Boxoffice-March.23.1957

I ^.^l>1.»^lt^—».^1linw«X»rJiJTW»iaUOgM 

lARCH 2 

/ke TuAe 

e^ i^ m&&&ft 

ERIC 

JOHNSTON, president 

of the Motion Picture Ass'n 

of America, which is observing 

its 35th anniversary this 

month, in a year in which 

the industry also is celebrating 

the Golden Jubilee of the 

first production of a motion 

picture in a Hollywood studio. 

A review and a look into 

the future of the MPAA 

appears on pages 18 and 19. 

Three 

Companies 

To Provide Product 

Entered a^ seconri rirju rpnrrer nr the Poit Office 

~ "-lated Publleottami 

Subicription rotae: 

onal Edition 17 50 

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE EDITION 

Includini Iht StCtlonll Nnal Pl|it of All Cditioni 

For 

Tele-Movies 

Page 6 

llH— IMIIBIIIB 

,iin,i-i I 

iiHHiHHifiHHiiiiiHIIIilliliilllll

GREATEST 

OF ALL! 

FIRST TIME 

iM 

COLOR 

Slamng GORDON SCOTT 

AS TH[ NEW mm Co-starring 

ROBERT BEATTY YOLAiE DONLAN BEITA ST. 

Above: The 24-shccl is perfect for cut-out uses in lotby or on marquee

'"'"»""-'-*" 

M-GM 

Screen Piay by 

TECHNICOLOR' chaSr^byEOGAR RICE 

BURROUGHS 

Directed by BRUCE 

A Sol Lesser Production AnMCMRete 

Tne greatest attraction or its 

kind ever made. Tarzan, 

a magic word ror tne millions, comes to tne public 

now for tne first time in color. Witn an entirely 

NEW, streamlined, up-to-tne-minute story, in a magnificent 

production, it is an entertainment of stature 

for class -appeal as well as mass -patronized tneatres.

In the tradition of 

3 Coins in ttie Fountain" 

20th proudly brings you 

an exceptional attraction 

for Easter...

THE NATIONAL FILM WEEKLY 

Published in Nine Sectional Editions 

BEN SHLYEN 

Editor-in-Chief and Publisher 

DONALD M. MERSEREAU. Associote 

Publisher & Generol Manager 

NATHAN COHEN. .Executive Editor 

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HUGH FRAZE Field Editor 

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IVAN SPEAR Western Editor 

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MORRIS SCHLOZMAN. Business Mgr. 

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i'lace. 

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$3.00 per year: National Edition. $7.50 

MARCH

THREE COMPANIES WILL SUPPLY 

FILMS FOR TELE-MOVIES TEST 

Cooperation Assured by 

United Artists, Allied 

Artists and Columbia 

NEW YORK—At least 

three major distributors 

have agreed to supply product to 

Tele-Movies, the cable home theatre medium 

which will have its debut in Bartlesville, 

Okla.. early in the summer. 

However, in committing themselves to provide 

pictures, it was stressed by spokesmen of 

the companies that it would be on a "test" 

basis with no assurance at this time that 

they would continue to provide pictures. Indications 

are that the companies want to be 

convinced that tlie home theatre idea is 

practical and liere to stay before making 

positive commitments. A checkup of the 

major companies revealed that there is definite 

interest in tlie innovation. 

OTHER COMMITMENTS LIKELY 

Henry Griffing, president of Video Independent 

Theatres whose Osage Theatre in 

Bartlesville will be the guinea pig, called on 

executives of all the major companies in 

New York recently to get their reactions to 

the process. Assurances of cooperation on 

test engagements were given by United Artists, 

Allied Artists and Columbia, with possibilities 

of other commitments in the offing. 

In the case of United Artists, William 

Heineman, vice-president in charge of distribution, 

said that a commitment had been 

made insofar as the company itself was concerned 

but that each producer who distributed 

through UA first would have to be consulted. 

Solicitation of the producers is now under 

way. Ed Morey, vice-president of Allied 

Artists, said AA was willing to participate in 

a test as did a spokesman for Columbia. 

Alex Harrison, general sales manager of 

20th Century-Fox, said that his company was 

"sympathetic" to the home theatre idea, but 

all of 20th-Fox product was in Cinemascope 

which would make it difficult to project on a 

home screen. It is quite possible, he added, 

that if 20th-Fox had pictures which he termed 

as "2-D," the company would go along with 

the others on an experiment. On the other 

hand, Spyros Skouras, president, told a press 

conference in New York on Tuesday (19) 

that he was not convinced of its merits. So, 

apparently, the company has reached no 

definite decision on policy. 

PARAMOUNT, MGM INTERESTED 

A Paramount executive said his company 

was "very much" interested in the Tele- 

Movies project but that no commitment had 

been made to offer product. He added, however, 

that "we are studying it with an open 

mind" and will watch developments. He 

pointed out that Paramount controls Telemeter, 

a home TV process which can be utilized 

over the air or via cables. This was 

taken as a hint that Telemeter may be used 

in a manner similar to the Bartlesville project 

which is being installed by the Jerrold 

Electronic Corp. of Philadelphia. 

Charles Reagan, vice-president of Loew's, 

No Cable Bandwagon 

For New York Circuits 

NEW YORK—Insofar as New York circuit 

executives are concerned, Tele-Movies will 

be watched with interest but there apparently 

are no plans to jump on the home theatre 

bandwagon immediately. The general opinion 

is tliat the idea may be workable in 

smaller communities but that the problems 

would be too great in New York. 

An official of Loew's Theatres said the 

circuit was making no move now, adding, 

"We are just observers for the time being." 

Walter Higgins of Associated Prudential 

Theatres, a circuit of 55 houses, stated that 

a wealth of information was needed before 

conclusions could be reached. 

"We're just digging into it," he said. "It 

seems to be quite something." 

Higgins added that Robert J. O'Donnell, 

general manager of Texas Interstate, "must 

know a lot more about it than we do since 

he knows all about the Telemeter experiment" 

and that he's probably moving now 

"for reasons of protection." 

O'Donnell lias been exploring the home 

theatre project for his circuit. 

Solomon M. Strausberg of the 28-theatre 

Interboro Circuit said he believed a cable 

theatre was not possible in New York because 

zones could not be broken down in 

areas where there was much competition. 

"We could do very well without it," he 

added. 

Emanuel Frisch, vice-president of Randforce 

Amusement Corp., a circuit of 31 theatres, 

agreed substantially with Strausberg 

in regard to cable theatre operation in the 

Inc., said that, while Griffing had consulted 

with company executives, there had been no 

serious discussions on the matter among company 

officials. This was due to the recent 

realignment of officers and other changes 

Calls Cable Theatre a Foot 

In the Door for Toll TV 

New York—Edwin Gage of Walter 

Reade Theatres, which has houses in 

New York and New Jersey, characterized 

the cable theatre experiment as "a 

foot in the door for toll TV." He said he 

did not see how it could benefit a theatre. 

"You'd just need a booth In a store or 

a vacant lot," he said. "And while they 

talk now about 35niin, it's sure to be cut 

later to 16mm." 

He also mentioned the effect on the 

equipment business and on a loss in concessions 

revenues. 

metropolitan area. He said the local picture 

was different from that in towns where a 

single circuit had the dominant position. 

"I may be wrong," he said, "because I lack 

the necessary facts and there is cable theatre 

activity in Dallas. The matter requires 

careful study before reaching any conclusions." 

Wilbur Snaper, head of the seven-theatre 

Snaper circuit, said he had been reading 

about the home theatre in the trade press 

and had had a report on it from Edward 

Lacliman of Lorraine Carbons. He said he 

was following developments "with interest." 

Gerald Shea, head of the Shea circuit 

which operates theatres in Massachusetts, 

New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and 

New York, said he was approached a year 

ago with a proposition for the circuit to conduct 

a cable theatre test but that he was 

"cold" to it because he did not want to assign 

one of his top theatres to the test. He 

recalled that the circuit was the first to 

test closed-channel television at a loss of 

$60,000. That made him wary, he said. 

"We still feel," he said, "that the showing 

of motion pictures of high calibre in theatres 

is a different thing from TV. Before 

he died, Maurice Shea told me never to forget 

that no matter what happens, people are 

not going to stay in the house, and that is 

just as true today. The exhibitor must work 

hard, intelligently and with courage. The 

high cost of living and installment-buying 

are our Number Two competition. Attendance 

is determined by the film's quality." 

within the company in which the new president. 

Josepli R. Vogel, was involved. Reagan 

said he had not had an opportunity to go 

into the subject as yet with Vogel. 

Although Milton Rackmil, president of Universal, 

told company stockholders that his 

company would not supply product to the 

cable theatre medium, there were expressions 

of doubt among other companies' officials. 

They believed that Universal eventually 

would go along if the others did. 

There was no comment from Warner Bros. 

and Republic. 

The matter of rentals has not been determmed, 

but sales chiefs said the terms 

probably would be based on a percentage of 

tlie home subscribers and the resultant revenue 

to the tlieatres. In the matter of clearances 

in Bartlesville, there is no problem inasmuch 

as Video Independent controls the 

town. In situations where there is competition, 

the issues will have to be threshed out 

wlien the occasion rises. 

At the outset, it looks as if there will be 

(Continued on next page) 

BOXOFFICE ;; March 23, 1957

I 

Trade Gets First Look 

At Telemeter Theatre 

HOLLYWOOD — "Telemeter's 

Electronic 

Theatre," which, it is promised, will combine 

a motion picture theatre, a neighborhood 

TV system and pay-as-you-see video, 

was set to be demonstrated to the press here 

on Thursday (21). 

Beginning Monday i25>, the new development 

will be shown to every important exhibitor 

and real estate developer in southern 

California. News of the innovation and 

Telemeter's eagerness to demonstrate it followed 

closely upon the heels of reports from 

Bartlesville, Okla., concerning Tele-Movies, a 

kindred exhibition development ready for 

launching in that and adjoining communities. 

Telemeter, as is well known, has been 

working on the pay-as-you-see movies in the 

home idea for the past several years and 

even went so far as to give the idea a tryout 

in the Palm Springs resort area. What 

little advance news that leaked out prior to 

the scheduled demonstrations established 

that the new setup, upon which Telemeter 

has been experimenting for the past four 

years, can be operated without approval by 

the Federal Communications Commission. 

The claim is made that it is superior to the 

metliod of piping movies into the home in 

which many theatres have become interested 

because it works with a perfected coin box 

which enables the potential viewer to see and 

pay for only those films of his selection. 

Tele-Movies for Meridian, Miss. 

MERIDIAN, MISS.—Tele-Movies are on 

their way to Meridian. A. L. Royal, local theatre 

owner, announced this week he had given 

a purchase order for the necessary equipment, 

which will be installed as soon as It 

is received. Meridian has a population of 

42.000. 

Court Sets Sentencing 

Date in Schine Case 

BUFFALO— Sentencing of 

four individuals 

and nine corporations known as the Schine 

theatre interests for criminal contempt of 

court has been set by Federal Judge Harold 

P. Burke for 10 a.m. Tuesday (26). 

Found guilty by Judge Burke Dec. 27, 1956, 

of contempt of a 1949 federal court order to 

divest themselves of some theatre holdings 

are: J. Myer Schine, Donald G. Schine, John 

A. May. Howard M. Antevil, Schine Theatres, 

Inc., Schine Theatrical Co., Inc., Schine Lexington 

Corp., Schine Enterprises Corp., Schine 

Circuit, Inc., Chesapeake Theatres Corp.. 

Hildemart Corp., Darnell Theatres, Inc., and 

Elmart Theatres, Inc. 

To Supply Tele-Movies 

Continued from preceding page) 

enough product to get the innovation off the 

ground. The three companies committed to 

provide features on an experimental basis 

have averaged ten pictures a month over the 

last year, although not all of the pictures 

have been of the quality associated with 

downtown first run theatres. But even with 

these companies, there still remains the problem 

of features in Cinemascope, as at least 

a dozen of this season's films are in the 2.50 

to 1 ratio. 

UA Preparing to Offer 

Public Sale of Stock 

NEW YORK — United Artists, the last 

privately owned major company, is going 

to the public for financing. 

The news was confirmed Tuesday il9) by 

Robert S. Benjamin, board chairman, and 

Arthur B. Krim. president. They said the 

company has signed an underwriting agreement 

with F. Eberstadt & Co. A registration 

statement covering a proposed offering of 

securities to the public will be filed later 

this month. 

The agreement covers a proposed $10,000,000 

offering of six per cent convertible .subordinated 

debentures due in 1969, and about $5.- 

000,000 of common stock. Of the 350.000 

shai-es of common stock to be offered. 250,000 

will be offered for the corporation and 100,000 

for the account of the management group, 

own a majority 

which after the sale will still 

of the stock. 

The Eberstadt firm will head a nationwide 

group of investment bankers and dealers 

which will offer the securities to the public 

after the middle of April, according to negotiations 

in progress. 

The proceeds will be used to retire certain 

outstanding debts and to increase working 

capital to finance ever-increasing independent 

motion picture production. 

The move has been made necessary partly 

due to the tightness of the money market. 

United Ai'tists does not produce pictures but 

finances independents. It now has more than 

$40,000,000 invested in independent production. 

Its production commitments involve 

over 100 features. 

United Artists was organized in April 1919 

by Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charles 

Chaplin and D. W. Griffith. The details of 

incorporation were drawn up by William 

Gibbs McAdoo, Secretary of the Treasury, 

whose services were later retained as general 

counsel. 

Oscar Price, chief Liberty Loan drive publicist, 

was the first president. Hiram Abrams 

became general manager in May 1919. He 

held the post until he died in 1926. The first 

UA picture was Fairbanks' "His Majesty, the 

American." Miss Pickford's first was "Pollyanna." 

Griffith's "Broken Blossoms" and 

Chaplin's "Woman of Paris," in which he 

did not appear but wrote, produced and directed, 

followed. 

Abrams inaugurated selling on a percentage 

basis. Independent producers were invited to 

release through UA. The first radical change 

in the corporate setup came in December 

1924, when Joseph M. Schenck was allowed to 

buy into the company and become an owmermember. 

He brought into the fold Samuel 

Goldwyn, Norma Talmadge, John BaiTymore. 

Gloria Swanson and Corinne Griffith. 

Goldwyn became the second new memberowner 

and Mi.ss Swanson a producer-owner. 

The search continued for quality product. In 

1932, Walt Disney began releasing cartoons 

through UA and Edward Small and HaiTy 

Goetz, as Reliance Films, entered the fold. 

Then came Alexander Korda's London Films. 

20th Century Pictures, formed by Schenck 

and DaiTyl Zanuck, and David O. Selznick. 

By 1945. only Chaplin and Miss Pickford 

of the original founders remained and only 

Chaplin was active. The overhead of the 

international organization became an acute 

problem. Beginning in 1946. UA hit the skids 

due to insufficient and inadequate product. 

Many executives failed to turn the tide. 

Provisional management control pa,s.sed in 

February 1951 into the hands of Krim, Benjamin, 

Matthew Fox, William J. Heineman, 

Max E. Youngstein, Arnold Picker and Seymour 

Peyser. They bought all pictures then 

in release or about to be released by Eagle 

Lion Classics, and obtained additional films 

from other sources. The ink turned from 

red to black in six months. 

Under the terms of the agreement with 

Miss Pickford and Chaplin, the new regime 

became owners of 8,000 shares of the stock, 

with a ten-year voting control over the remaining 

shares, owned equally by Chaplin 

and Miss Pickford. Top-flight independent 

producers signed up. Fox sold out. 

Chaplin sold his remaining 25 per cent 

interest in 1955 and Miss Pickford her remaining 

shares in February 1956. That 

meant that the Krim group owned all 16,000 

shares. They are now being split up in 

preparation for the public offering. 

Texas Drive-ln Deal to Sell Photoplay 

As Project to Raise Funds for Assn 

AUSTIN, TEX.—The Texas Drive-In Theatre 

Owners Ass'n has come up with a newidea 

to raise the funds nece.ssary to employ 

a full-time executive director and staff. It's 

a tw-ist on the "I'm working my way through 

college" technique. Only in this instance the 

outdoor exhibitors will be selling magazines 

to work a top executive into their organization. 

Eddie Josephs, the new president of the 

association, informed members this week that 

a deal had been made with the publishers of 

Photoplay magazine whereby the magazine 

will be sold at the concessions stands. The 

usual dealer profit on the magazine will go 

to the exhibitor and the rest of the receipts 

will go to the theatre a.ssociation. 

In exchange, the theatre will run a Photoplay 

magazine trailer. With more than 400 

drive-ins in the state, both the magazine and 

the association, as well as the individual 

theatremen are expected to profit by the coop 

deal. The association can raise from $13,- 

000 to $26,000 a year through the venture, 

Josephs said. This will enable the organization 

to hire an executive director and staff 

to carry on additional services to members. 

Representatives of Motion Picture Advertising 

Service, screen advertising company, 

are to contact theatremen within the next 

few weeks on behalf of the J. Walter Thompson 

agency which represents the magazine. 

BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

J. 

PuUe Sc

SEE INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS 

IN DOMINANT INDUSTRY ROLE 

Question: Will the Majors 

Become Merely Film 

Distributors? 

Report by the Boxoffice Staff 

NEW YORK—Will the major companies, 

once dominant in the three fields of distribution, 

production and exhibition, wind 

up in the not so distant future .simply as 

distributors? 

That is a question that has engaged the 

interest of students of trends within the industry. 

First, exhibition was taken away 

from them through the antitrust consent 

decrees. Now some see a movement completely 

away from production through the 

financial backing of and reliance on mdependent 

producers as outside som-ces of 

product. It is said that, except for a rare 

venture into production, the majors may soon 

engage solely in the distribution field, 

UP TO READER TO JUDGE 

How true is that? The reader will have to 

be the judge. Certainly current developments 

lead to interesting conjecture. 

It is well known that the majors, through 

their membership in the Motion Picture 

Ass'n of America, are spending considerable 

time and money in seeking more efficient 

means of distribution. Surveys are being 

made of a system that has changed little 

over the years. There is talk of consolidation 

of facilities and of the tightening of operations 

within a company. National Film 

Service has entered the picture by contracting 

to handle the backi'oom work of some 

companies. RKO has quit domestic distribution 

and turned its product over to Universal- 

International. The trend is toward exchanges 

in fewer cities. 

That emphasis on efficient distribution 

nowadays can be sigiiificant. What about 

any emphasis on production? 

The production costs of the majors have 

been rising steadily thi-ough a number of 

causes—maintenance of expensive and bulky 

studio real estate, star salaries demanded by 

their agents and higher wages demanded by 

unions because of higher living costs. 

LEASING 

STUDIO FACILITIES 

So it followed that there should be talk 

about mergers of studio facilities, though 

they are proving quite difficult to work out. 

For instance, 20th Century-Fox has been 

studying how best to utilize its vast lot. It 

still is possible that it may join forces on 

the lot of another company, and speed up 

the production of oil on its own lot. Another 

saving and a source of revenue can be effected 

through the leasing of more studio 

facilities to independent producers, including 

those producing for television. 

As for salaries, the expensive "stables" of 

players maintained for a time by the majors 

have about vanished. MGM, which once had 

the largest stable, now has less than a score 

of players under contract. Universal-lQternational. 

of course, is an exception. That 

BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957 

Allied 

Asks End to Deals 

Such as RKO, U-l Pact 

WASHINGTON—Allied States Ass'n this 

week urged Congress to amend the Clayton 

antitrust act to prevent "mergers" .such as 

the recent decision of RKO to distribute its 

pictures domestically through the facilities 

of Universal-International. 

A. F. Myers, general coun.sel for Allied, 

in a statement filed with a subcommittee of 

the House Committee on the Judiciary which 

is hearing testimony on a proposal to require 

corporations to give prior notice when mergers 

are planned, added the support of the 

exhibitor organization to the Clayton Act 

amendment. 

company is continuing its effort to develop 

new stars. 

Six years ago, independent producers were 

as rare as flat rentals to circuit theatres 

nowadays. Now, some statistical minds estimate, 

they will provide approximately 75 per 

cent of this year's releases. With the exception 

of U-I, each major has some sort 

of roster of producers not on its payroll whose 

pictures it fully or partially finances or which 

are financed entirely by outside sources, such 

as banks. 

DofJ Eying Illegal 

Block-Selling on TV 

Washington—Judge Victor R. Hansen, 

chief of the antitrust division, U. S. Department 

of Justice, has confided to reporters 

here that illegal block-selling of 

films for television has moved close to the 

"top of the stack" of items awaiting 

action by his division. He said that his 

staff has been making inquiries for 

several months, since the federal prohibition 

against refusing to sell one film 

unless others also are purchased is applicable 

to TV as well as to motion pictures. 

Allied, however, wants the legislation to 

further strengthen antitrust regulations. The 

a.ssociation, he said, is opposed to any fm'ther 

mergers or transfers of assets or business 

between corporations engaged in the production 

or distribution of motion pictures for 

exhibition in theatres, "a business in which 

competition already is restricted and in 

which further restrictions would be disastrous." 

Pointing to past experiences in methods 

used to circumvent the intent of antitrust 

legislation, Myers said that, until prohibited 

by an amendment to the Clayton Act in 

1950, corporations took advantage of a loophole 

in the act by simply buying the physical 

assets of another firm instead of acquiring 

or exclianging stock as the law read. 

The transaction between RKO and Universal, 

Myers declared, constitutes ample 

warning that unle.ss the Clayton Act is further 

amended, suggested business consolidations 

"will merely as.sume a different form 

and continue to be consummated in the future 

as in the past." 

On the recent RKO-U-I deal, he said: 

"Bear in mind that Universal did not acquire 

a share of RKO's stock, neither did it 

take over that company's physical assets. It 

merely took over the distribution of RKO's 

pictures. The RKO film exchanges throughout 

the country were closed and hundreds 

of men and women who had served RKO 

faithfully for many years, many of whom 

were acquainted with no other business, were 

suddenly thrown out of employment. 

"The important result, from the standpoint 

of the antitrust laws, was that whereas 

only a few weeks ago a motion picture exhibitor, 

if he could not license a picture he 

desired from Universal at what he thought 

was a proper rental, could apply to RKO to 

see what it had to offer. Today, so far as 

the exhibitors are concerned, there's no RKO." 

Vogel Goal at Loew's: 

Increased Efficiency 

NEW YORK—Joseph Vogel, president of 

Loew's Inc., has established a series of basic 

policies designed to increase the efficiency 

of the coi-poration. In addition, the new 

president announced that Louis Nizer, wellknown 

industry attorney, had been retained 

as special counsel to assist him in matters 

connected with the reorganization plans. 

Among the new policies is one connected 

with purchasing. Hereafter, said Vogel, all 

purchasing in every segment of the company 

will be on the basis of competitive bidding, 

without regard to traditional ties. 

Loew's also intends to operate its own concessions 

wherever practical, and a contract 

with the People's Candy Co. which runs the 

refreshment services in the company's theatres 

will be terminated later in the year. 

A general review of company personnel 

also will be undertaken, so that in the future 

there will be no opportunity for complaint 

by stockholders, Vogel said. 

"As president," he said, "I inherited a 

great company's reputation as the foremost 

motion picture corporation in the world, one 

that has paid out more than $173,000,000 In 

uninterrupted dividends. I am determined to 

put through a constructive program for the 

restoration of Loew's, Inc., and MGM to their 

preeminent position."

— 

Skouras Is Staking All 

On Fox's 55-Film Slate 

NEW YORK—111 fostering 20th Century- 

Pox's policy to release 55 pictiu'es between 

now and March 1958, Spyros Skouras, president, 

frankly admitted that he was "sticking 

his neck out." Declaring that he was 

taking a chance, Skouras asserted that, if 

the hiking of the release schedule to the 

highest point since 1940 did not turn out 

successfully, then "I could be fired." 

Skouras, who called press representatives 

to his office on Tuesday U9i, said that the 

competition of television must be met with 

a "frontal attack" by turning out big, important 

pictures which will pull the people 

out of their homes. 

ACTUALLY 65 

PRODUCTIONS 

Actually, 20th-Fox will produce 65 pictures 

from March to March. Fifty-five are scheduled 

to be released, 30 in the "A" class and 

25 to be known as "showmanship" pictures. 

Of the 30 "A" features, 12 will be in the 

"blockbuster" category, Skouras said. 

Skouras told the press that he believed his 

company's policy of more and better pictm-es 

would create enthusiasm among exhibitors 

and reawaken them to greater showmanship. 

When the company first made the announcement 

that it would release 55 pictures over a 

12-month period, Skouras said he received 

scores of letters from exhibitors and that it 

was noted that theatremen appeared to be 

more interested in the so-called showmanship 

product than in the blockbusters. However, 

he continued, the lineup will include 

pictures for every type of theatre and audience. 

The company, he said, was spending 

more money and has more talent under one 

roof than at any time in its history. 

"There is no question about it," Skouras 

stated, "television competition is here to stay. 

We can co-exist only by producing better 

entertainment." 

Asked for his opinion on Tele-Movies, the 

upcoming cable theatre medium which will 

have its debut in Bartlesville. Okla., Skouras 

said he was not convinced of its merit because 

the public now gets the backlog pictures 

in the homes at no cost. He said his 

prime concern was to keep theatres prosperous. 

Pay-as-you-see television, if it should 

become a reality, could destroy the motion 

picture theatres, he said, adding that the 

economics of the United States could be upset, 

if theatres should close. While opposed 

to toll TV for the showing of first run pictures, 

he said backlog product might be all 

right for pay television. 

OPTIMISTIC 

ABOUT EIDOPHOR 

As to Eidophor, a theatre television system 

which 20th-Fox has been developing, 

Skouras said a demonstration was held recently 

and that "it looked good." Other demonstrations 

are planned. 

In answer to questions regarding the possibility 

of 20th-Fox utilizing the MGM lot 

for production, because of the oil on its own 

property, Skouras said 20th-Fox engineers 

were studying all phases of the project and 

that talks were being held on the matter 

with MGM executives. No decision has been 

reached. The company also is surveying all 

Annual MPAA Meet 

Scheduled April 8 

NETW YORK—The annual meeting of the 

Motion Picture Ass'n of America will be 

held at the headquarters here the morning of 

April 8, two days before Eric Johnston, president, 

and two aides are scheduled to leave 

on a European business trip. 

The board of directors will re-convene at 

luncheon to discuss details of a proposed 

system of arbitration and conciliation. MPAA 

officials and those of member companies have 

been working out the final details on administrative 

and appeals board makeup and procedures. 

Ernest G. Stellings, president of 

Theatre Owners of America, and Julius M. 

Gordon, head of Allied States Ass'n, will 

meet with the MPAA sales managers committee 

and Johnston. 

The business-building coordinating committee, 

headed by Spyi'os P. Skouras, president 

of 20th Century-Fox, and consisting of 

A. Montague of Columbia, James Perkins of 

Paramount International and David Blum 

of Loew's International, will report to the 

board on the promotion setup. It was described 

to the committee Wednesday (20) by 

Roger H. Lewis of United Artists, chairman 

of the MPAA advertising publicity directors 

committee, and was favorably received. 

One phase of the promotion plan calls for 

a long-range campaign to which there would 

be exhibitor contributions of $1,400,000 and 

a like sum from distribution. That has been 

suggested by Ernest G. Stellings, president of 

Theatre Owners of America. There has been 

some talk of an other than indefinite period 

of time for the campaign. The MPAA board 

will have to approve any cash contributions 

by distribution. 

aspects of a possi'ole Cinemascope newsreel. 

The release schedule now has been completed 

to December. It follows: 

MARCH: "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" 

and "The River's Edge." 

APRIL : "Boy on a Dolphin" and "The Way 

to the Gold." 

MAY: "The Desk Set," "The Wayward 

Bus" and "China Gate." 

JUNE: "Island in the Sun," "Three Faces 

of Eve" and "Bernardine." 

JULY: "A Hatful of Rain," "An Affair to 

Remember" and "Seawife." 

AUGUST: "Will Success Spoil Rock 

Hunter?", "Down Payment" and "The Deerslayer." 

SEPTEMBER: "The Sun Also Rises" and 

"Ten North Frederick Street." 

OCTOBER: "Fraulein" and "Peyton Place." 

NOVEMBER: "Kiss Them for Me" and 

"A Certain Smile." 

DECEMBER: "Stopover Tokyo," "Home 

in Indiana" and "The Bravados." 

Also planned for release at the end of 1957 

is David O. Selznick's "A Farewell to Arms." 

Production Company 

Formed in Dallas 

DALLAS—A big bid for this city to become 

a major motion picture center was 

made last week by announcement of a new 

company, Dallas Film Industries, Inc., which 

will produce films for television, theatres and 

industry. The formation was announced by 

the board chairman, Wylie Stufflebeme 

with the statement that "expansion in to the 

motion picture field Is a logical development 

in the growth of Dallas, ali-eady a center for 

music, art, drama and design. The development 

of this new company should make Dallas 

a 

major factor in national production." 

The production schedule for 1957, to begin 

in May, calls for a minimum of 26 halfhour 

television programs and two feature 

films for theatrical release. 

Joe Graham, elected president, is a radio 

and television writer-director, and an independent 

film producer, who is moving to 

Dallas from New York. He stated that actual 

filming will begin in May on properties 

already acquired by the new firm. 

Graham also said that "experienced technical 

persomiel. with the finest equipment and 

the best acting talent in the country, will 

be brought here." 

Existing studio facilities here will be utilized 

first, but wide use will be made of the 

Texas outdoors for location filming, Graham 

announced. Excellent year-around — shooting 

weather and the variable locations "swamps, 

forests, steel towns, port cities, semi-tropical 

areas, oil fields, cattle country and metropolitan 

cities"—are to be used. 

The film firm's formation resulted from 

careful planning over many months, both 

executives said, and expressed the conviction 

that "the future of motion pictures 

never looked brighter than it does today." 

Besides Stufflebeme and Graham, Ray L. 

Miller is treasurer. Stufflebeme is executive 

vice-president of the First National Bank, 

Grand Prairie. Miller is vice-president of the 

Mercantile National Bank, Dallas. 

TOA Petition Seeking 

SBA Mortgage Loans 

NEW YORK—Theatre Owners of America 

has formally filed with the subcommittee on 

retailing, distribution and fair trade practices 

of the Senate Committee on Small Business 

a petition for revision of the rules of 

the Small Business Administration concerning 

mortgage applications made by the motion 

picture industry or for the creation of 

a board for the same purpose. The petition 

was submitted by Philip F. Harling, chairman 

of the TOA small business committee, 

and A. Julian Brylawskl Thursday (21) to 

John Flynn, executive assistant of the Senate 

committee. 

The petition puts in writing requests already 

made to the committee. It asks for 

the gi-ant of regular mortgage loans to qualified 

exhibitors, amendment of the SBA to 

authorize mortgage loans in proper amounts, 

according to procedures used by lending institutions, 

assigrmient to the SBA policy 

board the authority and funds necessai-y to 

guarantee, for a fee, a mortgage loan by an 

Independent lending institution, and that the 

SBA receive authority to guarantee mortgage 

loans where the SBA and an independent 

lender would jointly grant a loan to an exhibitor. 

10 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

Samuel Goldwyn 

February 20, 1957 

Dear 

Barney: 

Last night 

1 saw "FUM^JY FACE" with a group of friends at 

my house • 

I could hardly wait to get to my office this 

mor n i ng to tell you what a fresh, wonderful picture it is 

that reaches heights of entertainment seldom seen on the 

screen . 

It is not often that 1 have no reservations whatever about 

a picture, but this is one of those times. "FUNNY FACE" 

Is, by all odds, one of the finest musicals I have ever 

seen - on the stage or on the screen, 

Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn are simply marvelous, as are 

Kay Thompson and all the members of the cast. In all the 

years I have known Fred I have never seen him dance better 

or give a more inspired performance, Audrey Hepburn, who 

is always lovely, has never been more delightful, and Kay 

Thompson has opened up a new career for herself. 

The people at my house last night were a group of professionals 

American, British and French - but they broke into spontaneous 

applause after each wonderful number. I have never witnessed 

such enthusiasm and I am sure that the American public, and 

the public the world over, will love the picture equally. 

Everything about "FUNNY FACE" is just brilliant. Not only 

the cast but the production, the direction, the choreography, 

the music, the photography, the color - the warmth, the 

gaiety, the fun, the beauty of the picture - are nothing 

short of extraordinary. Everyone who had anything to do 

with the picture deserves tremendous credit, for it proves 

that Hollywood is still capable of turning out the greatest 

entertainment In the world. This is a real new dimension 

in motion picture enjoyment. 

"FUNNY FACE" is truly an inspired picture. It is going to 

mean a great deal to the motion picture Industry because it 

is going to mean so much to the public. 

There is much more I could say about what a wonderful picture 

it is, but I can sum it 

I 

all up by saying that would be 

very proud to have had "FUNNY FACE" to my credit. 

Sincere ly. 

Mr, Barney Balaban, President 

Paramount Pictures Corporation 

1501 Broadway 

New York 36, New York 

mm— >

: 

Cltank you, ^lYlr, 

ôldtcyn! 

Exhibitors everywhere who have booked "Funny Face" share 

your enthusiasm. 

Parannount is enthusiastically backing this most modern of 

motion pictures with an all-encompassing barrage of promotion. 

Leading the Spring-timed national pre-selling is the magazine 

ad on the opposite page. It will reach 24 million movie-minded 

homes in Life, Look, McCall's and Redbook, with additional fullpages 

in Seventeen and the entire fan list. 

And this will be backed by all-out point-of-sale, hard-hitting 

merchandising by Paramount. 

J 

ffi 

^ 

-s 

Let's All Get Back Of The 

Academy Sweepstakes! 

ûDorld dffeint ere iDngagetnenr 

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL'S GALA EASTER ATTRACTION 

-STARTS SOON . . .

iUDREY HEPBURN 

FRED ASTAIRE 

presented in a real new dimension in motion picture enjoyment I 

^ 

,»r 

Audrey's 

marvelous 

in 

her first 

musical 

. . . singing 

and 

dancing 

with Fred 

to those 

great 

Gershwin 

tunes 

... in the 

picture 

(NNY FACE' 

;ruly an inspired 

ture ... I would 

very proud to have 

1 'Funny Face' 

my credit." 

-Samuel Goldwyn 

that presents 

the Paris 

fashions of 

tomorrow! 

FUNNY FACE 

^fri ^^H r i 

i'T 

^-starring KAY 

IHOMPoON 

* 

with MICHEL 

• 

AUCLAIR ROBERT FLEMYNG 

Music and Lyrics by GEORGE and IRA GERSHWIN • Choreography by Eugene Loring and Fred Astaire 

Songs staged by Stanley Donen • Produced by ROGER EDENS • Directed by STANLEY DONEN 

Written by LEONARD GERSHE • 

A Paramount Picture TECHNICOLOR • - 

YISTAyiSION

. . . Richard 

. . Independent 

. . Another 

*WoUcfcmod êfoont 

New Independent Formed; 

Another Expands Activity 

Rare indeed the week that doesn't bring 

an ever-growing amount of news about the 

formation of new independent production 

outfits and or intelligence regarding the expanding 

activities of those freelance filmmakers 

already in business. All of which is 

not too surprising when passing consideration 

is given to the fact that four out of the 

five pictiu'es nominated as last year's best 

in the annual Oscar derby of the Academy of 

Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were independently 

produced. That predominance 

is, in the reasoning of Hollywood railbirds, 

an arrestingly indicative straw to show which 

way the wind is blowing. 

While the most recent developments reported 

herein fall considerably short of the 

rarified atmosphere enjoyed by the abovementioned 

quartet of Academy nominees, 

nonetheless they are small contributions to 

the over-all picture. 

Two erstwhile employes of the once-active 

Republic studio have formed a new independent 

outfit, Ventura Pi-oductions, which 

aims to roll its first picture, "The Lawless 

Eighties," March 20. Rudy Ralston is president 

of the new firm and Joe Kane vicepresident. 

Buster Crabbe will star, Kane will 

dii-ect and Ralston Avill produce. Ventura has 

.set a distribution deal with Republic and will 

work on that company's valley lot. 

Columbia has renewed its contract with 

Charles Schneer's Morningside Productions, 

providing for three more pictures to be made 

during 1957 and 1958. The original contract 

called for three pictures, two of which have 

been completed. They are "Hellcats of the 

Navy," starring Ronald Reagan, Nancy 

Davis and Arthur Franz, and "20 Million 

Miles to Earth," starring William Hopper 

and Joan Taylor. The third film will be 

announced shortly. 

Charlton Heston Is Among 

Top Castings of Week 

But regardless of by whom pictures are 

going- to be made—or where— the business of 

casting carries on at a clip that indicates 

that movies will continue to roll off of Hollywood's 

assembly lines in standard quantities. 

Warners signed Charlton Heston and 

Etchika Choureau for starring roles in 

"Darby's Rangers," story of World War 

II commandos, which William A. Wellman 

is to direct and Martin Rackin produce 

Widmark inked Dolores Michaels 

for the femme lead in "Time Limit," his 

Heath Productions' initialer for United 

Artists . . . Producer Hal Wallis added Joe 

Mantel and Gene Evans to the cast of Paramount's 

"Sad Sack," toplining Jerry Lewis, 

Phyllis Kirk and David Wayne ... At the 

same studio, Sugar Geise, yesteryear's nite 

spot cutie, will come out of retirement for a 

. . . 

role of a gun moll in "Short Cut to Hell," 

with which James Cagney makes his bow as 

Sam 

a director . . . 

Katzman 

Merry Anders was signed by 

for the feminine romantic 

lead in "Calyp.so Heat Wave," Columbia 

musical Further in the vein of the current 

Latin American tune craze, Laurie 

By IVAN SPEAR 

Mitchell was set by producer William F. 

Broidy for the second feminine lead in 

"Calypso Joe," and Allied Artists picture . . 

. 

Joan Blondell takes on a role .supporting 

Jayne Mansfield in 2nth Century-Fox's "Will 

Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" 

MGM Studio Being Used 

By More Outsiders 

Another trend-of-the-times indication lies 

in the announcement from mighty Metro- 

Goldwyn-Mayer that it is in ever-increasing 

amounts opening the facilities of its studio to 

outside motion picture companies. 

Warners' has used MGM exterior sets twice 

in the past three weeks, "No Time for Sergeants" 

and "Band of Angels" utilizing the 

barracks and southern home sets. Earlier, 

Edward Small used the East Side street for 

"Monkey on My Back." 

Other Metro properties, such as an intricate 

submarine, airplanes, steam locomotive and 

trains, and similar facilities have also been 

made available to outside studios. Which 

adds up to a new note in inter-studio cooperation 

and economics and lends some substance 

to the persistent rumors that an extensive-scale 

merging of Hollywood filmmaking 

facilities is an unavoidable future development. 

Three Literary Properties 

Acquired by 20th-Fox 

If Cinemania's scriveners were salaaming 

toward the west, it was possibly because 20th 

Centiu'y-Fox's filmery was the week's 

virtually only market for their output. The 

Westwood plant acquired three new properties. 

"The Day of the Outlaw," western by 

Lee E. Wells, was bought and assigned to 

Eugene Frenke to produce. Also piu'chased 

were film rights to Marcel Achard's Parisian 

stage play, "Patate," which Darryl Zanuck 

will film. "The Hamlet," William Faulkner 

novel, was acquired for 20th-Fox producer 

Jerry Wald's production slate. It will be 

called "The Long Hot Summer," a chapter 

title in the book . producerwriter 

Ray Wander acquired rights to "The 

Trouble With Cinderella," by Artie Shaw and 

Bel-Air to Make 5 Films 

Next 3 Months for UA 

Busy lil' beavers are the lads over at 

Bel-Air Productions where five pictures 

to be released through United Artists are 

being scheduled for production within the 

next three months. So says Edwin F. 

Zabel, new prexy of the independent organization. 

Production supervision will 

be handled by executive producer Aubrey 

Schenck and producer-director Howard 

W. Koch. And that's all the brass Bel- 

Air boasts. "Dope Ship" and "Bop Girl 

Goes Calypso" are already in the works; 

"The Dalton Girls" will roll on April 15; 

with "Fort Bowie" set for April 29 and 

"The Three Pursued" for May 20. 

is preparing the screenplay. It is the life 

story of the musician, who now lives in 

Europe and has turned writer. 

Paul Newman Gets Topline 

In Time to Love' for U-I 

Currently hotter than a four-dollar .shotgun, 

Paul Newman has been borrowed from 

Warner Bros, by Universal-International for 

the topline in "A Time to Love and a Time 

to Die," adapted from the novel by Erich 

Maria Remarque, and being touted as the 

"All Quiet on the Western Front" of World 

U-I deal provides for 

War II . 

Ai'nold Laven, fast-rising director, to pilot 

"The Man Who Rocked the Boat," starring 

Richard Egan. After dii-ecting "The Rack" 

at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Laven joined with 

Arthur Gardner and Jules Levy to form 

Gramercy Pictures, which already has produced 

And at the same studio. 

two films . . . Will Cowan, who has been making musical 

shorts since 1940, was assigned to produce 

a full-length feature musical, for which 

David Harmon has been signed to write an 

original screenplay. 

Three London Stage Actors 

Signed by Warwick Films 

Although there has been considerable conjecture 

as to the distribution of Warwick 

Films' output after its existing contract with 

Columbia—which was not renewed—expires, 

there seems to be little doubt that Irving 

Allen and A. R. "Cubby" Broccoli, who head 

the outfit, are confident that they will be 

making pictures for some years to come. 

They have just signed three new actors as 

the nucleus of a stock players roster, and 

will introduce the trio in their forthcoming 

Columbia release, "High Flight." Ray Milland 

will star in this story of the RAF's jet 

pilots. One of the newcomers is Sean Kelly 

who has been signed to a seven-year contract. 

Also signed to term deals are Kenneth 

Haight, also from the London stage, 

and Anthony Newly. 

Borgnine and Rennie Join 

Cast of The Viking' 

Anyone who thinks that "The Viking," a 

Bryna Productions blueprinted biggie, isn't 

going to have considerable of a cast is full 

of herring—this reporter doesn't know how 

to spell luedefisk. Kirk Douglas had already 

been cast in the picture, which is understandable 

inasmuch as he owns Bryna. Now two 

other notable names have been added to the 

trouping roster, namely, Ernest Borgnine and 

Michael Rennie. Producer Jerry Bresler 

leaves for Norway soon to join director Richard 

Fleischer in final preparations for a June 

1 start. Screenplay by Noel Langley is from 

the novel 

by Edison Marshall. 

Bartlett-Champion Signs 

Deal With Paramount 

Fir.-;t two featui-es to be produced by the 

newly formed Bartlett-Champion Pictures 

will hit the market under the Paramount 

banner, as the re.sult of a deal just concluded 

between that major company and Hall Bartlett 

and John Champion who founded the 

new independent company. At the same 

time, B-C arranged to shoot the pair of films 

at the Paramount Sunset studios. "Zero 

Hour," which Bai'tlett scripted, will be the 

kickoff venture. 


! 

dill^'i; 444h:;: 

I 

ETS OFF (^D^W>u«^ BIG GUNS 

TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, MISSOURI, OKLAHOMA 

JOIN REGIONAL SATURATION PROMOTIONS! 

asf TV, Kdflio ana Newspaper campaigns manKer Areas... 

from San Francisco to San Antonio, from St. 

Louis to Ft. Worth! 

•5a»* 

4k. 

m^ A 

TEXAS-SIZED BALLYS to whip up fever-pitch 

excitement during area-wide mid-March 

"Fortnight of Openings"! 

Continuous TV advertising, publicity and exploitation spotlights! 

Celebrities! Screen personalities! Personal appearances! 

TV figures! Big Audie Murphy "Petticoat Marksman" 

contest! Skill contests! Talent contests! Motion picture role 

as Grand Prize! Contagious excitement that's going to boil 

j» over everywhere 

I» M 

•i 

^•• 

ar' 

TECHNICOLOR ® 

Katliiyn 

Hope 

GRANT • EMERSON 

left leanette Sean Ernestine 

DONNELL • MH 

McCLORY • WAOE • mm 

mniitcmana 

s„^^„ p. ^ p,^^^^^^ 

mm mi"' 

^, 

Directed by 

"E MURSHAll • A 

lîMHlHH^

— 

7V

KIDS TURNED ROCK-N-ROLL WILD-AND THE HOUSE 

OF CORRECTION' THAT/^MAKES EM WILDER! 

Kids delivered 

F.O.B." and this 

was the payola! 

The screen turns a searing spotlight on the dark shame of a dumping ground for teen-age 'cons'! 

'"Untaivied youth u 

starring the girl built like a platinum powerhouse! 

MAMIE VAN DOREN 

CO STAB9IN0 

LORI NELSON beu eyliT 

PRESENTED BY WARNER BROS. 

Sn JOHN C. HIGGINS AUBREy SCHENCK HOWARD W.KOCH 

This is the one that'll 

out- rock and out- sock 

'EM ALL! 

STARTING MAR. 27tli!

THE MPAA CELEBRATES ITS 

35TH BIRTHDAY 

And the Industry Marks the 50th Anniversary of First 

Hollywood Production 

By SUMNER SMITH 

NEW YORK—Each new year produces its 

crop of anmversaries. Within the motion 

picture industry in 1957 there are two of 

special note—the 50th anniversary of the 

making of the first film in Hollywood and 

the 35th of the organization now titled the 

Motion Picture Ass'n of America. 

Plans ai-e in work to celebrate the Golden 

but few remembered the MPAA an- 

Jubilee, 

niversary. Probably only a passing reference 

will be made to it when Pi-esident Eric Johnston 

shortly issues his annual report. That 

seems something of a shame because those 

35 years were colorful, exciting and productive 

years. 

TWO DISTINCT ERAS 

MPAA history, which started with the formation 

in March 1922 of the Motion Picture 

Producers and Distributors of America, represents 

two distinct eras, each dominated by 

the personality of a single man. 

The first executive head, Will H. Hays, 

was charged with the responsibility of 

counteracting criticism inspired by sensational 

Hollywood pictures and scandals. His 

role was primarily a domestic one. 

Johnston, the second and present executive 

head, has had plenty of domestic problems 

to deal with but he has also looked beyond 

the local scene as the industry grew, and 

extended its influence to the far corners 

of the earth. There are now few places in the 

world where American films are not known. 

With the blessing of U. S. government, they 

present the American way of life abroad. 

In their eai-ly days, pictures played up 

to the madness of the Jazz Age. Clergymen 

attacked the industry. There was a very 

real threat of federal and state censorship 

in 1921. The unpleasant situation was intensified 

by the Fatty Arbuckle .scandals. 

An existing organization, the National Ass'n 

of the Motion Picture Industry, headed by 

William A. Brady, lacked the confidence of 

its members. 

TAKES OVER MARCH 6, 1922 

Hays was postmaster general of the United 

States when he was asked to head the 

industry. He accepted in January 1922 and 

the MPPDA began operations March 6 of 

that year. Almost immediately Hays established 

a reputation for himself by winning 

the banks over to extending credit to the 

companies. Then he won a notable censorship 

victory in Massachusetts. 

Hays concentrated on two objectives. One 

was the production of good pictures and 

the creation of a demand for them. The 

other was the setting up of a system of selfregulation. 

In the first instance, Hays utilized his 

many relationships with important people 

and educational, religious and civic organizations. 

He asked them to encourage the 

making of better pictures and to aid in supporting 

those pictures at the boxoffice. 

In the second iiostance, in June 1924, he 

obtained MPPDA board permission to study 

the suitability for production of synopses 

of plays, books and stories. That was the 

first inkling that a production code was 

In Next 50 Years, Crises Will Be 

Met as Successfully as in Past 

By 

ERIC JOHNSTON 

President 

Motion Picture Ass'n of America 

It is now 50 years since that pristine 

moment when two harried men from Chicago 

got off a train in Los Angeles, 

hii-ed an impoverished local hypnotist to 

help them and manfully completed an epic 

called the "Count of Monte Cristo"—which 

ran all of 1,000 hypnotic feet. 

Few industries even in our fabulous 

country have started so humbly and risen 

so high. In these 50 years, we have grown 

into the world's greatest medium of popular 

entertainment—and we almost ran 

out of adjectives in the process. Along the 

way, we endured sudden crises and setbacks 

and always surmounted them with 

new vigor and growth. 

Now, in 1957, we have met our century's 

technological challenge with technological 

skills: in sound, in color, in scope, our 

modern motion picture is still something 

brand new under the sun. We have met 

our century's compelling need for world 

communication: no other medium of entertainment 

or enlightenment is more 

welcome today by the world's people than 

our motion pictures. 

Do we face problems ahead? Of course 

we do. We live in a changing world in 

which only change itself is predictable. 

But the problems ahead can scarcely be 

any more critical than the ones we've 

in the making. The first code certificate of 

approval was issued July 11, 1934. Hays 

also, in 1925, organized the Title Registration 

Bureau, ostensibly for economic reasons 

but actually, it was said later, to enable 

him to keep an eye on titles. 

Retention of the right to study the suitability 

of plot material ran into trouble at 

the time of the advent of sound. Control 

was gradually lost while critics cried out 

that sound doubled the offensiveness of pictures 

and writers complained about being 

deprived of royalties when their works were 

rejected. After many conferences, both inside 

and outside the industry, the production 

code was born. Its history has been told 

many times. 

Since 1926, when Hays defeated a Washington 

bill for a Federal Motion Picture 

Commission to govern the production of 

pictures and license them, motion picture 

censorship has been a constant and continuing 

menace despite U. S. Supreme Court 

rulings. The industry has been in other 

ERIC 

JOHNSTON 

The Industry's Interests Are Global 

solved in the past and left behind. In 

our fii'st 50 years, we have proved the 

lasting vitality of the motion picture. The 

next 50 years should be no less fascinating. 

Will the movies be as good in the year 

2007—a half century hence? I think not. 

They'll be—as someone has remarked before—even 

better than ever! 

legislative hot water, as when in 1941 It 

was charged in the U. S. Senate with presenting 

an untrue picture of the war. The 

charge was dropped when this country entered 

the war that December. 

Hays worked behind the scenes for peace 

within the industry. He welcomed the drawing 

up of a uniform contract In 1923 and 

the organization of Film Boards of Trade 

to arbitrate disputes. He welcomed another 

contract drawn up in 1926 and still another 

in 1928, but they weren't to prove successful. 

Lawsuits began to mushroom. By 1938 there 

was no standard contract or arbitration, 

and the "civil war" was in full swing. The 

government moved under the Sherman Act. 

Lack of space prohibits more than this 

cursory survey of the career of Hays. Much 

has had to be omitted, the initial development 

of the foreign market after World 

War I and the identities of those who worked 

most capably under his direction. 

The picture is different now. Competition 

remains—some say it is the lifeblood of 

business—but it isn't quite the same type of 

cutthroat competition of the early days. 

Exhibitors ai-e still unhappy, but a fresh 

attempt at setting up an arbitration system 

is being made. And the industry, which 

has had as many ups and downs as any, 

seems on the upgrade. 

Johnston took over Sept. 19, 1945. Like 

Hays, he had a considerable reputation 

behind him. He had especially distinguished 

himself as president of the U. S. Chamber 

of Commerce for four terms. He is, like 

Hays, a persuasive negotiator. 

Soon after Johnston was elected, there 


1922: The industry colls Will H. Hoys, postmoster general, to head Cole, William E. Atkinson, Will H. Hoys, Robert H, Cochrane, Samuel 

Motion Picture Producers and Distribufors Ass'n. Original members, Goldwyn, Marcus Loew, Adolph Zukor, Williom Fox, Lewis Selznick and 

shown here in historic photo ore, left to right: E. W. Hommons, J. D. Myron Selznick. Ot this group, Zukor and Goldwyn remain actively 

Williams, Winfield Sheehan, Courtland Smith, Corl Laemmie, Rufus engaged in the industry, and Hommons is still on the board. 

were violent jurisdictional labor disputes 

and in the future was the court-ordered 

divorcement of theatres which was to radically 

change marketing procedures. The theatre 

business fell off from its wartime high. 

Television began to grow. Britain hit the 

industry with a 75 per cent ad valorem 

tax on imported films. It was a period of 

serious readjustment. Johnston and the 

MPAA board had their work cut out. 

The labor disputes were resolved. Johnston 

succeeded after months in working out an 

agreement with the British that opened 

the way for renewed exports to Britain. Then 

the U. S. Supreme Court's antitrust decision 

of 1943, though anticipated, resembled a 

bombshell. Lawsuits totaling into the hundreds 

of millions of dollars followed. Efforts 

were directed toward the establishment of 

a workable system of arbitration and conciliation. 

It seemed the only remedy for 

the legal situation. Agreement failed at 

times when it seemed to be in sight. 

NEW TECHNIQUES ARE HELP 

The picture brightened with the development 

of new screen techniques—the use 

of more and vastly finer color, Cinemascope, 

Cinerama, Todd-AO and others. 

VistaVision, 

The drive-in theatre grew rapidly in popularity 

and. it was hoped, would bring 

patrons back to the four-wall theatre as 

well. 

Meanwhile the foreign market was expanding. 

Johnston went after it with all 

the resources at his command. The Motion 

Picture Export Ass'n was organized in 1945 

under the 'Webb-Pomerene Act to represent 

the member companies in countries hard 

hit by the war or with state-controlled 

film monopolies. 

Earnings abroad climbed almost to a par 

with domestic earnings, but far from all 

the earnings were remittable. That forced 

the opening of additional foreign offices 

besides those in London and Paris and the 

employment of more office personnel and 

of specialists for each global area. They have 

since been concerned with a multitude of 

problems that may vary year by year—periodical 

trade agreements, import restrictions, 

remittances, exhibition quotas, taxes, duties, 

censorship and overseas film festivals. That 

means that Johnston often had to meet in 

person with the heads of state. Pew in 

business have traveled more than he. Right 

now he's due to visit Europe again. 

One year after the Johnston era opened, 

new 'Washington headquarters were set up 

to insure close cooperation with the government. 

Johnston has been called on to perform 

special services for the government. 

Since his successful administering of the 

Economic Stabilization Agency, he was appointed 

and is still active as chairman of 

the International Development Advisory 

MPAA HIGH POINTS 

1922—Motion Picture Producers and Distributors 

Ass'n organized 

1923—First uniform film renfol contract drafted 

for industry 

1924— First effort at self-regulation, via 

MPPDA examination of synapses of books, 

plays and stories 

1925—Title Registration Bureau created 

1930— Production Code Admlnlstrotion established 

1930—Advertising Code Administration created 

1934— First Production Code seal granted 

1938—Teaching Film Custodians, Inc., established 

to make films available for teaching 

purposes 

1945— Eric Johnston succeeds Will Hays as 

president of MPPDA; organization name 

changed to Motion Picture Ass'n of America 

1945—Motion Picture Export Ass'n established 

to deal with foreign distribution 

1946—Washington offices established 

1946— Education Services Department founded, 

to serve as liaison between industry and educational 

agencies and organizations 

1948—Canadian Cooperation Project created 

to help Canada gain additional travel dollars 

from U. S. tourists, an international 

goodwill 

project 

1949—MPAA stimulates founding of Council 

of Motion Picture Organizations 

1950— Foreign Film Advisory Unit founded to 

aid foreign producers in marketing pictures 

in U. S. 

Boaid and President Eisenhower's personal 

representative to the Near East with rank 

of ambassador. 

One of his most complex domestic problems 

has been modernization of the production 

code. Another was charges of Communist 

infiltration of the Industry, now 

fought. A valuable tleup with national 

organizations resulted in the expansion of 

the Film Estimate Board of National Organizations 

to 13 groups, representing a membership 

of about 40,000,000 women. Their 

job is to evaluate motion pictures. A foreign 

film advisory unit of the MPAA has been 

advising foreign producers and distributors 

on the possibilities of the U. S. market. A 

Canadian cooperation project has aided the 

promotion of Canada through films and 

has insured the full movement of films 

and earnings across the border. Great 

hopes are entertained again for the establishment 

of a system of arbitration. 

What appears to be the one "sour" note 

is the Children's Film Library, formed by 

Johnston in 1946. For a time, exhibitors 

were able to draw heavily on it In presenting 

Saturday matinees for youngsters. Now 

it is practically extinct. Old films have 

been sold In droves to television, and the 

MPAA member companies have found it 

too expensive to reprint the films on safety 

stock and in modern aspect ratios. 

OTHER MPAA SERVICES 

Other MPAA services should not be overlooked. 

They include the Advertising Code 

Administration which doesn't have an easy 

time of it because of, at times, frequent 

or sporadic criticism of "movie ads." The 

Community Relations Department performs 

valuable services by appraising films prior 

to their release, cooperating with exhibitors 

in increasing audiences for selected films 

and just generally working toward the creation 

of goodwill. The Title Registration 

Bureau is a valuable unit. 

Johnston is a perennial optimist who backs 

his views and statements with research and 

expert observation. While the industry has 

not escaped unscathed during the economic 

turmoil of his administration, he Is certain 

that the outlook is for a vigorous and 

healthy future. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: March 

23, 1957 19

FEATURE REVIEW 

'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison' 

20th 

Century-Fox 

By IVAN SPEAR 

•THAT so delicate a subject should be 

handled in such impeccable taste as is 

the case in 20th Century-Pox's "Heaven 

Knows, Mr. Allison" is reason sufficient to 

establish the picture as a glowing triumph 

for everyone instrumental in its making. In 

fact, therein lies an accomplishment of which 

the entire industry can well be proud because 

the feature strikingly demonstrates the 

screen's superiority to any other entertainment 

medium in the treatment of a situation 

story of its type. But most important is the 

inescapable appraisal that the feature possesses 

every quality to assure it long and 

profitable runs in all its bookings and spectator 

reactions brimming with satisfaction 

and praise. 

Probably the brightest of the feature's 

many brilliant facets lies in the superb performances 

of Deborah Kerr and Robert 

Mitchum. Considering their individual past 

contributions to hit photoplays, superior 

trouping is expected of them, per se. But, in 

this offering, their talents are put to a test 

seldom confronted by any mummer. They 

are the only two cast members who are accorded 

screen credit. With a single, one- 

exception and some background gibber- 

line 

ish in Japanese, the script's generous dialog 

is entinisted to them exclusively. That they 

could master these exacting demands through 

situation after situation—many fraught with 

hazardous hurdles of delicacy; and with nary 

a moment's letdown in the spine-freezing 

suspense—adds materially to their respective 

and respected positions among screendom's 

trouping elite. 

Mitchum. is a hardboiled Marine corporal 

who is cast up on a deserted South Sea 

Island, the sole survivor on which is Sister 

Angela (Miss Kerr), a Catholic nun. Nature 

has endowed the island generously so that 

the pair have no trouble in finding food. 

Then the Japs invade and they are forced 

to hide together in the intimate confines of 

a cave, while the man obtains their livelihood 

through night fi.shing and raids on the 

Japs' food stores. They hide and manage to 

exist through two such invasions and occupancies. 

Inevitably the Marine falls in 

love with the nun, proposes that she forego 

the final vows which she has not as yet 

taken, and marry him. But she remains 

steadfast to her faith. Finally they are 

rescued when the Marines retake the island, 

during which Mitchum becomes a wounded 

hero by disabling the enemy's ai-tillery and 

20th Century-Fox presents 

"HEAVEN KNOWS, MR. ALLISON" 

In Cinemascope in De Luxe Color 

Ratio: 2.55-1 

Running time: 106 minutes 

CREDITS 

Produced by Buddy Adler end Eugene Frenke. 

Directed by John Huston. Screenplay by John 

Lee Mohin and John Huston. Based on the novel 

by Charles Show. Director of photogrophy, Oswald 

Morris. Art director, Stephen Grimes. 

Music composed by Georges Auric. Music conduced 

by Lombert Williamson. Sound editor, 

Basil Fenton Smith. Film editor, Russell Lloyd. 

THE CAST 

Sister Angela Deborah Kerr 

Mr. Allison Robert Mitchum 

Robert Mitchum, as a Marine, protects 

Sister Angela (Deborah Kerr) from Japanese 

soldiers on a South Sea island. 

thereby saving the lives of many of his fellow 

leathernecks. 

Because of the basic situation involved and 

its many unavoidable emotional developments, 

in the hands of less competent performers, 

the walking-on-eggs roles could 

easily have developed into something generally 

objectionable. But so expertly and 

sensitively do Miss Kerr and Mitchum approach 

their assigrmients, that the over-all 

atmosphere is constantly wholesome and 

heart-warming, with no dearth of alleviating 

hiunor, hair-raising action and an occasional 

bit of tear-jerking for the more sentimental. 

For these happy results, much credit is also 

due the men who transferred the Charles 

Shaw best-selling novel into the finely 

etched, pitfalls-circumventing screenplay, 

namely John Lee Mahin and John Huston. 

The latter also directed and with expected 

skill, forthrightness and vigor. 

Producer credit—and it is sufficiently 

bountiful to make the stretch—is shared between 

Buddy Adler, 20th-Fox's production 

chieftain, and Eugene Frenke, who returns 

to the Hollywood scene after a long absence 

from a successful filmmaking career. To 

treat the strange and moving story to the 

opulence it so richly merits, Adler and Frenke 

employed screen- flooding Cinemascope and 

bright De Luxe Color to enchantingly ensnare 

the sweep and beauties of the British 'West 

Indies' island of Tobago where the filming 

took place. And virtually every technical detail 

was determined with comparable meticulous 

exactitude. 

Although the Catholic Chui'ch, through its 

recognized censorship organization, has given 

its unqualified blessing to the film, there will 

be scattered, fanatical members of the faith 

who—despite the fact that they can find no 

quarrel with the treatment thereof—will opine 

that here is a picture that might better have 

been eschewed. Such provocative note, albeit, 

slight, will add just so much more grist to the 

offering's already-loaded boxoffice mill. 

In view of which, if "Mr. Allison" doesn't 

become a record-challenging grosser in all 

of its play dates, Heaven alone will know the 

reason. 

Schulbergs in 2-Filin 

Paci Wilh Warners 

HOLLYWOOD—A two picture deal has 

been signed by Warner Bros, and Schulberg 

Productions, Inc., the recently created production 

company which is headed by Budd 

and Stuart Schulberg. The brothers thus 

are following in the footsteps of one of the 

producing pioneers of the film business, the 

late B. P. Schulberg who was an independent 

filmmaker four decades ago. 

The fii'st of the two pictures will be "In 

the Everglades," scheduled for shooting in 

Florida this summer. It will deal with the 

conflict against the predatory plume hunters 

in the Florida Everglades of the early 

1900s. 

Budd Schulberg's association with Warner 

Bros, actually has already started. He was 

associated with Elia Kazan in the production 

of "A Face in the Crowd" which was recently 

completed in New York. On this, as on the 

new films he will wTite and coproduce with 

his brother, he holds the status of screenwriter, 

or "screen playwright," as he prefers 

to call it. 

Stuart Schulberg, whose last picture was 

"Special Delivery" starring Joseph Cotten 

and Eva Bartok, recently returned from nine 

years in Europe in order to join his brother 

in the new producing venture. 

Beeland Film Company 

Of Atlanta Reorganized 

ATLANTA—The incoi-poration of Beeland- 

Wood Films, Inc.. one of the largest film producing, 

processing and service fiiTns in the 

southeast, was announced this week by 

Charles D. Beeland. president and executive 

producer of the new company, which began 

as Beeland Film Producing Co. in 1935. Beeland 

was with Paramount Pictures for ten 

years. 

Executive director of the company is Bernard 

I. Ochs, vice-president and general manager 

and a member of the board of dii-ectors. 

Ochs was formerly general sales manager of 

Crosley Broadcasting of Atlanta, Inc., 

WLW-A, and southeastern representative for 

Crosley Broadcasting Coi-p. 

The company's activities cover a wide 

range in the motion picture field, including 

animated and live action, silent and sound, 

in black and white and color, and Cinema- 

Scope. 

FEBNO Gives Michael Todd 

Its First Merit Award 

NEW YORK—Michael Todd Monday (18) 

received the first film award ever made by 

the Film Estimate Board of National Organizations 

for his "Ai'ound the World in 80 

Days." It was a scroll presented at a cocktail 

party at Sardi's restaurant by Mrs. Jessie 

M. Bader, national chairman of the Protestant 

Motion Picture Council. 

The award was made "in gratitude for a 

film which gives new dimension to family 

entertainment and endows it with the magic, 

excitement and scope that the motion picture 

alone can provide." 

The FEBNO publishes film estimates that 

are read by an estimated audience of 3,000,- 

000 persons. 


CALENDARBEVENTS 

MARCH

LETTERS 

Kid Patrons, Blessing or a Liability? 

Much has been written about "Be good to 

and you'll get in good with all 

the kids . . . 

the family." So, after a year and a half of 

being good to the kids, may I state my experience 

in brief. Not all of it—just a few 

highlights over the past 18 months of operation 

here. 

To start with, this theatre was just playing 

to teenagers and kids when I took over. 

Fir.st thing 1 did was make all the larger kids 

be quiet. This resulted in my being accused 

of taking their privileges away from them. It 

also resulted in having to put out six high 

school boys and two girls during my first 

18 days, however, we finally got a quiet house. 

Everywhere I had gone, the cry was that 

the adults had just quit the theatre because 

there had been too much noise. So, I 

promptly informed them that all was well 

now, and even the oldest patron could now 

fully enjoy a show. I was at once swamped 

with praise from everyone for doing this. 

This, after a while, resulted in . . . just the 

praise. Not an extra mother or father came 

to my theati-e. Instead, they just sent more 

kids. All over town I could hear talk that now 

the theatre was safe for even the smallest kids. 

So they sent them in di-oves. This resulted 

in even the teenagei-s thinking that they 

were too mature to take in a movie along 

with such a gang of kids. So they park in 

rows along the highway near the theatre 

nightly and smooch up a storm. 

Still. I kept getting the kids, still, I enjoyed 

the smile of mothers and fathers dashing 

through my lobby night after night going 

in to look for their young without even so 

much as asking me if they could go in. But 

I grin and take it. I even had some stay with 

junior thi-ough a full featui-e and still I took 

it on the chin. And, with more than one, this 

got to be a regular habit 'till I was forced to 

ask them to pay for their movies. This was 

met with a genuine cursing, and an enemy 

from now on, as the dignity of the family 

had been ripped to shreds. But, still, they 

sent the kids. Finally, it got so bad that 

upon occasions, almost nightly, they would 

bring three and four in a gang, all under 5 

years of age, and turn them out into my 

house. This resulted in my having to ask for 

a ticket for every child under six that was 

NOT accompanied by his or her pai-ents. 

This brought a few more cursings and disgruntled 

pai-ents, but, still, they sent their 

Then the time came when, almost nightly, 

they sent some so small they were carrying 

their bottles. One lady even had the guts 

to come in carrying a child no more than 

two years old, saying that she wanted to 

seat him and she would be right out. This 

resulted in my placing a sign in my boxoffice, 

"Children under six must be accompanied by 

their parents or an adult." More cursings and 

disgruntled pai-ents followed, but still they 

sent their kids. 

After a few weeks of operation, I find my- 

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SEATING CAPACITY 1552 

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C80I0N* PARKWAY t ElSMERt PL, BRONX, H. Y. 

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self delivering screaming kids during the 

afternoon, on Sunday as well as Saturday 

nights, some so small they would start crying 

as soon as theii- parents got away from them 

for a while. I, also, found myself staying up 

at the theatre after closing hours waiting for 

parents to come for their kids. I, also, drove 

off and left the larger one, night after night. 

I have also had to threaten to take the kids 

to the police station the next time parents 

didn't call for them at a decent hour. More 

cursings, but still they send their kids. 

. . and the big widescreen 

I have tried "adult movies" on several occasions, 

placing a sign in my boxoffice 'This 

picture recommended for adults only," but 

still I got the kids. So, after six months of 

trying and trying to entice the adult patronage, 

I started Bingo, as this had never failed 

me. It did the trick. They came in droves, 

but those that didn't win looked scornfully at 

me. Many would say as they left, "another 35 

cents wasted; also another evening wasted." 

However they did come. Those that griped 

the loudest usually lined up at the boxoffice 

first on Bingo night. I was sure this would do 

they would see my trailers, enjoy 

the trick . . . 

the comfort in winter and the refriger- 

ated air in summer . 

then they 

and the cushioned chairs . . . 

would surely retui'n. But no, they still just 

send then- kids. 

I wonder if anyone else has had a problem 

like mine? Does it pay to be so sweet to the 

kids, and enjoy having your walls written 

on, your seats cut up. Coke spilled down a 

lot of people's necks, parents running in and 

out of your theatre without even a thank you. 

Have we become a gang of cheap baby-sitters 

for a gang of unappreciative parents? 

Or is it because my town "loyally supports" 

a total of 15 beer joints, whiskey stores and 

two really super-deluxe dance halls? Could 

it be that I have got tough competition in 

this town of a little over 3,000 people? Could 

be. 

There is no business like show business . . . 

or is it today's cheapest baby-sitting? I wonder. 

Maxie Theatre, 

Trumann, Ark. 

LLOYD HUTCHINS 

Not Helping Small Exhibitors 

1 am a green newcomer in the motion picture 

field and, as such, have hesitated to 

voice any comments on the motion picture 

industi-y. However, a man can stomach about 

so much before he starts to gag. 

Now, the way I understand it. Fox is going 

to come out with reasonable (?) rentals for 

the small-town exhibitor. I would classify 

myself on the bottom end of that ladder. 

Can anyone explain why Fox wants more 

for their product than all but one other 

company I deal with? This also includes their 

reissues which are worth from five to seven 

dollars more than the other companies. 

Whenever Pox has a hot picture, I don't 

need the tradepapers to tell me about it, I 

just date it and Fox pulls it. To illustrate my 

case, I've dated "Love Me Tender" twice, but 

have I played it? Not on you life! Maybe 

I'll get it next year at 40 per cent. 

I've asked for a reduction in price both 

times, but, oh, no, your contract reads so 

much. But, Universal pulled a picture previously 

and the SALESMAN suggested a price 

cut. Didn't do too badly on the picture, 

either. 

Comes a clinker and, brother, I can get 

dates out the ears; then try and get a few 

bucks back—ditch-digging should be so tough! 

About two months after we took over, I 

wrote the film exchanges explaining I needed 

a reduction in rentals or be forced to close. 

Universal was the first to help, with Columbia 

second, while MGM (the friendly company?) 

and Fox did so only after they were 

positive I would no longer play them if they 

did not follow. 

Whenever a group attempts to raise funds 

for any reason, I try to sell them a show. 

Who gives me a nice, cheap, family-type picture 

Ma and Pa will bring the little ones to 

see? One we both can realize a little profit 

on. Not Fox, oh, no, we aren't interested in 

that type deals. Then I turn to Columbia, 

and, thank God, there is still one company 

left that is interested in whether we can afford 

a bone for the soup. 

After reading this you may think I am a 

trifle bitter toward Fox. Well, you're right. 

Therefore, I find it rather difficult to get excited 

over all the smoke being raised over 

Fox's deal for the little fellow. When, and 

if they write up some of these deals for me, 

I'll climb on their bandwagon. But, until 

that time, I'll keep right on fighting their 

salesman to knock five bucks off that picture. 

Now, I'm not all prunes and som- grapes, 

for I enjoy your magazine very much and 

would be lost when buying product without 

it. Perhaps you are just backing the wrong 

horse—or am I? 

WALTER C. FRIEDRICKS 

Grand Theatre, 

Sheffield, Iowa. 

Isaacs Named to New 

Paramount Sales Post 

NEW YORK—Phil Isaacs, manager of 

Paramount's Rocky Mountain division, has 

been appointed to a newly created post of 

assistant eastern sales manager by Hugh 

Owen, vice-president of Paramount Film 

Distributing Corp. Isaacs will take over his 

new post on April 15. As Rocky Mountain 

division manager he headquartered in Denver. 

Isaacs was appointed to the Denver post 

in October 1955, after having served as 

branch manager in Washington since 1949. 

He joined the company in 1946 as a trainee 

in the New York booking department and was 

appointed booker in January 1947. A year 

later he was transferred to Buffalo and in 

1948 he returned to New York as salesman 

and later assistant to Owen. 

Rank Sets Up Three 

Exchange Locations 

NEW YORK—Rank Film Distributors of 

America has set up exchange locations in 

Atlanta, Dallas and Boston. 

In Atlanta, the firm of Benton Brothers is 

remodeling office space at 188 Luckie St. for 

both Rank and Allied Artists. The site will 

be ready by July 1. The Rank company 

temporarily is in the same building until the 

new offices are ready. 

Irving Sochin, general sales 

that aiTangements had been made in 

manager, said 

Dallas 

for quarters at 412 S. Harwood St., in the 

same building with Republic Pictures. 

In Boston, the Rank exchange will be in 

the Metropolitan Theatre Bldg. 


RKO Theatres '56 Net 

Increased Over 1955 

NEW YORK—The consolidated net income 

of List Industries Corp. and subsidiaries 

(formerly RKO Theatres Coi-p.i in 1956. computed 

on a pro forma basis to reflect the 

reorganization last May, was $3,234,085 before 

special items and $6,140,094 after including 

net gains on sales of pi-operties. On 

a per share basis, the earnings amounted to 

75 cents before the special items and $1.42 

including the gains. 

In 1955, before the reorganization, earnings 

amounted to approximately 62 cents 

per share before special items and 56 cents 

per shai-e after the items. Provisions for depreciation 

and similar non-cash charges made 

against earnings amounted to approximately 

$3,500,000 (pro format in 1956 and $1,600,000 

in 1955. 

According to the stockliolders' report submitted 

by Albert A. List, chairman of the 

board and president, "We are carefully examining 

all phases of our business to improve 

our income and to reduce items of expense 

wherever this can be accomplished, while at 

the same time maintaining the efficiency of 

our operations." 

During 1956, two operating theatre and 

commercial propierties in Cleveland and 

vVashington and one non-operating property 

in New York were disposed of for approximately 

$2,800,000 in cash and $3,800,000 in 

mortgage notes. Other operations mentioned 

by List included: a building expansion program 

started at Chatham Electronics division 

of Gera Corp. in Livingston, N. J.; the 

leasing of the Gera Fabrics weaving plant in 

Manchester, N. H., effective March 2, 1957, 

which freed approximately $1,300,000 of net 

working capital, and the acquisition of a 

one-eighth working interest in oil and gas 

properties in Kansas. 

On Dec. 31, 1956, there were 4,326,044 

.shares outstanding, including the 1,154,508 

issued in the reorganization and for additional 

Gera common stock and 19,800 issued 

during 1956 to employes upon exercise of options. 

More than half of the outstanding 

stock of the company is now owned by directors 

and associated interests. List said. 

Jack Warner Is Biggest 

Stockholder in WB 

NEW YORK—Jack L. Warner, president of 

Warner Bros. Pictures, now is the largest 

individual stockholder in the company. He 

reported to the board of directors here on 

Wednesday (20) that he had pui'chased 

95,000 shares of Warner stock from Allen & 

Co., investment bankers, which is retaining 

50,000 shares in the company. 

Warner's acquisition increased his holdings 

to 233,399 shares, including 1,400 shares 

in a trust of which he is the beneficiary. In 

addition, Warner's immediate family holds 

a substantial block of the company's stock. 

Serge Semenenko, senior vice-president of 

the First National Bank of Boston and head 

of the investment group which bought into 

Warner Bros, last year, is the second largest 

stockholder with holdings of record of 160,- 

000 shares. 

Warner was elected president of Warner 

Bros, last July. 

The board of directors on Wednesday declared 

a dividend of 30 cents a share, payable 

May 4 to stockholders of record on April 19. 

Skouras Anniversary Celebrafhn 

Attracting Worldwide Attention 

NEW YORK—Backed by proclamations 

by the governors of all 48 states 

and Hawaii and Prime Minister Louis 

St. Laurent of Canada, the "Spyros P. 

Skouras 15th Anniversary Celebration" 

will get under way Sunday (24) and run 

through May 4. In addition, there have 

already been bookings by more than 

17,000 U. S. and Canadian theatres as 

evidence of the exhibitor esteem in 

which the 20th Century-Fox president 

is held, according to Alex Harrison, 

general sales manager. 

Skouras' birthday will be Thursday 

(281 and has been proclaimed "Spyi'os 

N.Y. Exhibitors Pledge 

Aid to City Tax Study 

NEW Y O R K—Local exhibitors have 

pledged themselves to cooperate fully with a 

city committee named by Mayor Wagner to 

study the effect of the five per cent admission 

tax on theatres. A formal decision to 

that end has been adopted by the Independent 

Theatre Owners Ass'n and the Metropolitan 

Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n. 

An exhibitor committee to aid in the study 

has been named. It consists of Harry Brandt, 

William Namenson, Julius Sanders. Morton 

Sunshine and Edith Marshall of the ITOA 

and Solomon M. Strausberg, Emanuel Frisch, 

Sol A. Schwartz, Leopold Friedman, Martin 

Newman of the MMPTA. They will meet 

with Thomas Jefferson Miley, Francis W. 

H. Adams and David Dubinsky, representing 

the city, and decide what data is needed 

for the survey. 

The city committee will make a factual 

report without recommendations. The report 

is to be submitted to the Board of Estimate 

by May 1. 

New York Ticket Tax Nets 

$25,759,265 Since 1954 

NEW YORK—The city administration has 

collected $25,759,265 in admission taxes from 

all amusement sources from July 1, 1954, 

the date the tax became effective, to February 

27, 1957. The tax is at the rate of 5 

per cent. The amount collected from motion 

picture theatres was unavailable. The city 

in cooperation with exhibitors is now conducting 

a study of the tax. 

'Dolphin' Opening at Roxy 

To Benefit Greek Orphans 

NEW YORK—"Boy on a Dolphin," 20th 

Century-Fox Cinemascope picture filmed in 

Greece, will open at the Roxy Theatre April 

10 with a benefit performance for the Queen's 

Fund for Greek Orphans. 

Mrs. Spyros P. Skouras is president of the 

Queen's Fund, an organization dedicated to 

the care and rehabilitation of Greek orphans. 

The committee headed by Mrs. Skouras which 

is planning the New York opening includes; 

Mrs. Joseph A. Neff, Mrs. Basil Goulandros, 

Mrs. George Livanos, Mrs. Miltiades Kyrtsis, 

Mrs. Edward Gropper. Mrs. M. L. Tomber 

and Mrs. Sophocles Zoullas. 

P. Skouras Day" in the western hemisphere. 

Letters testifying to his years 

of industry leadership and humanitarian 

activities have been received 

from international figures such as Sir 

Winston Churchill and prime ministers 

of Australia and New Zealand. 

A typical salute came from Gov. 

Steve McNichols of Colorado, who 

wrote: "Your personal record and 

reputation for preserving the screen as 

a free instrument and, at the same 

time, insisting that the subject content 

be morally unobjectionable for all is 

gratifying to all thoughtful citizens," 

Liberalized Censor Law 

Foreseen in Maryland 

BALTIMORE—As a result of a recent court 

of appeals ruling on the documentary film, 

"The Naked Amazon," Maryland's censorship 

laws may be considerably liberalized. 

C. Morton Goldstein, cliairman of the Maryland 

state censor board, declares the decision 

will have "far-reaching effects beyond 

this picture." 

The court decreed that censors must reinstate 

certain scenes of naked Brazilian 

Indians which originally had been deleted, 

and decided that nudity in motion had no 

more impact than certain nudity in magazines, 

paintings and other media of expression. 

Speaking of films, Goldstein said that 

previously it has been "generally understood" 

that nudity should be judged differently than 

in other media because motion was involved. 

"The court decided," he continued, "that 

films must be judged on the same basis. It 

reasoned that nudity is not necessarily obscene 

or lewd." 

The appellate body ruled that nude sections 

of the film must be considered in relation 

to the entire picture. It also found 

that the board's deletion was predicated on 

"unsound legal ground." Originally the censors 

had cut shots which showed bodies 

below the waist. 

"The Naked Amazon," produced by the 

Times Film Corp., depicts life of the Camayui'a 

Indians who live in primitive state in 

Brazil's 

jungles. 

NY Film Licensing Bill 

Awaits Governor's Action 

ALBANY—Roadblocks to the Duffy-Waters 

bill decreasing the fees charged for the 

licensing of fUms by the state motion picture 

division appeared to be still in the way 

of its becoming law despite one-sided passage 

by the assembly and senate Tuesday. The 

lower house adopted the measure, identical 

with those of 1955 and 1956, by a vote of 102 

to IB; th senate approved, 44 to 9. 

Gov. Averell Harriman vetoed a similar 

measure last year on the gi-ound it would cost 

the state a loss of $285,000 per year In fees. 

He pointed out this loss had not been offset 

in the budget enacted by the legislature. 

If signed by the governor, provisions of the 

bill would become effective July 1. 

BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957 E-1

. , then 

Mi 

! 

LETTERS 

Kid Patrons, Blessing or a Llablllfy? 

Much has been written about "Be good to 

the kids . . . and you'll get in good with all 

the family." So, after a year and a half of 

being good to the kids, may I state my experience 

in brief. Not all of it^just a few 

highlights over the past 18 months of operation 

here. 

To start with, this theatre was just playing 

to teenagers and kids when I took over. 

First thing I did was make all the larger kids 

be quiet. This resulted in my being accused 

of taking their privileges away from them. It 

also resulted in having to put out six high 

school boys and two girls during my first 

18 days, however, we finally got a quiet house. 

Everywhere I had gone, the cry was that 

the adults had just quit the theatre because 

there had been too much noise. So, I 

promptly informed them that all was well 

now, and even the oldest patron could now 

fully enjoy a show. I was at once swamped 

with praise from everyone for doing this. 

This, after while, resulted in . . just the 

a 

. 

praise. Not an extra mother or father came 

to my theati-e. Instead, they just sent more 

kids. All over town I could hear talk that now 

the theatre was safe for even the smallest kids. 

So they sent them in di-oves. This resulted 

in even the teenagers thinking that they 

were too mature to take in a movie along 

with such a gang of kids. So they park in 

rows along the highway near the theatre 

nightly and smooch up a storm. 

Still, I kept getting the kids, still, I enjoyed 

the smile of mothers and fathers dashing 

through my lobby night after night going 

in to look for their young without even so 

much as asking me if they could go in. But 

I grin and take it. I even had some stay with 

junior thi-ough a full feature and still I took 

it on the chin. And, with more than one, this 

got to be a regular habit 'till I was forced to 

ask them to pay for their movies. This was 

met with a genuine cursing, and an enemy 

from now on, as the dignity of the family 

had been ripped to shreds. But, still, they 

sent the kids. Finally, it got so bad that 

upon occasions, almost nightly, they would 

bring three and four in a gang, all under 5 

years of age, and turn them out into my 

house. This resulted in my having to ask for 

a ticket for every child under six that was 

NOT accompanied by his or her parents. 

This brought a few more cursings and disgruntled 

pai-ents, but, still, they sent their 

Then the time came when, almost nightly, 

they sent some so small they were carrying 

their bottles. One lady even had the guts 

to come in carrying a child no more than 

two years old, saying that she wanted to 

seat him and she would be right out. This 

resulted in my placing a sign in my boxoffice, 

"Children under six must be accompanied by 

their parents or an adult." More cursings and 

disgruntled parents followed, but still they 

sent theii- kids. 

After a few weeks of operation, I find my- 

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self delivering screaming kids during the 

afternoon, on Sunday as well as Saturday 

nights, some so small they would start crying 

as soon as their parents got away from them 

for a while. I, also, found myself staying up 

at the theatre after closing hours waiting for 

parents to come for their kids. I, also, drove 

off and left the larger one, night after night. 

I have also had to threaten to take the kids 

to the police station the next time parents 

didn't call for them at a decent hour. More 

cursings, but still they send their kids. 

I have tried "adult movies" on several occasions, 

placing a sign in my boxoffice "This 

picture recommended for adults only," but 

still I got the kids. So, after six months of 

trying and trying to entice the adult patronage, 

I started Bingo, as this had never failed 

me. It did the trick. They came in droves, 

but those that didn't win looked scornfully at 

me. Many would say as they left, "another 35 

cents wasted; also another evening wasted." 

However they did come. Those that griped 

the loudest usually lined up at the boxoffice 

first on Bingo night. I was sure this would do 

the trick . . . they would see my trailers, enjoy 

the comfort in winter and the refrigerated 

air in summer . . . and the big widescreen 

and the cushioned chairs . 

they 

would surely retui-n. But no, they still just 

send their kids. 

I wonder if anyone else has had a problem 

like mine? Does it pay to be so sweet to the 

kids, and enjoy having your walls written 

on, your seats cut up. Coke spilled down a 

lot of people's necks, parents running in and 

out of your theatre without even a thank you. 

Have we become a gang of cheap baby-sitters 

for a gang of unappreciative parents? 

Or is it because my town "loyally supports" 

a total of 15 beer joints, whiskey stores and 

two really super-deluxe dance halls? Could 

it be that I have got tough competition in 

this town of a little over 3,000 people? Could 

be. 

There is no business like show business . . . 

or is it today's cheapest baby-sitting? I wonder. 

Maxie Theatre, 

Trumann, Ark. 

LLOYD HUTCHINS 

Not Helping Small Exhibitors 

I am a gi-een newcomer in the motion picture 

field and, as such, have hesitated to 

voice any comments on the motion pictm'e 

industi-y. However, a man can stomach about 

so much before he starts to gag. 

Now, the way I understand it, Fox is going 

to come out with reasonable (?) rentals for 

the small-town exhibitor. I would classify 

myself on the bottom end of that ladder. 

Can anyone explain why Fox wants more 

for their product than all but one other 

company I deal with? This also includes their 

reissues which are worth from five to seven 

dollars more than the other companies. 

Whenever Fox has a hot picture, I don't 

need the tradepapers to tell me about it, I 

just date it and Fox pulls it. To illustrate my 

case, I've dated "Love Me Tender" twice, but 

have I played it? Not on you life! Maybe 

I'll get it next year at 40 per cent. 

I've asked for a reduction in price both 

times, but, oh, no, your contract reads so 

much. But, Universal pulled a picture previously 

and the SALESMAN suggested a price 

cut. Didn't do too badly on the picture, 

either. 

Comes a clinker and, brother, I can get 

dates out the ears; then try and get a few 

bucks back—ditch-digging should be so tough 

About two months after we took over, I 

wrote the film exchanges explaining I needed 

a reduction in rentals or be forced to close. 

Universal was the first to help, with Columbia 

second, while MGM (the friendly company?) 

and Fox did so only after they were 

positive I would no longer play them if they 

did not follow. 

Whenever a group attempts to raise funds 

for any reason, I try to sell them a show. 

Who gives me a nice, cheap, family-type picture 

Ma and Pa will bring the little ones to 

see? One we both can realize a little profit 

on. Not Fox, oh, no, we aren't interested in 

that type deals. Then I turn to Columbia, 

and, thank God, there is still one company 

left that is interested in whether we can afford 

a bone for the soup. 

After reading this you may think I am a 

trifle bitter toward Fox. Well, you're right. 

Therefore, I find it rather difficult to get excited 

over all the smoke being raised over 

Fox's deal for the little fellow. When, and 

if they write up some of these deals for me, 

I'll climb on their bandwagon. But, until 

that time, I'll keep right on fighting their 

salesman to knock five bucks off that picture. 

Now, I'm not all pnmes and som- grapes, 

for I enjoy your magazine very much and 

would be lost when buying product without 

it. Perhaps you are just backing the wrong 

horse—or am I? 

Grand Theatre, 

Sheffield, Iowa. 

WALTER C. 

FRIEDBICPCS 

Isaacs Named to New 

Paramount Sales Post 

NEW YORK—Phil Isaacs, manager of 

Paramount's Rocky Mountain division, has 

been appointed to a newly created post of 

assistant eastern sales manager by Hugh 

Owen, vice-president of Paramount Film 

Distributing Corp. Isaacs will take over his 

new post on April 15. As Rocky Mountain 

division manager he headquartered in Denver. 

Isaacs was appointed to the Denver post 

in October 1955, after having served as 

branch manager in Washington since 1949. 

He joined the company in 1946 as a trainee 

in the New York booking department and was 

appointed booker in January 1947. A year 

later he was transferred to Buffalo and in 

1948 he returned to New York as salesman 

and later assistant to Owen. 

Rank Sets Up Three 

Exchange Locations 

NEW YORK—Rank Film Distributors of 

America has set up exchange locations in 

Atlanta, Dallas and Boston. 

In Atlanta, the firm of Benton Brothers is 

remodeling office space at 188 Luckie St. for 

both Rank and Allied Artists. The site will 

be ready by July 1. The Rank company 

temporarily is in the same building until the 

new offices are ready. 

Irving Sochin, general sales manager, said 

that aiTangements had been made in Dallas 

for quarters at 412 S. Harwood St., in the 

same building with Republic Pictures. 

In Boston, the Flank exchange will be in 

the Metropolitan Theatre Bldg. 


RKO Theatres '56 Net 

Increased Over 1955 

NEW YORK—The consolidated net income 

of List Industries Corp. and subsidiaries 

(formerly RKO Theatres Corp.) in 1956. computed 

on a pro forma basis to reflect the 

reorganization last May, was $3,234,085 before 

special items and $6,140,094 after including 

net gains on sales of properties. On 

a per share basis, the earnings amounted to 

75 cents before the special items and $1.42 

including the gains. 

In 1955, before the reorganization, earnings 

amounted to approximately 62 cents 

per share before special items and 56 cents 

per shai-e after the items. Provisions for depreciation 

and similar non-cash charges made 

against earnings amounted to approximately 

$3,500,000 pro formal in 1956 and $1,600,000 

I 

in 1955. 

According to the stockholders' report submitted 

by Albert A. List, chainnan of the 

board and president, "We are carefully examining 

all phases of our business to im.prov^? 

our income and to reduce items of expense 

wherever this can be accomplished, while at 

the same time maintaining the efficiency of 

our operations." 

During 1956, two operating theatre and 

commercial properties in Cleveland and 

vVashington and one non-operating property 

in New York were disposed of for approximately 

$2,800,000 in cash and $3,800,000 in 

moi'tgage notes. Other operations mentioned 

by List included: a building expansion program 

started at Chatham Electronics division 

of Gera Corp. in Livingston, N. J.; the 

leasing of the Gera Fabrics weaving plant in 

Manchester, N. H., effective March 2, 1957, 

which freed approximately $1,300,000 of net 

working capital, and the acquisition of a 

one-eighth working interest in oil and gas 

properties in Kansas. 

On Dec. 31, 1956, there were 4,326,044 

shares outstanding, including the 1,154,508 

issued in the reorganization and for additional 

Gera common stock and 19,800 issued 

during 1956 to employes upon exercise of options. 

More than half of the outstanding 

stock of the company is now owned by directors 

and associated interests. List said. 

Jack Warner Is Biggest 

Stockholder in WB 

NEW YORK—Jack L. Warner, president of 

Warner Bros. Pictures, now is the largest 

individual stockholder in the company. He 

reported to the board of directors here on 

Wednesday i20> that he had piuxhased 

95,000 shares of Warner stock from Allen & 

Co., investment bankers, which is retaining 

50.000 shares in the company. 

Warner's acquisition increased his holdings 

to 233.399 shares, including 1,400 shares 

in a trust of which he is the beneficiary. In 

addition, Warner's immediate family holds 

a substantial block of the company's stock. 

Serge Semenenko, senior vice-president of 

the First National Bank of Boston and head 

of the investment group which bought into 

Warner Bros, last year, is 

the second largest 

stockholder with holdings of record of 160,- 

000 shares. 

Warner was elected president of Warner 

Bros, last July. 

The board of directors on Wednesday declared 

a dividend of 30 cents a share, payable 

May 4 to stockholders of record on April 19. 

Skouras Anniversary Celebration 

Attracting Worldwide Attention 

NEW YORK—Backed by proclamations 

by the governors of all 48 states 

and Hawaii and Prime Minister Louis 

St. Laurent of Canada, the "SpyTos P. 

Skouras 15th Anniversary Celebration" 

will get under way Sunday (24) and run 

through May 4. In addition, there have 

already been bookings by more than 

17,000 U. S. and Canadian theatres as 

evidence of the exhibitor esteem in 

which the 20th Century-Fox president 

is held, according to Alex Harrison, 

general sales manager. 

Skouras' birthday will be Thursday 

(28) and has been proclaimed "Spyros 

N.Y. Exhibitors Pledge 

Aid to City Tax Study 

NEW Y O R K—Local exhibitors have 

pledged themselves to cooperate fully with a 

city committee named by Mayor Wagner to 

study the effect of the five per cent admission 

tax on theatres. A formal decision to 

that end has been adopted by the Independent 

Theatre Ovmeis Ass'n and the Metropolitan 

Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n. 

An exhibitor committee to aid in the study 

has been named. It consists of Harry Brandt, 

William Namen.son, Julius Sanders. Morton 

Sunshine and Edith Marshall of the ITOA 

and Solomon M. Strausberg, Emanuel Frisch, 

Sol A. Schwartz, Leopold Friedman, Martin 

Newman of the MMPTA. They will meet 

with Thomas Jefferson Miley, Francis W. 

H. Adams and David Dubinsky, representing 

the city, and decide what data is needed 

for the survey. 

The city committee will make a factual 

report without recommendations. The report 

is to be submitted to the Board of Estimate 

by May 1. 

New York Ticket Tax Nets 

$25,759,265 Since 1954 

NEW YORK—^The city administration has 

collected $25,759,265 in admission taxes from 

all amusement sources from July 1, 1954, 

the date the tax became effective, to February 

27, 1957. The tax is at the rate of 5 

per cent. The amount collected from motion 

picture theatres was unavailable. The city 

in cooperation with exhibitors is now conducting 

a study of the tax. 

'Dolphin' Opening at Roxy 

To Benefit Greek Orphans 

NEW YORK—"Boy on a Dolphin," 20th 

Century-Fox Cinemascope picture filmed in 

Greece, will open at the Roxy Theatre April 

10 with a benefit performance for the Queen's 

Fund for Greek Orphans. 

Mrs. Spyros P. Skouras is president of the 

Queen's Fund, an organization dedicated to 

the care and rehabilitation of Greek orphans. 

The committee headed by Mrs. Skouras which 

is planning the New York opening includes: 

Mrs. Joseph A. Neff, Mrs. Basil Goulandros, 

Mrs. George Livanos, Mrs. Miltiades KjTtsis, 

Mrs. Edward Gropper, Mrs. M. L. Tomber 

and Mrs. Sophocles Zoullas. 

P. Skouras Day" in the western hemisphere. 

Letters testifying to his years 

of industry leadership and humanitarian 

activities have been received 

from international figures such as Sir 

Winston Churchill and prime ministers 

of Australia and New Zealand. 

A typical salute came from Gov. 

Steve McNichols of Colorado, who 

wrote; "Your personal record and 

reputation for preserving the screen as 

a free instrument and, at the same 

time, insisting that the subject content 

be morally unobjectionable for all is 

gratifying to all thoughtful citizens." 

Liberalized Censor Law 

Foreseen in Maryland 

BALTIMORE—As a result of a recent court 

of appeals ruling on the documentary film, 

"The Naked Amazon," Maryland's censorship 

laws may be considerably liberalized. 

C. Morton Goldstein, chairman of the Maryland 

state censor board, declares the decision 

will have "far-reaching effects beyond 

this picture." 

The court decreed that censors must reinstate 

certain scenes of naked Brazilian 

Indians which originally had been deleted, 

and decided that nudity in motion had no 

more impact than certain nudity in magazines, 

paintings and other media of expression. 

Speaking of films, Goldstein said that 

previously it has been "generally understood" 

that nudity should be judged differently than 

in other media because motion was involved. 

"The court decided," he continued, "that 

films must be judged on the same basis. It 

reasoned that nudity is not necessarily obscene 

or lewd." 

The appellate body ruled that nude sections 

of the film must be considered in relation 

to the entire picture. It also found 

that the board's deletion was predicated on 

"unsound legal ground." Originally the censors 

had cut .shots which showed bodies 

below the waist. 

"The Naked Amazon," produced by the 

Times Film Corp., depicts life of the Camayui'a 

Indians who live in primitive state in 

Brazil's 

jungles. 

NY Film Licensing Bill 

Awaits Governor's Action 

ALBANY—Roadblocks to the Duffy-Waters 

bill decreasing the fees charged for the 

licensing of films by the state motion picture 

division appeared to be still in the way 

of its becoming law despite one-sided passage 

by the assembly and senate Tuesday. The 

lower house adopted the measure, identical 

with those of 1955 and 1956, by a vote of 102 

to 18; th senate approved, 44 to 9. 

Gov. Averell Harriman vetoed a similar 

measure last year on the ground it would cost 

the state a loss of $285,000 per year In fees. 

He pointed out this loss had not been offset 

in the budget enacted by the legislature. 

If signed by the governor, provisions of the 

bill would become effective July 1. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: March 

23, 1957 E-1

liii 

'Heaven Knows Has Big First 

Week; 

Lost Continent' Strong in Two Spots 

NEW YORK—Two new Cinemascope pictures, 

"Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison," which 

gave the Roxy Theatre its biggest business 

since the start of 1957, and "Lost Continent," 

which received rave reviews and opened at 

both the Mayfair Theatre in Times Square 

and the east side Fine Ai-ts, stopped the 

downward trend in picture-going since the 

start of Lent. 

"The Big Boodle," which restored the films 

and vaudeville programs to the RKO Palace, 

after five weeks of Jerry Lewis' in-person 

show, had a strong ten-day run but two 

other Cinemascope pictures, "The Tattered 

Dress" at the Mayfair and "Three Brave 

Men" at the Paramount were little better 

than average. 

The only other pictures which held up well 

CHICAGO, III. 

1327 S. Wabaih 

NEW YORK, N.Y. 

630 Ninth Av*. 

Gilbert Pearlman to BV 

NEW YORK—Gilbert Pearlman has become 

copy chief of advertising and publicity 

of Buena Vista Film Distribution Co.. according 

to Charles Levy, advertising-publicity 

director. Pearlman was previously associated 

in 

the same capacity with Look magazine. 

'Commandments' Hit 

Million Mark in 

N.Y. 

New York— "The Ten Commandments" 

reached the $1,000,000 gross mark Thursday 

at the Criterion Theatre. The figure 

was reached as Mrs. Grace FiUisetti and 

Mrs. Peter Inzerillo, Brooklyn sisters, 

purchased tickets. They were greeted by 

Edward G. Robinson who presented them 

with free tickets also to "Middle of the 

Night" in which he is starring at the 

Anta Theatre. 

Star of 'Young Stranger' 

To Promote N.Y. Opening 

NEW YORK—James MacArthur, one of 

the stars of "The Young Stranger," RKO 

picture which is being distributed by Universal-International, 

will arrive in New York 

April 1 to help promote the opening at the 

Guild Theatre April 7, under the sponsorship 

of MacArthur's mother, Helen Hayes. 

Kim Hunter, who is also starred, is holding 

a series of press interviews and also will 

visit several key cities in connection with 

early out-of-town openings. Miss Hayes is 

also aiding in the promotion of "The Young 

Stranger," in which her son makes his film 

debut, as are Stuart Miller, the producer, and 

Robert Dozier, who wrote the screenplay. 

The campaign on "The Young Stranger" 

got under way prior to U-I's takeover of the 

picture from RKO and has ah-eady spread 

over four months with national magazine 

breaks and tradepaper ads. 

Huge Broadway Billboard 

Aiding 'Bachelor Party' 

NEW YORK—United Ai'tists has rented 

the 15,600-.square-foot billboard extending 

from 45th to 46th St. on Broadway to promote 

the April opening of "The Bachelor 

Party," Hecht-Hill-Lancaster production, at 

the Victoria Theatre. A $50,000 sign was 

erected during the week by Art-Ki'aft Strauss 

from a design by the Monroe Greenthal 

agency. It features mammoth figures of 

Carolyn Jones and other members of the 

cast. 

LlOO Attend Screening 

Of 'Ten Commandments' 

ALBANY—An audience of 1,100 persons, 

including state and civic officials and clergymen, 

attended a special guest screening of 

"The Ten Commandments" at the Ritz Theatre 

Tuesday evening. Dan Houlihan, manager 

for Paramount, gi'eeted the guests. 

The picture had been previewed the night 

before for 150 priests and was to be shown 

again Saturday morning for nuns and sisters. 

It will open at the Ritz Tuesday (26). 

waarams 

THEATRICAL ADVERTISING CO. 

7310 CASS AVE. • DETROIT 1 MICH. 

WRITE rOR SAMPIES-WO.IIISS 

E-2 BOXOFFICE ; 

: March 

23, 1957

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That's 

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shoes. This sturdy precision design provides positive 

positioning of the film, therefore positive 

focus. The aperture plate v/as designed as an 

integral part of the film trap which serves to 

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PERFORMANCE PROOF: Note the following typical 

exhibitor comments: 

"Marl(ed improvement on edge-toedge 

focusing. Excellent results, 

botti color and black and wfiite 

were tested with equally good results. 

Most noticeable on newsreels." 

King Theafre, Honolulu 

. . . and many more. 

"The in and out 

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Miracle Mile Drive-in, 

Ohio, U.S.A. 

See your CENTURY dealer for this new aid to better 

motion picture projection. 

Century Projector Corp. 

DISTRIBUTED 

Amusement Supply Co.^ 

346 West 44th St. 

Hew York 36, N. Y. 

J. F. Dusman Company 

12 East 25th St. 

Baltimore 18, Maryland 

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505 Pearl St. 

Buffalo 2, New York 

Albany Theatre Supply Co. 

443 North Pearl St. 

Albany 4, New York 

BOXOFFICE : 

: March 23, 1957 E-3

• 

Captain 

B R O A D W Ay 

TXTELL, spring arrived officially on Broadwayat 

4:17 p.m. Wednesday and it was a 

typical first-day-of-spring day. The snow 

and sleet tapered off to just plain rain. • * • 

Solly Schwartz, president of RKO Theatres, 

must haven sensed the typical spring weather 

and hopped off for Hollywood where he could 

also have some smog. He will stay for the 

Oscar awards Wednesday. * * * Mervin Houser. 

publicity director of Selznick Co., high-tailed 

it back to the coast, too, after parleying 

with Charley Einfeld and others at 20th- 

Pox. * * • Paramount travelers: Russell Holman 

in from Hollywood, Herb Steinberg to 

Oklahoma City. Oscar Morgan to the south 

and midwest and MoitIs Lefko to Rochester 

and Buffalo. » • • George Fraser of Paramount 

participated in a public discussion 

Monday with Rabbi William Berkowitz on 

"The Ten Commandments" at the Community 

House of the Temple B'nai Jeshurun. 

• • • Back from a Jamacia, B. W. I., vacation 

is Olin Clark, MGM eastern story editor. * * * 

Joe Pi-iedman, of Warners' field exploitation 

staff, was in Chicago and Detroit this week 

in connection with "The Spirit of St. Louis." 

Sandy Kait, a member of Buena Vista's 

home office co-op advertising department, 

has left to do his hitch in the Army. He'd 

been with the company since 1954. • * * Ernie 

Kovacs and Edie Adams have been voted 

"comedian-comedienne of the year" by the 

National Laugh Foundation to serve as King 

and Queen of Comedy for the 12th annual 

National Laugh Week, April 1-8. Jerry Lewis 

is national chairman of the event. Kovacs will 

star in Columbia's "The Mad Ball." Last 

year's winners were Phil Silvers and Nanette 

Fabray. » * * Sigmund Gottlober, executive 

secretary of the Film Critic's Circle of the 

Foreign Language Press, is chairman of the 

foreign language newspapers' drive for Red 

Cross funds. 

Wedding bells in the offing for Arlene 

Ziegler of 20th-Fox's home office publicity 

department. She's just announced her engagement 

to Robert Hoffman of General 

Electric. * • * And speaking of 20th-Fox, 

Archibald Ogden has rejoined the New York 

story department. • * * Henry Ginsberg, coproducer 

of "Giant," has shaken the dust of 

Manhattan off of him and headed back to 

Hollywood. • • • Herman King of King 

Brothers, producers of "The Brave One." is 

drum-beating for the picture through the 

New England States. » • • Herman Finkelstein, 

general attorney for ASCAP, presided 

at the Moot Court trials at Yale Law School 

Tuesday (19). These courts are conducted 

in law schools to give students some practice 

in the presentation of arguments in a court 

room. • * * Adrian Awan, 20th-Fox's special 

exploitation representative, was in Pittsburgh 

this week to set up premier plans for 

"Boy on a Dolphin. 

Mike Todd and Elizabeth Taylor will be 

seen on Ed Murrow's Person to Person TV 

program on April 5. ' * * And Mike has another 

award for "Around the World in 80 

Days," this time from the Newspaper Guild 

of New York which gave him the Page One 

Award. * * * Kids under 10 years of age who 

turned up dressed in cowboy costume for the 

opening of "The True Story of Jesse James" 

at the Globe were admitted fiee. They had 

FOR SERVICES RENDERED — Leon 

Goldberg, center, of United Artists receives 

an inscribed Israeli copper fruit 

platter from Barney Balaban, left, Paramount 

president, in recognition of his 

leadership of the 1956 United Jewish Appeal 

drive in New York. He heads this 

year's drive. On the right is Monroe Goldwater, 

president of the New York UJA 

unit, who told of a need for additional 

funds. 

to be accompanied by an adult who didn't 

have to weai- chaps or 10-gallon hats. * * * 

Howard Berg, formerly trade new's editor of 

depart- 

CBS, has joined the radio-television 

ment of Bernard Relin & Associates, public 

relations firm. 

Now it's Grandpop Heymann. Mel Heymann, 

MGM publicity office manager, became 

a grandfather for the first time this 

week when his daughter Myrna Greenhall 

gave birth to a son in Baltimore. * * * Joseph 

R. Vogel, MGM president, and George Muchnic, 

Loew's International executive, returned 

from studio confabs. * * ' Irving Sochin, general 

sales manager of Rank Film Distributors 

of America, is finalizing locations for branch 

offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, 

Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. 

The producer, the dii'ector and the star of 

the award-winning "La Strada"—Dino De- 

Laurentiis, Federico Fellini and Guilietta 

Masina (Mrs. Fellini) —arrived from Italy for 

a stay of several days before proceeding to 

Hollywood to attend the Academy award 

ceremonies. It will be the first American visit 

for Federico and Mrs. Fellini. * * * Johrmy 

Meyer, who produced "Action of the Tiger" 

for MGM in London and Spain, is in New 

York for releasing talks following a twomonth 

tour of South America. Sam 

* * * 

Zimbalist, MGM producer who will make 

Dreyfus" in Europe, flew to England 

to complete filming arrangements there. 

Ralph Meeker, who will make Byrna Pi'Oductions' 

"Paths of Glory" in Munich, left 

the same day by Swissair. 

w 

Robert Mitchum returned to Hollywood 

after attending the opening of his "Heaven 

Knows, Mr. Allison" at the Roxy and appearing 

on the Ed Sullivan TV show the 

previous evening. Also Hollywood bound 

were: Paul Newman, co-starred in "The 

Helen Morgan Story"; Judy Tyler, who left 

to make her film debut in "Bop Girl Goes 

Calypso" for Bel-Air Pi-oductions, and Eva 

Gabor, who will play a leading role in MGM's 

"Don't Go Near the Water." * * Bound 

for England were: WiUiam Travers and Virginia 

McKenna. British players featured in 

MGM's "The Seventh Sin," and Viveca Lindfors, 

who'll start filming "Captain Dreyfus." 

Cliff Robertson, Columbia player, opened 

on Broadway in the male lead of Tennessee 

Williams' new show. "Orpheus Descending" 

at the Mai'tin Beck Theatre Thursday (21). 

' ' • Henry Fonda interrupted his Canadian 

honeymoon with his bride. Baroness Franchetti, 

to complete a dubbing session for 

RKO's "Stage Struck," which was entirely 

filmed in Manhattan. Producer Stuart Miller 

also had to curtail his honeymoon with Grace 

Sontag for the dubbing sequences. Both 

couples expect to take a full-length holiday 

in Paris this summer. * * * Natalie Ti'undy, 

who is featured in "The Monte Carlo Story" 

for UA, has been named "Miss Supersonic" 

by the non-commissioned officers club at 

Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn. 

Paramount passed out green carnations as 

a St. Patrick's Day gimmick for "Beau 

James." * * * Gil Golden, Warner Bros, ad 

chief, was in Cincinnati this week setting up 

the world premiere on "Untamed Youth" at 

the Palace Theatre there. » * * Keefe Brasselle 

has been elected to membership in 

ASCAP. * • * Edward W. Allen, jr., has been 

named public relations manager at Allen B. 

DuMont Laboratories. Mo * • • Rothman, 

United Artists Continental sales manager, is 

here from Paris for home office conferences. 

* * * A feller named Jose Maria Maldonado 

claims he saw "Giant" 171 time in 127 days 

at 20 different theatres in the metropolitan 

area. * * » "Albert Schweitzer" will bow out 

of the Guild Theatre on April 7. It opened 

there on January 20 . . . Dino de Laurentiis 

is here from Rome for a few days. 

Free Polio Shots Offered 

Karagheusian Employes 

NEW YORK—A&M Karagheusian, 

Inc., 

manufacturer of Gulistan carpet, has instituted 

a program of free Salk polio vaccinations 

for all employes of the firm who desire 

them. 

The company will purchase the vaccine 

and arrange for physicians to administer the 

three-injection series entirely at company 

expense. Primary shots will be administered 

to employes while at work sometime within 

the next three months. Second and third 

injections will follow after the prescribed 

waiting periods. 

The official company letter announcing 

the plan, signed by Harold J. McCormack, 

director of industrial relations, recommends 

that all employes be vaccinated, particularly 

those under 40. 

Eastern Outdoor Chain 

Moves to East Orange 

NEW YORK—Eastern Management Corp., 

operating Eastern Outdoor Theatres, with 

drive-in theatres throughout New Jersey, has 

moved its offices to Harrison Street, East 

Orange, according to Sheldon Smerling, general 

manager. The reason for the move from 

South Orange was to locate the headquarters 

more centrally in relation to the theatres. 

Eastern operates outdoor theatres in 

Union, Morris Plains, Troy Hills, Totowa, 

Pai-amus, New Brunswick, Belmar and Asbury 

Park, N. J. 

E-4 

BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957

Robert Shapiro Re-elected 

Cinema Lodge President 

NEW YORK—Robert K. Shapiro, managing 

director of the New York Paramount 

Theatre, was re-elected president of the 

Cinema Lodge of B'nai B'rith for a second 

term at the dinnermeeting 

at the Hotel 

Sheraton-Astor Tuesday 

. Michael 

Todd, accompanied by 

his w i f e, Elizabeth 

Taylor, received the 

Cinema Lodge "Honor 

Scroll" from Jack H. 

Levin, chairman of the 

evening. 

Marvin Kirsch, Milt 

Livingston. Norman 

Robbins. Joseph B. 

Robert K. Shapiro Ro.sen. Nat Rudich. Cy 

Seymour, Jack Weissman. Al Wilde and Lou 

Wolff were elected vice-presidents. Jack 

Hoffberg was elected treasurer, Abe Dickstein 

was named treasurer and Max E. Youngstein 

was named chaplain. All were re-elections 

except Ro.sen. Rudich and Dick.stein. 

Re-elected as trustees were: Max B. Blackman, 

Julius M. Collins, Harold L. Danson. 

Leo Jaffe, Moses L. Kove, Joseph Maharam 

and Arthur H. Schwartz. Elected as delegates 

to the Metropolitan Council of B'nai 

B'rith were: Robbins, Hoffberg and Livingston 

with Jack H. Levin and Howard Schulman 

as alternates. Levin, Hoffberg and S. 

Arthur Glixon were elected delegates to the 

District Grand Lodge Convention to be held 

in May, with Livingston and Joseph Rosen 

as alternates. 

Stanley Odium, 41, Dies 

After Brief Illness 

NEW YORK—Stanley A. Odium, 41, son 

of Floyd B. Odium and Hortense Odium and 

a vice-president of Atlas Corp., died suddenly 

at Mount Sinai Ho.spital here March 15. 

Funeral services were held March 17. 

Odium joined Atlas Corp. about 20 years 

ago. A bombardier in the U. S. Air Force in 

World War II, he was shot down over Austria 

on his 24th mission and spent a year in 

a German prison camp. Besides his parents, 

he leaves a daughter, Lynn; a son, Stanley 

jr., and a brother, Bruce, who is a Hollywood 

producer. His mother was for several 

years the president of the Bonwit Teller store 

here. His father heads Atlas Corp. 

Jane Lee, 45, Child Star 

Of 40 Years Ago, Dies 

NEW YORK—Mrs. Jane St. John, the 

former child star Jane Lee, who starred with 

her sister, Katherine Lee, as child stars for 

the Fox Film Corp. 40 years agp. died at St. 

Clare's Hospital March 17 after a long illness. 

She was 45 years old. 

The two little sisters appeared with Annette 

Kellerman In the original "Neptune's Daughter" 

for Fox in 1914 and later starred in 

"Two Little Imps," "Troublemakers" and 

other Fox fUms. Jane's sister, now Mrs. Ray 

Miller, 

survives. 

Analysts to Hear Raibourn 

NEW YORK—Paul Raibourn, Paramount 

vice-president, will speak at the Tuesday (26) 

luncheon meeting of the New York Society 

of Security Analysts at 56 Broad. 

ALBANY 

'Dalph W. Pries. Vai-iety International representative, 

made his first visit to Albany 

Tent 9 Tuesday. Pries, recently promoted to 

a vice-presidency with Berlo Vending Co. of 

Philadelphia, left by plane Wednesday for 

Berlo Vending has added two 

Boston . . . 

operations to its area string: the coffee 

shop in the new Thruway Motor Hotel operated 

here by Neil Hellman, and the Front 

Drive-In at Binghamton. Herb Nitke operates 

the Front, a 1,000-car situation, which 

John DiScipio, relief 

will relight April 1 . . . 

manager for Berlo in this area last season, 

has been promoted to assistant to Manager 

Jack Hamilton . . . Jerry Slass, eastern 

division manager for Berlo, accompanied 

Manager Hamilton to Pittsfield, Mass.. for 

a look at the 1,000-car drive-in which Sylvan 

Leff of Albany will open May 1. Berlo will 

operate the concessions. 

Tri-city drive-ins joined in a Sunday 

Times-Union quarter-page promoting Friday 

(22> openings of the Auto-Vision, Carman, 

Menands, Mohawk and Turnpike. The 

locations of the five automobilers were specified. 

"Fun for the Whole Family Under the 

Stars" read an upper left hand corner caption. 

"It's Time to Come Outdoors for Your 

Family Fun," exclaimed another caption, 

with a car illustration. A meeting to arrange 

the relightings and the cooperative insertion 

had been held. Auto-Vision is conducted by 

Alan V. I.selin; Carman, by Peter and John 

Marotta; Menands, by Joe Miller; Mohawk, 

by Fabian: Turnpike, by Johnny Gardner. 

Mrs. Catherine Bain, a Leland cashier, 

entered St. Peter's Hospital for treatment. 

She previously served at the uptown Madison. 

Mrs. lona Allen, who worked at the 

Mohawk Drive-In concession stand last season, 

is cuiTently on duty at the Leland . . . 

The Menands Drive-In advertised "The 

Area's Newest and Finest Wide Screen" for 

its reopening March 22. Operator Joe Miller 

was former Columbia manager here and in 

Albany and later PRC and Film Classics 

sales executive. His son Sandy is connected 

with the theatre on the Albany-Troy road. 

LAUNCHING ASTHMA DRIVE—Max 

E. Youngstein, United Artists vice-president 

who is honorary chairman of the 

1957 Attack on Asthma Drive, participates 

in the inaugural ceremonies in 

New York with Myrna Loy, member of 

the east coast executive council of the 

Children's Asthma Research Institute at 

Denver, and five-year-old Roland 

Schwartz, poster boy of the campaign. 

The senior Miller visited the Ciiarles F. 

Hunter Film Service offices to boo;< several 

shorts for a carnival, or Adloyde, airunged 

for the pupils of the Temple Israel 

Reiiglous 

school as part of the Purini observfuice. 

Seeing a 1947 BOXOFFICE report on Albany's 

Filmrow, in Hunter's files the veteran 

borrowed the copy. It showed a picture 

of him and Bob Ferber. now connected with 

RKO in Latin America, at the PRC exchange. 

Jim Blackburn, stage manager of Fabian's 

Palace and president-busine.ss agent of the 

State Employes Local, lATSE, was recovering 

in Memorial Hospital from a compound 

fracture of the upper right arm, suffered 

in a fall on a dressingroom stairs while inserting 

a light bulb. Experiencing excruciating 

pain, Blackburn was removed to the 

hospital, diagonally across the street from 

the rear of the theatre. He had been visited 

by union members and other industry friends, 

who trekked to the Memorial's fourth floor 

and found the veteran stagehand in good 

spirits and champing to get out. Another 

stage worker, Charley Maguire of the Strand, 

was a patient at the same hospital a yearand-a-half 

ago also with a fractured arm, 

incurred in a screen accident. 

Mrs. Rosa Mark Rosenthal, .sister of Moe 

Mark, who built the Strand in New York, 

the Strand in Brooklyn, the Strand in Albany, 

the Troy in Ti'oy, the Stanley in Utica and 

other large houses, died here recently. She 

was about 82. One of her sons, Robert M., 

who at various times managed the Strand, 

the Ritz and the Madison in Albany and the 

Utica in Utica, who also conducted the old 

Griswold in Troy for a period, flew in from 

Baton Rouge, La., with his wife, for the 

funeral. Bob, onetime president of the Albany 

Junior Chamber of Commerce, has an insurance 

business in Baton Rouge. Another 

son, Lionel G. of Albany, frequently attended 

shows with Mrs. Rosenthal. 

The Leland, operated by Paul V. Wallen 

on lease, opened March 20 with Columbia's 

new "thrill shock sensation bill" of "The 

Man Who Turned to Stone" and "Zombies 

of Mora Tau." 

Alfred J. Antoinette, operator at the Palace 

and former president of Local 324, was 

recovering in Albany Hospital from a serious 

attack of pneumonia. 

Benjamin Belinson Dies; 

Rochester Theatreman 

ROCHESTE R—Benjamin Belinson, 21 

Arnold Park, died (15) in Kodak Town. In 

association with his wife Florence, he had 

operated the Little Theatre here for many 

years. 

He is survived by his wife, two brothers, 

Meyer and Jacob; two sisters, Mrs. Rose 

Klugsberg of Louisville, and Mrs. Ida Stiller 

of Hollywood, and several nieces and nephews. 

Actress Withdraws Suit 

NEW YORK—Arlene Dahl, actress, has 

withdrawn her action in the state supreme 

court asking for a temporary injunction 

against Columbia over the vise of what she 

claimed was obscene advertising for a picture 

in which she appears. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: March 23, 1957 E-5

. . William 

. . Mr. 

. . The 

. . "The 

PITTSBURGH 

pilm distributors and SW circuit tlieatres 

have been served notice of the new action 

involving direct and collateral violations of 

antitrust acts in regard to a stipulation 

of this court dated Oct. 31, 1955 in which 

a 35-day clearance was granted to the Eastwood 

Theatre, Frankstown Road. Most of the 

film distributors seem to have honored this 

clearance award to which they agreed, in 

addition to paying in excess of $50,000 to 

the Eastwood Theatre for damages. Suto 

and Schuchert, attorneys, through Marvin D. 

Power, petitioned the court to enforce the 

terms of the stipulation and after hearing, 

award additional damages to the plaintiffs, 

Rudy and Sam Navari, owners of the Eastwood 

Theatre. Defendants are 20th-Fox, 

Warner Bros, and Stanley Warner and 

Warner Theatres. 

Residing in their newly furnished apartment, 

219 N, Liberty, New Castle, are Louis 

Perretta, owner of the Crescent Theatre at 

Mahoningtown, and his bride of February 23. 

the former Norma Lombard!, a registered 

nurse. Single ring rites were read in St. 

Lucy's Church and the couple honeymooned 

on an automobile trip to Florida. Perretta 

also owns the Isaly dairy . . . McCandless 

Township, Pittsburgh area, adopted three 

special taxes, including a 10 per cent amusement 

levy, a $50 yearly licensing fee for pinball 

machines and $10 for jukeboxes and a 

one-half per cent deed transfer tax on real 

estate. 

Legislation which would permit a referendum 

to decide whether a majority of Pennsylvanians 

want parl-mutuel horse race betting 

is before the general assembly. If legalized 

in the state, would net about 20 million 

dollars a year . . . Mr. and Mrs. Max Shulgold, 

who turned over their Crown Film Co. 

product to Bert Steam's Screen Guild and 

who have withdrawn from the film industry 

here, have sold their home and will move to 

North Miami. 

Stanley, not-yet-18-year-old-son of Columbia 

salesman and Altoona exhibitor Saul I. 

Perllman, heads into the Army April 7 . . . 

Lawrence Lowstuter. former Greensboro and 

Meyersdale exhibitor who has resided In 

Florida for several years, was here with his 

younger son Frank, who was departing for 

Alaska where he will be employed in government 

construction projects. Elder son 

Donald resides in New York and works for 

a TV-radio sui-vey outfit . . . Frank Babich 

will close the Avella Theatre, Avella, after 

March 31 . . . Joe Mulone, Cheswlck exhibitor, 

built a 22.6x50 foot screen frame for 

the new Kallet shopplngtown theatre, De- 

Witt, at Syracuse. 

Frank J. "Bud" Thomas, Atlas Theatre 

Supply building, is licensing and booking for 

the Sun Theatre, Altoona, recently reopened 

by Daniel Destlto . . . Ray Woodard, indooroutdoor 

exhibitor and Pitt law student, has 

SAM FINEBERG 

TOM McCLEARY 

JIM ALEXANDER 

S4 Van Broam Street 

PITTSBURGH 19, PA. 

Phone Express 1-0777 

Moviet ftrt Better Than Evg • HoVi Your Equipment? 

been especially busy preparing for and reopening 

drive-in units, Including the ozoner 

at Canberry. This drive-in has an all-new 

concession building, the interior having 

handsome new counters, shelves, painting 

and colors, concrete floor, floor tile, equipments 

and fixtures, all self-service desig-n, the 

work of Atlas Theatre Supply. 

. . . Local 

A world premiere benefit of "Boy on a 

Dolphin" is set for the J. P. Harris Theatre 

the night of April 10. Proceeds are for American 

sponsored schools in Greece 

film distributors were called to give depositions 

In several of the antitrust cases in 

which units of Associated Theatres are 

Continuing active in federal 

plaintiffs . . . 

court is the antitrust action brought by 

Perm Valley Theatre Corp., Johnstown, vs. 

Warner Bros., et al., in which the Family 

Drive-In at Mundy's Corners seeks damages. 

The TV's Panic! series Usts Herbert W. 

Browar as associate producer. He's the son 

of retired local exhibitor Mark Browar who 

resides on the west coast . . . The March 22 

BUFFALO 

n wage dividend of approximately 25 million 

dollars was shared by more than 

34,000 Eastman Kodak Co. employes in the 

Rochester area. The dividend plan recognizes 

the part Kodak people have played in the 

success of the company . Brereton, 

director of advertising and publicity 

for Basil Theatres In western New York, was 

recovering from an operation Monday (18) 

in a local hospital. Brereton only recently had 

left the hospital and had been working several 

hours a day at his office in the Lafayette 

Theatre . . . George H. Mackenna, general 

manager of Basil's Lafayette Theatre, 

president of the Main Street Ass'n and an 

officer in several other local civic organizations, 

was vacationing in Florida, where he 

will remain until April. 

Todd-AO, which was developed over a 

year's period in the local American Optical 

plant and the Regent Theatre at Main and 

Utica, was described in the recent AO annual 

report, as "a technical success." Stockholders 

were told, however, that dividend Income 

from Todd-AO will requu'e the production 

of several films a year. Earnings from this 

development are not expected for several 

years. American Optical said it has absorbed 

$2,133,706 of the Todd-AO development costs 

during the last four years but that "only 

nominal amounts" are expected to be spent 

this 

year. 

Lester Pollock, manager of Loew's in 

Rochester, is president of the Tom Thumb 

Tent, Circus Saints and Sinners in Kodak 

Town. Les also is a member of the board of 

directors of the fun-loving organization, 

which is having its annual convention May 

23-25 in the Cavalier Hotel at Virginia 

Beach, Va. 

hosts at the Variety Club's Family Night were 

the Bernie Hickeys, Bert Stearns and Lou 

Hannas . . . Steve Medve jr., was here to book 

for Indoor theatres at Richeyville and Bentleyville. 

Pa., and Phillppi, W. Va., also the Sky- 

View Drive-In near Philippi which is to 

reopen March 31. He reports that the Grand 

at Philippi has continued in operation but 

that the Lido there has been dark for two 

years . and Mrs. Charles Schadt, who 

wintered in Florida, are back. He's area 

supervisor of drlve-ln theatre concession sales 

for 

Sportservice. 

John McGreevey, Harris circuit executive, 

again was in Mercy Hospital . . . Associated 

circuit offices' new stenographer is Agnes 

Grout . exhibitor committee here for 

the Spyros P. Skouras 15th anniversary celebration 

includes Earl Beckwith, Saul Bragln, 

Vincent Corso, MoiTis Flnkel, Andrew Gibson, 

Harry Hendel, Louis Hanna, Bernard Hickey, 

Alexander Manos, F. D. Moore, John Mc- 

Greevey, C. A. Notopoulos, Moe Silver, Bert 

Stearn and William Weiss 

Beaver County exhibitor 

. . . 

who 

Dr. 

has 

Urling, 

several 

thousand solo hours in the air to his credit, 

was among the large crowd of theatre owners 

which turned out for the tradeshowing of 

"The Spirit of St. Louis." 

Msgr. Edward S. Schwegler, diocesan director 

of the Legion of Decency, has issued 

the following statement regarding attendance 

at showing of "The Ten Commandments" 

during Lent; "This picture has received 

the unqualified approval of bishops 

and priests throughout the country. Its 

message Is primarily spiritual. Therefore, it 

is our considered opinion that attendance 

at this picture during Lent does not violate 

the spirit either of the Lenten regulations 

or of a private resolution to avoid the usual 

type of motion pictures during this penitential 

season" . Ten Commandments," 

by the way, is now being shown at 

the Century Theatre, where it will end its 

local engagement April 2. It will have run 

14 weeks and five days. "Around the World 

in 80 Days" starts April 5 in the same house. 

Walter Sunderland, manager of the Farman 

Theatre in Warsaw, N. Y., has been 

named "The Man of the Year" by the residents 

of this llvewire western New York 

town. Walter has been manager of this 

Kallet chain house for many yeai-s and won 

the title bestowed on him by townfolks because 

he is loved by nearly every resident 

from five to 100 years of age . . . Frank 

Lindcamp, manager of the RKO Palace in 

Rochester, was grinning about the long list 

of good pictures coming up for his Kodak 

Town house—nothing but the choicest— according 

to all reports. One of the first will 

be "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison." 

Melody Fair, the tent theatre that presents 

musicals each summer in Wurlltzer Park in 

North Tonawanda, starting June 13 with 

"Pajama Game," has $40,000 in the till. 

Twenty frontier organizations have contracted 

for the whole tent or sizeable fractions 

thereof. Sixteen thousand seats have 

been reserved and 50 business and industrial 

organizations are negotiating. The Women's 

Board of the Deaconess Hospital will sponsor 

the first show. 

"Three Coins in the Fountain" attracted 

so enthusiastic an attendance in its return 

engagement in the Cinema, downtown art 

house, that Manager James J. Hayes held 

it for another week . . . Phil Engel, 20th- 

Fox, confen-ed with Paramount Theatre 

executives on promotion plans for the opening 

of "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison," Friday 

(22). 

E-6 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

^ 

. . Joe 

— 

PHILADELPHIA 

\rariety Tent 13 will hold a "Send-off Frolic" 

for members going to the New Orleans 

International convention. To be known as a 

Mardi Gras night, the affair will be held 

March 30 at the clubrooms. and it will cost 

only $5 a couple. Dancing will be to Mark 

Davis' orchestra, and a midnight smorgasbord 

breakfast will be a feature of the affair. 

Michael Felt, prominent industryite and 

former acting head of the Peniisylvania censor 

board, has been named executive director 

of the finance committee of the Democratic 

city committee, it was announced by William 

J. Green jr., chairman. Felt will serve as 

principal aide to James P. Clark, finance 

chairman. Clark is well-known in the industry 

because of his affiliation with exhibition 

affairs and because of his relationship 

to Highway Express Lines. 

Maryann Ma.\well, Columbia general clerk, 

has married Joseph Charlton, who is not in 

the business . . . Claudia Flood, a stenographer 

for Buena Vista and daughter of 

Joe Flood, Columbia booker, has announced 

her engagement to Joseph Spadaro, a graduate 

of Temple School of Pharmacy. 

A flood of protests by Catholics has resulted 

in the cancellation of showings of 

"Baby Doll" in the Ardmore Theatre in Ai'dmore, 

Waverly in Drexel Hill, 69th Street 

Tlieatre in Upper Darby and the Benn in 

West Philadelphia. The film showed in the 

Viking from December 26 to February 12. 

The film then w'as to be seen at key run exhibition 

in various theatres in the area, including 

the above. However, SW removed 

the film date after receiving a flood of protests 

following Ash Wednesday when the 

churches in the neighborhoods of the theatres 

asked parishioners "to express themselves" 

against the film. The theatres were sw'amped 

with telephone calls. George Keating, grand 

knight of the Drexel Hill Knights of Columbus, 

sent a telegram to Stanley Warner requesting 

the picture be withdrawn. Keating 

also called Norman Zinn, executive secretary 

to Stanley Warner's president. After 

a series of discussions, Bernard Brooks, assistant 

zone manager in Philadelphia, had 

the theatres remove the booking. 

Mayor Richardson Dilworth has lashed 

out against restrictions of local blue laws insofar 

as amusements on Sundays are concerned. 

He announced the city will permit 

showing of legitimate theatre performances, 

bowling, auto shows, flower shows, concerts 

and other similar events, as well as permit 

more liberal hours for sports. He said liquor 

stores will have to stay shut. 

. . . 

Marjay, daughter of Jay Wren, general 

manager for I. Sley's Viking and Locust theatres, 

was capped with a group of student 

Sam 

nurses at the University Hospital 

Stiefel of the Uptown, north Philadelphia 

Film-Vauder, is cashing in on the in-person 

Rock and Roll stage shows. This policy started 

March 13. He is also taking advantage of 

the Mayor Dilworth order to lift the Sunday 

blue law against stage shows on Sunday by 

including Sundays in his stage show bookings. 

The Uptown is the first theatre to 

operate under this new liberal ruling. Admission 

for the evening shows was hiked to 

$1.49. 

A. M, Ellis reopened the CoatesvUle Drivein 

at Coatesville on the 15th. On opening day 

the public was treated with free admissions 

and free popcorn ... A theatrical landmark, 

the Palm Theatre, W'as wrecked by fire early 

Saturday morning (16i. The building is located 

at Frankford avenue and Norris street 

in north Philadelphia. It was originally 

known as the John Hart's Theatre and was 

one of the pioneer vaudeville and picture 

houses that entertained Ken.sington residents 

in the 1900 era. For the past few years 

it has been a new and second hand furniture 

store. 

BALTIMORE 

. . , 

n nne Bruce, secretary to Jack Fruchtman 

of the Fruchtman Theatres in Baltimore 

and southern Maryland, left by plane for 

Buffalo where her sister is a Catholic nun. 

There she will be placed in charge of an 

infant which Miss Bruce will take by plane 

to Honolulu where the child is to be placed 

for adoption Irving Cantor, manager of 

the Hippodrome, drove to Albany, N. Y., to 

visit his brother Nathan, who is ill. He was 

accompanied on the brief trip by Dick Dizon, 

manager of the Hi-Way Theatre. 

Norman Clark, film critic of the News- 

Post, was confined to his home with a throat 

infection . . . Herb Schwartz, publicity chief 

at the Century, suffered a virus attack . . , 

Roy Knight, sound expert for Stanley Warner, 

was in town, checking the Stanley Theatre 

equipment . . . Adam Gelz is newly associated 

with the Little Theatre in a managerial 

capacity. 

Nino Kirkman is no longer assistant manager 

at the Five West ... J. Stanley Baker, 

head of the Hicks-Baker Theatres, is expected 

back from Florida this week . . . Baltimore 

Variety Tent 19 has entered into a tentative 

agreement with the Ringling Bros.-Barnum 

& Bailey circus to sponsor the new-type 

show this .season. The agreement is contingent 

upon the club being able to arrange for 

rental of a suitable arena. 

Close at Mount Jewett 

MOUNT JEWETT, PA.—The Palace Theatre, 

recently closed, has a new message on 

its marquee. It says: "For Sale. No Reasonable 

Offer Rejected." Wally Anderson, circuit 

exhibitor, stated when he forwarded 

letters of closing to the film distributors that 

the decision to fold the theatre was because 

the film companies would not license films 

at terms which could permit operation of 

the business. 

WASHINGTON 

. . . Variety 

Joseph Bernheimer has sold ibn York Theatre 

building to the National Evtingelistic 

Center to be used as a house of worship . . . 

Actor Herbert Marshall was in Washington 

doing the narration for civil defejise films 

produced by Robert J. Enders 

Tent 11 held its annual St. Patrick's Day 

celebration in the clubrooms Saturday night 

116). In charge of arrangements were barkers 

John O'Leary, Eddie Gallaher, CharUe Hurley, 

Vince Dougherty and Bob Grace. 

Thalhimer circuit interests are closing the 

Brookland Theatre, Richmond, Va., March 

Bobby Levine, Levine circuit, stopped 

24 . . . 

off here en route to Florida . . . B. D. "Spud" 

Query, 45, died Monday (18) of a heart attack. 

Query operated a circuit of ten theatres 

in the Clinch Valley of Vir-ginia for a 

number of years and several years ago he 

turned his circuit over to T. D. Fields. At the 

time of his death he owned the Oldsmobile 

agency in Marion, Va. He is .survived by his 

wife, a son and a daughter. 

Rudolph Berger, MGM .southern division 

manager, is in the National Institute of 

Elmer Moore, 

Health, Bethe.sda, Md. . . . 

Columbia booker, is still convalescing at 

home, but plans on returning to his desk 

within a week or two . . . Clark Davis, Disti-ict 

Theatres, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage 

several weeks ago, is still in Emergency 

Hospital . . . Carl Fowler, Central Theatre 

operator, who suffered a broken back 

while on duty in the theatre, has been put 

in a cast and is recuperating at home. 

Walter Gardner is now associated with the 

Capitol Hill Theatre and the Branch Drivein, 

Clinton, Md.. as manager . . . Phil Berler, 

E. M. Loew Circuit, visited Filiru'ow, accompanied 

by Manager Walter Teed, who operates 

the Mount Vernon Open-Air Theatre, 

Alexandria, Va., and the Governor Ritchie 

Open-Air Theatre, Glen Burnie, Md. 

. 

Mrs. Mike Leventhal, wife of Mike Leventhal 

of the Lord Baltimore Theatre, Baltimore, 

was rushed to the hospital with coronary 

thrombosis . . Dr. Philip Sprinkle 

came in town to book his Friendly Drive-In, 

Martinsville, Va., and the Stone Theatre, 

Bassett, Va. . . Mi-, and Mrs. Milton Lipsner, 

. 

Allied Ai'tists, spent the weekend in 

New York . . . Columbia salesman Jack Sussman 

is sporting a new company Ford. 

Local F-13 held a monthly executive board 

meeting Thursday evening . . . Don Kelsey 

came in from Blacksburg, Va., and Ellison 

Loth came in from Waynesboro, Va., to confer 

with Harley Davidson, Independent Theatres 

Service . . . Jack Benson, vice-president. 

Independent Theatres Service, left for Florida 

on Friday . Oulalian was a Filmrow 

visitor. Other exhibitors seen on Filmrow 

included Jay Gordon, Cecil Curtis, Bill 

Friedman, Mike Leventhal, Jack Levine, Joe 

Walderman, Aaron Seidler and Henry Hiser. 

JonnOAMC 

BOONTON, N. J. 

Large Core 

Greater Crater Area 

meam 

MAXIMUM LIGHT 

Evenly Distributed 

in West Virginia—Chartesfon Theotre Supply, Charleston—Dickens 

4-4413 

Theatre Service & Supply, Huntington—2-4043 

Veterans Electrical Construction and Service, Elkins—832 

in District of Columbia—R. & S. Theatre Supply Co., Washington 

Sterling 3-8938 

BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957 E-7

ôHd

AND VIEWS THE PRODUCTION CEINTEP 

I 

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

j 

Premiere of 'St. Louis' 

At Egyptian April 11 

HOLLYWOOD—As the Cinema capital's 

tribute to the 30th anniversary year of 

Charles A. Lindbergh's New York-to-Paris 

flight, Warner Bros, plans to stage the prenaiere 

of "The Spirit of St. Louis," film 

dramatization of the event, on April 11 at 

the Egyptian Theatre. 

Symbolic of the golden era of the 1920s 

and the beginning of the golden age of air 

power which began with Lindbergh's epic 

flight on May 20-21, 1927, 150 feet of gold 

carpet will be spread in front of the theatre 

where expected celebrities will enter amidst 

forecourt ceremonies including television and 

radio coverage of the event. 

Regular showing of "Spirit" i.s scheduled 

to begin on Easter Sunday (April 21 1 at 

the Egyptian. 

* • « 

To give exhibitors an opportunity to view 

audience reaction to "Designing Woman," 

MGM plan.s to stage theatre previews in 

every exchange center across the nation. 

According to MGM toppers, release of the 

comedy will be preceded by the company's 

most Intensive advertising campaigin of the 

year. It is to include advertisements in 19 

leading magazines, teaser ads running five 

days in 65 newspapers in 45 key cities, in addition 

to cooperative space, radio spots in 26 

markets over a three-week period, and TV 

star spots, featuring Gregory Peck and 

Lauren Bacall, in 36 cities. 

Signs Maurice Hanline 

HOLL'YWOOD—Pioducer Milton Sperling, 

distributed by Warner Bros., 

whose output is 

has engaged WTiter-editor Maurice Hanline 

as story assistant. Sperling currently is 

readying "Marjorie Morningstar" to be directed 

by Daniel Mann. Hanline worked at 

Warner Bros, previously, serving as assistant 

story editor for five years, and also has a 

number of writing credits at the studio. He 

has been a story executive at MGM, 20th-Pox 

and other studios. 

'Bedrooms' Multiple Run Set 

HOLLYWOOD—MGM's "Ten Thousand 

Bedrooms" will open a multiple run in seven 

theatres and five drive-ins in the Los Angeles 

area March 27. Theatres are the Pantages, 

Picwood, Paradise. Wiltern and State in Los 

Angeles, Garmar in Montebello and United 

Artists in Pasadena. Drive-ins are the 

Reseda, the Pickwick in Burbank, Edwards 

in South Arcadia, the Rosecrans, and Lakewood 

in Long Beach. 

BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957 

Shavelson-Rose File Action 

Over Actress Restrictions 

HOLLYWOOD—Suit has been filed in the 

Santa Monica court on behalf of Shavelson- 

Rose Co., seeking declaratory relief from restrictions 

in loanout contract with Alfred 

Hitchcock for services of his pactee Vera 

Miles in 'Beau James," S-R production for 

Paramount. Attorney Paul Caruso, acting 

for S-R, alleges restrictions make pact "inequitable 

and unworkable." The condition.s 

set forth by Hitchcock which S-R seeks to 

have set aside provide that Miss Miles is not 

to be photographed in "James" or any still 

pictures for the pictuj'e unless she is wearing 

black, white or gray; she is not to be photographed 

for newspaper or magazine cheesecake 

in behalf of the "James" promotional 

campaign; she is not to be photographed in 

any scenes of domesticity, off-.screen, 

especially insofar as husband and/or children 

are concerned. 

Deal under these terms for Mi.ss Miles to 

enact role of Broadway queen Betty Compton 

in Bob Hope starrer was made, the complaint 

states, without realization that restrictions 

would "in effect sign away right to 

maximum profits" on the feature. 

June Lockhart in Time Limit' 

HOLLYWOOD—June Lockhart has been 

signed by Richard Widmark for his independent 

production "Time Limit." 

HEAVEN KNOWS IT'S GREAT—On 

hand for west coast world premiere of 

"Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" at Grauman's 

Chinese Theatre in Hollywood were 

Frank H. Ricketson jr. (right), general 

manager of theatre operations for 

National Theatres, and S p y r o s P. 

Skouras, president of 20th-Fox. 

Final Details Set Up 

For Oscar Ceremony 

HOLLYWOOD—With Oscar approaching 

the starting gate, final details have been 

arranged for the 29th annual Awards presentations 

of the Academy of Motion Picture 

Arts and Sciences, which yearly glamorfest is 

to be staged at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre 

Wednesday (27). 

Celeste Holm will introduce any winners 

there may be in New York. 

Writers Arthur Phillips, Harry Crane, 

Herbert Baker and writer-director Hal Kantor, 

all of Paramount, are writing the script 

for the show. 

Selection of vocalists has beeen made to 

sing the five nominated songs at the presentation 

clambake, which will be carried over 

the combined television and radio facilities 

of the National Broadcasting Co. 

Appearing on film, Crosby will sing "True 

Love," from the MGM production, "High 

Society." Dorothy Dandridge will present 

"Julie," a .song which made its debut in the 

MGM picture of the same name. Gogi Grant 

is scheduled to sing "Whatever Will Be, Will 

Be" from the Paramount picture, "The Man 

Who Knew Too Much." A fourth nominated 

song, "Written on the Wind," from the U-I 

picture of the same name, will be sung by The 

Four Aces. A teenage newcomer, Tommy. 

Sands will sing "Friendly Persuasion" ("Thee 

I Love"), from the Allied Artists picture of 

the same name. 

To Script 'Nun' Story' 

HOLLYWOOD—Robert Anderson, author 

of "Tea and Sympathy" and "All Summer 

Long," has been signed by Warner Bros, to 

write the screenplay of "The Nun's Story," 

which is to star Audrey Hepburn. Henry 

Blanke will produce and Fred Zinnemann 

direct. 

Set for 'Beyond Terror' 

HOLLYWOOD—Executive producer-director 

Charles Marquis Warren has signed Paul 

Richards and John Howard to star with Mala 

Powers in "Beyond Terror," initialer of eight 

to be made by Warren's company, Emirau 

Productions, for Regal Films and 20th-Fox 

release. 

Helen Rose to Chicago 

HOLL'YWOOD—MGM designer Helen Rose 

planed to Chicago for radio and television 

appearances, fashion shows, newspaper interviews 

and other promotional activities in 

connection with the opening of MGM's "Designing 

Woman" at the Woods Theati-e there 

on April 28. 

W-1

SNIPPERS SMILE—T h e American 

Cinema Editors' seventh annual awards 

banquet honored film editors nominated 

for the Oscar and Emmy. Seated, left to 

ri§^ht: Janis Paige, who presented awards 

to Emmy nominees, and film editor Anne 

Bauchens. Standing, left to right are: 

George Amy, ACE president, emcee Red 

Buttons, film editor Merrill G. White, and 

Shelley Winters who presented awards 

to film editors nominated for the Oscar. 

Interstate TV Corp. Plans 

Medal of Honor Series 

HOLLYWOOE)—In association with producers 

Ed Henderson and William Dean, Interstate 

Television Corp. will film and release 

39 half-hoLu- shows to be titled Medal 

of Honor. Henderson and Dean have obtained 

clearances on 39 Medal of Honor 

winners. Thirteen scripts already have been 

completed by Sam Roeca, who was aided by 

the advice and technical knowledge of Maj. 

Raymond Harvey. The producers, with full 

cooperation of the Department of Defense, 

plan to get production under way immediately 

at Allied Artists studio. 

4; « * 

Rogers and Cowan have been engaged by 

the N. W. Ayer advertising agency as publicity 

representatives on Telephone Time, 

which series is sponsored by the American 

Telephone & Telegraph Co. Telephone Time, 

a Hal Roach Studios production, is produced 

by Jerry Stagg. with John Nesbitt as 

host-narrator. On April 11, the series moves 

from CBS to ABC-TV, when it will be seen 

at 10 p.m. in all time zones. 

« * * 

Batjac Productions' television project, to 

be filmed in conjunction with the USAF air 

research and development command, was 

given the green light when the initial script. 

"Supersonic Sled," received U. S. Air Force 

approval. 

'Deerslayer' on Fox List 

HOLLYWOOD—Regal Films has set "The 

Deerslayer," based on James Fenimore 

Cooper's novel, for its 20th-Fox distribution 

program and signed Kurt Neumann to 

produce 

and direct the film, w^hich is scheduled 

to roll April 15. 

New Novel to Warners 

HOLLYWOOD—"The Philadelphian," new 

novel by Richard Powell, has been purchased 

by Warner Bros. It is the story of the struggle 

of a Philadelphia family to gain high 

social 

status. 

14 Candidates Named 

For SPG Board Posts 

HOLLYWOOD — Fourteen candidates for 

the seven seats on the executive board of the 

Screen Producers Guild have been named 

by the organization's nominating committee, 

comprised of Hall Bartlett, Mel Epstein, 

Jack Gross and F:-ed Kohlmar and chaired 

by William C. Thomas. Members will vote 

for seven persons to serve for three years. 

Candidates include Robert Arthur, Julian 

Blaustein, Samuel Briskin. Louis Edelman. 

Sol Baer Fielding, Edmund Grainger, Walter 

Mirisch, Harriet Parsons, Dick Powell. Lewis 

Rachmil, Charles Schnee, William Self, Milton 

Sperling and Carey Wilson. 

Board members whose terms expire in 

May are Ai'thur, Blaustein, Briskin, Edelman, 

Mirisch, Parsons and Wilson. SPG's executive 

board consists of 21 members, one-third of 

whom are elected each year. 

Recipients of the Motion Picture Sound 

Editors awards were Ernest Reichert, Frank 

Bayes, Donald K. Harris and John Newman 

for best sound editing of 1956 on the feature 

"Earth vs. the Flying Saucers," and Roy 

Siegel, chosen as best sound editor of a 

television series for his work on Navy Log. 

Winners in each category were determined 

by a vote of the MPSE membership. 

At a luncheon Tuesday (19), presentation 

of the awards and emcee chores, respectively, 

were handled by Joan Taylor and Hugh 

Marlowe, stars of "Flying Saucers." 

Charles Schneer, who produced "Eai'th 

vs. Flying Saucers," and Sam Gallu, producer 

of the Navy Log series, were the guest 

speakers and also received trophys. 

To Produce 'Beyond Pass' 

HOLLYWOOD—William Grady jr., 

recently 

signed to a producer contract by U-I, has 

been set to produce "Beyond the Pass," from 

the western novel by Lee Leighton. James 

Edwards will write the screenplay. 

SPG Adds Two More 

HOLLYWOOD—Pioducers William Wyler 

mem- 

and Alan Pakula have been made full 

bers of the Screen Producers Guild, bringing 

the total number of members to 179, plus 

nine associates. 

YOU CAN HAVE IT—Valentine Davies, 

new president of Motion Picture Permanent 

Charities (left), is handed the chairman's 

gavel by retiring president Lawrence 

Weingarten. Davies will head the 

film charity unit for 1957-58. 

Ca^cuti4/J^ ^n 

East: Twentieth - Fox President Spyros 

Skouras returned to New York following conferences 

with studio chief Buddy Adler on 

future production activity of the company. 

* * * 

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

arrived from Gotham for a series of parleys 

with studio toppers. 

* * * 

West: Joseph Hazen, partner of Hal Wallis, 

arrived from Manhattan to view "Hot Spell" 

and "Loving You" and to confer with Wallis 

on future films for Paramount. 

* * 

East: Producer Robert Waterfield and his 

actress wife Jane Russell, accompanied by 

Chip Cleary of the Cleary- Strauss and Ii-win 

public relations office, planed to New York 

for huddles with United Artists home office 

brass regarding plans for releasing "The 

Fuzzy Pink Nightgown." 

« * « 

East: Irving Asher, production executive 

of 20th-Fox's television operation, headed 

for New York to meet with advertising agency 

executives, sponsors and NTA officials on a 

forthcoming series. 

« * * 

North: Producer Lindsley Parsons, John 

H. Burrows, his associate, and screenwriter 

Jack DeWitt planned to leave for Portland, 

Ore., to scout locations for "Portland Expose," 

which they will film for Allied Artists. 

* * * 

East: Producer Sam Zimbalist flew to 

London to complete final preparations for the 

start of MGM's "Captain Dreyfus." 

* * * 

West: Mervyn Houser, director of publicity 

for Selznick Co., returned from conferences 

in New York with 20th-Fox home office executives, 

to formulate promotional plans for 

David O. Selznick's "A Farewell to Arms," 

which 20th-Fox will release. 

To Promote 'Bachelor' 

HOLLYWOOD—CaroljTi Jones flew to New 

York for interviews and advance exploitation 

on Hecht-Hill-Lancaster's "The Bachelor 

Party," which will be premiered at Manhattan's 

Victoria Theatre on April 10. By 

April 1, she plans to return to Hollywood for 

participation in the campaign for the local 

opening of the film at [he Fine Arts Theatre, 

scheduled for April 12. 

Hal March to Star Role 

HOLLYWOOD—Marketing his first starring 

role in a theatrical motion picture, Hal 

March has been signed to topline in "Hear 

Me Good." In the comedy which Don Mc- 

Guire will independently produce, direct and 

write for Paramount release, television's 

emcee of the "$64,000 Question" will portray 

a fast-talking New York con man who fixes 

a Brooklyn beauty contest. 

To Script 'Journey' 

HOLLYWOOD — Perlberg-Seaton 

has 

pacted Edward O. Berkman and Raphael D. 

Blau to script "The Golden Journey," Agnes 

Sligh Tumbull novel. The property, a love 

story with political aspects, has been on the 

Perlberg-Seaton slate at Paramount since 

mid-1955. 

W-2 BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957

JJMIlBUBIIi WW 

Colbert Will Produce 

Series for Television 

HOLLYWOOD—With plans to shoot the 

pilot of a telefilm series bearing her name, 

Claudette Colbert has set up her own producing 

company. The story line of the Vidpix 

deals with a congresswoman and her 

family in Washington. 

Leif Erick.son is set for the male lead in 

the series which Norman Tokar will produce 

and direct, with Charles Wendling doubling 

as associate producer and business manager. 

Inez Asher and Whitfield Cook are preparing 

the scripts of the package which will be 

handled by the William Morris agency. 

• • * 

Marking the company's first plunge into 

television, Copa Pioductions' Ted Richmond 

has acquired rights to "Johnny Reb and 

Billy Yank," Civil War series by Frank Giacoia, 

and plans to .sign a writer to adapt 

it for video. 

Richmond, who is partnered in Copa with 

Tyrone Power, also purchased "Submerge," 

a submarine story by Edmund Simmonds, to 

be made into a theatrical feature. 

* * * 

In the program department of the ABC- 

TV network, Thomas M. Lufkin has been 

made service manager and Louis F. Sanman 

named production supervisor. These follow 

the recent appointments of J. E:nglish Smith 

as manager of TV network programs in New 

York and Sandy Cummings in a comparable 

capacity in Hollywood. 

Columbia Joins Oil Hunt 

On Studio Properties 

HOLLYWOOD—So, let movie business get 

bad—there's always oil 'neath them studios, 

they hope. Look at 20th-Fox and the steady 

flow of black gold that is being pumped from 

the wells sunk on its vast Westwood lot. 

Now, Columbia has entered into a lease 

with the Union Oil Co. of California covering 

sub-surface oil rights in the land on which 

its Hollywood studio is located, covering approximately 

12 acres. 

Use and occupancy of the studio will not 

be disturbed by drilling operations, which are 

expected to start by late summer. 

The Columbia acreage is being pooled with 

other properties in the vicinity, including the 

Paramount and RKO lots. 

Changes 

Decision at Dawn (Geo. 

Title 

Montgomery-WB) 

to BLACK PATCH. 

Outlaw's Son (Bel- Air, UAi to GAMBLING 

MAN. 

Appointment With a Shadow (U-Ii to 

THE MIDNIGHT STORY. 

Meg Myles to 'Calypso' 

HOLLYWOOI>—Singer Meg Myles has been 

signed for a femme topline in "Calypso Heat 

Wave," musical starring Johnny Desmond 

which Sam Katzman is producing for Columbia, 

with Fred P. Sears directing. 

Role to Eduard Franz 

HOLLYWOOD — Eduard Fi-anz, veteran 

character actor, has been signed by U-I for 

a role in "Decision at Durango." 

^ GAIN was established the fact that 

ytjSlk the Academy of Motion Picture Arts 

and Sciences made no mistake when, 

out of a highly competitive field, it .selected 

the fii-m of Harshe-Rotman to handle its 

ever-vulnerable public and press relations. 

H-R further proved its efficiency in connection 

with the announcement of the nominees 

for this year's Oscar awards. The 

manner in which the results of the nominations 

voting was detailed and analyzed was 

precedentially informative. 

Hollywood's press corps never had it so 

good. The payoff came for the Academy, 

H-R and the industry as a whole in the increased 

amount of coverage accorded the 

selections by both the general and trade 

press. 

"RUSSIAN 

CONTRACT 

BEAUTY GETS 

FROM HAVING 

FILM 

HEAD 

SHAVED." 

—Universal-International Headline 

Shucks, Marie MaoDonald has had closer 

shaves than that lots of times. 

Alas, poor Allied Artists— it just can't win 

for losing. Its Oscar entry, "Friendly Persuasion," 

was barred from copping a best 

writing award because the screenplay was 

the work of Michael Wilson, who wasn't 

given screen credit because of his earlier 

brush with the House Un-American Activities 

Committee. Then scriveners Edward Bernds 

and Elwood Ullman, whose "High Society" 

was nominated in the best original story 

category, withdrew from the final balloting 

because "our nomination is a case of mistaken 

identity." Academicians thought they 

were casting nomination votes for a highbudget 

musical—not featuring the Bowery 

boys—which Sol C. Siegel produced for 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. 

So, between the Commies and the Bowery 

Boys, AA seems destined to have its literary 

genius—if any—remain unheralded and unsung. 

And at the same studio, the title-thinkeruppers 

had a from-frying-pan-to-fire rough 

time. A HI' number being produced by Ben 

Schwalb approached the starting gate as 

"Voodoo Queen," not to be confused with 

"Voodoo Island" (UA) or "Voodoo Woman" 

(American-International), a pair of current 

releases. So, to escape this all-is-confusion 

mess, AA changed its entry's tag to "Disembodied." 

The new handle has one advantage, at 

least. If all else fails, and business being 

what it is, Sandy Abrahams can be borrowed 

from the publicity department to ideally fill 

the title role. 

IT COULDN'T HAPPEN TO A 

NICER GUY DEPARTMENT 

James Stewart is the first film star in the 

history of the jnotion picture industry to 

attain the rank of brigadier general, he 

having been nominated for such one-star 

status in the U. S. Air Force Reserve by 

President Eisenhower. 

Now, should he ever make another picture 

for Warner Bros., the minions at that film 

foundry will really have .somebody to call 

them to attention. Jack Warner, headman 

at the studio, is a mere colonel. 

A feeble pass for space from Bill Hendricks' 

busy Burbankian blurbers because allegedly 

"Walter Winchell, who awards orchids to the 

deserving and scallions to the undeserving in 

his syndicated column, found an orchid and 

two scallions beside his plate in a cafe scene 

for 'The Helen Morgan Story," in which he 

plays himself." 

There are two things he could have done 

with the scallions. One, send them to the 

publicity department. The other? Make 

lamb stew. 

From Milton Weiss, another addition to 

the doubtful-claims-to-fame department relating 

that, "James Arness has been named 

one of the five most attractive physical 

specimens on television by the 1,200 members 

of the American Congress of Beauty and 

Physical Culture," 

You're purty, too, Milton. 

Jefferson Davis is one of the bright lads 

in the organization—and the designation is 

loosely applied—of freelance tub thumpers 

Rogers and Cowan. 

It is reported that Arthur Jacobs is beating 

the bushes in search of a potential aide 

named Ulysses S. Grant. The south will rise 

again—south Kiev, that is. 

From Mort Goodman, notification that 

"things are moving along with such acceleration 

that the policy makers of Am-Par 

Pictures Corp., the production .subsidiary of 

American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres, 

Inc., have changed the name of the company 

to AB-PT Pictures Corp." 

That's typical Goodmanian gobble-de-gook 

—business is so good that we had to change 

our name. 

Indicating that the gentle art of press 

agentry isn't always effluvious, comes a 

morsel of alleged news claiming Lanvin, 

manufacturers of perfumes, has served notice 

on Columbia studio, protesting the use of 

"My Sin" as title for a proposed feature. It 

seems that the scent fabricators have been 

for many years marketing a product under 

the same label. 

If Lanvin headquartered in Hollywood, its 

executives would know that no one can bottle 

up sin—no matter how it smells. 

Dipping deeply into the hackneyed doubtful 

distinctions department, Teet Carle's Paramount 

praisers inform that "The Navy's Sea 

Bee Corps has selected Paramount's Valerie 

Allen as 1957 Queen Bee." 

Few indeeed the harassed editors that were 

stung by that one. 


W-3

R. Waterfield Says Few Top Males 

Available for Independenf Films 

NEW YORK—"Secui-ing a top star for a 

picture is the most difficult feature of independent 

producing," 

according to Robert 

Waterfield. president 

of Russ-Field Corp., 

the company which 

has completed "The 

Fuzzy Pink Nightgown" 

for United Artists 

release in June. 

Waterfield could 

name only a halfdozen 

top male stars 

whose names could 

carry a picture—Clark 

Gable, who starred in 

Robert Waterfield 

Russ-Field's "The King and Four Queens," 

and James Stewart, Burt Lancaster, John 

Wayne, Gary Grant and Gary Cooper—and 

"most of these are booked for films a year 

ahead." Gable has a straight percentage deal 

on "The King and Four Queens" (10 per 

cent of the gross or 50 per cent of the net>. 

The picture, which cost $1,500,000 to produce, 

is expected to gross $4,500,000, Waterfield 

said. 

Although a similar situation prevails for 

feminine stars, Russ-Field has not had the 

same difficulty because Jane Russell, who 

is Mrs. Waterfield, has starred in both "The 

Fuzzy Rink Nightgown" and in the first Russ- 

Field picture, "Gentlemen Marry Brunettes." 

The other two completed pictures in Russ- 

Field's six-picture releasing deal with UA 

were "The King and Four Queens" and 

"Run for the Sun," the latter starring 

Richard Widmark. 

For the future, Russ-Field has several 

story properties, "The Lady's for Loving," 

a comedy in which Miss Russell will star, 

"The Big Play," a story with an oil background, 

and a western. "Blood Money." 

United Ai-tists is financing aU of the Russ- 

Field pictures, according to Waterfield. who 

returned to the coast Tuesday (19) after 

a few days in New York arranging the promotion 

details on "The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown" 

with UA home office executives. Miss 

Russell may tour six or eight key cities to 

promote the film in June or July. She has 

steered clear of TV appearences, except for 

the Ed Sullivan, Perry Como and Jackie 

Gleason variety shows, because Waterfield 

doesn't want people to get used to seeing 

her without going out to the movies. 

TV's 'Emmy' Awards Won 

By Four Screen Stars 

NEW YORK—Jack Palance, Claire Trevor, 

Robert Young and Loretta Young all originally 

screen stars, won TV "Emmy" Awards 

at the Academy of Television Arts and 

Sciences telecast from both New York and 

Hollywood, March 16. 

Palance, cuiTently starring in Paramount's 

"The Lonely Man," won his award for the 

best single performance of the year for "Requiem 

for a Heavyweight," produced by "Playhouse 

90" on CBS-TV. The program also 

won four others awards, for best teleplay, by 

Rod Serling; for best direction, by Ralph 

Nelson; for best art direction, by Albert Heschong, 

and for the best new program series 

of 1956. 

Miss Trevor, recently in Paramount's "The 

Mountain," won the award for the best single 

performance by an actress, in "Dodsworth," 

a Producers' Showcase spectacular. Robert 

Young won the award for best continuing 

performance by an actor for "Father Knows 

Best" and Loretta Young won the award for 

best continuing performance by an actress 

for "The Loretta Young Show." 

Other awards went to Phil Silvers. Dinah 

Shore, Perry Como and to Jinx Falkenburg 

McCrary, as well as to "Caesar's Hour," which 

won five of the major honors, including 

trophies to players Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, 

Pat Carroll and Carl Reiner. 

Spectorama at State Fairs 

HOLLYWOOD — LeRoy Prinz, currently 

staging dance numbers at Warner Bros., 

has contracted to produce a Spectorama 

for six state fairs in the midwest this 

summer. Outdoor stage, 200 yards long, will 

represent a street in the old west, with a 

variety of acts being presented. 

Offer $2,500 in Bonds 

For Best Walkerisms 

HOLL"YWOOD—In a contest restricted to 

the press of the nation, $2,500 in savings 

bonds is being offered by director Mel Shavelson 

and producer Jack Rose for outstanding 

anecdotes about New York's ex-mayor 

Jimmy Walker, subject of S-R's biographical 

drama, "Beau James," which is being released 

by Paramount. An open letter announcing 

competition has been dispatched to 

1,500 members of the news corps. 

Walkerisms submitted will be judged by 

George Jessel, who was a close friend of the 

late ex-Mayor. Shavelson and Rose plan to 

weave the Walker tales into a compendium 

to be published in conjunction with the 

summer release of "Beau James." 

Gregory Peck to Produce 

'European Comedy' in '58 

HOLLYWOOD — Producer-actor 

Gregory 

Peck dropped his "Tliieves Market" project 

and replaced it with a film tentatively tagged 

"The European Comedy." It will be produced 

by Sy Bartlett under his and Peck's Melville 

Productions banner for release thi-ough 

United Artists. 

"Comedy," in which Peck plans to star, is 

scheduled for production in various European 

locales during the spring of 1958. 

"Thieves Market," which is now up for 

sale, was abandoned by Peck because after 

studying the final script, he decided it was 

not a suitable toplining vehicle for him. 

To Star in 'Ride Out' 

HOLL"YWOOD—Lloyd Bridges, whose last 

film appearance was in Paramount's "The 

Rainmaker," has been set to star in Byi-na 

Productions' "Ride Out for Revenge" with 

Rory Calhoun, Gloria Grahame and Joanne 

Gilbert. Barney Girard, who will direct from 

writer -producer Norman Retchin's screenplay, 

will launch the United Artists feature 

March 25 at Hal Roach studios. 

To Narrate Trailer 

HOLLYWOOD—Syndicated columnist Earl 

Wilson has been signed by MGM to narrate 

a special trailer for "This Could Be the 

Night." For Gene Kelly's "The Happy Road," 

which MGM is releasing, a trailer will be 

filmed with Bennett Cerf—author, publisher, 

columnist and television personality—doing 

the naiTation. 

Nate W. James Signed 

HOLLYWOOD—John Champion and 

Hall 

Bartlett of the newly formed Bartlett-Champion 

Pictures have retained Nat W. James as 

director of publicity, advertising and exploitation. 

James recently concluded an 18- 

year association with RKO. His first chore 

will be on B-C's "Zero Hour." 

MAKE MINE CHOW MEIN—On their recent tour of the Orient, Mr. and Mrs. 

Albert A. Galston of the Hawaii Theatre, Hollywood, were guests of RKO officials in 

Hong Kong. Shown, left to right, are Eric Kwok, RKO Hong Kong district manager; 

Mrs. Galston, Galston; Mrs. Mary Sickler, wife of RKO Orient division manager; 

Mrs. Kwok. 

Release Anna Kashfi 

HOLLYWOOD—For reasons of health, 

MGM has released Anna Kashfi from her 

starring role opposite Glenn Ford in "Don't 

Go Near the Water." When Gia Scala completes 

her starring role in "Tip on a Dead 

Jockey," she will replace Miss Kashfi as the 

native girl in "Water." 

W-4 

BOXOFFICE 

;: March 23, 1957


Focus • • • ^ 

That's 

right -to 




NEW CENTURY 

CURVED GATE. 

V 

CENTURY curved gates are patterned after the 

'^•-well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The 




focus. The aperture plate was designed as an 





"Marked improvement on edge-foedge 


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King Theotre, Honolulu 





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NEW YORK 19, N. 

DISTRIBUTED 

Southwest Theatre Supply Co. 

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Pembrex Theatre Supp'> 

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187 Golden Gat« Ave, 

San Francisco 2, C'Jiitornio 

BOXOFFICE :: March 23. 1957 

W-5

. . . Mr. 

. . Theatron 

— 

— 

— 

——— 

— 

— — 

... 

. . . Jimmy 

. . Eleanor 

LOS ANGELES 

IJonoring its manager, National Film Service 

is conducting the Harry Novak drive, a 

sales campaign on Walt Disney short subjects. 

Prizes for winners will include four allexpense 

trips to Las Vegas, with accommodations 

at the Thunderbird Hotel, and ten 

tours of Disneyland. 

. 

Judy Poynter's Film Booking Service is 

moving from the Film Exchange building on 

Vermont street to the Sonney building on 

Cordova Corp. has closed the 

Adams, Empii-e and Western theatres 

Hoot Clark, former RKO office 

now a booker for MGM . . . Lillian 

. . . 

manager, is 

Silvers is 

the new secretary at National Film Service. 

. . 

Paramount executive JeiTy Zigmond returned 

from a trip to San Fi-ancisco . . 

. 

Ralph Clark, United Artists district manager, 

is making a tour of the company's exchanges 

Buena Vista district manager Wendell 

. . . 

Bjorkman is back from the Bay City . . . Jess 

Levin, General Theatres, San Francisco was 

down to visit Jack Goldberg of Aladdin Theatres 

and other friends . . . Frank HoUis, 

Alden Theatre, Globe, Ariz., was in to see 

Judy Poynter . Merle Cavanaugh, Edwards 

Theatre circuit, was booking and buying at 

MGM . . . Also booking and buying on Filmrow 

was O. J. Snyder of the River Theatre, 

Oildale. 

Columbia exploitation chief Mike Newman 

is out of the hospital, convalescing at home 

and Mrs. Harry Novak celebrated their 

ninth wedding anniversary. 

the west's largest 

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WRITE fOR SAMPLES-WO.IliSS 

'Mr. Allison' Starts 

With Fine 200 at LA 

LOS ANGELES—Noteworthy is the fact 

that a newcomer to the local fu-st run showcases 

attracted enough business to rate mention 

along with the two long-run, roadshow 

epics that have been dominating the gross 

reports from this community for lo! these 

many weeks—and, for that matter, still occupy 

their top positions in the boxoffice parade. 

Making its bow with a star-studded 

premiere, "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" 

registered a "200 per cent gross in its initial 

week. "Around the World in 80 Days," in 

its 13th stanza, chalked up 385, an increase 

of 30 per cent over the previous week's take. 

"The Ten Commandments" scored 205 in its 

18th canto. 

(Average Is 100) 

Beverly Canon La Strodo (Trons-Lux), 20fh wk. 70 

Carthay Circle Around the World in 80 Days 

(UA), 13th wk 385 

Chinese Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (20th-Fox) 200 

Egyptian, Paramount Downtown Rebel Without 

a Cause (WB); East of Eden (WB), reissues. ... 80 

Fine Arts The Great Man (U-l), 5th wk 100 

Four Star The Lost Continent (Lop); The Red Bolloon 

(Lop), 2nd wk 145 

Fox Wilshire Battle Hymn (L'-l), 4th wk 60 

Hawaii, Orpheum Voodoo Island (UA); Phorooh's 

Curse (UA) 105 

Hollywood, Los Angeles, Loyola, Uptown The 

True Story of Jesse Jomes (20th-Fox); Oasis 

(20th-Fox) 70 

Pontages "The Wings of Eagles (MGM); Hot Summer 

Night (MGM), 4th wk 45 

State—Cormen Jones (20th-Fox), reissue 60 

Vagabond Street of Shame (Doiei-Edward Harrison), 

5th wk 115 

Warners Beverly — The Ten Commandments (Para), 

18th wk 205 

Warners Downtown, Wiltern, New Fox Mister Cory 

(U-l); Four Girls in Town (U-l) 80 

Warners Hollywood Cinerama Holiday (Cinerama), 

70th wk 85 

'Commandments' Holds 

Top Spot at Denver 

DENVER — ''The Ten Commandments" continued 

to lead the town at the Denham, and 

sixth week. "Great Man" at the 

went into its 

Aladdin, also was held. 

Aladdin The Great Man (U-l) 125 

Denham The Ten Commandments (Para) 

5th wk 260 

Denver Oklahoma! (20th-Fox) 100 

Esquire Wee Geordie (Times) 3rd wk. 90 

Orpheum Lizzie (MGM); Hot Summer Night 

(MGM) 90 

Paramount Mister Cory (U-l); Hit and Run (UA) 125 

"Voodoo Island' and 'Pharoah' 

Tie "Commandments' in Frisco 

SAN FRANCISCO—""Voodoo' Island" and 

"Pharoah's Curse," aided by an opening day 

personal appearance of "Vampire, the TV 

ghoul, tied for top honors with the third 

week of "The Ten Commandments" with a 

150 per cent mark. The rest of the first run 

attractions rated below average. 

Fox—The True Story of Jesse Jomes (20th-Fox), 

2nd wk 90 

Golden Gote Kelly and Me (U-l) 85 

Paramount Paris Does Strange Things (WB) . 90 

St. Francis The Ten Commandments (Para), 

3rd wk 150 

United Artists Voodoo Island (UA); Pharoah's 

Curse (UA) 150 

Worf ield The Iron Petticoat (MGM), 2nd wk. . . 90 

Holds Lead in Portland 

"Commandments' Second Week 

PORTLAND — "The Ten Commandments" 

held the lead here with a 350 per cent estimate 

in its second week. 

Broadway Oklahoma! (Magna) 200 

Fox Cinderella (BV), reissue 200 

Guild The Barretts of Wimpole Street (MGM) 

2nd wk 150 

Liberty— Men in War (UA) 180 

Orpheum—The Brave One (RKO) 115 

Poramount—The Ten Commandments (Para), 

2nd wk 350 

SMi FRANCISCO 

n building permit for the construction of 

a new screen at the El Rancho Drive-In 

at Sacramento was issued recently and the 

cost for same was placed at $32,000 . . . 

The Reel Joy Theatre will close April 2, according 

to Alvin "Ike" Hables, owner. The 

theatre has been showing films to King City 

residents 31 years. It was started by Les 

Hables, Ike's father. Ike took over the busines,s 

in 1922 and has operated it since. He 

stated that pictures will be shown until April 

2, the final date of current scheduling. 

. . Deepest 

Apologies to Henry Resch, who has taken 

over as comptroller for General Theatrical, 

on the misspelling of his name. It is Resch, 

not Rush . although genial Heni-y says it's 

. . 

that, too . . . John Cummings. who was 

with RKO in Portland, has returned to his 

native city to go to work with Favorite Film 

office. All his many friends are mighty happy 

to see Johnny back on the Row . 

sympathies to Bill Lanning, salesman at 

Columbia, on the death of his wife. 

A fashion show and premiere is to be held 

at the Coliseum Theatre April 9. Receipts will 

go to the Blind Babies Foundation and the 

City of Hope. It's a wonderful cause, so be 

certain to get your tickets at the Variety 

Club or from any member . . . Now that 

the rainy season is upon us, the dr-y season 

can not be far behind and many drive-ins 

have announced April 1 as their opening date 

for the new season. 

. . . 

Jack Erickson, manager for 20th Century- 

Pox, returned from a Palm Springs vacation 

Chism, booker-buyer at General 

Theatrical, was married recently to his childhood 

sweetheart Byrnes, formerly 

at General Theatrical, is . 

now working 

for the city and enjoying it very much . . . 

Paul Catalana, San Jose's El Rancho Drive- 

In, returned from a vacation trip to Hawaii 

John Coyne. a.ssistant manager, is back 

at MGM and looking fit as a fiddle. Also, 

feeling fine after his recent illness is Jimmy 

Chapman, who is seeing his many friends 

along the Row. 

. . . 

Bob Hazzard retiu-ned from his post at UA's 

Denver office to take over the spot vacated 

by Jack Finley, who was transferred to the 

Los Angeles office . . . Visalia police said 

that a total of $18.09 was taken from three 

purses in the dressing room at the Grand 

Theatre. All gii'ls were employed by the 

theatre Ben Alexander of "Dragnet" 

fame was the honored guest at the armual 

conference of the California State Juvenile 

Officers Ass'n. 

Breaking into all four daihes with nice 

spreads was the delightful story of the man 

who shrinks. The Golden Gate Theatre was 

showing "The Incredible Shrinking Man" 

inside and on the outside they had Clarence 

Willard, an ex-vaudevillian, who fascinated 

customers by actual shrinking from his 

normal 6 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 7 inches. 

And, as one Uttle lady who was caught in 

the rain said, "Well, can't everybody?" 

Frank Pratt, manager of the Roxie Theatre, 

is one of the last of the old school of 

great promotion men, so commented a recent 

article in the Berkeley paper. Frank, so the 

story goes, spent about $70 to have a rainmaking 

machine installed over the Roxie 

marquee. (Actually, it consisted of a hose 


. . Helen 

. . . M. 

When the first dry spell 

and four sprinklers.) 

came along, the machine was turned on. It 

was a big hit with everyone except a woman 

who had been in the theatre. When she 

came out, she saw the rain, turned about 

and re-entered the theatre. She called her 

husband on the public phone and asked 

that he come and pick her up in the car. 

"I don't care if the sun is shining in San 

Leandro. It's a regular flood in downtown 

Oakland!" When the irate husband arrived, 

Frank Pratt had to cool him off with a half 

dozen passes. 

SALT LAKE CITY 

fôrdon Scott, star of "Tarzan and the Lost 

Safari," produced by Sol Lesser, will visit 

Salt Lake City when the picture opens here 

in the next few weeks . Garrity 

Yorke, continuing her field exploitation activities 

for U-I, has been in Salt Lake to work 

on "The Incredible Shrinking Man," scheduled 

to open at the Lyric, Hyland and Redwood 

in April . . . Bill Pi-ass, exploiteer for 

United Artists, was in to work on the latest 

Betty Hutton film. 

Sidney L. Page, former manager for Pox in 

Helena, Mont., and Alliance, Neb., has rejoined 

the company after a leave of absence. 

He has been appointed manager of the 

Academy Theatre at Provo, Utah, replacing 

Larry Jensen, who has requested a leave of 

absence and is returning to Colorado . . . 

Frank H. Smith. Salt Lake manager for 

Paramount, has returned from Denver, where 

he attended a meeting with Phil Isaacs, 

Rocky Mountain division manager, and Neal 

East, Pacific coast division manager. East 

now will have charge of six Paramount offices, 

including the Salt Lake branch. 

With a group of film executives attending, 

"Jet Pilot" was sneaked at the Utah Theatre 

the other evening. The screening was so 

hush-hush, Intermountain didn't even inform 

the papers it was taking place. It was 

supposed to be the last screening for "Jet 

Pilot" before it goes into release . . . Sara 

Anderson, longtime cashier at 20th-Fox, was 

receiving condolences this week on the death 

of ner husband Earl. 

Paramount sneak previewed "Fear Strikes 

Out" for newspaper, radio, television and 

sports figures in Salt Lake ... A battle of 

motion pictures looms on Salt Lake television 

this spring. KUTV, which has had several 

good packages, continues its showing of top 

films; KTVT, which had been spurning 

movies as top program fare, has purchased 

the MGM package and will release the films 

soon with quite a bit of exploitation, and 

KSL-TV, which had been somewhat neutral, 

has purcha.sed a block of 20th-Fox films 

after first announcing It would stick to Boston 

Blackies, Ellery Queens and AAThistler pictures. 

Patsy Award to Wildfire 

HOLLYWOOD—First prize in the annual 

Patsy awards goes to canine star Wildfire 

for his performance in MGM's "It's a dog's 

Life." Presentation of the accolades to animal 

troupers is to be made on Saturday (23), 

at which time Barbara Lang, costar of 

MGM's "House of Numbers," will accept the 

honor on behalf of Wildfire. 

Charles Maestri President 

Of Entertainment Guild 

SAN FRANCISCO—The new officers for 

the Entertainment Industry of Northern 

California Guild are Charles J. Maestri, 

president, Lippert Theatres: James Donahue, 

vice-president. Consolidated Amusement Co.; 

Joseph Flanagan, secretary, 20th Century- 

Fox: Kay Hackett, recording secretai'y, MGM; 

Paul Schmuch, trea-surer. 20th Century-Fox 

with Msgr. Vincent F. McCarthy, of St. Patrick's 

Church, chaplain. 

President Mae.stri announced that the 

fourth annual communion mass for Catholic 

men and women and their families will be 

held at St. Patrick's Church, 756 Mission 

St., Sunday morning (24). 

Following the mass, a breakfast will be 

held at the Whitcomb Hotel starting at 

10:15 a. m. The guest speaker will be Dion 

Holm, city attorney. 

Louis Leitholds Buy Stock 

In Tucson Park Theatre 

TUCSON—Mr. and Mrs. Louis Leithold 

of Phoenix, owners of the Kiva Theatre In 

Scottsdale, Ariz., have purchased stock in 

the Park Theatre, 1030 N. Park Ave. 

William I. Dumes, who sold the theatre, 

said he planned to re-enter the advertising 

and promotion field. The theatre, which is 

currently being redecorated, seats 283 per- 

.sons. 

Howard Koch to 

'Bop Girl' 

HOLLYWOOD—Producer-director Howard 

W. Koch will personally pilot Bel-Air Pi-oductions' 

"Bop Girl Goes Calypso." which begins 

filming March 19 for release through 

United Artists. At the same time, Judy 

Tyler, currently headlining the show at the 

Balmoral Hotel, Miami, Fla., has been signed 

for the title role. It will be her film debut. 

U-I Inks Richard Wilson 

HOLLYWOOD—Rlchai-d Wilson has been 

inked by U-I to direct the forthcoming Esther 

Williams staiTer, tentatively titled "The Islander." 

He and his wife Elizabeth are currently 

writing the screenplay based on an 

original story by Dan Lundberg and Mrs. 

Wilson. Feature will be produced by William 

Alland. 

Vandals Steal Letters 

WOODLAND, CALIF.—Bernard Skelchock, 

manager of the Sun.set Drive-In south of 

here, reported to the sheriff's office that 

vandals took dowTi the 24-inch high letters 

from the marquee. The sign announced the 

theatre was closed for the winter. 

Frank Skinner to 

Score "Man' 

HOLLYWOOD—Frank Skinner has been 

assigned to compose an original musical 

score for U-I's James Cagney starrer, "Man 

of a Thousand Faces," life story of the late 

Lon Chaney. 

20th-Fox Buys "Day of Outlaw' 

HOLLYWOOD — Twentieth Century-Fox 

has purchased a new novel. "The Day of the 

Outlaw," western by Lee E. Wells, and has 

assigned Eugene Frenke as producer. 

PORTLAND 

jyjrs. J. J. Parker, president of Pai'kc.' 

tres in Oregon, told the press here :i.'.turday 

that she had signed for Michael Todd's 

"Around the World in 80 Days" for a mid- 

April opening. The announcement, she said, 

makes the Rose City the 11th city in the 

United States to have the hit picture. 

Thomas Wal.sh, Parker executive, said Portland 

would open day and date with the Blue 

Mouse Theatre in Seattle. Mis. Paiker said 

she saw the pictiu-e in San Piancisco soon 

after it opened. She told the press the picture 

was the finest she has ever seen. "Oklahoma!" 

now in a fifth month at tlie Parker 

Broadway downtow'n, ends its run March 28. 

Set to follow is U-I's "The Tattered Dress." 

Jack Matlack, theatreman, will handle 

"Around the World in 80 Days" exploitation 

in this area. He also handles U-I and RKO 

promotion, in addition to other promotional 

accoimts. His latest venture was the hi-fidelity 

show, Portland's first, held la.st week in 

the Washington Hotel with each manufacturer 

of equipment alloted a private room. 

The show drew more than 12,0(X) fans and 

will be staged again during 1957 . . Earl 

. 

Keate, United Ai-tists exploiteer. was in town 

working on "Tlie Pi-ide and the Passion" 

promotion. Among details were arrangements 

fer a press, radio and TV conference 

in 

April. 

James Fuscaldo, Columbia records manager, 

a former Portland resident, went to 

tlie Paramount here to see "The Ten Commandments." 

It seems that during his absence 

from the city he has grown a beard. 

When confronted by fi-iends in the outer 

lobby after the four-hour performance, they 

remarked about the hirsute adornment. "It 

was a very long picture!" was his comment 

M. Mesher and Dick Newton of the 

Paramount welcomed a 100-year-old woman 

who returned a second time in a week to see 

the Cecil B. DeMllle picture. She was Mrs. 

Malvlna Franklin, who said she hadn't been 

inside a theatre in 35 years. She said she 

didn't hear all of the dialog the first time, 

so she returned again to see, in her own 

words: "The glorious story of Moses." She 

is a member of the First Assembly of God 

Church and she cried during the Red Sea 

scene. Mrs. FYanklin is a Port Vancouver 

pioneer and will be 101 in August. 

rriLMACK 

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BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957 W-7

. . Floyd 

. . 

. . Speaking 

DENVER 

The Kocky Mountain News ran a contest 

tied in witli tiie Oscar awards. Contestants 

were asked to name what they 

thought would be the winners. First prize is 

$200 and other prizes were theatre ijasses. 

ranging from a year's pass to passes for two 

at Denver theatres ... A holdup man took 

$56 from the cashier at the Santa Fe, but 

was caught with the money and a cap pistol 

two blocks away minutes later. 

Phil Isaacs, who had been division manager 

of Paramount's Rocky mountain division, 

has been transferred to New York 

as assistant sales manager of the eastern 

division. The Rocky mountain division has 

been abolished and Denver is now pai-t of 

the western division. Neal East, western 

division manager, was in making the change, 

and conferring with Jim Ricketts, manager 

here, and Frank Smith, Salt Lake City manager. 

E. E. Jameson, owner of the Denver Shipping 

Inspection bureau, was in from his 

Kansas City headquarters conferring with 

Pi-ank Norris, manager ... A law introduced 

in the New Mexico legislature calling for 

the banning of all films with a Legion of 

. . . 

. . 

Decency Class C rating failed dismally 

Wolfberg Theatres have opened the remainder 

of their drive-ins on a weekend 

basis for two weeks and then will operate 

them fulltime. The Centennial also was 

opened on the same basis . Gene Gerbase, 

Republic manager, went to Salt Lake City to 

confer with the salesman there. Jack Haigh. 

Gibralter Enterprises has sold the Sierra 

Drive-In, Socorro, N. M., to Lester Dollison, 

who now has six theatres in New Mexico . 

Leonard Steele, owner of the Vida. Spearfish, 

and Wally O'Neil, owner of the Hills 

Drive-In there, are each building new homes 

in Spearfish . Brethour, booker at 

MOM, had resigned to enter the sales department 

at Western Alliance Corp., wholesalers. 

Frank Jenkins, MGM publicity man here 

the past four years, has quit and has accepted 

a special assignment for "The Ten 

Commandments" in the Pacific Northwest 

. . . Howard Herty, MGM division press 

representative, 

folk seen 

was in recently . . . Theatre 

on Filmrow included Sam Rosenthal 

and son Jack, Buffalo, Wyo.: Wally 

O'Neil, Spearfish. S. D.; Robert Smith, 

Steamboat Springs; Dan Cornwall, Glenwood 

Springs; Bud Lovell. Newcastle, Wyo., and 

Kenneth "Ace" Chism, Idaho Springs, Colo. 

Add Greenfield Theatre 

SOLEDAD, CALIF.—Mr. and Mi's. Roy 

Martinez, who have operated the Rio Theatre 

here for five years, have moved to 

Greenfield and reopened the Greenfield Theatre 

which they purchased from Verne and 

Doris Stebbins of Monterey. The Greenfield 

seats 400. Martinez continues operation 

of the Rio. 

Maya Angelou in 'Heat Wave' 

HOLLYWOOD—Maya Angelou, known as 

"Miss Calypso," has been signed by Sam 

Katzman for a singing-acting role in his 

Columbia musical, "Calypso Heat Wave." 

Roger Edens Enterprises 

To Be Active Next Oct. 

HOLLYWOOD—Established some months 

ago, Roger Edens Enterprises will become 

active following the expiration of Roger 

Eden's current contract with MGM in 

October. 

Edens, who recently made "Funny Face" 

on loanout to Paramount, will function in all 

three media—television, motion pictures and 

legitimate theatre—with offices both in 

Hollywood and New York. Prior to the 

activation of his new company, Edens will 

produce for MGM a musical localed in Japan. 

Fall Release Is Planned 

For 'Raintree County' 

HOLLYWOOD—Although it 

was necessary 

during the last week to shoot additional 

scenes and retakes, MGM's "Raintree County" 

is still being readied for release this fall. 

Following sneak previews which brought 

enthusiastic audience reaction, MGM executives 

have decided to launch the film with 

special engagements and an all out national 

advertising and exploitation campaign. 

Joseph Lamneck Heads 

WB TV Special Films 

HOLLYWOOD—Joseph D. Lamneck has 

been named general manager of Warner 

Bros, television commercial and industrial 

film department. He will make his headquarters 

in the Warner home office in New 

York City. A second Warner Bros Television 

and industrial film department office was 

opened recently in Chicago, under the supervision 

of Burton A. Neuburger. 

Missoula Fox Spruced Up 

MISSOULA. MONT.—A $35,000 modernization 

job has been completed at the Pox 

Theatre, and Manager Conrad Shelhamer 

reports everything is spick and span in every 

nook and corner. The project involved painting, 

decorating, touching up. new draperies, 

seat upholstering, air conditioning, new 

lighting, soundproof vending machine alcove, 

new projector lenses and new carpeting. The 

latter cost $14,000. 

New Theatre Going Up 

LOS ANGELES—Construction has been 

started on a $200,000 theatre in the 9600 

block on Garden Grove boulevard just west 

of Garden Square. W. L. Farrow & Sons expects 

to have the project completed in April. 

The Vinnicoff circuit will operate the house. 

Tony Randall Bags Lead 

HOLLYWOOD—Tony Randall has been 

inked for the starring lead opposite Jayne 

Mansfield in 20-Fox's "Will Success Spoil 

Rock Hunter?" 

Scoring 

WB 'Bombers B-52' 

HOLLYWOOD—Leonard Rosenman has 

been assigned by Ray Heindorf, head of 

Warner Bros, music department, to do the 

musical score for "Bombers B-52," which 

Gordon Douglas directed and Richard Whorf 

produced. 

SEATTLE 

llpril 10 marks the opening of the new 

Cinerama attraction here at the Paramount. 

It will be "Cinerama Holiday," and 

the proceeds will go to charity—half to the 

Children's Orthopedic Hospital. 25 per cent 

to the Luther Burbank School and 25 per 

cent to the Greenhill School at Chehalis 

for much-needed athletic equipment. The 

Seattle police department is handling the 

sale of tickets to the premiere. Police are 

doing it on their own time and they turned 

down a chance to have their own welfare 

fund share in the proceeds. 

Swain Madsen, former head booker at 

RKO, has been named Universal office manager 

to succeed Mike Daniel, who went to 

Portland to head Decca records. Madsen is 

a veteran in the film business, having been 

associated with 20th-Fox and Republic, as 

well as RKO . . . Frank Jenkins, Paramount 

publicist, was in town working on "The Ten 

Commandments" . of this 

magnificient film which is doing such tremendous 

business at the Fifth Avenue, a 

special "early shopper's matinee" was held 

Wednesday morning (20) for those who were 

not able to attend the regular 2 p. m. matinee 

pei'formances. It started at 9:30 a. m. at the 

same $1.50 unreserved seat price. 

. . . 

Filmrow visitors included Harry Wall, 

Lewiston Gary Carey, 20th-Fox cashier, 

gave Inese Lardner, bookkeeper, a baby 

shower. 

Albert Cohen to Jaguar 

As Executive Producer 

HOLLYWOOD — Albert J. Cohen has 

checked into the Jaguar Productions offices 

at Warner Bros, to begin as executive producer 

with the company. 

First project to be activated by Cohen will 

be development of "Guns of the Timberland," 

a novel by Louis L'Amour. 

Peter Lorre to Cast 

HOLLYWOOD — Peter Lorre has been 

added to the cast of Paramount's "Sad Sack" 

with Jerry Lewis, David Wayne and Phyllis 

Kirk. 

New Astaire Opus on Slate 

HOLLYWOOD—Fred Astaire has been set 

to star in 20th-Fox's "The Dancing Master," 

an original story written by David Brown 

and Arthur Ki-amer, which property is slated 

for 1958 production. 

Sign Former Mr. America 

HOLLYWOOD—In 20th-Fox's "Will Success 

Spoil Rock Hunter?" a featured role 

has been handed to Mickey Hargitay, a 

former Mr. America. 

Howard Brooke at Paradise 

PARADISE, CALIF.—Howard Brooke has 

succeeded Elmer Tilton as manager of the 

El Rey Theatre. 

Publicists Nominations Monday 

HOLLYWOOD—Nomination of officers for 

the Publicists Ass'n will take place on Monday 

(251 at a membership meeting. 

W-8 


Heavy Loop Voting 

In Awards Contest 

CHICAGO — Approximately 91.000 ballots 

per week have resulted from the Chicaf;o 

Sun-Times sponsorship of COMPOs Academy 

Awards Sweepstakes contest plan since the 

paper opened the contest March 3. Ballots 

were to be available in each daily issue of 

the Times and in theatre lobbies until the 

deadline Sunday (24). 

Nearly all Chicago area theatres are 

participating and distributing special entry 

ballots, similar to ballots published daily 

in the Sun-Times contest. Meanwhile, the 

paper was devoting heavy space to a daily 

running story, ballot, rules and pictures. 

Total number of Oscars for which each 

film has been nominated to date are: "Giant." 

10; "The King and I," 9; "Around the World 

in 80 Days," 8: "The Ten Commandments," 

7, and "Friendly Pei-suasion," 6. 

Rhoden Jr. 

to Start Work 

On New Picture April 15 

KANSAS CITY—Shooting will start here 

on Imperial Productions' next picture April 

15, according to Elmer Rhoden jr., president. 

Tentatively titled "The Big Smoke." the second 

locally produced opus of the new independent 

will be directed by William Witney, 

who was 20 years with the Republic studio 

and recently directed the "Frontier Doctor" 

television series. Some of his recent pictures 

are "Stranger at My Door." "The Outcast." 

and "Santa Fe Passage." 

Richard Bakalyan, who was in the last production, 

"The Delinquents," released by 

United Ai'tists, and who played with Jerry 

Lewis in "The I>elicate Delinquent," has been 

signed for a role in "The Big Smoke." Other 

members of the cast will be announced soon. 

The script for "The Big Smoke" was 

written by Dick Sarafian, who was with the 

Calvin Co. for 18 months and whose "Tornado" 

for the United States weather bureau 

prize won a prize for the best public service 

documentary. His "The Eighth Sea," a 28'i 

minute documentary on the St. Lawrence 

Seaway, is being shown at Cleveland. 

BOWLING 

KANSAS CITY—Filmrow's Bowling League 

teams registered these standings after the 

games Friday night (15): 

MEN'S

. . Lewella 

. . 

. . Roy 

KANSAS CITY 

r)orothy O'Connor, former secretary to Kansas-Missouri 

Allied Theatre Owners, is 

now with Junior Achievement. She still does 

parttime work for Allied. Beverly Miller, 

president of Allied ITO, said the Filmrow reports 

of Allied's demise are like the ones of 

Mark Twain's death—greatly exaggerated. In 

fact, as Fred Harpst confirmed, the office is 

continuing as before except on a somewhat 

restricted basis. Like the exchanges, expenses 

are being reduced in keeping with the general 

industry picture. 

Universal took over the physical handling 

of the RKO film from Central Shipping 

Thiu-sday (14). Central Shipping has handled 

inspection and shipping of RKO product 

since last November, but Universal has 

its own facilities for this operation, so will 

carry on with it as well as the booking . . . 

Mrs. T. H. Slothower of Wichita returned 

from Arizona for a two-week stay after which 

she is scheduled to return to the sunny climate 

for a time . Chaney, former 

switchboard operator at 20th-Fox, fell victim 

to the newly installed telephone system which 

did away with a switchboard. 

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PERFORMANCE PROOF 


"Marked improvement on edge-toedge 



were tested with 

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Most noticeable on newsreels. 

King Theatre, Honolulu 


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Movie Supply Company 

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Chicago 5, Illinois 

Shreve Theatre Supply Co 

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Kansas City 8, Mo. 

BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957 C-3

. . Hugh 

. . Tommy 

ST. 

LOUIS 

Tames Stewart, screen star, will speak at a 

Scout Appreciation dinner to be given 

in the Arena April 6 under the auspices of 

the St. Louis Boy Scout Council. Stewart is 

a member of the executive board of the Los 

Angeles area council . . . Russell Armentrout, 

Louisiana, Mo., owner of the Clark Drivein, 

near Pittsfield, 111., is changing from 

bottle sales to drink dispensers. Stu Tomber, 

Rio Syi'up Co., St. Louis, in installing two 

Multiplex dispensers. The drive-in will open 

Creditors of the defunct Mc- 

March 28 . . . 

Carthy Theatre Supply Co. were to meet 

Thursday. 

Reportedly 20 policemen will be detailed 

to accompany Elvis Presley and his sideburns 

when he comes to town March 29 for an en- 

A.A. THEATRE CONCESSION 

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/ 

gagement at the Kiel Auditorium. Elvis is 

bringing his own company for the show, including 

the Jordanaires. 

Confection Cabinet Corp. has moved its 

warehouse and offices to 1828 Locust St. 

from 2921 Locust . Nesbitt, Universal 

salesman, and wife went to Hot Springs 

on a vacation. He resumes his duties on 

April 1—no fooling . . . Harold Lundquist, 

assistant district manager for 20th-Fox, was 

here from Minneapolis . Thompson, 

Kansas City-St. Louis manager for 

Buena Vista, spent the week in this territory. 

. . . 

Exhibitors seen along Filmrow included 

Louis Odorizzi, Mount Olive and Stanton, 

111.; Bill Collins, DeSoto, Mo.; L. J. Williams, 

Union, Mo.; Clyde Nihiser, Swanton, Ohio, 

who has taken over the Starlight Drive-In, 

Paducah, Ky., and Joe Goldfarb, Alton 

Cliff Mantle has resigned from the 20th-Fox 

sales staff. He may re-enter independent 

distribution ...CD. Hill, Columbia, was in 

Detroit for a district sales meeting presided 

over by Carl Shalit, district sales manager. 

Lou Ratz of the defunct RKO staff now is 

a salesman for Office Machines, Inc.; Wilbert 

Jenkins is with McDonnell Aircraft 

Corp., while Jim Davis has resumed booking 

and buying for the Sunset Drive-In, Paducah 

Carl Lowery, who has been managing 

. . . the Globe in Christopher, 111., for Fox 

Midwest, has been transferred to Brookfield, 

Mo., as manager of the DeGraw. Glenn 

Boner, who had been traveling an Illinois 

territory for A. V. Cauger Service, took over 

Eileen Niner, with Paramount 

at the Globe . . . 

for the past four years, is the new 

biller at Columbia. Dale Rennels, manager 

in Charleston, 111., for Frisina's Will Rogers 

Theatre and Charleston Drive-In reported 

for Army duty. Gerald F. Baker, manager at 

Mattoon, m., will supervise operations in 

Charleston until a new manager is selected. 

MID-WEST THEATRE SUPPLY CO., INC. 

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Appellate Court Judges 

'Miracle' Not Obscene 

CHICAGO—"The Miracle," a Roberto Rossellini 

film, "is not obscene," according to a 

ruling by the Illinois appellate court. The 

ruling reversed Circuit Judge Tuohy, who 

held that the film "violated Chicago's police 

censorship regulation." 

The new decision was hailed "as a further 

indication of the absurdity" of the censorship 

ordinance by the American Civil Liberties 

Union, which made the successful appeal. 

A previous move to declare the censorship 

unconstitutional failed and the Illinois 

supreme court ordered hearings held on 

the question of the alleged obscenity of the 

film. Another test of the censorship ordinance 

is under way involving the film, "The 

Game of Love." 

The battle to show "The Miracle." which 

stars Anna Magnani, began in 1952. Police 

Commissioner O'Connor testified at one point 

that he agreed with the censors that the film 

was obscene. 

Kenneth Douty, director of the Civil Liberties 

group, said it would apply for a license 

to show the film shortly. 

Kansas Censor Position 

To Mrs. James Lysaught 

KANSAS CITY, KAS.—Mrs. James Lysaught 

of 1030 Greeley was appointed to the 

Kansas Censor Board March 1 by Governor 

Docking. She replaces Mrs. Louise Rahner 

whose three-year term had expired. Mrs. 

Lysaught's appointment is also for three 

years. 

The new member of the board is president 

of the Cosmo Pal Club and has been active 

in PTA work in both parochial and public 

schools. She is a Catholic, has three children 

and is the wife of a lawyer who is associated 

with the firm of VanCleave & Phillips. Van- 

Cleave is a member of the Kansas legislature 

and both Mr. and Mrs. Lysaught are Democratic 

precinct captains. 

To Reopen at Sedan, Kas. 

SEDAN, KAS.—Mrs. Bernice Gregg is reopening 

the Chief Theatre, which has been 

closed several months. 

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"Everything for the Theatre" 

C-4 BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957

( applying 

Schedules Adapted 

To Patron Work Time 

MIAMI—Believing that there may be large 

groups of people in this area whose working 

and sleeping hours, due to such industries as 

airlines, for example, vary from those of the 

general siiowgoing public. Wometco decided 

some months ago to study this situation, with 

an eye to revamping showtimes where change 

was indicated. 

Three separate areas of greater Miami were 

studied during several months to determine 

just how well the usual 7 and 9 p.m. showtimes 

fitted in with family schedules in the 

majority of homes which the various neighborhood 

theatres served. This required a 

rather thorough survey of the habits of the 

public in the selected areas. 

In the southwest section, it was found that 

a large proportion of the residents made a 

habit of going to bed early because of their 

working hoiu's, which were earlier than 9 to 

5. Adjustment was accordingly made at the 

Parkway, changing feature showtimes to 

about 6:30 and 8:30. 

In South Miami, where the Sun.set Art Theatre 

shows the type film also shown at the 

Mayfair Art near the center of town, an almost 

identical situation was found. However, 

not only was this true of much of the South 

Miami adult population, but affected students 

of the nearby University of Miami as 

well. The earlier showtime schedule was 

also greatly favored in this locality. 

On the other hand, working habits of 

people in the Hialeah area posed an entirely 

different need. This area is adjacent to the 

airports, and since employment goes on 

around the clock, it wa-s found that many 

persons could not go to shows at all unless 

they could go either before going on duty or 

after coming off. Thus the Essex Theatre 

has adopted a week-day starting time of 11:30 

a.m. 

Results at these theatres are being watched 

very carefully, and if such flexible tim'j 

schedules work out to the advantage of patrons, 

then the circuit plans to make changes 

elsewhere if further study suggests them. It 

seems logical that such time changes should 

have advantages both ways—in accommodation 

to the public and in goodwill and boxoffice 

stimulation so far as the theatre is 

concerned. It seems, all in all. a realistic approach 

to a problem shared both ways. 

Certain time adjustments may be necessary 

when certain programs vary too much in 

length. The showtimes stated above are 

therefore approximate, and patrons of the 

various theatres are being advised to consult 

the published schedules in the daily newspapers. 

Springfield, Tenn., Voters 

Okay Sunday Showings 

SPRINGFIELD, TENN.—By a count Of 

827-363. Springfield citizens voted in a referendum 

election here for Sunday film shows. 

Some pastors of the city and county used 

newspaper and radio advertising, as well as 

sermons, to oppose the Sabbath shows. 

The management of Springfield's only theatre 

maintained that he was losing money 

and would have to close unless permitted to 

show on Sunday. 

Improving Theatres of Tomorrow' 

Theme for Wometco Managers 

Photographed at the rcitnt WonietLo nianaKtrs moeliii!; in Miami are, hil to 

right: Harry Gabriel, manager, Parkway; Krag Collins, manager. Center; Phil Donn, 

manager. Tower; Walter Klements, manager, Mayfair Art; Jacit Winters, manager, 

Sunset Art, chairman of the meeting; Travers Hight, relief manager; Bob Baker, 

manager, Strand, and Flynn Stubblefield, assistant district manager. With the group, 

but outside of camera ranger were Bob Green, personnel director and Harvey Fleischman, 

general manager. 

MIAMI—"The Theatre of Tomorrow" was 

the theme o£ the latest Wometco managers 

meeting—a meeting that produced 76 ideas 

for improving theatres. Two of these were 

considered so outstandingly good that the 

circuit plans to put them into effect at once. 

All ideas came spontaneously from the meeting 

and no preliminary brain-cudgeling had 

been done. Besides the managers, there were 

two top executives present: Harvey Fleischman, 

district manager, and Bob Green, personnel 

director. 

Jack Winters, Sunset Art Theatre manager, 

was chairman of the meeting, which was one 

of the regular twice-monthly sessions with 

rotating chairmanships. Winters planned 

this as an "electronic meeting, a real brainstorming 

session." Results siu'prised him and 

everyone concerned. 

The meeting was in three segments, with 

members sitting at a table, all conversation 

being conveyed via microphone to a tape recorder 

in the next room and transcribed by 

a secretary. 

Not today's theatre attendance, but what 

to do about attendance in tomorrow's theatre 

was the subject con.sidered. The meeting, 

said Winters, was aimed at an effort to determine 

the reasons why people don't go to 

theatres, how to overcome these reasons, and 

what a Wometco theatre of future times 

would be like, having overcome the objections. 

The first segment pwsed the question: For 

what reasons do people stay away from the 

theatres? Main reasons given were no baby 

sitter; product not appealing; double features 

which have awkward starting times; 

cheap)er entertainment elsewhere, such as 

home television; insufficient exploitation of 

pictures so that people simply aren't aware 

of what's going on at the theatres; no convenient 

way to get to the theatre; no convenient 

parking when they do come; armoyance 

to adults on weekends when students and 

children are permitted to form an unruly 

audience; feature starting times not fitting 

in with most people's home schedules; unattractive 

appearance of the theatre, drab and 

unexciting looking; smoking permitted, or 

not permitted, with objections both ways; 

too lengthy shows; too high admission price 

mostly downtown) ; uncomfortable 

theatres (poor temperature control, seats too 

close for a long-legged person, etc.) ; poor 

sound and projection equipment. 

While the secretary was transcribing tills 

segment of the meeting and prepai'ing carbons 

so that all might have a copy to study, 

the second segment was concerned with getting 

entirely away from the business at hand, 

completely washing the mind of .show business. 

The idea of this was to be able to return 

to the final phase, the solution of the 

problem, with a fresh and spontaneous approach. 

The subject Winters chose for this 

"brain exercise" was: How many ways can 

you think of to improve the glove compartment 

of an automobile? Incidentally, members 

came up with some 13 ways to use the 

glove compartment to better advantage! 

The third segment of the meeting began 

with a study of the carbons with which each 

member was supplied. How, asked the chairman, 

would the theatre of tomorrow cope 

with the objections outlined? 

Ideas poured forth—some 76 in all. The 

think-machines of everyone present seemed 

to have been primed by the format of the 

session. Four typewritten pages of practical 

solutions were the result. 

Perhaps the best result of all was the concentration 

and enthusiasm that was generated. 

Everyone, says Winters, became so engrossed 

in interest that the meeting only 

broke up when one of the managers suddenly 

woke up to the fact it was almo.st time to 

open his theatre, and the general scramble 

back to "today's" theatre ensued. 

The circuit, apparently happy with this 

positive approach to forward planning by its 

managers, has plans for future meetings along 

these same lines. 

Improve Strand Projectors 

KEY WEST. FLA.—New Century curved 

gates have been added to the film projectors 

at the Strand Theatre. 

"The Last Angry Man," Columbia film, is 

the story of a self-sacrificing doctor working 

in Brooklyn slums. 

BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957 SE-1

. . . H. 

. . Joe 

— 

MEMPHIS 

H picture, "The Bandits of Natchez Trace," 

will be filmed in part at Natural Bridge 

at Waynesboro, according to Mr. and Mrs. 

Charles Demarchi. who own Natural Bridge. 

The film will be produced by Lloyd Royal 

for Top Rctures and released through U-I. 

Gov. J. P. Coleman of Mississippi has agreed 

to play a small part in the film. 

Neal Starks. owner, will reopen the Tri- 

City Drive-In at Lynnville, Ky., March 29 

E. Wheatley, owner, opened the Wheatley 

Drive-In at Hot Springs for the season. 

The Sunset Drive-In, Calvert City, Ky., also 

has been opened for the season . . . Louis C. 

Ingram, MGM manager, staged a screening 

of "Designing Woman," at Loew's State Theatre 

March 18. 

Savannah and Selmer theatregoers will 

soon be moving into the outdoors. R. B. 

Gooch sr., owner announced he will close 

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the Savannah Theatre April 10 and open 

Skyvue Drive-In at Savannah April 11. R. B. 

Gooch jr., will close the Ritz at Selmer on 

April 17 and will open Sunset Drive-In at 

Selmer April 18. Patrons need not miss a 

single night, the Goochs point out. The driveins 

open the next day in both cases. 

Mrs. J. C. Noble, Temple, Leland, and Leon 

Rountree, Holly at Holly Springs, were in 

Pi-om Ai'kansas 

town from Mississippi . . . 

came Adrian White, Imperial, Pocahontas; 

Roy Cochran, Juroy and Scenic Drive-In. 

North Little Rock; Orris Collins, Capitol, 

Paragould; Mi', and Mrs. John Staples, Carolyn, 

Piggott; Victor Webber, Center, Kensett; 

Lloyd Hutchins, Maxie, Ti'umann; Alvin 

Tipton, Tipton theatres at Caraway, Manila 

and Monette, and Walter Lee, Gem at Holly 

Grove and Rice at Des Arc. 

. . 

H. G. Walden, Bay, Red Bay, Ala., was in 

town . Lyle Richmond, Richmond, Senath, 

Mrs. Catherine Smoth- 

Mo., was a visitor . . . 

ers, Dixie, Camden; Louise Mask, Luez, Bolivar; 

Amelia Ellis, Ellis Drive-In, Millington, 

and Guy Amis, Princess, Lexington, were in 

town from Tennessee . Pasternak, producer 

of film musicals, is scheduled here in 

the interest of his new film, "Ten Thousand 

Bedrooms," which opened March 21 at Loew's 

State Theatre. 

Rebuild at Moultrie, Ga. 

MOULTRIE, GA.—Reconstruction of the 

Colquitt Theatre, gutted by fire in March 

1956, has been stai-ted. The loss was estimated 

at more than $200,000. C. H. Powell, 

president of Moultrie Theatres, said the reconstruction 

will be completely fireproof. 

Wind Destroys Twin Screen 

PENSACOLA, FLA.—A brief but violent 

windstorm with all the characteristics of a 

tornado swept over the Twinair Drive-In 

and destroyed one screen. 

lEMASCOP^ 

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everything 

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Bible Epic Reaping 

Big Memphis Harvest 

MEMPHIS—For the third straight week 

Paramount's film, "The Ten Commandments" 

commanded first spot in the attendance race. 

The first twô weeks Strand Theatre did six 

times average with "The Ten Commandments" 

and during the third week did five 

times average business. It was now in its 

fourth week. 


Maico—Top Secret Affair (WB), 2nd wk 85 

Palace— Istanbul (U-I) 100 

State—The Quiet Man (20th-Fox) 1 00 

Strand—The Ten Commandments (Para), 3rd wk. 500 

Warner The Incredible Shrinking Man (U-I).... 125 

NEW ORLEANS 

H testimonial dinner was given at the Variety 

Club for Cy Bridges, who retired 

after 30 years with MGM, Monday night (11). 

Jimmy Bryant, one of the speakers, presented 

Bridges a Portable Television Set. 

Fred Cassibrey. city councilman, presented 

Bridges a key to the city. Abe Berenson of 

Allied Theatre Owners was master of ceremonies. 

Telegi'ams from friends who were 

unable to attend and also from Loew's, Inc., 

executives were read by George Nungesser 

and Tom Neely sr. 

In booking and around Filmrow were M. A. 

Connett, Connett Theatres, Newton, Miss.; 

Phil Salles, Star Theatre and Park Drive-In, 

Covington; Ed Jenner. dr-ive-in operator at 

Laurel, Miss.; WiUiam Shiell, Marrero Drive- 

In; Prank Olah, Star at Albany; C. H. Crossley, 

Ritz and Royal theatres. Laurel, Miss.; 

Prank deGraauw of the drive-in theatres at 

Abbeville; Bernie and A. J. Rosenthal, Joy 

Theatre, Alexandria, and Midway Drive-In 

at Opelousas. 

"The Ten Commandments" was in its 

seventh week at the Saenger and "Ai-ound 

the World in 80 Days" was in its eighth week 

at the Panorama . . . Paramount hosted a redcarpet 

screening Friday night (15) of "The 

Rainmaker" at the Orpheum. 

Beach Drive-In, Biloxi, Miss. 

To Solomon Theatres 

BILOXI, MISS.—The Beach Drive-In has 

been leased from E. V. Landiache by Solomon 

Theatres of McComb, Miss., which also 

operates three drive-ins in Pensacola, one in 

Mobile, four' in Baton Rouge, four in Jackson 

and theatres in several other cities. 

Teddy Solomon has transferred Charles 

Levy, who has been manager of the Beach, 

to manager of the Wren Drive-In in Mc- 

Comb. Levy formerly owned the Bay View 

Theatre here. John Kenlo of Alexandria, La., 

will manage the Beach. Berlo Vending Co. 

of Philadelphia will operate the concession 

stand at the Beach, as it does at all Solomon 

theatres. 

Lower License Fees 

BARTOW, FLA.—Theatre license fees have 

been reduced by a 4-1 vote of the city commissioners. 

From a flat $75 a year they have 

been lowered to $25 for theatres which operate

is 

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— 

ATLANTA 

The board members and committee chairmen 

of the local WOMPI were entertained 

by President Jackie Cowart at her 

home in Ben Hill Saturday (16). Following 

luncheon, a board session was held. Attend- 

1if with minimum 

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chances are — they are 

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ûtemationofSEAT division of 

UNION CITY BODY CO., INC. 

Union City, Indiana 

ing were Mrs. Frankie English, Mrs. Allene 

Robbins, Mrs. Juanita Elwell, Mrs. Ernestine 

Carter, Martha Hall. Mrs. Ray Collins, Marcelle 

Davis. Alma Binford and Mrs. Bernice 

Hinton. Mrs. Lynda Burnett was appointed 

chau-man of the nominating committee. Mrs. 

Mary Bridges and Mi's. Pat Brown were selected 

as members. Mrs. Cowart who has been 

recuperating at her home following surgery, 

expects to return to her desk in two weeks. 

She is secretary to Johnnie Harrell, Martin 

circuit. 

The Jackson Drive-In, Graceville, Fla., has 

been renamed the Spears and taken back by 

owner Ed Spears. He was on the Row buying 

and booking, accompanied by Roy Butler of 

the Jones, Graceville . . . C. S. Simpson, Capitol 

Releasing executive, returned from a business 

trip to Jacksonville. Ike Katz also spent 

a week at the Jacksonville office of Kay 

Film , . . A. C. Gortatowsky of the Albany, 

State and Liberty, Albany, spent several days 

here visiting with his sister, a patient at 

Emory Hospital. Edythe Bryant, National 

Screen booker, was also at Emory Hospital 

lor observation. 

. . Paramount 

Mrs. Lois Cone of the local Martin office 

and her husband Mack spent a weekend in 

.south Georgia on a fishing trip . . . Sadie 

Vinson, U-I receptionist, and Lynda Burnett, 

UA booker, have been absent from their desks, 

recuperating from mumps . 

publicists Leonard Allen was in Florida and 

Harvey Smith in the Charlotte territory, 

beating the drums for "The Ten Commandments." 

Special ticket representative Owen 

Vaughan returned from Savannah and Macon. 

E.xhibitors Service Co. took over buying and 

booking for the Ashway Drive-In, Greeneville, 

Tenn., according to Bill Kelly. This 

situation is owned and operated by E. L. 

Wilson, who also operates the Drive-In, 

Sevierville, Tenn, . new booker at 

Exhibitors Service is T. C. Cox, former RKO 

salesman . weight-lifting king, 

Paul Anderson, is mulling film offers, he said. 

Most of them came before he turned professional 

and he couldn't accept them, but 

now he is open to offers and expects to do 

some work in motion pictures. 

O. A. Roaden of the Hiland Drive-In, 

Rogersville, the Home and Home Drive-In, 

Knoxville, has taken over the Nite Auto 

Movies, Greeneville, Tenn. He was a recent 

visitor, accompanied by Vernon Steed of the 

Steed Amusement Co., High Point, N. C. . . . 

Jack King. UA office manager in Charlotte, 

was a brief visitor. He said he was taking 

advantage of the beautiful "flying" weather. 

James R. Velde, general sales manager for 

UA; Milton E. Cohen, eastern and southern 

division manager, and George Pabst, southern 

district manager, were here for a meeting 

with Manager W. C. Hames; sales manager 

R. W. Tarwater and salesmen Ed Hays 

and Dave Williams. Betty Smith is the new 

secretary to UA office manager C. D. 

Touchon. She replaced Jane Hickok, who 

left the industry . office manager, 

Joe Dumas, returned from a business 

trip to Nashville. 

According to McLendon Theatres, the Lil- 

. . . Mack 

fred. Union Springs, Ala., closed Tuesday (12) 

Family Drive-In, Johnson City, 

Tenn., will be taken over April 1, when it is 

reopened, by R. M. Kennedy, Kennedy Theatres, 

Birmingham. This theatre has been 

owned and operated by J. W. Baird, Newport 

Amusement Co., Newport, Tenn. 

Jackson, Strand, Alexander City, was in a 

hospital in Birmingham. Jackson has been 

Inactive for several months due to a number 

of eye operations. His son has been handling 

both the Strand and the drive-in. 

The young Atlanta composer of "Young 

Love" Whaley Rio Cartey, has been sued in 

DeKalb County superior court by Oscar E. 

Kilgo, who is seeking 25 per cent of the song 

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SE-4 BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957

. . the 

. . Nancy 

writer's earnings. The petition sets forth that 

Cartey entered into a contract in October 

1956 to allow Kilgo to act as Cartey's personal 

business manager, which called for Kilgo to 

receive 25 per cent of Cartey's earnings from 

recordings, personal appearances and published 

songs. The petition states that in January 

1957 Cartey began entering contracts 

and writing songs without Kilgo's knowledge, 

direction or approval. Judge Vaughn has 

ordered the compo.ser restrained and enjoined 

from entering into contracts, making personal 

appearances, recordings, publishing or making 

other commitments in the entertainment 

field without the consent of Kilgo, until the 

hearing is held. Kilgo owns and operates the 

85 Drive-In, Payetteville, for which the booking 

is handled by Howard Schuessler. 

J. L. Kenney jr., Rex. Alexander City, Ala.; 

Bill Griffin, Cullman, Cullman, Ala.; John 

Douglas and Harry Curl, Acme Theatres, 

Birmingham. 

Monroeville, Ala.. House 

Agrees Not to Show 'Doll' 

Mrs. Eaton Chalkley, CarroUton, the former 

Susan Hayward, Holl>'\vood glamour girl, expects 

to visit her 12-year-old twin sons Timothy 

and Gregoi-y, in Los Angeles during the 

Easter vacation. They will come to Carrollton 

when their current school semester ends 

. . . Visiting exhibitors were Griff Head, 

West Drive-In, Madisonville, Ky.; T. E. Watson, 

Strand, Montevallo, Shelby, Columbiana 

and Rebel Drive-In, Alabaster, Ala,; J. E. 

Jones, Swan Drive-In and Rialto, Blue Ridge; 

MONROEVILLE, ALA.—Ben Rivers, manager 

of the Monroe Theatre has agreed not 

to show' "Baby Doll" here following a request 

by the town council. 

He said the council was demanded by representatives 

of local churches to ban the film 

in Monroeville because of its "vulgarity and 

filth." 

In a paid ad, headed "A Letter to the 

Movie Going Public," Rivers said: 

"I have offered to show this picture to the 

mayor, the council and anyone they wish to 

designate to pass their judgment on it as to 

whether it should be shown in our town or 

banned but those who oppose refused 

to see 

it." 

He said: "1 am oppcsed to local censorship 

of this kind because I feel that if a picture 

has met with . very strong Hays office 

restrictions, that it then becomes the privilege 

of each and every parent or person to 

decide for himself what they should see and 

not be governed or told what a few self-appointed 

censors feel is good for their children." 

In compliance with the town council request, 

the showing was replaced with that of 

another picture. Rivers stated, "Anastasia." 

Rufus A. Davis Elected 

DOTHAN, ALA.—Rufus A. Davis jr. this 

week won election to a three-year term on 

the Dothan city commission beginning in 

October. Making his first political race, the 

local theatre owner and former Chamber of 

Commerce president won by a vote of 1,884- 

1,578. 

"Last Angry Man' for Columbia 

Columbia will bring to the screen Gerald 

Green's best-selling novel, "The Last Angry 

Man." 

CHARLOTTE 

J^r. and Mrs. Jack Fuller (Jack and Dottie) 

of the Ritz Theatre, Columbia, S. C, are 

parents of a daughter born March 5. The 

new baby was named Mary Susan and is the 

Fuller's fourth child. They have two boys 

and another girl. Jack is past president of 

the Theatre Owners of North and South 

Carolina . . . William Lemmond, MGM booker, 

has resigned to accept a job as manager of 

the Pineville Road Drive-In . Wilson. 

MGM. spent the weekend at her home in 

Mocksville. N. C. . . . Lois Summers, MGM, 

spent the weekend at her home in Davidson, 

N. C. 

Exhibitors visiting Charlotte included 

Walter Brown, Boyd Theatre, Winnsboro; 

George Meyer. Pastime Amusement Co., 

Charleston; Howard Anderson, Anderson 

Theatres, Mullins, and H. P. McManus, Scenic 

Drive-In, Lj-man, all of South Carolina . . . 

William B. Brenner, vice-president in charge 

of operations for National Screen Service, was 

a recent visitor at the local NSS office. 

Hugh M, Gibbs, operator of the Hendersonville 

Drive-In Theatre, Hendersonville, 

N. C, was reported missing Sunday (3) and 

a search was launched by the Civil Air Patrol, 

state and local police. Gibbs was located 

in Chattanooga. Tenn., and was taken to a 

hospital suffering from amnesia . . . Dick 

Pitts, former Charlotte Observer film reporter, 

is a member of the cast of "Desperate 

Hours." Broadway hit melodrama which 

opened Monday (U) at the Little Theatre. 

Ernest Stellings, Stewart-Everett Theatres. 

Charlotte, and president of TOA, was in 

Chicago for a TOA directors meeting. Also 

in attendance from here were Bob Bryant, 

Fuller Sams and George Roscoe . . . 

Kermit 

High, Carolina Theatre manager here, said 

that first prize in the Academy Awards 

Sweepstakes contest being conducted by five 

local theatres will be a Carrier room air conditioner. 

The prize will be given to the person 

who guesses the highest number of award 

winners. The prizes will be given on the 

night of March 27. Participating in the contest 

are the Carolina, Imperial, Manor, Center 

and Plaza theatres. 

A "calling card production" of a current 

Broadway hit during the 1958 season will open 

the door for a regular annual Charlotte series 

of Broadway plays. William H. Putch, Columbia 

Artists representative, revealed formation 

of the Broadway Theatre League of 

Charlotte to provide a guaranteed audience 

for the theatre. Charlotte is the second city 

to join the newly formed play circuit, coming 

in after New Orleans. 

O. W. Brown of the Dixie and Village thea- 

Robbins, N. C, visited Queen City Book- 

tres, 

ing Service and said that repairs are coming 

along rapidly at the Village Theatre which 

he recently purchased ... A WOMPI board 

meeting was held at the Variety Club recently 

and members discussed the forthcoming 

nomination of new officers . . . The Forsyth 

County commissioners at Winston- 

Salem asked the state legislature to set the 

same Sunday motion picture hours outside 

Winston-Salem as the city aldermen recently 

set for inside the city limits. 

Margie Thomas, Queen City Booking 

Agency, has reason to be proud of her two 

sons. Older son Bill jr. recently was select-ed 

the best soldier of the month at, Ft. Myer, 

Arlington, Va. Younger son Bobby was ju.st 

promoted to staff sergeant at Edwards Military 

Institute, Salemburg, N, C. Bobby l.s 

on the crack drill team and marched in tlie 

recent governor's inaugural parade in Raleigh. 

He also was selected as best platoon 

leader in the junior barracks . . . Alex White, 

Consolidated Theatres, won the first car 

given away by the local Vai'iety Club. 

Hosts New Residents 

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA.—Hoyt W. Yarbrough 

jr., manager of the Matanzas Theatre, 

played host to 100 of the city's new residents 

at a gala showing of the opera film, "Madame 

Butterfly." This gesture of hospitality was 

a part of the theatre's cooperation with the 

public relations and special events program 

of the city in its plan to welcome newcomers. 

'Angry Man' in Three Languages 

Contracts have been signed for English, 

Dutch and Italian editions of Gerald Green's 

novel, "The Last Angry Man," to be filmed 

by Columbia. 

FOR 

BOXOFFICE ATTRACTIONS

J 

. . . Mary 

. . The 

. . Jeanne 

Phone Service Is New Airer Feature 

MIAMI—Dial the Le Jeune Drive-in's telephone 

number and you will be answered bv 

a pleasant and courteous voice saying, via 

recording: "Good evening. This is the Le 

Jeune Drive-In Theatre, presenting (current 

feature playing and name of stars). The last 

show starts at 9 p.m. with the co-hit (current 

second feature and name of stars). Our 

free mechanical playground is open from 

5:30 to 7. For further infoiTnation call i boxoffice 

number). Thank you for calling." 

This is one of the changes instituted since 

the airer was taken over from the former operators, 

Bernstein, by the Fi'eiman and 

Lerner interests of New York, Frank Clem- 

Sitting Pretty 

...and so are 

your customers 

Business perks up the moment you perk 

up those weary, dreary-looking old seats. 

We can do the job without stopping o 

single show. We replace all worn and 

broken parts ... we refreshen, refurbish 

and repair. And we do it all at a price 

that will really surprise you. 

Call today for a free estimate. 

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ents. whose voice is heard on the recording, 

is the manager. 

Clements, who was formerly with E. M. 

Loew in Boston and other locations on the 

eastern seaboard, says that considerable renovation 

and improvments are planned for 

the coming months. 

As a start, it was thought that an enlarged 

and modernized playground would be most 

appreciated. Most of this work has now been 

completed. The entire playgi-ound area was 

enlarged and blacktopped. It was completely 

fenced in with a picket fence, the pickets 

painted a variety of circus colors. Large color 

cutouts of cartoon characters—Mickey Mouse, 

Donald Duck, Porky Kg, etc.—were used as 

decoration. 

The playground, now called the "Kiddie 

Con-al," has all new equipment. There is a 

mechanical merry-go-round, ferris wheel and 

circular swing. There is an operator for each 

of these rides, and all are free. 

Supervision is also supplied for other new 

equipment which includes slides, monkey 

climbs, swings. Ushers, Clements says, double 

as playground supervisors. 

The "Corral" is very colorful and is painted 

in bright "candy stripes." Several thousand 

dollars was the tab for this renovation. 

Clements stresses that supervision is 

"rigid," but that the airer is having crowds of 

smallfry, all of whom seem very happy with 

the entertainment offered. Supervision insures 

all possible safety measures. 

The Le Jeune is first in this area with the 

recorded answering service, and Clements 

says it is saving the theatre unknown quantities 

of time and effort, and at the same 

time giving excellent service to the patron. 

Usually, he says, the telephoner is calling to 

ask what is playing and at what times. Also 

he usually wants to know about the playground 

hours. All such basic information is 

given clearly and concisely by the recording 

and the boxoffice is not tied up with routine 

calls. 

Tampa Seminole Theatre 

Closed by Florida State 

TAMPA, FLA. — Morris McCullum, city 

manager for Florida State Theatres, said that 

the Seminole Theatre has been closed because 

of poor boxoffice receipts. 

McCullum says the closing "exemphfies the 

effect television is having on the slowly integrating 

field of the old neighborhood movie 

houses." He explained that the lease was up 

on the building and with the poor showing 

at the boxoffice it would not be profitable 

to renew it. 

He further said, "While attendance at 

neighborhood theatres is falling off, boxoffice 

receipts at the downtown theatres 

have shown a steady increase since 1954, and 

all indications point to an increase in 1957 

over 1956." 

Enlarge Shamrock Studio 

WINTER PARK, FLA.—Shamrock Pictures 

Corp. is being enlarged. Two new studio 

stages will be added, as well as other improvements. 

"End as a Man" was recently 

completed at the studio. A. Schneider has 

recently been named manager. 

MIAMI 

lyTitchell Wolfson, WTVJ's co-owner, says 

that CBS officials have expressed their 

unlimited delight over the station's ratings, 

which are eight to ten points higher than 

comparable CBS markets . . . "Sure, 'n it's a 

foine family treat for St. Paddy's Day!" said 

PST in its Sunday's ad for "Ai-ound the 

World in 80 Days." A shamrock and clay 

pipe was the special drawing. 

The Olympia is ballyhooing its coming horror 

show, daring patrons to sit through it at 

their peril and win a pass to some future 

show. Girls are "double dared" to survive the 

"horrors" and thereby win a bottle of perfume. 

Ghosts, werewolves and Inhuman monsters 

are to roam the aisles and seat themselves 

alongside presumably shuddering patrons. 

More chills even than last year are 

promised, when the same show played to a 

capacity house. 

Manag:er Jack Winters of the Sunset Art 

Theatre sent out a call, via amusement pages, 

for any elephant handler or trainer, unemployed 

at the moment, to apply to him. No 

Nothing like going to see 

reason given . . . 

youreelf in the movies. Igor Youskevltch, 

featured in "Invitation to the Dance" at the 

Mayfair and Sunset, is in town with a ballet 

troup Olympia, Beach and Gables 

. 

will open "The Spirit of St. Louis" . . . The 

Cameo has the southern premiere of "Tel 

Aviv Taxi." 

Eric Johnston addressed 300 members and 

guests of the Committee of 100 here recently. 

He spoke on investing long-term capital in 

the undeveloped areas of the world, thus 

saving us defense dollars later. Johnston 

outlined a four-point program for economic 

Thomas Mitchell is booked to 

assistance . . . 

make an in-person appearance to launch a 

new television series over WTVJ . . . New assistant 

manager at the Trail is Ralph Greene, 

who won the chance after serving as doorman 

. Owens, concession attendant 

at the Trail, was recently married to 

Walter Gonsil. 

The Herald amusement editor calls attention 

of patrons to the pitch being made to 

teenagers in film ads lately. He explains 

that this is because of a survey of the patronage 

of six theatres in Los Angeles, reveaUng 

that 41 per cent of the theatre audiences 

were in the 21 to 30 age bracket; 21.9 per cent 

were between 31 and 40, and only 16 p>er cent 

were in the 12 to 20 group. Since the theatres 

need to bolster that last category, they 

hope to do it with putting the accent on 

teenage problems. "Let's hope," said the 

editor, "that doesn't drive some of the 84 

per cent home to the TV set." 

Toni Miller, daughter of Curtis Miller, 

supervisor of Claughton Theatres, is Mrs, 

Lillian C, Claughton's secretary. Miss Miller 

is back on the job after a tonsil operation 

Ann Thayer, relief cashier at 

Claughton's Ti-ail, fills that post as an afterhours 

job from teaching school. At present 

she is at a teachers convention in Tampa. 

Partly filmed in Miami, "Heart of Showbusiness," 

the color film produced by Ralph 

"Screen Snai>shots" Staub for Variety International, 

is to be released in May, so the 

local tent hears . , . "Around the World in 

80 Days" is reported as bringing "smileage" 

SE-6 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

. . Tower, 

: MOTION 

i.- 

B3B0««WH&J«n 

. . 

. . 

to FST executives with its run at the Sheridan 

. Rosetta and Essex managements 

were offering the "cheerful" refund of 

admission to anyone not pleased with "Full 

of 

Life." 

Jimmie Stewart is due in town for the 

local debut of "The Spirit of St. Louis" last 

week in March . . . Horace Wade, subject ot 

a page feature story in a recent Sunday's 

Miami Herald, was, among other things, a 

star in a Hollywood film at the age of 12. 

Wade, now racing director at Gulfstream 

Park, says he can't remember what he got 

paid, but he treated every kid on the block 

to candy, earning the title of jawbreaker 

king of the west coast. 

R. E. Carney Selects Site 

For New Rolla Ozoner 

ROLLA, MO.—R, E. Cainey and his son 

R. E. jr., who operate the Rolla Drive-In 

on Highway 66 north and west of town and 

the Ritz and Uptown theatres here, reportedly 

have selected a site for a new 

drive-in on the other side of town. It is 

understood the new drive-in will accommodate 

550 cars. The Carney interests also 

own the Rollamo Theatre, dark since last 

July. 

The Cameys plan to reopen their Rowe 

Theatre at St. James in about two weeks. 

This house was damaged by a fu-e several 

months ago. Recently, at the request of the 

businessmen of St. James and vicinity, it was 

decided to repair and re-equip the Rowe 

for an early reopening. The Lyric at St. 

James was closed when the Rowe was opened 

several years ago. 

Hike Sunday Matinee Prices 

TITUSVILLE, FLA.—Mr. and Mrs. Andrew 

Cutter of the Magnolia Theatre have upped 

Sunday matinee prices to that of evening 

prices; 52 cents for loges, 47 cents for regular 

adult admissions: 35 cents for students, and 

15 cents for children under 12. Saturday 

matinee prices will remain the same as in 

the past. 

Closes Bourbon, Ind., House 

BOURBON, IN D.—Gene Rovenstine, 

owner-manager of the Comet Theatre, has 

closed the 11-year-old house, which is considered 

one of the most modern and comfortable 

theatres in this part of the state. 

Rovenstine said he could no longer afford 

to operate at a loss. 

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'ixrilliam L. Beck, managing director of the 

local Five Points Theatre, has formed 

a partnership with his father Dick Beck, 

Kissimmee. and Ted Mendelson, Indianapolis, 

Ind., known as Empire Film Distributors. 

Beck said that the new firm was organized 

for the worldwide distribution of "Naked in 

the Sun," a feature picturization of the life 

of Osceola, Seminole Indian warrior, which 

stars James Craig, Barton MacLane and Lita 

Milan. The film, produced by Empire Studios 

of Orlando, is to be released in the near future, 

and it is expected that distribution in 

exchange areas will be handled by state's 

righters. Thirty-five prominent Florida exhibitors 

viewed the picture at its initial 

screening at the Springs Theatre, Tampa, 

Marcn 11. following a regional meeting of 

the Motion Picture Exhibitors of Florida at 

the Floridan Hotel, Tampa, on the same date. 

LaMar Sarra, legislative chairman of 

MPEOF and vice-president of Florida State 

Theatres, addressed the Tampa gathering of 

legislative 

MPEOF leaders on the subject of 

trends towai'd broader taxation programs 

that may affect the film industry when the 

legislature opens its biennial sessions in Tallahassee 

next month. B. B. Garner of Lakeland, 

MPEOF president, presided at the 

meeting. Other local men at the gathering 

were Mark DuPi'ee, FST district supei-visor 

who is an MPEOF vice-president, and Horace 

Denning, district leader of Dixie Drive-In and 

a member of the MPEOF board. Elmer 

Hecht, Wometco Tlieatres executive from 

Miami and MPEOF board chairman, gave a 

detailed report on TOA's recent midwinter 

gathering. 

. . . 

Harry A. Mersay, head of the 20th-Fox 

print department in New York, and his wife 

vacationed in Miami and later visited Tom 

Tidwell at the local 20th-Fox office . . . 

Marilyn Bryant has replaced Harriett Ray 

Paul Wilson, 20th- 

on the 20th-Fox staff . . . 

Fox southeastern district manager, returned 

to Atlanta after a three-day visit here 

Hank Hearn, head of Exhibitors Service, returned 

from a business trip to Charlotte . 

George Andrews, head booker at the new Allied 

Artists office, and other AA staffers 

were swamped with work in setting up booking 

schedules for the product being placed 

with Florida exhibitors. 

. . 

Bob Bowers, AA manager, made a fast 

trip to his former home outside Houston and 

returned happily with hus wife and children 

to set up housekeeping here . Norm Levinson, 

local MGM exploiteer who recently 

added the New Orleans area to his MGM publicity 

beat, was given a guided torn- of newspaper, 

TV, radio and distributor and circuit 

offices in the Louisiana metropolis. His 

guide was Judson Moses, MGM publicist in 

Atlanta. 

A gala opening for "The Wings of Eagles" 

was being planned by Bob Heekin, FST executive, 

and Jim Levine, Florida Theatre 

manager . . . Herb Roller, Edgewood Theatre 

manager, distributed an attractive brochure 

of information on his Fine Ai-t Film Festival, 

which began with the first run of "The Barretts 

of Wimpole Street" and included copy 

on near future first runs of "Richard III," 

"Secrets of the Reef" and "Love Lottery" . 

Harry Botwick, FST district supervisor from 

Miami; Howard Pettengill, his advertising 

manager, and Robeit R. Harris, PST district 

supervisor, Tampa, joined FST home office 

leaders in a planning session here. 

Manager Jim Frazier distributed 50,000 

heralds through supermarket outlets to advertise 

the grand opening of H. B. Meiselman's 

Town and Country Theatre at 7 p.m. 

March 21. He said that the new de luxe indoor 

house would keep this same price scale 

for each single feature, first run program; 

children, 25 cents at all times; adults, 60 

cents from 12:45 to 6 p.m. and 75 cents from 

6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The theatre, located in the 

Town and Country shopping center, has 

parking space for more than 1.000 cars at 

Normally, Jacksonville has only 

night . . . 

four first run houses, but with the addition of 

the Town and Country Theatre to the first 

run scene and with first run art films running 

intermittently at the Edgewood and San 

Marco theatres, local film fans often have 

their choice of seven new pictures at once. 

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BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957 SE-7

Cancer and healthy cells seem to feed 

on different kinds of "food." We 

know how to make some cancer cells 

die by starving them. Will we starve 

out all kinds of cancer cells one day? 

Only more work and research will tell. 

Some cancer patients develop substances 

that fight their own tumors. 

When science knows more about antibodies, 

we may have a new cancer 

treatment. 

Only more work and research 

will tell. 

New drugs are being developed that fight specific kinds of cancer. Will any of them 

turn out to be cancer-killers? Only more work and research will tell. 

g 

Some 

ood news about 

cancer 

. . . and hoiv you can make the news better 

Some cancers are being halted by 

atomic materials. Can new radioactive 

isotopes affect other cancers in the 

same way? Only more work and research 

will tell. 

These photographs illustrate some of the work our scientists are doing in 

the fight against cancer. Just one thing is needed to keep this research 

going. Your help. If you— and all of us — give today, the research will go on 

until we conquer our greatest enemy— cancer. Help fight cancer with your 

check. Give generously. Send your contribution to CANCER, c/o your 

town's Postmaster. American cancer society. 

SE-8 

Through the Courtesy of 

BOXOFFICE 


James Velde Views 1957 as Industry's Biggest 

'^ 

i 

illUBIII'" 

The speakers dais at the Dallas luncheon given for James 

Velde, UA general sales manager, at Dallas. Left to right: 

Eddie Joseph, Austin, Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Ass'n 

president; E. R. "Red" Slocum, executive director, United 

Theatre Owners of Oklahoma; Kyle Rorex, executive director, 

Texas COMPO; George Pabst, UA southern district manager. 

New Orleans; Sam Landrum, general manager, Jefferson 

Amusement Co., Beaumont; R. J. O'Donnell, general manager 

of Interstate circuit, Dallas; Velde; Milton Cohen, UA eastern 

and southern division sales manager, Atlanta; John Rowley, 

president, Rowle.v United Theatres, Dallas, and chief barker of 

Variety International; James Clemens, U-A Dallas manager; 

William O'Donnell, president. Cinema Arts Theatres of Texas, 

Dallas; R. L. Barton, president. Barton Theatres, Tulsa; 

Colonel H. A. Cole, board chairman. Allied Theatre Owners of 

Texas; Edwin Tobolowsky, chief barker. Variety Tent 17 and 

general counsel for Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Ass'n. 

Velde was made an "Honorary Texas Citizen." 

DALLAS—James Velde, general sales nvanager 

for United Ai'ti.sts. said 1957 would be 

the biggest independent production year for 

his distribution firm, after admitting that 

UA released 48 features in 1956 and would 

only handle 36 

independent productions this 

year. He also predicted that 1957 would be 

"the biggest year in motion picture business." 

And he personally feels that "Around 

the World in 80 Days," a UA release, will 

win the best-picture "Oscar." 

Queried by BOXOFFICE as to Julius 

Gordon's remai-ks here two weeks ago, at 

the Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Ass'n 

convention, that independent production, 

failure of major studios and independent 

producers to furnish new film faces, and that 

talent agencies (and its talent) had a 

stranglehold on Hollywood, Velde smilingly 

replied. "Just say that I'm eva.sive on that 

subject." 

At a preluncheon press conference, Velde 

enthused over his company's products for 

this year, which include "Bachelor Party," 

"Pride and the Passion," "Sweet Smell of 

Succe.ss," "Saint Joan." "Twelve Angry Men" 

and "Quiet American." 

R. J. O'Donnell, general manager of Interstate 

Theatres, lauded Velde as "a man who 

represents many wonderful producers," and 

presented to him a framed "Honorary Texas 

Citizen" certificate from Gov. Price Daniel. 

Velde's speech was true to advance announcements—that 

he would be here to 

"make friends with exhibitors." His only 

words were: "Our program is bigger and 

better than ever. Thank you for coming 

here. I hope to see you all again, very soon." 

He visited the Atlanta office before returning 

to New York. With him on the local 

visit were Milton Cohen, eastern and southern 

divi-sional manager; George Pabst, southern 

district manager, and James Clemmens. 

Luncheon guests at the Statler-Hilton 

Hotel's Empire room included Harry Sachs, 

new president of Lone Star Theatres; William 

W. Lewis, new general manager of I. B. 

Adelman Theatres; Debs Hayle, Irving Rust, 

Jeffenson Amusement Co. bookers in Dallas; 

Matt Freed, Tower Pictures; Dick Thompson, 

president, Thompson Theatres, Oklahoma 

City; Ed Reyna, booker. Frels Theatres, 

Victoria; Charles W. Weisenburg, 

president, Weisenburg Theatres, Dallas; Tim 

Ferguson, Downs Drive-In, Grand Prairie; 

Johnny Long, Long Theatre, Baytown; W. O. 

Bearden, Ai-cadia, Lubbock—and bookers Ed 

Green. Texas Theatre Service, Dallas; Debs 

Reynolds, Reynolds Boking Service, Dallas; 

Marvin Godwin, Leon Theatres, Abilene; 

Heywood Simmons, Simmons Booking Service, 

Dallas, and Leon Newman. Texas Theatre 

Service, Dallas. FYom Interstate Theatres 

were Frank Starz, Conrad Brady, Raymond 

Willie, Pat Hudgins, W. E. Mitchell, Veen 

Gregg and Francis Barr. From Rowley United 

Theatres were Frank Dowd. Dave Callahan, 

John Callahan, C. V. Jones and Roy Adams. 

The luncheon received hefty press, radio 

and television coverage. Present were columnists 

Fairfax Nisbet and Tony Zoppi, 

Dallas Morning News; Bob Brock and Eugene 

Lewis, Dallas Times Herald; Eddie Barker, 

Larry Rasco and Eddie Hallack, KRLD and 

KBLD-TV, and Dave Mulstein, KLIF. 

Vumore, Lubbock Theatres 

Hold Theatre TV Permit 

LUBBOCK, TEX.—The Vumore Co. and 

Lubbock Theatres, granted a permit by city 

commission to install an electronic theatre 

project in Lubbock, is not in a position to 

begin taking applications for service now, 

J. B. Rhea, manager, said. 

"It will be some time before we complete 

an engineering survey on which we will begin 

in a few days," Rhea said. "We are not in a 

position now to take applications for service." 

Rhea said Mrs. J. D. Lindsey, president of 

Lindsey Theatres, is intrigued by the new 

project, which will link the theatres she 

owns in the new amusement venture. Lindsey 

Theatres is a subsidiai-y company of 

Lubbock Theatres, recently organized for 

operating purposes with Smith Theatres, 

owned by Preston Smith. 

"It's quite a venture for us," Mrs. Lindsey 

said, recalling the first Lindsey theatre built 

by her late husband here in 1916. 

Under the proposed plan, Hollywood pictures 

would be piped by coaxial cable from 

the theatre to residential areas for showing 

of films on an unused channel of home television 

sets. A monthly fee would be charged. 

Kallet to Bow in April; 

Decorating by Glas 

S"yTlACUSE>—The new Kallet shoppingtown 

theatre, DeWitt, opening in April, will be the 

first film house in central New York equipped 

to show pictures in the Todd-AO process. 

Oscar Glas, interior decorator, with offices 

in New York City and Montreal, is in charge 

of decorations. The largest abstract mural 

painting in the world is now being painted. 

It is 120x26 feet. Glas was the interior decorator 

for the General Motors building at the 

New York City world fair, and assisted in the 

decorating of the Sert room at the Waldorf 

Astoria Hotel. 

Fori 

Worth Paper 

Plugs Sweepstakes 

FORT WORTH—The Fort Worth Star- 

Telegram, which rarely participates in outside 

promotions, has joined 26 local theatres 

in promoting the Academy Award Sweepstakes, 

according to Al Peterson of Interstate 

circuit. 

Nearly half a page, with eight photographs 

of the leading nominees, was printed in the 

Sunday edition of March 10, together with 

the ballot. The ballot will be printed again 

in the next Sunday edition. 

The first prize is S350 in cash, which may 

be used for a visit to Hollywood, with studio 

tours arranged for the winner. The other 

prizes are theatre passes, ranging from a oneyear 

pass for two to any of the participating 

theatres to single passes to any theatre of 

the winners' choices. 

BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957 SW-1

INDUSTRY PROFILE mm^m^mm^m 

Many Trade Changes Weathered 

By Exhibitor Ed Crew Since 1919 

By SAM BRUNK 

OKLAHOMA CITY— Ed Crew, the sage 

of Waurika, made his start in show business 

in Anadark.0 in 1910. His first job 

was as a spieler, 

using a megaphone 

nearly as large as 

he was. He went up 

and down streets 

telling natives wtiat 

they could see that 

night at the theatre 

owned by John 

Ramson. Ed also 

worked in the booth, 

helping to crank a 

two-pin Edison motion 

picture machine. 

Ed's job was 

Ed Crew 

to find the end of the film, which had 

been run off into a gunny sack and, after 

finding it, to rewind the fibn on the empty 

reel. Mostly one reel subjects were used 

then. 

Ed was out of show business from 1911 

to 1919. He joined the Navy in World War- 

I. He was discharged in 1919 and went to 

Waurika, where he bought the Empress 

Theatre, a name it has carried ever since. 

The theatre was on the first floor, living 

quarters on the second floor and a lodge 

hall on the third floor of the theatre building. 

Ed bought the building from Jack 

Armstrong and James McNeese, 

He started out there with a Powers 6A 

machine and, while changing reels, had to 

show a slide reading, "Just a Moment, 

Please, While We Change Reels." He also 

screened such messages as "Ladies, Please 

Remove Your Hats," "If the Baby Cries, 

Please Take It Out," etc. In the orchestra 

pit were a piano and trap drums to play 

mood music appropriate for the film. 

Music cues were sent along with the film, 

suggesting the tune to play for a certain 

scene, but if this particular piece was 

not available the musicians played anything 

available. 

TENT SHOW OPPOSITION 

He was plagued with opposition tent 

shows. His first week competition was 

Dubinsky Bros. Tent show, with 25 actors, 

band and orchestra, and the second week 

it was Brunk's Comedians, a group with 

similiar personnel strength. Crew contended 

with these shows for several seasons 

but always got along with them. 

Many times a tent show brought its band 

down in front of Ed's theatre, gave a short 

concert, then told people on the streets 

that tliey could go to the theatre and 

be out in plenty of time to see the "big 

performaut" in the big tent, just down 

the street a :ew blocks." 

On his an. iversary weeks, Ed's policy 

was to run a afferent big picture each 

night, charging i e and ten cents. Each 

time Brunk's Comtdians set up their tent 

in Waurika, Ed would observe anniversary 

week, even though the c .medians came to 

town three or four times .âcii year. At 

five and ten cents, Ed woulu draw 600-700 

SW-2 

persons. Where they came from, no one 

knew, but the tent show would have to 

get along on the overflow Ed wasn't able 

to handle. 

In 1928, he put up the theatre building 

he is still using. The same year he installed 

a pipe organ. This instrument was 

damaged the next year when the worst 

flood in local history filled the theatre 

auditorium to the six-foot mark. 

Sound came to the Empress in 1929, Ed 

installing Western Electric disc sound 

equipment, a headache for the boothmen 

and a financial load for Ed. Financial 

trouble mounted in 1932 when fire damaged 

the Empress and the damage was 

oniy half covered by insurance. Ed fell 

behind on his sound payments and his 

.sound equipment was reclaimed by the 

supply company. 

CLOSED FOR A TIME 

Ed was forced to close for a while, until 

he could make a deal with the late Harry 

G. Waldron of Oklahoma City, who was 

handling Film Speaker equipment with 

sound on film. Ed invested in some newseats, 

cleaned up many of the old ones and 

reopened the Empress. He had no money 

to pay Waldron, who wanted $1,200 in 

cash. Ed defaulted on some of his film 

contracts and was sued by several companies. 

When they were awarded judgments 

against him, he had to take bankruptcy. 

He was then able to make new 

contracts with the film companies. As 

soon as these new contracts were completed, 

all prior judgments were cancelled 

After this discouraging period in his 

exhibition career, Ed bought RCA sound 

equipment and enjoyed good business lor 

several years. Because of bad health, he 

was advised to spend more time outdooi-s. 

He went into the cattle business in a small 

way in 1933 and stai-ted buying and leasing 

land, now holding about 2,000 acres 

He paid for this land from the profits of 

the Empress and by making good deals 

for his cattle. At the peak of his cattle 

business, Ed owned 1,000 head 

He operated sales barns in Waurika and 

Healdton for several years but sold them 

prior to 1954, the year he updated the 

Empress by installing widescreen equipment 

and stereophonic sound. 

ACTIVE IN CIVIC WORK 

Crew is maiTied, has three children and 

six grandchildren. He is on the board of 

elders of the Methodist church, chairman 

of the finance committee of the Waurika 

Chamber of Commerce and very active in 

a program aimed at taming the two creeks 

vvhicli so frequently have flooded the 

town. Crew is working with the federal 

water authority in Washington, D. C, and 

with the state organization on this project. 

General belief is that when the dams 

above the town are completed, the Waurika 

flood situation will be whipped. 

Crew intends to retire from the show 

business in the next few years and will 

turn over the Empress to his son Ernest 

SAN ANTONIO 

. . . 

. . . "Fire on 

pi Cristo Negra" played the National 

Robert Gallegos, head booker for Azteca 

Films here, went calling on clients in Dallas 

The Alameda celebrated 

during the week . . . 

its eighth anniversary 

the Heather," a World-Wide Picture release, 

had a four-day free showing at the Trinity 

Baptist Church here ending Maixh 24 . . . 

Additional theatremen here who are over 

six feet: Richard Vaughan, assistant manager, 

Aztec, and Raymond Rodriguez, chief of 

service, Texas Theatre. 

Bob Lucchese of Zaragoza Amusement Co., 

scored a 71 to take second place winnings 

in the weekly Brackenridge Park golf tournament 

played here March 10. There were 39 

golfers playing in the field meet ... A local 

school teacher and a projectionist who works 

for a downtown theatre, were booked for 

throwing four-pronged staples on the grounds 

of the San Antonio Twin Drive-In. Nonunion 

projectionists are employed at the 

Twin. The projectionist and teacher were 

freed and released on two bonds of $200 each, 

which had been arranged by a local attorney. 

"The Golden Demon," a Japanese classic, 

was shown at the Arts for a weekend stand 

. . . Alton Clarence Joseph will leave after 

Easter on a trip to New York, Chicago, St. 

Louis and then back home to Houston. AJ 

said his trip will be in the interest of show 

businesss . . . Jose Greco and his company 

of Spanish Dancers, who worked in "Around 

the World in 80 Days," played a onenight 

engagement at the Muny Auditorium 

theatre. 

William Samuelson now is managing the 

newly reopened Ai'ts, which is playing legitimate 

stage attractions and pictures every 

other week ... Ed Castillo, fashion plate 

columnist for the Hearst Light, says "Friendly 

Persuasion" is one of the best pictures of the 

vear . . . Odd title for the Alameda offering 

was "Pueblo, Canto Esperanza" (Town, Songs 

Luis del 

and Hope), an Azteca release . . . 

Villar headlined the vaudeville show held 

at the El Nacional Teatro recently. 

Herman Rash, president of Azteca FUms, 

Los Angeles, and Jewell Truex, manager of 

the local branch office, were in the Rio 

Grande valley. They also visited theatremen 

in the Coi-pus Christi area before Rush returned 

to the Los Angeles home office, and 

Truex returned here. 

Visiting the exchanges to buy and book 

were Rene Benitez, Benitez circuit, Weslaco; 

Gidney Talley, Azteca, Mathis, and Bob 

Otwell, Otwell & Associates, San Marcos . . . 

Ruben Ayala, head shipper of Azteca here, 

went to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to see the 

great Cantinflas perform in a benefit bull 

fight (241. 

In '4 Queens' Contest 

PAMPA, TEX. — Leslie Veatch, assistant 

manager of Video Independent Theatres here, 

entered the national contest on selling "King 

and Four Queens." One of the stunts was a 

little play on the street here—a saloon scene 

with employes dressed in western togs. It 

lasted about two hours with music for dancing 

being furnished by a public address 

system. Veatch has been employed by Video 

11 years. 


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NEW CENTURY 

CURVED GATE. 

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well known CENTURY film trap and gate. The 







PERFORMANCE PROOF 









Note the following typical 




particularly 

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Ohio, U.S.A. 




NEW YORK 19, N. 

DISTRIBUTED 

Hardin Theatre Supply Co. 

714 South Hampton Road 

Dalles 11, Texas 

BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957 SW-3

Joseph Asks Drive-ln Action on DST, DALLAS 

Blind Checking and Lavfsuit Bills 

AUSTIN, TEX.—Immediate action by outdoor 

theatres operators on three bills now tn 

the Texas legislature was asked by Eddie 

Joseph, who recently was re-elected president 

of the Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Ass'n. 

The appeal appeared in a communication to 

members sent out following the recent convention 

in Dallas. 

One, House bill 323, would impose daylight 

savings time on the state. 

"Representative Frank Mann of Houston 

introduced the measure and it is due for early 

consideration," reports Joseph. "Houston 

members have been alerted to contact Representative 

Mann to inform him of the immense 

harm certain to result to drive-in theatre 

owners and others whose interests are surely 

to suffer. This legislation promises to be of 

help only to TV and radio stations anxious 

to avoid the conflict of time—eastern and 

western daylight savings vs. Texas standard 

—in program presentation. Since the effort 

of both TV and radio tends to keep the 

populace 'fireside bound' all business from 

shoes to electric light and millinery are 

certain to suffer. It is imperative that you 

immediately contact in person, by letter or 

by wire your representative and senator to 

register your objection to passage of this 

bill—and persuade other affected merchants 

to do likewise. This bill should be killed in 

committee and never permitted to reach 

the floor of the House for consideration," 

Members were asked to contact their state 

senators and representatives and solicit their 

support to Senator Preston Smith's Senate 

bill No. 194 which has been reported out of 

committee with unanimous approval. This 

bill will regulate blind checking in Texas 

and "thus eliminate a severe headache that 

has been unfairly harassing exhibitors for 

years." 

"Your help is needed to get this bill made 

law in Texas," Joseph continued. "Of equal 

importance is the necessity for you to persuade 

your representative and senator to give 

full support to now pending House bill 524, 

introduced by Rep. Obie Jones which will 

make all film contracts subject in toto to 

the laws of Texas and require all suits or 

legal contentions arising from such contracts 

to be filed and tried in the county 

of original dispute or the county where the 

Texas offices of the theatre concerned is 

maintained. This bill is set for hearing 

March 26 — phone, wire, or write your representative 

then be in Austin on that day. 

"Is it asking too much to request that you 

please, please pay your dues promptly and 

thereby help us to help you? All that has 

been accomplished to date has cost both 

time and money. Have you contributed your 

share?" Joseph concludes. 

Other officers elected were Jack Parr of 

Houston, and Charles Weisenburg and E. L. 

Pack of Dallas, vice-presidents; Skeet Noret 

of Lamesa, treasurer and Bob Davis of Sherman 

secretary. Directors elected were R. S. 

Toren, Houston; Harry Sachs and E. L. Pack, 

Dallas; Shester Kyle, Kingsville; John Pagan, 

Borger; Bob Davis, Sherman; A. J. Valentine, 

Georgetown, and Tim Ferguson, Grand 

Prairie. 

WOJffitfftS J. B. Rhea to Rotary Board 

rmwd:IU1l.

. . . "Wee 

rCTrmrffTfTwm mi thMnrYfrwi^f^ 

. . . 52 

! 

W. L. Thornton on grounds of cruelty. The 

film actress obtained a California divorce 

October 23 on grounds of "extreme mental 

cruelty." Her divorce will not become final 

in California until next October 23. 

Hugh O'Brian, film star and "Wyatt Eaip" 

in his television series, drew two small houses 

here in a two-show performance with his 

touring western variety show at State Fair 

auditorium. He later visited an old friend, 

Dixie Seaman, who films television commercials 

at the Southwest Film Center here. 

Empire Pictures has acquired distribution 

rights in the Dallas and Oklahoma City areas 

to Artists-Producers Associates' entire film 

output . . . Native Texan Kathy Grant made 

three personal appearances at the Majestic 

Thursday (14 1, with the opening of her new 

Columbia film, "The Guns of Fort Petticoat," 

in which she stars with Texan Audie Murphy. 

She was greeted at the airport here by J. B. 

Undenvood, Columbia's divisional manager 

Geordie" was held over for a third 

week at the Fine Arts Theatre, detaining 

opening until Tuesday i26i of "Woman of 

Rome," starring Gina Lollobrigida. 

Marion Cole Takes Over 

Roxy at San Angelo 

SAN ANGELO, TEX.—Marion E. Cole, in 

the show business here 30 years, has purchased 

the Roxy Theatre at 22 East Concho, 

a 442-seater, from Don Puller, who has operated 

the hou.se the last ten yeai's. Cole was 

manager of the Plaza here until about three 

months ago when he resigned "to take a 

rest and go into business for himself." 

Cole says he plans to add a few seats to 

bring the capacity to 470. 

"When the drouth ends," he said, "we'll 

really expand." 

BOWLING 

DALLAS—The Frontier Blazers and the 

Frontier Rustlers tied for first place in the 

Filmrow mixed bowling league this week. 

Fox was eight games behind the league 

leaders. Men's high single game for the 

week was rolled by Albert Reddy with 196. 

and men's high three-game was rolled by Ed 

Darling with 533. In the women's division, 

high single game went to Joy Surra tt with 193 

and high three game to Dinky Bragg with 

490. Team high single was 775, rolled by the 

Blazers and Long, and team high three game, 

2,298, was captured by Long. 

Team standings are: 

. 

Team Won Lost Team Won Lost 

Bloiers 68 36 Rangers 52 

Rustlers ...68 36 Evans 47'/2 56'/2 

Fox 60 44 Universal .41 63 

Long 56 48 Paramount .40 64 

Liberty 54'/2 49'/2 Interstate ...37 67 

St. Charles Airer Shift 

ST. CHARLES, MO. — The 600-car St. 

Chai-les Drive-In on U. S. 40, which was 

opened in July 1951 by Heni-y Bross, Ira 

Jones and associates, will be operated during 

the 1957 season by Herbert P. Hartstjein, 

University City, who with his sister, Mrs. 

Irene Aft, also operates the 61 Drive-In at 

Pevely, Mo. Details of the deal were not 

available. Robert H. Spencer, who managed 

the drive-ln last year, is now city manager 

for the Frisina circuit at TaylorvUle, III. 

The role of Rudy Vallee in Warners' "The 

Helen Morgan Story" will be played by Rudy 

himself. 

Editor Pleads for Theatre Support 

NEWKIRK, OKLA—W. A. Labarthe, who 

BUFFALO 

3409 Oak Lawn, Room 107 

recently sold his theatre at Pond Creek, found 

an editorial written by publisher Bruce Heydenburk 

in the Newkirk Herald Journal of 

great intere.st. The editorial "Does Newkirk 

Need Its Theatre?" follows; 

We have heard i-umblings that the Newkirk's 

OK Theatre may close its doors in 

the very near future. 

This possibility may not come as a shock 

to many of you— but, have you actually given 

much thought to the possibility of living in 

a town in which the pleasures of the screen 

were suddenly and totally cut off? Yes, the 

comniunity would continue to function. However, 

some of the joys and zest of life would 

be gone. The loss would be felt by young and 

old alike. 

Merchants and shopkeepers don't have 

to be ardent movie fans to know that the 

local theatre also has a lot to do with keeping 

the businefjs wheels rolling. When people 

come downtown to the movies, they come in 

contact with the goods and services of other 

commercial establishments. They shop more 

and they buy more. 

By sharing its customers with other businesses 

in town, the theatre often plays a key 

role in the economic well-being of the community 

fortunate enough to have a good 

"movie house." 

The man who operates the local theatre is 

essentially a retail businessman. Like other 

merchants, he has a weekly payroll to meet, 

utility bills to pay, machinery and equipment 

to replace—he's a client of the bank, advertises 

his wares in the local press, worries 

about the influences of weather on his 

patronage, and hopes his ledgers will show 

a profit at the end of the year. 

Unlike his fellow businessman, the merchandise 

he has to offer is intangible. What 

he sells is glamour, drama, excitement and 

thrills, laughs and tears. Some of the packages 

come wrapped in tinsel, others in conventional 

black and white, still others in raaibow 

hues to match the mood ot their 

contents. 

There is no greater bargain than a. ticket 

to a picture house. If excursions to the pictures 

are measured in temis of value received, 

there is no other industry in the 

world that offers so much for so little money. 

Yes, the man who runs your local theatre 

is more than a businessman. He's a public 

servant—and he performs the dual role with 

pride. 

Newkirk's OK Theatre owner has gone to 

a lot of expense installing new widescreen 

Cinemascope facilities and completed many 

other improvements designed to please prospective 

patrons. To date, many of these 

prospective patrons are still on the prospect 

list. 

COOLING 

Let's think it over . . . give yourself, your 

family and your community a break. Plan 

to spend a relaxing evening at your local 

theatre soon. It will help you and it will 

help Newkirk 

Popular Tunes in Youth Film 

Among the popular new tunes in Warners' 

"Untamed Youth" film will be "Salamander," 

"Cottonpicker," "Rollin' Stone," "It All 

Belongs to You" and "Oobala, Baby." 

FILMACK 


SPECIAL 

in 

in 

J 

TRAILERS 

the fastest time. Â 

T/'V c-^

. . "Men 

HOUSTON 

. . . Thursday (14 1, during 

. . 

. . . 

fewest double bill at Han-y McHaffie's 

Avalon Art Theatre is "Foolish Virgin" 

and "Playboy" 

the fifth week of "The Ten Commandments" 

at the Metropolitan Theatre, the management 

advised the public through an ad. 

"Sorry, Tonight's Performance Sold Out" 

The Delman Theatre held "Anastasia" 

. 

for a second week . in War" also 

stayed over at Loew's State Ruby Gibson 

is working so steadily at her Navaway 

Theatre, since she has been without a manager, 

that when she took a few hours off the 

other day to get a new permanent wave she 

said she felt as if she'd been on vacation! 

Right in the center of the theatre page of 

the Post Thursday (14) was a blurb for 

another section of the paper "Virginia Mc- 

Callon's Fashion Reports Help You Keep 

Chic," it said. Virginia is the better half of 

Loew's State Manager Homer MoCallon . . . 

Kathy Grant was on stage at the Majestic 

that same day for the opening of her newest 

film, "The Guns of Fort Petticoat." She's a 

hometown girl who enjoys remembering 

when. 

Bill Stone, Capitan Theatre, was in Dallas 

for a meeting with the bosses at Isley Theatres 

. . . Dick Wygant, former owner of the 

Heights Theatre, which was closed because 

of a lost lease, is the new manager of the 

Uptown Theatre, Fred Cannata, general 

manager reported. Dicky recently had been 

working in Oklahoma. 

The Don Gordon Theatre had a close 

call 

with Francis the mule when owner Ei-nest 

Forsythe left him in the lobby in a can. A 

departing female customer asked, "Is that 

what the film comes in?" Ernest said it 

was and then went upstairs to get another 

can. When he came back and he and Hazel 

started to pick up the cans, one with two 

reels of "Francis in the Haunted House" was 

missing. Maybe the ghosts scared 'em. Anyway, 

the next day the missing can was 

found in a ditch and returned to the Theatre. 

Albert Rains, Korn Theatre circuit, returned 

from Dallas Fi'iday night (15) from 

a business trip, . . . George Byrd, newly appointed 

manager for U-I Pictures here, 

arrived in town and was busy getting organized 

for an all-industry opening on the 

18th, to take over regular distribution business 

for the Gulf coast area and to find 

a place to live. Office Manager Dick May is 

already settled in an apartment in the Country 

Club apartments. Glynna Farquhar, 

who is to be secretary to Manager Byrd, 

has found an apartment on Kirby near the 

new exchange at 2718 Danville. Glynna comes 

to this exchange from the Dallas U-I office, 

where she worked the past four years. Byrd 

and May both were transfen-ed here from 

U-I at Oklahoma City. Also from the Sooner 

city exchange is the new head shipper, Dave 

Speake. All others, except one, came here 

from Dallas. They are Robert Lee, head 

booker; James Armstrong, assistant booker; 

John Dooley, assistant shipper; Janie Lee, 

cashier; Wynona Briskin, typist; and Pauline 

HaiTelson, head inspectress. Leonard Preedman, 

student booker, is a Houstonian and 

new to the Industry. 

Ross 'Vallone, manager of the Tower Theatre, 

is having a contest for youngsters up 

to 12 years of age, to stir up their interest 

in seeing "Around the World in 80 Days." 

They write in 50 words or less why they 

would like to see the pix. Fifty free tickets 

go to 25 winners. 

The Press, Loew's State Theatre and Interstate 

circuit, have teamed again on the Oscar 

contest. In addition to marking their nominees 

for each category, the contestants must 

write a 25-words-or-less statement as to 

why they enjoy going out to the theatre. 

The last will be used only in case of a tie. 

Tuesday (26) is the deadline. There are 60 

prizes! They range from an eight-foot refrigerator 

to a livingroom suite, carpeting, 

chairs, mattresses, desk, lamps, on down to 

pairs of tickets to theatres. 

Grace Lewis underwent surgery in Methodist 

Hospital and was reported to be recovering 

nicely. She is the wife of Mitch Lewis, who 

Variety Tent 

owns several theatres . . . 

34 in the Montague Hotel from 5 to 7 p.m. 

March 15 was gay with representatives of the 

press, Variety members and others interested 

in any phase of boating and/or the Variety 

boys club welfare. It was a cocktail party 

hosted by Martin P. Kelly, owner and managing 

director of United Sports & Vacation 

shows, and his resident manager. Bill Brown. 

Skipper Trevathan was at the piano. It was 

in connection with the second annual Houston 

Boat, Sports & Travel show to be held in 

the Sam Houston Coliseum and Annex April 

6-14. The show committee, composed of 

Variety members who will work with Brown 

on the Boat show, consists of Chief Barker 

Paul Boesch; first and second assistants 

Mitch Lewis and Mike Conti; canvasman 

Jack Groves; delegate Mack Howard and 

Francis Deering. Deering, Howard and Lewis 

are all life members. Rex Van is manager of 

the club. 

The Port Theatre, a Korn house, is dark 

on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 

The Epsom Drive-In, beginning 

nights . . . 

Wednesday (20) plans to feature a rodeo 

show from 8 to 10 p. m., when the feature 

will start. It is to be "the wildest stock in 

the southwest," according to owner Willie 

Ratcliff. 

The Windier Drive -In started the Lone 

Star Bordertown Theatre's live stage shows 

Thursday (21). About 15 people were featured 

in a weird science-fiction sort of entertainment 

in connection with a science-fiction 

film. Other local theatres of the circuit 

showing the entertainment for one night each 

were the Airline, Irvington, Pasadena and 

Hempstead drive-ins . . . The Epsom Drive-In 

also was planning a three-night performance 

late this month of the famous Valentines, 

trapeze artists. They are the thi'ee who 

appeared with Burt Lancaster in "Trapeze." 

A recent newspaper story stating that 

Southwestern Theatre Equipment Co. had 

purchased 50 plus acres on Shaver between 

the Gulf Freeway and the old Galveston road 

for the purpose of building a drive-in theatre 

is not true, according to sales manager 

Alex McKenzie. The land, bought six 

months ago purely as an investment, is in 

the area recently annexed by Houston, said 

McKenzie. They often buy land as an investment, 

he added. Southwestern has been 

approached by an oil company that wants 

to drill a well at some undefined date. The 

equipment company is at present dickering 

with a grocery chain for 22 acres. However, 

if it is decided to ti-y for oil. Southwestern 

Equipment Co. itself will drill, McKenzie said. 

In which case they would retain the entire 

tract. 

Tom Vincent, store manager of Southwestern 

Theatre Equipment Co., was much in 

evidence at the Lone Tree Drive-In opening 

in Victoria March 8. He helped install in 

the new Frels airer the first and only pair of 

Ashcraft Super Cinex arc lamps, 160 amps, 

new RCA sound equipment, 100 RCA speakers 

and RCA BX-10 heavy duty base booth 

projectors. 

Variety Heart Award 

To Thomas A. Yawkey 

BOSTON—The Variety Club of New England 

will present its Great Heart Award to 

Thomas A. Yawkey, president of the Boston 

Red Sox, at a gala dinner at the Hotel Statler 

at 7:30 p. m. Sunday, April 14. The award 

is presented annually "to the individual who 

has done the greatest amount of good for the 

greatest number of people." Archbishop 

Richard J. Gushing was the recipient last 

year. 

The dinner for Yawkey will mark his 

25th year as owner and president of the 

Red Sox. Dr. Sidney Farber, scientific director 

of the Children's Cancer Research Foundation 

will present the award. Yawkey is a 

trustee and a member of the executive committee 

of CCRF. 

The Red Sox, motion picture industry, 

Chiefs of Police and Variety Club of New 

England sponsor Jimmy Fund drives for the 

care and treatment of children stricken with 

cancer and for the maintenance of the Jimmy 

Building. William S. Koster is the executive 

director of the Jimmy Fund. 

Projectionists Local 273 

Elects Officers for 1957 

NEW HAVEN—Anthony BasUicato, projectionist 

at Loew's College, was elected 

president of Local 273, lATSE, for the 1957 

term. 

Other officers elected included A. Nelson 

Frazier, vice-president; Benjamin Estra, secretary; 

Edward Boppert, treasurer; Ernest 

DeGross, business agent, and Louis LaVorgna 

and Lsadore Stein, executive committee. 

Now at Coldwater, Ohio 

COLDWATER, OHIO—Ed Mikesell, who 

had been operating a theatre in Camden, 

Ohio, and his wife Colleen are now operating 

the Columbia here, which had been closed 

since April 1956. The present schedule is 

two days a week, Saturday and Sunday. 

Back From Caribbean Trip 

HARTFORD—William Dougherty, district 

manager for Lockwood & Gordon Theatres, 

returned from a fl3dng vacation trip to Cuba 

and Puerto Rico. 

Mamie Van Doren in "Pet' 

Playing the girl who loses Clark Gable in 

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

Van Doren. 

SW-6 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

KweBiiP«a^w^M»*Jw 

. . . We 

i 

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: 

3-23-57 

Please enroll us in your RESEARCH BUREAU 

to receive information regularly, as released, on 

the following subjects for Theatre Planning: 

GD Acoustics 

Q Air Conditioning 

n Architectural Service 

D "Black" Lighting 

n Building Material 

n Carpets 

n Coin Machinss 

n Complete Remodeling 

n Decorating 

D Lighting Fixtures 

n Plumbing Fixtures 

n Projectors 

n Projection Lamps 

D Seating 

^ Signs and Marquees 

Sound Equipment 

D Television 

D Drinlc Dispensers D Theatre Fronts 

D Drive-In Equipment Vending Equipment 

D Other Subjects.. 

Postage-poid reply cards for your further convenience 

io obtaining information are provided in The MODERN 

THEATRE Section, published with the first issue of 

each month. 

22 Candidates Named 

In 'New Faces' Series 

DETROIT — The "New Faces - Going 

Place.s" series of newcomer personalities, 

which named Natalie Wood tops for 1956 

over 22 other candidates, has named 22 

candidates for the 1957 "New Paces." One 

of the 22 will be chosen at the end of the 

year as the newcomer achieving the highest 

boxoffice and popularity ratings in public 

interest in Detroit theatres. 

Using the Detroit Free Press series as the 

medium, the studios have submitted their 

list 

of candidates for this seventh year series 

of "New Faces - Going Places," which originated 

through Leonard Goldenson, now president 

of American Broadcasting-Paramount 

Theatres, and is handled by Alice Gorham of 

the United Detroit Theatres, with Helen 

Bower. Fêe Press film critic. 

Those who will be voted on by theatregoers 

in local theatres and rated by local 

exhibitors at the end of the year include 

Yul Brynner, John Cassavetes, Carroll Baker, 

Taina Elg, Gia Scala, Valerie French, Earl 

Holliman, Martha Hyer, Diane Jurgens, 

Sophia Loren, Vera Miles, Sal Mineo, Luana 

Patton, Anthony Perkins, John Saxon, John 

Kerr, Leslie Nielson, Victoria Shaw, Roger 

Smith, Tom Tryon, Eli Wallach, and Joanne 

Woodward. 

That "New Faces" is considered more than 

a local newspaper series by top Hollywood 

executives is apparent in recent comments 

written to Mrs. Gorham and Helen Bower 

by the west coast studios. 

Jack L. Warner, president of Warner 

Bros., said, "I feel the series performs a 

valuable service both in the film industry 

and to the Free Press readers." 

Harry Cohn, president of Columbia, said, 

"Constructive publicity of this sort encourages 

studios to develop new faces and we are 

grateful to you and your paper for your 

interest." 

Barney Balaban, Paramount president: 

"You are performing a fine service in this 

tribute to the young people in our industry." 

Buddy Adler, executive producer for 20th- 

Fox: "New talent is an urgent problem here 

have established our own school for 

the purpose of developing new personalities. 

We are proud that Marilyn Monroe and Robert 

Wagner of our contract list have been 

previous winners of your Free Fêss rolls." 

Max E. Youngstein, vice-president, United 

Artists: "In devoting such important space 

on your amusement pages, you are performing 

a real service to the motion picture industry 

and to Hollywood's newcomers." 

Measure Outlawing DST 

Indefinitely Shelved 

JEFFERSON CITY—The bill to outlaw 

daylight saving time in Missouri ran into 

major opposition from St. Louis interests, including 

the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The 

Globe-Democrat and their TV and their radio 

stations during the past week and the 

measure was placed on the informal calendar, 

which opponents have interpreted as meaning 

that efforts for its passage have "been 

indefinitely shelved." 

Representative N. G. Abbott of Stockton, 

one of the sponsors of the bill, said he 

planned to leave it on the informal calendar 

for an indefinite period. 

OKLAHOMA CITY 

There have been several persoTinel changes 

along Filinrow the last couple o.t. weeks. 

At Allied Artists, W. G. Carmichael, manager, 

left the past week to become exchsuige manager 

for Allied Ai-tlsts at Charlotte, N. C. 

New manager is Ben Jordan, former salesman 

in Atlanta. 

At Universal, Office Manager Dick May 

has been transferred to the Houston office as 

office manager there. George BjTd, former 

Universal salesman here, is new Houston 

exchange manager. Dan Snyder, formerly 

with RKO here, is the Oklahoma City office 

manager for Universal. Booker Sam Stathos, 

phone FOrest 5-4409, is now the person bookers 

should call after hours in case of emergency. 

Universal also has a new inspector, 

Amy Mock. 

Chester Blakeley, who covered western 

Oklahoma for 20 years for RKO, now is the 

Oklahoma representative for Tower Pictures 

. . . E. R. "Red" Slocum, executive 

of Dallas 

director of United Theatre Owners of Oklahoma, 

and R. O. "Dick" Thompson, new 

UTOO president, attended a United Artists 

get-acquainted meeting with UA's general 

sales manager in Dallas last w'eek . . Margaret 

. 

TuUis of Warner Bros, was off 

work last week due to illness . . . L. E. Brewer, 

Paulis Valley exhibitor, is up and around 

after recuperating from injuries received 

several weeks ago in an auto accident. 

Oklahoma City's Center Theatre sets a 

new record March 26 wlien, for the first time 

since the theatre opened several years ago. 

a picture will return to the Center for a second 

run. Film is "Fi-iendly Persuasion." 

which has been nominated for six Academy 

Awards. 

Among exhibitors in town the past week 

were Eddie Jones. Tulsa; Wesley Hodges, 

Weatherford; Garland Wilson, Shattuck; 

Bill Jones, Sand Springs; Mr. and Mrs. Ray 

Hughes, Heavener; E. B. Anderson, Norman; 

Sam Ridgeway, Maysville; Earl Snyder, Tulsa; 

Clint Applewhite, Carnegie; Truman Ellerd, 

Blanchard; Mrs. Bessie Willke, Harrah; 

John Sanders, Cleveland; Bill Slepka, Okemah; 

Virby Conley, Perryton, Tex.; Leonard 

White, Weatherford; Everett Mahaney, Nowata; 

J. Y. Greenwood, Boswell, and Mickey 

Walker, Newkirk, 

Singers Signed for 'Calypso' 

The Hi-Los. four young singers, have been 

signed by Producer Sam Katzman for his 

Columbia musical, "Calypso Heat Wave." 

The best costs 

no more 

from Oklahoma Theatre Supply 

OKLAHOMA THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

628 West Grond Ave. Telephone: RE 6-8691 

Oklahoma City 2, Oklo. 

BOXOFFICE : 

: March 

23, 1957 SW-7

DONALD C. POWER 

Pott(ail By Fabton Bacbiach 

General Telephone shows gain of 

140% in Payroll Savings Plan 

"The qualities of tlirift and good management are just 

as important to the individual worker as they are to the 

man who operates a business. Setting aside a little 

what you earn today for emergencies or future plans is 

sound policy for everyone. 

"That's why I 

am so enthusiastic about the way our 

General Telephone System employees have been purchasing 

U.S. Savings Bonds by the Payroll Savings 

Plan. In a recent person-to-person canvass which put 

Payroll Savings Application Blanks in the hands of our 

employees, enrollment in our Payroll Savings Plan increased 

from 5,838 to 14, 156 -a gain of 140%. 

of 

"It is fortimate that the world's safest investment benefits 

both the buyer and the United States Government 

that serves and protects him." 

DONALD C. 

POWER, President 

General Telephone System 

Encouraging your employees to join t/our Payroll Savings 

Plan is good business for (/oi/, them and i/our 

country. Your State Director will gladly help you install 

a Payroll Savings Plan or revitalize a present one. Phone 

or write the Savings Bonds Division, U.S. Treasury 

Department, Washington 25, D. C. 

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

thanks, jur their patriotic donation, the Advertising Council and 

BOXOFFICE 

SW-8 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

— 

— 

DeMille Epic Tops 

Omaha Second Week 

OMAHA—The second week, of The Ten 

Commandments" at the Omaha was only 20 

per cent behind the first week. Manager Carl 

Hoffman said the figure was 280 per cent 

of average compared with the 300 opening 

week. Boosting the total one day were 1.600 

school children from Catholic paiochial 

schools. Another such group was scheduled 

for the following week. Other first runs were 

in the subaverage category, ranging from 

fair to fizzles. 


Brandeis Poris Does Strange Things (WB).... 60 

Omaha The Ten Commondments (Para), 2nd wk. 280 

Orpheum Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (20th-Fox) . . . . 90 

State—The Iron Petticoat (MGM). 90 

"Men in War' in Warm Opening 

Despite Minneapolis Storms 

MINNEAPOLIS—"Men in War" opened 

with 135, in the face of a near-blizzard and 

heavy snowfalls. Another newcomer, "The 

Incredible Shrinking Man," also did well. 

"Ten Thousand Bedrooms" and "Rififi," 

other fresh entries, trailed. "The Teahouse 

of the August Moon," in its twelfth and final 

week, and "The Ten Commandments" and 

"Battle Hymn" in their fourth stanzas still 

were amazingly strong. 

Gopher The Teohouse ot the August Moon 

(MGM), 1 2th wk 90 

Lyric Ttie Ten Commandments (Para), 4th wk...200 

Orpheum The Incredible Shrinking Man (U-I)..I00 

Pon— Battle Hymn (U-l), 4th wk 125 

Rodio City Ten Thousand Bedrooms (MGM). ... 90 

State Men in War (UA) 135 

World Rififi (UMPO) 90 

National Allied Leaders 

To North Central Rally 

MINNEAPOLIS—Two National Allied leaders 

will speak at the annual North Central 

Allied convention here April 2. 3. S. D. Kane, 

executive counsel, .said invitations have been 

accepted by Julius Gordon of Beaumont. Tex., 

Daylight Time Measure 

Up Again in Minnesota 

MINNEAPOLIS—The legislation committee 

has recommended for passage a bill that 

would permit local option on daylight savings 

time in Minnesota. The measure is expected 

to come to a vote this week in the house. 

Agricultural interests along with the theatremen 

have been opposing daylight savings 

which has been defeated in previous years. 

Allied States president, and Jack Kirsch of 

Chicago, former National Allied president, 

longtime Illinois Allied head and director. 

Early reservations for local hotel rooms 

point to a big attendance at the convention, 

according to Kane. He said it is apparent 

that many independent exhibitors have been 

aroused by th reports in some of the tradepress 

that NCA is in danger of dissolution 

because of the failure of many theatreowners 

to support it financially and otherwise. 

"By their attendance, they make clear 

they'll let us know they want the organization 

to continue to function as it has in the 

past." says Kane. "The unfounded reports 

are proving a stimulus for the meeting." 

Pi-incipal topics to be discussed at the 

convention will include the future of the 

business and of NCA, film buying problems 

and the status of proposed discriminatory 

legislation. 

E. L. Peaslee's special committee will meet 

the day before the convention opens to make 

its decision regarding pre.sidential candidates 

to be submitted to members for a vote. After 

11 years at the helm Ben Berger has announced 

that under no circumstances will he 

serve in such a capacity any longer. 

Kane believes that Berger's personal appeal 

to attend the convention is a principal reason, 

too, why reservations are so heavy. 

pictures for viewing by television audiences. 

It listed authorized capitalization of $100,000. 

Further details of a possible cable theatre 

set-up for the Omaha ai-ea have not been 

announced. 

Also incorporating was the Great Plains 

Amusement Co. of Omaha to operate theatres, 

playhou.ses and rinks. Authorized capital 

stock is $100,000. Incorporators are 

Gayle Gainsforth, Richard Brasel and C. A. 

Allen, all of Omaha. 

"Rainmaker' Grosses 150 

In Milivaukee Opening 

MILWAUKEE—"The Ten Commandments" 

continued to pack them in at the Towne Theatre, 

and three of the new openers did nicely. 

"The Rainmaker" took opener honors with 

150 per cent, while "The Incredible Shi-inking 

Man" scored 130. 

Palace The Incredible Shrinking Man (U-l).... 130 

Riverside The Rainmaker (Para) 1 50 

Warner Full of Life (Col) 1 25 

Wisconsin Kelly and Me (U-l) 85 

Omaha Cable Firm Files 

Incorporation Papers 

LINCOLN — Telemovies of Nebraska, an 

Omaha fii-m, has filed articles of incorporation 

with Secretary of State Frank Marsh's 

office. 

Incorporators are Yale Richards and William 

B. Woodruff, Omaha attorneys. The 

firm was incorporated to transmit motion 

John A. Gies to North Platte 

NORTH PLATTE, NEB.—John A. Gies has 

taken over here as manager of the Pawnee 

Drive-In, owTied by the Commonwealth Theatres 

and by MJr. and Mrs. David Kaufmann 

and Wally Kemp of Grand Island. Gies had 

been manager at the Grand Theatre and 

Grand Drive-In at Grand I.sland the last 

four years. 

Richland, Iowa. Merchants 

To Give Free Show Series 

RICHLAND. IOWA—Fifteen weeks of 

free 

shows, offered on Saturday nights, will be 

sponsored this summer by Richland 

merchants. The free shows wei-e held in the 

town park last year, but a majority of 

merchants this year prefer that the free 

shows be given at the Strand Theatre. 

Glenn Nordyke, owner of the Strand, also 

plans to have shows each Saturday night for 

16 weeks this summer. These shows will be 

featured before and after the summer series 

of 15 pictures by Richland merchants. Program 

schedule of the shows will be published 

each week in the Clarion. 

Open Four Nights a Week 

HILLSBORO, WIS.—Irving Biba jr., manager 

of the Hill Theatre, has begun a fourday 

per week schedule of films. The theatre 

is operating now on Fridays and Saturdays, 

with a matinee on Saturdays, and on Sundays 

and Wednesdays, with continuous showings 

from 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. 

VISITS TWIN CITIES—MGM Producer Joe Pasternak, John Branton, vicepresident, 

Minnesota Amusement Co.; Charles Winchell, president, Minnesota Amusement 

Co.; Ralph Maw, MGM resident manager, Minneapolis, and Ev Seibel, director 

of advertising and publicity, MAC, look over the newspaper publicity on "Ten 

Thousand Bedrooms" as a result of Pasternak's visit to Minneapolis. 

BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957 NC-1

. . WOMPI 

. . 

. . 

. . M. 

. . MGM 

. . RKO 

. . 

DES MOINES 

Toe Ancher, head booker and office manager 

at Warners, has returned to his desk after 

Columbia is 

his recent hospitalization . . . 

starting its spring face-lifting with a new 

paint job in the office . . . Mildred Babcock, 

Paramount cashier, returned to the hospital 

when complications set in after surgery a 

couple of weeks ago . , . Dr. Newton E. Moats 

was the speaker at the Variety Club's regular 

luncheon meeting March 18 at the Standard 

Club . held its regular meeting on 

March 20 at the Standard Club. Guest 

speaker was Mrs. Anderson from Kehm's 

florists who spoke on floral arrangements 

and demonstrated techniques. The group 

plans to make Easter baskets for the Des 

Moines Orphans Home. President Dorothy 

Pobst held a board meeting at her home on 

March 13. 

Mike Lee, UA district manager, and Lewis 

Blumberg, exploiteer. were guests at UA . 

Helen Wallace, formerly at RKO, is a new 

stenographer at UA . . . Don Hicks, Paramount 

manager, apeared on the Don Bell 

Show, KRNT radio, last week praising the 

more than 3,000 high school students who 

attended a special morning showing of "The 

Ten Commandments." School officials had 

NATIONAL 

THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

W. R. DAVIS 

Phone ATlontic 8-3097 

1120 High St. Des Moines 9, Iowa 

Cernt 

Eipecl 

Quality and Speed 

When you send your Special 

TRAILER 

feared that allowing so many students the 

morning off from school and turning them 

all out of the theatres at the noon hour 

might result in some confusion. Theatre 

managers, officials and police officers, however, 

said the behavior of the students was 

"wonderful." 

. 

In commenting on the opening of the Des 

Moines drive-ins, an editorial in the Tribune 

said "Drive-in theatres are essentially gimmicks 

. . . their popularity has been one of 

the bright spots of the movie industry 

There still is no substitute for top-quality 

movies, no matter where they are shown." 

Henry Obermeyer Reopens 

Rio at Wall Lake, Iowa 

WALL LAKE, IOWA—Mr. and Mi's. 

Henry 

Obermeyer have reopened the Rio Theatre 

here after redecorating and remodeling the 

house. 

The auditorium and lobby of the theatre, 

damaged by smoke when the furnace exploded 

recently, were repainted, and seats 

were renovated where necessary. 

The Obermeyers have set up a newschedule 

of show nights and admission 

charges. There will be two shows a week: 

one on Saturday and Sunday and the other 

on Wednesday. Pi'ices will be 15 cents for 

children from 6-14; 35 cents for students 

from 14-18 and 50 cents for adults. Preschoolage 

children will be admitted free. 

Lewis Blumberg Visits 

Des Moines for 'Boodle' 

DES MOINES—Lewis 

Blumberg was here 

to ballyhoo his first independent motion picture, 

"The Big Boodle," which has been released 

through United Artists. 

He is the son of Nathan Blumberg, chairman 

of the board of Universal Pictures Co. 

"The Big Boodle," made in Havana, Cuba, is 

based on a real incident of counterfeit money 

introduced into the Cuban treasury. It is 

scheduled for the Orpheum Theatre here 

later this spring. 

Let Us Supply 

You With Coca-Cola 

$175 

1 

PER GAL. 

Shipped from our stock in case lots 

(4 gallons) or in 20-gallon lots from 

Chicago 

stock — prepaid. 

Also 

ORANGE CRUSH 

Orange Crush 

$2.35 Gal. 

Root Beer 1.75 Gal. 

Lemonade 

2.50 Gal. 

Old Colony Orange, Grape, Wild Cherry 

1.75 Gal. 

DES MOINES THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY 

1121-23 High Street Ph. CHerry 3-6520 Des Moines, Iowa 

MINNEAPOLIS 

pph Rosen, MGM city salesman, will enter 

. . . Nobody from 

the University of Minnesota Hospital 

March 28 for surgery 

"Around the World in 80 Days" has put in 

an appearance here yet and with such a 

suitable theatre as the Alvin available for 

the attraction locally the wonder in trade 

circles is why there apparently is no Mike 

Todd interest in launching the smash attraction 

here . A. Levy, 20th-Fox district 

manager, returned from a Mexican vacation 

Don O'Neill, Minnesota Amusement 

. . . Co. assistant buying and booking head, 

and wife were vacationing in Florida. 

Irving Marks, Allied Artists branch manager, 

reports negotiations are under way to 

bring back "Friendly Persuasion" in one of 

the first run houses . Orpheum manager 

Bob Whelan personally recommended 

"The Brave One" in the newspaper ads . 

Don Swartz, independent distributor, returned 

from Los Angeles where he sewed up 

three pictures— "Rock, Baby, Rock," "Hooked" 

and "Assault" . sneak-prevued "Designing 

Woman" at Radio City. 

MAC Now Free to Enter 

Drive-In Theatre Field 

MINNEAPOLIS—Industry observers here 

are speculating whether the Minnesota 

Amusement Co. will enter the drive-in theatre 

field now that the road is cleared for 

such action by the parent company's (United 

Paramount) complete consent decree performance. 

Both Charles Winchell, presidentgeneral 

manager, and Harry B. French, board 

chairman, have been quoted from time to 

time to the effect that the chain might acquire 

or build ozoners when it was permitted 

to do so. 

Dui-ing the past several years MAC has 

reduced its conventional theatre holdings in 

the territory to a much greater extent voluntarily 

than through decree requirements, 

dropping from around 85 to about 50. It has 

dropped a considerable number of such 

houses in the Twin Cities alone. 

All of the territory's approximately 50 

outdoor theatres are independently owned 

and operated. One local group of independent 

conventional theatre owners owns five of 

the 12 ozoners in the Twin Cities area. 

Blair Club Heads Drive 

For Theatre Reopening 

BLAIR, WIS—Members of the Blair Commercial 

Club, spearheading a drive for reopening 

of the State Theatre, have mailed 

out 1,000 first class letters to residents of the 

area, explaining the plight of the local theatre 

and asking for information regarding 

what kind of support the theatre can expect 

when it reopens on a trial basis. 

Enclosed with the letter were postage-free 

survey cards on which residents of the area 

were asked to provide the desired information. 

Frank Lesmeister, local theatre owner, has 

assured the club that he will make every 

effort to keep the theatre open if results of 

the survey indicate that adequate support will 

be received. 

NC-2 BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957


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NEW/ YORK 19, 

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DISTRIBUTED 

Minneapolis Theatre Supply Co. 

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Des Moines Theatre Supply Co. 

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BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957 NC-3

. . Now 

MILWAUKEE 

lyjrs. Barbara Hanley, manager of the 

Coronet Theatre here, was in hot water 

again over the showing of "The Snow Was 

Black." Before the schedule opening date, 

she screened the film for members of the 

mayor's motion picture commission and 

other interested dignitaries. As was expected, 

members called it "thoroughly immoral" and 

"the worst film ever reviewed by the commission" 

and voted unanimously to condemn 

it. Then, despite warnings from city officials 

that the theatre's license would be 

revoked if the film were run, she announced 

that it would be shown as scheduled. On 

the night in question, the writer phoned 

the theatre and like a recording, we got 

this: "We are holding over 'Verdi' and will 

not show 'The Snow Was Black.' " 

Last minute difficulties held up the L. 

F. Gran circuit from taking over the Modjeska. 

Uptown. Garfield, Princess, Jackson, 

Juneau and Granada theatres, as was announced 

in a previous memorandum. The 

deal was scheduled to have taken place on 

March 15, and all advertising, releases and 

whatnot were set to break, when a few 

details still remain to be ironed out, preventing 

the consummation. 

Edith Quade, assistant curator of education, 

public museum, was guest speaker 

and presented a film, "Parade of Wisconsin 

Folkways, 1956." at the recent monthly meeting 

of the Better Films Council at the 

YWCA. Mrs. Fred Rosenkranz, preview 

chairman, announced the classifications and 

ratings for the following films: The Brave 

One, excellent: Bundle of Joy, very good. 

For adults and young people: Men in War, 

Suicide Mission, Istanbul, Men of Shei-wood 

Forest, The True Story of Jesse James, The 

Big Land and Above Us the Waves. Listed 

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WPITE FOR SAMPLES-WO IlinS 

as good in the adult classification; Wicked 

as They Come, Oh, Men! Oh, Women! 

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, Yaqui Drums. 

Written on the Wind and F*ull of Life. Under 

poor: Young Scarf ace. The Violent Years, 

The Untamed Woman, Savage Princess and 

The Unnatural. 

"Ride the High Iron," which appeared 

here recently, by the way, was written by 

former Milwaukeean Milton Gelman. who 

is doing right well in television. The local 

papers reviewed it hopefully for signs that 

it might turn out to be one of those low 

budget sleepers . . . Filmrow Chat: Morrie 

Anderson, former RKO manager, has purchased 

the Screen Guild franchise from 

Bennie Benjamin who is heading for the 

west coast. 

Eddie Gavin, filmrow salesman with about 

35 years in the industry, moved from Republic 

over to Paramount. He is quite a 

bowler, having hit a 690 in a recent tournament 

to wind up with a handful of 

jewelry. Mrs. Gavin is also rolling up some 

healthy scores. Both she and Ann Vishing, 

cashier at Universal, bowl in the women's 

league . under the Allied Artists 

banner: George Devine, former salesman 

for Paramount: Frank Morn, former salesman 

for RKO: Walter Blaney, former RKO 

booker and Ed Safir, former Buena Vista 

salesman. 

Ward Pennington, manager for Paramount, 

was laid up at Columbia Hospital 

with pneumonia for two weeks. In the 

interim, "Buck" Stoner, Chicago district 

manager, came up to hold the fort . . . 

Ed Krofta, former Allied Artist booker, 

moved over to the Fox organization . . . 

"Mol" (Melvina) Broderson. office manager 

at Columbia for years, died after a lingering 

illness . . . Johnny Mednikow, manager 

at National Screen Service, was vacationing 

with his wife in Florida. 

3,000 Des Moines Students 

View 'Commandments' 

DES MOINES—More than 3,000 Des Moines 

high school students attended special showings 

of "The Ten Commandments," at the 

Des Moines and Paramount theatres March 

14. Students at the five high schools were 

given the morning off from classes after the 

Des Moines school board voted 4-3 to allow 

them to see the show during regular school 

hours. 

An estimated 1,000 students had gathered 

in front of the two theatres by 6:30 a.m., 

when the doors were opened. After the show, 

the crowds quickly dispersed. 

Managers of both theatres, which seat 

1,700 each, reported near-capacity houses. 

They termed "wonderful" the behavior of the 

students and said they planned to WTite 

letters to each high school principal praising 

the students' behavior. 

Ransack Oskaloosa Airer 

OSKALOOSA, IOWA—Oskaloosa 's 

drive-in 

on Pella road was ransacked last week, according 

to Sheriff Jim Harvey. There was 

no evidence of theft. 

Will Not Be Transferred 

ESTHERVILLE, IOWA—James Greene. 

manager of the Grand Theatre, is not being 

transferred to Charles City as had been 

planned. He will continue as manager here. 

OMAHA 

piggest news on Filmrow was the snow and 

i-ain which blessed most of the Nebraska- 

Iowa-South Dakota territory. Salesmen reported 

the moisture was viewed by exhibitors 

as the best thing that could happen in the 

drouth-stricken agricultural areas. Although 

the precipitation was far from enough to 

assure good planting conditions, it was cheering 

to farmers and business people alike. 

. . . 

Clarence Frazier of the Joyo Theatre at 

Havelock is building an outstanding apartment 

building in the Lincoln suburb 

Joe H. Jacobs, Columbia manager, was convalescing 

at home after an operation and 

expected to return to the office soon 

Jack Andres, Columbia salesman, 

. . . 

was down 

Goldie Bell, Columbia inspectress, 

with the flu . . . 

undei-went minor 

surgery. 

Howell Roberts, Wahoo exhibitor, said his 

daughter was doing fine after a tonsillectomy 

in Saunders County Community Hospital . . . 

Tom Bridges, new Paramount divisional manager 

from Dallas, visited M. E. Anderson at 

Another visitor was 

the local exchange . . . 

Max McCoy, popular former film salesman in 

this area with Paramount and 20th-Fox. Max 

went to Dallas with a national envelope firm 

and now is with M. C. Schrank Co., women's 

apparel. He expects to headquarter out of 

Topeka, serving the Kansas and Nebraska 

areas. 

Two Barbaras, daughters of Filmrow personnel, 

made news. Barbara McLucas, whose 

father is D. V. McLucas, United Artists manager, 

was chosen as one of 14 leaders in 

different classes in a Goldstein-Chapman 

store charm style show, then was chosen 

best model of the entire field. She is a Benson 

High senior and member of a girls' group 

in the Missouri Valley Timing Ass'n, which 

is building its own strip for auto timing runs. 

Barbara Cohen, whose father is Ed Cohen. 

Columbia salesman, took part in an extemporaneous 

speaking and debate tournament 

at Hastings. Barbara has been accepted in a 

foreign correspondents and journalism course 

at Marquette University after her graduation 

at Cathedral High. 

. . . The 

Variety Club plans for a Tent 16 membership 

meeting and buffet dinner at the Fireside 

restaurant are being completed, Chief 

Barker Pat Halloran announced 

rainy weather cut the visitors' list of exhibitors 

to a handful. On the Row were Ernie 

Kasebaum. Seward: Mrs. Neil Munkries and 

Leon Fitzpatrick. Weeping Water, and Frank 

Good, Red Oak. 

Dubuque Drive-In Opens; 

Lloyd Knode Manager 

DUBUQUE. IOWA—The Dubuque Drive-In 

has opened for the season under a new manager, 

Lloyd Knode of Waterloo. A three-year 

contract was negotiated by projectionists 

Local 103 providing for the same wage scale 

and operating conditions as in the downtown 

theatres. 

Few improvements have been made this 

year, since a new screen and booth equipment 

were installed last season. Knode said. However, 

there will be new warmers for 

sandwiches and hot drinks in the snack bar. 

The Dubuque Drive-In is owned by Central 

States Theatre Corp., Des Moines. 

NC-4 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

36 

. . 3S 

Censor Bills Target 

Of ITOO Mail Drive 

COLUMBUS—A letter writing campaign to 

members of the legislature expressing opposition 

to censorship proposals before the lawmakers 

was urged by the Independent Theatre 

Owners of Ohio in a bulletin to members. 

"Postcards will do just as well a-s letters." 

the bulletin read. "Each letter or postcard 

should start with 'I am opposed to movie 

censorship' or 'I am against movie censorship' 

and follow with any of the many reasons 

for opposition. 

"Theatre managers and owners and employes 

of theatres are voters and have every 

right to express their opinions. It is not 

necessai-y that you identify yourselves as 

such, but the communication should have a 

name and address. 

"The next two months are crucial in this 

fight and we need public opinion back of 

us," the bulletin added. 

Letters and cards addressed to members 

of the senate education committee and the 

rules committee are considered ptarticularly 

important. Members of the education committee 

include; Charles A. Mosher, Oberlin: 

Oakley A. Collins. Ironton; Delbert L. Latta, 

Bowling Green; Raymond E. Hildebrand, 

Toledo; Gordon Renner, Cincinnati; Ross 

Pepple, Lima; William Beckett, Hajmilton; 

C. Lee Mantle, Painesville; Charles J. Carney. 

Youngstown; Fi-ank W. King. Toledo, and 

Julius J. Petrash. Cleveland. 

Members of the rules committee; C. Stanley 

Mechem, Nelsonville; Tom V. Moorehead, 

Zanesville; William H. Deddens, Cincinnati; 

David Ferguson, Cambridge; Theodore 

M. Gray, Piqua; Joseph W. Bartunek, Cleveland 

and Arthur Blake, Martins Ferry. 

Film Censorship Bills Supported 

By State Catholic Conference 

COLUMBUS- -The Ohio Catholic Welfare 

Conference meeting here called for "vigorous 

public .support" of legislation which "would 

safeguard decency in publications and entertainment." 

Two aichbishops, six bishops, 80 priests and 

laymen representing six Catholic dioceses in 

Ohio attended a two-day meeting at the Neil 

Hou.se. James J. Hollern, Columbus, was 

chosen executive secretary, the first layman 

appointed to the post. 

In its statement on publications and entertainment, 

the OCWC asserted: "While we 

recognize that the chief responsibility rests 

on paj'ents and public opinion for all forms 

of public entertainment, we hold the firm 

conviction that public authority cannot be 

absolved from its own direct responsibility 

for maintaining the highest standards of 

public decency and morality. 

"The efforts of legislators to safeguard 

decency in all public exhibitions in films 

and printed matter deserve wide and vigorous 

support." 

Considering bills before the legislature, the 

conference went on record as favoring fair 

employment practices, higher minimum wage, 

making parents responsible for vandalism 

of their children and film censorship. 

Ralph Carmichael is the producer and director 

of the music for Allied Artists' "The 

Persuader." 

Curfew Bill in 

Midnight Airer Limit 

COLUMBUS—A curfew bill which would 

forbid unaccompanied persons under 18 to 

be in indoor or drive-in theatres alter midnight 

was introduced in the Ohio legislature 

by Reps. Jesse Yoder (Dem.) and 

Charles Whelan (Rep. i, both of Dayton. 

Aimed principally at "all-night" shows, 

the bill provides that "no jjerson being the 

owner, lessee, proprietor or manager of a 

theatre, hall, opera house or a building 

where theatrical performances are given, 

when an admission fee is charged, shall permit 

the presence at such performances of 

any child younger than 18 years of age 

after midnight unless accompanied by his 

father, mother or legal guardian. Any minor 

under the age of 18 who becomes emancipated 

through marriage, shall be exempt 

from this section. Whoever violates this 

section shall be fined not less than $10 nor 

more than $50." 

An Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, 

bulletin said the bill would compel theatre 

managers to cross-question every young person 

who entered a theatre for a performance 

which lasted beyond midnight. 

"Inspection of marriage certificates might 

also be a requisite for theatre managers, 

Rock 'n' 

Roll Craze Boon 

To Detroit Boxoffices 

DETROIT—So great is the rock and roll 

craze in the Motor City that about 75 

per cent of the community film houses have 

been featuring it simultaneously, either in a 

feature film or on stage. Getting the cream of 

the fans in boxoffice. however, was the 

Broadway Capitol, the downtown United Detroit 

theatre, when 1,000 teenagers lined up 

outside for the matinee performance, February 

24. 

Alice Gorhan, director of public relations 

for United Detroit theatres, said that the 

Sunday afternoon attendance for Columbia's 

"Don't Knock the Rock" and Rumble on 

the Docks" was on a par with the response 

to the same films at the Paramount in New 

York. Additional ushers were put on outside 

duty and the municipal police force was very 

much in evidence. 

BOWLING 

DETROIT—The leading Ernie Forbes team 

found the Altec team really hard to beat, 

losing the first two games, but taking the 

third and fourth. National Carbon found 

the going tough and lost three points to 

National Theatre Supply. Amusement Supply, 

not satisfied to stay on the bottom, took 

four points from the projectionists team, 

with the Amusement Supply sparkplugs being 

Donlon, Pickering and Juckett. New 

standings are; 

Team Won Lost Teom Won Lost 

Ernie Forbes. 63 29 Altec 45 47 

Carbon 49'/j 421/2 Amuse' Sup' . 56 

NTS 471/1 441/2 Local 199 . 57 

High scores rolled were J. Colwell 217. 

total 580; Joe Foresta 224, 540; Stewart Aplin 

215, 559; Floyd Akins 204, 501; Ralph Haskin 

189, 541; Clare Winnie 195. 517; Mel Donlon 

206; Eddie Wadell 202; Nick Forest, 503. 

Ohio Sets 

too." the bulletin stated. "And if a young 

pair entered a theatre at 8 p. m. and liked 

the picture well enough to stay for a second 

showing and was found, the manager could 

be compelled to pay a fine. Silly? Of course 

it is, but it is not easy to beat proposals 

of this kind with a lot of 'do-gooders' in 

back of them." 

Letters opposing the measure will be sent 

to Reps. Jesse Yoder and Charles Whelan. 

A proposal to legalize bingo in Ohio by 

authorizing local option elections was proposed 

to the senate by Senator Arthur Blake 

I Dem.) Martins Ferry. The measure would 

amend the section of the state constitution 

which prohibits lotteries. 

Under terms of the resolution, electors 

of a municipality would be given the opportunity 

to determine whether they wanted 

bingo in their community. Operation of the 

game would be limited to religious, charitable 

and nonprofit organizations. First 

prize for winners could not exceed $250 

and the total of all prizes could not top 

SI.000. 

Several weeks ago. Senator Anthony Calabrese, 

Cleveland, introduced a resolution to 

submit the bingo question to a vote. 

Plain Dealer Backs 

Cleveland Awards 

CLEVELAND—The Cleveland Plain Dealer 

has agreed to spon.sor the Academy Awards 

Sweepstakes contest even though only seven 

theatres will participate in it. The participating 

theatres are Loew's State and Stillman, 

the SW Allen and the independent 

Hippodrome, all downtown first run houses, 

and also Keith's 105th St. Theatre, under 

the same management as the Hippodrome, 

and the SW Colony and Vogue in Shaker 

Heights. 

The Plain Dealer will publish the ballots 

on three successive days, namely March 22, 

23 and 24. The participating theatres will 

not distribute any ballots. Honoring only the 

PD ballots, the Plain Dealer is offering a 

first prize of $200. There will be 25 other 

prizes supplied by the theatres. They will 

include season passes, six-month passes, 

three-month passes, etc. 

Independent subrun theatres declared 

themselves out of the plan soon after its 

announcement, claiming they do not stand 

to benefit by it because winning pictures are 

not available to them until interest in the 

awards is over and also because the rental 

price is allegedly boosted beyond their earning 

capacity. 

The participating theatres will run advance 

trailers advising the public to see the Plain 

Dealer for details. 

George W. Harlow Dead 

HOPKINSVILLE, KY.—George W. Harlow, 

61, manager of the Princess Theatre who 

has been with the Crescent Amusement Co. 

40 years, died in a hospital recently. 

BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957 ME-1

. . Dillon 

i Micbigii 

. . Joe 

. . Bernai'd 

. . . Ray 

. . "The 

DETROIT 

\xrilber F. Haartgê, projectionist at the 

Midtown Theatre here, died Sunday (10) 

at the age of 60 in Receiving Hospital. Burial 

was March 14 in Oakview cemetery. Haartge 

was a projectionist at the Midtown for 12 

years, and was a member of the Nightingales. 

He is survived by his wife Dollie and brother 

Carl . Krepps, manager at the 

United Artists Theatre, now exhibiting 

"Around the World in 80 Days," has had 

a continual run of theatre parties for various 

organizations and says that "Around the 

World in 80 Days" is holding to a steady 

boxoffice business right through the opening 

weeks of Lent. He has averaged one theatre 

party per week during the ten weeks "World" 

has been showing in Detroit. 

. . . Libby 

"The Snow Was Black" showed such good 

boxoffice returns at the Studio Theatre that 

a third week run was scheduled 

Jones, familiar for her role in "The Man 

With the Golden Ai'm," now is being billed 

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BOXOFFICE : 

: March 

23, 1957 ME-3

. . John 

. . . Lou 

. . Meyer 

. . Milton 

. . Danny 

CINCINNATI 

"lyjany Cincinnati film and theatre folk who 

knew Jack Safer of Safer Film Distributors, 

Indianapolis, were sorry to hear of 

his death last week. Safer was in his early 

50s and had been ill for some months . . . The 

Guild Theatre, owned by Willis Vance, reopened 

after a four-day shutdown, during 

which time a new wall-to-wall screen was 

installed. The theatre reopened Friday (15) 

with "The Silent World." 

Springlike weather and the early reopening 

of many drive-ins brought many out-oftowners 

to the Row. Among the rai-e visitors 

were George Lively. Huntington, W. Va.; 

John Carey, Wheelersburg; Louis Sher, 

Columbus; William Powers, Pendleton, Ky.; 

Sam Scheidler and his family. Hurricane, W. 

Va.; Jerry Shinbach. Chicago. 111. . . . Irving 

Tombeck, WB publicist, is 

engaged in the promotion 

of "The Spirit of St. Louis" and the 

rerelease of the two James Dean pictures, 

"East of Eden," and "Rebel Without a Cause." 

With reference to the former picture, a replica 

of the plane is being displayed in a 

nymber of key cities in this section of the 

country, but not Cincinnati. The James 

Dean pictures will have their first rerelease 

date in Ohio at the RKO Grand, Columbus, 

March 27. M. E. Sensenbrenner, mayor of 

Columbus, has proclaimed the week of March 

27 as "James Dean Week." 

Harris Dudelson, division 

job. 

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NEW YOUK, N.Y. 

630 Ninth Av«. 

was in working with local manager Lee 

Heidingsfeld . Simonelli, Paramount 

auditor, is in the Cincinnati branch . . . Delia 

Graf, former RKO assistant cashier, is now 

operating the voice-writer at U-I. 

The Variety Club auxiliary sent out a clever 

invitation in the form of a poem for a luncheon 

on Tuesday (26). It read as follows: 

V^'e're a little lote, sorry to say, so rushing this 

news by o wire today 

To a general meeting, we're inviting you, there's 

luncheon, program and prizes, too. 

A treasure chest that's full of delight, the prizes 

are yours, if the key is right; 

So watch in the mail for your key to come, yours 

may be the lucky one; 

To highlight the afternoon, we are proud to say, 

WKRS's Helen Nugent, is our guest for the 

day. 

Please come to the Luncheon, don't delay, call 

coll In your reservation today; 

Tuesday, March 26 is the dote; 12:15 the time, 

so don't be late iwe must be prompt, as our 

guest has only on hour to spare) 

$ 1 .50 IS the nominal fee, so at the luncheon 

it's you we hope to see! 

Heywood Mitchusson, former West Virginia 

salesman for RKO, has joined Bankers 

Life Insurance Co. as special agent. 

'Wee Geordie' Leads 

Big Cleveland Week 

CLEVELAND— Almost all downtown first 

run theatres did better than average. The 

Hippodrome Irad 'em jammed to the rafters 

last weekend for "Westward Ho. the Wagons" 

and it was held over a second week. "Men 

in War" made an excellent showing. It, too, 

did enough business to warrant a holdover. 

"The Big Land" just managed to get into 

the average plus column while the suburban 

Heights Art Theatre had almost as big an 

opening with "Wee Geordie" as it previously 

had with "La Strada." Those two standbys, 

"The Ten Commandments" and "This Is 

Cinerama," each in its 17th week, continued 

to roll up fantastic business. 


Allen—The Big Land (WB) 105 

Hippodrome—Westward Ho, the Wagons (BV). . . . 1 60 

Heights Art —Wee Geordie (Times) 250 

Ohio—The Ten Commandments (Paro), J 7th wk.185 

State—Men in War (UA) 125 

Stillman—Slander Inc. (MGM) 75 

Lent and Warm Weather 

Hurt Detroit Grosses 

DETROIT — Unexpectedly warm spring 

temperatures, the Lenten season and opening 

of drive-in theatres locally drew attendance 

away from the downtown houses, but 

the two long run films, "The Ten Commandments" 

and "Ai'ound the World in 80 Days" 

lield steady with previous weeks, and other 

houses experienced an equally fair business. 

Ariarrs—The Iron Petticoat (MGM) 100 

Broadway Capitol— Don't Knock the Rock (Col); 

Rumble on the Docks (Col), 3rd wk 100 

fox—The True Story of Jesse James (20th-Fox); 

Women of Pitcairn Island (20fh-Fox) 135 

.'-Madison—The Ten Commandments (Para), 

16th wk 250 

Michigan— Battle Hymn (U-ll; Four Girls in 

Town (U-I), 3rd wk 120 

Palms—Mister Cory (U-I); Night Runner (U-I) . . 90 

United Artists—Around the World in 80 Days 

(UA), 1 ifh wk 250 

"Big Land' Grosses 125 

In Cincinnati Opening 

CINCINNATI—There was a slight gain in 

attendance over the previous week. "The Big 

Land" at the Palace led the newcomers with 

125. "The Ten Commandments" scored 180 

in its 12th week at the Grand. "The Rainmaker" 

was in its second week at Keiths. 

Albee—Top Secret Af foir (WB) 110 

Grand—The Ten Commandments (Paro), 12th wk. 180 

Paloce—The Big Land (WB) 125 

CLEVELAND 

T J. Schmertz, 20th-Fox manager and his 

fair lady left Thursday (14) by plane 

for their annual Florida sunshine vacation 

Sharp, who owns the gas station 

across the street from the Film building and 

also heads the Ohio Disposal Co., has moved 

into spacious offices in 518 Film Bldg. . . . 

Jack Silverthorne, Hippodrome manager, and 

his wife Kay received congratulations over 

the weekend, the occasion being their 20th 

wedding anniversary . . . Max J. Rosenberg, 

producer of "Rock. Rock. Rock," distributed 

through DCA, was in town calling on ciixuit 

heads . Fine, president of Associated 

Theatres, and wife Mabel are in Florida. And 

just to balance the circuit scales, Abe Kramer 

and his wife Betty returned from a month 

of Florida vacation. 

Jack Fine, former manager of the local 

Union Square Theatre, has purchased from 

Ben Micheimer the five-year-old 600-car 

DeLuxe Drive-In at La Porte, Ind. He plans 

to open it for the season soon . . . Exchanges 

have been notified that Charles Marecek, 

owner of the Port Clinton Drive-In, Port 

Clinton, is now doing his own buying and 

booking . A. Mooney, president of 

Cooperative Theatres of Ohio acknowledges 

witii pride (and reservations) that on their 

recent trip west and south, Mrs. Mooney 

proved the more successful deep sea fisherman 

and he has pictures to prove it. 

Local film carriers, who met in Columbus 

at the call of ITOO President Horace Adams 

to discuss industry problems, reported that 

because of the time element involved in the 

delivery of motion picture prints, it is impracticable 

for them to take on the hauling of 

nonfilm articles. Most of them now deliver 

limited amounts of newspapers and magazines 

but not enough to compensate for the 

number of closed theatres. Biggest help can 

come from exhibitors, say the haulers, who 

claim some of their lost business is due to 

last minute bookings which require express 

delivery, thus reducing their legitimate revenue. 

Buena Vista's "Westward Ho. the Wagons" 

was a big boxoffice hit at the Hippodrome, 

where it was held over a second week . . . 

Jack Schlaifer, assistant to UA sales manager 

James Velde, was in town . Rosenthal, 

Variety Club first v. p., in all probability 

. . . 

will not attend the national convention in 

New Orleans as he originally planned 

Perc Essick of Modern Theatres is all hepped 

up over his new Buick . . . Alan Sogg. son 

of MGM manager Jack Sogg, graduates in 

June from the Medical School of the University 

of Cincinnati. 

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ME-4 BOXOFFICE : 

: March 

23, 1957

Nathan Yamins Ends 

f*^*^*'^^'- 

Seekonk Airer Suit 

BOSTON— Independent Amusement Co. 

and Nathan Yamins of Fall River have filed 

papers in the superior court of Boston indicating 

they are waiving their appeals to the 

supreme judicial court in the action against 

the proposed Family Drive-In in Seekonk, 

Mass. Thus, the pending equity and mandamus 

actions are terminated. 

These suits were brought by Independent 

Amusement and Yamiii,'^ again.st the selectmen 

and the board of appeals of Seekonk and 

against Hyman Lepes and Norman Zalkind, 

both of Fall River, challenging the validity 

of the zoning laws and the right of the 

building inspector to grant a drive-in permit 

to Lepes and Zalkind to build a screen 

70 feet high. Coun.sel for Independent Amusement 

maintained the granting of the permit 

for a building more than 40 feet high, was 

in violation of the Seekonk zoning law. 

The matter was brought to a head when 

the town of Seekonk refused to renew the 

permit for Independent Amusement and Nathan 

Yamins to operate the Bay State Drive- 

In in Seekonk which has been in existence 

for ten years. The disposition of the cases 

re.sulted in the granting of the license to Bay 

State, which now is reopened, and paved the 

way for Lepes and Zalkind to continue with 

the construction of the Family Drive-In, expected 

to be completed before the end of this 

season. 

Early Matinee Ballyhoo 

Aids Airer Reopening 

HARTFORD—Regional drive-in theatres, 

reopening for the season, have announced 

numerous audience-appeaJing promotions. 

The Starlite Drive-In Stamford, for example, 

has resumed its Tuesday buck night 

policy, with $1 charged per carload, regardless 

of number of passengers. At the same 

time, the Starlite is running what it advertises 

as early Sunday matinee, starting 

the first performance on that night at 6. 

The Air-Line Drive-In, Route 33, is distributing 

silver dollars to Friday holders of 

lucky ticket numbers. Only children under 

12 aj-e eligible. 

Would Bar Drive-Ins 

HARTFORD—The suburban Wethersfield 

zoning commission has voted to amend a 

town ordinance to prohibit outdoor theatres 

and cemeteries in industrial zones. The town 

has no outdoor theatres at present. Only 

entertainment enterprise is Lockwood & Gordon's 

de luxe Webb Playhouse. 

'Giant' Runs Full Week 

HARTFORD—The Hartford Theatre circuit 

pleased with its first four days' returns 

on "Giant" at the 1,000-seat subsequent-run 

Colonial, held the Warner Bros, release a 

full week at the theatre. The Colonial 

normally lays product on a split-week basis. 

Ends European Vacation 

HARTFORD—Hector Frascadore, general 

manager of E. M. Loew's Farmington, Conn., 

Drive-In, has returned from a two-month 

European vacation. 

industry profile wssss^^^s 

Bob Carney Still Meets Problems 

Of Industry With Enthusiasm 

By ALLEN M. WIDEM 

WATERBURY. CONN.—Here in the 

Bra.ss City is .situated a showman with an 

admirable approach to both living and 

the exhibition of motion pictures. 

Robert Carney, six-foot, amiable manager 

of the downtown sector's largest theatre, 

Loew's Poll, is in his 24th year with 

Loew's Theatres. He and his wife Ann 

are marking their- 25th wedding anniversary 

and haven't regretted one day of participation 

in the hectic world of entertainment. 

With chaiacteristic candor, Carney sums 

up nearly a quarter of a century of management: 

"Living through the installation 

of widescreen. Cinemascope, new sound 

and what have you only means to me that 

this still fabulous business hasn't even 

scratched the surface. I'll be darned if 

this job didn't turn out to be steady! 

"I've been a very lucky fellow in my 

career. Did I do it myself? Never; if I 

were to name all the folks that I personally 

and secretly thank for what and 

where I am today, it would take too much 

space and time. A manager can carry 

respect in his community. You don't reach 

that goal alone. It takes good friends, 

loyal fellow employes and understanding 

superiors as well as a wonderful family." 

Carney has frequent recourse to a comment 

in verse by his chai-ming wife: 

"Bob, when things go wrong, as they 

sometimes will, 

And the road you are trudging seems 

all 

uphill. 

When the funds are low and the debts 

are high, 

And you want to smile, but have to 

sigh. 

When care is pressing down a bit. 

Rest, if you must:—but don't ever quit! 

"You know, as well as I, that success 

is failure turned inside out, 

A beautiful silver lining in a large 

cloud of doubt, 

And you can never tell how close you 

are 

It may be near when it seems afar; 

So stick to the fight when you're 

hardest hit. 

It's when things seem the worse 

YOU MUSTN'T QUIT!" 

Bob Carney's introduction to exhibition 

came in 1933 as an usher. He was earning 

the handsome sum of $12 a week; his 

newly acquired wife was di-awing another 

$8. 

"Those were the days!" Carney sighed. 

"We were young, but very happy, and, 

above all, learning the complexities of this 

mdustiy. We'd do it that way again, too!" 

Two and a half years later, he was elevated 

to assistant manager at Loew's College, 

New Haven. Then followed assignments 

at other Loew situations, all in 

Connecticut, prior to taking over his present 

post. 

Two months after assuming managership 

here, Carney began supervising a 

BOB CARNEY 

policy of name bands and vaudeville. This 

schedule was dropped after 45 weeks. But 

stagewise Carney realized that the lure of 

the spotlight can often appeal to increasingly 

important elements of his audience, 

and he launched a 16-week, sponsored 

"Teen Talent Time," with local merchants 

and businessmen picking up the tab. 

"This latter stunt," he comments, "is 

still a tremendous moneymaker in my 

book, and who knows, maybe we'll be 

seeing similar attractions in theatres 

again." 

Recently Loew's Poll has played a variety 

of stage shows, including a touring company 

of "Oklahoma!" the Victor Borge 

"Comedy in Music" one-man show, the 

Carabinieri band. Alec Templeton, U. S. 

Marine band, and an impressive roster 

of dance recitals and dance school revues. 

As far as sports interests are concerned, 

the smiling Irishman admits a fondness 

for swimming and golf. 

"I'm a member of the Waterbury Kiwanls 

club, ex-director and now chairman 

of the underprivileged chUdi'en's committee," 

Carney added. "And I can also 

give a fairly decent account of myself 

when it's necessary to emcee a show or 

make an address, besides handling and 

selling Loew's real estate!" 

The Carneys are parents of two boys. 

Gary, 23, is attending the U. S. Air Force 

language school at Monterey, Calif. Gregory, 

10, is a fifth gi'ade student here. 

At 46, Bob Carney looks back on an activity 

filled career with pride and thinks 

of the future with burgeoning confidence. 

"Do I like my job?" he asks himself. 

"Let me say that thanks to the fine calibre 

of men I've met and worked with in Loew's 

Theatres, I'd say that Berlin never spoke 

truer words when he proclaimed, 'There's 

no business like show business!'" 

m 


NE-I

. . Local 

. . The 

. . 

. . . Apparently 

. . Signs 

— 

— 

—— 

— 

— 

TWO VARIETY MEMBERS HONORED—Al Glaiibinger, United Artists and 

W'elden Waters, 20th-Fox, recently promoted by their companies, were honored at a 

luncheon at Hotel Bradford, Boston, by the Variety Club of New England. More than 

130 industry friends attended. Left to right, seated: Gene Tunick, UA; Waters; 

Michael Redstone, chief barker; Glaubinger. Standing: Al Levy, 20th-Fox; Theodore 

Fleisher, emcee; Joe Gins, U-I, and Harry Segal, UA. 

PROVIDENCE 

pdward C. 

Stokes has been named manager 

. 

. . . 

of the Avon Cinema, east side art house, 

replacing Nelson Wright, who resigned to 

enter the automobile business R. I. 

premiere of "Manon" took place at the Avon 

Paul Tighe, former manager of the Majestic, 

recently renewed old acquaintances in 

this city when he returned from New York 

state to assist in moving his family from 

Providence to Binghamton, where he is associated 

with Cumerford Theatres. 

A radical departure for most neighborhood 

houses in this state was noted when the Hope 

held over "Anastasia." The newly decorated 

east side house was forced to extend the engagement 

of the film when packed houses 

caused a sizable number of turnaways . 

"The Rainmaker" held for a second week at 

the Strand . music lovers were treated 

to some real live entertainment when Sigmund 

Romberg's "The Student Prince" held 

forth for two evening performances in the 

School of Design auditorium. Sponsored by 

the Pyramid Players and Glee Clubs of ProvirFILMACK 


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Boy State Amusement Enterprises, 

Inc. 

250 Boylston St., Room 306 

Boston 16, Mass. Tel. KE 6-5255 

dence College capacity audiences enjoyed 

the spectacle. 

William Trambukis, Loew's State, has been 

appointed to the mayor's park-plan committee, 

a special commission set up to try and 

find a solution to local traffic and parking 

problems . of spring evidenced by 

the announcement of the seasonal reopenings 

of several nearby drive-ins were quickly wiped 

out when a late winter blizzard swept this 

area. All openings were postponed, but as 

quickly as the remnants of the storm were 

shoveled or melted away, the Boro Drive-In, 

Cranston Auto Theatre and Pike Drive-In 

premiered for 1957. 

Al Siner, Strand manager, is making extensive 

plans for the screening of "The Ten 

Commandments," which will bow Good Friday. 

Working with members of several religious 

groups, he anticipates special performances 

for students and religious groups 

apprehensive of the traps and 

plans set up during the recent conference 

between theatre operators and police officials, 

the hoax bomber has been very quiet of late. 

No fake alarms have been reported recently, 

and hopes are high that he has been scared 

off for good. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE 

Arthur "Roxy" Rothafel, onetime Hollywood 

script writer and now general manager 

of radio station WLNH in Laconia, has 

been named as town moderator in Gilford, 

Joseph A. Malenfant, 

where he resides . . . 

69, projectionist at a Nashua theatre, died at 

a hospital as a result of injuries suffered in 

a fall at his home. He was a native of St. 

Francois, P. Q., Canada, and had resided in 

Nashua for 65 years. 

Airers Bow March 15 

HARTFORD—Perakos Theatre Associates 

reopened the Plainville and Southington 

drive-ins for the season on March 15. Also 

relighting the same evening was the Keppner-Lipman 

Mansfield Drive-In. 

'Men' and 'Geordie' 

Boston Pacesetters 

BOSTON—Of the new product, "Men in 

War" and "Wee Geordie" led the field in a 

so-so week at the boxoffice. The Met played 

two James Dean reissues which drew well 

over the weekend but fell down later. The 

roadshow engagements of "The Ten Commandments" 

and also "Seven Wonders of 

the World" continue strong. 


Astor The Ten Commandments (Pare) 120 

Beacon Hill The Great Man (U-I), 5th wk 105 

Boston Seven Wonders of the World (SW), 

28th wk 105 

Exeter Street Wee Geordie (Times), 1st wk 130 

Kenmore The Proud and the Beautiful 

(Kingsley), 1st wk 115 

Memorial Bottle Hymn (U-I), 3rd and tinal wk. 85 

.Metropolitan Eost of Eden (WB); Rebel Without 

a Cause (WB), reissues 75 

Paramount and Fenway Voodoo Woman (AlP); 

The Undead (AlP) 110 

Saxon The Rainmaker (Para), 4th wk 85 

State and Orpheum Men in War (UA); Peocemaker 

(UA) 130 

'Commandments' Smashes 

Records in Hartford 

HARTFORD — "The Ten Commandments," 

now in a fifth brisk week at the Allyn Theatre, 

has smashed all standing attendance 

records at the AB-PT flagship. The end of 

the run still is not in sight. 

Allyn The Ten Commandemnts (Para), 4th wk.. .250 

Art The Snow Was Block (Continental) 90 

E. M. Loew Texas (Col); Gun Fury (Col), reissues 75 

Palace The Iron Petticoat (MGM); Storm Rider 

20th-Fox), 2nd wk 85 

Parsons East of Eden (WB); Rebel Without a 

Cause (WB), reissues 70 

Poll Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (20th-Fox); Affoir 

In Reno (Rep) 95 

Strand The Incredible Shrinking Man (U-I); 

Tomahawk Trail (UA) 1 25 

Providence Grosses Sag 

As Steady Rains Come 

PROVIDENCE—Drenching downpours, accompanied 

by high winds, dampened the aspirations 

of local exhibitors after current attractions 

got off to a good start. For two days, 

the almost steady rain kept would-be theatre 

patrons in the comfort of their homes. With 

local business conditions none too bright, at 

any rate, the miserable weather certainly did 

not help. Not a single first run was able to 

report better-than-average business. Apparently, 

had it not been for the elements, all or 

most might have been able to exceed average 

grosses. 

Albee Voodoo Womon (AlP); The Undead (AlP) 100 

Loew's Zorok (Col) 100 

Majestic Top Secret Affair (WB) 70 

Strand Full of Life (Col) 1 00 

Tear' Set for Parsons 

HARTFORD—Paramount scheduled "Fear 

Strikes Out" into the 1,200-seat Bercal Theatres 

Parsons for a March 20 opening, marking 

one of the rare occasions in recent years 

that the company's product has opened away 

from the Allyn Theatre, downtown showcase 

operated by New England Theatres. 

Morris Keppner Improves 

HARTFORD—Morris Keppner, partner in 

the Burnside and Mansfield Theatres, has 

left the Hartford Hospital, following minor 

surgery. 

Sal Adomo Ends Vacation 

HARTFORD— Sal Adomo jr., general manager 

of the Middletown Drive-In, has returned 

from a Florida vacation visit. 

NE-2 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

^ 

'*

. . . Charles 

. . 

Medford Twin Helm 

To Harry Browning 

BOSTON—Lloyd Clark and Winthrop 

Knox jr., operators of the Medford Twin 

Drlve-In, have appointed Harry Browning 

BOSTON 

Joseph G. Cohen, independent film buyer and 

booker has added the Lowell Drive-In, 

owned by Norman and Bruce Glassman, to 

his list of accounts. The theatre opened its 

gates Wednesday (13> . . . Bill Savitt, manager 

of the Ai'cadia Theatre, Portsmouth, 

N. H., suffered a heart attack and is a patient 

at Baker Memorial Hospital here . 

Louis Goldstein, a recent BU graduate is the 

new manager of the Milton Art Theatre for 

owner Ray Feeley 

fred 

. . . Hari-y 

Black ad agency, who is 

Lawrence, Al- 

vacationing in 

Florida, stopped off to visit Bill Powell, who 

is operating the No. 1 Drive-In, South Dayton 

a. 

Danny Kaye, in town for six weeks for 

stage appearances in his International show, 

told the press at a luncheon at the Ritz Carlton 

Hotel that he is leaving for Hollywood 

following this engagement to make three 

films, all under his own Dena Productions, 

The First, "Merry Andrew," will be distributed 

by MGM, while the other two, "The 

Red Nichols Story" and "Knock on Silk" 

(tentative title), will be handled by Paramount. 

Paul Kessler Named 

To New Rifkin Post 

BOSTON—A new post of general manager 

for drive-ins has been established by Julian 

Rifkin, vice-president of the Rifkin Theatres, 

and Paul Kessler has been promoted to that 

position. Kessler, who has been with the 

Rifkin circuit for more than 20 years, started 

as manager of the Suffolk Theatre, Holyoke. 

His new duties now include supervision of 

the nine drive-ins under the Rifkin banner, 

including the Shipyard Drive-In, Providence, 

now under construction. 

In taking over the general managership, 

Kessler stepped down from the post of manager 

of the Meadow Glen Drive-In, Medford. 

He was replaced there by Rene Joyal, former 

manager of the Sky View in Brockton. Harold 

Glecken has moved to the Sky View from 

the Cod Drive-In, Falmouth. Wallace Ellis, 

former assistant at the Sky View, has been 

promoted to full manager at the Cod. Sam 

Badamo, formerly manager at the Pike, 

Johnston, R. I., will be in charge of the 

Shipyard Drive-In and Langdon Wilby, former 

assistant at the Pike, steps up to full 

manager. 

HARRY BROWNING 

as general manager. In accepting the new 

post, Browning was forced to relinquish the 

New England distribution for the James K. 

Priedrich production "Day of Ti-iuniph," 

wliich he had started to line up for this area. 

The Medford Twin Drive-In, New England's 

only twin openairer opened its gates 

March 13 with two different progi'ams on 

each screen. Browning- arranged special 

"town celebrations" for the first week with 

city and state officials, high school bands 

and radio and film personalities on hand for 

the festivities. Opening night was Medford 

night, followed by individual nights for Arlington-Winchester, 

Somerville, Maiden, Everett, 

Winthrop and Revere. Working with 

Browning in the concessions department is 

Warren Deming, who returns for the second 

year. 

Dick Condon, technical advisor of UA's 

"Pride and the Passion" was in town for two 

days to meet the press for interviews and to 

show special colored slides of the film to 

department store heads. Joe Mansfield, UA 

publicist, arranged a press luncheon at the 

Sheraton Plaza for the film critics and escorted 

Condon around town. 

Smith Management Co., Philip Smith, 

president, and Richard Smith, vice-president, 

has taken quarters in the new George 

Robert White building now nearly completed 

at 460 Boylston St. The moving date was 

set for April 1, but it now appears that the 

quarters will not be available for occupancy 

until May 1. Smith Management Co. includes 

the regular and di-ive-in theatres of the cii'- 

cuit, Richards Restaurants and Peter Pan 

Snack Bars. About four years ago this company 

moved to 82 Newbury St. on the fii-st 

floor of the New England Mutual Life In- 

,surance building. The company expanded so 

fast that these quarters were soon inadequate. 

In the new White building, with S. S. Pierce 

Co. on the first floor and TWA on the second 

floor. Smith Management Co. has leased 

the entire sixth floor, providing adequate 

space for their 60 office employes. 

Waj'ren Boyle, former manager at the 

Nashoba Drive-In for Joe Levine, has been 

appointed manager of the Route 133 Drive- 

In, GeorgetowTi, for the Rifkin circuit. This 

theatre was taken over early this winter by 

the Rifkins from the Rizzos. Boyle is a 

brother of Frank Boyle, manager of the two 

Fitchburg theatres for Benjamin Sack. 

HARTFORD 

n pparent success of rhythm-and-blues stage 

revues at several Bailey theatres over recent 

weekends has led to similar bookings by 

other independents, particularly the Adorno 

and Grecula theatres. Jim Gallant of channel 

8 Bandstand fame headlined weekend 

shows at the Middle.sex, Middletown and 

State, Torrington, at advanced prices . , . 

Milt and Pete LeRoy of the Blue Hills Drive- 

In Theatre Corp. plan to resume free fire 

engine and miniature railroad rides for 

youngster patrons at their suburban Bloomfiel 

dozoner once wai-mer weather rolls 

around. 

As a screen game, 

HOLLYWOOD fakes top 

honors. As a box-office attracfion, 

it is without equal. It has 

been a favorite with theatre goers for 

over 15 years. Write today for complete details. 

Be sure to give seating or ear capacity. 

HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO. 

3750 Oakton St. • Skokie, Illinois 

Sympathy to Jim Tibbetts, manager of 

Loew's Orpheum Theatre, in the death of 

his father, Willis B. Tibbetts of Wollaston 

E. Kurtzman, northeastern division 

manager of Loew's Tlaeatres, left on a 

vacation of three weeks. 

Added to speakers for the eastern regional 

conference of the National Ass'n of Concessionaires 

for April 2 at the Hotel Statler here 

are J. J. Pitzgibbons jr., Toronto; Albert 

Floersheimer, Walter Reade circuit, and 

Stanley Werthmaji, Schine circuit. Philip 

Lowe of Theatre Candy Co., general chairman 

of the meetings, is planning a full program 

of indoor and outdoor theatre leaders 

in promotions, accounting, cost control systems 

and employe training programs. More 

than 60 out-of-state executives are planning 

to attend. 

"Calypso Joe" will be Pi-oducer William 

Broidy's next film for Allied Artists. 

Sperie Perakos of Perakos Theatre Associates 

had "Alexander the Great" and "Screajning 

Eagles" on a four-day revival bill at the 

subsequent run Arch Street Theatre, New 

Britain . . . Pat Buchieri, formerly with the 

Hartford Theatre circuit, is now working 

for a Bristol, Tenn., circuit . . . Mrs. Joe Dolgin, 

wife of the Pine Drive-In film buyer, 

dh-ected a Purim program at the Emanuel 

Synagogue the other evening. She was active 

in amateur theatrical groups in the 

downtown area some years ago. 

âgrams 

THEATRICAL ADVERTISING CO, 

1310 CASS AVE. • DETROIT I MICH. 

WRITE FOR SAMPLES-WO. 1:21^8 

I 

NE-4 BOXOFFICE :: March 23, 1957

" 

FPC Earnings for '56 

Show Slight Drop 

TORONTO—An interim financial statement 

of Famous Players Canadian Corp. for 

1956 issued by President J. J. Fitzgibbons, 

shows that the consolidated net profits of 

Canada's laigest circuit totaled $2,738,455. 

equal to $1.58 an outstanding share, compared 

with $2,933,112 or $1.69 a share in 1955. 

The total, subject to final audit, included 

gains realized on the sale of bonds and 

capital assets. 

Total earnings for 1956 after all charges, 

including depreciation, amounted to $3,965,- 

502 and the comparable 1955 figure was $4.- 

463.113, with income taxes to be deducted. 

Fitzgibbons pointed out that, following 

changes in policy which had been "an immediate 

success," indications were that "our 

operating profits for the first quarter of 1957, 

exclusive of capital gains, will be somewhat 

better than they were in the first quarter of 

1956." 

Fitzgibbons referred to a number of "exceptionally 

strong attractions" which had 

been responsible for improvement in boxoffice 

returns. The outstanding success of 

"The Ten Commandments" is an indication 

of the public's acceptance of the presentation 

of exceptional pictures on a two-a-day 

reserved seat policy, he said. 

The DeMille production was having long 

runs at the University in Toronto and the 

Capitol at Montreal. Fitzgibbons announced 

the opening of engagements elsewhere as 

follows: March 15. Strand, Vancouver; April 

5, Metropolitan, Winnipeg; April 12, Capitol, 

Regina; April 18, Capitol at Calgary, Paramount 

at Edmonton, Capitol at Halifax and 

Capitol at Wind.sor; May 3, Capitol at Ottawa, 

Capitol at London and Capitol, Kingston, 

and May 16, Capitol, Quebec. 

A plan had been adopted by FPC for this 

picture under which schools, business and 

social organizations could purchase blocks of 

tickets at a special discount, the members to 

sell such tickets to their associates at regular 

prices or better, the balance to be paid into 

their welfai-e fund. 

Fitzgibbons said there was every indication 

that "Oklahoma!" in Todd-AO, now playing 

at the Toronto Tivoli, would set a world 

record with a yeai''s run. 

Variety Village Benefit 

Is Big at Hamilton, Ont. 

HAMILTON, ONT.—A large crowd filled 

the Palace Sunday night (17) for the ninth 

annual benefit stage and screen show of the 

Hamilton Theatre Managers Ass'n in aid 

of Variety Village School for Handicapped 

Boys at Toronto and the East Haven School 

for retarded children. 

Featuring the program was the North 

American premiere of the British "The 

Green Man" which had replaced "The Baby 

and the Battleship," the latter not having 

been cleared through the Ontario censor 

board. 

One of the stage stars was Ron Leonard, 

advertising director of Odeon Theatres at 

Toronto. The program was under the direction 

of Palace Manager Al Ford and Don 

Edwards, manager of the Tivoli who is president 

of the Hamilton association. The Toronto 

Variety Tent was well represented. 

Attorney General Defends 

Film Censorship in B.C. 

VICTORIA—Attorney General Bonner defended 

B. C. motion picture censorship in 

tile legislature and declared, "broadly speaking, 

our censor does a good job." The attorneygeneral 

was replying to opposition questions 

on the banning of the film. "Baby Doll." 

"Our censorship is not more severe than 

in other parts of the country," Bonner said. 

Liberal George Gregory, Victoria, asked if 

"Baby Doll" had been banned because of 

the picture itself, or the publicity about it. 

"I believe the picture itself was objectionable." 

Bonner said. 'And the censor no doubt took 

note of the publicity about it. If a film is 

made the object of sensationalism and curiosity, 

it must be .subjected, in the censor's 

view-, to a different light. There is justification 

for the censor's views." 

Bonner said he has no overriding power on 

censor.ship. and for that "I am personally 

very thankful." 

Tony Gargrave sought to draw the attorney-general 

into this di.scussion: '"Wliat 

would happen if a banned picture were shown 

over television?" 

Bonner skirted the subject, noted Manitoba 

is testing that situation now, "and no doubt 

we will be guided. 

Concessions Sales Levy 

Is Dropped in Ontario 

OTTA'WA-With a federal general election 

in the offing. Finance Minister Walter Harris 

brought down his annual budget for the 

coming fiscal year in the House of Commons 

March 14 which brought taxation relief 

in some quarters but failed to reduce 

the income levies for individuals and corporations. 

Excise taxes on television and radio sets 

remained unchanged but there was some 

increase in old-age pensions, baby bonuses 

and allowances for disabled and blind persons. 

Of special interest to theatre proprietors 

was the removal of the 10 per cent sales 

tax on .soft drinks, chocolate bars, confectionery 

and chewing gum which is expected 

to help the business at candy bars but there 

was no tax relief for users of tobacco or 

spirituous beverages. 

A price increase had been promised for 

candy and soft drinks because of the higher 

cost of sugar but manufacturers announced 

that levels of present retail prices could be 

maintained. 

Buys in 

Hamilton 

HAMILTON, ONT.—The independent Playhouse, 

660 seats, operated by A. Patzalek for 

many years, is now owned by Lionel Lester of 

Toronto, president of the Motion Picture 

Theatres Ass'n of Ontario, who is foUowang 

a policy of Italian and other foreign language 

films. The Playhouse has also introduced 

Sunday stage concerts, one being held 

March 10 featuring Alberto Amato, an opera 

singer from Italy, with proceeds being turned 

over to St. Anthony's Church in Hamilton. 

Sunday concerts are being held regularly at 

Toronto and Windsor but without film programs. 

Walter Wanger will produce "Commencement" 

for Figaro, Inc., and for United 

Artists' 

release. 

Industry Conventions 

To Open November 25 

TORONTO—Top executives of tlie Canadian 

industry started preliminary arrangements 

for this year's national conventions 

and functions when the football moguls of 

both east and west circuits came to early 

agreement on Saturday, November 30, as the 

day for the Gray cup Canadian championship 

classic at University of Toronto Stadium. 

Official announcement was made that the 

motion picture conclave would be held starting 

Monday, November 25, all at the King 

Edward Hotel here, the result being that all 

association delegates can wind up the week 

by attending Canada's big football spectacle. 

Following is the convention schedule: 

Monday, November 25—Annual meeting 

and luncheon of the Motion Picture Theatres 

Ass'n of Ontario. 

Tuesday—Convention of the National Committee 

of Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass'n of 

Canada. 

Tuesday night—Dinner meeting, Toronto 

Variety Tent 28. 

Wednesday and Thursday—Convention of 

the Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada. 

Thursday nightÂnnual awards dinner, 

Canadian Picture Pioneers. 

It is expected that the Motion Picture Distributors 

Ass'n of Canada will be host for a 

luncheon on the 26th, with all delegates invited. 

Industry Talks at Clubs 

Show Direct Benefits 

TORONTO—An impetus to patronage as 

well as increased interest in the theatre as 

a community enterprise has been reported 

by Manager Roy Haggart of the Capitol at 

Paris. Ont., following a speech there at a 

service club luncheon by Ai'ch H. JoUey, 

Toronto, executive secretary of the Motion 

Picture Theatres Ass'n of Ontario, on "The 

Importance of a Theatre to the Community." 

Haggart said he saw a noticeable increase 

in attendance of service club members at the 

theatre and merchants were expressing the 

view that the show "does bring them business." 

Not once has he been turned down 

when soliciting advertisements for the 

monthly theatre calendar "nor for the use 

of windows for tieups in connection with 

feature pictures." 

"I have been able to place window cards 

in 31 stores," said Haggaa't who also pointed 

out he had been doing some missionai-y work 

on his own account. At a Saturday night 

dance, he spoke at intermission time on 

what a theatre meant to a town, in which 

he used .some of JoUey's talk. 

Starring in Allied Artists' "The Persuader" 

are William Talman, James Craig, Kristine 

Miller and Darryl Hickman. 

APPELTON AIR-CONDITIONING 

LIMITED 

ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS 

REFRIGERATION - AIR-CONDITIONING - VENTILATION 

Specialists in Theatre Systems 

H. Appelton, B.A. Sc. 

P. Eng. 

1541 Davenport Rd. 

Toronto, Ontario 

LE. 3-27S5 


K-1

. . Joe 

. . Steve 

VANCOUVER 

•The RKO - Empire - Universal distribution 

deal, covering six Canadian E-U offices 

which will handle RKO pictures, was completed 

as of March 16. All RKO employes 

were given two-week notices. Most of the 

local RKO staff will be absorbed by other 

distributors. Bill Grant, booker, and Delia 

Garland, cashier, moved over to Empire- 

Universal. Sydney Walker, shipper, moved 

to International Films, replacing Harvey 

Levin, who moved to the west coast advertising 

department . Garfin, who 

organized West Coast Theatre Service here, 

has resigned and will rejoin Empire-Universal 

as manager of the Calgary office, replacing 

Cy Brown, who left to enter the 

luggage business in the oil and cow town. 

Garfin was, formerly Toronto manager of 

Empire-Universal before coming to the coast. 

Owen Bird will take over as head of WCTS 

here, assisted by Douglas White, former 

Warner Bros, booker. 

Frank Fisher, general manager of Odeon 

Theatres, on his recent visit said that the 

chain will reopen two of its dark houses on 

a trial basis. The Odeon Hastings (former 

Pantagesi on the east side of town will open 

with a three-day foreign film policy, and 

the suburban Rio will open on Fridays and 

Saturdays. He also said that Odeon has 

purchased its first drive-in in British Columbia, 

taking over the 639-car Paramount 

Drive-In at Burnaby from Walter Mead and 

Frank Walsh. The drive-in will play first 

run pictures day-date with four Vancouver 

outlets. Famous Players doesn't plan to follow 

Odeon into the drive-in field, Jack 

McCausland, local district manager, said. 

FPC owns the Nanaimo Drive-In on Vancouver 

Island and it's doubtful if FPC will 

open the ozoner this season. 

A shakeup in Odeon managers moves Jim 

Moore from the Eraser to the Olympia; 

Johnny Bernai'd from the Kingsway to the 

Fraser; Bob Kelly from tlie Olympia to supervise 

the Odeon, New Westminster, and the 

Sapperton Theatre in that area. Brenton 

Kelly moves from the New Westminster theatres 

to manage the recently acquired Paramount 

Drive-In at Burnaby. Jim Webster, 

Plaza assistant, takes over as manager of 

the Kingsway, with Lyle Kinne. Paradise 

assistant, replacing him at the Plaza. Frank 

Marshall, Lux manager, also will manage 

the Hastings across the street from the Lux. 

Bob Hardy will take over as manager of the 

two-day suburban Rio. 

Two Canadian films were singled out for 

praise by John Grierson, film producer, 

speaking before the Vancouver Film Council 

at the PNE Little Theatre. He said the 

National Film Board production, "Corral," 

and the CBC's "Skidrow," were works of 

art. "Corral" is a poetic httle film, he said, 

and "Skidrow" is one of the "most wellobserved 

and moving accounts of derelicts 

I have ever seen" . Czeck is now 

manager of the Delta Drive-In at Richmond, 

replacing Doug White, who is now with 

West Coast Theatre Service. 

No relief from the present 15 per cent 

amusement tax in British Columbia was 

granted in the provincial budget. The B. C. 

Exhibitors Ass'n had asked the government 

to suspend the tax on theatre tickets because 

of the effect of TV . . . Gay Carl, 

Paradise assistant, was promoted to the 

Odeon district office as secretary to Arthur 

Graburn, head of the British Columbia 

Odeon booking department, replacing Gloria 

Hayter, who resigned to go into other business. 

Awards Plan Revised 

OTTAWA — Although the management 

conunittee for the Canadian Film Awards 

announced recently that the prize competitions 

in the several categories of Canadianproduced 

motion pictures had been "suspended 

for one year," the statement was 

issued March 14 that "the trophy in the 

amateur class which is presented by the Ass'n 

of Motion Picture Producers and Laboratories 

of Canada will be in competition." 

Under the revised plan entries of amateur 

Canadian film producers will be received for 

the one contest by the committee at Ottawa 

up to April 15. 

Presbytery 

Buys 'Luther' 

TORONTO—The Paris, Ont., Presbytery 

of the Presbyterian Church in Canada made 

an outright purchase of a print of "Martin 

Luther" and the film is being released for 

screening in church halls of western Ontario. 

"Too Much, Too Soon," a Warner film, is 

the personal story of Diana Barrymore. 

HANDY SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM

. . Sam 

. . Peter 

. . W. 

. . "This 

— 

— 

. . Among 

MONTREAL 

TVûrray Briskin, executive assistant to the 

president of Associated Screen News, 

announced here the appointment of Jack 

Hyman as his direct administrative assistant. 

Hynes, formerly an ASN film director and 

director of photography, took charge of his 

new responsibilities immediately. The new 

appointm.ent enables Briskin to concentrate 

on executive responsibilities. 

. 

A gala premiere of the the third Cinerama 

production at the Imperial Theatre has been 

set for April 3. The premiere will be sponsored 

by the Knights of Columbus with funds 

going to Cardinal Leger's Giant Bee. There 

will be a huge parade preceding the opening 

of "Seven Wonders of the World" , 

Ten Commandments" at the 

. 

Capitol 

"The 

Theatre 

for 12 weeks is continuing to attract 

good audiences. As the film obtained "An 

All-Family Picture" rating, large groups of 

students are being taken to see it. 

John Ganetakos, president of United 

Amusement Corp. and managing director of 

Confederation Amusement, and his wife returned 

from three weeks at Fort Lauderdale, 

Harold Giles, second UACL vicepresident, 

Pla. . . . 

who also spent a holiday in 

Florida, returned to his office . . Leaving 

. 

for holidays to the southern United States 

were William Lester, vice-president and managing 

director, and W. N. Murray, assistant 

to Ganetakos at Confedei-ation Amusement 

... J. Bourdon, of the Alamo Theatre of 

Chateauguay, who .saved a girl's life by 

snatching her from the path of an oncoming 

train last autumn, has been awarded a hero's 

gold medal by the Quebec Safety League. 

Presentation of the medal to Bourdon for 

saving the life of Carole Bolduc was made 

by Gasper Fauteux, lieutenant-governor of 

Quebec Province, at a banquet for Bourdon 

at the Sheraton Mount Royal Hotel here. 

Twentieth Century-Fox reported that the 

company's current Year of Achievement Drive 

Columbia Pictures 

is progressing well . . . 

reminded all exhibitors that the last two 

weeks of June are Columbia Weeks for features, 

shorts, serials and the "Hey. Rube, 

Drive" . Kunitsky, United Artists 

manager, announced that his firm would 

move from 5975 Monkland to the former 

RKO offices at 5969 Monkland. Meanw-hile, 

the UA folks were waiting anxiously for the 

result of the third lap of the "Jim Velde 

Sales Drive." 

Monique Tremblay, office clerk, replaced 

Mrs. Sandra Bierbrier, who resigned her 

position . Dansereau, booker, and 

Mrs. Guillemette of the revising department 

of RKO, have joined Empire Universal in 

the same capacities . . Eloi Cormier, Paramount 

. 

salesman, was on a business trip in the 

Gatineau Valley . Spears. Empire Universal 

salesman, motored through Quebec 

Province on business . is Cinerama" 

advised that the agreement between Greyhound 

Bus Co. and Cinerama Corp., whereby 

the bus company will handle Cinerama bookings 

across North America, also applies to 

Canada. 

"Une Fille Nomee Madeleine," in completing 

a five-weeks run, broke all attendance 

records at the Champlain Theatre here . . . 

Prom Cine-France, excellent results were reported 

for "Obsession," featuring Michele 

Morgan and Raf Valonne. Cine-Fi-ance also 

reported good results across Quebec Province 

with "Mannequins de Paris," featuring Madleine 

Robinson . visitors to Filmrow 

were J. M. Gagne of the Cinema Ville 

Marie of Ville Marie, and Guy Bachand of 

and Rex and Premier of Sherbrooke, Que. 

Ten Toronlo Films 

Rate 100 or Above 

TORONTO— "The Rainmaker" at the Imperial 

and "Full of Life" at the Odeon were 

the best grossers among new pictures, but 

"Oh, Men! Oh. Women!" was still giving a 

good account of itself at the Hollywood for 

the second week. "Friendly Persuasion" was 

scheduled to wind up at the Towne in its 

wk. 

13th 


Eglinton Giant (WB), 2nd wk 100 

Hollywood Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (20th-Fox), 

2nd wk, 115 

Hylond The Great Man (U-l) 110 

Imperial The Rainmaker (Poro) 135 

Loew's Drango (UA) 105 

Nortown Written on the Wind (U-l), 2nd wk. ..100 

Odeon Full of Life (Col) 115 

Tivoli Ol

. . Morris 

. . Manager 

. . Joe 

OTT AW A 

T^r. A. W. Trueman, chairman of the National 

Film Board, is slated to become 

the chief executive officer of the new Canada 

council, which is being authorized by Parliament 

for the development of native culture 

under a government subsidy of no less than 

$100,000,000. The bill to establish the cultural 

body has reached its final stage in the 

House of Commons. A national theatre is 

mentioned as one project. 

Crawley Films announced that for its 18th 

successive year the gross dollar volume of 

its film production business exceeded the 

total for the preceding 12-month period, the 

1956 increase being 20 per cent. Last year 

the company output included 71 motion pictures 

and 103 television commercials, along 

with other jobs. 

The Cinema de Paris in Hull has held 

"Marcelino," a Spanish-language featui'e, for 

a third week. Under a special dispensation 

from the Quebec provincial government, 

children are permitted to attend performances 

of this pictiu-e. For the first time, Saturday 

morning shows for juveniles were 

being conducted at tliis theatre on the Quebec 

side of the Ottawa River . Cantor 

said that Elvis Presley will make his one 

Canadian appearance at Ottawa Wednesday, 

April 3, two shows being scheduled that day 

in the Auditorium Arena. 

Newspaper carriers of the Ottawa Journal 

in Lanark County, and their mothers, were 

special guests at the night performance 

March 15 at the Perth Theati-e, Perth, when 

they were welcomed by Manager Ken Carter 

. . . The Ottawa Film Society featured an 

Australian picture, "Back of Beyond" at a 

performance for members Sunday (17 1 at 

the Somerset, which is owned by Morris 

Berlin. He had a holdover of three days on 

the regular double bill consisting of "Trapeze" 

and "The Man With the Golden Arm." 

The six Foto-Nite theatres here have paid 

out $59,500 in awards to date, according to 

Frank Gallop, manager of the Centre, which 

uses the weekly premium offer along with 

the Eastview. Linden, Mayfair, Francais and 

Somerset. The latest offer is $3,550. 

'World' to Bow April 20 

At Saxon in Boston 

BOSTON — Speculation as to where 

"Ai-ound the World in 80 Days" would play 

in this city was ended recently when Benjamin 

Sack, owner of the Saxon Theatre here, 

signed contracts for the roadshow engagements 

of the film to start Easter Saturday, 

April 20, at the Saxon. 

Last summer the Saxon, formerly the 

Shubert-owned Majestic, was leased to Sack, 

who equipped it with the Todd-AO projection 

proce.ss for the showing of "Oklahoma!" 

This film has just completed a successful 

six-month engagement. The announcement 

of "Ai-ound the World in 80 Days" coming to 

the Saxon drew prominent attention in the 

Boston newspapers. 

Shirley Booth who has completed her starring 

role in "Hot Spell" has checked off 

Paramount. 

TORONTO 

Carkers and their wives said "top of the 

evenin' " to each other when Variety 

Tent 28 staged an annual St. Patrick's Day 

party in the clubrooms for which the house 

committee aiTanged free everything, such as 

eats, drinks, prizes and floor show. The tent 

will hold its annual Heart award dinner 

Thursday night, April 11 . Pasternak 

of MGM was a special visitor here March 16 

for the observance of Hungarian Day ceremonies 

in the Tech auditorium. 

Directors of Canadian Picture Pioneers 

held a luncheon meeting in the King Edward 

Hotel here, with Pres. Morris Stein 

in the chair for a discussion of various 

projects, including the motion picture golf 

tourney at St. Andrew's course probably in 

August . J. F. Schmitz of the 

Golden Mile, a suburban theatre which is 

part of a large shopping center, found recent 

revival features so popular that he has 

started another sei-ies of added comeback 

pictures for Thursday nights, including 

"Phantom of the Opera," "Gunga Din," "Cry, 

the Beloved Country," "Notorious" and "Suspicion." 

"Friendly Persuasion" went into its tenth 

week at London, Ont.. playing at the Hyland. 

The only breaks scheduled by Manager Dickinson 

are the special Monday night reserved 

seat performances at 8:30 and the children's 

matinees on Saturday. Recently Monday night 

pictures have been "Hamlet" and "Romeo and 

Juliet," with admission at $1 , . . Managers 

S. E. Taylor of the Vanity and D. G. Smith 

of the Centre at Windsor, featured the first 

Canadian showing of "Battle Hymn" as the 

fii-st anniversary week celebration for the 

teaming of these theatres. 

we remember for you ••• 

Syd B. Taube, now living in California, 

has been meeting many old friends dui'ing a 

visit here. He was the predecessor of Arch 

H. Jolley quite a few years ago as executive 

secretary of the Motion Picture Theatres 

Ass'n of Ontario ... At the Canadian 

Odeon office, Ron Leonard announced a 

visit here April 4 of Kenneth More, British 

star of Rank's "Reach for the Sky," 

whose next picture will be "A Night to Remember." 

exclusive with 

BOXOFFICE 

NationollY Bxtensiye . . . Locally Intensive 

New Neighborhood Trend 

Developing in New Haven 

NEW HAVETN— The "first and exclusive 

subsequent run" is developing into a new 

exhibition trend in this area. There have 

been several instances recently in which 

groups of theatres have arranged for the 

first subsequent run showing of a film, at the 

same percentage terms. Usually the participating 

houses are separately owned. 

Excellent receipts, pleasing both exhibitor 

and distributor, have been reported in these 

trials, and it is expected that the trend will 

continue. 

The Strand, Hamden; the Forest, West 

Haven, and the Capitol, East Haven, joined 

in the first neighborhood showing of WB's 

"Giant." 

Paramount recently bought two original 

stories, "The Transfer" by Frank Gilroy and 

"The Jayhawkers" by Frank Fenton and 

Joseph Petracca. 

K-4 BOXOFFICE March 23, 1957

— 

-.'^ 

• ALPHABeriCAL INDEX 

• AOLINES & 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 TO^BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S - B U I L D I N G 

Radio, TV Plus Navy 

Aid Suffice for 'Eagles' 

Radio and television, with a big assist 

from the local Navy recruiting office, carried 

the campaign for "The Wings of 

Eagles" at the Paramount Theatre in 

Waterloo, Iowa. And it got the job done 

well despite the simplicity. 

Bill Haver, the manager, lined up KWWL 

and KWWL-TV for two contests, beginning 

ten days in advance, which covered the 

youth group, from the youngest on up to 

20 or more. The first was started on the 

radio by disc jockey Frosty Mitchell, who 

invited youngsters under 12 to submit freehand 

drawings of any Navy plane. 

Approximately 250 entries were received. 

The second contest was opened eight 

days in advance on the Gramp's Store 

show on the TV station, which is conducted 

by Gregg Dunn. He asked youngsters 

12 years or older to submit models of 

"I) Navy jet planes they had made or would 

make. Both the drawings and the model 

planes were collected at the Paramoimt 

and judged there on the opening day of 

"The Wings of Eagles." 

The jadges were Dunn; Elmer Gillitzer, 

chief petty officer of the local Navy office, 

and Lloyd Cox, a local artist. Prizes were 

gift certificates donated by local hobby 

shops. Various other prizes and passes 

went to the runnersup. 

In addition, the film received considerable 

mention as a result of the preview 

showing at the Navy air base in Minneapolis. 

The event was attended by Frosty 

Mitchell and his wife Joan. Mitchell told 

about his trip before and after on six 

broadcasts. 

The Navy recruiting office supplied a 

beautiful display in the Paramount lobby, 

which included a replica of the USS Forrestal, 

a Navy poster and a plane display 

board. 

,„1 

A Kim Novak Brochure 

A. Montague, vice-president and general 

sales manager for Columbia, has prepared 

a special Kim Novak brochure, 

printed in black and lavender and fully 

illustrated, which he is sending to exhibi- 

tors throughout the country. The broy 

chure includes mention of Miss Novak's 

selection as top film star of the year in 

the recent BOXOFFICE Barometer poll, 

of her appearances in "Picnic" and "The 

Eddy Duchin Story" and "Jeanne Eagles." 

Spectacular Battle Hymn' Campaign 

Put Over With Air Force Backing 

The "Battle Hymn" opening at the Criterion 

Theatre in Oklahoma City was a real 

"spectacular," with gold braid, Indians in 

tribal dress, searchlights, TV cameras on 

the scene, a stage ceremony and a parade 

with 14 bands and 25 new Chryslers all 

bannered with "Hymn" copy. 

The newspaper breaks on the event appeared 

in local and many out-of-town 

places. 

The gala sendoff was the work of Farris 

Shanbour, manager of the Criterion, and 

Cooper Foundation officials who took full 

advantage of the presence of nearby Tinker 

Air Force base and the cooperation which 

is being extended nationally by the Air 

Force. 

In addition, Shanbour got Universal-International 

to send Jock Mahoney to town 

for the opening. The stage ceremony included 

a talk by Mahoney, induction of a 

special "Battle Hymn" flight of 70 Air 

Force recruits, convocation by the Kiowa 

Indian tribe, and presentation of the Oklahoma 

state flag to the "Battle Hymn" 

flight. 

To this climax, the promotion worked up 

in the following steps: 

Teaser trailers four weeks in advance; 

lobby and mezzanine displays using model 

planes and recruiting poster; private advance 

screening for publicity section of 

Air Force. There was screening for all 

orphans of area sponsored by the Air 

Force, which provided transportation, 

lunch at Tinker air base, and entertainment 

for the children. 

Seventy-six window displays were set 

up by the merchants association in cooperation 

with the Air Force at no cost to 

the theatre. Lobby setpieces were in four 

leading hotels, created and set up by Air 

Force. Radio and TV appearances were 

made by Capt. Dennis O'Brien one week in 

advance. 

The "Battle Hymn" flight of 70 men was 

recruited to serve as a unit through basic 

training. A half-page ad, paid for by downtown 

merchants, appeared three days prior 

to the opening. The gala premiere was attended 

by all city officials, the lieutenant 

governor, and high ranking officers of the 

Tinker base. 

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : March 23, 1957 — 67 — 

Here is one of the four setpiece displays put 

up In four hotels at Oklahoma City by Tinker 

Air Force personnel publicizing the opening of 

"Battle Hymn" at the Criterion Theatre. 

Merchants Donate Gifts 

For Theatre Giveaway 

Lloyd Taylor, who took over management 

of the Palace in Guelph, Ont., some 

months ago, is a great believer in gimmicks 

and, according to the Famous Players 

Canadian house organ. Ballyhoo, he'll 

try anything that will bring an extra buck 

into his boxoffice. 

As a newcomer to Guelph, Taylor 

started from scratch, spent hours visiting 

with the merchants along the main stem 

and got to know them well. Then he tossed 

his bombshell, the house organ reports. 

"Seems he'd been planning a Thursday 

Mystery Night and would they like to get 

in on it?" Ballyhoo continues: "An even 

dozen listened to him and agreed to go 

along. Each merchant contributed anywhere 

up to $10 worth of his wares each 

week for 12 weeks and signed agreements 

to that effect. Lloyd had a simple form 

of ballot which patrons were asked to fill 

On 

in any time they were in the theatre. 

Thursday nights the winners were drawn 

and they didn't have to be in the theatre 

to be declared winners."

— 

Killing Two Birds With One Stone 

At right, a wheel of fortune promotes "The King and Four Queens" at the Miracle Mile Drive-ln at 

Toledo, and raised money for the March of Dimes. Left, By Gosden reports on the stage of the Paramount 

Theatre in Waterloo, lowo, on his 24-mile "Giant" walk for the MOD. 

'Giant' Walk and Carnival Wheel Sell 

Current Film, Also Aid Civic Drives 

Described in the following paragraphs 

are a couple of ways to kill two birds with 

one stone—promote the current picture 

and benefit a worthwhile community or 

charity entei-prise. 

W. B. Haver, manager of the Paramount 

Theatre in Waterloo, Iowa, was playing 

"Giant" as the March of Dimes drive was 

being wound up. The drive leaders wanted 

something spectacular to end their fundraising 

effort with a flourish ... or in 

Haver's words, "something 'giant' to do!" 

Taking that cue from Haver, arrangements 

were made for By Gosden, sports 

and newscaster of radio station KXEL, to 

take a "giant" walk from Waverly, about 

25 miles away, to the stage of the Paramount 

in Waterloo. The distance seemed 

twice as far since the temperature that 

Saturday was 5 below zero. 

All during the walk, Gosden was covered 

by the radio station, which made announcements 

all day long on his progress 

and that his "giant" walk would be climaxed 

on the Paramount stage where 

"Giant" was playing. Motor cars and 

drivers were on call at the station to go 

out and pick up March of Dimes pledges. 

There were at least 50 armouncements 

on "Giant," Haver reports. 

When Gosden reached the edge of Waterloo 

he was greeted by a car caravan and 

police squad, who escorted him to the 

theatre, where there was a direct broadcast 

by KXEli in which Gosden received 

official thanks and the pledges were formally 

turned over to the March of Dimes 

drive chairman. 

The other "two-bird" shot comes from 

the Miracle Mile Drive-In at Toledo, Ohio, 

which set up a large wlieel of fortune and 

raised $150 for the March of Dimes despite 

typical wintry weather in January. The 

promotion was tied in with "The King and 

Four Queens." 

An iron lung was set up in the concession 

stand of the drive-in, flanked by 

lifesize colored cutouts of the "king" and 

his four "queens." Then a large carnivaltype 

wheel was set up, with a pretty girl 

in this case Joanne Bokar, usually foimd 

at the boxoffice—in western cowgirl costume, 

to handle the contributions. Every 

person who made a contribution to the 

polio campaign could take a chance on the 

wlieel of fortune, and the winner would 

get a pass. The wheel portrayed various 

poker hands, with the winner being "Pour 

Queens and a King." 

Radio station WTOL donated 33 spot announcements 

to promote the event. The 

station also ran a contest asking listeners 

to identify the seven "queens" who starred 

in seven Clark Gable movies, which were 

mentioned on the announcement. The winner 

received a year's pass for two to the 

Miracle Mile. 

Fred Lentz, general manager of the 

Miracle Mile, was awarded a "Certificate 

of Appreciation" from the Toledo chapter 

of the Polio Foundation for his cooperation. 

Sales for Chanty 

Jack Thorson of San Mateo, Calif., in the 

TOA Business Builders bulletin recently 

urged theatremen to keep some gag working 

out front of the theatre all the time. 

Thorson had a pile of old tires for sale 

in front of the theatre with proceeds going 

to the Salvation Army. He also solicited 

newspapers and sold them with the 

profits to charity. He raised 30 tons of 

newspapers for the Red Cross. 

New-Idea Campaign 

Packs Kiddy Show 

John Corbett cooked up a novel campaign 

for his Washington birthday kiddy show 

and really packed 'em in. 

For a week and a half in advance, John 

-" 

had a "cherry tree" in front of the thea- '^'' 

tre, on which were himg large circles giving 

all details on the big show. At the bottom 

of the tree was the title, "The Magic 

George Washington Cherry Tree." An 

usher dressed as George Washington held 

a small rubber hatchet, and invited each 

child to try his luck at striking the tree. 

After the child struck the tree, he signed 

his name and was informed that certain 

choppers' names would be posted at the 

boxoffice on the day of the show. If a 

child's name appeared, he was admitted 

free. 

Special "I Carmot Tell a Lie" heralds 

were made up and given out in shopping 

bags at Grant's store, mailed to all area 

teachers fa free pass was included for the 

teacher as an inducement for the Herald 

to be posted on the bulletin board) , 

given 

out at the YMCA and boys clubs, at the 

theatre and the schools. 

Grant's gave John 20 prizes to award to 

the kids and each announcer on the local 

radio station gave the show a free plug 

on his programs. One radio man picked a 

spot in front of the theatre to interview 

people in connection with a merchant promotion, 

and this was a pretty good break. 

Corbett found some old airplane cards 

in his store room which he used like 

lucky color cards. Some little mimeographed 

slips were attached to these with 

copy as follows: "Save this 'WING' Card. 

Bring This Card With You to the KIDDY 

SHOW Friday Morning. If the Picture of 

the Plane on the Other Side of This Card 

Is Posted in the Lobby You Will Receive a 

Fi-ee Ticket for Your Entire Family, to 

See That Great Air Force Movie, 'BATTLE 

HYMN' With, etc., etc." Similar copy was 

painted on a large mirror in the lobby, 

along with a picture of the lucky plane. 

This was quite a gimmick which really 

went over with the kids. Even if they 

didn't win, they got a big charge out of the 

airplane cards which they enjoyed keeping. 

Quonset Point Screening 

Of 'Eagles' Nets Air Time 

A screening of "The Wings of Eagles" at 

the Quonset Point naval air station was 

attended by high-ranking Navy officers 

and personnel of the TV and radio stations 

in the Providence, R. I., area. The screening 

was arranged by Floyd Fitzsimmons of 

MGM and Bill Trambukis, manager of 

Loew's State at Providence. Many of the 

TV-radio men took tape-recordings, and 

one broadcast live from the lobby of the 

base theatre. This figured up to 40 minutes 

TV time and 130 minutes on the radio. 

About 20,000 servicemen are at Quonset 

Point and 4,500 civilians. 

P 

i 

— 68 — BOXOFFICE Showmondiser : : March 

23, 1957

Film 

Promotions 

Helen Johnson, manager of the State in Statcsville, N. C, 

"pickets" in front of the theatre for "Slander." 

put 

out 

Illustrating the extensive aid avoiloble for 'Bottle Hymn" from Ihc Air 

Force is this jet plane engine installed in the lobby of the RKO Orphcum in 

Minneapolis where Bob Whealan is manager. 

m! fiLOBII!!!;^ 

The Globe in New York developed this street ballyhoo for "The Incredible Shrinking 

Man." The large truck also carried sound equipment. The man is Harry Goldstein, 

ad-publicity director for Brandt Theatres. 

Pictured above is the lobby wall display arranged for the 

opening of "The Ten Commandments" ot the Sacnger Theatre 

in New Orleans. 

King, 80-pound 

Boxer, seems 

to be enjoying the spotlight 

at the Latin Quarter in 

New York (and who 

wouldn't) after his victory 

in the eastern elimination 

to find a bagel-eating dog 

to play the pet of Frank 

Sinatra in "Pal Joey." 

Joe Abousleman stands beside 

a bench exploiting 

"Bus Stop" at the Sunshine 

Theatre in Albuquerque. 

He had similar benches 

along all principal bus 

routes. 

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : March 23, 1957 

69 —

. The 

All Toledo Theatres in Sweepstakes 

The Toledo, Ohio Managers Ass'n, 

headed by Abe Ludacer, manager of Loew's 

Valentine, reports all theatres in the city 

are participating in the Academy Awards 

Sweepstakes. The association promoted a 

1957 Ford as the fii-st prize. It was donated 

by the Moore Ford Sales, Inc. 

second prize is an Olympic radio, 

TV and hi-fi record player combination 

set, donated by Jerry Leon's Appliance & 

Furniture Co.; third is a hi-fi portable 

record player, by Leo Marks, a jeweler. 

In addition, each theatre will present a 

season pass to its individual patron whose 

Academy guess is closest to the actual 

presentations. 

Left photo above shows a display in the 

Valentine Theatre and at right, the major 

prize parked in front of the Valentine. 

Clipped Newspaper Ads 

Good for Free Tickets 

The two Trans Texas drive-ins at 

Austin, Tex., the Burnet and Chief, made 

special offers on Valentine's day giving 

one free admission upon presentation of 

the theatres' newspaper ad at the boxoffice. 

The ad, made up like a lacy valentine, 

featured two hearts. Copy in the top heart 

read: "February 14 only 'Valentine Sweetheart' 

Night. Any driver presenting this 

newspaper ad at boxoffice of Chief or 

Burnet will have his or her Valentine 

sweetheart admitted free." 

Earl Podolnick, city manager for Trans 

Texas, said the ad and big display hearts 

bearing the same copy were made up by 

the manager at the Burnet Drive-In. The 

display hearts were used in front of the 

drive-in boxoffice entrances one week before 

Valentine's day. 

"This increased our business far above 

normal." Podolnick said, "and more than 

double the concession sales." 

2x12 inches and featured the four "queen" 

card pictures. 

On the theatre front, surrounding his 

display frames, Yoxtheimer posted lifesize 

cutouts of Clark Gable and other cutout 

material, including cast and title 

names and starting date. 

Yoxtheimer began his campaign with 

his regular trailer ten days in advance of 

playdate. He later distributed 2,000 heralds, 

had 30 spots on radio station KIOX and 

placed a 24-sheet on the highway into 

town. 

Teaser Campaign Proves 

Effective for 'King' Run 

L. G. "Yoxie" Yoxtheimer, manager of 

the Texas Theatre, Bay City, Tex., built up 

exceptional business on his engagement of 

"The King and Four Queens" despite 

heavy competition in an opposition house. 

Highlight of the promotion was a teaser 

campaign, which included spotting of 

2x2 1/4 -inch "queen" cards at various points 

throughout the news pages of the Daily 

Tribune for several days in advance of 

playdate. 

Bookmark type teasers were distributed 

throughout the area. Yoxtheimer distributed 

about 500 of these and they measured

S 

FOR YOUR SHO WMA NOISING / 1 D EA F 1 1 

Two-For-One Ticket Idea j 

Birthday Cards 

- ) 

Hugh Borland of the Villas Theatre, Cicero, 111. overheard a 1 

Don 

Tillotson of the Arcadia Theatre, Holton, Kas. is sold on 

real estate salesman telling about his house-to-house canvass the value of birthday clubs. Over a period of three months, 

in an area outside the normal Villas Theatre patron radius. he sent out 304 cards to youngsters inviting them to be a 

Borland contacted the firm, arranged to have their salesmen guest of the theatre on their birthdays. He got returns from 

present five two-for-one tickets (in invitation format) to the 131 of the kiddies, which he believes is a good percentage. 

Villas, in "appreciation" of the time granted the salesman to "The part I am impressed with is the number of paid admissions 

explain his company's plan. The salesman also left the theatre's these cards bring with them. I had one case where the mother 

weekly program. The company printed 2,000 cards at its own admitted she had not been in this new theatre since it was 

expense. Borland says the idea serves to get business from built, or in any theatre in 12 years. But the boy got a card, 

patrons outside the regular drawing radius, encourages at- so they brought him to the show, and they have been back 

tendance by the older citizen, gets the TV crowd out of the twice. Another family, new to Tillotson, now comes once a 

house, gains free program distribution in new areas. week (11 in the family) as a result of a birthday card. 

Phone-Aramo A Pair of Kid Matinee Stunts 

The telephone quiz idea has been given a new dress in a Coat Hanger Promotion: Each youngster who brings 25 coat 

tieup between the Texas Theatre, San Antonio, and one ol hangers is admitted free on a Saturday matinee. The exhibitor 

the local TV personalities. The emcee, Tommy Reynolds, calls can arrange with a local cleaning establishment for the purchase 

viewers who names are taken at random from the telephone of the hangers, and it is possible for the theatre to get enough 

directory and those who answer a series of three questions out of the deal to pay for the program, and make a little 

correctly win anything from an Angus bull to wearing apparel, money besides . . . Lucky Box Matinee: A number of boxes, 

donated by local merchants. With each change of picture, clues 10 to 20, are placed in the lobby and each youngster attending 

to answers on movie questions are published at the bottom of is permitted to wn-ite his name on a slip of paper and deposit 

the ad space in the daily newspapers. At the theatre, trailers it in one of the boxes. The follovring week, numbered slips 

are used to plug the show, while the tieup between the TV representing the boxes are dropped into a hat, shaken and 

station and the newspapers gives the Texas Theatre a world one of them is picked out, and all the kids whose names are 

of free publicity. in that particular box get tickets for next week's show. 

1^ 

in >

BOXOFFICE 

BAROMETER 

This chart records the performance of current attractions in the opening week of their first runs in 

the 20 Icey cities checked. Pictures with fewer than five engagements ore not listed. As new runs 

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

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

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

mmimmmmm. 

!3 

|| Accused of Murder (Rep)

. 

. 

. 

. 

,.s 

^ 

Feature producfioni by comoony in oro«r or fet«as«. Numb«r m square ii nationol relcost dot*. Running 

time is in porentheiet. ^ Is tor CinemoScopc: £ ViitoVision; ^ Superscope; K Noturomo. Symbol (J 

denotes BOXOFFICE Btue Ribbon Award; C^ color phoTogroptiy. Lttteri ond ccmbinationi thereof indicate 

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

(Complete key on next page.) For review dotes ond Picture Guide pogc numberi, see Review Digest. 

ALLIED ARTISTS $ U 

(£ Three for Jamie Dawn 

(81) D..5618 

Lsralne Day, Rlcardo Montalbas 

il Magnificent Roughneclis 

(73) CD.. 5616 

Jucic Carson, Mickey Rooney 

m Hold Back the Night 

(80) D..5621 

Jiihii l'a>'ne, Mona Freeman 

COLUMBIA £ U 

UOEddy Ouchin Story, The 

(123) © DM. .101 

Tyrone Power, Kim Novak 

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers 

(83) SF..102 

Hugh Marlowe, Join Taylor 

Werewolf, The (80) Ho.. 103 

Don Megow&n, Joyce Holdeo 

M-G-M 

g] Fastest Gun Alivt, The 

(90) W..634 

Glenn Ford, Jeanne Craln, 

Broderick Crawford 

M Somebody Up There Lilies Me 

(103) D..635 

Paul Newman, Pier Angell, 

Everett Sloane, Sal Mlneo 

PARAMOUNT 

^fEATURE CHART 

©That Certain Feeling 

(103) ® C..5522 

Bob Hope, Eva Marie Saint, 

Pearl Bailey, George Sanders 

Proud and Profane, The 

(lU) ® 0..5524 

William Holden, Deborah Kerr, 

Thelma Ritter, Dewey Msrthi 

RKO RADIO 

NOTE—The features listed 

in this column ore now being 

distributed tlirough 

Universal- 1 nternotionol. 

(B ©Canyon Ri.er (80) ©.W..5620 

(ieorge .MootKomery, Peter Graves 

O Young Guns, The (84) . .W. .5622 

Mmn Tarablyn, (ilorla Talbott 

IS ©No Place to Hide 

(71) D..5603 

David Brian, Marsha Hunt 

Autumn Leaves (108) D..104 

Joan Crawford, Cliff Robertson 

©He Laughed Last (77). . .M. .105 

Frankle Lalne, Lucy Marlow 

SI These Wilder Years (91) . . D . . 636 

James Cagney, Barbara Stanwyck 

3S©High Society (107) ®.MC..637 

Blng Crosby, Grace Kelly, 

Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm 

©Pardners (88) (» C..5523 

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, 

Lori Nelson, Jackie Lougbery 

0(S)War and Peace 

(208) ® D..5625 

Henry Fonda, Audrey Hepburn, 

Mel Ferrer, Vlttorlo Gassman 

(Special engagements only) 

S ©First Traveling Saleslady 

(92) CD. 9-701 

Ginger Rogers, Barry Nelson, 

(Urol (planning 

> 

o 

gj Strange Intruder (82) . . D . . 5619 

Edmund Purdom, Ida Luplno 

Sll Fighting Trouble (61) . .C. .5623 

Huntz Hall, Stanley Clementx 

gg Calling Homicide (61) .My. .5624 

illll Elliott, Kathleen Case 

HYaqui Drums (71) W. .5625 

Kod Cameron, M&ry Castle 

a Cruel Tower, The (80) . . D. .5629 

Jubn ErlcsoD, Marl Blancbjird 

SI Blonde Sinner, The (73) . D. .5635 

Diana Dors, Yvonne Mitchell 

g| UCFriendly Persuasion 

(137) CD.. 5657 

Gary Cooper, Dorothy Me(]iilr« 

@] High Terrace, The (70). D.. 5630 

Dale RubertsoD. L,ols Maxwell 

a Hot Shots (61) C..5632 

Huntz Hall, Stanley (HemenU 

S) Chain of Evidence (64). My. .5701 

Bill Elliott, James I.ydon 

m storm Out of the West 

(72) W..5702 

Dale Robertson, Rossana Rory 

1984 (91) D..110 

Mlcbael Redgrave, Jan Sterling 

Miami Expose (73) D..106 

Lee J. Cobb, Patricia Medina 

Storm Center (87) D..108 

Bette Dsvla, Brian Keith 

(Special engagementa only) 

USolid Gold Cadillac (99).. C. 112 

Judy Uolllday, Paul Douglas, 

Arthur O'Connell, Fred Clark 

©Port Afrique (92) My.. 113 

Pier Angell, PUl Cuts. 

Dennis Price 

Spin a Dark Web (76) . . . . My. .107 

Faith Domergue, Lee Patterson 

Cha-Cha-Cha BoomI (72).. M.. 114 

Mary Kaye Trio, Perez Prado 

©Reprisal! (74) W..115 

Guy Madison, Felicia Farr 

©Odongo (85) ® Ad.. 109 

Rhonda Fleming, Macdonald Carey 

White Squaw, The (73) . . . .W. .116 

David Brian, May Wynn 

©You Can't Run Away 

From It (95) © C..U8 

June AUyson, Jack Lemmoo 

Suicide Mission (70) Doc. 123 

a7th Cavalry (75) W..121 

Randolph Scott, Barbara Bale 

Gamma People, The (79) D . . Ill 

Paul Douglas, Eva 6art«k 

Last Man to Hang, The (75). My.. U7 

Tom Conway, Elizabeth SeUara 

Rumble on the Docks (82).. D.. 124 

James Darren. Michael Granger 

©Zarak (94) © D..126 

Victor Mature, Anita Ekberg 

Don't Knock the Rock (84). M.. 125 

Bill Haley and his Comets 

Ride the High Iron (74) 0..128 

Don Taylor, Sally Forrest 

©Silent World, The (86) . .Doc. .122 

Undersea Documentary 

©Lust for Life (122) ®. ... . .701 

Ivirk Douglas. Anthony Qulnn, 

Pamela Brown, Everett Sloane 

g| ©Tea and Sympathy 

(112) © D..702 

Deborah Kerr, John Kerr 

OI Power and the Prize, Tlie 

(98) © D..703 

Robert Taylor, EUsahetb Mueller 

li@Opoosite Sex, The 

(117) © C..705 

June AUysoD, Joan (Collins, 

Leslie Nielsen, Jeff Richards 

m Rack. The (100) 0..706 

Paul Newman, Anne Francis 

ii Julie (99) D..709 

Doris Day, Louts Jourdan, 

Barry Sullivan, Frank Lovejoy 

[I] Great American Pattlme 

(90) C..710 

Tom Enell, Anne Francis 

H ©Iron Petticoat, The 

(96) ® CO.. 712 

Bob Hope, Katharine Hepburn 

©Teahouse of the August Moon 

(123) © CD.. 713 

Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford 

(Special engagements only) 

Bl Edge of the City (S5)..D..714 

John Cassavetes, KatlUeen Maguire 

HI Slander (81) D..717 

Van Johnson, Ann Blyth 

©Vagabond King, The 

(88) ® M..5601 

Kathryn Grayson, Create 

Search for Bridey Murphy, The 

(84) ® D..5602 

Teresa Wright. Louis Bayward 

©Mountain, The (105) ®..D..5603 

Spencer Tracy, Claire Trevor. 

Robert Wagner 

©Three Violent People 

(100) ® W..5604 

Charlton Heston, Anne Baiter, 

(Jllbert Roland, Tom Tryon 

y©Ten Commandments, The 

(219) ®.. Biblical Drama. .5630 

Charlton Heston, Tul Brynner, 

Anne Baxter, Edward 0. Robinson 

(Special mgageroenta only) 

SS Back From Eternity 

(98) D. 9-703 

Robert Ryan, Anita Ekberg, 

Rod Stclger, Pbyllls Kirk 

SI Beyond a Reasonable 

Doubt (80) D.. 9-702 

Dana Andrews, Joan Fontaine 

\3\ ©Tension at Table RMk 

(93) W.. 9-704 

Rlcliard Egan, Dorothy Malone 

[3]| Death of a Scoundrel 

(119) 0.. 9-707 

George Sanders, Yronne De (^lo 

©Hollywood or Bust 

m Man In the Vault 

(95) ® C..5605 (73) My. .9-709 

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, 

William Campbell, Anita Ekberg 

Anita Bkberg, Pat Crowley 

Karen Sharpe, Berry Kroeger 

a ©Bundle of Joy (98). .C. .9-710 

Debbie Reynolds, Eddie Fisher 

m 

tD 

m 

O(-1 

o 

53 ©Brave One (100) © D.. 9-706 

Michel Ray, Jol Laiuing 

> 

-< 

LUHl. ) 

El ©Last of the Badmen 

(80) © W..5705 

Oenrte Montgomery, Kdth Larson, 

Doiigl.is Kennedy, Meg Randall 

a Hold That Hypnotist 

(61) C..5706 

Huntz Hall. Stanley aemcnts, 

Jane .Nigh, D,-ivid Condon 

B] Attack of the Crab 

Monsters (64) Ho.. 5703 

liirliard ilarland. Pamela Duncan 

[a Not of This Earth (67) Ho. .5704 

Paul liird). Beverly Garland 

M Footsteps in the Night 

(62) Ac. 5708 

Bill Elliott, Don Haggerty, 

Eeanore Tanin, Zena Marshall 

ig Badge of Marshal Brennan, 

The (76) W..5713 

Jim Davis, Carl Smith, Arlcen 

Whclan, Marty Robblns 

a ©Dragoon Wells Massacre 

(81) © 0D..5709 

Barry Sullivan. Mona Freeman. 

Dennis O' Keefe, Katy Jurado 

ID Persuader, The W. .May 

James Craig, Krlstlnc Miller 

SH Destination 60,000 Ac. May 

Preston Foster, Colecn Gray 

El ©Oklahoman, The ©..OD..May 

Joel McCrea, Barbara Hale 

^©Jeannie © MC.May 

Tony Martin, 

Vera-Ellcn 

21 Spook Chasers C. .Jun 

Huntz Hall, Stanley CTements 

[a Hot Rod Rumble Ac .Jun 

Leigh Snowden. Richard Hartunian 

lU Skin Dive Girl Ac .Jun 

Mara Corday, Pat Conway 

i§ Love in the Afternoon. .CD. .Jun 

Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn 

M Dino 

D. .Jul 

Sal Mineo, Susan Kohner 

Nightfall (78) 0..127 

Atdo Ray, Anne Bancroft 

Wicked as They Come (94).. D.. 132 

Arlene Dahl, Phil Carey 

Utah Blaine (75) W..129 

Rory CMhoun, Susan (Ammlnga 

Full of Life (91) C. .130 

Judy Holllday, Richard Conte 

Man Who Turned to Stone, 

The (71) Ho.. 134 

Victor Jory, Ann Doran 

Zombies of Mora Tau (70) . .Ho. .135 

Gregg Palmer, Allison Hayes 

Shadow on the Window, The 

(73) D..133 

Betty Garrett, John Barrymore jr. 

©Guns of Ft. Petticoat, 

The (82) W. .131 

Audle Alurphy, Kathryn Grant 

Phantom Stagecoach, The (69) W.*. 

William Bishop, Kathleen Crowley 

©Fire Down Below ©....Ad.. May 

Rita Hayworth, Robert Mltchnm 

Strange One, The D . . May 

Ben Gazzara, James Olsen 

©Beyond Mombasa Ad. 

Cornel Wilde, Donna Reed 

Tall T, the OD.. 

Randolph Scott, Maureen 0'8ulllvan 

Pickup Alley Ad.. 

Victor Mature, Anita Ekberg 

Golden Virgin, The D . 

Joan Oawford, Rossano Brazzi 

Garment Jungle, The D . 

Lee J. Cobb. Ola Scala 

Brothers Rico, The D . 

Richard Conte, Dlanne Foster 

©Abandon Ship! © D.. 

TiTone Power, Mai Zetterllng 

©Barretts of Wimpole Street, 

The (106) © D..718 

Jennifer Jones, Sir John Oielgud, 

BUI Travers 

Hot Summer Night (86) D..719 

Leslie Nielsen, Colleen Miller 

S ©Wings of Eagles, The 

(110) D..720 

John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara 

[T] ©Invitation to the Dance 

(92) Ballet Film.. 721 

Gene Kelly, Igor Youskevltch 

51 Lizzie (81) D..722 

Eleanor Parker, Rlcliard Boone 

HI ©10.000 Bedrooms 

(114) © M..723 

Dean Martin, Eva Bartok, 

Anna Maria Alberghetti 

©Designing Woman (117) © C..724 

Gregory Peck. Lauren Bacall, 

Dolores Gray 

ga ©Vintage. The (92) ©..D..727 

John Kerr, Pier Angeli, Mel Ferrer 

©Tarzan & the Lost Safari. Ad. .May 

Gordon Scott, Betta St. John 

©Raintree County ©65 0. 

Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Cllft 

Living Idol, The © D. 

Steve Forrest, LUlane Montevecdii 

©Little Hut, The C. 

Ava Gardner. Stewart Granger 

This Could Be the Night CD.. 

Jean Slmmon.s, Paul Douglas 

Something of Value D.. 

Rock Hudson, Dana Wynter 

©Gun Glory © W.. 

Stewart Granger, Rhonda Fleming 

House of Numbers, The D.. 

Jack Palance, Barbara Lang 

Happy Road, The C 

()ene Kelly, Barbara Laage 

©Rainmaker, The (120) ®.C..5606 

Burt Lancaster. Katharine Hepburn, 

Wendell Corey, Uoyd Bridges 

Fear Strikes Out (100) ®. .D. .5607 

Anthony Perkins, Karl Maiden 

©Funny Face (103) ® ..MC..5608 

Fred Astalre, Audrey Hepburn, 

Kay Thompson, Robert Flemylng 

OGunfight at OK Corral ®..W..May 

Burt l^ncaster, ICirk Douglas 

Buster Keaton Story ®.... CD.. May 

Donald O'Connor, Ann Blyth 

Lonely Man, The ® W..Jun 

Jack Palance. Anthony Perkins 

©Beau James (g) D . . Jul 

Bob Hope, Vera Miles 

©Omar Khayyam ® Ad.. Jul 

Cornel Wilde, Debra Paget 

Delicate Delinquent ® ....CD.. Jul 

Jerry L,ewls, Manila Hyer 

©Joker, The ® CD.. 

Frank Sinatra, Jeanne Oahi 

©Spanish Affair ® Ad . 

Richard KUey, Carmen Sertlla 

Hot Spell ® D.. 

Shirley Booth, Anthony Qufain 

Young Stranger, The D..May 

James MacArthur. Kim Hunter 

©Day They Gave Babies Away CO.. 

Glynts Johns, Cameron Mitchell 

©Run of the Arrow W. 

Rod Stelger, Sarlla Montell 

©Jet Pilot ® D.. 

John Wayne. Janet Leigh 

I Married a Woman C. 

George (Jobel. DUna Dors 

©Unholy Wife, The D.. 

Diana Dors, Rod Stelger 

©Girl Most Likely, The C. 

Jane Powell, Cniff Robertson 

©Escapade in Japan Ad.. 

Teresa Wright. Cameron Mitchell 

Public Pigeon No. 1 C 

Red Skelton, Vivian Blaine 

00 

so 

> 

TO 

•< 

TO 

> 

-o 

o 

o 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : 

: March 

23, 1957

FEATURE 

CHART 

TIm K«y to l«tt*n and eombinatlom thereof Indicating story type: (Ad) Adventure Drama; (Ac) Action 

Drama; (An) Animoted-Actlon; (C) Comedy; (CD) Comedy-Drama; (Cr) Crime Drama; (DM) Dr«me 

with Mutic; (Doc) Documentary; (D) Dromo; (F) Fantasy; (FC) Farce-Comedy; (Ho) Horror Droma; (HI) 

Historlcol Drama; (M) Musical; (My) Mystery; (OD) Outdoor Drama; (SF) Science-Fiction; (W) Western. 

REPUBLIC 1 ii

,'l' 

I 

' 

. D. 

Doc 

-Simone 

.Marline 

.Vlttorln 

Ulla 

FEATURE CHART 

INDEPENDENT | |i 

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL - 

Oklahoma Woman (73) ^ W. .Juti 56 

iticiurd Dunning;, I'eggic Ca>tle 

Female Jungle (71) D..Jun56 

Jayiic .Mansfield. Laurence Titrncy 

QGunslinger (S3) W..JunS6 

-ars V Jnttii lu-land. Beierly Garland 

i

IFE 

Iticharil Ufiirimg, Juan Tuylur 

Hot Rod Girl (75) Ac. Jul 56 

©Madame Butterfly 

1» i .Nelson, Juhn Smith 

The She-Crealure (77) Ho .. Aug 56 

.\Iarla Cng.ish, Uie-iter Morris 

It ConQuered the World (75) SF. .Aug 56 

I'eU-r (Iraves. Beverly Garland 

Shake, Rattle and Rock (77) M . . Nov 56 

F.ils liomlnu. Ll.â (Jaye 

Runaway Daughters (90) O..Na«56 

.Maria English. Lance Fuller 

ONaked Paradise (SO) Ac. Jan 57 

Uifliari Itctinliig. Beverly Garland 

©Flesh & the Spur (SO) W. .Jan 57 

.li^hn .Ab". .Maria Biigllsh 

Voodoo Woman (75) Ho. . Mar 57 

.Maria Entili.sh. Tim Conway 

Undead, The (75) Ho.. Mar 57 

I'.imela Duncan, Klcbard Garland 

Dragstrip Girl (75) Ac .. Apr 57 

Kay Spain. Steven Terrell 

Rock All Night (75) M.. Apr 57 

liiek Miller and the Platters 

ARLAN 

Living North, The (74) Doc. 

Filmed In Lapland; native cast 

( Eti;;lish narration) 

ASSOCIATED FILM 

Blonde Bait (71) D. Apr 56 

Beverly Michaels, Jim Davis 

Three Outlaws, The (74) ®235. .W. . May 56 

-Neville Biand, Bruce Bennett, .Man Hale 

Frontier Gambler (70) W.. Jul 56 

John Bromfield, Coleen Gray 

Naked Gun, The (70) W.. Nov 56 

WiUard Parker, Mara Cordiy, B. MacLane 

ASTOR 

Dynamiters, The (74) D.. Apr 56 

Wayne .Morris, Simone Silva 

Fear (S2) 0. May 56 

Int;rltl Bergman, Mathla5 Wleman 

Passport to Treason (70) Md. .Jun 56 

liod Cameron, Lois M;L\vvell 

©Men of Sherwood Forest (77). .Ad.. Sep 56 

. Itori Taylor, Eileen Moore 

(^ Hour of Decision (..) D.. Dec 56 

.leff .Morrow, Hazel (ûrt 

BANNER 

©Wetbacks (86)' Ac. May 56 

Lloyd Bridges, Nancy Gates 

BUENA VISTA 

©Great Locomotive Chase (S5) © D. .Jun 56 

Kess Parker, Jeff Hunter 

QOavy Crockett and the River 

Pirates (81) Ad.. Jul 56 

Fe^s Parker. Buddy Ebsen 

©Secrets of Life (70) Doc . Nov 56 

©Westward Ho, the Wagons 

(86) ® 0D..Dec56 

Fess Parker, Rattiteen Crowley 

CONTINENTAL 

Night My Number Came Up (94). .D. .Feb 56 

.Miehael liedgrave, Alexander Knox 

©Ladykillcrs, The (90) D.. Mar 56 

.\lex Guinness, Cecil Parker, Katie Johnson 

Ship That Died of Shame (79) . .Sep 56 

Itieliard Attenborough, George Baker 

©Secrets of the Reef (72) Doc. Oct 56 

I'ndersea chronicle 

©Love Lottery, The (..) C. Jan 57 

David Niven, Peggy Cummins 

DOMINANT 

Walk the Dark Street (74) Md.. 

Clioek Ovnnors, Don Ross, Regioa Oleason 

DCA 

Wages of Fear (106) D.. Feb 56 

Yves Moniand, Charles Vanel 

Please Murder Me (78) D.. Mar 56 

.\niiela Lansbury, ftaymond Burr 

Frisky (98) CD. .Apr 56 

Gina LoUobrigida. Vittorlo De Sica 

©Jedda the Uncivilized (8S) D.. Jun 56 

Narla Kuuogh, Robert Tudewall 

Private's Progress (99) C. .Sep 56 

liichard Attenborough, Dennis Price 

Woman of Rome (93) D.. Sep 56 

Gina LoUobrigida, Daniel Gelin 

Rock, Rock, Rock (85) M.. Dec 56 

Alan Fieed. Frankie Lymon & Teenagers 

\ 

"J ©John and Julie (82) C. Jan 57 

Omstance Cummings, Wilfred Hyde-White 

Gold of Naples (107) . .Episode Dr.. Mar 57 

Vittorlo de Sica, Silvana .Mangano, Sophia 

Loren. (Italian-language; Eng. titles.) 

ji, 

EDEN 

One Way Ticket to Hell (65) D.. Feb 56 

Non-professional cast 

©Man of Africa (75) OD.. 

Frederick Bijuerenda, Violet Mukabuerna 

EMBASSY 

Wiretapper (80) .. Feb 56 

Hill Willi.ims, Giorgla Lee 

Godzilla. King of the Monsters 

(80) Ho. Apr 56 

Kav mond Burr, Japanese cast 

(En',;.isli dialog and narration) 

(114) Filmed Opera. .Jun 56 

Kaoru Yacliigusn, Nlcala Filacurldi 

( llalo-Japanese; English commentary) 

JACON 

Rusanna (72) D. .Jun 56 

Hossana Podesta, Crox .VIvarado 

(Dubhed in English) 

Midnight Episode (7S) C. Aug 56 

Stanley llollovvay. Leslie Dwyer 

Forbidden Cargo (S3) Ac. Sep 56 

.Nlfl Patrick. Ellzalielh Sellars 

JANUS 

Bullfight (76) Doc .Jul 56 

Fngllsh narration 

LOUIS deROCHEMONT 

Helen Keller in Her Story (formerly 

"The Uncongucred) (55) . .Apr 56 

Nanatcfi by Kalberine Cornell 

OAlbcrt Schweitzer (80) Doc. Mar 57 

(I'lodueeil by Hill and Anderson) 

MAGNA 

OOklahoma! (155) T-AO DM.. Oct 55 

Ctirdm: MacKae, Shirley Jones 

TOP PICTURES 

©Frontier Woman (SO) W.. Jul 56 

Cinily C.iisnii. L.ince Fuller, Ann Kelly 

TRANS-LUX 

GDance Little lady (87) D.. Mar 56 

Mai Zetterllng, Terence Morgan 

Lovers and Lollipops (85) CD.. Apr 56 

Lori March, Gerald O'Loughlln 

WOOLNER BROS. 

©Swamp Women (75) D.. Apr 56 

Beverly Garland, Marie Windsor, C. Mathews 

REISSUES 

ALLIED ARTISTS 

Rose Bowl Story, The (73) D.. Dec 56 

.Marshall Thompson, Vera Miles, 

.Natalie Wood 

BUENA VISTA 

Cinderella (75) An.. Feb 57 

COLUMBIA 

©Ten Tall Men (97) Ad.. Nov 56 

Burt LaTR-asler. Jody Lawrance 

Rogues of Sherwood Forest (SO) .Ad. .Nov 56 

.lohn Derek. Diana Lynn, Alan Hale 

DCA 

Brute Force (98) D.. Jun 56 

Burl LaniMsier, Yvonne De Carlo 

Naked City (96) D.. Jun 56 

Howard Duff, Barry Fitzgerald 

MGM 

Boom Town (116) D.. Oct 56 

Clark Gable. Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr 

Marie Antoinette (149) D.. Nov 56 

N(nnia Shearer, Tyrone Power 

Tale of Two Cities (128) D.. Nov 56 

D. 

Ronald Colman, Elizabeth Allan 

Mutiny on the Bounty (133) . . . . 

. 

Dec 56 

Cliarlfi Laiinhlim, Clark Gable 

Green Dolphin Street (141) D.. Jan 57 

Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna Reed 

Boys Town (96) D.. Jan 57 

Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney 

Gaslight (114) D.. Apr 57 

Ingrld Bergman. Charles Boyer 

Postman Always Rings Twice, The 

(114) D..Apr57 

L.ina Turner, John Garfield 

PARAMOUNT 

©Unconguered (147) Ad. .Oct 56 

Gary Cooptr. Paulette (}oddard 

20th-FOX 

Third Man, The (105) D..Aug56 

(irson Welles, Joseph Gotten, Valll 

Rebecca (127) D. .Oct 56 

Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine 

UNITED ARTISTS 

High Noon (85) W. .Jun 56 

Giry Cooper. Grace Kelly, Katy Jurado 

UNIVERSAL-INT'L 

Killers, The (102) D..Scp56 

llort Lancaster, .\va Gardner, 

Edmond O'Brien 

Sleeping City, The (85) My.. Sep 56 

Richard Cnnte. 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 

©East of Eden (115) D.. Mar 57 

James Dean, Julie Harris. Jo Van Fleet 

©Rebel Without a Cause (111) . .D. .Mar 57 

.lames Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mlneo 

FOREIGN 

FEATURES. 

Foreign-language productions by native country listed olphobetlcally 

by title, followed by running time. Dote shown is issue oi BOXOFFICE 

in which review appeared. Name of distributor is m parenthcsel. 

ARGENTINA 

RevievTed 

Dark River (88) 4-28-56 

crimes). H. Del Carrll, A. BenetU 

AUSTRIA 

©Don Juan (90) 7- 7-56 

(Tlmesl Cesare Duiova. Josef Melnrad 

BRITAIN 

Angel Who Pawned Her Harp (73).. 4-2S-56 

(Dominant) . Diane Cllento, Felix Aylmer 

Appointment in London (96) 12-31-55 

(Assoc. Artists) .. l>. Bogarde, Dinah Sheridan 

Chance Meeting (94) 8-27-55 

(Pacemaker) . .Ddlle Versols, David Knight 

Court Martial (105) 10- 1-55 

(Klngsley) .. David Nlven, Margaret Lelghton 

Cure (or Love. The (97) 11-26-55 

(^bisoc. Artists) . . It Donat, Asherson 

Rence 

Eight O'clock Walk (57) 8-20-55 

(Asso. Arts).. It. Attenborough, C. O'Donnell 

Four Against Fate (84) 9-10-55 

(A.SSOC. Artists).. A. Neagle, Michael Wilding 

Front Page Story (95) 7-23-55 

(Assoc. Artists) . Jack Hawkins, Eva Bartok 

Game o( Danger (88) 11- 5-55 

(Assoc. Artistsl . .Jack Warner, Veronica Hurst 

Green Scarf, The (96) 4-23-55 

(Assoc. Artists).. M. liedgrave, A. Todd 

His Excellency (84) 4-28-56 

(Brenner) . .Eric PortniiUl, Cecil Parker 

Intruder, The (84) 2-12-55 

(.\ssoc. iVrtists) . . Jack Hawkins, Detmls Price 

©Kid for Two Farthings. A (91).. 4-28-56 

(Loperl) . .Cells Johnson. Diana Dors 

©Make Me an Offer (88) 4- 7-56 

(Dominant) . .Peter Finch, Adrlenne Corri 

©Richard III (162) (Ji 3-17-56 

(Lopert) . .L,aurcncc Olivier, Ralph Itichardson 

Teckman Mystery, The (90) 11-19-55 

(Assoc. Artists) . .Margaret l*lghton, J. Justin 

©To Paris With Love (78) 4-30-55 

(Continental) . .Alec Gulruiess, Odlle Versols 

True and the False. The (80) 4-23-55 

(Helene Davis) .. Signe Hasso, Wm. Langford 

©Wee Geordie (94) 11-10-56 

(Times) . .BUI Travers, Alastair Sim 

©Will Any Gentleman? (84) 11- 5-55 

(Stratford) . .George Cole, Veronica Hurst 

EGYPT 

Hamido (122) 5-21-55 

(Gould) ..Hoda goultao, Farld Cluwky 

FRANCE 

Adorable Creatures (108) 1- 7-56 

(Confl Ills.) . Martlne Carol, B. Feulllere 

Diabolique (107) 3- 3-56 

(IIMPU) . Signoret, Paul Meurlsse 

Diary of a Country Priest (95) 7-31-55 

(Brandon) . 

.C. Uiydu, N. Maurey, A. Gulbert 

Doctors, The (92) 1- 5-57 

(Klngsley) . . Raymond Pellegrln, Jeanne Moreau 

Fruits of Summer (104) 8-11-56 

(Ellis) . .Iklwlge Feulllere, Henri GuUol 

Game of Love. The (108) 2-19-55 

(limes) . .Pierre-Michel Beck, Edwige FeuUlere 

©Grand Maneuver, The (107) 12-8-56 

(UMPO) . .Mlchele Morgan. Gerard Phlllpe 

Heartbreak Ridge (86) 6-11-55 

(Tudoi ) . . Real French Korea 

troops In 

Holiday for Henrietta (103) 5-21-55 

(Ardeel Dany liobln, Michael Auclalr 

. 

Inside a Girls Dormitory (102) 11-17-56 

(Ellis) . .Jean Marais, Fraocoise Arnoul 

La Sorciere (97) 3- 9-57 

(Ellis) . .Maiina Vlady. Maurice Bonet 

Letters From My Windmill (116) . . 4-21-56 

(Tohani . .liaxcly. Henri Vilbert, Bells 

Papa, Mama, the Maid and I (94) U-lt-5« 

. . 

(Col Int'l) . .Fernand Ledoux, Gaby Uoriay 

©My Seven Little Sins (98) 6-23-56 

(Kingsley) . .Maurice Chevalier. Delia Seals 

One Step to Eternity (94) 1-28-56 

(Bills).. D. Darrleui. M. Auclalr. C. Calvet 

©Only the French Can (93) 8- 4-56 

(TJUPO) .Jean n.abln, Francolse Amoal 

Proud and Beautiful, The (93) 9- 1-56 

(Kingsley) . .Mlchele Morgan, Gerard Pblllpe 

Pififl (116) 9-29-S6 

(lMPO)..Jean Bervals, Carl Mofaner 

©Royal Affairs in Versailles (152) 

(Times) . .Sarh.1 Guitry. Claiidette Colbert, 

Edith Piaf. Urson Welles, Gerard Phllipc, 

Jean .Marais 

Sheep Has Five Legs, The (93) 11-26-56 

lUMPO) .Fernandel. FriDColae Anioal 

©Pantaloons (93) 

(CMPOI . .Fernandel. Carmen Serili* 

Snow Was Black, The (105) 1-12-57 

iCont'l Ills).. Daniel (êlln. Marie Mansurt 

We Are All Murderers (118) 2-16-57 

(Klngsley) . ..Marcel .MouloudjI. Raymond Pellegrln 

GERMANY 

Diary of a Lover (96) 

(Grand Prize) .0. W. Fischer. Maria Schell 

Forester's Daughter, The (105) 

(Casino).. Johanna Matz, Will tluadlllci: 

Last Ten Days, The (113) 5-12-56 

(Col Int'll Albln Skoda, Utte Toblsch 

Sergeant's Daughter, The (97) 

(Casino) ..lolianna Malz. Jan llendrlks 

Sunderin (SO) 1-22-55 

(Prod. Heps.).. Hlldeeurde .Ncff. G. Froelillch 

ISRAEL 

Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (102) 12-3-55 

(Confl DIs.) . .Michael Wagner. Maya llurarit 

ITALY 

Bed, The (101) 8-13-55 

(Getz-Kingsley) . Ailit.ims 

. It, Todd, Dawn 

Four Ways Out (77) 1- 1-55 

(Carioll) . Gina LoUobrigida, lleiiullo llaldlnl 

, 

Gold of Naples (107) 

(liCAl . .Sophia lairen, Vlllorlo De Sica 

Hello Elephant (78) 1-29-55 

(Arlani de Sica, Sabil 

©House of Ricordi (112) 6-30-56 

(Manson) .. Paolo Stoppa, Maria Toren 

La Strada (115) 11- 3-56 

(Irans-Lus) . .Anthony Quinn, Glilllctta 

Maslna, Ulctiard Baaehart 

©Maddalena (90) 10- 8-55 

( Ll'^B) .. Maria Toren. J. 8em»» 

Gino Cervl. 

Mademoiselle Gobetle (78) 4- 9-55 

(IFB) . .Silvana Pampanlnl. Lulgl Pavese 

Return of Don Camillo (110) 7- 7-56 

(IFE) . Fernandel, GIno Cervl 

©Riviera (88) 11-10-56 

(IFE) . Carol. Rat Vullone 

Too Bad She's Bad (95) 1-21-56 

(Gttz-Klngsley) . Sophia Loren. V. He Ska 

Umberto D. (89) 12-31-55 

IBdw. Ilairlson) . .C. Battlsta. M. Cusllln 

Vitteloni (103) 2- 9-57 

(Janus-API) . .F. Interlcnghl. Franco Fabrlzl 

White Sheik, The (86) 12- 1-56 

(Janus-API) . .Alberto SordI, Brnnellu Bovo 

JAPAN 

©Gate of Hell (Jigokumon) (89) 1- 8-55 

(ll.irrlson & Davidson) .. M. Kyn. llawRavva 

©Golden Demon (95) 6-23-56 

(Harrison) . .Fujlko Yamamoto, Jun Negaml 

Hiroshima (85) 7-30-55 

(Confl DIs. ) . . Isuzu Tsnklda 

Yamada, M. 

Impostcr. The (89) 11-26-55 

(Brandon) . Utaeraon Ichlkawa, Chlkako Mltagl 

Magnificent Seven. The (155) 1- 5-57 

ICol Int'l) . .Taka.shl Shlmnra. Yoshlo Inaba 

©Phantom Horse, The (90) 8- 4-56 

(Harrison) . .A.vako Wakao. Yukohlkii Iwalarc 

©Samurai (100) 11-19-55 

(.laconl 

. .Toshiro Mltune. K. Ynchlgu.sa 

©Yang Kwei Fei (95) 11-17-56 

(Buena Vista) . .Machiko Kyo, M. Mori 

MEXICO 

This Strange Passion (82) 12-31-55 

(OmnlfUms) . Arturt) De Cordova. I) Oarces 

RUSSIA 

©Romeo and Juliet Ballet (96) 9- 1-55 

(Toban) . .Gallna Clanova. Vurl Zhdanov 

SPAIN 

Marcelino (90) 

(LTMPO)..Pablito Caivo, Rafael Blvelles 

SWEDEN 

Naked Night. The (82) 7-21-56 

(Times) . Harriet Andersson. Ake (Jrnenberg 

One Summer of Happiness (92) ... 7-16-55 

. 

(Tlmes-FUml Jacobson. Folke Siindqiilst 

YUGOSLAVIA 

Legends of Anika (85) 

(Grand Prize) . .Mllena Dapcevlc. B. GrlMc 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : : March 

23. 1957

Mir 

. . . Dec 

. ) . May 

^HORTS CHART 

Short 

subjects, listed by company. In order ot releoie. Running time follows title. FInt Is notional releote 

month, second the dote of review in BOXOFFICE. Symbol between dates is roting from BOXOFFICE 

review. ++ Very Good. + Good, i: Fair. — Poor. s= Very Poor. Photogrophy: Color and procesi 09 spaclfled. 

a-z CEO Qc oe o 

BUENA 

VISTA 

WALT DISNEY CLASSICS 

(Technicolor Reissues) 

74101 Hockey CItamp (7).. Aug 56 

74102 Pluto at ttie Zoo (8) Aug 56 

74103 Donald's Tire Trouble 

(7) Sep 56 

74104 Purloined Pup (7).. Oct 56 

741C5 BilliDsters (S) Oct 56 

74106 Pluto's Playmate (8) Nov 56 

74107 Donald's Snow Fight 

(7) Dec 55 

74108 Society Dog Show 

(8) Dec 55 

74109 Donald's Gold Mine 

(7) Jan 57 

Feb 57 

74110 T-Bone for Two (7) . . 

74111 Dunibell of the Yukon 

(7) Mar 57 

74112 Bone Troulile (9) . . Mar 57 

74113 Window Cleaners (S/z) 

COLUAABIA 

COMEDIES 

ALL-STAR 

1475 Pardon My Nightshirt 

(I6I/2) Nov 56 + 11-17 

ASSORTED FAVORITES 

1421 Clunked in the Clink 

(16) Sep 56 

1422 When the Wife's Away 

(17) Oct 56 

1423 She Took a Powder 

(I6I/2) Dec 56 

1424 Nervous Shakedown 

(I51/2) Jan 57 

1425 A Miss in a Mess 

(151/2) Feb 57 

1426 Hot Heir (I6I/2) Apr 57 

CANDID MICROPHONE 

(One- Reel Reissues) 

1551 Subject 3, Series 3 

(IOI/2) Sep 56 

1552 Subject 4, Scries 3 

(11) Dec 56 


(IOI/2) Jan 57 


(10) Mar 57 

CAVALCADE OF BROADWAY 

(Reissues) 

1951 Cafe Society (11) Sep 56 

1952 Blue Angel (IOI/2) Nov 56 

. . . 

1953 Village Barn (I01/2) • Dec 56 

1954 Leon & Eddie's (11). Feb 57 

CINEMASCOPE FEATURETTE 

(Technicolor) 

S441 Wonders of Manhattan 

(16) Feb 56 -H- 1-21 

8442 April in Portugal (20) . Apr 56 

(1956-57) 

1441 Wonders of New Orleans 

(19) Jan 57 

1442 Wonders of Washington. 

D. C. (18) Apr 57 

COLOR FAVORITES 


1601 Leave Us Chase It 

(6I/2) Sep 56 

1602 Tonsy Turkey (61/2) ... Oct 56 

1603 Silent Tweetment 

(6I/2) Nov 56 

1604 Coo-Coo Bird Dog (6) Nov 56 

1605 Concerto in B-Flat 

Minor (8) Dec 56 

1606 Robin Hoodlums (7).. Jan 57 

1607 Fowl Brawl (6) Feb 57 

160S Magic Fluke (7) Feb 57 

1609 Cal-Tastrophy (6)... Mar 57 

1610 Punchy De Leon (6I/2) Apr 57 

1611 Wacky Quacky (6)... Apr 57 

COMEDY FAVORITES 

1431 Scooper Dooper (18) .. Oct 56 

1432 Jiggers. My Wife! (18) Nov 56 

1433 Sheepish Wolf (I71/2) .Dec 56 

1434 Where the Pest Begins 

(17) Jan 57 

1435 Stage Frights (19)... Mar 57 

MR. MAGOO CINEMASCOPE SPECIALS 

1751 Trailblazer Magoo (6). Sep 56 

1752 Magoo's Problem Child 

(6) Oct 56 

1753 Meet Mother Magoo 

(61/2) Dec 56 + 

1754 Magoo Goes Overboard 

1-12 

(6) Feb 57 -f 3-9 

1755 Matador Magoo (..). Mar 57 

SCREEN SNAPSHOTS 

1851 Hollywood Stars at a 

Party (91/2) 

1852 Hollywood Star Night 

Dec 56 + 1-12 

(10) Feb 57 

1853 Waif International Ball 

(9) Mar 57 

SERIALS (15 Chapters) 

8120 The Sea Hound Sep 55 

8140 Perils of the Wilderness. Jan 56+3-3 

8160 Monster & the Ape... Apr 56 

8180 Blazing the Overland 

Trail Aug 56 

1120 Hon Harrigan Nov 56 .... 

1140 Congo Bill Mar 57 

STOOGE COMEDIES 

8406 Flagpole Jitters (16). Apr 56 

8407 For Crimin' Out Loud 

(16) May 56 

840S Rumpus in the Harem 

(16) ..Jun56 

(1956-57) 

1401 Hot Stuff (16) Sep 56 

1402 Scheming Schemers 

(16) Oct 56 + 11-17 

1403 Commotion on the 

Ocean (17) Nov 56 ±l 12-15 

1404 Hoofs & Goofs (I5J/2) Jan 57 

1405 Muscle Up a Little 

Closer (17) Feb 57 -f 3-9 

1406 A Merry Mix-up (16) . Mar 57 

1407 Space Ship Sappy (16) Apr 57 .... 

WORLD OF SPORTS 

S805 Navy All American (9). Mar 56 

8806 Trotting Topnotchers 

(9) Apr 56 

8807 Nassau Holiday (91/2) . May 56 

8808 Rodeo Dare- Devils (9).Jun56 

8809 Ten-Pin Wizards (S1/2) . Jul 56 

(1956-57) 

1801 Asphalt Playground 

(10) Oct 56 -f 11-17 

1802 Midget Musclemen 

(91/2) Nov 56 -f 12-15 

1803 Tee Topnotchers (10) Dec 56 + 3-9 

1804 Sharpstiootin* Sportsmen 

(9) Jan 57 -f 3- 9 

1805 Flying Horses (9) Feb 57 

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER 

CINEMASCOPE 

CARTOONS 

C-S31 Muscle Beach Tom (7) Sep 56 + 7-21 

C-S32 Millionaire Droopy (7) Sep 56 -f 7-21 

C-833 Downbeat Bear (7)... Oct 56 -f 7-21 

C-834 Blue Cat Blues (7).. Nov 56 +2-9 

C-S35 Barbecue Brawl (7).. Dec 56 +2-9 

C-836 Cat's Meow (7) Jan 57 + 2-9 

C-837 Tops With Pops (8) . . Feb 57 -f 2-9 

C-S3SGi.e and Tyke (7)..Mar57± 3-9 

CINEMASCOPE FEATURETTE 

(Eastman Color) 

A-SOl Battle of Gettysburg 

. . . .Jan 57 .... 

(30) Oct 56 

GOLD MEDAL REPRINTS 

W-851 Polka Dot Puss (8). Sep 55 

W-S62 Bear & the Bean (7).0ct 56 

W-863 Heavenly Puss (8) 

. . Oct 56 

W-S54 Bad Luck Blackie 

(7) Nov 56 

W-S65Cueball Cat (7) Nov 56 

W-S66Senor Droopy (7).. Dec 56 

W-S67 Little Rural Riding 

Hood (5) Dec 56 

W-85STIie Cat and the 

Mermouse (S) . 

W-869 The Cuckoo Clock (7) .Jan 57 

W-S70 Tennis Chumps (7).. Feb 57 .... 

W-871The Bear and the Hare 

(7) Feb 57 

W-872 Saturday Evening Puss 

(7) Mar 57 

W-873 Garden Gopher (6).. Mar 57 

PARAMOUNT 

CARTOON CHAMPIONS 


S16-1 Mice Meeting You (7). Sep 56 

S16-2 Sock-a-bye Kitty (7). Sep 56 

S16-3 CasFcr's Spree Under 

the Sea (8) Sep 56 

S16-4 One Quack Mind (7). Sep 56 

S16-5 Mice Paradise (7)... Sep 56 

S15-6 Once Upon a Rhyme 

(8) Sep 56 

S16-7 Hold the Lion Please 

(7) Sep 56 

S16-8 Land of Lost Watches 

(9) Sep 56 

S16-9 To Boo or Not to Boo 

(7) Sep 56 

S16-10 As the Crow Lies 

(6) Sep 56 

316-11 Slip Us Some Redskin 

(7) Sep 56 

S16-12 Boo Scout (8) Sep 56 

CASPER CARTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

B15-2 Boo Kind to Animals 

(6) Dec 55 -f 1-21 

B15-3 Ground Hog Play (6) . Feb 56 + 3-17 

B15-4 Dutch Treat (6) Apr 56 -f 5-26 

B15-5 Penguin for Your Thoughts 

(7) Jun56 + 7-21 

B15-6 Line of Screammage 

(6) Aug 56 + 11-17 

(1956-57) 

B16-1 Fright From Wrong 

(6) Nov 56 

B16-2 Spooking About 

Africa (6) Jan 57 -f 3- 9 

B16-3 Hooky Soooky (6) . 57 

HERMAN & KATNIP 

(Technicolor Cartoons) 

H15-2 Mouseum (6) Feb 56 -f 3-17 

H15-3 Will Do Mousework 

(6) Jun56 + 7-21 

H15-4 Mousetro Herman (6) .Aug 56 .... 

(1956-57) 

H16-1 Hide & Peak (6) Det 56 + 

NOVELTOONS 

2-9 

(Technicolor) 

P15-4 Sleuth hut Sure (6). Mar 56 -f 5-26 

P15-5Swab the Duck (6).. May 56 -f 9-lS 

P15-6 Pedro & Lorenzo (6). Jul 56 + 10- 6 

(1956-57) 

P16-1 Sir Irving and Jeames 

(7) Oct 56 + 11-17 

P16-2 Lion in the Roar (6) . Dec 

56 + 2-9 

P16-3 Pest Pupil (6).. Jan 57 -f 3- 9 

P16-4 Fishing Tackier (6). Mar 57 

POPEYE CARTOONS 

(Technicolor) 

E15-4 Hillbilling & Cooing 

(6) Jan 56 + 1-21 

E15-5 Popeye for President 

(6) Apr 56 + 7-21 

E15-6 0ut to Punch (6) . . . Jun 56 -f 7-21 

E15-7 Assault & Flattery (6) Jul 55 -f 10- 6 

E15-8 Insect to Injury (6). Aug 56 + 11-17 

(1956-57) 

E16-1 Parlez Vous Woo (5). Oct 56 + 11-17 

. 

E16-2 I Don't Scare (5).. Nov 56+ 2-9 

E16-3 Haul in One (5) 56 + 3-9 

E16-4 Nearlyweds (7) Feb 57 

E16-5 The Crystal Brawl (6) Apr 57 

VISTAVISION SPECIALS 

V15-2VV Visits Panama 

(10) Jun 56 + 7-21 

V15-1 Binj Presents Oreste (10). Vt 10- 6 

V15-3VV Visits Gibraltar 

(10) Aug 56 tt 10-13 

V15-4 VV Visits Austria 

(17) Oct 56 ff 12-15 

20th CENTURY-FOX 

CINEMASCOPE 

SPECIALS 

(111 Color) 

7609-1 The Dark Wave (23) Jun 56 ff 6-9 

7606-7 Honeymoon Paradise 

(9) Aug 56 

7610-9 Hunting the Netchik 

(9) Oct 56 + 2-9 

7611-7 Spirit of the Race 

(9) Nov 56 + 2-9 

7612-5 Catching Sea Creatures 

(9) Dec 56 + 2-9 

7613-3 Outpost Korea (7).. Dec 56+ 2- 9 

MOVIETONE CINEMASCOPES 

(Color as Indicated) 

7701-6 ©Port of Sports (9). Jan 57 

7702-4 ©Divided by the 

Sea (7) Feb 57 

7703-2 Future Baseball 

Champs (10) Mar 57 

7704-0

I RKO) 

— 

— 

ALLIED ARTISTS 

Annapolis Story, An (AA) — 

John Derek, Diana Lynn, Kevin 

McCarthy. A very good Navy 

show, but due to a basketball 

game on Saturday we only took 

in $15 and didn't even pay for 

the show. Sunday was better, so 

we made a few cents. Once again 

I say it really was a good show. 

Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Good. 

— Harry Hawkinson, Orpheum 

Theatre, Marietta, Minn. 

AMERICAN INTERNAT'L 

Oklahoma Woman lAIPi — 

Richard Denning, Peggie Castle, 

Cathy Downs. Fair little western 

in Superscope. Wonder why the 

Superscope? My people are kinda 

tired of tins type picture here, 

or so it seems by the business 

this picture (paired with another 

one) didn't do. Played Sat.—S. 

T. Jackson, Jackson Theatre, 

Flomaton, Ala. Pop. 1,036. 

COLUMBIA 

Picnic (Col)—William Holden, 

Kim Novak, Rosalind Russell. To 

start out, this picture had everything, 

then right in the middle 

it went to pieces and we could 

detect the hammy odor of the 

N'Yawk stage. How the writer 

could start by getting so much of 

the feel of the small town, carry 

the thing halfway through the 

picnic sequence with such a 

touch of reality, then let the 

story bog down in the most asinine 

kind of soap opera drama 

is more than I can understand. 

Very disappointing to me in every 

way, including the contents of the 

change tray. The ads didn't help. 

That is one of Columbia's weakest 

points. Played Sun., Mon. 

Weather: Cold.—Frank R. Mc- 

Lean, Roxy Theatre, Coulterville, 

111. Pop. 1,160. 

You Can't Run Away From It 

(Coll—June Allyson, Jack Lemmon, 

Charles Bickford. Excellent. 

Was very disappointing, though, 

at the boxoffice. I can't understand 

why. Played Thurs., Pri.^ 

S. T. Jackson, Jackson Theatre, 

Flomaton, Ala. Pop. 1,036. 

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER 

Boys Town (MGM) —Reissue. 

Spencer Ti'acy, Mickey Rooney, 

Henry Hull. This old-fashioned, 

unstretched feature thi-illed the 

fans as much as anything we've 

given them in months and if I 

hadn't stretched the program 

cost with a short called "The 

Battle of Gettysburg," I'd have 

been ahead of most programs in 

the profit column. Folks got tired 

of the battle so, for the most 

part, it was wasted time. Played 

Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: 

Thawing. — Bob Walker, Uintah 

Theatre, Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1.463. 

Forbidden Planet (MGM) — 

Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis. 

Leslie Neilson. Even if they dress 

these science-fiction things in 

Cinemascope, color and with 

top actors, the public says no go. 

It's kid stuff and what with the 

restrictions they put on them 

how can you make money? The 

sound effects in this one stole 

the show! It would have done 

fair business midweek, but MGM 

knew better. Made me play it four 

days weekend. Results: Both sides 

unhappy. Played Wed.-Sat. Weather: 

Rain. — Dave S. Klein, 

Astra Theatre, Kitwe-Nkana, 

Northern Rhodesia, Africa. Government, 

mining and business 

patronage. 

The Right Stoiy 

"Somebody Up There Likes 

Me" is definitely one of the 

best black and white pictures 

I have used in a lon^ time. 

Plenty of action and just the 

right kind of story for a small 

town theatre. Lots of favorable 

comments from our patrons, 

and it is a business builder. 

The prize fight angle should be 

built around Rocky Graziano, 

the former champ, as the story 

is built around his career. 

W. M. FINLEY 

Theatre 

Lyric 

Norfork, Ark. 

Somebody Up There Likes Me 

(MGM) — Paul Newman, Pier 

Angeli, Everett Sloane. Last 

December, when MGM pulled a 

switcheroo on me and pulled this 

and lammed me with "High 

Society." I figured, "Boy, I just 

traded a turkey for a fii-ecracker." 

Boy, you just can't call them any 

more. The firecracker fizzled. 

Tlie turkey was all white meat, 

as it brought a touch of June 

into a snowy January. This guy 

is one of the greatest actors I 

ever hope to meet. The story he 

had to work with was rough and 

brutal and that seems to be what 

everyone wants any more, so if 

you're gonna get rich, you either 

gotta give 'em rowdies or enjoy 

the family product by yourself, 

and that gets expensive with the 

freight rates we've got on film, 

and even Leo doesn't give me 

these things for free. This did 

fine. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. 

Weather: Snow and more snow. 

Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, 

Fruita, Colo. Pop. 1,463. 

PARAMOUNT 

Birds and the Bees, The (Pai-a) 

—George Gobel, Mitzi Gaynor, 

David Niven. This didn't go over 

too well. Personally, I thought it 

was a cute little comedy. Some 

of my patrons said it was too 

silly, and I couldn't put up any 

satisfactory argument otherwise. 

Business has been up since the 

first of the year till this one 

came along. Played Sun. Weather: 

Nice. — I. Roche, Starlite 

Drive-In, Chipley, Fla. 

War and Peace (Para)—Audrey 

Hepburn. Henry Fonda, Mel 

Ferrer. Did poorly for the type 

picture. Most people said it was 

too long. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. 

Weather: Cloudy and warm. 

M. P. Jones, Martin Theatre, 

Florala, Ala. Pop. 3,000. 

RKO RADIO 

Great Day in the Morning 

— Virginia Mayo, Robert 

Stack, Ruth Roman. Enough has 

ZB. 

XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

been said about this in other 

reviews in EHHS, so I won't say 

much more. Business was "lousy." 

Sometliing kept 'em away. I think 

it was the title. Played Sun., 

Mon. Weather: Fair.—A. Madril, 

La Plaza Theatre, Antonito, 

Colo. Pop. 1,255. 

Naked Sea, The (RKO)—Documentary'. 

In a sea of mud, a 

"Naked Sea" wouldn't have a 

chance, but the hardy ones who 

chained up and got to Fi-uita 

in spite of the roads sang the 

praises of this beautifully filmed 

featui-e long and loud. When 

Melba saw them catching fish 

like they do here, I figured 

we'd be headed for Peru before 

this. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: 

Mud.—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, 


REPUBLIC 

Maverick Queen, The (Rep)— 

Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, 

Mary Murphy. Folks here 

like Barbara Stanwyck and this 

picture was right down our alley. 

Made in Naturama, which is 

every way as acceptable as 

Cinemascope, its beauty and 

depth of focus brought out 

scenes in all their natural 

splendor that was remarked on 

by our patrons. Played Sun., 

Mon. Weather: Cold.—Carl W. 

Veseth, Villa Theatre, Malta, 

Mont. Pop. 2,095. 

Road to Denver, The (Rep) 

John Payne, Mona Freeman, Lee 

J. Cobb. Quite a good western 

that did average business for us. 

Good cast, fine story and lots of 

action. Can be recommended for 

your midweek playing time. 

Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Wet. 

—Dave S. Klein, Astra Theatre, 

Kitwe - Nkana, Northern Rhodesia, 

Africa. Government, mining 

and business patronage. 

20th 

CENTURY-FOX 

— Gordon Mac- 

Best Things in Life Are Free, 

The (20th-Fox) 

Rae, Dan Dailey, Ernest Borgnine. 

Another topflight musical 

that 20th-Fox seems to make so 

well. It not only satisfied all our 

older patrons, but the younger 

ones really went for it in a big 

way! This is a real nostalgic 

musical with excellent performances 

turned in by Borgnine and 

Sheree North. With all the top 

oldtime numbers, some funny 

situations and a plain down-toearth 

story, how can you miss? 

Played Wed.-Sat. Weather: Rain. 

—Dave S. Klein, Astra Theatre, 

Kitwe - Nkana, Northern Rhodesia, 

Africa. Government, mining 

and business patronage. 

Bus Stop (20th-Fox)—Marilyn 

Monroe, Don Murray, Arthur 

O'Connell. Bouquets to Marilyn 

Monroe for doing such a wonderful 

job of acting in this film. 

She is so much better in this 

type role than some of her previous 

ones, such as "The Seven 

Year Itch." This film was praised 

by young and old. Business was 

excellent, of course. People seem 

to just pack in the theatre since 

Monroe rarely overmakes a motion 

picture. As it is in a lot of 

towns close to the large cities, a 

lABOUT PICTURESi 

good date plays an important 

part in how well a film will go 

over. Fox gave us an excellent 

date, so I shall also offer bouquets 

to Fox. Played Sun., Mon. 

Weather: Fail'.—Jerry B. Walden, 

Crest Theatre, Seagoville, Tex. 

Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, 

The (20th-Fox)—Gregory Peck, 

Jennifer Jones, Fredric March. 

Seems lately there is no such a 

thing as a small town for Fox. 

The price on this one was very 

foolish, as it is not even a small 

town picture. Plenty of walkouts. 

Played Wed.-Sat. Weather: 

Cold.—Harold Bell, Opera House, 

Coaticook, Que. Pop. 6,341. 

Proud Ones, The (20th-Pox)— 

Robert Ryan, Virginia Mayo, 

Jeffrey Hunter. All the stature of 

a big western, and doubled with 

"Naked Sea," it gave us the kind 

of program that makes you proud 

to be in the business. Mud, a 

wrestling tournament away from 

home and a few other things 

helped keep this from getting 

what it should have. When I get 

programs like this, I wonder why 

I want to sell out, but when I 

check up, I know it'd be cheaper 

to come and buy my ticket. 

Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Mud. 

—Bob Walker, Uintah Theatre, 


Teenage Rebel (20th - Fox) — 

Ginger Rogers, Michael Rennie, 

Betty Lou Keim. These teenager 

pictures certainly are good at 

the boxoffice, but why don't they 

make them in color once in a 

while? It's in Cinemascope and 

is the first we've had in that 

process, without the benefit of 

color. Somebody goofed. — B. 

Berglund, Trail Theatre, New 

Town, N. D. Pop. 1,200. 

Teenage Rebel (20th-Fox) — 

Ginger Rogers, Michael Rennie, 

Betty Lou Keim. One of the best. 

In advertising you must stress it 

being a picture for all the family, 

since the paper on it would 

lead anyone to think this another 

"teenage delinquent" type. 

Played Sun., Mon.—Mickey and 

Penny Harris, Wakea Theatre, 

New Boston, Tex. Pop. 2,688. 

Brings 'Em Out 

"The Beast of Hollow Mountain" 

is one of those fantastic 

stories about a prehistoric 

monster and it really brought 

them out. Sometimes a person 

wonders where they all come 

from, and when we run one of 

the supers we wonder where 

they have all gone. This is very 

good for Friday-Saturday or 

a children's matinee. Kind of 

scary, though, which is probably 

what they were expecting. 

Trail Theatre 

New Town, N. D. 

B. BERGLUND 

UNITED ARTISTS 

Heidi and Peter (UA) — Elsbeth 

Sigmund, Thomas Klameth, 

Heinrich Gretler. I thought as I 

opened the film can, "Will we 

make anything on a show that Is 

(Continued on following page) 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: March 23, 1957 11

I 

'"' 

EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

(Continued from preceding page) 

really for young people?" But 

I didn't need to worry, because 

we had the best weekend in a 

long time. It really was a very 

good picture with wonderful 

scenery and beautiful color. I 

also thought they did a good job 

with translating the language, 

but if you looked close you could 

see the difference. Played Sat., 

Sun. Weather: Nice. — Harry 

Hawkinson, Orpheum Theatre, 

Marietta, Minn. Pop. 380. 

Trapeze (UA)—Burt Lancaster, 

Gina Lollobrigida, Tony Curtis. 

A very entertaining picture in 

beautiful color and Cinemascope. 

Business was a little better than 

average. I can't understand why 

more children didn't turn out 

for this particular type of picture. 

You always expect the youngsters 

to come out for a circus picture. 

This is another case of the producer 

waiting too long to sell it 

to the small town exhibitor. A 

real good picture like this one 

loses its boxoffice pulUng power 

when you have to wait so long 

to play it. When will the producers 

wake up and sell the small 

town exhibitor at a price that he 

can afford to pay and let the exhibitor 

play the picture 

before it 

is forgotten? With the TV competition 

so keen, it is more essential 

now than ever before to 

play the pictures while they are 

hot. Six to 12 months after release, 

the public has entirely forgotten 

the picture.—Marion F. 

Bodwell, Paramount Theatre, Wyoming, 

111. Pop. 1,496. 

UNIVERSAL-INTERNAT'L 

Canyon Passage (U-D—Reissue. 

Dana Andrews, Brian Donlevy, 

Susan Haywai-d. This film 

did not take so well. Too much 

drinking, brawling aJl the way 

through the picture. It was kind 

of disgusting. A few drinks and 

a good fist fight in a picture 

are not so bad, but when it comes 

to a picture full of this, I don't 

think it pays. Hurts theatre business 

more than it helps. I believe 

if we had mare good clean 

down-to-earth pictures, we 

wouldn't have to woory about our 

number one competition. Played 

Fri., Sat. Weather: Still raining. 

—W. M. Finley, Lyric Theatre, 

Norfork, Ark. Pop. 500. 

Naked Dawn, The (U-I)—Arthur 

Kennedy, Betta St. John, 

Eugene Iglesias. Something entii'ely 

different and a fine job of 

acting by Kennedy and a very 

small oast. The mud had folks 

stuck at home for sure and we 

won't make expenses on this, 

doubled with "Queen of Babylon," 

which is a colorful little 

programmer from 20th-Pox. 

Filmed in the old country, it 

showed off the beauty of some 

new scenery when you could take 

your eyes off of an over-exposed 

but equally beauteous gal. Played 

Fri., Sat. Weather: Rain and 

more mud.—Bob Walker, Uintah 

Theatre, Pruita, Colo. Pop. i,463. 

Never Say Goodbye (U-D— 

Rock Hudson, Cornell Borchers, 

George Sanders. Splendid! Quality 

pictures like this are mighty 

scarce. Hudson and Borchers 

gave outstanding performances. 

12 

Played Fri., Sat., Sun.—Frank 

Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, 

Mont. Pop. 929. 

Running Wild (U-D—William 

Campbell, Mamie Van Doren, 

Keenan Wynn. Be sure to play 

this one, even if you have played 

it once. I got it flat and the teenagers 

came in strong, even 

though it had played here once 

before. John Saxon is in it and 

if you let the rock and roll fans 

know it, you'll be okay. Played 

Tues. Weather: Rain and cold. 

—Victor Weber, Center Theatre, 

Kensett, Aik. Pop. 1,000. 

Toy Tiger (U-D—Jeff Chandler, 

Laraine Day, Tim Hovey. 

Pine picture played to very poor 

business. We have had two solid 

weeks of terrible weather, so I 

will blame that for the low take 

on this. It surely pleased the 

family trade. At least, that part 

of it that showed up. Tim Hovey 

is the most refreshing thing in 

the line of child actors we have 

seen in many years. Played Sun., 

Mon. Weather: Rain, sleet, snow, 

fog, etc. — Frank R. McLean, 

Roxy Theatre, CoulterviUe, III. 

Walk the Proud Land (U-D— 

Audie Murphy, Anne Bancroft, 

Charles Drake. Audie Murphy is 

always a good bet here, and in 

spite of the extreme cold, drew 

a fairly good crowd and pleased. 

Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Very 

cold.—Harold Smith, Dreamland 

Theatre, Carson, Iowa. Pop. 613. 

Walk the Proud Land (U-D— 

Audie Murphy, Anne Bancroft, 

Charles Drake. A crowd-pleaser 

that was much better than we 

had a right to expect. Was very 

well liked by an average crowd. 

Played Sun., Mon. Weather: 

Good.—Paul Ricketts, Ness Theatre, 

Ness City, Kas. Pop. 1,612. 

WARNER BROS. 

Goodbye, My Lady (WB) — 

Walter Brennan, Phn Harris, 

Brandon DeWilde. This is a very 

good show, but for some unexplainable 

reason the crowds 

were poor. Everyone who saw it 

commented how good it was and 

I will go along with that. If you 

haven't played it, I wouldn't pass 

it up. Played Sat., Sun. Weather: 

Nice.—Ha:Ty Hawkinson, Orpheum 

Theatre, Marietta, Minn. 

Land of the Pharaohs (WB)— 

Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, 

Dewey Martin. If we had played 

this six months later, would 

have been better off. As for this 

show, it's one of the better ones 

of this kind, which did not help 

us. Played Wed.-Sat. Weather: 

Cold:—Harold Bell, Opera House, 

Coatioook, Que. Pop. 6,341. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Black Pirates, The (HOWCO) 

—Anthony Dexter, Lon Chaney, 

Martha Roth. Well, now I got 

a nice sui-prise on this lower half 

of a double bill. It has some 

pleasing color and the action is 

plentiful as some pirates take 

over a village in order to dig up 

their treasure, which they think 

is buried underneath the village 

church. It will fit real well with 

a western and hold up its share 

of the program. Played Fri., Sat. 

Weather: Chilly.—I. Roche, Starlite 

Drive-In, Chipley, Fla. 

Lopert Films 

SHORT SUBJECT 

The Red Balloon 

(Featurette) 

REVIEWS 

34 Mins. 

Very Good. One of the most enchanting and imagmative films 

ever made, this featurette, produced in Paris by Albert Lamorisse 

he made another outstanding short "White Mane"), has already 

won several European awards, including Cannes Film Festival 

and French Film Critics honors. Although the running time of 

34 minutes places it midway between a short and a feature, 

it should win further laurels in the U. S. Lopert Films is dualling 

this with the longer "Lost Continent" and both pictures rate equal 

marquee billing. Written, produced and directed by Lamorisse, 

who filmed it in exquisite, soft Technicolor tones in the Montmartre 

district of Paris, it deals with a little boy, acted in 

completely natural fashion by Lamorisse's son, and his toy 

balloon, which takes a fancy to him and follows him about the 

streets like a pet dog. The ending is charming, if poignant. There 

is no actual spoken dialog, only the street sounds, random voices 

and music of Paris. This will be acclaimed and should build on 

enthusiastic word-of-mouth. 

Columbia 

Flying Horses 

(World of Sports) 9 Mins. 

Good. This deals with thoroughbreds which are trained for the 

steeplechase. They are shown in work at the high society's horsegrounds 

of Long Island and in the Blue Grass region of Kentucky. 

The training methods are interesting and the horses are beautiful. 

Columbia 

Hollywood Star 

Night 

(Screen Snapshots) 10 Mins, 

Good. Second in the new Technicolor series which incorporates 

a guessing contest for the public, with a trip to Hollywood as the 

prize. Among those shown and heard are singer Phil Regan, 

George Gobel and Bob Hope who, incidentally, toys with a copy 

of BOXOFFICE while being introduced. 

Columbia 

A Merry Mix-Up 

(Stooge Comedies) 

16 Mins. 

Very good. Tills is a riot of fun in which the Stooges play three 

sets of identical triplets, one set married, one engaged and one 

still single. Amusing confusion results when their nine girl 

friends try to tell them apart, and an insulted waiter goes berserk 

trying to square accounts with the real offenders. 

British Inf. 

Services 

Bloodstock 

(Horse-Racing Short) 

15 Mins. 

Good. All racing enthusiasts, as well as sports-minded fans in 

general, will thoroughly enjoy this Eastman Color short about the 

breeding of race horses for the traditional Derby Day in England. 

The film captures all the color, gaiety and enthusiasm of the 

famous race, as well as showing the jjackground and intensive 

training that the beautiful colts go through until they are ready 

for their greatest test. 

An Impression of London 

British Inf. Services (Scenic Short) 14 Mins. 

Very Good. No matter how many other shorts have shown the 

scenic wonders of London, there will always be an audience for 

outstanding new ones—like this splendidly photographed and 

fascinating Eastman Color picture of a typical London day. It's 

fine for art houses—or for most other spots. Helen Fox plays a 

young American visitor who arrives by air at dawn and sees 

London from above. Then she goes through the Tower of London, 

St. Paul's and the South Bank of the Thames and looks at the 

rebuilding of bombed-out sites and winds up seeing the pubs, 

the nightclubs and nighttime sights. Pi'Oduced by Anthony Gilkison 

for Rayant Pictures. 

Majesty in the Air 

British Inf. Services (Color Documentary) 21 Mins. 

C 

Good. An interesting and informative documentary which might 

be a bit too technical for average audiences but it is well suited 

to the art houses. Pi'oduced by the Pathe documentary unit for 

British Overseas Airways, it shows how pioneer — British craftsmen 

and navigators build and fly giant planes "the peaceful armada 

of the sky," which carry today's travelers. The last few minutes 

introduce some of Britain's pageantry, including the Coronation 

and the marching of troops in Edinburgh. 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: March 23, 1957

I 

m 

An interpretive analysis of loy and trodepress reviews. The plus and minus signs indicate 

degree of merit. Listings cover current reviews, updoted regularly. This department serves 

also OS on ALPHABETICAL INDEX to feoture releoses. Symbol U denotes BOXOFFICE 

Blue Ribbon Award Winner. Photography: O Color; iS CinemaScope; V VistoVision; s Superscope; 

1^1 Naturomo. For listings by compony, in the order of release, see Feature Chort. 

tl = E =S'|Slj.-5, 1 

3:Qel> IL. lxac:|a.Elzol en 

1985 ©Abdullah's Harem (88) Com.-Dr ZO-Fok 6-23-56 + + ± + — i: 5+3— 

2041 Above Us the Waves (92) Sea Drama Reo 12-20-56 -f ++ + + -ft 7-f 

2065 ©Accused of Murder (74) Ni Crime.. Rep 3- 9-57 ± + + 3+1— 

2066 OAlbcrt Schweitzer 

— 

(SO) Documentary . . DeRothemont 3- 9-57 t + + H ++ 7+ 

2006 ©Amazon Trader. The (41) Doc WB S-25-56 ff + + + -H ± ± 9+2- 

1998 ©Ambassador's Daughter. The 

(102) © Comedy-Drama UA 8-4-56+ + + -H 4+ ff #11+ 

2044 ©Anastasia (105) © Drama... 20lh-Fox 12-29-56 H -fl ff # ++ +t ft 1'*+ 

1965 ©Animal World, The (82) Doc WB 4-21-56 -i- + H- + ff ± + 8+1— 

2024 ©Around the World in BO Days 

(170) T-AO Fantasy-Adv UA 10-27-56 ff tf ft ff ff ff ff 144- 

1994 As Long as You're Near Me (101) Dr..WB 7-21-56 ± + ff 4+1- 

2011 Attack! (106) War-Diama UA 9-15-56+ ff + + ff + ff 10+ 

1963 Autumn Leaves (108) Drama Col 4-21-56 ± ± + + + ± ff 8+3— 

1973 ©Away All Boats (114) (Jj Drama U-l 5-19-56 H -H ± ff ff + ff 12+1- 

— B 

2035 Baby Doll (114) Drama WB 12- 8-56 +f ff ff ff ff 

2063 Bachelor Party. The (94) Drama UA 3- 9-57 +f ff + ff H- 

2007 Back From Eternity (98) Drama. RKO-U-I 9- 1-56 + ff + + + 

1996 Bad Seed. The (129) Drama WB 7-28-56+ ± + ff ff ff 

2004©Bandido (92) i© Ad.enture UA 8-18-56 •+ + + + + + 

2048 ©Barretts of Wimpole Street, The 

(106) © Drama MGM 1-12-57 +f -f- + ff ff ff 

2043 ©Battle Hymn (108) © Drama U-l 12-29-56 ff ff ff ff ff ff 

2005 ©Beast of Hollow Mountain. The 

(79) © Western Horror-Drama UA 8-25-56+ + + + — — 

1986 Behind the High Wall (85) Drama ..U-l 6-23-56+ — iz ± ± 

2616 ©Best Things in Life Are Free, 

The (104) © Musical 20th-Fox 9-29-56 ff + + + + + 

2021 ©Between Heaven and Hell 

(94) © War-Drama 20th- Fox 10-20-56 + + +t ff ± ff 

2012 Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 

(80) Drama RKO-U-I 9-15-56+ ± ± + ± ff 

1969©Bhowani Junction (110) © Dr...MGM 5- 5-56 ff ff ff ff + ff 

2054 Big Boodle, The (S3) Adventure UA 2-2-57+ + ± ± + + 

2040 Big Fun Carnival, The (90) Juvenile 

Variety Film. .Artists Producers Ass'n 1-19-57+ + 

2054©Big Land. The (93) Western WB 2- 2-57 + rt + + + 

2012 ©Bigger Than Life (95) © Dr. . .20th.Fox 9-15-56 + ff ff ff ff 

2066 ©Bitter Spears (70) Adv. Doc. . Brenner 3- 9-57 ± + 

1984 Black Sleep, The (81) Horror UA 6-16-56+ ± + + 

2040 Black Whip. The (77) # Wn..20th-Fox 12-22-56 ± ± + ± + 

2038 Blonde Sinner (74) Drama AA 12-15-56 + ± + ± + + 

2006 Boss. The (87) Drama UA 8-25-56 ff ± +f + + 

2037 Brass Legend, The (79) Western U A 12-15-56 + + + + + 

2013 ©Brave One, The (100) © Dr. RKO-U-I 9-22-56 ff + + ff ff ff 

2026 Bullfight (76) Doc Pacemaker-Janus 11- 3-56 ± + ff 

2037 ©Bundle of Joy (98) Comedy RKO-U-I 12-15-56 ff ff ff ff ff ff 

1998 ©Burning Hills, The (92) © Wn WB 8-4-56+ + + + ± + 

2003 ©Bus Stop (94) © Com.-Dr 20th-Fox 8-18-56 H ff ff ff ff ff 

2022 Calling Homicide (61) Mystery AA 10-20-56 + + + ± — 

2001 ©Canyon River (SO) © Western AA 8-11-56 ± + + + ^ + 

X96S Catered Affair, The (93) Com.-Dr... MGM 4-28-56+ ff =t + ff + 

2014 Cha-Cha-Cha Boom! (72) Musical Col 9-22-56+ ± + + :^ ^ 

1983©Conoo Crossing (87) Adventure U-l 6-16-56* i: ± + :t + 

1961 Creeping Unknown, The (7S) Sc.F UA 4-14-56 + ± ± ± + 

1962 Crime in the Streets (91) Drama AA 4-14-56+ + — + + ff 

2056 Crime of Passion (84) Drama UA 2-9-57+ + + + ff + 

1987 Crowded Paradise (93) Melodrama. .Tudor 6-30-56+ + + + 

2039 Cruel Tower, The (SO) Action AA 12-22-56— + + + ± ± 

2004 Cry in the Night, A (75) Suspense. .WB 8-18-56 ± ± — + + + 

2023 ©Curucu, Beast of the Amazon 

(76) Horror-Drama U-l 11-10-56+ + + + ± ± 

1998 ©Dakota Incident (S8) Western Rep 8- 4-56+ + + + + + 

2037 Dance With Me Henry (SO) Comedy.. UA 12-15-56 ± + + + ± ± 

2067 ©Daniel Boon, Trail Blazer 

(76) Adventure Rep 3-16-57+ + 

1994 ©Davy Crockett and the River Pirates 

(81) Adventure BV 7-21-56+ ± i: + + S: 

1977©D-Day the Sixth of June 

(106) © War-Drama 20th-Fox 6- 2-56 ff ff ff ff ff + 

2025 Deadliest Sin, The (75) Drama AA 11- 3-56 2: iz ± ± ± 

2026 Death of a Scoundrel (119) Dr. RKO-U-I 11- 3-56 ff + ± + + + 

2059 Delinquents, The (81) Melodrama UA 2-23-57 ± it ± + — + 

2030 Desperados Are in Town. The 

(72) ® Western 20th-Fox 11-17-56 ff :± ± ± ± + 

2044 Don't Knock the Rock (80) Musical.. Col 12-29-56 ± + + + + ± 

2050 Drango (91) Drama UA 1-19-57 ± + + + + ff 

1981 Dynamiters, The (74) Mystery Astor 6- 9-56 ± ± 

— E 

1977 Earth vs. the Flying Saucers 

(83) Science-Fiction Col 6-2-56+ + d: + + + 

+ 

+ 

+ 

+ 

ff 12+ 

9+ 

+ 7+ 

ff 12+1- 

+ S+ 

ff 12+ 

ff 14+ 

- 4+3- 

4+4— 

+ 9+ 

± 10+2- 

- 7+4— 

ff 13+ 

± 7+3- 

3+ 

+ 7+1- 

+ 11+ 

- 2+2- 

- 5+3- 

6+4— 

± 7+3- 

- S+3— 

6+1- 

10+ 

5+1- 

+ 13+ 

± 7+2— 

ff 14+ 

4+2- 

- 6+3- 

+ 9+1- 

±. 7+4- 

- 6+5- 

- 5+4- 

* 7+2- 

± 8+1- 

- 4+1- 

± 6+4- 

- 5+4- 

= 6+4- 

2+ 

=t 7+1- 

- 6+4- 

6+3- 

ff 13+ 

5+5- 

7+1- 

5+4- 

7+4- 

6+2- 

± 8+2- 

2+2- 

- 6+2- 

/ÊVi£W DIGEST 

AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX 

'f Very Good; + Good; = Fair; - Poor; - Very Poor. In the summary -+ is rated 2 pluses, — as 2 minuses. 

|8te 

m 

•= E 

!x oe I > lxa:|a.:Eizol 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : : March 23, 1957 

1979 OQEiii Duchin Story, The 

(123) © Drama With Music Col 6- 9-56 ft 

1720 Edge of Hell (76) Drama 

(Reviewed as "Tender Hearts) ... U-l 2-26-56 ± 

2046 Edge of the City (85) Drama MGM 1- 5-57 + 

1954 Emergency Hospital (62) Drama UA 3-24-56 + 

2029 QEvetything But the Truth 

(83) Comedy U-l 11-17-56 + 

—F— 

1986 Fastest Gun Alive (90) Western MGM 6-23-56 + 

1991 Fear (82) Drama Astor 7-14-56 + 

2055 Fear Strikes Out (100) ® Drama.. Para 2- 9-57 + 

2033 Finger ot Guilt (84) Mystery .. RKO-SR 12- 1-56 + 

1984 ©First Texan, The (82) © Western.. AA 6-16-56 ff 

2004 ©First Traveling Saleslady, The 

(92) Comedy-Drama RKO-U-I S-18-56 — 

2053 Five Steps to Danger (80) Adv UA 2- 2-57 + 

2060GFIesh & the Spur (75) W'n....AIP 2-23-57 ± 

2017 Flight to Hong Kong (88) Action UA 10- 6-56 + 

1975 ©Foreign Intriuue (100) Drama UA 5-26-56 + 

2045 Four Boys and a Gun (73) Action.. UA 1- 5-57 + 

2033 ©Four Girls in Town (94) © Com-Dr U-l 12- 1-56 ± 

1989 Francis in the Haunted House 

(SO) Comedy U-l 7-7-56 + 

2017 UOFriendly Persuasion 

(138) Folk Comedy-Drama AA 10- 6-56 Hf 

2040 Full of Life (91) Comedy Col 12-22-56 ff 

2061 ©Funny Face (103) ® Mus. Com... Para 3- 2-57 + 

2012 Gamma People, The (79) Melodrama. .Col 9-15-56 ± 

2024 ©Giant (201) Drama WB 10-27-56 ff 

2041 ©Girl Can't Help It. The 

(99) © Comedy/rock'n'roll. .20th-Fox 12-29-56 + 

2025 Girl He Left Behind (103) Comedy.. WB 11- 3-56 ± 

2009 Girls in Prison (87) Melodrama AlP 9- 8-56 ± 

2032 Great American Pastime (89) Com... MGM 11-24-56 + 

1976 ©Great Locomotive Chase. The 

(85) © Historical Spy Drama... BV 5-26-56 + 

2034 Great Man. The (98) Drama U-l 12- 1-56 — 

2011 Gun Brothers (79) Western UA 9-15-56 ± 

2044 ©Gun for a Coward (88) © Western U-l 12-29-56 + 

2036 Gun the Man Down (78) Western UA 12- 8-56 i: 

2000 ©Gunslingcr (83) Western AlP 8-4-56 — 

—H— 

2050 Halliday Brand, The (77) Western UA 1-19-57 + 

2053 Happy Road, The (98) Comedy MGM 2- 2-57 ff 

1993 ©He Laughed Last (77) Mus-Com Col 7-21-56 ff 

1996©High Society (107) ® Mus-Com.. MGM 7-28-56 ff 

2067 Hit and Run (84) Mystery UA 3-16-57 + 

1995 Hold Back the Night (80) Drama AA 7-28-56 ff 

2038 Hollywood or Bust (95) ® Com. .Para 12-15-56 + 

2002 Hot Cars (60) Action UA 8-11-56 — 

2009 Hot Rod Girl (75) Action-Drama. .. .AlP 9- 8-56 ± 

2051 Hot Summer Night (86) Crime MGM 1-26-57 — 

2002 ©Huk (84) Action UA 8-11-56 + 

2056 Incredible Shrinking Man, The 

(81) Science-Fiction U-l 2- 9-57 ff 

1974 ©Invitation to the Dance 

(93) Ballet Film MGM 5-19-56 + 

2042 ©Iron Petticoat, The (96) ® Com MGM 12-29-56 ff 

2049©lslanbul (84) © Adventure Drama.. U-l 1-19-57 + 

1993 I've Lived Before (82) Drama U-l 7-21-56 ± 

2007©Jedda the Uncivilized (88) Drama. DCA 9- 1-56 + 

1991 Johnny Concho (84) Western UA 7-14-56 ff 

201SJulie (99) Suspense- Drama MGM 10- 6-56 ff 

—K 

— 

2053 ©Kelly and Me (86) © Comedy/Songs U-l 2- 2-57 ff 

1976 Killing, The (83) Suspense-Drama UA 5-26-56 + 

1990 t>©King and I. The (133) 

©55 Dramatic Musical 20th-Fox 7- 7-56 ff 

2039 ©King and Four Queens (90) © W'n. . UA 12-22-56 ff 

1980 ©Kiss Before Dying. A (94) © Dr..UA 6- 9-56 ± 

—L— 

1946©Ladykillers. The (90) Com..Cont'l Dis 3-10-56 + 

2032 Ust Man to Hang, The (75) Drama. .UA 11-24-56 ± 

2068 ©Last of the Badmen (81) © W'n. .AA 3-16-57 ff 

2008 ©Last Wagon. The (109) © W'n. 20-Fox 9- 1-56 ff 

1978 Leather Saint. The (86) (2) Drama. Para 6- 2-56 :!: 

1997 ©Lisbon (90) (g) Adventure Rep 8- 4-56 ff 

2062 Lizzie (81) Drama MGM 3- 2-57 ff 

2031 Love Me Tender (90) © Outdoor 20th-Fox U-24-56 + 

1981 Lovers & Lollipops (80) Com-Dr T-L 6- 9-56 ± 

2010 ©Lust for Life (112) © Drama. . . .MGM 9- S-56 ff 

4+ + H H H H 13+ 

ff 

ff + 

ff ff 

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REVIEW DIGEST 

Opinions on Current Productions 

Feature reviews 

Symbol Q> denotes color photography; ® CincmoSeope; ® VlstoVlslon; ® Superscope; ® Noturomo. For story synopsis on each pictare, see reverse side. 

The Vintage F ,".ti e"^"'o 

MGM (727) 92 Minutes Kel. April '57 

MGM sent its company of Hollywood actors and technicians 

to the French vineyard country to add background 

color and authenticity to this interest-holding and dramatic 

tale. With Mel Ferrer. Pier Angeli and John Kerr as marquee 

lure, plus the added draw of Michele Morgan, who has 

starred in so many notable foreign-made pictures, this 

can top most double bills, although it will have a greater 

appeal in the key cities than in the smaller towns. The 

vineyards, with their vari-colored gi'apes, which are later 

pre.ssed into wines, are richly photographed in Cinemascope 

and Metrocolor and director Jeffrey Hayden gets admirably 

realistic portrayals, especially from Miss Morgan, who 

gives a magnificent performance as a farmer's patient wife; 

from Mel Ferrer and John KeiT, as two drifters who work 

in the grape harvest, and from Leif Erickson, who is 

outstanding as an embittered French farmer. While Pier 

Angeli is attractive, she gives a surface characterization 

of a farm girl. Based on a novel by Ursula Keir, the story 

is essentially serious with several suspenseful moments 

but incidental comedy from the native types, particularly 

a lovable chocolate-eating old man and some excitable 

matrons. Produced by Edwin H. Knopf. 

Mel Ferrer, Pier Angeli, John Kerr, 3Iichele Morgan, Leif 

Ericlison, Theodore Bikel, Jack Mullaney, Joe Verdi. 

The Storm Rider F ^j, "7" 

20th-Fox (709-6) 70 Minutes Rel. Mar. '57 

While this deals with one of the basic plot foundations 

of time-honored westerns, the bloody range war, the story 

is so compactly and logically developed, that the finished 

product can be favorably compared with many a preceding 

and more costly offering that found its genesis in the same 

venerable theme. Not only is it an above-average sagebrusher, 

with all of the nece.ssary action and situations to 

completely satisfy seekers of adventure fare, but there 

is plenty of appeal to the pro.spective customer of more 

general tastes. Such amplification of entertainment and 

dramatic qualities stems from several sources over and 

above the literary competency above mentioned. Performances 

by the stars and virtually every member of a carefully 

selected supporting cast are sui'prisingly good, for 

which considerable credit is due Edward Bernds for his 

sure-footed direction. He rates a double bow inasmuch as 

he collaborated with Don Martin on the screenplay. Bernard 

Glasser produced in partnership with topliner Scott Brady, 

and the use of RegalScope and impressive productional 

mountings throughout brought in a photoplay that is among 

the best that Regal has contributed to Fox. 

Scott Brady, Mala Powers, Bill Williams, Olin Howlin, 

William Fawcett, John Goddard, Hank Patterson. 

The Guns of Fori Petticoat F "gs"' 

Western Drama 

Columbia (131) 82 Minutes Rel. April '57 

Here's a western with a wealth of feminine appeal—because 

the fighters who hold off an Indian attack are a group 

of women led by Audie Murphy, as a Texan fighting for the 

North in the Civil War. Murphy supplies the marquee pull 

,„^,i, 

iiarui I and, if the attractive Kathrjn Grant and the other guntoting 

gals are heavily exploited, the picture should do good 

business, especially in he iieighborhood houses. "Fort Petticoat" 

is actually an abandoned church, where 42 W'omen 

and children are diilled by Murphy to become a fighting 

unit. The unusual story by C. William Harrison has been 

well directed by the veteran George Marshall, who gets 

plenty of human interest, laughs and, of course, shooting 

action out of the situations. Murphy, still looking like a 

youngster, turns in a likable acting job, but the thespian 

honors should go to Hope Emerson, as the Amazonian pioneer 

woman who acts as Mui^phy's lieutenant; to Miss Grant, as 

the little spitfire heroine; to Isobel Elsom, as the southern 

dowager who learns to shoot, and to Peggy Maley, who 

makes the most of her stock role of a loose lady with a 

heart of gold. The Technicolor shots of the Arizona country 

are excellent. Harry Joe Brown produced for Brown- 

Murphy. 

Audie Murphy, Kathryn Grant, Hope Emerson, Jeff 

Donnell, Sean McGlory, Isobe! Elsom, Jeanette Nolan. 

Untamed Youth F 

— 

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploitips; Adlines for Newspaper and Programs 

THE STORY: "The Guns of Fort Petticoat" (Col) 

Audie Murphy, a cavalry officer during the Civil War - 

wlio faces a court-martial because he opposed his colonel's 

orders to attack the peaceful Sand Creek Indians, deserts 

to warn tlie women of the Texas territory that, with their 

men away fighting, they face attack from retaliatory Indians. 

Although they at fri'st mistrust Murphy, 42 women and f4_ 

children barricade themselves in a church and ar'e drilled l5_ 

in the art of shooting. Mui-phy picks a powerful farm 

woman, Hope Emerson, to keep the others in line. When 

the attack finally comes, the women bravely hold off the 

Indians, although several are killed. Later, when Murphy 

faces his coujt-martial, the women come to his rescue and 

convinces the Army forces that he saved them all. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Play up Audie Mui-phy as the author and star of the successful 

"To Hell and Back" and Miss Grant as the girl 

who 

recently scored in "Mister Cory." Jeff Donnell is also well 

known for her work in the George Gobel TV show. Contact 

local dress shops for window cards of petticoats, both 

the old-fashioned flannel kind and the new sheer type. A 

girl wearing an old colorful petticoat will make an effective 

street ballyhoo. 

CATCHLINES: 

Audie Murphy, Sensational Stai- of "To Hell and Back," 

Fights a Memorable Civil War Battle—With 42 Soldiers 

Wearing Petticoats. 

THE STORY: 

"The Vintage" (MOM) 

Mel Ferrer and his brother, John Kerr, the latter wanted 

for murder, cross the Italian border into France and decide 

^ 

to hide from the police by hiring out as grape pickers in tjthe 

vineyards of Leif Erickson. Leif is worried about his 

vintage and is doubtful about hiring them but the other 

lander workers accept the two as do Leif's wife, Michele Morgan. 

t;mii- Kerr falls desperately in love with the older woman while 

Fen-er is attracted to Pier Angeli, her young sister. On the 

day of harvest, Pier's jealous suitor informs the police about 

his suspicions, and Ken- is shot while trying to escape. As 

Ferrer sadly leaves the farm after the vintage. Pier i-uns 

after him and decides to go with him. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Play up Mel Ferrer as one of bhe stars of "War and Peace" 

and John Kerr as the male star of the recent "Tea and 

Sympathy." For adult fans who patronize foreign films, 

mention that Michele Morgan was the star of "The Proud 

and the Beautiful," "Symphonie Pastorale," and other 

notable French films. Make a tieup with wineshops or 

liquor stores for displays of French vintage wines—with 

copy and stills from the picture. 

CATCHLI>fES: 

All the Color and Flavor of the Grapes—Which Go Into 

the Vintage Wines That Bring Happiness to All Hearts . . . 

Mel Fen-er, Star of "War and Peace," and the Lovely Pier 

Angeli in a Story of the Vineyards of Southern France. 

THE STORY: "Untamed Youth" (WB) 

Mamie Van Doren and Lori Nelson, sisters who are 

hitch-hiking to Los Angeles, are picked up in the south and 

sentenced by Lurene Tuttle, local judge, to jail—or 30 days 

working on a cotton farm. They pick the latter and soon 

find that the owner, John Russell, is a tyrant who is secretly 

married to the woman judge and using her to get cheap 

labor. Mamie is persuaded to audition for Russell, who has 

evil intentions, and Lori falls in love with Don Burnett, son 

of the judge who is unaware of his mother's scheme. When 

another girl dies as a result of the hard work and bad 

treatment, the other workers revolt against Russell and 

Miss Tuttle sees the error of her ways and rights her wrong. 

Mamie goes on to fame on TV in Hollywood. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Play up the sexy Mamie Van Doren, recently married to 

Ray Anthony, as the Latest in the Marilyn Monroe-Diana 

Dors Blonde Cyclone Cycle. Have a record player in the 

lobby giving out with Rock 'n' Roll tunes to attract the 

teenagers. Make a tieup with a local music store for window 

displays of lively jive records. 

CATCHLINES: 

Modem Flaming Youth Fights Bad Living Conditions and 

. . Mamie 

Lets Itself Go in a Rock 'n' Roll Fun-Pest . 

Van Doren, the New Blonde Glamor Girl, as the Girl Who 

Was Hollywood-Bound But Got Side-Tracked on a Cotton 

Farm. 

lOWu 

)Toy 

THE STORY: "The Storm Rider" (20th-Fox) 

Basically it is a sagebrusher dealing with a struggle for 

power between the big ranch owners of the cattle association 

and a number of small ranchers. An agent for the 

association, Scott Brady, killed a man in Abilene. When he 

arrives in the town of Hartwell, the sheriff suggests he move 

on because most of the dead man's family live in that vicinity. 

Despite the warning, Brady stays. He encounters trouble 

with the family as well as with the henchmen of a cattle 

baron. Also, he and Mala Powers, the widow of the man he 

killed, become romantically interested in each other. In 

a showdown, Brady and the small ranch owners eibher kill 

or scare off all the heavies. Brady leaves town knowing that ( 

a dead man stands between Miss Powers and him. 

^ 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Engage a man to ride around town on a horse, which 

has been decorated with picture credit banners. On the 

marquee, in the lobby and in all exploitation, capitalize on 

the name value of Scott Brady and Mala Powers. Seek music 

store and deejay tieups on Les Baxter, who composed 

and conducted the score for this western. 

CATCHLINES: 

Not Even a Greedy Cattle Baron and a Revengeful Family 

Could Prevent This Sagebrush Hero From Fulfilling His 

Mission . . . Action, Suspense, Romance—Presented in 

Magnificent RegalScope. 

THE STORY: "Rock, Rock, Rock" (DCA) THE STORY: "High Terrace" (AA) 

When Dori Grey's father refuses to give her money to buy 

a new strapless gown so she can compete with Gloria for 

Tommy Rogers at the high school seiaior prom, Dori tries 

to boiTow from a bank. The bank refuses; Dori decides to 

compete with it as a loan service. She borrows money from 

her chum Arabella and lends it at 100 per cent interest. News 

of Dori's high usury reaches Tommy through Gloria, who 

threatens to tell authorities about Dori's scheme unless 

Tommy personally takes her (Gloria) to the prom instead 

of Dori. Tommy, who has talked Alan Freed into bringing 

his Rock 'n' Roll band to the prom, gets things straightened 

out with Dori at the dance and they enjoy the many rock 

'n' roll features of the spring event. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Arrange an hoiu- broadcast by the local disc jockey of 

the L. P. pressing of all 21 songs in this film.,Send a sound 

truck through town playing recordings of the same numbers. 

Arrange with a local ballroom to feature these 21 numbers 

and cooperative displays at a teenage dance. 

CATCHLINES: 

The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Music Played by the Biggest 

Rock 'n' Roll Groups . . . Roclc, Rock, Rock With Alan Freed, 

King of Rock 'n' Roll ... 21 Top Songs, 14 Top Talent 

Groups and—Alan Freed! 

/oil 

(95) 

c 

Backgrounded in London, the yarn concerns the murder 

of an impresario, Ei'lo Pohlmann. Among those suspected 

are Lois Maxwell, an actress, with whom he was in love 

though the feeling was not mutual—and with whom he had 

argued over a contract; Derek Bond, her leading man, who 

resented Pohlmann 's insults and had knocked him down; 

Pohlmann's wife, who was no more devoted In marriage 

than he; and Dale Robertson, an American playwright, who 

was interested in Miss Maxwell both personally and professionally. 

To the police, it is revealed that the actress and 

Bond once had been married. She killed Pohlmann while 

she and her ex-spouse quarreled with him. Bond, still in 

love with Lois, had fled to divert any suspicion from her. 

EXPLOITIPS: 

Sponsor a newspaper contest in which photographs of 

those portraying the suspects in this crime drama are printed 

together with a synopsis of the story, from which the climax 

is 

withheld. Offer prizes and/or free ducats to entrants who 

correctly name the guilty party. Marquee and lobby emphasis 

should be accorded Dale Robertson. 

CATCHLINES: 

Who Killed the Philandering Impresario?—His Neglected 

Wife—A Glamorous Actress—An Impetuous Leading Man 

A Handsome American Playwright—Or Someone the Police 

Never Suspected? 

c 

BOXOFFICE BookinGuide : : March 

23, 1957

Cleveland, 

RA'l'ES: 15c per word, minimuin S1.50. cash with copy. Four consecutive insertions for price 

of three. CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy and 

• answers to Box Numbers to BOXOFFICE. 825 Van Brunt Blvd.. Kansas City 24, Mo. • 

POSITIONS WANTED 

Job as projectionist. Have liiid hventy years exptficiice. 

Coriiuci; (leurge Cailyle, 805 Lee, Hereford. 

Texas. 

4 years experience, single, reliable, sober. Good 

rettrinns liktiaril Nelson. 2328 Winchester ,\ve„ 

.Asblan.l. K). I'honc East 4-3340. 

Manaoer available at once, over 30 years 

experienci- ;ill pha^^fs nf exhibition, top expliiitalion 

and ad man. I'reftT west or southwest, best of 

rt'fi'rencfs. Boxoffice, 7451. 

Projectionist, 28 years experience, references, 

non-alcnlnilic. b"iUh mjiintenanci'. Wants To locate 

itl Texa-;. tiiif \\iM rfirisidt-i iinvfllitit;. Write. 

K.i\ultn-i', 

:i"il 

HELP WANTED 

Wanted manager new drivc-in tlieatro. sontliorn 

.Mass, riru' etinimimlty. good pay, 12 months job. 

Want .imbitliiiis. hard working man who likes to 

promote and sell. Write. BoxofTice, 7439. 

Drive-ln and indoor the.-iire managers. Cood 

salary, jtermaneiit positions, many other benefits, 

insntanee. etc. Contact iminediately; Leruy Kendls, 

Associated Theatres, Kilra Bldg.. 2108 Payne 

Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. TOuer 1-0784, 

, 

Drive-ln and indoor theatre manageis, good 

salary, permanetit positions. .Many other benefits, 

insiir.-mce, etc. tuntact immediately, Leroy Kendis, 

\-..clated Theatres, Film Bldi;., 2108 Payne 

Ohio. TOwer 1-0784. 

v.. 

Orive-in theatre manager. Couil opportunity for 

good nran. Musi be Hell experienced, honest, sober 

and reliable. It cap.able idease apply. .No drifteis 

wanted. Keference required. State experience, age, 

marital status and name former emi)loycrs as 

well as re;LSon for wanting or seeking a change 

and starting salary expected. Boxotflce, 7458. 

Theatre manager, experienced, for midwest 

town. Reply in confidence. Tell all first letter. 

Iteferetices not used without permission. Boxotflce, 

74511. 

Wattted, managers, experienced and trainees, 

for driu'-ins and regnlar threatrcs in the New 

England area. Write nnalifications to, .Mrs. 

Frances W. Harding, 22 Church St., Boston, Mass. 

Wanted, managers for Chicago circuit theatres. 

Excellent npjiorttinities for advancement. Starting 

iiay substantial. Biixofficc. 7457. 

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 

Miniature golf course for lease or rent to responsible 

iiaity. Call or write. Gene Cramm, 

mgr., Iiihe-lii Tbe.itre. Council ISIuffs, lo«a. 

EQUIPMENT WANTED 

Used marquee letters wanted, six Inches or 

higher. State size, condition and price and number 

of sets available, Boxoffice. 7440. 

Wanted used theatre speakers, any amount, all 

makes. Theatre Speakers Co., Box 438, liossvillc, 

Ga. 

Will buy 2 used 25-ton air conditioning units 

good eonditiiin. .\. .1. Laurel, P. 0. Box 26, 

In 

Nuevo Laredo. .Mexico. 

Wanted, sutler cineiihor lenses. 4:00. Park 

Theatie. Columbia Falls. Slont. 

Wanted, outdoor |)ortabIe army screen. 9x12 

or 11x14 IVet, spring fasteners. Kane. 636 High 

St.. .Middletown, Conn. 

DRIVE-IN THEATRE EQUIPMENT 

Speaker coiled cords! Guaranteed genuine heavy 

duty .\'eu|)rene .No, 18-2. Stretches to 7 ft. minimum, 

lletracts to original position every time. 

Cables are already lugged, tinned, ready for immediate 

use, $1.75 each, list price. Cash discount 

of 45% in lots of 100 to 5O0. 50% discount 

in lots of 500 or more. .All prices FOB 

Cleveland, 25% deposit required on all COP 

orders. Immediate delivery. Call or write, Sandler 

Mfg. Co. 2108 Payne Ave., Cleveland 14, Ohio, 

I'honc; TOuer 1-9248. 

For sale, 80 drive-in stations, junction box, 2 

Itl'.V speakeis, steel post, cement block, 3 years 

did. .$10 per station. Boxorficc. 7436. 


GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED 

Reconditioned automatic curtain ccntrols, Va!- 

len medium duty w/'ilIP mot.r j;;'."iii. .\1)C 

heavy duty w/',tlll' motor Stiu.ju, yiiantltles 

limited, order now, liept, cc. S.O.S, Cinema 

Snpplv Corp.. 602 W. 52nd St., New York 19, 

mproiC your light with Peerless magnarcs, $395 

pair. Strong, Siraiilex Brenkert 1 kw arcs and 

ectifiers. $495 nair. Forest. Ashcraft "E", Ballantyne 

65 amii, w/14" reflectors, $250 iiair. 

Strong Mogul, Bienkert Enarc, $350 pair. All excellent 

condition. Ilept. cc. S.O.S. Cinema Supply 

Corp, 602 Vi. 52nd St. New York 19. 

Complete theatre booths and fixtures. Simiilex 

and RCA super heads. Magnarc lamps, Simp, ex 

snuiid. rnbellevable low prices. Mid-South Theatie 

Siiliply Co,. 502 S. Second. Memphis. Teiin. 

(2) only, large very quiet ventilating fans, 

American blower size 11 about 45.000 CFM at 

10 bp each housing 9'6"x4'4"x8'C" high, $4011 

each less motor FOB Foikston. Ga.. Wade Lumber 

Co,. Phone: 4321. 

Complete drive-in theatre booth equipment. 

F250 Simplex sound system. Peerless magnate 

lamiis. Strong 80 amp. rectifier. E-7 mechanisms. 

Baiiscb & Lomli 4U F-20 lenses and Weaver 

ebaiige overs. Boxoffice. 744S, 

300 International chairs, same as new. Model 

K ,MoIiogra[ih projectors and soundheads. Attracliou 

board sign 6'xl5' suitable for drive-in. 

Simplex 1 kw. lamiis and new rectifiers. H. W. 

.Inbnson. Dean Street Road. Woodstock. III. 

Three spigot Uniflow fountain, electric carbonation. 

Root Beer barrel attached, cost $1,039. 

tnod as new. $250, One Majestic juice disiienser 

.No. 1120. cost $ofiO. like new. $150. Both of 

these items guaranteed. Address. Atidlen Distributing 

Co.. 2025 .lackson. Dallas 1, Texas. 

Two complete "theatre etiiiipment set n|i" from 

fniiit liimi liiek. til rear, wldescrcen. Clliema- 

Srope l!e-l ill everytliilig, Aililless, G46 Ga/ln St.. 

lloiMiill 211. Texas 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—NEW 

New surplus intermittent movements; for Simplex. 

$69,511: DeVry. 59,50: Holmes, 24.50 (add 

$9.50 lor Foxhole s|i,ofket). lleVry No. 107SI) 

complete framing assembly list $135. special 

$3!l,50, Dciit. cc. S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp.. 

602 W, 52iid St., New Yoik 19. 

POPCORN MACHINES 

Popcorn machines, all makes and styles. Reiilaeemeiii 

kettles for .ill iioppers. Complete replacement 

unit fits most machines, $185, 120 

So. Halsied, Chicago. 111. 

BUSINESS STIMULATORS 

Bingo, more action! $4.50M cards. Other 

iames available, on- off screen. Novelty Games Co.. 

106 Itogers Ave. Brookljn, N, Y, 

Build attendance with real Hawaiian orchids 

l''ew cents each. Write Flowers of Hawaii. 670 

S. Lafayette Park Place. Los Angeles 5, Calif. 

Bingo Cards, Die Cut! 1, 75-500 combinations, 

1, 100-2110 combinations. Can be used for KENO, 

$4,511 per M, Premium Products. 346 West 

44lh St,, New York 36. N. Y, 

STUDIO 

AND PRODUCTION 

Cineflex 35min reflex cainei a uiili iiMinr, k'S^ 

leii>. as is. .^l.oitn \iiliit'. $11*5; Blimp fur Aiiiflex 

85mm, $9r»5: Ncnmadf film clvanors. iu*\v siirpliis. 

$425 value. ;i5mm $295, 10mm $345: Mitt'lull. 

I!e!Iio\U'!l studio cami-ias. from $995; 

new tiipiiii lii;i:ii;'i's. $16.95: Moviolas from $l!)5: 

American rint'ma'oirraplier's handhnoks, V^ luice, 

$2.50. nt'Pt. cc. S.O.S. Cinema Supply Cmp.. 

602 W. 52nd St.. New York 19. 

Get Results at Once! 

BOXOFFICE 

Want Ads Act Fast! 

THEATRES FOR SALE 

Theatre, sales! Ralph Erwln, Licensed Broker. 

1443 South Trenton, Tulsa. 

West coast theatres tor sale. Write tor list. 

Theatre Exchange. 260 Kearney St., San Francisco 

8. Calif. 

For Sale or lease only drlve-in theatre In 

Suiierior. Wisconsin, population 35,000. 500-car 

cap.icitv. Inquire Samuel P, Halpern. Attorney, 

1032 Midland Bank Bldg,, Minneapolis, Minn. 

367 seats, central Pennsylvania Industrial and 

\ college town. Completely remodeled 1955, state 

pprovcd. CinetmScope, air conditioned. Priced 

Ight. teims. Boxoftlce, 7442. 

200 car drive-in, central Florida. 10 acres, 

small hnmc. CinemaScope. Perfect family operalion 

sliowing nice profit. Triced for quick sale, 

terms ii;:t)l. Owner must dispose Immediately. Boxofliee. 

"441. 

East Texas drive-in. 12 month operation, 

CinemaScope, 600 KCA speakers, top concessions. 

120,000 in area. $30,000 will liandle. Boxofrice, 

7438. 

Family operated theatre in heart of Wyoming 

newest nil discmery. Other interests force sale. 

Ho.v :i:iS, Upton, Wyo. 

Florida 400-car drive-in, 3 years old. 7 miles 

from the largest factory belnj; built In Florida. 

Two apattmenls. 5 story screen, building, 13 

acres, well equipped. $20,000 vull handle, total, 

$63,000. Kissimmee Drivc-ln, Kissimmee, Fla. 

567 seats, Louisville. Solid brick building, air 

conditioned, \W(le screen, plus grill and 4 apartments, 

only $80,000, *>i cash. Write for photo. 

Col. Graves, Atomic Itealty Co.. 308 W. Woodlawn. 

Louisiille 14. Ky. 

CUfllllllG HOUSE 

For sale, 300 car drive-in. cost $60,000. 

Now .showing a profit, will sacrifice for $20,000, 

land ineluded. If operated by a Catholic gross 

would diiuhle. Boxoffice. 7445. 

For sale, well situated Montana theatre, CinemaScope, 

Preiiare for Fox's mag-optical film. Lowest 

gas heated, brick building. Priced to 

sell immediately, ill health. Boxoffice. 7446. 

prices, inumpt deliveries. Foxhole s|>iocket kits 

for Standard and Super Simplex. E-7, X-L, Century 

iirojectois: also soiindlieads including RCA 

500 seats, CinemaScope, central California, for 

l'S24. .M11040, 1050. 1060, 9030. 9050, WE200. 

20S. TA-7400: Simplex 4 Star and Ballantync, 

Los Angeles. Boxoffice, 7453. 

sale or trade in Tucson, Phoenix. Arizona, or 

Ilept, cc. S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp., 602 W, 

52nd St., New York 19. 

Outstanding opportunity. 3 drlve-ln.ereen. $3,000 cash will handle. Boxoffice, 7452. 

THEATRE TICKETS 

. 

Prompt Service. Special printed roll tlcket.> 

100. OOU, $31.95: 10,000. $9 90: 2,000. $5.70 

tiacli etiuiige in aiiriiisslon price, iricliidlnt; change 

III colur, $4 00 extta. I'oiible numbering; exira 

F.O.B. Kansa:. Cllj, Mo. Cash with order 

Kansas City Ticket Co.. Dept 11, 109 W 18th 

St.. Kan,sa.s Cttj. Mo. 

BOOKS 

Don't operate wastefully in these tough times! 

Hiindieds of ways lo sate money, all based on 

practical tlieatre experience, are yours in the 

"Ma.ster (Jiiide to 'llieatre .Maintenance." Each 

one or them may be worth far more to you than 

the $5.00 the book costs. Send for your copy 

today. Cash wiih order, no COD's. Boxoffice 

Book Itept.. 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 

24, Mn. 

REPAIRING 

Your speakp.rs (cones), microphones, driver-units 

ihurns) cornpleiel> reljtiil:. Wesiern Eleeironlo 

f . 3:^11 Hoiisitm .We.. Houston 9. Texas. 

Door closer repairing, all types. One day service, 

Minnesota Fire Extinguisher Co., 2480 

University Ave., St. Paul 14, Minn. 

T?IEATRE SEATING 

Chair supplies, parts for all chairs. Penslo 

Sealing, Chicago 5. 

RepairinQ and reupliclstering In your theatre 

Fensln Seathig. Chicago 5. 

New spring seats for all chairs. Tensin Seating. 

Chicago 5. 

Patch-o-seat cement, permastone anchor cement. 

Fensin Seating, Chicago 6. 

Seat coverings, sewed combination, alt styles 

Fensin Seating. Chicago 5. 

Plastic leatherette, all colors, send sample. 

Fensin Seating. Ctiicago 6. 

Upholstery fabrics, nil types, send sample. 

Kensln Seating, Clilcago 5. 

Cash for your old theatre chairs. Fensin Seating, 

Chicago 5. 111. 

Professional reupholsterino. Factory trained crew. 

Free estin»ale «riywbere. Kor sale: 5.000 good 

used chairs, all types. (KJl.ESBY ICqCII'MEN'l 

Co., 20356 Grand lltver, Delroil. KFnwood 3 8740 

Several lots of late type chairs. Bargain price 

Write for exact photo. Chlrago I'sed Chair Mart. 

829 S. State St.. Chicago 5. 111. 

25"x26" plastic leatherette, good qtiallly. 05r 

each, 27"'x27" tor spring edge. 65c each 

Chicago Used Chair Mart, 820 S. Stale St.. 

Chicago. 

For sale almost new International chairs. 500 

upholstered seats con>plele. 300 not upholstered 

seals complete. 5 sections collapsible, portable 

bleachers, suitable gymnasiums, theatres. Terry 

Carpenter, Inc., P.O. 170, Phone: Nelson at 

1892, Scottsbluff, Neb. 

THEATRES WANTED 

Theatres Wanted! Texas, Oklahoma. Arkansas. 

Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Louisiana. Italph 

Erwln, Broker, Tulsa. 

Handy Ad Order Blank 

BOXOFFICE, 

825 Van Brunt Blvd., 

Kansas City 24, Mo, 

For the $ inclosed, print 

my Wont Ad limes, at 

rate of 15 cents a word (or 4 insertions 

at the price of 3).

UA MAKES T 

TION NEWS 

HOW Eoime 

SWEET SMELL OF 

SUCCESS 

Co-starring Tony Curtis • Directed by Alexander Mackendrick 

James Hill • Executive Producer Harold Hecht • A Hecht, Hill and 

Lancaster Companies Presentation 

• Produced by

Boxoffice-March.23.1957

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