." 

Thomas Reginald King and Robert Watts, 

two Greater Union managers, who recently 

visited America on the round-the-world tour 

awarded them as winners of a circuit contest, 

memorized it for years. 

KJ^^x^ /OlvlL/i,^),^

— 

TOA IS 

READY TO JOIN ALLIED 

IN SEEKING ARBITRATION PLAN 

Even Without Rentals As 

An Arbitrable Subject, 

Associations Are for It 

M"EW YORK—Theatre Owners of America 

is ready to join Allied States Ass'n in 

a move to draft an arbitration pian tor 

the film industry without insisting on film 

rentals as an arbitrable subject. 

Allied, at its convention last week, was 

authorized to take steps to initiate negotiations 

with the film companies "in cooperation 

with Theatre Owners of America, if possible, 

or by itself if need be." 

As TOA called for arbitration at Its convention 

in September, it will take only an acceptance 

of distributors of an invitation to 

negotiate to start machinery going for implementation 

of an industrywide plan. 

Ernest Stellings, TOA president, and 

Herman Levy, its general counsel, issued a 

statement saying, "We await with willingness 

the implementation of the Allied and 

TOA resolutions." 

There was every indication in the Stellings-Levy 

statement that the organization 

not only welcomed the decision of Allied to 

seek an arbitration system but the action of 

its sister exhibitor association calUng for 

closer liaison with TOA on all problems of 

mutual interest. 

"These are statesman-like moves aimed at 

bettering industry conditions by way of affording 

all exhibitors the benefits of a sound 

system of conciliation and, where conciliation 

failed, an easily available tribunal where 

all exhibitors may air their grievances, have 

Says Early Availability 

No Help to Drive-ins 

Dallas—One group of exhibitors who 

apparently isn't interested in earlier 

availability is the owners of drive-in 

theatres. Eddie Ornstein, of Louisville, 

reporting: on the drive-in clinic held during 

the Allied convention here, said outdoor 

theatremen don't want closer availability. 

"We need the advertising and 

promotional stimulant of the showcase 

pUydates," he said. 

A major problem confronting drive-ins 

is what to do with such long-running 

features as "Giant" and "Oklahoma!" 

The feature running three hours or longer 

creates a special problem where the policy 

is a two- film program. 

As for eliminating the practice of having 

too many theatres in one area playing 

the same picture at one time, Ornstein 

said that in the Dallas metropolitan 

region 16 drive-in theatres split themselves 

into groups of four each and divide 

product. The exhibitors meet every week 

or every other week and decide who plays 

what when and, pointed out Ornstein, 

with the apparent sanction of the film 

companies. 

Opening More Theatres, 

Jack Kirsch Tells Allied 

Dallas— "I'm opening more theatres," 

Jack Kirsch of Chicago, chairman of Allied's 

Emergency Defense Committee, 

told the Allied convention here last week, 

in answering the recent prediction by 

Leonard Goldenson that 5,000 more theatres 

would close. Kirsch said statements 

like the one made by the AB-PT president 

are injurious to the film industry. 

When a theatre closes, he said, the opposition 

does not get the closing theatre's 

business. For some strange reason, it disappears, 

Kirsch said, pointing to the 

Paradise Theatre in Chicago as an example. 

He said the Balaban & Katz circuit 

closed this 2,500-seat house, which had 

a probable gross of $4,000 a week, but the 

closing did not help other theatres in the 

neighborhood. 

"Let's think about keeping theatres 

open," he said. "We're not going to lose 

5,000 more theatres. If the big circuits 

are thinking of dropping some theatres, 

let them turn them over to the independents. 

They'll run them successfully." 

them adjucated, in an effective, speedy and 

inexpensive manner," Stellings and Levy declared. 

Two of Allied's strongest regional units 

were behind the move to obtain a strong 

resolution on arbitration at last week's convention 

in Dallas. Both Jack Kirsch, president 

of Allied Theatres of Illinois, and Milton 

London, president of Allied Theatres of 

Michigan, called for an arbitration system 

early in the convention. Both are among the 

more articulate members of the board of 

directors, and they took the floor on the 

opening day to speak in behalf of an arbitration 

plan, although there was no indication 

at that early point that the convention 

would even consider an arbitration plan, 

alone a plan which did not provide for arbitration 

of film rentals. 

let 

Actually, Allied was in its most conciliatory 

mood. The convention lacked the fireworks, 

the vitriolic phrases, the seering attacks on 

trade policies of distributors which marked 

past conclaves. There were criticisms and 

protests by individual exhibitors against some 

of the sales policies, but the resolutions 

even those on national sales policies and 

print shortages—were couched in the mildest 

language. Across the board, it was apparent 

that Allied had decided to assume a 

"middle of the road" approach in seeking solutions 

to exhibitor problems. 

As has been the custom for some years, individual 

theatremen were given an opportunity 

to make their complaints on trade 

practices at clinics arranged so that exhibitors 

in like situations would meet together. 

This year, the clinics were held for smalltown 

theatres, large-town theatres and driveins. 

At the small-town clinic, the big protest 

was against percentage pictures. E. C. 

Huhnke of Omaha, reporting for the smalltown 

exhibitors, declared that 50 per cent of 

theatres in small towns—under 10,000 population—are 

playing pictures on percentage 

terms, and flat rental buyers are frequently 

having to wait six months to a year after release 

before getting the picture. 

Distributors 

are turning to percentage deals at an accelerated 

pace, and many exhibitors felt there 

was a definite trend to force small houses to 

close, he reported. He said that in territories 

where key cities have played "Oklahoma!" 

in Todd-AO, Cinemascope prints are being 

held back for at least five months. Huhnke 

also said that in some territories, small theatres 

are creating area buying policies—the 

basis on which they will deal on certain films 

—and when these policies cannot be met, 

pictures are being passed up. 

WARNS ON CONSOLIDATIONS 

Huhnke also warned that the consolidation 

of exchanges—such as the movement of several 

companies out of Omaha's Pilmrow to 

unite with offices in Des Moines—will make 

the job of doing business much more complicated, 

difficult and expensive. 

The shift to Des Moines has placed numerous 

obstacles in the course of exhibitors 

in the Omaha territory who have business 

with the companies, Huhnke said. Exhibitors 

have trouble getting contracts, doing their 

booking, getting changes put through quickly. 

As a result of Huhnke's report, the convention 

adopted a resolution urging that distributors 

before making changes reducing 

services should "in all fairness consult the 

exhibitors through their organizations to the 

end that the changes may be adapted as far 

as possible to the exhibitor's needs in esu;h 

area, taking into account the distances involved 

and their minimum requirements as 

regards sales solicitations, bookings, etc." 

Huhnke said salesmen have been virtually 

eliminated by the consolidation, each of the 

companies involved keeping a single salesman 

in the territory. The companies have 

taken their booking departments to Des 

Moines, and "if you want to do business, you 

do it by mail or telephone. There no longer 

is a personal contact." 

URGES ALLIED STAND 

He urged Allied to take a stand on this 

type of operation which he declared could 

become a pattern for the country. 

When a distributor consolidates two exchange 

cities, it should at least keep a booking 

department and a sales representative on 

Filmrow. The way It is now, Huhnke said, 

if you come to town, there's no one to talk 

to. The one salesman can't even be contacted 

because he Is out in the territory. 

It may be economy, Huhnke said, but he 

the delegates that one company has lost 

told 

$1,000 a week in revenue in short subjects 

alone, and that another company has been 

spending $500 a month on telephone calls. 

"Of course, distributors should economize 

in their operations, and theatremen should 

encourage them to save, but completely 

eliminating an office In an exchange city is 

not the way to do it," he declared. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 

8, 1956

SURVEY REVEALS CREDIT PLAN 

WOULD NOT LIFT ATTENDANCE 

I 

Johnston Recommends No 

Further Action by the 

MPAA on Project 

NEW YORK—The proposed credit plan 

under which a systena of "charging" theatre 

admissions would be tested does not 

"offer a promise of appreciably increasing 

movie attendance," Eric Johnston, president 

of the Motion Picture Ass'n of America, 

told the MPAA board of directors on 

Tuesday (4). Johnston based his report 

on a survey made in Marion County, Ind., 

by A. J. Wood & Co. of Philadelphia. 

In view of what Johnston called the "disappointing 

result," he recommended that no 

further action be taken on the credit plan. 

The study was initiated and financed by the 

MPAA after consultation and in cooperation 

with Indianapolis exhibitors. The result is 

based on a total of approximately 1,400 personal 

interviews carried out with a scientifically 

selected cross-section of the Marion 

County adult population over 18 years of age. 

86% OPPOSED TO PROPOSAL 

In total, 14 per cent of Marion County 

adults answered in the affirmative; 86 per 

cent in the negative. The conductors of the 

poll pointed out that it was natural not to 

assume that the 14 per cent would all go to 

the theatre more often if they had a credit 

card. However, those who said they would 

want a credit card were asked if they would 

attend more often or about as often. 

Of the 14 per cent, 47 per cent said they 

would go more often if they had a card. This 

means that about six per cent of the total 

sample want a card and would patronize a 

theatre more often because of it. 

"But the question is how much more often 

would these six per cent go?" the report 

stated. "The study findings furnish us with 

some clues from which we estimate that this 

figure might be in the neighborhood of 50 per 

cent—that is, those who are interested in the 

plan might go as much as 50 per cent more 

often than they do now. Even this is an optimistic 

estimate, however, since those who desire 

credit are significantly above average in 

their present rate of attendance and it would 

be unlikely that they would increase by as 

much as 50 per cent." 

Applying this 50 per cent to the figure of 

six per cent reveals a net increase in attendance 

of three per cent (six per cent of 

the people going 50 per cent more often). 

ONLY lii NET GAIN IN SALES 

However, the report continued, "an increase 

in attendance is not the same as an increase 

in sales. Obviously, we must deduct the cost 

of administering the charge plan. A conservative 

estimate would put this at about 

1.5 per cent of total sales, the average experienced 

by department stores, although it 

seems likely that the figure for a movie plan 

would be somewhat higher in view of the 

difference between the average admission 

price in movies and the average department 

store sales check." 

Stellings Is 

Heartened 

After Talks With Majors 

NEW YORK—Major company willingness 

to cooperate in the fulfilment of the aims 

of Theatre Owners of America was praised by 

Ernest G. Stellings, president, in a statement 

following his visits to executives 

"I found that they are as concerned," he 

said, "with the troubled state of distributorexhibitor 

relations and general industry 

problems as we exhibitors are, and that they 

are willing to do more than their share to 

improve those conditions." 

Stellings met with Alfred E. Daff and 

Adolph Schimel of Universal-International, 

Charles M. Reagan of Loew's, Inc., Spyros P. 

Skouras and William C. Gehring of 20th 

Century-Fox, A. Montague of Columbia, 

Walter E. Branson of RKO and Barney 

Balaban of Paramount November 29 and 30. 

"I conveyed to the people with whom I 

talked," he said, "that TOA is willing to 

dedicate itself completely to industry efforts 

Deducting 1.5 per cent administration cost 

from a three per cent increase in attendance 

leaves the situation with a net gain in sales 

of only 1.5 per cent. 

In another approach, the poll takers sought 

answers from the standpoint of advantages 

which people saw in it. Based on this, it was 

found that of the 14 per cent who wanted 

cards, only 52 per cent wanted them because 

they would enable them to go to the theatre 

when they were short of cash. This group 

comprised only a little more than seven per 

cent of the total sample. If these seven per 

cent increased their attendance by as much 

as 50 per cent, the over-all increase in attendance 

would be 3.5 per cent. Deducting 

the 1.5 per cent administration costs, this 

approach would leave a net gain in sales of 

two per cent. 

Further studies revealed that of the 14 

per cent, only 47 per cent would like to go to 

the theatre more often than they do now. 

On the basis of the total sample, this means 

that only six per cent want a credit caird and 

want to go to theatres more often. 

According to the poll takers, it cannot be 

assumed that all of these six per cent would 

actually go more often if they had a credit 

card. Actually it was found that about 60 

per cent of this group, 3.5 per cent of the 

total sample, said they didn't have the time 

to go more often. This leaves a total of only 

2.5 per cent who might conceivably be persuaded 

to go to the movies more often by the 

charge plan. Applying the 50 per cent increase 

factor, the theatres would end up with 

a net increase in attendance of only a little 

more than one per cent. In terms of sales, 

therefore, it is obvious that from this approach, 

the increase in admissions would be 

completely wiped out by the costs of the plan. 

On the basis of the total sample, it was 

aimed at promoting the selling of tickets at 

our boxoffices, and that we will aid in any 

sound way to accomplish that objective. 

"We are appreciative of this opportunity 

to bring our thoughts to the company heads 

and general sales managers, and we shall 

follow up these conferences with what we 

feel are good, constructive and definite industry 

programs in the immediate future." 

In a speech November 27 before the Theatre 

Owners of North and South Carolina, Stellings 

had listed as important TOA aims improved 

relationships between exhibition and 

the other segments of the industry, which he 

called urgent; an all-industry effort to increase 

boxoffice returns combined with public 

relations and publicity, an arbitration and 

conciliation program acceptable to all, continued 

backing of independent production 

and a more orderly release of top product. 

His speech was conciliatory. 

foimd that only about 7.5 per cent would like 

to go to the theatre more often but are prevented 

from doing so by lack of cash. It was 

pointed out that if this 7.5 per cent actually 

accepted the card and increased their attendance 

by 50 per cent, there would be a 

net increase in admissions of only 3.5 per 

cent, or a net gain in sales of about two per 

cent. 

At the conclusion of the interviews, this 

question was asked: "Does it ever happen 

that you sometimes think of going to the 

movies but then decide that you can use the 

money better for some other things?" It was 

foimd that 26 per cent of the sample 

answered in the affirmative and 74 per cent 

negative. Of this 26 per cent, only 40 per 

cent said that this situation occurs very 

often or fairly often; the others indicated it 

happens rarely. This means that 10 per cent 

could conceivably be influenced by a charge 

plan. Applying the 50 per cent increase factor, 

it would show a total increase in attendance 

of around five per cent. Deducting 1.5 

per cent for costs leaves an end result of 3.5 

per cent net gain in sales. 

Turning to the proposal for a scrip book 

of tickets worth $12.50 for $10, 28 per cent 

said they would be interested in such a book 

and 72 per cent would not. But of the 28 

per cent, only 43 per cent said they would go 

to the theatre more often. Based on the 

total sample, this means that 12 per cent 

would buy a book and go more often. If 

these 12 per cent actually went as much as 

50 per cent more often, the net increase 

would be only six per cent. 

A subcommittee had been appointed by the 

MPAA to initiate the survey. This group consisted 

of William Gehring of 20th Century- 

Fox, chairman; Charles Reagan, Loew's, and 

Charles Feldman, Universal. 

BOXOFFICE December 8, 1956

"PuUe ^cat^ 

Audience Awards Campaign 

Seen Possible in Spring 

COMPO has material ready for activation 

when given green light; original plan to start 

voting Christmas Day postponed when 

Academy feared interference with Oscar 

Awards in March; the MPAA boxoffice drive 

planning complicated situation. 

MPAA Pressing for Meetings 

With Newspaper Publishers 

Wants to open January 20 in New York 

first of series of talks giving accurate picture 

of industry; cooperation being sought at 

weekend of Allied, TOA, MMPTA, ITOA and 

COMPO; exhibitors would contact papers. 

* 

Rogers Memorial Hospital 

Collections Hit $275,912 

Total remitted by almost 4,000 theatres as 

of December 5 surpasses final total of 

$166,933 in last year's initial drive; New 

York led exchange areas and Stanley Warner 

the circuits, with Loew's second. 

First Percentage Suits 

Are Filed in Canada 

Legal action involving alleged incorrect reporting 

on percentage engagements taken by 

three Canadian distributors against a Quebec 

Province theatre; distributors seek damages 

and accounting. 

Columbia Indebtedness 

Reduced by $3,000,000 

Company's loans held by five banks and 

trust companies trimmed from $18,000,000 to 

$15,000,000 by payment of $3,000,000 last October 

1, according to a report to the Securities 

and Exchange Commission; it had borrowed 

from SEC Sept. 1, 1954. 

WB's Stockholders Tender 

638,951 Common Shares 

Warner Bros, outstanding stock now totals 

1,843,296 shares; cost of acquisition was 

$17,921,112; stock acquired is being held in 

the company treasury. 

Loew's Opens Its 56th Foreign 

Theatre, the MGM, in Berlin 

Second in Germany where all key cities 

will be covered; Arthur Loew, president of 

international division, sees "The Swan" presented; 

other recent openings were in Hamburg, 

Milan and Buenos Aires. 

Majors Plan to Distribute 

Some of IFE Product 

Negotiations under way whereby one or 

more of the major companies will handle distribution 

of IF^ films, according to Seymour 

Poe, IFE vice-president; one deal is close 

to 

consummation. 

SpecialAcademy Meeting 

Due on Aiding Promotion 

NEW YORK—The cooperation of the 

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 

in airanging a "Hollywood Sweepstakes" as 

part of the business-building program of 

the major companies will be sought in Hollywood 

by Roger H. Lewis of United Artists, 

chairman of the committee of advertising 

and publicity directors of the Motion Picture 

Ass'n of America. 

A tentative date for Lewis to appear before 

the Academy board is Thursday (13). 

The decision was reached Tuesday (4) at a 

meeting of the MPAA board after Lewis had 

outlined the business-building program. It 

was unanimously approved and the MPAA 

board asked for a complete presentation after 

Lewis made his Hollywood pitch. 

The Academy has had some doubts about 

any tie-in of the Oscar awards with a 

national business promotion campaign. 

Before Lewis addressed the board, there 

were talks by Y. Frank Freeman of Paramount, 

George Seaton, president of the 

Academy, and Fred Metzler, Academy 

financial officer, but those were reported to 

have dealt mainly with current and proposed 

Academy activities unrelated to the boxoffice 

campaign. 

TTie three Hollywood executives told of a 

desire for the Academy to sponsor a motion 

picture museum and to increase the number 

of courses on film art in universities. Such 

courses are now held in the University of 

California and Los Angeles and the University 

of Southern California. They made 

no specific requests for aid but said they 

would return later with definite proposals. 

RKO Is 

Doing Well. 

President Reports 

NEW YORK—Continued successful operations 

by RKO, including increased production 

in 1957, were forecast by Thomas F. 

O'Neil, board chairman and president, at a 

luncheon meeting Tuesday (4) of the New 

York Society of Security Analysts. 

O'Neil said that RKO Teleradio and entertainment 

subsidiaries had had a profitable 

year and that capital expenditures by RKO 

in 1957 will be slight. He noted that RKO 

amortizes films at about 80 per cent during 

the first year of release and writes them 

off in two to two and a half years. 

O'Neil said executives of RKO Teleradio 

and RKO would meet late in the week in 

Florida to discuss an expanded program, including 

the possible use of the Todd-AO 

process, and that "Oklahoma!" which RKO 

is releasing abroad, will open soon in Germany. 

M. G. O'Neil, his brother, who is executive 

assistant to the president of General Tire 

& Rubber Co., parent company, told the 

analysts that RKO production had proved 

profitable, but that the earnings picture cannot 

be complete until later because the actual 

period of production was only eight months 

and some of the films produced will not be 

released until next year. He said GTR sales 

were up but earnings down, and that some 

RKO Teleradio earnings will be consolidated 

with those of GTR. He also said that GTR 

may issue preferred stock. 

Report Two Companies 

To Serve Cable Theatre 

NEW YORK—Columbia Pictures and 

Allied Aitists are reported to have agreed 

to make some product available to the 

"home" or cable theatre in Bartlesville, 

Okla. The project is being launched by 

Video Independent Theatres. 

Henry Griffing, president of the circuit, 

is hoping to obtain at least four companies' 

pictures before putting the plan 

into operation next spring. Subscribers 

will pay $8 or $9 per month for two or 

three programs per week. 

"ITie "home" theatre is an enterprise 

of Jerrold Electronic Corp. of Philadelphia. 

Stanley Warner Profit 

For Year Slightly Up 

NEW YORK — Stanley Warner Corp. 

showed a net profit for the year of $3,194,200, 

equal to $1.47 a share on 2,166,800 shai-es of 

common stock outstanding August 25, compared 

with a profit of $3,065,800, or $1.39 a 

share during the prior year. The latest 

figures combine the results of operations of 

the theatre circuit and the Cinerama and 

International Latex divisions. 

Theatre admissions, merchandise sales and 

other income totaled $96,234,200, an increase 

of $3,823,700 over similar income of $92,410,500 

one year ago. 

In his report, S. H. Fabian, president, said 

the outlook for improved boxoffice receipts 

in the near future was brighter than it has 

been for several months. 

"The audience is not lost but waiting for 

pictures of its choice," he said. "Outstanding 

pictures are playing to capacity audiences, 

although there is an over-all decline in attendance. 

TV competition cannot be ignored 

as the major element in this reduced patronage, 

but it is not the only factor nor is it 

the decisive factor. 

"We believe the declines arise largely from 

the existing shortage of acceptable pictures. 

Hollywood, while meeting the challenge of 

quality production, is limiting the number 

of features produced. Action must be taken 

by the industry to reverse this trend and to 

increase the supply of boxoffice product. 

Your company intends to alleviate the shortage, 

either by participating in production 

itself or by sponsoring additional production 

by others." 

Fabian noted a continuing evaluation of 

theatre properties. He said that some which 

cannot be operated advantageously will be 

-sold while others will be added. In the latter 

connection, he mentioned the 2,150-seat 

Majestic Theatre in Providence, R. I. Tlie 

company now owns or leases 306 theatres, 

of which 162 are owned in fee, 134 are leased 

and ten are partly owned in fee and partly 

leased. Twenty-one of them are operated by 

the Cinerama division. 

10 BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956

aramjomt 

*

Through these gates - 

The Most Importanf Attraction li 

C 

v3 

)Aree thousand and two hundred years ago o.\ 

Mount Sinai 

THE TEN COMMANDMENT.\ 

were engraved on stone. Today they are engrave, 

on film. 

C\ 

Scene upon scene now exists inpermanent Visit 

Vision record to dramatize the most vital huma 

story that I have directed in 41 years of picturi 

making and 20 years on the stage. The scene 

made in Egypt are big— big in idea, big in movt 

ment, big in massed humanity, warm in coloi 

In Hollywood, we have brought to life th' 

personal struggle between the very human peopl 

who were swept along on this great tide of history 

This struggle has never stopped — the 

struggl 

between Moses, the man, and Rameses, the king 

u 

Moses, played by Charlton Heston, stands as th 

symbol ofindividualfreedom under God. Rameses 

played by Yul Brynner, stands as the symbol a] 

the dictator who owns everything, 

including th' 

souls and bodies of those he rules. Theirs was th\ 

Ocill' 

CheCenO 

starring 

CHARiN HKION -yOL BR 

[R-f 

Sm CEDBIC milDWICKE • KIN* fOCH • MMK 

DIRECIEO BY CECIL 0. De MILLE • WRIIIEN FOR IHE SCREEN BY AENEAS Mac KEN/IE, JESSE L lASKY, JR., JACK GARISS, FREDfll) 

y^ 

Photographt by Karth, Ottawa

' 

The 

ne History Of Motion 

fif 

great clash between these two giant concepts. 

1. 1 they are stillfighting in the world today, just 

('V fought their first engagement 3,200 years 

U(. 

on the very ground where our cameras turned. 

\The collision of these giant forces forms a story 

ufich sees spiritual power arrayed against earthly 

ptver, devotion facing passion, love against hate, 

tf inspired opposed to the ruthless— showing the 

Uiikness 

and the glory of man and the wonder 

oGod. 

On film is traced the events that brought about 

th giving of the tablets ofstone. In them is formed 

deep meaning, the enduring inspiration of the 

it', 

urds that came flaming from Mount Sinai — 

m TEN COMMANDMENTS. For they are 

Through these 

The Biggest Pii Pictures Froi 

c 

GA 

c 

DEAN 

JERRY 

MARTIN • LEWIS 

IN A HAL WALLIS 

PRODUCTION 

HOLLY>AAOOD 

PAT CROWLEY 

OR BUST 

co-starring 

. MAXIE ROSENBLOOM 

CuestStarANITAEKBERG 

Directed by FRANK TASHLIN • Written by ERNA LAZARUS 

New Songs by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster 

TECHNICOLOR® 

.i#^ 

BURT 

KATHARINE 

LANCASTER • HEPBURN 

J 

S)i. 

^ 

BURT 

KIRK 

LANCASTER • DOUGLAS 

IN 

A HAL WALLIS 

PRODUCTION 

GUNFiGHT AT 

THE O. K. CORRAL 

co-starring 

RHONDA FLEMING • JO VAN FLEET 

JOHN IRELAND 

Directed by JOHN STURQES • Screenplay by LEON URIS 

Muiic Compoied and Conducted by Dimitri Tiomkin 

TECHNICOLOR®

^\ 

^bllyvifood's Greatest Talents 

AUDREY 

HEPBURN 

FRED 

ASTAIRE 

FUNNY FACE 

J 

J 

'U 

J 

J 

cO. 

K 

THE LONELY MAN 

cu-starring 

NEVILLE BRAND • ROBERT MIDDLETON 

Introducing ELAINE AIKEN 

Produced by PAT DUGGAN • Directed by HENRY LEVIN 

Written by HARRY ESSEX and ROBERT SMITH 

I 

uu\ 

,r 

n

K^ 

Through these gates - 

Boxofffice Attractions With Everr 

v5 

c 

Q\ 

ANTHONY PERKINS • KARL MALDEN 

STRIKES OUT 

Based on a story by James A. Piersall and Albert S. Hirschberg 

Produced by ALAN PAKULA • Directed by ROBERT MULLIGAN 

Screenplay by TED BERKMAN and RAPHAEL BLAU

% 

i|nely Boxoffice Ingredient 

I 

J 

V 

JERRY LEWIS as 

THE 

DELINQUENT 

co-starring 

DARREN McGAVIN • MARTHA HYER 

Written and Directed by DON McGUIRE 

Produced by JERRY LEWIS 

'0 J 

J 

J 

DONALD O'CONNOR 

ANN BLYTH 

RHONDA FLEMING ,. 

THE 

BUSTER KEATON 

STORY 

co-starring PETER LOR RE 

Written by SIDNEY SHELDON and ROBERT SMITH 

Produced by ROBERT SMITH and SIDNEY SHELDON 

Directed by SIDNEY SHELDON 

BUSTER KEATON. Technical Advisor 

W 

cO. 

CHARLTON HESTON • ANNE BAXTER 

GILBERT ROLAND in 

THREE VIOLENT 

^\j 

co-starring 

TOM TRYON 

FORREST TUCKER BRUCE BENNETT 

with ELAINE STRITCH . Produced by HUGH BROWN 

Directed by RUDOLPH MAT^ 

Screenplay by JAMES EDWARD GRANT 

' 

c 

Based on a Story by Leonard Praskins and Barney Slater 

TECHNICOLOR® 

^ 

ji 

c>^,

:«S'»ff'^'',aBigg«WSWi 

INSIDE THESE GATES 

in addition to all the foregoing attractions whicli are finished or in final 

stages of production, these outstanding pictures are rolling: 

HENRY FONDA 

• 

ANTHONY PERKINS 

BETSY PALMER • MICHEL RAY 

In 

THE TIN STAR 

co-starring 

Neville Brand • John Mclntire 

a Perlberg-Seaton Production 

Produced by William Perlberg and George Seaton. Directed by Anthony Mann. 

Screenplay by Dudley Nichols. From a story by Barney Slater and Joel Kane. VistaVision. 

FRANK SINATRA 

MITZI GAYNOR 

• 

JEANNE GRAIN in 

THE JOKER 

Eddie Albert 

co-starring 

From Art Cohn's best-selling biography of Joe E. Lewis. 

Produced by Samuel Briskin. Directed by Charles Vidor. Screenplay by 

Oscar Saul. Music by Sammy Kahn and James Van Heusen. VistaVision. 

JAMES STEWART • 

VERA MILES 

in Alfred Hitchcock's 

FROM AMONGST THE DEAD 

(Tentative Title) 

Produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. 

Screenplay by Maxwell Anderson. VistaVision. Technicolor®. 

CLARK GABLE • 

DORIS DAY 

In a Perlberg-Seaton Production 

TEACHER'S PET 

Produced by William Perlberg. Directed by George Seaton. 

Written by Fay and Michael Kanin. VistaVision. 

The Don Hartman Production of Eugene O'Neill's 

DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS 

Produced by Don Hartman. Directed by Delbert Mann. 

Screenplay by Irwin Shaw. VistaVision. 

SHIRLEY BOOTH 

• 

ANTHONY PERKINS 

SHIRLEY MacLAINE in 

The Don Hartman Production of 

THE MATCHMAKER 

Produced by Don Hartman. 

Bas*d on Thornton Wllder's Broadway play. 

YUL BRYNNER 

In the colorful nrvusical 

VistaVision. 

VIstsVlslon. Tschnlcolor®. 

Produced under ths Supsrvlalon of CECIL B. DcMILUE.

: 

REPORT TO THE INDUSTRY 

Sunday No Longer Biggest 

Attendance Day of Week 

Strong TV Fare, Five-Day Week, More Working Mothers 

Among Reasons Given for Shift in Moviegoing Habits 

By NATHAN COHEN 

KANSAS CITY — Sunday, for 

decades 

the big boxoffice day for motion pictures, 

no longer is king. The crown has been 

slipping for some time, but theatremen 

now generally concede that Saturday has 

assumed the throne. 

Sindlinger & Co., industry analysts, in its 

latest issue of Movie Market Trends claims 

that 60 per cent of the week's attendance 

now comes on Saturday and Sunday, with 

Saturday as the bigger draw of the two. In 

the four week period ending November 17, 

Sindlinger researchers reported Saturday's 

attendance as representing 31.9 per cent 

of the week's business and Sunday at 29.1 

per cent. 

REPORTS SUBSTANTIATE CLAIM 

While reports by BOXOFFICE representatives 

in key cities throughout the country 

substantiate the decline in Sunday business, 

exhibitors themselves did not credit 

the Saturday-Sunday attendance as quite 

that substantial. However, there were indications 

that in many cities, theatres were 

getting about 50 per cent of their business 

in the two-day period, with Friday coming 

up as a good third. 

The reasons given for the drop in Sunday 

business are many and varied, among them 

being 

• Television's top programs are now being 

scheduled Sunday night. 

• The almost universal acceptance of the 

five-day week has made Friday and Saturday 

the "nights out" for more Americans. 

By Sunday they are satisfied to stay home 

and watch TV. 

• In full-employment industrial areas, the 

early 7 a.m. shifts are forcing more workers to 

adopt an earlier Sunday bedtime hour. 

• There are more working mothers than 

ever before, and Sunday is being used to 

get the house in order and getting the children 

ready for school. 

Main St. 

Stores Closing 

Saturday Night Hurts 

Minneapolis—Sunday remains a good 

day in many small towns because of a 

changing pattern for operating stores 

in smaller communities, says Lowell Kaplan, 

buyer-booker for Ben Berger's circuit. 

"Saturday niglit has been hurt in many 

towns because for th^ past several years 

stores which used to stay open on that 

evening now close, and there isn't the 

incentive for people to come downtown." 

he said. 

BOXOFFICE December 8, 1956 

Many theatremen say that it is now essential 

for them to change pictures on Sunday 

to make the day big, and this was reported 

in both large cities and small. Charles 

Winchell, president of the Minnesota Amusement 

Co., with theatres in both large and 

small communities in the Upper Mississippi 

region, says a change of bill invariably improves 

business. In many Massachusetts 

towns where theatres play a split week, 

Sunday has become an opening day, as a 

device to increase attendance. 

The shift from Sunday as a major moviegoing 

day has not been a sharp move, swept 

into sudden actuaUty by television. The 

change has been gradual, and is more the 

result of the shifting pattern in the American 

way of life. 

"When people worked a five-and-one-halfday 

week, they went out on Saturday and 

Sunday nights," says Leon Back, general 

manager for the Rome Theatres circuit in 

Baltimore. "Now that they work five days, 

they go out Friday and Saturday and are 

tired by Sunday, so a real drawing card is 

needed." 

HIGH EMPLOYMENT A FACTOR 

"There are many reasons for the changing 

pattern," commented Prank Cost, manager 

of the Lake and Shore theatres, units 

of Cleveland's Associated Theatres circuit. 

"Cleveland is a highly industrialized city. 

There is a peak employment. These employes 

make up the masses that used to fill 

our theatres. Today, with tensions high, 

these employes want to get to bed early 

Sunday night to be ready for work on Monday 

morning. Another factor is the working 

mother. She, too, has an early Monday 

morning to report for her job. But, before 

leaving home she has to get the household 

in ship-shape and get the children off to 

school. Late Sunday night hours just don't 

fit into this scheme." 

Loew's, Inc., with a substantial circuit of 

houses in New York and key theatres 

throughout the country, reported business 

in New York is good Fridays and Saturdays; 

Sunday matinees are "all right" but Sunday 

evenings are "not so good." Sunday business 

is definitely off throughout the country, 

more than that of any other days of the 

week. Loew's executives feel that, in the 

general, the reason is that people nowadays 

don't work on Saturday any more and make 

it their "splurge" day. 

Shea Enterprises, which has theatres in 

New York, Ohio and a number of eastern 

states, reported a mixed picture. Over-all, 

Sunday remains the best day, with rainy 

Sundays better than fair Sundays. However, 

Pittsburgh is an exception. There Saturday 

is the best day. Akron, Ohio, patrons, says 

Shea's are completely unpredictable. They 

may not turn out for a fine picture but go for 

a "turkey." The circuit opens some of its 

In Utah, Sunday Grosses 

Are Lowest of the Week 

Salt Lake City—Although Sunday business 

has for years been the worst of the 

week in Utah and southern Idaho, there 

is a slight improvement on good pictures. 

This appears to be the general idea of 

exhibitors in the major cities. It improves 

only on better pictures, however. According 

to one exhibitor, Sunday business 

accounts for from two to three per cent 

of the week's gross, depending on the 

type of picture. 

It has even been known to go below a 

tenth, and in some cities in the area, it 

is considerably below that figure. 

Reason for bad Sunday business in 

Utah and southern Idaho is that the 

Mormon Church has made Sunday moviegoing 

its special target in pleading for 

"observance of the Sabath." Many Mormon 

communities do not even have theatres 

open on Sunday. Churchgoing is the 

pastime. 

Since the advent of television, Sunday 

movie business has been reported worse 

than ever. However, the noticeable improvement 

has come with bigger pictures, 

such as "War and Peace," "Giant" and 

"Friendly Persuasion." 

big pictures on Thursday. That seems to 

produce good grosses and the circuit can 

tell by Saturdays, after word-of-mouth has 

had its effect, whether to hold the picture 

for Sunday. Otherwise, a new picture opens 

Sunday to bolster attendance. 

The Bandforce Amusement Co., a big operator 

of neighborhoods in New York, finds 

that while big TV shows on Sunday hurt 

attendance, if a theatre has a good picture 

people will come out to see a movie Simday 

afternoon and watch television at night. Attendance-wise, 

the circuit says Saturday tops 

Sunday, but money-wise Sunday is tops. 

That is because admissions are not increased 

on Saturdays until 5 pjn., while increased 

admissions are in affect all day Sunday. 

ADULTS AT SUNDAY MATINEE 

Randforce was not the only source for information 

that Sunday afternoon had become 

a strong moviegoing period. In Syracuse, 

exhibitors said best business comes 

either Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. 

Sam Oilman, manager of Loew's theatres 

in that community, said Sunday business now 

consists 

of 70 per cent adults to 30 per cent 

children. 

In Miami, exhibitors say there has been no 

sudden trend away from Sunday moviegoing, 

in the sense that such a trend has suddenly 

been observed. For a good many years now, 

they commented, Sunday has not been the 

outstanding showbuslness day it once was. 

Put on a percentage basis, the week in Miami 

stacks up approximately as follows: Sundays, 

22 per cent; Mondays, 9 per cent; Tuesdays 

and Wednesdays, 10 per cent; Thursdays, 12 

per cent; Fridays, 14 per cent; and Saturdays, 

23 per cent. 

Correspondents participating in the survey 

included BOXOFFICE representatives in New 

York, Albany, Pittsburgh, Boston, Baltimore, 

Miami, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, 

Kansas City, Houston, Salt Lake City, 

Syracuse, Helena and Hartford. 

19

. 

ZOth CENTURY- FO] 

The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit I 

Lore Me Tender I 

now brings you 

ITS CROWNING 

ACHIEVEMENT 

for selected engagements 

at Christmas 1956 and 

New Year's 1957. . 

M

'hich brought you this year Carousel I 

King and 1 1 Bus Stop I Oklahoma 

! I 

INGRID BERGMAN 

^'UL BRYNNER 

HELEN HAYES 


^—-i> 

iO 

with AKIM TAMIROFF 

• MARTITA HUNT • FELIX AYLMER 

PRODUCED BY DIRECTED BY SCREENPLAY BY 

JDDY ADLER • ANATOLE 

LITVAK • ARTHUR 

LAURENTS

UNIVERSAL PLANS TO RELEASE 

33 FEATURES DURING THE YEAR 

12 of the Group Will Be 

Distributed in Early 

Quarter of 1957 

HOLLYWOODÎn its 

45th year of continuous 

production of motion picture entertainment, 

Universal-International will release 

33 features, 12 of which will be placed 

in distribution channels during the first 

four months of 1957. 

Plans for a high level of both releasing and 

production activity during the year were revealed 

at a week-long sales conference which 

opened Monday (3) and was attended by all 

of the company's top executives. 

RACKMIL IS OPTIMISTIC 

Universal, declared Milton Rackmil, U-I's 

president, is prepared to accept the challenge 

of a situation which offers "the industry 

some of its greatest opportunities for future 

growth, if it can meet the demands of theatres 

for outstanding product and the needs 

of a mass moviegoing public for quality entertainment." 

To meet this challenge, the company will 

produce more than 30 high-budget features in 

1957 to be selected from among 64 important 

story properties which currently are in various 

stages of preparation. There also will 

be an increase in the use of Cinemascope 

and color as extra production values. 

There was feeling of optimism among U-I's 

executives. N. J. Blumberg, chairman of the 

board, in a message aimed at the company's 

4,500 employes in 50 countries, urged them 

"to personally become ambassadors of optimism." 

He said, "We are not talking about liquidating 

our assets but, rather, we are daily 

seeking new ways of making our assets more 

productive for the benefit of all exhibitors." 

To this message, Al Daff. executive vicepresident, 

added that the company has the 

greatest backlog of completed film production 

in its history, and that the lineup of 

story material and talent "should spell boxoffice 

success in theatres throughout the 

world." 

Backing up this confidence were Charles 

J. Feldman, vice-president and general sales 

manager, who outlined product plans for the 

sales group, and David Llpton, vice-president 

m charge of advertising and publicity, who 

detailed promotional plans designed to help 

exhibitors meet the competition of other entertainment 

media. 

7 IN CS AND 8 IN COLOR 

Feldman, In who.se honor an 18-week sales 

drive win begin December 30, reported that 

seven of the 12 pictures to be released in the 

first four months of the new year will be in 

Cinemascope and eight will be in color. The' 

company's first black-and-white Cinema- 

Scope feature will be released in April—"The 

Tattered Dress," to star Jeanne Crain, Jeff 

Chandler, Jack Carson, Elaine Stewart and 

Gall Russell. 

Feldman said he considered the features 

now on hand and ready for dUtrlbutlon "one 

Universal-International executives assemble at the studio for the opening session 

of the company's week-long- sales executives conference. Photo shows (at table L 

to R) Foster M. Blake, western sales manager; James Frew, Atlanta district manager; 

Henry H. Martin, southern sales manager; F. J. A. McCarthy, assistant general 

sales manager; Edward Muhl, vice-president in charge of production; Alfred E. Daff, 

executive vice-president; Charles J. Feldman, vice-president and general sales manager; 

Milton R. Rackmil, president; David A. Lipton, vice-president; M. J. Isman, 

eastern district manager for Empire-Universal in Canada; P. F. Rosian, Cleveland 

district manager; P. T. Dana, eastern sales manager; and Joseph Gins, Boston 

district manager. (Behind table L to R) Robert N. Wilkinson, Dallas district manager; 

Jack Diamond, studio publicity director; Charles Simonelli, eastern advertising 

and publicity department manager; Robert Gillham, vice-president of Cunningham 

and Walsh, U-I's advertising agency; James J. Jordan, circuit sales manager; A. W. 

Perry, president of Empire-Universal; Lester Zucker, Kansas City district manager; 

Manie M. Gottlieb, Chicago district manager; Barney Rose, San Francisco district 

manager; Mark Plottel, Empire-Universal sales manager; Clark Ramsay, executive 

assistant to David Lipton; and Archie Herzoff, studio advertising manager. 

of the greatest inventories of product in our 

Seven such stories are already being prepared— 

"Ataturk," a story of the great Turk- tures of a Gaucho." 

ventures of Sinbad the Sailor" and "Adven- 

ish leader; "Bojangles," to deal with the late 

history." 

dancing star. Bill Robinson; "The Colonel 

In January, the company will release Everest Story," about a jet pilot; "The 

"Written On the Wind," starring Rock Hudson, 

Charles Russell Story," which will devote 

Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack and Dorothy itself to the famous cowboy painter; "The 

Malone; "Four Girls in Town," with George Man Who Rocked the Boat," about a gangbusting 

district attorney; "The Way Back," 

Nader, Julie Adams and a trio of imports, 

Marianne Koch, Elsa Martinelli and Gia the story of Audie Murphy's transition from 

Scala, and "Rock, Pretty Baby," starring Sal war hero to civilian life, and "The Boy From 

Mineo, John Saxton and Luana Patten. Korea," about a Korean orphan now an 

The February lineup will include "The honor student In this country. 

Great Man," starring Jose Ferrer, Dean Jagger, 

Keenan Wynn and Julie London; "Is- 

Man Godfrey," in which Carole Lombard and 

One of the great comedies of the past, "My 

tanbul" with Errol Flynn and Cornell William Powell starred, will be remade with 

Borchers, and "The Night Runner" with Ray June Allyson and the German star, O. W. 

Danton and Colleen Miller. In March, U-I Fischer, Muhl annoimced. Jose Ferrer will 

has scheduled "Battle Hymn" which stars direct and act In "Jalopy" and James Cagney 

Rock Hudson and Martha Hyer; "Gun for a will star in an unproduced stage musical, 

Coward" which has Fred MacMurray, Jeff "The Devil's Hornpipe," written by Maxwell 

Hunter, Janice Rule and Chill Wills in starring 

Anderson and Rouben Mamoulian, and there 

roles, and "Mister Corey," with Tony will be originals written for Miss Allyson and 

Curtis, Martha Hyer, Charles Blckford and Esther Williams, Muhl said. 

Katherlne Grant. 

Completing the four-month schedule, in 

April, will be "The Incredible Shrinking Man" 

King Bros. Has 23% Gain 

starring Grant Williams; "Kelly and Me," In Earnings for Year 

which stars Van Johnson, Piper Laurie and HOLLYWOOD—For the fLscal year ended 

Martha Hyer, and "The Tattered Dress." Aug. 31, 1956, King Bros. Productions had an 

To acquaint the executive staff with upcoming 

operating profit of $125,024 before taxes, an 

productions, Edward Muhl, vice-presi- 

increase of 23 per cent over the $101,678 

dent in charge of production, said that story earned in the preceding year. Net profit 

properties now being prepared are designed amounted to $66,313. 

to appeal to all types of audiences. They will Release of "The Brave One" was not early 

be tapped for production according to availability 

enough for Its earnings to be reflected in the 

of stars and public preferences. How- 

latest financial report. 

ever, in line with U-I's succe.ss with biographical 

In his letter to stockholders, president 

pictures, special emphasis will be Prank King indicated that the company plans 

placed on features In this category. 

to enter the television field with "The Ad- 


: December 8. 1956

fEENAGERS praised the 

rmpathetic treatment of 

[their story" 

€ 

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IS THE RAGE 

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Here^s the one picture 

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and BOX OFFICE... 

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SPECIAL ADS, 

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eoCK. PRETTY 

0„ectedb^RlCHAROB/\RllEiI-Wntienby hVrbTrIMARGOLIS and WILLIAM 

RMNOR- Produced b^ 

mmum\i-kmmm-mmkmm?mm 

SAL MINEO 

JOHN 

LUANA 

SAXON 

PATTEN 

with EDWARD C. PLATT FAY WRAY ROD McKUEN

The New . 

, . 

The Old 

Lobby of Boston's Remodeled Saxon Theatre, Formerly the Majestic, on Which $150,000 Was Spent for Renovation 

THEATRE REMODELING JOBS ON RISE 

Exhibitors Investing Heavily in Updating Properties, 4-Month Survey Shows 

By PHIL HANNTJM: 

KANSAS CITY—American theatre owners 

are expressing their confidence in the motion 

picture business by putting millions of dollars 

into modernizing and refurbishing properties 

from Broadway to Main Street—and to a 

greater extent than they have for years. 

There is a definite upward trend in remodeling 

projects. A report by BOXOPFICE 

correspondents covering the period August 1 

to December 1 showed twice as many theatre 

improvement jobs under way than were shown 

in the last four-month check made, from 

December 1, 1955 through March 1, 1956. 

Exhibitors are investing their money in 

these principal categories: 

Seating 

Repainting; 

Widescreens 

New Marquees 

Carpeting 

Air Conditioning: 

Projection & Sound 

Lobby Remodeling 

Sixteen projects costing more than $50,000 

were among the 129 theatre updating programs 

reported for the four months preceding 

December 1 in 27 states. In the preceding 

survey period, only 63 indoor theatres 

were being modernized. 

The bulk of the current modernization is 

centered among first run theatres, with 91 

such situations being upgraded at investments 

ranging up to $150,000. Other current 

remodeling projects include 23 neighborhood 

theatres, ten art houses and five Spanishlanguage 

theatres. 

Modernization money was being invested 

principally in ten categories with repainting, 

both interior and exterior work, being the 

renovation item most common to all the reported 

projects. Seating upgrading was reported 

in most stories of theatre improvement, 

regardless of which regional section or 

.size of the theatre involved. 

Especially encouraging and significant is 

the even distribution of the current projects 

throughout the nation, both as to geographical 

location and as to location in various size 

communities, Indicating that the resurgence 

of theatre upgrading is a healthy growth and 

not dependent on favorable factors in one 

region which may be denied to another section. 

The greatest activity in the field was 

reported from the Central section, where 32 

indoor theatre renovations were begun or 

completed during the four months preceding 

December 1. Second honors went to the East 

for 21 projects. The West reported 19 remodeling 

programs; Southeast, 18; Middle 

East, 13; North Central, 10; Southwest, nine, 

and New England, seven. 

The increasing willingness of theatremen 

to invest in improvements that contribute to 

patrons' comfort, convenience and entertainment 

was in evidence in small towns as 

well as the largest cities. Twenty-eight of 

the renovations in the survey period were in 

towns with populations under 5,000 persons. 

Twenty-four others were in cities with populations 

exceeding one million. A breakdown of 

the remaining remodeling projects by population 

background for the survey period showed 

Todd-AO Remodelings 

Cost Is $1,500,000 

Fifteen first run theatoes were converted 

for showing Todd-AO projected 

features at an investment of approximately 

$1,500,000 during the August 1-December 

1 period, according to a BOXOF- 

FICE survey of remodeling reports received 

by correspondents during the 

period. While not all of the 15 theatres 

were completed within the survey period, 

the following houses were remodeled or 

placed under conversion within the four 

months surveyed: Capitol, Little Rock; 

Saxon, Boston; Tower, Kansas City; 

Carthay Circle, Los Angeles; Tabor, Denver; 

Florida, Sarasota, Fla.; Selwyn, Chicago; 

Lyric, Indianapolis; Brown, Louisville; 

Century, Buffalo; Coronado, Oklahoma 

City; Broadway, Portland; Broadway, 

Dallas; Broadway, San Antonio, and 

Blue Mouse, Seattle. Typical investments 

in conversion to the Todd-AO process were 

Carthay Circle, L. A., $130,000; Saxon, 

Boston, $100,000; Broadway, Portland, 

$75,000. 

these results: ten projects, 5,000-15,000 

population group; 15 in the 15,000-30,000 

group; seven, 30,000-60,000; nine, 60,000-100,- 

000; 11 in the 100,000-250,000 class; 15 in 

the 250,000 to 500,000 population group; ten in 

the 500,000 to one million group. 

Among the largest money appropriations 

for remodeling in the survey period, excluding 

the 15 theatres converted for Todd-AO 

projection. Princess Theatre, Berlin, N. H., 

$150,000; the Criterion Theatre, first run New 

York City situation, $100,000; Stadium Theatre, 

Woonsocket, R. I., $100,000-$150,000; 

Boyd Theatre, Lancaster, Pa., $100,000; Roosevelt 

Theatre, Miami, $100,000, the latter being 

the 20th theatre converted for showing Cinerama 

films. 

Among first run theatres remodeled in 

smaller communities, the Ritz Theatre at 

Shawnee, Okla., population 22,948, was one 

of the standouts of the survey period. The 

Ritz was reopened after a remodeling and redecoration 

program that included updating 

of front, lobby, auditorium, stage and seats. 

New stage draperies in gray and gold were 

placed and the entire auditorium redecorated 

in charcoal, light gray and gold. The lobby 

was redesigned in charcoal, red and gold. New 

carpeting was installed throughout and a new 

heating system provided. 

TelePrompTer Acquires 

Sheraton TV Circuit 

NEW YORK—TelePrompTer Corp. has 

acquired Sheraton Closed Circuit Television, 

Inc., from Sheraton Corp. of America, according 

to Irving B. Kahn, president of Tele- 

PrompTer, and Ernest Henderson, head of 

the 43-hotel chain. It will be known as the 

Group Communications Division of TPT and 

be directed by William P. Rosensohn, executive 

vice-president of the Sheraton unit. 

Robert M. Ro.sencrans, also a vice-president 

of the Sheraton unit, will be a division 

executive. H. J. Schlafly jr. will be TPT vicepresident 

in charge of engineering. He is 

well known in the field of large-screen projection, 

is a member of the Society of Motion 

Picture and Television Engineers and formerly 

did TV research for 20th Century-Fox. 


: December 8, 1956

W MOST CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT OE OUR DAY! 

perfectly timed to meet today's big 

market for headline-hot excitement!

j 

j 

' 

Benjamin Thau Named /Reotêca > > 

Head of MGM Studio 

HOLLYWOOD—As had been generally 

predicted, Benjamin Thau, vice-president and 

executive of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer since 

1932, has been appointed administrative head 

of the studio by J. R. Vogel, president of 

Loew's, Inc., currently in Hollywood. 

Vogel also announced E. J. Mannix, general 

manager, and for many years one of the 

top executives of MGM, will work in close 

association with Thau, as will J. J. Cohn, 

Lawrence Weingarten, Marvin Schenck, 

Kenneth MacKenna and Saul Rittenberg, 

who will function as members of the executive 

staff. 

In confirming selection of Thau as head of 

the studio, Vogel stated, "Mr. Thau is one of 

the best known executives in the motion 

picture industry, and perhaps one of the least 

known to the public. Quiet and unassuming, 

his name rarely appears in print. 

"His appointment brings to this important 

position years of experience in studio administration. 

He was originally brought to 

the studio by Louis B. Mayer and worked 

closely with the late Irving Thalberg and Mr. 

Mayer, who later made him his executive 

assistarkt. Under Mr. Mayer he has played an 

important part in the MGM development 

of the greatest list of star personalities and 

other creative artists in Hollywood history." 

Prior to his association with Loew's, Thau 

was associated with the Keith vaudeville 

booking office and later with the Orpheum 

Circuit booking agency. 

WB Names Meyer Hutner 

Nat'l Publicity Head 

NEW YORK—Meyer M. Hutner, who 

recently resigned as advertising and publicity 

director for Samuel Goldwyn to join Warner 

Bros, as a special assistant for liaison with 

independent producers associated with the 

company, has been named national publicity 

manager for Warner Bros, by Robert S. Taplinger, 

vice-president and director of advertising 

and public relations. At the same time, 

Charles S. Steinberg has been advanced to 

the post of home office publicity manager to 

assume many of the duties of the late Larry 

Golob. Bill Hendricks continues as studio 

publicity director. 

Hutner had previously been publicity director 

at 20th Century-Fox for eight years. 

Carol Bagley Heads Sales 

For Science Pictures 

NEW YORK—Carol Bagley has been appointed 

vice-president in charge of sales for 

Science Pictures, Inc., and its subsidiary. Information 

Productions, It was announced by 

Francis C. Thayer, president. Bagley, who 

was formerly associated with the Music Corp. 

of America, will be in charge of both domestic 

and foreign film sales programs for 

Science. 

Science Pictures recently completed a film 

for the Reader's Digest, based on an audience 

study by researcher Alfred Politz. Information 

Productions currently Is filming the 

"See It Now" and "Air Power" series for Columbia 

Broadcasting System. 

BENJAMIN TH.VU 

Government Sues 

RCA and NBC 

WASHINGTON — The Department of 

Justice has charged the Radio Corp. of 

America and its subsidiary, the National 

Broadcasting Co., with conspiracy to restrain 

trade in five of the eight leading television 

markets in the U. S. It filed a civil 

suit Tuesday (4) in the federal district court 

of Philadelphia, charging violation of the 

Sherman antitrust act. 

RCA and NBC immediately denied the 

charges. 

The government papers noted an RCA 

annual revenue of about $1,000,000,000 and 

an NBC revenue in 1955 of about $159,000,000, 

the largest of the three major TV networks. 

This, a government official said, gave them 

tremendous bargaining power that had resulted 

in lessening competition. 

The government singled out the acquisition 

of a TV and radio station in Philadelphia 

from the Westinghouse Broadcasting Co., a 

subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Corp., in 

return for which Westinghouse Broadcasting 

received two NBC Cleveland stations and 

$3,000,000. The Federal Communications 

Commission had approved the deal. Philadelphia 

is the fourth leading TV market in 

terms of population and retail sales, and 

Cleveland is tenth. The government charged 

coercion involving stations in other cities. 

RCA and NBC in a joint statement said the 

suit resulted from a jurisdictional dispute 

between two agencies of the 

government, in 

which they "have been caught in the 

middle." It noted that Westinghouse had 

written the FCC, approving the deal. 

"The FCC is specifically authorized by 

Congress to pass upon such station transfers," 

the statement said, "and NBC acted in accordance 

with its decision. Now another 

branch of the government—the antitrust 

division—is trying to undo FCC's action." 

< < 'PCcfÂeA 

HOLLYWOOD OR BUST (Para)—A last look 

at Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as a team 

is provided by this typical burlesque, dealing 

with a sharpshooting: character out of a 

Damon Runyon book and a callow youth 

with a crush on a movie star he has never 

seen. All the usual comedy touches are 

here, plus a Great Dane that steers an 

automobile downhill and around curves in 

a riotously funny series of scenes. Hal B. 

WalUs produced and Frank Tashlin directed. 

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Anita Ekberg, 

Pat Crowley. 

This review will appear in full 

in a forthcoming issue of Boxoffice. 

Pioneers' Financial Aid 

In Year Totals $15,398 

NEW YORK—Disbursements to needy industry 

veterans by the Motion Picture 

Pioneers and the Foundation of the Motion 

Picture Pioneers during the year ended last 

April 30 amounted to $15,398, according to 

Harry J. Takiff, who resigned last week as 

treasurer. In a financial report of the organizations, 

Takiff pointed out that during the 

same period, the Pioneers' income was $33,- 

085. He estimated that financial assistance, 

medical and funeral expenses for 1957 would 

be approximately $30,000. 

Since the Foundation was formed on May 

1, 1949, the organization's total income 

amounted to $174,504. Of this income, total 

disbursements were $62,036, thus leaving a 

cash reserve of $112,486 as of April 30. Administrative 

expenses for the entire period 

totaled $13,187, or approximately nine per 

cent of the total income, an average of $2,000 

per year. 

PRM, Inc., Changes Name 

To Associated Artists 

NEW YORK—PRM, Inc., stockholders have 

voted to change its name to Associated Artists 

Productions Corp. The reason was to take 

advantage of its relationship to Associated 

Artists Productions, Inc., wholly-owned subsidiary 

which broadcasts company-owned 

television films. There will be no change in 

relationship of the two companies. 

Oppose French Setup 

NEW YORK—Jean Goldwurm, president 

of Times Film Corp., has reported that Henri 

Deutschmeister, head of Franco London Film, 

French producing company, also has opposed 

establishment of exchanges for the exclusive 

| 

distribution of French films in the U. S. He 

! 

quoted Deutschmeister as saying that several 

\ 

French producers do not want such i 

an 

organization, and that no progress toward 

setting one up has been made. 

New Title for UA Film 

NEW YORK—"The Monster That Challenged 

the World" is the new title for 

Gramercy Pictures' science-fiction film, "The 

Kraken," starring Tim Holt and Audrey Dalton. 

It was produced by Arthur Gardner and 

Jules Levy for United Artists release. 


: December 8, 1956

John Hamrick, 80, Dies 

In N. Y. After Illness 

PORTLAND, ORE.-ôhn Hamrick, 80, 

president of John Hamrick theatres in 

Seattle, Portland and Tacoma, died Friday 

morning, November 30, in New York following 

an illness of several weeks. Hamrick, 

Northwest theatre circuit chief for many 

years, had been in New York about a month. 

With him in his apartment at the time of 

his death were his wife, Mrs. Fannie Hamrick, 

and his only daughter, Mrs. Beatrice Mc- 

Grun of Santa Barbara, Calif. 

The theatreman is credited with bringing 

the first talking pictures to the Northwest 

when he installed Warner Vitaphone equipment 

in the Blue Mouse here and in the 

Music Box in Seattle. 

Until five years ago Hamrick was associated 

with Evergreen theatres as Hamrick-Evergreen, 

operating a dozen or more de luxe 

houses in major Oregon and Washington 

cities. Following the consent decree, Hamrick 

continued to operate as Hamrick Theatres. 

Included in the Hamrick circuit are 

the Music Hall, Orpheum, Music Box, Venetian 

and Bay in Seattle; the Music Box, 

Boxy, Rialto, Blue Mouse and Temple in 

Tacoma; the Roxy and Avalon in Enumclaw, 

and the Liberty and Roxy theatres here in 

Portland. 

Warner Building Is Sold; 

Will Move in 18 Months 

NEW YORK—Warner Bros, has sold its 

ten-story home office building at 321 West 

44th St. and adjacent two-story exchange 

building preparatory to moving in about 18 

months to 666 Fifth Ave., where a new 

building is being erected. The property was 

held at $2,500,000 and the purchaser was 

Charles Benenson, who paid cash. Warner 

Bros, also leased back the exchange building 

for 15 years at an annual rental of $20,000. 

Max Youngstein Answers 

Critics of Film Ads 

NEW YORK—Lashing out at critics 

who charge that film advertising is 

"lurid," Max E. Youngstein, United 

Artists vice-president, said the yardstick 

for film advertising should be the same as 

that applied to other industries and that 

"we are the direct descendants of the 

circus and we will continue in that vein." 

Youngstein said that UA standards of 

good taste are equal to those of anyone, 

that it is absurd to compare UA ads to 

the "dainty displays in Vogue," that 

sustaining vitality and excitement key 

the whole promotion plan, and that UA 

doesn't "intend to be deflected by prissy 

and irrelevant considerations of elegance 

or tone." 

He called ticket-selling results the 

proper gauge of an ad. 

He said UA does 

not condone or employ vulgarity, but 

won't be "defensive, humble, meek or 

furtive." 

"When there are decent sex elements 

in our pictures," he said, "we intend to 

say so in our ads. If there's rough action, 

our ads will tell about that, too." 

UA Exploitation Aimed 

To Aid Small Theatres 

Shown on the dais at UA's fieldmen's convention in New York are, from left: 

James R. Velde, general sales manager; Louis Lober, general manager of the foreign 

department; Leon Goldberg, vice-president in charge of finance; Max E. Youngstein, 

vice-president; William J. Heineman, vice-president In charge of distribution; 

Roger H. Lewis, national director of advertising, publicity and exploitation; Mori 

Krushen, exploitation manager, and Alfred Tamarin, assistant national director 

of advertising, publicity and exploitation. 

NEW YORK—A greater selection of smallunit 

ads, renewed emphasis on exploitation 

for the smaller situation and special aids for 

drive-in theatres will characterize United 

Artists' promotion program for 1957, it was 

announced at UA's national fieldmen's convention 

by Roger H. Lewis, national director 

of advertising and publicity. 

These phases of the over-all campaign for 

the coming year follow the findings of a UA 

pressbook survey that canvassed 1,300 exhibitors 

in both large and small situations 

in the United States and Canada. 

Lewis told the UA district fieldmen, assembled 

at the Warwick Hotel in New York 

for the wind-up session of the three-day convention, 

that the program of promotion for 

1957 was the most thoroughgoing and diverse 

in the company's history. It would, he said, 

assure exhibitors of effective, hard-hitting 

support for each of UA's 48 releases scheduled 

to go into distribution during 1957. 

The purposes of the survey, Lewis said, was 

to stimulate a productive exchange of ideas 

between theatremen and the UA home office 

promotion force. The results, he declared, 

confirmed the company's belief that exhibitors 

can fruitfully assist in the construction 

of campaign approaches and procedures. 

663 FIRST RUNS QUERIED 

Of the 1,300 theatres queried, Lewis reported, 

663 were first run houses, 195 were 

subruns, 117 were neighborhood situations 

and 325 were small-town theatres. 

The questionnaires covered exhibitor practices 

and preferences in the general fields of 

advertising, exploitation, publicity, posters and 

lobbies. Theatres involved represented every 

state in the country, as well as the Canadian 

Provinces of Quebec, Ontario and British 

Columbia. 

The responses indicated that 98 per cent 

of the showmen queried use newspaper advertising, 

39 per cent employ billboards, 66 

per cent advertise on radio and 16 per cent 

advertise on TV. Fifty-eight per cent use 

mailing pieces regularly or on occasion. 

A majority of exhibitors signified a preference 

for display ads under 300 lines and 

almost 80 per cent voiced their approval 

of UA's plan to develop a greater variety 

of ad approaches for individual features. 

Every drive-in respondent favored the incorporation 

in pressbooks of exploitation 

ideas specifically angled for open-air theatres. 

In the field of regular theatre exploitation 

activities, the survey established that lobby 

stunts are the most popular and are employed 

by 27 per cent of all exhibitors. Special 

front displays are used by 25 per cent. Other 

regular exploitation includes street ballyhoo 

(16 per cent), store tie-ups (15 per cent), 

special matinees (12 per cent), organization 

tie-ups (eight per cent) and novelty giveaways 

(seven per cent). 

Declared preferences in types of publicity 

material, as Indicated by the survey, are 

star biographies (36 per cent), stories-in-pictures 

(33 per cent), production stories (31 

per cent). Other pubhcity aids, in order of 

popularity, include column material, by-line 

features, anecdotes and full-page layouts. 

TEASER TRAILERS FAVORED 

Replies to the poster section of the poll 

showed that one-sheets are used by 54 per 

cent of the showmen sampled. Three-sheets 

are regularly used by 36 per cent, six-sheets 

by 18 per cent and 24-sheets by six per cent. 

A number of exhibitors pointed out the advantage 

of simplified title treatment and the 

effectiveness of two, rather than four colors. 

Other recurring requests and comment 

favored more widespread use of teaser 

trailers, lobby door panels, unbacked ad 

proofs and color stills. 

In general, Lewis noted, the survey points 

up the exhibitor's dependence on newspapers, 

radio and direct mail, and to a lesser extent, 

billboards. 

The survey was conducted under the supervision 

of UA pressbook editor Howard Carnow. 

The responses were analyzed by a staff 

headed by advertising manager Joseph Gould. 

MAC Reports 25% Gain 

In 

Circuit Business 

MINNEAPOLIS—Business over the 

Minnesota Amusement Co. circuit continues 

to run well ahead of the 

corresponding quarter a year ago, according 

to Charles Winchell, presidentgeneral 

manager. 

The gain, he says, is about 25 per cent, 

which he attributes to strong product 

in the aggregate. He points out that this 

reveals the ability of exhibition to sustain 

itself in healthy fashion despite television's 

growing strength. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 27

— 

" 

BETWEEN THE LINES 

zBy AL 

STEEN 

Edison Foundation 

Cites Three Films 

The Pioneers Aiiair 

IT'S A WHOLE week now since 

the Motion 

Picture Pioneers held its annual 

banquet at the Hotel Waldorf Astoria in 

New York, but the memory lingers on. 

Chairman Solly Schwartz and his committee 

promised that speeches would be brief 

and that joy would be unrefined—or did 

he say unconfined? Anyway, this was one 

affair where there wasn't a dull moment, 

no long-winded addresses, not even a serious 

induction of the new members. 

Judge Pecora, who has been performing 

the initiation ceremonies from the beginning 

of the MPP, injected a western drawl 

into his ritual and merely stated: "You 

guys have been roped in. Whoopee! Let's 

cut it short. Bring in the food." And that 

was that. 

Bob Hope, who served as toastmaster, 

was in good form. He reminded the eaters 

that Eric Johnston had just returned from 

France where the MPAA chief had tried 

to interest the French in American post 

cards. Hope said there were at least two 

men in the banquet hall who hadn't been 

asked to be president of Loew's, Inc. He 

told the audience that Pioneer of the Year 

Bob O'Donnell came from Texas where 

everybody is so rich that Howard Hughes 

got picked up for vagrancy. He added that 

Barney Balaban had as much money as 

Mike Todd owed. Mike, incidentally, was 

no slouch either when it came to making 

a speech. 

Among Hope's other observations were 

that Hollywood Catholics were the only 

ones who gave up matzo balls for Lent; 

that Big Crosby's idea of an exciting night 

was to turn up his electric blanket to 

medium and that Hollywood was making 

pictures for Channel 9 but didn't know it. 

Eric Johnston read a letter from President 

Eisenhower addressed to O'Doimell in 

which Ike wished him many more years of 

success and happiness. And Ned Depinet 

read a citation from the Dallas chapter of 

Women of the Motion Picture Industry 

iWOMPI) which bestowed on O'Donnell 

the title of "Godfather." 

In the style of Confidential Magazine, 

some hoked-up slides were thrown on the 

screen depicting highlights in O'Donnell's 

career. And when it came to speeches, too, 

Bill O'Donnell, Bob's brother, almost 

topped Bob Hope. 

But the fellow who will never regret that 

he came to the dinner and purchased a 

raffle ticket for ten bucks was Al Daff, 

executive veepee of Uixiversal. We don't 

know how he arrived at the Waldorf 

whether by cab, kiddie car, roller skates or 

on foot, but he left the party in a brand 

new 1957 Oldsmobile sedan. Yep, he was 

the lucky winner, causing everybody else 

In the room to drool. When Solly Schwartz 

picked out the lucky stub, he said, "The 

first name of the winner Is Al." There 

were a lot of Al's in the room, including 

yours truly, and every Al's heart stopped 

beating for a couple of seconds. Then 

everybody went Daff-y. 

Hats off to Schwartz, Marvin Kirsch, 

Harry Mandel, Ned Depinet, Herb Berg and 

all the others who helped to make the 18th 

Pioneers dinner a memorable one. 

• 

Shoe on Other Foot 

VATE HAD never thought of it before, but 

a funny twist about this business was 

pointed out to us the other day. A Midwest 

exhibitor association executive said, 

"Did you know that this is the only industry 

in which the buyer wines and dines 

the salesman in order to get merchandise?" 

Trying to be be-bop, we replied, "I don't 

dig you." 

"Well," said the exhibitor, "take any 

other business, whether it's hardware or 

corsets or furniture or gum drops or button 

hooks; the salesman, in order to land 

a good order, will cater to the prospective 

customer with all sorts of favors and niceties. 

But in our industry it's the other way 

around. We are being extra nice to the 

sales representatives in order to get product 

and a good early run for our theatre." 

"Do you mean," we asked, "that you actually 

wine and dine the sales people so 

that you can give them business?" 

"If we don't, they can give us the business. 

That's what the product shortage 

has done to us. I can remember when a 

certain salesman for a major company 

used to take me fishing, then would clean 

the fish and fry them for me. At the end 

of the day, he would remind me what great 

pictures his company had and then the 

pitch would get under way. 

"Now, I go fishing, send him the fish 

and tell him what a nice guy I am and 

what a swell theatre I have. If I'm a real 

good boy, I get some pictures." 

We still don't know if our friend was 

dead serious. But he insisted that he was. 

Well, with the shortage easing up—or at 

least, the prospects are that it is, maybe 

once again the exhibitors will be hosted 

with the mostest. 

• 

Mr. Schoenthal Says 

TN OUR mail this week was a letter 

from 

Ed Schoenthal, operator of the Empress 

and Fremont theatres in Fremont, 

Neb. Ed writes: 

"I've always thought that Universal and 

Allied Artists should get together to give 

us the ultimate in boxoffice attractions 

with a picture called 'Ma and Pa Kettle 

and the Bowery Boys Meet Fi-ancis, the 

Talking Mule.' Now I think 20th Century- 

Pox could even top that one if they costar 

Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe in 

a picture possibly titled 'Hips, Male and 

Female.' 

He signed it Preposterously Yours. 

Gregory Peck accepts from Mary Pickford, 

trustee of tbe Edison Foundation, 

the Thomas Alva Edison Award to "Moby 

Dick," for being "The Film Best Serving 

the National Interest" in 1956, at an informal 

ceremony at Fickfair in California 

last week. 

NEW YORK—Citations to three pictures 

were made by the Thomas Alva Edison Foundation 

at official presentations Monday night 

(3) at the Hotel Waldorf Astoria. 

"Moby Dick," a Moulin production for 

Warner Bros, release, was voted "the film 

best serving the national interest." Walt 

Disney's "The Great Locomotive Chase" was 

designated "the best children's film" and 20th 

Century-Fox's "On the Threshold of Space" 

was voted "the best science film for youth." 

Disney also was given an award for "Disneyland," 

for being "the best children's television 

program." 

The Edison awards differ from many other 

awards and citations in that 41 national 

organizations voted this year by written ballot 

to make the final choice of winners. These, 

and 21 others, have agreed to publicize the 

winning materials in their memberships, aggregating 

more than 30,000,000. In all, 62 

organizations are cooperating with the Edison 

Foundation in this awards program to improve 

the quality of the mass media offerings, 

particularly as they affect juvenile 

audiences and interest boys and girls in 

science. 

Times Film to Distribute 

'Wee Geordie' in U. S. 

NEW YORK—Times Film Corp. has closed 

a national distribution deal for "Wee 

Geordie," the George K. Arthur release, according 

to Jean Goldwurm, president. 

"Wee Geordie," now in its third month at 

the Little Carnegie Theatre, New York City, 

and in its fourth week at the MacArthur Theatre, 

Washington, D. C, will go into general 

release eai-ly in 1957. Bill Travers and Alistair 

Sim are starred in the picture, which 

Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat produced. 

Hank Mann, Snub Pollard Cast 

HOLLYWOOD—Hank Mann and Snub 

Pollard, two top comedians during the silent 

picture era, have been signed by Universal- 

International for roles in "The Man of a 

Thousand Faces," life story of the late Lon 

Chaney. 

28 BOXOFFICE December 8, 1956

— 

RKO Film Exchanges 

To Promote Records 

HOLLYWOOD—Branch offices for the 

promotion of records and record albums 

with an eye toward the promotion of motion 

picture music—are to be opened in several 

RKO Radio film exchanges throughout the 

country. The move will result from the 

establishment by RKO Teleradio Pictures of a 

new division dedicated to stressing the liaison 

between music and films, radio and video. 

Plans for the precedential operation were revealed 

by Martin Machat, secretary-treasurer 

of Lamas Music Corp. and of Unique Records, 

Inc., currently in Hollywood from New York. 

Machat, a New York attorney, became 

identified with the music business last April 

when Thomas F. O'Neil, president of General 

Teleradio, purchased Lamas and Unique. The 

following month Daniel T. O'Shea, president 

of RKO Radio Pictures, brought Machat to 

Hollywood to start work on an alliance 

between a major film company, a music 

publishing company and a record firm. 

O'Shea stressed the importance of such an 

alliance from the standpoint of the exploitation 

of motion pictures and the plans disclosed 

by Machat represent the realization of 

this. 

Unique has 32 distributors in 

America and 

in six foreign countries. The new set-up is 

designed, Machat says, to insure full promotion 

values from film music, not only for 

film musicals but with sound track albums 

from many of the scores composed for 

dramatic features. 

While here Machat will establish headquarters 

for the new division at the RKO 

studio in Hollywood. 

Allan Herschell Buys Out 

Miniature Train Co. 

NORTH TONAWANDA, N. Y. — Allan 

Herschell Co., Inc., has announced the purchase 

of equipment and inventory of the 

Miniature Train Co., Rensselaer, Ind., the 

leading manufacturer of miniature trains. 

Although it is the world's largest manufacturer 

of amusement riding devices, the Allan 

Herschell Co. has not been active in the miniature 

train business heretofore. 

R. D. Robertson, who joined Miniature 

Train Co. in 1936 and who has been vicepresident 

and general manager of the company 

many years, is now vice-president of 

Allan Herschell Co., in charge of the Miniature 

Train division. Other key personnel in 

the train operation are expected to join the 

Herschell organization. Machinery and equipment 

will be moved from Rensselaer to North 

Tonawanda and set up in time to meet delivery 

requirements for the coming season. 

Allan Herschell, founded in 1880, has produced 

1,500 merry-go-rounds, of which about 

one-half are in the U. S., as well as a large 

variety of other rides. The company is 

owned today by the Wiesner-Rapp Co., Buffalo, 

N. Y., and operated by Lyndon Wilson, 

president. Miniature was founded in 1928. 

Greek Film to Burstyn 

NEW YORK—Joseph Burstyn, Inc., has 

acquired the American distribution rights to 

"Stella," a Greek picture which marks the 

film debut of Melina Mercouri, star of the 

Greek and French theatre. The picture was 

Cannes Film Festival entry this year. 

Columbia's Trainee Plan 

To Serve Exhibitors 

NEW YORK—Without any fanfare, Columbia 

Pictures has launched, on an experimental 

basis, a training program designed 

to establish a reservoir of young 

college graduates to serve not only the company 

but primarily, in fact, the exhibitors. 

Six men currently are engaged in the plan, 

with more expected to be added after the 

mid-year college graduations. 

Columbia is interested, it is learned, in 

bringing into its fold bright young men 

who have earned university degrees with good 

grades in diversified studies and have 

demonstrated solid accomplishments in 

extra-curricular activities. Columbia also will 

offer its own employes, who are studying 

for degrees, a chance to join the training 

program. 

Not until two trainees were dispatched 

recently to Texas to make a study of the 

drive-in theatre situation did Columbia reveal 

that it has had a training program in 

operation for the last six months. The two 

21-year-old trainees are Norman Feinberg 

and Robert Meyers, who are the first to 

complete the initial phase of the program. 

When a group of visiting Texas exhibitors 

expressed interest in a plan advocated by 

one of the trainees, A. Montague, vice-president 

and general sales manager of Columbia, 

assigned the pair to the Texas territory. 

The trainee, following completion of his 

first six months in the program, had prepared 

a formula by which distributors might 

aid exhibitors in smaller situations by supplying 

analysts to survey conditions affecting 

theatre business. When Montague mentioned 

this to the Texans, they asked him to send the 

trainee to survey drive-ins in their area. 

Both Feinberg and Meyers were given the 

assignment. 

Trainees first are rotated through virtually 

all of the home office departments in order 

to give them a "feel" of the motion picture 

business. Men who express a desire to learn 

a foreign language are sent to a language 

school by the company, with the idea that 

some day they may be used in the international 

operation. 

Following the home office phase of the 

training, the men are sent to an out-of-town 

branch where they serve in the booking, 

shipping and cashier departments before 

joining a film salesman in making his rounds. 

In the course of their trip with the salesman, 

they meet film buyers, exhibitors and house 

managers and have an opportunity to study 

conditions in exhibition. 

Supervising the program is Mortimer 

Wormser, assistant treasurer of Columbia. 

Wormser said he felt that Feinberg and 

Meyers, who were recommended to the company 

by college officials following their 

graduation from New York University, were 

typical of the men for whom Columbia is 

looking. The company feels especially, 

Wormser said, that the trainees must be men 

"who have learned to work with people in 

addition to acquiring their formal education." 

RKO Pathe to Shift 

Production to Coast 

NEW YORK—RKO Pathe's operation at its 

106th St. studios here will be terminated 

shortly, with production activities consolidated 

at the RKO Pathe studio in Culver City. 

RKO Pathe is a sub-division of RKO Teleradio 

Pictures, Inc. 

Jay Bonafield, vice-president of RKO 

Pathe, said that the home office operation of 

the company would remain in New York, 

Bonafield will continue as head of the organization. 

Bonafield said that the move was being 

made to effect a greater efficiency in the 

operation of the company. 

"We plan to continue our production of 

short subjects and, in fact, increase our 

operation through this consolidation," he 

said. 

SKOURAS 3IEMORIAL—Construction has gotten under way on the 3600,000 

Charles P. Skouras Memorial Center—architect's drawing shown above—at Normandie 

avenue and Pico boulevard, adjacent to the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral. 

Costing $204,000, the new building will be a two-story structure of wood and stucco. 

It will provide 17 classrooms for 700 children, plus office space and meeting rooms. 

Film industry executives Spyros P. Skouras and George P. Skouras, brothers of 

the late Charles P. Skouras, who was instrumental in the building of the $2,000,000 

Byzantine-style Saint Sophia Cathedral, are honorary chairmen of the current 

building fund committee. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8. 1956 29

T A TIME WHEH MOTION PICTUli 

SHOOTING NOW COMPLETED 

'nvistaYisiohtechnkow

E AT THEIR GREATEST 

E 

lam 

IimJL 

in 

STANLEY KRAMER'S PRODUCTION of 

ôUcfct/tcod êj^'ont 

Casting Activities Boom 

Despite Seasonal Slump 

While the spirits-dampening low in production 

activities aligned for December—a part 

of which is, of course, attributable to an 

expected seasonal slump—has cast a slight 

pall over the Hollywoodlands, the well-known 

silver lining is to be found in casting activities 

which indicate that with the advent 

of the new year, the film capital will again 

be up and at 'em. 

Perhaps the most newsworthy of the 

many acting plums that fell into laps of 

troupers went to Ann Blyth, who was signed 

for the coveted title role of "The Helen 

Morgan Story," the film that will be based 

on the career of the 1920's celebrated blues 

singer, which Michael Curtiz will direct and 

Richard Whorf produce for Warner Bros. . . . 

Another part that has been something of a 

conversation piece concerned the male top- 

Une in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's forthcoming 

film version of "Don't Go Near the Water," 

the best seller by William Brinkley. The role, 

understandably enough, went to Glenn Ford 

who will join Anna Kashfi, previously announced 

as the femme star. Charles Walters 

will direct for producer Lawrence Weingarten 

. . . James Stewart has worked out with producer-director 

Alfred Hitchcock a postponement 

of "Prom Amongst the Dead," which 

will be made for Paramount. The star has 

been working steadily for the past seven 

months making two films. He plans a rest 

and leaves in January with his wife Gloria 

for six weeks in South America. "Dead" is 

now scheduled to come alive early in the 

spring . . . John Carroll, executive producer 

of Motion Pictures by Clarion, has signed 

two more players to term contracts, making 

a total of three new personalities under contract 

to his company whose first production, 

"Johnny Trouble," is now shooting. One is 

Stuart Whitman, former local football hero, 

who plays the title role in the comedy-drama.' 

The others are Rand Harper, former Paramount 

contractee, and Jack Larson, who 

played Jimmie in more than 100 Superman 

telefilms . . . Paul Fix has been cast by 

Warners as a two-star American general in 

"Lafayette Escadrille," which stars Tab 

Hunter and Etchika Choureau, and is being 

produced and directed by William Wellman 

. . . Boris Karloff, who has just completed 

"Voodoo Island," an adventure horror movie 

filmed in Hawaii for United Artists, has been 

signed by Aubrey Schenck and Howard W. 

Koch to do three more pictures for their 

Bel-Air Productions within the next two 

years. 

Douglas Wins First Round 

In Suit Against Disney 

Those who believe that actors have no privacy, 

and that Kirk Douglas' claim thereto 

was perhaps motivated by the space-seeking 

activities of an enterprising press agent, can 

begin to give more serious thought to the 

suit which the trouper recently initiated 

against Walt Disney. Douglas won the first 

round of his «415,000 litigation against Disney 

as the result of an opinion handed down by 

By IVAN SPEAR 

Judge Leon T. David of superior court. In 

denying a motion to strike the suit, as requested 

by the Disney attorneys, the judge 

indicated that public figures not only have 

certain rights of privacy, but also have rights 

of property as far as the commercial use of 

the publicity values attached to their name. 

"It is not enough to say that because he 

(Douglas) is a motion picture personality and 

a public character, he has no private rights 

in the matter," the opinion stated. "One is 

inclined to believe that a screen personality 

when in private surroundings as a guest is 

entitled to be considered, and to consider 

himself, as a private individual. Motion picture 

actors are not altogether 'gold fish in 

a bowl.' 

Douglas filed suit on August 1, charging 

that pictures of him and his children, taken 

at Disney's home, were used without his 

knowledge and consent on the Disneyland 

television show. He was supported in his suit 

by the Screen Actors Guild. 

Judge David granted Disney 20 days to 

answer Douglas' complaint. 

"The Beginning of the End' 

Under Way at Am-Par 

It's been talked about for a long time, this 

Am-Par Pictures Corp., the production subsidiary 

of American Broadcasting-Paramount 

Theatres of which Leonard Goldenson is 

the head. Henry H. Levin is prexy of Am-Par, 

which outfit when it finally started rolling 

wasted no time on preliminaries. With very 

little advance ballyhoo about its kickoff picture, 

Am-Par sent it before the cameras at 

week's beginning. It is "The Beginning of 

the End," which stars Peter Graves and 

Peggie Castle. Hollywood railbirds are attaching 

considerable significance to the debut 

because for the first time since divorcement, 

a major theatre circuit is producing its own 

features. This is the first of six to eight 

films to be produced by the new company. 

"End," it is claimed, will feature a new concept 

in special effects and a startling new 

technique in photography, using the widescreen 

medium. Producer-director is Bert I. 

Gordon, upon whose story the science-fiction 

thriller is based. 

Documentary Being Edited 

On Late James Dean 

It was a cinch to happen, and the two 

enterprising young fellows who stole a march 

on many an older and more experienced 

showman by whipping up a documentary 

feature on the life of the late James Dean are 

being both admired and envied by industryites. 

They are George W. George and 

Robert Altman. The former Is a screenwriter, 

while the latter has had experience 

mostly with the production of documentary 

and industrial films that were made In Kansas 

City. Most recently he produced a theatrical 

feature, "The Delinquents," fabricated 

for the midwest company headed by 

Elmer Rhoden jr. and slated for distribution 

by United Artists. 

Under the banner of George Robert Documentaries, 

Inc., which company was created 

SMILE AT TROUBLE—John H. Auer, 

producer-director, Miss Ethel Barrymore, 

and John Carroll, executive producer of 

Motion Pictures by Clarion, pose before 

starting "Johnny Trouble," initial production 

by Clarion which Carroll founded. 

The comedy-drama costars Miss Barrymore, 

Stuart Whitman and Carolyn 

Jones. 

from their own bankrolls and derived its title 

from their respective first names, George and 

Altman quietly proceeded to film factual 

background material on Dean, footage having 

been exposed in the deceased actor's home 

town in Indiana, in New York where he 

experienced his early theatrical struggles and 

in Hollywood which witnessed his meteoric 

rise to fame and almost-precedential popularity. 

The celluloid, now being edited and dubbed, 

includes interviews with persons who knew 

Dean as a boy and during his formative years. 

It is the plan of the producers that the finished 

feature, which will carry narration, 

will run between 60 and 70 minutes. Until 

the job is done, George and Altman will do 

nothing about a releasing setup. 

To Film 'Johnny Trouble' 

Without PCA Approval 

Defiance of the men who make a business 

of mentoring .screen fare went on apace. 

Following the Warner Bros, decision to give 

an argument to the Catholic Legion of Decency, 

which slapped a "C" rating on Elia 

Kazan's sexy "Baby Doll," a nose-thumbing 

gesture came from another quarter. Despite 

withholding of Production Code Administration 

approval of the script, filming of 

"Johnny Trouble," first motion picture by 

Clarion, will continue, executive producer 

John Carroll stated. Geoffrey Shurlock, PCA 

head, declined to okay the script because he 

claimed it contained "raucous points." 

"It's too late to stop now; we've got to 

gamble," Carroll said. "Director John H. 

Auer started the feature today. We'll make 

the script as written, hoping that when we 

submit the completed picture to the PCA, 

it will be approved." 

The picture has a college town background 

and is being shot at Paramount Sunset 

studios. No release has been negotiated. 


: December 8, 1956

Will Rogers Hospital gratefully acknowledges the contribution of advertising production by M-GM, and of space by this publisher. 

BOXOFFICE : : December 8, 1956 33

WOMANLY TOUCH DOES THE TRICK 

The Widow of an Industry Pioneer, Takes Over an Old 

CALENDARofEVENTS 

House, and Under Her Care It 'Glows' With Success 

COLUMBUS—While prophets of 

doom are 

predicting dire things for the exhibition 

field, especially for the small subsequent run 

theatres, a gentle 

fragile lady is making 

these pessimists look 

ridiculous. 

She is Mrs. Lelia R. 

Steam, widow of the 

late pioneer showman. 

Max Stearn of this 

city. She is carrying 

on the traditions of 

showmanship which 

her husband established 

as one of Columbus' 

earliest film 

house operators. 

^ y y 

The Exhibit, 300-seat 

i^to / _5 house on North High 

^m aij^ L||||M street, was the first 

^f ^^^^ ^^H Columbus theatre built 

expressly for movies. 

^j^^^Hb^^l 

^^^^^HK^^B opened by 

^^fl^//l///j^M 

Stearn on 

Mrs. Lelia Stearn 

1907. Later he oper- 

^ted the Majestic and 

the Southern here. 

Mrs. Stearn is now owner and general manager 

of the Southern, located in the Southern 

Hotel at Main and High streets. It was 

opened in the Gay Nineties as a legitimate 

theatre. Mrs. Stearn's unique policy is proof 

that the application of the right principles 

pays off. 

She runs the theatre with a woman's 

touch. The house literally glows in response 

to her care. A mingling of sentiments sets 

the scene at the Southern. I'he house reflects 

its past glories and wears its years with 

undimmed pride. The greatest of stage artists 

trod the Southern boards, stars like Richard 

Mansfield, E. H. Sothern, Ethel Barrymore, 

WUliam Gillette and Otis Skinner. 

CHANGE OF SCENE IN 1912 

The center of Columbus downtown theatre 

life moved away from the Southern with the 

opening of the new Hartman theatre on 

State street in 1912. The Southern entered 

a period of neglect and decline, although it 

was a first run film house in the early 

Twenties. 

Before the Southern gave up, Stearn took 

the house over and restored it to a semblance 

of its rich past. He spared no expense and 

when he had finished the theatre was as 

handsome as it had been in Its first days. 

Not long after her husband's death, Mrs. 

Stearn took over active management. Soon 

she found that she had unconsciously absorbed 

the essence of showmanship and theatre 

management from her husband, although 

she had not previously been active in exhibition. 

Kie applied much of her own personality 

to the problems of the Job and today the 

Southern Is as much a monument to the 

taste and Ideals of Lelia Steam as to anyone. 

There Is a genuine feminine flavor to 

the artistic treatment of the theatre's decor. 

In the two-story-hlgh foyer she Installed 

murals painted by Ivan Pusecker, Columbus 

34 

artist. These are romantic in treatment, 

showing handsome gentlemen and lovely 

ladies in poetic moods of romance. 

But before you get the idea that Mrs. 

Stearn is carried away by purely poetic 

things, one should take a look at the more 

practical aspects of theatre operation. Cleanliness 

is her watchword. The Southern 

sparkles throughout. The ladies' lounge is 

well-appointed and as carefully kept as the 

boudoir of a gentlewoman of another era. 

Floors and walls are kept spotless and maintenance 

thoroughness is Mrs. Steam's first 

concern. 

She still retains the box seats which have 

disappeared from most film houses. Mrs. 

Stearn likes to keep the comfortable seats 

for her older patrons. Each box is equipped 

with an electric button. A box seat patron 

has only to buzz and an usher answers. If 

the patron would like a drink of water or a 

cold soft drink from the theatre's refreshment 

booth, it is brought to the box. If the 

patron needs assistance, the usher escorts the 

patron from his seat. 

FLOWERS BEAUTIFY THEATRE 

The Southern is 62 years old but it greets 

its patrons with a freshness that belies its 

years. Mrs. Stearn loves flowers and when 

her garden in suburban Bexley is in bloom, 

she brings the blossoms to the theatre and 

shares their beauty with her patrons. In the 

winter bouquets of artificial flowers are 

placed in the theatre. 

Freshness, cheerfulness and graciousness 

are characteristics of the Southern. They are 

a direct reflection of the gentle lady whose 

firm hand guides the theatre's destiny. 

Bernard Ginley, house manager of the 

Southern, shares Mrs. Stearn's policies and 

has done much in the past several years to 

maintain them. 

'Cinderella' Re-Release 

Plans to Be Announced 

NEW YORK—Promotion plans for the rerelease 

of Walt Disney's "Cinderella" in New 

England during the February school vacations 

wiU be made public Tuesday (11) at a Buena 

Vista luncheon at the Sheraton-Plaza Hotel, 

Boston, to be attended by exhibitors. Later 

re-release of the film elsewhere is planned. 

Buena Vista executives who will attend the 

luncheon include Leo F. Samuels, president 

and general sales manager; Irving H. Ludwig, 

domestic sales manager; James O'Gara, 

eastern division manager; Albert Margolies, 

advertising-publicity director; Vincent Jefferds, 

merchandising head; Lou Gaudreau, 

treasurer; Leo Greenfield, assistant eastern 

division manager; Robert Dorfman, exploitation 

manager, and Irving Handelsman, assistant 

sales manager.

I Try Again to End 

'Tax Anything' Law 

HARRISBURG—The 142nd regular season 

of the legislature will convene here January 

1 despite the New Year holiday since the state 

constitution directs that the legislators convene 

on the first Tuesday of January every 

second year. The Assembly organization will 

be set on that day, then there will be a recess 

for two or three weeks. 

The motion picture industry will malce another 

attempt to have the "tax anything" 

act of 1947 amended to prohibit local political 

subdivisions from enacting and collecting 

amusement taxes. Previous campaigns to 

modify and amend the "enabling act" have 

failed. Theatre owners declare it's "now or 

never" in regard to 10 per cent local amusement 

taxes; the tax must go or the theatre 

as it is known in hundreds of political subdivisions 

of the Keystone state will go out 

of business. Hundreds of theatres have closed 

in the commonwealth, some have been dark 

for five years, others fall by the wayside 

weekly. 

Two Reviewer Jobs Open 

In N. Y. Censoring Body 

ALBANY—Indicating the official expectation 

that motion picture censorship will be 

continued in New York State, the Department 

of Civil Service will hold an examination 

on January 26 for the position of reviewer 

in the division of motion pictures, 

State Department of Education. Two vacancies 

now exist in the New York City office. 

The position pays from $4,880 to $6,030, in 

five annual salary increases. Applications 

will be received until December 28. 

A motion picture reviewer checks motion 

picture films prior to their exhibition in the 

state "to determine whether or not they 

meet the standards for licensure by the state." 

Duties include noting and reporting on objectionable 

portions of films and recommending 

their elimination, or the rejection 

of the entire film. 

One of the two vacancies developed when 

Louis Pesce advanced, via examination, from 

reviewer to assistant director of the Motion 

Picture Division (he is now acting director). 

The other came when Helen L. Kellogg 

moved up to assistant director, and later to 

acting director. Mrs. Kellogg retired last 

summer, after reaching the statutory age of 

70. 

American Int'l Executives 

Confer With Distributors 

NEW YORK—James R. Nicholson, president 

of American International Pictures, 

arrived from Hollywood December 2 to conduct 

a series of regional conferences with 

the company's distributors and franchise 

holders. He was accompanied by Samuel Z. 

Arkoff, vice-president, and Leon Blender, 

national sales manager. 

During the week, the AIP executives discussed 

the selling angles for the three 

recently-completed features, "Flesh and the 

Spur," "Naked Paradise" and "The Undead," 

and held exhibitor screenings. 

Nicholson, Arkoff and Blender planed to 

New Orleans Saturday (8) to confer with 

their southern distributors. 

Producers Should Sell 

On Their Films: Lindsley Parsons 

NEW YORK—A producer's personal contact 

with exhibitors induces him to see 

important pictures and thus help sell them 

and results in a greater potential sale, according 

to Lindsley Parsons, independent 

producer who releases through Allied Artists. 

Parsons has made approximately 150 pictures 

for AA and Monogram, Republic and Grand 

National, plus 53 television films, since he 

became a full-fledged producer with "Laughing 

at Danger," starring Prankie Darro in 

1940. 

Parsons, who recently completed "Dragoon 

Wells Massacre," in Cinemascope and color, 

entirely on location in Kanab, Utah, now 

plans only three pictures a year, in comparison 

to many years ago when he made 40 

features in a two-year period. That 

"assembly-line" production, which was 

necessary at that time to keep the exchanges 

supplied with new product, is gone forever. 

Parsons believes. The industry is getting back 

to "hand-made" pictures of its very earliest 

era and the majority of producers now work 

independently and, because they now have 

a financial interest in their pictures, work 

with them until the end and then go out on 

the road and help "sell" them, in most cases. 

The outside producers now outnumber the 

studio producers by five to one. Parsons said. 

Parsons' recent pictures now cost up to 

$500,000, in comparison to his early pictures, 

one of which cost only $10,800. Production 

costs are now more than four times what 

they were 20 years ago, including current pay 

for a cameraman of $850, compared to $200 

20 years ago. Six cameramen now must be 

used on each picture, compared to only two 

20 years ago. Where one truck driver was all 

that was needed to haul props 20 years ago, 

21 members of the teamsters' union are now 

hired—and so on all down the Une. Parsons 

now has 65 people behind the cameras for his 

pictures, when he used only 12-14 people 

20 years ago. However, Allied Artists' studio 

overhead is less than ten per cent, compared 

to some studios which chalk up almost 50 per 

cent overhead on each picture. 

Thomas Rodgers Elected 

Trans-Lux Corp. Veepee 

NEW YORK—Thomas E. Rodgers has been 

elected vice-president of the theatres division 

of Trans-Lux Corp. He 

currently is in charge 

of booking as well as 

serving as director of 

advertising, publicity 

and exploitation for 

the circuit which operates 

theatres in New 

York, Boston. Philadelphia 

and Washington. 

After serving a twoyear 

apprenticeship in 

Thomas Rodgers 

various branches of 

the industry, Rodgers 

joined Trans-Lux in 1950 as a supervisor of 

New York theatres. 

Paramount's "Teacher's Pet" will be filmed 

in New York and Hollywood. 

Exhibitors 

Lindsley Parsons, right, independent 

produc'er whose product is released 

through Allied Artists, with his associate 

John H. Burrows are shown during their 

stop in New York en route to Honduras 

to scout locations for the filming there 

next year of "The Incredible Yanqui." 

Parsons is a strong advocate of making pictures 

on actual locations and he has made 

them in Alaska, Mexico and the Bering 

Straits. He is now en route to Honduras (by 

way of Havana and Puerto Rico) to select 

locations for "The Incredible Yanqui," which 

will not be made in that country until November 

1957, after the country's rainy season 

is over. He believes this long-range planning 

pays off in lack of delays once the production 

starts. Starting in the spring of 1957, Parsons 

make "Rio Bravo," to star John Ericson, 

will 

and follow that with "Jack Slade in Montana," 

a second sequel to his very successful 

"Jack Slade," released in 1953, and "The 

Return of Jack Slade," released in 1955, both 

of which had a gross which exceeded the 

production costs by five times. The first "Jack 

Slade" picture had a total of 32 killings and 

Parsons admitted he "stayed from contact 

with the Johnston office for several days." 

However, "audiences loved the picture," he 

said. 

Maniac Explodes a Bomb 

In Brooklyn Paramount 

NEW YORK—Six persons were slightly injured 

and three suffered from shock when 

a home-made bomb exploded Sunday night 

(2) in the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre. It 

was the latest in a series of bomb explosions 

in places of public assembly in 16 years attributed 

to a maniac. The film was "War 

and Peace." There were 1,500 persons in the 

theatre. 

Horatio Tedesco, assistant manager, and 

ushers escorted the injured to the lobby. 

The announcement was made that a firecracker 

had been exploded. The show continued 

after a brief interruption. The area 

where the explosion occurred was roped off 

while the police searched it. Later patrons 

were moved from the balcony to the orchestra 

while the police searched that area. 

Similar bombs, made of a metal pipe, have 

been exploded in the Paramount Theatre in 

Manhattan and the Radio City Music Hall, 

and in railroad stations. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 35

' 

'Teahouse With Music Hall's Xmas 

Shovf Draws Lines; Other Films Off 

NEW YORK—"The Teahouse of the August 

Moon," coupled with the annual "Nativity" 

stage pageant at the Radio City Music Hall, 

heralded the Christmas season and brought 

the customary waiting lines to the huge 

theatre nightly during its first week. "Teahouse" 

was the only new picture scheduled 

until mid-December and thus many potential 

customers concentrated on Christmas shopping 

instead of attending Broadway first runs. 

Not affected at all were the two-a-day 

films, "The Ten Commandments," in its 

with minimum %If 

maintenance — your seats can 

be kept in 

first class "company 

coming" condition . . . 

chances are — they are 

^ntematloTmf! 

Write, wire or phone — 

in Baltimore . . , 

"Jack" Douses, 

202 West Fayette St., 

Phone: BRoadwoy 6-5369 or 

^ntemationofSEAT division of 

UNION CITY BODY CO., INC. 

Union City, Indiana 

fourth week at the Criterion, and "Around 

the World in 80 Days," in its seventh week 

at the Rivoli, while "Seven Wonders of the 

World" remained strong in its 34th week at 

the Warner Theatre. 

"Giant" continued to do good business in 

its eighth week at the Roxy, as did "The 

Solid Gold Cadillac," in its sixth week at 

the Victoria, and "Julie," in its second week 

at Loew's State. However, such pictures as 

"Oklahoma!" in its fifth week of continuousrun 

at the Mayfair; "Love Me Tender," in 

its third week at the Paramount; "Tlie 

Opposite Sex," in its third week at the 

Capitol, and "The Mountain," in its third 

week at the Astor, were way down and only 

holding on until the Christmas attractions 

open at each house. 

Faring better were most of the art houses, 

particularly the Sutton, where "Secrets of 

Life," was in its second week; "La Strada," in 

its 20th week at the Trans-Lux 52nd Street 

Theatre; "Lust for Life," in its 11th week at 

the Plaza; "I'he Magnificent Seven," in its 

second week at the Guild, and the revival of 

"Rebecca," in its second week at the Normandie. 

The next two pictures to open on Broadway 

will be "The Rainmaker," opening at the 

Astor December 12, followed by "Anastasia," 

to open at the Roxy the following day. 

(Average Is 100) 

Asfor—The Mountain (Pora), 3rd wk 105 

Baronet—The Snow Was Block (Cont'l), 7th wk' 125 

Capitol—The Opposite Sex (MGM), 3rd wk. ... 110 

Criterion—The Ten Commandments (Para), 4th 

wk. of two-o-doy 

' 

240 

Fine Arts—Morceiino (UMPO), 6th wk 

| 15 

55th St.—Vitteloni (Janus-API), 6th wk. ]40 

Globe—Teenage Rebel (20th-Fox), 3rd wk.. ...'!' 1 10 

Guild—The Magnificent Seven (Col), 2nd wk 130 

Little Carnegie—Wee Geordie (Times), 9th wk 120 

' 

Loew's State—Julie (MGM), 2nd wk 'l40 

Mayfair—Oklahoma! (20th-Fox), 5th wk. 

continuous run 1 on 

Normandie—Rebecco {20th-Fo)

B R O A D \N Ay 

"pHE construction workers on the new building 

at 666 Fifth Ave., which will house 

the Warner Bros, home office next year, must 

be showmen, too. When they knock off work 

in the evening, they place dummies on the 

steel girders, so lifelike that they look like 

real people playing on the framework. 

Searchlights from across the street give it 

a circus-like atmosphere. • • • Ray Bell, 

public relations executive for Columbia Pictures, 

has been elected regional vice-president 

of the Public Relations Society of 

America. He will serve as liaison between the 

national organization and its chapters in New 

York, Washington, Pittsburgh and other eastern 

cities. Bell is president of the society's 

New York chapter. » • » Max Fried has been 

re-elected president of the Bookers Club of 

New York. Other officers are Ben Drexler, 

first vice-president; Sid Klein, second vicepresident; 

James Dandron, treasurer; Mann 

Friedlander, financial secretary, and Myron 

Starr, secretary. 

9 

Theodore Kupferman, general attorney for 

Cinerama Productions, has been elected president 

of the City Club of New York. * * * Leo 

Pillot has joined Paramount Pictures to 

handle special promotion on several of its 

up-coming pictures. • * * Si Fabian, president 

of Stanley Warner, and Arthur Krim, president 

of United Artists, have agreed to serve 

as co-chairmen of the motion picture committee 

for the entertainment industry's tribute 

to Jimmy Durante, which will be in the 

form of a dinner sponsored by the Jewish 

Theatrical Guild at the Hotel Waldorf Astoria 

March 17. * * * Bernie Kamber, executive 

assistant in charge of Hecht-Lancaster's 

New York office, will be personal 

representative for Lola Lollobrigida during 

her current XJ. S. visit. * * • Lucky Jack 

Bloom, major circuit contact for 20th-Fox, 

won the Pontiac Catalina which was 

raffled by the Women's Suburban League for 

Cerebral Palsy. 

Charley Einfeld, vice-president of 20th-Fox, 

has been awarded a certificate of appreciation 

from the American Cancer Society. He 

helped to raise more than $1,150,000 during 

the 1956 Crusade. • • H. M. Bessey, executive 

vice-president of Altec Service Co., was 

on a swing of conferences in Denver and 

Chicago. » * * Ruth Litt, secretary to Max 

Fellerman, general manager of Lopert Films, 

and Florence Litt, secretary to Harry Moskowitz 

of Loew's, are mourning the death of 

their mother. * * » Seymour Mayer, regional 

director for Loew's International, is back 

from a trip to MGM's offices in the Far East. 

* • • Joseph Moskowitz, vice-president of 

20th-Fox, left for the studios where he was 

joined at the weekend by President Spyros 

Skouras and Vice-President W. C. Michel. 

- • * * Bob Taplinger, Warner Bros, public relations 

chief and vice-president, has returned 

to town from Hollywood parleys. 

Lou Astor, Columbia's circuit sales account 

executive, is off on a western tour in connection 

with the company's "Hey Rube" sales 

drive. He will visit Portland, Seattle, San 

Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and Salt 

Lake City. * * • Harold Hecht and James 

Hill of H-L are in London for parleys with 

Terence Rattigan on the screen version of 

"Separate Tables" which H-L will make for 

United Artists release. » * • Producer Sam 

Spiegel has hopped off for Ceylon to oversee 

production on his "The Bridge on the 

River Kwai" for Columbia release. * * * It 

looks as if some of the home offices are going 

to be shuttered the day before Christmas, 

giving personnel a wow of a long weekend. 

All of them, however, probably will be tending 

to business only half-day on the preceding 

Friday, judging from past history. 

f 

As the Christmas film openings near, stars 

and personalities are arriving to make personal 

appearances at the events. They include: 

Gina Lollobrigida, who flew in from 

Rome to attend the opening of her film, 

"Beautiful But Dangerous," at the Memorial 

Theatre, Boston, December 7 Marlon Brando, 

; 

who will guide guests to their seats at the 

opening of "Baby Doll" at the Victoria Theatre 

December 18—the reason being that 

Marlon got his acting start at Actors Studio, 

which will benefit from the opening—and 

Anatole Litvak, director of "Anastasia," who 

got in to attend the opening at the Roxy 

December 13 for the benefit of the Judson 

Health Center. 

IP' 

Rosanno Brazzi, Continental star who has 

been signed by Rodgers & Hammerstein Pictures 

to play the Ezio Pinza role in the forthcoming 

film of "South Pacific," got in from 

Europe and left for the coast. * * * James 

Mason and Michael Rennie, two of the stars 

of Darryl F. Zanuck's "Island in the Sun," 

planed to London to finish the film there 

after location shooting in the British West 

Indies. » * * Richard Widmark also planed 

to Europe to prepare for his role in Otto 

Preminger's "Saint Joan," which will start 

in January at the Shepperton Studios. * » * 

Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne got in for 

a two-week vacation in New York. * • • 

HAPPY OVER TIEUP—Charles 

Einfeld, 

center, 20th Century-Fox vice-president, 

admires a scrapbook illustrating 

commercial tie-in promotion performed 

by the Daniel F. Sullivan Co. of Boston 

on Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel" 

and F. H. Snow Canning Co. products. 

Einfeld later presented a citation to 

Daniel F. Sullivan, left, head of the advertising 

agency and Gilbert Starr, Sullivan's 

associate for their outstanding 

campaign. As a result of the tieup, the 

F. H. Snow Co., which produces a line of 

canned seafoods and soups, reported an 

increase in business of over 30 per cent 

and the opening of new distribution 

markets in the south and west. 

New Exploitation Post 

Given Al Fisher at UA 

NEW YORK—Al Fisher, a member of 

the 

United Artists exploitation department since 

1952, has been made 

assistant exploitation 

manager. He will work 

under Mori Krushen, 

manager, in supervising 

field men in the 

U. S. and Canada. 

Fisher entered the 

industry as an office 

boy for the late 

William Fox in 1934. 

After World War II 

service, he worked for 

U n i V e r s a 1-International 

Al Fisher 

as house maJti- 

ager of the Park Avenue Theatre, New York, 

and the Copley-Plaza, Boston. He was associated 

with Eagle-Lion, company manager 

for "Red Shoes," handled exploitation for 

"Cyrano de Bergerac" and was advance press 

agent for Jose Ferrer, the star. While with 

UA he has handled top-budget films such as 

"The River" and "Limelight," in addition to 

regular field exploitation work. 

Wendell Corey, who opened in "The Night 

of the Auk" December 3, will also be represented 

on the screen of the Astor Theatre in 

"The Rainmaker," starting December 12. 

Glen Gordon, film and TV player who is 

starred in the Dr. Fu Manchu TV series, is 

in New York to discuss producing a series of 

theatrical films in association with William 

Coates, formerly with 20th-Fox. » * * Arthur 

O'Connell, who recently completed the 

starring 

role in "The Violators" for RKO in New 

York, attended the swearing-in ceremonies 

for his brother, William T. O'Connell as 

Municipal Judge at City Hall. 

Jack Cohn, vice-president of Columbia 

Pictures, is recuperating at home from minor 

surgery. • • • Arnold Picker, United Artists' 

foreign department chief, has returned from 

a five-week tour of Europe. * • * Universal 

is holding a press preview of "Battle Hymn" 

at the RKO 86th St. Theatre on Tuesday 

(11). It will have all the trimmings of a 

world premiere, although the actual premiere 

won't take place until February in Marietta, 

Ohio. 

Trans-Lux Dividend Up; 

Two Others Unchanged 

NEW YORK—The Trans-Lux Corp. board 

has increased the dividend for 1956. Percival 

E. Purber, chairman, reported a declaration 

of a 2a-cent dividend, payable December 20 

to stockholders of record Wednesday (12). 

The corporation recently has been paying a 

15-cent annual dividend. 

Decca Records, Inc., has voted a regular 

quarterly dividend of 25 cents a share on 

the capital stock, payable December 28 to 

stockholders of record Friday (14). 

Republic Pictures Corp. has voted a regular 

dividend of 25 cents a share on its preferred 

stock, payable January 2 to stockholders of 

record Monday (10). 

Gig Young will portray a psychologist in 

the Clark Gable-Doris Day film, "Teacher's 

Pet," a Paramount release. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 37

BUFFALO 

'IZT'illiam Brereton, director of advertising 

and publicity, Basil circuit, will be confined 

to the hospital for two or three weeks 

following an operation for an intestinal obstruction 

Elmer P. Lux, chief barker of 

. . . Tent 7. was master of ceremonies at the 

fourth annual banquet of the Buffalo chapter, 

National Conference of Christians and Jews, 

at Hotel Statler. Lewis G. Harriman, board 

chairman of the Manufacturers & Traders 

Trust Co., received the chapter's 1956 

Brotherhood citation . . . Paul B. Hoolihan, 

radio-TV-film director for the 1956 Community 

Chest-Red Cross Appeal, sent a letter 

of appreciation to western New York exhibitors 

who cooperated with his department. 

Richard S. Levy, vice-president WNYT-TV, 

which is expected to go on the air soon here, 

declared the new station intends to operate 

as an independent. It "will offer topflight 

feature films, many of them never previously 

shown in this market. The best of these will 

be shown at prime evening time—8:30 or 

9:30." 

W. E. J. Martin, drama editor of the 

Courier-Express in his column the other day, 

said: "It may have been noted that all but 

one of the top eight or ten studios have released 

their older output to television. It also 

probably has been noted that, for TV, the 

longer films have been cut, and that the 

shorter ones, remaining as they were, still 

are largely so much film." This cutting, 

Martin believes, will "insure that the better 

motion pictures—the good big ones—always 

will be theatrefare. They cannot be made to 

fit TV requirements and retain their quality 

of greatness. Television cannot hope to present 

them as on big screens, with all the 

scope and detail they must demand." 

The Empire State News Corp., on its 

"Something to Read" WKBW radio program 

the other evening, gave "Giant," then in its 

fifth week at the Paramount, a great plug by 

ballyhooing the Cardinal pocket edition of 

the Edna Ferber story. Empire devoted most 

of their program to the book and the picture 

. . . When "War and Peace" bowed out of the 

Regent in Rochester after a five-week run, 

the epic had done as well in Kodak Town as 

anywhere in the country, according to Joseph 

Szell, manager of the Regent. "You'll still 

find it true of Rochesterlans," said Szell, 

"that they'll support a really good picture as 

well as, or better than, the people of any 

other city in the USA." 

Thlrty-eiyht reels of film relating to topics 

in American history have been given to the 

Buffalo board of education, the Catholic 

Piimack's 

TEASERETTES 

are catching on fast f 

Use 'em for 

• P R E VU E 

TRAILERS 

•CROSS 

PLUGS 

> ADVANCE 

Th*s« short, snappy talking 

trallorottoft aro just what 

you'vo boon waiting for. 

No contracts, no rotums. Wrlt« 

for information! 

FILMACK 

I»I t. WtlAIH CHietto, u. 

school department and the visual education 

department of the Buffalo Museum of Science 

by the Evening News, and WBEN and WBEN- 

TV, stations owned and operated by the 

News. The gifts supplement 12 reels given 

in 1951 and 30 reels in 1953 to the two school 

departments by the News. The Museum of 

Science also was given 23 additional reels. 

While the fDms given to the board of education 

and the Catholic school department will 

be used exclusively by schools under their 

jurisdictions, those given to the museum may 

be used without charge by all schools in 

western New York. The pictures were produced 

by Encyclopedia Britannica Films. 

The steamer Canadlana, which has been 

plying between Buffalo and Crystal Beach 

for many moons, may be converted into a 

showboat which would sail Lake Erie between 

Buffalo and nearby lake ports and 

Ashtabula, P. L. Hall, general manager of 

Crystal Beach announced. The Crystal 

Beach Transit Co., owner of the excursion 

ship, had announced that the Canadlana 

would not operate next year to the beach. 

The Canadlana is the last in a line of ships 

which have traveled from Buffalo to the 

Canadian amusement park for the last 64 

years. The company said the trips will be 

dropped because use of the boat has declined 

in recent years, most patrons now driving to 

and from the resort. 

Sylvania Electric Products is expected to 

start construction in the spring on a huge 

new electronics engineering and research 

center costing between $1,500,000 and $2,- 

000,000 in Amherst on the outskirts of Buffalo 

for its electronic systems division . . . School 

superintendent Dr. Palmer L. Ewing has 

made it clear he doesn't dig Elvis Presley, 

now appearing on the Center screen in "Love 

Me Tender." "Elvis vibrates me the wrong 

way," Dr. Ewing told a group of parents at 

School No. 27. "I want to take hold of him 

and shake him." 

Tent 7 Plans Dedication 

Of Barkers Memorial 

BUFFALO—Variety Tent 7 will honor its 

departed barkers with a memorial plaque dedication 

ceremony in the club's Delaware 

avenue headquarters Sunday (9) at 3 p.m. 

Participating will be the club's four chaplains—Dr. 

Broughton, Rabbi Fink and Fathers 

Mahoney and Pallas. All resident and associate 

barkers, members of the Women's 

League, friends and relatives of the 'barkers 

being honored are invited to attend. 

The following departed barkers will be 

memorialized: Edward H. Altman, Nicholas 

Basil, Albert Behling, Jacob S. Berkson, 

Basil Brady, William Cadoret, Benjamin Darrow, 

Harry T. Dixon, A. Charles Hayman, 

Jacob Lavene, Philip Lavene, Max Levine, 

Vincent R. McFaul, Edward M. Michaels, 

Vernon G. Sanford, Jerome Schwartz, Michael 

Shea, John Sitterley, William Tishkoff, 

Richard T. Walsh and C. Arthur Woodward. 

Harold Bennett, manager at National 

Screen Service, is chairman of the committee 

arranging the event. 

To Open About Feb. 1 

SYRACUSE—The new Kallet Theatre at 

DeWitt Shoppingtown is expected to open 

about February 1. The 1,000-seat house is 

being patterned after the Genesee, located 

on the opposite side of the city. 

ALBANY 

. . . 

T eo Rosen announced Tuesday that he had 

formed Cinema Drive-In, Inc.. and had 

purchased the 550-car Rock Hill Drive-In, 

three miles south of Monticello, from Lament 

Theatres of Albany. Lamont bought the 

airer five seasons ago from Joe Lefkowitz. 

About eight years old, the Rock Hill is situated 

on Route 17 in a heavily patronized 

summer area, and enjoys a steady flow of 

fresh pictures. The buildings are in fine 

condition Word was received here that 

Kallet Theatres would darken the Olympic, 

Utica, temporarily, for a reseating and refurbishing 

job. It is a downtown first run 

situation which the Oneida chain acquired 

in the last year from Charles Gordon. 

A stepup of interorganizational activity, 

with the goal of "greater good fellowship 

among all the members," was promised by 

new Chief Barker Al Kellert in a letter to 

fellow barkers of the Variety Club. "We will 

have more parties, more affairs, more interest, 

more success . . . WITH your cooperation," 

Kellert wrote. "As you know, from 

your experience in other organizations, no 

group can function successfully without the 

complete support and cooperation of its 

membership. Thus this letter is an effort to 

enlist your personal attention. If, at any 

time, you have suggestions of a constructive 

natui'e, please do not hesitate to impart them 

to the Chief Barker. If you have a complaint, 

same procedure." 

Filmrow heard that Jules Perlmutter had 

picked up the option for a continuation of 

the lease he holds from Benton Theatres of 

Saratoga on the State in Mechanicville, the 

Capitol in Whitehall and the Capitol in 

Ballston Spa. When he took over the three 

situations a year ago, it was said to be a "one 

and five deal,"—an option for one year, with 

the privilege of renewing it for four more 

years . . . Harry Lamont, president of Lamont 

Theatres, is not the only reader in his family 

of the BOXOFFICE national edition. His 

wife Mildred checks the magazine from cover 

to cover. "Mrs. Lamont says she learns what 

I plan to do by reading BOXOFFICE," the 

veteran exhibitor smilingly tells industry 

friends. "She is very sharp on pictures and 

their grossing potentials. Usually she is right, 

too." 

The Strand reportedly will play "Baby 

Doll" as a New Year's attraction. The Warner 

picture, produced by Elia Kazan from a story 

by Playwright Tennessee Williams, holds a 

Production Code seal and has been passed by 

the State Education Department's Motion 

Picture Division, but has been given a C 

rating by the Legion of Decency . . . "Giant," 

after two big weeks at the Strand, moved to 

the Ritz for another seven days. The engagement 

in the Stanley Warner ace house 

was advertised as "breaking all records" . . . 

Fabian's Palace will hold a pre-Christmas 

drawing for an automobile, an annual promotion 

in the 3,660-seater ... Ed Wall, Paramount, 

flew back to Buffalo Monday for 

drum beating on behalf of "The Ten Commandments" 

. . . Chief Barker Al Kellert 

presided at a meeting of the Variety Club 

Monday night when plans for the annual 

Denial Drive were finalized. 

Dick Bailey will portray a Confederate soldier 

in Paramount's "The Tin Star." 


. from 

Dixie Cup Founder 

Honored at Dinner 

Homer Calver (right), secretary of the 

public health committee of the Paper 

Cup and Container Institute, presents 

Hugh Moore, founder of the Dixie Cup Co., 

with the Crumbine medal. Dr. Joseph 

Johnson, president of the Carnegie Endowment 

for International Peace, looks 

on. The widely publicized event was 

televised 

over WGLV-TV Eastern. 

EASTON. PA.—Hugh Moore, founder of 

the Dixie Cup Co. and industry leader, was 

honored at a dinner in Easton recently for 

". 

. . establishing an industry, bringing the 

Dixie Cup Co. to Easton and devoting time 

and energy to many extra-curricular activities 

for American security and world peace." 

Among those who heralded Moore for his 

many achievements were: Dale Eckerman, 

president and executive director of the Paper 

Cup and Container Institute; Homer Calver, 

secretary of the public health committee of 

the Institute; Francis Walter, congressman 

the 15th district of Pennsylvania; E. J. 

Pox jr., Easton lawyer and civic leader; C. L. 

Van Schaick, president of the Dixie Cup Co.; 

Cecil Dawson, chairman of the board of the 

Dixie Cup Co., and Joseph Johnson, president 

and director of the Carnegie Endowment 

for International Peace. 

The principal address of the evening was 

made by Johnson who paid tribute to Hugh 

Moore for having "devoted many years of 

his life in the quest for world peace." Dr. 

Johnson declared: "It is incumbent upon top 

business executives to take on public responsibilities. 

When a man gets to be president 

of a company or chairman of its board, 

his stature becomes such that he not only 

can serve the community and the nation, but 

has a duty to do so. Hugh Moore has accepted 

that duty joyously." 

Moore has served as co-founder of the Committee 

to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, 

as president of Americans United for 

World Organization, as a consultant to the 

U. S. delegation to the United Nations Conference, 

as a director of the Woodrow Wilson 

Foundation, and as a member of the Council 

of Foreign Relations, the Foreign Policy Association 

and many other worthy organizations 

devoted to restoring peace and understanding 

to the world. 

He was presented with the Crumbine Medal 

by Homer Calver, secretary of the public 

health committee of the Paper Cup and Container 

Institute, for his contributions to public 

health. 

Eddie Fisher Appears at Grossingers 

For 'Bundle of Joy Press Preview 

GROSSINGER, N. Y.—Black-haired Eddie 

Fisher has been the "white-haired boy" of 

Grossinger's fabulous Catskill Mountains resort 

ever since Eddie Cantor discovered the 

young singer there Labor Day 1949 and gave 

him his big break in show business. So it 

naturally followed that Grossinger's collaborated 

with RKO in giving an elaborate press 

preview of Eddie's first feature, "Bundle of 

Joy," in which he stars with his young wife, 

Debbie Reynolds, at the resort's own playhouse 

the .evening of December 3. 

The picture will open at the Capitol Theatre, 

New York City, December 19, with all 

proceeds going for Hungarian relief, and will 

be followed two days later by its opening in 

Hollywood. 

One of the first sights that greeted the 400 

columnists, newspaper reviewers, press association 

writers and photographers, magazine 

editors, disc jockeys and members of 

the tradepress on arrival at Grossinger's, 

two-and-one-half hours away from Manhattan, 

was more white—a light covering of 

snow on the ground—while the first person 

they glimpsed as they entered the Terrace 

room for the cocktail reception for Eddie was 

platinum-blonde Cleo Moore, one of the 

show business guests. 

Eddie, who flew on from the coast minus 

Debbie (she's nursing their baby Carrie 

Frances, born October 21), greeted the assembled 

guests, posed for innumerable photographs, 

attended the preview at 9:30 and 

then entertained, clowned and sang songs 

from midnight until almost 2 a.m. in the 

Terrace room after the screening. He sang 

most of his popular hits, including "Cindy" 

and "On the Street Where You Live," brought 

up his friend and arranger, Hugo Winterhalter, 

for a "Thank You" and a bow and 

later turned over the entertaining to Don 

Rondo, another singer, and the youthful 

Lane Brothers, who sang and played with a 

frantic "Rock 'N' Roll" beat. 

FIFTH ANNIVERSARY—Larry Morris, 

B. S. Moss Corp. executive, left, and 

Marvin Rosen, manager of the Moss Lee 

Theatre, Fort Lee, N. J., celebrate the 

fifth birthday of the house with Erin 

O'Brien, singer on the Steve Allen TV 

show, and Phil Foster, extreme right, TV 

and night club star, at the cake-cutting 

festivities. 

A highlight of the preview showing was a 

surprise introduction of Eddie by another 

famous Eddie—Cantor—who recorded a message 

on tape from his home in Palm Springs, 

Calif., because of his inability to make the 

6.000-mile trip. Mrs. Jennie Grossinger, the 

tiny, white-haired lady who started a little 

boarding house in Sullivan County back in 

1914, was also on hand to greet the influx of 

guests from Manhattan and to see that each 

had a gift basket of fresh fruit in their room. 

Thus it was a profitable occasion for all 

concerned—for Eddie, who made many new 

friends for himself as well as for his first 

picture, for Grossinger's, because everyone 

will spread the word about this great resort, 

and for RKO, which will soon be garnering 

favorable reviews for their Christmas release, 

"Bundle of Joy." 

SYRACUSE 

pugene Mielnicki, right hand man to Sam 

Oilman of Loew's State Theatre, has been 

called to army service and reported Monday 

(3). Gene has been assistant manager 

of Loew's for four and a half years. Bob 

Randall will step up to first assistant. Also 

leaving Loew's , State is Howard Phillips, 

student assistant. He will be joining the 

Navy. 

Tom Cornfield, new manager of Schine's 

Eckel, has settled here with his wife and 

son . . . Schine Paramount Manager Max 

Rubin heard plenty of football talk at home 

from his son Mark, Syracuse University 

football fan . . . Mrs. Harry Unterfort, wife 

of the Schine zone manager, returned from 

New York City, where she visited her mother 

and met her great-niece Beth Gelin. Mrs. 

Unterfort is planning a trip to Schenectady 

to attend the New York state council meeting 

of B'nai B'rith. 

"Giant" has lived up to its name at RKO 

Keith's. Manager Sol Sorkin said it has 

broken all previous boxoffice records set by 

"White Christmas" and "Mister Roberts." 

Plan Drive-In Approval 

ALBANY—Two petitions calling for zoning 

and licensing of amusements were presented 

to the town board of suburban New 

Scotland at a public meeting attended by 

175 persons. Representatives of the adjoining 

towns of Bethlehem and Guilderland, 

where zoning laws have been adopted, were 

present. Petitions seeking to prohibit construction 

of a drive-in by Robert C. Conahan 

in New Scotland were circulated. A spokesman 

for the protestants said there was almost 

unanimous support for the zoning and 

licensing proposals. Conahan reportedly has 

begun grading for a 700-car alrer. 

Sam Warshauer 111 

NEW YORK—Sam Warshauer, upstate 

New York representative for BOXOFFICE, 

has been confined to his bed at home with 

a cardiac condition. Doctors have said that 

Warshauer would be able to resume his activities 

in about one month. 

BOXOFFICE December 8, 1956 39

PITTSBURGH 

Tames H. Alexander of Alexander (RCA) 

* Theatre Supply and a Filmrow veteran is 

recuperating from surgery in Allegheny General 

The mother of Wendell 

Hospital . . . Yeagley. Confluence exhibitor, was to undergo 

an operation Wednesday in Mercy Hosp 

Jack Kalmenson, was 

tal. She is blind . . . back on the job this week and he has taken 

off considerable weight. The Warner branch 

manager had been absent several weeks due 

to illness and hospitalization here and recuperation 

in Florida . . . RKO films are now 

being physically handled at the Republic 

shipping quarters, both being operated by 

Pittsburgh Film Service. 

Miss Cuba Walker of the Ideal circuit, 

Johnstown, reported that only four houses 

remain in the company, two in Johnstown 

and two in Barnesboro, since the Laurel in 

Johnstown was sold this week. The building 

will be remodeled into a store . . . Tom Mc- 

Cleary of Alexander (RCA) Theatre Supply 

and family, vacationing in Florida, expect 

to return home December 15 . . . Newt Williams 

and Harry Russell of National Theatre 

Supply have been busy taking inventory . . . 

Ed Golden, former exhibitor here, has closed 

his Vogue, art house, at Kansas City, Mo., 

and continues his booking and buying duties 

there. Remember his old Idle Hour here 

on Diamond street downtown? 

Mrs. Mary V. Jaffurs, formerly of Wilkinsburg, 

died November 30 at Flint, Mich. Among 

surviving children are James and John Jaffurs 

jr., former exhibitors at Wilmerding, 

Glassport and Millvale . . . The second stage 

rock 'n' roll show in five performances December 

1 at the Leona Theatre, Homestead, 

brought the greatest gross the house has 

taken in one day in years and years, probably 

in the history of the Hodder house now operated 

by the lively Norbert Stern family's 

Associated Theatres . . Reports were that 

. 

John Troy, Parker exhibitor, might reopen 

the Emlenton Theatre, Emlenton, recently 

closed by John L. Barr, who said it would be 

dismantled. 

Francis Guelil, U-I manager, again is chairman 

for the annual Variety Club Christmas 

party, which wiU be held the 16th in the 

Pittsburgh room of the Penn Sheraton at 

1:30 p.m. Barkers and their families are 

urged to attend and to bring a gift for 

foundling babies. There will be refreshments, 

movies and other entertainment with Santa 

Claus in person, and the club will be open, 

too. Guehl says that if you cannot attend 

the party that you may remember the babies 

by sending a gift or check made payable to 

the Roselia Christmas fimd. 

David C. Silverman, RKO manager, attended 

New York home office conferences 

. . . Ernie Stern of Associated Theatres has 

a sports coat with a fur collar . . . Exploiting 

the Student Theatre Guild's subscription plan 

SAM FTNEBERG I 

TOMMcCLEARY f 

JIM ALEXANDER | 

84 Van Broom Street 

PITTSBURGH 19, PA. 

Phone EXpresi 1-0777 

Ma»if\ fl'» Bfltff Than i*rr Mow's You> fcqulpwgnty 

for high school and college students, whereby 

they may attend Nixon Theatre stage offerings 

in one-dollar balcony seats, newspapers 

here pictured Marv Elman making purchases. 

A Pitt student, he is the son of Eve Friedman, 

RKO secretary . . . Mrs. Mary Whitefill, 77, 

of Wexford, was killed November 29 when she 

was struck by an auto driven by James F. 

Nash, 37, of Allison Park, the coroner's office 

repcrced. The accident occurred on Route 19, 

in Pine Township. Nash manages an outdoor 

theatre at Wexford and sells motion picture 

advertising. His mother and father operate a 

theatre in West View. 

The Post-Gazette featured a series of 

articles on Clark Gable, "The Great Gable, 

King of Them All," at the time that his 72- 

year-old first wife, Josephine Dillon, was 

. . . 

being featured weekly on the TV Big Surprise 

quiz show, on which Francis X. Bushman, 

grandma's pinup boy, just won $30,000 

The teamsters union reportedly set several 

deadlines when they expected to stop 

anyone other than teamster members from 

picking up and returning cans of film at the 

exchanges but nothing came of them, although 

there was some worry created in the 

trade. Most film distributors and exhibitors 

believe that the teamsters will "let well 

enough alone." Not official, but some of the 

Filmrow fellows and gals say that the teamsters 

efforts to take over the union activities 

of film exchange employes failed and that 

they, the film employes, are remaining under 

the lATSE wing. 

Homer Michael of the Liberty, south side, 

flew his daughter Nancy Buettner, 22, to 

Boston. She suffered internal hemorrhages 

and was treated here on instruction from a 

Boston clinic and then was to be taken there 

. . . CPO John Jacobs, USN, was set up by 

UA to fight a shark (stuffed) in the river 

below the Sixth street bridge to exploit 

"Sharkfighters" . . . The former Hiland Theatre 

at Natrona Heights, which was remodeled, 

has reopened as a furniture store. 

At New Castle, the Penn offered Elvis 

"Love Me Tender" Presley in his initial picture 

appearance, and the Hi-Lander offered 

"Friendly Persuasion," with this advertising: 

"Best motion picture of 1956 for the entire 

family. One of the best supporting performances 

of the year is turned in by the wonderfully 

comic goose, which out wiggles Elvis 

Presley and certainly out honks him. For 

that matter, she looks more intelligent, and 

it's entirely possible she does a better job of 

acting!" 

McKeesport has wiped off the boolcs its 5 

per cent amusement tax. Theatre owners 

and managers told McKeesport councilmen 

several months ago that their theatres would 

fold if the city failed to help them. The 

Capitol has since gone dark. At one time 

McKeesport had eight film houses, now the 

city has but tliree. McKeesport's amusement 

levy will not be collected after the 

New Year ... At the opera the other evening 

we met Bart Dattola, veteran New Kensington 

theatre owner, and his son-in-law, FYank 

Biamonte, who were among thousands who 

cheered Maria Ferriero of Wllklnsburg, 1956 

Metropolitan Auditions of the Air winner, 

singing the role of Mimi in "La Boheme" 

with Brian Sullivan, Hugh Thompson, William 

Wilderman and Ruth Cotton (Mrs. 

George C. Peacock of New Castle). Five 

weeks prior, Herva Nelli of the Metropolitan, 

was our alltime greatest Santuzza in Cavalleria 

Rusticana. Some years ago she sold 

fruits and vegetables at the Bart Dattola 

store adjoining his old Alhambra Theatre, 

New Kensington. 

The Eastwood Theatre building was entered 

Monday night (3) and $125 stolen from the 

Eastwood Bowling Alleys. Owners Rudy and 

Sam Navari said it was the second burglary 

loss of the year for the alleys . . . Frank 

Dana, Republic's only sales representative, 

has been laid off. He is a brother of U-I's 

Pete Dana . . . N. C. Rosen, 

ager, is exploiting the Salesmen—Bookers 

20th-Fox man- 

Testimonial, which honors C. C. Kellenberg, 

George Ball, Irving S. Stein and Eli Lagose, 

salesmen, and Orlando "Slam" Boyle and 

Rhea Aaronson, bookers. Rosen said that 

many theatres are booking "The Dark Wave," 

23-minute color subject from 20th-Fox, proceeds 

from which will be turned over to the 

Variety Club Foundation to Combat Epilepsy. 

Borough of Braddock has re-enacted its 

special taxes, including the 5 per cent amusement 

levy . . . The Airport Theatre and all 

concessions at Greater Pittsburgh Airport 

have been held "nonessential" to the operation 

of an airport and were ruled taxable by 

the state supreme court, and with this ruling 

favoring Moon township in which the local 

airport is located, Allegheny County now 

must also impose the regular 978 mill real 

estate levy on portions of the county owned 

airport ruled taxable by the high court. 

The Variety Family Night December 7 was 

hosted by the Jack Stoehrs, Alvin Porsches 

and Walter Spills. 

Alice Burke Dies; Widow 

Of Pioneer Theatreman 

PITTSBURGH—Alice Mae Griffith Burke, 

widow of the late pioneer exhibitor Ben 

Burke, died. The Burkes had resided for 

many years in Swissvale. Her husband, who 

died two years ago, was the original partner 

with James B. Clark and Richard A. Rowland, 

both deceased, who operated the first theatre 

circuit here, the Rowland & Clark Theatres, 

which later became the Warner circuit, then 

the Stanley Warner circuit. Ben Burke 

opened his first theatre in Columbus, Ohio, 

in 1905, and his outstanding undertaking was 

construction of the old Capitol Theatre, 

Braddock, recently razed to make way for 

construction of a new building to house a 

Woolworth store. 

John Munnell 

WAYNESBURG, PA.—John Walter Munnell, 

91, who brought Broadway to Waynesburg 

in pre-World War I days, died In 

Greene County Memorial Hospital. During 

the first quarter of this century he managed 

the old Waynesburg Opera House and from 

1922 to 1935 he served as local postmaster. 

Angelo O. Diodati 

PITTSBURGH—Angelo O. Diodati. 62, of 

Spring avenue, Bellevue. projectionist at 

Loew's Penn Theatre since 1937, died in 

his home. He is survived by his wife Mary, 

a daughter Anna Marie and a son Albert V., 

a projectionist at the Twin Hi-Way Drlve-In 

near Crafton. Requiem high mass was in St. 

Peter's Church. 


. . "Lust 

PHILADELPHIA 

Twrichael J. Zsirszeri ran a benefit showing 

for Hungarian refugees at his Dix Drivein 

near Bordentown, N. J., on November 28 

A. M. Ellis and others sold the Academy 

. . . 

Theatre to A. DiPaolo for $16,200 . . . Former 

motion picture censor Mrs. Beatrice Z. Miller 

was elected as a representative to the Pennsylvania 

legislature . . . Burglars stole about 

$1,311 in weekend receipts from a safe in the 

New Mayfair Theatre, according to Manager 

Samuel Resnick. Tlie theft was discovered 

by cleaners. 

A 600-car drive-in is being built by David 

Glickman near Trenton, N. J. . . . Bob Sidman 

was in town handling promotional work 

on Allied Artists "Friendly Persuasion" . . . 

Phyllis Breen of the Columbus finance department, 

was happy that her husband had 

passed his Pennsylvania bar examinations . . . 

Harry Brillman, Screen Guild office manager, 

returned from the hospital . . . New committee 

heads of the Motion Picture Associates 

of Philadelphia include Bill Doyle, membership; 

Milt Young, publicity; Sam Diamond, 

theatre benefit; Jack Greenberg, entertainment; 

Joe Engel, welfare, and Lester Wurtele, 

insurance. 

The third Cinerama feature, "Seven 

Wonders of the World," was in its 33rd week 

at Boyd Theatre . for Life" was in 

its ninth week at the downtown Studio, an 

art house . . . The first week of "The Ten 

Commandments" at the Goldman's Randolph 

played to a mighty 45,000 at $1.40 to $2.75 

The Andalusia was the first drive-in 

. . . 

theatre in this territory to go on a winter 

schedule. It will operate on a weekend basis 

until forced to close. 

The battle for key run features at Goldman's 

State Theatre and Sley's Locust, both 

on 52nd street, reached its peak Saturday (3), 

when the Locust offered a double feature program, 

"Bus Stop" and "Tea and Sympathy" 

. . . A. M. Ellis has sold the closed Academy 

Theatre, Sixth and Moyamensing avenue to 

C. & A. Di Paola for $16,200. 

Japanese Girls Hostesses 

At 'Teahouse' Luncheon 

PHILADELPHIA — Pour Japanese airline 

hostesses entertained the press with a special 

Japanese luncheon here as part of the local 

MGM buildup for "The Teahouse of the August 

Moon." The girls were dressed in Japanese 

costumes and were very apt in answering 

questions. 

Bill Madden, MGM manager here, and Ed 

Gallner of the MGM publicity staff, arranged 

for the local appearance of the girls. 

Drive-In Proposal Rejected 

PITTSBURGH—The city planning commission 

has banned construction of a proposed 

900-car drive-in on a tract of land 

along Nelson Run road and Ivory avenue in 

the Perrysville avenue district of the north 

side. Upwards of 1,000 residents of the district 

signed petitions protesting the changing 

of the district from residential to commercial, 

thus paving the way for the construction 

of the outdoor theatre. The proposed 

exhibitor was Paul A. Bronder, who 

operates several city neighborhood theatres. 

Drive-In Screens Charged 

With Causing Accidents 

ATLANTIC CITY—Exhibitors were charged 

with contributing to traffic accidents December 

1 at a meeting of the executive committee 

of the American Ass'n of State Highway 

Officials. Charles D. Curtiss, V. S. commissioner 

of public roads, said drive-ins place 

their screens so they can be seen from the 

road and thus distract the attention of automobile 

drivers. He proposed strict state licensing 

of drive-ins. 

Five-Year Film Contract 

Inked by Kathy Carlyle 

Drexel 

PHILADELPHIA—Carolyn Stout of 

Hill, who is professionally known as Kathy 

Carlyle, is making her first Hollywood film, 

"African Lost World." It will be followed by 

"The Baby-Face Nelson Story." 

The Philadelphia actress, who was discovered 

by a talent scout while working as a 

model, recently signed a five-year motion 

picture contract. 

Page-LaRosa Stage Show 

Scores Philly Success 

PHILADELPHIA—"The Show of Shows," 

a stage show featuring Patti Page and Julius 

LaRosa, provided local motion picture theatres 

with serious competition for a week. 

Admission to the Penn Fruit Co. stage show 

at Convention hall was by tickets given out 

with every $25 worth of purchases at any of 

the Penn Fruit supermarkets. 

Song-Writer Turns Exploiteer 

PHILADELPHIA — Mack Gordon, who 

penned all the song numbers for "Bundle of 

Joy," RKO production starring Eddie Fisher 

and Debbie Reynolds, was here on an exploitation 

mission for the feature. 

BALTIMORE 

•The big event of the week was I. M. Rappaport's 

preview of "Around the World 

in 80 Days" at the Film Centre Tuesday 

evening. Leading state and city officials were 

present along with major exhibitors and important 

representatives of press, radio and 

TV. Caryl Hamburger is handling promotion 

and publicity for the attraction and she was 

in the "receiving line" for the occasion. Several 

guests were from Washington . . . 

Willard Shoffer is manager at the Film 

Centre. 

John Recher, publicist for the Hicks-Baker 

Theatres, and wife visited with his parents 

in Hagerstown . . . George Hendricks, manager 

of the Mayfair spent a day-off at Millersville, 

Md. . . . Frank Hamilton Durkee jr. 

of the Durkee Enterprises was on a hunting 

trip in New York state. 

Hedley Clark, assistant manager at the Five 

West Theatre, was taken ill in New England 

where he went to visit an ill relative. Clark 

says he expects to undergo surgery . . . 

Walter Grettinger, part owner of the Howard, 

was in Virginia and over to Washington on 

business. 

WASHINGTON 

•Morville Reed Price of United Artists has 

been elected president of Local F-13 

for 1957. Other officers elected when F-13 

members met Tuesday evening (4) at the 

Carlyle Hotel were: vice-president, Walter 

Donahue, Columbia; recording secretary, 

Ethel Curtiss, RKO; financial secretary, 

Agnes C. Turner, RKO; treasurer, Walter 

Bangs, Allied Artists; guardian. Hazel Mc- 

Carthy, MGM; business agent, George Sullivan, 

RKO; trustees, Esther Blendman, MGM; 

Emlyn Benfer, Allied Artists; Sally Myers, 

Columbia; executive board, Henry Ajello, 

MGM; Jesse Smith, RKO, and Sara S. Young, 

20th-Fox. 

Abe Diclistein, 20th-Fox district manager, 

was at the local exchange. He and Ira Sichelman, 

local Fox manager, visited exhibitors 

in Baltimore . . . Booker Jack Kohler returned 

to his desk after several days illness 

with a cold Herman Hable was in 

. . . 

Winchester Memorial Hospital . . . 

Leona 

Weedon, Buena Vista, is a grandmother for 

the first time. Her daughter Trudy gave 

birth to a baby girl. 

Joe Walsh, head of 

a buying and booking 

. . B.ll Michalson 

service was married to Ethel Marie Long of 

Baltimore December 1 at the Towson Methodist 

Church in Towson . 

is selling for the American Releasing Corp. 

headed by Jerry Sandy . . . Happy returns 

to Paramount Manager Herb Gillis, who celebrated 

a birthday on December 6. Gillis spent 

his birthday in Pittsburgh. 

George Trilling of the Fabian circuit, was 

a Warner Bros, exchange visitor ... Eli 

Zucker is the new booker who replaced the 

late Frank Gormley. He formerly was in the 

Universal exchange . . . Viola Smith was 

spending her vacation by moving into her 

new apartment . . . Manager Bob Smeltzer's 

secretary, Jeanne Winebrenner, became Mrs. 

M. J. Zucconi Saturday (1). 

A. E. SchiUer, Republic Pictures branch 

operations head, was a local visitor . . . 

Allied Artists assistant cashier, Walter Bangs, 

was out with the virus . . . Paul Sper, son 

of Allied Artists sales manager, James Sper, 

appeared in a TV series, "The West Point 

Story." Paul is attending West Point Military 

Academy . . . Salesman Maury Rosenblatt 

was back at work after an attack of 

virus. 

Ida Barezofsky, Metro booker, returned 

from a Florida vacation . . . Hazel McCarthy 

and Dot Small were on the sick list . . . 

Cashier Anna Ridgely returned to her desk 

after a siege of illness . . . MGM Manager 

Herb Bennin visited Baltimore exhibitors on 

Wednesday (5) and went to Richmond on 

Thursday . . . Rhoda Zell was celebrating 

a birthday . . . Ditto for booker Henry Ajello 

and head booker Eddie Kushner. Belated 

birthday greetings to Verda Lee, RKO . . . 

Freda Berman celebrated a birthday on Sunday 

(2) . . . Ellen HuU, former cashier clerk, 

gave birth to a daughter this week. She now 

has three sons and a daughter . . . Sympathy 

is extended to Barker Harry Coonin, Variety 

Tent 11, whose mother died recently. 

Joseph Anthony and his wife, actress Perry 

Wilson, will sail for Europe on extended vacation 

in the spring. 


sd

EWS AND VIEWS THE PRODUCTION CEINTEK 

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

'Bundle of Joy' Debul Misunderstanding Gives Film Crew 

Al Egyptian on 21sl 

Qn 'Heat' Rough Time in Hawaii 

HOLLYWOOD—Eddie Fisher was guest of 

honor at a reception and press preview of 

RKO's "Bundle of Joy" Monday (3) at Grossinger's, 

a resort in New York's Catskill mountains 

where his show business career was 

launched. 

Meanwhile, by displaying window signs 

reading "Bundles of Joy for Christmas Giving," 

Hollywood merchants are aiding in 

ballyhoo of the film's premiere Friday (21) at 

the Egyptian Theatre in the cinema capital. 

In addition to Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, 

the picture's stars, celebrities who are planning 

to attend the event include: 

Alan Lodd 

Deborah Kerr 

Ann BIyth 

Jerry Lewis 

Dean Martin 

Jane Powell 

Danny Kaye 

Gordon MacRae 

George Gobel 

Adolphe Menjou 

Robert Cummings 

Ray Milland 

Ann Miller 

Edmond O'Brien 

Dorothy McGuire 

Shelley Winters 

Terry Moore 

Rory Calhoun 

Charles Coburn 

Dona Wynter 

Loraine Day 

Leo Durocher 

Paul Henreid 

Zsa Zsa Gabor 

Eva Gabor 

Peter Lorre 

James Gleason 

Agnes Moorehead 

Coleen Gray 

Ann Rutherford 

James Arness 

Clint Walker 

'v'incent Price 

Anna Maria Alberghetti 

Bonita Granville 

Jim Backus 

Olga San Juan 

Carol Channing 

Tommy Noonan 

Lori Nelson 

Robert Middleton 

Russ Tamblyn 

Chill Wills 

Gil Stratton 

Jay C. Flippen 

Jacques Sernos 

Lito Baron 

Sue Carol 

Fred Clark 

Benay Venuto 

Barbara Nichols 

Paramount and City of Hope Hospital are 

planning a precedential dual premiere of "The 

Rainmaker" whereby the televised festivities 

of the film's bow at the Four Star Theatre, 

Tuesday (18), will be viewed by ambulatory 

patients at the City of Hope. This will be 

followed with a private screening of the picture 

for the patients, simultaneously with 

the feature's showing at the theatre. Proceeds 

from the affair at the Four Star are 

slated for the City of Hope's national medical 

center. 

Back in Hollywood 

HOLLYWOOD—Absence from Hollywood 

for six 

months during which time they produced 

"Li'l Abner," current Broadway musical, 

Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, 

writing-producing-directing team, have returned 

to Hollywood and Paramount. The 

filmmakers, who will continue to divide their 

time between Hollywood and Broadway during 

the run of "Li'l Abner," have mapped out 

a program for 1957 which includes two pictures 

at Paramount and the preparation of 

another Broadway show. 

HOLLYWOOD—Production of pictures in 

the dreamy Hawaiian Islands can prove to be 

something other than the palm-shaded sinecure 

that is often assumed, reports producerdirector 

Howard W. Koch of Bel-Air Productions, 

in which he is a partner with Aubrey 

Schenck. Koch has just returned from the 

islands with a tale of the harassment and 

intimidations to which he and his associates 

were subjected while filming "Jungle Heat" 

which he directed. 

While on Kauai, Koch made two pictures, 

so as to take advantage of sets and backgrounds. 

The first was "Voodoo Island" and 

then "Heat," over which all the shootin' was 

about and because of which Koch, et al, were 

threatened with varied forms of reprisal, 

even unto physical violence. 

It all started, Koch says, when Bel-Air's 

publicity department broadcast a news release 

announcing tht "Jungle Heat" was a 

story about Fifth Column activities in the 

islands prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl 

Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. 

"Some of the Hawaiian press," said Koch, 

"construed the meaning to be that we were 

directly inferring that there were disloyal 

islanders and that we were particularly pointing 

our finger at Japanese-Americans and 

promoting racial prejudices in the story. 

"Our story was certainly far different than 

the press realized, for it contained no such 

Outstanding Stars 

To 3 Current Films 

Hollywood — Three pictures — MGM's 

"The Teahouse of the Aug:ust Moon," 

Allied Artist's "Friendly Persuasion" and 

Paramount's "The Ten Commandments" 

—have received "outstanding" stars from 

the joint estimate board of 13 national 

reviewing groups. 

Organizations participating, representing 

total membership of more than 15,000,- 

000 were: American Ass'n of University 

Women, American Jewish Committee, 

American Library Ass'n, Children's Films 

Committee, Daughters of the American 

Revolution, National Federation of Music 

Clubs, Federation of Motion Picture 

Councils, General Federation of Women's 

Clubs, National Council of Women, 

Protestant Motion Picture Council, United 

Church Women, National Congress of 

Parents and Teachers and the Schools' 

Motion Picture Committee. 

things, and we were alarmingly surprised 

that they would print front page stories and 

contact various major organizations and 

prominent persons for quotes which made it 

seem that we had ulterior motives in the 

making of motion pictures for public consumption. 

The furor was built up even 

though not one person quoted nor one reporter 

had read the script or synopsis. 

"When I, at first, refused to allow individuals 

to read the script, we were further 

condemned. Though we agreed on certain 

very minor changes after the script was read 

by leading journalists, we still feel that its 

essence was a slant in favor of the islands, 

its people and its traditions. Though the 

press desisted from further attacking us, we 

found that valuable contacts for future promotional 

purposes had deserted us. Pan- 

American Airways was to cooperate In the 

publicizing of one of their stewardesses whom 

we had signed to an important role, but they 

decided to keep hands off when the controversy 

started. Many good Japanese-American 

actors on the island were afraid to play 

bit parts or extras in the film so we had to 

import some from Hollywsod. 

"Worst of all of our difficulties were the 

large niunber of threats that we received. Not 

able to stop production legally, individuals 

warned us by telephone and letters that they 

would take steps that were not legal. We 

were threatened with physical violence and 

even worse." 

Despite all of which, Koch declared, Bel- 

Air wouldn't hesitate about making more pictures 

in Hawaii, if and when the opportunity 

arises. 

It must be the climate. 

Parsons and Burrows 

Due to Produce 4 for AA 

HOLLYWOOD—Producer Lindsley Parsons 

and associate John H. Burrows have arranged 

to make four pictures in 1957 for Allied 

Artists release. 

The films are "Rio Bravo," novel by Gordon 

Shirreffs, who now is at work on the screenplay; 

James D. Koran's "Desperate Woman," 

the screenplay for which has been completed 

by Warren Douglas; "The Incredible Yanqul," 

based on the Hermann B. Deutsch novel, and 

with the screenplay by Douglas, and "Jack 

Slade in Montana," which Douglas has been 

assigned to write. 

Additionally, Burrows will produce "Proving 

Ground," for which no release has yet 

been set. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 43

Z'XêcutUfe. 

West: With policy meetings scheduled at 

20th-Fox studiO, several of the company's 

brass were expected to arrive from New York, 

including Spyros Skouras, president; Joseph 

H. Moskowitz, vice-president and eastern 

studio representative; William C. Michel, 

vice-president; Murray Silverstone, international 

distribution head; and Alec Harrison, 

national sales director. 

* » » 

East: Robert S. Taplinger, Warners advertising-publicity 

veepee, returned to New 

York. 

* * « 

East: Maurice King, vice-president of King 

Brothers Productions, planed to Munich, Germany, 

to meet with his brother. Prank, for 

conferences regarding the European theatre 

openings for "The Brave One," which RKO 

is distributing. 

* • • 

West: Producer Alan Pakula returned from 

New York where he screened his first production, 

"Fear Strikes Out," for Paramount 

home office executives. 

* * * 

West: Loew's President Joseph Vogel arrived 

from New York to huddle with Ben 

Thau and other MGM executives. Spot inventory 

of all MGM literary properties was 

launched at the studio with the arrival of 

Vice-President Howard Dietz, eastern story 

head Olin Clark and play department head 

Sidney Phillips. 

* « * 

East: George Seaton, president of the 

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 

and Fred Metzler, vice-president, left for 

Manhattan to attend a meeting of the Motion 

Picture Ass'n of America. 

* * * 

Elast: William Dozier, vice-president in 

charge of production for RKO Pictures, 

Writers Ask Better Role 

In Academy Awards 

HOLLYWOOD—In an effort to gain a more 

prominent role for writers in the televised 

award presentations by the Academy of Television 

Arts and Sciences, the television-radio 

branch of the Writers Guild of America, 

West, held a seminar on the subject, at which 

members agreed upon the following recommendations 

: 

Writers should select their own nominees 

for awards. 

Writers should nominate and elect their 

own representatives to the board to stimulate 

more participation by professional scribes in 

the Academy. 

Admission to the writers branch of the 

Academy should be tightened. 

All writers awards should be programmed 

to take place during the network telecast 

portion of the kudos show—not afterwards. 

* • * 

P. Hugh Herbert has accepted the producership 

of the Ninth Annual Screen 

Awards dinner, it was announced by Warren 

Duff, chairman of the awards committee of 

the screen branch of the Writers Guild of 

America, West, on which sit Ivan Goff, George 

George, Ruth Brooks Flippen, Prank Nugent, 

Jesse L. Lasky Jr. and George Slavin. 

* • • 

Meetings are 

planned by WOA nationally, 

"^^jOAZ-ele,^ 

and R. A. Klune, studio operations executive, 

planed for Palm Beach, Fla., for a series of 

policy meetings with Thomas F. O'Neil, 

board chairman of RKO Teleradio, and Daniel 

T. O'Shea, president of RKO. 

* * * 

East: Hal Wallis headed for New York for 

the world premiere of "The Rainmaker," 

which he produced for Paramount, at the 

Astor Theatre Wednesday (12). 

* * * 

East: Harold Hecht of Hecht-Hill-Lancaster 

departed for London. He planned to 

confer with playwright Terrence Rattigan on 

the screenplay for "Separate Tables"; to 

discuss with Peter Glenville the possibility of 

his megging the motion picture for United 

Artists release; and to meet with Sir Laurence 

Olivier regarding his role in the forthcoming 

"The Devil's Disciple." 

* * * 

East: Also bound for London were F. Hugh 

Herbert and Mark Robson, who planned to 

complete final editing and scoring of "The 

Little Hut," which they produced for MGM. 

* * * 

East: James H. Nicholson, president of 

Sunset Productions and American International 

Pictures, flew to New York to preview 

"The Undead" for exchange operators and 

exhibitors. 

* * * 

East: Paramount Producer Prank Freeman 

jr. entrained to New York for a series of 

conferences with home office toppers on the 

publicity and exploitation campaign on 

"Omar Khayyam." 

* * * 

East: Robert Clark, Associated British- 

Pathe production chief, left for London, via 

Ottawa and Winnipeg, following conferences 

with Walter Mirisch, Allied Artists executive 

producer. 

beginning in January, through its factual 

films committees both east and west, to discuss 

standard form contracts for use with 

producers in the commercial and documentary 

fields. A strong growth has been noted 

in the last two years in these spheres of activity, 

which the guild feels indicates the 

need for regulation of employment practices 

pertaining thereto. 

* * « 

Acceptance of Screen Gems producer William 

Sackheim as a member of the Screen 

Producers Guild brings the organizations 

roster to a total of 184 members. 

'Hills' Rights to Fox 

HOLLYWOOD—Screen rights to "These 

Thousand Hills," a new book by Pulitzer 

Prize-winning novelist A. B. Guthrie, have 

been acquired by 20th-Fox. Concurrently, the 

studio renewed the contract of David Weisbart 

and added this property to his production 

slate for 1957. 

Directs Cheyenne Series 

HOLLYWOOD—Joe Kane, for 22 years a 

producer-director for Repubilic, was granted 

a one-month leave, and reported to Warner 

Bros, to direct "Dark Destiny" for the Ceyenne 

western series on the ABC-TV network. 

1 

Sinatra Will Appear 

On ABC-TV Network 

HOLLYWOOD—In a deal concluded between 

Frank Sinatra's Kent Productions and 

the American Broadcasting Co., provision was 

made for Sinatra's appearance on an ABC- 

TV weekly one-half hour television program 

as well as his starring on two one-hour 

special shows for each of the next three years. 

Formats for the weekly programs will include 

drama, comedy and music. They are 

scheduled to start in the fall of 1957. 

Under the pact, ABC is to acquire stock 

interest in the star's Kent Productions as 

well as his exclusive services for the next three 

years, except with respect to motion pictures. 

* * * 

Endeavoring to expand its operation, 

Screen Gems, Inc. has created a new division 

which will be directly concerned with 

television station ownership, operation and 

programming. Robert H. Salk, presently director 

of syndicated sales, has been selected 

to head the new unit as director of station 

operations. 

Under the augmented structure, Salk will 

represent SG in the purchase of interest in 

stations. His department will be available for 

consultation on programing toward more 

profitable operation of TV stations. In addition, 

he will be the company's liaison with all 

government agencies concerned with the 

television industry. 

Present scope of the Columbia Pictures 

Corp. television subsidiary includes ten national 

programs on major networks, 11 film 

series in coast-to-coast syndication and 

shows televised regularly m 17 foreign 

countries. 

Changes 

Title 

Conquest (20th-Fox) to THE RIVER'S 

EDGE. 

Garment Center (Col) to THE GARMENT 

JUNGLE. 

Next of Kin (Para) to HOT SPELL. 

To Greek Council 

HOLLYWOOD—Motion picture executive 

Spyros P. Skouras and Spiros G. Ponty, home 

developer, have been elected life members of 

the mixed council of the Greek archdiocese. 

Leonidas C. Contos, dean of the Saint Sophia 

Greek Orthodox Cathedral, pointed out that 

ihe council is comprised of clergy and lay 

members and is the supreme executive body 

of the Greek Orthodox Church in the westem 

hemisphere. 

John Beck Working on Two 

HOLLYWOOD — Independent 

producer 

John Beck is preparing two pictures, "Jantzen 

Girl," an original yarn by Bob Smith and 

Ken Englund, which he purchased from 

Batjac, and "Sister Blandina," an original 

by Paul and Marie Hackett. 

Guy Madison to Preside 

HOLLYWOOD—Guy Madison has been invited 

to preside as emcee at the annual 

Human Rights Day dinner Monday (10) at 

the Cap and Gown Club of the University 

of Southern California, sponsored by the Lios 

Angeles chapter of the United Nations Ass'n. 


: December 8, 1956

' 

from 

Split of TV Cash Paid 

For Oldies Still in Air 

HOLLYWOOD—Apparently as far as ever 

resolution is the question that for the 

past several weeks has been one of the more 

important issues to confront those who work 

In and those who distribute motion pictures, 

namely, what part of the revenues derived 

from the sale of post-1948 celluloid is to be 

paid to the organized craftsmen who toiled 

on or in such films. 

Still another meeting has been held between 

representatives of the various guilds 

concerned and those of the Ass'n of Motion 

Picture Producers—a more-or-less star 

chamber session like its predecessors—but 

other than reports that both sides voiced 

opinions that opposing claims and/or 

propositions were "ridiculous," little news, 

and certainly no progress, was reported. 

Moreover, no dates were set for future conclaves 

for discussion of the volatile residuals 

controversy. 

Meanwhile, reports have been generously 

circulating in the film capital that Matty 

Fox, who heads the TV syndicate that purchased 

RKO's sizable backlog, is negotiating 

with the talent guilds on a plan whereby 

he would pay them directly cash amounts 

for clearances which would permit his company 

to sell for telecasting those post-1948 

pictures to which they have video rights, 

thereby circumventing the basic agreement 

between the unionites and producers, and 

jumping the gun on the current stymied 

negotiations. 

Army A-Bomb Picture 

On Engineers Program 

HOLLYWOOD—"Target Nevada," with accompanying 

explanatory remarks by Col. J. 

P. Warndorf, commander of the Lookout 

mountain laboratory of the 1352nd motion 

picture squadron, was to be exhibited as the 

highlight of a meeting of the Hollywood 

section of the Society of Motion Picture and 

Television Engineers, to be held at the Walt 

Disney studio Tuesday (11). Other technical 

subjects were scheduled to round out the 

program. 

The army film is a recently declassified subject 

on the A-bomb tests in Nevada. 

Harry Lehm.an, membership chairman for 

the Hollywood section, has revealed that 

membership of the society has reached 6,081. 

Important to this total is the 958 new members 

acquired during 1956. 

Pony Express in Serial 

HOLLYWOOD—Cliffwood Productions, a 

new television production company headed by 

Prank Rosenberg, in association with a partnership 

syndicate, has completed negotiations 

with NBC-TV for the filming and release 

of Pony Express, an adult western series 

dealing with the exploits of the nation's 

first mail service. 

Extends Composers' Contracts 

HOLLYWOOD—Twentieth-Fox has picked 

up the option on the contracts of two composers: 

Hugo Friedhofer, who will do the 

score on "Boy on a Dolphin," and Leigh 

Harline, who is currently scoring "The True 

Story of Jesse James." 

IMMED by the passage of years is the 

ostensible purpose for which was organized 

the Publicity Directors Committee 

of the Motion Picture Producers Ass'n. If 

memory serves correctly, one of the principal 

functions for which that organization with 

that mouth-filling title was originally established 

was to improve the over-all public 

and trade relationships of Hollywood and the 

film fabricators who belong to and extravagantly 

support the association. 

From such lofty and promising genesis, 

the tub thumpers' committee, under the secretaryship 

of Clarke "Duke" Wales, has 

evolved into little more than a clearing house 

for the least consequential of trivia. 

Let the Motion Picture Research Council 

"embark on a new phase of its continuing 

search ... by initiating screen brightness 

measurements in all studio laboratory projection 

rooms," and Wales and his milquetoast 

minions gallop off in all directions at 

the same time to plant verbose and highly 

technical handouts thereon. 

Let Eric Johnston, president of the Motion 

Picture Ass'n of America, "deliver the keynote 

address at the National Convention of 

thi Outdoor Advertising Association of 

America," which speech dealt mainly with the 

life and mores behind the iron curtain, and 

Duke's staff happily disseminates any and 

all details pertaining thereto. 

And so on ad nauseum. 

But, let anything of newsworthiness, situations 

containing information that is of 

significant interest to every industryite, develop 

and Wales and company dummy up 

like mobsters at a grand jury investigation. 

During recent weeks, there have been a 

series of more-or-less star chamber sessions 

of Cinemania brass at which consideration 

was given to a duo of issues, the ultimate 

resolution of which will have far-reaching 

effects on everyone in all branches of the 

motion picture industry. 

One concerns what, if anything, Hollywood 

proposes to do about the program 

sponsored by New York's higher echelons 

of the trade to revive interest in movies and 

stimulate waning boxoffice patronage. 

The other relates to the volatile question of 

what is to be the residual participation of 

actors and craftsmen in the monies paid by 

television for pictures produced after 1948. 

Following these many huddles, the Walesian 

welkin ticklers might or might not 

have released a tidbit of news pertaining 

thereto. It was usually meager, uninformative 

and unsatisfactory. If a tradepaper 

reporter was desirous of obtaining details of 

what had transpired, it was necessary to quiz 

some studio or publicity chief who had been 

present at the gatherings. Flesultantly, 

printed reports on the powwows and what 

they discussed were as varied and as contradictory 

as they were numerous; thereby 

creating a set of circumstances that no one 

in his right mind would adjudge conducive 

to Improving the trade relations of the association. 

Perhaps Wales' hush-hush pohcy is prescribed 

by the magi of production. If so, 

the producers might as well save the sizeable 

number of dollars—and they are not 

easy to come by these days—that it is costing 

them to maintain a centralized clearing 

house. If not, something should be done 

to re-implement its modus operandi. 

From the blurbery bailiwick of the Brudem 

Warner, notification that "director Bill Wellman 

passes out French-English dictionaries 

to press members coming on the set of 'Lafayette 

Escadrille' to interview his new 

French star Etchika Choureaa . . . speaks 

acceptable English, but . . . has discovered 

that most correspondents like the challenge 

of trying out their own knowledge of French 

How the mighty are fallen when newsmen 

want to try out—of all things—their linguistic 

talents on a visiting dish from Gay 

Paree. 

And there 

was a reason why so many of 

Bill Hendricks' busy beavers were to be found 

under their desks on a given recent day. 

Los Angeles' county sheriff Eugene Biscailuz 

was on the lot to participate in the inauguration 

of a new permanent western set. 

Further from Burbank, intelligence that 

"the 32 chorus cuties in 'The Pajama Game' 

will not only have to sing and dance but 

they'll be expected to operate sewing machines." 

To fashion tin panties, perhaps. 

Cecil B. DeMille, producer-director of 

Paramount's "The Ten Commandments," 

recently addressed the opening luncheon of 

the annual meeting of the Grocery Manufacturers 

of America. 

With "Commandments" off on a long end 

run, DeMille certainly could have had nothing 

to say about eggs and/or turkeys. 

From Jerry Hoffman, Screen Gems' agile 

pi'blicist, an information-from-all-over note 

to the effect that Noah Berry, costarring in 

SG's television opus, "Circus Boy," has discovered, 

after exhausting research, that there 

are more than 100 words in the English 

language which describe clowns. Among 

them: buffoons. Merry- Andrews, mimes, harlequins, 

Punchinellos, pickle-herrings and joeys. 

What, no press agents? 

And to keep its neck-out batting average 

at the 1,000 mark, Teet Carle's Marathon 

street magnifiers broadcast "Jeanne Crain 

has checked into Paramount . . for her role 

. 

in 'The Joker,' in which she sgars (sic.) 

with Frank Sinatra . . 

." 

Don't feel too bad, Jeanne, you're not the 

first femme to be sgarred by getting too 

close to Sinatra. 

BOXOFFICE December 8, 1956 

45

'Tender' Frisco Bow 

Gets Blasting 250 

SAN FRANCISCO—"Love Me Tender," the 

Elvis Presley epic, claimed the week's top 

spot with a blasting 250 per cent. The only 

close contender was the fourth week of 

"Giant" at the Paramount with 175. 


Fox—Love Me Tender (20th-Fox) 250 

Golden Gate The Mole People (U-l); Curucu, 

Beosf of the Amazon (U-l) 110 

Paramount—Giant (WB), 4th wk 175 

St. Francis You Con't Run Away from It (Col), 

2nd wk 1 00 

United Artists Friendly Persuasion (AA), 3rd wk..100 

Worf ield Julie (MGM) 140 

'Giant' Leads Denver 

In Fourth Week 

DENVER — "Giant" was still a moneygetter 

at the Paramount in its fourth week, 

and led the town again. "Oklahoma!" went 

into its eighth week at the Tabor, still on a 

reserved seat basis, twice daily and three 

times Saturdays and Sundays. "The Snow 

is Black" got a fourth week at the Vogue. 

Aladdin Secrets of Life (BV) 4th wk 60 

Centre Friendly Persuosion (AA), 3rd wk 90 

Denham War and Peace (Pare), 6th wk 90 

Denver ^Love Me Tender (20th-Fox); Stagecoach 

to Fury (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 85 

Esquire The Doctor (Kingsley) 75 

Orpheum Death of a Scoundrel (RKO); Gunslinger 

(ARC) 90 

Paramount Giont (WB), 4th wk 1 80 

Tabor^-Oklahomo! (Magna), 7th wk 75 

Vogue The Snow Is Block (Cont'l), 3rd wk 95 

Pre-Christmas Lull 

Sets in at Los Angeles 

LOS ANGELES—Following the previous 

week's impressive local first run grosses, 

the anticipated pre-Christmas lull was apparently 

setting in early this year. Even the 

holdovers which had proved themselves 

Filmack's 

TEASERETTES 


Use 'em for 


TRAILERS 

•CROSS 

PLUGS 

• ADVANCE 

/ 1947 N W Kvomvy 

CA «-7i41 

SAN rSANCISCO * 343 Coldon Oi 

UN M8I6 

SfAnil • 7318 iôfrf A»* 

11 $?47 

TC 70t 

Coil-sprtng s«af and bock 

with upholit«r*d arm rm%H 

for oxtro comfort. 

to take the count and go home to bed . . . 

Jimmy Pierson, booker, moved to the Park 

Merced since his recent marriage . . . Max 

Talmadge, Crest sales manager, returned 

from the Los Angeles convention of janitorial 

suppliers. 

Clint Mecham, booker at AA, was back at 

his desk dreaming about a merry Caribbean 

Jesse Levin, General Theatrical 

trip . . . 

executive, was back from his Caribbean 

tour and looking tan and healthy . . . The 

U-I luncheon for exhibitors, with the dad of 

Tim Hovey playing host, proved to be an 

interesting affair. 

46 BOXOFFICE. : 

: December 

8, 1956

f 

Denver Variety Ten! 

Elects Jack Felix 

DENVER—Variety Tent 37 elected Jack R. 

Felix, Allied Ai-tists manager, as chief 

inker; Jim R. Ricketts, Paramount manner, 

first assistant; Robert G. Sweeten, 

V I'litre manager, second assistant; Joe B. 

HI one. National Theatre Supply, dough guy; 

Bruce Marshall, Columbia, property master. 

The crew is rounded out by Duke Dunbar, 

attorney general of Colorado; Marvin Goldfarb, 

Beuna Vista district supervisor; Fred 

Knill, office manager for Gibraltar Enterlirises; 

Jack Wodell, Paramount manager; 

Phil Isaacs, Paramount division manager, 

and Robert Lotito, publicist. 

About 35 Variety members were entertained 

at luncheon at the University of Denver, the 

location of the University of Denver-Variety 

Club child clinic. Short talks were made by 

members of the faculty, and all Variety 

members were very favorably impressed with 

the work the clinic is doing. This is the 

big charity of Variety Tent 37, and judging 

from expressions made following the visit 

to the school the help from Variety will be 

continued and probably increased. 

PHOENIX 

Jill of the Fox theatre managers in Arizona 

will be flown to Los Angeles for a 

Christmas party three days before the holiday 

. . . 20th-Pox has been scouting around 

Sedona and it is possible that they will film 

another picture there this spring. A Columbia 

group is due in Sedona December 12 

for four days of shooting on "3:10 to Yuma," 

which is now being filmed in Tucson. Russell 

Hayden will follow with his new filming 

company to make his first western. 

Sidney C. Goltz and associates are due back 

In Phoenix for additional filming of their 

golf series. Phoenix was chosen as the location 

in preference to Bermuda. They are 

using six cameras on each setup, and have 

hired about 30 local persons as stagehands 

and extras. The sound crew comes from 

Hollywood. They were so pleased with the 

films already shot in Phoenix, that they are 

considering returning to film 16 more shorts. 

Nick Ray to Direct Two 

HOLLYWOOD—Nicholas Ray has been 

inked to direct two films in 1957-58 for Schulberg 

Productions, the new company headed 

by Budd and Stuart Schulberg. First of the 

features—both originals by Budd Schulberg 

—will be "On Eighth Avenue," a prizefighting 

story. The second will be "In the Everglades," 

which deals with conflicts between 

Seminole Indians and white settlers. 

PORTLAND 

pighteen Hungarian refugees who arrived in 

Oregon Tuesday (4) to find homes were 

guests of Mrs. J. J. Parker for an evening 

performance of "Oklahoma!" in its fourth 

week at the Broadway Theatre. 

The refugees 

jumped ship at Beirut. Lebanon shortly after 

the recent fighting in Hungary broke out. 

They were flown to Portland from New York 

and are housed at the YMCA until their 

sponsors have arranged for jobs and places 

to live. 

Allan Weider, MGM, was in town working 

on "The Teahouse of the August Moon" and 

other product . . . Also back in town after 

attending sessions in New York was Earl 

Keate who started work on "The King and 

Pour Queens," which will open at the Liberty 

here December 20 ... A James Dean letterwriting 

contest on The Journal motion picture 

page drew more than 100 letters from 

the late actor's fans in this area. Prizes included 

photographs of Dean and passes to 

the Fox Theatre. 

Rory Calhoun Receives 

U-I Contract Release 

HOLLYWOOD—Rory Calhoun has obtained 

a release from his U-I contract, which called 

for six more films over the next three years. 

The actor requested the U-I termination in 

order to be free to join Victor Orsatti in 

their new independent unit at Columbia, 

which already is committed to a television 

series. Here Comes the Showboat, and a 

theatrical feature, "Domino." 

It is understood that Calhoun's release 

from U-I includes certain salary agreements 

for any freelance films he does on that lot 

during the next three years. 

Sol Halprin Re-Signed 

HOLLYWOOD—Sol Halprin, head of the 

camera department at 20th-Fox, has had his 

contract renewed. One of the developers of 

Cinemascope, Halprin has been with the 

company 39 years. 

Observers Are Guests 

FRXHTA, COLO.—Members of the Fruita 

Ground Observers post, numbering 50, were 

invited by Bob Walker and wife, owners of 

the Uintah Theatre, to be their guests at a 

show recently. 

HANDY 

THEATRE HEAD DIES—John Hamrick, 

80, president of John Hamrick Theatres 

in Seattle, Portland and Tacoma, is 

dead. Hamrick died November 30 in New 

York, where he had been for about a 

month, following: an illness of several 

weeks. Theatres included in the Hamrick 

circuit are the Music Hall, Orpheum, 

Music Box, Venetian and Bay in Seattle; 

the Music Box, Roxy, Rialto, Blue Mouse 

and Temple in Tacoma; the Roxy and 

Avalon in Enumclaw and the Liberty and 

Roxy in Portland. 

JARO Signs Rod Steiger 

HOLLYWOOD—Rod Steiger has been 

signed by the J. Arthur Rank Organization 

to star in "Across the River," an original 

by Graham Greene, which will be produced 

by John Stafford and directed by Ken 

Annaken. It will be produced in part at 

Pinewood Studios, England, with the bulk of 

the footage to be filmed in Spain. 

5724 S.E. MonrOT St 

Portland 22, Oregon 

THEATRE 

FOR SALE 

N. Calif. BIdg. incl. for $34,000. 

Terms. Others, write for list. 

THEATRE EXCHANGE CO. 

260 Kearney St. 

San Francisco 8. Calif. 

'Break in Circle' to Carroll 

HOLLYWOOD—"Break in the Circle," by 

David Lord, was bought by John Carroll's 

Motion Pictures by Clarion for one of the 

company's two productions scheduled to roll 

next month, the other being "Tiger Mike." 

M. B. Nimmer Quits Para 

HOLLYWOOD—Melville B. Nimmer, attorney 

for Paramount Pictures, has submitted 

his resignation and will open law 

offices in Beverly Hills.

. . George 

LOS ANGELES 

Filmakers Chas. Krantz 1 

jâdies of Variety Tent 25 elected Mrs. Lloyd 

C. Ownbey, president; Mrs. R. E. Hughes 

and Mrs. Roy Reid, vice-presidents; Mrs. 

Fred Stein, treasurer; Mrs. B. R. Wolf, recording 

secretary, and Mrs. Hal Huff, corresponding 

secretary. Additionally, all will 

serve on the board of directors together with 

Mesdames O. N. Srere, Albert Hanson, Morris 

Borgos, Robert Kronenberg, Richard Ettlinger 

and M. J. E. McCarthy. They will 

assume offices at the first meeting of the 

new season January 7. 

Francis A. Bateman, who is retiring as 

western division manager for Republic, where 

qIf your seats are noiseless 

. . . free from squeaks 

(and patrons' squawks) . . . 

chances are — they are 

Xutemationaf! 


Intermountoin Theater Supply Co., 

264 East First South, 

Salt Lake City 1, Utoh 

Phone: 4-7821 

or 

jntematlonafsEAT division of 



he was associated for 17 years, will be given 

a testimonial dinner Tuesday (11), of which 

Jack Dowd, Republic manager, is chairman 

. . , Trans-Lux Films is opening an office 

on Filmrow and has named Morris Safier, 

longtime film exchange operator, as 

western sales manager . . . Theatron Corporation 

has taken over the Adams and Empire 

Theatres from D. V. Irvine. 

. . . Also booking and 

Booking and buying on the Row were Bob 

Lippert jr. of the La Habra Theatre, and Bill 

Alford, Plaza and Village, and Ben Bronstein, 

Sunair Drive-In, Palm Springs . . . Lloyd 

Miller, 99 Drive-In, Bakersfield, was at Exhibitors 

Service 

ing were Ernie Martini, Arwin 

buy- 

Theatre; 

Manual Carnakis, the money of Bakersfield; 

Mr. and Mrs. Eben Mitterling, Mission in 

Fallbrook, and Jack Kalbo, owner of theatres 

in Norwalk and Downey ... J. J. O' 

Loughlin, former United Artists branch manager 

who is now with TV Sales, was visiting 

on Filmrow. 

WhUe here from New York to attend U-I's 

. . William 

. . . Leve, West Coast 

national sales meeting, general sales manager 

Charles Feldman, accompanied by Poster 

Blake, western district manager, conferred 

with Abe Swerdlow, local manager . 

Z. Porter, Allied Artists field repre- 

sentative, arrived from Atlanta to confer 

with executives 

Spencer 

at the studio 

Fox 

and the exchange 

executive, returned from Phoenix . 

Fouce, 

. . 

Mexican producer and theatre 

Frank 

operator, 

came in from Mexico City for a few 

days before departing for Havana. 

Having disposed of their Cinema Park 

Drive-In in Phoenix, Ted Karetz and his 

wife plan to leave on a trip around the 

world 

. Bowser spent a few days 

relaxing in Palm Springs. 

Filmland Charity Total 

Passes Million Dollars 

HOLLYWOOD—Before entering the last 

lap of the 1957 campaign. Motion Picture 

Permanent Charities reported contributions 

amounting to $1,086,204.08. Top bracket 

groups donated $647,232.63 from 4,662 subscriptions, 

while labor contributed $438,971.45 

through 16,853 donors. 

Present total is 96.05 per cent of the 22,400 

subscriptions finally recorded in the 1956 

campaign. 

Agreement of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball 

to put Motion Picture Center studio on the 

MPPC payroll deduction system brought to 

100 per cent the number of Hollywood film 

studios supporting the campaign. 

'Persuasion' Prints to 550 

HOLLYWOOD—Because of the number of 

bookings for "Friendly Persuasion" for the 

Christmas and New Year's holidays, Allied 

Artists has ordered an additional 100 prints, 

boosting the total number to 550. 

DeMille Addresses Students 

HOLLYWOOI>—Cecil B. DeMUle. producer 

of "The Ten Commandments," addressed a 

convocation of students and faculty at the 

University of Southern California Thursday 

(6), on "Moses and Today." 

Heads Exchange Setup 

LOS ANGELES—Charles Kranz was ap- j 

pointed vice-president in charge of exchange 

operations for Filmakers Releasing Organization 

and Filmakers Productions, Inc. Kranz' 

new duties will be in addition to holding the 

post of treasurer. 

In a realignment of the companies due to 

the recent resignations of Irving H. Levin 

as president and Harry L. Mandell as veepee 

—both of whom swung over to Am-Par Pictures 

Corp.—Albert Perelman was appointed 

by the directors as secretary and controller. 

He will operate with Kranz out of the companies' 

Beverly Hills home office. 

J. J. Felder was named vice-president in 

charge of eastern operations, and William 

M. Pizor will continue as veepee in charge 

of foreign distribution. Both will headquarter 

in Filmakers' New York offices. 

According to Kranz, the company plans to 

turn out four pictures in 1957. 

Borgnine Files 

2nd Suit 

Against HHL Company 

HOLLYWOOD—Ernest Borgnine, who is 

already involved in litigation with Hecht- 

Hill-Lancaster on "Sweet Smell of Success" 

from which he withdrew, filed another suit 

against the company in Santa Monica 

• 

superior court, seeking an accounting of 

profits allegedly due him for "Marty" under ii 

a contract specifying Borgnine was to receive I 

$5,000 salary plus 2% per cent of the net "' 

profits for five years. T'he actor now claims 

he was not given the opportunity to examine 

all accounts and that he had been defrauded 

because of improper deductions which were 

made from the producers' profits. 

'Commandments' Wins 

Christopher Awards 

HOLLYWOOD—Because of the significance 

of "The Ten Commandments" in relating 

eternal truths of modern problems, special 

Christopher awards were presented to the 

six individuals primarily responsible for the 

film. Father James Keller, founder of the 

Christophers, presented the kudos to producer-director 

Cecil B. DeMille, associate producer 

Henry Wilcoxon, and script writers 

Jesse L. Lasky jr., Aeneas MacKenzie, Jack 

Gariss and Fredric M. Frank. 

In General Release Jan. 9 

LOS ANGELES—MOM'S "Lust for Life," 

which will complete its 13-week first run engagement 

at Fine Arts Theatre December 13, 

will go into general release January 9 in these 

Los Angeles area theatres: Loew's State, 

Downtown, Hawaii, Hollywood; Valley 

Guild, North Hollywood; State, Pasadena; 

Garmar, Montebello; Fifth Avenue, Inglewood; 

Wilshire, Santa Monica. On Wednesday 

(5) a luncheon was held at Metro studio 

for managers of those theatres to discuss 

promotion of pictures. 

A Jerry Pam-Sherman Deal 

HOLLYWOOD—Freelance publicist Jerry 

Pam has entered a deal with Gerry Sherman, 

television-radio exploiteer, to handle the expansion 

of his business. For the past six 

years Sherman has been with Marty Weiser 

and will continue to associate with him on 

future campaigns. 

48 BOXOFTICE December 8, 1956

Two Theatremen Serve 

As Rotary Intern'l Officers 

EVANSTON, ILL.—Two theatre owners are 

serving as officers of Rotary International, 

worldwide service club organization, for the 

1956-57 fiscal year. They are George A. 

Dowdle of Deming, N. M., a partner in Frontier 

Theatres, who is a district governor, and 

J. Rodger Mendenhall, proprietor of the Mendenhall 

Theatre in Boise, Ida., information 

counselor. 

Dowdle is a director and past president of 

the Deming Chamber of Commerce, a director 

of the Methodist Church, a past mayor of 

Deming, county chairman of the New Mexico 

Society of Crippled Children, a director of 

the New Mexico Theatre Owners of America 

and a partner in the Griffith Realty Co. and 

Theatre Enterprises in Dallas. 

Mendenhall is past chairman of the Boise 

Airport Commission. He is now serving as 

Idaho director for the Council of Motion 

Picture Organizations. 

Robert Aldrich Claims 

Columbia Fired Him 

HOLLYWOOD—Robert Aldrich claims that 

Columbia fired him without just cause from 

"The Garment Jungle," which he directed up 

to November 30 when he was stricken by flu. 

That day the studio assigned Vincent Sherman 

to replace him. Assuming Aldrich's illness 

might be prolonged beyond the several 

days of shooting still to go, the studio decided 

to let Sherman finish the film. When 

Aldrich—a partner in Associates & Aldrich 

which is independently producing the feature 

for Columbia—showed up Monday (3) ready 

to resume megging, he was informed of the 

replacement. 

To Film 'Muscle Beach' 

HOLLYWOOD—Twentieth-Pox announces 

Walter Reisch will produce "Muscle Beach" 

from his own original screenplay. The title 

is derived from a section of beach in Santa 

Monica, which long ago gained that appellation 

when it became a hangout for the young 

brawny set. 

Roger Corman to Produce 

HOLLYWOOD—James H. Nicholson, president 

and executive producer of Sunset Productions, 

has signed Roger Corman to produce 

and direct "Rock All Night," scheduled 

for December 15 production from a screenplay 

by Charles B. Griffith. 

New Joan Collins' Pact 

HOLLYWOOD—Joan Collins' contract at 

20th-Pox has been renewed for another year. 

The British actress recently completed "Seawife" 

and currently is co-starring in "Island 

in the Sun." 

In Hometown Fete 

HOLLYWOOD—RKO contract 

player 

Valerie Anderson, who makes her debut in 

the studio's "The Girl Most Likely," was 

honored by her home town of Riverside Friday 

(7) evening when she served as queen of 

a dinner-dance and fashion show sponsored 

by the Sales Executive Clubs ot Riverside and 

San Bernardino. 

STAGE STRUCK GUESTS—William Dozier, RKO vice-president In charge of 

production, tossed a cocktail party for the stars of "Stage Struck"—Henry Fonda, 

Susan Strasberg and Herbert Marshall. The feature will be filmed in New York 

and will witness the screen debut of the 18-year-old actress who recorded a Broadway 

success in "The Diary of Anne Frank." At the clambake, left to right, Walter 

Branson, RKO vice-president in charge of world wide sales. Miss Strasberg, Dozier 

and Fonda. 

All NT Managers Plan 

Ricketson Week Push 

LOS ANGELES—December 19 has been set 

as the kickoff date for National Theatres' 

Ricketson Activity Week, created and being 

ballyhooed among the circuit's managers to 

stimulate theatre attendance during the last 

week of the year. 

Early reports filtering into NT headquarters 

here indicate that theatremen in all of NT 

divisions are planning elaborate promotions, 

including contests, special advertising, giveaways 

and other stunts to make 1956's final 

stanza a highly profitable one. 

Details of regional plans for the drive were 

revealed in the December 1 issue of Showman, 

monthly house organ of NT. 

To 'Sergeants' Role 

HOLLYWOOD—Myron McCormick, who 

for the past year hEis been playing the role 

of Sergeant King in the Broadway stage play, 

"No Time for Sergeants," has been signed to 

recreate the role in Mervyn LeRoy's film production 

of the play for Warner Bros. 

Earl Holliman Signed 

HOLLYWOOD—Producer Hal Wallis has 

signed Earl Holliman to star in "The Last 

Train to Harper's Junction" for Paramount 

release. A newcomer, Holliman made his 

screen bow in "The Rainmaker." 

To Direct 'Dead Jockey' 

HOLLYWOOD—Richard Thorpe has 

been 

set to direct MGM's "Tip on a Dead Jockey," 

which will star Robert Taylor. Edwin H. 

Knopf will produce the motion picture, to be 

filmed in Spain and at the studio. 

To Score 'The Tin Star' 

HOLLYWOOD — Perlberg-Seaton have 

signed Elmer Bernstein to originate the score 

for their western, "The Tin Star," now winding 

up at Paramount with Henry Fonda and 

Anthony Perkins in the leads. 

'Pastime' on 'Julie' 

Bill 

HOLLYWOOD—MGM's "The Great American 

Pastime" is playing five Los Angeles 

theatres and six drive-ins as companion 

feature to "Julie," another MGM release. 

Playing the double bill: Warners' Downtown, 

Hawaii, Picwood, Paradise and Crown (Pasadena) 

and Van Nuys, Lakewood, Whittier, 

Pickwick, Edwards and Compton drive-ins.

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: 

12-8-56 

Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU 

to receive iniormation regularly, as released, on 

the following subjects lor Theatre Planning: 

Acoustics 

n Air Conditioning 

Q Architectural Service 

n "Black" Lighting 

n Building Material 

n Carpels 

n Coin Machines 

D Complete Remodeling 

D Decorating 

n Lighting Fixtures 

n Plumbing Fixtures 

n Projectors 

n Projection 

Lamps 

n Seating 

n Signs and "larquees 

Sound Equipment 

D Television 

n Drink Dispensers D Theatre Fronts 

n Drive-In Equipment Q Vending Equipment 

n Other Subjects.. 

Theatre 

Seating Capacity. 

Address 

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Signed 

Poitage-paid reply cards for your further convenience 

in obtaining information are provided in The MODERN 

THEATliE Section, published with the first iiiut of 

each month. 

DENVER 

Phe Woodlawn Theatre Corp., which is building 

the 805-seat Woodlawn at Littleton, 

reports the house will open January 15. R. J. 

Wadley of Southwestern Film Delivery is the 

company president . . . Joe Stone, NTS manager, 

went to Los Angeles on business . . . 

Jack Scales is building a 275-car drive-in 

at Durango, named the Roclcet, which will 

be booked by Clarence Batter. 

Wayne Ball, Columbia division manager, 

was in from Los Angeles, and Lou Astor, circuit 

sales executive, was in from New York, 

conferring with Robert Hill, branch manager, 

and calling on the circuits . . . Frank 

Carbone, Paramount booker, was vacationing 

at home . . . Edna Ahlers, Paramount 

contract clerk, was doing her Christmas 

shopping during a vacation. 

"The Mountain" was secured by Jim Ricketts, 

Paramount manager, for a Hungarian 

benefit show at the Denham. All seats will 

be $2. The theatre and help were donated 

by Mrs. Vera Cockrill, managing director, 

while the publicity was headed by Ted Halmi, 

who was born in Hungary, but who is now a 

citizen of the U. S. . . . Laura Haughey, 

booker on Filmrow for several years, mainly 

with Realart, is now bookkeeper for Wolfberg 

Theatres. 

Robert Hazard, UA salesman who headquarters 

in Albuquerque, is father to a son, 

born on his birthday at the Presbyterian 

Hospital there. Hazard took his wife to the 

hospital at 10 p.m. The baby arrived just 

two minutes to midnight . . . Joan Wallace, 

new to the business, is secretary to the 

manager at UA . . . Leonard Saye, rodeo 

performer, has built a theatre at Lame Deer, 

Mont., on an Indian reservation, and has 

named it the Chief . . . Robert Quinn, Warner 

publicist, headed for Iowa to work on 

"Giant" and "Baby Doll" in Des Moines, 

Davenport, and Rock Island and Moline, 111. 

On his return he will head south for Santa 

Fe and Albuquerque. 

. . Because of the 

Ted Halmi, freelance publicist, has been 

named a director of the United Cerebral 

Palsy fund. At present he is working on 

"Rock, Rock, Rock," which will open December 

19 at the Orpheum . 

noise which teeners made at the showings of 

"Love Me Tender," Paul Lyday, Denver manager, 

set up showings for adults only for two 

nights, when a teener could not get in unless 

accompanied by an adult. He also set up two 

showings, at 4 p.m. on two different days, for 

teeners only. 

Frank Nprris, manager of Denver shipping 

and Inspection Bureau, has completed the 

revision of the names and addresses on his 

annual calendar, and the material has been 

sent to the printer. The calendar contains 

names of firms, managers and other personnel, 

along with addresses and phone numbers, 

and is valuable to anyone connected with the 

business. Norris wishes any theatre that did 

not get a list last year, or was not In operation 

last year, to drop him a line and he will 

send a copy as soon as available . . . Bob 

Hope was in for the kickoff dinner that Inaugurated 

the $3 million drive for a building 

fund by St. Anthony's Hospital. 

Sam Reed of Reed Speaker Service flew 

to Wllliston, S. D., to see his first grandchild, 

a girl. Mrs. Reed had gone on before to be 

. . . William 

there for the event. On the return trip the 

Reeds drove and visited drive-ins 

way . . . Dale Burton, assistant city 

the 

along 

manager 

at Rock Springs, has been moved to Cheyenne 

to be assistant to Russ Beery, city manager 

for Fox Intermountain 

Seibert, former assistant manager at the 

Tabor, back from a stretch in the Army, has 

been made assistant at the Denver. 

Theatre folk on Filmrow included Mr. and 

Mrs. Robert Beck, Sheridan, Wyo.; Mr. and 

Mrs. Milton Terry, San Jon, N. M.; Tom 

Bradley, Cheyenne; Wilbur Williams, Boulder; 

Esmond Hardin, Hay Springs, Neb.; 

Thomas Knight, Riverton, Wyo.; Glen Wittstruck, 

Meeker; Lauren McConnell and Edward 

Goebel, McCook, Neb.; J. K. Powell, 

Wray; C. G. Diller, Ouray; Dr. Frank 

Rider, Wauneta, Neb.; C. E. McLaughlin, Las 

Animas; Moe Rudick, Silver City, N. M.; Mr. 

and Mrs. L. W. Adrian, Fairplay; John 

Sawaya, Trinidad; Mr. and Mrs. Rodney 

Knox and son Ronnie, Durango. 

Reed Will Pay $100,000 

On TV Series Reruns 

HOLLYWOOD—By unanimous vote, the 

board of directors of the Screen Actors Guild 

approved a settlement with the Roland Reed 

companies whereby actors will be paid more 

than $100,000 in overdue residual payments 

on four filmed television series: My Little 

Margie, the Stu Erwin Show also known as 

Trouble Witli Father, Space Ranger and 

Waterfront. 

Simultaneously with the settlement, the 

SAG board removed all the Roland Reed 

companies from their unfair list and reinstated 

their collective bargaining contracts. 

The entire amount now due the actors will 

be paid over a period of approximately eight 

months, commencing immediately. All films 

involved were produced under the guild's 

1952 television film contract, which provided 

for residual payments on the third and fourth 

runs combined, and the fifth and sixth runs 

separately. Under the 1955 SAG pact, residuals 

start with the second run. 

To Write Tile' Screenplay 

HOLLYWOOD—John Monks jr. has been 

signed by Richard Widmark's Heath Productions 

to write the screenplay of William 

McGivern's novel "The Seven File," to be 

produced by William Reynolds. "File," which 

will be Widmark's second independent picture, 

will follow "Time Limit" on Heath's 

1957 production schedule. Both will be released 

through United Artists. 

Ken Tobey to Top Role 

HOLLYWOOD — Ken Tobey has been 

signed for top role in "Mark of the Vampire," 

a Gramercy production for release through 

United Artists, which rolls December 10 at 

Hal Roach studios, with Jules Levy and 

Arthur Gardner producing and Paul Landres 

directing. 

Dani Crayne in Drive 

HOLLYWOOD—U. S. Marine Corps Reserve 

has selected Warner Bros.' actress E>ani 

Crayne as the glamor chairman of their 

annual Toys for Tots drive, which is aimed at 

collecting both new and workable used toys 

for the underprivileged children of southern 

California. 


i 20th-Pox, 

I 

THEATRICAL 

2310 

R. C. Lightfoot Named 

Loge 19 President 

ST. LOUIS—Robert C. Lightfoot, Allied 

Artists salesman, was elected president of St. 

Louis Loge 19 of the Colosseum of Motion 

Picture Salesmen at the organization's December 

meeting Saturday (1). He succeeds 

George A. Cohn, Columbia. 

Louis H. Ratz, RKO, was re-elected vicepresident, 

while Edward J. Stevens of United 

Artists was named secretary-treasurer to succeed 

Homer R. Hisey of Warner Bros. 

George Ware, retired former salesman for 

later was reappointed to serve as 

assistant secretary and treasurer for the 

loge. Delegates and alternates to the 1957 

Colosseum convention will be named at a 

later meeting. 

Lightfoot reported on the recent national 

gathering to the large attendance at the 

December 1 meeting. It was, in fact, the best 

attendance for many months. The membership 

of the loge indicated it was delighted 

with the decision of the Colosseum to affiliate 

with the lATSE. The decision makes St. 

Louis 100 per cent lATSE affiliated so far 

as organized employes in the motion picture 

field is concerned. 

Central Shipping to Move 

Into New Floor at EFD 

KANSAS CITY—Earl Jameson sr. confirmed 

reports on Filmrow that Central 

Shipping & Inspection Co. will move up to 

the second floor which will be added at 

Exhibitors Film Delivery at 120 West 17th. 

Bids on the addition will be received after the 

first of the year. 

Jameson said a new electronic "brain" has 

been installed at Exhibitors Film Delivery, 

and is being used to keep daily records for 

Buena Vista. The new National Cash 

Register machine is one of 26 installed in 

National Film carrier offices over the country. 

Reopen at Piedmont, Mo. 

PIEDMONT, MO.—The Jefferis Theatre, 

owned by A. B. "Jeff" and Maud Jefferis 

back where he 

has been reopened and Jeff is 

started in the motion picture business, serving 

as projectionist for the house. Mr. and 

Mrs. Jefferis closed their Pine Hill Drive-In 

near here early last month and as is customary 

reopened their conventional house 

here the next night. 

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INDIANAPOLIS 

pay Schmertz, newly elected chief barker, 

has appointed the following Variety Club 

committee chairmen for 1957: Bob Jones, 

golf; Sam Oshry, dues; Herman Black, membership; 

Morris Cantor, hospital; Tom Goodman, 

house; Sam Caplan, finance; Joe Cantor, 

charity, and Marc Wolf, entertainment. 

The publicity berth remains to be filled. 

Schmertz has called his first crew meeting 

for 1 p.m. December 10. 

Paramount and States Film Service will 

hold Christmas parties on the 17th; Universal, 

on the 20th and the all-Filmrow party 

is scheduled at the Variety Club the 10th . . . 

Ed Bigley, UA manager, gave a luncheon for 

exhibitors at the Marott Hotel Monday to introduce 

James Velde, new general sales manager 

of UA. Milt Cohen, eastern division 

manager, and Sid Cooper, district manager, 

also attended . . . George Marks closed the 

Palace at Montpelier December 1 . . . Ray 

Gardner will take his Strand at Paoli out 

of the Affiliated circuit December 31 and 

do his own buying and booking. James Peak 

will leave the Ornstein group the same date 

and buy and book for the State at Crothersville. 

Helen F. Bohn, manager of Realart, returned 

from a meeting of producers and 

franchise holders at Chicago with news that 

American-International, the exchange's main 

source of supply, will release at least 18 

features in 1957, most of them slanted to 

younger movie patrons . . . Distributors Corp. 

of America announces that it has opened 

offices at 1714 Logan Street, Cincinnati, to 

service the Indianapolis and Cincinnati exchange 

areas. Murray Baker has been appointed 

branch manager with Bill Garner, 

formerly of Buena Vista, as assistant. 

Bill Cox, assistant manager of Loew's, Is 

visiting relatives in Ohio and West Virginia 

on a three-week vacation . . . Donovan 

Underwood, shipper at 20th-Fox, became 

father of a baby daughter. 

Changes by Mid-Central 

MANHATTAN, KAS.—Francis Edwards, 

formerly at Osawatomie as a manager for 

Mid-Central Theatres, has gone to Manhattan 

after a short period at Beloit. Milton 

Rasdall, whose hometown is Beloit, has returned 

there to manage the Beloit Theatre 

and the Fiesta Drive-In. The Mid-Central 

home office is in Manhattan. 

C. S. Schafers Sell 

BLUE RAPIDS, KAS.—C. S. Schafer, who 

has operated the Regent Theatre more than 

17 years, sold it to Dale Reed, effective Sunday 

(2). Schafer and his wife, who are well 

known in exhibitor circles and always attended 

trade conventions, are retiring. Reed, 

who lives in the community, has had no previous 

theatre experience. 

Kansas City MP Ass'n 

Names 5 Directors 

KANSAS CITY—The Motion Picture Ass'n 

of Greater Kansas City elected five new members 

of the board at the annual meeting 

Monday night (3) at the Bellerive Hotel. 

New directors to serve for a four-year period 

are Joe Redmond, director of advertising 

and publicity for Fox Midwest Theatres; 

Richard Durwood, executive of Durwood 

Theatres; Richard O'Rear, executive vicepresident 

of Commonwealth Theatres, and 

PVank Thomas, AUied Artists branch manager. 

Ralph Adams, Fox Midwest Theatres 

film buyer, was elected for a one-year term. 

Senn Lawler, membership chairman, reported 

that the MPA has 158 members to date. 

He announced that there were 167 members 

at this time last year, but 14 were lost due to 

deaths and transfers. The organization gained 

five new members. 

Varied activities for the year were reviewed, 

including welfare projects and social events. 

Among the outstanding charitable activities 

was the dedication of a cottage last 

August at the YMCA Camp Santosage In 

honor of Arthur H. Cole. 

There was a silent period in memory of 

eight members who died during the year. 

They were R. R. Biechele, Larry Breuniger, 

William Gaddoni, Ralph Gregory, George 

Harttmann, Jack Langan, Robert Shelton and 

Robert F. Withers. 

Ralph Amacher, MPA president, presided 

at the meeting. 

INDIANAPOLIS—The Canton circuit 

here 

is completing the installation of Speaker 

Security in five of its area drive-ins. Manager 

Max R. Schaefer said that the Speaker 

Security cable is so strong and so adaptable 

to a number of uses that it proves a temptation 

to workers and watchers on the drive-in 

field during installation. 

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^huck Kline, who operates the Plug Hat 

Drive-In at Oakley, Kas., was on Filmrow 

and told why he had Missouri Supply 

install RCA DjTia-Heat in-car heaters in 

his drive-in. It seems that the Plug Hat has 

a large rural family trade and during the 

first cold snap a car drove up with a farmer, 

his wife and three children, all three pajamaclad 

and wrapped in blankets. When told 

that heaters had not yet been installed, the 

farmer said regretfully they had been coming 

all summer, since baby-sitters are out of the 

question, but now he guessed they'd have to 

give up shows for the winter. Kline had a 

heater which he had wired in to experiment, 

so he placed the customers near it. It was 

then that he decided to install heaters to 

hold his family patrons. It is believed to be 

the first Kansas drive-in to be so equipped. 

Foster M. Blake, western division manager 

for Universal out of the home office in New 

York, will preside at the district meeting 

which will be held here December 14, 15. 

Managers and salesmen from Omaha, Des 

Moines, Denver and Salt Lake City as well 

as Kansas City will attend. Lester Zucker, 

who is attending a conference at the Universal 

studios this week, is district manager 

and with Morey Zelder, local manager, will 

act as host at the meeting. 

Beverly Miller, president of the local Allied 

rro, reports there were 14 from the Kansas 

City area at the recent Dallas convention, the 

second best attendance there. Gus Diamond, 

former Kansas City partner of Ben Adams at 

El Dorado, Kas., and now with Pacific Driveins 

in California, was at the Dallas meeting 

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as was Jack Braunagel, former drive-in manager 

at Commonwealth and now with United 

Theatres of North Little Rock, Ark. The local 

Allied organization will have a board meeting 

T'uesday (11) in its offices, at which time 

details will be worked out for the convention 

to be held at the Hotel Phillips January 29, 30. 

Martin 

Martin 

Stone 

Stone 

has moved his Mercury 

Advertising and Drivein 

Theatre Recording 

Service int» larger 

quarters at 110 West 

18th. A grand opening 

will be held Sunday 

(9) in the new 

rooms, to be known as 

Hi-Fi House. Stone 

has built his present 

company from a small 

beginning. His wife 

who had radio 

Sylvia, 

station experience. Is 

a part of the firm. 

. 

Ralph Banghart, RKO publicist out of 

Chicago, has been in town in the interests 

of "Bundle of Joy" Chief Ttieatre 

at Sedan, Kas., is reported closed now by 

Mrs. Bernice Gregg . . . Arnold Gould, city 

manager for Durwood Theatres, was in town 

with Mrs. Gould. Their daughter Patricia, 

who graduated as a high honor student from 

Missouri University last year, is now at Hall 

Bros., and this brings the Goulds to town 

more often ... Ed Branch, chief clerk at 

RCA Service Co., has left the hospital for 

his home at 234 W. 62nd street, where he will 

convalesce for several weeks. 

Bud Truog, United Artists salesman who is 

now touring northwestern Kansas again after 

about 20 years, says he was certainly surprised 

to see so many of the same old faces. 

In Seneca, for instance, John Kongs was still 

at the Seneca Theatre and told Truog he has 

now been there about 30 years. At Washington, 

Charles Swiercinsky is still operating the 

Major Theatre after 40 years. H. F. Higgins 

has operated the Princess at St. Marys for 

almost 30 years. C. S. Schafer, who has just 

sold his Regent at Blue Springs to Dale Reed, 

had only been there 17% years and Paul 

Meara at Axtell 14 years. These boys have all 

seen better theatre times, Truog said, but are 

carrying on hopefully. Several successive crop 

failures from drought have not helped. 

Vandals, who have been using Fllmrow 

skylights as targets recently, broke the two 

big panes in the 20th-Fox building . . Bob 

. 

Conn, former sales manager here and now 

assistant manager in Chicago, visited the 

local office after attending the funeral of his 

brother-in-law at Louisburg, Kas. . . . The 

mother of Glen Hall of Cassville died. 

Funeral services were held for her Monday 

(3) at Pittsburg, Kas. ... Ed Armold, who 

owns the Chapman Theatre which Anna Mae 

Cushing manages for him at Chapman, Kas., 

now lives in California. He is a radio engineer 

and as such was mentioned during the 

broadcast of the Kansas University and 

UCLA game . Alice Sula who operates 

the Opera House Theatre at Wilson, Kas., 

was In town and reported she and her 

husband were going to the west coast and 

expected to attend the Rose Bowl game. 

that of the 20th-Fox office, which is holding 

its dinner dance at the Elks Club Saturday 

night (8) ... Universal will have a Christmas 

party at the office on December 17. The 

laying of the new floor at U-I has been completed. 

The original one in its new building 

did not stand up so was replaced by the 

Paul Ricketts of Ness City 

contractors . . . 

sends in two significant news items in what 

he calls the if -you-can't-lick-'em-join-'em department. 

One tells of Elton L. Kuhlman, 

former city manager for Commonwealth at 

Great Bend, who has been named operations 

director for KCKT in Great Bend. The other 

tells of the construction of another television 

station, this one near Haggard, Kas., with a 

53-mile range. "More competition," sighs 

Ricketts. 

Tommy Thompson, Buena Vista representative, 

spent the week in St. Louis and its 

territory . . . Among the drive-ins closing for 

the season were 50 Highway at Jefferson 

City and the Cowtown at St. Joseph . . . Word 

has been received here of the death of Mrs. 

Jack Braunagel's father William MuiTay. He 

was widely known in Mormon circles and 

was buried at Hiram, Utah . . . Joe Stark 

of Stark Enterprises at Wichita has undergone 

a successful eye operation from which 

he is recuperating . . . Don Walker, exploitation 

man for Warner Bros., says he is 

rapidly losing his mind in a nice way, trying 

to set up holdovers for "Giant" . . . Wilma 

Smith, WB secretary, is on vacation . . . 

Hildred Grob, biller at National Screen Service; 

is spending her Christmas vacation in 

California . Grooms, booking clerk 

at NSS, is also vacationing. 

E. D. Van Duyne, manager of RCA Service 

Co., attended the recent managers meeting 

at Camden, N. J. . . . Ben Marcus, Columbia 

district manager, and Tom Baldwin, exchange 

manager, attended the meeting in Chicago 

Wednesday. Ethel Weyant, bookkeeper, mar- 

ried Paul Bradley recently . . . Bill Allison, 

salesman for National Theatre Supply, was 

on a business trip in Kansas . . . Mr. and Mrs. 

Robert Woodson, who has been associated 

with drive-in theatre operations in Dodge 

City, have opened a ladies ready-to-wear 

store in Greensburg, Kas. 

friends were congratulating M. S. Heath Mon- 

. 

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STEBBINS THEATRE Equipment Co 

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day on his 64th birthday. Heath and his son 

Marvin operate the Plaza Theatre at Liberty, 

Mc, and the Hillcrest Drive-In near Gashland. 

Fox Midwest, which has been playing 

"Love Me Tender" in its four first run houses 

here, reports it is the biggest grossing attraction 

to play the houses in the past two 

years. Considering the outsanding attractions 

which have played there, this is impressive 

boxoffice history. The hillbilly with sideburns, 

whose guitar-playing, hip gyrations 

and singing have captured the public's fancy, 

is obviously a hit in his first motion picture 

. . . Kansas Filmrow visitors included 

Tal Richardson, Coffeyville; Fred Davis, 

Girard; Lily Welty, Hill City; Don Farmer, 

Tribune; Bob Adkins, Pleasanton; Melbourne 

Sparks, Oakley. 

George Baker has closed his New 50 

Drive-In. Frank Weary sr. and Frank Weary 

in closed the Highway 13 Drive-In at Henrietta, 

Mo. During the winter, they operate 

theFarris at Richmond, one of the oldest 

theatre operations in the territory . . J. L. 

. 

Perry, who has been operating the Cozy at 

Attica, Kas., since September, closed it December 

1 . . . Mary Lee Pohlman, Columbia 

inspector, was on sick leave for several weeks. 

Missouri Theatre Supply sold RCA Brenkert 

projectors to United Film Service Co. 

The Geneseo (Kas.) Journal laments the 

passing of the Cozy Theatre there. It served 

the entertainment needs of the community 

for 40 years but the Emery Duncans, who 

last operated it, report the equipment has 

been moved out or disposed of. 

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CHICAGO—An unusual number of convention 

visitors stimulated Loop boxoffices. 

However, since the Thanksgiving-time arrival 

of "The Ten Commandments," "The Teahouse 

of the August Moon," "Love Me 

Tender" and "Attack!" grosses have been 

substantial. There were six newcomers to 

change the program lineup. "Reprisal!" at 

the Monroe, "Julie" at the United Artists arid 

"My Seven Little Sins" at the World Playhouse 

came in for a share of nice business. 


Carnegie—Fruits of Summer (Ellis), 2nd wk 185 

Chicago—Giant (WB), 6th wk.......... 215 

Esquire—War and Peace (Para), 2nd wk . 

...200 

Grand—Dallas (WB); Distant Drums (WB), 

reissues , 

-,^ 

Loop—Secrets of Life (BV), 4th wk. . . . . 

.210 

Monroe—Reprisal! (Col); The White Squaw (Col) . 

.200 

McVickers The Ten Commondments (Para) 

2nd wk 

Oriental—Love 'Me Tender (20th-Fox), 2nd wk.. .225 

Palace—Cinerama Holiday (Cinerama), 80th wk 220 

Roosevelt—The Sharkfighters (UA); Huk (UA), 

2nd wk 

, i''i 

State Lake—Attack! (UA), 2nd wk.. . 

225 

Surf—Private's Progress (DCA), 5th wk 190 

United Artists—Julie (MGM) . 

... 

.V,^; ;,•"' ^ 

' 

Woods The Teahouse of the August Moon (MtM), 

2nd wk ; • • ; •. --im 

,• 

World Playhouse—My Seven Little Sins (Kingsley) . 

200 

Ziegfeld—The Grand Maneuver (UMPO), 3rd wk. . 

.195 

Holdovers Dominate Scene 

In Kaycee First Runs 

KANSAS CITY-"Giant" lived up to its 

name at tlie boxoffice and was held for a 

fifth week at the paramount Theatre after 

a score of 150 per cent in its fourth week. 

"Love Me Tender" at the four Fox houses 

was held over two days past the second week, 

which did better than average business. "The 

Opposite Sex" was also held two extra days, 

playing at the Midland. "Madame Butterfly" 

opened to 175 per cent at the Kimo, and 

"Lucrezja Borgia," in a censored version, 

returned to do 200 per cent at the Glen. 

Brookside—Secrets of Life (BV) 3rd wk. ...... 130 

Glen Lucreiia Borgia (Jewel Productions), reissue. 200 

Kimo Modome Butterfly (IFE) . . . ... 

' 

• • 

'^ 

Midland—The Opposite Sex (MGM); Gun the Man 

• • • 

Down (UA) : 

'iY 

Missouri—This Is Cinerama (Cinerama), 25th wk..285 

Paramount—Giant (WB), 4th wk.. .•• 

. v.,,' 

Rockhill—My Seven Little Sins (Kingsley Int 1) 

return engagement l- y ; %i. 

Roxy—The Mountoin (Para), 2nd wk /5 

Tower—Oklahoma! (Magna), 7th wk. ^"" 

. . ; • 

Uptown, Esquire, Fairway and Granada—Love Me 

Tender (20th-Fox); plus Fighting Trouble i^'î 

at Esquire and Granada only '" 

' 

ST. LOUIS 

•The lUinois supreipe court at Springfield 

declared the "use tax" on out-of-state 

purchases to be unconstitutional. The 2% 

per cent tax was passed in 1955, and has 

netted the state $14,800,000 from July 1955 

to last November 1. Of that total, $5,052,000 

was paid under protest and must be kicked 

back by the state. The opinion by Justice 

Charles H. Davis of Rockford said that the 

state constitution doesn't prohibit use tax 

legislation if it complies with constitutional 

limitations. 

"Giant" moved into its fifth consecutive 

week at the St. Louis Theatre . . . "War and 

Peace" opened a day-and-date second run 

engagement at the Granada, Maplewood, 

Rio, Tlvoli, Tower and Victory theatres. The 

adult admission was 75 cents, one show 

nightly . . . The Airway Drive-In on St. 

Charles road east of Lindbergh boulevard 

has installed in-a-car heaters, while the 

Manchester and the 66 Park-In are completing 

installations. Previously the South- 

Twin and the North drive-ins were equipped 

with in-a-car heaters. 

Art Struck, owner of the Arlee Theatre at 

Mason City, 111., marked the theatre's 20th 

anniversary by giving a free show to say 

thanks from 4:00 p.m. on . . . 

French Miller, 

Universal salesman was back on the job . . . 

The Joseph A. Brislane Co. and Bob Mc- 

Donald, Manley representative, have moved 

into enlarged quarters in the 20th-Fox 

building . . . Herman Gorelick and George 

Phillips of Realart Pictures were in Chicago 

two days for a conference of the midwestern 

franchise holders of America International 

Pictures. 

A.A. THEATRE CONCESSION 

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Mrs. Arch Hosier 

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Telephone JEfferson 3-7974 

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Extended Runs Rate 

Highest in Indianapolis 

INDIANAPOLIS—Extended runs enjoyed 

the greatest boxoffice prosperity. Five of six 

first run attractions on the program were 

holdovers. "Giant," in its third week at the 

Indiana, was the leader and bid fair to stay 

until the Christmas week change. "Oklahoma!" 

held its steady pace in its 14th week 

at the Lyric. 

Circle—Love Me Tender (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 90 

Esquire— Rififi (UMPO), 2nd wk VU 

Indiana—Giant (WB), 3rd wk. 150 

Keiths— Friendly Persuasion (AA), 3rd wk ..... 00 

Loew's—Julie .(MOM); These Wilder Years (MGM) 1 

. 1 

Lyric Oklahoma! (Magna), 14th wk ^00 

James W. Rust, 60, Dies 

ST. LOUIS—James W. Rust, 60, who died 

at his home here last week, was one of the 

charter members and first secretary of Local 

16169 of the film exchanges employes back 

in 1918. It was the first union of exchange 

workers In the country. It was affiliated with 

the lATSE as Local B-1 in 1937. Rust's 

most recent jobs along Filmrow were with 

National Theatre Supply and 20th-Fox. 

"SELECT" FOUNTAIN SYRUPS 

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BOXOFFICE :: December 8, 1956 S3

. . "The 

CHICAGO 

T\urlng November, the- censor board reviewed 

64 films and one was rejected. 

Eighteen in the group were foreign films and 

two were set aside as "adults only" films . . . 

Jack Fenimore, executive producer of Kllng 

Film Enterprises in Chicago, has been made 

vice-president and transferred to head the 

Kling studios in Hollywood . . . Frank Nardi, 

sales executive for Teitel Kim Corp., went to 

St. Paul to confer with Fancho & Marco for 

a circuit break on "Violent Years" and "Untouched." 

"Violent Years" had its premiere 

showing here at the Grand Theatre December 

6. 

National Screen Service special service department 

is very busy filling orders from the 

midwest area. The orders involve trailers for 

Christmas sales merchandise . . . "The 

Ten 

Commandments" at the McVickers made outstanding 

boxoffice news, with advance ticket 

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ONE DAY SERVICE — On IU

Howard McNally New 

TON&SC President 

CHARLOTTE—Miss America, Marian Mc- 

Knight of Manning, S.C, swished into Charlotte 

Tuesday last week to climax the threeday 

44th annual convention of the Theatre 

Owners Ass'n of North and South Carolina 

here. 

Miss America's appearance came at the 

closing President's Ball, where Miss Mary 

Ellen Furr of the local Universal exchange 

was crowned Miss Pilmrow of 1957. The ball 

climaxed three days of meetings for about 

500 exhibitors, starting Sunday with a director's 

meeting in the afternoon, with "Accent 

on Showmanship" as its theme. 

tOWAKD 

McNALLY, PRESIDENT 

Tuesday afternoon Howard McNally of 

ayetteville, was elected president, Bob 

ryant of Rock Hill, first vice-president, and 

Harold Armistead of Easley, second vicepresident. 

Directors elected were R. E. Agle, 

R. L. Baker, H. E. Buchanan, Frank Beddingfield, 

George Carpenter, J. B. Harvey, 

W. H. Hendrix, R. A. Howell, Sam L. Irvin, 

Wade McMillan, Haywood Morgan, Hugh 

Smart, Roy Helms, Ernest G. StelUngs and 

J. K. Whitley. 

Mrs. Lucille Price was re-elected executive 

secretary of the two-state organization. 

Charles W. Picquet of Southern Pines was 

made an honorary member of the Theatre 

Owners of America. 

R. B. Horning, manager, Small Business 

Administration, Charlotte, and Herman Levy, 

general counsel for the Theatre Owners of 

America spoke at the Tuesday afternoon 

closed session. 

Earlier in the day, W. C. Gehring, vicepresident 

of 20th-Fox Film Corp. told exhibitors 

that free home television had created 

"a whole new world." 

CHALLENGE TO THEATREMEN 

He challenged theatremen'"to~"do ' some 

"sound thinking" and said, "The only way 

we can compete against it for the entertainment 

dollar is to stay abreast of the 

times." 

Among the visitors at the convention was 

Mrs. Everett Olsen of Windy Hill Beach, S. C. 

Mrs. Olsen, who formerly lived in Charlotte, 

assists in the operation of the drive-in 

atre at Windy Hill. 

the- 

Norris Hadaway, district manager of Wilby- 

Kincey Theatres in Birmingham, Ala., and 

a speaker at the three-day convention, will 

soon be promoted to a position in Atlanta. 

Hadaway formerly was connected with Wilby-Kincey 

Theatres in Greensboro, N. C 

Mrs. Walter Griffith, formerly executive 

secretary of TON&SC and now serving the 

association in an advisory capacity, was present 

for most of the sessions. 

Showman Irvin Resents 

Dictation by Council 

DARLINGTON, S. C—The city council's 

demand for "better pictures or else" at a 

municipally owned theatre building here has 

been settled—but not to the satisfaction of 

the city fathers. Operator Sam Irvin, who 

owns the equipment in the theatre, and who 

owns another house outright, has told the 

objectors he'll close the house, rather than be 

told what films to show there. He had been 

playing top-billed films at the newer house. 

Scenes at Charlotte Convention 

Miss America, Marian McKnight of Manning, S. C, was the center of a group 

of exhibitors at the recent convention of the Theatre Owners Ass'n of the Carolinas 

at Charlotte. She made one of the first appearances after returning from Europe at 

the convention. With her (left to right) are Joe Accardi of the Skyline Drive-In, 

Morganton; W. G. Fussell of Wonet Theatre, Bladenlraro; Jack Hammet (kneeling) 

of Skyvue Drive-In, Shelby; L. B. Parker of Parkhill Theatre, Manning, and R. O. Jeffress 

of the Fort Rock and Auto Drive-In theatres, Rock Hill. 

Registering for the convention at Charlotte are, left to right: Mrs. Betty Dzniblinsky 

(accepting registration); Carl Patterson of Columbia staff, Charlotte; Sandy 

Jordan, State Theatre, Raleigh; Charles W. Picquet, Southern Pines, and John C. 

Galloway of Wilby-Kincey Theatres, Hemingway, S. C. Mr. Picquet was made an 

honorary member for life. 

and relegating the municipal building to a 

weekend western policy. Now the community 

will have only theatre, if Irvin goes through 

with his plan. He also owns and operates 

theatres in Columbia and Asheville, N. C. 

Drive-In Man in Race 

DELRAY BEACH, FLA.—Running as an 

independent, George V. Warren has announced 

his candidacy for a two-year term 

on the city commission. He is manager of 

the Delray Drive-In. 

Marlon Brando will star in Warners' 

nara," a William Goetz production. 

'Sayo- 

Bay, Ark., Norman Theatre 

Destroyed by Flames 

BAY, ARK.—The Norman Theatre here, 

owned by E. H. Hynes and his son L. N. 

Hynes of Jonesboro, Ark., was destroyed by 

fire recently. The fire was discovered about 

1:30 Sunday morning. Cause of the fire was 

undetermined. The Norman had been in the 

Hynes family several years. 

Gets Half-Day Job 

PLANT CITY, FLA.—D. L. Hull, manager 

of the Starlite Drive-In, has been appointed 

secretarial assistant of the East Hillsborough 

Chamber of Commerce on a half-day basis. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 SE 55

ATLANTA 

•Tomiuy Lam, Lam Amusement Co., Rome, 

is confined to his home with a broken 

leg which he incurred during a recent fishing 

trip to Florida . . . The Dan Dee Drivein, 

Columbia, Tenn., has closed for the winter, 

according to owner John Cole. Cole also 

operates the Cole-Clinton Drive-In, Clinton, 

Tenn. . . . Joe Kicklighter, Hawkinsville, contestant 

on the television show, Giant Step, 

was guest of honor at a luncheon given by 

Gov. Griffin November 30 at the Variety 

Club. Following the luncheon, he was taken 

to see "Cinerama Holiday" followed by a tour 

of the city and major offices in the Capitol. 

On the TV show, emceed by Atlanta-born 

Bert Parks, Joseph won a full 

scholarship to 

Harvard University law school and a trip to 

Germany. Griffin gave him a second scholastic 

honor, a scholarship to Georgia Military 

Academy. 

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UA's Jack Frost, recovering from his illness 

of several months, and his wife Phyllis, 

with their two little girls, motored to Tampa 

to spend Thanksgiving with Mrs. Frost's parents 

. . . Johnnie Harrell, Martin cii-cuit executive, 

has returned from a business trip to 

New Orleans . . . Gene Skinner, Dixie Drive- 

In district manager, also has returned from 

a business trip to Charlotte. While there, he 

attended the North and South Carolina Theatre 

Owners convention . . . The Sycamore, 

Ala., theatre again is shuttered after having 

been open for a brief time, reports operator 

Dexter C. Mizzell. 

A cancer education film, "Breast Self-Examination," 

was shown at seven theatres in 

the greater Atlanta area Thursday (6). The 

film is part of an intensified education program 

by the American Cancer Society to halt 

needless deaths from cancer, according to 

McKee Nunnally, president of the society's 

Georgia division. The showings were held 

at the Pox, Gordon, Decatur, Strand in Marietta, 

Belmont Hills in Smyrna and the Ashby 

and Royal for Negroes. 

Nat Williams jr., Interstate Enterprises, 

Thomasville, was a recent visitor. He said 

his father is making a rapid recovery from 

the heart attack he suffered here some time 

ago . . . B. H. "Buck" Robuck, UA, Jacksonville, 

was here to attend the funeral of his 

mother-in-law. She was the mother of Sam 

HaiTison, Republic shipper . . . A. L. Sheppard 

of the Grand and Waynesboro Drive-In, 

Waynesboro, is closing the drive-in early this 

month for the winter . . . Lucille Ball and 

Desi Arnaz, stopped here briefly en route to 

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-77 'Florida. Traveling with them were Vivian 

Vance and William Frawley, who play Ethel 

and Fred Mertz in the television I Love 

Lucy series. A press breakfast was held for 

them at the Atlanta Athletic Club. 

The parents of Charles Adams, Avondale 

theatreman, have offered a completely furnished 

house and an 88-acre farm near Covington 

to Hungarian refugees. The Adamses 

were looking for an agency that might handle 

their offer . . . Jimmie Howell, Gulf State 

Theatres executive of New Orleans, visited 

briefly with friends on the Row. Howell's son 

is enrolled at the Georgia Military Academy 

. . . The new booker at RKO is Paul Stephens, 

formerly of Kay Film. 

Universal employes honored Peggy Dickson 

. . . 

at a stork shower at the Paradise room recently 

. . . Mrs. Helen Taylor Barth, sister 

of U-I cashier Vera Howze, died recently at 

Crawford Long Hospital after a long illness 

U-I District Manager James V. Frew returned 

from a conference held at the Coast 

Studio and left for Cincinnati where he is to 

hold a district meeting of managers and 

salesmen at the Netherlands-Plaza Hotel. He 

was accompanied to Cincinnati by district 

publicist Ben Hill, who had Just returned 

from Charlotte and Jacksonville where he 

set up "Written on the Wind" engagements 

and arranged for the one-day appearance at 

Jacksonville of Phyllis McMean, U-I beauty 

and contest winner. 

Irving Shiffrin, UA publicist, was here setting 

up the exploitation campaign on "The 

Man From Del Rio" and "Flight to Hong 

Kong" which opened Wednesday (5) at 

Loew's Grand. While here he met Addle Addison, 

another UA publicist, who was en 

route to New York for a three-day staff conference 

on future releases. Shiffrin left for 

Nashville and Memphis to set up the advertising 

campaigns on "King and Four 

Queens." He is slated to return here later in 

the month to set the local campaign. The 

picture will play at Loew's in January. 

Exhibitors visiting: the Row were C. A. 

Crute, Lyric and Whitesburg Drive-In, Huntsville, 

Ala.; Mrs. Margaret Storey, Knox, Warrenton; 

Walter Morris, Pike, Tower and Lee, 

Knoxville: J. S. Silberstein, Ridge and Grove, 

Oak Ridge, Tenn.; O. A. Roaden, Home, 

Knoxville, and Hiland Drive-In, Rogersville, 

Tenn.; W. R. Word jr.. Word Theatres, 

Scottsboro, Ala.; W. W. Fincher jr., Pincher 

Theatres, Chatsworth; Jay Solomon, Independent 

Theatres, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Tom 

Miller, Park-Vue Drive-In, Muscle Shoals, 

Ala.; Don Wenger, Pekin, Montgomery, Ala.; 

Joe Hart and "Chick" Kurtz, Bel-Air. Colonial, 

Donelson and Warner Park drive-ins, 

Nashville, Tenn.; Frank Nail, Eris, Goodwater, 

Ala.; P. J. Gaston, Rex and Lincoln, 

Griffin, and M. C. Moore, Gadsden, Ala. 

fiLni bookihg officf 

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i 

Little 

'. 

MEMPHIS 

nUen Doimell, 8, dropped off to sleep In the 

Roxie Theatre and didn't wake up until 

2 a.m. The theatre was dark and deserted. 

Pounding on the windows, he made hlm.self 

heard to passersby and they called police, 

who rescued him. Theatre owners explained 

all theatres have exit doors which open from 

the inside (although locked from the outside) 

even after the theatre is closed. First 

runs added that their houses are cleaned up 

immediately after the show is over and sleepers 

are awakened, if any . . . Loew's Palace, 

through Manager Skee Yovan, distributed 

student tickets for its next attraction, "Lust 

for Life," at a special admission price of 50 

cents. 

"Giant" at the Warner Theatre, discontinued 

its special early show as it started 

the third week and went back to normal 

schedules except on Saturday, Manager Eli 

Arkin announced. "Giant" has broken attendance 

records at the Warner ... In time 

for Christmas presents, Loew's Palace and 

State have been selling $5.50 admission books 

for $5 and $11 books for $10 for Christmas 

presents. Managers Arthur Groom, State, and 

Skee Yovan, Palace, reported brisk sales. 

Frank Patterson, owner, closed the City 

Theatre at Junction City, Ark., and Vic Theatre, 

Strong, Ark., from December 2 to December 

21 for redecorating . . . John Carter, 

owner, reports a windstorm damaged the 

screen tower so severely at the Trace Drivein, 

Amory, Miss., that he had to close temporarily 

for repairs . . . The Bel Air Drivein, 

Centerville, Tenn.; Lepanto Drive-ln, 

Lepanto, Ark.; Elias Drive-In, Osceola, Ark.; 

67 Drive-In, Corning, Ark.; Jacksonville 

Drive-In, Jacksonville, Ark,; Baco Drive-In, 

Covington, Tenn., have closed for the season. 

John Carter, Whitehaven Drive-In, 

Grenada, and 41 Drive-In and Trace Drive- 

In, Amory; Leon Rountree, Holly at Holly 

Springs and Valley at Water Valley; Lawrence 

Foley, Palace, Tunica; C. J. Collier, 

Globe, Shaw; Veloria Gullett, Benoit, Benoit; 

Mr. and Mrs. B. P. Jackson, Delta, Ruleville; 

Theron Lyles, Ritz, Oxford; Mrs. J. C. 

Noble, Temple, Leland and Vince Dana, 

Chief Drive-In, Cleveland, were in town from 

Mississippi. 

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

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

and Louise Mask, Luez, Bolivar, were among 

visiting west Tennessee exhibitors . . . From 

Arkansas came Roy Bolick, Kaiser, Kaiser; 

W. D. Mitchell, new owner of Bailey at Cabot, 

and J. H. McWilliams, Rialto and Majestic, 

El Dorado. 

Malco has gone into a weekend only operation 

of the Mesa Drive-In, Camden, Ark., 

and Cardinal Drive-In, Mayfield, Ky. . . . 

Rowley Theatres has gone Into a weekend 

only operation with the Riverside Drive-In, 

Rock, and Razorback Drive-In, Little 

Rock. 

'Giant/ Tender' Take 

High Memphis Scores 

MEMPHIS—It was a race between Loew's 

State and the Warner for first honors in 

attendance. Daily newspapers published 

stories and attendance skyrocketed. It even 

caught on in other first runs, and all in all 

Memphis had a big week. The Warner Theatre 

did four and one-half times average 

business the first week with "Giant." As the 

second week opened, "Love Me Tender," with 

Elvis Presley, opened at Loew's State. The 

first few days were record-breakers in Elvis' 

home town of Memphis. But after a week 

the crowds had eased a little but business 

was still three and one-half times average. 

The Warner, meantime, continued to pack 

them in and had three and three-fourths 

average business with a second week of 

"Giant." 


Malco Friendly Persuasion (AA) 145 

Polace Julie (MGM) 100 

Stote Love Me Tender (20th-Fox) 350 

Strand Odongo (Col) 90 

Warner Giant (WB), 2nd wk 375 

'Little Hollywood' Debut 

In Miami for Cinerama 

MIAMI—Sally Fisher, Miss Miami of 1956 

and a student at the University here, was 

photographed as part of the Cinerama cover 

for Sunday's amusement magazine in the 

News. The initial Cinerama performance 

Wednesday (5) was a benefit for the medical 

school of the University. 

Cinerama officials cooked up a "Little 

Hollywood" premiere for the Roosevelt Theatre. 

There was a fanfare of three bands 

and a motorcade of three dozen limousines 

carrying scores of VIPs to the theatre. 

Opening day's festivities began with a free 

public matinee of the Cypress Gardens aqua 

spectacle, a sequence that figured prominently 

in "This is Cinerama," on Indian Creek 

opposite the Eden Roc Hotel. An hour-long 

water ski and water carnival was given. 

This event was followed by a cocktail 

party in the hotel, prelude to a black-tie 

dinner in the Mona Lisa Room. Guests were 

transported to the Roosevelt later in a cavalcade 

of limousines. There were klieg lights, 

a police guard, a Navy color guard, as well 

as other activities befitting the occasion. 

We're not magicians, we're theatre 

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fBOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 57

I 

THEATKICAL 

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THEY LIVED 

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HOW C„0 

e?^mumm& 

ATLANTA • CHARLOTTE 

JACKSONVILLE • MEMPHIS 

J 

Elvis Returns to Memphis 

In Flurry of Headlines 

MKMPmS—Elvis Presley rolled back into 

Memphis for a few days with his family and 

a new rash of headlines about him rocked 

around the country. A Toledo newspaper 

ran a story in which it quoted the fellow who 

engaged in a fracas with Elvis in a plush bar 

recently as saying he was promised $200 to 

stage the fight. I»resley's management 

branded the claim as "absurd." 

Louis Balint, 22, unemployed sheetmetal 

worker, said a "sharp character" he took to 

be a Presley employe made the deal with him 

in a Toledo bar. Balint said he was told "to 

think up a good story" that "would make 

good publicity." Balint said he approached 

Presley and told him to come up swinging. 

"I'm going to beat hell out of you because 

my wife carries your picture instead of mine 

in her purse," Balint said, at the time of 

the fight. "I hope my wife sees the humor 

of that," he says now, "because she can't 

stand Elvis Presley." 

Balint said he went to jail because he 

couldn't pay his fine and never received 

anything from the man who offered him 

money to start the fight. 

"Good golly moses, that's ridiculous," said 

Bitsy Mott, former Philadelphia Phillies 

shortstop, who travels with Presley. "Instead 

of cooking up stunts like that we do 

everything we can to avoid them. Something 

like this just gives somebody else in the next 

town an idea like 'Well, the other guy didn't 

do it, but maybe I can.' 

Presley says he doesn't want any trouble 

with anyone and "There's always somebody 

who wants to prove something." 

Meanwhile Presley's first film, "Love Me 

Tender," is doing good business in Memphis 

and elsewhere. 

A/fW ORLEANS 

•phe Cave Theatre, Delhi, La., owned by C. F. 

Davis, was destroyed by fire . . . The Melroy 

Theatre, Taylorsville, Miss., owned by L. 

R. Mcintosh, reopened early this month . . . 

The Idle Hour Drive-In, Yazoo City, Miss., 

closed for the winter. 

The Melba Theatre, Elton, La., reopened 

recently ... In New Orleans booking were 

H. G. Prophit jr.. Star Drive-In, West Monroe; 

AI Morgan, FYed T. McLendon Theatres, 

Union Springs, Ala.; Ernest Drake, Ideal 

Theatre, Ponchatoula; Ernest Delehay, Gwen, 

Maringouin; O. J. Gaudet, Magic, Port Allen; 

John Luster, Natchiioches, La., operating 

theatres in Leesville, Coushatta, Many, 

Zwolle and Perriday. 

WOMPI President Ruth Toubman presided 

at the board meeting Thursday (6) at 

6 p.m. at Richards Center . . . New employe 

at Paramount is Joan Escarra . . . William 

HoUiday, manager for Paramount, attended 

a sales meeting in Atlanta. 

RKO Appoints Undurraga 

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. 

Henry G. Plitt Heads 

New Orleans Tent 45 

NEW ORLEANS—Variety Tent 45 installed 

new officers at colorful ceremonies 

in the tent headquarters here, with George 

HENRY PLITT 

Hoover, Variety International executive, 

acting as master of ceremonies. 

New officers are Henry G. Plitt, chief 

barker; H. F. Cohen, first assistant; George 

Nungesser, second assistant; William Briant, 

property master, and Carl Mabry, dough 

guy. 

The tent's three chaplains were all reelected 

to serve another year. They are Rabbi 

Leo A. Bergman, the Rev. Sherwood Claj'ton 

and Father Edward Murphy. 

Seven canvasmen were named, including 

Maurice F. Barr, Joel Bluestone, Daniel M. 

Brandon, Roy Nicaud, Irwin Poche and Donald 

B. Strafford, along with the officers, and 

Page M. Baker, past chief barker. 

Chief philanthropic activity for the New 

Orleans tent will be the official sponsorship 

of a star-studded telethon to be held December 

15, 16 with all proceeds going to assist 

the work of the United Cerebral Palsy 

Ass'n. 

Slated for the tent during the term of office 

of the newly elected officials is the Variety 

International convention in April, of 

which Irwin Poche will be general chairman. 

Atlanta 

Jaxvllle 

Charlotte 

8 BOXOFFICE ATTRACTIONS 

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: December 8, 1956

! 

Lauderdale 

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MIAMI 

MTometco/WTVJ's Christmas party will be 

December 22. A buffet is planned for the 

evening event, to be staged in one of the 

studios. A band and top-name entertainment 

will be presented. Friends will toast each 

other in eggnog. Other parties have been 

planned by the circuit in Lake Worth, Fort 

. . Mrs. Mitchell 

and Tampa . 

Wolfson will be hostess at her annual Christmas 

party for the smallfry of the Wometco 

family. About 225 children will be there to 

greet Santa Claus and his bag of presents for 

all. There will be clowns and special entertainment, 

polished off with refreshments. 

A whopper of a children's matinee at the 

Coral on a recent holiday Friday included 

15 cartoons, plus regular features . . . 

Wometco is plugging the see-the-picturefrom-the-beginning 

idea, using ad headings 

to call patrons' attention to the time clock 

the amusement pages. 

m_ Herb Rau reports a rock and roll incident 

that happened recently at the Turnpike 

Drive-In. The management had scheduled 

some live music in addition to the film features. 

As the musicians were parking their 

car close to the spot where they were to perform, 

a girl about 14 years old, wearing tight 

blue jeans, a loud jacket and a motorcyclist's 

cap, stopped them. She asked one 

musician, "You play rock 'n' roll man?" The 

musician said they did. "All right, man," said 

the girl, "you better play the songs we like 

or we'll just have to wreck your car, man." 

The musicians were certain the girl meant 

what she said. They played rock 'n' roll . . . 

Because of the recent Friday school holiday, 

boxoffices at the Miami, Carib and Miracle, 

showing "Teenage Rebel," had early 

openings. 

"Goodbye, Elvis—it's been fun." Thus ends 

what Herb Rau of the News declares to be 

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the last he'll ever print about the controversial 

actor. He has no more time, he says, 

to open and read the mountains of letters 

he is receiving calling him names for criticizing 

the crooner. Many are highly censorable. 

He quoted a column-full of representative 

ones as a "Farewell, Presley" gesture. 

Theatres showing "Love Me Tender" reported 

packed daytime houses of teenagers, 

but poor evening adult houses. 

Paul Swater, managing director for Cineerama 

here, is looking for 15 attractive girls 

to act as hostesses during the run of "This 

Is Cinerama," opening December 5 . . . 

George Bourke says he has been receiving 

some mad letters from Presley followers, one 

of which read, "When you talk about our 

D. A. Doll that way you are just asking for 

trouble and you will get it if you are asking 

and begging for it so much." Bourke understands 

his pan mail is milder than most 

Bluford P. 

editors have been getting . . . 

Walker, 59, died recently in the projection 

room of the Miami Theatre where he was 

employed. He had been employed by the theatre 

for 17 years and had been under a 

physician's care for diabetes. 

Carolina Executive 

Sees More Solid '57 

COLUMBIA, S. C—More grade A films 

for theatregoers in South Carolina, and 

thereby more business for exhibitors is predicted 

for 1957 by C. Warren Irvin, district 

manager for Palmetto Theatres (Wilby- 

Kinsey) in the Carolinas. 

Irvin bases his optimism on announcement 

by major producers that more films are 

scheduled for shooting next year. He says the 

original jolt of television is beginning to wear 

off in his territory, and he feels that if offered 

top fare, the patrons will return to the 

theatres. 

His optimism isn't quite as great towards 

t'ne fate of the drive-ins, though. While he 

feels that the warm climate of the south 

makes them a natural, he says "oversaturation" 

has hurt badly. 

"You can oversaturate any business," he 

points out. 

Irvin, a veteran theatre operator in South 

Carolina, has watched trends for a long time, 

including the sickening pace away from the 

boxoffice recently. However, he forecasts a 

reversal for 1957. 

Principal ills, as he sees them, are three. 

First, the antitrust actions by the government 

which placed competitive operation on a 

mandatory basis. "Many smaller communities 

can't stand it," he said. "Now nobody is 

making any money." 

Second, the overbidding of small independents 

for top films. He points to the fact that 

small operators with lesser overheads are 

bidding for good films and then making their 

profits on concession sales while the crowds 

flock in. The higher uptown overhead, meanwhile, 

is stifling others. 

Third, the higher cost from producers, plus 

the refusal of patrons to pay more, makes 

for a tighter and tighter squeeze of exhibitors. 

Irvin believes that at least some of these 

problems will eventually work themselves 

out. He expects some of the smaller houses 

to fold meanwhile, but says he doesn't expect 

the major catastrophe forecast earlier lor 

the industry. 

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CHARLOTTE 

Jûss Henderson, Bob McClure and Tommy 

Shaw, formerly of Theatre Booking Service, 

have opened their own booking and advertising 

service, Charlotte Booking & Promotions 

Service at 219 S. Mint St. here . . . 

Charlie Picquet, longtime exhibitor at Pinehurst 

and Southern Pines, N. C, made one 

of his rare trips to town for the Theatre 

Owners of North and South Carolina convention. 

Other visitors during the week included 

Jerry Mundy, Starlite Drive-In, Lumberton; 

John Callahan, Lexington Drive-In, Lexington; 

O. W. Brown, Dixie, Robbins, and J. W. 

Martin, Salisbury Drive-In, Salisbury, all of 

North Carolina. 

Critic Lauds 20th-Fox 

For Casting of 'Rebel' 

HARTFORD—Allen M. Widem, Hartford 

Times theatre editor, reviewing 20th-Fox's 

"Teenage Rebel," extended accolades to the 

20th-Fox management for casting relative 

newcomers in top roles. 

"Forsaking the traditional fanfare and accompanying 

ballyhoo to greet a Hollywood 

newcomer," Widem wrote, "20th Century-Fox 

has turned painstaking attention to a new 

talent quality showcase. 

"The showcase in point is 'Teenage Rebel,' 

CinemaScope-black-and-white melodrama at 

Loew's Poll; it displays, to a commendable 

degree, abilities of three young people, Betty 

Lou Keim, Warren Berlinger and Diana 

Jergens. 

"For one praiseworthy instance, a major 

Hollywood studio has concentrated on a production 

rather than irrelevant promotion, and 

the results are heartily recommended for 

other film plants. 

"Bravo, 20th Century-Fox!" 

Brother of Mgr. Is Robbed, 

Kidnaped Near Theatre 

FORT WORTH—When Mrs. Mazie Hamilton, 

manager of the Ideal Theatre, was hospitalized 

recently, her brother Eugene, 33, 

formed the habit of dropping by the theatre 

almost nightly with reports on her progress. 

After one of these brief visits, Arnold left the 

theatre about 10:45 p.m. He had Just stepped 

into his parked car when a teenage youth 

loomed up from a hiding place in the rear 

and held an ice pick at Arnold's ribs. 

The youth ordered Arnold to drive down 

S. Main. To enforce his demands, he jabbed 

Arnold's right side several times with the ice 

pick, drawing blood. In the 200 block on 

S. Main he took Arnold's billfold with $60.50. 

Then he made him cruise around the southside 

for an hour before returning downtown. 

Ice pick in hand, the youth jumped out at 

14th and Commerce. 

30 YEARS OF DEPENDABLE SHOWS 

H. G. ARENSON 

3450 StLWYN AVE., CHARLOTTE, N. C. 

Always A Pleasing Boxoffice Attraction 

Carolina Circuit Ups 

Two of Its Managers 

GREENSBORO, N. 

C—Richmond B. Gage 

has taken over as manager of the National 

Theatre here, succeeding Iredell Hutton. M. 

S. HiU, district manager of the North Carolina 

Theatres Corp., operator of the Carolina 

and National theatres here, said Hutton 

has been named city manager of the theatre 

properties in Burlington, the Paramount 

and Carolina. 

Hutton succeeds A. A. Alston, who resigned 

to enter private business. 

Gage comes to Greensboro from Burlington 

where he had managed the Carolina Theatre 

for two years. He has been affiliated 

with North Carolina Theatres Corp. for 20 

years and has served theatres in Burlington, 

Winston-Salem, Lumberton, Salisbury, Anderson 

and Greenville, S. C, and Danville, 

Va. 

Hutton, who has managed the National 

here for the last three years, came here from 

High Point, his home town. He has been with 

the circuit for 17 years, with the exception 

of time served in the Army. He has worked 

in Lexington, Salisbury and Charlotte. 

Boston Editor Condemns 

TV 'First Run' Claims 

BOSTON—In a Sunday feature article in 

the local Herald, Elinor Hughes, drama and 

film editor, condemned as "misleading" the 

advertising of TV stations in labeling their 

films as "first runs." She explained the definition 

of a first run film in a theatre and 

then warned readers not to be confused by 

the ads on the TV pages which would lead 

them to believe that they are seeing "first 

run" films never before shown in theatres. 

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: December 8, 1956

John H. Grainger, 56, Dies; 

New Orleans Film Man 

NEW ORLEANS—John H. Grainger, who 

died here at 56, is being mourned along Filmrow 

where he had been a familiar figure 

JOHN H. GRAINGER 

since 1920. For the past 12 years he had served 

as assistant manager at the Columbia exchange. 

He previously was with MGM here 

and with its predecessor, the old Goldwyn Co. 

Before returning to his native New Orleans 

in 1920, he had spent some time in the 

northwest for the old Paramount Realart Co. 

Grainger is survived by his wife Mary; 

two sons, John H. jr. of Taos, N. M., and 

George of San Francisco, and a daughter, 

Mrs. Mel Despars of Manhattan Beach, 

Calif. Pallbearers at the funeral were Nathan 

J. Dreyfus, C. J. Briant, John F. Kinerd, 

Glenn Taylor, Robert N. Bruce and Houston 

Duvall. Honorary pallbearers were Harold 

F. Cohen, Page M. Baker, Arthur- L. Barnett, 

V. H. Bridges and Gaston J. Dureau. 

Seven Area Showmen Seek 

SBA Improvement Loans 

MINNEAPOLIS—Some of the area exhibitors 

are taking advantage of the opportunity 

to borrow money from the Small 

Business Administration to help finance 

modernization or operation of their theatres. 

R. C. Aim, manager of the federal government's 

local office, reports that during the 

last several weeks seven applications for 

loans have been received from theatre owners. 

In each instance, the money is sought for improvements. 

Two of the applications are 

already in the process of being analyzed for 

government action, according to Aim. 

Filming in Cuba 

HOLLYWOOE>—"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 thi€f. Winston Miller has 

been signed to do the screenplay. 

Sol Baer Fielding produced the movie, 

"Trooper Hook," for UA and Marquis Warren 

was the director. 

JACKSONVILLE 

Ted Chapeau, WJHP radio and television 

personality who successfully headed the 

Jacksonville Fair for a second year, has been 

named the new chief barker of Variety 

Tent 44 in recognition of his outstanding 

services to the community and the club. 

Others elected to the 1957 crew are Horace 

Denning, Dixie Drive-Ins; John Crovo, retired 

exhibitor; Jack Rigg, independent 

booker; Ed Chumley, Paramount manager; 

Marty Kutner, Columbia manager; Bill Beck, 

Five Points Theatre; Buford Styles, Universal 

manager; Fred Kent, Jacksonville 

Theatres, Johnny TomUnson, Warner manager, 

and Harvey Garland, Florida State 

Theatres film buyer and head booker. Other 

officers besides Chapeau are Denning, first 

assistant; TomUnson, second assistant; Beck, 

dough guy, and Crovo, property master. 

New WOMPI members are Dorothy Edvington, 

RKO; Ruth Cockrill, Paramount; 

. . Lucille Brazelton, 20th- 

. . 

Loretta Corbett, MGM; Bobbie Jean Roberts 

and Shirley Brown, both of UA, and Wilma 

Murphy, Warner . 

Fox, returned from a month's vacation in 

Anchorage, Alaska . Dolores Burnette has 

been named editor of the WOMPI monthly 

bulletin . . . WOMPI members, their husbands 

and dates were busy planning a big 

Christmas party December 18 at the Green 

Turtle restaurant . . . The Florida Theatre 

will be occupied by employes of the St. 

Regis Paper Co. at a huge Christmas party. 

Maurice Magnan has boosted the Saturday 

night price at the suburban Lake Shore 

Theatre to 75 cents. He is successfully staging 

a Saturday Hillbilly House party in addition 

to his motion picture fare, consisting 

of country-style entertainment on stage. His 

Saturday night attendance and income have 

both shown a healthy increase. 

Walter McCurdy, American Broadcasting- 

Paramount Theatres concession sales leader 

from New York, visited Florida with a selected 

group of sales experts, Leonard Lowengrub, 

Bernie Willett, Charlie McElroy and 

Ed Finley, for a tour of the Florida State 

Theatres circuit ... A resolution of the Motion 

Picture Exhibitors of Florida gave praise 

to "the splendid efforts of the Florida Congress 

of Parents and Teachers and other interested 

citizen groups" for their insistence 

that theatres show on their programs "only 

pictures which meet existing code requirements." 

Visiting exliibitors were Hoyt Yarbrough, 

Matanzas, St. Augustine; Joe Fleishel, 

Athens, DeLand; Bill Lee, Community Drive- 

. . Herb Roller, Edgewood 

in, Keystone Heights; Ed Roberts, Florida, 

GainesviDe, and H. A. "Red" Tedder, Palatka 

. . . Former exhibitor Mabel Leventhal 

and her husband Bob have moved into a new 

southside home . 

manager, had the north Florida premiere of 

"Rififi," a French suspense picture . . . Leaders 

of the Jacksonville Art Museum met in 

the Studio Theatre and planned a new series 

of first run foreign films to be shown at the 

San Marco Theatre under the museum's sponsorship, 

beginning with "Marcelino," a Spanish 

motion picture. 

Tliirty San Marco Square merchants are 

sponsoring a December 21 all-day children's 

matinee at the nearby theatre to give 

mothers of the area a chance to make their 

Christmas shopping expeditions. 

Pat Frank, local author whose career 

started on the Jacksonville Journal, received 

top billing when Sheldon Mandell played at 

the St. John Theatre the first run of "Hold 

Back the Night," an Allied Artists film made 

from Frank's Korean War novel of the same 

name . . . Bill Beck had a sijecial screening 

of "Lust for Life" for local VIP's prior to the 

picture's opening at the Five Points. 

Include Huge Composite Building 

In the over 60 sets used in filming WB's 

"A Face in the Crowd," a 108-foot-long, twostory 

composite setting of a duplex apartment 

office was used. 

Pictured here several personalities at the recent convention of the Theatre 

Owners of North and South Carolina are being photgraphed by Milo A. Crawford (with 

camera) of the Carolina Theatre, Durham. Shown are exhibitors Bob Saunders of the 

Theatre Booking Service, Charlotte; Charlie Abercrombie, the Carolina, Durham, and 

Bob Bryant of Fix Theatre, Rock Hill, vice-president of the association. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 61

CLYDE E. WEED 

"22,514 Anaconda Employees 

Are Buying U. S. 

Portrait by Fabian Bachioch 

Savings Bonds 

"In October, 1955, only 34% (11,140) of the nearly 

33,000 Anaconda organization employees in this country 

were buying U. S. Savings Bonds through the Payroll 

Savings Plan. 

"Late in 1955, we conducted a simple person-toperson 

canvass which put a Payroll Savings Application 

Blank in the hands of every employee. There was no 

pressure, no special promotion — just the Application 

Blank. Our employees did the rest. 

"Recently, our records showed that 22,514 of our men 

and women—69%— are now Payroll Savers. Every new 

employee is given a Payroll Savings Application Blank 

and an opportunity to join with his fellow workers 

in building personal security through systematic thrift. 

"We believe The Payroll Savings Plan— with an enrollment 

of 8,000,000 employees of more than 40,000 

companies— is a significant contribution to the Government's 

effort to check inflation and maintain a sound 

CLYDE E. WEED, President 

The Anaconda Company 

Why not take a personal interest in your Payroll Savings 

Plan? Your State Director will be glad to show you 

how to install the Payroll Savings Plan or revitalize an 

existing plan. Phone, wire or write, today, to Savings 

Bond Division, U. S. Treasury Department, Washington, 

D. C. 

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

thanks, for their patriotic donation, the Advertising Council and 

BOXOFFICE 


: December 8, 1956

ALVA, OKLA.—Henry O. Jones, 82, former to expand its membership to even greater 

local theatreman and a resident of Alva for numbers in the future. 

I 

j27 years, died recently in a local hospital During the dedication week following the 

[after an illness of several months. Jones official opening, Coca-Cola was host on QUALITY COUNTS! That's 

[moved here in 1929 and operated motion Tuesday with open house from 5:30 to 7:30 

why our fine concession 

1 picture theatres, at one time, associated with p.m. On Wednesday and Thursday the Variety 

Club was host and the Seagram's Dis- 

supplies mean TOP PROFITS 

Jhis son Homer in managing three local houses. 

He came here from Kingfisher, where he tilling Co. concluded the dedication week for your snack bar! 

iwas in the theatre business from 1924 to 1929. Friday. It was the preliminary to a big week 

le had been in theatre business since 1918 of club activities beginning Monday (10). 

Fwhen he started in the industry in Sher- The area press and magazine correspondents 

were given a reception on November 

ASSOCIATED 

1 man, Tex. He is survived by his wife Rebecca, 

his son Homer, two grandchildren, two great 30. 

POPCORN DISTRIBUTORS, lnT 

I It was pointed out that the Variety Club's 302 S. Norwood RI-6134 Dolloi, Texas 

[ 

Houston Tent Starts 

Weekly Radio Show 

HOUSTON—Variety Tent 34 started a new 

Dallas Tent 17 Dedicates New Home 

On Ninth Floor of Adolphus Hotel 

radio show Saturday CD at 11 p.m. It is 

carried on six local stations, with the others 

broadcasting the shows on Sunday. The six 

stations offering the show Saturday are 

KPRC, KXYZ, KTHT, KNUZ, KLBS and 

KYOK. Two others, KTRH and KCOH, carry 

the show on Sundays. 

It is to be a weekly show featuring top entertainers 

donating their time in behalf of 

the Variety Club, Manager Rex Van said. 

Chief Barker Paul Boesch said the weekly 

show will provide information about the 

work of the Variety organization and the 

progress of the Houston Variety Boys Club 

in combating juvenile delinquency. 

Boesch, Dick Gottlieb and Fred Nahas 

were the first masters of ceremony, with the 

King sisters bringing their songs after their 

stint at the Shamrock Hilton. Also on the 

first program was singer Cris Robinson and 

the Crescendo Club's Mickey Sharp. 

The Variety show is produced by MuiTay 

Getz, co-directed by Bob Blase and Kenny 

Bagwell. Fred Gibbons is musical director. 

IN NEW VARIETY HOME—Shown above is a view looking across one of the 

rooms of the new Variety Club quarters on the ninth floor of the Adolphus Hotel 

in Dallas. 

Aveece Waldron Holman 

Dies; a Director of TOO 

DALLAS—Formal dedication ceremonies objective is to "stimulate cordial relations 

were held Monday (3) for the new clubrooms among men in the many fields of entertainment, 

with our main charity. Variety Boys 

LINDSAY, OKLA.—Services were held 

» 

of the Variety Club of Dallas. The barkers 

Tuesday (4) for Mrs. Aveece Waldron Holman, 

early day Oklahoma exhibitor who died 

were guests of the club at a reception and Ranch at Bedford, as the heart beat which 

dinner. P>rincipal speakers were Clyde Rembert 

of KRLD-TV, the retiring chief barker; Derby benefits directly." 

Variety activities such as the annual Turtle 

December 1. She had been in ill health 

several months. 

Edwin Tobolowsky, an attorney, the incoming 

Mrs. Holman and her late husband, Harry 

chief barker; R. J. O'DonneU, Interstate Theatres, 

international ringmaster, and John H. 'Sherwood' Prints Arrive 

Waldron, opened the Blue Moon Theatre in 

Oklahoma City's Packingtown in the early 

Rowley, Rowley United Theatres head, the DALLAS—O. K. Bourgeois and Mrs. John 

She was cashier and her husband 

international chief barker. 

Jenkins have received prints at the Astor 

operator. Later they sold this theatre and 

A review of the activities of the last year exchange here of "Men of Sherwood Forest," 

bought the Waldron here. They also opened 

under Rembert was presented. 

the new Robin Hood adventure filmed in Eastman 

Color and starring Don Taylor. 

the Hill Crest Di-ive-In in Lindsay. 

The new quarters, with black and gold decor, 

include a dining room with a capacilty 

Very active in theatre organizations, Mrs. 

I1900's. 

Holman was the first woman ever elected to 

of 300 guests. The entire club covers 6,500 

serve on the board of directors of the Theatre 

square feet on the ninth floor of the Adolphus 

Hotel. Its ultramodern kitchen cost an DALLAS—Robert Meyers and Norman 

Survey Texas Drive-Ins 

Owners of Oklahoma, one of two organizations 

which merged to form the United Theatre 

estimated $35,000. 

Feinberg of the Columbia P*ictures New York 

Owners of Oklahoma. 

The Variety Club of Dallas had its be- 

office have arrived here to begin a survey 

A short time ago she married Jep Holman, ginning Nov. 15, 1935, with 11 local showmen for recommendations to the Texas Drive-In 

a retired Army officer, and they operated 

as charter members. At the present, the membership 

Theatre Owners Ass'n. 

their theatres in Lindsay together. 

numbers close to 1,000, including 

many celebrities in Hollywood. The new expansion 

[Herman O. Jones, 82 

has made it possible for the club 

lonm^ 

Large Core 

n Texas—STERLING SALES & SERVICE, Dallas—Tel. Prospect 3191 

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BOXOFFICE 

: 

: December 8, 1956 sw 63

DALLAS 

^klahoma!" finally ended its roadshow engagement 

at the Tower after 24 weeks. 

It was originally set to end November 8, but 

Interstate decided to hold it over three additional 

weeks and move over "Giant" from 

the Majestic. When "Giant" held up to strong 

business there, several instant booking 

changes resulted for the second Thanksgiving 

(29). "Love Me Tender," set for the 

Majestic, was switched to the Palace, replacing 

"Friendly Persuasion," which was 

moved into the Tower. "Giant" went into its 

fourth week at the Majestic instead . . . The 

Elvis Presley picture got the younger girls 

out of bed early. Teddy Steinberg had the 

lasses in line at 6:30 a.m. at the Palace, 

while the Worth in Port Worth reported arrivals 

shortly after 4 a.m. The temperature 

was below freezing, too. The- boxoffice was 

set to open at 8:45 for a milkman's matinee. 

Worth Manager Ray B. Jones and Steinberg 

let them in a little earlier. 

Down in Temple, Texas Consolidated city 

manager Paul Hudgins removed his mat 

from the newspaper and announced vertically, 

"Elvis Presley now at the Arcadia in 

'Love Me Tender,' " with showtime copy and 

admission prices. 

Guy Cameron, who lost his Airway Theatre 

by fire in 1954, has moved to Cleburne. He 

is promoting wrestling in theatres now. His 

partner is Johnny Price, who had been employed 

a number of years by the late P. G. 

Cameron, Guy's father, and later with the 

J. G. Long circuit. It is going great guns 

every Thursday night at Video's Yale, but Guy 

is looking for a sideline to fill in the other 

days with. He can be reached at 108 Witham 

St. there . . . Lew Bray jr. was in town from 

the Rio Grande valley . . . Mrs. Maggie Scott 

and Margaret Daniel of the Scott theatres, 

Odessa; Jack Parr of the Trail Drive-In, 

Houston; W. E. Cox, Tower and Chief Drive- 

In, Seminole, and Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Long, 

Monahans theatres, were in Heywood Simmons 

booking office. 

Ruth Sipler, Ted Lewis' secretary, reported 

that her friend Wanda Saxon was appearing 

as soloist in "Messiah" with the Midland 

symphony Sunday (9). Ruth said she might 

do a bit of vocalizing herself, but not alone 

. . . Woody Gibbs, U-I booker, returned to 

work following his heart attacks, but has 

had to leave again for a checkup at Baylor 

. . . Clarence Nix, Interstate screening room 

projectionist, has returned to the Oxford 

Hotel after his checkup, but has not returned 

to work. Marvin W. Reeves is filling in for 

,t)im. 

Both Thanksgiving;s marked tragedy for the 

Mon Whitcher family. The Columbia manager's 

brother-in-law died on the 22nd. On 

mm 

wimam 

'tto 

the 29th, he received word that his wife's 

uncle had died. More Columbia worries, 

Geneva Parrish, inspector, has been at her 

home three weeks suffering from a pinched 

nerve in her back and might be out another 

week or so . . . Office manager Ross Morgan 

reported that "Zarak" was set to play a New 

Year's Eve special showing at Interstate's 

Palace in Dallas and Trans-Texas' Hollywood 

in Fort Worth. The regular engagements 

will follow at the same theatres for 

seven-day runs January 9 in Cowtown and 

January 10 in Big D. 

Astor visitors have been Donald V. Mc- 

Kenzie, Flint, Mich.; W. V. Ratcliff, Epsom 

Downs Drive-In, Houston, and Bill Jones, 

Strieker Enterprise theatres. Sand Springs, 

Okla. . . . Val Mercier, formerly of the Ervay 

Theatre here and owner of Mercier's Theatre 

in Perryville, Mo., returned for the Allied 

Theatre Owners convention at the Statler- 

Hilton. 

Dr. Marvin Sandorf, who owns a twin 

drive-in at Indianapolis, reported that he 

and his wife had become the parents of twin 

sons recently. One of the local newspapers 

mentioned that he might name them East 

and West, but that wasn't so. Dr. Sandorf 

spoke at the last drive-in owners convention 

. . . Alfred N. Sack left for Hollywood Tuesday 

(27) to look into booking possibilities. 

While he was gone, his Coronet repeated 

"Illicit Interlude" and "The Red Shoes" . . . 

Rowley United's Vogue Theatre staged the 

Sunset High School Varieties, on the same 

bill with "Belles on Their Toes." The theatre 

is one block east of the school. 

Douglas Desch, sales supervisor of Buena 

Vista here, is releasing this information with 

"Secrets of Life" for theatre managers and 

projectionists who are running the picture: 

Reel 5, the last reel of the print, is the "Volcano 

Sequence" and is a short reel measuring 

385 feet. It can be shown in any aspect 

ratio from 1.33 to 1 to full Cinemascope, if 

so desired. For full audience impact, it is 

recommended that the last reel be shown in 

Cinemascope. However, this is not a must 

since it can be shown in the conventional 

manner. 

"Giant" held over at the State in El Paso 

through Saturday, delaying Empire's "1,000 

Years Prom Now" and "Invasion, USA" until 

December 2 ... A circle of Dallas friends 

including Karl Hoblitzelle, John Q. Adams, 

W. E. Mitchell, Dave and Jake Lutzer, with 

Bob Bixler of Paramount, accompanied R. J. 

O'Donnell to New York when he was honored 

as the film industry's Pioneer of the Year 

November 30 . . . Cinerama had a special 

showing for the Boy Scouts of "Seven Wonders 

of the World" on Saturday morning (1). 

This reserved seat attraction began its 31st 

week at the Melba Tuesday (4). 

Shelton McCuistion celebrated Thanksgiving 

by running 15 single-reel cartoons at 

the annual kid show at the Esquire In Cleburne. 

City Manager R. B. Miller has been 

beaming over the sale of gift books for 

Christmas presents among his patrons. Herbert 

A. Kearley sr. has been visiting his son 

H. A. Kearley jr., the Video assistant manager. 

Mrs. H. A. (Effie) Kearley sr. Is Phil 

Isley's manager at the Canyon Drive-In at 

Snyder. 

BUFFALO COOLING EQUIPMENT 

3409 Oak Lown, Room 107 BUFFALO ENGINEERING CO., INC Dallas, Texas 

SAN ANTONIO 

Jânager Tommy Powers of the Texas Theatre 

has decked his ushers out in snappy 

new uniforms. The house is having its second 

rock and roll stage attraction December 15 

since the first one went over with a bang 

and chalked up a new matinee record. Local 

music and talent is being used from night 

spots and radio stations and the teenagers 

eat it up. Admission prices for the flesh-film 

shows remain unchanged, 75 cents for adults 

and 35 cents for youngsters. 

Oliver B. Thomas, former manager of the 

State Theatre here, now is on the retired 

list. Thomas is Karl Hoblitzelle's brother-inlaw 

. . . Gidney Talley, who operates the 

Azteca Theatre, Mathis, was in to book 

Mexican pictures . . . Maria Garza, Clasa- 

Mohme accounting stenographer, was hospitalized 

for an operation. 

Seen in 

town: Jacob Elder, Interstate circuit, 

Dallas, Jim Gillespie, Fox, Dallas . . . 

Disc jockeys from San Antonio radio stations 

appeared on the stage of the Majestic for 

three morning teenage shows Thursday, Friday 

and Saturday. They delighted the youngsters 

by presenting them with autographed 

photographs of Elvis Presley, who was appealing 

on the screen in "Love Me Tender." 

Local teens signed up en masse in the Elvis 

Fan Club set up in the lobby during the 

showing of Presley's picture at the Majestic. 

The Alamo Piano Co., one of the leading 

music shops selling rock and roll hits, sold 

advance tickets for "Love Me Tender" in 

its record department. In turn, the theatre 

sold hit tunes from the picture in a special 

booth maintained in the Majestic lobby. 

Eric Brendler, manager of the Broadway, 

Interstate suburban house, held "Oklahoma!" 

for a sixth week, thus setting a new 

long run record for the Alamo Heights show 

case. 

Ignacio Torres has booked a Gay Nineties 

vaudeville revue to open a week's stand at the 

National Teatro, starting December 10 . . . 

Robert Lucchese, Zaragoza Amusement Co. 

executive, is an all-around sportsman. In the 

summer he plays golf in the weekly sweepstakes 

and in the winter he goes deer hunting 

. . . Bordertown Lone Star T'heatres has remodeled 

its Park-Air Drive-In here . . . 

The Burnet Road Drive-In, Austin, held a 

Turkey Scramble the night before the second 

(Texas) Thanksgiving and released ten live 

tm'keys from the top of the snack bar. 

Patrons were entitled to keep the birds they 

caught. 

A! Galan, stage manager of the Texas, 

and Hilmer Schmidt, stage carpenter for the 

Municipal Auditorium, were given solid gold 

membership cards by lATSE Local 76 for 

their 50 years of service with the local union. 

Galan is president of the stage employes in 

San Antonio . . . Azteca and Clasa-Mohme 

exchanges were closed all day on the Texas 

Thanksgiving (29) . . . Visitors in town were 

few and far between owing to the two 

holidays. Among those who were here to 

book Mexican pictures were Benito Silva, 

Mexico, Carrizo Springs; H. C. Gunter, Depot 

Drive-In, McAUen; Jay Barrientos, Pena, 

New Braunfels; Manuel Womble, Royal, La 

Ferla, and Hector Benltez, Benitez circuit, 

Weslaco. 


MOSE-ING 

THROUGH 

IBCord 

Tames Hopkins, manager of Lone Star's Circle 

' Drive-In at Waco, used a Load-a-Thon 

gimmick that not only has possibilities, but 

also gives some very interesting news in the 

process that captures the attention of prospective 

ticket buyers. Too, it gives some of 

the more ambitious ones something to shoot 

for in a competitive manner. 

This is how it read in his newspaper ad: 

"Coming to the Circle Drive-In tonight. Big 

history-making Load-A-Thon. The car with 

the most people will be admitted free. Midgets 

and babies allowed! Stack 'em in—under the 

hood—in the trunk—under the seats! ! No 

trucks or station wagons are eligible, only 

standard cars. 

"AU cars must be at the theatre between 

6:15 and 7:00 p.m., and must go from the 

boxoffice to the gate under its own power. 

"The world's record for the biggest carload 

ever to attend a drive-in is 77 people 

-.inside and hanging on to a '55 sedan. This 

is claimed by El Paso. Can you beat it? 

We do not have the report as to whether 

nyone beat the record during the Waco run, 

ut we can attest that it attracted attention. 

Hopkins used another one to caption a recent 

ad: "Alert today, alive tomorrow . . . 

How? Attend our especially arranged Armistice 

Day program which opens at this theatre 

Sunday." 

And so, the patrons were instructed, entertained 

with two features and Hopkins talleyed 

his 

receipts. 

It just takes extra effort, that's all. 

• * * 

Steve Curley of the Bridgeport theatres 

made this statement: "Sure, smalltown theatres 

are having a hard time now. But I 

think it has gone as low as it will get. I remember 

back in the 1930s when we let 

people into our theatre for eggs and vegetables 

when they didn't have the money. 

Things haven't gotten that bad this time!" 

The Curley family has operated the Arcadia 

in Bridgeport 33 years. The Curleys 

also have a drive-in there. 

• * * 

Something of a coincidence cropped up during 

the early months of our column involving 

four Texas showmen, including Bill 

Lewis. The statistics ran as follows: 

Lewis, whose home was originally Kansas 

City, left there in 1927. Harvey D. Hill, business 

agent of the Dallas projectionists union, 

worked in Kansas City theatres from 1927 to 

1931. Douglas Desch, district supervisor of 

Buena Vista in Dallas, came into Kansas City 

in 1931 for Publix Theatres. Claude H. Stewart, 

city manager of the Texas Consolidated 

Theatres in Waco, worked for Publix there in 

1929. But we doubt if they knew each other 

then. 

The coincidence is this: Hill has had a 

coffee pot in the Majestic booth for years; 

Lewis served us coffee at his office when he 

was still with Cinerama; Desch offered us 

•astest Service^ 

In SOUTH TEXAS on 

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INDEPENDENT THEATRE SUPPLY 

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a cup of same at his office, and, when we 

learned Stewart had worked in K. C, we 

were drinking coffee with him at a Waco 

hotel! 

We have not had this occasion to arise 

with any other series of showmen. But, if it 

should happen, we will know without asking 

that they once worked in Kansas City. 

HOUSTON 

T owell Bulpitt, president of the Houston Independent 

Theatre Ass'n, drove 125 miles 

delivering trailers in the Houston area to 

theatres aimouncing the association-sponsored 

midnight show on the 28th of the Yale 

Theatre . . . The Tower Theatre advertised, 

"Is Our Face Red! . . . But it's a wonderful 

feeling!" in announcing another "final" week 

for the Todd-AO "Oklahoma!" Sunday after 

the Texas Thanksgiving, makes for a 24-week 

run, "a neat six months," as one radio critic 

put it. 

V. S. District Judge Lamar Cecil of 

Beaumont indicated he may modify a decree 

he handed down in August of last year in a 

suit brought by I. B. Adelman, owner of 

the Delman Theatre here, against 14 major 

film companies. The judge told lawyers representing 

parties in the suit to prepare suggested 

modifications of the decree. He set 

a deadline of three weeks for submission of 

such suggestions. This action came after 

distributor defendants filed a motion for an 

interpretation of the original decree. This 

decree enjoined the 14 defendant companies 

from conspiring with each other or with other 

persons to monopolize the first run or second 

run exhibition business in Houston. 

Interstate Theatres has its "Ideal Christmas 

Gift" books of tickets on sale now . . . 

Jimmy Harris resigned from the management 

of the Hempstead Drive-In. He was succeeded 

by P. L. Jones. 

The King Center Twin Theatres had a 

"Watch for the Lucky Flying Saucer" night. 

At 8:30, they tossed more than 100 in the 

air. Prizes included 50 free turkey dinners 

at the Rainbow room, 50 carload passes to 

the theatre, plus items from food stores of 

various kinds, filling stations, tire store and 

even a shoe store . . . Variety Club's Feliz 

Tijerina has just opened his fourth Mexican 

restaurant in this area, at 5208 Richmond 

Road, Bellaire. 

The King Center West Drlve-In had on 

display "authentic historical handcuffs and 

guns that won the west—1849-1907," with the 

showing of "Outlaw Roundup" . . . Elvis 

Presley's "Love Me Tender" opened at the 

Metropolitan Theatre with a 9:30 teenage 

matinee Thanksgiving (Texas) morning. Free 

autographed photos of the actor-singer were 

presented to members of the "unripe-ecstacy" 

clubs (as the Post critic called them) attending. 

Adult opinion of the film and the 

guy involved seemed not to echo enchantment. 

But a picture taken from up front 

showed popcorn-filled air and screaming 

girls having "an emotional workout." A 74- 

year-old retired school superintendent here 

attending a teachers convention. Dr. Bonner 

Prizzel of Palestine, is reported as saying 

that today's teenagers "make a lot of fuss 

about Elvis, but that's all right—they'll get 

right over it." 

Playing the role of a dashing American 

flyer in WB's "Sayonara" Marlon Brando wins 

the heart of a beautiful Japanese dancer. 

qIf your seats are noiseless 

. . . free from squeaks 

(and patrons' squawks) . . . 

chances are — they are . 

XUtemationaf! 


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OA l-(k341 Dallas, Texas 


I 

I 2310 

OKLAHOMA CITY 

jgill Jensen, Wewoka exhibitor, was in a car 

wreck recently and suffered a broken leg 

and other injuries . . . Charles Hudgens, Bill 

Maddox, Jack Box and George F. Byrd of 

Universal go to New Orleans Monday and 

Tuesday (10, 11) for a district sales meeting. 

Salesmen from Dallas, St. Louis, New Orleans 

and Oklahoma City will be present at the 

meeting, which will be presided over by H. H. 

Martin and R. N. Wilkinson. 

A screening of XJniversal's "The Great 

Man" is slated for 10:30 a.m. Monday (10) in 

the 20th-Pox office . . . Don Walls, manager 

of Oklahoma City's Center Theatre, really 

had something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving 

Day. Mr. and Mi-s. Walls became parents 

of a son, David Glen, their first child 

. . . Everett Mahaney, salesman for Allied 

Artists, is resigning to become an exhibitor. 

Mahaney has bought the Rex Theatre and 

Skyview Drive-In at Nowata from C. D. 

Hicks and J. J. Bowden and has leased the 

Luxor Theatre in Nowata. 

After several weeks of very little activity, 

Pilmrow had a busy Monday. Among exhibitors 

in town were Ray Hughes, Heavener; 

O. K. Kemp, Poteau; Johnny Pagan, Borger, 

Tex.; Harold Wilson, Borger; Mr. and Mrs. 

R. M. Downing, CoUinsville ; Lamonte King, 

Marietta; C. D. Hicks, Nowata; Mrs. J. E. 

Holt, Coalgate; Bill Slepka, Okemah; Bill 

Jones, Sand Springs; Eddie Jones, Tulsa; 

George A. Walje, Minco; J. C. Lumpkin, 

Filmack's 

TEASERETTES 

are catching on fastf 

Use 'em for 


TRAILERS 

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FIIMACK 

1127 S. WtBASH C H I C A G 0, ILL 

IN BUSINESS 183 YEARS? weii, t 

exactly. That is the accumulotive number 

of years our employees have been in the 

theotre business. As the old saying goes, 

"there is no substitute for experience." 

OKLAHOMA THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

428 West Grand Ave. Telephone: RE 6-8691 

Oklohomo City 2, Okla. 

Sentinel; L. A. White, Weatherford; A. W. 

Bell, Jones; E. B. Anderson, Norman; John 

Cooper, Antlers; Truman Ellerd, Blanchard, 

and Tony Williams, McCurtain. 

Walter Wortham, Oklahoma Theatre Supply, 

is spending his vacation in Plorida fishing. 

Priends on Pilmrow report he's promised 

them "all the fish they want" when he retui'ns 

Jean Barksdale, National Screen, 

. . . recently journeyed to Cisco, Tex., to visit 

relatives. 

Third Holdup Try Nets 

Robber $250 at Theatre 

OKLAHOMA CITY—The third time proved 

the charm for a bold armed robber in here 

Saturday (24), when he made away with $250 

from the State Theatre within minutes after 

two previous robbery attempts within four 

blocks of the State had failed. However, his 

success apparently was short-lived. 

The robber first attempted to hold up the 

Union bus station in plain sight of more 

than 100 waiting bus passengers. He showed 

a gun to P. H. Pisk, bus station ticket clerk, 

and demanded money. Pisk ran into his 

office behind the ticket counter and the 

gunman fled. 

While police were answering the call to 

the bus station, the robber appeared at the 

boxoffice in front of the Warner Theatre two 

blocks down the street. Dorothy Avant, the 

cashier, said he thrust a gun at her and 

ordered her to hand over the money in the 

cash box. She showed him the empty cash 

box and he ran away again. 

The robber then appeared a short time 

later at the State and threatened to kill 

cashier Jeannene Rice, 19, unless she gave 

him the money. He fled this time with $250. 

Police the following day arrested a 23-yearold 

Oklahoma City butcher as suspect in the 

robbery. The suspect, Joe Lee Gordon, was 

picked out of a police lineup and identified 

by Miss Rice, Pisk and Miss Avant as the 

robber who had demanded money of them. 

Police said Gordon admitted the robbery and 

robbery attempts. 

Bill Roten Is New Manager 

At Wichita Falls State 

WICHITA FALLS, TEX.—Eldon Hughes, 

manager of the State Theatre since 1939, resigned 

recently to enter private business and 

has been replaced at the theatre by Billy Ray 

Roten, who in turn has been replaced as 

assistant manager of the Wichita Theatre by 

Bobby Isaacs. The changes were announced 

by Hughes and by James E. Unger, city man- 


ff'xlO" 

• Black and White 

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emfxnn iâ Tnoujami 

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Cass Detroit 1, Mich. 

ager of Interstate Theatres and manager of 

the Wichita. 

Hughes has acquired ownership of the 

North Texas Tarp & Awning Co., a local 

business established about six years ago, and 

he plans to devote full time to the business. 

The former State manager has been with 

Interstate since 1935, when he was hired as 

a doorman at the Vernon Theatre in Vernon. 

In March 1937, he came to Wichita Palls as 

artist for the Majestic Theatre, and in 1939 

went to the State as manager. After that, he 

ssrved as manager of the Strand, then the 

State, next the Wichita, then the Majestic, 

back to the Wichita, then to the State in 

1942 where he since has served as manager. 

Roten, who already has taken over the 

management of the State, first became connected 

with Interstate in 1945. 

ABILENE 

pire closed John J. King's Texas Theatre 

last week. It wasn't his fire, but in order 

to control crowds around the 12-hour, $300,000 

blaze which gutted White's Auto Store in 

the Texas Theatre block, firemen had to 

close off the whole block, keeping all patrons 

away from the fire and the theatre . . . 

Frank Gardner, owner of theatres in Balrd, 

is recovering from a heart attack. 

Mrs. George (Ruth) Likins, owner of the 

Elmwood Drive-In, presided over the Houston 

Mayflower Compact dinner recently. She 

is descended from John and Priscilla Alden 

and is state governor of the Mayflower 

Descendants in Texas. The multimillion dollar 

River Oaks Shopping Center across the street 

from her theatre is painting out and shielding 

its mercury-vapor parking lot lights. The 

lights of the newly opened center were dazzling 

the eyes of Mrs. Likins' patrons completely, 

she told the center management. 

Jack Arthur, Stephenville and Comanche 

conventional and drive-in owner, was in town 

and said he is paying for a regular theatre 

section in the Stephenville newspaper. The 

section, with stories and pictures of coming 

films, is paying off he said. 

Annie Coleman, owner of the Metro Theatre 

is almost set to claim a world record 

for her quonset-hut playhouse. The record: 

smallest marquee in the world. The city of 

Abilene is widening Butternut street to 48 

feet right in front of her show. City ordinance 

forbids any projecting signs over the 

street. When the work is completed. Miss 

Coleman will have exactly seven and onehalf 

inches sign room on the front of her 

building. Can anyone match it? An old friend 

and former employe returned to the Metro 

this week. He is Darrell Saunders, a high 

school student when Miss Coleman and her 

brother took over the Metro back in 1950. 

Saunders said in the last six years he had 

tried many things, but decided that show 

business was the only one he liked. He's now 

the assistant manager. Miss Coleman said, and 

will learn the management operation. 

HOT DOGS sell like HOT CAKES 

when served wiih America's besi-tastin' dress'mg! 

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WIH fHW 

Three Interstate managers took off from 

work to hunt deer last week. All bagged 

nothing. "I don't go to shoot deer, anyway," 

declared Jim Tharp, Park Drive-in manager, 

who went to the Mason-Brady area. Bert 

Galloway, Queen manager, and Frank Sheffield, 

Paramount assistant, did their brushcrawling 

in the hills near Caddo, northeast 

of Abilene. 


. Board 

Andy Spheeris Heads 

Milwaukee Tent 14 

who heads 

MILWAUKEE—Andy Spheeris, 

the circuit which includes the Riverside and 

Towne theatres, in addition to radio station 

WEMP, was elected chief barker of Variety 

Tent 14 at the recent meeting, succeeding 

Ollie Trampe of Film Service. Ed Johnson, 

Roosevelt Theatre, was made first assistant; 

Morrie Anderson, RKO branch manager, 

second assistant; Harold Pearson, executive 

secretary for Allied, secretary, and Angelo 

Provinzano, Fix and Greendale theatres, 

dough guy. 

members for the coming year are 

Johnny Mednikow, manager. National Screen 

Service here; Sam Kaufman, insurance 

broker; Fred Florence, Delft Circuit; Dean 

Fitzgerald, Madison Theatres; Al Kvool, 

general manager for Standard Theatres, and 

gUaci;k Frackman, Republic manager. 

. H. Blank Is Given Award 

y Iowa Scouting Group 

DES MOINES—A. H. Blank, president of 

Tri-States Theatre Corp., was among five 

central Iowa men who were given Silver 

Beaver awards by the Tall Corn Area Council 

of the Boy Scouts of America for distinguished 

service to boyhood. 

Blank has been in scouting for more than 

11 years and has served as member-at-large, 

member of the executive board and of the 

advisory council of the Tall Corn Area Council. 

In 1950 he built a $50,000 dining lodge 

at Scout Camp Mitigwa which was named 

for his son Raymond, who was an Eagle 

Scout. 

Pearl Robbins Retires; 

With Para, for 32 Years 

DES MOINES—Pearl Robbins, veteran of 

32 years on Filmrow here, has retired and 

will spend his time traveling with Mrs. Robbins. 

All of Robbins' service was with Paramount. 

The exchange honored him with a 

luncheon November 21 and gave him a suede 

jacket. In addition to those from the office 

here, Phil Isaacs, division manager from Denver, 

and M. E. Anderson, Omaha manager, 

also attended. 

NCA Favors COMPO 

MINNEAPOLIS—If National Allied gets 

back into the COMPO fold, taking along 

North Central Allied, of course, it'll please 

most NCA members, S. D. Kane, executive 

counsel, believes. 

"This territory's exhibitors generally have 

regarded COMPO and its work as helpful to 

exhibition and they want their continuation," 

Kane pointed out. "We're sure they're ready 

to play their part in this." 

Feted on 25th Anniversary 

WAUSAU, WIS.—Lawrence J. Beltz, manager 

of the Grand Theatre, was given a wrist 

watch by George L. Ruder, president of the 

Wausau Theatres Co., for 25 years of service 

with the company. Ruder made the presentation 

during a surprise luncheon at the Hotel 

Wausau recently, with Beltz' wife and mother, 

friends and local associates in attendance. 

Minneapolis Variety 

Installs 1957 Slate 

MINNEAPOLIS—Chief Barker Sim HeUer 

and the other 1957 officers of the Variety 

Club were installed this week at a dinner 

meeting at which Douglas Rigg, Stillwater, 

prison warden, spoke. In addition to Heller, 

the installed officers were Joe Podoloff, first 

assistant; Tom Burke, second assistant; 

Eddie Schwartz, dough guy, and Oil Nathanson, 

property master. 

The new crew comprises Arthur W. Anderson, 

Ben Berger, John A. Branton, William 

Elston, Maitland Frosch, LeRoy J. Miller, 

William S. Broms, Jack Greenberg, Saul 

Malisow, Ted Mann, Ralph Pielow jr. and 

Charlie Winchell. 

Rigg related how the public attitude toward 

convicts has changed during the past 

decade. 

This is "gift week" for the club's heart 

hospital. The auxiliary is delivering to the 

hospital two TV sets, two teeter babes, two 

three-speed record players and two toidy 

chairs. 

What's more, the barkerettes next week will 

assemble 22 stuffed dolls and animals and 24 

pull toys, all gift-wrapped and bought and 

paid for by the auxiliai-y so that Christmas 

at the heart hospital will be that much 

brighter. Led by chairman Mrs. Ev Seibel, 

auxiliary members made an escorted tour of 

the hospital. 

The auxiliary is planning a January meeting 

and St. Valentine's party, the latter in 

cooperation with the male members. 

Audubon, Iowa, Merchants 

Sponsor Free Show Series 

AUDUBON, IOWA—A 15-week 

trade-athome 

program, including seven free shows 

began recently at the Rose Theatre here, 

according to owner John Renftle. 

Thirty-one Audubon merchants are helping 

to sponsor the program and will be giving 

away free tickets to the shows, which will 

be offered each Tuesday night from now 

through January 22 with the exception of 

Christmas and New Year's. 

Community Center Set 

HUMESTON, IOWA—The former Princess 

Theatre has been selected as the home for a 

new community center to be established here 

—for entertainment of all ages, especially 

for the youth of the community. The Humeston 

Community Development Committee has 

been organized, with Hoyt Snyder serving as 

president. 

To Shutter Two Days 

MISSOURI VALLEY, IOWA—The 

Rialto 

Theatre here will be closed on Wednesday 

and Thursday nights during the winter, according 

to Mrs. Mary Warrick, manager. 

However, the theatre will be in operation 

Wednesday (12) for a free show sponsored by 

local merchants. 

To Renovate Lyceum 

MINNEAPOLIS—A $900,000 improvement 

project for the building housing the Lyceum, 

local legitimate showhouse, includes renovation 

of the latter which is under lease to 

Ben Berger. 

Launch MGM Oldies 

On TV With Fanfare 

MINNEAPOLIS — Local television station 

KMGM, 25 per cent of which is owned by 

Metro Pictures, this weekend is launching the 

first of 725 pre-1948 pictures which MGM 

recently released for TV. The event is being 

promoted with typical theatre showmanship. 

Betty Fumess, TV celebrity and former film 

actress, is to appear at the station and at 

other Twin Cities places to plug the inaugural, 

as will be Leo the Lion, flown here from 

Holljrwood, and several Metro studio and 

New York home office executives. Eight 

gowns worn in the past by various MGM stars 

in their most notable pictures will be shown 

by the prettiest Minneapolis and St. Paul 

girls to be found, including the one worn by 

Norma Shearer in "Marie Antoinette." One 

local girl will wear an Esther Williams bathing 

suit. 

On the program this week were a series of 

cocktail parties and a dinner and luncheon 

for selected guests. The latter were to select 

a Miss MGM from among the Twin Cities 

beauties. 

The station's initial MGM offering will be 

"Honky Tonk" Saturday (8) night at 9 o'clock. 

At the start of the Metro oldies will be shown 

only at 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. 

However, gradually, as other sponsors are 

lined up for them, they'll be scheduled for 

other times during the week, the station announces. 

Set for December, in addition to "Honky 

Tonk," are "Command Decision," "Johnny 

Eager," "30 Seconds Over Tokyo," "Babes in 

Arms," "They Were Expendable" and "A 

Night at the Opera," with some of filmdom's 

greatest stars. 

Last Sunday the Minneapolis Tribune columnist 

devoted his entire column in the 

amusement section to a story about the deal. 

Although the other three local stations 

KSTP (NBC), WCCO (CBS) and WTCN 

(ABC) put their best network feet forward 

on Saturday and Sunday nights, KMGM is 

so confident that the MGM pictures will attract 

top audiences that it has employed 

ARB and Trendex, rating agencies, to take 

special surveys in the Twin Cities during the 

showings. 

With the nonnetwork station going in for 

an almost all-film grind, it also has bought 

a sizable number of United Artists, Columbia 

and Universal pre-1948 features which now 

are being shown from time to time. 

Durand House Reopened 

On New Rental Basis 

DURAND, WIS.—The Durand Theatre has 

been reopened by Manager C. C. Noecker, 

after a two-month closure during which 

Noecker was bargaining with city officials for 

improved rental conditions. 

Noecker signed an agreement with councilmen 

which relieves him of an obligation to 

heat the city-owned building in which the 

theatre is located. In return, he will run films 

49 weeks of a calendar year. 

In seeking the Improved conditions, Noecker 

pointed to declining business and skidding 

net returns for his personal efforts. He closed 

the theatre in September after an extended 

period of disagreement on the rental conditions. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 NC 67

. . United 

. . The 

OMAHA 

"The theatre owner at Central City (Don 

Campbell) will be sad to hear this one. 

A Polk couple are enjoying a joke on themselves—which 

cost them some 30 miles of 

fruitless driving. They heard there was a 

good movie in neighboring Central City and 

decided to drive over. When they got to the 

cashier's window the husband discovered he 

had left his billfold at home. He turned to 

his wife. But she had forgotten her purse. 

They returned to their home in Polk—and 

watched television. 

Glenn Van Wey, exhibitor at Gothenburg 

who has been ailing for some time, Is in the 

hospital. His son, Ernie, is associated with 

him in the theatre business . . Joe H. Jacobs 

. 

went to Chicago for a Columbia managers 

meeting . . . Orville Eby. Paramount booker, 

was hoping for snow and north winds while 

Omaha was basking in springlike temperature. 

Beanie's duck-hunting luck on the Missouri 

has been as poor as the sun ha^ been bright 

. . . Regina Molseed, former 20th-Fox office 

manager who retired after a long career on 

Filmrow, is back in the business world. She 

has accepted a job with WOW-TV as film 

librarian to help arrange movies for stations 

in Omaha, Kansas City, Syracuse and Phoenix. 

Joy Bauer, former 20th-Fox manager's secretary, 

is helping out in the exchange following 

the resignation of LuVerne Wilson. May 

Witthauer has been named secretary to 

George Regan and Joy is helping out with 

contracts. Nancy O'Hearn has been added to 

the staff as booker's stenographer . . . Jan 


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Vodicka, cashier at WB, reported the death 

of her father after a long illness . . . Mrs. 

Baughman has resumed management of the 

Cozy Theatre at Cambridge . Elwood 

(Neb.) Theatre, operated by Morgan Reynolds, 

has been closed . . . MGM has 

scheduled a screening for public and parochial 

pupils and University of Omaha and Creighton 

University students in mid-December of 

"Lust for Life." Ben Magzamin and the Dundee 

Theatre will be host. 

The auxiliary of Variety Tent 16 has 

scheduled a C*u-istmas party for Children's 

Hearing School, Inc., at the Fox screening 

room. There will be movies, a Santa Claus 

and treats for children of the school, their 

brothers and sisters . . . Delores Adams, formerly 

of the RKO and Columbia staffs, introduced 

her six-weeks-old baby son to members 

of Filmrow . Artists staffers 

received their fat share in the company's Big 

Five Power drive. Omaha finished second in 

its division . . . Visitors on the Row included 

lowans Elmer Svendsen, Alta; Frank Good, 

Red Oak; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Osipowicz, Correctionville; 

Mr. and Mrs. Everett Finlay, 

Sloane, and Nebraskan Sam Burrus. Crete. 

C of C Gives Xmas Show 

PERRY, IOWA—The Chamber of Commerce 

here sponsored the annual Christmas 

theatre party for children of the area recently 

at the Perry Theatre. "Adventures of 

Robinson Crusoe," cartoons and free candy 

were on the afternoon's program. Two complete 

showings were scheduled to accommodate 

the children. 

Fannie Cohen, 82, Dies 

OMAHA—Mrs. Fannie S. Cohen, 82, mother 

of Ed Cohen, Columbia salesman, died at an 

Omaha hospital. She had been an Omaha 

resident 66 years. Survivors included three 

daughters, Mrs. Jack Kaufman, Mrs. William 

Cherniss' and Mi-s. Milton Yudelson, all of 

Omaha, and five sons, Sam and Ed of Omaha; 

Nate, Des Moines; Bill, Highland Park, 111., 

and Harry, Gary, Ind. 

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MILWAUKEE 

Dob Goetz of the Monroe, Mom-oe, was a 

Filmrow visitor . . . Tony La Porte of the 

Avalon and Franklin theatres is vacationing 

in Alabama where he is visiting with his 

son, who is in the Army. Tony also plans to 

visit in Louisiana while in the south . . . 

Russell Leddy, who resigned as manager of 

the Orpheum, Green Bay, is planning a vacation 

in California. On his return here he 

will be director of the Green Bay Theatre 

for the Marcus circuit. Allied Independent 

Theatres of Wisconsin gave a farewell luncheon 

for Leddy at the Variety clubrooms in 

the Schroeder Hotel Thursday (6). 

Bennie Benjamin of Screen Guild attended 

a midwest sales meeting at the Conrad Hilton 

Hotel in Chicago given by American International 

Pictures. Hosts were James H. 

Nicholson and Leon Blender. All midwest 

franchise holders attended . . . Bob Gross, 

district manager of Smith's Blue Mound 

Drive-In, Elm Grove, was elected president 

of the Blue Mound Road Businessmen's 

Ass'n. Dick Grede, who resigned as manager 

of the Blue Mound some time ago, now is 

managing a drive-in in Indianapolis. Gross 

is managing the drive-in until a replacement 

is named. 

Paul Schober, U-I booker, is the father of a 

baby boy, named Andrew Paul . . . Al Fitter, 

western division manager, and F. J. Lee, district 

manager, visited with Joe Imhoff of 

UA . . . Ranee Mason, former district manager 

for Fox Wisconsin, has taken over operation 

of five theatres in the Upper Peninsula 

of Michigan. They are the Lode, Houghton, 

which Mason purchased; the Kerredge and 

Orpheum, Hancock; Peoples, Laurium, and 

Calumet, all leased. The theatres formerly 

were part of the Martin Thomas circuit of 

Iron Mountain, Mich. 

Sister Mary Aquinas, "the Flying Nun," 

told Dick Davis of the Milwaukee Journal 

that five film companies were interested in 

doing her story for the movies. For the last 

nine years she has been supervisor of education 

in the Green Bay Catholic diocese. She 

became famous when the story of her life 

was told November 12 in a television biography, 

with Nancy Kelly playing the central 

role. Sister Mary Aquinas became a student 

of flying, because she wanted to teach the 

role, and is now a licensed pilot. She can 

take an airplane engine apart and put it together 

again. She learned flying at the Manitowoc 

municipal airport. 

On the home front, 

some of our own gals 

seem to be doing all right by themselves and 

for the industry as well. Take Estelle Stelnbach, 

managing director at the Strand, where 

she has stolen a march on her contemporaries 

by holding a picture the longest in history 

in these parts. As we go to press, "Oklahoma!" 

rolls into its 32nd week! And she's 

accepting reservations for the Christmas and 

New Year's holidays. 

In addition, there's Barbara Hanley out 

at the Coronet, who "stuck out her chin" 

and weathered a storm of momentary indignation 

with "Game of Love." Now, with clear 

sailing, she's playing "Don Giovanni." Last 

but not least in the women's section, is Miss 

H. Brunner, publicist for Pox Wisconsin, who 

always prefers to remain in the background 

68 BOXOFFICE : : December 8, 1956

. . Mable 

of her many promotions. It's the managers 

who do all the work, she maintains. But 

we note she is continually sought out for exploitations 

of all sorts. 

Our old friend Russ Leddy, manager of the 

Orpheum at Green Bay, is preparing to take 

life easy. Ben Marcus, who heads the circuit 

bearing his name, took over the Orpheum 

las of December 1) with Russ staying on 

until all the details are ironed out . . . Bob 

Kiggens has been moving about. The former 

assistant to the late Fred Reeth in handling 

both the Capitol and Majestic theatres In 

Madison, later managed the State in Wausau, 

then the Outdoor at Appleton, the Brin, 

and now the Myers at Janesville. As we get it, 

his conscience bothered him in accepting a 

full check from the Marcus circuit for merely 

operating the Brin on a three-day basis. 

Buck Herzog, Milwaukee Sentinel amuselient 

editor, ran a full page on Lou Orlove's 

Itforts in promoting local Mickey Mouse 

clubs back in the 1930s. Lou, district press 

If 

relations representative for MGM, in his 

younger days managed the Uptown for the 

then Pox Midwesco Theatres, of which Harold 

Fitzgerald was then general manager. 

Orlove started Mickey Mouse clubs and had 

about 2,000 kids at the meetings. The idea 

mushroomed, and Walt Disney followed 

through by writing personal letters to various 

theatre executives, praising them for the efforts 

in this respect. Orlove at the time, 

carried a card denoting his also being a 

supervising electrician, and is credited with 

helping to develop the first stop and go lights 

in Milwaukee. Said he used to paint light 

bulbs red and green for the experiment 

handled by the fire and police system, the 

first light appearing finally at Third and 

Wisconsin, as a direct result of Orlove and 

department men's efforts. 

Film Council Shows Free 

Kiddy Films for Xmas 

DBS MOINES—The Des Moines Film 

Council sponsored a free public showing of 

films suitable for Christmas programs recently 

in the YWCA board room. The films 

are "How the Animals Discovered Christmas," 

"Assignment Children" with Danny Kaye, 

and "Sunny Iceland—Land of the Vikings." 

The council is sponsored by the department 

of adult education of the Des Moines 

public schools. Films, projectors and screens 

are loaned without charge to organizations 

and clubs within the school district. 

$900 Stolen at Theatre 

DES MOINES—Des Moines police 

are investigating 

a theft of $900 from the Varsity 

Theatre here. Bev C. Mahon, manager of 

the theatre, said the money had been locked 

inside a filing cabinet. He said it disappeared 

between 2 p.m. Wednesday and 8 p.m. 

Thursday. Police said there was no sign of 

forced entry. 

Reopen at Hopkinton 

HOPKINTON, IOWA—The Iowa Theatre 

here reopened recently after being closed for 

nearly a year. The theatre will be under the 

supervision of John Loop, assisted by Duane 

Billings. The house will be open four days 

a week—Saturday and Sunday, Tuesday and 

Wednesday. 

D E S 

MOINES 

. . 

ITllmrowers here bade a fond farewell to 

Pearl Robbins, Paramount salesman, 

who is going to lead a well-earned life 

Don 

of 

leisure after 32 years on the Row . 

Beal, Warner shipper, has resigned to become 

editor of the Iowa Federationist, Labor's 

AFL newspaper in Polk County. Taking over 

Don's duties at the exchange is Verne Stevens, 

who has been assistant shipper. Roy 

Howser, formerly of NSS, is now assistant 

shipper at Warners . . . Bill Bell, Columbia's 

assistant booker, is now head booker at 20th- 

Fox . . . Dale Yaryan, Universal's head shipper, 

spent several days at Excelsior Springs, 

Mo., for reasons of health. 

Frank Zanotti, RKO's assistant booker, was 

married December 1 to Delores Smith and 

the newlyweds are at home at 2140 Grand 

Ave. Frank was surprised with a "pantry 

shower" at the exchange on the afternoon 

preceding his wedding . . . Max Rosenblatt, 

RKO manager, is vacationing in Los Angeles. 

Betty Olson said there will be a 50-cent 

gift exchange at the next Women's Committee 

of Variety meeting, December 10 at the Standard 

Club . . . Dorothy Pobst, president of 

WOMPI, reports that several members helped 

wrap presents for the Salvation Army project 

of "gifts for children of prisoners." The group 

also honored Gretchen Kelleher, former RKO 

cashier, for her devoted service of many years 

with a gift check. 

Jacqueline LaPole and Beatrice Fields are 

new secretaries at Iowa United Theatres . . . 

Mildred Reed, Paramount, is wearing a beautiful 

new diamond. The lucky man is Charles 

Babcock. Another Paramount employe also is 

engaged—Dick Day, contract clerk, to Susan 

Osmond. No dates have been set for either 

wedding. 

United Artists is moving from its present 

location to 1207 High St. where there will be 

more room, more light and better ventilation! 

Carl Olson, manager; Dorothy Pobst, booker 

and secretary, and "Pete" Peterson, salesman, 

have been busy getting things ready for the 

big day . . . Filmrowers miss the corner drug 

which is now empty after many, many years. 

Always a convenient spot for that coffee 

break, lunch, or what-have-you, the pharmacy 

was for a long time called Wilson's 

Drug Store and recently has been the See 

Drug Co. 

Several Iowa towns are reporting missing 

Elvis Presley photographs. In Cedar Falls a 

life-like standup photograph was carried off 

and the same thing happened in Burlington. 

Manager Irving Heller said the big 

photograph was placed in the lobby of the 

Palace Theatre in Burlington to advertise 

"Love Me Tender" and was stolen by three 

girls of about high school age. Heller promised 

that no charges would be filed if Elvis 

is returned! 

Film salesmen had a taste of winter driving 

during Thanksgiving week as Iowa had 

its first snowfall of the season. Lou Levy, returning 

from Denver, ran into a real snow 

and ice storm through Nebraska, but made 

it back without accident . . . Cold weather 

didn't keep teenagers from waiting in long 

lines to see Elvis F>resley in "Love Me Tender," 

which opened the day before Thanksgiving. 

Theatre officials said a number of 

still pictures of Elvis were torn off display 

posters before doors opened at 11:45 a.m. 

Charlene Cannon is the new ledger clerk 

at Universal . Magnusson enjoyed 

her trip to Iowa City for the Ohio State 

football game so much that she returned the 

next weekend to see Iowa beat Notre Dame. 

Accompanying her on the trip was her 

daughter Barbara Bumgarner, who formerly 

held the same position Mable now holds on 

the Row, secretary to Lou Levy at Universal 

. . . The Mike Lees of Central States were also 

among the many Iowa rooters attending the 

big game. 

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MINNEAPOLIS 

ôndolences to Myron Adcock, WB manager, 

on the death of a brother, and to Al 

Stern, RKO office manager, whose 78-yearold 

father died in Chicago ... It was a 

fourth week at the Gopher for "Julie," a 

much better than expected grosser . . . AA 

Manager Irving Marks accompanied Sam 

Hart, exploiteer, to Jamestown and Pargo, 

N. D., and Aberdeen and Huron, S. D., to arrange 

campaigns for "Friendly Persuasion." 

Hart will remain around here until the opening 

at the Minneapolis, State and St. Paul 

Paramount. 

. . 

There'll be open house at the Variety Club's 

Hotel Nicollet clubrooms New Year's Eve, 

and entertainment committee chairman Bill 

Broms announces dancing from 9 p.m. until 

the wee small hours, favors for everybody 

and no admission . Ben Berger and Lowell 

Kaplan, lessee and house manager of the 

local Lyceum, home of the legitimate, will 

attend a meeting of other such independent 

managers in New York next week when the 

present condition of the "road" will be discussed 

. . . Morrie Steinman, longtime branch 

manager and film salesman, now manager of 

the 75-year-old Dancing Gordons, successful 

night club act, was in the St. Paul Miller 

Hospital after a heart attack. His illness 

forced him to cancel several New York bookings 

for the act. 

Local subsequent runs in the earliest 28-day 

availability slot are scrambling to book "War 

and Peace" which will be released to them 

on Christmas day . . . "Seven Wonders of the 

World" was in its 18th week at the Century 

here. 

Filmack's 

TEASERETTES 

are catching on fast! 

Use 'em for 

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No contracts, no returns. Writs 


FILMACK 

1121 S. WAIASH CHICAGO, lU. 

The Variety Club's heart hospital fund was 

enriched $2,500 by the bequest in the will of 

the late Clive T. Jaffray, Minneapolis banker 

. . . Variety will hold a championship gin 

rummy tournament, called Ginerama, Monday 

night, January 14. . . . Charlie Jackson, 

longtime Warner Bros, salesman here and 

now retired and living at Clearwater, Fla., 

writes that Frank Woskie and his wife, who 

owned the Parkway neighborhood theatre 

here and a Colby, Wis., showhouse, and Mr. 

and Mrs. Lawrence Naas, who operated the 

theatre at North St. Paul and now own the 

Vogue at Orlando, Fla., spent the Thanksgiving 

holiday with him and his wife. 

The suburban West St. Paul city council 

rejected the request of W. R. Frank for a 

cut from $200 to $100 in the license fee of 

his West Twins Theatre there. He had 

pointed out a decline in business which has 

been further hurt by a recently enacted film 

censorship ordinance ... A contract has been 

awarded for the new community theatre at 

Herreid, S. D. While theatres just have been 

closed at New Prague and Battle Lake, Minn., 

there have been reopenings at Jefferson, 

Wis., and Pollock, S. D. 

Collections were taken for the industry's 

annual Will Rogers hospital drive. Myron 

Adcock was chairman . . . The theatre at 

Kelliher has installed Cinemascope and new 

booth equipment . . . From the Bureau of 

Census comes the information that in the 

period of from 1948 to 1954, 15 Minneapolis 

neighborhood houses shuttered and receipts 

for all such outlying theatres dropped $1,500,- 

000. During the same period 15 Loop houses 

here grossed only $147,000 less. Since 1954, 

of course, there have been additional closings 

and gross declines . . . Warner exploiteer 

Don Walker was here to ring the bells for 

"Baby Doll." 

Ben Berger, North Central Allied president 

and circuit owner, returned from the 

National Allied convention at Dallas feeling 

"happier." What heartened him particularly 

when he sounded out sentiment of exhibition 

leaders over the nation, is the fact 

that television apparently isn't hurting exhibition 

as much as had been feared—that 

the initial impact on the boxoffice of the 

better and not-so-old pre-1948 featiu-es 

starting to be shown on video has been less 

damaging than anticipated.

Commandments' Take 

450 in Second Week 

CLEVELAND—Downtown theatres 

totaled 

big takes, despite the 27-day-old newspaper 

strike which hit at all forms of advertising. 

Theatremen, however, compensated by extensive 

use of radio and TV. "This Is Cinerama" 

played to near capacity at all performances 

at the Palace. "The Ten Commandments" 

in its second week outgrossed 

the opening week, hitting a sensational 

450 per cent rating at the Ohio. "Giant" in 

its fourth week at the Allen did slightly more 

business than the previous week, holding to 

a high 210. It held for a fifth week. "Oklahoma!" 

in its third week at the Stillman 

held with a strong 175. Only brand new attraction 

on the Main Stem was "The Opposite 

Sex" at the State, where it topped 

average by 5 per cent in a nine-day engagement. 


Allen Giant (WB), 4th wk 210 

Heights Art Private's Progress (DCA) 105 

Hippodrome Friendly Persuasion (AA), 2nd wk. ..100 

Ohio The Ten Commandments (Para), 2nd wk.. .450 

Palace This Is Cinerama (Cinerama). .No Average Set 

State The Opposite Sex (MGM) 1 05 

Stillman Oldahoma! (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 175 

Bible Epic Grosses 

300 in Detroit 

DETROIT—Business showed a spotty upturn, 

with downtown trade hugely stimulated 

by the sock openings of "The Ten Commandments" 

and "Love Me Tender" and the 

still very strong third week of "Giant." 

Adams The Opposite Sex (MGM), 2nd wk 85 

Broadway-Capitol The Sharl

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Jây V. Rule Is now sole owner of the Alco 

Theatre at Harrisville, formerly listed In 

partnership with William C. Prank . . . Betty 

Fîssner of Paramount was snowbound with 

sinus trouble the day of the big storm . . . 

The Fuller Theatre at Kalamazoo has been 

dismantled for commercial use . The Dale 

Theatre on Michigan avenue, long operated 

by Clare Winnie, has been converted to a 

church 

. Herzog, screen exploiteer, and 

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his bride flew to New York for the weekend. 

Charlton Heston, in town in connection 

with "The Ten Commandments," visited his 

father, a retired Detroit businessman . . . 

Among houses dismantled are the Gibson at 

Greenville, Rialto at Three Rivers and Center 

at South Haven . Colonial at Holland 

is now called the Park. 

Nightingale notes: Ed Douville made the 

lone 200 score . . . Jack Colwell made the 

4-10 split, Carl Mingione and Floyd Akins the 

5-7, and Joe Foresta the incredible 7-10 . . . 

Burt London donated his turkey—completely 

baked at that—for the gang's preholiday 

dinner. Stewart Aplin did the carving, Mrs. 

Frances Bradley supplied baked beans . . . 

TTie Nightingales are mourning the death of 

I. J. London, "a real friend," 

. . . Eileen 

. . . 

Hunting notes: Al Champagne, 20th-Pox 

booker, got a four-point buck near Grayling; 

Jack Sturm, 20th-Fox salesman, got a threepointer 

near Alpena; G. M. Studebaker of 

National Theatre Supply had a fine time, 

but didn't even sight a buck 

Bresnahan, Fox booker, was recuperating at 

home following hospitalization for a stomach 

infection . . . Harley Ennis jr. and wife 

Barbara, owners of the Posen Theatre at 

Posen, became parents of a baby son named 

William Moe Dudelson, Republic manager, 

broke out a poster for "Come Next 

Spring" for his window on the day of the 

big storm . . . Bert Holmes, Republic booker, 

has returned to his desk following an operation. 

Everything 

Doris Tousciuk of the Film building staff 

returned from a Chicago visit— "well worth 

it" though her plane was delayed in the 

storm . . . Mrs. Clara Stebbins of the Film 

building office is the proud grandmother of 

identical twins, Elaine Marie and Erna Marie 

—The father is her son Robert . . . Morris 

Weinstein, who was city salesman for United 

Artists, has been upped to the 

sales manager . . . Bill Napier, 

new post of 

pinch-hitting 

For All 

the New Screen Projection 

Techniques 

for Joe Sullivan, is proud of the new decorative 

scheme at 199 headquarters. 

Ernie Ziegler, former U-I booker who 

shifted to Salt Lake City, thence to Albany 

as salesman, has returned to take over the 

Saginaw territory, succeeding Raymond 

Squier, transferred to New Haven . . . David 

Gonda, U-I head booker, was confined to his 

home with a cold . . . Toni Piasecki, of the 

U-I cashier department, leaves December 21 

to join her husband at Ft. Leonard 

Mo. 

. . . David Morgan, new RKO salesman^ 

Wood, 

had a wet week for his first trip on the 

road. 

Milt Zimmerman, Columbia manager, went 

to Chicago for a sales meet. Sorry! We overlooked 

appointment of Sid Blumenthal, son 

of the late and universally beloved Max 

Blumenthal, as booker at Columbia . 

Col. George McCoy, former Columbia salesman, 

now lives out in Rochester, Mich., on 

Charles road . . . Ray Cloud, Columbia city 

salesman, who just moved out to Marlowe and 

Midland avenues, was delighted to find a jeep 

snow removal service in operation when the 

storm hit. 

Norman Meyers, managing director of the 

Adams Theatre, has been suffering from a 

persistent back cold . . . Dillon M. "Dee" 

Krepps, managing director of the United 

Artists, is bustling around town these days 

arranging the premiere of "Around the 

World in 80 Days. " 

Biggest Week Gross Since 

1953 Over Thanksgiving 

CLEVELAND—Downtown theatres over the 

Thanksgiving holiday had the biggest week's 

grosses since the week of Oct. 7, 1953, which 

marked the sensational opening of "The 

Robe" at the Hippodrome. Other outstanding 

pictures that week which brought the total 

take to within $100 of last week's gross were 

"Martin Luther" and "From Here to Eternity." 

All three played to advanced admission prices. 

This year, on Thanksgiving week there were 

four pictures playing at advanced prices, 

"The Giant," "Oklahoma!" "The Ten Commandments" 

and "This Is Cinerama." Not 

one of this week's pictures, however, came 

near hitting the gross that "The Robe" 

rolled up in its opening week. 

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72 BOXOFFICE : : December 8, 1956

. . Murray 

CINCINNATI 

•Phe new board members and those retiring 

from office of the Variety auxiliary met 

Wednesday (5) in the clubrooms. The following 

officers and board members were elected 

recently: president, Mrs. Arthur Van Gelder; 

first assistant, Mrs. Jack Finberg; second 

assistant, Mrs. Abe Strauss: secretary, Mrs. 

Jerry Wall; treasurer, Mrs. Charles Wolfson; 

board members, Mesdames Phil Pox, Robert 

Jacobs, Saul Greenberg, Abe Maius, Jack 

Onie and Harry Pollins. Past presidents are 

automatically on the board. The Variety 

Club is now taking reservations for the annual 

New Year's Eve party. Further details will 

be announced soon. 

UA's new general sales manager, Jim Velde, 

was here, accompanied by Milt CkDhen, eastern 

division manager, and Sid C!ooper, district 

manager. A cocktail party and luncheon is 

scheduled at the Hotel Netherland Plaza for 

the local UA sales staff and many exhibitors 

in the area. A large attendance is anticipated 

. . . John Pennington has joined the staff 

of Theatre Owners Corp., replacing Sam 

Haber, who resigned. Pennington has many 

years of theatre experience, having started in 

London, Ky., when a teenager. He has been a 

manager for the Hunt circuit in Cincinnati, 

Dayton, Columbus and Wichita, Kas. He 

owned and operated the Freeman Theatre, 

Cincinnati, for one year, and most recently 

was manager for the Manny Marcus circuit, 

Indianapolis. 

The Newbold circuit at Bramwell, W. Va., 

has acquired ownership of the Pocahontas 

Theatre at Welch, W. Va., from Lloyd Rogers. 

The change will become effective the first 

of the year. 

Among: exhibitors seen on the Row were 

Marvin Samuelson, Warners, Pittsburgh; 

Charles Behldn, Lexington, Ky.; Julian Silberstein, 

Huntington, W. Va.; Harold Moore, 

Charleston, W. Va.; Theodore Crist, Spencerville; 

Jerry Knight, Columbus; Russell Mc- 

Clanahan, Irvine, Ky.; Walter Wyrick, 

Carlisle, Ky.; John Gregory, Dayton, and Jim 

Ierb, Dayton. 

Robert Mochrie of Samuel Goldwyn Proictions 

was in Cincinnati, conferring with 

:anager Edwin Booth, MGM, in connection 

with the playing of "Guys and Dolls" in this 

area . Baker is the new manager 

for Distributors Corp. of America, which plans 

to open offices here to handle the Cincinnati 

and Indianapolis exchange areas. Baker had 

been salesman for DCA. William Garner, 

formerly with Buena Vista, wOl be assistant 

to Baker. The new branch is located at 1714 

Logan St., Cincinnati 10. Telephone is CHerry 

1-3580. 

Lucille Hofler, NSS trailer and shipping 

clerk, took a leave of absence in October to 

await the stork. She is now the mother of 

a new baby boy. 

Prior Censorship of Films 

Frowned on by President 

COLUMBUS—President Eisenhower is on 

record as opposing prior censorship of films, 

according to an Independent Theatre Owners 

of Ohio bulletin. The bulletin quoted a passage 

from the December 1 issue of Saturday 

Evening Post in which Ford Q. Elvidge, former 

governor of Guam, revealed that the chief 

executive approved his stand against precensorship 

on the island. "The President 

said that similar laws had been declared unconstitutional 

by the U. S. Supreme Court." 

Elvidge said: "I wasn't amused when 

Guam legislators attempted to establish preshowing 

censorship of movies, with the strong 

backing of the church. They twice passed the 

bill, but my second veto finally was upheld 

by the President. I would repeat the veto 

today. If Guam is to be a part of the United 

States, its laws must conform to the American 

pattern." 

Phil Zeller Successful 

In Removing City Tax 

PORTSMOUTH, OHIO—Phil Zeller, city 

manager for the Columbia and Garden theatres 

here was instrumental in getting the 

city council to pass an ordinance eliminating 

the 3 per cent admissions tax. 

Zeller said, "I have been trying for the 

past three years to get this tax removed and 

have been putting a lot of hard work and 

long hours in doing so and have appeared 

before the city council on a number of 

occasions." 

The 3 per cent tax will be removed starting 

January 1. 

ERNIE 

COLUMBUS 

^lant" was held for a third week at the 

Palace, and "Fantasia," in a return showing 

at the Drexel, Bexley suburban house of 

the Miles circuit, went into a third week . . . 

Loew's Ohio and Loew's Broad are selling 

Christmas gift books for the first time. The 

books are in two denominations, $5 and $10. 

There are $5.50 worth of tickets in the $5 

books and $11 worth of tickets in the $10 

books. The tickets may be used either for 

admission or at the candy stands. The 

tickets are usable in any Loew theatre. 

Leo Yassenoff of the Academy circuit was 

re-elected vice-president of the Columbus 

Boys Club. Floyd E. Gooding, veteran carnival 

operator and operator of Zoo Park, was reelected 

president . . . Norman Nadel, theatre 

editor of the Columbus Citizen, was 

snowed under by letters from readers applying 

for the job of reviewing "Love Me 

Tender." Nadel printed an item asking if 

any readers would like to review the picture. 

"We received more letters on this matter 

than we have ever received in so short a 

time," said Nadel. One applicant threatened 

to sink Nadel's sailboat if she weren't chosen. 

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CLEVELAND 

ûpid took the industry spotlight when two 

engagements of industry interest were 

announced. Leo Greenberger of Community 

circuit and Mrs. Greenberger announced the 

engagement of their daughter Ruth Frieda to 

Harvey Alan Lester, son of Mr. and Mrs. 

Max Lester of Youngstown. The bride-to-be 

is a Western Reserve University student and 

the groom will graduate from WRU in June. 

An August wedding is planned. Also engaged 

is Sondra Bruckner, daughter of Jack 

Bruckner, former Columbia salesman. Her 

fiance is Sidney Fleck of this city. They plan 

to be married this winter. 

Rhoda Koret, former Columbia booker now 

working parttime at Academy Film Service, 

is back working behind the footlights. She 

has a part in "The Late George Apley," which 

the Community Players group is staging . . . 

Abe Kramer of Associated circuit is back from 

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New York and is flirting with the idea of 

going to California this winter, now that he 

has sold his Florida home. 

. . I'he Little Inferno 

Herb and Jack Ochs were in and out of 

town. They are now spending a week or two 

in Canada looking over their drive-ins there 

and will return to close their Cleveland office 

permanently. Henceforth all Ochs Management 

Co. business will be transacted from the 

offices in Dania, Fla. . . . Herb Horstemeier 

doesn't think he'll be able to take that 

Florida vacation. Mrs. Horstemeier has not 

been well . . . Paul Gusdanovic, circuit owner, 

recovering satisfactorily from a recent illness, 

and Mrs. Gusdanovic leave for Florida the 

first week in January . 

heaters that Dave Sandler manufactures for 

drive-in theatres, also are selling fast for 

home heaters because of their low operation 

Jimmy Kalafat of Associated circuit 

cost . . . 

was temporarily on the sick list . . . Mark 

Goldman, IFE district manager, is due home 

from the hospital this weekend. 

Leonard Steffens has two new titles at the 

Columbia branch. He is now branch sales 

manager and, in addition, will supervise the 

exchange in the capacity of office manager 

Levy, Buena Vista district manager, 

has booked "Secrets of Life" into the Lower 

Leonard Greenberger, manager of 

Mall . . . 

the Fairmount Theatre, is really starting out 

the new year in style. His special New Year's 

Eve attraction will be Republic's "Tears for 

Simon" and this will be the first showing of 

the picture in the United States. Two weeks 

later he will play it as a regular engagement 

. . . Milton Mooney did not equip his Sky 

High Drive-In, Youngstown, with in-car 

heaters for winter operation as anticipated. 

The theatre is closed for the season. 

United Artists will move from East 23rd 

street to the Film building about the middle 

of December. When State Films took over 

the UA shipping and inspection, the exchange 

did not need the shipping space . . . 

Paramount stays in its present location at 

least another year . . . Peter Rosian, U-I 

district manager, left over the weekend for 

the west coast to attend a company sales 

meeting . . . Harry Rafka, longtime with 

Community circuit as manager of the Lower 

Mall, resigned and is now one of the treasurers 

with Cinerama. 

'Persuasion' in 2nd Week 

STEUBENVILLE, OHIO—"Friendly Persuasion" 

was held a second week at the 

Grand Theatre here and at the Ohio Theatre, 

Lorain, where August Ilg, former owner of 

the theatre, remarked he hadn't seen such 

crowds since he played "Ben Hur." Other 

theatres holding the picture include the 

Warner at Canton. 

To Film 'Honeymoon in Hell' 

NEW YORK—Walter Blbo, president of 

Excelsior Pictiu'es 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. 

Warner Bros.' "A Face in the Crowd" Is 

the biggest studio production ever shot in 

New York City. 

Royal Baker of Detroit, 

Onetime Censor, Dead 

DETROIT—Lt. Royal A. Baker, who was 

for many years in charge of motion picture 

censorship for the police department, died 

November 27 from a heart attack. He was 

with the department from 1909 until 1935, 

and for some 20 years was like a pillar of the 

motion picture industry, establishing the 

basic pattern of censorship which still prevails. 

He had frequent and close contact with 

virtually all major exhibitors and distributors 

prior to his retirement in 1935, and some 

years ago worked with the BOXOFFICE 

correspondent on the preparation of a feature 

article on the early days of the motion picture 

business in Detroit. Since his retirement he 

had lived at Pinckney. He is survived by Ms 

wife Letitia, a son Royal A. jr., and a daughter, 

Mrs. John Neeck of New York City. 

Ohioans Attend Confab 

COLUMBUS—Turnout of Ohio exhibitors 

at the Dallas Allied meeting was among the 

largest from any state, according to the 

Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio. The 

Ohio group included Mr. and Mrs. Louis 

Wiethe, Cincinnati; Jack Needham and son, 

Columbus; Mr. and Mrs. Ruben Shor, Cincinnati; 

Richard Myers, Chillicothe; Marvin 

Frankel, Elyria; Leland Krieg, Nelsonville; 

Mr. and Mrs. George Walker, Woodville; Park 

Belden, Akron; Robert Morrell, Cincinnati; 

Vincent Lauter, Barberton, and Horace 

Adams, Cleveland. 

Art Policy Started 

TOLEDO—The Westwood Art Theatre, 

which was reopened recently with an art 

film policy by Art Theatre Guild, reported 

that the first week's business was very encouraging, 

and that the initial offering, "The 

Ladykillers," was held over a second week. 

Kent Nitz is manager. 

Congratulate Abe Ludacer 

TOLEDO—Abe Ludacer, manager of Loew's 

Valentine, recently elected president of the 

Toledo Theatremen's Ass'n, has been receiving 

congratulations from numerous Toledoans. 

He has been active in many Toledo civic 

groups, particularly on behalf of underprivileged 

youths. 

Max Mansfield, Detroit, Dies 

DETROIT—Max Mansfield, 55, Local 199 

projectionist, died recently. He formerly 

worked at the Royal, Palms, Lincoln, Norwest, 

Center, Westown and Wyandotte theatres. 

He is survived by his wife Mary, and 

three children: Maurice, Mrs. Marjorie 

Greenberg and Thelma. 

Filmack's 

TEASERETTES 


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FILMACK 

132) S. WMtSH C N I C 1 C 0. lU. 

74 BOXOFFICE : : December 

8, 1958

E.M.Loew Wins Fight 

For Drive-In Permit 

NEW HAVEN—E. M. Loew has won his 

year-long battle with city authorities for a 

building permit in connection with a drive-in 

which he plans to build here. The state 

supreme court of errors handed down a decision 

upholding a lower court ruling that 

Henry Falsey, building inspector, is required 

to issue a permit sought for a concession 

stand. 

Loew must still obtain clearance from the 

state traffic commission before he can build 

and operate his open-air theatre. The commission 

has held a hearing on the proposed 

drive-in but has not issued its finding. 

The court of errors, highest court in the 

state, rejected three major contentions made 

by the city. The city claimed that Loew failed 

to get a certificate of approval of location 

from the state traffic commission before applying 

for the concession permit, that Falsey 

was justified in withholding the permit because 

of an ordinance pending at the time 

and that Loew failed to comply with the 

building code by incorrectly signing the application. 

Loew applied for a permit through his 

agents in September 1955. Palsey's office gave 

preliminary approval to the project but the 

formal permit, which usually follows such 

preliminary approval, was denied. 

Rejecting the city's stand that Loew failed 

to get prior approval of location from the 

state, the high court declared there was no 

provision in state law or city ordinances as 

to the order in which the building permit and 

certificate of approval must be obtained. 

"The building inspector had no discretion 

to withhold a permit by importing into the 

law a condition not clearly contained in it," 

the court said. 

To the city's second contention, the court 

replied that the pending ordinance had no 

bearing on "the purely ministerial duty of 

issuing the formal permit (for the concession)." 

The ordinance, later rejected by the 

board of aldermen, would have required the 

aldermen and police commissioners to pass 

on "suitability of location" of theatres or 

other amusement enterprises. 

As for the third contention, that the application 

for the permit was not correctly 

signed, the court dismissed the charge as a 

minor technicality in which the designation 

"Inc." was left out in signing E. M. Loew 

to the permit application. 

VERMONT 

Jâj. Gen, A. Conger Goodyear of Old Westbury, 

Long Island, N. Y., a director of 

Paramount Pictures, will be honored at Norwich 

University, a military academy in 

Northfield, where a $475,000 dormitory to be 

completed in September will be called Goodyear 

Hall. Trustees have approved this acaon 

in recognition of General Goodyear's 

ervices to the college since his election to 

he board six years ago. 

Enforcement of a teenage curfew was 

Istarted in Northfield recently following the 

linstallation of an automatic device which will 

isound the call for youngsters to get off the 

jstreets at 8:50 p.m. 

HARTFORD 

pred Greenway, Loew's Palace, distributed 

free Walt Disney comic books to the first 

300 youngsters at a Saturday matinee performance 

of "Secrets of Life" . . . Lockwood 

& Gordon has shuttered the East Windsor 

for the season. The East Hartford, also 

under the L&G banner, closed several weeks 

ago. 

Ray McNamara, AUyn, brought in a midnight 

horror stage and screen presentation 

at 90 cents . . . Bob Sternburg, district manager 

for New England Theatres, was a local 

visitor . . . Members of the Sunshine Troupe 

appeared at a children's matinee performance 

at the Adomo Palace, Middletown, the other 

Saturday. The unit has performed at 

veterans hospitals and children's homes 

throughout the state . . . The State Theatre 

was taken over for a one-night wrestling 

show promotion. 

Walter T. Murphy of the ATC Capitol, 

New London, distributed 2,000 free photos 

of Elvis Presley for the "Love Me Tender" 

opening . . . Two Jason Enterprises houses, 

the Gem, Willimantic, and the Palace, Torrington, 

distributed Captain Gallant foreign 

packages (consisting of candy, prizes, toys 

and cards) to all youngsters at recent kiddy 

shows. Admission scale: adults, 50 cents; 

children, 30 cents. 

Lou Cohen, Loew's Poll, served as a judge 

for the Miss Hartford beauty competitions 

at the Lobster restaurant . . . The Empress, 

South Norwalk, distributed free Elvis Presley 

photos as part of its "Love Me Tender" 

promotion. 

MOM has postponed start of production 

on "The Flood," concerned with the 1955 

New England floods, to mid-1957. Millard 

Kaufman, who recently completed assignment 

as associate producer-writer on the studio's 

"Raintree County," has been named to 

handle the screenplay . . . Hartford playwright 

Louis Peterson jr.'s Hollywood chores 

should keep him busy well into next year. 

Recently finished with adaptation of his TV 

drama, "Joey," for Paramount, he is currently 

working on the script of an Ernest Haycox 

western, "Border Trumpet," for Walter 

Wanger Productions. Hecht-Lancaster Productions 

starts filming of Peterson's play, 

"Take a Giant Step," next June. 

Crude Bomb Exploded 

In Saugus Theatre 

SAUGUS, MASS.—A crude, homemade 

bomb was exploded in the State Theatre here 

on Sunday evening, November 25, when no 

one was in the theatre except Richard Hayes, 

an usher. The damage was negligible and 

there were no injuries. Saugus police withheld 

news of the bombing pending a probe 

by local police and fire officials. Because 

there had been some disturbances in the 

theatre by a youthful gang recently, police 

believe the bomb had been planted by the 

disgruntled teenagers, some of whom had 

been ejected from the theatre by Manager 

Harry Golden. On Monday (26), an anonymous 

phone call came to the theatre. A male 

voice said, "We didn't get Golden this time, 

but we'll get him yet." Golden manages the 

theatre for Richard Rubin, owner, of Newton. 

The bomb was discovered by Richard Hayes 

when he heard a hissing noise. He traced it 

to the outside of Golden's office door, which 

was locked. The device had already exploded, 

shattering the door. The bomb is reported to 

have contained potassium nitrate and black 

powder placed in an eight-inch length of 

copper tubing, connected to a long fuse. 

Police described it as "hardly more than a 

four-inch firecracker." They later questioned 

and released two youths in connection with 

the bombing. The investigation is continuing 

with more youths scheduled to be quizzed. 

T'his is the second bomb incident in the 

Saugus Theatre within the last eight months. 

Last March, Golden emptied the theatre of 

200 patrons for 30 minutes during the evening 

show after employes received an anonymous 

phone call that a bomb would explode at 

7:30. The crowd of mostly teenagers filed 

quietly from the theatre as firemen and 

police made a thorough search of the building, 

but found no bomb. This bomb scare 

followed another unpleasant incident for 

Golden. The previous January he was the 

only customer in the Saugus Trust Co. when 

gunmen entered the bank and held it up, 

taking $32,000. 

Resumes Weekday Matinees 

HARTFORD—The Hartford Operating Co. 

has resumed Monday through Friday matinees 

at the Art Theatre, 800-seat first run 

art film house. Previously, the theatre had 

run matinees on Saturdays, Sundays and 

holidays only. 

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: 

: December 

8, 1956 NE 75

BOSTON 

•Phe foUowinir members of Independent Exhibitors 

of New England, a unit of National 

Allied, traveled to Dallas, Tex . for 

the National Allied annual convention: Nathan 

Yamins, national delegate from lENE; 

Julian Rifkin, Henry Gaudet and W. Leslie 

Bendslev. The latter, with Mrs. Bendslev, 

left earlier than the others in order to stop 

off in Columbia, Mo., to visit their daughter, 

a student at Stephens College 

Theatre Enterprises is now 

. . . Daytz 

handling the 

buying and booking for two theatres in 

Woonsocket, R. I., owned and operated by 

Arthur Darman, with Ben Greenberg as 

manager. The Stadium recently was remodeled 

at a cost of over $100,000 after New 

England Theatres, the lessee for several years, 

gave up the lease . . . Mrs. Louis Richmond, 

wife of the owner of the Kenmore Theatre, 

is a patient at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. 

The annual Christmas party of exchange 

personnel, always popular event, has been 

set up for Monday (17) at Blinstrub's restaurant 

and night club. Staffers of the exchanges 

and some of the smaller offices will 

meet at the restaurant at 5 p.m. for cocktails 

to be followed by dinner and dancing. There 

will be a floorshow with headline stars. Reservations 

are now being taken by the dinner 

chairman in each exchange . . . Edward 

Sokolowski, Royal Theatre, Lowell, has applied 

for membership in Independent Exhibitors 

of New England. 

Loew's State and Orpheum theatres have 

advertised in the dailies their Christmas gift 

books as $5.50 worth of admissions for $5 

and $11 worth of tickets for $10. However, 

this year, an additional gimmick has been 

added. These coupons are also redeemable 

at the candy stand In five or ten-cent denominations. 

The Loew's staff also is contacting 

some of the independent supermarkets 

in an effort to offer them the Christmas 

gift books as a competition to the larger 

supermarket's trading stamps. The suggestion 

is that with every $50 worth of goods 

bought at an independent market, the shopper 

is given a Chi-istmas gift book from 

Loew's. A deal with local insurance companies 

is also being worked out for the possibility 

of books being handed out to employes 

who have 100 per cent attendance 

records or for other special achievements. 

No discount is offered for the Loew's books. 

Ray Feeley Associates has signed a longterm 

lease on the State Theatre East Milton, 

with Amory Theatres. Feeley will change the 

name to the Milton Art Theatre and in mid- 

January will reopen with an art policy. The 

theatre at one time had been operated by 

ATC and later was an independent. It has 

been closed for six months. Feeley is planning 

on evening performances only, with a 

children's matinee on Saturdays and continuous 

from 3 p.m. on Sundays. He is also 

planning on minor alterations and redecorations 

. . . Kenneth Forkey, Park, Worcester, 

owner, is recovering from surgery at his 

home in Laconia, N. H., but is returning to 

the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital after the 

first of the year for further surgery. 

Antibillboard Ordinances 

Hit by Vermont Ruling 

MONTPELIER, VT—Billboards may become 

available for theatre advertising in 40 

state communities which have banned the 

highway signs under local zoning laws. The 

Washington County superior court has ruled 

that a 1953 Hartland zoning ordinance banning 

billboards is "invalid, null and void." 

The decision by Judge Natt L. Divoll upheld 

the contention of Herbert W. Jorgenson 

and Mrs. Anna C. Jorgenson, doing business 

as the Barre Sign Co., that the Hartland 

ordinance, as well as those in many other 

municipalities in the state, do not contain 

a comprehensive plan of zoning as required 

under the state law which permits communities 

to establish zoning. 

Judge DivoU's decision climaxed a "billboard 

battle" that began in November, 1955, 

when Secretary of State Howard E. Armstrong 

refused a permit to the Jorgensons 

to construct an outdoor advertising sign in 

Hartland. He claimed the town had its own 

zoning regulations. When the Jorgensons 

asked Hartland officials for permission to 

erect the sign, they were again turned down 

on grounds that the proposed sign would not 

conform with local regulations. Then the 

Jorgensons appealed to Superior Court, contending 

the Hartland ordinance, as well as 

others in various communities, were aimed 

at billboards and did not provide any comprehensive 

zoning plan. 

The Vermont Roadside council has played 

a big part in getting the various communities 

to adopt the billboard restrictions. 

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PROVIDENCE City Common Garage NEW HAMPSHIRE 

another in a series of bomb scares, which 

have plagued Rhode Island and nearby 

Massachusetts theatre managers over a 

period of months, recently caused the evacuation 

of some 200 patrons from the Palace, 

Cranston. After an anonymous telephone call 

by a man with a deep voice warned, "You 

better evacuate the theatre. A bomb will go 

off there in 22 minutes," the patrons filed 

out in orderly fashion. Mrs. Anne Harte, 

Palace cashier, received the call. James 

Randall, the manager, walked along the aisles 

asking the patrons to leave. In order to avoid 

confusion, he ordered the booth operator to 

continue running the film. It wasn't until 

the patrons got outside that they knew the 

reason for the hasty evacuation. A search 

of the theatre by police and the management 

disclosed no trace of a bomb. After 

authorities were satisfied that the call was 

another hoax, the majority of patrons returned 

to their seats to watch "The SoUd 

Gold Cadillac." They missed about 20 minutes 

of the picture. 

Ben Greenberg, managing director of the 

Stadium, Woonsocket, is offering $400 in cash 

prizes for a series of amateur tryouts. Every 

act receives a cash reward, with the first 

prize winner each week competing in the 

finals, where the grand prize is $75 plus a 

chance at the big time. Other awards of 

S50 and $25 are given to the runnersup. The 

talent search, is creating considerable interest 

among would-be vaudevillains. 

Phil Nemirow, RKO Albee manager, anticipating 

the Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender," 

arranged a terrific exploitation program. 

Highlighted by a ten-minute Presley Panel 

over WJAR, a station that has never played 

a Presley recording, teenagers, presidents of 

Presley fan clubs, and adults engaged in a 

lively discussion of the relative merits of 

Presley. All the pros and cons were aired, 

but no definite conclusion was reached other 

than many liked Presly and others didn't. 

As part of his promotion, Nemirow scored 

with some tieups in the newspapers. Many of 

the leading retail stores and record outlets 

used substantial newspaper advertising 

featuring the singer and his records. Among 

the leaders was the huge Newberry store, 

which inserted one-third-page units featuring 

Presley presentations. In every instance, 

the stores played up the forthcoming screen 

attraction with the Albee accorded prominent 

mention. 

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 

a producer, 

when he was signed by RKO as 

has moved his headquarters to the studio to 

continue his operations assembling material 

lor a program of films for television to be 

made by RKO starting early next year. 

Revived at Boston 

BOSTON—Downtown theatre managers 

were elated to discover that the proposed 

garage to be built under the Boston Common 

is not a dead issue. After many months of 

litigation and opposition, the project was revived 

when the promoters of the garage, 

through their counsel James D. St. Clair, 

wrote Mayor Hynes announcing new plans 

and seeking approval for the specifications 

by city department heads. The garage, which 

would handle about 2,000 cars, has long been 

desired by theatremen as a boom to business 

and a relief from parking problems and 

traffic congestion in the business and theatrical 

area. 

John Fox, former publisher of the 

suspended Boston Post, is head of the 

corporation, Boston Common Garage, Inc., 

and several of his associates are members. 

The garage question has been held up for 

many months by litigation over whether the 

city has the right to allow it to operate tax 

free. A group of garage owners had opposed 

the tax exemption. A recent decision by the 

Massachusetts Supreme Court has upheld the 

city's right to eliminate the taxes. There is 

still the possibility, however, of an appeal 

to the U. S. Supreme Court. 

NE\N HAVEN 

l^îlton Cohen, UA division manager, was 

here to confer with local Manager Irving 

Mendelson. The latter's daughter Carole, who 

will graduate from Brandeis University in 

February, is engaged to marry Mark Felz, of 

Newtonville, Mass., in March. He's an engineer 

with the Navy Air Force in Bermuda . . . 

The Capitol, Milford, purchased a new 30- 

foot Cinemascope screen from Ralph Mauro 

of National Theatre Supply . . . Loew's Poll, 

the Roger Sherman, Paramount and Whalley 

Theatres will show the Christmas Seal trailer 

featuring Ernest Borgnine, a former resident 

here. 

The first Connecticut date of U-I's "Written 

on the Wind" will be at 

the New Haven 

Paramount December 3L Alec Schimel, U-I 

exchange manager, rigged up a gimmick to 

capture the attention of passersby on the 

street outside his office. The title song from 

"Written on the Wind" is played continuously 

on a record-player in the office and piped 

to the street. 

"Giant" was in its third week at the SW 

Rcêr Sherman, where it has established 

alltime earning marks. It was a second week 

for "Friendly Persuasion" at the Paramount 

and "The Sharkfighters" at Loew's College. 

Irwin Allen Produces Classic 

Producing the screen version of Van Loon's 

international classic, "The Story of Mankind," 

is Irwin Allen.' 

Teenagers in New Boston are complaining 

that they have been left without recreation 

with the loss of motion picture theatres 

in that community. Some of the townspeople 

had been showing films for the youngsters in 

the Town Hall but reportedly failed to make 

enough money to continue the project. 

Eudore Coulture, 68, a doorman at the 

Scenic Theatre in Rochester for many years, 

died at his home in that city recently after 

a long illness. He was a native of Canada 

but had resided in Rochester for 48 years . . . 

Manchester's many residents of French-Canadian 

descent had a special treat when the 

Palace presented a three-day showing of "La 

Petite Aurore" and "L'Enfant Martyre," an 

all French show with no English titles. There 

was one performance each night. 

The State in Manchester announced a 

three-day holdover of the Elvis Presley film, 

"Love Me Tender." The theatre said the run 

was extended because many people are 

seeing "Love Me Tender" two and three times. 

The sister house, the Strand, also lured 

throngs of teenagers with a "double sock 

thrill show," consisting of the Pats Domino 

film, "Shake, Rattle and Rock," and "Runaway 

Daughters." 

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. 

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BOXOFTICE :: December 8, 1956 

77

I 

Full Houses Recall 

War Year Business 

BOSTON—"Lust for Life" took the spotlight 

in a smashing first week, wliich broke 

all boxoffice records for the 700-seat Kenmore. 

Long lines and turnaways were in 

order over the weekend. "Love Me Tender" 

drew swarms of teenagers for a big gross 

at the Memorial. "Giant" in its fourth week 

equaled its excellent third week. This film 

at the Met stayed for a fifth week and could 

perhaps be stretched to six. The crowds 

jamming the theatres and all along the rialto 

reminded managers of the plush war years. 

The three two-a-day shows, "Seven Wonders," 

"Oklahoma!" and "The Ten Commandments," 

all reported capacity evening business. 


Astor The Ten Commondments (Para) 250 

Beacon Hill Rififi (UMPO), 3rd wk 120 

Boston Seven Wonders of the World (Cinerama). 125 

Exeter Street ^Richard III (Lopert), 3rd wk 125 

Kenmore Lust for Life (MGM) 350 

Memorial Love Me Tender (20th-Fox); The 

Desperadoes Are in Town {20th-Fox) 200 

Metropolitan Giont (WB), 4th wk 160 

Paramount ond Fenway Friendly Persuasion (AA); 

Calling Homicide (AA), 2nd wk 100 

Saxon Oklohomo! (Magna), 1 1 th wk 1 25 

State and Orpheum The Opposite Sex (MGM); 

The Power and the Priie (MGM) 110 

Third Week of 'Giant' Stays 

Best at 250 in Hartford 

HARTFORD— "Giant" has chalked up 

tremendous grosses, leading local bookings by 

a sizable take. 

Allyn Friendly Persuasion (AA), 2nd wk 105 

Art— Rififi (UMPO), 2nd wk 120 

E. M. Loew Odongo (Col); Gamma People (Col). . 80 

Palace Secrets of Life (BV); Daniel Boone, Trail 

Blozer (Rep); 2nd wk 90 

Parsons Lust for Life (MGM), 2nd wk 115 

Poll The Opposite Sex (MGM); Ali-Baba (SR). . . .130 

Strand Giont (WB), 3rd wk 250 

Elvis Chalks Up 230 

Lead in Providence 

PROVIDENCE—Business bounded back 

with a bang here, with Elvis Presley's "Love 

Me Tender" racking up a substantial 230 at 

the Albee. Following closely, "Giant," playing 

for a second week at the Majestic, reported 

200. Others registering better-thanaverage 

business included "Friendly Persuasion" 

at the Strand, 150, and Walt 

Disney's "Secrets of Life," 120 at the Avon 

Cinema. More seasonable weather and release 

of Christmas Club checks worked advantageously 

for all types of local enterprise. 

The lighting of the Christmas decorations 

throughout the downtown shopping 

center, and piped Christmas carols helped 

tremendously to put people in a spending 

mood. With all downtown stores opening 

Monday and Thursday nights, many houses 

are featuring late shows in order to give 

shoppers an opportunity to see complete programs 

after the stores close. 

Albee—Love Me Tender (20th-Fox) 230 

Avon— Secrets of Life (BV) 1 20 

Loew's—The Opposite Sex (MGM) 1 00 

Majestic—Giont (WB), 2nd wk 200 

Strond—Friendly Persuasion (AA) 1 50 

'Persuasion' Rates 160 

In New Haven Opening 

NEW HAVEN—Business was booming at 

the major downtowners, with receipts ranging 

up to 60 per cent greater than normal. 

"Friendly Persuasion" was the leader. 

College—The Shorkfighten (UA); Daniel Boone, 

Troll Blazer (Rep) 130 

Paromount— Friendly Perauofbn

Morris Slein Remains 

Chairman of MPEA 

TORONTO—Officers of the National Committee 

of Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass'ns 

of Canada were re-elected at the recent 

meetings here, except S. R. Miles, who was 

succeeded as western vice-chairman by Duane 

McKenzie of Estevan, Sask. 

Morris Stein is chairman; F. Gordon 

Spencer, St. John, eastern vice-chairman; 

H. C. D. Main, Sutton, Ont., secretary-treasurer, 

and Arch H. Jolley, assistant secretary. 

Delegates to the committee meeting were 

Owen Bird of Vancouver and Myron McLeon 

of Powell River, British Columbia Exhibitors 

Ass'n; A. W. Shackleford of Lethbridge and 

Douglas Miller of Taber, Alberta Theatres 

Ass'n; J. Duane McKenzie and F. J. Lundholm 

of Swift Current, Saskatchewan Motion 

Picture Exhibitors Ass'n; Harry and 

Robert Hurwltz of Winnipeg, Manitoba Motion 

Kcture Exhibitors Ass'n; Lionel Lester, 

E. G. Forsyth and Morris Stein of Toronto 

and H. C. D. Main of Sutton, Motion Picture 

Theatres Ass'n of Ontario; Doris Robert of 

Granby and William Lester, John Ganetakos 

and Leo Choquette of Montreal, Quebec Allied 

Theatrical Industries, and P. Gordon 

Spencer of St. John, Maritime Motion Picture 

Exhibitors Ass'n. 

Distributors (Motion Picture Industry 

Council) took no action on a request from 

Winnipeg exhibitors that the supply of film 

to the Circus Drive-In there, operated by 

Max Shnier, be stopped. Shnier last summer, 

in an attempt to obtain first run films, offered 

free admissions to patrons, making his 

profit at the snack bar. Clare Appel, executive 

secretary of MPIC, and Charles Chaplin, 

explained that under the unfair practices 

act the distributors were prevented 

from doing anything in concert. 

Radio-TV Sales in Canada 

Show September Drop 

OTTAWA—Sales of both television and 

radio sets fell off in September, according 

to the latest government report. For radio 

receivers the total was 54,489 compared with 

66,905 in September of 1955 while the drop 

in TV sets was from 118,390 to 95,204 in the 

corresponding months. 

For the nine-month period this year the 

sale of radio sets rose to 456,501 from the 

408,534 total for 1955, but TV sales declined 

to 403,399 from 459,583. 

One factor in the drop in television and 

radio sales last September was the curtailment 

of loans by the govermnent's Bank of 

Canada which sets the policy for chartered 

banks. The restrictions on credit are intended 

to check the inflationary trend. 

London Airer Locks Up 

LONDON, ONT.—The announcement which 

accompanied the closing of the Twilite Drivein 

last week was: "We are convinced winter 

is here." It came in the midst of a snowstorm. 

One of the last outdoor theatres to lock up 

for the season was the Clappison at Waterdown, 

which had been operated by Joe Dydzak 

for more than eight months. Except for 

a holiday in Florida, Dydzak planned to devote 

attention to his two indoor theatres in 

j^Quebec until next March. 

Ontario Assn Brief Lists 

Evils of Pay-See Video 

Toronto, of the MPTAO, concluded with 

OTTAWA—A brief submitted by the 

Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n of Ontario, 

representing 75 per cent of the theatres in 

the province, which strongly opposed the introduction 

of "subscription television" in 

Canada, has caused quite a stir in government 

circles, including officials of the Canadian 

Broadcasting Corp., a federal agency. 

The brief, addressed to Chairman R. M. 

Fowler of the Royal Commission on Broadcasting 

and signed by President Lionel Lester, 

the statement: 

"Our members are apprehensive 

about the possibility of subscription television 

which affects the survival of their 

(theatre) business but, overriding these apprehensions, 

is the sincere belief that subscription 

television would be harmful to the 

Canadian way of life." 

The brief pointed out that the government 

exercises control over the existing television 

and radio system while feature motion 

pictures are adequately presented in Canada 

by an industry with substantial investment 

and a large payroll of trained personnel over 

a wide area. 

The view was presented that pay-as-yousee 

television would have to depend on feature 

motion pictures and live programs which 

are "now being viewed free." As the Canadian 

market for subscription television is 

not large enough to utilize Canadian talent, 

the great majority of programs would have 

been produced in the United States, it was 

declared. 

"Subscription television," the brief contended, 

"not only invades the field of the 

motion picture theatre to the point where all 

but the largest theatres will be forced to 

close but will concentrate the points of motion 

picture feature presentation in the large 

cities and in a few hands ... It is our view 

that subscription television would make little 

low 

Orders are 

effort to serve minority audiences ... to deprive 

the public of programs which they now 

enjoy free." 

It was argued pressure Is being exerted In 

Canada for the introduction of subscription 

television by owners of the equipment so that 

Canada would be the "guinea pig" for demonstrating 

the dollar potential of the system 

to the Federal Communications Commission 

at Washington to gain headway in 

the United States. Subscription television 

would nullify the policy of the CBC to cultivate 

public tastes in its Canadian field, it was 

argued. 

N. A. Taylor Is Elected 

Tent 28 Chief Barker 

TORONTO—N. A. Taylor, former first assistant 

chief barker, has been elected chief 

barker of Variety Tent 28 here, succeeding 

Dave Griesdorf, who declined to run. 

Dan Krendel was named first assistant 

chief barker; Jack Pitzgibbons jr., second 

assistant; Chet Friedman, property master, 

and Al Troyer, dough guy. 

Installation of the new officers will take 

place at the annual installation and diimer 

dance at the Sign of the Steer restaurant 

next Thursday (13). 

Team Up on 'Persuasion' 

TORONTO—The FPC Eglinton, of which 

Marc Hirsch is manager, will be teamed with 

the Towne Cinema, Barney Simmons manager, 

starting Christmas week, on "Friendly 

Persuasion." Meanwhile the Eglinton, which 

had been linked with the University for years, 

is operating solo following the opening of 

"The Ten Commandments" on a reservedseat 

basis at the University where it is expected 

to continue until summer. 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

: December 8, 1956

MONTREAL 

Phe Associated Screen News student's film 

production course is proceeding successfully 

here and ASN had Robert Wade, prominent 

scene designer, art director, lecturer 

and author of the manual "Designing for TV," 

lecture to some 140 students participating in 

the course. ASN also announced that on the 

weekend (8, 9) students in the compemy's 

sponsored coiu'se would visit New York City 

for advanced instruction in special techniques 

of video work, including modern color 

. . W. H. Mannard, sec- 

TV demonstrations . 

retary-treasurer of United Amusement Corp., 

said directors have declared dividends of 

25 cents per share on paidup capital stock of 

the company, payable December 15 to shareholders 

of record November 30. 

A. P. Bahen, general manager of Odeon 

Theatres in Quebec, recently awarded to the 

management and employes of the Champlain 

Theatre here the Odeon plaque of .service 

and courtesy to customers. The plaque was 

received by Jean-Paul Legris, manager; 

Georgette Boulanger, cashier-secretary, and 

Joseph Melancon of the ushers staff ... A 

contest, called "Newsface," has begun in an 

English-language daily newspaper here, the 

Montreal Herald. First prize is an all-expense-paid 

trip for two to Switzerland, just 

like the fabulous "Cinerama Holiday" trip of 

John and Betty Marsh, stars of the Cinerama 

film. Weekly awards of tickets to "Cinerama 

Holiday," at the Imperial are other prizes in 

the contest, which consists of five newsface 

pictures published daily in the newspaper. 

Contestants have to give the correct name 

of one individual whose face is blanked out. 

. . 

Maurice Trudeau, lawyer and businessman 

who had been a director, secretary and legal 

counsel of Prance-Film, Montreal, died here 

at the age of 51. Trudeau's business activities 

covered a wide field and he was senior partner 

of the law firm of Trudeau, Beaulieu 

and Cimon . General meeting of Quebec 

Allied Theatrical Industries was held at 

Ruby Poo's restaurant. Following the business 

sessions, for the first time in the history 

of the QATI, women were invited and attended 

social functions. Women were given 

orchids, compliment of Quebec Allied. Pollowing 

cocktails and luncheon, the members 

attended a private screening of "The Ten 

Commandments" at the Westmount Theatre, 

a United Amusement Corp. theatre. Cecil B. 

DeMille's latest production is scheduled to 

be premiered here at the Capitol December 

21. 

Don L. McGowan of United Amusement 

Corp.'s advertising department has directed 

and produced "This Is Your Life," a 40-minute 

skit about the first ten years of the existence 

of the Junior Advertising and Sales 

Club of Montreal. The skit was performed 

at the club's tenth anniversary dinner held 

in Sheraton Hall of Sheraton-Mount Royal 

Hotel ... A large and enthusiastic audience 

attended the trade screening by International 

Film Distributors of the French film "Une 

PUIe Nommee Madeleine" at the Kent Theatre. 

Mrs. Jeannine Prevost-Gaboury of Quebec 

Cinema Booking has resigned . . . Archie 

Cohen, manager for Warner Bros., returned 

from Toronto where he conferred with the 

company's general manager, H. M. Masters 

. . . Arthur Masse, 24-year-old actor son of 

the minister of Ottawa's French Baptist 

Church, has been signed to a five-year contract 

with MGM British studios and Ealing 

Films. Masse will start his film assignment 

in England in February. He is the only Canadian 

to participate in the initial undertaking 

of the new British company. He has 

had some experience in films, having had a 

part in the J. Arthur Rank film "High Tide 

at Noon." 

Mrs. Christiane Jousset, secretary to Jacqueline 

Morin, manager of Warner Bros. 

16mm division, is on sick leave . . . Raymond 

Beaulieu is the newly appointed manager 

of the Lachute Theatre of Lachute, 

Que., replacing Georges Marchand, who had 

resigned to devote himself to his own theatre, 

the Vic at Brownsburg . . . "Cinerama 

Holiday" at the Imperial Theatre has entered 

its 35th week of continuous two-a-day presentation 

. . . The Greater Montreal Film 

Coimcil in its first preview of the current 

season viewed fom- films. 

The question of youths under 16 years of 

age not being allowed in motion picture theatres 

of the province of Quebec again attracted 

some attention here when in ses- 

HANDY SUBSCRIPTION

1 

front 

. . Royden 

VANCOUVER 

Tvan Ackery, Orpheum manager, arranged a 

promotion for "Giant" which was given 

page space in local newspapers. He 

allowed free admission to any "giant" over 

six feet, eight inches. Ten of the big boys 

turned out and sat in extra big and extra 

Dave Borland, Dominion 

large seats . . . 

Theatre manager, and Bill Myers sr. of the 

Plaza were on delayed vacations . . . Frank 

Gilbert of the Paradise was on a three-month 

holiday in Mexico. 

Wally Hopp, former manager of the International 

Cinema, now is with a Coca-Cola 

concern in California. 

The Alma, an FPC suburban house here 

which was reopened after being in dark for 

a year, has put employes on a two-week 

notice, and it looks as if the theatre will 

be sold for real estate . . . Two other houses 

recently reopened are having a tough time 

and may shutter . . . Charles Code, 85, exhibitor, 

died in Juneau of a heart attack . . . 

Theatre attendance is holding up in western 

Canada this fall. Reports indicate theatre 

grosses will show very little change from 

1955. In fact, weekend attendance is said 

to be extremely good. 

Frank Gow, retired district manager for 

Famous Players was made a life member of 

projectionists Local 348 at the annual dinner 

recently. O. M. Jacobson, vice-president of 

lATSE, New York, made the presentation. 

Ten oldtime projectionists were presented 

40-year service cards . . . When "Love Me 

Tender" opened at the Capitol, the juveniles 

went wild, running up and down the stairs 

like screaming Mimis, and other patrons 

could not hear the sound from the loud 

speakers. Police kept the youths from making 

too much trouble, and only one fight 

was reported. 

"Trooping the Colour," a JARO one-reel 

release is now playing at the Vogue. It's the 

best short ever made of the royal ceremony 

in London . , . Due to the thick Pacific fogs, 

games of the Pacific Hockey League were 

called off last week. The theatres also suffered 

because many people were afraid to 

drive their cars ... A local theatreman 

said old pictures on TV are not hurting the 

better film fare like "Giant" and "War and 

Peace" . . . The 

annual dinner and election 

of officers for the Vancouver Canadian Picture 

Pioneers was held at the Devonshire 

Hotel on the 3rd. 

Ivan Ackery, manager of the FPC Orpheum, 

is convinced that "good films of unconventional 

length are appreciated here," and Is 

in favor of playing the long-run pictures 

on a two-a-day basis. Both "Giant" and 

"War and Peace" gave the Orpheum the best 

business since "Gone With the Wind" on a 

three-shows daily. Patrons, he pointed out, 

do not mind paying roadshow prices in 

pleasant surroundings and without being 

disturbed by late comers. 

The new crop of teenagers is not breaking 

down the doors to enter show business 

as they did in former years because of the 

lack of incentive and the comparatively low 

salaries. As one exhibitor said: 'It seems 

that today young people are no longer willing 

to work long hours and put their hearts and 

soul into a thing. All in all it's a real headache. 

Question is where are the showmen 

of the future. Most theatre personnel here 

are older men and women living on pensions, 

or married women working to help out 

with buying homes for their expected future 

families." 

Tender' and Bible Epic 

Stand Out in Toronto 

TORONTO—As Christmas shopping started 

to gain momentum there were two pictures 

which stood a way out in front in public 

favor during the past week. One was "The 

Ten Commandments," in its second week at 

the University, and the other was "Love Me 

Tender" at Shea's. 


Eglinton ^Wor and Peace (Poro), 2nd wk 110 

Hyland ^Death of a Scoundrel (RKO), 2nd wk. ..100 

Imperial Back From Eternity (RKO) 105 

Loew's Julie (MGM) 105 

Nortown The Solid Gold Cadillac (Col) 110 

Odeon You Can't Run Away From It (Col).... 110 

Shea's Love Me Tender (20th-Fox) 1 50 

Tivoli Oklahoma! (Magna), 32nd wk 100 

Towne Lust for Life (MGM), 4th wk 100 

University The Ten Commandments (Pore), 

2nd wk 1 80 

Uptown—The Opposite Sex (MGM), 2nd wk 100 

'Giant' Continues to Be 

Vancouver 'Blockbuster' 

VANCOUVER—"Giant" in its second week 

continued to be the town's blockbuster, with 

turnaways helping other day-time theatres. 

"A Lamp Is Heavy" did well at the Vogue. 

Also doing suprising business was the oldie, 

"The Gold Rush," in its third week at Studio. 

Capitol Bock From Eternity (RKO) Fair 

Cinema He Laughed Last (Col); Spin a Dork 

Web (Col) Fair 

Orpheum Giant (WB) 2nd wk Excellent 

Paradise Yoqui Drums (AA); No Place to 

Hide (AA) Fair 

Plaza Odongo (Col); Eyewitness (JARO) Fair 

Strand Hold Back the Night (AA); Three 

for Jamie Dawn (AA) Fair 

Studio The Gold Rush (UA), 2nd wk Good 

Vogue A Lamp Is Heavy (JARO) Good 

ST. 

JOHN 

. 

T ove Me Tender" was held at least three days 

at the Paramount in Halifax because of 

record-breaking attendance. The St. John 

Paramount was expecting grand slam attendance 

also. Manager Harrison Howe arranged 

TV and radio patron interviews on 

the film in the lobby, and had extra police 

on hand . . Mrs. Mary McCarthy, 82, mother 

of James McCarthy of the Republic staff, 

died. 

Joe Lieberman, partner in the B&L circuit, 

was presented an engraved clock by 

the St. John Jewish community at a dinner 

following his retirement as president of the 

Shaarei Zedek Synagogue after nine consecutive 

terms. 

Douglas, son of Walter Beckingham, shipper 

at JARO-Republic, will leave for London 

soon to take part in the Rover meet there 

. . . Mrs. Patricia Long (formerly Lester) returned 

from a honeymoon. She is cashier at 

United Artists. 

Jimmy Mitchell, manager at the Capitol, 

reports very good patronage at a morning 

kiddy show which featured the Uncle Bill 

Radio show on the stage and a Roy Rogers 

picture on the screen. Uncle Bill (Hugh Trueman) 

has been broadcasting the show for six 

years . Swim of the Vimy Theatre 

at Clarks Harbor was on Filmrow. 

OTTAWA 

pinley McRae, onetime Hollywood producing 

executive, a former member of the Ottawa 

Board of Control and for years administrator 

of the estate of Harry M. Brouse, was taken 

to Ottawa Civic Hospital after a heart attack. 

The late Harry Brouse, his father-inlaw, 

owned two theatres and other properties 

here and was an original franchiseholder 

of Associated First National Pictures. 

Manager Jim Chalmers of the Odeon has 

arranged a screening of "The Battle of the 

River Plate" December 9 to which he Invited 

high officers from Navy headquarters and 

other guests. The JARO features will be 

premiered December 24 . . . Arthur Masse, 

son of the Rev. and Mrs. E. A. Masse, Ottawa, 

has signed a five-year contract with British 

MGM and Ealing Films, and will leave shortly 

for England to start work on a picture dealing 

with the Dunkirk evacuation in the second 

world war. He is a graduate of the National 

Film Board and had a role in J. Arthur 

Rank's "High Tide at Noon." 

Organized a year ago, the Glengarry 

County Film Council has purchased two 

new RCA projectors and has established a 

film depot at Alexandria for its community 

and school film circuits, which is operated 

with the assistance of the National 

Film Board and the Department of Education. 

Gerard Roy of Glen Robertson is the 

secretary-treasurer. 

Russell Simpson, Renfrew, reported that 

the Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n of Ontario, 

of which he is vice-president, now has 

346 paid-up memberships, including 108 independent 

exhibitors and 22 drive-ins, the 

balance being circuit theatres. Simpson is 

general manager of the Ottawa Valley 

Amusement Co. 

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Phones: 2-4076 and 2-7266 

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: December 

8, 1956

L C^Muoma^ 

• C&Hceddi9*LA. • mtLUdlnaAUic 

M0M1.H 

DECEMBER 

8, 1956 

ÊCTIOS OF BOXOFFICE 

the "new look" in screen presentation in typified by the SO-foot widescreen 

in the recently remodeled Hicksville (New York) Theatre and the projection 

and sound equipment in the booth of the Plaza Theatre, Vernon, Tex. 

featuring: 

/ i'olectlon and ôuna

". . . and 81 Merry Christmas to all 99 

COPR. 1«S« THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

CURVED FILM GATE 

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FIELD-PROVEN! . . . Projectionists and 

exhibitors now using the Simplex XL curved 

gate agree it's a must for better projection of 

wide screen films. The gate is available on all 

new Simplex XL projectors or as a simple 

field adaptation to XL's in service. It uses 

existing aperture plates, is easy to thread, easy 

to remove for cleaning. 

Regular or water-cooled curved gates 

are available for Immediate Delivery . . . contact 

your nearest N.T.S. branch! 

MANUFACTURED BY INTERNATIONAl PROJECTOR CORPORATION 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956

NE WAY 

to brighter pictures 

THE ONLY LIGHT WHICH CAN REACH 

YOUR SCREEN MUST BE REFLECTED TO IT BY YOUR 

LAMPHOUSE MIRROR. THE BRILLIANCY OF YOUR 

PROJECTED PICTURES IS 

DEPENDENT DIRECTLY 

UPON THE CONDITION OF THAT REFLECTOR. 

SINCE REFLECTORS GRADUALLY 

DETERIORATE, A DROP OF ONLY 10% IN THEIR 

REFLECTIVE EFFICIENCY RESULTS 

IN 

A CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN 

SCREEN BRILLIANCY, AND ALSO 

REPRESENTS A WASTE OF 10% OF THE 

COST OF YOUR CURRENT AND CARBONS. 

PERIODIC MIRROR REPLACEMENT 

IS ACCORDINGLY A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT, 

THE COST INSIGNIFICANT. 

DiiltitalH ty 

NATIONAL 

iiiff.ii.i 

A SUBSIDIARY OF 

The MODERN THEATRE SECTION

IT WILL, IF YOU HAVE STRONG SUPER "135" PROJECTION ARC LAMPS 

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Exclusive jightronic system controls the burning of both carbons. Automatically 

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WITHOUT MANUAL ADJUSTMENTS-exactly the same for 

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Burn a choice of four carbon trims, 9, 10, or 11 mm regular and 10 mm 

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same program. A TRULY ALL-PURPOSE LAMP! 

Single control amperage selection. 

18" f 1.7 or 16'/2"f 1.9 reflector. 

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the Strong 

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" ' •fii-tvffHT^ ^ 

holder. Easy cleaning. Blower cooled. 

Reliector and frame cooling device. 

The arc is stabilized by its own magnetic field (no magnets are required 

and an air jet prevents deposit ol soot on reliector). 

Unitized component design. 

Long-life positive carbon contact. Water-cooled carbon contact assembly 

(optional). 

New conversion features engineered by Strong to fit into Super 135 

projection arc lamps, to assure period screen lighting for the new 55, 65 and 

70 mm wide him productions are now ready lor your adoption. When you 

equip for any of these projection techniques, provision can be made for 

burning the 20-inch 13.6 mm carbons. A wider opening can be provided in 

the nose ol the lamp, it can be lifted with a new dowser which fully covers 

the bigger opening, and a new high magnification mirror employed. 

THE STRONG ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

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NAME 

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Please send free literature 

THEATRE 

CITY & STATE 

t 

BOXOFFICE : : December 8, 1956

Colonial Theatre studied them all, 

then chose Bodifornrie Chairs! 

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The Colonial Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa.; Management: 

Colonial Amusement Co., Inc.; Seating: American 

Seating Bodiform Chairs, No. 16-001, End No. 123. 

inxî-orii 

Colonial Amusement Company, Inc., 

Philadelphia, 

made a careful study of theatre chairs 

before remodeling the l,().Sl-seat Colonial 

Theatre. Their choice: American Seating 

Bodiform Chairs, on the basis of quality and 

comfort . . . backed by American Seating's 

outstanding record and long experience in 

theatre seating. 

The Colonial Theatre is one of thousands 

of theatres throughout the nation that have 

selected the inviting, luxurious comfort of new 

American Seating Bodiform Cliairs. They all 

applaud the spring-arch seats, upholstered with 

full-rubber pad and an extra thickness along 

front and rear edges for added softness; the 

backs, designed lo fit tlie body contours ])erfectly; 

the automatic, silent, ^-safetyfold seat 

action that allows more room for passing and 

easier housekeeping; the wide selection of 

chair styles, aisle standards, and upholstery 

fabrics that fit their decorating schemes. 

For full information on Bodiform Chairs 

contact an American .Seating 

for your theatre, 

representative 

today. 

AMERICAIM 

SE/VTING 

WORLD'S LEADER IN PUBLIC SEATING 

Grand Rapids 2, Michigan. Branch Offices and Distributors in 

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Stadium, Transportation Seating, and Folding Chairs. 

ALSO DISTRIBUTED BY NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY 


I 0^,t A^ ^yT- 

THI 


THlAm! Û 

o n t n t 

Ceiling Dome Creates Problem in Sound; Solved by Acoustical 

Treatment and New Equipment ^ssle'i Trout 8 

Curved Film Trap and Gate Improves Stability of 

Film During Projection Cycle 10 

Projectionist Designs Remote Control System for the Booth 12 

Some Tips on Installation and Care of Speakers 15 

An Arcade Leads to Additional Income /. L. Thatcher 17 

$100,000 Modernization Gives 1936 House 

Bright New Look Phil Hannum 20 

Premiums Please the Patrons and Step Up Sales- Per- Person 24 

Central Foyer Location Best for Concessions Stand 26 

Service to Cars Brings $900 Weekly Gross Bonus 27 

Theatre Maintenance Questions and Answers Dave E. S/no//ey 30 

You Must Take a Year-End Inventory Harold J. Ashe 31 

They Moved a Mountain to Build a Drive-ln Eddie Badger 32 

Electronic Car Hop System Offers Drive-ln 

Exhibitors 

New Opportunity for Profit Frartcis W. Keilhack 34 

"World's Largest" Screen in Kansas City 35 

DEPARTMENTS: 

Projection and Sound 8 Advertisers' Index at 35 

Refreshment Service 24 New Equipment and 

Developments 37 

Drive-ln Theatres 32 Literature 40 

Readers' Service Bureau at 35 About People and Product 41 

ON THE COVER 

A problem in acoustics somewhat similar to that described in the 

opening article in this issue toas encountered in the remodeling of 

the Hicksville (New York) Theatre. The old dome of the theatre 

was redone and special Fiberglas baffles were installed. The screen 

was moved forward of the proscenium and expanded from 33 to 50 

feet. Booth equipment in the Plaza Theatre, Vernon, Tex., one of 

the first theatres to be built expressly for widescreen and stereophonic 

sound, is an outstanding installation. 

I. L. THATCHER, Managing Editor 

The MODERN THEATRE Seclion of BOXOFFICE is included in the first issue of each month. 

Editorial or general business corresDoncence snculd be aaaressea to Associated Publications, 

825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo. Eastern Representative: Carl Mos, 45 Rockefeller 

Plozo, New YorK 20, N. Y.; Central Reoresentatives: Ewing Hutchison and E. E. Yeeic, 

35 Eost Wacker Drive, Chicaoo 1, 111.; Wesiern Representative: Bob Wettstein, 672 South 

Lofoyette Park Ploce, Los Angeles 5, Calif. 

N,low that standardization of 

the new film processes and methods of 

presentation appears to have arrived, 

there is no reason for those exhibitors 

who have not yet equipped for them to 

hold back any longer in fear that they 

might later have to again change their 

projection and screen equipment. 

The projection problems of light level, 

excessive grain, definition, heat on 

film, film buckle, etc., have been sufficiently 

solved by manufacturers and 

projectionists through the experience 

and developments of the past few 

years, and the new equipment which is 

available is designed to present the 

highest type of projection possible 

today. 

It 

is as important to the small theatre 

as to the large house to be able to offer 

patrons the best in screen presentation, 

and where there is a will there is a 

way. With proper engineering it is possible 

to overcome acoustical difficulties 

which may be presented by the physical 

design of older theatres. Further, 

it has been proved possible to install 

widescreen even in very narrow 

theatres. 

The reports from exhibitors who have 

installed new booth and screen equipment 

to enable them to show the new 

pictures are virtually unanimous—business 

at the boxoffice picks up when 

patrons learn that they can see the best 

of Hollywood fare presented in the way 

it is intended to be shown and heard. 

It is recommended, however, that 

exhibitors consult with their projectionists, 

who know the projection problems 

faced in the theatres where they operate, 

and carefully investigate the kinds 

of equipment available. The equipment 

should be evaluated in relation to 

the physical conditions in the theatre 

to be equipped, for, as has been repeatedly 

stated, each installation is different 

and must be tcdlor-made.

^^ IN 

CEILING 

DOME CREATES PROBLEM 

SOUND; SOLVED BY ACOUSTICAL 

2 TREATMENT AND NEW EQUIPMENT 

Theatre Closed Only One Day During Updating 

By WESLEY TROUT 

Wesley 

Trout 

w. E 

THINK 

EVERY SOUND engineer 

runs into a sound installation 

problem 

which really perplexes 

him, due to 

the acoustical condition 

of the theatre 

auditorium which 

cannot, without expensive 

alteration being 

done, be completely 

corrected. To 

overcome some of the difficulties, it is 

necessary to use the vei-y best speaker 

combinations back stage and position them 

so they will deliver good over-all sound distribution 

despite "dead" spots and other 

obstructions which may prevent good 

audible sound reproduction, and the equipment 

should be adjusted (tuned) to deliver 

a flat response, from at least 40 to 

8,000 cycles, without any "peaks." 

VARY FREQUENCY RANGE 

In some situations, in order to secure the 

best possible results, it may be necessary to 

vary this range of frequencies but still obtain 

very satisfactory reproduction of voice 

and music. In a future article, we will go 

into more detail about "warping" an 

amplifier circuit to fit each particular theatre 

auditorium. 

When we were asked to make some 

recommendations in order to secure better 

sound in the Chief Theatre, Video Independent 

Theatre, Inc., operation, Enid, 

Okla., our survey of the situation brought 

out many problems, namely, a large ceiling 

dome, insufficient acoustical treatment in 

places, a sound system that had been in 

operation since 1928, modified a number of 

times to improve sound reproduction but 

still falling far short of good reproduction. 

CHANGED THE SPEAKERS 

In the course of time, engineers tried 

changing speakers, at one time using a 

speaker combination, high and low, large 

enough for a 3,000-seat house. This latter 

setup was extremely bad in this auditorium 

because it let the sound spread out and up 

too much via the high-frequency speaker: 

the next speaker combination was Altec- 

Lansing, and the size more suitable for this 

theatre, but with the old modified sound 

equipment, using sound heads long ago 

discontinued, the sound was still very unsatisfactory. 

Nothing could be done about the dome in 

but the side walls and back of 

the ceiling 

the auditorium had been given quite a 

little acoustical treatment, using acoustical 

board panels. The treatment of the back 

wall helped to eliminate some of the back 

wall "slap." Most of this acoustical correction 

was done several years ago. Some 

acoustical treatment should be done down 

by the stage exits, which, due to the way 

the exits are slanted on each side of the 

stage, would help the sound considerably. 

Drapes here and on the stage would give 

excellent results. 

NEEDED MODERN SOUND SYSTEM 

Due to the age of the equipment, old 

wiring, continuous modifications which 

did little to correct the situation, the first 

recommendaton we suggested to Bob Clark, 

in charge of equipment maintenance and 

purchasing, was the installation of a more 

modern sound system which could be 

adjusted to deliver better quality sound 

reproduction, even with some of the auditorium 

acoustical defects. And we suggested 

a later type high and low frequency 

speaker combination. Our recommendation 

was almost immediately acted upon and 

Pour-Star Simplex sound system, consisting 

of dual power amplifiers, dual volume 

control pre-amplifiers, and emergency 

power supply for the exciter lamps was installed. 

Now, with this modern equipment, 

one could make necessary adjustments 

better to suit the condition here. All the 

old wiring was removed and new wires in 

Greenfield and conduit were installed. 

We also suggested the regular Altec- 

Lansing speakers, high and low, should be 

used for a perfect match with the equipment 

in the projection room. This was 

also done. Not to get ahead of our story, 

here is the place to mention the fact that 

the positioning of these speakers, directing 

the high frequency to the center of the 

seating, helped to keep the sound from 

the ceiling, but positioned so that it could 

be heard clearly to the back row of seats. 

Too, we tried to keep the high frequency 

spear close to the screen and the low 

frequency back a little. This also helps to 

eliminate some unwanted sound patterns. 

CARPET IN FRONT OF SPEAKERS 

In front of the speakers, on the stage 

floor, carpet was laid. The speakers are 

enclosed and sealed so there will be no 

backstage reverberation. Where speech 

intelligibility is seriously impaired due to 

poor acoustical conditions of the auditorium, 

some improvement can be done electrically 

in the amplifier, and in many 

cases this is absolutely necessary. This 

is done, in some cases, by reducing the low 

frequency acoustical energy output of the 

system. However, in this situation a fairly 

flat response was obtained without resorting 

to extreme measures in the warping 

circuit. We might point out that with 

the modern type sound system, the quality 

of the sound was much better, although 

some changes had to be made to fit the 

condition of the auditorium. The final 

tuneup, of course, was with an audio generator 

and test reel for checking the overall 

response of the system after some 

changes were made. 

An output meter is 

necessary in conjunction with the 35mm 

multifrequency test film for plotting the 

curve, etc. 

INSTALLATION OF EQUIPMENT 

Most of the new equipment was installed 

before dismantling the old soundsystem 

by rearranging the layout. The 

power supply and power amplifiers were installed 

on the left side of the projectors, 

leaving the old amplifier, motor generator 

set, changeover and filter system still in 

operation. Some of the new conduit and 

Greenfield was installed, and wire was run 

for the new system. One pre-amplifier was 

mounted under the observation port, the 

other one, by using some Greenfield, was 

wired but not hung on the wall because the 

changeover cabinet of the other system was 

in the way. By doing most of this work 

after the show closed and in the mornings, 

the theatre was closed only one day. All of 

the old sound system and wiring was removed 

and in its place new conduit and 

wires were installed. After completion, it 

made a very neat job. Plenty of room was 

made available for servicing the amplifiers 

and power supply, which should be done 

on every new installation. 

HEAVY DUTY PROJECTOR BASES 

Heavy duty Simplex bases replaced the 

old three-point pedestals, and all the wiring 

for the motors, changeovers and arc 

lamp supply were brought up into the bases 

and then out via Greenfield, thereby making 

a very neat wiring job. 

The rectifiers for each arc lamp were 

moved and placed near a large window so 

some of the heat from the bulbs would be 

removed and make the projection room 

cooler. New wiring and larger switches 

were installed. 

In order to obtain a rock-steady plc- 

8 The MODERN THEATRE SECTION

Some of the Steps Taken in Correcting Sound Problems in Old House 

^1 i^w" 

The old three-point, Simplex pedestals and rectifiers. 

Note the old-style Western Electric sound 

heads with the large flywheels used to keep 

"flutter" and "wows" out of the sound, provided 

the motor maintained correct speed all the time. 

The preamplifier for this system is mounted in 

front of the sound head with an iron pipe for 

supporting it. New heavy duty bases were installed 

with all the wiring concealed within the bases. 

On this job, all new wiring was run for the sound 

system and the projectors. 

Here is Ben Brewer, after the installation was 

completed, checking one of the mechanisms. Note 

the new Four-Star Simplex sound heads and new 

18-inch lower and upper magazines. A most excellent 

job of installation of the new bases, mechanisms 

(rebuilt), alignment of the Strong high 

intensity lamps, and the replacement of the heavy 

duty rectifiers, was accomplished by both Brewer 

and Ray Davis, maintenance engineers for Video's 

200 theatres in some 50 towns and cities. The Chief 

sound correction job is the most recent completed.

Curved Film Trap and Gate 

Improves Stability of 

Film 

During Projection Cycle 

A curved film trap and gate have been 

introduced by the Century Projector Corp. 

as contributions toward improving stability 

of motion picture film during the projection 

cycle. The new film trap and gate, 

while similar to the Century standard design, 

is carefully curved from top to bottom 

to eliminate "normal" film curl and 

reduce the tendency of the film to buclcle 

under heat. 

The curve over the height of the aperture 

is not enough to cause focusing difficulty. 

In fact, it is reported that there 

is improvement in the top to center to 

Scene from "Anasiasia/' 20th Century-Fox CinemoScope production. 

Make your theatre 

HABIT-FORMING with the 

PERFECT-PICTURE PAIR 

PERFECT-PICTURE PRIME LENS 

SEE THE BIG DIFFERENCE 

. . . FREE DEMONSTRATION 

Write today for demonstration, 

and for Catalogs E-123 

and E-141, Bausch & Lomb 

Optical Co., 72012 St. Paul 

St., Rochester 2, N. Y. (In 

Canada: General Theatre 

Supply, Toronto.) 

Sure, a good feature will bring patrons 

in . . . but it's how well they 

see it that helps decide whether 

they'll pick yo//r theatre to come 

hack to. Build repeat patronage 

with B&L Super Cinephor Projection 

Lenses— full detail, brilliant 

contrast— the quality standard 

prime lens for all theatre and drivein 

projectors. 

PERFECT-PICTURE CINEMASCOPE LENS 

Clearest, brightest, distortion-free 

projection of all anamorphic process 

films. Highest light transmission 

—92%! No vignetting! Uniform 

light and uniform magnification 

throughout entire screen area! Complete 

line—neighborhood 

theatres to longest-throw 

drive-ins. 

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 

Honorary Award for Optical Service to the Industry 

Century's new curved film trap and gate is said 

to offer much advantage to projectionists having 

trouble in holding focus because of higher powered 

arc 

lamps. 

bottom focusing when short focus, highspeed 

lenses are used. This advantage is 

considered nearly as important as that of 

overcoming the original problem of inand-out-of-focus 

from film buckle. 

The new curved film trap and gate can 

be installed easily in any Century projector 

now operating without additional 

machining, drilling or taping holes or 

special tools, according to the manufacturer. 

Use of the curved device is said to 

be a definite advantage for those having 

trouble in holding focus because of higherpowered 

arc lamps. Used in combination 

with the Century water-cooled aperture 

plates, the curved film trap and gate 

should result in as good projection as is 

possible within the limits of commercial 

film projection in theatres. 

Both the curved film trap and gate device 

and the water-cooled aperture plates 

developed by Century are results of studies 

undertaken after a report on the effect of 

high intensity arcs upon 35mm film projection 

was made in 1942 before the fall 

meeting of the Society of Motion Picture 

and Television Engineers by members of 

the Eastman Kodak Co. 


I 

New Research Laboratories in Parma, Ohio. 

To expand its basic research in solid 

At the outer boundaries 

state and chemical physics, National 

Carbon Company has recently 

of knowledge enlarged its 

. . 

staff of scientists and 

provided them with an ideal laboratory 

setup for creative work. 

Studying color balance for better color movies. 

The spectroradiometer analyzes the 

complete "rainbow" of colors in projected 

light — to give an investigator, in one and 

a half minutes, information that he 

formerly worked half a day to get. 

Research like this helped National Carbon 

Company win the coveted "Oscar" this 

year for developing lighting carbons 

which were balanced to operate with 

other studio lights. 

New"particle"tlieory promises help in 

developing still 

brighter carhon arcs 

Although the high-intensity arc has been 

around for forty years now, nobody has 

yet been able to explain satisfactorily how 

it produces the super-bright light so useful 

for movie projection and studio lighting. 

At one time it was thought that the brilliant 

light came from atomic reactions taking 

place within the glowing crater or pit 

at the tip of the positive electrode where 

the energy of the arc is highly concentrated. 

But this theory has been radically 

modified by researchers at National Carbon's 

laboratories. 

Now it is believed that a much more 

complicated process takes place in the 

crater region where powerful electrical 

currents heat the carbon to temperatures 

of 10,000 to 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit, 

roughly the temperature of the sun's 

surface. According to the new "particle" 

theory, material from the molten floor of 

the crater vaporizes into tiny particles of 

the order of a millionth of an inch in diameter. 

These white-hot liquid droplets stream 

out into the space between the carbon 

electrodes of the arc to form a long, luminous 

tail flame or "comet tail." 

Precise knowledge of this process, combined 

with results of other experiments 

now under way at the Parma laboratories, 

should point the way toward new, brighter 

lighting carbons that will stand up to 

higher and higher currents and temperatures. 

More details of the work at Parma 

are given in a new booklet titled "Research." 

Write for a copy. 

Look to N AT lONAL CARBON for leadership in lighting carbons 

NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY • A Division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation QS 30 East a2nd Street, New York 17, N.Y. 

Sales Offices: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco. In Canada: Union Carbide Canada Limited, Toronto 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 

11

Projectionist Designs Remote Control System for the Booth 

Roy Ballinger, projectionist at the Rockhill Theatre, A closeup of the control panel. Pilot lights on the Magnetic contactors and low voltage relays are 

Kansas City, Mo., stands beside one of the control panel indicate the position of each control on the housed in this main panel of the control system 

panels he designed and installed. panel which may be operated with one hand. which is located in the generator room. 

A unique, remote control system of operation 

which eliminates all switches on 

the projectors and on the lamps, as well as 

changeover switches and foot controls has 

been installed in the recently remodeled 

Rockhill Art Theatre, Kansas City, Mo. 

The system enables the projectionist to 

make a better screen presentation. 

The entire operation is performed by a 

one hand, fingertip control. Control panels 

are located on the front wall, right side 

of each machine. Prom these panels, 

generator, amplifiers, lamps, and projectors 

are controlled through a system of low 

voltage relays and magnetic contactors. 

The contactors and relays are housed in 

a main panel, located in the generator 

room adjoining the booth. Work lights in 

the projection booth are also controlled 

from these panels. Pilot lights on each 

panel indicate the position of each control 

on each panel. 

The low voltage and remote control 

wiring to operate the projection equipment 

was designed and engineered by Roy Ballinger, 

projectionist at the Rockhill. Ballinger 

has been a projectionist associated 

with Local 170 for over 25 yeai's. In addition 

to his affiliation with the motion 

picture industry, he has been an electrician 

in the employ of the Alber Electric Co., 

for a number of years. He personally 

Inc., 

made the installation in the Rockhill. 

Two Simplex model E7 projectors with 

Peerless Magnarc lamps were installed 

along with stereophonic magnetic sound. 

THE TRULY AMAZING 

LIGHT 

PROJECTING SYSTEM 

140-165 AMPERES -40% 

MORE LIGHT THAN EVER BEFORE 

NEW 

F1.6 

HIGHER POWER! 

.O CARBON ARC LOWER COST! 

FASTER SPEED OPTICS! 

CONTROLLED FILM HEAT! 

NOW YOUR DRIVE-IN 

CAN HAVE THE BRILLIANT 

LIGHT OF INDOOR THEATRES 

U. S. Diftribution through INDEPENDENT THEATRE SUPPLY DEALERS • Foreign: WESTREX CORPORATION • Canado: DOMINION SOUND EQUIPMENTS, LTD 

C. S. ASHCRAFT MANUFACTURING CO., INC. 

36-32 THIRTY-EIGHTH STREET, LONG ISLAND CITY 1, NEW YORK 


Which theatre is yours? 

studios put top quality on tlieir 

films- 

Do audiences get this quality in your theatre? 

Good projection requires the best modem lenses 

and projectors, today's high powered arc lamps and 

rectifiers, the latest wide screens and stereophonic 

sound* (and, of course, the most competent of 

Westrex 

projectionists )

• • IT'S NEW • 

• 

WILLIAMS PERLITE SCREEN 

AFTER MUCH RESEARCH WILLIAMS SCREEN COMPANY HAS ACCOMPLISHED WHAT 

HAS BEEN THE GOAL OF SCREEN MANUFACTURERS FOR MANY YEARS — THE DEVELOP- 

MENT OF A FINISH WHICH HAS THE BEST FEATURES OF BOTH WHITE AND SILVER SCREENS. 

THE HIGH GAIN REFLECTIVITY OF SILVER AND THE GREATER UGHT DIFFUSION OF WHITE 

ARE ACHIEVED WITH THIS NEW FINISH. THE SCREEN IS ALSO WATER-PROOF. STAIN AND 

SCAR RESISTANT AND EASILY WASHED. 

SAMPLES ON REQUEST 

WILLIAMS SCREEN COMPANY 

1679 SUMMIT LAKE BOULEVARD AKRON 1. OHIO 

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Machine Works 

LaVezzi 

4635 WEST LAKE ST. CHICAGO 44, ILL. 


Some Tips on Installation 

And the Care of Speakers 

To Assure Good Operation 

Get the 

Because the speaker or speakers are 

located in back of screen, they are, in 

many situations, sadly neglected. Connections 

are not checked at least every three 

months; dust and dirt is let accumulate on 

the units and inside of the speakers; bolts 

are not checked nor tightened firmly, and 

phasing tests are not run. 

Neglect of a periodical check of connections 

may result in no sound, or a loose, 

corroded connection will result in unnecessary 

noise. Keep the speech lines away 

from any AC power lines. Dust and dirt accumulation 

is very detrimental to loudspeakers, 

particularly to the cone and voice 

coil, etc. They should be kept cleaned the 

same as your projection room equipment. 

If screws and bolts are not checked for 

Tightness, rattles in your speaker or speakers 

will show up and cause a very unpleasant 

noise which can be avoided. 

PERIODICAL CHECKUPS NECESSARY 

It has been found, in the field, a very 

good idea to run an oscillator check, every 

three to six months, of the speaker units 

to determine that none of the voice coils 

are rubbing, on optic and stereosound installations. 

This may be done by coimecting 

a suitable audio signal generator through 

the power amplifier, either optic or magnetic 

sound installation; where there are 

three speaker units back stage, each one 

should be checked in succession. Do not 

feed too much voltage, of course, to each 

unit (roughly five volts). Only frequencies 

from 20 to 200 cycles are necessary when 

making this check. 

The cables to the networks (stereosoimd) 

should be connected to the loudspeaker 

terminals in such a way that all 

the speakers in the same baffle will be in 

phase. With any type of sound system, all 

speakers must be connected so they will be 

in phase. 

PM (magnetic) speakers are now used 

very extensively in modern sound system 

installations as they give excellent sound 

reproduction and plenty of necessary power 

output for conventional and outdoor theatres. 

They require very little maintenance 

except periodical checks and cleaning- 

Wesley Trout. 

Fire at Associated Advertising 

Production has been resumed by Associated 

Advertising, whose Weston, Ont., 

plant was destroyed in a mid-October fire. 

J. Messer of Associated Advertising points 

out, however, that the fire destroyed all 

office copies of correspondence, requests 

for information and orders. Industry firms 

corresponding with Associated Advertising 

in early October are requested by Messer 

to advise the Canadian firm of any outstanding 

orders or inquiries that may have 

been lost in the fire. 

EVERYTHING, BUT EVERYTHING, FOR YOUR PROJECTION 

ROOM IS AVAILABLE FROM NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY 

of consistent 

quality 

and outstanding 

For over 30 years exhibitors and projectionists have come 

to look upon NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY as headquarters 

for all their theatre needs. They know that national is 

always ready with the newest and finest equipment . . . plus 

the reliable up-to-the-minute thinking it takes to make it 

pay off. When it's time to install new equipment in your 

projection room or anywhere else in your theatre . . . look to 

NATIONAL, the folks with the most experience. 

Up in the projection room where it takes the finest 

equipment to make a good show, you'll 

America's top manufacturers: 

• SIMPLEX X'L Projector Mechanisms 

• SIMPLEX Deluxe and Heavy Duty Pedestals 

• SIMPLEX X«L and Standard Magazines 

• SIMPLEX X'L Sound Systems 

• SIMPLEX Speakers 

• PEERLESS Arc Lamps 

• EXCELITE Arc Lamps 

• HERTNERTRANSVERTERS 

• C&C Rectifiers 

• EXCELENIUM Rectifiers 

find equipment by 

• KOLLMORGEN, BAUSCH & LOMB Projection Lenses 

So for the new projection room, or new equipment for the 

existing room call national theatre supply . . . and be 

sure of the best. 

NATIONAL. THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY 

Branches Coast-to- Coast 


BE£ftSl 

ôu 

'"'lorRect.f'erson 

the be SURE that they were designed specifically for use with 

projection arc lamps, and ore not just general purpose rectifiers. 

The one way to be SURE is to buy only those that were engineered 

and manufactured by arc lamp specialists. 

Be SURE that the selenium stacks are FULL SIZE . . . adequate tithe 

job expected. 

Be SURE that the stacks are DAMP PROOFED . . . that they will 

withstand wet climate ond winter storage, and be sure that the 

damp-proofing meets the exacting specifications as demanded by 

the military services. 

Be SURE that AMPERAGE OUTPUT can be readily changed DURING 

LAMP OPERATION as with the 3 easily accessible rugged 8-point 

dial switches illustrated. 

Be SURE that they hove Type H glass-type insulated transformers 

which means that they will withstand up to 150° F higher temperatures 

than Type A cotton insulated transformers. Thus they will 

permit emergency operation of both lamps on one rectifier. 

Be SURE that they are capable of being adjusted to compensote for 

line 

phase unbalance. 

Be SURE that they include a heavy duty fan and line control relay. 

Be SURE that they carry a GUARANTEE that you can depend on. 

NO OTHER RECTIFIER GIVES 

YOU ALL THESE ASSURANCES 

The New ^^fM^ "Red Arrow" Selenium Rectifier 

90 to 135 Ampere and 

120 te ISO Ampare 3-phaM; 

70 te 90 Ampere and 90 to 135 

Ampere ilngle ptiote models. 

Engineered for complete dependability, utmost economy 

and peak efficiency in converting A.C. current to D.C. 

for use with angle or coaxial trim high intensity lamps. 

THE STRONG ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

M City Pork Avenue Toledo 1, Ohio 

Nome 

Theatre 

Please send free literature on Strong Rectifiers. 

City ond State . . 

Name of 

Supplier. 

The Finest 

Rectifier 

Ever Offered at Such a Low Price! 


The circular marquee of the new Miracle Theatre, fayetteville, 

N C, extends 45 feet over the theatre entrance and an 

adjoining storeroom. The upper facade is red and green porcelain, 

and black and white marble are used beneath the marquee. 

The vertical name sign is 36 feet high. 

This is the lost 100 feet of the long arcade and nearest the auditorium doors at 

center rear. The abstract mural covers the full 100 feet on the left wall, while the 

rental storerooms with glass fronts are opposite it on the right. 

AN ARCADE LEADS TO ADDITIONAL INCOME 

De Luxe New House Follows Trend by Including Rental Shops and Offices 

By I. L. THATCHER 

f\ SPACIOUS AND IMPRESSIVE 200- 

foot-long arcade leads patrons from entrance 

doors to auditorium doors in the 

Miracle Theatre, recently opened in Fayetteville, 

N. C. The arcade is distinctively 

decorated, and there are four shops along 

one wall, including a beauty parlor, camera 

shop and dance studios. The stores have 

modernistic glass fronts which create a 

very open effect. At the center of the arcade 

is an automatic elevator leading to 

the second and third floors which will 

provide about 50 offices to be completed 

according to the renters' specifications. 

BUILDING COST $600,000 

Thus, the Miracle, the first 

new theatre 

to be built in downtown Fayetteville in 

15 years, follows a notable trend in recent 

theatre construction—the provision for 

income in addition to that from boxoffice 

and concessions. The building which fronts 

between two main streets is 375 feet long 

by 80 feet wide and was erected at a cost 

of $600,000. The theatre seats 1,500 persons 

and has a drawing radius of 200,000, including 

Ft. Bragg, for its first run exhibition. 

The distinctive decoration of the arcade, 

referred to above, includes a striking combination 

of colors including purple, canary 

yellow, blue and pink with black and 

white terrazzo floors. The dominating 

feature, however, is a 100-foot abstract 

mural on one wall nearest the auditorium 

doors. The mural, which is an abstract of 

people—was painted by Mrs. Elizabeth 

Mack, director of art in Charlotte, N. C, 

public schools. The mural has a striking 

background of canary yellow and sweeps 

almost directly into the auditorium doors 

which are orchid. The stores are opposite 

the mural. 

In the first 100-foot section of the arcade, 

walls are of stacked Roman brick 

on the left, and on the right is a "Moulin 

Rouge" type of painting of gold, black and 

pink. The ceiling in the arcade is acoustical 

plaster, and in the center of the ceiling 

are speakers, running the length of 

the arcade, where music is piped in and 

plays continuously. This same music is 

also piped into the booth and is used for 

intermission music. 

HAS A TELEVISION LOUNGE 

Blond wood, from floor to ceiling, panels 

the foyer, and wall-to-wall carpet is in 

a red, green and gold pattern. The foyer 

area is 20x80 feet, and this includes a 

smartly furnished television lounge leading 

directly off the foyer. The standee area is 

combined with the foyer and has a black 

and gold candelabra in the center of the 

wall and Japanese leaf-type fixtures on each 

side of this. Men's and ladies' rooms are 

located directly off the foyer and are 

tiled. The ladies' room has three lavatories 

built into the powder table. The 

table top is Formica, and a 20-foot mirror 

is mounted above the long powder bar. 

Unusual decorative materials were used 

in the auditorium, where the ceiling is entirely 

of spun fiber glass in gold, and the 

walls are covered with damask cloth in 

brilliant green and silver. The wainscot 

is in blond paneled wood. The stage has 

two curtains, the front one is a rising type 

Continued on following page 

The full length of the 200-foot arcade may be seen 

in this photo. Speakers are inset in the acoustical 

ceiling for the entire length of the arcade and 

music is piped through them continuously. The 

music is also piped to the booth for intermission 

entertainment. 


^ 

Extraordinary decorative materials 

were used in the Miracle's auditorium. 

The ceiling is entirely formed 

of draped spun fiber glass in a 

shade of gold. Above the wainscot 

of blond, paneled wood a green 

and silver damask is used to cover 

the walls. The stage drapery is 

orange plush and the screen curtain 

is aqua plush. Carpeting 

throughout the theatre is in a red, 

green and gold pattern. The 1 ,500 

seats ore spaced on 36-inch centers 

and are red with blond standards. 

The large stage was planned 

for future vaudeville productions. 

ARCADE LEADS TO INCOME 

Continued from preceding page 

in an orange shade of plush, while the 

screen curtain is an aqua plush. 

The stage is large enough for vaudeville 

and big stage productions are planned. The 

stage front is Roman brick. 

The auditorium seats 1,200 persons 

downstairs and 300 in the balcony. Seats 

are red with blond standards, spaced 36 

inches, back-to-back. House and wall lights 

are combined on modern, double-cone 

fixtures that are perforated. A section of 

the balcony is used for smoking. 

TWO SEPARATE CONCESSIONS 

There are two complete refreshment 

stands, one upstairs and one on the main 

floor. The stands have a background of 

aqua, blue and yellow, and the front, top 

and bottom of the stands are in pink and 

black. A wide variety of concessions items 

are sold, including soft drinks and 25-cent 

popcorn and 25-cent candy items. 

The concessions stands were custom-designed 

and equipment was furnished by 

A.B.C.-Berlo Vending of Charlotte. 

In the projection and sound department, 

the Miracle is equipped for full 

stereophonic sound and the screen covers 

the full width of the theatre except for 

exits on sides. There are three projectors 

instead of two in the 40x20-foot booth to 

assure uninterrupted viewing. 

The Miracle is completely air conditioned 

by a 100-ton system. 

The facade of the Miracle is colorful, 

with the area above the marquee being of 

red and green porcelain enamel, and the 

area below the marquee in white and black 

marble, plus plate glass which rises up 

to the ceiling. The marquee covers a width 

of 45 feet. It is a circular type and has 

four tracks for 16-inch letters combined 

with ten-inch letters. The vertical name 

sign is 36 feet high. 

The boxoffice, built into one side of 

the entrance lobby, has a slanted roof of 

unusual design and there are two windows 

to provide fast service. 

The Miracle fronts on two streets and 

patrons have access to enter from either 

side. At the rear entrance to the theatre 

there is a paved parking lot for theatre personnel. 

Planning of the manager's office 

and the large storerooms was carefully designed 

for the first floor, and the main 

storeroom area is directly off the parking 

^ 

A corner of the 20x80-foot foyer is set 

aside as a television lounge. The TV 

lounge adjoins the concessions at the 

right, and is furnished with smartly 

styled chairs, benches and ceramic tile 

tables. Decorations include modern brass 

lighting fixtures and wrought iron candelabra, 

plus wall fixtures and paintings. 

Restrooms are located directly off the 

foyer and a carpeted stairway leads to 

the balcony where there are located 300 

of the 1,500 seats. A portion of the balcony 

is utilized as a smoking section. 

The Miracle is completely air conditioned 

by a 100-ton system. 

lot so that trucks do not have parking and 

loading problems. 

The new theatre opened with the Fayetteville 

premiere of "The Eddy Duchin 

Story" with a special section of the auditorium 

reserved for invited guests. 

Regular policy of the Miracle will be 

daily performances beginning at 11 a.m. 

The Miracle is one of 19 theatres in 

North Carolina operated by H. M. Meiselman 

Theatres of Charlotte. The new house 

is managed by James A. n-azier. 

CREDITS: Air conditioning: Westinghouse and 

York • Acousticalâterial: Celotex • Architect: 

Wooten, Wooten and Crosby • Auditorium wells 

and ceiling: Dobesch Associates * Carpeting: Firth 

* Projection and sound: Simplex * Rewinds: Goldberg 

• Seating: American • Speakers: Altec.

ening night at the Miracle. This picture was taken just after the ribbon-cutting ceremonies by 

Mayor George Herndon of Fayetteyille. Over 500 guests, many from out of town and including representatives 

from Ft. Bragg, attended the opening attraction which was "The Iddy Duchin Story." Note 

the unusual, tilted roof of the boxoffice which adds to its interest. Two windows are provided for 

fast ticket service. The wall of stacked Roman brick which begins in the outer lobby extendi for 

another 100 feet on the left in the arcade which leads to shops and theatre auditorium. 

Super-Hilux'' 

THE PROJECTION LENS 

with GREATEST OVER-ALL 

INCREASE IN LIGHT 

TRANSMISSION 

f./.O 

C0U£C7/m 

QP££0 

year in service . . . proven in hundreds 

of theaters! 

to present an entirely new concept 

of theater projection! 

There are two complete concessions stands in the Miracle, one on the balcony which also has a 

separate lounge and restroom facilities. This concessions stand is the one in the theatre lobby. The 

attractive backbar sign featuring buttered popcorn and cold drinks is in aqua blue and yellow. The 

front, top and bottom of the stand are in pink and black. In addition to 25-cent buttered corn, 

many 25-cent candy items are sold at this stand. 

ff/fCAMAfC' 

MIRRORS? 

"uou con, >io^ iôuA. pAo^Gim. uHtk. 

fiEYER-sHULTz UNBREAKABLE 

METAL REFLECTORS 

5 YEAR GUARANTEE '(Mammim SCREEN lUUHINATION 

SEE YOUR THEATRE SUPPLY DEALER • M«

The luminous new marquee of the remodeled 

Criterior) Theatre, New York, dominates its 

Broadway location. The facing is of Plexiglas, 

with the background of the facing painted 

red. Display copy is painted oyer the facing. 

$100,000 REMODELING 

GIVES 1936 THEATRE 

BRIGHT LOOK OF TODAY 

This was tfie old marquee with its face and two 

vertical members outlined in bulb lights. Those 

lights have been discarded in favor of the more 

commanding design of the new marquee. 

By PHIL HANNUM 

I HE MOST RECENTLY built theatre 

on Broadway, the Criterion at 45th Street, 

now has the distinction of being the most 

recently updated theatre on this country's 

most famous show street. 

Charles B. Moss, president of the Macon 

Amusement Corp., closed the 20-year-old 

Criterion, which seats 1,626 patrons, on 

October 7 for a month's renovation under 

the direction of Sheridan Kettering, New 

York interior decorator and former Hollywood 

set designer for Universal Pictures. 

On November 7, formal opening of the 

Criterion was held to display to the public 

the $100,000 improvements made in seven 

areas of the theatre. 

Kettering's planning correlated updating 

of the Criterion's marquee, street lobby, 

candy stand, lounge, ladies' room, orchestra 

and orchestra promenade. In most of 

these areas the new decorations and planning 

were based on a red and white color 

theme. 

In the novel marquee installed as part 

of Kettering's over-all remodeling program, 

the Plexiglas facing has a red background 

and the theatre's current attraction title 

is painted on the facing in large white 

letters. Framework for the marquee is 

stainless steel and the new canopy features 

a steel soffit with 50 downlights. 

Marble walls of the street lobby were 

renovated with a translucent gunmetal 

wall covering and new stainless steel street 

display cases with cold cathode lighting 

were installed. Patron safety was provided 

for with new rubber mats in the outer 

lobby. 

Patrons see the red and white theme of 

the marquee repeated in the candy stand 

upon entering the theatre proper. Soft 

shades of red were used on walls of this 

inner lobby and darker shades are found 

in the solid red Micarta candy stand, a 

modernisticly styled counter with a threerow 

display case under glass. The beauty 

of the candy stand is enhanced by a large 

square mirror positioned directly back of 

center of the stand and by lighted alcoves 

behind each end of the stand. Each alcove 

is furnished with a flourishing palmetto 

in a white planter. 

Stairway walls are painted the same 

soft shade of red found in the candy bar 

and alcoves. In the Criterion's newlydecorated 

lounge, however, the predominating 

combination is black and white. On 

the white walls are black hand-painted 

murals by Plobert Andrews, famous mural 

artist. The floor covering is 18-inch black 

and white asphalt Kentile squares. Groupings 

of 'wrought iron, upholstered love seats 

and chairs, with the added decorative 

touch of tall palmetto plants in large white 

tubs upon wrought iron tables, contribute 

to the attractiveness and comfort of the 

spacious room. Alcoves of the lounge are 

also furnisljed with palmetto planters. 

Cove lighting is provided for the lounge's 

oval ceiling. 

CREDITS: Candy stond: Albert Pines Interiors • 

Carpeting: Archibold Holmes * Interior decorator: 

Sheridan Kettering * Marble wall covering: Vicretex 

Corp. • Marquee and soffit: Artkraft Strauss 

Sign Corp * Mural artist: Robert Andrews * Pointing 

and decoration: Wexler Contracting Corp. * 

Rubber mats: Perfo Rubber Mat Co. * Rubber 

and asphalt tile: Robbins and Kentile * Seating: 

Eastern * Stage curtain, drapes, wall covering: 

Art Upholstering Studios * Wall decorations: Jay 

Gee Studio Displays * Wrought iron furniture: 

Woodord. 

The stadium-type auditorium of the Criterion is smartly appointed with its orange, scarlet and black 

carpeting extending down the aisles and up the steps to the stage. The pilasters are in deep red with 

gold leaf crown, and a lighter red tone was used between them. The ceiling is a flat block. Seats are 

covered in coral red nylon. 

20 Th« MODERN THEATRE SECTION

Strictly in the modern mood is this handsome lounge in the Criterion. The 

white walls were decorated with black murals by Robert Andrews, famous 

muralist, and the block and white theme is carried out in the asphalt tile floor 

and artistic lounge chairs and love seats. Palmettos add a touch of green. 

Red and pink dominate the ladies' 

lounge, the furniture being upholstered in 

this combination, while a pink and red 

flowered design is featured in the wallpaper 

and pink and red rubber tile is the 

floor covering. 

Two tones of red decorate walls of the 

orchestra, a deep red being used for the 

pilasters and a lighter red tone between 

decorative wall pieces, each pilaster 

crowned with gold leaf. The ceiling of the 

Criterion auditorium was finished in flat 

black, making more effective the 65 Century 

downlight fixtures. Seats are covered 

in coral red nylon and the same coral 

red is repeated in the stage curtain. 

Carpeting throughout the remodeled theatre 

is orange, scarlet and black. This 

combination is effective and pleasing in 

The old lounge at right was 

attractiye and comfortable in 

its day, but somehow dork and 

cold in feeling in contrast with 

the new one shown above. The 

heavy, overstuffed furniture 

and dark carpeting contribute 

to this feeling in spite of the 

light walls and luminous ceiling. 

The bare table top lacks 

the "lived in" look achieved by 

the potted palmettos which 

ornament the tables in the new 

lounge. 

all areas of the orchestra, particularly in 

the promenade and on the four steps 

leading up to the stage from the orchestra 

floor. The four steps, running across the 

front of the orchestra the length of the 

stage, are completely carpeted with the 


In comparison to the new orchestra promenade at the right, the old one above 

seems a trifle gaudy with its large-patterned carpet, patterned wall and 

gingerbread 

decorations. 

The new promenade icuiuia a more deltajictj ûiidmû coiêi and a rear 

wall covered in a soft shade of red Fiberglas. The plain wall is decorated 

with siarbursts. The gingerbread borders have been painted out. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 21

"> 1 ^•wM"^w*w!w»yt''';.j..i'.w i, 

'

modern 

Prefabricated 

Steel Trusses 

Amazing 

Strength 

Trusses Are 

Assembled on 

the Ground and 

Raised in Groups 

of Two

PREMIUMS PLEASE THE PATRONS 

AND STEP UP SALES-PER-PERSON 

A Bonus Bill 

Given With Each 10-Cent Purchase 

o/ne 0^ the popular premtms 

offered in promotion. 

Bonus Bills," given with purchases at the 

concessions stands and redeemable for attractive premiums, 

proved most successful this year in a test 

run in four drive-ins and one indoor theatre for Theatre 

Confections, Ltd., Toronto. According to John G. 

Flanagan, manager of the drive-in division, all theatres 

showed an increase in return per patron and the 

Bonus Bill promotion is available this winter to all 

of the theatres and arenas served by Theatre Confections. 

The basic idea of the promotion has been used for 

years in other industries but Theatre Confections gave 

it a new twist. 

"In setting up our own promotion," Flanagan says, 

"we added several things to a self-liquidating premium 

idea to suit our requirements. We knew, that if 

the promotion was to be successful, we had to obtain 

premiums that would give real value and be attractive 

to our patrons. 

"Having had no previous experience in this field, 

we used the services of a premium company to assist 

us in setting up the mechanics of the promotion. The 

premium company agreed to supply us with a variety 

of items on consignment. This was most important, as 

it relieved us of the responsibility of purchasing the 

premiums and also eliminated the danger of us being 

left with an inventory that would have to be liquidated 

at a loss." 

SELECTION OF ITEMS 

In choosing the premiums. Theatre Confections executives 

selected items that could be offered to patrons 

at about 50 per cent of their normal retail value. For 

example, they selected a Boy Scout knife that normally 

retailed for 80 cents to offer to patrons for 40 

cents and four Bonus Bills. 

"This," says Flanagan, "was not only a bargain for 

our customer, but it also gave a psychological value of 

10 cents to each Bonus Bill. Incidentally, we added a 

small amount to our cost on each item to cover shipping 

and display costs, but we were still able to sell 

the items at about 50 per cent of the normal retail 

value, as our premium house had access to job lots 

and end-of-line merchandise that were purchased at 

considerably less than normal wholesale cost. 

"To start the promotion, we offered 16 Items, ranging 

in price from 15 cents to a dollar, and surprisingly 

enough, we had to go to higher-priced lines. In order 

to purchase a premium, the patron would first have to 

obtain the necessary number of Bonus Bills from our 

concessions bars. One Bonus Bill was given with every 

10 cents worth of merchandise purchased at the bar." 

According to Flanagan it was at first thought best 

to restrict Bonus ^lls to the high profit lines, but it 

was finally decided to give the bills with all items 

sold, even cigarets. The reasoning was that as the 

premiums were self-liquidating it wouldn't cost 

anything to include the low profit lines in the promotion. 

SPECIAL BACKBAR DISPLAYS 

After selecting the original 16 items, a mimeographed 

manual explaining the Bonus Bill promotion 

was prepared and sent to the participating theatres. 

Also, special displays for use at the concessions backbars, 

with the 16 items mounted on them, were set up 

in the Theatre Confections head office and sent to 

the theatres complete, ready for installation. 

The manual explained that one Bonus Bill was to 

be given with each 10 cents worth of merchandise 

purchased. If patron purchases amounted to an odd 

figure, such as 15, 25, or 35 cents. Bonus Bills were 

to be given on the next higher amount, that is, tw3 

bills for a 15-cent purchase; three bills for 25 cents, 

four bills for 35 cents, etc. 

Theatre managers were warned that the success or 

failure of the promotion rested entirely with the control 

of the Bonus Bills, and to make sure that counter 

attendants distributed Bonus Bills only with the purchase 

of merchandise and that the right number of 

bills were given with each purchase. 

A supply of Premium Inventory Forms was forwarded 

each theatre, and it was required that a 

completed form accompany the weekly Confection 

Sales Report. The Premium Inventory Form provided 

columns for listing the premium item, the opening 

inventoiy. deliveries, total stock, inventory this date, 

number sold, price and sales. 

A separate weekly deposit had to be made for 

monies received from sale of premiums and a deposit 

slip from the bank had to be attached to the Premium 

Inventory Form. 

There was also a Daily Sales Report on Bonus Bill 

Premiums to be filled out. This form had columns for 

the premium item, units sold, price and total sales. 

Patrons went for the Bonus Bill premiums so enthusiastically, 

that 13 additional premium items were 

added during the promotion, and as said before these 

were higher-priced items, ranging in price from 75 

cents to $4.25. 


These attract'iYe bockbar displays 

showing the actual premiums offered, 

and explaining the Bonus 

Bill plan were made up in the 

main office of Theatre Confections, 

Ltd., and supplied to the 

participating theatres ready for 

mounting at the concessions 

stands. To these original 16 items 

which were selected to be offered 

for bonus bills plus prices ranging 

from 15 cents to a dollar, 13 more 

items were added during the promotion 

which were in a price 

range of 75 cents to $4.25. The 

additional items were offered 

when it was found that patrons 

were enthusiastic about the Bonus 

Bill plan and clamored for the 

liigher- priced items. Further, by 

changing premiums regularly the 

interest of the patrons was maintained. 

As Flanagan says, this type of promotion 

Is very flexible and it can, with minor 

changes, be tailored to fit any situation, 

either indoor or 

drive-in. 

"By changing the premiums regularly, 

the interest of your patrons can be maintained. 

Of course," he says, "the best fea- 

Premiums Offered Patrons

CENTRAL FOYER LOCATION 

BEST 

FOR CONCESSIONS STAND, SAYS 

WERTHMAN OF SCHINE CIRCUIT 

I HE BEST LOCATION foi 8, theatre 

concessions stand is in the foyer, directly 

in front of the center standee rail or recessed 

into that section," said Stanley 

Werthman in a discussion of "New Ideas in 

Merchandising Candy in Conventional 

Theatres" before the National Association 

of Concessionaires convention in New York 

City. Werthman based his talk on experience 

gained in his present position as 

manager of the confectionery division, 

Schine Chain Theatres, Inc. 

EXPOSES STAND TO PATRONS 

"This position in the foyer," the speaker 

explained, "provides a head-on view of the 

stand as the patron enters. It not only 

extends an invitation for him to make his 

purchase at that time, but he also knows 

that the stand is within easy reach. 

Whether or not he makes his purchase 

when he first enters, he has been exposed 

to the displays and has a good idea of what 

is being sold at the stand." 

Werthman pointed out this position for 

the stand was also dictated by changing 

candy buying habits of motion picture 

patrons. 

"There was a time when movie patrons 

made their purchases at the stand in the 

lobby before taking their seats," he said, 

"and there wasn't too much in the way 

of repeat business during their stay in the 

theatre. Now, many people make a purchase 

on their way in and also at various 

times during the performance. Or, they 

may not make a purchase at all at the 

beginning of the show but wait until sometime 

later. 

"The confectionery stand must, therefore, 

be of easy access, and neither the 

obstacles of too much distance nor of having 

to secure a door-man's permission to 

walk out into the lobby must be placed 

in the path of the patron's purchase. That's 

why the best location Is the foyer." 

Werthman said, too, that one of the 

most important selling aids for the theatre 

candy concessions staff is being able to 

foretell the makeup of an audience based 

on the type of motion picture exhibited. 

HIGHER-PRICED ITEMS FOR ADULTS 

"If the audience is to be predominately 

adult," said Werthman, "we suggest a 

concentration of higher priced units be 

displayed at the candy stand. If it is a 

fairly even breakdown of adults and children, 

then the case should be stacked with 

a good variety of price ranges. When a 

houseful of children is anticipated, then 

concentration should be on the lower 

priced items. 

"Our experience has indicated that although 

children spend as much, if not 

more, than adults, they prefer a diversification 

of confections. A little of this and 

a little of that seems to have more appeal 

than one large package containing only 

one variety of candy. If that is the preference 

of children, and if, at the same time 

we know that adults readily purchase the 

larger boxes, then we should always be 

prepared to do business on that basis. 

"With this in mind," Werthman continued, 

"we have recently developed displays 

which fit onto the bottom shelf of 

our standard candy cases. An assortment 

of candy can be arranged on each tray and 

easily slid into the case or taken out of it. 

It is actually so easy to handle that we are 

able to change the variety in the showcase 

from a children's matinee to an evening 

performance very rapidly." 

The speaker also offered a solution for 

a problem common to most theatres—congestion 

at the confectionery stand during 

a heavily attended children's picture. 

SEPARATE SETUP FOR CHILDREN 

"We have found that it pays off to set 

up a small table or stand away from the 

regular stand with an assortment of merchandise 

with particular children's appeal," 

said Werthman. "This helps to relieve 

some of the congestion at the main 

stand and appears to provide for a more 

rapid turnover of sales. 

'Good Merchandising 

Not a Sometime Thing' 

'The word 'Merchandising' is not only mode 

up of many letters of the alphabet, but of even 

greater importance, its meaning encompasses 

a multitude of ideas, promotions, and tried-andtrue 

basics of good business. We cannot pronounce 

the word without putting into play all 

the letters involved. By the some token, we 

cannot expect the results of good merchandising 

unless all of the procedures are put into 

play," Stanley Werthman told his NAC audience. 

"Cleanliness, display, service, advertising, 

promotions, suggestion selling, and many others 

must all be put together to form the right 

combination for each place of business. With 

only part of this combination you can probably 

expect only part of the sales in return. 

"Good merchandising should not be used as 

a 'sometime thing.' At any time the confectionery 

stand is open, no matter whether the anticipated 

audience is large or small, we suggest 

that you offer your patrons the benefit of 

making their selections from a full line of confections 

and that you utilize the impact of your 

entire merchandising program." 

"In addition, if there are any novelty 

items such as hats, books, or records 

which tie in with the picture, I believe 

they will sell better at a secondary stand 

than they do at the main stand. We 

usually make it a point to use these novelties 

as the decorative scheme for the auxiliary 

location. The traffic at this point 

is never as heavy as it is compared to the 

permanent location and the children have 

more opportunity to examine the novelties 

and are more likely to purchase." 

Adults are reluctant to 

buy during periods 

when children are crowded around a 

candy stand, Werthman pointed out. 

HAS A "KIDDIES KORNER" 

"Since the enthusiasm of adults for 

sweets is nowhere as great as it is with 

children, they might decide against making 

a purchase and go directly to their 

seats," said Werthman. "In some situations 

we have devoted an entire section of 

a stand or an entire showcase to the type 

of items most usually selected by children 

and designated this as 'Kiddies' Korner.' 

^t makes a good tie-in at those theatres 

where we are using a curved corner case. 

The results of such a setup are normally 

very gratifying because it provides an 

easier avenue for the adults and results 

in a better over-all turnover of sales. We 

should like to mention that it is very important 

for the popcorn machine or 

warmer and the ice cream cabinet to be 

placed in such a manner as to be easily 

accessible for both stations, even if it requires 

the placement of a secondary 

warmer." 

The Schine concessions chief recommended, 

too, that the automatic drink machine 

be recessed into the center standee 

section to one side of the concessions selling 

area. 

"The head-on view provided by such a 

location immediately informs the patron 

where he is able to purchase a soft drink 

at any time he should become thirsty," 

Werthman explained. 

Commenting that there are many useful 

promotions that will momentarily increase 

the sale of certain candy items, 

Werthman declared that there is only one 

definite method that he knows for building 

maximum candy sales. 

"That, is to provide each theatre with an 

assortment of items which comes closest 

to fitting in with the over-all tastes of the 

people who patronize the theatre," said 

Werthman. 

PATRONS BUILD ASSORTMENT 

"In the final analysis," he continued, 

"it is the patrons, by their purchases or lack 

of purchases who will build the assortment 

which they like best. It is the ,1ob 

of the candy buyer to constantly try new 

items which show promise and to weed 

out those which have been given a fair 

chance but have not proven to be good 

sellers. The candy buyer should keep 

himself attuned at all times to the brands 

which are being given the impetus of ex- 

Cont'inued on page 2B 


get the 

PLUS 

that only 

Patrons are served ai their cars in the Union Drive-In Theatre, Union, N. J., while the picture 

is being shown. The Foodmobile also picks up extra sales from cars parked in areas distant from 

the concessions building. 

SERVICE TO CARS BRINGS 

$900 WEEKLY GROSS BONUS 

I HE OLD ADAGE about neccssity being 

the mother of invention is solidly reflected 

in the E-Z Go Foodmobile. Sheldon 

Smerling, of Confection Cabinet Corp. of 

Newark, N. J. and vice-president of Foodmobile, 

who developed the roving chuck 

wagon for drive-ins, decided, in effect, 

that if Mohammed couldn't go to the 

mountain, he would take the mountain to 

Mohammed. In this instance, the in-car 

patrons are Mohammed and the Foodmobile 

is the mountain. 

Take, for example, the Union Drive-In 

at Union, N. J., one of the first users of the 

Foodmobile. During this last fall season, 

the traveling concessions booth gave the 

theatre an extra refreshment gross of two 

cents per patron. The driver of the Foodmobile, 

working on a straight 10 per cent 

commission, averaged between $60 and $90 

a week, depending on weather conditions, 

for himself. This means that the Foodmobile 

grossed between $600 and $900 weekly, 

without cutting into the regular concessions 

business. 

The Foodmobile was introduced to the 

trade at the TESMA-TOA-NAC convention 

and tradeshow in New York in September. 

Motorized by storage battery 

power, with sufficient "juice" to operate 

throughout the show and Intermission 

without re-charging, the conveyance is 

driven and serviced by one man. It carries 

hot and cold food and beverages and moves 

up and down the lanes silently. The driving 

unit can be detached from the vending 

cart and used for other purposes. During 

daylight hours, the Foodmobile may be 

used to service ball parks, parades, rallies. 

Elliot Cohen, manager of Drive-In Refreshments 

of Newark, who handles the 

concessions at the Union Drive-In, a 1,400- 

car theatre, is a strong booster for the 

Foodmobile. 

"The machine was in constant use," 

Cohen said recently. "Since the motor is 

silent, the patrons were not disturbed in 

any way. During the show, it went up and 

down the lanes, without any spoken sales 

pitch by the driver. The lighted sign on 

the Foodmobile, adjustable up or down, 

prevented any glare in the patrons' eyes, 

but it attracted attention and patrons 

would call to the driver and put in their 

orders." 

Cohen said that during the intermission, 

the Foodmobile circulated through the 

"fringe" area, away from the refreshment 

building, the theory being that some patrons 

were reluctant to line up at the concessions 

booths and possibly miss part of 

the picture. It paid off, he added. 

Cohen pointed out that when it rained 

during the intermission or during the picture, 

the Foodmobile made up for slack 

business at the cafeteria. It was noted, he 

stressed, that sales Increased as the show 

progressed. The car covered the complete 

parking area at least four times during 

the evening shows. It is powered to run at 

least 40 miles without recharging the battery. 

Characteristic comments from patrons 

being served in cars were: "This is service 

de luxe"; "I've been trying to make up 

my mind whether to eat; you've decided 

it for me"; "Are you a lifesaver?"; and 

"Now we can get service all the time." 

There were no complaints. 


liquid 

popping oil 

• • ' 

offers! • 

/ for your 

all 

popcorn! 

PLUS 

these other advantages: 

• golden color 

• appetizing aroma 

• fewer duds 

• less cost per bag 

• all-weather pouring 

• measures accurately— no waste 

• stores easily— no fire hazard 

by the Popping Oil Specialists 

To The Nation 

Simonin, Philadelphia 34, Pa. 


SERVICE TO CARS BRINGS IN $900 

Continued from preceding 

page 

The Union Drive-In concessions is fully 

equipped with four complete cafeteria 

lanes, each 30 feet long, plus a central 

food-serving center. Intermissions are 20 

minutes long. At peak rush, 12 attendants 

service the concessions operation. 

Each lane contains a Buttermat for buttered 

popcorn, a Supurdisplay ice cream 

cabinet, a Savon drink well for coffee and 

hot chocolate, a Selmix multiple dispenser 

for soft drinks, a snack bar and 

candy counter. The food preparation cen- 

POSITION 

WANTED! 

Have eight arms. Willing to work in 

drive-in theatre concession having outdated 

serving equipment. Specially 

capable of handling overload crowds. 

Reason for leaving last job — owner 

bought a Manley COLISEUM. Now he 

serves ice cold drinks and hot popcorn 

quickly, easily ... no longer needed 

my services. 

You Can Speed Up Sales 

. . . Boost Your Profits with 

a Manley COLISEUM 

Just mall the coupon 

below and we'll send 

you full details on this 

amazing combination 

machine. It only takes 

a minute to send it in 

and it will be more 

than worth it to you! 

Do it now before you 

forget! 

MAIL TODAY! MANLEY, Inc., 

1920 Wyondotu SirMt, Konios City 8, Mo. 

D*pl. BO-12M 

Can't ui« lh« octopus, but would like more 

information on the Manley COLISEUM and 

how it con help boost my profits. 

Name 

Have Manley representative (not octopus) call 

on me. No obligation. 

Addrest- 

Clty 

-Zen* 

ter is equipped with a Hotpoint pizza oven 

and Hotpoint deep fry equipment. 

Foodmobile serves the same items as 

those offered in the concessions building 

with the exception of pizza pies, sales of 

which Cohen feels depend heavily on the 

eye-appeal of actual preparation. The line 

includes: Hot dogs, 20 cents; hamburgers, 

30 cents; cake, 15 cents; potato chips, 15 

cents; Flavos shrimp rolls, 30 cents; Fi-ench 

fries, 25 cents; ice cream, 15 and 25 cents; 

coffee, 10 and 20 cents; hot chocolate, 15 

cents; cold drinks (Coca-Cola, Mission 

Orange, Canada-Dry) 10 and 25 cents (for 

20 oz. jumbos); milk, 15 cents (V2 pt.) 

popcorn, 15 and 25 cents; candy, 10, 15, 

and 25 cents; cigarets, 30 cents and cigars, 

10 cents. 

Best sellers at both Foodmobile and 

cafeteria are cold drinks, popcorn and hot 

dogs (but this could vary with the time of 

the year.) 

Cohen emphasizes the extra importance 

of Foodmobile in adding to refreshment 

revenue with three and four-hour pictures, 

such as "War and Peace," "Ten Commandments," 

etc., since it keeps selling when 

patrons would hesitate to miss part of the 

show by visiting the concessions building. 

Other uses of Foodmobile are limited 

only by the enterprise of the operator. 

Cohen is now negotiating with concessionaires 

who want to employ Foodmobile in 

such non-theatrical fields as swimming 

pools, athletic events, municipal gatherings, 

political rallies, parades, organizational 

picnics and fraternal parties. 

CENTRAL FOYER LOCATION BEST 

Continued from page 26 

tensive national and local advertising, and 

make certain that the theatres have 

items such as these available whenever 

possible. 

"Every theatre has a secret weapon for 

building sales," Werthman declared. "We 

call it secret because too often the ability 

is hidden away due to improper training. 

Our reference is to the confectionery employe's 

ability to suggest plus sales to adult 

patrons." 

The NEW Patented SPEED-SCOOP 

Three times more efficient. Scoop ond pour o 

bagful of popcorn in one single easy motion. 

Mode of light, stainless aluminum. Cool hardwood 

handle. Perfectly balanced for maximum 

efficiency and speed. Only $2.50 at your Theatre 

Supply or Popcorn Supply Deoler. 

SPEED-SCOOP 

109 Thornton Ave., Son Franciico 24, Calif. 

To capitalize on this "secret weapon," 

the Schine confectionery manager suggested 

a program of training for sales personnel. 

This training, as a means of 

raising sales totals, should be augmented 

by effective merchandising display. 

"In setting up our new stands," Werthman 

said, "we try to arrange for emphasis 

to be placed on displays of merchandise. 

Especially do we recommend the use of 

displays and merchandising aids on top 

of the confectionery counter. Not only will 

the merchandise show a rapid turnover, 

but the displays will dress up the stand, 

giving it the appearance of being a real, 

honest-to-goodness confectionery shop instead 

of just a showcase filled with various 

candies." 

Myers Is General Chairman 

NCA Convention, 

Tradeshow 

Van Myers, Wometco Theatres concessions 

director, has been named general 

chairman for the 1957 National Ass'n of 

Concessionaires convention and tradeshow 

by Lee Koken, NAC president. The event 

will be held in Miami, Fla., at the recently 

opened $17,000,000 Americana Hotel, Nov. 

17-21, 1957. Conventions of Theatre 

Owners of America and the Theatre Equipment 

and Supply Manufacturers Ass'n will 

be held at the Americana on the same 

dates. 

In accepting the appointment, Myers 

said, "We in Florida are mighty proud to 

act as hosts to a great national convention. 

I know that businessmen will make this 

occasion a combination of a workshop session 

and winter vacation." 

The Wometco concessions director is 

first vice-president of NAC and has taken 

an active part in theatre-concessions segment 

of NAC conventions, being one of 

the outstanding speakers at the 1956 meeting 

in New York. 

Kcken said that the 1957 convention 

will make use of the Americana facilities 

to again feature Food-Beverage-Concessions 

and Vending Hall, as well as a special 

program on concession and vending operation. 

MORE MEAT ... BY ACTUAL TEST . . 

and That Only from Smifhfield Flavor! 

JAMES RIVER 

BRAND 

BARBECUES 

PORK 

and 

BEEF 

J 

28 


AWONE 

WHO vmrs 

To TUKN OVER AN 

EXTRA BITCK 

«•• 

in his store, plant, or tlieater ought to look into a profitable 

multi-choice cup vendor f^ 

. 

Canada Dry Beverages in the bottle^/ have 

been home g§^ favorites of millions 

^^| 

for over^(0; years, and every 

bottle sold is a sparkling salesman -v^r^ . . . your assurance of presold 

demand f^^S.at your cup machine 

^—^You can get quality 

Canada Dry Syrups 

in a variety of flavors and be sure of 

24-hourt^j service when you order. 

A FLAVDIL 

FOR WERY TASTE 

GINGER ALE • ORANGE • ROOT BEER • CHERRY • GRAPE 


y^jyv^^'j'*''!V^cw. 'V,"." 

I 

... Questions and Answers^ 

p 

This regular Modern Theatre feature is conducted by Dave E. Smolley, contributor to many 

important magazines on maintenance and editor of Better Maintenance Magazine. Questions from 

exhibitors ore welcomed. Address them to Theatre Maintenance, The Modern Theatre, 825 Van 

Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo. Enclose stamped, self-addressed envelope for personal reply. 

TO MELLOW POLISHED BRASS 

Our brass railing vms polished a few 

days ago and now is almost as bright as 

nickel. When we first installed it, the brass 

had a mellow, golden glow, but the lacquer 

u.*. 

WITH 

^ 

wore off in places and we had to polish it. 

How can we restore the former golden 

glow? 

n The golden glow comes from aging. 

Let the brass go for awhile and when 

ALL ROADS 

LEAD TO 

GREATER 

PROFIT 

Travel with Sodamaster and you'll find all 

avenues lead to greater refreshment pleasure 

for your customers . . . more profits for you. 

No detours for bottle handling, storing empties. 

You travel a clear highway to bigger profits 

with Sodamaster by serving sparkling cold, "just 

right" beverages at a fraction of former cost. Just a 

flick of the finger does it ... no effort at all 

Sodamaster is faster, too. Quality drinks can be served 

in five seconds or less. You handle one or a roomful of 

people with ease. No "walk aways." There's a variety of 

flavors at your finger tips. Each drink is "engineered" for 

just the right proportions of syrup and soda water, with the 

proper degree of coldness, first drink or last. 

With Sodamaster, savings are approximately 65 per cent on bottled 

flavors and 96 per cent on club soda. You pay for a 

Sodamaster unit out of txira profits. 

the glow has returned, go over it with 

naptha or benzine to clean it. Then apply 

lacquer. If it should tend to tarnish before 

you apply the lacquer, go over it with diluted 

(half water) vinegar containing table 

salt. Rinse well and apply lacquer. 

p 

CLEANING HEATING SYSTEM 

Our theatre is 

heated by low pressure 

steam, consisting of two pipe operations 

(going and return). How often should the 

traps be cleaned? Also, we have read about 

chemicals which are used for treating the 

water used for the steam. Would you 

recommend one of these chemicals for 

keeping our system clean? 

J^ The condition^ of your water will be a 

factor—the harder, the oftener the 

traps should be cleaned. Ordinarily, where 

average city water is used, once a year 

should be sufficient. If the water is exceptionally 

hard, the traps should be 

cleaned twice a year. Where the water is 

very soft, traps have been allowed to go as 

long as five years. There are several good 

chemicals adapted for cleaning pipes and 

traps. Your local plumbers should know 

of one. 

p 

ZIPPERS FOR CARPET SECTIONS 

• We have been told that carpeting can 

be laid in sections connected by zippers. 

This makes it possible to take up the carpeting 

in separate pieces for plant cleaning 

which does a better job. Can you tell 

us more about the zipper plan or where we 

can get the information? 

According to The Carpet Institute the 

J^ 

zipper idea has been tried several times 

without complete success. For the zipper 

to work, it had to clear the yam which exposed 

the zipper to view and to heavy traffic 

which seemed to damage and bend the 

cogs of the zipper and make it difficult to 

work. The Institute suggests as a better 

method that heavy binding material be 

sewed to the edge of one section, half 

under the carpet and the other half exposed 

and laying flat on the floor. The 

exposed half has as many snaps as required 

sewed into the material with the male end 

of the snap sewed in the corresponding position 

on the under side of the other section. 

WIDE CHOICE OF STYLES 

Sodamaster models are available in completely self-contained, refrigerated 

cabinet models, or stowaway units which may be installed remotely with 

only faucets in the service area. Range of sizes and capacities, too. 

MAIL THIS COUPON TODAY 

Pleot* Mnd m* full facts on the nSodamoslcr, 

n Mix-Monitor Faucotrt) 100- 

gal.-p«r-nour Supercharger Carbonalort. 

Firm 

Addmt.. 

Nam* 

Weit Coast Plant: 16028 S. Marquardt Ave., P.O. Box U2, Norwalk, CoMf. 

In Canada: General Equipment Corp., Ltd., Toronto, Onl. 

Nationally 

Advertised 

HENRY HEIDE, INC. NEW YORK, N. Y. 


If 

You Are a Vendor of Food, Candy or Other Merchandise 

YOU MUST TAKE A YEAR-END INVENTORY 

By HAROLD J. ASHE 

The important thing is not to miss any 

part of the inventory, whether it is on display 

counters or racks, under counters, in 

A GOOD MANY exhibitois are still confused 

about how to calculate for income 

freezer compartments or out of sight in 

unopened containers in a backroom. Tally 

tax reporting purposes net earnings from 

sheets should be prepared in advance of 

food concessions and other re-sale activities 

of a theatre. Some ignore taking an 

taking inventory, and on the basis of an 

exhibitor's knowledge of his basic stock. 

inventory of goods on hand at year-end; 

Items obviously in stock can be listed by 

others only "guesstimate." Either device is 

name with blank spaces to the right for 

frowned upon by the Internal Revenue the count. Other items not listed, because 

not remembered in advance, can be filled 

Ixvice. 

in at the bottom of tally sheets. 

[ MUST MAKE PHYSICAL COUNT 

As the time for taking inventory approaches, 

unopened containers should not 

kt year-end, every exhibitor who is engaged 

in any merchandising activities, 

be broken into except for compelling sales 

however small, must make a physical count 

reasons. It is easier and takes less time to 

of all merchandise and materials on hand 

count contents of imopened shipping cases 

which are held for re-sale. At the conclusion 

of the physical count, the inven- 

than to count the same goods item by item 

on shelves or in displays. 

tory must be expressed in terms of its dollar 

value by one or another method. The 

WORK AS A TEAM 

method elected must be followed consistently 

from year to year. 

If there is a large inventory, two people 

should make the inventory as a team, 

Unless year-end merchandise inventory 

value is accurate, an exhibitor's net earnings 

will be over or understated. This in- 

records the count. At this stage, no at- 

one calling off the items while the other 

accuracy will carry over to the next year tention should be paid to pricing, unless 

because one year's closing inventory becomes 

the next year's opening inventory. After the tally has been made, the pric- 

items are coded with cost prices. 

The importance of calculating inventory ing can be done on the basis of invoices 

values ccn-rectly is not alone the concern or other records. There are several 

of larger exhibitors and those engaged in methods for valuing inventory after the 

major merchandising activities. It is no physical count. The two most common 

less important to the smallest exhibitor methods are (1) cost, and (2) cost or 

having only a small amount tied up in market, whichever is lower. For income tax 

merchandise and supplies for re-sale. Percentage-wise, 

net earnings may be mis- 

method and use only this method there- 

purposes, an exhibitor must elect one 

calculated by as wide a margin in a small after, unless he gets express permission 

venture as in a large one if inventory value from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue 

to change. 

is "guesstimated" instead of physically 

tallied. 

If an exhibitor uses the cost method for 

valuing inventory he prices according to 

INACCURACY MEANS DISTORTION 

his actual cost for each item. 

Without taking an inventory, net earnings 

reported in an income tax return are the "whichever is lower" qualification is 

If he uses the cost or market method, 

only a guess at best, and this is not good the determining factor in establishing inventory 

values. In other words, a certain 

enough in determining an exhibitor's income 

tax obligation. It is no more justified 

than guesstimating boxoffice receipts. market value is $2.36. It's inventory value 

item may have cost $2.19 and its present 

To the amount that earnings are over or will be $2.19, the lower figure. If it cost 

understated, because of inaccurate opening 

and closing inventory figures, to that the latter will be its Inventory value. 

$2.19 and its present market value is $2.11. 

extent will taxable income and. in turn, 

income taxes be distorted. This distortion 

may favor either the exhibitor or the 

USING COST METHOD 

In using the cost or market method, 

government. 

each category of merchandise is subjected 

Inventory taking is esssentially a methodical 

task and should be planned for 

to the "whichever is lower" test. This results 

in three columns of figures being run, 

accordingly. For some exhibitors, with a 

i.e.: (1) cost, (2) market, and (3) whichever 

is lower. The third column is added 

small inventory, the physical count may 

be relatively simple. For others, departmentalized 

inventory taking may be neces- 

to determine the valuation of inventory. 

sary to make certain there are no oversights. 

Separate tally sheets may be wise values unimportant, let's consider two ex- 

Lest an exhibitor consider inventory 

for different merchandising activities. Another 

tally sheet may be necessary for ventory affects both reported earnings and 

amples to demonstrate how year-end in- 

goods and supplies for re-sale which are income tax. 

in storage. 

Exhibitor A starts the year with $500 in- 

BOXOFFICE December : 8, 1956 : 

ventory on hand and, at year-end, 

"guesses" he has about the same inventory 

as at the start of the year. During the 

year he purchased merchandise at a cost 

of $7,500 so he concludes this represents 

the cost of the goods sold and so calculates 

for tax purposes. 

However, Exhibitor A actually closes the 

year with a $1,000 inventory. So, the real 

cost of the goods sold during the year is 

$500 opening inventory plus $7,500 in 

purchases during the year less $1,000 inventory 

on hand at year end. Cost of goods 

sold is only $7,000 instead of $7,500. His net' 

earnings on merchandise sales have been 

understated (because cost of goods overstated) 

by $500. He is underpaying income 

taxes by failing to report the additional 

net earnings. 

Exhibitor B starts the year with $1,000 

inventory on hand and, at year-end, 

"guesses" he has about the same inventory 

as at the beginning of the year. He, too, 

purchases $7,500 worth of merchandise 

during the year and assumes this $7,500 

figure represents the cost of the goods 

sold. 

This exhibitor, however, actually closes 

the year with only a $500 inventory. His 

real cost of the goods sold is $1,000 plus 

$7,500 less $500, making the figure $8,000 

instead of $7,500. His "guesstimating" inflates 

his net earnings $500 beyond the 

facts. On this he pays an additional income 

tax which he would not do if he had 

taken an inventory. 

In the case of Exhibitor A some of his 

net earnings have been invested in a 

larger inventory while Exhibitor B has 

reduced his inventory through underordering. 

Ballyhoo for 

New Concessions 

Ballyhoo is still a yital part of the movie scene. 

Here H. M. Abbott, manager of the family Driye- 

In theatre in Johnson City, Tenn., hands "Miss 

Serv-O-Ramic of East Tennessee" a $25.00 war 

bond as prize for winning the title. When Manley, 

Inc., installed the new concessions stand unit, a 

special ad was run in the paper, and free popcorn 

given to customers. The title winner is Jo Ann 

Henson. 

31

^1 

When the Waters Theatres chose this bluff overlooking the Birmingham- 

Decatur highway as site for the circuit's fifth airer near the Alabama 

metropolis, the first task was to clear away 20,000 yards of rock. The Skyyiew 

Driye-ln, with 600-car capacity, all payed romp area and driyes, and landscaped 

grounds is one of the beauty spots of the metropolitan region. The 

fencing in front of the screen tower keeps youngsters from wandering down 

into the exit road, which oasses between the tower and the first ramp. The 

screen tower was constructed of steel and steel decking. 

THEY MOVED A MOUNTAIN TO BUILD A 

DRIVE-IN 

Dixie Circuit Blasts 20,000 Yards of Rock to Clear Choice Site 

By EDDIE BADGER 

A FAITH IN THE drive-in theatre 

business that actually moved a mountainside 

was displayed by the Waters Theatre 

Co. when that circuit built its $150,000 

Skyview Drive-In, two miles north of 

Birmingham, Ala., on U. S. Highway 31. To 

clear the way for the Skyview's 600-car 

ramp area on the eight-acre plot, the circuit 

carried through on the tremendous 

task of blasting, loading and trucking 

away 20,000 yards of rock, roughly about 

5.000 dump truck loads. The extra labor 

was deemed worthwhile to obtain such a 

choice site on the main highway leading 

north from the city through a fast growing 

suburban area. 

On the cleared area, N. H. Waters jr., 

the circuit's designer, supervised the installation 

of nine paved ramps in a diminishing 

arc pattern, with the longest and 

highest ramp at the extreme rear. Behind 

the ramp area the uncut bank rises ten to 

12 feet to a level which may be converted 

into a "balcony," if future trade should 

justify such an expansion. 

The Waters circuit is particularly proud 

of the Skyview's screen tower, which is 

separated from the front ramp by headhigh 

plank fencing and by the theatre's 

exit road, which cuts across the front of 

the bluff on which the drive-in is 

built. 

"The screen tower at the Skyview employs 

a new metal decking treatment," 

N. H. Waters jr. pointed out, "a steel-tosteel 

process that replaces the former 

system of cementing asbestos board to 

wood or directly to steel. This treatment 

enabled us to save considerably in construction 

costs. With it we were able to 

get a 40x80 -foot screen for less than the 

*v.>* 

The Skyyiew Driye-ln's ZU-foot payed holding area just off U. S. Highway 31, two miles north of Birmingham, 

can itack 80 cars. Shown in this view, too, is the ihrub-lined exit road, which winds down the face 

of th» bluff and crosses between the screen tower and ramp ana in its descent to t/ic four-lone highway. 

32 

cost of the last 40x60-foot screen we built." 

The tower was designed by James R. 

Goetz, a Birmingham consulting engineer. 

Fabrication was by Truscon Steel, a division 

of Republic Steel, and the tower is 

built to withstand 125 m.p.h. winds, with 

a 50 per cent safety factor. Providing an 

attractive view at the sides and top of the 

screen, while patrons are waiting for the 

evening show to begin, are the pleasantly 

wooded hillsides rising on the far side 

of the Birmingham-Decatur highway. 

Midway in the eighth ramp is a white, 

two-story structure of concrete blocks, 

housing the Skyview's air-conditioned concessions 

area on the first floor and providing 

space on the second floor for the 

projection booth and caretaker's apartment. 

The clean, attractive concessions serves 

Skyview patrons with a single-lane, cafeteria-style 

operation requiring five employes. 

Along the service line are Glasco 

drink dispensers, Hotpoint deep fryer, 

Toastmaster bun warmer, Cretors corn 

popper, Roll-O-Grill hot dog grill and 

Pi-igidaire freezer. The all stainless steel 

counter equipment was made by Philip 

A. Dill of General Manufacturing Co. and 

supplied through the Queen Features Co. 

Among the top items in popularity with 

Skyview customers are hot fudge sundaes, 

25 cents; hot dogs, 20 cents: ice cream, 

sold by the cup for ten and 15 cents; sncw 

cones, ten cents; chocclate Dari-Shake, 20 

cents; Fi-ench fries, 20 cents; and soft 

drinks for 10 and 20 cents. 

Upstairs in the Skyview's projection 

booth. Century projection and sound equipment 

was installed. Lamps are products 


y Projection Optics Co. 

The Sicyview's 600 speakers are by RCA. 

of the Strong Electric Co., while the projection 

and anamorphic lenses were supplied 

Construction of the Sicyview Drive-In 

just off heavily traveled, four-lane U. S. 

Highway 31 posed a serious traffic safety 

problem, especially following show breaks. 

At the point where the highway passes 

the theatre entrance and exit, the two 

outbound (from Birmingham) lanes are 

divided by a parkway from the inbound 

lanes. The theatre entrance requires a 

right turn for patrons driving out from 

the city. Hence, after a show break, departing 

patrons had to face the hazard 

of crossing the outbound lanes and the 

parkway intersection in order to gain a 

place in the lanes of traffic bound for the 

city. 

Solution of this problem was found in 

the installation of three blinker lights, 

manually controlled, over the highway. 

Two are on the theatre side, one at the 

entrance and the other at the exit. The 

third light is over the inbound highway 

lanes, controlling traffic moving toward 

Birmingham before that traffic comes up 

even with the traffic emerging from the 

Skyview exit. 

During show hours, the lights on the 

highway traffic flash yellow, while those on 

the theatre traffic flash red. When the show 

breaks, a switch is thrown by a theatre 

attendant to put the highway lights on 

^TOP-GO intervals for both highway and 

theatre traffic. The control switch is in 

the large attraction board located between 

the Skyview's exit and entrance lanes. 

The attraction board uses changeable 

copy by Dixie Neon, Inc. A directional arrow 

flasher sign borders the highway side 

of the theatre name sign and flows up 

across the top of the name sign, directing 

patrons into the Skyview entrance lane. 

Just within this entrance is a 317-foot 

holding area that stacks 80 cars. 

Entrance and exit lanes are paved and 

separated from the ramp area proper by 

'MtMfiW^:'^.' ^^t^^^SISW ^ 

Three traffic lights over U. S. 

Highway 3/ are set oi} STOP-GO 

irttervals by Skyview Drive-In atteridants 

at show break time. Durirtg 

show periods, the lights flash 

yellow to highway traffic and red 

to theatre traffic. Manual controls 

for the lights are in the attractions 

board shown above. At 

right, layout of Skyview ramp and 

driveway areas in relation to Highway 

31. 

high, white panel fences. 

The ramp area 

itself is enclosed by similar fencing, except 

across the rear, where the uncut bank 

serves as fencing. The fencing across the 

front of the ramp area is a novel feature, 

made necessary as a protective measure to 

make sure none of the patrons' children 

wander or tumble into the exit road. This 

exit driveway, leading out of the forward 

right hand corner of the ramp area, winds 

around a bluff between the theatre proper 

SKVVI€UI 

and the screen tower on the way down to 

the highway. 

The Skyview's grounds have been landscaped 

by H. M. Norwood, jr., who also 

was in charge of installing the fencing. 

The raw excavations, particularly on the 

bluff facing the highway, have been 

covered with grass and vines; shrubs and 

flowers outline the winding entrance and 

exit driveways and are planted completely 

around the exterior base of all fencing. 

Joe Lackey is manager of the Skyview 

Drive-In. 

Building a drive-in theatre area amid 

the Birmingham super hills has become a 

familiar problem for the Waters Theatre 

Co. The circuit now operates five airers 

in the metropolitan region. Others, in addition 

to the Skyview, which was opened 

Jime 1, are: Starlite, 840 cars; Fair Park, 

825 cars; Roebuck, 625 cars, and Shades 

Mountain, 525 cars. The Waters circuit 

also operates nine conventional theatres in 

Birmingham and a tenth indoor theatre 

in Leeds, Ala. 

Sparkling cleanliness characterizes the air-conditioned concessions at the Skyview Drive-In, patrons being 

served from an all stainless steel counter in a single-lane, cafeteria-style operation. Don Waters of the 

Waters Theatre Co. is on duty in this view of the concessions. 

Exterior metal work at a drive-in needs 

special paints. All surfaces should have one 

coat of red lead followed by two coats of 

an oil-and-lead paint of the desired color. 

Metal posts for speakers need to be coated 

both inside and out with a rust preventive 

before application of two layers of aluminum 

or other paint. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 33

Electronic Car Hop System 

Offers Drive-In Exhibitors 

New Opportunity for 

Profit 

By 

FRANCIS W. KEILHACK* 

Write for BIG free catalog. 

NOW! 

FOR THE FIRST TIMB 

SPECIAL PURCHASE 

and BRAND NEW 

[Th. HOLMES 35mm. 

PORTABLE 

Sound on Film 

Equipment 

HERE'S THE 

AMAZING DEAL: 

I Factory List Price 

$1,550 

I 

3 - H«lMM Kail 

>«erint 35 mm. 

rortabt* Sound Pfoi«

I 

i iielle 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

USE THE FREE RETURN CARD IN KANSAS CITY 

e postcard at the bottom of this poge is designed to help you get more informo- er by Miclsummer Stom 

in on products and services advertised in this issue of The Modern Theatre Section, 

( listed in the "New^ Equipment and Development" and "Literature" departments. 

t: 

alphabetical Index of Advertisers appears below?; on the bock of this card is a 

(ndensed Index of Products. In both, FIGURES in the Key Number shown for each 

(vertiser indicate the page on which the firm's advertisement appears. The postird 

below carries numbers corresponding to the page numbers—with letters odded. 

cole the Whole Key Number, including the letter, corresponding to the page numbers 

( the advertisements on which you want more information. Then: Fill in your name, 

1 dress, etc., in the space provided, tear out card and moil. For more information 

, listings in "New Equipment and Developments" and "Literature" departments, 

icle number corresponding to Key Numbers published with each item below. 

ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF ADVERTISERS' KEY NUMBERS 

lltr Silhouette Letter Co 42c 

Mricon Seating Co 6a 

S, Ashcraft Mfg. Co 12o 

illantyne Co .23o 

lusch & Lomb Optical Co lOo 

Cinema Supply Co 40c 

]li Product Co 39b 

inoda Dry Ginger Ale, Inc .29a 

c Dispenser, Inc 30a 

rpenter .41a 

la Co 2a 

Theotre Mfg. Co 38b 

graving Corp 41b 

Brothers 

40a 

P" 

eide, Inc 30b 

lewitt-Robins, Inc 22a 

leyer-Shultz, Inc.... 19b 

nternational Projector Corp 3a 

nternationol Seat Corp 42b 

voch Supplies 39c 

Kollmorgen Optical Co 39a 

LaVezzi Machine Works 14b 

Manley, Inc 26a 

Motiograph, Inc 38a 

National Carbon Co 11a 

National Excelite 4a 

National Theatre Supply 15a 

Oglesby Equipment Co 41d 

Phillips Electro Extensions 41c 

Projection Optics Co 19a 

RCA (Service) 42a 

Selby Industries, Inc 36a 

C. F. Simonin's Sons .27a 

Smithfield Ham & Products Co 28c 

S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp 40b 

Speed Scoop .28b 

Star Cinema Supply Co 34b 

Strong Electric Corp 5a, 16a 

Vallen, Inc 42d 

I 

Wagner Sign Service, Inc 34a 

Westrex Corp 13a 

Williams Screen Co 14a 

Orive-ln Theotre, Kansas City, Mo., which replaces the original 

32x64-foot screen permitted the Heart to continue operation 

ding of the new all-steel tower behind it. 

PLEASE PRINT 

Name 

^^kosition 

^Htheatre or Circuit 

^^^Htreet 

I 

No 

BUSINESS 

State.. 

REPLY CARD 

First Closs Permit No. 874 - Section 34.9 PL&R - Konsas City, Mo. 

No 

' 

Postage Stamp 

Necessary 

Uf Mailed in the 

j 

vUnited States 

MODERN THEATRE Section of BOXOFFICE 

""'"'refeirf/si''''*- 

825 Van Brunt Blvd. 

KANSAS CITY 24, MO. 

-lip and 

36 com- 

/ ready 

e other 

le work. 

1," said 

n firm, 

nd at 6 

istened, 

1 pulled 

id conigh 

the 

Union 

ial supuppliers 

had to put in considerable overtime in 

handling this rush job." 

The temporary screen was erected by 

first drilling bell bottom piers and filling 

them with concrete. Second, steel scaffolding 

was set into the concrete piers and 

built up from there. These, by necessity, 

were guyed off with concrete deadmen and 

steel cables. Finally, wooden runners were 

set vertical on two-foot centers to form a 

flat surface to attach the plywood to and 

carry part of the load from the ground 

to 

up. Coated nails were used to hold the plywood 

in place. 


35

34 

Write for BIG free catalog. 

NOW! 

FOR THE FIRST TIME 

SPECIAL PURCHASE 

and BRAND NEW 

HERE'S THE 

AMAZING DEAL: 

[The HOLMES 35 mm. 

PORTABLE 

Sound on Film 

Equipment 

Bon 

I'int 35 mm. 

forlobl* Sound Projaclott, 

(onilant tpood motort, )000 wort 

Motdo lomphoui«f, 3000' uppor and low«r mogaiin*!, phol^ 

c*l)(, •Mcliar lompi, vie. t&rand Naw). 7— S«ri*i I 

4" l«nMt, 

with odapl*rt (N*w). I — S»i prej«

aces 

WORLD'S LARGEST' SCREEN IN KANSAS CITY 

Its 

Erection Follows Destruction of Old Tower by Midsummer Storm 

I HE Heart Drive-In Theatre, 

Kansas City, Mo., has a new screen, 61x144 

feet, said to show the largest picture in the 

world, with an area of 8.784 square feet. 

The story of how it came to be built is an 

interesting one. 

On June 27 a terrific storm hit Kansas 

City, with gusts of wind reaching 100 

miles per hour. Causing extensive damage 

throughout the metropolitan area and outlying 

districts, the storm struck at the 

Heart's 56xl30-foot plywood screen constructed 

on a framework of 6x8-inch timbers, 

destroying all but a 30-foot-wlde section. 

At four o'clock that afternoon, the Lapham 

& Hartman Construction Co.. was 

notified by the owners of the Heart, and 

two of the company engineers immediately 

drove to the site. By six o'clock it was 

determined to build a temporary screen, 

salvaging as much plywood from the original 

screen as possible. It was also determined 

that the screen would be approximately 

32 feet high and 64 feet wide 

and that it should start about 30 feet 

above the ground. 

The engineers immediately returned to 

The new 61 X I : : ' . : . 

• : 

tower destroyed by storm. 

the Heart Dm 

( 

the original 

This was the scene of destruction following the storm which left only a 30-footwide 

section of the tower and screen standing. 

The temporary 32x64-foot screen permitted the Heart to continue operation 

during the building of the new all-steel tower behind it. 

their office and started work. One started 

calculating footings and structural requirements, 

while other personnel was determining 

what materials for the structure 

were available for immediate use. By 2:30 

a.m. the following morning, detailed plans 

of operation were completed, together with 

material and equipment. Lists were prepared 

for starting construction that morning. 

The goal set for completion of this temporary 

screen was Saturday evening, June 

30, to take care of the weekend rush as 

well as the 4th of July crowd—just three 

days off! 

By Saturday at 8 am. it was nip and 

tuck as to whether the job would be completed. 

Painters were standing by ready 

to start painting the minute the other 

crafts completed their portion of the work. 

"By 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon," said 

Reese Lapham of the construction firm, 

"we knew the job was whipped, and at 6 

p.m. the swing stages were unfastened, 

loaded on the trucks, and workmen pulled 

away from the job. The whirlwind construction 

was accomplished through the 

whole-hearted cooperation of all Union 

crafts involved as well as the material suppliers. 

All workmen as well as suppliers 

had to put in considerable overtime in 

handling this rush job." 

The temporary screen was erected by 

first drilling bell bottom piers and filling 

them with concrete. Second, steel scaffolding 

was set into the concrete piers and 

built up from there. These, by necessity, 

were guyed off with concrete deadmen and 

steel cables. Finally, wooden runners were 

set vertical on two-foot centers to form a 

flat surface to attach the plywood to and 

carry part of the load from the ground 

to 

up. Coated nails were used to hold the plywood 

in place. 



WORLD'S LARGEST' 

SCREEN 

Continued irom preceding 

page 

Right after the original tower was blown 

down, plans were laid to erect the super, 

all-steel screen tower as a permanent installation. 

John Selby of Selby industries, 

Inc., made a personal trip to Kansas City 

to engineer the new tower. Construction 

of the all-steel tower was begun about a 

month later behind the temporary screen 

which permitted the Heart to remain in 

operation. 

The Selby tower is constructed of seven 

triangular box trusses. The underground 

foundation beams are each 39 feet long, and 

206 cubic yards of concrete were poured. 

The most highly stressed connection in 

the tower carries a theoretical wind load 

of 290,000 pounds, and was tested on a 

mammoth testing machine of Case Institute 

of Technology in Cleveland to a 

load of 600,000 pounds without failure. 

Prefabrication of steel work was done 

at the Selby plant in Cleveland and erection 

of the tower was by Selby crews from 

Akron, supplemented by local craftsmen. 

According to John Selby, the Heart's 

tower which is 90 feet above original 

gi-ound level, compares to a nine-story 

building, and the 144-foot width is comparable 

to a football field. 

The Heart's screen tower is the 160th 

built by the Selby Co. over a period of 12 

years. As mentioned before, it is believed 

PLAY IT 

SAFE 

Install a e^ tovirt 

Protect yourself against box office 

losses due to 

blow-down — construct 

an all-steel tower by Selby! 

Never has a Selby tower gone 

crashing to the ground! Over 160 

Selby towers installed 

from coast 

to coast! Guaranteed insurable! 

Compare - - you'll want a Selby 

screen tower, too! 

Aluminum strips, such as held by Paul Craig of 

Manco-Vision, form the surface of the new screen 

at the Heart Driye-ln. 

to have the largest picture area in the 

world. Two other Selby towers are said to 

rank second and third. They are, respectively, 

the one at Queen's Chapel 

Drive-In near Washington, D. C, which is 

8,692 square feet; and the 8,265 squarefoot 

tower at the Century "110" on Long 

Island. 

The screen surface at the Heart is 

Manco-Vision Reflecto, developed by the 

Motion Picture Research Bureau at Culver 

City and was supplied by National 

Theatre Supply. This screen is composed 

of aluminum strips, tongued and grooved 

for installation. It is said to be three 

times as bright as painted surfaces. 

The new screen and tower were ready 

for the public on September 2, after the 

temporary tower had been torn down from 

in front of it. 

Insist On EPRAD 

IN-THE-CAR 

\W y Speakers! 

• Tops in Sound! 

'' 

• Lowest Mointenoncc 

CostI 

• Trouble-F r e « 

Service! 

Write for FREE Literature 

industries, 

1349 Ohent Hills Road Akron 13, Ohio 

Phon* — Bath, Ohio Mohawk 6-7211 

inc. 

'mI 

iii,;,|if 

1^ 

r 

MMEm 

1207 CHERRY ST. TOLEDO 4, OHIO 

"The Voice of the Drive-In" 

36 


EQUIPMENT & DEVELOPMENTS 

Heavy Duty Rectifier Choke 

Reduces Screen Flicker 

P-1527 

FOR MORE 

INFORMATION 

Sani-Broiler manufacturer to be more juicy 

and appetizing. Hamburger buns travel 

alongside the hamburger meat in special 

grooves on the track and are said to retain 

their tenderness through and through. 

Simplicity of operation of the Sani-Broiler 

eliminates high-priced grill operators. 

USE Convenient 

Readers* Bureau Coupons 

Vacuum-Molded Panels Hide 

Fluorescent Lamp Tubes 

P-1530 

A heavy duty choke for use with one 

kilowatt rectifiers to suppress the ripple 

voltage that causes screen flicker has been 

announced by the Kneisley Electric Co. 

The choke is designed for use in the output 

circuit of the rectifier. Since the choke 

is the heavy duty type, its use results 

in negligible voltage drop and current loss. 

The accompanying oscilloscope chart shows 

how use of the Kneisley choke minimizes 

ripple voltage. Without the choke, the 

wave form covers 31 sections in height 

(dotted line> , with the choke only 17 sections 

(solid line) , a reduction of 45.5 per 

cent. 

Wall-Size Fresh Air Generator 

With Theatre Applications 

P-1528 

regulation of the air-cleaner according to 

density of smoke, odors or stale air to be 

cleared. Model 101, for rooms up to 5,300 

cu. ft., 11x7x4 inches, hangs on the wall 

and operates on AC current at a cost of 

about one cent for 24 hours of steady 

service. Also available is a larger model 

with ventilators for rooms up to 14,000 

cu. ft. 

250 Hot Dogs, 350 Hamburgers 

Produced Hourly by Broiler 

P-1529 

Vacuum-molded "Lumi-Plastic" panel 

fluorescent fixtures used in theatre lighting 

have been introduced by L. J. Segil 

Co. The panels are said to offer high light 

transmission with low surface brightness. 

They may be used as single fixtures or 

ganged end-to-end for continuous rows of 

light. The heavy-gauge steel body has a 

hard, baked white enamel finish which may 

be washed with any detergent. Available in 

a variety of sizes, the panels completely 

conceal all lamps and component parts. 

The panels are compact and attractive, 

suitable for decorative effects in the finest 

situations. 

The Gysling Swiss Air-Cleaner for theatre 

concessions areas, food storage rooms, 

restrooms, projection booths and offices 

is being introduced by the Gubelin Inter- 

Qational Corp. In theatre areas where food 

". 

sold or stored, the fresh air generator 

cts to deter insects, bacteria, mold, fungi 

nd mildew. In restrooms and air-coniioned 

areas, the air-cleaner is said to 

furify the air, reduce the spread of colds 

jid other contagious diseases, keep parens 

and employes alert and refreshed, 

velve dial settings are provided for. 

lOXOFFICE : : December 8, 1956 

Sani-Broiler, a counter machine that 

broils 350 hamburgers, 250 hot dogs and 

toasts 600 buns per hour, has been introduced 

for large theatre concessions operations 

by General Equipment Sales, Inc. 

The Sani-Broiler process is one of broiling 

the meat by radiant and infrared heat 

along a continuous track, while the buns 

are toasted at the same time on a parallel 

track, both with perfect heat control. The 

buns go in on the left track, the meat on 

the right. A moment later, both meat and 

buns come out of their separate chutes 

into pans for immediate serving. Due to 

the special broiling process, eight hamburgers 

instead of six may be served from 

one pound of meat. While the hamburgers 

have less shrinkage, they are said by the 

Claims made for products described editorially 

on this and other pages are taken from the 

manufacturer's 

statements. 

Almond Center Candy Bar 

With Chocolate Coating 

P-1531 

The five-cent Nut-Patti candy bar is 

being introduced to the theatre concessions 

trade by Hollywood Candy Co. through the 

firm's 100 field men. Top quality almonds, 

a layer of dairy butter caramel and a 

chewy chocolate-nougat center are wrapped 

in milk chocolate coating. The Nut- 

Patti bars are wrapped attractively for 

concessions counter display. They are 

packed for immediate shipment in lots of 

24's and 120's. 

37

PRO JE C T All TYPES OF P R IJfJ $^ 

standard, CinemaScope, or (ombination optical 

and magnetic—without interchange of sprockets, 

rollers, shoes or tracks. 

COR REC

f 

utomotic Popcorn Machine 

ops 300 Pounds Per Hour 

P-1534 

. . . the SUPER SNAPLin 

LENS for the clearest, sharpest, 

brightest pictures you 

have ever seen on your 

screen! 

\uto-Popt. „ „:.^ man popcorn machine 

I produces more than 300 pounds of 

I 

pad corn per hour, is being introduced 

Auto-Popt, Inc., for use by theatre cir- 

;.s which utilize a central popping area, 

well as for large independent theatres 

and drive-ins. A single operator is required 

merely to set four switches at the 

start of the working day, start the conveyors 

and elevators and thereafter to 

devote his time to handling packaging. 

After the machine reaches proper popping 

heat (in about five minutes) , the automatic 

device takes over to handle oil, salt, 

corn and heat for the remainder of the 

day. A remote control panel can be installed 

near any place convenient for the 

single attendant to work in packaging the 

popped corn, so the attendant will know 

at all times what the machine is doing. In 

addition to the labor savings, Auto-Popt 

operation is said to be economical because 

of the balanced heat control and regulated 

salt and oil feed. The corn feed is factoryset 

at eight pounds, 14 ounces of raw com 

with a rwpping cycle of about 1 minute 

40 seconds. Maintenance is extremely simple 

and less than 15 minutes is required at 

the end of the working day for cleanup. 

/^ 

ILOIÎiA\Oir€^Kk\^ 

Your patrons will 

notice the 

difFerence — Super Snaplite 

gives greater contrast, better 

definition, more light on 

the screen where it really 

counts. 

Ask your 

dealer for 

Bulletin 222. 

>M 

NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS 

Heated 

BOXOFFICE 

FLOOR MAT 

Banishes Cashiers Complaints about 

Winter Floor Drafts and Cold Feet. 

This handy electrically Completely safe . . . eleheoted 

rubber floor mot merits completely enclosed 

keeps cashiers feet "toast '" durable rubber . . . 

,, - 

„„.u«, economical to operate, 

warm m any weather, |^^^ ^^^^^^, ,^^^ average 

for pennies a doy. Cash- Hg^, t,„|b . . . 

,4" x 21" 

iers work better, have jije, %" thick ... six 

fewer absences from the foot extension cord . . . 

job. satisfaction guaranteed. 

ORDER YOURS TODAY 

KOCH 

WE PAY THE POSTAGE 

ANYWHERE IN U.S. 

SUPPLIES 

Box 1112, Kansas City 8, Mo. 

USE UP those CARBONS! 

CALI CARBON COUPLERS 

Let You Burn All the Carbon 

"They're Expendable" 

Full 

Refund 

If not 100% 

^^^^^^^^_^ Satisfied 

^k\ 

The most popular carbon saver. Used by more They COSt less than jUSt the repairs On 

theatres than ALL other makes COMBINED. hlgh-prlced automatic suvers and are 

Per Hundred, postpaid: Not Packed in Mixed Sizes. •"•"'e efficient. 

6mm $2J5 T'/iey sare 25 % or more of carbon costs. 

7mm $2.50 

8mm $2.75 

9mm $3.25 

No worrying about injury to high prion) carbon 

savers. Burn 'em up, you still profit. 

Most economical carbon saver you ever used! 

CALI Products Company 

3719 Morjoric Way Socromento 20, Calif. 

The WORLD'S LARGEST Producer of Carbon Savers 

At all progreuive supply houses. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: December 8, 1956 

39

The follovring concerns have recently 

filed copies of interesting descriptive literature 

with the Modern Theatre Information 

Bureau. Readers who wish copies may 

obtain them prom,ptly by using the Readers' 

Bureau postcard in this issue of The Modern 

Theatre. 

Sofd through authorized distributors only. 

Passed by the Board of Fire Underwriters. 

GOLDBERG 

DENVER, COLORADO 

Mode/ini^ at J1o44A 

This is it... a GB fhsi! Model K, in high-grade heavy 

steel, machined with precision tolerances. ..occommodates 

3,000-ft. 35 mm. reels — and smaller! Doors 

open on extra-heovy counter-balanced spring hinges. 

Control handle for starting. Finished in brown 

hammertone. Gray hammertone, on request. 

BROS. 

Cadt! 

Replace Obsolete Systems or Equip New Theatres with 

DeVRY DUAL PROJECTION & SOUND OUTFITS 

Rebuilt Like New by S.O.S.— Includes 2 projectors with built-in soundheads, 

3,000 ft. upper magazines, pedestals, 2 Series II coated lenses, IKW 

arclamps, rectifiers with tubes, 30-watt sound film amplifier, booth monitor 

speaker, 2-way speaker system for low and high frequencies, automatic 

electric changeovers and footswifches . . . ALL FOR ONLY $2,495. 

ARC LAMPS GALORE 

ALL IN GOOD CONDITION 

Strong Mogul, Brenkert Enarc $350 PR. 

Forest U.T., Ashcraft "E." Ballantyne. ... 300 PR. 

Can be rebuilt to look and operate like new for $200 per pr. 

S.O.S. CINEMA SUPPLY CORP 

Other dual projection 

and sound 

outfits from $895. 

BEST VALUES in 

Seamless 

Metallic 

Aperture 

and 

Screens, 

Plates, 

Everything 

for Cinemascope 

Dept. C, 602 WEST 52nd STREET, N.Y.C. 19 

• Phone: PLaza 7-0440 Cable: Sosound 

L-1789 Mechanically refrigerated root 

beer barrels for theatre concessions are 

subject of a bulletin released by the Multiplex 

Faucet Co. The 45-gallon, three-faucet 

model dispenses root beer and Coca- 

Cola and has a draft arm for plain soda. 

The single-faucet, 17-gallon model serves 

only root beer. The Multiplex root beer 

barrels draw any size drink continuously 

without turning off the handle—ten to 15 

drinks per minute. 

L-1790 "Projector Parts and Assemblies," 

catalog Li-45, has been published by 

the LaVezzi Machine Works. Thirty-five 

pages of the 44-page catalog are devoted 

to parts for Simplex projectors. Other sections 

deal with parts for the E-7 projector. 

Century "C" and "CC" projector, sprockets 

and tools. Left hand pages show pictures 

of subassemblies and parts, identifying 

each by catalog parts number. Right hand 

pages list part numbers opposite descriptive 

names of the part for a projectionist's 

convenience in ordering replacements for 

his booth equipment. 

L-1791 Light Alarms, Inc.. has printed 

a folder of interest to any theatreman 

planning to provide his drive-in or indoor 

theatre with reliable emergency lighting. 

The emergency units are kept plugged into 

the theatre's 110-volt AC line. If this AC 

current fails, the emergency units automatically 

come on, using battery power, to 

spotlight exits, aisles, driveways or stairs 

so patrons may leave the area in safety. 

L-1792 Dyna-Pog Jr., a fogging unit 

light enough for a man to carry and operate 

at the same time, is described in a 

singlesheet by Bruhn & Co. The unit employs 

pulse jet action to propel a dense, 

impenetrable insect-killing fog into the 

air. Designed especially for drive-in theatre 

fogging, the unit may also be used for 

clearing indoor areas of ants, roaches, flies 

and other insects. 

Demag/iat/ze 

DEMAGNATOOL 

7/ie Degaussing Deyice Recommended by 

WESLEY TROUT . . . on Page 72 

of Boxoffice, October 20th issue 

m», 

• Distributed by NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY • 

BIZZELLE CINEMA SUPPLY COMPANY 

420 W. 45tk St. Naw York City, N. Y. 

L-1793—A THEATREMAN Seeking novel 

decorative effects for a new drive-in or 

conventional theatre will find helpful suggestions 

in "Glass Mosaic," a booklet prepared 

by American Import & Export Co.. 

distributor for an Italian manufacturer of 

architectural and decorative glass tile. The 

material is applicable to theatre walls, 

ceilings and floors, as well as to facades, 

attraction boards and terraces. Mosaic tile 

is made in a variety of sizes, with gold, silver, 

black and dozens of bright colors available. 


about PEOPLE / and PRODUCT 

Keith Clark has 

BEEN appointed 

branch salesmanager 

in the Kansas City 

office of Federal Sign 

and Signal Corp. 

Clark was in charge 

of Federal sales in 

Kentucky for nine 

years and established 

the firm's Lexington 

office five years ago. 

Keith Clark 

Darwin Delap is 

manager of the Kansas City office. 

The Lily-Tulip Cup Corp. has been 

awarded a bronze "Oscar of Industry" by 

Financial World, national weekly magazine, 

for the best annual report in the 

food container industry. C. W. Gray- 

Lewis, treasurer of the company, accepted 

the Oscar for Lily-Tulip Cup at the annual 

awards banquet in New York's Hotel 

Statler. Oscars were awarded in 100 industrial 

classifications, with 5,000 annual 

reports entered in the competition. 

George Ragan has retired after 25 years 

service with the Laly-Tulip Cup Corp. At 

the time of his retirement, Ragan was 

district manager of the firm's midwestern 

division. He was honored at a special retirement 

luncheon in the Blackstone Hotel, 

Omaha, Neb., at which Fen Doscher, 

vice-president, and George Austin, general 

sales manager presided. 

T. H. Stanley, who had been general 

sales manager and vice-president in charge 

of sales and advertising of the Nehi Corp., 

has been elected chairman of the firm's 

board of directors to replace C. C. Colbert. 

The latter resigned to devote more time 

to his interests in several Nehi bottling 

plants. W. E. Uzzell, general sales manager 

of Nehi's bottle beverage division, in turn 

took over Stanley's former position as general 

sales manager. Edward L. Norton, 

Birmingham financier has been elected to 

the executive committee of the corporattion. 

He was already a member of the 

board. 

O. S. McDowell, formerly a partner in 

the Northwest Chemical Co., has been appointed 

district field engineer for northwestern 

Washington by Electric-Aire Engineering 

Corp. McDowell has had wide experience 

in chemical specialty and building 

maintenance supply fields. He will operate 

from a Seattle office. 

Helmco, Inc., 

has established 36 service 

centers across the nation to expedite 

servicing of its concessions equipment 

used by drive-in theatres, according to R. 

A. Steiner, sales manager. The firm's expansion 

of its national service facilities follows 

closely the redesigning of its entire 

line of 45 models of hot and cold food and 

beverage equipment. 

Floyd Smiley jr., former editor of 

Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. employes' publication, 

Balco News, has joined Harshe- 

Rotman, Inc., national public relations 

firm, as an account executive. Warren 

Phillips, vice-president of the firm, announced 

that Smiley would be active on 

the Bausch & Lomb account and other 

Rochester industrial accounts. 

Knute Peterson, vice-president in 

charge of operations for Radiant Manufacturing 

Corp., annovmced that the firm 

is constructing a $1,800,000 brick and steel 

building in Chicago for the purpose of consolidating 

operations of its three plants in 

that city. Target month for completion is 

next July. Increase of the company's output 

to the 600,000 screens-per-year level 

necessitated the plant expansion, the current 

output being three and a half times 

larger than the firm's production was 

five years ago. Harry E. Eller is president 

and Adolph Wertheimer is executive vicepresident 

of Radiant, which became a subsidiary 

of the U. S. Hoffman Machmery 

Corp. a year ago. 

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December 8, 1956 41

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pÎNC. 

alcron 4, ehle 

D. W. Moor, president 

of American Mat 

Corp., has announced 

that his firm will 

celebrate its 25th 

anniversary in 1957 

with several special 

promotions. Slotted 

cards holding silver 

dollars will be used 

by company salesmen 

when making personal 

purchases from 

any firm that might be a customer for 

matting. To re-create interest among former 

customers, American Mat will replace 

free the oldest mat in service for each of 

the many types it sells. 

American Mat salesmen will be competing 

throughout the year for $100 for 

the largest cumulative dollar volume sales 

in each of 17 different fields. For each 

month a salesman shows a 25 per cent 

sales increase over his best previous month 

of 1957, he will put himself in line for a 

25 per cent bonus. Anniversary promotion 

will be heavily scheduled in magazine, 

newspaper, tradepaper, radio and television 

media. As the most novel promotion 

gimmick, each American Mat salesman 

will release a homing pigeon on a 

specified day, each pigeon carrying to 

Toledo, Ohio, sales headquarters a bona 

fide order written that day. The order arriving 

from the most distant point will be 

filled at no cost to the customer. 

Over-all refurbishing of the RKO 58th 

St. Theatre, New York City, included installation 

of a Vicra-Lite lenticular screen. 

"The King and I" was the first feature 

shown on the all-vinyl, seamless screen 

which is said to provide more even light 

distribution and a clear view of the picture 

from side 

seats. 

Carl G. Pierson, Kansas City, Mo., assistant 

secretary of the Vendo Co., died 

recently following a heart attack. He had 

been associated with his brothers, Elmer 

P. Pierson, board chairman, and John T. 

Pierson, president, in the automatic vending 

machine manufacturing firm since 

1942. 

Your carpets may be ^=j]fp 

the thickest . . 

Your soft drinks 

may be king-size . 

An outstanding installation for showing 

of the Todd-AO processed "Oklahoma!" 

has been made at the Uptown Theatre, 

Washington, D. C, where a 24x49-foot 

"Special White" Baytone screen is employed 

in combination with Super Cinex 

Ashcraft lamps. The resulting picture is 

bright and clear with maximum distribution 

of light to the sides and high quality 

color reproduction. 

Mrs. Serafina Ferrara, River Forest, 111., 

who was recently honored as National 

Grandmother of 1956 by National Grandmother 

and National Grandfather, Inc., 

is the wife of Salvatore Ferrara, founder 

and president of Ferrara Candy Co. Mrs. 

Ferrara was given the honor in recognition 

of her many benevolences and neighborly 

acts that made her known as "The 

Angel of Halsted Street." 

'!lE''?'.;!^llirais./\^. 

lE'A^^^îs 

BUT 

EVERY PERFORMANCE 

STILL 

MUST BE PERFECT! 

Perfect performances depend so much on the quality of service your 

equipment receives. Giving the besf service is the day-by-day job of 

every expert RCA Theatre Service Engineer. And he alone has behind 

him all RCA's tremendous technical resources. 

RCA SERVICE COMPANY, INC. 

A Radio Corporation o( America Subsidiary Camden, N.J. 


• ALPHABETICAL INDEX 

• ADLINES & EXPLOITIPS 

• BOXOFFICE BAROMETER 

• EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

• FEATURE RELEASE CHART 

• FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST 

• REVIEWS OF FEATURES 

• SHORTS RELEASE CHART 

• SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS 

• SHOWMANDISING IDEAS 

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

LOVE ME TENDER' ROCKS FIRST RUN SHOWMEN, TOO 

Striking Showmanship in First Campaigns-Wiggle Contests to Elvis Haircuts 

First run exhibitors came up with an unusual 

wealth of striking feats of showmanship 

for the early openings of "Love Me 

Tender." Apparently the pelvis wiggler has 

caught the fancy of showmen as well as of 

the teenagers. The stunts and adaptations 

have a wide range—from special girls matinees 

and rock and roU contests to an allnight 

show, the later at Miami Beach. 

Presenting a unique promotional stunt 

for "Love Me Tender," Manager Bob Bothwell 

of the Fox Theatre in Detroit set up 

a barber shop in the lobby of the huge 

theatre and offered free "Elvis Presley 

haircuts" to all customers. The shop 

opened at 1 p.m., fully equipped as a onechair 

shop, complete with wash basin, 

sterilizer, and accessories and barber. 

GET PRESLEY HAIRCUTS 

Both girls and boys came in to take advantage 

of the unusual tie-in fad, fanned 

by local publicity about a youngster whose 

Presley hairdo caused his rejection by a 

local high school. 

William Landers, Norwalk, Conn., city 

manager for Stanley Warner Theatres, 

distributed free Elvis Presley fan photos. 

Several exhibitors in the Cleveland area 

are taking advantage of the Elvis Presley 

rage to augment their regular engagement 

of "Love Me Tender" by running an extra 

special matinee at which they will raffle 

for display to a luck girl number winner. 

John Scanlan of the Warner Theatre in 

Torrington, Conn., conducted an Elvis 

Presley amateur contest on stage on opening 

night of "Love Me Tender." He offered 

$100 in prizes, including a Presley 45 

record phonograph, Presley albums, a sixmonth 

theatre pass and autographed Presley 

photos, for best Impressions of Presley. 

The co-sponsor was a downtown 

music store. 

TAKE SIDES ON ELVIS 

Three Salt Lake City radio stations helped 

proclaim the coming of "Love Me Tender" 

at the Rialto Theatre. John Dermian, Fox 

Intermountain Theatres, got one station to 

conduct a contest between two disc jockeys 

in which one said he liked Elvis Presley 

and the other talked against him. 

Listeners were invited to write in and 

say why they sided with one side or the 

"Love Me Tender" opened at the Wisconsin Theatre in Milwaukee to an oudience made up almost 

without exception of tons of the hound dog singer from Memphis. The opening night feature was a 

contest of imitators of Elvis Presley. Thirty-two entered the contest, which wos reduced to eight of 

the best ot a preshow rehearsal. The Milwaukee Journal ran a half page of the contestants. 

other. The best letter on each side was 

awarded a prize—a hound dog to the one 

who wrote the best letter on why he hated 

Presley, a pair of blue suede shoes to the 

letter which best told why he liked Presley. 

The awards were made on the stage 

of the Rialto. 

Additionally, one matinee was set aside 

for girls. Only one boy showed up, but 

the theatre was filled beyond capacity with 

girls. Prior to the show, a young imitator 

of Presley went through his act in front 

of the Rialto. The act drew an SRO crowd 

and blocked traffic. 

Denman gave away several lifesize standees 

of Presley to youngsters who attended 

the theatre. 

A talent show of course was the highlight 

of the "Love Me Tender" promotion 

by Milt Harman of the Wisconsin Theatre 

in Milwaukee. A record total of 32 ambitious 

"actors" turned out for the preshow 

rehearsal, from which eight were selected 

to represent the best of the talent. 

Came the night of the festivities, and 

it rained cats and dogs— "Hound dogs 

too," said Herman. But to his surprise the 

entire lower floor and a goodly portion of 

the balcony was filled. And with a big 

BOXOFHCE Showmandiser : : Dec. 8, 1966 303 — 

house to play to, the contestants went all 

out in their individual imitations of the 

now famous Presley. Some of their antics 

were practically out of this world, and 

brought screams and squeals from the teenagers. 

The adults even caught on to a 

degree and enjoyed it immensely; at least 

so it appeared. 

The winner was presented $25 and an 

Elvis Presley four-speed phonograph. In 

addition, disc jockey Bob Larson, the 

emcee, presented to members of the audience, 

a total of 20 Presley albums, records 

and bracelets. More than 10,000 Presley fan 

photos were given away during the first 

few days of the attraction. All the giveaways 

were promoted by Harman. 

The Milwaukee Journal had a reporter 

and photographer on hand, and the Wisconsin 

Theatre wound up with a half page 

of pictures on the Presley contest in the 

following day's edition. 

Harman had a huge animated 11 -foot 

cutout of Presley placed on a direct hit 

spot at the head of the grand stairway. 

The arm of Presley was kept moving up 

and down to give the appearance of him 

(Continued on next page)

Elvis and Tender' Rock Showmen. Too 

I Continued from preceding page) 

strumming the guitar. And back of the 

display, a record player rocked out the 

music of "Love Me Tender." 

His campaign also included a full page 

ad in the Milwaukee Journal, one day before 

opening, the cost of which was partly 

defrayed by RCA, to plug the Presley albums. 

In addition, 

RCA came through by 

arranging 18 displays in the best record 

dealer windows and department stores. 

Over 5,000 giant heralds were distributed 

through the record shops, where lifesized 

standees of Presley greeted the public. And 

jockey Larson plugged the promotion 

daily on WEMP a week in advance. 

For opening night of "Love Me Tender" 

at the Miami Theatre, Miami, Fla., 

Wometco advertised, "The Miami Theatre 

will remain open all night tonight and 

continuous through Thursday." Coffee and 

doughtnuts were served at 6 a.m., compliments 

of the house. 

Reaction was, according to Manager Tim 

Tyler, "a little disappointing," but he added 

he guessed the kids were all in school. 

Meantime, Sonny Shepherd persuaded 

a group of yoimgsters to picket the Miami 

Daily News in protest against the habit of 

Herb Rau, amusement editor, of spelling 

EHvis Presley's name backwards whenever 

he lised it. The story of the picketing, a 

front page, three-column feature, broke 

in the News the day the picture opened at 

the Miami, Carib and Miracle. It had a 

prominent spot also on the WTVJ newsreel 

and was covered by Fox Movietonews. 

When Rau attempted to leave the building, 

he found the youngsters parading back 

and forth with placards reading: "Elvis 

Has Got it. Herb Rau Should Catch It"; 

Copy to Help Sell Films 

Given by Commonwealth 

Commonwealth Theatres in Kansas City 

this week came up with some "copy that 

might help sell" pictures to the public as 

Its "Idea of the Week" in the Messenger, 

circuit house organ. 

"A Motion Picture Is Only As Good As 

It's Entertainment Value," headed one 

selling idea. Copy read: 

"When you step into this theatre, you 

expect, and you have a right to expect, 

something more than a couple of hours of 

motion pictures! A long strip of film is not 

necessarily entertainment! You expect to 

see something NEW, something DIFFER- 

ENT, something that will make you 

LAUGH, or perhaps dream a bit, something 

that you can remember with pleasure. 

Here are a few pictures designed ^for 

that very purpose. Well bet youll find 

much wonderful entertainment In them." 

The second idea, headed "Wanta Get Out 

of the House and Give Your Family a 

Treat," read: 

"Motion pictures today have made tremendous 

strides In the field of sound, in 

beautiful color photography, in the many 

The Milwaukee RCA Victor distributor went 

in on this page ad appearing the day before 

opening of "Love Me Tender." 

"Herb, Stop Sinking Our Dream Boat": 

"Herb Rau Ain't Nothin' But a Houn' 

Dawg"; "Mr. Rau, Don't Yelserp Our 

Presley," etc. 

Rau retreated into the News building, 

returning with a placard reading, "I Surrender, 

But It's Still Yelserp," then began 

giving away pictures of Presley as the 

picketers dropped their signs and rallied 

around. 

'scopes' that give you 'living presence' in 

entertainment values. Here we give you a 

peek at some of the fine pictures coming 

our way, pictures that have unusual merit, 

pictures that will surprise your entire 

family!" 

Paris Trip on 'Brunettes' 

Lige Brien, United Artists director of 

special events, recently presented steamship 

tickets to Mrs. A. E. Neininger of Ellwood 

City, Pa., who won the grand prize 

in UA's national "Gentlemen Marry 

Brunettes" letter-writing contest. Mrs. 

Neininger sailed with her husband aboard 

the SS United States for Paris. 

'Cadillac' Paper on Convertible 

L. J. Beimett, manager of the Princess 

Theatre in Farmington, lU., attached the 

National Screen Cadillacs on the sides of 

a Cadillac convertible and gave townspeople 

and those In neighboring areas a 

constant reminder of "The Solid Gold 

Cadillac," starting a week before opening. 

The idea had added Impact because Tom 

Brewer, owner of the Princess, and Bennett 

timed the running of the film with a 

homecoming celebration. 

FMW Pays Commission 

On Xmas Book Sales 

To stimulate sales of Christmas Giftickets, 

the Fox Midwest circuit is offering 

employes a 10 per cent commission on 

the sales of ticket books outside the theatre, 

and in its recent issue of Contact, the circuit 

gave tips on gift ticket selling. 

The house organ points out the attractive 

gift-like cover on the ticket book, 

that there is no price mark on its face to 

stare the recipient in the face and that it 

contains a free admission coupon in the 

back of the book, entitling the holder to a 

free ticket when he buys a new book at 

the boxoffice of any theatre. 

In addition, it is pointed out that the 

Giftickets are honored in 80 theatres in 

52 cities named on the inside cover of the 

book, and that the coupons are as good 

as money at both the boxoffice for admission 

and the concession coimters for confection 

purchases. 

As one method of selling Giftickets, the 

circuit recommends sending letters to various 

business houses urging the books as 

either employe gifts or gifts for regular 

customers. It is suggested that managers 

use the yellow section of the phone book 

to get the greatest number of contacts for 

their mailing lists. 

The circuit urges that managers go after 

the people who have not been frequenting 

the theatre lately, those people who already 

hold season passes, traveling salesmen, 

bankers, insurance men and investment 

houses who might buy tickets for 

customers, department store for sales promotion 

gifts and tieups with car dealers 

or jewelers as giveaway items. 

Contact With Right People 

Important to Theatre 

Personal contact with the right people 

is very important to the theatre, says the 

weekly editorial in the Commonwealth 

Messenger, house organ put out by the 

circuit's Kansas City headquarters. 

"Do you know the right people?" the 

editorial asks. "People that you may not 

normally associate with socially, but who 

are important in your town. Your representatives, 

the senator, the mayor, members 

of your church council, your coimty 

officials, your welfare people, your tax 

assessor, the directors of youth organizations, 

your school officials, etc. These people 

are very important to you. You should 

know them and you should visit with them 

frequently. 

"You should know their problems. Just 

as they should know you and your business. 

"If some of the city dads in your community 

decide they ought to place a tax 

on theatre tickets, it is important that you 

enlist such people to help you win your 

battle. If a daylight saving time proposition 

comes up, these people can help you 

win a battle. If you have something special 

that you want to see accomplished in your 

community, these people can help you gain 

your point." 

4. 

— 304 — BOXOFFICE Showmandisar :: Dec. 8, 19Se

I 

Rock 'n' Roll One-Day 

Show Grosses Rig 

A flash stage show booking rocked the 

foundations of the Fox Florence Theatre 

in Los Angeles on a recent Sunday giving 

the 1,700-seat sub run house the biggest 

single day gross in its history, reports 

Showman, the National Theatres publication. 

Normally playing on a 14 and 21-day 

neighborhood break, the theatre booked 

Johnny Otis and his Rock 'n' Roll Show 

for a one-day stand. With Sunday always 

representing the week's biggest single day 

gross, this particular Sunday's receipts 

were the equal of six average Sundays. 

The Ingredients of the show are simple 

and can be duplicated in many situations. 

First, Johnny Otis, the show's emcee, Is 

a popular disc jockey with a five-day-aweek 

program on a local station and one 

day each week on TV. The show itself is 

rock 'n' roll with 40 local colored artists. 

The group presents three performances, 

plus regular feature. 

Newspaper ads gave exact time stage 

•howg started but the public arrived too 

Iftte to be in their seats in time for the 

first one—a fact mentioned here, that 

others might profit by. 

Advertising included radio, TV, newspapers 

and 500 window cards. On radio 

and TV the plugs were by Otis on his own 

shows, with no time being charged 

against the theatre. Also, several other 

friendly disc jockeys helped as a courtesy. 

In the four Los Angeles papers, with 

a combined rate of $45, a 1-col. 8-lnch 

display ad, selling all artists, ran once in 

each paper on a staggered schedule starting 

on the Wednesday before. 

The 500 window cards were not confined 

to the theatre area, but were placed in 

adjacent neighborhoods. 

The largest single group in attendance 

was colored, but according to the agents 

handling the show, equally good results are 

obtained in situations where colored 

populations are small. 

District Manager Ernest Sturm is highly 

pleased with the results and is booking 

the attraction in several more of his towns. 

He says the idea will sell anywhere there's 

a live disc jockey. 

Entrant Wears Crown 

In Big Stock Show 

i^B Dale Stammerjohn, manager of the Lex- 

I^B ington, Mo., Malnstreet, experienced a 

I^B deep and well-earned glow of satisfaction 

I^P when his local winner of the American 

Royal Queen contest, Mary Jo Smith, won 

the coveted honor of being crowned Queen 

of the Kansas City American Royal before 

a crowd of more than 15,000 at the Royal 

coronation. The coronation, which at- 

3 

tracts nationwide Interest each year, 

climaxed Dale's first year as manager in 

Lexington. To Dale goes the credit for a 

fine job of publicizing his local contest and 

keeping interest in the competition at fever 

pitch in Lexington. 

BOXOFFICE ShowmandiBer :: Dec. 8, 1956 

I 

The display for "War and Peace" at Brandt's Lincoln Theatre in Miami Beach was under the supervision 

of Louis Fishkin, and avoided the mistake of too much detail, a fault which sometimes makes 

for confustion In the eye of the beholder. In this case, all essential information about the picture could 

readily be taken in at a glance by the passerby. A 24-sheet cutout was used for the overhead board, 

letters and figures being raised from the board. Painted bomb bursts in the background contoined 

critics' endorsements. The side pieces were colored enlargements. Stars' names were plainly and 

simply stated across the front. An easel gave the playing hours. The Lincoln manager is Lou Liss. 

King and Queen for Day Idea Adds Kick 

To Kid Shows at Minneapolis Theatre 

Martin Field, son of Harold Field and 

manager of the suburban de luxe St. Louis 

Park in MinneajKilis, is responsible for a 

new gimmick which is helping to make the 

children's matinees more popular and 

stimulates popcorn sales. 

It's called "King for a Day" and "Queen 

for a Day." The youngster who finds a 

king or queen slip in his popcorn box gets 

all he can eat and drink that day at the 

theatre's refreshment stand and tickets 

for ten more shows. 

Also in line with the theatre's aim to 

boost young fry patronage. Field plays 

host at as many as eight or nine birthday 

parties in one afternoon. 

If an adult calls and says he's bringing 

a birthday party to the theatre, Keld puts 

the red carpet out. Seats are reserved for 

the party and the ticket taker sings "Happy 

Birthday" to the honored one. Later the 

children receive favors. 

Commenting on all this, Harold Field 

points out: "Kids mess up a house, especially 

the younger ones. People seem glad 

to let us have the mess instead." 

The aggressive manner in which the St. 

Louis Park is going after children's business 

won a writeup from Will Jones In his 

Minneapolis Morning Tribune column, 

headed: "Movie Serves as Baby-Sitter." 

Jones wrote: 

"I sat through one of those 14-cartoon 

matinees at the St. Louis Park with a 

flock of kids the other day. Along about 

the sixth cartoon the theatre owner came 

and sat beside me. 'The kids are the sal- 

— 305 — 

vatlon of the movie business,' Harold Field 

said. "They're the first ones to leave their 

TV sets. They'd much rather go out to a 

movie than stay home and see it on TV.' 

Field looked over the auditorium full of 

screaming young humanity, wrote Jones, 

and added, proudly, "What do you think 

of our baby-sitting service?" 

Jones commented : "I've talked with some 

theatre owners, who, while they don't mind 

collecting all those kid admissions, still 

resent having to sit as baby-sitters. They 

wish parents would come along to help 

keep the kids in line." 

"We've been experimenting," Field told 

Jones. "Who, for instance, would have 

thought that you would get a bigger crowd 

at a Wednesday matinee than at a Saturday 

matinee? But this happened with us 

last summer. We tried to learn why. One 

woman said, 'Why, of course. My husband 

is home on Saturday, and with both of us 

there, we can manage the kids. But during 

the week, when I'm there alone, and the 

kids are home all week, it's a real blessing 

to have some place to send them for two 

and a half-hours.' 

Starts Kiddy Club 

Peter Perakos jr. of the Arch Street Theatre, 

New Britain, Conn., has started a 

Saturday Kiddy Club. Membership cards 

are issued. Each week cards are punched, 

and if youngster has attended nine consecutive 

Saturdays, he's admitted to tenth 

program as guest. 

3

w 

PSC Bus and a Driver for Day Is 

Prize 

In Xan't Run Away From It' Contest 

As a result of Columbia's national tieup 

with Greyhound Bus Lines for "You Can't 

Run Away Prom It," Manager Howard 

Ritherford of the Loew's, Indianapolis, arranged 

a contest for which the prize was a 

Greyhound bus and driver for one day. 

The winner got to take his busload of 

friends anywhere he chose for one day. A 

restaurant joined in by providing box 

lunches. 

Using a scene from the picture as a 

springboard, Lester Pollack of the Loew's, 

Rochester, arranged for a furniture window 

display. He had the store hang a 

"walls of Jericho" blanket between twin 

beds and put life-size cutouts of June Allyson 

and Jack Lemmon on the beds. Of 

course, there were plenty of playdate 

credits in the window, too. 

In "You Can't Run Away From It," June 

Allyson's suitcase is stolen before the 

audience learns what's in it. So Paul Lyday 

of the Denver Theatre got a local newspaper 

to sponsor a contest asking, "What 

Was in the Suitcase?" A cleverly worded 

jingle gave clues each day for a week and 

the newspapers donated cash prizes. 

Al Siner of the Strand, Providence, R. I., 

capitalized on the fact a wedding plays a 

key part in the film. He talked a local 

bridal gown store into incorporating stills 

and playdate information into window displays. 

'Cadillac' Promotions From Here and There; 

Miss Golden Girl Contest Scores in Dallas 

Theatre managers and publicity men 

across the coimtry put on an unusually 

comprehensive series of campaigns for 

"The Solid Gold Cadillac." Many items 

appeared in virtually every campaign, but 

some of the ideas used by different showmen 

follow. 

In Dallas, Majestic Theatre publicist Hal 

Cheatham scored heavily with a "Search 

for Miss Golden Girl." He tied up with the 

Dallas Merchandise Mart, which was interested 

in pushing a solid gold dress made 

by Cadillac Separates. The search was carried 

on through all media, with entrants 

being narrowed down to 12 for the finals 

over TV. The winner got a raft of prizes 

and the Majestic got imequaled playdate 

publicity. 

Ray Thome, manager of the Malco In 

Memphis, took advantage of the Miss 

Brooks dress tieup arranged by Columbia 

and proceeded to get a local department 

store to cooperate by staging a special 

style show and devoting a number of key 

windows to the tieup. 

Cincinnati's Keiths benefited when 

Manager Carl Perrazza discovered a Goldcraft 

portrait studio. He promoted 500 certificates 

good for free photographs to be 

used as giveaways on opening day. 

In cooperation with a local TV outlet, 

William Zeilor of the Harris, Pittsburgh, 

successfully put across a "Mystery Cadil- 

This called for a Cadillac to 

lac" contest. 

cruise the downtown streets for several 

days, with the TV station telling listeners 

to watch for a car with a certain license 

plate. Anyone Identifying the car and stopping 

It on the street received a dollar for 

each mile on the trip mileage indicator. 

Russ Stephens of the RKO Orpheum In 

St. Paul had a 1934 Cadillac touring the 

city, carrying a sign reading "I'm on my 

way to the Orpheum Theatre to trade this 

in on "The Solid Gold Cadillac'." 

In Kansas City, Maurice Druker of the 

Loew's Midland made an effective tieup 

with Lever Bros, and their gold-wrapped 

Lux Soap. More than 250 streamers with 

film credit were displayed in stores around 

town. 

Vincent lorio, manager of the Trans-Lux 

in Washington, really went to town on the 

Bache & Co. tieup, with a ticker display in 

the lobby keyed to the contest offering a 

share of General Motors stock as first prize, 

lorio also got jukebox operators and disc 

jockeys to plug the Pearl Bailey recording 

of "Solid Gold Cadillac." 

WB to Prepare Folders 

On Preselling Efforts 

An advertising and publicity report on 

"Baby Doll" has been prepared by the 

Warner Bros, advertising and publicity 

department as an advance aid preceding 

the pressbook. The report, which contains 

all publicity breaks and ideas already accomplished 

plus those in the planning 

stages, is being distributed in a special 

folder to the WB field exploitation and 

distribution forces, in addition to leading 

theatre operators throughout the country. 

The 33-page booklet details the nationwide 

preselling efforts already completed 

and the ideas and promotions currently 

in work. In addition, it contains a selection 

of advertising proofs. 

This preselling presentation is to be a 

permanent service from the Warner advertising 

and publicity department on 

forthcoming releases. 

Lou Cohen, Loew's Poll, Hartford, sent 

Elvis Presley charm bracelets to local 

critics, with notes reminding them of "Love 

Me Tender" opening date. 

Locomotive on Float 

Smokes Via Dry Ice 

Marvin C. Pox, manager of the Vogue 

Theatre, a Blumenfeld Theatres unit at 

Pittsburg, Calif., capitalized on the com- 

munity's annual Columbus Day parade this 

year to publicize both the theatre and its 

current showing, "The Great Locomotive 

Chase." 

Pox designed a float representing a locomotive 

of the type used in the Disney 

feature emerging from a turmel, with 

simulated smoke rising from the wide, oldfashioned 

smokestack. Secret of the smoke 

was dry ice submerged in a bucket of water 

within the "smokestack." Pox's ingenuity 

was rewarded by parade judges awarding 

the Vogue float second place in the commercial 

class. 

While the parade was in progress. Fox / 

hired twys to hand out imprinted balloons 

and handbills with serial numbers along 

the line of march. Some of the serial numbers 

on the handbills were good for free 

admissions to "The Great Locomotive 

Chase." 

Pox and the Vogue won a welcome publicity 

bonanza, too. In connection with the 

Columbus Day event when one of the theatre's 

usherettes won the annual queen 

contest and presided over the parade. 

Eight Words in Ad 

Roger Livingston, Art Theatre, Hartford, 

used advance teaser ad copy for 

"Private's Progress." In space measuring 

one inch by one inch, he ran this copy: 

"Smile 

"Giggle 

"Chuckle 

"Laugh 

"Roar 

"Year's Funniest Movie!" 

Mark Anniversaries 

The Elm, managed by Vincent Capuano. 

and the Eastwood, managed by Thomas 

C. Grace, both Hartford, Conn., neighborhood 

houses, recently celebrated anniver- ( 

saries, the Elm its eighth and the Eastwood 

it 15th. Both invited young patrons to attend 

special anniversary matinees, featuring 

kiddy films and distribution of free 

cupcakes. 

306 — BOXOFFICE SliowmandiBor : : 

Dec. 8, 1966

I 

THEATRE TALENT SERIES TIES IN TED MACK HOUR 

TV-Radio Deal Gives Milwaukee Contest Prestige and Sponsor Who Foots All 

By BILli NICHOL 

Johnny Roche, manager of the Tower, a 

Milwaukee neighborhood theatre, has 

proved that you don't have to be "downtown" 

to be rated a successful showman. 

With so many forms of recreation competing 

for a share of the constmier's dollar, 

Johnny says the ambitious theatre 

man has to be on his toes every minute of 

the day and night as well. Some form of 

showmanship is attached with every bill 

Roche runs, aside from routine advertising. 

As a matter of fact, he feels that without 

the foundation of ballyhoo, gimmicks, 

or what-have you, the little neighborhood 

house is slipping. 

About a month ago, feeUng that his tieins 

with merchants along the street, which 

have been boxoffice successes thus far, 

were losing their punch, he cast about for 

something a bit out of the ordinary. 

"Like everything else," he said, "moviegoers, 

more than other seekers of amusement, 

reUsh a change of diet, so to speak. 

You can practically count on their attendance 

once or twice a week, providing you 

offer them an appealing program. So, here 

I am, one day, standing on a street corner, 

when a car salesman comes along. After 

passing the time of day, he asked me what 

I was 'up to.' He knows a theatreman 

always has something up his sleeve to perk 

up business, and I confessed that I was 

looking for a sponsor. 

"Wen, one word led to another, until he 

asked me what type of a show I had in 

mind. At the moment, I actually was only 

thinking in terms of a one-shot arrangement. 

But somehow, I began to sense an 

unusual interest the car man took in my 

buildup." 

"Why don't you let me speak to the 

boss about this?" he murmured. "Perhaps 

the firm would go for a tieup along the 

Unes you have in mind. Let's wait and see 

what happens." 

Johnny Roche, seated at his desk, discusses the 

next amateur hour program with his assistant 

Ray 

Olszevrski. 

BOXOFTICE Showmondiser : : Dec. 8, 1956 

Bills 

The Tower's amateur programs are staged on a prestige basis, with every effort mode to obtain high 

class competitors, with professional props ond bockgrounds. This group shot shows disc jockey Jack 

Denton asking for applause for a little baton twirler. She won second prize. Note on the backdrop 

the name of Merlin Motors, which picked up the check for the entire cost. 

Roche says he let the matter go at that, 

as far as the salesman was concerned, but 

immediately turned in the other direction, 

and headed for an Interview with his superiors. 

Once at the office, he threw a 

proposition in their respective laps. 

"I told the powers that be, a tieup with 

the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour, 

would be natural, if it could be landed. I 

said I had been kicking the idea around for 

the past couple weeks and that I had a 

possible sponsor who might be interested." 

When Roche revealed that it was Merlin 

Motors he had in mind as the likely sponsor, 

everyone present was immediately impressed, 

since the Merlin people through 

various forms of extremely successful public 

relations work, had made Milwaukee, 

LINCOLN conscious. 

From there on in, the entire organization 

got on the bandwagon. Roche says he 

learned that Harold Janecky, general manager 

for Kent Theatres—and the Tower 

had at one time been associated with Ted 

Mack. Here then, was an in! So Janecky 

wired Mack, and followed through by going 

to New York and lunching with the 

popular talent promoter. 

Result, Janecky came back with the tiein 

"package" in his hip pocket. Except for 

the fact that the promotion had to follow a 

given routine, Roche now had the show he 

wanted to put on. Meanwhile, there had 

been a few sessions with the Merlin organization. 

Sensing what a national tie-in 

could do for them and the Lincoln automobile, 

they agreed to sponsor the program 

in its entirety—a full 12-week series 

for both the Tower and Oriental theatres! 

And as these words are being written, the 

third of the series has already taken place. 

In the buildup, Roche and his staff 

supervises an auditioning one day each 

week, with assistance from various radio 

station disc jockeys. The lucky ones then 

— 307 — 

appear at the Tower on Friday night, and 

the Oriental the following evening. Both 

theatres offer this show in addition to the 

regtilar program at no increase in admission 

price. 

For his first presentation, Roche gave his 

patrons the Elvis Presley atmosphere, with 

disc jockey "Coffee Head" Larson of 

WEMP as master of ceremonies, and two 

pianists also from the studio for backgroimd 

music. Ten acts are presented, 

with the winners receiving $15, $10, $5. 

The second show filled the house to the 

rafters, which made an appropriate impression 

on George Shot, sales manager 

for the Merlin Lincoln sponsors. Both he 

and Paul Tolley, the sales counselor who 

was instrumental in bringing the "package" 

to the attention of Shot and other 

officials of the company, caught both 

shows, and pronounced them ideal. Jack 

Etenton, WISN disc jockey emceed the 

show, and with his usual capers rounded 

out the presentation. For a grand finale, 

Roche released about 100 balloons from 

the ceiling, each containing a guest ticket. 

The patrons got a big charge out of watching 

the teenagers scramble for them. 

OFFICIAL INTRY SLANK 

Afplitatl»n ta t A uJ i t ion 

Oriental and Tow*r Thtatret Amattur Hoar 

i* Atfritlt 

TED MACK AND THE ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR 

p»»id by KEKJN MOTOM MC 

llH'l Of* 

mi w. 

*T0NC6TO. 

^..h.iiilitli«*g»UW MOTOM- 

•• oa Tm-m Thaw, 1 

TED ftAACK AND THE ORIGINAL AÂATEUR HOUR 

Official entry blanks, reproduced here, measure 

approximately 814x6 inches.

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 five engagements are not listed. As new runs 

are reported, ratings ore 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. 

m Attack! (UA) 95 100 125 225 110 120 180 200 100 100 125 100 150 200 175 90 100 170 137 

p Back From EtenUty (RKO) 95 85 125 90 90 85 90 i§5 90 75 130 85 

95 110 102 

Best Things In Life Are Free (20th-Pox) 125 125 125 220 125 110 110 100 95 165 100 115 120 140 85 113 100 122 

Between Heaven and Hell (20th-Fox) 90 115 120 215 120 100 120 110 70 150 115 150 105 125 122 

Boss, The (UA) 95 60 115 90 80 75 80 115 90 89 

Cha-Cha-Ch» Boom! (Col) 100 100 70 100 89 91 

Curucn, Beast of the Amacon (U-I) 120 110 90 90 75 97 

Friendly Persuasion (AA) 125 150 135 225 225 125 125 195 155 125 165 200 163 

Fmits of Summer (Ellis) 100 185 110 120 200 143 

Giant (WB) 300 250 250 245 215 300 450 300 475 450 450 400 350 250 270 300 400 333 

Girl He Left Behind. The (WB) 90 135 100 100 80 120 85 05 95 100 

Hot Cars (UA) 100 80 90 100 80 90 100 91 

Huk (UA) 100 100 100 100 100 50 100 93 

JuUe (MGM) 125 140 140 135 100 100 160 90 124 

King of the Coral Sea (AA) 100 95 100 60 95 90 

Lisbon (Rep) 90 110 110 195 100 80 85 85 90 100 85 60 120 70 80 97 

Love Me Tender (20th-Fox) 100 200 200 215 200 250 210 145 175 150 185 

Lust for Life (MGM) 150 350 120 225 125 185 350 250 150 250 216 

Magnificent Rouglineclca (AA) 100 100 100 100 100 75 96 

Mole People, The (U-I) 100 100 90 90 75 91 

Mountain, The (Para) 110 80 200 95 110 100 125 75 100 100 130 100 100 110 

Odongo (Col) 95 195 90 65 100 109 

Oklahoma! (20th-Fox) 185 300 100 200 185 195 

Opposite Sex, The (MGM) 125 110 140 180 105 120 120 125 105 100 125 125 120 160 105 124 

Power and the Prize, The (MOM) 100 200 05 60 90 75 100 60 90 80 125 

Private's Progress (DCA) 120 150 105 200 105 90 110 250 190 147 

Back, The (MGM) 95 210 80 60 100 75 70 110 80 110 99 

Bepris»l! (Col) 90 100 65 00 85 86 

Rlfifl (UMPO) 100 115 225 200 70 110 250 

153 

Run for the Sun (UA) 110 225 90 100 120 130 75 80 90 90 75 120 90 125 109 

Search for Bridey Murphy, The (Para) 90 90 65 90 75 90 70 40 76 

SecreU of Life (BV)

Feature productions by company in order of releose. Number in square is nationof release date. Running 

time is in parentheses. © is for CinemoScope; (^ VistaVision; '^ Superscope; K< Naturama. Symbol O 

denotes 60X0FFICE Blue Ribbon Award; Q color photography. Letters and combinations thereof indicate 

story type: (C) Comedy; (D) Drama; (Ad) Adventure-Drama; (CD) Comedy-Dromo; (M) Musical; (W) Western. 

(Complete key on next page.) For review dates and Picture Guide page numbers^ see Review Digest. 

yCATURE 

ALLIED ARTISTS 

ai Wicked Wife (75) D..5606 

Nifd Patrick. Molra Lister 

IS Come On, The (83) ®..D..5608 

Anne Baxter, Sterling Hayden 

O Crashing Us Vegas (62). C. 5609 

Leo Gorcey, Hunti Hall, M. Castle 

® Thuniierslorra (81) D..5604 

Linda Christian, Ouloa Ttaompaon, 

Charles Korvln 

B Navy Wife (83) C. .56U 

Joan Bennett, Gary Merrill. 

Shirley Yamagucfai 

U Screaming Eagles (81) . . D. .5610 

Tom Tryon. Jan Merlin 

Crime in the Streets 

(91) Cr..5614 

Jolm Cassavetes. James Wliitmore 

® Naked Hills, The (73) OD. .5605 

David Wayne, Keenan Wynn 

B King vf the Coral Sea 

(74) Ad.. 5617 

Chips Itafferty, Ilni« Adey 

©First Texan (82) ©..W..5615 

Joel >lcCrea, Felicia Farr 

m Three for Jamie Dawn 

(81) D..5618 

Laralne Day, Ricardo MoDtalban 

M Magnificent Roughnecks 

(73) CO.. 5616 

Jack Qarson, Mickey Rooney 

@ Hold Back the Night 

(80) 0..5621 

John Payne, Mod* Freeman 

COLUMBIA 

Over-Exposed (80) D..835 

Cleo Moore, Itichard Crenna 

Harder They Fall. The (109). D. .827 

Humphrey Bogart. Bod Stelger. 

Jan Sterllnc 

Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado 

(76) W. .831 

Howard Duff. Maggie Maboney 

Rock Around the Clock (77). M.. 838 

Johnny Johnston. Bill Haley 

©Jubal (101) © W. .833 

Glenn Ford, &nest Borgnlne, 

Rod Slelger, Jan Sterling 

SCockleshell Heroes (97) ©.D..813 

Jose Ferrer, Trevor Howard 

©Safari (91) © Ad.. 839 

Victor Mature. Janet Leigh, 

.lohn Justin, Roland Culver 

Secret of Treasure Mountain, 

The (68) W..832 

William Prince, Valerie French 

SStorm Over the Nile 

(SO) © 0D..829 

Anthony Steel, l.aurence Harvey 

0©Eddy Duchin Story, The 

(123) © DM.. 101 

Tyrone Power, Kim Novak 

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers 

(83) SF..102 

Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor 

Werewolf, The (80) Ha.. 103 

[Ion Megowan, Joyce Holdeo 

M-G-M 

Jl ©Tribute to a Bad Man 

(95) © M..626 

James Cagney. Irene Papas 

m 0©Swan. The (112) © CD. .628 

Grace Kelly. Alec Guhiness. 

Louis Jourdan 

83 ©Gaby (97) © D..627 

Leslie Caron. John Kerr 

m ©Bhowani Junction 

(110) © Ad.. 631 

Ava (iardner, Stewart Granger, 

Abraham Sofaer. Bill Travers 

a Catered Affair, The (93). CD. .633 

Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnlne, 

Debbie Reynolds 

m Fastest Gun Alive, The 

(90) W..634 

Glenn Ford, Jeanne Oaln, 

Broderlck Crawford 

a Somebody Up There Likes Me 

(113) D..635 

Paul Neil-nan. Pier Angell. 

Everett Sloane, Sal MIneo 

PARAMOUNT 

CHART 

I 

©Anything Goes (108) (V).M..5513 

Bing Crosby. Donald O'Connor, 

Mitzi GiyaoT, Jeanmalre 

Scarlet Hour. The (95) ®..D..5514 

Carol Ohmart. Tom Tryon, 

Elaine Stritch, Jody Lawranee 

©Birds and the Bees, The 

(94) ® C..5515 

George Gobel, Mitzi G&ynor, 

David Niven, Reginald (krdner 

i}©Man Who Knew Too Much 

(120) ® D..5520 

James Stewart. Doris Day 

Leather Saint (86) ®....W..5521 

John Derek, Jody Lawranee, 

Paul Douglas 

©That Certain 

Feeling 

(103) ® C..55M 

Bob Hope, Eva M.arle Saint, 

Pearl Bailey, Cieorge Sanders 

Proud and Profane, The 

(HI) ® D..5524 

WilliaiD Holden, Deborah Kerr, 

Ttielma Rltter, Dewey Martin 

RKO RADIO 

»- xae 

ElWay Out, The (78) D..6U 

Mona Freeman. Gene Nelson 

S 

Bold and the Brave, The 

(90) ® D..612 

Mickey Rooney; Wendell Corey. 

Nicole' Maurey 

SS ©Great Day in the 

Morning (92) ® D..613 

Virginia Mayo. Robert Stack, 

Kuth Roman 

m While the City Sleeps 

(100) D..615 

Dana Andrews, Ida Lupino, 

Rhonda Fleming 

H Murder on Approval (70). D.. 614 

Tom Conway, Delphi Lawrence 

(See Relssuea) 

> 

-u 

so 

[SOCanyon River (SO) ®.W..5620 

George Montgomery, Peter Gravea 

O Young Guns, The (84) . W. .5622 

Ru«s Tamblyn. Gloria Talbott 

g ONo Place to Hide 

(71) D..5603 

David Brian, Marsha Hunt 

[g Strange Intruder (82) . .0. .5619 

Edmund Purdom. Ida Luplno 

Si 

Fighting Trouble (61). .C. .5623 

Iluflti Hall, Stanley Cltmutf 

B Calling Homicide (61). My. .5624 

Bill EUlott, Kathleen Case 

HYaqui Drums (71) W.,5625 

Kod Cameron, Mary (^stle 

S Cruel Tower, The (80) . . D . . 5629 

John Erleaon, Mart BlaDcbard 

9 Blonde Sinner, The (73) . D . . 5635 

Diana Dors, Yvonne Mitchell 

; 

©Friendly Persuasion 

(137) CD.. 5657 

Gary (^per, Dorotli; UcOulre 

Autumn Leaves (108) D..104 

Joan Oawford. (Hlff Itobertaon 

©He Laughed Last (77) . . .M. .105 

Krankle Lalne. L,ucy Marlow 

1984 (91) D..110 

.Michael Redgrave, Jan Sterling 

Miami Expose (73) D..106 

Lee J. Cobb. PatrlcU Medina 

Storm Center (S7) D..10S 

Bette Davis. Brian Keith 

(Special engagements only) 

USolid Gold Cadillac (99). .C. .112 

Judy HolUday. Paul Dauglaa, 

Arthur O'Connell. Fred (Hark 

©Port Afrique (92) My.. 113 

Pier Angell. PbU Cutf, 

Dennis 

Price 

Spin a Dark Web (76) My.. 107 

Faith Domerguc. Lee Pattenon 

Cha-Cha-Cha Boon I (72).. M.. 114 

Mary Kaye Trio, Perei Prado 

©Reprisal! (74) W..U5 

Guy Madison. Felicia Farr 

©Odongo (85) © Ad. 109 

ithonda Fleming. Macdonald Carey 

White Squaw, The (73) . . . .W. .116 

David Brbin, May Wynn 

©You Can't Run Away 

From It (95) © C..118 

June Allyson. Jack Lemmon 

Suicide Mission (70) DK..123 

m These Wilder Years (91) . . D . .636 

Janes Ca«ney. Barbara Stanwyck 

m ©High Society (107) ®. HC. .637 

Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, 

Frank Sinatra. Celeste Holm 

©Lust for Life (122) © D . .701 

Kirk Douglas. Anthony Qulnn. 

Pamela Brown. Everett Sloane 

S ©Tea and Sympathy 

(112) © D..702 

Deborah Iwerr. John Kerr 

O Power and tko Prize, The 

(98) © D..703 

Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Mueller 

S ©Opposite Sex, The 

(117) © C..705 

June Allyson, Joan Collins, 

Leslie Nielsen. Jeff Ricbards 

a 

Rack, The (100) D..706 

Paul Newman, Anne Ftancls 

S Julie (99) D..709 

Doris Day. Louis Jourdan, 

Barry Sullivan, Frank Lovejoy 

©Pardners (88) ® C..5523 

Dean Martin, Jerry Lowis, 

Lori Nelson, Jackie Lougfaerr 

U©War and 

Peace 

(208) ® D..5625 

Henry Fonda, Audrey Hepburn, 

Mel Ferrer, Vittorio Gassman 


©Vagabond King, The 

(88) ® M..5601 

Kathryn Grayson, Oreste 

Search for Bridey Muryhy, The 

(84) ® D..5602 

Teresa Wright. Loi'ls Hayward 

©Mountain. The (105) ®..D..5603 

Spencer Tracy, Claire Trevor. 

Robert Wagner 

H ©First Traveling Saleslady 

(92) CO.. 701 

Ginger Rogers. Barry Nelson, 

Carol Channlnc 

a Back From Eternity (98). D.. 703 

Robert Hyaa. AnlU Ekberg. 

Rod Stelger, Phyllis Kirk 

S Beyond a Reasonable 

Doubt (80) D..702 

Dana Andrews. Joan Fontaine 

rS ©Tension at Table Rock 

(93) W. .704 

Richard Egan, Dorothy Malone 

a ©Brave One (100) ©..D..706 

Michel Ray. Joi Lansing 

m Finger of Guilt (84) My.. 705 

Richard Basehart. Mary Murphy 

Sjl Death of a Scoundrel 

(119) D..707 

George Sanders. Yvonne De Cula 

Silken Affair. The (96) C. 

David Nlven. Genevieve Paie 

©Guilty? (..) My.. 

John Just(n, Barbara Ltage 

> 

a 

(= 

m 

-o 

—4 

m 3 

pa 

or-» 

OOS 

O 

< 

ai High Terrace, The (70). D.. 5630 

Dale Robertion, Lola Maxwell 

m Hot Shots (61) C..5632 

Hunt! Hall, Stanley Cênents 

©7th Cavalry (75) W..121 

Randolph Scott. Barbara Hale 

Gamma People, The (79) D. .111 

Paul Douglas. Eva Bartok 

Ust Man to Hang, The (75). My. .117 

Tom Conway. Elizabeth Sellers 

Rumble on the Docks (82).. D.. 124 

James Darren, Michael Granger 

Great American Pastime (89). C. 710 

Tom Evvell. Anne Frauds 

©Iron Petticoat, The 

(96) ® CO.. 712 

Bob Hope. Katharine Hepburn 

©Teahouse of the August Moon 

(123) © CO.. 713 

Marlon Brando. Glenn Ford 


©Hollywood or Bust 

(95) ® C..5605 

Dean Martin. Jerry Lewis. 

AniU Qibert. Pat Oowley 

H Man in the Vault (73). .My. .709 

William Campbell. Anita Ekberg. 

Karen Sharpe. Berry Kroeger 

©Bundle of Joy (. .) C. 

Debbie Reynolds. Eddie fisher, 

Adolphe iienjou, Nlta Talbot 

Om 

m 

s 

00 

(B Chain of Evidence (64). My. .5701 

Bill Elliott, James Lydon 

gj Gun for a Town (72). . W. .5702 

Dale Robertson. Rossana Rorj 

©Zarak (..) © D..126 

Victor Mature. Anita Ekberg 

Nightfall (78) D..127 

Aldo Ray. Anne Bancroft 

Don't Knock the Rotk (..).M..125 

Bill Haley and bis Comets 

Ride the High Iron (74). .OD. .128 

Don Taylor. Sally Forreat 

Edge of the City (..) 0..714 

John Cassavetes. Kathleen Maguire 

Slander (..) D..717 

Van Johnton, Ann BIyth 

©Three Violent People 

(..) ® W. .5604 

CJiarlton Heeton, Anne Baxter, 

Gilbert Roland, Tom Tryon 

[9] ©Public Pigeon No. 1 

(79) C..708 

Red Steltoo, Vivian Blaine. 

Janet Blair 

31 Young Stranger. The ( . . ) . D . 

Janes MacArthur. Kin Hunter. 

Janes Daly, Jamea Gregory 

m Attack of tht Crab 

Monsters 

Ho., Feb 

Ricliard Ciarland, Pamela Duncan 

13 Not of This Earth Ho. . Feb 

Paul Birch. Beverly Garland 

S OBad Men of Colorado 

© OD..Ftb 

Oeorfe Montgomery, Me« Randall 

iS®J«annie © M..Mar 

Tony Martin, VBa-Klen 

g| Footsteps In the Night. .My. .Apr 

Bill Hllott. Don Haggerty 

SQDrMoon Wdls 

Massacre 

e 

W..Aj>r 

Barry Sulliran, Mona Freeman 

in Daughter of Dr. Jekyll. . Ho. .May 

John Acar, Gloria Talbott 

BOXOrnCE BooldnGulde : : Dec. 8, 1956 

Full of Life C.Feb 

Judy Honidar, Slebard Coiite 

©Beyond Mombasa © Ad.. 

Cornel Wilde. Donna Beed 

©Fire Down Below © Ad. 

Rita Haywortb, Robert Mltefaum 

©Seven Waves Away © D . 

Tyrone Power. Mai Zetterllng 

End As a Man D. 

Ben Gaziara. James Olsen 

Tall T. The OD.. 

Randolph Scott. Maureen O'SuUivan 

©Silent World, The Doe.. 

Undersea Dceumentary 

Wicked as They Come D.. 

Arlene Dahl. Phil Carey 

©Interpol 0. . 

Victor ilature. Anita Bdwrg 

©Invitation to the Dance M . 

Gene Kelly. Igor Youskevitch 

©Raintree County ©65 D . 

Elizabeth Ta.vlor. Montgomery CUft 

©Barretts of Wimpole St ©..D.. 

Jennifer Jones. John Glelgud 

Living Idol, The © D.. 

Steve Forrest. Lilllane Montevecchl 

©Little Hut. The C. 

Ava Gardner. Stewart Granger 

©10.000 Bedrooms © M.. 

Dean Martin, Eva Bartok 

Purple Harvest. The D . 

Pier Angell. Mel Ferrer 

Hot Summer Nights D. 

Leslie Nielsen, Colleen Jllller 

©Designing Woman © D . 

Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall 

©Rainmaker, The ® D . . Feb 

Katharine Hepburn, Burt Lancaster 

Fear Strikes Out ® D..Mar 

Anthony Perkins. Karl Maiden 

©Ten Commandments, The ®..D.. 

C Hestoo. T. De Carlo, A. Barter 

©Omar Khayyam ® 

Ad. 

Cornel Wilde. Debra Paget 

©Gunfight at OK Corral ® W. 

Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas 

©Funny Face ® MC. 

Fred Astaire. Audrey Hepburn 

Lonely Man. The ® W.. 

Jack Palanee, Anthony Perkins 

©Beau Janes ® D.. 

Bob Hope. Vera Miles 

©Joker. The ® CO.. 

Frank Sliuitra. Jeanne Oaln 

fflThat Night! D..Feb 

John Beal, Augusta Dabney 

a ©Jet Pilot ® D..Feb 

John Wayne. Janet Lelgb 

©Run of the Arrow W. .Feb 

Rod Stelger. SeriU Monteil 

O Cyclops, The SF..Mar 

James Oatg. Gloria Talbott 

a X-the Unknown SF..Mar 

Dean Jagger. William Russell 

@ ©Day They Gave Babies 

Away. The CD.. Mar 

Glynls Johns. Cameron Mitchell 

(3 ©Tanan & the Lost 

Safari 

OD. .Apr 

Gordon Scott, Betta St. John 

E ©Lady and the Prowler. .D. .Apr 

Mana Dors, Bod Stelger

FEATURE 

CHART 

TIm K«y to l*tt«re and combinations ttiei«of Indicating ttoiY typ«: (Ad) Adventttrft-Dromo; (Ac) ActlefK 

Drama; (An) Animated-Action; (C) Comedy; (CD) Comedy-Dromo; (Cr) Crimc-Dramo; (DM) Dr«mo 

with Music; (Doc) Documentary; (D) Dromo; (F) Fantasy; (FC) Farce-Comedy; (Ho) Horror-Drama; (HI) 

Historical-Drama; (M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (OD) Outdoor-Dromo; (SF) Science-Fiction; (W) Western. 

0£ 

a. 

< 

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REPUBLIC 

20THFOX I 1 o UNITED ARTISTS 'So UNIVERSAL-INT'L 

©Alexander the Gretl 

IS Stranger at My Door 

©Revolt of Mamie Stover, The 

(141) © D..5621 Kettles in the Oiarks (81) . .C. .5615 m Miracle in the Rain (107) D. .512 

(85) 0..5507 (93) © D.. 608-0 Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Marjorie Main, Arthur Hunnlcott Jane Wyman, Van Johnson 

Macdonald Ctrty, Patricia Medina Jane Russell, Richard Bgin 

Fredrlc March (Prerelease) 

SJOZanzabutu (64) Doc.. 5508 ©Mohawk (79) OD.. 609-8 TiroeUble (79) Cr..5609 ©Backlash (84) W..5616 m ©Serenade (121) DM . . 516 

U»is Cotlow's African Safari 

Scott Brady, lUta Oam, 

Mark Stevens, Felicia Farr 

Richard Widmark, Donna Reed 

Mario Lanza, Joan Fontaine, 

ESOCircus Girl (88) D..5506 Neville Brand 

Broken Star (82) W. .5614 

SeriU Montell, Vincent Price 

Special production 

©Hilda Crane (85) ®. .. .D. .611-4 Howard Duff, Llta Baron 

Creature Walks Among th. The 

B Terror at Midnight (70). My. .5536 Jean Simmon.s, Jean Pierre Aumont, Creeping Unknown (78) . . . SF . . 5620 (78) SF..5617 

Scott Brady, Joan Vohs 

Guy Madison 

Biian Donlevy, Margia Dean 

Jeff Morrow, Leigh Snowden 

CS OMavtrick Queen 

©23 Paces to Baker Street 

Crime Against Joe (69) . . My . . 5615 Price of Fear, The (79) .... D . . 5618 H Goodbye, My Udy (95).. D.. 517 

(90) ® W..5509 (103) ® My.. 607-2 John Bromfield, Julie London 

.Merle OtMron, Lex Barker 

Brando de WUde, Walter Brennan 

Barabara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan Van Johnson, Vera Hllea 

©Quincannon, Frontier Scout 

(83) W..5616 ©Day of Fury, A (78) W. .5619 ©Searchers, The (119) ®..0D..51S 

©Proud Ones. The (94) ©.W. .610-6 Tony .Martin, Peggie (^tle 

Dale Robertson, Mara Corday, 

John Wayne, Natalie Wood, 

Rohert ityan, Virginia Mayo ©Foreign Intrigue (100) . .D. .5626 Jock Mahoney 

Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles 

Robert Mitcbum, Genevieve Page 

Unidentified Flying Objecta 

(91) Doc. 5625 

©D-Day the 6th of June 

©Kiss Before Dying (90) © D. .5622 

tB As Long as You're Near Me 

(106) © D..a2-2 Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter ©Star in the Dust (80) . .W. .5620 (101) D..519 

Robert Taylor, Dana Wynter, Nightmare (89) D..5627 John Agar, Mamie Van Doren 

0. W. Fischer, Maria Schell 

Gdmond O'Brien, Richard rodd Bd». 0. Robinson, Kevin McCJirthy 

gi ©Animal World (82) . . Doc . . 520 

©Star of India (84) Ad. .5623 Outside the Uw (81) Cr. .5621 Nature feature (photography plus 

©Abdullah's Harem (88). CD. .613-0 Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace 

Ray Danton, Leigh Snowden 

animation) 

Gregory Bataff, Kay Kendall Black Sleep, The (83) 

. . . .Ho. .5617 

H©Moby Dick (U6). . . .OD. .521 

Basil Rathbone, Bela Lugosl 

(kegory Peck, Richard Basehart. 

©Massacre (76) W. .614-8 Shadow of Fear (76) My.. 5630 

Leo Genn, Orson Welles 

Dana Clark, Marta Both 

Mona Freeman, Maxwell Reed 


©Rawhide Years, The (85). W. .5622 

aODakota Incident (88). W.. 5510 U©Kii*g and I, The 

©Trapeze (105) © D..5629 Tony Curtis, Colleen Miller 

H] 

Linda Darnell, Dale Rotwrtaon 

(133) ©55 DM.. 615-5 Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, ©Congo . 524 

. 

Crossing (S7) Ad.. 5623 Alan Ladd, Rossana Podesta, 

Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner 

Glna LoUobriglda, Katy Jurado 

George Nader, Virginia Mayo 

Lloyd Nolan 

(Special engagements) 

Johnny Concho (86) W..5631 ©Toy Tiger (88) CD. .5624 

Frank Sinatra, Phyllis Kirk 

Jeff Chandler, Tim Hovey m Satellite in the Sky 

Barefoot Battalion (63). . .D. .617-1 Killing, The (83) Cr..5624 Behind the High Wall (8S).0..5629 (85) © SF..525 

Maria Costl, Nlcos Permas 

Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray Tom TuUy, Sylvia Sidney 

Kieron Moore, Lois Maxwell, 

(Sevleived 6-6-64) 

Rebel in Town (78) W. .5618 ©Simon and Laura (91) 

Rock Hudson, Martha Hyer, 

Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal 

SlaplMa UeNally, Pente GMtk ©True Mory of Jene Jaaei, 

Bachelor Party D . Dan Ihiryea. Anna Kashfl 

Rising of the Moon CD. 

«t»oiiw>af Am Ponrt «....0D.. 

Ten BaMan, Bud ~ The © D . Don tlurray, Owolyn Jones ©Mister Cory © D.Mar Denis O'Oea, Noel PurceU 

Robert Wifner, Jafrrey Hunter Showdown Creek W. Tony Dirtls, MartJia Hyer ©Night Does Strange Things. CO.. 

Three Brm Um ' - John Derek, Otrolya Oelf 

©Kelly and Me © M.Apr Ingrid Bergman, Mel Ferrer 

Bay MOlaad, tnmt Borgnlne Men in War 0.. Van Johnson. Piper Laurie Top Secret Affair CO.. 

OHaiven Knovm, Mr. AUison 

Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray 

Tattered Dress, The © D. .Apr Susan Hayward. Kirk DeugUi 

e 

D.. Spring Reunion CD . Jeff Chandler, Jeanne Creln ©Lafayette Escadriile (

. 

FEATURE CHART 

INDEPENDENT 

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 

Day the Wwld Ended (80) ®..SF.. Dec 55 

Hichard Deniiing, Lori Nelson 

Phantom From 10,000 Leagues 

(80) SF.. Dec 55 

Kent Taylor, Cathy Downs 

Oklahoma Woman (73) D 

. 

Jun 56 

Richard Denning, Peggie Castle 

Female Jungle (71) D., Jun S6 

Jayne Mansfield, Lawrence Tlerney 

GirU in Prison (S7) Ac. Jul 56 

Klchard Denning, Joan Taylor 

Hot Rod Girl (75) Ac. .Jul 56 

L,ori iNelson. John Smith 

The She-Creature (77) Ho.. Aug 56 

Maria English, (Jiester Morris 

It Conquered the World (75) SF.. Aug 56 

Peter Graves, Beierly Garland 

Shake, Rattle and Rock (77) M.. Nov 56 

Fais Domino. Lisa Gaye 

Runaway Daughters (88) D Nov 56 

Maria Eligllsb, Lance Puller 

ARLAN 

Living North, The (74) Doe 

Filmed in Lapland; native cast 

(English narration) 

Beverly Michaels, Jiin Davis 

Three Outlaws, The (74) (D235. .W. . May 56 

Neville Brand, Bruce Bennett, Alan Hale 

Frontier Gambler (..) W.. Oct 56 

John Bromfield, C!oleen Gray 

ASTOR 

Dynamiters, The (74) D.. Apr 56 

Wayne Morris, Simone Silva 

Fear (82) D . . May 56 

Ingrid Bergman, Mathias Wieman 

Passport to Treason (70) Mii..Jun56 

Rod Cameron, Lois Manrell 

©Men of Sherwood Forest (77) . .Ad. .Sep 56 

Don Taylor, EUleen Moore 

BANNER 

©Wetbacks (86) AC. . May 56 

Lloyd Bridges, Nancy Gates 

BUENA VISTA 

©Uttlest Outlaw, The (75) D . . Feb 56 

Pedro Armendarlz, Andres Velasquez 

©Great Locomotive Chase (85) ©. .0. .Jul 56 

Pess Parker, Jeff Hunter 

©Davy Crockett and the River 

Pirates (81) Ad.. Jul 56 

Fess Parker. Buddy Ebsen 

©Secrets of Life (70) Doc.. Nov 56 

©Westward Ho, the Wagons 

(. .) 0D..Dec56 

Fess Parker, Kathleen Crowley 

CONTINENTAL 

Night My Number Came Up (94) . .D. .Feb 56 

Michael Redgrave, Alexander Knox 

©Udykillers, The (93) D.. Mar 56 

Alex Guinness, (îl Parker, Katie Johnson 

Ship That Died of Shame (91) . . D. .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 

EDEN 

One Way Ticket to Hell (65) D.. Feb 56 

Non-proressiooal cast 

©Man of Africa (75) OD.. 

Frederick Bijuerenda, Violet Mukabuerza 

EMBASSY 

Wiretapper (SO) D . . Feb 56 

Bill Williams, (korgla Lee 

Godzilla, King of the Monsters 

(SO) Ho.. Apr 56 

Raymond Burr, Japanese cast 

(English dialog and narration) 

GIBRALTAR 

©Fury in Paradise (77) D.. 

Peter Thompson, 

Bea Iturblde 

Silent Fear (£6) D.. 

Andrea King, Peter Adams 

Kaoru Yachlgusa, Nicola Filacuridl 

(Italo-Japauese; Bigilsh commentary) 

JACON 

Rosanna (72) D.. Jun 56 

Rossana Podesta, Croi Alvarado 

(Dubbed in Eiiglish) 

Midnight Episode (78) C. .Aug 56 

Stanley Holloway, Leslie Dwyer 

Forbidden Cargo (83) Ac. Sep 56 

.Nigel Patrick, Elizabeth Sellars 

JANUS 

ASSOCIATED FILM 

Wild Dakolas (73) W.. Fell 56 

Bill Williams, Coleen Gray, Jim Davis 

Blonde Bait (71) D . .Apr 56 

WOOLNER 

IFE 

©Lease of Life (93) D . . Jan 56 

Robert Donat, Kay Walsh 

(English dialog) 

©Madame Butterfly 

(114) Filmed Opera. .Jun 56 

Bullfight (76) Doc. Jul 56 

English narration 

LOUIS deROCHEMONT 

Helen Keller in Her Story (formerly 

•The Unconquered") (55). Doc Apr 56 

Narrated by Katherine Cornell 

MAGNA 

Oklahoma! (150) T-AO DM. Oct 55 

Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones 

TOP PICTURES 

©Frontier Woman (SO) W. .Jul 56 

Cindy Carson, Lance Fuller, Ann Kelly 

TRANS-LUX 

SDance Little Lady (87) D.. Mar 56 

.Mai Zetlerling, Terence Morgan 

Lovers and Lollipops (85) CD. Apr 56 

Lori March, Gerald O'Loughlin 

BROS. 

Swamp Women (75) 0. .Apr 56 

Beverly Garland, Marie Windsor, C. Mathews 

REISSUES 

BUENA VISTA 

©Fantasia (81) M . . Feb 56 

(Siiperscope added, with 4-track sound and 

stereophonic sound.) 

©Song of the South (95) M . . Feb 56 

Ruth Warrick, Bobby Driscoll, Luana Patten 

COLUMBIA 

©Ten Tall Men (97) Ail..lla*56 

Burt Lancaster, Jody Lawrance 

Rogues of Sherwood Forest (80) . .Ad. . Nov 56 

John Derek, Diana Lynn, Alan Hale 

DCA 

Brute Force (96) D.. Jun 56 

Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo 

Naked City (96) D. Jun 56 

Hovvard Duff, Barry Fitzgerald 

MOM 

©Annie Get Your Gun (107) M.. Jun 56 

Betty Button, Howard Keel, Louis Calhern 

Boom Town (116) D . Oct 56 

. 

Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamtrr 

Marie Antoinette (149) D.. Nov 56 

Norma Shearer, Tyrone Power 

Tale of Two Cities (128) D..No»56 

Ronald (Oilman, Elizabeth Allan 

PARAMOUNT 

©Streets of Laredo (92) W. .May 56 

May 56 

William Holdeo, Macdonald Carey 

Two Years Before the Mast (98) . . D . 

.\lan Ladd, Brian DonleiT, 

. 

WlUiam Bendix 

©Whispering Smith (89) W.. May 56 

Alan Ladd, Robert Preston, B. Hariball 

RKO 

Big Sky, The (112) 0D..Apr56 

Yves Montand, Charles Vasel 

Kirk Douglas, Dewey Martin, B. Threatt 

Please Murder Me (76) D . . Mar 56 Flying Leathernecks (102) D . . May 56 

.\ngeia Lansbury, Raymond Burr 

John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Janls Caita 

Frisky (98) CD. .Apr 56 Lusty Men (113) D.. May 56 

Gina LoUobrigida, Vlttorio De Slca 

Susan Hayivard, Robert Mltchmn 

©Jedda the Uncivilized (88) D . . Jun 56 King Kong (100) F-Ad..Jun56 

Narla Knnogh, Robert Tudewali 

Bruce CSbot, Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong 

Private's Progress (99) C. .Sep 56 

i Walked With a Zombie (69) ... Ho. .Jun 56 

Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price 

Prances D«e, James Ellison, Tom Conway 

Woman of Rome, The ( . . ) D . . Oct 56 Citizen Kane (119) D.. Jul 56 

(iina L«llobrlgida, Daniel Gelin 

Orson Welles, Joseph Gotten 

Rock, Rock, Rock ( . . ) M . . Dec 56 

Alan Freed, Prankle I^man 

20th- FOX 

Third Man, The (105) D . . Aug 56 

Orson Welles, Joseph Gotten, Valll 

Rebecca (127) .. Oct 56 

Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine 

UNITED ARTISTS 

High Noon (85) W. .Jun 56 

Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, K»ty Jurado 

UNIVERSAL-INT'L 

©Tap Roots (109) D.. May 56 

V.in Heflln. Susan Hayward, Ward Bond 

©Kansas Raiders (80) W.. May 56 

Audie Murphy, Tray Curtis, B. Donlevy 

Killers, The (102) D.. Sep 56 

Burt Lancast«r, Ava Qardner, 

Edmond O'Brien 

Sleeping City, The (85) My. .Sep 56 

Richard Conte, Coleen 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 

ALL-STAR COMEDIES 

8411 One Spooky Night (16) .Sep 55 + 10-22 

5412 He Took a Powder (17). Oct 55 

5413 Hook a Crook (16) . . . Nov 55 

8414 Come On Seven (16) . . Feb 56 ± 4-21 

S415 Army Daze (16'/2) ... Mar 56 

8416 Andy Goes Wild (17). Apr 56 + 11-17 

(1956-57) 

1475 Pardon My Nightshirt 

(I6I/2) Nov 56 -f 11-17 

ASSORTED 

FAVORITES 

8423 Should Husbands Marry? 

(17) Dec 55 

8424 Black Eyes & Blue 

(16'/2) Feb 56 

8425 Renovated (I8I/2) Mar 56 

8426 Get Along Little Zombie 

(17) May 56 

CANDID MICROPHONE 

(One-Reel Specials) 

8551 Subject 3, Series 2 (11) Sep' 55 

8552 Subject 4, Series 2 

(101/2) De« 55 

8553 Subject 5, Series 2 (11) Jan 56 

8554 Subject 6, Series 2 

aVAy Mar 56 

S555Subject 1, Series3 (ll)Jun56 

8556 Subject 2, Series 3 (10) Pul 56 

CINEMASCOPE FEATURETTE 

(Technicolor) 

8441 Wonders of Manhattan 

(16) Feb 56 -H 1-21 

8442 April in Portugal (20) .Apr 56 

COLOR FAVORITES 

CTechnicolor Reissues) 

8601 Tooth or Consequences 

(61/2) Sep 55 

8602 Up 'n Atom (6) Oct 55 

8603 Hot Foot Lights (7).. Nov 55 

8604 Rippling Romance (8) Nov 55 

8605 Foxy Flatfoots (6) ... Dec 55 

8606 Cagey Bird

Feb 

SHORTS 

CHART 

Short subieets, Ikted by company, in order of reloasa. Running tima follows lltl*. First Is notional ralease 

month, second the dote of review in BOXOFFICE. Symbol between dates is rating from BOXOFFICE 

review, ff Very Good, -f Good. ± Foir. — Poor. x= Very Poor. Photography: Color ond process as specified. 

a.z 

cc a 

S16-4 0ni Quack Mind (7).S

- MtMMNimilllfHtMH^^ 

ALLIED ARTISTS 

Annapolis Story, An (AA)— 

John Derek, Diana Lynn, Kevin 

McCartiiy. If you haven't ever 

used this, they're not as proud 

of it as they were back years 

ago and you can probably buy it 

for what it's worth. It's a colorful 

programmer if you're short. 

Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot.— 

Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, 

Pruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

Canyon River (AA) — George 

Montgomery, Marcia Henderson, 

Peter Graves. A good picture that 

did very well at the boxoffice. 

Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: 

Good.—W. L. Stratton, Lyric 

Theatre, Challis, Ida. Pop. 728. 

Phenlz City Story, The (AA)— 

John Mclntire, Richard Klley, 

Kathryn Grant. We were told to 

watch out that no one got a leg 

broken in the stampede for the 

privilege of being one of the 

lucky ones to get a seat. A butterfly 

wouldn't have gotten hurt in 

the rush and a snail could have 

led the charge. This was one of 

the most realistically filmed 

movies I've ever seen. It made 

you mad clear down to your toenails. 

What a shame we didn't 

get everyone to see it. It's great, 

but price was too high for a 

double and alone it didn't sound 

like entertainment, I guess. 

Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: 

Hot.—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, 

Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

.t\ BUENA VISTA 

1^ Davy Crockett, King of the 

Wild Frontier (BV)—Fess Parker, 

Buddy Ebsen, Basil Ruysdael. A 

good show, but it just drew kids. 

Like everyone else, I thought it 

would be mostly for kids, but it 

wasn't. Very good scenery and 

good music. We all liked it. 

Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Cool. 

—Harry Hawkinson, Orpheum 

Theatre, Marietta, Minn. 

COLUMBIA 

Duel on the Mississippi (Col) 

—Lex Barker, Patricia Medina, 

Warren Stevens. Drama in 

Technicolor, widescreen. Here is 

a small picture that will give a 

good account of itself in any 

situation. The cast is not big, but 

they do a splendid job. Beautiful 

scenes on the Mississippi and the 

color is magnificent. Story good. 

Comments good. Boxoffice fair. 

Played Mon., Tues. Weather: 

Good.—Fred L. Murray, Strand 

Theatre, Splritwood, Sask. 

Harder They FaU, The (Col) 

Humphrey Bogart, Rod Steiger, 

Jan Sterling. This picture failed 

to draw, but seemed to please 

the few who saw it. Played Sun., 

Mon. Weather; Fair. — W. L. 

Stratton, Lyric Theatre, Challis, 

Ida. Pop. 728. 

)It Came From Beneath the Sea 

(Col)—Kenneth Tobey, Faith 

Domergue, Donald Curtis. Quite 

a few showed up. They thought it 

real good. Plenty of excitement 

and chills. Played Tues., Wed. 

Weather: Okay.—Frank E. Sabin, 

Majestic Theatre, Eureka, 

Mont. Pop. 929. 

My Sister Eileen (Col)—Janet 

Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Betty Gar- 

rett. I note that one of the Columbia 

executives thinks that 

criticism of pressbooks is unjustified 

as far as his company is 

concerned. Well, how about the 

ad material shown in the books? 

The posters on this picture look 

like the work of an imbecile, and 

they killed the picture DEAD 

here. Leg art doesn't sell tickets 

to intelligent people. Played Sun., 

Mon. Weather: Fair.—Frank R. 

McLean, Roxy Theatre, Coulterville. 

111. Pop. 1,160. 

What Movies Need 

Ah! At last a story with so 

much originaUty it's as refreshing 

as the first warm spring 

day after a long hard winter. 

It's "The Fastest Gun Alive." 

This is what movies need—new 

ideas to give the folks with new 

faces to become known to more 

ticket buyers. I hear it a thousand 

times a year, "They're all 

alike anymore." "Isn't there 

anyone with a new idea for 

story-writing for movies?" Of 

course there is, or this honey 

couldn't have happened, but 

hope this wasn't just an accident. 

The customers ate this 

up to prove my point. It did 

good business. Maybe not quite 

as much as Leo figured it 

would, but still better than 

we're doing on the rest. This 

guy Ford will be out on a pinnacle 

by himself if he doesn't 

quit making nothing but Mts. 

But I'm for 

it! 

BOB WALKEB 

Uintah Theatre 

Fruita, Colo. 

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER 

Catered Affair, The (MGM)— 

Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, 

Debbie Reynolds. One of the 

poorest. It should have been left 

in the can. The word "affair" in 

a picture title kills it right now. 

Will never again, if that word is 

in the title, play a picture. It 

means nothing, cormotes something 

obscure and intangible. 

Played Sun., Mon. Weather: 

Good.—Leonard J. Leise, Roxy 

Theatre, Randolph, Neb. 

Catered Affair, 

The (MGM)— 

Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, 

Debbie Reynolds. Good cast and 

well acted, but our small town 

folks just do not go for this sort 

of thing. The preview did not 

help us a bit. It's either too good 

or too something, but too bad at 

boxoffice. Played Sun., Mon. 

Weather: Cold.—Joe and Mildred 

Faith, Linn Theatre, Linn, Mo. 

Fastest Gun AUve, The (MGM) 

Glenn Ford, Jeanne Grain, Broderick 

Crawford. By golly, we had 

a little business for a change on 

this one, and it pleased very well. 

Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: 

Okay.—Ben Spainhower, Twilight 

Theatre, Greensburg, Kas. 

Forbidden Flanet (MGM)— 

Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, 

Leslie Nielsen. This Is an exploitation 

natural and for a 

change I had exceptional business 

practically in my hand and 

then the third night feU right 

off into the gutter and we ended 

:S. 

XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

up just happy, not heeled. It's 

a topnotch job in every department 

and thrilled and entertained 

everyone who came. Don't 

pass it up. Played Sun., Mon.. 

Tues. Weather: Nice. — Bob 

Walker, Uintah Theatre, Fruita, 

Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

Gaby (MGM)—Leslie Caron, 

John Kerr, Sir Cedric Hardwicke. 

Very poor response to this 

tame 

remake of "Waterloo Bridge." 

Please, MGM, don't force your 

luck with Leslie Caron. She just 

isn't boxoffice any more. We do 

wonderful business here most of 

the time. Only when we get a 

real clinker do we fall slightly. 

So, the only excuse I can find 

why "Gaby" slipped was Caron. 

And to fool the public by saying, 

"If you loved 'LiU' you'll adore 

'Gaby.'" WeU! I Lay off this 

one if your patrons don't care for 

slow-moving love stories. Played 

Tues.-Sat. Weather: Hot.—Dave 

S. Klein, Astra Theatre, Kitwe- 

Nkana, Northern Rhodesia, 

Africa. 

Tea and Sympathy (MGM)— 

Deborah Kerr, John Kerr, Leif 

Erickson. A real classy show that 

the audience loved. The audience 

was 90 per cent women and it 

suited them fine. The Metrocolor 

was fine, soft and beautiful. 

Played Fri. -Mon. Weather: Nice. 

—Jim Fraser, Auditorium Theatre, 

Red Wing, Minn. 

PARAMOUNT 

Artists and Models (Para) 

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Shirley 

MacLaine. Lots of fun. Thoroughly 

enjoyed by all. Customers 

sure got their money's worth. 

Played Fri., Sat., Sun. Weather: 

Okay.—Frank E. Sabin, Majestic 

Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Pop. 929. 

Artists and Models (Para) — 

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, 

Shirley 

MacLaine. Prom where I 

watched, this was the best entertainment 

these guys ever recorded 

on celluloid, but I don't 

think the title was exactly proper 

to arouse the interest the picture 

deserved from rural audiences. 

Did a mite better than 

most have been doing on the 

midweek change, but did not 

enough to pay me for my time. 

Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: 

Lovely.—Bob Walker, Uintah 

•Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

Man Who Knew Too Much, The 

(Para)—James Stewart, Doris 

Day, Brenda DeBanzie. This is a 

mighty fine production. Pleased 

everybody and business was way 

above normal. Good for your best 

days. Played Thurs, Fri., Sat. 

Weather: Good.—W. L. Stratton, 

Lyric Theatre, Challis, Ida. 

Proud and Profane, The (Para) 

—William Holden, Deborah Kerr, 

Thelma Ritter. I was afraid of 

this one. Just an ordinary black 

and white fUm, but for some unknown 

reason, gave excellent returns. 

In fact, had some that 

came back the second night (unusual 

for these times).. Can be 

bought right. Played Thurs., Fri., 

Sat. Weather: Very cold, 2 degrees 

above. — Duane Ellickson, 

Park Theatre, Wautoma, Wis. 

We're No Angels (Para) — 

Humphrey Bogart, Joan Bermett, 

lABOUT PICTURESi 

Aldo Ray. For me there'll be 

years and years when I'll never 

see a picture I'll enjoy as much as 

this. It deserves a hatful of bronze 

statues and it pleased the heck 

out of my favorite few. I haven't 

tried so hard to sell a picture In 

years and so maybe I scared a 

few fish off the hook. We just 

did fair business when it deserved 

the mostest. Played Sun., Mon.. 

Tues. Weather: Hot. — Bob 

Walker, Uintah Theatre, Pruita, 

Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

RKO RADIO 

Conqueror, The (RKO)—John 

Wayne, Susan Hayward, Pedro 

Armendariz. This picture is very 

good. Worth your best playing 

time. Held up well for three days. 

Played Sun., Mon., Tues.—W. L. 

Stratton, Lyric Theatre, Challis, 

Ida. Pop. 728. 

REPUBLIC 

Last Command, The (Rep)— 

Sterling Hayden, Anna Maria Alberghetti, 

Richard Carlson. A 

very enjoyable western from Republic. 

When they make them 

like this, they even satisfy the 

nonwestern fans. Even the British 

critics had kind words to 

say about this one. Highly recommended 

for your best playing 

time. Of course, I could not expect 

the Radio City to play this 

one, yet with some of the socalled 

supers they play, this 

would not be out of place. 

Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot. 

—Dave S. Klein, Astra Theatre, 

Kitwe-Nkana, Northern Rhodesia, 

Africa. 

Rio Grande (Rep) — Reissue. 

John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, 

Ben Johnson. Here is the type of 

superwestem that can be repeated 

every five or six years. 

This is true of any Ford-Wayne 

western masterpiece. Played Fri., 

Sat. Weather: Fair. — Ralph 

Raspa, State Theatre, RivesviUe, 

W. Va. Pop. 1,343. 

A Big Surprise 

I had a wonderful surprise 

on "The Birds and the Bees," 

as it is the first to show a 

slight profit around here in a 

long time. Play it. It's good for 

a small town. I know now why 

my Sundays are so poor. That's 

the night I am bucking George 

Got>eL 

J. L. JEWELL 

Plymouth Theatre 

New Plymouth, Ida. 

CENTURY-FOX 

20th 

Bus Stop (20th-Fox)—Marilyn 

Monroe, Don Murray, Arthur O'- 

Connell. Opened like a house 

afire and then fizzled. I personally 

hated it, but then I didn't 

care for "The Seven Year Itch" 

either. Play it, but be careful 

when you buy it. Played Sat.- 

Thurs. Weather: Nice. — Jim 

Frazer, Auditorium Theatre, Red 

Wing, Minn. Pop. 10,645. 

D-Day the Sixth of June (20th- 

Fox)—Robert Taylor, Richard 

Todd, Dana Wynter. We showed 

this around because ordinarily 

(Continued on following page) 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : : Dec. 8, 1956 11

12 

.Simone 

BOXOFTICE BooklnGulde : : Dec. 8, 1956 

THE 

EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

(Continued from preceding page) 

our IoUls turn thumbs down on 

war stories. However, D-Day 

satisfied all. They complained 

that it was senseless to blow up 

the colonel. All the same that 

one scene shook people around in 

their seats. It was terrific the 

way it was photographed. It's a 

good show that your patrons will 

praise, despite its questionable 

morals.—C. J. Otts, Wakea Theatre, 

Waskom, Tex. Pop. 719. 

Man Who Never Was, The 

(20th-Fox)—Clifton Webb, Gloria 

Grahame, Robert Plemyng. Here's 

a real honey and one that should 

have your best playing time. True 

war stories always make better 

film fare and this, together with 

excellent production, top acting, 

suspense, with Webb to attract, 

and newcomer Boyd really outstanding. 

This should fill your 

so-often empty seats. Sell it all 

you can as the hoax that practically 

won the war for the Allies, 

and together with Webb you 

have a winner. One disadvantage 

was Gloria Grahame. Her 

makeup looked as if someone 

had punched her in the face, and 

if they didn't, they should have. 

Her part was lousy. Played Tues.- 

Sat. Weather: Hot. — Dave S. 

Klein, Astra Theatre, Kitwe- 

MTcana, Northern Rhodesia, 

Africa. 

UNITED ARTISTS 

Fort Yuma

An Interpretive analysis of lay ond tradepress reviews. The plus ond minus signs Indicate 

degree of merit. Listings cover current reviews, updoted regularly. This deportment serves 

olso OS an ALPHABETICAL INDEX to teoture releases. Symbol O denotes BOXOFFICE 

Blue Ribbon Award Winner. Photography: Q Color; ®ClnemaScope; ® VistoVlsion; ® Superscope; 

;$ Noturomo. For listings by company, in the order of release, see Feature Chart. 

Review digest 

AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX 

+T Very Good; ~ Good; = Fair; — Poor; = Very Poor. In the summary ff is rated 2 pluses, — as 2 minuses. 

* S; 

•Is 

!5& 

1985 ©Abdulialt's Harem (S8) Com..Dr..20-Fox 6-23-5€ + 

1958 ©Alexander the Great (141) © Drama. UA 4- 7-56 ++ 

2006 ©Amazon Trader, The (41) Doc WB 8-25-56 ++ 

1998 ©Ambassador's Daugliter, The 

(102) © Comedy-Drama UA 8- 4-56+ + 

1965 ©Animal World, The (82) Doc WB 4-21-56 + + 

1916eAnythinB Goes (108) ® Musical. .Para 1-21-56 +f + 

2024 ©Around the World in 80 Days 

(170) T-AO Fantasy-Adv UA 10-27-56 +|- ++ 

1994 As Long as You're Near Me (101) Dr.WB 7-21-56 ± 

2011Attaci(! (106) War-Drama UA 9-15-56+ +f 

1963 Autumn Leaves (108) Drama Col 4-21-56 ± ± 

1973©Away All Boats (114) ® Drama. . . .U-l 5-19-56 H -H- 

2007 Back From Eternity (98) Drama... RKO 9- 1-56 + 

194-1 ©Backlash (84) Western U-l 3-3-56 + 

1996 Bad Seed, The (129) Drama WB 7-28-56 ++ 

2004 0Bandido (91) © Adventure UA 8-18-56 # 

1931 Battle Stations (81) Drama Col 2-18-56 ± 

2005 ©Beast of Hollow Mountain, The 

(SO) ©Western Horror-Drama UA 8-25-56 + 

1986 Behind the High Wall (85) Drama.. U-l 6-23-56 + 

2016 ©Best Things in Life Are Free, 

The (104) © Musical 20th-Fox 9-29-56++ 

2021 ©Between Heaven and Hell 

(94) © War-Drama 20th-Fox 10-20-56 + 

201Z Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 

(SO) Drama RKO 9-15-56 + 

1969©Bhowani Junction (110) © Dr...MGM 5- 5-56 +f 

2012 ©Bigger Than Ufe (95) © Dr.. .20th-Fox 9-15-56 + 

1956 ©Birds and the Bees (95) ® Com... Para 3-31-56 + 

1984 Black Sleep, The (S3) Horror UA 6-16-56 + 

1958 Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado 

(76) Western Col 4- 7-56 ± 

1953 Bold and the Brave (90) ® Drama. .RKO 3-24-56 + 

2006 Boss, The (87) Drama UA 8-25-56 +f 

1942 Brain Machine, The (72) Drama RKO 3- 3-56 ± 

2013©Brave One, The (100) © Drama.. RKO 9-22-56 ++ 

1930 Broken Star, The (82) Western UA 2-11-56 + 

2026 Bullfight (76) Documentary Janus 11- 3-56 ± 

1998 ©Burning Hills, The (92) © Wn....WB 8- 4-56 + 

2003 ©Bus Stop (96) © Com.-Dr 20th-Fox 8-18-56 tt 

2022 Calling Homicide (61) Mystery AA 10-20-56 + 

2001 ©Canyon River (SO) © Western AA S-U-56 ± 

1936 U©Carousel (127) ©55 Dr./M.20-Fox 2-25-56++ 

1968Catered Affair, The (93) Com.-Dr.. MGM 4-28-56 + 

2014 Cha-Cha-Cha Boom! (72) Musical Col 9-22-56 + 

1934 ©Cockleshell Heroes (97) © Drama.. Col 2-18-56++ 

1945 ©Comanche (87) © Outdoor U 3-10-56 + 

1925©Come Next Spring (92) Drama Rep 2- 4-56 ++ 

1933 Come On, The (82) ® Drama AA 2-18-56 ++ 

1983 ©Congo Crossing (87) Adventure U-l 6-16-56 ± 

1940 ©Conqueror, The (111) © Drama.. RKO 3- 3-56 ++ 

1925©Court Jester, The (101) ® Com... Para 2- 4-56 ++ 

1947 Creature Walks Among Us, The 

(78) Science-Fiction U-l 3-17-56 + 

1961 Creeping Unknown, The (79) Sc.-F UA 4-14-56 + 

194S Crime Against Joe (69) Mystery UA 3-10-56 ± 

1962 Crime in the Streets (91) Drama AA 4-14-56 + 

1987 Crowded Paradise (93) Melodrama. .Tudor 6-30-56 + 

2004 Cry in the Night, A (75) Suspense. WB 8-18-56 ± 

2028©Curucu, Beast of the Amazon 

(76) Horror-Drama U-l U-10-56 + 

—D 

1998 ©Dakota Incident (88) Western Rep 8- 4-56 + 

1994 ©Davy Crockett and the River Pirates 

(81) Adventure BY 7-21-56 + 

1962 ©Day of Fury, A (78) Western U-l 4-14-56 + 

1910 Day the World Ended 

(80) ® Science-Fiction AlP 1- 7-56 d: 

1977©D-Day the Sixth of June 

(106) © War-Drama 20th-Fox 6- 2-56 ++ 

2025 Deadliest Sin, The (75) Drama AA 11- 3-56 ±. 

2026 Death of a Scoundrel (119) Drama.. RKO U« 3-56 ++ 

2030 Desperadoes Are In Town, The 

(72) ® Western 20th-Fox U-17-56 ++ 

1937 ©Doctor at Sea (92) ® Comedy Rep 2-25-56 ± 

1981 Dynamiters, The (74) Mystery Astflf 6-9-56* 

-E_ * ' 

- 

'' 

1977 Earth vs. the Flying Saucers - 

''• «^ •' 

(S3) Science-Fiction Cot 6- 2-56 + 

1979 0©Eddy Duchin Story, The 

(123) © Drama With Music Cot 6- 9-5S +| 

1720 Edge of Hell (78) Drama 

(Reviewed as "Tender Hearts") ... U-l 2-26-56 ±

REVIEW DIGEST 

++ very Good; + Good; ^ Fair; - Poor; = Very Poor. In the suitimory ++ is rated 2 pluses, — 

•

Ipinions on Current Productions 

Symbol ® denotes color photography; ® is CinemaScope; ({) VistaVIsio n; 

mghtiaii F ^ rr 

Columbia (127) 78 Minntes Rel. Jan. '57 

A first-rate suspense drama, packed with excitement and 

realism, this Copa production will make a fine supporting 

dualler in any type of situation. Although the picture is 

strong enough to play singly, the brief running time makes 

it best suited to double bills. Aldo Ray, that ingratiating, '^^ 

J 

avel-voiced comedian, here plays a serious role in which m I 

e rarely smiles, but he is always convincing. His name, 

plus that of Brian Keith, currently starred In TV's "Crusader" 

series, and attractive Anne Bancroft, supplies good 

marquee draw. Produced by Ted Richmond and well directed 

by Jacques Toumeur from a tight screenplay by 

Stirling Silliphant, the picture holds Interest throughout 

and builds steadily to its hair-raising climax. However, 

because of several flashbacks, it will be best appreciated 

if seen from the beginning. Unusual authenticity is achieved 

by photographing at least half of the action on Hollywood 

streets or in a snow-covered mountain region, the scene of 

both an auto accident and a chase by ruthless bank robbers. 

The closeup of a mammoth snow plow with its deadly steel 

treads moving towards a helpless victim has great shock 

value. A pleasing romance and, for good measure, a fashion 

show, will attract the women fans. 

Aldo Ray, Anne Bancroft, Brian Keith, James Gregory, 

Jocelyn Brando, Frank Albertson, Rudy Bond. 

The Wild Party A 

Ratio: Crime 

1.S5-1 Drami 

United Artists (5648) 82 Minutes Rel. Dec. '56 

This off-beat crime drama dealing with a foggy, jazz-mad 

world, is best described as a "crazy, mixed-up" picture, 

mainly because so much of the dialog is Jive-talk which will 

be incomprehensible except to those who "dig that lingo." 

Extremely effective and imaginative in a gloomy fashion 

and with some fascinating music by the Buddy De Franco 

Quartet, this will be acclaimed by the devotees of blues 

tunes—and that Includes more adults than teenagers. 

,i However, It's not family fare and exhibitors are advised to 

iJ screen the picture before booking it in neighborhood spots. 

^ Properly exploited, it might play long runs in art or 

specialty houses in key cities. Anthony Quinn, the best 

marquee name, gives a brooding portrayal of a has-been 

football star, but the most striking performances are those 

of Nehemiah Persoff as a piano player living a dream 

(obviously doped-up) existence, and Jay Robinson, as a 

foppish young sadist. Kathryn Grant creates sympathy for 

a pathetic young hanger-on, but Carol Ohmart Is merely 

adequate as a spoiled socialite who becomes Involved with 

the "mushroom people" (meaning those who only cofaie out 

at night). Produced by Sidney Harmon for Security Pictures 

and directed by Harry Homer. 

Anthony Qulnn, Carol Ohmart, Arthur Franz, Kathryn 

Grant, Jay Robinson, Nehemiah Fersoff, Paul Stewart. 

tA> 

Feature reviews 

Superscope. For story synopsis on aach picture, see reverie sld*. 

BahYDoU A r,'" 

Warner Bros. (607) 114 Minntes Rel. Dee. '56 

Censors of many communities and creeds can be expected 

to hurl their sharpest harpoons at this uninhibited sjrmposium 

of sex and sordidness. While such mentoring may 

„„, prove a business deterrent in some instances, the numbers 

eased.ôf persons who will be eager to see the provocative offering 

'".?''' should be sufficiently vast to insure its financial success 

as a top-bracket booking venture. The potential ticket 

buyers will come from two major classifications. There will 

be those who seek the feature because it Is undeniably good 

theatre, due to superior performances, excellent direction 

and the unbridled, seamy-side writing of Tennessee Williams. 

Then there will be the less discriminating who will accord 

their patronage because of the vicarious thrill they will get 

from the precedential sensualities in which the feature 

abounds. Carroll Baker in the title role delivers a performance 

which, following her arresting contribution in "Giant," 

will further establish her as one of the screen's most promising 

newcomer luminaries. Comparable praise is due Karl 

Maiden and Eli Wallach, another new face, her costars. 

Because his own company—Newton Productions—fabricated 

the film, director Ella Kazan was enabled to pursue, unhampered, 

his celebrated flare for realism. 

Karl Maiden, Carroll Baker, EH Wallach, Mildred Dunnock, 

Lonny Chapman, Eades Hogrue, Noah Williamson. 

John and Julie 

p* Ratio: Comedy 

•' 

Standard © 

Dominant Pictures 82 Minutes ReL Oct. '56 

Although the British players In this Herbert Mason production 

for Beaconsfield will be familiar only to art house 

devotees, this Is a genuinely entertaining human interest 

film, well suited to family audiences—particularly during 

the holiday season. In the art spots, (Constance Cummings, 

Hollywood actress who has recently been making a comeback 

in British films, Wilfrid Hyde-White, currently starring 

on Broadway In "The Reluctant Debutante," and Molra 

Lister, will have some name draw. This is primarily the 

story of two runaways, aged six and ten, who go to London 

to see the 1953 Coronation and have many amusing adventures 

en route. Splendidly photographed In Eastman 

,jj 

Color, which is especially effective In the actual shots of 

iiien^ rt 

the Coronation procession. William Falrchild, who directed 

'icaty and wrote the screenplay, gets engaging performances from 

C:!olin Gibson (John) and little Lesley Dudley (Julie), who 

are on a par with the many completely natural English 

child players. Attractive Noelle Mlddleton, who plays the 

children's teacher, has a few romantic scenes with a bicycle 

shop proprietor (Patric Doonan) . Hyde-White is delightfully 

droll as a field marshal who befriends the kids, and Miss 

Lister is excellent as a friendly "lady of the evening." 

Constance Cummings, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Moira Lister, 

Sidney James, Colin Gibson, Lesley Dudley. 

Gun fhe Man Down F ^;î 

*"''" 

United Artists (5645) 78 Minutes Rel. Nov. '56 

The star power of this above-average black and white 

western Is big Jim Amess, known to TV fans from coast-tocoast 

as the justice-dealing sheriff of CBS' weekly serial, 

"Gunsmoke." With Arness turning In a highly commendable 

performance In this revenge motivated manhunt through 

Arizona territory, the film lends itself to exploitation in two 

ways, both centered on Amess. The exhibitor can make the 

most of Amess' nationwide popularity as the sheriff -hero 

of "Gunsmoke," appealing to the TV fans to come see their 

hero in a screen drama nearly three times the length of his 

usual TV appearance. The exhibitor, too, can build up 

Amess as a coming western screen star of first magnitude, 

making in this film his most Important screen appearance. 

With his solid TV reputation as foundation, the big sheriff 

from "Gunsmoke" appears to have great boxoffice potential, 

given western stories of substance and a chance to appear 

in several color sagebrushers. Emile Meyer, as the sheriff in 

this film, and Angle Dickinson, whose career previously had 

been channeled through TV, give Amess valuable support, 

despite direction which detracts in several spots by drawing 

out the big suspense scenes to ludicrous length. Directed 

by Andrew V. McLaglen. 

James Amess, Anfie Dickinson, Robert Wilke, Emile 

"^'J|J |) 

Meyer, Don Megowan, Michael Emmet, Harry Carey "^ 

jr. 

J 

The Grand Maneuver F ^ "'""'o"""" 

UMPO 107 Minntes Rel.- 

Michele Morgan and Gerard Philipe, two of Prance's best 

known and most personable stars, have a beautiful frame for 

their acting talents in this poignant romantic comedy, Rene 

Clair's first film in color. The two stars, plus Clair's fame 

as director of many fine French and Hollywood pictures, 

should insure good business at the art houses and a few 

better-class key city spots. Written and directed by Clair for 

Filmsonor-Rlzzoli, the picture is always a treat for the 

eye, with Its pre-World War I costumes and colorful settings 

filmed in Eastman Color and its bevy of ravishing French 

actresses. Including the sad-eyed Miss Morgan, the vivacious 

Brigitte Bardot and the saucy Magall Noel. Because Clair 

dwells on the gossip. Intrigue and trivia of provincial French 

life—all of it fascinating or amusing—some patrons may 

find it a bit slow-moving, but the picture maintains interest 

right up to its romantically-sad finale. Philipe makes a 

dashing young heart-breaker although he seems a shade 

too young for Miss Morgan's more mature heroine. Yves 

Robert is outstanding as Philipe's loyal friend and Jean 

Desailly is almost a double for Prince Rainier as a stuffy 

socialite. Georges van Parys' music is appropriately soft and 

melodious. 

Michele Morgan, Gerard Philipe, Brigitte Bardot, Jean 

Desailly, Magall Noel, Jacques Francois, Yves Robert. 

The reviews on these pages may be filed for futura reference in any of the following ways: (1) In any standard three-ring 

loose-leaf binder; (2) Individually, by company, in ony standard 3xS cord Index file; or (3) in the BOXOFFICE PICTURE 

GUIDE three-ring, pocket-sixe binder. The latter, including a year's supply of booking and doily business record sheets, 

may be obtained from Aisaclsted Publications, 82S Van Brunt Blvd., Konsos City 24, Mo., for $1.00, postage paid. 

2036 

BOXOFFICE BooldnGuld* : : Dec. 8, 1956

i; 

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adiines for Newspaper and Prograi 

THE STORY: "Baby Doll" (WB) 

In this modern drama, set In the south, attention is 

focused on Carroll Baker, the voluptuous, scornful 20-yearold 

wife of Karl Maiden, a frustrated, unsuccessful cotton 

gin operator in his forties. Their ceaseless problems, stemming 

from an unconsummated marriage and lack of money, 

drive the husband to set fire to a thriving, competitive gin. 

Suspecting Maiden, the operator of the destroyed property, 

Eli Wallach, makes love to Baby Doll to extract the truth 

from her. After the sheriff takes Maiden into custody for 

committing arson, Wallach assures Miss Baker he'll see that 

she and her aunt are cared for. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Contact department stores for tieups with their toy departments, 

suggesting counter and window displays of baby 

dolls with picture credit posters and production shots from 

the feature. Marquee and lobby emphasis should be accorded 

Carroll Baker, who made her screen debut in 

"Giant," and Academy Award winner Karl Maiden. 

CATCHLINES: 

When She Was Good, She Was Very, Very Good, but 

When She Was Bad, She Was Fascinating . . . Though She 

Was out of This World—She Drove Her Husband Out of 

His Mind. 

Under 

THE STORY: "Nightfall" (Col) 

Aldo Ray, accused of murdering his friend, Frank Albertson, 

on a camping trip, is being watched by James Gregory, 

insurance investigator, and is also dodging two killers, Brian 

Keith and Rudy Bond, who want him because he knows 

where their $300,000 bank loot is hidden. Bond had killed 

Albertson, who tried to help the robbers when they had a 

mountain accident, and tried to kill Ray. The latter returns 

with Gregory and a sympathetic girl, Anne Bancroft, to the 

Wyoming murder scene, where they are followed by the two 

killers. After capturing the three, Keith is shot by Bond, who 

then falls into the path of a giant snow plow during his lifeand-death 

battle with Ray. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Play up Aldo Ray, smiling star of "We're No Angels," "The 

Marrying Kind" and other comedies, in a different and 

dramatic role. Use stills of Anne Bancroft in fashion creations, 

worn in a J. W. Robinson Co. of California fashion 

show to attract the ladies. Mention that Brian Keith Is 

star of the "Crusader" TV series. 

CATCHLINES: 

As Night Falls and Hollywood's Lights Go On—Danger 

Lurks Around Every Comer . . . Hunted—^Both by the Law 

and by Ruthless Law-Breakers . . . Thrills, ChUls and Almost 

Unbearable Suspense . . . Aldo Ray, Smiling Comedy Star, 

Tackles a Strong Dramatic Role. 

THE STORY: "John and Julie" (Dominant) 

In 1953, Julie (Lesley Dudley) hears all about the Coronation 

in school and she enlists the aid of her ten-year-old 

friend John (Colin Gibson) in getting to London, where 

she is sure her uncle, a Royal Guards corporal, will know 

the queen. En route, they get lost, are aided by a field 

marshal, a bicycle shop-owner, an American judge and 

his wife and, finally, by a lady-of-the-town (Moira Lister), 

before Julie's teacher and John's parents are reunited with 

them in London. And the field marshal gets them all 

seats on top of Marble Arch, where they all see the queen, 

except Julie, who is dead tired and falls asleep. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

To play up the children's angle. Invite all brothers and 

sisters who can prove their names are "John and Julie" as 

guests at the first matinee. Gift shops might cooperate with ^ 

displays of ashtrays from Britain containing pictures of the *~ 

Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Older fans will remember 

Constance Cummings as Harold Lloyd's leading lady in 

"Movie Crazy" and as lead in many Hollywood films. 

CATCHLINES: 

Ten-Year-Old John and Six-Year-Old Julie Take a Long 

Trip to See the Queen Crowned . . . A-Riding They Would 

Go—to London Town to See the Coronation of Their Queen 

... A Mad and Merry Journey Filled with Laughs and Adventures. 

THE STORY: 

'"The Grand Maneuver" (UMPO) 

In provincial France prior to World War I, Gerard Phillpe, 

lieutenant in the 33rd Dragoons, attracts all the lovely 

ladies of the town. So siu'e is he of his prowess that he 

accepts a bet that, within one month, he could become the 

lover of any woman in town. Fate selects Michele Morgan, 

a Parisian who operates a hat shop and who is being 

pursued by Jean Desailly, local society leader, as Phllipe's 

target. At first, Michele repulses Philipe's advances but, 

eventually, she falls in love with him. Philipe is sent outof-town 

and even fights a duel for Michele but his fellowofficers 

refuse to believe he has really fallen In love. When 

Michele learns that she was the object of a romantic wager, 

she refuses to see him again and he rides out of the town 

the next day—a victim of his own Intended plot. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Gerard Philipe and Michele Morgan were recently costarred 

in "The Proud and Beautiful." Philipe became a 

star in "The Devil In the Flesh" and also starred in "Fanfan 

the Tulip" and other notable French films, while Miss 

Morgan starred in "Tlie Fallen Idol" and several Hollywood 

films. 

CATCHLINES: 

The Stars of "The Proud and the Beautiful," Dashing 

Gerard Philipe and Lovely Michele Morgan, in a Romantic 

Comedy. 

THE STORY: "The Wild Party" (UA) 

Anthony Quinn, ex-football hero now gone to seed, hangs 

out in a shabby bar in downtown Los Angeles with his 

cronies, Nehemiah Persoff, an impoverished pianist; Jay 

Robinson, a foppish sadist who carries a switchblade knife, 

and Kathryn Grant, a young hanger-on loved by Persoff. 

Egged on by Robinson, who needs money, Quinn is persuaded 

to bring Carol Ohmart, socialite, and her naval lieutenant 

fiance, Arthur Franz, to the bar to hear Persoff play jazz. 

Later, the gang kidnaps the couple and demands ransom.. 

But their plan fails when they get to fighting among each 

other. Robinson is dumped down a shaft by Quinn, who is 

deliberately run down by Kathryn in her car in self defense. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Except for Quinn, who is riding high with "Lust for 

hat Life," "The Man From Del Rio" and the art film, "La 

I. 

Strada," all currently playing, the best selling angle is the 

blues and jazz music to attract the hepcats. Set up a 

jukebox in the lobby to play records by Buddy De Franco 

and other jazz combinations. 

CATCHLINES: 

The New Sin That's Sweeping America—Never a More 

Sensational Motion Picture Theme . . . This Is a Man 

As Wild As a Man Can Get . . . The Drive, the Jive, the 

Desire of America's Jazz-Crazed Youth—^You've Never Seen 

Anything Like It. 

THE STORY: 

"Gun the Man Down" (UA) 

Jim Amess is wounded while he and his "pals," Robert 

Wilke and Don Megowan, are holding up an Arizona Territory 

bank in 1885. Wilke and Megowan abandon Jim to the 

posse, fleeing with his girl. Angle Dickinson, and the $40,000 

loot. Jim serves a year in prison, then sets out to kill the 

trio. He finds them set up as saloon owners in Gunther 

Wells. Wilke hires the territory's top gunman, Michael Emmet, 

to shoot Jim, but the latter kills Emmet. Sheriff Emile 

Meyer says Jim fhed in self-defense and releases him. Wilke, 

Megowan and Angle flee into a box canyon where they are 

trapped by Jim. Angle tries to escape back to Jim, but Wilke 

shoots her and later guns Megowan by mistake. Jim beats 

up Wilke and turns him over to the sheriff. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

With Jim Amess firmly established as a western star on 

TV, his presence in this film is an opportunity to win back 

many of his TV fans to the theatre. Heralds, lobby displays 

and ads should capitalize on his nationwide fame as the hero 

of CBS-TV "Gunsmoke." Build him up, too, as a rising 

western screen star—another in the great tradition of the 

Waynes, Scotts, Coopers. 

CATCHLINES: 

Like an Avenging Angel, He Shadowed the Men Who Had 

Stolen His Name, His Money and His Girl! . . . Arizona's 

(rit'un 

Deadliest Shot—Hired for $5,000 to Gun the Man Down I 

BOXOFFICE BooldttGuid* :: Dec. 8, IBM

. Oklahoma 

I 

I 

24, 

^: I5c per word, minimum $1.50, cash with copy. Four consecutive insertions ior price 

;ee. CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy and 

iswers to Box Numbers to BOXOFFICE, 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24, Mo. • 

f 

POSITIONS WANTED 

|-:ger 26 years experience all phases theatre 

in. Wife cashier or concessions. Honest. 

.reliable. Best ot references. Aiailable 2 

notice. Prefer Florida. Boioffiee, 7342. 

'ctionist: Desires job in Florida. Tenn., 

a, .Arizona. New Mexico, Mississippi, 28 

1 booth. Boxoffice. 7360. 

ing for Help? Write us. We have the 

man for the "right" job. Commercial 

ment. 652 Chestnut St.. Gadsden, .\labama. 

ictionist: 20 years experience. Go any- 

Kenneth Doty, Ransom, Kansas. 

e Manager or Assistant: 7 years experience 

dstant manager, age 28, married, no 

1. Wife can cashier necessary. Want 

if 

1 with future. Dave Lewis, 3118 So. Dumas 

City, Oklahoma. 

ager, eight years at present large drive-in 

in complete charge of buying, booking, coni, 

exploitations, etc. Theatre sold to 

References of the best, twenty years 

nee. indoor and out. Glad to come for 

'w. Reply. Boxoffice, 7362. 

ager. experienced would like first run const 

theatre, "ill consider advertising or 

It to top executive. Kami'y. 35, permanent, 

ce. 7363. 

ire but energetic manager, thoroughly exed 

in all phases. Emphasizing exploitation 

^cession promotion. Would like job any- 

Boxoffice, 7368. 

HELP WANTED 

I married operator, maintenance, etc. No 

:. Night shows and two matinees. Send 

nations and photo. State salary wanted, 

[fe for cashier if qualified. Main Theatre, 

1, Berryviile, Ark. 

ster with us for better positions. Nationservice. 

Commercial Employment, 652 

It St.. Gadsden, Alabama. 

ted: Manager for upper New York State 

:uation. Top salary paid. Answer, giving 

te background and experience. Boxoffice, 

ager Wanted for large Drive-In Theatre in 

city of Southern State. Open all year, 

experienced man with record of acWeveis 

business builder and successful operator, 

isation. salary plus percentage of profit, 

harge «ill be given to right man. Send 

apb and full information in first letter. 

ce, 7361. 

Theatre manager wanted. Established house 

[e northeastern city. Applicant need not 

previous "art" experience, but must 

^Keile^t managerial background and be 

larly adept at advertising and publicity, 

in confidence. Boxoffice. 7364. 

EQUIPMENT WANTED 

t to give a pipe organ a good home. Happy 

mnlle in LA area. Milt Larsen, 929 S. 

lod. Los Angeles 19, Calif. 

ted used, late type projection Iwoth equipfor 

cash. Boxoffice, 7353. 

led: I'sed booth equipment. Advise what 

ve and price. Boxoffice. 7365. 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED 

Excellent coated Projection Lenses—many 

brand new! Wollensak "Sunray", Series I: 2", 3", 

3'4". 3%", 5", oH", 6". 7^"— $35 pair. 

Superliie. Series III C coated: 2%", 3". 3Vi"— 

$150 pr. Trades taken. Write or telephone order 

today. Depi. cc. S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corporation, 

602 W 52nd Street, .New York 19. 

Equipment buy of lifetime! Super Simplex 

projectors, LL-3 pedestals, 18" magazines, Magnarc 

lamphouses. National 40 amp. Rectifiers, coated 

lenses, changeovers, Simplex "E" sound system. 

Complete outfit, excellent condition, $3,500. Time 

deals available. Dept. cc, S.O.S. Cinema Supply 

Corp., 602 W. 52nd St., New York 19. 

For sale! Equipment! Projection, screen and 

towers, concessions. Will deliver, install and 

finance. Nice paying drive-ins Ky. resort area. 

Also boats and cruisers. Box 471, Cairo, III. 

For sale, complete theatre equipment, good 

condition, priced right for quick sale. Boxoffice, 

7355. 

Good used pair DeVry 3500 portable 35mm 

projectors, amplifier and speaker. $400 F.O.B. 

Clifton Droke, 637 Alabama Street, Bristol, Tenn. 

Wanted: Used theatre booth equipment. We 

dismantle. Leon Jarodsiiy, Lincoln TTieatre, Paris, 

Illinois. 

Late model rebuilt ultraphone sound heads, 

very reasonabie. .\lso available from stock, parts 

for all models of ultraphone sound heads. Write 

for price list. Projection Service & Supply Co., 

Ill No. nth St., Minneapolis 3, Minn. 

STUDIO AND PRODUCTION 

Kliegl 5000W studio spots on stands, $300 

value, $175; B & H studio camera sound recording 

head. $1,995; new tripod triangles, $16.95; 

Aerosol dulling spray, kills annoying glare and 

highlights, $1.59; Aurlcon pro-200 16mm sound 

cameras, complete, $1,600 value, $795; Mitchell 

35mm Standard tracking camera, $995; Moviolas 

from $195; Hallen synchronous magnetic 16mm 

recorder. $1,495 value, $695: American CMnematographer's 

handbooks, % price. $2.50. Dept. cc, 

SOS. anema Supply Corp., 602 W. 52nd St., 

New York 19. 

THEATRE TICKETS 

Prompt Service. Special printed roll tickets. 

100. non. $31.95; 10,000, $9.90: 2.000, $5.70. 

tilach change in admission price, including change 

in color, $4.00 extra. Double numbering extra. 

F.O.B. Kansas City, Mo. Cash with order 

Kan.sas City Ticket Co.. Dept 11, 109 W. 18th 

St.. Kansas City. Mo. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Incorporate Your Business in Delaware! New or 

old. Charter cost little. Do business anywhere. 

Quickest! Write for brochure-21B. Faultless 

Organization, 684 N. Sangamon St.. Chicago 22. 

III. 

POPCORN MACHINES 

Popcorn machines, all maRes and styles. Reiilacement 

kettles for all poppers. Complete replacement 

unit fits most machines. $185. 120 

.So. Ilalsted. Chicago. III. 

THEATRES FOR SALE 

Theatre sales! Texas, Oklahoma, .Missouri. 

Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas. Ralph Erwin. Licensed 

Broker. 1443 South Trenton. Tulsa. 

West coast theatres tor sale. Write for list. 

Theatre Exchange, 260 Kearney St., San Francisco 

8. Calif, 

400-car drive-in, 3 years old. OnemaScope. 

Nothing leased, 13 acres. Only drive-ln In 

county. 2 apartments. .Major highways. $63,000. 

$18,000 will handle. Kissimmee Drive-In, 

Kissimmee, Fla. 

Theatre, Oklahoma. Wldescreen, Cinemascope. 

County seat, large farming area, cattle land, new 

oil field. Population 1,700. TV reception poor. 

Selling because of health. Boxoffice. 7340. 

Air conditioned theatre, modern apartment, 

good business. All equipment, brick buUdliit, 

$4,500. Have other interests. Boxoffice, 7343. 

300-car drive-in. Fast growing southern California 

desert community. Only 8 months old, 

showing good profit. Owner has interests In 

another state. Write, Patio Theatre, Box 936, 

Tnentynine Palms, Calif. 

cLEfliiinG mm 

Two drive-ins, near Army installation, central 

Texas town of 40,000. Excellent opportunity. 

$100,000 will handle. No drlve-in opposition. 

Write, call or wire, Marvin Ciodwin, 2008-A Jackson. 

Dallas, Texas. BI 2-8128 or LA 1-3037. 

For sale or lease at once, only theatre in Ste. 

Genevieve, Mo. Brick building, 500 seats % 

upholstered, deep well cooling, RCA maintained 

sound, Brenkert projectors, candy concession in 

same building. You can take over at once and 

continue operation. Martin W. Operle, Ste. Genevieve. 

Mo. 

Non-competitive theatre In Mississippi Delta 

town. Accommodations for colored and white. 

Brick Ijuildtng and equipment included in sale. 

Oper:dted since 1934 and still in operation. 

Owners have another full time business. $15,000. 

Will consider terms. Boxoffice, 7367. 

270-seats. building and equipment, excellent 

condition. CinemaScope, air conditioned. Joy 

Theatre. West Rutland. Vf. 

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 

Franchised territories now open! No investment 

of money required. If you know your film 

territory, have high integrity and will work, we 

have a golden proposition to make. Write complete 

qualifications to, .Nationwide Theatre Pronwtions. 

326-328 N. 7th St.. Allentown. Pa. 

THEATRES WANTED 

Wanted to buy or lease several drive-ln tlwatres 

in Cleveland or Pittsburgh area. All 

correspondence treated with strictest confidence. 

Write giving details. Boxoffice, 7349. 

THEATRE SEATING 

Chair supplies, parts for all chairs. Fensin 

Seating. Chicago 5. 

Repairing and reupholstering In your theatre 

Kensin Sealing, Chicago 5. 

New spring seats for all chairs. Fensin Sealing. 

Chicago 5. 

Patch-o-seat cement, perma.stone anchor cement. 

Fensin Seating. Chicago 5. 

Seat coverings, sewed combination, all styles 

Fensin Seating, Chicago 5. 

Plastic leatherette, all colors, send .sample. 


Upholstery fabrics, all types, send sample. 


Cash for your old theatre chairs. Fenslu Beating, 

Chicago 5. III. 

Professional reupholstering. Factory trained crew. 

Free estimate anywhere. For sale: 5.000 good 

used chairs, all types. OGI.ESBY EgCIPMENT 

Co.. 20856 Grand liiver. Detroit, KEiiwood 3-8740 

Several lots of late type chairs. Bargain price. 

Write for exact photo. Chicago Used Chair Mart, 

829 S. State St.. Chicago 5, ill. 

25"x26" plastic leatherette, good quality, 55c 

each. 27"x27" for spring edge, 65c each. 

Chicago Used Chair Mart, 829 8. SUte St.. 

Chicago. 

1.S89 late theatre chairs. 1,000 plywood. 

Plywoods wanted. Lone Star Seating, Box 1734, 

Dallas. Texas. 

BUSINESS STIMULATORS 

Bingo, more action! $4.50.M cards. Illher 

games available, on-off screen. Novelty Game.s Co., 

106 Rogers Ave., Brooklyn, N. T. 

Build attendance with real Hawaiian nrrliids 

Few cents each. Write Flowers of Hawaii, 670 

S. Lafayette Park Place, Los Angeles 5, Calif. 

Bingo-die-cut cards. Increase your Ixixuffice. 

75 to 100 numbers, $4 50 lier .M. liesl Cards. 

Premium Products, 346 West 44lh St.. .\e« York 

36, N. Y. 

Special offer! Comics! $14.95 per 1,000. 

Regular 10c approved ls,sues without coveis. ROB 

Philadelphia. Remittance with order. ElUs 

Specialties, 800 Brighton, Philadelphia, Pa. 

Below cost: 16 Page Mln. Comic Books. Use 

on kid days, in concession. Advertise with Em. 

600 books, 6 titles. $5.00 Postpaid. No C.O.D. 

This price only while present supply lasts. 100 

samples $1.00. Art La-Man Adv. Service, 2211 

E. 14th. Tulsa. Oklahoma. 

Handy Subscription Order For m 

BOXOFFICE: 

825 Van Brunt Blvd.. Konsos City 24, Mo. 

ted: Marquee and letters for small theatre. 

healre, Montrose, Mich . 

plete drive-in equipment, sound, projection, 

inn. :iOO speakers. 90 amp lamps. East of 

ippl. Cash deal. Boxoffice. 7366. 

ENERAL EQUIPMENT—NEW 

ntioii Holmes users! l.OOOW T-20C13 Mog. 

IS lamps $25.00 dozen ($3.95 each); intert 

movements $24.50; Star sprocket assembly 

I; 

sound lens $9.95; BE14070 vertical drive 

»/5 gears, bearings $9.75; 2.000' magauiiper 

& lower (rebuilt) $25.00 set. Dept. 

I.S. Cinema Supply Corp. 602 W. 52nd St., 

ork 19. 

IVE-m THEATRE EQUIPMENT 

itheft Device for speakers gives complete 

Jon for only 57c per speaker! Exhibitors: 

I jour speakers now against costly and 

^d losses. In use now throughout U. S. 

r Security Co., Dept. 623. Willow Ave. 

h St.. Hoboken, N. J. 

ADVERTISING PROGRAMS 

Good monthly program advertising pays for 

itself. Samples from Central Advertising Service, 

Box 775, Davenport, Iowa. 

REPAIRING 

Your speakers (cones), microphones, driver-units 

(horns) completely rebuilt. Western Electronics 

Co., 3311 Houston Ave., Houston 9. Tex.as. 

BOOKS 

Don't operate wastefully in these tough times. 

Hundreds of ways to save money, all based on 

practical theatre experience, are yours in the 

"Master Guide to Theatre Maintenance." Each 

one of them may be worth far more to you than 

the $5 the book costs. Send for your copy 

today. Cash with order, no COD's. Boxoffice 

Book Dept., 825 Van Brunt Blvd.. Kansas City 

Mo. 

Please enter my subscription tc BOXOFFICE, 52 issues per year (13 of 

which eontoin The MODERN THEATRE Section). 

D $3.00 FOR 1 YEAR Q S5.00 FOR 2 YEARS D $7.00 FOR 3 YEARS 

D Remittance Enclosed Q Send Invoice 

THEATRE 

STREET 

TOWN 

ADDRESS. 

STATE 

NAME POSITION . 

OFFICE : 

: December 

8, 1956

^'«OUTINFR0IIT! 

... in your lobby and foyers with these 

brand new, custom-made King-Size 

Displays of 

^^ 

THEjWiG and 

FOUR rSuEENS 

They're so special, so big, so far out 

in front of other advertising... that they 

speak for themselves! Here's your Big 

really splash your theatre 

chance to 

with color and showmanship . . . and to 

pre-sell and exploit your attraction . . . 

in a different way! 

irS A WHOPPER OF A DISPLAY! 

Huge ... crowd-stopping ... so colorfully new... 

this Standee is specially designed and aimed to 

^sock 'em in the eye' right away! 

DOOR PANEL DISPLAYS MAKE STRIKING SETPIECE, TOO! 

Jampack your Doors . . . fill your Foyers . . . with great 

crowd-catching panels and screens! Its tremendous 

approach in such a special way gives you a head start 

in your campaign!

Boxoffice-December.08.1956

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